heading to saudi arabia soon to begin those high stakes, high level talks with senior russian officials. so special envoy to the middle east steve witkoff, along with trump, national security advisor mike waltz, are traveling to the region to saudi arabia sunday into monday, according to wittkopf. joining up with secretary of state marco rubio, who is already traveling in the region for previously scheduled meetings. they will be meeting on tuesday with top officials selected by the kremlin, including political, economic and intelligence officials from russia. we have also learned that saudi arabia will be a key mediator during these talks. and of course, that comes after crown prince mohammed bin salman was

serious president putin is about ending russia's war in ukraine, which is on the cusp of that third anniversary just days from now. it also comes just days after president trump had that key call with putin. but here's what president trump had to say about all this. >> we're trying to get a peace with russia, ukraine, and we're working very hard on it. it's a war that should have never started. >> do you expect zelenskyy to be involved in these conversations? what will his role be? >> i do. he will be involved. yes. >> secretary rubio also said that depending on the progress of these talks, ukraine may have to get involved and ultimately europe may have to get involved as well. now for his part, president trump told reporters hours ago on the tarmac here in west palm beach that he could be meeting soon with president putin, also in saudi arabia. so

clearly, paula, all of this moving quite quickly. we'll be watching those talks quite closely on tuesday. >> betsy kline, thank you. and there's growing concern among ukrainians that any trump brokered ceasefire with russia could be full of concessions and false promises. cnn's nick paton walsh traveled to the war torn frontline to speak with ukrainians fighting for their freedom. >> hundreds of dead or injured daily. but this drone war can feel here like high stakes gaming. >> the pronto. >> blues, lucky strike, the judge o'toole. tom zara's. >> for those below a petrifying scramble in the frozen mud, the tiny buzz of death. above this

very remote world of chat groups. and drone cameras, so removed from the absolute horror of what's going down on the ground there. both sides torn apart, in trench warfare. not been seen for. a century. in some places. vladimir is a week or so shy of his decade anniversary. fighting russia, joining in 2015 when moscow seized the nearby town of debaltseve, literally during a ceasefire. you better really mean it if you talk peace here. >> conflict is. no cyril ramaphosa. robert demaio strategic mo elleithee robert storch.

>> one certainty as we head out to see the front is this same drone set up and carnage is being mimicked by the russians not far away. dusk can bring a brief break in russian drones in the skies, but this red dot means there's one above us. >> sky is dirty. we have to wait. we have to go. >> so much change is fast in this war. but the shelling seems like it could go on forever. massive guns hiding from tiny $500 machines here. extraordinary change. little geopolitics here. just practical skepticism and hard numbers. do you think there could be a ceasefire here that could last?

>> emilia? present of the situation to. to stop. so. percent of sort. o. territory in. >> nick paton walsh. thank you. and joining us now is democratic congressman eugene vindman of virginia. he is a member of the house armed services and agriculture committees. congressman, thank you for your time. first, i want to get your take on these talks between the u.s. and russia in saudi arabia. is it a mistake not to have ukraine present for these talks? >> well, first of all, thank you, paula, for having me tonight. these talks, um, with russia, start with a very weak

bargaining position. think about what's happened in the last week. the u.s., the new secretary of defense, has agreed that russian territorial gains should be. the russians should be able to keep parts of that, that russia, that ukraine should not be in nato. um, these are before that. ukraine has lost aid in rebuilding of its infrastructure through usaid programs. so this is about the weakest starting position for for peace talks that you can imagine. this is all before the first, uh, sides meet. so i think it's a very weak starting position. if i were to give the administration any credit at all, maybe they're looking at having sequential talks, but they're starting from a weak position. >> and we're getting a lot of different messages about what exactly ukraine's role will be going forward. ukraine says it was not informed about these talks in saudi arabia. trump says they will be involved. and

then his special envoy, general keith kellogg, announced dual talks will be taking place in kyiv. is this a smart strategy? >> no, it's not a smart strategy. look, different parts of the administration. general kellogg says one thing the secretary of defense says another thing. jd vance, vice president, says another thing. so there's no way to tell where this administration actually stands on the talks. and, you know, the the idea of the u.s. and russia having these talks without participation from the eu and ukraine is nonsensical. the u.s. is is at best tangentially involved. the u.s. has provided some material support, some monetary support. um, and that's about it. it's not like we're directly involved in the conflict like we were in in vietnam or north korea. so, um, i don't know what the administration can possibly agree with to, with russia that,

does not involve ukraine coming to the bargaining table. >> well, this week, vice president jd vance told the wall street journal that the u.s. has economic and military leverage against russia. what do you make of those comments? i mean, what do you think that leverage looks like? >> well, again, i think we start from a position where, uh, the u.s. is in some ways legitimizing some of the gains. i think the president last week said that, you know, the loss of russian, several hundred thousand russian forces has, um, sort of bought them some of the territorial gains that they've made. it's nonsensical statements. it's statements that no president, um, of the united states should ever be making. and, um, it's frankly completely and totally unacceptable, um, position to start with. >> all right. let's turn to the middle east. israel vowing to, quote, finish the job against iran with help from the u.s. according to our sources, both the biden and trump

administrations received intelligence that israel would likely attempt to strike facilities key to iran's nuclear program this year. does that run counter to the trump administration's desire for peace in the middle east? >> well, 100%. this administration has has been promising to keep us out of of wars around the world, in the middle east. and, um, you know, i agree that iran is a major destabilizing force in the middle east and around the world. they're a state sponsor of terror. they support the houthis that are blocking major shipping channels so that the iranian problem must be dealt with in some form or fashion. but, uh, i have not seen anything that to indicate that there is a iranian nuclear breakout, that would be something that could potentially warrant a response from the u.s. and israel. until i see something like that, until that is presented to the american people. this idea of the u.s. entering into a conflict in the

middle east, another one, is totally unacceptable. >> now, back here at home, of course, as you know, thousands of federal workers are at risk of losing their jobs as elon musk and doge make their way through key agencies. the secretary of defense, pete hegseth, he says he will welcome musk and doge at the pentagon very soon to, quote, find billions of dollars to save. have you heard anything about what doge could do inside the pentagon? >> well, look, earlier this week, a republican senator said that the secretary made a rookie mistake. and there is no such thing as rookie mistakes for the secretary of defense of the united states. there is no warm up for an administration. and we've already seen that this doge i call the department of government. inefficiencies is causing a reign of terror chaos across the federal government. just this week, they released classified information about a u.s. intelligence agency. they

have access to, um, the american people's personal information, bank accounts and things like that, that that they're frankly not entitled to. and so i have a major, major concern about them going into the department of defense and futzing around with, uh, you know, the internal systems there and u.s. national security. >> doge is reportedly also targeting the department of agriculture. the agency leader says layoffs are coming. your state plays a big role in our nation's production of agricultural products. so as a member of the agricultural committee, are you hearing anything about the impact we could see at that agency? >> well, look, um, this administration and these executive orders seem to be just, uh, actually executing a policy, then thinking about it and then walking it back. we saw an example of that this week, um, where one of their policies related to federal government employees is walked back after i introduced a bill that was

bipartisan and that had generated a lot of pressure on administration. and so move fast and break things may be a way for, you know, tech pros to manage things in silicon valley, but it's no way to run government because unlike, uh, in private industry, you may lose business. but in government, people's lives are at stake. and when it comes to agriculture, i've heard from farmers around my district that are very concerned that currently are losing or have had programs that are supported by usda frozen. uh, usaid purchases a great deal of of grain and products from american farmers. all of that has put them in jeopardy. and social media is filled with reports of of folks that were trump supporters. and i've gotten calls from folks like that in my office that have been trump supporters and are are getting more than they bargained for. >> now, you, along with congressman rob wittman, introduced legislation pushing

president trump to allow federal workers who are married to military members and foreign service members to continue to work from home. now, this is after the white house announced a new policy requiring all government employees to return to the office. can you explain why this is such an important issue for you? >> look, i spent 25 years in the united states army. um, so i served with my brothers and sisters in uniform and, and, uh, patriotic families around the country and around the world. and so i know the hardship that they go through. i know how hard it is for them to uproot every couple of years and try to secure a job. and so as it when it pertains to a federal government job and you have a spouse who actually callednto my office said, you know, this new new executive order announced and then thought through only on the back end would have her, uh, drive 200 miles round trip from one end of my district to washington, dc and would have resulted in her having to quit her job, her husband having to leave the military, or a 200 mile round

trip. and so i moved fast, uh, with my my colleagues on the republican party. this is a bipartisan issue supporting, uh, patriotic american families is a bipartisan issue. and so we drafted a piece of legislation that put pressure on the administration in addition to calls and letters that that went out to the administration. and we've seen this administration actually respond to pressure. they backpedaled before, and they did it again. uh, on this issue, which, um, they they issued an exemption to active duty military spouses that affected thousands of spouses around the country and around the world. um, and i see it as a major victory. and i feel great about the fact that we're helping patriotic american families. >> now, before i let you go, i have to ask you about the government funding deadline that's coming up in less than a month. are you planning to work with republicans to ensure there's no government shutdown? or will that all be up to the gop to avoid?

>> look, the gop is the party in power. uh, the house of representatives is a majoritarian institution, which means that the majority controls the house. we've seen chaos. we've seen how disjointed they are. they have a caucus that, uh, is filled with radicals. and so i suspect they're going to have to work with, with democrats. and i've already demonstrated that i'm a moderate, bipartisan member. i'm going to look for areas where i can work with republicans on to help my constituents help the american people. but i'm certainly going to hold the line with my democratic colleagues to make sure that our priorities are not cut and that the administration actually follows the law and follows the constitution. and when we pass a funding bill that they actually execute that funding bill. >> congressman eugene vindman, thank you. thank you. still ahead, the department of education is threatening to pull federal funding from any school that considers race in its decisions. what the

repercussions could be for institutions like historically, black colleges and universities. you're in the cnn newsroom. >> it's the news. >> welcome back. >> but it's also kind of not the news. >> we don't fact check here. we don't care, man. >> why is all the information on this show so terrible? >> have i got news for you saturday at nine on cnn. >> you know what's brilliant? boring. think about it. boring makes vacations happen. early retirement is possible. and startups start up. that's why pnc bank strives to be boring with your money. the pragmatic, calculated, kind of boring.

>> huh? noom has glp1 meds now. >> yes. noom combines medication with healthy habits so you can lose the weight and keep it off. >> yeah. gop one starting at $149. >> that's noom smart noom. the smart way to lose weight. >> we're standing up for our right to be lazy. >> not literally, of course. >> we work hard. we deserve to scroll hard. >> it's the lazy boy president's day sale. find the lazy spot you've been missing. plus 0% interest for 48 months. >> we've earned our lazy time. what she said. >> korean president's day sale going on now. lazy boy, long live the lazy. >> the first time i experienced vertigo, the room was spinning like i was in a clothes dryer. then i started taking lipo

balance support. its ingredients are clinically shown to help reduce dizziness and spinning. take back control with lipo flavonoid. >> this tax season do more than just catch up. spring forward with a free 5g phone with select straight talk plans so you can spring for something you never knew you needed, all with real, unlimited data on america's most reliable 5g network. find us at walmart and straight talk.com. >> feeling backed up and bloated? good thing metamucil fiber plus probiotics gummies work harder for your digestive system with fiber to help promote gut health, and probiotics to help relieve occasional bloating so you can feel your best. metamucil fiber plus probiotics gummies. >> sure. vistaprint prints business cards, but we also print these and those and engrave that. we print your brand on everything so customers can notice you, remember you, and fall in love with you if you need it. we print it with 25% off for new customers at vistaprint.com. >> here's to getting better with age. >> here's the bee's knees to every thursday.

>> help fuel today with boost high protein complete nutrition. you need and the flavor you love. so here's to now. now available boost max. >> what happens when one of the most famous dunkers of all time goes to the greatest lobster festival time. >> i make red lobster famous. no, blake. dunking happens. yeah. you're right. >> create your own lobster lover's dream with 2 or 3 choices on one plate at red lobster. >> so why can't we say we're the best home shopping site? >> because while true, you just can't say that legally. >> so i can't say homes.com is the best. no. >> what if we jumbled up the words. >> homes best is the no. what if we said it in spanish? >> es el mejor. >> no. >> what if we whispered it. >> to.com is the best? >> no. >> fine. what if he said it? >> homes.com. it's the best. >> mr. freeman. i'm sorry, but we can't say that. say what? homes.com is the best. >> aha! >> homes.com. >> it's the best. >> love. love will keep us

together. >> now for something you can both agree on a sleep number. smart bed is perfect for couples. the climate 360. smart bed is the only bed that cools and warms on each side, and all our smart beds adjust the firmness for each of you. let's agree to agree on better sleep and now save 50% on the new sleep number. limited edition smart bed plus free home delivery and 0% interest for 48 months. shop now. >> you deserve care from people who get you. not this. you need sitter city. they've been connecting families with sitters and nannies for over 20 years. get started today at sitter city. >> lockerbie premieres tonight. >> at nine on. >> cnn. >> the department of education is threatening to cut federal funding from any school that considers race in most aspects of student life. in a letter to institutions from preschools all the way through post-secondary education, the agency laid out a

sweeping and controversial interpretation of u.s. law. following the 2023 supreme court decision that gutted affirmative action, writing that even though the ruling addressed admissions decisions, the supreme court's holding applies more broadly. at its core, the test is simple. if an education institution treats a person of one race differently than it treats another person because of that person's race, the educational institution violates the law. joining us now is arne duncan, former education secretary under president obama. thank you so much for joining us. i first just want to get your initial reaction to this letter. >> there's so much here. it's hard to know where to start. but let me start on the higher ed side. many of our nation's elite universities were literally built by slaves. so that legacy is who we are as a nation. the real affirmative action for generations, for centuries, at some place has

been legacy admissions and admissions for the children of the wealthy, of wealthy donors who by themselves into those universities. if anyone thinks trump got into the university of pennsylvania on his merit alone, that's laughable. so to deny this history, to act like we don't have to do something to create more opportunities for those who were enslaved, who built many of our institutions of higher education is a real problem. k to 12 this is not what any parent is asking for when you pull parents. they are asking for three things. they want their children to be safe in school and they're worried about gun violence, school shootings, mass shootings. this administration will do nothing to address that. they're worried about their children getting help for their social and emotional needs, and they want their children to have a challenging curriculum and be ready to be prepared to be successful in college. so nothing of what trump is trying to sell. people are buying or asking for. >> well, what could this mean

specifically for historically black colleges and universities? that was one of the first questions that came up as this was released. >> well, all of this is intentionally vague to again, i think just to create chaos and create fear. um, hbcus have served our nation forever. again, starting originally trying to serve the the children of former slaves. um, rich, rich history. they are needed today more than ever. i happen to be on the board of howard university, and a huge supporter and proponent of what they're trying to do. and anything that makes their job more difficult as they try and level the playing field and create the next generation of leaders for our country who happen to be black or brown, our nation needs those opportunities. we need those leaders. we need those entrepreneurs. we need those innovators. and so anything that attacks those opportunities and diminishes it, um, does our country a grave disservice. but i think that's actually the intent. that's what they're trying to do here. >> and this letter also criticizes diversity equity and inclusion efforts, saying that

such programs, quote, frequently preference certain racial groups and teach students that certain racial groups bear unique moral burdens that others do not. what do you say to that? >> well, again, just the dishonesty here is staggering. and what's really fascinating, this has been reported on by the new york times and others, is that during the first administration, trump's department of education actually supported these initiatives and insisted that people go to training. and the huge, cruel, cruel irony now is that many of those hardworking employees of the department of education who are being laid off because they went to trainings mandated by president trump's administration, were actually military veterans. so these are people who served our country, risked their lives, came back, wanted to help, you know, increase educational opportunity, did what they were told. and they are, as we speak, not being allowed to do their job. it's just mind boggling what's happening right now. >> and this letter comes as trump has repeatedly vowed to dismantle the department of

education. and this week, another of trump's cabinet picks nominees will face a critical vote on her path to be confirmed secretary of education. so she was grilled last week about the president's plan to dismantle education, the education department. let's take a listen to what she said. >> do you agree that since the department was created by congress, it would need an act of congress to actually close the department of education? >> and certainly president trump understands that we'll be working with congress, but certainly does require congressional action. long before there was a department of education. we fulfilled the programs of our educational system. are there other areas, other agencies where parts of the department of education could better serve our students and our parents on a local level? >> so as someone who has led the department of education, in your view, what is the impact if the department goes away? >> well, first of all, the department cannot go away. she answered that question

accurately. it would take 60 senators to vote to abolish the department of education. that's never going to happen. but what two things are possible here. trump can do a lot to hurt children across the country. who does the department of education serve and provide funding for? it's our most vulnerable kids across the country, children trying to go to pre-k. it's children who are english language learners. it's children who live below the poverty line. it's children with special needs is world children. it's millions and millions of dollars for pell grants to help first generation college goers go to college. and so any attempt to harm or dismantle any of those programs will simply hurt the most vulnerable children across our country. and as you know so well, children with special needs rural children, children who live below the poverty line, some of their parents happen to vote are some happened to vote. d but education should be the ultimate bipartisan issue. and trump is going to hurt so many who supported him. and again, just absolutely incomprehensible to me.

>> arne duncan, thank you. thank you. as a deadly winter storm slams parts of the south, frigid air moving in behind the system is getting the setting the stage for another storm later this week. >> no matter what kind of teeth you gotta brush or it'll be electric cleans better with one simple touch. oral-b's dentist inspired round brush head hugs him, cleans him, and gets in between him for 100% cleaner teeth. your perfect clean starts with oral-b. >> honey. >> but the gains are pumping. >> dad is mommy a finance bro? >> she switched careers to make money for your weddings. >> oh, the asian market is blowing up. hey, who wants shots, huh? shots of milk? >> the right money moves aren't as aggressive as you think. >> that's $225 for the night. >> not bad. >> $155 for the night. how? >> it's easy when you know where to look.

>> trivago compares hotel prices from hundreds of sites so you can save up to 40%. hotel trivago. >> get in on by one foot long. get one free right now in the subway app. that's right. buy one foot long sub, get another free deals this good usually come with a two year contract. grab the deal online or in app with code bogo only for a limited time. >> all right, so that's one pair of prescription glasses plus anti-reflective coating. oh, award winning customer service. that's me. that's also me. i see. and free frame adjustments for life. >> and that's included. >> in the $95. >> oh. >> welcome to warby parker. >> on medicare. living with diabetes. progress is having your coffee like you like it without an audience. the freestyle libre three plus sensor can help lower your anc over time. covered by medicare for more people managing

diabetes with insulin. this is progress. ask your doctor about the freestyle libre three plus sensor. >> kate made progress. >> with her mental. >> health, but her medication caused unintentional. >> movements in her face, hands and feet called tardive dyskinesia or td. so her doctor prescribed austedo xr, a once daily extended release td treatment for adults. with. significantly reduced gaetz td movements. some people saw a response as early as two weeks. with xr, kate can stay on her mental health meds. >> hi buddy. >> austedo can cause depression, suicidal thoughts or actions in patients with huntington's disease. pay close attention to and call your doctor if you become depressed or have sudden changes in mood or have suicidal thoughts. don't take if you have liver problems or taking reserpine, tetrabenazine or valbenazine. austedo may cause irregular or fast heartbeat or abnormal movements. seek help for fever, stiff muscles. problems thinking or sweating. common side effects include inflammation of the nose and throat, insomnia, and sleepiness.

>> as. well. dude, i really need a new phone. check out my new samsung galaxy s25 ultra. it's got galaxy ai. imagine this thing running on our superfast xfinity mobile network. and i also heard that it can do multiple things with a single command. —with google gemini. let me try it. add recipes with overripe bananas to my “dessert ideas” note. that's what you chose to ask it? i had other things planned. ask how to get up to one thousand dollars off the new samsung galaxy s25 ultra with xfinity mobile.

>> start at just. >> 4.99 a month. >> call 1-877-538-3882. >> or visit homeserve.com. >> i'm anthony davis. join me as we print some of the biggest names in the sports world. it's like impractical jokers. it's tricky. only a lot taller. foul play with anthony davis tonight after nba all-star coverage on tbs and screen. next day on max. >> closed captioning brought to you by book.com. >> if you or a loved one have mesothelioma, we'll send you a free book to answer questions you may have. call now and we'll come to you. >> 821 4000. >> the deadly storm that swept through many eastern states overnight has left flooding and damage in its wake. at least nine people are dead. eight of those in kentucky with the death toll expected to rise. kentucky governor andy beshear spoke to cnn earlier today about the massive impact of the storm.

>> we know that we've lost eight. we believe that number will at least climb to to nine. we've experienced significant flash flooding all across our state and are now having significant riverbank flooding. so for us, we are in an emergency search and rescue mode. we will be throughout the rest of today and probably through at least tomorrow. but thankfully, our first responders, our national guard, our kentucky state police have now rescued more than a thousand people and they're out there doing a great job. we're grateful for them. >> in west virginia, you can see a semi truck under water after severe flooding and homes almost completely submerged. many parts of virginia are also experiencing flooding, prompting governor glenn youngkin to request an expedited major disaster declaration for storm relief. millions tonight remain under winter weather alerts. cnn meteorologist allison chinchar explains what we can expect in the days ahead. >> yes, there has been a

significant amount of rainfall. you take a look at the video behind me from grundy, virginia. this is where they had the water rescues as that swift water just kind of overtook a lot of the roads and bridges in this particular area. looking at the wide swath of rain here, you can see widespread. you are looking at about 4 to 6in, but some of these spots picked up more than half a foot of rain in just the last 24 to 36 hours. now the rest of the day today, we still have what's left of that front before it finally pushes back out over the open atlantic, but there's still a little bit of moisture still left, so a lot of these places still could end up seeing a little bit more rain. you can see there as it kind of slides through. what's really going to linger the most is actually going to be the snow across portions of the northeast, which will actually linger into very early portions of the day on monday. another thing that's going to linger is the winds. you can see we've got these wind warnings in effect for much of the mid-atlantic and even into the northeast. those wind gusts up around 50 to 60mph. this isn't just valid for sunday. many of these extend into at least the first half of

the day. on monday. >> allison. thank you. and still ahead, the ongoing measles outbreak in west texas doubles in size and it's getting worse. we'll have more on the spread and why it's happening. you're in the cnn newsroom. >> cooked books, corporate fat cats. swindling socialites. doped up cyclists. then yes, more crooked politicians. i have a feeling we won't be running out of those anytime soon. >> a new season of united states of scandal with jake tapper. march 9th on cnn. >> consumer cellular ranked number one in network coverage and customer satisfaction. >> hi, my friend linda has you guys. it gets way better coverage than i do. sounds like. >> linda has you beat. >> only in coverage. >> and plans start at $20. >> okay. price to get. >> your second month. >> free when you switch to consumer cellular. >> huh? noom has jlp one mets now. >> yes. noom combines medication with healthy habits so you can lose the weight and keep it off. >> yeah. >> gop one starting at $149.

>> that's noom smart. >> noom. the smart way to lose weight. >> life with ear ringing sounded like a constant train whistle i couldn't escape. then i started taking lipo flavonoid with 60 years of clinical experience. it's the number one doctor recommended brand for ear ringing. and now i'm finally free. take back control with lipo flavonoid. >> you know what's brilliant? boring. think about it. boring makes vacations happen. early retirement is possible, and startups start up. that's why pnc bank strives to be boring with your money. the pragmatic, calculated, kind of boring. >> sure, vistaprint prints business cards, but we also print these and those and engrave that. we print your brand on everything so customers can notice you, remember you, and fall in love with you if you need it. we print it with 25% off for new customers@vistaprint.com. >> don't you want some more? cause i can feel your love. i

can feel your love. this is me before santobello and this is after. >> this year. lose stubborn fat permanently with sono bello one visit battery removal. >> i wanted the results. >> of a tummy tuck, but not the downtime. >> i'm so happy. >> i'm loving life. i'm loving my body. i'm loving all my loose fitting clothes. >> my waist is. >> contoured, my belly is flat. >> there's no boots anymore. >> schedule your free, no obligation consultation call now or go to sono bello.com. >> i have another pancake. >> from full house. >> to empty nest. >> to free birds. >> thank you. >> vanguard. >> we got. >> this 50 years of helping. >> you invest. >> for every chapter. >> when you're the. >> official vehicles. >> of winter, you can embrace everything the cold has to offer. leave fresh tracks with the safe and secure jeep grand cherokee melt limitations. with our most capable jeep wrangler ever, or battle the elements and

win in the jeep gladiator. hurry into the jeep president's day sales event before these incredible offers slip away during the jeep president's day sales event, get 10% below msrp for an average of $5,700 under msrp on these 2024 jeep wrangler models. see your local dealer today. >> from knead the dough. >> to knead it now. >> so many ways to save life. ready? wallet? happy? that's 365 by whole foods market. >> i think i changed my mind about these glasses. >> yeah it happens. >> that's why visionworks. >> gives you 100 days. >> to change. >> your mind. >> it's simple. huh? >> anything else i can help you with? >> like what? >> visionworks see the difference? >> rising costs, selective coverage for countless americans. the complex specialty care they need is always felt

just out of reach. at evernorth, we give members unrivaled access to the most complex therapies at the best prices, while providing enhanced support like in-home nursing at no additional cost. that's wonder made possible evernorth health services. >> scout is protected by simparica trio, and he's in it to win it. simparica trio is the first chew with triple protection. oh, fleas and ticks. >> oh! >> intestinal worms. whoa! heartworm disease? no problem with simparica trio. this drug class has been associated with neurologic adverse reactions, including seizures. use with caution in dogs with a history of these disorders. for winning protection, go with simparica trio. >> welcome back. >> have i got news for you? new saturday on cnn. >> a health crisis is spreading in west texas, where officials are struggling to contain a

measles outbreak. cases have doubled to 48 in the last week. the majority of those cases involve children 5 to 17 years old. the state's health department says all the cases are among people who are either unvaccinated, or whose vaccination status is unknown. texas health officials expect more cases to come. cnn's julia vargas jones joins us now. julia, what more do you know about this outbreak? >> well. >> paula, we know that this is centered around gaines county in west texas, but has now spread to neighboring neighboring counties as well. wayne. terry and yoakum counties. the vaccination rates in this region are lower than the recommended threshold, which is worrying officials, but they are putting measures into place to help curb this. they're extending hours, and vaccination clinics are now open seven days a week. and this week, at least 80 people knew people were vaccinated with that mmr. the measles, mumps and

rubella vaccine like the difficulty here is that for those children, for the child, children at population 1 in 5 kindergartners in gaines county does not have that mmr vaccine. that is about 18% exemption rate. that is the highest rate in the state of texas, according to the texas department of health. and they're worried that these measures might not be enough to to curb the spread of the virus. again, measles is a very contagious illness. it spreads through coughing and sneezing. it can cause fever, rashes. in severe cases, it can lead to blindness. pneumonia, swelling of the brain as well. it can be deadly. and deaths mostly occur in that unvaccinated population, especially in children under five years old. another concern. this virus now is spreading into new mexico, just across the border in lee county. now also a state of emergency declared by

authorities there after a third case. three cases total were diagnosed this week, including one unvaccinated teenager in that county. now, measles cases already in six different states this year alone. and authorities nationwide, paula, are asking parents to make sure that their kids are vaccinated, check their vaccination cards and ensure that they have both doses so they are properly protected and they can curb the spread of this virus. >> julia vargas jones thank you. and officials from the trump administration say they will present the president a plan to combat avian flu next week. it's as the virus continues to spread to other animals and humans. the plan involves a medication that would avoid killing chickens and addresses biosecurity issues. the officials said the plan should be ready next week. this comes as the u.s. department of agriculture has issued a conditional license for a bird

flu vaccine for use in chickens. the disease is causing the price of eggs to surge. the latest inflation data shows eggs cost 15% more from december to january. and coming up, how pope francis is doing after spending the weekend in the hospital. you are in the cnn newsroom. >> can't fool myself. >> it was the most exciting time. >> in the world. >> his life. >> has truly joyful moments and some really difficult moments. >> you only come across an artist like luther vandross once in a lifetime. >> luther. never too much. >> so what do you think about these? >> we're going. >> to take. >> everything down to the studs. >> from design and products to removal and installation. >> it turned out amazing. >> reboot is with you through every step of your remodel. call or visit re-bath dot com for your free in-home design consultation. >> no matter what kind of teeth you got to brush, oral-b electric cleans better with one simple touch. oral-b's dentist inspired round brush head hugs him, cleans him, and gets in

between them for 100% cleaner teeth. your perfect clean starts with oral-b io. want to lose 15. >> to 20% of your weight in a year? >> try rose. >> insurance checker to see if you're covered for glp one for free. no paperwork, no waiting on hold. just submit your insurance card and we'll take care of the rest. join the over 100,000 members who trusted rose to check their coverage and start losing weight sooner. go to rose. for your free insurance. check. >> what happens when one of the most famous dunkers of all time goes to the greatest lobsterfest of all time? i make red lobster famous. no, blake. dunking happens. yeah. you're right. get your own lobster lover's dream with 2 or 3 choices on one plate at red lobster. >> for the. >> most comfortable. >> luxurious. eco friendly. >> and. affordable handcrafted. >> american made mattresses on the market today. delivered and

set up in any room of your house. saatva luxury mattresses made affordable. >> honey, but the gains are pumping. >> dad is mommy a finance pro? >> she switched careers to make money for your weddings. >> oh, the asian market is blowing up. hey, who wants shots? huh? shots of milk. >> the right money moves aren't as aggressive as you think. >> until this. >> week, my dad did not know where he was from. it means the world to share ancestry with my dad in nigeria. this is where it all started. so they broken it down by regions, by journeys and by parent. man, this is deep. this is my way of saying thank you to him. >> i'm getting vaccinated with pfizer's pneumococcal pneumonia vaccine. >> so am i because i'm at risk for pneumococcal pneumonia? >> i'm getting. >> prevnar 20 because pneumococcal pneumonia could put me in the hospital, and my risk is six times greater because i'm over 50. >> the cdc just. >> expanded its recommendation for those 50 or older to get vaccinated. you're also at risk

if you're 19 or older with certain chronic conditions. prevnar 20 is proven to help protect against both pneumococcal pneumonia and invasive pneumococcal disease in just one dose. don't get prevnar 20 if you have a severe allergy to its ingredients. a weakened immune system may lower your response. common side effects include injection site pain and swelling, fatigue, headache, muscle and joint pain. millions have chosen prevnar vaccines, which have helped protect adults for over a decade and have an established safety profile. profile. >> that's why i chose prevnar (humming) behold! a glorious round table pepperoni pizz... huh? ah. huh. well, behold the pepperoni and grilled chicken...? what the? (clears throat) behold, the pepperoni, grilled chicken and bacon pizza from round table! three magnificent toppings grilled chicken, pepperoni, and sizzling bacon. try it at round table pizza!

nintendo switch sold for less than $20. go to deal.com and see how much you can save. >> i'm alex marquardt in munich and this is cnn. >> close. captioning brought to you by book.com. >> if you or a loved one have mesothelioma, we'll send you a free book to answer questions you may have. call now and we'll come to you. >> 882 one 4000. >> pope francis gave his

traditional sunday prayer in writing today from his hospital room in rome. the 88 year old thanked health care workers for the care they are giving him as he is being treated for bronchitis. cnn's christopher lam has more. >> the vatican gave an update on pope francis condition on sunday, explaining that the pope is in a stable condition that he's continuing to receive treatment and that he followed the mass by television from his hospital bedroom behind me in the gemelli hospital on the 10th floor. francis has been in hospital since friday following a severe bout of bronchitis. this has been diagnosed as a respiratory tract infection, and he's receiving treatment at the gemelli hospital. now, the pope has been suffering from bronchitis for several days. he's been struggling to give speeches and finding it difficult to talk. the pope has

canceled events for tomorrow, and it's unclear how long he will be in hospital for. the vatican said all this depends on how well he responds to treatment. it's clear that the pope is not out of the woods yet. there is still a long way to go, but from this statement, what we know is that the pope's condition is stable. he's continuing to arrest on the orders of doctors, and of course, will be waiting for further updates when they come from the vatican. christopher lamb, cnn, rome. >> lying hidden beneath volcanic rock and ash, new roman ruins have been uncovered at pompeii in italy, including what could have been an ancient version of mar-a-lago. cnn's ben wedeman has the story. >> around noon in a.d. 79, it's not clear whether it was the summer or the autumn. mount vesuvius began to erupt within 48 hours. if they were lucky,

residents of the city of pompeii managed to flee. the rest were dead. for centuries afterwards. pompeii was largely forgotten until the middle of the 1700s, when digging began in earnest. >> minerals coming. >> through. humidity for gabriel zoe sottile, director of the pompeii archeological park. the work here never ends. >> because the site is so vast and it's, you know, 30, 13,000 rooms excavated in two and a half centuries. >> there are still new discoveries. the latest, this lavish complex of baths, including a caldarium or hot room, a tepidarium, a warm room and a frigidarium, a room with a pool of cold water and a banquet hall. archeologists presume the owner was a wealthy businessman turned politician, busy wining

and dining, winning friends and influencing people. sound familiar? >> i think it's a bit like a mar-a-lago, right? it's not really a public place, but at some points people would invite stakeholders and potential supporters and friends. >> this roman mar-a-lago was under renovation with the eruption. the work came to an abrupt end. this could be a modern construction site with tiles and bricks and gravel lying around, but these were the materials left behind by construction workers. 1946 years ago. now, one of the reasons why pompeii is so well preserved is that when the eruption of vesuvius took place, it was covered by this pumice, lightweight, solidified lava. honesty runs the dig site here.

she says archeologists at pompeii need to pace themselves as technology advances. >> in pompeii. >> and pompeii still holds many surprises, she says. and that's why, at a certain point, excavations have to conclude so that we can allow future generations after 100, 200 years to resume digging and uncover more data. so stay tuned. there's more to come. ben wedeman, cnn, pompeii. >> ben wedeman, thank you. and we'll be right back. >> it's the news. >> welcome back. >> but it's also kind of not the news. >> we don't fact check here. we don't care, man. >> why all the information on this show so terrible? >> have i got news for you saturday at nine on cnn. >> you know what's brilliant? boring. think about it. boring

makes vacations happen. early retirement is possible, and startups start up. that's why pnc bank strives to be boring with your money. the pragmatic, calculated, kind of boring. >> wait. >> neymar has chill pill. >> and meds now? >> noom, the psychology based weight. >> loss company. >> yes. >> noom combines medication and behavior change. >> so you can lose the weight and keep it off. >> and it starts. >> at just $149. >> noom. the smart way to lose weight.

>> we're standing up for our right to be lazy. >> by sitting down. >> and. >> reclining back. >> because we work hard and want to relax harder. >> we, the lazy, are taking back lazy. >> on our lazy boy furniture. >> lazy boy. long live the lazy. >> life with ear ringing. sounded like a constant train whistle i couldn't escape. then i started taking lipo flavonoid. with 60 years of clinical experience. it's the number one doctor recommended brand for ear ringing. and now i'm finally free. take back control with lipo flavonoid. >> everyone needs a vacation. eventually. and when i need a hotel. >> trivago compares hotel prices from hundreds of sites so you can save up to 40%. >> smart. simple. two of my favorite things. >> hotel trivago. >> love. >> love will keep. >> us together. >> now for something you can both agree on a sleep number. smart bed is perfect for couples. the climate 360 smart bed is the only bed that cools and warms on each side. and all our smart beds. adjust the firmness for each of you. let's

agree to agree on better sleep. and now save 50% on the new sleep number. limited edition smart bed plus free home delivery and 0% interest for 48 months. shop now. >> this is what it feels like to file. >> with taxslayer. >> oh, i'm the refund boss. all your. >> refund is belong to me. >> nope. not today. >> oh. >> start for free and get your guaranteed maximum refund. >> yoo hoo! >> you're making everything orange. >> we're showing we're consumer cellular. gets great coverage. we use the same towers as big wireless, so you get the same coverage. >> wow. >> for unlimited talk and text with reliable coverage. and your second month free call, consumer cellular. >> scout is protected by simparica trio. and he's in it to win it. simparica trio is the first chew with triple protection. oh, fleas and ticks. intestinal worms. whoa! heartworm disease. no problem

with simparica trio. this drug class has been associated with neurologic adverse reactions,

advantage is not available in stores so text app to 215215. now. >> this is cnn the world's news network. >> a new original cnn series follows the circumstances behind the deadliest terror attack on the united states before 911, the bombing of pan am flight 103 over lockerbie, scotland, in 1988. 270 people were killed, including 190 americans. the series shows the complex web of theories that developed during the years long global investigation. >> the world was very different then. in those days, you could just basically walk onto a plane, you know, you you'd check your bag, maybe. but after that you just walked to the gate. >> let's go.

>> we were just beginning to deal with terrorism, and it was still relatively easy to fly. it's kind of amazing to think about it now, but it was events like lockerbie which changed all of that. >> and joining us now is cnn's senior law enforcement analyst and former deputy director of the fbi, andrew mccabe. andy, in the early 2000, you actually oversaw some of the investigative efforts into the bombing. what was that like? >> it was incredibly. a fascinating case, and one that, as you mentioned, started in on december 21st, 1988 and went on for decades, in fact. we have the third coconspirator who will go on trial for his role in essentially creating and arming the bomb that took down the plane. that trial will take place later this year. so when i was overseeing the case, i had the privilege of of talking to the investigators and watching the developments that happened

actually, after the arab spring took over. and destabilized the government of libya and ultimately did away with the gaddafi regime and created opportunities for fbi investigators to start interviewing people in libyan custody, which is something we had never done before. and that that's what led to the the most recent developments in the case. but it's it's just a fascinating story. it started with an incredible tragedy over scotland, a wreckage, uh, crime scene of over 850mi÷, 300 tons of evidence deposited in that area and ultimately takes us 30 years later to filing charges against the final coconspirator. >> well, for people who don't know the story, why did it take over 30 years to get to this point in the investigation? >> you know, it's a story that you would expect to read in a spy novel. you have these, uh, deeply. trained, covert libyan intelligence officers who

executed this, uh, attack in an effort to get back at america and the west for their political reasons. and many of those people became unavailable to the united states. uh, in terms of investigative access for many, many, many years. of course, we're able to convict the first and the main kind of architect behind the attack, uh, abdul basit abu abdul megrahi, uh, who served several years in prison in scotland before he was released on compassionate grounds. um, but it was ultimately the breaking open of that libyan system that allowed us, for the first time, to get access to some of these intelligence officers and other kind of shady characters who'd been in libyan prisons for many years. it was the result of those interviews that led us to be able to charge the most recent suspect in this case. >> and we heard cbs news anthony mason touch on this in the clip. but how did this attack change

the course of security as we know it for flying going forward? >> fundamentally altered the rules around security and how packages would be screened and what would be and would not be allowed on airliners. but i have to say, paula, it also totally changed the way the fbi thought about and investigated terrorism. and i think in many ways it prepared us for the massive investigation that we would have to undertake in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, the downing of pan am 103 required us to work in such a way in cooperation with our overseas, uh, law enforcement and intelligence colleagues and to pursue this investigation across the globe. it prepared us for that effort. after 9/11. >> andy mccabe. thank you. and the