live from cnn center, this is "cnn newsroom" with rosemary church. >> good to have you with us. the biden administration is struggling to deal with the surprisingly swift spread of covid cases. at the same time, is trying to reassure an exasperated american public. the president admitted during an interview with abc that nothing has been good enough. yet insisted the u.s. is better prepared now than during the earlier surges. still, long lines like these proved the demand for covid tests is far exceeding the supply. americans desperately want to spend time with their loved ones this holiday season, and feel safe doing so. here's cnn's jeff zeleny. >> reporter: joe biden acknowledging that his administration has struggled to keep up with the omicron variant of the covid-19 pandemic. clearly marking this surge in cases here in the u.s. he said simply nothing has been good enough. he was defensive in one hand on an abc news interview. but also tried to really explain why no one could have foreseen this rapid surge. >> no, i don't think it's a failure. i think you can argue that we should have known a year ago, six months ago, two months ago, a month ago. i ordered half a billion pills. 500 million pills -- excuse me, 500 million test kits tent to every home in america for anybody that wants them. but the yananswer is yeah, i wii had ordered half a billion pills two months ago. >> reporter: but many experts said you could see this coming. so there are questions why more tests were not ready. there are going to be about 500 million at-home tests mailed in the month of january. but the question is, will that be too late? he also seemed to struggle between the idea of pills and tests. so a bit of confusion there on that part. but no doubt he said and wanted to stress that this year at the holidays, certainly different than a year ago, because of vaccinations. this is not like the march of 2020, the beginning of the pandemic, said the country is at an entirely different place, the world, of course, is, as well. the president clearly trying to take command of this, which has certainly alluded him. but also in that abc news interview, david muir asked the president about his own re-election prospects. did he plan to run for re-election? watch what he says when he talks about president trump. >> yes. but look, i am a great respecter of fate. fate has intervened in my life many, many times. if i'm in the health i'm in now, if i'm in good health, then in fact i would run again. >> if that means a rematch against donald trump? >> you're trying to tempt me now. sure. why would i not run against donald trump? that would increase the prospect of running. >> reporter: certainly that is many years to come. the challenges now facing this white house are much more severe on the pandemic, trying to contain this. of course, the president's political fortunes are deeply tied into all of this. but clearly heading into the holidays, the white house on edge during this christmas, certainly ending this year in a complicated step again with the pandemic. jeff zeleny, cnn, the white house. well, there is a new pill that could be a real game changer in the battle against the coronavirus. the fda has now authorized pfizer's anti-viral pill to treat covid-19 in the u.s. it's meant for people ages 12 and older, at risk of severe illness. and some positive news on the omicron variant. two new studies from south africa and scotland suggest a reduced risk of covid-19 hospitalization when infected with omicron compared to delta. in new york, 12 broadway shows have been canceled due to covid-19 outbreaks. the state reported nearly 29,000 new covid cases on wednesday, breaking its own highest daily case count record. and washington, d.c. also set a new daily record, reporting more than 1500 cases tuesday. cnn is covering the story from all angles with spomts correspondents across the globe. so let's start with china. the nation is launching somewhat appears to be its biggest covid lockdown yet. some 13 million people are being ordered to stay at home in the central city of shihan, after a spoke in locally transmitted infections there. 63 new cases were recorded on wednesday, the most since the outbreak began two weeks ago. more than 200 infections have been registered since then. and mass testing is already underway. china has now basically blocked off xi'an, just as it did with wuhan, the epicenter of the pandemic last year. wuhan is among several major chinese cities that have endured strict lockdowns. some 12 million people there were affected, and more now from saleena wang. >> reporter: the chinese city of xi'an and its 13 million residents put under lockdown. the city has reported over 200 covid cases. one designated person from each household can leave every two days to buy groceries. otherwise, residents are only allowed to leave in the case of a medical emergency or for urgent or necessary work, according to the local government. they have shut down all schools, except for essential service providers. this is the fourth time a chinese city has been placed under strict lockdown. the first was in 2020 when wuhan went into lockdown. with the games now less than 45 days away, the country is doubled down on its zero covid strategy. cities are mass testing residents in response to a handful of cases in the country. olympic athletes, if they are not vaccinated, they'll have to quarantine for 21 days upon arrival. if china pulls off the winter olympics successfully, it would be a propaganda win for its handling of covid-19 and authoritarian system. saleena wang, cnn, tokyo. and south africa, a top scientific expert says the country has past the peak of its omicron outbreak. you can see on the map when we bring that up, south africa is one of the few countries on the continent where cases are down compared to last week. they have fallening more than 20%. the head of the south african medical association says this fourth wave was steeper but much shorter than previous waves. hospital admissions and deaths have also been significantly lower. so for more on that encouraging statement, we're joined now from nairobi, kenya. good to see you, larry. many are taking comfort from this information. do experts there know why infections are suddenly falling? >> rosemary, the experts think this is because of two factors. one is that more people in the population have been infected. and two, that vaccination numbers are going up. so you're see population immunity. that might explain why in just a month, south africa came from a slow number of cases to a huge peak, and now have dropped off and quite fast. so for instance, in the middle of november, south africa had about 5,000 or so daily average cases. it's shot up to about 10,000 daily average cases. and then way higher than that. and now back down again. i spent two weeks reporting in south africa at the height of this crisis, and right now, the scientists tell me they think this is a positive sign for the rest of the world. even though this really shot up in terms of numbers, it's dropped quite fast. thanld is a promising sign, because they haven't seen a huge strain on the health care system and they haven't seen a whole lot of people go into hospital or a lot of people dying. there's a caveat here. this is still requiring a bit more data to say definitively that the omicron variant is less severe. but so far, they are encouraged by what they are seeing so far. >> and we're always looking for encouraging news. many thanks. i want to bring in dr. meghan ranee now, a professor of emergency medicine at brown university. thank you, doctor, for all you do and for talking with us. >> thank you. it's a joy to join you. >> wonderful. so the fda just authorized the first anti-viral covid pill that promises to dramatically reduce hospitalizations and deaths. but it requires early diagnosis for it to work, and supply may also be an issue here. how big a game changer could this pfizer pill prove for, despite those obstacles? >> this approval is one of the first real pieces of good news that we have had about covid in a very long time. this is the first new therapeutic to be approved since remdesivir and the monoclonal antibodies and could not come at a better time. the ability to prescribe people a pill that they can take in the comfort of their own home and help prevent hospitalization, and death, that could be transformational for the effect of covid on society. but as you noted, there are some issues. the first is, you have to take it relatively quickly after you get sick. and we have a lack of testing here in the united states right now. the second issue is that we're not going to have adequate supply for quite a while. they're saying we'll have around 65,000 doses this year. another 200,000 in january. that's just a drop in the bucket in the face of omicron. and the third thing is i worry that this pill is going to be available, largely to those with privilege, to the wealthy, and not to those who are at highest risk for those severe outcomes. >> that always is a concern in these situations. and doctor, omicron infections appear to be falling sharply in south africa, suggesting we could perhaps see a sudden drop in omicron infections elsewhere in just a matter of weeks, although that is clearly not certain. what do you make of the data coming out of south africa right now? and does it give you any comfort or hope? >> it does give me hope, but hope with a big caveat. you know, there's so much about south africa that is different from the uk, from europe, or from the united states. it is summer there. folks are spending time mostly outdoors, and the demographics of south african society are different. sit a much younger society and a huge percentage of folks have been exposed to the delta variant. so although it may be that what rises quickly also falls quickly, that would be wonderful if we see that happen elsewhere across the globe. i'm not fully confident that we will see exactly the same pattern across the rest of the world, particularly those of nus the northern hemisphere. our indoors mixing sets up for omicron spreading a little longer. >> doctor, you mentioned this, those lines for covid testing. still too long, with some people waiting for more than three hours in some instances. and the white house mhas i announced plans for increasing testing. so what should people do to make sure they don't put vulnerable families in jeopardy? >> if you have symptoms, runny nose, sniffles, skcough, body aches or fever, stay home. make that appointment online for your pharmacy to get a test. but don't go out and about if you have symptoms. if you happen to have been lucky enough to stock up on rapid tests, if you are asymptomatic and vaccinated, and you're going to have a family get together, do a rapid test right before hand, within an hour or two of that get together, to minimize the risk that anyone can infectious. and the third thing is, this is a good time to dial things back a little bit. we are also so exhausted by this pandemic. no one wants to go back into lockdown. but for the sake of your family, now is a good time to up your masking, where those km 95s, avoid crowd indoor spaces as much as you can. >> some great advice. there doctor, most people who were fully vaccinated and boosted are getting frustrated and angry with those refusing to get even one shot. of course, hospitals and health care workers are paying the price. is it time perhaps for health insurance companies to consider what australia might do, which is bill those who refuse to get vaccinated, but then get sick with the full cost of their hospital medical expenses. >> i honestly don't see something like that flying here in the united states. certainly there's a precedent of charging people different rates for life insurance or other forms of insurance, but we don't see it in health insurance here in the u.s. for a variety of reasons. it is exhausting and frustrating as a health care worker to be continuing to take care of patients who are severely it, with a disease that ask -- the worst of which can be largely prevented by vaccines. but as health care workers, this is our oath, to take care of folks no matter what life choices they make. i just hope that more people decide to go and get their shots before it's too late. >> yeah. of course, the problem is they're taking up beds for cancer patients. those patients with heart conditions. it is a very sad situation that could be worked out. doctor, thank you so much for talking with us, and happy holidaying to you. >> thank you. you too. stay healthy. >> thank you. still to come, the date is set. we will tell you when arguments over vaccine mandates in the u.s. will be heard by the supreme court. and why the white house is confident it's not overstepping its authority. a new lawsuit aims to block a subpoena from the house committee investigating the january 6 capitol riot. and later, why scientists were surprised when they opened a time capsule which sat under a confederate statue for well over a century. back in a moment. so when you need to show your cold who's boss, grab mucinex all-in-one... and get back to your rhythm. ♪ the relief you need. the cash you want. i'm jonathan lawson here to tell you about life insurance through the colonial penn program. if you're age 50 to 85, and looking to buy life insurance on a fixed budget, remember the three ps. what are the three ps? the three ps of life insurance on a fixed budget are price, price, and price. a price you can afford, a price that can't increase, and a price that fits your budget. i'm 54, what's my price? you can get coverage for $9.95 a month. i'm 65 and take medications. what's my price? also $9.95 a month. i just turned 80, what's my price? $9.95 a month for you too. if you're age 50 to 85, call now about the #1 most popular whole life insurance plan available through the colonial penn program. it has an affordable rate starting at $9.95 a month. no medical exam, no health questions. your acceptance is guaranteed. and this plan has a guaranteed lifetime rate lock so your rate can never go up for any reason. so call now for free information and you'll also get this free beneficiary planner. and it's yours free just for calling. so call now for free information. the u.s. supreme court will hear arguments on january 7 on challenges to the biden administration's covid-19 vaccine mandates for large employers and some health care workers. the white house press secretary defended the administration's position on wednesday, saying "especially as the u.s. faces the highly transmissible omicron variant, it's critical to protect workers with vaccination requirements and testing protocols that are urgently needed. we are confident in the legal authority for both policies, and doj will vigorously defend both at the supreme court." well, the house select committee investigating the january 6 attack on the u.s. capitol is now hoping to speak with one of president trump's top congressional allies, republican representative jim jordan. the panel has asked him to meet with them voluntarily. here's how he reacted to that during an interview on fox news. >> we just got the letter today, and we're going review the letter. but i got real concerns about any committee that will take a document and alter it and present it to the american people, completely mislead the american people, like they did last week. and it turns out it looks like it wasn't just one document they did this with, it was other text messages, as well. so i got real concerns with that. >> and as the house panel faces resistance, it's also now facing a new legal challenge. cnn's jessica snyder has more now from washington. >> who won the election on the 3rd? who won the election on the 3rd? donald trump! i was the person who came up with the january 6 idea. >> reporter: frutrump's allies e spent the past year questioning the 2020 election and the investigation into january 6. >> this evidence exonerates me, and this evidence is going to exonerate president donald trump. >> reporter: and now they're taking another page from trump's playbook, suing to stop the committee from getting access to their records and testimony. the former president has filed his own lawsuit that's making its way through the courts, trying to stop the national archives from handing over hundreds of pages of documents, including white house visitor and call logs and drafts and speeches and handwritten notes. in recent weeks, more lawsuits have poured in, from mark meadows, trump's first national security adviser michael flynn, john eastman, the lawyer who wrote a memo detailing how mike pence could interrupt the election results, alex jones, alley alexander, and a handful of other rally organizers. all have sued to stop the c committy. a judge in flynn's case denied a request to block a subpoena for his testimony and request for phone records. >> the foundation is not based on a legislative purpose. >> reporter: mark meadows is challenging the basic premise of the committee. in meadows' suit, his lawyers write the select committee acts absent any legislative power and threatens to violate executive privilege and immunity. he handed over thousands of records to the committee. but when he refused to meet with them, the house voted to refer him to possible prosecution for criminal contempt of congress. >> truly, the executive privilege that donald trump has claimed is his to waive, not mine. that's why we filed the lawsuit. >> reporter: democrats are pledging that their probe won't be impeded, stressing that hundreds of witnesses have cooperated even as a handful fight in court. >> we won't stop fighting for democracy, we won't stop fighting for rule of law. we're not going to back down. we won't be intimidated. we're going to keep going. >> reporter: jessica snyder, cnn, washington. still to come, testing is crucial to slowing the spread of the coronavirus. but some americans are confused about which test to take. we'll explain the options when we return. do you have a life insurance policy you no longer need? 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works on that too, and lasts 12 hours. 12 hours?! who studies that long? mucinex dm relieves wet and dry coughs. mom, hurry! our show's gonna start soon! i promised i wouldn't miss the show and mommy always keeps her promises. oh, no! seriously? hmm! it's not the same if she's not here. oh. -what the. oh my goodness! i don't suppose you can sing, can you? ♪ the snow's comin' down ♪ -mommy? ♪ i'm watching it fall ♪ watch the full story at www.xfinity.com/sing2 for many americans, getting a covid test is on their holiday wish list. but supplies are dwindling, and wait times are increasing. and health officials say demand is only going to grow. cnn's brian todd looks at the testing options available. >> reporter: from california to d.c., the lines of people waiting to get free covid tests, many of them unable to buy test kits in stores, are extending around city brolocks. >> very frustrated. i've been looking for a test for about all week actually, for a few days now. all of the cv s's near me are out. they don't expect any until friday. >> reporter: the demand for test kits is so high that cvs, walmart, amazon and wall green's are limiting the number of test kits customers can buy. >> we searched around, everything is sold out because of the holidays. >> reporter: at this point, many people are confused over what kind of covid test to get. >> so it's confusing on what is correct and what i need to get to go home for christmas to see my family. >> there are three big categories of tests, and within each of those categories, there are a bunch of different manufacturers, a bunch of different ways that you can do the tests. it's all complicated for the average american to figure out. >> reporter: over the counter, at-home tests from these manufacturers are now authorized by the fda. experts say they all work well. >> in general, for the purposes that most people are using tests today, which is to ask, am i a risk to others around me? the rapid test you can pick up on the shelf, tend to perform very well for that use. >> reporter: there are three basic categories of tests. there are laboratory pcr tests. experts say those are the more accurate tests done in labs. experts say the pcr test is what you want if you want to figure out whether to go back to the office or travel. there are also rapid antigen tests that can be conducted at home which can return results in 15 minutes. >> that rapid at-home test is the right thing to do if you want a rapid, time sensitive assessment of whether or not you are infectious right before you go into a gathering. >> reporter: and there are antibody tests, which can indicate if you have some protection from a previous covid-19 infection or vaccine. one expert says no matter what kind of test you want to take, it's important to make your test count. >> if you feel symptoms, don't use the test right away. assume you are positive and isolate and quarantine. use the test on day two or day three. >> reporter: another key piece of advice we are getting, experts say if you have a test at home and you are hosting a holiday gathering, take the test as close in time to the gathering as you can, not one or two days before, but maybe 20 to 30 minute bfrs thegathering. experts say we'll have to ride this out for one or two more months before more tests are available for everyone. well, the wave of new covid restrictions across europe is moving fearly as fast a the omicron variant itself. spain is set to bring back outdoor mask mandates, starting christmas eve. and belgium is canceling indoor events and activities. holiday travel remains brisk, despite new restrictions across europe. meanwhile, the uk reported more than 106,000 new covid cases on wednesday. it's the first time the country has crossed the 100,000 threshold since the pandemic started. and cnn's anna stewart is standing by in london with more on holiday travel. but first, let's bring in nada bashir. we know that omicron is more contagious than delta. talk to us about the numbers when it comes to hospitalizations and deaths in the uk. >> reporter: well, you mentioned that sobering figure. more than 100,000 new cases. of those, more than 13,000 confirmed to be the omicron variant, and what the government is focusing on is how that will translate into hospitalization rates. we heard warnings from the uk's scientific advisers, that we could see a surge in hospitalizations if urgent action suspect taken. a stud y suggests omicron carris less chance of hospitalizations, 45% reduction in hospitalization risk. but they have warned this is early data. it really is from a small sample. and there is still a lot to know about the omicron variant. >> what is the situation across the continent of europe in terms of hospitalizations, of course, restrictions being put in place? >> well, we have heard from the world health organization that europe is once again at the epicenter to have pandemic, that we could see a storm coming in europe, with the omicron variant becoming dominant in several countries. we have seen the approach in terms of vaccination. many countries in europe widening their vaccination campaign for the younger age groups. and now we have heard from the german health minister saying that people may need a fourth dose. now, we have seen many countries campaigning for that booster shot an a significant uptick for that third dose, particularly here in the uk, surpassing that 13 million mark. as you mentioned, there is still a lot to be known about the omicron variant. >> many thanks. well, today is typically one of the busiest travel days of the year. and new restrictions don't appear to be slowing things down. cnn's anna stewart joins us live from london. it looks like people are not being discouraged by the omicron variant. is that what the numbers are showing us? >> it is. i find that surprising, given the whole world is a fresh patch work of new restrictions and travel bans. i no longer can travel to fans on account of omicron. and you can't travel to eight nations in africa, which are on the travel ban list. and the cdc advises americans against travel to more than 80 countries. but it does look like a busy few days. i have some fresh numbers. since the beginning of december, they say seat reduction has only dropped by 2.8%, which is extraordinary, because that was soon after omicron was identified. however, the picture starts to look a bit more bleak going forward into 2022. lots of airlines fashioning their capacity. european low cast carrier said they're reducing traffic to a third and doubling their annual loss forecast. >> what should people do to stay safe travel thing holiday season? what's the advice? >> this is a huge concern now. airlines are not particularly a risky place to be, because of air filtration systems, the direction of air flow, and the fact that people are wearing masks, and there is plenty you can do to reduce your own exposure. most airlines mandate wearing a mask. these have varying levels of protection for yourself. the n-95 better reduces your own exposure. vaccine passports, really critical. is it on your phone? is your phone charged? and you can just print it out. you may want to pack some rapid antigen tests with you, so you can test before your meeting up with new people through the next few days, make sure you're all staying safe. and critically, covid travel insurance. if you test positive while abroad or away, your holiday may get longer and much more expensive than you planned. >> it's amazing after all that any of us could travel. thank you so much for the long list of things we need to check out. joining us live from london. beijing olympic officials say they regret that players with the national hockey league have chosen to pull out of the upcoming games. on wednesday, the nhl said the covid disruptions to its regular season schedule have been so profound that olympic participation is no longer feasible. olympic oorrganizers have said they have covid control measures in place to protect players health and safety. with pressure mounting, the biden administration moves to get more humanitarian aid into afghanistan. but there are fears it may not be enough to save millions of people facing extreme sta starvation. what theup u.n. says needs to done right now to change that situation. boss. new mucinex instasoothe. works in seconds, lasts for hours. -fixed. -that's my son. he always takes care of his mama. ooh, what's up with granny's casserole? 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(mom) which reminds me, i've been meaning to tell you, i got that 995 plan from colonial penn. -the life insurance on tv! -just $9.95 a month to help you pay my funeral expenses. what about your family, son? maybe i should get the 995 plan too. thing is, this has been a rough year for my business, ma. money's tight. still, for $9.95 a month... i don't have a good excuse, do i? i'm jonathan for colonial penn life insurance company. if you're age 50 to 85, just $9.95 a month buys whole life insurance with guaranteed acceptance. you cannot be turned down for any health reason. there are no health questions. guaranteed lifetime coverage. your insurance can never be cancelled. just pay your premiums. guaranteed lifetime rate lock. your rate can never increase. it's locked in as soon as you're covered and stays the same for the rest of your life. call now for free information. (soft music) ♪ the biden administration is lifting restrictions to allow more humanitarian aid into afghanistan. aid groups will be exempt from the economic sanctions imposed on the taliban. the u.s. treasury department's action will provide support for educational programs, including teachersal ris. the u.s. will send 1 million additional covid-19 vaccines in the coming weeks. administration officials say planning is underway at the u.n. to support civil servants beyond teachers. those moves come as u.n. aid agencies warn 1 million children at risk of dying from starvation if relief does not arrive soon. anna coren reports on the humanitarian efforts. we must warn you, the images are difficult to watch. >> reporter: a little girl sobs, gently rubbing her ears. in a feeble attempt to ease the pain tormenting her body. she doesn't have the energy to cry the way other sick children do. camilla is exhausted. as she lies in a hospital bed in kandahar, southern afghanistan, slowly starving to death. the 2 1/2-year-old weighs just over five kilograms, 11 pounds. about a third of what a normal toddler her age should. the mother is sick, and we are poor people explains the grandmother. she tried to breastfeed but had no milk to give. camilla, now one of at least a million afghan children under the age of 5, at risk of dying from starvation. for months, the u.n. has been sounding the alarm, warning that afghanistan was on the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe. the taliban takeover on the 15th of august saw international funds immediately dry up. triggering an economic collapse in an already impoverished company. with foreign aid representing 43% of the country's gdp, and 75% of government spending, according to the world bank. but as the u.s. withholds billions in afghan reserves and sanctions are imposed on the taliban government, the west attempts to force fundamental change within the group are hurting the afghan people. and with the country in the grips of winter, facing one of the worst droughts in decade, the most vulnerable are paying the price. in this hospital in northwestern afghanistan, up to 100 mothers and children turn up each day with varying cases of malnutrition. this doctor has been working here for the past six years, and has never seen this level of desperation. >> translator: almost 70% of the cases are severe, and imagine how bad the districts are. if nobody pays attention, it is going to get much worse. we are in a disaster. >> reporter: one of his patients receiving treatment is razia. this is her third visit to hospital in eight months. this child is just a few months from turning 3, but is not getting better. >> translator: there is no work, no income, no food to bring her. sometimes we have nothing to eat. every time i see her, i get upset. >> reporter: the humanitarian community is collectively issuing an s.o.s. unhcr says the country is witnessing unprecedented levels of hunger, inflicting more than half of the population of 38 million people. international rescue committee describes a global system failure, fuelling the crisis. naming afghanistan the most at-risk country of a deteriorating humanitarian crisis in the year ahead. while the international committee of the red cross says the country is on the precipice of man-made catastrophe. the world food program has been distributing aid around the country. and says the middle class, teachers, and civiler is eer is are now joining the poor in the cues. >> we think of the ordinary people of afghanistan, the children of afghanistan, who are facing into a winter of abject hunger and destitution, through no fault of their own. >> reporter: dr. paul spiegel from johns hopkins university has just returned from afghanistan, consulting for the world food program. he says afghanistan's health system that once relied on 80% of its funding from international donors is now barry functioning. and blames the west's sanctions, which are gravely impacting government-run hospitals, imploring for the system to be changed. >> the western governments have to make some decisions quickly or it's going to be too late and there will be a tremendous amount of unnecessary deaths. >> reporter: for little camilla, her trip to hospital has saved her life, for now. after 15 days, she's being discharged with some medicine that may last a few weeks. she's not very well, but at least she's alive, says her grandmother. it's better than the first day we brought her. but having put on just a few hundred grams, he is edging closer to the abyss. a anna coren, cnn. >> and we'll be right back. cold who's boss, sor grab mucinex all-in-one... and get back to your rhythm. ♪ the relief you need. the cash you want. age before beauty? why not both? visibly diminish wrinkled skin in... crepe corrector lotion... only from gold bond. under the cover of darkness, workers in hong kong have removed a famous symbol of free speech, democracy and defend. the pillar of shame sculpture, one of the city's last remaining memorials to the victims of the tiananmen square massacre, has stood at hong kong university for more than 20 years. but in october, authorities said it had to go. the danish artist who created the sculpture, tweeted on wednesday that he's shocked it's been destroyed. it was cut into chunks, wrapped up, and taken away around midnight around thursday local time, while most students are off campus for the holidays. security guards tried to prevent anyone filming. workers have now learned what was inside a time capsule from the late 1800s, found last week in the pedestal of a confederate statue in richmond, virginia. cnn's randi kaye reports on the artifacts that they have uncovered, and why scientists were surprised when they opened it. >> reporter: it's delicate and tedious work. and yes, opening a 134-year-old time capsule is time consuming, too. the task walls shared among conservators from virginia's department of historic resources. for more than a century, this sat buried in the base of the statue in richmond, virginia. it was discovered friday morning, months after this historic moment in september. crews dis found what appeared t a copper box. as described back in 1887. the list of articles in the copper box were said to include dozens of items, including a battle flag, compass, 12 copper coins, even a picture of former president lincoln, lying in his coffin. but it turns out this capsule was made of lead, heavily corroded and partly covered in mo mortar. they had to take care to preserve the box, using tongue compressors and -- >> a tool that vibrates and has a hard metal tip. it's good for getting the mortar separated from the lead. >> reporter: finally, late this afternoon, the time capsule was unlocked. inside, three books, a cloth envelope, and a single coin. >> i saw one book, that's an almanac from 1875. this was another book, i saw the word "love" on it, and the author. so i'll let the historians take a further look at that, and figure out why that's in there. >> reporter: in the evenld, there was no picture of lincoln in his coffin. even more puzzling, with the 1887 almanac was a book that appeared to be published in 1889, two years after the time capsule was apparently sealed. >> the original time capsule was supposed to put there close to 1887. so that is -- we will have questions, and that's where the historians come in to help us. >> reporter: so the items weren't in great shape. most of them were pretty wet. in fact, the coin was stuck to one of the books. one of the books was stuck to the base of the capsule. so now they're going to try to freeze them to prevent further deteri deterioration. they were expecting to find 60 items in there, because that's what the newspaper recorded in 1887. so where are they? where is that picture of lincoln lying in his coffin? that certainly was not in there. is there another time capsule that exists or was that one moved? still so many questions, because of what they found and really didn't find inside that capsule. randi kaye, cnn, palm beach county, florida. and thank you so much for your company. i'm rosemary church. here's wishing you all a happy and safe holiday season. i'll see you next year. "cnn newsroom" continues. -fixed. -that's my son. he always takes care of his mama. ooh, what's up with granny's casserole? (mom) it's for after your uncle joe's funeral. i hear there's a collection to help aunt adele. (mom) yeah. a funeral costs north of $9,000 these days. that's a hefty bill for family to pay if there's no life insurance check to help. wow. makes you think, doesn't it? (mom) which reminds me, i've been meaning to tell you, i got that 995 plan from colonial penn. -the life insurance on tv! -just $9.95 a month to help you pay my funeral expenses. what about your family, son? maybe i should get the 995 plan too. thing is, this has been a rough year for my business, ma. money's tight. still, for $9.95 a month... i don't have a good excuse, do i? i'm jonathan for colonial penn life insurance company. if you're age 50 to 85, just $9.95 a month buys whole life insurance with guaranteed acceptance. you cannot be turned down for any health reason. there are no health questions. guaranteed lifetime coverage. your insurance can never be cancelled. just pay your premiums. guaranteed lifetime rate lock. your rate can never increase. it's locked in as soon as you're covered and stays the same for the rest of your life. call now for free information. (soft music) ♪ hello and a very warm welcome to viewers joining us in the united states and right around the world. i'm isa soares in london and just ahead on "cnn newsroom." >> long testing lines across the country have already begun. >> half a billion tests bought by the u.s. government will be distributed for free. >> i'm pretty worried that the surge that we're going to see in the coming weeks is going to be worse than the surge that we saw last winter. >> condega

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