[Chris Cuomo, Cnn Anchor:] Hong Kong officials and protesters remain at a standoff this morning. And while the crowds are smaller, there are still a large number of protesters lining city streets. Pro-democracy activists ignored a government deadline to disperse, but they did allow city workers to enter offices that have been blocked the past week. We have Will Ripley there live in Hong Kong with the latest. Will, what's the situation?
[Will Ripley, Cnn Correspondent:] Well, it's Monday evening here. And, yes, the crowds are smaller at this hour. But over the weekend, we saw perhaps the biggest crowds yet, tens of thousands of people filled this area. You can see this look of the place keeps evolving. This is a stairway now lined with post-it notes. All of them with messages supportive of the umbrella movement that has taken shape. There is even art popping up, Chris. This is a new, it's already trending on Twitter, Umbrella Man, an artist wheeled this out over the weekend, and photos of it immediately begin springing up, because all of these protesters, thousands of them, have been using their cell phones to share information and share photos about what's happening here. The Hong Kong government is facing a huge challenge right now, trying to figure out how to disperse these crowds, because what you're looking at here is an onramp to that should be a highway, that for more than a week has been filled with people. Tents continue to spring up. People are sleeping out here at night, and it's causing financial trouble and gridlock in this city of 7 million, Chris.
[Cuomo:] And the statue relevant, Will. Thank you for pointing it out, because it does remind of that statue that was erected all those years, 25 years ago in Tiananmen Square. Of course, there are different situations, but motivated by the same pro-democracy sentiment. And, Will, that winds up bringing in the real factor here, the government in Beijing. Yes, there's negotiations between the protesters and Hong Kong's government. But what is going on, on that level?
[Ripley:] Sources very familiar with the Hong Kong and Beijing leadership tell us that this is very concerning to the communist party in China. They are fearful that the images of this will spread to other Chinese cities, that perhaps people in mainland China will feel inspired and try to start similar movements, which could, of course, undermine the entire power structure in China. And, of course, we know what happened 25 years ago. But we are also hearing from those same sources that the Chinese government has instructed Hong Kong leadership to resolve this in a peaceful way. We are told that they are essentially considering this as a long battle. That they're going to try to wait it out, to see if these crowds disperse will eventually disperse. We see smaller crowds right now. But keep in mind over the weekend, one week into this, tens of thousands fill the streets. And it's not to say it couldn't happen again, Chris.
[Cuomo:] All right. Will, thank you very much. We'll be checking back in with you. Mick?
[Pereira:] All right. It is 40 minutes past the hour. Let's give you a look at your headline. A U.S. airman is dead after being swept out to sea following a monster typhoon that slammed Okinawa, Japan, on Sunday. Two of his colleagues are still missing. They, too, were overcome by those waves. Officials, in fact, say rough seas are further complicating rescue efforts. Search teams hunting for Eric Frein, the suspected killer of a Pennsylvania state trooper. They have narrowed their focus after a possible sighting by law enforcement. This just days after authorities found, ammunition, clothes and other supplies at a campsite in the Pennsylvania woods that they believe was Frein's. He, of course, is accused of ambushing two troopers last month, killing one, wounding another. Pope Frances is presiding over a two-week gathering at the Vatican to debate reforms in the Catholic Church. Cardinals from all over the world are all in attendance. Issues like allowing divorced and remarried Catholics to receive communion top the agenda. The pope has been challenging the conservative faction of cardinals to be more merciful and inclusive with the faithful. An American and two Norwegians will share this year's Nobel Prize in Medicine. American John O'Keefe and his two colleagues May-Britt Moser and Edward Moser were recognized for their discovery of cells that constitute a positioning system in the brain. The Nobel committee says they solved a problem that baffled scientists and philosophers for centuries. Tomorrow, they'll announce the prize for physics. Now, you have probably seen those segments where celebrities read mean tweets about them. Well, now, professors at the University of Alabama are doing their own version, reading their own reviews from ratemyprofessors.com. Let's give you a little taste.
[Unidentified Female:] She's the miserable teacher, worst I ever had at Alabama. Stay away from her if you want to pass this class. So, I know who that is.
[Pereira:] Many of the professors say end of semester surveys, not the Web site, are the better barometer of their work in the classroom. Oh, you got to have some tough skin to do that. I think it's quite comical to do that. You have to, look, after being a teacher for a a professor for so many years, I'm sure you had your share of snarky students.
[Alisyn Camerota, Cnn Anchor:] We should do that. We should read our mean e-mails.
[Pereira:] We would be here a long time. Yes, that's right.
[Cuomo:] She gets from me. I send She knows what it's like to be me. I will send her a couple mean ones. You know, here's what I don't get I don't get whether social media has created something where people can be more candid, give voice to people. Or is it just this form that's becoming more and more toxic.
[Pereira:] It's both. One feeds the other.
[Camerota:] Right. The fact that it's a venting machine, without anybody responding, which is why sometimes, it's great to respond.
[Cuomo:] I feel like the nature of disagreement has changed on social media, where instead of saying I disagree, like they do in e-mails. We get lots of great emails. Keep them coming. Facebook also, but Twitter especially. It does seem like it's more, I'll say I disagree with you by saying something mean about you personally. And I don't get it.
[Camerota:] I think that's right. So, yes, but we do appreciate the feedback. Keep it coming.
[Cuomo:] Yes, kind of. Look, I want to be insulted, I don't have to go on social media. Let's go to Indra.
[Camerota:] Yes, you can just turn right there.
[Cuomo:] Meteorologist Indra Petersen, keeping track of the latest always quick to tell me when I am quick to screw up.
[Indra Petersons, Ams Meteorologist:] But think about it. Weather. People are not so happy. A lot of haters out there, thanks to the fact that the weather has cooled off. We actually have a little bit of good news. The weather pattern is going to change. Things are improving, at least in the short term. You can actually see the temperatures not nearly as cold in the morning hours, as we saw yesterday in the Upper Midwest and into the north. You so slowly starting to see improvement. Not to say we don't have frost and freeze warnings still out there into the Northeast today. But again, the pattern will be changing. We're going to be watching as the cold front making its way through the day. Seeing some light showers in the Ohio Valley, down to about the Gulf. But there will be a threat for severe weather. So, that's where we're going to see the larger amounts of showers, even some large hail possibly, even an isolated tornado, guys. Yes, this time of year Cincinnati, Nashville, Jacksonville, even out towards Shreveport, that's where we're going to be looking for the severe weather threat. But, again, the showers are being kind of more widespread, one to two inches out towards the Northeast, where you have that severe weather, that's where we're going to see those higher amounts, but to four inches of rain. But you know, it's raining, but it doesn't mean the temperatures are not improving. There's a cold air that was in place. Look at that. It is going back to the north, where we want it to retreat. Meanwhile, the warm air will start to fill in, maybe too hot for you down to the south. You're talking about '80s and 90s. I do not feel sorry for you, because the cool air. We want that to go as long as possible. And here we go, we're seeing the temperatures rebound already, New York City going back to the 70s. Notice D.C. actually getting close to 80 degrees, again by the middle of the week and I can take that, because you know what? Now, I appreciate it so much more after cold weekend, right?
[Pereira:] Two days and now, you suddenly appreciate it.
[Petersons:] Yes. And all the Twitter hate will go away as well. Thanks, everyone, complaining about it. Exactly.
[Cuomo:] In weather terms for Twitter to become a nice place, something else would have to freeze over. And it won't be the Northeast.
[Petersons:] Well put for one.
[Cuomo:] Hey, look at that. Things are looking up. U.S. officials now considering extra security at the airport. The reason is obvious, to keep Ebola out. But is that the right move? Would it even be effective, or is it just too little too late? The director of the CDC, Dr. Thomas Frieden, will join us next. He'll know the answer.