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WHO Europe Says Omicron Is Sweeping West to East on Top of Delta; U.S. Public Health Officials Push for Upgraded Face Masks; Novak Djokovic Investigated over Australia Entry Form; European Parliament President David Sassoli Dies at Age 65; U.N. Appeals for Record $4.4 Billion for Afghanistan; Taliban Met with Resistance Commander; Kremlin Not Optimistic after Talks with U.S. over Ukraine; New U.S. Quarter Honors Poet Maya Angelou. Aired 10-10:40a ET

Aired January 11, 2022 - 10:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[10:00:00]

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JULIA CHATTERLEY, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): A big prediction from the World Health Organization: Omicron will infect half of Europe within two months.

The specter of hunger hangs over Afghanistan and the U.N. asking for help. The number a large one: $4 billion.

And nobody knows if Novak Djokovic will take part in the Australian Open as questions arise over forms he submitted to enter the country. We're live in

Melbourne with the latest.

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CHATTERLEY: I'm Julia Chatterley in London. Hello and welcome to CONNECT THE WORLD.

The Omicron coronavirus variant will likely infect half of Europe's population within six to eight weeks. Just take a listen to what the WHO's

regional director for Europe has said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. HANS KLUGE, WHO EUROPE: Today the Omicron variant represents a new risk to East tidal wave, sweeping across the region on top of the Delta

surge that all countries were managing until late 2021. The region saw over 7 million newly reported cases of COVID-19 in the first week of 2022, more

than doubling over a two-week period.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHATTERLEY: That tidal wave, quote, is headed toward Eastern Europe, too, as some of the lowest vaccination rates still, despite record-breaking

numbers of new cases, the WHO Europe insists schools should be, quote, "the last place to close and the first to reopen."

For more on this situation in Europe, I'm joined by senior medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen.

Try telling parents that. These are frightening numbers.

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SR. MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: They certainly are. These numbers are very frightening. And I know there has been a lot of talk

about, will COVID-19 become endemic?

And this was discussed at the World Health Organization press conference today and one of the things that one of their officials said is that they

don't think it is endemic yet. That has not happened yet.

Endemic would mean it is sort of a part of our world forever, presumably, and it follows a predictable pattern, kind of like flu is endemic. So while

they don't think it is endemic yet, still these are difficult numbers and people are nervous as they send their children to school.

One of the things we do need to remember is, while Omicron numbers are very, very high, that the illnesses do tend to be mild. Julia.

CHATTERLEY: That's a very important point, too. I think for people watching this, thinking, wow, over the next six to eight weeks, if you're

watching from Europe, what can people do to protect themselves?

I know in the United States, the CDC is talking about potentially coming out and telling people they have to wear more significant masks, the KN95s

or the N95s.

What is going to be the message on that and what did the WHO say about that?

COHEN: So "The Washington Post" is reporting that's being considered by the CDC to tell people, suggest to people wear a KN95 or N95. But no one

else has reported that. It is unclear if that is accurate or not. One thing that is clear is that N95s or KN95s, they really are -- they do the best

job. Let's take a listen to Dr. Anthony Fauci.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, WHITE HOUSE CHIEF COVID-19 MEDICAL ADVISER: Obviously the epitome of the best masks are the N95s. N95s are less likely to be worn

because they are not particularly comfortable. You put an N95 on for a period of time, it is not the easiest thing to wear.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COHEN: So we just heard from Dr. Fauci one of the downsides of N95s. Another one is that they can be hard to find. And when they are hard to

find, you want to reserve them for healthcare workers.

So if you can't get an N95 or if you're having trouble wearing one -- and if you are, you're in good company -- here are some suggestions from the

CDC about other kinds of masks, sort of the qualifications.

So one, it needs to fit snugly; no gaps on the sides. If there are big gaps on the sides, that means really kind of like, what's the point?

Also it should have a nose wire so it can conform to your nose. That also helps keep the masks do its job. And no single layer cloth masks. It should

be at least two layers or like a surgical mask, which is also multilayers. Julia.

CHATTERLEY: Yes.

[10:05:00]

CHATTERLEY: When I wear a mask properly and wear one of the thicker masks, I always am reminded to thank our healthcare heroes for uncomfortable they

are and how difficult it is to breathe. And they do it for hours at a time.

Any good news, Elizabeth?

We watched what happened in South Africa, in the U.K. in particular, too.

If we talk about the United States specifically, do we have any sense of peak cases and when we might see the caseloads come down?

COHEN: We're keeping a close eye on New York in particular, because that's where Omicron started to surge and so that's where we would see it peak

first.

Maybe, maybe, maybe we're seeing the inklings that it has plateaued and that, hopefully, it will start to come down soon. But it is too early to

say that for sure.

The United States is a very big place, so there are areas where Omicron is just now beginning to surge. And so we really aren't seeing the end of this

surge yet.

Again, the only sort of bright side to this is that Omicron does tend to give more mild disease. The flip side of that is when you have many cases -

- look at the WHO's forecast for Europe, 50 percent of people -- when you have many, many cases, even a small percentage ending up in the hospital,

that's still a big number.

CHATTERLEY: Yes. It's still a huge burden in the healthcare system.

Wear those masks, get vaccinated if you are able.

Elizabeth Cohen, thank you so much for that.

OK, let's move on. British prime minister Boris Johnson is refusing to say if he attended a staff party in May of 2020, when England was in the middle

of its first COVID lockdown. A leaked email shows one of the prime minister's top officials invited his staff to a party in the Number 10

garden. Salma Abdelaziz has the latest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Prime minister Boris Johnson is in hot water after more accusations, more allegations have emerged of social

gatherings taking place at 10 Downing Street during strict lockdowns in this country.

The latest comes in the form of a leaked email, sent by prime minister Johnson's top official in May of 2020. The email invites up to 100 staff

members to socially distance at 10 Downing Street.

It strikes a jovial spirit, "Bring Your Own Booze!"

Here's the issue: at the time, the country was under strict lockdown. Mixing between households was limited to two people. They had to meet

outside at a distance and workplace guidance was clear. Official guidance said no meetings face to face in the workplace unless absolutely necessary.

So if true, these latest accusations around the "bring your booze party" could be a wanton violation of COVID restrictions at the time.

Now prime minister Boris Johnson has so far refused to comment as to whether or not he was in attendance at this gathering. He says the matter

is under investigation but even that investigation has been mired in scandal.

The prime minister first tasked his cabinet secretary with looking into allegations of multiple social gatherings at 10 Downing Street that

violated COVID rules. But the cabinet secretary stepped down, handing that investigation over to another senior aide after it was found that he

himself had knowledge of some of these gatherings.

This is just yet another chapter in multiple accusations now of multiple social gatherings taking place during more than one lockdown in 2020. Prime

minister Boris Johnson's own credibility, his own reputation, is on the line here. And it keeps taking hits -- Salma Abdelaziz, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHATTERLEY: More evidence of the importance of COVID vaccinations from Italy, where more than 85 percent of eligible people are fully vaccinated.

The health minister says the remaining 10 percent to 15 percent who are not vaccinated are filling two-thirds of the country's ICU beds and half of all

beds in hospitals.

That news comes just days after Italy made COVID-19 vaccinations mandatory for people aged 50 and over.

CNN has learned that Australian officials are investigating whether Novak Djokovic lied on his travel entry form. This comes one day after a judge in

Melbourne overturned the tennis star's visa cancellation.

Djokovic was blocked by border officials last week over COVID vaccination rules ahead of the Australian Open. He's the defending men's champion and

was back on the practice courts earlier Tuesday.

And on top of all of this, Australia's immigration minister could still decide to remove him from the country. CNN's Paula Hancocks is live in

Melbourne for us.

Great to have you with us. Let's focus on the travel entry form. "Lied" is a strong word.

Lied or made a mistake?

What do we know about what may or may not have happened and why questions are being raised?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Julia, the investigation is ongoing at this point as to whether or not there was a false application

made, whether the travel declaration that was made did have false information in it.

Now Djokovic was back on the tennis court today, clearly trying to move on from what has happened and prepare himself for the Australian Open, which

starts next week.

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HANCOCKS: But it's still not guaranteed that he will make it there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HANCOCKS (voice-over): The nine-time Australian Open champion back in his natural habitat; this time, no media or fans invited. A Channel 9News van

catches a glimpse of the world number one. Novak Djokovic focuses on tennis while the visa saga continues to swell around him.

Australia's immigration minister is still considering whether to cancel his visa and ban him from the country for three years.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just because you're rich and famous, why should you be treated anybody else?

HANCOCKS (voice-over): A point for government here has hammered home: rules are rules. All have to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to come into

the country or have a watertight medical exemption.

Now the tennis star may have fallen afoul of another of Australia's rules. The Australian Border Force is investigating whether Djokovic submitted a

false travel declaration before his arrival, a source with knowledge of the investigation tells CNN.

In answer to a question whether the visa holder has traveled or will travel during the two-week period ahead of arrival, Djokovic ticked "no."

But pictures posted to social media appear to show the world number one in both Spain and Serbia during that time.

Tennis Australia filled out the forms for their defending champion; the wrong box checked may be an honest mistake. But with the Australian

government smarting from a legal loss overturning his visa cancellation, Djokovic's stay here is tenuous.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I probably have an unpopular opinion. I don't mind it. I thought it was good for him to be here and good for the spirit of the

open.

HANCOCKS (voice-over): With the tournament less than a week away, we still don't know whether the defending champion will be returning to Centre Court

or returning home.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HANCOCKS: So the twists just continue to come in this saga. Clearly as I said, Djokovic is focusing now on the tennis. He has been training. But

this investigation is clearly going to be important when it comes to what the immigration minister decides to do.

We didn't hear from him this Tuesday; potentially we will on Wednesday as to whether he will get personally involved. But presumably he will actually

wait until that Australia Border Force investigation is completed to see if that is something he has to take into consideration as well. Julia.

CHATTERLEY: Yes, I mean, wow. So, yes, the immigration minister now relying on the Border Force investigation results first and foremost, which

may be quite helpful in making a decision here. And they used the term "carefully."

It was interesting in that report that you provided there, that had the lady that you spoke to, saying, look, it was just good that he was here and

trying to get back to some sort of normality. You can understand that from some people, too.

From those people you're speaking to, what are they saying to you about this issue and whether they're glad he's here and the open will go ahead

with him or whether they feel like he's done something wrong?

HANCOCKS: For the most part, sympathy is in short supply for Novak Djokovic. Certainly when it comes to his supporters, there is a Serbian

community in Melbourne; we've heard from them. They're very vocal. And they will support him to the end.

But for many Australians, they have been through an awful lot. Certainly the border controls in this country are among the strictest around the

world. And so they do not want to see somebody getting what they may perceive as preferential treatment.

We heard from the prime minister, Scott Morrison, as well, saying rules are rules and saying that nobody can get around that and there shouldn't be any

special permission given to anybody.

So certainly when it comes to the majority of people here, they are focused on the fact that these border controls have been difficult for many people,

not being able to get back to see loved ones, not being able to leave the country.

But then again, there are also those like that lady, that do believe that the Australian Open will give something positive to Melbourne, one of the

most locked down cities during this entire pandemic.

So there is a mixture of opinions. But for the most part, those that we have been speaking to do not want to see anybody getting preferential

treatment, especially when they see that so many Australian citizens abroad have struggled to get back to their own country.

CHATTERLEY: On this issue, I think some rules lacked clarity; others less so. We shall see. Paula Hancocks, great to talk to you. Thank you.

OK, the president of the European Parliament has died in Italy. David Sassoli had been in hospital since late December because of serious

complications with his immune system. The 65-year old led the 705-seat Parliament since 2019, guiding it through the pandemic.

His term was set to expire at the end of the month. European Parliament members gathered in Brussels to observe a moment of silence. Italian prime

minister Mario Draghi called his death "shocking" and praised him as a symbol of balance, humanity and generosity.

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CHATTERLEY: And our thoughts are with his family.

OK, we're going to take a quick break. Coming up, not enough food, not enough healthcare and dwindling hope.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Without this being funded, there won't be a future.

CHANCE (voice-over): A grim outlook for Afghanistan: ahead, the U.N. makes its biggest appeal ever.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHATTERLEY: And why thousands of schoolchildren are wearing hazmat suits. More on the stringent Chinese crackdown next.

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CHATTERLEY: Welcome back to CONNECT THE WORLD.

To Afghanistan, where the United Nations says, without emergency help, there won't be a future. The U.N. is today launching a drive for nearly

$4.5 billion for Afghanistan in its biggest appeal ever for a single country.

Afghanistan is on the brink following conflict, drought and financial chaos in the wake of the Taliban takeover. The situation is so dire that the

group Save the Children says two-thirds of the children in Afghanistan need some kind of assistance just to get through the coming year. Listen to what

we heard from the U.N. a short time ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARTIN GRIFFITHS, U.N. UNDERSECRETARY-GENERAL FOR HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS: A million children potentially suffering severe acute malnutrition -- a

million children. Figures are so hard to grasp when they're this kind of size. But a million children in Afghanistan at risk of that kind of

malnutrition, if these things don't happen, is a shocking one.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHATTERLEY: The U.N. is also seeking an additional $600 million for Afghans who fled to neighboring nations. CNN's Arwa Damon joins us now from

Istanbul.

Great to have you with us. The emergency relief coordinator said something that really struck me.

He said, "My message is urgent. Don't shut the door on the people of Afghanistan. And I don't think anybody wants to but I'm sure there is a

fear for donors, that it won't be the right people that get the money; it will go to the Taliban."

How do they ensure that the right people get the aid they need?

Because this is part of the story, too.

ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. It is. And it is for that very reason that the U.S., the IMF and other major donors to

Afghanistan, who actually accounted for something like 80 percent of Afghanistan's governmental budget, ended up withdrawing their donations and

freezing Afghanistan's billions of dollars in assets.

But all of that aside, Julia, this is one of the main points that the United Nations and other key organizations on the ground have been making

when they have been putting forward this and other previous proposals for humanitarian assistance.

[10:20:00]

DAMON: And that is, send the money through us and we will ensure -- and they do have outlined in this plan mechanisms in place to ensure this --

that the money will not go to the Taliban but rather toward specific programs; whether it is food assistance, whether it is winterization -- it

is freezing cold in Afghanistan right now -- whether it is education, whether it is child protection.

And so humanitarian organizations are on the ground are saying we will take on that burden of responsibility. We will ensure that money goes to those

who need it and is not somehow siphoned off in any way, shape or form to the Taliban.

They're asking for a certain measure of trust. And at this point, Afghanistan is not at a point where, especially, major donors can sit back

and say, well, let's wait and see how the international community and Western nations decide that they're going to end up trying to deal with the

Taliban.

The time for that is gone. This warning of an acute humanitarian crisis is not new. It is something that international organizations, others on the

ground, have been warning about from the very moment that the Taliban ended up taking over.

And Afghanistan right now, those civilians there, that are in such dire need of assistance, they are on the brink.

CHATTERLEY: Yes. I don't think we can paint a more bleak picture, snow covered streets to show how people how freezing cold it is there.

Give us a sense of the state of the situation because it is not just about the -- what, 22 million people in Afghanistan, it is about the 5+ million

that have moved to other nations, five surrounding nations. And actually more could try and follow if the situation in Afghanistan itself remains as

bleak. It is multiple crises that people are facing.

DAMON: It is. This hunger crisis that we're talking about right now is a result of a combination of multiple compounded factors, part of which are

largely due to the Taliban's takeover, a part that was taking place well before then.

It is worth reminding everybody that, even prior to the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan, half of the population lived below the poverty line. That

means that half of the population struggled to actually feed themselves.

Aid organizations back then were struggling to try to meet the humanitarian needs of Afghanistan. And so imagine what the situation is like right now,

with this lack of cash flow, with this economic crisis that was initially sort of started by the severe drought that Afghanistan experienced and then

further compounded by conflict and then further compounded by the Taliban taking over.

That has impacted, as you mentioned there, not just the population living inside the country but also the population and neighboring countries right

now. And these are all what I would call frozen populations.

The vast majority of Afghans, should they want to leave Afghanistan, actually cannot leave Afghanistan. Either they can't afford it or the roads

are entirely closed off or it is simply too difficult for them to even attempt to do.

It is not cheap to try to get out of Afghanistan, not in the slightest. And then you have those who did manage to get out, who are effectively also

trapped inside Afghanistan's neighboring countries. They can't move on.

And where are they supposed to move on to?

Which is why one of the big topics of conversation has been, especially among Western countries, how do we provide for those populations, to ensure

that they don't try to reach the West?

Because let's remember, the West doesn't want more refugees at this stage. So there is actually a big burden of responsibility on these various

Western nations, on major donors, to ensure that, at the bare minimum, Julia, the humanitarian needs are met.

And by that, to simplify even further, that food, people are able to eat, children are able to eat and access medical care.

CHATTERLEY: Yes. Arwa, thank you for painting a picture to help us understand why the U.N. is making its biggest request ever for the nation

of Afghanistan and the people there, too. Thank you.

We're going to have much more on this later on CONNECT THE WORLD. Hala Gorani will be joined by Jan Egeland of the Norwegian Refugee Council. He

says many displaced Afghans are sheltering in the freezing cold with almost nothing to eat. That's in the next hour.

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CHATTERLEY: Up to speed now on some of the other stories on our radar.

The leader of an anti-Taliban group has been assured he would he not be armed if he returned to Afghanistan. That's the outcome of a meeting last

weekend in Tehran between Ahmad Massud and senior Taliban leaders.

[10:25:00]

CHATTERLEY: Massud fled after the last rebel stronghold fell to the Taliban in September.

The U.S. government says it has gotten positive signals from Ethiopian prime minister Abiy Ahmed and wants to reinforce them. Among the signals,

prisoner releases, open dialogue and humanitarian access. The U.S. hopes this will lead to more progress, like keeping the army out of Tigray and

stopping airstrikes.

China is urging nations not to overreact after North Korea fired a second suspected ballistic missile into the sea in just six days. It landed

between the Korean Peninsula and Japan. The launch came after a joint statement from several U.N. Security Council members condemning last week's

test.

And a third Chinese city entered full lockdown as China reports 110 new COVID infections. The latest is the city of Anyang in Hunan province. More

than 4,000 students were put in hazmat suits and sent to quarantine facilities following an outbreak at their school.

In the meantime, Hong Kong is suspending all in-person classes for kindergartens and primary schools in an effort to end a small COVID

outbreak, as Anna Coren reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANNA COREN, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: With the Beijing Winter Olympics just over three weeks away, Chinese authorities are particularly concerned

about the Omicron outbreak in Tianjin, a municipality that borders the Chinese capital; 45 cases are being reported there since Sunday.

And officials have decided to partially lock down the city of 14 million people and conduct mass testing. All residents are being told not to travel

and must receive permission to leave the city. Only 80 miles or 130 kilometers separate the port city and Beijing, which are normally linked by

a fast train in just 26 minutes.

That service has now been suspended, as have most trains. With the major outbreak continuing in Hunan province in central China, where the cities of

Anyang and Yuzhou, home to total of almost 7 million people, have been completely locked down as authorities desperately try to control the spread

of the Omicron variant.

Meantime, here in Hong Kong, which follows a similar strategy to the mainland, the government is anticipating a fifth wave of COVID-19 after

cases of Omicron were detected in the community.

Hong Kong's chief executive Carrie Lam announced that kindergartens and primary schools would be closed from Friday, with students returning to

online learning, a decision, she says, she did not want to make for the sake of children's mental health.

It follows the city's decision to ban flights from eight countries, where there are rampant Omicron outbreaks, and suspend dining in restaurants

after 6:00 pm. The government also launched an investigation into Cathay Pacific Airlines after several of its air crew violated quarantine

isolation rules, bringing the Omicron variant into the community -- Anna Coren, CNN, Hong Kong.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHATTERLEY: You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD, live today from London. Still ahead, new reaction from the U.S. and Russia after those high stakes

talks on Ukraine. And what to expect when Russian diplomats sit down with NATO tomorrow.

And the fallout from turbulent protests in Kazakhstan. Nearly 10,000 people have been detained, 160 killed. The latest, as the government lays out its

next moves.

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CHATTERLEY: Welcome back. I'm Julia Chatterley in London. You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD.

No significant reason for optimism: that assessment coming from the Kremlin a day after high stakes talk between Russia and the U.S. over

Russia's troop buildup near Ukraine's border.

The Kremlin spokesperson called negotiations in Geneva "open and substantive" but says the threat of new U.S. sanctions won't alter Russia's

position.

He says a clear picture will emerge after talks this week with NATO and a meeting of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.

Matthew Chance is with us today from Moscow and Alex Marquardt is in Brussels.

Alex, to you first, from the American side, they were dramatically playing down the prospects of any results, particularly in these early meetings.

But the point about NATO and those meetings, vital, I think, over the next 1.5 days.

ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Yes, they really are, Julia. And you're right. The talks ended up yesterday in Geneva

pretty much exactly where the Biden administration had said they were going to be, with no major breakthroughs.

The U.S. had been firm in its position that they just wouldn't talk about Ukraine or talk about NATO without those parties in the room. So they

really just focused on bilateral issues.

Now with the talks coming here to NATO, Russia gets to talk about what it really wants to talk about and that is Ukrainian membership in NATO, which

it says, quote, "should never, ever happen," as well as the presence of NATO forces in Eastern Europe.

That, however, are -- those are, however, essentially red lines for both the U.S. and NATO. They are not ever going to agree to those. But the

ambassador to NATO for the United States, Julianne Smith, told me that there are areas that NATO and Russia can talk about and try to make

progress. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JULIANNE SMITH, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO NATO: I would also note that there are other things that we can have a conversation about with Russia at the table

and we'll have to see how the conversation goes tomorrow.

MARQUARDT: What would some of those things be?

SMITH: Well, again, as you heard Deputy Secretary Sherman talk about, there are broader questions about missiles and about arms control. There

are plenty of things we can talk about in terms of transparency and risk reduction. And we'll be having those conversations tomorrow.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MARQUARDT: So they are willing to talk about and hoping to talk about missile placement in Europe as well as transparency around exercises. Smith

also told me that, for the time being, it does appear that Russia is committed to these diplomatic talks.

There is some skepticism about Russia simply going through the motions and then throwing up their hands and saying talks failed, so now we are going

to turn to our military options.

Of course, there is still the very large looming threat by NATO and the U.S. of massive economic sanctions as well as trade punishment and the

threat of increased military support to Ukraine and Eastern Europe, should Russia choose to invade Ukraine again.

CHATTERLEY: Matthew, come in here, particularly on that point, I think, because the foreign minister was very clear -- and there's posturing on all

sides at this stage -- but he played down the threat of possible future sanctions.

And the quote was quite interesting for him.

"We call on the United States to take a certain responsibility at this moment. The risks associated with the possible increase in confrontation

should not be underestimated, as 100,000 troops sit very close to the Ukrainian border."

What do we think of Russia's positioning here, heading into the NATO meeting?

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, publicly at least they're making it clear that the threat of sanctions are very tough

sanctions, that would have a material impact on the Russian economy, as they have been characterized by the U.S. side.

It is not going to affect the decisions they take when it comes to the national security and what to do about Ukraine if they're sort of forced

into a corner, if they don't get what they want in terms of their demands in this negotiation.

They have got some credibility when they say, you know, sanctions aren't going to have an impact on our policy, because there have been countless

rafts of sanctions imposed by the United States, by the European Union.

[10:35:00]

CHANCE: By others in the international community as well against Russia over the past several years because of its various misdeeds and none of

those sanctions have had a material impact as far as we can assess on the actual policies of the Kremlin and of Russia when it comes to its

activities inside the country and outside the country.

And so there is no real reason to think that this time it would be different. What the Russians are saying is that, while on one hand, they

don't see any reason for optimism after this first round of talks took place in the -- in Geneva yesterday, they are making a positive assessment,

as they say, about the fact that -- about the fact that the negotiations took place.

And they are sort of committed to the rest of these negotiations in Brussels and Vienna throughout the course of this week.

But it is only after that week of negotiations is over that the Russian officials say they're going to make an assessment about whether it is worth

it for them to go forward with more negotiations and more talks in the future or whether they're going to say, look, we're obviously not being

taken seriously; we're not getting what we want and that's the end of the process.

They haven't given us an indication at this stage which direction they're going to go in.

CHATTERLEY: Yes. Early optimism, early days. Alex, Matthew, thank you for that.

Ukraine not the only country where Russia is engaging in foreign policy maneuvers. A regional military alliance led by Russia will leave Kazakhstan

entirely within 10 days. That's what the Kazakh president told the country's parliament today.

The troops were called in to help contain the unrest that erupted last week. Fred Pleitgen has an update on the situation from the border of

Kazakhstan and neighboring Kyrgyzstan.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Kazakhstan leadership appears to be trying to show it is getting the situation in the

country under control.

At the same time also continuing their crackdown on the people who participated in the protests that shook that country. Now the president of

Kazakhstan, Mr. Tokayev, he had his new pick for new prime minister approved by Kazakhstan's parliament on Tuesday.

At the same time, the authorities also announced that the number of people detained in the wake of those protests had once again risen sharply. The

authorities now saying that nearly 10,000 people have been detained and that number has been continuously steeply rising over the past couple of

days.

The authorities also saying that more than 160 people were killed in those protests and the vast majority of those, more than 100 people in one town,

and that is the town of Almaty. That is also the place where we saw some of the worst violence, as the protests were taking place, with rioters in the

streets going into government buildings.

But at the same time also Kazakhstani security forces on the ground there as well, sweeping those areas and, in some places, apparently, opening fire

as well.

Meanwhile, the Kazakhstani government is saying that those international forces that they have called in, of course, led by Russian forces, that

their mission has been complete and that their withdrawal will start in two days.

However, that withdrawal is going to take at least 10 days to complete, if things go according to plan -- Fred Pleitgen, CNN, at the Kyrgyz-Kazakhstan

border.

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CHATTERLEY: Ahead on CONNECT THE WORLD, medical history is made: doctors transplant a heart from a gene-edited pig to save a man's life. How this

may bring hope for more people on the organ transplant waiting list.

And Novak Djokovic is not the only tennis star to run into visa trouble in Australia. We'll meet the Czech player, who is hoping to head back down

under.

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[10:40:00]

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CHATTERLEY: A man is doing well several days after receiving a pig heart in a first of its kind transplant. According to the University of Maryland

School of Medicine, David Bennett, who is 57, had terminal heart disease. And the genetically modified pig heart was the only available option.

Before the transplant, the genes that cause the human body to reject pig organs were removed from the donor pig and human genes, that help the

person accept the organ, were added.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted emergency authorization just a week before the surgery. Doctors will now need to monitor Bennett for

weeks to see whether the transplant works. We keep our fingers crossed for him.

And the U.S. Mint is honoring poet and activist Maya Angelou with a new coin. It is a quarter, released into circulation on Monday and it is the

first ever featuring a Black woman. The image evokes Angelou's autobiography, "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings."

It's the first in a series of quarters featuring American women. And they will include the first American woman in space, Sally Ride, and Asian

American actor, Anna May Wong.

Novak Djokovic has been given a dramatic reprieve to stay in Australia. But others haven't been quite as lucky. Like Djokovic, Czech tennis player

Renata Voracova had her visa canceled, even though she was granted a medical exemption. She was even sent to quarantine in a quarantine hotel

like him.

Now unlike Djokovic, her visa remains canceled and she has not been able to train. And so she chose to leave Australia. Voracova expressed her

disappointment earlier this week.

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RENATA VORACOVA, CZECH TENNIS PLAYER: I cannot say it is anger. But I'm really sad that this happened, you know. If I imagine, I mean, it is one of

the biggest tournaments, grand slam. I prepared. And you go there and then this things happens. You can't even imagine it is possible in 21st century

to happen, you know, in this country.

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