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Putin Tells Troops Russia Believes in Their Victory; Negotiations Push Forward on Effort to End War in Ukraine; Zohran Mamdani Sworn in as Mayor of New York City; Trump Withdrawing National Guard Troops from Three Cities; Trump's Sweeping New U.S. Travel Ban Now in Effect; Iran Appoints New Central Bank Governor Amid Protests. Aired 9-10a ET
Aired January 01, 2026 - 09:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[09:00:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN HOST, CONNECT THE WORLD: President Trump says he is withdrawing U.S. National Guard troops from three cities in America. It is
09:00 a.m. in Washington, 02:00 p.m. right here in London. I'm Fred Pleitgen, wishing you a very Happy New Year, and this is "Connect the
World".
Also coming up a New Year's celebration turns into a tragedy after a fire broke up at a ski resort in Switzerland. Plus, a U.S. travel ban on mostly
African countries comes into effect. Some of the countries announce reciprocal bans on U.S. citizens. We start though with a New Year's tragedy
in Switzerland.
Dozens of people are dead after a fire broke out at a ski resort in Crans- Montana. Italy's Foreign Ministry, citing Swiss police, say about 40 people were killed. Police say many others are being treated for injuries. The
fire tore through a crowded bar with witnesses telling CNN Affiliate BFMTV that it was started by sparklers placed in champagne bottles.
The local police chief provided an update a few hours ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FREDERIC GISLER, VALAIS CANTONAL POLICE COMMANDER: At the time I'm speaking to you, all of the injured have been taken care of. We have counted around
100 injured people, most of them seriously, and unfortunately, several dozen individuals are presumed dead. At present, the main street of Crans
is closed for the needs of the investigation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PLEITGEN: The British Embassy in Switzerland says citizens of multiple countries are likely impacted by the disaster at the Crans-Montana resort,
very popular with foreign tourists. Martin Meul is a Reporter for Blick, a Swiss German language daily newspaper, and he joins me straight from Crans-
Montana.
Martin, I know that you've been on the scene for a very long time now. Just give me a sense of what's going on right now. What's the latest in the
investigation? How are the police moving forward?
MARTIN MEUL, REPORTER OF BLICK: We don't know exactly what's going on concerning the investigations. What we know is that the coroner arrived
about an hour ago, and yeah, we assume that they are transporting the bodies away now, but the area is cornered still.
And so, we can get any closer to see what's happening, and we have no further information from the authorities. So, we still know that we have
several dozen dead and about 100 injured people, but there's no more information at this moment.
PLEITGEN: How far away? Because I see that you're on the street, which seems to be cordon off. How far away are you from the actual scene of where
this happened, and what's it like in the town now after this tragedy?
MEUL: Yeah, you can see the scene behind me. It's about 200 meters direct in my bag, but everything is covered with plastic, so you can't take images
or so everything is closed. All the grocery shop next to the scene is closed, and then you cannot pass. You have even problems to pass when you
have an apartment in the -- area.
So, police are very strict that nobody gets closer to the bar where the fire was -- the town is going on. I have to say, we have a lot of tourists
here because of the holidays, and so we have people passing by going to, at the end in the morning, they went to the slopes and enjoying the time.
So, we have two worlds in one place, one very tragic world where we had the fire, and another one, the touristic world, which where life is going on.
PLEITGEN: Yeah. And you said it's a very popular tourist resort, obviously, right now, in the winter season and especially on New Year's Eve, a lot of
tourists will have been there. Is that who they fear? Most of the victims are that most of the people there who were killed, who were injured, are
potentially tourists from Europe and other places?
MEUL: Yeah, that seems to be possible, but they affect, they don't know, because it can -- they can be locals too, but it's likely that they are
also tourist kill been, we know that two of them were French people, but other identities were not given or to this moment.
[09:05:00]
PLEITGEN: I know Martin that you are a reporter who has almost more experience than anybody else with this region. And Crans-Montana is a very
small village. But we also know that the Swiss have an exceptional system of getting aid, getting help to people. They have helicopter rescue
ambulances.
How big of an operation is that to try and save people, and how many assets are there from around the country trying to work this very difficult
situation?
MEUL: Yeah, it was a huge operation. We had about 10 helicopters transferring the danger to several hospitals in the region, but also to
Geneva and to Zurich, where there are specialized clinics for victims of fire. Then we had about 40 ambulances in -- and about 200 people from the
services, from the emergency services, helping and doing their best to get all the people to the hospitals, to the doctors.
And so, it was a huge operation. The region -- could not handle it by its own so they had to ask for help from in other cantons in Switzerland, and
they arrived immediately to help here --
PLEITGEN: And a final question before I let you go, because I know that you're extremely busy on this tragic day. Switzerland is obviously a
country that has very strict laws as far as fire safety is concerned, also as far as the safety of bigger events is concerned. Is there anything to
indicate how this could have happened?
I mean, we know that it could be these sparkler candles. But also, is there anything in the setting, in the fact that this was inside a basement room,
apparently, where people or the authorities have an indicator as to how this could happen.
MEUL: No, the only thing they said that there was no attack on the bar. But everything else is speculation. They don't know what exactly happened. They
speak of a blast of a fire blast, but what provoked this blast is not clear. It could be these borders, but it could be also something in the
kitchen. We don't know at the moment.
PLEITGEN: Martin Meul in Crans-Montana. Thank you very much for joining us. And folks, we're going to have much more on this breaking news story out of
Switzerland as the day progresses. Obviously, there's still a lot of new information that's coming in. We're going to bring that to you when it
comes in.
We'll also have special program for that incident as well, a huge incident that happened there in Switzerland. Moving on now, though, to Ukraine,
obviously also very important topic. And one where there has been a lot of momentum recently, and a group of Ukraine's allies known as the "Coalition
of the Willing" is set to meet this next week.
This comes as Ukraine's Wartime President expresses a fervent wish for peace. Volodymyr Zelenskyy says a peace agreement for his country is about
90 percent ready after discussions with his U.S. and European allies. And in his New Year's Eve address, Mr. Zelenskyy says the remaining 10 percent
will, quote, determine the fate of peace, the fate of Ukraine and of Europe.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE: Ukraine does not need a Minsk style, meticulously drafted trap signatures under weak agreements only fuel
war. My signature will be under a strong agreement, and that is exactly what every meeting, every call, every decision, is about right now to
secure a strong peace for everyone, not for a day, not for a week, not for two months, peace for years.
Only then will it truly be a success for Ukraine, for America, for Europe, and in truth, for every nation that wants to live not to fight.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PLEITGEN: Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered his own New Year's address, telling his troops the country believes in them and in
Russia's victory in Ukraine.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VLADIMIR PUTIN, PRESIDENT OF RUSSIA: After all, we are together, the people of Russia work success and achievements of each of us create new chapters
in its 1000-year history, and the strength of our unity determines the sovereignty and security of the Fatherland, its development, its future.
We are united in our sincere, selfless and devoted love for Russia. I congratulate all our soldiers and commanders on the coming New Year. We
believe in you and our victory.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PLEITGEN: So, there's definitely a lot to unpack here. I want to bring in Global Affairs Analyst Michael Bociurkiw, who is also a Senior Fellow at
the Atlantic Council and is currently in Chisinau in Moldova. First of all, Michael, thank you very much for joining us quite early on New Year's Day
and a Happy New Year to you, of course.
Let me ask you straight up, what did you think of Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President Zelenskyy's New Year's Eve speech, where he's saying that Ukraine
wants a lasting peace. What that seems to indicate is they need security guarantees from the U.S. and from others?
[09:10:00]
MICHAEL BOCIURKIW, GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: Yeah, absolutely good to be with you, Fred. Happy New Year. Listen, there's quite a bit of daylight between
what Mr. Zelenskyy is saying and what Mr. Putin is saying, and between what Mr. Putin is telling Mr. Trump and vice versa.
Mr. Zelenskyy, I think, is preparing his people for that very, very difficult last mile where those security guarantees have to be absolutely
iron clad, and that whoever is the guarantor, no probably you have to be the United States, is also a commitment to put troops on the debt on the
ground, should the agreement falter.
And there are problems with that, because, of course, I just returned for the United States. I didn't sense any appetite there for more foreign
involvement of U.S. troops. Secondly, Ukrainians are deservedly I would use the word paranoid about the word security guarantees, because we all know
what happened a couple of decades ago with the Budapest Memorandum.
So again, needs to be iron clad. And also, any talk whatsoever Fred, of territorial concessions does not go over well in Ukraine after so much
blood has been spilled.
PLEITGEN: Yeah, that's actually my next question, because one of the things that we know that Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, has said,
is that any peace agreement will have to go through a referendum in Ukraine. What's the likelihood of a referendum like that, passing or being
endorsed by the people of Ukraine if it involves territorial concessions.
But if the security guarantees maybe aren't where people want you said that there is a sort of paranoia about these security guarantees and that they
have to be rock solid, and Volodymyr Zelenskyy said they have to be long term.
BOCIURKIW: Yeah, well, let me be very blunt. I think Mr. Zelenskyy is living in a fantasy land, thinking he can have a referendum 60 to 90 days
after an agreement falls into place. We have millions of Ukrainians displaced right now, all over the world, Ukrainian diplomatic posts are in
no condition whatsoever.
They're under resourced to handle that type of process. Secondly, yeah. I mean, before I left Ukraine, you know, I visited that huge memorial on
Kyiv, I think you've been there too. The memorial in Odessa, they are overflowing right now. And this is the reason why Ukrainians, what will
tell anybody you talk to them about is that they're not going to give up territory, because, why was all the blood spilt?
You know, it's very interesting. Also, Kira Rudyk, the Head of the Holos party, and she's one of the most respectable politicians in Ukraine,
described the 20-point peace plan as a ticking time bomb. She called it very dangerous. Big reason for that is, should that any territory be handed
over to the Russians that could, in her estimation, and I agree with her figures.
But overnight, 150,000 or more Ukrainians under Russian occupation. And they -- most Ukrainians we talked to, if not, all, say that's equivalent to
living like on hill on Earth. They what. They will not accept that.
PLEITGEN: And at the same time, you have the Russians, and I want to get into this as well, who are currently making territorial gains, not just in
the east, but also in the south, close to Zaporizhzhia.
BOCIURKIW: Yeah.
PLEITGEN: And essentially what the Russians are saying, look, first of all, you guys need to cede territory to Russia. And then second of all, Russia
is going to take that territory anyway, because the Russians say they're in the long run, they have enough soldiers. They have enough weapons.
What do you think the Russians are doing also, Visa vis the American efforts to bring a peace agreement into place as fast as possible. Are they
stalling? Are they moving slower? Are they in a strong position? What do you think?
BOCIURKIW: Yeah. Yeah, they're stalling. And that's typical Russian playbook to drag things out. And Trump is allowing them to do that because,
after all, there are no real deadlines. And secondly, the Russians are pounding away. And there's big concern, legitimate concern, that they may
get control of those three or four so called fortress city, including Konstantinovka, Kramatorsk, that would give them a real advantage to move
forward.
Terms of Zaporizhzhia, they are eyeing that. And by the way, the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is another big sticking point, because
Zelenskyy does not want the Russians to control that. One more thing here, Fred, and I think this is a really, really important point. Normally, when
I arrive in Moldova, I go straight to Odessa.
But things have become so dangerous there right now. You know, people like me are having to delay and temporarily base ourselves here. Over the past
two or three days, there have been Russian strikes on foreign flagged ships in the Black Sea off the Odessa coast. Let's remind everyone that this is
World Court Odessa that feeds the world.
And my big concern is that Mr. Putin is convinced that he can make deliver on his pledge to make Ukraine a landlocked country, and that, of course,
would mean blockading Odessa.
[09:15:00]
And if they do get Odessa, that's an easy advancement over here to Moldova. So, a lot of tension here as well.
PLEITGEN: And we know that the Russians in the past have even run ads essentially saying that they want to take Odessa.
BOCIURKIW: Yeah.
PLEITGEN: Michael Bociurkiw, thank you very much for your time today from the Atlantic Council Senior Fellow. And again, Happy New Year to you and
have a great 2026.
BOCIURKIW: Thank you for having me. Happy New Year.
PLEITGEN: And coming up, just moments after the New Year's Eve ball drop, New York City makes history. Details ahead on Mayor Zohran Mamdani's first
day in office. And Donald Trump is pulling troops from three U.S. cities, but he's promising something stronger. We'll look at what this means for
people living in those cities.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PLEITGEN: Zohran Mamdani is now the Mayor of New York City.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ZOHRAN MAMDANI, MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY: Hi.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Zohran Kwame Mamdani.
MAMDANI: Zohran Kwame Mamdani.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do solemnly swear.
MAMDANI: Do solemnly swear
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That I will support the Constitution --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): -- was sworn in inside a former subway station just after midnight during a private ceremony with his wife also
present. The 34-year-old Mamdani is making history as the city's first South Asian and Muslim Mayor, and the youngest in more than a century. At
least 4000 people are expected at the public inauguration ceremony in the coming hours.
Mamdani had promised during his campaign to tackle the affordability crisis and named a new member of his administration to help bring down the cost of
living.
MAMDANI: I can think of no better moment to announce our new Department of Transportation Commissioner than this. So, I would ask Mike Flynn, if you
would please join me. It is an honor to have Mike here alongside me as we embark on an administration that will take seriously the responsibility and
the opportunity we have.
To make this street scape and the public transit of the city we call home, the envy of the world.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PLEITGEN: U.S. President Donald Trump has announced he's withdrawing National Guard troops from three cities. The administration sent the troops
to Chicago, Los Angeles and Portland, Oregon to support I.C.E. agents as part of the ongoing immigration crackdown.
This after the Supreme Court suggested the president's power to deploy state troops did not apply to protecting those enforcing immigration law.
Mr. Trump is promising a different and stronger deployment of federal forces. And joining me now is Alayna Treene to break it all down.
So, Alayna, tell me, do you think that the president will now withdraw troops from other places as well, like, for instance, D.C. and New Orleans.
ALAYNA TREENE, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Yeah. Well, what's interesting, I'd say, Fred, when we saw this announcement, because I'd know that the
Supreme Court ruling last week was really about guardsmen being deployed to Illinois and specifically, of course, Chicago.
[09:20:00]
But the president included Los Angeles and Portland, in that, I think the difference about those three different cities that he said he would be
removing the guardsmen from are all places where we know that their leaders, the mayors and also the governors of those states, have been very
critical of the guardsmen, and really the administration was, in many ways, going against what local leaders had wanted in those states.
What's different about particularly New Orleans, as you mentioned in Louisiana at large, is that the Governor of Louisiana, Jeff Landry, was
actually working very closely, and has been working very closely with the administration. And the president on wanting some of the guardsmen to go
into New Orleans.
So that's different. And then D.C. has been different as well, because there has been sort of a tacit agreement between the Trump Administration
and the mayor, the D.C. Mayor, who at the time was Muriel Bowser, essentially that they could leave the troops in D.C. as a peacekeeping
mission, but also had a different agreement about how they would operate in the city.
So, all to say we could see potentially a pullback in other places. But I think the big difference is that in the cities that he mentioned, really,
the administration was kind of fighting with the local leaders about having them there. Other places, it's a bit different case. So, he might be able
to keep them in some of those cities.
PLEITGEN: Alayna Treene in Washington, D.C. Thank you very much for that update. And a sweeping new U.S. travel ban, largely targeting African
countries, takes effect today. You will recall, in December, the Trump Administration added seven countries to a list of nations already facing a
complete travel ban.
Starting today, citizens from Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, Sierra Leone, Syria and Laos are barred from entering the United States. In
addition, partial bans are in effect for several other countries. In all, 39 countries are on the list. The Trump Administration says the
restrictions are designed to, quote, protect the U.S. from national security and public safety threats.
Meantime, Mali and Burkina Faso have joined a list of countries imposing reciprocal travel bans on Americans. Once again, pretty complicated topic.
And joining me now to break it all down is our own, Larry Madowo. Larry, partial bans, complete bans. There are all sorts of different bans. What is
the difference? And what does it mean?
LARRY MADOWO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The countries on the full ban. These are the countries that the U.S. has serious concerns about their vetting
procedures, either because they have widespread fraud so they can trust their documents, or they have citizenship by investment schemes that
essentially mask who the person really is from which country originally.
They complain about some of them that have very high terrorist activity, extremist activity, and so there's no functioning government to issue
passports and to vet people that get passports. And the third one, or the fourth one is really about those who have high visa overstay rates.
So those on the high risk are those who have been fully banned. The partial ban is sort of like a warning if you don't cooperate with us, if you don't
accept your migrants or getting deported, we're going to add you to the full ban, and that means you cannot come to the United States unless you
already have an existing visa, you're a lawful permanent resident.
So, it's a warning. And some countries cooperate and they get dropped, or they get upgraded to a full ban.
And that means, is that a political thing, you cooperate with us in all field, or is that specifically migration?
MADOWO: Specifically on migrations. For instance, Turkmenistan did start cooperating with the United States, and so they didn't get upgraded to a
full ban. Other countries, mostly in Africa, did come from a partial ban to full ban. So, it means they're no longer issuing visas.
They're no longer allowing anybody, whether you are an immigrant or a non- immigrant, you're coming in asylum cases, you can't go to the United States because your government is not cooperating.
PLEITGEN: The U.S. has long been accused, or it's been said that the U.S. really doesn't have a cohesive strategy as far as its relations with
African nations. At the same time, of course, we know that Russia has been building their relations with many African countries.
The Chinese, obviously, for a very long time, has been doing that. How do these bans play into that? What does that mean for relations between the
U.S. and many of these African countries?
MADOWO: One of the immediate opportunities is for China or Russia to say, oh, we're not like those guys. We don't ban you. So, the three countries
that have done reciprocal bans, essentially blocking Americans from going to their countries, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, they are all ruled by
military juntas.
And the military rulers, they have warmed up to China. They have warmed up to Russia. They have Russian mercenaries in the country helping with the
security and terrorist activity problems there and Chad as well. The President of Chad used to be a military ruler before had an election.
So many of these countries already have strong anti-Western sentiment in those nations anyway --
PLEITGEN: Yeah, So I -- ask you about that. What does that mean for generally, the West standing in Africa, as Africa becomes more important,
actually, for the West.
MADOWO: I think they're making the case for China and Russia, for them directly, that these people are not true partners. They don't want you to
be able to travel freely, for education, for investment. That's why they put in all these road blocks. And China, for instance, says we're not
issuing you with any tariffs in anything.
[09:25:00]
We're dropping tariffs for all African nations who are open for education. They're giving a lot of visas and scholarships, and Russia has dropped
visas for many African nations. So, you see that contrast there, and they like to play that difference.
PLEITGEN: Larry Madowo, thank you very much. And of course, you'll stay on this topic, which is certainly not going away.
MADOWO: Obsoletely.
PLEITGEN: Coming up, how the Iranian government is trying to contain mass public protests amid a spiraling economic crisis.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PLEITGEN: Welcome back to "Connect the World" with me Frederik Pleitgen. And here are your headlines for this hour. Volodymyr Zelenskyy says a peace
agreement for his country is 90 percent ready. In his New Year's Eve address, the Ukrainian President says the remaining 10 percent will, quote,
determine the fate of peace, the fate of Ukraine and the fate of Europe.
Group of Ukraine's allies, known as the coalition of the willing, is set to meet next week. Zohran Mamdani has now been sworn in as New York City's
112th mayor. This historic moment happening just after midnight during a private ceremony. The 34-year-old immigrant from Uganda is the city's first
Muslim mayor and the youngest person to hold the office in more than a century.
A public ceremony is set for later today. And dozens of people are feared dead after a fire broke out at a Swiss ski resort. Police say many others
are being treated for burns. The fire broke out in a bar during a New Year celebration. Witnesses tell CNN Affiliate BFMTV, it was started by
sparklers placed in champagne bottles.
Sources tell CNN, that Israel has agreed to open the Rafah crossing in the coming days. Opening the crossing between Gaza and Egypt would potentially
allow Palestinians to enter and leave the enclave for the first time in 10 months. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to the measure
after meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday, according to those sources.
And Iran has appointed a new central bank governor amid mass protests driven by an economic crisis. Abdolnaser Hemmati, a Former Economics
Minister, took over the post on Wednesday. Iran's local currency has gone into free fall, and inflation is up to around 40 percent.
Public anger is boiling over with the crisis sparking massive protests. Our own Paula Hancocks has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): These are the biggest demonstrations seen in Iran for three years. Traders and shopkeepers walk
through a Tehran bazaar chanting, close it down.
[09:30:00]
Many shops did this week, shutting their doors in protest, furious at the country's currency plummeting to a record low, pushing inflation and the
cost of living to unbearable levels. This is the year of blood. Sayyid Ali will be toppled a popular chant by protesters referring to the Supreme
Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei calling for the collapse of the regime.
Economic pain is being blamed on government mismanagement. Similar rallies are being seen in cities across Iran. Police deploy tear gas in some areas
of Tehran. A lone protestor covers his face but refuses to move. A significant act of defiance in a country where dissent has been met with
swift and deadly force in recent years.
President Masoud Pezeshkian acknowledged the public anger, stating, the livelihood of the people is my daily concern, adding, he has tasked the
Minister of Interior to hear the legitimate demands of the protesters. The Head of Iran's Central Bank has resigned. Food prices have risen more than
70 percent since this time last year.
Inflation for December, year on year is at more than 40 percent. The regime cannot ignore these protests. Merchants played a crucial role in the 1979
Islamic revolution that ousted the monarchy and brought the Islamists to power. Students at several universities have staged their own
demonstrations calling for economic justice. It is unclear at this point how widespread this descent might become.
ABAS ASLANI, SENIOR RESEARCH FELLOW AT CENTER FOR MIDDLE EASTERN STRATEGIC STUDIES: The average citizens and ordinary public is not joining this,
let's say protest, and because there is no bright and clear picture of the day after, and there is no, let's say, credible alternative to this
political system.
HANCOCKS (voice-over): Hundreds of women ran a marathon on Iran's Kish Island in early December without mandatory head scarves. Similar acts in
the past have sparked bloody crack downs.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're earning 15 million tomans a month (=$93) so you should understand people's struggle but you don't.
HANCOCKS (voice-over): Those desperate for reforms in Iran are once again this week, testing cracks in the wall of the Islamic regime that they want
to see crumble. Paula Hancocks, CNN, Abu Dhabi.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PLEITGEN: H.A. Hellyer is a Senior Associate Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute for Defense and Security Studies. He joins me now live
from Cairo. First of all, sir, Happy New Year to you. Thank you very much for joining us. And then obviously the question, you know, we've seen
protests Iran in the past, and these obviously seem to have economic origin, but how big do you think these could become, and how consequential
do you think they could become?
H.A. HELLYER, SENIOR ASSOCIATE FELLOW AT RUSI: So Happy New Year to you as well, and thank you for having me on the program. Always a pleasure. We've
seen protests like this in the past. So, I caution people from thinking that they could become much larger than this.
But again, nobody really expected, I think, that back in 1979, that they would have gone to those heights either. But as it stands at present, there
isn't an organized political opposition that's on the ground in Iran that would be able to exploit this beyond the point that they're at right now.
They could be larger. But I caution people from thinking that this signals an immediate change of some sort. I think what it shows is that there are
many cracks in the system, and that the regime in Tehran is simply not able to absorb that indefinitely, but they're certainly able to do so in the
short to medium term.
And we wait to see how that will progress, but I think it will take a lot longer than days or weeks or months. We're talking much more long term than
that.
PLEITGEN: And it's key that you say that, you say that because, of course, the Pezeshkian government has said that it hears the protesters, it hears
their concerns, and has vowed to try and alleviate some of those concerns, specifically inflation, but also the devaluation of the currency as well.
Do you think that they are capable of doing that, especially with the massive sanctions pressure that they also face from the U.S. and others?
HELLYER: I don't think that this is really something that can be fixed overnight by one move or another. I think that there are large cracks in
public opinion when it comes to the Iranian regime in Tehran, among Iranians. Among Iranians, who are simply no longer willing to accept this
indefinitely, but that's a lot of frustration, that's, let's say, a lot of steam coming out.
The question is, is where they can actually move that? How they can exploit that in order to move towards some sort of transition? And I think that's a
long way off.
[09:35:00]
I think even having this discussion, quite frankly, leads us to believe that there's something really immediate that's about to take place. I don't
think that's the case. I think that the regime in Iran has shown that they're able to absorb these sorts of shocks to the system without, of
course, ignoring the fact that there are many within Iran that are simply completely unwilling to accept this system for the long term.
The question is, is, how they are going to be able again to exploit these fissures and exploit these not just pockets, but, you know, huge, massive
amounts of dissent and protests, and be able to build on that going forward? Keeping in mind, for the regime in Iran, if they were to respond
too much to the protests and too much to this dissent, then it really signals a death blow for them.
It's not a reformable kind of system, in my opinion. So, it's not really a question of, OK, can they compromise this much and this much and this much
and still be able to stay in charge? No, I think that you know, too much compromise. I think they see as really existential.
PLEITGEN: At the same time, they're also facing pressure from the outside, of course, as well. We all saw the press availability, if you will, of
President Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu, where they clearly threatened strikes on Iran if they continue with their ballistic missile program and
if they restart their nuclear program as well. How does that feed into this general situation?
HELLYER: Well, I think that the regime in Iran identifies that there is dissent from within and many enemies from without. And I think many
analysts expect that over the coming months, and it could be sooner than that, there will be more strikes on Iran by the Israelis, perhaps in
coordination and tandem with the United States.
They don't think that this is the end of the story when it comes to those strikes that began last year, and I think that they're correct in that
assessment. I think that it's very unlikely that there will be a return to the status quo, and see in that regard. So, there is a lot of pressure, but
they're not responding to that pressure by imagining some sort of way to placate the Senate at home in order to be more unified visa vis threats
from abroad.
On the country, it just means that they're seeing more threats from all around them. And what I think it will do, I hope that it will do, is for
the Iranians to seek more of a de tones, more of a de-escalation wherever else they can within the region itself, whether it be with the Gulf states,
whether it be with Syria, where they continue to have very bad relations with the new post Assad government.
But I'm not convinced of that. I think that what you see right now is a regime that sees threats from within, sees threats from without, and is not
willing to make the hard choices that would allow it to find some sort of sustainable solution.
PLEITGEN: H.A. Hellyer, thank you very much coming to us live from Cairo today. And we return now to that breaking news out of Switzerland. A state
of emergency has been declared in the Southern Valais region after a devastating New Year's tragedy. Dozens of people are presumed dead after a
fire tore through a packed bar at an internationally renowned ski resort in the Swiss Alps early Thursday morning.
About 100 others are injured. Forensic tents have been set up outside of the bar to identify the victims. Police say there's no indication of
terrorism. Two witnesses, meanwhile, told CNN Affiliate BFMTV that the fire was caused by sparklers placed in champagne bottles. We have our own Nada
Bashir here with the latest.
You've been monitoring this throughout the morning as this has been going on. What's the latest that you have on? What the police are doing right now
the investigation is moving forward, and what exactly happened?
NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, look, the officials have told us that it is very difficult at this stage to get investigators and experts into
the scene until it is fully secured. Given the scale of the fire, they have caution that the investigation is still very much at its early stages.
So, while we have heard from witnesses speaking to our affiliate, BFMTV, that this may have been caused by sparklers carried in champagne bottles.
Police have not yet given an official cause behind the deadly blaze. But what we do know at this stage, it is believe that the fire broke out at
about 01:30 a.m. local time, so just after New Year celebrations, of course.
PLEITGEN: Probably as the celebration was really at its peak, if you will.
BASHIR: Exactly. And witnesses are saying there were some 200 within the actual premises during the time of the fire. That figure, again, not
confirmed by officials. And as you've said, dozens are presumed to be dead. At least 100 have been confirmed to have been injured.
[09:40:00]
And we've been hearing from officials saying that the hospitals have been inundated with casualties. And we've seen this huge presence by the
emergency services. Dozens of medical personnel deployed to the scene to provide support. And of course, this is a big tourist hot spot, so we're
talking about potentially an international crisis here.
We're hearing from foreign embassies, including from the U.S., including from the UK. Again, no confirmation of the nationalities of those
casualties and victims. But of course, this will be a huge concern for the loved ones of many holiday makers who may have been in the area.
PLEITGEN: And one of the interesting things about this place, its actually pretty small village, isn't it? And yet it's internationally acclaimed. A
lot of people go there from all over the world. How did the emergency services react to this? Because Switzerland is very specific mountainous
and it must be much, too much to handle for the emergency services, just in that small town.
BASHIR: Look, the officials the State Council have now declared a state of emergency, given the complexity and the scale of this tragedy. They have
said this legal framework will allow them to coordinate a much more coordinated large-scale response over time. They are anticipating that it
could take some time for this full response to be carried out.
We know that air ambulances were flown in helicopters, 150 medical personnel, as I mentioned, 40 ambulances. So, this certainly was a very
coordinated, large-scale response by the emergency responders who are still on the ground now and then, of course, what follows is the investigation
that may take some time.
Officials have cautioned unclear at this stage how much time. They have been very clear to rule out at this stage any indication of terror being
behind this. Again, the cause is unclear, but at this stage, they are investigating this as a fire rather than any sort of attack, particularly
as many will be hearing from witnesses that there was an explosion following that fire.
PLEITGEN: Yeah.
BASHIR: So that may have led to some apprehension, of course, for many.
PLEITGEN: Yeah, a major tragedy, what was supposed to be a very joyful event. Nada Bashir, thank you very much. And you'll stay on this,
obviously, throughout the course of the day. And you are watching, "Connect the World". There's more news ahead. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PLEITGEN: Welcome back. And China is kicking off the new year with a push for couples to have more babies. The country abandoned its controversial
one child policy about 10 years ago. It was meant to slow down population growth, but now the birth rate is declining too fast.
So as Simone McCarthy reports, Beijing is using incentives and penalties to encourage people to have kids.
SIMONE MCCARTHY, CNN SENIOR CHINA REPORTER: Condoms and birth control pills just got more expensive in China, and the reason why stretches back
decades. The change is part of a push from China's government to reverse the country's falling birth rate and encourage more couples to have
children.
In this case, condoms and other contraceptives will start to be taxed when they used to be tax free. The change starts January 1st.
[09:45:00]
That's also the 10-year anniversary of when China relaxed its controversial one child policy. That decades long policy was meant to control China's
population growth. Under it, authorities pressured families to have fewer children, including by using hefty fines and forced abortions.
The policy left a painful legacy in China, and even led to protests. And now authorities are scrambling to reverse its impact. Beijing sees the
country's growing number of older adults as well as its shrinking population as a major threat to its economic growth. And authorities have
rolled out a raft of policies to encourage people to have more kids, including tax breaks and subsidies and other measures.
But all that may not be enough as talking to young people here, many cite the high cost of raising a child as well as an uncertain economic future as
reasons why they may not plan for another kid or want to start a family at all.
PLEITGEN: Simone McCarthy, reporting there. And Britain's Queen Camilla is speaking out for the first time about being attacked when she was a
teenager. She says she had to fight off a stranger on a train.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
QUEEN CAMILLA, UNITED KINGDOM: I remember something that had been lurking in the back of my brain for very long times, that when I was a teenager, I
was attacked on a train, and I'd sort of forgotten about it, but I remember at the time being so angry. It was anger.
And I thought, why is this. It is sort of boy, I thought was an old man, was probably not a great deal older than me, but I think attacked in what
way, on a train, and someone you didn't know, somebody I didn't know. I was reading my book, and you know this, well, boy, man attacked me, and I did
fight back.
And I got off, I remember getting off the train and my mother looking at me and saying, you know, why is your hair standing on end and why is the
button missing from your coat? I was physical attack, but I remember anger, and I was so furious about it and it sort of lurked for many years.
And I think you know when normal subject about domestic abuse came up, and suddenly you hear story like John and Amy. It all, you know, it's something
that I feel very strongly about.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PLEITGEN: The queen brought up the incident while talking about violence against women in a BBC radio interview. Details of the attack first came
out in a book earlier this year after an official recounted a story he reportedly heard from the queen. Buckingham Palace has not released an
official statement about the attack.
And still to come, goodbye, 2025 Hello. 2026 we'll take a trip around the globe to show you how countries around the world rang in the new year.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PLEITGEN: Welcome back, folks. And after nearly a decade of spooky adventures and 1980s nostalgia, the hit Netflix series "Stranger Things"
has come to an end. The final episode of the fifth and final season hit the streaming service on New Year's Eve.
[09:50:00]
The last season of "Stranger Things" was released in installments, no word so far on viewership numbers for the finale, but according to variety, the
first set of episodes had the best premier week viewership ever for an English language Netflix series. And the second set drove Netflix to its
highest ever viewership on Christmas Day.
So, every time zone has now officially welcomed the New Year. And CNN covered celebrations around the world last night. Anderson Cooper and his
co-host Andy Cohen wrapped up 2025 with a spin on a children's classic.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Good night Labubu.
ANDY COHEN, CNN ANCHOR: Labubu.
COOPER: -- Yes, I know --
COHEN: Labubu --
COOPER: My kids --
COHEN: Yes, I know.
COOPER: Labubu.
COHEN: Labubu.
COOPER: Good night Labubu flip to a Birkin. Good night, Kim Kardashian shapewear complete with a Mercen.
COHEN: Good night, Coldplay, Kiss Cam. Good night, Meghan Markle jam.
COOPER: Good night KPop, Demon Hunters, golden stuck in my head. Good night, Taylor and Travis soon to wed.
COHEN: Goodnight to White Lotus, brotherly love. Good night, Katy Perry, up in space far above.
COOPER: Good night six. Good night seven. Good night to a meme, now gone to heaven.
COHEN: I hope so. Good night, Kendrick Lamar, crushing the Super Bowl in boot cut jeans. Good night, Beyonce, reuniting our Destiny's Child, Queens.
COOPER: Good night, Starbucks Bear. Good night, Nicole Kidman's post breakup hair.
COHEN: Let's read this together.
COHEN & COOPER: And now it's time to feel alive as we bid. Good night 2025.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PLEITGEN: And I could hear Andy and Anderson read that all the way till 2027. New York's iconic ball drop featured a dazzling new ball with more
than 5000 Waterford crystals. Times Square was packed as always, but the party had been going for hours around the globe. And CNN was there.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANGUS WATSON, CNN PRODUCER: Guys, welcome to 2026. Happy New Year from Sydney, Australia.
HANAKO MONTGOMERY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I hope you like my sparkly golden hat kind of makes me look like a unicorn as well, but it's been a great start
to the new year.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Happy New Year Tokyo.
KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: If you think Labubus are going to be out in 2026 you're.
WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Oh, my God. What the - -
STOUT: -- Oh my gosh -- real life. This is a New Year's Eve miracle. Can I have a hug? Can I have a hug?
RIPLEY: Did you know about this? Did she know about this?
MIKE VALERIO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's a little hard to see this Barra thermometer, but oh my god, we're closing in on negative 30 Celsius, which
is negative -- Fahrenheit, where we're all soaked, right? We are in one of the ice tunnels of the Harbin winter festival.
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, Jon, I hope you're getting ready for your first trip ever out to Abu Dhabi. You're going to help me ring in the new
year here, and I've got the team sorted with a whole bunch of adventures for you. Good to go.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Feeling good.
ANDERSON: Here we go.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Happy New Year.
ANDERSON: Happy New Year.
PAU MOSQUERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What you see here around me is the inside of the tower that houses Madrid's most famous clock. The one that is
located in iconic Puerta del Sol. Since the beginning of the 20th century, this clock has marked the 12th times on New Year's Eve.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Happy New Year.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Step, step, step, kick it. Step, step, step, kick --
[09:55:00]
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're just going to talk about a few of the myths of old land --
MICHAEL PEDERSEN, EDINBURGH'S POET LAUREATE: There's nothing indicatively in the song, which says it should be sung at New Year. Yeah, it's a song of
celebrating friendships past and present, of reminiscing about the past while looking to the future, which I think sort of speaks to the spirit of
New Year.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PLEITGEN: Well, they were certainly all having a lot of fun on New Year's Eve. Want to thank you for watching. I'm Fred Pleitgen in London, and I'll
be back with more news after a quick break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
