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Connect the World

Zelenskyy Condemns Russian Strike on Passenger Train; Man Charged with Assault After Spraying Substance at Omar; Omar Says She Won't Be Intimated by Town Hall Attack; Noem Facing Growing Calls to Resign After Pretti Shooting; Iran-U.S. Tensions High as Trump Sends Military Assets to Middle East. Aired 9-9:45a ET

Aired January 28, 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)

ELENI GIOKOS, CNN HOST, CONNECT THE WORLD: The standoff between Iran and the U.S. continues as President Trump warns that the time is running out

and quote, the next attack will be worse. It's 09:00 a.m. in Washington. It's 06:00 p.m. here in Abu Dhabi. I'm Eleni Giokos, this is "Connect the

World".

Also coming up, we take a closer look at the last moments of Alex Pretti's life, as CNN reporting finds two U.S. Federal Officers fired their guns

during the fatal encounter in Minneapolis. Ukraine's President Zelenskyy condemning a Russian drone strike on a passenger train as an act of

terrorism.

And we've got 30 minutes to go before the start of trade in New York. I want to check in on those market futures. And importantly, we watching very

closely the S&P 500 to see if it's going to stay above that 7000 level right now, showing that pre-market trade that it is.

And it's up two tenths of a percent, the NASDAQ as well as the DOW sitting, well the DOW is flat to the negative. The NASDAQ performing really well.

Well, we are expecting some results out today from mega companies, and importantly, it's also fed day. No change expected on the interest rate

front.

But of course, the big question about who the next Fed Chair will be. Right. We'll check in on those numbers a little later. In the meantime, I

want to start off with new information on the killing of ICU nurse Alex Pretti by U.S. Federal Agents in Minneapolis. Through CNN exclusive

reporting, we are learning about the last tragic moments of Pretti's life.

We're going to show you those moments again and with another reminder that many viewers will find the images disturbing. CNN has obtained the

Department of Homeland Security's initial report to Congress, which states two agents fired their guns at Pretti during the fatal encounter.

A fact that was unclear even in all the videos from the scene. In addition to that report, CNN is speaking exclusively to key eyewitness among those

who recorded the deadly encounter. Now here's part of that interview with Anderson Cooper. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Kristi Noem said, this looks like a situation where an individual arrived at the scene to inflict maximum damage on

individuals and to kill law enforcement. Is that at all what was --

STELLA CARLSON, WITNESS TO ALEX PRETTI'S SHOOTING: Absolutely not and the most offensive thing you could say about somebody who has done so much for

our country and which I didn't even know at the time, but what I did know is this person was calm and was handling it with grace and consistency and

definitely without threat.

COOPER: One of the things that shocking about the number of shots is that the last five shots or so are actually from a distance where he appears

already lying on the ground, not moving. Do you remember that again this is happening in --

CARLSON: I mean, honestly, Alex being shot is the most memorable part of it. The agents are not a part of that. I think because I watched him die. I

mean, I watched him die. I remember him arching his back and his head rolling back, and he looked it was so fast moving, but not for me, like

when they left, when they flee, which now I see that after the shooting, they decided to just scatter and save themselves.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GIOKOS: Well, the DHS report to Congress says a struggle ensued after the agents tried to take Pretti into custody, but key questions remain

unanswered. Shimon Prokupecz base has our exclusive report.

SHIMON PROKUPECZ, CNN SENIOR CRIME AND JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: New information in the investigation that's coming from sources in Congress.

What we have learned is that two federal officers fired their weapon. It was a Customs and Border Protection Officer and a border patrol agent.

And what we've learned is that the information provided to Congress says that one of those border patrol agents was yelling, gun, gun, gun, and then

five seconds later is when Alex Pretti was shot. We've also learned that Homeland Security Investigations is part of this investigation.

Now, what's not contained in some of the information that's been provided is how many shots were fired and how many body cameras the investigators

have so far reviewed. And we also don't know if any of the officers and agents that were involved in this if they've been interviewed.

And what some of this information, what this report is indicating is that the updates will come. There will be more information at a later date, as

the investigation continues that will be released to members of Congress. Shimon Prokupecz, CNN Minneapolis.

[09:05:00]

GIOKOS: Right, meantime, President Trump's Border Czar Tom Homan is in Minnesota now to oversee I.C.E. operations in an apparent White House

effort to de-escalate tensions. The president talked to Fox News about his decision to replace Border Patrol official Greg Bovino with Homan.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: You know, we have Tom Homan there now. We put him in there. He's great. And they met with the

governor, the mayor, everybody else. And we'll, we're going to de-escalate a little bit. I don't think it's a pull back. It's a little bit of a

change. Everybody in this room that has a business, you know, you make little changes.

You know, Bovino is very good, but he's a Pretti out, there kind of a guy. And in some cases, that's good. Maybe it wasn't good here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GIOKOS: Oh, Homan met with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey Tuesday night. Walz talk to CNN about the meeting, and

says he wants I.C.E. agents out of his state.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. TIM WALZ (D-MN): I'm not interested in a more efficient Metro surge. I'm ready for them to get out of here. And I think that's where Minnesotans

are talking about. So, it was progress. Look, I never got a call from Bovino or Noem nothing, no nothing, when they're coming here.

And Tom Homan landed last night, and he called me last night and asked if he could have a meeting, and he was there at 9 o'clock. So, look, I think

it's -- that's progress, but they started this fire, so we're not giving anybody credit for putting it out. But right now, what we need is, we need

to return to normalcy by these I.C.E. agents out of here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GIOKOS: Well, also in Minnesota, while all this is happening, a man accused of attacking U.S. House Democrat Ilhan Omar faces an assault charge at a

town hall in Minneapolis. The man rushed the stage and sprayed a substance at Omar. Now it's not immediately clear what the substance was.

Omar appeared uninjured and continued the event in which she was talking about the issues facing the state. She talked about it afterwards as well.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Representative Ilhan Omar, are you OK?

REP. ILHAN OMAR (D-MN): You know I'm going to figure if I am, but I feel OK. I feel that it is important for people, whether they are in elected

office, to allow these people to intimidate us, to make us not fight for our constituents and for the country we love. And as I said, you know, I've

survived war.

And I'm definitely going to survive intimidation and whatever these people think they can throw at me, because I'm built that way.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GIOKOS: It's lot to get through there. Lawmakers from both parties are condemning the attack, calling it unacceptable and deeply disturbing. Now

President Trump, though, didn't seem upset about it. He called Omar, fraud, telling ABC that he had not viewed video of the incident and claiming

without evidence, Omar probably set it up herself.

I want to bring in Chief U.S. National Affairs Correspondent, Jeff Zeleny. Jeff, there's a lot to get through there. I mean, here's the thing. I want

to start with, Trump's immigration crackdown. There's growing public anger towards I.C.E., and even some Republicans are speaking out and even calling

for the resignation of Kristi Noem.

There's a dramatic shift in rhetoric here. How is it impacting messaging from the government?

JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF U.S. NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well, look, we are seeing the White House retreat from its position in Minneapolis more

than I can recall any other retreat in this administration. The White House realizes that the optics are not on their side.

The question is, the policy going to change. That is very much an open one, but we have seen the White House definitely trying to adapt by removing

Gregory Bovino, the Commander of the Border Patrol out of Minneapolis, and sending in Tom Homan, the border czar that's significant, because Bovino

had led this.

That's a campaign across the Minneapolis that was so controversial, and many are even wondering if it was a productive in the end. So, we are

seeing now more Republicans on Capitol Hill raise questions not only about the operation, but just the underlying point of all this.

I mean, look, immigration was always a strength for the president, for the Trump Administration now it is viewed as a deep weakness. So going into

this midterm election year, just politically speaking, the White House realizes this is not good for them.

Again, the question though, the optics they know are not good, so they're changing the optics, but will the policy underneath that change? I think we

have to wait and see.

GIOKOS: Yeah, I think that's really good point. You know how it affects the policy. And I really want to talk about what we saw with Ilhan Omar and

this attack. I wonder if we should be concerned about what seems like a surge of attacks as well as threats against lawmakers.

ZELENY: Look, I mean, there definitely has been an increase in attacks and assaults on members of Congress, both Republicans and Democrats alike, and

this obviously could have been much worse. Imagine if he had had a different kind of weapon, a gun or a knife or something.

He was very close to the member of Congress here, and this really does raise the question of if members of Congress should have more security, and

also just the heated rhetoric.

[09:10:00]

President Trump and the White House have repeatedly gone after Ilhan Omar. And you know, she's been singled out in some respects. You can just see the

video there, just the moment of the chaotic scene. She insisted on continuing with her town hall, saying she wouldn't be intimidated.

But this certainly is a reason for a concern, but it just speaks to the overall, just a level of a rhetoric that has been dialed up so high. Here

are any leaders going to step forward to try and bring it down.

GIOKOS: Yeah.

ZELENY: President Trump talked about trying to de-escalate things a little bit. We'll see if members of his administration actually follow through

with that.

GIOKOS: Right, Jeff Zeleny, thank you so much for that. Ukraine's President is condemning a Russian drone strike on a passenger train as an act of

terrorism. At least five people were killed in the railway attack in the northeastern Kharkiv region Tuesday. It happened just hours after Moscow

launched more than 50 drones at the Southern City of Odesa, killing three people and injuring dozens more.

Search and rescue operations have since ended there. Now, President Zelenskyy says the Russian attacks are undermining recent peace talks,

which are set to continue Sunday here in Abu Dhabi. I want to get more from CNN International Correspondent Melissa Bell.

She joins us now live from Paris. Good to see you, Melissa. Well Russia has previously targeted Ukraine's railway infrastructure, but seeing a direct

strike on a passenger train, that is unusual. So, what else have we learned about this attack?

MELISSA BELL, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: 200 people traveling on the train at the time. We learned this from the Telegram post of

President Zelenskyy himself, in which, as you say, he spoke of the fact that this was an act of terror, clearly targeting civilians.

There was no military purpose, or even an attempt to suggest that there might have been a military point to this attack. And already we know that

at least five people have died. This is, of course, in northwestern Kharkiv, the not far from Ukraine's second largest city.

But this is part of a broader onslaught that has gone over on and on over the course the last few days, where specifically infrastructure targets

have continued to be targeted, from Odesa in the southwest all the way to the Eastern Front through Kyiv, with millions of Ukrainians now living

without electricity, without water, without heating, in what is proving a particularly punishing winter.

All of this in the middle, as you suggest, of these renewed push for peace talks, those last talks that, for the first time, involved the three sides,

Ukraine, Russia, the United States, are due to pick up again next weekend, with again those sticking points still at their center, Eleni, from the

Russian demand that the whole of the Donbas be handed over to Moscow's insistence.

Until recently, that any NATO targets inside Ukraine would be legitimate from their point of view in a post war setting. This ever since, the west

has made clear that in the context of the security guarantees it was giving to Ukraine, it would station British and French troops in Ukrainian

territory to crouch far from the front line to try and ensure that, that peace was maintained.

So two very big sticking points on which it doesn't appear that terribly much progress has been made, still everyone agreeing, and the American

officials that have been speaking out since last week's talk on the fact that, at least the fact that these trilateral talks are for the first time,

taking place and are now set to continue, is definitely a sign or some source of hope, Eleni.

GIOKOS: Exactly, Russian President Putin, also attending a World War Two Memorial, and that was to mark the anniversary of the Leningrad siege

breakthrough. So, I want to take a look at these pictures. Obviously, a somber event, but we see Putin alone. He's seemingly distanced from

everyone laying flowers.

What is your take here? Is this simply a reflection of the event that he was attending? Or are we seeing perhaps a fundamental change here, Melissa?

BELL: Well, for sure, this event which marks each year the Red Army's breaking of the siege of Leningrad and its turning point in World War Two,

it is now its 82nd anniversary. The lifting of that siege, a hugely important event domestically for Russia and for the Red Army in particular,

in terms of its huge success at the time.

For now, all lies very much on the isolation of Vladimir Putin. We've been talking about it for many years, but it does appear that in the last few

months he has lost, Eleni, some important allies geopolitically. The Venezuela leadership, the Syrian change of leadership at the end of last

year, the Iranian regime facing the troubles that it's currently facing it has, there is a sense that Moscow has a dwindling number of friends it can

count on.

[09:15:00]

We know that alongside the Russian President there in Moscow today, later on, will be the Syrian leader, and that the conversation is likely to focus

on his request for the extradition of the Assad couple that are still being given asylum in Moscow, but also what future talk of the position of

Russian troops inside the country, and whether or not they will be leaving or saying.

So, there is a continued dialog with the Syrians, but not in the shape of the proximity that there existed at the time of Bashar al-Assad. So, there

is, for sure, geopolitically, a renewed isolation. What that means for his position on Ukraine, very much in the balance, Eleni.

GIOKOS: All right. Melissa Bell, thank you for that update. Now to the standoff between the U.S. and Iran, President Donald Trump has just taken

to social media today to threaten Iran, urging it to negotiate an equitable nuclear deal or face another potential U.S. military strike.

Right. CNN's Paula Hancocks is here with me, and we saw that social media post, and he was talking about time to get to the table. We know there are

some diplomatic channels that are being explored. We heard from the Iranian Foreign Minister as well, but it seems that President Trump's message is

clear. No nuclear weapons, no enriched uranium.

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, Eleni. I mean, obviously the message that we've been hearing over the past couple of weeks has focused

more on the anti-regime protests that have been going on in Iran.

GIOKOS: Yeah.

HANCOCKS: We know that security forces have killed thousands in that particularly violence and bloody crackdown that had been up until this

point, what the U.S. President was really focusing on. But we can see in this post, it's an interesting post. It is focusing on the fact that the

Armada, great Armada, as he calls it, is on its way.

GIOKOS: Yeah.

HANCOCKS: We know the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group is in region already. He is saying that it could be like with Venezuela, when there

could be violent repercussions, obviously referring to the fact that the head of that country was taken out. Certainly, that could be the same

situation in Iran.

It's being talked about as one of the options on the table for him. But in the same post, he's talking about, I hope Iran comes to the table.

GIOKOS: Yeah.

HANCOCKS: He's talking about diplomacy, saying that they don't want nuclear weapons. So, he's moved it on to the fact that there does have to be a

nuclear deal. We do have sound from him just yesterday, on Tuesday evening. Let's listen to what the president said then.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: By the way, there's another beautiful Armada floating beautifully toward Iran right now. So, we'll see. I hope they make a deal. I hope they

make a deal. They should have made a deal the first time they'd have a country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANCOCKS: So there, once again, he's really summing up the number of options that he has. It's worth pointing out as well. There is actually a

multi-day exercise, a military exercise, going on, or about to start in the Middle East. We know that U.S. troops will be involved in this.

We know CENTCOM, the Air Force is going to be involved. We don't have details on the location, the duration, what type of assets are going to be

involved, but it's yet another example of this U.S. military buildup in the region that the U.S. President is talking about.

GIOKOS: Yeah, exactly. And the question is, what's going to transpire in the next few days, and with those diplomatic channels, are going to

actually reap any rewards. So, Paula Hancocks great to see you. Thank you. CNN's Fred Pleitgen is in Tehran with more on Iran's message to the U.S.

amid the tense standoff between both countries.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Iran's leadership is sending a very strong and defiant message to the United

States and specifically, of course, to the Trump Administration, you could see it here on this gigantic poster on Revolution Square in Central Tehran.

The message on this massive poster is, if you sow the wind, you will reap the whirlwind. Obviously meaning, if the United States attacks Iran, Iran

will retaliate in a massive way, which could, of course, lead to a major military confrontation between the United States and Iran.

And that's also something that's on the minds of many of the people that we've been speaking to here as well.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm not sure what to say. I think they're all collaborating with one another against the interest of the Iranian people.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't think Trump dares to attack. He's more bluffing.

PLEITGEN: All this, of course, comes as President Trump weighs his options on what to do next. The U.S. has pulled together a substantial military

force here in this region, but the Iranians also say they've replenished their stockpiles of ballistic missiles and are ready to hit back hard any

time.

Now, of course, all this comes in the wake of those large protests that happened here in Iran in the early part of January. And when you're out on

the streets here, you can see that there are people who are still traumatized by what happened then.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There are also people out there in the streets when I had to leave home.

[09:20:00]

I don't know what to say, but the situation was very bad. Now that the internet connection is restored, we only now know that so many were killed.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GIOKOS: Packing up to abandon the West Bank home. Palestinian Bedouins say they have no choice. We'll explain right after the short break. Stick with

CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GIOKOS: A search for safety and a new home, Palestinian Bedouins are leaving the village in the West Bank, and they say they're being forced out

by harassment and violence. CNN's Jeremy Diamond brings us this report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This isn't just the sounds the home being taken apart. It's an entire community being

erased. Mattresses are gathered and piled high before being packed into cars. Security cameras that fail to deter Israeli settlers are removed.

After decades on this land, the last family in this Palestinian Bedouin community is being forced out and the uprooted take stock of all they are

about to lose and why. Suleiman Hawan (ph) may point out the four Israeli settler outposts that have made life here impossible.

He is besieged and not just by settlers. We didn't get displaced because a shepherd or a settler attacked us. No, the issue is bigger than that. The

shepherd is a tool, a means of the occupation, he says. For years, residents and activists say these settlers have carried out a campaign of

intimidation with impunity.

We saw some of them here two weeks earlier, goats and camels brought to graze on privately owned Palestinian land. Israeli soldiers standing idly

by. Palestinian residents say settlers have stolen hundreds of sheep, cut electric cables and block their access to water.

DIAMOND: This is all that's left of what was once a thriving Palestinian Bedouin community here. More than 100 families, some 700 people, all

together, and now they've had to abandon this area. This is what is happening across the West Bank. Dozens of Bedouin communities have been

displaced over the course of the last two plus years.

And activists say that this is what could happen to all Palestinian herding communities in the West Bank, should those actions by Israeli settlers

continue to go unchecked.

DIAMOND (voice-over): The impact on those being uprooted is difficult to put into words.

DIAMOND: It's gone.

DIAMOND (voice-over): Pieces of lives lived still scattered all about. Standing in what was once his home, Suleiman (ph) begins to explain how

difficult this all is. Enough, he says. That's about all he can muster.

[09:25:00]

He is overwhelmed with emotion. Suleiman's (ph) brother and sister in law's house has also been stripped down. Kitchen, living room, her children's

bedroom, when Taha (ph) can still see her home as it once was. All my memories are here, she says. I've been here since I got married.

DIAMOND: So, we're driving up to the settler community now, which is part of the group of outposts that have been harassing this Palestinian

community of Ras Ein al-Auja. We're going to see if we can ask them a few questions.

DIAMOND (voice-over): We introduce ourselves to the first settler we see. We don't accept journalists. He tells me before ushering us away.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You can't tell us what happened. We just want to understand why the Palestinians here are being forced to leave. And --

That's it. No answers to our questions.

DIAMOND (voice-over): But the next man isn't any more willing to answer our questions. He starts filming us, and then they call the police.

DIAMOND: Obviously, they're not interested in giving us their point of view or explaining what the Palestinians say have been attacks on them over the

course of last two years.

DIAMOND (voice-over): In what remains of Ras Ein al-Auja, the departing residents are setting fire to what they are leaving behind. A final act of

defiance for a community overpowered but unbroken. Jeremy Diamond, CNN, Ras Ein al-Auja, the West Bank.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GIOKOS: And earlier today in Israel, a funeral was held for the final hostage recovered from Gaza. Ran Gvili's body was taken into the enclave

after he was killed in the October 7th attacks. Now the police officer, who was 24 when he died, received a posthumous promotion to the rank of first

sergeant.

He'll be right back after the short break. Stick with CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GIOKOS: Right. We're a few seconds to go before the start of trade in New York and ringing the opening bell today. You can see her there, the First

Lady of the United States, Melania Trump. And she is promoting her new documentary that will be released on the 30th of January, Melania.

And of course, coming out to promote this documentary and ringing the opening bell in New York.

[09:30:00]

Let's take a listen. All right. Trade in New York officially starting. You can see the first lady there, the big banner of her new film, Melania in

the background. All right, let's check in to see how the markets are faring in the first few seconds of trade. We're watching very closely to see

whether the S&P is going to breach that 7000 level, but the DOW JONES, in the meantime, is flat with a positive bias.

There's a bit of hesitation today, because we are expecting an interest rate decision by the Federal Reserve later today. No big move expected,

because it is priced in that interest rates will remain unchanged. But it's more about the messaging and what is expected on the inflationary front.

And importantly, what decision President Trump will make in terms of who is going to take over from Fed Chair, Jerome Powell. We've got Cornelia Meyer

is the Chairman and Chief Economist of LBV Asset Management, and she joins us now. I'm watching the markets as we head into trade, it seems that the

S&P has just breached that 7000 marks.

It's quite a milestone. But importantly, Cornelia, we are expecting the Federal Reserve to make a decision today. No real move there. But I'm

wondering what you're expecting in terms of messaging, and, of course, this big confrontation between Jerome Powell and President Trump.

The independence of the Federal Reserve and how investors are viewing how the president could perhaps change things when it comes to the precedent

that has been set for so long.

CORNELIA MEYER, CHIEF ECONOMIST OF LBV ASSET MANAGEMENT: Well, I think most investors, or really practically all investors are definitely, definitely

wanting to see the Federal Reserve, the central bank, independent of government, because, you know, you need somebody who steers that monetary

policy, which is what the fed is steering way away from politics.

If you want to see what happens if politics intermingles too much with what the fed will what the central bank does, just look at Turkey that didn't

work out well.

GIOKOS: Yes, I mean, there are a lot of examples when you have interference. In terms of President Trump's, you know, very vocal

perspective on how he feels on Jerome Powell as well as Jerome Powell, for the first time, speaking out about the president. What are you expecting

from the fed when Powell's term ends? Do you believe that the mandate will remain in place?

MEYER: Well, the mandate, I think, will remain in place. It will be very important who the next Fed Governor is. But you know, it's just the fed,

the fed is in your it's that there's a governor, and then there is a board, and all the presidents of the various feds, Federal Reserves, you know, of

Dallas, of all the regions.

So, in many ways, a Fed Governor also has to listen to what his people tell him, or what the boy tells him, what the various presidents of the various

boys tell him.

GIOKOS: Yeah.

MEYER: So, in that sense, I expect, you will see it tweaking, obviously. I expect also Powell to not to be calm it down. You know, Central Bank

Governors are not loud people generally. They're generally people who calm things down.

GIOKOS: Yeah.

MEYER: And that's what we need. We saw it in the great financial crisis --

GIOKOS: Yeah, we've got to calm things down. And you're right. You know, it's the Federal Reserve that's going to sort of bring calm in a storm. The

U.S. dollar has hit a four-year low, and President Trump touted it as a sort of, this is a great thing. He's very happy with where it is. Listen to

what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: I think it's great. I mean, the value of the dollar. Look at the business we're doing. No, dollars, dollars doing great. I want it to be

just seek its own level, which is the fair thing to do. You could have it. I could have it go up or go down like a yo yo.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GIOKOS: All right. Why does President Trump wants a weaker dollar. Does it make exports a lot more attractive? What's your sense?

MEYER: I think that's it. You know, President Trump is pretty focused on, if not obsessed with the balance of trade.

[09:35:00]

And obviously, the lower the dollar, the better the export terms for U.S. goods. But then when you look at things in the long run, companies with

stronger currencies tell their economies tend to fare better in the long run. And it's also a matter of investment. Will you invest in a country

where you see the currency.

I mean dwindling or getting being worth less month on month no. So, in terms of investments, inflow of investments, a strong dollar is good,

obviously, in the short run, in terms of export, a weaker dollar will help certain companies.

GIOKOS: All right, so I was also looking at Japanese bonds, and frankly, everyone's talking about the 30 year that spiked, and that's created a bit

of concern, because it's had a domino effect. I want you to take a look at this graph. It's pretty evident that we saw something dramatic happening

here.

And I'm wondering, and I'm looking at this, is it because of domestic issues in Japan? Is it because we're seeing a mismatch of supply demand

within the longer and more mature date, because it had a spillover effect in the United States? And frankly, everyone has taken notice of what's

happening here.

MEYER: Well, absolutely. And I think you know, Japan is the most heavily indebted is the most heavily embedded industrial nation, or OECD nation. So

obviously, you know, the JGB, the Japanese bonds, are obviously very much watched. They're an international they're an important asset class.

So, if you suddenly see them eroding in terms of value, that sends alarm bills and the new Japanese, Mr. Takaichi, the new Japanese Prime Minister,

is willing to load more debt on top of the debt that there already is.

GIOKOS: Yeah.

MEYER: And that did just not that did not sit right with investors.

GIOKOS: So, Cornelia, we also saw Keir Starmer, the British Prime Minister in China, while acknowledging the national security concerns, he told

reporters that the benefits could not be ignored. The UK is facing economic difficulties and cost of living crisis. How necessary is it for Starmer to

continue engaging with China?

MEYER: Well, it's important for Starmer to have a multi vectorial approach. China, as the world some second largest economy, is certainly very

important there, and they're strong trade links. But don't forget, the UK left the European Union, which was its largest trading partner, and it's

now very, very dependent also on the U.S.

So, it does make sense, apart from all the politics that we saw in Davos, it must does make sense to have a multi vectoral approach.

GIOKOS: Yeah.

MEYER: And also, let us not forget, in between 2010 and about 2016, the UK, was very gung-ho on China, maybe too gung-ho in China. David Cameron saw

sort of the be all and end all of its trade policy in China. So, they have become they've gone the other way, and now they may find the better middle

path.

GIOKOS: All right. Cornelia, thank you very much for your insights. Good to have you on the show. Now, Amazon is laying off 16,000 employees. This is

the second largest scale job reduction in months, last October, the company cut 14,000 jobs. The two rounds of cuts represent around 9 percent of the

overall office staff.

Amazon says it needs to, quote, reduce red tape to increase its decision- making speed. It comes as companies race to ramp up computing power and gain an edge in artificial intelligence. It's the business end of the

Australian Open. Why Novak Djokovic said he'd be lucky to be back in the semifinals.

We'll bring you that update right after this. Stick with CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:40:00]

GIOKOS: I am extremely lucky to get through this one today. Those are the words of Novak Djokovic, after he scraped into the Australian Open

semifinals when his opponent retired, injured while leading by two sets. Patrick Snell joins me now. Look, certainly, Patrick seems to be on Novak

Djokovic's side. Tell me.

PATRICK SNELL, CNN WORLD SPORT: -- much so, Eleni. Incredible. Lorenzo Musetti, the young Italian player left absolutely heartbroken by what

happened earlier today in Melbourne. On the brink of a very, very famous victory, eliminating the 10-time Aussie Open champ Djokovic, who is going

for that record and standalone 25th Grand Slam singles title to surpass Australian great Margaret court.

He was two sets to love up. I was watching it the first two sets, at least live, and he was in total control against Djokovic, who I'm quite sure had

resigned himself to being out of the tournament.

GIOKOS: Yeah.

SNELL: All of a sudden in the third he pulls up with an injury. We believe it's a thigh injury. He couldn't continue. He was left distraught and

heartbroken, as you can imagine, because it would have been a very, very famous win for him.

GIOKOS: Yeah.

SNELL: Djokovic survives, and he goes through to the semis where he'll face Jannik Sinner. And remember, Djokovic in the last 16, didn't even play in

the last 16 because his opponent had to withdraw from that one due to injury. So maybe the stars are aligning for Djokovic we'll see.

It won't be easy, though, against Jannik Sinner in the semis.

GIOKOS: Yeah. Right. Look, according to that and Patrick, you have a lot more sport for us right after the short break. And I'll be back at the top

of the hour with more news. Stick with CNN.

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[09:45:00]

(WORLD SPORT)

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