Return to Transcripts main page

Connect the World

Kazakhstan President Calls Deadly Protests An Attempted Coup; Djokovic Wins Appeal But May Still Be Deported; U.S.-Russia Meeting In Ukraine Underway In Geneva. Aired 10-10:45a ET

Aired January 10, 2022 - 10:00:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:00:44]

JULIA CHATTERLEY, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: A major court ruling out of Australia in favor of Novak Djokovic, but it's fight to play maybe far from

over. And we're heading into our eights of high stake talks between the United States and Russia but will it be common ground be reached? We're on

the ground in Geneva and Kiev.

The dust is settling on the streets of Kazakhstan. The nation's presidency's order is restored of the unrest he calls an attempted coup.

I'm Julia Chatterley in London. Hello and welcome to CONNECT THE WORLD. And let's get straight to our top story. The top men's tennis player in the

world has won his visa appeal in Australia, but Novak Djokovic may still be deported. The country's immigration minister could intervene in the case.

The tennis star was blocked by border officials last week over COVID vaccination rules ahead of the Australian Open.

Djokovic is defending champion and tweeted "I want to stay and try to compete in the Australian Open." In the meantime, a short while ago

Melbourne police used pepper spray on some fans. The pro-Djokovic rally. Siddons. Paula Hancocks is in Melbourne for us and covering all of this.

Paula, great to have you with us. Just talk it through because it has been a dramatic few hours over their. Game set it feels to Novak but the match

not over yet.

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Julia, there could still be more twists and turns in this really remarkable saga of Novak

Djokovic trying to come to Melbourne to defend his title at the Australian Open, which is just a week ago. A week away now. Now we've heard from his

family in a press conference in Serbia, they say that he has already been out on the court.

So clearly he's trying to move his mind towards the next task ahead. But as you say, it may not be over completely. Let's take a look back at what

happened over Monday.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HANCOCKS (voice over): One weekend from the Australian Open advantage Novak Djokovic. A win in the Australian Federal Circuit Court Monday could allow

the defending Grand Slam champion to play in the tournament. His appeal to have his visa cancellation quashed has been successful. Within the words of

presiding judge Anthony Kelly the stakes have risen rather than receded.

Immediately after the decision was read, lawyers for the Australian government warned the court that the Immigration Minister Alex Hawke

reserves the right to step in to exert his own personal power to remove Djokovic from Australia.

BEN ROTHENBERG, RACQUET MAGAZINE: Scott Morrison's government wants to be seen as being tough on COVID and tough on border safety related to COVID.

HANCOCKS: So while Djokovic won this round, the showdown is far from over. For now, he remains in Melbourne free of immigration detention where he has

languished for five days.

ROTHENBERG: And foremost, I think Djokovic was dropped the ball a bit by just not getting vaccinated, by taking this very hard stance he made life

much tougher for him

HANCOCKS: Separate to when the Djokovic held a valid medical exemption to enter Australia and vaccinated. Judge Kelly ruled the Serbian was treated

unfairly when detained at the airport by Federal officers. Djokovic was not given adequate time to speak to his lawyer or get in touch with Tennis

Australia officials when he was served with the intention to cancel his visa.

Few in Australia have much sympathy for Djokovic who has expressed opposition to vaccine requirements before even entering the country

unvaccinated albeit with an exemption he thought would suffice. Judge Kelly took an opposite tone.

A professor and an eminently qualified physician have produced and provided to the applicant a medical exemption, Judge Kelly said. Later adding what

more could this man have done? Djokovic's medical exemption relies on a recent COVID-19 diagnosis officially recorded on December 16. In his

affidavit, Djokovic says he knew of his infection that day, raising questions about maskless public events on December 16th and 17th.

The tennis star scene at a panel and a tennis award ceremony. But for now Djokovic has won this battle. All eyes now on the government to see their

response.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HANCOCKS: That's too I am here in Melbourne. You should expect that maybe later this morning, this Tuesday morning we will hear something from the

immigration ministry.

[10:05:05]

HANCOCKS: In fact, we did hear from the lawyers suggesting that the minister might get involved. But at this point, the questions really are

surrounding the timing and the dates of Djokovic testing positive and then being seen in public without a mask. His parents and brother were asked

about that at the press conference, they adjourned the press conference at that point with his dad mentioning that that was for the courts. But we

also heard from his mother talking about how difficult the last few days have been.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DIJANA DJOKOVIC, NOVAK DJOKOVIC'S MOTHER (through translator): We've tried really hard to fight for him and the whole world has been fighting for him.

We've experienced sadness, disappointment, fear, we can't phone him. They took his phone from him. One time we were on the phone with him, they cut

the call off. Who wanted is he sick? Is everything OK with Novak? As a mother, you can imagine that this was very difficult for me. This is the

biggest victory of his whole career, bigger than any of his grand slams.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANCOCKS: That was his mother speaking of just how difficult the family has found it. And we have seen some support from the Serbian community here in

Melbourne and some pro Djokovic supporters celebrating Monday evening after his newfound freedom. Julia?

CHATTERLEY: It's fascinating, isn't it? Hearing his mother speak there and wondering whether or not he's sick. I mean, he could be sick, because as

far as we know, and this is comes down to the crux of this, he remains unvaccinated. And you raise him very important questions about the timing

of his diagnosis with COVID. The pictures that were taken on that day and the day after when he was -- when he was maskless.

And given the stringent approach that the Australian government has taken towards people, towards the borders, towards handling COVID here, I just

wonder what the public make of what's happening here because it does appear to be in some might say an elitist disregard for COVID restrictions that

apply to everybody else, have to apply to everybody else.

HANCOCKS: Well, the border controls in Australia have been among the toughest in the world during this pandemic. You've had two years of the

borders effectively being shut. You've had Australian citizens stranded around the world unable to get home. Australians unable to get to see loved

ones who have been ill with COVID and also those in the country unable to leave. So certainly it has been an extremely difficult couple of years,

obviously for everyone around the world.

But here in Australia, the border controls have been very stringent and at times brutal. So, certainly from a public sentiment point of view to see

someone like Novak Djokovic able to come in unvaccinated that does jar with some people here. The vaccination rates here are well over 90 percent. They

are very high as that is the way that the government has said that they will get out of this pandemic and that is how they would stop these

recurring lockdowns.

Here in Victoria, Melbourne, for example, this state has had lockdown for well over 250 days during this pandemic. So they have felt it more than

anyone else really in Australia. So yes, there is little sympathy, shall we say for Novak Djokovic, coming in unvaccinated even when he said he was

coming in with a medical exemption when he tweeted before he got on the plane. There was backlash here because that was not appreciated.

But again, there is support from him here as well, certainly among the Serbian community. And we have seen that physically, in fact, just outside

his lawyer's office where he was believed to be earlier on Monday. There was a car that left some believe Novak Djokovic may have been inside and

fans crowded that car to the point that police actually use pepper spray against them to try and clear them.

They then threw projectiles against the police. Now it was brief, but it did show that there is emotions running extremely high over this saga and

over what has happened. And the Serbian community here feels that Djokovic has been dealt a very hard hand and has been dealt with very, very poorly.

Julia?

CHATTERLEY: Strong sentiments but you have to feel it is about more than tennis at this moment for all concerned. Great to have you with us. Thank

you for that report there. The Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal has described the ongoing controversy with his rival as "A circus." He says he

welcomes an Australian court's decision to allow Djokovic to enter the country and wishes him luck in the open.

CNN World Sports Anchor Alex Thomas joins us now. Alex, great to have you with us. He also did joke that'd be better off without him in the

tournament. But that's another thing. Do you think he goes on here and competes and wins if he does?

ALEX THOMAS, CNN WORLD SPORTS ANCHOR: I mean, the one feature Novak Djokovic throughout his remarkable career is his mental strength. He is

divisive. He's certainly not been as popular as both Nadal and Roger Federer. Remember all three of these legendary men's players level on 20

Grand Slam singles titles. So Djokovic if he were to successfully defend his Australian Open title, win that tournament for the 10th time we'll be

out on his own as undisputedly the greatest in terms of numbers of trophies.

[10:10L11]

THOMAS: He's already better than Nadal and downer Federer in other categories, if you just taking tournament's one, total trophies. So this

really could cap and crown and astonishing career for Djokovic. And despite such a chaotic build up the one player you would put money on Julia, to be

able to put that all aside once he gets on the court is Novak Djokovic. Remember, as recently as 2021 he was on the verge, not just a Grand Slam of

all four major tournament's in one year, just failing that when he lost the U.S. Open, having won the Australian Open French Open and Wimbledon.

He also the potential of the Golden slam winning the Olympics in that year, too. That turned out not to happen. And Djokovic did lose his call on court

at the Tokyo Olympics, but it's very rare for him to lose focus when it comes to the biggest titles in tennis,

CHATTERLEY: Yes. And already training. Alex, great to have you with us. Thank you for that. And we've got much more on the Djokovic drama next hour

in Connect The World. You've (INAUDIBLE) the man who literally wrote the book on Djokovic. His biographer Chris Bowers, he'll share his insight on

not just the tennis player but also the role he plays in improving the image of his home country Serbia.

High stakes talks between the U.S. and Russia are underway in Geneva over Russia's troop buildup along its border with Ukraine, but expectations are

tempered for any big breakthroughs. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says any progress must be tied to Russian deescalation along the Ukrainian

border. Russia's calls that a non-starter. We'll hear from both sides in the next hour to talk.

So, happening just days before Russian and NATO officials meet in Brussels. Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister sees Russian demands to NATO Allies cannot

be considered as a negotiating position. She spoke at the NATO-Ukraine commission meeting in Brussels. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg

sees the alliance welcomes the upcoming talks with Russia and will listen to Moscow's concerns.

But he reiterated NATO's stance that Moscow must remove its forces from the border. Nic Robertson shows us how we got to this point and why the

geopolitical stakes are so high.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Russia's troop buildup on Ukraine's border triggered tensions. By mid-November close to 100,000

troops. U.S. NATO fearing an invasion of Ukraine. Russia denied hostile intent, claiming legitimate training on their own soil and demanded talks.

As Ukraine reinforced frontlines report of a covert Russian plan to topple Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky.

President Vladimir Putin got President Joe Biden's attention and a video call. Biden warned Putin an invasion would trigger massive sanctions. U.S.

allies backed him up.

LIZ TRUSS, BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY: We made clear that any further military incursion into Ukraine would bring massive consequences.

ROBERTSON: Days later, Russia responded submitting separate security demands to the U.S. and NATO. Wanting among other things, legally binding

guarantees NATO deny Ukraine membership, a non-starter for NATO. Russia has track record of invading neighbors, Georgia 2008. In 2014, annexing Crimea

in Ukraine and backing breakaway separatists carving out territory in the country's east. Leaving Putin's credibility on the eve of talks at an all

time low.

JENS STOLTENBERG, NATO SECRETARY GENERAL: The capabilities, the rhetoric and the track record, of course, that sends a message that is a real risk

for new armed conflict in Europe.

ROBERTSON: From Putin's perspective, the collapse of communism, and NATO's expansion since finally hit his red line, Ukraine.

VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT: Are we deploying missiles near the U.S. borders? No, we're not. It was the USA if it came with missiles to our

house.

ROBERTSON: By pitching the US and NATO separate demands and seeking separate meetings. Putin wants to weaken NATO.

ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: They want to draw us into a debate about NATO, rather than focus on the matter at hand, which is their

aggression toward Ukraine. We won't be diverted from that issue.

ROBERTSON: Going into these high state talks Monday, U.S. officials say they're going to share Russia's tactics with their allies. So when they go

into talks with NATO later in the week, they can be better united. But Biden has told Putin if he deescalate tensions, then progress can be made.

The challenge for the U.S. will be finding a compromise that's agreeable for European allies that's strong enough for Putin to sell at home.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[10:15:06]

CHATTERLEY: Nic Robertson joins us now from Geneva. And Sam Kiley is also in key Air Force too. Guys, great to have you with us. Nic, I'll come to

you first. What does that compromise look like that you were just mentioning there? Because that's the key for all parties concerned.

ROBERTSON: Yes, I think the real question at the moment is -- and we perhaps get a read of that, after the talks today is Russia getting its

maximalist position that's already unacceptable, but is willing to accept something less along the arms of -- arms control along the lines of arms

control talks, perhaps wanting also to talk about the minced to peace agreement which has been stalled since it was agreed early 2015.

If there is an arms agreement to be had, both the U.S. and NATO have said, there is a possibility for that, about weapons dispositions in Europe. But

it needs to be absolutely reciprocal. The same to -- for military exercises, NATO military exercises in Eastern Europe, and Russia has

military exercises close to the borders of Ukraine. So this is an area where there perhaps can be compromised.

But essentially, the expectation will be Russia has to say that it is up for that, that this is what it's really come to talk about. And the

rhetoric until now from Russia has really not given a lot of reason to believe that an arms control agreement alone, however torturous it will be

to negotiate it is something that they would sign up to particularly given that they would need to reciprocate on their side, and that for Vladimir

Putin could look like a claim down at home.

CHATTERLEY: Yes. Everyone needs to come out of this looking like they want something. And that's the delicate balance. Sam, come in here too because

the Ukrainians have been very clear that any discussion or guarantees on the future of the security arrangements needs to be combined with the

withdrawal of troops. Is Russia willing to do that?

SAM KILEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, there's no sign at all that the Russians are willing to do that in the short term, Julia. They

have had build ups in the past and following international condemnations at the beginning of last year. They pull back they then pulled forward again.

So this is a sort of effort, perhaps that sort of metal fatigue on the diplomatic front.

But equally, as Nic was pointing out there, it's a very important issue which is the issue of the Russians trying to drive a wedge between

individual sovereign states in Eastern Europe and Ukraine and Georgia. The two frontline states an issue here. Ukraine being top of the list, and

NATO. Now that is a critical issue that, for example, the Ukrainians, on the matter of sovereignty are absolutely hard over.

And as far as they're concerned, according to the Deputy Prime Minister, the stakes could not be higher. This is what she said recently.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OLGA STEFANISHYNA, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND EURO-ATLANTIC INTEGRATION OF UKRAINE: Still, we would all realize the danger that is a build-up in our

country, Russia will amass enough troops to launch an additional full-scale invasion into Ukraine. So we need to do everything possible to prevent

that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KILEY: Now, the same attitude could be struck, for example, in the Baltic states, traditionally formally part of the Soviet sphere of influence.

Countries that would object very hotly indeed to any withdrawal or deescalate reduction in the numbers of NATO troops, they would demand the

right as sovereign nations to have as many NATO troops on their soil as they see fit, particularly in the context of a frequently aggressive stance

from Russia.

And as Nic has already pointed out, this is not an abstract idea. Russia has invaded Eastern Ukraine, it has illegally seized a large chunk of

Ukraine in the form of annex the Crimea peninsula. And so these are very real matters that each individual East European nation and Ukraine are

extremely anxious about, Julia.

CHATTERLEY: Yes. And why there's real nervousness there going into these talks for sure. Nic, Sam, great to have you with us. Thank you.

Now another source of tension for Russia.The violence in Kazakhstan. The Russian President calls last week's deadly protests in the former Soviet

state "an act of aggression." Kazakhstan's president calls them an attempted coup and says order has been restored. But Russia, of course

still has troops inside the country. Fred Pletigen has more from just over the border in Kazakhstan.

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It was a pretty strong language coming from the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart

Tokayev. He called the protests that, of course, happened last week in Kazakhstan and attempts to coup. He also said that Kazakhstan was currently

going through what he called the toughest times to became independent around 30 years ago.

Now, Tokayev also said that he believed that some of those who participated in the protests were trained abroad as he put it.

[10:20:00]

PLEITGEN: So far, the Kazak government has not provided any evidence to support those claims however. It does appear though that the crackdown

seems to be very much going on in that country. Right now the authorities are saying that they've detained around 8000 people who participated in

those protests. And in relation to the protest, they also say that so far, the death toll stands at 164 killed in and around those protests.

A hundred, around a hundred of those in the city of Almaty alone. Now, what happened today is that there was a day of mourning in Kazakhstan, but also

a very important call that took place of the Collective Security Treaty Organization. Of course, Russia is the lead nation in that. And the Kazak

president on that call he said that he believes the situation is currently getting under control. But he also said that a lot of that was thanks to

troops that were provided by the member nations of that organization.

Of course, the largest contingent of those troops came from Russia. Vladimir Putin also had some very choice words, he said that he believed

the protesters were using what he called my dawn technology, of course, referring to the protests that happened in Ukraine in 2014. And he also

said that there would be no color revolution in the former Soviet Union state. So some very strong language coming from the Russians.

The Russians also say that their troops will remain in place until order is restored. Fred Pleitgen CNN at the Kyrgyz-Kazak border.

CHATTERLEY: OK. Coming up from CONNECT THE WORLD. Omicron cases inching closer to the Chinese Capitol just weeks before Beijing is to host the

Olympics. What's been done to keep the virus at bay? And last year, one of the hottest on record. Why experts say the U.S. still is not doing enough

to fight the climate crisis. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHATTERLEY: Welcome back to CONNECT THE WORLD. And we are less than four weeks away from the Beijing Winter Olympics. And China is trying to get

COVID outbreaks under control in two new cities. The northern port city of Tianjin has banned most trains from going to nearby Beijing after reporting

its first two locally transmitted cases of the Omicron variant on Sunday. Now all 14 million residents are undergoing mass testing.

Selina Wang is monitoring the situation there for us. And she joins us live. Selina, to most other people in other nations the idea that you have

two Omicron cases and 14 million people get mass tested sounds crazy but this is the way that China's handled this all the way along and they

continue into the Winter Olympics.

SELINA WANG, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Exactly, Julia. It's been the strategy since the pandemic started relying on a combination of mass

testing, the strict lockdowns and very strict quarantine measures and what It's particularly concerning about this latest outbreak is both the timing

of it as well as the location.

[10:25:06]

WANG: We are just weeks away from the Beijing Winter Olympics. Pressure is mounting on authorities across China to keep COVID-19 cases low. And this

latest outbreak is happening just 80 miles away from the host city of Beijing. In the northeastern port city Tianjin, the city reported at least

two Omicron cases, the first case in China of locally transmitted community transmission of Omicron cases.

And in response, we are seeing the city test all of its population of 14 million people. They have put 29 residential communities into strict

lockdown. And citizens cannot leave the city without special permission. As you say the numbers that Chinese reporting every day is dramatically low

compared to what we're seeing in other parts of the world. Overall, Tianjin has reported at least 40 COVID-19 cases but China here doubling down on

that zero COVID-19 strategy.

Meanwhile, in Xi'An, this city and its 13 million residents have been under strict lockdown ever since December 23rd. And we're seeing the steady

outpouring of these heartbreaking and sometimes harrowing stories of people who are struggling to get medical attention. To get food and basic supplies

including this viral video of a pregnant woman who was turned away from a hospital because she couldn't provide valid proof that she did not have

COVID-19.

According to the video, she stood outside for hours. She was bleeding, she finally did get medical attention, was admitted into the hospital, and

later the hospital officials were punished. But what this all highlights is bringing up more questions about whether or not China's zero COVID strategy

is sustainable. Critics say that it is not considering the human toll considering the pain and suffering that people have to go through.

But as we gear up to these Olympics, we will only see the strategy continue in response to these local flare ups, Julia.

CHATTERLEY: It's such an important question that you asked because I think we can understand why they would choose to do this ahead of such a huge

P.R. event and opportunities such as the Olympics. But to your point about the human consequences, the economic consequences of zero COVID,

particularly when we see the rest of the world handling Omicron as a variant in particular very differently.

Do you think they drop zero COVID rules and regimes post the Beijing Olympics,Selina?

WANG: Well, China is calling it, Julia, now, dynamic zero COVID strategy and there is a recognition that you're going to host these games and there

will be cases that occur as we saw in Tokyo. But the Beijing Olympic organizers have said that they are confident that they're going to be able

to keep these cases from spreading and we are already seeing a stricter testing and contact tracing and quarantine regime in place for these

Beijing Olympics compared to what we saw in Tokyo.

CHATTERLEY: Selina Wang, thank you for that. OK. Coming up After the break, can talks stop tanks? The U.S. and Russia meet over the Ukraine standoff.

The stakes are high. The expectations are relatively low. We're live for the U.S. State Department ahead. Plus, the last seven years have been the

hottest on record. And we're reaching a critical juncture. What a new report has to say about the appetite for coal in the U.S. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:30:52]

CHATTERLEY: Welcome back. I'm Julia Chatterley in London and you are watching CONNECT THE WORLD. And we're waiting to hear from both Russia and

the United States around one hour from now. They'll give an update on their talks. Now in their eighth-hour discussions are kicking off a series of

urgent meetings over Ukraine. But with upwards of 100,000 Russian troops poised near the Ukrainian border, are talks enough?

CNN's Kylie Atwood is following this force from the U.S. State Department. Kelly, great to have you with us. The Russians very pointed in their

demands. But I thought Secretary Blinken was very punchy yesterday when he said and described Russia as having a gun to the head of Ukraine. What does

success look like do you think from the U.S. State Department of the U.S. government side?

KYLIE ATWOOD, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Yes. I think the Biden administration has been very clear that success is only possible if the

Russians come to the table and are willing to discuss matters that the United States deems as actual things that the two sides can actually dig in

on, right? The Russians have previously said that they want to talk about NATO's aggressions towards Russia.

The Biden ministration and NATO allies that say there isn't NATO aggression towards Russia right now, that's not something we're going to talk about.

The Secretary of State said they are not going to discuss any movement of U.S. troops or NATO troops that are currently based in Europe. But there

could be success if the Russians come to the table and are willing to discuss the things that the United States hasn't said are off balance right

now.

And the Secretary of State was asked about some of those specifically, during that interview with Jake Tapper about potentially moving heavy U.S.

weaponry out of Poland, about potentially moving U.S. missiles that are currently in Europe. About potentially doing a series of other things. And

so, he was making it clear that the United States is willing to engage on issues if Russia is willing to take reciprocal actions.

And so there will be progress if those two sides can actually come to the table and have productive conversations on those things. And then if Russia

deems that as successful enough that they could go home and potentially say, hey, we've got a victory at the table, we will actually move our

troops away from the border of Ukraine, because that's the problem right now. That is why the U.S. and NATO allies and the OSC are all having these

discussions with Russia this week.

It is surrounded around the fact that Russia has continued out its aggression towards Ukraine, so they can have diplomatic breakthroughs the

hope for the Biden administration is that that will eventually encourage the Russians to pull back their aggression towards Ukraine.

CHATTERLEY: Yes. The danger is that if they do give some leeway here, it looks like aggression pays from the -- from the part of Russia but that's

also the delicate balancing act that they have to navigate here. Kylie, great to have you with us. Thank you, Kelly Atwood there.

The last seven years have been the warmest on record. That according to a new climate analysis from the E.U. And a separate report shows greenhouse

gas emissions from one of the world's largest polluters, the United States went up sharply last year after a pandemic lull. That was mostly due to

coal. And it's bad news for the U.S. President who pledged to cut us fossil fuel emissions by half of 2005 levels by 2030.

We're now joined by CNN Chief Climate Correspondent Bill Weir. Bill, great to have you with us. For all the focus on tackling climate change in 2021

the truth is that emissions actually grew more than the recovery that we saw in the U.S. economy. The base year 2020 was topped with lockdowns, but

it's totally the wrong message that the country needs to be sending.

BILL WEIR, CNN CHIEF CLIMATE CORRESPONDENT: Totally the wrong direction, Julia. We knew it would come back with a vengeance. We didn't know it would

come back with this much of a vengeance just for perspective. Every year since 2014, the United States has burned less coal to generate electricity.

Not last year, it has bounced back up by 14 percent. That's a big reason why those planet cooking emissions from the world's largest economy United

States are going in completely the wrong direction from scientific warnings and from Joe Biden's pledges. And a lot of it had to do just with the whims

of market forces. Natural gas prices went up last year.

[10:35:09]

WEIR: And as a result utility companies in order to keep their costs low, burn the dirtiest of fuels because there is no legislative backdrop or

backstop in the United States. There's only a promise of Joe Biden's Build Back Better plan, which has all carrots, and no sticks to keep utilities

from burning dirty fuels. It's not hardly a surprise.

CHATTERLEY: Yes, bring out the sticks as far as I'm concerned. What we've seen coming out of COP 26 is an overwhelming amount of investment promises

into renewable energies of commitments to cut emissions wherever you look, I think around the world. How confident are you that even just as far as

the United States is concerned, Bill that this time next year we're marveling at the decline in emissions versus bemoaning an increase?

WEIR: I would love to say hopes are high, you would. I mean, but this proves these new numbers. This is from the nonpartisan rhodium group by the

way. The source of this they do this every year. This is proof that people are not going to stop burning coal out of the goodness of their hearts. It

is market forces which got us into this problem. And if you think market forces are going to somehow get us out all evidence points to the contrary.

In the meantime, we're expecting just within the hour confirmation that 2021 may be the most expensive and deadliest year when it comes to

unnatural disasters. 2020 had over $100 billion in damages and losses. Look over the last decade, it's close to a trillion dollars now, which again, is

twice the cost of what many consider a rather modest, ambitious, Build Back Better plan out of the Biden White House which of course is being held up

by a single senator from a cold state.

CHATTERLEY: Yes. Of course, what more evidence do you need and to your point, the economic incentives and the lobbyist here. So critical to the

broader movement that we see again bring out the steaks. Bill, great to have you with us. Thank you.

WEIR: Thanks, Julia.

CHATTERLEY: OK. We're going to take a break here on CONNECT THE WORLD. But coming up, the Africa Cup in full swing and host Cameroon is riding high

after that big opener. That's next. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHATTERLEY: Welcome back to CONNECT THE WORLD. American actor and comedian Bob Saget has died. The body of the 65-year-old star was found in a Florida

hotel room on Sunday. Authorities do not yet know a cause of death. That will be determined by a medical examiner in the coming days. Saget is

perhaps best remembered as a star of television's Full House. During an interview last year he explained how he landed the role.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BOB SAGET, AMERICAN STAND-UP COMEDIAN: I was doing an audience warm up for Bosom Buddies as a comedian when I lived in L.A. trying to get my career

going. And then Full House was an accident. I got fired from a job on CBS and was asked to be in Full House and wasn't avail and then I got the show.

[10:40:10]

SAGET: And it was made by the producers of Happy Days, which was another show. It was Tom Miller and Bob Boyett. And they made Happy Days, Laverne

and Shirley, all of these classic sitcoms. And so I was kind of the Richie Cunningham on Full House and Stamos was Fonzie and Dave was Ralphe or

Potsie

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHATTERLEY: And CNN's Chloe Melas has more in Saget's legacy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHLOE MELAS, CNN ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER: Danny Tanner was my dad, he was everybody's dad, right? And so Jeff Franklin, the creator of Full House was

telling me that, you know, it was this cultural phenomenon where people in other countries learned English by watching Full House, right? That this

wasn't just some show that we watched here in the United States. This was something that was playing on for years in syndication and reruns all over

the world.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHATTERLEY: In a statement, his family says he was everything to us, and we want you to know how much he loved his fans performing live and bringing

people from all walks of life together with laughter.

The Golden Globes was a private event this year with no televised ceremony, no audience and no live stream. Organizers said the scale down event was

due to the surge in COVID-19. NBC announced last year it would not broadcast this year's awards following a controversy over the lack of

diversity. Among the winners announced online Sunday where Jason Sudeikis for Ted Lasso, Jean Smart for Hacks.

Will Smith for King Richard and Oh Yeong-su for Squid Game. the first Golden Globe winner ever for a South Korean actor. Good news there.

Now Cameroon has much to celebrate too as the host of the Africa Cup. After a long week delays due to COVID and security concerns, Cameroonians were

cheered in the streets after the opening match. CNN World Sport Anchor Alex Thomas is here. Alex, and we saw some real fireworks that lighting up the

skies and plenty of celebrations it seems.

THOMAS: You can understand why football fans in Cameroon are so happy, Julia. They might have been concerned that this tournament might not happen

at all. Supposed to be played June, July time last year delayed due to COVID and bad weather and of course hugely controversial for all those top

European clubs who had to release their best players. Now this event is underway.

Cameroon making a winning start. Their outsiders but with the home advantage might win with a chance of winning the tournament yet again the

last one in 2017. Just nice to see the events underway.

CHATTERLEY: Yes, great to see them and their fingers crossed that they do well. Alex will be back in the next few moments but for now I'll wrap this

up. Thank you for watching CONNECT THE WORLD. It's back in the next hour but for now that's it for me. Stay with CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:45:00]

(WORLD SPORT)

END