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Connect the World

Ukrainians in Bucha Hope the Conflict will end in 2023; Brazil Holds Public Wake for Football Legend; "Baraye" becomes Unofficial Anthem of Iran's Protest Moment; Growing Number of Countries Restrict Travelers from China; Lula Vows to Restore Brazil's Environmental Conscience; ITV to Air Exclusive Prince Harry Interview on Sunday. Aired 11a-12p ET

Aired January 02, 2023 - 11:00   ET

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

[11:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ELENI GIOKOS, CNN HOST, CONNECT THE WORLD: Hello, and welcome back to "Connect the World". I'm Eleni Giokos; I'm in for my colleague Becky

Anderson. Thanks so much for joining us.

Now we're getting reports of a deadly Ukrainian strike in the Russian occupied Donetsk region. The blast appears to have killed a large number of

Russian troops. And that's according to both Ukrainian as well as pro- Russian accounts. Russian military bloggers are criticizing Moscow's military.

They say the troops were housed in a building next to an ammunition dump. This comes as Russia mounts a third straight day of attacks targeting

civilians and critical infrastructure. Kyiv authorities are urging residents to conserve electricity in the meantime.

The Ukrainian military says dozens of drones were shut down overnight. CNN's Ben Wedeman joins me now live from the Ukrainian Capital. Ben, what

more do we know about the Ukrainian strike in the Donetsk region?

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, we understand it took place at Eleni just after the beginning of the New Year. The Ukrainian

military has not actually claimed responsibility for it.

However, Ukrainian officials are saying that this is a vocational school in a place called Makiivka, which is in the Russian occupied part of the

Donetsk region in Eastern Ukraine. Now this vocational school was housing apparently a large number.

We don't know how many roughly were there of Russian soldiers, the Ukrainians are saying as many as 300 Russian soldiers were killed and 400

wounded. Now the Russian news agency TASS is saying that 63 soldiers were killed. So this is a large number, whichever account, you want to believe

probably reality is somewhere in between the two numbers Eleni.

GIOKOS: Look, you've been looking at how people are coping heading into 2023. You've covered so many stories of residential. You've spoken to

people on the ground. How are people feeling about the possibility of ending this war? What are you hearing?

WEDEMAN: Certainly people want the war to end as quickly as possible. But nobody is really laboring under the illusions that peace is at hand. In any

sense there's no real diplomatic push forward to resolve this conflict.

And what we see is that like, as we saw yesterday, walking around Kyiv people, despite these Russian barrages that happen in the almost daily

basis on the Ukrainian Capital, people just keep calm and carry on, so to speak. And we were released just a few days ago, in Bucha, which was the

scene of horrific Russian war crimes and we found a group of young people who, in their own way are trying to help out in this war effort.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WEDEMAN (voice over): The daily bread has a special meaning in this Bucha bakery. No machines here - kneads the dough by hand. Outside Andre (ph) the

chops firewood for the oven at a time when waves of Russian strikes have crippled Ukraine's power grid. The old ways are proving to be handy. Yuri

used to pass his days glued to a screen that is IT job war has brought him back to what matters most.

YURI BOYKO, BAKER: What's happened right now in Ukraine? It's affecting the world. And people becoming more conscious and more grateful for everything

they have right now in their lives.

WEDEMAN (voice over): Bucha outside Kyiv suffered through a brutal Russian occupation and was the scene of what investigators say were war crimes.

Vyacheslav a regular customer appreciates the bread and the spirit of those who make it.

VYACHESLAV, BUCHA RESIDENT: The nice guys' nice small business I remember right after liberation of Bucha they started baking bread and even

providing this bread for free to those in need.

[11:05:00]

WEDEMAN (voice over): They also provide bread and traditional pastries for those far from home and in harm's way.

WEDEMAN (on camera): Some of these loads are destined for soldiers a little something extra that will make their New Year's Eve that much more

especially.

WEDEMAN (voice over): Simple reminders of the holiday season hanging over their work. The memories of recent nightmares are still fresh, and the

specter of more Russian attacks loom large celebrations will be muted.

In other parts of the world, people can count on comfort and waiting for nice fireworks Vyacheslav tells me. We're worried about fireworks from our

native. She has wished for the New Year is simple. We hope it will be better she says. We hope the war will end. One cannot live on bread alone.

Hope is also needed.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WEDEMAN: And of course as they wait and hope for an end to this war, people really have to put up with increasingly difficult circumstances here in

Kyiv for instance, out of the last five days, we've had four days of strikes.

Now the strikes, they're using these Iranian made Shahid 135 drones which basically they fired and they explode upon impact. Now the air defenses

here in Kyiv are taking out most of them but enough for getting through to actually have a fairly severe impact on the ability of the city to produce

electricity, Eleni.

GIOKOS: Yes. Electricity problem has definitely been dominant over the past month. I couldn't help but notice those Christmas lights in that bakery

just a little bit of joy in a dark period. Ben Wedeman always good to speak to you thank you!

This hour thousands of mourners are paying their final respects to Football Legend Pele in the place where his remarkable career began. They're pouring

into the stadium in Santos, Brazil to view his casket lying at the center of the pitch. Pele died Thursday at the age of 82 from colon cancer.

His public wake will last 24 hours before a private burial in Santos. The funeral possession will pass by the home of his mother Celeste who is 100

years old. Brazil's newly inaugurated President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will attend the wake either later today, or Tuesday.

Pele's heroics on the pitch brought joy to his nation as well as the world. He had a global impact both in his sports and beyond. It is becoming

goodwill UN Ambassador and UNESCO Champion for sport. We're covering Pele's wake with Stefano Pozzebon inside the stadium in Santos and Julia Vargas

Jones outside of the stadium.

Stefano, I want to start with you. I can't help but notice the banners behind you. Long live the king, could you tell me about some of the

tributes you've been seeing and what is happening within the very stadium, where he scored some of the most memorable goals.

STEFANO POZZEBON, JOURNALIST: Yes, indeed. I'm glad Eleni you brought up the banners because I have a little anecdotes from you based on one of them

in terms of what we have seen over the last few hours while it's just an endless procession of people who come in and pay the respect very, very

silently.

The stadium has been open now for almost three hours. And a little over almost 5000 people have been walking in the - according to Santos FC the

rhythm is about 2000 people per hour coming in. About the banners I'm glad you brought it up because there is one on the stand that is the furthest

from me, only - the one that is a white writing on a black background.

That's a little anecdote from Pele. In 1969 Pele went to Pele with the Santos FC in Nigeria, back then there was warring factions in a Nigeria and

the two main warring factions and negotiated a ceasefire of 48 hours so that their soldiers and thousands of fans could actually go and see Pele

that was how much people just wanted to see him.

So that writing says the only one who could stop a war. He's probably the only football player who actually managed to stop a war in a foreign

country. Apart from that we have seen a few authorities and VIP coming in. The President of FIFA, Gianni Infantino, who was among the first one to

enter the stadium.

We understand that the current player of Santos Football Club will come in together later today. The player who actually did play with Pele back in

the 50s, 60s and the 70s they were still with us are sitting by the casket together with members of Pele a private family.

[11:10:00]

POZZEBON: Apart from that it's remarkable to see the level of respect that the fans have conducted themselves with, in getting as close as possible to

the casket paying their respects very silently, very movingly. You see some people crying, you see people taking photos, hugging each other, because

they really seen a moment where it's a passing of the guard down here, Eleni.

GIOKOS: It's an end of an era. We've got Julia Vargas joins outside the stadium for us. Julia, I'm sure you've been speaking to some people waiting

in line, sharing the stories what Pele meant to them as well as the country and frankly, to be completely honest, the entire world, all of us?

JULIA VARGAS JONES, CNN PRODUCER: Yes, absolutely, Eleni. The cliche that we've been saying is that he transcended sport sure. But here in Brazil,

that it's such - it's so true, it rings so true to everybody that I speak with, you know, they told me that either they came to this very stadium as

little kids right with their dad and to watch Pele play.

And only for Pele because this wasn't a club that was notorious before his arrival, Pele really made this club and that's the main feeling that the

fans are telling me that they're grateful for what he did to put Santos on the map and to put Brazil on the map.

But also, the feeling that Pele was the perfect kind of celebrity; he was humble, he connected with people, and he was really a natural for the

limelight and like you said he had many other achievements with the UN and being an Ambassador for Brazil abroad.

I want to say that more than anyone else he inspired a whole generation of young kids; especially the poor the black children that now had an idol in

the 1960s, a black man that was rising to this level of stardom. That was unheard of, and that happened here in Brazil.

And that's why people I want to show you are lining up for hours. We're hearing about 4500 people have already entered. Its hot here it is about

noon. It's the sun is unforgiving. We saw people not feeling well, there have been people going around distributing cold waters.

But they're staying in line and they're saying it's going to be worth it, when we got here this morning at six in the morning, local time we spoke to

people that were in line since last night. And they said 100 percent this will be worth it. There's a gentleman that I spoke with here, Mr. Antonio

(ph) he told me that he was here last night he went in, he saw Pele, and he's for a second time.

And you know what we met him initially at the hospital in Sao Paulo. This was a man that was coming in to pray for Pele's recovery before he passed.

That's the level of dedication. That's how much this man meant to the Brazilian people.

GIOKOS: Yes. The commitment of people standing in that queue, as you say, in the heat, perhaps reflective of the commitments that Pele had, to the

sport to the game and also to transcend challenges. Stefano and Julia so good to see you thank you!

Well, we got CNN Sports Anchor Coy Wire in Atlanta for us with more on Pele's legendary career. Coy I don't know if you heard that from Stefano

but there was a banner in the stadium that said the only one that was able to stop a war. And of course, in reference to the ceasefire the 48 hour

ceasefire in Nigeria, and it just reminds me of the strength, the ability of sports uniting people and Pele was sort of he stood for that, right?

He was able to bring people together. And also, I think he's probably the first sporting legend I knew about when I was growing up I think it was

just; he defined so much of what we understand about sports?

COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Yes. I mean, people talk about his greatest soccer player of all time. He may be the greatest athlete of all time with

all he did off the pitch as well. I mean, he made his pro debut at 16- years-old there for Santos and he then made Brazil's national team within a year Eleni.

And at 17 he became the youngest player to ever play in a World Cup final. And not only that, he scored two goals in their win over Sweden. He

instantly became a rock star and that small Santos club team of his they skyrocketed to another stratosphere.

In 1967 the team traveled to Nigeria and they caught a 48 hour ceasefire in the country's Civil War. Also that they could watch this performance - his

performance had the power to pause a war it's absolutely incredible.

[11:15:00]

WIRE: He retired in 1977 with 1281 goals in 1363 games in his pro career, and he went on to win three World Cups no other player has ever done it. It

may never be done in the years to come, so just unbelievable power that he possessed both on and off the pitch.

GIOKOS: Coy Wire thanks you so much good to see you! And still to come, what environmentalists rather are doing to help Brazil's rainforest bounce

back after years of deforestation?

Plus Pele and Former Pope Benedict XVI had formed a mutual admiration society and they died within two days of each other. We'll take you live to

Vatican City for the lying in state of the Former Pontiff stay with CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GIOKOS: Well, tens of thousands of mourners are paying their respects to Former Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican. His lying in state began earlier

today in St Peter's Basilica. Benedict was the first pontiff in almost 600 years to resign his position instead of holding office for life.

The Vatican says the Former Pontiff died on Saturday at the age of 95. Benedict's funeral will be led by his successor Pope Francis on Thursday.

We've got CNN's Fred Pleitgen standing by live in St. Peter's Square for us.

Fred, I mean people coming to pay their respects. And there are so many questions about his legacy. What are you hearing? What are some of the

things that people are saying as they head through to St. Peter's Square?

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, first of all Eleni there are a lot of people who are coming to pay their respects

throughout the course of this day. We're now in those really beautiful Twilight Hours here in Rome. And there are still a lot of people who are

pouring in here.

And as of about three hours ago, the Vatican said it already 40,000 people had passed through St. Peter's Basilica to pay their final respects to Pope

Benedict XVI of course, also reflecting the fact that he was a giant figure not just as a Pope but in general in the Catholic Church, shaping much of

the church's policies, and certainly a lot of its doctrine over the past several decades that he was active here, but also, of course, around other

places in the church as well.

So certainly, if you will, a lot of people are saying that, as a Pope, he was obviously a very important figure. There were some shortcomings, of

course, some severe shortcomings. And he himself in the end did acknowledge especially if you're looking at some of the abuse scandals that the church

was embroiled in.

That really came to light when he was Pope and he acknowledged in the last months of his life that there were severe mistakes that were made. Not just

when he was Pope or when he was very powerful here in the Vatican but also for instance when he was the archbishop in Munich in the late 1970s and

early 1980s.

[11:20:00]

PLEITGEN: That is something that he acknowledged in the year 2022, you know, as in his final months of life. So it's certainly a mixed legacy as

far as that's concerned. But I think if you look internally, into the Catholic Church, this is really the end of a major era.

There is almost no one who shaped this body, this gigantic body more than Pope Benedict the 16th of course, who before it was Cardinal Ratzinger. If

you look at his, his tenure as the Dean of the College of Cardinals as the Head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, he was definitely a

powerful operator here inside the Vatican, who in many ways even when John Paul the Second was the Pope, was the one who was driving a lot of the

changes in the doctrine, a lot of evolution of the doctrine indefinitely an extremely powerful figure.

So I think inside the Vatican, this is something that will be felt that inside the Vatican, they are absolutely certain that it's a major era that

is now coming to an end, Eleni.

GIOKOS: Fred Pleitgen, thank you. Let's get you up to speed now on some other stories that are on our radar right now. At least 14 people were

killed in an armed assault on a prison in the Mexican city of Juarez near the U.S. border. Officials say 10 security guards and fought prisoners died

in Sunday's attack when gunmen in armored vehicles arrived at the prison and opened fire on security personnel.

Authority say 24 prisoners escaped. A helicopter collision on Australia's Gold Coast has left four people dead and three critically injured. Police

say two helicopters hit each other in flight and crashed on a sand bank near the SeaWorld resort. It is unclear why the two aircraft collided.

Two Palestinian men were killed and three were injured during an Israeli operation in West Bank according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.

Israel says there was unrest during an operation to demolish the houses of two Palestinians involved in the killing of an Israeli officer in

September. Right, we're taking a closer look at what could unfold this year in the Middle East.

Here are four things to watch out for. A more cohesive OPEC plus Russia's war in Ukraine has pushed some Arab oil producers closer to Moscow at the

oil cartel. The war also sought Ankara's international prominences grow, but the Turkish president's grip on power may be tested as Turkey

celebrates its centennial.

Iran could grow increasingly isolated as an entire generation of repressed woman at home shook the foundations of the Islamic Republic. And we'll be

watching Israel's lurch to the right with its new government. There's more insight in our newsletter, you can just head to cnn.com or find it all on

your CNN app.

Right we've been covering the protests in Iran for more than 100 days. It all started with Mahsa Jina Amini, a young Kurdish Iranian woman who died

in the custody of the morality police and was accused of violating the country's Islamic dress code. Her death ignited a movement, the fight for

women for life and for freedom.

Regime's crackdown has been brutal, making Iran even more isolated on the world stage, but the resistance has been fixed with supporters inside and

outside the country finding ways to make their message heard. One of those ways is through protest songs. Several songs are capturing the essence of

the struggle. But Shervin Hajipour's Baraye really hit home. Our Nada Bashir reports on that powerful piece and other artistic acts of defiance.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NADA BASHIR, CNN REPORTER (voice over): For my sister for your sister for our sister's lyrics inspired by a series of tweets, highlighting the many

reasons as to why the people of Iran are protesting. Baraye, which means four, was created by Iranian singer songwriter Shervin Hajipour. He was

arrested shortly after the song's release on charges including spreading propaganda against the regime.

But the piece has since been described as the unofficial anthem of Iran's ongoing protest movement. It has inspired artistic displays of defiance

across the globe.

PARMIDA BAREZ, AUTHOR, SPEAKER, SONGWRITER AND ACTIVIST: It's one of the most powerful shared languages we have that can create unity and stir

strong emotions and engage audiences and inspire people to take action. And that sort of power is threatening to a tyrannical authoritarian regime.

[11:25:00]

BASHIR (voice over): It's this desire to show solidarity and inspire action, which drove Parmida Barez to create a now viral spoken word peace.

BAREZ: If I were in Iran, under the Islamic Republic murderous regime, either they'll be kidnapped, raped, jailed, handed a death sentence maybe

even killed for writing and reciting that poem. I have more freedom to create living outside of the country, so it's my duty.

BASHIR (voice over): More than three months have passed since protest first began in Iran. The movement has since grown to become a national uprising

calling for regime change. But the fight for women's rights remains at its heart. And despite a brutal and deadly crackdown by the regime, women

continue to protest, removing their mandatory hijabs and dancing in the streets. Act long forbidden now symbols of freedom. Their defiance has

inspired acts of protest from many Iranian creatives and displays of solidarity across the globe.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Their fight is our fight.

BASHIR (voice over): From art installations in New York, the word Baraye displayed here, featuring the names of those believed to have lost their

lives at the hands of the regime. And musical renditions of Hajipour's globally celebrated protest song. Today's rousing performance in Buenos

Aires. Iranian actress Golshifteh Farahani is joining British band Coldplay together singing the now unforgettable chant of women life freedom. Nada

Bashir, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GIOKOS: Up next, the Head of the IMF says the New Year is shaping up as the tough one for the global economy will tell you what regions face the worst

economic outlook. And China's attempt to get life back to normal while dealing with a massive COVID outbreak, how the world is responding?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GIOKOS: One third of the global economy is expected to be in recession this year. That's the warning from the Head of the International Monetary Fund

Kristalina Georgieva says the world's three big economies the U.S. the European Union and China are all slowing at the same time.

[11:30:00]

GIOKOS: The IMF projects global growth of 2.7 percent this year, down from 3.2 percent in 2022. Let's chat more about the 2023 economic outlook with

Adnan Mazarei. He was the Deputy Director of the IMF, Middle East and Central Asia department now with the Peterson Institute for International

Economics, sir, good to see you.

We're one day into 2023. And already, we're worried about what the economy is going to look like how bad 2023 is going to be? I think we need a

reality check. We're worried about recessionary environments. But I want you to give me a sense of whether you're seeing multiple speed economies

playing out globally, and what the most vulnerable countries would be in your mind.

ADNAN MAZAREI, FORMER DEPUTY DIRECTOR, IMF'S MIDDLE EAST AND CENTRAL ASIA DEPARTMENT: Happy New Year. The IMF seems to have gotten more concerned

since they were last fall about the global outlook. Three factors may explain this. One is the global inflation is more persistent than believed.

And central banks are perhaps belatedly determined to fight it.

This is raising risks of global recession in the U.S. and other advanced economies, which will easily, could spill over to the developing and

emerging markets. The pandemic is not going well and especially in China and the risks of bad million, billion, million more people infected with

the risk of new variants, hurting growth and commodity demand for a lot of developing countries. The war in Ukraine - on and against this background

of uncertainty, there is more risk of policy errors and miscalculations now.

GIOKOS: A plethora of issues facing the world economy, I just want to touch on China very quickly. You've got an economy that's just opened up. We know

that they still have to go through a surge. But what is the prognosis? What is the outlook of a healthy China getting back into the swing of things?

And how that could impact the inflationary environment because we're talking then more oil demand, we're talking more commodity demand. And

we're still talking about problems in the rest of the world.

MAZAREI: Look, in the fall, the IMF projected Chinese growth will be about 4.4 percent. Since then, things have turned sour. OK. And there have been

mistakes in handling of the pandemic. And it is not very clear how they're going to move forward, information distribution has become more difficult.

And China is one of the key drivers of the global economy, especially in terms of demand for the commodities in emerging markets and developing

countries who will be facing greater risks of debt problems because of China's issues.

GIOKOS: Very quickly sir, just very quickly, is there more risk to downside globally? Is this what you're looking at right now that it could get worse?

MAZAREI: I certainly think it could get worse. I am especially worried that the global frameworks for policy cooperation are not working well. The

frameworks for resolving the debt problems of emerging and developing countries are not working well, particularly because China has become a

major creditor and the private sector creditors to these countries are not cooperating very well in the restructuring of the debt.

GIOKOS: Adnan Mazarei, thank you very much for your time. Thank you so much for joining us today. And I wish you all the best for the New Year.

Hopefully next time we speak, we would be looking at a better economic outlook hopefully. Thank you, sir.

MAZAREI: Thank you.

GIOKOS: All right. So as we've just been talking about analysts expect China's economy just shrink in the first quarter of the New Year but to

rebound in the second. Now the country is trying to get back in sync with the rest of the world. But the abrupt end of it zero COVID policy and the

massive COVID outbreak that has followed are complicating those efforts.

Starting Tuesday Qatar will require a 48 hour negative PCR test on travelers from China. Morocco will ban all visitors from there. And other

nations are required to travelers from China to show proof of a negative COVID test. CNN's Ivan Watson shows us how the country faces a costly and

complex return to normalcy.

[11:35:00]

IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The Chinese government's zero COVID policy is dead. The onerous restrictions have been

lifted, people were able to party and go out on New Year's Eve in China in a way that many people haven't been able to for months and months and

months. But on the flip side, COVID is tearing through the population.

It's believed to have hit peaks experts say in cities like Shanghai, but you're still seeing seems like this in one Shanghai hospital, the lobby

just overflowing with patients. And we're hearing anecdotally of funeral homes and crematoriums just being backed up with just the higher number of

victims these days.

On the flip side of that a lot of people seem to have contracted COVID and are getting over it. Anecdotally, I can describe one person saying they

went to a movie theater in Shanghai this weekend. And everybody seemed to be coughing and apparently getting over COVID at the same time.

But there are concerns now that with tens of millions of new infections, that new variant that could be dangerous to global health could evolve. So

the World Health Organization says that on Friday, it held a meeting with senior Chinese health officials and "Again asked for regular sharing of

specific and real time data on the epidemiological situation more genetic sequencing data, data on disease impact data on vaccinations delivered and

vaccination status". There is concern about transparency from China.

Recall that the virus was first detected in China, way back in the autumn of 2019. And with the Chinese government opening up announcing that it's

not going to self-isolate anymore, no more quarantine for incoming travelers as of January 8. Growing numbers of governments are putting the

brakes on travel from China to their territories.

For instance, a growing number asking for negative COVID test results 48 hours within 48 hours before travelers get on the plane to their countries.

And that includes the U.S., UK, Italy, France, Japan, South Korea, Spain, Malaysia, India, Qatar and Morocco has gone one step further.

Morocco which did not demand visas from Chinese citizens is now prohibiting any travel from China whatsoever, at least temporarily. Ivan Watson CNN,

Hong Kong.

GIOKOS: Well as China eases its COVID restrictions, it is trying to shift attention to economic growth and away from the surge of infections. CNN's

Selina Wang reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SELINA WANG, CNN CORRESPONDENT (VOICE OVER): People in China will take any opportunity to celebrate. The country is finally opening up after years of

lock downs abandoning its zero COVID policy. There's hope that 2023 will look more like that. This year, China even managed to pull off the Beijing

Winter Olympics.

WANG (on camera): Here we go. We're taking off.

WANG (voice over): I flew into Beijing for my previous posting in Tokyo to cover the games in January.

WANG (on camera): First thing I saw walking off the airplane is the sea of hazmat suits.

WANG (voice over): If literal walls separating us from the rest of China.

WANG (on camera): You said the police will take me if I were to walk out of the gate.

WANG (voice over): In 2022, China became a giant sanitized bubble under constant high tech surveillance the country is growing more isolated. As

ties free with the West and grow tighter with Russia. Military tensions rise over Taiwan. While the man who's calling the shots Xi Jinping stepped

into an unprecedented third term as China's supreme leader this year. His goal is to make China great again and turn it into a technological

superpower.

And not just on Earth. This year, China's successfully launched crewed missions to its new space station, fueling national pride. 2022 also marked

a milestone for China's national animal 15 panda cubs were born at the Cheng du Research Base alone.

And next year, China is preparing to host the Asian Games and event that people hope will boost the COVID battered economy and morale. There's

relief and joy that people have their freedom back. Finally in 2023 there's hope people in China can party and travel without fear, just like they used

to do. Selina Wang, CNN, Beijing.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GIOKOS: In a bid to boost business and tourism, Dubai is scrapping its 30 percent alcohol tax and making liquor licenses free. That will make

cocktails and wine cheaper and easier to buy.

[11:40:00]

GIOKOS: According to two retailers on social media, the move took effect Sunday and is set to run for one year trial period. And it comes as the

emirate faces emerging business competition from countries here in the Gulf region. Several UAE cities rather have shifted towards globally attractive

policies in recent years. And coming up how environmentalists are hoping to reverse years of deforestation under new leadership in Brazil.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GIOKOS: Brazil's new President Luiz Inacio Lula de Silva was sworn into office on Sunday for the third time. He bested his far right predecessor

Jair Bolsonaro in a tight run off back in October. At his inauguration, he vowed a reversal of Jair Bolsonaro's policies, with a focus on democracy

and the environment.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LUIZ INACIO LULA DE SILVA, BRAZILIAN PRESIDENT: Today our message to Brazil is one of hope and reconstruction, the great building of law, sovereignty

and development that this nation built since 1988 has been systematically demolished in recent years. It is to rebuild this building of national

rights and values that will guide all our efforts.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GIOKOS: The President's harshly criticized the situation he's inherited, saying Bolsonaro's government decimated the country's resources for health,

dismantled education and destroyed environmental protections. Lula boldly revoked some key Bolsonaro policies on his first day in office, including

reversing the loosening of controls for firearms.

He also introduced benefits for low income families and reestablished the Amazon Fund, which uses foreign funds for projects that fight deforestation

and preserve the environment in the Amazon. The renewed focus on environmental protection is one of Lula's top priorities as he takes the

reins in Brazil. CNN's Paula Newton looks at how Brazilians are fighting to reverse years of deforestation.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAULA NEWTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): To save the planet Luis Pinto says you don't have to go to the Arctic or even the Amazon. This sky high

perch will do. What was once degraded pasture is now after 15 years, an eco-paradise, and two miles of forests restoration.

LUIS PINTO, SOS AMAZONIA: This project doesn't change a big landscape, but it shows it's possible to bring back life, to bring back water, to bring

back biodiversity to the center of the city of San Paulo.

[11:45:00]

NEWTON (voice over): Pinto walks us through the effort to revive the Atlantic Forest, home to more than 145 million Brazilians. And yet about

three quarters of it has already been wiped out. This is an effort to bring some of it back and it works like an eco-lab. By planting trees the forest

provides for clean air and water, bringing back eco diversity for plants and animals.

PINTO: So we need a lot of technology and knowledge and research to know which species to plant and how.

NEWTON (voice over): Projects like these are now at a crossroads of climate and political history in Brazil, a country that is one of the planet's most

significant stores of biodiversity. For four years, the government of President Jair Bolsonaro was accused of undoing the environmental progress

of former president and now President Lula da Silva.

Brazil's National Institute for Space Research estimates that in the Amazon alone, deforestation nearly doubled since Bolsonaro came to office in 2018.

Ricardo Salles was Bolsonaro's Environment Minister.

NEWTON (on camera): You know, too many environmentalists, you're as good as the devil. You're a bad guy.

RICARDO SALLES, BRAZILIAN LAWMAKER & FORMER ENVIRONMENT MINISTER: Yes. You know, people don't understand that what we did was to show that the

solution for the environmental challenges in Brazil include as a main path for the solution, the economic equation.

NEWTON (voice over): Salles now speaks as a newly elected lawmaker in a majority conservative congress in Brazil. His policies are still clearly

popular with many here.

TXAI SURUI, INDIGENOUS ACTIVIST: And I was so scared you know.

NEWTON (voice over): Indigenous leader Txai Surui says she and her people that --tribe have been threatened and harassed when trying to protect

Brazil's fragile environment. She accuses the Bolsonaro government of dismantling key environmental protections.

SURUI: We don't need to destroy to develop; we can do that in harmony with nature. And it's the indigenous peoples who teach that.

NEWTON (voice over): It is that fundamental struggle on climate action that so threatens progress in Brazil.

PINTO: We need to understand us as a nation that is key for the planet and that decisions we'll make will be important for us but also for others.

NEWTON (voice over): And so watch this space, Brazil's future climate action and its debate over environmental policy will be consequential far

beyond its borders. Paula Newton, CNN in Sao Paulo state, Brazil.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GIOKOS: After the break, actor Jeremy Renner is in critical condition after snowplowing accident, the latest on his condition coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GIOKOS: American Actor Jeremy Renner famous for playing Hawkeye in The Avengers series has been critically injured in a snow plowing accidents in

Nevada. Authorities say the 51 year old was airlifted to a hospital in Reno and no one else was hurt. CNN's Entertainment Reporter Chloe Melas joins me

now live from New York. Chloe what's the latest?

[11:50:00]

CHLOE MELAS, CNN ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER: Listen, this is a story that we have been tracking all day today. And we have just heard from Jeremy

Reyna's publicist. She said that as of now we can confirm that Jeremy is in critical but stable condition with injuries suffered after experiencing a

weather related accident while plowing snow earlier today.

They also say that his family is with him and he is receiving excellent care. So Jeremy has a home outside of Reno, Nevada, we know that they've

experienced unprecedented snowfall in the area. And he has posted these videos on social media himself, you know, working on these snowplows, he

owns several of them.

And he's often seen, like clearing his long driveway known for clearing nearby streets and for his neighbors and things like that. And so, you

know, he's used to working on these big machines. And, you know, he has posted these videos, like I said, so it's unclear what exactly happened.

But like you said, we know that he was airlifted from his home to a hospital nearby where he is currently still there receiving care.

But you know, really scary incident. We know according to the sheriff's office that they responded to a traumatic injury according to their press

release. But again, we don't know the extent of his injuries. But we do know that he was the only person involved in this accident.

GIOKOS: Well, we hope he gets better soon. Chloe, we've spent some time in New York together, I have to ask you this. The rolling star, I was going

through these list 200 best singers of all time. I'm either too old or too young for some of these people on the list. So I'm going to go for John

Lennon, who's sitting at number 12. I have to ask you, who's your favorite singer of all time?

MELAS: Oh my God! Well, my favorite singer of all time is Stevie Nicks. OK, Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac. She's incredible. I know you're asking

people to tweet in their responses to you. But I got to say that, at least here in the U.S. in New York, everybody's talking about this list today.

And there's a lot of outrage over it for the notable people that are left off especially Celine Dion, who I've sat down with I've interviewed her,

I've seen her perform in Las Vegas. Look, there she is. And she is incredible. I don't know how, how near far wherever you are.

GIOKOS: I don't know what metrics, what they're doing, how they like sort of calculated. I know. It's crazy. I mean, you know, it's really

fascinating. I am just going through this list. It's really fascinating.

MELAS: What a way to start off 2023, not on a very good threat.

GIOKOS: Exactly. Listen, Chloe, I wish you and your family all the best. Good to see you, happy New Year.

MELAS: Happy New Year!

GIOKOS: Thank you. Alright, so speaking of music, the rock and roll band the Foo Fighters say they will soon get back on stage after the death of

their drummer Taylor Hawkins. Hawkins passed away in March while on tour in Colombia. That led to an outpouring of grief and tribute concerts, the band

says that when they return they will be different without Hawkins adding, we also know that you the fans meant as much to Taylor as he meant to you.

And we know that when we see you again and we will soon he'll be there in spirit with all of us every night. I've seen them live. They're amazing the

Foo Fighters. It'll be good to see them back on stage. In the meantime, tributes are pouring in for Jeremiah Green, the drummer for the Indie rock

band.

Modest Mouse died over the weekend just 45 years old, just days after announcing he was battling cancer. Modest Mouse formed in 1992 in the

Pacific Northwest, their first mainstream heads float on came out in 2004. The band was still recording and touring.

But last week announced that Green had pulled out of the tour because he was undergoing chemotherapy for an undisclosed type of cancer. On Facebook

Green's mother posted that, a celebration of life will be held in the coming months. A rare event on Sunday ITV network is airing an exclusive

interview with Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex.

It comes two days before Harry's autobiography spare is published. Harry will speak on a range of topics from his personal relationships to never

before heard details around the death of his mother Diana. Also on Sunday, CNN's Anderson Cooper's interview with Prince Harry is on 60 minutes, here

is a quick preview.

[11:55:00]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: One of the criticisms that you've received is that well, OK, fine, you want to move to California, you want

to step back from the institutional role. Why be so public? You say you tried to do this privately.

PRINCE HARRY, DUKE OF SUSSEX: And every single time I've tried to do it privately, there have been briefings and leanings and planting of stories

against me and my wife. You know, the family motto is never complain, never explain, but it's just a motto. And it doesn't really hold--

COOPER: There's a lot of complaining and a lot of explaining and being done in through leaks.

HARRY: Through leaks. They will feed or have a conversation with the correspondent. And that correspondent will literally be food; spoon fed

information and writes the story and then the bottom of it, they will say that they've reached out to Buckingham Palace for comment. But the whole

story is Buckingham Palace, commenting.

So when we're being told for the last six years, we can put a statement out to protect you, but you do it for other members of the family that becomes

a point when silence is betrayal.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GIOKOS: Thanks so much for joining us. I'm Eleni Giokos in Dubai, I wish you all a very happy 2023, stay with CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:00:00]

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