Return to Transcripts main page

Connect the World

Death Toll Rises After Russia Shells Dnipro Building; Russia And Belarus Start Military Air Drills; Nepal Holds National Day Of Mourning For Victims. Aired 10-11a ET

Aired January 16, 2023 - 10:00:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:00:36]

FRED PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Ukrainians say they're absolutely certain that the missile that hit this building was a

so-called Kherson-22. That's a cruise missile normally designed to destroy aircraft carriers with a warhead of more than 2000 pounds.

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR; And Ukraine's president vows those responsible for the deadly shelling of a residential building into

Dnipro will pay for their crimes.

What caused the accident which killed all passengers in the Yeti Airlines crash. Authorities have just received the black box. More on that is coming

up.

And as China prepares for its biggest holiday of the year, COVID cases jump into the tens of thousands. We've got a live report from Hong Kong for you

this hour.

I'm Becky Anderson. Hello and welcome to CONNECT THE WORLD coming to you from Abu Dhabi in the UAE. Hopes are fading fast to find any survivors in

the rubble of a demolished apartment building in Dnipro. The death toll from a missile strike there now up to 40 including several children. Almost

that many remain missing. Ukraine saying a Russian cruise missile destroyed the building countering a claim by the Kremlin today that it was hit by

Ukrainian missiles used in counter attacks.

Ukraine's president framing the strike is yet another act of Russian terror.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY, PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE (through translator): I want to say to all those in Russia, and from Russia, who even now could not utter a

few words of condemnation of this terror. Although they see and comprehend everything perfectly. Your cowardly silence, your attempt to wait out what

is happening will only end with the fact that one day, the same terrorists will come for you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, meantime, Ukraine reports Russian shelling of residential targets and energy infrastructure in Nikopol and in Zaporizhzhia. Well,

Ukraine also saying the battle for Soledar continues despite Russia's claim last Friday that its forces captured the town.

Well back in Dnirpo. Emotions are raw after this latest devastating attack on a civilian target. CNN's Fred Pleitgen is there and he filed this

report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PLEITGEN (voice over): The morning brings to light the full extent of the destruction. A residential building home to dozens of families annihilated

down to the foundation. Even though rescue crews still work the chances of finding survivors now virtually zero.

All night residents watched in fear, anger and grief. Olha Nevenchanaya says she passed by the building only about half an hour before this.

There are many friends and people close to me here. Many, many, she says

Elena Loyan (ph) stunned by the scale of the destruction curses the Russians interviews.

I simply hate them. Children, people died here. Many can't speak anymore.

Throughout the night, the death toll continued to jump. On top of the many killed, Ukrainian authorities say dozens were injured, many of them

children. In just this location in Dnipro, one of many sites in Ukraine, Russia targeted with barrages of missiles this weekend.

PLEITGEN (on camera): The Ukrainian say the reason why the damage here is so extensive is that this building was hit with a cruise missile called the

Kh-22. That's designed to destroy aircraft carrier strike groups. And obviously, when it hits the building, it completely annihilated burying

dozens of people underneath.

PLETGEN (voice over): The Ukrainians call the attack state terrorism and the President says rescuers will continue to try and save anyone trapped

here.

Let's fight for every person, President Zelenskyy says. The rescue operation will last as long as there is even the slightest chance to save a

life. But even the slightest hope has now all but died and this is essentially a recovery operation. The crew searching for bodies where so

many lives were violently ended in an instant.

[10:05:08]

ANDERSON: So, joining me now live from the Dnipro. Fred, this attack on Saturday, the aftermath of which you detailed in your report is another

sobering reminder of the toll this war is taking on innocent civilians. They must find it very difficult to find any hope as we move into what is

the 11th month of this conflict?

PLEITGEN: Yes. I would say you're absolutely right, Becky. And I think for the civilians, that obviously is extremely difficult, because so many

civilians are affected, so many civilians are getting hurt or getting killed in so many areas and in so many different ways in Ukraine. You have,

of course, all the areas around the front line, we've been speaking so much over the past couple of days, the past couple of weeks, about the fighting

that's going on in the eastern part of Ukraine with the people having to flee there, people being killed there.

But then also, in big cities, like the one that I am in right now in the Dnipro. People who were just in their apartments, people who were just

going about their daily lives, all of a sudden ripped out of their lives, and many of them losing their lives because of a massive rocket strike

hitting their building. Earlier today we were at the funeral memorial service for a 15-year-old girl here in the center of Dnipro who was inside

this house, inside this building.

And there were dozens of people, classmates, relatives who turned up there, obviously, many of them grieving, many of them also angry at the Russians

as well. We saw that one woman in our report right now who said that she cursed the Russians. And it's interesting, because earlier, I was speaking

with the mayor of the Dnipro. And he was telling me that actually, before this major war started, there was a lot of sympathy towards Russia here,

especially in this part of Ukraine, especially in Dnipro area.

Obviously now, that is no longer the case. And any sympathies that may have been there get destroyed by events like the one that we saw here. There is

a lot of anger here on the ground on the part of the people and a lot of spare and a lot of grief. But at the same time, the people who do say that

they remain strong, that they will remain strong and certainly are not going to back down in the face of what they see as terror against the

civilian population, even as the Russians continued to claim that they were not behind the missile strike that happened here, Becky.

ANDERSON: Fred Pleitgen is on the ground. Fred. Thank you. Well, the official leading Germany's response to the war in Ukraine has resigned.

Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht was criticized for a series of perceived missteps. She leaves as Berlin is under pressure to step up its

military support for keeping including allowing the export of battle tanks. Chancellor Olaf Scholz will reportedly name a successor on Tuesday.

Well, Russia and its ally Belarus kicked off two weeks of joint Air Force exercises on Monday. Belarus insists the drills are defensive in nature and

are part of a regional grouping of troops with Russia. There are concerns Russia is trying to draw Minsk into the war. And just last week, Ukrainian

president Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned his country must be ready at the Belarusian border.

Well, Nepal is in mourning following Sunday's plane crash near the city of Pokhara. Dozens of people on board a Yeti Airlines flight were killed when

it plunged to the ground. Well, just hours ago, these were the scenes and a nearby hospital as family members waited for their loved one's bodies to be

identified and released. Well, search operations at the crash site have ended for the night.

They will resume on Tuesday but investigators do hope to learn more soon from the planes to flight recorders that have now been recovered.

CNN's Vedika Sud shows us some of the flight's final moments.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VEDIKA SUD, CNN REPORTER (voice over): A video on social media appears to show the passenger plane banking suddenly moments before the crash in

western Nepal. On Sunday morning, a Yeti Airlines operated flight embarked on a roughly 30-minute flight from the capital of Kathmandu to Pokhara, the

country's second most populous city.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): We heard a loud thunderous crash and reached our terrace to see what had happened. We saw a lot of smoke and

realized it was an airline crash, and we rushed to the site.

SUD: The flight was lost in contact with the Pokhara Airport about 18 minutes after takeoff before it came crashing down in the nearby Seti River

Gorge. It's the deadliest car crash in more than three decades in Nepal. Dozens of bodies have been pulled out of the gorge using cranes, some are

yet to be identified by family members.

On Monday, rescue teams retrieved the black boxes, the flight data and cockpit voice recorder that could help understand the moments leading up to

the crash. The Himalayan country has a record of air accidents due to its mountainous topography and sudden changes to the weather.

[10:10:03]

But in this case officials say it was a clear day. The Nepal evolved government has set up a panel to probe the air accident and will hopefully

find answers to what led to the third worst aviation accident in Nepal's history.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Let's get you to Vedika who is following the developments from New Delhi in neighboring India. Vedika, how quickly do authorities believe

they will be able to reveal any further details on what happened and why?

SUD: Well, Becky, according to the Nepal government, it's going to take about 45 days for the investigation team to actually go ahead and submit

the report to the Nepal government. That is what we have been told. It's a five-member committee that has been constituted. And it's a huge and a

significant development that the black boxes, as you mentioned, have been retrieved from the crash site.

That truly holds the key to the investigations, Becky. We'll get to know about the last moments hopefully from the black boxes. officials have also

told CNN that they are in good condition. So, that could answer the questions not only the investigators have, but also the family members.

Like you said we've been lining up outside the hospitals waiting to receive the body of their loved ones.

As far as the latest from the crash site is concerned, today was day two of search operations. It's ended with just one body in addition to the 68 that

were recovered on Sunday being retrieved from the gorge. Cranes we use, Becky, to pull these bodies out from the gorge. We do know that all these

bodies, a post mortem will be conducted on them after which they will be handed over to family members.

There were 15 foreign nationals on board this inflated flight. We're being told that the bodies will be airlifted to a hospital in Kathmandu where the

post mortems will be conducted, after which they will be handed over to family members. But only 38 bodies have been identified as we speak. So,

there are a lot more bodies that need to be identified at this point.

Heartbroken scenes outside the hospital families are asking what really happened tell us more. But we'll have to wait for those answers from the

team. The probe team that is investigating this air crash in Nepal, the deadliest in more than three decades, Becky.

ANDERSON: Vedika Sud on the story. Vedika, thank you. Well, fearing for the future of Israeli democracy. That's a big concern among some protesters

who've been talking to CNN. They turned out in their thousands over the weekend to let Israel's new hard drive government know what they think

about its planned judicial changes. CNN's Hadas Gold shows us what's been happening and why. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HADAS GOLD, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT (voice over): In Tel Aviv's Habima square, a left-wing battle cry for democracy. Israel will not be a

dictatorship they chant as more than 80,000 brief pouring rain to send a message to Benjamin Netanyahu's newly formed right-wing government and its

proposed reforms to Israel's judicial system. Reforms that would give these really parliament the ability to overturn Supreme Court decisions and give

politicians control over judicial selection. The most drastic changes to Israel's legal system since the country's founding,

BERNARD ATTALLI, PROTESTER: The government and Benjamin Netanyahu tries to change the system in such a way that there is -- there will be no control

of the government decisions. So, which is a loss of democracy.

GOLD (on camera): Now, the protesters here telling me that they see these changes as threatening their way of life, threatening the rule of law,

threatening minorities. And they also see these proposed changes as a way for Benjamin Netanyahu to ultimately get out of his ongoing corruption

trial.

YAEL KATZ, PROTESTER: Our equality and our democracy are in a really situations that it can be no democracy anymore, and that's why I'm afraid.

GOLD (voice over): But Netanyahu denies the judicial reforms are for his benefit and says these are long-needed changes, the will of the people who

voted for his right-wing government in the November elections, that the parliament will hear all positions before implementing changes.

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, PRIME MINISTER OF ISRAEL (through translator): We're not weakening the judicial system. We're strengthening all our systems

democracy and the rule of law that are all dependent on the correct balance between the three institutions.

GOLD: But the President of the Israeli Supreme Court attacked the proposed reforms in an unusually fiery speech.

ESTHER HAYUT, PRESIDENT, ISRAELI SUPREME COURT (through translator): Unfortunately, as the presented program comes into being Israel 75th year

will be remembered as the year the democratic identity of this country was fatally harmed.

GOLD: Opponents of these changes say that without a majority in parliament and without a written constitution, the best way of fighting back is a

constant drumbeat of public outcry. That they hope will stop what they see as ruin, not reform.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[10:15:06]

ANDERSON: Well, CNN's Hadas Gold is standing by for us live from Jerusalem. And the big picture here. This, it seems, is an illustration of the growing

divide between this hard right government and Israel centrist and left-wing opposition parties. What's the likely fallout?

GOLD: Well, Becky, what's really interesting that I found about this is that we've been talking about this incoming far-right wing government for

some time, but it wasn't the appointment of some of these politicians who were once considered fringe extremists that brought people out onto the

streets. And while that was part of it, and it's not necessarily even about Benjamin Netanyahu himself, it was about what these protesters see, as the

core of Israeli democracy.

A lot of these protesters say they're very proud of Israel's democracy, Israel's system, its Supreme Court. And they see these possible changes as

really threatening the core of what Israeli democracy is about now. Well, a lot of these protesters talk about Benjamin Netanyahu, there is a movement

that was against Benjamin Netanyahu, especially when he was prime minister, as his corruption trial has started.

It really was about these proposed reforms to the judicial system that brought these people out. Now, this wasn't necessarily the biggest protest

in Israeli history, but it was very large, at least 80,000 people came out. And I have to know, it was pouring rain while we were out there, and just

absolute people were drenched. And yet, people stayed. And at one point, you just really couldn't move through the streets around the central score.

So, it is notable, just the numbers that came out, especially considering the weather. But the big question now, Becky, is will this last? Will this

momentum last? Because that's really essentially what they have as their option here. They don't have a majority in the Parliament. There's no

written constitution. And so, it's really all comes down to this sort of public outcry and this public pressure, and will that -- whether that will

actually move anything and will convince this government to either bring back or tone down some of these changes. Becky?

ANDERSON: Yes. It's fascinating. Hadas, thank you. Hadas Gold is inJerusalem back out of the -- out of the rain. Still ahead. We focus on

Iran has American detained in Iran is launching a hunger strike and pleading with the U.S. president to do more. Details on that, just ahead.

Plus, the growing outrage in the west over another execution in Iran. We're taking a short brea. Back after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: An American wrongfully detained in Iran is launching a hunger strike to mark a milestone. In a letter to U.S. President Joe Biden Siamak

Namazi says he is starting the seven-day strike I'd like to mark the seven years since he was left out of a prisoner swap between Washington and

Tehran.

[10:20:07]

Kylie Atwood has more.

KYLIE ATWOOD, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Siamak Namazi, an American wrongfully detained in Iran for more than seven years,

is embarking on a hunger strike today and calling on President Biden to do everything in his power to bring him home.

BABAK NAMAZI, SIAMAK NAMAZI'S BROTHER: Siamak feels desperate and reaching out publicly to the U.S. president that underscores that desperation.

ATWOOD: Babak Namazi says the goal of his brother's letter to the president is to remind him of what happened seven years ago, when Biden was vice

president. Five Americans wrongfully detained in Iran returned home and Siamak was left behind.

NAMAZI: It's just a horrific week, is to think that seven years, seven whole years have gone by which could have been avoided.

ATWOOD: In his letter see, Siamak pleads for Biden's attention, saying all he wants is "just a single minute of your time. For each year of my life, I

lost in Evin prison after the U.S. government could have saved me but didn't. That is all.

Siamak remains in the notorious Evin Prison. There are also two other Americans wrongfully detained by the Iranian regime right now. The hardest

question for him to answer is how are you doing? He writes to Biden "How do I explain the devastation my family and I are left with after so many

halfhearted prisoner deals crumbled last minute, turning freedom into Chimera? How do I convey the excruciating terror that comes with not

knowing when or how this nightmare will end or even what comes next?"

NAMAZI: President Biden, Siamak is begging you, my family as imploring you. Please, please take what it takes to make those courageous decisions that

we know you're capable of.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ATWOOD: Now, of course, the Biden administration says that they continue to work tirelessly to try and bring home Siamak Namazi as well as those other

two Americans who are wrongfully detained in Iran. Emad Sharghi and Morad Tahbaz. NSC spokesperson also said to us that it is outrageous that Iran

continues to keep Americans as prisoners in an effort to try and have a political leverage on the United States.

But we should know that the Biden administration says efforts to try and secure these Americans is separate from any other efforts between the U.S.

and Iran. But U.S.-Iranian relations are at an all-time low right now, many would say. Just given the fact that there are really no conversations

ongoing right now to try and revive the Iran Nuclear Deal with those efforts on the back burner.

And of course, the Biden administration being highly critical of the Iranian regime for its violent -- for its violent response to the protests

that are happening across the country.

ANDERSON: Kylie Atwood with some of the story for you. Kylie, thank you.

Well, Germany summoned its Iranian ambassador following another execution by Teheran. Berlin's move comes amid growing international outrage after

the execution of the British- Iranian dual citizens scene here. Alireza Akbari was accused of spying for Britain. Tehran is also being condemned

for other death sentences issued for dozens of protesters. At least four people have been executed. Salma Abdelaziz has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): A gruesome execution meant to send a chilling public message to Iranians at home and enemies abroad.

Alireza Akbari, Iran's former deputy defense minister and a dual British- Iranian citizen was hanged by Iran on charges of espionage and corruption according to state media. Akbari was accused with working as a spy for MI6

and reportedly provided information about dozens of Iranian figures, including the country's chief nuclear scientists Mohsen Fakhrizadeh who was

assassinated in 2020, Iran says.

But the U.K. called the execution of Akbari politically motivated, and it took swift diplomatic action, recalling its ambassador from Tehran and

imposing sanctions against Iran's Prosecutor General.

JAMES CLEVERLY, U.K. FOREIGN SECRETARY: We are sending today a clear message to the Iranian regime that we are watching closely what they do, we

will respond robustly to any actions that they take.

ABDELAZIZ: In an earlier tit for tat move, Tehran had summoned Britain's ambassador over what it called the U.K.'s unconventional interventions.

Akbari is the latest in a string of executions carried out by the Islamic Republic amid an unprecedented protest movement. Amnesty International has

accused the bronze authorities of what it calls a steal sanctioned killing spree. Reportedly arrested in 2019, Akbari was seen as a reformist figure.

[10:25:09]

Observers say his execution now is meant to send a hard line and uncompromising message.

His nephew living in Europe says he was shocked to hear of his uncle's death.

RAMIN FORGHANI, NEWE OF ALIREZA AKBARI: It was a surprise my uncle was on top of the -- on top of the regime from the beginning of his foundation, so

that person would not have vested to any shape or form to jeopardize the regime.

ABDELAZIZ: Escalating tensions further between Iran in the West already exacerbated by its support for the recent protests. But even as the

international community works to further isolate, Iran, hardliners are doubling down.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ABDELAZIZ: Becky, you heard in that previous report from our colleague, Kylie Atwood, about how relationships between the U.S. and Iran are at an

absolute low point. We're seeing that of course, across the U.K. and Europe as well. The E.U. is now considering sanctions further, sanctions against

Iran. The U.K. is doing the same as well and potentially may take further diplomatic action in the case of the execution of Akbari.

But as you know, Becky, oftentimes, an Iran that is further isolated, further cornered, could be more dangerous. Becky?

ANDERSON: Absolutely. Salma is in London for you. Salma, thank you.

Let's get you up to speed on some of the other stories that are on our radar right now, folks. And former Afghan lawmaker Mursal Nabizada has been

shot and killed at her home in Kabul. Police say her bodyguard was also killed in what was a pre-dawn attack on Sunday. Nabizada was one of the few

female former lawmakers who remain in Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover in 2021.

Well, as business and political leaders gather in Davos, Switzerland for the annual World Economic Forum, the U.K. charity Oxfam is calling for

higher taxes on the super rich. A new report by Oxfam says the world's richest one percent captured nearly twice as much wealth as everyone else

combined in the last two years.

Romanian authorities say they've seized nearly $4 million worth of assets including luxury cars and cash from controversial internet personality

Andrew Tate. He and his brother are being investigated in Romania on allegations of human trafficking and of rape.

Well, you're watching CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Becky Anderson for you. Up next, as more classified documents are found in Joe Biden's home,

Republicans demand to know what the White House is doing about what is this documents scandal.

Plus, a massive humanity on the move against the backdrop of a pandemic. Millions in China begin to hit the road as we learn the staggering extent

of the country's current COVID surge.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:30:33]

ANDERSON: Welcome back, I'm Becky Anderson in Abu Dhabi with the time here is 7:30 in the evening. You are watching CONNECT THE WORLD and wherever

you're watching, you are more than welcome.

Joe Biden's document problem just won't go away. Well, over the weekend, the White House announced that five more pages of classified documents have

been found at the U.S. President's home in Delaware. Now, a leading congressional Republican is demanding that the White House hand over

documents and communications related to the searches for documents that may have been mishandled.

CNN's Paula Reid is tracking every development. And she joins us now. Republicans say they want answers. Even, let's be frank, as the special

prosecutor is just starting his investigation, perhaps we shouldn't be surprised by that positioning by the Republicans. But can both of these

things happen at the same time?

PAULA REID, CNN LEGAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well, certainly they can happen. At the same time. We have seen parallel investigations at the

Justice Department and on the Hill before, but it's highly unlikely that Republicans will be satisfied with the amount of information and evidence

that they have access to while there is an ongoing criminal investigation. And what we know from our reporting now is that approximately 20 documents

with classified markings have been found at two different locations connected to the President.

The first is at a former office here in D.C. We know 10 documents were found there. And they included top secret information. Now they also

uncovered documents at his Wilmington residence. And that's where these new five pages that were revealed on Saturday, that's where those come in.

Originally, they said that of those documents, there was one that was found in an adjacent room, that was a single page.

Well, it turns out it was actually six pages and comprises multiple documents. Again, roughly 20 documents in total. And the big question now

is OK, well, is this it? Could there be more classified documents? And we can say definitively, we don't know, because we do know from our reporting

that not every possible location has been searched. The Biden team decided to look specifically at places where documents were shipped during the 2017

transition.

But there are other locations as well. And what it'll be interesting to see is if they continue to search and who does it. Will the Biden lawyers do it

or will it be passed off to the special counsel and the FBI? And another big question is, will they tell us if they find any more classified

documents because while the White House did get out in front of this new disclosure, they didn't allow it to leak out through the media.

They have said that they do not intend to offer us continuous updates. Instead, they want to defer to the Justice Department to continue to carry

out its investigation.

ANDERSON: Paula, keep us honest on this. Thank you. Well, from 37 people dead of COVID to nearly 60,000. China revising the number of fatalities in

the five weeks after it abruptly lifted restrictions in December. Now, Beijing has been under fire for not being forthright in its COVID

reporting. Authorities still say the true number is probably higher. Now this comes of course as people in China pack railway stations and airports

and begin to travel for the Lunar New Year.

Well, a surging COVID plus a surge in travel does seem like an extremely combustible combination, doesn't it? CNN's Mark Stewart tracking that for

us from Hong Kong. I assume that people in China will be concerned ahead of this surge in COVID cases as they make their way onto roads and trains for

the Lunar New Year or is it that they just hoping for the best at this point?

MARC STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Becky, I think that they are hoping for the best and this idea of a combustible combination as you said is very

much in line with public health officials and what they are saying. We are getting data from the Department of Transport, the Ministry of Transport

and they are estimating that there will be two billion individual trips within the spring break period.

So, while people may be concerned, they also are longing to see family and friends that they have not seen, really since the beginning of the

pandemic. And let me set the landscape. This spring break period in Asia, in China in particular is significant. This is the time when people will be

leaving large city centers and go into more rural areas or to more countryside locations.

[10:35:06]

And that will perhaps cause the spread of COVID to locations where perhaps healthcare is not necessarily as strong or as sophisticated, as we have

seen in big cities such as Beijing or within Shanghai. So, the stage is set. And that is why public health officials are so concerned. Now, we have

heard from government officials that they feel that maybe COVID has peaked. Yet there are calls for more transparency from organizations such as the

World Health Organization.

And Becky, I just want to also touch upon the data that you-- that you mentioned earlier, because I think it's worth emphasizing. As we said,

close to 60,000 deaths when just days ago the government was reporting 37 deaths, but that is being called into question by a number of outsiders.

This is a country China with 1.4 billion people and statistically speaking that may not necessarily coincide with the reality of the situation on the

ground.

And speaking about what we are seeing on the ground, we have seen lines into crematoriums, into hospitals. That is why that data is being called

into question and that is why this particular period around the Lunar New Year is so concerning, Becky.

ANDERSON: Marc Stewart is in Hong Kong for you. The time is 11:36 in the evening, it is 7:36 in this part of the world and the Gulf region of the

Middle East.

Still ahead, Rafael Nadal electrifies Melbourne fans as he makes what is a promising start in the Australian Open. Details in our sports update coming

up.

Plus, after 30 years on the run, one of Europe's most wanted mafia boss is now behind bars. How police caught him is after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: A mafia boss who was Italy's most wanted man is now behind bars. Police say they have arrested Matteo Messina Denaro also known as Diabolik.

You can see him on the right in this photo, wearing a hat and glasses. Denaro was a fugitive for 30 years after being sentenced to life in prison

for murder. CNN's Barbie Nadeau has covered this case for many years. She joins us now live from Rome.

What do you make of this? As I understand it, police finally caught him hiding in plain sight.

BARBIE NADEAU, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: That's right. And, you know, what's so interesting about this when you see his arrest a photo, it doesn't look so

different from the age progression photo that the authorities had released a few years ago.

[10:40:04]

He really was in plain sight, you know, he was arrested this morning around 10:00 at a private clinic in Palermo. Palermo being the biggest city in

Sicily. He somehow got in there and out of -- not out of there. But he was there for treatment. We haven't heard yet quite what that treatment was.

But you've got to wonder about the complicity aspect of this, who knew he was there who covered for him for 30 years he's been on the run.

And during that time, he's ordered the murders of so many people, including a 12-year-old boy whose body was dissolved in acid. he was convicted in

absentia for the murder -- for his involvement in the murder of two anti- mafia prosecutors in the 1990s. This is a terribly bad man. And, you know, the question, of course, now is who's going to take his place? And whether

or not he's going to, you know, can be compliant with authorities if he's going to give them any kind of information about where he's been, who's

been protecting him or about how the Cosa Nostra's mafia is operating today, Becky.

A It's fascinating, isn't it? Barbie, I know you've spent years on this case. It's good to have you on it. Thank you very much indeed.

Well, first Grand Slam of the 2023 ATP season is kicked off in Australia. Tennis fans happy to watch Rafael Nadal advanced to the second round in

Melbourne though he wasn't perhaps in the best of form. It took them a little longer than usual to win. World Sports anchor Don Riddell joining me

now. This time last year, when this tournament began, we were sort of -- we've been writing him off, hadn't we?

And then of course, the rest is history, went on to win. How is he at this point? How did he play today? And can he be the man I guess they all want

to be at this point, which is Djokovic.

DON RIDDELL, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Yes, of course. You're right. I mean, we kind of forget about Nadal's start in this tournament last year because we

were also focused on what was happening to Djokovic who was in the process of being deported for being unvaccinated. Djokovic, a nine-time Australian

Open champion. He loves this tournament. He's thrilled to be back. Let's see what can happen.

Both of them have injury concerns. Nadal actually lost six of his last seven matches before he beat Jack Draper in four sets earlier today.

Djokovic won in Adelaide last week. So, he's on good form. But he's been dealing with injury concerns. He's missed quite a few practice sessions

because of a hamstring issue. So, either of them fit enough to be able to get all the way to the final, which is where they would meet in Melbourne.

If they're to win all of their matches here. We'll see. We'll see, right? But both these guys have a habit of teasing us with their injuries and we

write them off and we think they're not going to do it. And lo and behold, there they are in the final again. So, we will see but it's already --

(CROSSTALK)

RIDDELL: -- to be a great week, Becky.

ANDERSON: Yes. That is always good to see the opening -- the opening slab, isn't it? In the season. Thank you. It's good to see you. Haven't spoken to

you since the Qatar World Cup. So, it's good to see you back as always. Thank you very much indeed. We are going to take a very short break. Don

will be back with World Sport after this. I'll be back top of the hour for you.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WORLD SPORT)

END