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U.S. And German Defense Ministers Meet Amid Ukraine's Call For Tanks; Pension Reform Plan Sparks Protests Across France; E.U. Parliament's Terror Label For Iran's Revolutionary Guard; U.S. Hits Debt Ceiling, Treasury Takes "Extraordinary Measures"; Rollback Of China's Zero COVID Policy Led To Waves Of Unrest. Aired 10-10:40a ET
Aired January 19, 2023 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST (voice-over): Pressure builds on Ukraine's allies to provide more military hardware as President Zelenskyy pleads for further
help.
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ENRIQUE MOREIRA, CONSTRUCTION WORKER (through translator): Living is getting more expensive, retirement further away. It's ridiculous. I can't
go on. That's why we have to take to the streets.
ANDERSON (voice-over): Unions stage a mass strike across France to protest plans to raise the retirement age for workers. We are live in Paris for
you.
Plus:
(END VIDEO CLIP)
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JACINDA ARDERN, NEW ZEALAND PRIME MINISTER: I know what this job takes. And I know that I no longer have enough in the tank to do it justice. It is
that simple.
ANDERSON (voice-over): New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern announces a shock resignation after nearly six years in office. Why she says she made
the decision is coming up.
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ANDERSON: I am Becky. Anderson hello and welcome to CONNECT THE WORLD. Coming to you live from Abu Dhabi.
Ukraine's top Western allies are contemplating how to answer what is an urgent call from Kyiv for more weapons. The newly installed German defense
minister greeted his American counterpart in Berlin earlier today ahead of what could be a very consequential meeting on Friday of NATO's Ukraine
defense contact group at a U.S. airbase in Germany.
The U.S. is urging Germany to send battle tanks to Ukraine or at least approve the transfer of those tanks from other countries. Germany
reportedly wanted to make that contingent on Washington sending Ukraine its own heavy weaponry.
Ukraine's president says now is not the time to put conditions on getting his country the firepower it desperately needs.
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VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): I would like to thank again for the assistance to our partners but at the same,
time there are times where we should not hesitate or we shouldn't compare. When someone says I will give tanks, if someone else will also share his
tanks.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, at the NATO meeting on Friday, the U.S. could announce a new $2.5 billion military assistance package for Ukraine. That does not
include heavy weaponry.
In the meantime, we've heard the death toll from the Russian missile attack on Dnipro on Saturday has risen to 46; 11 people remain missing and 2 dozen
remain hospitalized. Right.
This is a really important story. All angles covered for you, with our international diplomatic editor Nic Robertson in London and senior U.S.
national security correspondent Alex Marquardt, who is in Washington.
Alex, stand by.
We come to you, Nic, first. The U.S. and German defense ministers conveying a message of unity. But it does seem that there are some major differences
here. Zelenskyy seems to think this is very, very simple: get us what we need to defend ourselves. So explain what is going, on here.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Well, Zelenskyy has been making that point to Western allies and partners since the beginning
of the war. In fact, before the beginning of the war and pretty much every time we sort of move down the timeline of this war so far, Zelenskyy has
been getting what he wanted.
But later when those allies and partners see that he desperately needs it and there's evidence in the east of Ukraine at the moment that Russia is,
by persistence and attrition, at least not being defeated on the battlefield and potentially making some small, perhaps not significant,
gains.
But the realization is among Ukraine's allies and this is to Mr. Zelenskyy's point that there could be an even bigger Russian offensive to
come, and to be able to take that on, to meet it and defeat it and take back territory, it's not going to be good enough to sit in trenches and
fire long range weapons systems like the HIMARS the United States has supplied, that is being used to devastating effect.
They're going to need infantry fighting vehicles, which we have heard Western allies and partners -- Britain, France, some of the Baltic states.
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We've also heard from Denmark today, saying they will supply some; the French as well. But tanks are what Ukraine says it wants and needs. The
British have said they will send their Challengers --
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ANDERSON: So why aren't they getting them, Nic?
Can we just stop you there for a moment?
Why are they not getting them?
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ANDERSON: What is holding up this decision?
ROBERTSON: To the point that -- you know, we have heard from the United States, is they did not want to get out of line with Western allies and
upset unity by sending their tanks to Ukraine.
Now Germany is sort of spinning that back on the United States. And that's Zelenskyy's point: don't argue about sequencing, here just get on and do.
It
We have a new German defense minister signed in today. He will meet with his allies and partners for the first time tomorrow in Ramstein in Germany.
This could be the forum where he decides to take that plunge and announce the sending of tanks.
What is the fine detail between the U.S. and Germany that is really holding this up?
That is Zelenskyy's point. And it is not something to be prevaricated on. It is something to be acted upon. I think we are seeing the momentum move
towards. It France is considering, Britain is doing it and it seems Poland desperately wants to send what they have but cannot do it without Germany's
signoff.
We are getting closer. This has been the way the war has been going. Zelenskyy has pleaded. And it is not until allies actually see that there
is a desperate need that it really happens.
ANDERSON: What is the perspective this disconnect, Alex, in Washington or from Washington?
And what is the military assistance package that Ukraine can expect from the U.S. at this point?
ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, what we are hearing from sources, Becky, is that the United States is finalizing,
now, a package that will be one of its biggest since the war started, around $2.5 billion.
The top line of this package, the new element we are seeing that we have not seen before are these Stryker combat vehicles. These are armored
vehicles, that, to Nic's point, will allow Ukrainian forces to press forward, to have some cover as they move forward to carry out offensives
and take back territory.
So that is a significant new mechanical capability that they will have that will be combined with the Bradley fighting vehicles, another kind of
armored vehicle that the U.S. has just recently committed in the last aid package earlier this month.
It was the biggest one. But the U.S. is not going to be sending their tanks. They have repeatedly made the case that it just does not make sense
from a technical or maintenance perspective. They are too big. They guzzle too much gas. They want Ukraine to have Western tanks.
But it does not make sense, they say, to send these American ones. So they are pressuring Germany.
We are seeing it play out today. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has been in, Berlin meeting with his counterpart and other German officials, they
say, to put pressure on the Germans to not just send these Leopard 2 German tanks but, again, to allow other European countries to do the same.
And the Americans, they say, are very optimistic that they will be able to come to some sort of positive conclusion with the Germans by the end of
this week, when, as you noted, the U.S. is hosting that Ukraine defense contact group tomorrow in Ramstein, Germany.
ANDERSON: Does the SDP, the governing party in Germany, Nic, is there some pushback domestically on this decision to either send or allow for the
reexport of these tanks to Ukraine?
Is that part of this story?
ROBERTSON: I think we're witnessing Germany coming to grips with the fact that Russia couldn't be. Trusted that its defense posture was completely
not compatible with that sort of environment.
They needed to be able to hold a replacement. The defense ministry was seen as not acting fast enough. A new defense minister grappling with the job of
not only supplying Ukraine with what it needs -- and politically that could be insensitive -- but also grappling with the fact that, in recent training
exercises, German military vehicles failed.
A whole number of them failed. Even their troops did not have enough bandages in their battlefield first aid kits to be properly prepared for
combat. So this is a huge overhaul that is being undertaken in Germany. And undoubtedly it is not an easy political thing to do.
But it is the new reality and it does seem to be grasped by this government.
ANDERSON: Alex, Nic, always good to have you, both thank you very much for joining us.
And folks, we will get perspective on what Ukraine needs next hour, when I speak with Alexander Rodnyansky, who is President Zelenskyy's economic
adviser. He has insight analysis which will be very extremely important. Be sure to stay in this for that.
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Major cities in France are at a standstill right now. Demonstrators are taking to the streets across the country to protest proposed pension
reforms, which will increase France's retirement age by two years.
Now the union-led walkouts have put the country's transport network at a near standstill. And teachers and energy workers are also striking. CNN's
Melissa Bell spoke to one worker about why he has had enough.
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MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For 28 years Enrique Moreira has carried the same equipment to work. But on Thursday, he'll take to the
streets in protest over the two extra years the government wants him to spend working for his pension.
ENRIQUE MOREIRA, CONSTRUCTION WORKER (through translator): Living is getting more expensive, retirement further away. It's ridiculous, I can't
go on. That's why we have to take to the streets. And that's what we'll do on Thursday.
BELL: French President Emmanuel Macron has unsuccessfully tried pension reform before. In 2020, he backed down in the face of street protests and
the COVID pandemic. 2023 he says will be different.
EMMANUEL MACRON, FRENCH PRESIDENT (through translator): This year will be the year of pension reform, which aims to guarantee the balance in our
system for the coming years and decades. We need to work more.
BELL: Currently the French can retire at 62 or even earlier in some cases, with a minimum monthly government pension of around a thousand euros.
Earlier this month, the French prime minister announced plans to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64 with the full pension raised by an average of
100 euros a month.
STEPHANIE RIST, FRENCH MP (through translator): If we don't pass this reform, the books will not be balanced, which means that we will have to
lower the pensions of retirees or increase the contributions of working people, thus reducing the purchasing power of the French.
BELL: Pension reform has been derailed in the past in 1995 under then President Jacques Chirac. It also faced stiff resistance under Macron's two
predecessors.
FRANCOIS HOMMERIL, PRESIDENT, CFE-CGC UNION (through translator): It's true that there is a strong symbolic value for the social model put in
place after World War II.
The political forces from the far Left to the Right came together to govern France and they created this model. It's our heritage, our wealth and the
French are incredibly attached to it.
BELL: The hope of the unions on Thursday that the protests will be as big as they were in 2010 when they claim more than 3 million people took to the
streets of France.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, Melissa is in amongst protesters in central Paris. She joins us now on the ground.
What is the mood there right now?
BELL: It had been fairly joyful until now. You sense people were glad to be back on the streets. There haven't been protests here in Paris for a
fair while. The unions really have achieved something very significant.
The eight major unions taking to the streets today in a most unified show of solidarity and opposition to government plans which we haven't seen in
more than a decade here in France. The turnout back there is pretty spectacular.
So it had been fairly good natured; the clashes have now begun further up with tear gas. That's why they have closed off all of these perpendicular
streets, to try to keep the march contained.
For the trade unions, something of a victory so far. They hope they'll get about 1 million people on the streets throughout France.
But it is the breadth, really, of the strike today, the extent to which it has brought France to a standstill that is, from their point of view,
something of an achievement. It is private sector workers, it's public sector workers. They walked off their jobs at refineries, from schools,
hospitals.
And for the trade unions, who hope that this movement will carry on in the hope they think they're going to get the government to negotiate and back
down, something of an achievement and a victory for them today, Becky.
ANDERSON: Yes, because, of course, President Macron, as you rightly pointed out in your piece, and previous French presidents have tried for
pension reform before. This is not a new story in France.
Are there are signs that this president, President Macron, might be successful?
Clearly not what the protesters wanted.
BELL: Becky, that is exactly right. Remember in 2017, he came in on this platform of being a reforming candidate and a reforming president. Of
course, this was the very heart of his proposals to begin with, the pension reform he was hoping to pursue.
The difficulty now is he has given himself until the summer and he doesn't have a parliamentary majority, a lot of opposition within parliament. He
can use a parliamentary device to put it through but there are those in the streets.
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And what the unions are hoping is that this will be the first of many more protests. They think they have the numbers on their side and they can
convince enough people to come out onto the streets and make life difficult as it can over the next weeks and months.
There will be significant pressure on the government. This happens, Becky, in the context of inflation, a soaring cost of living. People are pretty
unhappy. The hope from the unions is that this will be a galvanizing issue and something that will kick off a winter of discontent.
ANDERSON: Melissa Bell in Paris. Melissa, always a pleasure. Thank you very much. Indeed
Keep an eye on a story, folks.
Bailing out over burnout: in a shock announcement, New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern says that she is stepping down, declaring, in her
words, she no longer has "enough in the tank."
After nearly six years in office, Ms. Ardern has been praised on the international stage. But the cost of living crisis has done her no favors
at home. CNN's Kristie Lu Stout takes a closer look at the trailblazing leader.
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KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): New Zealand's youngest female prime minister strove to bring compassion and empathy to
politics. Values tested by a string of once in a generation crisis.
ARDERN: We encountered a major biosecurity incursion, a domestic terror event, a major natural disaster, a global pandemic and an economic crisis.
STOUT (voice-over): In 2019, when the far-right terrorists targeted two mosques in the city of Christchurch, killing 51 people, Ardern embraced the
Muslim community.
ARDERN: We are one. They are us.
STOUT (voice-over): Weeks later, her government successfully banned military-style semiautomatic weapons like the one used in the attack.
HILLARY CLINTON, FORMER U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: She showed the heart not only of a leader but of a mother.
STOUT (voice-over): Ardern became a mother in 2018 during her first full year in office, taking just six weeks off for maternity leave. A young
unmarried woman from a modest background, Ardern defied norms and earned a global reputation outsized for a leader of just under five million people.
But at home, Ardern won two general elections, including a landslide victory in 2020. But public support dipped in the last of her five.5 years
in office. Tough COVID-19 pandemic restrictions and the economic troubles that followed the virus damaged Ardern politically.
In December, her Labour Party lost an important by-election to the conservative national party.
BRYCE EDWARDS, POLITICAL SCIENTIST, VICTORIA UNIVERSITY OF WELLINGTON: I think the real Ardern is going is that she has lost popularity. So the
opinion polls here have really plummeted for her government and for her personally and it's going to be a very tough election for her government to
win.
STOUT (voice-over): Ardern admitted Thursday that she doesn't have the energy for that political fight.
ARDERN: I know what this job takes. And I know that I no longer have enough in the tank to do it justice. It is that simple.
STOUT (voice-over): As for what is next, Ardern says she has no professional plans beyond her last day in office.
She says she is looking forward to spending time with their family, to being there for her 4-year-old daughter when she starts school and to
finally get married to her partner, television host Clarke Gayford -- Kristie Lu Stout, CNN, Hong Kong.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Just ahead, a warning from Tehran after some get tough action in Europe against Iran's Revolutionary Guard. More layers to the story, I am
going to sift through them for you next.
And in Peru, protesters from the countryside are flooding the capital as thousands of police are deployed and the death toll there rises. More on
that, after this.
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ANDERSON: A vote with a stark message for Tehran: the European Parliament giving a thumbs up to a resolution, urging the E.U., the European Union, to
designate Iran's Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist group.
Now lawmakers in Strasbourg today, condemning in no uncertain terms what they call the IRGC's terrorist activities, the repression of protesters and
its supplying of drones to Russia.
And now they want E.U. member states to add Iran's Revolutionary Guard to their terrorist list. The Iranian foreign minister is having none of, it I
want to bring in CNN's Salma Abdelaziz.
This isn't a straightforward story. And this is something that some parliamentarians, a bloc of parliamentarians, have been pushing for for
some time.
What is the nuance of this message that is being sent to Iran?
SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Very good question, Becky. And let me start by explaining what happened today because this is a non binding
resolution and it comes out of a report, it is an annual report that the E.U. Parliament always does, that refuse their security relations and their
foreign relations around the world.
And in that report, they condemned Iran's crackdown on protesters. I'm going to read you a portion of it here, these are the words of the European
Parliament.
It is appalled by unrestrained and disproportionate use of force by Iranian police and security forces. And out of that report, this vote was held; an
overwhelming majority of E.U. parliamentarians voting this nonbinding resolution, urging the E.U. to designate the IRGC, that very important
elite fighting unit as a terrorist organization.
To explain that, Becky, I want to take you back to last year, when, if you remember, the JCPOA was trying. There were attempts to revive those
negotiations. And Iran's foreign minister had one major sticking point at the time and that was the U.S.' designation of Iran's Revolutionary Guard
Corps as a terrorist organization.
Iran absolutely wanted that designation reversed at the time the E.U. was pushing to restart those talks. Now fast forward to today, four months into
a protest movement and the E.U. is looking at making a very similar move, considering a very similar move to the United States.
So is the U.K. And Iran's response to this is, absolutely not. Iran's foreign minister has warned the E.U., says if they do designate Iran's
Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization, he described that as the E.U. shooting itself in the foot.
He urged E.U.'s parliamentarians to prioritize diplomacy and negotiations. But all of this just comes to show you, Becky, just how much relations
between the West and Iran have deteriorated over the course of these demonstrations.
They are absolutely at an all-time low.
And it begs the question, how will you reopen talks in the future, if relations continue to deteriorate this quickly with the crackdown on
protesters inside of Iran?
ANDERSON: Well, and most experts will tell you, those talks ain't going to start anytime soon. And you could absolutely argue that Europe needs a new
Iran strategy.
So very briefly, we only have a few seconds, what does this mean for the future of E.U.-Iran's eyes at this point?
ABDELAZIZ: It is very difficult to tell at this time but you know the E.U. was considering a fourth round of sanctions. The U.K., as well, for its
part, looking at further diplomatic action.
You will remember there was a dual national, an British Iranian dual national, a former senior member of government, who was executed just a few
days ago by Iran. That has worsened relationships ever more between Europe and Iran.
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And you really are looking at a West that has used every tool in the tool box: sanctions, designations, condemnations. And yet that crackdown on the
ground continues.
So no matter how much you isolate Iran here, it doesn't seem that that changes for the protesters on the ground, that crackdown, that continues.
Rights groups say to put people in prison, to cause loss of life and those executions as well continue as well, Becky.
ANDERSON: Yes, absolutely. Salma, thank you.
In the next hour of CONNECT THE WORLD, I will be speaking live to a member of the European Parliament, who backed that terror resolution as a key
response to Iran.
And we will be talking about Tehran's reaction to this criticism and the impact that this may or may not have for protesters on the ground as Salma
was rightly pointing out.
Well, today, Peru is in the grips of a fierce push from anti government protesters. Large groups have been coming around from rural parts of the
country to the capital, Lima, to voice their anger.
This is not new, it has been happening now for days. The government has said it is put close to 12,000 police officers on guard. Stefano Pozzebon
following developments from the Colombian capital of Bogota.
And we have talked about how these ongoing protests are a cautionary tale for this part of the world. Specifically, we are seeing more protesters on
the streets and more expected to descend.
What is the forecast here about what might shape up?
STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Becky, the streets of Lima right now are quiet. And we have seen it time and again over the last few weeks,
that protesters tend to sparkle (sic) up in the afternoon in the evening hours.
That alone is a blow to the government strategy because there is a state of emergency called over the city of Lima and a curfew in some of Peruvian
region but that did not stop thousands of people to take to the streets.
And what we are expecting today is even more people taking onto the streets in Lima and calling for the resignation of the president, Dina Boluarte,
who has been in power since the ousting of her predecessor, former president Castillo.
More importantly, they are asking for a systematic change in how the country resources are shared and spread around the population. And it is
interesting to speak and hear from the protesters -- and thanks to our team at CNN Espanol -- hear from them why they are taking to the streets and
what are the grievances. Take a listen.
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LUBETZKA FERNANDEZ, TACNA REGION STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE (through translator): It is important to add to the agenda, that along with the
resignation of Ms. Dina Boluarte, the shutdown of the congress, the call for new elections and a constitutional process and a referendum for a
constitutional assembly, to also note that we have more than 15 (ph) deaths in our country and the responsible ones should be sued.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
POZZEBON: So Becky, you see that, changing the government would be just the first step to resolving this crisis. There are many more issues at
stake.
And by cautionary tale, there is a price (ph) on cnn.com that everyone can have a read at, it would mean that the fact that Peru has had a democratic
government in place for over 20 years, has experienced some outstanding economic growth.
But many people right now are disillusioned with democracy and are disillusioned with the way the country is run. And there is a preference
for a return to authoritarian leadership in case of high corruption.
So what does it mean for other democracies, especially here in Latin America, when a democracy is basically spinning on itself?
It is quite worrisome to see in front of our eyes.
ANDERSON: Yes, and a good piece on cnn.com. Please check that out.
Stefano, thank you.
Well, just days from the Lunar New Year, millions are enjoying family reunions. But COVID will be casting a long shadow. How things are playing
out in China, after the government there dropped its restrictions.
And we will tell you which films are being celebrated after the British film academy have announced their nominations. The top nominee may surprise
you.
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ANDERSON: Welcome back, I am Becky Anderson in Abu Dhabi. You are watching CONNECT THE WORLD. The time here is just past half 7:00 in the evening.
Some news to bring you just in to CNN, the United States has just officially hit its own debt ceiling set by Congress, pushing the U.S.
Treasury to make extraordinary measures to keep the government open. This was expected. It is a result of a political showdown in Washington.
That sounds familiar, doesn't it?
Republicans are demanding big spending cuts in return for approving a higher borrowing limit.
In the meantime, Hong Kong is easing one of its COVID restrictions. It is dropping its mandatory five-day quarantine for those who test positive. The
quarantine has been required since the pandemic began. The chief executive says the city has a high vaccination rate and people should make their own
decisions.
This comes as millions are traveling ahead of the Lunar New Year. CNN's Ivan Watson looks at how that is playing out across China.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A population on the move.
After three years of restrictions due to their government's war on COVID, Chinese can finally travel again, just in time for the upcoming Lunar New
Year holiday. In pre-pandemic times, this was described as the world's largest annual human migration.
"I haven't been home in three years," says this man at the main Beijing train station. Millions of Chinese people are traveling, as COVID-19
spreads out of control.
Chinese officials say COVID infections have passed their peak in many parts of the country but there are clearly still concerns about the scale of the
outbreak.
For example, here in Hong Kong, authorities require all of these travelers arriving on high- speed trains from mainland China to get negative COVID
test first before they can cross the border.
(voice-over): Last month, Beijing abruptly scrapped its strict zero COVID policy. The ensuing surge of sick people putting a strain on hospitals and
health workers. Several social media videos showed nurses sick with COVID collapsing on the job.
"I felt unwell," says this nurse in Shandong. "It had been a week that I had COVID-19 until that day when I finally collapsed."
Over the weekend, health officials who once prided themselves on keeping COVID out of China, abruptly raised the COVID death toll since early
December, from several dozen COVID deaths to nearly 60,000 people killed by COVID. But the official U-turn on COVID has had other unintended
consequences.
At a factory in Chongqing, workers pelted police with what appeared to be boxes of COVID tests.
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Some biotech companies withholding salaries or laying off workers after the government suddenly stopped demanding the population take millions of COVID
tests a day.
GEORGE MAGNUS, RESEARCH ASSOCIATE, UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD CHINA CENTER: The implementation of zero COVID and the abrupt and unprepared manner in which
it was abandoned, it speaks to a chronic government's failure.
WATSON (voice-over): One of China's richest provinces, Guangdong, spent around $22 billion over three years on pandemic prevention.
MAGNUS: A lot of these local governments are highly indebted. They've got big cash flow problems. This is a big problem that the central government
and local governments will have to sort out in this coming decade but COVID just kind of made it worse, really.
WATSON: For now, uncertainty over public health and government finances has done little to dampen a palpable sense of excitement. Understandable as
Chinese emerge from pandemic lockdown to celebrate the Year of the Rabbit, the biggest holiday of the year -- Ivan Watson, CNN, Hong Kong.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: One of Hollywood's biggest movie franchises is returning to China. Starting in February, will again allow Marvel to show its movies on
the big screens. Our Marc Stewart has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARC STEWART, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, there, Becky. After a nearly four-year absence, Disney's Marvel Studios will have its movies
released once again in China.
That is the world's second largest movie market. Here is the rundown.
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STEWART (voice-over): Starting on February 7th, "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" will open in China. Later that month, "Ant-Man and the Wasp:
Quantumania" will be available to audiences.
As one analyst pointed out to CNN, the last time Marvel's films debuted on the big screen in China was in July 2019.
That same analyst noting China has proven to be a challenging market for U.S. studios, adding there are a number of factors, including Chinese
regulators, who have given the OK to fewer international films, to individual qualms about a particular movie.
The Chinese market is big, bringing in billions of dollars a year. In 2020, China became the world biggest movie market, continuing in 2021. But last
year, Becky, it fell behind North America amid its strict zero COVID policy.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Marc Stewart, reporting for. You
The movie industry got a big surprise, just a short time ago when BAFTA nominations were announced.
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ANDERSON (voice-over): The German language film adaptation of "All Quiet on the Western Front" picked up a stunning 14 nominations from the British
film academy. It tied "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" for the most nominations ever by a foreign language film.
"The Banshees of Inisherin" and "Everything Everywhere All At Once," two films that have been picking up a lot of nominations, each scored 10. The
BAFTA awards will be handed out on February the 19th.
ANDERSON: Next hour, we should find out of criminal charges will be filed in the U.S. in the 2021 shooting on the movie set of "Rust." You will
recall the actor, Alec Baldwin, was holding the gun that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injured the director.
Baldwin said he was told the gun was safe. We will tell you what the prosecutor's decision is just as soon as it comes down.
Stay up to speed on some of the other stories that are on our radar right now.
One person dead and 60 injured after a stampede in Basra, international stadium, in Iran. Now this crush happened hours ahead of the Arabian Gulf
Cup final game, between Iraq and Amman. The Iraqi football association says the match will go ahead later today as planned.
High-ranking female officials from the United Nations have been meeting with the Taliban. They traveled to Kabul to discuss women's rights and a
ban on female relief workers. The U.N. says that ban has had a devastating effect. Many groups have suspended aid operations in Afghanistan as a
result.
The Russian president Vladimir Putin had a phone conversation with his Iranian counterpart, Ebrahim Raisi, today. According to the Kremlin, the
pair discussed cooperation in energy and transport and the situation in Syria.
The U.S. national security adviser has just met with his counterparts from Israel, Bahrain and the UAE to build on the 2020 Trump era Abraham accords.
The historic agreement to normalize but relations between Israel and the two Arab nations. The group discussed ways to work together on clean
energy, on emerging technology and on regional security.
(SPORTS)
[10:40:00]
ANDERSON: "WORLD SPORT" is up next, we will be back after that coming up next.
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