Return to Transcripts main page

Connect the World

Dozens Believed Killed in Swiss Resort Fire; Trump Withdrawing National Guard Troops from Chicago, Los Angeles and Portland; Anti- Government Protests Erupt in Iran; Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen Say Good Night to 2025. Aired 10-10:30a ET

Aired January 01, 2026 - 10:00   ET

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

[10:00:00]

(MUSIC PLAYING)

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Welcome to the news. I'm Fred Pleitgen in London and a very Happy New Year

to you. And this is CONNECT THE WORLD.

We start with breaking news. The president of Switzerland is calling it a tragic loss that touches the whole country and beyond. Dozens of people are

believed dead after a fire tore through a crowded bar at a ski resort in Crans-Montana.

It happened during New Year's celebrations and survivors of the fire are now describing a possible cause, telling our affiliate BFMTV it was started

by sparklers placed in champagne bottles. Here's what the local police chief had to say a few hours ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FREDERIC GISLER, VALAIS CANTONAL POLICE COMMANDER (through translator): At the time I am speaking to you, all of the injured have been taken care of.

We have counted around 100 injured people, most of them seriously. And unfortunately, several dozen individuals are presumed dead. At present, the

main street of Crans is closed for the needs of the investigation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PLEITGEN: And the British embassy in Switzerland tells citizens of multiple countries are likely impacted by the disaster. The Crans-Montana

resort is very popular with foreign tourists.

In the last hour, I spoke to Martin Meul, a reporter for Swiss German language daily newspaper "Blick" and he described the scene in Crans-

Montana on what has turned into a tragic New Year's Day.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARTIN MEUL, "BLICK": We don't know exactly what's going on concerning the investigations. What we know is that the coroner arrived about an hour ago

and, yes, we assume that they are transporting the bodies away now.

But the area is cornered (sic) still and so we can't get any closer to see what's happening and we have no further information from the authorities.

So we still know that we have several thousand dead and about 100 injured people. But there is no more information at this moment.

PLEITGEN: How far away?

Because I see that you're on the street, which seems to be cordoned off.

How far away are you from the actual scene of where this happened?

And what's it like in the town now after this tragedy?

MEUL: Yes, you can see the scene behind me. Its about 200 meters directly in my back. But everything is covered with plastic, so you can't take

images or so. Everything is closed. All the grocery shop next to the scene is closed and you cannot pass.

You have even problems to pass when you have an apartment in the cornered (sic) area. So police is very strict that nobody gets closer to the bar

where the fire was.

The town is going on. I have to say, we have a lot -- a lot of tourists here because of the holidays. And so we have people passing by going to --

and in the morning they went to the slopes and enjoying the time.

So we have two worlds in one place. In one very tragic world, we had the fire and, another one, the touristic world, which -- where life is going

on.

PLEITGEN: Yes. And you said its a very popular tourist resort. Obviously right now in the winter season and especially on New Year's Eve, a lot of

tourists will have been there.

Is that who they fear most of the victims are, that most of the people there who were killed, who were injured, are potentially tourists from

Europe and other places?

MEUL: Yes, that that seems to be possible. But they actually don't know because it can -- there can be locals, too. But its likely that there are

also tourists killed. We know that two of them were French people but other identities were not given or to this moment.

PLEITGEN: I know, Martin, that you are a reporter, who has almost more experience than anybody else with this region and Crans-Montana is a very

small village. But we also know that the Swiss have an exceptional system of getting aid, getting help to people. They have helicopter rescue

ambulances.

How big of an operation is that, to try and save people?

And how many assets are there from around the country, trying to work this very difficult situation?

[10:05:04]

MEUL: Yes, it was a huge operation. We had about 10 helicopters transferring the injured to several hospitals in the region but also to

Geneva and to Zurich, where there are specialized clinics for victims of fire.

Then we had about 40 ambulances in -- who were here and about 200 people from the services, from the emergency services, helping and doing their

best to get all the people to the hospitals, to the doctors.

And so, it was a huge operation and the region could not handle it by its own. So they had to ask for help from -- in other cantons in Switzerland.

And they arrived immediately to help here. Yes.

PLEITGEN: And final question before I let you go, because I know that you're extremely busy on this on this tragic day, Switzerland is obviously

a country that has very strict laws as far as fire safety is concerned. Also, as far as the safety of bigger events is concerned.

Is there anything to indicate how this could have happened?

I mean, we know that it could be these sparkler candles.

But also, is there anything in the setting, in the fact that this was inside a basement room, apparently, where people, where the authorities

have an indicator as to how this could happen?

MEUL: No. They -- the only thing they said that they -- that there was no attack on the bar but everything else is speculation. They don't know what

exactly happened. They speak of a blast, of a fire blast. But what provoked this blast is not clear. It could be the sparklers but it could be also

something in the kitchen. We don't know at the moment.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PLEITGEN: And we'll have much more on that topic as we learn new details coming out of Switzerland.

A group of Ukraine's allies known as the Coalition of the Willing is set to meet next week. This comes as Ukraine's wartime president expresses a

fervent wish for peace.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy says a peace agreement for his country is about 90 percent ready after discussions with his U.S. and European allies. In his

New Year's Eve address, Mr. Zelenskyy says the remaining 10 percent will, quote, "determine the fate of peace, the fate of Ukraine and of Europe."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Ukraine does not need a Minsk style, meticulously drafted trap. Signatures under

weak agreements only fuel war. My signature will be under a strong agreement.

And that is exactly what every meeting, every call, every decision, is about right now, to secure a strong peace for everyone, not for a day, not

for a week, not for two months, peace for years. Only then will it truly be a success for Ukraine, for America, for Europe and in truth, for every

nation that wants to live not to fight.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PLEITGEN: Now Russian president Vladimir Putin delivered his own New Year's address, telling his troops the country believes in them and in

Russia's victory in Ukraine.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): After all, we are together. The people of Russia work, success and achievements of each of us

create new chapters in its 1,000-year history and the strength of our unity determines the sovereignty and security of the fatherland, its development,

its future.

We are united in our sincere, selfless and devoted love for Russia. I congratulate all our soldiers and commanders on the coming New Year. We

believe in you and our victory.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PLEITGEN: And back to the United States, Zohran Mamdani is now the mayor of New York City.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I, Zohran Kwame Mamdani ...

GOVERNOR-ELECT ZOHRAN MAMDANI (D-NY): I, Zohran Kwame Mamdani ...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: -- do solemnly swear ...

MAMDANI: -- do solemnly swear ...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: -- that I will support the Constitution of the United States.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PLEITGEN: He was sworn in inside a former subway station just after midnight during a private ceremony with his wife, also present; 34-year-old

Mamdani is making history as the city's first South Asian and Muslim mayor and the youngest in more than a century. At least 4,000 people are expected

at the public inauguration ceremony in the coming hours. Mamdani had promised during his campaign to tackle the affordability crisis and named a

new member of his administration to help bring down the cost of living.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAMDANI: I can think of no better moment to announce our new Department of Transportation commissioner than this. So I would ask Mike Flynn if you

would please join me. It is an honor to have Mike here alongside me as we embark on an

administration that will take seriously the responsibility and the opportunity we have to make this streetscape and the public transit of the

city we call home the envy of the world.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PLEITGEN: U.S. President Donald Trump has announced he's withdrawing National Guard troops from three cities. The administration sent the troops

to Chicago, Los Angeles and Portland, Oregon, to support ICE agents as part of the ongoing immigration crackdown.

[10:10:08]

This after the Supreme Court rejected a request to deploy National Guard troops to Chicago and suggested the president's power to deploy state

troops did not apply to protecting those enforcing immigration law. Mr. Trump is now promising a different and stronger deployment of federal

forces.

And sources tell CNN Israel has agreed to open the Rafah crossing in the coming days. Opening the crossing between Gaza and Egypt would potentially

allow Palestinians to enter and leave the enclave for the first time in 10 months.

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to the measure after meeting with U.S. president Donald Trump on Monday, according to those

sources.

And Iran has appointed a new central bank governor amid mass protests driven by an economic crisis. Abdolnaser Hemmati, a former economics

minister, took over the post on Wednesday.

Iran's local currency, the rial, has gone into freefall and inflation is up to around 40 percent. Public anger is boiling over, with the crisis

sparking massive protests. CNN's Paula Hancocks has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): These are the biggest demonstrations seen in Iran for three years, traders and shopkeepers walk

through a Tehran bazaar chanting, close it down.

Many shops did this week, shutting their doors in protest, furious at the country's currency plummeting to a record low, pushing inflation and the

cost of living to unbearable levels.

This is the year of blood, Sayed Ali will be toppled, a popular chant by protesters referring to the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, calling

for the collapse of the regime.

Economic pain is being blamed on government mismanagement. Similar rallies are being seen in cities across Iran. Police deploy tear gas in some areas

of Tehran, a lone protester covers his face but refuses to move, a significant act of defiance in a country where dissent has been met with

Swift and deadly force in recent years.

President Masoud Pezeshkian acknowledged the public anger, stating, the livelihood of the people is my daily concern. Adding, he has tasked the

Minister of Interior to hear the legitimate demands of the protesters.

The head of Iran's Central Bank has resigned. Food prices have risen more than 70 percent since this time last year, inflation for December year on

year is at more than 40 percent, the regime cannot ignore these protests. Merchants played a crucial role in the 1979 Islamic revolution that ousted

the monarchy and brought the Islamists to power.

Students at several universities have staged their own demonstrations calling for economic justice. It is unclear at this point how widespread

this dissent might become.

ABBAS ASLANI, SENIOR RESEARCH FELLOW, CENTER FOR MIDDLE EASTERN STRATEGIC STUDIES: The average citizens and ordinary public is not joining this,

let's say protest and because there is no bright and clear picture of the day after and there is no, let's say credible alternative to this political

system.

HANCOCKS (voice-over): Hundreds of women ran a marathon on Iran's Kish Island in early December without mandatory head scarves. Similar acts in

the past have sparked bloody crackdowns.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're earning 15 million tomans a month, so you should understand people's struggle but you don't.

HANCOCKS (voice-over): Those desperate for reforms in Iran are once again this week, testing cracks in the wall of the Islamic regime that they want

to see crumble -- Paula Hancocks, CNN, Abu Dhabi.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PLEITGEN: And you're watching CONNECT THE WORLD. There is much more news ahead. Stay tuned.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:15:00]

(MUSIC PLAYING)

PLEITGEN: Welcome back, folks. Let's get back to our top story, that devastating fire in the Swiss Alps that has killed dozens of people and

injured about 100 others, some seriously.

Flames tore through a packed bar at an exclusive ski resort in Crans- Montana early Thursday morning as people were ringing in the new year. Authorities say the investigation in its early -- is in its early stages

and a cause has not yet been determined. But police have ruled out a terror attack.

Witnesses told CNN affiliate BFMTV the fire started from sparklers in champagne bottles. They say the wait staff was carrying the bottles close

to the ceiling, which then caught fire.

Nada Bashir is following all the developments for us.

And Nada, one of the things that you said last hour, I thought was really interesting, where you said this happened around 1:30 am. That's obviously

when that New Year's celebration would have been in full swing.

What other details do we have?

NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, absolutely. We've been hearing from witnesses who said there were about 200 people inside the venue. As you

mentioned, dozens are now presumed to be dead. At least 100 said to have been injured.

But as you can imagine, this would have been a very lively, bustling party. This is very much a tourist hotspot, of course, during the holidays, during

New Year's celebrations and, of course, this has ended in tragedy.

Now at this stage, officials and police officials have not given any details just yet behind the cause.

But as you mentioned, we've been hearing from witnesses who have been speaking to our affiliate, BFMTV, suggesting that it may have potentially

been the sparklers that were used in champagne bottles as part of the celebrations and that were held perhaps a little too close to the ceiling,

which led to the blaze spreading throughout the venue.

We've also heard from one local official, who said a witness said that they had heard an explosion which took place just shortly after the fire had

begun to spread. So you can imagine the terror that many would have been feeling inside the venue at the time.

PLEITGEN: And let's speak about the venue a little bit, because presumably it could have contributed to what's happening -- to what's happened.

Where was this?

This is a quaint little town and this is a bar in that town.

What else do we know about this?

BASHIR: That's right. Its the Constellation lounge bar in Crans-Montana. It is a very high-end resort. It is somewhere that would have typically

been hosting these large parties around the holiday period.

Many would have traveled there for Christmas and New Year's, of course, but, of course, it's in a very small village. And what we have seen as a

result is potentially the recovery, the emergency response effort taking a little longer, perhaps.

That's certainly what the messaging we've been hearing from officials and authorities, who have said that this may take some time for investigators

to be able to get access for the venue to be secured following that blaze.

They have, in fact, already announced a state of emergency, which will essentially allow the local authorities to have that framework and

mechanism to carry out and coordinate a large-scale response over more extended periods.

PLEITGEN: And these small towns, obviously small roads leading into these small towns, making it difficult to get, for instance, larger forensic

teams into those areas. Nevertheless, there was a huge response by the emergency medical services, specifically with choppers, which is a huge

deal in Switzerland.

BASHIR: Helicopters flown in to provide support on that front, 40 ambulances as well, actually managing to get to the scene, 150 separate

medical personnel. All have been deployed as part of that emergency response.

We've also had -- the hospitals have been inundated with those injured and the casualties as a result. And now we are beginning to hear also from

foreign officials as well, because, as we mentioned, this is a tourist hotspot.

We've heard from the British consulate, the U.S. consulate, all expressing their condolences. But also, of course, there is concern around foreign

nationals, who may have been present at that party. This stage, again, no clarity but we are expecting officials to give a press conference in the

coming hours, potentially with more details.

PLEITGEN: As they're still trying to sift through all that, trying to identify people who were wounded and, unfortunately, also killed.

[10:20:00]

Nada Bashir, thank you very much for staying on top of that for us.

All right. Let's get you up to speed on some other stories that are on our radar right now.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

PLEITGEN (voice-over): The U.S. military says its strike -- strikes on alleged drug boats killed at least eight people over the past two days.

U.S. Southern Command says the targets included a, quote, "convoy of three boats" on Tuesday and, in a separate strike Wednesday, at least five were

killed on two boats.

Finland has detained a ship and its crew after a critical undersea telecommunications cable was damaged. The cable ran between the Finnish

capital, Helsinki, and the Estonian capital, Tallinn.

The ship left a Russian port on Tuesday and was headed to Israel, according to marine traffic.

And British boxer Anthony Joshua has been released from a Nigerian hospital. On Monday, the former heavyweight boxing champion was injured in

a car crash that killed two of his close friends. Joshua has family ties to Ogun state in the southwestern part of the country.

PLEITGEN: And China is kicking off the new year with a push for couples to have more babies. The country abandoned its controversial one-child policy

about 10 years ago. It was meant to slow down population growth.

But now the birth rate is declining too fast. So as Simone McCarthy reports, Beijing is using incentives and penalties to encourage people to

have more kids.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SIMONE MCCARTHY, CNN SENIOR CHINA CORRESPONDENT: Condoms and birth control pills just got more expensive in China and the reason why stretches back

decades. The change is part of a push from China's government to reverse the country's falling birth rate and encourage more couples to have

children.

In this case, condoms and other contraceptives will start to be taxed when they used to be tax free.

The change starts January 1st. That's also the 10-year anniversary of when China relaxed its controversial one child policy. That decades long policy

was meant to control China's population growth. Under it, authorities pressured families to have fewer children, including by using hefty fines

and forced abortions.

The policy left a painful legacy in China and even led to protests and now authorities are scrambling to reverse its impact.

Beijing sees the country's growing number of older adults as well as its shrinking population as a major threat to its economic growth and

authorities have rolled out a raft of policies to encourage people to have more kids, including tax breaks and subsidies and other measures. But all

that may not be enough.

As talking to young people here, many cite the high cost of raising a child as well as an uncertain economic future as reasons why they may not plan

for another kid or want to start a family at all.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PLEITGEN: Britain's Queen Camilla is speaking out for the first time about being attacked when she was a teenager. She says she had to fight off a

stranger on a train.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

QUEEN CAMILLA, QUEEN CONSORT OF THE UNITED KINGDOM: I remember something that had been lurking in the back of my brain for very long times, that

when I was a teenager, I was attacked on a train and I'd forgotten about it but I remember at the time, being so angry. It was anger.

And I thought, why is this boy, I thought was an old man, it was probably not a great deal old as me but I think attacked in what way, on a train --

on a train -- on a train and someone you didn't know, somebody I didn't know. I was reading my book.

And you know this, well, boy, man attacked me and I did fight back and I got off. I remember getting off the train and my mother looking at me and

saying, you know, why is your hair standing on end and why is a button, you know, missing from your coat and I said, I was physically attacked.

But I remember anger and I was so furious about it and it lurked for many years. And I think you know when normal subject about domestic abuse came

up and suddenly you hear a story like John and Amy's (ph) it all -- you know, it's something that I feel very strongly about.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PLEITGEN: The queen brought up the incident while talking about violence against women in an interview with BBC.

Now every time zone has now officially welcomed the new year and CNN, of course, covered celebrations around the globe. Last night, Anderson Cooper

and his co-host, Andy Cohen, wrapped up 2025 with a spin on a children's classic.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDY COHEN, CNN HOST: "Good Night, Moon."

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST: A special edition. Good night, Labubu --

COHEN: Labubu.

COOPER: I don't know what it is.

COHEN: Labubu?

You're the face of CNN.

COOPER: My kids are Amish. I don't know.

COHEN: Yes, I know.

COOPER: Labubu?

COHEN: Labubu.

[10:25:00]

COOPER: Good night, Labubu, clipped to a Birkin.

Good night, Kim Kardashians, shapewear complete with a merkin.

COHEN: Good night, Coldplay kiss cam. Good night, Meghan Markle jam.

COOPER: Good night, K-pop Demon Hunters, Golden stuck in my head. Good night. Taylor and Travis, soon to wed.

COHEN: Good night to White Lotus, Brotherly love. Good night, Katy Perry, up in space far above.

COOPER: Good night, six, good night, seven, good night to a meme now gone to heaven.

COHEN: I hope so.

Good night, Kendrick Lamar, crushing the Super Bowl in bootcut jeans. Good night, Beyonce, reuniting our Destiny's Child queens.

COOPER: Good night, Starbucks bear. Good night, Nicole Kidman's post- breakup hair.

COHEN: Let's read this together.

COHEN AND COOPER: And now it's time to feel alive as we bid good night to 2025.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PLEITGEN: And just like that, a new classic is born.

Now New York's iconic ball drop featured a dazzling new ball with more than 5,000 Waterford crystals. Times Square was packed as always but the party

had been going on for hours across the globe and, of course, CNN was right in the thick of things.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANGUS WATSON, CNN PRODUCER: Guys, welcome to 2026. Happy New Year from Sydney, Australia.

HANAKO MONTGOMERY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I hope you like my sparkly golden hat. Kind of makes me look like a unicorn as well. But it's been a great

start to the new year.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Happy New Year, Tokyo.

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: If you think Labubus are going to be out in 2026, you're --

WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Oh, my God.

STOUT: (Screaming).

RIPLEY: What the --

STOUT: Delulu.

Oh, my gosh. I realized this is a New Year's Eve miracle.

Can I have a hug?

Can I have a hug?

RIPLEY: Did you -- did you know about this?

Did she know about this?

MIKE VALERIO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's a little hard to see the spare (ph) thermometer but, oh, my God. We're closing in on -30 Celsius, which is

negative teens of Fahrenheit. But we're all soaked. We are in one of the ice tunnels of the Harbin Winter Festival.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One, two, three. Let's go.

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, John. I hope you're getting ready for your first trip ever out to Abu Dhabi. You're going to help me ring in the

New Year here. And I've got the team sorted with a whole bunch of adventures for you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good to go?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Feeling good.

ANDERSON: Here we go.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Happy New Year.

ANDERSON: Happy New Year.

PAU MOSQUERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What you see here around me is the inside of the tower that houses Madrid's most famous clock, the one that is

located in iconic Puerto del Sol. Since the beginning of the 20th century, this clock has marked the 12 chimes on New Year's Eve.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Happy New Year.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Step, step, step, kick it. Step, step, step, kick.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE), baby.

MAX FOSTER, CNN LONDON CORRESPONDENT: We're just going to talk about a few of the myths of Auld Lang Syne.

MICHAEL PEDERSEN, POET LAUREATE, EDINBURGH: There's nothing indicatively in the song which says it should be sung at New Year. Yes, it is a song of

celebrating friendships past and present, of reminiscing about the past whilst looking to the future, which I think speaks to the spirit of New

Year.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PLEITGEN: And what a night it was.

Thank you for watching, folks. I'm Fred Pleitgen in London. Stay with CNN for much more news.

END