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Syrian Civil War Dominates Discussion at G7; Egyptian President Declares State of Emergency; Sergio Garcia Wins First Major in Classic Fashion; New Alcohol Ban in India Hurting Bars, Restaurants. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired April 10, 2017 - 11:00 ET
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[11:00:13] BECKY ANDERSON, HOST: Syria's fate in the hands of foreign powers. The war dominates the G7 underway in Italy this hour. A live
update from the summit and Moscow in just a moment.
Also ahead this hour, as Egypt mourns, the president declares a state of emergency. Details and analysis coming up.
Plus, one tiebreaking hole, one emotional golfing victory. CNN sits down with the new Masters champion.
Right, hello and welcome. You're watching Connect the World. I'm Becky Anderson. Today in London for you at just past 4:00 locally.
Well, we begin this hour at the White House where an oath of office could help cement a conservative majority on the U.S. Supreme Court for years to
come.
Donald Trump's appointee is now officially a justice after a bruising confirmation fight.
Neil Gorsuch was sworn in a couple of hours ago in a private ceremony. He will take a public oath of office here at the Rose Garden. Mr. Trump also
at the ceremony, said if Democrats try to block his nomination, but Republicans ended up changing the Senate rules, triggering a so-called
nuclear option to push him through.
Gorsuch fills the vacancy on the court left by the death of Antonin Scalia - Scalia last year. We'll explain what his confirmation could mean for Mr.
Trump's legacy just ahead.
Well, at this hour, foreign ministers from the group of seven are debating what lies ahead for war ravaged Syria. Ministers from the world's
wealthiest nations, including U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, are gathered in Lucca in Italy.
Other key stakeholders in the conflict will also be in attendance. Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, Turkey and the UAE will join a meeting on Tuesday
specifically on the six years of fighting.
Now, this summit comes after the first direct strikes by the American military on Syrian government's positions response to a deadly chemical
weapons attack widely believed to have been carried out by Syrian government forces.
Well, CNN's International Diplomatic editor Nic Robertson is in Italy where the meeting is taking place. CNN's Paula Newton standing by for you in
Moscow.
Nic, to you first, this U.S. strike in Syria clearly shifting the tectonic plates, as it were, when it comes to the rest of the world's positioning on
Syria, but is it clear yet just how seismic this shift and to what direction?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It certainly has, if you will, called Russia's bluff. But Russia and Iran really seemed to have
turned the table and called Trump's bluff, if you will, saying essentially if you do this sort of thing again you will be crossing a red line, the
outcome could be different.
What Rex Tillerson will be looking for here, and what he will be finding, and has found already, is support for that strike. But what his allies at
the G7 - Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Canada, what they want to understand are the nuances of the U.S. position on Syria. Just over a
week ago, the understanding was that the United States position was ISIS first, Assad, you know, a trailing second. Now that appears to have
changed.
What they want to bring, and Boris Johnson, the British foreign secretary who was due to go to Moscow today, canceled so that he could come here and
build a strong unity of support and voice behind Rex Tillerson. What they're talking about here is the need to bring a ceasefire to Syria and
the need to bring a political change and the pressure, therefore that Tillerson needs to take. They want him to take to Moscow, is that very
clear message. But first on the agenda this morning for Rex Tillerson was to go to memorial site for a wreath laying ceremony for - at a site that
was the scene of a war crime in World War II.
August 1944, Nazi forces came into a small mountain village, 560 people local villagers, refugees among them, 130 children, gunned down in four
hours - in three hours, rather, by Nazi forces. So, this wreath laying had a very, very strong message that Rex Tillerson was putting across.
Clearly, it seems, aimed towards Syria and Russia. This is how he put it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[11:05:04] REX TILLERSON, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: We remember the events of August 12, 1944 that occurred in St. Anna. And rededicate ourselves to
holding to account any and all who commit crimes against the innocents anywhere in the world. This place will serve as an inspiration to us all.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTSON: So, what you have at the moment is the G7 sort of on its original agenda, if you will, but it is - it is being dominated, as you
say, by Syria and be joined in a multi-lateral meeting tomorrow, which is quite sort of unexpected with Turkey, Jordan, the Qataris, the Emiratis and
the Saudis as well. That's quite unexpected, Becky.
ANDERSON: And I want to find out how you assess the significance of that in a moment.
But to you, Paula, how does a clear U.S. effort to consolidate support from anti-Assad, quote, moderate Sunni allies of the U.S. on Syria complicate
Moscow's positioning?
PAULA NEWTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, they have been for many months now, Becky, on resolutely the other side, backing that Syrian regime
and also with the backing of Iran.
And remember, the Russian military has been quite successful as being - using the proxy of the Iranian forces on the ground and also the Syrian
forces on the ground in terms of waging that campaign.
What they're looking for, Becky, is to make sure that that dynamic does not change. Russia wants a pro-Russia government, one way or the other, on the
ground in Syria. They have been quite successful at consolidating their position in the Middle East in the last 18 months. What do they have to
bring leverage to the table? I think that they understand, Becky, that, look, the United States doesn't have the stomach for anything protracted in
any way shape or form. But what does Rex Tillerson going to come to the table?
You know, Dmitry Peshkov, the Kremlin spokesperson today was asked about new sanctions against, Russia. And, Becky, you and I know how much that
has hurt this country in the last little while. They're about about directed, perhaps military sanctions. Dmitry Peshkov responding, look, I
don't know. I haven't seen anything about this so far, so it's difficult for me to respond. But that might be something that Secretary of State
Tillerson brings to the table to try and coax Russia to have more of momentum going forward to the peace process because they do in one way or
another want to be able to nudge that Assad regime out of the way in order to begin that peace process with so many people saying that, look, with
Assad, the head of that regime, peace is impossible.
ANDERSON: And, Nic, these Gulf allies will have told the United States that this proxy war in Syria is so much bigger than what is going on on the
ground that this proxy war really is about control for the Middle East going forward and who has what effectively.
So, just how do you assess the significance of this invitation extended to Qatar, the UAE, Saudi and of course Turkey and Jordan?
ROBERTSON: You know, we're hearing from the White House in various sort of voices from McMasters, the national security adviser; Tillerson, secretary
of state; Mattis, the Department of Defense; but also from Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
And over the weekend, she told CNN that the priorities were ISIS, Assad and Iran, ending Iranian influence inside of Syria. And this is certainly
something that the United States can find support in its Gulf allies for.
Sunni Muslims, Iran being a Shia Muslim country, there is a natural historic antipathy. There's been a growing division in the region,
particularly over the conflict in Syria.
So, they're going to find support if what Nikki Haley says is correct, that this is an important imperative for the United States. If that's the case,
then Tillerson will find broad support there.
But he has so far been talking to them about the counter ISIS issue and that, of course, is the thing that's been more fully on the table, more
fully discussed until now, Becky.
ANDERSON: Nic is in Italy. Paula is in Moscow for you with a 360 on what is going on re: Syria and the rest of the world. To both of you, thank
you.
Well, let's get you back to the White House now, where the newest Supreme Court justice is taking a public oath office. Neil Gorsuch was confirmed
by the Senate last week marking President Trump's first major legislative victory.
CNN's Arian de Vogue is live at the Supreme Court. And as we watch these pictures it is my guess that President Trump will call this another big win
for his new administration, Arian.
[08:10:04] ARIAN DE VOGUE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely. He thinks that this is a big win.
And, you know, in many ways the court has been waiting for this. It has been short-staffed for more than a year since Justice Antonin Scalia died.
Now, Neil Gorsuch is taking these oaths. But there is no rest for the weary. He just finished a very divisive confirmation hearing in congress.
And he's going to have to start hitting the ground running here at the court. In fact, later this week, he'll go behind closed doors with his new
colleagues. And they'll discuss big cases and whether to take them up, cases like the second amendment and the idea of laws pertaining to conceal
and carry.
There's a big voting rights case coming out of North Carolina, and a case regarding same-sex marriage. There's a cake baker. He decorates artistic
cakes and he refused to do so for a same-sex couple. And they sued.
So, a lot of big issues before this 49-year-old judge who is going to hit the ground running as soon as these ceremonies are over.
ANDERSON: He will want to make his mark quickly. How will what he does, and his decisions affect the wider story in the states going forward?
DE VOGUE: Well, he's coming on to this bench with a paper trail, right. And conservatives liked him very much, because he had opinions on religious
liberty and the separation of powers that they really liked.
But keep in mind, he hasn't ruled directly on some big issues here in the states: abortion, gay marriage directly, even the voting rights cases he
hasn't voted on. So people will watch very carefully and see if he takes the judicial philosophy of Justice Antonin Scalia, the man that he will
replace, and uses that to come down with conservative results.
One thing that his nomination does is it really solidifies the conservative majority on this court, and for that that's a big triumph for President
Trump.
ANDERSON: And the Senate filibuster of his appointment, it was being touted as unprecedented. Was it? And what does that mean for the wider
picture?
DE VOGUE: Well, if you look at it this way, there was a lot of unprecedented things going on. The Democrats, they decided to fight this
even though Gorsuch was replacing a conservative, so you'd think the court didn't change.
But they decided to take this fight all the way as far as they could, and it was the first successful filibuster of a Supreme Court nominee. And the
Republicans came back and said, look, you can do this, you can block this, but we will change the rules of this Senate, because this is a totally
qualified nominee and we'll make it easier down the road for these Supreme Court nominees to be able to be confirmed.
It's a big change not only for the Senate, but for the Supreme Court. We will see different kinds of candidates, we think, coming down the road in
the years to come. Maybe candidates who are less mainstream. That's one of the impacts of everything we saw about that filibuster followed by the
nuclear option.
ANDERSON: A public oath, a swearing in ceremony. This is the Rose Garden. These are pictures coming to us live from Washington.
Let's get you to Egypt now. Anger and sorrow, a three month state of emergency is being called as the country mourns the lives taken by terror.
Parliament must still vote on the state of emergency declaration. Funerals, though, have already begun for the victims of the attacks on two
Coptic Christian churches. The Palm Sunday blasts killed at least 49 people and wounded scores of others. ISIS has claimed responsibility for
the attack in Tanta and Alexandria and warns of more to come.
Our Ian Lee joins us with more from Tanta in Egypt - Ian.
IAN LEE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Now, Becky, there is heavy security presence here at this church in Tanta where yesterday that
explosion happened.
The head - the new head, rather, of the security - the chief of police is here. He's just right over here. He's coming to inspect the situation as
well as attend a service that we're told is going to happen later.
But last night, this was really an area of mourning and anger, talking to people about how they felt just hours after this deadly attack happened.
Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
IAN LEE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: A day of celebration turns to mourning, as a bomb rips through a crowded church in Tanta, Egypt. The
devastation, the carnage, the mallear barbarism as ISIS claims responsibility.
[11:15:05] mEMI EDWARD SILIB, WOUNDED IN ATTACK (through translator): I was sitting in the front and suddenly everything went dark. I passed out
and someone pushed me off of my seat. A few seconds later, I got up and saw bodies all around me.
LEE: Then, hours later, the Coptic Pope delivers its sermon in the port city of Alexandria. Outside, a man, in a blue jacket, tries to gains entry.
When denied, he detonates his bomb. So much innocent bloodshed on this pious of days. Sadness quickly turned to rage when Christians mobbed a
regional police chief.
WIMBY LAMA, RELATIVE OF VICTIM (through translator): The authorities have received warnings before that the church is being targeted. Why weren't
proper measures taken to protect people?
LEE: ISIS has been stepping up attack against Christians here in Egypt, killing dozens in previous months. With nerves raw, and tempers high;
President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi urges unity.
ABDEL FATTAH EL-SISI, EGYPT PRESIDENT (through translator): I want to say to the Egyptians who can hear me now, you must know, that what is being
done is an attempt to destroy you, to tear you apart. Because if you are one unit, it will be difficult for anyone to defeat this country.
LEE: The President declared emergency law for three months, granting the police and army extra powers. It's hard to quantify this type of violence.
Everyone outside this church in Tanta has a story of a loved one. The pain is seen in the eyes of the survivors.
DAVID SABED, EYEWITNESS: I saw blood and organs of our friends.
LEE: This is your friend's blood?
SABED: Yes.
LEE: On the robe? What happened to your friends?
SABED: He was killed.
LEE: This Christian man asks me, when? When will he be able to pray in peace? A question tonight, with no answer.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEE: And, Becky, it's simple. It boils down to one thing: Christians here tell me that they don't feel safe. The government says they're doing
everything that they can to make them feel safe and that they should feel safe going to church and praying.
But it is going to be - take a lot of convincing after an attack like yesterday where over 40 people were killed in that deadly attack and with
this holy week coming up, people are a little nervous to go to church, Becky.
ANDERSON: Yeah, and Ian, the Egyptian cabinet has proved a state of emergency, that now goes to parliament for a vote. What does that mean in
practical terms, this state of emergency? How will it ensure the safety of those you've been speaking to?
LEE: Egypt has experienced a statement of emergency a lot in the past. Under Mubarak, during his 30 years in office, Egypt was in a state of
emergency. And what that does is it gives the police and army special powers to arrest people, to search as well as to detain without charges for
an extended period of time.
Now, human rights groups have criticized this because they say it opens it up for abuse, which we've seen in the past where people disappear, they're
tortured. But the government says this is necessary right now, because ISIS is such a threat. They even said, ISIS has said, that Christians are
their favorite prey. And so government says we need to take these necessary steps to make sure that the country is safe.
So, you not only have holy week coming up or Easter next weekend, but the pope - Pope Francis is going to be visiting Egypt at the end of the month.
The government wants to reassure everyone that it is safe not only for the Christians, but all Egptians.
ANDERSON : Ian Lee on the story for you. Thank you, Ian.
Still to come, President Trump's message to Syria's leader Bashar al-Assad. Was the U.S. military action a singular strike against the regime or a sign
of further operations to come? More on that up next.
Plus, North Korea isn't backing down despite a show of force by the United States. A report from inside the country coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:21:33] ANDERSON: You're with CNN. This is Connect the World. I'm Becky Anderson in London. I'm Becky Anderson in London for you today at 21
minutes past 4:00.
It is clear that the U.S. strikes in Syria were meant to send a message, but what is the Trump administration's message, long-term strategy for
dealing with Bashar al-Assad?
Well, it seems it depends on whom you ask. We are hearing mixed messages from top officials about what the U.S. intends to do next in Syria.
Foreign ministers at the G7 meeting are expected to press Secretary of State Rex Tillerson for answers ,but as CNN's Joe Johns now reports, U.S.
officials are demanding answers from Russia as well after last week's horrific chemical attack.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
REX TILLERSON, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: Every time one of these horrific attacks occurs, it draws Russia closer in to some level of responsibility.
JOHNS (voice-over): Secretary of State Rex Tillerson talking tough about Russia's role in last week's Syrian chemical attack on the eve of his first
diplomatic trip to Moscow.
TILLERSON: Regardless of whether Russia was complicit here or whether they were simply incompetent, or whether they got outwitted by the Bashar al-
Assad regime, clearly, they have failed in their commitment to the international community.
JOHNS: Slamming the Kremlin for allowing Syria to house chemical weapons, despite a past agreement to ensure that Assad's stockpile was destroyed.
NIKKI HALEY, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO U.N.: How can they, with a straight face, cover for Assad? There's a lot of answers that need to come from Russia.
JOHNS: U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley and national security advisor H.R. McMaster echoing Tillerson's criticism and keeping the door open for
imposing additional sanctions on both Russia and Iran due to their support for Assad.
HALEY: I don't think anything is off the table at this point.
JOHNS: But the administration's top officials sending conflicting messages about the future of the Syrian dictator. Tillerson emphasizing that
America's first priority is the fight against ISIS, not toppling Assad.
TILLERSON: It is through that political process that we believe the Syrian people will ultimately be able to decide the fate of Bashar al- Assad.
JOHNS: As Ambassador Haley insists that regime change is a primary concern.
HALEY: There is not any sort of option where a political solution is going to happen with Assad at the head of the regime.
JOHNS: An extraordinary reversal from positions articulated just last week, and a discrepancy that has not gone unnoticed by Tillerson's critics.
SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R), FLORIDA: I think that the strategy he seems to be outlining is based on assumptions that aren't going to work. There is no
such thing as Assad, yes, but ISIS, no.
JOHNS: This as the president also sends an aggressive message to North Korea just days after Kim Jong-un tested another ballistic missile. Sending
a U.S.-aircraft-carrier-led strike group toward the Korean Peninsula.
LT. GEN. H.R. MCMASTER, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR: Well, it's prudent to do it, isn't it? I mean, North Korea has been engaged with -- in a pattern of
provocative behavior. This is a -- this is a rogue regime that is now a nuclear-capable regime. And President Xi and President Trump agreed that
that is unacceptable.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: CNN's Joe Johns reporting for you.
And we have both sides of this story covered for you. North Korea, of course, a closed country, but we do have a rare report. CNN's Will Ripley
is the only American TV correspondent in the capital to reports on how Pyongyang to reacting to the U.S. show of force. And they are not backing
down.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WILL RIPLEY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We've been speaking with North Korean government officials here in Pyongyang, and they tell us they
certainly are receiving the message the United States is sending, but their response may not be what the Trump administration is anticipating.
They are monitoring very closely the activities of the Carl Vinson carrier strike group, which was dispatched to the waters off the Korean Peninsula.
They also believe that the bombing attack in Syria may have been a warning not only to China to take more action against North Korea economically, but
they believe it was also a threat to them, that the United States, under President Donald Trump is now willing to take military action if they feel
North Korea crosses a red line.
But instead of backing down, these government officials say their country will only accelerate its development of nuclear weapons and missiles that
could potentially carry those warheads as far as the mainland United States, which is the ultimate goal of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
They have been told in this society for so many years that the reason why they live in economic hardship, the reason why people don't have enough
electricity, and sometimes don't have enough food, is because the other countries are trying to invade North Korea and they are told that their
leadership, under the Kim family for three generations, is all that is standing in the way of them being taken over and colonized like this
country was for so many years when the Japanese occupied the Korean Peninsula.
And so the government continues to develop these nuclear weapons in force. In fact, it's written into their constitution that North Korea is a nuclear
state. U.S. and south Korean officials looking at the latest satellite imagery believe that at this point North Korea could push the button on its
sixth nuclear test at any moment.
And given that this is a big week for the Norht Korean leader, with a major political gathering on Tuesday. The Supreme People's assembly, and the
country's most important holiday coming up on Saturday, the Day of the Sun celebrations, a holiday which in the past North Korea has attempted to,
among other things, launch a satellite into orbit, an attempt to fail about five years ago, a nuclear test this week will be a way for Kim Jong-un to
show strength and defiance to his enemies around the world.
Will Ripley, CNN, Pyongyang, North Korea.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, Donald Trump's foreign policy challenges are outlined at CNN Digital. One expert essentially agrees with President Trump that he
inherited a mess in Syria, for example. You can check out that piece. Obama's Syria mistake is now Trump's problem.
At CNN.com, a lot more, as you would imagine there as well.
The latest world news headlines are just ahead, folks. Plus, as Egypt's president declares a state of emergency, we ask what could Abdel Fateh el-
Sisi do under this law and what is at stake? Stay tuned.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:31:33] ANDERSON: Well, in the past couple of hours. Egypt's cabinet has approved those emergency measures. They now go to parliament, which
will have the final say. The swift nature of the decision is a sign of just how paramount dealing with the threat of ISIS is in Egypt.
Well, the planned emergency laws also raise questions about the expansion of the government's powers at such a sensitive time.
President el-Sisi is, afterall, no stranger to claims of authoritarianism.
Well, let's bring in Omar Ashour who is senior lecturer in security studies at Exeter University and a great guest to have on on this.
What does a state of emergency essentially mean in practical terms in Egypt?
OMAR ASHOUR, EXETER UNIVERSITY: Practical terms it means that the government will have more powers in terms of arrest, in terms of the
duration of the arrests, without charging the suspects. And less controlled by the judiciary over the police force.
De facorily (ph), this is what's been happening in Egypt for like basically Egypt has been in an emergency status from 1967 until 1980 and then took
one year recess and then from 1981 all the way to 2011, so 30 years under Mubarak it was under emergency law. And then the - this did not solve the
problem of terrorism in Egypt. Exactly terrorism expanded under the emergency law. And now in the case of North Sinai, this is the ninth time
there are new emergency laws. There's no sign it has been under emergency law since 2013, so did not also deal well with the problem there.
So, these extra powers I think de facto Egypt is under emergency law because the police have a very, very little accountability, very, very
little transparency and so on.
ANDERSON: Be that as it may, ISIS has threatened that this will not be the last attack. They have threatened more.
Veteran journalist Robert Fisk says that far from winning the war on terror, Mr. el-Sisi's policies are fueling it. He writes, and I quote, the
unspoken fact ist that much of the Sinai Peninsula has been under ISIS control for months. el-Sisi felt able to claim that he was, quote, winning
the war against terrorism. In fact, his pernicious laws are creating more terrorism by isolating thousands of young people from any hope of a return
to democracy.
Would you call that a fair assessment?
ASHOUR: Let's put it in context. I would agree with the general tone of it. It exacerbated the problem. It was a much, much lesser problem in
2010 and 2011. After 2013, it took a different level. However, it does not really control much of the peninsula, it controls some villages in the
northeast of Sinai, so about in an area that is 10 percent of the Sinaian peninsula.
The issue there is that they have probably the best non-state armed actors in Egypt history in terms of capacity. They are quite good in terms of
guerrilla warfare. They are outnumbered - the manpower issue there is 100 soldier to one insurgent, so you would think that the problem will go away
quickly. It's not a rugged area. The rugged mountains are in the center and in the south. They are fighting in the northeast, which is coastal
flatlands, so geography not very much on their side. And their loyalty is divided. So, each clan and each tribe you have one with the regime and one
with the insurgents. So, it's...
ANDERSON: To what do you put their success down to, then?
ASHOUR: I think it's a mix of accumulated capacity in terms of military capacity on one end, accumulated urban terrorism experience in terms of
manufacturing IEDs and using them. And also the political context that gave rise to the whole - Egypt has - Sinai has a crisis since 1982,
basically since the Israeli withdrawal, Cairo has been dealing with Sinai as a security problem. That (inaudible) the problem, but of course when
you see what happened, especially after 2013, hundreds of people were killed in Cairo and in front of TV cameras.
What that brought - you know, the memories of Mubarak's suppression in North Sinai, I think that the environment was very right for recruitment
and radicalization in Sinai and ISIS capitalized on that very well.
ANDERSON: Reports that Israel has now closed the Sinai border crossing between Israel and Egypt following what they call an increase in the threat
level of Sinai, that is according to a statement from the prime minister's office in Israel. Perhaps that won't necessarily surprise you, but it adds
to the complexity of what's going on, because none of this is - we talk lines as borders, but clearly this is a very complex region at present.
So, there may be more behind that than simply what we've seen on the ground.
The violent arrival of ISIS in central Egypt, of course, isn't just a test for President el-Sisi, it's also a challenge for the U.S. President Donald
Trump who just days ago threw his support behind President el-Sisi on a trip to Washington, especially on the issue of security. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: We will do that together. We'll fight terrorism and other things, and we're going to be friends for a long, long period of time. We have a
great bond with the people of Egypt, and I look forward to working with the president.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: So, how would you expect the U.S. to respond to the rising threat of ISIS in Egypt.
ASHOUR: I think it has been responding. I don't think the advices were being taken. All that I urge President el-Sisi is to give the counter
insurgency field manual for the marine and U.S. Army Corps that was produced by General Petraeus and make the commanders of the
counterinsurgency process in the Sinai read it very simply. It's focused more about winning hearts and minds, it's focusing more and more about
isolating the insurgency. And what is happening is the complete opposite. They think the more the bodies they bring, the more dead people they bring,
whether insurgents or the relatives, or the friends, or their neighbors, that the insurgency will go away like that.
And of course this has not been happening. This has been festering the problem even more. Moreover, the quality of the soldier is pretty bad.
You know, we're sending basically conscripts who are so much wanting to leave the army as soon as possible. We're sending them in the last year to
fight locals, a hardened insurgents who have really a cause to fight for an very much convinced with the ideology.
ANDERSON: I know you want to - sorry, just before I let you go, because this is fascinating insight, you wanted to, I think, jump in as I was
reporting on the closing of the border between Israel and Egypt, your point would have been?
ASHOUR: The point was basically Sinai Province is fighting on all sides. You know, it's fighting the Israelis, fighting interesting with Hamas, and
fighting also with the regime, and partly fighting some of the locals who are not interested in them.
The collaboration here is critical, but I think the upper hand has to do with the more experienced and the more effective. And now fortunately, the
Cairo authority hasn't been neither effective nor in many ways violating their own constitution.
So...
ANDERSON: And would it not suprise you that as the efforts against ISIS in Mosul and, indeed, as we expected in Raqqa are ratcheted up that we begin
to see this ISIS activity as sort of propaganda, as it were, in places like the Sinai.
I mean, did they - I guess I'm asking you were you surprised by what you - you said you were shocked, but were you surprised?
ASHOUR: Well, my forthcoming book is how ISIS survived so far, how they endured and expanded, because they shouldn't. By all accounts of any
studying of any insurgent movement, they are very limited in their terms of numbers, and very limited even in terms of the weapons compared to the
weapons of their enemies.
The case of Sinai, in particular, is very interesting, because this is one of its weakest provinces. The actually - there are no (inaudible) there.
And it should have ended, by all means it should have ended a while ago. It did not end. I think primarily for, one, the political environment that
created this problem, the social political environment that created this problem and, two, for very mediocre and ineffective tactics used by the
Cairo authorities in its army in Sinai.
ANDERSON: Fascinating. Thank you.
ASHOUR: My pleasure.
ANDERSON: Well, Egypt's Coptic Christian community maybe a minority, but they are a fundamental part of the country. Did you know they make up one
in 10 of Egypt's population and trace their roots back to the Apostle Mark. Find out more at the website CNN.com/MiddleEast.
Live from London, this is Connect the World. Coming up, the alcohol ban that's causing a backlash in India. We'll tell you why restaurants and
hotels have been left reeling.
Plus, at the Masters, Sergio Garcia finally claims his green jacket. We'll tell you how he really did earn it.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:43:12] ANDERSON: Right, you're with me, Becky Anderson, and Connect the World out of London for you. Welcome back. 43 minutes past 4:00 here.
A major crackdown on drunk driving has caused a backlash in India. A new law bans the sale of alcohol within 500 meters of a national highway. But
as Ravi Agrawal now explains, that is hitting the country's bars and restaurants on the roadways in a pretty bad way.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RAVI AGRAWAL, CNN INTERANTIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Indian trucks. They're a familiar, colorful sight on the roads here. They and their drivers are also
the main target of a law banning the sale of liquor 500 meters from state or national highways.
According to local watchdogs, there are 60,000 fatal accidents on Indian highways every year. 70 percent are linked to alcohol.
The Supreme Court law mostly aims to curb access to small road-side liquor shacks, but the new rule has also caught some bigger establishments in its
500 meter net.
We visited the swanky "cyber hub" in Gurgaon, a city near Delhi that has been built around highways. Take a walk inside, there's a long row of
restaurants and bars, and it keeps going on and on and on. As of April 1, none of them can serve booze.
I'm at a bar called Beer Cafe, except, despite the name, there's no beer here. They're out of beer here because they're not allowed to serve it and
that's a problem because why would you come to Beer Cafe if you didn't want to drink beer.
Around me it's all empty the manager said business is down 99 percent.
Rahul Singh runs the Beer Cafe chain. Across India, several of his pubs fall within the new 500 meter rule.
[11:45:07] RAHUL SINGH, OWNER, BEER CAFE: We sell beer. That's what we do. I'm not just a restaurant. Yes, we have food and stuff, but people
come for beer and they have food with it. Beer first, food later.
AGRAWAL: No beer means no revenues.
I ask Prince Singhal, the founder of the Coalition Against Drunken Driving, if the 500 meter rule is arbitrary.
PRINCE SINGHAL, FOUNDER, COALITION AGAINST DRUNKEN DRIVING: We all understand they are in a closed area which has seating, which people can
sit down, people are secure, safe, but - so this is absolutely welcome. This - the supreme court is a welcome move. In fact, I should say this is
the beginning.
AGRAWAL: Business owners like Rahul Singh say they are all against drinking and driving, but that rules like this one just muddy the waters.
SINGH: Impact is not for today. Impact is for future. Where is my certainty of business? Well I do a business because tomorrow this could be
a kilometer?
AGRAWAL: For all the business uncertainty in India, one thing will stay certain for now: India's highways need to be dry ways.
Ravi Agrawal, CNN, New Delhi.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDRESON: Live from London, you're watching Connect the World. I'm Becky Anderson. Coming up, hold it: watch Sergio Garcia celebrate winning the
Masters. We bring you the winner's interview up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSO: You're watching CNN. This is Connect the World. I'm Becky Anderson. Welcome back.
48 minutes past 4:00 here. It took professional golfer Sergio Garcia 20 - sorry, let me start that again, it took him 74 tries for a major title.
And now he wears the green jacket of a Masters champion. The Spaniard rose through the ranks of a star-studded lineup that teed off on Thursday. But
Sunday, it was a real nailbiter that ended with Garcia finishing off England's Justin Rose on the first hole of what was a sudden death playoff.
Don Riddell joining me now with the highlights and his report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DON RIDDELL, CNN WORLD SPORT CORRESPONDENT: Sergio, that was awesome. Many congratulations. They say the best things come to those who wait.
Most people will have no idea what it was like to go through what you did today and to pull it off in the end. Can you describe what it was like and
what was going on inside?
SERGIO GARCIA, PRO GOLFER & MASTERS CHAMPION: To tell you the truth, I was quite calm all day, which was great because it allowed me to have clearer
thoughts in my head and allowed me to sing a little bit more freely. It allowed me to create thinks which was able to do throughout the whole
career. Yeah, it was an amazing day. It was a joy to be out there playing with Justin and both playing well and going at each other. So it was a
thrill.
RIDDELL: What happened at the end? I mean, it was a very moving moment for everybody who was watching. It was incredible.
GARCIA: Yeah, I could feel the energy from the crowd and everything. Everybody was -- it felt like everybody was just so looking forward to that
moment, not only myself and my whole group, my whole team. But everybody about that community. It felt like they were waiting for that to happen
and, you know, just a lot of different thoughts, a lot of different memories, past memories from past Masters for me, and all the major
championships and all the tournaments. So just a whole bunch of little flashers that -- it was nice to go through it that quickly, I guess.
[11:50:49] RIDDELL: I can only imagine how emotional it would be, just to do it. But to do it on what would have been on Seve's 60th birthday. If he
were here, what do you think he would be talking about?
GARCIA: I don't know. I mean, I think probably he'll be proud of me. I think that he'll probably have a little glass of wine together. But it was
special to do it -- to do it on his -- what would have been his 60th birthday on a place that I know has been so special for him and for his
Maria and now also for me. And it's just -- I'm glad I got to do it and, you know, we can enjoy it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Don, it's understandable that Sergio was emotional, but it's the way he talks about that emotion that is so endearing, isn't it?
RIDDELL: I know.
I mean, over the years, Sergio has had his issues. He's not always been the most popular, but he really is a lovable guy. I mean, his enthusiasm
is just so infectious. And we saw that yesterday.
It was just quite extraordinary. I'm amazed that he was able to bottle up his emotions for the entire afternoon. He said he felt really calm. I
mean, I think I believe it now seeing what he achieved. But it's hard to believe that knowing what we used to know about Sergio.
But when that winning putt dropped, you saw the emotion that came out of him. I mean, he was just roaring on the green, roaring and roaring. It
was as if he was just releasing years and years and years of pent-up frustration.
And it was just an amazing moment to be a part of.
And you saw how the patrons, thousands of them, around the green really celebrated that moment with him. And I think for anybody that was there,
myself included, I'll remember it for a very, very long time. It was just one of those amazing sporting moments.
ANDERSON: Yeah, and one of those moments that you live for as a sports fan.
The man who came runner-up is being lauded for his response. We're talking Justin Rose. Explain.
RIDDELL: Yeah, Justin Rose is one of the good guys. He's a really classy operator. He's very, very likable, too. I mean, I said to him afterwards,
Justin, commiserations. It's a shame that anybody had to lose there.
But you know what was so great about it? I mean, these two are mates by the way. They've known each other since they were about 14 years old.
They live kind of near each other in Florida. They're Ryder Cup teammates. They've had a lot of great moments together, and against each other.
But he said, you know - he's gutted, of course, but if he wanted anybody to win it, guess who it would be. This is what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JUSTIN ROSE, 2017 MASTERS RUNNER-UP: We play a lot of golf together, since we were about 14-years-old, so we've always had a good friendship and good
camaraderie, and good rivalry. So, it's nice for him now to have that monkey off his back. And I was very pleased for him.
It's going to sting, for sure, but I really feel like this is a tournament that I can still go on to win. So, I'd like to win three or four green
jackets, but one would be enough, you know, just want to win here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
RIDDELL: So, well played, Justin Rose, too.
As I say, shame that anybody had to lose that, but that's sports, that's why we love it.
ANDERSON: Amazing.
Don, always a pleasure. Thank you.
Your reporting was great, by the way, over the weekend. Fantastic stuff. Thank you.
RIDDELL: Thank you.
ANDERSON: Well, for today's Parting Shots, then, a fitting tribute at the Masters to golfing great Arnold Palmer. Here he is just after teeing off
as honorary starter in 2012.
Palmer collected dozens of titles in his more than half a century on the links. He died, of course, last year. And the four-time Masters champ was
remembered at this year's tournament with his distinctive green jacket placed on a chair for the starting tee ceremony.
Well, he was one of the greatest in the sport, and I know you would agree with me when I say that he'll be missed.
For more details on that, and many more stories, the stories that the team is on day in, day out, head to our Facebook page where we will always post
the very latest breaking news, and keep you up to date with compelling stories, of course, from the Middle East where we are normally based from
Iran's first international marathon to a musician blending traditional Arabic music with jazz. That is Facebook.com/CNNConnect.
I'm Becky Anderson. That was Connect the World. From me and the team in London, our colleagues in Abu Dhabi and in Atlanta, thank you for watching.
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