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Possible Link Between COVID-19 & Hearing Loss Emerges; China To Test Nine Million People After COVID-19 Cluster; Russian Sputnik V Vaccine To Start Clinical Trials In UAE; Israel And UAE Negotiating Embassy And Travel Rules; Liverpool Mayor Slams "Lockdown By Diktat"; Indian Celebrity Chef Feeds Millions During Pandemic. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired October 12, 2020 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Abu Dhabi. This is CONNECT THE WORLD with Becky Anderson.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: Welcome back. You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Becky Anderson. COVID-19 has left no corner of the
globe untouched and no part of our lives unchanged, and nowhere on earth are we seeing numbers like those coming out of the United States, just shy
of 50,000 cases per day.
Latin America and the Caribbean with about 650 million people in total making up more than a quarter of the world's total cases, 10 million have
been confirmed in that region. India with a population of over 1.2 billion with 7 million of the world's 37 million confirmed cases.
Meanwhile, Europe struggling to contain a rapid resurgence of the disease it's in the midst of a merciless second wave. So where to start? Well,
let's start in the U.S. where 31 of the 50 states are seeing a surge in cases.
A new influential model predicts U.S. deaths could almost double by February the 1st bringing the total number killed to nearly 400,000, and
that is if social distancing measures are kept in place.
Otherwise the number could be half a million still a lot of confusion over the president's condition. He says he's COVID-free, maybe even immune to it
only ten days or so after testing positive. But you wouldn't know it. He is hitting the road again with a jam-packed schedule this week.
Four is rallies in four days. The first one is in Florida and that is coming in the coming hours. Meanwhile, there is new controversy over one of
his campaign ads. It touts the president's handling of the pandemic and uses a quote from the nation's top infectious disease expert in an attempt
to make it appear as if he is praising Donald Trump's response. Have a look at it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: President Trump is recovering from the Coronavirus and so is America. Together we rose to meet the challenge. President Trump
tackled the virus head on, as leaders should.
DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES: I can't imagine that anybody could be doing more.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, Dr. Fauci telling CNN his words were taken out of context. In a statement provided exclusively to CNN he said and I quote, here, in my
nearly five decades of public service I've never publicly endorsed any political candidate.
Now the comments attributed to me without my permission in the GOP campaign ad were taken out of context from a broad statement I made months ago about
the efforts of federal public health officials. Those are Dr. Fauci's words.
Our Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen joining me from Atlanta, the home for the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and the home of course is
CNN's headquarters. There has been so much confusion surrounding the president's public appearances since he tested positive for Coronavirus.
I just want to be clear if testing negative isn't a criteria for being done with isolation, then what is? Help us understand, if you will.
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Right. So according to the CDC, the Centers for Disease Control, what you're looking for actually
is symptoms. Has it been ten days since you had symptoms? Are you improving and have you been at least 24 hours free of fever without using
medications?
It's those kinds of questions that doctors look at when they say, OK, you are now officially sort of, you know, able to be with other people. Now,
the White House has not been particularly transparent about what the president has gone through?
So are we sure that his symptoms are truly, you know, getting better consistently? Are we sure that he meets these criteria? It's not 100
percent clear whether that's the case?
ANDERSON: No, and those are entirely fair questions as you say when there has been a lack of transparency from the White House. Look, a new model
projects U.S. Coronavirus deaths could double by February the 1st reaching a total- of-almost 400,000. What else do we know, and is there any way for
the states to bring that number down between now and then?
COHEN: There is, Becky, certainly something that we've learned over and over again in this pandemic is that social distancing measures work, masks
work, and so the more - getting rid of things like large gatherings, making sure that people don't have huge, huge parties. All of those kinds of
things do work, so let's take a look at what this modeling suggests.
[11:05:00]
COHEN: It says that if you look at the deaths so far. It's 214,000. What this model suggests is that nearly 395,000 deaths by February 1st if we
keep doing what we're doing. If we keep taking the measures that we're taking?
But it could turn into more than 500,000 deaths if we ease social distancing mandates. So as you can see that's a huge difference there. So
it very much is in our control to try to keep those numbers down. I mean, we can't get rid of COVID magically, but you can really keep those numbers
down by taking certain steps.
ANDERSON: Yes, absolutely. I know that you've got some fresh reporting on new symptoms of COVID-19. What have you learned?
COHEN: Right. This is really interesting. COVID sort of gives all these kind of crazy unfortunate side effects such as blood clots or swollen toes,
all sorts of weird things and another appears to be hearing loss.
We've seen this with other viruses, but doctors tell me that they think it is going to actually be worse with COVID. I spoke to a 42-year-old,
completely healthy woman with COVID. Didn't have any symptoms of COVID, she was perfectly fine but she did have COVID. All she had was hearing loss.
She has lost hearing in one ear and now needs to be fitted for a hearing aid. I talked to a 23-year-old, again perfectly healthy before he
contracted COVID, had a relatively mild case and he also lost hearing in one ear. He has gained most of it back but he says that he will probably
have to live his life with ringing in that ear which is - which happens with hearing loss.
And so this is - this is very serious I mean, this is not hearing that we're talking about, and the thing that the reason why this happens? We
know that COVID can lead to blood clots and so basically the vessels in the inner ear are teeny tiny, they're among some of the smallest vessels in our
entire body and so those are getting clotted up for want of a better term and leading to this hearing loss.
As a matter of fact in the UK they did a study, they looked at 138 patients who were recovering from COVID. They were discharged from the hospital and
8 weeks later 13 percent of them said they had had some level of hearing loss.
ANDERSON: Facts first here on CNN. Elizabeth, thank you.
COHEN: Thanks.
ANDERSON: Well, we must act to save lives, that's a declaration made just moments ago by Boris Johnson, the British Prime Minister taking the wraps
off his new COVID-19 restrictions for England. He is going over his new three- tiered alert system with lawmakers as we speak in parliament Mr.
Johnson trying to put the brakes on a rising number of new infections, especially in the sort of midlands to north of the country.
CNN's Nic Robertson is standing by for us outside of 10 Downing Street in London. What did the prime minister have to say specifically, Nic?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Becky, this is a prime minister who likes to put the best and most positive spin on situations
that he can do and talk about optimism. What he spoke about today was a fourfold increase in infections over the past three weeks.
This is a prime minister preparing the country for bad news. Not as bad as it could be. He said, for example, that left to its devices the virus would
have a re-infection rate of between 2.7 percent and 3 percent. And he said no, in the country at the moment the R rate is between 1.2 and 1.5, so the
measures the country is taking are working to a degree.
But he said we have to go further and he wants to simplify that. So those three different tiers, the medium, the high and the very high, and we did
get a little bit more detail about who may be in each of those you can. There will be an app. The government has said that before.
There will be an app where you can search here sort of local area and see what level you should be at? But he said most of the country will be on the
lowest level. Those areas of the country that right now are on some sort of lockdown, they will go on the middle level and Liverpool, he said, will be
on the highest level and this is where we get the clues into what that really means?
Bars will be closed there. Gyms will be closed there, casinos will be closed there. The medium level, he said, restrictions there will be to stop
households mixing. So you'll be able to meet people outdoors, maximum number six, but not indoors.
But at the moment for the majority of the country that rule of six applies indoors and outdoors and pubs, bars and restaurants will remain open until
10:00 pm in the evening. But as we've been saying here, Becky, this is facing a big push back from many region councils in the court of the
country.
And the flavor that we got at that from the prime minister was today that he said he's still talking to the northwest. To the northeast, to Yorkshire
to - people who know the UK, that's a vast swath of the country that the government is still negotiating with those local areas for local add-ons
which the prime minister said, will ensure whatever the add-ons on. Retail schools, universities will remain open. Becky?
[11:10:00]
ANDERSON: Let's have a listen to specifically what the prime minister had to say a little earlier.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BORIS JOHNSON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: This is not how we want to live our lives, but this is the narrow path we have to tread between the social and
economic trauma of a full lockdown and the massive human and indeed economic cost of an uncontained epidemic.
With local and regional and national government coming together in a shared responsibility and a shared effort to deliver ever better testing and
tracing, ever more efficient enforcement of the rules and with ever improving therapies with the mountains of PPE and ventilators that we have
stockpiled.
With all the lessons we have learned in the last few months, we're becoming better and better at fighting this virus, and though I must warn the house
again that the weeks and months ahead will continue to be difficult and will test the mettle of this country, I have no doubt at all that together
we will succeed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: One of those areas where things are tough is Liverpool, of course, Nic, and we will be speaking with the Mayor of Liverpool a little
later this hour who says the new UK Coronavirus alert system is a diktat. What he means by that will be revealed a little while later. Nic thank you.
While the rest of the world battles the new surge in cases China, it seems, at least is has it under control or almost virus-free since August but
after 12 locally transmitted cases were recorded in one city over the weekend China has announced plans to test 9 million people in response.
Now, this cluster is located in a city popular with tourists raising fears of a wider outbreak following all of the travel during last week's Golden
Week Holiday. Let's bring in CNN's David Culver from Beijing.
In a strong contrast, David, to other parts of the world where cases are spiking, China has now for several months at least managed to contain the
pandemic. How big a concern is it that we have seen this cluster, albeit relatively small compared to elsewhere?
DAVID CULVER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And that's the thing, Becky. You look at numbers and you're saying, all right, a dozen, half of which are
asymptomatic, the others are confirmed cases, why such a big deal?
Well, this has been a country that has essentially been sealed off from the rest of the world, even though the original epicenter was, of course,
Wuhan. After that we've noticed that this has become a bubble that has really felt rather safe. I mean, you're seeing folks travel without any
issue going around, losing their masks, taking them off, feeling comfortable to not wear them in places even.
However, why this is so concerning is given what we've just experienced over the past week or so, and that is what you mentioned as the Golden Week
Holiday. Hundreds of millions of people were traveling and the concern is now did it just originate in that city recently?
Has it gone - maybe it dates back a few more days and happened as many of the folks who were traveling through there are now back in other cities.
And so that's what remains to be seen? But look at how they are handling this?
And this is something that, you know, you can argue of course the skepticism of the numbers going back to Wuhan. Something that a lot of
folks continue to question, but you look at how it's being done now in the aftermath so while there have may have been allegations of cover-ups and
mishandlings, now it seems that under an authoritarian regime it's handled quite efficiently.
I mean, you can't really argue that anecdotally we experience it because life seems rather normal. You've got 9 million people in that City of
Chengdu. They're going to be testing nearly all of them if not all of them we already know at least a 100,000 had been tested in less than 24 hours of
them starting this type of testing.
And they will continue that over the next four-plus days or so. Now what they will do beyond that remains to be seen because if we start to see
these numbers go up, and I do expect we will, then they're going to likely put in lockdowns. Is it going to be a Wuhan style lockdown?
Not likely. Becky, you remember what that was like? 76 days, it was a harsh, brutal lockdown that left many businesses shuttered and many of
those businesses still have not reopened.
So they are saying they're not going back to that. Instead it will be what they consider to be a Beijing model lockdown. Back in June we experienced
it here. It's compartmentalized, it's a portion of the city, maybe neighborhoods that will be sealed off but outside of that, Becky, life
continues as normal.
And so that would likely be the case in this one city. However, the concern again is with all the travel we saw is it just isolated to that one
location or has this in fact spread farther?
[11:15:00]
ANDERSON: Yes, fascinating. Good questions, thank you David. Well, we're going to take a very short break. Coming up after that, one of the first
cargo ships from Dubai arrives in Israel. Hear what the Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem has to say about what is a breakthrough in trade? First up
though, we will hear from the CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund about the pandemic, American politics and the Sputnik vaccine trials around
the world.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Well, this hour we've been talking about the impacts of COVID-19 and what is an alarming surge in cases in the U.S. and Europe. You can add
Russia to that list. It reported record high increases for three consecutive days with Sunday topping out as the highest daily increase
since the pandemic began.
Well, today it has been slight decrease from that high but it is still the second highest number of daily cases since this thing began. But of course,
Russia, the first country to proudly announce that it had a vaccine and we are just learning that some of the Phase III trials of that vaccine will be
held right here in the United Arab Emirates.
They say because the country offers a huge diversity of nationalities. The trials will be conducted according to the highest international standards.
We're told those trials, looming vaccine trials. Here is part of my conversation with the CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund. He's a top
Lieutenant of the Russian President Vladimir Putin.
We discussed everything from the pandemic to the U.S. Presidential Election, but we started with these newly announced human trials here in
the UAE.
KIRILL DMITRIEV, CEO, RUSSIAN DIRECT INVESTMENT FUND: We're very excited about clinical trials in UAE. Basically, UAE has a very credible regulator
that is respected by the world, by the community in the Middle East and the fact that they will do clinical trials with us for Phase III of Sputnik.
[11:20:00]
DMITRIEV: It's very important also because UAE has almost 200 nationalities.
ANDERSON: How are these Phase III trials going?
DMITRIEV: So we've already vaccinated more than 12,000 people in Russia. We started clinical trials in Belarus and Venezuela we expect to start
clinical trials also in India this week so we have lot of nations who are quite interested in this. And you know we published an article in "The
Lancet" that showed a very high level of anti- bodies.
ANDERSON: Results from the first human test were indeed published in "The Lancet." just 76 people were involved in those trials.
DMITRIEV: The key point there is based on human adenoviral vector which is very different from some of the western approaches that involved more
normal approaches. Human adenoviral vector has been tested for decades. Actually U.S. army from 1971, all of the conscripts received human
adenoviral vaccines. So we decided to choose something already existing, something already safe and something already proven and many people in the
West failed to think about this.
ANDERSON: Russian soldiers used, as quote, volunteers. Are those who are volunteering for the human trials really volunteers?
DMITRIEV: Of course, Becky, and as you can see people in UAE are volunteers and people in other countries are volunteers, and imagine if Russia really
did not believe in the vaccine we would not have started clinical trials in UAE and be so open.
ANDERSON: Critics continue to insist that the breakneck speed of the vaccine development points to political pressure from the Kremlin. Has
there been?
DMITRIEV: Well, I think if there is any political pressure it's actually political pressure from the West to undermine Russian vaccine. It's very
fascinating that West rather than trying to fight COVID is really fighting Russian vaccine all the time with different acquisition and they are self-
contradictory.
We then had acquisitions at all of the Russians billionaires get vaccinated and now we see that people are being forced so West needs to make up their
mind. Is it billionaires who gets vaccinated and then the vaccine is sort of good or is it people who are being forced and then it's not so good.
ANDERSON: U.S. Foreign Intelligence services suggest that Russia is working to steal, disrupt and prevent an American COVID-19 vaccine this according
to the Director of U.S. Counterintelligence William Evanina.
DMITRIEV: Frankly to me that's very strange and surprising that people would try to paint Russia always in dark colors. We basically say look at
this vaccine. We believe it works. Let us work together on this and other vaccines.
ANDERSON: After the U.S. President's COVID diagnosis the Head of the Gamaleya Lab whose team, of course, is developing the Sputnik V vaccine
said now would be a good time for the U.S. to seriously consider the Russian vaccine to defend themselves against COVID-19. Donald Trump would
not be in this situation if he had been vaccinated with Sputnik V. Do you agree?
DMITRTIEV: Well, all I can say is that I think it's good to cooperate on the vaccines, and it's good to study each other vaccines, and as you see
from clinical trials in UAE we're open to people studying our vaccines. I think virus is much more dangerous than people think so this is really a
horrible challenge.
ANDERSON: A lack of transparency on the results of pre-clinical and clinical trials, let alone transparency on due process, does for many
people remain concerning?
DMITRIEV: Our vaccine will be one of the best studied vaccines in the world. If we didn't believe in this, it's not only I would not have taken
my wife, my parents would not have taken it but Russia would not be so outwardly offering clinical trials around the world.
So we understand, you know, that we wouldn't be doing this and hopefully you do as well if we didn't really believe that the vaccine is very safe
and trials have showed in Russia it's very efficient.
ANDERSON: You have taken the vaccine yourself as have other members of your family. What were the side effects?
DMITRIEV: Well, for me and for my parents not much. My wife had a slightly higher temperature for about a day. For me I felt a little bit weak for
half a day. It's like you get the flu.
ANDERSON: We have seen real vaccine nationalism around the world. I'm not suggesting that Russia is any different to other parts of the world. Does
Russia assume to manufacture doses of this vaccine for its population first before you distribute it elsewhere?
DMITRIEV: In Russia we have enough production capacity originally only for Russia so we'll be basically inoculating our people, already massively
starting from the end of the month more in November and will basically with all of the vaccine that can be produced in Russia will be used originally
for Russia so this is why we need production in India and Brazil to manufacture for the rest of the world.
[11:25:00]
ANDERSON: You have bemoaned a lack of U.S. support or involvement with anything to do with a Russian vaccine development as anti-Russian
sentiment. Dr. Anthony Fauci in the U.S. has said that he seriously doubts that this Russian vaccine is safe and effective. This is a man who has
probably forgotten more about epidemiology that most of us know that isn't anti-Russian sent them that's a scientist speaking.
DMITRIEV: Well, if he calls us we'll be happy to explain to him everything about it, and I think it's best for him to study it to understand how it
works? Maybe he's one of the guys to actually stop over this huge fence between U.S. and Russia if he's not political and tried to look a little
bit more into vaccine but maybe that's too idealistic.
ANDERSON: How do you respond to the FBI Director, Christopher Wray suggesting in August that Russia is, and I quote, very actively working to
denigrate Joe Biden? You are very close to the Russian President. When he hears comments like that of the FBI Director, Russia very actively working
to denigrate Joe Biden, reiterating intelligence that Russia is working against Joe Biden, he says what?
DMITRIEV: There are lots of very wrong narratives and frankly those wrong narratives almost make Russia even more powerful in the eyes of Americans,
so if you really believe that Russia can destroy U.S. vaccine, if you really believe that Russia can really denigrate a great person that Joe
Biden is, et cetera, you frankly give too much credit to all these narratives.
If an American is in the desert and he wants to have a drink and the Russian comes and offers a drink, does this American just says I don't want
anything from Russia, go away, or does this American actually get this drink.
And I think the narrative has become so negative that people are just throwing away anything from Russia and it's just wrong. We have great
tests. We have great solutions. We have lots of problems, lots of issues, but there needs to be a more balanced perspective on Russia.
ANDERSON: Do you have any confidence that were there to be a Joe Biden Administration come second, third week of November, whenever the election
is called, that Joe Biden, President Joe Biden, would have a more pragmatic approach to his dealings with Russia, for example, on the vaccine itself?
DMITRIEV: Yes. Well, I think we'll see. I think we're really at the lowest point of U.S.-Russia relations. People, you know, think I'm doing my work
on restoration of U.S.-Russia relations and probably not succeeding too much, but I'm doing this because I studied in the U.S., and I believe it's
my responsibility to make my contribution.
ANDERSON: Kirill Dmitriev there. Well, still to come, an historic phone call as Israel and the UAE move forward on their landmark of agreement and
billions of dollars in trade between the two countries up for grabs. We'll speak to Jerusalem's Deputy Mayor about all of that up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:30:00]
ANDERSON: Israel continues to take steps towards more friendly relationships with some of the Arab World. The Israeli Prime Minister and
the Crown Prince of the UAE say they plan to meet, "Soon". Benjamin Netanyahu says the two leaders spoke over the phone over the weekend, their
first conversation since signing that landmark deal in Washington to normalize ties.
Israel's cabinet unanimously voted Monday to send the agreement to the full Knesset for approval. Let's bring this to Oren Lieberman in Jerusalem. Is
there any sense that this does anything but get passed when it reaches the Knesset?
OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It will get passed and it should be passed very quickly with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu looking to get
it through the Knesset this week, to set up what we expect to be an eminent visit from the first Emirati Delegation to visit Israel.
It seems the Emiratis want that to be in place before they visit here and that visit should be coming shortly according to one government official
here I've spoken with. So it seems the Emiratis want that in place and Netanyahu now has the approval to make sure it happens probably within the
next few days here.
ANDERSON: What will this new relationship look like, do you think, briefly?
LIEBERMANN: I think in many ways it will look like a warm relationship and that's something the Emiratis were quick to point out when we were on the
first Israeli Delegation to Abu Dhabi. There's no anger or angst or frustration on the streets between Israelis and Emiratis and because of
that there is ability here.
And certainly a potential between two of the wealthiest states in the region to move forward and to do so quickly in a relationship that's not
just friendly on a sort of relationship level but also it stretches to health, technology, tourism and well beyond that.
Of course, Netanyahu is also quick to point out the trying issue of the times which is cooperation in the fight against Coronavirus so it may take
a while for this to get going, but Israel's Minister of Intelligence has estimated that it could be somewhere between $3 billion and $5 billion of
annual trade in just a few years.
ANDERSON: Oren Lieberman is on the ground for you in Jerusalem. Israel and the UAE then pressing ahead with business negotiations just today this
cargo ship from Dubai arrived in Israel's Port City of Haifa containing electronics, cleaning supplies and firefighting equipment we're told.
Well, a move that was unimaginable a few months ago. Both countries are hoping this will open a profitable new trade route worth an estimated $4
billion a year all of this is of particular interest. Well, my next guest, Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, Jerusalem's Deputy Mayor. Right now she is about an
hour's drive away from me. She's in the City of Dubai.
In addition to meeting with UAE business leaders to discuss economic opportunities between the two countries, she also hosted a meeting between
a group of Emirati and Israeli women, and you can see them here in this photo for the first time ever as part of the Gulf Israel Women's Forum.
At this stage public communication hasn't extended much further than the signing of MOUs to indicate an intention to cooperate so in practice, and
welcome to the show, how long before Israeli businesses will start to build a presence in the UAE?
FLEUR HASSAN-NAHOUM, CO-FOUNDER, UAE-ISRAEL BUSINESS COUNCIL: I have to tell you, there's already a presence of Israeli businesses because there's
been kind of like a quiet under-the-radar normalization for a number of years. This doesn't come out of the clear blue sky.
There has already been a rapprochement for number of years. We estimate there were already about 250 Israeli businesses somehow or other working in
Dubai and in the Emirates and in general and we expect that from the signing of the agreement for three months there will be double that number.
ANDERSON: Israeli officials I know have estimated we're looking at something like $4 billion a year. Does that sound realistic?
HASSAN-NAHOUM: I think it does sound realistic. I think that there's a lot, first of all, of desire of doing trade with one another.
[11:35:00]
HASSAN-NAHOUM: Oren Lieberman mentioned earlier there's going to be peace. I can tell you I'm here and I can feel it. People on both sides and part of
a few WhatsApp forums and we've organized already a few Zooms. There is a real desire for warm peace and there's a real curiosity, one about the
other.
People asking each other cultural questions and religious questions it's actually palpable, and I'm really, really an honor to be here on the front
line of history. So, yes, I do believe that there will be a lot of trade in our relationship and tourism. I'm very excited.
ANDERSON: You talked about the opportunities between Israel and the UAE. You've specifically talked about opportunities for Palestinians in East
Jerusalem. Can you explain exactly what you believe may be on the table?
HASSAN-NAHOUM: Well, listen, in Jerusalem we're the largest city in the country and we're also the most diverse city in the country, very similar
to Dubai where I am right now in terms of the multiculturalism. 37 percent of our populations in the city of my constituents are Arabs and I Arab-
speaking more importantly.
At the moment Jerusalem and the municipality and the government of Israel for the last few years have been planning and doing infrastructural
development of East Jerusalem to provide more opportunity for people there, bring high tech and bring the prosperity of this start up nation also to
East Jerusalem.
And I see this as a very natural bridge. We have people speaking Arabic. We have a similar culture. I believe it's a natural organic bridge. We have a
lot of innovation in Jerusalem. The innovation is finally getting to the young Arab residents of Jerusalem.
And I believe that East Jerusalem could actually be the R&D - I believe that East Jerusalem could actually be the R&D hub for the Middle East.
ANDERSON: Well, that's fascinating. Just how do you go about ensuring that that happens because there will be many young Palestinians watching this
interview tonight and having felt a complete sense of betrayal about the normalization of relations between Israel and the UAE and Bahrain. So what
can you say to ensure that they are feeling more comfortable about this deal going forward?
HASSAN-NAHOUM: Most of all, I have to tell you I'm in daily contact with many leaders, young leaders as well as less young leaders in East Jerusalem
that I work with, and I don't hear anybody that told me that they are upset about it.
In fact, the people in business, it's an opportunity. When you speak to people in tourism, they feel that this is a new opportunity for Muslim
tourism that we've never really had. Of course, all the Emiratis here want to come and pray at their third holiest site which is far most believed.
And so I don't - I haven't heard. I know that the Palestinian media machine have been pushing out that they are betrayed but the people I've spoken to
are very excited by the prospects. And I can tell you that at the moment we're planning a high-tech park in East Jerusalem with hotels and
commercial centers, and I'm here to find partners in this endeavor.
And the reason that we're building a high-tech park - is in order to bring businesses, to provide employment, quality employment to the young
residents of East Jerusalem, to the graduating engineers, et cetera.
There are many, many opportunities to come from this deal, and I am here to ensure that the opportunities and the prosperity get to all of my
constituents, Jews, Arabs and Christians alike.
ANDERSON: Just out of interest. How have has the reception here been?
HASSAN-NAHOUM: I can't tell you how warm the people have been towards me? The hospitality, of course, in the Arab World is well known to be
fantastic. But the fact that I come here as representing Jerusalem people are so excited and people have been so warm.
I honestly could not have expected a warmer reception, and I truly look forward to giving them the same hospitality and reception when they come to
visit us in Jerusalem.
ANDERSON: Well, the Israeli cabinet officially approving the diplomatic accords with the UAE. I just want to play some sound from what the prime
minister had to say earlier. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: Last weekend I spoke with my friend, the Crown Prince of the United Arab Emirates Sheik Mohammad Bin
Zayed. I invited him to visit Israel. He invited me to visit Abu Dhabi but first we'll see a UAE Delegation here and another one of our delegations
will go there.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Any expectation that the UAE Crown Prince will visit Israel in the days to come? This was normalization for the dropping of annexation.
Many Palestinians will say just for how long.
[11:40:00]
ANDERSON: Are there concerns as you have discussions with business men and women here that that is how long annexation is off the table and still an
issue?
HASSAN-NAHOUM: I have to say the only people asking me about that are journalists and not the local business people or government leaders that
are meeting here to discuss opportunities. It's not even coming up. At the moment we're focused into building forward and building a warm peace.
As you know, Becky, we've had peace with Jordan and Egypt but I've never seen one Egyptian tourist in Jerusalem, unfortunately. What we have here is
version very, very different. We're building a warm peace and warm peace is built by people to people and business to business. That's how you build
trust and that's how you learn about each other's culture and really that's what we're talking about here at the moment.
ANDERSON: It is our job as journalists to ask those sorts of questions. It may not be - it was interesting to hear that you weren't getting those
questions. Perhaps there will be those watching who say you might be getting those questions going forward.
Listen, we're just a couple of weeks away from the U.S. election one of the most important elections in America's history. President Trump has been
trailing in the polls. What do you think a Joe Biden Administration will mean for the Middle East and indeed Israel's growing relationship with Arab
countries?
HASSAN-NAHOUM: Well, as far as I know and from what I've heard Joe Biden is, of course, very supportive of - of the peace deal, of the normalization
between the UAE and Israel and Bahrain and hopefully more to come, so I - I don't think it should influence.
There is momentum, and I don't see why a Biden Administration would kill that momentum because it's only good for the region. Peace is always good
and I believe that there would be support from any White House for what's happening here.
ANDERSON: And with that we're going to leave it there. We thank you very much indeed for joining us, and from Abu Dhabi, welcome to the UAE.
Well, still ahead England's proposed Coronavirus alert system does not sit well with the Mayor of Liverpool. He says his city is being arm-twisted by
10 Downing Street and he's going to join me after this short break to explain why and what he means by that?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: We told you earlier about new Coronavirus alert levels in England. In his announcement a short time ago UK Prime Minister Boris
Johnson said that the City of Liverpool is in for the toughest restrictions under the new system.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHNSON: Local authorities in the Liverpool city region will move into the very high alert level from Wednesday.
[11:45:00]
JOHNSON: In addition to the baseline I've outlined, this is as well as - that is as well as pubs and bars, in Merseyside, gyms and leisure centers,
betting shops, adult gaming centers and casinos will also close. I know how difficult this is. They, like us, like everyone in this house are grappling
with very real dilemmas, but we cannot let the NHS fall over when lives are at stake.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, if you ask Liverpool's Mayor, that's too much of a strong- armed approach. He says that the government has been ignoring pleas from cities for a month and now it's imposing, "A lockdown by diktat" Mayor Joe
Anderson joining me now from Liverpool via Skype to discuss this. I'm interested in what pleas of yours have been ignored by the government sir
explain?
JOE ANDERSON, LIVERPOOL MAYOR: Becky, we've been asking for the government to help us set up a better system of tracking, trace and testing. People
are getting tested in the city and waiting sometimes 10, 11 days before we get a response back on whether they have got COVID or not?
In the meantime they go out mixing in the community, and we've got, you know, infection rates that are rising. We've got a number of students now
returning to the city. People have gone back to where and children have gone back to school so it's driving the infection rates. So we need a
better tracking system in place.
For five or six weeks or even longer than that we've been asking for support from the central government, not just financial, but physical
support from the armed force for instance you can do logistics and do back office things to help us track and trace and help us start to bring the
virus down.
The government hasn't been listening to that. So if we straighten that dent today, we've been told that we're in a - sometimes as you know we welcome
because the virus is not - and it is getting hard to manage. We've got 277 people in hospital here in Liverpool, in the city of Liverpool. 3,000
people infected with the virus.
And so it's a real concern for us, so we want to work with the national government to help bring it down, but we think the measures that have been
introduced that are a little bit over the top in terms of, you know, it's a blanket approach rather than a selective and targeted approach.
ANDERSON: There is an individual responsibility that every member of the community has to take, isn't there, and whilst you are concerned about the
sort of measures that have been imposed, as you say, by sort of diktats. There are reports of people having huge parties for example in Liverpool.
I'm not suggesting that isn't happening elsewhere, but these are stories that have made the headlines of your local press.
Are you concerned and disappointed about the response by Liverpool's population to clearly what is going on, you know, which is not just in the
UK around Europe is a real disaster as present?
J. ANDERSON: Yes, of course I am. I'm disappointed and angry because we've still got people who they say is people who don't think that this virus is
a concern supported by your main man President Trump as well. He doesn't believe that the virus was, you know, something that will go away.
So it's disappointing that people still believe that. It's disappointing that people in the city of Liverpool, the residents that have elected may
have been ignored and mind messages nor the people's messages.
And you're right. It's about personal responsibility. It is about taking responsibility for your actions because if you cared about your community,
care about your family, care about your city then you should help us try to bring this virus under control.
But my clear message to those people look, the law will come down on you really hard if you don't follow the restriction measures that are put in
place because this is about trying to save people's lives and livelihoods.
ANDERSON: Sure. Listen, by the way, just so you know I have born and breed in England and spent a lot of my time up in the part of the country from
where you are from. So I know your area very, very well.
You have said that the government's financial package for Liverpool will take the city back to the position that it was in the 1980s, and I remember
that very, very well with large levels of unemployment. What specifically are you asking for at this point?
[11:50:00]
J. ANDERSON: Well, we've got a scheme called the furlough scheme when the government introduced the national lockdown measures back in March. It was
also supported by financial package called furlough package.
And basically we evolved you that if you're going to close businesses down here, restaurants, gyms, casinos, boot- makers, which employ thousands of
people that you should actually give a local financial furlough package that to make sure that those businesses, you know, can stay afloat and
don't go on there and also to support the people that work in that industry.
What the governments are now introducing as of Wednesday is a package that's two-thirds of people's wages. So if you're on low pay and usually
the people that work in the hospital sector, are rely on tips, but if you're in that - you're getting your wages reduced by two-thirds - you're
only getting two-thirds of your wages but nobody reducing your rent by third or your shopping bill by third or your electric or your gas costs by
a third.
ANDERSON: Yes, I understand.
J. ANDERSON: We're all angry that that's not happened in the full furlough package.
ANDERSON: And I think other people watching this will absolutely understand, and I know it's a similar situation reflected in other places,
of course. Finally the English Premier League resumes this weekend with top of the table Everton hosting the local rivals Liverpool at Goodison Park.
Are you committed to helping that match go ahead? As I understand it, it will go ahead. Look, we know, we realize there's no audience at the stadium
but doesn't the gathering of people to watch a Merseyside Derby like that worry you? Is it really a reasonable decision to have that game go ahead?
J. ANDERSON: Well, yes, look, I think at the end of the day you just said that, you know, the stadium and the bubbles that the players are in is
COVID safe. And, therefore, you know, even the celebration cameras, you know, maintain their COVID distances so I don't see any reason why the game
shouldn't go ahead and go on as long as the rules they follow and the guide lines they followed and if they do that then you know why spoil people's
entertainment? I'm an Everton fan, by the way.
ANDERSON: I was going to ask you but then I thought I probably shouldn't because it's so political out there who you support? But you know what good
for you for telling me. Mr. Joe Anderson, my namesake, thank you sir for joining us fascinating insight on a part of the country which clearly is
suffering very similar situation to many parts of not just the UK but other parts of Europe and around the world thank you, sir.
Just ahead on "Connect the World" an Indian Chef who is comfortable with presidents and royalty takes on a new mission. We're going to show you how
he's delivering much-needed food from 7,000 miles away?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: India's Health Minister says Hindus can safely celebrate their faith and still be safe from the Coronavirus. India has just topped 7
million cases of COVID. As a major Hindu festival period approaches the Health Minister says there's no need for the religious to congregate in
large numbers to prove their faith.
The doctor said Lord Krishna's goal and the goal of everyone in country is to beat the virus and save humanity.
[11:55:00]
ANDERSON: With that goal of saving humanity it is, I mean, in mind, one Indian Chef who has cooked for celebrities and presidents is now providing
millions of meals for those struggling in the man democratic. Vedika Sud tells us more about the man on a global delivery mission.
VEDIKA SUD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hope - for millions of India's underprivileged who have been struggling to survive the COVID-19 pandemic.
This massive food drive is the brainchild of an Indian Chef Vikas Khanna.
For the last six months Khanna has been implementing every step of the project from his home in New York City. After India implemented its first
lock down in March Khanna donated to charity but images of Indians in need stayed with the chef who decided to take direct action.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VIKAS KHANNA, INDIAN CHEF: We started backing short listing different cities. So, on the room I had this wall where I put the name of the city
and I start putting the name of the places where they need food.
(END VIDEO CLIP
SUD: Khanna soon realizes managing logistics from over 7,000 miles away wasn't easy so he collaborated with India's National Disaster Response
Force to deliver food and amenities to remote areas of the country. He says they distributed food to sex workers, seniors, HIV-AIDS patients, flood
victims and migrant workers.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
S. N. PRADHAN, DIRECTOR GENERAL, NATIONAL DISASTER RESPONSE FORCE: Even it was a one man show out there from there, I said OK, we can be your hands
and ears and legs.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SUD: Khanna who cooked for President Obama in the White House is one of the first Indian to have been awarded a Michelin Star. He has written 35 books,
including what's been called the world's most expensive cook book itself. He's also filmmaker but his mission to feed millions of his fellow Indians
remains is closest to his heart.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KHANNA: Film starts here, it started here, and this was stopping the project. Brain was saying there are too many pending projects.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SUD: There are days when Khanna feels overwhelmed by the magnitude of the project. His mother back home in India doesn't let him give up.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I convinced him by saying that as you've got out of India you should do something for your country. Why not when everybody
suffering?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SUD: The 48-year-old Indian says he was born with club feet. For 11 years he walked with the support of braces and then wooden shoes. For Khanna
supporting millions of fellow Indians will be a bigger movement than the day he first ran. Vedika Sud, CNN, New Delhi.
ANDERSON: And with that, that's it from us for this evening. Thank you for joining us wherever you are in the world. It's a very good night from Abu
Dhabi. Indeed, stay well.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
JOHN KING, CNN HOST: I'm John King in Washington. Thank you so much for sharing a very, very busy news day with us.
END
