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Connect the World
India Endures Brutal Second Wave Amid Call For Calm; Bollywood Star Steps Up Fight Against COVID-19; Iran Slaps New Sentence on British Iranian Charity Worker; Israeli Armenian Reaction to U.S. Declaration on Genocide; CNN Speaks to Armenian Ambassador to the U.S.; CNN Speaks to Head of Institute Behind New Malaria Vaccine. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired April 26, 2021 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are seeing so many bodies coming in families are breaking down. Ambulances are passing by with bodies. They've been brought
into this crematorium ground where funeral fire is lit. And families say the final goodbyes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I tried almost all the hospitals he says everyone told me they had no oxygen supply. So I came here and they shoot us away at the
gate saying they don't have any oxygen.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Doctors were breaking down on social media in front of the camera saying patients will die.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Abu Dhabi. This is "Connect the World with" Becky Anderson.
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST, CONNECT THE WORLD: Welcome back. At the top of the last hour the World Health Organization's Chief Scientist telling me
that she would not be surprised if India's COVID cases are far higher than those being reported and the official numbers are already record shattering
350,000 a day.
The advice from top officials there doesn't panic. Well, India's government now trying to calm down public outrage is the country in jaws of most
brutal COVID-19 surge anywhere since the start of the pandemic India shattering a global daily case record Monday for a fifth straight day. You
see what this enormous surge of cases in this chart is.
And just last hour, the W.H.O's Chief Scientist telling me that total number of infected could be 20 to 30 times higher than what is being
reported. And this is the reality on the ground hospitals in New Delhi turning to social media to send out SOS messages over oxygen shortages.
Patients packed into emergency wards waiting for life saving treatment that may never come.
Outside those hospitals, mass cremations and mass burials in New Delhi under lockdown until at least next Monday. Well, several countries are
pledging ventilators and other medical equipment the aid effort just starting the need is immediate. CNN's Anna Coren has more on the dire
conditions in India and why critics of the government say this never had to happen?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANNA COREN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): As smoke rises over a pile of ashes, another family huddles over the remains of their loved one. A son
says farewell to his 49 year old mother who died of COVID a day ago, while his twin brother fights for his life in hospital.
Another body draped in marigolds is led into the crematorium and assembly line of death and misery on an insurmountable scale. For a fifth
consecutive day India has set a global record for daily infections and deaths, but health experts believe the real numbers could be much higher.
The acute shortage of oxygen across the country is the main killer as hospitals already overcapacity turn away patients who don't have their own
oxygen cylinders and supply.
DR. SCL GUPTA, MEDICAL DIRECTOR, BATRA HOSPITAL: But here if somebody dies, you know he dies because of a lack of oxygen. You cannot describe that
feeling man, but you feel like crying. You're feeling so helpless.
COREN (voice over): Unable to get an ambulance this family takes their brother to hospital in a rickshaw, his feet protruding. But like all the
others they visited, it has no available beds, let alone enough oxygen.
I tried almost all the hospitals he says everyone told me they had no oxygen supply. So I came here and they shoot us away at the gate saying
they don't have any oxygen. The wait outside excruciating, beheld never comes. He shakes his brother, but it's too late.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has described the second wave as a storm that has shaken the country and announced the construction of more than 500
oxygen generation plants. But that's called comfort for the families who feel their government has abandoned them and left them to fight this
pandemic on their own.
When critics say the government should have been preparing and stockpiling for the inevitable, it dropped its guard allowing social gatherings,
religious festivals and political rallies to be held some the Prime Minister himself attended, giving the virus the chance to spread and
mutate.
In the Capital, New Delhi there is more than 30 percent positivity rate. And half the case by the start of this month with a more contagious variant
that's afflicting younger people and has now been detected in the UK and Switzerland.
For Radio Host Stutee Gosh whose father contracted COVID, she pulled him out of hospital because she feared he would die there. For every 200
patients, only one doctor was available. She bought an oxygen concentrator on the black market for an exorbitant price, allowing her father to be
cared for at home whom she says if you don't have money and privilege, what hope do you have in saving your loved ones?
[11:05:00]
STUTEE GOSH, RADIO HOST: If God forbid you. You're in - you're in a position where you can't live. And you've doctors were breaking down on
social media in front of the camera saying patient will die. Patients are being turned away because there is no oxygen. Who will answer this? This is
a failure.
COREN (voice over): Anna Core, CNN, Hong Kong.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, my next guest has become a household name in India and a vital support system for countless families during this pandemic. Hollywood
Actor Sonu Sood assisting people through the Sood Charity Foundation. Last year, he helped guide thousands of stranded migrants home to Indian and
gotten food and supplies after the country's initial lockdown.
This is what his Twitter feed looks like today. He is now getting people life saving oxygen and other medication. He's a bright light in India as
the country in jaws one of its darkest moments. And Sonu Sood joining me now from Bangalore, it's very good to have sir.
So many people will have seen these images, the mass cremation sites. They are arguably some of the worst and gut wrenching images to come out of this
pandemic so far. I just want you to listen to what one health official said earlier today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RANDEEP GULERIA, DIRECTOR, ALL INDIA INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL SCIENCES: There is an unnecessary panic among the public. And it is causing more harm than
could. Anyone who is COVID positive even if their saturation is normal and they have no symptoms they panic.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Don't panic he says. What do you make of those comments sir?
SONU SOOD, BOLLYWOOD ACTOR: Of course, I truly agree that you know, you don't need to panic, but here the situation is pretty grim. You know, my
phone rings 24/7 in the middle of the night at 3 am someone pleads that, you know, say my father, I lost my mother two days ago and we get a bed
somehow, which takes us two to three hours to get a bed, any part of this country.
And next morning we get an inflammation, the father is no more. So I think the situation is very bad. You can't ignore the fact that people are dying,
people are not getting oxygen, there people are not getting beds and people are not getting any kind of medicines that are required. So obviously they
are going to panic, they are going to run from one place to another. And I think people are losing their loved ones in numbers, which you can't
actually count.
ANDERSON: Let's talk about the work that you are doing because this is extraordinary. You set up a Telegram Channel and tweeted today that you've
had over 20,000 requests outstanding with the overwhelming majority asking for oxygen. You say you are up 24/7 doing this. How did it get to the stage
where Bollywood actors have to find people hospital places and provide oxygen? Surely this should have been the government's job.
SOOD: I'm sure the government must be doing their bit. But you know, when I was sending migrants back to their homes, I connected with almost a million
migrants and all these people when they have problems before the second wave began. They had problems with education or whether they had the
problems with their medicals.
So I was handling and we did close to around about 7500 surgeries, the most major surgeries and then everyone knew that OK, this is a name, whom we can
rely on. And my number mostly everyone in the country they have I still use the same number. And I get almost 80 to 90,000 messages on my social media
for help.
And obviously it's not possible for me to reach out to everyone but I bought a huge team now whom I have never met in my life but they are
getting connected and they're trying to help. And now we have close to a bunch of predatory 20 to 28,000 requests every single day which we try to
fulfill but it seems next to impossible.
ANDERSON: Yes, I think you're being very charitable about the government's response but let's talk about your response here. I mean, which I like I
say you know is being quite remarkable. How are you managing for example to find oxygen and hospital beds when so many people can't?
SOOD: You know, I've been in touch with a lot of people like I said, you know, I'm very accessible to every single person. So a lot of people who
have oxygen, they call them that we have oxygen if you need sir we'll get it.
I'm in touch with people who have their oxygen plants. I'm in touch with people who provide injection like Remdesivir is a huge need now we have in
India. So I'm in touch with the - you know, the people who have the manufacturers, the distributors, we try to get as many as to the people who
need them.
So anyone if one gets a support. So he sends it to everyone. OK, Sonu Sood is there just call him and the word has spread and now everyone is calling.
[11:10:00]
SOOD: And I mean we run every single day we run short of oxygen and for these injections and hospital beds also. But like I said, you know, now
this one number they have, and it's spread all over, so I can't switch it off also, and I have to answer as many as also I can to save lives.
ANDERSON: Look, some of the people that you've helped recently have included some really harrowing cases, including helping airlift, a
critically ill young woman who had lost 90 percent of her lung capacity due to COVID. I mean, this must have had a real emotional impact on you. How
are you coping?
SOOD: No, it was very sad say I remember when this girl. But it was a - she works in an airline company in India, 25-years-old - 25 years of age. And
the doctor said you have to move her to a ventilator. So we got into another hospital highly, which I got admission somehow. But they also said
its 90 percent lung damage is there and it's no way you can get that treatment done in Nagpur.
And that only place you can do is in Hyderabad. And the girl can't move we need to have some equity back special doctors have to fly from Hyderabad in
Nagpur get her on - and then the air ambulance has to travel. So the parents everyone gave hope they said you know, sir, I don't think so our
daughter will be survive. And I asked the doctors in Hyderabad, what are the chances of survival?
They said, 20 percent. Do you want to take this? I said we will take those chances. We flew her to Hyderabad now she's surviving, we're just keeping
our fingers crossed that she's able to come out of the lung damage. But yes, we are very hopeful. And I think that said a lot of message across to
the world that you know, help can come.
There is a company called - who came forward, they said, no matter how many patients we need, these are poor patients who can't afford those air
ambulances. And if you are there to support them, we are there for you. I think that's what we need.
When a community comes together to help each and every single person otherwise it's not possible. The kind of need that people have I think the
whole country has to come together join hands and help all these people.
ANDERSON: For both rich and poor is your point as well. You were - you really are at the frontline of what is a total mess at the moment. Because
you are getting so many requests and how worried are you that things will get worse before they get better?
SOOD: I'm - I get sleepless nights you know, I get goose bumps when I talk about it. It's so sad - when I speak to the kids who are pleading to save
their parents, you know, they said please save you know, we have only our mother left only our father left. And they say they are no more.
Then the whole family is COVID positive then they are all struggling in front of the hospital to get a bed. So I feel very, very sad. I feel
heartbroken by it. My heart breaks when I go through all those cases. And I feel that I wish I could do something some magical trick, I should have a
magical band where people get their beds that they won't be that's what they deserve.
Oxygen is what they deserve. And if you're not able to give them, I think some way we've failed and I feel really, really helpless. And I wish I
could do something for them. But I'm trying to do my best. And I know it's not an easy job, but it will take some time. I would say to come out of it.
It will take at least 15, 20 days if we actually follow the rules and the whole country comes together to help each other.
ANDERSON: Yes, that's the point, isn't it? At this point, follow the rules, no more mass gatherings, you know, with cricket matches with thousands of
people in attendance and social distancing all the stuff that we've been told now for 18 months and yet health authorities in India say they will
caught off guard. It does seem absolutely remarkable.
Now, you recently recovered from your own bout of COVID. How was your experience and are you now recovered yourself?
SOOD: I will say basically I was - because I was - this room. I was busier, more occupied -
ANDERSON: Unfortunately, we've lost my guest Sonu Sood's story is quite remarkable. Well, you certainly heard from the man himself and the work
he's doing is really quite something in a country where authorities say don't panic. Well the world is certainly now watching.
And here in the UAE Dubai, for example lit up the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa with the Indian flag and a show of support. It is followed
by the #staystrongindia. Indians make up the UAE's largest expat community. The Indian Embassy here, tweeting as India battles the gruesome war against
COVID-19 its friend the UAE sends its best wishes.
[11:15:00]
ANDERSON: Well, we are also following developments this hour. The hospital fire in Baghdad in Iraq that has killed at least 82 people the Iraqi
parliament committee blames the fire on electric cooker that was being used by family members who were visiting their loved ones. As according to the
committee's preliminary investigation the hospital was built in 1959 and it didn't have a central fire extinguishing system and fire extinguishers were
not maintained.
Well, the fire was initially blamed on oxygen tanks exploding. Well come coming up next, our CNN International launch a new show "One World" with
Zain Asher, which will showcase stories across Africa and on today's show Zain speaks for the Former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for her
vaccine on what is going on as far as COVID is concerned in India and vaccine inequity. Here is a preview.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ELLEN JOHNSON SIRLEAF, FORMER LIBERIAN PRESIDENT: The in equity demonstrated by the access to vaccine is just a microcosm of the inequities
and injustices that have now been exposed as a result of COVID-19.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, that's "One World" with Zain Asher that's coming up next hour do please tune in just after "Connect the World". Well, to Jerusalem
now where police are taking steps to reduce tensions. They've taken down controversial crash barriers from the plaza in front of the Damascus Gate.
Palestinians came out to cheer the move and to pray. The barriers were put up at the start of Ramadan to prevent gatherings at the old city gate. Now
the move triggered days of protests, some of which turned violent. CNN's Hadas Gold has been following the unrest and she has the very latest for
you now from Jerusalem, Hadas.
HADAS GOLD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, that's right. Police did remove those barriers after more than a week of tensions that were resulting in
some violent clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli Police outside of Damascus Gate. This is the - that is the main entrance for
Muslims entering the Old City of Jerusalem.
The Palestinians were protesting the erection of those barriers because people like to congregate in that plaza, especially during Ramadan, those
barriers and the police were preventing them from congregating - as you noted to some violent protests, some violent protests and clashes. Many
people were injured and several were arrested.
And it's part of boiling tensions in the city at large. There have been also incidents of violence of Palestinian on Israeli, Israeli on
Palestinian and last week we saw a march by Jewish extremists who at one point were chanting death to Arabs, all of this contributing to the
tensions that you saw in the plaza there. That's why police removed those barriers.
Authorities saying that they hope it will help calm things down reduce the tensions. We shall see tonight, Becky, though whether that will have any
effect, because at the same time south of here in Gaza, Gaza militants have been firing rockets into Israel.
They in the last three days they fired 45 rockets towards Israeli communities. They've specifically cited the tensions in Jerusalem as one of
the reasons behind firing these rockets into Israel. The Israeli army has responded with certain airstrikes and they've also started to take further
measures.
So all eyes Becky will be on this evening to see whether things will be calm in front of Damascus Gate and whether we will see any further action
from Gaza?
ANDERSON: Yes, absolutely. Thank you, Hadas. And Hadas has also been to the Armenian Quarter in Jerusalem after the U.S. President recognize the
massacre of Armenians in World War I as a genocide reaction to that is just that a little later in this show.
Plus, Iran deals another blow to the campaign to free British Iranian Charity Worker Nazanin Zaghary-Ratcliffe, more on the additional sentencing
and charges against her.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:20:00]
ANDERSON: Nazanin Zaghary-Ratcliffe, the British Iranian Charity Worker imprisoned in Tehran is now facing a new one year sentence and a one year
travel ban on top of the five years that she's already served. Iran is accusing her of spreading propaganda against the regime. Well, Scott McLean
is covering this story from London. Scott, what do we know at this point?
SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Becky. Well, this woman as you mentioned, a UK Iranian citizen a dual citizen has been through an absolute
nightmare over the last five years. And now as you said that nightmare is going to be extended for another one year.
Just to remind you Nazanin Zaghary-Ratcliffe was picked up at the airport in Tehran back in 2016, when she was trying to return home to the UK after
visiting her family in Iran along with her 22 month old daughter. At that time, the government accused her of plotting to overthrow the Iranian
regime something obviously she has denied from the outset.
She has now endured four years behind bars one year the last year of her sentence was under house arrest. She has endured a suspected bout of the
Coronavirus. Three separate hunger strikes she has been on to try to get better medical treatment. And even her husband Richard Ratcliffe himself
has gone on a hunger strike he camped out outside of the Iranian Embassy at one point in the last five years to try to draw attention to her case and
put pressure on British officials.
Last month, she actually briefly felt freedom. Her ankle monitor was taken off of her after her five year sentence finally ended but she wasn't
allowed to leave the country. And that's because one week later she was summoned back to the court to face these new charges of propaganda against
the regime.
And now we know that she was found guilty and sentenced to this additional year and an additional one year travel ban though it's not clear according
to her legal representatives in the UK just yet, whether or not that one year will be spent actually inside an Iranian prison or whether she'll be
able to spend that time under house arrest?
The British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab called this news, cruel, inhumane and wholly unjustified. Here's what British Prime Minister Boris
Johnson said about it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BORIS JOHNSON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: Obviously, we'll have to study the detail of what the Iranian authorities are saying. I don't think it's right
at all that Nazanin should be sentenced to any more time in jail. I think that it was wrong. I think it's wrong that she's there in the first place.
And we'll be working very hard to secure her release from Iran her ability to return to her family here in the UK, just as we work for all our dual
national cases in Iran and the government will not stop we will redouble our efforts. And we're working by may say with our American friends on this
issue as well.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MCLEAN: So Becky, I should also point out the Prime Minister Boris Johnson is not a mere bystander in this case. In fact, at one point he was a
central part of the case. That's because back in 2017, you might remember, he was then the British Foreign Secretary and he told a British
Parliamentary Committee that she was in Iran to teach journalism.
Well, he quickly apologized and retracted those comments. But the damage had apparently already been done. That same year an Iranian court hearing
cited those comments as evidence that she was in fact spreading propaganda about the regime. It's not really that clear, though, how much of an impact
those comments had actually had on her case?
And that's because her husband Richard Ratcliffe points out that look, Iran is simply using her as a bargaining chip and engaging in what he calls
hostage diplomacy. He says that his wife was once offered freedom in exchange for spying on the UK for Iran. And even in 2018, the Iranian
Foreign Minister floated the possibility of releasing her as part of a prisoner swap, Becky.
ANDERSON: Yes, Scott McLean on the story, thank you. Well, there is much criticism around the world of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard, but
rarely; from within Iran's own government. Well, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif was caught on an audio recording criticizing the guard in the
assassination Commander of the Elite Quds Force Qasem Soleimani.
[11:25:00]
Zarif was talking to a journalist for a research project apparently when he said diplomacy was being undermined by Iran's Military actions. He adds
Soleimani was trying to sabotage the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. Well, the Foreign Ministry Spokesman said it was confidential dialogue and was not
supposed to be an interview. Well, you're watching "Connect the World" with me Becky Anderson. It is 25 minutes past seven and coming up.
The fight against an enemy common to us all a groundbreaking vaccine candidate for malaria may be able to save hundreds of thousands of lives
every year. We'll speak with the Director of Oxford's Jenner Institute coming up. Plus, Armenians have been waiting an awful long time now they've
got official U.S. recognition of a nightmare that has haunted them for generations. I'll be talking to the Armenian Ambassador to the United
States about that up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Armenians around the world are feeling a new sense of hope and justice. That is because U.S. President Joe Biden has broken with what has
been decades of American foreign policy by officially recognizing the massacre of Armenians under the Ottoman Empire, as genocide.
Biden Administration appears to be signaling a commitment to global human rights but Turkey, a NATO ally is furious. Well, on Saturday was
commemorated as Genocide Remembrance Day by Armenians around the world. They've been making Jerusalem their home for centuries. CNN's Hadas Gold
took a walk in the Armenian Quarter connecting us to some of its stories.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOLD (voice over): Flags fly at half mast in the Armenian Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem as special church services memorialize the atrocities
of more than a century ago. After so many years, this Remembrance Day came with a hope that was fulfilled American recognition of the Armenian
genocide. Community Historian George Hintlian, whose parents were refugees of the 1915 violence, said Biden's announcement is a crowning act.
GEORGE HINTLIAN, ARMENIAN COMMUNITY HISTORIAN: President Biden has acted in the spirit of the founding fathers of America. And I think this will impact
more than others, Turkey to confront its past.
GOLD (voice over): The Armenians traced their arrival here back to the fourth century around 10,000 people of Armenian descent live in Israel,
with about 2000 of them in Jerusalem.
[11:30:00]
GOLD (voice over): Part of an intricate patchwork of Orthodox Christian communities that have made their home in the city for more than 1000 years.
For Israeli Armenian Activist Harout Baghamian Biden's declaration has been bittersweet because the Israeli government stopped short of recognizing the
massacres as genocide.
HAROUT BAGHAMIAN, ARMENIAN-ISRAELI ACTIVIST: I call upon Israel I call upon the government to put politics aside. This has nothing to do with politics.
It's Israel's moral obligation to recognize the genocide as genocide again, to prevent it from happening again and also to respect the memory of the
victims of the Holocaust, and the victims of Armenian genocide.
GOLD (voice over): This announcement comes during a very important time for the Armenian community in Jerusalem. Not only is it the 106 anniversary of
those mass killings that the Biden Administration is recognizing as a genocide that also came one day before meeting in Palm Sunday, the
beginning of the holiest week for the Armenian community in Jerusalem.
A Holy Week for the oldest Armenian Diaspora Community, now marked by hope that the American Declaration will lead to further justice. Hadas Gold,
CNN, Jerusalem.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, Varuzhan Nersesyan is the Armenian Ambassador to the United States. He joins us live from Boston. It's good to have you on sir. By
recognizing the mass killing of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire during World War I as genocide Joe Biden, of course, is breaking with his
predecessors and decades of U.S. foreign policy.
I just want you to explain the significance of this and the impact it will have on Armenia and Armenians around the world.
VARUZHAN NERSESYAN, ARMENIAN AMBASSADOR TO THE U.S.: Well, thank you very much, Becky. Of course, on April 24th, President Biden adopted a decision
of historic magnitude - historic importance by recognizing the genocide of Armenians in Ottoman Empire.
This comes in addition to the 2019 congressional recognition by the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate, the Armenian Genocide, by which
now the United States officially recognized this the genocide of 1.5 million Armenians in their historic homeland, and this is as such as, as an
act of historic importance.
Of course, this is not only about the past atrocities and past genocides; this is also very much a message to our contemporary times and to the
future. Armenian Genocide was the first genocide in the 20th century. And as such, because it was not at the time of the genocide in the middle of
the First World War, condemned and recognize is set a very tragic precedence for other genocides in the history of humankind.
And then we saw the other crimes against humanity, such as the Holocaust of the Jewish people, the genocide in Rwanda, in Darfur, and elsewhere, and up
until now, that's why the recognition is very important and also on the precedence of the Armenian genocide the very term genocide was coined by
Raphael Lemkin. So in this sense, of course, it has a lot to do with our also current times.
So this has been effectively equating the anti Armenian violence in the First World War, with the atrocities on the scale of those committed in
Nazi Germany, in Rwanda, as you rightly pointed out. Turkey and it was the Ottoman Empire the Joe Biden blames for these mass killings and chose to
describe it as genocide, not Turkey.
But Turkey, says claims of genocide are outrageous. And it's told the U.S. that this announcement has and I quote him here. I quote Ankara here opened
a wound in relations between the two. And that will not surprise you at all. I wonder what you believe the broader geopolitical implications are of
America making this declaration after all, you have been lobbying Washington or your predecessors certainly have for years to ensure that the
Americans would finally make this declaration.
NERSESYAN: Thank you, Becky. Of course, this declaration is an opportunity for Turkey itself, to reconcile itself for with its past and to recognize
because if Turkey wants to heal the wounds, not to open the wounds, but this declaration, is there an opportunity to heal the wounds and to open an
opportunity for Turkey itself to recognize the Armenian genocide and normalize afterwards the relations with his neighbor, Armenia.
[11:35:00]
NERSESYAN: But Turkey not only has not recognized the genocide, but has been in complete denialism. And this denialism is what causes these waves
of recognitions. And we are deeply, deeply, you know, grateful to President Biden for this historic recognition.
So, this recognition comes to bring a more security to our region and then looks towards the future. But Turkey not only--
ANDERSON: Yes, I want to know whether it does or not though? Let me just point to you, because I know what you want it to achieve. But I wonder
whether that is what it will achieve because Ankara, with President Erdogan in charge is absolutely furious about this.
Look, Armenia's Prime Minister resigned yesterday in order to trigger an early election in June and he's been facing sustained criticism over his
decision to call a ceasefire last year, with the conflict with Armenia's neighbor Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan backed significantly by Turkey in that.
There's an awful lot of political unrest in the region around Armenia, Turkey, and Azerbaijan. There have been an awful lot of protests. I just
wonder whether, firstly, you think these elections are going to solve any of these tensions in your country.
And whether you genuinely believe that by the U.S. making this declaration, which is fantastic for Armenians around the world, but whether you
genuinely think that's going to actually plaster over the cracks in this region, or actually could make them worse.
NERSESYAN: Thank you, Becky. I genuinely believe this declaration is going to contribute to the peace and security in our region. But as I wanted to
say that Turkey not only did not recognize the Armenian genocide and was in complete denial, Turkey, in our days continues to threaten and destabilize
and to threaten Armenia.
Just like last September, Azerbaijan conducted a full aggression with Turkish participation and support against the people of - Turkey became a
full part of that war, dispatching foreign terrorist fighter jihadist terrorists there, and dispatching these deadly drones there and this
commandos.
So Turkey continues its policy. That's why the recognition of Armenian Genocide is acute and is extremely important because up until now, Turkey
continues the same genocidal intentions and genocidal policies towards the modern Republic of Armenia.
That's why the declaration is not only about the crime that took place 106 years ago, but also about our modern times, trying to bring all those who
tend to, you know, implement policies of aggression and policies of attacks back to order, this is not a time of global show this order, this is a time
of order and this is international security.
As to the elections in Armenia, all I can say, of course, there are - there is now internal domestic political debates in Armenia that Armenia is first
on its path towards democracy, as different from Azerbaijan and Turkey two authoritarian states in our region.
Armenia, will overcome this difficulties, and the people of Armenia who are the survivors of, you know, war genocide survivors, they have the
resilience and political will to construct modern, democratic, vibrant democratic society and as Armenia has towards elections on June 20. The
people of Armenia will have the choice to decide and then to continue the path forward.
ANDERSON: Let's just close this conversation with the sense of what this all means for Armenians, the Diaspora around the world? Many of whom, of
course, certainly those of a certain generation live with the ghosts of this genocide, and it has been a huge part of your nation's identity.
I know you'll also admit that there will be younger generations who simply wanted to move on from the ghosts of what had happened in the past. I just
wonder, just what sort of closure does this announcement by the White House bring to the Armenian community?
NERSESYAN: This announcement Becky, brings to Armenian and American community and Armenians worldwide, a great degree of hope for the future,
that this will contribute to the regional peace and security in our region, because by calling the theme things by their own name, which is genocide,
by recognizing the truth, we set the grounds firm foundations for secure future in our region.
And I hope as I said in the beginning, Turkey will come into terms after this declaration and we recognize and reconcile itself with its own history
to set a foundation for a better future in our region.
[11:40:00]
NERSESYAN: After all the people of Armenia all they want to live in peace and with their neighbors but addressing looking to the truth, addressing
the realities, and setting up better foundations for original peace and security.
ANDERSON: With that Ambassador, we will leave it there. We thank you very much indeed for joining us truly historic declaration by the U.S.
administration in Washington over the weekend. Ahead on the show a breakthrough in the fight against mosquito borne disease, malaria. I want
to speak with the Director of the Jenner Institute at the University of Oxford, about what is its promising vaccine candidate.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Today, the 26th of April we are making the historic date in mankind's great quest against its biological enemies. Exactly 67 years ago
field trials to test a vaccine against polio began in the United States in Canada and in Finland. These pictures are from a year later in 1955 when
the drug was being rolled out.
Well, vaccines development was led by this man, Dr. Jonas Salk. Today the disease has been almost wiped from the face of the planet. And on this
anniversary there is hope in defeating common enemy malaria. Researchers from the University of Oxford and their partners say they have created a
vaccine against the disease with 77 percent efficacy.
In Phase II B trials they are the first to meet the World Health Organization's goal of a malaria vaccine with at least 75percent efficacy.
Now the disease just transmitted by mosquitoes, of course kills more than 400,000 people a year. But efforts have been overshadowed by the fight
against COVID 19.
The vaccine announcement did come just in time for World Malaria Day on Sunday. And joining me now the Director of the Jenner Institute at the
University of Oxford, he Co-Authored the paper on what are these crucial developments and, you know, we couldn't be more interested in news on
vaccines.
Of course, the science of vaccines couldn't be more any more romantic than it is today given COVID-19. But clearly, other research has been sort of
put aside because of the pandemic and because of what we've been going through.
Malaria, though, of course, has still not been eradicated in poor nations. It kills over 400,000 people a year mostly in Sub Saharan Africa, mainly
kids. So could this vaccine finally eradicate malaria sir?
ADRIAN HILL, DIRECTOR, JENNER INSTITUTE, UNIVERSIYT OF OXFORD: Well, that's the final goal. It's not going to happen in the next few years.
[11:45:00]
HILL: Our immediate objective is to get this vaccine licensed in the next couple of years. But it does appear to be more effective than any vaccine
we've had from malaria before. It's manufacturable at very large scale, that we have a partner in India, the Serum Institute of India, you may have
heard of in making COVID vaccines, again with the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca.
And I think there really is a prospect now that if things go well, that we should be able to roll out this vaccine in large amounts in the next few
years.
ANDERSON: Why is malaria a disease that can be eliminated without vaccines? We've seen that in the U.S. and Europe, for example, but not in the
developing world. And why is progress being so slow in eradicating the disease?
HILL: Yes, well, it's partly to do with the level of transmission in areas where the mosquitoes aren't that hard to survive, or to transmit malaria.
It's relatively easy to eliminate the disease as it was in Italy, parts of the United States by fairly old fashioned approaches with insecticide
spraying, and so on.
But in the heartlands of malaria in Sub Saharan Africa, where transmission is really intense, today, we are using bed nets, we're using insecticide
spraying, we're giving the children drugs to prevent malaria during the worst period of transmission. And still, we have this horrendous mortality
of hundreds of thousands of African children dying every year of malaria.
So just to put that in scale, over the last year, about four times as many people died of malaria in Africa, as dropped died of COVID. And this is a
disease that's been around for millennia. And we really need to crack it and get on with trying to eliminate and then eradicate it.
ANDERSON: Just talk us you know, basically, if you will through the science and why is that it's been so incredibly difficult to target this disease
with a vaccine with a successful vaccine.
HILL: Yes, there are lots of contributors. One is that this parasite keeps changing. There are four stages to the lifecycle, either in the skin or in
the liver, or in the blood or even in the mosquito, all of which people have tried to target by designing vaccines for and none of them have really
worked very well I'm told fairly recently.
So firstly, it's not a virus. It's massively larger at a molecular level. There are about 12 antigens in the Coronavirus, everyone agreed on which
the main one to target the spike protein was. Malaria has over 5000 there isn't any agreement on what the best antigen is, you can't use all of them.
You can't even use 10.
So you have to pick and choose you need the right one. And then on top of that, you have the problem of generating really strong immunity, very, very
high antibody levels are required for protection.
ANDERSON: You've rightly pointed out that many more people died of malaria last year than died of COVID-19. Of course one death with either of these
diseases is one death too many. But you've said that it's imperative that regulators treat this vaccine with the same urgency as they are treating
Coronavirus, immunizations, and you want it granted emergency authorization. Are those calls being listened to sir?
HILL: Well, it's too early to say that, you know, the perspective is there's only ever been one other large scale malaria vaccine trial started
in 2009, ended in 2014. And a decision to hold on really was taken in 2015. That's six years while you know millions of children died.
It doesn't need to take that long as we've seen with COVID. COVID vaccines have been a real wake up call to the field, we can move quickly. We can get
the vaccine licensed in a year. It can be rolled out in hundreds of millions of doses as we've seen in the last few months. So why can't we do
this for malaria?
And the answer seems to be because this is largely an African problem. We need to apply the same importance with regulators in Africa and with
renewable energies in Africa to malaria. That was given for COVID. And of course, African countries fairly rapidly gave emergency use authorization
for several COVID vaccines.
ANDERSON: Yes, and you guys of course, were involved in the AstraZeneca and COVID-19 vaccine so you have good experience of where the opportunities
are? And you make some very good points about why it is that when this isn't a fashionable Western disease that people get left behind and that is
wrong? Thank you. And thank you for your work, sir.
[11:50:00]
ANDERSON: Still ahead here on "Connect the World" we have a story sizzling up for you from one of our very students at the CNN Academy. We find out
how a restaurant here in the UAE is adapting to what is a new post COVID era?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Well, I want to connect you to something that we're really proud of here at CNN. It's called CNN Academy right here in Abu Dhabi, Emirati
nationals and residents of the UAE were given a chance to learn from CNN's best in the business. Students were taught the finer aspects of reporting a
story and how to make a story compelling to watch?
And earlier this month our very first class graduated all this week we're going to be highlighting some of the standout projects that the
academicians produced. Sarah Khalid serves up what is the first report about a landmark Persian restaurant right here in Dubai. It shows us why
it's a special year for special kebab.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My name is Abbas Ansari (ph). I am Iranian but I'm born brought up in Dubai. I've been living all my life here. I love Dubai, Dubai
my country. I cannot live without Dubai. Dubai is home. Dubai is mother. Dubai is beautiful. Dubai is just gold.
I am one of the three brothers at our - we are here because of the customers so we try to make what it is perfect. The restaurants started in
1978. What we use is the best quality I assure you this that's why we're standing for 40 years plus.
It is the oldest standing Iranian restaurant in Dubai under the same management. Every day I have to have the yogurt kebab that's unique. It's
an Iranian cuisine. It's my father's recipe. So you have the yogurt lamb, the yoga chicken and this is a number one dish out here.
You have the minced lamb, the minced chicken, the Bahraini its marinated dry lemon lamb chicken and the saffron chicken. We do things personally
among the three brothers. We serve and we do the purchasing the PRO and the customer service.
It's a quite a tough job. I wouldn't say we do it for business. It's our passion now. We love this. This is a part of our daily lives. You know,
it's not about money. It's way better than money for us. The pictures what we do that we keep memories. So we started taking pictures of the old
customers when we've been seeing them for decades and decades.
The pandemic started and there was no dine-in for customers all across Dubai or UAE. We have an average of 400 to 450 walk in customers daily. We
mingle with each and every customer talk to them chat to them, have fun with them. So imagine that becomes zero.
It was like someone's stabbing you every minute without customers. It was like a mental torture for us. You know what we realize the beauty of this
system is not the pictures the wall. It is you.
[11:55:00]
The beauty of this restaurant is only its customers. I just prefer that everyone that gets back to normal life. And we can meet our family members
we can travel or we can have stopped the social distance and just to enjoy the simple life what we live. I always pray for happiness, health and then
success.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: It's time for kebab. Thanks for watching. I'm Becky Anderson. You can catch me on Twitter @beckycnn but for now, do stay with us. It's time
for "One World" with Zain Asher. She'll be on the other side of this break with the inaugural edition of what is her new show? Do stay tuned for that.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
