Return to Transcripts main page

Connect the World

Space Week at Expo 2020; U.K. Health Authorities Fear COVID-19 Winter Peak; India's COVID-19 Death Toll Higher than Reported; Singapore Sees Surge in COVID-19 Cases and Deaths; Interview with Nobel Prize Winner, Journalist Maria Ressa; Scotland Announces Ambitious Space Strategy; NASA's Lucy to Explore Asteroids; Haiti Kidnappings; The UAE Tells the World Its Story. Aired 10-11a ET

Aired October 21, 2021 - 10:00   ET

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

[10:00:00]

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARIA RESSA, NOBEL PEACE PRIZE WINNING JOURNALIST: How do we make this better?

And that Nobel spotlight, I think, just says, you know, it is up to us.

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST (voice-over): She's being targeted with lawsuits and arrest warrants. But none of that has stopped Maria Ressa's journalism.

My interview with the Nobel Peace Prize winner is just ahead.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON (voice-over): While many parts of the world see an improvement in COVID, why Europe is facing tough challenges. That is ahead on the show.

And --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I believe it is the journey, Becky. It is the journey we want to take our guests through, whether they're Emiratis or from

elsewhere.

ANDERSON (voice-over): The story of the UAE is seen through its pavilion here at Expo 2020. That is tonight on CONNECT THE WORLD.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(MUSIC PLAYING)

ANDERSON: A very warm welcome. I'm Becky Anderson, coming to you live from Dubai this evening.

COVID-19 case numbers are creeping up in the U.K. and winter is fast approaching. Still the government isn't prepared to make any changes.

The chair of the British medical association says, and I quote, "It is incredibly concerning that the government isn't implementing its so-called

plan B. The measures are meant to prevent the healthcare system from becoming overwhelmed."

The U.K. health secretary is acknowledging the case surge but he says the government isn't ready to implement those contingency measures.

But COVID waits for no one. The WHO says Europe was the only region in the world to report an increase in cases in the week ending October 19th. It is

important to note that new cases aren't the same as hospitalizations or deaths. But it is still a troubling trend.

Reports of new cases either declined or stabilized across the rest of the planet during the same time period.

And Russia taking more steps to curb its coronavirus surge. Moscow will shut down nonessential services from October 28th until November 7th. The

mayor says the city will reach historic peaks in the coming days. Today, Russia reported a record number of COVID deaths, more than a thousand.

President Vladimir Putin previously announced a national paid week off to encourage people to stay at home. Let's get to our Fred Pleitgen in London

for you this evening, covering both threads of this story.

Let's start with the U.K. And the question has to be asked just how bad things have to get before the government says it will act.

Is it clear at this point?

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It certainly isn't clear how bad things have to get. It was interesting to listen to the

U.K. health secretary yesterday at that press conference. He acknowledged things are very bad and have been bad for a while.

The U.K., of course, topping 40,000 daily new cases for seven days in a row, the big peak on Monday. But he, quite frankly, said, things could get

a lot worse. He said things could go up to 100,000 cases per day as we go toward winter and then, of course, also as the winter progresses as well.

Nevertheless, the government continues to say that it does not want to implement that plan B, as they call it, which was, of course, meaning more

stringent measures here for the population. That really is causing a lot of criticism.

And you mentioned some of what the British Medical Association said. They said this is very concerning. I want to read you some more of what the

chair of the association said.

It is very important, said -- this is a quote -- "The government has taken its foot off the brake, giving the impression that the pandemic is behind

us and that life has returned to normal.

"It is willfully negligent of the Westminster government not to be taking any further action to reduce the spread of infection, such as mandatory

mask wearing, physical distancing and ventilation requirements in high-risk settings, particularly indoor crowded spaces."

That's the British Medical Association saying that. Of course, yesterday, we heard from the NHS also sounding the alarm bells. From the government's

perspective essentially they are acknowledging that this is what they call a race between vaccines and the virus. They still believe they're a bit

ahead of the curve.

They want to keep boosting their vaccine rollout, especially those booster shots, to make sure as many people as possible get those as fast as

possible -- Becky.

ANDERSON: Away from the U.K. and to Russia, where you have spent many years.

[10:05:00]

ANDERSON: Moscow reimposing city-wide lockdowns to curb a surge in COVID- 19 there. And President Putin also declaring a number of nationwide efforts to try and put a cap on what's going on.

What is being blamed for this latest surge there?

PLEITGEN: Nationwide nonworking week is something the Russians are putting in place, endorsed by Vladimir Putin. That's supposed to start on November

28th. The Russians are saying if employers want to do it earlier, they can do it earlier. If regions are struggling, they can do it earlier as well.

Moscow is going back into the partial lockdown, which will be very tough on that city, because, of course, the services industry, that the restaurants

in there, they were really recovering from the lockdowns that they had in the past.

Now really the key driving factor in Russia -- and this is something that was acknowledged by the Russian government -- was acknowledged also by the

mayor of Moscow, by far the largest city of the capital.

In that country is the fact that they haven't vaccinated very many people. There is still a lot of distrust in the vaccine, Sputnik. But I wouldn't

say, you know, from having been there, I won't say it is necessarily only distrust in the vaccine that is the problem.

I think there are a lot of people in that country who do underestimate how dangerous and how severe that virus is and also how easy it is to catch

that virus. There is certainly a plethora of factors. But the low uptake of vaccine certainly is the main one, seemingly why things are so dire there

right now -- Becky.

ANDERSON: Yes, really concerning, the cases both there and, of course, in the U.K. Thank you, Fred.

Vaccines don't mean COVID just simply goes away. But it does protect you from severe illness and hospitalization. And India is an example of that.

The country has now hit a milestone, giving out more than 1 billion doses of COVID vaccines.

India's health ministry says 74 percent of adults have received at least one vaccine dose. And 30 percent are now fully vaccinated. That still

leaves millions yet to receive a single dose.

Experts fear there could be a third surge in infections in the months ahead. Vedika Sud joins us now.

Just talk to me about the context for this. I have to say, I mean, I've seen applause from leaders all over the world, both in the health industry

and, indeed, those in other countries, who are relieved and celebrating the fact that India has actually achieved these billion doses.

What is the situation with regard to COVID at this point?

VEDIKA SUD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good to be with you, Becky, this evening from Delhi. India has come along. If you remember, you and I were talking

every day during the peak in India. At that time, the supply of vaccines was running short. There wasn't enough oxygen available for people.

And now six months later, almost you're seeing a billion doses of COVID vaccines being administered here in India. It is 30 percent of the

population that has been fully vaccinated.

The Indian government is hoping and has also gone on record to say they're hoping that they can inoculate the eligible adult population of the

country, 944 million, by the end of this year.

Now to achieve that, they really have to narrow that gap between those who have been fully vaccinated and those who are partially vaccinated. Also

remember almost 41 percent of India's population is below the age of 18. And they're unvaccinated.

Yes, there is a vaccine coming up for them. But in the months ahead, they remain most vulnerable. Right now India's COVID-19 figures on a daily basis

is at about 18,000. Just compare that to 400,000 at the peak of the second wave. India has come a long way and has a long way to go -- Becky.

ANDERSON: Absolutely. You and I spoke day in and day out during that second wave. You know first-hand, not just as a journalist but as a family

member, just how difficult that second wave of the pandemic was on India.

What is the government doing to compensate for the victims' families?

SUD: Becky, earlier this month, they did improve a compensation program recommended by the Indian government, wherein about $300 million will be

disbursed to the families of COVID-19 victims.

[10:10:00]

SUD: That's a huge amount, it comes to $76 per family of COVID victims. But there are a lot of people, hundreds who could lose out and here's why.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUD (voice-over): The tears haven't stopped. It has been six months since Pooja Sharma lost her husband to COVID-19. He died gasping for death in a

Delhi hospital in the peak of India's devastating second wave.

POOJA SHARMA, COVID-19 VICTIM'S WIDOW (through translator): Why was there no oxygen?

When you know there is a problem and everyone is troubled, why weren't there any facilities?

SUD (voice-over): A compensation program by the federal government allows payment of approximately $670 (ph) to the next of kin of COVID-19 victims.

This will provide immediate succor to families but many can't prove their loved ones died from COVID-19.

RAMANAN LAXMINARAYA, SENIOR RESEARCH SCHOLAR, PRINCETON UNIVERSITY: The main challenge is to show that your family member died of COVID. Unless

they had had a COVID test or their cause of death is related to COVID -- and for the latter you need the former -- they are not going to get the

compensation.

SUD (voice-over): The Indian government has promised no families will be denied compensation if death certificates do not mention COVID-19.

A mother of two, Pooja paints urban lands and stitches bags for a living. She barely makes $60 a month. She showed us the death certificate, which

cites COVID-19 as cause of death. But she finds the application process intimidating.

SHARMA (through translator): I will definitely apply but they need to ensure that we get it.

SUD (voice-over): Realtor Sunil Maggon, who is a member of the country's main opposition political party, lost his parents and brother to COVID-19

within a span of just four days.

SUNIL MAGGON, REALTOR (through translator): My brother needed a ventilator, which wasn't available. Three family members couldn't get

oxygen. For my mother, we needed oxygen for one day. We just didn't know how to get it.

SUD (voice-over): Maggon has COVID-19 reports to prove his family members were infected. But he says he won't apply for compensation. The loss, the

anger against the system, still too raw, he says.

MAGGON (through translator): Why do I need $670 from them?

Take double from me, take 10 times from me and give me my family back.

SUD: According to a report published by the U.S.-based Center for Global Development published in July, India's excess deaths from the pandemic

could be 10 times higher than the official death toll.

SUD (voice-over): One reason for this is many states have attributed fatalities to co-morbidities instead of COVID-19. India's health minister

has gone on record to say the government has no reason to hide deaths.

While state governments are in the process of advertising details and setting up grievances to address with committees, experts say the immediate

need is to make the process less complicated and more empathetic.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SUD: The people could be extremely intimidating and that's what a lot of the families of COVID-19 victims have told us. It is going to be an

emotional and logistical nightmare, even though the government has promised that those who don't have death certificates can approach redress

committees here in India -- Becky.

ANDERSON: Vedika Sud is on the story, thank you.

Staying in Asia, Singapore dealing with a surge in COVID cases. On Wednesday, country reported on Wednesday, country reported 18 deaths. That

is the highest number since the start of the pandemic there.

The ministry of health also reports more than 3,800 new cases and that has prompted them to extend restrictions until November 21st to help curb the

spread of the virus. Those restrictions include a maximum of two people and social gathering and encouraging working from home.

The government hopes more vaccinations will help keep those numbers in check. About 84 percent the population there is vaccinated. But the number

of cases does keep rising. Manisha Tank explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MANISHA TANK, JOURNALIST: It is a sad fact that living with COVID-19, as is the policy here in Singapore, has led to increased number of fatalities

as a result of the disease.

Many of those who are developing serious complications are still unvaccinated or have underlying health conditions. A vast majority of the

cases that are circling locally are in fact recuperating at home and are only developing a mild form of the disease.

[10:15:00]

TANK: That is showing that vaccinations are working; 84 percent of the population here are vaccinated and now more are being encouraged to get

boosters as well. The government has extended restrictions on movements around Singapore for another month to help curb the spread of the disease

further.

But it is also acknowledged that most cases are local. They are not imported. And that's one of the reasons why it has now added eight

countries to its vaccinated travel lane list, including the United States.

Though, interestingly this week, the United States has issued a travel advisory about Singapore related to COVID-19, defining it as high-risk in

terms of the destination.

All of that said, there does seem to be light at the end of the tunnel with more people returning to Singapore shores. That could bring in some really

important business for an economy that has been battered over the last two years, due to the severe restrictions to control the spread of this

disease.

But none of that takes away from the sadness that many, not just here in Singapore but around the world, feel for those who are being lost --

Manisha Tank for CNN, in Singapore.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: China's national health commission is reporting yet another resurgence of the virus, 21 new cases Wednesday, including 13 that were

locally transmitted.

Some places have rolled out mass testing; others have shut down nonessential travel. Since October 16th, China reported 42 locally

transmitted symptomatic cases. And that was across a dozen cities. Most of them have been here in the north and northwest.

All right, still ahead on CONNECT THE WORLD tonight, social media and democracy. My friend, former colleague and now Nobel Peace Prize Laureate

Maria Ressa says technology is eroding our shared reality. That conversation is just ahead.

And as we wrap up space week here at the Dubai Expo, we look at some of the notable guests we spoke to and what nations now, part of the space race,

are planning for the future. And we are seeing several themes here at Expo. One of the most important ones is to tell the world the UAE's story. Just

ahead, how they are doing that.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(MUSIC PLAYING)

ANDERSON: Social media has been in the spotlight of late as we see the explicit impact it has on our lives. Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen

spelled out some of the effects before the U.S. Congress.

She said Facebook knew its platforms were harmful to the mental health of young people, for example. Well, now there are growing calls for

regulation. There is also a move to have Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg appear before U.S. lawmakers to address those claims. And it is affecting

more than just kids.

Speaking out about that recently, a former colleague of mine, Maria Ressa, she is a journalist from the Philippines, who recently won the Nobel Peace

Prize, along with Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov.

[10:20:00]

ANDERSON: Maria said, and I quote, "I think the rollback of democracy globally and the tearing apart of shared reality has been because of tech.

It is because news organizations lost our gatekeeping powers to technology.

"And technology took the revenues that we used to have along with it. They took the powers but they abdicated responsibility."

Well, Maria Ressa has also accused Facebook of prioritizing lies and hate over facts.

In response, a Facebook spokesperson said, and I quote, "We believe in press freedom and support news organizations and journalists around the

world as they continue their important work."

I had the opportunity to catch up with Maria earlier today in what was her first interview with CNN International since she won the Nobel Peace Prize.

This is how she responded to Facebook's statement.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RESSA: I think the spokesman never addressed the question, number one.

Number two, you have just have to look at the actions, take away the words, look at what we're living through. I'm living through it.

In less than two years, the Philippine government filed 10 arrest warrants against me. The enabling environment for that to happen was set out by

Facebook, by these exponential attacks against the credibility I worked so hard in my career to get torn apart so quickly.

So look, if you believe in press freedom, well, let's put it this way, Facebook has now finally after 6 -- 5 years put in place more protections

for journalists. In the Philippines, we have a U.S. style Constitution.

And I used to complain in 2016 that, you know, that the protections have been stripped away. When I was getting an average of 90 hate messages per

hour, I went to Facebook and, you know, they said, but, Maria, you're a public figure.

And then I argued, well, no, I'm not. One, I'm not elected. And, two, the Constitution protects me at my job. So they finally listened. So I have to

say thank you.

But please address these issues, because this is your future, you know. You can't -- "move fast, break things" doesn't work anymore when it is our

government, our democracies, our societies that are really broken.

ANDERSON: The office of Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte congratulated you on the award, three days after the announcement, as I understand it.

I want to get from you whether you were surprised, indifferent about that, given your work as a journalist has made you a target there for lawsuits,

arrest warrants and court convictions in the Philippines. All of these cases seen as a test of Philippine press freedom.

How do you move forward there?

RESSA: So I think the first step is the -- all of these tactics were meant to make us voluntarily give up our rights because I worry, you know, I

haven't been jailed. A short time, yes. But it is really -- you have to buy in, that you will give up freedom of the press or freedom of expression.

So we didn't. And although he -- the presidential spokesman congratulated me, in the next breath he said, this proves that press freedom exists in

the Philippines. I thought, OK.

Then he reminded me of the cases that are existing. And I will fight and win these cases in court. I guess that's -- what I took out of this whole

thing is that, you're not alone, that, you know, it makes sense to stand by the mission, the values.

I mean, that's what I learned in Rappler, that the values of journalism, the mission of journalism actually make for good business, even though

those page view metrics tell us has devalued and commoditized news, democracies all around the world need investigative journalists.

So we need to stay the path.

ANDERSON: There will be people listening to you today, who wonder how you do it.

How do you continue to do your job when the system you work in is constantly taking jabs or more at you?

RESSA: I think I tried to stay true to who I was. It is -- it is very easy to say that you stand by the standards and ethics and the mission of

journalism if it is easy.

And I guess I was old enough -- we grew up together -- I was old enough by the time Duterte administration started attacking me and I didn't really

think about it. It is like muscle memory.

When it became more dangerous, when I started getting arrested, I thought, this is new ground. At that point, the end of the administration was too

far away. What I learned is actually I learned who I am. That's one.

[10:25:00]

RESSA: And I also learned, you know, that the trying times make for good journalists. My team is incredible. I think that the -- this Nobel

spotlight has helped Filipino journalists; actually, hopefully all journalists around the world. We're coming up to the fifth year of a six-

year term of president Duterte and we're coming into the elections with just the right lift.

ANDERSON: President Duterte of course has announced that he is retiring from politics. Emerging in his place is presidential candidate, Ferdinand

Marcos Jr., the son of the country's disgraced and deposed former dictator. He has ties to disinformation campaigns. And you have said that he is

trying to gaslight voters. Explain if you will.

RESSA: First, don't knock out until November 15th that president Duterte is actually going to do what he said, with just a quick politics. He said

this in 2015, he said he was going to quit politics and not run for president.

There was a substitution and he did run for president and he won. So let's wait until November 15th.

The second is I think our May 2022 elections are going to be the battle for facts. I keep saying that, you know, when it is a battle for facts,

journalism is activism (ph). Well, what we have exposed since 2019 is that the Marcos family has built an extraordinarily wide disinformation network

on YouTube, on Facebook, on TikTok.

And it has been very successful at chipping away at history and revising history to get rid of the idea of the strong man, the dictator that his

father was and the $10 billion that the family laundered.

Think about it like this, 35 years after the Marcos family was ousted in a people power revolt in 1986, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is now a candidate for

president. And there is a very good chance he could win if Filipinos' memories of that people power revolt of the 21 years his father was in

office goes away.

ANDERSON: In this day and age and in the age of misinformation, what does it mean to be a journalist to you today?

And where do you see the future of journalism, Maria?

RESSA: I really don't like it when people call it misinformation because it blunts it. It is disinformation. And what we normally look at really is

information operations, meaning its power play to manipulate you.

And it looks at those -- the microtargeting that Facebook provides, the marketing and turns it evil. I'm sorry. It is crossed over, you know. It

insidiously manipulates us, changing reality in front of our eyes, making the lives of journalists so much harder than it used to be when I first

became a reporter.

What is the future?

Look, we can find a solution. I sound like, you know, it is horrible. But part of what gets me up in the morning is the excitement, the -- what we

are doing today really matters.

The first is tech. Get -- let's get the legislation in place. Let's build our own tech. Let journalists build that tech. I actually think tech and

journalism is going to combine. And how this is going to happen, well, you know, protect the public sphere.

The second is make sure independent journalism survives. And that's part of the reason I just accepted a co-chair of the International Fund for Public

Interest Media, along with Mark Thompson, the former CEO of "The New York Times."

Because we believe that, you know, as we're fixing the tech, we're going to have to help independent media survive.

And finally the last one is, community. Those are the three pillars. People's minds are being shifted. The people who went January 6th to

Capitol Hill, they believed it. It is like a virus of lies. They are changed.

And this will take years to rehabilitate cognitive biases again. This has to stop so we can begin the rehabilitation, so we can get back to a shared

reality and actually go back to what the good parts of being human. Instead of inflaming, instead of giving the incentives for the worst of human

nature, we need the best.

And especially during the times of climate change, during coronavirus. We need to give incentives for the best of human nature. And it is just there,

underneath the surface. But not on the information ecosystem that we have today.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: That was Maria Ressa, speaking to me earlier, a friend and former colleague.

This is CONNECT THE WORLD, live from Expo 2020 in Dubai.

[10:30:00]

ANDERSON: Still ahead, a look at NASA's Lucy probe, heading to previously uncharted asteroids along a momentous interplanetary mission.

And just how did the probe get its name?

Stay with us.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(MUSIC PLAYING)

ANDERSON: We are nearing the end of space week here at the Dubai Expo. And it has been a fascinating and informative walk through what is happening

now and what is to come, as countries actively take part in the space race and focus on exploration and research, innovation and, perhaps most

importantly, for the future collaboration.

Our guests this week giving us insight into each of those areas. I sat down with Hazza Al Mansouri, the first Emirati astronaut to board the

International Space Station, to talk about this nation's future plans for its space program.

The director of the U.N. Office for Outer Space Affairs, there is one, Simonetta Di Pippo, focusing on how space technology can be used for

sustainable development.

And the chairwoman of the UAE's space agency, Sarah Al Amiri, breaking news on this show yesterday, announcing the new space collaboration

agreement between the UAE and Israel.

And if you with were with us this time yesterday, you heard me tell you about Scotland's ambitious space strategy, revealed here at the Expo. Its

space sector, the fastest growing in the U.K. Its largest city, Glasgow, producing more satellites than anywhere else in Europe.

If all goes to plan, Scotland could have dedicated launch capability by next year. And over the next decade, its space program could create 20,000

new jobs. Let's talk more about what's in store for Scotland with Daniel Smith, director of the Scottish space group and founder of the space

marketing firm AstroAgency.

There are many facts in there for our viewers that will be new and different. That's why that makes news. Let's provide some context for our

viewers. Tell us about Scotland's space ambitions.

DANIEL SMITH, FOUNDER, ASTROAGENCY: Certainly. Thank you for having me on the show. We have quite a rare opportunity in Scotland.

We have this potential for a full supply chain capability. And what I mean by that is it is going to have end to end ecosystem. You mentioned the

satellites being built in Glasgow, more than anywhere else in Europe.

We're developing launch sites as well, five different ones in development, two serious launch vehicle companies, rocket companies.

[10:35:00]

SMITH: And then we have the data segment that is already very well established in Edinburgh. So it is a rare opportunity to have that end to

end capability for space and not something people maybe think of when they think of Scotland.

ANDERSON: No. Like I said, 20,000 jobs and possibly more to come if this ecosystem can be developed, as is hoped.

What are the challenges?

SMITH: Good question. I think collaboration, make sure we continue in terms of being collaborative, finding other countries, because it is space.

If you can collaborate in space, then you can collaborate anywhere. Reaching out and finding other nations to work with, to partner with.

I think that's why very symbolically we announced our strategy here in the UAE because it's a great platform at Expo to speak to other nations and

also with the UAE as well, where there are definitely parallels between what was happening here and what is happening back in Scotland.

ANDERSON: And let's be quite frank, this is an extremely ambitious plan.

(LAUGHTER)

ANDERSON: And what they are doing is ensuring this is not just about sort of overt ambition, getting to Mars or getting to the moon. But the idea

here is that the economic value that can be developed off the back of having a space program here.

And that is, to a certain extent as you say, what you are talking about.

How tough has it been to embed a vision for space within Scotland's policy making?

How enthusiastic are the Scots ultimately?

SMITH: It is one of those things, when you're speaking to people, they don't know what's going on in space. But in terms of policy and in terms of

the government side, very, very supportive, very supportive and really see the benefits, tax benefits, benefits to the supply chain.

And that's something we do, try to help companies to see new revenue here, a new revenue stream here for you in space, also the cross-sector benefits.

Space data can deliver so many insights to businesses.

ANDERSON: I don't normally give my guests an opportunity to flog their wares. And that is not what I'm doing here but I do want you to describe

what your agency does and your background, to a certain extent. It is quite fascinating and it will give our viewers a sense of the sort of ecosystem

that is being developed. So --

(CROSSTALK)

SMITH: All right.

ANDERSON: Free advertising.

SMITH: We're the first global space marketing company, strategic marketing. We all come from the sector. We understand the opportunities as

well as the challenges around legislation, skills development, which is a big issue as well.

We try to help companies to move into the sector or to establish space companies to find new markets and promote themselves --

(CROSSTALK)

ANDERSON: What are you most excited about at present?

SMITH: I think what is happening in Scotland is part of the U.K. proposition, I think it is incredible it see the country I grew up in

seeing itself as a serious space nation, having that collaboration through industry, academia and government, through organizations like Space

Scotland.

ANDERSON: Forgive me but the Scots don't tend to like to talk up much of what is going on with ambition from Westminster. I don't know how you feel

about U.K. politics but I'm going to -- I just want you to stick Scotland within that kind of wider U.K. story. It is fascinating, if you will. Just

explain what's going on

SMITH: Space isn't something we can make laws on in Scotland. We're still very much part of the U.K. proposition. But the Scottish government have

recognized all the cross-sector benefits and jobs and the skills and the opportunities there. So I think that's why they have got so behind the

sector and they're really working to support it, which is part of what the strategy was all about yesterday.

ANDERSON: Good stuff. We'll leave it there. Thank you very much indeed for joining us.

You're competing with some of the wonderful entertainment being programmed in the dome behind me. It always surprises me how well guests do, when we

have a lot of noise going on.

You may not be able to hear it because I have some fantastic technical operators here on this team in Dubai. And when they ensure we can actually

program from here, while everything is going on at this site.

Thank you for joining me.

Lucy's in the sky with diamonds. More accurately, NASA's Lucy probe is heading toward Jupiter to explore the Trojan asteroids. The diamond on

board, part of the scientific instrument. Kristin Fisher explains how the probe might help scientists unlock secrets to the formation of our solar

system.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 3, 2, one, lift off. Atlas 5, takes flight.

KRISTIN FISHER, CNN SPACE & DEFENSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Lucy is finally in the sky. The NASA spacecraft is on a 12-year mission, covering

6.4 billion kilometers, to fly past eight ancient asteroids.

[10:40:00]

FISHER (voice-over): Lucy is the first mission to investigate the Trojan asteroid swarms, which are asteroid clusters along Jupiter's orbital path.

Armed with cameras, a thermometer and an infrared imaging spectrometer, Lucy will collect the first high-resolution images of these asteroids.

The spacecraft gets her name from the Lucy fossil, an ancient human ancestor, whose remains transformed the study of hominid evolution. NASA

hopes its Lucy transforms the understanding of the evolution of the solar system. Both the fossil and the spacecraft's name are nods to The Beatles'

hit, "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RINGO STARR, FORMER BEATLE: Lucy is going back in the sky with diamonds, joining all the love there (ph). Anyway if you meet anyone up there, Lucy,

give them peace and love from me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FISHER (voice-over): And Lucy does indeed carry a diamond as part of a beam splitter assembly. About 3.5 years from now, after making a few fly-

bys of Earth for a gravity slingshot boost, Lucy is expected to reach her first objective, an asteroid named Donaldjohanson, in the asteroid belt

between Earth and Jupiter.

She'll then travel to the Trojan asteroids, all named after the heroes of Homer's "Iliad."

KEITH NOLL, ASTRONOMER, NASA'S GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER: The power of what Lucy is able to do by having so many targets, we can construct all

these comparisons between all the different varieties and the diversity that we see in the Trojans, the unexpected diversity, the different colors,

the different collisional histories.

It's really a repository of fossils, as we like to say, of things that happened at the earliest stages of solar system evolution.

FISHER (voice-over): The spacecraft, a little more than 14 meters from tip to tip, is powered by two giant solar arrays, that will expand outward like

Chinese folding fans. They'll carry Lucy farther away from the sun than any other solar-powered spacecraft.

Lucy will never return to Earth but she won't be the last to visit the asteroids; NASA plans to send more. China and Russia are teaming up on an

asteroid mission in 2024 and the UAE in 2028 -- Kristin Fisher, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: NASA says one of the two solar arrays on Lucy you saw in Kristin's report did not fully latch into position after takeoff. However,

A NASA statement says the probe is getting enough power to function normally.

British authorities have charged a man with the murder of the British MP, David Amess, a killing that shook the U.K. Ali Harbi Ali also is charged

with the preparation of terrorist acts. The prosecution says Amess' murder had a terrorist connection and was religiously and ideologically motivated.

Amess was stabbed while meeting with his constituents last Friday in Leigh- on-Sea not far from London.

Talks continue with a fierce Haitian gang. Negotiators hope to broker the return of 17 captors. We'll have a live update on their efforts coming up.

And political rivalries playing out in the streets of Sudan as the troubled nation looks to its next uncertain chapter.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(MUSIC PLAYING)

ANDERSON: Seventeen missionaries woke up this morning as captives of a Haitian gang and with a price on their heads. The gang that kidnapped them

is demanding $1 million ransom for each of the 16 Americans and one Canadian.

[10:45:00]

ANDERSON: Talks are ongoing to free the group, which includes four children and an 8-month-old. Such kidnappings have tripled since July,

according to a Haitian non-profit. It is just another symptom of the island nation's political unrest and extreme poverty.

A former captive of the same gang is describing the ordeal to CNN. He says the thing that kept him and his fellow captives alive was their faith. Matt

Rivers has his story from Port-au-Prince.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATT RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Looking into the suburb of Croix-des-Bouquets, where the abduction of 17 missionaries has stunned many

around the world. But in Haiti, the event is not so shocking.

Gang-related kidnappings here carried out by gangs, including 400 Mawozo, are brutally common, something French priest Michel Briand knows firsthand.

We met him in a church compound in Port-au-Prince, where he told us about the day that same gang took him and others back in April.

He says, "We had to go through Croix-des-Bouquets to get to a work event and, on our way there, we were intercepted by young men with guns. The gang

forced our driver to follow them. That's when I knew we were being kidnapped. I just kept calm."

They were taken to a more rural area; at first, forced to sleep outside on cardboard under a tree. Then they were moved to one abandoned house and

then another, in difficult conditions, to say the least.

He says, "It was like a dark hole, like a prison cell. The last place we were in with no windows.

"At the beginning, they were giving us food once a day. But by the end, they stopped feeding us. They forced us to go hungry," he said, believing

it was a negotiation tactic.

A source in Haiti security forces tells us that he believes these 17 missionaries could be going through a very similar situation right now

somewhere several miles down that road, made even more difficult by the fact that five of them are children, with the youngest being just 8 months

old.

It remains impossible to know how long the 17 missionaries will remain captive inside whatever location the gang has placed them. For Father

Briand, it was nearly three weeks in total.

He says, "The kidnappers play with time. They test the nerves of their victims, especially when they are negotiating. So the victims can't lose

faith. They need to keep their hopes up. In our case, our faith was our best ally" -- Matt Rivers, CNN, Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: A month after a failed coup, Sudan's political tensions may be coming to a head. Protesters there are turning out to support the

transition to a civilian government.

Meantime, supporters of the military have been staging a sit-in at the presidential palace. This is the biggest test for Sudan's fragile interim

government, which was formed after president Omar Bashir was ousted two years ago.

You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Becky Anderson. After this break, we'll take you inside the UAE pavilion at Expo 2020, where the future is on

display.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:50:00]

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SARAH AL AMIRI, CHAIR, UAE SPACE AGENCY: The space economy, as we all know, is an economy that is vibrant and it will thrive over the next

decade. The UAE is going to play a part in the Earth observations here and also with regard to communications satellites.

We will continue our efforts in building and diversifying our economy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: All this week we have been at Expo 2020 in Dubai, talking about space, the next frontier for human exploration. You heard there from Sarah

Al Amiri about the UAE's space ambitions, setting up satellites, building an entire space industry that they hope will pay massive economic and

societal dividends.

It is impressive stuff when you hear the plans. Here's the thing. All of this talk of exploring space or even this Expo site behind me would be

unthinkable 50 years ago when this country was born.

Today, what was once a selection of city-states is confidently emerging as a player in space and climate by announcing net zero ambitions and

launching new renewable energy bans. It has been quite a busy couple of decades.

I wanted to see how the UAE is telling the world its own story. I asked Noura Al Kaabi, the UAE's Minister of Culture and Youth, to show me around

the Emirati pavilion here at Expo. Have a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON (voice-over): Nestled in the heart of the Dubai Expo site sits the UAE pavilion, an impressive architectural structure, inspired by a

falcon in flight.

Inside, a carefully curated story of the origins of the UAE, from a collection of small desert communities into a global connection hub.

NOURA AL KAABI, UAE MINISTER OF CULTURE AND YOUTH: I believe it is the journey. It is the journey we want to take our guests through, whether

they're Emiratis or from elsewhere.

ANDERSON (voice-over): To find out more about how the UAE pavilion intertwines with the story of the country, I caught up with the pavilion's

commissioner general and minister of Culture and Youth, Noura Al Kaabi.

KAABI: We wanted our guests to start with a historical yet traditional element and that by itself is the beginning of the journey, it's the

journey of life, of water and of sand. Not all desert; we have the mountains, the desert, the sea. So it provokes many senses and hopefully

makes them have a glimpse about what it is.

ANDERSON: Wow. Just explain the vision here.

KAABI: The vision here is a dream. We're in the desert of dreams and we call it the desert of dreams as -- because our ancestors and our founding

father dreamt of the desert.

ANDERSON (voice-over): The pavilion plays particular homage to Sheikh Zayed Al Nahyan, a celebrated figure in the UAE, responsible for unifying

the country some 50 years ago.

KAABI: Can you hear his voice?

This is the first voice that we play the moment you start with your journey in the pavilion. We wanted this to be the first voice that the people

listened to. He's our first dreamer, he's the founding father.

ANDERSON: How important is Sheikh Zayed, for our audience who won't know his story?

How important is he to an Emirati like you?

KAABI: More than 50 years ago, he took Abu Dhabi pavilion to Osaka Expo.

[10:55:00]

KAABI: That's before the unification of the country. Today, his country is hosting the world. For us, he's, you know, he's the father. He's the father

of our dream, the original dreamer.

ANDERSON (voice-over): Noura believes the pavilion reflects the stories of the 200 nationalities that call the UAE home. And that's what inspired the

launch of the dreamers who do, a kind of tribute to the unsung, everyday heroes here in the Emirates.

ANDERSON: We should go meet some dreamers.

KAABI: Yes, let's go meet our dreamers.

ANDERSON (voice-over): I sat down with two of those dreamers. Yazin (ph), who runs the biggest biofarm in the UAE, and Kholoud, a multidisciplinary

designer.

ANDERSON: You were born here. Dad as I understand it is Syrian and was born in Syria.

YAZIN (PH), UAE BIOFARMER: Yes.

ANDERSON: And was a farmer himself, correct?

YAZIN (PH): Yes.

ANDERSON: Tell me his story.

YAZIN (PH): So my father was an agricultural engineer, he studied in Syria. And he actually heard of a man that is greening the desert, the late

founding father of the UAE, Sheikh Zayed. He came by himself to the UAE to join this vision.

And he joined in a research center that was set up by Sheikh Zayed to understand what can possibly be grown in the desert. And they experimented

on so many things. And the results of those early years are what you see manifested today.

ANDERSON: Kholoud, you are a designer, pushing cultural boundaries here. Just explain what you mean by that and how that manifests itself.

KHOLOUD SHARAFI, DESIGNER, TINKAH: Simply we got an opportunity to develop the brand for the pavilion that we are sitting in. And it was very

important for us to generate the story of the UAE through the brand language that we developed.

We looked into the idea of values and principles that go back to the story of humanity, to the story of the land of dreamers, who do incorporate

scent, sound and even sonic as part of our language.

ANDERSON: If there were one thing you think is misunderstood about the UAE, what would it be?

KAABI: It would be not getting the UAE story. The story doesn't start in just a project that is announced or a building or an airline, it is not

that. It is everything is connected. When you want to understand someone, you need to know the history, know the values and know the stories.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: That is the story of the UAE.

I'll be back for the second hour of CONNECT THE WORLD after this very short break. Stay with us.

END