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North Korea's Latest Nuclear Test; U.S. Presidential Candidates Spar Over National Security; Negotiations Seek Solution for Syria; Celebrating 50 Years of 'Star Trek'. Aired 8-9a ET

Aired September 9, 2016 - 08:00:00   ET

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


(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:00:11] KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong and welcome to NEWS STREAM. North Korea claims its latest test shows it can

place a nuclear warhead on a missile. World leaders react.

As the race for the White House tightens, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump spar over national security. And it was canceled after just three seasons

but the legacy of "Star Trek" remains, 50 years after its debut.

And we begin with North Korea's claim that it has tested a nuclear warhead. The response, anger and concern from around the world. North Korea says the

warhead could be mounted on ballistic rockets, but South Korean intelligence is reported saying it doesn't appear the North has that

capability just yet. But the North is progressing faster than previously thought in reaching that goal. And what we do know is this, is that a

tremor with a magnitude 5.3 was picked up in the same location as four other North Korean tests. And the blast is believed to be twice as powerful

as the one produced in January.

Our Paula Hancock joins us now live from Seoul with more on the story. And Paula, what is South Korea saying about the test? And how much nuclear

progress North Korea is making. Tell us more.

PAULA HANCOCK, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kristie, this was an intelligence briefing to lawmakers a little earlier here in Seoul and they

basically said that what they think North Korea is trying to do is to mount a nuclear warhead on to a scud missile which effective puts much of South

Korea and also the U.S. military personnel here in its sights. But they did say that North Korea is progressing faster than previously thought.

Now we know that there has been response from around the world. The United Nations Security Council meeting is going to be convened in about two

hours' time. From North Korea's point of view, they are celebrating. The triumphant announcement.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

A successful test of a nuclear warhead North Korea says it can now mount on to any ballistic missile. Impossible for the rest of the world to verify at

this time but the magnitude of the explosion seems key.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The magnitude is almost a double from their first test so I believe it is quite successful, and their program is completed.

HANCOCK: Instant condemnation from South Korea, Japan, China and the U.S. President Obama had just left Asia, speaking to his South Korean

counterpart by phone from Air Force One. Threats of further sanctions, accusations of severe provocation, unlikely to concern a leader who is in a

rush to get where he wants to be.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Clearly they don't care what we think. They don't care about our admonitions. They don't care about joining the international

community. They certainly don't care about U.N. Security Council resolutions. They don't care what the Chinese think or what the U.S.

thinks.

HANCOCK: Sanctions some even targeting Kim Jong-un himself have not slowed him down. Given this nuclear and missile program is effectively part of the

state ideology in North Korea means another approach may be need.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have a strong moral dimension to this where it's seen as the worst offender of human rights in the world. And you just don't want

to touch it with a ten foot pole. But I think the security situation demands starting with actually talking to them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANCOCK: Seemingly an unpalatable option for the Obama administration at this point. But it won't be, Mr. Obama's problem for much longer. Of

course, the Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has said he would be willing to talk to Kim Jong-un. He's also, though, called him a

maniac, and effectively praised him for being able to get rid of his rivals so successfully. Then on the other side the Democratic presidential

candidate Hillary Clinton has not said that she would be willing to meet with the North Korean leader. In fact she has referred to him as a sadistic

dictator. Kristie?

LU STOUT: And why did Pyongyang do this? A fifth nuclear test. What is the message that North Korea is trying to send with his test?

HANCOCK: Today's an important day in the North Korean calendar. It is Foundation Day. So it's the anniversary of the creation of North Korea. So

certainly that's one aspect. You can't ignore the fact that President Obama has just left Asia, as well. He was in Laos with many of the other world

leaders. So certainly that's being pointed to as something as you need to take note of.

And the fact is, many experts also point to the fact that there's some discontent between Beijing, and then Washington and Seoul at this point.

[08:05:01] Because Washington and Seoul say they will install the THAAD U.S. missile defense system in South Korea. Beijing does not want that.

They say it could interfere or affect their own security concerns that they don't want more U.S. military hardware on their doorstep. There is some

disconnect between Beijing and Washington and Seoul. Potentially North Korea could have assumed that there may not be agreement between them if it

carried out this fifth nuclear test. But the fact is experts also say that Kim Jong-Un is in a rush. He wants to perfect all this technology, the

nuclear and the missile program, so he is just simply forging ahead. Kristie?

LU STOUT: All right, Paula Hancock reporting for us live from Seoul. Thank you, Paula.

After claiming its fifth nuclear test what exactly is North Korea's objective? Now earlier I talked with Tong Zhao, a Security Analyst with the

Carnegie-Tsinghua Center for Public Policy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TONG ZHAO, CARNEGIE-TSINGHUA CENTER FOR PUBLIC POLICY: I think they're primary objective is in this test is to make the nuclear warhead small

enough, and robust enough, to withstand all the pressure and vibration during a missile flight. So I think in that sense, I think they have made

enough progress, as well. Because earlier this year, they showed nuclear warhead model which seemed small enough. So with this new test, they might

have further improved the technology.

LU STOUT: This is a game changer here and this is a worry. This is the fifth nuclear test by North Korea. It comes on the back of a number of

ballistic missile tests by North Korea. Are you saying that the next ballistic missile test could very well have a nuclear warhead on it?

ZHAO: Well, apparently North Korea has made great progress in the delivery vehicles or the missile tests, proof of that. So now they only need a

warhead to mount onto the missile to make it a credible nuclear deterrent. But whether they will actually run the risk of conducting a nuclear -- you

know, putting a real nuclear warhead onto a real missile and shoot the missile, that's very risky and it has very serious environmental

consequences for many years there was no country that conducted test in the atmosphere. And if North Korea did that, they would be put under serious

international criticism.

LU STOUT: Also, can North Korea do it? And how much nuclear material does North Korea have? And what type of nuclear material does it have?

ZHAO: North Korea started working on their nuclear bombs by using plutonium. And then they started also to enrich uranium. So now we suspect

that they can build nuclear bombs by using both materials. And their current stockpile of fissile materials including plutonium and enriched

uranium might make them capable of producing maybe two dozens of nuclear bombs, also. So, you know, their stockpile will continue to grow, but, you

know, that we might have to focus on how to stop and freeze their fissile material production in order to cap their nuclear stockpile growth.

LU STOUT: OK, all eyes on China and how China could possibly deter North Korea. Or is China powerless to act?

ZHAO: Well I think North Korea decided to conduct this test because it knew China is facing a serious dilemma. There was major troubles between China

and South Korea and also between China and the United States. So North Korea was taking advantage of this troubled relationship and hoping that

China would not agree and cooperate with South Korea and the United States to put much tougher economic sanctions over North Korea. So, yes, China was

left with very few good options and China was facing a serious challenge.

LU STOUT: Also in the background to this, you have THAAD the anti-missile defense system that both South Korea and the United States hope will be

able to intercept North Korean missiles. China doesn't like that. Could China rethink THAAD position especially in light of this fifth nuclear test

by North Korea.

ZHAO: Well, china might have to swallow that pill. China really doesn't like THAAD's deployment. But facing this very serious North Korean nuclear

test, China might have to put the THAAD issue aside for the moment, and start talking and working with other members of the international

community, especially in the United Nations to think about future steps to contain North Korea's nuclear progress.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[08:10:04] LU STOUT: And that was Tong Zhao, a Security Analyst with Carnegie-Tsinghua Center for Public Policy. And the U.N. Security Council

will convene an emergency meeting in less than two hours from now to discuss North Korea.

Now turning now to France where three women suspected of planning an attack in Paris are now under arrest. A police officer was stabbed during the

raid. The suspects are linked to the discovery of a car containing gas cylinders. It was parked outside a famous Paris landmark the Cathedral of

Notre dame. CNN affiliate BFM-TV reports no detonator or firing device was found.

Passengers who spent a night stuck in a cable car high in the French Alps are now speaking out about their experience. 33 people, including three

children, were finally brought to safety on Friday morning. Now they spent the night dangling high above the ground after the cable cars came to a

halt on Thursday. Over 100 people were originally trapped. But the rescue operation was suspended at nightfall and only resumed at first light.

Our CNN's Ben Wedeman is Chamonix. He joins me now live with the latest. And Ben, 33 people including children, they were trapped in these cable

cars overnight high above the Alps. This is a very scary situation. What did they go through? How were they rescued?

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, we heard from some of them, and they were talking about how, you know, they were stuck

there because the rescue operation yesterday evening had to be suspended because it was getting dark. They were involved Italian and french

helicopters. And also fog set in. So, they were told they would just have to sit tight. Fortunately, in each of those cabins, there are emergency

kits with blankets, water, and emergency thorough ration bars.

But we were told by some of those people that the kits were not complete in some cases. And by three or 4:00 in the morning, we're talking about 12,000

feet in the Alps, so it is freezing at that time. They said it was really getting uncomfortable. Fortunately at 6:30 in the morning, the rescue

effort resumed, and the cable cars were able to be moved to the platform.

So all's well that ends well. But it was a hellish experience for those people. And the french authorities have begun an investigation into why

this happened. Now we understand that what did happen was there were strong winds yesterday afternoon. Today, of course, the weather is quite nice, and

it's not windy at all, and it's in fact some of those cable cars are operating again.

But the cables got crossed, so as many as 30 cars were stuck, suspended between 10 meters, and 200 meters above the ground. And so some were 100 --

well about 65 were rescued before the sun went down yesterday. But it was a nightmare for those who had to spend all night long in the cold and those

cars. Kristie?

LU STOUT: Yeah. Hellish experience for them. They had to spend a very, very cold night trapped in those cable cars high above the Alps, as you point

out, inadequate kits were given to them. That means inadequate blankets. After what they went through? What do we know about their health and their

overall condition?

WEDEMAN: Well, they have been checked by French medical authorities. They were particularly concerned that some might have been suffering from

hypothermia. We're told that all are now well. I suspect many of them were traumatized by the experience. Some, for instance were Korean tourists who

because of language barriers didn't really understand what was going on. The entire night.

So I imagine many of them have probably canceled their vacation plans in the Alps, and probably want to get as far away as possible from these

beautiful mountains. Kristie?

WEDEMAN: Ben Wedeman reporting live for us from Chamonix in France, thank you, Ben.

Now, at least four people are dead including the driver after a train crash in northern Spain. Rail officials say the passenger train derailed while

traveling from Vigo and Spain to Oporto Portugal. Nearly 50 injured passengers have been taken to local hospitals. And some of the victims were

airlifted by helicopter.

[08:14:26] You're watching NEWS STREAM. Still to come with just eight weeks to go until the U.S. presidential election, we survey the race with our

political commentator Michael Smerconish.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: Coming to you live from Hong Kong you're watching NEWS STREAM. New polls out in the U.S. show a very close presidential race in some of

the most crucial swing states. Now according to the Quinnipiac university surveys Donald Trump has a four-point lead over Hillary Clinton in Ohio.

But Clinton is leading in Pennsylvania by five points. As well as in North Carolina where she has a four-point edge over Trump and the two are tide in

Florida at 43 percent each.

Now the U.S. presidential race has been focused on national security this week but now the Libertarian Party candidate is in headlines for all the

wrong reasons. Gary Johnson he made a big stumble on international affairs when he appeared on the TV network MSNBC. Johnson later admitted he totally

blanked when he was asked a question about Syria. Take a listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE BARNICLE, MSNBC HOST "MORNING JOE": What would you do about Aleppo?

GARY JOHNSON, LIBERTARIAN PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: And what is Aleppo?

BARNICLE: You're kidding?

JOHNSON: No.

BARNICLE: Aleppo is in Syria. It's the -- it's the epicenter of the refugee crisis .

JOHNSON: OK, got it. Got it.

BARNICLE: OK. Well, with regard to Syria, I do think that it's a mess.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: Yeah, that's kind of tough to watch.

Now CNN Political Commentator Michael Smerconish is following the campaign closely. He joins us now live from Philadelphia. Michael, welcome to the

program. Welcome to CNN International, and of course I got to ask you first about Gary Johnson. The libertarian presidential nominee, he appeared to

know or not to know what Aleppo was in that TV interview just now. How do you see this for Johnson? Who is a real contender? He's in some polls at 10

percent.

MICHAEL SMERCONISH, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, Gary Johnson made a terrible gaffe, and Kristie it comes at a very inopportune moment for him.

Because in order to get on the debate stage, the Libertarian candidates need to be able to document that they're running at 15 percent in the

national polls. They're hovering somewhere in the 10 percent range right now. And the next week will be outcome determinative as to whether they get

on that stage.

My hunch is that this is playing much larger in the chattering class among media members than it will with Americans generally, and something that's

interesting, "The New York Times," in their coverage of this today, had to pose two corrections to their own story because the "Times" misidentified

exactly what Aleppo is. I know that probably horrifies your international audience. But the reality is that many Americans on a day-to-day basis are

perhaps not as focused on Syria as they should be.

LU STOUT: So the gaffe has been made. He likely will be forgiven. We just need to see if he's going to get the bump in the polls so he'll get a place

on the debate stage later on.

Let's talk about Donald Trump next. Interesting week for him. He's praised Vladimir Putin. Earlier weeks ago we remember that you know he slammed a

Gold Star family. He still refuses to release his tax returns. And yet he and Hillary Clinton are neck and neck in this race according to the polls.

Why does he have this two point lead according to the CNN poll? Why can't Hillary Clinton just close the deal and put him away?

SMERCONISH: Yeah it's pretty stunning isn't it when you run through the litany of those missteps that he has made and yet the fact that he's still

competitive with her requires some explanation.

[08:20:06] And mine would be as follows. That a significant number of individuals voting for Donald Trump are really not voting for Donald Trump,

they're voting against Hillary Clinton. And likewise, many of the Clinton supporters are there to vote against Donald Trump.

In the modern political era, we have not had two more unpopular candidates heading the respective national parties. And so they've got these baked in

negatives, and no matter what Trump may do or say in the next 50 or so days, there still is going to be a core constituency for him. And the same

for Hillary. And so there's a very narrow slice of undecideds who will determine the outcome of this election.

LU STOUT: You know I like the way you phrase it. There is this deep hatred that is just baked in for both candidates. They're so polarizing.

Let's focus on Hillary Clinton next. She is still under fire for her use of private e-mail server, and then there's the overall called the trust issue.

The trust problem. Why is there this long-standing distrust and somebody even put it distaste for Hillary Clinton?

SMERCONISH: So, it's a Rorschach test of sorts. Some would say well she has been victimized by this "Vast right wing conspiracy," conservatives have

never liked her. They've never liked her husband. And they have dogged her with every single issue that they could possibly find. Those who are

critical of Hillary Clinton would say well she deserves the scrutiny because there have been so many incidents in the past where she has been

ethically challenged. And the e-mail server, her use of a private e-mail server while she was secretary of state complete with 13 different smart

devices, they would say, is emblematic of the trust issues that are legitimate.

LU STOUT: Vice president Joe Biden this week, he says that Hillary Clinton knows that there's this issue. She knows that many Americans don't trust

her, and she's trying to figure out how to remedy it. But is there a remedy? What's the solution?

SMERCONISH: Frankly, I don't think there is. I mean, she's been in the public spotlight for the last 20-plus years. And so, Americans feel as if

they already know her, and I think that rather than try and convince people that she's something that they didn't think that she was, at this stage,

with so little time on the clock, the Clinton campaign seeks to drive its base to the polls.

In other words they're really not out there trying to change minds, they're trying to make sure that they can mobilize their constituency. And one last

thing, you know, even I say well the election is 50 days away. That's actually not true. Early voting in some parts of the country will begin in

about two weeks, and in the last election, a third of Americans voted before Election Day. So we're really on the cusp of this election

beginning.

LU STOUT: Let's talk next about Matt Lauer. He's moderator of the NBC forum that took place with both Trump and Clinton but they spoke separately. It

has been called a master class in bad interviewing. For international viewers who've heard all about it but missed the forum, you can watch it on

TV. What did Matt Lauer do so badly?

SMERCONISH: So, this is really interesting. Matt is one of the preeminent journalists, as you well know, in America. He's no lightweight. And he was

conducting a forum earlier this week on national security and foreign policy matters. The candidates did not share the stage. One followed the

other. But the wide perception is that he went easy on Donald Trump and he was particularly harsh in his treatment of Hillary Clinton.

What I think the significance is, is the following. We have four debates upcoming. Three presidential debates, and one vice presidential debate. And

each will be moderated by different journalists. That's a very tall order for those journalists, and you have to think that they will look at the

criticism that was just leveled at Matt Lauer, and it will impact the way they will comport themselves when they are moderating with both candidates

on stage.

So I'm wondering if there might be some blowback against Donald Trump because Lester Holt, who's going to moderate the first debate, isn't going

to want to be criticized the way his colleague Matt Lauer is right now.

LU STOUT: And also another moderator, Chris Wallace at Fox News. He weighed in on the issue of fact checking. You know, we know Lauer criticized for

not refuting Trump's claim that he was not in favor of Iraq war he let it slip but Chris Wallace who will be moderating one of the debates along with

Lester Holt he's saying it's not his job to fact check. Your thoughts on that?

SMERCONISH: You know, it's a really interesting debate within the journalism community. You'll remember that in the last cycle when it was

Mitt Romney and Barack Obama sharing the debate stage Candy Crowley, who was a CNN moderator -- questioned the candidates and then followed up and

said "Oh, he is right."

[08:25:12] And there was huge criticism in this particular case she was reinforcing something that President Obama said, and the Romney supporters

took umbrage at it. So I think it's an open question. Is it the role of the moderator just to pose the questions and let the public decide? Or should

they be intervening when they know something's been said that's incorrect? And I don't have a definitive answer on that.

LU STOUT: Yeah. I thought it would be the job of the journalist to call out an untruth. But there is this feeling out there about the embassy forum

that it's indicative of something bigger in the media. That's been happening throughout the election cycle, especially this last year, of the

media in general not doing enough fact checking, and lobbing softball questions. Is that fair?

SMERCONISH: Well, the issue that brings this to light, we should explain I guess, is the fact that Donald Trump said that he had always opposed the

Iraq invasion and he repeated that charge in the course of this forum, which just took place two nights ago, and Matt Lauer, the moderator, did

not pursue it when, in fact, there's significant evidence that suggests that that wasn't Donald Trump's position.

But you know, here's the thing I have to say. In those instances where Donald Trump has been fact checked, and where he's been called out, it

hasn't made any dent in his popularity. Going back to your first questions which is to say there's a whole litany of gaffes on his part and yet none

of them have taken him down. Why is that the case? I would again argue it's because she has big negatives in the same way that he has big negatives.

And people are ready -- they're ready to go and cast their ballots tomorrow even though there's 50 or so more days left. I swear we could run this race

tomorrow and get the same result that we're going to get on November 8th.

LU STOUT: But so we look at the polling right now. Back to Trump and Clinton here, again according to the CNN poll out this week, they are on

even ground. I mean, this is -- you're saying the general election is already here. But, with the -- the vote coming up November the 2nd, ahead

of that time, what can Hillary Clinton do to regain, if she could, the more significant lead that she had after the Democratic National Convention that

bump or is that just impossible at this moment?

SMERCONISH: Well, listen, this is really important for folks outside the United States to appreciate. The national surveys show it a horse race. In

fact, the latest CNN/ORC poll as you point out shows Donald Trump with a two-point lead. But that's misleading. Because we don't elect our

presidents based on national vote tallies. We do it based on the Electoral College. It's a state by state calculation. And when you delve into the

Electoral College tally, she has a significant lead.

And unless that begins to change in the end it may be neck and neck nationally, but the state tallies, the Electoral College, will put her

where she needs to be.

LU STOUT: Got you. And appreciate that clarity there. Last question for you. On Trump. We saw that visit that he made to Mexico that seemed to

really give him a boost in the polls. Does that encourage Donald Trump? Should what -- what should we expect to see from him and his campaign in

the weeks ahead as he attempts to close the gap?

SMERCONISH: I think you're going to, you know, it's funny you should ask, because many have been wondering will we see a different Donald Trump? Will

there be a Donald Trump who will make a pivot toward the general election different from the primary election? And although there have been these

moments, where he's evidenced a different side of the Trump persona, like the visit to Mexico, pretty much he's been the same guy through and

through.

And I think his strategy is to fire up, to stoke the base that he already has, and get them to the polls and despite what he says in public, I think

he recognizes that there are some constituencies he'll never be able to capture, and it's just not worth his time to even make that effort.

LU STOUT: All right Michael Smerconish we'll leave it at that. But really appreciate your clarity and common sense just cutting to the core of what

this race is all about especially on this day. Thank you and take care.

SMERCONISH: OK.

LU STOUT: You're watching NEWS STREAM right here on CNN.

[08:29:39] Up next American and Russian negotiators they are back at the table again as they try to find a solution to the conflict in Syria. Can

they iron out their differences this time?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:32:14] LU STOUT: I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong. You're watching NEWS STREAM. These are the world headlines.

At the International Atomic Energy Agency calls North Korea's claim of a nuclear test troubling and regrettable saying if confirmed it violates U.N.

Security Council resolutions. South Korea says the blast was twice as large as the one North Korea triggered in January. And now the U.N.

Security Council is to hold an emergency meeting.

33 people trapped in cable cars in the French Alps overnight have been rescued and are now being checked over by doctors. Now the cars came to a

halt on Thursday with more than 100 people on board when two cables got crossed. Most of the passengers were rescued before darkness forced

helicopter crews to halt operations for the night.

American international banking giant, Wells Fargo, has fired 5,300 employees for opening 2 million unauthorized accounts in customer names.

Now they shifted customer funds into the new accounts to boost sales, and earn bonuses. Wells Fargo has agreed to pay $185 million in fines and says

it will refund the customers.

U.S. Libertarian Presidential Candidate Gary Johnson has made a stumble on international affairs. He appeared clueless about what the Syrian City of

Aleppo is during a televised interview.

He later said he was thinking about an acronym instead of the Syrian conflict in blanks. I hope (ph) to answer, Johnson, Aleppo a city at the

epicenter of fighting in Syria where government forces are battling rebels. Civilians are struggling to get food and medicine. The Syrian conflict is

also the focus of major talks between the U.S. and Russia right now. Diplomats are meeting in Geneva to discuss a cease-fire.

Let's take you there and our International Diplomatic Editor Nic Robertson joins us now. And Nic, they are back at the table again. Can the U.S. and

Russia narrow their differences and reach common ground?

NIC ROBERTSON,CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: You know, with Secretary of State John Kerry, his trip here to these talks kind of slipped

for about 24 hours and that was because what he said was that he didn't want to come unless there was some real hope of making some difference.

And I guess the very fact that he's here, I mean we don't have to guess, we know the very fact that he's here, it's because he believes that's

possible.

Now the gaps were specifically around Aleppo, specifically around humanitarian access, specifically around the very detailed points on the

cease-fire that would go into effect there of course what they're trying to do is make agreement across the whole country they've covered a lot of

ground there so the reality is the potentially this meeting can solve some of those gaps, maybe not all of them.

The United States has been more skeptical than Russia. Russia's tended to be a little more positive. But I have to say about 20, 30 minutes ago I

just saw Sergey Lavrov walk past me with his entourage, his shoulders were hunched, his head was down.

[08:35:04] He wasn't walking particularly quickly. You didn't get the sense that there was a spring in his step like he had something to

celebrate really you got the sense that he's got a slog ahead of him still.

So at this stage, you know, there've been in meetings for about five hours. There have been a few pauses. They're having one now. Lavrov was going

off to lunch it appeared. So it does appear at this stage as if there is still quite some way to go on this, Kristie.

LU STOUT: You know, the body language you observed there not very encouraging. Nic Robertson reporting live for us from Geneva, thank you.

If you are a Samsung Galaxy Note 7 user you're going to listen to this story. You want to be careful when you fly. The Federal Aviation

Administration is warning air travelers to not use their Note 7 on planes or put them in checked baggage.

Now this unusual warning comes after Samsung issued a global recall for its flagship Note 7 phones after complaints that the batteries can catch fire.

Some airlines are already asking passengers not to charge their phones on the plane. Samsung has not commented on the warning.

Facebook's reliance on using computer algorithms is facing another major controversy over this famous war photo. Now this picture from the Vietnam

War shows a naked girl fleeing a napalm attack. But Facebook has been deleting this photo because it depicts nudity.

Some users in Norway have complained that the images disappeared from their pages. They include a newspaper editor, and author, and even the prime

minister. And the newspaper editor spoke to CNN a short time ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ESPEN EGIL HANSEN, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF AFTENPOSTEN: They are a media company, because they filters information that they decide pretty much what

you will receive of information and what I will receive. And, they, Facebook, they're in the fully right to have their own rules, but they have

to be responsible, and come out and discuss how they run those rules, how they can become better.

And I just think it's not good enough that they keep just answering from nameless offices, kind of standard reply. This is really important. This

was a picture that changed the discussion about the Vietnam War. It was really important for -- not only for the people in the U.S., but for

globally, to understand that there was another side of the Vietnam War. It made us more enlightened, and we had -- we could run a better discussion.

That is Democracy. And Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook, in effect has a real impact on the global discussion today, and then yes, he's an editor in

chief.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: This is important. This is history. That was the editor of Aftenposten speaking to Nina dos Santos a short time ago.

Now remember that the photo isn't being deleted by human beings. It's being automatically flagged by Facebook's algorithms. The company is

increasingly turning to smart computer programs to manage the content posted by its enormous user base. But those algorithms have caused

Facebook plenty of problems recently.

Just two weeks ago, Facebook had to remove a fake article about Fox anchor, Megyn Kelly, from its trending topics, and that came right after the

company announced it will depend on algorithms to decide what is trending news. It's supposed to remove bias. Well, those changes actually happened

because of this motor (ph) report accused Facebook of actively stopping conservative news from trending.

You're watching NEWS STREAM. Still to come, one of the biggest series in sci-fi history is turning 50 years old. We'll have more on the "Star Trek"

franchise next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:40:45] LU STOUT: Welcome back. Now, "Star Trek" is celebrating its 50th anniversary. The franchise is one of the most iconic series in sci-fi

histories, the Trekkies or Trekkers as fans call themselves have been a huge part of bringing the franchise to success. In fact, when the show

first came out it was canceled after just three seasons but because of a loyal cult following Star Trek is now a major hit with the books, games and

movies that we all know today.

Now, Richard Quest, spoke with William Shatner who played Captain Kirk, of course, about Star Trek's unexpected ability to live long when prosper.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIIP)

RICHARD QUEST, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: When you were making that series, was there any feeling amongst you all that you were doing something

different, something that would be become of iconic legend status?

WILLIAM SHATNER, PLAYED CAPTAIN KIRK, "STAR TREK": No more than you and I saying that this interview is going to be so special that 50 years from now

they're going to hold it up as an example of a great interview. Does that sound a little far fetched?

QUEST: I think it is in the realms of impossibility.

SHATNER: And that's what we thought if somebody had suggested that 50 years from now we'd be talking about Star Trek. If that had been suggested

back then, we would have considered them slightly addled.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: Now "Star Trek" actually lives on in space. The show inspired some who now work at NASA and NASA named the first space shuttle enterprise

after the famous starship from the show. Now, here are some of the program casts standing in front of that shuttle.

Now, to march Star Trek's birthday, NASA posted this new infrared image of the ant, stingray and hourglass nebula saying that they look like the USS

Enterprise.

I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong. That's all for NEWS STREAM. And I leave you with this simple message, "Live long, and prosper."

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