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NEWS STREAM

South Koreans Bringing Kim Jong-Un's Message To U.S.; U.K. Home Secretary Use Of Nerve Agent Brazen And Reckless; Daniel's Attorney: Absurd Trump Didn't Know About Payoff; ICRC Aid Delivery To Eastern Ghouta Postponed; Trial Begins For Inventor Accused Of Killing Journalist; China's #MeToo Movement. Aired at 8-9a ET

Aired March 8, 2018 - 08:30   ET

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


[08:00:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong and welcome to News Stream.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STOUT: An important message -- South Korean envoys are delivering a message from North Korea to the U.S. and they want Washington and Pyongyang

to talk.

A brazen and reckless act -- the British home secretary speaks out about the nerve agent attack that injured a former Russian spy, his daughter and

a policeman.

And #MeToo in China -- we speak to some of the women affected by sexual harassment and those pushes back on this International Women's Day.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STOUT: Top South Korean diplomats are expected to land in the U.S. in the coming hours. They're bringing with them a message from Pyongyang for

Washington.

Now, they are not saying probably what that message is, but it will be briefing the White House on this week's unprecedented meeting with North

Korean leader Kim Jong-un. One envoy says their main task is to get the U.S. and North Korea to talk to each other.

The U.S. has expressed cautious optimism about the upcoming Korean summit. Andrew Stevens joins us now from Seoul with the latest. And, Andrew, a

letter from Kim Jong-un to Donald Trump is soon touching down in America this hour. We don't know what it says, but what does it represent?

ANDREW STEVENS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it represents an effort of sincerity by the North Korean, at least that's how it's been interpreted

here, Kristie, because remember, we don't know what the North Koreans have said.

We only know what the South Koreans have said the North Koreans are talking about but this is a letter direct from Kim Jong-un to the Americans.

And when the envoys touched down from their meeting in Pyongyang, they did say that there was a message and it was a message which did talk about

denuclearization, and this is the very heart of the issue, is that North Korea is prepared to look at denuclearization.

Obviously with very important caveats, a security guarantee for example. So these are the sort of questions that the envoy in -- as he arrives in

Washington is going to be asked. He's going to be sort of asked about exactly what are the security guarantees.

I mean, is it normal that -- that American troops have to leave South Korea's shores or is it something more than that? There's a whole raft of

questions that the Americans want to get about just how sincere is Kim Jong-un about this.

What does a moratorium mean? We know that the North Koreans have offered a moratorium on testing. Is that just on testing of missiles and nuclear

devices or does it go to the research as well?

So a lot of questions are going to be aimed at these envoys and you know, he's -- because remember, Kristie, this is the first time that South Korea

-- really the world has met Kim Jong-un face-to-face, so they're going to try to glean as much as they can about the man himself.

STOUT: Yes, and the big question why is Kim Jong-un sending this message to Donald Trump. To what degree have sanctions affected his regime and is

that the reason why Kim is suddenly interested in diplomacy?

STEVENS: Well, we don't know the answer to that for sure because it's very difficult as we know to get any sort of information out of North Korea, but

certainly there is anecdotal evidence, reports from towns along the border between China and North Korea that are usually thriving hubs of commerce on

both sides.

But now those towns -- many of those towns in China are seeing a big, big drop-off in business. I mean think, Donald Trump actually went out of his

way to single out China's help in pushing forward on the sanctions and cracking down on North Korea when he was talking about being cautiously

optimistic and that Kim Jong-un appeared sincere.

Donald Trump talked about China's effort in that and China has always said it has worked on the international sanctions. And remember those sanctions

were tightened dramatically late last year, aimed at taking a billion dollars out of exports.

There were only $3 billion worth of exports from North Korea, so these are all big hits and most analysts say, yes, those sanctions are hurting. At

is same time, very few have said they're hurting enough for Kim to actually stop his nuclear program.

STOUT: Andrew Steven live in Seoul for us. Thank you.

Now, the British home secretary is calling the use of a nerve agent on British soil, a brazen and reckless act.

Amber Rudd, about a short time ago about the incident that left a former Russian spy and his daughter critically ill, police say that they were

deliberately poisoned. We get more now from CNN's Nick Paton Walsh, he joins us live from Abingdon Green, outside the Houses of Parliament.

[08:05:00] Nick, again, the British home secretary has been weighing in on the case. What more is she saying?

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Very little in truth actually. We know what Sergei and Yulia Skripal remain in intensely bad condition in

hospital.

We heard this morning that the police officer who first rushed to the scene to attend to their well being when they were beginning to lose

consciousness on a bench on a rainy Sunday afternoon near a shopping center in the city of Salisbury, he is improving.

He will be a key witness, as will Sergei and Yulia Skripal, themselves. But a very clear statement from the British home secretary, a top security

official in the U.K., Amber Rudd, just a moment ago -- here's what she said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AMBER RUDD, SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT: The use of a nerve agent on U.K. soil is a brazen and reckless act. This was attempted murder

in the most cruel and public way.

People are right to want to know who to hold to account. But if we are to be rigorous in this investigation, we must avoid speculation and allow the

police to carry on their investigation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALSH: So, a complicated task here for British officials. They have to give up enough information to appear in control to be the authoritative

voice of this investigation. They can't give things up that might impede their work of police officers.

That is moving fast outside the house of the Skripals. There are some police activities now and police are being clear that they do know the

specific nerve agent that was used here and that's key because a small number of countries posses that kind of technology.

And perhaps even a smaller set of those may be able to deliver something like the specific nerve agent they're talking about. Of course the hunt is

on for who may have delivered it, how it may have got to be between the father and daughter as they possibly enjoyed a pizza on a Sunday afternoon.

But today's key issue is about the British government, I think beginning to come to terms of what this means for its relationship with Russia. They're

extremely cautious here not to point the finger.

There are other explanations possibly, other than the Russian government that Sergei Skripal betrayed, frankly, as Russian spy when he defected and

worked for MI6 as a major there in Russia. That the Russian government are necessarily responsible.

But I'm afraid that predominance of opinion here certainly politically is pointing toward Moscow and Moscow denying any responsibility at all and

calling this part of sort of an anti-Russian climate of hysteria here in the U.K. Kristie.

STOUT: And if the Russians are confirmed to be behind this poisoning, how would the U.K. respond?

WALSH: Well, there's some that Britain isn't the kind of global power it used to be and therefore, its access are quite limited. That's I think

perhaps true, if you compare it, what the United States may be able to do.

But there are some sanctions that could be taken by the United Kingdom. Possibly they could have some sort of diplomatic expulsion maybe, that's

one more extreme option.

But also two, there are large numbers of the Russian elite here. Many of whom tied to the government, many are close to the Kremlin, close to

Vladimir Putin, who have assets here and who have children at school here.

No one suggesting make their education harder, but there's a lot potentially that the British government could do to make the life of that

elite here harder. They could perhaps ask questions about where this money originated from.

There's been a lot of speculation as to exactly how this capital and this property market is used for money laundering, from some of the less savory

origins of money around the world.

So there certainly is a large political climate here for some sort of robust response if indeed Russia is proven to be involve, I think it's a, I

have to say, more matter of time until that conclusion is met, unless there is some sort of incredibly sophisticated criminal network or another third-

party nation, potential involved here until potentially the finger is pointed toward Moscow.

But you heard today here, I think admirably to some degree the British government being very clear and slow, and methodical in their desire to

have all the facts at their hands before they make that claim.

I have to tell you though, we're hearing very little about how this investigation is progressing. It clearly is progressing because of

continued police activity and the fact that in the matter of 24 hours, the counterterrorism commands took no lead in the investigation.

And then 24 hours later, specified the nerve agent that had been used. Clearly a lot is happening that we are going to see and I expect in the

week ahead, those details will soon come out. Kristie.

STOUT: Yes, the investigation goes on. Still, no confirmation on origin. Nick Paton Walsh, reporting live for us, thank you.

To Washington and two very different headaches for U.S. President Donald Trump -- first, his controversial tariff proposal on aluminum and steel,

there seem to be major confusion about when it is going to be rolled out and which countries it is going to include.

Also, the legal melodrama, starring Stormy Daniels' scandal -- the president denies the allege affair with the porn star but there are

questions about who knew what about the alleged hush money paid to Daniels, days before the election.

[08:10:01] Abby Phillip has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAEL AVENATTI, ATTORNEY FOR STORMY DANIELS: The idea that somehow President Trump didn't know anything about this, and that Attorney Cohen

was just running off and doing what he thought was best, it is patently absurd.

ABBY PHILLIP, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Stormy Daniels' lawyer is rejecting the White House's claim that President Trump was unaware of the $130,000

payment to Daniels, 11 days before the election, paid by Mr. Trump's personal lawyer, Michael Cohen.

JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Did he know about the payment at the time?

SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Not that I'm aware of.

PHILLIP: But, Sanders, admitting for the first time that a nondisclosure agreement involving the president did exist.

SANDERS: The president has addressed these directly and made very well clear that none of these allegations are true. This case has already been

won in arbitration. And anything beyond that, I would refer you to the president's outside counsel.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You said that there's arbitration that's already been won, by whom and when?

SANDERS: By the president's personal attorneys, and for details on that, I would defer you to them.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But you're aware of them. So what more can you share with us?

SANDERS: I can share that -- that the arbitration was won in the president's favor.

PHILLIP: Daniels's lawyer, Michael Avenatti, telling CNN that, Sanders, was referencing a temporary restraining order obtained by Cohen last week

to prevent Daniels from speaking out about her alleged affair with Mr. Trump.

AVENATTI: She had no idea it was happening. No opportunity to respond. But we find her statement that President Trump has already quote, won,

closed quote, this arbitration to be absolutely bogus and baseless.

PHILLIP: Avenatti charging that Cohen and his legal team are actively trying to intimidate his client. Mr. Cohen has not responded to CNN's

request for comment.

The White House will try to shift the media's focus today to the president's controversial proposal to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum

but there is confusion about the rollout.

The White House's top trade advisor, Peter Navarro, is saying in an interview that Mr. Trump will sign the tariffs into law today but a White

House aide telling CNN, that the policy is not even finalized. Navarro announcing that there will be exemptions for Canada and Mexico after facing

heavy backlash from fellow Republicans.

PETER NAVARRO, WHITE HOUSE CHIEF TRADE ADVISOR: The proclamation will have a clause that does not impose these tariffs immediately on Canada and

Mexico.

PHILLIP: On Sunday, Navarro touting a different approach.

NAVARRO: At this point in time, there are no country exclusions. As soon as you exempt one country, then you have to exempt another country. And so

it's a slippery slope.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

STOUT: That was CNN's, Abby Phillip, reporting there. Now she mentioned the confusion over whether there's going to be a rollout Thursday afternoon

in Washington. Well, it seems President Trump himself -- he wants to put that matter to rest.

A short time ago, he tweeted this saying, looking forward to the 3:30 p.m. meeting today at the White House. We have to protect and build our steel

and aluminum industries, while at the same time showing great flexibility and cooperation towards those that are real friends, and treat us fairly on

both the trade, and the military. Latest tweet from Donald Trump there.

Turning now to Syria and the people of Eastern Ghouta -- they will have to wait even longer for help. A U.N. aide convoy scheduled to enter the

enclave today has been postponed.

The international committee of the Red Cross says it is due to the rapidly evolving situation on the ground. The rebel held suburb of Damascus has

faced weeks of military strikes leaving thousands of people in dire need of food and medical supplies.

On Monday, that convoy of 46 trucks delivered some aid but they couldn't unload it all because of the continued shelling. Red Cross says no date

has been set for the next aid delivery.

You are watching News Stream, and still to come, an inventor goes on trial accused of killing journalist Kim Wall on board his own submarine. Details

on this bizarre and brutal case, next.

And the Me Too Movement is bringing to light, the problem of sexual harassment all around the world. But that movement seemed to be more

subdued in China. We will explain, next.

[08:15:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

STOUT: Coming to you live from Hong Kong, welcome back. This is News Stream. She was once one of the most respected people in the world, but

those days are diminishing for Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi.

The U.S. holocaust memorial museum has stripped the de facto leader of the Elie Wiesel Award over the ongoing violence against Rohingya Muslims in

Rakhine State. Aung San Suu Kyi was presented the honor in 2012.

The museum's director says the organization felt compelled to take action in response to the displacement and killing of more than 600,000 Rohingyas.

The gruesome case of a murdered Swedish journalist is now underway in Denmark's capital city. It has been nearly seven months since Kim Wall

boarded a submarine for a story, but never made it back home. Now the man accused of torturing and killing her is expected to take the stand. Atika

Shubert has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Here along the Danish Coast, the beheaded and mutilated torso of 30-year-old Swedish Journalist,

Kim Wall, washed ashore in August of last year, 10 days after she was reported missing.

Now, 46-year-old Peter "Rocket" Madsen, an inventor from Denmark is on trial for her murder in a bizarre and brutal case that has shocked the

country.

TOMAS TROLLO (ph), ACQUAINTANCE OF PETER MADSEN: Everyone was shocked. It could have happen as the marking and that was the first. And in fact,

nobody believed it. But more and more evidence came, and so everybody was shocked about this story.

SHUBERT: Peter Madsen had a passion for ocean and space travel featured in Danish films, books, even children's TV programs. This was Madsen's latest

project, the UC3 Nautilus. One of the world's largest privately built submarines. He invited, Kim Wall, aboard for a story she was doing, that

was the last time she was seen alive.

The indictment charges Madsen with premeditated murder and indecent handling of a corps as well as sexual relations other than intercourse of a

particularly dangerous nature. That legal language obscures the brutality of the alleged crime.

Wall's body had multiple stab wounds inside and around her genital area, her limbs and head were hacked off. The indictment also sites video

evidence found in this shop where Madsen worked, films of the torture and execution of real women.

EVA SMITH, PROFESSOR EMERITA CRIMINAL LAW, COPENHAGEN UNIVERSITY: I think the prosecution will try to not talk too much about that, also because of

her family and so on.

But, of course, if they are going to try to prove criminalization having enough videos is something that's sort of pointed that direction. So I

don't think -- I think we will hear actually quite a bit about it.

SHUBERT: Madsen has denied the murder and sexual assault, as well as any knowledge of the films. He maintains that Kim Wall died by accident but

admits to dismembering her body and tossing it in the sea.

What really happened? Prosecutor say they will reveal details in court to prove how Madsen plan to commit the murder and dispose of the body. The

trial is expected to last through the end of April. Atika Shubert, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

STOUT: Now, Thursday, this day is International Women's Day and it comes on the heels of what many could call a watershed year for women.

[08:20:00] Last year 2017, saw the rise of the Me Too and Time's Up movements, triggering global discussions about sexual harassment, assault,

and gender equality.

But a report from the World Economic Forum calls 2017, a bad year in a good decade for gender parody. It says last year, the progress made by women

and economics, the work place, education, politics and health went into reverse.

The current pace have change, it would take 100 years to close the gender gap. In 2016, that estimate was 83 years and it gets worse when you look

specifically at economic inequality.

That gap between men and women, would take 217 years to close. And that is why the slogan for International Women's Day is press for progress.

Organizers hope the momentum generated by Me Too and Time's Up will continue and lead to lasting change.

Marches and events have taken place all across the world to mark International Women's Day. These pictures are just in from Istanbul where

crowds have demanded an end to abuse of women.

More rallies were held in places like Seoul where women expressed their solidarity with the Me Too Movement which aims to call out sexual abuse and

harassment.

As you saw there, the Me Too and Time's Up Movement galvanizing women to take action and call for change all over the world, but in China, the

government insists that sexual misconduct isn't a problem. The women there are making it clear that they will not remain silent. Matt Rivers reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATT RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: After it happened, she would sit and she would read, withdrawn, a way to escape reality for a bit because the

reality was that Zhang Cimao says she was sexually assaulted and nobody seemed to care.

ZHANG CIMAO, SEXUAL ASSAULT VICTIM (through a translator): He took off his pants and he also took off my pants. He was trying to rape me.

RIVERS: She avoided rape that night, but says she was assaulted nonetheless. Angry and afraid, she took her case to a police station near

her home. A full week later, they agreed to question the suspect.

ZHANG (through a translator): After questioning, an officer told me, why don't you just have him buy you a necklace or something and drop this case?

I said, that's impossible.

The officer went back in and talked to the man again. He returned by saying the man was willing to marry me. I found it both ridiculous and

infuriating.

RIVERS: The police in Guangzhou did not respond to a request for comment. Activists say sexual assault and harassment is both rampant in China and

constantly ignored by those in power.

WEI TINGTING, AUTHOR: Obviously it exists in China.

RIVERS: Wei Tingting is one of the authors of that report and was arrested back in 2015 for planning a campaign against sexual assault on public

transit. She says the problem is not just that sexual harassment exists but that victims often feel it's their fault.

TINGTING: Their family, their society, I don't think it's quite supportive of victims to share their story.

RIVERS: The Communist Party's central committee has 204 members. Ten are women. The all-powerful standing committee led by President Xi Jinping has

never had a female member. And activists say a government run only by men has been slow to address what's considered a, quote, female problem.

That's why there is no legal definition of sexual harassment here and no standardized way of reporting sexual assault. It's why state-run

newspapers run articles like this one that claim sexual assault isn't problem here.

Quote, Chinese traditional values and conservative attitudes tend to safeguard women against inappropriate behavior, it read. And it's why the

government so swiftly censored online discussion of harassment late last year. And yet things are changing. Buoyed by a burgeoning movement across

the world, Chinese feminists are taking a stand.

TINGTING: They are very brave to speak about their -- their stories.

RIVERS: Zhang Cimao's case was eventually dropped. The police told her she had no proof, but she is inspired by Me Too and her motivation for

telling her story is simple.

ZHANG (through a translator): When you speak out, you become strong.

RIVERS: Matt Rivers, CNN, Guangzhou, China.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

STOUT: As featured in that report, Wei Tingting, fought against sexual assault in China long before the rise of the Me Too Movement.

She was part of the Feminist Five and they were detained for provoking trouble two years ago right before International Women's Day and now with

more women speaking up, I asked, Wei, to give us the update for the current situation for women in China.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TINGTING: I think is quite complicated because, as you know, China is so big and we have so many different issues, like labor, like work place, like

sexual harassment, domestic violence and gender equality, education, you know, different issues.

[08:25:00] But I think so far, as I say, when I was young and now I'm 30- years-old, in the past few years, I can see some achievement about women's task, women's position, and women's rights. But also, we also have some

space, and also have a lot of work to do to be done in the future.

STOUT: You've seen some achievement because action is being taken. Action is being taken -- dozens of universities across China, where students both

male and female are sending petitions. What are they asking for?

TINGTING: I remember over 8,000 university students from over 80 universities, they kind of joined the proposal to propose to their

university, so as for the anti-sexual harassment mechanism in their universities. So it's quite -- I would say it's quite a big number and big

movement in China happen, you know, just one month ago.

STOUT: So you're hopeful. You feel that officials in China, whether they're university officials or political officials are recognizing that

harassment is an issue and they want to address it?

TINGTING: Yes, I feel I'm positive and hopefully to -- to that, but also I know, we also have some challenge to it like how do you really implement a

law. For example let's say -- let's take the domestic violence, for example.

So far I know, the anti-domestic violence works, start in 1995, but you know, it take years -- these constant years action to work with government,

to move forward on domestic violence and two years ago, we finally have a law, you know official law implement government.

I think the things that impress me is the young generation. I would say like the 20 years university students and some young girls I met, I think

they are more and more have the warnings of gender equality.

They are kind of more stand up to, you know, fight for their rights to speak out, to talk and like what we said, the petition and the joint

proposal to universities.

You can not believe so many students, they are just motivated by those situations they read in the news and, they want to do something for their

universities.

I also can see some change in their, you know, government attitude. I can remember this day activist wrote letter to policymakers, years ago but he

didn't get a lot of replies.

But currently like I mentioned, I -- I saw in the internet, the news, a girl wrote e-mails -- wrote letters to the policymakers, and she get some

feedback from the government and I think there also some, you know, change or development from the government side.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

STOUT: Chinese activist Wei Tingting, there. Now, International Women's Day is going to be taking us to the Middle East next.

And it has been a dream decades in the making for Saudi women and now that dream is just months away from becoming a reality. And as Meghan Markle

celebrates International Women's Day, a look back at her life as an activist, will it all change once she is a royal?



[08:30:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN NEWS STREAM SHOW HOST: I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong. You're watching "News Stream" and these are your world headlines.

Top South Korean diplomats are due to arrive in the U.S. in the coming hours. Later on Thursday, they will brief U.S. officials on their

unprecedented meeting with North Korean Leader Kim Jong-un. They will hand over a message from the regime. The head of the delegation said their main

task is to get the U.S. and North Korea to talk to each other.

The U.K. home secretary says a fast-paced criminal investigation is underway into the suspected poisoning of a former Russian double agent and

his daughter. Amber Rudd says they were deliberately attacked with a nerve agent in a brazen and ruthless act. An officer who was one of the first

responders on the scene is also seriously ill in hospital.

The International Committee of the Red Cross has an aide convoy scheduled to enter Eastern Ghouta today has been postponed because of the situation

on the ground. Hundreds of thousands of civilians in the rebel-held suburb of Damascus are in desperate need of supplies after weeks of relentless

military strikes.

Our coverage of International Women's Day continues now with a look at Saudi Arabia. Women there have been pressing for progress and a civil right

most women around the world take for granted but as Becky Anderson reports, a big milestone is quickly approaching.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): A long fight and now a victory for change, for choice. Saudi Arabia is the only place on

the planet where women cannot drive a car. In June though, that will all be history as women are set to hit the highway.

The road to get here has been paved with decades of protests and petitions. In 1990, 47 women took to the streets, forbidden from riding around Riyadh

and was soon arrested.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I love driving. I wish I can drive in the country, in our country.

ANDERSON (voice over): Her wish was not realized. The struggle went on. Women, thousands of them, flouted the authorities.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Crime, driving. Why females?

ANDERSON (voice over): Fast forward to 2011 and prominent activist and author, Manal Al-Sharif, was jailed for nine days after she posted this

clip of her in the driver's seat on You Tube.

MANAL AL-SHARIF, PROMINENT ACTIVIST AND AUTHOR: It's a symbolic act of the women rights. We want to be full citizens. I'm educated, I have a job, and

I should be able to -- I should be trusted to drive my own car.

ANDERSON (voice over): And last September, that trust was extended.

(on camera): A historic day for millions of women and their families here in the Saudi Arabia.

(voice over): The royal decree issued by King Salman was celebrated by many in the Uber conservative country.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I can't wait until June.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I feels great actually because we've been waiting for this for years.

ANDERSON (on camera): How do you feel?

KHOLOUD ATTAR, SAUDI BUSINESSWOMAN: I haven't slept from excitement.

ANDERSON (on camera): I've spoken to people here who say that they appreciate that change is necessary, but they say things are going so

quickly, it's too fast, to which you say what.

ATTAR: Which I agree it is going fast but I appreciate it. I don't think - - it's like a band aid. I think if you take it slow, it's going to hurt much more longer and would be harder for people to adapt. I think the fact

that they realize that there is a realization that it's necessary to move fast really helps the development because the whole world is going fast.

And the people who don't take these fast steps are really left behind.

ANDERSON (voice over): Something this man doesn't want to happen in his country. Saudi Arabia's young ambitious Crowned Prince, Mohamed bin-Salman

is credited with driving this forward. All part of the road ahead for Saudi Arabia, a multifaceted vision to bring the kingdom up to speed by 2030. And

with this change, women will no longer be passengers simply along the ride.

Becky Anderson, CNN, Abu Dhabi.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: In the U.K., members of the royal family are helping celebrate International Women's Day. In fact, Prince Harry and his fiancee Meghan

Markle, they have been meeting crowds in Birmingham.

[08:35:00] It's ahead of an event to encourage young women to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math. And of course, Meghan

Markle has been a vocal advocate for gender equality. As Anna Stewart reports her activism started when she was just 11 years old.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MEGHAN MARKLE, ACTRESS: I have been killing it here for the better part of a decade. I'm better than most the associates in that bull pen and I

haven't even gone to law school yet. So imagine what it will be like once I have.

ANNA STEWART, JOURNALIST, CNN (voice over): Throughout the TV series, "Suits," paralegal Rachel Zane asserted herself as a strong working woman.

MARKLE: Women don't need to find a voice.

STEWART (voice over): Off screen, she's a little different. As actress, blogger, and philanthropist, gender equality has long been an important

issue for Meghan Markle.

MARKLE: I am proud to be a woman and a feminist.

STEWART (voice over): As a UN Women's advocate in 2015, Markle recalled how she found feminism when she was just 11 years old.

MARKLE: This commercial came on with a tag line for this dishwashing liquid, and the tag line said, women all over America are fighting greasy

pots and pans.

(LAUGHTER)

MARKLE: I went home and I told my dad what had happened.

STEWART (voice over): She wrote to Proctor and Gamble who responded to her letter, and changed the ad from women all over America to people all over

America.

During the couple's engagement announcement, Inside Edition delved into the video archives at Nickelodeon who covered the story at the time.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If you see something that you don't like or offended by on television or any other place, write letters and send them to the

right people and you can make a difference.

STEWART (voice over): And she still plans to make a difference in her new royal role.

(on camera): Meghan Markle is marrying into a royal family known for its strong female leaders such as the resident at Buckingham Palace, the queen.

But modern day protocol actually means that the royal family can't express any political views. But some people think she already has.

MARKLE: "Me Too" and "Time's Up," there is no better time than to really continue to shine a light on women feeling empowered.

STEWART (voice over): Markle has shut down her blog and Instagram page since her engagement, but she can't erase the political views that she's

already expressed.

RICHARD FITZWILLIAMS, ROYAL COMMENTATOR: Meghan has said in the past in regards Donald Trump as divisive and if he was elected, she would like to

immigrate to Canada. It's most unlikely that she will ever say anything similar again.

STEWART (voice over): As long as she stays clear of politics, Markle will be able to use her upcoming new job as the fourth (ph) patron of the royal

foundation to champion women's rights.

Anna Stewart, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: I love seeing her as the 11-year-old activist. That was cool. You are watching "News Stream." Up next, we're going to meet a woman with

an eye toward the future. She is starting a chain reaction to solve one of the world's toughest trash problems.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: Coming to you live from a sparkling night here in Hong Kong. Welcome back. This is "News Stream."

For the next two weeks, CNN is telling the stories of young scientists, entrepreneurs and inventors in a new special series. Their innovations are

truly inspiring and will surely make a difference in improving our environment, health, communities as well. We call these people tomorrow's

heroes.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

[08:40:00] SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Every time you throw away a plastic bottle, it doesn't just disappear. It lives on for

hundreds of years. And it's why tomorrow's hero, Miranda Wang, has come up with a solution that helps keep plastic waste from ruining our oceans.

MIRANDA WANG, ENTREPRENEUR: Globally, only eight percent of plastic packaging is being recycled. The majority of it is being land-filled and a

lot of it goes into the oceans. Frankly, our world hasn't been moving forward in innovating plastic recycling for the past decades.

My name is Miranda Wang. I'm 23 years old. I'm an entrepreneur and innovator, and I'm the co-founder of Bio Selection.

I've been working on developing innovations to solve the plastic problem ever since I was 17 years old. My high school best friend and I took a

field trip to a waste transfer station in Vancouver, Canada, and we were just astounded by how much plastic packaging goes to landfill.

We actually don't know how long it takes for plastics to break down. There are numbers around the world saying it takes longer than a thousand five

hundred years.

About half of the peninsula in the San Francisco Bay area, every day, 11 metric tons of this material is being recovered at a partner facility.

That's about the same weight as the three to four commercial trucks. So, imagine how much film it takes to make up that weight considering each

plastic bag only weighs about three to five grams.

What we have developed in an innovative process and this process can be used at large scale, so process tons and tons of material around the world

every day. We are using catalysts that can break down plastics by basically unlocking a mechanism that allows the plastic to have a chain reaction with

itself.

We are taking dirty plastics. Right now, we are focusing on films that are not recyclable. We turn them into chemicals that are essential precursors

for products such as nylon, nylon yarn, also nylon resin that can be used to make products in the automotive and apparel industries.

Right now, we are able to achieve those 70 percent conversion from plastic waste material to these chemicals. My dream is we will see that something

that's, you know, sad piece of plastic that right now would go into the oceans or landfill. It could be used to make a brand new Patagonia jacket

or a brand new pair of running shoes.

When it comes to solving these massive world problems that we have, many of the answers are embedded in technology. There is so much creativity out

there, so much knowledge in our world. I believe we were able to solve all of them if we try.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: So much creativity, so much knowledge, and these young scientists are acting on it to save the world. That is it for "News

Stream." I'm Kristie Lu Stout, but don't go anywhere, "World Sport" with Rhiannon Jones is next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:45:00] (WORLD SPORT)

END