Return to Transcripts main page
NEWS STREAM
Mohammed Bin Salman Meets President Xi Jinping As Trade Talks Between Beijing And Washington Inch Closer To The March 1st Deadline; Aid Stand-Off: Juan Guaido's Saturday Deadline To Bring Aid Into Venezuela Edges Closer As Venezuelan President, Nicolas Madura Closes The Border With Brazil; "Empire" Actor Jussie Smollett Apologizes, But Not For The Crime He Is Charged With. Aired: 8-9a ET
Aired February 22, 2019 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL HOLMES, ANCHOR, CNN: A renewed effort between Saudi Arabia and China is under way.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KRISTIE LU STOUT, HOST, "NEWS STREAM" (voice over): Mohammed Bin Salman meets President Xi Jinping as trade talks between Beijing and Washington
inch closer to the March 1st deadline.
Aid stand-off.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (Through an interpreter): I am ready to give up my life for my son and for my grandchildren.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LU STOUT (voice over): Juan Guaido's Saturday deadline to bring aid into Venezuela edges closer as Venezuelan President, Nicolas Madura closes the
border with Brazil.
Out on bail. "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett apologizes, but not for the crime he is charged with.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
EDDIE JOHNSON, CHICAGO POLICE SUPERINTENDENT: Jussie Smollett took advantage of the pain and anger of racism to promote his career.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LU STOUT (on camera): I'm Kristi Lu Stout in Hong Kong, and welcome the on "News Stream." A renewed effort between Saudi Arabia and China is under
way to improve their economic relationship. The Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammed Bin Salman is continuing his two-day visit to Beijing, the last
leg of his week-long trip to Asia. He has been meeting with the Chinese President, Xi Jinping who has made it a central foreign policy objective to
boost China's presence the Middle East. Bin Salman also met earlier with Vice Premier Han Jiang. China is already the Kingdom's biggest trading
partner, but analysts say that the Saudis are seeking to boost their economic profile as they face that diplomatic chill in the west.
CNN's Matt Rivers is following the developments from here in Hong Kong. He joins us now and Matt, good to see you. We know Xi Jinping and the Crown
Prince, they have met. What do they want to get out of this?
MATT RIVERS, CORRESPONDENT, CNN: Well, you know, Kristie, the Chinese government through their spokespeople have a saying, they love the use the
term "win-win cooperation." And I think that's exactly what is going on here between Saudi Arabia and China.
So take China's point of view, for example. They want an expanded footprint in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia has a great way to do that.
They want more access to that region with their Belt and Road initiative, for China, it makes sense to start working more with the Saudis.
They also want access, frankly to more Saudi oil. From the Saudi's point of view, I think what they see in China is a hedge almost, Kristie, against
what could be called the diplomatic chill in the west. Yes, the United States really hasn't gone after Saudi Arabia so much, but ever since this
Jamal Khashoggi incident where the journalist was killed, there seems to be wide thought there that the regime in Saudi Arabia is behind that.
There's been a chill towards Saudi Arabia in the west. They have received a lot of blowback, and so the Kingdom is clearly looking to China and
saying, "Well, here is a country that is not going criticize our human rights record because China doesn't do that." Because China is a huge
human rights abuse committer of its own and China, generally does not comment on the human rights abuses of other countries, and so Saudi Arabia,
sees a trip to China. They see a lot of money there and they also see a place where they know they're going to be received warmly despite a litany
of human rights abuses they're alleged to have committed.
LU STOUT: You're monitoring another key meeting for China. Trade talks again under way in the United States. We know that these talks have been
going on for so long. Liu He, he has been in Washington, D.C. before. He is back for more. But how significant is this day?
RIVERS: Each time there's a round of negotiations, of course it's significant, Kristie, because you never know what's going to come out of
each round of negotiations. But what we do know with this particular round is that it's the last time that senior officials from China and the United
States are going to get a chance to meet before that key deadline on March 1st. That is when the United States is going to take tariff rates
currently at 10% and go all the way up to 25%.
I was talking to a gentleman who does business in Southern China this week, actually, and he said that when that happens, it will have a devastating
effect on the Chinese economy and it could absolutely have an irreversible effect on this trade war in terms of escalation.
So, really, there's a lot riding on what happens today. Can negotiators make enough progress that President Trump feels comfortable with letting
that deadline slide a bit? He's indicated that he would. Perhaps indicate 30 days, 60 days down the road, basically giving negotiators a little bit
more breathing room and also giving him time to meet with Xi Jinping, the President of China in person because that's what he says has to happen for
any trade deal - a finalized trade deal to be signed.
Is that likely to happen? I think most experts and analysts will tell you yes, given the indications that we've heard from both sides; indications
from President Trump himself, but, really, there's a lot riding on the next couple of hours in Washington as negotiators wrap up their second day
of meetings.
[08:05:09]
RIVERS: We are really going to have just wait and see how this shakes out, Kristie, but it could have wide, wide impact.
LU STOUT: Absolutely, especially as that deadline looms, the deadline that is not necessarily a firm one. Matt Rivers reporting live for us. Thank
you. Now as those talks with China are underway in Washington, the U.S. Secretary of State is again warning other countries against using Huawei's
technology as the world transitions to 5G wireless networks.
Mike Pompeo suggested that the privacy risk could impact America's ability to share information with other countries, but as Samuel Burke reports, the
U.K. might decide to ignore that warning.
BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
SAMUEL BURKE, BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY CORRESPONDENT, CNN (voice over): High above the streets of London, a once in a generation internet upgrade
is taking shape. Telecom giants like BT, are rewiring the city with super- fast 5G.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARC ALLERA, CEO, BT CONSUMER BRANDS: We are seeing speeds of up to one gigabit per second.
BURKE (on camera): Put that in context, what does somebody usually have right now?
ALLERA: Well, that's more than 10 to 20 times faster than the average speed that they are getting today so this is fiber broadband like speeds on
your mobile device.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURKE (voice over): So fast that 5G promises connectivity for a new age of infrastructure, where devices like factory floor robots, self-driving cars
and delivery drones can communicate with each other.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALLERA: That's going to mean millions more connections connected to the internet and as an opportunity to us that remains a very large and exciting
one.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURKE (voice over): Cashing in on the opportunity, China's Huawei. The company is the world's biggest maker of telecommunications equipment. In
Europe, it's conquered nearly 40% of the market, dominance that's caught the attention of rivals.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIKE PENCE, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The United States has also been clear with our security partners on the threat posed by Huawei.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURKE (voice over): The U.S. says the gear could be used the Chinese government to spy and is urging allies to ban Huawei from their 5G network.
Australia has already obliged. Germany and New Zealand are considering doing so as well.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANTHONY GLEES, UNIVERSITY OF BUCKINGHAM: The risk that if Huawei were by the Chinese government crack the code on that phone, they wouldn't think
twice about saying, "Of course, we'll do it."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURKE (voice over): Huawei has denied its equipment poses any security risk and has said the U.S. call for a ban is politically motivated. When
it comes to 5G equipment, America doesn't have a heavy weight global competitor.
BURKE (on camera): Broadcasting 5G across a city like London takes a monumental engineering effort. The 5G antenna is heavier and uses more
power than previous generations, plus it emits additional radiation. This is the equipment that BT and operators around the world are relying on
Huawei for.
BURKE (voice over): BT was one of the first companies out of China to use Huawei equipment in their networks.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALLERA: Over the years that we've worked with Huawei, we have not yet seen anything that gives us cause for concern and we continue to work with all
of those relevant bodies to answer all the questions that are being asked right now.
GLEES: BT may say, "Oh, we haven't seen any evidence of anything. They wouldn't. That's the point about good espionage, you wouldn't see.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURKE (voice over): The U.K. is weighing its own ban on Huawei for 5G. If it follows the U.S., BT's plans to build 1,500 sites like this one by the
end of the year could be in jeopardy. Samuel Burke, CNN, London.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
LU STOUT: Now, despite pressure from the U.S., Huawei is still growing in Canada. It is adding 200 new R&D jobs there, that is a 20% increase and it
will increase its research and development spending there by 15%. Now that is also despite tensions over the arrest of the Huawei CFO in December,
Meng Wanzhou at the request of the United States.
U.S. officials say Meng helped her employers circumvent American sanctions on Iran. She is due back in court in March
Now, to the situation in Venezuela now where the tensions are rising over efforts to get humanitarian aid to people in the economically crippled
country. Take a look at this video. You see soldiers at a road block, they are clashing with opposition lawmakers who are heading to the
Colombian border.
Embattled President Nicolas Maduro is considering closing that border. In fact, he announced on Thursday, he is closing the border with Brazil to
block aid convoys. This as a Saturday deadline to get aid into Venezuela approaches, that deadline set by the self-declared President Juan Guaido.
A spokesman for Guaido tells CNN, the opposition leader is heading to the Colombian border town of Cucuta where several shipments of U.S. aid are
waiting, and in that same area, dueling concerts are set to take place.
Now, here you see some of the thousands expected to attend a solidarity show, but a short distance away, Mr. Maduro, he is planning a show of his
own. Stefano Pozzebon is in San Cristobal near the Colombian border. He join us now live and Stefano, what does this border closure mean for
Venezuela?
[08:10:06]
STEFANO POZZEBON, JOURNALIST: Yes, Kristie, well, this border closure perhaps is the strongest measure that we could expect from Nicolas Maduro
and the strongest message that the humanitarian aid that the opposition, the Venezuelan opposition is trying to introduce this upcoming weekend here
in Venezuela is not welcome by Nicolas Maduro's government. He announced the day before yesterday the closing of the border with the ABC Island, the
islands of Antigua, Bonaire and Curacao in the Caribbean Sea and yesterday, the closure with the border with Brazil.
Here in Colombia, which by the way is just about 20 miles behind my back? Behind those hills, the border right now is still open, but there is
another measure that the opposition is denouncing (video issues) the arrival and the entrance of the humanitarian aid.
Yesterday, we were able to speak with the Governor of Tachira State, this is what she said. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LIADY GOMEZ, GOVERNOR OF TACHIRA (Through a translator): Those who want to take control of hospitals in order to prevent the entrance of humanitarian
aid are mercenaries who commit human rights abuses. These Federal schools are used to host socialist party members. We denounce that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LU STOUT: All right, that was CNN's Stefano Pozzebon reporting earlier about the tensions growing at the border there between Colombia and
Venezuela, and now, Juan Guaido, the opposition leader has promised to distribute the relief supplies by Saturday.
Thousands of people have signed up to help deliver them. CNN's Isa Soares met with some of the volunteers.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
SA SOARES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): In the center of Caracas, a group of close neighbors are preparing for their biggest test yet. They
are marching to Juan Guaido's orders, volunteering to help bring humanitarian aid into Venezuela.
SOARES (on camera): She's just telling me she's a bit nervous come Saturday.
SOARES (voice over): They may be unconventional, but don't let their looks deceive you. They are organized and determined. As we sit down, I asked
them how confident they are the aid will be allowed in.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (Through a translator): We're going to succeed. The humanitarian aid will come in. We're going to free ourselves from Maduro.
SOARES (voice over): The success of the aid delivery means only one thing for this group, President Nicolas Maduro's imminent loss of power. But
mention his name too often and tempers quickly begin to flare.
SOARES (on camera): You've all told me the aid is coming through one way or another. Are you prepared, each one of you, to put your life on the
line for that aid?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (Through a translator): I'm ready to give up my life for my son, for my grandchildren, in order to leave a better country to our
youth.
SOARES (voice over): Years of separation and struggle fueled their fire with most families having already fled the country, 25 between them. They
tell me they've got nothing left to lose, even going so far as to call for U.S. intervention.
SOARES (on camera): President Trump says all options are on the table. Do you want to see military intervention, U.S. boots here on the ground?
DAVID, ATTORNEY (Through a translator): If the armed forces here don't give in, the only way for the aid to come in is with military force. And
who has that? The United States.
SOARES (voice over): But talk of boots on the ground leaves them wanting some fresh air. So I try my best to ease their nerves.
SOARES (on camera): When you think of Juan Guaido, what does he inspire in you? Hope. Strength. Optimism. Courage. To get your family -- union.
To get your family together. Trust. Olga? Love for Venezuela.
SOARES (voice over): Emotions they, too, will need to tap into if they're to face off this coming Saturday. Isa Soares, CNN, Caracas, Venezuela.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
LU STOUT: The second day of an unprecedented Vatican Summit to tackle the sexual abuse crisis is under way in Rome. The Friday's meeting is focused
on the theme of accountability. Survivors of abuse are staging events outside the Vatican alongside the gathering of almost 200 Catholic Church
leaders.
On Thursday, Pope Francis called for concrete steps to combat widespread sex abuse by the Catholic clergy. Rosa Flores joins us now live from Rome
with more and Rosa, the Pope's guidelines, they have circulating for about a day now, what has been the reaction to those guidelines, especially among
the survivors?
[08:15:02]
ROSA FLORES, VATICAN CORRESPONDENT, CNN: You know, Kristie, the survivors that I've talked to are pretty disappointed by this 21-point list of
reflection points that Pope Francis issued to the Bishops, and they're pretty disappointed because some of them are very deluded. They were
expecting more. They were not very appointed points and they were expecting more. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LEONA HIGGINS, ABUSE SURVIVOR: I'm disappointed by what we saw today on that list of reflection points. When number one is we're going to create a
manual or a handbook, I thought they already had the handbook.
PETER SAUNDERS, ABUSE SURVIVOR: Concrete measures means zero tolerance is not just a word. Zero tolerance means excluding priests and other
religious who rape and abuse children from ministry permanently.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FLORES: As this historic summit continues here at the Vatican with prayers and speeches and even homework for the Bishops, Pope Francis threw one of
his spokespeople, Father Lombardi, passing out a U.N. report on the abuse of children around the world so the Bishops could learn more about these
abuses.
You're seeing another part of the world that law enforcement have lost patience. We're not only seeing investigations in the United States and
Chile, but we're seeing them in other countries. Civil authorities, criminal authorities that are not waiting any more. They are
investigating. And survivors that I've talked to say that they're hoping that that is how the Church is eventually held accountable and not just
those people who abuse, but also the ones who covered up abuse.
And Kristie, I want to share this with you because I've been hearing it from survivors here in Rome. They say that every single time that they
have to retell their stories, they relive those traumas and they're hoping that history is made here at the Vatican right now so they don't have to
retell their stories.
LU STOUT: Yes, for these survivors, it is just like ripping open the wounds over and over again. And all they want is accountability. Rosa
Flores, thank you so much for your reporting. Now, I want to take you now to Kenya where the high court there is postponing its ruling on a landmark
case that could decriminalize consensual sex between same sex adults. The court says it will make its decision on May the 24th.
Since the British colonial era, gay sex and by extension gay relationships have been illegal in Kenya, and those found guilty, they face up to 14
years in jail. Human rights groups, they say that the law contradicts Kenya's progressive Constitution, which guarantees equality, dignity and
privacy for all citizens.
You're watching "News Stream" and still to come, the actor Jussie Smollett remains defiant after police allege that he was the mastermind behind his
own assault. Plus, he calls himself a dirty trickster, but actions have consequences for longtime Trump adviser, Roger Stone. The new restrictions
ordered by a Federal judge.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LU STOUT: Coming to you live from Hong Kong, welcome back. This is "News Stream." Now, the American actor, Jussie Smollett insists he is innocent
despite being charged with reporting of a fake attack to the police.
Smollett claims he was the victim of a hate crime, but police say that he paid two men $3,500.00 to rough him up in hopes of promoting his career.
Smollett's case is prompting fierce debates on race and justice in the United States, and CNN's Ryan Young has been following this story. He
joins us once again, live from Chicago, and Ryan, thank you for joining us.
The Police Superintendent there, he was so visibly upset when he was talking about this case. Can you tell us more about what he said?
RYAN YOUNG, U.S. CORRESPONDENT, CNN: Yes, absolutely. I think this is one of those things where he was very strong with this because of the fact,
look, he is an African-American chief in a city that is dealing with urban crime and that has been over a thousand police hours trying to handle this,
so you can understand, he had a unique perspective when he was talking about all the time they've taken and quite frankly, the black eye that was
put on the City of Chicago.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Make room.
YOUNG (voice-over): "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett digging in after being charged with reporting a fake assault to police.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHNSON: He was dissatisfied with his salary, so he concocted a story about being attacked.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
YOUNG (voice over): Smollett's legal team insisting he maintains his innocence, writing in a defiant statement, "Today, we witnessed an
organized law enforcement spectacle. The presumption of innocence was trampled upon at the expense of Mr. Smollett."
A source tells CNN that Smollett was on the set to film at the "Empire" Studio, Thursday afternoon and called a meeting with cast and crew, who
were said to be expecting him to come clean. But after apologizing for any embarrassment caused by the incident, the source says Smollett asked the
show team for their support and, again, insisted that he is innocent.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JUSSIE SMOLLETT, ACTOR: I am now one of those people who have been attacked.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
YOUNG (voice over): The visit coming after Chicago Police laid out their case against the actor, saying Smollett paid the Osundairo brothers
$3,500.00 to stage the attack, and prosecutors say that police have a copy of the check to prove it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RISA LANIER, COOK COUNTY STATE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE: He wanted Abel to attack him, but not hurt him too badly and to give him a chance to appear to fight
back. Defendant Smollett also included that he wanted Ola to place a rope around his neck, pour gasoline on him and yell, "This is MAGA country."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
YOUNG (voice over): Police say Smollett gave the brothers $100.00 in cash to buy supplies they later bought at this beauty supply store and that the
three men even scoped out a location for the attack.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LANIER: Smollett directed the brothers' attention towards a surveillance camera on the corner, which he believed would capture the incident.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
YOUNG (voice over): The injuries seen in this photo, allegedly self- inflicted. Police say Smollett came up with the plan after this threatening letter he allegedly sent to himself failed to garner
significant attention.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHNSON: Jussie Smollett took advantage of the pain and anger of racism to promote his career.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
YOUNG (on camera): Yes, strong words from the Chief, of course, and the next thing that we will have to figure out now is what happens next?
Because we know there is court in three weeks. The actor got a $100,000.00 bond. He bonded out and actually went to work that same night. And we're
told today, his shooting schedule has been put on hold. So it will be interesting how this continues to sort of roll out over the next few days
because almost every day, there has been another twist and turn.
LU STOUT: Yes, absolutely. Because there will be more twists and turns to come, and meanwhile, the reaction there in Chicago, is there outrage? Is
there concern about what this means for legitimate victims of hate crimes who do come forward?
YOUNG: So I think there is two parts to this, I think one, I think people were happy to see the Superintendent sort of speak up for the city, right,
because we have enough issues to have someone kind of throwing something on here that might not be true.
So that was one part of this, and I think that sort of has been widely accepted, but then, the next part of this is, is the other part that you're
talking about, what is the next step here? And how does this move forward? Because, I think what a lot of people want to know is like, when another
victim comes forward, do they get the same kind of attention?
I think it's going to be a case by case basis. If you read the police report, you saw there were certain things that were involved in this case
that were different, and I think, one of the things that stood out to me was there was a 40-minute gap from the time of the attack to when he
actually called 911.
And so that, I think, kind of stood out to people because if someone is attacked, you would think they would call right there to try to get police
there. That was one part of the conversation. But I think this is going to be one of those things that's going to be a case-by-case basis and
unfortunately, hopefully, one else doesn't have their story talked about because of this.
[08:25:05]
LU STOUT: Yes, you just mentioned a very telling detail there, and all of this just stirring up emotions and stirring up a debate about many issues
there in America. Ryan Young, reporting live for us from Chicago. Ryan, thank you so much.
Now, the Judge overseeing the trial of U.S. President Donald Trump's longtime adviser, Roger Stone has now forbidden him from making any more
public comments about the case or the people involved, all because of an Instagram post. Any violation means he could get locked up. Sara Murray
has more.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
SARA MURRAY, POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT, CNN (voice over): President Trump's former adviser, Roger Stone, leaving Court on Thursday after Federal Judge,
Amy Berman Jackson placed him under a strict gag order for posting this picture of her on Instagram, appearing to show the crosshairs of a gun
behind her head.
Stone insisting he is heart-fully sorry, but repeatedly contradicting his own explanations for the post. First, saying an unnamed volunteer selected
the picture, then that he picked it out himself. Stone initially describing the crosshairs as the logo of an organization, then a Celtic
symbol.
Jackson rejecting Stone's explanation, saying, "There's nothing ambiguous about crosshairs," noting "Mr. Stone could not even keep his story straight
on the stand much less from one day to another." The judge also questioning Stone's sincerity, saying, "His apology rings quite hollow,"
after he has repeatedly defended the post, despite removing it from Instagram and signing his lawyer's letter to the judge apologizing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROGER STONE, LONGTIME ADVISOR TO DONALD TRUMP: I threatened no one. I intended to threaten no one. I never disrespected the judge or the court.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MURRAY (voice over): Judge Jackson stating, "I have serious doubts about whether you've learned any lesson at all."
Last month, Stone was arrested as part of the Special Counsel's Russia investigation and charged with seven felony counts of obstruction, making
false statements and witness tampering.
Judge Jackson warning Stone that if he violates her order, she'll have him thrown in jail, noting, "This is not baseball. There will not be a third
chance."
(END VIDEO TAPE)
MURRAY (on camera): Now, Roger Stone is allowed to be out there insisting he is innocent. He is allowed to ask for donations to his legal defense
fund, frankly, he is allowed to talk about anything else publicly aside from the case, but the judge making it clear, if he is out there violating
this gag order, she is not afraid to put him in jail. Sara Murray, CNN, Washington.
LU STOUT: Now U.S. President Donald Trump's former Michael Cohen, made a surprise appearance on Capitol Hill where he spent several hours with his
attorneys inside the office of the Senate Intelligence Committee.
Cohen is scheduled to testify before three Congressional Committees next week. He is expected to begin serving his three-year prison sentence in
May after pleading guilty to lying to Congress and campaign finance violations last year. You're watching "News Stream" and still to come,
saving civilians from the last ISIS enclave. Around 3,000 people are being brought out of that sliver of land still being held by the Caliphate.
We're live in Eastern Syria, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LU STOUT: I am Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong. You're watching "News Stream" and these are your world headlines.
The second day of an unprecedented Vatican Summit to tackle the sexual abuse crisis is under way in Rome, with Friday's meeting focused on the
theme of accountability. Survivors of abuse are staging events outside the Vatican alongside the gathering of almost 200 Catholic Church leaders.
Turkey has ordered the arrest of nearly 300 military personnel accusing them of being linked to the network of Muslim cleric, Fethullah Gulen. The
77-year-old has been living in a gated compound in the U.S. since 1999. Now, President Erdogan accuses him of being behind the deadly attempted
coup of 2016 which Gulen denies.
The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic forces are helping civilians get out of the last enclave still held by ISIS. The SDF says more than 3,000
civilians are still inside the tiny patch of territory held by the Caliphate. Now, meanwhile, the White House says, the U.S. will keep about
200 troops in Syria in a peace keeping role. That despite President Trump's order for a full withdrawal.
Now, let's bring in CNN's senior international correspondent, Ben Wedeman, he joins us live from Eastern Syria, and Ben, tell us more about what's
happening to the civilians who are still there in this last remaining ISIS stronghold.
BEN WEDEMAN, SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT, CNN: Well, Kristie, for the second time in three days, there have been hundreds of civilians coming
out via trucks from that last small enclave held by ISIS. It's just about half a square mile.
Now, we just got off the phone right now with an SDF, a Syrian Democratic Forces Commander who is a position that overlooks that camp and he says
that despite the departure of in the last three days hundreds perhaps, well over a thousand civilians, there are still many civilians left inside this
camp.
He points out that in addition to tents, there are also buildings in the area and he believes that there are probably many people living underground
in these tunnels. Now, the question is what happens next? We do know that the number of civilians who are still inside this camp has been the major
impediment for this operation to be completed, and every time more come out, more seem to appear there.
This Commander we spoke to said that, yes, they were expecting that perhaps by today, they would be able to launch the operation to finally clear out
the ISIS fighters, but it appears that with so many civilians amidst them that that operation simply cannot go ahead under the present circumstances
-- Kristie.
LU STOUT: And for the militants who are still there, do they plan to fight to the death or is there a deal being brokered to end this battle?
WEDEMAN: Our understanding is that there are divisions among the ISIS militants. Some of them are sending messages with the civilians who are
leaving to the SDF, appealing for help to try to get out that they want to surrender, that they realize that there's no way that they will be able to
survive this battle alive if they stay inside the camp.
The other faction, the other main faction, of course, is those who believe that this is sort of the Alamo of ISIS. That this is their last stand and
they will go down fighting.
So definitely, there are differences of opinion among the fighters, but it does appear that at the moment, that camp is pretty much under the control
of those who want to fight to the death -- Kristie.
LU STOUT: Because of the number of civilians who are still there, a very delicate operation to rid this enclave of ISIS. Ben Wedeman reporting live
for us from Eastern Syria. Ben, thank you so much.
Now, the U.S. Presidential candidate, Elizabeth Warren, she is now demanding answers from the U.S. Defense Department about how U.S. weapons
ended up in the wrong hands in Yemen. Senator Warren cites evidence of arms deal violations that were uncovered by a CNN investigation, in her
letter to the U.S. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo and the Defense Department. Now, she gave them until March the 8th to respond to her
questions and she shared the letter exclusively with CNN.
Now, Nima Elbagir reported on the CNN investigation earlier this month. She joins us now live from London.
[08:35:05]
LU STOUT: And Nima, after your report, we now have Elizabeth Warren joining this long list of lawmakers demanding answers. How is the Senator
laying out her concerns in this letter?
NIMA ELBAGIR, SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT, CNN: Well, Elizabeth Warren is just the third member of the Senate Armed Services Committee to
speak about this and demand answers. That's in addition to those from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that have stepped forward.
This is clearly a really key issue. I want to read you a little bit of an excerpt from her letter. In it, Senator Warren says, "If this report is
true, it raises serious concerns that Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other governments have violated their end-user agreements with
the United States by diverting American weapons to terrorists and other violent extremists without prior authorization from the U.S. government."
She goes on to say that it also suggests that Congress needs to put in place new, tougher reporting restrictions. The context of all of this,
Kristie, is of course that the White House has continued to maintain that the alliance with the Saudi-led coalition and its unfailing support for the
Saudi-led coalition war in Yemen is in America's national interest.
A number of U.S. lawmakers are now saying they don't believe that to be true and they will continue to take this forward. That's what we're
hearing from Senator Warren's office, that's what we're hearing from Senator Chris Murphy on the Foreign Relations Committee in the Senate, that
this is not over -- Kristie.
LU STOUT: Now, the last time we talked, you mentioned how you presented your findings to the U.S. Department of Defense. They said as a result,
they were launching an investigation. Any update on that front?
ELBAGIR: Still no update, but that's what really what Senator Warren and her colleagues are looking for here. They've put out in this letter point
by point what they believe they need answers on with regard to whether there is an ongoing investigation. Because General Votel, the Head of U.S.
Central Command said that they would be looking into the issues raised by our reporting and this is something that Senator Warren is very clear to
hear back from.
They were also really concerned that the Saudi certification, the Saudi accountability that Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo was supposed to certify
with regards to the Saudi-led coalition's actions in Yemen, that he has missed the deadline to certify that.
All of this together for lawmakers that we're speaking to builds a picture of an administration that wants to continue in its support for the Saudi-
led coalition regardless of whatever evidence exists on the ground -- Kristie.
LU STOUT: Now, the push for accountability, the push to protect U.S. national security as a result of your reporting goes on. Nima, we thank
you for the update and take care.
We've got more "News Stream" after the break, including a grave warning from the U.N. about something we can't live without, our food.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LU STOUT: Welcome back. Now, YouTube says it is taking immediate action to make sure pedophiles are not exploiting the platform. It is a response
to new concerns raised by YouTubers as people were putting inappropriate comments on innocent videos of young children. For example, comments might
point out specific times when kids are seen in compromising positions when they're doing normal things like gymnastics and yoga.
Major brands have suspended their ad buying including AT&T, Nestle and Epic Games. YouTube says it is deleting accounts and channels reporting illegal
activity to the authorities and disabling comments on videos of minors.
[08:40:10]
LU STOUT: A grave warning about the world's food supplies coming from the United Nations this day. The U.N.'s Food and Agricultural Organization
says that there is a decline in biodiversity of food crops, vegetables, animals and microorganisms and that is a direct threat to our food
security.
The new report says our ecosystems are degrading. Now, over the last two decades, about 20% of Earth's plant and vegetation cover has declined in
productivity. And there is a problem for animals, 25% of local livestock breeds are at risk of extinction.
Dan Leskien is with the FAO's Commission on Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture. He says it's clear what's causing these problems.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAN LESKIAN, FAO SENIOR OFFICER, COMMISSION ON BIODIVERSITY FOR FOOD AND AGRICULTURE: Well, to address the decline of biodiversity, what we have to
do is we have to address the causes of the last biodiversity and the report is very clear and countries that reported to FAO the main causes which are
the increasing change of land use, but is also market conditions, consumer habits, it is also climate change.
For consumers, it is quite difficult where consumers do not have informed choice. Where consumers do have the choice, it does, of course, make sense
to buy seasonal fruit, to buy food that comes from production systems that have minimal impact on the environment and on biodiversity.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LU STOUT: But there is a small sign of hope, deep in the jungles of Indonesia, a team of three scientists rediscovered a species they thought
might be extinct. It's called Wallace's giant bee. It's not this big, but it's actually four times larger than your average European honeybee. It's
about the size of your thumb.
Now, they spent days trudging through the humid forest before they finally came across one inside a termite nest, yes, that's where they are known
usually to live. Now, the team says with all of the bad news coming out of the natural world, this rediscovery has made them optimistic.
And before we go, Japanese space scientist are celebrating.
(Cheering and Applause)
LU STOUT: You hear the applause. Look at those smiles. Their spacecraft, it's called the Hayabusa 2, successfully touched down on an asteroid. Not
only that, it's going to bring back valuable samples. Now, the space probe fired a projectile into the asteroid to loosen some debris, which Hayabusa
will then bring home.
It is the first time scientists will get to study samples from an asteroid of this kind. They expect it to be rich in water and organic materials,
hopefully unlocking some celestial secrets about life.
And that is "News Stream." I am Kristie Lu Stout, don't go anywhere, "World Sport" with Alex Thomas is next.
(WORLD SPORT)
[09:00:00]
END
