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U.S. Congress to Weigh in on Iraq Nuclear Deal; Ramadi In Danger of Falling to ISIS; The Refugee Crisis In Italy; U.S. Government Warns Modern Planes Could Be Hacked; North Korea Celebrates Day of the Sun; U.S. to Remove Cuba From State Terror List. Aired 8:00-9:00a ET

Aired April 15, 2015 - 8:00   ET

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

[08:00:36] KRISTIE LU STOUT, HOST; I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong. And welcome to News Stream where news and technology meet.

Now fierce fighting engulfs Ramadi. The key Iraqi city could fall to ISIS within hours, that's according to a local official.

Plus, aid groups fear for a group of migrants missing off Libya as hundreds of others arrive in Italy after being rescued.

And could in-flight wi-fi make planes vulnerable to hackers? The U.S. government says it's possible.

And we begin this hour with a desperate fight to defend the Iraqi city of Ramadi just 110 kilometers west of Baghdad.

Local officials tell CNN the capital of Anbar Province is under siege by ISIS militants and that it could fall at any time.

Iraqi officials were issuing an urgent plea for government reinforcements and U.S.-led coalition air support. All this while Iraq's

prime minister seeks more help in Washington.

Our senior international correspondent Arwa Damon is just west of Baghdad and she spoke to my colleague Max Foster just a short time ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARWA DAMON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: ...council deputy (inaudible) and he is saying that ISIS militants have now managed to attack

and take over the eastern outskirts of Ramadi. And that took place this morning.

This happening after ISIS over the weekend managed to advance on Ramadi from the north. The southern route already blocked off to the west

with just one route still open, but that also faltering at this stage.

Isawi (ph) has been for quite some time now calling for additional troops, calling for additional Iraqi and coalition airstrikes.

We're in an area where there's individuals are trying to flee. They are packing whatever they can into these large metal carts, many of the

elderly being pushed inside the carts as well. They fled the ones that we spoke to said this morning from that area of Ramadi that ISIS pushed into.

We just spoke to an elderly woman who was in tears. She was sobbing as she described how the bombardment was falling all around them. She fled

with her entire family. At this stage trying to get to the capital Baghdad and then they hope to either remain or move on to safer ground.

These are families that are extremely traumatized by what it is they have just been through. And Isawi (ph) himself as you were mentioning

there earlier, expressing his concern that if additional reinforcements do not arrive, if those coalition airstrikes, or even Iraqi airstrikes, do not

start pounding ISIS positions, Ramadi could fall.

The forces in Ramadi that have been battling ISIS have been putting up a fight, as best of a fight as they can. But as we've been hearing for

weeks now, they cannot hold ISIS off indefinitely, especially not without significant reinforcements.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: A critical situation there in Ramadi.

Now the Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi is trying to drum up more support in Washington this week, meeting with U.S. lawmakers on Capitol

Hill today following talks with the U.S. president Barack Obama on Tuesday.

Now for more, White House correspondent Michelle Kosinski joins me now live from Washington. Michelle, what precisely is the Iraqi leader seeking

in Washington this week?

MICHELLE KOSINSKI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kristie, well today he's going to meet with Senate leadership. He's also going to meet with

officials with the World Bank, the IMF, private banks. You can sort of see where this is going.

They need assistance and in many ways. I mean, the prime minister, ahead of his visit to Washington and before meeting the president yesterday

was pretty clear with reporters, as were other Iraqi officials, that they need more. And they were specific -- airstrikes, more arms, things like

attack helicopters, more ammunition, very specific requests.

But what happened yesterday was we sort of expected to see some either decisions or to hear about those requests to the president directly.

But the white House was adamant in saying it's not as if the prime minister came here with a checklist or some kind of an invoice. The White

House seems really wanting to not portray the meeting that way. They said it's about the relationship, about deepening the commitment and that, yes,

the U.S. commitment to Iraq includes making sure that they have what they need to fight ISIS, but it's not as if there was something presented and

the White House checked off those items.

The Iraqis, though, are saying that still what was asked of the United States during this visit was more airstrikes as well as more arms.

It's just that, you know, it depends on sort of who you ask how that was portrayed, but it's not as if there were specific requests that were

made, at least not according to the White House, Kristie.

[08:05:55] LU STOUT: The Iraqi leader is there seeking more military support, but also financial support this week in Washington. You mentioned

and we saw the footage just then, he's already meet with the U.S. President , the White House. There was a statement in terms of how much support that

the U.s. was willing to give, but also more concrete terms a humanitarian aid promise. What was mentioned?

KOSINSKI; Yeah, I mean everybody wanted to know about what was going to happen militarily.

Obviously, Americans have an interesting in knowing, well, how much more military aid is the U.S. going to provide? Well, the White House

really didn't want the meeting yesterday to be all about that. They were pretty vague in what exactly was discussed militarily, although at the end

of the -- we saw meeting -- you know, at the end cameras were able to go in and just capture a few moments.

And the president and the prime minister spoke. The president did announce 200 million U.S. dollars to Iraq for humanitarian assistance.

And we understand that wasn't something that was specifically asked by the Iraqis, but it's something that was offered.

So, as the White House wants to portray this, this is about deepening commitments not just on the U.S. side, but on both sides.

Iraqis are appreciative, clearly, of the help in many ways that the U.S. has provided, they want more. They are asking for more in a general

sense, not necessarily a specific sense at this moment. but the U.S. is also asking of the Iraqis more of that national reconciliation, the

inclusive government that the U.S. sees as being the real, the long-term solution to fighting ISIS, Kristie.

LU STOUT: Yeah. A deepening commitment being expressed at a time of desperate need, especially in the battle against ISIS in Iraq. Michelle

Kosinski, live from the White House, thank you, Michelle.

Meanwhile, Houthis in Yemen, they are calling for a mass rally on Thursday to condemn the UN Security Council's decision to impose an arms

embargo.

Now the Houthi rebels now control much of the country, including the capital Sanaa. On Tuesday, the security council also voted in new

sanctions on the Shia group and demanded that they pulled back and stop the violence. The rebels say the resolution aids aggression.

Meanwhile, the dire situation inside Yemen is only getting worse. The United Nations says nearly 60 million people are in need of humanitarian

aid.

Now Nick Paton Walsh got rare access to Sanaa's airport on Tuesday as UNICEF delivered desperately needed medical supplies to civilians. And he

joins us now live from Abu Dhabi.

And Nick, what did you see while you were there at the airport? Did you see aid deliveries getting through to the people of Yemen?

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We flew in on a rare -- the second, in fact, UNICEF -- that's the UN agency for children,

delivery of 75 metric tons of emergency food and medicine. And it's important to understand how hard it is just to land a plane of that size in

Yemen at the moment. That airspace is run by the Saudi airforce. They're pretty non-negotiable in how they administer that.

But there was a window offered to these aid agencies, negotiated, too, with the Houthis who control the airport and the Yemenis who control air

traffic control there as well to allow about two hours, it ended up being, for this plane and other cargo planes, plus planes taking out civilians we

saw on that runway.

Remarkable, in fact, too, that that piece of tarmac is still intact, because scattered all around it are the broken shells of military aircraft

that have been hit, a lot of other damage that's being done in the Saudi bombing campaign that's been now three weeks old.

But the key behind this flight is that even though the 75 metric tons that took the full two hours to get off the plane, even though that's a

large amount for us to behold, still you are talking about an enormous problem inside the country. 16 million people in need, a lack of food, a

lack of water, a lack of medicine, hundreds killed, its said, by the UN and civilians through this bombing campaign. This was a country, which was

struggling to feed its people, frankly, before the beginning of this military campaign by the Saudis during the turmoil its been having for the

past few months.

This is simply accentuated the problem. And UNICEF's bid to try and get aid in like this marks, frankly, just the smallest possible fraction of

what's needed -- Kristie.

[08:10:06] LU STOUT: Nick, inside Sanaa you witnessed the slow pace of aid delivery. You also saw evidence of destruction caused by weeks of

war. What is the thinking and feeling among the people in Sanaa? Do they think that the Saudi-led airstrikes will end the crisis? And who do they

blame for this all-out conflict in this country?

WALSH: Well, I should be clear. I mean, we never actually got to leave the tarmac, frankly, ourselves. And we did speak to some Yemenis who

had returned on one of the planes coming in who wanted to salvage what they could of their lives there.

I think the feeling from those I've spoken to over the phone or otherwise is that there is a sense of these Saudi airstrikes not

necessarily having a defined goal in the future. Yes, on paper that is to restore the government of President Hadi who is now in Saudi Arabia

himself. But that has translated to a sea change in what's happening on the ground. There's people in the know from military campaigns in history

and the world over, you don't really suddenly turn the mathematics of what's happening in cities by bombarding people from the air.

What is clear is there are many, of course, furious of being the targets of these bombing campaigns. They're not always as accurate as the

Saudis would like the world to believe. That's a key issue in terms of hearts and minds. Obviously, many have killed caught up in this.

And then the Houthis themselves, even despite this UN security council arms embargo, put in yesterday. They've still got the small arms on the

ground to win. They've still got the Yemeni army weapons they overran and took in the past few months or so.

It doesn't seem the tide is turning against them at all.

They may be slightly disconcerted at seeing Russia in the UN vote yesterday abstain rather than use its veto. Russia, of course, backs Iran

and Iran backs the Houthis. But at the stage right now it doesn't look like the tide is turning against them on the ground. And as you know,

continually bombing a people leads often to greater animosity. And there may be an issue for the Saudi agenda here -- Kristie.

LU STOUT: All right, CNN's Nick Paton Walsh with the state of play inside Yemen today. Many thanks indeed for your reporting, Nick.

We are just three weeks away from what could potentially Britain's closest election in decades. And two more British parties have just

released their pre-election manifestos: the Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg says the party will guarantee funding for every child from, quote,

cradle to college. He also said as a junior partner in a coalition government he party would add, quote, "heart to a Tory coalition and brain

to a Labour one," end of quote.

Now meanwhile, the anti -- UK Independence Party, or UKIP, wants to spend an extra $4.5 billion on the national health service. It's also

promising a quick referendum on EU membership.

Now a stunning number of migrants are risking their lives to cross into Europe from Africa. And after the break, we take a look at the latest

situation off the coast of Italy. One aid group says survivors are telling a grim story of a ship lost at sea.

And it appears there will be a new roadblock to Iran's nuclear negotiations, but it's not coming from Israel or hard-liners in Iran.

Plus, (inaudible) anniversary. Find out what the day of the (inaudible) is all about.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:15:05] LU STOUT: Welcome back to News Stream. And you're looking at a visual version of all the stories we've got in the show today.

Now we've already told you about Iraq's plea for help in the fight against ISIS. And later, we'll bring you reaction from Havana as the White

House moves to take Cuba off the U.S. list of state terrorism sponsors.

But now let's turn to the desperate migrant situation in the Mediterranean Sea. Fresh waves of refugees are taking to sea, driven by

violence at home.

Now in just four days alone, some 8,500 migrants have been rescued off the Italian coast, and an aid group tells CNN that hundreds more may have

drowned.

And Ben Wedeman joins us now live from Sicily. And Ben, are you getting a clearer picture of how many migrant lives were lost at sea this

week?

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: At this point, Kristie, it's not clear. We understand from Save the Children and other groups that

as many as 400 people have gone missing, migrants have gone missing out of a boat that had about 550 people on board, 150 have been rescued.

Now, I'm just going to step out of the camera now and just let you know -- see where we are. We're at the port of Augusta in Sicily where a

tugboat that works for an Italian oil company off the Libyan coast has rescued two groups of migrants from two ships in the last 48 hours.

Now there's 117 people in this particular group. I'm told by the captain of the tugboat that half of them come from Zambia, the rest from

Nigeria in addition to one Egyptian.

Now, as you can see from these pictures, Kristie, what they're doing, the Italian Red Cross is now -- their workers are doing a very cursory

medical checkup. They're looking at people's fingers, checking their tonsils, looking in their mouths. They've been issued with these -- what I

think are Crocs, each one given a bottle of water. And they are going to be processed and sent on to camps from here.

So, this is very typical of what goes on almost on a daily basis.

We understand from the International Organization for Migration that since the beginning of this past weekend 10,000 migrants have been picked

up at sea in operations similar to what you see here. And this is just a constant flow over the Mediterranean. And certainly as the weather

improves, as the seas calm, the number increases -- last year as many as 170,000 people crossed the Mediterranean, arriving in Italy alone, but it

comes at a very high cost. More than 3,000 people died trying to cross the Mediterranean last year.

So far, if you take into account the possibility that as many as 400 people were killed just in the last few days, the total number dying in the

Mediterranean this year alone comes to about 900 -- Kristie.

LU STOUT: Ben, as we look at these live pictures behind you, those migrants behind you are the lucky ones. They were able to survive a

harrowing journey leaving their homes in Africa to make it there to Europe. They're in Sicily. We see that they are being issued clothes, new shoes.

They're going through as you point out medical checks.

You mentioned they're going to go to camps next? What is next for these people in Italy? What kind of care and treatment -- and who will be

looking after them?

WEDEMAN: Well, it's the combination of the Italian health ministry, the Red Cross, the Italian Red Cross and other groups where they will be

fed, they will be clothed, they will be housed.

But the question is where did they go from there/ And that's the problem is that not only as the number increasing steadily in recent years

-- of course there's the political angle. Increasingly, Europeans do not seem willing to take in more migrants. They complain that the economy is

already stretched. The unemployment, for instance, in Italy is already around 12 percent. That the economy cannot take it. And politically, many

parties in Italy and elsewhere in Europe are coming out against migration.

So, these people are the lucky ones in the sense that they have survived, but it's very uncertain what sort of future they'll be able to

have here in Europe -- Kristie.

[08:19:42] LU STOUT: Ben Wedeman there reporting live from the front line of the migration story there in the Mediterranean. Reporting live

from Sicily. Thank you very much indeed for that, Ben.

Now, still to come right here on the program, there may be a new threat to passengers on commercial airplanes. A government report says

that the newer and more computerized the plane, the more vulnerable it is to hacking. We've got the details ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: Nice activity out there in Victoria Harbor.

Coming to you live from Hong Kong, you're back watching News Stream.

Now, do you remember the Segway? That's right, the two-wheeled upright vehicles that were supposed to revolutionize transportation when

they were launched way back in 2001, but they never really caught on?

Well, now the company has apparently been bought by its Chinese rival. Xiaomi's Hugo Barra announced in a tweet, quote, "epic milestone for China

tech today, Xiaomi portfolio company Ninebot acquires Segway. Now China's Ninebot also makes electric scooters.

Now hundreds of commercial planes flying today could be facing a new threat: cyber hacking. A U.S. government report says that some of the

latest Boeing and Airbus models may now be more vulnerable to having their onboard computer systems hacked.

Now for more on this, Aviation and government regulation corespondent Rene Marsh. She joins me now live from Washington.

And Rene, according to this new U.S. government report, what could a hacker do to a new commercial plane?

RENE MARSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, this government report, Kristie, starts off by talking specifically about newer more technologically

advanced airplanes. Because they're connected to the Internet, this report essentially says that these aircraft are turned into flying routers, which

can be compromised by someone either on board or on the ground.

Now, this is all based on interviews with cyber security and aviation experts. And they say that someone with a laptop and access to the plane's

wi-fi could, in theory, commandeer the aircraft, put a virus into flight control computers, even compromise the safety of the flight by taking

control of those computers, and they could also potentially take over warning systems and navigation systems.

Now the type of aircraft that could be vulnerable, they are saying according to the report, the Boeing Dreamliner, Airbus 350 as well as 380.

And the author of the report specifically tells me that there are about 200 to 300 of these modern aircraft currently flying that could be

vulnerable.

We do want to point out, we did reach out to the manufacturers. Airbus saying that it is constantly assessing its aircraft to maintain the

highest safety standard. Boeing, for its part, they are pointing out the fact that there are multiple redundancy systems.

So, if a pilot did have a problem, because of these redundancy systems, he or she would be able to address it, according to Boeing.

[08:26:14] LU STOUT: Wow, incredible, a cyber attack to an airplane in flight. According to this U.S. government report now a serious and real

threat.

Rene Marsh, many thanks indeed for walking us through that report.

Now, there's more controversy brewing over the BBC show Top Gear. Now TV presenter Sue Perkins announced that she's taking a break from Twitter

after receiving a flood of death threats over rumors that she may replace Jeremy Clarkson as host of the popular show.

Now she tweeted last week that she was facing abuse from online trolls. And the general gist was, quote, "man do cars. Woman do cake."

You're watching News Stream. Still to come on the program, the White House calls for Cuba to be removed from the state sponsors of terrorism

list. And the reaction in Havana next.

And there's a big party going on in Pyongyang. North Koreans celebrate an important day with over the top parades and performances.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong. You're watching News Stream. And these are your world headlines.

Officials in the Iraqi city Ramadi are issuing an urgent plea for government reinforcements and U.S.-led coalition air support. They tell

CNN the city is under siege by ISIS militants and that it could fall at any time. Now meanwhile, Iraq's prime minister is in Washington seeking more

help.

The European (inaudible) accusing Google of anti-trust violations. It accuses the tech giant of favoring search results for its own shopping

services over rivals. Now Google now has 10 weeks to prepare a response. If it looses the case, it could be fined up to 10 percent of its global

turnover. That's over $6 billion.

Now President Barack Obama is moving to take Cuba off the U.S. government's list of countries that sponsor terrorism. This follows a

recommendation from the U.S. State Department in the landmark meeting between Mr. Obama and Cuban leader Raul Castro last week. Now U.S.

lawmakers have 45 days to try to block the change.

Now taking Cuba off that list would be -- would play a huge role in the White House in its efforts to normalize relations with Havana. Now for

more, CNN's Patrick Oppmann joins me now live from the Cuban capital.

And Patrick, what has been the reaction over there to this U.S. decision to remove Cuba from the U.S. terror watch list?

[08:30:53] PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Cuban officials late last night, Kristie, said this is a just decision and perhaps more

importantly once again agreed to renounce terrorism.

And this is really what the Obama administration was waiting for before taking this final step of announcing their intention to remove Cuba

from the terror list with some sort of indication from Havana that they will no longer be engaged in terrorism and remind people of some of the

history that for much of the 70s and the 80s Cuba did finance and support revolutionary groups in Latin America, in Africa, groups that would have

brought in by their analysis at least friendly governments. Cuba didn't have many friends in those days. And so this lead to accusations of

terrorism, accusations of trying to overthrow governments.

Then what happened? The fall of the Soviet Union and political realities frankly changed. And for decades now, people in the United

States -- State Department officials -- have said that Cuba really has not been able to -- not be able financially to do any more of this kind of

backing and should be removed from the list. And it was just a basically politics.

Of course there are critics of this deal. People say that Cuba is not a friendly government, has a very different foreign policy than the United

States. And the Obama administration says that they agree with some of that, but when you look at what Cuba does and does not do, they argue Cuba

does not support terrorism.

Why is this so important now? It's to leave you more funding, more financing, more international investment for Cuba. And it's really one of

the key steps to the normalization of diplomatic relations, a resumption of full diplomatic relations. And now it's just a question of when we'll have

a U.S. flag over Havana when the U.S. embassy will open -- reopen in Cuba. It's more and more a question of when. And it seems to be within the

coming weeks, Kristie.

LU STOUT: All right, Patrick Oppmann reporting for us live from Havana, thank you.

Nuclear negotiations with Iran are facing another potential hurdle. The Iranian parliament has released a new document outlining revisions that

says must be made to the framework deal before it's approved. And the Iranian president says one of those changes is that all sanctions be lifted

immediately after a final deal is struck.

Now this comes just a day after the White House said it would allow U.S. lawmakers to have a say in any deal.

Now CNN's global affairs correspondent Elise Labott joins me now on the line. And Elise, how is the Iranian President, how is Rouhani

responding to the U.S. Congress and its objections to the preliminary nuclear deal?

ELISE LABOTT, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kristie, he is pretty much dismissing it saying that the Iranians are negotiating with the

U.S. administration, the Obama administration, not the Senate. He says our partner is not the U.S. Congress or the Senate, our partner is a group

called the five -- P5+1. And obviously, you know, saying that those negotiations will be done at the bargaining table. They're not negotiating

with congress.

But, clearly the move by the U.S. congress does complicate matters.

LU STOUT: And meanwhile we have the Iranian parliament nuclear committee has published a fact sheet with these revisions to the framework

deal. What are these revisions?

LABOTT: Well, this was one of the problems, Kristie, when the Iranians did not sign the framework deal, when this was not a signed

agreement in Iran. And the parties announced this kind of separate fact sheets of their interpretations of the deal.

Now, the Iranians are saying now that the Iranian parliament committee is saying that Iran will have to have 10,000 centrifuges out of the 19,500

that it has now. That original deal that was announced in Lausanne a couple of weeks ago said it would have about 5,000 working centrifuges.

Iran also says today that the deal should be about five years long where the framework agreement announced in Lausanne says that it was 10

years with an extra five years of additional stringent inspections.

So, clearly that was a concern when the Iranians did not sign the deal then that they would come and reopen the negotiations. And I asked

Secretary Kerry when I interviewed him in Lausanne if there was a concern about that. And he said that there wasn't. So I think that there will be

some charges of naivete certainly of the U.S. administration.

[08:35:07] LU STOUT: Yeah, complicating Concerns about this deal in Iran and of course also in Washington as well.

We know that the White House and Secretary Kerry, they have appealed to congress to bring them on side and to say let's complete negotiations

with Iran. But why is it that there in the U.S. so many lawmakers refuse to budge on this issue?

LABOTT: Well, I think there was a compromise in the U.S. congress. I mean, the original measure that the congress was looking for was a little

bit stronger. But I think the congress is saying, listen, we have concerns about this deal. We don't want you to negotiate a deal and then leave us

on the hook for lifting sanctions and approving a deal that we don't concern.

So a lot of people have asked the administration why don't you let them have a say up front. And the administration, Secretary Kerry and

President Obama obviously say well listen we're negotiating the deal with Iran, not you.

But it could save the administration a lot of heartache later on if they took some of congress's concerns on board as they were negotiating,

because if they reach a deal with Iran and congress votes it down, as is very likely given the currently scenario, then it'll be very hard to

relitigate the deal with Iran later on, Kristie.

LU STOUT: Yeah, that pressure coming from all sides on this preliminary nuclear deal with Iran.

Many thanks indeed for your reporting. Elise Labott joining me on the line there.

Now it is one of North Korea's most important celebrations. I'm going to tell you more about the day of the sun (inaudible).

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: Welcome back.

Now North Korea is marking the birthday of the nation's founder Kim il-Sung. Every year (inaudible) holding military parades and exhibitions

(inaudible). And three this year.

Paula Hancocks has this report on North Korea's day of the sun.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Kim Il-sung is being remembered and celebrated as a hero in North Korea. Wednesday marks the

birthday of the founder of the country all North Koreans are expected to join in the festivities.

It started just after midnight with his grandson and current leader Kim Jong-un visiting the mausoleum where he lies in state. Kim (inaudible)

some observers say is still revered by many North Koreans.

The rest of the day was celebrated on state run media with entertainment and documentaries on the man himself. Kim Il-sung died of a

heart attack in 1994 after ruling with an iron fist for almost half a century.

This week we also saw Kim Jong-un at a football match with his wife Ri Sol-ju who hasn't been seen for some months. In fact, since the last big

anniversary, that of the death of former leader Kim Jong-il.

Now in a stark counter to these celebrations, Human Rights Watch has said that the leader should instead be remembered for what it calls truly

horrific human rights legacy of Kim Il-sung and his government.

Paula Hancocks, CNN, Seoul.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: North Korea is known for being the world's most secretive nation, however, more and more tourists are gradually visiting the country

and participating in these national events.

Now Vicky Mohieddeen from Koryo Tours took a tour group into Pyongyang. And Rosemary Church spoke with her during the festivities and

asked about the experience.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[08:40:09] VICKY MOHIEDDEEN, KORYO TOURS: Well, it's a very festive occasion. Everyone is in a very good mood. It's a day off work. Kids

skipping and running around.

I don't know if you can see behind me, there are quite a lot of students who are about to stay in a mass stand (ph). So the music will

probably kick in soon.

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So, talk to us about the many different types of celebrations under there -- underway right now and

what's already been seen by people, what they've experienced so far and what they're saying to you.

MOHIEDDEEN: Well, the first thing it all kicks off on Sunday with the Pyongyang marathon, which a few of us came. We brought 290 tourists over

to participate. And then today we visited the mausoleum where the Kim Il- sung and Kim Jong-il lie in state. The revolutionary marchers cemetery. There's the flower exhibition happening. We've been bowling with the

locals.

And now all over the city, people are gathering to dance in the streets. And we're hoping for fireworks later on tonight.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: That was from earlier today, a live Skype call from Pyongyang.

Now Mohieddeen, she also told us that being based in Pyongyang, she sees a lot of shattered perceptions among tourists once they see North

Korea for themselves.

And here's the site of those fireworks that she hoped she would see marking the closing of the day of the sun.

Now, the second attempt to land a SpaceX rocket on a floating barge, it was close, but no cigar.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have liftoff of the Falcon.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: That's how company founder Elon Musk put it after the rocket came back down on the barge, but tipped over.

Now the attempted landing came after the latest launch of a cargo ship to the international space station carrying groceries and more on a

resupply mission.

Now this, it might not look like much, but it is the first ever image of Pluto in color. Now NASA's New Horizon spacecraft it's been traveling

nine years through space in its mission to reach Pluto. it snapped this blurry image of the distant mass and its moon Charon on Tuesday.

Now New Horizons is expected to make its closest approach to Pluto on July 14.

And that is News Stream. I'm Kristie Lu Stout, but don't go anywhere. World Sport with Alex Thomas is next.

END