Return to Transcripts main page

NEWS STREAM

U.S.-China Tension Over South China Sea; ISIS Takes Over Palmyra, Tadmor; Spotify Announces Video Streaming; David Letterman Bids Farewell To Late Night; Interview with Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha; Tenth Suspect Arrested in Hatton Garden Jewel Heist. Aired 8:00-9:00a ET

Aired May 21, 2015 - 8:00   ET

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


[08:00:12] KRISTIE LU STOUT, HOST: I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong. And welcome to News Stream.

Now, first Iraq and now Syria, ISIS captures another strategically important city. And in Palmyra, the terrorists can target civilians as

well as ancient relics.

Plus, some Asian nations say they will do more to help migrants, but what happens after they are rescued from sea and brought on land?

And warnings from China after a U.S. surveillance plane flies too close to disputed islands. CNN takes you along for the ride.

From Syria, we are now hearing from the people trapped inside the captured city of Palmyra. One young resident tells CNN that ISIS militants

are everywhere. He and his family are de facto prisoners in their home as the fighters go door to door looking for Syrian soldiers.

Now these firsthand accounts are coming in just hours after Syrian activists say that the ancient city of Palmyra fell into ISIS control.

They report Sunni militants are now in full control of the UNESCO World Heritage Site and the nearby city of Tadmor.

Now this ancient Syria city, it lies some 200 kilometers northeast of the capital Damascus. It is the second major population center seized in

less than a week by ISIS. Over the weekend, Sunni militants took the Iraqi city of Ramadi. That's about 100 kilometers west of Baghdad, a major

artery along the main highway to the capital.

And as we've mentioned, the concern in Palmyra is both for human lives and history.

Now the city is considered an ancient melting pot where Roman, Greek and Persian cultures met and fused. As Ivan Watson reports, traces of that

may be wiped out under ISIS.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE

IVAN WATSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Palmyra, a 2,000 year old city remarkably preserved in the middle of the desert. And now in the

hands of ISIS. The agony of Syria's three year war just got worse. Activists say ISIS captured the Syrian city of Tadmor. Many of its

residents will likely flee in terror to escape the public executions that the group directs against its opponents.

In addition to the incalculable human cost of this conflict, there are now fears ISIS may unleash its wrath on the nearby ruins of Palmyra.

I visited Palmyra in 2007 as a tourist on a bus. It was an astounding site, a cultural and historical oasis of ancient Greco-Roman columns,

arches, temples and an amphitheater.

This caravan town had been an important stop on trade routes that once linked Rome to East Asia. Seeing it left me humbled. It was a reminder

that we are but small chapters in a much larger, longer human story.

And now this treasure stands at the mercy of an army of marauding nihilists.

ISIS reveled in the destruction of Sumerian statues in Mosul, the bulldozing and dynamiting of a 9th Century BC Assyrian palace in Nimrod.

ISIS aren't the only group that have committed sins against world heritage in Syria. In their battle for power, rebels and regime forces damaged the

ancient bazaar in Aleppo, fought over the crusader castle Krak des Chevaliers.

Both rebels and black marketeers looted and sold off other ancient treasures. But ISIS takes this destruction to an entirely new level.

Another piece of our collective history may be on the verge of being irrevocably lost.

Ivan Watson, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: Now in the capital of Malaysia, protesters gathered outside the embassy of Myanmar demanding better treatment for the country's ethnic

Rohingya population. That as Myanmar said it will now consider sending a delegation to talks on Southeast Asia's migrant crisis planned for next

week.

Now Malaysia's prime minister is ordering the navy and coast guard to start rescue and search operations for migrant boats in the Andaman Sea.

Many of them are carrying Rohingya refugees as well as economic migrants from Bangladesh.

Thousands are believed to be stranded at sea.

And while Malaysia and Indonesia say that they will offer temporary shelter for migrants, there have been no promises on the quality of that

shelter.

Now for more on Asia's migrant crisis, Saima Mohsin joins me now live from Bangkok. And Saima, at this point who -- I mean, which nations are

willing to take in the migrants?

[08:05:14] SAIMA MOHSIN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kristie, so far only Indonesia and Malaysia. They say that they will

actually go out to sea not to push them away anymore, but to rescue them. In fact, today Malaysia's prime minister announced that he'd ordered the

Royal Malaysian Navy and the Maritime Enforcement Agency to go out and seek out these boats.

And remember, there are a lot of boats out there. We simply don't know how many, but there are estimates from counts of departures, in

particular from Myanmar by activists that there are up to 7,000 people men, women and children, on those boats so it's crucial to get them in.

But so far only Indonesia and Malaysia a lot of criticism, Kristie, of Thailand for offering only aid and no shelter to these people -- Kristie.

LU STOUT: And also reports that Thailand will stop actively pushing these boats away.

But once the refugees do arrive on land in places like Indonesia, what happens to them? I ask this, because last night we heard an account of

refugees in Aceh province, Indonesia being shuttled between buses because local officials didn't want them.

So does this deadly ping pong game go on even on land?

MOHSIN: Yeah, it felt that way, didn't it Kristie? It felt very much that no one was really ready for this. And they weren't. They were, as we

know, operating a push back policy, albeit the ministers and prime ministers have said that there was no formal policy to do so, we know full

well what they were doing, offering aid and then letting them drift away from the mainland.

But now that they are bringing them in, it seems there is a bit of disarray, there isn't a system in place. They have temporarily been placed

in an old paper mill. Now this is the first 400 or so that arrived yesterday on two boats.

Now they're in a paper mill, Kristie. The men are being held in tents, military tents, we believe, and the women and children are inside

some office buildings. But an affiliate channel of ours in Indonesia has described that conditions as alarming.

There are no toilets, no showers, no washing facilities. In fact, the men have been seeing going out to a local river to try and wash down and

clean themselves off. And you can imagine they're been through such a horrific ordeal for many, many months already and the reception they are

receiving isn't quite, perhaps, the comfortable one they really, really desperately need now.

And by the way, Kristie, some news just into us in the last few minutes, just as you were coming to me, is that you remember that boat, the

one that we saw last week that our affiliate channel got on board and filmed those horrific images of Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi migrants,

well that is the boat that has made its way to Aceh province in Indonesia, that's the one that was discovered yesterday.

In fact, the International Organization of Migration showed them picture that were filmed last week and they said, yes, that was us. That

was us at sea and we desperately needed rescuing -- Kristie.

LU STOUT: Yeah, so after being turned away by Thai authorities they were rescued by those Indonesian fishermen, but still on land in Indonesia

facing very, very dire conditions.

Saima Mohsin, thank you so much for your reporting. Saima reporting live from Bangkok for us.

Now, what we're seeing in the waters off of Southeast Asia echoes a similar crisis in the Mediterranean Sea. On Wednesday, a French naval

vessel rescued 297 migrants from a fishing boat off the Italian coast. The passengers included 51 women and children.

Now the migrants are being handed over to Italian authorities. And reports say that they are among more than 50,000 migrants from Africa and

the Middle East who have entered Europe by sea this year all in the search of a better life.

Now CNN's Chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour has been patrolling the waters with an Italian navy vessel and she witnessed

the rescue of nearly 300 migrants. She will host a special edition of Amanpour live from the Island of Lampedusa where many people rescued at sea

are taken. That's Thursday, 7:00 p.m. in London.

The government of Qatar is firing back at a damning Amnesty International Report that says the country has not fulfilled its promise to

improve labor conditions ahead of the 2022 World Cup. Qatar says the protection of human rights, including the rights of expatriate workers is

the backbone of the country's constitutional economic and social reform policies, but Amnesty says over the last 12 months little has changed in

policy or practice for the 1.5 million migrant workers. It says they remain at the mercy of their sponsors or employers.

Now, let's return to our top story now, the fall of Palmyra in Syria to ISIS. And CNN's senior international correspondent Arwa Damon, she has

spent time in this ancient city. She's also monitoring the ground offensive in Iraq from the capital Baghdad. She joins us now.

And Arwa, with ISIS now in full control of Palmyra, what does it mean for not just the ancient ruins and the relics, but most importantly what

does it mean for the people in the city?

[08:10:29] ARWA DAMON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, many of the residents were presumably forced to (inaudible) absolutely horrific

conditions. This is an area where we do believe that there were fairly fierce clashes unfolding between the Syrian army and ISIS fighters, around

100 members, potentially of the Syrian army killed during those clashes that took place.

Some civilians, a resident that CNN was able to speak to, a young man, describing how ISIS was everywhere, saying that he was terrified, hiding

out in his home along with 50 other people. The city effectively under curfew.

Quite often when ISIS does enter these areas they do initially relatively speaking try to act with a certain measure of kindness, if you

will, for the population. But again, it is all relative. And then they begin really enforcing their brutal form of rule.

One can only imagine how terrifying the situation is for those that have been left behind, how difficult the conditions are for those who were

able to flee now again joining the millions that are internally displaced within their own country.

And then you have the strategic importance of Palmyra when it comes to the military battlefield. The fact that ISIS has taken it over means that

they are now potentially in control of a fairly critical route that leads straight towards the capital Damascus.

LU STOUT: Palmyra, a historic, a strategic city, has fallen to ISIS in Syria.

And in Iraq, Arwa how great is the fear that ISIS after taking Ramadi a few days ago could be making its way toward Baghdad?

DAMON: The fear, Kristie, is very real for the vast majority of people who live in Baghdad that we have been speaking to. Realistically,

ISIS is not going to be able to barrel into Baghdad the way it did in Mosul, for example, because the Iraqi government quite simply will not

allow that to happen, cannot allow that to happen, neither can the U.S.-led coalition. And you will see many people taking up arms and giving ISIS

quite a fierce battle should it really try to threaten the capital. But that does not mean that fear has not permeated here as well.

What we are seeing right now is an attempt to beef up the presence of the Iraqi security forces in an area called Habbaniyah. There's a military

base there. It's located right between Ramadi and Fallujah, both of them under ISIS control.

We earlier spoke to a senior Iraqi army commander at the base and to the deputy governor of al Anbar Province, both who said that the strategy

right now was to try to ensure that they don't lose what little ground they do still control in al Anbar Province. They're trying to beef up their

defenses in these particular areas while they wait for additional reinforcements of Iraqi security forces. That, of course, the government

struggling with because it does not have that many capable units at its disposal.

But also reinforcements in the form of those Iranian-backed Shia paramilitary units that have proven to be quite controversial, yes, but

highly effective during the fight against ISIS in other parts of the country.

And also waiting for the Iraqi government to begin arming the Sunni tribes.

But as we have seen in the past, if this does not happen quickly we could potentially see more territory being lost to ISIS.

And the other concern, Kristie, is that with this Iraqi force so bogged down, so focused on these various fronts in Anbar, so intent on

protecting Baghdad, it's drawing them away from other parts of the country potentially leaving them vulnerable there.

LU STOUT: So many communities across Syria and Iraq now at the mercy of ISIS.

Arwa Damon reporting live from Baghdad, thank you Arwa.

Now you're watching News Stream. And still to come a mid-air standoff. CNN goes inside a U.S. surveillance plane flying above contested

waters in the South China Sea and gets a stern warning from China.

Also ahead, a breakthrough in the investigation into that multimillion jewelry heist. A handful of suspects show up in court as police make

another arrest.

Plus, it burst into the scene by billing itself music for everyone, but now Spotify is taking aim not at just your ears, but at your eyes and

even your legs.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:16:29] LU STOUT: Welcome back.

Now Thailand has spent a year under military rule. Army chief Prayut Chan-o-cha took control in a coup and now in a rare interview he talks to

Andrew Stevens about Thailand's future.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDREW STEVENS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The streets of Bangkok in May last year in the days immediately after Thailand's military

seized power in a coup. Anger from pro-government protesters, relief for opposition supporters.

General Prayut Chan-o-cha declaring martial law but promising a return to democracy.

A year later, the protesters are long gone, the streets are quiet and Prime Minister Prayut, as he is now, continues to talk of a return to

democracy. The question is when and how.

In a rare interview with an international news channel he outlined the roadmap for Thailand's future.

PRAYUT CHAN-O-CHA, PRIME MINISTER OF THAILAND (through translator): I want to use this opportunity to tell the world the reason why I am here

working right now. I've never been against democracy, either in the western world or eastern world. I've been in the military all my life

under a democratic system. I have supported any government in the past.

But the previous government could not move the country forward. We have a roadmap to democracy. It says that whenever the final constitution

is presented to the king and the kind endorses it, it will lead to elections within the planned timeframe. There could be other delays. If

parts of the constitution are rejected by the national reform committee.

I'm not trying to resist or delay or meddle with this at all. I don't want to be in power, but I was the only that could deal with the problems

facing Thailand at the time under the legal system of this country.

STEVENS: Are you fully committed to returning Thailand to full democracy, power back to the people?

CHAN-O-CHA (through translator): I reaffirm as I have always that our country must be fully democratic, but as a constitutional monarchy. We

must build the Thai democracy to be strong, sustainable and to have peace without conflicts happening again and for the country to cross.

STEVENS: When the Thai form of democracy is returned, how do you ensure that Thailand does not go back to what it was before -- protests on

the street, a government not working, violence?

CHAN-O-CHA (through translator): If you ask me if I'm confident, I cannot answer you that, but I am confident in what I am doing now, whether

it will be successful or not is up to the Thai people. They must determine their own future.

STEVENS: You recently lifted martial law in Thailand and it has been replaced with a constitution -- an interim constitution, which

includes article 44, which gives you pretty much absolute power in Thailand. Why do you need article 44?

CHAN-O-CHA (through translator): Why do we need section 44 in this constitution? Without it, we can barely work. In order to change the

structure and ways to govern, we must have decisive power.

But I have to reiterate here again, I've never abused the power. I've never used the power to harm anyone, to kill anyone, to execute anyone.

I'd never think about that. They are all Thai. I'd forgive them all.

[08:20:11] STEVENS: The question, though, is how forgiving the Thai people will be. Most want a return to a democratic process, but no one

here wants a rerun of what happened a year ago.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: And that was Andrew Stevens reporting.

Now the Thai cabinet has paved the way for a constitutional referendum in January, but that would delay a national election to August of 2016.

Now, the president of Burundi is calling for national unity, but there is still tensions in the wake of last week's failed coup.

Up next, a former leader says certain things must happen if the country is to move on.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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

Now there is still anger on the streets of Burundi one week after a failed coup attempt against President Pierre Nkurunziza. He's calling for

national unity and wants the tens of thousands who fled their homes out of fear to return.

But small crowds of protesters have been out on the streets today and Wednesday when Reuters recorded this scene in the capital Bujumbura.

Now much of the anger has been over the president's decision to seek a third term in office. A former president says the current crisis won't be

settled until there is compromise on that issue.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DOMITIEN NDAYIZEYE, FRM. PRESIDENT OF BURUNDI: The main problem is the candidacy of President Nkurunziza and the respect of the spirit and

letter of (inaudible) and the constitution. That is the main issue, which have provoked the demonstration of the population first.

The second to postpone these elections don't resolve the challenges I have just told you a few minutes ago, because for example our population

who is (inaudible) must come back.

Second, we must stabilize today police and the military. We must take time, enough time to put in the Burundi a good environment, a good

environment so that the elections can be organized in a good environment and stability today.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[08:25:15] LU STOUT: And this tension comes just a decade after a brutal civil war in Burundi, some 300,000 people were killed.

Now in the United States, Senator and presidential candidate Rand Paul ended his filibuster over the reauthorization of the PATRIOT Act after 10

hours. Now he called for an end to the surveillance of Americans.

Now the Senate is considering if it should renew that section of the PATRIOT Act or reform it. Paul's speech took up one of the three days

lawmakers have to renew the PATRIOT Act before it expires.

And now to one of the biggest names in music is moving into video. Spotify is now adding clips from media outlets like Vice, ESPN and NBC.

And with so many different sources of video already online, some have asked why the streaming music service is adding video?

Now Spotify's Jeff Levick explained the move to CNN's Laurie Segal.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEFF LEVICK, CHIEF BUSINESS OFFICER, SPOTIFY: What we found is, is that people are engaging in different content types. They are listening to

music and they're also doing other things. So one of the things that we, you know, wanted to look further in is that if you brought those two

experiences together, how much more rich and how much more engaging can we make that experience for users.

We've done a lot of testing and we found that people find it highly engaging to be able to switch and interact between both video and music and

spoken word content you know all in the same place.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: And Spotify also announced that they are adding new music playlists that aren't arranged by genre, but by mood. Now that was a key

part of competitor Beats Music, the service that Apple bought.

And Spotify has also unveiled some features for runners.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LEVICK: We basically rebuilt an experience that was made just for runners. And what users will see launching today is a new tab called

running that basically allows you to choose the type of music that you like to listen to, pick that genre, start running. Spotify will automatically

detect your beat and give you music that will give you the pace you want to run for as long as you want to run.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: Interesting innovation there.

Now Spotify's announcements, they come as it is facing more competition. Jay-Z relaunched the Title music service with plenty of

fanfare a month ago. And next month, Apple is expected to revamp Beats Music, giving it a more prominent role on the iPhone and the iPad.

Now you're watching News Stream. Still to come, tensions in the South China Sea.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is the Chinese Navy. This is the Chinese Navy. Please go away quickly.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: CNN gains exclusive access on board a U.S. military aircraft as it receives warnings from China to leave the area. We've got

the full details straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:30:17] LU STOUT: I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong. You're watching News Stream. And these are your world headlines.

ISIS has just issued a statement on Twitter that they are in full control of the prison in Syria's ancient city of Palmyra where a number of

anti-government inmates are being held. Now there have been reports that ISIS controls the entire city and both the UNESCO World Heritage Site and

the nearby city of Tadmor are in their hands.

Now protesters gathered outside Myanmar's embassy in Malaysia's capital today demanding better treatment for Myanmar's ethnic Rohingya

population. Many Rohingya have fled prosecution in Myanmar and they are now among thousands of migrants stranded in boats in the Andaman Sea.

Malaysia's prime minister is ordering the navy and coast guard to start search and rescue operations for those boats.

The U.S. government has released documents seized by U.S. Navy SEALs the night Osama bin Laden was killed in 2011. According to them, bin Laden

did not want an Islamic State. In a letter, the al Qaeda leader told jihadists in North Africa not to concentrate on forming a caliphate, but

focus on attacking American targets.

The governor of California declares a state of emergency as crews in Santa Barbara work to remove oil that is washing up on area beaches. More

than 100,000 gallons of oil spilled, much of it into the Pacific Ocean, when a pipeline ruptured.

Now China's rapid buildup of man-made Islands in disputed waters is raising alarm in the U.S. Several Asian countries lay claims to hundreds

of island sprinkling the South China Sea. Now the U.S. has so far avoided taking sides, but it is sending surveillance aircraft to monitor the

situation.

Jim Scuitto and his team have gained exclusive access on board these flights.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is the Chinese navy. This is the Chinese navy. Please go away quickly.

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's a standoff in the skies between China and the U.S.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You go!

SCIUTTO: As Beijing makes a massive and unprecedented land grab 600 miles from its coast.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So when's the last time you went up? SCIUTTO: CNN got exclusive access to classified U.S. surveillance flights over the

islands. The first time journalists have been allowed on an operational mission by the state of the art T8A Poseidon.

SCIUTTO (on camera): We just arrived on station now above the three islands that are the targets of today's mission. It's these three islands

that have been the focus of China's building in the South China Sea over recent years.

(voice-over): In just two years, China has expanded these islands by 2,000 acres, the equivalent of 1,500 football fields and counting.

(on camera): You're a military man. You look at this. Is there any doubt that that is a future military installation?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It appears to me, a buildup of military infrastructure.

SCIUTTO (voice-over): For China, this new territory is unnegotiable. China's foreign minister calls his country's commitment "unshakable." And

China defends the new islands closely, patrolling with coast guard and navy warships and ordering the PA out of the airspace eight times on this one

mission alone.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Please go away quickly.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am a United States military aircraft. I am operating with due regard, as requires, under international law.

SCIUTTO: The Chinese military sometimes shows its frustration.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Foreign military aircraft, this is Chinese navy. You are approaching our military alert zone. Leave immediately.

SCIUTTO: The standoff is military to military, but civilian aircraft can be caught in the middle.

(on camera): You heard over the intercom, Chinese navy, this is the Chinese navy. And what was interesting is that there were also civilian

aircraft. There was a Delta flight on that same frequency that when it heard that challenge, it piped into the frequency to say, what's going on?

The Chinese navy then reassuring them. But as the flight crew tells me, that can be a very nerve-racking experience for civilian aircraft in the

area.

(voice-over): Five southeast Asian nations claim parts of this area as their own. China says this territory is part of their history, claiming

ownership back 2,000 years.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Recognize that as anything to do with -- in accordance with international law.

SCIUTTO: But many see economic and military motives as well. The islands are rich in oil and gas deposits, and they extend China's naval and

air presence, challenging the U.S. naval supremacy in the region.

Jim Sciutto, CNN, above the South China Sea.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: And observers are closely watching if tensions in the South China Sea could spike further. And for that I'm joined now by Dean Chang.

He's a senior research fellow at the Asian Studies Center of the Heritage Foundation. He joins me now live.

Dean, thank you for joining us.

You know the story by now. With CNN on board the U.S. flies a surveillance plane over the South China Sea, which prompts a series of

stern warnings from China. But I have this question for you. Why did the United States feel that it could do this to flex its muscle this way?

[08:35:20] DEAN CHANG, HERITAGE FOUNDATION: Well, the United States has long upheld the principle of freedom of navigation. And that means

both air and naval forces can operate in the waters of the open ocean. China, despite the fact that it is building these islands, it's building

them on top of reefs, which don't exert territorial sovereignty.

So essentially the aircraft that you're correspondent was on was flying over international airspace. So it would be like flying over the

middle of the North Atlantic. What the Chinese are doing is claiming that by building islands essentially out of nothing that all of a sudden they

have extended their territory deep into the middle of the South China Sea.

LU STOUT: Yeah, in that report we see the U.S. aircraft passing over an area where China is building an artificial island literally out of sand.

It's in the Spratlys area. It's an area claimed by the Philippines and Vietnam. Why -- it's not just why is China doing this, it's why does China

think it can get away with this?

CHANG: Well, China thinks it can get away with it for several reasons. First off, of course, it is the largest economy in the region.

It is the largest military in the region. The Chinese I think honestly do believe, and your correspondent noted this, that they have a historic claim

to this area. But in addition they also clearly have strategic interests in the area, the possibility of oil, rich fishing grounds. But most of all

I think is that it is flexing its muscle, it is demonstrating to the world that it has the ability to build islands out of nothing and it's pushing to

see what kind of reaction this engenders.

LU STOUT: Yeah, and what is the reaction going to be? What is America's next move as China continues to assert its claim in the South

China Sea, what will the U.S. do? And would China ever consider backing down?

CHANG: Well, I think that the Secretary of Defense Ash Carter has already indicated that in addition to aircraft overflights, there may well

be U.S. navy ships that will cut within 12 nautical miles of these new artificial islands.

Will China back down? Almost certainly not. That's one of the great sources of tension for those of us observing this is that the Chinese,

their statements make it very clear they are not going to back down that to them this is an issue of sovereignty.

LU STOUT: Dean Chang joining us live from Washington. Many thank indeed for your insight.

You're watching News Stream. We'll be back right after the break. Keep it here.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: Welcome back.

A tenth man has been arrested in connection with a Jewelry heist in London. A short time ago, eight of the suspects in the Hatton Garden heist

appeared in court. And our senior international correspondent Fred Pleitgen has the latest from the courthouse.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FRED PLEITGEN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Of the eight men who were taken to this hearing today, only one pleaded guilty, all the others

pleaded not guilty to the charges of conspiracy to burgle.

Now eight of the men are in custody, however there have been an additional arrest that in this case the tenth man was arrested apparently

in Essex. He's 42 years old. And during the entire time of this investigation the age range of those people who were suspected has raised a

lot of eyebrows here in this country.

Three of the men are over the age of 65 and one of them is apparently 76 years of age. And that of course is something that's very interesting

when you look at the way that all of this was apparently done.

The suspects apparently came in through the elevator shaft of the building, then they used very heavy tools to drill through a very thick

concrete wall to make their way to the safety deposit boxes.

Now what we're hearing is that 73 boxes in total were raided and that a lot of loot was taken away.

The police initially was very heavily criticized in this case, because the suspects set of an alarm as they were doing all this, however, the

police did not actually go to the scene, and therefore the suspects would have had a long time to do their work.

Since then the metropolitan police has said that it's done everything to try and find those behind the Hatton Garden heist. They say that

they've been working, quote, relentlessly. And they did manage to arrest 10 people now -- an additional arrest has been made, a 42 year old man in

the county of Essex. And the police do believe they have a major breakthrough and they think that they may have recovered a lot of what's

been stolen.

Fred Pleitgen, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[08:41:25] LU STOUT: And finally, one of the icons of late night comedy has said good night for the last time. Now David Letterman was

greeted by a standing ovation when he walked out onto the set. And he called it the most important show of my life.

The star-studded lineup of celebrities paid tribute to the long-time host. And they delivered special farewells in Letterman's very last top 10

list.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALEC BALDWIN, ACTOR: Of all the talk shows, yours is most geographically convenient to my home.

JERRY SEINFELD, COMEDIAN: Dave, I have no idea what I'll do when you go off the air. You know, I just thought of something, I'll be fine.

CHRIS ROCK, COMEDIAN: I'm just glad your show is being given to another white guy.

JULIA LOUIS DREYFUS, ACTRESS: Thanks for letting me take part in another hugely disappointing series finale.

BILL MURRAY, ACTOR: Dave, I'll never have the money I owe you.

DAVID LETTERMAN, HOST, LATE NIGHT: Oh no.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: Got to love Bill Murray.

Now finally, Letterman wrapped up his long career to his favorite song and a huge round of applause.

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

END