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Bill Cosby Arraigned on Sexual Assault Charges; Brussels Cancels New Year's Eve Celebrations; New York City Hardens Security in Times Square. Aired 8:00a-8:30a ET

Aired December 31, 2015 - 8:00   ET

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


[08:01:11] KRISTIE LU STOUT, HOST: Happening live in Australia, a breathtaking fireworks celebration. Sydney welcomes in 2016. Happy New

Year.

I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong. And you are watching News Stream.

Now a terror threat forces Belgium to cancel its New Year's celebrations in the capital as other major cities tighten security.

Kim Jong-un mourns the death of a top adviser killed in a car accident in North Korea.

And after allegations from more than 50 women, Bill Cosby faces charges of sexual assault.

As New Year's celebrations, like the one we just witnessed in Sydney, get under way around the world, the threat of terror is casting a shadow.

Brussels has canceled its New Year festivities and Belgian police detained six people in several raids across the country. A 10th person

connected to last month's Paris attacks has also been arrested.

Now meanwhile, the U.S. says it received intelligence about possible attacks in New York, Washington and Los Angeles. Now sources tell CNN the

threat originated overseas but it did not specify a target.

Now as a precaution, security has been ramped up.

Miguel Marquez joins me now live from Times Square. Miguel, just how difficult was it to get in there?

MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, not so difficult for us because we're here many hours ahead of the event, but it will get more and

more difficult as the day go on. They will have 65 pens set up throughout this several block area. Over a million people expected to crowd in. They

will have a security cordon several blocks away. You have to come through there through magnetometers. There will be bomb-sniffing dogs. There will

be chemical detectors. There will be nuclear radiation detectors and lots and lots of cameras.

To get into one of these pens like one here in front of me, you will have to go through a magnetometer again. That up there is the point where

the famous ball in Times Square will come down and drop at 12:00 midnight marking the new year.

Police here saying that they are ready, protecting this city from the land, from the sea, from the air and even underground.

6,000 police officers just for the Times Square area. Tens of thousands of more officers throughout the city protecting venues of all

sorts, parties and celebrations that used to be just parties and celebrations, now potential soft

targets because of Paris and San Bernardino -- Kristie Lu.

LU STOUT: Police there in New York say that they are ready, but Miguel much bigger is this compared to previous years?

MARQUEZ: It is bigger. In total numbers, it's about 800 more police officers, which doesn't sound like a lot, but they are pouring on a lot

more resources in terms of bomb-sniffing dogs, in terms of the firepower that they have they also have a special response team, a 500 person

response team that can respond to dozens and dozens of different incidents at the same time, because they are concerned about sort of these small bore

incidents like in Paris of San Bernardino, Kristie Lu.

LU STOUT: All right, Miguel Marquez...

MARQUEZ: The party is starting here already as well.

LU STOUT: Yeah, the party is indeed starting already. Thank you. Take care, Miguel.

Now, there's concern about security, it prompted Brussels in Belgium to

cancel all of their New Year's Eve celebrations. And there have been new arrests across the country.

Nic Robertson filed this report a short time ago.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Just hours away from the New Year's Eve celebrations, the terror investigations continue. Seven

more properties searched by the authorities here. Six people detained. Information as well that the man detained in a terror investigation, a

terror arrest late on Wednesday, he is now being charged with terrorist, murder and participation of terrorist organization. This in connection

with the Paris terror attacks.

Also two men arrested here earlier in the week planning a terror attack right here in the Grande Place in the center of Brussels. Those men

now being charged with threatening a terrorist attack, participation in a terrorist organization.

One of those two men, we're told by officials here, is a leader within the terrorist organization, that he is a recruitment figure within that

terrorist organization here.

The prime minister describing the situation here now, the terror situation, as something that is changing hour by hour. Certainly that can

be seen in these latest arrests, these latest detentions, the searches that continue.

The decision being taken in Brussels right now to cancel the firework display

that would normally go ahead, traditional part of this celebration to see in the New Year here. The prime minister also saying that right now the

terrorists are more prudent, more professional than they have in the past. The mayor says he feels that it's not safe to allow people to gather in

large numbers for that fireworks display.

So, right now the expectation in Brussels this evening, the celebrations ito see in new year somewhat more muted and low key than they

would have been in the past. And the prime minister describing the situation at large.

He says that Europe is at a new stage in its history, that European nations need to do more to tackle this terror threat.

Nic Robertson, CNN, Brussels, Belgium.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[08:06:41] LU STOUT: Now, the U.S. military says U.S. and allied forces conducted 24 strikes against ISIS in both Syria and Iraq on

Wednesday.

Now, coalition forces are continuing to put pressure on the militants around Ramadi as Iraqi troops work to secure the city after recapturing it

on Monday; however it is still too soon for civilians to return.

Now, months of fighting having left the city devastated. An official says about 3,000 homes have been destroyed.

Now, let's bring in our senior international correspondent Nima Elbagir. She has just returned from a refugee camp for civilians rescued

from Ramadi. She is in Baghdad now.

And Nima, you talked to the families who fled Ramadi. What have they seen? What did they go through? What are they telling you?

NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The descriptions we were getting, Kristie, were absolutely heartbreaking. The desolation they

describe, what the airstrikes and the ground offensive saves -- and some of those attacks, some of those air strikes, we understand, were precision.

What they say ISIS attempted to blow, or at least rigged to blow, and that's what slowed down much of

that ground offensive is having to painstakingly go through street by street trying

to avoid IEDs and boodytraps.

Now, imagine that you're one of the families trying to survive amidst those explosive devices. The ones we spoke to in that refugee camp,

they're the lucky ones, Kristie, they're among the several hundred, the few hundred, that were extracted by counterterror forces.

Iraqi forces telling us that there are still almost 1,000 families still inside Ramadi. And they understand being used as human shields,

being moved to the eastern districts of the city to slow that final Iraqi ground offensive, to slow that final advance as they attempt to purge what

remain of the ISIS fighters from Ramadi, Kristie.

LU STOUT: So, even though Ramadi has been declared liberated, there are still ISIS elements inside the city using civilians as human shields.

And families from Ramadi waiting outside in refugee camps waiting for the opportunity to return hom.

At what point can that happen?

ELBAGIR: Well, we're looking at a time frame, we're told, of something between a week to ten days remaining in terms of just basically

clearing out those boobytraps and those IEDs. Then, you have to deal with the realities of a completely destroyed infrastructure.

We were speaking to the head of the Iraqi operation command today and he said we need to rebuild everything -- water, electricity, schools,

hospitals, there is very little there. But there's also the issue of an ISIS presence in other provinces in Anbar. The winter weather.

Some of those children we saw were barefoot, Kristie. They fled with almost nothing. So, many of those families actually were divided, some

safely got out and some remain inside Ramadi. So it's understandable that they're desperate to go in as quickly as they can, but it sounds like there

isn't at the moment much for them to return to.

LU STOUT: Earlier this week, Nima, the Iraqi prime minister sounded a really confident note. He says that he believes ISIS can be cleared out in

2016. Your thoughts on that? Can Iraqi forces deliver on that pledge?

[08:10:03] ELBAGIR: Well, morale really does seem to be at an all- time high and that's definitely a sentiment that's being echoed by many of the top ranking Iraqi brass we've been speaking to. But there is also the

reality of that road to Mosul being an extraordinarily difficult one. They feel that they established a structure, so to speak, in their offensive of

Ramadi, the bringing in of the local tribal forces, the empowerment of them to hold much of the area that the

government is clearing and the fact that this is the major city that the Iraqi forces that have taken without the support of those Iranian-backed

Shia popular forces.

So they of course feel that they are at a high and a lot of armies around the

world very similarly would be looking to build on those successes. But Mosul is big, it hasn't seen the intensity of the air strikes that hammered

down on Ramadi.

And with Mosul you have to think about the line of retreat. And that is going to involve blocking the line of retreat back to Fallujah, which is

an extraordinarily difficult proposition. And even though we understand the campaign to encircle and siege Fallujah began even before they went in

to Ramadi, you're looking at a lot of very different, very fluid-moving pieces.

But everyone we're speaking to says they believe it can be done, that it is about having that morale and having that advantage and pushing it

through, Kristie.

LU STOUT: Yeah morale is high, especially after Ramadi, but a difficult

campaign ahead for Iraqi forces.

Nima Elbagir joining us live and reporting live from Baghdad. Thank you, Nima.

Now, the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has been paying respects to his former top negotiator with South Korea. North Korean state media say

Kim Yang-gon died in a car accident on Tuesday.

The 73-year-old was given a state funeral and state media say that Kim Jong-un is bitterly sorrowful.

CNN's Alexandra Field has more from Seoul.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Some rare new images from inside North Korea. The state news agency releasing photos of the state funeral

for Kim Yang-gon, the high level official dubbed one of Kim Jong-un's closest comrades.

The images show Kim Jong-un seemingly grief stricken, bowing in reverence and even leaning over the coffin of Kim Yang-gon. North Korea's

news agency says he was killed in a car accident, but there have been no further details given.

That has some skeptics questioning the circumstances, while pointing out that a number of high level North Korean officials have died in car

accidents, including Kim Yang-gon's predecessor.

As the head of the United Front Department, which oversees North Korea's policy toward South Korea.

South Korean officials say 70 high-level North Korean officials have been executed since Kim Jong-un came to power. Those are numbers that CNN

cannot independently confirm.

In Seoul, Alexandra Field, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: You're watching News Stream. And still to come, some vindication for Bill Cosby's accusers. The American comedian now faces

felony charges. And we've got the details next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:15:48] LU STOUT: Now, it took more than four decades and allegations from at least 50 women, but for the first time, U.S. comedian

Bill Cosby faces felony charges for sexual assault.

Now, he is free this hour on $1 million bail and his attorneys vow a vigorous

defense against what they call an unjustified charge.

For his part, Cosby has vehemently denied any wrongdoing.

Jean Casarez has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEAN CASAEREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Bill Cosby, surrounded by media, looking

frail in a gray sweater, carrying a cane, arm in arm with his attorneys. He stumbled on his way into a Pennsylvania courthouse.

UNIDENITIFIED MALE: Mr. Cosby, anything to say?

CASAREZ: Inside, standing room only. Cosby was guided to the defense table.

After his arraignment, the 78-year-old had his mug shot taken. Bail set at $1 million.

KEVIN STEELE, ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY: These charges stem from a sexual assault that took place on an evening in early 2004 at Mr. Cosby's

home.

CASAREZ: Cosby is charged with assaulting Andrea Constand, at the time a Temple University employee. She considered Cosby, 37 years her

senior, to be a mentor.

Over the months after they met, he invited her to several public events and private dinners.

STEELE: Mr. Cosby made two sexual advances at her that were rejected.

On the evening in question, Mr. Cosby urged her to take pills that he provided by to her and to drink wine.

CASAREZ: According to the criminal complaint, the pills and wine left Constand "dizzy, nauseous, frozen, and paralyzed."

Despite her impaired physical and mental condition, the victim was aware that Cosby was fondling her breasts, put his hands into her pants and

penetrated her.

Waking up hours later with her clothes disheveled and bra undone, Constand says Cosby dressed in a robe, handed her a muffin, walked her to

the door and said "all right."

Constand went to the police about a year later. And again according to the criminal complaint, Cosby admitted to investigators much of what

Constand had described except saying the victim never told him to stop, never pushed him away, never told him her vision was blurred and never said

she felt paralyzed.

When directly asked if he ever had sexual intercourse with the victim, Cosby gave the unusual answer "never asleep or awake."

No charges were filed back then. The district attorney citing the lack of evidence due to the year-long delay. But Constand quickly filed a

civil suit, which resulted in a confidential settlement agreement with Cosby.

Constand, the first of some 50 women to have come forward. Cosby and his attorneys have repeatedly denied the allegations against him, today

issuing a strong statement in his defense: "make no mistake, we intend to mount a vigorous defense against this unjustified charge and we expect that

Mr. Cosby will be exonerated by a court of law."

Jean Casarez, CNN, Elkins Park, Pennsylvania.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: The refrain of the 50-plus women who allege assault has been

virtually the same: he drugged me, he sexually assaulted me or he tried to. And the faces you see here are just over half of his accusers.

It's hard to say for sure but most of the allegations against Cosby date back a few decades. That means they fall under statutes of

limitations and can no longer be tried.

Now, those three felony charges filed against Cosby on Wednesday only just made the deadline. The arraignment came just before the 12-year

statute of limitations would have expired. And attorneys who represent the women accusing Cosby of defamation say that the arraignment validates the

claims of many of these women who have publicly declared that Cosby accused them.

Now, attorney Gloria Allred represents 29 women in a civil lawsuit who allege that they are victims of sexual assault by Cosby. She says that

some may be called as witnesses in his criminal trial. She also spoke to our John Vause earlier about whether the case against the comedian might

grow even further.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GLORIA ALLRED, ATTORNEY: It appears that the prosecutor has indicated that if there are other alleged victims of Mr. Cosby that they should

contact law enforcement in Montgomery County and that says to me that they're interested in other potential witnesses who might allege similar

prior bad acts.

Now, of course, the decision is going to have to be made by the DA as to whether he's going to call those individuals as witnesses and then it's

going to be up to the judge to decide if their testimony is relevant and if it's admissible.

My guess -- it's just a guess -- is the defense will not want any other witnesses called who might allege prior similar acts.

[08:20:34] JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Because if they are admitted into evidence it's going to be a very steep hill to climb for any

defense lawyer.

ALLRED: It would be tough and, you know, they might be able to testify and support a theory of motive or opportunity or planning.

And so it will be very interesting to see what happens.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: When asked about a possible plea agreement on NBC's Today Show, Cosby's chief defense lawyer said it was out of the question. No

trial date has been set but his next appearance is due to be held on January 14 and that is when he'll have a preliminary hearing.

You're watching News Stream. Still ahead in the program, Netflix is a lot of winning viewers with its documentary series about a Wisconsin murder

case. A look at why it's become an obsession for so many.

(WEATHER)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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

Now, it might not seem like holiday fare, but a Netflix documentary called

Making a Murderer has become an obsession.

Jonathan Mann has more on the case that's capturing so much attention.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Everybody is listening, what do you want to say today?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm innocent.

JONATHAN MANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Making a Murderer, it's the latest binge watching obsession on Netflix. The 10 part documentary follows the

case of Steven Avery, a Wisconsin man who spent 18 years in prison for rape before DNA

evidence helped win his release in 2003.

Just two years later, after filing a multimillion dollar lawsuit over his wrongful conviction, Avery and his nephew were arrested, both were

convicted, this time for the murder of a young woman, Theresa Hallback.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Avery's blood was found inside of Theresa Hallback's

vehicle.

MANN: Avery maintains he's innocent. And defense lawyers say authorities planted evidence to frame him for murder. Since it premiered

December 18, Making a Murderer has attracted a huge following, including many celebrities who are heaping praise on the series.

Actor Ricky Gervais tweeting "nevermind an Emmy or an Oscar, Making a Murderer deserves a Nobel Prize. The greatest documentary I've ever seen."

Not everyone is a fan. Former district attorney Ken Kratz was a special prosecutor in the Avery case. He tells CNN affiliate WLUK the

documentary was biased in favor of the defense.

KEN KRATZ, FRM. DISTRICT ATTORNEY: The jury was provided a much different picture than what this series provides.

MANN: Filmmakers spent 10 years following the case and defend their work.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We believe that the series is representative of what we

witnessed. The key pieces of the state's evidence are included in the series.

MANN: Avery remains in prison, serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole.

While fans dissect the series and the case online, even circulated a petition urging a presidential pardon.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The truth always comes out.

MANN: Jonathan Mann, CNN.

(END VIDEO CILP)

LU STOUT: And that is News Stream. I'm Kristie Lu Stout, and I'll be back with the headlines after this short break.

END