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London Mayor Sides With EU Doubters; Water Crisis in New Delhi; Jeb Bush Drops Out; Roving Science Labs Educate India's Rural Children; U.S. Remains Committed to Peace Process in Syria Despite Recent Violence. Aired 8-9a ET

Aired February 22, 2016 - 08:00   ET

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

[08:00:37] KRISTIE LU STOUT, HOST: I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong and welcome to News Stream

Now, deadly protests crippled water supplies in the heart of India. What is behind this dangerous dispute straight ahead?

To stay or not to stay? Britain's future in the EU has the prime minister at odds with the country's most outspoken and powerful mayor.

And a costly lesson: how Jeb Bush learned firsthand money can't apparently buy you votes.

Now it is an unprecedented water crisis in New Delhi. Residents in the Indian capital are dealing with a severe shortage. Taps across the city

already running dry. Now a deadly protest over the weekend in a neighboring state crippled a main water supply for New Delhi. Schools have

been closed. And the city says the army has regained control of the Mona canal (ph), but it could take some time to get the water flowing again.

Demonstrators are angry on over what they see as discrimination. Sunima Udas has been covering this story. She joins me now live from New Delhi.

And Sumnima, you attempted to go to Hariana (ph) and to report on the story live from there, but what did you encounter?

SUMNIMA UDAS, CNN INTERNATIONAL COCRRESPONDENT: Yeah, Kristie, we ended up making it in to Hariana (ph) just across the border, a town called

Bathergur (ph), that's where a lot of protesters, hundreds of them, had basically camped out. They blocked the entire highway with these trucks.

They punctured the tires so trucks could not be moved. They brought in logs, water pipes, basically anything they could find to block the entire

highway.

And this is the main highway going from Delhi to Hariana (ph) they had also put up tents. They had food. Tthere was a bit of a picnic as well. They

had alcohol. They were -- some of them were even smoking hookahs. And they were saying that they were going to hang out there. They had been

there for the past six days -- five to six days. And they're going to continue hanging out there until their demands are met.

Now, we spoke to the leaders of these protesters earlier today. And they said that have actually called off these protests because the governor has

agreed to set up a committee to meet some of their demands. But these protesters say until they see something on paper they will not relent.

Now, what are their demands? The main thing that they want is reservations in India's cost system here. So, a cost-based quota system here. It is

basically like an affirmative action system that provides -- that was designed to give the lower costs in this country placements in certain

universities and also government jobs.

And what these protests are saying this is basically reverse discrimination. When we spoke to the protesters they were saying -- an

example they were giving is, look, we get certain marks. We do much better than many of these lower costs for admissions into college but then we

don't get accepted. They said that their friends have committed suicide because they are failing and not being able to get admission into these

colleges.

And they are being made fun of.

So it's been -- you know, so there is this growing resentment against this quota system that has always been seen as a positive thing for the country.

It has been touted as one of the success stories.

And it's a worrying trend, because if the government does relent to their demands, Kristie, then it sets a precedent, because there are lots of other

upper castes who would also want a similar thing for them, Kristie.

LU STOUT: And what we have now, deadly protests over these cast quotas. And it's targeting the main water supply of the capital of India. I mean,

Sumnima just how far reaching are the effects of this protest action?

UDAS: Well, the Delhi government says some 10 million people are affected. So the water canal that we were talking that has been damaged, that used to

be the source for some 60 percent of the water that comes into Delhi. So

obviously a lot of people affected. So what the government has done is sent out these water tankers, neighborhood to neighborhood. So, we saw

quite a few of them this morning. People are ling up around these tanks, filling up their -- they have brought in everything they can. All their

buckets, their water, thermoses, even kettles to fill up everything that they can. So, it has been quite difficult, but the government is saying in

the next 24 hours or so, all of this should be resolved -- Kristie.

[08:05:17] LU STOUT: All right. CNN's Sumnima Udas reporting live from Delhi. Thank you for that update.

Now, turning now to a critical campaign in the UK. A couple of hours from now, Prime Minister David Cameron will set out his case for the country to

remain in the European Union.

He struck a deal with EU leaders last week to grant Britain special status, but he is facing staunch opposition within his own party.

London Mayor Boris Johnson is among those campaigning for a so-called Brexit.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BORIS JOHNSON, MAYOR OF LONDON: The last thing I wanted was to go against David Cameron or the government. But after a great deal of heartache, I

don't think there's anything else I can do. I will be advocating vote -- or whatever the team is called -- I understand there are many of them. I

think that is basically -- because I want a better deal for the people of this country, to save them money and to take back control.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: Now new poll suggest Boris Johnson is in the minority among British voters. The phone survey by Survation shows 48 percent want to

stay in the union, and 33 percent want to leave, and crucially, 19 percent, as you can see, they are still undecided.

Now, the date of the referendum has been set for June 23. Let's bring in CNN's Max Foster from London. And Max, Boris Johnson is defying the prime

minister with this call for Britain to leave the EU.

So, what does Mr. Cameron need to do as he makes his case for the UK to stay?

MAX FOSTER, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, this is his biggest hurdle really, certainly politically speaking. Because he's been -- he's

tried to renegotiate Britain's deal within Europe. He's done that. But there's been a huge amount of compromises along the way. And Boris Johnson

has suggested that actually this wasn't a massive change for Britain's relationship with the EU. And something bigger needs to happen. And he

needs to be at the forefront of that.

But he has been benefiting, David Cameron, from his campaign really which is effectively to stay within the European Union by the fact he hasn't had

any major opposition. So, these chaotic campaigns for Britain to leave the European Union haven't been organized, didn't have a figurehead. There

were some cabinet ministers like Theresa May who could have gone into that position, but she didn't. She ended up backing David Cameron. So,

everything was going in his direction until Boris Johnson stepped in and is now going to be the figurehead of the Leave European Union campaign, which

is a huge huge blow for David Cameron.

Because Boris Johnson has proven that he can get votes. He's very popular. He's very eloquent. And now there is a real fight on for David Cameron as

we lead up to that June referendum.

And it's going to become a much bigger debate. I think people are going to feel as though they can't -- those wavering voters they feel perhaps that

they can entertain the idea of leaving the UK -- leaving the European Union now.

LU STOUT: Yeah. It's a fight for the wavering undecided voters.

Now, last week, Max, the prime minister struck a deal to give the UK special status. This is a deal he struck while talking with EU leaders

last week. Wwhat does that mean, the special status?

FOSTER: Well, Britain has got a special status in the European Union. So, it has got some deals now as a result of David Cameron's negotiations which

don't apply to other countries.

But they have been watered down to such an extent many people are suggesting they don't really mean very much at all. And that's going to be

the tone of the debate probably in parliament today as people question what actually he achieved in Brussels.

So, one example, he wanted to stop migrants sending benefits to children outside the UK. And he wasn't able to achieve that. Instead, those

payments are going to be limited, saying for in-work benefits for migrants in the UK as well.

So, been heavily watered down, which really sort of adds impetus to Boris Johnson's campaign as well.

So it is going to be an interesting debate today to see where he actually stands, how he responds to those criticisms as well.

ANDERSON: All right. CNN's Max Foster there. Thank you, Max.

Now, Washington is standing firm behind an internationally brokered peace deal in Syria despite a surge in the violence. We have got details ahead

in a live report.

Plus, a fire burns through a building meant to be a future home for refugees. Why police suspect it was arson.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:11:13] LU STOUT: Now the Syrian Observatory of Human Rights says at least 184 people have been killed, hundreds were wounded in a series of

brutal attacks in the cities Homs and damascus. ISIS has now claimed responsibility for the suicide and car bombings, but even in the face of

this new bloodshed, Washington says a cease-fire in war ravaged Syria is imminent.

The U.S. secretary of state John Kerry says an agreement could begin in a matter of days.

Now, CNN's senior international correspondent Nick Paton Walsh is following developments from Beirut. He joins us now. Nick, more than 180 people

killed in these attacks in the scale of death and destruction here is just stunning.

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, they say that the attack on Said al-

Zanab (ph) shrine where 120 people were killed over the weekend in three separate blasts is the deadliest so far of the entire Syrian conflict.

It obviously depends how you pass the particular gastly incidents there have been over the years, the The mass bombings we have seen and the air

strikes to the number of dead, they've continueed.

But it's remarkable that these figures should be so high at a time when the other headline around this conflict is peace, or what diplomats would call

cessation of hostilities.

Now, John Kerry in Amman yesterday, as you said, said the provisional terms are there for a possible cessation of hostilities. Interestingly, that

came on for conversation with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov and was followed up by him saying the next stage is Barack Obama to talk to

Vladimir Putin.

Now, phenomenally reminiscent of the Cold War, how you have Moscow talk to Washington to try to end a fight which is between Syrians and other

foreigners on the ground there in Syria. You have to remember, too, that in these discussions we don't have Syrians at the table. We have the two

sides, Washington and Moscow, which many have portrayed as having their different proxies or different allies who

have their different proxies.

So, a very distant diplomatic process from the violence on the ground, one I think that many look at John Kerry position in as being somewhat

hamstrung given the Americans don't have much more of a military alternative to strong arm the Russians with. And the Russians are quite

clearly reshaping the battlefield with their superior air power and assisting the Syrian regime there.

And as we speak now, Kristie, the clashes are continuing around Aleppo, the commercial hub of Syria, well what used to be the commercial hub before it

was devastated, the eastern half certainly, by war here.

Clashes to the southeast where ISIS appear to be moving in to some clashes to the north where the activists are saying, in fact, the regime are using

barrel bombs against certain areas around there, too, held by anti-regime elements.

So a continuing day of blood on the battlefield and one in which the clock is ticking for this final stage of the White House to speak to the Kremlin

which may yield some clarity as to how a cessation of hostilities could actually occur -- Kristie.

LU STOUT: Yeah, people across here in the meantime desperate for an end, or some sort of pause to the fighting.

So, do you believe that given the lack of Syrian representation in the recent talks, given the ongoing threat posed by ISIS that that agreement,

that faraway deal reached by international diplomats will not do anything to end the fighting on the ground for the time being?

WALSH: Well, it is difficult and dangerous to suggest that a peace process like this, which does have the two groups who in some ways call all of the

shots in the battlefield, Russia and the United States, if they ever came to an agreement themselves, that would have no effect on the ground.

Obviously, the Russians could put influence on Damacus to reduce their advances and put their own air force back on its run ways for a temporary

period of time.

But then you have to ask yourself what about the other elements in the fighting here, too. Both sides are clear that al Qaeda's franchise in

Syria, the Nusra Front and ISIS, are not involved in the cessation of hostilities at all and could still attack themselves, this weekend's

attacks in Homs and Damascus claimed by ISIS, very clearly an example of that.

So, given that potential for chaos, given the fact that the Russians perceive many of the anti-regime groups that Washington supports to

themselves be terrorists in Moscow and Damascus's parlance, there's such scope for confusion on the battlefield, there is such a distance between

the actions on the battlefield, there's such a distance between the actions on the battlefield, the groups there and the people even who had

been representing Syria at the negotiations over the past few peeks in foreign capitals, but this -- a vast amount of last Jude here, where what's

signed on paper won't translate to much on the ground.

But then diplomats themselves say you can't just give up on a negotiated process if it's frankly all that Syria has right now outside of devastating

violent military solutions, Kristie.

ANDERSON: Nick Paton Walsh reporting. Thank you.

Now, in Germany, investigators believed arson is to blame for a fire that ripped through a building intended to house refugees. Now police say some

onlookers cheered as flames raced through the building.

The former hotel is being converted into a refugee shelter in eastern Germany. And no one was hurt.

Our senior international correspondent Atika Shubert joins me live from Berlin with more on this story. And Atika, again, thankfully no one was

hurt. But was this fire set intentionally?

ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, this is what investigators are looking at. Police have reported finding accelerant at

the scene suggesting it was an arson attack. And unfortunately it wouldn't be the first time there was an arson attack on a refugee shelter.

In fact, over the last year, more than 1,000 such places have been attacked like this not just with fire. In one, actually, a grenade was thrown into

a refugee shelter.

What's even more disturbing, however, about this particular instance, is that there are more than a dozen onlookers apparently applauding the fire

as it was ongoing. And quite a few of them actually hindered firefighters attempts

to put the fire out.

They were consequently arrested. Their actions have been condemned by politicians across the country. But it is very worrying, especially when

you consider that just last week there was another incident in the same area of Saxony where a bus load of refugees was being brought for

resettlement in a town. And they were actually barred from entering by a mob of people chanting we are the people clearly frightening a number of

the refugees on board.

So there have been an increasing number of incidents, particularly in this eastern Germany area of Saxony. And it just goes to show that the tensions

are ratcheting up. And we know that more refugees will be coming this year.

LU STOUT: Yeah, tensions are ratcheting up. And Germany had been regarded last year as one of the most desirable destinations for migrants.

So, right now has that, in the minds of migrants, changed a lot now that we have seen this hardening of attitudes towards migrants. We're seeing anti-

migrant activity, are many refugees, asylum seekers, migrants thinking twice about trying to reach Germany as their ultimate destination?

ANDERSON: I think it is affecting the way some refugees think of Germany. They know they are not going to be as welcomed. That even though the mast

majority of Germans have welcomed refugees and accepted them here, that there is

this growing tension and pressure with more than a million coming in the last year.

In fact, a number of refugees we spoke to from Northern Iraq have now returned there, saying they find that there are too many refugees applying

here. The waits are are too long. And it just wasn't what they expected, that they feel that Northern Iraq is safe. And they are close to their

families there and it's just a better life for them.

So, we are starting to see some change. Having said that, there are still thousands of people coming in to Germany every day, and even more landing

on the shores of Greece, hoping to find a way into Europe. So, it's it is unlikely that we are going to see any dramatic reduction in the numbers

coming across, Kristie.

LU STOUT: All right. CNN's Atika Shubert there, thank you.

You're watching News Stream. And still ahead, a powerful and deadly cyclone cuts a destructive path through Fiji. We got the latest on the

cleanup effort coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:22:45] LU STOUT: Coming to you live from Hong Kong. You're back watching News Stream. Now, the death toll from a tropical cyclone that

swept through Fiji has climbed to 20 people. The storm hit the island nation over the weekend, leaving behind widespread damage. A state of

emergency is in effect for 30 days as a major cleanup operation gets underway.

Now, CNN meteorologist Chad Myers has been tracking the storm. He joins us now. And Chad, when the cyclone swept through Fiji, it was a major

category five storm. Where does it stand now?

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, it is dying off a little bit and heading down to the south. So it will likely miss Vanuatu and the islands

there. That's the good news.

This has been a crazy storm when it comes to direction, but also when it comes to intensity, Kristie, 185 miles per hour, almost 300 kilometers per

hour as the storm made landfall.

There it is right here. It came down east of Vanuatu, over to Fiji, way over here, came back around over the island nation and then now it's

dropping down to the south.

Like a pretzel out here, because the wind direction really was all over the place. There wasn't enough when it comes to significant wind in the

atmosphere to blow it in one direction. And that also was the lack of what we call sheer on the storm. The storm did not sheer apart. It kept going.

And so as the storm kept going, it continued to intensify.

This is the second strongest storm ever on record out here. Haiyan, don't forget that storm, Haiyan, the strongest ever recorded.

So here's where we have it. There's where the storm is. There's where -- and then back over here is where we are going to see this storm develop.

so, we are going to flatten out the map and look how intense the storm is.

I can go stand in the eye. It is tall. It is in the middle. It is hollow. And it is hitting and battering the islands -- you know, the

islands that we think of where there are little huts that are in the middle of the water and you look down your hut and you can see the fish below.

This is the area that it hit.

And then it smashed right into the northern island.

Think about when we talk about northern hemisphere hurricanes or cyclones or typhoons, the way the wind would come in would be this way and around.

Well, this thing just smashed into the city because -- and all the cities here along the east and the northern coast, because of the way spin. The

southern hemisphere storms spin the other direction. They spin all the way around from the northeast in a clockwise fashion, and it smashed right here

into the eastern part, the most populated part, of the big island there of Fiji.

Here we go, Haiyan, the biggest storm, 305 kilometers an hour. This one topped out at 298, Kristie.

More devastation than we can show you yet, because we don't have all the pictures yet.

[08:25:27] LU STOUT: OK. Thank you for that. Any new pictures, please bring them to us here on the program. Chad, thank you for walking us

through just this storm and walking us through what you call it, a crazy storm in terms of its direction and its intensity. Appreciate that. Take

care.

Now, The Wall Street Journal reports that there were plans for secret peace talks between the United States and North Korea before Pyongyang said that

it tested a nuclear bomb last month.

But the U.S. State Department contradicts the report. Paula Hancocks has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well Kristie, the United States and North Korea have been in contact to talk peace recently

according to the Sstate Department, but it did not go very far.

Responding to a Wall Street Journal report, the State Department spokesman John Kirby said that Pyongyang had proposed a peace treaty. Washington had

said that any discussions for that peace treaty had to include denuclearization. Pyongyang refused and that was the end of it.

North Korea then carried out a nuclear test on January 6.

Now, back in 1953 when the Korean war ended, it ended with an armistice not a peace treaty. So, North and South Korea are still technically at war.

The North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has repeated in the past said that he would like a peace

treaty, or have proposed talks with Washington over a peace treaty, but he has not shown willing discussing giving up his nuclear ambitions.

Now, it's unlikely that we will see any potential talks between the two sides in the near future. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has just

recently been attending his own military drills giving guidance on those military drills. And in the next couple of weeks, the U.S and South Korea

will be holding their own join military drills, these annual big drills which anger Pyongyang every single year.

Pyongyang sees them as a dress rehearsal for an invasion. Washington and Seoul say that is not the case, they are defensive in nature.

Meanwhile, North Korea has also named a new military chief. According to the state run media KCNA, he has been named as Rhee Yung-soo (ph). He

attended those military drills with Kim Jong-un over the weekend.

And his predecessor, according to a South Korean officials, was executed for factionalism, abuse of power and corruption, claims which CNN could not

independently confirm -- Kristie.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: All right, Paula Hancocks there. An alleged architect of this month's violent riots in Hong Kong has been arrested. Now Ray Wong, a 22-

year-old activist, is leader of the group Hong Kong indigenous. His arrest came as police say that they seized an electro magnetic gun and tens of

thousands of dollars in cash during a raid on a flat.

Now, you're watching News Stream. Still ahead on a program, an Uber driver is accused of killing six people in a shooting rampage in the U.S. What

police are revealing about his actions that night.

And Jeb Bush drops out of the race for the U.S. Republican presidential nomination. How he learned that money can't necessarily buy votes.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(HEADLINES)

[08:32:05] LU STOUT: Now the Uber driver accused of killing six people in a shooting spree in Michigan is due to face formal charges today. And

police are still working at the gunman's motives.

A source close to the investigation says Jason Brian Dalton was picking up fares over the course of the seven-hour rampage, which is also raising

fresh concerns about Uber's security checks.

Ryan Young has more from Kalamazoo, Michigan.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RYAN YOUNG, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Kalamazoo is in mourning looking for answers after six people were killed and two others injured in

a shooting rampage on Saturday night.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is an opportunity that we get to pray for our victims.

YOUNG: Authorities say the suspect, 45-year-old Jason Dalton, doesn't appear to be connected to any of the victims.

JEFF GETTING, PROSECUTING ATTORNEY, KALAMAZOO COUNTY: These were very deliberate killings. They were intentional, deliberate. And I don't want to

say casually done. Coldly done is what I want to say.

YOUNG: Neighbors who know the alleged shooter say they're in shock.

GARY PARDO, NEIGHBOR OF ALLEGED SHOOTER: He just seemed like a normal -- normal guy. This is just so -- so strange. We're wondering what might have

caused him to do this.

YOUNG: Dalton worked as an Uber driver. A passenger who rode in his car just before the shooting said he was acting strange.

MATT MELLEN, PASSENGER IN ALLEGED SHOOTER'S CAR: We were kind of driving through medians, driving through the lawn, speeding along. And then

finally, once he came to a stop, I jumped out of the car and ran away.

YOUNG: Shortly after that, authorities say the nearly seven-hour shooting spree started.

5:42 p.m., a woman is shot several times in a parking lot at an apartment complex. She survived but is in serious condition.

At 10:08 p.m., Richard Smith and his 17-year-old son, Tyler, are shot and killed at a car dealership.

And at 10:24 p.m., Dalton pulls into this parking lot at a Cracker Barrel, where he allegedly kills four women in their cars, all over the age of 60.

A 14-year-old girl was also shot but survived.

Finally, after midnight, police locate Dalton's car.

PAUL MATYAS, UNDERSHERIFF, KALAMAZOO COUNTY: We determined that this was indeed our suspect. He was taken into custody.

YOUNG: Investigators believe Dalton was looking to pick up passengers even after the final shooting.

Uber said in a statement, "We are horrified and heartbroken at the senseless violence. We have reached out to police to help with their

investigation in any way that we can."

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: Now, Uber has been forced to defend its driver background checks before. In a statement last July, the ride sharing app insisted its

screening processes are performed by a nationally credited group called Checker.

Now, the company says anyone wanting to drive with Uber must provide detailed information including full name, date of birth, Social Security

number, driver's license number, a copy of their drivers license, vehicle registration, insurance, and proof of a vehicle inspection.

OK, a big week ahead for U.S. politics. Nevada votes on its Republican candidate on Tuesday and campaigning all this week for super Tuesday,

that's March 1 when the greatest number of states vote to choose a candidate.

Donald Trump won the Republican primary in South Carolina over the weekend. Florida Senator Marco Rubio came in second, a slim finish over Texas

Senator Ted Cruz.

But the two candidates are confident as they could emerge as the party's frontrunner. They spoke with CNN's state of the union.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEN. TED CRUZ, (R) TEXAS: We continue to see conservatives uniting behind our campaign. But number two, Jake, it is now apparent the only campaign

that can beat Donald Trump and that has beaten Donald Trump is our campaign.

SEN. MARCO RUBIO, (R) FLORIDA: We have to nominate someone who will unify our party, who will reach out to people who haven't voted for us and grow

our party and ultimately who can win. Who do the Democrats fear most? Who do they not want to run against? I think everyone now acknowledges that

that's me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: Now for one Republican contender, a fourth place defeat in South Carolina spelled the end of his campaign.

Jeb Bush spent more than $13 million on TV ads ahead of the South Carolina primary, more than any other Republican candidate. That amounts to about

$228 for every vote he received for that fourth place finish.

Marco Rubio spent about $51 for vote based on advertising, while Ted Cruz spent $33, and Ben Carson spent about $9.

And as for the first place finisher, Donald Trump, well, he shelled out $3.75 per vote.

Now, the race to the White House is a talker in China, in particular Donald Trump has been drawing a lot of attention there. Some wish him success.

This user of Weibo writes this, quote, "if Trump wins, we can count on America to bring down the evil North Korea."

Now, another user writes this, quote, "Trump is a successful businessman. His remarks are occasionally rude. But he knows when to draw the line."

Now, not everyone is a fan, though. This Weibo user in China says, "I once read this article called I'm confused why Hitler could lead Germany. Now

with Trump on the rise, I understand why."

Well, the five remaining Republican hopefuls, they will face off in a debate Thursday in Houston, Texas. Wolf Blitzer is going to moderate that

one. It airs Friday 9:30 a.m. in Hong Kong.

You're watching News Stream. Still on the program, you don't have to be in a classroom

to master the basics of science. How one organization is teaching India's children while on the road.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: India has more children and youth than any other country in the world, but many don't have access to the basic tools need to explore

science.

Paula Newton takes a look at how one organization is trying to change that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAULA NEWTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We hitch a ride for a journey like no other. It lasts days and weeks and years through lush fields and sleepy

towns, passed curious onlookers and through the ebb and flow of ordinary life in the ridges all over India.

The science lab on wheels parks it, and for now our trip ends in (inaudible) northern India.

[08:40:12] UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

NEWTON: On dirt floors with pure ambition, science class is in session. The sight is astounding, an entire village, elders first, learning what

science and the Agastia Foundation (ph) can do for their children.

Turnout is impressive. Everyone is all ears. As an army of educators, equipped with knowledge and passion teach science to people in places that

hardly ever get to experience the touch, sound, and feel of a science lab.

You want me to get green?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Green?

Yes, green.

NEWTON: The whole thing is infectious. In the interest of educating these children is real. And the parents and grandparents need to be in on it

starting with this kind of community outreach.

Agastia's (ph) roving science labs roam more than 600,000 kilometers a year, making it to more than 10,000 schools and towns inspiring students in

each and every one.

Why science?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Essentially, science lends itself to a lot of curiosity. We identified those children that spark and give them a lot

more opportunity, a lot more exposure, so that they can participate in a meaningful manor.

NEWTON: That exposure mainly happens in India's public schools, most in need of the resources and teaching support so they can hold science fairs

like this one.

Agastia (ph) sets up science labs and enhances the curriculum, sparking the imagination of many like this 15-year-old Pankaj Jakhar, who says he now

feels as if a career in medicine is within reach.

PANKAJ JAKHAR, AGE 15(through translator): These mobile labs are coming into our villages. Before we could only read these things in books and not

able to understand exactly what was happening. But now we can understand it.

NEWTON: The key is recruiting keen, passionate instructors who can turn students on to science.

TARUN ARORN, INSTRUCTOR: If I am changing their mind in a positive manner, then I am

doing great work. They work on the models, they see how it is working.

NEWTON: they see science in action?

ARORN: Yeah. We are coming up with new ideas. Their confidence is increasing.

NEWTON: There is an abiding belief underpinning what you see here: that's impoverished children in rural India can be inspired by science, it will

change their country's destiny for the better.

Paula Newton, CNN, Gobansingh Kabass (ph), India.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: Great story there.

And finally, China is saying no to unusual architecture. The state council is banning the construction of, quote, bizarre buildings. Now, no examples

have been provided. But a number of buildings have caught our eye.

Now, this, for example, is actually a Sheraton Hotel in Jujiang (ph) province. And the next one, it's known as the Guangzhou circle. It's home

to the province's plastic exchange.

You can find more on our website. Just go to cnnstyle.com, that's right, style, .com.

And that is News Stream. I'm Kristie Lu Stout. World Sport with Amanda Davies is next.

END