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Remembering Nancy Reagan; Zika Virus Increasingly Linked to Microcephaly; EU, Turks Meet in Brussels Over Migrant Crisis; North Korea Threatens Preemptive Nuclear Attack. New Aired 8-9a ET

Aired March 07, 2016 - 8:00   ET

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


[08:00:17] KRISTIE LU STOUT, HOST: I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong, and welcome to News Stream.

Now, while leaders need to discuss the migrant crisis in Europe, these people are caught in the middle hoping for a better life but stuck in limbo

as they wait to cross a border.

North Korea threats escalate, now saying it will launch a nuclear attack over joint military drills by the U.S. and South Korea.

And Democrats spar in a feisty debate ahead of the key Michigan primary.

And we begin with emergency talks that are under way in Europe where the problem can be summed up this way. Now, countries are closing down their

borders, but the refugees keep coming.

In Northern Greece, thousands of desperate people are stranded in makeshift camps, their future so uncertain. Now, they want to cross into Macedonia,

but the country will allow only a few dozen people to pass each day saying it can't handle more.

The UN and Turkish leaders are meeting in Brussels right now. Their talks merely the latest attempt to try to solve this crisis.

Now, CNN is the at the Idomeni (ph) migrant camp on Greece's border with Macedonia. And some families have fled the war in Syria in search of a

better life but find themselves stuck in miserable conditions with nowhere else to go.

Arwa Damon has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ARWA DAMON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: For the youngest, this will be among the first memories: small comforting gestures as parents try to

shelter their children from their fear, not the fear of the bombs they fled, fear that the better better life they risked so much for was just an

illusion.

Upwards of 10,000 people are stuck along what was a transit point. This is the Greek side of the border with Macedonia, demarcated by a fence where

there used to be none.

In recent weeks, Macedonia has only been allowing a few dozen people a day through and only Iraqis and Syrians. The overarching logic that transit

and destination countries are maxed out. And that risks turning Greece into a massive refugee camp.

Ahmed and his family have been waiting for around two weeks, but they might never make it. His wife does not have her Syrian ID.

"When the strikes hit, we just ran away, "he says. "I happened to have my ID in my pocket, hers was in the house."

They never had a chance to go back and stricter regulations make identification many fled without mandatory. Ahmed says they had no idea.

His relatives made it to Germany in six days a few months ago.

The line for food, a sandwich is a two-hour wait.

These women, these young mothers from Aleppo were just telling us that the hardest thing about all of this -- and they can put up with about

everything -- is the uncertainty of it all, not knowing how long they have to continue living like this. They are, like the others here, aware that

there are high level meetings that will be taking place between European leaders and Turkey and it gives them the

slightest bit of hope that perhaps this misery will end.

Life does morph, as those who fled war know too well. Fadi, who went broke getting here, he reopened his Aleppo barber salon, a far cry from the

business he used to own back home.

And Hamza (ph), one of six siblings, highly entertained by our mic, has big plans for his future or so we think.

BOY (through translator): A teacher.

DAMON: A teacher.

BOY: A doctor.

DAMON: A doctor, wow.

BOY: A potato salesman.

DAMON: A potato salesman.

Who knows what will happen to these children's dreams given Europe's rising anti-immigrant stance and the reality that in the last eight months since

the refugee crisis first made major headlines, instead of viable solutions there have simply been barricades and blame games.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: Now, CNN's Arwa Damon joins me now live from Indomeni (ph) in northern Greece. And Arwa, as families there just wait and deal with the

uncertainty and wait for that chance to cross the border. What are they doing just to stay warm, to stay safe and to find enough to eat?

DAMON: Well, Kristie, the winds have just just picked up here and temperatures have dropped. People are building small fires in front of

their makeshift tents, trying to walk around and stay as warm as they possibly can. Many of them are coming up to us and asking us if there has

been any outcome just yet of those meetings taking place. They're still, as you heard in that story, they are clinging to this hope that perhaps the

border is going to open.

But the reality is that the more likely scenario is that the border is going to close down even further than it already has. And that most

certainly is going to cause quite a wave of even more anger and frustration among these people at this stage, not only because they did really believe

that they would be able to make it to their end destination, but also because there are no measures that have been taken in to place on this side

of the border to try to continuously provide more solid shelter for all of those that it does seem are going to have to make preparations to stay in

Greece for a much longer period of time.

And one mother we were speaking to, Kristie, was saying, if Europe doesn't want us, if these

countries are afraid of us, if they can't handle having us there, then why don't they try to bring about a

solution to the Syrian war? Why don't they try to bring about a no-fly zone?

And as most of the people from Syria who are here, and they will tell you that rather than end up in Europe if they have the chance, if Syria was

basic and they would immediately go back home.

But as it stands right now, it seems like this limbo that has become their existence is going to

continue.

LU STOUT: Yeah, they don't want to be in this situation, this desperate limbo there at the border.

Arwa Damon reporting live from northern Greece. More than 10,000 migrants there stranded waiting for an opportunity to cross.

Now, this year so far tens of thousands of Syrians have fled their homes. Many left in haste traveling with only the clothes on their backs. If you

want to help them, we have links on our webiste to organizations working to help them on the ground. Just go to CNN.com/impact.

Now, joint military exercises on the Korean peninsula this hour prompting chilling new threats from Pyongyang. The drills between the U.S. and South

Korea, they take place every year. North Korea views them as preparations for an invasion. And it is now warning it will make a, quote, preemptive

and offensive nuclear strike.

Now, those threats are raising the temperature across the region. CNN's Paula Hancocks is monitoring developments from Seoul. She joins us now.

And Paula, how seriously should we be taking these new threats from North Korea?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kristie, these threats have been made before. This is certainly not the first time North

Korea has threatened a nuclear war. But certainly officials do have to take it seriously all the same. South Korea's defense ministry saying just

this Monday morning that they had increased surveillance on the North to try and see if there was any signs of any kind of attack or provocation, as

they called it. They said there is no movement at this point.

But certainly it is interesting the timing. It is the first day, as you say, of these massive military drills between the U.S. and South Korea.

And every year Pyongyang reacts badly to them, but this year tensions are a lot higher.

Now, these drills this drill are going to be larger than they had ever been before. 300,000 South Korean troops are involved, 17,000 U.S. troops. And

these drills will last eight weeks carried out on land, sea, and air. They are very sizable drills.

So, the expectation is that tensions will not be easing certainly for the next eight weeks whilst these drills happen.

LU STOUT: And North Korea is issuing these new threats on the back of these joint military drills underway, these massive military exercises as

well as a recent vote at the UN Security Council. Will the new round of sanctions that were passed, is that going to cripple the North's nuclear

program?

HANCOCKS: Well, some experts I have spoken to do say that the North is nothing if not resourceful. They will always find a way to find a

loophole. In fact, even the U.S. ambassador to the UN, Samantha Power, said she expected the north to try and drive a truck through any loopholes

that they could find. But she believes that there is no gap, there's no window been left.

And certainly if these sanctions are implemented fully, and it is an "if" at this point, then they could well affect the regime quite significantly

and financially. For example, just one of the restrictions that would limit or ban them from exporting coal, that is worth about a billion

dollars in annual income to North Korea, that is a significant amount of money for this nation.

And certainly that was the whole point of the sanctions to try and curb the nuclear and missile program. But other experts do say that North Korea has

found a way, despite previous sanctions, to get this far and it could well find some more clandestine ways of importing what it needs -- Kristie.

[11:00:02] LU STOUT: All right, Paula Hancocks there reporting on nuclear threats, nuclear sanctions being slapped on to North Korea. Many thanks

indeed for that, Paula.

You're watching News Stream. After the break, the Democratic contenders for the White House face off once again in their fiercest debate yet.

Well, take a look at what they had to say on trade, on jobs, and the race in Flint, Michigan.

Also ahead, nearly two years after the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight 370 a deadline is looming for families of the missing. We'll

explain.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: Welcome back.

Now to U.S. politics and the CNN debate in Flint, Michigan was perhaps the fiercest one yet between the democrats Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders.

The presidential candidates sparred over the economy, over Wall Street, and over the Flint water crisis.

Now, CNN senior political correspondent Brianna Keilar has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It is raining lead in Flint. And the state is derelict in not coming forward with the money that is

required.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): With Michigan's primary looming, contaminated water and lost jobs dominated.

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Children in America should not be poisoned.

KEILAR: Senator Bernie Sanders and Secretary Hillary Clinton sparring more aggressively than ever before over Wall Street ties and the economy.

CLINTON: I voted to save the auto industry. He voted against the money that ended up saving the auto industry.

SANDERS: If you are talking about the Wall Street bailout, where some of your friends destroyed this economy -

CLINTON: You know -

SANDERS: Through -- excuse me, I'm talking.

ANDERSON COOPER, MODERATOR: Let him respond.

CLINTON: If you're going to talk, tell the whole story, Senator Sanders.

SANDERS: Well, let me tell my story. You tell yours.

CLINTON: I will.

KEILAR: Sanders supported a standalone auto bailout bill that failed, but voted against a larger bill that included money to bail out Wall Street and

money to bail out the auto companies. Sanders cutting Clinton off a second time to make his point.

SANDERS: You know what I said? I said let the billionaires themselves bail out Wall Street. Shouldn't be the middle class of this country.

CLINTON: OK. So -

SANDERS: Wait, a minute. Wait, can I finish. You will have your turn.

KEILAR: Clinton optimistic about growing the economy.

CLINTON: We're going to stop this kind of job exporting and we're going to start importing and growing jobs again.

KEILAR: Only to be slammed by Sanders over a trade agreement she supported two decades ago.

SANDERS: I am very glad, Anderson, that Secretary Clinton has discovered religion on this issue. But it's a little bit too late. Secretary Clinton

supported virtually every one of these disastrous trade agreements written by corporate America.

KEILAR: And butting heads again over gun control.

SANDERS: And essentially your position is, there should not be any guns in America, period.

CLINTON: That is not -- that is like the NRA's position. No.

SANDERS: Now I understand -- could I -- can I -- can I finish, please?

KEILAR: Post-debate, Clinton's campaign chair telling me Sanders' performance was a disappointment.

JOHN PODESTA, CLINTON CAMPAIGN CHAIRMAN: He's repeatedly said he wants to run a positive campaign. In recent days, it seems a little more negative, a

little more desperate and I thought -- I thought his tone tonight bordered on the disrespectful.

KEILAR: The Sanders campaign dismissing the charge as a distraction.

JEFF WEAVER, BERNIE SANDERS CAMPAIGN MANAGER: They don't want to talk about her bad trade record. They don't want to talk about her record of taking

Wall Street contributions. They don't want to talk about these things. It was really a bad night for the Clinton people.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[08:15:11] LU STOUT: And that was Brianna Keilar reporting.

The U.S. presidential candidate, Marco Rubio has won Sunday's Puerto Rico primary. It's his second win in a race that has been dominated by Donald

Trump.

Now, Rubio picks up all 23 delegates, which brings all total for all contests so far to 149. But more than 1,200 are needed to win the

nomination. Trump tops the list with 389, followed closely by Ted Cruz with 302.

Now, CNN will have all-day coverage of Tuesday's Michigan primary. Three other states will also hold contests, 150 delegates are at stake overall

again. Again, that's Tuesday right here on CNN.

Now, Mozambique's civil aviation authority has signed over to Malaysian officials a piece of

plane debris that washed up on its shores last week. The discovery has offered some hope in finding out what happened to missing flight MH370.

But with so many false alarms, families of the passengers are skeptical the debris will provide any answers.

Now, Tuesday marks two years since the disaster, and the deadline to file claims against the airline is looming. Saima Mohsin has the latest on what

the families are facing.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SAIMA MOHSIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A day of remembrance as the two-year anniversary approaches since MH370 went missing. Families have

flown from around the world to Kuala Lumpur, where the plane was last seen as it took off.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It is important so that these people remember that MH370 has not come home yet. And we want them to keep on remembering so

that at least it helps us remind the government that it's not over.

MOHSIN (voice-over): But with the two-year anniversary comes a two-year deadline. Under the International Montreal Convention, any court action to

claim damages must be taken within two years from the date the aircraft should have arrived.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There's been no evidence, no information, nothing concrete enough to make some decision. Anything you do is just a gamble at

this stage. You only have these very limited options and you're put in a very tight corner with a very tight deadline.

MOHSIN: And with this deadline comes a twist: in February last year, parliament passed Act 765, stipulating, amongst other things, that MH370

families have to ask Malaysia Airlines for permission to file a lawsuit against Malaysia Airlines.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's really absurd I have never heard of it before, when someone is saying you have to get permission from them to sue them.

MOHSIN (voice-over): Lawyer Aranon Salvarage (ph) is representing some of the MH370 families. He tells me there's another twist. Malaysia Airlines

will only give consent if families agree to certain conditions. If they sue MAS, they can't sue anyone else.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So you can't sue the government, you can't sue the DCA, you can't sue the immigration, you can't sue Boeing. You can't sue anyone

else except MAS.

MOHSIN (voice-over): CNN has asked Malaysia Airlines about these conditions and is awaiting a response.

There's also concern about the renaming and restructuring of Malaysia Airlines under Act 765 from Malaysia Airlines Systems perhaps to Malaysia

Airlines perhaps.

Why?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They seem to be cherry-picking all their assets and liabilities.

MOHSIN (voice-over): The voice of MH370 groups slammed the move as a blatant and despicable act of irresponsibility and cowardice by MAS, openly

aided and abetted by the Malaysia government.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Anything, everything out from the old company and the new company is saying, look, that's the old company. You can't sue us.

You can't sue the new company. So eventually when people sue MAS, if they want to go for MAS, there's nothing left in MAS.

MOHSIN (voice-over): In a statement, the airline says, "MAS remains committed to ensuring a fair and equitable compensation. MAS has insurance

coverage in place to meet its obligations to pay compensation to next of kin."

While Malaysia Airlines says, quote, "166 families have commenced compensation proceedings, many are yet to file." They remain in denial,

unable to accept the disappearance or that their loved ones may never return.

Saima Mohsin, CNN, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: You're watching News Stream. And high on the agenda for China's lawmakers at their annual meeting, China's slowing economy. Now, still to

come, we'll be looking at how economic reform could change everyday lives.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:23:27] LU STOUT: Coming to you live from Hong, you're back watching News Stream.

Now, in China's Naional People's Congress is holding its annual meeting in Beijing. On the agenda, China's slowing economy and its economic future

this year and for the next five years.

And while China is in dire need of new economic dynamics, strong reform will bring dramatic change to the people of China.

Now, joining me now to talk about the social impact of the congress is Rob Schmitz, the Shanghai-based China correspondent for marketplace. He is

also the author of Street of Eternal Happiness.

And Rob, welcome to the program. We know that there are plans to transition China's economy to a more consumer-led one while downsizing its

massive industrial sector.

How will this kind of change affect life among ordinary people in China?

ROB SCHMITZ, CHINA CORRESPONDENT, MARKETPLACE: Well, you know, Kristie, this is really an historic transformation for China. You are looking at

the transfer of wealth, really, from the state sector, state-owned enterprise and the state itself to the household sector, that is normal

individuals, and the private companies that compete to serve them.

So, overall, these types of reforms I think are good for the people who live and work along the

street that I have profiled in my book, because these are normal everyday people. Many of them own small businesses, so they welcome these kind of

economic reforms. And, you know, many of the business owners that I know and write about have sort of suffered as well in this transition period

in this new slower growth reality.

There's -- for example, one businesswoman that I've written about Jao Xiling (ph), she owns a flower shop. And she has gone through a

particularly tough time because of Xi Jinping's anti-corruption campaign. And this has been a big campaign. And she used to cater to big government

banquets with flowers and the new austerity measures passed by the government mean that those banquets are no longer held. She loses orders.

And her sales are down.

And so, that's happening up and down the street as China transitions from one model of economic growth to another.

[08:25:27] LU STOUT: OK, in addition to Jao Xiling (ph), you also profile another group of people in your book down the street, the street of eternal

happiness, which is the title of your book. There's a couple named Chen Jung Dao (ph) and Xei Guojiang (ph), we will bring up the photo for our

audience if it's available. This photo was taken right after they were abducted from their home, which was seized from them. Could you explain to

us what happened to them?

SCHMITZ: Yeah. These are two very interesting characters in my book. They owned a beautiful brick home in a traditional neighborhood behind my

apartment complex along the street. And one day the local government in Shanghai decided that it wanted take the land for that neighborhood

and auction it off to a developer. This is a pretty typical situation. And hundreds of people were forced

out of their homes. And in the process, an elderly couple was murdered by the demolition crew. And there was a trial after that. And that meant

that the few families who were like Chen and Xei (ph) allowed to continue living in a partially demolished neighborhood.

And I follow their story as they try to get the government to rebuild this neighborhood, but because this piece of land is Shanghai's most expensive

vacant lot and is worth billions of dollars, it is a very difficult fight for them.

And their story sort of highlights the corruption and the greed that prevailed among government officials in China during the country's boom

years. And we have already seen President Xi Jinping cracking down on hundreds of thousands of corrupt officials, but for those Chinese whose

homes have been stolen from them, and that's around 40 million people, that is an estimate, you know, they are left with nothing. And you know, the

reason that local government officials seize land like this is to generate revenue. Because they haven't really had another way to generate revenue.

And so it is a difficult situation.

LU STOUT: Yeah, the headline that came out of the NPC was about corruption. The headline saying that 300,000 people were punished last

year for corruption in china. Does that offer comfort to ordinary people like Chen Jung Dao (ph) and Xei Guojiang (ph)?

SCHMITZ: Well, I think it does. But you know I think that a lot of the collateral damage is already there. And so I think a lot of the economic

transition that we are seeing right now -- you nkow, these folks, for example, Chen and Xei (ph) they don't have a home anymore. And that whole

situation was never resolved. And so I think for them, I think that they are encouraged that Xi Jinping had cracked down on so many corrupt

officials. But, you know, it's -- I think that they are more worried about the entire system, because it is this system in their eyes I think that

needs to change, not thousands of officials here and there.

And that's what they are hoping for. And when they watch something, when they're watching the NPC, and they may not be watching it, but what they

are hoping for is some sort of real systemic change.

LU STOUT: Yeah, you know, when you talk about the slowdown in the economy in China, it is such a big abstract notion. But it is these stories of

these individuals on that street in Shanghai that really highlight the complexities of today's China. Rob Schmitz of Marketplace joining us live,

thank you so much. And take care.

SCHMITZ: Thanks, Kristie.

LU STOUT: Now, you're watching News Stream. And up next, day by day, evidence is mounting about the dangers of Zika. And newborns are not the

only ones at risk. We will speak with the doctor who co-discovered Ebola to understand how the world can tackle an illness which has no known cure.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(HEADLINES)

[08:32:36] LU STOUT: Now, it is the mounting evidence that forced an emergency meeting

on the Zika virus. The world's leading health experts are this week pouring over fresh studies linking Zika to debilitating neurological

disorders.

Now, they bolster the belief that the mosquito-borne infection causes microcephaly, a condition that causes babies to be born with abnormally

heads.

Now, another research claims to show a direct link between Zika and guillain barre syndrom, a crippling condition that can cause paralysis.

Now, what makes Zika even more threatening is the fact that there is no vaccine.

Now, Dr. Peter Piot is all too familiar with these types of outbreaks. The microbiologist co-discovered Ebola in the 1970s. And has led extensive

research on HIV/AIDS. And I spoke with him earlier about the danger Zika poses.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PETER PIOT, DIRECTOR, LONDON SCHOOL OF HYGIENE AND TROPICAL MEDICINE: Well, the reason Zika is so important that has been declared by WHO as an

epidemic of international concern is not so much for the infection itself, because that's a fairly mild type of dengue, but it is because what it

causes in terms of birth defects. And we see here an example of a small skull, microcephaly. And every day the evidence becomes stronger that Zika

virus during pregnancy actually causes not only this small skull, but probably also other complications for babies.

LU STOUT: So the evidence of a link is getting stronger?

PIOT: Every day it is getting stronger. The virus has been isolated from amniotic fluid, from the brain of fetuses and children born with this, and

you know, and studies also from French Caledonia they showed that many -- about one-third of women with Zika infection during pregnancy also found in

Brazil, their children develop these abnormalities.

LU STOUT: And what is the link between the Zika and guillain barre, this neurological illness that causes temporary paralysis, what is the link

between the two?

PIOT: Yeah, guillain barre is a syndrome, a disease that where you have temporary paralyzed sometimes. It is really bad, but most people recover.

That is known for a long time and can happen after other viral illnesses.

But now investigators have found about one in every 4,000 people who are infected with Zika virus develop this neurological syndrome about a week to

two weeks after an infection.

LU STOUT: There is no diagnostic test for Zika. There is no vaccine for Zika. When will that change?

PIOT: First of all, a diagnostic test is really need, because we cannot really diagnose whether someone has had Zika infection and differentiate it

with other similar virus infections like dengue or chikungunya (ph), which are recurring in the same populations and also transmitted by mosquitoes.

so that's a top priority, particularly if we want to know for pregnant women whether they're infected or not.

We can diagnose with a very complicated test but that's not good enough. Vaccine, that's going to happen, I think that's a matter of weeks to

months, you know, there is a lot of work going on. However, for a vaccine, that's going to take much longer.

The first test in humans. Let's hope that they can happen in three to five months. But then there's still a long way to go before that vaccine is

available. And it has to be tested in humans to see whether it's safe, which those to give, and then of course whether it protects or not.

So we are talking more about a year, at least, if not more than a few months.

LU STOUT: And what's curious about the Zika virus is we have known about it for a long time, for decades. One of my colleagues, David McKenzie,

went to the Zika Forest in Uganda where it was first discovered, what, in the 1940s. So, why did it take so long? And what happened for the virus

to manifest itself in such a vicious way?

PIOT: It is a fascinating story. Zika was discovered in 1947 in Uganda. And it was then a virus looking for a disease. And then it caused, after

many years, some smaller outbreaks in the Pacific Islands, for example. And then a bigger one in French Caledonia and now suddenly an explosion

with over a million and a half people in Brazil.

What happened? We don't know. Has the virus changed? Has it become more virulent?

Certainly, there are more mosquitoes, there's climate change. And it is very striking also in Brazil it is off a disease of poverty. People who

live in the slums with stagnant water. And the main thing that we can do against Zika is to make sure there are fewer mosquitoes and really make

sure there is no stagnant water, which are ideal breeding grounds for the

mosquito that transmits Zika.

LU STOUT: And authorities in Brazil and other affected countries in Latin America are doing just that. They are cracking down on mosquitoes, on

stagnant water. Are you concerned, though, that a number of cases could rise exponentially because we have the summer games approaching in Rio,

just a few months ago.

PIOT: Well, there is no doubt that there will be millions of new cases of Zika infection.

it is spreading now. The temperature is going up and rising in the northern hemisphere. So is that will contribute to more mosquitoes. And

the question is when we are approaching the Olympics, will most of the people around the Olympics in Brazil have been infected and be

immune or not? And will there still be Zika transmission and mosquitoes? We don't know. And it is something to follow very, very carefully.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOU: And that was Peter Piot, the microbiologist who helped discover the Ebola virus discussing the threats and challenges posed by Zika.

Now, it has long been said there would be no President Ronald Reagan without his devoted wife. A look back at the life and the legacy of Nancy

Reagan.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:40:27] LU STOUT: Welcome back.

Now, tributes are pouring in for a woman who stands among the most remarkable first ladies in American history. Nancy Reagan died Sunday at

the age of 94. She will be buried in California next to her beloved husband, former U.S. President Ronald Reagan who she was married to more than

50 years.

Stephanie Elam looks back on Nancy Reagan's life and legacy.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A country in mourning for one of the most influential first ladies of the 20th century. During a

campaign that has so invoked Ronald Reagan's legacy, the Republican presidential candidates quick to express their condolences.

Donald Trump called Ms. Reagan, quote, "an amazing woman."

Ted Cruz said that she will be remembered for her deep passion for this nation and love for her husband.

A moment of silence for her at the Democratic debate Sunday. The president and first lady, Michelle Obama, say they are grateful for her life and pray

she and her beloved husband are together again.

Born in New York City and raised in Chicago, Nancy Reagan began her career as an actress in Hollywood, where she met fellow actor, Ronald Reagan, in

1949. The two married in 1952, beginning one of Hollywood's and Washington's most enduring partnerships.

NANCY REAGAN, WIFE OF RONALD REAGAN: Everything just fell into place with Ronnie and me. We completed each other.

ELAM (voice-over): Nancy played a pivotal roll in the rise of her husband's political career, from governorship to the presidency, always by his side,

gazing adoringly.

REAGAN: I don't remember thinking anything except that, my gosh, here he is and he's president.

ELAM (voice-over): As California's first lady, she focused her efforts on helping Vietnam veterans. As America's first lady, she championed the fight

against drug abuse, bringing national attention to her issue with her "Just Say No" campaign.

She had her own special grit, President Reagan's fiercest protector, never leaving his side after an assassination attempt. Later in life she nursed

her husband during his battle with Alzheimer's and became a leading activist, raising millions for research.

REAGAN: It's sad to see somebody you love and have been married for so long and you can't share memories.

ELAM (voice-over): After his death in 2004, she remained committed to preserving her husband's legacy, a symbol of the Republican Party.

REAGAN: When you balance it all out, I had a pretty fabulous life.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: And that is News Stream. I'm Kristie Lu Stout, but don't go anywhere. World Sport with Christina Macfarlane, that's next.

END