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Strains Surface on Human Rights Issue Despite New U.S.-Cuban Relations; Sheriff Joe Arpaio Defends Donald Trump; North Korea Fires 5 Projectiles Off Korean Peninsula; Presidential Candidates Clear on Support for Israel; Former Belgium Imam Takes on ISIS Recruiters; Jury Awards Hulk Hogan Addition $25 Million; Tennis Executive Steps Down after Stunning Remarks. Aired 1-2a ET
Aired March 22, 2016 - 01:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[01:00:11] JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR: This is CNN NEWSROOM. Live from Los Angeles.
Ahead this hour.
ISHA SESAY, CNN ANCHOR: As Obama prepares to meet with dissidents in Cuba, new reports that Cuban authorities are detaining more political opponents.
VAUSE: Plus all five remaining presidential candidates make their case on CNN ahead of Tuesday's primary vote in three western states.
SESAY: And later a jury awards Hulk Hogan $25 million more in his lawsuit against the gossip Web site Gawker.
VAUSE: Hello, everybody. Great to have you with us. I'm John Vause.
SESAY: And I'm Isha Sesay. NEWSROOM L.A. starts right now.
Though the United States is entering a new phase of relations with Cuba, the old strains are still apparent. President Obama attended a state dinner with President Raul Castro Monday night.
VAUSE: At the same time, a human rights activist says Cuban authorities detained 20 dissidents including one who was on his way to an interview with CNN. Earlier Mr. Castro denied holding any political prisoners.
Jim Acosta has more on a sometimes testy news conference.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JIM ACOSTA, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: President Obama will try to take U.S.-Cuban relations another step forward later today by delivering an address to the Cuban people here in Havana. The White House says the president will call for the expansion of human rights here on the island and to hammer home that point, Mr. Obama will also meet with Cuban dissidents.
The subject of human rights came up at a rare news conference with the president and Cuban leader Raul Castro, who denied to us that his country is holding political prisoners.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ACOSTA: Why do you have Cuban political prisoners?
RAUL CASTRO, CUBAN PRESIDENT (Through Translator): Give me a list right now of the political prisoners, so I can release them. What political prisoners? Give me the names.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ACOSTA: The president will try to end his trip to Cuba on a less contentious note, taking in a baseball game between the Cuba National Team and the Tampa Bay Rays.
Jim Acosta, CNN, Havana.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Within hours of that news conference, the Cuban American National Foundation released a list of 47 political prisoners which they say are currently being held in Cuban jails, adding this, "It is our expectation that these political prisoners will be released unconditionally by this evening."
Karina Alvarez from the Cuban American National Foundation joins us from Miami.
And Karina, I'm guessing no one has been released yet by the Cuban government.
KARINA ALVAREZ, CUBAN AMERICAN NATIONAL FOUNDATION: As to be expected, no. At this moment, we have not had any word that any of the political prisoners on our list or others have been released.
VAUSE: How does your list differ from what Amnesty International put out when they made a report earlier this year saying that there are no political prisoners of conscience?
ALVAREZ: Well, I think Amnesty distinguishes -- prisoner of conscience and we are discussing, in our list, political prisoners. So our list is a verified list, through a number of sources on the island, that have verified. These individuals are arbitrarily arrested, detained, sentenced and imprisoned for their political beliefs and ideologies and for having had expressed that in nonviolent ways.
VAUSE: So when you listened to that joint news conference today, were you surprised by Raul Castro's response to that question from Jim Acosta to simply to deny?
ALVAREZ: Well, it seems very characteristic of the Cuban government. The problem is, when you have no rule of law, the government can arbitrarily decide who to detain, who to arrest, who to sentence and under what charges. So it might be on to the Cuban government's arbitrary decision to say that an individual is not a prisoner of conscience or is not a political prisoner. And they provide an arbitrary, unreasonable sentence and unreasonable reason for detention. And for those reasons, the government most likely does not identify them as political prisoners. Nor does it identify any sort of opposition to their current regime.
VAUSE: Clearly this is one of the issues which a lot of people raise when it comes to the reengagement of diplomatic relations between the United States and the Cuban communist government, the Castro brothers. Do you believe that overall, though, this engagement with Cuba will bring about more positive impact? More positive effects rather than negative effects?
ALVAREZ: Well, we advocate and continue to advocate for the citizens and the independent civil society within the island. So any change that is going to happen between the U.S. and Cuba is one side of the coin. The other side of the coin is how these changes are going to affect and influence the individuals on the island, who are ready for change and are demanding change and have yet to be heard by the side of the Cuban government.
[01:05:06] So we continue to strive and advocate for change from within the island obviously with the support and the attention from the international community from without.
VAUSE: Karina Alvarez, thanks so much. Good to speak with you.
ALVAREZ: Thank you.
VAUSE: Well, in the coming hours, voters in Arizona, Utah and Idaho will make their choice in the next round of presidential primaries and caucuses. Right now Donald Trump is firmly in the lead among Republicans.
SESAY: In the latest CNN-ORC poll, he has the support of 47 percent of Republican voters. Ted Cruz has 31 percent while John Kasich is in third place with 17 percent.
VAUSE: Hillary Clinton has a comfortable lead among Democratic voters, not most, though, 51 percent of those polled, Bernie Sanders has 44 percent. And here's how the Republican candidates would stack up against Clinton in a general election should she win the Democratic nomination. It's hypothetical. We're not saying she will. John Kasich would win 51 percent to Clinton's 45 percent. Ted Cruz would tie with her. And Donald Trump, he would lose to Secretary Clinton.
SESAY: And take a look at this. If Sanders wins the Democratic nomination, polls predict he'd win the general election against any of the Republican candidates.
VAUSE: He would slam Donald Trump. Look at that.
SESAY: Yes.
VAUSE: 58 percent to 38 percent.
SESAY: It would be remarkable. VAUSE: Twenty points.
SESAY: Now all five presidential candidates spoke to CNN Monday ahead of Tuesday's vote.
VAUSE: The interviews covered a broad range of topics, particularly relevant to the voters in the western part of the United States where those primaries will take place. Hillary Clinton responded to criticism by Donald Trump that she planned to extend Obamacare benefits -- health benefits to undocumented immigrants.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If someone can afford to pay for an insurance policy off the exchanges that were set up under the Affordable Care Act, I support that.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Even if they are undocumented?
CLINTON: Yes. If they can afford it, they should be able to go into the marketplace and buy it. But it is not going to apply to people who are in need of subsidies in order to afford that because the subsidies question has to be worked out in Comprehensive Immigration Reform. And what I do want to see is that we have more options for undocumented people to be able to get the health care they need.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SESAY: While Clinton's Democratic rival, Bernie Sanders, had strong criticism for Israel.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The United States time and time again has looked aside when Israel has done some bad things. I think, for example, that the growth of settlements in Palestinian territory is not acceptable to me and not conducive to the peace process.
I think that the kind of destruction that was wrecked on Gaza during that war was way above what needed to be done for military purposes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Let's go to the Republicans now. Take a listen to what John Kasich told CNN's Anderson Cooper about speculation he might become a running mate for either Ted Cruz, maybe even Donald Trump.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. JOHN KASICH (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: When we're thinking about just what happens in a Republican primary, we have to win the general election. We have to beat Hillary and we have to have somebody that has both domestic and foreign policy experience, which I have. COOPER: Today Senator Ted Cruz -- and he's going to out here shortly
-- said if you weren't in the race he could get enough delegates to win the nomination and he suggested that your staying in as an audition to be Trump's vice president. What do you say to Cruz?
KASICH: Well, first of all there's zero chance that I would be vice president with either of them. And secondly --
COOPER: No chance?
KASICH: No chance. Zero. Below zero, actually. And secondly --
COOPER: You don't want it? Wouldn't be interested?
KASICH: Not interested. Not interested. And secondly, Anderson, if I hadn't won Ohio, Trump would -- he would be the nominee right now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SESAY: An emphatic John Kasich there.
Well, Ted Cruz was in a hot seat over his decision to include a man who's been dubbed one of America's most notorious Islamophobes on his foreign policy team.
CNN's Wolf Blitzer pressed Cruz about his decision to make Frank Gaffney one of this advisers.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. TED CRUZ (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Frank Gaffney is a serious thinker, who has been focused on fighting jihadists, fighting jihadism across the globe. And he's endured attacks from the left, from the media, because he speaks out against radical Islamic terrorism. Because he speaks out against, for example, the political correctness of the Obama administration that effectively gets in bed with the Muslim Brotherhood --
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: So let's --
CRUZ: The Muslim Brotherhood is a terrorist organization.
BLITZER: Let's be precise. When he said back in 2009, Barack Hussein Obama would have to be considered America's first Muslim president, you agree with him on that?
CRUZ: Listen, I don't know what he said in 2009. I'm not --
BLITZER: I just read you the quote.
CRUZ: I don't have the full context. I'm not interested in playing the media-gotcha game of here's every quote, every person who's supporting you has said at any point, do you agree with every statement. That's silliness.
(END VIDEO CLIP) [01:10:01] VAUSE: Donald Trump was also on the defensive over comments he made in the past about women. Critics have said they're disparaging and derogatory. Trump told Wolf Blitzer no one respects women more than he does.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Half of that was show business. The dropping to the knees, that was in "The Apprentice." The Rosie O'Donnell stuff. But I think people understand. Look, these politicians, I know them. They say far worse when they are in closed doors or when they're with a group of people that they trust. This -- a lot of that show business stuff. And you know, in Florida, the amazing thing, they spent $38 million in negative ads on me, and you know what, I won by a record landslide. Pretty amazing.
BLITZER: But that's not how you feel about women in those words?
TRUMP: Nobody -- of course not. Nobody respects women more than I do. Nobody takes care of women and they take care of me because --
(CROSSTALK)
BLITZER: It was just show business?
TRUMP: It's show business. I don't even know some of those statements.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SESAY: One of Donald Trump's most vocal supporters is Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio who has praised Trump's tough line on illegal immigration.
VAUSE: And Sheriff Arpaio spoke with us a short time ago. He predicted Mr. Trump would win the primary in Arizona on Tuesday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHERIFF JOE ARPAIO, MARICOPA COUNTY, ARIZONA: Everybody is taking a shot at Mr. Trump. You know he's going to win. He has a lot of support in Arizona. He's leading all across the country so I expect a win tomorrow.
VAUSE: Sheriff, regarding the protests at Mr. Trump's rallies, you said earlier today in one interview on another network, "We have to do something about what's happening to Trump. It's very, very sad."
When you said that, what do you mean? What exactly has to be done there? What do you think?
ARPAIO: Well, you know, I was with him in Fountain Hills, Arizona, my hometown, where I'm also head of the law enforcement there. And they tried to block the streets, so I had my deputies lock up the people that were blocking the street to keep thousands of people from attending Donald's rally and they're in jail. Now I also was with him down in Tucson, when I introduced him, and
there was some altercations there. In fact, I was there when his campaign manager was trying to take some vicious signs away from people breaking into that forum. So I don't know what all this hype is about him defending himself, defending his forum. He had to pay for that forum, down there in the convention center, so I feel that he has a right to not accept everybody coming in to that area, especially the disorderly people that are going after him, trying to keep people from coming in to listen to him. You know, he has a First Amendment right.
SESAY: Sheriff Arpaio, there are those who would say that Mr. Trump himself has some role to play in the very violence that is taking place at his rallies, that it is, in fact, his statements that is, you know, riling up people and is inciting the violence. So what do you say to that?
ARPAIO: Well, what about the president and everybody else inciting problems with their rhetoric? What about the president -- former president of Mexico making vicious remarks against a person running for U.S. president, especially Trump? I don't see a big uproar from Congress or anybody else in this country going after that -- those comments. I think they like it. They like when Mexico criticizes Trump because they don't want Trump to be the president. So that's sad --
SESAY: Sheriff Arpaio, it's -- Sheriff Arpaio, but you know that it's not just the former Mexican president that has criticized Donald Trump. Many people in this country have taken issue with his statements he's made about Mexico and people from Mexico coming to this country.
ARPAIO: Well, you know, I have 8,000 people in my jails that I run that are in there for all different crimes. OK. All different crimes including murder. They happen to be here illegally. We turned them over to ICE and 3,000 have come back to the same jails.
Very frustrating. Nobody talks about that. They're back on the streets. Some come back 20, 25 times. So there's a lot of frustration about people coming into this country that do have -- do commit crimes. I'm not saying everybody does, and he doesn't say everybody does. He was talking about certain elements that come into our country, commit crimes and are supposed to be deported and they are not being deported. Very simple.
VAUSE: Sheriff, Secretary Clinton, with the Democrats, was campaigning in Arizona on Monday. She specifically mentioned you, your policies and the tactics, she said you treated human beings with disrespect and contempt.
If you had a chance to respond to that, what would you say?
[01:15:03] ARPAIO: Well, maybe she should have done her job as secretary of state and gone to Mexico more. How many times has she been there trying to get the Mexican government to stop all the drugs coming into our country? How many times has the president been to Mexico? They sure know how to travel every else in the world. So I blame her.
Secretary of State is the most critical official in foreign relations. She wants to take shots at me, I'll take shots at her. She did not do her job in Mexico.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SESAY: Sheriff Arpaio there. Well, we'll bring you much more from the five presidential candidates talking to CNN. You can catch our special highlight show at 7:00 p.m. Hong Kong time. That's 11:00 a.m. in London. It is right here -- it is only here on CNN.
VAUSE: Raymond Moore, CEO of the BNP Paribus Open at Indian Wells has stepped down. His announcement comes just a day after he made what many believed were exceedingly sexist comments while referencing the Women's Tennis Association. In particular, this comment that women players were riding on the coat tails of men.
SESAY: His remarks were met with immediate controversy, sparking responses from many players including the top women's player Serena Williams.
We'll have much more on this. Details on the reaction and issues raised by his comments later this hour.
VAUSE: In the meantime, a short break. When we come back, China appeals to the U.N. for some of the sanctions on North Korea. The actions of the Security Council is taking in response are just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(SPORTS)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[01:20:21] SESAY: Welcome back, everyone. A U.S. official tells CNN that the U.N. Security Council plans to lift sanctions on four ships once linked to North Korea.
VAUSE: China says its owns the vessels and has given written assurances that they will not be crewed by North Korea.
SESAY: This comes as North Korea continues to flex its military might in response to joint military exercises by the U.S. and South Korea.
Brian Todd reports from Washington.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He's furious over the massive show of force by hundreds of thousands of U.S. and South Korean troops. And now Kim Jong-Un is provoking his enemies. North Korea has just launched five projectiles into the Sea of Japan, which a U.S. Defense official tells CNN, were short-range ballistic missiles. A clear violation of U.N. sanctions. A former intelligence officer at the DMZ says Kim wants the South Koreans to overreact. LT. COL. TONY SHAFFER, FORMER SENIOR U.S. MILITARY INTELLIGENCE
OFFICER: They're seeking somehow to get the South to overcompensate for what's going on and thereby requiring the North then to fire on the South troops. It's a tit-for-tat thing that could very easily by miscalculation get out of hand.
TODD: Since his regime launched a rocket test on February 7th, Kim's forces have fired 15 projectiles on four different occasions. Experts say one reason for all the missile launches, Kim wants to show he's in business. He wants to sell his missile technology to countries like Iran and Pakistan. And these launches show his potential clients that his missiles work. But there's another more personal motivation for Kim according to analyst. He simply can't be seen as weak by his people or his internal enemies during the current tensions.
BALBINA HWANG, AMERICAN UNIVERSITY: He cannot be seen domestically to be giving in or to surrender to international pressure especially at this time when it is ramping up. And so because he is continuing to consolidate his domestic power, he needs to show to his people that he is not going to surrender.
TODD: As this kind of missile bullying continues, analysts say there's little the U.S. and its allies can do without to punch back at the young dictator without starting a full-scale war.
SHAFFER: In this case I don't think there's much we can do. We have to allow North Korea to kind of act out like it always does and then do something to pick up the pieces afterwards. At least that's the course of action I see them following in this case.
TODD (on camera): In the meantime, what analysts are worried about is a miscalculation by Kim's forces or maybe even a missed fire. One or two of his missiles going awry possibly hitting U.S. or South Korean personnel. In that event analysts say we could see an escalation on the Korean Peninsula, the likes of which we haven't seen in decades.
Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Let's go to Paula Hancocks now live in Seoul this hour.
So, Paula, is there a growing sense there in Seoul that this show of military anger by the North, about a lot more, though, than the annual South Korean-U.S. military exercises?
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, there's no doubt about it, John, the tensions are higher here in Korea than they have been in previous years when we've first seen these military drills. It's not just that that North Korea is reacting to. We've had the nuclear test. We've had the satellite launch. There are very strong U.N. sanctions against North Korea. So we are definitely at a higher point than we have been in previous years.
Now we've seen from state-run television some photos we leased of the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-Un, guiding a test of rocket launching system. A multiple rocket launching system which was likely the projectiles that South Korea reported about on Monday. That is likely what we saw. He is looking very pleased with progress, saying that he is happy with the developments of this rocket launching system.
And we've also seen on one of the main North Korean propaganda Web sites, a video that's being posted just this morning, showing the blue house, which is the South Korean Presidential Office, and then also the White House in the crosshairs. And then simulations of explosions. So once again the North Koreans, using propaganda against what they see as the enemies of Washington and Seoul.
Of course just a few weeks after they have said they will launch a nuclear war against both countries. So really a daily uptick in the rhetoric and also in the shows of military strength -- John.
VAUSE: Are there options on the table here, Paula, for the South Koreans or for the U.S.? Would any response to I guess what you call provocations by the North? Or would it just make the situation even worse?
HANCOCKS: Well, one expert I spoke to said that really the only way to stop the military and the nuclear program is either force, which no country has an appetite for, a start would potentially start a war on the Korean peninsula. Also revolution.
[01:25:09] The nuclear option, the nuclear program is part of the state ideology in North Korea. Kim Jong-Un himself is very unlikely to decide that he wants to stop developing this nuclear program so it would be an internal revolution that would change the decision of the North Korean leader. Neither one of those options is likely in the near future. So really all the allies, the U.S. and Japan and South Korea can do, is hope that these U.N. sanctions work. Hope that China implements them fully. There's really not much more they can do.
VAUSE: Yes. And in the meantime, I hope that there's no miscalculation by the North Koreans and by the South Koreans. So there's a lot of activity there on the Korean peninsula right now.
Paula, thank you. Paula Hancocks live in Seoul.
SESAY: A mother's despair over losing her son to ISIS.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (Through Translator): Is there anything else I can lose? I've already lost my son so there's nothing else that they can do to me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SESAY: You'll hear her story and meet an activist risking his life to take on ISIS recruiters in our exclusive series, "Frontline Belgium."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SESAY: You're watching CNN NEWSROOM live from Los Angeles. I'm Isha Sesay.
VAUSE: And I'm John Vause. Let's check the headlines this hour.
(HEADLINES)
[01:30:36] SESAY: Four of the presidential candidates addressed one of the country's pro Israel lobbying groups on Monday. The event attracted protesters with a wide array of messages, but inside, the candidates were clear about their support for Israel.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: My number-one priority is to dismantle the disastrous deal with Iran.
(CHEERING)
TRUMP: I have been in business a long time. I know deal making. And let me tell you, this deal is catastrophic, for America, for Israel and for the whole of the Middle East.
(CHEERING)
TRUMP: The problem here is fundamental. We've rewarded the world's leading state sponsor of terror with $150 billion. And we received absolutely nothing in return.
HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Yes, we need steady hands. Not a president who says he's neutral on Monday, pro-Israel on Tuesday, and who knows what on Wednesday because everything's negotiable.
(CHEERING)
CLINTON: Well, my friends, Israel's security is nonnegotiable.
SEN. TED CRUZ (R-TX), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Hillary Clinton, in 2014, explained this as follows, quote, "Hamas puts its missiles, its rockets, in civilian areas. Part of it is because Gaza's pretty small and it's densely populated." Well, Madame Secretary, with all respect, the reason that missiles are in schools, is not because Gaza is small. The reason the missiles are in schools is because Hamas are terrorist monsters are using children as human shields.
GOV. JOHN KASICH (R-OH), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I want you all to know that I have called for the suspension of the U.S.'s participation in the Iran nuclear deal in reaction to the recent ballistic missile tests.
(CHEERING)
KASICH: These tests were both a violation of the spirit of the nuclear deal and provocations that can no longer be ignored.
(END VIDEOTAPE) VAUSE: Democrat Bernie Sanders said he could not attend the conference because of a scheduling problem. But while campaigning in the state of Utah, he did weigh in on the Middle East.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT), DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: To be successful, we have to be a friend not only to Israel but to the Palestinian people.
(CHEERING)
SANDERS: And when we talk about Israel and Palestinian areas, it is important to understand that today there is a whole lot of suffering among Palestinians, and that cannot be ignored. You can't have good policy that results in peace, if you ignore one side.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SESAY: Belgian authorities warn the terror threat to Europe from ISIS is far from over.
VAUSE: A manhunt is under way for a new suspect in connection with the Paris attacks in November which killed 130 people. He's been identified as 24-year-old Najim Laswari (ph). Police say he's dangerous.
SESAY: Police suspect Salah Abdeslam was captured in Brussels on Friday.
VAUSE: A former imam in Brussels is taking on ISIS recruiters even though he says he may be risking his own life.
SESAY: He tells CNN's Nima Elbagir why he has to stand up and speak out, in our exclusive series, "Frontline Belgium."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Residents winding their way home through the streets of a Belgium suburb. On nights like this, it's easy to forget this is a country facing real threats.
We've come here to meet with a potential interviewee. He agrees only to a neutral location.
(on camera): (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
(voice-over): Imam Sulayman Van Ael is the one of the most outspoken, anti-ISIS figures. He arrives with a bodyguard, but determined to speak.
SULAYMAN VAN AEL, FORMER IMAM: We live in an era where everybody who speaks out, and stands up for the truth, he will find people trying to stop him and refraining him from doing so. ELBAGIR (on camera): People in a European capitol city, who speak out
against what they believe are dangerous, extremist threats, yourself included, with very credible threats from ISIS. And that is horrifying.
[01:35:17] VAN AEL: I believe it's part of our Islam, that we protect the country that we were raised in. And we try to make the country that we lived in prosper. And the problem is the misunderstanding of this youth, they think when I attribute myself to a non-Muslim country, it makes me a non-Muslim. That doesn't make any sense.
ELBAGIR (voice-over): Belgium security sources tell CNN, through 2015, an average of five to six Belgians a month left to join ISIS. And it's a pipeline that flows both ways, with some of the number successfully retracing their steps home.
For the families and the communities they return to, it only exacerbates the fear.
Geraldine Hidagan (ph) and Veronik Qootes (ph). These women are from the mothers collective. Both have sons who left Belgium to join ISIS. Geraldine's was 18. To her, still a boy, but old enough to buy fighting in Syria. She received the news in a text from the Syrian front line.
Both women are trying to weave their pain into something bigger than their loss, trying to keep other parents from experiencing their suffering.
GERALDINE HIDAGAN (ph), MOTHER LOST SON TO ISIS (through translation): Every sign, every case is different. When you look at them separately, they don't look like signs of radicalization. You look at the picture, you realize these are science of radicalization. They're part of the recruitment process.
ELBAGIR: In the aftermath of the horror that swept through the streets of Paris late last year, the Brussels suburb of Molenbeek emerged as the nexus of the plot. It's there that the mothers collective are working with the de-radicalization center. The center counselor agrees to speak to us to describe some of their work. But asks we conceal her identity.
(on camera): The youngest patient that you see, is 12 years old. And her parents have given you permission to share her story with us today.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translation): It's been three weeks now, wearing the long skirt and everything. I tried to understand her motivations. Is someone telling her to do this? Not so long ago, one of her sisters left for Syria. And since then, this little girl feels completely overwhelmed. She's so young. The mother is devastated with worry.
ELBAGIR (voice-over): Geraldine has a stark warning for the parents who come to her. HIDAGAN (ph) (through translation): We need to make people realize,
if you do not act right away, it can very quickly be too late.
ELBAGIR: Since the Paris attacks, the ministry of interior says the laws have been changed to give the police greater powers over minors seeking to travel and those over 18 already on watch lists.
But the families and the communities at the heart of this say, ultimately, they know this is their battle in spite of the threats that have become a reality of life here.
HIDAGAN (ph) (through translation): Is there anything else I can lose? I already lost my son. So, there's nothing else they can do to me.
ELBAGIR: Nima Elbagir, CNN, Molenbeek.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: You can see much more of Nima's reporting in "Frontline Belgium." Go to our website, CNN.com.
SESAY: Wednesday, Nima Elbagir introduces you to a Belgian man who lost his brothers to ISIS. And others who say the hunt for homegrown terrorists has gone too far.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ELBAGIR (voice-over): Ali's brothers were the first to travel to Syria.
(on camera): Why do you think your brothers went to Syria?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translation): Honestly, I always asked them. But I never understood why. But it is as if they felt rejected. The Belgian state rejected children and young people. They say we're all foreigners. Why should we give them a job?
ELBAGIR (voice-over): This 18-year-old says he was surrounded by police officers at a local supermarket and pushed to the ground at gun point.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: First, I was in shock. What's happening? What's happening? They already commanded me, get on your knees now. And I went to my knees.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[01:39:39] SESAY: These stories and more, all part of our special coverage "Frontline Belgium," only here on CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VAUSE: Jurors in the Hulk Hogan sex tape case have added another $25 million to the damages awarded to the former wrestler. Hogan was already awarded $115 million from "Gawker Media," its founder and former editor.
SESAY: It published part of a sex tape, featuring Hogan, who sued for violation of privacy. Hogan and "Gawker" founder, Nick Denton, had this to say about the outcome.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HULK HOGAN, PRO WRESTLER: I feel great. I'm happy about everything that happened. I think we made history today because I think we protected a lot of people from going through what I went through. So, we're very excited and happy.
NICK DENTON, GAWKER FOUNDER: We have heard the jury's decision and we look forward to going to the appeals court, where the law will be followed and all the facts known. And that's all I have to say.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Not exactly surprising, the comments made there.
Let's go to Darren Kavinoky, our criminal attorney --
SESAY: Welcome, welcome.
(CROSSTALK)
VAUSE: -- defense attorney, for more on this.
OK, original verdict, 115 million bucks. That was a body-slam to "Gawker." This extra $25 million is a muscle-buster, right?
DARREN KAVINOKY, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Indeed, yes, yes, yes.
VAUSE: We're not looking at a precedent, but maybe the court and the jury sending a message.
KAVINOKY: Clearly, a strong message was sent. The pendulum has swung. What this says, campaigned with the Erin Andrews case, jurors are no longer willing to tall rate this invasion of privacy, even in the case of celebrities, where it's long been determined that they have reduced expectations of privacy than Joe and Mary citizen. But what this verdict says is that people will not tolerate the invasion of bedroom doors.
SESAY: This happened in Florida. Tell us where the jurisdiction this had.
KAVINOKY: This begs the question, what long-lasting impact might this have in First Amendment law? In that respect, it is limited. This is a Florida trial-level court, where the jury has reached a verdict. This is different than an appellate court or a supreme court, the U.S. Supreme court, weighing in and settling a matter of law. I think what this will stand for is a narrow proposition that you can't take cameras into the bedroom of a celebrity and turn it into journalism by virtue of their being a celebrity.
[01:45:20] VAUSE: "Gawker" plans to appeal. No surprise there.
KAVINOKY: None.
VAUSE: Part of the grounds of appeal is that the jury didn't hear a certain amount evidence. How hard is it to get that evidence into the case?
KAVINOKY: Trial lawyers will tell you that a jury verdict is a first step towards a successful appeal.
VAUSE: That's what you tell your clients.
KAVINOKY: Indeed. Hopefully, not. But from time to time, and that's part of the process. I'm sure from "Gawker's" standpoint, they look forward to being in an appellate court, where judges may not be swayed by the emotional aspects of the case. Two things will happen. An emotion for a remitter, which is a special hearing, where "Gawker" will be asking the judge to reduce the amount of the jury's award.
VAUSE: And that's likely, right? This will probably be reduced?
KAVINOKY: It's likely that some reduction could be afoot. There's several elements to the damage awards. There's the compensatory damages. The emotional distress damages. And the punitive damages. And three bites of the apple for different arguments that can relate to each class of damages. Besides the remitter, we get to an appeal. An appellate court is asked to decide if there were errors made from the legal standpoint. And did the judge make errors of law. Did the judge instruct the jury properly? Did the judge make improper rulings relating to evidentiary matters? That's where there's a deeper inquiry. And that may be to "Gawker's" benefit. And the final quick thing I'll add is it is possible and likely that case settle after the jury verdict has been issued. I will not be surprised if "Gawker's" lawyers and Hulk's lawyers sit down and reach some kind of a --
(CROSSTALK)
VAUSE: About $15 million or $20 million.
KAVINOKY: Or whatever it may be. Sometimes a bird in the hand.
VAUSE: OK.
KAVINOKY: Or a couple million in the hand.
SESAY: A couple million birds in the hand.
(LAUGHTER)
VAUSE: Darren, great to see you.
KAVINOKY: Indeed. Indeed. Sign me up for a sex tape next.
(LAUGHTER)
SESAY: I say. (CROSSTALK)
VAUSE: I did that joke at the break and everyone cringed.
KAVINOKY: Are we still on?
SESAY: Yeah. On that note, thank you.
(LAUGHER)
KAVINOKY: Thanks.
VAUSE: Thanks, Darren.
SESAY: Next up on CNN NEWSROOM, a prominent pro tennis executive has just stepped down, after making remarks that have the sport in an uproar.
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(WEATHER REPORT)
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[01:51:05] VAUSE: Welcome back, everybody. A short time ago, we got word that tennis executive, Raymond Moore, will step down as CEO of the BNP Paribas Open in California. That decision came after he made statements that stunned many people in and out of the sport.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RAYMOND MOORE, CEO, BNP PARIBAS OPEN: They ride on the coattails of the men. They don't make any decision and they're lucky. They're very, very lucky. If I was a lady player, I would go down every night on my knees and thank god that Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal were born because they carried the sport.
SESAY: Serena Williams quickly responded.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SERENA WILLIAMS, TENNIS PRO: There's only one way to interpret that, get on your knees, which is offensive enough, and thank a man, which is not -- we, as women, have come a long way. And we shouldn't have to drop to our knees at any point.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SESAY: The World Tennis Association also condemned the comments saying they go against its code of conduct.
VAUSE: Now, the response to Moore's comments from the top-ranked men's player is raising eyebrows, raising the issue of equal male and female payers. He says that male players should play for more because there's more spectators for the men's matches.
Joining us is Denise White, CEO and founder of the sports management firm, Entertainers and Athletes Group.
Thank you so much for joining us.
DENISE WHITE, CEO & FOUNDER, ENTERTAINERS AND ATHLETES GROUP: Thank you for having me.
SESAY: The comments by Raymond Moore are deplorable. He's resigned. But the bigger issue here, and we touched upon this, he is gone but he is speaking to this culture, this think process, that still exists in sport.
WHITE: Unfortunately, I think a lot of his comments are indicative of his generation. The problem with that is a lot of his generation is still running the tournament. I think it was amazing, wonderful, great, that he resigned. He needed to. But I think we need to start getting people in place that have a view that women's sports is just as equal, if not better, than men's sports. When you have people running -- it all starts from the top-down. When you have people that are running an organization, whatever sports organization that is, that has that type of idealism that women are lesser than men, that's how everyone is going to view it. But the minute you change that idea, you change that process, you change that conversation, that's when we start to have change in women sports.
VAUSE: How do you change that? In tennis, women don't get equal time on the top courts. Men's finals end the tournament. It seems like the women's events are the de facto event. How do you make the switch, the Australian open finishes with the women's singles instead of the men's?
WHITE: That, again, comes from the top-down, from commercialism, to television, where the viewership comes from. It has to come from those heads of whether a --
(CROSSTALK)
VAUSE: Can't this be driven by the viewers and the fans?
WHITE: Absolutely, it can. But not enough people are vocal about it. We have Serena and other women, part of the tour, talking about it. Sometimes women are more reserved in speaking about what we want. We have been taught, don't talk about what you want, don't tell everyone that we should be at the top of something, or the lead of something, or the CEO of a company. It's, be pretty, be quiet, go home, have babies.
(CROSSTALK)
SESAY: To that point, just to pick up on your thought process there, should we see the women band together more? Should we see more collective action on the part of women?
WHITE: Absolutely. Absolutely. Billie Jean King said something great today and it resonated. She was a pioneer for the sport, so many years ago. If we can get that thought process going and get the conversation going again. But really start making people at the top start changing and making different decisions when it comes to women's sports. That's where really, it starts.
[01:55:25] VAUSE: You mentioned 7 percent of all women sports.
WHITE: 7 percent of all women sports are televised.
VAUSE: Televised.
WHITE: 93 percent of men's.
VAUSE: Let's play devil's advocate. If there was a viewership, people would want to watch it. People want viewers. If there was demand for it, they would put it out.
WHITE: I think there is demand for it. I don't think it's getting heard.
SESAY: Agreed.
At the end of the day, they're getting the advertising dollars, getting paid. The people in the companies recognize the value of the women.
WHITE: Absolutely. That's where you try to figure out where the disconnect is. Everything from Dove to Clairol to Maybelline, these women are selling products. These women are sports athletes. Where is the disconnect that we don't have more dollars for women to have more viewership on more networks? Where is that disconnect? And it comes from the top.
VAUSE: Great points.
SESAY: Great points, Denise.
VAUSE: Appreciate it.
SESAY: Appreciate it.
WHITE: Thank you for having me.
SESAY: Thank you.
VAUSE: We would like to talk more but we're out of time.
(LAUGHTER)
And you've been watching CNN NEWSROOM from Los Angeles. I'm John Vause.
SESAY: I'm Isha Sesay.
The news continues with Rosemary Church and Errol Barnett right after this.
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