Return to Transcripts main page

NEWS STREAM

Myanmar Swears In New President, Ending Military Rule; Discrimination against Myanmar's Rohingya; Brazil's Biggest Party Quits Rousseff's Coalition; Trump Refuses to Fire Top Aide; ISIS Member's Brother in Belgium Speaks Out. Aired 8-9a ET

Aired March 30, 2016 - 08:00   ET

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


[08:00:00]

(MUSIC PLAYING)

IVAN WATSON, CNN HOST (voice-over): I'm Ivan Watson in Hong Kong. Welcome to NEWS STREAM.

Myanmar ends a half-century of military rule. High on the agenda for the country's first civilian ruler, the Rohingya.

A major blow for Brazil's president as the country's largest political party leaves Dilma Rousseff's coalition.

And Donald Trump defends his campaign manager after the aide is charged with assault for grabbing a reporter.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

WATSON: It's a landmark day in Myanmar with a political change many will have never experienced before. For the first time in 56 years, an elected

civilian government is largely in control.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WATSON (voice-over): The military junta has handed over power to the National League for Democracy, the party of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung

San Suu Kyi. The NLD swept to power in November, winning about 80 percent of available seats in parliament.

Suu Kyi's long-time ally, Htin Kyaw, assumes the presidency from Thein Sein, whose rule led to the first free elections in decades as well as the

easing of Western sanctions.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WATSON: Even though Aung San Suu Kyi leads Myanmar's new ruling party and is the face of the nation's democracy, she cannot be president. The

constitution bars her from holding the highest office because her sons are foreign citizens.

But many expect Suu Kyi will rule by proxy, given the new president is a trusted friend and confidant.

Earlier, I spoke with Aung Zaw, editor-in-chief of the Myanmar-focused "Irrawaddy" magazine. The former military regime branded Kyaw an enemy of

the state. So he spoke to us in exile from Thailand. I started by asking him how it feels to have a civilian in charge for the first time in more

than half a century.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

AUNG ZAW, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, "THE IRRAWADDY": The mood on the streets is very happy and very welcoming. Although still, a lot of uncertainty in the

background. But today people are celebrating. And if you look around in the parliament, people are (INAUDIBLE) and people are cheering out

(INAUDIBLE) the people watching the TV. So it is a live broadcast around the (INAUDIBLE).

WATSON: What are some of the biggest challenges facing this new government?

ZAW: Peace, building the peace and to bring the stability to the country. I think the president's speech is surprisingly short. I'm a little bit

disappointed to see that his speech was very, very brief and very, very short. But he stressed the importance of building the peace and stability

and national reconciliation (ph).

That's a very important message to the people and to the army and the process (ph) as well as to the (INAUDIBLE) groups.

WATSON: How is this new government going to work?

The army still controls 25 percent of the seats in parliament, a number of the most powerful ministries in the cabinet.

How is this going to work?

ZAW: So I think military still call the shots. That's why this transition still remains very -- for Kyaw, I would say. At the same time, I think

even if he wanted to change the constitution (INAUDIBLE) by the military in 2008, which a new president promised to amend and change or reform the

constitution, which was very challenging.

It would be very cumbersome process because of you need as more than 75 percent of people and MPs approve in parliament. Then you have to have a

referendum. But today's speech, even though it is very short, the president promised to and to the nation that he is going to push through

the constitutional reform in the country. It was a very difficult, challenging country, I think.

WATSON: And there's one other influential figure here that we have to mention, Aung San Suu Kyi, the founder and leader of the National League

for Democracy, the Nobel Peace Prize winner --

[08:05:00]

WATSON: -- who is going to be a kind of super minister, controlling at least four ministries in this new government and has essentially described

the president as a kind of proxy president.

So will the newly sworn-in president be taking orders from Aung San Suu Kyi?

ZAW: The president is still commander in chief in the country and according to the constitution. But Aung San Suu Kyi has said repeatedly

that she is going to be above the president. And I think she's going to be providing assistance, guidelines.

I think the president and the army of the president will have listened a lot from her because the president is close, president is still used to

work for her and is still working for Aung San Suu Kyi and always very close (INAUDIBLE).

I think Aung San Suu Kyi is a key person in this process and the change in the constitution, amending the constitution is also mean that Aung San Suu

Kyi perhaps one day can become a president.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WATSON: And as Aung Zaw mentioned, a core issue for the new government will be mending a huge racial divide, in particular the plight of the

Rohingya. They are a Muslim minority largely living in poverty. They face widespread discrimination from the Buddhist majority and the government

refuses to recognize them as citizens.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WATSON (voice-over): This may look like a typical village scene but don't be fooled. You're looking at a modern-day ghetto in Myanmar.

For more than three years, members of the ethnic and religious minority called the Rohingya have been confined by the Myanmar government to a

cluster of villages and squatter camps on the outskirts of the capital of Rakhine State. Because of their race and religion, they're denied

citizenship in the country of their birth.

Among the residents here, 35-year-old Muhammad Ali (ph). He has asked we don't show his face.

He says Rohingya Muslims aren't allowed to leave the ghetto to find work, medical care or education. The situation's left him little choice. These

fishing boats, the possibility of escape. Ali (ph) and four other families scrape together money to buy a boat for a journey they hope will take them

to a new life in Malaysia.

MUHAMMAD ALI (PH), ROHINGYA (through translator): We hope it will be an easy journey. We think we might be at sea for one month. After that we

should arrive in another country and get our freedom there.

WATSON (voice-over): Ali (ph) is waiting, though, to see if Myanmar's recent move towards democracy could improve conditions for the Rohingya.

Last November, Myanmar held its freest elections in a generation. Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and her party swept the vote.

After decades of oppression by military dictatorships, her party now stands poised to take over key positions in the new government.

ALI (PH) (through translator): We will wait several months. Maybe Aung San Suu Kyi will do something to make the situation better for all

communities and religions. But if the situation does not improve, then we will leave.

WATSON (voice-over): Tens of thousands of Rohingya have already tried to make the dangerous escape by sea.

Zoya's (ph) teenage son, Mohamed (ph), set sail months ago with human traffickers. In the weeks after, smugglers called, demanding ransom money

for her son's safety. She paid by selling off her family's food ration card and then got a call from her son.

ZOYA (PH) (through translator): He said, "Please don't give them money. I have already been sold to someone else."

WATSON (voice-over): That was the last time Zoya (ph) spoke to her son, who should be 19 years old now.

ZOYA (PH) (through translator): If he was alive, he would have contacted us. So we think he must have been killed.

WATSON (voice-over): There is hope for political change in Myanmar. But for some, it may already be too late.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WATSON: Aung San Suu Kyi and her parliamentary colleagues have been criticized for their silence on the Rohingya. We'll be watching to see if

that changes.

Let's move now to South America and to Brazil, where the country's deepening political crisis just keeps getting worse.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WATSON (voice-over): The country's largest political party pulled out of President Dilma Rousseff's coalition, leaving the struggling leader further

exposed. She is already dogged by a corruption scandal that sparked protest.

And as if all that wasn't enough, lawmakers continue to eye impeachment, making her weakened presidency ripe for the picking.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WATSON: Following all of this from Rio de Janeiro is CNN's Shasta Darlington.

Hi, there, Shasta.

First of all, the largest political party abandoning Dilma Rousseff's governing coalition.

That is bad news for her troubled presidency, right?

[08:10:00]

SHASTA DARLINGTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, Ivan. It's bad news. And there is also a lot of irony here. Let's be clear.

It took the PMDB party all of three minutes to decide in a meeting to jump ship after standing by the government for 13 years. That means they're

going to order all six of their ministers to step down, also some 600 government employees from their party.

And it also means that the lower house will likely muster the two-thirds votes it needs to impeach President Rousseff. She's a highly unpopular

president for some of the reasons that you mentioned. She has presided over the worst recession in decades.

Her party and many coalition members have been engulfed in this massive bribery and corruption scandal. But we've got to be clear here. The

president herself has not been implicated in the corruption. In fact, this impeachment proceeding is based on her allegedly breaking budgetary laws so

that she could hide a budget deficit ahead of reelection in 2014.

And the biggest irony of all is that the only member of the PMDB who isn't being ordered to step down is the vice president, Michel Temer. That's, of

course, because he could assume the presidency as early as May if the impeachment goes through -- Ivan.

WATSON: OK, so some political maneuvering here. Now let's move on to the supreme court case. The supreme court is expected to rule on former

President Lula da Silva over his appointment to the position of chief of staff for the current president.

Why is this case taking place?

DARLINGTON: Absolutely, Ivan. Again, a lot of political maneuvering, as you said. This all started a few weeks ago, when this big corruption

investigation started to close in on the former president, Lula. He was taken in for questioning.

And magically, a few days later, President Rousseff decided to appoint him her chief of staff. Well, that would largely shield him from the

investigations because top members of government can only be tried by the Supreme Court.

That caused an uproar, huge protests. And so now it's up to the Supreme Court to decide, first of all, whether or not former President Lula can

become chief of staff.

And second, who would be investigating him if this goes forward, whether it would be that lower court judge or the Supreme Court?

They are reconvening today. So we could hear some kind of a ruling as early as today although it could stretch out a bit. This would really

define, again, how quickly an impeachment could go through and how much support President Rousseff could get because obviously Lula still enjoys a

lot of support among their support base, a lot of the lower classes here in Brazil -- Ivan.

WATSON: It's an incredible political drama. Thank you very much for bringing us up to date, Shasta, there in Brazil, which is scheduled to host

the Olympics in just a few months' time. Thank you.

Now police in Cyprus, they say that Egyptian national Seif Eldin Mustafa has been formally charged with hijacking, kidnapping and threatening both

violence and the use of explosives. He appeared in a court in Cyprus a short time ago.

Authorities say he held passengers and crew hostage on an EgyptAir flight by threatening to detonate an explosive belt, which police say proved to be

fake. We're also learning new details about his longstanding criminal record. Egyptian authorities say it includes forgery, burglary and drug

dealing.

Coming up, a top Trump aide is charged with assault. But the Republican front-runner says he has no plans to sack him. More from the CNN

Republican town hall just ahead.

Also, security forces in Pakistan conduct sweeping anti-terror raids. The latest on the investigation into Sunday's deadly bombing in Lahore. Stay

with us.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:15:00]

(MUSIC PLAYING)

WATSON: Welcome back to NEWS STREAM. I'm Ivan Watson live in Hong Kong. And there's the view of the harbor right outside.

Let's move to U.S. politics now. The U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump is being challenged over his decision not to sack his campaign

manager.

That's him, Corey Lewandowski.

The aide has been charged with assault for grabbing a reporter. Take a look at this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WATSON (voice-over): The reporter says the campaign manager grabbed her so hard he left bruises on her arm. Trump's political opponents say they

would immediately sack the campaign manager.

But Trump says the aide has been wrongly accused and asks why the reporter was allowed to grab him.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WATSON: To make sense of this, let's bring in CNN's Sara Murray, she's live in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the site of CNN's Republican town hall.

So Sara, Donald Trump, he made "you're fired" a catchphrase on his reality TV show. But he doesn't seem to be using that in this case after the

arrest of his manager.

Why?

SARA MURRAY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's absolutely right. The campaign's approach basically from the outset has been to try to discredit this

reporter. And we are seeing now Donald Trump even take that a step further, saying that it was the reporter who grabbed me first.

And we heard from Corey Lewandowski's lawyer this morning, who said that Lewandowski saw this reporter as a perceived threat and that's why he

intervened.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: She shouldn't have been touching me, OK?

My arm, it's never been the same, folks.

(LAUGHTER)

MURRAY (voice-over): Donald Trump is vowing to stick with his campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski.

TRUMP: I think they've really hurt a very good person and I know it would be very easy for me to discard people. I don't discard people.

MURRAY (voice-over): Lewandowski was charged with a misdemeanor count of simple battery Tuesday and turned himself in to police in Jupiter, Florida.

The charge stems from a March 8th incident at a Trump press conference, seen on this newly released video from law enforcement.

Former Breitbart reporter Michelle Fields, seen in the light-colored jacket, said she, quote, "felt someone yank her left arm." And she fell

back but caught herself from falling after approaching Trump to ask a question, according to the police report.

Lewandowski initially insisted he never touched her, tweeting earlier this month that Fields was delusional.

Now Trump is acknowledging there was some contact but he's arguing the reporter was out of line to approach him.

TRUMP: All of a sudden she bolts into the picture. She grabs me or hits me on the arm. In fact, I'm --

[08:20:00]

TRUMP: -- like this with my arm up. And then he goes by -- I mean, maybe he touched her a little bit.

But I didn't -- it was almost like he was trying to keep her off me, right?

MURRAY (voice-over): After the incident, Fields tweeted a photo of the bruises on her arm. According to the police report, those bruises

"appeared to be several finger marks indicating a grabbing type injury."

Now Trump is calling those into question as well.

TRUMP: How do you know those bruises weren't there before?

Wouldn't you think that she would have yelled out a scream or something if she has bruises on her arm?

MURRAY (voice-over): Lewandowski's attorney said he is absolutely innocent of this charge and will enter a not guilty plea. But Trump's GOP rivals

insist the latest incident reflects the tenor of the Trump campaign.

SEN. TED CRUZ (R), TEXAS: It's consistent with the pattern of the Trump campaign. I think there is no place in politics for insults, for personal

attacks, for going to the gutter. And there should be no place for physical violence, either.

MURRAY (voice-over): Both Cruz and Kasich agreeing, if this were their staffer, he would be terminated.

GOV. JOHN KASICH (R), OHIO: From what I understand, the video is clear. Of course I would fire him.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MURRAY: Now the Trump campaign has suggested that this reporter changed her story along the way or that she was overplaying the incident.

Yesterday she took to Twitter to defend herself. She said, "My story never changed. Seriously. Just stop lying."

And as for Corey Lewandowski, he has been released and he is expected to appear in court on May 4th.

WATSON: So Sara, Ted Cruz previously had to fire one of his top aides amid one of these scandals in this bruising campaign.

Should we be surprised that Trump sticking by his man right now?

MURRAY: It is interesting because Donald Trump was one of the people who was calling for someone to be held accountable for, you know, quote, "dirty

tricks" from the Cruz campaign.

But I don't think we should be surprised to see Donald Trump taking this approach, especially when it comes to Corey Lewandowski. Donald Trump is

fiercely loyal to the people who are close to him. And Corey is fiercely loyal to his boss. And there is a reason for that.

Corey is one of the few political operatives who was willing to take this job very early on when Trump was offering it. Remember, when he began

flirting with the presidential bid, most people thought this was a joke. Most people thought the Trump campaign was going to go nowhere. So they

really took a risk on each other, both of them sort of feel like it's paid off. And I think that's why you are seeing this continued loyalty -- Ivan.

WATSON: All right. And we have to keep in mind that the possibly pivotal Wisconsin primary will be taking place there in just a matter of days in

Wisconsin, where you are right now.

Sara, thank you very much, Sara Murray, live from Milwaukee.

Now the bitterness between White House hopefuls Donald Trump and Ted Cruz deepened when their wives recently became the topic. At CNN's Republican

town hall, Anderson Cooper challenged Trump for threatening to reveal some details about Ted Cruz's wife.

That was in response to an ad that showed a revealing picture of Trump's wife placed by a political action committee. Trump says Cruz was behind

it.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST: After saying that you were going to spill the beans about Heidi Cruz, you retweeted an unflattering picture of her next

to a picture of your wife.

TRUMP: I thought it was a nice picture of Heidi. I thought it was fine.

COOPER: Come on.

TRUMP: I thought it was fine. She's a pretty woman.

COOPER: You are running for the president of the United States.

TRUMP: I didn't start it.

(CROSSTALK)

COOPER: Sir, with all due respect, that's the argument of a 5-year old.

TRUMP: I didn't start it.

No, it's not.

COOPER: -- a 5-year old would say "he started it."

TRUMP: You would say that. That's the problem with our country.

COOPER: Every parent knows a kid who says "He started it."

TRUMP: Excuse me. No, no, no. That's the problem, exactly that thinking is the problem this country has. I did not start this.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WATSON: Amazing exchange there.

Well, at another point during CNN's town hall, Donald Trump defended his foreign policy, specifically his suggestion that South Korea and Japan

could develop their own nuclear weapons instead of having the U.S. pay for their defense.

Trump says Washington can no longer afford to foot the bill. CNN's Paula Hancocks has more on how that was received in Asia.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The U.S.-South Korean military drills this year are the largest ever.

But if this man becomes U.S. president, could they be the last ever?

Presidential candidate Donald Trump is suggesting pulling U.S. forces out of Japan and South Korea if they don't pay more and suggests they develop

their own nuclear weapons to counter North Korea.

TRUMP: At some point, we have to say, you know what, we're better off if Japan protects itself against this maniac in North Korea. We're better

off, frankly, if South Korea is going to start to protect itself.

HANCOCKS (voice-over): A former U.S. ambassador to South Korea was blunt.

CHRISTOPHER HILL, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO SOUTH KOREA: With due respect to Mr. Trump and his real estate purchases, he has no idea what he is

talking about.

HANCOCKS (voice-over): Japan, the only country to have a nuclear weapon used against it, has had a nonnuclear policy and pacifist constitution

since the end of World War II.

Japan's foreign minister saying it is impossible that Japan will arm itself with nuclear weapons.

South Korea focused on Trump's insistence --

[08:25:00]

HANCOCKS (voice-over): -- they are not paying their share for the 70-year- old alliance. The foreign ministry in Seoul saying, "... the U.S. public, including its government and Congress, appreciates South Korea's role and

contribution."

Some journalists have slammed Trump's comments. One editorial in the popular "JoongAng Ilbo" in Seoul, calling them "shocking," saying they

could affect the relationship.

But this man, a well respected academic, actually thinks Trump may have a point.

"South Korea possesses enough nuclear material to make 4,000 nuclear weapons," he says.

"All we need is our president's approval. If we have nuclear weapons, we will be in a much better position to deal with North Korea."

HANCOCKS: But that's not a view shared by many. Most officials feel that their best bet at security and deterrence against North Korea is 28,500

U.S. troops in South Korea, 54,000 U.S. troops in Japan and the significant military hardware that comes with them -- Paula Hancocks, CNN, Seoul.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WATSON: So what about the Democratic campaign?

Well, Democrat Bernie Sanders, he says he wants Hillary Clinton to meet him for a debate ahead of the New York State primary next month. So far

Clinton has resisted. But Sanders spoke exclusively to CNN's Erin Burnett and told her he expects it will, in fact, happen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ERIN BURNETT, CNN HOST: A Clinton campaign spokesman said your request for more debates are a quote-unquote "publicity stunt."

Do you think she's serious about debating you?

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I), VT., PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I certainly hope so. Look, there are huge issues facing this country. Our middle class is

disappearing. Grotesque levels of income and wealth inequality. A campaign finance system that is corrupt and a broken criminal justice

system.

And in New York State, there are additional problems. So I would hope that we would have a good debate. My understanding is she would like to do it

in Brooklyn. I was born in Brooklyn. Let's do it.

BURNETT: Game on for Brooklyn?

SANDERS: Game on.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WATSON: For complete coverage of the race for the White House, go to cnn.com/politics. You can read the highlights from Tuesday's Republican

town hall, including why the contenders are rethinking that pledge to back the party's eventual nominee.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

WATSON (voice-over): "Think hard, because you have family here." That's the message from a Belgian man to his brother who is now an infamous member

of ISIS. We'll hear what else he has to say in an exclusive interview with CNN.

And among those killed in Sunday's park bombing in Pakistan, these newlyweds, whose relatives survived the blast. We'll speak to a family

member later this hour.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:30:00]

(MUSIC PLAYING)

WATSON: Welcome back. I'm Ivan Watson in Hong Kong. You're watching NEWS STREAM and these are your world headlines.

(HEADLINES)

WATSON: And now, in Belgium, one family there -- for one family there, last week's attacks have brought a whole different dimension of anger and

disgust. And that's because one of their own is an ISIS member, who has been seen on video praising the attack on his home country. His name is

Hicham Chaib.

And CNN's Michael Holmes tracked down his brother for an exclusive interview.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In an organization that revels in barbarity, the hands of this man are more soaked in blood than

most. Hicham Chaib, Belgian born of Moroccan descent, praises the Brussels terror attacks and promises more to come.

Chaib is a murderer of many, by beheading, crucifixion and gunshot. He ends this video warning to his country of birth by killing another man.

MOHAMED AMIN CHAIB, BROTHER OF BELGIAN ISIS FIGHTER (through translator): He was someone who couldn't hurt a fly and went through life laughing.

It's just disbelief and still the family doesn't believe this could happen.

HOLMES (voice-over): The brother of a killer: Mohamed Amin Chaib is sickened by what he cannot yet bring himself to watch, the actions of a man

he no longer recognizes.

HOLMES: What good memories do you have of him when he was younger, before all this took hold?

What are your memories of him as a young man, as a child?

CHAIB (through translator): What I remember is an older brother, who was always there. That's what I remember. If I had trouble, he was there.

HOLMES: Hicham Chaib grew up in this suburb of Antwerp in Belgium, by all accounts, a normal upbringing in a moderate Muslim family of 13 until, his

family, says he met people, radicals, who turned him to a view of his religion unlike that he was raised in, what his brother calls a twisted

cut-and-paste Islam.

CHAIB (through translator): That's an Islam that they fill in according to their own interpretations, colored by their own frustrations.

HOLMES (voice-over): Twenty-two-year-old Mohamed Amin has not seen his brother since 2013, when he left Belgium for Syria. Since Hicham Chaib's

latest grotesque video, the family who disowns his actions has received threats to their own safety.

CHAIB (through translator): With the latest video, we've had threats, hate messages. It's a major influence on our family, not just emotionally but

also out of fear. Our parents are very fearful that something might happen with their sons or daughters.

HOLMES: The family's angst does not end with Hicham, though. Another brother, Anwar (ph), faces charges after authorities say he, too, allegedly

tried to go to Syria, although his lawyer says Anwar is no Hicham.

MATTIAS LEYS, CHAIB FAMILY LAWYER (through translator): My client has taken notice of the video images in which his brother is seen and he wants

to absolutely distance himself from it. He rejects the acts and the words of his brother and is shocked by what recently happened in our country.

HOLMES (voice-over): Mohamed isn't sure if he'll see his brother again. But if his brother sees this, he has a message from a family paying for the

sins of a son.

CHAIB (through translator): Hicham, think hard, because you have a family here. Your own mother thinks about you every night and cries always about

you. Your father's old. He also always loves you. Think about the consequences for your family, because they're enormous.

HOLMES (voice-over): By his past actions, Mohamed Amin's plea, unlikely to be heeded -- Michael Holmes, CNN, Antwerp, Belgium.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WATSON: Belgium isn't the only country struggling with deadly acts of terrorism.

[08:35:00]

WATSON: Pakistan says more than 5,200 suspected militants have been questioned after Sunday's bombing in Lahore; 72 people were killed and some

360 were wounded in the explosion at a popular park.

Many victims have not yet been identified. One mother is mourning the loss of her son, who was recently married. Both were killed in the bombing.

And she spoke with CNN's Saima Mohsin.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (from captions): I entrusted them in God's hands, now they are with God.

SAIMA MOHSIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Naveed and Shawana Ashraf were married just four months ago. They both died in the bombing, both

just 21 years old.

Shawana usually wore the veil. Her family asked that we respect her privacy, even though she's gone.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (from captions): Everyone who saw her said, "She looks like an angel." Well, God made an angel come and take my son away.

MOHSIN (voice-over): Just moments before the attack, this is now the last video taken by the Ashraf family on a day out at the amusement park.

Laughter, happiness, then this: Shawana had never been to the park. They had taken Naveed's sisters with them.

They were sitting, having snacks close to this stand, when the bombers struck. The family searched for them at the park and then found them at

the hospital.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (from captions): Oh, my lion son. I might as well be dead. I don't want to act like this but I just can't help it. He was my

lion, my big, strong son. Oh, my son was soaked I blood.

MOHSIN (voice-over): It's too much for his sister to listen to. Her leg was injured in the bombing; their mother, delirious; father, resigned and

unable to speak.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (from captions): My daughter was covered in blood, her scarf was drenched in blood. He was screaming.

MOHSIN (voice-over): Naveed and Shawana died of shrapnel wounds to the head and neck.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (from captions): If I could, I would swap places with them. I wish I could give all my years to my children.

MOHSIN (voice-over): They were buried as soon as possible under Muslim law, first thing Monday, leaving behind a family that says a darkness has

befallen them.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (from captions): All I wanted to do was hold my son and daughter-in-law close like this.

How could they betray me like that?

They took them away in coffins.

MOHSIN (voice-over): Saima Mohsin, CNN, Lahore, Pakistan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(MUSIC PLAYING)

WATSON: Welcome back to NEWS STREAM, live from Hong Kong.

Singapore is ranked highest in the world for ease of doing business. It's topped the World Bank survey for more than a decade. As part of our "Road

to ASEAN" series, we speak to a successful entrepreneur about her experiences running several companies there.

[08:40:00]

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(MUSIC PLAYING)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): Many Singaporeans consider eating their national pastime. But the island nation of 5.5 million people imports

nearly all of its food. There is limited space for local farmers. Property prices rank among the most expensive in the world.

CYNTHIA CHUA, ENTREPRENEUR: (INAUDIBLE) was born with a vision that people living in the city and not in touch with the nature because the land is so

scare.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): Entrepreneur Cynthia Chua admits she was initially skeptical about whether urban farming could take root in

Singapore. She spent three years learning and working with the group Edible Garden City.

CHUA: We felt like having a space just allows the kids to smell the marjoram, pluck the basil, just little steps just to promote that growing

is possible. To see the chef taking the seasons (ph), coming out plucking the herbs, how do you interpret that into the dishes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): For the last 20 years, Chua has successfully adapted trends to suit Singaporean tastes. She is an icon in

(INAUDIBLE) industry though, in her case, (INAUDIBLE) could stand for food and beauty. Her first business was Spa Esprit, an unconventional day spa

and later (INAUDIBLE), the Brazilians to Singapore.

CHUA: It was something that no one thought would work in Asia. (INAUDIBLE) take a Brazilian (INAUDIBLE) in Asia, it's quite a sensitive

topic. No one talks about it.

How do you market something that nobody talks about?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): The solution: shaky (ph) advertisements that have come to define the brand around the world. Strip first extended

within ASEAN. Chua then set her sights further overseas, bringing the waxing boutique and another business, Browhaus, to the U.K., the U.S. and

China.

CHUA: (INAUDIBLE) you see things and they're just so much that is going on in your head. And I always feel like, oh, you know, why don't I do this?

I can put this and this together. It's almost like painting.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): Chua is credited with transforming the sleepy neighborhood of Chungbaru (ph) (INAUDIBLE) coffee shops, a bakery, a

bistro and even a men's barbershop. Chua says the Singapore government is supportive of new ventures.

CHUA: I think things move very quickly in Singapore. And doing business in Singapore, people are receptive. They love new things for the kind of

business that I do. I always love introducing new, innovative concepts. This is a great city to do startups.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): Chua is now working to bring her cafes and restaurants to London and Shanghai. Later this year, she will open

Common Man (ph) coffee roasters in Malaysia's capital.

CHUA: We have been getting a lot of franchise inquiries (ph) for a lot of the concepts because there are about 16 brands under the umbrella. So I

feel like Indonesia has a lot of potential. We have been invited to do over something (INAUDIBLE) in Bali.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): Chua's advice to aspiring entrepreneurs: get your hands dirty. She says it is essential to study the industry and

get real world experience.

CHUA: There is a lot behind the scenes that you don't see, which is not so glamorous, dealing with difficult customers. So passion is a very

important (INAUDIBLE). You definitely need to love what you do. I think the (INAUDIBLE) within yourself (INAUDIBLE) sustain you. And I think

what's really important is actually tenacity. (INAUDIBLE).

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WATSON: Before we go, a quick update on our top story. The U.S. president has sent his congratulations to Myanmar's new president. Moments ago,

Barack Obama issued a statement, saying Htin Kyaw's inauguration represents a historic milestone in Myanmar.

That's all for NEWS STREAM. I'm Ivan Watson. But stay with CNN. "WORLD SPORT" with Amanda Davies is up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WORLD SPORTS)

END