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Protests After China Lands Military Aircraft on Disputed Reef; Controversial Comments Lands Philippines Presidential Candidate in Hot Water; New York Votes; Controversial Bill Puts Strain on President Obama's Trip to Saudi Arabia; Aid Workers Frustrated Over Slow Delivery to Ecuador's Needy. Aired 8-9a ET

Aired April 19, 2016 - 08:00   ET

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

[08:00:16] KRISTIE LU STOUT, HOST: I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong and welcome to News Stream.

Now, the U.S. protests China landing a military aircraft on a man-made island in disputed

waters of the South China Sea. China says it was evacuating severely ill civilians.

The polls are open in New York. Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton hope to secure their position as front-runners for the presidential nomination.

Mother and daughter reunited after the younger woman escaped from traffickers who want to sell her as a bride.

Now Chinese military action in the South China Sea is drawing new concern from the Unitd States and a protest.

Beijing has confirmed a report that it landing a military plane on a disputed reef. I was described as an emergency effort to evacuate three

severely ill civilian workers. And the Pentagon is questioning why a military aircraft was used instead of a civilian craft.

Now, the landing was said to have taken place on the Fiery Cross Reef, it's one of several man-made islands built by China. Earlier this year, the

Chinese they set up an air strip there, and experts say it is long enough to accommodate military jets.

China's action has drawn protests from the U.S. as well as other countries like the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia that also have

claims.

Now, let's go deeper into the story with our senior international correspondent Ivan Watson. He joins us now live. And Ivan, tensions are

rising again in the South China Sea, this time in a place called the Fiery Cross. What's going on here?

IVAN WATSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It's the latest round of tension in these disputed waters. As you mentioned, China landing a

military plane on Sunday on this island, this reef, a man-made island called Fiery Cross. The Pentagon calling on China basically to reassert

its previous commitment not to militarize its network of man-made islands in these disputed waters.

China firing back saying this was an emergency operation, and it has every right to land planes on what it describes as its sovereign territory.

LU STOUT: And of course, China's claims in the South China Sea go far beyond the Fiery Cross. Map it out for us.

Okay. Well, this is one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world. Okay? A lot of countries have competing claims to different parts of the South

China Sea, but if you look at this nine dash line, so-called, China claims virtually all of it down to Indonesia,

and nearly the coast of the Philippines.

And it's been very ambitious backing those claims, constructing man-made island. So, that island we talked about, it was a reef, Fiery Cross in

2006. Look at it a couple years later. You get a sense of the scale of the construction here. And this is really raised concerns among some of

the neighbors countries that also have claims to the region. The Philippines, for example, is taking China to court at the International

Court of Arbitration at The Hague over these claims and this island building.

LU STOUT: You know, so we have the United States calling out China for its activity, and its military activity, in the South China Sea. The

Philippines taking China to court at The Hague. But what about the other neighbors of China? What are they doing to counter China in The South

China Sea?

WATSON: Well, some of them -- believe it or not, Vietnam, one example, have been basically kind of calling on the U.S. to act as a counterbalance

in the region. And that's incredible if you consider Vietnamese/U.S. history of just a generation or two ago.

We have examples of how the U.S. is trying to assert what it calls freedom of navigation in the region, sending aircraft carriers through here,

military planes as well and signs of increased military cooperation.

So, just last week the U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter visiting The Philippines. The two countries announcing enhanced military cooperation.

$42 million in U.S. aid to Philippines maritime security, permission for U.S. to deploy troops at at least five different Philippines military bases

and the Philippines defense chief saying he hoped this would act as a deterrent to China.

China is outraged by this, calling this a Cold War mentality. And many analyst are warning now about what looks like the beginning of an arms race

in these disputed waters.

LU STOUT: Especially given all of the events up to now just bringing all this pressure into this

corner of the world. Ivan Watson reporting for us. Thank you so much for that.

Now, a bill that would allows victims of the 9/11 attacks to sue Saudi Arabia is coming up against huge opposition in Washington. The White House

is warning congress not to move forward on the legislation, and is threatening to veto the bill if it passes.

Saudi Arabia has denied any involvement in the 2001 terror attacks and is also strongly lobbying against the measure.

U.S. President Barack Obama explained his opposition to the bill.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[08:05:28] BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: If we open up the possibility that individuals in the United States can routinely start suing

other governments, then we are also opening up the United States to being continually sued by individuals

in other countries.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: Now Mr. Obama is preparing to visit Saudi Arabia on Wednesday. And the trip wasn't meant to focus on the issue of 9/11 and possible

lawsuits, but it may prove hard to ignore. It comes at a highly sensitive time as Nic Robertson now reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

OBAMA: I am honored to be in the timeless city of Cairo.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR (voice-over): 2009, and just in office, President Obama came to Egypt.

OBAMA: We meet at a time of great tension between the United States and Muslims around the world.

ROBERTSON: Talks of reshaping U.S. relations with Middle East nations.

(CHEERING)

ROBERTSON: The crowds loved him. Less than two years later --

(SHOUTING)

ROBERTSON: ...the same city, his host, President Mubarak, overthrown in the Arab Spring uprising. How Obama responded to the fall of his allies,

set the tone of his relationship with the region next.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It wasn't so much how they failed but how the U.S. went by it. That's really the beginning of this schism.

ROBERTSON: A schism that crew to rupture, with the U.S./Iranian nuclear deal. The Saudis were furious.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They believe that Barack Obama sold him at the altar of Iran, their arch enemy.

ROBERTSON: In response, Saudi Arabia has ramped up its armed forces...

(SHOUTING)

(GUNFIRE)

ROBERTSON: ...overtaking Russia, to become the world's third-largest defense and security spender. And last year, formed a 34-nation Sunni

Muslim coalition to follow Saudis' lead.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As a result of the mistrust of Barack Obama, the Saudis have a more muscular foreign policy. On the attack in Yemen and other

places. And they're trying to counterbalance Iran in the region. The Americans have lost control.

ROBERTSON: Where they needed control the most, solving Syria. Saudi's new king is a very impatient ally. He wants Assad gone now. And Iran's

influence removed.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That is going to change if there's a new president that is more amenable to Saudi interest? I don't think so. The ship has sailed.

ROBERTSON: But for all the strains, both sides need each other. Saudi Arabia needs weapons. Obama wants regional stability. This time in Riyadh

will not be about divorce but easing the estrangement.

Nic Robertson, CNN, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: Now low oil prices are posing a challenge to energy dependent nations, especially Gulf nations like Qatar.

And coming up on CNN Money with Maggie Lake, you will meet some of the people who have lost their jobs amid the country's restructuring efforts.

That starts in less than an hour from now.

Now, voters in New York are casting ballots right now in the state's high- stakes primary. In the democratic race, we have 247 delegates up for grabs, and the front-runner, Hillary Clinton, appears likely to win much of

that substantial prize.

Now, on the Republican side, the front-runner Donald Trump is poised to capitalize on his home

state advantage. He has been dominating recent polls and could pick up close to all of New York's 95 Republican delegates.

Now, we have several teams in New York covering the latest nominating contest. First, let's go to Chris Frates in Brooklyn. And Chris, the

battle for New York, it is Sanders. How is this race going to play out?

CHRIS FRATES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Kristie. Well, this is a little the battle of

Brooklyn and we're standing here at the Brooklyn borough hall. Because remember, Bernie Sanders born and raised here in Brooklyn and Hillary

Clinton, adopted her home headquarters just up the road and this is really a must-win for Bernie Sanders. Sanders has said that he thinks he can do

well here and he needs to win here. He needs to upset her and he needs to upset Hillary Clinton by a wide margin, because there's about 250 delegates

at stake today.

He's down to Hillary Clinton by more than 200. But this is not winner take all. This is a proportional situation. So he needs to win by a big margin

to try to cut that lead.

Hillary Clinton feeling pretty good about her chances here going into it today. She's leading by double digits. And she wants to win by enough to

be able to make it that -- to be able to make this case that it's mathematically impossible for Bernie Sanders to catch her, Kristie.

[08:10:21] LU STOUT: All right.

Now, chris, according to a new poll that's out, national poll, we're seeing that the gap that

was there between Clinton and Sanders is getting much more narrow. So how much pressure is there on the front-runner, Hillary Clinton, to prove

herself and to score a win, a definitive one, there in New York?

FRATES: Well, you know, it doesn't make a whole lot of difference mathematically. Those national polls, they don't mean much. Much of the

Democrats have already voted. And if you see that they've already voted, those national polls, not really having much of an indication here.

It's more important that she does win here, but delegate-wise, you know, Bernie Sanders needs to have a big, big day, and that's going to be very

difficult for him, because even if he upsets her, they split those delegates.

So, the fact that he's catching her nationally matters less than what is he doing in a state-by-state basis. He needs to win big. He needs 77 percent

of the delegates left at stake in order win and clinch that nomination. Hillary Clinton needs just 33 percent.

So, the national polls don't matter as much as what are the wins on the ground here in New York, and how much does each candidate win by? Hillary

Clinton is leading comfortably, so even if she wins by a small margin she still gets a bulk of those delegates. Bernie Sanders, he needs big margins

here in New York, and Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island, Connecticut going forward, Kristie.

LU STOUT: All right, Hillary Clinton, a lot to prove in this race. Chris Frates reporting there.

Let's take a look at the Republican race. And we have Jason Carroll. He is at a voting site in Staten Island. He joins us now. Jason, this is a

race for Trump to prove if he's got it. I mean, New York is his home turf, but there's a lot of mixed opinions about him, especially in the Big Apple.

Why is that?

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, because if you look at the Big Apple and you think about New York City, Kristie, as you know, New York

City is a place that even though Trump has lots of properties there, he's going to be voting at, you know, close to Trump Tower in New York City,

he's not very popular in New York city. He's more popular in place like where we are out here in Staten Island, places like Long Island, upstate

New York, Albany, Poughkeepsie, Buffalo. These are the kind of places where Trump really has the support you see oftentimes the thousands of

people showing up at rallies.

Places like New York City, that's where you see more Sanders supporters, that's where you see more Clinton supporters. But even having said that,

Trump is by far way ahead in the polls here as compared to Ted Cruz or John Kasich.

Polling very well here, he's hoping for a big win. Those 95 delegates, crucial to Donald Trump, especially coming off of those recent losses in

places like Wyoming and places like Colorado. If he gets, Kristie, the big win here in New York state, that sort of sets the tone and the momentum

going forward when looking ahead to places like Pennsylvania, looking ahead to places like Connecticut -- Kristie?

LU STOUT: And Jason, we know that Trump, he needs delegates. Cruz, he wants more momentum. I mean what impact will this race in New York have on

the overall GOP contest?

CARROLL: Well, what it really does is it really hurts Ted Cruz, it really cripples John Kasich going forward, because if Trump gets the big win here

and gets those 95 delegates, then going forward has momentum going into places like Pennsylvania, where once again he's

polling very well in Pennsylvania, polling very well in Rhode Island, polling very well in Maryland.

I mean, basically, Cruz and Kasich have to get beyond all that, the next big race on April 26, and start heading into the territory where places

like, for example, Indiana, where Cruz does much better. But that's much further down the line.

The big win here in New York state for Donald Trump really cripples and hurts Ted Cruz and

John Kasich going forward.

LU STOUT: Got it.

Jason Carroll reporting live for us from Staten Island. Thank you, Jason.

And tune in all day. We have got live coverage of the New York primary right here on CNN.

Now, we are learning new details about a suicide car attack that hit the Afghan capital hours ago. The interior ministry now says as many as 30

people were killed, including women and children.

The Taliban have claimed responsibility for the attack, which targeted a security office that protects top government officials. The country's

health ministry says more than 300 people have been wounded.

Now, the attack hit the heart of Kabul's political district taking place near government buildings, including the presidential palace.

Now, the area is known as Poli Mamut Khan (ph). And bombing was also close to the U.S. embassy.

Now, officials say the building was not damaged and the embassy has since issued a statement saying it condemns the attack.

And turning now to The Philippines, and crude comments about a gang rape and murder of

an Australian missionary made by a political candidate, a mayor who is running for president. Now, for the past week he defended his highly

controversial comments, but now after international condemnation, he appears to have apologized.

Now, we need to get clarity on this. CNN Philippines chief correspondent Pia Hontiveres joins me now with more on the story. And Pi, first of all,

the genesis of this controversy there, why did a presidential candidate even think it was okay to try to make a joke about rape and murder?

[08:15:39] PIA HONTIVERES, CNN PHILIPPINES CHIEF CORRESPONENT: Well, Kristie, that's Rodrigo Duterte (ph). He himself admits that he sometimes

cannot control what he says, and he says the most colorful things. And there's the issue of an apology, after one day of hemming and hawing about

making an apology his rape remarks of saying he would apologize to the Filipino people, but not to those who demanded apology from him,

Rodrigo Duterte (ph) now disowning a statement that his own political party put out for him. That statement, of course, essentially an apology.

The presidential front runner, who is a feisty mayor of Davao City (ph) today told reporters on the campaign trail he had nothing to do with that

statement. So, now there's a debate going on. Did he apologize or not? The reaction here in the country, Kristie, as you might have expected, has

been mixed. National elections in this country just around the corner, some three weeks from now.

Duterte's (ph) rivals for the presidency have all jumped on him and have severely criticized him. Women's groups, religious and civic leaders have

condemned Duterte's (ph) statements.

Australians ambassador to the Philippines has also weighing in.

Duterte's (ph) rape remark was about an Australian national, a 36-year-old missionary woman who was raped and killed in that hostage-taking incident

in Davao in 1989. He had said that when he had looked at her lifeless body, he thought to himself that she was beautiful and that as the mayor he

should have been first to rape her -- Kristie.

LU STOUT: Yeah, truly disgusting comments there. And little wonder it drew national condemnation inside he Philippines and international

condemnation as well. His party issued an apology, as you just reported. The candidate has said that that apology was not mine.

So what impact is all of this going to have on his, on the race, on his campaign for the presidency?

HONTIVERES: Well, Kristie, he may have made some people angry, but it looks like his support base is still solid, at least for now. Social media

shows that anti-Duterte (ph) comments all over social media but there are those who are staunch defenders. Also, the latest survey taken April 5

to 10 showing Duterte on top at 32 percent, that's 7 percentage points ahead of independent candidate (inaudible), the daughter of a famous movie

star.

The thing is, that was just a few days before he made that controversial statement and before it went viral.

So, let's see what the next surveys will say -- Kristie.

LU STOUT: Now Pia Hontiveres of CNN Philippines, many thanks for joining us on the story

that's rocking the political world there in the Philippines. Take care.

You're watching News Stream. Still to come on the program, a very relieved mother in Vietnam, finally embraces her daughter who was rescued from the

hands of human traffickers, but not everyone was so lucky.

Also ahead, Ecuador is in an urgent race to find more survivors days after a catastrophic earthquake. We'll have a live report.

And as the Brazilian president fights the efforts to impeach her, Rio de Janeiro is busy preparing for the summer Olympic games. We'll take a look

at how that is being affected.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:22:26] LU STOUT: The CNN Freedom Project is dedicated to ending human trafficking and slavery. And this week, we travel to Vietnam to meet with

girls who police say were being trafficked into China.

Now, Alexandra Field has the details and the emotional reunion between a mother and her daughter.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(MUSIC PLAYING)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (Speaking foreign language).

ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Yiang Temow's (ph) daughter found a way to save her own life.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): Sometimes I thought that she would never come back.

FIELD (voice-over): She fought to get home from Vietnam, escaping the traffickers who held her in China, where they planned to sell her as a

bride, a country where the longstanding one-child policy has left a shortage of women.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): If I saw the person, I'd want to kill him.

FIELD (voice-over): Officials are trying to fight the problem by training border guards to spot potential trafficking victims before they cross the

border.

As we're out here filming on the Vietnamese side of the Chinese border, local officials tell us they just picked up five girls, who they believe

were being trafficked.

The girls had been led some 300 kilometers across the country but border guards intercepted, grabbing them before they crossed the river that would

have taken them into China.

The girls are 14 years old.

FIELD (voice-over): The suspected trafficker is under arrest. She's a neighbor from the girls' village.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi, girls.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi.

FIELD (voice-over): Because of their age, we won't identify them. But they tell me they went willingly with the woman. They didn't understand the

consequences.

FIELD: And none of your parents knew that you were leaving?

(voice-over): An outreach worker explains they were lured with lies.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So they were also promised each girl if they went (INAUDIBLE) which is about $600.

FIELD: And you'd stay for a year or two and then they'd help you get back?

(voice-over): In reality, many of the women who find themselves in China will never return.

How difficult is it to find the women, once they've been taken to China?

And how much cooperation are you getting from the Chinese authorities in terms of locating these women and actually returning them to the border?

NGUYEN TUONG LONG, SOCIAL VICE PRESERVATION DEPARTMENT (through translator): Because of cooperation between the Vietnamese and the Chinese

police, we have found and caught trafficking rings. We've found women far inside China at brothels, where they're forced to become sex workers.

[08:25:04] FIELD (voice-over): Trafficked women who aren't found in raids have to find ways of getting out on their own. Some of the women who did

live at the shelter run by the Pacific Links Found. Some of them tell us they were able to contact their families from China but they couldn't get

help from police because they didn't know where they were.

FIELD (voice-over): They're living together, finishing school, working on new skills, thinking about what they could do in the future and talking

about their past. They hope women will learn from it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mother.

FIELD: It's where you grew up, your mother.

Hi, I'm Alex.

FIELD (voice-over): Coming home isn't easy.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): Many people look at me differently, think I am a bad girl. That's why I was tricked.

FIELD (voice-over): All the girls we spoke to at the border know they're lucky they were able to come home. They don't know how many didn't --

Alexandra Field, CNN, Northern Vietnam.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: At this time tomorrow, we will explore the trafficking of child brides with Aidan McQuade, he the director of Anti-Slavery International.

And you can get more on the growing trend of brides, find out more on this human trafficking phenomena on our website at

CNN.com/Freedomproject.

Now, the international community is fighting alongside Ecuador to save lives after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit the coast on Saturday.

Volunteers, soldiers and aid workers, many from Colombia, Spain, Mexico and elsewhere are battling rain and damaged roads to help those in need.

We now know at least 413 people have lost their lives and countless others have lost their homes. And joining me now is CNN's Boris Sanchez. He is

live on the ground in Guayaquil, Ecuador. He is at a, it looks like an aid station. And Boris that is a big challenge here, isn't it, mobilizing the

aid? You have a big collection there behind you. But just how great is the challenge of getting all of those supplies to the quake zone?

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It seems to be tremendously difficult from a

logistical standpoint, Kristie.

This is actually a convention center that's been transformed into a recovery aid-type gathering center. I can tell you that the students and

young people that were here just a few hours ago working around the clock since Sunday to package these care packages are growing frustrated. They

say that they've been putting in water, non-perishable food, and mattresses, there are also coffins for the deceased, preparing them to be

sent to these areas where they're badly need, but they say the trucks that are supposed to send them there are simply not getting here fast enough.

They've been waiting for one to arrive since 1:00 a.m. They were told it was going to arrive around 7:00. It's past 7:00 now. And so, they're

getting frustrated seeing hundreds of care packages, I'm not sure you can see them just to the right of me, essentially just sitting here.

And it echoes frustrations we heard from residents in a Manavi (ph) the province that was most badly affected by the earthquake when we were there

last night. A mother actually told us that she was upset because she was watching firefighters and military vehicles driving past her neighborhood

without stopping and checking to see if they were okay.

These are people that are homeless because their homes have been destroyed or they're living

on the street because their homes are structurally unsound and they simply think it's safer to sleep out on the street than inside.

So there's mounting frustration that logistically it is too difficult to get these care packages where they need to be, but I think it's important

to point out, we were able to travel there yesterday by road. So, it's not simply that the roads are completely impassable. It's not an impossible

task. It seems that simply it is a logistical challenge, at this point from our perspective for unknown reasons for these care packages to be

delivered to those who need the most, Kristie?

LU STOUT: All right, CNN's Boris Sanchez reporting live from Ecuador sharing the news, that sense of frustration, he the pace of relief getting

out there to the quake zone there, in the quake zone. Many thanks indeed for that.

Now, don't forget, you can find a list of ways to help victims of the earthquake in Ecuador on our website. Just head on over to CNN.com/impact.

Now, Japanese officials are warning more buildings could collapse following those two deadly earthquakes. One on Thursday, and the second on Saturday.

More than 180,000 people remain in evacuation shelters, afraid to return home.

Now, a strong aftershock on Monday had a magnitude of 5.8, and this drone footage, it shows

why recovery efforts are just so difficult. You could see the impact of slides triggered by the shaking. And many roads were splintered as the

earth just tore apart.

At least 44 people were killed and more than 1,000 injured. Nine people are still missing.

Now, the road to the Rio Olympics rocky to say the least with everything from the Zika virus

to the political crisis. But are organizers nervous about moves to impeachment Brazil's president. Find out, when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(HEADLINES)

[08:33:03] LU STOUT: The Taliban have claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing in the afghan capital of Kabul.

Authorities say around 30 people, including women and children, were killed, and more than 300 are injured. Now, the attackers targeted the

offices of a security force that protects government officials.

More on that story now. CNN's Nick Paton Walsh has recently returned from reporting extensively in Afghanistan. He joins us now live from Beirut.

And Nick, the death toll from this blast in Kabul has been steadily rising in the last few hours. What is the latest you're hearing about this

attack.

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, at this stage they're saying around 30 people lost their lives but I have to say sadly I

think, because Afghan health professionals, hospitals, and those at the scene struggle to come to terms

what actually happened there.

A devastatingly loud explosion given their nearly 400 people reported injured. It is sadly likely that that death toll will continue to rise.

Now, as far as we understand, there were two assailants here. Not common, but a relatively

familiar method of attack, to use one vehicle carrying a large amount of explosives to penetrate into this well-defended area and then the second

attacker getting inside the perimeter and it seems eluding Afghan security forces.

This really in the heart of their infrastructure, eluding them for a matter of hours.

We don't know the full details at this stage. This is reminiscent, frankly, of the kind of attack that the Haqqani network used to carry out a

number of years ago, the Haqqanis are now increasingly part of the broader infrastructure of a rejuvenated Taliban with a new leader that's

increasingly radical.

But this kind of attack, Kristie, shows how vulnerable Kabul continues to be. There are some suggestions saying this is the most deadly attack the

capital has faced since 2011, when a suicide bomber targeted a predominantly Hazari Shia festival occurring outside a mosque there. That

itself was quite devastating a brutal attack.

But these kind of bits from the Taliban trying to show that the supposed ring of steel around

the capital Kabul increasingly vulnerable now and does perhaps mark their first most brutal move in

the beginning of what the summer months normally refer to, and that's the fighting season, Kristie.

LU STOUT: All right, Nick, you've been reporting on a rejuvenated Taliban in Afghanistan. This attack today in Kabul just another sign of that.

Nick Paton Walsh reporting for us live, thank you.

Now, the political storm around the president of Brazil is certain to carry on through the

Rio Olympics. The games are less than four months away, and the impeachment motion against Dilma Rousseff heads to the senate on Tuesday

and the upper house needs to sift through this mountain of paperwork, its 34 volumes, each containing more than 12,000 pages.

Let's bring in CNN's Shasta Darlington, who has been following this story from Brasilia. And Shasta, you know, Dilma Rousseff she is on the verge of

losing her political career, and this is a very critical time for Brazil, the Rio games just four months out. What is she saying about the crisis?

[08:36:13] SHASTA DARLINGTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: well, she spoke out for the first time last night, Kristie, really defending herself,

defending her record, lashing out at the lawmakers in congress right behind me who overwhelmingly voted to push this impeachment through.

And she said, listen, what you're trying to impeach me on is for allegedly breaking budget laws, and yet many of the congressmen themselves have been

accused of greater crimes, of corruption and money laundering. And she also said, listen, other presidents before me used the same accounting

tricks that I used to sort of cover up this budget deficit.

So, why is it a crime when I do it and when they didn't do it? And this is why she ultimately is calling this an institutional coup d'etat, although

it is also fair to point out that while other president did borrow money from state banks to cover their shortfalls, she really resorted to that a

lot more than previous presidents did and the amount of money involved really skyrocketed during her first term and into her second term, Kristie.

LU STOUT: You know, the impeachment process is formally in motion. A lot of political uncertainty in Brazil, yet Brazilian officials as well as the

International Olympic Committee say they are happy at the preparations for the games. Why is that?

DARLINGTON: Well, that's right, Kristie. Because you have got to sort of separate these two

things. It isn't the federal government that's preparing venues, it's the local Olympics committee, it's the International Olympics Committee, the

city of Rio. So in fact, venues are 98 percent ready. They've already been handing them over, inaugurating them, and they are looking really good

if you take a look at them.

There are some hiccups when it comes to transportation. Probably the biggest obstacle right now are ticket sales. They've only sold a little

over half of tickets and a lot of that has to do with the fact that they expected Brazilians to snap them up. Well, right now they're in the middle

of a financial crisis and they're distracted by a lot of political chaos.

So, a lot of them aren't aware that the Olympics are coming up. They aren't paying attention.

So the hope is that once the torch is lit later this week in Greece and it comes here to Brazil, that they'll put aside all of their political and

economic problems and start buying those tickets, Kristie.

LU STOUT: All right. Shasta Darlington reporting for us live from Brasilia. Thank you.

Now, imagine going skydiving, or attending a concert with your friends, only YouTube says that you can do all that from the comfort of your couch.

We have got more on its new live streaming service. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:40:19] LU STOUT: Welcome back.

Now, millions of people in Cambodia have lifted themselves out of poverty through organic farming, and the organic agriculture revolution there has

only just begun. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: A modest harvest during Cambodia's dry season. Farmer Nem Sovannary plants sweet potatoes in a rice field to keep the soil fertile

and ready for this year's rice planting season.

Nearly 70 percent of Cambodians make a living this way, and it pays. The World Bank found that 4 million were raised out of poverty in recent years

thanks to farming.

But challenges remain, Cambodia competes with other ASEAN nations in rice production, and farmers have a tough time accessing land and water.

Sovannary and this farmer and others are turning to tradition methods to address these contemporary problems.

NEM SOVANNARY, FARMER (through translator): I've gained a lot of benefits for my family since I started organic farming. Besides having enough to

eat I can also sell organic crops or vegetables for a high price.

LU STOUT: Sovannary and neighboring farmer Ros Mao have been working with CDAC, Cambodian Center for Study and Development in Agriculture.

CDAC found in case studies that organic techniques produces higher yield of crops and save farmers money by cutting expensive pesticides and

fertilizers.

ROS MAO, FARMER (through translator): When I started farming in the beginning I had to borrow money from others and spent too much on hiring

labor, buying seeds, fertilizer and pesticide.

But the money that I earned from selling crops could not pay back that debt. So, later on, I turned to organic.

LU STOUT: This method has allowed Mao to diversify beyond rice, bringing crops that are more profitable. Today, a group of farmers from neighboring

provinces have came to learn from Mao's own success. He wants to share what he's learned because he thinks that it can help the future of farming

in Cambodia.

MAO (through translator): In the past our ancestors farmed by using compost made from soil mixed with cow dung, so they had a long life. They

had no illness. Later on, we started using chemical fertilizer, pesticide and so on. So, now I would like us to farm like our ancestors did in the

past.

I hope if I farm this way, our agriculture will be better and our farmers earn more money and we'll be healthier.

LU STOUT: But according to the World Bank, it will take to keep the farming sector productive. Cambodia still lacks key infrastructure

including irrigation, projects that could help ensure farmlands and those who work them continue to thrive.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: Now virtual reality, it's all about immersive experiences, virtually taking you to another place, and now YouTube is introducing VR

live streaming. The first major event covered by YouTube live is the Coachella music festival, allowing people to feel that they're actually there at the

festival with just their phone and a VR headset.

Well, YouTube is making this easier for people to do, it is worth noting that we at CNN

have already streamed events in VR. We live streamed a democratic debate live in VR last October.

So been there, done that.

Now that is News Stream. I'm Kristie Lu Stout.

END