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North Korea Test Fires Four Ballistic Missiles; Trump Administration Set to Unveil New Travel Ban; Philippines President Accused of Directly Death Squads As Mayor of Davao. Aired 8-9a ET

Aired March 06, 2017 - 08:00   ET

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

[08:00:11] IVAN WATSON, HOST: I'm Ivan Watson in Hong Kong. Welcome to News Stream.

North Korea test fires four ballistic missiles drawing condemnation from the U.S., Japan and South Korea.

The Trump administration is set to unveil a new travel ban, but the White House is still on the

defensive over the president's shock accusation that his predecessor ordered his phones tapped.

And we go to the birthplace of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs. His hometown where the controversial leader is hailed as a hero.

Years of economic sanctions and repeated international condemnation, they have done

little to deter North Korea. Pyongyang once again has defied the world community. Early Monday it test fired four ballistic missiles. They were

launched from a site northwest of Pyongyang, not far from the Chinese border. They traveled eastward for nearly 1,000 kilometers before

splashing down into the sea.

Japan says three landed within 200 nautical miles of its coastline. The launch has drawn sharp

reactions from Tokyo and Washington as well as Seoul where Paula Hancocks is following developments right now.

Paula, let's bring some important context to this salvo of missiles that were launched because the launch coincides with annual military exercises.

So is it unusual for Pyongyang to conduct these launches at the same time as these joint U.S.-South Korean exercises?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, I don't think anyone is surprised at the timing. As you see, these drills are -- they

are annual. The U.s and South Korea say that they are routine, they are defensive in nature.

But that is not how North Korea sees them. North Korea believes that they are effectively a dress rehearsal to invade their country. And so every

year we see this kind of reaction. We always see some kind of show of anger from North Korea. We've had some bellicose rhetoric from them, from

state-run medial recently about these military drills, and now you see these ballistic missiles.

Just a few years ago there were several dozen ballistic missiles, short range and medium range during the two months that these massive annual

drills go on. So I think we can expect for a few more ballistic missiles going forward as well. I don't think anyone is surprised at the timing

here - Ivan.

WATSON: What about the nature of the launches here? Have the experts, have they learned anything new about North Korea's missile programs with

these latest launches?

HANCOCKS: Well, we did have one U.S. official say to us that initial reports suggested it was an intermediate range missile or four of them were

intermediate range missiles. We have seen these missiles before. We're not completely clear here's anything knew we're going to learn from these

missiles themselves. The fact, though, that they did fly 1,000 kilometers and also the height. They flew up to a height of 260 kilometers, according

to the joint chiefs of staff here, meaning it's a fairly steep trajectory, which means the actual range could be further again. So certainly it is

significant just the fact that -- that North Korea is carrying this out now. Remember, this is only the second time that they have carried out a

ballistic missile test since the new U.S. president took over, so that relative restraint we saw from North Korea just before the election and

shortly after the election, it appears now as though that's gone and it's business as usual here.

WATSON: Paula, in their criticism of the North Korean neighbors, South Korean officials seem to be almost linking the missile launches to the

assassination of the half brother of the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-nam, which, of course, took place in the airport in Malaysia several weeks ago.

I -- I would like you to kind of explore some of the consequences of that murder, because now it seems that North Korea and Malaysia are engaged in

some kind of a tit for tat diplomatic war, and these two countries used to be on fairly cordial terms, right?

HANCOCKS: That's right.

Well, South Korea for its point of view in the national security council meeting this morning is

trying to link the two, that the acting President sHwang Kyo-ahn aid that because of the brutality and

recklessness he said of what North Korea did in that airport, the consequences of a nuclear-armed North Korean regime would be appalling

beyond imagination.

Now, North Korea denies any involvement in this. But we know that two days ago the -- the North Korean ambassador to Malaysia was told they had 48

hours to leave. They have now left the country. And just in the last hour and a half or so, KCNA, the state-run media in North Korea has said they've

also told the Malaysian ambassador to North Korea that they are persona non grata and they, too, have to leave within 48 hours.

So this tit-for-tat is really increasing between these two country, as you say, that were once fairly close.

[08:05:39] WATSON: All right. Paula Hancocks live in Seoul. thank you very much for that

update and that very valuable context there. So, now repeated missile tests by North Korea are raising the question can anything be done to stop

them? Some experts believe China could hold the key. Matt Rivers looks at the options Beijing has when it comes to its reclusive neighbor.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATT RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: How do you solve a problem like Kim Jong-un and North Korea? President Donald Trump's answer always looks west.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: China has to get involved. And China should solve that problem. And we should put pressure on China to

solve the problem.

RIVERS: Before talking about what more China could let's talk about what they've done already. February 2017, China says they're done importing

North Korean coal for the year. Some estimates say that could lower North Korea's GDP by a full 5 percent.

March and November 2016, two new sets of U.N. Security Council sanctions levied against North Korea the toughest yet. China helps draft and approves

both. Beijing also regularly condemns North Korea's weapons program and in perhaps the most telling sign of a frosty relationship.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has yet to meet Kim Jong-un despite years of opportunity. So, what else could they be doing? Well, a lot. Trade flows

constantly across this bridge in Dandong, China on the North Korean border. China accounts for at least 70 percent of North Korean trade, not to

mention vast amounts of food and fuel aid.

Critics also argue Beijing doesn't really enforce those U.N. sanctions. China could triple the Kim Jong-un regime almost immediately if it totally

stopped this flow of trucks loaded down with goods.

But in all likelihood the show will go on. Because of the regime collapses two things might happen. One, Korea unifies under a pro- U.S./South Korean

government. Subsequently putting U.S. troops right on the Chinese border. Two, a potential refugee crisis on China's doorstep. Neither options suits

Beijing.

For China, North Korea is like working at a job they don't like but still needing that paycheck. So, for now, China will play ball with sanctions at

U.N. Security Council while hoping the Trump administration chooses to negotiate directly with North Korea.

But many experts think that no matter how much foot and fuel China sends cross that bridge right there to North Korea, Kim Jong-un is not going to

give up his nuclear weapons program. Because in reality, it is the only real card to play on the world stage.

For North Korea, nuclear weapons, equal survival, not even China can change that fact.

Matt Rivers, CNN, Beijing.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WATSON: All right. Let's turn now to the U.S. where we could soon see President Donald Trump's new travel ban. An administration official sailed

he would reveal it early this week and that could happen in just hours.

You may remember that the first travel ban was blocked in court. The administration plans to

reveal revised restrictions on travel from countries the U.S. administration considers a security risk.

Another controversy involving the White House after President Trump accused the previous U.S. administration of ordering his phones could be wire-

tapped during the election. Sources tell us the FBI has asked the Justice Department to publicly reject Mr. Trump's claim. He made the charge

without offering any evidence and is now asking congress to investigate.

But critics say this is a tactic to divert attention away from any ties the Trump campaign might have had with Russia.

A new CNN/ORC poll shows 55 percent of Americans are concerned about any possible links, 37 percent are very concerned, 18 percent somewhat

concerned. For more on this Joe Johns is with us now from the White House. Good to see you, Joe.

Now, since the U.S. president made these pretty shocking allegations in that tweet storm on Saturday, has the White Houseor any other government

department any evidence to support these accusations?

JOE JOHNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: No evidence so far, Ivan. And quite frankly the

White House is not backing away from that wiretapping claim made by the president.

The takeaway from the White House this morning here in Washington is that the president firmly believes it happened and that the assertion needs to

be tested and investigated despite the fact that it's been contradicted by a former director of national intelligence here as well as the FBI.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

[08:10:21] JOHNS (voice-over): President Trump's unfounded claim that former President Obama ordered his phones to be wiretapped in the midst of

last year's election coming under fire. Sources say the FBI is now asking the Justice Department to publicly refute the allegations, but so far, the

Justice Department has remained silent.

Such wiretapping of a U.S. citizen's phones would be illegal or require a court order under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Former

Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, who spearheaded the investigation into Russia's meddling in the election, giving a firm "no" to

any such claim of wiretapping.

JAMES CLAPPER, FORMER DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE: For the part of the national security apparatus that I oversaw as DNI, there was no such

wiretap activity mounted against the president-elect at the time, or as a candidate, or against his campaign.

JOHNS: Multiple former senior U.S. officials dismissing President Trump's allegation, calling it nonsense. And a spokesman for Mr. Obama says it's

"simply false." But without providing any evidence, the White House is doubling down, calling for a congressional investigation to determine

whether executive branch investigative powers were abused.

SANDERS: I think he's made very clear what he believes.

I think the bigger story isn't who reported it but is it true?

JOHNS: White House officials say the president's sources on the incendiary claim come from conservative media, not from government sources. In fact,

there are zero publicly-known credible reports to back up Mr. Trump's claim.

His allegations coming in a familiar form: a series of furious tweets early Saturday morning from his home in Florida, in which he called former

President Obama a "bad or sick guy." His top advisers far away in Washington.

This is not the president's first time repeating unsubstantiated allegations. Just after his own inauguration, Mr. Trump alleged that

millions of fraudulent votes were cast during the election without proof.

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: When you look at the people that are registered dead, illegal in two states.

JOHNS: The president called for an investigation, but one has yet to be conducted.

SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R), FLORIDA: I have no -- I'm not sure what it is he is talking about.

JOHNS: This latest allegation of wiretapping leaving some Republicans confused as top Democrats call the Twitter outburst a complete distraction.

PELOSI: The president, you know, is the deflector in chief.

JOHNS: An intentional move to stir focus away from the deepening concerns over connections between a handful of the president's advisers and

Russians.

FRANKEN: I think this is just a distraction to distract from this very, very serious interference by a foreign power on our democracy. The question

of whether Trump world, his campaign, his business associates, had anything to do with it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

JOHNS: The president flew back here to Washington, D.C. and the White House after spending the weekend at his estate in Florida. He's expected

to hold meetings today with several of his cabinet members. Ivan, back to you.

WATSON: Joe, the implications would be simply astounding if there was anything to support these accusations, the implications of what that would

mean for the U.S. democracy. Pretty remarkable that 48 hours since they were made still no evidence to back them up. Thank you very much. Joe

Johns live from the White House.

So now let's get more on the revised travel ban that President Trump plans to unveil and justice reporter Laura Jarrett, she joins us now from CNN

Washington. Good to see you.

Is this new draft that's coming together, is it essentially travel ban 2.0 after the courts blocked implementation of several key sections of the

first travel ban?

LAURA JARRETT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's right, Ivan. And this one is going to be different. Sources tell us that there will be some major

changes. For instance, green card holders living in the U.S., legal permanent residents as they are known more formally, will be excluded from

the travel ban as will existing visa holders. So they will be able to travel just as they did before.

Now, the question is what happens to those who haven't yet applied for the visa? We'll have to wait and see what happens to those, Ivan.

WATSON: Laura, do you have any details about which countries and travelers from which

countries will be affected? Is it the same predominantly Muslim countries that were singled out in the first attempted travel ban?

JARRETT: Well, it appears as though those countries, those Muslim maority countries will be altered in one respect, which is Iraq will likely be

removed from the list. We heard last week that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, among others in Trump's cabinet, had advocated for Iraq's

removal for diplomatic reasons, given its role in helping to fight ISIS.

So we can expect to see a modification there, at least on one country.

[08:15:17] WATSON: And that would probably be very relevant since there are thousands of U.S. troops currently involved in the conflict against

ISIS in Iraq.

Now let's go to possible delays. I mean last week this new version was supposed to be

released and it was delayed. Could that happen again?

JARRETT: Well, we've been full before. We'll have to wait and see. Last week, as you said, it was supposed to come out on Wednesday and then the

president gave his speech. And we were told at least the White House wanted to have the speech have its own moment, so to

speak. But now that we believe that we should see a new executive order early this week as soon as today. So soon to come, Ivan.

WATSON: And you'll be watching it very closely, I'm sure. That's our justice reporter Laura Jarrett live from Washington.

Now, police in Kent, Washington are investigating the shooting of a Sikh man as a possible hate

crime. The victim is a U.S. citizen originally from India's Punjab province. According to witnesses and other reports, the gunman approached

victim in his driveway on Friday. We're told their conversation became heated and the gunman told him to, quote, go back to your country and then

pushed him to the ground and shot him in the arm. The victim is expected to make a full recovery. The gunman is still at large.

Now, this follows a similar shooting last month when two Indian immigrants were shot in Kansas and one of them died.

In the Philippines, the Philippine Senate is probing allegations that the president ran a death squad while he was mayor of Davao. Coming up, what a

retired police officer told lawmakers about his role in the killings and the group's alleged connection to President Duterte.

And China looks on the bright side in the face of what to Beijing are some gloomy economic numbers. We'll have a live report from Beijing just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WATSON: Welcome back to News Stream. I'm Ivan Watson.

In the Philippines, senators are conducting an inquiry over allegations that President Duterte sanctioned a death squad when he was mayor of Davao

City. It was part of his war on crime.

A former cop, Arturo Lascansas (ph) is now recanting testimony that he gave last year denying the existence of such death squads.

CNN's Will Ripley, he went to Davao where many locals say Duterte made the city safer, but human rights activists say below the surface fear and

bloodshed persist.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

[08:20:00] WILL RIPLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is Duterte country, the southern city of Davao, the Philippine president's hometown. Rodrigo

Duterte served seven terms, more than two decades as mayor. Supporters say Duterte transformed the city from one of the Philppines most dangerous to

one of the safest.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's very effective. He's very inspiring.

UNIDENITIFIED MALE (through translator): It's a very safe city. Many people here in Davao City are disciplined.

RIPLEY: That discipline includes strict rules, a nightly curfew for minors, a smoking ban and

an early cutoff for liquor sales, but Duterte is most revered for his bloody crackdown on crime.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It would be better for drug suspects or persons who are generally involved with drugs rather than seeing civilians or innocent

people getting killed.

RIPLEY: For years, there were rumors that Duterte himself would cruise around at night on his

motorcycle hunting and killing drug suspects.

Duterte has admitted to personally shooting three people he calls criminals.

RODRIGO DUTERTE, PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES: At least I kill to protect people.

RIPLEY: All while encouraging police and the public to do the same.

During his 22 years as mayor, a UN report and human rights groups documented a wave of mostly vigilante killings, death squads across Davao.

Duterte admitted their existence, but then denied any involvement.

Now the vigilante killings continue. Thousands of deaths nationwide now that he's president.

DUTERTE: And if you really destroy my country, I will kill you.

RIPLEY: Critics say he's creating agriculture of fear.

RANDY PONTRERAS, HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST: They say killing is just normal. This is not normal. This is not what we are as Filipinos.

RIPLEY: Clarita Alia says Duterte's drug war destroyed her family. She shows me photos of her four teenage sons, all killed by vigilantes. She

sleeps in an empty marketplace stall in the same Davao slum where they died.

"Why were my sons killed at such a young age," she says?

During our interview, passers by heckle Alia for openly criticizing Duterte.

"People should speak up, especially the victims, she says. "If they remain silent, the suffering will continue."

She's one of the few people here who believes the killing must stop or at least is willing to say it out loud.

Will Ripley, CNN, Davao, The Philippines.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

RIPLEY: President Duarte's war on drugs is affecting thousands and thousands of men, women and children from a grandmother mourning the

killing of a 5-year-old to a father who buried his son in a grave that was meant for himself. Find out more by going to a special report at

CNN.com/Philippines.

Now in South Korea a special prosecutor there, that office says President Park Guen-hye did

conspire to take bribes from Samsung. Prosecutors say they're investigation also shows evidence of other wrongdoing. This means Park

could be prosecuted if she's removed from office.

She was impeached in December after the corruption scandal came to light. Meanwhile, Samsung Chief Jay Y. Lee is facing trial for bribery and

embezzlement on Thursday for his alleged role in the schedule. Park and Lee have both denied wrongdoing.

China's National People's Congress is getting ready for the second day of its annual session and its slowing economy is high on the agenda. It set a

target of 6.5 GDP growth this year. It also announced a 7 percent rise in its military spending for the year, the smallest increase in seven years.

The NPC says the budget is based on defense needs as well as the economy. Our John Defterios is in Beijing following the session. He joins us now.

Good to see you, John.

I understand this has been the first time covering this meeting, the National People's Congress in Beijing. Can you share some of your

observations. What's it like?

JOHN DEFTERIOS, CNN EMERGING MARKETS EDITOR: Yeah, a true baptism, if you will, Ivan. It's a political gathering perhaps like no other, quite

extraordinary to see 3,000 of the party faithful march into the great hall of the people here and take their marching for 2017, if you will.

But as you suggested with that forecast of 6.5 percent for 2017, which is the envy of most G20 country, by the way, with the exception of India, this

was the lowest forecast in 30 years. And to be very candid, Ivan, this is a tricky game in China in 2017. They are trying

to reduce the size of the state, the major state-owned enterprises as they called them here, like coal and steel while at the same time, and this has

a lot to do with defense and what you were talking about here in the region, trying to control the external factors. Let's take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

[08:25:07] DEFTERIOS: In the heart of Beijing, an annual political gathering like no other. Some 3,000 delegates at the National People's

Congress brought under one roof in the great hall of the people. But this year -- a more sobering message as Premier Li Keqiang laid down the

groundwork for slower growth.

LI KEQIANG, CHINA'S PREMIER (through translator): The difficulties we face are not to be underestimated. But we must remain confident that they will

be overcome.

DEFTERIOS: The economic engine that not long ago cranked out double- digit growth will ease down further to around 6.5 percent, its slowest rate in

three decades.

The leadership wanted to manage expectations coming into the Congress, especially the need for stability, quality of growth and reducing poverty

especially in the rural areas.

In the major urban centers the government wants to create 11 million new jobs while raising wages for Chinese. Delegates know these are turbulent

times tensions around the South China Sea, a U.S. President who's active on the regional security front and challenging Beijing on its huge trade

surplus with the States.

So the man at the top, President Xi Jinping and his Premier are stressing they have their hands firmly on the tiller to manage uncertainty.

LI: In the face of profound changes in the international political and economic landscape, China will always stand on the side of peace and

stability, oppose protectionism in its different form and become more involved in global governance.

DEFTERIOS: At this annual meeting of the party faithful that means no bold pronouncements to take home to the provinces even in the more prosperous

east.

PENG SHOU, NPC DELEGATE (through translator): Even 6.5 percent is still amongst the fastest growth in the world and we strive to go higher than

that. I believe in the sustainable model of the Chinese economy.

DEFTERIOS: Enough, the leadership hopes, to appease those at home and foreign investors who have taken major stakes in China.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

DEFTERIOS: Indeed. And Ivan I was talking about the restructuring of the state-owned enterprises. Let's just take two examples, coal and steel.

They are probably going to shed close to 2 million jobs in these enterprises. That process is already started, so they are trying to

promise creating 11 million jobs to try to replace the 2 million because the restructuring is just starting right now. And this is the first time in

decades, Ivan, to be candid in my time in business news, that we're looking at an all-out trade war. That is how Beijing sees it.

And in fact Premier Li and his commerce minister today following up was suggesting that's

the language that they are hearing from Washington right now. And they expect some sort of action in the spring and why Beijing is being very

conservative ahead of the party shuffle in the autumn before they make any major moves on the growth projections beyond 6.5 percent.

Steady as she goes. That's kind of the message for this year, Ivan.

WATSON: That's pretty ominous invoking a possible trade war in the future.

John Defterios, I'm sure you'll keep us posted on that development if it comes to fruition, and the rest of the National People's Congress. Thank

you very much for Beijing.

Coming up, French presidential candidate Francois Fillon says no one can stop him from running for the top job, but can he survive a growing push to

replace him? We're live in Paris.

And an exercise in empathy: schoolchildren here in Hong Kong take part in an experiment to learn the grueling trauma of child labor. All of that is

coming up after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(HEADLINES)

[08:32:28] WATSON: Fillion's defiant tone was evidence on Sunday when he and his supporters gathered under clouded Paris skies. It was an

appropriate scene. For weeks, a cloud has been hanging over Fillon's campaign over allegations he misused public money.

Melissa Bell is live in Paris now where party leaders will decide his fate in the coming hours.

Good to see you, Melissa.

So, question, France's Republican Party candidate Fillon, he is defiant. He's vowing to move forward with his candidacy. How much support does he

have within his party?

MELISSA BELL, CNN CORREPSONDENT: Remarkably little, Ivan, and growing sort of consternation in the ranks of the Republican party at this man who

simply will not go. His support really began hemmoraging last week after he announced that he would be facing likely charges on the

15th of March and that he wouldn't go.

And even as members of his campaign team have jumped ship, even as parliamentarian after

parliamentarian have said they will no longer support his candidacy, he has carried on, even taking on this sort of populist posture with that great

rally that you showed a moment ago in Paris saying that 200,000 people had turned out and that he would not stand down. Those who hoped to see him go

and who had been looking more and more towards Alain Juppe, the man he had seen off in the Republican primary back in November, were dealt a serious

blow this morning when the current mayor of Bordeaux announced this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALAIN JUPPE, FORMER FRENCH PRIME MINISTER (through translator): I confirm once and for all that I will not be a candidate for the French presidency

and it is what I will say to Nicolas Sarkozy and Francois Fillon if they wish to meet me. I repeat for me, I

repeat it is too late.

Of course it is not, and it is never, too late for France.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BELL: Now, Nicolas Sarkozy, the former French president is trying to get heads around a table to figure out what should be done next. How can they

get Francois Fillon to go willingly?

Now, one plan that's being talked about more and more, ever since Alain Jupppe made that announcement this morning, Ivan, is that an alternative

Republican candidacy should be put forward. There's nothing to prevent another candidate standing, getting the 500 signatures she needs to get his

name down by the 18th of March. It's happened before back in 1995. Jacques Chirac and Eduard Beladour (ph) went on in the name of the

traditional right. For one of them, Jacques Chirac, to go on to the second round.

The trouble is now that the political field is far more fragmented with a very strong far right challenge from Marine Le Pen and the increasingly

popular Emmanuel Macron. It's very difficult to see how two Republican candidates could avoid fatally splitting what is already a very fragile

vote, Ivan.

WATSON: And it's very intriguing, Melissa, that both Marine Le Pen, the far right leader, and Mr. Fillon, they both stand accused of essentially

hiring ghost employees from their entourage, or family members in Fillon's case, for parliament jobs. But they are having very different impacts on

the two different campaigns.

We're going to have to wrap it up there, Melissa. Thank you very much live from Paris. Melissa Bell.

Now, call it an exercise in empathy, young people learning the hardship endured by thousands of children who are forced into manual labor. All

this week, CNN's Freedom Project is showcasing students from Freedom -- for Freedom rather. And we're starting off at a Hong Kong high school. CNN's

Alexandra Field has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATT FRIEDMAN, THE MEKONG CLUB: I need you to take a bolt, slower.

Another row here, five in a row.

ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's 8:30 in the morning at this Hong Kong high school. But this is not a regular day.

FRIEDMAN: My name is Mr. Friedman. I run a company and our company makes nuts and bolts. And you have one of them in your hands.

FIELD: Classes are cancelled, Mr. Friedman says, their labor is his for the next five hours.

FRIEDMAN: And you're going to take the nut, you're going to put it on the bolt, you're going to take the nut and put it on the bolt continuously. I

do not want you to talk to anyone else. I don't want you to even make eye contact with me.

FIELD: The minutes crawl by. The students look bewildered, confused, even angry.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, you. Come over here. You're not doing it faster. Stand over here and do it faster.

Time is money. Come on. Faster.

OK, give her a detention right here, just because.

Don't drop the bolt. Give her a detention.

FIELD: The teenagers struggled the process is painfully slow.

FRIEDMAN: You're done.

FIELD: Then, Mr. Friedman reveals his true intentions.

FRIEDMAN: This was a simulation. It was to give you an opportunity to experience what it's like for a short period of time to lose control of

your life.

FIELD: To help them understand what it's like for the millions trapped in forced labor.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When I was doing it, my hands started sweating. I was sweating. So, I can't basically imagine how people would do it for like 14,

15 hours every day.

FRIEDMAN: Do you think it was fair?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.

FRIEDMAN: Did you like me?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.

FRIEDMAN: OK. Thank you very much.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was pretty close to walk out of the room, like I felt very disoriented when I thought, you know, punishment.

FIELD: Just an hour from their school day designed to drive home the realities of modern day slavery, an experience intended to motivate young

people to try and make a difference.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I would definitely feel more sympathy for those who are like in slavery.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I feel like as students, we can actually raise awareness about this issue.

STUDENTS: Join us on March 14 to stand up to slavery.

FIELD: Alexandra Field, CNN, Hong Kong.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WATSON: Coming up, some of you, some of the lucky ones, may have gotten a note in a lunch bag from a loved one before. In Japan, mothers are taking

their lunchtime messages to the next level with some intricately designed snacks.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:40:26] WATSON: Welcome back to News Stream.

Japan is famous for its unique and delicious culinary delights. One of its most iconic meals is

a bento box. It may be a staple for many Japanese, but for some it is anything but ordinary.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WILL RIPLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Edogawa is a suburb, like many on the fringes of

Tokyo, the kind of place we don't see much of in the movies, so different from the flashing lights and pulsing beat of Shinjuku. But lined on these

unexpected streets, you'll find some of Tokyo's most promising culinary talent. And their customers are just as unassuminng as they are.

UNIDENITIFIED FEMALE: My name is Tomomi Maduro (ph). I teach how to make character bento to students.

RIPLEY: Or character bento.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When you make it with rice, first shape the rice and make face parts with seaweed, or ham and then put them into the rice.

RIPLEY: Intricately molding rice, building facial expressions with seaweed, using bits of ham to illustrate emotions, all to bring her son's

favorite characters to life just in time for lunch.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): The reason why I started making characters is because I wanted my children to enjoy their lunch, especially

when they (inaudible).

(SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

RIPLEY: An art she's perfected over 13 years.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My kids like me to make people's face, like Michael Jackson or Obama, President Obama or Prime Minister Abe.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A bento box communicated love in a culture where people don't very often say out loud I love you. So mothers can express that in

the bento box that they make. And when caraban (ph) came along they were able to take it that in a maybe take it to another level, you could say.

You can say you're able to make images on the Bento Box that their children already had an attachment to.

RIPLEY: It's a practice that's become so widespread in the country it's almost expected, but for Tomomi it's the ultimate act of love.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WATSON: Well, that sure beats soggy peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

That is News Stream. I'm Ivan Watson. But don't go anywhere, World Sport with Christina

Macfarlane is next.

END