Return to Transcripts main page

NEWS STREAM

Pro-Democracy Activist Joshua Wong Looks for International Support; Russian, Turkish Leaders Meet With Focus on Syria; Park Guen-hye Officially Ousted as President of South Korea. 8:00-9:00a ET

Aired March 10, 2017 - 08:00   ET

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

[08:00:38] KRISTIE LU SOUT, HOST: I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong. And welcome to News Stream.

Now, contrasting reactions on the streets of Seoul after President Park Geun-hye is ousted. Protesters celebrate a hard fought victory while

clashes between Park supporters and police leave two people dead.

Now, the leaders of Russia and Turkey meet with the focus squarely on the war in Syria.

And Hong Kong's homegrown protest leader takes his message to the world. Umbrella Movement leader Joshua Wong speaks to me about his now

international campaign.

Now, South Korea is plunging into a period of deeper political uncertainty after a constitutional court removed President Park Geun-hye from office.

Now, it is a victory for the protesters who have been out on the streets for months calling for her ouster. But for those who still support her,

there's plenty of anger and deep frustration.

Now, violent clashes erupted earlier in Seoul. At least two people are dead. The disgraced leader, now stripped of immunity, could face

prosecution in the massive corruption scandal that led to her downfall.

Now, let's go live to the South Korean capital. Alexandra Field is standing by at a gathering celebrating her ouster. And Paula Hancocks just

came back from a day spent with supporters of Park Geun-hye.

Let's start first with Paula. How disappointed were they?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORREPSONDENT: Well, Kristie, that were bitterly disappointed. There was real frustration felt by many of these

protesters. Many of them telling me that they don't believe that President Park -- former President Park should have been ousted. They say that they

believe the allegations against her, the investigation, the corruption and bribery scandal is

politically motivated. And they truly believe that. They do not think justice was done in the constitutional court today.

And unfortunately, that frustration did turn into violence on a number of occasions. Small pockets of protesters showing their frustration. Here is

what happened a little earlier.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HANCOCKS: These are the people that supported Park Geun-hye that didn't think there was enough evidence for her to be impeached. And they are

furious that this has happened.

Now, we have also seen a number of injuries, some being taken away in ambulances. It's worth bearing in mind that the demographics, there's an

awful lot of elderly people who have come out to support President Park. And we have seen some injuries as a result of that.

But there is an intense police presence here.

21,000 police we're being told. You can see that man up there, he is presumably a pro-Park supporter, having a tussle there with the police.

21,000 police out on the streets of Seoul, we're told right now. One man against a lot of police. they brought him down. He is just on top of one

of the police buses there, you can see. One of the police buses is just behind that police bus is where the supporters are. They have been rocking

that bus. And you can see they're doing it again now. They're just on the other side.

They're trying to subdue those pro-Park supporters, bringing them down off the bus. You can see emotions that emotions are running very high here in

Seoul. These supporters of Park who do not believe that she should have been impeached.

The police are pushing these people now to get them out of the way. That is clearly an arrest going on right now that you are seeing.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HANCOCKS: Now, there were a number of other scuffles. There was some tear gas and

there was also some pushing and shoving with the police. But then there was an announcement

by the organizers of this pro-Park protest calling on people to be calm, calling on people saying these police could be your sons and daughters.

And that's when much of the violence stopped and things did calm down.

Although, there were a number of scuffles throughout the evening. It's now all wrapped up, Kristie.

[08:05:09] LU STOUT: Dramatic scenes that you managed to capture earlier in the day there in the South Korean capital. We have our Alexandra Field

standing by as well. She's out on the streets of Seoul. And Alex, as we saw just then in that footage that Paula and her team picked up, intense

protests earlier in the day. What's the scene like now?

HANCOCKS: It's wildly different where we are, Kristie. These are the people who fought

for this impeachment. And for them, it is a celebration. Park Geun-hye has been stripped of her power. And these people believe that's a

testament to their power.

I want you to see them behind me. They are out here. They have been out here by the

thousands in the middle of Seoul this evening. And they are holding candles. What's pretty amazing is that this celebration, this victory

party, as it were, looks so much like the protest that paved the path to this impeachment.

This happened peacefully. It happened with a legislative vote involving lawmakers back in December, and then that decision was upheld by the

judiciary and the constitutional court today. But it started when so many thousands of people poured onto these streets last fall demanding a change,

demanding the removal of President Park from office, saying that they were fighting against corruption

as this corruption scandal ensnared former President Park Geun-hye and other top government officials as well as some of the country's top

business leaders.

So, tonight, they are out here saying that they feel that the process worked, that the system supported them and their desires, and that justice

was served. But they say it hasn't ended here.

Some of them out here tonight are now calling for the arrest of Park Geun- hye. Now that she's no longer the president, she's also stripped of the immunity that she had as president to be charged according to the certain

allegations that have been lodged against her by the prosecutors who have been

involved in this case.

So, people here tonight celebrating certainly that there is a new chapter to be written in South

Korean history and that a new president will be elected in the course of some 60 days. But many here tell us that they do believe it should not

stop here for Park Geun-hye. They want to see her prosecuted now, Kristie.

LU STOUT: And let's talk more about the political path forward for South Korea going from Alex out there in the streets of Seoul to Paula back in

the studio there.

And Paula, a president election has to be held now within the next 60 days. Who will take power?

HANCOCKS: That's a good question. At this point, and obviously an lot can change in 60 days in South Korean politics. But at this point, there is

one clear favorite. This is the liberal candidate Moon Jae-in. In fact, the presidential hopeful who actually lost against

Park Geun-hye in the previous presidential election.

Now, many of the pro-Park supporters that I was with today, they were not only supporting Park Geun-hye but they were also protesting against the

possibility of this liberal candidate becoming president. They say that he stands for exactly the opposite of what they believe.

In the past when we have seen liberal presidents we have seen more engagement with North

Korea. We have seen summits, in fact, between North and South Korea. And we also know that this

particular candidate is not keen on having this U.S. missile defense system, THAAD, installed in South Korea. And of course, the first pieces

of that actually arrived on Monday. So, it's difficult to see how that could be stopped and whether that is just a done deal now.

But certainly, it will be interesting to see if the relationship with the United States and South Korea changes, if you have a liberal president and

then you have Donald Trump in the United States - Kristie.

LU STOUT: Yeah. So much resting on who is going to take power next there in South Korea after this dramatic chain of events culminating whatwe saw

earlier today.

Alexandra Field, Paula Hancocks, reporting live from Seoul, a big thank you to you both.

Now, turning to the United States now. Sources tell CNN, investigators looking into a possible

connection between a Russian bank's computer servers and the Trump organization.

Pamela Brown has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAMELA BROWN, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: We learned that the FBI investigators and computer scientists continued to examine whether there is

a computer connection between the Trump administration and a Russian bank called Alfa Bank. This is according to several sources familiar with the

investigation.

Now, this is the same server mentioned in the Breitbart article that a White House official said sparked Trump's series of tweets last Saturday,

accusing investigators at tapping his phone. CNN was told there was no FISA warrant on this server.

Questions about the connection between the server and the Russian bank were widely dismissed four months ago as an attempt to buy Alfa Bank to block

spam. But, Anderson, we're learning that the FBI's counterintelligence team, the same one looking into Russia's suspected interference in the 2016

election is still examining it. And one official I spoke with said the server relationship is odd. It's seen as somewhat perplexing and

investigators are not ignoring it, but the FBI still has a lot more work to do to determine what was behind the unusual activity and whether there was

any significance to it.

The FBI declined to comment and the White House did not respond to our requests for comment.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[08:10:21] LU STOUT: And that was Pamela Brown reporting.

Now, in Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan are meeting. Those talks expected to

focus on the Syrian civil war. Both countries are involved, but they back different sides.

Let's go to Fred Pleitgen live for us in Moscow. And Fred, in fact there will be a lot on the agenda. They have to talk about economic cooperation,

boosting bilateral ties, et cetera. But Syria, that is really the key focus of this meeting, isn't it?

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It certainly is, Kristie. And it's by far the most important focus of this meeting as well.

And if you look at Turkey and Russia right now, they really appear to be the most important outside players that are currently active inside the

Syrian War theater.

And right now is really an important time also for these two countries. Because what's going on right now is that the sides that each of them are

supporting - on the one hand, the Syrian government in the form of the Russian Federation. And then of course you have Syrian rebels who are

being supported by the Turks, both have been making major gains against ISIS in the northwest of Syria over the past couple of weeks, over the past

couple of months.

And now both those forces are dangerously close to one another. And so, therefore, they're going to require some coordination to make sure that of

each of the sides, the focus that those sides have remains on ISIS and that these two sides don't start fighting against one another.

At the same time, you are absolutely right. The relations between Turkey and Russia have improved a great deal after they hit rock bottom in 2016,

after, of course, the Turks shot down a Russian military jet in Syria nearly sparking an armed conflict between the two countries.

And Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, said today he found it remarkable to what extent the ties between these two countries have

normalized. And of course, the situation in Syria, really in many ways, was one of the catalysts for that normalization. Now the two leaders are

saying they want to build on that while Recep Tayyip Erdogan is here in Russia, Kristie.

LU STOUT: All right, key details about a very critical meeting that has ramifications across the region, even beyond. Fred Pleitgen reporting live

for us. Thank you.

Now, the fight for Mosul is entering its most dangerous phase as Iraqi forces push deeper into the country's last remaining ISIS stronghold. This

exclusive video is from a freelance cameraman Ricardo Garcia Villanova (ph), gives us a rare view of the human suffering and the incredible

destruction there.

Tens of thousands of people have fled the city since ISIS took control of it more than two years ago.

Now, Ben Wedeman has details on the battle and more of that exclusive video.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(GUNFIRE)

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESOPNDENT (voice-over): Gunfire roaring nearby, Mosul residents flee their neighborhood of Tairan (ph).

(SHOUTING)

(GUNFIRE)

WEDEMAN: Then, an ISIS suicide car bomb explodes nearby. Pieces of metal and concrete raining down. The blast sets an Iraqi federal police Humvee on

fire, killing several policemen, wounding others.

(GUNFIRE)

WEDEMAN: This footage provided to CNN by a freelance cameraman is a raw glimpse of the intensity of the battle for western Mosul.

(GUNFIRE)

(SHOUTING)

(GUNFIRE)

WEDEMAN: Iraqi officials aren't putting out casualty figures but it's clear that government forces are paying a high price.

(GUNFIRE)

WEDEMAN: ISIS fighters continue to put up stiff resistance. Car bombs, their weapon of choice. They've used dozens to attack Iraqi forces since

the push in west Mosul began two and a half weeks ago.

More than 70,000 civilians have fled the western part of the city. Others, like this old woman and her granddaughter, had no choice but to stick it

out. Hundreds of thousands remain inside, hanging white flags on their doors in the hopes they'll be spared.

(GUNFIRE)

WEDEMAN: Fighting in western Mosul appears far heavier than in the east, where it took Iraqi forces three months to gain control.

(GUNFIRE)

WEDEMAN: The phrase "war is hell" here becomes reality.

Ben Wedeman, CNN, Irbil, northern Iraq.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: You're watching News Stream. And still ahead, once a victim of human trafficking, and now she is fighting back. The remarkable journey of

one young woman trying to end child exploitation.

Our CNN Freedom Project is next.

And a new name and a new life for Jia Jia (ph). CNN re-visits the young boy from China who once longed for a family, now he has one. His story

coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:17:31] LU STOUT: Coming to you live from Hong Kong, welcome back. You're watching News Stream.

Now, Nigeria's president has reemerged after nearly two months on medical leave. Muhammadu Buhari left Nigeria in January on what was supposed to be

a holiday, but the break was extended to allow him to complete medical tests in the UK.

Mr. Buhari won't be heading back to work just yet. He says he will continue to rest and the

vice-president will remain in charge.

The nature of his illness, that still remains unknown.

All this week, the CNN Freedom Project is focusing on the global fight against modern

day slavery with our Students for Freedom series. It's about young people who have joined the battle.

And you are about to meet a woman who was abused in an orphanage even though she was not an orphan. Farai Sevenzo has her story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FARAI SEVENZO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's been a long journey home for Teresia Wainimu (ph). Orphaned at six, Teresia (Ph) was living with her aunt in

this house when a man arrived at the door offering free education, food and housing and room in a nearby orphanage. He was known in the community as a

child finder.

"I wanted Teresia (Ph) to stay with me like a daughter, but I didn't have enough money," she says. "When I was approached by someone who could take

her into an orphanage, I didn't have a choice."

Food, education and safety proved to be a false promise for Teresia (Ph). She says the orphanage directing ensure that the lives or the orphans

revolve around foreign volunteers who travelled specifically to help children and are known as voluntourists.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sometimes you could be turn to go to school, our volunteer is coming. so you had to entertain that volunteer and we used to

not to go to school. We stay until they come.

SEVENZO: She said she was ordered not to speak with volunteers about conditions of the school.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Sometimes, too, you might also be told don't eat because you fear the punishment.

SEVENZO: Michelle Oliel was one volunteer. She says she raised thousands of dollars for the orphanage; money which she claims did not reach the

children.

MICHELLE OLIEL, STAHILI FOUNDATION CO-FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Children were often starving. Children were being forced to work. Some of

the children were not even sleeping at the orphanage but were going home and sleeping in porcupine holes, for example.

SEVENZO: Not all orphanages are corrupt or guilty or trafficking, but still the U.N. and other groups are now warning about child trafficking to

orphanages around the world.

OLIEL: The children are being commodified and placed into an orphanage for the sole purpose of bringing in donations and other various donated goods.

And this is done intentionally, this is not an accident. It's not an accident that most of the cases that we've dealt with children have

families. They're exploiting vulnerable children, vulnerable people, vulnerable guardians.

[08:20:22] SEVENZO: Oliel set up the Stahili Foundation, an organization dedicated to the elimination of orphanages and reuniting children with

their families. The former orphanage is now empty. Oliel says after pressure from Stahili and the surrounding community and faced with

declining donations, the owner abandoned the orphanage.

Police have not investigated and no formal charges have been brought. CNN has been unable to reach him for comment.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Child trafficking.

SEVENZO: Meanwhile, a community that once handed children over, some even paying for places in orphanages is now working actively against recruiting

anymore.

ESTHER MUCHEMI, VILLAGE ASSISTANT CHIEF: I would condemn each and every orphanage in every area. If we pour our area the orphanages and demolish

them, it would be of great help to the society.

SEVENZO: Teresia (Ph) now works with the Stahili Foundation helping trace children who have been trafficked to orphanages and assisting guardians who

support themselves and their families. Teresia (Ph) is now at university. She hopes to become a human rights lawyer and advocate against such

orphanages.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: According to me the hidden agenda of orphanages became revealed like when kids start maturing, getting older, they get to learn

their rights and they can defend like themself.

SEVENZO: Once forced into silence, Teresia (Ph) has found her voice and her purpose.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'll be speaking loud to many and many generation and (inaudible).

SEVENZO: Farai Sevenzo, CNN, Nairobi.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: Outrageous. Children being used at props and abused.

Now March 14 is My Freedom Day. It's coming up at 6:00 Tuesday. And CNN has been partnering with young people around the world for this day. A

student-led day of action against modern-day slavery.

And driving this day has been a simple question: what does freedom mean to you?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Freedom is being able to pursue your independence and your dream but having the rights of real education for all of us.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Freedom means to me the ability to chose the life I want to live and to bring freedom to others.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Freedom, the ability to fulfill your potential and follow your dreams regardless of where they lead.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: We want to hear what freedom means to you, too. Just post a photo or video using

the #myfreedomday.

Now, two years ago, CNN introduced you to this very special boy, Jia Jia (ph), a disabled child from China. And back then, an American couple was

trying to raise money to adopt him. And that goal was reached with incredible speed.

Now, our Will Ripley checks in with the 10-year-old who these days goes by the name Jason.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WILL RIPLEY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: the most popular student at recess in Grain Valley, Missouri, doesn't jump the highest or run the

fastest. Jason Wilson can't jump or run. He can make people feel inspired.

I met Jason two summers ago at this orphanage in China. Back then he went by JiaJia. He was like a big brother to all the other orphans. He was

desperate for a family of his own. Brian and Jeri Wilson have been trying for months to raise $30,000 in adoption fees.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was amazing.

RIPLEY: They reached their goal in eight hours when we told their story on CNN. I was with the Wilsons when they traveled to China to take their son

home.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A little nervous.

RIPLEY: One year later I'm in Missouri for the first time since his adoption. Hello. Hi, Jason. He chose his new name because he says it's so

cool. You're so big. Jason is 10 now growing up almost as quickly as he's learning. Reading and writing is a challenge.

JASON WILSON, ADOPTED CHILD: Dog called German shepherd.

RIPLEY: But he is quickly catching up. Is he popular with the other kids?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Absolutely. They all are giving him high fives all the time and he fits right in, especially at recess.

WILSON: Oh, my gosh.

RIPLEY: Jason has become a star at Sni-A-bar Elementary. Teachers say his personality is magnetic.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's just the way that he approaches his life and he doesn't see it as a life with challenges.

RIPLEY: What's your favorite sport to play?

WILSON: Football.

RIPLEY: Why?

WILSON: Because it's cool.

RIPLEY: Jason's learning music, singing in school concerts, in the cafeteria.

WILSON: Hi. I haven't seen you in a long time.

RIPLEY: He always has plenty of friends to sit and sing with.

You'd never know Jason grew up more than 6,000 miles away. He chooses not to speak Chinese anymore.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He never wants to talk about China. He never wants people to know he's Chinese.

RIPLEY: Jason's English teacher says he does love talking about his family.

[08:25:36] UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's everything to him. He talks about his sisters all the time. He talks about dad and they play football.

RIPLEY: Despite Jason's success, the Wilson's have struggled in the last year.

BRIAN WILSON, JASON WILSON'S FATHER: We have more of an issue than what we thought.

RIPLEY: An expensive construction snag stopped work on their new accessible house and there's family turmoil including serious health problems with

Jason's grandparents. The Wilson's stopped they were saving him, but Jason saved them.

JERI WILSON, JASON WILSON'S MOTHER: We can get through this. You know, he's had to struggle to get along through this.

RIPLEY: Doctors told the Wilson's Jason will probably never walk, the result of botched spina bifida surgery in China.

Wow.

So they raised the money to buy him a stander allowing greater mobility than ever before. He's also been reunited with his best friend Jeremiah

from the orphanage adopted by another family in their church. Each day brings new challenges and new victories.

What's different now?

J. WILSON: Having love I think.

RIPLEY: Having love?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ready? Catch it.

RIPLEY: After a childhood spent waiting and hoping, Jason finally has the one thing he always dreamed about, a family.

Will Ripley, CNN, Grain Valley, Missouri.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: Oh, it's been a wonderful watching Jia Jia (ph) grow up and to finally have love in his life.

Now, we're also following all the developments out of South Korea and the political crisis there. And coming up right here on News Stream, a look

back at the life and career of Park Geun-hye and her fall from grace.

Also ahead, Joshua Wong has been pushing for Hong Kong democracy since he was 14 years old. Now he is aiming for global support. Coming up, hear

what he thinks the U.S. president can do for Hong Kong.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(HEADLINES)

[08:30:52] LU STOUT: Now, emotions are running high in the streets of Seoul. This is the first time a South Korean president has been ousted in

this way. CNN's Paula Hancocks has a look back at Park Geun-hye's political life and her fall from grace.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HANCOCKS: She grew up in the presidential blue house, but more than half a century later, Park Guen-hye leaves it in disgrace. Her father, Park Jun-

hee seized power in a military coup in 1961, an economic hero to some, a brutal dictator to others.

In 1974, Park's mother was killed in an assassination attempt meant for her father. Just five years later, her father was also killed, shot by his own

security chief.

DUYEON KIM, GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY: The Park Geun-hye story actually began more or less promising, but eventually ended up as her becoming a tragic

figure.

HANCOCKS: Park herself was attacked during an election rally in 2006, but she returned to the Blue House in 2013 as the country's first female

president. No husband, no children, she said she was married to the nation.

April 2014, tragedy struck: a passenger ferry sank off the coast of South Korea, hundreds drowned, most of them schoolchildren. A man-made accident

blamed on corruption and incompetence.

JOHN DELURY, YONSEI UNIVERSITY: That was a stain on her presidency. There was a palpable sense at that time that she wasn't there. It's not that

people expected her to magically save the ship, but there was a need for leadership.

HANCOCKS: Speaking to CNN a few months earlier, she laid out her priorities.

PARK GUEN-HYE, PRESIDENT OF SOUTH KOREA (through translator): I believe that one

should value and place the utmost value on trust and confidence.

HANCOCKS: But she lost both in the eyes of most last year. A massive corruption scandal

centered around this woman, Choi Soon-sil, the daughter of a cult-like religious figure who had the

trust and ear of the president.

Choi is on trial for meddling in state affairs and extorting money. She denies the charges against her.

The public reaction was swift. Hundreds of thousands taking to the streets every single

Saturday during the brutal Korean winter. Massive and peaceful calls for her impeachment.

Lawmakers agreed voting to impeach Park in December.

Prosecutors want Park to be investigated as a bribery suspect when she loses presidential immunity. Park denies wrongdoing.

Pro-Park groups protested to keep the president in power, but to no avail.

Corruption is nothing new in South Korea. Every single president since democracy came to this country in 1988 has had some kind of connection to

corruption, either directly or through a family member.

But this time, much of the public had had enough.

KIM: The South Korean public's emotional outrage and anger is a reflection of feeling betrayed, feeling like their hard built democracy has instantly,

immediately gone down the drain.

HANCOCKS: The president's daughter, who became president, leaves office tainted by

scandal.

Paula Hancocks, CNN, Seoul.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: Now, there are also concerns over political uncertainty here in Hong Kong. The city enjoys political and judicial freedom from China. But

activists say that freedom is slipping away.

Now, Joshua Wong, one of the leaders of the massive Umbrella Movement protest, has been fighting against Beijing's influence for years. But now

he has taken his campaign global, even visiting the U.S. for support.

I spoke with Joshua to learn more and to hear what he expects from U.S. President Donald Trump.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOSHUA WONG, PRO-DEMOCRACY ACTIVIST: Being a businessman, I believe Donald Trump knows the importance of remaining Hong Kong uniqueness for the global

financial center where economic freedom and rule of law. And I, of course, being an activist, focus on human rights. A lot of his political stand I

have different, most of it. But I would say that I still appreciate his phone call with Tsai Ing-wen. And I would say that no matter what is the

administrative who will become the president, supporting democracy in Hong Kong should be a cross party consensus.

LU STOUT: But Joshua, let's face it, Donald Trump is all about America First. He cares about jobs. He cares about trade. Not about human rights

in China, let alone democracy in Hong Kong. So why should he care?

[08:35:08] WONG: In fact, I have more expectation on congress rather than Donald Trump.

But I would say that for President Trump, I would just hope international community and

also President Trump to realize that if he recognizes Hong Kong as the important Asia financial center, it will be necessary to remain judicial

independence, separation of power and rule of law.

LU STOUT: Joshua, Donald Trump is right there by your shoulder. He is waiting in line apparently for some Hong Kong noodles.

WONG: I don't have much expectation on President Trump and from my point of view and I would hope to put more effort to lobby and to push forward

the congressmen to reintroduce and also with the Senate to reintroduce the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act.

LU STOUT: There's a new Netflix documentary coming out. It's called Jsoshua: Teenager

versus Superpower. Does that make you feel like a super hero?

WONG: I think this documentary, Joshua: Teenager versus Superpower is just documentary my six-year journey from 14 years old to now 20 years old and

from the (inaudible) to Umbrella Movement, until (inaudible) party and organize the election campaign.

It's a Hollywood style movie. That's why with this kind of name for the documentary. But I just hope that through this documentary being purchased

by Netflix can enhance more people our way in this on Hong Kong democracy movement.

I hope through this documentary can educate more people around the world, especially in the

western country to know more about how the young generation in Hong Kong is ready for the

fight and resistant and hope for to get back our right to vote.

LU STOUT: And you may be lobbying for international support in the U.S., in the UK and elsewhere, but at the end of the day, change is going to come

from inside Hong Kong.

WONG: Of course.

That's why this year is the 20th anniversary of the Hong Kong handover. And I believe this may be the first time for Xi Jinping to visit Hong Kong

on the 1st of July. And I expect the first time of President Xi Jinping visit Hong Kong it's the time for us to organize.

LU STOUT: You really think Xi Jinping is going to come to Hong Kong for the handover?

WONG: I believe. And no matter Xi Jinping come or not, it's still a good time for us in this

critical moment to organize and the civil disobedience and the voice our demand on democracy and human rights.

LU STOUT: Teenager versus superpower part two, then. That's what's going to happen.

WONG: It's a long-term battle for us to fight in Hong Kong, especially one country two system is being eroded. And the 50 years unchanged policy just

remain 30 years. What we worry is one country two system turned to be one country, one system.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: And that was student activist Joshua Wong talking to me about his efforts to win

global support for democracy in Hong Kong.

Now, the key U.S. jobs report for February has just been released. And the U.S. economy has added 235,000 jobs last month, that is more than what

economists had predicted.

Now, this month's jobs report is notable because it is the first full monthly reading under President Trump. We are going to have much more on

the story on CNN Money with Maggie Lake. That's happening in less than half an hour from now.

You're watching News Stream. Still ahead, they will never walk alone: we honor one of the heroes of the Hillsborough disaster.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:40:18] LU STOUT: Now, it was a disaster whose very name still shocks the world of sport: hillsborough. Almost three decades ago, 96 people were

crushed to death at a British football stadium. And tragically, the heartbreak of loved ones did not end there as they faced a long and painful

battle for justice.

But as Don Riddell explains, what they achieved was truly heroic.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DON RIDDELL, CNN WORLD SPORT: Well, most people, certainly of my generation in the United Kingdom, remember the Hillsborough disaster. And

for a whole generation of people, it really was profoundly shocking.

And then of course for years and years and years and years, the narrative that was pedaled

was that it was the fans' fault and they arrived late and they were drunk and they didn't have tickets and they were squarely blamed for what had

happened. This went on for decades.

And so as we were approaching the 25th anniversary, we were really keen to try and do a documentary not just on the disaster, but more on the people

who had really fought so hard to try and change this narrative, namely the families of the victims, the people who had suffered the most. And we got hold of Margaret Aspinall. Her son

James had died. He was 18 years old. Just hearing about the disaster through her eyes and what James and her family experienced on the day that

week and in the 25 years afterwards really affected all of us profoundly.

MARGARET ASPINALL, HILLSBOROUGH DISASTER ACTIVIST: We tried every legal avenue in this country to get the truth. And it has not been easy. It's

been very, very difficult, because the times you do want to give up.

RIDDELL: Margaret was one of these people who basically just decided that she was so furious about what had happened and the way that the families

had been blamed that she was just determined for her son to get to the bottom of it.

And she said that this is what she owed her son.

It's incredibly inspiring that she just was determined that the truth be revealed.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: Well, she fought a fought and fought for justice. An incredible woman there.

And that is News Stream. I'm Kristie Lu Stout. But don't go anywhere. World Sport with Patrick Snell is next.

END