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A Look At What's Left of Mosul; Trump's Latest Controversial Invitation; Venezuelan Presidents Calls for Dissolution of Government. Aired 8-9a ET

Aired May 02, 2017 - 08:00   ET

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


[08:00:08] IVAN WATSON, HOST: I'm Ivan Watson in Hong King. Welcome to News Stream. From talk of a major conflict to a potential meeting like no

other, Donald Trump says he'd be honored to sit down with Kim Jong-un if appropriate.

We dig deeper with a live report from Seoul.

Also, a chill look at what's left of Mosul. Images from the Iraqi city where ISIS has cut a path of destruction.

And absolute chaos in Venezuela. Protests erupt as the president changes how the country is run.

When it comes to meeting world leaders, it seems like Donald Trump has no problem breaking precedent. The U.S. president says he'd be honored to

meet the leader of North Korea if the circumstances were right and it was appropriate. It's something none of his predecessors have ever done, but

the offer comes just as the U.S. made anti-missile system in South Korea is now made operational. The U.S. has been looking for ways to prevent

Pyongyang from advancing its weapons programs.

And China has weighed in. In just the last few hours, Beijing had two messages for the U.S., get rid of the anti-missile system in South Korea

and go for dialogue with North Korea.

For more now, Alexandra Field joins us from Seoul. Good to see you, Alex. And let's start with the THAAD missile system. It appears to be

operational, though I understand it's limited, and China is not very happy about it. Why?

ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This isn't the first that we've heard that from China. They are again saying that the U.S. and South Korea must

immediately stop with the deployment of THAAD, this controversial missile defense system, which the

U.S. and South Korea officials have said is essential to the defense of South Korea, to the U.S. assets in South Korea, to the region at-large and

to the U.S.'s broader national security interests.

But the Chinese and also the Russians, frankly, have said the radar in the system could be capable of spying on other countries, one of the reasons

that they have continued to vocalize their objection. What's different, though, about the objection today, Ivan, as

you point out is the fact that U.S. officials are saying the system is already operational, already capable of intercepting a missile from North

Korea. And they continue to contend that the only reason that they have deployed the

THAAD system is as a defensive measure, a level of protection against North Korea. That's what they're telling China, that's what they're telling

Russia. It's a message that they have repeated over and over again.

This as the U.S.'s efforts to build up their defenses in the region during these very tense times on the peninsula. They are also trying to send

these strong messages of deterrence to North Korea, as we have seen, not just the presence now of the U.S. warships in the waters off the peninsula

are participating in joint military exercises with the South Korean army, South Korean military, rather, but now also the presence of two U.S.

bombers. U.S. officials confirming these bombers were taking part in joint air force drills with both South Korea and Japan.

And the presence of those bombers flying over the peninsula has again enraged Pyongyang, Ivan. They have already said that they consider that a

provocative action.

WATSON: All right. So more military muscle flexing, Alex. And amid that, President Trump

dropped another bombshell. First, he called Kim Jong-un a smart cookie. And now he said he would be honored to meet with him if the conditions

were correct.

What are South Koreans that are in Seoul saying about that?

FIELD: There's been a lot of explaining around that comment, part of it coming from Washington. The president has sort of said that would only be

if it was appropriate, if the conditions were right, and then Sean Spicer from the briefing room at the White House

went on to elaborate saying that North Korea would certainly have to meet specific sort of benchmarks in order to facilitate the kind of conditions

that would be required for this kind of conversation to happen.

Now, the word honored to speak with Kim Jong-un is the part that has had a lot of people's jaws dropping, frankly. It's not something that South

Korean officials are addressing explicitly. They're not talking about the use of that word honored or the idea of President Trump himself speaking

directly to Kim Jong-un.

Instead, they are reaffirming what they say has been the longstanding position of both the U.S.

and South Korea, but the door would be open to talks with North Korea if it was clear that North Korea was taking steps toward a math toward de-

nuclearization.

You have also had Chinese officials who are weighing in on this matter, Ivan. You'll remember that in China the message has been the same all

along. They have pushed for open dialogue between the U.S. and North Korea. They want to see a return to talks. They're the one who in fact

suggested that the U.S. and South Korea officials drop the military training exercises that do enrage Pyongyang every year as something of an

offering that could help to facilitate the environment in which these talks could begin to happen - Ivan.

WATSON: Alex, I suspect it's not the first or last time that South Korean jaws will drop over something that President Trump has said.

Alexandra Field live from the South Korean capital. Thanks very much.

Now, the parents of a U.S. college student detained in North Korea are asking President Trump for help. Their son, Otto Warmbier, is one of three

Americans being held by Pyongyang. Paula Hancocks explains why the parents are choosing to speak out now.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Sentenced to 15 years hard labor, Otto Warmbier's desperate pleas fell on deaf ears in

North Korea.

OTTO WARMBIER, U.S. STUDENT DETAINED IN NORTH KOREA: Please. I've made the worst mistake of my life.

HANCOCKS: Warmbier was just 21 when he was accused of taking a political banner down in his Pyongyang hotel in January of last year, a swift trial,

a damning sentence. Now his parents are speaking out.

FRED WARMBIER, SON IMPRISONED IN NORTH KOREA: He wrote us a letter on March 3rd, 2016. That's the last time anybody has seen Otto. That's over

a year. And so it reaches a point as a family where we need to do something.

HANCOCKS: A student at the University of Virginia, Warmbier was in North Korea as a tourist. His parents say he has never been in trouble before

and they want to show who he really is beyond the images of the court case that Fred Warmbier says he still can't watch.

President Donald Trump saying he's willing to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un that

raised eyebrows for some around the world, but raised hopes for the Warmbiers.

CINDY WARMBIER, SON IMPRISONED IN NORTH KOREA: I just have hope because President Trump seems to be a dealmaker, and I'm really hopeful.

HANCOCKS: Warmbier is one of three Americans imprisoned in North Korea, a university professor Tony Kim was detained last month for reasons unknown.

Kim Dung-chul was arrested in 2015 and is serving 10 years on espionage charges.

Other Americans have been arrested and released, allowing the Warmbiers to stay positive their son may be home soon.

Paula Hancocks, CNN, Seoul.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WATSON: Now, President Trump has also made an overture to another polarizing leader, Rodrigo Duterte. In a phone conversation with the

Philippine President, Mr. Trump extended an invitation to visit the White House. But according to news report, Mr. Duterte says he might be too

busy to make it because he's already planned other trips abroad.

Meanwhile, the White House is pushing back against criticism over the invitation. Mr. Duterte has been accused of major human rights abuses over

his brutal war on drugs. The Trump administration argues it needs to strengthen ties with Asian allies to counter North Korea.

President Trump has yet to meet face-to-face with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but in the coming hours they will hold their third phone

conversation since Mr. Trump became president, and there could be some tension. It will be the first time they've spoken since Russia denounced a

U.S. military strike against a Syrian air base last month.

CNN's Diana Magnay joins us live from Moscow with more on this. Great to see you, Diana. But let's start by talking about a meeting that I believe

is underway right now, that's between the Russian president and Angela Merkel, the German chancellor. These are two

countries that have had some bumpy relations over the last two years. Do they expect to make any progress at this meeting in the black seaport of

Sochi?

DIANA MAGNAY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Progress I would say is unlikely. They share very little common ground on these huge political

discussion points that they'll be talking about, Ukraine, Syria. And on Ukraine, the last time they met

was in the context of the Normandy format with the Ukrainian president, the French president, trying to make some headway on the stalled peace process

in eastern Ukraine. They announced that they would put forward a roadway - a roadmap to Minsk. That hasn't materialized, it hasn't got anywhere. In

last couple of weeks, there was an OSCE monitor killed in eastern Ukraine. And it does look as though the intransigence, both on the Russian and the

Ukrainian side mean that it is very hard to push forward with any kind of peace process on Ukraine.

And as far as Syria goes, the German chancellor has been very outspoken of her criticism of Russia's involvement in Syria and of the fact that it

constantly vetoes any sort of resolutions in the UN Security Council, the last one, of course, when there was a Russian veto on any condemnation of

the chemical weapon strikes.

So, it is difficult to see either of the - any headway being made on either of those two key issues, Ivan.

WATSON: I guess it's important just the fact that they're sitting down to speak together.

In the meantime, Russia has gone through such incredible rollercoaster when it comes to its expectations for President Trump. I think it's very safe

to say that the honeymoon that Trump enjoyed in Moscow months ago, that's very much over. What do you expect that these two presidents, the American

and Russian president, what do you think - what kind of headway can they make, presumably after the Merkel-Putin discussion that will have taken

place just hours beforehand?

MAGNAY: Well, I think it's interesting that it happens so soon after Angela Merkel will have been here. She can talk to the Russian president

about her personal meeting with President Trump and with Ivanka. And I imagine they will have a frank discussion behind closed doors about how best to handle if you will the U.S. president.

I think what is interesting, of course, in the context of hundred days and this huge expectations in this country that relations with the U.S. would

be improved, the fact that this is only the third telephone call and that the Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, said any hopes of an actual face-

to face meeting were wishful thinking only last week. It's a real sign that relations between the U.S. and Russia have not got off to the start

they hoped for, in fact, are at an extremely low level.

So it is, of course, good that they are maintaining contact, but three phone calls in four months is not much contact. And of course, there is a

huge amount of very damaged territory between the two leaders 100 days into Donald Trump's presidency.

WATSON: Notably, Donald Trump's order to fire cruise missiles at an air base in Syria where the Russians had been active in supporting the Syrian

government.

All right, Diana Magnay live from the Russian capital, thank you very much, Diana.

Now, back in the U.S. President Trump is facing a big challenge on Capitol Hill, a second attempt to push through an Obamacare repeal. Republican

lawmakers will meet in the coming hours to discuss the revised health care bill, but even with changes to the legislation, the party remains seriously

divided over the plan.

Our Suzanne Malveaux has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Vice President, have you got the votes on health care? Are you going to get it passed?

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The Republican effort to repeal and replace Obamacare in jeopardy again. The White House ramping up

pressure on House Republicans to bring the new bill to a vote this week, despite wavering confidence in its fate.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do we have the votes for health care? I think we do.

SEAN SPICER, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: We're getting closer and closer every day. But we're not there yet.

MALVEAUX: CNN's latest whip count has 21 House Republicans planning to vote against the bill, which means they can only afford to lose one more vote or

it fails. A big gamble for President Trump, considering 18 other lawmakers remain undecided. Some Republicans warning the "no" count could be even

higher.

REP. CHARLIE DENT (R), PENNSYLVANIA: There are probably a few more "no" votes than 21 at the moment. I don't know what the exact number is. I've

heard numbers saying it's within, you know, two or three votes and as many as ten. So I would suspect it's probably closer to ten than two or three.

MALVEAUX: The core issue: how patients with preexisting conditions would be covered under the new plan. President Trump insisting the bill will protect

them, telling Bloomberg News, "I want it to be good for sick people. It's not in its final form right now. It will be every bit as good on

preexisting conditions as Obamacare."

But the bill actually allows states to apply for a waiver, allowing insurers to raise premiums on those with preexisting conditions, a change

that's attracted House Freedom Caucus members but alienated moderates.

In a surprise defection, Congressman Billy Long, who supported the first bill, withdrawing his support, complaining it "strips away any guarantee

that preexisting conditions would be covered and affordable."

President Trump's lack of understanding about what's in the bill growing more apparent, the White House attempting to clarify the president's mixed

messages.

SPICER: What the president is doing is ensuring, going forward, as we attempt to repeal and replace it, that preexist -- coverage of preexisting

conditions is at the core of that. So that is something that he has ensured is in the current bill and will continue to push for.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WATSON: Suzanne Malveaux reporting for us.

The health care debate got very personal for late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel. He fought back tears as he described his son who was born

with a heart defect a little more than a week ago. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[08:15:08] JIMMY KIMMEL, HOST, LATE NIGHT WITH JIMMY KIMMEL: So, this poor kid, this is what he looked like on Monday, but this is what he looked like

yesterday.

President Trump last month proposed a $6 billion cut in funding the the National Institute of Health. And thank god our congressmen made a deal

last night to not go along with that, they actually increased funding by $2 billion. And I applaud them for doing that, because more than 40 percent

of the people who had been affected by the cuts to the National Institute of Health are children. And it would have a major impact on a lot of great

places including Children's Hospital in Los Angeles, which is so unbelievably sad to me.

We were brought up to believe that we live in the greatest country in the world, but until a few years ago millions and millions of us had no access

to health insurance at all. You know, before 2014, if you were born with congenital heart disease, like my son was, there was a good chance you'd

never be able to get health insurance because you had a preexisting condition. You were born with a preexisting condition. And if your

parents didn't have medical insurance, you might not live long enough to even get denied because of a preexisting condition.

If your baby is going to die and it doesn't have to, it shouldn't matter how much money you make. I think that's something whether you're a

Republican or a Democrat or something else, we all agree on that, right?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WATSON: It's a celebrity's very personal take on the health care debate. Now, Kimmel says his son will need two followup operations, one in the next

few months and another as a teen. But he's already been able to bring him home and he says he's doing well.

And I want to tell you about a special event this Tuesday on CNN. Watch Hillary Clinton, she'll be speaking live with our Christiane Amanpour in

just a few hours' time, that's at 1:00 p.m. New York time, 6:00 p.m. in London.

Coming up on News Stream, as the UN reports new numbers of people displaced from Mosul, we show you exclusive video shot inside the Iraqi city.

And the opposition in Venezuela, it accuses the president of killing the constitution. We'll have more on the renewed outrage there. It's all

coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WATSON: Welcome back to the program. We're broadcasting live from Hong Kong with a view of the shimmering waters of Victoria Harbor.

Now, the United Nations says nearly 500,000 civilians remain displaced from Mosul in Northern Iraq. There has been a steady exodus as an Iraqi

offensive against ISIS drags on there. That battle has been going on for months.

Some of the displaced found refuge in emergency camps set up by the Iraqi government and

international relief groups. CNN has obtained exclusive drone video an Iraqi defensive against ISIS drags on. That battle has been going on for

months. Some of the displaced found refuge in emergency camps set up by the Iraqi government and international relief groups.

CNN has obtained exclusive drone video that gives you a sense of the destruction they are leaving behind and where hundreds of thousands more

remain trapped. This was shot by freelance journalist Gabriel Shaim (ph). We must warn you, you may find the images

disturbing. Hala Gorani reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

[08:20:30] HALA GORANI, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR & CORRESPONDENT: A tender father and daughter moment in the most brutal of landscapes. Their home is

only half standing. The city around them obliterated.

These exclusive drone pictures obtained by CNN show the scale of destruction on the frontlines of western Mosul. Neighborhoods newly freed

from ISIS by Iraqi forces. As Iraq`s elite golden division rolls in in its armored vehicles, ISIS retreats, paying a heavy price. Bodies of its

fighters still lie where they fell.

So, recently recaptured is this neighborhood that the black flag of ISIS still flutters overhead. The streets below eerily deserted. A makeshift

roadblock from where ISIS fought only weeks ago still standing.

In the video, dark smoke from burning tires and debris bellows across the skyline, desperate attempts by ISIS to hide themselves from airstrikes.

Here, the camera catches an explosion thought to be a mortar hitting a building, a reminder that fighting rages only meters away.

After months of street to street battle between ISIS and Iraqi forces and pounding from coalition airstrikes, the scale of devastation in this part

of Mosul is difficult to take in. In these drone images, it seems every building, every street, every car is shattered, nothing left to support

human life.

So, the civilians are forced to flee, clutching their children and their few belongings. Who knows what future lies before them as they join the

millions of other refugees running from this war? And for those who stayed behind, picking through the splintered remains of their lives, moments of

joy still possible, before they`re lost again in this bleak and dusty scene.

Hala Gorani, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WATSON: Well, all right. Now, I just want to bring your attention to the images you're seeing in the corner of your screen. That is the meeting

taking place in Sochi, the Russian Black Sea port, with Russian President Vladimir Putin and the German Chancellor Angela Merkel. And we'll bring

you updates as we get them on this first meeting between these two leaders in Russia in some two years.

Now, staying in the Middle East, for the first time the Palestinian militant group Hamas is unveiling a new policy document that appears to

accept a Palestinian state along the borders that existed in 1967. That's before Israel took control of the West Bank, Gaza and all of Jerusalem.

But Hamas, led by Halad Mishal (ph), still refuses to recognize Israel. And the document continues to call for the, quote, full and complete

liberation of Palestine and defends armed resistance.

Not surprisingly, it's getting a skeptical response from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He says Hamas is still invested in war with

Israel.

To South America now where Venezuela's opposition says it will fight the president's latest executive order as the country pushes deeper into

political chaos.

The new order creates a new assembly in secret. As Rafael Romo explains, opposition leaders say the president is simply overthrowing the government.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It was a stunning move that the opposition called a coup. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is calling for a vast

transformation in government meaning the current one and all its branches would be dissolved.

The president made the announcement during Mayday celebrations in Caracas. Maduro said the new government would be created by convening a national

assembly who would then rewrite the constitution. Maduro says the current constitution gives him the power to do so.

NICOLAS MADURO, PRESIDENT OF VENEZUELA (through translator): Today, May 1st, I

would like to announce that I, in the exercise of my presidential powers and as head of state, as stipulated in Article 347 of the constitution, I

call on the original constituting power so that the working class and the people through a popular process call for a national assembly to

reconstitute the government with the people and the working class.

ROMO: Later at the presidential palace, Maduro signed an executive order for a national assembly and said the vote for the body would be direct and

secret. Opponents quickly raised the alarm labeling Maduro's move a coup. National assembly president and opposition leader Julio Borges (ph) called

on the armed forces to intervene to protect democracy in Venezuela.

He also said Maduro's move is in reality an attempt to solidifyhis power and get rid of the

current national assembly which has been in the hands of the opposition for more than a year.

JULIO BORGES, SPEAKER, NATIONAL ASSEMBLY (through translator): What has happened today, and I say without exaggerating or trying to be dramatic is,

the greatest coup in the history of Venezuela. It's Nicolas Maduro dissolving democracy and dissolving our republic. Faced with this, the

Democratic Unity Party and the members of the national assembly call on the Venezuelan people to rebel and refuse to accept this coup.

ROMO: The opposition has been marching against Maduro and the Socialist government almost daily since early April. Demonstrators have clashed many

times with security forces. According to the Venezuelan attorney general's office, 29 people have died so far in the violent protests.

Rafael Romo, CNN.

(END VIDOETAPE)

WATSON: Now, on top of the unrest over the Venezuelan government, the country's struggling economy is also driving protests. Over the weekend,

Mr. Maduro hiked the minimum wage up another 60 percent. That takes the average monthly pay up to around $47. But the inflation rate is at 720

percent, and that has sent necessities and food prices soaring. A dozen eggs used to cost 40 cents, but a year ago when the inflation rate was at

475 percent, it cost around $1.50.

Cornmeal, a popular ingredient, went from 16 cents to around $3.00 for a two kilo bag. And a liter of milk has almost tripled in price.

Again, all of this was the cost last year. Now the inflation rate is much, much higher.

Now, coming up, an unprecedented president, he makes an unprecedented move. We'll be live at the White House to find out how Washington is reacting to

Donald Trump's invitation to Kim Jong-un. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(HEADLINES)

[08:31:04] WATSON: Few would describe donald trump as a convention president. But his latest diplomatic overture to North Korea could be his

most unconventional move yet. No president has done it before and China has just come out supporting dialogue. So could President Trump become

the first?

CNN's Joe Johns joins us from the White House with more on how this invitation is being received in Washington. Good morning there in D.C.,

Joe.

Are we seeing a new willingness from the White House to do business with dictators and strongmen?

JOE JOHNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I think you can say it is certainly clear that this administration is engaging with people who have been described

variously as dictators, despots, strong men. The administration says it's all about building alliances against adversaries, but many of the

administration's critics have suggested this essentially gives the seal of approval of the White House to authoritarian rule.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: If it would be appropriate for me to meet with him, I would absolutely, I would be honored to do it

under the right circumstances.

JOHNS: President Trump sending shockwaves through the international community with the prospect of an American president meeting with North

Korean's brutal dictator Kim Jong-un after praising the nuclear armed despot pit a day earlier.

TRUMP: At a very young age he was able to assume power. A lot of people tried to take that power away. He was able to do it. So obviously he's a

pretty smart cookie.

JOHNS: The president also issuing an impromptu White House invitation to the Philippines authoritarian president Rodrigo Duterte, who has overseen a

deadly crackdown on drugs and openly bragged about killing people. The president's willingness to cozy up to rogue leaders with atrocious human

rights leader is sparking criticism from both sides of the aisle.

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: What you do is you legitimize a person who is one of the really bad actors in the world.

JOHNS: White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer left to clean up the mess, defending Trump's praise of Kim Jong-un.

SPICER: He is still the head of state, so it is sort of, there's a diplomatic piece of it.

JOHNS: And the invitation to Duterte, who has since rebuffed Trump, saying he may be too busy to visit.

SPICER: It is an opportunity to work with countries in that region that can help play a role in diplomatically and economically isolating North Korea.

JOHNS: These aren't the only eyebrow-raising comments from the president. In an interview with Sirius XM, Mr. Trump made this perplexing argument

that the Civil War fought over slavery could have been avoided.

TRUMP: Had Andrew Jackson been a little later, you wouldn't have had the Civil War. He was really angry that he saw what was happening with regard

to the Civil War and said there is no reason for this.

JOHNS: The problem, Andrew Jackson had been dead for 16 years when the Civil War started and was also a slave owner. President Trump later

acknowledging this fact on Twitter while insisting President Jackson, quote, "saw it coming."

Trump also defending his unproven claim that President Obama illegally wiretapped his phone, refusing to answer questions about his charge that

Obama is a "bad or sick guy."

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You stand by that claim about him?

TRUMP: I would stand by anything --

JOHNS: Before abruptly ending the interview with CBS.

TRUMP: You don't have to ask me.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why not?

TRUMP: Because I have any own opinions. You can have your own opinions.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But I want to know your opinions. You are the president of the United States.

TRUMP: That's enough. Thank you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

JONES: Back for our international audience, another example of President Trump engaging with controversial foreign leaders is Egypt's President el-

Sisi. He actually got an invitation to the White House and showed up here during the president's first 100 days -

Ivan.

[08:35:04] WATSON: Joe, you know, President Trump is expected to speak with Vladimir Putin in a few hours. There's so much - there's been so much

ink spilled over the Trump organization and campaign's relationship with Russia, but the ties have gotten a lot more strained certainly because that

cruise missile attack on the Syrian government air base.

Are there areas where White House officials say that this White House can move forward with Russia and cooperate perhaps with North Korea?

JOHNS: It will be interesting to see how President Trump and President Putin maneuver that given the swirl here in Washington, D.C., the

investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 election, the question is whether there was coordination between Russia and the Trump campaign.

There's also certainly the issue of North Korea. There's as well this very important issue that you mention of the missile strike in Syria that

President Trump ordered, denounced by President Putin. These two men have spoken three times since the election of Donald Trump, but this will be the

first time after that controversial bombing in Syria.

So, interesting to see if we get a readout on the conversation between these two presidents that's of any substantial significance, Ivan.

WATSON: And I'm sure you'll keep us posted on it. Joe Johns, great talking to you from Washington.

Now, it's the final day of the current British parliament. It will be dissolved after Tuesday's session ahead of a general election next month.

The government remains in place until the vote, but after midnight local time, members of parliament in effect lose their jobs. If they want to

continue as MPs they have to stand for re-election on June 8th.

Now, if you take public transport, you know the moment you just missed a bus can be incredibly frustrating. An entrepreneur in Cambodia may have a

solution to that problem. That story is coming up after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WATSON: Welcome back to the program. SpaceX has done it again.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: 3, 2, 1, 0. Liftoff.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WATSON: The private space exploration company successfully launched and then landed its signature reusable Falcon 9 rocket. It delivered a spy

satellite into orbit for a U.S. intelligence agency. Details about the satellite are classified and no further information has been released.

Imagine that.

The launch went off without a hitch after being pushed back a day due to a sensor issue.

All right, everybody, let's head southwest from where I am in Hong Kong to Cambodia, that's where a former tech worker has come up with a better way

to ride the bus. Kristie Lu Stout tells us how it works on the road to ASEAN.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(MUSIC)

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Morning in Phnom Pehn, Cambodia, and travelers are gearing up for their journeys at the Golden

Bayon bus stop. For 27-year-old Langda Chea, it's a familiar ritual.

[08:40:09] LANGDA CHEA, FOUNDER, BOOK ME BUS: In Cambodia, in order to go to other places, especially most touristy areas, traveling by bus is the

most popular means.

STOUT: Popular, but not as easy as you might think. More than 60 bus operators means far-flung bus counters and a fragmented season.

Two years ago, Chea left his tech job and proposed a solution, Book Me Bus, a one-stop shop where users can buy their tickets online and compare

schedules and prices for more than 30 traditional bus companies taking passengers to destinations.

CHEA: We're trying to change the way how people buy a bus ticket in Cambodia.

STOUT: A large part of that change is behavioral. Chea says 90 percent of the company sales come from tech-savvy foreigners. And in a country where

cash is king, Book Me Bus's cash-free model prevents a significant learning curve for locals.

CHEA: Most of the people, they tend not to trust the middleman.

STOUT: Even so, Ith Chanda, manager of Golden Bayon Express, partnered with Book Me Bus because he saw opportunity.

ITH CHANDA, MANAGER, GOLDEN BAYON EXPRESS (through translation): We thought it was very hard to sell online because it's new for Cambodia, but

foreigners are used to it. Sales are increasingly strong. We hope we can enlarge our market by cooperating with Book Me Bus.

STOUT: The company says it serves between 5,000 and 6,000 customers each month generating up to $90,000 in sales.

And it's not just buses. Ferries and taxes are also on offer through the platform. Chea says he'd like to expand to trains and planes as well.

CHEA: We not only want to solve a problem in our country, but this model, we also have in other countries.

STOUT: A four-hour journey with the tap of a finger. Chea hopes that over time more will Cambodians will get on board with eCommerce.

Kristie Lu Stout, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WATSON: That is News Stream. I'm Ivan Watson. Before I go, a fond farewell to producer Joel Lavy (ph) who is moving on to other challenges.

Good-bye, thanks.

And now don't go anywhere viewers, World Sport with Amanda Davies is next.

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