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Trump White House; U.S-Russia Investigation; Taliban ratchet up offensive in Afghanistan; World Headlines; U.S. Attorney General Appears To Be In Thin Ice; Health Care Reform; CNN Freedom Project; Saving Endangered Turtles. Aired 8-9a ET
Aired July 25, 2017 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[08:00:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN NEWS STREAM SHOW HOST: I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong. Welcome to "News Stream."
The U.S. president publicly criticizes his own attorney general again, this time on Twitter. Donald Trump's son-in-law is set to answer more questions
from lawmakers about the Russia investigation. And exclusive video obtained by CNN suggests that Russia could be arming the Taliban in Afghanistan.
In Washington, the U.S. senate is gearing up for a key vote in the Republican drive to repeal Obamacare, but the Russia investigation is also
front and center with U.S. President Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, facing a second round of questioning in the coming hours.
But Mr. Trump's criticism of the attorney general, Jeff Sessions, is getting a lot of attention right now. A short time ago, Mr. Trump tweeted
this, quote, Sessions is taking a very weak position on Hillary Clinton crimes. (INAUDIBLE) Sessions in "The New York Times" interview. CNN's Joe
Johns has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. President, should Jeff Sessions resign?
(LAUGHTER)
JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Attorney General Jeff Sessions' future at the Justice Department in question today
with "The Washington Post" reporting that President Trump and his advisers are discussing the possibility of replacing him, despite the fact that he
has been one of the president's most loyal supporters.
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We could use some more loyalty, I will tell you that.
JOHNS: The president publicly shamed his top law enforcement officer again Monday, labeling him as beleaguered, and asking why why he's not
investigating Hillary Clinton. The dizzying escalation began last week in the president's interview with "The New York Times."
TRUMP: Sessions should have never recused himself and if he would -- if he was going to recuse himself, he should have told me before he took the job
and I would have picked somebody else.
JOHNS: Despite this public rebuke, Sessions insisted he has no plans to step down.
JEFF SESSIONS, ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES: We love this job. We love this department. And I plan to continue to do so as long as that is
appropriate.
JOHNS: Texas Senator Ted Cruz and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani dismissing reports they are being considered as possible replacements, with
Giuliani expressing support for Sessions' decision to recuse himself from the Russia investigation.
RUDY GIULIANI, FORMER NEW YORK CITY MAYOR: I believe that Sessions made the right decision under the rules of Justice Department.
JOHNS: President Trump lashing out against his attorney general who he blames for the Russia investigation. It comes on the same his son-in-law
and senior advisor, Jared Kushner, met with congressional investigators for the first time, denying any collusion with Russia and defending the
president.
JARED KUSHNER, SENIOR ADVISOR TO PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Donald Trump had a better message and ran a smarter campaign and that is why he won.
Suggesting otherwise ridicules those who voted for him.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LU STOUT: Joe Johns there reporting. Congressional investigators are not done questioning Kushner. He will head back to Capitol Hill that --
according to next three hours for another round of questioning by the House Intelligence Committee.
The statement he gave the senate panel a day ago directly contradicts what Mr. Trump had claimed for quite some time. Tom Foreman explains.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Twice in the campaign and twice in the transition, the president's son-in-law and White House advisor
met with Russians, and Jared Kushner said it was always proper.
KUSHNER: Let me be very clear. I did not collude with Russia, nor do I know of anyone else in the campaign who did so.
FOREMAN: But for months amid questions about Russian meddling in the election, President Trump has pushed a different story.
TRUMP: I have nothing to do with Russia folks, OK.
FOREMAN: Dismissing claims anyone on his team even had contact with Russians.
TRUMP: No, nobody that I know of.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): So you're not aware of any contact during the course of the election?
TRUMP: Look, how many times do I have to answer this question? I have nothing to do with Russia. To the best of my knowledge, no person that I
deal with does.
FOREMAN: On Twitter, he has roared. Russia talk is fake news put out by the Dems and played up by the media. Such dishonesty.
[08:05:00] A total scam.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Did you or anyone in your campaign had any contacts with Russia leading up to or during the campaign?
FOREMAN: Vice President Mike Pence.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did any adviser or anybody in the Trump campaign have any contact with the Russians who are trying to meddle in the election?
MIKE PENCE, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Of course not.
FOREMAN: Yet we know well before those denials, Kushner joined then campaign chairman Paul Manafort and Donald Trump Jr. to meet with Russians,
after Trump Jr. was promised (INAUDIBLE) on Hillary Clinton.
Now he says the meeting was a bust, not even a about that subject. But the very next month, there he was ridiculing Democrats for suggesting the
Russians were trying to meddle.
DONALD TRUMP JR., SON OF PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: It's disgusting. It's so phony.
FOREMAN: Paul Manafort also vehemently dismissed the idea.
PAUL MANAFORT, FORMER CAMPAIGN MANAGER OF PRESIDENT TRUMP: I don't know anything about what you just said. You may know it. If you do, then you
expose it. But to say you know -- I don't know what you're talking about. It's crazy.
FOREMAN: And that talking point has been echoed repeatedly ever since.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did anyone involved in the Trump campaign have any contact with Russians trying to meddle with the election?
KELLYANNE CONWAY, COUNSELOR TO PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Absolutely not and I discussed that with the president-elect just last night. This conversation
never happened.
FOREMAN: As now Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said earlier this year, it's hard to make a comment on something that never happened.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FOREMAN: But now, members of the president's team are admitting there were meetings with Russians despite all of those denials. And some of the
president's opponents are clearly hoping this means he might pay a real price for all these things he has called fake news. Tom Foreman, CNN,
Washington.
LU STOUT: Jared Kushner speaks to lawmakers as they are also set to discuss a new round of sanctions. Let's get more from Moscow now. Clare Sebastian
joins us now live with the latest. Clare, what is the Russian government saying about the latest statements by Kushner including his account of that
meeting with the powerful Russian banker Sergei Gorkov.
CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Kristie, it is interesting because Russia and the Trump administration including Jared
Kushner seem to speak with one voice. They both denied that any of these meetings constitute any kind of collusion.
But on one issue, they do diverge, and that as you say is that meeting in December with the head of a powerful Russian development bank, the VEB. The
meeting was with the head of that bank, Sergei Gorkov.
Now, the Trump administration and Jared Kushner in his account published yesterday say that this was a transition meeting, that it was set up by the
then Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak because as he explains, Mr. Kushner, Mr. Gorkov had a direct link to the Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Now in contrast to that, the VEB at the time had called this a business meeting. They said it was part of a road show that the bank was carrying
out around the United States, that this bank is under U.S. sanctions. But the Kremlin today has said VEB account stands, that it was part of the road
show, it was a business meeting.
But the Kremlin is also saying that it did not need to be sanctioned by the Kremlin nor did it take place under the order of the Kremlin. So we still
have these two divergent accounts. It is not clear who if anyone got there (INAUDIBLE) simply the lines are blur between the Russian government and
VEB which as you know is a state corporation.
But as I said, the Russian government continues to agree with statements coming out of the Trump administration that there was no collusion here.
The foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, in an interview on Monday with the Kurdish television station called all these allegations swelling in
Washington about interference and collusion. He called it mass psychosis. You see, the Russian side if nothing is not consistent. Kristie?
LU STOUT: Absolutely. The U.S. House of Representatives, you know, that there is such a vote on a new round, possible new round of sanctions today.
How does Russia feel about that?
SEBASTIAN: They view it extremely negatively. Those are the two words coming from the Kremlin spokesman talking about this on Monday. They said
it's counterproductive and it's harmful, not just to Russia but to other countries, particularly those that Russia has trade relations with, that a
clearance reference to the European Union, which also expressed alarm about these sanctions.
They are concerned that the U.S. is acting unilaterally of the three as if coordinating closely on sanctions. But as what Russia might do in response,
well they say nothing yet. They are going to wait and see what is in the final bill and whether or not the president signs it.
But there is -- I have to tell you a mood of retaliation here when it comes to sanctions at the moment. There's still that ongoing dispute going on
over diplomatic compounds that the Obama administration seized back in December, also in sanctions of alleged cyber meddling.
The Russia side has said they want to see those compounds returned. If they are not, they are working on a package of retaliatory measures. So, you
know, it is very clear that on these old sanctions and new sanctions to come in, Russia is not in the mood to take this on the chin.
[08:10:00] LU STOUT: Clare Sebastian (INAUDIBLE), thank you. Turning now to the Afghanistan where the Taliban are ramping up attacks across the
country. The death toll from a car bombing in western Kabul has now risen to more than 30. The government says the victims were civilians.
Women and children were among the dozens injured. The Taliban claimed responsibility. They also say they captured two districts in northern and
central Afghanistan over the weekend. For months now, there have been claimed the Afghan Taliban are getting arms from Russia. CNN has obtained
exclusive video that seems to add weight to that. Here is Nick Paton Walsh.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Decades of war in Afghanistan mean enemies have turned friends and back
again. But one new devastating alliance risks redrawing the map here. The Russians once fought the Taliban here, then called the Mujahideen, the loss
brought down the Soviet empire.
But now, Moscow may actually be arming their old enemies, the Taliban, according to American and Afghan officials, bolstered by exclusive imaged
obtained by CNN. This is a a breakway Taliban group in the the west with what they say are Russian governmnt supplied weapons they've seized from a
mainstream Taliban group they defeated.
These were given by the fighters of Mulahypatula (ph) by the Russians, by Iran, he says. The Russians giving them these weapons to fight ISIS in
Afghanistan, but they're using them against us too. We captured six of them with these guns when they attacked.
And these weapons too, the Taliban fighter in the mask claims are supplied free by neighboring (INAUDIBLE) by the Russians. These pistols have been
brought to us recently, he says. They're made in Russia and they're very good stuff.
Small arms experts told us there's nothing here tying the guns to the Russian state. There aren't new or rare. Various markings missing or
scratched off. Even this Chinese made scope is readily available online.
But the American commander here was outspoken on the Russian threat.
GEN. JOHN NICHOLSON, COMMANDER, RESOLVE SUPPORT MISSION, AFGHANISTAN: By arming belligerents or legitimizing belligerents who perpetuate attacks,
like we saw two days ago in Mazar-I-Sharif is not the best way to forward to a peaceful reconciliation.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): So to be clear, you're not refusing that they're sending weapons (INAUDIBLE).
NICHOLSON: Oh, no. Not refusing that.
WALSH: Afghan officials suspect Russian deliveries for at least two months.
SEDIQ SEDIQI, DIRECTOR, AFGHAN GOVERNMENT MEDIA & INFORMATION CENTER: The Russians have said that they are -- you know, they maintain contact with
the Taliban. But we have lots of valid reports from people that they are arming the Taliban.
WALSH (on camera): There's no smoke without fire, is there?
SEDIQI: Absolutely. We believe that there's no smoke without fire.
WALSH: These pictures aren't incontrovertible proof. The Russians, if they did this, will try to hide their tracks. And in Afghanistan, war-torn as it
is, the truth is often masked behind countless agendas.
But these pictures will spark questions as to the true extent of Moscow's involvement here in a country where, as the Soviets, they suffered a
crushing defeat at the hands of American-back fighter.
WALSH (voice-over): Russia said claims they're arming the Taliban are, quote, utterly false and made to cover up for American failure. They talked
to the Taliban they say purely to promote peace talks.
WALSH (on camera): And they've denied to that they are arming the Taliban?
SEDIQI: Absolutely they are denying that. The issue of contact with the Taliban by the Russians, that was something that really concerned ujs as
well. So no contacts would be made with non-state groups.
WALSH (voice-over): Another new agenda, another new fuel to Afghanistan's endless fire.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LU STOUT: And that was Nick Paton Walsh reporting. He joins us now from the Afghan capital. Nick, the video that you obtained and we saw suggests that
Russia is indeed arming the Taliban. Russia denies it. But if this is true, why? I mean, what is Russia up to in Afghanistan?
WALSH: We'll do a jewel melt (ph) to suggests for this one that perhaps they deceive the Taliban as a more moderate force that can be harnessed and
equipped to tackle what Russia sees a very serious threat which is ISIS here in Afghanistan.
Now, that said, ISIS have suffered substantial blows at the hands of Afghan and coalition fire power and troops in the past months or so. They are
weak. And the coalition response is well, Russia's possession here is completely off.
They say that actually the Taliban often provide shelter in the systems to ISIS although I have said there have beatings (ph) in which the Taliban
clearly have forced ISIS. We reported on that ourselves. To broader question, though, Kristie, is there a geopolitical game of heart here?
Remember, it was the Russians, then the Soviet Union, in which Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, served as KGB officer, but lost it
substantially to (INAUDIBLE). They were armed by the CIA back then, resurfaced (ph) to wear missiles. That lost led to some degree to the fall
of the Soviet empire.
Is this some sort of (INAUDIBLE) which Moscow looking to undermine the U.S. in its longest ever war, 15 years now, by assisting the Taliban who
increasingly whittling away security in this country?
[08:15:00] That is unclear. But certainly, these images provide new insight and potentially a new level of threat that Afghan government and U.S.
forces face here. Kristie?
LU STOUT: And we heard from the United States. They are not refuting that Russia is arming the Taliban. That's what we picked up in your report. So
what will the U.S. do next to respond to Russia and to somehow stop these weapons flow to the Taliban?
WALSH: It is unclear really to be honest. I think U.S. officials now have been trying to get to Trump's White House to sign on to the strategy here
to increase their assistance, some degree bringing up the words Russia, Taliban, weapons, Afghanistan, and at the same time certainly doesn't suit
I think the Pentagon's agenda at the moment.
But months ago, it was quite clear that U.S. officials are very concerned about this. Multiple ones have been bringing it up in Capitol Hill.
Certainly, a threat is a threat. We understand here it is real, it is not just opposition. And so the question now really is yes, is it extensive
enough that it has to be combated?
Can it be stopped to some degree? Has it passed? All these issues are unclear. But those videos certainly suggest that those weapons appear to be
in the battlefield now and perhaps adding extra complications for Afghan security forces and coalition here. Kristie?
LU STOUT: Yes, and tell us more about that complication, because these video evidence suggests -- shows that Russia is playing a role here,
perhaps arming the Taliban. It must be adding fuel to the fire. What does this mean for the ongoing conflict there?
WALSH: Unclear at this point. It's very hard obviously to assess when it comes down to arms smuggling, done often by experienced state employees,
who have lots of trade craft in this to be clear exactly what is happening or the extent of it. This is all about (INAUDIBLE) if indeed it is
occurring.
If it were happening on a large extent, well it could potentially assist the Taliban, particularly that weapons are being supplied for free, and
taking on the Afghan security forces. You haven't really seen the casualty right to most Afghan security forces this high I think as far as I can
recall in 15 years.
It is a very key moment as we say every year. But this one in particular in terms of holding back the Taliban, they do seem to be on front still again
during this some fighting season, being assisted by inflow of weapons that are free and of better quality that will have an effect.
We don't know the extent. We just know through this video that it appears these weapons are reaching battlefields and that is causing great concern
both among U.S. and Afghan officials.
LU STOUT: Nick Paton Walsh reporting for us live from Kabul. Thank you, Nick.
Now, a new trial in Turkey is being called a crucial test of press freedom. Journalists there accused of terrorism related to last year's failed coup.
The details next.
Also had the parents of Charlie Gard prepare to say good-bye to their terminally ill baby after ending their legal fight to get him treatment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[08:20:00] LU STOUT: Coming to you live from Hong Kong. Welcome back. You're watching "News Stream." Now, a major rescue operation is underway in
Mumbai, India. A five-story building has collapsed killing at least 12 people, at least 14 are injured. The crews are looking for more people
trapped under the rubble. About a dozen families are thought to be living in the building.
A trial being held in Turkey is being called the test of the country's press freedom. A staff of an opposition newspaper face terror-related
charges in connection to last year's failed coup. Activists say this trial is politically motivated. Ben Wedeman spoke earlier with Max Foster why
this case is sparking so much concern there and around the world.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: These 17, they're journalist, staff members, writers, lawyers and executives at Cumhuriyet
which is Turkey's oldest newspaper founded in 1924. They are accused of links with the Fethullah Gulen Network, which of course is the network
accused by the Turkish government of being behind the July 15, 2016 failed coup against the government here and in addition to that of having links
with the banned PKK, the Kurdish Workers Party.
What's interesting of course is that among those 17 charged is Ahmet Sik. He is a journalist who actually wrote a book warning about the dangers of
the Gulen Network back before in 2013 when Erdogan was an ally of Gulen. But now, of course, he has been accused among other things of having links
with that organization.
So not only are Turkish journalists concerned about the narrowing of press freedoms here but also international press organizations who are here
attending the trial and they are also concerned that this is just one more step along the road of narrowing press freedoms here in Turkey. Max?
MAX FOSTER, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR AND LONDON CORRESPONDENT: These are some of the last remaining opposition voices right, mainstream media in
Turkey.
WEDEMAN: Certainly Hurriyet is the most prominent of them, traditionally a sort of a nationalist secular newspaper. In recent years, it has become
more of a liberal, less nationalist, somewhat more sympathetic for instance to the Kurdish cause, and perhaps that's one of the main reasons why the
government is targeting this newspaper.
But as you mentioned before, more than 150 media outlets have been shuttered over the last few years. Turkey really is compared to what it was
a few years ago when it was by middle eastern standards, had quite a vibrant media. Now, the situation is becoming ominously dark to journalists
in this country. Max?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LU STOUT: Ben Wedeman reporting there. Now to an extraordinary story now. The stretches from a small town in eastern Germany to the rocky city of
Mosul. Germany officials say a teenage girl who ran away has been found alive in the war-torn city. Atika Shubert has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When Iraqi soldiers pulled a 16-year-old girl out of the rubble in Mosul, they
had no idea she came from here. This is a town in east Germany called Phuket (ph).
About 7,500 people live here. Up until now, its claim to fame was Christmas ginger bread cake. We spoke to the local prosecutor and he identified the
girl in Iraqi custody as Linda W., but as per German privacy law, he would not give us her full name.
LORENZ HAASE, GERMAN PROSECUTOR (through translator): We know that Linda is in Iraq. She has been identified there. We don't know where exactly she has
been arrested and we don't know the circumstances leading to her arrest.
SHUBERT: We spoke to the mayor of Pulsnitz. She told us that the family was, quote, a totally normal German family with no connection at all to any
extremist Islamist groups. The first warning signs may have come from here. This was Linda's school. And teachers here told her parents that Linda had
made a sudden request to start wearing hijab or a Muslim head scarf to class.
Then in July when she left home apparently for Istanbul, her parents found in her room a Koran and a prayer rug. This is according to an interview
Linda's mother did last year. We have also tried to get a response from the family ever since their daughter surfaced in Mosul last week.
They will not give us comments. Part of the mystery here is just how this teenager went from this quaint town in Germany to the war-torn streets of
Mosul. There are some reports that she was lured
[08:25:00] on line and married to an ISIS fighter. The German prosecutor would not confirm that. Both police and the prosecutor's office are still
investigating what exactly happened. If, however, she is proven to be a member of ISIS, then she could face charges both in Iraq and in Germany.
Atika Shubert, CNN, Pulsnitz, Germany.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LU STOUT: Teams in China are trying to clean up after a vicious rainstorm Yulin City. It triggered flash floods damaging roads, houses, and shops.
Witnesses say the water was so powerful it shift away cars. Fire fighters have evacuated residents. A meteorologist warned that the storms are
forecast to last until Friday.
And turning now to the case of the terminally ill baby, Charlie Gard. A London hospital has accused an American doctor who offered to treat
Charlie, bringing false hope to the parents. It also says that they were surprised the doctor had a financial interest in the treatment that he was
offering.
The doctor's lawyer has not yet responded to our request for comments. Meanwhile, the Gard family has given up its fight to take the baby to the
U.S. for experimental treatment. Anne Mclauglin reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ERIN MCLAUGHLIN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Charlie Gard's parents have made the emotional decision to let their baby go. This after a full
body MRI scan analyzed by independent expert showed that Charlie's muscles have atrophied to such an extent that the experimental treatment that
parents were hoping for would ultimately be futile. Charlie Gard's father, Chris, made an emotional statement outside the court saying good-bye to his
baby boy.
CHRIS GARD, FATHER OF CHARLIE GARD: Charlie, mommy and daddy love you so much. We always have and we always will. We are so sorry that we couldn't
save you. Sweet dreams, baby. Sleep tight. Good-bye to our little boy. We love you.
MCLAUGHLIN: His parents are clearly still extremely angry with the hospital treating Charlie as well as with the court system. Justice Francis, the
judge providing over the case for his part pay tribute to the parents, saying no parent could have done more for their child.
He also was extremely critical of what he characterized to be outside interference which included, quote, the absurd notion which has appeared in
recent days that Charlie has been a prisoner of the National Health Service or that the National Health Service has the power to decide Charlie's fate.
This is the antithesis of the truth. In this country, children have rights independent of their parents. And it has been the court system three
separate occasions taking the decision that this experimental treatment would be futile for Charlie Gard.
Now in light of this new full body MRI scan, the parents are in agreement and they are now working with the hospital to decide Charlie's end of life
care. Erin McLaughlin, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LU STOUT: Now, a lack of educational opportunities and jobs forces many women and girls in Cambodia into the hands of sex traffickers. And still to
come on the program, find out about efforts to rescue the victims just ahead in the CNN Freedom Project.
[08:30:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LU STOUT: I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong. You're watching "News Stream." These are world headlines. Exclusive video obtained by CNN shows Taliban
fighters holding weapons they say have come from Russia. Afghan and U.S. officials claim that Moscow is arming the Taliban to fight ISIS but Russia
denies that.
U.S. President Donald Trump is once again lashing out at his own attorney general. A short time ago, he tweeted this, quote, Jeff Sessions has taken
a very weak position on Hillary Clinton crimes. (INAUDIBLE) Sessions in "The New York Times" interview. "The Washington Post" reports that Mr.
Trump and his advisers are talking privately about possibly replacing Sessions.
Meanwhile, President Trump's son-in-law will have a close door interview with the House Intelligence Committee in the coming hours. Jared Kushner
met with Senate Intelligence Committee staffers privately on Monday. He confirmed he had four meetings with Russians during last year's campaign
and transition but says that he did not discussed anything improper.
The pressure inside the U.S. capital is immense right now. Republican senators are just over four hours away from their latest pitch on the drive
to repeal Obamacare. They're planning to meet behind close doors for their weekly lunch and then go vote on whether or not to proceed with debate.
Supporters will have a little more wiggle room than they thought. Senator John McCain who was recently diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain
cancer will be there for the vote. Republicans can now have two defections to still pass the bill. The president, vice president, and administration
officials are urging senators not to be the vote that shuts this process down.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Secretary Tom Price is also here today. Hopefully he's going to get the votes tomorrow to start our path toward killing this horrible thing
known as Obamacare that's really hurting us.
Are you going to get the votes? He better get them. He better get them. Otherwise, I will say, Tom, you're fired!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LU STOUT: The fight against child sex trafficking is making a difference in Cambodia. Some gains are being made to protect these young lives but this
battle is far from over. Alexandra Field reports on the raid that are taking place in Phnom Penh.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is the fight to rescue women and girls, children in Cambodia's capital city, Phnom
Penh.
ERIC MELDRUM, DIRECTOR OF INVESTIGATIONS, AIM SWAT TEAM: There was a brother that processes a coffee, selling coffee, so you have customers
waiting downstairs and they (INAUDIBLE) upstairs.
FIELD (voice-over): Eric Meldrum is working with AIM, an anti-human trafficking organization that works alongside police to track down
criminals. He's part of the coffee shop operation.
FIELD: It was clear to you that there were children inside there?
MELDRUM: Yes. We knew there were children there because this is an investigation that had been ongoing for about three months.
FIELD (voice-over): Three suspects all charged with trafficking-related (INAUDIBLE). Two girls, minors, and six women are found working inside.
They're taken to a police station where AIM will offer to provide help to all of them.
FIELD: You've done this before. (INAUDIBLE) these girls?
DON BREWSTER, FOUNDER OF AIM: Right now, they are more afraid than anything else. It takes time.
FIELD (voice-over): Time is something Don Brewster has to give. He founded AIM in 2005 and has been fighting child sex trafficking in Cambodia ever
since. To date, Brewster says AIM has rescued more than 700 people. Most of his efforts are focused in small community of Svay Pak, just outside of
Phnom Penh.
BREWSTER: When we first got here, you see public businesses were walking by. They literally had girls out front and they were little girls out front
dressed up -- dressed sexy if you can think of a little girl as sexy.
FIELD: You've spent years fighting it now. How much has changed here?
BREWSTER: We would say when we came, it was like 100 percent. I mean, if you were a girl born here,
[08:35:00] you were going to be trafficked. We would say today, it's significantly below 50 percent.
FIELD (voice-over): An annual U.S. State Department report on human trafficking shows that Cambodia continues to fail to meet minimum standards
for prevention. But the same report points to a clear sign of progress, an increase in the rate of prosecution of traffickers.
MELDRUM: The police are doing a good job. We've got very, very good cooperation with them.
FIELD (voice-over): The rate of child sex trafficking in Brothels has dropped from 30 percent to about two percent since 2002, according to the
Ministry of Interior. In the last three years, Meldrum says he helped rescue 130 girls, minors in more than 50 different raids.
MELDRUM: This is still a poor country and people are still looking to get money. Unfortunately with the lack of education, lack of jobs, the sex
industry is one of the roots.
FIELD (voice-over): The eight taken in from the coffee shot raid have a choice now. AIM will take custody of the two minors giving them treatments,
schooling, and care. And AIM will offer the other six women help, housing, jobs. An offer all six accept.
BREWSTER: I don't know how to explain it but there's such a -- there's a joy and there's like a home. It brings like a new dimension of hope.
FIELD (voice-over): Alexandra Field, CNN, Phnom Penh.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LU STOUT: And tomorrow, the Freedom Project will introduce you to some brick kiln laborers whose work is pouring Cambodia's booming economy, but
at what cost?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): It all starts here in the factories, largely outside the capital Phnom Penh, where life looks very different.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): I hope that the brick kiln (INAUDIBLE) will close this kiln when they run out of clay so I can get rid
of the debt and stop working here.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): Conditions are tough. Toilets are rare as well as running water. Entire families live right here at the factories.
The work is seasonal and most of the meager wages these workers earn at the kiln, they tell us, they have to return.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LU STOUT: The government of Cambodia tells CNN that there is no debt bondage in the kilns, but others disagree. Find out for yourself tomorrow
on CNN.
Now, poaching and pollution hurting some beautiful sea turtles in the Seychelles and still to come, a devoted conservationist, and her work to
save these beautiful endangered creatures.
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LU STOUT: Welcome back. Poaching and climate change are making survival difficult for a beautiful specie of sea turtle. In Seychelles, a local
conservation expert is teaching others to care for these creatures so that they will remain part of the ecosystem for generations to come.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VANESSA DIDON, MARINE CONSERVATIONIST: My name is Vanessa Didon. I am monitoring nesting of hawksbill turtles in the south of Mahe, Seychelles.
I'm doing this because one, I love these animals, they are simply beautiful. But more importantly, these animals are critically endangered in
the world and they deserve to be protected.
[08:40:00] It's always been in me. The environment has been calling me, I would say for some time. I can remember my first sighting or encountering a
turtle for the first time. I was blown away. You know, I quickly realized that, yes, this is the job for me, this is what I want to do.
Sadly sea turtles seem to have quite a lot of threats out there. We have poachers, ocean debris as well on the beach, which sometimes can put off
the turtle from coming up if she keeps bumping into a lot of rubbish. Sea turtles in Seychelles are protected under the law since 1994.
And nobody is allowed to hang, kill, or be in possession of sea turtle meat. Even the hatchlings are protected as well, the nest. But the issue
is that Seychellois are still consuming turtle meat. So, it's very important to try and protect, preserve, conserve this specie.
If we do have nests, like the turtle laid the eggs, we make sure we monitor the nest as well to make sure that the little hatchlings make it out alive,
safely into the sea and starting another life cycle.
Every living organism, I think, has its role in the environment. In the marine environment, the hawksbill turtles, we need them. They consume the
sponges among corals. And the other organisms, the other fish, they depend on the corals to have their habitat and so on. We don't want to have all
the animals, all the wildlife going to extinction.
One person can make a difference. It's not just about us, the adults. People have kids. I have kids. I would want them to grow up maybe doing the
same job that I'm doing.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LU STOUT: Now, a familiar icon will soon be vanishing from Windows computers. The extremely basic drawing tool MS Paint could be gone with the
upcoming Windows 10 update. Microsoft says that this program is 32 years old, it's no longer in active development.
Now, Paint is far from a sophisticated image editor and is known for its cartoonish-like colors. But the news has been sparking a huge wave of
nostalgia. Users are tweeting out Paint tributes like this one, saying, RIP, rest in peace MS Paint. RIP, our childhoods. Another tweeted a picture
of an older version of Paint, reminiscing about using the simple coloring tools to create abstract art.
All the attention has not gone unnoticed. Microsoft tweeted its own paint art. Reassured fans that Paint isn't gone forever. They will be available
for free in the Windows Store. Of course, we have to give our own tribute with this MS Paint "News Stream." That is "News Stream." I'm Kristie Lu
Stout. "World Sport with Christina Macfarlane" is next.
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[08:45:00] (WORLD SPORT)
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