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More Words from North Korea; The Trump Presidency; Spain and Catalonia Head Toward Showdown; Kenya Election Violence; Sexual Harassment Allegations; Protesters And Police Clash During Kenya Election; Officials: U.S. Sought To Arm Drones In Niger; Families Impacted By Addiction. Aired 8-9a ET
Aired October 26, 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)
ANNA COREN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hello. I'm Anna Coren in Hong Kong. Welcome to "News Stream."
More dramatic words from North Korea. A senior official says the world should take literally a threat to test the hydrogen bomb over the Pacific
Ocean.
President Trump uses a surprise news conference to say all is well in the Republican Party and lashes out at a familiar target.
And at least one protester killed in Kenya as the country votes for a new president for the second time in just months.
We frequently hear threats from North Korea but how seriously should we take them? Now a senior North Korean official tells CNN the warnings are
real. Pyongyang first threatens to test a hydrogen bomb over the Pacific Ocean last month. It also claims to have used hydrogen bomb in its biggest
ever nuclear test in early September.
let's go straight to Pyongyang. Will Ripley joins us from the North Korean capital. Will, North Korea is saying that we need to take this threat
literally. But let's be honest, isn't this just another case of North Korea screaming out for attention?
WILL RIPLEY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I don't think so, Anna. I think that's not a correct assessment. I think North Korea should be taken
very seriously because the indication I'm getting on the ground here is that they do plan to carry out a seventh nuclear test. It can very likely
be an above ground thermonuclear detonation, the kind of which the world hasn't seen in almost 40 years since China did it back in 1980.
It might seem counterintuitive to many people around the world. Why would North Korea do something so dangerous on so many levels that could
potentially take this region down such an irreversible path? But the answer from the North Korean perspective is simple. They feel that nuclear weapons
will somehow keep the peace and prevent the United States from attacking.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RIPLEY (voice-over): Flying into the North Korean capital, life on the surface seems normal. Beneath the surface, it's anything but. Overseas,
North Korean workers are being sent home in droves. Their jobs eliminated by U.N. sanctions. The U.S. calls it punishment for an illegal, dangerous
nuclear program. North Korea calls it evil, an economic blockade.
On my 16th trip to Pyongyang, I still see signs of growth. Plenty of traffic, construction, a steady flow of electricity, keeping the growing
skyline bright. But the prospects of a peaceful resolution to the nuclear standoff with the U.S. seem to be growing darker by the day.
At North Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we asked to meet with a senior diplomat. Ri Yong Pil agrees to talk, but the mood is tense, his
anger at the U.S. palpable.
RI YONG PIL, SENIOR NORTH KOREAN OFFICIAL (through translator): Donald Trump said he would totally destroy North Korea, a sovereign state.
RIPLEY (voice-over) He is referring to the U.S. president's fiery speech at the U.N. last month, when he personally insulted a fellow head of state.
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Rocket man is on a suicide mission for himself and for his regime.
RIPLEY (voice-over): North Korean leader Kim Jong-un fired back, calling President Trump's behavior "mentally deranged." North Korea's foreign
minister made a threat that alarmed even long-time Korea watchers.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): This could probably mean the strongest hydrogen bomb test over the Pacific Ocean.
RIPLEY (voice-over): Some analysts have accused North Korea of bluster, saying they haven't yet achieved full nuclear capability and if they go to
war, they risk total destruction. But the North Koreans warned the U.S. not to underestimate their resolve and their growing arsenal.
(on camera): Should the world prepare for North Korea to detonate a nuclear device above ground?
YONG PIL (through translator): The foreign minister is very well aware of the intentions of our supreme leader, so I think you should take his words
literally.
RIPLEY (voice-over): U.S. and North Korean officials tell CNN diplomacy has broken down, pushing two nuclear powers dangerously close to military
conflict.
YONG PIL (through translator): The U.S. is talking about a military option and even practicing military moves. They're pressuring us on all fronts
with sanctions. If you think this will lead to diplomacy, you are deeply mistaken.
RIPLEY (on camera): So then I ask, what needs to happen for diplomacy to resume?
YONG PIL (through translator): The U.S. needs to understand and use strategic power and fundamentally eliminate its hostile policy towards the
DPRK.
[08:05:00] RIPLEY (voice-over): He says North Korea's leader is following through on a pledge to reach a nuclear balance of power with the U.S.,
which they say will lead to peace and stability. Even as many around the world worry, the end result could be the exact opposite.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
RIPLEY: People who have been watching the Korean Peninsula for decades are very concerned right now, perhaps more concerned than they have ever been
because North Korea has never been this close to achieving a nuclear capable intercontinental ballistic missile that could strike potentially
the mainland United States. And it seems on the ground here that they are determined to prove that capability.
The big concern among officials in Washington who I have met with just last week and among a lot of analysts who were watching all of this unfold is
that if North Korea does this test which again they think is purely a demonstration, not an active war, that perhaps it might be interpreted very
differently by the Trump administration, especially given the fact that President Trump will be arriving here in Asia in less than two weeks on a
tour of the region.
If there were some sort of provocation during that trip, it is truly unknown right now how President Trump and the U.S. would respond.
COREN: Will, I think it is pretty clear if North Korea was to test a hydrogen bomb over the Pacific, the U.S. would unleash the fire and the
fury that Donald Trump has been talking about. Will Ripley joins from Pyongyang. Many thanks for that.
There are growing questions about how Democrats and Republicans collected data on each other to fight the U.S. presidential election. First to the
Trump campaign and WikiLeaks. Sources tell CNN the head of a data firm contacted WikiLeaks to try to get access to the thousands of e-mails
Hillary Clinton kept on a private server while secretary of state, but the request was rejected.
Let's get the latest now from Shimon Prokupecz. He is in New York. Shimon, what have you learned?
SHIMON PROKUPECZ, CNN CRIME AND JUSTICE REPORTER: Yes, that's right. So, this data firm, Cambridge Analytica, which was doing some work for the
Trump campaign reached out. We are told the head of this group reached out to WikiLeaks asking for an information about some Hillary-related e-mails
that we're told was rejected.
And as you know, Julian Assange yesterday tweeted, saying he redirected their request for the information. He shares this tweet. He said, I can
confirm an approach by Cambridge Analytica prior to November last year and can confirm that it was rejected by WikiLeaks.
Now, you know, this revelation comes at an interesting time. As we know, WikiLeaks has been called sort of a hostile non-nation, sort of state
whereby they have worked with other countries, hostile countries, in obtaining hacked information that then have released.
U.S. officials have always suggested that WikiLeaks is no friend of the government. And they have been used by other countries and by other hackers
to release information.
COREN: Shimon, I understand that CNN has uncovered few details that appear to refute that statement. Tell us more.
PROKUPECZ: Yes. This is a statement from the Trump campaign which basically says that they relied on their own data, that they rely on the RNC.
In their statement to us, they basically said that one of the most important decisions they made, the campaign made, was to partner with the
Republican National Committee on data analytics, sort of distancing themselves from any notion that they knew about this, that they knew that
ambridge Analytica reached out to WikiLeaks.
COREN: Shimon Prokupecz joining us from New York. Great to have you with us. Thanks for that.
Well, now to the Clinton campaign, the law firm representing Hillary Clinton and the Democratic National Committee confirms they paid for
research on then candidate Donald Trump helped fund the infamous dossier of allegations against the president and Russia. Mr. Trump insists, it was a
hoax. CNN's Joe Johns reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TRUMP: Hillary Clinton totally denied this. She didn't know anything. She knew nothing. All of a sudden, they found out.
JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): President Trump on offense attempting to shift the narrative away from the Russia
investigation and on to Hillary Clinton, blasting her campaign's involvement in helping to fund the now famous dossier of allegations about
Trump and Russia.
TRUMP: Well, I think it's very sad what they've done with this fake dossier. It was made up. And I understand they paid a tremendous amount of
money.
JOHNS (voice-over): Mr. Trump insisting that the dossier is fake
[08:10:00] despite the fact that parts of it have been corroborated by the intelligence community. A source familiar with the matter tells CNN that
Clinton was not personally aware of the dossier until BuzzFeed published the document earlier this year, adding that she was disappointed the
research was not made public before she lost the election.
The dossier was bank rolled by Republican foes during the primaries.
TRUMP: I wonder who that might be.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you have a sense?
TRUMP: I think I know, but you know, I'll let them find out.
JOHNS (voice-over): The president also weighing in on the investigation launched by house Republicans this week into the Obama era sale of uranium
mining company to Russia while Clinton was secretary of state.
TRUMP: I think the uranium sale to Russia and the way it was done so underhanded with tremendous amount of money being passed, I actually think
that's Watergate modern age.
JOHNS (voice-over): Russian nuclear official8 reportedly said millions of donations to the Clinton Foundation around the same time as the deal,
according to the Hill, prompting critics to allege Clinton was bribed, a claim that has not been substantiated and then Clinton calls Belloni (ph).
The Justice Department has given a former FBI informant the green light to testify about the deal. Despite public criticism from a number of prominent
Republicans, President Trump also insisting the party is united, citing his meeting with senate Republicans earlier this week as proof.
TRUMP: I called it a love fest. It was almost a love fest. Maybe it was a love fest. Standing ovation. There is great unity.
JOHNS (voice-over): Mr. Trump blaming the media for negative impression people may have of him.
TRUMP: I think the press makes me more uncivil than I am. People don't understand, I went to an Ivy League college, I was a nice student, I did
very well, I'm a very intelligent person.
JOHNS (voice-over): And again, defending his phone call with the widow of Sergeant La David Johnson.
TRUMP: I was really nice to her. I respect her family. I certainly respect La David, who I by the way called 'La David' right from the beginning. Just
so you understand, they put a chart in front: La David. Says La David Johnson. So, I call right from the beginning, there's no hesitation.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COREN: Joe Johns reporting there. Well, Mr. Trump is preparing for his trip to Asia. It seems he's back on good terms with Chinese President Xi
Jinping. The U.S. president congratulated Mr. Xi on what he calls his extraordinary elevation in China. Well, that's after the Chinese leader
showed off his grip on power during the Communist Party Congress.
The two are to meet in November. Mr. Trump has flip-flopped on his opinion of China. He attacked Beijing on trade during the election campaign and
switched between criticizing and praising them for dealing with North Korea.
Well, still to come here on "News Stream," Spain on the edge as Madrid nears a crucial vote on Catalonia.
Later this hour, the U.S. military pushes the arm drone in Niger as we learn more about the ISIS ambush that killed American troops.
[08:15:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COREN: You're looking at picture of Victoria Harbor and the sparkling lights of Hong Kong. Welcome back to "News Stream" live from Hong Kong.
In Thailand, people are bidding farewell to their beloved king, Bhumibol Adulyadej. Crowds of mourners gathered overnight hoping to secure a spot
for the funeral procession. The five-day event honors the man who was on the throne for 70 years. The royal urn was carried from the grand palace
for cremation. It marks the end of a one-year mourning period. The king was 88 years old.
The battle of wills between Catalonia and Madrid is coming to ahead this hour as pro-independents protesters march in Barcelona. Catalan leader
Carles Puigdemont is expected to speak in about ten minutes time. Meanwhile in Madrid, Spanish senate is preparing to vote on triggering Article 155 of
the constitution which would allow Madrid to impose direct rule over Catalonia.
For more, Erin McLaughlin is in Barcelona. Erin, there is a lot going on. Obviously we are expecting to hear from the Catalan president very shortly
and his word he could call regional elections. What are you hearing?
ERIN MCLAUGHLIN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Anna. That's right. Catalan parliament really at this point awash with speculation, a lot of
the speculation at this point centered around the possibility that Catalan president Carles Puigdemont could call for regional elections at some
point. Today, two that are pro-independent members of his own coalition have announced on Twitter their resignation at the prospect of this
regional elections.
So, really, this is something that moderate (ph) voices within his government have been calling for to try and slow down the Article 155
process, the process moving towards emergency rule. The socialists, which are the opposition to Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, socialist voices have
already come out and said that if Puigdemont does call for regional elections, they will oppose any Article 155 measures at the senate level.
It is worth noting though that the socialists have a minority in government. They do not have enough votes, but Rajoy does. So, if and when
regional elections are announced today, it still remains to be seen how Rajoy will respond.
The other option that President Puigdemont has at his disposal today is the possibility that he could call for independence, something that the pro-
independence elements, the more extreme elements within the government had wanted. But at this point, again, a speculation very much focused on this
idea that he could call for regional election.
COREN: There are thousands of people now on the streets obviously anticipating what the Catalan president will say in the next few minutes.
But let me ask you this, Erin. If the senate does declare an emergency, what would that mean?
MCLAUGHLIN: I mean, essentially, that would plunge this region into even deeper state of emergency. It would in essence sack the entire Catalan
government. There has been talk potentially of a minister being appointed in Madrid to oversee Catalonia for up to six months until they can call for
regional elections.
As part of these measures the senate now considering they would also take control of public media, public television, and public radio. We went to
TV3, the public broadcaster, and talked to them about what they are expecting out of all of this. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MCLAUGHLIN (voice-over): Journalists at TV3, Catalonia's public news station, never thought they would become a part of the story. Part of their
own coverage of Catalonia's push for independence. But that's exactly what happened after Spain's prime minister announced he is seizing control of
Catalonia's public TV and radio station. Vicent Sanchis is the station's news director.
VICENT SANCHIS, NEWS DIRECTOR, TV3 OF CATALONIA (through translator): There is no justification for government to intervene in public media.
MCLAUGHLIN (voice-over): The takeover over, just one element of Madrid's plan to exert control over Catalonia.
[08:20:00] Under Article 155 of the Spanish constitution. TV3 has been accused of being a propaganda tool in favor of Catalan President Carles
Puigdemont and his campaign for independence.
MCLAUGHLIN: Is TV3 bias in favor of Puigdemont?
SANCHIS (through translator): This is incredible. We are regulated by parliament. We are not controlled by the government. We don't favor anyone.
Even the doubt offends us.
MCLAUGHLIN (voice-over): Reporters Without Borders, a media watch group tells a different story. In October report, it writes, TV3 has a clear bias
in favor of the Catalan government. One example noticed by many Catalans, (INAUDIBLE) to play on Spain's national holiday, TV3 cuts back to the
studio. This is considered a cultural site (ph). The station says it wasn't intentional.
Reporters Without Borders is equally critical of the other side, Spain's national public media, TVE, saying it's bias in favor of Madrid. Some TVE
employees have even protested its coverage of the crackdown on the October first referendum, saying the station purposely downplayed the police
violence. TVE declined to comment.
The division is also apparent in print. Catalan paper's coverage of the recent general strike offering a very different picture than the papers out
of Madrid. On October first, images of police violence spread like wildfire on Facebook and Twitter, shocking Europe and the rest of the world.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): Many of those pictures have been proven to be fake pictures.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): Really?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): And that was -- if there was any use of force, it was a limited one.
MCLAUGHLIN (voice-over): Some of the images shared were doctored. The very real violent of the day was well-documented.
MICHAEL REID, STAFF JOURNALIST, THE ECONOMIST: Catalan independence movement and the Catalan government have been running a PR campaign for a
long time and (INAUDIBLE). I think the Spanish government was extremely slow to realize that it was losing a propaganda war, that it wasn't even
fighting.
MCLAUGHLIN (voice-over): A war the Spanish government now seems determined to win.
(on camera): The day after Article 155 is invoked, what happened to TV3?
SANCHIS: We don't know yet how it will be executed. Obviously, we're very worried.
MCLAUGHLIN (voice-over): Anxiety now a common feeling on both sides of this deepening divide.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MCLAUGHLIN: And really, Anna, what people here have been calling for at this point is clarity, clarity that we hope to get in just moment's time,
one we expect to hear from Catalan President Carles Puigdemont give what he has said will be an institutional statement. Anna?
COREN: Erin, we know you will be following this story very closely. We will cross back to you for any developments. Eric McLaughlin joining us there
from Barcelona. Thank you.
We go now to Kenya and the country's highly controversial and now deadly presidential election. A hospital says one person was shot and killed in
election violence in the pro-opposition city of Kisumu. Four people were wounded. Police fired tear gas and water cannons at protesters. The Supreme
Court annulled the August election results for the irregularities. The critics say the election take two is not fair either.
Farai Sevenzo has been speaking to voters in Nairobi and joins us now. Farai, as we just reported, there has been one death. There is violence
with police clashing the opposition supporters. Describe to us the feeling where you are.
FARAI SEVENZO, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Anna. I am in Kibera, which is one of the most famous places in Nairobi. It is a
(INAUDIBLE) settlement. And we have been witnessing for the last two hours or so, regular clashes, points of contact between the youth of Kibera who
predominantly support Raila Odinga. It is Raila Odinga's stronghold.
There have been hurling stones towards the direction of the police. Police have been firing teargas in their direction. It has been a tense morning.
They retreat from just beyond this police truck behind me. I am sure you can see gunfire going on or teargas being discharge.
And just beyond that little hill there in the far background is where the youth keep coming up to engage the police and they are shouting things like
no Raila, no peace. They are saying no reform, no election. The very same message they have been saying in all their approaches that we have
witnessed in the last seven or eight weeks, Anna.
COREN: Farai, what are you hearing about voter turnout around the country?
SEVENZO: Well, interestingly enough, we (INAUDIBLE) day at a polling station in (INAUDIBLE)
[08:25:00] which is the heartland of Mr. Uhuru Kenyatta. There we saw rows and rows of people voting very peacefully. I met a 93-year-old great
grandmother who says that she had always voted since independence and it was her right to vote.
But, of course, remember, that is Mr. Kenyatta's heartland. Where we are, in Kibera. Where you just spoke of a dead, in Kisumu. These places have not
been at peace since this election was annulled. There have been weekly demonstrations against the IEBC and this death is just once a day, but
yesterday we also reported that three people have been shot.
So, it is not without its fatalities and it is a very tense time for Kenya. But, of course, it is the 26th of October and election must go ahead. Mr.
Kenyatta's people have voted, but we know that there is one man who was conspicuous by his absence from the ballot and that is Mr. Odinga. Of
course, all his supporters are not voting and instead we are hearing guns and teargas fire all around this neighborhood at the moment, Anna.
COREN: Farai, explain that to me. Mr. Odinga is boycotting the polls. What does that mean in relation to the validity of this election and the result?
SEVENZO: Well, that's a very, very good question indeed. It means essentially that we have one presidential candidate who has any chance of
getting the overall vote to make him a president. But it also means millions of people are not voting in protest, all along in Mombasa on the
coast and the west in Kisumu, people have not voted here and Kibera, they are not voting.
So what this means? If we look at the long game, it is that there will yet another petition to the judiciary, about the invalidity of this election.
The opposition have called out and said that their movement, the national super alliance, is now turning into a resistance movement. They spoke
yesterday of trying to (INAUDIBLE) a dictatorship.
They don't want to roll back the years to when Kenya was a dictatorship and the executive was in control. They have a new constitution and they say
that this election trambles all over that constitution. And of course, the government of Mr. Kenyatta say exactly the opposite. So, we are in for a
bumpy ride until the results come out. And of course, you can bet, we will be going back to the court very soon.
COREN: Farai, we certainly appreciate you bringing us the story. Please stay safe. Farai Sevenzo there joining us from Nairobi in Kenya.
Another actress who is coming forward to accuse Harvey Weinstein of sexual misconduct. Natasha Malta says the movie producer raped her in a hotel in
2008, and at a later date tried to involve her in a sexual act. Malta says she was encouraged by her friends to come forward and wants her son to
understand how to treat women respectfully.
Her attorney, Glorai Allred, is proposing the film company bearing Weinstein's name create a fund to compensate Harvey's alleged victims. So,
far, more than 40 women have accused Weinstein of misconduct ranging from sexual harassment to rape. He has denied allegations of nonconsensual sex
but admits to some improper behavior and has apologized for causing pain.
The Weinstein scandal has opened the floodgates. Now former U.S. President George H.W. Bush has apologized after an actress says he touched her
inappropriately. Heather Lind says that while posing for a picture in an event four years ago, the former president sexually assaulted her as he
told her a dirty joke.
In a statement, Mr. Bush's spokesman said, to try to put people at ease, the president routinely tells the same joke and on occasion, he has patted
women's rears (ph) in what he intended to be a good natured manner. To anyone he has offended, President Bush apologizes most sincerely.
Well, coming up on News Stream, why the U.S. wants armed drones in Niger and new details on the deadly ambush there. We are live in the country's
capital.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[08:30:00] ANNA COREN, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back. I'm Anna Coren in Hong Kong. You are watching News Stream. These are you world headlines.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COREN: A hospital in Kisumu, Kenya says one person was shot and killed in election violence, four were wounded. Police have been using teargas and
water cannon to dispose protesters. This is the second time in three months.
The country is voting for a president, the Supreme Court annulled the result to the August vote for the irregularities. Catalonia's stand-off
with Madrid is coming to ahead.
We had been waiting for Catalan's president to speak possibly to announce that he was dissolving the regional parliament and calling new elections.
That was expected to happen right now.
But moments ago, we learned that plans for Carles Puigdemont to speak publicly have been cancelled. And Friday, the Spanish Senate is expected
to decide on whether Catalonia ends the direct rule over its independence rule.
At least 47 people have been killed and dozens injured in an explosion at a fireworks factory in Indonesia. It happened just outside the capital of
Jakarta. A fire in an electrical panel may have triggered the explosion.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COREN: We have now learned that the U.S. military had been trying to arm its drones in Niger before a recent ambush killed four U.S. and five
Nigerian soldiers. Well that is according to three defense officials who spoke with CNN.
On Monday, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff said a drone arrived on the scene of the attack, minutes after the troops requested support but
it wasn't able to carry out air strikes because it was not armed.
Well for more on what's happening in Niger, our David McKenzie joins us from the country's capital. David, before we get to the drones, tell us
more about what you're learning in relation to the mission and the high valued target that the soldiers were after.
DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's right, that mission ended up being an intelligence gathering mission for those high-value targets as
you describe who is linked to a terror group operating in this region.
Now at some point, after that -- that deadly ambush unfolded and as you say, there have been requests by the U.S. mission here in Niger for those
drones to be armed but I have to say, that request can substantially earlier then this ambush and it's very unclear that it would've made any
difference in this particular fight -- fire fight.
Given the fact that French Mirage jets that were taken to the scene or deployed to the scene in the aftermath of that attack weren't able to
infact engage the enemy.
But it is a ongoing request and it does show that the Americans are trying to bolster their operations here in assisting Nigerian troops to go after
terror groups working in the region. Anna.
COREN: Yes, David, I wanted to ask you about that armed drones would obviously signal a significant escalation in the U.S. counterterrorism
operations in the region.
MCKENZIE: Well, that's right and it is worth remembering that the French have a very substantial force in the most territory. In fact it's emerging
now according to defense officials in primes.
[08:35:00] That several days ago, there was a strike by French fighter jets and ground troops on al-Qaeda linked militants in northern Mali killing 15
suspected terrorists according to the French. So it does show that this is an ongoing battle against terror groups operating in the Sahel, a very vast
region.
Many of those groups have lose affiliations with al-Qaeda and ISIS but it does appear that the Americans and the French and the allies are trying to
stamp out this threat before it becomes a threat that can over take territory in these regions away from the capital's of these countries.
Anna.
COREN: David, why is this region considers such a fertile recruiting ground for al-Qaeda and ISIS?
MCKENZIE: Well, part of that is just the mix of factors that is fertile for the clearings to terror groups throughout the world. You have these
under governance spaces, very large Jewish population and that is susceptible to money and influence of possible terror groups that can, at
times come in and become like a quasi-state.
You just saw in Mali several years ago, Islamic militants kind of moving into areas and taking over territory much like you had with ISIS in the
Middle East. Now you have this different phase of the mission where you have smallish groups augmented since that are attacking -- targets in
capital around the region.
And do pose a threat but you know, clearly the national governments here are working with their llies to try and keep it at that relatively low
level threat in terms of numbers and territory. Anna.
COREN: David McKenzie, joining us from Niger, many thanks for that update. Well still to come on News Stream, one family feels the impact of an
escalating epidemic. We'll hear from a mother who lost a son addicted to opioid drugs.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COREN: Well, in a few from now, Donald Trump is to speak on the U.S. opioid epidemic. On Wednesday, the president told reporters, he will
declare the crisis, a national emergency in the very near future.
Some experts call it the deadliest drug crisis in U.S. history. Overdoses are the leading cause of death for Americans under the age of 50. While
highway running through New Hampshire is used to -- used dealers to move drug up and down the East Coast, the state has a high rate of opioid
prescriptions.
So getting the drugs there is fairly easy but getting off of them is not. Chris Cuomo talked to the mother and brother of one addict who wanted to
quit but couldn't.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHRIS CUOMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Susan is painfully aware of how fragile an addict hold on life can be. This drive home with her son Roger through
Lawrence, Massachusetts holds bitter memories.
ROGER MARKIEVITZ, BROTHER OF OPIOID ADDICT: : The whole street would be on Friday about 20th, 25 or 30 deal is out there.
CUOMO: Roger says this is where his little brother Chad, the youngest of Susan's four kids used to buy heroin.
[08:40:00] SUSAN MARKIEVITZ, MOTHER OF OPIOID ADDICT: If you met him today you go would wow, what a kid. You know, that's -- he made an impression in
everybody's life. He was just some big out to a kid.
CUOMO: When he was just 15, he started taking prescription pills from his friend's grandparents medicine cabinet, like so many others that was his
path to heroine.
S. MARKIEVITZ: I was angry. I -- you know, it was really hard with Chad because -- I'm sorry. I get teary eyed -- because he hated the drug so
much for him to get into it.
You would look at him and say who are you. You would see his body, you would see his beautiful face that was getting older looking by the day and
just ask who are you.
CUOMO: What happens when the drug takes over?
S. MARKIEVITZ: They know, they feel but they can't stop. He wanted to rid that himself as a monster.
CUOMO: She says they tried every approach in the book. Tough love?
S. MARKIEVITZ: We've tried that.
CUOMO: If you do that again, you're out.
S. MARKIEVITZ: You got that.
CUOMO: Cut you off.
S. MARKIEVITZ: Yes.
CUOMO: I call the police.
S. MARKIEVITZ: Yes.
CUOMO: After Chad spent several years in and out of rehab programs, Susan says, she was left with no choice but to have him arrested. As tough as
that decision was, jail may have been the best place for him.
He got clean and started to make plans for his future. But within just two days of coming back home, a simple call from a friend destroyed everything.
S. MARKIEVITZ: He came home, he couldn't even eat dinner. He was so high. We couldn't even talk at the dinner table and my husband and I just said
seriously, you've been cleaned for four months, you know.
And just somebody that like it was glowing with health and just using that once. He had that look on his face that great look comes right back.
CUOMO: The next morning she found Chad's dog who usually slept in his room downstairs.
S. MARKIEVITZ: She had that look and I said, all right, that's it. So, I pound in going up the stairs because now I'm angry like OK, you had a bad
day, you're getting out of bed. I don't care if I don't go to work today. You're going somewhere and I found him. You know, he didn't make it
through.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COREN: (Inaudible), reporting there, you can learn more about the epidemic by visiting our website including what make these drugs dangerous and
what's being done to prevent this spread. It's all at CNN.com/opioids. Well, that is News Stream. I'm Anna Coren, thank you so much for your
company. World Sport is up next.
END
