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NEWS STREAM

At Least 85 Dead In Attack At Mosques In Egypt's Sinai; Emmerson Mnangagwa Now Zimbabwe's President; Sound Detected Consistent With Explosion; Search Going On For 44 Missing Crew Members; Former Soldier: Brutal Conditions In North Korea; Source: Flynn's Lawyer's End Information Sharing With Trump Team; Black Friday Kicks Off Holiday Shopping Season; UNHCR Condemns Police Removal of Refugees. Aired At 8-9a ET

Aired November 24, 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)

ROBYN CURNOW, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Robyn Curnow in Atlanta. Thanks for joining us. This is News Stream.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CURNOW: A new leader for Zimbabwe after nearly 40 years, Emmerson Mnangagwa has just been sworn in, promising a president for all the people.

Desperate escape as a former North Korean soldier describes the action at a defects at the South Korea. And as another human rights lawyer gets prison

time in China, we hear from three former inmates about their traumatic experience.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CURNOW: All of those stories in just a moment. Buy first, some breaking news out of Egypt. Egyptian state media report at least 85 people have

been killed and dozens wounded in an attack at a mosque in northern Sinai.

Now it happened during Friday press, reports say a bomb went off and a gunman opened fire on worshipers as they fled the mosque. Joining me now

is Ian Lee.

He spent nine years in Egypt and was just in the Sinai, Lafayette. He joins from Jerusalem. Not a lot of details, it's early days. What else

are you hearing? Hi, Ian.

IAN LEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Robyn. It is still very early but the one thing we've been watching, Robyn, is this death toll just to continue to

climb. It first came out as around 54 people.

Now it's 85 people have died and this does seem to be somewhat of a sophisticated attack against this mosque, against these civilians. What

we're hearing is at least two explosions went off.

When people inside tried to flee the mosque, that's when militants opened fire. Now no one has claimed responsibility for this. But this is an area

where we know that militants who have pledged allegiance to ISIS have been fighting the government and have been fighting tribesmen as well.

And so right now they are the main suspects. Again no one has claimed responsibility but this does there, the hallmarks of an ISIS attack.

CURNOW: OK. Ian Lee, thanks so much for that report. Come back to us if you get any more details. Thank you. So let's move on and talk about

Zimbabwe.

New era in that southern African as nation as Emmerson Mnangagwa has taken the reign as president after south to 37 years under Robert Mugabe and he

was quick to deliver a speech that outlines sweeping changes.

Here he is taking the oath of office. He promised to bring Zimbabwe in the age of democracy, to bring an end to corruption and he says he is committed

to next year's election.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EMMERSON MNANGAGWA, ZIMBABWEAN PRESIDENT: I feel deeply humbled by the decision of my party, ZANU-PF, inviting me to serve our nation, the

Republic of Zimbabwe in the capacity as president and commander-in-chief of Zimbabwe defense forces which effect from today.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CURNOW: David McKenzie there is the stadium. You were listening to that speech, you were listening to the response of the crowds. Tell us what

struck you.

DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Robyn, what struck me is as you said, he went through a whole lot of key points that worth listening,

getting optimism to a whole lot of different people.

They were interspersed the pictures from the crowd and it is a momentous moment for Zimbabwe. You know they have only known one leader since

independence, Robyn, Robert Mugabe.

He and everybody is still in his home after he signed, after this extraordinary event that started with a coup. And have the man who

orchestrated him getting pushed out, Emmerson Mnangagwa, taking that oath of office and making that speech.

That speech I think was before even giving Robert Mugabe his view as a liberation leader. He said that this is the time for all Zimbabweans, who

reached out to the opposition, who reached out to the international community.

He says he wants sanctions to be lifted but they need results first. And he said that everyone needs to get to work. They shouldn't dwell on the

past and look to the present and the future, Robyn.

Something he got is both important I think to Zimbabwe I spoke to but also because this man upholds in somewhat tension because of his relationship

with Robert Mugabe of all these years. But certainly he is more energetic leader and a leader that appears to want to take this country in a very

different direction. Robyn.

[08:05:00] CURNOW: Yes, I mean it is so different, all those speeches we heard from Mr. Mugabe who used to rant and rave at just about everything.

I mean this was a very cautious and optimistic speech. As you say, looking to the future and also fascinating when it comes to issues around land

reform and compensating farmers.

MCKENZIE: Yes, I was quite surprised that he brought up that in his first speech, of course to remind viewers those horrible scenes some years ago

when farmers predominantly wipe Zimbabweans and (Inaudible) farmers were pushed forcibly off their land by so called war veterans.

That's been a long contentious issue here. Mnangagwa, the new president said that while they want to look at the issue of redistribution of land,

that they want, you know, give those lands that necessarily. He said they will look to compensate those farmers that had their land taken away from

them.

That's a very different move and it got a big cheer from this crowd here at the National Stadium. He did say though that the people who got the land

and the people of Zimbabwe generally...

CURNOW: We seem to have lost, David's, shot. He's been there all day reporting on those momentous words coming from Zimbabwe's new president and

so much so there. So under Mugabe's dissent was met with violence.

Since his resignation, it certainly been jubilation on the streets of the capital and, Farai Sevenzo, visited a part of Harare that is revealing on

what it sees as a as a new found freedom.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FARAI SEVENZO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is Highfields, one of Harare's oldest townships. Robert Mugabe and Joshua Nkomo, the founding fathers of

the ruling ZANU-PF, have lived here.

Now it's a stronghold for Morgan Tsvangirai opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change. And life here is about survival. The jobs are

informal, mechanics, market women, barbers, and a great deal of unemployed is hustling.

It's now a traditionally opposition area Highfield. This is the room where Robert Mugabe's people did Operation Murabatsvina which means clear out the

filth.

And they razed people's houses on the pretense that they didn't have planning permission. But the aim really was to smash the newly-formed

Movement for Democratic Change, the opposition's support base. This is all over here.

Maxwell is one of those who had his home destroyed in 2005. The father of three used to be a bank manager. Now he, like so many others, has no job.

MAXWELL TANDARA (PH), HIGHFIELDS RESIDENT: All these years I've been working in the bank for 19 years as manager, which leads us now, I

generally have nothing to do. I mean we turn around.

SEVENZO: He is desperate for a chance to vote for change, freely and fairly.

MAXWELL: We must -- both of them, Mnangagwa, Tsvangirai, they must come together, work together, bring reforms for election, an equal election must

be done. (INAUDIBLE) It's unfair.

SEVENZO: Unfair because people are so euphoric. But right now incoming president, Emmerson Mnangagwa has the edge. The boys at the barber shop

are optimistic. In fact Nasha (ph), George, Mayesa (ph) and Archibald (ph) can't even believe they're allowed to speak to us.

(CROSSTALK)

SEVENZO: They say, you know, Mugabe, if they'll be seen like this, they would have been beaten up for talking to us.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's only that people wanted change. He does view that things will change. They wanted change.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Here in Zimbabwe right now, it seems to be a bit simpler.

SEVENZO: Why?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: To discouraged the mistakes of this old man.

SEVENZO: And then everything is better now?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

SEVENZO: These schoolgirls tell us they also believe the future is suddenly brighter with Robert Mugabe's departure. Still, it's in areas

like these -- poor, ignored, and proud where the real test of change will be measured.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (Speaking Foreign Language) I think it's OK. But in the meantime people...

FARAI SEVENZO, CNN, Highfields, Harare.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CURNOW: Thank you, Farai, for that report. Now to South Africa. Former Olympic and Paralympic sprint, Oscar Pistorius will be spending a lot more

time behind bars.

An appeals court has more than doubled his sentence from six years to just over 13 years. Pistorius killed his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp at his home

in Pretoria on Valentine's Day four years ago.

The ruling came on appeal by the prosecution which argued his previous sentences as being too lenient. Steenkamp's family welcomed it on the

sentence saying she can now, quote, rest in peace.

[08:10:00] And a critical new clue in the search for that missing submarine, the Argentine navy has confirmed the noise detected nearest last

known location is consistent with an explosion.

Families of the crew are devastated by the news and have gathered at the military base praying for a minute miracle. Stefano Pozzebon is there.

He's been watching a lot of these scenes unfold. Stefano, what's the mood like now?

STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The mood, Robyn, is of waiting and expectation, still (Inaudible) development early yesterday when the Navy

confirmed the existence of this noise there and it's said that is consistent noise and explosion.

That does not mean that it was actually an explosion on the San Juan on that specific morning of the 15th of November. Not for insurgent and the

Navy is saying that the search is still. Several countries are involved in channeling a narrow stretch of sea.

But it is larger in the country of Spain to still try to locate that submarine and the crew member, and the Navy is urging the Argentineans and

to pursue their relatives to keep hopes alive saying that they are still hopeful to find them -- to find those 44.

But of course the mood here in Mar del Plata is -- I mean incredible expectation and you can understand how dissert most people are. We were

able to speak with one wife yesterday, Itati Leguizamon. Here is what she had to say to us.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ITATI LEGUIZAMON, WIFE OF CREW MARINE (through a translator): They did not tell us that their dead but that's a logical assumption. Since Wednesday

they are there. They said (BLEEP) knew it. They did not give an explanation. They said that according to them, they now know. But how do

they now know?

How can they know that? I felt cheated. They haven't been located but they talk about them being down 3000 meters. They don't tell us anything

but I will tell you that their wretched. They manipulated us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

POZZEBON: And you can see, Robyn, how these people are running out of hope but we spoke with that that woman -- with Maria, two days ago and she was

still for hopeful and confident she would have been able to welcome her husband back here in the base in Mar del Plata.

But the news yesterday changed everything. You can see that everything here took a very much darker tone in Mar del Plata. Robyn.

CURNOW: Yes it certainly did, 44 souls were on board. Thanks so much. Great reporting there, Stefano Pozzebon. Now a North Korean soldier's

dramatic escape into South Korea almost cost him his life.

But now a South Korean doctor say his medical condition shows just how bad things are in the North. Anna Coren spoke with another defector. He told

that the soldier must have been desperate.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You can see him moving at a good rate of speed.

ANNA COREN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Speeding down a deserted road on the DMZ, a North Korean soldier is attempting something that the U.N. Command says no

one has ever done before.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You will see some KPA soldiers, come out of this building here as the vehicle quickly moves past them.

COREN: Using an army jeep that he drives to within meters of the South Korean border. And under a rain of bullets from his own comrades he runs

across the demarcation line defecting.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through a translation): There have been many defectors but this is the first one I want to praise the bravery. He was heroic. I

never thought to do this because it was a suicide mission.

COREN: Thrity-two-year-old (Inaudible) would know. He spent 10 years as an officer in the North Korean People's Army based on the DMZ. And while

he thought about defecting, he never imagined pulling off such a daring escape.

Instead he crossed the border into China, made his way to Thailand and then defected to South Korea four years ago. And that's where he met his wife,

also a defector, who doesn't want her identity name revealed fearing for the safety of her family back in North Korea.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through a translation): Conditions were harsh. Everyone was hungry, even the soldiers, he said. The U.N. is sending rice

and fertilizer and it all goes to the ranking officials. There are many soldiers who also die from disease because they're not given medical

treatment.

COREN: The latest defector, the third this year, suffered serious injuries to his arms and abdomen from at least four bullet wounds. By the time he

was medevacked to hospital, he'd lost more than 50 percent of his blood and was almost dead.

And while surgeons were operating, they discovered dozens of parasitic worms, some up to 27 centimeters long which doctors say were the results of

poor hygiene and malnutrition.

Back in the 1990s famine and starvation plagued North Korea but the U.N. says malnutrition is still a major problem. More than 40 percent of the

population is under nourished and one in four children face chronic malnutrition.

[08:15:00] And while North Korean soldiers are generally treated better than civilians, life is still a constant struggle. This exclusive footage

obtained by a South Korean Christian mission shows North Korean soldiers physically plowing the soil instead of using livestock.

And here they're foraging through a bird's nest hunting for chicks presumably to eat. Park (INAUDIBLE) who heads the mission has rescued

hundreds of North Koreans. He says while this footage is bleak, it's not hunger that motivates defectors but rather the desire for freedom.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through a translation): North Koreans are thirsty for the outside world and frustrated by the reality they face, he explains.

Those who defect including soldiers are hungry for information and have a strong desire to get out.

COREN: Kyang (ph) says he, too, wanted a better life, especially for his new family. And now, working as a journalist he occasionally broadcasts

loud speaker messages to the North Korean soldiers and has this message for his fellow defector.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through a translation): Congratulations on your defection, happy South Korea. I wonder if you heard my broadcast and it

helped with your decision. I hope we can meet and have a soju.

COREN: Anna Coren, CNN, Seoul.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CURNOW: And unadulterated in the era after an allege terror mastermind is freed from house arrest in neighboring Pakistan. Hafiz Muhammad Saeed is

accused by India and the United States of being responsible for the Mumbai attacks that killed 164 people in 2008.

He had been under house arrest in Pakistan since January but a court there ordered his release saying there was no evidence to hold him. Saeed denied

involvement in the Mumbai attacks and a spokeman for the organization said he was to lead Friday press at the mosque in Lahore.

You are watching News Stream. I'm Robyn Curnow. Up next, we're told Michael Flynn's lawyer says stop sharing information with President Trump's

legal team.

So what could that mean as the Russia probe moves forward. Also, bargain (Inaudible) and the web for Black Friday deals, we'll take you shopping

when News Stream returns.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CURNOW: New developments in the Russian investigation. As source tells CNN, Michael Flynn's lawyers will not be sharing any more information about

Special Counsel Robert Mueller's probe with the other defense team.

That includes the U.S. president's legal team. The source said that could show the former national security advisor is preparing to plead guilty.

And the news comes as president Trump is in Mar-a-Lago for the Thanksgiving weekend. Our Joe Johns is there, too.

JOE JOHNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Robyn, it raises the question whether there could be more charges on the way soon. It clearly shows a change in the

relationship between the president's legal team and lawyers for the former national security advisor that could be many reasons for that.

[08:20:00] The White House framing on is that it doesn't necessarily suggest Michael Flynn has turned on his former boss.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHNS: A source telling CNN that fired national security adviser Michael Flynn's defense team is no longer sharing information with the president's

legal team, a sign that Flynn could be preparing to plead guilty in Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation.

Mr. Trump's attorney Jay Sekulow disputes that in a statement to CNN. "No one should draw the conclusion that this means anything about General Flynn

cooperating against the president."

But the New York Times, which first reported the story, detailed that the president's lawyers believe Flynn is discussing a deal with Mueller,

pointing to the significant criminal exposure that Flynn and his son are facing.

The new revelations coming just weeks after CNN reported Flynn was concerned about his son's potential legal exposure in the investigation.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I have nothing to do with Russia. To the best of my knowledge, no person that I deal with does.

JOHNS: Flynn is one of the most prominent Trump associates under scrutiny over his long-established ties to Russia. Flynn seen here sitting here

with Russian president Vladimir Putin in 2015 at an event in Moscow.

During the presidential transition Flynn misled Vice President Mike Pence about discussing sanctions with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak.

MIKE PENCE, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The conversations that took place at that time were not in any way related to new U.S. sanctions

against Russia.

JOHNS: We now know that four days after President Trump was sworn in the FBI interviewed Flynn about his calls with Kislyak. Acting attorney

general Sally Yates even warned the White House that Flynn was vulnerable to potential blackmail by Russia. But Trump continued defending Flynn.

TRUMP: This man has served for many years. He's a general. He's -- in my opinion, a very good person. I believe that it would be very unfair to

hear from somebody who we don't even know and immediately run out and fire a general.

JOHNS: The president eventually forcing Flynn to resign. It was later revealed that President Trump had been pressuring FBI Director, James

Comey, to back off investigating Flynn before firing him, too. Flynn also coming under intense scrutiny for failing to disclose payments he received

from Russian entities.

The White House reportedly bracing for charges against Flynn after three other Trump associates were recently indicted. But The Times notes, the

White House insists that neither Mr. Flynn nor other former aides have incriminating information to provide about Mr. Trump.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

JOHNS: The president continues his holiday weekend here in Sunny South Florida but attention is already turning to next week when he will sit down

with congressional leaders try to finalize attacks plan. Robyn.

CURNOW: Thanks so much, Joe, there at Mar-a-Lago. Now, to the shopping frenzy Black Friday today, kicks over the holiday shopping season and it's

crucial to struggling retailers in the U.S. and around the world.

Some sort of a black Friday sales a day early, here you can see crowd outside Macy's in New York late on Thursday. The National Retail

Federation expects American shoppers to spend more than even but for the first time, more of those consumers say they plan do their shopping online

rather than stores.

And a shift is having a brutal impact to the bottom line at the Brick-and- Mortar store and that's where we find Polo Sandoval at a Target of New Jersey. What's that like for you there this morning, Polo?

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know, Robyn, important to remember that Black Friday, the shopping tradition in the United States is something

that we've seen for many years but it's fun that were evolving for a couple reasons.

For example where you don't see those giant crowds that were so used to seeing for couple of reasons, one, as many retailers like Target are

opening their doors to shoppers the day before Black Friday which means many of these shoppers have taken advantage of these big door busting deals

yesterday.

And other reason as you just mentioned a little while ago, most people are choosing to simply go online rather than stand in line because many of the

deals that we have seen not just here in Target but other major retailers in the United States, they are offering those deals online as well.

So if you don't have to brave the cold or the crowds, then why not simply do your shopping online. But again, so far things do look good.

As you just mentioned a while ago, the economy taken a slight turn hopefully for the better especially with one of the lowest unemployment

rates of the United States that we've seen in 17 years.

Retailers here in the United States are hoping that that will translate to more sales not just yesterday and today but also what will be a very busy

holiday season. I see, Robyn, from the big popular items in the U.S. of course are always those big screen televisions.

But something that a lot of viewers may not know, how would a big giant teddy bear, yes, I wish I can actually have the hands on one of these right

now to show you but you can't find those. Target telling me that they sold out about 600 a minute yesterday when the doors to this store open.

[08:25:00] So that and anything else will give you an indication of just how busy it was yesterday rather than what we're usually use to seeing

today after this U.S. holidays Thanksgiving.

CURNOW: I mean, I'm just wondering how you got home with a giant teddy bear and a TV set, you know, in each hands. I mean it's crazy but I mean

these are the scenes we have been seeing which all the more reason to do these -- the shopping on Amazon or online because you can get free shipping

as well.

I'm mean it's very interesting to see (Inaudible) that you know, Amazon or these big online retailers are going to have this season.

SANDOVAL: Yes, absolutely. But that doesn't mean that some of these retailers are giving up. In fact this teddy bear, you can only find it or

get this kind of deal in the store. So many retailers in the United States are offering in-store exclusive deals to try to lower some of the shoppers.

But as you just a little while ago, close to 60 percent of shoppers this holiday season will stay home, do their shopping online rather than make

their way into the store.

But there is a small amount people some of which I spoke to that still rather come in. For them it's about the tradition, it's about that face-

to-face interaction with store employees. So really depend on who you ask where they're going to be doing their shopping this holiday.

CURNOW: Yes, you know, they like to elbow out all the other shoppers and that is really in the taste I think but it does seem rather in today. I

don't know about you though.

I mean would you be induced to come to a store on Thursday evening after Thanksgiving meal for a giant teddy? I think it would take a lot more to

get me to come in there.

SANDOVAL: Great. Same here but again, you see people and say it's part of the fun, grab the family and come in, and maybe work off that holiday

turkey.

CURNOW: Having a good old American capitalism at work. Polo Sandoval, thanks so much happy. Happy shopping.

SANDOVAL: Thanks, Robyn.

CURNOW: So of course, no American Thanksgiving would be complete without the Macy's Day Parade.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CURNOW: Balloons, bands and float glide in trough the streets of Manhattan and a very heavy security the parade has. But it didn't New Yorkers from

turning.

Take a look at some of these fabulous balloons as giant movie and TV characters round their way from Central Park to Herald Square. This was

the 91st Thanksgiving Day parade. You are watching News Stream.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CURNOW: Still to come, the crackdown on dissent in China is increasingly targeting law makers and activist. We will bring you some of their stories

next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CURNOW: I'm Robyn Curnow in Atlanta. Thanks for joining us. You are watching News Stream and these are your world headlines.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[08:30:00] CURNOW: Middle Eastern media reported at least 120 people have been killed in an attack on a mosque in the Northern Sinai region. The

attack happened during Friday prayers. There was a bombing and then gunmen opened fire on worshipers as they fled the mosque. There has been no claim

of responsibilities so far.

Zimbabwe has a new president. Emmerson Mnangagwa was sworn in a short time ago before cheering crowd. He paid tribute to his predecessor Robert Mugabe

and promised to change the culture of government. He talked about an end of corruption, that farmers who have been seized land will be compensated,

and he promised that election will be held next year.

South African court has more than doubled the prison sentence for Oscar Pistorius. It has been increased from six years to more than 13 years. The

former Olympian shot and killed his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp (INAUDIBLE) four years ago. No word yet if Pistorius plan to appeal the new sentence.

Source told CNN that Michael Flynn's lawyers will no longer be sharing information with the other defense teams in the Russia investigation. That

includes Mr. Trump's legal team. The source said this could mean the former national security adviser is preparing to plead guilty. There has been no

comment from Flynn's attorneys.

China's crackdown on human rights lawyers, have seen them kidnapped and thrown into prison. Now, some say they were tortured. Beijing denies the

allegations and says the lawyers and activists are criminals. Matt Rivers profiles some of the detainees who shared the stories.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATT RIVERS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He looks tired on the cusp of defeat. Broadcast on state media, respected human rights

lawyer, Jiang Tianyong, confesses to inciting subversion of state power. On Tuesday, the court sentenced him to two years in prison.

Half a world away, living in political asylum in California, his wife, Jin Bianling, watch in disbelief. He must have been horribly tortured, she told

CNN. Tortured because there is no way, Jin says, that his confession is real. He used to tell me if I ever admit to a crime like this, it means

I've been tortured.

In custody for nearly a year now, Jiang Tianyong story is not unique in today's China. Activists say President Xi Jinping has overseen a campaign

of increase oppression on human rights advocates. And those lawyers who represent them in court on cases that range from defending labor right to

religious freedom.

Since July 2015, hundreds of lawyers and activists in the small tight-knit human right community have been arrested, in what's become known as the

largest such crackdown in decades. Among those arrested, (INAUDIBLE), we met him in secret at a Beijing apartment. "They arrested me at midnight,

before dawn," he says. "For me, this is kidnapping."

Picked up on charges of "endangering state security," he says he was held in a windowless room for nearly five months. No T.V., no books, no contact

with the outside world. His guards in the room watching him 24 hours a day, including when he used the bathroom.

"Daily interrogation sessions lasted hours," he said. "After one month, they forbid me from sleeping for four days and nights. By the fifth day, I

felt like I was going to die." He says he only confessed after he was threatened with being chained from the ceiling with a strobe light hung in

front of his eyes.

Famous Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei, says he was held in similar conditions for 81 days in 2011. He detailed his experience in this music

video. The Chinese government can hold people for up to six months and what activist called legalize black jails, completely cut-off from their

families and lawyers. Activist argue that because these facilities exist outside the regular prison system, abuse and torture is more rampant.

We ask the Chinese government about the specific allegations in our story, but they did not reply to our request for comment. The government has

regularly said in the past that it does not torture prisoners. Beijing maintains these activists are criminals dealt with under the law.

One activist pointed us to one so-called black jail where he was held in the Southwestern city of Guilin.

(on camera): And to be honest, we didn't know what to expect when we were walking up here, but around here it is relatively quiet, that's an

unassuming building, but it does belie what activists say goes on inside.

(voice-over): The activist said he was kept here for weeks, with little sleep and no access to the outside world. And his family had no idea where

he was. The government denied that this was a detention facility.

Foreign activists have been subjected to this crackdown too. Swedish human rights advocate Peter Dahlin was held for three weeks in a different

facility and says he only confessed "inciting opposition to the government," after authorities targeted his Chinese girlfriend. Dahlin's

confession was broadcast across China, just like Jiang Tianyong. Dahlin was let go after his video was released.

Jiang, however, remains in prison. In California with her young daughter, Jiang's wife, Jin, knows the reality of fighting for human rights in Xi

Jinping's China.

[08:35:00] "It is so hard, but there is no way out. I don't know how many more years it will be before we can reunite. I have no idea how long this

nightmare will continue."

Matt Rivers, CNN, Beijing.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CURNOW: Thanks to Matt for that. The United Nations Refugee Agency has condemned the apparent use of force by Papua New Guinea police against

refugees and asylum seekers refusing to leave at decommissioned detention center. CNN received this video, showing police the Manus Island facility

clearing the remaining people who had refused to leave.

The UNHCR says that it had seen video footage showing violence, but police say that just because officers were holding sticks doesn't mean they were

used against protesters. The center was set up to hold people who tried to reach Australia by boat. Authorities have declared it closed. But hundreds

of detainees refuses to move out saying the facility they were being moved to isn't safe.

Still to come here on "News Stream," the former maid who climbed Mount Everest and transformed herself into a campaigner against slavery.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CURNOW: Once a slave in Egypt, a Nepali woman dreamed of freedom and of climbing her country's famous Mount Everest. She has achieved both and now

campaigns to raise awareness of the thousands of Nepali women and children who are sold into slavery each year.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RAVI AGRAWAL, CNN INTERNATIONAL NEW DELHI BUREAU CHIEF (voice-over): Kanchi Maya Tamang is going home a hero. It's been seven long months away, and in

that time, she conquered the greatest human challenge of all. She climbed Mount Everest. It's an unlikely turn-around.

Until just last year, she says she was trapped in what is knows as modern day slavery. She tells us she was a maid for a rich Arab family in Cairo.

She was exploited, she says, abused, a prisoner. Tamang says she was never allowed to leave the house without minders. She even says her passport was

confiscated.

"When I raise concerns, they would say, we could kill you and throw away your body, and no one would ever question us," she recounts.

The power dynamic was clear. She says she was enslaved. And it lasted for six years. Tamang tells CNN she begged and pleaded that she needed to

return home to see her ailing mother. As sometimes happen in these cases, her employers eventually relented and she was free.

Now, Tamang was a woman on a mission. She wanted to raise awareness about modern day slavery to make sure what happened to her don't happen to

others.

"If you speak out normally, it's difficult to get attention," she says. "But when you speak out from the top of the world, people sit up and

notice."

And for Tamang, the top of the world was Mount Everest.

KANCHI MAYA TAMANG, SURVIVOR (through translator): After climbing Everest, I want to work towards the empowerment of women and children who are

victims of human trafficking.

AGRAWAL (voice-over): Nepal government says it believes Tamang is the first survivor of modern day slavery to climbed the world's tallest peak. And now

she is coming home. (INAUDIBLE) district is the major hub of human trafficking in Nepal.

[08:40:00] Young girls from here are often lured to work as maids abroad. Tamang wants to stop that from happening.

"Women here are illiterate," she says. "They can't get jobs. They're susceptible to being trafficked. That's why I want to encourage them to

join the mountaineering business."

A massive earthquake in 2015 has made a bad situation worse. More than 3,500 people died in Tamang's district alone. Tens of thousands off their

homes. Again, making them more vulnerable to jobs like the one Tamang escaped from.

This is Tamang's childhood school. Here, here story is already legend.

"We have to start raising awareness against this crime from the school level," she says. The students listened intently.

The school was on her way home, all the way up the hill. Tamang stopped again. Other schools knew she was headed this way on the long journey home.

Her story has spread. She wants the children to avoid her fate.

Finally, she makes it to her parents. They are excited, proud. They have gathered friends from around the village to welcome her. A traditional

ritual and then it is time to settle in. The family is poor, but Tamang hopes she will win supporters to fund her anti-slavery campaign.

She is now planning to climb other top peaks with this message: We are people, not property.

"I am a victim of modern day slaver," she says. "I want everyone who has been in my situation to not feel defeated because together, we can achieve

big things in life."

(INAUDIBLE), but Tamang says she can make a difference, one mountain at a time.

Ravi Agrawal, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CURNOW: For more on our CNN Freedom Project, visit our website. You will find more victim stories as well as those people involved in the fight

against human trafficking.

That is "News Stream." Before we go, we do want to update you on our top stories. Egyptian media say 155 people have been killed in a mosque attack

in Sinai, Egypt. A lot more injured, 120 wounded. We will continue to follow the story throughout the day. Stay with CNN. I'm Robyn Curnow.

"World Sport" is next.

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[08:45:00] (WORLD SPORT)

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