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Trump White House; U.S. Government; Russia; Gun Control Laws; Deaths; Sridevi; CNN Freedom Project; E.U. Ministers Agree To Draw Up New Sanctions; Myanmar Officials Deny Trying To Destroy Evidence; Nigerian President: More Than 100 Schoolgirls Kidnapped; How 5G Could Change The World; Brandt Sisters Share Their Olympic Memories. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired February 27, 2018 - 02:00   ET

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

[02:00:00] ISHA SESAY, CNN, HOST: Live from Los Angeles, ahead this hour. A humanitarian pause in fighting Easter Ghouta, Syria should now be in effect. But the questions remain. Will it actually happen and will it work? CNN goes undercover in Nigeria, where migrants pay smugglers to reach Europe. As if the journey isn't harrowing enough, our reporters told to bring contraception.

And President Trump cast himself in a heroic light, saying he would have confronted the Florida school shooter and that he's willing to fight the NRA too. Hello and welcome to our viewers around the world. I am Isha Sesay and this is Newsroom LA.

Well, at this hour, the guns and bones should fall silent in Syria's Eastern Ghouta. This, after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his allies and the Syrian government to stop the bombardment there. The suburb of Damascus is one of the few areas rebel forces still control.

If all goes as planned, this will be the first of a daily five hour ceasefire. It will give people who are suffering under the relentless attacks a chance to get out, and it will do what the United Nations resolution did not, even demanded a 30-day ceasefire on Saturday but airstrikes kept coming.

Aide workers are making a desperate plea to the Syrian government.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We speak of 400,000 people. You can now take all of them out. You have to allow humanitarian aide. And this is extremely urgent and we hope that this will happen as soon as possible.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SESAY: We're joined now by CNN's Jomana Karadsheh and she is following the developments from Amman, Jordan, Jomana, good to see you. What are we hearing about the situation at Easter Ghouta at this hour?

JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Isha, a short time ago, according to the Ghouta media center, that is a group of opposition- linked activists in that part of the country, and they say that there was artillery shelling of Dumas. This is a part of Easter Ghouta.

They're recording some civilian casualties, unclear how many people may have been wounded in this reported artillery shelling, but this is coming just moments before that pause infighting supposed to go into effect, which is you mention begins at 9:00 a.m. local time. That is now.

And of course, it comes after those past few days of serious intensification artillery shelling, airstrikes, and also what was described as a ground offensive. We're going to have to wait and see in the coming hours if there is indeed that desperately needed pause in fighting and calm, Isha.

SESAY: Also, desperately needed is that humanitarian corridor, which will allow people to get out the critically ill. Any details emerging as to how this would operate, and any talk who would monitor it.

KARADSHEH: Well this is, of course, all coming from the Russian side, that humanitarian pause in fighting was declared by the Russians. The Russians are also saying that there are humanitarian corridors that will allow the sick and the wounded that they say they will oversee the evacuation of those.

There are hundreds, as we know from the United Nations. About 700 cases of people who urgently need medical attention, and they said that they will allow for these evacuation, and also the humanitarian corridors, allowing those who want to be to leave Easter Ghouta, keeping in mind, Isha, that this is an area of Syria that has been under siege for about five years now.

We will have to wait and see if people will take them up on the offer because you need to keep in mind, of course, that there's a lot of mistrust here. No one really in these parts of Syria that is under rebel control view the Russians as a neutral party in all of this.

And in the past we seem reluctant and places, for example like Aleppo, where people would be concerned about leaving, and where would they be leaving to. This is a part of the country that is surrounded by regime-controlled areas, so we'll have to wait and see how this all works out in the coming hours, Isha.

SESAY: Jomana Karadsheh joining us there with the very latest on the situation on the ground in Easter Ghouta. Jomana, appreciate it. Thank you.

And now, a CNN exclusive, CNN Freedom Project and our own Nima Elbagir went on a dangerous undercover mission to expose smugglers, so called Pusher Men who take people from Nigeria to Libya and ultimately Europe. The price for a better life is high. Posing as a migrant, Nima was told you will probably be raped and don't fight back.

Here is her exclusive report.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) [02:05:00] NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: An unsavory neighborhood in Ego state. Ego is Nigeria's main smuggling hub, where traffickers play their trade openly. We're hoping this man will agree to traffic us to Europe. (Inaudible), as he calls himself is a broker. Known locally as Pusher Man, he is one of an army of traffickers working with smugglers on the Nigeria end of the migrant route to Europe.

He tells our producer he can do it for $500,000 lira. That's just under $1,400 dollars each. The money is due on arrival in Libya. He warns us not to waste his time. We're told to go back to the hotel. We test our undercover cameras and wait. Finally, we're told to move to the location algae, in the north of Ego state.

Tonight, the man is working out to the local hotel that doubles as a brothel. Inside the brothel, we're told to wait. We don't know what we're waiting for, utterly unprepared. All of a sudden, we're on the move. Our journey to Europe is underway. We move to the local bar, where we're told we will be put on a bus heading north.

But first, Eveke wants to know if I have everything I need (inaudible). Taking me aside, Eveke repeats again. Condoms, don't struggle if you're raped, and ultimately, trust in God. With that, we board the overnight bus to the north. The doors lock behind us. From here begins the journey into the unknown, a journey that promises a litany of horrors, rape, trafficking, and slavery.

Once we're sure the bus has moved out of Eveke's sight, we jump off. We at least are safe. So, if he had stayed on that bus we would be on our way to the north of Nigeria sometime in the middle of the day to three in the afternoon tomorrow. We will be arriving in Kanu. From Kanu, somebody would have been waiting to take us on the next leg of the journey to Agadez.

And from Agadez, through to Libya and in theory on arrival in Libya, that's when the brokers get paid. It is incredible that it is so public. It's incredible that it is so brazen that they're using public transport to start this leg of the journey.

This is the most traffic through destination in Africa. It is the main departure point for so much of these smuggling routes, and yet, these brokers are able to play their trade so openly. And to think that as a woman, they would expect me to be carrying contraception, they would expect me to have made my peace with the fact that at almost every leg of this journey, I would be assaulted and raped and abused.

It is unimaginable that people are willing to take these risks to make it to Europe. In the end, it was easier then we could possibly have imagined. CNN has passed on the evidence we uncovered to the Nigerian authorities. What we experienced was just the beginning of the nightmare.

Hopefully, the Nigerian government will be able to stop anymore more young women from being lured with a false dream of a new life, Nima Elbagir, CNN, Ego State, Nigeria.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[02:10:00] SESAY: Well, in response to Nima's investigation, the Ego State Attorney General told CNN, we are actively involved in investigations and have done several prosecutions. We will actively investigate and prosecute any trafficker. Trafficking in Ego is neither solely about economic issues, nor unemployment, but has deep cultural roots that must be exposed, examined, and pulled out.

Well, in the fight for freedom, CNN's partnered with people all around the world on March 14th, the student-led day an action against modern- day slavery. South African actor, John Canny who plays the character in the new film Black Panther told CNN what freedom means to him.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN CANNY, SOUTH AFRICAN ACTOR: In 1994, almost 51 years when I voted for the first time in my life. When the inaugurated Nelson Mandela is the first democratically elected President, for the first time I understood what it means to be free. I could look myself in the mirror and be proud of what I see.

Freedom means the greatest responsibility for peaceful co-existence among the peoples of the world and put on my shoulders the responsibility to make sure that I will not rest until every living human being is free.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SESAY: Well said. We want to hear what freedom means to you. Post a photo or a video using the hash tag #myfreedomday and join CNN on March 14th for a day long even to raise awareness of modern day slavery. Quick break here as pressure mounts with gun control, the U.S. President is set to meet with lawmakers. Will the reform actually have a chance of passing, ahead?

Plus, police revealing new details about the death of actress Sridevi, as fans pay their respects to the Bollywood star.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SESAY: U.S. President Donald Trump says he would have run into a Florida high school to stop the gunman even if he didn't have a weapon, accusing the sheriff's deputies of failing to stop the violence. Meantime, sources say the President seems to be backing away from the school to raise the age limit to 21 to buy certain firearms.

It is a proposal the NRA opposes. While meeting with governors Monday, Mr. Trump urged them to ignore pressure from the powerful gun lobby.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) ] DONALD TRUMP, UNITED STATES PRESIDENT: You guys, half of you are afraid of the NRA. There is nothing to be afraid of. And you know what, if they're not with you we have to fight them every once in a while. That's OK. They're doing what they think is right. I will tell you they are doing what they think are right, but sometimes you have to be very tough. We're going to have to fight them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SESAY: Well, joining us here in LA to talk about that fight is Jessica Levinson. She is a Professor of Law and Governance at Loyola Law School, and a friend of the show, Jessica, good to see you. Let me just pick up, first of all on the President's comment that -- assembled governors telling them they shouldn't be afraid to fight the NRA. Sometimes, you need to take the fight to them.

It does seem a little in Congress, given the relationship the President has had with the National Rifle Association.

[02:15:00] JESSICA LEVINSON, PROFESSOR OF LAW AND GOVERNANCE: Well, the President has been very open about touting his relationship with the National Rifle Association and talking about how they have been longtime supporters of him, and how he's been longtime supporters of theirs. And I think what -- there are so many incongruous parts of this, but I think what feels incongruous to the American public is that there is broad and wide support for sensible and control among constituents.

But there is not broad and wide support for gun control among our elected officials. Those who are supposed to represent us in the nations capital, and that's largely because of the power of the NRA, in part because of the vast amounts of money that they can spend to help elect certain people or defeat certain people, and in part because they have a lot of members who go to the ballot box.

SESAY: You say that. We took a close look at that and we found that the NRA only has 5 million members in a country of 300 million plus. So again, the disparity -- the outside important or power, compared to how many there actually are.

LEVINSON: Yes. So in terms of numbers -- but if you look at where they're located and how often they vote, I would say it's not just an absolute number game. So you know in American politics, it matters if you live in a swing state and if you're a swing voter. It is so important -- absolutely important to emphasize that the money makes a big difference.

And people talk about well you know, how we get sensible gun control, and what's completely left out of the debate is how are we going to get sensible campaign finance laws, because if we cut off the money spigot, and there so much money that is pumped into our system, then it deeply affects who we elect and what actually gets a floor vote and what type of legislation is passed.

SESAY: You know is this a different moment though because CNN's polling has the support for stricter gun control at 70 percent, which is higher than back in October, which is 52 percent after the shooting in Vegas. So 70 percent, is this a moment that is just different that lawmakers can bank on, if you will. If it's all about money, can they bank on that, that number, that 70 percent? LEVINSON: I really wish I wasn't about to say this, but I think if we

were right before the midterms, I don't want to under the sentence but basically the best time for a shooting is right before the midterm elections. And there's no there's no good time for a shooting. But if you want to think about basically giving elected officials cover to pass legislation, and or giving voters the motivation to go in and change who they vote for or support candidates because of where they stand on the Second Amendment, then really you want to look at for me the happens in October 2018.

So unfortunately, we see these numbers for gun control kind of Evan flow depending on how recently children have been murdered in our country.

SESAY: And let's talk about arming teachers. It has many educators, you're an educator, how far do you go. Would you carry a gun?

LEVINSON: I mean this -- today in the classroom, my students watch me almost kill myself by trying to use the projector. So no, I do not want to be armed and I do not want to be in a situation where I am the only armed person in a room, because if an active shooter comes into my classroom and they know that the professor might be armed, who are they -- and at that point, I am of no use or protection to my students, where as if I am not the first target, then I can try and push a panic button, get them into a safe place.

So I mean there've been a lot of jokes on social media going around, like my teacher didn't even know how to use the chalkboard correctly, should we really put a gun in their hands, but the truth is from a policy perspective, from a practical perspective, this is such a backwards way of looking at the problem.

And that is because the Supreme Court has looked at this problem through basically in Alice in Wonderland like looking glass, where they said we need to protect the rights of individual gun owners, but they haven't talked about protecting the rest of us from being safe from guns. And they have -- they have not weighed the other liberty interest at stake.

SESAY: Jessica Levinson, it's always such a pleasure.

LEVINSON: I wish I had something more helpful to say.

SESAY: No, it's OK. We can handle the truth around here. Thank you. We appreciate it.

Well, a top U.S. diplomat Appreciate in charge of North Korean policy is retiring at a critical moment to relations between both countries. It was completely his decision to retire but his departure adds to the uncertainty of President Trump's position on North Korea just days after the country expressed willingness to hold talks with the U.S.

[02:20:00] CNN Senior International Correspondent, Ivan Watson joins us now from Seoul. So, Ivan, how much significance should we attach to the timing of the Ambassador's decision? IVAN WATSON, SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Isha, we've been

talking to a number of former American diplomats, people who've left the State Department, who say that this is a big blow, at especially at a time that is critical in relation to intentions rather between the U.S. and North Korea, and especially at a time when North Korea has indicated that the doors open for talks with Washington.

He is a veteran diplomat. He spearheaded North Korean relations, if you can call it that. He had very delicate diplomatic mission of retrieving auto one, this imprisoned American university student from North Korea who turned out was comatose and essentially dying.

And he's basically dealt with this difficult part of the world for quite a long time, so former diplomat saying this man was the best of the best in the State Department. He says he is retiring for his own reasons, the State Department spokesperson says that the U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson regretfully accepted that retirement.

But again, this viewed as being significant because diplomacy is considered so important at this time, especially with concern that some officials in the Trump administration maybe considering using force against North Korea, a so called bloody nose, also at a time when there is no U.S. ambassadors here in Seoul, and one of the potential candidates for this another experience to Victor Cha was taken out of the running and then published an op-ed piece in the Washington Post, warning officials in the Trump administration not to consider using force against North Korea because of the unimaginable casualties that that could bring, Isha.

SESAY: Lots of shifting pieces. Ivan Watson joining us there from Seoul, thank you.

Now, new details are emerging about the death of Bollywood Star, Sridevi. Police say the 54-year-old actress drowned after passing out in her hotel bath tub in Dubai. She was attending a family wedding in the United Arab Emirates at the time. Her fans have gathered outside her home in Mumbai of to pay tribute to her life and a career that spanned five decades.

Well, CNN's New Delhi Bureau Chief, Nikhil Kumar joins me now from India's capital. Nikhil, thank you for being with us, give us a sense of the reaction to all of this. It was all so very sudden and unexpected.

NIKHIL KUMAR, CNN NEW DELHI BUREAU CHIEF: That's right, Isha. The reaction has really been shock, surprise, and disbelief. You know the news broke overnight. And by the time people look up in the morning just to digest this news coming out that the star was no longer with us. We went out on the streets of Delhi shortly afterwards to gaze the reaction of people here. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It is shocking. She was very health conscious from what we expected something bad.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I feel so bad. She was a very good actress.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She is a great loss for the film industry.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was very shocking because it was a very untimely death. It's like a mystery to watch happened. It was too sudden for me to process.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KUMAR: So as you could see, Isha, a sense of shock and disbelief. And as I've said, really a sense of a loss for someone who was one of the tallest stars and what is the world's largest film industry, Isha.

SESAY: Yeah, let's talk a little bit more about that, Nikhil. Give us some context. Tell us about her reach and her impact.

KUMAR: She had an immense impact. She started acting when she was still a child. She started acting in southern India, the non-Hindi films. And she did something that very few stars managed to do then or now, which is make the crossover from that industry to the mainstream Indian film industry with all of us know as Bollywood, which reaches people everywhere in this country and around the world.

And she became in short order just by this year. She had a very expressive face. She was such a presence on the screen that she immediately became one of the biggest stars in the industry. So big in fact, that she maybe was headlining a movie, it didn't really matter who else was in the movie. The movie would be a hit.

And for many people who grew up in the 80s and 90s, she is very much part of that cultural consciousness. She was an immense star with an immense reach, which touched possibly hundreds of millions of people, Isha.

[02:25:00] SESAY: She certainly will be missed by all of them. Nikhil Kumar, good to speak to you. Thank you.

KUMAR: Thank you.

SESAY: Still to come on Newsroom La, the mobile industry promises insanely fast phone data in the not so distant future. We'll have the latest when from the Mobile World Conference in Barcelona.

And cracking down on Myanmar over the price of the price of the Rohingya Muslims, we'll talk to the leading activist next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SESAY: You're watching CNN Newsroom live from Los Angeles. I'm Isha Sesay with the headlines this hour. While waiting word, with the five hour ceasefire in Easter Ghouta is holding. It began about 30 minutes ago in the Damascus suburbs. The aim is to let those trapped and wounded in the city. The Syrian government has pounded the rebel-held area for more than a week.

Sources say U.S. President Trump appears to be backing away from the discourse to wage the age limit on buying rifles. The NRA opposes the move. Mr. Trump told governors not to be afraid of the powerful gun lobby's pressure. The President also says he would have run into the Florida school to try to stop the shooting.

Former President in prison for the next 30 years, they made that demand in the last day of Park's corruption trial. She denies the charges of corruption, coercion, and leaking confidential information, all of which led to her impeachment.

Now Myanmar's General could face tough new sanctions over the alleged killings on the scores of Muslims. The ministry reportedly agreed Monday to draw up targeted restrictive measures against senior military officers of Myanmar's armed forces. More than half a million people have fled across the boarder to camps in neighboring Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, Myanmar officials denied they were demolishing evidence by bulldozing dozens of Rohingya villagers. These satellite photos clearly show villagers being eradicated in recent months. But officials insist that they were just making way for Rohingya refugees to be resettled in Myanmar and were not getting rid of evidence of alleged atrocities.

Human rights activists and President of the Burmese Rohingya Organization U.K., Tun Kin joins us now from Berlin where he spoke at a conference, looking at what had caused Myanmar's genocide. Tun Kin, thank you for being with us. Was there a clear objective for this gathering?

[02:30:00] TUN KIN, PRESIDENT OF THE BURMESE ROHINGYA ORGANIZATION: Yes. The clear object tree is you know six months going on you know -- still fleeing from Burma to Bangladesh. There is no action where are still Rohingyas are fleeing. So this is important that we need to highlight. We need to talk about -- individual government must take action. We are calling here (INAUDIBLE) to protect the homeland in Myanmar where Burmese military and government attitude towards Rohingya has not changed at all and a still mass atrocities continuing in Rakhine State, western part of Burma against Rohingya. Recently I was in Bangladesh last two weeks and go I met new -- there's some new victims of genocide who fled from Burma. You know there is Rohingyas -- finding now.

Three to four houses every day in the Rakhine State. And there is starvation, not allowed to go to the hospital, not allowed to go to the rice field. This is going on six months. How can these people can live in our palace states? So they created impossible situation. This is genocide where international community said never a thing. This is happening right now. In 21st century. This is totally unbelievable (INAUDIBLE) solution is still going on in western part of Burma or Rakhine State. That's what we've been -- we need international community like U.S., U.K., Turkey, Sweden to meet our (INAUDIBLE) can stop this genocide. They must come together. Individual government must come together for permanent solution to protect (INAUDIBLE) to protect the homeless --

ISHA SESAY, CNN HOST: Let me jump in here. So the E.U. of course as we just said is drawing up a lift, talks of list of sanctions against those senior officials in the Myanmar military. Do you think that that is sufficient? Do you think that will actually bring about change on the ground? Or is it too little too late?

KHIN: It is too little too late. This is clear. You know why? It's been going on six months where 700,000 Rohingyas (INAUDIBLE) still Rohingyas are fleeing. Where largest in mass atrocities happened. This is not totally enough what they're doing. It is too little. And I think EU should support or ICC referral. EU also must join with other countries, who are supporting to stop this genocide (INAUDIBLE) this is very important that because everybody talking now repatriation. This is such a joke. We need a permanent solution. Where these people can live? Where these people -- monsoon, rainy season is coming in Bangladesh in three to four months' time. There is a big disaster we are expecting, you know, landslide and flood and that can happen any time after three to four months.

So before anything happen here -- they need to come up with the permanent solutions, something, emergency sit-down by U.S., U.K., France, Turkey, Sweden. These governments must sit down. Individually, they must take some action. That is what we cannot see here.

SESAY: And, Tun, as you mentioned, the monsoon season that's fast approaching in Bangladesh, we're hearing that Bangladeshi government plans to move at least 100,000 Rohingyas to a muddy, uninhabited island. They said, because the camps are overcrowded so they're going to move into this stretch of land which the understanding was that -- the expectation is that when the monsoon rain starts, that land itself will flood and all those people will be subject to disease and just terrible conditions. Do you need that decision -- do you need that decision by the Bangladeshi government as an attempt to force Rohingyas to go back to Myanmar?

KHIN: It is still hard to say, but it is not a good idea in my opinion. We in Rohingya community really appreciate Bangladesh government and the people of Bangladesh who given shelter and generosity they have shown in the last six months. So it is important that Bangladesh government need to look for international cooperation to pressure Burmese military and (INAUDIBLE) cooperation is needed to -- as I mentioned yesterday, we are talking about in Berlin Conference . This is important that we need -- Rohingyas, they want to go back to their native homeland.

[02:35:15] So this is time now Bangladesh government must cooperate with international community to find harmonious solution, protect that homeland to -- protect that Rakhine, protect the homeland in Myanmar. That is what a solution that we can see. It might be much worse. But really hope that Bangladesh government will continue to support and I would like to cry on to the international community (INAUDIBLE) in continuously Bangladesh government to assist that Rohingya people, because the Bangladesh already have the heavy population in the land. So this is important we need to assist them. This is very important. Otherwise, these people may be (INAUDIBLE) or we don't know yet. But I hope Bangladesh government will continue to support to Rohingyas where the victims of genocide more than 700,000 are dead. This is very important.

We are very -- we need to see that EU what the decision they must review. This is not helpful as far as -- in giving much more impunity to the military is a kind of green light. They can go ahead -- because international community -- because (INAUDIBLE) that's why going on six months. So we need to look at military. They don't care about -- it need to be much more military related companies (INAUDIBLE)

SESAY: Tun Khin, the situation -- the situation there has been long and complex and it has led to great amount of suffering. I'm afraid we're out of time. But there's certainly conversation that we're going to have with you in the days ahead.

KHIN: EU must support ICC referral, must support that. Instead of -- something different way. It's why they're playing to support that. This is very surprising --

SESAY: Well, Tun Khin, we very much appreciate you joining us to give us the perspective. It's important to get your voice on to get some sense of what's happening at that Berlin Conference. But we must leave it there. Thank you so much for your time. Very much appreciated. Thank you.

Turning our attention now to Africa and Nigeria is dealing with another mass abduction reminiscent of the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping four years ago. The government believes Boko Haram militants took more than 100 girls in school in Dapchi last Monday. President Muhammadu Buhari has apologized, calling this national disaster. But he's facing angry accusations that he can't keep people and make them safe.

Earlier, I spoke with Bukky Shonibare and then Bring Back Our Girls. That's the movement that sprung up off the 2014's abduction. And it talks about the similarities between the attacks on Chibok and Dapchi.

BUKKY SHONIBARE, FOUNDER, ADOPT-A-CAMP: This has been a community that has been ravaged by Boko Haram. Boko Haram has been against towards education. Boko Haram has been against girl's education. Now, when you look at that, that is happening in north (INAUDIBLE) the same with Chibok and Dapchi, that is what similarity. Another is the fact that this is a boarding school. That means there is concentration of soft target. There's concentration of young girls which Boko Haram is openly against.

SESAY: Well, it is the situation we're very closely following for you. So stay with us. We're going to take a very quick break. We'll be right back after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK

[02:40:59]

SESAY: -- 100,000 people at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona to try out new devices and get a glimpse of what's next for your mobile phone. And one thing getting a lot of buzz, the next generation of super-fast wireless technology. Details now from Kristie Lu Stout.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Welcome to the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. And once again, 5G is taking center stage. 5G is the next generation mobile network that will take your data from OK fast to insanely fast, at least that's what the industry is promising.

MATS GRANYARD, DIRECTOR GENERAL GSMA: I think if we go back in time 2G and 3G were sort of more you and me communication. Now with 5G, we're going to see sensors. We're going to see high speed real time interaction in industries, in manufacturing clause, in surveillance, in artificial intelligence, with avatars and holograms. It sounds a little bit futuristic, but it is around the corner.

STOUT: But don't get too excited just yet. It's going to take a few years before the proper rollout of 5G. The industry still needs to iron out a few things, as well as filled out entirely new infrastructure and devices. And by devices, it also includes the so- called internet of things like this. Internet connected punching bag, which can measure, using existing infrastructure, the power of each punch and transmit the data in real time.

The real magic happens when 5G comes on board and scores of connected devices can be able to react and respond to each other immediately like these robots. Now, this is an example of a factory floor. These robotic arms are busy manufacturing colored pens. When controlled over a 5G network, they'd be able to work in concert and also adapt to new directions instantaneously.

ROGER CHENG, EXECUTIVE EDITOR, CNET: I don't think that 5G is going to change your life right away. This is still early days. Even when these networks have deployed next year, there are going to be limited areas, there are going to be limited devices.

STOUT: So for now, 5G is (INAUDIBLE) that tantalizes us with the promise of super-fast speeds and reliability. So, I can go ahead, activate the sensor and kick this ball and a robot and a completely different hall will mimic my kick. 5G is a work in progress for now, but at least the goal is in sight. Kristie Lu Stout, CNN, at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SESAY: Now, of all of those that you add has gone viral, commencing people to, "stay woke and buy Girl Scout cookie." Seymore Harrison, Jr. and his daughter Charity created a sweet parody of Childish Gambino song "Redbone." Here's to listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHARITY JOY HARRISON, GIRL SCOUT: Thin mints (INAUDIBLE) to make it great.

SEYMORE HARRISON, JR., FATHER OF CHARITY JOY: Now stay woke, buy these cookies. (END VIDEO CLIP)

SESAY: Fantastic. And it appears that clever marketing has worked. Charity has reached her goal and sold over 5,000 Girl Scout cookies. Nicely done, Charity. And thank you for watching CNN NEWSROOM LIVE from Los Angeles. I'm Isha Sesay. "WORLD SPORT" is up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:45:39] KATE RILEY, CNN INTERNATIONAL SPORTS ANCHOR: Hello and welcome along to WORLD SPORT. I'm Kate Riley at CNN Center. We starting with the games where the Winter Olympics are over for another four years. However, we're also going to be looking back on what's been a rather interesting Olympics in Pyeongchang over the last couple of weeks. There is been no shortage of drama, has there, regarding politics and also the weather, it was really cold, wasn't it?

Well on Sunday, the curtain came down in South Korea and these games. The closing ceremony focused in part of preview to the Summer Games in 2020 which will, of course, be held in Tokyo, Japan.

Well, Russian athletes are were officially welcomed home from the Winter Olympics after their gold medal heroics on Sunday. Meanwhile, the Olympics boss Thomas Bach denied the PyeongChang Winter Olympic had been tainted by the Russian doping scandal. Russia sent 168 athletes to compete as neutrals after the country's national Olympic committee was banned for mass doping.

However, two of the competitors failed drugs tests. Russia's flag was absent from the closing ceremony after the International Olympic Committee voted to extend its ban over doping. However, it was a triumphant final day for Russia after their men's hockey team beat Germany in the final. Even though no Russian anthem was allowed to be played, athletes and fans alike drowned out the Olympic hymn after that famous victory.

Now that the games are over, we wonder what will life be like now for the Brandt family. Both daughters played ice hockey in the Olympics. One for the unified Korean team, which was historic. And the other, the United States. Which was also remarkable, beyond the years of Canadian dominance beating them in that epic final. Hannah and Marissa have been speaking with our very own, Coy Wire.

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HANNA BRANDT, MEMBER, UNITED STATES WOMEN'S ICE HOCKEY TEAM: First thing I did was look for her and my parents up in the stands, and pretty cool to be able to share that moment with them.

COY WIRE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You're praying cried at all, right?

H. BRANDT: I actually like held it together on the ice pretty well.

WIRE: Did you?

H. BRANDT: Yes. WIRE: I was crying.

H. BRANDT: I think I was in shock, to be honest at that woman all of my life, yes.

WIRE: All right, and has started to sink in now?

H. BRANDT: It's taken a little time. It's just -- every time I look over at the gold medal, it's pretty cool.

WIRE: Marissa, let's talk about your experience. You spent two years training with your teammates here in South Korea. What kind of impact did that have when the team was all of a sudden unified?

MARISSA BRANDT, MEMBER, UNIFIED KOREAN HOCKEY TEAM: Yes, you know, the girls are great. I love each and every one of them. Hearing that we were going to be a unified team, so close to the game starting was a little hard at first, just because, you know, the chemistry and identity like was going to change. But after the North Korean girls joined our team it was really great. They dealt well with everybody, they work hard, good attitude. Eager to learn which is something you appreciate. So, they are family now and it's kind of sad to think that I might not see them -- you know after these games are over. So, really the whole experience has been special and I'm happy I did it with the 35 girls that were in the team.

WIRE: This has been a long journey to even get to these games, and I was fascinated by the technology that allowed your parent to be part of it while you were here in Korea, you were all over the country and back in the States. Tell me about that, what was that like?

H. BRANDT: Yes, we teamed up with into and it was -- it's so awesome the way they helped us with our family and friends back home. We're able to kind of share our experience of training far away from home with them. And obviously, they also made a really cool documentary that kind of showed our story to the whole world, and I got a lot of spell of messages about people that have adopted sisters and things like that. And a lot of people could relate to our story.

WIRE: I want you to take this moment. Hannah, we'll start with you. Don't look at me, I want you to look at your sister and tell her why you love her and why you're most proud of her.

H. BRANDT: I love you so much, you are my best friend. Nothing you do will ever make me less proud of you. It made me so proud to watch you compete for your country out there and brought tears to my eyes to see you to do that. And just love you so much and can -- thankful have -- we have to experience this together.

M. BRANDT: I love you too. I'm just very proud of you. And, you know, being cut from the team four years ago was hard, I know. And you could have taken it different ways and you chose to just work hard and work on what you needed to work on and get yourself to the Olympics today. So, just very proud and I looked after you even though you're younger than me. So, just to share this whole experience with you has been just unforgettable. So, I love you. [02:50:22] WIRE: I love you guys.

H. BRANDT: Group hug, group hug.

M. BRANDT: Group hug.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

RILEY: Coy, for that report. Well, it's not always about the medals, is it? But we have been counting in this Olympiad was historic for Norway. He won the most amount of medal at any Winter Games. The incredible Marit Bjorgen, winning the very last event as her country finished up with 14 gold and a total of 39.

A terrific games too for Germany. Also, a strong finish for them taking gold and silver in the bobsleigh, plus silver in the hockey. Making it 14 gold and 31 overall. You're watching WORLD SPORT on CNN.

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RILEY: Welcome back to the show. On Sunday Paris Saint-Germain fans were dealt a blow when their star striker Neymar, went down injured in the match named Le Classique. The forward had to be stretched off during the game with Marseille. Well, late on Monday, it was revealed that not only did he sprain his ankle, but more importantly, though his club said that he'd also fractured a metatarsal as well. The player who joined the Paris Club for world record transfer fee is likely to miss his side's Champions League last 15 tie with Real Madrid.

Well, in recent months, we have seen new technology be introduced to the beautiful game, VAR or video assistant referee has been brought in to help see what the referees sometimes can't. And as so many of us know, things they miss can really sour the whole experience. So, VAR might be used in major league soccer in America and be trialed in England during some FA Cup games this season, but the jury is still out.

So, much so, that UEFA say they won't be using it in the Champions League next season. That said, we might still see it at the World Cup this summer. The International Football Association Board is meeting this weekend. And if they approve it, then FIFA will have to use it this summer in Russia.

Elsewhere and UEFA has opened disciplinary proceedings against the Italian side Atalanta. The move comes after it's alleged that racist chants came from the fans of the Italian Club during the European league match with Borussia Dortmund. The striker, Mitchy Batshuayi is on loan from Chelsea, claims he was the subject of racism after the second leg of the last 32 tie. On Monday, he way for confirmed that Atalanta faced charges of racist behavior, notably very offensive chants.

Meanwhile, the Bundesliga Club were also charged with the setting off for fireworks and throwing of objects. UEFA's ethics body will look into the case in three weeks' time. When you are the fastest man on the planet, it might feel like you're walking on water sometimes. And this week, Usain Bolt has given his fans a hint as to what the next chapter for him might look like. The Jamaican retired from the track some five months ago, but now the Manchester United fan could be turning his hobby into a living. Over the weekend, Bolt posted this video on social media.

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[02:55:33] USAIN BOLT, RETIRED SPRINTER, JAMAICA: I've just signed for a football team. Find out who it is on Tuesday, the 27th of February.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RILEY: Well, elsewhere on the internet and the South African team, Mamelodi Sundowns FC took to Twitter earlier and dropped a hint that Bolt would be joining them. It was just last month that the Jamaican actually trained with them. Of course, we should point out, though, whoever it is, we don't know if Bolt will actually become a professional football player. Signing for a team is one thing, actually playing in competitive games for them is something else. And being 31, where most footballers would be in their twilight years. So, this could will be a stunt after all.

Well, Mamelodi Sundowns are one of the best teams in South Africa. Winning the country's premier league a record seven times. They're also continental champions back in 2016 and are the only South African team to play in FIFA's Club World Cup tournament.

For us to cover a high school team, they must have done something incredible. So brace yourself for the story of the State championship which simply wild us and others here in the United States. It's the Stoneman Douglas ice hockey team beating Tampa Jesuit in Sunday's final. The final score is 7-4. You may recognize the name of the school less than two weeks ago, a lone gunman walked in and killed 17 people.

These players lost some of their friends and teachers in the most horrific way. They says, they didn't even know if they'd be able to play in the tournament, but they certainly, glad that they did dedicating their title to those that they lost. Stoneman Douglas will now compete in the National High School Hockey Championships next month in Minnesota, and all our thoughts are with those affected.

Well done to them, and that brings a close of this edition of WORLD SPORT. I'm Kate Riley from the team here in Atlanta and our colleagues in Pyeongchang. Thanks so much for watching. Stay with CNN.

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ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: A few hours of peace in Ghouta, the Damascus suburb --