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Trump Warns Russia; Zuckerberg Testifies; North Korea Parliament Holding Annual Meeting; Facebook CEO Readies For Second Day Of Hearings; Sources: Trump Considering Firing Rod Rosenstein; Myanmar Soldiers Get 10 Years For Mass Murder Of Rohingya. Aired 8-9a ET

Aired April 11, 2018 - 08:00   ET

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

[08:00:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN ANCHOR: I`m Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong, and welcome to News Stream. Now breaking news this hour, stark warning from

President Trump to Russia, get ready. In an early morning tweet, Mr. Trump said this, get ready Russia because they will be coming nice, and new, and

smart.

You shouldn`t be partners with the gas killing animal who kills his people, and enjoys it. This morning on Twitter comes after Moscow threatens swift

retaliation against any potential U.S. airstrikes in Syria.

On Monday, the President promises some sort of decision within 48 hours following an apparent chemical attack in Damascus. Activists say dozens of

civilians were killed.

We are covering this story from all angles. CNN`s Nic Robertson joins me now live from Moscow. Ben Wedeman is live for us Beirut. Thank you both

for joining us.

And, Nic, first to you, after Russia urged the U.S. to avoid taking military action, now we have this talk on Twitter. Trump again saying, get

ready Russia, they will be coming. Nic, does this bring us closer to military action in Syria?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It seems to indicate that President Trump intend for that to happen, despite the fact that he came to office

saying that he wouldn`t telegraph his moves in advance, and even hint about just a couple of days ago, saying that he wasn`t gonna say in advance what

he was going to do.

But this seems he very clearly do that to Maria Zakharova, the Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman here, it was taken to her Facebook page just minutes

ago, following President Trump`s tweets, to respond to President Trump talking about smart missiles flying Russia, and better be ready.

She said those smart missiles should be fired at the terrorists, not the legitimate government of Syria, and then goes on to suggest that in the

same Facebook postings that perhaps what the United States is intending to do here is to obliterate evidence on the ground of what Russia says is a

chemical weapons fabrication.

She says that she is implying that the U.S. missiles strikes would hit the area of Douma where international, or chemical weapons inspectors are due

to go in coming days, and the intent of the U.S. missile strikes she is implying is to destroy any evidence there.

We have also, however, heard from Dmitry Peskov, President Putin`s spokesman, he has been taking a slightly, perhaps, drawn by quieter

approach to this. It was before President Trump`s tweets.

However, he said he didn`t want to get drawn into a conversation about what might happen if U.S. missiles were to fly towards Syria, and he didn`t want

to follow, or amplify on what the Russian Ambassador to Lebanon has said. But he did also talk about the need to sort of slow things down, and try to

calm the current situation.

LU STOUT: And comments deleted right now. Nic Robertson is Moscow. Let go from you to Ben Wedeman standing by in Beirut. And, Ben, if there is a

U.S. military strike in Syria, what would that mean for an already volatile situation on the ground there?

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, that what clearly, Kristie, make things probably a lot worse because the United States really doesn`t have a

lot of good options.

When it comes to Syria, it can do what it did a year ago after the Khan Sheikhoun alleged chemical attack, which is a one-off strike, which really

didn`t change much.

The airbase that they hit in central Syria was up in operation just days later, or they can go for a much wider military operation with the

assistance of, perhaps, the French and the British.

But it runs a high risk of bringing other players into the fight. It`s not just the Syrians obviously. There are significant Russian forces in Syria.

There are Iranian forces. There are Lebanese-Hezbollah there in addition to the Turks (ph), the Israelis flying over the southern part of the

country.

And therefore, the possibilities are endless, and dangerous, and certainly when you look at the tone of President Trump`s tweets about the missiles

coming -- I mean, in my 25 years with CNN covering American wars, and rumors of war, I`ve never seen anything like this.

And this is sending this a sort of message that clearly is alerting all those forces in Syria that might be the target of an American operation

that something`s coming, be ready. And therefore it is questionable even if it`s a large-scale operation, how successful it could even be?

[08:05:00] The whole thing is a complete mess.

LU STOUT: You mentioned -- I mean, these taunts on Twitter are unprecedented. It begs the question just how real are these threats.

Let`s bring up Fred Pleitgen who is live for us from Damascus.

And, Fred, we have rising rhetoric from Trump with his new taunts on Twitter, rhetoric from the Russians inside Syria, is there a sense that,

yes, the pressure is building, there will be military strike?

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think it`s slowly sinking with (Inaudible), and then also the Syrian population quite frankly,

Kristie. This is a very real situational of the prospect, that American military action is not only very real, but could happen very, very soon.

So one of the things that we have been seeing over the past day and a half or so, is we have seen more Syrian military convoys moving around than

usual. It`s unclear whether or not that is something is actually related to the current situation.

But we certainly can see if the Syrian government is taking us very seriously, and of course, the Russians are taking it very seriously as

well.

And if you look at the statement that came from the Russian embassy there in Lebanon, they not only say that they will shoot down any missiles fired

in Syria -- at Syria, but they would also target bases that those missiles were fired from.

Now of course, that could mean American ships if those are fired from the Mediterranean, but it could mean American planes as well, that`s not really

very clear.

And you know, Kristie, I have been in this country 20 times reporting here, and I have also seen it, from the Russian military perspective, and what

they have on the ground here. And it is a lot more than many people think.

They obviously have their military base up near Lattakia, where I would say they have about 50 planes, maybe a little more than that, they also have

imported choppers (ph) too.

But we were out in the eastern Mediterranean just at the end of last year, and all of a sudden, two Russian submarines came up, and started firing

cruise missiles at ISIS position. So the Russians not only have a lot of hardware here in Syria, but they also have their most modern hardware as

well, Kristie.

LU STOUT: And with that reminder of the Russian arsenal inside Syria, let`s take the conversation back to Nic Robertson in Moscow.

And it`s a question to you about if there is a diplomatic way out. I mean, are there any diplomatic moves left when we`ve seen at the U.N. Security

Council, Russia continues to exercise its veto?

ROBERTSON: There was an offer several weeks ago by the Austrian Foreign Minister -- new Foreign Minister in Austria to mediate between Britain and

Russia over the issue of the escalating tensions over the case of the Skripals, nothing seems to have been forthcoming so far.

The rhetoric, and the tone that has been in used at the United Nations by both the Russian, and American side has sounded very, very bitter.

The end of the conversations if can call is not divisive, that said, the Russian Ambassador to the U.N., and U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley actually

met each other outside the -- outside the Security Council chamber, kissed each other on both cheeks.

So there was some -- there was some less than hostility in that greeting, some diplomacy left in it if you will. There is always room for diplomacy

at times like this.

However, the difficulty would appear to be at this time, that President Trump has a record of genuine -- generally following through on what he

says. And he`s made it very, very clear this time about what he intends to do.

However, he is also capable of turning on a dime. So it`s not impossible that diplomacy could come through, but it`s not quite clear where that

would be at the moment.

And I think the very quick response we`ve had from the Foreign Ministry here is a very strong and clear response that Russia won`t take the

situation sitting down if you will. Let`s not forget that those air defenses there in Syria are mostly Russian air defenses operated by

Russians.

And if you were having a large military strike on Syria, typically, the military -- U.S. military, those allied with it, would want to take out any

radar installations, any surface to air missile installations that might stop missiles, or even aircraft getting through to their target.

So that immediately opens the art to the dangers of crossing the red line the Russia is threatening here. Perhaps if we look what Dmitry Peskov has

said, albeit before President Trump`s tweets, speaking there for the Kremlin, for President Putin, he is trying to keep a lower tone on this.

That is often the way things are done here. President Putin tries to keep a lower tone, everyone else is putting out the very, very clear, and strong

message.

The message that we heard, however, coming from the foreign -- the Russian Ambassador in Lebanon is an amplification, and a reflection of what the

military chief-of-staff here said on 13th of March, almost a month ago, when he first said that Russians fought that the United States was trying

to instigate some kind of fake, hoax, chemical attack in Damascus.

[08:10:13] That then he warned that Russia would attack the missiles, and the carriers sending those missiles. So this narrative was been there for

some while, so it`s not impossible to interrupt to this, it is difficult to see how.

LU STOUT: Nic Robertson live for us from Moscow, as well as Ben Wedeman in Beirut, Fred Pleitgen live from Damascus, we thank all of you for your

reporting.

Now, Facebook, its CEO is going to be back in the hot seat again. In just a few hours now, Mark Zuckerberg, he managed to make it through his first

time in Capitol Hill with the usual promises to do better.

He did reveal Facebook is cooperating with Special Counsel Robert Mueller in the Russian probe, but lawmakers tried to grill him over the data

harvesting by Cambridge Analytica, they weren`t actually able to pin him down on data privacy, or concrete regulations.

Now, Laurie Segall is following all of this for us in Washington. And she joins us now. And, Laurie, on day one, the spotlight was on Mark

Zuckerberg, a lot of scrutiny has been on the lawmakers asking the questions. Does Congress understand how the social platform -- how

Facebook really works?

LAURIE SEGALL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Although interesting, there was one -- there was one senator that ask the doubt, WhatsApp and e-mail, you

can actually send e-mail on WhatsApp, and they ask if Facebook is reading that.

And WhatsApp is encrypted, so that`s kind of -- it`s basic tech question in a very important day. You know, Mark Zuckerberg did a lot of prep to get

ready for this last couple of days.

I was told, his plan is be contrite, humble, and respectful. He`s able to get away (Inaudible) yesterday, his seat grilling went for five hours. And

he started out by apologizing. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARK ZUCKERBERG, CEO, FACEBOOK: We didn`t take a broad enough view of our responsibility, and that was a big mistake. And it was my mistake, and I`m

sorry.

SEN. RICHARD BLUMENTHAL (D), CONNECTICUT: We`ve seen the apology tours before.

SEGALL: During a grueling five hours of testimony, more than 40 senators pressing the Facebook CEO on its data collection practices, and his

controversial privacy policies after the scandal involving Cambridge Analytica, a Trump linked data firm improperly accessing the private

information of millions of Facebook users.

SEN. JOHN THUNE (R), SOUTH DAKOTA: Why should we trust Facebook to make the necessary changes to ensure user privacy?

SEN. DICK DURBIN (D), ILLINOIS: Would you be comfortable sharing the name of the hotel you stayed in last night?

ZUCKERBERG: No.

(LAUGHTER)

DURBIN: It may be what this is all about, your right to privacy.

SEGALL: Zuckerberg taking the blame for not investigating the data firm more thoroughly, or alerting the users to the breach.

SEN. KAMALA HARRIS (D), CALIFORNIA: Are you aware of anyone in leadership that Facebook who is in a conversation where decision was made not to

inform your users?

ZUCKERBERG: I`m not sure whether there`s a conversation about that.

SEGALL: And admitting Facebook needs to improve its methods of policing the fake Russian ads that reached millions during the 2016 election.

ZUCKERBERG: This is an arms race. And they`re going to keep getting better at this, and we need to invest, and keep an eye on getting better at

this too.

SEGALL: Zuckerberg confirming that his company is cooperating with the Special Counsel`s investigation.

ZUCKERBERG: I actually am not aware of the subpoena. I believe that there may be, but I know we are working with them.

SEGALL: Zuckerberg signaling he`d open a government oversight after senators pushed why Americans to trust Facebook.

ZUCKERBERG: My position is not that there should be no regulation. I think the internet is increasingly...

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: You embrace regulation?

ZUCKERBERG: I think the real question, as the internet becomes more important in people`s lives, is what is the right regulation.

SEN. JOHN KENNEDY (R), LOUISIANA: The purpose of a user agreement is to cover Facebook`s rear end, it`s not inform your users about their rights.

SEGALL: Zuckerberg emerging unscathed with some lawmakers clearly unaware of how Facebook works.

SEN. ORRIN HATCH (R), UTAH: how do you sustain a business model in which users don`t pay for your service?

ZUCKERBERG: Senator, we run ads.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SEGALL: Yes. You know, it`s interesting, in the hearing, Mark also said, you know, there will always be a version of Facebook that`s free. And a

lot of people were speculating when he said a version, does that leave the door open for a paid version of Facebook.

And I think with all the political drama, and folks, you know, trying to make a point, and we didn`t get as many answers. You know, Mark Zuckerberg

was able to stick to that company line to walk out in a good fashion, I think there are some more philosophical question that you do want to ask.

I mean, he said something interesting that struck out to me. He said, you know, we are responsible for the content on out platform.

Now for as long as I have been covering tech, so many founders want to put their hands up, and say we are just a pipes (ph), we are not responsible

for what goes to the platform.

[08:15:04] And with that, I think, comes a lot of really interest implications that were touched on during this hearing. You know,

everything from free speech to censorship in that fine line, and the power, and this goes into even talking about regulations, the power that Facebook

has over data, and deciding from these real editorial decisions too.

So, hopefully we`ll hear more today. He is testifying in the next hour for the House, Energy, and Commerce Committee. And you know, there was that

criticism that some of these questions weren`t pointed enough, they weren`t technically savvy enough, so you`ll never know what these lawmakers are

going to ask given that, it should be an interesting day.

LU STOUT: Yes, absolutely. Looking forward to the wrap up pf day two. We will talk again soon. Laurie Segall reporting live for us.

Now, we will have more analysis of Mark Zuckerberg`s testimony, so far -- and what we can expect from day two, with the Senior Editor of The Verge

Tom Warren in about half an hour from now.

Now in Algeria, at least 257 people are dead after a military plane crashed southwest of the capital Algiers. The plane crashed into a field near the

town of Blida. State run media say 10 of those killed were the plane`s crew.

First responders can be seen with blackened, and damage fuselage in the background. Two Reuters journalist who documented a massacre in Myanmar

have learned that they must now stand trial. We`ve got the latest, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: Welcome back. Coming to you live from Hong Kong, you are watching News Stream. And we are going to tell you how President Trump is

engaging in a pretty risk war of words with Russia right now, indicating that he may still launch airstrikes against targets in Syria.

But Mr. Trump may also be closer to making a high-stakes political move at home. CNN White House correspondent Abby Phillip has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ABBY PHILLIP, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Multiple sources tell CNN that President Trump is considering firing Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, a move

that`s gaining urgency as a way to check the power of the Special Counsel, Robert Mueller.

Many in Trump`s legal team believe Rosenstein crossed a line when he approved the FBI`s raids on Mr. Trump`s personal attorney, Michael Cohen.

They believe Rosenstein has a conflicted interest, because he`s a potential witness in Mueller`s probe for writing the memo that justified the firing

of FBI Director James Comey. The White House dodging questions about Rosenstein`s future.

SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Certainly, the President has voiced his frustrations. But beyond that, I don`t have

anything else.

PHILLIP: Another option President Trump is weighing, firing Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who Mr. Trump still bemoans for recusing himself

from the Russia probe.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Attorney General, have you spoken with the President today?

JEFF SESSIONS, U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL: Not today. Roll Tide.

PHILLIP: This as CNN has learned the President and his aides have discussed the legality of firing Mueller for months.

[08:20:00] UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Does he believe he has the power to fire Special Counsel Robert Mueller? Does he believe that`s within his power?

SANDERS: He certainly believes he has the power to do so.

PHILLIP: And The New York Times details a second attempt by the President to fire Mueller back in December, angered by reports that new subpoenas

from Mueller were seeking information about his business dealings with Deutsche Bank. The President backing down after learning the reports were

wrong.

A source tells CNN aides see this as a turning point for the President, whose anger about the Russia probe has surpassed any previous tantrums, but

Republican lawmakers urging restraint.

SEN. CHUCK GRASSLEY (R), IOWA: I think it would be suicide for the President to fire him. I think the less the President says about this

whole thing, the better off he will be.

SEN. JOHN CORNYN (R), TEXAS: Let Director Mueller do his job. It would be a mistake to fire him, so I don`t think his job is in jeopardy.

PHILLIP: A White House official tells CNN, the President now reevaluating whether he`ll give Mueller an interview. This as Michael Cohen reveals how

he felt about the raid at his home, and office, telling CNN, members of the FBI that conducted the search, and seizure were all extremely professional,

courteous, and respectful, starkly different from President Trump`s depiction, calling it a break-in.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It`s a disgraceful situation. It`s a total witch hunt.

PHILLIP: CNN now learning the raids took place on the same day that Trump`s lawyers met with Mueller`s team, with a source saying FBI agents

sought documents for payments to ex-Playboy model Karen McDougal, who claims she was paid $150,000 by the company that owns the National Enquirer

to keep the story about her alleged affair with Trump from being published.

Representatives for Trump have denied the affair. The FBI also collecting information related to porn star Stormy Daniels, who is now cooperating

with investigators.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: And that was CNN`s Abby Phillip reporting. Now twp Reuters journalists are being forced to stand to trial in Myanmar accused of

possessing secret government papers, and the maximum penalty for such a crime is 14 years in prison.

And meanwhile, seven members of Myanmar`s army have just been sentenced to 10 years for their role in the very massacre that these journalists were

investigating. Anna Coren has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANNA COREN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What should have been a day of celebration, journalist Wa Lone spends his 32nd birthday in handcuffs as he was escorted

into a Yangon courthouse by heavily armed police.

His colleague and fellow defendant Kyaw Soe Oo, fell right behind him, as both men were about to learn whether or not they would face trial for their

work in uncovering a massacre of 10 Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar last year.

But in less than half an hour, the judge rejected a request for dismissal of the case against the two Reuters journalists, who have been charged with

violating the Official Secrets Act. It comes a day after seven Myanmar soldiers were sentenced to 10 years prison for the massacre in Indian

village in Rakhine State.

"The ones who actually committed the massacre were imprisoned of 10 years", cried 28-year-old Kyaw Soe Oo. "But now the reporters who reported the

story are in the situation of getting 14 years imprisonment. Where is the justice in that?"

His wife is standing behind him while Lone addressed the media. "Today our case was not dismissed", he says. "I`m not really surprised since we were

grabbed, and detained by an unknown mob, and we are put in a situation where we worry that we could have been killed anywhere."

The two journalists were arrested back in December after meeting with police officers in a Yangon restaurant who handed them some rolled up

papers. Human rights groups have accused the police of entrapping them by giving the journalists documents, which the prosecution claims was secret

government papers.

Lawyers for the journalists say they never had a chance to look at them. In a statement, Reuters President and Editor-in-Chief Stephen J. Adler

said, we are deeply disappointed with the court`s decision. We believe that they are solid ground for the court to dismiss this matter, and to

release our journalists.

He added, they have not violated any laws in the course of a newsgathering, and was simply doing their jobs. We will continue to do all we can to

secure their release.

The massacre in September of last year was part of a wave of violent attacks on Rohingya Muslims by Myanmar`s military, described by the U.N.

and U.S. as ethnic cleansing, and genocide, an accusation Myanmar denies.

The government maintains they were targeting terrorists, not civilians. While thousands are estimated to have died, up to 700,000 Rohingyas fled to

neighboring Bangladesh, now a home to one of the world`s largest refugee camps.

Myanmar`s de facto leader, and Nobel Peace Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi has yet to speak out on behalf of the Rohingyas, instead, sending her Social

Welfare Minister to visit refugees in Bangladesh, as part of efforts to begin the repatriation process.

[08:25:07] It`s the first government official to visit the camps since the exodus began in August of last year.

WIN MYAT AYE, SOCIAL WELFARE MINISTER: The most important thing is to the start the repatriation process as soon as possible. We can overcome all

the difficulties.

COREN: And to the Reuters journalists who will be defended by a high- profile human rights lawyer Amal Clooney, they are now going to trial.

"I want to ask the government where is the truth", yelled Wa Lone. "Where is the justice? Where are democracy and freedom?" A case seen as further

evidence of a crackdown on free speech in Myanmar. Anna Coren, CNN, Hong Kong.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: You are watching News Stream. And still ahead, we`ll have a live report from the Pentagon was the rhetoric between Russia and the U.S.

over Syria takes a grave turn. Plus, Facebook`s CEO Mark Zuckerberg managed to spin through the first day of the Senate hearings by dodging

questions, and repeating apologies.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: I`m Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong, you are watching News Stream, and these are your world headlines.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: President Donald Trump is lashing out at Russia after Moscow threatens swift retaliation against any potential U.S. airstrikes in Syria.

In early morning tweet, Mr. Trump said this, quote, Russia vows to shoot down any, and all missiles fired at Syria, well get ready Russia, because

they will becoming nice, and new, and smart. You shouldn`t be partners with a gas killing animal who kills his people and enjoys it, unquote.

The President has promised that they would be a big price to pay for the apparent chemical attack that killed dozens of civilians just outside of

Damascus. Sources tell CNN that Mr. Trump is waiting wither to fire Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein who oversees the Special Counsel

investigation, doing so to put greater limit on Special Counsel Robert Mueller, the man leading the probe.

Sources say the President is fuming about the FBI raid on his personal attorney Michael Cohen, and may not agree to that interview with Mueller.

Algerian state media says at least 257 people have been killed in a military plane crash near the country`s capital. They have crashed close

to an airbase between Algiers, and the city of Blida. It is not clear whether there are any survivors.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: Well let`s get back to our top story now. The crisis in Syria, and the escalating war of words between the U.S. and Russia.

Our Barbara Starr joins us now live from the Pentagon. And, Barbara, President Trump has taunted Russia on Twitter again saying, quote, get

ready Russia because they`ll be coming. Interpret that first. Does he plans to authorize that strike on Syria?

[08:30:00] BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, it`s hard to see how he pulls back from that idea now, Kristie. The president of the

United States has often said, he does not want to signal his military moves, but how can you see that he did anything else in the sweep and do

just that saying the missiles are coming?

So, you know, the Russians are not stupid. They know what the U.S. has. They know what the British, the French have. They know what kinds of

weapons, bombs, and missiles are on hand in the region. And they know the map.

They know there is only so many directions this could be coming from, ships and submarines in the Mediterranean, flying aircraft from Turkey or over

the Mediterranean and launching from aircraft in the region.

This gives the Russians some tactical information. You know, did the president risk tactical surprise here? Because now they can adjust their

air defenses and their radars in Syria to be able to better lock on to any missiles or bombs coming their way.

The Russians were already at a high state of alert by all accounts. But now this just gives them another piece of information. Hard to see what the

president was trying to achieve here other than declaring war on Twitter, Kristie.

LU STOUT: Barbara Starr live from Pentagon for us. Thank you.

In just a few hours, Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg will be back on Capitol Hill for a second day of testimony. On Tuesday, he faced long questioning

from the Senate committee and confirmed that his company is cooperating with the special counsel`s investigation. But some lawmakers failed to hit

Zuckerberg with hard questions on user data privacy or regulation.

Tom Warren is a senior editor of The Verge. He joins me now live from London. Tom, welcome back to the program. Good to see. First, I got to ask

you about the tech savvy of Congress because a lot of people are wondering about it right now. Do U.S. lawmakers understand the technical aspects of

Facebook and how it should be potentially regulated or managed responsibly?

TOM WARREN, SENIOR EDITOR, THE VERGE: Yes, I think from yesterday`s hearing, it is pretty clear that a lot of them didn`t really understand the

fundamentals of exactly how Facebook works. There are few questions in there that just kind of -- personally I think probably wasted a lot of

time.

And so the fundamental way that Facebook works is, they don`t sell your data to advertisers (INAUDIBLE). They kind of like print out to

advertisers. And so it allows these advertisers to target Facebook users in unique ways that you don`t really see elsewhere.

And so say I wanted to show someone an (INAUDIBLE) on -- I don`t know, like, chocolate or something like that (ph). I wanted to target an earning

in London. I could do that on Facebook really easily. There is not many of (INAUDIBLE) media platforms that you can actually do that with.

I think the Senate yesterday kind of struggled with the fact that Facebook is an ad-supported service and the way they actually does that. And so I`m

hoping at today`s hearing, we are going to hear some better questions that are necessary around exactly how Facebook works.

LU STOUT: Yes, so give us an example of that. What is an example of that better question that needs to be answered on day two?

WARREN: Yes, so I think one of the better questions that we should be getting is, how does (INAUDIBLE) of data to these ad agencies, how does

that exactly work? And in terms of Cambridge Analytica scandal, all that sort of stuff, where (INAUDIBLE) has been and how they obtained that. We

need to get a little bit more transparency around that.

We need to know why it has taken three years for Facebook to inform users why -- was that gap? Is this just the tip of the iceberg? Is Cambridge

Analytica just the first of hundreds or is this just a one-off?

We have seen a lot over the years. Facebook has been involved in previous scandals. There has been a lot of apologies. I don`t think there has been

enough on taking control of the platform.

Zuckerberg (INAUDIBLE) at this platform when he was 19 years old. He`s now 33. And he has changed a lot. And I think he needs to take control of the

platform that is kind of going out of control in terms of the privacy stuff instead of apologizing. I think it needs more transparency, really.

LU STOUT: Yes, more transparency is needed. As you said, he needs to take control of this platform that he built when he was just a teenager. But can

he even do that? I mean, this is the existential question. Is Facebook even fixable? Given its business model, it`s all about extracting our data and

exploiting our data. Can Facebook even be fixed?

WARREN: Yes, I mean that`s the big question. I think that`s what we are struggling with the law. Should it be regulated? Should it be self-

regulated? What should really happen here? There is no real easy answer to that.

We are looking at company that is quite unique. You can argue they are basically craze social media. They don`t really have any competition. You

could argue there are monopoly. Zuckerberg said they weren`t yesterday. But they don`t really like -- he struggled to name a competitor.

[08:35:00] I think it`s like you found social media stuff that is struggling to define and struggling to regulate, and who should be involved

in that? Zuckerberg will still welcome regulations as long as Facebook will be happy with those control.

I think that`s what we need to get to the (INAUDIBLE), like, what do we want out of social media? What do we need to give to these companies and

get in return? Is the trade worth it? I think there was an episode last week with the Facebook staff. They have been collecting in certain

instances Android phone records. Just basically match your friends` high priority to contact list on the Android phone.

I don`t think that (INAUDIBLE) is something that Facebook really needs. And so we should be really asking how much data Facebook needs and why does it

need to collect so much?

LU STOUT: Yes, and as you point out, questions that we as internet users and consumers of social media should be asking ourselves. Should we even be

using platforms like this? Tom, we got to have to leave at that. Thank you so much for joining us and for that discussion. Really appreciate it.

WARREN: Thank you.

LU STOUT: Tom Warren of The Verge there. Thank you.

Now, after his first round of questions on Capitol Hill, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, he seemed to come on top. But how much help did he get from

that jacked up (ph) seat that he was sitting on. Now, the CEO, he stands at 5`7" at about 170 centimeters. And the photos are up there. He required a

cushion to propped himself up during his grilling from senators over Facebook`s privacy policies.

And yes, social media did not hold back, after spotting the cushion, with one person tweeting that Zuckerberg looks like a child, waiting for chicken

fingers and apple juice. Another asked if he gets a place mat to draw on.

You are watching "News Stream." Still ahead, it is a big day in North Korea with event like this as the parliament gathers but will they discuss

potential talks plan with U.S.? We got the inside view after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: Coming to yo live from Hong Kong. Welcome back. You`re watching "News Stream."

Now the world has been talking for weeks about that potential meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean Leader Kim Jong-un.

But do many people inside his country, inside North Korea know about this meeting?

Now their parliament is holding its annual meeting at the moment, a chance to spread the word inside the country. And CNN`s Will Ripley, he has some

inside knowledge of what these kinds of events are like.

In fact, in 2016, he went to the closing event of the Workers` Party Congress, one of the only international journalists to ever do so.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WILL RIPLEY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This is the first time that western media has been allowed into an event of this caliber here in North

Korea. This is a highly-secretive country and in this room are 3,400 people who are the ruling elite members of the Workers` Party who are voting in

the seventh party congress. They are waiting for the supreme leader Kim Jong-un and top party leader (INAUDIBLE).

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: CNN`s Will Ripley joins us now here in "News Stream." Will, good to see you.

RIPLEY: Hi, Kristie.

LU STOUT: It`s a big day in North Korea. The parliament is convening at a critical diplomatic time for Kim Jong-un. What goes down in a meeting like

this?

RIPLEY: Yes, we are just two weeks away from the summit with the South Korean president, Moon Jae-in.

[08:39:59] But this is not your typical legislative gathering because in countries like a democracy where people debate back and forth, here,

decisions are made by one person, Kim Jong-un, North Korea`s supreme leader.

And then there is the inner circle, the presidium, which is led by Kim Young-nam. He is the president of the presidium. These are the top

officials who basically set all North Korean policy before the gathering that is happening today, the Supreme People`s Assembly, just under 700

delegates who are there.

It has been called the rubber-stamp parliament. There has never any political dissent. They always approve the motions that are set forth by

their leader and the top party officials. But their job after they have this meeting is to then go to their home districts, to their factories, to

their schools, to their workplace.

They spread the word. So there are meeting that are compulsory for party members and even for regular North Korean citizens. And of course, that

message is also delivered on North Korean state media by television and radio.

LU STOUT: So the word is going to get out to the people of North Korea.

RIPLEY: In a very short period of time. Just a matter of days. Everybody will get to talking point.

LU STOUT: And the world is watching this meeting because of that upcoming meeting between Kim Jong-un and Moon Jae-in as well as the anticipated

meeting between Kim and Donald Trump. Do the people of North Korea know that that could barely happen?

RIPLEY: They don`t. North Korean media has not mentioned the name President Trump when it comes to the fact that he might be meeting with Kim

Jong-un.

Very different from what we saw just last month at the White House when the South Korean special envoy stood in front of the White House just minutes

after meeting with President Trump and key administration officials and saying that President Trump agreed to meet with Kim Jong-un.

That surprised the North Koreans because they didn`t think that was going to be publicized and they still have not publicized this meeting in their

own country. And frankly, they may not, Kristie, until after the summit has already happened. They are very careful about the messaging that they

deliver for their own people. They control the message.

There is no outside internet for most people. There is no ability for most people to know what is really happening in the outside world. And so they

are going to wait to see what the outcome is of the summit. They have not even decided officially after we know that the U.S. and North Korea are

trying to work on that right now.

LU STOUT: In the last year, Kim Jong-un has made this remarkable u-turn from launching missiles, harsh rhetoric, calling Donald Trump a dotard, to

now exploring diplomacy. He is making the shift. Are the people of North Korea ready for the shift?

RIPLEY: Well, they are going to be ready when they are told that that is what their leader has decided because this is a country once again where

political dissent is simply not tolerated.

Dissenting use are never expressed, at least not openly. And so, yes, it is a u-turn for the North Koreans after being told that President Trump is a

senile old lunatic and now he is going to be sitting in the same room possibly with their supreme leader, the person who is held in the highest

regard in their country.

In any other place, it might be a tough sell. People might be skeptical but it`s simply not the case in North Korea where public skepticism is just not

expressed.

LU STOUT: Will Ripley, thank you.

And that is "News Stream." I`m Kristie Lu Stout. don`t go anywhere. "World Sport" with Alex Thomas is next.

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[08:45:00] (WORLD SPORT)

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