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NEWS STREAM
Ghazni Visited By President Ashraf After Attacks By Taliban; ISIS Claiming Kabul Attacks; Monsoon Rains And Deadly Floods In Kerala In India; Vatican Breaks Silence On Sexual Abuse Case In Pennsylvania; Number Of Missing People Still Unknown On Collapsed Bridge; Trump's Military Parade Postponed; Google CEO Address Issue Of Censored App For China; Elon Musk Scared Investors After Emotional Interview; North And South Korean Family Reunion; Aretha Franklin, Dead At The Age Of 76; Violence In Afghanistan; Rampant Physical And Sexual Abuse; Aretha Franklin: 1942-2018. Aired 8-9a ET
Aired August 17, 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] KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong and welcome to "News Stream."
Victims of a bloody weekend in Afghanistan are remembered as the president visits Ghazni to assess the security situation.
Kerala on red alert as more rain and flooding is expected in the southern Indian state.
And showing respect, fans sending tributes for soul legend, Aretha Franklin after her passing.
And we begin in Afghanistan where a deadly wave of new attacks is raising old concerns. Just hours ago, the country's president posted this photo of
his visit to the city of Ghazni, the target of a major Taliban assault in the past week. He was there to reassure both troops and civilians, but
tragically the violence is not isolated.
ISIS is claiming responsibility for two attacks in the capital Kabul this week. They include a suicide bombing at an education center that killed at
least 34 people, many of them teenagers. Phil Black has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Here is me and Rahila (ph).
PHIL BLACK, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Red-eyed and exhausted. Two brothers speak with pride about their youngest sister,
Rahila (ph).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She was an innocent girl, really an innocent girl, and all the people were loving Rahila (ph).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When I was little she was so intelligent. She always got first position at school.
BLACK (voice-over): Rahila (ph) was studying when she was killed.
It took just one violent moment to inflict all this. In that instant, Rahila (ph) and dozens of other people were thrown, tossed, crushed and
burned. They'd been preparing for university admission exams when someone entered their classroom and triggered a suicide bomb.
Rahila's (ph) brothers ran between hospitals desperately looking for their sister. They eventually found her body. Her face was unrecognizable.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We found Rahila (ph) by this watch and it is still -- it has blood on itself.
BLACK (voice-over): The bombing means many people in this community must now bury sons and daughters. Their faces are consumed by sorrow and rage.
This woman screams furiously blaming the Afghan government for bloodshed that seems never ending. Even while some of the victims are lowered into
the ground, machines and men continue working nearby digging more graves.
In Rahila's (ph) home, a broken watch now lies on her desk next to books and the grades which show she graduated top of her class.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She wanted to travel all Afghanistan provinces. One day she told me that I hope there were no war, there were no fighting.
BLACK (voice-over): But Rahila (ph) never knew peace. Like the war in Afghanistan, she was 17 years old. Phil Black, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LU STOUT: Meanwhile, there is a desperate situation in India where more than 160 people have been killed in severe flooding and landslides in the
last 10 days in the southern state of Kerala. The cause, nonstop monsoon rains that officials say are as much as 50 percent worse than in previous
years. Those rains are not over yet.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SANJAY KUMAR, DIRECTOR GENERAL, NATIONAL DISASTER RESPONSE FORCE: In view of a fresh spell of floods inundating vast areas, we have deployed our
forces over there in seven districts. These teams are engaged in basically rescue and evacuation works, medical first response and they are tackling
the situation arising out of landslides, building collapse and also assisting the state or administration distributing relief materials.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LU STOUT: Now, I want to bring in Vanshree Singh. She is the director of the Indian Red Cross. She joins us now live on the line. Thank you so much
for joining us here on the program. First I want to ask you about what you know about the search and rescue. Are there still many people who are
stranded by the floods in Kerala and just waiting for rescue?
[08:05:06] Hello. Vanshree Singh, this is Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong. Can you hear me?
VANSHREE SINGH, DIRECTOR, INDIAN RED CROSS SOCIETY (via telephone): Yes.
LU STOUT: Yes. Thank you for joining us. What can you tell us about the search and rescue operation in Kerala. I know you're focusing on the
delivering of aid, but is it your understanding there are still people stranded by the floods and waiting for rescue at this moment?
SINGH: Yes. In the (inaudible) Indian Red Cross Society (inaudible) branch is deploying the volunteers to the (inaudible) for the rescue and search
operation, which is in coordination with the government (inaudible) as well as they are also deployed in the camps to have these people who are there
for the distribution of the food and water because (inaudible) electricity is cut over there in the camp.
And secondly, from national headquarters we have raised fees for collection of the fund and also for the collection of these items. In (inaudible) we
have dispatched the items and also one cubic (inaudible) more than 16 million Indian rupees. So I think -- and we have also arranging these items
to be delivered to the choppers.
We are engaging the choppers as they (inaudible), they have come forward to transfer these items. In addition to the items, we also deployed this water
purification unit. There are 700 liters can be purified in (inaudible) and this will be deployed to the nearest escape route (ph), which is from
(inaudible) because we need to safeguard the (inaudible) and even -- if they (inaudible) near to Kerala is (inaudible) they are also helping to
manage the situation.
LU STOUT: Good to hear. And good to hear this much needed items including items that can lead to potable water, what people in the floods need right
now are being provided. Dr. Vanshree Singh, we'll leave it at that. She was the director of the Indian Red Cross joining us live on the line for the
latest to provide relief to this terrible flooding disaster that has hit Kerala stat in southern India.
Now, "criminal and morally reprehensible," those are the strong words from the Vatican that finally broke the 48-hour silence following that explosive
report cataloging decades of abuse by the Catholic Church in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.
The official response also expressed shame and sorrow. Now, for more on this we're joined by CNN contributor Barbie Nadeau. And Barbie, the Vatican
has finally broken its silence.
BARBIE NADEAU, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: That's right. They broke their silence last night, local time, about 9:30 p.m. with a statement that used language
we haven't previously heard before. Calling these acts criminal --
(TECHNICAL DIFFICULTY)
LU STOUT: OK, unfortunately it looks like we're having some technical hits with our connection. Barbie Nadeau there in Rome. We will try to reconnect
with her and get the latest on the story as soon as we can. Our apologies for that.
Now, meanwhile, in Italy, authorities say that they simply cannot tell how many people are still missing, days after a highway bridge collapsed.
They're saying at least 38 people are known to have died, but that is not regarded as the final number. Now experts are now warning that thousands of
other bridges in Italy could also be unsafe. More from Ian Lee in Genoa.
IAN LEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The rescue operations are still underway but the chance really of finding someone alive is slim. Talking to the chief of
fire services, they say they have to act with hope and with urgency that someone could still be buried under that mound of concrete and rubble.
Right now, what they're doing is they are trying to crack the asphalt, that concrete then take a crane and pull it away. Then go in a bit deeper --
deeper and deeper, hoping against all odds that they might find a survivor.
There's been a war of wards about who is responsible for this tragedy. Many people in the government pointing to Autostrade per I'Italia, that is the
company that was contracted to maintain the bridge. Now the government is threatening to pull that contract. Autostrade per I'Italia says it's too
soon to know what was the cause of that bridge collapse and that they may not be responsible. And that if they do get their contract pulled, then the
government should compensate them.
[08:10:00] The government quickly shot back and said that it is too soon to talk about compensation when they are still pulling bodies from the rubble.
Meanwhile, we have to remember the hundreds of residents of that neighborhood over there who are homeless tonight. The authorities evacuated
them from their homes because that bridge is still unstable and they don't know when or if they'll ever be able to return home. Ian Lee, CNN, in
Genoa.
LU STOUT: Now staying in Italy, let's go back to our contributor, Barbie Nadeau, joining us live from Rome with more on the story. The Vatican
reaction finally breaking its silence on the back of that explosive report earlier this week detailing decades of abuse at the hands of church clergy,
and could you walk us through what the Vatican is saying?
NADEAU: Right. The statement came out last night, late here in Rome time. And the Vatican is essentially using new language when their referring to
this clerical sex abuse crimes. In the past, we've heard them refer to as sins and omissions of the clergy that need to be dealt with, with
forgiveness and prayer.
Right now, though, in this new statement they're using words like criminal. They're using words like accountability. They're calling on greater
interaction with the civil authorities, and that's something that the victims of these crimes have been calling for. To treat them as crimes that
need to be dealt within a secular court not as sins that need to be dealt with within the church's hierarchy and structure and protocols.
And I think the victims groups which have not yet released a statement based on what the Vatican said will probably now want to see these words
(inaudible) of federal investigation into those crimes in Pennsylvania. They're calling for resignations, demanded by the pope, from high-ranking
cardinals in the United States. This is not over yet. The pope may have the last word but he doesn't have the final word. We're waiting for victims now
to speak, Kristie.
LU STOUT: Yes, the Vatican expressing shame and sorrow waiting for the victims to speak. We're also waiting to see what kind of meaningful action
that the church is going to take next. Barbie Nadeau, reporting live for us. Thank you so much.
You're watching "News Stream." And still ahead right here on the program, a military parade down in front of the White House? The Pentagon tells
President Trump, not so fast.
Also ahead, she has waited nearly 70 years to hug her own son. Now, this South Korean is getting ready for a meeting of a lifetime. Her story is
next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LU STOUT: Coming to you live from Hong Kong, welcome back. This is "News Stream."
President Donald Trump has been greeted by military parades and honor guards in the U.K. and Japan and of course this one in France, but it looks
like he'll have to wait a little bit longer to have one back at home.
[08:15:04] That is according to the Pentagon, which is pressing pause on Trump's request for a parade in Washington. Now, CNN's Barbara Starr joins
me now. She is of course CNN's Pentagon correspondent. Barbara, so why did the Pentagon decide to postpone the president's military parade?
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, what a good question, Kristie. You know, the statement that came out very late last night from
the Pentagon said it was a decision by the White House and the Pentagon to relook at it all and maybe look now at having it in 2019. We'll just add,
perhaps, if it happens at all.
What had happened is earlier in the day it had emerged the price tag was going to be something like $92 million, and that got an immediate pretty
stern reaction from Defense Secretary James Mattis. Have a listen to what he had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAMES MATTIS, U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: Whoever told you that is probably smoking something that's illegal in my state and not in most states, OK.
I'm not dignifying that number with any reply. I would discount that and anybody who said that, I can almost guarantee you one thing.
They probably say I need to stay anonymous -- no kidding, because you'll like an idiot. And number two, whoever wrote it need to get better sources.
I'll just leave it at that. And I don't know who wrote it. I haven't seen it. But I guarantee you there's been no cost estimate.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STARR: Well, let's be very clear. Administration officials had told a number of reporters including CNN that the actual estimates that had
emerged was $92 million to give the president the kind of parade that he wanted after seeing the Bastille Day parade in France last year. Whether
that was going to happen, whether that was going to be a good idea to spend that much money on something like that was always an open question, whether
the president would finally sign off on such a thing.
It's our understanding this cost estimate never even got to him, but for some reason, last night the Pentagon and the White House said, not doing it
at least not until next year, Kristie?
LU STOUT: And Barbara, while we you have, the Pentagon has issued its annual report to Congress. In it, it said that China is likely training to
strike U.S. targets in the Pacific. What can you tell us more about this latest assessment of China's military strength, spending and capability?
STARR: Well, I think what you just said there, Krisite, is the key word, capability. No one is saying of course that China is about to strike the
U.S. but U.S. military intelligence does believe that the Chinese are working on advanced capabilities like a lot of countries. They're trying to
expand their footprint broader out into the ocean to become more of a legitimate, in their, view global power.
We see the same thing happening in Iran, North Korea, Russia. Countries typically do this. They like to have the military weapons that can expand
their influence and their capability. The Chinese doing it, are trying to develop a nuclear capable long-range bombers and trying to develop the
maritime assets that would allow them to range further afield. Kristie?
LU STOUT: All right. Barbara Starr, live at the Pentagon for us. Thank you.
And it is the company whose very name is a byword for assessing World Wide Web. And now Google is having to reassure staff over worries it could be
about to offer something very different. Now reports have emerged about Google planning to build a censored app for users in China.
But in a town hall, CEO Sundar Pichai says that that is not even close to being launched and the potential nature of it, that is still being
explored. Now, the "New York Times" reported on Thursday that around 1,400 employees at Google signed a letter questioning the China plan and calling
for more transparency.
Elon Musk says he does not regret sending up that tweet saying that Tesla might go private in -- on occasion, emotional interview that he gave with
the "New York Times." Tesla's CEO says that no one else saw the tweet before it went out.
Now, it triggered a rise in Tesla's stock and probably caught the attention of regulators. Tesla has spent the past year struggling to meet production
goals. And Musk told the "New York Times" that it has been "the most difficult and painful year of my career."
Now, a 92-year-old mother in South Korea and her son in the North, they have spent nearly 70 years apart and they are one of many Korean families
separated by the Korean War. But in just a few days from now, dozens will finally get the chance to see each other face-to-face as part of the first
round of reunions in some three years. Paula Hancocks has more.
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kristie, this will be an incredibly emotional time for these families. These are families that have
been torn apart by the Korean War back in the 1950s. The majority of these people don't know what happened to their loved ones. Many of them didn't
even know they were still alive, but now 93 of them have been chosen to be part of these family reunions.
[08:20:07} Just a tiny fraction of those that wanted to be part of these reunions. It is a race against time. The amount of people over the age of
90 is a fifth, that's 20 percent are over the age of 90. More than half are in their 80s and 90s. So it really is a race against time. And for these
families meeting on Monday, it is an incredibly important time.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HANCOCKS (voice-over): Lee Keum-seom is 92-years-old. Oblivious to the crowds in the Seoul shopping center, she has an outfit to buy for a very
special occasion. On Monday, Lee will meet her son for the first time in 68 years. Lee and her husband were among many North Koreans who fled South as
the Korean War took hold in 1950. She recalls walking for days carrying her 1-year-old daughter. Her husband carrying her son. She left the road to
breast feed her baby. Slipped, sprained her ankle. When she returned she couldn't find her husband.
TEXT: I thought she was a long way so I didn't stop to sleep or eat and kept going. I ran into my brother-in-law, he said my husband had gone back
to find me.
HANCOCKS (voice-over): As the fighting caught up with them, Lee had to take a train then a ship and waited in South Korea for her husband and son
to catch up. They never did.
TEXT: Whenever I woke up, I would take my daughter out to the field and sit on a rock. That was my spot and I would cry, I cried everyday for a
year.
HANCOCKS (voice-over): Lee is one of 93 South Koreans who will be reunited with family members they haven't seen in decades out of 57,000 who had
applied. These reunions happen only when relations between the two Koreas are good. The last one was three years ago. It is an emotional and highly
controlled three days at a mountain resort in North Korea.
TEXT: You'll be meeting your family seven times.
TEXT: Seven times?
TEXT: I don't remember what my four year son was like. Would it be okay to hug my son? He is over 70 years old now. When I see him I'll call his name
Sang-chol and hug him, that is the only thing on my mind.
HANCOCKS (voice-over): Jung Kea-hyun is still waiting. He's one of thousands who can only wonder if their chance will ever come. He's 85. His
two brothers, one older, one younger did not manage to escape the North during the war. He has heard nothing about them since.
TEXT: At the very least, if I can't have a meeting, I just want to know who is still alive, are any of them still alive? I want to be able to write
them a letter but I can't even do that. Being separated from family is something unimaginable. I cried a lot. I left when I was 17, isn't that a
time when I should have been in my mother's care.
HANCOCKS: But Jung tells me even though he is extremely disappointed not to be part of this round, he is still holding some hope that he may be part
of a reunion in the future and there is this hope that there will be more reunions. What we've also been hearing is just how bittersweet this
experience can be.
It's only for three days and it is highly choreographed. So there is only a certain amount of hours in each day that these loved ones are able to sit
down and talk to each other and then, of course, there is that heartbreaking, devastating moment when they have to get back on the buses
in North Korea and come back down to South Korea and leave their loved ones once again, knowing it's highly unlikely they will ever see each other
again, Kristie.
LU STOUT: Paula Hancocks, reporting there. Thank you. And we have learned that only 89 families will be able to participate in these grand family
reunions. The reason being sighted, the deteriorating health of its participants.
You're watching "News Stream."
And still to come, fans are showering Aretha Franklin with respect every way they can.
(CROWD SINGING)
LU STOUT: Beautiful music. Adoring crowds in the Apollo's landmark marquee celebrates the queen of soul as they honor her talent and her legendary
contributions to music.
(CROWD SINGING)
[08:25:01] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LU STOUT: I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong. You're watching "News Stream" and these are world headlines.
At least 164 people have been killed and more than 100,000 are now in shelters as floods ravage the southern Indian state of Kerala. Thirteen of
the regions 15 districts are under red alert, the highest warning level during emergencies in India.
The Vatican has broken its silence on a report outlining decades of sexual abuse and cover-up by the Catholic Church in Pennsylvania. Pope Francis
expressed shame and sorrow and condemned the behavior as criminal and morally reprehensible.
The president of Afghanistan has visited Ghazni, the strategic city that was targeted in a raid by the Taliban this past week. Hundreds of people
were killed when Taliban forces stormed the area, and separately, ISIS is claiming responsibility for two attacks in the capital of Kabul this week.
They included a suicide bombing at an education center that killed at least 34 people, many of them teenagers.
And joining us now with more on the conflict in Afghanistan, CNN senior international correspondent, Ivan Watson. Ivan, this week we have seen this
very vicious attacks take place in Kabul as well as these violent clashes in and around Ghazni. What is the state of play in terms of the overall
battlefield in Afghanistan today?
IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, the U.S. got involved in 2001 after 9/11 and some 17 years after that, the U.S. military
estimates that insurgent groups either directly control or battling for control of some 35 percent of the population in Afghanistan.
And this is a representation of what that looks like. The pink areas, that's where the Taliban is most active, and over there by the corner with
Pakistan, the border with Pakistan next to Jalalabad, that black area is an area where ISIS is active. They're the newcomers to the Afghan battlefield
as the newest and smallest of the insurgent groups battling the Afghan government forces.
LU STOUT: And of course, these are areas where there are civilian populations. Civilians are bearing the brunt of the violence. How dire is
the situation for them?
WATSON: According to the United Nations, Kristie, this has been the deadliest six months in a decade for civilians, with at least 1,692 killed
in the first six months of this year. A one percent increase from the same period last year, and of course, the injuries which can be horrific, more
than 3,400.
The U.N. says that 52 percent of the casualties are a result of ISIS' activities, those newcomers on the Afghan battlefield.
[08:30:01] We saw from Phil Black's report just the impact on one family, the trauma, the tragedy of this. But what is perhaps most grim is that with
the conflict going on this long, the U.N. is compiling these very grim statistics like this into things like pie charts, which explain that 29
percent of the civilians are being killed in ground engagements, 28 percent suicide and complex attacks, and 17 percent as a result of improvised
explosive devices.
And in this next graphic, you'll see how they break down who is responsible. Some 67 percent of civilian casualties as a result of the
anti-government forces and, of course, the pro-government forces are responsible for the deaths of around 20 percent of the civilians.
LU STOUT: Now we have this very chilling statistics because as you point out, the duration of this conflict which has become America's longest
running war. What are American military leaders saying about it?
WATSON: Yeah. Well, the Afghan president, Ashraf Ghani, he traveled today to Ghazni. That's the city about 150 kilometers southwest of Kabul that the
Taliban overran last week for several days. Lot of damage there as a result of the fighting to expel them from there. And he repeated a call he has
made in the past for peace negotiations with the Taliban.
The U.S. secretary of defense has suggested that maybe that's why the Taliban has increased attacks on places like Ghazni.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAMES MATTIS, UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: There's been talk about another some kind of ceasefire coming from the Afghan president, President
Ghani. This is what we've seen before in insurgencies when there's going to be a negotiation or a ceasefire, trying to up the ante. This enemy does it
by murdering innocent people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WATSON: Now, amid all this carnage, there was a glimmer of hope last June, Kristie. That's when the Afghan government and the Taliban declared a short
ceasefire at the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
Beautiful images of government security forces and Taliban fighters actually embracing during that brief moment of calm, leading to hope that
maybe that can be built upon for more peace talks. There have been reports of U.S. diplomats meeting with the Taliban in Qatar, but the carnage we've
seen suggests that peace is still a long way away.
LU STOUT: Ivan, we thank you for your reporting. We thank you for giving us the grim state of play in Afghanistan. Thank you.
OK, let's dig deeper into the security future in Afghanistan. Joining me now live from Kabul is Lieutenant-Colonel Martin O'Donnell, spokesman for
Resolute Support. Sir, thank you so much for joining us here on the program.
As reported, as you know, security has seriously eroded in Afghanistan this week. Even Kabul has turned into a front line of violence. What is behind
this troubling uptick in violence there?
MARTIN O'DONNELL, SPOKESMAN, RESOLUTE SUPPORT: Well, thanks, Kristie, for having me. I just want to segue way back to some of the things you just
heard. How we contextualize that or how General Nicholson, the commander here, contextualizes all of these fighting and talking.
You heard from the secretary of defense there, he sort of alluded to that. So let me if I could break those sort of two topics. Fighting. Right? We
saw fighting this week. But if we look at that, no doubt that there's been a lot of casualties.
But if we look at the violence levels, we've actually seen, though, on the year a five to 10 percent reduction in violence, based on historical norms.
And while violence has increased -- it's -- and it's still trending -- civilian fighting are the ones that are burying (ph) -- militarily.
What did the Taliban achieve by attacking Ghazni? Nothing. They weren't able to hold that. We've seen that repetitively from them. They're unable
to gain terrain. What did they do? They burned a market. They destroyed a television station. They destroyed a radio station. They kill civilians.
All of those things we would come to expect.
And then if I could, shifting to talking -- Taliban this week that they're considering a ceasefire. Heard from the Afghan government this week that
they're still considering a ceasefire. The Taliban, we assess, this attack again to put them not in a position where they're -- where they're in a
position to potentially for more political power.
LU STOUT: OK, sir, we have to leave it at that. Unfortunately, the audio connection here, not really working up for us. I hope we have an
opportunity to speak another time just to get an assessment of what's happening especially on the back of these attacks from not only the Taliban
in Afghanistan but ISIS as well, a number of challenges that you and coalition forces as well as Afghan forces have to confront with.
[08:34:58] Lieutenant Colonel Martin O'Donnell, thank you for joining me and hopefully we can talk again soon.
Now, a separate story. It's a horrifying new study alleging rampant physical abuse and sexual abuse in government-run homes in the Indian state
of Bihar. CNN correspondent Will Ripley has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WILL RIPLEY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: In India, they are called shelter homes. They are supposed to be safe places for young, poor,
vulnerable children. Boys and girls with no family to turn to, suffered more, endured more, and struggled more than most people ever will. Those
are the kind of young people sent to these shelter homes, now accused of providing anything but shelter.
A six-month state commission study alleges an appalling pattern of physical and sexual abuse. The study looked at more than 100 shelter homes in the
eastern Indian state of Bihar, all of them either partially or fully run by the state government. Young girls and boys who say they were sexually
abused, beaten, harassed, humiliated.
The findings so horrifying authorities raided the government-funded shelter homes for girls in late May. They rescued 44 girls, 34 of them, all but 10,
told police that male staff molested them and committed sexual violence as a means of discipline.
Police arrested 10 people including Brajesh Thakur, the director of the NGO that run the home. On his way to court, he denied the allegations and said
he is being framed for political reasons. Police believe this is the worst case. They say it is not the only case.
The report concludes only a handful of government-run homes in Bihar are not inflicting some kind of abuse. The report says 15 shelter homes are
under grave concerns.
Even in India, a nation ravaged by rampant reports of rape and brutality, this case has left many people angry and shocked. They want to know, will
anything change? Or will a system designed to care for India's most vulnerable children only leave them wide open for abuse?
Will Ripley, CNN, Hong Kong.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LU STOUT: Deeply unsettling revelation there. You're watching "News Stream." Still ahead on the program, you're going to hear heartfelt
tributes to the sound of soul itself. The world honors the legendary Aretha Franklin.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LU STOUT: Welcome back. Yore watching "News Stream," coming to you live from Hong Kong.
Now, there were many, many ways Aretha Franklin was described in her lifetime. The Queen of Soul. The sound of the civil rights movement. More
simply, one of the greatest singers who ever lived.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
LU STOUT: Her unparalleled voice has now unfortunately fallen silent, but it is a voice music lovers will never forget. Now let's go to Ryan Young,
who joins us live from Detroit. Ryan, how are people there? It was Aretha Franklin's hometown. How are they saying goodbye and paying tribute to the
Queen of Soul?
RYAN YOUNG, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This has been an amazing run, when you think about it. Aretha Franklin moved here from Memphis and this became
her adopted hometown. She loved this city. In fact, a lot of people talk about the fact that even through Detroit's ups and downs, she never left
here.
[08:40:01] She always remained close. In fact, she had several affairs here where she made sure people who are homeless got fed. She stayed close
with the community. In fact, I was telling one story. I went to a barber shop the other day and someone bumped into her inside a grocery store. She
was always accessible.
But you think about the fact that she spent six decades, there was so much love for her. And yesterday before it started raining hard here, we saw an
impromptu concert basically here on the sidewalk in front of the church that is behind me where people were dancing and singing along to her songs.
You felt all that love for her happening right here. It was amazing. If you think about this church, this is the church where her father was a
preacher. This is actually where she had her first starring role. She was stepped up there when she was like 13 or 14 years old and starting
performing.
This is also where she connected with Dr. King and would tour the country with Dr. King sometimes and have those conversations about the civil rights
movement. When you think about the song "Respect" and a woman singing that song in the '60s, it meant so much not only for the civil rights movement
but for people of this city and for women.
So, you understand looking back all these generations, this woman really meant a lot and that's why she's known as the Queen of Soul.
LU STOUT: SO much love for Arethan Franklin there in her adopted hometown in Detroit. There are the New Bethel Baptist Church right behind you where
she started her career, singing gospel music as a child. Let's talk more about her music, Ryan. How was it that Aretha Franklin could cross gospel
and R&B to rock and pop? I even read she did opera as well. I mean, was it Aretha Franklin's voice? Was it her talent? What was it?
YOUNG: You know, sometimes, I heard it over and over, this was a gift from god. One of the things you brought up there is, her voice also spanned all
across the country and across the world. So now you have people who know this woman because of her wonderful music and she could sing four octaves.
So you understand how powerful her voice was. And now you see the generations kind of rocking back and forth. You think about she was the
first woman inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. So that power will last quite some time.
You think about big actors who disappear sometimes. Yes, you might see their film at some point, but music like this, you will always remember
when you heard "Natural Woman" for the first time. You will remember "respect" no matter where you are. So you can say this will last a long
time. We'll see what happens from here.
LU STOUT: Absolutely. She was an immense talent. She was a cultural touchstone as well. Her music and anthem to so many in the United States
and around the world. Ryan, thank you so much for your reporting there from Detroit and thank you for paying respect to the Queen of Soul.
And that is it for "News Stream." I'm Kristie Lu Stout. We got "World Sport" with Christina Macfarlane coming up next. And we're going to leave
you now with the thrilling, amazing voice of Aretha Franklin.
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[08:45:00] (WORLD SPORT)
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