Return to Transcripts main page

NEWS STREAM

Pushing For Access, The U.S. Says It Is Time Russia Allows American Officials To See David Whelan Arrested In Russia For Alleged Spying; Direct Confrontation Of Words; Taiwan's President Says They Will Not Accept China's Call For One Country, Two Systems; A Human Chain Protest, A Wall Of Women Stretching More Than 600 Kilometers To Get Two Women Into A Once- Banned Temple In South India. Aired: 8-9p ET

Aired January 02, 2019 - 08:00   ET

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


KRISTIE LU STOUT, HOST, "NEWS STREAM": I'm Kristi Lu Stout in Hong Kong and welcome to "News Stream." Pushing for access, the U.S. says it is time

Russia allows American officials to see David Whelan arrested in Russia for alleged spying. Direct confrontation of words. Taiwan's President says

they will not accept China's call for one country, two systems. And a human chain protest, a wall of women stretching more than 600 kilometers to

get two women into a once-banned temple in South India.

And we start with word from America's top diplomat that U.S. officials are still wait to go visit a U.S. citizen detained in Russia on suspicion of

spying. Russia arrested Paul Whelan last Friday in Moscow. The U.S. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo says this country wants a much more

detailed explanation about the spy charges and wants to talk to Whelan without further delay.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE POMPEO, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: With respect to Mr. Whelan, who is being held, we are hopeful within the next hours we will get consular

access to see him and get a chance to learn more. We've made clear to the Russians our expectation that we will learn more about the charges to come

to understand what it is he's been accused of and if the detention is not appropriate, we will demand his immediate return.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: Meanwhile, we are learning more about Paul Whelan. He works as a corporate security director for the U.S.-based auto components company

called BorgWarner. Let's bring up pictures from a Russian social media site, similar to Facebook, that he has apparently been using for the past

13 years.

Whelan's brother, David, insists he is innocent and was visiting Moscow for a wedding when he was arrested. Now, we're going to talk to David Whelan.

He joins us now from Toronto and sir, thank you very much for joining us especially during a very difficult time for your family as you await any

news about your brother.

We just got this update from the U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. He says that he is hopeful that within the next hours or so, we will get

access to Paul Whelan, your brother. Have you had heard about this? Have you been briefed on this? Your response.

DAVID WHELAN, BROTHER OF PAUL WHELAN WHO WAS ARRESTED IN MOSCOW: No. That's great news. And in fact, I just heard it on CNN, so that was the

first word we had had from the U.S. government that they knew they were going to be able to get access to it and we had hoped it would happen

today, so it's fantastic news.

LU STOUT: Yes, good news for you and your family. Do you believe that behind the scenes everything possible is being done to not just get

consular access to your brother, but to secure his release?

WHELAN: It's certainly my hope. I know that many people are working towards trying to get him home.

LU STOUT: Got you, and this is CNN International. We do air globally, including into Russia. Do you - does your family have a message to share

with the Russian government? What do you want to say to them directly?

WHELAN: I think we would say the same goal that we've - we stated otherwise, that we're looking forward to Paul being released and sent back

to his home and to his family. Yes, I think that's the only message we would have.

LU STOUT: Got it. And the FSB, they have said that he was arrested on suspicion of carrying out an act of espionage. Your response to that?

WHELAN: I don't believe he would have committed an act of espionage.

LU STOUT: And what was he doing in Russia?

WHELAN: Paul is a kind and a generous person. He helps his friends, and in this case, he was helping a fellow former Marine who was having a

wedding in Moscow. Paul has been to Russia, as you know, from the Vcontact page and other pictures you've seen and he was asked to come and help

Americans who hadn't been to Moscow who were in the wedding party to see the sites and to get around, and so Paul did that, and so he flew into

Moscow on the 22nd and he disappeared on the 28th.

[08:05:02]

LU STOUT: Tell us more about your brother. You just mentioned he's a former Marine. He's a retired marine. He must be a -- you know, just a

tough guy. How do you think he is coping and handling with the situation right now?

WHELAN: Well, you never want to see anybody into that sort of situation in a foreign government's detention, but Paul's law enforcement and his

background and his military service, as well as his corporate security background, I think probably positioned him better than certainly me and

many other people to know how to react and respond in dealing with foreign security services.

LU STOUT: And since we don't have any information, no contact with him just yet, since his arrest, how do you cope with the uncertainty? Is it

difficult for you to imagine just what kind of conditions he could be held in right now?

WHELAN: Yes, I think everybody can imagine what it's like to have a sibling or a parent disappear and that's what we experienced over the

weekend. And then on Monday morning, when we were searching the internet for any kind of news that might describe an American, who had been in

trouble in Moscow in a car crash or mugged or killed or whatever, we came across the Russian ministry news release.

And so in a weird way, it was good to know that someone knew where he was. It's not positive that he's in Russian custody, but at least we knew he was

alive so that was positive and we've been working for the last few days trying to essentially wait for the next milestone where we her in what

condition has he been detained?

LU STOUT: Yes, absolutely, and was it from a Russian news release, something that you found online that finally gave you answers as to what

happened to your brother?

WHELAN: Yes, it was just an internet web search and using key words and a narrowed window of about 24 hours. Suddenly, all of these Reuters news

releases popped up.

LU STOUT: All right, David Whelan, brother of Paul Whelan, the U.S. being detained and arrested in Moscow. Thank you so much for joining us during

this very tough situation. We hope you get in contact with your brother soon. Do take care.

Speculation is whirling in intelligence circles about whether this arrest could be tied to the recent guilty plea of an alleged Russian spy in the

U.S. We have got Matthew Chance standing by in Moscow. Martin Savidge is in Whelan's hometown in Michigan. Matthew, we go to you first. You know,

Whelan's arrest, it came weeks after what happened in the United States, that guilty plea from Maria Butina. Is this payback?

MATTHEW CHANCE, SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT, CNN: Yes, well just a couple of weeks after she pleaded guilty in fact to conspiracy after

prosecutors in the United States that accused Maria Butina who is a sort of pro-gun activist in the United States from Russia of attempting to go

infiltrate conservative groups like the National Rifle Association and the Republican Party to influence prominent members, prominent Americans who

are members of those groups.

She's expected to be sentenced shortly, sometime, you know, in the next few weeks or so and faces a prison sentence, something the Russians are

absolutely furious about, and it's that furry that has driven this speculation that the detention of Paul Whelan could have been motivated by

that, it could have been motivated for them to have a chip in their hands to trade with Maria Butina to get her back to Moscow.

There has been a high profile internet campaign launched by the Russian government to try and have her returned to Russia from the United States

where of course, she's being held. There is no other direct link between the two cases apart from that.

The only other thing that's slightly suspicious is that a week or so ago, there was an annual news conference here held by Vladimir Putin, the

Russian President, and he addressed that Butina case and he said something along the lines of - and I'm paraphrasing him, look, it's not like we're

going to engage in retribution. We're not going to arrest some innocent person just to trade them for Butina.

Yet, that it seems is exactly what people are now talking about, as mentioned with this detention of Paul Whelan who was arrested on December

the 28th here in the Russian capital and said to be caught spying by the FSB, the counter espionage organization here -- Kristie.

LU STOUT: Got you. Now, let's get some family reaction additionally from Martin Savidge who has been monitoring family reaction from the U.S. state

of Michigan. And Martin, as you heard in that interview perhaps just moments ago with the brother of Paul Whelan.

David Whelan said it was news to him. He learned it on CNN that line from the Secretary of State that the U.S. government is hopeful within the next

few hours that the U.S. will get access to Paul.

Is the family being regularly briefed on what's happening in Russia and the fate of their loved one?

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CORRESPONDENT, CNN: You know, the family has not been absolutely clear on just that point. They have reached out to both the

representatives for the State of Michigan here, the congressional representatives and they have reached out to the State Department. But

we're also coming off a holiday period.

So it is hoped that today going forward with the comments made by the Secretary of State there that there will be a more active focus, but they

really want to see the American officials get in and visit with their brother and their son.

[08:10:10]

SAVIDGE: They want to know how is he physically doing and then they want to know what is he specifically charged with and why? What is the evidence

to support what they say is absolutely preposterous allegations of spying and then, of course, they want to know when is he going to come back home?

You know, he has got a very interesting background. As you've already alluded to, serving in the U.S. Marines, he was born in Canada, but he's an

American citizen, served in Iraq, served in local law enforcement and now is working as a Director of Security Operations for a major auto parts

manufacturer at BorgWarner here. And he's traveled all around the world and has connections with police and security all around the world.

So you could see why he would come to the attention of Russian authorities, perhaps, because on top of that, he's made numerous visits to Russia, both

for professional and personal reasons but why he's being held, his family believes he's a pawn in some kind of showdown between the U.S. and Russia.

LU STOUT: Martin Savidge reporting live for us from Michigan. Matthew Chance reporting live for us earlier from Moscow, a big thank you to you

both.

While the U.S. government shutdown has been dragging into its 12th day, a prominent Republican senator is taking a swipe another President Trump's

character. And moments ago, Mr. Trump fired back.

Mitt Romney lost the U.S. Presidential race to Barack Obama in 2012. However, he will represent Utah in the U.S. Senate when it convenes on

Thursday. But before taking his seat, he unloaded on Mr. Trump in this scathing op-ed published in "The Washington Post." Romney says the

President's behavior over the past two years is, quote, "evidence that he has not risen to the mantle of the office."

Let's go straight to CNN's Boris Sanchez live for us at the White House and Boris, this is the op-ed everyone is talking about this day. What more did

senator-elect Mitt Romney say?

BORIS SANCHEZ, WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, CNN: Hey there, Kristie, yes, Mitt Romney going after Donald Trump here in a way he hasn't since the 2016

campaign when he called Donald Trump a fake and a phony. Someone whose promises are as worthless as a degree from Trump University.

Remember then that Donald Trump fired back and it appears that the two are exchanging words yet again. Here is some of what Mitt Romney wrote in "The

Washington Post" about President Trump. He writes quote, "His conduct over the past two years, particularly his actions this month is evidence that

the President has not risen to the mantle of the office." He goes on, "A President should demonstrate the essential qualities of honesty and

integrity and elevate the national discourse with comedy and mutual respect, and it is in this province where the incumbent's shortfall has

been most glaring."

Romney in this op-ed going after the President not only for his actions during the government shutdown, but also for his withdrawal of U.S. troops

overseas. President Trump is not one to stand quiet when he's being criticized, fired back on Twitter a short while ago. He writes, quote,

"Here we go with Mitt Romney, but so fast. Question will be, is he a flake? I hope not. Would much prefer that Mitt focus on border security

and so many other things where he can be helpful. I won big and he didn't. He should be happy for all Republicans. Be a team player and win."

So President Trump there going after Mitt Romney for losing the 2012 election, referring to him as a potential flake, an allusion to Jeff Flake,

the former senator from Arizona who also butted heads with President Trump.

The curious thing about this isn't necessarily the conflict, it's the timing - why Mitt Romney would decide to go after President Trump right now

one day after he's set to be sworn in as senator, by none other that Vice President Mike Pence. That might make for a bit an awkward moment,

Kristie.

LU STOUT: Yes, that makes for a very interesting discussion, indeed. Hopefully we can continue with that a little bit later in the week. Boris

Sanchez, reporting live from the White House, thank you very much.

SANCHEZ: Thank you.

LU STOUT: Now, in Britain, the turn of the New Year brings us ever closer to the date the country is due to leave the European Union, March the 29th,

and the U.K. Foreign Secretary is in Singapore, a place he says, Britain can learn lessons from. Speaking earlier, he also ruled out a second

Brexit referendum.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEREMY HUNT, BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY: We are a democracy. We've been given our instructions by the British people. They're asked us to leave

the European Union and they're expecting us to get on with that. And if we went back to them and asked their opinion a second time, they would say,

"Well, you guys aren't listening to us and you are going to ask us a third time or a fourth time until you get the answer you want? And if that's the

case, then that's not a democracy at all."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: All right, Chinese President Xi Jinping says Taiwan's quest for independence is a dead end. Hear what Taiwan's President had to say about

that, next. And a controversial move from Netflix over an episode criticized by Saudi Arabia. We'll share what caused the ire of the

Kingdom.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:15:07]

LU STOUT: Coming to you live from Hong Kong, welcome back. This is "News Stream," now there is just over an hour left before the U.S. stock markets

open for the first time this year. And so far, it looks like an extension of the heavy losses we saw in 2018.

In fact, U.S. futures, they are pointing to a sharply lower open. Investors remain concerned about a global slowdown in growth, especially in

China and the trade war between China and the United States. Our markets here in the Asia Pacific region, they were first off the block, closed deep

in the red, as you could see. In Europe, markets there, also down.

We're going to have much more on the market volatility along with the opening bell on Wall Street coming up on "First Move with Julia Chatterly."

That starts in less than 45 minutes.

The President of Taiwan says the island will, quote, "never accept Beijing's one country, two systems framework." The remarks follows Chinese

President Xi Jinping's speech earlier today in which he called on Taiwan to reject independence and to embrace unification with China. Here is how

Taiwan's leader responded.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TSAI ING-WEN, TAIWAN PRESIDENT (Through a translator): As the President of the Republic of China, I will reiterate our position. First, I must

seriously point out that we won't accept the 1992 consensus. The essential reason is that the 1992 consensus defined by Beijing is actually one China,

one country, two systems.

Today, the leader of the other side of the strait confirmed our concern. Here, I want repeat that Taiwan will never accept one country, two systems.

Most Taiwanese also firmly oppose one country two systems. This is also a Taiwanese consensus.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: Now, earlier, the President - the speech by the Chinese President Xi Jinping marks the 40th Anniversary of a statement known as

"The Message to Compatriots in Taiwan." That event led to a thaw in relations but even now, Mr. Xi is not ruling out using force.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

XI JINPING, CHINESE PRESIDENT (Through a translator): We are willing to create broad space for peaceful reunification, but we will no room

whatsoever for separatist activities for Taiwan independence of any form.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: Now, I'd like to get some analysis now from Steve Tsang. He is the Director of the SOAS China Institute at the University of London, and

Steve, thank you so much for joining us here on the program. Let's first compare Xi's speeches on Taiwan this year and last year.

Because last year, Xi Jinping used much stronger language in regards to Taiwan, so does that mean that there's a change in his position?

STEVE TSANG, DIRECTOR, SOAS CHINA INSTITUATE UNIVERSITY OF LONDON: No, I don't think there is a change in position. The big difference between this

year and last year was that last year, he made explicit reference to the use of force.

[15:20:05]

TSANG: This year, he lays down a fairly rigid framework for unification, and he is saying that he will allow it to be achieved peacefully, if

possible, but if not possible, then he will do whatever it takes.

LU STOUT: And that framework is one country, two systems, but why would Xi Jinping use that is a model for Taiwan when Hong Kong where this principle

is in place is not necessarily a success story for Beijing.

TSANG: Well, basically, Xi Jinping is telling everyone in Taiwan that, "You have better accept the fact that the reality that we will take Taiwan

one way or the other. The least harmful option for you is to accept a peaceful resolution by the one country two system model and it is not

negotiable, just get on with it." I think that's the basic message.

LU STOUT: Yes, and Taiwan is not accepting it, and in response, Taiwan said that the island would not accept a one country two systems political

arrangement with China, while stressing that all present negotiations need to be on a government to government basis. How is that refusal going to go

down in Beijing?

TSANG: Candidly, it is not a surprise to Beijing's Taiwan policy makers that the one country two systems model is not acceptable in Taiwan. It has

never been acceptable in Taiwan, so that is not a surprise.

The surprise was in the way how China articulated it so directly as the President of the Republic of China. Now Beijing will see these as a

deliberate attempt by Taiwan to stay hard lined on China and therefore, they have more reasons to take a robust stance on Taiwan, so we are not in

a good place today.

LU STOUT: And also, what was Xi Jinping's message to the United States with that speech earlier today? Today marks, what, 40 years since the

establishment of China-U.S. diplomatic relations. What message is Xi Jinping sending to Donald Trump?

TSANG: well, the message to the United States is essentially that while Xi Jinping would prefer not to use force over Taiwan, and this does not apply

to any outside forces, implying the United States, and, therefore, is warning to the United States to stay out of the Taiwan issue and Taiwan

issue will therefore be resolved peacefully by China and if the Americans get involved, then it is American fault to result in a less than peaceful

means of resolving the Taiwan issue.

LU STOUT: I think it's safe to say we're going to be talking together again on this issue in the months ahead right here on "News Stream." Steve

Tsang, we'll leave it at that. Thank you very much indeed for analysis. Take care.

Now, Netflix has pulled an episode of a comedy show in Saudi Arabia after complaints from the Kingdom. The episode of "Patriot Act" with Hasan

Minhaj was highly critical of the Saudi government over the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, as well as the war in Yemen. Minhaj also took on the Saudi

Crown Prince, Mohammed Bin Salman directly.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HASAN MINHAJ, HOST, PATRIOT ACT: It blows my mind that it took the killing of a "Washington Post" journalist for everyone to go, "Oh, I guess he's

really not a reformer." Meanwhile, every Muslim person you know was like, "Yes, no [bleep]." He is Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: Hasan Minhaj there, now, Hadas Gold joins me now live from London. And Hadas, break it down further for us exactly what did Riyadh

find offensive? Was it going after the Crown Prince and why did Netflix just readily heed its request?

HADAS GOLD, REPORTER, CNN: So Kristie, from what we know so far, Netflix received what they said was actually a legal complaint from the government

of Saudi Arabia. They were very quick to stress that it was a legal complaint, not just a request from the government. And what Saudi Arabia

claims is that Netflix, that the show violated Article 6 of their anti- cybercrime law which prohibits - and I am going to quote here, "impinging on public order, religious values, public morals and privacy."

And that's all we've heard of far from Netflix about what the government of Saudi Arabia was complaining about. Now, it's just that episode. This

episode is actually from October. So it's been up for some time. Netflix says, they received the legal complaint from Saudi Arabia just a few weeks

ago, now Hasan Minhaj has another episode that also slams Saudi Arabia and how they handled the Khashoggi incident from just a few weeks ago, but

Netflix told me they have not received any sort of request to take that one down.

Netflix also said that though that episode, the one from October has been removed for users in Saudi Arabia, it's still actually available on YouTube

as far as they can tell. So people in Saudi Arabia can still watch it on YouTube.

[08:25:04]

GOLD: Obviously, of course, people around the world can still watch that episode on Netflix and obviously now, it's going to get a lot more

attention because of this takedown request.

LU STOUT: Yes, absolutely. And does this set a concerning precedent? We know Netflix is available in over 190 countries around the world. If it

caves to the Saudis, could it very well cave to other governments?

GOLD: Well, let me read you part of Netflix's statement in response to this. They say, "We strongly support artistic freedom worldwide and only

removed this episode in Saudi Arabia after we had received a valid legal request and we comply with local law."

Now, this is something that a lot of internet companies have had to deal with. We have seen this with Google in China, where they might come from a

country like the United States that has more freedom of speech, but they're trying to enter into these markets that aren't as open as the United

States, and therefore, they have to weigh the business interest of being in this country versus the local laws and how that all works together.

And we're seeing this coming up with several internet companies. Netflix - this might be their - one of their first times in the public eye like this,

but for them, they might - they often say "Listen, we would rather have all of our library available that would allow more people to watch more shows

that would expand their points of view and if that wins and we might have to comply with local laws. That's what we will do."

And they will also point, any other company, any other business of brick and mortars type of business, a car company would have to comply with local

laws in order to do business in that country, but a lot of these internet companies have this sort of lofty moral goals, moral values behind them

that they try to live up to and that often flies to the face when they are working with some of these countries.

LU STOUT: Yes, and Netflix is now under new scrutiny because of this, humans rights groups, they have condemned this act, but at the end of the

day, Netflix, is it just going to continue to bring in more subscribers, more money and dominate digital media?

GOLD: Listen, I mean, Netflix is doing very well. They're touting their recent numbers on several movies and they're trying to really expand

internationally. They are making a huge push into their international arena, into original series in all of these different countries, and so

they don't want to lose access to these countries.

And like I said before, other companies are facing this, as well. Google is facing this with search results in China and there's a protest from

inside Google against this new search engine that would potentially be partly censored. And so we're going to see this conversation come up more

and more as these internet companies really show that although they don't operate within borders, they still have to operate legally within all of

these countries' board borders.

LU STOUT: Hadas Gold reporting, thank you so much and take care.

GOLD: Thanks.

LU STOUT: Now, in Southern India, a ban has been lifted on women entering one of Hinduism's holiest temple. Just ahead, how millions of women signed

up literally to protest a centuries old restriction and what has changed now. Plus, a baby trapped under rubble after an explosion in Russia is

found alive. More on this dramatic rescue, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:30:00]

LU STOUT: I'm Kristi Lu Stout in Hong Kong. You're watching "News Stream" and these are your world headlines. The U.S. Secretary of State says his

country hopes to get consular access to a detained American in Moscow within the new few hours. Russia says it arrested Paul Whelan last week on

suspicion of spying. Whelan's family says he is innocent and was in Moscow for a wedding.

Danish police say a train accident has left at least six people dead and 16 injured. The accident occurred on a bridge between Danish islands of

Zealand and Funen. A witness told CNN that wind blew a container off an oncoming cargo train on to the tracks. Passengers have been evacuated from

the train, but police and rescue teams are still working at the scene but are struggling with high winds.

Taiwan's leader is reiterating that Taiwan will never accept Beijing's one country, two systems policy. This follows Xi Jinping's speech on Wednesday

when he called Taiwan's independence quote "a dead end." The Chinese President is calling on Taiwan to embrace a peaceful reunification with

China.

Cathay Pacific Airway says it made a mistake over the New Year period selling first in business class tickets at economy prices. Customers

reported being able to buy tickets from Vietnam to the U.S. at super discounts. Cathay says now it will honor the purchases.

In India, two women in the southern state of Kerala have defied religious conservatives by entering the Sabarimala temple. They are the first women

to enter the Hindu holy site since the centuries old ban on women was recently overturned.

The historic moment followed a huge demonstration. Women, reportedly numbering in the millions formed a human chain estimated at more than 600

kilometers long to protest the ban. Nikhil Kumar joins me now from Delhi with more on the story, and Nikhil, these two women, they certainly made

history today, defying those religious protesters to walk into this temple. Tell us more about what happened.

NIKHIL KUMAR, NEW DELHIS BUREAU CHIEF, CNN: Absolutely. History was made in the southern state of Kerala, as you say, Kristie. So as you mentioned,

in September, India's top court, the Supreme Court said that this ban had to be lifted, that women should be allowed.

Ever since, there have been activists, devotees have been trying to get into the temple, but they have been blocked every time by conservatives who

say, that no, to the court has no business intervening in this area.

But early on Wednesday, before daybreak, these two women entered. That came just a day after this human chain that you referred to which saw women

lining up and down Kerala to demand that the court order be implemented.

So history was certainly made in Kerala today with these two women entering, but this remain a contentious issue, Kristie. We've had people

even today saying what happened today with these two women entering was wrong. The temple immediately after it came to light that they had managed

to enter, the temple was closed briefly for purification rituals.

So conservatives are still insisting that the ban remain in place -- Kristie.

LU STOUT: History was made today in Kerala, but there has been a lot of push back, so what does this mean going forward? Is today's protest going

to lead to greater change across India, to shore up gender equality and religious equality there?

KUMAR: Well, this debate - certainly, the debate in Kerala continues. Later this month, on the 22nd of January, the Supreme Court will hear

various petitions that have been submitted calling for it to revisit its order from September, and the argument is, the argument that the

conservatives are making is that, this is not an area for the court to intervene. This is religious practice. This is religious tradition.

And as the Prime Minister talked about this earlier in the week, where he endorsed that viewpoint, and as it happens, when this order was handed

down, it was a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court. There was one dissenting voice, it was a lone female judge on that bench who said that,

"Look, in this case, we're not talking about gender equality. We're talking about tradition."

But many, many people disagree, including many devotees, women and men who say that, "No, this is about gender equality," and that the reason this is

important is to send a signal that women are equal everywhere, in all public spaces, in religious spaces such as this temple.

So it's a very, very important argument that touches on some very, very important topics and issues such as the rule of law and of course gender

equality which is a big issue in this country -- Kristie.

LU STOUT: What happened today was historic, it was so deeply symbolic, this wall of women involving this human chain of what tens of thousands of

women, if not more, extending 620 kilometers.

[08:35:10]

LU STOUT: What did it take to mobilize this?

KUMAR: Well, the chain, which was yesterday before these two women entered earlier on Wednesday, entered the shrine, this chain - that really is both

an expression of the feeling among just ordinary people. These were just ordinary women. These were not activists.

Many of them were just ordinary women who were just coming out to say that we demand that this right that the Supreme Court says we have, that it be

granted to us. That's all.

But there's also another layer that I should point out which is political. India is months away from general elections and the government in the state

of Kerala which has been supporting the Supreme Court order and calling for women to be allowed in, it was behind this.

So it was both political, but also just an expression of ordinary people's desire to break down this wall of discrimination -- Kristie.

LU STOUT: Yes, there are many political areas to this story, but, again, history was made today. Very happy to have you on an important report.

Nikhil Kumar reporting live from New Delhi, thank you.

Now, hundreds of rescuers are working in frigid conditions and looking for survivors of an apartment building collapse in Russia. A baby boy was the

fifth person to be pulled out of the rubble alive. Nineteen people have been confirmed dead and many more are still missing. Michael Holmes has

more.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

MICHAEL HOLMES, CORRESPONDENT, CNN: Dramatic footage of rescuers trying desperately to remove pieces of rubble from a collapsed apartment building.

Behind all of that debris, a baby boy. Wearing hard hats, gloves and using a power tool, the workers attempt to free the trapped child.

Finally, the boy is pulled to safety after being trapped for 35 hours. The temperatures are freezing. He is covered in dust and dirt wearing a shirt

and pink socks, but he is alive. The infant, described as less than a year old, is wrapped in a blanket before being taken for medical treatment.

Russian officials describe the boy's condition as serious. Doctors say the infant's mother also survived the explosion and was able to see her son at

the hospital.

It happened in the Russian city Magnitogorsk, an industrial town in the country's south near the Kazakhstan border. An explosion thought to be

caused by a gas leak destroyed 48 apartments in the ten-story building, the blast tearing through the apartment complex before dawn, while many

residents were still asleep. Dozens are said to be still missing.

President Vladimir Putin visited those injured in the hospital and met with local authorities.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VLADIMIR PUTIN, PRESIDENT OF RUSSIA (Through a translator): I would like to express my condolences to the families of the victims and to assure

those affected that we will do everything to help and support them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: There have been a number of similar incidents in the country in recent years due to aging infrastructure and poor regulation around gas

usage. Michael Holmes, CNN.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

LU STOUT: You're watching "News Stream" and still to come, we show you what a space rock more than one billion kilometers beyond Pluto looks like.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:40:00]

LU STOUT: The first image of the space rock Ultima Thule has traveled through the cosmos and reached us here on Earth. NASA has revealed the

picture with excitement as they celebrate this historic feat, but as CNN's Jeanne Moos reports, some are not very impressed.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Four, three, two, one, go New Horizons.

(APPLAUSE)

JEANNE MOOS, CORRESPONDENT, CNN: The kid in the astronaut suit is a dead giveaway that this isn't a New Year's countdown. It happened about half an

hour after 2019 arrived. A spacecraft named New Horizons did a flyby past the most distant and most ancient object every reached by humankind. And

the scientists couldn't wipe the grins off their faces.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALAN STERN, NEW HORIZONS PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: I'm really liking this 2019 thing so far.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MOOS: It took 13 years to get here. It's a billion miles past Pluto. Wait till you see it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STERN: It's okay to laugh, but it's better than the one we had yesterday. Meet Ultima.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MOOS: Yes, they're applauding what looks like a blurry dental x-ray. Ultima Thule, meaning a distant place beyond the borders of the known

world. It's rocky lump preserved in frigid temperatures, a sort of solar system time capsule, but that shape.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Bowling pin or a peanut. It, sort of, looks like a peanut to me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MOOS: It was compared to Olaf the Snowman from "Frozen." Someone tweeted, looks like a jellybean. But the voyage to this jellybean has inspired a

song by a world famous guitarist. Brian May, the lead guitarist for Queen now has a PhD is astrophysics, white hair, and a soft spot for the New

Horizons' mission.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

MOOS: New Horizons is also taking away the ashes of the astronomer who discovered Pluto in 1930. He got to fly right by it. It will take weeks

for the highest resolution close-ups of Ultima to arrive.

Someone's pet was posed, "Awaiting images, signal enhancing dish deployed," while others enjoyed imagining images, "Who needs the man in the moon when

you've got the man in Ultima Thule?"

(MUSIC PLAYING)

MOOS: Jeanie Moos, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

LU STOUT: 2019 marks a new albeit fuzzy image discovered in outer space. It also marks the end of an era in Japan. Emperor Akihito will step down

from the throne in April ending his three decade reign.

The 85-year-old Royal delivered his final New Year's speech on Wednesday saying he is praying for world peace. A record crowd more than 140,000

people came to meet the monarch at the Imperial Palace. Tthe widely adored Emperor will be the first to abdicate in more than two centuries.

And that is "News Stream." I'm Kristi Lu Stout. But don't go anywhere, "World Sport" with Amanda Davis is next.

(SPORTS)

[09:00:00]

END