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On Independence Day, Tunisians Stand Against Terror; World Experiences Total Solar Eclipse; Facebook Introduces Digital Payment System; Tag Heuer Enters Smartwatch Market. Aired 8-9:00a ET

Aired March 20, 2015 - 8:00   ET

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

[08:00:10] KRISTIE LU STOUT, HOST: I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong. And welcome to News Stream where news and technology meet.

Now Tunisians stand against terror and mark their independence day after this week's deadly attack on a museum.

Plus, parts of the world see a rare total eclipse, but it's not the only event in the skies today.

And Facebook unveils a new payment system and messenger, but is it something that users really need?

We are expecting to hear from the Tunisian president this hour as crowds gather in the capital to mark the country's independence and to

stand against the extremists who launched Wednesday's massacre.

Now security is tight as we learn more about the suspects. The security minister tells CNN two of the extremists who took part in the

attack were trained in Libya and were part of a terror sleeper cell.

Now CNN's Phil Black joins us now live from Tunis. And Phil, how is today's independence day turning into a day of defiance against terrorism.

PHIL BLACK CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESOPNDENT: Yeah, that's very much the mood I think, Kristie. Crowds, thousands of people increasingly

gathering in the center of the city today. It's usually a celebration, always a big event, independence day in Tunisia, particularly the capital

here Tunis.

But of course the mood has certainly been altered by the events of this week and in particular that terrorist attack on Wednesday. And so

people here really believe that today's events mean something, that is an active unity defiance against those who they believe have tried to really

attack the very fabric of this society. This has been a country in transition from the revolution of the Arab Spring back in 2011. It has

found (inaudible), it has forged a functioning democracy. The only Arab Spring revolutionary country to do so.

It hasn't been easy. There has been dissonance and difficulties between parties across the political spectrum from secular politicians to

Islamist who are described as moderate, but still clearly have very strong opinions about the direction of this country.

Despite those differences, they have formed a functioning country, one where the economy is really perhaps still in a very fragile point. And the

concern is that this attack against international tourists is an attack against the economy and so therefore an attack against the very continued

existence and stability of this country, Kristie.

LU STOUT: So on this independence day you're reporting that the people of Tunisia, they are uniting for their country and against

terrorism. They are determined, they are defiant, but how determined is the government to act and respond firmly to the massacre that took place

earlier this week?

BLACK: The language of the comments following that attack indicate that, yes, they say they will be absolutely firm, absolutely ruthless in

combating terrorism, which is now -- and has for a long time, been a risk to this country, but it just simply never registered its presence on the

scale that we saw this week.

This is certainly a new event in that sense. And because of its potential to impact not just by taking lives, but by damaging an entire

major sector of the economy, particularly of it possibly opening up wounds and divisions between the various parties across the political spectrum

here.

The concern here is truly great. And so that is why we've seen a very swift move by investigators and authorities to arrest nine people. It is

why the authorities believe that they have identified the cause, or actually the root direction from which this attack came. They're talking

about the two gunmen being Tunisian, being members of an existing cell, but crossing into Libya where they were trained before crossing back to carry

out the attack.

What that is, is a serious concern., that particular scenario, to the Tunisian authorities and one that will remain a concern going forward

because of the closeness of neighboring Libya its increasingly fractured lawless state and the fact that various militant groups, including ISIS

affiliated groups have gained firm footholds there.

That is an ongoing security threat to this country, Kristie.

LU STOUT: Phil Black reporting on this independence day in Tunisia, many thanks indeed for that.

Now as we've mentioned, almost all the victims were foreign tourists, including 17 who had arrived on two cruise liners.

Now, both ships sailed from Tunis on Thursday and have no docked in Spain.

In Barcelona, the city now remembers its dead. The mayor held a moment of silence for the victims a short time ago as the terror in Tunis

reaches across Europe.

Now medics in Yemen tell CNN at least 40 worshippers have been killed in three separate attacks, two on mosques.

Now explosives detonated by suicide bombers have wounded close to 100 people, some seriously, including senior politicians and religious leaders.

The attack happened during Friday noon prayers. And we'll continue to bring you more details as they come into us.

In fact, right now we know that Nick Paton Walsh is following the story from Beirut and he joins us now with more. Nick, what have you

learned?

[08:05:43] NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Kristie, a quite remarkably devastating attack three separate suicide

bombings at mosques across the Yemeni capital and it's also said to be in a Houthi stronghold province of the north known as Sadaa (ph).

At least 40 dead, but potentially hundreds injured, including top Houthi clerics. Now let me explain the significance to you of why these

particular mosques were targeted.

In the last months or so, we saw ourselves in January. There's been substantial rift forming on sectarian lines inside Yemen. The Houthi

group, which is predominately Shia, and most of the mosques attacked today were Shia, have swept to power pushing aside the old government, which has

been recognized as legitimate by many western countries.

Now they have seized power in much of the country, but in the south of the country, too, there's been ongoing violence, clashes in fact just

yesterday around a key airport in the city of Aden.

The attacks today, though -- we don't know who is behind them, but they have all the hallmarks of al Qaeda who are well known to be very

active inside Yemen. Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. And we see here three separate mosques, key centers of learning for the Zaidi Shia (ph)

movement, that's predominately what the Houthi movement emanates from.

Here we're also hearing that among the dead are senior figures, politicians, clerics among the injured. And among the dead is a man known

as Murtafa al Mahatwari (ph) who is a key Houthi cleric.

And of course these kind of targeted attacks, while there will be an emotional loss for all those who know the victims in there it's obviously

aimed to at sewing as much hatred amongst the senior levels at the Houthi elite here. As I say, we don't know at this stage who will claim

responsibility for these attacks. They have all the hallmarks of al Qaeda. And of course that is a Sunni group.

Many people who care concerned. And what we're seeing now in Yemen amongst the chaos that has already around the country for a decade, plus

they were now seeing potentially a departure. And it's a very cleanly targeted sectarian violence that could drag the country much closer towards

a worsening of its current civil conflict -- Kristie.

LU STOUT: Now multiple mosque blasts this day in Yemen taking a terrible, terrible toll. Nick Paton Walsh reporting for us live. Thank

you, Nick.

Now eyes around the world have been on the skies today to catch a glimpse of the total solar eclipse.

Now in a rare coincidence, today also marks the super moon and the spring/autumn equinox.

Now a total eclipse is when the moon blocks out the sun and its shadow darkens the Earth.

And this is what spectators saw from Rome. Now most of Europe was able to see a partial eclipse. But the full eclipse was only viewable from

Norway and Denmark.

Now for more on this morning's cosmic events, I'm joined by meteorologist Chad Myers.

And Chad, it was such an extraordinary happening today. Just walk us through this total solar eclipse.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: It happens to be the total eclipse. When the moon is close enough to the Earth -- you have to think about the

moon goes around the Earth, but it's not a perfect circle. So when the moon is closest to the Earth you can get that total blockage of the sun.

When the moon is a little bit farther away you get the annular eclipse and it doesn't block it all the way, doesn't block it. You can still see

what's called like the ring around the sun, the corona is still coming around.

The big moon today blocking the sun, casting the shadow onto the Earth. A lot of Europe saw it, a lot of London saw it as well, although

there was cloud cover across parts of the region there.

But the big, really, like you said the swath of the total blackout was right there across Denmark and also toward Iceland and such.

The first nationwide solar eclipse since 1961 for the UK. And then except one won't be until 2090. So I won't be here for that one.

87 percent totality, though, for London. It did get quite dark in the city today.

Everything is back on now. It's over. Don't look at it. Please, never look at them. They are dangerous to look at even though it's

blocked. In most part, you will still get that UVA, UVB, and UVC burning right into your retina if you look at it. So this is the problem, you have

to have those special glasses in order to look at it.

The best place to watch any eclipse is on television, because it doesn't burn your eyes, it's just perfect. And it was a beautiful event

today for parts of the -- he upper part of the UK and also even into -- the farther you got to the north up towards Scotland, the more it became a

total eclipse, but not quite all the way, Kristie.

[08:09:59] LU STOUT: Yeah, a total eclipse, a very beautiful event and a very rare one indeed. Chad Myers there. Thank you and take care.

Now you're watching News Stream, still to come in the program the White House reassesses its relationship with Israel following Benjamin

Netanyahu's victory.

ISIS in Iraq. We travel to a village liberated from ISIS by Peshmerga fighters.

And, suspended Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson lashes out at his BBC bosses.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: Welcome back. You're watching News Stream. And you're looking at a visual version of all the stories we've got in the show today.

Now we've already told you about how Tunisians are marking independence day in the aftermath of a deadly terror attack. And later,

we'll bring you a firsthand look at the front line near Kirkuk, Iraq where Peshmerga fighters are battling ISIS.

But now to the fallout from a campaign promise made by the Israeli prime minister.

Now before his election win this week, Benjamin Netanyahu said that he opposed the creation of a Palestinian state. And that has not been taken

well by the White House.

In a phone call, the U.S. President Barack Obama told Mr. Netanyahu that America will reassess its relationship with Israel.

But now it appears that Mr. Netanyahu is softening his stance. Let's get more now from Oren Lieberman live in Jerusalem.

And Oren, why is Netanyahu backtracking here?

OREN LIEBERMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kristie, his critics say he is playing politics. He shifted to the right in the days before the

election culminating in the comments that you referenced there saying there will be no two state solution, there will be no Palestinian state if he is

reelected prime minister. And that that he has been reelected he's walking back those comments, he's shifting back to the center. Here is what he had

to say about his apparent shift of heart in his own words.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, PRIME MINISTER OF ISRAEL: I didn't change my policy. I never retracted my speech at Barlon University (ph) six years

ago calling for a demilitarized Palestinian state that recognized the Jewish state.

What has changed is the reality. Abu Mazen, the Palestinian leader, refuses to recognize the Jewish state. He's made a pact with Hamas that

calls for the destruction of the Jewish state. And every territory that is vacated today in the Middle East is taken up by Islamist forces. So, we

want that to change so we can realize a vision of real sustained peace.

And I don't want -- I don't want a one state solution, I want a sustainable, peaceful, two state solution.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIEBERMAN: We got a chance to speak with Dr. Saeb Erekat, the chief Palestinian negotiator, about what he thought about Netanyahu's comments

both during and before the elections. And he says regardless of when Netanyahu made his comments, he believes Netanyahu has no interest in a two

state solution and as such they'll keep doing what they've been doing for the past few months now which is trying to push their statehood through the

international arena, through the UN and through some European countries, Kristie.

They say they don't believe in the possibility right now of negotiations until Netanyahu changes heart here.

LU STOUT: And, Oren, after the election and after Netanyahu's controversial speech to the U.S. congress a few weeks back, we've learned

that the U.S. House Speaker John Boehner is set to visit Israel next week. What's the thinking behind that?

LIEBERMAN: Well, this could be viewed as perhaps one favor for another. It certainly didn't hurt Netanyahu that he was speaking before

congress on a speech that got international attention right before the election. He didn't mentioned, he didn't mention the election, but all he

talked about was security which is his number one issue.

Now it could be seen as Netanyahu reaching out to his strongest allies, his strongest supporters in congress, which would be Speaking of

the House Boehner and inviting him here to Israel to make sure that tie remains strong.

[08:15:11] LU STOUT: All right, CNN's Oren Lieberman reporting live from Jerusalem for us. Many thanks indeed for that.

Now, talks on the future of Iran's nuclear program are moving forward as a deadline for a deal looms.

Now as he headed into meeting in Lausanne, CNN asked Iran's foreign minister if he thought an agreement could be reached.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Do you think a deal is possible by the 31st of March?

JAVAD ZARIF, IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER: I think a deal is possible any time. It depends on the political will, whether it's a political will to

reach one.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: It depends on the political will, he says.

Now the U.S. State Department tells CNN a fundamental framework is still under discussion, but compromises are being reached.

Now major issues: the number of centrifuges Iran can keep to enrich uranium, another is the timing of any reduction of sanctions against Iran.

Tokyo police say that they have arrested a man linked to threats against the U.S. embassy in Japan. It is not clear if that arrest is tied

to reported death threats against U.S. ambassador to Japan Carolyn Kennedy.

Anna Coren has more from Tokyo.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANNA COREN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Police in Japan have arrested a 52-year-old man who has admitted to making calls from a pay

phone threatening to blow up the U.S. embassy here in Tokyo as well as Camp Schwab, a U.S. marine base in Okinawa.

According to authorities, the man made three calls this month to the embassy. And they're now investigating if there is any link between these

threats and those on the life of Carolyn Kennedy, the U.S. ambassador to Japan.

There are reports at least 30 threatening phone calls were made last month to the U.S. embassy, which involves specific death threats against

57-year-old Kennedy, the daughter of President John F. Kennedy.

Police are still searching for who was behind those threats.

The U.S. State Department says the arrest is a positive step. They've been working closely with Japanese authorities on the case and believe

there is no connection between the death threats and the attack on U.S. ambassador to South Korea Mark Clifford.

Just weeks ago, a crazed man wielding a knife attacked the ambassador, slashing his face and arms, Lippert needing up to 80 stitches.

The servicing of the death threat against Kennedy overshadowed the visit of U.S. first lady MIchelle Obama whose trip to the region is

focusing on girl's education.

Well, former U.S. president Bill Clinton was also in the capital where he met with Kennedy and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. But despite

the threats, it was business as usual for Kennedy who is accompanying Mrs. Obama.

Yesterday, she addressed the media not about the threats to her safety, but the three Japanese citizens killed in the Tunisian terror

attacks.

Anna Coren, CNN, Tokyo.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: You're watching News Stream. And coming up next, more and more apps are starting to roll out mobile payment functions. And Facebook

is getting in on the action. We'll take a look at its payment system after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:21:50] LU STOUT: Coming to you live from Hong Kong, you're back watching News Stream.

Now Facebook is rolling out a new mobile payment service through its messenger app. It requires a one-time debit card setup and it won't work

with credit cards or with PayPal.

Now Facebook says it is only designed or peer-to-peer use not for businesses. It's similar to other mobile payment apps like PayPal's Venmo,

Square Cash and SnapCash.

Now the difference with Facebook is that you are already connected to your network of friends, which can make transfers a little bit easier.

Now for more on Facebook's new venture CNN contributor Nick Thompson joins us live from New York.

And Nick, so we can now send money to our pals over Facebook Messenger. It's great for splitting that bar tab or paying a friend back,

but you know, how significant a development, really, is this?

NICK THOMPSON, NEW YORKER.COM: Well, it's a pretty significant development for the mobile payments competition. I mean, this is one of

the hottest areas of competition in Silicon Valley and elsewhere as you've described. And suddenly one of the biggest players is getting in and it

could squash a number of the medium to large companies out there. It could be a very big thing.

It also could be a very big thing for Facebook, right. What Facebook isn't looking for is they're not looking to take a cut of every

transaction. They're not looking to make money directly off of this. But they are thinking is that passing money to friends is a really important

thing we do. We do it all the time online. Why don't we just do it inside of Facebook and then look at Facebook ads more often and open Facebook more

often.

So they are just trying to make Facebook more useful to people. They don't actually have to take a cut. That gives them a huge economic

advantage.

So, could be interesting for Facebook, it could be very interesting for Facebook's competitors in this.

LU STOUT: Now from Hong Kong got to point out this, that peer-to-peer payments are pretty old hat in China. I mean, QPChat (ph) users have been

able to do it for years already. So why has it taken western tech companies so long to catch up?

THOMPSON: I think it's more of a question of how China was able to get so far ahead on it.

You know, it took a little while because there's a lot of concern among these companies about the things that we're always concerned about

with money. We're concerned about hacking. We're concerned about privacy. We're concerned about tying very private things into social networks which

are constantly trying to make us -- make things more public.

In addition, one of the reasons why in China and elsewhere in the world why this has done so well is that the real problem it solves is

international payments. So places where there are lot of people in a large diaspora sending money back home this is an incredibly useful thing, saves

a lot of friction that exists right now. So maybe that's one reason why China got out ahead of the U.S. on this.

LU STOUT: Now in the world of mobile payments, do you think social messaging apps will win out because that's it, they're social, because the

network is already there?

THOMPSON: You know it's funny, right, when you first hear that Venmo will show that you spent, you know, $12 -- it will show that you spent

money on pizza last night or gave money to somebody else for an Uber, the first time you hear about that it sounds like the dumbest thing in the

world. Why would anybody want their financial transactions shared with a social network. It just seems crazy, or at least to an old fogie like me.

But then you start to use it and you realize, well actually it's kind of fun. It adds sort of a little -- a little spirit to financial

transactions.

So I do think there is a social element to money that I would never have predicted is there. But having seen it, I do think it could work. I

do think it could work on Facebook.

And, yes, absolutely, it will tie in to your social networks both because of the social element and because that's where we are, that's where

we spend our time.

So our social networks are going to take over lots and lots of business over time, right.

We've actually kind of seen this with phones, right. Phones came along. They were used for calling people. And now you do everything on

your phones, because it's the device you can use all the time.

You can almost make a (inaudible) of the social networks. They started to connect us with friends, and now because it's where we spend our

time it'll take over business after business after business. So, I'll watch this one very carefully for that reason.

[08:25:36] LU STOUT: And last question, Nick, I mean there are so many players offering mobile payment services: PayPal's Venmo, now Facebook

Messenger, SnapChat, Square, who has the edge? Can you pick just one?

THOMPSON: I'm going to pick Facebook here, right. Facebook doesn't have the best track record. They often will go into a new business, want

something and then we'll talk about it and then three months later it'll be gone. But I've seen a lot of troubles at Square, a lot of troubles at

PayPal. You know, I'm not sure SnapCash is going to work out. Venmo seems like it's so directly competitive with Facebook and Facebook has such a big

edge that, you know, I wouldn't be shocked in three months this Facebook thing is totally one, but I'm also going to -- I'm to pick them, Kristie.

You ask me to pick one, I'm taking Facebook.

LU STOUT: All right, you're putting your mobile payment bet on Facebook Messenger. Nick Thompson there, thank you so much. Take care.

Sorry if you're having IFB issues. We'll talk to you next week.

Now you're watching News Stream. Still to come here on the program, a British man plans to roll in on an armored tank to petition for the return

of suspended Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson. We've got the story.

Also ahead, we go live to Iraq for the latest on the battle against ISIS. Now Kurdish fighters, they are pushing hard around the contested

city of Kirkuk.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong. You're watching News Stream and these are your world headlines.

Now Tunisia's security minister tells us two of the suspects in Tunisia's museum massacre received weapons training at camps in Libya. He

says they were part of a terror sleeper cell. Nine people have been arrested for the attack that saw 23 people killed.

Medics in Yemen tell CNN at least 40 worshippers have been killed in three separate attacks, two on mosques. Explosives detonated by suicide

bombers injured close to 100 people, some seriously, including senior politicians and religious leaders. The attack happened during Friday noon

prayers.

In India, at least 30 people were killed in a train crash in the state of Uttar Pradesh, 50 were injured. A railway spokesman tells CNN a train

overshot a stop and jumped off the tracks. An investigation is underway.

Today, the world was treated to a rare total solar eclipse. In a rare coincidence today also marks a super moon and the vernal equinox. A total

eclipse is when the moon blocks out the sun and its shadow darkens the Earth, but the full eclipse was only viewable from Norway and Denmark.

As we've been reporting ISIS is claiming responsibility for the attack on a museum in Tunisia that killed 23 people. The militant group has far

reaching tentacles and big ambitions. It already controls a chunk of land that stretches from northern Syria to central Iraq including, until

recently, towns and villages around Kirkuk.

Kurdish fighters, they are pushing hard against ISIS near Kirkuk. And CNN's Ben Wedeman traveled with Peshmerga to the front lines where they saw

ISIS flags over areas they control.

And Ben joins us now from the city of Irbil with more.

And Ben, first, a new ISIS video apparently shows Peshmerga beheadings. What can you tell us about the video and the reaction to it?

[08:31:07] BEN WEDEMAN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, that's right, Kristie.

This is video that was posted on the internet yesterday. And what you see is three men separately being led in before a group of gunmen. There's

a statement beforehand in which some ISIS individual says that this is what happens when the Kurds and the Peshmerga, the Kurdish fighters, target

innocent civilians in ISIS territory.

At the end of the video, of course, you see them -- these three individually being beheaded.

Now we also -- these maybe three of the 21 Peshmerga fighters who we saw in February in video posted on the internet paraded through a street

and we believe the town of Hawija (ph) which isn't far from Kirkuk. Now this video comes just a day before Nawuz (ph), which is the Kurdish new

year's, really the biggest holiday in the Kurdish calendar.

And it comes as Kurdish fighters are steadily pushing ISIS out of large parts of northern Iraq.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WEDEMAN: The village of al-Moura (ph) looks peaceful enough. Less than two weeks ago, it was under ISIS control. 8-year-old Mustafa seems

uncomfortable talking to strangers, perhaps a lingering echo of ISIS or an awareness of just how deceptive this peaceful scene really is.

The Peshmerga, Kurdish fighters, drove ISIS out, but only to the adjacent village. Their commander is upbeat.

"The situation is now very good," General Abdullah Ahmed (ph) tells me. "There are only occasional clashes."

The residents of this area south of Kirkuk are Sunni Arabs. Most have fled. Only a few like Rasun Kareem (ph) and Saba Abdullah (ph), both

teachers, stayed behind.

They say ISIS allowed the schools to stay open, but took away all the history books.

I ask if anyone here welcomed ISIS.

"None," saya Saba (ph). "Well, only some kids joined them. Immature, uneducated kids."

At his headquarters, Peshmerga commander Waster Asul (ph) outlines the rapidly moving front lines.

"ISIS has almost collapsed," he says. "It's not like before. People in this area no know who they are. Before they thought they were magic,

that they would make a paradise on Earth, but all they brought was sorrow."

The Peshmerga are pushing forward southeast of Kirkuk. While south of the city, Shia Turkman fighters have surrounded the ISIS-held town of al-

Bashir (ph).

Not far from here in an area where Kurdish forces are battling ISIS, the commanders say they have good air cover from the international

coalition. Here, in this area, where they're also fighting ISIS, ISIS is just up the road from here, they say they have absolutely no air cover from

the international coalition.

The coalition provides air cover for the Peshmerga and Iraqi government forces. Everyone else is on their own.

ISIS's black banner still flies over the town while black smoke rises from burning homes behind us.

They keep a wary eye on al-Bashir (ph). These are men who has known little but war.

58-year-old Salem al-Amedy (ph) joined the Iraqi army in his late teens.

"War with Iran, war with the Kurds," he says, "war with the Americans, war with al Qaeda and there will be more wars to come."

True words in this land that lives and all too often dies by the sword.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[08:35:14] WEDEMAN: And what we understand is the Kurdish forces and the other paramilitary seem to be taking a lot of casualties. As we've

seen before, most of them from IEDs -- Kristie.

LU STOUT: Ben Wedeman reporting for us. thank you, Ben.

Now in Australia, the cafe that was the scene of a deadly siege three months ago is now back in business.

Now hundreds queued at sunrise for the reopening of the Lindt cafe at Marchant's Place (ph) in Sydney. Prime Minister Tony Abbott was also

there. He said the attacks might frighten Australians, but will never change the way they live.

In December, a gunman took 17 hostages sparking a standoff with police. He and two of the hostages were killed in the gun battle that

followed.

You're watching News Stream. And coming up next, the suspended BBC host Jeremy Clarkson is getting a big and bold showing of support on the

streets of London. we'll explain.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Welcome back.

Now the latest in the Top Gear controversy.

Now nearly a million people have signed their names to a petition calling for the reinstatement of the popular BBC show and its host Jeremy

Clarkson.

Now one diehard supporters is driving an armored tank to BBC headquarters in London to deliver that document. And Clarkson himself, he

had some choice words for the suspension.

Now for more our Rosie Tomkins joins us live from London.

And Rosie, what is Jeremy Clarkson saying about the Top Gear suspension?

ROSIE TOMKINS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Kristie, Clarkson is being, I would say, his traditional irreverent and jovial self.

I actually saw the man himself last night. He made what seemed to be a spontaneous appearance at a London charity gala where he decided to

donate what he described as his final lap of the Top Gear track. Now that word final of course implying that as he sees it he's already out the door,

but the BBC assure us that no decision has been made until next week.

But the way he spoke, it was colorful and full of expletives, so I can't really repeat any of what he said. But, you know, it can only be

described as a bit of a hammering to his BBC bosses you know saying what a mistake it would be for them to lose the show if it comes to that.

He did on the other hand, though, show some of his sadness about the affair. He said that his final lap he'll shed a tear, which is not

surprising, he's been presenting this show since the late 80s. So a huge chunk of his career and life. And I'm sure it's a combination of sort of

anger and irreverence, but a little bit of showing of sadness there as well, Kristie.

LU STOUT: And how many people there are on the side with Jeremy Clarkson? I mean, how many viewers agree with Clarkson that the BBC has

made a colossal mistake?

TOMKINS: The great question. I mean, if ever there has been a divisive character I would say that it's Jeremy Clarkson. He really is a

level-headed character and that the reaction to him online reflects that. You know, on the one hand tremendous support, on the other lots of

aggression towards him for his behavior.

I saw that reflected last night when he got up on stage, on the one hand rapturous applause, on the other hand people were booing for him. So

he's always divided opinion.

But one thing that shows the tremendous amount of support is this petition that you mentioned, which has been delivered into the hands of the

BBC just minutes ago here in the UK. It's being reported that it's one of if not the fastest growing petition in online history in the UK -- a

million signatures almost a million signatures in just a week calling for his reinstatement.

So, you know, the support is absolutely huge. But whether or not that will influence the BBC's decision is, of course, another matter entirely

and one that they won't comment on at the moment, Kristie.

[08:40:18] LU STOUT: All right, CNN's Rosie Tomkins in London for us. Thank you, Rosie.

Now whatever you might think of Clarkson, the TV power of Top Gear should not be underestimated. According to BBC advertising, the show draws

an estimated audience of 350 million people worldwide.

Now Top Gear has been sold to 214 territories, some versions have their own presenters such as in Australia and the U.S. And the show has 15

million Facebook fans. And 4 million people use Top Gear.com every month.

Now it's Silicon Valley meets Switzerland. The luxury watch maker Tag Heuer is creating a smartwatch with Intel and Google. And while it's not

yet known what the time piece will look like, Pundits are quick to compare it with the soon to be released Apple Watch.

Now Tag Heuer CEO explained why he isn't afraid of the competition.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEAN-CLAUDE BIVER, CEO, TAG HEUER: The connected watch might become the 10 percent of the world production. And the connected watch is just

one part of what we produce.

We are finally at the end of the day a watchmaker, an expensive luxury watchmaker. So we are not afraid at all.

Now for a certain people, and even for myself, Google, Intel, Apple from what they innovate, from the quality they produce from the importance

they have, they can be associated also to luxury because luxury does not mean just the price. Luxury is not just a question of price, it's also a

question of performance. It's what you do.

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LU STOUT: Tag Heuer CEO there.

Now other luxury companies are also jumping into wearables. Gucci and the rapper Will.I.Am are developing a smartband together. And they say

that the band will be able to put calls and send email without connecting to a smartphone.

Montblanc is working on what it calls an eStrap. it's this add-on panel that sticks tot he brands fine watches and acts as a fitness tracker

on top of other functions.

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

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