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NEWS STREAM

Alibaba Becomes More Valuable Than Wal-Mart; Does New Call of Duty Offer Stack Up Against Competition?; Kurdish Fighters In Kobani Announce Big Gains Against ISIS; Former Navy SEAL Under Investigation; Leading Women: Orella Barra; Mayor of Iguala, Wife Arrested For Disappearance Of College Students

Aired November 04, 2014 - 8:00   ET

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

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

Now we look at the continuing rise of Alibaba, the Chinese online giant that is now worth more than Wal-Mart.

U.S. voters head to the polls in a midterm election that could swing the balance of power away from the Democrats in the Senate.

And a virtual Kevy Spacey stars in the latest Call of Duty. We'll get a review of Advanced Warfare.

Alibaba has just released its first earnings report since its recordbreaking IPO last month. Revenue was up nearly 54 percent for the

Chinese ecommerce giant. It pulled in more than $2.5 billion in the third quarter, but it was a different story for the company's profit. Now that

sunk 39 percent year on year mostly because of share based compensation and that expensive, but lucrative debut in September.

Now the company raise $25 billion on the New York Stock Exchange.

And now that Alibaba's marketvalue has hit $250 billion, that puts it ahead of quite a few brand name competitors. Now it's now worth more than

the American online retail Giant eBay. It's also bigger than the U.S.- based online marketplace Amazon, the company Alibaba is usually compared to, even though Alibaba does not directly sell goods like Amazon does.

And then there is Wal-Mart. After Monday's surge in share prices on the New York Stock Exchange, Alibaba has now managed to overtake the

world's biggest retailer.

Now part of the company's growth strategy, an ambitious and aggressive acquisition drive. Now this year alone, Alibaba has spent more than $5

billion to bring in new business. Now here are some of the ways founder Jack Ma is expanding the operation.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: 9:30 a.m. on September 19, the moment Alibaba went public and investors around the world scrambled to get their hands on a piece of

one of the hottest companies going. Shares in New York are now up around 50 percent from the offer price.

So far, so good, then, as investors buy into the vision of the man behind it all Jack Ma. He's taken the company from his living room to a

household name and one of the world's most valuable companies. And it's growth that shows little sign of slowing.

JACK MA, FOUNDER, Alibaba: We invest a lot of the state. We're going to invest more. I got my inspirations from Silicon Valley 15 years ago on

my trip to the USA and to see the Silicon Valley, see the lights everywhere, the Sunday all the car parks packed with cars and people

working hard. And I know the Internet.

So I go back to China, had a China dreams do it up Alibaba.

LU STOUT: Ma admits he doesn't shop online, but he sure shops. He spent billions of dollars on investments and acquisitions this year either

by Ali Baba or through other companies he owns. Media companies making up a significant chunk of Ma's investments. He plowed more than a billion in

Wasu Media. then there's the $1.2 billion investment in Yoku, and in a $1.5 billion deal they bought Chinese mapping and navigation company AutoNavi.

Ma coughed up almost $300 million on U.S. video messaging service provider Tango. And less obvious, Alibaba paid $192 million for a half

stake in Guangzhou Evergrand Football Club.

MA: The owner of the soccer team really make me drunk that night. He said, Jack, please enter the soccer business. But I know nothing about

soccer. But I just to see China soccer team, China soccer number too bad. It's so difficult to make it even worse.

LU STOUT: It's a diverse portfolio, and one that is likely to expand with Silicon Valley firmly in his sights.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: Now there are some worries that founder Jack Ma maybe losing focus with his big buys this year. I mean, take that nearly $200

million impulse buy for a stake in that Chinese football team.

Now it may make for a charming story of an impromptu chief executive, but it also raises key questions about business decisions being made at the

top.

Now the company has also been spending heavily to increase its mobile presence. And there's talk from Ma about wanting to be a player in the

entertainment business. Some argue Alibaba needs to concentrate on its core business as it faces new competition.

JD.com, another prominent Chinese ecommerce company that went public earlier this year is also making gains.

Now in the next hour, World Business Today will break down these figures for you even more. So be sure to stayed tuned for that coverage of

CNN's Maggie Lake starting right here on CNN around 10:00 p.m. Hong Kong time.

Now it is election day in the United States and voters across the nation are casting ballots in the high stakes mid-term election. And what

they decide could affect the leadership of their own states and the balance for power on Capitol Hill.

36 states are holding races for governor, but perhaps the biggest question this election is whether the Democrats will keep control of the

Senate.

Now polls show Republicans with a strong chance of gaining the six seats they need to take power in the senate. But U.S. Vice President Joe

Biden, a former Senator himself, told CNN's Chief political analyst Gloria Borger that he is not conceding defeat for his party yet.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: First of all, I don't agree with the odds makers. I predict we're going to keep the Senate.

GLORIA BORGER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You do?

BIDEN: I've been into 66, 67 races all told. And I don't get the feeling that the odds makers are giving.

BORGER: But what if that were to be the case?

BIDEN: Well, I don't think it will change anything in terms of what we're about. We know what we have to get done the last two years. And

quite frankly, going in to 2016, the Republicans have to make a decision whether they're in control or not in control or they're going to begin to

allow things to happen or are they going to continue to be obstructionists. And I think they're going to choose to get things done.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: Now President Barack Obama only made limited campaign appearances for his fellow Democrats, that's because many in his party fear

that his low approval ratings could work against them. Dana Bash has more on that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): From Kentucky --

SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R), KENTUCKY: A new face to vote for our Barack Obama.

BASH: -- to Kansas --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A vote for Greg Orman is a vote for President Obama.

BASH: -- to Colorado, --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's voted 99 percent of the time with President Obama.

BASH: -- cross the country, Republicans are trying to take control of the Senate by tying Democrats to an unpopular president.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a pleasure to meet you.

BASH: New Hampshire candidate barely speaks a sentence without saying incumbent Democrat Jeanne Shaheen votes with the president 99 percent of

the time.

SCOTT BROWN (R), NEW HAMPSHIRE SENATE CANDIDATE: Remember, the president said it a couple of weeks ago, he's not running but all of his

policies are on the ballot. I agree with him. And he also said --

BASH (on camera): I bet you do.

BROWN: Yes, I absolutely do.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Nice to see you again.

BASH (voice-over): Shaheen gives the quintessential 2014 Democratic response.

BASH (on camera): Is the president a drag on you here?

SEN. JEANNE SHAHEEN (D), NEW HAMPSHIRE: This race is not between the president and Scott Brown. This race is between me and Scott Brown.

BASH (voice-over): Still, even Democratic strategists admit Obama's negatives help make New Hampshire's Senate race neck in neck, now one of

nearly a dozen dramatic too-close-to-call contests from coast to coast. North Carolina, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Arkansas, Kansas, Iowa,

Colorado, Alaska. To be sure these tight battles are much broader than Obama, they're about government failures in general, Washington not doing

its job.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Senator Kay Hagan, absent (ph).

BASH: A big reason incumbents in both parties are getting pummeled from missing committee hearings, from Democratic Kay Hagan in North

Carolina, to Republican Mitch McConnell in Kentucky.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mitch McConnell, who has been absent from nearly every committee meeting for the past five years.

BASH: And challengers emphasize they are far from Washington sensibilities, like Republican Joni Ernst (ph) in Iowa.

JONI ERNST (R), IOWA SENATE CANDIDATE: I am the one that remains connected to my community, my roots and Iowa.

BASH: Democrats are trying to hold on to the Senate majority by turning out voters in all these critical contests who tend to stay home in

midterms, especially single women. It's why Iowa Democrat Bruce Braley paints his female GOP opponent as too extreme.

REP. BRUCE BRALEY (D), IOWA SENATE CANDIDATE: She introduced a constitutional amendment in the Iowa Senate to ban all abortions.

BASH: Voters are so disgusted with Washington, the ultimate weapon is trashing both parties. It helps independent Greg Orman tie up the race in

ruby red Kansas against a Republican.

GREG ORMAN (I), KANSAS SENATE CANDIDATE: Both Mitch McConnell and Harry Reid have been far too partisan for far too long.

BASH: But many voters are so turned off, it's hard for any candidate to break through. In South Dakota, Democrat Rick Weiland got creative,

turning to song.

RICK WEILAND (D), SOUTH DAKOTA SENATE CANDIDATE (singing): So I'm running for the Senate, but I ain't a big deal. I don't have an RV, just my

automobile. But, hey, no one's bought me.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: And tune in tonight for complete coverage of the U.S. midterm elections. Join Wolf Blitzer, Anderson Cooper and CNN's entire

political team for results and analysis. CNN's election night in America begins at quarter to midnight Tuesday in London.

Now you're watching News Stream. And still to come, with help from the Peshmerga, how Kurdish fighters in Syria say that they are pushing ISIS

militants from Kobani.

And people in Mexico have prayed for answers about dozens of students after they've disappeared. Now one month on, arrests finally have been

made.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: Now Ukrainian separatists in the self-declared Republic of Donetsk have sworn in a prime minister. Now Alexander Zakharchenko was

elected over the weekend in a vote that has been condemned by Kiev and its western allies.

Now Russia has not formally recognized the new government, but says rebel leaders now they have the power to negotiate with Kiev.

Now turning now to the battle against ISIS and Kurdish fighters in Syria are claiming big gains against militants in and around Kobani.

Now at the same time jihadists from all over the world continue to swell the ranks of ISIS and that is setting the stage for a battle that

could last for months.

Now our senior international correspondent Nick Paton Walsh is following the situation. He joins us live from near the Syrian-Turkish

border. And Nick, how much progress are Kurdish forces making against ISIS in Kobani?

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, they say as of yesterday they have been making two days worth of gains. They purport

to hold a village about 5 kilometers to the east of Kobani, which is key because that's obviously pushing ISIS significantly further back. But also

they claim to have pushed them back to the east as well of the city.

So a picture in which the Kurds purport to be significantly more confident. In fact, one senior official yesterday told me they thought

they might be able to clear the city entirely in the next one or two days.

This is basically because the Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga were able to bring in with them heavy weapons and hardware. We saw rocket launchers and

mortars in use yesterday from a vantage point near there. I'm in Gaziantep here now in southern Turkey. Which is able, in fact to allow, they say,

the Syrian Kurds and Syrian rebels to continue to push ISIS back.

Now the question is, are ISIS able to reinforce their militants inside that city? There are suggestions that each time they try and use those

main roads, they get hit by coalition airstrikes. They're finding it increasingly hard to bolster their numbers there.

And the Peshmerga, too, we understand are getting fresh ammunition on a regular basis, which is being supplied from northern Iraq.

So, the positive message from the Kurds, but it's always important not to completely take the optimism for granted. ISIS do have a vote in what

happens in the next few weeks ahead -- Kristie.

LU STOUT: And Nick, another advance you're following in that of the al Qaeda affiliate al Nusra. Is that group gaining ground in Syria?

WALSH: Well, it's important to point out that Nusra are considered a terrorist organization by the Untied States and an affiliate to al Qaeda,

but have been one of the forefront militant groups fighting the Syrian regime in many areas. And that's brought them a lot of popularity within

the Syrian population despite those extremist links.

But what they have also done is coexisted for months alongside a number of Syrian moderate rebel groups, particularly around the key

northwestern Syrian city of Idlib.

Now in the last week or so those moderate rebels who have been receiving U.S. assistance, some even say perhaps through Arab allies, heavy

weapons originating from the United States have come under attack from Nusra who themselves have been hit by U.S. airstrikes in the past months or

so.

So many see this as perhaps Nusra homogenizing their control around Idlib, pushing out what they consider to be frankly the friends of their

enemies. But many also point out, too, it doesn't really change the battlefield picture too much, because Nusra have always been the preeminent

military force.

What it does do, though, is deprive the U.S. of their key ally in all this, these moderate rebel groups they were hoping to bolster and supply to

become the force that would hold ground if ISIS were pushed back.

There wasn't really much, in fact, practically being done. It was a slow process, but even that now seems heavily stymied -- Kristie.

LU STOUT: Nick Paton Walsh reporting live for us. Many thanks indeed for that.

And now to Mexico and new developments in the search for 43 missing students. Now federal police have arrested the mayor of Iguala and his

wife. A third suspect, the city's police chief, is still considered a fugitive.

Now authorities believe that they masterminded the September attack on the students as they headed for a protest. Now other suspects are already

in custody, but the students have still not been found.

Now CNN's Rafael Romo joins us now live from Gueros State. And Rafael what led authorities there to detain the mayor and his wife?

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kristie, officials have not specified what led to their arrest, but what they told us two hours ago is just they

are confirming the arrest in Mexico City.

Now Mexican media are saying that they were arrested -- an apartment that they rented in the Xtapalapa (ph) neighbor in Mexico City -- both the

mayor of Iguala Jose Luis Abarca and his wife Maria de los Angeles Pineda.

And why is this significant, Kristie? Well, because they were mentioned as probable masterminds by the Mexican attorney general at a

press conference in late October, meaning that if that is indeed the case the would probably have information as to what happened with those 43

students from rural teacher's college that had been missing for more than a month now, 39 days and the hope of authority says that they will be able to

provide information that would lead them to find the 43 students, Kristie.

LU STOUT: That's right, the suspects are being questioned right now. Hopefully that will lead to some sort of information. 43 students yet to

be found. What have you learned about the night they went missing?

ROMO: I had an opportunity to talk not only with the parents of two of the students who are still missing, but also with a survivor who was

telling me that they were on several buses on their way to a protest the night of September 26 when they were intercepted by local police forces.

All of a sudden with unexpectedly they opened fire against them. They killed three students, three other people who were in the area. There's on

more student who is in a coma who was shot in the head. And he was telling me it was just chaos. We all panicked with some of the students trying to

run, other students trying to drop to the floor on the bus.

So a very chaotic scene, and as you can imagine there's a lot of indignation and anger here in Mexico about that and also about the fact

that it's been more than a month and nobody really knows where they are, Kristie.

LU STOUT: And tell us more about these students. And what motivated them? And they came from a small rural college. What made them go to

Iguala? What were they protesting against?

ROMO: What the students tell me is that they have had issues with government funding. The teacher school that they go to depends on the

federal government than they say that they lacked the necessary funding for the school to operate normally.

Also, they were trying to collect funds for a march that was going to happen on October 2 in Mexico City commemorating a massacre of students

back in 1967, so that was their goal, but they were never able to do what they intended to do. They were intercepted and fired upon by police

instead, Kristie.

LU STOUT: All right, Rafael Romo reporting live from Guero State, Mexico for us. Thank you very much indeed for your reporting.

You're watching News Stream. And keep it here, because still to come the Berlin Wall has become one of the most iconic images of the Cold War.

After the break, we'll take a look at the hunt for what remains of the famous relic.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: Coming to you live from Hong Kong, you are back watching News Stream. This month Germany is commemorating the 25th anniversary of

the fall of the Berlin Wall from 1961 until 1989 it separated East and West Berlin. At the time it was an imposing presence both physically and as an

icon of the Cold War.

And now Fred Pleitgen shows us what remains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FRED PLEITGEN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: For 28 years the wall divided Berlin. Checkpoints and guard towers symbolic for the standoff

between Communism and Capitalism.

Nowadays, all that remains of the Berlin Wall in most places is that line of stones in the ground. So today, we're going to take the CNN

Trabant and try and find out where the Berlin Wall used to be.

I don't have to drive far at all. In a little side street, I find this old guard tower that seems totally out of place in the big city.

This model is called BT-6, built in the late 1960s. It was withering away after unification until Joerg Moser-Metius bought and restored it.

JOERG MOSER-METIUS, CURATOR: Somebody had to do it. Very simple and because it ran really in a very bad shape and I'm a Berliner. I love

Berlin and the history of Berlin by heart. And I thought it's also a (inaudible) to help to save history.

PLEITGEN: On an old photo, he shows me this tower used to stand right in the so-called death strip at the border.

Two guards were always on duty in the observation post, ordered to shoot to kill anyone who tried to flee East Berlin.

One guy looking out that direction...

MOSER-METIUS: That way to the west. We have to the east. Strict order to shoot.

PLEITGEN: Today, the east side gallery is the longest remaining part of the wall, stretching for about a mile-and-a-half.

But the Berlin wall used to be more than 100 miles long, surrounding all of West Berlin.

Where did all that concrete go? I find some of it on this lot outside Berlin. A construction company bought the segments in 1990 and used them

to store construction material.

Now, Elmar Prost (ph) who is in charge let's artists paint on them for a small fee.

The works range from portraits of Nobel Peace Prize Laureates to dictators, many of which are not around any more.

ELMAR PROST, KLOESTER CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL: Every painter has only the right to do it for six months. And either he will buy it or he will

have a buyer, or he -- the next user will come and use it again for the next six months.

PLEITGEN: Only about 100 segments remain here. The vast majority of the Berlin Wall was destroyed in the years after German unification as

Berlin moved quickly to shape its future leaving little space for its past on the front line of the Cold War.

Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Berlin.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: Now last week, Apple CEO Tim Cook announced he is gay, but that message has apparently not been well received by some in Russia. In

St. Petersburg a memorial for Apple founder Steve Jobs has been torn down. According to Reuters, the Russian business group that built the iPhone

statue says it was dismantled because of Russia's so-called gay propaganda law.

Now what really happened three years ago in Abbottabad, Pakistan when American forces killed Osama bin Laden. Now we are now getting different

versions of the story from former U.S. Navy SEAL members. In fact, the former SEAL who wrote a best-seller about the raid is now under a criminal

investigation.

Brian Todd has that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: He says he was right behind the Navy SEAL who took the first shot at Osama bin Laden. Now, his lawyer tells us

former SEAL Matt Bissonnette is the subject of a criminal investigation and was recently questioned for 10 hours.

Government officials briefed on the matter say the Pentagon and the Justice Department are looking into whether Bissonnette revealed classified

information in paid public appearances he's made since publishing his best- selling book "No Easy Day" about the bin Laden raid.

In an interview with CBS' '60 Minutes', Bissonnette, who wrote the book under the pseudonym `Mark Owen', was asked whether he ever disclosed

secret information.

MATT BISSONNETTE, FRM. NAVY SEAL: Did I disclose anything that would have put the guys in harm's way? That's absolutely not what I intended to

do. These are my brothers that I served beside for years. And a lot of them continue to serve.

TODD: Bissonnette's lawyer says they're not aware of any specific allegations that any sensitive information was leaked in his speeches, and

no criminal charges have been filed. His attorney says the former SEAL doesn't mind being held accountable, but wonders why former CIA director

Leon Panetta isn't getting that kind of scrutiny after Panetta and others encouraged cooperation with the makers of the film `Zero Dark Thirty.'

We've asked Leon Panetta for comment, but haven't gotten it. The government had already been trying to seize profits from Bissonnette's book

because he didn't clear it through government sensors, as he's required to legally.

Former SEAL John McGuire says he respects Bissonnette's service, but doesn't believe he should have written the book.

JOHN MCGUIRE, FRM. NAVY SEAL: We don't advertise the nature of our work. You know being a Navy SEAL and serving our country is great. But

again, people want to know what we do and how we do it. But so does our enemy.

TODD: Matt Bissonnette told "60 Minutes" he tried to contact his former SEAL commander to explain why he wrote the book on the bin Laden

raid. He said his commander responded with a text-message back saying, quote, "delete me."

Still others involved in the bin Laden raid have revealed details about it. An unnamed SEAL spoke to The New Yorker. Author Mark Bowden got

information for his book on the raid, called "The Finish" and there were the details given to the makers of "Zero Dark Thirty." But so far, Matt

Bissonnette is only one we know of to be under investigation.

Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: You're watching News Stream. And still to come, gamers around the world are looking at a sleepless night. The Call of Duty series

is out with a new title. And we'll tell you what to expect.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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

Now hundreds of thousands of Shiite pilgrims are in the Iraqi city of Karbula (ph) to mark Ashura, a ceremony that commemorates the murder of

Imam Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Mohammed. In the past, Sunni extremists have attacked the pilgrims.

Now this year, the danger is heightened by the presence of ISIS.

In Eastern Ukraine, the prime minister of the self-declared Republic of Donetsk has been sworn in. Alexander Zakharchenko won the election, but

it is a vote not recognized by Kiev, the U.S. or the EU. Moscow supports it and says the new separatist government can now negotiate with Kiev.

U.S. investigators say the Virgin Galactic pilot who died in Friday's disaster is the one who unlocked the spaceship's reentry system early.

They have warned against blaming pilot error and say the search for answers could take up to a year.

Polls are now open across the eastern part of the United States as the nation votes in midterm elections. 435 House seats and 36 Senate seats are

in play. It is expected that fewer than half of eligible voters will cast ballots. And Republicans are projected to make significant gains.

Now it is one of the biggest days of the year for many video game fans: the annual release of the latest Call of Duty game.

Now Advanced Warfare is the 11th major entry in the series, set decades in the future where private military corporations have taken the

role of armies and soldiers fighting in powerful suits of armor.

Now the game also stars Kevin Spacey. The Hollywood legend lends his voice and face to the game.

But Call of Duty isn't the only blockbuster shooter out this year. One of its competitors even comes from the same company: Destiny is the

most expensive video game ever made. It's reported to have cost Activision half a billion dollars. The company says it racked up that much in sales

on the very first day.

And some of the original developers behind the original Call of Duty games now have a new franchise of their own: Titanfall. It's set further

in the future than the latest Call of Duty, pitting food soldiers against giant robots.

So, how does Advanced Warfare stack up against the competition? Now Keith Stuart is the games editor at The Guardian. He joins me live from

our studios in London. Keith, thank you so much for joining us here on CNN.

Call of Duty has been such a big blockbuster, huge franchise for so long. Do you think the latest title makes it still relevant and still

fresh?

KEITH STUART, THE GUARDIAN: Well, I think in a lot of ways it does I think because of the -- because of the setting of the game. It's kind of

40 years in the future. And it's dealing with this kind of concept that the next big threat to the world might not be an ultraterrorist

organization. It might not, you know, Islamic terrorists or nationalists from another country, it might actually be a corporate -- you know, a big

corporate company that might be the biggest threat to us all.

So, you know, in that way it's kind of studying some of the fears we may have about big companies like, for example, Google which now has, you

know, mapping software, which is capable of showing us the entire world. It's investing heavily in things like artificial intelligence, robotics, so

lots of people are thinking, well, you know, this is kind of a scary thing to happen.

So, you know, in some ways it's very timely in terms of narrative. But, yeah, has it still got it? I don't know. Because video game design

has changed a lot over the last three or four years.

LU STOUT: Yeah, but you find the narrative nevertheless rather compelling. And now starring in Call of Duty: Advanced Warefare is Kevin

Spacey, the legendary Oscar-winning actor. What does he add to the game?

STUART: Well, he plays obviously the big baddie of the game. He's the head of a private military contractor. And he provides a really big

kind of scenery chewing performance as this kind of almost Shakespearean corporate head.

And he has the kind of gravitas to the game.

You know, the Call of Duty stories have always been a bit kind of crass, a bit cartoonish, a bit comic book like. But I think what Kevin

Spacey adds is that sense that, you know, we all recognize him as a worldclass actor. And his characters are often have this kind of sinister

undertones to them. And he really kind of brings that sense to this.

So, it kind of -- it kind of -- the narrative I think gets a sort of a dimension of realism, or authenticity with Kevin there.

LU STOUT: So, Kevin Spacey adds his sense of gravitas. There is this very compelling storyline and yet there's a lot of competition out there.

Your final verdict. In the end, is Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, is it a game that will delight fans and bring players back to the franchise?

STUART: I think it's going to really delight the hardcore fans of Call of Duty, but I think games like Destiny and Titanfall are showing the

way that games are becoming much more seamless, much less about single- player here, multiplayer somewhere else, but about a sort of seamless interconnection, a kind of social world. And I think because of that, Call

of Duty this year might not do as well as it has done in previous years.

LU STOUT: All right. Keith Stuart, games editor of The Guardian, thank you so much for joining us here on News Stream.

STUART: Thank you.

LU STOUT: But the new Call of Duty is attracting some criticism. There's this playable sequence -- it's set at a funeral and the comedian

Conan O'Brien tried it out.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CONAN O'BRIEN: There's a casket. Nice one.

Hold X to pay respects?

(LAUGHTER)

O'BRIEN: What does that mean? That's crazy.

Is there a button for I'm here because I thought I might meet somebody, but I didn't care about the guy? No?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: Yeah, it's kind of strange. And Conan may have laughed that off, but Call of Duty games, they have had controversial scenes

before. Modern Warfare II, that included a mission where players could take part in a terror attack and shoot unarmed civilians.

You're watching News Stream. And keep it here. Up next on the program, to say that she likes a challenge is putting it lightly. Fortune

Magazine has named her one of the 50 most powerful women in business. Up next, the conversation with this woman, our next leading woman.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: Welcome back.

Now Ornella Barra started her career as a pharmacist in Italy and since then she has gone on to become one of the most powerful women in

business. Now Barra is the chief executive at the health and beauty brand Alliance Boots. And despite her accomplishment, Barra tells Nina dos

Santos she is never done achieving.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ORNELLA BARRA, ALLIANCE BOOTS: I like a challenge. This is my (inaudible).

NINA DOS SANTOS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: When Ornella Barra says that she likes a challenge, that's putting it lightly.

BARRA: Oh, how are you?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Everything is great.

BARRA: Great.

SANTOS: She's a chief executive at one of the most iconic health and beauty brands in the UK, Alliance Boots. Fortune magazine named the

trained pharmacist and Italian native one of the 50 most powerful women in business.

BARRA: It's important to need -- to understand that they need from the customer.

SANTOS: Barra oversees the company's wholesale operations, which supply medicine to 180,000 pharmacies around the world. And that's part of

her job.

BARRA: This is fantastic, great, a new product.

SANTOS: Barra is also in charge of product development and branding.

BARRA: My dream is to develop a Boot Now brand at the world level.

SANTOS: At world level?

BARRA: Yes.

SANTOS: Wow, gosh, so not thinking small.

Did you always think big?

BARRA: A lot. A lt.

SANTOS: Going global is a dream Barra shares with the executive chairman of Alliance Boots Stefano Pessina. The two have business partners

and life partners for nearly 30 years.

Talk to me about that relationship at work, at home and putting the two together.

BARRA: Sometime it's not easy, of course, but it's very important to maintain a very separated private life. I consider Stefano the architect

of the company. And myself the engine.

SANTOS: Did he have a mentor? If so, who was it?

BARRA: No.

SANTOS: He didn't have a mentor?

BARRA: I didn't.

SANTOS: Barra says it's her own life experience that's gotten her where she is, an alliance that sees her in the same circles as the prince

of Monaco, the Saudi royal family and Britain's Prince Charles.

What is your typical day like here?

BARRA: Not typical day for me. Every day (inaudible). I travel a lot. I spend my life in the plane and in the car; in the store, in the

pharmacy.

SANTOS: But the woman who likes a challenge, one of her biggest may lie ahead when Alliance Boots and the American drug store giant Walgreens

merge in 2015. Barra will be one of the most senior executives in the (inaudible) company.

BARRA: Every day I believe why not tomorrow achieve a little more?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: And right now London's design museum is showcasing the clothes women wear to enhance their position in the world. Now the

exhibition was designed by one of our previous Leading Women, the architect Zaha Hadid. You can learn more about her and other women at the top of

their fields at CNN.com/leadingwomen.

And that is News Stream. I'm Kristie Lu Stout. But don't go anywhere. World Sport is up next with a preview of the big Champion's

League clash between Real Madrid and Liverpool.

END