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NEWS STREAM
North Korea Threat; Allegations of Rape and Harassment Against Harvey Weinstein; Catalonia Crisis; California Wildfires; Happening Now; White House: President Was Joking About I.Q.; Eminem Slams Trump In Viral Freestyle Rap; Helping Human Trafficking Victims In Dominican Republic. Aired 8-9a ET
Aired October 11, 2017 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[08:00:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN NEWS STREAM SHOW HOST: I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong and welcome to "News Stream."
More hacking attacks from North Korea. A South Korean official claims military plans were stolen and a cyber security firm links Pyongyang to an
attack on U.S. power companies.
Harvey Weinstein is now accused of rape. More women come forward with allegations against the Hollywood mogul.
And the leader of Catalonia speaks exclusively to CNN as Spanish prime minister threatens to suspend the region's autonomy.
And we begin with the threat from North Korea. Its growing cyber army is proving to be a true danger. A South Korean lawmaker tells CNN that North
Korean hackers stole classified military documents last year from South Korea. CNN's Will Ripley has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WILL RIPLEY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The biggest threat from North Korea may not be its rapidly growing nuclear arsenal. The
biggest threat, experts say, may be far more insidious.
North Korea cyber weapons are just as destructive as conventional weapons, says Lim Jong-in. The former presidential adviser founded Korea
University's Department of Cyber Defense. He says North Korean cyber attacks could paralyze power grids and financial markets, cripple
communications and weapon systems.
A South Korean lawmaker, a member of the country's defense committee, says North Korean hackers stole highly classified U.S. and South Korean
documents last year, including war plans. Cyber security company "FireEye" says hackers likely affiliated with the North Korean government recently
targeted U.S. energy companies, probing for vulnerabilities.
North Korea cyber capability is among the top five in the world, Lim says. No country is safe.
Being in the top five will put Pyongyang alongside global hacking behemoths; China, Russia, and the U.S. Even regular North Koreans don't
have access to the internet.
Defector Kim Heung-kwang was a computer science professor in Pyongyang. He says some of his former students are part of Leader Kim Jong-un's ever
expanding cyber army, recently divided into three bureau; Bureau 121 focuses on attacking infrastructure, Bureau 91 on military espionage,
Bureau 180 on making money.
Kim estimates around 6,000 people support hacking operations in Pyongyang with hundreds more operating abroad. In 2015, we found North Koreans
working at state-owned businesses in China, including this restaurant and hotel. Kim says some jobs are a front.
To be able to go abroad and carry out attacks, they need title, he says. They go disguised as trade workers, restaurant employees, exchange
students. China says it opposes illegal cyber activity on its territory. North Korea has long denied any hacking. Experts say North Korean hackers
are linked to bank robberies, ransomware attacks.
Kim estimates they brought in a billion dollars last year alone. You can probably guess where much of that money likely goes, making an already
dangerous situation even worse. Will Ripley, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LU STOUT: I spoke with Bryce Boland, the chief technology officer for Asia Pacific, a cyber security from FireEye, about this latest attack.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRYCE BOLAND, CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER FOR ASIA PACIFIC, FIREEYE: Well, it's quite clear that North Korea is capable of conducting very
sophisticated attacks. This is not the first time we've seen North Korea conducted attacks that are sophisticated. In this case, they report that
235 gigabytes of files were stolen. At least 10,700 have already been identified and among them are these plans for attacks by South Korea and
U.S. against North Korea.
LU STOUT: And as you pointed out, South Korea has been targeted before by North Korean hackers. Its banking sectors, media sectors, power companies
have all been hit before. Why is it South Korea given its relative I.T.
[08:05:00] sophistication and cyber might? Why is it so vulnerable to North Korean hackers?
BOLAND: Well, its technological might that makes it most at risk and most vulnerable. The more South Korea is dependent on technology and the more it
permeates the society, the more opportunity there is for attackers to target them.
Unfortunately for South Korea, North Korea is in the exact opposite situation. Their use of technology is relatively limited and the ability to
reciprocate against that is relatively small. So the more South Korea uses technology, the more at risk it's going to be from these attacks.
LU STOUT: And there have been reports that North Korean hackers have been using networks provided by Russia and China. Is that true?
BOLAND: Yes, that's correct. So, until recently, all of North Korea's internet access was provided by one telecommunications company in China.
And just recently, last week, a Russia telecommunications company finally enabled internet access as well.
So now there are two pathways to the internet and North Korea's internet access band has essentially has gone up to double what it was before as
well as being more resilient against attacks to knock out their internet access.
LU STOUT: And looking at trends up to now and anticipating what could come next, do you believe that North Korea is becoming more and more cyber
aggressive?
BOLAND: Oh, absolutely. So, we've seen North Korea's capabilities start from feeling basic about more than 10 years ago, to being quite aggressive
an targeting the financial infrastructure, the critical infrastructure in North Korea.
We've seen massive cyber attacks. We've started to see them start to change their behavior, targeting financial infrastructure, payment systems.
Recently, we've seen them targeting (INAUDIBLE) currencies, trying to use that to get access to hard currency.
And as the U.N. sanctions come in, we only anticipate that North Korea will need to use even more of its cyber capabilities in order to prop up its
economy.
LU STOUT: And as networks from North Korean hackers have been provided by China and Russia, do you believe network connectivity is an additional
pressure point for possible additional sanctions against Pyongyang?
BOLAND: I absolutely believe it could be another area of potential pressure on North Korea although I don't think that will be enough to prevent North
Korea conducting its cyber operations. We are fairly confident that there is a large number of cyber operators operating outside of North Korea, but
under North Korean command and control.
So, it would have an impact. Also, I believe that from -- objectively speaking, from a strategic perspective, it's actually beneficial in some
ways for the U.S. and other countries to be able to see the traffic going in and out of North Korea. It gives them some means of getting an access
into what's going on inside Pyongyang.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LU STOUT: And that was Bryce Boland with the security company FireEye speaking with me a little bit earlier, talking about the threat and also
the cyber infrastructure that North Korea wields.
Now, there are shocking new details in the sexual harassment claims against Hollywood heavyweight Harvey Weinstein. The New Yorker reports that a
number of women are now accusing him of rape. CNN's Brynn Gingras reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRYNN GINGRAS, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The board of the Weinstein Company insisting Tuesday that they had no knowledge of the explosive
allegations against co-founder Harvey Weinstein, calling the claims, quote, an utter surprise. This despite widespread rumors that Weinstein's alleged
abuse was the worst kept secret in Hollywood. Comedian Seth MacFarlane even knocked Weinstein's bad reputation while hosting the Oscars in 2013.
SETH MACFARLANE, COMEDIAN: Congratulations, you five ladies no longer have to pretend to be attracted to Harvey Weinstein.
GINGRAS: At least 25 women including some of Hollywood's most prominent actresses have now come forward accusing Weinstein of acts ranging from
harassment to rape. Gwyneth Paltrow telling The New York Times that when she was 22, a meeting with Weinstein, quote, ended with him placing his
hands on her and suggesting they head to the bedroom for massages. I was petrified, Paltrow said.
Ashley Judd alleges that two decades ago, Weinstein had her sent up to his hotel room and greeted her in a bathrobe, asking if he could give her a
massage or she could watch him shower. Angelina Jolie also telling the Times that Weinstein made unwanted advances on her in a hotel room in the
late 1990s.
KATHERINE KENDALL, ACTRESS: He used the bathroom, came back out of the bathroom in a robe, and asked me to give him a massage. I said no, I didn't
feel comfortable. He said, everybody does it.
GINGRAS: Two other women recounting similar stories on CNN last night.
KENDALL: And said, well, at least if you won't, you know, give me a massage, then can I see your breasts?
LOUISETTE GEISS, ACTRESS: He told me, he would give me a three-picture deal and he could get my movie made and, you know, I don't doubt that he could,
but he said, you know, you have to watch me, but you got to stay and watch me masturbate.
[08:10:00] GINGRAS: The New Yorker publishing disturbing audio from a 2015 policing involving Weinstein and model Ambra Battilana Gutierrez. Weinstein
attempts to lure her into his hotel room before admitting to groping her the day before.
HARVEY WEINSTEIN, FILM PRODUCER (voice-over): Please come in. On everything, I'm a famous guy.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): I'm feeling very uncomfortable right now.
HARVEY WEINSTEIN, FILM PRODUCER (voice-over): Please come in now. And one minute. And if you want to leave when the guy comes with my jacket you can
go.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): Why yesterday you touch my breast?
HARVEY WEINSTEIN, FILM PRODUCER (voice-over): Oh, please, I'm sorry, just come on in. I'm used to that. Come on. Please.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): You're used to that?
HARVEY WEINSTEIN, FILM PRODUCER (voice-over): Yes, come in.
GINGRAS: The Manhattan District Attorneys Office said in a statement back, quote, while the recording is horrifying to listen to, what emerged from
the audio was insufficient to prove a crime under New York law. Weinstein's reps declined to comment on the taped but said in a statement Tuesday, any
allegations of non--consensual sex are unequivocally denied by Mr. Weinstein.
Weinstein is a long-time supporter of Hillary Clinton and a major donor to the Democratic Party, raising more than $1 million for Democrats since the
90s. After days of silence, Clinton condemned Weinstein on Tuesday saying, quote, the behavior described by women coming forward cannot be tolerated.
The Obamas also denouncing Weinstein saying, any man who demeans and degrades women in such fashion needs to be condemned and held accountable,
regardless of wealth or status.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LU STOUT: Disturbing allegations and audio in that report by CNN's Brynn Gingras.
Let's go straight to CNN's Brian Stelter. He is standing by in New York for the latest on the story. Brian, you spoke to one of the many, many brave
accusers who have stepped forward, Asia Argento. What did she tell you about Harvey Weinstein?
BRIAN STELTER, CNN SENIOR MEDIA CORRESPONDENT: She is alleging rape by Weinstein. She says that Weinstein forcibly performed oral sex on her. She
says she was haunted by the experience. Whenever she sees him now, sees his picture, she is disgusted and she feels like he won. She said after the
rape, he won. That was her quote The New Yorker's Ronan Farrow.
I spoke with her on the phone, she said this is our truth. I said to her, what do you want to see happen? Do you want Weinstein prosecuted? Do you
want him to lose his career? She said, I just want people to know, this is our truth.
LU STOUT: Asia Argento says, this is our truth. And then we have the board of the Weinstein Company saying that the allegations are an utter surprise.
Really, an utter surprise for them?
STELTER: I have a hard time believing that. I think a lot have a hard time believing that the board didn't know anything about this. After all, Harvey
Weinstein's brother, Bob, is on the board along with a number of Harvey's friends. We saw four people resigned from the board directors last week in
the wake of the first round of allegations. Now, there is four men left on the board.
They say they did not know about this misconduct, but there is going to continue to be scrutiny on this company. Its fate is really an open
question right now. Some of his partners like Amazon are re-thinking the relationship with the Weinstein Company.
You know, they're going to change the name of the company to wipe away the Weinstein name, but that's not going to be enough. People are not going to
forget what Harvey Weinstein was allegedly doing and that a lot of people looked the other way.
LU STOUT: Yes, so many are not going to forget this. Harvey Weinstein himself, what is he saying about the allegations and what's next for him?
STELTER: He denies the rape allegations. He says he does not believe the ever engaged in non-consensual sex. Other than that, he is not saying
anything. He has not weighed in publicly on his firing. He told his friends privately that it's Bob's fault. He's blaming his brother for betraying
him. Meanwhile, Weinstein is now on the way to rehab. I think that means he will be quiet for a while. He will be trying to lay low.
His wife, Georgina Chapman, said overnight that they are getting divorce. She is leaving him. They have two children together. They have been married
for 10 years. So, Weinstein very much disgraced at this moment. Actually, a week ago, he was a larger than life media mogul who could make or break
people's careers. But this preponderance of evidence against him has changed his career and ended his career for now.
LU STOUT: Yes, and given the evidence, more and more Hollywood A-listers are condemning his actions and also in terms of politics, the Obamas and
Hillary Clinton, they finally condemned Harvey Weinstein after days of revelations. That prompted a lot of people to wonder, is there some foot
dragging here? I mean, why did it take so long?
STELTER: If this was a prominent Republican donor who is accused of this wrongdoing, we probably would have heard from Hillary Clinton sooner.
That's the consensus view here in the U.S., Clinton and Obama both putting out statements on Tuesday. This was especially sensitive for Obama because
one of the Obama's daughters worked for Weinstein, interned for the Weinstein Company recently.
I thought it was notable in Barack Obama's statement, he said, any man who degrades or demeans women should be held condemned and held accountable. I
think that's an explicit critique of Donald Trump given the allegations involving President Trump.
[08:15:00] But now that we've heard from Obama and Clinton, there's going to be more curiosity about whether President Trump's going to weigh in
anymore on this. He said over the weekend he wasn't surprised when he heard about Weinstein. He had heard these rumors over the years.
But this is a moment for leadership both from the Hollywood community and from the political world to make clear these women allegations are being
taken seriously. They are not going to be shamed into silence anymore.
LU STOUT: Absolutely. It's a moment of leadership when attitudes really need to change. Brian Stelter, we thank you for your reporting. Take care.
STELTER: Thanks.
LU STOUT: The leader of Catalonia has told the world what it wants, but Madrid wants to know, was that a declaration of independence? We got the
latest on the standoff in Spain.
Thousands of homes and businesses are now charred piles of rubble across Northern California. Foresters are warning the deadly wildfires could get
worse. An update is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LU STOUT: Coming to you live from Hong Kong. Welcome back. This is "News Stream".
People in Spain are waiting to find out what happens next in the country's biggest political crisis in decades. Just a short while ago, Prime Minister
Mariano Rajoy asked Catalonia to clarify whether it has declared independence or not.
On Tuesday, the Catalan president stopped short of formerly announcing a separation from Spain, calling instead for negotiations with the central
government. Earlier, Carles Puigdemont spoke exclusively to CNN.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CARLES PUIGDEMONT, PRESIDENT OF CATALONIA GOVERNMENT (through translator): I believe that today we find ourselves in a moment of most importance, that
we have no prior conditions to sit down and talk, except that we must dialogue and we must dialogue within adequate conditions. Maybe it could
have dialogue if two people from the Catalan government and two people from the Spanish government simply agree on one simple thing, appointing a
mediator, for instance.
But we cannot ignore the fact that talks and hypothetical discussions need to come from recognizing reality and that is what we need to talk about.
The relationship, Catalonia and Spain, it does not work and there is a majority of Catalonian people that wants to make Catalonia an independent
state. I want to do that in agreement with the Spanish state. We need to do that without conditions. We need to sit down and really talk.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LU STOUT: Puigdemont on his push for dialogue there. A huge crowd of independent supporters gathered outside the Catalan parliament on Tuesday
anxiously waiting to hear if Puigdemont would make good on his promise. Atika Shubert got their reactions.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, supporters of independence are now starting to gather here. These are the farmers for
independence. They have come in, their trucks lined up.
This farmer told us, today, I don't think there is a more important day.
[08:20:00] It could be that they declare independence, but if not, we are still here to make it happen when the time is right. Our president will
know the moment when and how to do it, he said.
The crowds have really grown. Thousands of people are out here on the street waiting to see if there will be that declaration of independence. As
you can see, there's music, flags. It's a very festive atmosphere here. But the moment they have been waiting for, waiting for the Catalan president to
speak has just been delayed for another hour.
I'm nervous, this man says, waiting for what's going to happen. I really wish for a happy ending as soon as possible, he says.
So while we wait during this delay, a Barcelona resident had kindly let us their balcony so we can look over and see just how many people there are
out here today, thousands. You can hear them chanting for independence and cheering every time they see the Catalan president on TV.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNTRANSLATED)
(CHEERS)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNTRANSLATED)
SHUBERT: This is clearly not the declaration of independence that people want to hear. There was initially a huge cheer, people hugged each other
when they heard the words, we have the right to independence, but then that quickly died out when they realized it wasn't quite what they wanted.
The parliament session is still ongoing but as you can see, many of the people have left. As they were leaving, quite a few told us they were very
disappointed.
SHUBERT (voice-over): I'm in shock, it's not the declaration we expected, this woman told us. I don't know what's going to happen now. We're just
trying to make sense of it all. I expected a complete declaration of independence, she says.
It's too early to make an evaluation. Both parties are on this long road, this man says. We have to make an evaluation when it ends, but this
discourse we've gone through has made me a little sad, he says.
SHUBERT: Well, like a lot of people that came out today, we're also going to pack up and go home. Clearly a lot of the people here are disappointed,
but many people we've spoken to said they still have faith in the Catalan parliament and the Catalan president to come up with the realistic time
frame for independence, but their dream of having an independent state now have clearly been delayed. Atika Shubert, CNN, Barcelona.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LU STOUT: OK. Let's take you live to Barcelona. Isa Soares joins us live. Isa, in the last few hours, we heard from prime minister of Spain, he asked
for clarification from the Catalan government. Did the Catalan government declare independence or not?
ISA SOARES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And that is exactly what we to wait to see to what President Puigdemont says following that request from the prime
minister. And it really depends who you ask. You saw there in that report by Atika Shubert, people interpreted initially at declaration of
independence.
His words were, with the results of the referendum on October 1st, Catalonia has earned the right to be an independence state. And then came
the disappointment as you saw there when he said he was going to suspend a parliament to have a dialogue. So there is somewhat confusion in terms of
the government of Mariano Rajoy to what exactly happened yesterday. Take a listen to what he said a bit earlier.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARIANO RAJOY, PRIME MINISTER OF SPAIN: This commitment of clarity is even more important now versus the confusion created yesterday with the events
that happened in the parliament of the Catalonia. The Council of Minsters has agreed to require formally the government of Catalonia to confirm if
they have declared the declaration of independence, in spite of the confusion generated by the suspension.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: And it wasn't just what the president of Catalonia said. Afterwards, Kristie, he also was seen signing a piece of paper that was
interpreted by Catalan and Madrid media may I add as a declaration of independence themselves as well as other MPs. So that is why we have heard
from Mariano Rajoy this morning asking him for a clarification.
It clearly also puts the ball on the court of Mr. Puigdemont because if he did declare it, then basically, he was the one that will decide whether the
prime nister invokes article 155 of the Spanish constitution and takes control of the Catalan government. So it is a game of political ping pong,
but this is where we are at this stage. Kristie?
LU STOUT: All right. Isa Soares reporting live from Barcelona. Thank you.
Now, authorities in Northern California, they're telling residents, be ready to get out
[08:25:00] in a moment's notice. Dozens of wildfires are searing across several counties. At least 17 people are dead and thousands have been
forced from their homes. The fires burned an area about four times the size of Paris, in California's Napa and Sonoma counties.
Electricity to some 75,000 customers have been cut. Some of the worst was in Santo Rosa, just north of San Francisco. Residents are finding piles of
ash and rubble where their cars and houses were. CNN's Ryan Young is there. He joins us now. Ryan, we have seen the satellite imagery, we have see
aerial footage of neighborhoods before and after the fires, but on the ground, what does it look like?
RYAN YOUNG, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, this is just amazing. This looks like a war zone, quite honestly, when we arrived yesterday. The video
the you see on TV does this no justice. This is a neighborhood. There were more than 20 homes here. Well, that's not the case anymore. This is what's
left.
We've been trying to make out things that we can see sort of in the ashes here. This was the garage door. Obviously, this car was parked in front of
the house. The only thing we can really make out there is the washer and drier that were probably in the laundry room at one point. This kind of
repeat itself over and over. Just to give you an idea, some 20,000 people had to evacuate their homes, 17 people are dead.
And here's a scary fact as well, there were 183 missing people right now. They're not all presumed to be dead, but they're going to start looking for
those people. There are serious cell phone challenges in this area, so they're hoping some people have just lost contact with their loved ones and
they will be able to find them later on.
The good news so far is the wind is holding up. Of course, it's early in the morning right here right now, but you don't feel the wind that we felt
earlier, so they're hoping that firefighters will get a chance to contain some of fire. Right now, zero percent containment on the fires that are
raging in this area.
LU STOUT: Wow, zero percent containment for a fast-moving fire that brought about that devastation right behind you, the charred wreck of a car, a home
turned ash. This is a huge challenge for firefighters. Do they feel hopeful that they will get close to containing these fires?
YOUNG: I think that's the key here. We have to have that weather hold up so that winds not pushing it over and over again. One of the things that we do
know, there are 17 act of fires at this point. And of course, firefighters have been working back-to-back with schedules and sometimes as soon as they
knock it out in a neighborhood just like this one, it sort of hop scotch to another area. So, that's what they will be working on today, sort of
getting that assessment to kind of knock some of these things out.
On top of all this, one of the issues that firefighters and police officers had trouble with, looters. People actually showing up to take advantage of
a situation like this, walking through someone's home who has nothing left here and just stealing the last possessions they have, which is obviously
just disgusting.
LU STOUT: Yes, it's terrible to hear just the potential for looting in this type of situation. And even though we don't see any burning embers behind
you, there is always a risk for flare-ups, so to you and the crew, do stay safe. Take care. Ryan Young reporting live from Santa Rosa there.
Now, let's take you to Nairobi, Kenya where a few moments ago, we saw police firing tear gas at a crowd of protesters, but it looks like even
though you see there's riot police out in force that the rally is going forward. Live pictures on your screen there from Nairobi, Kenya.
Protesters are calling for election reform, s day after the opposition leader, Raila Odinga, withdrew from the election rerun. The Supreme Court
ruled the original vote invalid. It is not known whether the new election will go ahead or if the incumbent president, Uhuru Kenyatta, will be
declared the winner. We will continue to monitor the situation there in Kenya.
Now, U.S. President Trump is waiting verbal war with high level officials in his own Republican Party from questioning the secretary of state's
intellect to name calling a senator. We'll tell you where things stand now. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[08:30:00] KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong. You are watching News Stream and these are you're world headlines.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LU STOUT: A South Korean law maker tells CNN, North Korean hackers stole classified military documents from South Korea's defense ministry last
year. They include the war plans of Washington and Seoul as well as a way to quote, decapitate the North Korean leadership in the event of war.
Explosive allegations against disgraced Hollywood heavyweight Harvey Weinstein, the New Yorker reports that a number of women are now accusing
the movie mogul of rape. The board of the Weinstein Company insists that they had no knowledge of any allegations.
Spain's prime minister is asking Catalonia to clarify whether it is declared independence or not. On Tuesday, the Catalan president stopped
short of announcing separation from Spain saying he wants talks with Madrid before going further.
Tens of thousands are fleeing their homes a Northern California as the wildfires burn through several counties. At least 17 people have died.
The dry and windy weather could make matters worse for firefighters. The U.S. President Donald Trump signed a major disaster declaration.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LU STOUT: The White House is on damage control after President Trump compared his intelligence with that -- of the secretary of state.
The White House says it was a joke but that doesn't stop critics from saying, it is only the latest feud that the president is having with
members of his own party. Here is senior Washington Correspondent Joe Johns.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS, PRESS SECRETARY, WHITE HOUSE: He wasn't questioning the secretary of state's intelligence. He made -- he made a
joke. Maybe you guys should get a sense of humor and try it sometimes.
JOE JOHNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders downplaying President Trump's latest job as an embattled secretary of state
insisting the president was kidding when he boasted about having a higher I.Q. than Tillerson during and interview with Forbes Magazine. But it's
not the first time Mr. Trump has used such a lie.
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Some of the fondants, you know the -- guys, believe we're much smarter than them. I.Q. was not even
a contest. I guarantee my I.Q. is much higher than any of these. I want to match my I.Q. with some of those guys -- with all of them.
JOHNS: A source close to the White House tells CNN, the president was not joking but spouted off because he's angry, and was made public that
Tillerson reportedly called more the president, a moron. President Trump insisting he is confident in Tillerson and dismissing suggestions he tried
to undermine him.
TRUMP: I didn't undercut anybody. I don't believe in undercutting people.
JOHNS: This is President Trump continues to belittle the prominent chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, calling the Tennessee
Republican little Bob Corker after Corker publicly criticized the president.
SEN. BOB CORKER (R), TENNESSEE (via phone): Sometimes, I feel like he's on a reality show of some kind, you know, when he's talking about these big
foreign policy issues. We could be heading towards World War III with the kind of comments that he's making.
JOHNS: The White House flatly rejecting Corker's assessment.
SANDERS: Senator Corker is certainly entitled to his own opinion but he is not entitled to his own facts.
JOHNS: And refusing to say of Corker should resign.
SANDERS: I think that's the decision for Senator Corker and the people of Tennessee, not for us to decide.
JOHNS: Republican Senator Lindsey Graham says he discussed the escalating feud with the president while golfing Monday and is asking for an end to
the war of words.
SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: I don't think it's particular helpful and most people really don't care what few politicians think about
each other I hope we can move on.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[08:35:00] LU STOUT: CNN's Joe Johns reporting there. Now the rapper Eminem is going after President Trump in explosive new freestyle rap that's
been going viral on Twitter. It aired on BET's hip-hop awards.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
EMINEM, AMERICAN RAPPER: It's like we take a step forwards then backwards. But this is his form of distraction. Plus, he gets an enormous reaction,
when he attacks the NFL so we focus on that instead of talking Puerto Rico or gun reform for Nevada. All these horrible tragedies and he's bored and
would rather cause a Twitter storm with the Packers.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LU STOUT: This is perhaps the most exhaustive attack against the U.S. president in hip-hop. Now the former San Francisco quarterback Colin
Kaepernick who started the National Anthem protest by kneeling last season responded to Eminem tweeting this quote, I appreciate.
You are watching News Stream. Still to come, CNN's Freedom Project takes us to the Dominican Republic towards paradise that also has a darker side
and you'll meet a woman whose made it her mission to help victims of human trafficking.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LU STOUT: Welcome back. All those we have seen in Freedom Project is shedding the light on modern day slavery in the Dominican Republic. Now,
it may be a beautiful tourist destination for some but there is a dark side to this island paradise.
It is a hub for human trafficking and our organization called Lily House is making a positive difference in the lives of survivors of sexual
exportation. Don Riddell reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DON RIDDELL, CNN ANCHOR: The Dominican Republic is a beautiful country. That is why five million tourists go there every single year. But away
from all the luxury resorts and sandy beaches, some people are sometimes making heartbreaking choices.
ERICA JUDE, FOUNDER, LILY HOUSE: We have women who said before they were going to commit suicide. When I asked her, what is your debt? She said
$400 -- $400 with tears in her eyes. Four hundred dollars, she believes she should take her life because there was no way she could pay off $400.
RIDDELL: According to the NGO, International Justice Mission, human trafficking and the sexual exportation of minors is a major problem in the
Dominican Republic.
And while they work with the government to help rescue the victims and prosecute the perpetrators, Erica Jude is one of those helping to
rehabilitate the young women. She arrived from West Virginia as a missionary worker back in 2006, never mentioning that she going to help so
many victims.
JUDE: I usually think that Lily House is a great example of what ordinary people can do. I just knew that I had such a healthy positive life that I
wanted other people to experience that.
And so we just start -- we're going to start with one girl and within three months, there was one girl who wanted to come off the street. We needed a
place for her to live. We didn't have the finances were scrounging literally for $250 to rent a cheap apartment here and began working with
her.
RIDDELL: Then it was 2009 and it was just the beginning. Now Erica runs a dynamic sprawling facility which first and foremost off its shelter for the
girls and when necessary, their children.
[08:40:00] From small acorns, grow mighty oaks or in this case, a symbolically named Lily House.
JUDE: I love the Lily because in the Amazon, they come from the darkness dirtiest parts of the Amazon River and they come up and into this hugely
lily pad and when the light shines on it, this beautiful lily, blossoms.
RIDDELL: What for you is the hardest that is this, what is it that moves you?
JUDE: For the girl who is still out there that she believes she can do nothing but be sold or she can do nothing but sell herself to have someone
encourage that you can do something besides this.
RIDDELL: For Erica and her own young family, this is now become a life's work that every young girl who knocks on the door still faces a difficult
journey. However Lily House tries to provide the tools to first survive and then thrive from shelter and counseling to the acquisition of new
skills in a business mind.
Erica's charisma is infectious. Today, she estimates that around 50 young women have moved into Lily House to rebuild their lives and through various
outreach programs that cuff up to 200 more.
JUDE: We see ladies who come in at the beginning who believe they can do nothing and yet they turn around and they're teaching the other girl, you
are so special. There's so much that you can do in life. And so we get to see that complete transformation, that cycle broken and completely
different girl walk out of here. That is a picture of freedom for me.
RIDDELL: Don Riddell, CNN, Dominican Republic.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LU STOUT: That's a beautiful story. Coming up tomorrow, the CNN Freedom Project will introduce us to a U.S. pro-football player who is using the
off-season to make a difference to victims of human trafficking. We have more on Max's story and his purpose for survivors on Thursday only on CNN.
And that is News Stream. I'm Kristie Lu Stout but don't go anywhere, World Sport with Christina Macfarlane is next.
END
