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NEWS STREAM
France Claims Proof Al-Assad Used Chemical Weapons; U.K. Considering Military Action In Syria; Russia Mocks Report Of U.K. Submarine Movements; Trump White House; World Headlines; Deepening Ties; Kim Jong-un Misses Assembly Meeting; Korean Cultural Diplomacy; Zuckerberg Testifies. Aired 8-9a ET
Aired April 12, 2018 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[08:00:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN ANCHOR: I`m Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong, and welcome to News Stream. We begin with breaking news in the Syrian
conflict, where the pressure from military action is building amid word of a major victory for the government.
Russian media report regime forces had taken control of Douma, the last rebel stronghold in eastern Ghouta. But so far, the Syrian government had
stayed quiet.
Now the Damascus suburb was the site of Saturday`s alleged chemical attack. Right now on both sides of the Atlantic, western leaders are working out
just how to respond.
The President of France, Emmanuel Macron, says that they have proof that last week, chemical weapons of chlorine gas were used in Syria by the Assad
regime. The British Prime Minister is summoning right now her cabinet for an emergency meeting.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
THERESA MAY, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: We are working with our allies. And I say we have been working with them to get a better understanding of what
happened on the ground. We are rapidly reaching that understanding.
All the indications are that this was the responsibility of the Syrian regime. And we will now work with our allies -- our closest allies, and to
see how we can ensure those who are responsible are held to account.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LU STOUT: And leaders are also convening in the U.S., two U.S. navy destroyers, along with tomahawk cruise missiles, as well as jets, and
submarines, they are in place, and ready to go.
Should President Trump make good on his promise? You all recall his threat made on Twitter, telling Russian that missiles will be coming nice, new,
and smart.
But now, he is trying to muddy the waters, tweeting this, quote, never said when an attack on Syria would take place. It could be very soon, or not so
soon at all. And the White House says no decision has been made.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: We are maintaining that we have a number of options, and all of those options are still on the
table. Final decisions haven`t been made yet on that front.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So does it mean anything at all? What does it mean?
SANDERS: It certainly means -- I think there`s a lot there that you can read from. But at the same time, the President has a number of options at
his disposal, and all of those options remain on the table, and we`re continuing to look at each one of them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LU STOUT: And this just in to -- just few minutes ago, the German Chancellor Angela Merkel has ruled out joining any possible strikes against
Syria. She made a statement at a joint press conference with the Danish Prime Minister.
And we are covering the response on all sides of this conflict, we`ve got Phil Black at 10 Downing Street, and Nick Robertson is a Moscow.
But first, let`s go live to Paris where our Jim Bittermann is standing by. And, Jim, when Emmanuel Macron says that there is proof of chemical weapons
used by Assad, what is the proof? What is the evidence he is speaking of?
JIM BITTERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, that`s what we would like to know, Kristie, that as he just mentioned that in a news conference that was
like going to an interview that I have been previously scheduled about all sorts of topics, but they started off asking about Syria.
And in fact, he said that they had proof that chemical weapons had been used, and he was going to ask whether or not that there was going to be
response that would involve France, that means that the teams have been closely working on that.
The teams of the United States and France have been closely working on exactly what the response should be. So it`s clear that the French are
going to be involved here in some kind of a response.
He said they hope to have some kind of a response going on the next few days, but it`s not clear exactly how that response will come. For the
French, there is a number of ways that they become involved, there`s a ship (ph) off the coast -- in the Mediterranean Sea which require missiles.
[08:05:00] There are 10 Rafale Jets based on the UAE, and in Jordan, which could deliver bombs or missiles, also could jets all the way from France,
although that were in case of refueling.
But in any case, there are several that France could join in, and certainly they are planning some kind of a response, and clearly -- just as clearly,
they have that they have proof that chemical weapons were used.
And another thing that Macron has said, previously and repeated again today is that, the chemical weapons used cannot be allowed to escalate, meaning
that you can`t allow one after another, more, and more chemical weapons to be used. It has to be stopped now. Kristie.
LU STOUT: Our Jim Bittermann live in Paris on how a response is taking shape there in France. Jim, thank you. Now we mentioned that Britain is
weighing its option on Syria as well.
Phil Black joins now live from Downing Street in London. And, Phil, Theresa May, she has some in her cabinet to discuss whether or not to act.
Are there now strong signs that she will?
PHIL BLACK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It does seem to be heading in that direction, Kristie. Yes, it is true that she has summoned her cabinet back
from an Easter break.
She has not summoned parliament, so it appears that she is seeking approval from cabinet to take part in international military action against Syria.
But she will be breaking what has become established -- recently established political condition in this country, and that is to seek
parliament`s approval as well. It has been convention here, ever since the Iraq war of 2003.
There was a difficult contentious verge on that intervention again, in Libya as well. And then famously in 2013, her predecessor David Cameron
went to parliament to seek approval to strike the Assad regime.
Again, the issue there was to stop them from using chemical weapons, and he lost that verge. The military never happened because U.S. pulled out of
that a short time later as well. There will be questions asked.
She doesn`t need political -- parliament`s approval to do this. She has the power to proceed, but it could be politically unpopular here.
There will be a debate regardless, even if it`s after the fact because people, and politicians of this country have learned to be skeptical of
military intervention based upon Iraq, based upon Libya, not just the military action itself.
But often what follows, whether there is a plan, a broader strategy that considers consequences both plans and unexpected as well.
But what expect to happen here today is if her cabinet will meet, and given the sort of language that she`s been using lately, very much like the
French President. She`s talking about accountability.
She has been talking about deterrence, preventing the use of chemical weapons of becoming the norm, we expect that the British government cabinet
will back the Prime Minister in joining this internationally effort, Kristie.
LU STOUT: Strong indications that Britain will act. Phil Black reporting live from London. Thank you, Phil. And Russia has responded to those
supports that British submarines are preparing to strike Syria.
Nic Robertson is in Moscow, and he joins us now. And, Nic, as western leaders weigh military action in Syria, how much communication is going on
between Moscow and Washington?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the moment as far as we go, there isn`t any direct communication. What we do know, however, is that
President Trump called President Erdogan of Turkey late last night, a very brief readout on that call, they have discussed Syria.
But we know that President Erdogan, earlier today, when opening a train a station in Turkey, said that he didn`t like countries sort of flexing their
military muscle inside of Syria, using it as a wrestling film, I think was his analogy.
But we know that President Erdogan is going to speak later today with President Putin, as intended conduit, is he going try and use himself, and
use his positions to communicate between the two, it`s not clear.
But what we do from President Putin`s own spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, when journalists talk to him earlier today, and ask him the question, is
President Putin planning to talk to President Trump, this was his answer.
So let me just read that to you. This topic hasn`t been touched upon, or initiated by Moscow, and Washington by anyone. But you know -- you know
that Russia is closely following the corresponding statements that are coming out of Washington.
And we still think it`s extremely necessary to avoid any steps that could lead to an escalation of tensions in Syria. However, he also went on to
leave something of a threat, if you will, hanging in the air, by saying if there was an escalation, then this would damage the chances for a broader
peace settlement in Syria.
The implication being that the Russia perhaps may not be inclined to use its leverage to bring Syria, and Assad`s government to the negotiating
table, the U.N. peace talks in Geneva. The cruelly (ph) of that from the U.S. and allies positions may well be that Russia has bought Assad in
recent years.
[08:10:05] However, they haven`t actually used any the leverage of him to get them to compromise on his position as they were obligated under the --
under the U.N. talks.
And just on the issue of President Trump`s tweets, at the end of his tweet today he said, why isn`t that -- why hasn`t there have been a thank you for
America for it`s done in the region, to which the Foreign Ministry spokesperson said, perhaps some of us are still too busy thanking you for
what you did in Iraq.
And then noting that Iraq was the place where ISIS grew. So that was somewhat of a barbed rhetorical -- barbed reply to President Trump`s tweet.
So while the diplomatic language of the highest level might be toning down, certainly the other offices here doesn`t seem to be.
LU STOUT: Nic Robertson live from Moscow for us, thank you. Let`s got live now to northern Syria. Nick Paton Walsh is standing by, and he joins
us now. Nick, there were reports that Syrian government forces have taken full control of eastern Ghota. Is this true?
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well as far as we tell obviously, the level of information coming out of there is often
government (Inaudible) control. But yes, I mean there has been its consistent effort for them to move across that entire suburb.
And we have -- you know, sadly in the past, particularly on October 2013, the U.S. government leveled the charge that Sarin gas was used in eastern
Ghouta, then the particular time to pressure those holdouts in areas that the regime withdrawing state as you may see some sort of similarities with
what (Inaudible) to have occurred over this weekend.
But frankly, the changes in territorial hands are sort of overshadowed massively by the boarder debate are fuelling over the allege use of
chemical weapons.
I should point out, it is interesting to hear Emmanuel Macron used the phrase chemical weapons, or at least chlorine, that were used over to
frankly, sadly different things.
Chlorine has been used, you might argue dozens of times, allegedly by many different sides here, it`s a household chemical that it is very dangerous
when applied in concentrated terms.
But, it was U.N. experts who saw on the ground in the horrifying videos the victims of the Douma attack over the weekend, muscular spasms indicated
possibly some kind of nerve agent.
And aide workers smelt chlorine during the attack itself, that led some to believe perhaps we`re dealing with a rather unpleasant mixture of two
chemicals here, perhaps designed to disguise the existence, and presence of a nerve agent initially.
But still we see this international response felt, Donald Trump`s tweet suggesting the timing was never really revealed, an outlier to broad of
drum beats of the United Kingdom, France, and now Germany`s tough response, although they differ in the level of military action that is seemingly
willing to commit here.
But this is all given the Syrian regime an enormously time to relocate those vulnerable parts of what remained of its forces as to point out there
in a pretty appalling state after six years of conflict and combat, they have been relying for an Iranian, and Russian assistance quite some time to
keep them operational.
But now the Russians are going to replace their assets as well, and put themselves in a position where whatever does come, either potentially risks
of hitting Russian forces too, something the U.S. will wish to avoid, or relatively empty facilities.
But still now I think many people looking at statements by local airlines over the next 24 hours or so, avoiding parts of Syria and the Mediterranean
coast, the thing that perhaps we are looking at some sort of military action in the next 24 hours or so. And that`s of course, Donald Trump, who
appears to (Inaudible) social media changes his mind. Kristie.
LU STOUT: Yes. But in the meantime, Syria already responding, already reacting in advance of that possible military strike. Nick Paton Walsh
reporting live for us from northern Syria, thank you.
Now, the global chemical weapons watchdog now confirms the U.K.`s findings in last month`s chemical attack in Salisbury. In the last hour, it release
its report backing the British conclusion that the military nerve agent Novichok was used to target former Russian spy Sergei Skripal, his daughter
Yulia.
A police officer was also wounded in the attack. CNN`s Nima Elbagir joins us live from London with more on this. And, Nima, we have confirmation
from OPCW, Novichok was used. What more is the group saying about how this nerve agent was deployed?
NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the statement is pretty much limited on confirming the statements issued by the British government that
it was Novichok.
What we`re going to be looking for from here on it, is what the British government is going to be putting forward as evidence that it could have
not been anyone other than Russia. What evidence that they have there isn`t possible that this could have been a non-state accident deployed
there.
Chemical weapons experts that we`ve been speaking to say that Novichok is rare, it is highly unusual, and the part of the issue from the Brits is
that, how can they bring forward a lot of their evidence when it is based on a lot of highly classified intelligence.
[08:15:00] What we do know for sure is that the war of words, the diplomatic spark is escalating, and it`s getting meaner by the minute,
Kristie. The Russian government has now all but accused the Brits of stirring Yulia Skripal away.
They accuse them of placing here in isolation, and they stopped just short of accusing them of abducting here. Yulia Skripal of course says that
she`s happy to be in British custody. But it gives you a sense of how the heat has been turned up.
We haven`t heard from the Russians as yet after the chemical weapon was -- released its statement. We are waiting to see what their response will be,
Kristie.
LU STOUT: Nima Elbagir live in London, thank you. You are watching News Stream, and still ahead, we`ve got new information about what the FBI was
looking for in that raid on Donald Trump`s lawyer. And an infamous recording may be coming back to hunt the President, coming up.
And this is not the first time Facebook has been under fire for its content of policies, but U.S. lawmakers have one serious question for CEO Mark
Zuckerberg.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CONG. MICHAEL DOYLE (D), PENNSYLVANIA: Why should we trust you to follow through on these promises when you have demonstrated repeatedly that you`re
willing to flout both your own internal policies and government oversight when the need suits you?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LU STOUT: Coming to you live from Hong Kong, welcome back. This is News Stream. Now Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, he faced a much tougher crowd on
Capitol Hill on Wednesday during his second day of testimony.
House lawmakers questioned him more aggressive than their Senate counterparts the day before about that massive harvesting scandal.
Zuckerberg also made a surprising revelation about his own personal data.
Laurie Segall joins us now from Capitol Hill. And, wow, Laurie, on day two, Zuckerberg, he got a big grilling in the House. How did he handle the
heat?
LAURIE SEGALL, CNN TECH CORRESPONDENT: He did, admitting that he was actually a part of this data scandal of Cambridge Analytica that his
information was also compromised, so that certainly made a little bit of news.
But, you know, look, day one, the criticism was that the and is back wind accredited them away that the questions weren`t technical enough, that Mark
Zuckerberg was able to really stick to the company line. And we didn`t get as much.
But day two, Kristie, was completely different. Lawmakers -- I think, they took notes from the questions from the day before, and the equations were
much more aggressive, and there was much less patience. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. GREG WALDEN (R), OREGON: While Facebook has certainly grown, I worry it has not matured.
SEGALL: Mark Zuckerberg facing a second round of questioning before Congress.
REP. MARSHA BLACKBURN (R), TENNESSEE: Who do you think owns an individuals` presence online? Who owns their virtual you? Is it you, or
is it them?
REP. BILLY LONG (R), MISSOURI: You`re the guy to fix this. We`re not. You need to save your ship.
[08:20:00] SEGALL: A contrite Zuckerberg reading the same apology from his testimony Tuesday.
MARK ZUCKERBERG, CEO, FACEBOOK: It`s going to take some time to work through all the changes we need to make. But I`m committed to getting this
right.
SEGALL: But unable to convince the 55 committee members he was doing enough to combat privacy breaches.
REP. FRANK PALLONE (D), NEW JERSEY: You talk about how positive, and optimistic you are. And I`m -- I guess I`m sorry because I`m not.
SEGALL: Facebook under fire after the scandal involving Cambridge Analytica, a Trump-linked data firm improperly accessing the private
information of millions of Facebook users. Zuckerberg admitting he too was a victim.
REP. ANNA ESHOO (D), CALIFORNIA: Was your data included in the data sold to the malicious third parties? Your personal data?
ZUCKERBERG: Yes.
SEGALL: The 33-year-old CEO signaling he`s open to government oversight after lawmakers questioned the trust, and transparency of his company.
ZUCKERBERG: My position is not that there should be no regulation. But I also think that you have to be careful about what regulation you put in
place.
REP. KATHY CASTOR (D), FLORIDA: It`s practically impossible these days to remain untracked in America. For all the benefits Facebook has brought,
and the Internet, and that`s not part of the bargain.
SEGALL: Some, not satisfied, clearly frustrated with Zuckerberg`s lack of answers about how to protect data.
PALLONE: Yes or no, is Facebook changing any user default settings to be more privacy protective?
ZUCKERBERG: Congressman, this is a complex issue that I think is -- deserves more than a one word answer.
PALLONE: Well, again, that`s disappointing to me because I think you should make that commitment.
SEGALL: While others accusing the Facebook founder of caring about his bottom line more than the security of his users.
REP. DEBBIE DANGEL (D), MICHIGAN: I worry that when I hear company`s value our privacy, it`s meant in monetary terms, not in the moral obligation to
protect it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SEGALL: Interesting to see. I mean, he did remain composed, and I was told by his folks that, you know, he wanted to be contrite, and humble,
which he did remain through out. But there is a lot of, you know, my team will get back to you. And I think they became less, and less patience for
that as the four or five hours went on.
LU STOUT: Yes, two days of grilling, you know, a lot of unanswered questions, a lot of will get back to you on that, so at the end of the day,
what will these hearings achieve?
SEGALL: Look, I think the question is regulation now, and there wasn`t really clear answer on the right type of regulation. I know Facebook is
trying to get in front of this.
And I think there`s going to be a lot of my team will get back to you, and I hope there`s -- you know, they remained as public pressure on Facebook to
be more transparent.
You know, I can imagine they`re going to be looking at, you know, their user agreement, making that more transparent, they`re ruling out at the top
of your feet. They`re going to be more privacy controls.
And the big question is oversight, and regulation. You know, they have stricter privacy controls rolling out in Europe in the next month. We will
see how that goes, and how that will apply to the rest of the world.
So a lot of questions, and you know, what Chairman Walden said right after Zuckerberg`s testimony is, let this be a sign to the whole tech community,
look at Facebook as an example, where you don`t want to be.
And he also called on the CEO of Twitter, you know, Amazon and testify as well because, you know, the Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook was really
standing for these really complicated questions about this moment in the whole tech industry, and these unintended consequences.
LU STOUT: Yes, and perhaps this will be the way for other top tech executives to get similar treatment, similar grilling as well. Laurie
Segall reporting live for us from New York, thank you so much. During the hearing, the House wants to know if Facebook is tracking users with its
likes.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CASTOR: You`re collecting data outside of Facebook. When someone goes to a website, and it has the Facebook like or share, that data is being
collected by Facebook, correct?
ZUCKERBERG: Congresswoman...
CASTOR: Yes or no?
ZUCKERBERG: That`s right, that we -- that we understand in order to show which of your friends...
CASTOR: So for people that don`t even have Facebook -- I don`t think that the average American really understands that today.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LU STOUT: This is how that works, if you go to a website, it sends your computer or phone a tiny file known as a cookie. Those cookies could be
small information from that website. For example, shopping site will save your login information or stuff in your cart.
So the next time you go back, your cart would still have saved items. Now cookies can also track data like your search history, or what links you`ve
clicked. And Facebook uses cookies with this iconic like button.
You don`t even have to click it, any site with that button let`s Facebook use cookies to see what you`re doing, even when you`re logged out. Now, it
was the Cambridge Analytica scandal that started recent soul-searching of how companies use or misuse out data.
Facebook has revealed that, after the U.S., the Philippines has the highest number of people whose data may have been compromised, nearly 1.2 million
people there. Now, earlier, I sat down with Philippine Foreign Secretary, Alan Peter Cayetano.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[08:25:03] ALAN PETER CAYETANO, PHILIPPINE FOREIGN SECRETARY: There are two sides of him, you know. For the information that we put in there for
the public -- you know, you don`t really mind the public taking that information.
So if I say that I was here this hotel today, this is my phone number, then you don`t really get mad at the platform, or at Facebook in sharing that.
That of course is the data that was opened up to them.
But in confidence as a customer or someone using, you don`t want that shared. So the way I say it is that, if we were best friends and I told
you a secret, of course, if you tell someone else my secret, we would have a problem.
LU STOUT: Yes.
CAYETANO: You know, you are still my best friend. I would say, how come you shared this? So that`s how Filipinos feel, that Facebook, your best
friend, but how could this happened? But, you know, Filipinos are more on the positive side. We`re very optimistic. So, we want to make sure it
doesn`t happen again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LU STOUT: So don`t expect any regulation about Facebook in the Philippines. I also spoke to Cayetano about relations between the
Philippines and China. More on what he said about that ahead this hour on News Stream.
We are learning new details about the FBI raid on the U.S. President`s personal attorney. Sources tell CNN that the agents were looking for
communications between Donald Trump, and Michael Cohen regarding the infamous Access Hollywood tape.
The decade of recording captured Mr. Trump begging to his vulgar comments about women. This is the first known war that directly mentions the
President by name. CNN`s Abby Phillip joins us now from Washington with more. And, Abby, wow, there is a link here, but how was Cohen involved
with the Access Hollywood tape.
ABBY PHILLIP, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, that is really unclear. I think what seems that investigators are looking into whether or not Cohen tries,
perhaps, suppress that tape, which as you know, was eventually released by the Washington Post, by someone, an individual who was not named by the
Post.
When the Post released that tape, it really shocked by the political scene, it also angered President Trump. We also know that President Trump
believes that this raid into Michael Cohen`s home and office was a proxy for the Special Counsel Robert Mueller.
And now it indicates that President Trump is now at the center of this new raid, an investigation into his personal lawyer Michael Cohen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIP: CNN has learned that FBI agents that raided the office, home and hotel room of President Trump`s personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, sought
communications between both men regarding the infamous Access Hollywood tape that captured President Trump making lewd remarks about women back in
2005.
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: You know, I`m automatically attracted to beautiful women. I just start kissing them. It`s like a
magnet. I just kind of want to grab them by the pussy. I can do anything.
PHILLIP: It`s the first known direct mention of the President in a search warrant in connection to the Russia probe, the warrant also references an
investigation into bank, and wire fraud.
The tape was published by The Washington Post on October 7th, one month before the 2016 election. Minutes before the tape went public, U.S.
intelligence chiefs blamed Russia for stealing, and disclosing e- mails from the DNC. And minutes after the bombshell tape, WikiLeaks began
tweeting links to hacked e-mails from Hillary Clinton`s campaign chairman, John Podesta.
Sources tell CNN investigators are searching for documents regarding any effort to keep the tape from going public. The White House lamenting that
Mueller`s probe is straying too far from its scope.
SANDERS: He has a very deep concern about the direction that the Special Counsel and other investigations have taken. This investigation started
off as Russian collusion, of which there was none.
PHILLIP: A source tells CNN the President is still fuming over the raid on his lawyer, but hasn`t had time to study it, or listen to his advisers
while he grapples with how to respond to Syria`s apparent chemical weapons attack.
This as The Washington Post reports that former chief strategist Steve Bannon is pitching a plan to the White House to cripple the Russia probe by
firing Deputy Attorney Rod Rosenstein, having the White House stop cooperating with Mueller, and retroactively invoking executive privilege
after several White House officials have already interviewed with Mueller.
STEVE BANNON, FORMER WHITE HOUSE CHIEF STRATEGIST: I think President Trump is going to go to war. I think it`s very obvious he`s going to go to war
on this.
PHILLIP: But a source tells CNN Trump`s legal team has been firm with the Special Counsel`s office, pushing back on the aggressive approach being
advocated by Bannon.
President Trump publicly raging about the Russia investigation. A source tells CNN the President could still sit down with Mueller if both sides
keep their powder dry. This as Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley plans to hold a committee vote on the bipartisan bill that would protect
Mueller.
SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: We want to make sure special counsels can do their job without political interference.
PHILLIP: But many Republicans voicing skepticism over the need for such a bill.
REP. MARK MEADOWS (R), CHAIR, HOUSE FREEDOM CAUCUS: I can tell you that he is not talking about firing Bob Mueller.
PHILLIP: And the Senate Majority Whip, John Cornyn, doubts the President would even sign such a bill if it passed.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[08:30:00] PHILLIP: So, Kristie, even though this -- a raid was carried out by the southern district of New York not directly by the Mueller probe,
our sources tell us the president thinks that this is really Mueller using another department to carry out an -- an attack on him -- on him and his
personal lawyer.
And he also tweeted this morning, denied The New York Times report that he tried to fire Mueller in December, but as you know, often when the
president denies these reports, they turned out to be true. So that`s where we are on the story, Kristie.
LU STOUT: That`s where we are. Abby Phillip, live from the White House for us, thank you.
You`re watching "News Stream." And coming up, Korean cultural exchange. We will hear from the South Korean culture minister his thoughts on the
historic hip-hop concert.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LU STOUT: I`m Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong. You`re watching "News Stream" and these are your world headlines.
A short time ago, French President Emmanuel Macron says he has proof the Assad regime is behind Saturday`s chemical attack in Douma. German
Chancellor Angel Merkel has ruled out joining in any possible retaliatory strike in Syria.
The U.S. and U.K. meanwhile are considering how to respond. President Donald Trump`s national security team and British Prime Minister Theresa
May`s cabinet are each holding meetings in the coming hours to discuss their options.
Meanwhile, Russian state media reports Syrian government forces have regained control over Douma. It was one of the last major rebel-held areas
in the country.
The global chemical weapons watchdog is confirming British findings that the military nerve agent Novichok was used to target former Russian spy
Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia. British foreign minister says now there can be no doubt the Russia is behind last month`s attack in
Salisbury.
"I need China." "I simply love Xi Jinping." That`s what Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said at the beginning of the week about his
Chinese counterpart. The leaders met in Hainan on the sidelines of the Boao Forum, China`s (INAUDIBLE), before Duterte traveled on to Hong Kong.
This statistic shows just how warm ties have become between the two countries. China`s investment in the Philippines has soared since Duterte
came into power, reaching nearly $30 million in 2017. And the number of Chinese tourists visiting the Philippines reached 968,000 last year,
overtaking U.S. tourists for the first time.
Here in Hong Kong, Philippine Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano had this to say about the ever-evolving relationship between the Philippines
and China.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
[08:35:00] ALAN PETER CAYETANO, SECRETARY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE PHILIPPINES: China is a close neighbor. We`ve had our differences in the
past, so we need to build respect, we need to build mutual trust, and there is nothing like our leaders` meeting, speaking directly to each other.
LU STOUT (on camera): On the agenda are these joint development projects in the dispute of South China Sea. We know that Xi Jinping just recently
said that he will not give one inch of his territory. Does -- do you really believe that China under Xi Jinping is a partner that you can work with and
you can trust?
CAYETANO: Well, there is no two countries in the world that have the same interest. You know, all countries have different interest. And in the South
China Sea, there are multiple claimants. So we say the same thing, that we are not going -- and we mean it, we are not going to give a single inch of
our territory and we are not going to give or sovereignty rights.
So having said that, how do we move forward from that? Because the reality is there are words, there is international law, and there are actions on
the ground. And the reality in this world is that super powers sometimes have different rules. So we want to be treated as a sovereign equal.
So when we started the relationship, we drew red lines. China said these are our red lines. We said these are our red lines. How can we proceed? How
can we build mutual trust? And it has -- the relationship has really blossomed, and we have kept to each individual`s commitment.
So we are -- you know, the joint, the possible joint exploration is a testament that we can make a bad situation better, you know, not
necessarily good yet, but take a bad situation and build upon it.
LU STOUT (on camera): Do you plan to announce any oil or gas deal to China and when will that happen?
CAYETANO: Well, the first thing we did was to ask everyone including ourselves, China, ASEAN, to stop building in uninhabited areas. Do not
inhabit uninhabited features. Do not go to the other areas of your claim.
Or in other words, don`t complicate the matter more, you know. And that happened. So I think the Philippines played a big role in telling people,
hey, let`s talk one at a time. And hey, let`s not do any action to do that.
LU STOUT (on camera): Yes, but the president has almost taken one step forward. President Duterte has said, he loves China, he needs China more
than anybody else. Why is he saying that?
CAYETANO: Shouldn`t we love everyone and don`t we need everyone? I mean, we are close neighbor.
LU STOUT (on camera): Does Duterte loves China more than his own sovereignty? Sovereignty of the Philippines?
CAYETANO: No. He loves the Filipino people. He said he will die for the Filipino people. He will not die for America, for China, for Japan, but he
will die and give his life for the Filipinos.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LU STOUT: And that was Philippine foreign secretary Alan Peter Cayetano speaking to me earlier.
Now, is there something missing from this picture? North Korea`s rubber stamp parliament met to discuss the finances without Leader Kim Jong-un. On
previous occasions, the North Korean leader has made speeches at these assembly meetings. An empty seat presumed to be the leader`s could be seen
in photographs distributed by North Korea`s central news agency.
The North Korean leader conspicuous absence comes ahead of a landmark summit between North and South Korea in two weeks` time. Earlier this
month, Kim Jong-un hosted South Korean pop stars in Pyongyang. Paula Hancocks sat down with the South Korean culture minister who attended the
event.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): It was an unlikely sight. The leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-un, attending a K-pop
concert in Pyongyang. By his side, South Korean Culture Minister Do Jong- hwan.
(on camera): What sort of things were you and Kim Jong-un talking about during the performance?
DO JONG-HWAN, CULTURE, SPORTS AND TOURISM MINISTER OF SOUTH KOREA (through translator): Chairman Kim Jong-un was very interested in the songs,
(INAUDIBLE) about the singers, the lights at the stage. He said he hadn`t seen that type of light before, asking if we bought them from South Korea.
HANCOCKS (voice over): Do says Kim Jong-un suggested a joint concert in Seoul in the autumn, showing that he wants upcoming summits with South
Korean President Moon Jae-in and to U.S. President Donald Trump to be successful.
JONG-HWAN (through translator): He was very natural when he was talking about music, culture, sports. Kim Jong-un was completely different from the
person you see on the news.
HANCOCKS (voice over): Do says he understands critics and (INAUDIBLE) of Kim Jong-un`s outreach to the world following years of intense missile and
nuclear testing, but says he also believes that Kim was both sincere and genuine during that two-hour conversation. He hopes the Trump-Kim summit in
May or early June could move things forward.
JONG-HWAN (through translator): I`m optimistic as both leaders take responsibility. They both have a tendency to make quick decisions with
confidence.
HANCOCKS (on camera): From meeting Kim Jong-un, do you feel that you can trust him?
JONG-HWAN (through translator): I want to trust him. I think this is our chance to reset the destiny of our nation.
HANCOCKS (voice over): Following North-South unity at the recent Winter Olympics, Do says Kim Jong-un himself proposed a basketball game between
North and South Korea, as well as joint teams at other events. Moves that Do calls a stepping stone to peace.
[08:40:00] Paula Hancocks, CNN, Seoul.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LU STOUT: Now, the CEO of Facebook responded to a flood of questions in the past two days, but how many of them did he actually answer? Stick
around.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LU STOUT: All right. Live from Hong Kong. Welcome back. This is "News Stream." It has been an intense two days for Facebook CEO, but Mark
Zuckerberg, he managed to dodge dozens of questions from House and Senate lawmakers by apologizing and repeating one refrain.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARK ZUCKERBERG, CEO, FACEBOOK: I`m happy to have my team follow up with you.
I can certainly have my team get back to you.
I will have my team get back to you.
Congressman, we can follow up.
I would be happy to follow up with you and go on to more detail on that.
We will certainly follow up with you on this.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LU STOUT: We will get back to you on that. Here are some of the things that Zuckerberg`s team promised to follow up on. Does Facebook track your
activity outside the app? As you mentioned earlier, it does. But Zuckerberg and his team will follow up with the full answer.
If users deleted Facebook, how long will it take Facebook to purge their data? He said, he doesn`t know off the top of his head. And who is
Facebook`s biggest competitor? Zuckerberg answered we couldn`t name one.
Is Facebook willing to change its business model to protect user privacy? Zuckerberg said he wasn`t sure what that means. So, Congresswoman Anna
Eshoo told him, she will follow up with him.
And that is "News Stream." I`m Kristie Lu Stout. Don`t go anywhere. "World Sport" with Don Riddell is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[08:45:00] (WORLD SPORT)
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