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Violence Rocks Pakistan, Two Deadly Attacks Strike Different Parts Of The Country, Including One On The Chinese Consulate In Karachi; Considering A Pardon, The UAE Says It Is Considering A Clemency Request For Jailed British Student Matthew Hedges; A Life Of Crime Left Behind, How These Ex-Yakuza Members Are Redefining Their Lives And Bringing Their Dark Past To The Big Screen; The British Prime Minister Has Been Taking Questions From Callers On A Bbc Radio Show And That Is Just The Start Of What's Going To Be A Very Busy Weekend; A Mall In The Us State Of Alabama Became A Scene Of A Thanksgiving Night Shooting That Left The Gunman Dead And Two Others Injured; Facebook Under Fire After Posts About An Auction For A Child Bride Appeared On Its Platform; Dolce And Gabbana Facing A Backlash In China Over That Deeply Controversial Ad Campaign; Shoppers Flood Into Malls Across The US Looking For Black Friday Bargains. Aired: 8-9a ET

Aired November 23, 2018 - 08:00   ET

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

KRISTIE LU STOUT, HOST, NEWS STREAM: I'm Kristi Lu Stout in Hong Kong and welcome to "News Stream." Violence rocks Pakistan, two deadly attacks

strike different parts of the country, including one on the Chinese consulate in Karachi. Considering a pardon, the UAE says it is considering

a clemency request for jailed British student Matthew Hedges. And a life of crime left behind, how these ex-Yakuza members are redefining their

lives and bringing their dark past to the big screen.

And we start with what has been a deadly day in Pakistan. In Karachi, four people were killed when armed men they tried to storm the Chinese

consulate. And in Northern Pakistan, at least 31 people are dead after a bomb attack in a market. Dozens are wounded. There is no indication right

now that the two attacks are linked.

Our CNN Sophia Saifi joins us now live from Islamabad with more and Sophia, first, let's talk about this deadly attack in Karachi. These gunmen

attempted to storm the Chinese consulate there. How did this all unfold?

SOPHIA SAIFI, PRODUCER, CNN: Well, Kristie, we know that they, like you said, attempted to storm the Chinese consulate. This consulate is located

in a very exclusive part of the city. Karachi is the largest city of the country. It's a red zone. The security forces immediately reached the

location where the attack was taking place and they managed to torch it.

Now, we do have a confirmation that this attack was facilitated by the Baloch Liberation Army, which is based in Pakistan, southwestern province

of Balochistan. This is the first time - the reason why this is so important is, this is the first time the BLA has been successful at

attempting an attack in a major city of Pakistan, Kristie.

LU STOUT: The target here was the Chinese consulate. So will this attack have any impact on relations or investment between China and Pakistan?

SAIFI: Yes. So what the BLA actually believes is what their basic statements are, even after this attack is they consider the Chinese workers

working on the ground in Balochistan to be part of an imperialist force. Their enemy is the Pakistani State and because of that, the many hundreds

of Chinese workers working on the ground in Pakistan are considered to be enemy elements to the BLA.

Now, keeping that in mind, Pakistan needs Chinese money. This is all part of the CPEC - the Chinese-Pakistani Economic Corridor, also one part of the

One Belt One Road initiative. The Pakistani Prime Minister was in China just last month, considering the fact, you know, Pakistan has been asking

for an IMF bailout. But they've been hoping that China will step in and kind of ease the financial situation in the country by offering an economic

package.

So it's very important that Pakistan maintains good ties with China. The Pakistani Prime Minister condemned this incident. The Pakistani

Information Minister actually went out and tweeted in Chinese condemning the attack, just you know, just to emphasize how important Pakistan-China

relations are to Pakistan, Kristie.

LU STOUT: Absolutely. And separately this day, another attack in Pakistan, the northern part, an area called Arakdi (ph). Dozens of people

killed there. What happened?

SAIFI: Well, this is an ongoing militancy issue in the north of Pakistan. It's bordering Afghanistan. It's been a situation that's been ongoing for

over a decade now. The attacks have obviously decreased considerably in the past couple of years, but there have been incidents that keep propping

up.

A lot of people are not - this does not seem to be linked to the incident in Karachi. However, we still don't have a claim of responsibility. It

was a very deadly attack. It was an attack in a bazaar on Friday which is a half holiday in the country. We got reports from police officials there

that the majority of people who were killed and injured in this attack were of the Shia faith of the Shia sector of Islam.

So there is a lot of sectarian issues. There is a lot of Sunni militancy in that part of the country and we're still monitoring and waiting to find

out who is behind this heinous attack in the north of the country.

LU STOUT: Sophia Saifi, we thank you for your reporting and your analysis. Now, it has also been a deadly day in Afghanistan. At least nine soldiers

were killed and 22 injured after a bomb blast at a mosque on an Army base. It happened during Friday prayers in the volatile coast province near the

border with Pakistan. There has been no claim of responsibility, but the Taliban linked Hakani Network are known to be very active in the region.

[08:05:05]

LU STOUT: And now to a diplomatic dispute between the UK and the United Arab Emirates. The Emirates Ambassador in London says the family of a

jailed British PhD student has made a pledge for clemency and its government is now studying that request. Thirty one-year-old Matthew

Hedges has sentenced to life in prison for espionage, a charge he denies.

Now, Sam Kiley is in Abu Dhabi. He joins us now, and Sam, what more did the UAE Ambassador say about the case involving Matthew Hedges?

SAM KILEY, SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT, CNN: Well, the position, Kristie of the UAE is that Mr. Hedges was caught red handed, if you like,

spying, that he had some electronic devices and other notes that would indicate that he was working for British intelligence.

The British insists that that is absolutely untrue. But it's worth noting, too also, that he doesn't speak any Arabic, so it would be a very unusual

spy sent to this region who didn't speak Arabic. But nonetheless, and I apologize for the noise in the background. We're building up for the

Formula One race in the landscape behind me. And that is significant, really, because all eyes are on the United Arab Emirates over this weekend

and next week when they celebrate their national day, 47 years since they ceased to be a protectorate of the United Kingdom and the Ambassador

indicated that he would, indeed, consider clemency or at least, the government were considering an appeal for clemency made by the family.

This is what the Ambassador said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SULAIMAN HADID ALMAROUI, UAE AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED KINGDON: Matthew Hedges was not convicted after a five-minute short trial as some have

reported. Over the course of one month, three judges evaluated compelling evidence in three hearings. They reached their conclusion after a full and

proper process. We have an extremely close partnership with the UK. Because of the strength that relationship, we are hopeful that an amicable

solution can be reached.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KILEY: An amicable solution. I've been talking to people close to the government in the last hour or so. They are hopeful that an amicable

solution can be reached. Part of it might involve some kind of partial admission from Mr. Hedges that, perhaps, he passed information that he

should not have done or that broke various protocols, perhaps, in talking to British officials privately, even though he wasn't involved in

espionage.

That is really the view here in the United Arab Emirates and in the United Kingdom is that this is a, if you like, a misunderstanding amidst a great

deal of tension, Kristie. This is a country that is allergic to the idea for example of the Muslim Brotherhood, which is a political organization

that they label a terrorist organization and they're very angry with the British, for example, for not labelling the Muslim Brotherhood in that way.

So amid all of these issues, I think that, really, there is an effort being made now to try and resolve this and perhaps give some clemency, perhaps on

National Day next Thursday when traditionally prisoners are released from the Abu Dhabi jails, Kristie.

LU STOUT: Okay, we'll look out for that next Thursday. Sam Kiley, reporting live for us from Abu Dhabi. Sam, thank you. In the past half

hour, the British Prime Minister has been taking questions from callers on a BBC radio show and that is just the start of what's going to be a very

busy weekend.

Theresa May will head to Brussels on Saturday before that critical EU summit to be held the following day. And the stumbling block could

actually be more of a stumbling rock. Of course we're talking about Gibraltar - the British outpost on the tip of Spain. Madrid is starting to

derail the Brexit process unless it gets more of a say about what happens here.

Erin McLaughlin is in Brussels. She joins us now. And Erin, will negotiators get an agreement with Spain over Gibraltar by Sunday?

ERIN MCLAUGHLIN, CORRESPONDENT, CNN: Kristie, I think that's an open question at this point. We know that negotiations on the status of

Gibraltar are continuing. Just last night, we heard from the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez on Twitter threaten, again, a veto of the entire

Brexit process.

Let's just pull up his tweet and take a look at what he had to say, saying, "After my conversation with Theresa May, the British Prime Minister," which

happens to have taken place on Wednesday, "Our position remains far away. My government will always defend the interests of Spain. If there are no

changes, we will veto Brexit." And essentially, what Prime Minister Sanchez wants to see happen is he wants to see that 585-page withdrawal

agreement which was agreed upon last week legally binding text. He wants to see negotiation on that opened up again to include language that would

give Spain a say over the future of the British territory.

[08:10:10]

MCLAUGHLIN: Something that has been ruled out by the UK. We were just listening to Theresa May on that radio program say that they are not going

to be opening up negotiations on that withdrawal agreement.

Also being ruled out by the EU. I've been speaking to diplomats here in Brussels and they have been telling me they are absolutely shocked and

astonished at Spain's stance on all of this, working behind the scenes to sort of reach some sort of resolution. Unclear what that might be at this

point.

As for the Spanish veto, whether or not they can, in fact, veto all of Brexit, well, EU officials telling me that that is not strictly the case,

but the way the council likes to work on Sunday is by consensus. All 27 EU leaders like to come to a consensus on the two documents that are on the

table. The withdrawal agreement, as well as the political declaration on the future as well as any other protocols that they may be considering and

then make a political statement. And essentially what the Prime Minister is saying is that Spain will not be a part of that which is, again, a

political rather than a legal statement, Kristie.

LU STOUT: Resolution unclear at this moment in what will be a critical weekend for Theresa May. Erin McLaughlin reporting live from Brussels.

Erin, thank you.

France has joined other European Union nations in banning and sanctioning 18 Saudi citizens on over the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. The French

Foreign Ministry says that Khashoggi's death is a crime of extreme gravity and runs counter to freedom of the press and fundamental rights.

Meanwhile, the Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammed Bin Salman received a reception earlier in the UAE.

The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi said the UAE will always be a quote, "supportive home for our brothers in Saudi Arabia."

Instead of just giving thanks, President Donald Trump struck a sharply political tone during his Thanksgiving call with troops stationed around

the world airing grievances about migrants and Federal judges who have blocked his attempt to overhaul immigration laws.

Now, he also threatened to close the southern border for a time if the administration determines that Mexico has, quote, "Lost control on its

side." Let's break down this politically charged phone call with CNN's White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins. She joins us from West Palm

Beach, Florida, and Kaitlan, US Presidents, they traditionally call troops at Thanksgiving to help boost morale. So just how did President Trump use

this call to bring up the border issue?

KAITLAN COLLINS, WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, CNN: That's the question a lot of people are asking. This is a call that was meant to mitigate that

criticism that President Trump has been facing because despite being almost two years into his presidency, he still has not visited troops in war

zones. That's been something that's been a topic lately and that is what this call was supposed to help with.

But after the President read from his scripted remarks, he praised those troops. He offered his thanks for them working on the Thanksgiving holiday

and being away from their families. But then when the President went off script, he returned to his usual MO. He brought up the border. He brought

up a list of topics that typically you would not expect the President to say during a phone call with the military members. But it quickly turned

from the scripted remarks to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Well, you said it better than anybody could have said. Keep them away from our shores and that's

why we're doing the strong boarders. You probably see over the news what's happening in our southern border and our southern border territory. Large

numbers of people and in many cases we have no idea who they are and in many cases they're not good people. They're bad people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: Now, after that call, the President threatened to shut down the US-Mexico border while he was speaking with reporters who asked questions

about what he said. But the President is also facing criticism for what was said during that call.

Typically, something you would imagine a Commander-in-Chief would have that discussion privately, not during a call that is put on speaker phone and

carried live on television. But that is a call this quickly turned political for President Trump.

LU STOUT: Yes, and there was another example of him politicizing this opportunity to talk to troops, talking to a general over the phone. He had

to mention the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. How did he work that in?

COLLINS: That was a question that everyone was asking and the President - and said turning his praise into complaints about the Ninth Circuit Court

which he's been complaining about since he left the White House because of a decision they made on the administration's attempted changes to asylum

applications.

And President Trump brought it up during his call saying this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: We get a lot of bad court decisions from the Ninth Circuit, which has become a big thorn in our side. We always lose and then you lose again

and again and then you hopefully win at the Supreme Court which we've done.

[08:15:06]

TRUMP: But it's a terrible thing when judges take over your protective services, when they tell you how to protect your border. It's a disgrace.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: So the President there calling the Ninth Circuit Court during that call with military members a thorn in his side. But once the

President hung up that phone and he was speaking with reporters, one of them asked what he was thankful for this Thanksgiving and he said he was

thankful for what he's done for the country and the tremendous changes he's made, instead, offering no praise for those troops who are abroad.

LU STOUT: Wow. Using Thanksgiving to score personal political points. Incredible. Kaitlan Collins, reporting live for us. Thank you.

Now, a mall in the US State of Alabama became a scene of a Thanksgiving night shooting that left the gunman dead and two others injured. Now,

police say that the gunman opened fire inside the crowded mall after a confrontation with another man. An armed officer who was working at the

mall confronted the gunman and fatally shot him. A 12-year-old girl was one of the injured and she is in stable condition.

You're watching "News Stream," and coming up, Facebook under fire after posts about an auction for a child bride appeared on its platform. Why some

say the social network bears some blame.

And the fashion house apologizing for an offensive ad, Dolce and Gabbana facing a backlash in China over that deeply controversial ad campaign.

Coming to you live from Hong Kong, welcome back. This is "News Stream." $10,000.00, 500 cows and three cars. According to reports, that was the

winning bid for a teenage bride in a marriage auction in South Sudan. It was publicized in a post on Facebook and has been fueling outrage.

A wealthy businessman outbid four other men including government officials. And a human rights lawyer tells CNN Facebook is still culpable even though

the auction did not actually happen on its platform.

Now, let's bring in our Farai Sevenzo, he joins us live from Nairobi, Kenya for more on this story, and Ferai, a lot of the outrage has been directed

at Facebook, but could you tell us more just what role did Facebook place in this child bride auction?

FARAI SEVENZO, CORRESPONDENT, CNN: Kristie, there are so many sort of cultural norms we must be careful not to bulldoze in covering this story.

The Dinka have always done what they are calling dowry negotiations with the families of a young woman they wish to marry.

But of course, at the center of this is the fact that this top man, a businessman you mentioned and a government official, a Deputy Governor of

the East Lake Region, he said on a webcast radio for the Dinka people exactly why he had pursued this young woman.

[08:20:02]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID MAYOM RIAK, SOUTH SUDAN POLITICIAN (Through a translator): In 2011, when Yelong was 10 years old and our families were neighbors to theirs, she

was a people in Yei, a town in South Sudan. I even paid her school fees at that time because I grew up knowing her and her parents know this is the

truth.

This is when I approached the parents and asked for the girl's hand in marriage when she matures. It's common practice here and it is acceptable

in our culture since time immemorial. In our traditional Dinka culture, it's allowed. Why can't it happen now?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SEVENZO: And there you have it, Kristie. It is this massive cultural clash between tradition and modernity and of course, the whole issue of

technology and social media with, why Facebook was involved is because somebody had posted a picture of 16 to 17-year-old Yelong Gong Ding, and

that intensified these dowry negotiations.

But, of course, at the center of it all is the rights of the child. I've just been reading through South Sudan's own Constitution where they have a

whole chapter about the rights of the child in which they say it is important to protect young women and young children from bad cultural

practices.

So we're in a sort of no man's land of what do they think about this and of course, what about her human rights? What does Yelong have to say? Does

she accept this man who already has other wives? So it's a story that's really hit at the very heart of modern day Africa. And we will wait to see

and even to speak to the winning bidder about what this means going forward for the people of South Sudan whose country has been ravaged by war, where

many people can't afford to pay 500 cows and three cards and $10,000.00 and where are these politicians getting this money from?

These are real issues at the center of South Sudan's cultural life, Kristie.

LU STOUT: Yes, the rights of children need to be protected here, and as you point out, child auctions and child marriage, this is embedded in the

culture and the fact that this auction netted a very significant dowry of cars, cows and cash and it was shared on social media, on Facebook, is this

just going to inspire more and more - other families to use social media to auction off their daughters?

SEVENZO: Well you know, Kristie, the one common vice of all humanity is avarice and greed. And of course, if people are seeing that this is the

kind of thing that they can get for young girls, it would be remiss of me not to say some of them would take advantage of that.

But at the center of it, as I repeat, is young women's human rights and what they can expect. Remember, UNICEF's own November 2017 figures state

that of the 52% of young girls married that were married in South Sudan, 52% of them, I beg your pardon were under the age of 18. That's already

crossing many boundaries that are not supposed to be crossed by any nation.

LU STOUT: Yes, it increases the risk of early pregnancy, robs them of an education and robs them of their lives. Farai Sevenzo, we thank you for

your reporting. Take care.

Now, one of the world's biggest fashion houses is facing this huge backlash in one of the world's biggest markets. Retailers in China are dropping

Dolce & Gabbana over claims of racism.

A series of Dolce & Gabbana ad showed an Asian actress trying to eat Italian food with chopsticks. The situation was made worse when offensive

comments were posted from Stefano Gabbana's Instagram. He said the account was hacked and the designers have now apologized.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DOMENICO DOLCE, FASHION DESIGNER: (Speaking in foreign language).

STEFANO GABBANA, FASHION DESIGNER: (Speaking in foreign language).

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: You won't find Dolce & Gabbana on top Chinese retail sites like Alibaba or JD.com nor at Hong Kong's iconic Department Store Lane Crawford

where customers have been retuning items.

From Alibaba to Tencent, Chinese tech firms rarely find massive success outside of their own huge domestic market, but one starter from Shenzhen is

doing business with thousands of schools around the world.

Matt Rivers reports on Makeblock, the company teaching children build robots and code at the same time.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

JASEN WANG, CEO AND FOUNDER, MAKEBLOCK: This is a robot.

MATT RIVERS, CORRESPONDENT, CNN: When Jasen Wang was a kid, toys didn't look like this. No robots, just model cars or plastic figures. And even

those toys were out of reach.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WANG: I grew up in a very poor family.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RIVERS: But Wong who comes from Eastern China studied robotics at a good school and after graduation, he came up with a new idea. Build a new

affordable toy to help young children realize their own ideas. He called it Makeblock.

[08:25:05]

RIVERS: So here's the concept. You buy a kit starting at around $80.00 that comes with metal building blocks, but also motors, gears and modules

you can program through basic coding to do fun stuff like play music, walk across the table and even fly.

This five -year-old start-up isn't much of a start-up any more. Makeblock is one of the rare Chinese tech companies finding commercial success

outside China and the latest funding round valued the company at more than $350 million.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WANG: Many schools not only in China, outside of China, and many schools, they need these kind of solutions to help teach to builds robots, to learn

programming.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RIVERS: Like many start-ups, Wang's journey began here in Shenzhen, close to the supply chain and much needed money. Wang got early investment from

HAX, a venture capital group that helps ideas get off the ground.

More and more of their funding applicants are now Chinese and that's not the only change they're seeing.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DUNCAN TURNER, MANAGING DIRECTOR, HAX ACCELERATOR: Chinese start-ups have gone from we want to become a success in America and then come back to

China to now being proudly Chinese, designed in China, innovated in China and manufactured in China.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RIVERS: The economy is changing too. A rapidly expanding middle class means a new generation of young Chinese now find more expensive technology

well within reach which means more customers for Wang like at this Science Technology, Engineering and Math or STEM after school program.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WANG: STEM education is becoming more and more popular in China. So we can see the growth of our local business.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RIVERS: Jasen Wang now makes a very good living and he does it by making toys. He has come a long way from the kid who couldn't afford any of his

own.

Matt Rivers, CNN, Shenzhen.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

LU STOUT: And be sure to check out more of Matt's reporting on the rise of China's Silicon Valley. Watch "Innovate Shenzhen" Saturday at 4:30 p.m. in

Hong Kong and 8:30 a.m. in London only on CNN.

You're watching "News Stream," and still ahead, shoppers flood into malls across the US looking for Black Friday bargains.

I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong, you're watching "News Stream" and these are your world headlines. Pakistan is reeling from two deadly attacks on

Friday. Four people were killed after armed men tried to storm the Chinese consulate in Karachi. Hours later, a suicide bomber killed at least 31

people at a market in the northwestern part of the country. So far, there doesn't appear to be a link between the two attacks.

[08:30:07]

LU STOUT: Across the border in Afghanistan, at least nine soldiers are dead and 22 injured after a bomb blast at a mosque on an Army base. It

happened during Friday prayers in the volatile coast province of the eastern part of the country. So far, there has been no claim of

responsibility.

The family of a jailed British PhD student has submitted a request for clemency in the UAE. That's according to the Emirates Ambassador to London

who says the government is now studying that request. Matthew Hedges was sentenced to life in prison for espionage which he vehemently denies. The

Ambassador is refuting accusations that Hedges wasn't allowed a fair trial.

Department stores across the United States have started opening on one of their biggest days of the year, Black Friday. Online sales are expected to

set new records this year, but many people are still hunting bargains the traditional way. In person at malls.

In fact, these people are among the first to get into the Macy's flagship store in New York. Our CNN's Alison Kosik, she is live for us at a Best

Buy in Paramus in New Jersey and Alison, the blitz is under way. The blitz of holiday shopping, what are American consumers buying?

ALISON KOSIK, CORRESPONDENT, CNN: Well, one thing is for sure, Kristie, that Black Friday is alive and well, at least at this Best Buy at Paramus,

New Jersey.

Just about a half hour ago, more than a hundred people streamed into this store, mostly to get their hands on TVs. One woman walked up to me so

excited that she got the last TV that she wanted. They had smiles on their faces and lists in their hands and around me right now, they are searching

for the best electronics to buy for the holiday season.

Now, this isn't the first foray for shoppers here in America. Online shopping really got under way yesterday. Yesterday was Thanksgiving, and

people went online and it's expected that they spent $3.7 billion online. For Black Friday, today, online shopping is expected to continue. An

estimated $6 billion is expected to be spent and then Cyber Monday, an expected $7.8 billion is expected to be spent, as well.

What are people buying? They are buying a lot of electronics. For one, they're buying laptops. Mostly HP laptops are really scoring well as far

as what people want. Home speakers, the kind you play music on or the kind that actually do things for you, like the Alexa and the Echo. That is one

of the hot buys, as well. Gaming consoles and games are hot items, as well.

The National Retail Federation says between the months of November and December, it is expected that Americans will spend around $717 billion to

$720 billion. What is propelling all of these shopping? Consumer confidence is high. Unemployment is low and wages are rising. So that's

getting consumers feeling good about going in and shopping and digging deep in their pockets, Kristie.

LU STOUT: Yes, strong underlying economic indicators in the US that is fueling this shopping spree that we're seeing behind you and we know

retailers, especially the brick and mortar retailers, they are under a lot of pressure this year. So just how important is this day and this weekend

for them to do well for the quarter and for the year?

KOSIK: It is really important. This is when they do the bulk of their sales. That's why a lot of times they will have like this store have these

door busters where they will price TVs differently than let's say they would price them online to get people into the stores.

The trick is to offer things they wouldn't necessarily get online. Maybe extra consumer products. Let's say, here at this Best Buy, they have

something called Geek Squad where you pay a fee and then you get a lot of help with let's say, your computer or other electronics that you have at

home.

So, brick and mortar stores are trying to figure out how to fit in to this new landscape and they're trying to offer consumers something different

than you would necessarily get online, Kristie.

LU STOUT: Okay, got it. Alison Kosik, joining us live from a Best Buy in Paramus, New Jersey, watch out for the shopping mobs, okay? Take care,

Alison. You're watching "News Stream." We'll be right back. But still to come, we're going to take a look at how one acting agency in Japan is

helping mobsters. We're talking Yakuza turn their lives around.

[08:35:00]

LU STOUT: Coming to you live from Hong Kong on a Friday night, welcome back. This is "News Stream." Singapore's status as a garden city, that

didn't happen by accident. Despite high density housing, the tiny city state still remains a green city.

We're going to meet 85-year-old Richard Tan who is one of the pioneers behind Singapore's iconic green walls.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

RICHARD TAN, OWNER AND FOUNDER, GARDEN AND LANDSCAPE CENTER: I am Richard Tan. I am the owner and founder of Garden and Landscape Center.

We were the first people who did the vertical greenery, right? It's part of government policy to try to green the whole city on vertical as well as

on a rooftop garden. On most of the buildings, we need to have some kind of screen wall, green wall, which would be more permanent and also to allow

cleaning the air and the atmosphere. Because through the vertical green, it traps out the dust and passes by.

CHEONG KOON HEON, CEO, HOUSING AND DEVELOPMENT BOARD: The challenge is how do you build high rise high density development which is livable, that

people actually want to live in.

The project Pink Dot was actually done as an experiment to test out very high density living environment.

TAN: I am very proud that what we have done for Pink Dot. That was the first building in the whole Singapore 50 stories high to build a garden in

the sky. This is about 3 kg.

I am not going to say I am a pioneer, but I happen to be one. Because there is nobody else. My age. I am 85. A lot of people, they are 65,

they are gone. But I don't feel that way. I am still feeling 40, 30. I still can do it. This is life. I enjoy it.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

LU STOUT: He is a visionary. Now, the international auction house Bonham's has canceled a controversial sale of rhino products slated for

next week. The auction in Hong Kong would have featured more than 20 antiques carved from rhino horn. Bonham's decision comes at a time of

growing pressure from environmental groups. Its CEO says, "All rhino horn items will now be barred from auctions here on out doing the likes of

Christy's."

Jane Goodall has dedicated her life to studying wildlife and advocating the idea that animals are not be used for profit. I spoke with the legendary

primatologist and activist in a wide ranging interview and asked her how she achieved success in a male-dominated field.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

LU STOUT: You've been called a feminist icon, a rebel girl. Do you --

JANE GOODALL, PRIMATOLOGIST: I don't think I was either of those things.

LU STOUT: No? You're not a feminist hero?

GOODALL: No. No. Maybe I am, but that's not my goal. I fell in love with Tarzan when I was 10. And I've read every book about Africa and

animals and any animals in the wilderness. So I was 10 years old and I dreamed of growing up, going to Africa, living with wild animals and

writing books about them. Everybody laughed at me. How will you do that?

We didn't have any money. World War II was raging and I was just a girl. But my mother said, if you want something badly, you have to work really

hard. Take advantage of all opportunity and don't give up. And that's the message I've taken to young people around the world, particularly in

disadvantaged communities.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

LU STOUT: We welcome you to watch Part 3 of our interview with Jane Goodall. Just head over to cnn.com/newsstream and you'll find it there at

the top of the site.

The Yakuza is the name given to organized crime groups in Japan. It's the country's version of the mafia. They are involved in everything from

extortion to even sex trafficking and for those who want to leave that life behind, reintegrating back into society can be hard.

[08:40:05]

LU STOUT: But one acting agency is supporting former mobsters to turn their lives around. Ivan Watson takes us to Tokyo to find out how they do

it.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

IVAN WATSON, SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT, CNN: This may look like just another day at the office. But some of these men have experience in

money laundering, extortion and even violent crime. None of those skills are needed in this job. These ex-mobsters from the Takakura-gumi Acting

Agency are waiting for their cue to get on set to play their formers selves.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RYUICHI BABA, EX-MOBSTER (Through a translator): People who lived on the right side of the law don't know the rituals of the Yakuza or mafia. We

really lived in that world. We were professional thugs. We can use that to our advantage.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WATSON: Ryuichi Baba still wears the markings of the mafia. He left a life of crime six years ago and finds purpose in acting.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BABA (Through a translator): I feel like I moved from hell to heaven.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WATSON: Baba spent 20 years as a mobster before escaping his life of crime. But acting doesn't pay the bills so he keeps up his day job. Baba

runs his own software business and is also a budding YouTuber.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BABA (Through a translator): While I was a mobster, I felt like I had no control over my fate. Now I feel like I've been reborn.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WATSON: Today, the actors are on the set of the action film "Crazy Fighter." As usual, they're playing villains with customs that are known

to those who were in the Yakuza. Their organizations operate in secrecy. It's a dark world full of unwritten honor codes and strict hierarchies that

they want to share with the larger audience.

The agency's boss says that reintegrating back into society is like starting from scratch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SO KURAMOTO, HEAD OF TAKAKURA-GUMI ACTING AGENCY (Through a translator): It's really important for us to contribute to society and be accepted by it

and I think the entertainment industry is the fastest way for us to do that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WATSON: And it certainly is getting a lot of attention in a country where the Yakuza are still stigmatized. These ex-mobsters want the world to know

that there is redemption, even for those with the darkest past. Ivan Watson, CNN.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

LU STOUT: Wow, what an incredible story of reinvention. And that is it for "News Stream." I'm Kristie Lu Stout, but don't go anywhere. "World

Sport" with Rhiannon Jones is next.

(WORLD SPORT)

[09:00:00]

END