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AROUND THE WORLD

North Korea Celebrates Kim Il-Sung's Birthday; Thatcher to be Buried Wednesday; Canada's Controversial Legal Injection Site; Delays as Brazil Preps for World Cup; Australian Wins the Masters; Bieber Offends with Frank Comment

Aired April 15, 2013 - 12:30   ET

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


(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to AROUND THE WORLD. Here are some of the top stories that we are following right now.

In North Korea, it is not threats of nuclear war that we're hearing today, but it's actually the sounds of celebrations.

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Yeah, North Korea marking the birthday of its late-founder, Kim Il-sung. He, of course, is the grandfather of the current leader Kim Jong-un, and the celebrations brought him out in public for the first time in several weeks actually.

Secretary of State John Kerry had a message for him.

MALVEAUX: If he wants to hold talks with world powers, he needs to ditch North Korea's nuclear program.

In Somalia, the Islamist militant group linked to al Qaeda, Al Shabaab, says it carried out an attack at a courthouse. Twenty-nine people were killed, dozens more wounded.

HOLMES: Yeah, witnesses say armed attackers forced their way into the building, some of them setting off explosives. Others engaged in a shootout with government security. Nine of the militants were killed and several other people as well. That shootout went on for hours.

MALVEAUX: And in London, they are getting ready now for the funeral of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Earlier today more than 700 British troops rehearsed for that ceremony. Soldiers carried a flag-draped coffin through the streets on a horse-drawn carriage there, lots of pomp and circumstance and tradition. Thatcher will be buried on Wednesday.

HOLMES: In Vancouver, Canada, drug addicts have a choice. Instead of going and shooting up in a dark, dirty alleyway, they can do it in a clean place that's actually taxpayer-funded, and we told you about this last week.

MALVEAUX: It's very controversial here. Paula Newton, she actually talked a little about this. It's a needle-injection place, a site where they have stainless steel booths to shoot up drugs, complete with nurses who are overseeing this process. And the idea is to stop addicts from sharing dirty needles and overdosing.

This week, Paula's telling us about an alternative for people who don't actually want to go to those sites.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAULA NEWTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Within these few blocks of downtown Vancouver, hundreds of people inject drugs every day.

Discarded syringes and crack pipes are signs of the squalor in one of North America's most affluent cities.

Not all of the neighborhood's addicts are able or willing to come to Insite, so Insite has developed a program to come to the addicts.

Mariner Janes drives Insite's mobile needle exchange, handing out clean equipment to locals.

MARINER JANES, INSITE MOBILE NEEDLE EXCHANGE: I carry these crack kits that we put together, contains a mouthpiece, a glass pipe, alcohol swab, set of screens, band-aid and a lighter.

And, lastly, we put together a safer injection kit, swabs, gauze and the needle itself. And this is really the essentials for staying safe.

NEWTON: Being available to their clients requires this man to spend most of every day and night combing the alleyways looking for users.

JANES: We spend 20 hours a day on the road. We have anywhere from 100 to 250 contacts a day.

How are you doing?

No kidding. And that's a mixture of men, women, and sex trade workers.

You got it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is there a (inaudible) in there also?

JANES: No, do you need some?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yeah.

JANES: One CCes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yeah. They're regulars?

JANES: Do you want a 10-pack or just a couple?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just a 10-pack, a bag if you have it.

JANES: Yeah.

It's becoming more and more critical actually, to the point where we're kind of overrun in terms of being really busy.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES: Amazing.

Insite doesn't require addicts to try to kick their habit in order to get the service, and that's something there's a lot of criticism of.

What a bizarre job. Imagine doing that.

MALVEAUX: And there's a big problem there, too. I mean, there's a very big problem, a drug problem.

Maybe it saves lives. I don't know.

HOLMES: It's hard to tell, isn't it?

MALVEAUX: Yeah.

Delays, excuses, even missed deadlines, this is a story behind Brazil as it's getting ready for the World Cup, what the country has to do to get their act together in time for the big event.

HOLMES: A lot of people worried. We're going to be live in Sao Paulo when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: All right. Soccer fans, of course, right around the world cannot wait for the World Cup. It is such a big deal for fans. It's being held, of course, in Brazil, next year.

MALVEAUX: In Brazil. That is going to be really, really hot. But there is a problem now. Four of the six stadiums not even finished. So you might be thinking, what is the big deal? World Cup not even until next year, right?

Well in a few weeks, you've got the Confederations Cup that's going to be held, considered a dress rehearsal for that.

HOLMES: It is. It's a very big event, and that's the 2014 World Cup. And Shasta Darlington is going to join us now from Sao Paulo to talk about this.

Shasta, half a million tickets being sold for the Confederations Cup. You're going to need a stadium.

SHASTA DARLINGTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Exactly, Michael. And, well, you know, luckily, they've already got four, so they just have to work on those two.

You know, this looks really bad, and it is. I don't want to underplay it, but even FIFA itself, the secretary-general, Valcke, said the stadiums will be ready, and he thinks it will be a great tournament.

They just won't be 100 percent operational. And this probably really will play out like a dress rehearsal.

So a lot of the things that will happen during the Confederations Cup will be happening for the first time. And they're going to then see how it goes so they can get it right next year for the World Cup.

Not an ideal situation, but it will go on. The teams will play. One of the unfortunate things here is, of course, that one of the stadiums that is not ready is the one in Rio de Janeiro.

That's the iconic (inaudible) stadium, and that's the one people will be watching most closely, so they've really got to get it together.

These are games that will be played out across Brazil in different cities. They've got to have airports, hotels, roads, everything ready. This is not a great sign to start with.

MALVEAUX: Yeah, Michael and I, we're already trying to get tickets for the big event here, but does Brazil -- are there any penalties if they don't meet these deadlines? Or are they kind of embarrassed by what's happening now?

DARLINGTON: Well, you know, Suzanne, depends how you look at it. Brazil is at least putting on a very calm face. No, everything's going to be fine. Everything's going to be great.

But they have gotten a series of scoldings, some a lot less pleasant than others from FIFA, some not really appropriate language used.

But right now, they seem to be getting on, and what they say is things will be ready. Again, this is the way Brazil is. There's going to be beautiful Brazil, the beaches, the people.

Not everyone will notice that things are behind schedule, and so they're kind of banking on that.

At the same time, FIFA is saying, all right, we're putting up with this now, but we will not permit these delays for the World Cup, and they want all 12 of the stadiums that will be used in the World Cp ready by December. And they say they won't allow for delays, Suzanne.

HOLMES: Yeah. It seems to happen. Thanks, Shasta.

That seems to happen like the Olympics or the -- whatever the host city is, there's always a delay.

MALVEAUX: That's OK.

HOLMES: It always gets there in the end.

I went to the World Cup in South Africa for CNN. It was fantastic.

MALVEAUX: Really?

HOLMES: So we've got to get down there for this one.

MALVEAUX: Good deal. All right, next year, we've got some time. We'll make it happen.

HOLMES: We'll make that happen.

MALVEAUX: For the first time ever -- you're going to love this -- a golfer from Australia puts on the green jacket at the Masters.

Adam Scott, big winner in Augusta, we'll show you how he did it.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: Welcome back to AROUND THE WORLD.

In the U.K., the BBC says it's going to broadcast a controversial documentary about life in North Korea. That's despite protests from the London School of Economics. Officials at the university, they are outraged because a BBC journalist posed as a university student during a group trip to North Korea.

HOLMES: Yes. Now the school is saying the journalist put students at risk. It was actually a three-person team. Also that it damaged the school's reputation. Their documentary is airing on the BBC later.

All right. In Bali, Indonesia, have a look at this video. Of course this is that Lion Air plane that ended up in the water after it missed the runway. Amazingly, too, all 100 passengers survived.

MALVEAUX: That is just incredible video. And, today, investigators, they get to work on moving this wreckage, actually try to get that out of the water. Lion Air, we should note, it's banned from European air space because of the safety concerns. Just take a look at that.

HOLMES: Amazing.

MALVEAUX: And movie star Hugh Jackman got a bit more of a workout than he expected this past weekend. The Oscar nominee, he was at a gym in New York, well, when this happened.

HOLMES: Yes, a woman pulls out an electric razor and starts following him. She did leave when security got there, thank goodness. Police caught up with her down the street, arrested her. She is charged with stalking.

MALVEAUX: And this is Michael's favorite story.

HOLMES: It is.

MALVEAUX: Australia celebrating the masterful finish at Augusta. One of your own. A mate.

HOLMES: Three of the top five were Aussies. Unbelievable. What a great time. It is the first time that an Australian -- and this actually surprised me -- has ever won the Masters. Seventy-seven years they've been waiting to do this. Adam Scott is the guy's name. Defeated former masters champion Angel Cabrera of Argentina, who won back in '09. It was a tense two-hole playoff in the final round, but the green jacket, as we say, for the first time goes to an Australian.

CNN Sport's Shane O'Donoghue is in Augusta, Georgia, because he gets those sorts of assignments.

Shane, you know, Tiger Woods, of course got to mention Tiger, he was in the mix. It was a good run by him, but three Aussies in the top five. I think they've come second eight times at the Masters and the voodoo (ph) is now broken.

SHANE O'DONOGHUE, CNN SPORTS: Yes, absolutely, Michael, and congratulations to you and every Australian. I think we'll have to move Australia day to April 14th to be honest with you.

HOLMES: I'll take it.

O'DONOGHUE: Let's continue with that theme. It was magnificent. Three of them, as you say, in the top five. And Adam Scott deservingly the winner here at Masters 2013. Just a wonderful performance. It's about time, too. He turned pro back in 2000. I remember seeing him myself in his second ever professional tournament at the Irish Open in Ballybunion. Everyone wanted to see him because he swung the club just like Tigers Woods. He was coached at the time by the same guy, Butch Harmon, when he was at college in the University of Nevada in Las Vegas.

So he has waited a long time. He has managed to win every other big tournament certainly here in America from the Tour Championship, the Players Championship, to the World Golf Championship. But the Masters and any other major had eluded him. He came so close last year at the British Open where he was leading with four holes to play but finished with four bogeys and people started to question whether he had the mental strength to get over the line and win a big major.

And it's come at the one that they all cherish. The one that they all prize above all of the other four majors. And to see Adam Scott do it the way that he did it, he never gave up. He was extremely patient out there.

Angel Cabrera, as you mentioned, was the runner up. They went into a two-hole playoff. And Cabrera, who has won before, he never gave it to him. And he had to go and win it. And Adam did win it on that second playoff hole with that wonderful putt.

It's great for Australia never having won a major - never having won a Masters before. And the oldest living major champion is an Australian, Kel Nagle, so I'm sure he was thrilled. Greg Norman is his mentor. He's absolutely delighted. Was crying last night watching Adam, who is such a great friend of his. And Norman has mentored him since the age of 15. So it's fantastic to see.

HOLMES: It is.

MALVEAUX: Yes.

HOLMES: It is. And well-deserved too. As you know, this is no flash in the pan. This guy, a lot of people think it will be the first of many. And, yes, I could talk for hours, but I shan't. I'll move on.

MALVEAUX: Another - another time for the 14-year-old. The 14-year-old sensation.

HOLMES: Oh, yes. Yes.

MALVEAUX: Perhaps he'll win, come out on the end.

HOLMES: Yes, he did well, Guan Tianlang.

Good to see you, Shane. We'll let you go.

MALVEAUX: All right. You and I have never said this before, but we're going to talk about it now.

HOLMES: Yes. Yes.

MALVEAUX: Belieber. That is right. That's the term for the Justin Bieber fans, the beliebers. Well, even the singer used it. But, over the weekend, he might have taken it a little bit too far. And we're going to explain what the controversy is all about.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: All right. He's all the rage. Now he's sparking some rage. We're talking about Justin Bieber here. He is being criticized for a comment that he left in the guest book at the Anne Frank House. (INAUDIBLE).

HOLMES: Yes, this is in Amsterdam, of course. Yes, "Showbiz Tonight's" A.J. Hammer joins us now with what Bieber wrote. A lot of people are thinking a little bit insensitive given who Anne Frank is and what she went through.

A.J. HAMMER, ANCHOR, "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT": Well, Michael and Suzanne, this particular bit of drama actually started in a pretty innocent way. Justin Bieber's on a European tour right now and last Friday he took the time to stop and visit the Anne Frank House, which is in Amsterdam. So after he got a firsthand look at the house where the young girl and her family hid from the Nazis for two years, he wrote this little blurb in their guest book. "Truly inspiring to be able to come here. Anne was a great girl. Hopefully she would have been a belieber." That's right. And, of course, that was that last part that got him into trouble.

The Anne Frank House, I think, innocently looking to publicize the visit, publicized the blurb, they posted it on their FaceBook page. That's where it took off and thousands of people, of course, weighed in slamming Bieber for being so vain that he had to have a note about Anne Frank focus on himself. Now, this story has just become international news with all sorts of outlets slamming him as being an egomaniac. Now, Suzanne and Michael, we did reach out to Justin's rep to ask about the reaction that they've been getting over this. They wouldn't comment.

HOLMES: Unbelievable. I mean he's had a lot of controversy on this tour, hasn't he? I mean he seems to be getting in to trouble for shooting his mouth off or behavior in some way, shape or form. What's the feeling out there in the show biz world?

HAMMER: Well, generally, people on one side are a bit worried about him and concerned that maybe his fame, his position in life now is sort of getting the best of him. But then there are a lot of people who really talk about how old Justin Bieber is and the fact that, you know, he is only 19 years old, which is a lot of the reason I think that some people who are willing to let this whole Anne Frank comment go are doing that.

And the Anne Frank House, for their part, they're putting a positive spin on this whole thing. They're saying, you know what, this was a good experience for Justin. It's good for the Anne Frank House. And, in fact, here's their comment right now. "We'd like to point out, as we also do on our FaceBook page, we think it is very positive that he took the time to visit our museum. Justin Bieber was very interested in the story of Anne Frank and stayed for over an hour. We hope that his visit will inspire his fans to learn more about Anne Frank's life and hopefully read the diary."

And by the way, Michael and Suzanne, I should point out that the Anne Frank House had a FaceBook post the morning after Justin Bieber's visit saying how much Anne liked to hang posters of film stars on her walls at the beginning of the hiding period. So, who knows, maybe she would have been a Bieber fan. Most people seem to agree Justin didn't need to point that out.

MALVEAUX: Yes.

HOLMES: Yes.

MALVEAUX: One thing that's good, though, is that there is a lot of attention to the museum and to the house.

HOLMES: Exactly.

MALVEAUX: Because I really don't think -- people would not pay attention if he didn't go there and there was some controversy.

HOLMES: Yes.

MALVEAUX: Now people can learn a little bit more about Anne Frank.

HOLMES: Maybe more people have heard about Anne Frank. And, yes, and as A.J. points out, he's 19. So, yes, good point.

MALVEAUX: All right. Thank you.

HOLMES: Good to see you, A.J.

HAMMER: You too, guys.

MALVEAUX: Thanks again.

Coming up in the next hour of NEWSROOM, investing in gold might not be the safe bet that a lot of people thought it was. We're going to tell you what is behind the sudden plunge in gold prices.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: All right, taking a look at what is trending around the world right now. Let's take you to California.

MALVEAUX: Bono made a surprise appearance just outside Cochela (ph) on Friday night. He joined a Belgian congalis (ph) artist for an impromptu performance at a ranch near Indio (ph), California, where there were a series of events bringing African and western musicians together. Pretty hot.

HOLMES: Yes, looks like a good time.

And take a look at some of the photos that caught our attention as well. These are Buddhists in south Asia celebrating the new year with a lot of water works going on.

MALVEAUX: In China, locals and tourists splash each other in the streets. It's seen as a way to wash away the past and bring in good luck. Nice.

HOLMES: Yes. Now, in Nepal, we seem to be running these, as you were saying earlier, people getting covered in colorful stuff. They're covered in red powder (ph). This is happening near Katmandu. It's all about ringing in the new year.

MALVEAUX: And in Japan, Tokyo Disneyland celebrating its 30th anniversary. More than 500 million visitors have been to Disney theme parks since they have opened.

HOLMES: Thirty years since that one opened. Goodness me.

MALVEAUX: Yes. (INAUDIBLE) Disney.

HOLMES: How it flies by. Yes.

That will do it for me. Thanks for watching AROUND THE WORLD. I'm out of here. You are not.

MALVEAUX: No, not quite yet.

HOLMES: Carry on working.

MALVEAUX: See you tomorrow. Thanks.

HOLMES: See you tomorrow.