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World Leaders Fight to Avoid Panama Papers Fallout; Icelandic PM Named in Panama Papers; Republicans Battle for Wisconsin; Clinton and Sanders in Tight Race in Wisconsin; Zuma to Survive Impeachment Vote; Brazil Hit with Economic Recession; China Censors Searches about Panama Papers; Trump's Loyal Legions. Aired 10-11a ET

Aired April 5, 2016 - 10:00   ET

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


[10:00:00]

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ROBYN CURNOW, CNN HOST (voice-over): Ahead at the INTERNATIONAL DESK, accusations and outrage over offshore accounts and what the rich and

powerful may be hiding.

Game-changer: will Wisconsin shake up the maps in the U.S. presidential race?

And its one crisis after the next as Brazil prepares for the Summer Olympics.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

CURNOW: Hello, everyone. I'm Robyn Curnow at the CNN Center. Thank you so much for joining me.

Shock waves from the Panama Papers continues to ripple through the murky world of offshore banking and the political leaders implicated in the

documents are fighting to stay afloat, that's in spite of the fact that the papers don't necessarily indicate illegal activity.

Irate protesters are demanding the resignation of Iceland's prime minister after the papers revealed alleged links between an offshore company and his

wife's holdings in Iceland's failed banks (ph).

In China, online censors are blocking search results and social media discussions about the leak. We'll have much more of that in just a moment.

Plus in the U.K., Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn is calling for an investigation into all British citizens named in the papers, including the

family of Prime Minister David Cameron. The documents allege that Mr. Cameron's late father ran an offshore investment fund.

CNNMoney Europe editor Nina dos Santos joins me now from London live.

Hi, there, Nina.

Why does this leak continue to have a such huge effect?

NINA DOS SANTOS, CNNMONEY EUROPE EDITOR: This is a godsend for journalists and financial journalists -- excuse me a second, Robyn. I'm just going to

take this out.

It's a godsend for financial journalists, frankly, because we haven't really seen anything of this size and scope ever, especially concerning the

really murky world of offshore financial investments.

Remember that these are specific vehicles that were designed to try, in many cases, hide the actual beneficiary of these particular accounts, so

very often you don't know who's behind a number of these offshore entities.

We are talking about a leak here that is 1,500 times the size of WikiLeaks. So there's so many documents here. And as you quite rightfully point out,

it really does read like a who's who of the world's international elite from the world of finance, politics; we've got sports stars in there and

also reportedly celebrities.

We're expecting more allegations and more names to be coming through over the next few days.

Now it's interesting that you did mention David Cameron, the U.K. prime minister, he is supposed to be addressing some of these allegations later

on in the speech that he's going to be making in the U.K.

And when I say allegations, actually I should rephrase that. They're aren't -- not allegations. They are links that his late father, Ian

Cameron, apparently had to an offshore company that had a number of directors that was based in the Bahamas.

Now the allegation here being that they decided to conduct their business meetings offshore, outside of the U.K. tax jurisdictions because then the

companies of financial dealings outside of the U.K. wouldn't be subject to U.K. tax.

Now I might point out that that kind of structure at the time was actually entirely legal. It's still legal to set up an offshore company. It's just

what you decide to do with the contents of that company, whether you're going to be putting in their money that is from the proceeds of crime or

money that should be subject to international sanctions or if you don't declare the money that you have in that particular account and should be

paying tax on it back home, that is when things cross the legality border.

CURNOW: So like you say, there are questions about legalities.

Is it also, though, about the optics here?

From Iceland to the U.K., even here in the U.S., this anger, quite acute anger about the rich getting richer and about the system being rigged?

DOS SANTOS: Yes. This feeds into the ongoing argument, debate that the world is, frankly, is having about the moral obligation of people to not

avoid paying taxes.

Remember, in places like the U.K., it's completely legal to try and mitigate your financial burden to the taxman, to try and minimize your tax

bill.

But it is illegal to actually deliberately avoid and evade paying those taxes when you should be paying them and this is a very pertinent topic at

the moment because I should point out again, just in relation to David Cameron, well, he's actually convened an international summit on the issue

of cracking down on tax avoidance that's set to take place in about a month from now here in the U.K.

That summit has been on the cards for about a year, well before we knew this particular leak was coming and so what we keep hearing from analysts

is that this cannot be wasted as an opportunity. It's a golden opportunity for many countries around the world --

[10:05:00]

DOS SANTOS: -- including David Cameron so, government, frankly, to glean millions of dollars that shouldn't be offshore, that should be paying tax.

Get them back into their own financial systems. That would help to balance the budget, the many countries like the U.K. that are desperate to try to

do so and also when it comes to the world's developing economies.

This is money that those countries really need for their future development. It's estimated that some $8 trillion worth of emerging market

funds could be sitting offshore in some of these accounts and that money really should be repatriated for better causes -- Robyn.

CURNOW: Yes, the global implications still very much there.

Our Nina dos Santos, thanks so much.

More protests are expected today in Iceland following revelations its prime minister has been named in the Panama Papers. He said he would step down

and call new elections if he loses the support of the party's coalition government.

For more on that situation, we're joined now by CNN's Fred Pleitgen.

Hi, there, Fred. There's a lot happening, moving at the moment.

What's do you know that's happening right now?

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: You know, what, there is a lot happening right now and it really is becoming something like

a political showdown in Reykjavik at this point in time.

First of all, you look at those pictures of those demonstrations that happened yesterday and the ones that are set to happen again today, there's

about 10,000 to 15,000 people at those demonstrations.

But if you keep in mind that Iceland is a country that only has about 300,000 people, then that is a substantial part of the population that went

out on the street and called for the prime minister's resignation.

We actually did the math on this and a similar demonstration in the United States would be one of about 9.5 million people. So that's the proportion

of the population that actually went down on the streets.

Now this is turning into somewhat of a political showdown because there were people in the prime minister's own coalition who called for his

resignation. There were opposition politicians who also called for his resignation. He came out and said, not so fast. If I'm going to step

down, everyone is going to step down.

He says he wants to dissolve the government, he wants to dissolve parliament and call for snap elections.

Now what we have heard is that those snap elections would have to be held in about 45 days. There was a meeting between the prime minister and the

president, where the president afterwards said he did not accept for the dissolution of parliament at this point in time. He wants to consult,

first of all, with the coalition partners of the prime minister, also with people from the prime minister's own party, to see whether or not they

would be on board with that plan.

Now the prime minister continues to say he believes he's done nothing wrong. Yes, he did own a stake in the shell company. He said he sold that

stake to his wife, who now owns the entire shell company, which also has holdings apparently in several Icelandic banks that went bust in 2008.

And that's why many people in Iceland are saying, listen, this is a man who still has to deal with the fallout of the 2008 banking crisis in Iceland.

His wife owns a stake in these banks as part of that shell company. Therefore, he can't be prime minister anymore -- Robyn.

CURNOW: Indeed. And that also plays into what Nina was just saying about this acute anger that government officials, those in power, are lining

their pockets in secret and it's a particular source of embarrassment because the prime minister seemed like a breath of fresh air after the

banking excesses.

PLEITGEN: Well, you're absolutely right. It's that and on the other hand we also have to keep in mind that you're absolutely right that it's not

only about what was legal and what was not legal but what people believe is ethical.

And that, of course, is a very sensitive issue in Iceland at this point in time. They had the banking crisis in 2008. That was, of course, part of

the larger financial crisis that was going on around the world at that point in time but Iceland was particularly heavily hit and many people

believe that at that point in time Iceland did suffer, its reputation suffered, its people suffered.

Many people lost a lot of their incomes, many people lost their jobs and they feel that Iceland is now getting back on track and they think the most

important thing at this point in time is transparency.

Many people who go to those demonstrations say, look, he may have not done anything that's illegal but we don't feel that this is the degree of

transparency that we expect from our elected officials and that's why so many people are coming out on the streets.

So it's going to be interesting to see how they solve all this; it seems that all parties at this point in time are trying to work something out.

Be interesting to see whether or not the prime minister will still be in office after that process -- Robyn.

CURNOW: Indeed and we're also going to keep an eye on the protests expected in the coming hours.

Fred Pleitgen, thanks so much.

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CURNOW: Well, the outcome of today's primary vote could swing the U.S. presidential race. Wisconsin voters are casting ballots right now, with

high turnout expected.

For Republicans, today is just a test of just how far Donald Trump can go. Polls there show Ted Cruz leading Trump, though, and both of them want

rival John Kasich to drop out. CNN's Phil Mattingly has more on Republican candidates.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DONALD TRUMP, REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Thank you, Wisconsin. I love you. Go out and vote. I love you.

PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Final 24-hour blitz, the Republican candidates exchanging --

[10:10:00]

MATTINGLY (voice-over): -- insults and fighting for votes ahead of a primary that could reshape the Republican race.

TRUMP: I've never, ever met anybody that lied like him.

SEN. TED CRUZ (R), TEXAS: His security blanket is to insult people.

GOV. JOHN KASICH (R), OHIO: I think they're becoming hysterical.

MATTINGLY (voice-over): Donald Trump on damage control after the worst week of his campaign.

TRUMP: Every week it's the end of Trump. And then they walk in, sir, I don't know what happened, but your poll numbers just went through the roof.

MATTINGLY (voice-over): Rolling out female supporters and his wife, Melania, in a desperate bid to improve his standing with women.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No matter who you are, a man or a woman, he treats everyone equal.

MATTINGLY (voice-over): Senator Ted Cruz looking to capitalize on Trump's weakness.

CRUZ: I know that Donald, it makes him feel really tough, it makes him feel like a very, very big man to threaten people and, in particular, he

seems to have a problem with strong women.

MATTINGLY (voice-over): And once again, denying tabloid reports accusing him of cheating on his wife.

CRUZ: That attack was complete and utter garbage. It was complete lies. And it came from Donald Trump and his henchmen.

MATTINGLY (voice-over): Trump and Cruz both calling for Republican rival, John Kasich, to drop out of the race.

TRUMP: He's 1-30. He ought to get the hell out, honestly.

CRUZ: If you lose 49 states, you ain't going to be the Republican nominee.

MATTINGLY (voice-over): A proposal that Kasich flat-out rejected.

KASICH: He said he needs to get out because he's getting my votes. And I want to have my votes. He's -- this is not fair. I thought we got out of

the sandbox years ago.

MATTINGLY (voice-over): The Ohio governor returning fire, accusing Ted Cruz of playing dirty politics in response to a series of attack ads that

the Cruz campaign rolled out this weekend.

KASICH: He smeared Ben Carson. He smeared Marco Rubio. He smeared Donald Trump and now he's smearing me.

Don't push me around. You think you can push me around and get away with it, you're wrong.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CURNOW: Some tough talk there. That was CNN's Phil Mattingly reporting.

And you heard a lot of accusations being thrown around. Let's talk about how this could impact the race.

John Avlon joins me now from New York, he's a CNN political analyst and editor of "The Daily Beast."

Hi, there, John. Thanks for talking to us. I mean, let's just talk about all this mud that's still being thrown.

He said -- they say it's not nursery school, kindergarten stuff, but it still feels like it, doesn't it?

JOHN AVLON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Oh, we are deep in the sandbox politics here.

CURNOW: We're deep, deep, deep.

AVLON: No question about it. The field's winnowed down to three but it really is just a lot of mud being thrown at each other.

And they're trying to each, you know, what's fascinating about the state of the race right now is that it -- writ large, yes, they're trying to win

Wisconsin. It is a big state. This is a big primary today because it will indicate the direction of the race going forward.

You know, if Trump pulls out a win, which polls show are unlikely, he will be on his march to the magic number of delegates needed to clinch the

nomination.

If he isn't, then he's got a momentum problem and he's got a math problem.

But what's fascinating is that it's not the Ted Cruz is going to hit the magic number either or certainly not John Kasich. What they're all playing

at this point is a game of Keep Away.

They're trying to deny Donald Trump the nomination so they could have a contested convention and then the Republican Party can try to reassess how

it got into this mess and put forward who they think might be the most competitive nominee.

But Ted Cruz has a real problem as a general election candidate and John Kasich's still trying to get on base. So what you have here is a

fascinating, you know, fracas in the Republican Party going on in one of the biggest primaries today.

CURNOW: You say fascinating. Also very much speaking to the future and looking to the past, where clearly some mistakes have been made and real

questions about how this, you know, pays to voters in many ways.

Trump is trying to claim a national movement but what Cruz is doing is that he's waging a sort of state-by-state, delegate-by-delegate knife fight here

and then, you know, where shall the twain meet?

AVLON: Well, this becomes an existential question of political gunfights versus knife fights, I think. Donald Trump was able to succeed early on

via the power of celebrity demagoguery without having a really concrete political strategy.

In contrast, Ted Cruz, first-term senator from Texas, not beloved by his colleagues, one of the most despised people in Washington, has been running

a very methodical data-driven game to try to reach out and appeal to specific voters. His social media game in particular has been excellent.

So that's why he -- even though he's not going to go into Cleveland with the highest number of delegates, he's hoping he'll come in with the

smartest plan.

It is far from clear, I should say, that Ted Cruz would be any better a general election nominee than Donald Trump. But his team is definitely

organized better, they're working the system better. And that's how they hope they can bleed Donald Trump dry with a death of a thousand cuts, to

extend your metaphor.

CURNOW: Well, stand by. I'm sure we can conjure up some more metaphors, John. I want to talk about the Democrats. Just stand by because polls

show --

[10:15:00]

CURNOW: -- Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders are neck and neck in Wisconsin. Sanders says high turnout will give him a win; he says Clinton

is nervous. But Clinton's campaign chief says her lead in delegates is "nearly insurmountable." That's a quote.

The candidates also looking ahead to New York, the next big prize, two weeks from today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I), VT., PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I don't want to get Hillary Clinton more nervous than she already is.

(LAUGHTER)

SANDERS: She's already under a lot of pressure. So don't tell her this. But I think we win here, we win in New York state, we're on our way to the

White House.

HILLARY CLINTON, FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE, PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The most important economic issue in this campaign will be ensuring that we

have a Democrat in the White House come next January.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CURNOW: OK. John Avlon joins us again to talk Democrats.

Sanders says Clinton is worried.

Is she?

Should she be?

AVLON: Well, look. If Bernie Sanders wins Wisconsin tonight -- and that's by no means clear. The polls are very, very tight -- she had some big wins

a few weeks back but he's been notching up some wins in recent weeks. That becomes a momentum issue.

In the month of March, Bernie Sanders raised significantly more money than Hillary Clinton and that's a measure of his enthusiasm among a lot of these

small -dollar donors.

But as you mentioned, Hillary campaign manager, Robby Mook, put out a blistering memo last night, arguing that Bernie Sanders, he can continue

with an ideological crusade but Hillary Clinton has a great lead when it comes to people who've actually voted in the Democratic primary to date and

Bernie Sanders' path to clinching the nomination is very, very difficult.

It's not impossible. But it's incredibly difficult. And I'll spare your listeners the details of super delegate versus regular delegate math.

But what if Bernie Sanders put out there that he can win New York?

I mean, that is Hillary Clinton's adopted home state. That is where the next fight will be.

But with regard to Wisconsin, if Hillary wins, it is going to damper a lot of the resurgent hopes of the Bernie crew. If Bernie wins Wisconsin, it

makes Hillary a must-win situation in New York and it puts her in a difficult argument, not in terms of math, but momentum and this Democratic

fight, this deep ideological fight within the Democratic Party, will go on.

CURNOW: Indeed. And we can talk about looking ahead to New York but in many ways Hillary Clinton is looking way beyond that, really, I think for

the last month or so she's been looking towards a general election, looking towards taking on that Republican nominee.

And, you know, it looks good, doesn't it?

If she has to go up against Donald Trump.

AVLON: Well, look. You know, we don't want to project too far out because a week is a long time in politics. But certainly we know that Donald Trump

carries with him unprecedented negatives with key demographics in American politics: women, suburban voters, Hispanics, African Americans.

Ted Cruz will presumably not have quite the same degree of baggage but he is certainly right of center if you believe that American elections are won

or loss by the candidates who can connect best with moderates and the middle class.

Hillary Clinton interestingly, put out an ad in New York, which was not about Bernie Sanders, it was a rebuke to Donald Trump about New York

values, about pluralism and unity out of diversity, which is a core New York value.

So she's already pivoting ahead but pride cometh before the fall and you got to nail down the nomination, as Hillary Clinton learned eight years

ago, and then really not take anything for granted, come a general. Because there are always X factors in these elections that can change

things dramatically with implications.

So nothing is taken for granted. You always run like you're behind.

CURNOW: OK. Thanks so much, very important lesson for life there.

John Avlon, thank you so much. Talk to you again. It has been fascinating.

And of course, remember to stay with us here on CNN for all the complete coverage of this critical Wisconsin primary.

Well, you're at the INTERNATIONAL DESK. Still ahead, a search is underway for radical Islamists who may be linked to the terror attacks in Paris and

Brussels. Details ahead on that story.

Plus Brazil is struggling with a number of crises all at the same time with just four months left until it hosts the Summer Olympics. We'll bring you

the outlook from Rio.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:20:00]

(MUSIC PLAYING)

CURNOW: A number of radical Islamists with links to the Brussels and Paris terror attacks are still believed to be on the run. They're suspected of

having ties to ISIS. CNN's Alexandria Field is following the story from Brussels, joins me now live.

Hi, there, Alexandra.

How many suspects remain at large?

It is very difficult to keep tally, isn't it?

ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Robyn, it's an entirely imprecise numbers because you've got authorities who are casting this very wide net

across Europe to try and find or identify any militants who could have connections to the cells that that carried out the Paris and Brussels

attacks or any connection to the attacks themselves.

We do know, though, that authorities have had a very difficult time identifying, finding the people who are even on their radar. There were at

least 12 people who remain at large today, who were tried in absentia in Belgium in jihadist-related cases and authorities have no idea where some

of those people are today.

So they're looking for a dozen people there alone. We know they're also looking for another eight people who are suspected to have more direct ties

to the Paris and Brussels attacks. Seven of those eight people appear to have been directly connected to Abdelhamid Abaaoud, who is widely referred

to as the ringleader of the Paris attacks.

Seven of the eight are also regarded as having had some kind of connection to Salah Abdeslam, who was the wanted suspect from those Paris terror

attacks, who had been evading authorities for some four months before he was captured in Brussels just last month, Robyn.

And on top of all of those people who authorities are searching for, we know that most pressing right now is still trying to track down the two

outstanding suspects who could have been involved quite directly in the attacks here in Brussels.

There was a third suspected bomber at the airport, who officials have not found. They have not yet been able to publicly identify that person.

There was also a second potential suspect potential suspect involved in the bombing at the metro station, who authorities have also not publicly

identified.

CURNOW: Alexandra, thanks so much for that update.

Well, to South Africa now where President Jacob Zuma has likely been saved from impeachment by his African National Congress Party. The motion to

impeach is set to be voted on Tuesday in parliament and was launched by the opposition Democratic Alliance Party. But it's set to fail as the ANC

controls 62 percent of the body's 400 seats.

The country's constitutional court, the highest court in the land, last week ruled Zuma violated the constitution by using $15 million from state

upgrades -- from state funds to upgrade his private home.

Now to Brazil, once considered a country on the rise but now it faces a number of crises from its economy to its politics and its public health.

All that with Rio welcoming fans to the Summer Olympics in just four months' time. Our Paula Newton looks at Brazil's fragile state of affairs.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(MUSIC PLAYING)

PAULA NEWTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Take a stroll on the beach and at first it seems nothing's changed. Brazil's cliches endure. Its

gorgeous beaches, its fun-loving attitude, its image as the country of the future.

NEWTON: But you take a closer look and you wonder, what happened?

Well, it's a political and economic drama so devastating, it's shattering many of those cliches.

NEWTON (voice-over): First up, the economy, slashed by Brazil's worst recession in a generation, one that could turn in an all-out depression by

year's end. Unemployment is close to 10 percent. Thousands of businesses have closed.

Nasiza Hosha (ph) has been running this Rio restaurant and bar for more than a half-century.

[10:25:00]

NEWTON (voice-over): He tells me, "Of course, we are living through a crisis and the scope of it is the worst I have ever seen."

Could things get worse?

They just did, with a crushing political drama. Brazilians are outraged by a scandal so sordid it already implicates more than half the country's

national politicians in a kickback scheme, allegedly orchestrated by the state-run national energy conglomerate, Petrobras -- and that's not all.

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff is cornered by a budget scandal that could see her impeached within weeks; her predecessor, Luiz Inacio Lula da

Silva, once revered as a savior of modern Brazil, also under investigation for kickbacks.

Brazilians are devouring news from Watergate-style wiretaps in every corner and crevice of their everyday lives.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's sad but it's -- they're thieves.

NEWTON: How can you guys cope?

How will you cope?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Embarrassing.

NEWTON: Embarrassing?

The whole thing?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Embarrassing.

NEWTON (voice-over): And to crack confidence still further, Brazil is coping with Zika, a mysterious virus stalking the country, one that may

cause a devastating neurological disorder in hundreds of newborns.

In Brazil's already challenging favelas, there is fear.

"We're worried about the situation," she tells me, "and we're trying to cope with it."

NEWTON: So we have a country shattered by economic despair, demoralized by a political crisis and plagued by Zika. And through all this, in just a

few short months, Brazil welcomes the world for the Olympics.

NEWTON (voice-over): So we went to the Museum of Tomorrow, Olympic legacy project -- incidentally, its construction also implicated in the kickback

scheme -- to find out how Brazilians plan to deal with it all.

NEWTON: So you're going to put it on pause?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. Pause, no, Olympic Games. OK.

NEWTON: Start the circus again?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. No, it's a mess.

NEWTON (voice-over): A mess and a reminder that even with the Olympics coming, Brazilians are struggling to hold on to those classic cliches that

once made them so proud -- Paula Newton, CNN, Rio.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CURNOW: Thanks to Paula for that report.

Well, still ahead, a barrage of reports on the leaked Panama Papers gets blacked out in China. We'll go live to Beijing, where our coverage of this

scandal is being censored.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:30:00]

(MUSIC PLAYING)

CURNOW: Welcome to the INTERNATIONAL DESK. I'm Robyn Curnow. Here's a check of the headlines.

(HEADLINES)

CURNOW: And the political fallout has reached nearly every corner of the globe, including China. Censors online and on television are blocking

reports and discussions about the Panama Papers leak. Our own Will Ripley is live in Beijing.

And, hi, there, Will. You have got firsthand experience of how the Chinese government is responding to all of this.

WILL RIPLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We have been keeping somebody in the censorship office very busy every hour on that hour today because every

time we starting talking about this, Robyn, they push the button and our signal goes to black. I can show you a live picture of our signal. And

any moment now, you'll see -- there it just happened -- we go to black.

That's just some of the censorship that's happening, though. You mentioned not only the airwaves but social media as well. You try to type into a

search engine; you usually get an error message or if a result does pop up, it's probably this editorial in the "Global Times," one of the leading

state-run newspapers, that accuses the investigative journalist, more than 100 news outlets around the world, of essentially conspiracy driven by the

West to try to make non-Western leaders look bad.

And then, of course, there's this from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, three different times asked about the Panama Papers and the same answer

every time.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): For such groundless accusations, I have no comment.

As for the Panama Papers, I have no comment.

I have no comment on this.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RIPLEY: Even though just the fact that these offshore accounts exist doesn't necessarily prove criminal activity, it's important to note that,

in China, the law doesn't allow people to ship more than $50,000 U.S. outside of the country every single year.

So when you're talking about these huge sums of money sitting in Panama, of course, the question is, how could this have been done legally which may

explain some of the censorship -- Robyn.

CURNOW: Indeed. We also know the Communist Party claims to be fighting its own war on corruption.

So why censor the Panama Papers?

Why censor what we're saying right now?

RIPLEY: Absolutely right. This is an ongoing thing that the Communist Party, led by President Xi Jinping has been doing. In fact, just today,

they announced that yet another official, a retired general, was convicted of accepting bribes both directly and through family members.

But critics of this say that this crackdown on corruption, while aggressive, has also been very selective, often targeting lower or mid-

level officials while leaving many of those linked to the highest level of China's government untouchable, essentially.

And so this latest revelation you have at least seven people, relatives of current and former Chinese officials, some of them near the very top, and

now the information being washed away from the Internet and from the Web. So the crackdown, selective, aggressive but selective -- Robyn.

CURNOW: Of course, we know the global -- we've been talking about the global implications of this leak. Much of it not illegal but a lot of

questions being asked also about the funding of North Korea's nuclear program.

What do you know about that?

RIPLEY: Well, again, a lot of these documents we haven't seen so we can't exactly, you know, verify the reporting ourselves.

But there is a claim that a British banker, through a bank that he set up inside North Korea, was providing funding that was used in the initial

years when North Korea started to aggressively expand its nuclear program, started conducting nuclear tests, they have now conducted, they're the only

country, really, since the turn of the 21st century, that has continued to conduct nuclear tests even as recently as a few months ago.

And these shady offshore accounts, these shell companies are believed to be one way that North Korea was paying for this program, by selling weapons,

using these shell companies, selling weapons --

[10:35:00]

RIPLEY: -- concealing those sales and then collecting the revenue and using them to test nuclear weapons and also missiles -- Robyn.

CURNOW: Thanks for updating us. Will Ripley there in Beijing, thanks.

Well, more updates on this story. We're hearing that British Prime Minister David Cameron is speaking out on the Panama Papers, which named

his late father as having assets in an offshore account. Now Mr. Cameron is brushing off criticism and firmly denying any personal involvement.

Here's what he had to say just a short time ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID CAMERON, PRIME MINISTER, GREAT BRITAIN: And the two things I'm responsible for are my own financial affairs and for the tax system of the

United Kingdom. In terms of my own financial affairs, I own no shares. I have a salary as prime minister. And I have some savings, which I get some

interest from and I have a house, which we used to live in which we now let out while we're living in Downing Street.

And that's all I have. I have no shares, no offshore trusts, no offshore funds, nothing like that. And so that, I think, is a very clear

description.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CURNOW: Well, the leaked documents allege that Mr. Cameron's late father ran an offshore investment fund to avoid taxes in the U.K.

Coming up, no U.S. presidential candidate cultivates the loyalty of his followers quite like Donald Trump.

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GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: If we put out hot coals to this rally, would you walk over the hot coals for him?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Absolutely. You put them down right now, I will.

CURNOW (voice-over): Coming up, why loyalty to Trump might be a problem for the Republican ticket if Trump isn't on it.

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CURNOW: Voters are casting ballots in today's crucial Wisconsin primary and it is a tight race between Donald Trump and Ted Cruz. But don't tell

that to Trump supporters who appear undeterred by any of Trump's campaign missteps. Our Gary Tuchman went to Milwaukee, where he met the people who

say they're backing Trump, no matter what.

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TUCHMAN (voice-over): Five hours in the snow to see their man. These are the Trump true believers.

TUCHMAN: Whatever he does is OK with you?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's OK with me. He -- I stand by him because he -- I believe in him and I know what he'll do is right.

TUCHMAN: So if we put out hot coals to this rally, would you walk over the hot coals for him?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Absolutely. You put them down right now, I will.

TRUMP: Go out and vote.

TUCHMAN (voice-over): And more and more of these true believers are adopting an us-against-the-Republican-establishment viewpoint.

Do you think the Republican Party is trying to steal the nomination from Donald Trump?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Absolutely.

TUCHMAN: You all agree with what?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

TUCHMAN: Do you think there's a conspiracy to take this away from Donald Trump?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Absolutely. Absolutely. I've voted Republican my whole life. I'll follow Trump. Whether he goes independent, third party,

I'm voting for him either way.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Donald J. Trump.

TUCHMAN (voice-over): Across the state in Lacrosse, a different Trump rally but the --

[10:40:00]

TUCHMAN (voice-over): -- same sentiments.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think they're trying to pull a fast one.

TUCHMAN: The Republican Party?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Absolutely.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think the Republican Party is not only going to they're not going to try, they're going to steal it from him.

TUCHMAN: If Trump doesn't get the nomination, would you support the Republican nominee?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I wouldn't.

TUCHMAN: What would you do?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I would stay home.

TUCHMAN: Presidential candidates often get the benefit of the doubt from their most loyal supporters but in rally after rally it's increasingly

evident that nobody cultivates loyalty more successfully than Donald Trump.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I just love Trump and I don't want anybody else but the Trump. He's my man.

TUCHMAN (voice-over): Like the candidate himself, many of them agree that if Donald Trump is mistreated by the Republican Party this election,

they'll return the favor.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If they steal it from him, I think he's going to get the 1,237. And if they try any shenanigans to take it, I will leave the

Republican Party forever.

TUCHMAN (voice-over): Another one of the Trump true believers -- Gary Tuchman, CNN, Milwaukee.

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CURNOW: And it's not just about walking on hot coals. You may have noticed the 2016 campaign is on fire with candidates yelling, "Liar."

Jeanne Moos has more on the heavy use of the L word.

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JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Remember when the L word was all about lesbians?

Well, in campaign 2016, this is the L word on everyone's lips.

TRUMP: And then he lies. I never saw a guy lie like this guy.

MOOS (voice-over): Trump says it about Ted Cruz and Hillary Clinton.

TRUMP: She lies like crazy about everything.

MOOS (voice-over): Hillary says it about the Sanders campaign.

HILLARY CLINTON, FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE, PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I am so sick of the Sanders campaign lying about this, sick of it.

MOOS (voice-over): Sanders says it about Trump.

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I), VT., PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Donald Trump is a pathological liar.

MOOS (voice-over): And Trump has turned it into a nickname.

TRUMP: I call him lying Ted. He's lying Ted Cruz.

MOOS (voice-over): A name even a pro-Kasich super PAC has jumped on.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): Many just call him Lying Ted.

MOOS (voice-over): Making his nose grow.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): He lied about Ben Carson to steal away in Iowa.

MOOS (voice-over): Slithering around his neck like a python, trying to strangle him.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If Ted Cruz's mouth is moving, he is lying.

MOOS: But I tell you no lie when I say the award for most accusations of lying uttered in a single paragraph goes to Ben Shapiro.

MOOS (voice-over): The conservative commentator trashed Trump after that female reporter was grabbed by The Donald's campaign manager.

BEN SHAPIRO, CONSERVATIVE COMMENTATOR: I mean, look. Lying liars lie and this is the Trump campaign where lies are told and then lies are told to

cover up the lies and then finally new lies are told in order to cover up the lies that were told about the lies.

MOOS (voice-over): Nine L words, sort of makes the measly one shouted at President Obama by a Republican congressman --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Lie!

MOOS (voice-over): -- seem quaint.

But when it comes to the most egregious untruths...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Pants on fire. The 2015 PolitiFact lie of the year goes to the collective misstatements of Donald Trump.

MOOS (voice-over): For campaign song of 2016, we nominate The Castaways' hit from 1965.

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MOOS (voice-over): Looks like we're going to need a bigger hose -- Jeanne Moos, CNN --

SANDERS: Pathological liar.

TRUMP: Biggest liar.

MOOS (voice-over): -- New York.

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CURNOW: There's a lot more of that to come as well.

Before we go, though, I wanted to give you a look at a very expensive rock. Take a look.

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CURNOW (voice-over): It's a rare blue diamond that just sold at auction in Hong Kong for $32 million. Yes.

Have you got that cash?

The 10.10-carat diamond is now the most expensive gemstone ever auctioned off in Asia. The world record was set in November when a 12-carat diamond

sold for $48 million in Switzerland.

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CURNOW: On that note, that's all for me and the team here at the INTERNATIONAL DESK. Thanks so much for joining me. I'm Robyn Curnow.

Don't go anywhere. "WORLD SPORT" is up next.

END