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World Headlines; ISIS Finding Recruits in Australian Suburbs; Mekong Tourism; Original Godzilla Actor Dies. Aired 8-9a ET

Aired August 8, 2017 - 08:00   ET

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


[08:00:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong and welcome to News Stream.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: China promises to enforce tough U.S. sanctions on North Korea but Pyongyang remains defiant and blames the U.S.

Google's CEO called a memo from a male engineer saying women are not fit for jobs in technology, quote, offensive.

Now reports say the memo's author was hacked. And after a terror attack was prevented in Australia, but look at ISIS is recruiting Australians.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: One of North Korea's staunchest allies promises to enforce tough U.N. sanctions against Pyongyang.

China says it helps maintain regional peace by honoring the resolution even though it will pay the highest price for cutting trade with North Korea.

Now Pyongyang has reacted strongly to the new sanctions accusing the U.S. of driving the Korean Peninsula to the brink of a nuclear war.

Our correspondents are covering all of the angles for us. Will Ripley joins us live from Beijing. Alexandra Field is in the South Korean capital

of Seoul and let's go to, Alex, first.

And Alexander, despite those tough new U.N. sanctions, North Korea remains very defiant.

ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Kristie. Fiery rhetoric from North Korea, not only saying that the U.S. was pushing the Peninsula

to the brink of nuclear war, but also calling these U.N. sanctions which have been build is the toughest gate sanctions yet.

A violent violation of North Korea's sovereignty, they have pledge to respond to push back against this and heavily criticized the U.S.'

sanctions, yet again, this is not rhetoric that is new from North Korea.

These are the kinds of words, the kinds of threats that the world is frankly used to hearing.

But what has changed, what has shifted is the context around which these threats are now being made, recalled just last month, Kristie, that North

Korea successfully launched two intercontinental ballistic missiles.

This is a regime that has conducted five successful nuclear tests at this point, according to what they have said.

And the U.S. intelligence assessment is that North Korea will be able to achieve its goal of developing a nuclear capable ICBM that could reach the

continental United States by some time next year.

That is just months away. So when you add up that part of the equation, you have to frankly take what are just words at this point, seriously.

Kristie.

LU STOUT: Absolutely from Seoul. Let's go to Beijing. Well, Will Ripley is standing by. Will, the new sanctions still got to rely on

implementation from the U.N. member states including China that has been a problem in the past will be a problem now?

WILL RIPLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We do not know but that certainly is the key. This -- this seventh round of sanctions unprecedented in their bite

will not be affective if China doesn't uphold its end of the deal.

So what exactly does China have to do? Well, they would have to assume the lion share of the economic loss because what these sanctions aim to do is

to cut North Korean experts -- exports by around $1 billion dollars, roughly 1/3 by restricting North Korea from selling things like their coal,

their -- their iron, their seafood. All of those are major revenue generators.

Also, and this is key here cutting off North Korean access to international financial institutions because a big problem is been the North Korea is

able to set up these fake companies that do business with Chinese banks, and also banks in other countries like Thailand.

The Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was just talking about here today. So will China enforce this? They say they will. Will this stop North Korea

from their ICBM program?

I was speaking with officials there as recently as June, Kristie, and they say absolutely not. For one, sanctions take a very long time to even work

and experts are saying that they are months away from that ICBM that, Alex, was mentioning.

But also, just the simple fact that North Korea said if they had to make cuts at the missile program and the nuclear program would be the last

things they that cut.

LU STOUT: Let's go back to, Alex, to get her gave her additional insight on the impact of these sanctions. Of course, you know, China has to be on

board to implement these sanctions. They are said to be punishing sanctions. So what could this new round -- what kind of impact could they

have on North Korea, Alex?

FIELD: That's right, Kristie. China has said that these sanctions are necessary. But the sanctions aren't the angle for China or really for

anyone else.

Beijing has made it clear that they hope that these sanctions will lead to dialogue. That's the point that they been pushing all along and they have

offered an alternate -- an alternate solutions here, the freeze for freeze.

Essentially that North Korea would agree to suspend its nuclear program and in exchange, the U.S. and South Korean militaries would stop with the

annual military exercises that show in reach Pyongyang -- Chongyang sees this as an offensive measure in dress rehearsal for some kind of invasion.

[08:05:00] The U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is also saying that he hopes that these sanctions will lead North Korea to choose a different

path.

The secretary of state had recently been saying that the door was open for dialogue with North Korea. And North Korea would agree first to relinquish

its nuclear program.

We heard them take a slightly different approach when he was in the region addressing the matter, saying that North Korea could send a very clear

signal that they are ready to engage in some kind of dialogue if they would stop with these highly persistent missile launches.

No indication that North Korea is willing to do that. The secretary of state was asked how long would North Korea have to stop missile launches

before the U.S. would be willing to talk to them.

He said that there wasn't a clear timeframe that the U.S. and other partners would know it when they saw a good faith gesture, what they'll be

looking for.

But for now, you are looking at these economic sessions. They are drastic sanctions, they target as well pointed out, $1 billion worth of revenue

from the export that North Korea sends out annually.

But -- but again, makes the point that this is a questionable for their regime and how they want to use the money that they have.

And they have made it clear that they will not order with their nuclear program and they will prioritize it. So you can expect they will continue

to prioritize standing on it. Kristie.

LU STOUT: And so for the international response focusing on sanctions -- final questionable though for Will Ripley in Beijing. What about

diplomacy, Will?

I mean among all the players involved who is willing to -- to talk with to revive talks with North Korea over its weapons program.

RIPLEY: Well, on the topic of diplomacy, we should point out that this U.N. Security Council unanimous vote is a -- is a diplomatic win for the

Trump administration required some pretty daft political maneuvering to convince Russia and China to sign off on this.

It's the first time by the way that China has ever approved sanctions after a missile test. Normally it takes a nuclear test for China to -- to say OK

to another round of sanctions.

So that is significant and what it is a real indication of, Kristie, is that the United States does want to find a diplomatic solution here, but

they want to bring North Korea to the table by cutting them off economically.

Whereas China has proposed as, Alex, mentioned, the suspension of military exercises in exchange for the suspension of missile testing and nuclear

testing.

The United States and certainly China, and Russia, and South Korea, and everyone in the region North Korea as well, they do not want to see a

military conflict breakout.

Every analyst, every military strategist would say that it would be catastrophic if there were conflicts to break out in the Korean Peninsula.

And it's not just the threat from these intercontinental ballistic missiles.

North Korea for decades has had so much conventional artillery pointed just across the demilitarized zone in South Korea. They can kill scores of

people. Any conflict on the Korean Peninsula would be so deadly, so costly and would create such a big mask that nobody wants that to happen.

The fear is that things could escalate a mistake could be made on one side or the other and that could trigger a series of events that then are

unstoppable.

So these sanctions are a push to get North Korea to the negotiating table but North Korea making it very clear, this is not going to be what does it

for them. So we move forward and we watch, and wait, and see what happens next.

LU STOUT: We'll watch. Anyway, Will Ripley live in Beijing. Alexandra Field live in Seoul for us, big thank you to you both.

Now, in the United States, President Donald Trump is facing another problem falling poll numbers. His approval rating hit a new low in CNN's latest

poll that shows the American public has a major trust issue with the White House.

CNN's Joe Johns is with us from Bridgewater, New Jersey. And Joe, it's 200 days into the presidency. So what exactly do the latest poll number say

about Donald Trump in the White House?

JOE JOHNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's clear, Kristie, that the president has some problems in this poll. The top line number is 38

percent approval which is the worst that a CNN poll has demonstrated.

Also, only one other president in the modern age of polling has fallen below 50 percent. During that period that would be Bill Clinton, of course.

So, clear problems especially because most presidents enjoy a honeymoon during this period but it's also pretty clear that the president's issues

with Russia, as well as the lack of legislative accomplishments is creating problems for him.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHNS: A sobering assessment from the American people of President Trump's first six months in office, the president's job approval rating now at just

38 percent, its lowest point in CNN polling.

Enthusiasm breaks against Trump with 47 percent strongly disapproving of the job President Trump has done, compared with just a quarter who say,

they strongly approved.

Despite the president's insistence that support among his base is getting stronger, our new poll shows otherwise.

[08:10:00] Fifty-nine percent of Republicans strongly approving of the president down 14 percentage points since February, a reality Senior

Advisor Kellyanne Conway acknowledged this week.

KELLYANNE CONWAY, WHITE HOUSE SENIOR ADVISOR: His approval rating among Republicans and conservative are Trump voters, is down slightly. It needs

to go up. They are telling him just enact your program.

JOHNS: But the most alarming figure shows that White House is growing credibility crisis and astonishing 73 percent of Americans do not trust

most or all of what they hear from the White House.

Nearly half of Republicans agree, Americans also weighing-in on the president's use of Twitter.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It is a very effective form of communication. I am not unproud of it. I have all these millions of

people and it's a great way to get a message out.

JOHNS: While 45 percent of Americans do think the president's tweets are effective, 72 percent believe his tweets send the wrong message to world

leaders.

SEN. JEFF FLAKE (R), ARIZONA: I don't think that it's helpful in terms of legislation moving ahead.

JOHNS: And 70 percent say the president tweets too often in response to television news, in issue that played out in real time on Monday when

President Trump tweeted about Senator Richard Blumenthal after he appeared on CNN's New Day.

SEN. RICHARD BLUMENTHAL (D), CONNECTICUT: That investigation must be pursued.

JOHNS: The president repeatedly attacking the Democratic senator's war record in a series of tweets throughout the day.

BLUMENTHAL: I have no idea about what is in his mind. I will not be distracted by this polling.

JOHNS: The president also going after the New York Times after they published a story about Vice President Pence positioning himself for a

possible run in 2020 if Trump bows out.

Trump also falsely accusing the media of not covering U.N. sanctions on North Korea after CNN covered the story extensively all weekend. The

president's tweet came at the same time Jake Tapper was reporting on the story.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

JOHNS: And the president continues to watch television news. Also continues to tweet 13 times yesterday, four times today, including one

tweet about briefing on the opioid crisis that he will be attending later today. It will be the first time during his working vacation that we have

seen him on camera. Kristie.

LU STOUT: Yes, a lot of tweet for President Trump on this working vacation. Joe John reporting live for us from New Jersey. Thank you so

much, Joe. Take care.

Turning now to Kenya where the presidential election is winding down and turn out is described as huge. Voters have only a few more hours to cast

their ballots.

The incumbent Uhuru Kenyatta is facing off against his longtime rival Raila Odinga. Both men voted earlier on Tuesday. Six other candidates are also

running for president. Let's get the latest from the polling stations.

Our Farai Sevenzo joins us now live from Nairobi. And Farai, it is decision day in Kenya. There have been long lines all they. What have you

seen?

FARAI SEVENZO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We have seen people very keen, Kristie, to cast their votes. I mean, for the last maybe eight to nine hours, the

cues are on the polling stations have been absolutely staggering.

Long cues, old people, young people, mothers with babies. And as you can see behind me, they have the tail end of the voting here, at the Moi

primary school in down town Nairobi.

So, what we have seen is -- is the very engaged electorate, a very keen too, to vote and of course the byword for everybody has peace.

LU STOUT: Once a winner is announced, there are some concerns about violence. Could there be enough break of violence?

SEVENZO: As exactly what I was just referring to, Kristie, you know, the issue of violence, we're not trying to drum it up, it happens to be a fact

of history.

In 2007, Kenya went to the polls and it was by all accounts a terrible election, 2013 was very peaceful and 2017. Because what happened before

anybody from election observers by John Kerry and indeed, from the president himself of this Republic.

All urging Kenya's guard and vote peacefully. So that -- the word over violence is in the back of peoples head and we haven't heard or seen

anything like what we have seen 10 years ago.

LU STOUT: All right, Farai Sevenzo reporting live for us from Nairobi. Look at that long line behind, these people are still going on to the

polls.

Thank you very much for your reporting and we'll speak again once an outcome is decided and announced. Thank you. Now, South Africa is brazing

for critical decision on the country's future. In the coming hours, President Jacob Zuma will face a no-confidence vote.

Lawmakers are considering that motion and these are live images coming to us from inside the parliament. We'll bring them to you in just a moment.

Protesters outside -- President Zuma has long denied corruption allegations.

Lawmakers will vote via secret ballot and if the motion passes, Mr. Zuma and his cabinet will have to step down. CNN's David McKenzie is in Cape

Town.

[08:15:00] He joins us now and David, we know that an hours leading up to this vote via secret ballot, protest have kicked off. Describe the scene.

DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So that's right, Kristie. You have this debate ongoing right now in parliament, people outside both supporting

the opposition and supporting Jacob Zuma watching intently at the proceeding. So let's take a listen to the leader of the opposition who has

kicked the debate for a second.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MMUSI MAIMANE, LEADER, DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE PARTY: Take over this country and resent the cost, so that we can fulfill the kind of aspirations that

Mandela and his generation helped for our country.

Honourable Gordhan, will you play your part today in resetting the cause of it. We encourage by the words of Honourable Hanekom when he says, most MPs

are senior members of the ANC, committed to South Africa and our movement.

They'll do what is best for our country. We take hearts right there at Ramaphosa, from your words when you spoke...

(CROSSTALK)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MCKENZIE: Well, there you hear the opposition speaker live in parliament giving his argument for why President Zuma, the embattled president of

South Africa should step down.

And in the coming hours, we could have a new president of South Africa. Let's take a look at what is at stake.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Corruption in this country is demoralizing our country.

MCKENZIE: (Inaudible) lives and brief the ANC like his father before him. Your whole life, you've been an ANC supporter?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I am.

MCKENZIE: And you will remain an ANC supporter?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I will.

MCKENZIE: But these are strange times for party of Nelson Mandela. Should President Jacob Zuma step down?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, yes, it's my view. I think our president must step down for the good of the country.

MCKENZIE: South Africa's president seems out of step with many in his own country, a politician in survival mode, facing anger, and sustained

protests from the people.

President Zuma faces more than 700 counts of alleged corruption. He used public money to fund his private homestead and the highest court in the

land says that he didn't uphold his oath of office. The list of scandals is long.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They've really mange to infiltrate and capture sort of almost every parts of the state.

MCKENZIE: And the list is getting longer. A neutral of more than 200,000 leaked emails suggesting alleged corruption with tens of millions of

dollars between the Gupta family, wealthy Indian expats with fast business interests in South Africa and cabinet members, state owned industry bosses,

even members of Zuma's immediate family.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He hasn't answered those allegations.

MCKENZIE: The Guptas called the leaks fake news and Zuma has long denied any corruption. But the South African journalists uncovering the emails

are now facing sustained harassment.

Once you start digging and you start investigating, you don't really know where it's going to end.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We need a new beginning.

MCKENZIE: The official opposition sees an opening, calling for another vote of no-confidence against Zuma and parliament.

MAIMANE: Jacob Zuma is a corrupt individual. He has lost the interest of South Africa and one -- his act in the treasonous manner by selling

(Inaudible) republic for private use.

MCKENZIE: And can you do it? Can you get him out?

MAIMANE: Absolutely.

MCKENZIE: Many here say they want a new beginning, for the Liberation Party of South Africa to focus on the People's problems, not the politics

of patronage.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MCKENZIE: So, certainly there is also a big support here today, Kristie, from the ruling ANC saying that President Zuma should stay and the caucus

of ANC has said that they should comfortably win the secret ballot.

But certainly, it's up in the air right now whether the president will remain in South Africa, a truly significant moments in South Africa's

political history and the party of Nelson Mandela certainly -- potentially on shaky ground today. Kristie.

LU STOUT: It's the day for Jacob Zuma there in South Africa. David McKenzie reporting live for us in Cape Town. Thank you, David.

You're watching News Stream, and still to come, out rage over a memo and reports that ended with someone being hacked, how a ten page manifesto on

women in tech has sparked a major controversy at Google.

[08:20:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: Going to you live from Hong Kong. Welcome back, you're watching News Stream. Now, agencies report that Google has hacked engineer who

wrote the memo on why women are not presented in tech.

Now Google CEO cut his vacation short to return and to condemn that memo. It was posted on Friday. It quickly sparked outrage throughout the company

and beyond. Laurie Segall has more.

LAURIE SEGALL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Obviously this memo is getting a lot of attention, and also I think there's a reason it leaked. This was posted

internally in a Google and it did leak.

I think there's a lot of frustration, other things this engineer said was, you know, a part from women aren't seated for tech jobs for biological

reasons.

He also went on to say that men have a higher drive for status that Google's commitment to hire more women was actually bad for competition and

he went on to say that the gender pay gap is a myth.

So I think there's a lot of frustration, you know, when you kind of pull back the curtain and look at some of these attitudes. And also this, I

have spoken to folks within Google and one person said, obviously, we don't feel this way.

I don't feel this way. This is jarring but you know those attitudes do exist. Google's diversity chief actually came forward and she made a

statement.

I want to read it to you guys. She said, I found this memo had advance incorrect assumptions about gender. None of you point that I or this

company encourages, endorses or promotes.

Now -- you know, Google has done a lot to try to change those diversity numbers, but you know, at the end of the day, the diversity reports show

that they are pretty bad.

You have 69 percent of the workforce are male employees, 56 percent of the workforce, white employees and I do think there's a bit of frustration.

A woman named Erica Baker who is a former Google engineer posted something and then I think, you know, (Inaudible) a lot women, especially who have

been dealing with a lot of sexism and unconscious biased in Silicon Valley, how they're feeling.

But she said was, you know, this isn't new behavior. What's new is that this employee felt safe enough to post this in the semi-public forum. I

think it's going to get a lot of people talking.

LU STOUT: Laurie Segall there. Now Reuters reports that the engineer is accusing Google of trying to shame him into silence. We quote founder Kara

Swisher spoke to CNN's (Inaudible) earlier. She argues engineer's claim is trying to distract from the issues of sexism.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KARA SWISHER, CO-FOUNDER, RECODE: The people in power are primarily men -- primarily white men don't want to talk about it. So now they -- they want

to move to the issues.

We can't say anything and what's fascinating is this particular guy who was talking about it in this memo at Google is like, I can't be heard. I'm

shamed to be silent.

We'll they sent him around to the entire company of so many people, tens of thousands of people and then it was read by million.

Listen, we heard what this guy had to say. And so, I think victimization is laughable but it's not unexpected among some of these people.

[08:25:00] Because they -- they live in a cosseted, juvenile, Peter Pan world that they have to get out of this. These are adult situations and

people should feel safe in a work place. Secondly...

UNIDENTIED MALE: Always think before sending right?

SWISHER: Well, yes -- no, and also Google, is a company that can make whatever rules it wants and that he broke the rules of Google and it is not

-- you can't say anything you want when you're within a company and especially in this manner, and so he got fired.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: Kara Swisher there. Now, Google has been under fire for a gender wage gap, U.S. Department of Labor is investigating Google saying

that the company has a systemic problem of underpaying women.

Now, the President of France, Emmanuel Macron wants to give his wife an official title. The nearly 300,000 people have signed the petition saying

no to that idea. President Macron is proposing his wife at the title first lady.

The same time he wants to bar French lawmakers who are giving paid jobs to their relatives. And some people are calling that hypocritical but a

French government spokesman says, Brigitte Macron would not be paid for her work.

The dispute isn't doing much for President Macron's popularity and now, his ambitious reform plans could be jeopardy. Erin McLaughlin reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ERIN MCLAUGHLIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hailed as a political prodigy even the possible savior of Europe. Three months into his presidency, Emmanuel

Macron faces a drop in popularity.

Serious questions about his plans for economic reform, this in start contrast to the optimism of election night.

REGIS LE SOMMIER, DEPUTY EDITOR IN CHIEF, PARIS MATCH: People say we have to give him a chance. We see that new face. We see -- we want him to

succeed. You know, that was the moon back then.

MCLAUGHLIN: The new bolster as Macron asserted himself on the world stage with one crushing hand shake, he stood up to the president of the United

States, and delivered a message on climate change.

EMMANUEL MACRON, FRENCH PRESIDENT: Wherever do we live? (Inaudible), we all share the same responsibility, make our planet great again.

MCLAUGHLIN: Meetings with Putin, Netanyahu, (Inaudible), and any number of other profile and sometimes daring photo ops.

SOMMIER: The French don't really care about that part. They will judge him on two things, security and jobs.

MCLAUGHLIN: By July, the mood had soured according to one poll, his approval rating dropped a staggering 10 points to 54 percent. Lower than

either of his predecessors at same point in their presidency.

NICHOLAS VINOCUR, REPORTER, POLITICO: I think the French voted for him knowing that he had an agenda of strong change of serious reform. But they

never imagined that these reforms would actually applied for them.

MCLAUGHLIN: The draw most notable for sectors facing cut backs in the labor reform.

The pensioners, the civil servants, workers reforms economist argue necessary to reduce the budget deficit and improve the economy, but this

coupled with a series of political missteps, leave many wondering if Macron can make his presidency a success.

VINOCUR: There is a window of opportunity for the president, not opportunity in the sense that there is open road for reform.

But in terms of timing, if he wants his legacy over five years to be a positive one, he has to act now. And he has to choose a few battles were

where he really wants to invest all of his political capital.

MCLAUGHLIN: Many here say his biggest test will come in September. But the French return from holiday and some of the country's strongest unions

take to street to protest his policies.

Now were watching to see the sign of those crowds and how he handles a public show of dissatisfaction. Eric McLaughlin, CNN Paris.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: Increasingly, ISIS is finding recruits in the quiet suburbs of Australia, and officials say it's only a matter of time before there's a

homegrown terror attack. Now, the government is fighting the threats next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:30:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN NEWS STREAM SHOW HOST: I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong. You're watching "News Stream." These are your world headlines.

China says it is willing to enforce new U.S. sanctions on North Korea that says it will pay the highest price because of its close trade ties with

Pyongyang. Meanwhile, North Korea threatens revenge, accusing Washington of driving the Korean peninsula to the brink of a nuclear war.

Protesters are gathering as south African parliament considers a no- confidence motion in President Jacob Zuma. They will hold a secret ballot in the coming hours and if the motion passes, Mr. Zuma and his entire

cabinet must step down. He denies longstanding allegations of corruption.

Kenyans are rushing to vote in the presidential election before polls close in a couple of hours. All lines (ph) have been forming long lines right

outside polling station all day. Now, President Uhuru Kenyatta, the incumbent, is seeking a second term in office. He is up against his long-

time rival, Raila Odinga, as well as six other candidates.

Australians have been warmed about the possibility of a home-grown terror attack for years, but last week's discovery of a plan to bring down a

passenger plane highlights how serious the threat is. Two men have been charged with terror-related offenses. Neither has entered a plea. Experts

say there are many more Australians have been recruited and who have adopted the ISIS ideology. Anna Coren looks at the reasons why.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANNA COREN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Australia's quiet tree-lined suburban streets may be more than 13,000 kilometers away from ISIS's self-

declared (INAUDIBLE) crumbling caliphate. But this is fertile ground for its murderous ideology.

According to the government, ISIS has recruited around 200 Australians to fight in Iraq and Syria, including

two friends of this young noble (ph) man.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I know two friends, two personal friends of mine, that traveled to fight with ISIS. One is a primary school friend and one is a

friend who I used to see at the gym.

COREN (voice-over): The 20-year-old university student who asked CNN not to reveal his identity out of safety concerns had no idea his friends were

being radicalized until they arrived in Syria. And while he didn't see any red flags, he believes a feeling of alienation in their own country made

them vulnerable to ISIS.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I do believe that it's because of the lack of sense of belonging here in Australia. When anybody travels overseas often they were

known as Australians. Here in Australia, we're known as foreigners. So (INAUDIBLE) who are we?

COREN (voice-over): Authorities have managed to stop hundreds of Australians who are traveling oversees to fight, and those at home with

connections abroad are the ones experts say need to be watched.

GREG BARTON, COUNTERTERRORISM EXPERT, DEAKIN UNIVERSITY: In some cases we've got ticking time bombs. People who are sort of broken, confused, and

if approached and groomed by those who want to use them, could once again become dangerous.

COREN (voice-over): Just over a week ago, Australia security and intelligence agencies followed the most sophisticated alleged terror plot

ever seen in this country to blow off a plane using an IED and unleash a chemical bomb in a crowded public space instructed by ISIS.

MICHAEL PHELAN, DEPUTY COMMISSIONER, AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE: If it hadn't been for the great work of our intelligence agencies and law

enforcement over a very quick period of time, then we could very well had a catastrophic event.

[08:35:00] UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All you have to do is put your trust in him. All you have to do is believe.

COREN (voice-over): A call for (INAUDIBLE) attacks has resonated with home- grown Jihadists leading to a spate of them in Australia.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): You can probably hear the loud explosions behind me.

COREN (voice-over): The most significant being the (INAUDIBLE) in 2014 that led to three deaths, including the government.

COREN: While Australians manage to evade a major terrorist attack on home soil, experts say it's only a matter of time. Currently, dozens of counter-

terror investigations are underway and at least a thousand Australians with links to terrorism (INAUDIBLE) to police (INAUDIBLE) flying under the radar

that analysts fear poses a real threat.

COREN (voice-over): The government has poured tens of millions of dollars into de-radicalization programs across the country that work with

communities and families to identify early warning signs.

HAAS DELLAL, DIRECTOR, AUSTRALIAN MULTICULTURAL FOUNDATION: There are not many mothers who are going to dial a hotline and dob in a son even if they

feel something is wrong, but they may do something at the grassroots level if they are connected to people that they trust and confide in.

COREN (voice-over): But with ISIS suffering defeats in Iraq and Syria, there's concern it will pull out all stops to demonstrate it remains a

potent force.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If they could achieve a sophisticated attack (INAUDIBLE), for them it would be a sign of real potency.

COREN (voice-over): A fear shared by this man. Once of his friends has been killed on the battlefield. The fate of the other remained unknown. But he

is certain ISIS will continue to prey in community.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): We are not doing enough to stop it. They have nothing to lose. We do.

COREN (voice-over): Anna Coren, CNN, Sydney.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: In Italy, police are investigating the kidnapping of a British woman. They say that they rolled up collusion with her captor. Chloe

Ayling, a 20-year-old model, says that she was assaulted, drugged, handcuffed, and stuck in a bag. Here is a photo of the police

reconstruction of how she was transported.

Ayling says that she was told she was going to be sold to somebody in the Middle East for sex, that is why she went to grocery and shoe shops with

her captor. Her lawyer says that she felt she was being watched by members of her captors, so-called black death group, and that they will kill her,

quote, if she tried anything. A chilling story. We will have much more on "News Stream" after this short break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: Welcome back. The Mekong is one of the longest rivers in the world traversing borders across southeast Asia. It is a magnet for tourists

looking for new adventure. We traveled to Laos to meet the people who are redefining travel in that region.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT (voice-over): Sunset from Mount Phousi as tourists take a view of Louang Prabang. Less than 30 years ago, Laos opened its doors to foreign

visitors. And today, the tourist sector is a fast-growing lifeline for the country, as vital as the Mekong River courses through the Louang Prabang.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Mekong River is extremely important for country like Laos,

[08:40:00] actually all the countries around the Mekong.

LU STOUT (voice-over): The Mekong River runs through five southeast Asian countries, half of ASEAN. It's a boom to both trade and travel.

One of the newest entrance to Laos' tourism scene is Mekong Kingdoms. It offers luxury river cruises on the relatively untouched upper Mekong.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're looking for (INAUDIBLE) customers, people who enjoy party, who enjoy life.

LU STOUT (voice-over): In 2014, the Mekong countries welcomed almost 52 million tourists, according to the Mekong Tourist and Coordinating Office.

In an effort to unite the region, the Mekong Tourism Forum was held this year in Louang Prabang. It is an annual gathering of tourism professionals.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: People have a strong understanding of what it means to go to Thailand or what it means to go to Laos or Vietnam or Cambodia or

Myanmar. At least they have some ideas.

LU STOUT (voice-over): For (INAUDIBLE), it's about promoting the entire region as a single destination.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is the one that we call (INAUDIBLE) Temple.

LU STOUT (voice-over): Part of the solution, connect public and private sectors to develop travel in the region.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ASEAN is point one for tourist regions in the world.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We see a shift from more overseas travelers to more regional travelers.

LU STOUT (voice-over): (INAUDIBLE) started his eco-tourism company, Green Discovery, in 2001. He is at the forefront of putting Laos on the map for

the more intrepid tourists.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I see a lot of potential in Laos. Tourists come to Laos trying to enjoy the nature because a lot of people said that the nature of

Laos is very nourishing.

LU STOUT (voice-over): He says that today, more than 10,000 people take his tours every year, an encouraging sign in a country that is still very much

off the beaten path.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: Peaceful, isn't it? Now, finally, Godzilla is one of the most popular movie creatures of all time. He was the man who first brought it to

life on the big screen, Haruo Nakajima, who wore the Godzilla suit in the original films. He died at age 88.

Nakajima starred in 12 Godzilla films from 1954 to 1972, wearing the costume that was first made from ready-mixed concrete. He told CNN last

year, he prepared for his role by studying the movements of elephants and gorillas at the zoo. He said he was happy that the character he played will

remain on film forever.

That is "News Stream." I'm Kristie Lu Stout. But don't go anywhere. "World Sport" with Alex Thomas is next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:45:00] (WORLD SPORT)

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