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NEWS STREAM

UN Votes To Upgrade Palestine Status; Syrian Internet Goes Dark; David Beckham Not Contemplating Retirement; Caviar Sold In Los Angeles Vending Machines

Aired November 30, 2012 - 08:00:00   ET

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


KRISTIE LU STOUT, HOST: I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong. And welcome to News Stream where news and technology meet.

And we begin in Egypt where a draft constitution is given the go ahead and still, as you can see, protests are underway. They are continuing over the country's leadership.

Also ahead, celebration and disappointment. UN general assembly upgrades the status of Palestinians, but the U.S. and Israel are not pleased.

And a shocking report out of the UK, sex gangs targeting children. We'll look at the role of social media.

And first we go to Egypt where the final draft of the country's new constitution has been approved by the constituent assembly. Members began voting on Thursday and passed 234 articles one by one until the sun came up on Friday in Cairo.

Let's bring up some live pictures from Tahrir Square so you can see the square is packed.

Now as the constitutional debate unfolded, fresh clashes broke out between protesters and police.

Now many are gathered in Tahrir Square this Friday. And one cleric addressing that crowd called President Mohamed Morsi a Pharaoh, eluding to the decree issued by Mr. Morsi last week granting him extended powers.

But those new powers are expected to expire when the new constitution has been approved by the public, so why is there continued anger in the streets? Now the new constitution does embrace some of the revolution's demands. It reduces the power of the presidency, strengthens parliament and provides more provisions against torture and detention without trial. But experts say it's full of holes and ambiguities.

For example, the director for Human Rights Watch in Egypt says that the new constitution provides no protection for women. It also places restrictions on religious freedoms.

Now let's take a look at article two which was controversially reinstated. It says that, quote, "the principles of Islamic Sharia form the main source of legislation." And this has actually angered the conservative Salafis, because they want a greater application of Sharia law.

Now Salafis are ultra conservative Sunni Muslims and they were involved in leading the Arab Spring movement in Libya, Tunisia, and Egypt. And they are a growing influence in the Syrian rebellion.

Now critics accuse the Muslim Brotherhood of trying to hijack the constitution less than two years after the ouster of Hosni Mubarak.

Now Ian Lee is in Cairo. He joins us now live.

And Ian, the draft has passed. The protesters, they are still there in the square. What have you seen today?

IAN LEE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kristie, I was down in the square just a little while ago and protesters are definitely upset over the speed that this constitutional draft came out last night and into early morning hours. They say it ignores the calls of the minorities in Egypt being the liberals, the leftists, and the Christians. They say that their voices aren't being heard in this. And actually if you talk to the people down in this square they say that the majority of Egyptians are against this constitution and against President Mohamed Morsi.

Now that is actually hard to verify, because we haven't - we haven't seen this constitution go to a vote.

First, what we're looking for now is President Mohamed Morsi to put his stamp of approval on this constitutional draft. After that, it will go to a vote within 15 days. That will be the true test then to see if this constitution, and if this last - the last problems that we've seen in Egypt were for not or if they have the approval of the people.

LU STOUT: You know, the draft it will be up for a vote within weeks. And as we can see, I mean, the opposition there fired up. They have been galvanized by Morsi's power grab and the rush, the pushing through of the draft. But will they be able to unite, come together and to reject the constitution when the vote actually happens?

LEE: Well, we've seen the different opposition groups start coming together and form a unified front, something we really haven't seen since the revolution, the different groups coming together. But they say they have one goal and that's to reject President Mohamed Morsi's constitutional declaration and this constitution.

And this constitution if very controversial because many of these groups - the leftists, the Christians, the liberals hold out of the assembly writing the constitution and there was 11 alternatives put into the - into the writing of the constitution. But these were from the Muslim Brotherhood, from the Salafis, the majority of the constitutional assembly that passed this draft were conservative Islamists and this has a lot of people here in Egypt upset that they would push it through and that they wouldn't listen to the voices of the other people on the constitutional assembly.

LU STOUT: You know, just a moment ago, I walked through the various articles of the constitution, what it means for the Salafis, what it means for the women of Egypt. But Ian, what is the overall view? I mean, what's at stake here? If this draft constitution is a road map for the future of the country where will Egypt go next if it's passed?

LEE: Well talking to one person, he said it was a great step backwards for Egypt if this constitution is drafted, because it is, like you said earlier - there's a lot of concern over certain provisions regarding women, regarding religious minorities. And they believe that they'll be exploited in the new constitution and marginalized.

Now the Salafis did come out and say that they were upset about the opening of the constitution which says the principles of Sharia will govern Egypt, they wanted it to say Sharia will govern Egypt.

Now the principles of Sharia is something that many of the liberals and the leftists and the Christians said is something that they can live with. This is not going to really affect them, but the conservatives want to take a harder stance, so that is one form of - one something that the minorities were able to get out of this constitution.

But there definitely is a lot of concern in Egypt that this constitution will just marginalize the people who don't agree with the Islamists.

LU STOUT: All right. Ian Lee joining us live from Cairo on this day of prayer and major protests. Thank you.

Now you're watching News Stream. And coming up next, Palestinians celebrate recognition at the United Nations, but not everyone is happy.

And cut off from the world as violence rages, the internet goes dark in Syria amid reports of clashes near the airport in Damascus.

And CNN goes inside the disturbing world of child sex grooming and the mother of one victim speaks out straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: Welcome back.

Now history has been made at the United Nations. The Palestinians have won recognition as a non-member observer state. Now the UN general assembly voted overwhelmingly to upgrade their status. 138 countries voted in favor, 41 abstained, and just nine countries voted against the bid.

Now the new status paves the way for the Palestinians join a number of UN agencies and possibly the International Criminal Court.

As we mentioned, there is some key opponents. And among them, the United States and Canada and of course Israel voted against the measure.

Richard Roth reports on their diplomatic defeat.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RICHARD ROTH, CNN CORREPSONDENT: Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas entered the United Nations confident he had enough global support to change the political status of his people here. After the United States last year blocked the Palestinians in the Security Council from becoming the UN's 194th country, the Palestinians went for a new tactic and title, getting what the Vatican has at the UN, non-member observer state status.

MAHMOUD ABBAS, PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY PRESIDENT (through translator): And every state that grants support today to Palestine's request for non- member observer state status is affirming its principle and moral support for freedom and the rights of people's and international law and peace.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The voting has been completed.

(CHEERS)

ROTH: Strong lobbying against the Palestinian's attempt by the United States and Britain failed. The vote was lopsided in favor of the Palestinian resolution: 138 in favor, 9 opposed, and 41 abstentions.

RON PROSOR, ISRAELI AMBASSADOR TO THE UN: And unfortunately it will raise expectations that cannot be met, which is always, always proven to be the recipe for conflict and instability.

There's only one route to Palestinian statehood and that route does not run through this chamber in New York.

ROTH: The new title means the Palestinians can use international forums such as the International Criminal Court to pursue Israeli soldiers and leaders alleging war crimes. Countries disagreed on whether the upgraded status would help kick start peace negotiations.

GERARD ARAUD, FRENCH AMBASSADOR TO THE UN (through translator): In voting today for the recognition of Palestine as a non-member observer state of this organization, France has voted in favor of the two state solution, of two states for two peoples. Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and in security.

SUSAN RICE, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE UN: Progress towards a just and lasting two state solution cannot be made by pressing a green voting button here in this hall, nor does passing any resolution create a state where none indeed exists or change the reality on the ground.

ROTH: The state of play is unclear. The Palestinians believe they now have a state inside the United Nation's system, but Israel, a full UN member and the United States, a key middleman in the Middle East, are furious. The goal of a two state solution is still elusive.

Richard Roth, CNN, United Nations.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: Now the celebrations in West Bank started even before the actual UN vote. Now Fred Pleitgen shows us the scene in Ramallah.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FRED PLEITGEN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Arafat Square in central Ramallah tonight, as you can see people have started dancing at the moment that the vote and the United Nations general assembly came down this entire place absolutely erupted. For several minutes, there was celebratory gunfire here in the streets. It went on for a very long time.

And one of the things that people are telling us is that they believe even though this vote is largely symbolic, they think it is very significant for the Palestinians and could be a first step for real Palestinian state.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I am very happy, because this is (inaudible) for our freedom and for our own state. So we are very excited.

PLEITGEN: Of course, in the short-term very little will change for the people here on the ground. Those checkpoints aren't going to disappear because of that. And of course there's not going to be a Palestinian state in the very short-term. And one of the things that Israel has said for instance is that this vote in the UN by no way can be a substitute for direct negotiations between the Israelis and the Palestinians.

But one of the things that Palestinians leadership said that perhaps this will open the door for more negotiations in the future, but right now on this evening people here are celebrating for what they believe is a very big and very significant upgrade of their international status.

Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Ramallah.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: And to Syria now which has dropped off the face of the internet. Now activists say more than 90 percent of the country is cut off from the internet. Some in the opposition say President Bashar al-Assad's regime pulled the plug in preparation for a massacre. And activists say that heavy fighting has closed the international airport in Damascus.

Now Egypt Air and Emirates have suspended flights to the Syrian capital because of the deteriorating security situation.

Let's get the very latest now with Ivan Watson who has been following the story for us from CNN Istanbul. And Ivan, the internet and communications blackout, is it still happening and what caused it?

IVAN WATSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: To the best of our knowledge, Kristie, Syria is now completely cut off from the internet, the entire country for more than 24 hours now. And we've been talking to internet security companies - I want to show you a video from one of these companies based in California, it's a company called Cloud Flare. And it shows what it says shortly after noon local time on Thursday was all of the routes to Syrian upstream providers systematically one by one going off within a matter of minutes. And basically plunging Syria into internet darkness, which it continues to exist in today.

We've talked to other internet security companies like the SecDev Foundation out of Canada. And they say that they began to witness unusual patterns of behavior, unusual, quote, border gateway protocol route withdrawals starting on November 22. And that culminated again on November 29 with effectively the entire internet grid breaking down.

Of course, the internet is being used extensively by the opposition to get its voice out to the outside world, to get images out. And despite the blackout we saw these images coming out of the northern town of Binish (ph) and Hawkbed (ph) for opposition activity, protests against the Syrian government Friday. We see that every week around the country now for some 20 months.

We believe these images came out via satellite communications that are an alternative to the country's internet network. And we do know that the U.S. and the British government here in Istanbul are helping supply opposition activists with satellite phones and other satellite equipment that could have gotten these images out.

But really an unprecedented situation that we have not seen in Syria throughout the tumultuous and bloody 20 month uprising. And it brings back memories of the internet shutdown in Egypt that eventually lead to the downfall of Hosni Mubarak more than a year ago - Kristie.

LU STOUT: Yeah, it's incredible. Despite the blackout video is still getting out. And that was a fascinating visualization that you shared with us. We can see quite clearly the networks inside Syria just struggling to stay online.

And while we have you, I've been wanting to talk to you about the situation in Damascus, because something interesting development there. I mean, rebels, they've been trying to push into the capital with these clashes at the airport. What's the situation there now?

WATSON: Well, while the virtual connections between Syria and the outside world have been shut off, we also have some physical connections that have been cut off. Syria, Damascus Internet Airport, flights cut since Thursday because of fighting in the vicinity of the airport on the airport road beginning on Thursday. And actually two Austrian peacekeepers returning from Golan in the area of the airport were shot and wounded when their convoy came under attack on Thursday. We don't know who carried out that attack.

We've talked to one activist inside Damascus today describing military offensives in suburbs to the north and the south of Damascus as well as firing rockets inside the city itself circling at least four mosques in his neighborhood of Medan (ph) to prevent people from being able to demonstrate. He says that there are jets flying constantly over Damascus.

And look at this video that got out, opposition video that shows a Syrian war plane apparently dive bombing and dropping a cluster of munitions on a Damascus neighborhood. Impossible to verify the date of that, though. Opposition sources saying this took place on Friday today.

In addition to the intensified fighting, the loss of life. More than 40,000 people dead over the last 20 months. The main UN envoy, Kristie, to Syria that is Lakhdar Brahimi, came out with a statement basically suggesting that the only way out of this crisis would be some kind of change of government so that Syria does not look that same today as it would in the future.

Take a listen to what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LAKHDAR BRAHIMI, UN ENVOY TO SYRIA: The Syrians who will decide what kind of regime they will have, there is no doubt that I think it is very, very, very clear that the people of Syria want change and real change, not cosmetic change. How, what form that will take, you know, we definitely would like to avoid the state institutions to wither away. And we would like to see a peaceful evolution towards the new Syria. The new Syria will not look like the Syria of today.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WATSON: And Brahimi went on to say that if ever there is to be a real ceasefire in Syria, he proposes that he would need a substantial peacekeeping force to keep that ceasefire in place.

Of course we're very far from that moment right now - Kristie.

LU STOUT: Yes, change is needed after 20 months of conflict. Ivan Watson reporting for us. Thank you.

Now there is an alarming new report out in the UK that finds gangs there targeting as many as 45 children every day for sexual exploitation. Ahead, we'll hear how predators lure their victims using gifts, alcohol and often social media.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: Now in the UK, a major new report on press regulation has divided Britain's coalition government. After a year long inquiry, Lord Justice Brian Leveson has called for a new independent regulator to help curb abuses exposed by the phone hacking scandal. But is new legislation required? Dan Rivers reports not everyone agreed.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAN RIVERS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Victims of phone hacking were among the most eager to hear how Britain's press could be better regulated. These were the parents of murdered schoolgirl Millie Dowler whose voicemail was illegally accessed by tabloid journalists.

While Justice Leveson's lengthy report recommends a new independent press regulatory body underpinned by legislation. The body would have the power to fine the papers up to $1.6 million for outrageous reporting. It could force papers to print apologies for their mistakes. Papers couldn't be forced to join, but could face financial jeopardy if they don't with potentially greater damages in privacy court cases if they weren't a member.

LORD JUSTICE LEVESON, HEAD OF INQUIRY: It is important to be clear what this legislation would not do. It would not establish a body to regulate the press, that is for the press itself to organize and to do.

RIVERS: The contents of the Leveson report are still being digested by the press and everyone else. But my goodness is there a lot to digest, not just one volume, but four in total.

The big question is will the politicians be able to agree to implement it? And will the press themselves adhere to the new rules?

RIVERS: Just around the corner from where the report was unveiled, politicians were already divided about whether to implement it.

DAVID CAMERON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: We should be wary of any legislation that has the potential to infringe free speech and a free press.

NICK CLEGG, BRITISH DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER: Changing the law is the only way to give us all the assurance that the new regulator isn't just independent for a few months or years, but is independent for good.

RIVERS: Phone hacking victim, former Formula 1 chief Max Mosley says the proposals would have helped him.

MAX MOSELY, FORMER PRESIDENT OF FIA: It might have stopped them publishing in the first place. First of all because it be a clear breach of their own code. And this time that would matter.

RIVERS: The Dowler family lawyer says victims feel shortchanged by the prime minister's position.

MARK LEWIS, PHONE-HACKING LAWYER: The prime minister has said he was going to implement the Leveson report provided it wasn't bonkers. And it now appears that he's saying it is bonkers because he's not implementing it.

RIVERS: The News of the World was forced to close amid the phone hacking scandal, but some of its tabloid journalists seem unrepentant and unphased by new regulation.

PAUL MCMULLEN, JOURNALIST: I've got to say, game on again. Paparazzi and the freelancers that make their living off the backs of the media are still going to be hacking emails, are still going to be hacking phones. They just won't be so explicit about it.

RIVERS: Dozens of tabloid journalists are facing possible criminal prosecution for their underhand tactics to get stories. Soon their papers may face extra rules governing their behavior. Britain's press, at times the envy of the world, at times the worst in the world, is anxious to find out how and when that will be implemented.

Dan Rivers, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: Now the debate has started as to whether David Beckham has helped developed the appeal of football in the United States. His last game for the LA Galaxy will be this weekend's MLS final. Let's join Alex Thomas in London for more - Alex.

ALEX THOMAS, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Kristie, David Beckham says he's flattered by what he calls the interesting and exciting offers he's received now that his football career in America is drawing to a close. The 37 year old former England captain has been playing for the LA Galaxy since 2007 and he helped them win the MLS title 12 months ago.

Beckham's contract gives him the right to buy a Major League Soccer team when he retires, but it doesn't sound like he's ready to hang up his boots just yet.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID BECKHAM, LA GALAXY MIDFIELDER: I do believe I still got another challenge inside me. I do feel like I can still play for I don't know how many years left, but I do still feel like I can still play. And I've had an amazing time here, an amazing time playing here for the last six years. And like I said before, you know, last year felt the right time to step away because it was the end of my five year contract, you know, winning the championship in my last year in my - in our own statium in front of our own fans kind of felt right to leave. And then I discussed it with my family and I just thought, you know, I felt like I had some unfinished business here. And, you know, rightly so because I came into this season and going through to the MLS Cup final. You know, now it feels right and that's why I came to the decision.

But as for the future, you know, I said last week that I've got some interesting and exciting options on the table. I'm very flattered by some of the options I've got. So, yeah, I still feel like I can play and I'm still not considering retiring.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

THOMAS: There was a time when the Saints versus the Falcons wasn't that big of an NFL game, but both teams' recent success has turned it into a hot fixture. And there was a lot at stake for Drew Brees and the Saints as they try to reel in the runaway leaders of the NFC South.

Falcons claimed the first score of this game. Michael Turner driving the ball across the line from three yards out to put the home team up 7-0.

In the second quarter, Atlanta doubled its advantage thanks to a 17 yard touchdown pass from Matt Ryan to Tony Gonzalez.

And it was 17-7 at the half when Drew Brees ran out of time on this Saints drive just four yards from the line.

The New Orleans quarterback was having a bit of a nightmare. This long throw to William Moore was intercepted, Brees' fifth of the night. That's the most he's ever experienced in his career. And his run of 54 games with a touchdown pass ending. The Falcons going 11-1 with a 23-13 win.

From the field to the court and renowned Spurs basketball coach Gregg Popovich is facing a stiff punishment from NBA bosses as well as generating a lot of debate after fielding a weakened team against the Miami Heat on Thursday night.

Popivich's decision to rest three star players was called unacceptable by league commissioner David Stern.

Here's Miami taking a three points lead in the second quarter with Mario Chalmers setting up LeBron James for the layup. But the weakened San Antonio team were leading after Nando de Colo dished it to Tiago Splitter for the layup in the fourth. And they went five points clear when Gary Neal hit this three as part of his 20 points off the bench for the Spurs.

And embarrassing defeat was only avoided when Miami went on a 20-8 run near the end. James with the floater in the lane. Although Miami was still a point down with less than 30 seconds on the clock when Ray Allen drained that three.

San Antonio with one final chance, but Neal's effort from long range coming back off the rim and the Heat hold on to a 105-100 win.

For now it's time for you to have your say. Visit Facebook.com/worldsportCNN. Tell us if you think sport's coaches should be allowed to pick who they want. We'll read out some of your views in World Sport in three-and-a-half hours time. For now, back to you in Hong Kong, Kristie.

LU STOUT: All right. Alex, thank you.

Now up next, Manga, it is an iconic art form in Japanese popular culture and ahead, the man holding the brush shares his secrets. It's all part of our human to hero series.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: All right. I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong. You're watching News Stream. And these are your world headlines.

Now crowds are filling Cairo's Tahrir Square as protests against the Egyptian president go on. A special assembly approved a new draft constitution earlier today and it will be presented to President Morsi on Saturday. It's expected to be put to the people for final approval in about two weeks.

Now people in the West Bank are celebrating the UN general assembly's vote to elevate the Palestinian's UN status to non-member observer state. Now the vote was opposed by the U.S., Canada, Israel and six other members. But the decision has won the backing of former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert saying the move is in line with the strategy of a two-state solution.

In Ireland, the husband of a woman who died after being refused an abortion has vowed to take the case to the European Court of Human Rights. Now the woman's death last month sparked outrage in the country, reigniting debate about Ireland's strict anti-abortion laws.

A court in Eastern China has sentenced the nephew of Chinese dissident Cheng Guangcheng to more than than three years in jail. Now Chen Kegui was convicted for injuring officials earlier this year. They came to Cheng's village in Shangdong (ph) province after his blind uncle fled house arrest and sought U.S. help in Beijing. The family says Chen Kegui was acting in self defense. Now Cheng Guangcheng is now studying in New York.

Now to the UK now and a very disturbing story about so-called child grooming gangs. Now groups of men that target underaged girls for sexual abuse. Nine men in Northern England are due in court on Friday in one such alleged incident and according to a new report these cases are on the rise with thousands of British children affected every years.

Atika Shubert speaks to the mother of one young victim.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: When her 12 year old daughter went from pink hair clips to flashy gold earrings and track suits, Diane says she thought it was just part of being a teenager. She had started hanging out with the wrong group of girls, occasionally skipping class, but Diane didn't realize that her daughter was being targeted by a gang of men until police showed up at her door one night because one of her school friends had gone missing.

Diane, not her real name, agreed to talk to CNN on the condition we do not reveal her face or voice.

DIANE: The police gave her a good talking to and said, "explain exactly what a groomer was."

That they would start off by giving them a drink and cigarettes, lifts in cars and things, and the possibly going on to giving them gifts, phone cards, things like that. Obviously, these were men and my daughter was 13. It was just horrific to hear something like that. And seeing your daughter stood there in pinky, girly pajamas and what have you, tears rolling down her face.

But then I just thought, "that was that," then that would be the end of it. It was just the beginning.

SHUBERT: A new report by Britain's children's commissioner says as many as 45 children a day are targeted by so-called grooming gangs in Britain. Diane's daughter is just one example. Men would pick her up from school then dump her outside the family home incoherent from a mix of drugs and alcohol with stories of being passed around from man to man. She was 14 years old.

But her attempts to get help from police and social workers were ignored, she says.

DIANE: No support. No, "what are these men? Where can we locate them?" I used to keep diaries with number plates, with names, places where I knew she'd been.

SHUBERT: Did you give this information to the police?

DIANE: Definitely.

SHUBERT: And what happened, then?

DIANE: Nothing. They just said we'll keep a log of it and just keep keeping the diaries and that's all we used to get. And then when she got to the age of like 15, because it was on and off with my daughter, they just used to say to me, "don't worry whens he gets to 16, they won't want her."

SHUBERT: The gang that targeted Diane's daughter were mostly Asian men. Police data shows that nearly a third of reported grooming gangs are ethnically Asian, a disproportionate number considering only 7 percent of Britain is Asian. But the vast majority of offenders are white British males. Diane feels there is a danger in focusing on only one ethnic profile.

DIANE: With my daughter, it was racially motivated because of the names they used to call her. They used to call her white trash and things like that. But I've heard of white people in other communities - it's, you know, it's not just one race.

SHUBERT: It only came to an end because her daughter became pregnant.

DIANE: One day she went out and they took her to another town One of the guys kicked her in the stomach, found out she was pregnant. That was the last time she ever went out. She stayed in from that day - she said that's it I'm not going. They are not harming my baby."

SHUBERT: Her daughter had her baby. And both now live at home with Diane. But she says the men who abused her daughter are still out there and she fears still grooming other young girls.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: It's a horrific story of a girl's life changed forever. Now Atika, she mentioned that the men, they used gifts like cigarettes and alcohol to lure their victims, but we're wondering about how they go about choosing their targets in the first place and what role social media and technology may play in these cases.

Now Atika Shubert joins me now live from our studio in London. And Atika, what role does social media play here?

SHUBERT: It definitely plays a role. Facebook, Twitter, any way that you can reach these very vulnerable young girls - excuse me - essentially these girls want a lot of attention. They crave a lot of this attention. And initially they think they are getting a lot of attention from these men because they think of them as their boyfriends, or even just friends at the beginning. And so they start by perhaps contacting them on Facebook or on Twitter, sometimes just because, you know, they meet them at a local shop. And then they buy them vodka or cigarettes, even at the very beginning things like food or giving them a lift home. And then it becomes like cigarettes, vodka, eventually drugs.

So it is a grooming process, that's exactly what police have said. And not much was known about this earlier on. And it's only more recently that police and social workers have really been able to see the signs of these groups really targeting very vulnerable mostly young girls.

LU STOUT: So they slowly groom them online to these very social media platforms. They also bribe them. They also sometimes blackmail them. I mean, what should a parent do? I mean, how do you protect your child from these child grooming gangs, especially when they're out there looking for victims online.

SHUBERT: Well, I think the most harrowing part of the story was actually listening to this mother talk about what initially just seemed like, you know, the signs of being an adolescent, of being a teenager, you know, being a bit rebellious, saying she wanted to go out with her friends. The initial signs were actually that her daughter was skipping school and hanging out with what teachers described as the wrong crowd.

But she didn't really realize the depth of the problem until the police came to her door that night. And then it was very hard to deal with, because her daughter wanted to go out with her friends and be with this group of this men even though she was being abused. And really what these gangs do is they drive a wedge between the parent and the child.

And so from this one experience of the mother, she said the most important thing is to really try and bond that relationship with your child, with her daughter, to get to the truth and try and protect her as best she could.

LU STOUT: Yeah, it's so tough for a parent to determine what he or she should do. What should the government do, especially in terms of monitoring the internet, protecting children online from these predators.

SHUBERT: You know, I think it's very tough to say, because from interviewing this one mother I talked to, you know, she said that she wanted to see more protection, particularly from police and social services who she says ignored her and treated it as though something that would - like as though it was a phase that would eventually pass. What she said she wanted was earlier intervention, a way to remove her daughter from the danger of these men and also a way for these men to be - for basically for police to intervene in some way much sooner.

I mean, one of the saddest things about this case is that these men that did this to her daughter are still out there. And she says, you know, she doubts that they will ever be brought to justice.

LU STOUT: Yeah, it was shocking to hear in your report that the mother reached out for help. She didn't get any help. And we hope that this report, Atika, will be a wake up call for the UK. Thank you very much for that story. Atika Shubert joining us live from CNN London.

Now let's give you a check of the world weather forecast. We have some cold temperatures, harsh winter weather, even a typhoon, a lot to get to. Mari Ramos joins us now - Mari.

MARI RAMOS, CNN WEATHER CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Kristie, a lot going on just like you mentioned.

Let's go ahead and start in Europe. We're going to talk about the typhoon in just a moment, but let's go ahead and start in Europe. We'll go ahead and spin the globe around. Lots of cold air still in place. There are icy conditions expected across the UK and Ireland as we head through the overnight hours tonight. And actually even through Sunday so be extra careful.

And notice, temperatures already dipping quite a bit. This is about as warm as it's going to be all day for you in Berlin at 3 in Munich and 4 only in Paris. 14 in Rome and 9 in Marseilles. You've had that push of very cold air reaching all the way down here into the central Mediterranean already. At least the winds have begun to ease up.

But as you can see from this satellite perspective there's still a lot of moisture in the air. And with those cold temperatures, much of this is coming down in the form of snow or as we head to areas farthest to the south a very, very cold rain.

Like I was saying, the winter easing up. Yesterday Marseilles got wind that were in excess of 100 kilometers per hour. Rome go to about 50 kilometers per hour, sustaining about 80 kilometers per hour when it comes to wind gusts. That's beginning to ease up as that area of low pressure finally begins to, you know, kind of ease up just a little bit.

Some scattered rain showers still across the UK and Ireland and moving in through the low countries here. Very cold rain falling.

When we get to the overnight hours, a lot of that can turn into ice on the roadways and on the sidewalk so be extra careful, that's what I was talking and referring to about earlier.

Notice as we head across Germany, the snow making machine here starting just slowly to ease up just a little bit even across Switzerland and back over toward Austria, but there's still some pretty nasty weather across this region.

I have some pictures to show you from Germany - actually this is right on the border - Germany and the Czech Republic actually. And what you're looking at over here is, you know, hundreds of vehicles literally stuck on the roadways not only because of the poor visibility and the snow that was coming down, but because of the ice that's on the roadways. This is extremely dangerous. And that doesn't matter if you have a big car or, you know, even those huge trucks, that doesn't matter. When the ice is on the road you can't drive on it. And that's the situation that we're looking at over here.

So those coldest temperatures of the season as you can tell over here from this weather map will remain. The snow showers linger here across the east. Some rain showers to the south. And the area to watch, and that will be here across northeastern Europe where very cold temperatures are meeting up with a lot of moisture and that's going to give way to either ice, freezing drizzle, freezing rain or maybe even up to a half of meter of snowfall. That's pretty significant stuff. And already we're seeing a lot of that. Moscow will be right on the line as far as the snow and ice is concerned. Notice it stretching all the way back to Estonia and even all the way back over toward Finland across those regions.

Minus 6 right now in Beijing, could you imagine? We're dealing with extremely cold temperatures across this region as well. That will continue. We have a little bit of moisture coming along. And that will bring you the chance for a dusting of snow, nothing too significant, I think, for Beijing. Rain showers, cold rain across the Korean peninsula and then back over toward Japan.

And I do want to show you the satellite image, that's there, but you can start to see down here at the very bottom, that is our latest Typhoon. Typhoon Bopha has winds of 120 kilometers per hour. It will be affecting Palau and (inaudible) as head into the weekend. And then after that, maybe by Monday could be a weather maker for you in the Philippines. We'll keep an eye on it.

We'll take a quick break right here on News Stream. Don't go away, more news in just a few minutes.

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LU STOUT: Welcome back.

Now Manga is an iconic part of Japanese pop culture. And our human to hero series, we introduce you to a man behind one of the genres most popular titles. Now Takahiko Inui says comics like these are more than just throwaway stories. And readers agree. His slam dunk series have sold more than 100 million copies in Japan alone. And here is his story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TAKEHIKO INOUE, MANGA ARTIST: Vivid characters make good stories. If the characters are alive, they will create the story by themselves. One story is made up of around 150 frames. I've been known to make three stories in five hours.

Before a deadline, I get just one or two hours of sleep a day. But if I say that I'm afraid you might think Japanese manga artists are crazy!

We are not painters who just have to express beauty on canvas, we have to have a story, meaning and also entertain.

I think about the way people will read the book. What's the first thing they will see as they turn the page? I want to grab their attention.

In my case, the draft process determines the outcome of my work This part of the process is my battleground. If the draft doesn't go well, the drawings never go well.

There is nothing more important than the eyes. Now that I've drawn the eyes, this character is alive. The hair you can draw however you like. There is no set way. This is the fun bit.

I draw with the brush. I think this is very rare among Japanese manga artists. The brush gives more freedom. The brush can go to unintended places, the color can fade. It's unpredictable and exciting.

All the characters I create draw something out of me. I have to give them difficult challenges in the drama. And I accept those challenges as if I were one of the characters.

When I'm drawing a facial expression it's reflected in my own face. Look he has a peaceful face, not angry. If it were angry, the expression on my face would change too.

The manga I draw is not a fairytale or fantasy. My characters might be imaginary, but I draw them as if they were in a documentary. That's how I see my manga and that's actually what I think a good manga should be.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: Beautiful attention to detail and story craft.

You're watching News Stream. Coming up next, fast food gourmet style: the vending machine adding a touch of class to malls in the U.S.

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LU STOUT: Now here in Hong Kong, we are no stranger to the delights of vending machines. You can get anything from umbrellas to iPhone cases and headphones and of course snacks, but the U.S. appears to be taking things to the next level. At some shopping malls there, you can now buy caviar from a vending machine, but would you be brave enough to try some? We sent Kyung Lah for a taste test.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KYUNG LAH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: At this Los Angeles area shopping mall next to the holiday displays and the Santa's corner kiosk...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Look at this.

LAH: What the (inaudible) are looking at the world's first vending machine selling caviar.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It seems like you can buy anything out a machine anymore.

LAH: Not just any caviar, there's the garden variety $12 type to the $500 an ounce Beluga. Tightly frozen in a custom built machine from Spain, $50,000 worth of rare merchandise inside three vending machines in southern California, making their debut just in time for the holiday shopping season.

The idea came from this cupcake vending machine, already a hit in Beverly Hills. Caviar can be just as sweet, says the vending machine's owner.

So it's about making that accessible to people?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's very accessibly, very convenient in every price point.

LAH: So it is caviar out of a vending machine in a shopping mall, but some foodies say this just doesn't belong next to Cinnabon.

At the trendy Hungry Cat Seafood restaurant in Hollywood.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The wild Hackleback (ph).

LAH: Owner David Len (ph) says his caviar is served with a little more flare, not food court fudge.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's the part I don't get. I could see getting it and taking it home, you know, to have some champagne with it, but just on your lunch break it really doesn't add up to me.

LAH: With a soda from the food court?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Exactly.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Caviar facial?

LAH: We found plenty of caviar critics.

Would you put $500 in a machine?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Would you buy eggs out of a vending machine, much less fish eggs?

LAH: But the flurries (ph) are buying for their daughter this Christmas.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'll buy anything from a vending machine.

LAH: A little luxury for the layman conveniently dispensed just in time for the holidays, nothing too fishy about it.

Kyung Lah, CNN, Burbank, California.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: Now it is not the flashy vehicles seen in recent Batman movies, but for perhaps a couple of million dollars you could own the original Bat Mobile from the 1960s TV series. Now an Arizona auction house says the iconic car could fetch million in January when it hits the auction block. And that may not be such a stretch.

Now this was the 1964 Aston Martin. It was driven by Sean Connery in the James Bond films Goldfinger and Thunderball. This sold for more than $4 million at a charity auction two years ago.

And speaking of Bond cars, the Aston Martin driven by Daniel Craig in the opening sequence of the film Quantum of Solace, it was sold for almost $400,000 just last month.

And that is News Stream, but the news continues at CNN. World Business Today is next.

END