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Dramatic Rescues In Nepal; Behind The Scenes With Human Traffickers; 40th Anniversary of Fall of Saigon. Aired 8-9a ET

Aired April 30, 2015 - 08:00:00   ET

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


[08:0013] KRISTIE LU STOUT, HOST: I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong. And welcome to News Stream where news and technology meet.

Remarkable stories of survival emerge from Nepal five days after the devastating earthquake, but the death toll continues to climb.

Plus, 40 years since the fall of Saigon, one woman shares her memories of the day her family fled Vietnam.

And a CNN exclusive. We bring you an undercover report on how smugglers are luring desperate migrants into a dangerous journey across the

Mediterranean.

Now six days after a deadly earthquake devastated much of Nepal, there was an uplifting moment of celebration in Kathmandu today. A large crowd in

the capital erupted in cheers at a rare scene of survival as this young man was pulled from the rubble of a nine story building. He had been trapped

beneath the wreckage for five days, but his fate is certainly a rarity in the aftermath of this catastrophe. We have just learned that the death

toll has pushed back 5,500 victims. And that number is expected to keep rising in the days ahead.

Now CNN senior international correspondent Arwa Damon and her team are trying to make their way to the epicenter of Saturday's earthquake and she

joins us now.

Arwa is in the Gorkha region that's near Barpak (ph) village.

Arwa, as you get closer to the epicenter, what kind of devastation are you seeing around you?

ARWA DAMON, CNN INTERATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, just take a look, Kristie. This is one of the villages up the mountain. We're about still a

six hour hike away from the epicenter of the earthquake, the actual epicenter of it. But throughout this entire region the villages and towns

up and down these sloping mountains have all been completely devastated.

There's a tent back there, and in it is a 13 year old girl with a severe lower back injury. Her back is swollen and she has lot of pain. She can't

move.

There's also a mother of an 11 day old baby who has a head injury as well.

These are parts of Nepal that have yet to see any sort of assistance whatsoever.

There's a lot of rubble covering everything. And it's really hard to fully describe the magnitude of what it is that we've seen because every single

village that you go to is almost entirely destroyed.

We hiked four-and-a-half hours up this mountain to be able to get here and we just crossed village after village where there was similar devastation.

We met a father whose wife was killed when a landslide swept her way. That's another thing that people out here are having to deal with.

There were a lot of deaths by the landslides caused by the earthquake and also because of the boulders and rocks that ended up falling down during

the earthquake.

There are a lot of children who were crushed inside these various homes, Kristie, reaching these parts of Nepal is very difficult, but it is doable.

The problem also is not just getting aid to these areas, but the even farther out areas, because the epicenter of the earthquake -- we were told

that the route to actually reach it, which goes down in between these two mountains, is about a six hour walk. And the road is blocked off so

there's still no vehicle access to it.

Throughout our hike up here, we were hearing helicopters up in the air. We did see one or two land on the opposite side, but again this is a community

that has lost absolutely everything. All they have to eat at this stage is boiled rice.

And you can see them, a helicopter up there, as well.

But these communities, they're sustaining themselves on boiled rice, because everything that they had stored up -- and these are agricultural

communities -- was swept away in the earthquake, in the damage and in the devastation, Kristie.

LU STOUT: It's heartening at least to see that helicopter flying overhead. Hopefully that helicopter has some much needed aid and medical assistance

to drop down to the quake victims who are there around you.

And Arwa, can you give us an idea of just how remote and how hard it is for aid workers to get there on ground? How difficult was it for you and the

crew to make this journey?

DAMON: Well, when we came from Kathmandu, leaving from the west, and we veered off the paved road, it took us about a total of I would say around

nine hours to get to the point where we could no longer drive by vehicle and then we came up here on foot.

The thing is, is all along that road that we took, that took us nine hours to traverse, there are villages exactly like this one all up and down those

mountainsides, villages that are just as devastated as this one, families that are just as much in need as this one.

At the bottom of this particular mountain that we're at is something of a makeshift aid station. It's a makeshift area that people can come to to

try to receive supplies, but it's not one that has been organized by any of the large NGOs, any of the international NGOs that have come here. It's

very much -- we were reporting from there earlier -- a local effort. It's a local paragliding group and people who they know that came together

because they have four-wheel drive vehicles that brought aid out into this area.

We met a woman who was here on vacation, an American women who is a retired firefighter and paramedic. So she was working to set up a makeshift aid

station down there. They are also asking where the international aid is, where the doctors are that can provide them with additional support,

because it was when we were down there, for example, that we heard about these various cases in this particular village that need assistance. We

came up to see what was happening here. They would like to send a medical team, but at this stage they can't. They are volunteers. And so they need

that additional medical support here so that the can dispatch teams up into the very remote and distant areas to deal with these individual cases

of people that are still suffering and in a lot of pain and who do need a lot of aid at this stage.

[08:06:51] LU STOUT: They need a lot of aid. Do you -- you've reported and seen children, people there with crush injuries still waiting for any

sort of formal medical assistance. They're a force to survive themselves eating whatever they have -- rice for the time being -- it is now five days

after this earthquake. Aid is not there. What is the feeling among the villages there, Arwa? Is there a sense of growing hopelessness or

frustration and anger?

DAMON: There is quite a bit of frustration.

We met some of the men and other residence from this village down at the bottom and there was a little bit of aid that had gotten there that was

from the World Food Program and the Red Cross, 4.5 metric kilos, I think. so not a huge amount. It's smaller trucks that are being built up. And

they were kind of loading up and trying to bring it up here. But that's really a fraction of what is needed.

And that's been a lot of the questions that are being asked, because we are seeing -- and look, yes, this is not an area that's easy to get to, but the

roads are accessible. We are seeing these smaller trucks coming out that are very much part of a localized effort. And you know a lot of people are

asking, and we're asking to, is why is every single vehicle that is capable of traveling out to these areas not just being packed full of all of the

aid that is supposed to be in country and being dispatched to these remote areas? Why is it still five days in -- a group of volunteers of good

Samaritans that have come together, civil society that has come together to try to set up this aid station where they just see floods of people.

When we were driving up here, we came across probably 30 or 40 people who were injured. We saw children with bandages, scratches, bruises. We saw

the elderly being carried by their relatives who had all been treated at this makeshift aid station by a team of four volunteers when perhaps one

could make the argument that some of the doctors and the medicals teams that are farther out in the main towns would be better off if they were

dispatched here.

People who are part of this relief and rescue effort, the volunteers are saying that, you know, they feel as if there's something of an inability to

logically get things out, a certain level of lack of coordination when it comes to actually dispersing not just the aid, but the medical teams that

are needed and assessing what it is that people in these remote areas need.

It's not just about food and water, it's about shelter, Kristie. Last night there were torrential downpours. These people don't have a roof

above their heads and right now there are great concerns that more landslides could possibly be triggered as well, because we've had an entire

day of fairly warm weather. And so they need to be able to somehow rebuild -- begin rebuilding from all of this. They can't keep living like this.

LU STOUT: They are hungry. They are homeless. Their community completely leveled. It's a scene, a wasteland all around you. Arwa Damon reporting.

I thank you very much for giving us a damage assessment and understanding of the devastation in that remote community of Barpak (ph). Many thanks,

indeed, Arwa. And take care.

Now let's turn our attention to Kathmandu and the situation there. Sumnima Udas joins us now.

And Sumnima, amidst all this tragedy across Nepal since Saturday's earthquake, there's a story of hope earlier today just a few hours ago you

witnessed this incredible rescue of a trapped teenager five days after the quake. How did it happen?

[08:10:31] SUMNIMA UDAS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It's quite incredible, Kristie, because again we're talking about 120 hours since that

quake.

He was actually trapped underneath a nine story building. It was a budget hotel. He was in the basement, this is 18-year-old Pema Tamlan (ph). And

he was actually protected because he was underneath a motorcycle, beside a motorcycle that had sort of fallen over him, creating a little space, a

tiny hole smaller than a coffin, really. It was incredible to see how anyone could survive there for five days.

And so the Nepali police officers were actually looking through the area, because they had found a survivor just two days ago in the same place.

They were calling out if anyone needed help. They were sort of knocking on the walls. And they heard something, they said. They heard some sort of a

faint noise.

And so they frantically started digging. And then the USAID came about two hours later. And the entire operation took five hours. And they managed

to pull him out.

Incredible scenes, really, because they have to dig through 200 feet of just rubble.

And then the main officer had to climb into this hole, like 10 feet deep, and bring him out. As they brought him out, it was cheers, celebration.

He seemed like he was in the bit of a state of shock, police say. But he's in stable condition now, Kristie.

LU STOUT: Incredible. Incredible story of rescue and survival.

And Sumnima, not far from that rescue there was also a scene of heartbreak, one hoped for rescue turned into tragedy. Tell us what happened there.

UDAS: That's right. Probably about five to six buildings from there was another hotel that had collapsed -- this whole area is full of budget

hotels, because it's next to a bus park.

It's all the migrant workers who come to the city to take the bus to other parts of Nepal, they end up staying there.

And so this was a budget building -- a budget hotel as well, completely collapsed. As we go there, the Israeli team, rescue workers, were trying

to bring out a body. They managed to finally -- but you could smell the stench and then they said there was at least four other bodies there.

Now family members of those people inside that hotel had arrived. They'd heard about the successful survival stories -- successful rescue mission --

you know, just two minutes from that place. And so the woman was telling us -- she was looking for a sister who was in the hotel. She was telling

us, we just heard someone survived there, I hope my sister did, too.

So, people are still hopeful. And that's the main thing.

And the police here and the army here, they're still very much calling this a release and rescue mission -- Kristie.

LU STOUT: Wow, scenes of hope and yet scenes of heartbreak and loss in Kathmandu and across the country. Sumnima Udas reporting live from the

capital. Thank you.

Now CNN has spoken to the family of the miracle baby pulled out of the rubble 22 hours after Saturday's earthquake. The baby and his 10-year-old

sister were home alone when the tremors struck and their mother raced back home to find their house destroyed.

The young girl was rescued that evening, but it wasn't until the next morning that the army was able to pull the 5-month-old out of the rubble

covered in soot, but alive.

These new pictures show that he is out of the hospital , having suffered just minor bruising and a small cut on his leg.

And while the family have each other, their home is in ruins and they are mourning the loss of close family members who died in the disaster.

You're watching News Stream. I'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:15:13] LU STOUT: Welcome back.

Now on Mount Everest, the quake triggered avalanches that killed 19 people, but now we are learning that the mountain could be open to climbers as

early as next week. The tourism ministry in Nepal says crews are clearing paths and making other repairs and that climbers are being encouraged to go

ahead with planned expeditions.

Now for some of the Everest trekkers who survived the avalanche, the move it appears premature. And joining us by phone is Mount Everest climber

Alan Arnette. He's in Nomche Bazaar (ph). It's a major stop off point for trekkers heading to Everest. And Alan, thank you so muh for joining us on

CNN. Should Mount Everest be reopened next week?

ALAN ARNETTE, CLIMBER: Well, you know, the governor is going to -- he is going to make that a priority in order to preserve the income and also

preserve the reputation.

My personal opinion is that the mountain is too dangerous right now going through the Kundu (ph) ice ball, which is a 2,000 foot moving glacier, is

really a bit pile of loose ice blocks the size of cars and houses that was created not only naturally, but this year because of the earthquake and the

aftershocks, it is very, very unstable.

So I think it's going to be very dangerous to go through it.

ANDERSON: Mount Everest is very, very unstable. You believe that the government is making this announcement as a show that it's business as

usual, perhaps to bring the climbers back. But it definitely is not.

What needs to happen to make sure Everest is safe to climb?

ARNETTE: Yeah, I'm sorry, we're -- a little bit of a breakup here.

But I think you're asking me what is it going to take to make Everest safe to climb? And I think the short answer is that Everest will never be safe

to climb, just like any large mountain on the planet. It always will have risk.

This particular year, because of the earthquake the main route that goes into the kind of the gateway to climbing Everest has become more

treacherous than normal, as I previously mentioned.

You know at this point if the ice fall doctors, usually the specialized Sherpa teams that go in and they put ladders across the deep crevices and

also ropes that allow climbers to go into the gateway -- you know, they're going to have a hard time going up here and doing that without

significantly more risk.

The U.S. National Geographic Survey, the USGS, is estimating there's going to be four to 10 more aftershocks from this point forward. And in that

light, the Chinese closed the north side of Everest. And yet on the Nepal side where we've already had 19 deaths associated with this earthquake,

there are still -- I guess the government is pushing to keep the mountain open and encouraging climbers to go up.

LU STOUT: And what I'm hearing from you is that it is way too premature to talk about any potential soon reopening of Mount Everest. Now, the quake

has been so devastating, a major blow to Nepal, its people and its economy. What will the climbing community do now to help Nepal recover and to

rebuild?

ARNETTE; Yeah, I want to be very clear that I think everybody on the mountain, eveyr body that's both Nepali as well as foreigners, very much

mourn to death and the loss of life and the homelessness across all of Nepal.

And to be very, very clear climbing a mountain is secondary, tertiary, the long, long way from the hierarchy versus climbing a mountain. You know,

these people are suffering all over. and the Sherpa that were there on the mountain -- they still are in some cases. The cooks, the porters, they all

have family that's lost their homes.

There are a number of ways that people can help in the climbing community will rally around various specific (inaudible) funds, for example, the

Juniper Fund, the Juniper Fund which is run by Melissa Arnot (ph) and Dave Morton (ph) out of the U.S. specifically raises money to go to the family

of Sherpas who die while helping people to climb mountains like Mount Everest.

ANDERSON: Alan, thank you for stated, thank you for expressing that a desire to continue to stand by the people of Nepal, especially during this

terrible time. Alan Arnette, Mount Everest climbing joining me on the line. Thank you.

Every year, thousands of migrants, they make this perilous journey from North Africa to Europe hoping for a better life and now CNN has an

exclusive look at the people who profit from the appalling business of human smuggling.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:21:39] LU STOUT: You're back watching News Stream.

Now just one day after it announced a dramatic rescue in Boko Haram hideouts, the Nigerian army is sharing more good news. It says its troops

have rescued 160 more women and children taken hostage by the militant groups.

Now that adds to the nearly 300 female captives the military said it saved earlier this week.

And now to Libya, where a CNN producer got an exclusive look inside a horrifying business.

Libya is one of the key departure points for thousands of refugees trying to flee the turmoil in Africa and elsewhere. They attempt to make it to

Europe, piling into boats bound for Malta in Italy. And more than 1,700 people trying to make this treacherous journey have died in the

Mediterranean just this year.

And as the CNN producer discovered, many migrants may have been lured by human smugglers to take those risky trips.

Now Nick Paton Walsh has more on that. He joins me now live from Beirut. And Nick, tell us more on how do migrants get smuggled across the

Mediterranean?

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it is an extraordinarily dark trade you're about to see a window into here.

We've heard often what smugglers want the media to hear from them. We've seen the results of their trade on the beaches of Europe and often caught

adrift in the Mediterranean, but it's very rare to hear actually how the smugglers sell their services. And that's what one of our producers heard

in the past two weeks in Libya when made this extraordinary sales pitch.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: You've seen where the victims of this continental trade and misery end up: in boats adrift on

beaches drained of life.

But here, we expose how the smuggled find themselves in this hell.

A CNN producer stumbles into a Tripoli meeting with a smuggler who thinks she is a Syrian looking to bring more Syrians across to Europe. She uses

her phone to secretly record his offer.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

WALSH: He insists they use satellite phones, GPS, new motors and a pilot who isn't Libyan, but Senagalese.

He's from Mali and drives CNN to the unfinished building their migrants wait in to cross.

To enter, she walks over trash pretending to tell someone in Syria the details on her phone.

Inside, this sick underworld, there are more than the 80 migrants who they were told would be in their boat.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

WALSH: Now, may be thees people's last days on dry land.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUGE)

(CROSSTALK)

WALSH: The TV is always on, the rooms hidden behind curtains. But the trade, so boldly cynical, so patently inhumane.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALSH: Now, obviously there you might get the suggestion that much of that trade is run by Africans. But it's clear that what we saw many Libyans are

involved. In fact, Libyan officials, too, it's alleged are assisting in some way.

But the Syrians who our producers mistakenly thought to have been are considered to be amongst the wealthier clients that the smugglers made try

and entertain there.

And one thing you can't see in that secretly filmed footage, its sheer volume of people in that unfinished building are waiting to be taken across

the Mediterranean. You can't also see the level of confidence those smugglers exuded. They clearly felt no real fear of prosecution --

Kristie.

[08:25:54 LU STOUT: Yeah, and it's so chilling to hear the smugglers to say in that video report that every person you bring you get a discount. I

mean, is that the kind of thinking that has lead to the deadly overcrowding of the migrant boats?

WALSH: Well, I think it's fair to say probably the smugglers (inaudible) disregard for human life that they would fill the boats as much as they

could anyway.

But, yes it does seem to suggested that incentivization scheme there that would perhaps ask those who want to be smuggled to bring as many friends as

they possibly could, or acquaintances as well.

That could provide one answer. And certainly the smuggler himself says that that discount is well know. But we're talking really about a trade

here which has shown no regard for whether or not his clients survive at the other end. And I should point out that many of those migrants you see

there, the Africans, will have endured significantly harsher ordeals, frankly, simply to get to Libya. Crossing the Saharan deserts fleeing

poverty, founding the war, perhaps some of them might consider -- figure the rough maths, about the 90 percent change of surviving crossing the

Mediterranean, that's perhaps could be the easier home straight, difficult as is it to imagine it that way -- Kristie.

LU STOUT: Yeah, horrific and incredible undercover reporting there, going inside the dark trade of human smuggling.

Nick Paton Walsh reporting live for us,. Thank you, Nick.

You're watching News Stream. And still to come on the program, rescues in Nepal just because they've been pulled from the rubble doesn't mean those

survivors are in the clear yet. Why something as simple as water could be dangerous for them.

And the British Prime Minister David Cameron's latest election promise has a rival party accusing him of a gimmick. We've got the countdown to the

British election when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:30:01] LU STOUT: I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong, you're watching News Stream and these are your world headlines.

An 18 year old has been pulled from the rubble of a building in Nepal five days after that powerful earthquake. Rescuers say when the quake hit a

motorcycle shielded him from debris and kept him from being crushed.

The death toll from last weekend's catastrophe is now nearing 5,600

Now new information out of Baltimore, Maryland about the death of Freddie Gray. Now the Washington Post has obtained a police document that cites a

prisoner who rode in the van with Gray immediately after his arrest. And according to the document the prison said that he could hear Gary banging

against the side of the van and believed that Gray was intentionally trying to injure himself.

Now the post says a partition blocked he prisoner's view of Gray.

Oh Hawaii's Big Island, a bubbling lake of lava is putting on quite a show. Now the lake at the summit of the Kahlua volcano has overflowed. And for

the first time in about a century visitors can see lava splashing above the crater rim and hear rocks popping as the crater walls expand.

Now this photo is absolutely incredible. This 11 year old she was pulled from the rubble after nearly 90 hours of being buried. And you'll notice

that the rescue worker holding her is pushing away a bottle of water that someone is offering her.

Now earlier, chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta spoke to my colleague Isa Soares about why water could be harmful in this situation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: It's a very important process.

A couple of things to keep in mind. First of all, the stomach itself can become quickly irritated. So if you start giving someone lots of fluids by

mouth they may start to vomit and then actually that can be self-defeating, because they would just start to lose even more fluids.

The second thing is someone has been dehydrated, if they've been out in conditions where they're sweating or they're losing a lot of salt as well,

you really want to replace not just the water, but all the other chemicals, all the ions that are in that as well. So many times if you can do it, and

it's not always possible, but many times you put in an IV. Put in an IV and you replace the fluid that the person most needs.

You'll see certain situations where an IV is not possible. They'll start to give the person water by mouth, but very, very slowly to try and prevent

that vomiting and nausea from happening.

ISA SOARES, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, that makes sense, absolutely, and that's why we see him pushing that bottle back.

Sanjay, we're now on day five since the earthquake and aftershocks seem to continue. And on top of that, of course, there's been torrential rains.

What are the chances of finding more survivors under these circumstances?

GUPTA: wEll, you know, I tell you the rain is a bit of a double-edged sword. I mean, obviously rain is a concern for the survivors who are

living in tent villages. It could raise the concern for infectious diseases. It also makes rescues more challenging, air traffic more

challenging. But there's these remarkable stories, as you know, of people who are surviving and one of the things that's absolutely critical for them

to survive where they may be in the rubble is getting some source of water.

And you hear these stories about people who have subsisted essentially on rain water, having the rain water come through the rubble. It's hard to

imagine what that must be like, but without it, especially at this point now, five days out, you know, it's unlikely people are going to continue to

be able to survive without some source of water.

So, that's why describe it as a double-edged sword.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: And that was our doctor Sanjay Gupta speaking a short time ago.

And if you would like to help the people of Nepal, you can find out how on our website. We have links to aid agencies. You can find that and more at

CNN.com/impact .

We are exactly one week away from the general election in the UK, and taxes are front and center in the final week of the race.

Now the British prime minister David Cameron has promised a new law banning tax increases for the next five years if his Conservative Party wins.

The labor party immediately called it a gimmick.

Now in just about six hours, leaders of the Conservatives, Labour and the Royal Democratis will appear on BBCs Question Time. And for more, I'm

joined by Phil Black in London.

Phil, again, the election now just one week away. What should we expect from today's Question Time special?

PHIL BLACK, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Kristie, this is the fourth and final major TV event of this campaign. There have been a combination

of debates and interview style formats. This is more an interview style format. Those three leaders you mentioned against the presented and a live

audience. All the even so far have been, well, pretty uninspiring. They haven't really influenced the race that much at all.

And so it's unlikely that this one will as well. but it's still important.

Because the opinion polls consistently show this is too close to call. There are only two men who have any chance of being prime minister, The

Labour Leader Ed Milliband, the currently Prime Minister Conservative Leader David Cameron.

They are in a tight race where the pols show neither one clearly ahead, and they also show clearly that neither one has any real chance of establishing

their own parliamentary majority.

So what it means at a time when the race is this close, both parties, both leaders are simply trying to win more seats than the other at the end of

the day come polling day, because that man, that party, will perceived to have the greater legitimacy in the next step, that is forming either a

coalition of minority government, Kristie.

[08:35:36] LU STOUT: I feel like I've got to ask you about Ed Milliband's interview with Russel Brand the comedian. The YouTube video, it's out

there. It's getting a lot of attention. How is that interview figuring into the race?

BLACK: Well, it was seen as pretty gutsy move, really. As we were talking about there, the race so far is being considered to be quite safe, quite

dull. Ed Milliband going up against Russell Brand, a comedian, movie star, the singer Katy Perry's ex-husband, the man who has carved a roll for

himelf as something of a Revolutionary who believes parliamentary democracy in this country isn't working, that you shouldn't even bother to vote.

He's written a book, made a documentary, and he has 1 million subscribers on YouTube for his regular video segments on these subjects and others.

So for Milliband to go up against him was seen as something of a courageous move, I think, one that could have gone either. Take a look at just part

of that and see for yourself.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RUSSELL BRAND, COMEDIAN: The people have made their disillusionment clear, their frustration clear, their loss and despair clear. You, as a

politician, as the potential leader of the country, what are you going to do to take on those powerful forces that we believe are beyond politics?

ED MILLIBAND, LABOUR PARTY LEADER: OK. I promise you I'm not avoiding the question here....

BRAND: Well, then you've got to answer it, mate.

MILLIBAND: I will answer it. But there's two issues here. There's does politics make change happen? And what scale of change are we talking

about?

Now look the problem I have with some of the things you've said is you've implied that the first is like there's no change happens. It's just like

wrong.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACK: So as you see Russell Brand was pretty combative there. They did disagree on the issue of voting. Milliband said absolutely that is

worthwhile.

But they seemed to broadly agree on the fact they believe that society in Britain is out of balance. And Brnad seemed to give his approval in the

end saying that he believes that Ed Milliband is a man who understands how the country and the people here are feeling -- Kristie.

LU STOUT: It's a compelling watch. Interesting matchup. Interesting vote on voter apathy and equal opportunity. Phil Black reporting for us

live. Much appreciate it. Thank you.

Now you're watching News Stream. And still to come, we have a look back at the fall of Saigon and the moment that ended Vietnam's long and brutal war.

We'll hear from a woman who fled the carnage as a teenager leaving behind a sister on her wedding day.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: Welcome back. You're watching News Stream.

Now this week marks 40 years since the end of the Vietnam War when Communist forces ended a decades long conflict and delivered a painful

defeat to the United States.

Now celebrations are being held across Vietnam, including this huge military parade in the capital, Ho Chi Minh City, named in honor of the

late Communist leader.

Now during the 1960s, more than 2 million American troops fought to keep South Vietnam from being taken over by the communist north. And the

conflict dragged on for more than 10 years.

Some 58,000 Americans were killed. Vietnamese deaths both military and civilian are estimated at more than 2 million.

On April 30s, 1975 North Vietnamese forces captured Saigon ending the war.

Just days before, the evacuation of American personnel and Vietnamese allies had begun. Ha Govlich (ph) was 15 years old when her family made

the difficult choice to leave heir homeland. And earlier, I asked her about that traumatic day.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: On April 27, 1975 and that day was important to us, because my eldest sister was going to be married, you know, that afternoon.

So we -- you know, we went to church and the pastor had just finished announced -- you know her wedding to be held that afternoon. when my dead

appear, you know from the stairs and just kind of gave my mom a nod and then she usher us out of church.

And then he said that they need to make a decision because you know our family was allowed to leave.

We have to be at the American embassy at 5:00. And that was the exact same time that my sister's wedding ceremony would take place at 5:00. So it was

a very difficult, you know, decision.

LU STOUT: How is it that your family was able to leave?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My dad worked for USSAT (ph).

LU STOUT: You had a connection to the U.S. government.

And you were able to leave days before the runway and the airport was attacked by the North Vietnamese so you'll able to leave on a C-130 plane.

Was that your first time going on a airplane?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: First time.

LU STOUT: What was that experience like when you boarded the plane and said goodbye?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, we didn't get to say goodbye. My sister was in her wedding dress when we said goodbye, you know, at the house. And I had

a girlfriend who just stopped by just to return a book. And they rushed me to say quickly say goodbye to her so that we could just get ready.

And so my girlfriend said, OK, I'll just see you tomorrow.

And at that point, I really wanted to say, you know, maybe not, but you know I couldn't so that was difficult.

And when we left, we really had no idea that two days from that point that we would be displaced, you know, that we would no longer have a country.

LU STOUT: And you were able to leave with your parents and your siblings, but not your older sister.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Not my older sister.

LU STOUT: She had to stay behind.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She chose to go ahead with the wedding and her in- laws promised that they too had planned to leave Vietnam, Saigon, following the wedding.

LU STOUT: And you weren't able to see let alone really actively communicate with your sister for some 14 years.

So how did your family manage that brutal separation?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think probably it was a lot harder for my parents the reality of not seeing her and were really at that point we didn't have

a (inaudible) that we would ever see her again.

So, I think we were just -- you know, live with hope that one day that's willing that we would see each other again.

LU STOUT: Now once in the United States, Ha Gavlick (ph) and her family settled in Chicago. And today, she's the CEO of a hong Kong activity

groups Kids Against Poverty. And that is News Stream. I'm Kristie Lu Stout. World Sport is next.

END