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North Korea Taking Cues From South Korean/Western Culture; Ayan Kurdi Buried With Brother, Mother in Kobani; Syrian Refugees Refuse to Be Sent to Hungarian Camps; British Prime Minister Changing Stance on Refugees; Turkish President Blames West for Refugee Crisis. Aired 8:00a- 9:00a ET

Aired September 4, 2015 - 8:00   ET

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


[08:00:15] KRISTIE LU STOUT, HOST: I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong. And welcome to News Stream.

Now the 2 year old boy who died after fleeing war torn Syria is buried back in Kobani. And how his death is pushing European leaders to help

migrants.

A U.S. county official who refused to allow same-sex couples to be married has been sent to prison.

And North Korea's propaganda machine gets a modern makeover.

World leaders are under pressure to provide more help to refugees. Now dramatic this week have captured global attention, and now the British

prime minister has promised to resettled thousands more Syrian refugees.

Now he came under criticism after a haunting image of a dead Syrian boy captured the world's attention. That child's name was Aylan Kurdi.

Now the 2 year old has just been buried alongside his mother and brother in Kobani, the city they desperately fled.

In Hungary, trainloads of people are calling on Germany for help. They refuse to go to refugee camps. But Budapest says they must to be

registered according to EU law.

Now in the Syrian town of Kobani, a heartbroken father laid his wife and two young sons to rest. Abdullah Kurdi had wanted to take his family

to Sweden to start a new life away from the war in Syria. That dream was forever dashed when their boat capsized on the way to Greece.

And the image of his drowned toddler Aylan lying lifeless on that beach in Turkey, that has come to symbolize the plight of Syrian refugees.

And here the father describes what happened on the boat.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ABDULLAH KURDI, LOST WIFE, TWO SONS (through translator): With 12 people the boat was heavy. With the chauffeur we were 13. And we pushed

off and we were in the water for just four to five minutes. Then the chauffeur saw the waves were very high. He left us, jumped in the water

and fled.

I tried to steer the boat. I kept adjusting, but another wave came and capsized the boat. I tried to grab my wife and children.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: Now this year alone 350,000 migrants have traveled to Europe, but 2,600 have died crossing the Mediterranean. But that hasn't

stopped people from trying. Nick Paton Walsh shows us the atrocities in Syria that have driven many to take that risk. And a warning, his report

contains disturbing images.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Syria's trauma rarely is this visible. Aylan Kurdi, so innocent in death.

You can almost feel his face in the sand.

Smugglers, an unfulfilled hope, put him there. But his family wasn't the first. Fleeing another morbidly visible part of Syria's spiral into the

void.

Kobani, to some here, in sprawling camps, their onward trip to Greece or Canada would have been a lucky and expensive chose to leave behind

forever the abyss after homeland. When does it end?

Even overlooking Kobani, when the world was able to watch the brutality of ISIS launch car bombs on the borders of NATO, the coalition

smart bombs came but did not bring a war to a close. In fact, each time Syria's crisis deepens, it's horrors burst erupted on to our screens and

the world asks, when will it end, the task seems all the more impossible.

(SHOUTING)

WALSH: ISIS fighting rebels fighting al Qaeda fighting the Kurds, all of whom have or want their own fiefdoms, and that's just the north.

The Assad regime on the back foot but still using barrel bombs against civilians and a brutality that fuels the unrest and kills more than anyone

else.

(SHOUTING)

WALSH: A full two years passed since Barack Obama's only red line on Syria, the use of chemical weapons, was crossed, suffocating, broke through

the fatigue of Syria. The use of Sarin, given the White House's threat, seemingly al-Assad to goading the world to stop him, apparently calling the

bluff. He already tested Washington's will to intervene again after Iraq in the Middle East. Huge scud surface-to- surface missiles against the rebel

areas of Aleppo turned them into the surface of the moon. Children routinely hit by shelling, seem to be designed to be random to terrified.

Hospitals in the cross hairs.

Enough to spur unified action back when Syria was a far, far less complex mess. And perhaps now, even this image still not enough when Syria

has never seemed less fixable.

Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, Beirut.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[08:05:35] LU STOUT: So much brutal imagery there.

Now the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has blamed the west for the refugee crisis, accusing Europe of turning the Mediterranean into a

cemetery.

Now he spoke to CNN's Becky Anderson about his reaction when he saw that photo of the drowned Syrian boy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN, TURKISH PRESIDENT (through translator): When we saw it, we were devastated. And we asked the question to ourselves where

is humanity, where is the conscience of humanity? It's a 3 year old child. And it's not a first time this is happening. Many children, mothers,

fathers, unfortunately, have been drowned in the rough waters of the Mediterranean.

Only our coastguard since the beginning of this year have saved more than 50,000 people. This is the kind of times we're going through, but

this picture, of course, was what made us cry.

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Who is to blame?

ERDOGAN (through translator): To be honest, the whole western world is to be blamed, in my opinion.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: As you just heard there, Turkey is pointing a finger at the west.

Now CNN's Hala Gorani is following developments from Berlin. She joins me now live.

And Hala, Erdogan is blaming the west for the refugee crisis that has been gripping Europe. Are western nations responding at all?

HALA GORANI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, they haven't responded directly to that type of criticism coming from Ankara. However, you could argue

that depending on the country, the response to the refugee crisis has been radically different.

You look at Germany, for instance, that is expecting tens of thousands of asylum seekers, refugees, especially, from Syria. They've actually

allocated them proportionally depending on the size of the state, so they have a very organized system to welcome refugees.

Then you have other countries like the UK that up until a few hours ago were only allocating a few hundred spots for Syrian refugees. And

after that photo of Aylan Kurdi was splashed across the front pages of tabloids and newspapers across the country, the UK prime minister is saying

that they will actually accept, quote, thousands of refugees unclear on the exact number.

I think the big headline here coming from Europe is, yes, they are dealing with a historic migrant influx, though compared to the size of the

overall European population, it's still a tiny fraction of what countries like Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon are taking in.

But the big headline is that they have not so far come up with a unified strategy on how to deal with these migrants, this common European

political project called the European Union has not produced in the face of this crisis a strategy to deal and cope with really this influx of hundreds

of thousands at the doors of Europe fleeing war, fleeing prosecution, and also many of them fleeing poverty, Kristie.

LU STOUT: Yeah, we are waiting for that strong, unified response, especially on the back of that shocking photograph of that drowned toddler

-- the drowned toddler now buried with his brother and mother in Kobani. How is the father mourning the loss of his family?

GORANI: Well, it happened all pretty quickly, the bodies were flown to Istanbul. They were then driven to the Syria-Turkey border and then

across the border into Kobani and really the cruel irony of it all is that this man, Abdullah, buried his entire family, his two sons, including

Aylan, the 2 year old and his 4 year old brother and his wife in the very city that they were fleeing: Kobani.

It was a quick burial. The Muslim prayer for the dead was said around graves with a few others residents of Kobani. Abdullah, the father, saying

essentially I have nothing left to live for, his exact words I'm looking down.

I want to bury my children and sit beside them until I die.

In fact, this has made so much news around the world that part of this funeral aired on Kurdish television. We're showing you some of these

images there.

The tragic attempted crossing there for Abdullah who said I was essentially just trying to give my kids, my children, a better future.

They had applied legally for political asylum through the sister of Abdullah in Vancouver, Canada. That asylum application, however, was

rejected. And after that, at some point the father decided that it was worth the risk of attempting that crossing to the Greek Island of Kos that

ended in the death of his family -- Kristie.

LU STOUT: Hala Gorani reporting. Thank you, Hala.

Now, let's go to Hungary where CNN's Fred Pleitgen is standing by in Bicske, that's where the trains have been stopped for more than 24 hours.

And he joins us now live on the line.

And Fred, what is the latest on this standoff between the people on board and the police?

FRED PLEITGEN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRSEPONDENT: Well, Kristie, there certainly is a lot more frustration that keeps mounting as the hours pass

by, well over 24 hours now, that this train has been stationary here, just outside of Budapest. And I'm overlooking the tracks right now. And I can

see that there's many of these Syrian refugees on there holding out signs saying where is Humanity. For the whole day they've been calling for help,

at times these really emotional scenes where you had more than 100 standing outside that train at the fence yelling at the police, also screaming at us

to not stop broadcasting, to stay here, because they feel that their being treated so unfairly.

Now, the conditions on board that train are absolutely harrowing. I actually managed to do a quick interview with one of the people who is on

that train. It was from very far away, because he was standing behind a fence, but let's listen in to what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Right now the situation is no good. We have a baby, we have a woman -- we have a pregnant woman in here. (inaudible) no

food, no water, no (inaudible), nothing inside. And (inaudible).

We buy the ticket by our money. They don't take us to (inaudible). If they want to stop us here, why they allowed us to buy the ticket. I

don't understand.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PLEITGEN: Yeah, and that's another one of the really big frustrations here of these people is that many of them have spent pretty much the last

money that they still had to buy the train tickets because they were told that at some point that they would be able to take trains that would take

then either to Austria and to Germany. And then of course this particular train was also one that was supposed to go to a town near the Austrian

border and then was stopped just outside of Budapest. And so that of course did very little to get any sort of trust between these people and

the Hungarian authorities.

But as we've been hearing over the past couple of days, it really does appear as though there's much of a resolution on the horizon, because the

Hungarian authorities are continuing to insist that these people get off this train and register for asylum here in Hungary and they're saying they

are absolutely not going to do that. They want to go all the way to Germany -- Kristie.

LU STOUT: Yeah, it is a very tense situation. And here's hoping for a humane and for a peaceful resolution to that standoff. Fred Pleitgen

joining me on the line. Thank you very much indeed or your reporting.

Now after more than a month of testing, French officials are finally convinced that the wing flap found on Reunion Island is from missing

Malaysia Airlines flight 370. We'll have that story ahead.

Also, a U.S. clerk jailed for refusing to give marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Now she has refused to budge despite protests. We'll

have the latest.

Also later in the hour, the CNN Freedom Project. Find out why this catering company only hires the survivors of sex trafficking.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:15:13] LU STOUT: Welcome back. You're watching News Stream. And you're looking at a visual version of all the stories we've got in the show

today. We've already told you about that continuing standoff between migrants and police in Hungary.

And later, North Korea's propaganda gets a modern makeover.

But first, confirmation at last. Now French investigators say that they are certain a piece of aircraft debris that was found on Reunion

Island is indeed from Malaysia Airlines flight 370.

Now the wing part known as a flaperon washed ashore in July. And since then, it has been in a lab in Toulouse for testing. It is the first

physical trace of the Boeing 777 that disappeared in March of last year with 239 people on board. The Malaysian prime minister said weeks ago

there was a definitive link between the flaperon and MH370. But at the time, French experts maintain that further testing was needed.

A U.S. county clerk is sitting in jail after she refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples in Kentucky. Kim Davis has been

ordered to stay behind bars until she complies with the supreme court ruling that legalized same-sex marriage.

Alexandra Field reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In one Kentucky, same-sex couples being denied marriage licenses.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why are you not issuing marriage licenses today?

KIM DAVIS, ROWAN COUNTY CLERK: Because I'm not.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Under whose authority?

DAVIS: Under God's authority.

FIELD: The clerk refusing to issue those licenses ordered to jail because of it. A federal court judge holding her in contempt of court, a

decision met by wild cheers from marriage equality advocates.

The same ruling igniting equal passions from those who back the Rowan County clerk.

REGGIE DICKERSON, SUPPORTER OF KIM DAVIS: I support Kim Davis. You are going to see God's people rise up like never before. I think her going to

jail, I think they just woke up a great sleeping giant.

FIELD: Kim Davis was tearful on the stand, testifying her religious beliefs and conscience make her unable to follow an August 12th order from

the same court to issue the licenses in accordance with the Supreme Court's historic marriage equality ruling earlier this summer. Davis is currently

appealing the order to issue the licenses in a higher court.

In an earlier statement, Davis, who's been divorced three times, said, "To me this has never been a gay or lesbian issue. It's about marriage and

God's word. It's a matter of religious liberty, which is protected under the First Amendment."

While considering whether to charge Davis with contempt, the court rejected the argument that she was factually unable to physically unable to

comply with the court's order to issue the licenses. Judge David Bunning saying, "Our system of justice requires citizens and elected officials to

follow the orders of the court."

Earlier this week, the Supreme Court of the United States denied a petition from Davis to enable her to refuse licenses while the appeals

process continues. Despite that, her office continued to refuse to license couples.

April Miller testified she's been barred three times by Davis from receiving a license to marry her partner of 11 years before the judge

ordered Davis taken into custody by the U.S. marshals.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We did not ask the court to imprison Ms. Davis. That was not the sanction that we sought. And I think it is unfortunate

that she is there. But the judge did what he felt was necessary in order to gain compliance.

FIELD: Alexander Field, CNN, Ashland, Kentucky.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: And we have an update to that story, the Rowan County Clerk's office is now issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

William Smith Jr. and James Yates became the first same-sex couple to get their marriage license just a short time ago.

You're watching News Stream. Still to come, victims of sex trafficking, they often face challenges when it comes to rebuilding their

lives.

And coming up, one woman is giving these survivors a helping hand. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:23:00] LU STOUT: The CNN Freedom Project is shining a light on human trafficking. And this week, a closer look at sex slavery in the

United States.

As you can well imagine, survivors often face a challenging road to recovery. To be successful they need good, long-term jobs, but many

employers shy away from hiring them.

Now Sara Sidner introduces us to one catering company that is not afraid to give these victims a fresh start.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SARA SIDNER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Andrea Cathey has a great job at a successful catering company in Columbus, Ohio.

ANDREA CATHEY, SEX TRAFFICKING SURVIVOR: It's such an awesome place. I feel like not only is this a place of business, but it's like -- I feel

like we're family here.

SIDNER: That's because Freedom a la Cart is more than just your run of the mill business. Every employee here is a survivor of sex

trafficking. And for most of them it's the first real job they've ever had.

CATHEY: I have pretty extensive record. And so it's hard, you know, nobody wants to hire a felon, or anybody with a criminal background. So, I

feel very blessed to be able to get the opportunity to work here.

DEBORAH QUINCI, FREEDOM A LA CART EXECUTIVE CHEF: Andrea is going to work the wedding on a Sunday?

CATHEY: Yeah. I always work Sunday.

QUINCI: Some of them had been arrested 30 plus times. So, nobody would give them this opportunity. We teach them skills. It's a normal job

like anywhere else.

They get written up when they're late a few times. And so we prepare them for the world.

SIDNER: Deborah Quinci is the executive chef at Freedom a la Cart.

QUINCI: This is what we need to work on tomorrow.

SIDNER: She calls it cause cuisine.

She left a high profile lucrative catering career to do something more meaningful: helping sex trafficking survivors in Columbus.

QUINCI: My whole idea when I joined Freedom was to bring beauty, because that's what I did. You know, I threw this incredible catering

parties for wealthy people. And I surround myself with beautiful things all the time.

So, when I started at Freedom, I thought it's time for beauty. It's time for a huge change away from all this ugly past.

SIDNER: Andrea's past is indeed ugly. Lured into a life on the streets at just 17. She wound up addicted to drugs, sold for sex, and

branded by her trafficker.

CATHEY: He had this guy that does tattoos come over, and he had him put a tattoo on me. He put the heart with his initials underneath that

said JR for junior to like let it be known that I was his.

SIDNER: Her branding is gone now, thanks to Survivors Ink, a charity that raises money for survivors to get their brandings covered up with

tattoos of their choosing. The organization started in September 2014, and Andrea was its first recipient.

She's in a good place now: sober, free and working at Freedom a la Cart since February. She says it has changed her life.

CATHEY: Nobody really taught me how to cook. You know, I didn't have anybody there to teach me how to cook. So, I really didn't know how to

cook. I was a little nervous to come in here because I was, you know, like I said those lies I tell myself like I'm not good enough. You can't do

this. But I've learned a lot since being here.

QUINCI: I'm a mother. And I have a heart of a mother. And I think they feel that compassion. And I'm also strict like a mother would be, but

also with love.

SIDNER: Most of these women have never had that before. Andrea says it's what keeps her going.

CATHEY: Without my support, I'd probably still be out there, yeah. I wouldn't have been able to make it without all the support that I have,

yeah.

There is hope out there. And sometimes that's really hard because a lot of people don't know that. I didn't know that, you know, and I didn't

know how to get the help. But I also didn't think I was worth it. And I think that it's important to know that we are worth it.

SIDNER: For Andrea and the rest of the women who work here, Freedom a la Cart is just a stepping stone to bigger and better things.

QUINCI: Our whole goal is to give them another job besides Freedom a la Cart, but it's very hard because I get very, very close to the ladies

and I don't want to give them up.

SIDNER: But she may have to say goodbye to Andrea just the same.

CATHEY: I've already got another job. So, yeah, it feels really good, feels really good not to be judged for my past.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: Great story about new beginnings. And you can learn more about the CNN Freedom Project on our website CNN.com. You'll find stories

about other sex trafficking victims and how businesses are joining the fight to end modern-day slavery.

You're watching News Stream. And after the break, a shift from Britain when it comes to the spiraling influx of refugees. Coming up, a

look at why the British prime minister has reversed his stance.

Now the world's most reclusive leader is rapidly embracing western influence. We'll explain why North Korea is taking a cue from the outside

world.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:30:57] LU STOUT: I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong. You're watching News Stream. And these are your world headlines.

Now the UK has promised to resettle thousands of Syrian refugees. This policy shift comes as European leaders hold high level talks on the

migrant crisis. In Hungary, trainloads of people are in a standoff with police. They refuse to go to refugee camps. But Budapest says they must

to be registered according to EU law.

Now the Syrian boy Aylan Kurdi, his brother and their mother have been laid to rest in their home town of Kobani. That picture of the toddler's

lifeless body washed ashore on a beach in Turkey shocked the world. And the father who survived accompanied the bodies back to Syria for burial.

Now French investigators say that they are certain a piece of aircraft debris found on Reunion Island is from missing Malaysia Airlines flight

370. Now the wing part, known as the flaperon, it washed ashore in July. It is the first physical trace of the Boeing 777 that disappeared in March

of last year with 239 people on board.

Now, the closely watched U.S. jobs report has just been released and the U.S. says it added 173,000 jobs in August, that is less than some

analysts had expected. Now CNN Money survey predicted 207,000 new jobs.

We'll have much more analysis on the jobs report on World Business Today, that's happening in about half an hour from now.

Now, let's get more now on the British prime minister's new promise. David Cameron says the UK will resettle thousands more Syrian refugees, but

gave few details.

Now CNN's Nic Robertson is at 10 Downing Street. He joins us now live. And Nic, the British prime minister has changed his policy on

refugees. Tell us more on how and why.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's come under domestic pressure not only the image or perhaps mostly because of that

image of the young boy found on the beach in Turkey. That has led people in Britain here to feel that Britain needs to do more. There's been

comments by religious leaders here, but also David Cameron is under pressure from the European Union leaders, particularly Germany and France,

to do more to take more migrants. So his coming under pressure on those two fronts to do more, but he's also under pressure to do more to keep

migrants out of the country, because the migrant issue is a big issue here in Britain.

The party that got the third largest number of votes in the last election, UK Independence Party, did that particularly on the migrant

issue. So David Cameron has been caught, if you will, between a rock and a hard place. Pressure domestically to be firm on the migrant issue and not

to let more people in, but also to soften, because of what people are now realizing is a very -- is a very personal experience for them now made by

that picture of the young boy on the beach.

But David Cameron said that Britain now is acting with its head and its heart to help those in need saying that they will give more spaces to

Syrian refugees. This is what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID CAMERON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: Given the scale of the crisis and the suffering of people, today I can announce that we will do more,

providing resettlement for thousands more Syrian refugees. We will continue with our approach of taking them from the refugee camps. This

provides them with a more direct and safe route to the United Kingdom rather than risking the hazardous journey which has tragically cost so many

their lives.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTSON: But of course by taking those refugees directly from the camps, perhaps one of the things that David Cameron is able to do with his

critics here in the UK, in terms of criticizing him for being weak on the migrant issue, people want to see Britain, if you will, be firm on not

allowing the migrants that are trying to cross over from France into Britain. He's saying I'm not giving in to taking the migrants who are

arriving here in Britain by themselves, but I will take them directly from the camp. So, perhaps he's still trying to keep that firm line on the

migrant issue, Kristie.

[08:35:04] LU STOUT: And while David Cameron is under pressure from all sides, at home there in the UK he is in Lisbon for talks with his

Portuguese counterpart. He will then go on to Spain. What is expected to come out of those meetings?

ROBERTSON: Well, one of the things that David Cameron has been looking to do with European leaders over the past month or so is prepare

the ground for what will be a referendum on whether Britain should stay in the European Union, that referendum will come next year.

What David Cameron has been trying to do is win support from European leaders to get -- to allow some change in the EU employment laws. He wants

-- he'd originally wanted for Britain to be able to opt out of those EU employment laws, but now he's looking for perhaps be able to bring some

small changes to Britain's benefit. And he's been trying to win support for that.

But of course this is entirely -- these meetings have been entirely overshadowed by the migrant issues have been the dominant theme here, but

he will of course -- meeting with the -- both the Portuguese and the Spanish prime minister is try to win support to give Britain some wiggle

room on these laws. Why? Because he needs to show, again, his critics on the migration issue back here in the UK that Britain can get what it wants

and get the deal that it wants in the European Union. And he's afraid potentially if he doesn't do that that there could be a no vote and Britain

could vote to withdraw from the European Union here, Kristie.

LU STOUT: Yeah, pressure is certainly mounting on the British leader.

Nic Robertson reporting live for us. Thank you.

Now we have on our website a list of aid groups that are working on the ground on this issue from teams dedicated to rescues in the

Mediterranean Sea to groups providing food to young refugees. You can find it all at CNN.com/Impact.

Now you're watching News Stream. Coming up on the program, catchy beats and sounds that whip an audience into a patriotic frenzy: an old

message from North Korea, as you can see, it's getting a new western look.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: Welcome back.

Now, a school teacher has been arrested after police say that he crashed a remote controlled drone into the U.S. Open tennis tournament in

New York. Now you can see it right there on that photograph.

Now it crash landed into Louis Armstrong stadium. It happened during a women's tennis match on Thursday night. Fortunately, no one was hurt.

And that teacher is now being charged with reckless endangerment, reckless operation of a drone, and operating a drone outside a prescribed

area. Some pretty serious charges there.

Now from pop concerts to modern fashion, there's a distinctly western trend appearing in North Korea and it seems that North Korea's Kim Jung-un

is the one who is embracing the change. Kyung Lah looks at the makeover.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KYUNG LAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Welcome to North Korea's hottest pop dance.

(SINGING)

LAH: Moranbong, a violin wielding, high-heeled wearing Kim Jong-Un- loving girl group, from to put out propaganda by the supreme leader himself.

At this concert a long range missile launches on the big screen behind them. Frenzied fans on their feet. Music crescendos as the missile strikes

a picture of the United States.

(SINGING)

LAH: North Korea's age-old message delivered by women in a Communist version of a Chanel suit. It is a modern powerful twist for the oppressive

brain washing of its people. While Kim Jong-Un executed members of his own family and inner circle he is pitching himself as an exciting young leader.

YOO HO YUOL), NORTH KOREAN STUDIES PROFESSOR: He, Kim Jong-un, is a leader, who is familiar with such kind of a strange and new and otherwise

culture and image.

LAH: It is a calculated departure from the propaganda of his father's era.

North Korea's only airline, Air Koryo, flight attendants ditching the staid Soviet-era uniforms and replacing them with this, the leggy outfits

gracing this month's cover of North Korea's magazine.

The new North Korea spotted on Kim Jong-un's very own wife Ri Sol-ju . She is North Korea's Kate Middleton, spawning a Westernization of fashion

in Pyongyang, down to the high heels.

But nothing happens by accident on the hermit kingdom's propaganda TV.

"No citizens on Earth are as happy as us," says North Korea's announcer as Kim Jong-un takes a ride at this brand new amusement park.

Pictures on his private plan show him as a progressive leader cementing his people's loyalty.

(on camera): North Korea's watchers say updating propaganda from this to something more modern, more outside world, does has some political

benefit. There is some risk to the regime.

(on camera): The ladies, perpetually in praise of Kim Jong-Un, clearly got some ideas from their enemy on the other side of the DMZ...

(SINGING)

LAH: ...South Korea's K Pop band.

(SINGING)

LAH: Letting some new ideas...

YUOL: They want it look beyond the screen. Maybe it's a risk.

LAH: A challenge not on the military front, but one of human curiosity.

Kyung Lah, CNN, Seoul.

(CHEERING)

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: We almost got the moves.

Now finally, if you are a Star Wars fan you probably know all about this next story. Friday is the first day you can buy toys from the latest

film The Force Awakens. Now fans, they lined up in cities around the world to snap up action figures, Legos and light sabers. And the movie, it

doesn't come out for another three months. It is the first Star Wars film since Disney bought Lucasfilm back in 2012.

Now another of the toys causing excitement is this one, so cute, a tiny version of the film's BB-8 droid that you can control with your

smartphone.

And that is News Stream. I'm Kristie Lu Stout. But don't go anywhere. World Sport with Amanda Davies is next.

END