Hong Kong Enters 16th Weekend of Protests; Hidden Tunnels Discovered Near North Korean Nuclear Complex
ALLEN: Welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM.</s>ALLEN: And there are more protests in Hong Kong for the 16th straight weekend. A march is kicking off in one district but patience by police and Beijing supporters is wearing thin. Police warn the violence we've seen in past weeks could spiral out of control. And they may be forced to use live ammunition. Paula Hancocks is following all of it in Hong Kong. Paula, what are you seeing there?</s>PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Natalie, it's a regular Saturday h here in Hong Kong. The standoff between protesters and riot police is in full flow at this point. This is one of the busiest districts in Hong Kong. We've seen riot police trying to disperse the crowd. This was originally a legal rally. There was a march going from one area to another area. Thousands of them we saw along that march, most of them were completely peaceful. But there is an element here that wants to have some kind of confrontation with the police. So they're trying to disperse the crowds, having a standoff at this point. But as you say, it was interesting what we heard on Friday. There was a background briefing for foreign media which CNN was part of. And the senior police commander was talking about there are concerns that this violence could be spiraling out of control, concerns that police may have to start using live ammunition at some point, which is something they don't want to do. But we have still those comments from the protesters, saying they believe the police are using too much violence and excessive force when it comes to dealing with them.</s>ALLEN: What is the reaction from protesters, when they hear police warn of using live ammunition?</s>HANCOCKS: Certainly they're not going to be happy about that. You can see some of the protesters there, they have an amazing ability to disappear and melt into the crowd, these protesters. Many of the people that live in this area, they've been taunting the police as well, yelling at them because they don't like to see riot police in their streets. But for the most part there hasn't been a public outcry against the more physical and violent protesters, even if some of the more peaceful protesters don't condone that violence. They're not coming out publicly and saying it shouldn't be happening. There does still seem to be a sense of unity. Across the board, they are pushing for more democracy, they're pushing for the same goal. So of course, you have many different protesters, some coming with families to make their voice heard and on the other end of the spectrum, you do see the protesters that are ready to throw the petrol bombs -- Natalie.</s>ALLEN: And they're still united but what about the numbers, are they still getting the numbers out on the streets?</s>HANCOCKS: The numbers certainly appear to be down. At the beginning, you had more than a million on the streets. Just weeks ago there were hundreds of thousands on the streets. This particular protest, the rally and then the march, was legal. It was approved by police. I would estimate we did see thousands walking past us and chanting and singing. But it's true. You don't see the same amount of numbers but by that token, the fact is these protests are becoming more violent. So you're less likely to see the families coming out, those with their children. We have seen a fair cross section today. It's not just young people. We have seen some older people. Bear in mind, this is the 16th consecutive weekend that these pro democracy protests have been going on. Inevitably, you are not going to get those big numbers out every weekend.</s>ALLEN: Are, Paula Hancocks right there for us. We appreciate it. Thank you. North Korea is celebrating the fact that the U.S. president fired his national security adviser and President Trump isn't hiding his pleasure, either. But some analysts say it is all a sign President Trump may be trying to get cozy with Kim Jong-un. Our Brian Todd with that story.</s>BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): North Korea's ruthless supreme leader appears to be gloating tonight, celebrating the firing of John Bolton as President Trump's national security adviser. In a new statement, one of Kim Jong-un's top diplomats says it's a good thing that Bolton, who the North Koreans call a nasty troublemaker, has disappeared from the U.S. administration. The North Korean envoy says he welcomes the, quote, wise political decision of President Trump to reassess how his talks with North Korea should proceed. Kim may be taking a page from the President's playbook. Trump himself has danced on Bolton's grave in recent days.</s>DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The relationship is good, so I think that's better than somebody that goes around and saying we want to use the Libyan model. He said the Libyan model. That set us back very badly when he said that.</s>TODD (voice-over): Trump has repeatedly criticized Bolton for saying the so-called Libya model could work for North Korea, suggesting Kim's regime could meet the fate of Libya and its former dictator, Muammar Gaddafi, who turned over his nuclear material to the U.S. only to see the U.S. help bring him down. Analysts say Trump could be trying to curry favor with Kim by piling on Bolton.</s>GORDON CHANG, AUTHOR: I think that President Trump is much too eager and he's much too indulgent with Kim Jong-un. Obviously, the North Koreans now do feel that they're emboldened because they believe, in some fashion, that they got rid of the national security adviser.</s>TODD (voice-over): Another high-profile American who knows Kim and has met with him shares Trump's optimism about the nuclear negotiations. On Thursday, the eccentric former NBA star, Dennis Rodman, one of the few people on Earth to know both Kim and Trump, made a bold prediction on Fox News.</s>DENNIS RODMAN, FORMER NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION STAR: Kim Jong- un will be in America in 18 to 24 months, I guarantee you.</s>BRIAN KILMEADE, FOX NEWS HOST: Really?</s>RODMAN: I guarantee you.</s>KILMEADE: As head of state, or is he going to defect?</s>RODMAN: No, he's coming to do one thing, to visit America.</s>TODD (voice-over): This comes as new research has found several hidden tunnel entrances near the main North Korean nuclear complex of Yongbyon.</s>JOEL WIT, DIRECTOR, 38 NORTH: This is an important part of Yongbyon because close to this are, first, the plant where they produce highly- enriched uranium and there's another plant where they have produced plutonium; both of which can be used to build nuclear weapons.</s>TODD (voice-over): Using satellite photos from 10 or 15 years ago, like going back in a time machine, think tank 38 North found where tunnels were once dug, tunnels that are now concealed by trees. All just a stone's throw away from North Korea's reactors.</s>TODD (voice-over): One underground complex, 38 North says, was, quote, completely camouflaged with vegetation some time over the past six years.</s>WIT: It could be a deliberate cover-up, or it could be just the growth of vegetation around the tunnel entrance.</s>TODD: Analysts say if and when North Korea ever lets nuclear inspectors into the country, we can expect dodging and deception, that they'll never let the inspectors see all of the underground facilities and other stockpiles that they have. They say that's why the U.S., first, needs a full declaration from North Korea of all the weapons and facilities they have, although they expect the North Koreans will not be accurate about that -- Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.</s>ALLEN: One of the women who says she was sexually assaulted by Britain's Prince Andrew is revealing new details of her story. The allegations come after the death of Jeffrey Epstein, the high profile millionaire who was facing sex trafficking charges when he was found dead in his jail cell. Virginia Roberts Giuffre had accused Epstein of keeping her as a sex slave. Now in an interview with NBC News, she says an associate of Epstein forced her to have sex with Prince Andrew after a night of partying.</s>VIRGINIA ROBERTS GIUFFRE, EPSTEIN ACCUSER: Prince Andrew got me alcohol, it was in the VIP section, I'm pretty sure it was vodka. He was like, "Let's dance." I was like, "OK." We leave Club Tramp and I hop in the car with Ghislaine and Jeffrey. She says, "He's coming back to the house and I want you to do for him what you do for Epstein." I couldn't believe it.</s>ALLEN: Buckingham Palace responded this way, writing, "It is emphatically denied that the Duke of York had any form of sexual contact or relationship with Virginia Roberts. Any claim to the contrary is false and without foundation." U.S. football player Antonio Brown has played his first and last game with the New England Patriots. The team cut ties with the wide receiver after he was accused of rape and sexual misconduct. He has not been charged and he denies the allegation. The head coach refused to answer questions about Brown.</s>BILL BELICHICK, NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS HEAD COACH: I'm not going to have any comment on any off-the-field situations or questions on that, so -- I'm not going to get into that. I think I've already addressed this, so we're going to get ready for the Jets here, happy to answer any football questions but the rest of it, I'm done. You've got the rest of it. So yes. That's -- I'm good, OK? Thank you.</s>ALLEN: Brown's former trainer says he raped her in 2018. And an artist who worked at his home says he stood naked behind her on her second day of work. Millions pledged to storm Area 51 in search of extraterrestrial life. Just ahead, the so-called raid that didn't live up to the hype.