Return to Transcripts main page

NEWS STREAM

Nelson Mandela Tributes a Celebration; TIME Names Pope Francis Person of the Year; The Sex Trade Of Cambodia; Ukrainian Government Promises No More Crackdowns; One Tokyo Man's Resentment Over Olympic Games; Family Survives Bitter Cold Of Nevada

Aired December 11, 2013 - 08:00   ET

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

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

Now Pope Francis is named TIME's Person of the Year. We'll talk to the magazine's international editor about that pick.

And another dramatic night of protests in Ukraine as the U.S. slams the police crackdown on demonstrators.

And we'll tell you why not everyone in Tokyo is happy that the city won the right to host the 2020 Olympics.

Pope Francis has been named TIME Magazine's 2013 Person of the Year. He has called for sweeping changes in the Catholic Church with a renewed emphasis on the plight of the poor and the suffering.

Now TIME's recognition is given to those who the editors believe influence news the most that year for better or worse.

Now let's get more now on this announcement from one of those editors right now. And joining us is TIME magazine's international editor Bobby Ghosh. And Bobby, tell us more about why you and your team of editors decided to select Pope Francis as your person of the year.

BOBBY GHOSH, TIME INTERANTIONAL EDITOR: It's always a diffuclt choice, Kristie, but this year I think the pope stood head and shoulders above almost anybody else. It's quite remarkable what he has achieved in just nine months. He has gone -- he has changed perceptions of the church from being this out of touch institution to one that is humble and merciful. He's changed the focus of the church from being focused on doctrine to becoming more about service. And he's changed the tone in which the church speaks to one of compassion and -- it's all about the poor.

This is the church as it used to be in its -- arguably its best period in the past. And Francis seems to be bringing that back. It's quite remarkable.

A year ago very few people outside of Argentina had even heard of him. And now he's this international figure. He's speaking not just to a 1.2 billion Catholics, but he seems to be speaking to all of us.

LU STOUT: You know, he's rebranded the church. He's reinvigorated the church. He shifted the focus to the plight of the poor.

I was speaking moments ago with our senior Vatican analyst John Allen. He said in the last year he believed the biggest change brought about by the pope was actually structural reform. What's your thoughts, not on structural reform, but what you believe the biggest change that has been ushered in so far in these last nine months by the pope?

GHOSH: Well, I think the biggest change is in the tone. And tone is important, because that's what -- substantially that's what faith is. But the point about structural reform is very, very important, because that's where the rubber meets the road. And you're absolutely right, he has begun to make the choice more transparent, particularly its finances, which is something no pope in recent memory has even attempted to do. He has changed the circle of advisers, made it much more international. It is not just only European men any more, but people from all over the world.

And he is also beginning to talk about issues that previous popes regarded as the third rail of Catholicism, if you like. He's talking about homosexuality, about giving women a bigger say in the church. These are things that are very, very important. These are not just words, he's actually following them up with action.

LU STOUT: He's talking about, as you mentioned, homosexuality. He's launched a new survey on attitudes about gay relations, about contraceptives. But how far is he willing to reform and to change, because he has so far resisted the ordination of female priests. Your thoughts of the pope as a reformer?

GHOSH: And that's a very important point. Let's not forget. This -- he comes from the conservative tradition of the Catholic church. He may appear liberal, but that's only in comparison with his immediate predecessors. He is not a liberal in the church frame of things.

But he has -- he is opening a dialogue. He is making it possible for the church to discuss these things. He's calling for a commission to hear these things that will take place next year. So that's important. Even if he personally may not ever agree to ordain women as priests in the church, the fact that he is open to a conversation about this in the context of what the church is and this institution that is nearly -- that is over 2,000 years old, that is quite remarkable.

LU STOUT: It is also quite remarkable that just nine months into his papacy you, Bobby, and your editors there at TIME Magazine have named Pope Francis your Person of the Year for 2013.

But what will come next? I mean, what more changes will we see ahead? What do you know about his vision for the church?

GHOSH: Well, that's the interesting thing. In part, although when we look at the Person of the Year, we are looking at what they achieved in 2013. We're also very mindful of what they're likely to achieve in the years to come. And with Francis, as you say, he's only been pope for nine months. A lot more needs to come. Next year there will be some very, very important things. There's a commission to discuss quite wide ranging reforms in the church. This transparency, this opening up of the church's finances will become much more evident and we'll learn more about what's going on there. And it seems that every time the pope travels somewhere, every time he speaks, he brings surprise. He speaks in a way that we're not used to hearing pope speaks.

So I think 2014 will be -- will bring many more surprises. It's a little hard to predict, which is exciting in itself.

LU STOUT: Bobby Ghosh of TIME Magazine, thank you very much indeed for joining us here on CNN.

Now for more on the pope's Latin-American roots, let's return to CNN's Shasta Darlington who joins us once again live from Sao Paulo, Brazil.

And Shasta, tell us more about how Pope Francis and his papacy have made a mark there and across Latin America.

SHATSA DARLINGTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kristie, it's been so interesting to watch. Obviously the Catholic Church has unique challenges in every region. One of the biggest threats to the church in Latin America has been the loss of the faithful. This is a traditional Catholic stronghold, but evangelical Christians have really gained ground over the last couple of decades, in part because so many people feel that the church has been distant.

Well, with this Pope Francis coming out with his message of getting out and get into the street, mix things up, make noise, that's really resonated here. So he's just gained this ballooning following around the world, but especially here in Latin America.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DARLINGTON: Pope Francis's first papal trip also a homecoming. The first Latin American pontiff touching down on his own continent.

World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro. Wherever he went, the crowds grew. Pope Francis kissed baby after baby, traded his skull cap with adoring followers, and waded into the city's notorious favelas.

He urged Catholic leaders to do the same.

POPE FRANCIS: We cannot keep ourselves shut up in parishes. We must go out that door to seek and meet the people.

DARLINGTON: More than a million people turned out on Copa Cabana beach to see and hear the Argentine pope, not all of them Catholic.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I never really looked at the Catholic Church before Pope Francis. And it was just another church, really.

DARLINGTON: Pope Francis has touched a nerve in his native Latin America where the gap between the rich and the poor is wide and where evangelical Christians are quickly gaining ground.

In Brazil, the world's largest Catholic country, the number of evangelical Christians has jumped to 22 percent of the population in 2010 from 15 percent in 2000.

Now, even Catholic priests have started to emulate them, singing and swaying to the music with parishioners.

Some believe the popularity of the first Latin American pope could help staunch the exodus from the Catholic church.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The fact that he's a little more flexible and not so closed off to new ideas does make me more interested in getting closer to the church.

DARLINGTON: He's a pope who has allied himself to the under-classes, those struggling with poverty, addiction and hopelessness.

This pope, they feel, is one of them.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

DARLINGTON: And it's interesting when we went into the shanty towns, into the favelas with Pope Francis, we kept on hearing from a number of people there, and people saying I'm not Catholic, but this is a man I can't not see. If he's coming to my neighborhood -- this is a neighborhood police won't go into, this is a neighborhood politicians won't go into, but this man is coming to my neighborhood I want to hear what he has to say. And by extension what the Catholic church has to say. So you could really feel the impact that he was having around him, Kristie.

LU STOUT: Yeah, absolutely electric.

And, you know, it's hard to believe that just nine months ago when he was selected as pope, it was actually a surprise choice. Now he is the first Latin American pope, his home country Argentina. Shasta, you were there. What was it like when Pope Francis was a cardinal there?

DARLINGTON: Well, we did trace a bit of his history, fascinating. This is a man who lived along the same lines that we've been talking about now. He chose not to live in the more luxurious apartment set aside for the cardinal next to the cathedral. He lived in a small apartment along with other priests, along with other clergy. He -- every Sunday, he took a bus out to one of the slums in Argentina to give mass at one of those churches.

We actually got on the bus to see if this is really true. We'd heard this story. We got on the bus and we said, hey, you know, this is the bus that Cardinal Bergoglio took. Had anyone ever run into him? People immediately said, oh yes, I saw him at the San Lorenzo football matches. Other people, oh yes, I saw him on the bus. His sister used to go to the masses.

So this is a man who really lived what he preached. And again there was a bit of surprise, because he had at the same time been very reserved, very austere, but not this smiling, charismatic man that he has really become since he was named Pope Francis. He's really -- he's really flourished in that sense, Kristie.

LU STOUT: Yeah, smiling, charismatic and now TIME Magazine's Person of the Year. Shasta Darlington joining us live from Sao Paulo, thank you.

Now, let's take a look at some previous winners of TIME's award. Now, Barack Obama, he was named Man of the Year in 2012 and that was for the second time. Nearly every U.S. president has been selected for the title since the magazine began the man of the year back in 1927.

Now other world leaders are often selected as well. In fact, Vladimir Putin was named back in 2007.

Now controversial figures have also been named. Adolf Hitler was selected in 1938.

Now entrepreneurs also regularly top the list. Mark Zuckerberg, he was selected in 2010.

And TIME has also been known to grant the title not to a specific person, but to an idea. In 2011, they honored the protester, representing the year's various protest movement, including the Arab Spring uprising.

I should note that TIME magazine is part of the same company as CNN.

Now you're watching News Stream. And coming up next, a long line has formed in Pretoria. As people turn out to pay their last respects to Nelson Mandela. I'll take you to South Africa after the break.

And more violence in Ukraine as riot police clash with anti-government protesters in Kiev. And now the interior minister is trying to reassure the public. We'll give you the very latest.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: Welcome back.

Now thousands lined the streets of Pretoria earlier today as a hearse carrying Nelson Mandela's casket was driven through the city. And for the next three days his body will lie in state as South Africa's seat of government, the union buildings. It is here where Nelson Mandela took the presidential oath almost 20 years ago.

Now family members and dignitaries have been saying a final good-bye today followed by members of the general public.

Now Isha Sisay is in Pretoria. She joins me now live. And Isha, could you tell us more about who have been paying tribute to the late South African leader?

ISHA SISAY, CNN INTERANATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kristie, I should say that for the last several hours it has been members of the general public that have filed past the body of Nelson Mandela, some of them draped in fabric bearing the image of the late president, others carrying images of him, all of them very solemn, all of them here to pay their respects to Nelson Mandela, the man who changed the course of South African history.

But earlier on in the day it was opportunity for members of the Mandela family and VIPs such as President of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe. We saw Salva Kiir, the president of South Sudan. We also saw F.W. de Klerk, Mandela's predecessor, all arrive here to pay their respects.

We also saw people from the world of entertainment, the likes of Bono who was holding hands with Nelson Mandela's long time assistant Zelda Le Grange. Also we saw Naomi Campbell, the supermodel.

So we have seen a mix of people come here. And I think it really speaks to the fact that Nelson Mandela appealed to people from all walks of life, the great and the good and members of the ordinary public.

Hundreds and hundreds of people of ordinary members of the public have come here today because they feel it is important that they get their opportunity to say good-bye to this man who gave 27 years of his life to jail in the pursuit of getting dignity, equality and justice for all -- Kristie.

LU STOUT: And Isha, your thoughts on Mandela's legacy, his heroic status, did it have an impact not just there in South Africa, but on neighboring countries and on Africa as a continent?

SISAY: I think it did. I think it's undeniable. I think one of the most important things to say about Mandela's influence on the African continent is that he made black people, black people such as myself, children of this continent like myself, feel a sense of pride, a sense of dignity at being an Africa.

He rebranded what it is to be African. He carried himself with a certain pride and a certain confidence and a certain dignity that people were unaccustomed to seeing in certain parts of the world. He did that with ease. And he did that with a humility as well. And I think that that goes a long way. And many ordinary Africans will tell you that that is one of his lasting legacies here on the continent.

He also raised the bar for what it is to be a statesman. You know, he is very much the benchmark for statesmanship. And I think he raised the bar on other African leaders. Of course, he only served one term as president of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. And I think many on the continent, many African citizens look to him, you know, as the example, as a shining light for their leaders, many of which have refused to relinquish power, some being in power, in government for more than two decades.

So I think he has left a lasting legacy. And many on the continent look to see his example carried out, played out in their own individual countries - - Kristie.

LU STOUT: He raised the bar for leadership there in Africa. He also gave many Africans a sense of pride. And many South Africans are there in Pretoria, it's where his body is lying in state. It will be there for three days, there to say goodbye and to pay tribute to him, but what will happen next? I mean, he will be taken to his home village. What will happen there?

SISAY: Yeah, his body will lie in state, as we say, for three days here in the union building and then on Saturday it will be flown to Mthata in the Easter Cap.

And really we're going to see a real shift. What we're seeing is a lot of protocol here in the capital here in Pretoria. And we see that the government very much at the forefront taking charge of the body of Nelson Mandela. But what will happen on the weekend will be entirely different. At that point, it is the Thembu clan to which Nelson Mandela belongs, they will supersede the government, so to speak. The tribal elders will take possession of the body when it arrives in Mthata.

And then we expect the body to be basically moved by road in a hearse essentially, in a procession, giving people of the Eastern Cape an opportunity for them to say goodbye to Nelson Mandela. They will line the streets, we expect, to say their farewell. And then on Sunday there will be that state funeral. And that is when he will be laid to rest on a windswept hill there in Qunu, his childhood home. He'll be laid to rest by the side of his three children that died many years ago.

And we expect this to be very much a private affair, very much a tribal affair where we shall see the rituals and the customs of the Thembu people really come to the fore -- Kristie.

LU STOUT: All right. Isha Sisay reporting live in Pretoria. Thank you.

And while today's mood in South Africa has been sombre, at Mandela's memorial service on Tuesday, there was an atmosphere of celebration for his incredible life and achievements. Now Arwa Damon met some of the many mourners who traveled for hours to pay their final respects.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(CROWDS SINGING)

CROWDS (singing): Nelson Mandela! Nelson Mandela!

(CROWDS SINGING)

ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Some of these people have been waiting for three hours just to get on this bus. So cramped in here that a short while ago, some of these gentlemen almost fell outside the door. But everyone, as you can see, incredibly excited to finally be on their way.

(CROWDS SINGING)

DAMON (voice-over): And once dropped off, despite some initial confusion...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Where are we going? Which way? This side or this way?

DAMON: ...the mood is utterly infectious.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I love you!

UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: I feel good!

DAMON (on camera): Yes? Why?

UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: Because I'm going to his -- I'm going to my father and people to see Mandela today.

DAMON: We're being absolutely mobbed with people. They just want to express how much they love, and their sheer gratitude for the man that has utterly transformed this nation.

UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: I love you, Tata! Rest in peace!

(CROWDS SINGING)

DAMON (voice-over): The stadium, cold, wet, and absolutely electric. And at times, emotional. This man said he was too overwhelmed to speak to us.

(APPLAUSE)

DAMON: Tholwana Molefe came with her friend, arriving at 5:00 AM just to make sure they got in. She's 25, a banking assistant, a life she knows she owes to Mandela.

THOLWANA MOLEFE, ATTENDED MEMORIAL: I wouldn't have had the opportunities that I had, the kind of education that I had, the kind of job I have right now, and all the possibilities that still lie ahead of me wouldn't be possible had it not been for him and the other struggle heroes.

(CROWD CHANTING)

DAMON: South Africa could have been a Syria or an Iraq. Instead, it's an example of what can happen when people find the capacity to forgive and unite. Lessons we can all stand to learn, and lessons South Africa must make sure it doesn't forget.

MOLEFE: The most important thing is to the leadership that we have right now to follow in his footsteps in order for us to eradicate all the problems that the country still faces.

(CROWD CHEERING)

DAMON: Arwa Damon, CNN, Johannesburg.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: And coming up on News Stream, a new CNN Freedom Project documentary exposes the child's sex trafficking trade in Cambodia. Actress and activist Mira Sorvino tours one community where we're told some children are sold into the trade by their own parents.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: That's a live view of Hong Kong. Welcome back. You're watching News Stream.

Now, let's look at this, a visual version of all the stories we've got in the program today.

Now we started with TIME's Person of the Year going to Pope Francis. And a little bit later in the show we'll tell you the amazing story of how one American family was stranded in the freezing wilderness for two days, but then they survived.

Now let's go to Cambodia where a new CNN Freedom Project documentary is focusing attention on a horrible crime: child sex trafficking. Now this documentary it debuts this week and it features the Oscar winning actress Mira Sorvino. Now she traveled to Cambodia and toured a community that has become known for the sex trade. Now she was with the activist Don Brewster who moved to Cambodia to help rescue victims and to care for survivors. Now here is a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MIRA SORVINO, ACTRESS: Don says the children of Sweipak (ph) are still sold for sex every day, it's just gone underground.

Many are sold as virgins by their own parents. As we walk along the dirt roads, Don points out a table of men playing cards. He says they're there every day.

DON BREWSTER, ACTIVIST: Instead of caring for their family or working, they sit there and gamble and drink all day because they traffic kids, including their own.

SORVINO: These guys do?

BREWSTER: Yep. Yep. These guys right here. It's...

SORVINO: Their own. They traffic their own children?

BREWSTER: Their own kids as well as others, not just their own. See. See what happens when the light comes.

SORVINO: Yeah. Yeah. Roaches scatter when the light comes. That's what happens, the roaches and the rats scatter when the light comes.

I just want to yell at them. But I don't know if it's going to happen if I yell at them.

BREWSTER: Well, you know what the truth is?

SORVINO: What?

BREWSTER: They think they're untouchable because they have them.

SORVINO: Do you think any of them speak English?

BREWSTER: No. No. Most of them speak Vietnamese.

SORVINO: I knew they probably wouldn't they understand me and that it wouldn't make any difference at all, but I felt compelled to say something, as futile as it might be.

I just want them to know that the world is watching them, you know, I just want them to know that there's a tally being taken.

Yeah, we're filming. It's not OK to sell children. It's not OK to sell children to pedophiles. It's not OK. And the world is watching.

Protect your children, do not hurt your children, protect them.

Oh, god. I can't deal with it. I can't deal with the reality of it.

BREWSTER: It's. You know...

SORVINO: I know. I know. I know. Jesus Christ. Oh, my god. Sorry, I feel like I'm going to cry every moment of this entire experience. I've been so afraid of this experience. I've been like, you know, because -- you know, I've met a lot of survivors, but I haven't been in the -- you know, the environment where it's happening every day, every day. That they would sell their own children. I mean, when I think about how much I love my own children, my -- if they'd do it to their own children, they would do it to any children.

BREWSTER: Oh, yes.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: And be sure to tune in for more on that story. CNN's Freedom Project documentary again featuring the Academy Award Winning actress Mira Sorvino. It's called "Every Day in Cambodia." It airs Saturday, 8:00 pm in London, 9:00 pm in Berlin.

Now, clashes break out in Ukraine's capital after riot police move in on anti-government protesters, sparking criticism from the U.S. and others.

Also ahead, a truly amazing story from the U.S. state of Nevada where a family was rescued after two days in the frigid cols. And we'll tell you what they did to survive.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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

Now TIME has named Pope Francis its 2013 Person of the Year. Now since he was elected pope in March, the pontiff has called for a shakeup of the Catholic Church. He is known for being humble. And he's a strong advocate for the poor.

Now in South Africa, the body of Nelson Mandela is lying in state in Pretoria. The public will have three days to pay their respects before his body is flown to Qunu, his home village.

We're looking at live pictures there of dignitaries visiting the body of Nelson Mandela as it lies in state. And the state funeral is planned for Sunday.

Now Thailand is bracing for possible violence after supporters of the prime minister, the so-called red shirts, vow to protect the government from anti-government protesters. Now Yingluck Shinawatra is refusing to step down ahead of the election she's called for February.

Now U.S. congressional leaders say that they have reached a bipartisan deal on a federal budget. Negotiators reached agreement on spending levels and their plan would ease some forced cuts set to hit next year. Now lawmakers, they still have to vote on it.

Now Ukraine's interior minister says that there will be no crackdown on anti-government protests in the capital Kiev, that's according to the country's state run media. Now its comments come after clashes earlier on Wednesday between authorities and demonstrators.

Now a few hours ago, van loads of riot police stormed city hall in an effort to drive out protesters who have been occupying the building. Now clashes also broke out overnight in Kiev's Independence Square. Hundreds of officers used chain saws and brute force to tear down barricades set up by the protesters.

And our Diana Magnay was there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DIANA MAGNAY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It's 2:00 in the morning and it would appear that the riot police have decided that this is the time to go into the square in full force. I don't know how we're going to get in, this is the only way down, and there are police three deep, but we'll try.

(inaudible) how they're going to push through these barricades which have been up there for a long time. You can see the protesters manning the barricades and there are hundreds of riot police here, but no easy access for them through into the square, which is exactly the way the protesters want it.

So the police have moved down here with chainsaws to try and saw through these barricades and also use brute force to pull them back. And it does look as though in that corner it is giving way.

Now you have this sea of helmets, of red helmets of the protesters against the black helmets of the riot police head on head. And we'll see what happens next.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: And that was Diana Magnay reporting from Kiev's Independence Square.

Now Ukraine's interior ministry says 10 police officers were injured in those clashes. And protesters have reported injuries as well.

Now, these demonstrations, they began last month after Presidnet Yanukovych suspended talks on a trade and political deal with the European Union. Now the protesters accuse him of moving away from integration with Europe to form closer ties with Russia. But on television on Tuesday night, Yanuckovych said that he is not choosing between east and west. However he said it is vital for Ukraine to stay on Russia's good side, because the country relies heavily on Russian natural gas.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VIKTOR YANUKOVYCH, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): I am strongly against opposing relations with Europe in favor of relations with Russia and vice versa. We need to find a way to reunite. I think Europe will sleep peacefully and warm if Ukraine has good relations with Russia. If there are no such conflicts like when we were shut off from gas. This is unacceptable. So we need to protect our own interests.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: Now Yanukovych was referring to a dispute of January of 2009 that led to Russia shutting off gas to Ukraine leaving it and several European countries that get Russian gas via Ukraine literally in the cold.

Now, time for a look at the global weather forecast and a focus on bad air quality in China, which is also affecting people here in Hong Kong in a big way. Let's go straight to Mari Ramos. She joins us from the world weather center.

And Mari, the haze here has been horrendous.

MARI RAMOS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It has. For a few days already, Kristie.

Look at the picture here behind me. This is Beijing. And when we are envying the air quality in Beijing that had a rare blue sky day today, you know that there's something a little bit amiss, right?

This is a picture taking a look at the city. And it looks actually beautiful, right? You can still see a little bit of haze closer to the ground, but compared to this, and this is Hong Kong, Kristie. This is the view from outside of our bureau earlier today and pretty, you know, pretty nasty stuff when you look at it that way.

And visibility obscured. It's of course very dangerous for people to breathe. You have to limit your outdoor activities and it completely shrouds the entire skyline.

It can be very dangerous, especially if you have any kind of health problems. It's really a very serious situation for people in this part of the world.

Now, this is a picture -- do you remember what you were doing on Monday, December 2? Because it was a beautiful day in Hong Kong. Clear air, nice temperature. This is what it looked like from a satellite perspective. Look at the difference to now. All of this is smog and pollution that has just blanketed not just Hong Kong, but much of southeastern China here.

And then of course you have clouds here farther to the south. That's a little bit different. It does add to the visibility problems. But the main concern is the smog and the pollution.

I want to show you something pretty interesting. And this is from the Hedley Environmental Index. And from the school of public health the University of Hong Kong.

And what you're looking at here, it says right over here that there were 12 preventable deaths. And this was just from midnight last night to today. So this is pretty significant when you look at it as it tells us what the effects of this pollution problems in Hong Kong.

I actually like this one, too. It also gives you the air quality from safe to very dangerous. And you can see the line right now pointing into the very dangerous mode. That's, you know, pretty serious especially again when we talk about long-term.

I'm going to go ahead and tweet this website a little bit later and you can look at it yourself. It talks about it in November, how many deaths from air pollution happened in the Hong Kong area alone, how many hospital beds they say we had related to, all these kinds of stuff. And of course down here in Hong Kong dollars it gives you the amount of money that all of this is costing.

And like I said, Hong Kong is not alone in all of this, let's go to the other website. And this one, you're a little bit more familiar with it. The air quality index from eastern China. And you can see right over here that all of these areas in the darker reds, those are the areas that have the worst areas of pollution, the purples also.

Look at about 495, those numbers just continue to go up. And even though Beijing had a little bit of air, better air quality, they are expected to again start going downhill a little bit more as we head into the next couple of days. And the air becomes very, very still.

You get high pressure in place and that's how you end up with these bad air days. We have a big area of high pressure that is sitting along this region here. And that prevents any kind of mixing from the atmosphere. So when you have that mixing, those pollutants get trapped close to the ground.

Something else that's happening in Hong Kong. You have that shore, that offshore flow coming in with winds generally coming off the mainland. And of course that's where a lot of these huge factories are. Even though Hong Kong does produce its own pollution, a lot of it does come from mainland China and from those areas that have those larger factories are producing a lot of that smog and fog.

Very quickly, I do want to update you on the weather across Europe. And Kristie you showed us pictures from Kiev just a little while ago. The actual air temperature there is minus 6. When you factor in the wind it feels more like minus 10 or 15 in some cases, depending on how hard the wind is blowing. Minus 11 in Moscow. And notice cold, cold air across much of Europe right now, particularly in the south and east of the continent.

I want to go ahead and move there very quickly. And we have a big winter storm that is moving across the eastern Mediterranean. Back to you.

LU STOUT: All right. Mari Ramos there, thank you.

Now a family in the U.S. state of Nevada is very, very thankful to be alive after spending two nights stranded in the mountains in subzero temperatures.

Now this nightmare for them, it began on Sunday when a car rolled off a road.

Now CNN's Stephanie Elam is in Lovelock, Nevada with this amazing story of survival. She joins us now live. And Stephani, how did this family manage to survive?

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's pretty amazing, Kristie. And we are in a very rural part of the western United States. There's a lot of terrain out here, a lot of places for them to be lost.

But what they did, we use a lot of ingenuity and they were clever and stayed together and that's how they stayed alive.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELAM: An incredible finale to a dramatic story of survival. A Lovelock, Nevada, family of six, including four young children were found alive and in fairly good condition Tuesday after being stranded in the rugged terrain of Seven Troughs mountain range, about 120 miles northeast of Reno. Family, friends, and search teams says this rescue is truly a miracle.

CHRIS MONTES, HELPED WITH RESCUE: It was a huge relief. I was expecting the worst.

SHERIFF RICHARD MACHADO, PERSHING COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE: It was the work of a lot of people in the community.

ELAM: For two days, search teams and more than 200 volunteers covered 6,000 square miles by air and land, off-roading through the snow and mud in search of James Glanton, his girlfriend, Christina McIntee, and the children, ages three to 10. According to police, the family set out to play in the snow on Sunday when their jeep slowly tipped over in the soft snow, slipping and then completely overturning down a ravine. The conditions at the time of the accident, brutal, with temperatures plunging to 21 degrees below zero. But officials say Glanton and McIntee did a fabulous job of keeping their kids and McIntee's niece and nephew warm. The 34-year-old father even heated rocks to battle the biting cold.

DR. DOUGLAS VACEK, PERSHING GENERAL HOSPITAL: The first thing he did was built a fire. And I think that really prevented any serious medical problems for them.

ELAM: Police say it was a joint effort that led to the family's rescue Tuesday afternoon. A couple of pings from Glanton's cellphone eventually led pacific air patrol to the family. Meanwhile, Glanton's friend, using binoculars, also located them while scanning the mountainside.

MONTES: He's one hell of a guy, that's for damn sure. He kept them alive and warm, and my hat's off to them, because not a lot of people are capable of that.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ELAM: And just some slight hypothermia symptoms and some dehydration, but all in all the family is doing well, hopefully warming up here in the hospital where we are, spending the night here, but they should be released today, Kristie.

LU STOUT: That's great to hear. And you know what, props to the parents for keeping their family alive, a truly extraordinary story. Stephanie Elam reporting live from Nevada, thank you.

Now this was a moment that brought joy to a lot of people in Tokyo.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Tokyo.

(CHEERING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: But not everyone thinks winning the 2020 Olympics is a reason to celebrate. Up next on News Stream, we'll meet a man who associates the games with losing one of life's most important things.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: All right, you're looking at a hearing in the United States. It's happening right now. The hearing is taking an in depth look at the crash of Asiana Flight 214. Back in July, the plane, it crash landed in San Francisco killing three people. And now the National Transportation Safety Board in the United States is discussing the crash.

Now CNN's aviation correspondent Rene Marsh joins me now from Washignton. And Rene, what is the latest on the hearing looking into Asiana Flight 214?

RENE MARSH, CNN CORREPSONDENT: Well, we can tell you that that investigative hearing that you're looking at there just got underway literally minutes ago.

We know that Asiana Flight 214 came in too low and too slow at San Francisco's airport, but the NTSB not quite ready to officially say why at this point.

But here's what we do know. Today's hearing will focus on how automatic cockpit systems impact a pilot's workload. And we just learned a few minutes ago based on newly released information from the NTSB this morning three key points. NTSB investigators are concerned about pilots over reliance on automation specifically when it comes to the plane's auto- throttle. Now auto-throttle allows the pilot to preset how much power to send to the engine. That in turn sets the plane's speed. So think of cruise control in a car.

Now the NTSB says in this case, Asiana's pilots thought the auto-throttle was engaged, but it wasn't. So the air speed fell below the target speed. In other words, it was going too slow.

We also just learned moments ago the first officer who was in the jump seat, he warned more than four times about an excessive sink rate.

And lastly we just learned investigators are also keying in on the role of Korean culture, which shows a deference to rank and seniority, whether culture may have prevented good communications in the cockpit, that is something we know now investigators are looking into.

LU STOUT: So a number of factors being discussed there -- go ahead.

MARSH: No, we also spoke with a survivor of this crash. And you're looking at those images there. You know, he will never be the same and at this point he says he is essentially just waiting for answers.

LU STOUT: And hopefully we'll be getting answers soon as a result of this hearing which just started there in Washington.

Rene Marsh reporting for us. Thank you.

Now it is still nearly seven years away, but Tokyo is already gearing up to host the 2020 Summer Olympics. Now many people in the city are understandably excited, but not everyone feels that way. Paula Newton explains why.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAULA NEWTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Kohei Jinno says it doesn't look anything like the neighborhood where hew as born 80 years ago.

There is nothing left of it, he tells us, gesturing in the shadow of Japan's national stadium, the site of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and the start of a big headache for Jinno and his family, all were evicted from here years ago to make room for the stadium.

KOHEI JINNO, TOKYO RESIDENT (through translator): I dreaded the Olympics. I wouldn't have had to go through that terrible experience if there were no Olympics. I still hold a grudge.

NEWTON: Back then he had to give up his home, his tobacco shop, his sanity, he tells us. Well, guess what, it's like lightning has struck Jinno twice. He says he's been warned he may have to move again to make room for the new Olympic stadium.

JINNO (through translator): You'd expect them to ask for our support for the event, or offer us an apology. They had no such words for us. That made us even angrier.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Tokyo.

(CHEERING)

NEWTON: Earlier this year when the International Olypmic Committee awarded the 2020 games to Tokyo, it seemed there was near euphoria in Japan. Many believe it will boost the economy and national spirits.

The debate over the cost and legacy of the games has started in earnest. And the larger Olympic stadium to be built on the site of the old Olympic stadium has been taking a lot of the heat. The Japanese Olympic committee has already announced it will scale back parts of the new stadium, but...

TSUNEKAZU TAKEDA, JAPAN OLYMPIC COMMITTEE PRESIDENT: We promised the stadium in IOC. That's why we have to keep the promise 80,000 the seats and retractable seats and also retractable the roof. We don't change.

NEWTON: And so Jinno is still angry, still stressed about possibly uprooting his life all over again.

JINNO (through translator): I really think they will build a useless box. There's no need for a stadium of 80,000 people.

NEWTON: Still, the games do have plenty of supporters.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I am happy.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Maybe I'll go see the Olympics with my kid if I have one.

NEWTON: It sounds like a dream.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's like a dream, yes.

NEWTON: One man's dream is, well, you know the rest and so does Jinno, a man still hoping his Olympic journey will end differently this time.

Paula Newton, CNN, Tokyo.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: You're watching News Stream. And up next, even the most cold- hearted Grinches among us are suckers for a good holiday jingle. But few modern Christmas songs seem to stick. We'll take a look at why after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: Welcome back.

Now Jingle Bells, Silent Night, they're both well known Christmas classics. And they've been around for generations. But you might find it more difficult to name a recent Christmas hit. Jake Tapper tried to find out why.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JAKE TAPPER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As you're zipping around holiday shopping, attending religious services and generally spreading yuletide cheer, you are likely to notice something. You're jingle bell rocking to yourself, humming, the same tune, probably the same one as last year and the year before that one, too. "White Christmas" by Bing Crosby. Check.

The classic duet, "Baby It's Cold Outside." Check. That one premiered in the 1949 film "Neptune's Daughter" from MGM, this year's twist on it? Now you can hear it as sung by "The Gang" from "Duck Dynasty."

Every year, holiday stations churn out the same musty standards. The only twist, it seems, is who is belting them out. But no new songs seem to break the candy cane ceiling.

CHRIS KLIMEK, SLATE.COM: It's hard to figure out why it is that even though we still have the top stars of today writing original Christmas songs, none of them have really broken through.

TAPPER: Chris Klimek wrote a piece for slate.com pinning down this Christmas song trend. He points out that the latest modern holiday song to stick was, well, take it away, Mariah Carey with "All I Want For Christmas Is You."

KLIMEK: It's not that there are no more good Christmas songs coming out. It's that we as a culture have stopped embracing the new ones that do come out. It's been 19 years since Mariah Carey released "All I Want For Christmas Is You."

TAPPER: That's right. The newest of holiday standards is 19 years old. Before that, the "Waitress's Christmas Wrapping," now a perennial holiday song on the radio, came out in 1981. It's hard to write a new standard. Big pop names haven't stopped writing Christmas songs, it's just that we, the public, we have stopped embracing them, maybe rightfully so? Remember in 2008, Lady Gaga released "Christmas Tree." In 2010, Coldplay offered "Christmas Lights." How about 2011, Justin Bieber's "Mistletoe."

ANI JOHNSON, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF MUSIC BUSINESS, BERKLEE COLLEGE OF MUSIC: They want to do something that's popular with their fan base when really Christmas is about nostalgia, it's about harkening back to good times, to youth.

TAPPER: Ani Johnson is an associate professor of music business at Berkelee College of Music. She's worked in the music industry for years with everyone from Gloria Estefan to Parliament Funkadelic.

JOHNSON: With Gloria Stefan, it was really easy. Often times artists do this at a point of their career where they are trying to harken back to things that they did at the beginning of their career that were wildly popular.

TAPPER: Are we no longer willing to embrace new Christmas songs? Are we only willing to enjoy stars regurgitating classics like Bing Crosby and David Bowie with "Little Drummer Boy?" We have to wait for the next generation of holiday tune risk takers to see what holds and if anything sticks.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: And now I have a certain song stuck in my head.

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

END