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Tacloban, Philippines One Year After Haiyan; CNN Heroes: Pen Farthing; Fresh Violence in Jerusalem; Interview With Berlin Border of Lights Co-Creators; Interview with The Elephant Parade Founder Mike Spits; David Hasselhoff Remembers Fall of Berlin Wall

Aired November 07, 2014 - 8:00   ET

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


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

Now celebrations will be in full swing shortly in Berlin. We'll take you live to the German capital as it prepares to mark a pivotal moment in

world history.

Plus, fresh violence in Jerusalem. Clashes break out after Friday prayers.

And we'll check on reconstruction efforts in the Philippines one year after Super Typhoon Haiyan.

In just a few hours from now, celebrations to mark the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall will be in full swing in the

German capital.

Now one of the biggest events kicks off tonight with the border of light, a 15 kilometer stretch of lanterns that will light the route where

the Berlin Wall once stood. It's a reminder of the landmark that divided the city.

Now CNN was on the ground back in 1989 as the wall came down and we are there again today. Our Jim Clancy joins us now live from Berlin and

Jim, so good to see you. Tell us what is the mood there as Germany gets ready to mark this pivotal moment in world history?

JIM CLANCY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's really a good mood, Kristie, there no doubt about it. I mean, you just look at the weather, you know

you talk about the border of light and this wall, put it in context and let me just show you there were actually two walls that prevent East Germans

from moving to the West and you can see that this is the river that was the border between East and West. A lot of people lost their lives in that

river.

Today, a beautiful sunshine kind of day for Germans. And we've seen thousands of people, international visitors, that have come here

specifically for this event.

Now the border of light is going to be about 13 kilometers, or some 18,000 separate light installations, but really are balloons where this

wall was heavy and foreboding. This is light. It weighs almost nothing. Those blues are going to be released later.

We got a chance to talk to the two brothers that have been working on this project, I understand, for the past five years. Listen to what they

had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARC BAUDER, CO-DESIGNER OF LICHTGRENZE: When we moved to Berlin -- we are from the south of Germany -- then there was nothing there of the

wall anymore. And we were a bit disappointed that it had been grown over, the scars, so fast. So we thought we should something about it and bring

it back on eye level like the mark, like something light, something that people like -- balloons and light attracting people. It's something new to

for a beginning. And this is what we will have here tonight.

CHRISTOPHER BAUDER, CO-DESIGNER OF LICHTGRENZE: I think it's important to understand what separation meant to a city and to the people

to celebrate the wall came down. So what we tried to do in the first two days is like to separate the city, give them information about what

separation meant like pictures we do and films. And then get their own impression of what it -- what great feeling it was that people came

together to bring down the wall and that was like a relief at the end.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CLACY: You know, it's going to be something that we haven't seen before in this capital. And it's going to be celebrated -- I said there's

8,000 separate lights, 8,000 separate people will be there as they turn them on and they're eventually going to release those balloons into the air

on November 9 -- Kristie.

LU STOUT: It sounds like a beautiful and powerful art installation. I can't wait t see the video of it being fully illuminated.

Now Jim, you have been driving through Berlin. You scored the Benz. Fred Pleitgen, he got stuck with the Trabant. But what did you learn

during that journey?

CLANCY: I learned that it was really good to win the toss, that's number one, because I can tell you that Trabant was not a comfortable car

by any stretch of the imagination.

But I think what you learn as well, Kristie, is that the history of Berlin, the history of this divide is really written in many different

parts of the city on both sides. Take a look at that now.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CLANCY: The city didn't just divide the city on the front lines of the Cold War, it also divided its people. The Church of Remembrance, this

area became the new center of West Berlin.

FRED PLEITGEN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: While the Communists tried to show their superiority by building the gigantic broadcast tower on

the Alexander Platz (ph).

CLANCY: But the two sides quickly drifted apart. West Germany's economy became strong and people could afford cars like this Mercedes.

PLEITGEN: Meanwhile, the East stagnated. People were lucky to even get their hands on the unreliable Trabant.

The border between East and West Berlin was sealed overnight on August 13, 1961. Some of the most dramatic scenes happened right here at the

(inaudible).

As the wall was increasingly fortified, thousands tried to flee to the West. Very soon, guards were given orders to shoot to kill anyone who

tried to get out.

CLANCY: West Berliners could do little but look on as families were torn apart. But America took a stand. President John F. Kennedy came to

Berlin in 1963 and delivered an unforgettable speech right here at Schoneberg City Hall.

Hundreds of thousands gathered as the U.S. president vowed America would not let Berlin fall to Communism.

JOHN F. KENNEDY, 35TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Ich bin ein Berliner.

(CHEERS)

PLEITGEN: But the Communists tightened their grip on East Germany. The wall's death strip was upgraded and living conditions got worse.

Most people were forced to live a dull life in Communist high rise blocks with virtually no chance of realizing their personal dreams.

CLANCY: Meantime, the West kept the pressure up. On June 12, 1987 West Berliners gathered a the victory column, while down the street

President Ronald Reagan demanded that Moscow end the divide.

RONALD REAGAN, 40TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATE: Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.

(CHEERS)

CLANCY: That happened on November 9, 1989 when the bankrupt East German regime opened the border and finally gave its citizens freedom.

Today, Germany is united, its economy stronger than ever.

PLEITGEN: Thanks to the people of both East and West Germany and the allies who never backed down in their fight against Communism.

Fred Pleitgen...

CLANCY: Jim Clancy...

PLEITGEN: ...CNN...

CLANCY: ...Berlin.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: Wow, it's really creative a revelatory storytelling there. And Jim, so much has changed you keep telling us in your reports and your

live reports as well. so much has changed in the last quarter century. But could you take us back to the human drama that you witnessed 25 years

ago when people there in East Germany, they've literally hammered that wall to the ground? What was that moment like? And what was it like to cover?

CLANCY: They hammered -- it was exhilarating. I don't think any of us ever expected it, Kristie. I know the diplomats didn't expect it. They

thought it would take military force to bring down the wall. People just didn't imagine it.

Yes, East Germany was in bad economic shape, but when people were actually able to get up on a wall -- a wall that they would have been shot

trying to even approach and were able to take sledgehammers to it and pickaxes, they were just exhilarated beyond words. They felt that they had

been victorious.

They had sought, really many of them, just to visit the West, just to have that freedom. That was all they were thinking on that night, break

down this wall, it's ugly. It's holding us back. It's holding back all of our lives.

And there's no other word than exhilarating and joy. These words really capture the feeling that night as people saw the wall come down with

their own bare hands.

LU STOUT: Exhilaration and joy: and 25 years on you are back there once again to report and also to celebrate. Jim Clancy joining us live

from Berlin. Thank you so much and take care.

Now the American TV star David Hasselhoff was also strangely linked to this momentous event in world history. Hasselhoff, he famously climbed on

top of the Berlin Wall and captured the hearts of newly reunited East and West Germans with his song "Looking for Freedom."

Now he sat down with Hala Gorani to tell us about the impromptu performance that made him a part of history.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HALA GORANI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Around the world, David Hasselhoff is know for a couple of things: Baywatch of course, and talking to a smartcar

on the 80s show Knight Rider. But in Germany, the Hoff is famous for something else as well: the American singer who lit up his leather jacket

and belted out "Looking for Freedom," a song that became somewhat of an anthem in divided Berlin.

I caught up with Hasselhoff on the set of a new TV show in London.

DAVID HASSELHOFF, ACTOR/SINGER: I knew that that night that I sang would, you know, other than the birth of my children, it would be the

highlight of my life.

GORANI: Well, how do you explain your appeal in Germany? It's one of these things, your name is often preceded by the sentence, he's big in

Germany. Why?

HASSELHOFF: It's gone through every kind of change or porthole you could think of. It's gone from being respected to being laughed at to

being humiliated to being revered. Some people in East Germany were calling "Looking for Freedom" they hymn because they sang about hope.

The 90s heartthrob actor that came to be associated with a certain kind of sappy soft rock says he's still passionate about Berlin.

Last year, he joined demonstrators protesting to preserve a section of the wall, even treating them to a rendition of that song.

And now he's fronting a special national Geographic Documentary Hasselhoff versus the Berlin Wall, marking the anniversary.

HASSELHOFF: Nat Geo called me and said let's -- would you host Behind the Berlin Wall? And I said absolutely. So I got to go into East Berlin

into the Stasi prison camps where they have over 220,000 people, interrogated at times. It was unbelievable.

The people he met still seem to remember his song, he says.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): It meant a hell of a lot to everyone.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: In East Germany it was our hymn, our hymn.

GORANI: But does he, as some have reported, feel he was instrumental in the wall coming down? In other words, does he deserve more credit for

all of this?

So you felt like you did your part there? I mean, you felt like...

HASSELHOFF: No.

GORANI: What do you think your part was?

HASSELHOFF: My part was I happen to be a guy singing a song about freedom, you know, and it was an opportunity to be a part of history. And

why now? And to celebrate freedom. I was just happen to be at the right place at the right time with the right song.

So, this was a once in a lifetime event. And I knew that it was going to be pretty amazing. So...

GORANI: A night a quarter century ago that for the Hoff sounds like it could have been yesterday.

HASSELHOFF: It's a little small for me now. But it still works 25 years later.

GORANI: Hala Gorani, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: Wow. That jacket, that scarf, that moment in history.

Now Hala Gorani, Jim Clancy, Fred Pleitgen will bring you special reports all weekend long. Our special coverage live from Berlin kicks off

later today, 17:00 Central European Time.

Now, let's turn to the Middle East. Now after days of unrest, Jerusalem is braced for further clashes around Friday prayers. Now a

reporter there says Palestinians have been throwing rocks and lighting tires. And Israeli forces have responded with rubber bullets and stun

grenades.

Now the unrest is taking place outside the home of the 38-year-old Palestinian driver who drove his van into a train station killing two

Israelis, including a 17-year-old who died just hours ago.

Now Jerusalem has been rocked by violence in recent days over the status of a holy site which Jews call the Temple Mount and Muslims call the

Noble Sanctuary.

And we want to update you now on Phil Rudd. The drummer for the rock group AC/DC will not be charged with trying to have two men killed. Now

prosecutors in New Zealand, they dropped the charge against Rudd saying there was not enough evidence, but he is still charged with threatening to

kill and drug possession.

Now you're watching News Stream. Still to come on the program, return to Tacloban one year after Typhoon Haiyan. And while there has been

progress, tens of thousands are still not in permanent homes.

Plus, ex-Navy SEAL breaks ranks and a code of secrecy and claims he shot Osama bin Laden in the raid on the Pakistan compound in 2011.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: Welcome back.

Now a former U.S. Navy SEAL has breached the code of silence. He claims that he fired the bullet that killed Osama bin Laden three years ago

in Pakistan. But exact details about that night are hard to pin down.

Brian Todd is following the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A former Navy SEAL comes forward, saying he's the man who killed Osama bin Laden. Sources in the

special operations community tell CNN national security analyst Peter Bergen Robert O'Neil claims to be the shooter. O'Neil is a decorated former

SEAL from Montana, who now works as a motivational speaker.

ROBERT O'NEIL, FORMER NAVE SEAL: My name is be Robert O'Neil. I was a Navy SEAL for almost 17 years. I was involved directly with combat since

9/11 started.

TODD: O'Neil's account is three SEALs moved to the third floor of the bin Laden compound. He told "the Washington Post" he fired a shot which

struck bin Laden in the forehead. The terrorist leader died instantly, he said, his skull split by the first bullet.

But sources in SEAL team 6, the unit which conducted the bin Laden raid, gave Peter Bergen had another version, illustrated in this animation.

They say after three SEALs moved up the stairs, another SEAL fired fatal shot from the area of the stairs leading to bin Laden's floor as bin Laden

peered out the door of his bedroom.

PETER BERGEN, CNN SECURITY ANALYST: Most of the people in the SEAL community I've spoken to say that the night that bin Laden was killed,

somebody called the point man who is never going to identify himself publicly, was the guy that took first shot at bin Laden and winged him and

then bin Laden collapsed on the ground in his bedroom and he was finished off by two other SEALs.

TODD: Those two SEALs, according to Bergen's sources, Robert O'Neil and Matt Bissonnette who wrote the book, "No Easy Day about the raid,"

separately a U.S. military official told CNN's Barbara Starr there was a SEAL named Robert O'Neil on the mission, but they don't know if O'Neil

fired the kill shot. Bergen acknowledges the scene was confusing.

BERGEN: It was a night with no moon. There was no electricity in the house. It was a helicopter had crashed. There were two or three fire

fights. These guys were wearing night vision goggles so, and the whole event of killing bin Laden, my guess, took place in ten seconds.

TODD: The head of the SEAL command sent a letter in recent days reminding SEALs not to break their code of silence, warning of, quote,

"judicial consequence if they do." Former SEAL John McGwire says neither O'Neil or Bissonnette should have spoken about the bin Laden raid.

JOHN MCGWIRE, FORMER NAVE SEAL: Everybody wants to know how special operations most do things. Our enemy wants to know more than we do. And we

have to protect future missions and other Americans' lives.

BERGEN: We tried to reach Robert O'Neil directly and through his representatives, we could not get him to comment. O'Neil told "the

Washington Post," the SEALs expected that bin Laden compound to be heavily guarded and booby trapped and said this was the first mission where he

thought he would likely be killed.

Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: You're watching News Stream. And coming up, rebuilding Tacloban: a year after Typhoon Haiyan's rampage, we take a look at how far

the Philippines city has come and what more needs to be done.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: Coming to you live from Hong Kong, you're back watching News Stream.

Now one year ago, Super Typhoon Haiyan made landfall in the Philippines, launching a trail of destruction that plunged parts of the

country into disaster.

And CNN was there as the storm swept through Tacloban.

Now Typhoon Haiyan took away more than 6,000 lives, millions more lost their homes. One month later, almost 2,000 people remain missing.

But through it all survivors have risen to the challenge, showing resilience in the face of complete devastation. And little by little,

Tacloban is picking up the pieces.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: One year on, after Super Typhoon Haiyan swept through the central Philippines, Tacloban is getting back on its feet.

Much of the debris has been cleared, new houses are being built. Shops and businesses have reopened. But there's still a long way to go

with tens of thousands of people still forced to live in temporary housing.

According to officials, social problems like domestic violence have also spiked as people struggle to find jobs or rebuild their lives.

Many are frustrated at the slow pace of progress. Long delays mean a major government rebuilding program was only just approved last month. The

nearly $4 billion masterplan is designed to create millions of jobs and reconstruct devastated areas.

The central aim is to build back better and safer so the Philippines of the future can withstand these powerful storms.

Haiyan's strength when it hit land was unprecedented in history. But with around 20 typhoons impacting the Philippines every year, it's a

problem the nation must deal with head on.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: And I want to show you again the dramatic difference. This is the coastline around a week after the storm. And this is the same spot

today.

Now for a closer look at Tacloban's progress and what more still needs to be done there, I spoke to Sandra Bulling from CARE International. Now

she was in Tacloban when the storm hit and she is back there again this year.

And I started by asking what struck her the most on her return?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SANDRA BULLING, CARE INTERANTIONAL: The thing that struck me most was actually my feeling of surprise when I arrived here. When I drove through

Tacloban now a year later, and to actually see an almost normal Asian city again. It is -- you have stores that are freshly painted and we build and

sell everything from sandals to the latest mobile phone models. You have bustling markets where you can buy food on the street. You have

restaurants, even karaoke bars that have already set up again.

And to me it is fascinating to see that the progress that has already been achieved here so far. And of course you have some challenges. There

are still people living in makeshift shelters and tents but if I wouldn't have seen it with my own eyes a year that this has been the scene of

complete destruction by one of the strongest storms in history, I wouldn't believe it.

LU STOUT: It is incredible and very wonderful to hear that so much progress have been made, especially after the storm. 4 million people were

displaced, but yet you mentioned it just then, tens of thousands of people still living in temporary shelters. Why is that?

BULLING: Well, it is because it's been -- a year can be very long and very short. And a disaster on such a massive scale, it takes time to

rebuild houses for everybody. It takes time to procure the shelter materials, to really also find out where people have lived, what are the

land rights.

It is not that easy to completely rebuild an entire island, or actually many more islands that have been destroyed within a year. And

reconstruction just takes time as well as helping people get an income again.

Yet at the same time, I've just come back from a village this morning where we at CARE have finished the last one of about 104 buildings that the

villagers have rebuilt themselves. So they have a roof over their head again. They're extremely grateful for all the donations that came in from

around the globe and that they at least have a safe roof over their head that are protected and that they can move on to earn an income again and

get back on their feet.

LU STOUT: But I still don't want to give our viewers the thought that somehow everything is OK in the storm zone one year on. As you said just

then, recovering from such a massive storm as Super Typhoon Haiyan. The recovery effort is something that's not going to take place within one

year.

So, how great is the need and what is the priority today?

BULLING: The priority is still for those about 95,000 families who live in these flimsy makeshift shelters or in tents that will be destroyed

if there's a new storm, or even strong winds coming.

So the priority obviously is for those people who still live in these shelters to get them a safe roof over their head.

And the other main priority at the moment is to help all these other families, for example, the 6 million workers who have lost their income and

their livelihoods because coconut farms have been destroyed, fishermen have lost their boats. So these people need to earn an income again. And they

haven't been -- many of them haven't been able to do so, yet, because they were first of all busy making sure their families have something to eat and

that their houses are rebuilt.

So, we at CARE and other organizations are actually giving people cash grants so that they can set up a business again. For example, women can

open a small store and sell goods, or fisherman can buy their equipment again.

But it takes time to reach everybody, because we have to remember there are around 16 million people who have been affected by this typhoon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: And that was Sandra Bulling from CARE International. She says that her organization and others are helping people to build back

safer, that means all new housing should withstand another storm.

Now still to come right here on News Stream, we'll look at the moment when Communism began to lose its hold on Eastern Europe.

And, using art to help save Asian elephants. We'll hear the personal story behind this colorful parade.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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

Now former U.S. Navy SEAL Robert O'Neil told the Washington Post that he was the one who killed Osama bin Laden. A U.S. official confirmed to

CNN only that O'Neil was part of the raid in 2011, but sources tell CNN that it is difficult to determine who fired the shot that killed bin Laden

when at least two others in the room also fired their weapons.

A Rock Star accused of trying to have two men killed has had the charge dropped. Prosecutors office in New Zealand decided there was not

enough evidence against AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd. Now Rudd's lawyer says he is still charged with threatening to kill and drug possession.

The all important U.S. monthly jobs report has just come out showing 214,000 jobs were added in October. Now economists had predicted an

increase of 233,000 jobs. The unemployment rate, meanwhile, it fell to 5.8 percent.

And do join my colleague Maggie Lake and the rest of the World Business Today team in the next hour as the U.S. Labor Secretary Thomas

Perez breaks down these latest numbers.

Now people around the world all remember the moment when the Berlin Wall came down. And I even managed to find someone here in Hong Kong who

owns a piece of history. This, a piece of the wall. It is a chunk of history that reminds us of what Jim Clancy was telling us earlier in the

hour, the exhilaration of the moment and the promise of freedom from that night back in November of 1989.

Now the fall of the wall is the focus of the next installment of the landmark series Cold War. It marked the moment in the battle between

capitalism and Communism when Communism was losing its hold on Eastern Europe.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KENNETH BRANAGH, NARRATOR: On November 9, 1989 Gunther Schabowski told journalists in Berlin that restrictions on travel to the west would be

lifted.

The government meant the change to start next day, but Schabowski mistook the timing.

QUESTION: They take effect from now?

GUNTHER SCHABOWSKI, COMMUNIST OFFICIAL: Comrades, I was told a statement had already been made. Actually you should have it. According

to my information from today onwards -- immediately.

BRANAGH: The news flashed around the city. East Berliners rushed to see if the checkpoints in the walls were really opening.

CROWD: We'll be coming back.

BRANAGH: The border guards were baffled.

LOTHAR STEIN, EAST BERLIN BORDER GUARD (through translator): We didn't get any instructions from our superiors, none. Only, observe the

situation. We tried many times to speak to our superiors, but nobody got back to us.

You have to bear in mind that our soldiers were fully armed on this day as always and they had one order. We hadn't (inaudible).

BRANAGH: That order was to stop anyone trying to escape. But the crowds were huge now. Suddenly, the guards gave in. They opened the

barriers.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: Incredible archival video there.

And do tune in this Saturday for the next episode of CNN's landmark series Cold War. It's happening at 6:00 p.m. Hong Kong time.

A new report from the environmental investigation agency links a delegation that traveled with Chinese President Xi Jinping last year to

Africa's illegal ivory trade.

Now two traders told the EIA that members of a Chinese delegation to Tanzania bought thousands of dollars worth of poached tusks. And the items

were later sent back on China's presidential plane.

Now CNN reached out to Beijing for comment, but our calls were not returned.

Now the New York Times quoted a Chinese official who says the EIA report is false.

Tanzania has lost more elephants to poaching than any other country in Africa.

Now Asian elephants are also facing a battle for survival. And organization called The Elephant Parade is working to raise awareness and

money to help save them. I recently caught up with its founder to find out more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MIKE SPITS, CEO AND FOUNDER, THE ELEPHANT PARADE: My dad was in Chiang Mai for a holiday and then for the first time he did not know what

to do so somebody suggested him to visit an elephant hospital.

When he arrived, there was a little baby elephant that had stepped on a landmine and her name is Morsha (ph). She lost her leg because of the

landmine and it was a horrible sight.

So, he said, what are they going to do with her? And she said, well, if she survives we need to give her surgery and we have a dream and that's

to give her a prosthetic leg. But we need a lot of money for that, particularly even if an elephant is healthy, they eat about 200 kilos a day

of food. So it takes money and the medicine of course are larger dosages. It's -- everything is expensive with elephants.

But my father, his idea was instead of writing a check, maybe I can create something, which is sustainable, in which can work like a snowball

and for which we don't have to ask people for money, but that actually generates income and awareness at the same time

LU STOUT: This beautiful beast is part of The Elephant Parade's exhibition here in Hong Kong and, you know, I've seen all of these animals,

scores of them, just dotting throughout the city. Several of them went on auction the other night. How much money did you raise?

SPITS: We raised 2,150,000 Hong Kong dollars.

LU STOUT: Congratulations.

SPITS: Thank you very much.

LU STOUT: Curious which design got the highest bid?

SPITS: Those hearts in nature, that's I believe 260,000 dollars or 250,000 dollars.

LU STOUT: And what's the story behind this elephant parade creation?

SPITS: Well, this one was created in Chiang Mai in Thailand by our in-house art director. His name is Titi (ph), really nice guy, great

artist. And he made bright line it's called.

LU STOUT: Now we know that elephants are under the threat of ivory poachers, but what other dangers do they face?

SPITS: Well, actually, it's not only ivory poaching. Particularly in Asia it's habitat, it's space, it's a battle for space. And most Asian

elephants are threatened because of that. Poaching is definitely an issue, but it's an even bigger issue in Africa. But in Asia, it's particularly

space.

LU STOUT: So, in Asia the issue is habitat loss. And also humans as well. They can be threats.

SPITS: So, let's say if they are roaming and they go into the crops. There's a confrontation with the humans. And in most cases the elephants

will lose.

So -- but that's not the biggest problem. What's really is the biggest problem is habitat loss.

LU STOUT: And in Asia, how many elephants are left in the wild?

SPITS: We estimate between 35,000 to maximum 50,000 in all of Asia.

LU STOUT: Wow.

SPITS: Domesticated and living in the wild.

LU STOUT: That's it.

SPITS: So that's it. That's -- it's crazy if you look at the numbers, they've gone down dramatically and if we don't act now within 30

years the Asian elephant will go extinct.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: Now that was Mike Spits of Elephant Parade speaking to me earlier.

You're watching news Stream. And coming up, meet the CNN Hero who is reuniting soldiers with the dogs they left behind in the war zones where

they served.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: Now each week, we're shining a spotlight on the top 10 CNN Heroes of 2014. And this week's honoree brings comfort to soldiers with a

little help from man's best friend, reuniting soldiers from around the world with the stray animals they adopted while serving.

Meet Pen Farthing.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm deployed to Afghanistan three times. We head out and spend hours on guard. We come back and the dogs will be so excited

to see U.S. you forget you're half way across the world in a desert with hostile things going on.

PEN FARTHING, CNN HERO: On every street corner in Kabul you find stray dogs. Looking after dogs and cats relieves stress in your daily lives, and

so it holds true for U.S. soldiers as well. When I was serving in Afghanistan I actually thought it was quite unique looking after this dog,

but I was wrong.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Once we came close to leaving I knew I didn't want to leave them behind.

FARTHING: To date now, the organization has actually rescued over 650 dogs or cats serving soldiers from around the world.

Hello!

We help the stray animals out in the streets. There is a big problem with rabies. We're not just helping the animals, we're also helping the

Afghan people.

When we get a call from the soldier, we have to get the dog from wherever the soldier is to our shelter. We'll neuter, spay the dog, and

vaccinate against a variety of diseases. Then the animal starts his journey from Kabul to the soldier's home country.

(APPLAUSE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When I pulled Kate from inside of the crate I was so excited. I was even more excited that she remembered me. I couldn't

believe they're here. She's been such a help. She's a huge part of the transition being easier for me.

FARTHING: Had I never met him in the first place, none of this would have happened. My connection with Afghanistan stayed alive because of this.

So for me every time I look at him, it makes me smile.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: Now there is just one week left to help your hero become the CNN Hero of the Year. Just go to CNNHeroes.com to vote once a day

every day for the hero who inspires you the most.

And that is News Stream. I'm Kristie Lu Stout. And World Sport is next.

END