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Doctors Without Borders Call Air Strike a War Crime; Recovery Begins After South Carolina Flooding; Assessment of S.C. Dam Failures, Breaches; California Governor Signs Right to Die Legislation; Trans- Pacific Partnership Approved; ISIS Destroys Persian Empire Arch of Triumph; Death Toll Rises in Guatemala Landslide; Helping Women, Children Sold into Slavery by ISIS. Aired 2-3a ET
Aired October 06, 2015 - 02:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[02:00:22] ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: Outrage after the U.S. bombed a Doctors Without Borders hospital in Afghanistan. Now the group is demanding a war crimes investigation.
ERROL BARNETT, CNN ANCHOR: Plus, 18 dams have breached or failed in the wake of historic flooding in South Carolina. And the death toll is climbing.
CHURCH: And later, California's Governor Jerry Brown signs a controversial Right to Die bill into law.
BARNETT: Lots to get to in the next two hours. But first, we want to welcome our viewers here in the states and those of you watching from around the world. I'm Errol Barnett.
CHURCH: And I'm Rosemary Church. Thanks for joining us. This is CNN NEWSROOM.
More questions are being raised about the deadly air strike on a hospital in Afghanistan. The U.S. commander there says Afghan forces requested air support during their battle against Taliban militants in Kunduz.
BARNETT: But there are still no answers on how a sustained attack on the hospital took place at all. Three separate investigations are now underway.
Our Barbara Starr filed this update.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): International outrage after a hospital in northern Afghanistan was struck from the air by the U.S. The U.S. is investigating its role in the attack that left 12 medical staff and 10 patients, three of them children, killed, another 37 wounded.
The hospital is it run by the aide group Doctors Without Borders, a global charity that works in war zones. They call the attack a war crime. JOSH EARNEST, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Well, again, I wouldn't
use a label like that. This is something that continues to be under investigation.
STARR: Survivors described the horror to the BBC.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED BOMB SURVIVOR (through translation): There were flames all around me. I saw patients and doctors burned to death.
UNIDENTIFIED BOMB SURVIVOR (through translation): There was no place to hide.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STARR: The damage massive. An A.C. 130 gun ship like this struck the hospital with its onboard guns.
GEN. JOHN CAMPBELL, COMMANDER, U.S. MILITARY, AFGHANISTAN: The Afghan forces advised they were taking fire from enemy positions and asked for air support from U.S. forces. An air strike was then called to eliminate the Taliban threat and several civilians were accidently struck.
STARR: Doctors Without Borders says it gave the military the exact location of the hospital weeks ago. Furious with the Pentagon, saying, "They're description of the attack keeps changing, from collateral damage to a tragic incident, to now attempting to pass responsibility to the Afghanistan government. The reality is the U.S. dropped those bombs."
Defense Secretary Ash Carter trying to reassure the group.
ASH CARTER, DEFENSE SECRETARY: We've been in touch with them to assure them that a full and transparent investigation will be held.
STARR: Doctors Without Borders' general director says the Taliban were not at the hospital.
CHRISTOPHER STOKES, GENERAL DIRECTOR, DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS: If there was a major military operation ongoing there they would have noticed. That wasn't the case actually when the strikes occurred.
(GUNFIRE)
STARR: Contrary to first reports, U.S. forces were not under attack, just Afghan forces.
(GUNFIRE)
STARR: But nonetheless, a senior U.S. official says all strikes the Afghans asked for have strict approval procedures. Not all are approved.
Barbara Starr, CNN, the Pentagon. (END VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: And Sune Engel Rasmussen is a reporter for "The Guardian" newspaper, and he joins us now live from Kabul.
Sune, initially, this deadly attack was described as collateral damage, then a tragic accident, and now the U.S. commander in Afghanistan says Afghan forces called for air support while battling the Taliban, so when will we likely get some more answers from the NATO investigation, on how this hospital was attacked? And why has the Afghan president been silent on this matter?
SUNE ENGEL RASMUSSEN, REPORTER, THE GUARDIAN: That's right, Rosemary. The explanations keep changing a bit, and the coalition forces are saying they expect some results of this inquiry in a matter of days. How long that will take -- a matter of days is what they say.
Now, there are a lot of questions that remain to be answered, and from the statements that U.S. General John Campbell gave yesterday is not completely clear what actually what it means -- he said the Afghan forces called this an attack. That doesn't say anything about what the role of the U.S. Special forces on the ground was. This kind of power, military expression is very rare for this kind of military power to use as only after fighting in Kunduz, a hospital like this. Everything you just mentioned, they also said that the main building of the hospital was precisely and repeatedly hit, indicating that this was not an accident. Now, we don't know if the military knew it was a hospital they were shooting at. They were indicating they hit the building they were targeting.
[02:05:37] CHURCH: Yes. So many questions to be answered here, so what impact will this deadly and tragic impact have on the draw down of U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
RASMUSSEN: It's a good question. President Obama as plans to withdraw almost all U.S. troops by the end of next year, he will keep around 1,000 troops to be housed in the U.S. embassy in Kabul. Now, there is word from Washington that there may be reconsidered. Some media reported today the president is considering sending around 5,000 troops. It's a sign that the Afghan forces are containing the insurgency on their own. It's a sign that the training mission, the NATO right now is conducting in Afghanistan, has some difficulties, maybe not as thorough as complete as some people would hope, and that all leads to questions about how long the forces should stay, and when the Afghan security forces will take full responsibility of security in their own country. When that is, is still a little unclear. The Afghans would like that withdraw to be solved.
CHURCH: Sune Engel Rasmussen, keeping us up to date on the latest information. Bring us up to date there from Kabul. Sune, many thanks to you.
BARNETT: Other stories we're following. Officials in Yemen say at least a dozen people are dead after a rocket-propelled grenade attack on a hotel. This happened at the Al Casa Hotel in the port city of Aden. CHURCH: Pictures show smoke coming out of the hotel which is used by
government officials. The prime minister lives there, but it's not clear if he was actually in the building at the time. It's also not clear who's behind the attack.
Well, Turkey has summoned the Russian ambassador over air space violations this weekend. Turkey says a Russian war plane flew over a southern province on Saturday and its air force intercepted the jet.
BARNETT: The Russian plane continued into Syria and conducted air strikes. There was another incident on Sunday.
On Monday, Turkey's prime minister said Russia blamed bad weather.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN, TURKISH PRIME MINISTER (through translation): What we have received from Russia this morning is that this was a mistake. And that they respect Turkey's borders and this will not happen again. Turkey's rules of engagement apply to all planes, be they Syrian, Russian or elsewhere. Turkey's armed forces are very clearly instructed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BARNETT: Everyone has different views on this. Turkey and Russia don't see eye to eye over Syria. But Russia insists there was nothing sinister happening. NATO, on the other hand, called this incursion unacceptable.
CHURCH: The U.S. Coast Guard says it's focusing on the search for survivors, from a cargo ship that went missing near the Bahamas. Searchers have found debris from the vessel including a life boat and unidentified human remains.
BARNETT: 33 crew members were on board when the el faro disappeared in the midst of Hurricane Joaquin, they're no longer looking for the ship itself.
We turn now to recovery efforts in the U.S. state of South Carolina. Historic flooding has caused at least 11 deaths.
BARNETT: Two others were killed in North Carolina.
Officials say, so far, 18 dams have breached or failed. The rain has stopped, but as CNN's Boris Sanchez reports, the threat of rising floodwaters remains.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We're standing on Highway 301 in Manning. If you look behind me, there is water as far as the eye can see. This is a major highway that leads all the way to Florida, but we can see water at least for a mile, covering this entire stretch of road. There are businesses all around, cars submerged as well. Officials tell us they don't know exactly when this water will recede, likely in the coming days if not the coming week.
(voice-over): More rain pounding parts of South Carolina. Officials are warning residents the danger is not over yet.
[02:10:03] NIKKI HALEY, (R), GOVERNOR OF SOUTH CAROLINA: People are off the roads. They have really listened. But those that didn't listen, this is dangerous. This is very real.
SANCHEZ: Governor Nikki Haley said today there could be more evacuations, floodwaters likely to arise.
Crews across the state have been working around the clock, rescuing people from their homes and cars as floodwaters rise. In Georgetown County, the fire chief tells CNN, one man was found clinging to a tree after his truck was swept away by an overflowing river.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A witnesses saw the truck pulling around the barricade, and he was pulled into the ditch in strong water. I hope it sends a strong message. This guy could have lost his life.
SANCHEZ: The call to stay on the roads, echoed by officials across the state.
HALEY: This is not the time to take pictures. We have enough media out there that you can look at to see the pictures and see the views of what's happening in South Carolina.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Don't be stupid? I mean, that's the thing we keep saying, don't try to drive through flooded areas, you don't know how deep they'll be.
SANCHEZ (on camera): Crews are not only having to get to residents cars, but also, if you take a look behind me, that's a National Guard vehicle that came down as this bridge went out underneath it, is actually a car, just another sign of how powerful these floodwaters can be.
(voice-over): According to the governor, about 550 roadways and bridges are closed. Some completely washed out. In Clarendon County, dozens of streets are impassable.
In Georgetown, along the coast, business owners rushed to pump water out, even with the threat of high tide looming.
Thousands of residents in pockets of the state are also dealing with power outages and contaminated water due to sewage overflow.
(on camera): Despite the obvious problems here, there are some signs of progress. The lights are back on in town, and the water is slowly but surely receding. Again, we're not sure whether or not it's going to be raining in the coming days and making this situation possibly worse.
Boris Sanchez, CNN, Manning, South Carolina.
(END VIDEOTAPE) BARNETT: Joining me on the phone from Columbia, South Carolina, is Derrec Becker, the information officer for South Carolina's Emergency Division.
Derrec, thanks so much for your time. I know you're busy.
Let's get right to it. What's the latest assessment of the dam failures at breaches? And how much of a risk do they pose right now?
DERREC BECKER, INFORMATION OFFICER, SOUTH CAROLINA EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY (voice-over): Absolutely. We've received several reports of some localized voluntary evacuations issued by our local public response agencies in communities around the Columbia area due to dam concerns. We have reports of one dam being intentionally breached so it doesn't break further and they can control the water flow.
The president has declared a disaster for several counties in South Carolina. That will free up many programs to be made available to the citizens who were directly affected by this storm.
BARNETT: I should let our viewers know we have a bit of a distortion on the line, but we're going to power through this with you, because it's important information we want to get.
These floodwaters -- we're seeing some footage of it now -- they're projected to move southeast ward from the Carolinas down toward the Atlantic coastline. Five of the deaths so far are as a result of people trying to drive through these waters. How long do you think that flooding threat will remain?
BECKER: Everything we've been told by the state's hydrologist is that the flooding throughout the river system, unfortunately, is going to continue for at least the next couple days.
The good news is, that tomorrow is the first time in weeks we've had no precipitation, no rain predicted for the state, anywhere in South Carolina, so that's the good news.
The bad news is, the water that is here, will still be here. And many more communities further down the river could be put in harm's way, particularly homes, residential areas that are on waterways that are in the middle or next to smaller localized lake fills or dams.
So we're not out of this disastrous situation yet. We'll have many more emergency response activities to take place, but we are starting to transition into longer-term recovery operations.
BARNETT: And the top priority right now?
BECKER: Top priority is going to be life savings. We're encouraging people to stay home, to not go outside or get on the roadways, unless they absolutely have to. Save 911 for life, safety or- life- threatening emergencies only, I should say. This is still going to be a hazardous situation. There's going to be sporadic road closures into tonight and tomorrow. It's all going to be based on rapidly changing conditions. As some of the waters recede, they will start to rise elsewhere further down the water system.
BARNETT: Of course, do not try to drive through any of those flooded roads.
Derrec Becker, on the line with us from Columbia, South Carolina, the information officer for the Emergency Division there in the state. Thanks so much for your time today.
[02:15:17]CHURCH: And our meteorologist, Pedram Javaheri, joins us now.
As we've heard there, just because the rain has stopped doesn't mean the danger is over.
PEDRAM JAVAHERI, AMS METEOROLOGIST: That's a serious note to make. It will be sunny on Tuesday afternoon across South Carolina. It's rained tremendous amounts upstream as well. The way the land is, the water will want to flow downstream, we saw this in 2010 in Pakistan, it caused many fatalities downstream, in Thailand, 2011, we had upstream flooding down by the sea level area, a lot of that water flows downstream. The rain has stopped, it's going to stop here shortly at least. The conditions are not going to improve in the immediate future. Before and after images we're getting across the state capital of Columbia, South Carolina. You see the significant damage done to the property with the water coming in. I often talk about getting one foot of moving water the lateral force of that is 500 pounds. 220 kilograms, the amount of weight associated with the amount of water -- here's the rain at this hour. The last bout of what is left with the storm system, the drying condition goes to push into this region, it looks like conditions will want to improve, and certainly, psychologically at least, people finally see some sunshine over the region, the Appalachians get up to as high as 3500 feet. Roughly 1,000 meters. We have hundreds of rivers and tributaries. We're down to sea level. all of that water wants to flow, make its way into the Atlantic ocean. We know there's been so many blockages, so many areas where property is locking up, some of the rivers and dams. They have been jeopardized as well. It's a recipe for trouble if everything doesn't go perfectly well. Look at Joaquin, the remnants will become an extra tropical storm, meaning it loses tropical characteristics, and could impact portions of Western Europe by later this weekend. So the rainfall not done for just about everyone.
And you know, it always comes back to this climate change, related to what's happening here. What I've been telling people recently, we know our planet is warmer than it was in the 1970s. We have more water vapor, the more heat we have. We've seen on the order of 5 to 10 percent increase in the amount of rain we're seeing in any particular extreme rain event. Just about every single weather event, in some way, is related to climate change. You can't pinpoint a specific one.
BARNETT: Get used to storms like this?
(CROSSTALK)
JAVAHERI: The data supports more water coming down from storms.
BARNETT: All right.
CHURCH: But not in the right places a lot of times.
JAVAHERI: Unfortunately.
CHURCH: All right, thanks, Pedram
BARNETT: Pedram, thanks
California's governor signs landmark Right to Die legislation.
BARNETT: Coming up, we will hear from one opposition group that calls the new measure flawed. We're back in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
[02:20:35] KATE RILEY, CNN WORLD SPORTS ANCHOR: I'm Kate Riley, with your CNN "World Sport" headlines.
We start with the ongoing search for a new manager for Liverpool futbol club after Brendon Rogers was sacked on Sunday. Several big names are in the hat. Clarke is the overwhelming favorite. It's been reported that the 48-year-old Clarke is understood to be open to the idea of joining the team. Liverpool's owners, the Fenway Sports Group, intend to have a new manager in place for the Premier League trip to Tottenham on October 17th.
It's becoming the first host nation to be dumped out of the group. If the Rugby World Cup wasn't enough, England has another issue to contend with. World Rugby are investing reports that the England coaching staff made an illegal approach to match officials at half time. This happened during the humiliating loss to Australia on Saturday. The rule is that coaches can't approach officials during the match.
And on the eve of the New York Yankees first playoff game in three seasons, starting pitcher C.C. Sabathia has announced he's leaving the team and checking into an alcohol rehabilitation center. Sebathia says he owes it to himself and his family to get himself right.
That's a look at all your sports headlines. I'm Kate Riley.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BARNETT: We want to get you to the state of California where Governor Jerry Brown signed a landmark Right to Die bill into law. The measure would allow terminally ill patients to voluntarily end their lives using prescription drugs. Brown said he was inspired, in part, by pleas from Brittany Menard's family.
CHURCH: Menard was a terminally ill young woman who left California for Oregon so she could end her life.
Earlier, we heard from Christie O'Donnell, a single mom with stage four cancer, who has strongly advocated for this bill. She said its passing is bittersweet.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRISTIE O'DONNELL, CANCER PATIENT & RIGHT TO DIE ADVOCATE: After this long journey, today really has been just the culmination of so many people for so many years, you know, and ending with Brittany Menard's family, both her husband, Dan, her mother, Debbie, that I'm dear friends with, being involved with this, being terminally ill today is truly a bittersweet moment, both for my daughter and myself.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BARNETT: California now joins a handful of countries and other U.S. states that allow doctor-assisted suicide. The Netherlands was the first country to legalize assisted suicide in 2002. Luxembourg approved doctor-assisted suicide in 2009, only for adults. It is also legal in some conditions in Belgium.
CHURCH: In Switzerland, doctors can assist a patient seeking to die. But euthanasia itself is illegal. In the U.S., five states, Oregon, Washington, Montana, Vermont, and now California, allow doctor assisted suicide.
There are many that oppose the passing of this Right to Die bill, including the group, Californians Against Assisted Suicide.
We're joined by their spokesperson, Ken Barnes.
Thank you, sir, for speaking with us.
Explain to us, why don't you support a person's Right to Die if they're terminally ill and suffering intense pain. What are your main reasons for opposing the Right to Die legislation?
KEN BARNES, SPOKESMAN, CALIFORNIANS AGAINST ASSISTED SUICIDE: One of the challenges is that the legislation is actually modeled on the state of Oregon, which is a very homogenous, demographically and the way they look, income type state. Here in California, we have a much more diverse state. This endangers the lives of the high cost low income patients, those that don't have the means to speak for themselves, advocate for themselves.
(CROSSTALK)
CHURCH: Sorry to interrupt you. How does it do that, as we heard from the woman who spoke earlier, she said she has read through all of the legislation, and she hasn't found any proof of that being the case.
[02:25:10]BARNES: Well, it challenges for -- and let me be really clear. I feel horribly for Ms. O'Donnell, and I wish her nothing but the best, and that she finds comfort as she ends her life. The challenge that we have is, in California, if you're a low income person, you're poor, we're not like the rest of the other persons out there, if you're in the hospital and your reimbursement rate is lower, you're at the whims of hoping the insurance company does the right thing and doesn't look for the low cost alternative of a couple hundred dollars to end your life.
CHURCH: Under the structure of this legislation, you have to have two doctors that will prove the use of this drug. You have to be able to take the drug yourself. You have to be physically able to do that, and you have to have two witnesses present. It's a structured situation. Isn't the point of this to allow people to die with dignity? Would you want to take that away from a person who's suffering and slowly dying?
BARNES: It's not necessarily the taking away from a person who's suffering and dying. The challenge is, there's nothing in the law that protects someone from people who are pushing them -- persons in the hospital, they have family members that can't afford to be away and are at their hospital bed. They choose to terminate their life early. In Oregon, where this is modeled after, there is very few doctors who approve many of these. You have a situation of doctor shopping.
CHURCH: I think a lot of people would disagree with what you have to say, and this is a debate that will continue for now, of course --
(CROSSTALK)
CHURCH: -- it is five U.S. states who agree with this and many others that are trying to move in this direction, and we will watch this debate as it continues.
Ken Barnes, thank you so much for joining us.
BARNES: Thank you, Rosemary.
BARNETT: You are watching CNN NEWSROOM. When we come back, is destroys another priceless cultural relic in Syria.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[02:30:55] ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: A warm welcome back to our viewers here in the United States and all around the world. I'm Rosemary Church.
ERROL BARNETT, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Errol Barnett. Let's update you on the top stories this hour.
The U.S., NATO and Afghanistan will conduct investigations into the air strike on a hospital in Kunduz. The U.S. commander there says Afghan forces called for air support during the battle against the Taliban on Saturday. 22 people were killed at the Doctors Without Borders hospital.
CHURCH: Recovery efforts are underway in South Carolina, where historic flooding has caused at least 11 deaths in the state. Two others were killed in North Carolina. Rising floodwaters forced at least one dam to overflow, prompting a mandatory evacuation. Officials say 18 dams have breached or failed so far.
BARNETT: More than 50 people are dead after three separate suicide bombings in Iraq. ISIS has claimed responsibility for a car bombing that killed nine and wounded 22. Another bomb exploded near a crowded market, killing 45. Two people were killed by a car bomb in Baghdad.
CHURCH: A new international trade deal could lower the cost of many products we use every day, like cheese and cars.
BARNETT: The U.S., Japan and 10 other nations agreed on the Trans- Pacific Partnership in Atlanta on Monday. This landmark deal aims to strengthen economic ties by expanding trade among those nations.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL FROMAN, U.S. TRADE REPRESENTATIVE: -- have successfully concluded the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
(APPLAUSE)
FROMAN: After more than five years of intensive negotiations, we have come to an agreement that will support jobs, drive sustainable growth, foster inclusive development, and promote innovation across the Asia- Pacific region.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BARNETT: A little excitement there.
Let's bring in Andrew Stevens for more details on this agreement. As you see on your screen right now, he joins us live from Hong Kong.
Andrew, this deal still needs approval by all the local governments of the signatories. Where might some of the strongest resistance of the deal be? As encouraging as it is, it's not set in stone yet.
ANDREW STEVENS, CNN ASIA-PACIFIC EDITOR: It is encouraging, you're right. There is criticism and there has been not just in the U.S. but around the region the TPP region. It takes in the ring around the Pacific Ocean as you can see there. Just by the sheer fact that this is an election year in the U.S., 2016, when Congress will get to vote on the TPP means it's going to be a very political issue. We've already heard Donald Trump and Ted Cruz to Republican presidential hopefuls coming out to slam that deal. People saying this is a deal that favors big business over small business. Now, there's no doubt it's going to generate lots of extra money through extra exports. Tariffs on hundreds and hundreds of different goods will be cut. So the actual Benefits to real people will be there in the form of cheaper food and cheaper car parts, for example, but they're not all winners, because the big business. He says big business, with the economies will be able to ramp up production. Get cheaper prices at the expense of much smaller businesses around the region. We will be forced out of business or just won't be able to compete as easily. BARNETT: All right. But some of the resistance will come from groups
and nations that feel the jobs will be exported and they'll lose out. But there's also China's role in all of this. There are mechanisms within this deal for China to eventually become a member and a signatory. But the TPP itself is a kind of counterbalance pushed by the U.S. to kind of push against China's economic influence in the region. Do you see a scenario where China might eventually sign on? Their public comments haven't been that negative, they've been lukewarm.
[02:35:11] STEVENS: Probably even more than lukewarm, to be honest, Errol. If you look at what China has said in response to the TPP agreement, take a look at this, whatever's good for trade basically, they will support. So as you see there, it allows us to contribute to trade. So it gives you an idea of -- there is some sort of support within China. They're not anti- -- and that means to some union leaders in the U.S. If China doesn't mind it, it means they're going to Benefit somehow so we could be losing jobs.
Now, what China has said is, we don't want to enter. They were invited, they said no. This is seen as a pivot by U.S. President Obama to get this trade deal done to counterbalance China's weight in trade in the region. It could allow a country like Vietnam to aid into Chinese exports. It will have the benefits of lower tariffs, it can actually produce cheaper stuff and it could actually edge out Chinese exports. That is how this could play out. Certainly, at this stage, China has been invited. At this stage, it's not joining.
BARNETT: At the very least, it's good to have a story where we can report on different nations being together and being on the same page for once.
Andrew Stevens live in Hong Kong for us. Just past 2:36 in the afternoon there. Andrew, thanks.
STEVENS: Thanks, Errol.
CHURCH: ISIS militants have destroyed another Syrian cultural treasure. Citing eyewitness reports, a Syrian official claims the 1800-year-old arch was blown up on Sunday.
BARNETT: You may remember ISIS destroyed two Palmyra temples in August.
Ben Wedeman has more on the loss of Syria's iconic Arch of Triumph.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Palmyra's Arch of Triumph was built 1,800 years ago to mark a Roman victory over the Persian Empire, but now it's fallen, destroyed by the modern-day equivalent of the Vandal hoards, ISIS, just the latest act of pointless destruction by a group bent on obliterating the past.
(CHANTING) WEDEMAN: In May when ISIS took control of the town of Palmyra, local commanders said they would not harm the ruins, only pagan idols. Not surprisingly, the pledge quickly went up in smoke. First they destroyed Muslim shrines, which they said was an abomination. In August, they rigged the 2,000-year-old temple with explosives and blew it up. Then a few weeks later, did the same to the larger Temple of Ba'ah.
Meanwhile, the ruins of Palmyra have served as a backdrop for several displays of ISIS's perverse world view. This summer, they used the city's ancient amphitheater to perform a massive execution of captured soldiers.
Across the areas ISIS controls in ISIS and Iraq, the group has reveled in an orgy of destruction at one ancient site after another. Hundreds have been killed in recent months in Palmyra, either by ISIS or attacks by the Assad regime.
In August, ISIS publicly executed the 82-year-old retired head of antiquities for reportedly refusing to reveal where valuable artifacts were kept for safe keeping.
Death and destruction, madness in the ruins.
Ben Wedeman, CNN, Beirut.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BARNETT: We turn our attention now to Guatemala, where the death toll has risen to 161 after last week's massive landslide near the capital.
CHURCH: The government has declared three days of mourning for the victims. At least 300 people are still missing and the hopes are fading for rescue crews trying to find them.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
# (voice-over): A solemn procession through the streets of Guatemala. A young girl is carried to her final resting place. Workers hoist her body into a crypt where fresh pavement seals others recently buried. Another victim of Guatemala's landslide is laid to rest. Now her grandfather is left without any grandchildren.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translation): When I came here to visit, all my grandkids received me with love. I played with them, that was my happiness, now who am I going to find here.
[02:39:54] CHURCH: In one of the greatest natural disasters to hit central America in years, thousands of tons of dirt and rock engulfed entire homes, almost instantly on Thursday night trapping hundreds of people at once. So far, no one has been found alive.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translation): 19 of my family members were in the mudslide, including my children, my wife, my mother. I have four children, one is in another town. The others were 1 and a half, 6, and 11 years old. I hope that rescuers will find their bodies so I'll be able to bury them all together.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translation): I'm sad and affected because of the anguish of not being able to find them. We only found one of my nieces in a state that nobody would want to see a family member.
(SHOUTING)
CHURCH: Mexican rescue teams are now helping the frantic search for survivors, workers and volunteers search Beneath debris that buried some homes up to 15 meters at the site of the mudslide east of Guatemala City. The dangerous search area and bad weather slows the process.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translation): There are bodies that we won't be able to recover because this terrain, this land washed the Houses and when the Houses were pushed, bodies were dragged.
We were able to find roofs, balconies. We brought in machinery to help. But after Sunday night's rain, there was a crack in the top of the hill that wasn't there before. We found eight landslides from the mountain which crammed the river.
CHURCH: Authorities say they warned of the potential for disaster last year, and they say they'll relocate those living in risky areas nearby to avoid another tragedy. That means little for those waiting in makeshift camps, desperate for news about their family members.
As the death toll rises, funerals continue one after the other.
"Even though we don't understand your ways," the pastor says, "we give thanks to you, God."
Communities struggling to cope as hope dims that their loved ones will come home alive.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: Too tragic and too heart breaking.
BARNETT: It is. At least some of the folks who live nearby will get relocated. So much for them to deal with.
Still to come here on CNN NEWSROOM, a former Iraqi lawmaker and her husband risk their own safety to save women and children sold into slavery by ISIS. Stay with us for this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[02:45:45] CHURCH: As parts of the CNN Freedom Project, which aims to end modern day slavery, we want to focus on a former Iraqi lawmaker and her husband. They're on a mission to rescue Yazidi women and children held under ISIS control.
BARNETT: As she spoke to CNN, the desperate phone calls from those enslaved women kept coming in. CNN Senior international correspondent, Atika Shubert, tells us more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
AMINA HASSAN, HELPING WOMEN, CHILDREN ENSLAVED BY ISIS: Hello?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hello?
ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The sound is muffled, crackly, barely audible. But this is a lifeline, a way to plot an escape from slavery from ISIS. Every day, Amina takes calls like this, pleas for help to escape. Hassan now makes it her mission to rescue as many women as she can. She remembers when ISIS first captured Mosul. She thought the Yazidi near Sinjar would be safe.
HASSAN: We said why would they come into Sinjar because is only not anything.
SHUBERT: But ISIS did come for the Yazidi. They took the women and children and killed men. Many of the families turned to Amina Hassan.
HASSAN: The people know me, and I'm from Sinjar, and also I'm Yazidi. I know many people kidnapped.
SHUBERT: This audio recording was one of her first rescues. A 35- year-old woman with six children all captured, bought and sold in the slave markets of is.
(SHOUTING)
SHUBERT: She described what happened when is surrounded their village.
(SHOUTING)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
CHURCH: Together with her husband, Khalil, Amina manages a network to smuggle the women out. She takes the calls. Khalil makes the dangerous journey to the border to bring them out.
These are photos of just some of the rescues. So far, they have brought out more than 100. But there are still hundreds more. And for many, the wait is too long. Some have taken their own lives rather than wait for rescue. Hassan collects photos of the girls she could not save.
HASSAN: We just want them to be rescued. We don't have contact with them. We don't know where they are now.
SHUBERT (on camera): You try to talk to them so they don't lose hope?
HASSAN: When they lose the hope to rescue, and when ISIS, many times sell them and rape them.
JOHN KERRY, SECRETARY OF STATE: Thank you.
(APPLAUSE)
SHUBERT: Amina Hassan's work has been recognized, awarded by the State Department this year. But Hassan says it's the voices of the people she could not save she can't forget.
HASSAN: When will you rescue us? But I don't have answer. I don't have answer. I'm not the government. I'm not anything. I'm just people. It's very difficult.
SHUBERT: Hassan's weapon against ISIS is her film, delivering the sound of hope, however distant, and her promise that help is coming.
Atika Shubert, CNN, in the Kurdish region of Iraq.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BARNETT: Our coverage doesn't end here. Our week-long coverage of the plight of Yazidis continues on Wednesday.
[02:50:] (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He showed me a letter and said, this shows any captured women will become Muslim if ISIS fighters rape her.
UNIDENTIFIED CNN CORRESPONDENT: Then, Nor (ph) says, he raped her.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[02:50:10] CHURCH: Three Yazidi girls who were ISIS sex slaves provide a firsthand account of the brutality of the terror group. That, before coming up Wednesday on CNN NEWSROOM.
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PEDRAM JAVAHERI, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Time to talk weather across the Americas.
(WEATHER REPORT)
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BARNETT: It is rutting season in Alaska. We all know what that means. A male moose trying to impress the ladies.
CHURCH: And as Jeanne Moos reports, it can have some pretty dramatic consequences.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
[02:54:28] JEANNE MOOS, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Put up your dukes. Make that your antlers. A fight over a female in mating season spilled on to the streets of suburban anchorage, Alaska, recorded by a father and son hiding behind a car.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was crazy.
MOOS: When the moose brawl got too close for comfort --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get back, get back.
MOOS: The driver of the car fled and bill and josh had to head for higher ground --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I filmed a lot of that video from about right here.
MOOS -- where they had front row seats.
At least these two weren't as dumb as the Colorado moose that tried to mate with a bronze moose statue.
Not since two kangaroos faced off near Sydney, Australia, have we seen such a wild kingdom Donny Brook in a suburban setting.
The guy who shot this set it to "Nutcracker" --
(MUSIC)
MOOS: -- which made sense since that's where many of the kicks were aimed using both legs, weight resting on their tails.
Back at the moose fight, the struggle intensified.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One was just like carrying the other one all the way across the street.
MOOS: And that's pretty much how it ended, with the alpha moose giving the evil eye as his rival hightailed it away. They left behind scattered moose hair.
The two did manage to bang into the Subaru parked in the driveway, leaving a dent or two.
(on camera): Have no fear, insurance agents assure us that as long as the motorist has comprehensive coverage, moose damage will be covered.
(voice-over): But when the top moose went to claim his prize after all that work, what did the female do? She va-moosed.
Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: It was hardly worth it, was it?
BARNETT: Boys will be boys.
(LAUGHTER)
CHURCH: Thanks for watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Rosemary Church.
BARNETT: I'm Errol Barnett. Our second hour begins after this short break. Stay with us.
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