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Midwest Flooding Examined; Latest on Israel Manhunt; President Expected to Announce Gun Measures; Campaign Trail Happenings. Aired 2- 3p ET

Aired January 02, 2016 - 14:00   ET

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

[14:00:00] FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: One levee has already over the top -- others are bracing for the worst.

In Southern Illinois officials are anxiously monitoring a second levee after one levee has already over topped. Over topped levee can lead to erosion or worst, breaches.

Illinois governor Bruce Rauner toured the damaged in his sate just last hour. At Missouri governor Jay Nixon is expected to speak in Eureka, Missouri next hour one of the hardest hit areas. These as residents are returning to their homes to survey the damage and begin the clean up.

CNN Dan Simon is live for us now in Eureka. Dan, what do you see?

DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, hi Fredricka. Fortunately the floodwaters have receded in this St. Louis suburb, but now you're left with all the damage, all the aftermath. You can see behind me.

These are all community volunteers who have come to this one particular street and helping residents' cleanup. You can see dumpsters like this one, and you could see all of the damage belongings, furniture and appliances that are being brought (ph) into these dumpsters.

We're going to talk to a homeowner across the street, this is Keegan Emmert. You can see some of the damage stuff on his front lawn.

Keegan, tell us about what it was like seeing the floodwaters rise and kind of take over your basement?

KEEGAN EMMERT, EUREKA RESIDENT: Well, I've been up the night before pretty much up all night but, when I fell asleep my sister woke me up a couple of hours later and there was like three inches of water, you know, everywhere and then just kind of starts slowly rising from there. So, it was pretty freaky.

SIMON: The fact that this happened in the winter of course, a lot of people are talking about that, how surprising was that to you?

EMMERT: Pretty surprising. I mean, you know, you never know what the weather is going to be like around here, but I mean it's pretty, you know, unexpected to have this happen. SIMON: So, where do you go form here? I've seen all these community volunteers which is great to see by the way on a Saturday morning. You know, neighbor helping neighbor. What do you do to sort of move to the next step?

EMMERT: Well, from here I mean, you know, we've savaged all we can, so we're just very happy that everyone, you know, is safe. And you know from here we're just going to try and have each others backs and, you know, helping any way that we can.

SIMON: And how much damage would you say you have?

EMMERT: Oh gosh, we had a foot and a half water at least probably in the house. I mean, you know, some of the stuff still here but good majority of it has been damaged, yeah.

SIMON: And that's really thanks very much by the way, appreciate talking to us. And that's pretty much the scene Fredricka. I mean, you have people who lost a lot of belongings in their basements. Fortunately the water didn't rise to the upstairs in most of these homes but, you know, obviously people like keep a lot of things in their basements. And so, you have a lot of damage and so now it's really just about the cleanup. Again the waters have receded, but they're going to be out here for the next several days to come.

WHITFIELD: Oh my goodness, all right. Thank you so much Dan Simon.

So while those residents begin to cleanup, Southern Illinois is bracing for more flooding. I want to bring in the emergency management director for Alexander County, Illinois, Mike Turner.

So Mike, we know one levee in that region has already over topped, are you monitoring a second potential breach?

MIKE TURNER, DIRECTOR OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT: Well, we're (inaudible) right now it's actually the same levee. What started over topping yesterday, there were five breaches in it that occurred last night. But it is the same levee system that's other levees appear to be right now holding pretty good.

It's the -- then small levee that we're concerned with that we've had the problem with so far.

WHITFIELD: My Goodness, so what about the evacuations and the concerns, you know, of residents potentially in danger? How you get to them? What's the message being sent et cetera?

TURNER: We have begun a couple of days ago going through with a -- kind of board (ph) issue the voluntary evacuation order and that was followed up, the state police went door to door in the Olive branch, Miller city even though over to Hodges Park, Unity Sandusky area advising people at that time the situation was dire, and what did happen was imminent.

So the majority of people had evacuated on that note. WHITFIELD: And what do you need as emergency management, what do you need to, you know, ensure people's safety? What's the message perhaps even being sent, so that people are being vigilant themselves?

TURNER: The message being sent right now is as the river flows through where it breached, there still concern about where it might backup into the Olive branch area, whether it will or not, and right now we're just trying to monitor that and see what path it takes on it's way out.

WHITFIELD: All right, all the best, Mike Turner. And you've got a big job in your hands. We're wishing all of you, you know, and your reinforcement there the best and your efforts.

[14:05:09] So for more on these over top levees and what that means for surrounding communities, let's go to meteorologist Allison Chinchar, she's in the CNN Weather center, Allison.

ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: We still have 16 States that are dealing with flood watches or warnings and the reason for that is all of the rivers locations that we still have that are either at or above their flood stage. That number over 270 of them and you can see it spread all across the Midwest and also parts of the Southeast.

Now, this entire gray shaded area is the basin we've talked about for days now. All of the rain that has fallen in this area had to go somewhere. And it ends up in the Mississippi River, whether it comes from Missouri River, the Arkansas or even the Ohio Rivers, they all at some point funnel back into the Mississippi.

Now St. Louis crested yesterday which is good news. The water had started to recede but it's a different story a little bit further south. Take a look at Cape Girardeau not expected to crest until January 3rd. In Cairo not expected to crest until January 4th. We already have one levee that over topped near Miller City just on the east side of the Mississippi River that south of Cape Girardeau and again it's possible we could have more levees that get over topped over the next several days.

And again, as we notice a lot of these areas aren't expected to crest for several more days. Greenville and Vicksburg not for another 10 to 14 days, the problem with that is any rainfall that we get the next 10 to 14 days could make this crest even higher depending on that amount of water.

One good news is we do expect the Bonnet Carre Spillway to help alleviate some of the flooding problems downstream in New Orleans.

WHITFIELD: All right, Allison Chincar thanks so much.

Straight ahead, President Barrack Obama expected to announce an executive action on guns in the coming days. Details on those and, other items on any agenda in his final year in office next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) WHITFIELD: Relatives have identified the suspected gunman still on the loose, two police say killed two people near a pub in Tel Aviv on Friday.

The alleged gunman uncle says the father called Israeli police and told them to arrest his son, 31 year old Nesha'at Melhem, he is an Israeli-Arab. And he is a resident of a town about an hour north of Tel Aviv.

Ian Lee is following the story for us from Jerusalem.

[14:10:01] So Ian, are police any closer to finding this alleged gunman?

IAN LEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka that really is a priority number one. They still consider him very much a dangerous, a potentially still armed after that shooting.

Now, we are learning more about him, the father as you said did alert authorities after seeing his picture from CCTV security footage.

Before that thought, when he saw his son, he went to his safe, checked his safe, noticed that a gun was missing that's when he called police. Also need to point out that the father is actually a volunteer at the police force. He told t he police that they need to capture his son right away. This is all according to the uncle of the suspect.

But right now the police inside Israel are still searching, a massive manhunt underway. He really could be anywhere according to police but they do have those roadblocks around Tel Aviv to make sure if he's there that he can't escape. But really, you know, he is armed, they still considered him armed, they want to make sure that they can neutralize him so he doesn't harm the public again or the police or himself.

WHITFIELD: And then Ian, you know, the uncle on telling CNN that his nephew was once sentenced to five years of prison, tell us about that.

LEE: So back in 2007, he tried to take a gun away from a soldier, he was arrested for that, served five years in prison about this time as well. He was diagnosed with a psychological disorder. He has been on medication. Now the family is telling us they are afraid that he's off his medication and that's what could have been part of this situation.

They're urging the police to capture him so that he can get the help that he needs. But again, the priority is to stop him one way or another to make sure he can't carry another attack.

WHITFIELD: All right, Ian Lee, thank you so much in Jerusalem. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Hello again, President Barrack Obama returns to Washington tonight after vacationing with his family in Hawaii. And ahead of to that upcoming State of the Union Address, he's expected to announce an executive action on guns next week.

[14:15:00] WHITFIELD: Before he's even announced the move, Republican and presidential frontrunner Donald Trump is already weighing in.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I don't like anything having to do with changing our second amendment. We have plenty of rules and regulations as plenty of things that they can do right now that are already there. They don't do them.

We have a tremendous mental health problem. We're closing places all over the world, all over the country they're closing. But they are closing all over the world. Tremendous mental health problems. Nobody is doing anything about that. All they want to do is blame the guns and it's not that the gun that pulls the trigger.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: CNN Senior White House Correspondent Jim Acosta joining me now with more of vacationing with the President, even though the President making his way back to Hawaii that means you will too.

So what else should we expect to hear from the President leading up...

JIM ACOSTA, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: That's right.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: ... to his final State of the Union address, Jim?

ACOSTA: Well, Fredricka you're right. The President is nearing the end of his annual vacation here in Hawaii, time to put down the golf clubs and pick up the presidential pen you might say. And don't say the words lame duck around President Obama. He is planning an ambitious agenda for 2016, and right at the top of that agenda is gun control.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: For President Obama, the final round is about to begin.

PRES. BARACK OBAMA, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: In 2016, I'm going to leave it out all on the field.

ACOSTA: At first on the President's eight and last year on office, Mr. Obama's long promise response to mass shootings in the U.S. sources familiar with the plan say it will be a package of executive actions on gun control. Expected before the January 12 State of the Union and aimed at a gun show loophole which allows some firearms sellers to avoid conducting background checks on their customers.

OBAMA: In all across America, survivors of gun violence and those who lost a child or a parent or spouse to gun violence are forced to mark such awful anniversaries every single day. And yet, Congress still hasn't done anything to prevent what happened to them from happening to other families.

ACOSTA: The President will review the slate of administrative changes with attorney general Loretta Lynch on Monday. The White House argues the President's actions will be within his executive authority, and line with polls that show broad support for tightening background checks.

OBAMA: Change is always is going to take all of us. The gun lobby is loud and well organized then its defensive effortlessly available guns for anyone. The rest of us are going to be just as passionate and well organized and our defense of our kids. That's the work of citizenship, to stand up and fight for the change that we seek.

ACOSTA: Vowing to fight the move, the nation's biggest gun lobby, the NRA says the President is doing what he always does when he doesn't get his way. Defying the will of the people and using executive action. Another controversial proposal coming in the New Year, the President will ask Congress to shut down the terror detention center at Guantanamo a facility Mr. Obama may close on his own if law makers block at the White House plan.

OBAMA: It will be an uphill battle.

ACOSTA: The President also hopes to travel to Cuba, and perhaps more than a dozen other countries and what shaping up to be a global fair well tour.

But the President's agenda could be up ended by sent backs in the war on ISIS.

A foreign policy crisis that could complicate White House plans to have the president campaign heavily with the 2016 Democratic nominee. A prospect that may well put him and Hillary Clinton on the trail together again.

OBAMA: I think we will have a strong Democratic nominee. I think that Democratic nominee will win. I think I will have a Democratic successor.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: Now, White House officials say don't expect the President to unveil a long laundry list of proposals at this upcoming State of the Union speech, which is really less than two weeks away. In part, that's because Fredrick, he's running out of time. He doesn't have about a year to get a lot of things done in his final year in office.

And White House officials also say the President not only wants to set the agenda out in Washington but out on the campaign trail. So when Donald Trump talks about guns it is against the President's executive action on gun control. That is something the White House wants to talk about. They want to have that debate Fredrika.

WHITFIELD: And if the White House also, you know, saying that setting the agenda means this president is going to be using more executive order throughout the last year?

ACOSTA: Potentially, you know, the big battle coming up is gun control and the President has already decided because Congress has been unable to act on that, that he's going to go ahead and go forward with he's executive actions. But they are going to try first to unveil a congressional plan, a plan that Congress could act on to close the terror detention facility at Guantanamo.

But the White House officials have made it very clear if the lawmakers block at that proposal, and they do think they'll have some Republicans who will support them on this. They think Senator John McCain might be one of these Republicans. He's been calling for shutting down Guantanamo for some time. But if Republicans and Congress walk at this, the president is pretty set to once again go after some executive actions that run which will really spark a lot of controversy out on the campaign trail.

[14:20:10] But again, why does officials, they want to have that debate with Republican candidates. They don't mind that at all.

WHITFIELD: All right Jim Acosta thanks so much in Hawaii.

Our 2015 was a year where ISIS flexed its muscle and showed that the world its frightening reached, so what can be expected this year. A group of CNN's top international correspondents who have worked in these troubled regions weigh in with their thought.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

IVAN WATSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We're seen the collapse or Arab states basically, one after another. And God knows which country may be next.

ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I hope I'm wrong, but I think it's going to get worse. And I really, really, really don't want to be right about this.

NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: In terms of the next phase in ISIS' evolution, are you looking towards Libya?

Do you think that that's where the push is going to be?

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I don't know. I don't know. I think we're going to see a lot of changes in Syria and Iraq possibly, possibly ones that have unintended consequences.

I think we're going to see many problems in Afghanistan, too, and ISIS are a very attractive brand to a lot of very poor and angry young men there.

And I think, yes, Libya will be a problem.

But I think also the West have slightly got their heads around Libya.

DAMON: I think it's going to get a lot worse in the sense of kind of what you're talking about. You know, it is going to change but it's still going to be there and that fear that they're able to create and generate is going to be there.

And let's not forget, in all of this, I mean, the Assad regime also and what they're doing to the population and how those actions and the fact that people feel so abandoned by the West that failed to come in and save them, when it comes to dying at the hands of Assad, that's what drove so many of them into the -- I mean, how many activists do we all know who right now are either dead, fled or they have become radical?

ELBAGIR: Disappeared. Yeah.

DAMON: Or disappeared.

WATSON: And let's not forget that you have just a mind-boggling number of foreign militaries, all flying and backing different proxies with completely contradictory strategic goals.

CLARISSA WARD, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It's incoherent international meddling...

ELBAGIR: But I think now there is a consensus forming around the need to actually move.

You know?

WARD: But I also think everyone has a different idea about how to bring down ISIS. The Russians think that bombing the Turks...

(CROSSTALK)

WATSON: The Russians and the Iranians are supporting the Assad regime but...

WALSH: But ISIS is a nice lightning rod for what is a huge conflagration in the whole region, that there is a need for the region to take ownership of the problem and fix it themselves.

Even if ISIS is somehow defeated, that doesn't fix the problem of the Saudis and the Iranians being octogenarians, running a youthful population with diminishing returns.

WARD: But that's what it comes to, right?

Ultimately, Saudi Arabia and Iran need to like be locked in a room together.

ELBAGIR: At the time same, while we're all kind of hopeful that there will be some consensus moving toward solving the presence in Iraq, you have an ISIS presence growing in Yemen, because we're all ignoring the reality of the Saudi Arabian bombings...

(CROSSTALK)

WARD: ... but I really believe it's possible that we are seeing a seismic, tectonic shift within the Middle East and, then over the next few decades, you're going to see a lot of these borders rewritten. And they were artificially designated borders anyway.

DAMON: The way governments were set up and the way boundaries were drawn was unsustainable. They were never going to last. But it didn't have to be this violent.

ELBAGIR: This mythology that we can protect ourselves, that we can close borders, that we can close doors, with the Ebola crisis last year, with the refugee -- with the Syria crisis washing up on Europe's shores, and I think Europe essentially knows that it is existential to get its house in order this year.

DAMON: I don't think we are mature enough to actually make the right decisions. I don't. I'm -- I have, really sadly, lost a lot of faith in humanity.

ELBAGIR: You say that, but I know that each single one of us has a story from the field, where we have been completely overwhelmed by the kindness and the extraordinary generosity of people in the worst possible situations.

And I think that's what I hold onto.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Fascinating, some of our best foreign correspondents right there.

All right, ahead, a second Baltimore officer is expected to go on trial this month in the Freddie Gray death case. This time, lawyers want to explore Freddie Gray's old medical records.

[14:24:31] Could Gray's previous claim of having a bad back help the defense?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Hi, hello again. And thanks so much for joining. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

New information coming out in the Freddie Gray case, lingers for one of the officers charged now trying to get a look at Gray's medical records. Gray died in April from a neck injury while riding in the back of a Baltimore police van, but now one of the officers says Gray told him he had a bad back, weeks before his death.

Here's Miguel Marquez.

MIGUEL MARQUEZ: Fredricka, defense lawyers' procedure goods and he was the driver of the van in which Freddie Gray was critically injured have filed documents asking for Gray's medical and incarceration records.

In one of these documents a Baltimore police officer wrote that Gray said a couple of weeks before he was critically injured in the back of that police van, that he had "Hurt my back" or "Had a bad back."

The defense arguing here that there could be other cases for Gray's traumatic injury that reside in the back of that van. The timing of this document is worth noting though, the officer, John Herzog, is a sergeant operate of information on an unsolicited basis after Gray was critically injured and after the riots in Baltimore. Herzog wrote this memo and sent it to his superiors on May 1st, Gray died on April 19th and Herzog's original conversation with Gray happened on March 31st.

Herzog said in the memo that his memory was jogged by all the press surrounding Gray's death and the riots. Another document followed by defense attorneys asked for Gray's detention records because they cite an unconfirmed report that Gray had tried to harm himself while in Baltimore central booking facility during a previous arrest.

The prosecution argue Gray's medical records their no relevant having nothing to do with the injuries sustained in the back of the van last April. They say Gray's neck was critically injured because of his treatment by police, the judge in this trial is expected to rule this week on whether to allow those records in the goods in trial who faces the most serious charge of second degree murder, his trial expected to start January 11th. Fredricka?

WHITFIELD: All right, thanks so much Miguel.

So with me now to discuss all of this CNN Legal Analyst Joey Jackson.

So Joey, how important is this? Because what's also being alleged, right is that the officers did not respond accordingly when Freddie Gray said he needed medical help.

[14:30:12] And so, how might -- what is being revealed here, about whether he had any kind of previous back problem or not impact what the prosecution is saying there issue involve.

JOEY JACKSON, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Good afternoon Fedricka.

WHITFIELD: Good afternoon, Happy New Year.

JACKSON: Yes exactly, happy New Year. So it depends who ask in terms of that significance.

If you have a prosecution as Miguel Marquez mentioned, this is totally irrelevant, why on earth do you have to, you know, even look at issues relating to his back, when we're talking about a significant and catastrophic spinal injury that ultimately led to his death, there's no connection whatsoever judge deny this request.

If you're the defense however, it's extraordinarily relevant, why, for a couple of reasons. The first reason it's relevant is that in terms of plotting strategy, if the ultimate endgame of the defense as it appears to be is a suggested, this was self inflicted.

And we have reason to believe they will suggest that base upon them seeking information about a prior arrest where he was apparently, you know, attempted to injure himself and then seeking to illicit information on this arrest where he was thrashing around and banging around to injure himself.

If you're the defense you're saying, if he had a preexisting back injury, we want to know the extent to that back injury whether it was related or connected to the spine in any way, and does it then make it more likely or probable if he had a preexisting injury that he may have injured himself on this occasion.

So those are really the battlegrounds of the prosecution saying it's not relevant at all and to the defense saying it's very relevant to establish causation and exactly how this injury occurred.

Our client didn't do it. And so that's why they're seeking to have the judge release this information so that when a trial saw it on January 11, they could make much of what exactly is in those medical records.

WHITFIELD: Other arguments are this is a defense's, I guess strategy in trying to hate the jury pool, what about that argument?

JACKSON: You know, it's always important when you're going to impanel a jury to get your information out there, and you have theory of the case out there.

But make no mistake about it, I think if it was only pertain to jury pool, I think the judge would have a lot to say about that.

We know though that there are records or potentially records that may exist, why? Because what happened is, remember Fredricka, in the initial case of Porter, it was then that the prosecution disclosed this Sergeant Herzog memo where he is saying apparently that "Wait a minute, we were interviewing Freddie Gray about a robbery."

And he see the sitting a little awkwardly and we asked him "Hey, why are you sitting so awkwardly?" And he said he had back problem.

So we know that because the prosecution disclosed that memorandum that it exist, the real issue is that in fact the reality, did he have a back problem, was there a treatment for that back problem, where he was treated and what was the nature and extent of it.

So apparently, inflammation is out there that makes the request, you know, the request that the defense has a reasonable one, whether the judge will grant to this after judge's discretion.

WHITFIELD: OK, so if a person is fragile, if it's, you know, kind of what's being implied here that Freddie Gray which already, you know, fragile, how does that kind of remove responsibility from any police officer or arresting officer in a way in which they treat somebody physically?

JACKSON: I don't think that it does. Now remember from the prosecution's perspective, this is not relevant at all. It's a back injury, what are you talking about.

The medical examine are testified, it was the catastrophic spinal cord injury. However, if you're the defense's point of view, you're going to say, if there was a preexisting injury, then he was more prone a susceptible to sustaining an injury.

And it wasn't because of my client's negligence, it wasn't because my client gave him a rough ride, it wasn't because my client advocated or failed on any responsibility, it was because he was already injured. And the fact is, if you match that with him that self inflicting himself and banging around, that was what caused the injury, my client had nothing to do with it.

WHITFIELD: Yeah.

JACKSON: And so, that's really what the defense's argument is going to be, whether it will be effective, whether it will carry the day, whether will suave the jury is another matter. But it's going to be very important Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Yeah.

JACKSON: In the event the judge allows the defense to have these records, exactly what's in the records, exactly what Freddie Gray's medical condition was...

WHITFIELD: OK.

JACKSON: ... and that's going to drive how they can use it effectively, they being the defense, or not use it effectively at all.

So their proof is going to be in what the records contained.

WHITFIELD: All fascinating stuff. All right, Joey Jackson. Thank you so much for breaking this down for us. Happy New Year, good to see you.

JACKSON: Thank you Fredricka, always a pleasure.

WHITFIELD: All right. Straight ahead, its flames consumed the hotel in Dubai on New Year's Eve. A photographer was trapped on the 48th floor.

[14:34:46] Ahead, he tells us how he escaped while documenting the whole thing.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Authorities in Dubai are looking into the cause of a massive New Years eve hotel fire, the blaze that the Address hotel was so intense that it was still smouldering as of last night. Government official say at least 16 people receive medical assistance mostly from minor injuries cause by over crowding in smoke hotel official said that Friday that the fire was contained in all guess and employees had been safely evacuated.

A source tells CNN the fire started when curtain caught fire in a 20th floor residence. On the 48th floor a photographer on assignment to shoot the fireworks found himself trapped instead filming the moment of his own survival.

He's story now from CNN Jon Jensen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In this day where my locations. JON JENSEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: New Year's Eve is a one night Dennis Mallari will never forget, the 37-year-old photographer was on assignment to take pictures of Dubai's fireworks display at the worlds tallest building The Burj Khalifa.

But in 9:30 p.m. his vantage point inside the near by the Address hotel went in flames and Mallari trapped scared and alone had to fight to make it out alive.

DENNIS MALLARI, PHOTOGRAPHER: I'm on the side of the building, need help.

I go there inside to try to go exit. I'm not going to die with because of the fire because of the smoke.

JENSEN: He was stuck on a balcony on the 48th floor. Great for photo but smoke quickly filled the building and escape wasn't an option

MALLARI: This is my view at 48th floor

JENSEN: The Filipino expert first panic, then send desperate pleased for help to friends and family on Facebook.

MALLARI: I need help.

I already posted that I'm here at 48th floor, help.

JENSEN: He also kept filming and stay calm especially when things look the worst.

MALLARI: We were at the 48th floor Address hotel happening right now.

I can hear then I can -- I saw some debris falling down from the building.

[14:40:07] After almost two hours, Mallari came up with a last ditch plan. He rappelled down the building on a window washers cable even though it wasn't quite long enough to make it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MALLARI: I prayed. If this is my last, my last chance, then, so be it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JENSEN: As he started going over the edge, firefighters found him and saved his life.

MALLARI: I you have to pull my belt, I have a belt.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK

MALLARI: I have support belt.

JENSEN: After walking down all 48 floors, Mallari was treated for smoke inhalation. He let his friends know he was safe, posting this picture. Then, he continued with work, capturing Dubai's fire works, just meters away from the building that nearly killed him.

Jon Jensen, CNN, Dubai.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Wow, what an experience he had.

All right, coming up, a busy campaign day for presidential candidates this New Year weekend, and we'll show you what happened when a heckler tried to trump Bernie Sanders this afternoon.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Already the second day of the year and candidates for president are out on the trail. Bernie Sanders campaigning at Amherst, Massachusetts this afternoon before a big crowd, just four weeks ahead of the first caucus and primaries. During his remark, he said, the Republicans are ailing from forgetfulness.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BERNIE SANDERS, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Many of my Republican friends, you know, they suffer from a very serious illness and we should not be hard on people who have serious illnesses. Amnesia is not a joke, very serious problem, and they all seem to have forgotten where we were seven years ago. But we have not forgotten. We remember 800,000 jobs a month being lost. We remember a $1.4 trillion deficit being created. Here's a Trump supporter, worried about Mr. Trump's money.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[02:45:14] WHITFIELD: So, Sanders as you see right there, was slightly interrupted during his speech by a Trump supporter, but the crowd drowned him out as he was escorted out of the hall. And later today, Donald Trump will be greeted by his own supporters at a rally in Biloxi in Mississippi.

CNN Investigations Correspondent Chris Frates is in our Washington Bureau with the look ahead at the race for 2016, Chris.

CHRIS FRATES, CNN INVESTIGATIONS CORRESPONDENT: Hey, good afternoon Fred. So, several Republican candidates did some year end tinkering to their campaigns bringing new strategies and players to this New Year. The last minute changes come as the GOP field begins hurdling toward make-or-break contest in both Iowa and New Hampshire that are only a month away.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: We are a going to have a great time next year. It's going to be an amazing year. We're going to make America great again and we're going to do everything in our power to make sure that happens. FRATES: Donald Trump has been off the campaign trail the last few days, but that hasn't stopped them from going after his rivals on Twitter.

"I would fell sorry for Jeb Bush and how badly he is doing on his campaign, other than the fact he took millions of dollars of hit ads on me".

Hoping to regain some mojo in the New Year, Jeb Bush changed things up this week, canceling ad buying in Iowa and South Carolina and moving dozen of staffers to key early states to try to cut into Trump momentum.

JEB BUSH, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: He's not a serious candidate. He has a broad appeal, but it may not be as deep as people imagined. So, we're going to put together a ground game, if you will, in Iowa and New Hampshire and here in South Carolina that, I think will be second to none. And that's how we'll do -- we'll win and we're going to do well. So, I'm excited about it.

FRATES: Trump leads by wide margins in national polls, but his lead in Iowa is more disputed. With the caucuses less than a month away, Ted Cruz gaining is on the billionaire.

The Republican senator is up with an ad there, selling his conservative credentials and he start a six-day Iowa bus tour on Monday. To help blunt Cruz's rise and stay on top, Trump says he'll soon starts spending at least $2 million a week on his own advertising.

TRUMP: I'm going to be doing big ads in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and they'll going to be very substantial, and I think they're very well done. I've seen the first two or three of them. We're very proud of them.

But we're going to be talking about a lot of things including the border, including trade, including ISIS and security for the country.

FRATES: And Ben Carson rang in the New Year with a new cast of advisors, after three top aids resigned on New Years Eve. The struggling contender promised to reinvigorate his campaign ahead of Iowa's February first caucuses.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FRATES: Now, Democrats are also getting on the back on the campaign trail. We've seen Bernie Sanders in Massachusetts today, and over the next two days, New Hampshire gets a double dose of Clinton. On Sunday, Hillary Clinton makes several stop on Granite State and then on Monday, former Bill Clinton makes his first solo appearance of the campaign to stump for his wife, Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right, Chris Frates, thank you so much in Washington.

FRATES: Thank you. WHITFIELD: All right, Steve Jobs didn't invent the personal computer, but he did change the world. The new CNN film's Steve Job "The Man in the Machine" explores how he brought humans and technology closer. It also examines Jobs personal flaws.

CNN's Laurie Segall talked to one of Jobs earliest collaborators about the time working with Jobs.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LORI SEGALL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You used to do LSD with Steve Jobs. Could you take me back to those college days? I mean, let's just rewind and go back there.

DANIEL KOTTKE, FORMER COLLEAGUE OF STEVE JOBS: Let's see. Were we playing Sergeant Pepper, it was pretty prosaic. We were in Portland, at Reeves College, you know, freshman college year is a very poignant time of life where you're very much trying to figure out what the world is about and what you're interested in.

SEGALL: You probably haven't heard of Daniel Kottke, but this guy, reminiscing about his friendship with Steve Jobs, those times they spoke of spirituality and drugs, was actually there for many important moments in the Apple founder's life.

KOTTKE: This was our booth at the Personal Computing festival in Atlantic City in 1976.

SEGALL: The two traveled to India together. After school, Kottke moved to Palo Alto to work on the very first prototypes of the Mac.

KOTTKE: This one says number four.

SEGALL: And he was also there when Steve Jobs learned he was going to have a child.

KOTTKI: She got pregnant and Steve was just wasn't, "Not me, it's not me, it's not me", right, even though that was not a reasonable thing to say.

SEGALL: It was that moment that would lead to the end of their friendship.

KOTTKI: He was pretty clearly the father.

[14:50:01] There was an incident where Time Magazine called me up, asking for verification that Steve had a daughter named Lisa, and I said "Oh, it's not a secret." But that was the wrong thing to say apparently. Steve got very, very upset with me. And that was 1983 and even though I was working on the Mac team at Apple that he never really talked to me again.

SEGALL: It was a mistake Kottke says that cost him his friendship with Jobs. According to Kottke, it was the last time they spoke. Despite the abrupt end to a close friendship, Kottke says he still looks back with happy memories to the early days. KOTTKE: Steve was my best friend at the time of life when I was discovering all this huge current of the eastern literature.

We were monks. We were monk wannabes. When I heard that he was starting this Apple project, that was a surprise to me and I volunteered to help, not having any qualifications whatsoever, but I was happy to help.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All right. We'll watch Steve Jobs, "The Man in the Machine" tomorrow night at 9:00 Eastern right here on CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, as 2015 winds down and we're looking back at the personalities and the stories that made headlines in fact 2015 kind of behind us now. 2016, so this year, we met Caitlyn Jenner in 2015. Donald Trump triumphed in the polls and who could forget the faces of refugees fleeing Iraq and Syria.

Brian Stelter counts down the top ten media stories of 2015.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRIAN STELTER: Debates, shootings, scandals, a relentless news cycle kept the media buzzing in 2015. But 10 moments stood out among the crowded landscape. Here are the top 10 media stories of the year.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hello everybody. Thank you so much.

STELTER: Number 10, late night's new look. Steven Colbert taking over for David Letterman on CBS. Larry Wilmore taking Colbert's spot on Comedy Central, where Trevor Noah was taking over for Jon Stewart. Former "Daily Show" correspondent Samantha Bee also getting ready to host a new late night show as well starting early next year on CBS. Her photo-shopped version of a "Vanity Fair" picture showing the 10 men of late was a hit on the internet.

[14:55:16] Number nine, scandal brings down "19 Kids and Counting." TLC cancelled the show after Josh Dugger admitted he molested children, including some of his sisters, when he was a teenager. The family stood by Josh in a Fox interview, but things got worse. His name was among those released by hackers who broke into Ashley Madison's database. He admitted cheating on his wife and doing pornography. In an online post he called himself, "The biggest hypocrite ever."

Number eight, Caitlyn Jenner's new name, new look, new life. Her "Vanity Fair" cover had everyone talking, spreading awareness about transgender issues. Her P.R. rollout started with a Diane Sawyer interview, and then Jenner accepted an ESPY, giving the sports awards show a ratings boost. Her reality show debuted on E! and was renewed for a second season.

Another cover marks number seven, but it couldn't be more different. July's "New York" magazine featured 35 women who had accuse Bill Cosby of sexual assault. The headline read "Cosby, The Women, An Unwelcome Sisterhood." The magazine's website crashed for 12 hours following its release. It was a stunning statement of unity against the legendary comic. Cosby has not been charged with any crime and continues to deny the accusations.

Now to number six, "Washington Post" correspondent Jason Rezaian convicted in Iran. His trial for espionage and other charges started in May, ended in August, but was cloaked in secrecy. The "Post" has called the whole thing a sham. The media has widely condemned his detention, saying he's a pawn in Iran's geopolitical power struggle. December marks his 500th day in jail.

Number five, a reminder of the power of a photograph. A 3-year- old Syrian refugee Aylan Kurdi drowned off the coast of Turkey. The image of his body changed the coverage of the refugee crisis gripping Europe, waking the world up, something that countless hours of news coverage and gallons of ink have failed to do. The heated debate about how to solve the problem is ongoing, but the picture remains a haunting look at its toll on humanity.

Number four now, a shooting on live TV. The execution style killings of WDBJ reporter of Alison Parker and photojournalist Adam Ward shocked the country. Both victim's significant others also worked at the station. One was in the control room at the time. The murderer, a disgruntled former employee, posted a point of view angle of the shooting on social media, then shot himself later in the day as police closed in. Horrific events, but a strong response, broadcast journalists posting pictures of themselves out doing their jobs like Alison and Adam were doing that day. Others pitched in to help WDBJ stay on the air in the awful days following the tragedy.

Number three, "Charlie Hebdo." January 7th in Paris gunmen stormed the satirical magazine's offices killing 12 people, including the magazine's editor and several cartoonists. The attackers were apparently seeking revenge for cartoon's depicting the prophet Mohammed, but the world pushed back. "I am Charlie" became a global rallying cry. Unfortunately it would not be the only time Paris underwent a terror attacks in 2015.

Number two, here in the U.S., Brian Williams gets kicked off the air. The celebrated "NBC Nightly News" anchor was suspended without pay for six months in February after exaggerating a story about a helicopter mission during the Iraq war. An NBC investigation found at least 10 other embellishments in the anchor's cast. Lester Holt took over the "NBC Nightly News" permanently. Some critics thought Williams would never return at all, but he did in a new rule covering breaking news on MSNBC.

And he told Matt Lauer this about the exaggerations.

BRIAN WILLIAMS, MSNBC CORRESPONDENT: It had to have been ego that made me think I had to be sharper, funnier, quicker.

STELTER: And number one, the biggest media story of 2015 is Donald Trump taking over. It started with controversy. TRUMP: They're bringing drugs, they're bringing crime, they're rapists, and some, I assume, are good people.

STELTER: But it was followed by rising poll numbers, record debate ratings, talking heads in disbelief, and some frustrated fact checkers. Even when the media calls him out, Trump never seemed to back down. He is not afraid to pick a fight with the media, like making controversial comments about Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly, or kicking Univision's Jorge Ramos out of the press conference, or mocking "New York Times" reporter Serge Kovaleski.

Thanks largely to Trump, the early GOP debates attracted more than 20 million viewers each, smashing all prior records. It's the reality TV effect on the campaign trail. As primary season heats up in 2016, the media circus will continue, but voters have the last word on Trump.

[15:00:06] Happy media New Year, Brian Stelter, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: All right. What a year 2015, goodbye and hello 2016. OK, thanks so much for spending the time with me --