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Search and Rescue Efforts Still Underway Amid Constant Aftershocks and New Quakes in Italy; Donald Trump Meets with Minority Community Representatives in Republican Leadership; Fight to Regain Mosul from ISIS Being Aided by Secretive Resistance groups inside the city. Aired 10:30-11a ET

Aired August 25, 2016 - 10:30   ET

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

[10:32:48]

ERICA HILL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: An intense search for earthquake survivors in Italy enters its 37th hour. Rescuers right now scrambling to find anyone who may still be alive. This as aftershocks continue to rattle the rubble. At least 241 people confirmed dead.

Still there are some moments of joy. Survivors freed as you can see right there. A 10-year old girl, she had been trapped for more than 17 hours. You see her there clinging to her rescuer as he carries her to safety. CNN's Frederik Pleitgen is live this morning in one of the hardest hit towns with more for us, Fred, good morning.

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: Hi, good morning, Erica. Yeah, I'm in the town of Amatrice which pretty much by all measures is right at the epicenter of where this earthquake was. And also quite frankly, at the epicenter where a lot of these aftershocks are happening as well.

We had one about one and a half hours ago that we actually just found out was in itself a 4.1 magnitude earthquake. And it certainly felt pretty violent to us. And what was going on then was that a lot of the rescue workers who were working inside the rubble -- of course still searching for people, still trying to free people -- even they had to run for cover. They had to run away from the places they were searching. And one house actually then did collapse.

There are a lot of search and rescue crews that are on the scene now. They continue to pour in. And it's interesting because they really have a very diverse strategy. There's a lot of them who have specialized search dogs. That certainly is a key element here.

But then there's also a lot of heavy equipment that's being moved in, as well. A lot of high powered jacks, for instance to try and raise high -- very big rubble, in case anyone's trapped underneath that. Also a lot of saws, high intensity saws to saw things like metal or also rocks, as well.

Anything to try and get to people who might still be trapped underneath the rubble. We really haven't heard many success stories in the past couple of hours. But as you've noted, there have been some. There have been some people who miraculously managed to escape. Because one of the big issues rescue crews are also working with is

that the thing that makes this region of Italy so beautiful, those old picturesque houses, they really crumble when an earthquake like this hits. And that really makes it very difficult and almost impossible for people who are inside to survive, Erica.

HILL: Fred Pleitgen for us this morning. Fred, thank you. As Fred pointed out, we aren't hearing a lot of the stories, but there are some stories of good news to pass along. You may remember this woman from yesterday. She was trapped, being comforted as she waited for help. That help did eventually come. She is alive and recovering in the hospital this morning, there she is. So a little bit of good news for you to focus on.

There are also ways that you can help the quake victims. For more information on that just log onto CNN.com/impact. Donald Trump now says he will work with millions of undocumented immigrants. And that could have a major effect on border towns like El Paso, Texas. We'll speak with the Mayor, next.

[10:35:36]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HILL: At this hour here in Manhattan, Donald Trump is holding a high- profile meeting as he continues his pitch to minority voters. Black and Latino fellows from the Republican Leadership Institute are meeting with Trump and his campaign at this hour. That institute works to boost the number of conservative activists and policy experts, nationwide.

They're gathering inside Trump tower with the Republican nominee, as we mentioned. And that meeting comes as Donald Trump says he will, in his words, "work with the millions of undocumented immigrants already living here."

That is a sharp change from his earlier vow to launch what he referred to as a deportation force. Joining me now, Mayor Oscar Leeser of El Paso. He's also a Clinton supporter. Mayor, nice to have you with us.

OSCAR LEESER, MAYOR, EL PASO, TEXAS: Thank you, nice to be on.

HILL: You immigrated to the U.S. from Mexico when you were nine years old, with your family. We heard a little bit of a different tone, a different take, from Donald Trump last night, in terms of his immigration policy and plan. What are you hearing?

LEESER: Well you know, one of the things that here, locally, we talk about that -- you know, the El Paso economy is so tight close to Mexico. And being a border city that -- we're bordering with Juarez -- that it really means a lot to us to have a great relationship with Mexico. And it's been very important that we continue to have that relationship.

HILL: And so in what you have heard, both prior, and then now in the, in the change that we've heard in Donald Trump just since yesterday evening, are you feeling like that change from him could continue to have a good relationship with Mexico? That you can continue to have a good working relationship, were Donald Trump to be elected president?

[10:41:36]

LEESER: You know it's a big concern to our community that we don't lose that relationship. So -- and we've been able to build a great relationship with Juarez, because again like I said, they -- as their economy goes, so does the economy of El Paso. We have a great economy right now going together. And it's important that, as a whole, we look at who will best fit our community.

HILL: There's a lot of talk about the outreach, frankly from both candidates, whether or not candidates pander to certain groups, whether or not parties pander to certain groups. Donald Trump, as we're seeing, is really pushing this effort to reach out to more minority voters. We saw the meeting that he's having just right here, as you and I are speaking, he's having a meeting down the street of course, with African-Americans and with Latino leaders.

There's a poll from Fox News Latino taken earlier this month, which found that Hillary Clinton has a 46 point advantage among Hispanic voters. And that's actually up 7 percent since May. Is there anything you think Donald Trump could do or say in terms of his reachout at this point, that could change those numbers?

LEESER: Well we're a very proud community. And one of the things that is really important to us is respect. And if you were -- it's hard to understand a border city if you've never lived in a border city. So right now we look at respect and we look at the future. And right now we don't see that.

HILL: You don't see the respect?

LEESER: No, we don't see that voting for Donald Trump would really change that (ph) for our community. So we're very interested in making sure that we continue to respect our neighbors and make sure what's best for our community.

HILL: We are, as you said, a Hillary Clinton supporter. Donald Trump has made the case that Hillary Clinton takes, specifically the votes of African-Americans for granted. And for Hispanics. That she only sees them as votes, not as people. How do you answer that criticism?

LEESER: Well, like I said, and I'll go back to what I said, we're very proud of our heritage and we're a very proud community. And we understand that we're going to look at who will best fit and make -- and allow us to grow. And like I said, right now we -- our economy is tied so close together. If (ph) we don't see that, to be honest with you.

HILL: Mayor Oscar Leeser of El Paso, Texas. Appreciate your time, Sir, thank you.

LEESER: Thank you, and you have a great day. HILL: You, too. Still to come, they are called the resistance. CNN

is in Iraq with an up-close look at the secretive group trying to drive ISIS out of the city of Mosul.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:48:27]

HILL: Right now Iraqi forces are inching toward the key city of Mosul in an effort to retake the town from ISIS. While troops face enormous challenges, they're already getting some help from the inside thanks to a secret fighting force carrying out operations against the terror group. I want to bring in CNN Senior International Correspondent, Arwa Damon, who joins us from Erbil, Iraq. Arwa, good to see you.

ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, and as you can imagine, it's pretty difficult to try to determine exactly what is happening inside Mosul. There's no internet, there's no cell phone access. But we have been able to piece together a fair amount of information about this organization deep within the city that is already making a stand against ISIS.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAMON (voice-over): Operating deep within the shadows of ISIS territory in Mosul is a network so secretive, even its own members do not know each other's identities. The letter "M" spray painted on Mosul's walls. "M" for Muqawama, the resistance. The message to ISIS? We are here, we are among you.

The Mosul battalions watch for weaknesses in ISIS defenses. Carrying out hit and run operations. Or waiting for a moment to strike isolated targets. Like this checkpoint on the outskirts of the city. This man, Abu Ali, is one of their liaisons.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAMON: How did the Mosul battalions even manage to initially organize themselves?

ABU ALI, MOSUL BATTALIONS LIAISON (via translator): It started as two friends who trust each other. And they would arrange to target ISIS in a particular point.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DAMON (voice-over): The same happened elsewhere and by the end of 2014 the Mosul battalions had formed. Their weapons are basic, what they found and hid in the city, or what they snatched from ISIS.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALI (via translator): The roadside bombs they used, they would steal from ISIS. ISIS puts bombs in certain areas. And those who have previous military experience would go and steal those bombs and place them where they target ISIS. (END VIDEO CLIP)

DAMON (voice-over): They operate in two to three man cells. Independent of one another. No cell knows specifically of another. No fighter knows the name of more than two others.

Abu Ali called the man he said is with the battalions in Mosul. He's speaking from an orchard just outside of the city. Talking on the phone is punishable by death.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MOSUL BATTALION MEMBER (via telephone, translator): We carry out assassinations, sniper operation against senior ISIS members. We target the houses they live in.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DAMON (voice-over): The distorted voice in this video says they assassinated an ISIS fighter. The images then show what they say is the dead man's ID, pistol, and suicide belt. And Abu Ali says they are providing for intermediaries, intelligence, and coordinates to the coalition.

Here are the aftermath of a strike they say was based on their information. And they are waiting for what they call "zero hour." Distributing leaflets warning ISIS its end is coming. They are ready, ready for the day the Iraqi army breaches the city and they rally the people to rise.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

DAMON: And Erica, there's also another organization that is working secretely within Mosul. They call themselves the peace battalions. And they are going to mobilize when this zero hour approaches, as well. But their main job is going to be to protect the population. To try to prevent looting and chaos, such as what we saw happening in Baghdad after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion.

Because what so many people tell us, it's so important, it isn't just driving ISIS out of the city, it's also trying to mitigate the consequences of that, mitigate the loss of life, and mitigate the actual damage done to the city, itself.

[10:52:28]

HILL: Arwa Damon for us this morning. Arwa, thank you. Still to come, a controversial pesticide being used to knock out Zika is now being called into question. Why the CDC is pushing back.

But first, here's a look at your money market update, the DOW currently down as you can see there. Oh, it's going up. 16 1/2 points in early trading, stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:56:55]

HILL: A controversial pesticide being sprayed right here at home in the U.S. to knock out Zika virus is raising new fears. Some questioning whether a chemical called Naled can harm, cause harm rather, to unborn babies. The CDC insists it is safe and that it is the best way to stop Zika from spreading.

Let's bring in CNN's Senior Medical Correspondent, Elizabeth Cohen who's in the Wynwood neighborhood of Miami. That's where Zika has been detected. So give us a sense, Elizabeth, just how dangerous is this pesticide we're talking about?

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: So Erica, scientists have tried to figure that out. And what they've done is they've done studies on pregnant women living in agricultural areas where they are exposed to this pesticide day after day, month after month. And they found that indeed, when they have their babies, they do grow up to be more likely to have behavioral problems later in life, like ADHD for example.

But I spoke to researchers who've done these studies and they support Florida spraying here with that pesticide. And they say look, they're not doing nearly as much spraying in Florida as they've done in these agricultural areas. It's way less and so the exposure is way less, and the risk is way less.

Plus, the ramifications of Zika, it's not ADHD, it's permanent, severe brain damage. These children will never live typical lives, many of them will have very short lifespans. And so these researchers say that there should be spraying against Zika.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. BARRY RYAN, ROLLINS SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, EMORY UNIVERSITY: It's essentially a neurotoxin and can result in unborn children, in particular, having neuro-developmental problems. The nervous system develops in utero. It may not develop the way one wants it to and there are secondary effects that might be associated with that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COHEN: So that's Barry Ryan, one of the researchers who've done these studies. And again, he says despite what he just told us, he still supports that there should be spraying against Zika with this pesticide. It's very limited spraying and the ramifications of Zika are quite severe. Erica?

HILL: Elizabeth Cohen for us in Miami in the Wynwood section there. Elizabeth, thank you. Want to get you a quick check of the top stories now. Three powerful tornados ripped through Indiana, injuring at least 15 people.

And this was the terrifying scene in Kokomo Wednesday. That's not too far, about an hour North of Indianapolis. In addition to widespread power outages, the twisters tore through buildings like Starbucks -- look at that -- coffee shop completely flattened. Thankfully, no one inside was injured.

And these are some pictures, new pictures, of Republican Vice Presidential candidate, Mike Pence. They are in his home state of Indiana getting a firsthand look at some of the damage. Authorities are investigating the death of a 59-year old woman after she fell from the zipline in Delaware. The incident happened at a state park on Wednesday. The victim fell about 40 feet and was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Thanks for spending some time with us today. I'm Erica Hill, AT THIS HOUR with Berman and Bolduan starts now.