Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Newsroom
Syrian Troops Prepare for Attack on Aleppo; Race for the White House; Duterte Likens Himself to Hitler; Deutsche Bank Shares Rebound; Teen Makes Hijab Emoji. Aired 12-12:30a ET
Aired October 01, 2016 - 00:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[00:00:00]
(MUSIC PLAYING)
NATALIE ALLEN, CNN ANCHOR: Syrian government forces take advantage of a failed ceasefire as thousands of troops gather near the rebel-held side of Aleppo.
Donald Trump says he does not regret attacking a former beauty queen during a late-night Twitter rant five days after the debate.
Plus a major storm churns up the Atlantic. Hurricane Matthew gains a category five rating, threatening several Caribbean nations.
It's all ahead here on CNN NEWSROOM. We're live in Atlanta and thank you so much for joining us. I'm Natalie Allen.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
ALLEN: The battle for the besieged Syrian city of Aleppo is now intensifying. The U.S. estimates as many as 10,000 Syrian-led ground troops are gathering in advance of what may be a final assault by government forces against rebels holding part of the city.
Those left in Aleppo are already coping with devastation from months of heavy bombardment. On Friday, a man was rescued from being trapped beneath the rubble from an attack.
Here's a look at him being pulled out. There are reports that at least 12 people died Friday after warplanes targeted a residential neighborhood. The World Health Organization says some 270,000 civilians remain stuck in Aleppo with dwindling supplies.
Our Nick Paton Walsh has a closer look at this city on the brink of collapse.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN SR. INTL. CORRESPONDENT: With the possibility of as many 10,000 Syrian-led fighters or troops near the rebel-held part of Eastern Aleppo, that is one U.S. estimate, there are potentially very dark days ahead for that area. Already under a pretty effective form of siege that's lapsed at times
but now seems to be depriving them of food but also intermittently of water as well; 300,000, by some suggestions, civilians trapped in that area.
They have faced bombardment for years but nothing like what they've seen in the past weeks or days. The U.N. suggesting that 96 children have been by that bombardment in just the last week, 223 injured, hard really to fathom numbers like that. They come at you so often during a civil war.
Perhaps easier to understand what one aid worker we spoke to said, "My nerves are fraught. I simply can't talk about this anymore."
He described how he has seen three rockets land just recently near him, body parts everywhere and how the people there had no hope in anyone to come to their assistance now apart from God.
That's the kind of desperation we're seeing in this area. Those clashes in that area suggesting an offensive that may be launched by those troops in the forthcoming days or weeks in the central area, first in Al-Bashir (ph), where we also heard this day that a barrel bomb landed, killing seven people there as well, including children.
It is a dark episode, indeed. That area of Aleppo has held out for years against regime forces and now it faces, perhaps, a more strategic and significant collapse, that of U.S. policy at this time.
John Kerry, the U.S. secretary of state, has been so keen that he believes that a diplomatic solution, working alongside his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, nay possibly ease the violence here. There'd be some U.S. officials who've cynically pointed out they don't trust the Russians here at all.
Even John Kerry himself has said, frankly, it's his only choice. It's clear that the White House doesn't want to put military resources into a conflict that could be seen to clash openly against Russian resources on the ground there.
But the question now is what really has Moscow been planning for the past couple of weeks?
The volume of resources now potentially available for this assault against Aleppo, if it does happen -- and there are many suggestions that it may be underway -- will take weeks to get into play.
And those same weeks should have been spent, have been spent by Moscow and Damascus talking, potentially, diplomacy and peace with its Washington counterpart. That has fallen apart now.
We're now seeing one of the darkest episodes of violence that have hit Syria in this already nightmarish civil war. The U.S. talking about sanctions, maybe, against Russia; the possibility of better armaments being supplied by Syrian rebels, by their Gulf allies, that might be able to target Russian and Syrian aircraft. A lot of talk here at this point. But the broader recognition, the
U.S. is not going to commit ground troops here or potentially stop what many are already considering a war crime, the targeting of hospitals there as well.
Yes, this can be documented. This can be observed but it's unlikely there'll be an effective military response to stop it, certainly from outsiders, this looming now as potentially one of the darkest moments we have seen yet in Syria's civil war -- Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, Beirut.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ALLEN: Also on the Syrian war, the U.N. says it is going to conduct an independent investigation into how its humanitarian relief trucks were attacked.
The convoy was near Aleppo, preparing aid deliveries for --
[00:05:00]
ALLEN: -- people who desperately needed food, medicine and blankets. Instead, those supplies were destroyed.
Officials say at least 18 people were killed, including the head of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent in the area. The U.S. blames Russian warplanes, an accusation Moscow denies.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
ALLEN: On the campaign trail, Donald Trump says he does not regret his Twitter tirade against a former Miss Universe. The U.S. Republican presidential candidate mocked Alicia Machado in string of scathing pre-dawn tweets Friday. Democratic rival Hillary Clinton called the Twitter rant "unhinged." More now from CNN senior White House correspondent Jim Acosta.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Trump, why did you go on the late-night tweet storm last night?
ACOSTA (voice-over): When it comes to his battle with former Miss Universe Alicia Machado, Donald Trump is no Mr. Congeniality. In response to Machado's claim Trump called her "Miss Piggy" for gaining weight, the GOP nominee lashed out at the pageant winner in a series of bombastic tweets in the middle of the night.
"Did Crooked Hillary help disgusting (check out sex tape and past) Alicia M become a U.S. citizen so she could use her in the debate?"
And this: "Using Alicia M in the debate as a paragon of virtue just shows that Crooked Hillary suffers from bad judgment! Hillary was set up by a con."
The Trump campaign, which offers no proof Machado ever even appeared in a sex tape but says it's just firing back.
JACK KINGSTON, SENIOR ADVISER, DONALD TRUMP CAMPAIGN: I don't know Ms. Machado, but I've seen many of the interviews with her. She's not a very credible witness, you might say.
ACOSTA: Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta jumped into the fray, poking at Trump on Twitter: "I'm almost Trump's age so get the urge to get up in the middle of the night. But important safety tip: Don't reach for your phone."
Machado insists her past is not relevant, admitting to CNN...
ALICIA MACHADO, FORMER MISS UNIVERSITY: Everybody has a past and I'm no -- a saint girl, but that is not the point now.
ACOSTA: In a statement, she says Trump's latest attacks are cheap lies with bad intentions, adding Trump "insists on demoralizing women, minorities and people of certain religions through his hateful campaign. This is one of his most frightful characteristics."
Trump is also ripping into the Clintons, with not-so-subtle references to their past marital problems.
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: The Clintons are the sordid past. We will be the very bright and clean future.
ACOSTA: Raising questions of hypocrisy for Trump, who's on his third marriage.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're not worried about your past history at all?
TRUMP: No, not at all. I have a very good history.
ACOSTA: Trump is also attacking the media, blasting reports that he was furious at aides for spilling the beans on his debate preparations, tweeting, "Remember, don't believe 'sources said' by the very dishonest media. If they don't name the sources, the sources don't exist."
But Trump has claimed to rely on anonymous sources, too, tweeting back in 2012, "An extremely credible source has called my office and told me that Barack Obama's birth certificate is a fraud."
And Trump is attacking newspapers when endorsements don't go his way. For the first time in its history, "USA Today" offered its opinion on a presidential race, declaring Trump unfit for presidency.
And after that, the Trump campaign is slamming a report in "The Washington Post" that The Trump Foundation was never properly certified to solicit donations.
DAVID FAHRENTHOLD, "THE WASHINGTON POST": By not doing this, Trump avoided a requirement that he submit to an annual audit, a real annual audit that might have looked into his foundation and found some of the violations of law that we seem to have found along the way this year. ACOSTA: But Trump did find vindication on one front: the presidential debate commission said his microphone was defective in that first face-off with Hillary Clinton on Monday night.
At a rally here in Michigan, Trump suggested there was a conspiracy, telling the crowd he wonders why his microphone was so bad -- Jim Acosta, CNN, Novi, Michigan.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ALLEN: Meantime, a new national poll shows U.S. Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton gaining ground on Trump after their first debate. FOX News shows Clinton at 43 percent nationwide to Trump's 40 percent. But the margin of error essentially makes that a tie.
Clinton is doing a bit better in some key stats; in Michigan, she is up 7 points, 42 percent to 35 percent. That result is mirrored in New Hampshire. It's also a key battleground state that could go either way in November.
And in all-important Florida, the race has narrowed to just 4 points, barely outside the margin of error, with Clinton ahead 46 percent to 42 percent.
Bill Clinton is speaking out about his 40-year marriage to Hillary Clinton. In an interview on the Clinton campaign's podcast, the former U.S. president said his wife is more reticent than some people to discuss things she thinks are better kept within the family.
He also said Ms. Clinton has been shaped by heartbreaks and disappointments.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILL CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: In Hemingway's immortal words, "In some way or another, life breaks everyone and, afterward --
[00:10:00]
BILL CLINTON: -- many are strong at the broken places."
And I think that she has literally spent a lifetime dealing with not only her joys and her blessings but also heartbreaks and disappointment, sometimes unfair treatment.
(END VIDEO CLIP) ALLEN: Bill Clinton also said that sometimes when both return home
from a long day on the campaign trail, Hillary Clinton will tell him, "We're not going to talk about politics tonight," and he says he listens.
Good advice.
Bill Clinton was one of the foreign dignitaries at Shimon Peres' funeral Friday. Israel buried him at Jerusalem's Mount Herzl. He died Wednesday morning. He was 93. Peres led Israel as both prime minister and president, spending much of his life working for peace. Here's CNN's Nic Robertson.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(MUSIC PLAYING)
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR (voice-over): A somber, solemn farewell, the last of Israel's founding fathers laid to rest, eulogists lionizing his life.
BILL CLINTON: He started off life as Israel's brightest student, became its best teacher and ended up its biggest dreamer.
ROBERTSON (voice-over): President Obama reminding all, Peres' biggest dream never fulfilled.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: "We won them all," he said of Israel's wars.
"But we did not win the greatest victory that we aspire to, release from the need to win victories."
ROBERTSON (voice-over): Among the dozens of international dignitaries, presidents, prime ministers past and present; notable in their absence, though, Arab leaders, reflecting perhaps Peres' more hawkish roots, decades ago supporting Israeli settlers.
Regardless, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas came, his first visit to Jerusalem since 2010; the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, shaking his hand.
From Obama, the Palestinian leader getting a very warm greeting, handshake and a hug.
Stark contrast to the frosty body language between the U.S. president and Netanyahu.
So much apparent symbolism this day: Britain's Prince Charles sporting a black-and-white check silk handkerchief in his breast pocket, to all the world resembling a Palestinian keffiyeh.
Aside the appearance of less than subtle hints of international discomfort with the lack of peace process here, clear cajoling of today's crowd.
OBAMA: And so now this work is in the hand of Israel's next generation.
ROBERTSON (voice-over): Clinton pointedly spelling out how Peres found his path to peace, how today's leaders might do the same.
BILL CLINTON: It's easy to say things like this at a memorial service. It's hard to do. First, he had to master his own demons, forgive himself for his own mistakes and get over his own disappointments.
ROBERTSON (voice-over): Words of hope for a family in grief, for a nation at a crossroads -- Nic Robertson, CNN, Jerusalem.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ALLEN: Coming up here, tropical storm Matthew becomes a major hurricane. We'll have a weather report for you.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[00:15:00]
(MUSIC PLAYING)
ALLEN: We have heard controversial comments from the Philippine president before but now there's this. On Friday, Rodrigo Duterte likened himself to Adolf Hitler, which the U.S. had a swift response.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RODRIGO DUTERTE, PRESIDENT-ELECT, THE PHILIPPINES: Hitler massacred 3 million Jews. Now there is 3 million, what is it, 3 million drug addicts, there are. I'd be happy to slaughter them.
MARK TONER, U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT: America's relationship or partnership with the Philippines is long and it's been based on a mutual foundation of shared values. And that includes our shared belief in human rights and human dignity.
And within that context, President Duterte's comments are a significant departure from that tradition. And we find them troubling.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ALLEN: Jewish groups say Mr. Duterte owe the victims of the Holocaust an apology. Since Duterte took office three months ago, more than 3,000 people have been killed, mostly alleged drug addicts and drug dealers.
Well, in the Atlantic, Hurricane Matthew has just gained category 5 status.
(WEATHER REPORT)
[00:20:00]
DEREK VAN DAM, AMS METEOROLOGIST: That is called a spaghetti plot and you can see exactly why -- Natalie.
ALLEN: Yes, all right, Derek, thank you. We will be watching it and --
VAN DAM: Very closely.
ALLEN: -- and staying in touch with you.
Deutsche Bank investors might be breathing a small sigh of relief after a wild trading session on Friday. Shares plummeted then rebounded after the CEO said worries over the bank's financial health were overstated. He says market forces are trying to weaken the bank. CNNMoney's Clare Sebastian has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Deutsche Bank CEO says forces in the market are the cause of the bank's troubles and that's true to an extent. But those aren't the only forces at play here. Let's take a look. Low interest rates due to a continually sluggish economy in Europe and that is eating into the profits the bank can make on its loans.
Secondly, tighter regulations, there have been new rules on investment banking since 2008 and that is the biggest part of Deutsche Bank's business. That has also eaten into its profits.
Then we have legal punishment -- we're not just talking about the latest penalty from the Justice Department here for selling mortgage- backed securities; Deutsche Bank has spent years paying for the sins of its past, from LIBOR rigging to violating U.S. sanctions.
And you can't just blame outside forces here. A key issue is capital. All banks have had to increase their capital buffer since the financial crisis. And many believe Deutsche Bank has simply been too slow. It has been cutting jobs and selling off parts of the business.
But the worry is all of these other forces out there will not be enough to counteract that. And there -- let's move on because this matters for one key reason.
And Deutsche Bank is huge. It has $2 trillion in assets. That is well over half the size of the German economy. And it's not just about the size of the bank. Deutsche Bank is one of the most interconnected banks in the world, as this diagram shows from the IMF.
It has dealings with pretty much all of the world's biggest banks, mainly through billions of dollars in derivative contracts. If the bank fails, then all of these other banks could lose out. The bottom line for many: it's simply too big and too interconnected to fail -- Clare Sebastian, CNNMoney, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ALLEN: Emojis come in all shapes and sizes -- or do they?
One teenager noticed something missing. We'll have that next.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MUSIC PLAYING)
ALLEN: Pope Francis will hold an outdoor mass Saturday to start his second day in Tbilisi, Georgia. He ended the first day there with a prayer for world peace. The pontiff made particular note of Iraq and Syria, asking God to raise them from devastation. He is planning to stop in Azerbaijan next on Sunday.
Emojis and texting, of course, have become a second language for many teenagers, if not all. But one hijab-wearing teen in Berlin noticed something was missing. There weren't any emojis that looked like her. Here's Atika Shubert.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RAYOUF AL HUMEDHI, EMOJI CREATOR: My name's Rayouf Al Humedhi. I'm 15 years old. I moved to Berlin five years ago. And I'm from Saudi Arabia.
ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Is this where you were when you had the idea?
AL HUMEDHI: Yes. It's like everything that I do is in this room. Like honestly because it's just so much better being in your room.
My friends and I were creating a group chat on WhatsApp and we decided to name the group chat name "Emojis of Ourselves." And I obviously had no emoji to represent me, which is what got me --
[00:25:00]
AL HUMEDHI: -- thinking. I started questioning why there isn't one to represent me.
So I just created a proposal -- it was a week before school started. You have nothing to lose. And I just wanted to ask for an emoji, simple as that. I really had no initial idea in my mind of how it was supposed to look like. I just wanted it to have -- to be available in different skin tones because, you know, it's not just a brown skin color. Millions of women from different races do wear it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hello.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How are you?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How are you?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Good, thank you.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it's because, you know, we're visual people. So communicating just through text, it's kind of hard to get across your emotion. So having little images, even though they are so small, is actually really helpful when you are trying to communicate what you are feeling and thinking.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you have a favorite?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, definitely the hijab emojis.
(LAUGHTER)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you.
AL HUMEDHI: Everybody uses them. My dad uses them, my mom. Like no matter what age you are, phones and digitalization have really encroached our lives in every possible aspect.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My dad told me (INAUDIBLE).
But on the bottom he saw (INAUDIBLE).
(LAUGHTER)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And not only that, they called her Berlinen (ph).
(CROSSTALK)
AL HUMEDHI: It obviously won't change the world. And no one will like, say, go headscarves, yay. You know? It's not going to do that.
But it's like I said before indirectly promote tolerance because once people realize that like women wearing headscarves are not just people on the news.
And once they begin to show up on our phones, that will establish that notion that we are normal people carrying out daily routines just like you.
I did that because I wanted to be represented, as simple as that. I just wanted an emoji of me.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ALLEN: And that is CNN NEWSROOM. I'll be right back with our top stories and then stay with us for "ON CHINA."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
