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A Broken City; Trump's Pick for Secretary of State Stirs Controversy; Afghan Meets Football Hero; Professor Hiding After a Rant; Shakespeare Makeover. Aired 3-4a ET
Aired December 14, 2016 - 03:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[03:00:00] MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR: The supposed liberators call it a ceasefire. The United Nations calls it a meltdown of humanity. We'll bring you the latest of the uneasy calm in the Syrian city of Aleppo.
Plus, why the conflict war in Syria may have become even more unsolvable with Donald Trump's latest cabinet appointments.
And the 17th century Shakespeare just got a 21st Century makeover on the latest reduction of the Tempest with the upper storm.
Hello and welcome to our viewers around the world. I'm Max Foster in London. This is CNN Newsroom.
The months' long siege of eastern Aleppo is now over with the U.N. calling it a complete meltdown of humanity. Then the 6,000 civilians left rebel-held areas of eastern Aleppo in the past 24 hours according to Russian state media. Many more are still trapped inside the city.
Some activist says the plan to evacuate civilians and rebel is still aimed. After two weeks of rapid gains by regime forces Russia's ambassador announce Aleppo's fall.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VITALY CHURKIN, RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR TO THE U.N. (TRANSLATED): The military activities in eastern Aleppo must stop, so there is no question but some start of cessation of hostilities were special humanitarian operations. The Syrian government has established control over eastern Aleppo, so now the stage has come for practical humanitarian initiatives.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOSTER: Well, the U.N. is raising an alarm over reports that received that Syrian forces and their allies shot dead 82 civilians including women and children.
ITV News Dan Rivers is on the ground in Aleppo and file this report before the ceasefire went into effect.
DAN RIVERS, ITV NEWS REPORTER: On a day of horrendous bloodshed in Aleppo, President Assad's men are celebrating. The cease fighters emerged from battle across the city came reports of unimaginable horror.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Assad militias are maybe 300 meters away, probably is not to go. It's the last base. Really I don't know what to say, but I hope -- really I have -- I hope you can do something for Aleppo people for my daughter and for the other children.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
RIVERS: These pictures give a sense of the violence that don't show allege atrocities that the United Nations is convinced to be being perpetrated as the battle rages. The U.N. claims women and children are being shot. It stop short of accusing Syria of war crimes but if proven, that's exactly what such massacres would be.
This is as close as we are allowed to get today to the besiege rebel east. We can't see what's going on there with our own eyes but we know through dozens of videos and testimonies from people still trapped inside.
This is one of the darkest chapters in the history of the civil war in Syria, a day in which every shred of humanity seems through have disserted Aleppo.
I challenge one soldier about the claims of mass executions.
The United Nations claims civilians are being killed by the Syrian army, what do you say to that?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (TRANSLATED): As you can see if the civilians are being here they wouldn't be coming back. On the contrary, as soon as they heard the Syrian army free this area they feel safe and uncomfortable coming back.
RIVERS: This is Bustan al-Basha a neighborhood broken by this war where children wander lost along the streets from which they want to play. Life is slowly returning here five days after the battle to retake it, but no one here would dare criticize the army or speak if the violence it may have emitted out.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FATHAYA HASMIL, ALEPPO RESIDENT (TRANSLATED): The army helped us. They spread safety and stability in this neighborhood and in the country, so may God save our president, may God bless him and the army.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
RIVERS: But the city has plunged into an abyss where even the most vulnerable children have not been able to escape. And now the biting cold that the Syrian winter is compounding the misery for those still alive. When the full facts are finally uncovered the fall of Aleppo will rank
as one of the most shameful episodes in the Middle East's tortured history. And what's worse is the world knew that failed to act.
Dan Rivers, ITV News, Aleppo.
FOSTER: Jomana Karadsheh is in Amman. She is going to join us with the very latest. Obviously, civilians according to their forces there going back into the city but the rebels are being taken out on buses. But there seems some sort of hold up, I understand?
[03:05:04] JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, and just to let you know, Max, this is the news that we are receiving in the past few minutes from several residents in eastern Aleppo. They say that there has been a resumption of artillery shelling, at least two neighborhoods. These are part of that little enclave that is left with rebel fighters in there and civilians.
They say that this has come under artillery shelling. Now this is coming after we've seen this delay in these evacuations that were supposed to take place about four hours ago at 6 a.m. local time, the buses were ready to evacuate a group of about 150 people that is wounded people and their families. But there was a delay. No one really knew what the delay was about.
The buses were ready to move but they did not move, and about an hour ago, when we were speaking to people there they said that the ceasefire that went into effect on Tuesday evening was still in effect.
But that has clearly changed in the last few minutes with these reports that we're receiving from the residents of eastern Aleppo saying that there has been a resumption of the shelling of these neighborhoods.
Of course, when we talked to people earlier, Max, they were really anxious waiting to get out of there. These are the people who never wanted to leave eastern Aleppo, but all they wanted for the past few days was to be evacuated out to safety. A very concerning development right now on the ground, Max.
FOSTER: And amongst them are, you know, rebels who were until -- you know, even now are regarded as the enemy of the state, aren't they? So, where they would be taken and what sort of future they have?
KARADSHEH: Well, we're looking at something similar to what we've seen in the past this sort of surrender agreements that take place with the Syrian regime. But of course, this time this agreement was done between largely mediated by Turkey with the Russians and the opposition.
Previous deals that we have seen have been locally brokered deals between the regime and the opposition. And in this case the agreement was to evacuate all the armed opposition out of eastern Aleppo and the civilians who wanted to leave to Idlib province. We've also heard from activist that they would also be moved possibly
to the Aleppo countryside, but we're seeing this delay. It is unclear what is going to happen in the coming few hours and we'll keep an eye on that, Max.
FOSTER: In terms of that the response now lots of pressure to get humanitarian aid in, better late than never according to many diplomats around the world. But a huge humanitarian situation to resolve there now and a huge amount of resource needed.
KARADSHEH: Absolutely. You know, if you look at what is left of eastern Aleppo of these neighborhoods where the regime has declared the so-called victory, you see that these are neighborhoods that are left in ruins. We've heard these really grim reports, people describing the situation over the past few days in eastern Aleppo.
We're talking about they are saying injured people are lying on the streets, no one was able to go out and pick them up because of the intensity of the shelling and the fighting. They describe dead bodies on the streets. Some reports of people trapped in the rebel, you know, the rescue group unable to move to try and save people.
So, it has been clearly a very dire situation. You have people, as we have seen, those leaving in recent weeks, in recent days. You have seen the sign of malnutrition on people.
You're talking about a siege that has been going on for more than 100 days for these people in eastern Aleppo where they have been surviving on very little food, very little water according to people that we have spoken to recently.
So, the humanitarian situation is clearly really an emergency right now that needs to be dealt with that these people are coming out. Of course, as we know that the first batch of people who are meant to be evacuated about four hours ago, that is injured people.
And we've heard in the past that there about 500 cases and this is before this most recent fighting took place. So there are about 500 cases that urgently needed to be evacuated out for medical treatment. So, a very dire humanitarian situation, of course.
Now a lot of concern about what happened to the civilians with these most recent reports right now that we're getting from underground the artillery shelling resuming in eastern Aleppo, Max.
FOSTER: Jomana in Amman, thank you.
Well, the situation in Syria certainly complicates relations between the U.S. and Russia. And not only as to the control that is swirling around Donald Trump's pick for secretary of state.
Here is Jim Sciutto.
[03:09:59] JIM SCIUTTO, CNN'S CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Rex Tillerson doesn't just have a personal relationship with Russia's leader. As head of the world's largest oil company, he also has a personal interest in one of the principal foreign policy questions facing the Trump administration whether to continue economic sanctions against Russia for its annexation of Crimea. And military intervention in eastern Ukraine. Sanctions that Tillerson opposed as Exxon CEO.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REID RIBBLE, (R) WISCONSIN STATE REPRESENTATIVE: It does throw up some red flags and certainly Mr. Tillerson should divest himself of his holdings at Exxon so that we -- there is no conflict of interest at all.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCIUTTO: Tillerson's nomination follows...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT-ELECT OF THE UNITED STATES: Wouldn't it be nice if we actually did get along with Russia?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCIUTTO: Trump's repeated praise for the Russian president on the campaign trail.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOSH EARNEST, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Throughout his campaign the president-elect indicated his intent if elected president to pursue warmer relations with Russia. So what better way to do that than to choose somebody who's been awarded the Order of Friendship by Vladimir Putin to be your secretary of state.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCIUTTO: The nomination comes at a precarious time in U.S.-Russian relations. U.S. intelligence agencies are confident that Russia hacked Democratic Party organizations and individuals before the U.S. election.
With the approval of the senior most Russian leaders. And the intelligence community has growing confidence, official tell CNN that Russia's intention was to help Trump.
GOP Senator John McCain who has called for a full Senate investigation of the hacking says Tillerson's ties to Putin are troubling.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN MCCAIN, (R) UNITED STATES SENATOR: I have obviously concerns of reports, obvious relationship with Vladimir Putin who is a thug and a murderer.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCIUTTO: CNN has learned that Intel agencies believed Russian hacking was intended to help Trump is based in part on the fact that Russia also breached republican lawmakers and party organization, though it did not release most of that hacked information.
I ask about that assessment today, Trump's transition spokesman told us.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEAN SPICER, REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR: Maybe they hacked these other entities successfully and maybe they didn't (TECHNICAL PROBLEM)
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: ... a (AUDIO GAP) that Pentagon which had signed off on what Flynn wrote.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CEDRIC LEIGHTON, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: General Flynn looks at the CIA because it's a civilian agency. He looks at it with a great deal of suspicion.
STARR: Retired Colonel Cedric Leighton worked for Flynn.
LEIGHTON: The way I look at this is that the CIA is actually not as political as General Flynn thinks it is. The CIA is very much in tune with a lot of the developments around the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STARR: For its part many in the intelligence community are aghast as some of Flynn's outside the mainstream views that he has shared with Trump.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL FLYNN, FORMER CIA DIRECTOR: Islam is a political ideology. It is a political ideology. It definitely hides behind this notion of it being a religion. I don't see a lot of people screaming Jesus Christ with hatchet, be it hatchet or machetes or rifles shooting up clubs or hatcheting, you know, literally axing families on a train.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[03:15:05] FOSTER: Barbara Starr reporting there.
Meanwhile, a college professor is in hiding after a rant about President-elect Donald Trump ended online. Now the campus is divided and the professor fears for his life.
CNN's Kyung Lah has that story.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OLGA COX, PROFESSOR: Our nation is divided. We have been assaulted.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KYUNG LAH, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's Professor Olga Cox secretly recorded lecturing to her Orange Coast college students not on the days' lesson but Trump's election.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COX: It's an act of terrorism. One of the most frightening things for me and most people in my life is that the people creating the assault are among us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LAH: The professor's words spoken in her class on human sexuality and recorded shortly after the election is now fuel for conservatives outnumbered on this liberal California campus.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We obviously feel that at times ignored we're ignored on things don't really matter. They should not be bullied, they should not be facing a, you know, ridicule.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LAH: The College Republican club posted the 2-minute video from the anonymous student, fury followed and threatening e-mails to Professor Cox. "We'll put a bullet in your face." "People like you will be the first one slaughtered."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(CROWD CHANTING)
LAH: Student supporting the teacher blamed one person.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is all happened since Trump.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LAH: Trump is giving young conservatives a powerful voice at typically left leaning college campuses say republicans students at the famously liberal University of California in Berkeley. So outnumbered on this campus republicans think twice before speaking up.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How many of you are reluctant to share your political beliefs on campus? So, almost everybody.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LAH: The Berkeley Republican club Trump cut out was eventually left in totters by vandals. Post-election they say they face open hostility and it's only getting worse.
But many Orange Coast college professor say disagreement is a part of learning.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROB SCHNEIDERMAN, PRESIDENT, COAST FEDERATION OF EDUCATORS: The fact that you don't teach college do not believe that students are such fragile being that they need to be coddled or they need safe spaces where they don't hear the political views that they disagree with.
LAH: Why didn't that student just talk to the professor and have a free exchange of ideas like classroom should be?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're completely right, but the teacher is going in there and not really allowing anybody to have that sort of dialogue really trying to make it sure that they, you know, have a perception that every single person in that room is liberal. Do you really want to stand up in a, you know, room full of your peers at Coast to 200 students, you know, I personally wouldn't.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LAH: The union that represents Professor Cox says she's so terrified by the death threats that she's moved out of her home and out of the state of California. This is finals week at the college. The administration says it does not have an answer on whether or not she will be returning to the campus next semester.
The administration has begun an investigation speaking with the student who recorded that video, still unnamed student, as well as speaking with the professor.
Kyung Lah, CNN, Los Angeles.
FOSTER: Well, born (Ph) chilling where they can keep Donald Trump's supporters from his rallies. And just ahead, therefore, some of the controversies surrounding the president-elect.
Plus, how a young Afghan boy walked onto the pitch hand-in-hand with his football hero. Their story ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[03:20:00] (TECHNICAL PROBLEM)
FOSTER: ... feel the full force of winter have made just snow storms on the way.
Meteorologist Pedram Javaheri joins us from the International Weather Center with the details on that. Pedram?
PEDRAM JAVAHERI, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, Max. This has a lot of implications for a lot of people of course, and when you consider on what's going on in Syria, in particular and the siege just coming out of Aleppo when you have folks walking on foot. Of course, very limited on what you can take with you with just the clothes on your back.
And I want to show what we're dealing with when it comes to the conditions across this region in recent days, as Max put it there we're getting wintery weather moving in. And for Aleppo, in particular, it is just very cold rain that's coming down just causing saggy conditions across this region.
And I want to show you this because when it comes to extreme temperatures and even getting wet conditions in place we know with dry conditions less energy needed to heat the air around you. Solar radiation on clear days provide that radio heat. You factor in the water, water conducts heat away from your body. In fact, it does so with at a rate of some 25 times more effectively than when you're dry.
So, you put water down on your clothes it is a recipe for disaster if you're expose to the elements. And unfortunately, the storm system we're following right over portions of Syria in the past 24 hours, now pushing in to the east on the Armenian Plateau and really bringing conditions downhill in this region.
Wet weather expect around areas from Jerusalem out towards Damascus. Very heavy rainfall expected onto Aleppo. And then north of that region it is all about the snowfall coming down in earnest over the next couple of days.
We're talking about the coldest temperatures of the season, and in fact, a week from today the first day of winter arrives. But look at these temperatures, in Beirut the average temperature of this time of year around 19 degrees, 12, 13, 14 degrees that we're looking at into the afternoon hours.
In Amman, temperatures running about 6 to 7 degrees below what is considered normal. In Aleppo, temps into the 6 to7-degree range. And look at the overnight temperatures, again, coming down sub-zero when we should be about 3 to 4 degrees for this time of year.
And the human body does a fantastic job trying to maintain that core temperature of 37 Celsius or 98.6 Fahrenheit. But once you bring that temperature down 35 degrees goose bumps set and your body tries to warm itself up, uncontrollable shivers takes place. But the loss of fine motor skills. The body wants to take the heat away from your fingers, your toes, your nose and take it into your core.
As this happens dangerous situation can occur if you're expose to the elements and of course, shivering eventually stops, speech becomes slurred, judgment becomes impaired.
Studies have shown over and over again in the 20 years study where a lot of people have been found with their clothes taken off and literally have passed away with nothing on because they were at impaired judgment across that region. When the temperatures are so cold and you actually feel like when you're losing heat at a tremendous rate.
And unfortunately, it's going to be very cold for a prolong period across this region, Max. We're looking at temperatures in Aleppo below average for the next week. Max?
FOSTER: Yes. Certainly it's not helping, isn't it? Pedram, thank you very much indeed.
[03:25:00] Now, a young Afghan boy caught the world's attention you may remember when he wore a football shirt made out of a plastic bag. On the back of the shirt the name and number of his favorite player.
Don Riddell tells us how a global star pave the story a very happy ending.
DON RIDDELL, CNN WORLD SPORT ANCHOR: This is what it looks like when your dreams come true, meeting one of the world's best footballers, Lionel Messi.
The story of young Murtaza Ahmadi from Afghanistan pulled at the world's (Inaudible) earlier this year. Furthers, that the boy wearing a plastic bag made to look like Messi's jersey went viral.
It's the closest thing to a real Messi jersey that Murtaza's family could afford. Their situation became more dire in May when they were to flee to Pakistan.
When Lionel Messi himself saw the 6-year-old story, he send him not one but two signed jersey's. And now he's doing one better, making Murtaza's biggest wish come true.
And meet him, he did. The two walk hand in hand down into the pitch ahead of Barcelona's match. Murtaza took a photo with the team. And he place the ball on the center line before running back to his hero.
Don Riddell, CNN.
FOSTER: Wonderful story. Next, more U.S. politics for you and the controversy surrounding Donald Trump's cabinet choices. Why some say his friendship with Russia will benefit America.
Also ahead, how a scientist listens for the sound of extinction in the rainforest.
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[03:30:00] (TECHNICAL PROBLEM)
PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: ... and then trying to explain why have this epic oops moment.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RICK PERRY, UNITED STATES ENERGY SECRETARY NOMINEE: The third one, I can't. Sorry. Oops.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MATTINGLY: Trump is also delaying his own announcement about his plan to separate himself from his business empire. he's postponing what was supposed to be a news conference on those details Thursday until January. Trump also tweeting this, "Even though I am not mandated by law to do so, I will be leaving my businesses before January 20, so that I can focus full-time on the presidency. Two of my children, Don and Eric, plus executives will manage them. No new deals will be done during my terms in office."
Aides say Trump's focus has been on personnel and cabinet choices but the final plan simply wasn't ready. And Trump was still able to find time today to meet with someone decidedly not in contention for a cabinet post, hip hop star Kanye West.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KANYE WEST, RAPPER: I just want to take a picture right now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOSTER: Phil Mattingly reporting there. And as you've heard top Senate republicans are amongst the powerful voices calling for probe into Russia's interference in the U.S. elections.
But what are the people who voted for Trump think about all of this? Well, Gary Tuchman went to Trump rally in Wisconsin to find out.
GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Single digit temperature not enough to stop the folks of the very front of this line from arriving 15 hours before Donald Trump's arrival. Suffice it to say the people you're about to hear from are intensely loyal.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, it's freezing.
TUCHMAN: But what made you decided to wait out this long in the cold?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, I just wanted to be part of his dialogue. I feel that he's getting about unwrapped.
TUCHMAN: Unwrapped about what?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just everybody sticking on him and, I mean...
(CROSSTALK)
TUCHMAN: Do you feel sorry for them?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TUCHMAN: A lot of people here feel similarly that Donald Trump has every right to believe people are trying to undermine his election victory.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[03:35:00] UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't think there was any kind of hacking. It's all made up. TUCHMAN: CIA says it believes that Russians did this hacking in order to help Donald Trump.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's nonsense.
(CROSSTALK)
TUCHMAN: You don't believe the CIA?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, I don't believe. The CIA is then politicized. Obama has politicized just about every agency, the Department of Justice, FBI, now CIA.
TUCHMAN: Do you think they're out there to help Donald Trump's people who work for the CIA?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Absolutely.
TUCHMAN: Many people here say they just don't trust the CIA, and therefore don't believe that any possible hacking would have been done for Donald Trump's benefit.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Their views are more on their feelings and not necessarily on facts. It's how the...
(CROSSTALK)
TUCHMAN: The CIA?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. And so...
TUCHMAN: Do you think this is not fact-based, it's feeling-based?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I do.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't believe that it was necessarily done by Russia. I don't know why.
TUCHMAN: But the CIA says it was, why don't you believe with CIA?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I don't believe that Russia would hack anything in the United States and leave evidence that it was them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TUCHMAN: And that leaves to the Russian business connections of secretary of state nominee, Rex Tillerson. There are some who told us let's wait and see.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He may bring a different perspective to it. Obviously, Trump likes rich business people in his cabinet. He works well with them, and let's try that, maybe, I don't know. I'm not sure.
TUCHMAN: Trump supporter Nina Below, she is pretty sure. NINA BELOW, TRUMP SUPPORTER: And I think it will be good.
TUCHMAN: Does it bother you at all that he has strong connections to Russia?
BELOW: Not in a way he is connected with the business. I think that's a...
TUCHMAN: But can he be a diplomat and be an honest broker with the country like Russia when he's so close to Russia?
BELOW: I think he can.
TUCHMAN: Because?
BELOW: Because he's a smart businessman just like Trump is.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TUCHMAN: Intense Donald Trump loyalty both pre and post-election.
Gary Tuchman, CNN, West Allis, Wisconsin.
FOSTER: Well, Shakespeare's 16th century birth place is now home to some of -- some 21st century theater to what's called The Tempest mixed technology later this hour.
Plus, we'll meet the scientist who counts endangered frogs by listening to their song.
[03:40:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
FOSTER: Well, scientist are deeply worried that frog species are disappearing but the problem can't always be seen.
John Sutter and an ecologist uses microphone and software to search for solution.
JOHN SUTTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: In a Costa Rican rainforest it sounds not sight that's helping some researchers track the disappearance of amphibians. These creatures are vanishing at an alarming rate and their plight may be a window into the troubled future of all species on earth.
Out here in the Costa Rican rainforest ecologist Bryan Pijanowski is setting up high tech microphones to listen for the sound of extinction.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRYAN PIJANOWSKI, ECOLOGIST: What sort of frogs which are affected here. And a lot of tree frogs out hear probably strawberry and plain dark frog. I'm listening to what I call the rhythm of nature or its tempo re-entered the (Inaudible) of the insects, and if they're there it tells me that is basically how the ecosystem, if they're not there I get to be very worried. STEVEN WHITFIELD, ECOLOGIST: In the past 30 years or so, we've seen really dramatic really rapid extinctions for frog populations all over the world. Many of these extinctions are due to have with that loss, but other extinctions have occurred in pristine rainforests like these, places that look healthy but the frog who are climbing upstairs is something clearly wrong.
SUTTER: For frogs, climate change and a killer fungus called chytrid which humans help spread around the world are causing much of the problem.
There are several poison calling right around here do you think that we can track one down?
WHITFIELD: Yes.
SUTTER: All right. To try to understand it Steven Whitfield spent years walking through the rainforest here at La Selva Biological Station.
WHITFIELD: Here it is.
SUTTER: Counting and observing frogs what is the sound you found here.
WHITFIELD: There is a frog that koak, koak, koak, koak, that's the frog if you can hear from a fairly long distance. There we go again. Yes.
SUTTER: He'll be the first to tell you that it's not easy work.
WHITFIELD: There have been many occasions where I'm doing surveys for frogs and I'll hear one call and spend half an hour or more looking into a small patch of vegetation knowing that it's right there and that I need to find it but unable to see it.
SUTTER: That's when Pijanowski comes in. He and collaborators from around the world have been installing microphones sensors on the forest floor and up high in the cantabile. The goal, listen for changes that biologist like Whitfield might not be able to see.
How many of these sensors are on the forest here?
PIJANOWSKI: At the height of our study we have 34.
SUTTER: Wow. OK. It could become a record of extinction. Pijanowski has audio recordings for this forest dating back to 2008, and already he's hearing signs of trouble. He showed me how to use this computer algorithms to analyze the sound and pick out the species tribes. He visualizes these massive audio files can search called spectrogram.
PIJANOWSKI: When you are in tropics you're looking at spectrogram, it's full, it's rich because we have thousands of animals here, but when I see something like a spectrogram like this where we have this large gap and it's dark, these kinds of difference are ones that you begin to ask serious questions. SUTTER: But there are some trend so obvious that Pijanowski hears them before the computers do. he tells me that in 2015 he was alarmed at how quite the forest sounded. Take a listen to this file from 2008. And then another from 2015 recorded in similar conditions.
Those are just two moments but look how clear the difference becomes when you look at nearly a years' worth of recordings. You can see the animals making more noise in red. Again, here is 2008 and 2015.
Pijanowski says it's too early to draw a scientific conclusions but he is frightened.
PIJANOWSKI: I'm worried that this would potentially a crystic fossils. In other words, the animals that are in these finals are no longer aligned. The only record that we have with some of their presence is an audio recording. That is somewhat disturbing to me as a scientist. They are not as (Inaudible) as species not in this planet.
SUTTER: What happens if they're gone?
PIJANOWSKI: I mean, some of the theoretical work that we're doing in ecology suggest that we could have ecosystem collapse and that's not good. You don't want to start removing organisms and expect that the ecosystem can survive and function in a healthy way. It could very well mean that some of the things that we are much more at emotionally attach to are lost.
[03:45:02] SUTTER: Do you feel like you've already heard this extinction is turning?
PIJANOWSKI: I think so. You know, I've been out listening for about 15 to 20 years and making a record of it through these recordings. There is evidence of that, there is evidence all around the world and just about every ecosystem.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOSTER: Well, after three quarters of all species could disappear over the next 200 years if don't make drastic changes now. We'll explore five stories of an endangered species for our special program, Vanishing, the sixth mass extinction. And you can catch that in about 45 minutes actually from now at 9.30 a.m. in London, that's 5.30 p.m. in Hong Kong.
Ahead on CNN Newsroom, though, a gift registry with a twist for a mom- to-be. It's from an orangutan. We'll explain.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
JAVAHERI: Weather watch time. I'm meteorologist Pedram Javaheri.
Get ready for a couple blast of wintery weather across parts of the northern United States. The snow showers still in place across parts of the Upper Peninsula area of Michigan, while back towards the west we're getting some high elevation snow rolling in the Gulf Coast states getting some beneficial rainfall. The big story everyone will be talking about parts of North America
will be the Arctic blast of air, not only just one shot but a second shot potentially to follow soothe there later into earlier next week.
So, this looks like a multi-day events setting up here when it comes to how cold the temperatures they get. And notice in the U.S. capital high temps will struggle to get up above zero for multiple days in a row and once it does want to warm up ahead of the initial -- the incoming the second storm. We're looking at temps once again to plummet into early next week.
So, this is what it looks like as far as the precipitation is concerned, some lake enhance snow showers across the Great Lakes as still getting seem good contrast between the air temperature and the water temperature below edge.
And around the western United States the storm track is wide open, the door right there for northern California into parts of Oregon. In fact, the National Weather Service issuing series of alerts here
for winter storm watches and warnings and the advisories across much of the highest elevations here with the heaviest rainfall expected right there north of San Francisco. And the heaviest snow showers around portions of the Cascades.
FOSTER: Well, Shakespeare fans will now go recognize the line where such stuff streams are made on from his play The Tempest. Now some 21st Century theater magic is helping to drive that point home.
CNN's Nick Glass reports.
[03:50:01] NICK GLASS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We become accustomed production values at the Royal Shakespeare Company, frankly, we expect it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We have many colors met into that (Inaudible) disobey the wife of Jupiter.
GLASS: But this time the RSC seemed to have surpassed itself almost ideologically.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Refreshing job.
GREGORY DORAN, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, ROYAL SHAKESPEARE COMPANY: In Shakespeare's 400 anniversary we wanted to have a kind of finale to the year and The Tempest is Shakespeare's last play, it's the last solo authored play. It requires an extraordinary magical effects and we wanted to make it very special in this particular year.
GLASS: Gregory Doran was alerted to something on YouTube the presentation by the technology Intel.
DORAN: These big whales swam onto this huge screen behind the CEO's head and then he said, we know we can do this. But what if we could do this. And the whales swam through the screen and swam over the audiences head, now I said, that's what I want for The Tempest. GLASS: Now, certainly the RSC embraced digital magic capturing and actress movement with special cameras and computers so-called motion capture and they consulted an expert.
ANDY SERKIS, ACTOR-DIRECTOR, IMAGINARIUM STUDIOS: Sort of like a combination of theater, video game, and filmmaking skills all coming -- all coming together really. And it's what we call at the Imaginarium that the film next generation storytelling.
GLASS: Many of the special effects were designed for one character, the spirit, Ariel, he gets the skin-tight body suit that kind of use by actors in movies like "X-Men" and it's wired up with 17 sensors from head to toe.
Is it a different kind of acting?
MARK QUARTLEY, ACTOR: No. It's not. It's not. Supposed there is an awareness of the physical gestures but you'd be doing that anyway if you're doing Ariel thing. So, no. It's quite exciting. It gives you a bit more power I think, Ariel can create different versions of himself at will.
GLASS: So, beyond the bank of computers are goes the avatar of Ariel took shape. We were given rare access to the final few days of rehearsal for Marble the little to eve's drop.
The first glimpse in the end of The Tempest visually re-imagined Ariel, his avatar and his master, the magician, Prospero.
SIMON RUSSELL BEALE, ACTOR: There's always been very Catholic in his taste. And I think - I think it will make anything that sort of interest as another tool in the box in a very impressive one. And yes, I'm sure to be around. I'm sure to develop.
GLASS: This has been a 2-year collaboration between the RSC, Intel, and Imaginarium. Ariel can shape shift in real-time before our very eyes. And this avatar projected from the computer anywhere on stage. At one moment a happy half bird, half woman.
DORAN: He's always explored the new and the innovative and the noble we've always wanted to exploit whatever was -- whatever possibilities were out there, so this is just the extension of that.
GLASS: The human Ariel is always there flipping in the night of the shadows and acting away but it's his avatar who seem to tell the story of the shipwreck that brings Prospero's enemy to him, he's ethereal almost vaporous.
That said, the special effects remain in service of Shakespeare's words from the acting at key emotional moments is always between flesh and blood players and them alone.
Nick Glass, CNN with Ariel and his avatar at Stratford-upon-Avon.
FOSTER: Stunning. Now, what kind of diva person Adele's C.D., perfume by Britney Spears and a full-length mirror on her baby registry. Well, it's a heavy one. There's a clue. Zookeepers in Texas made a gift registry for baby orangutan due in January.
Jeanne Moos seek who work at the items that have been new, ape will go bananas full.
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, I get in balls and bubble bath that it looks like just another baby gift registry at Target. But this registry is targeted at a couple of apes and their unborn baby just type in the mom's first name, Mei.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Her last name is orangutan.
MOOS: And up pop over 300 gifts perfect for the orangutan parents residing at Cameron Park Zoo in Waco, Texas. May's due date is the last week in January, butt mom couldn't use a food processor or a baby monitor. But what's an ape to do with C.D.'s from Adele, Dolly Parton, and Simon and Garfunkel, who pick those?
[03:55:04] LAURA KLUTTS, ZOOKEEPER: Yes. I did.
MOOS: Laura Klutts and then other zookeeper went to Target and registered gifts for the public to buy the orangutans, the ape seem to enjoy music. They like toys. That keeps them from getting bored so the keepers shoot bubbles at them. The orangutans toss around hoola-hoops. There's even a full-length mirror on the registry.
KLUTTS: So maybe she likes to check out the parts of her body she can't normally see. She'll turn around she'll look at her back.
MOOS: Typical woman trying to see if it's making or you know, if her butt looks big or what?
KLUTTS: Absolutely.
MOOS: Also on the registry movies like Tarzan. The orangutans love watching movies. They plant themselves in front of the shell man and watch the whole thing. But why so many air fresheners and what's with the Britney Spears fragrance, all of that is considered scent enrichment to spray not on the orangutans but on their things.
So, there's a chance that Britney Spears women fantasy will bend up on their -- on their sheets?
KLUTTS: Yes.
MOOS: So imagine this hairy apes sitting around listening to Adele, smelling like Britney Spears and relating to the ape taking care of baby Tarzan.
Jeanne Moss, CNN, New York.
FOSTER: Mommy Jeanne come. Thank you for joining us. I'm Max Foster in London. I'll be back with another edition of CNN Newsroom after this short break. Do stay with us.
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