how the end of the ringling bros. circus may give them a big opportunity. >>> how beer is being used to mark a special milestone for villanova. >>> five minutes before 6:00 a.m. end of the ringling bros. circus does not mean an end of the art of the show. >> over the weekend, they announced shutting down because of the drop in attendance. the executive director of the philadelphia school of circus art says the void left by ringling bros. is actually an opportunity for the rest of the circus community. >> my school is thriving. we have 500 students a beak here right now. aerial, acrobatics, growing every year. >> the school's owner says the new circus focus on human performances rather than glitz and glamour on a huge scale. >>> welcoming carli lloyd. all starting in her hometown. this year's induck tees include journalist connie chung. kelly rip pa and way clef jeycl journalist connie chung. kelly rip pa and wyclef jean. >>> among the notables who could be named to the hall this year, hoffman, and villa nova are commem

here's manuel bojorquez. >> reporter: with high-flying stunts and exotic animals, the ringling bros. barnum bailey circus is an american institution. just last week it that introduced their first female ringmaster. but the circus' parent company says last year's decision to let go of some of their biggest performers amid pressure from animal rights groups was the final straw. >> removing elephants we saw a very sharp drop in attendance, much greater than we anticipated. that's led us to this decision, because the business model is no longer sustainable. >> reporter: activists are claiming victory but are still concerned about the future of the animals. >> they still have the possibility to do right by the animals by moving them to sanctuaries. >> reporter: in sarasota where they train young circus stars of tomorrow, many are heart broken. >> it's a magic that you feel once you walk into the tent. >> reporter: dolly jacobs is an instructor here, and her dad was one of ringling's most famous clowns. >> is this end of an airi? >> in my heart i don't want to believe that. it's i was wonde

here's manuel bojorquez. >> reporter: with high-flying stunts and exotic animals, the ringling bros. barnum bailey circus was big-time entertainment under the big top, captivating udiences for nearly 150 years. >> the premiere of a new ringling brothers and barnum bailey's circus. >> reporter: but attendance has been falling. just last week, they introduced their first female ringmaster. but the circus' parent company says last year's decision to let go of some of their biggest performers amid pressure from animal rights groups was the final straw. >> removing the elephants from the touring units, we saw a very sharp drop in attendance, much greater than we anticipated. that's led us to this decision, because the business model is no longer sustainable. >> reporter: activists are claiming victory but are still concerned about the future of the animals. >> they still have the possibility to do right by the animals by moving them to sanctuaries. >> reporter: at the circus conservatory in sarasota where they train young circus stars of tomorrow, many are heart broken. >> it's a magic tha

. >>> this may the ringling bros. and barnum and bailey circus will close after 150 years on the road. circus employees informed after their performance. stopped using elephants and ticket sales falled. >>> family of san francisco woman believed she died of meningitis, leslie brinkley spoke to the family about the warning they say they got from the coroner's office. >> found in the bus sitting upright. >> reporter: what the family says they were told. muni confirms a woman found dead at end of the mission line. called in the daly city police. >> was on the bus the last two days she was alive. don't know who she was in contact with. >> reporter: said the coroner's office said preliminary results indicated sister died of meningitis and urged him to seek treatment. he and his son given anti-biotics because was in contact with her in santa rosa. >> a severe headache, slight fever. didn't say her neck was hurting which is one of the symptoms. >> prescribed after shoulder surgery at san francisco general hospital. they confi

. >> the iconic ringling bros. and

in just four months, the curtain falls on the one and only ringling bros. um and bailey circus, an iconic road show that defined the circus experience for generations of children. in the end, ceo kenneth feld said the circus was simply too expensive to produce. his family has owned the show for the past 50 years. but ticket sales were declining. and the circus's fate was likely sealed last year when it retired the popular elephant show. feld said then it was inevitable. >> there is a saying, you can't fight city hall. and we found that to be the case in this situation. >> reporter: for years, the elephants and their dance routines were a big draw for circus fans. but not at all popular with animal rights groups which deplored their treatment and repeatedly criticized, picketted, and sued the company for its treatment of animals. in 2011, the circus paid a fine of more than a quarter million dollars for alleged violations of the animal welfare act. last year it retired the elephants to a conservation center in florida. after the closure was announced, people

he visited the site, shook hands with onlookers, and took some video as well. ringling bros. and barnum & stopy circus will make a from march 31 through april 2. when the show leaves town, it is never coming back. it will close for good in may. >> ring laying brothers and barnum and bailey elephants x an american> institution calling it quits after 146 years. sad, and it we are was a very difficult decision to make. >> the famous three ring circus has 1800s. they had the first african-american ringmaster in a major circus in 1999. but the nonstop battles with animal-rights groups led to the show removing its star elephants. >> after we retired the elephants from the touring units, we saw a much steeper drop in sales. >> the company is now announcing the operating costs on decision. >> we are so glad it is finally coming to any in d.c.. >> animal-rights groups are claiming victory. after this stunt went wrong in on june 8 of last year. long goers are disappointed. >> no, that is not right. >> it is like a whole part of americana is gone. >> the final show is set for may 21 righ

after 146 years in service, the ringling bros circus are taking down their tents. e final performances will be given this may. nbc's gadi schwartz takes us back to the greatest show on earth. >> reporter: before there were tvs and 50 states, the ringling bros and barnum & bailey circus was entertaining millions. >> the greatest show on earth! >> reporter: this man was involved for years. but the circus has been struggling retiring the elephants to a conservation center in florida after a long public battle with animal rights groups. since then the circus producers say they have seen a dramatic drop in ticket sales, and high operating costs have made it unsustainable. in florida families in line for the circus reacted to the news. >> it is very disappointing, this is something i grew up on. >> reporter: meanwhile, animal rights groups claim victory. >> this is long sought after. ringling taking their elephants off the road. i think people will no longer tolerate animals being abused for their entertainment. >> reporter: for the daredevil son of a tightrope walking fa

mireya villarreal shows us why the ringling bros. rcus is closing up for good. >> it was presented at new york's madison square garden. >> reporter: before tv was in color and before the internet and smartphone stole our attenti attention, performers with the ringling brothers barnum & bailey circuit jumped, flurks and bedazzled their way into fans' hearts f last week the first female ringmaster made her debut. but they say financially the show can't go on. >> it's been through every kind of economic cycle and it's been through a lot of change. it isn't relevant to people in the same way. >> reporter: last year the company decided to retire the elephant show and they saw dramatic drop. >> there used to be more animals. >> reporter: entertainment was plagued with years of protests from animal activists. ben williamson is the director of peta. >> do you think this will have an impact on other animal shows? >> i do. we've seen seaworld ban orca shows. >> feld entertainment said all the existing animals will go to suitable homes once they

and the things that came out of ringling bros. have inspired entertainment and also simple everyday things like the light bulb that was first exhibited at ringling bros. 100 years ago. >> reporter: feld entertainment owns other live shows, including super cross, monster jam and disney on ice. they say they're always looking into the future, although for the circus, it is the final act. >> it is the future until may, and then it will be part of our glorious past. >> reporter: one reporter asked if this is the end of the ringling bros. brand altogether. they would only say it's the end of the touring unit and wouldn't speculate further, but frankly the tone of the announcement seemed conclusive, not to mention the brand and live shows go hand to hand. jessica castro, abc 7 news. >>> people on social media going bananas about a massive gator in florida. take a look at this guy. kim joyner says he's the real deal. she spotted this animal -- wait until you see his whole body. he looks like he swallowed a volkswagen, making its way aroun

the ringling bros. rnum & bailey circus announced the show is no longer a sustainable business model. melanie woodrow spoke with one of the performers and is in our newsroom with more. >> well, that performer tells me that circus employees found out this weekend with everybody else. while animal activists are calling the announcement a victory, others, including feld entertainment, say this is a loss for everyone. after 146 years, the greatest show on earth is closing. >> it is the future until may and then it will be part of our glorious past. >> executives spoke today for the first time about this weekend's announcement. feld entertainment says the show has seen a downward trend inspect attendance over the last ten years. >> last year after we retired the elephants from the touring units, we saw a much steeper drop in sales. >> animal rights activists from direction action everywhere are calling the announcement a victory. >> i really hope society is continuing to move in the way of the future, which i

greatest show on earth. >> reporter: scott, after nearly a century and a half, the final curtain will come down on ringling brosn may 21st in new york. >> pelley: manuel, thanks. coming up next, can you name the last man on the moon? r body go by forcefully stimulating the nerves in your colon. miralax is different. it works with the water in your body to hydrate and soften, unblocking your system naturally. miralax. if you have moderate to severe plaque psoriasis isn't it time to let the real you shine through? introducing otezla, apremilast. otezla is not an injection, or a cream. it's a pill that treats plaque psoriasis differently. some people who took otezla saw 75% clearer skin after 4 months. and otezla's prescribing information has no requirement for routine lab monitoring. don't take otezla if you are allergic to any of its ingredients. otezla may increase the risk of depression. tell your doctor if you have a history of depression or suicidal thoughts, or if these feelings develop. some people taking otezla reported weight loss. your doctor should monitor your weight and may stop treatment. side effec

other news we're hearing from the owners of ringling bros bar numb bailey. >> preparing for its final act after 146 kid. the owner say they are ending the show because of a sharp decline in taed dance was removing elephants from the circus. >> it shows the percentage was much more severe than what we anticipated and that's what ultimately led to this difficult decision. >> the owners promised to find homes for the dozens of service animals. >> here's a look at the ringling bros. circus. the circus will return to philly for one final time next month before closing for good. >> a lot of people want to go see that. >> i know. >> if you dread filing your taxes getting that refund usually leaves you feeling better but now the irs says they might keep your money for a bit longer this year. find out why still ahead at four. >> plus they call it the largest one of its kind in the country. how tens of thousands are part of one big event to celebrate martin luther king junior's legacy. >>> right now 4:00 a live look at nbc10 first alert radar. going to be a wet start to the work week tomorrow.

over the weekend, ringling bros. owners informed circus employees that after 146 years, the greatest show on earth will not go on. the reason is money and a steep drop in ticket sales. circus producers say the real decline started last spring after the elephants were retired to a conservation center. fans seeing the circus in florida yesterday reacted to the news. >> it's very disappointing. this is something i grew up on and my parents are here. we have three generations. >> animal rights groups, meanwhile, are calling it a victory and a sign of changing times. >>> the gap between the rich and the poor appears to be widening. just eight men, including two local tech leaders, have as much wealth as the world's poorest half. among those eight men, facebook founder, mark zuckerberg, oracle ceo and cofounder, larry ellison. the study coincided with the world economic forum in switzerland. >>> the weekend box office results are in, and "hidden figures" is still in first place. the drama about three african-american women

like cirque du soleil will continue to thrive. >>> i'm just seeing this note come into the live desk. ringling brosannouncing they'll hold a press conference in 45 minutes. they'll be discussing the big decision to shut down. they didn't make mention of what will happen to their animals. we are hoping clarification will come on what will happen to the tigers, lions, horses and camels that they need to find homes for. we will have updates on later editions on abc 7 news and on our news app. watch for that. >> thank you, jessica. >>> sticking with the animal theme theme, more than a dozen horses are heading from the san joaquin valley to washington, d.c. for friday's inauguration. members of the merced sheriff's posse practiced at home for the last time over the weekend. riders will be flying east tomorrow to meet up with their horses. the posse plans to be on in parade, it points out, no matter who was elected president. >>> all the wet weather in california is going to bring a spectacular spring according to the bay area newsgroup. yosemite officials say visitors should expect amazing waterfalls, b

the ringling bros. executives plan on working with them to find new jobs. >>> jean surnan suffered a long illness. he was 82 years old. he started his career as an astronaut in 1963 and served on several space flights. he was the commander of apollo 17 which was the last lunar mission. >>> i sos hes -- >> a bay area non-profit took a group of afternoon an american girls to see hidden figures. >> it's about an african american girl and she helped nasa, so that's like a big opportunity for her. and it's good for little kids to watch it because it's really inspiring. >> the girls attending are students working with the non- profit black girls code which teaches computer coding to kids. >>> snow, freezing rain and powerful winds. overnight, two tornadoes touched down south of dallas and heavy winds damaged a hangar at an airport. farther north, a thick player of ice covered part of the great plains leaving thousands without electricity. >>> we do have some more storms that are headed our way. we have a nice

.>> the ringling bros. and barnum & bailey circus have announced that the last performance will be may. after 146 years. when the circus took elephants out of it show last year, ticket sales declined making it hard to cover the operating costs. the circus will close permanently and the last show is scheduled for may 21 in new york. >>> an investigation into possible russia hacking in the u.s. election is heating up. plus representative eric slow well and joins to give it -- joins us to give more details. >>> good morning. a nice day. a mostly sunny day with temperatures in the mid- 50s in the forecast we come back. ,,,,,, creamy swirls of pure indulgence. silky sifts of total transcendence. tempting accents of sheer pleasure. introducing "unicorn whispers." this should be the name. or something more like "golden gold." or maybe, "mmmmmm mmhmm." but, with 20% of your daily fiber, its actually fiber one. so delicious, it should have another name. ,, sure, you could sit around all night waiting for a pizza to b

. >> the iconic ringling bros. d barnum and bailey circus is closing. >> players and spectators running for the doors. >> the white van wound up overturning. the group of people came together to flip the vehicle. unclear what caused the crash. >> smith, batted away. the steelers come into kansas city, beat them on the road. all that matters. >> people talking as if when we went on vacation, that people would be like, oh, spending taxpayer money. no, no, actually i'm paying for all this. we buy our own toilet paper even here in the white house. it's not free. >> on "cbs this morning." >> with three seconds left. it is good. the packers are moving on. aaron hod jers has done it again. and mason crosby, a hero for green bay. >> this morning's eye opener is presented by toyota. let's go places. >>> aaron rodgers is simply unbelievable. >> i know. >> he gives his receivers longer to get in position to take a pass than anybody i've ever seen. >> that is a football game. that's where you see the beauty of the game. >> let'

. >>> the ringling bros. and barnum & bailey circus folding their tent after 136 years. the final performance sked fueled for may. declining takt sales being blamed for the shut down. animals rights groups forced ringling bros. to phase out their elephant act driving attendance lower. >> did you ever go to the circus? >> i can't remember when i was five maybe. >> i don't want anyone to lose their jobs. a little strange in 2016 the circus. >>> to politics president-elect donald trump in a feud with the head of the cia and a civil rights hero days before his inauguration. what can he do to unify the country? we will discuss that and a lot more with former north carolina governor pat mccrory next on "new day." .. but more importantly, i wanted to get your opinions. (bark) you wanna check it out? (bark) the cruze has apple carplay compatibility. so when you plug your iphone in, some of your favorite apps show up. (bark) plenty of space for all of mia's friends. or not. gotta go! current qualified lessees can get a sign and drive lease on this first-ever cruze hatchback. plus,

. >>> this is an end of an era after 146 years the ringling bros. rnum & bailey circus announced it is folding up its tent and going out of business. the clowns, the high wire acts, the performing animals, taking now a final curtain call because the crowds are no longer what they once were. nbc's kerry sanders reports that the circus didn't realize that retiring it's retiring its biggest stars, the elephants, would lead to the circus shutting down. >> reporter: after almost a century and a half of entertainment the greatest schoen o earth is pulling up its stakes forever. sunday's performance in miami the last time the circus rolls into town here ever, leaving poignant memories on family cellphones. >> my wife brought me seven years ago to my first circus. >> she is only 3. this will be her first and only circus. >> reporter: the decision to retire the performing elephants last spring, a move demanded by animal welfare protesters, had a big impact on the bottom line, according to circus owners. evidence on cellphone video showing rows of empty seats.

. >>> it is the end of an era for ringling bros. bailey circus. >> the one, the only, ringling bros. and barnum and bailey circus! the greatest show on earth! >> now the greatest show on earth is calling it quits. the company says ticket sales declined when they took the elephants out of the act. the circus will perform 30 more shows with its final act in may. >>> wrestler jimmy super fly has died. the worldwide westling hall of famer doing his signature move, flattening his opponents. westler dwayne "the rock" johnson announced the death. it's unclear how he died. >>> aaron rodgers is king of the long pass, king of the hail mary, well, he's just king. the packers beat the cowboys with a long pass and last second field goal and the steelers beat the cheese by scoring nothing but field goals. the nfl final four team is set. cory wire is here to talk about it, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, carol, i only got three hours of sleep last night watching these games, but it was worth it, girl. three field goals by chris boss well,

the last performance of the ringling bros. and barnum and bailey circus will be on may 21st in uniondale, new york. fredericka whitfield, cnn, atlanta. >>> and thank you for joining me today. i'm carol costello. "at this hour with berman and bolduan" starts now. >>> hello, everyone, i'm john berman. >> hey, everybody, i'm kate bolduan, great to see all of you. the start of the most consequential week of donald trump's life. things you would expect on the to-do list, wrap up your inaugural speech, round out your cabinet, and lay the groundwork for your policy announcements. what you would not expect is to get into a fight with the cia director, a civil rights icon, and european allies. but that's how the president-elect is kicking off his monday. >> first, donald trump versus the intelligence community. the outgoing cia chief john brennan told fox news that the president-elect should trust his agency when it comes to matters including russia, and that mr. trump's words can affect national security. the director also didn't care

after nearly a century and a half of shows the parent company of ringling bros. um & bailey circus will go out of service in may. manuel bojorquez is at a circus training center in sarasota, florida. manuel, good morning. >> reporter: good morning. this is the so-called greatest little show on earth. it's the training ground for some who had hoped to join ringling brothers. it has an uncertain future despite a spectacular fast. with exotic animals, the ringling bros. barnum & bailey circus was turned big top cap uring audiences for nearly 150 year bus attendance has been falling. ringling tried to remain relevant adding i skating and bmx effects. they added their first female ringmaster. but they say letting go some of their biggest performers was the final straw. >> removing elephants from the touring units we saw a very sharp drop in attendance, much greater than we anticipated and that's led us to this decision because the business motto was no longer sustainable. >> activists are claiming victory but are still concerned about the future of the animals. >> they

over the weekend, ringling bros. informed employees after 146 years, the greatest show on earth will not go on. the reason is money and a steep drop in ticket prices. circus producers say the real decline started last spring after the elephants were retired to a conservation center. fans seeing the circus in florida yesterday reacted to the news. >> this is very disappointing. this is something i grew up and on my parents are here. we have three generations. >> animal rights group are calling ate victory and a sign of changing times. >>> happening right now, we have been reporting on all the severe weather here. how about what's going on right now in the great plains? an ice storm rolled through this morning. the same storm that killed six people across three different states over the weekend, and that is far from over. up to an inch of ice blanketed parts of oklahoma, all the way to the panhandle. but even the plunging temperatures didn't stop dedicated kansas city chief fans from attending yesterday's playoff game.

the circus hits about 115 cities each year. ringling bros. d barnum & bailey founded by five brothers in wisconsin. current owner feld entertainment bought the circus back in 1967. those elephants were a big draw. >> i love elephants. i'm not sure the circus was the right place. >> i did not grow up going to the kirccircus. >>> "early start" continues right now. >> developing overnight, donald trump suggesting the head of the cia is behind the leaks that caused a stir for the transition team. what did john brennan say that has trump in another showdown with intelligence four days before taking the oath? >>> and chinese media taking swipes at trump as amateur and arrogant. a wide range of problems you don't want to miss what he said. >>> and donald trump trying to set the record straight on the health care plan. promising coverage for all and warning congress not to get cold feet. good morning. welcome gto "early start." i'm christine romans. >> i'm miguel marquez. it is january 16th. martin luther king day. 5:00 a.m. on the east coast. trump l

up next, the famous ringling bros. circus coming to an end after 140 years of shows. the reason, coming up. >>> plus, the raiders appear to be coming to an end as oakland raiders could be moving out of the bay area. the crucial step the team is getting ready for as they look into relocating to las vegas. >>> and a beautiful start to our monday morning. clear skies, as we take a live look outside at the glowing area of emeryville from our camera there. you're watching "today in the bay." >>> good monday morning. it is 6:13. as you step out the door, no need nor the umbrella. go ahead and put it down. you won't need it today. pick up the sunglasses. here's a live look outside at san jose. still some cloudy skies. we'll see that clearing up. lunchtime temperature in evergreen will be 52 degrees with highs reaching the mid-50s and a mix of sun and clouds. it will warm up as we go through the week. and more rain moving in. details on that, it's coming up at about 6:19. >>> and today maybe the perfect day to get started on those early morning areas, because the roads are loo

. >>> well, now to that big news about the greatest show on earth, the ringling bros. barnum & bailey circus announcing they are closing their show and folding up the big top for the final time in may. t.j. holmes is here with the details behind that big decision. good morning, t.j. >> good morning, robach. this is an american icon, an institution, been around 146 years and, yes, time might have eventually caught up with them. things have changed in this country, and kids aren't clamoring to go to the circus like they used to. >> ringling bros. and barnum & bailey. ♪ >> reporter: the greatest show on earth drops its curtain after a showstopping 146 years. >> it's been through world wars, it's been through every kind of economic cycle. >> reporter: the famous three ring circus stretches all the way back to the 1800s dazzling generations of circusgoers, but in recent years clashes with animal rights groups over the show's treatment of its star elephants. >> it's good. >> reporter: led to the show removing the animals altogether eventually retiring them last year to a sanc

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this morning i talked to the head of the company that owns ringling bros. >> can the animal rights acou think about the number of people, over 400 people that it impacts directly and the millions of fans, there's no winners in this situation. >> reporter: the dare devil that gained fame in the air under the big top and since gone on to even bigger stunts says he's heartbroken. >> it is part of my family. you know, i bleed, sweat, eat, sleep and cry circus. it's just who i am. >> reporter: performers and show producers say today's young audience growing up on video games and virtual reality just isn't into the circus the way their parents and grandparents were. but many are sad to see this generation's old tradition coming to an end. after the last performance on may 21st, the circus says all of th animals will be retired to quiet sanctuaries. meantime, to give you an idea how long this circus has been traveling, 143 years, consider this, when they began, there were only 37 stars and grant was president of the united states. kerry sanders, nbc news, florida. >> a long time. >>> the tim

the show — run by ringling bros and barnum and bailey — will face the final curtain in may. it's a sign of the times and more things to come. we know so much more about wild animals. we know that elephants don't voluntarily balance a ball, they do these things because of fear. we are moving the elephants and we saw a sharp drop in attendance, much greater than we anticipated and that has led us to this decision because the business model is no longer sustainable. it is an art form that change the world, change this nation, it made us dream, it made us sit in wonder and made us all the kids again. the circus in the us coming toa kids again. the circus in the us coming to a halt. that's all from the programme. thank you for watching. goodbye. good evening. for some of us it has been disappointingly damp and there is still some dampness tonight, particularly extending down through central parts of the uk. a lot of cloud within this zone here and here we will see further pulses of rain drifting down the breeze, parts of east 12th affected as well. on either side of that, it will

plus first the elephants and now ringling bros. circus is putting the entire show out to pastor for good. did the greatest show on earth really get trampled by elephants or did the creepy clown scale put the nail in the circus cough in? who wants to be clowned anymore, you know? the markets are closed on this martin luther king holiday and so is the competition. but not us. pinch me. i'm live. i'm here. we have a huge flow of news happening. so much to get to, so little time. we're here for you, live for you and your money. so let's start the countdown. ♪ ♪ liz: so, yes, the u.s. markets are closed and our competition is closed but that's progressive to be a bad move because the rest of the world and trump tower open for business, so are we. and it's a good thing because merger monday across the globe has happened. future so bright, you have to wear shades. the owner of ray-ban, the famed glasses sported by tom cruise in risky business, which also owns the super sporty sunglasses brand will hook up in a $449 million deal. it would b

the show — run by ringling bros and barnum and bailey — will face the final curtain in may. 0peratorsosts — along with changing public tastes. last year, the circus elephants and some other animals were pensioned off after drawn—out battles with animal rights activists. in a statement kenneth feld, whose family has run the circus for nearly 50 years, said ticket sales have been declining, but the transition of the elephants off the road last year led to an even greater drop. this, along with high operating costs, made the circus an "unsustainable business for the compa ny". he added... "the circus and its people have continually been a source of inspiration and joy to my family and me, which is why this was such a tough business decision to make." this weekend, the skies above india will be filled with kites as the country celebrates one of the harvest festivals. kite—flying is often part of major religious festivals — but as sanjoy majumder reports, the country's passion for kites also has a tragic side. so, i have been doing a bit of kite shopping in old delhi. the narrow lane behin

the millions of fans. there's no winners in this situation. >> reporter: ringling bros., like seaworld, which just last week began phasing out its orca shows, are entertainment companies in transition. circus producers who recognize animals, like cirque du soleil, say the three-ring antics at ringling wasn't connecting with today's internet generation of kids. >> kids today are not as familiar with circus. we don't have the 365-day presence in their life. >> so many kids who come to shows like this are brought by their parents and grandparents who have strong childhood memories. a nostalgia of hold your breath stunts. a tradition that now ends as ringling bros. and barnum & bailey folds up its big top. kerry sanders, nbc news, orlando. >>> turning overseas where a horrifying jumbo jet disaster has left dozens dead. overnight a turkish cargo plane came crashing down onto a number of homes in a village in kyrgyzstan. as many as 37 people were killed, the majority of the victims were on the ground. nbc's bill neely has the latest. >> reporter: little remains of the tiny vge were asleep when the cargo plane plo

the head of the company that owns ringling bros. been through a lot of change. it isn't relevant to people in the same way. >> dare devil who gained fame in the air under the big top and who has since gone onto even bigger stunts says he's heartbroken. >> it is part of my family. i bleed, sweat, eat, sleep and cry circus. it's just who i am. >> performers and show producers say today's young audience growing up on video games and virtual reality just isn't into the circus the way their parents and grandparents were but many are sad to see this generation's old tradition coming to an end. after the last performance on may 21st, the circus says all of the animals will be retired to quiet sanctuaries. meantime, to give you an idea how long this circus has been touring, 146 years. consider this. back when it began, there were only 37 stars on the flag and grant was president of the united states. mika? >> that's perspective. thank you very much. it's not just president obama who is out of a job this friday. u.s. ambassadors were informed

. >> the owners of ringling bros circus say a decade of declining ticket sales is forcing them to pull up their stakes for good. >> reporter: the 146 years it was billed as the greatest show on earth but now the circus is packing up its big top for ever. >> of course we're sad and it was a very difficult decision to make. it's not a sustainable business model. >> reporter: the company which has owned the circus for 50 years, ticket sales have been dropping for a decade and declined even further when they removed elephants last year from pressure from the animal welfare groups. >> when elephants left the show we did not anticipate the impact it would have and it was much greater than we thought. >> when the circus opened ulysses grant was president. and coca-cola wouldn't be invented for another 15 years. >> it's sad. it's the end of an era and -- i have great memories going with my family and it's just another thing that they don't get to experience that something that from our childhood that we did. >> daredevil. it is part of my family, bleed, sweat, eat, sleep and cry circus. it's j

, jeff bezos and warren buffett and michael bl m bloombe bloomberg. >>> the greatest show on earth closing its doors. ringling brosiley with the last show in may. the ceo says high operating costs and declines ticket sales are too much for the company to overcome. it is citing the phasing out of the elephant act after years of criticism from animal rights groups. the current owner feld entertainment bought it in 1967. the phasing out of the elephants is too much. we think about the way people enjoy entertainment. >> on davos, now that trump is around, it makes it more useful. >> thanks for joining us. i'm christine romans. >> i'm miguel marquez. "new day" starts right now. >> what i do find outrageous is equating intelligence community with nazi, germany. >>> donald trump suggesting the head of the cia is behind the leaks. >> you are not going to be able to make good decisions without building some relationship and trust with yourself and that community. >>> china's state run media laughing at the president-elect. >> everybody can have access to affordable health care. >> trump is promising insurance for everybody

harris: after 146 years, the curtain is closing on ringling bros. and barnum & bailey circus, the final act of the greatest show on earth is planned for this may. there is a little time to see it. will carr is live in los angeles with more. will, why is it closing? >> reporter: they're not making enough money, this marks the end for a circus that's been performing for 146 years, entertained generations of families with high-soaring acts and exotic animals. circus faced extreme criticism from animal rights groups leading it to retire all elephants last may, and continued to showcase a number of other animals, profits dropped dramatically, fans are rushing to buy one last ticket before the show shuts down for good. >> now, it's just terrible. i mean, what do you do? there are no clowns anymore. there are no trained dogs anymore. i just think the whole part of americana is gone. >> it's a shame. we as kids dpru up with it. how about the kids today? they're seeing it probably one and only time. it's a shame. it didn't have to be. >> reporter: peta tweeti

. >>> it's curtains for the most famous circus of them all, ringling bros. and barnum & bailey deciding to close after a 146-year run. the circus is calling it quits for good at the end of may. the company that operates it says ticket sales have been on the decline for years and dramatically dropped when the elephants were taken out of the show. ringling has been embroiled in long and costly legal battles with animal rights activists. fans of the circus sad to see it go. but activists say it's long overdue. >> we are so glad that this is finally coming to an end. >> it's just another thing that they don't get to experience, something from our childhood that we did. to our area for one last time. tickets will soon go on sale for shows in late march and early april at the verizon center and then again at eagle bank arena in fairfax in early april. >>> right now on storm team4 radar, we're mainly dry across the area. a few sprinkles down around fredericksburg, but elsewhere, dry and we're going to stay that way through the overnight hours and the day tomorrow. w

. >>> and after more than a century in business, the greatest show on earth is coming to an end. why ringling brostrigge by the end of march, that will put exit negotiations into motion withht the remaining 27 member eu state. >>> the uncertainty of brexit iç making some companies to how to keep their businesses afloat. >> çcthe main dress up againste french -- >> for more than a century÷ú they've been lifting. >> for example here, the costume,ç really great good seller year in and year out. >> selling 26 million÷ú items t 42 countries. >> great accessories? >> very much so, yes. >> one thing, itç worries to elliott picket so much that he's moving most of his family's firm to the netherlands and germany. >> i've been telling myself ÷ú this, if we did nothing, we could have -- we employed 250 people. 150 which here, those jobs will be on the looin÷ú if we didn't something about it. >> even before it's actually happened, brexit is taking its toll. the unclear ofzv access to the single market, forcing to raise pricing and strained its relationship. how angry were you? >> we're absolutely livid. s

. >>> final curtain call for one of the country's longest running attractions. what we've learned from ringling bros. official they also know you need to getg your annual check-up. now with one touch using the mycigna app you can find a doctor in your plan's network to save money. need to be thorough. with sleep number, there's an adjustment for that. tilt your tormentor and put those snores to sleep. does your bed do that? come into a sleep number store and save $600 on our best selling mattress. it's a no brainer. >>> the lights are out at pifor first time since world war ii. the current fixed screens will be replaced by a single curved screen. it's expected to be unveiled in the fall. during world war ii, the lieggh were out as part of a general blackout to stop german bombers from identifying targets from the air. >>> it was once the greatest show on earth but now that show is coming to an end. the owners of the ringling brothers barnum and bailey circus says a decade of declining ticket sales is forcing them to take the tents down for good. >> reporter: for 146 years it was billed as the greate

this morning, i talked to the head of the company that owns ringling bros. >> can the animal rights activists victory? >> there's no victory here when you think about the number of people, over 400 people that it impacts directly and the millions of fans, there's no winners in this situation. >> daredevil nick wolinda who gained fame in the air under the big top and who has since gone on to other stunts, says he is heart broke b. >> it is part of my family. you know, i breathe, eat, sweat, and cry circus. it's who i am. >> today's young audience growing up on video games and virtual reality just isn't into the circus the wayer their parents and grandparents were. but many are sad to see this generations old tradition coming to an end. after the last performance on may 21st, the animals in the circus will all be retired to sanctuaries. meantime, to give you an idea how long this circus has been traveling around the country, 146 years, consider this. back when it first started, there were only 37 stars on the flag and ulysses s. grant was the president. guys, back to you. >> there you have it,

no immediate reported casualties, but the tremors were felt as far away as rome. >>> ringling bros. says that its final show, which is going to be held at the nassau coliseum on long island in may, is sold out. "newsday" reporting that seats normally going for $23.75 to about $191 are now being priced on the secondary market at between $245 and $2,000. >>> and former sara lee ceo brenda barnes died yesterday after suffering a stroke on sunday. she caused a media sensation in 1997 when she gave up her job as head of north american beverage operations for pepsico, saying that she wanted to spend more time with her three young children. she was 63 years old. that is the news update at this hour. let's get back downtown to "squawk alley." carl, back to you. >> sue, thank you very much for that. let's get over to the cme group and check in with rick santelli for "the santelli exchange." hey, rick. >> good morning, carl. you know, there's a commercial about rings, that every good thing starts with a "k," "k" is for kiss. well, there happens to be a kiss that's important when you're a techn

the i love you man, i love, you too, sort like an obama-biden moment. >> ringling bros. shutting down. apparently the circus doesn't feel they could compete against the trump presidency. ♪ >>> i'm king and norah o'donnell. eight more president-elect trump nominees will test out at their confirmation hearings. three have direct conflict with the departments they seek to head. rick perry proposed eliminates that department in 2011 when he was governor of texas. >> scott pruitt nominated to be the epa administrator is a climate change exceptsic. the oklahoma attorney general has sued the agency several time it's. and congressman tom price a strong critic of obamacare is expected to be appointed health and human services tomorrow. >>> and earlier he bought stock in zimmer bio met. zimmer biomet's political action fund donated. cbs news reached out to both for comment but we've not heard back. >>> president-elect donald trump has scheduled a trip today to washington. other world leaders are in davos, switzerland, where the world economic forum just got under way. xi jinping m