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New Details in Dannemora Prison Escape; Severe Weather Hammers Parts of U.S.; Tunisia Attack Victims Return to U.K; Greece P.M. Urges No Vote in Sunday's Referendum; Donald Trump Rising in Polls, Talks Macy's; Greek PM Urges No Vote on Bailout Package; U.S. Security Boosted After Egypt, Tunisia Attacks; Southern Church Burnings Raise Concerns; Japan Beats England in Soccer World Cup. Aired 1-2a ET

Aired July 01, 2015 - 01:00   ET

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


[01:00:11] ZAIN ASHER, CNN ANCHOR: Wounded fugitive, David Sweat, is revealing even more about his prison break, his co-conspirator, and their time on the run.

ERROL BARNETT, CNN ANCHOR: Efforts to dig Greece out of deep debt remain chaotic following a day of contradictions by the prime minister.

ASHER: And billionaire, Donald Trump, losing business over some controversial comments, but doing well in the U.S. presidential polls. His candid interview with CNN coming up.

BARNETT: Heart break for England. A gut-wrenching close to a women's World Cup.

ASHER: Warm welcome to our viewers in the United States and around the world. I'm Zain Asher.

BARNETT: And I'm Errol Barnett. Thank you for joining us. This is CNN NEWSROOM.

We want to begin this hour with severe storms just hammering parts of the Midwestern United States. Millions of people are being told to keep a close eye on the weather over the next 24 hours.

Our meteorologist, Derek Van Dam, is bringing us details.

Because it is a dangerous situation for many people, Derek?

DEREK VAN DAM, AMS METEOROLOGIST: And, Errol, specifically, we are talking about most as a line of severe thunderstorms has moved south and east of the Kansas City area. In fact, Jackson County, Missouri, there was a brief touchdown of a tornado, which is really a suburb of Kansas City. We can get to the visuals of this to see this exact tornado from the air. You can just see some of that debris being pushed around. There was minor damage. There's some transformers being blown out. Again, this is 20 miles or 32 kilometers southeast of Kansas City metropolitan area. Snapped trees, power outages, damaging vehicles as they were sliding in to each other at a local mall within that region. In St. Louis at the Busch Stadium, there was a baseball game tonight.

Cardinals versus the White Sox. Fans were told to take shelter inside of the actual stadium and away from the outside areas because of this exact line of storms. You can see it stretching from Kansas City all the way to St. Louis. There were six tornado touchdowns with nearly 80 wind reports. On top of the severe weather, we have a flood threat across the area as excessive rainfall somewhere in the amounts of perhaps even five to six inches that will bring the possibility of localized urban flooding for the area.

Let's move the story forward and talk about what could happen on Thursday. Another round of severe weather this time from Oklahoma City stretching in to Memphis and Nashville and event Atlanta. Damaging winds and large hail.

We have to talk about something else. We have new photos, or images actually coming from a wildfire that is ongoing in Riverside County. This is just southeast of Los Angeles in California. These are live images new to CNN. This is the Merwyn Fire. There are 40 acres burned so far. This is near Merwyn Street and Campbell Avenue. It is burning near the Paris State Park. This is an especially dry part of California. We all know there is an exceptional drought that's taken place, mandatory water restrictions. And some of the visuals coming out of this area have been astounding, flames really soaring in to the air. And we are thinking of the Houses and people that will have to contend with this fire going forward the next couple of hours.

BARNETT: That's right. The dry conditions combined with the winds that can be channeled through the mountains there in southern California are a recipe for disaster.

VAN DAM: Very dangerous.

BARNETT: Derek Van Dam, we will watch it all. Appreciate the update.

ASHER: Thank you, Derek.

We want to go to New York now where a captured fugitive is spilling a lot more details about his escape from a maximum security prison. Law enforcement official says that David Sweat told investigators he quickly grew tired of fellow escapee, Richard Matt, because he was out of shape and couldn't keep up and got drunk while they were on the run. Matt was later spotted and he was shot and killed by police. Sweat was captured alive days later.

BARNETT: Meanwhile, Joyce Mitchell, the woman accused of helping them, denies she wanted the escapees to kill her husband. 12 employees from the Clinton Correctional Facility have been put on leave.

ASHER: CNN's Kyung Lah joins me from New York.

Kyung, I guess the question is how much of David Sweat's story can authorities really believe?

KYUNG LAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: They have to, you know, sort of weave through that. They just don't know. They know he is a convicted cop killer. They know he's escaped from prison. But they are listening to what he has to say. They want to hear what he has to say and he certainly is talking quite a bit from his hospital bed. What he has led authorities to certainly believe is that it was much easier to break out of this place than anyone could have imagined.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

[01:05:21] LAH (voice-over): After two days of questioning David Sweat in a lockdown section of Albany Medical Center, investigators say they have heard enough for now. Sweat telling investigators escaping with Richard Matt wasn't as complex as you might think. Using only hacksaws to cut through cell walls and a steam pipe they slipped out of their cells night after night. Finally finding an underground passageway. They came across a sledgehammer, likely left by a construction worker, breaking down a brick wall to make their way out. Sweat tells investigators the escapees tried one manhole in a dry run but it was too close to a neighborhood.

ANDREW WYLIE, CLINTON COUNTRY DISTRICT ATTORNEY: He felt due to there being a number of houses in that area that it might not be a good spot to exit from.

LAH: The next night, they tried again. Finding a more isolated manhole where escapees were to meet Joyce Mitchell. Sweat said while he was the mastermind, it was Mitchell's idea for the men to kill her husband before fleeing to Mexico. Mitchell's attorney said she denies that allegation. When Mitchell didn't show up, Matt and Sweat headed towards Canada.

As the intense manhunt through the dense woods dragged on, Sweat said he grew frustrated with Matt because he was out of shape and couldn't keep up. Sweat said the two went their separate ways after Matt broke into a cabin and started to get drunk. It was after the two split up that Sweat had his closest call with being caught. The district attorney tells "ABC News," Sweat was hiding in a hunting tree stand as an officer walked past him.

Sweat says while on the run he learned officers had killed Richard Matt and pressed on to the Canadian border until a state police officer shot and wounded him. He in now Albany Medical Center in a lockdown section only for prisoners.

DR. DENNIS MCKENNA, MEDICAL DIRECTOR, ALBANY MEDICAL CENTER: How confident do we feel this patient is not going to escape from the hospital? Very confident.

LAH: The medical director says in this lockdown section of the hospital, two guards watch each patient, inmates are often shackled. A jail within a hospital.

MCKENNA: There's a door that opens and closes. There's the sound of the rattling of the cage, the turning over the wallet and the keys. So, you know, you can't help but feel this is a different unit. Once you get to the patient room, it is about taking care of the patients.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LAH: David Sweat is not expected to be released from the hospital this evening here east coast time in the United States. He is expected to stay here for the next few days according to the hospital. Where he goes from here, though we do not know. The Department of Corrections is being intentionally vague, Zain, about that.

ASHER: We know that three members of the prison's executive team have been placed on leave. We'll see what happens with that.

OK, Kyung Lah, thank you so much. We appreciate that.

BARNETT: Now to the U.K. where victims of the terrorist massacre in Tunisia are starting to arrive home. A plane carrying the remains of eight British victims arrived at a military air base on Wednesday in a very somber scene.

ASHER: Three of those victims were members of the same family. Now, in all, 38 people were killed. We know most of them were British.

BARNETT: Some Tunisians took enormous risks to chase down the gunman, to try to stop the massacre.

Our Nick Paton Walsh spoke with one of them and joins us from Sousse.

Nick, the man who recorded the attacks somehow felt the need to follow the gunman as he was firing his weapon. What did he tell you about that experience?

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Errol, as time has passed, the sheer horror of what happened on the beach not far from where I am standing has begun to emerge. So have stories, increasing in number, of the Tunisians, with little regard for their own personal safety, seem to have rushed head long at a man. Many of them have witnessed shooting down hotel guests. They were able to assist, serve. And it seems now they chose to protect.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PATON WALSH (voice-over): This cell phone video gave the world an almost too vivid window into sheer horror of the Tunisia beach massacre.

(GUNFIRE)

PATON WALSH: But also the bravery of the Tunisians here who tried to fight the twisted gunman.

And this is the man who risked his life to film it, Ayman Dar Hussain. He tells us why he and others ran head long at the gunman.

AYMAN DAR HUSSAIN, WITNESSED AND FILMED ATTACK (through translation): A lot of people came. He was hiding in the garden and we started to encourage each other saying we can go inside and kill him.

I felt so sad. We loved those people. We always talked with them and also I felt angry. Anger is what made me follow this guy. Not just to film. I was all the time thinking of defending the people.

[01:10:20] PATON WALSH: He got to so close, meters away, seeing a man walking calmly with no fear.

HUSSAIN (through translation): I saw him when he was coming out of the side of the restaurant. He stopped with the Kalashnikov between his leg and he took a bomb and he touched it and took back his gun and went back to the beach.

PATON WALSH: These close-up pictures weren't the limit of Ayman's courage. Here he picks up a bottle of oil thinking others would rush in if he attacked him with it.

HUSSAIN (through translation): The most striking moment I remember is when I came so close to him and I did not sacrifice myself or volunteer to attack him. I feel so sorry for the people as I saw so many crying and many tourists dead. I can't forget the noise of the guns and the bodies on the beach.

(GUNFIRE)

(SHOUTING)

PATON WALSH: Here he films a flurry of bullets police fired perhaps fearing there were more gunmen or if he was wearing a bomb.

(GUNFIRE)

(SHOUTING)

PATON WALSH: Were it not for these pictures and the courage and love for total strangers that led one ordinary Tunisian to film them, there could have been many more dead indeed.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PATON WALSH: Ayman is someone who has spent a lot of time on the beach, part of the holiday industry here, not someone with experience in the military. You can see in those images, it seems as though the gunman in fact on the beach ran out of targets. Because everyone had fled and going down that side street, perhaps, with ammunition on him, looking for another place to attack. I think many think if he had not been chased by so many Tunisians alerting police to where he was he could certainly have had more targets -- Errol?

BARNETT: You get the sense the man that recorded all of this is still in some sense of shock realizing how close he was to danger and death. But thankfully, that evidence will be used to help the investigation.

Nick Paton Walsh, live for us today from Sousse, Tunisia, thanks.

ASHER: Investigators in Taiwan have released their findings in February's crash of TransAsia flight 235. Transcripts of the cockpit voice recorder show utter and complete confusion. You see the crash there. Utter and complete confusion after one of the plane's engines lost power. And then the pilot shut off the only working engine by mistake. The transcript indicates the crew discovered the error far too late to get the engine working again.

BARNETT: As you saw there, the dash cam video did capture the moment the plane clipped a bridge and tumbled in to a river. That was moments after takeoff. You must remember the 43 people were killed in this crash, 15 survived.

ASHER: OK. I want to go to Greece where Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is urging the country to vote no in Sunday's bailout referendum.

I want to show you live pictures. These are outside of a bank in Athens. We understand that pensioners are lining up outside of this bank. They want their money. They are entitled to 120 Euros a day.

BARNETT: Here we go again.

ASHER: These are people who worked their whole lives. Greece typically has a very generous state pension system. These people have worked their whole life. They need money for bill and medication and they don't know what the future holds. Of course, there's a great deal of confusion and uncertainty about what is going to happen in Greece over the next several days. We know the government has implemented very strict withdrawal limits, as I mentioned, stopped the banks from running out of money. That limit is 120 Euros a day for the pensioners on the screen.

BARNETT: That generous pension system, you could argue, is part of the problem in the first place. Prime Minister Tsipras says a no vote in Sunday's referendum doesn't necessarily mean Greece will leave the Eurozone. Less than 24 hours earlier, Tsipras agreed to the terms.

Meanwhile, Greece's finance minister says he hopes to have a new deal by bailout Monday. You see him here. He says Greece is ready to accept strict measures, however, they must allow for economic growth and Greece must not be forced out of the Eurozone. That is certainly easier said than done.

Our Isa Soares has been following the latest twists and turns in the Greece crisis, and there have been many. She joins us now live from Athens.

[01:15:21] Isa, when you think of it, the Greek people have been thrown in to a type of twilight zone situation this week. So sobering default, cash limits at ATMs and now questions of over what Sunday's referendum is really for. This must be unnerving for so many people.

ISA SOARES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Errol. Absolutely. What a roller coaster of a week for Greek people. I think many of them so very confused as to what happened the last few days and what exactly people and the government will be asking of them come Sunday.

Yesterday, taking everyone by surprise, Alexis Tsipras coming out and saying he put a request for a third bailout with the IMF with the -- pardon me, with the Euro Group, accepting pretty much everything with one or two minor changes. But then many were expecting him to come out and say, actually the referendum is out of the question. But he took to the air waves here, basically, national television saying he will stick to the referendum and he's going to continue to urge people to vote no. And I think people, many people were left scratching their head, Errol, to be honest with you. Because many were saying, how can you say that you want this deal, you want a third bailout, and then you want us to say no? His argument is clear, he says. He says that voting no strengthens his hand. If the no camp wins on Sunday that means that when it comes to the negotiating table perhaps he can get an even better deal and conditions with the rest of the Euro Group. That's the point. They said we will accept terms of the deal on Monday but we have to be able to grow.

Take a listen to what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

YANIS VAROUFAKIS, CREEK FINANCE MINISTER (through translation): We are prepared to accept even strict measures, as long as the framework in which they are contained are sustain able as far as growth so Greece can grow and Grexit disappears so we are not in the same situation in a few months.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOARES: It is all easy saying that, but Greece has been trying to grow for the past fives and has been unable to do that. They argue it is because the conditions imposed of them are too tough and now what is left is the country turned upside down, people with their hands tied unable to get to cash points, unable to get their money out. Images we have seen every day, as the one you showed, of pensioners lining up, waiting for the cash they have worked so hard for -- Errol?

BARNETT: Isa Soares is live in Athens this morning.

And we just saw the pictures there. Another day of pensioners lined up -- today seems more calm than yesterday -- trying to get access to their cash. New reality in Greece.

Isa, thank you very much for that report.

When Greece missed its $1.7 billion payment to the IMF on Tuesday, the online community, if you can believe it, sprang in to action. A British man started a crowd-funding site to raise money for Greece.

ASHER: How resourceful. Depending on how much you donate, you can actually win prizes. Like, for example, a postcard of Alexis Tsipras and authentic Greek salad or perhaps a trip to Athens. So far, the site raised more than $1.3 million. Generous people out there. I'm sure Greece appreciates it.

BARNETT: Only $100 million to go.

(LAUGHTER)

ASHER: Yeah.

We will take a quick break here on CNN. When we come back, Donald Trump is ticking up in our election poll but he's lost another round of business partners. Ahead, what he is telling Don Lemon about getting dumped by Macy's.

BARNETT: Plus, one U.S. state has seven shark attacks in less than a month. An expert weighs in on what may be causing so many attacks.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[01:23:19] BARNETT: A man in his 60s is in hospital after a shark attacked him in the U.S. State of North Carolina. This is the seventh shark attack in the state in the past month. A county spokeswoman says gray shark six to seven feet long pulled the man under water and then bit him all over. The man was conscious and talking when he made it to shore.

ASHER: Last month, two teenagers both lost an arm in separate shark attacks. A shark expert says warmer water and drought conditions could be contributing to all of the attacks. Very frightening.

OK. We turn now to U.S. politics. Nearly a year and a half before the U.S. presidential election, Republican candidate, Donald Trump, may be rising in the polls, but is dropped by even more business partners.

BARNETT: Each and every day this week, in fact. American department store chain, Macy's, says it is cutting ties with Trump, phasing out his line of menswear from nearly 900 locations. This is the latest business relationship he's lost after controversial comments referring to immigrants in Mexico and other countries as, quote, "killers and rapists."

ASHER: Macy's says the comments are inconsistent with the company's values. Take a look here. You can actually see demonstrators are actually thanking the store. They are saying "shame on Trump" and thanking the store for that move.

By the way, interestingly enough, Donald Trump said he ended his relationship with Macy's.

BARNETT: Of course, he did.

(LAUGHTER)

ASHER: And the company behind the CHI line of hair products said they are no longer doing business with Trump's reality show and won't renew contracts with his pageant either.

BARNETT: After NBC cut their relationship with him. He said he had to end their relationship.

Our Don Lemon spoke --

(CROSSTALK)

ASHER: Yeah. Interesting perspective.

BARNETT: Our Don Lemon spoke with Trump about his immigration comments and the various businesses that appear to be abandoning him.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

[01:55:14] DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Let's talk about Mexico. You mentioned NBC not being happy with you. They cut ties with you because of your comments about Mexican immigrants.

DONALD TRUMP, CEO, TRUMP GROUP & PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE (voice-over): You know what, they cut ties because they are weak.

LEMON: NBC, you think?

TRUMP: It is sad to see. But that's it. I'm talking not about Mexico. I'm talking about illegal immigration. It has to be stopped in this country.

LEMON: OK.

TRUMP: It's killing our country. People don people are pouring over the borders, pouring. We have incredible border patrols. These are incredible people and they can't do anything. People are pouring in to the United States. I guess some come from Mexico but they come from all over the world. By the way, they come from the Middle East. We don't even know where they come from.

LEMON: Why did you have to say they are rapist, though, Donald?

TRUMP: Who is racist?

LEMON: Not racist. Why did you have to say they were rapists?

TRUMP: If you look at the statistics -- I didn't say about -- I say illegal immigrants. If you look at statistics on rape on crime, on everything, coming in illegally in to this country, they are mind boggling. If you go to "Fusion," you will see a story about 80 percent of the women coming in. -- you have to look at these stories. And you know who owns "Fusion"? Univision. That was in "The Huffington Post." I said let me get some of these articles because I have heard some horrible things. I do a lot of talking to the people on the border patrols. They are incredible people.

LEMON: I want to get clarification.

TRUMP: Don, all you have to do is go to Fusion and pick up the stories on rape and it's unbelievable when you look at what is going on. All I am doing is telling the truth.

LEMON: I have read the "Washington Post." I read the "Fusion." I read "The Huffington Post." That's about women being raped. It's not about criminals coming across the border or entering the country.

TRUMP: Somebody's doing the raping, Don. I mean somebody's doing it. It is women being raped, well, who's doing the raping? Who's doing the rape something how can you say such a thing? Look. The problem is you have to stop illegal immigration coming across the border. You have to create a strong border, don. If you don't we don't have a country.

LEMON: I want to get this Macy's in there. Because Macy's cut ties with you today. They took your stuff off the shelves. And here's part of the statement. It says, "Macy's stands for diversity and inclusion. We have no tolerance for discrimination in any form. In light of the statements made by Donald Trump, which our inconsistent with Macy's values, we decided to discontinue our business relationship with Mr. Trump." How do you respond to that?

TRUMP: They folded under pressure. It is not a big business for me. It is small, ties and stuff. They folded under pressure. Terry Lungren folded under pressure. He called me and said, gee whiz, he's under a lot of pressure. Who knows? They fold under pressure.

That's the problem with our country. Everybody folds under pressure. Instead of doing the right thing, they immediately -- they have two people go outside with a sign and you see two pickets and they immediately say, oh, gee, we have to do -- this is pressure, pressure. People can't handle pressure. That's what they did. They did a total fold.

That's OK with me. It's OK with me. It is a small business. Let them do what they want to do.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BARNETT: There you have it.

Now despite all of this, the latest CNN/ORC poll shows Donald Trump in second place of all of the Republican candidates. He trails only former Florida Governor Jeb Bush by about seven points.

You are watching CNN NEWSROOM. When we come back, extra eyes will be keeping an eye on 4th of July celebrations this weekend. We'll look at stepped up security in the states.

ASHER: Plus, coordinated attacks in Egypt leave more than a dozen servicemen dead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[01:32:39] ZAIN ASHER, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back, everyone. You are watching CNN. I'm Zain Asher.

ERROL BARNETT, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Errol Barnett. Here's our top stories right now.

The United States and Cuba have exchanged letters to restore ties between the two nations and end their 54-year diplomatic rupture. Cuba's embassy in Washington is expected to reopen on July 20th. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says he will travel to Havana this summer to formally reopen the American mission. ASHER: Investigators in Taiwan have released their findings in

February's crash of TransAsia flight 235. They say the plane's pilot shut off the only working engine after the other one lost power. 43 people were killed in the crash.

BARNETT: In Indonesia, an investigation is underway into what caused a military plane to crash killing at least 135 people. The president is also calling for a review of the military's aging fleet, which had trouble in the past. In 2009, another C-130 crash killed scores of people.

ASHER: Egypt's military says it is 100 percent in control after ISIS militants killed 17 of the soldiers and wounded 30 others. The militants simultaneously raided five check points on Wednesday. The Egyptian military said it killed 100 terrorists.

BARNETT: There's still confusion and uncertainty in Greece ahead of Sunday's referendum on the country's financial future. As you see here in these live pictures, people are lining up outside of banks, once again today, hoping to get their hands on their own cash. A couple of arguments seem to be breaking out, as well.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is urging voters to reject a European bailout deal. Earlier on Tuesday, he said that creditors would accept most terms of the deal but their negotiations were almost as contentious as the people who you see there.

ASHER: Chaos outside of the bank you see there.

The call for a no vote is adding to uncertainty both Greeks and global investors have faced for the past week and the referendum may turn in to a vote on Alexis Tsipras' future.

I want to bring in CNN's emerging markets editor, David Defterios, who is live from Abu Dhabi.

John, Alexis Tsipras is saying if people vote no it will give Greece a stronger negotiating position and said a no vote doesn't necessarily mean leaving the Euro. I want to ask how much of that is true and how much is mere political posturing?

[01:35:16] DAVID DEFTERIOS, CNN EMERGING MARKETS EDITOR: Well, a lot of posturing. It is a tough sell for Alexis Tsipras. First and foremost it is wishful thinking that you could ask for a no vote and get money out of the European Union right now. The reason is one of the preconditions to ask for more money from the European Union and IMF is to support a yes vote. Yes, I'd like to stay in Europe and the bailout package. Trying to have it both ways is difficult. He's asking for 29 billion Euro, that equals $32 billion and that would be the third bailout. You saw the response from the creditors. We heard from Christine LaGarde on CNN and others, including the president of the Euro Group and the European Commission saying wait for the referendum to take place. It is clear they'd like to see the backside of Alexis Tsipras. If we get a yes and that's a huge question mark, you could see a case in the next week or so where in parliament there's a no confidence vote that is called. Perhaps prolonging his future or ending the future after only six months in office.

At the same time, he spoke to the people asking for patience saying these controls that we see in the market right now won't last long. That was his pledge. Let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALEXIS TSIPRAS, GREEK PRIME MINISTER (through translation): I would like to assure you this situation won't carry on too long. And you won't lose your wages and your pensions. Your savings won't go away. Personally, and I take on full responsibility for an instant solution after the referendum.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DEFTERIOS: The instant solution after the referendum the other political rally right now, Zain, is all the creditors suggest the process will take time and the deposits in the Greek banks are dwindling quickly. The European Central Bank said they will maintain liquidity level, emergency assistance but not raise it. What we see, he is getting squeezed from all sides. European creditors, left wing members of his party who want to see the battle go to the end perhaps leave the Euro, some members of his party, an he has to watch every morning the pensioners line up at the banks unable to get their funds. Only in office for six months, he is facing a tough battle after the calculations or miscalculations he's made over the last week.

ASHER: John Defterios, we will see what happens after the referendum on Sunday. We know nothing will change after the referendum takes place according to the creditors.

John Defterios, live for us in Abu Dhabi, thank you so much. We appreciate that.

Errol?

BARNETT: You can learn more about the Greek debt crisis, folks, and get tips on traveling to the financially troubled nation on our website anytime. The address is CNN.com.

Attacks like the ones in Egypt and Tunisia have led U.S. authorities to boost security measures ahead of the July 4th holiday.

ASHER: Our Pamela Brown reports more police are deployed over concerns that ISIS supporters in the U.S. could heed the call to launch attacks. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAMELA BROWN, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): With heightened concern this Fourth of July, major cities like New York are deploying radiation detection devices, resources on waterways and in the air, in addition to utilizing their more than 7,000 closed-circuit cameras to prepare for the threat.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This may be potentially the most complex counterterrorism overlay for this event ever.

BROWN: U.S. law enforcement officials are concerned ISIS supporters could be inspired to carry out an attack during the holiday because it is symbolic in nature and falls at the same time as the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

With the U.S. tracking hundreds of alleged ISIS followers, officials say it is difficult to detect in advance who could act out.

REP. PETER KING, (R), NEW YORK: They get over the Internet that ISIS wants an attack on the Fourth of July and there's any number of soft targets that one of these psychos, if you will, could carry out an attack.

BROWN: Sources tell CNN there is increased chatter among ISIS supporters leading in to the holiday but no specific credible threats. The homegrown violent extremists remain the number-one concern for law enforcement.

(SHOUTING)

BROWN: So far this year, U.S. authorities have charged at least 49 alleged ISIS supporters. Recently, authorities arrested groups in Boston and New York. And overseas, three near-simultaneous terrorist attacks have U.S. officials on edge.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We had what appeared to be three coordinated attacks overseas in France and Kuwait and Tunisia. So, given the world situation, we wanted to put those layers of protection behind the regular patrol piece.

[02:40:03] BROWN: London is also in the middle of a frighteningly realistic rehearsal for a possible attack after terrorists struck in three countries last week.

(on camera): Certain police departments, including the NYPD, say they are going to increase monitoring of social media looking for tips and cues, similar to what we saw before that attempted terrorist attack in Garland, Texas, where the shooter tweeted about what he was going to do hours before.

Pamela Brown, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BARNETT: U.S. investigators say a wave of church fires in the south has their full attention. We'll tell you what they plan to do about them after this short break.

Stay with us here on CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ASHER: U.S. authorities want to know if airlines are unlawfully keeping ticket prices high. Officials say several carriers were served subpoenas on Tuesday. Investigators are lacking in to whether airlines have colluded to limit the number of passenger seats available. At least three airlines say they are cooperating with the investigation. We know that American Airlines and United Airlines are among those who say they received subpoenas.

BARNETT: Federal authorities are promising a thorough investigation after a series of fires at black churches in the southern United States. On Tuesday, Mount Zion African Methodist Episcopal Church in South Carolina was the latest to burn.

A day later, U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch spoke about the fires.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LORETTA LYNCH, U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL: The recent tragic burnings of the predominantly black churches that have been happening really throughout the south and even the Midwest and in our own state in Charlotte recently had an incident there. They have our full attention and this is a serious issue we will be addressing with the appropriate care. We will see where those matters lead us, as well.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[01:45:10] BARNETT: The #whoisburningblackchurches has been trending on Twitter for a number of days.

Now, investigators believe the fire at Mount Zion AME may have been caused by lightning but the number of church fires the past two weeks has raised concern.

Brian Todd has more on that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The Mount Zion African Methodist Episcopal Church engulfed in flames. Firefighters tried to save the church but all that remains is a burnt brick shell, a total loss. No cause has been ruled out but, so far, no sign of arson.

20 years ago, the Mount Zion AME Church was a target of a fire set by the Ku Klux Klan.

Federal investigator suspect lightning may have caused the fire. There was plenty on Tuesday night.

A forensics report of lightening strikes by CNN meteorologists shows four strikes occurred in the immediate vicinity of the church all around the time the fire was raging just after 7:00 p.m. eastern.

It was just two weeks ago that nine worshipers were shot and killed in a Charleston, South Carolina, church. That shooting by a white 21- year-old saying he wanted to start a race war. Since then, at least six black churches have burned in the southeastern United States. A fire at the Glover Grove Baptist Church of Warrenville, South Carolina, cause undetermined. Two more in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Knoxville, Tennessee, both caused by arson. The cause of Macon, Georgia's fire undetermined. A fire at Hiawassee, Florida, church was the result of natural causes.

The Southern Poverty Law Center says the most recent religious targets of hate crimes have been synagogues and mosques.

But senior fellow, Mark Potok, says although there is no real evidence so far suggesting any of these fires is a politically motivated arson, the recent flurry of black church burnings is cause for concern.

MARK POTOK, SENIOR FELLOW, SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER: It is difficult not to be struck by how these fires have been kind of bunched together, very closely after extremely widespread criticism of the Confederate battle flag which is a symbol revered by white supremacists and others in the country.

TODD: Former FBI director, Tom Fuentes, cites current FBI statistics indicating an average of one fire per day of a religious institution.

TOM FUENTES, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: In the investigation of those fires, they determined that about 60 percent of the fires are arson. The vast majority of the arson cases turn out to be insurance fraud or, in some cases, somebody was pulling a prank or a vandalism that went too far.

TODD: And threats against churches are common place across the U.S. Sheriff's officials in a nearby county tell us five other AME Churches in this area received threatening letters before and after the Charleston shootings. But officials say those letters had to do with the fact that women head up those congregations and they were not racially motivated.

Brian Todd, CNN, Greeleyville, South Carolina.

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ASHER: Either way, the attorney general, Loretta Lynch, says the church fires have her full attention.

Still to come on CNN NEWSROOM, heartbreak on the pitch at the women's World Cup semi finals after an England defender scores her own goal. And she's crushed. Ahead, why her coach is calling her a hero.

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[01:52:18] BARNETT: Welcome back. Japan is on its way to the women's World Cup final after a shocking and definitely heart-breaking defeat for England in Wednesday's semi final.

ASHER: Here's what happened in case you missed it. The -1 victory, Japan's victory came after England defender, Laura Bassett -- there you see it. She accidentally chipped the goal in to her own net in the 92nd minute. Japan will face the U.S. in a rematch of the 2011 championship. Back then, Japan won that match in a penalty kick shootout, 3-1.

I certainly feel bad for Laura Bassett.

BARNETT: CNN's World Sports' Kate Riley is joining us from Edmonton, Canada, to talk about what took place.

Kate, we should say congratulations to Japan but what a brutal heart break for England and player, Laura Bassett, who scored an own goal. What happened, Kate?

KATE RILEY, CNN WORLD SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, well, Errol, the stadium behind me, the Commonwealth Stadium here in Edmonton, fell silent. An own goal, scored by England in the dying moments of the game. Of course, what a costly goal to score because we would then see Japan progress to the final. The prize, meeting the United States in Vancouver.

The emotion on the pitch after the final whistle can only be described as raw or devastating because the looks on the faces said it all.

And for one individual in particular, Laura Bassett. Her boss said she had nothing to be embarrassed about whatsoever. In fact, when she and the rest of England's squad go home, they should be welcomed as heroes. He also added, Laura epitomizes everything good about football and any side should be lucky to have a Laura Bassett in their ranks.

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MARK SAMPSON, ENGLAND COACH: A horrible moment obviously for Laura. You can see the regard in which the team and the teammates by their reaction. Every member of my group is devastated when that ball went over the line. We were devastated but our first point of call is look after your own. Laura is one of us. She's one of our team. We get around her, console her, cry and tell her how proud we are of her. Without her we wouldn't be in the semi final.

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RILEY: It's not the end for England. They don't go on the plane home just yet. They are in Edmonton for a few more days because they are going to be preparing for their next match against Germany and the winner of that match will go to get third place here at the women's World Cup.

[01:55:07] BARNETT: A lot of teammates were saying Laura Bassett wears her heart on her sleeve. She seemed inconsolable after that own goal. Hopefully, she's able to pull it together.

But with Japan taking on the U.S. in Sunday's final, what can we expect?

RILEY: Yeah, this will be another huge final. In fact, Errol, this is a rematch of the 2011 final. Japan, of course, won that. They are now the reigning champions. The USA will be vying for the third World Cup title. Japan, how did they get to the final? They have won every single one of their World Cup matches. That is six in total. Who will be the winner? We'll find out on Sunday. BARNETT: Japan certainly the team to beat.

Kate Riley watching it for us from Edmonton, Canada. Thank you for your time, Kate.

ASHER: Even though the England defender, Laura Bassett, scored other own goal, I love the fact her teammates stood by her.

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BARNETT: Yeah, they're defending her big time.

ASHER: I love this loyalty.

Everyone, thank you for watching. I'm Zain Asher.

BARNETT: Zain is off to enjoy her weekend.

ASHER: Going to sleep.

BARNETT: Have a good time.

I'm Errol Barnett.

Natalie Allen joins me now for another hour of CNN NEWSROOM.

Stay with us.

There you are!

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