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Virginia Shooting Raises Gun Debate; Calm Returns after Cast- Related Violence in India; U.S., South Korea Hold Live-Fire Exercises; Hillary Clinton Compares Republicans to Terrorists; Tropical Storm Erika Wreaking Havoc in Caribbean. Aired 1-2a ET

Aired August 28, 2015 - 01:00   ET

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

[01:00:12] GEORGE HOWELL, CNN HOST: A community is in mourning after yet another shooting incident, this one happened on live television. How the families are pledging to honor the victims.

Desperate journeys. Dangerous threat that thousands of asylum seekers are taking to get in to Europe.

And hurricane Katrina ten years on. We look at how the storm changed the way New Orleans teaches its kids.

From CNN world headquarters here in Atlanta, I'm George Howell. This is CNN NEWSROOM.

Good day to you and welcome to our viewers here in the United States and around the world. We start this hour with the very latest on the two murders, two journalists in the United States. It happened on live television, rattling the nation and sparking renewed debate over gun control here in this country.

A few hours ago, a group that is working to end gun violence held a vigil for Alison Parker and Adam Ward. The gunman, Vester Flanagan, a former coworker at Virginia news station WDBJ then killed him on Wednesday during a live broadcast and later killed himself.

The woman Parker was interviewing at the time of the shooting, Vicki Gardner, was also shot during the attack. We understand that she is in good condition.

More on the victims, 27-year-old Ward had just gotten engaged to a producer at that television station. And 24-year-old Parker had just celebrated her birthday and had moved in with her boyfriend who is an anchor at WDBJ.

Earlier, he shared more about Alison Parker and the journalist that she was. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRIS HURST, ALISON PARKER'S BOYFRIEND: She was a nerd at heart and yet displayed a beauty that I had never seen before in person and I was lucky enough that she loved me back. She was also a fantastic journalist, an excellent storyteller and she had so many more stories to tell that unfortunately won't be able to be told. So now, we have decided that we need to share her story and Adam's story needs on the shared, as well.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: Exactly 24 hours after this double murder, the morning news crew at WDBJ paid an emotional tribute on air to Parker and Ward.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Approaching a moment that none of us will forget. It was yesterday around this time that we went live to Alison Parker and photojournalist Adam Ward. They were out in the field. The story was like so many others that they did all the time. They were reporting on our hometown at bridge water plaza near Smith Mountain Lake to report on a happy event, the 50th anniversary of the lake, just a feature and it was during their conversation with Vicki Gardner about another reason why we love living here when the peacefulness of our community was shattered.

As we approached that moment, we want to pause and reflect and we want to share with once again what made these two so special, not just to us but to all of our hometown for WDBJ 7 serves. Please join us now in a moment of silence

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: The anchors thanked viewers for their support and they shared stories about their colleagues. The station's news director later spoke explaining how the staff there is dealing with the deaths.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KELLY ZUBER, NEW DIRECTOR, WDBJ: I have watched anchors and reporters half an hour before a newscast be crying in the newsroom and get on that set and deliver the news to the people of southwest and central Virginia. They have had to talk about their colleagues and, you know, deal with some difficult situations.

I will give you an example of our meteorologist this morning found a candy wrapper while on the air that Adam Ward had always eaten and had left somewhere. And it's those kinds of little things that are just kind of getting to us now.

My sports director just said to me I lost it when I saw -- walked out and saw his car in the parking lot and had saw clothes in there. Every little thing, it's not the big things that get to us, it's the little ones.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: Station lost family members. Our hearts go out to the families involved in this.

Now for some information about the shooter. New information has emerged. The former co-workers are giving us insight in to his hirings and his firings and his angry outbursts at work. Also, investigators now have reason to believe he had planned a getaway after the shooting.

CNN's Brian Todd has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Police found a wig, sunglasses, a shawl, three license plates and six glock magazines inside of Vester Flanagan's rental car. A search warrant reveals that Flanagan he had a to do list along with the book bad with assorted handwritten letters and notes. It is unclear what was on that to do list. But we are learning new details of Flanagan's career troubles.

[01:05:03] UNIDENTIFIED MALE REPORTER: County official say there --

TODD: As far back as 15 years ago, there were signs Flanagan had problems at work.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He was in yelling incidents. Again, this is stuff that is normal, you know. There were with times when he probably misread something and became frustrated with himself.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Here in the state of Georgia.

TODD: Flanagan moved from Savana, Georgia to Tallahassee, Florida for his first big anchor job for WTWC. According to his former news director, Flanagan's contract was not renewed in Tallahassee. Flanagan sued for racial discrimination alleging that a producer called him and another employee who was African-American monkeys. The case was settled and dismissed.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I can't say there was any racial discrimination.

TODD: Flanagan was hired by WDBJ in 2012 where he reported under the name Bryce Williams. He was fired in 2013, roughly a year later. The station's general manager said the day he was let go he became agitated and threatening. Police were called. Flanagan was escorted from the building but Roanoke police say no arrest was made. WDBJ's station manager says Flanagan was asked to seek mental health assistance and he complied.

JEFFREY MARKS, GENERAL MANAGER, WDBJ: We made it mandatory that he seek help from our employee assistance program. Many employees have them. They provide, you know, counselling and other services and we made it mandatory that he do that.

TODD: The station's former news director said Flanagan handed him a wooden cross in 2013 saying quote "you'll need this."

WDBJ is over there. This is the apartment complex where Vester Flanagan lived, just a block away. Right now it is under 24/7 security. His neighbors didn't want to go on camera but said after the shooting they were made to evacuate their units as police in bomb squad teams moved in.

Brian (INAUDIBLE) worked as a photographer with Vester Flanagan. He said he was on edge around Flanagan because of his temper and recalls one instance where a live report had technical problems.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He got so irate, walk withed in to the woods and stayed out there for like 20 minutes.

TODD: He outlined his frustrations in a 23-page manifesto that he faxed to NBC news. CNN obtained a copy where he writes quote "in the final weeks of my life I put on a smiley face to disguise what was to come. Around town, I told some random strangers or people I interacted with at various businesses how I hated people, but I would often say it with a smile on my face."

In that manifesto, Flanagan writes about his admiration for Virginia tech shooter (INAUDIBLE). He also cited the shooting at an African- American church in Charleston, South Carolina in June of this year, describing it as the incident that quote "sent him over the top." He says he put down the deposit on his guns two days after the shooting took place.

CNN has learned Flanagan purchased the guns two glock nine millimeters pistols legally at a gun store in the Roanoke area of Virginia.

Brian Todd, CNN, Roanoke, Virginia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOWELL: 24-year-old Alison Parker, she was doing her dream job reporting when she and Adam Ward were shot and killed. Her father, who is grief stricken by his loss has been talking to CNN and he vows he will not let her death be in vain.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDY PARKER, ALISON PARKER'S FATHER: I'm really trying hard -- I have been trying hard all day to keep this together. But, you know, as you can imagine, my heart is broken and my soul is crushed.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST, AC 360: Yes. I mean, I wish there were words that could all make it better but obviously there aren't.

PARKER: I understand.

COOPER: Let me ask you about what you want to do now. About where you want to go with your grief, with your anger, with all of the emotions you must be feeling. I mean, you talked already publicly about that shootings like this have to stop and that you want to do something to change things. What do you think needs to change? What do you believe can change?

PARKER: Well, I think what can change is we need more help from you guys that is in the media. Because you just lost someone in the fraternity. Alison was one of your own. And with the crews that I talked to and the other reporters that I've spoken with today, you know, they have all been shattered because they realize -- and they all have been -- it struck a chord because they realize that could have been them. And so, you know, what can't happen is, you know, here's another

tragedy. Sandy Hook, you know, after Sandy Hook and the theater shootings, everybody thought, God, this is terrible, you know, Virginia tech, we've got to do something to keep people that are mentally disturbed -- we have to keep them away from guns and having the ability to get guns. And then what happens is obviously this story, yes, it is gone international. I've done interviews with Canadian television, with the BBC today, you know, with Spanish language stations, with German television tomorrow, you know. I didn't really intend to be a media star or whatever you want to call it, but here I am.

But, you know, this can't be about 15 minutes of gee, this is a tragedy and we need to do something about it. And then next week somebody's talking about what Donald Trump's talking about, you know. What's he doing? There's got to be pressure and there is got to be continued pressure on -- with the media going after politicians and affecting a change.

I want to look -- I want to address the members of the committees involved in the Virginia general assembly. I want them to look me in the eye and say, gee, you know, we can't support any kind of other measures with regard to gun control. I want to see them do that.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[01:11:16] HOWELL: Coming up, we will have more from Andy Parker and two other fathers who have lost their children to gun violence.

As CNN NEWSROOM continues, we also follow refugees making a dangerous journey from their homelands in to Europe. That story next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

DEREK VAN DAM, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good day. I'm CNN meteorologist Derek Van Dam with a quick look at your Friday forecast. We will start across the United States where essential portions of the U.S. still sizzling. Look at day time highs for Dallas, 37 with partly cloudy skies. That wall stretching across the Rockies as well Denver will top among with 30s. 33 degrees for Atlanta, Miami, a few thunderstorms that could cool you off. Daytime highs around 31 degrees for your afternoon. Showers and thunderstorms for much of the interior of Mexico searching across Central America. But our main focus at the moment across the (INAUDIBLE) island. We have recently seen tropical storm Erica produce some significant flooding rainfall across these islands and the continuous movement, a general westerly direction. We are going to monitor the storm very closely. It is moving across some warm (INAUDIBLE) conditions, at least in terms of sea surface temperatures and that could allow this storm to intensify as we head into the second half of the weekend and into the first parts of next week. Something we will monitor for the main land of the United States.

Here is the forecast across the northern half of South America. We are looking fantastic. (INAUDIBLE) 21, La Paz at 17. Your forecast stays dry. Another cold front bringing rainfall and even the possibility of snow to the end these mountains. But a significant system impacting chill.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[01:15:27] HOWELL: Welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM.

Two hundred people are feared dead after reports that say a ship filled with mostly African migrants bound for Italy sank off the Libyan coast on Thursday. An official in Libya says many of the victims appeared trapped inside the ship when it capsized. At least 200 people were reportedly rescued. One survivor recounts his horrifying experience.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): We are immigrating and of course illegally it is known and we sank in the sea. The boat was in bad condition and people died with us. The Libyans saved us. May God bless them. We have been in forced in to this route. It is called the route of death. It is now the grave of the Mediterranean Sea.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: In Austria, authorities there are investigating the deaths of dozens of people whose bodies were found in an abandoned truck along a highway. The county's interior ministry says it is likely they were refugees. The discovery comes as a Balkan summit focusing on migration takes place in Austria's capital, Vienna.

German chancellor, Angela Merkel, is attending that conference and she says the deaths show that Europe must unite very quickly to help the thousands of people that are fleeing their homelands.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANGELA MERKEL, GERMAN CHANCELLOR (through translator): We are, of course, all shaken by the appalling news that up to 50 people lost their lives because they got in to a situation where these traffickers didn't look after them. Even though these people were on the way to look for more safety and protection and had to die such a tragic death.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: These people come to Europe, come to Europe for protection. They need Europe to protect them and we need to live up to our standards of human rights and respect of international obligations to protect them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: As Europe continues to try to figure out what's happening, Hungary has tried to seal off its border with Serbia because over the last few weeks, thousands of asylum seekers have tried to enter. Many are fleeing the war in Syria and it's a long, dangerous journey.

Here's a look at the trek many are taking. It begins with a trip north through Turkey, then they cross over in to Greece and in to Macedonia, then to Serbia. CNN's Arwa Damon is near the border with Hungary and spoke to

survivors of that journey.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Exhausted children slumped on their parents' shoulders. Others, like 9-year-old (INAUDIBLE) declare that he is not tired. He is from (INAUDIBLE) in Syria, one of his relatives from the ISIS capital of Raqqa.

It is famous, he jokes. A dark humor is all many have left in the face of all they have endured. Both in their homeland and much to their dismay.

We tried to cross yesterday but the Hungarian police were harsh. So we got scared. Ahmed's uncle tells us, as night falls the human highway trudges on under the moon light on a journey to Western Europe. Waiting in groups, several try to smuggle through. Most hand themselves over to the Hungarian authorities, through one of the few openings in the fence.

This was not a demarcated border, now a razor wire snakes its way menacingly throughout. This is Hungary's attempt to control the record flow of refugees, making it even harder to evade capture. Something many dread. Worried it will hinder their asylum applications in Western Europe and fearful of dismal treatment by the Hungarians that they have been warned about. Something many end up experiencing firsthand.

Waiting for hours under the beating sun with little water, no shelter and no translator that we saw to tell them what's going on. Eventually they are bussed here to the processing center which takes a couple of days and is hardly set up to accommodate the numbers coming through.

On Wednesday, some of the refugees refused to be fingerprinted and were tear gassed by the Hungarian police when a scuffle broke out. And according to the refugees, beaten.

Out the window at the bus station, these refugees who were there that day say the four days urn the rain in Macedonia was more bearable than the torture we have been through here. It's a prison and they won't respond to us. They just say, go back to Syria.

No one really told them exactly where they are going or what they are supposed to do. Everyone is very confused and asking what's going on.

People just want to get out of Hungary. It is their gateway to Europe, but so far their experience has been more of a nightmare than a dream.

Arwa Damon, CNN, Hungary.

(END VIDEOTAPE) [01:20:32] HOWELL: Now for a look at the markets. Financial markets in the Asia-Pacific region are hoping to keep their momentum today after strong gains in Europe and the United States. Right now the Shanghai Composite, you see, is trading up. The Hang Seng is also up. The Sydney ASX 200 is trading down momentarily, but positive movement so far overall in the markets.

On Wall Street, the Dow gained 369 points on Thursday. The Nasdaq and the S&P also finished up more than two percent.

U.S. President Barack Obama toured New Orleans on Thursday marking ten years since hurricane Katrina battered that city and five states along the U.S. coast. The storm killed more than 1800 people and caused more than $100 billion in damage. Mr. Obama met with residents in the city of New Orleans and later he spoke about the progress that New Orleans is making.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Today this new community center stands as a symbol of the extraordinary resilience of this city. The extraordinary resilience of its people. The extraordinary resilience of the entire gulf coast and of the United States of America. You are an example of what is possible, when in the face of tragedy and in the face of hardship good people come together to lend a hand.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: Hurricane Katrina left behind a trail of destruction. The U.S. education secretary once said, though, the storm was the best thing to happen to the city's failing public school system.

CNN's Suzanne Malveaux has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): First day of school at New Orleans -- academy.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: First grade. Did you have a great summer?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hug, I'll take it.

What are you looking forward to the most?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Math.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Awesome. Love that.

MALVEAUX: Now, on it's third year, Brick Lodge is already one of the most sought after charter schools in the city.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When I drop my babies off I leave with a peace of mind because I know they are going to be taken care of.

MALVEAUX: Jeffer Stevenson (ph) has already seen a remarkable change in her two granddaughters, Journey and Sky.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Journey won top reader award. Sky is a wonder woman. She can do anything and she tries because they give them that courage.

MALVEAUX: For Melissa Bees (ph), innovation and creativity is what with her son, Tristan, need.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm thrilled that we were able to choose the type of school a tailored to my child.

MALVEAUX: Josh Densen, the founder and CEO of Bricolage says the student bodies is about 50/50 black and white from both affluent and disadvantaged families.

JOSH DENSEN, FOUNDER/CEO, BRICOLAGE: We believe that bringing kids together from diverse backgrounds is a great way to increase empathy, to increase empathy, and to capitalize (ph) creativity.

MALVEAUX: When hurricane Katrina hit in August of 2005, the public schools of New Orleans were considered among the worst in the country. The storm damaged and destroyed most of those schools including ones like this, abandoned for ten years.

The state of Louisiana seized 100 schools, fired about 7500 teachers and turned the buildings over to independent school operators or charters.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There was a narrative created that somehow everyone and everything here was broken.

MALVEAUX: Some community leaders say this experiment has destroyed community schooling. And has disproportionately benefitted whites over blacks.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This brand of reform that has been employed in New Orleans and then touted across the nation as some kind of miracle is simply not working.

MALVEAUX: But a study by Tule University shows under the charter school system student achievement is up, with 63 percent of students passing state assessment tests in 2014. Up 30 percent increase since 2005. And graduation rates are up from 56 percent to 73 percent.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK, everybody, get out the calendar.

MALVEAUX: Initially charter schools were able to recruit the most desirable students. Now, parents can write their school choices and go through a centralized lottery process.

DENSEN: We have no say over who attends per class at all.

MALVEAUX: Parents say when a spot un-expectably opens up at a good school, they run.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When we got in, there were two spots left and I said thank you, Lord. This one is for my baby.

[01:25:08] MALVEAUX: But some students do not get any of their choices leaving some parents to question whether the program really works.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't know that we're succeeding necessarily in that the same quality education is available for everyone.

MALVEAUX: Ten years after the storm --

DENSEN: We have gone from a school district that was an f to a school district that is a c level.

MALVEAUX: New Orleans is still trying and won't stop until they get that a.

Suzanne Malveaux, CNN, New Orleans.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOWELL: And stay with CNN for our continuing coverage on the tenth anniversary of hurricane Katrina. Our own Anderson Cooper hosts a powerful documentary "Katrina, the storm that never stopped." It airs at this Saturday at 3:00 p.m. eastern in the United States and 8:00 p.m. in London, only on CNN.

We also have a special section on-line for our coverage. You can find it at CNN.com/katrina.

You are watching CNN NEWSROOM.

And still ahead, the gun control debate in the United States. We hear frustrations of three fathers whose lives are forever changed by shootings in the U.S. as friends and family mourn the victims of yet another shooting.

And things are finally returning to normal in India after deadly riots over the past few days. A live report ahead as this broadcast continues around the world on CNN international and CNN USA.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[01:30:00] HOWELL: Welcome back to our viewers this United States and around the world. You are watching CNN NEWSROOM. Good to have you with us. I'm George Howell.

The headlines we are following this hour, in the U.S. state of Virginia, people held a vigil on Thursday evening for the two TV journalists killed on air Wednesday morning. An activist group organized the event honoring their lives, the lives of reporter, Alison Parker, and photojournalist, Adam Ward. The group is calling for an end to gun violence.

A horrific tragedy at sea near the Libyan coast. Reports say 200 people are feared dead after a ship filled with African migrants bound for Italy sank on Thursday. At least 200 people were reportedly rescued.

U.S. President Obama greeted residents in New Orleans while looking at the government's efforts to rebuild the city. It has been almost 10 years since Hurricane Katrina took aim at the U.S. Gulf Coast. It exposed weaknesses in America's infrastructure and its emergency response.

More on our top story, a double murder that happened on live on television in the U.S. Two journalists are dead and now new details have emerged about their killer, Vester Flanagan. Authorities believe the former WDBJ reporter planned a getaway after the murder. Police say they searched his rental car and said they found a wig, glasses, a shawl, license plates, six Glock magazines and a to-do list. Former colleagues of Flanagan say he often became angry at work. He also filed a racial discrimination suit against one of the stations, which was settled and dismissed.

Shootings in the U.S. seem to happen all too often. We hear about them and report on them nearly every day, from Sandy Hook to the Aurora Theater shooting and the Charleston church massacre, and many, many more that have happened in between.

Earlier we heard from three men who lost their children to gun violence and are fed up.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RICHARD MARTINEZ, SON KILLED BY GUN VIOLENCE: If we don't talk about our children and if we don't put a human face on these tragedies, than it is all about the shooter and all about the shooter's message. And what gets lost in the conversation is the real cost to people like us. And the rest of the country shouldn't wait until it happens to their kids.

LENNIE PHILLIPS, DAUGHTER KILLED BY GUN VIOLENCE: We didn't get involved right away after Aurora, but we wish we had got involved after Columbine. Maybe it would have saved our daughter. I don't know. But after Sandy Hook, we had to get involved. We had no choice. We had to do something for our daughter. We have. We got some laws passed in Washington and we got background checks there. They have been passed in Oregon now. So we're taking a page out of the NRA play book and going state by state.

ANDY PARKER, DAUGHTER KILLED IN GUN VIOLENCE: The Second Amendment was produced and passed when we were using muskets. You know, and the Army and the militia had the same weaponry and they couldn't pit each other, 100 yards away. So, it's -- you know, again, I'm not trying -- I'm not advocating let's take everybody's guns away. Let's just keep them out of the hands of crazy people.

UNIDENTIFIED CNN ANCHOR: Richard?

MARTINEZ: 74 percent of the NRA members support criminal background checks on all gun sales, and yet we can't get a vote in Congress to pass universal background checks on gun sales. It's proven in states that have universal background checks, there's fewer domestic violence homicides, fewer police officers are shot and killed. Background checks have been shown to -- they are not 100 percent solution. No solution is 100 percent. Seat belts in cars do not save 100 percent of people in traffic accidents. But that's not a good argument to say we shouldn't wear seat belts. Seat belts make a significant difference. No one is here to stay universal background checks will stop every act of violence. We need to do better in this country. Our kids deserve better. 88 people are shot and killed in this country every single day. There's a consistent thread between Sandy Hook and the mental state of that person, the mental state of the person at Virginia Tech, the mental state of the person that just killed Alison and Adam. We need to do better in this country by keeping guns out of the hands of dangerous people.

One thing we did in California is passed red flag legislation that allows immediate family members and law enforcement to go before a judge and have a person prohibited from buying guns and have the person turn in guns if the judge is convinced the person presents a substantial threat to themselves or other people.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[01:35:00]HOWELL: U.S. President Obama called the Virginia shooting one more argument for a change in gun legislation.

You are watching CNN NEWSROOM.

Simulating all-out war on the Korean peninsula, the U.S. and South Korea. Bombs explode during live-fire drills inside of this show of military might. We take you there next.

Plus, Hillary Clinton under fire for comparing some of her Republican rivals to terrorists groups. We'll explain.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOWELL: Welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM. An uneasy calm has returned to the streets of western India. This, after days of cast-related violence that left at least nine people dead, including a police officer. The fighting broke out in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state, Gujarat, on Tuesday following the arrest of a prominent leader there.

Let's go to New Delhi where we our bureau chief, Ravi Agrawal, joins us live.

Ravi, good to have you with us.

We have seen violence. We have seen arsons there. It's been a busy week for authorities to say the at least. What's the latest?

RAVI AGRAWAL, CNN INDIA BUREAU CHIEF: Hi, George. The latest here in India is that there's an uneasy calm this morning. The Army was called in yesterday. That's led to peace on the streets for now, but it's a vivid, clearly anger is simmering, especially among the community. Let me tell you about the community and explain what is going on. The

community, which is a fairly powerful community, represent between 12 and 15 percent of the population. They have been protesting saying they want the creation of a special reservation for them to allow them to get government jobs, to allow them to work in schools, to allow them to get special reservations to get in to top universities in India.

A background on this, there are existing special reservations in India for certain casts and they are known collectively as the other background cast. That collectively forms 28 percent of a quota in schools, in certain ministries to apply for certain jobs. Clearly, what we are seeing is this community, which is fairly wealthy, I should add, has been upset about these reservations. That spilled out on to the streets in the form of protests. And some of it turned violent on Tuesday and Wednesday, which is where eight were killed, including one policeman.

Today in Gujarat, there is an uneasy calm but they may continue to protest. They may, for example, they are saying, withdrawal their money from banks. They may stop delivering milk and vegetables, which could eventually lead to more problems in the state of Gujarat.

[01:41:16] HOWELL: Ravi Agrawal live for us in New Delhi.

Ravi, thank you so much for your reporting. We'll stay in touch hoping things remain peaceful at this point.

Now to the Korean peninsula where jets, tanks and thousands of troops are coming together for a military show of force. It's all part of live fire exercises held every few years by the United States and South Korea. Now those military exercises are wrapping up.

Our Kathy Novak reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KATHY NOVAK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is not your average target practice. South Korean F-15 fighter jets that can take down a large number of North Korean fighters at once, E 737s that can detect movement across the air space from the South Korean border, Syrian helicopters that launch flairs to evade North Korean missiles and drop off command dose to infiltrate enemy lines.

"Our soldiers are ready and able," says the Italian commander, "with the will and courage to fight against the enemy."

(on camera): These exercises bring together U.S. and South Korean fire power preparing to how to respond to a North Korean provocation and signaling all-out war.

(MUSIC)

NOVAK (voice-over): But two can play at this war game. At the Korean peninsula, North Korea invented the game, parading its 1.2 million active troops and weaponry of its own under the watchful and unforgiving eye of supreme commander, Kim Jong-Un. Anti-tank missiles manned by loyal servants of the Korean Peoples' Army, submarine that Pyongyang claims can launch ballistic missiles. 70 percent of the fleet deployed during the recent crisis. And artillery like the kind the U.S. says was aimed towards propaganda speakers on the border.

South Korea fired back. Watching this drill, it's clear these shells don't miss. Suggesting when dozens of South Korean rounds landed in an empty field north of the DMZ that's exactly what they were aiming at.

They have the fire power but the game of war this in the peninsula is more about showing off the fire power than actually using it.

(on camera): This is not only a military exercise. It's a show. Members of the public have even been invited to watch the display.

(voice-over): Nothing like patriotic music to go with your show of fatal force and with every ground-shaking, eardrum shattering boom of artillery in a perfect "V" formation, enthusiastic applause from the crowd.

It may seem ridiculous, but it works.

"I felt really anxious living here," she says, "but after the performances, I'm not anxious at all. North Korea can't defeat us."

Satisfied theater-goers at a very dangerous show.

Kathy Novak, CNN, South Korea.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOWELL: On to U.S. politics now. Donald Trump is extending his lead over Republican rivals for president. The latest Quinnipiac University poll shows 28 percent of Republicans support Mr. Trump. That's up from 20 percent last month. Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson is polling second with 12 percent. Among Democrats, Hillary Clinton leads the pack with 45 percent, down

10 points from last month. 22 percent support Bernie Sanders.

Clinton is blasting some of her conservative rivals for their views on women's reproductive rights. She specifically mentioned Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio and John Kasich.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[01:45:14] HILLARY CLINTON, (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE & FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE: Now extreme views about women, we expect that from some of the terrorist groups. We expect that from people who don't want to live in the modern world, but it's a little hard to take coming from Republicans who want to be the president of the United States.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: Republicans are calling on Mrs. Clinton to apologize. The spokeswoman for the National Republican Committee calls the comments, quote, "a new low" for, quote, "Clinton's flailing campaign."

You are watching CNN. We are tracking Tropical Storm Erika, the latest on the storm wreaking havoc in the Caribbean next.

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RACHEL NICHOLS, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: I'm Rachel Nichols with your CNN World Sports headlines.

At the World Athletics Championship in Beijing, two of the fastest men on earth have continued to eye each other. Usain Bolt and Justin Gatlin (ph) both qualified for Thursday's final in the 200 meters. Each man won his seat. Gatlin (ph) crossed in in 19.8.7 seconds but wasn't running his hardest. Obviously, easing up at the finish line. And then there was Bolt. He finished in 19.9.5 seconds, his first time of the year. But he was so relaxed during it, he actually took the time during the race to exchange a laugh and a joke with a fellow competitor.

The U.S. Open draw is out and five-time champion, Roger Federer, could face Andy Murray in the semi-finals. Their 44 total matches constitute the most prolific rivalry of the Open era.

That's a look at your sports headlines. I'm Rachel Nichols.

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HOWELL: Welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM. I'm George Howell. We turn now to the Caribbean Sea where Tropical Storm Erika is blamed for at least four deaths on the island nation of Dominica. 20 people are presumed missing and the storm left extensive damage to the island. This, according to officials there.

Our Meteorologist Derek Van Dam is tracking this storm for us.

This is a very small nation. Right now the damage looks very bad.

[01:50:17] DEREK VAN DAM, AMS METEOROLOGIST: It is extensive. It is 70,000 people on this island nation. It is a commonwealth. They are calling it devastation of the island. It's inaccessible from the east, west, east and north according to authorities. It is obviously a mountainous part of the world, as well. This rain culminates in to these rivers and valleys and streams to the coastline where the majority of the population is. Look at this footage, George, and you can see some of the flooding video coming out of that area. This is some of the first video obtained by CNN. The flooding damage has been extensive. This is thanks to the topography of this island nation. 60 percent of the island at the moment, without power and phone services. There's been tons of images circulating around on social media. These are some of the ones we acquired from the airport. You can see why it experienced heavy flooding. In a matter of six hours they received 225 millimeters of rain. 300 millimeters in the 12- hour period. Look at the topography as we zoom in to the island nation. You can

see the highest peaks are shy of 1500 meters. There's the airport at the bottom of the slopes. There's no wonder why they have pooled together rain water that came in such a short period of time leading to landslides, flooding and washing out major roadways and bridges leaving many communities inaccessible by emergency crews. The search and rescue efforts going forward will be very difficult.

Look at this astounding picture out of that area. Here's the latest on the storm. 45 mile an hour sustained winds. Tropical Storm Erika over the Caribbean Sea. It is moving away from this Leeward Islands but has its eye set on Puerto Rico, as well as the U.S. and British Virgin islands. That's where we could see anywhere between 200 millimeters of rainfall in some isolated locations. And the possibility of flooding exists across this area. We have flood watches in effect for Puerto Rico and the Virgin islands. By the way, a quick side note this will bring much-needed relief. Puerto Rico has been under drought conditions for several months now. We don't want to see too much rain too quickly. Otherwise tropical storm watches and warnings stretching from Puerto Rico to the Bahamas.

Here's the official forecast track from the national hurricane center. What I want you to note is that it does run the storm parallel with the east coast of the Florida panel, or rather in to the state of Florida. That means Miami, West Palm Beach in to Daytona Beach, Jacksonville. That is an area that needs to monitor the storm extremely closely. It has a lot of circumstances it has to overcome. That includes upper-level winds which are not favorable for tropical development. Once it overcomes those strong upper-level winds it will likely strengthen again and perhaps become a category one hurricane by the time it impacts the United States mainland. A lot of factors here. The main threat, George, right now as we speak is the heavy rain and flooding potential across the Virgin islands and in to Puerto Rico and what we saw in the Dominica region as well.

HOWELL: Let's show that video. The video is coming from the prime minister of Dominica. And you see how bad it is right there. He is saying the damage is so bad it will take a lot of money to repair what we are seeing.

VAN DAM: Multimillion dollars is what they are saying right now. By the way, George, it only takes 12 inches of moving water to knock a person completely off their feet.

HOWELL: Wow.

That video from the prime minister.

Derek Van Dam, thank you so much.

VAN DAM: Thank you.

HOWELL: Check this video out. The ground suddenly opened up and it sent people tumbling in to a sinkhole. Wow. It happened at a bus stop in the city in northern China. You can see the ground gave way and five people fell right in. Several of them were injured, but none injured severely. By-passers stopped and helped to pull the victims out.

The world's biggest social media network -- social networking site, I should say, has hit a milestone with nine zeros in it. Facebook said one billion people clicked on the site on Monday. That's the first time ever. That's roughly the equivalent of one out of every seven people on the planet. Founder Mark Zuckerberg noted the milestone on his profile page, basically says, "A more open and connected world is a better world."

U.S. Presidential candidate Trump bucked several political scandals on his way to trying to become the current Republican president -- front runner, I should say, and you can add this new moment to his campaign. This happened at an event on Thursday. He decided to show the crowd that he does, in fact, have real hair.

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[01:55:24] DONALD TRUMP, (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE & CEO, TRUMP ORGANIZATION: I don't wear a toupee. It's my hair. I swear.

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TRUMP: Come here. Come here. Come here. I'm -- we're going to settle this. Come, come.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, I believe it is.

(LAUGHTER)

TRUMP: Thank you.

Have I ever met you before?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, you haven't.

TRUMP: But you are very nice. Thank you.

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HOWELL: A lot of people wanted to find out if that is real hair. We get it there.

Thank you for watching. I'm George Howell at the CNN Center in Atlanta. The news continues with my colleague, Natalie Allen, after the break.

You are watching CNN, the world's news leader.

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