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Remembering Muhammad Ali; Race for the White House 2016; Obama Weighs In; Iraqi Forces Advance against Fallujah; Near Historic Flooding in Paris; Talent at the French Open. Aired 5-6a ET

Aired June 05, 2016 - 05:00   ET

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


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MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Hello, everyone. Welcome to our viewers here in the United States and all around the world. I'm Michael Holmes.

ZAIN ASHER, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Zain Asher. Welcome to a special edition of CNN NEWSROOM as we continue to cover the life and legacy of boxing giant Muhammad Ali.

HOLMES: And Ali, of course, was a hero to many people, especially in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. He died at the age of 74 on Friday, his family by his side. His body will be taken home soon ahead of his funeral.

ASHER: The entire world shaken by this news. People are continuing to gather to pay their respects to Ali. They're going to be there Thursday and Friday. But fans already cherishing a truly unique legend. They're lining up by his childhood home placing flowers and signs outside.

HOLMES: Joining us now is CNN's "WORLD SPORT's" Don Riddell with more on the plans to celebrate.

Now this is basically an invitation for people to come and honor the man -- people, ordinary people.

DON RIDDELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that's very much what the family want.

The planning for this funeral has actually taken place while Muhammad Ali was still alive. He was very much involved in the ceremony and the proceedings that he wanted to take place after he had passed on. So a very, very public event. There will be a procession through the streets of Louisville. We've been told its streets and areas that are of historical significance to Muhammad Ali's life.

The whole thing is going to culminate in a basketball arena, which can seat 22,000 people. We must hope that that is enough to accommodate everyone. But the whole thing will also be streamed live online. It will be an interfaith ceremony and they're going to be having eulogies from former president Bill Clinton and also the actor and comedian Billy Crystal. He and Muhammad Ali go way back. They were great friends. They have a lot in common and shared a lot in common during their life.

So if you're wondering why Billy Crystal is there, that's why. And I'm sure he will deliver a very touching eulogy.

ASHER: It's hard to imagine, just two days ago we were talking about the fact that Muhammad Ali was in the hospital. And here we are discussing plans for his funeral.

Has it really sunk in yet?

Has it actually sunk in, just what the world has lost?

RIDDELL: Yes, that's an interesting question.

I guess one way to answer that would be there were so many people who were inspired by Muhammad Ali from a previous generation. I think a lot of people today are learning more about Muhammad Ali and are, therefore, learning about the kind of man we've lost.

I mean, the argument was made today that, without Muhammad Ali, we wouldn't have had President Barack Obama, for example. I think a lot of people are very familiar with Ali and the fights and what he achieved within the ring.

But perhaps people of this generation aren't so clear on the massive impact he had outside of the ring and just the way he changed this world and, of course, this country, America.

HOLMES: And I wanted to ask you, you're the sports expert. We say he's the greatest. A lot of people say he's the greatest ever. It's so problematic to compare eras, isn't it?

But you've got to say, back when he was fighting, he fought some amazing boxers.

RIDDELL: Yes.

HOLMES: Does that help the claim for greatest ever?

RIDDELL: Yes. First of all, he labeled himself the greatest, which would be ridiculous if any other athlete had done it. But he was able to get away with it, not just because of what he achieved in the ring, but he fought in a golden generation of boxing.

When you look at the names he went up against, just quickly scribbled some of them down, Sonny Liston, Floyd Patterson, Joe Frazier, George Foreman, Ken Norton, Leon Spinks, Larry Holmes -- I mean, these are absolute --

(CROSSTALK)

RIDDELL: -- and he fought them all and beat them all. So just an incredible era of boxing.

The sport's changed completely since then, the whole pay-per-view thing. It's not a household sport. We're not all familiar with the boxers of today but back then these guys were really, really popular and everybody knew them.

ASHER: And also comparing eras, sports people today are often hesitant to talk about politics or anything that's controversial because they don't want to lose their endorsements. And just obviously Muhammad Ali was the complete opposite.

Where did that courage come from?

Where did that spirit come from to be able to do that?

RIDDELL: Well, I think you have to consider the time he grew up in, the injustice that he witnessed in his neighborhood with his own family, with his parents.

He was a rebel with a cause, really. He got out there. He had a lot to prove. He discovered boxing when he could perhaps have pursued other sports, football or basketball. But he knew that he needed to really take those sports far, he would have to go to college and he wasn't going to be able to do that because of the education he'd received.

So he knew that if he picked boxing he could go all the way with that sport. And I think he quickly realized he had a platform --

[05:05:00]

RIDDELL: -- he felt very, very strongly about the Vietnam War and he was prepared to take a stand on that.

And, of course, this is one of the reasons why he's so celebrated today. It's really interesting, talking to people who knew Muhammad Ali and interacted with him. And we can bring you someone now who's done exactly that, Paul Connew was a media commentator, a former newspaper editor, and Paul met Ali on numerous occasions. He's live with us from London.

Paul, thanks very much for being with us.

PAUL CONNEW, PR AND MEDIA COMMENTATOR: Thank you.

RIDDELL: Let's start with your experiences, personally and directly, with Muhammad Ali.

How many times did you meet him and how would you describe the man?

CONNEW: I interviewed him probably I think four times, three times in the build-up to fights and once at his home.

I'm a great boxing fan. As a schoolboy and a student, I'd watched his fights on, you know, on TV and at the closed-circuit cinema. Sadly, when I was the Mirror Group's (ph) bureau chief in America, I only got to know him, if you like, towards the latter stages of his career.

But he but he was a remarkable man. He, without doubt, the most charismatic and the most controversial sportsman of all time. He certainly -- he certainly epitomized, if you like, someone who was the lord of the ring in the ring.

But probably his greatest legacy, his greatest impact and influence, was outside the ring. It was the impact he made, you know, on social history and on civil rights.

You know, he, you know, he transcended sport and that's the reason that he, to my mind, he stands alongside figures like Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela, a truly, a truly amazing, a truly amazing man, but a bit of a controversial figure.

But the principles he showed, you know, were at the height of his career over Vietnam, to lose three and a half years out of the ring, losing tens of millions of dollars, for his principles.

But, as he said, you know, so what?

So I go to jail.

But he didn't go to jail but, you know, it was a suspended sentence. But he said, standing up for your beliefs is more important, and if that means go to jail, I'll go to jail.

(CROSSTALK)

RIDDELL: I want to jump in and ask you about, you know, he was very famous very quickly, world champion at the age of 22. But I think the establishment didn't really know what to make of him, did they?

He was very controversial in the early days.

CONNEW: No, they didn't.

RIDDELL: Polarizing. Now we all celebrate him now and we have for some time.

But at what point did he change?

At what point did the establishment recognize him as a man to be celebrated?

CONNEW: I think that happened gradually after his stand on Vietnam. But, as you say, a quote of his, which I think stands out, was the quote, "I'm America. I'm the part you won't recognize. But get used to me, black, confident, cocky, my name, not yours, my religion, not yours."

And I think that's when he came out with -- the time of Vietnam and I think in a way that made him a hero to so many black people in America but also to white people who were opposed to Vietnam.

But gradually, gradually he was embraced, I think, by almost everyone. And his stand outside the ring as much as his performances in it is what made him a global superstar and a global icon.

If you look at today's papers in Britain, the treatment there, it's as if a -- they're at the same scale as if a fairly senior member of the royal family had died. The "Sunday Times," for example, has a complete wraparound, front and back. Most papers have him on the front page.

Most of them have several pages of souvenir pull-outs, you know, recording his finest quotes, his finest fights, tremendous, you know, the most famous photographs and striking photographs. This is a man who transcended sports and was -- is, in fact, a major figure in the social history of the second half of the 20th century.

RIDDELL: I agree.

Paul Connew, thanks very much for your insight and for joining us here on CNN. Thank you.

CONNEW: Pleasure.

ASHER: And it's interesting because Paul brought up an important point there, because it's not just the fact that the establishment changed and began to accept him but America as a whole changed and Muhammad Ali himself also changed, his youth also evolved in the time as well.

HOLMES: But he was revered but he was also vilified at various times. We look --

[05:10:00]

HOLMES: -- back now at what he said about Vietnam and race relations and laud him correctly for what he said.

But back at the time, there were those who were vehemently opposed to what he was saying.

RIDDELL: Well, and frightened of him and frightened of his stance and the power and influence that he had.

HOLMES: Quite right.

Don, great. Thank you.

ASHER: Thank you. Appreciate that.

Well, from fellow boxers to world leaders, tributes have been pouring in for Muhammad Ali.

U.S. President Barack Obama says -- and I'm quoting for you here -- "He was the greatest, period. Muhammad Ali shook up the world and the world is better for it. We are all better for it. Michelle and I send our deepest condolences to his family and we pray that the greatest fighter of them all finally rests in peace."

HOLMES: And the British prime minister David Cameron says, quote, "Muhammad Ali was not just a champion in the ring. He was a champion of civil rights and a role model for so many people," unquote.

And fellow boxer, Manny Pacquiao, tweeted his sympathies, saying, quote, "We lost a giant today. You will always be the greatest of all time. Our hearts and prayers go out to the Ali family. May God bless them."

Along with Mr. Obama, both a former president and a presidential candidate took time on Saturday to remember Muhammad Ali.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I), VT., PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I am a bit of a boxing fan and clearly Ali was one of the great heavyweight champs of all time, a beautiful boxer and a great athlete.

But the reason that Ali struck a chord in the hearts of so many Americans was not just his great boxing skill, it was his incredible courage at a time when it was not popular to do so.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ASHER (voice-over): It was his incredible courage, Bernie Sanders there explaining just why he revered and loved Muhammad Ali so much. There he was at a campaign event in California.

Also in California, Bill Clinton, who will eulogize Ali at his funeral Friday, he touched on the boxing great's talent in the ring.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BILL CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: When I was a boy and I saw him box the first time, I thought, you know, we're looking at something we may never see again. I mean, he was like Golden State on the basketball court now. Right?

It was like watching somebody -- you couldn't decide, is this guy a boxer or a ballerina?

The way he moved, the speed, the grace.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ASHER: And Donald Trump also joined in remembering Ali, who, just months ago, actually tore into the U.S. presumptive Republican presidential candidate for his proposed ban on Muslims entering the United States.

After Ali died, Trump actually tweeted, "Muhammad Ali is dead at 74, a truly great champion and a wonderful guy."

HOLMES: But here's the thing. In December, Trump responded to a speech by President Barack Obama, where he mentioned Muslims and back then Trump tweeted this, quote, "Obama said in his speech that Muslims are our sports heroes.

"What sport is he talking about and who? "Is Obama profiling?" unquote.

Well, days later Ali told NBC News, quote, "We, as Muslims, have to stand up to those who use Islam to advance their own personal agenda. True Muslims know or should know that it goes against our religion to try and force Islam on anybody."

ASHER: We will have more on remembering Muhammad Ali throughout the hour.

In the meantime, want to give you some other stories we are following.

Coming up, Democrats are battling it out for the state of California.

HOLMES: And while Hillary Clinton inches closer to clinching the nomination, Bernie Sanders predicting a contested convention.

ASHER: Plus a look back at the "Thrilla in Manila" where one fan remembers "The Greatest" more for his humility than actually for his boxing. That's next.

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ASHER: We are just two days away from the last Super Tuesday of the U.S. presidential election season and Hillary Clinton could clinch her party's nomination in the next few days.

The Democratic front-runner won the Virgin Island caucuses on Saturday and if she takes Sunday's primary in Puerto Rico, she could receive enough delegates to put her over the edge officially.

HOLMES: Officially -- her opponent, Bernie Sanders, trailing far behind Clinton in the number of pledged delegates. But the Vermont senator says he can still win the all-important California primary and the nomination. The Golden State contest a dead heat among eligible voters, according to a USC/ "Los Angeles Times" poll as you say there.

But Clinton holding a 10-point lead over Sanders among likely voters, 49-39 percent.

Meanwhile the Clinton campaign is all but ignoring Sanders as she continues to criss-cross the Golden State.

ASHER: Yes, in the meantime, her focus is squarely now on Donald Trump, calling the presumptive nominee "dangerous."

Senior Washington correspondent Jeff Zeleny has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) JEFF ZELENY, CNN SR. WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Hillary Clinton campaigning across the state of California with one rival in mind and that is Donald Trump.

Yes, Bernie Sanders is vowing to fight to the convention and, yes, there is this Democratic primary here in California and five other states on Tuesday. But Hillary Clinton is focusing front and center on Donald Trump.

She's trying to repeat some of the claims she's made earlier about that Donald Trump simply does not have the temperament to be president. He's not qualified to be president.

And she's taking aim at some of those comments he's made about the judge who's from here in California, who's hearing the fraud case of Trump University. She even mentioned that Donald Trump's divisiveness is dangerous and she brought up Muhammad Ali to make her point clear.

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HILLARY CLINTON, FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE, PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, Donald Trump's not just wrong about Judge Curiel; he's wrong about America. He's wrong about what makes this country great.

And on a day that we are mourning Muhammad Ali, it's worth remembering that we live in a country where people can break down barriers, where they can worship their own God, where they can choose their own name and where they can lead and follow their dreams as far as their hard work and talent will take them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZELENY (voice-over): Now even though Hillary Clinton is focusing on Donald Trump as she campaigns in California, which she'll do so again today throughout the day and as well as Monday, she'll be heading to New York on Tuesday.

That is where she plans to deliver a speech on Tuesday night in Brooklyn, the home of her campaign headquarters, where she believes that she will hit the number of 2,383, that's the number of pledged and super delegates needed to unofficially clinch the nomination.

Now Bernie Sanders vowing to take this all the way to the convention. But he would need to switch super delegates, some 300 super delegates, those party officials who say they're with her.

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ZELENY: It's an uphill climb, to say the least, the Clinton campaign all but ignoring Bernie Sanders here in the final days. They still want to try and bridge that gap with him, extend an olive branch after this is all over before she turns her attention squarely, fully to Donald Trump.

(END VIDEOTAPE) ASHER: In the meantime, though, Sanders and his supporters are still holding out hope for a victory in California and overall in the Democratic race.

But despite his recent --

[05:20:00]

ASHER: -- momentum, it is mathematically impossible for Bernie Sanders to catch up to Clinton unless he can convince a number of super delegates to switch sides.

HOLMES: And he'll need a few.

While campaigning in Los Angeles on Saturday, though, Sanders vowing the Democratic National Convention will be a contested one.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SANDERS: At the end of the nominating process, no candidate will have enough pledged delegates to call the campaign a victory. They will be dependent upon super delegates.

In other words, the Democratic National Convention will be a contested convention.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: While the White House not surprisingly keeping a neutral tone for now in the U.S. Democratic race, while there are still two candidates. And while President Obama isn't calling any names, he is obviously speaking his mind in some very public ways.

ASHER: And it's not just him, in fact even Ms. Obama is taking a few subtle jabs at some of the campaign rhetoric. Here's our Michelle Kosinski with more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MICHELLE KOSINSKI, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This campaign trail or obstacle course may be rockier and more twisting than we've seen.

But the White House likes to claim that it is staying out of it. President Obama never even brings up Donald Trump by name, though it is lost on no one to whom he's referring virtually every time he speaks now, just this week...

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: If we fall for a bunch of okey-doke just because, you know, it sounds funny or the tweets are provocative, then we're not going to build on the progress that we started.

KOSINSKI (voice-over): -- one day later, making a lengthy case for why America is already great. PRESIDENT OBAMA: We lead not by dictating to others but by working with them as partners, by treating other countries and their peoples with respect, not by lecturing them. We need smart, steady, principled American leadership.

KOSINSKI (voice-over): In this sense, he's on the campaign trail in spirit and all this a preview of what we can expect when he's really on it: two prongs, listing his accomplishments and blasting Republicans.

Even the first lady got on board this week...

MICHELLE OBAMA, U.S. FIRST LADY: We don't give into our fears, we don't build up walls to keep people out.

KOSINSKI (voice-over): -- taking some pages from her husband's playbook, once again without a single utterance of the words "Donald" or "Trump".

MICHELLE OBAMA: Some folks out there today tell us to be afraid of those who are different, to be suspicious of those with whom we disagree. They act as if name-calling is an acceptable substitute for thoughtful debate.

KOSINSKI (voice-over): Behind the scenes, a White House source tells us President Obama is chomping at the bit in this political climate to get out there and rev up the Democratic base, that he knows his power, his huge approval rating among Dems. He even dropped some foreshadowing this week.

PRESIDENT OBAMA: It's almost over. We got -- on Tuesday you'll have some big states, California and New Jersey. I think we'll probably have a pretty good sense next week of who the nominee will end up being.

KOSINSKI (voice-over): Sources say as soon as there is a Democratic nominee, that's when you'll see the president unleashed and in their corner...

PRESIDENT OBAMA: The pundits, they say one of the reasons the Republican Party has picked the candidate that it has -- no, no booing. You know, we're voting, not booing.

(LAUGHTER)

KOSINSKI (voice-over): -- maybe even mentioning names.

KOSINSKI: The White House now gets asked about this all the time. They tend to have the same answer, that the Democratic debate has been healthy, that there is plenty of time for the president to jump in.

But you look at those polls, you talk to insiders and you know President Obama is ready for that signal, whatever it may turn out to be, maybe even this coming week, for this now to be down to one Republican and one Democrat and for him to play a very big role in it -- Michelle Kosinski, CNN, the White House. (END VIDEOTAPE)

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HOLMES (voice-over): The all-important California primary just two days away now and of course we will have all-day coverage right here on CNN. Do be sure to tune in June 7th for the final Super Tuesday election, the vote of the season.

It's been a long one, hasn't it?

ASHER: And it is finally here. We'll finally know officially who it is.

HOLMES: We have a lot of Super Tuesdays.

ASHER: Yes.

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ASHER (voice-over): Well, he was a champion fighter inside the ring but one fan who watched the "Thrilla in Manila" looks back on Muhammad Ali's kindness and softness when the gloves were off. His incredible story coming up.

HOLMES (voice-over): Plus more on the damage --

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HOLMES (voice-over): -- left behind by ISIS as Iraqi security forces regain control of key territory held by the militants. We'll be right back.

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HOLMES: And welcome back to our viewers here in the United States and all around the world. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Michael Holmes.

ASHER: And I'm Zain Asher. Let's give you the headlines at this hour.

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HOLMES: The world continuing to remember the legendary boxer, Muhammad Ali. He died on Friday at the age of 74. Now his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, will be hosting ceremonies in his honor on Thursday and Friday.

[05:30:00] Fans have been lining up outside Ali's childhood home. It is now a museum that celebrates his life. ASHER: Star athletes from around the world are paying tribute to Ali. CNN "WORLD SPORT's" Don Riddell is with me to say -- tell us what they are saying.

This, at one point, was the most famous athlete in the world. It's hard to believe that not almost every single athlete was influenced by him at some point.

DON RIDDELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I think he was probably the most famous man on the planet at one point, certainly the most famous athlete of the 20th century. So I think he's had a profound impact on so many people, a hero to so many athletes for so many different reasons.

The Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors are in the midst of the NBA finals right now but their top stars took a moment to reflect on what Ali meant to them.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LEBRON JAMES, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS FORWARD: For an athlete like myself today, without Muhammad Ali, I wouldn't be sitting up here talking in front of you guys. I wouldn't be able to walk in restaurants. I wouldn't be able to go anywhere where blacks weren't allowed back in those days because of guys like Muhammad Ali.

STEPHEN CURRY, GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS GUARD: Ali was the example of how you use your platform and speak what you believe, no matter what people say. And he gives -- look at him as a sense of confidence in that regard for sure.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RIDDELL: LeBron James incidentally said that he watched one of Ali's most iconic fights, the "Thrilla in Manila," in his hotel room on Friday night after he he'd heard the sad new.

But really the only athlete that comes close to Ali's global fame is Michael Jordan.

And he released a statement saying, "This is a sad day for me and for the world. Muhammad Ali was bigger than sports and larger than life. He said he was the greatest and he was right."

The tennis star, Serena Williams, one of the all-time greats in her sport, posted this to Instagram, saying, "The true greatest of all time, what a sad day for everyone to lose someone so great and kind and someone who really stood up for what they believed in. He was my hero. He always will be."

The former heavyweight boxing champion, Mike Tyson, posted this message on Twitter, "God came for his champion. So long, great one."

The golfer, Tiger Woods, who broke down barriers on his way to 14 major titles, tweeted this, "You'll always be the greatest for more than just what you did in the ring, a champion to so many people in so many ways."

And Formula 1 three-time world champion, Louis Hamilton, wrote, "I'm gutted. Rest in peace, champ. God bless and help his family get through this incredibly hard time."

Now it's been four decades since the final chapter in an epic trilogy between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, known as the "Thrilla in Manila," it's often regarded as one of the best boxing fights of all time. But one fan remembers the event being more about Ali's grace, kindness and humility rather than the incredible fight itself. It's an incredible story. And Andrew Stevens has that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALI: I just want to tell you to move. And in my glory, I'm here in my glory, whippin' Joe Frazier.

ANDREW STEVENS, CNN ASIA PACIFIC EDITOR (voice-over): When Muhammad Ali arrived in the Philippines in October 1975 for the "Thrilla in Manila," he was already a household name in this boxing mad country.

Thousands of fans turned out to welcome him and thousands more just to watch him train.

One of them was a young Romy Macalintal, a hardcore fan, who just wanted a signature on his prized possession: a collection of newspaper clippings about Ali. But Romy got a whole lot more than he'd bargained for.

ROMY MACALINTAL, ALI FAN: It was an experience which I cannot now forget, one of the most memorable experiences in my life.

STEVENS (voice-over): Romy ended up not only meeting Ali in private but spending the entire afternoon alone with the boxer, the two of them watching movies.

MACALINTAL: We were just sitting on the carpet watching the movie and in between he would stand up, he would get some cookies, some juice and he would be offering me or serving me.

Imagine the heavyweight champion, serving me at the time with biscuits and juice.

STEVENS (voice-over): Romy didn't get to the fight but like millions of other Filipinos, he watched it on television, a brutal encounter eventually won by Ali and now regarded as one of the greatest bouts ever in boxing.

RECAH TRINIDAD, JOURNALIST: The lights would turn around because of the blood splashing from the mouth.

STEVENS (voice-over): Recah Trinidad was a journalist who watched the fight ringside. For him, the fight wasn't about the sport so much as the politics. The dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos had been in power for three years and the country was under martial law. Marcos himself had been key to getting the fight staged in Manila. TRINIDAD: It was something to camouflage, the misdeeds of the martial law as far as the world audience was concerned.

STEVENS (voice-over): But to a young fan, the memories are not of politics, not even the fight but of Muhammad Ali himself.

[05:35:00]

MACALINTAL: For me, I would always remember him as a very humble, a humble man, a man with humility and a man with a heart, my encounter with the greatest, a very great man, really the greatest champion in the world.

STEVENS (voice-over): Andrew Stevens, CNN, Hong Kong.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

RIDDELL: Isn't that just incredible?

Can you imagine an athlete in this era doing something like that, ahead of a major fight, just taking a random fan and saying, you know what?

You and I are just going to hang out, watch a couple movies.

(LAUGHTER)

ASHER: He really did have this human quality that transcended cultural barriers, language barriers, any kind of racial background. I mean, it's just amazing to watch.

RIDDELL: Yes, and I think he got a big kick of seeing the impact he could have on all walks of life and just that person who could actually, he really sorted it out.

HOLMES: He was a man of such conviction, the warrior in the ring but outside thoughtful, a man of conviction.

Martin Savidge was on earlier today and said that he stood up when people said sit down. And I thought that was a telling comment.

RIDDELL: The fighter who wouldn't fight.

ASHER: It was almost like he was here on a higher calling.

RIDDELL: He believed it. He did believe it.

ASHER: All right. Don Riddell, thank you so much. Appreciate that.

HOLMES: Great to have you around, Don.

RIDDELL: Great, thank you.

HOLMES: All right. To other news now.

ISIS militants are under attack on two major fronts in Syria and Iraq. Let's start with Syria. A humanitarian group says U.S.-backed forces

have taken control of the Manbij-Raqqah road, that is cutting off then a key ISIS supply route between those two strategic cities.

ASHER: And in a separate offensive, Russian-backed government troops have advanced into Raqqah in their own push towards the terror group's self-proclaimed capital.

Meantime, in Iraq, security forces are closing in on ISIS in the militant-controlled town of Fallujah.

HOLMES: Our Ben Wedeman is in Iraq and he reports for us now that security forces have recaptured a key small town north of Fallujah in a separate assault. We do want to warn you: some of the video in this report may be disturbing.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Iraqi army armored personnel carriers rattle through the dust at the edge of the ruins of the town of Saqlawiya.

Iraqi officials announced Saturday they had taken control of most of the town a short drive from the besieged ISIS stronghold of Fallujah. The battle rages on, however, as a combination of Iraqi military, police, Shia-led popular mobilization units and Sunni fighters prepares for the next phase.

These locally made rocket launchers have been brought up to the front for the eventual offensive to retake Fallujah. They have a range of about two and a half kilometers. Fallujah itself is about four kilometers from here.

Fighting has been intense. But Abu Haiba (ph), a veteran of many battles with ISIS, senses an enemy beginning to wither away.

"Their forces have dispersed," he says.

"Some have retreated to the center of Fallujah, others have fled into the desert."

Nearby, the half-buried corpse of an ISIS fighter rots in the sun.

In the areas of Saqlawiya we drove through, the damage was extensive, not a civilian in sight.

"Where are they?" I asked Saba Handani (ph) of the Iraqi police.

"We found them here in their homes," he responds, "and took them out, put them in our vehicles and took them to camps."

On the lookout for ISIS infiltrators, Iraqi intelligence is holding local men and teenage boys for interrogation. At this spot Friday morning, an ISIS suicide bomber blew himself up among a group of fleeing civilians, killing three children.

Gassad Ikledi (ph), a spokesman for the popular mobilization units insists most of the ISIS militants in the area aren't from here.

"We have information," he says, "that 75 percent of the ISIS members in Fallujah are foreigners and Arabs and 25 percent are Iraqis."

Iraqi officials won't say when the final push into Fallujah will begin. On the front, they wait and listen to the gathering storm -- Ben Wedeman, CNN, Saqlawiya, Iraq.

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HOLMES: And can you find full coverage of what is happening in Fallujah and elsewhere in Iraq on our website, cnn.com/international. Just type in "Fallujah" in the search box.

ASHER: And when you do that, you can watch --

[05:40:00]

ASHER: -- another report by Ben Wedeman on how thousands of civilians trapped in Fallujah are trying to escape the fighting.

Still to come: parts of Europe remain on alert because of flooding.

HOLMES: The waters receding in some areas but the trouble not over yet. What lies ahead for recovery. That's coming up.

ASHER: Plus in the world of sport, a big disappointment for Serena Williams at the French Open. Don Riddell will be back with us here to tell us why the loss had a double sting. That's next.

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HOLMES: Welcome back. Thousands of people attending a candlelight vigil in Hong Kong on Saturday, marking the 27th anniversary of Beijing's Tiananmen Square massacre. It was on June the 4th, 1989, that China sent in tanks to break up demonstrations.

ASHER: Death toll estimates range from several hundred to several thousand people. One lawmaker urged those present to keep pursuing justice.

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ALBERT HO, HONG KONG ALLIANCE: And I think we stand for the conscience of the whole nation and the conscience of mankind. And so we should continue to preserve the truth of history and would not allow those in power to distort or whitewash the truth of history.

MICHAEL HOLMES (voice-over): Hong Kong the only place on Chinese soil where commemorations of the massacre are tolerated. (END VIDEO CLIP)

ASHER: The French capital is trying to get back to normal after days of flooding. The River Seine topped 6 meters -- that's 20 feet, by the way -- before receding Saturday. Still French authorities remain on alert for flooding problems throughout the country.

HOLMES: Four people died in the flooding there actually.

[05:45:00]

HOLMES: Ten people died in floods in Germany. The Orsay and Louvre museums closed as a precaution, the Louvre set to reopen on June the 7th. The Orsay hoping to reopen on Monday.

Right now, thousands of homes are in the path of that fast-moving wildfire. This is in the U.S. state of California, burning just west of Los Angeles. It has burned 500 acres -- that's about 200 hectares -- in a matter of hours.

ASHER: And officials think it started after a car hit a utility pole and knocked down some power lines. There's no word of any injuries so far. But a number of celebrities have homes in this area. It is an affluent area in California. Now for more on this Southern California fire, I want to bring in our meteorologist, Derek Van Dam.

So, Derek, you saw those dramatic images there of smoke --

HOLMES: Close to homes.

ASHER: -- right, smoke billowing through the air.

Just tell us, are firefighters any closer to containing this blaze?

DEREK VAN DAM, AMS METEOROLOGIST: There's another quite -- unbelievable photo behind me. To answer your question, Zain, we're talking about this fire being only 15 percent contained.

You can just talk about the fear, the sheer ferocity of this storm or this firestorm that's gone from 200 acres to 500 acres in just a matter of hours.

This is actually the latest details that we have from the L.A. Fire Department and 516 acres have burned so far, 15 percent contained. Over 5,000 people evacuated. We're talking about an area just west of Los Angeles. Here's the Calabasas region. By the way, residents are permitted to go back to their homes as of 2:00 am local time within that region. But the fire continues to rage just south of Highway 101. You may have driven this very scenic roadway before. This is the particular location where the fire continues to burn.

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VAN DAM: I just wish we could take some of the water that they're dealing with in Central France and help douse some of those fires in Southern California. Look at these photos coming out of that region. Unbelievable stuff, some of the rainfall totals out of this area over 250 millimeters from Belgium into France and parts of Germany.

This is all part of a large storm system that continues to rotate across Central and Western Europe. And, unfortunately, this was responsible for 82 injuries at a rock festival in Germany.

Get a load of this footage. They had to suspend the rock festival because of the lightning strikes.

And you won't believe this, Michael and Zain. But this is the second time in a year that they've had to suspend this particular rock festival because of lightning strikes.

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ASHER: That sends a message.

HOLMES: Yes, sends a message.

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HOLMES: I want to know who was playing.

VAN DAM: Red Hot Chili Peppers, actually.

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(LAUGHTER)

ASHER: All right, Derek Van Dam, thank you so much.

HOLMES: He knows everything.

ASHER: He does.

HOLMES: He does.

ASHER: Very smart boy. Very smart boy.

HOLMES: He is a smart man. Yes. Good to see you.

All right. A surprising finish to the women's draw at the French Open (INAUDIBLE)

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ASHER (voice-over): Yes. We'll discuss the new champion on play just ahead after this quick break.

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[05:50:00]

(SPORTS)

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HOLMES: Welcome back, everyone.

Garbine Muguruza is the unexpected French Open champion, upsetting the top seed, Serena Williams, winning her first grand slam in straight sets.

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ASHER: Williams was aiming for Steffi Graf's Open Era record of 22 major titles but she'll have to wait until Wimbledon later this month for another shot.

CNN "WORLD SPORT's" anchor, Don Riddell, is here with more.

So just explain what exactly went wrong for Serena in this?

RIDDELL: Well, that's a good point. She would say that Muguruza simply played the big points better. It was actually quite a close match.

Muguruza I think deserved it. Interesting, my kids are starting to play tennis right now. And I was explaining to them the whole difference between first and second serve.

And the second serve, you tend to go a bit slower because you just want to get it in. Muguruza's tactic was I'm going to keep Serena on her toes. So she was just whamming down the second serves as well.

As a result, she had nine double faults, which isn't good but it was a strategy that absolutely paid off, because it got her there in that end, winning in straight sets, a huge victory for her.

ASHER: Just 22 years old.

RIDDELL: She's only 22 years old, playing in her second major final.

For Serena Williams, another disappointing result. Of course, she's desperately trying to get to this 22 major titles. She's on 21. She lost this final, she lost the Australian Open final to Angelique Kerber, she lost the U.S. Open semifinal to Roberta Vinci in completely unexpected circumstances.

(CROSSTALK)

HOLMES: -- Steffi Graf, right?

RIDDELL: Sorry?

HOLMES: That's Steffi Graf, that --

(CROSSTALK)

ASHER: -- what she's aiming for, yes. RIDDELL: So you would think she will get there. She's just so good, even though she's 34. The fact that she's competing in the business end of these tournaments clearly says she's clearly good enough. But I wonder the longer it takes and the more disappointment, at what point is that going to take a toll on her? But I mean, she's good enough to get to 22 and beyond for sure.

HOLMES: Because 21 sucks.

(LAUGHTER)

HOLMES: Who would be happy with that?

ASHER: But let's talk about the men because later on today you've got Djokovic versus Murray.

[05:55:00]

ASHER: What are you expecting from that?

What is at stake for both of those guys?

RIDDELL: Yes, so Djokovic, he's lost three French Open finals before, which is incredibly disappointing for him. He is going for the career grand slam, all four majors. Only a handful of guys have done it.

He's certainly good enough to do it. He's the world number one but he's not had the dominant year so far that he did last year. And he has lost to Murray on clay very recently.

They've always played very competitive tennis matches even though Djokovic has a much better record against Murray over the last few years. I think Murray can give him a match. Murray's having a really, really good tournament. He was taken to five sets in both of his first matches in this tournament and sometimes you'd look at that and say, well, maybe he's just got not it, he's not got it -- brought his A game.

But actually it means he's up and running much quicker, he's not waiting until the later rounds to really start playing proper tennis. He's been doing it for the last two weeks so I think he will give Djokovic a run for his money. I think Murray's got a terrific chance and --

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RIDDELL: -- predict it's going to be a great match and a close one.

HOLMES: Yes.

How's Murray's temperament been?

Because he can lose it a bit, can't he?

RIDDELL: Yes, I think he's matured a bit and certainly earlier in his career he lost it a bit. My kids do know that he cusses. (LAUGHTER)

ASHER: Put the volume on mute.

RIDDELL: They know who to watch out for.

But, no, he's got his temper much more under control.

HOLMES: I's going to be a good one. Be a good one.

Thanks, Don.

ASHER: Don Riddell, thank you so much. Appreciate that.

HOLMES: All right. Thanks for being with us today. I'm Michael Holmes (INAUDIBLE).

ASHER: (INAUDIBLE).

HOLMES: I'm Michael Holmes.

And you are?

ASHER: I'm Zain Asher.

Nice to meet you by the way.

HOLMES: Nice to see you.

ASHER: We'll give you the headlines next after this quick break.

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