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Dallas Police Ambush; France versus Portugal in Euro 2016 Final; 400K Evacuated as Storm Hits China; Turnbull Declares Victory in Australia; Obama Seeks Stability in Brexit. Aired 4-5a ET
Aired July 10, 2016 - 04:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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NATALIE ALLEN, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): In the U.S., more protests and more security scares. Tensions are high across the country after the deaths of two African American men and the ambush shooting of five Dallas police officers.
Australia is finally getting a look at its new government following a very close election. We'll hear from the soon-to-be officially announced winner.
And in a little more than 12 hours, a champion will finally be declared in the Euro 2016 tournament. We'll go live to Paris for you.
Welcome to our viewers here in the U.S. and around the world. I'm Natalie Allen live, from CNN Center in Atlanta.
GEORGE HOWELL, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): And I'm George Howell, live following events here in Dallas, Texas.
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HOWELL: Good day to you. Just within the past 12 hours there was yet another scare here in Dallas, Texas, thankfully uneventful. But law enforcement across the country remains on high alert after the mass shooting of five police officers here in Dallas.
Right now, even here at Dallas police headquarters, in fact, police searched the parking lot, the parking garage attached to this building on Saturday, after getting a report of a suspicious person. No suspects were found but police say they are tightening security throughout the city because of an anonymous threat.
And just to the south, in this state, in San Antonio, Texas, public safety officials say multiple shots were fired at their headquarters late Saturday. The chief there says bullet marks were found on the wall of the building and shell casings in the alley behind it. But thankfully, no one was injured. Our Stephanie Elam has more on the situation earlier here in Dallas.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Some tense time outside of Dallas police headquarters after there was reports of a suspicious person in the police officer parking lot.
Not wanting to take any chances, the police officers cordoned off an area around the building and were going floor by floor looking to see if there was anyone suspicious found. No one was found.
And then as an extra precaution, they went back with canine units to make sure there was nothing there. After the all clear, we did see that police officers opened up the streets and cleared out the area.
But while this was going on, there were some tense moments. Police officers were positioned at different parts throughout the area. We saw media being pulled back away from that memorial that we have seen of the two police cars in front of Dallas headquarters here, Dallas police headquarters.
But at this point, the streets have been reopened and, luckily, for this very devastated community here and this devastated police department, this turned out to just be a hoax of a threat -- Stephanie Elam, CNN, Dallas.
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HOWELL: Stephanie, thank you.
And following protests across the country that played out after the deaths of two African American men at the hands of police, in St. Paul, Minnesota, hundreds of protesters shut down part of a major highway there. Police say marchers threw fireworks; they threw rocks and Molotov cocktails at them.
At least five officers were injured there. Officers used smoke to disperse the crowds there. That highway has now reopened.
Back here in Dallas, Texas, people have been gathering at vigils. The mood here is somber but, at the same time, people are coming together, visiting memorials like the one behind me. And you know, parents are even bringing their children here to explain to them what happened.
As a new father myself, I wouldn't even know where to begin, quite frankly, with that. But I spoke with one of those families earlier about how they're coping with what happened.
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HOWELL: As parents -- you know, I'm a father myself. My son's 2, so I haven't gotten to the point where I'm explaining some pretty complex issues to him.
What's it like for you, you know, to bring them here and to explain all of this, that, you know, even the most intellectual of adults don't quite get?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I mean, I think, for us, it really surrounds the theme of not really changing what we do on an everyday basis. These are some extremely tragic events that you try to explain.
But, for us, it's about making sure that every day you're thanking somebody, you know, you're smiling at somebody, you're looking at somebody in the eyes, right, you're saying, you know, I appreciate everything you do.
And you know, again, it's extremely hard to explain these kinds of things but all you can do is just make sure that these don't tarnish you and create hatred, which, again, we can't solve the world's problems. We can solve what these three kids do and ourselves.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There won't be any hate coming from this family. So...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think, also, I had to explain to these two because they understand it a little bit easier, because they're older. And how to explain it happened in our own city because we live in Dallas. I think that's even harder.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So we're down here. I was down here yesterday when it happened. So to explain to them why it's happening in our city and our backyard was even harder. But I think it's important for them to come and see it. It's part of their life and their history and what they have growing up.
HOWELL: You guys mind if we ask them a question?
What are your thoughts to be here and to see this?
And to know what happened and why so many people are coming together with so much love and support?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, I think it's really awesome that everybody comes here, all different cultures and stuff. It's a little hard to understand why something like this happened. Especially like Mom said, here where I live.
But I think it's really cool to be able to come here and remember these people and honor them. It's just important.
HOWELL: You're how old?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: 11.
HOWELL: A very wise 11.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you.
HOWELL: And what about you?
What do you think? UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it's really cool how everybody feels that they should come down here and give these officers flowers, because they worked really hard for our country and they served us. But they also mean a lot of things for us.
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HOWELL: Just wise words there from even the youngest of kids, just the message of hope.
Let's now talk about that Dallas transit officer, who lost his life in the attack. He was escorted to his hometown outside the city. Forty- three-year-old Brent Thompson served as a Marine in the Middle East. He recently married a fellow officer.
Of the seven officers wounded, three worked with Thompson for the Dallas Area Rapid Transit Authority. Two of them have now been released from the hospital.
The U.S. president, Barack Obama, will be leaving Europe early and headed back stateside because of the tragedy that played out here in Dallas. The president currently in Spain right now after attending a NATO summit in Poland.
That summit was largely dominated by questions about the shooting here and by questions about Brexit. Mr. Obama spoke three times throughout the week about gun violence in the United States. Listen.
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BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: And Americans of all races and all backgrounds are also rightly saddened and angered about the deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile and about the larger persistent problem of African Americans and Latinos being treated differently in our criminal justice system.
So there is sorrow. There is anger. There is confusion about next steps. But there's unity in recognizing that this is not how we want our communities to operate. This is not who we want to be as Americans. And that serves as the basis for us being able to move forward in a constructive and positive way.
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HOWELL: The U.S. president there. And on his way here to Dallas here for this week.
U.S. politicians, including the presumptive presidential nominees, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, they voiced their reactions to what's been a violence-filled week. Our senior Washington correspondent Jeff Zeleny has details for us.
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JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A gut- wrenching week of violence, shaking America and inflaming a divisive political summer. The gruesome police ambush in Dallas on the heels of police shootings in Louisiana and Minnesota creating a new test of political leadership.
HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: There is too much violence, too much hate, too much senseless killing, too many people dead who shouldn't be.
ZELENY (voice-over): Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump canceling campaign stops in the wake of the massacre. She did appear Friday night before black church leaders in Philadelphia calling for national guidelines on use of force by police.
CLINTON: We will make it clear for everyone to see when deadly force is warranted and when it is not.
ZELENY (voice-over): Trump released a video late Friday saying the slaying of five Dallas police officers has shaken the soul of the nation.
DONALD TRUMP, REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: A brutal attack on our police force is an attack on our country and on our families.
ZELENY (voice-over): An overheated presidential campaign suddenly confronted by a burning crisis over the police, violence and race, all this now front and center in the escalating fight between Clinton and Trump.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: Why do you believe you would be better suited at handling the racial divide in America than Donald Trump?
CLINTON: I have been involved in working to try to close the racial divide my entire adult life. I will call for white people like myself to put ourselves in the shoes of those African American --
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CLINTON: -- families, who fear every time their children go somewhere.
ZELENY (voice-over): Trump is framing a divide in starker terms.
TRUMP: Racial divisions have gotten worse, not better. Too many headlines flash across our screens every day about the rising crime and rising death tolls in our cities.
ZELENY (voice-over): Both candidates said Americans must respect the police, regardless of rising incidents of wrongful shootings.
Clinton We cannot, we must not vilify police officers. Remember what those officers were doing when they died. They were protecting a peaceful march.
ZELENY (voice-over): The protests are erupting across the country with voters also demanding answer from congressional leaders mired in deadlock. On Capitol Hill, Democrats pointed fingers at Republicans. REP. CEDRIC RICHMOND (D): If this Congress does not have the guts to lead, then we are responsible for all the bloodshed on the streets of America, whether it be at the hands of people wearing a uniform or whether it's at the hands of criminals.
REP. PAUL RYAN (R), HOUSE SPEAKER: There will be a temptation to let our anger harden our divisions. Let's not let that happen.
ZELENY: Four months before Election Day, shootings, gun violence and race in America suddenly a very serious conversation to an already overheated presidential campaign -- Jeff Zeleny, CNN, Philadelphia.
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HOWELL: Jeff, thank you.
Again, here in Dallas, just 12 hours ago, a tense situation, Natalie. Thankfully uneventful. At this place behind me, where people have just been coming together. Police officers, alike, just to find peace and solace -- Natalie.
ALLEN: We've certainly seen the spirit of Dallas and it's been just wonderful to see since this tragedy. George, thank you.
The uncertainty of Australia's federal election is over as the country's opposition admits defeat. Coming up next here, what the prime minister says about his party's victory.
Also, Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo are set to face off against France in the Euro 2016 final. We'll take you to Paris ahead, live. Stay with us.
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ALLEN: Welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM.
A diplomatic tit-for-tat is growing between Russia and the United States. Russian officials say they have declared two American diplomats persona non grata after what they call an unfriendly move by the U.S.
That appears to be a reference to the U.S. expelling two Russian diplomats in June. Washington says they were kicked out because a Russian policeman attacked a U.S. diplomat trying to enter the U.S. embassy in Moscow. Russian officials say the policeman was just trying to protect the embassy.
Iraqi forces backed by U.S.-led airstrikes have retaken an airbase from ISIS near Mosul. At least 38 ISIS militants were killed in the operation. Al Qayyara is one of the biggest air bases in Iraq. Its recapture means it can be used in further missions against ISIS.
Iraqi forces retook the ISIS stronghold, Fallujah, just weeks ago. The Iraqi prime minister says his forces would eliminate ISIS in Mosul the same way, adding ISIS "fled like rats in the desert."
In France, the home team is set to face off against Portugal in the final of the Euro 2016 football championship. The national stadium outside Paris is set to host the match. And our Amanda Davies joins us now from Paris for the latest.
Amanda, dare I ask, how is the atmosphere there?
AMANDA DAVIES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Natalie. We're still some 11 hours away from kickoff. But the sun is shining. The flags are flying. And there's been a real noticeable shift here in the last 3.5 weeks or so since this tournament began, a real country galvanizing behind their team and the French flag.
At the start of the tournament, really, you could be mistaken for -- or forgiven for thinking the tournament wasn't actually going on. But as the teams have progressed through to the final here, we saw last night on the Champs-Elysee fans queuing outside the shops to pick up their French shirts and flags and memorabilia, to really get behind the side.
Remember, this is a country that -- a city that has been affected by civil unrest, some strikes because of the proposed changes to the labor laws. This is a city still in a state of emergency because of the threat of terrorism.
And this very stadium, the Stade de France, was one of the targets of those attacks in November that saw 130 people killed in that single night. The team are very, very aware of that and their captain, Hugo Lloris, knows exactly what victory for his side over Portugal could mean.
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HUGO LLORIS, FRANCE GOALKEEPER (through translator): We've had some very tough times this year. Tragic events that happened off the field. We're even prouder to be on the pitch, to really feel the entire French population behind us, to feel this happiness shared between players and the French people.
It gives us greater strength. It's lovely to see.
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DAVIES: And, Natalie, there's a lot of people here, who remember the impact of France's World Cup victory at this very stadium in 1998 and what it did for France. Didier Deschamps and his side are very much hoping they are able to do the same later today.
ALLEN: We'll know in a few hours. It does certainly sound like France has the emotional home pitch advantage. Thanks so much, Amanda Davies for us there, live on a beautiful day for some football in Paris.
Well, the remnants of what was a super typhoon has forced nearly a half million people from their homes in Southern China. The storm has led to heavy flooding and severe damage in the Fujian province. Five airports are closed. Hundreds of high-speed train trips have been canceled.
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ALLEN: Look at that. The storm was a super typhoon when it hit Taiwan and killed three people there. What's left of it continues to menace Southeast China as we can see.
Derek Van Dam is following it for us, has been following this one for a couple of days. My goodness.
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DEREK VAN DAM, AMS METEOROLOGIST: The flooding and the video is amazing. But you have to see this, Natalie, so you can feel what people are actually going through.
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VAN DAM (voice-over): This is moments when the heavy rain took over while this particular building and eventually the roof collapsed, the entire building collapsed.
This is in Fujian province, Southeastern China. There's the resulting flooding from this storm. Yes, these people are going to be reeling from this, what is now just a tropical low, for the next several weeks, months, if not years to come.
Take a look at this, though. Wish I could bring some of that rainfall that's plagued Southeast China, bring it over to the West Coast of the United States.
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VAN DAM: We've got an out-of-control wildfire that's burning in the Los Angeles County region, this is known as the Sage fire. Currently 800 acres have burned. Only 15 percent containment. There are about 200 fire personnel battling this blaze.
And there were evacuations as well, now residents slowly starting to get back to their homes after that mandatory evacuation. But this is all part of the very well advertised drought that is taking place across many states throughout the United States, specifically California. You can see the exceptional and extreme drought areas -- Los Angeles, San Diego, into the Central Valley.
But it's not only California that has been plagued with drought conditions this year. Right here at the CNN World International Weather Center, we have had what is now an extreme drought in Atlanta, Georgia. So the southeastern United States also feeling the effects of what is now the La Nina season.
This is the typical weather pattern that we would expect to see with this type of a weather pattern throughout the United States. We have a real dry setup across the Southeast and the West. This is also on the heels of record warmth throughout the contiguous United States.
We've set another record, believe it or not, the warmest June ever recorded throughout the lower 48; 3.3 degrees Fahrenheit above industrial averages. That previous record set back in 1933.
So astounding heat and it's not only in the contiguous United States. We look northward into Alaska and we have also set a record warmth in this particular state, as well, nine degrees above where we should be for the entire statewide average.
Going forward we don't have much rain in this forecast for the western United States and the Southeast. So it looks like the drought conditions will continue; equal chances for above or below average precipitation.
If you look towards the Great Lakes for more rainfall and just to keep you ahead of the storms, the potential for severe weather across the Northern Plains today, anywhere from Minot, Grand Forks as well as the Minnesota-St. Paul region, hail, damaging winds and isolated tornadoes.
ALLEN: June certainly felt like one of the hottest months.
VAN DAM: And it was that. It just seems to get hotter and hotter.
ALLEN: OK. Derek, thank you.
The uncertainty surrounding Australia's federal election is now over. The opposition Labor Party has conceded defeat, clearing the way for Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and his ruling coalition party to remain in office. Sky News Australia's political reporter, Ashleigh Gillon (ph) has more for us.
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ASHLEIGH GILLON (PH), SKY NEWS AUSTRALIA: Eight days on from Election Day, the opposition leader, Bill Shorten, made the phone call he'd been hoping to avoid, acknowledging that, despite the swing towards his Labor Party at the elections, we will here in Australia have another parliamentary term being governed by the coalition made up of the Liberal and the National parties.
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BILL SHORTEN, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY LEADER: Whilst counting is not concluded in a number of very close seats, it is clear that Mr. Turnbull and his coalition will form a government.
Whether or not it's a minority government or a majority government of one or two seats it is clear they will form a government. So I have spoken to Mr. Turnbull early this afternoon, to congratulate him and Lucy and to wish them my very best.
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GILLON (PH): It has, of course, been a long week for both Bill Shorten and Malcolm Turnbull, who acknowledged in his news conference today the close nature of this result.
Mr. Turnbull also flagged that, due to some of his ministers losing their seats, a minor front bench reshuffle will now be on the cards.
But nobody seriously expects that the former prime minister, Tony Abbott, will be included in the new look Turnbull ministry. During the prime minister's victory speech, his joy was evident, with Malcolm Turnbull clearly relieved that, finally, after a long eight-week campaign and a week of waiting for results on top of that, he can now move on and actually --
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GILLON (PH): -- continue to govern.
MALCOLM TURNBULL, AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER: This is a day of thanks. There are many people to thank. But the most important people to thank are the Australian people, because we have resolved this election.
We've gone through this election with fiercely fought arguments, issues of policy, issues of principle. And we've done so peacefully and constructively.
GILLON (PH): Malcolm Turnbull has today also promised to work constructively with the cross benches, who will be so important in the upper house, in the Senate.
And both of the major party leaders did agree today that the next parliament of Australia is going to need to look very seriously at electronic voting, because the wait that we've had for results this week really needs to be avoided next time around.
There are certainly challenges ahead for Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who, as a moderate, faces battles with the conservatives in his own party over key issues like same-sex marriage and climate change as well as superannuation (ph) reform.
Now with Australia's governor general currently overseas, the formalities of forming the next government won't actually take place for another week or so. In the meantime, with five seats still undecided, counting continues.
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ALLEN: That's the word from the Australian election. I'll have more world news for you in just a moment.
Right now let's go back to George in Dallas -- George. HOWELL: Natalie, thank you. Still ahead here on CNN NEWSROOM this hour, you will hear from families who are concerned about their children's lives after the killings of police officers and African Americans here in the United States.
Plus we are asking questions about the Black Lives Matter movement. How that movement started as a hashtag and now impacting views worldwide.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're all human here. And I think that people feel each other's pain. And that's what makes it great. That's what makes you hopeful.
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ALLEN: Welcome back to our viewers here in the U.S. and around the world, I'm Natalie Allen at CNN Center in Atlanta, Georgia. That was the mayor of Dallas right there. And, yes, people always come together. But it's after, unfortunately, tragedies happens that we realize we all like each other.
HOWELL: That's a good thing, Natalie. This is my home state. It's nice to see people coming together. But at the same time, this is a city that's seen a great deal of tragedy, Natalie. It's a city that's still on edge after that attack Thursday that killed five police officers.
There was yet another scare, this time a scare right here in front of police headquarters. Authorities gave the all-clear earlier after getting a report of a suspicious person. No suspects were found but police say that they are tightening security throughout the city because of an anonymous threat.
As for the man behind Thursday's attack, that ambush, CNN spoke with the last known employer of the gunman, the owner of a health care facility. And we're told that the gunman, Micah Xavier Johnson, that he passed a criminal background check.
Police used a robot to kill the 25-year-old Army veteran after a long standoff with police. The attacker targeted officers who were protesting protesters. The marchers there demanding change after the killing of African American men at the hands of police officers.
And now for many families, it is time for what is very commonly known as "the talk." It is a crucial, very difficult, it is a very important conversation that many African American families have with their children, explaining how to interact, explaining how to protect their lives if pulled over or questioned by police officers in this country.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm scared to sit my son down one day and say, they might not like you.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I want to have children one day but I don't want to have a son because I don't want him to go through this police brutality.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have a little boy, a little black boy that's 1 years old and I fear for his future.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As a black man in America, you -- we have to figure out how to survive. You know, and the best way to do that is to have conversations about it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They might look at you negative before they look at you positive.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Don't play no loud music. Don't draw attention to yourself.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If they say turn around, turn around. Don't fight them.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Don't reach for your pockets, don't reach for anything.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do what you can to keep yourself safe.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You have to watch what you say and what you wear.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Don't wear your hoods.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You just might be seen as a criminal.
But you never done anything in your life.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just yes, sir; no, sir.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, sir.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, sir.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Give them honest feedback and let them face-to- face. We're just talking.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm going to move my hand to the glove compartment, sir. I'm going to get what you ask me to get, sir.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just put your hands up if you have -- it's -- they pull you to put your hands up.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everything I'm saying is measured, it's calculated and it is thought out, without question.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They're not us. You can't talk to them like they're us. You can't even reason with them like they are us.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You're already an African American male, you already stand out. So try your best to just fit in with everybody else.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How do we as black people stand together and say no more?
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HOWELL: U.S. police officers and their families, they're also speaking out. They say, with the growing hostility toward law enforcement across the country, they are worried even more now about their safety.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As a parent of a cop you're worrying about them all the time. It's a dangerous profession, one of the most dangerous jobs. Not too many jobs where you know when, bullets are being fired you have to run into it.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm always, always thinking about my daughter and my nephew, every day. And any time I hear of a New York City police officer crashing their vehicle or getting shot at or getting shot, those are the first two calls that I make.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No one wants their child or their significant other to get hurt in the line of duty. But it's just something that, you know, you learn to appreciate every day with them.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My husband always tells me he became a police officer to protect the community. And if there ever was a time that he was killed in the line of duty, he did what he wanted to do, was to protect others.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I tell my kids I have a dangerous job and that someday I may not come home. I'm a realist. I'm not going to put pink clouds in the sky and tell them that everything is going to be all right.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We got to pray every single day for that boy. And I just pray that everybody else will be thinking about our officers throughout the country.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Most officers are good people and they choose every day to walk away from their families and put their lives on the line, every day.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm here to protect everyone, my children, as well as someone else's children. [04:35:00]
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are still good people. There are still good law enforcement officers out there. You know, but I'm proud of my husband and I'm proud of my daughter.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOWELL: So now let's take a closer look at the Black Lives Matter movement. It has been holding protests in cities, as you've seen, across the country this weekend. Demonstrators are calling for an end to police violence against African Americans.
It's a movement that first organized online and now it is having a global impact. My colleague, Amara Walker, talked to an activist in London about that very point.
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AYSHAT AKANBI (PH), ACTIVIST: I think for a lot of people in the U.K., the Black Lives Matter movement, we show our solidarity because, although we don't face the exact same issues, there are many covert issues that replicate a lot of things that are happening in the States.
And so although it may not be gun crime or gun violence towards these people, people are definitely dying in police custodies and this is a sentiment that resonates with us all.
AMARA WALKER, CNN ANCHOR: I'm just curious to know how you react when you hear the #BlackLivesMatter on Twitter or on Facebook, what have you, being taken out of context and when you see the rival hashtags, #BlueLivesMatter, which refers to police, and also we heard the other hashtag, #AllLivesMatter, as well.
Does that -- what is your reaction to that?
Do you think these other slogans minimize or trivialize the fact that so many, as President Obama says, black folks are far more vulnerable to these kinds of incidents?
AKANBI (PH): Yes, I think the issue is that people are steering issues that affect over half of the population into personal attacks. And I think that's where the discord is, in people thinking that we're saying Black Lives Matter discounts that their lives matter. And that's not what's happening at all.
Just because Black Lives Matter doesn't discount Blue Lives Matter or All Lives Matter.
But we're talking about a very specific issue that is evident to see. And I think in the derailment with the hashtag, there's something underneath that, which I think we should take a closer look at.
(END VIDEOTAPE) HOWELL: So from families concerned about their children, from people
upset about, you know, the killing of African American men and women at the hands of police officers, Natalie, and, also, you know the concern officers have about their own safety, the scare that happened here, there is a great conversation that is happening throughout this country -- Natalie.
ALLEN: And it's got to keep going. These things happen and we all talk and then we go back to our lives. Something has got to break, doesn't it, in this country, because we all want to feel better about it. Thank you so much, George. We'll see you in a moment.
The president, Barack Obama, travels to Spain after the NATO summit wraps up in Poland. Next, the vow he made to his European allies. We'll share that with you.
Also, Japan's ruling party is no longer in danger of losing power in Sunday's parliamentary election. It's all ahead here on CNN NEWSROOM.
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ALLEN: Welcome back. Barack Obama is now in Spain, following the end of the NATO summit Saturday in Poland. He is now the first U.S. president to make an official visit to Spain in 15 years. For more on his trip, let's go to Erin McLaughlin. She's live in Madrid for us.
And, Erin, this is also the president's last trip to Europe as president.
ERIN MCLAUGHLIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Very well could be, Natalie. Today, he's going to be meeting with the king of Spain as well as the interim prime minister of Spain before traveling from Madrid to Rota, where the United States has a naval station. He'll be meeting with U.S. military personnel there.
He gave an interview to one of the main newspapers here in Spain, talking about the important relationship between Spain and the United States, the cultural and economic ties that bind the two countries together as well as the importance of the military presence here in Spain, that Spain is a key NATO ally, pointed to the fact that this country has hosted U.S. military here for decades.
So many in this country are seeing this trip, really, as a thank you. But it's a thank-you trip that has been cut short. President Obama will be spending less than 24 hours in country. He cut short -- he canceled, rather, a stop in Seville due to the tragic events that unfolded in Dallas, the deaths of those police officers.
And it's something that really weighed heavily on a press conference that he held at the conclusion of yesterday's NATO summit.
And it was there that he took the opportunity to emphasize American unity, saying that the divisions in America that people are talking about are not as -- not as bad, rather, as they seem.
He said that Americans of all cultural backgrounds are really upset at the depths of those police officers. They're also upset and angry at the deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile. Take a listen to what he had to say.
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BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: There is sorrow. There is anger. There is confusion about next steps. But there's unity in recognizing that this is not how we want our communities to operate. This is not who we want to be as Americans. And that serves as the basis for us being able to move forward in a constructive and positive way.
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MCLAUGHLIN: He also talked about the importance for more restrictions on guns, something that we can expect him to address in further detail, when he visits Dallas next week.
ALLEN: And we have shots of his live motorcade right now, arriving for his first meetings there in Madrid on what looks to be a beautiful day in Madrid. And he, of course, just came from Poland, Erin, and talked about unity and NATO.
And what were the big headlines coming out of that?
MCLAUGHLIN: Unity was a strong theme there at that NATO summit, specifically when it comes to the response to perceived Russian aggression. Saw the E.U. leaders reiterate that commitment to extend sanctions against Russia, even if it costs those countries economically.
Also, talk about the deployment of battalions to the Baltic states, some of the Baltic NATO allies as well as Poland, where the U.S. will be leading that military presence there in Poland -- Natalie.
ALLEN: All right. We'll continue, Erin, because we want to see Barack Obama as he gets out of the car for his official visit there in Madrid, Spain --
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ALLEN: -- let's talk a little bit about what Spain has gone through. This has been a momentous time there, of course, in Europe, with the Brexit and Spain's economy has been one of the hardest hit in the past few years.
MCLAUGHLIN: And that's right. And Spain is also in political limbo, so to speak. It has not had a government formed here in this country for months, something that President Obama will likely to address with the interim prime minister when they meet here in Madrid later today.
Also expected to discuss that, no doubt, with the king of Spain as well. We know that this is a place that is close to President Obama's heart. He talked about that in that interview that he gave to "El Paes," that was published earlier today.
In that interview he talked about how he went backpacking through Spain in his youth and how he was touched by the hospitality of the people here in Spain, how warmly he was received even back then.
And he also talked about how appreciative he was on how Spanish officials received Michelle Obama very recently. She got a very warm welcome in this country as well.
So what we're seeing is really a close relationship that exists and will continue to exist, according to President Obama, between Spain and the United States.
ALLEN: All right, we'll continue to follow the president's trip; again, as you say, he is shortening his stay there in Spain, cutting off one of the trips he was going to -- one of the legs of his trips there in Spain. Erin McLaughlin will be covering it for us.
Again, Barack Obama coming home early because of events in Dallas, Texas.
Thank you, Erin.
Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe's ruling party appears headed for a comfortable victory in Sunday's parliamentary election. That's even though doubts remain about his economic policies and his goal to revise the constitution.
The focus now is whether the ruling party and its allies will get the supermajority needed for constitutional revision. Mr. Abe is expected to reshuffle his cabinet after the election.
Supporters of Hillary Clinton have rejected a proposal to add a call for an end to occupation and illegal settlements in Palestine to the Democratic platform. The vote came at a meeting in Florida of the Democratic Party's Platform Drafting Committee.
Current party language calls for negotiations for a two-state solution in Israel to give Palestinians a homeland. Clinton's backers say going further than that would inflame tensions and undercut future negotiations.
Bernie Sanders supporters say the proposed language that was defeated simply repeats a position Clinton has taken in the past.
Coming up, we'll go back to Dallas and hear from the hospital workers, who, amid the chaos, after the shootings, did so much to help the victims.
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HOWELL: Across the United States, people continue to mourn the loss of these five police officers, killed in the line of duty.
Here in Dallas, Texas, but now there are growing fears for their colleagues, people who put their lives on the line, day in and day out.
Emotions overcame one woman that we spoke with when she explained the fear that she has for her sister, her sister, who is also a Texas police officer.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's difficult to process because my sister is a police officer for Garland. And that night that it was happening, we were watching it on television. And in her thoughts and in her mind, she told me that she was afraid that something like this would happen, that people would retaliate against police officers because of what was going on in the world.
And, you know, part of it was her fear that this would happen. And as we were watching it, we were talking about it that night. And then we couldn't believe it because it was happening in our own backyard. So it's just been a very difficult...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So do you have this fear now, of your sister going out and doing her job?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Every day. Every day I have that fear because her squad car is parked at her house. And when she leaves, someone could retaliate against her, just because she wears the badge, just because she represents her community.
And there are so many good police officers out there and they didn't deserve this. They did not deserve this. This is awful.
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HOWELL: Five police officers, who died in the line of duty -- and, remember, a total of 12 officers were shot by that sniper Thursday.
And as this was all happening, hospitals throughout the city, they started receiving victims, people who were wounded in this attack. Our Kyung Lah has more on that.
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DR. STEPHEN BERGER, ER DOCTOR: Police officers basically loaded them in their cars and got here as fast as they could. Some of them --
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KYUNG LAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Loaded them in their squad cars? BERGER: -- yes, and came screeching around the corners. The squad cars themselves apparently were shot up.
LAH (voice-over): Officer after injured officer arriving at Baylor University Medical Center's emergency room. On duty, Dr. Steven Berger, also a Navy physician who recently returned from the Middle East.
LAH: When you heard mass casualties, multiple victims, what came to mind?
BERGER: The first thing?
LAH: Yes.
BERGER: Back in Afghanistan.
Second thing is, all right, we need to get order of this chaos.
LAH (voice-over): Nurse Sherry Sutton heard on the news what was happening in downtown Dallas and sped into work. Her husband is a Dallas police officer.
SHERRY SUTTON, NURSE: When you start seeing people that you know or, you know, officers that come in here all the time, you always think that, you know, that could be your husband.
LAH: Can I ask you about this picture?
The front page of the morning paper.
Do you remember this moment?
SUTTON: The officer is a DART officer. And they had just learned that their colleague had been killed in the line of duty. And it was a moment where you -- you felt so sad but I still had a job to do and it was to take care of them.
BERGER: Thousand-yard stare, as they've lost a buddy --
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BERGER: -- or they know that one's in critical condition. It's -- sorry. It's hard. That's when it hits you.
It's hard to swallow that this is happening in our community, that this is happening in our nation, that we as a nation are broken.
LAH (voice-over): These doctors and nurses, pledged to save lives, could not save two of the police officers. A coroner's van waited outside the emergency room to carry away their bodies. The ER staff linked arms with police.
LAH: What was that like to see all those officers saluting and saying farewell in your ER? SUTTON: They put on that badge to defend the community. And to see them in the situation where when you're at work, you, you know, you're being shot at for things that are out of your control, we came together as a team and you -- for community, to support each other because that's the only way you're going to get through it.
LAH: Nurse Sherry Sutton's husband, a Dallas police officer, was on duty at the time of the shooting. She would later learn that he did respond to the call but he was not hurt -- Kyung Lah, CNN, Dallas.
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HOWELL: The mood here in Dallas, Texas, I can tell you, it is one that is somber. People are certainly mourning, Natalie. I've seen people come together, though. They're asking very difficult questions, topics on gun control, topics on race relations all being discussed here.
Thank you, George.
We'll have more from George in the next hour. I'm Natalie Allen in Atlanta. We'll continue in just a moment.
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