Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Newsroom
Suicide Bomber Targets German Music Festival; No Blanket Ban for Russian Athletes in Rio Games; Olympic Village in Disarray Ahead of Games; Clinton Camp Says Russia Behind Leaked E-mails; E-mail Scandal Steals Spotlight from Clinton, Kaine. Aired 2-3a ET
Aired July 25, 2016 - 02:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[02:00:38] GEORGE HOWELL, CNN ANCHOR: Live from CNN world headquarters in Atlanta, welcome to our viewers around the world. I am George Howell. CNN NEWSROOM starts right now.
Good day to you. Many Germans are waking up to news of yet another attack. This time, a suicide bombing happened near a music festival. 12 people injured there. It happened in Ansbach in southern Germany. Authorities say the bomber was the only person killed.
Our senior national correspondence, Fred Pleitgen, is live and is following the story for us.
Fred, what's the latest you're hearing from investigators?
FRED PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, George. There was a lot of information the authorities came up with quickly in this investigation and a lot pertains to what happened here. Late last night, they say, around 10:00 p.m. local time, that the man went up to security check point at a music festival where in about 2005 people were on hands to watch several bands. He tried the get in. Security didn't let him in because he did not have a ticket. Then he went to the area next to the security check point and blew himself up.
There were, of course, eye witnesses on hand and describing the scene. Let's listen in.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED WITNESS (through translation): The rumor we were hearing was it had been a gas explosion and then people came past and said it was a rucksack that exploded. Someone blew themselves up. And after what just happened in Munich and today, what we are hearing about, it is very disturbing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PLEITGEN: There is more known about the attacker himself. Authorities say this was a 27-year-old refugee from Syria. Now, they also said his application for refugee status here had been rejected about a year ago. But he hadn't been sent back to any other country because of the war situation going on in Syria.
He's apparently known to authorities here for violent crimes in the past and also for having tried to commit suicide.
One of the things authorities say, apparently they found nails and screws and other metal in and around where all of it took place. They say, therefore, they believe he was trying to cause a lot more carnage than actually happened with those 12 people wounded in all of this -- George?
HOWELL: Fred, as we continue to learn more with investigators of what happened here, let talks about what we've seen. We have seen the axe attack and the shooting. Talk to us about how people are feeling all of this.
PLEITGEN: Well, there is certainly concern and not just here in south Germany but in the entire country as well. There is been a series of major incidents that have taken place here over the past week or so. You have the axe attack that took place last Monday when a man inspired by ISIS went on a rampage inside the commuter train. Then you had the Munich shooting of where nine people were killed and the attacker killed himself. You had an incident yesterday in the south of Germany where a Syrian refugee attacked a woman and killed her. And now you have this incident here. People are very, very concerned about this. And one of the main things authorities here are certainly trying to find out is whether or not there are any links to an Islamist organization, for instance, like ISIS. They say, so far, they don't have any indications of that. There is a special investigations commission that has already started working and they hope to have answers very soon. Police say there will be a press conference later today. We'll see what they come up with and when they will speak to us then -- George?
HOWELL: So much uncertainty and concerns, it's so important, as you are pointing out, that we are waiting to see why this happen and motive.
We'll stay in touch with you as this investigation continues.
Our senior international correspondent, Fred Pleitgen, live for us in Ansbach, Germany. Fred, thank you very much for your reporting.
Moving on now to the Rio Olympics and Russia. The International Olympic Committee is letting most Russian athletes are able to compete in Rio. There were calls for a blanket ban amid allegation of states- sponsored doping.
Our Patrick Snell breaks down that decision.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
[02:05:05] PATRICK SNELL, CNN WORLD SPORT ANCHOR: It will likely go down as one of the most momentous days in Olympic history. After a wide-ranging call for all Russian athletes to be banned from competition at Rio 2016, the International Olympic Committee decided against that. Instead, asking to allow individual sports governing bodies to decide which Russian competitors can and can't take part.
The IOC president, Thomas Bach, announcing the executive board decision earlier on Sunday.
THOMAS BACH, PRESIDENT, INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE: We have decided today that no Russian athletes can compete in the Olympic Games at Rio 2016 unless they meet some very strict criteria. For instance, we decided that the presumption of innocence cannot be applied to Russian athletes. The International Sports Federations will carry out an individual analysis of each athlete's anti-doping record and taking into account only reliable international tests.
SNELL: It comes on this year's summer games due to get underway on August the 5th. And follows last week's hard-hitting McLaren report that alleged state-sponsored doping in Russia dating back to the year after the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games through to 2015.
Sunday's IOC decision drew this reaction from the president of the World Anti-Doping Agency, Dick Pound.
DICK POUND, FORMER IOC PRESIDENT (voice-over): Passing the buck down to international federal, especially this close to the games, when they probably don't have rules that allow them to act with quickly, it is simply -- it is a huge mistake.
SNELL: Russia's complete Olympic team for Rio would have comprised 387 members. But 67 track and field athletes will not be going, as their ban was upheld this week by court of arbitration for sport.
The game's organizers say nobody implicated in that McLaren report will be able to compete in South America's first-ever summer games. And Russia cannot enter any athlete ever sanctioned for doping, even if the sanction has been served.
It comes as questions continue to be asked about how the IOC arrived at this decision.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There was no way on earth that the IOC, led by Thomas Back, was going to define Vladimir Putin. It was simple as that. Old boys' network, cronyism, back-patting, and I'll take care of you if you take care of me. But this was about caving in to a friend who's done huge favor putting on those Olympics in Sochi and now they get the favor return by not keeping their entire team out of the Olympic Games.
SNELL: The IOC also confirmed the original whistleblower won't after all be allowed to complete as a neutral athlete in Brazile while the International Tennis Federation says it expects seven Russian tennis players will be able to compete in Rio.
Patrick Nell, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOWELL: Patrick, thank you.
So critics call the IOC decision too lenient.
CNN contributor and former Moscow bureau chief, Jim Dougherty, has been following the story and is live now in Moscow.
Jill, it is good to have you.
This is good news for Russian athletes. Let's talk a bit more about this concept of proving rather that they are clean enough to be in the games.
JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Essentially, even if there is not an overall ban, these athletes individually have to prove they are clean. They have to prove that not to the IOC but to the individual sports federations and that makes it a little more murky in terms of how all of this is going to end up. If you look at the reaction going on in Russia, there is a lot of relief and they feel they are vindicated. Many officials say that was a bright decision because it protected individual rights of athletes who didn't dope. But there's also a tone, and this has came out from some officials, that is was all stoked by the Western media. Very severe pressure, Russians would argue, on the IOC.
You have comments by the sports minister, Vitaly Mutko, who says essentially everybody does it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VITALY MUTKO, RUSSIAN SPORTS MINISTER (through translation): This is an important decision. This is in the interest of the world support of the Olympic family because doping is an international evil and not just Russia's problem.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DOUGHERTY: Russia is taking steps. President Putin has taken several steps. One of them, five officials are on temporary leave pending continuing investigations here in Russia. There is a new independent commission that's being created by the Russian Olympic Committee, which will have international members. That will look into anti- doping and how it should be conducted here. And finally, the head of the Russian Olympic Committee says they'll revamp anti-doping efforts.
So, George, although downplaying on the one hand to a certain extent, they're saying we'll do something about this.
[02:10:34] HOWELL: We see, as you point out, these continuing investigations. President Putin obviously taking a stand on this situation. But, Jill, what about critics who say this is caving into cronyism, in fact, caving in to Vladimir Putin?
DOUGHERTY: They're no answering that directly. That is an allegation by some. But I think, right now, Russia is really under the gun to show it's serious of anti-doping efforts. It's a serious allegation. And even though there wasn't an overall ban and, again, these athletes have to prove they are clear, it's not a blanket statement that they are clean at all. So Russia has a lot to prove and it's going to have to do it. Hopefully, it will do it with some type of reorganization of the type of system that they have in place right now.
HOWELL: Jill Dougherty, live for us in Moscow. Jill, we always appreciate your insight and reporting. Thank you so much.
By many accounts, the lead up to Rio has been a disaster. Now there is another concern. One country says it will not be moving their athletes into the Olympic Village there.
Shasta Darlington explains why.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SHASTA DARLINGTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Blocked toilets, leaky pipes and exposed wires, just a few of the reasons Australia's Olympic delegation says it won't move in here to the athlete's village. The 31 towers have been decorated with team signs but as the village open its doors to many 17,000 athletes and coaches slated to sleep here, controversy on the very first day.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We felt our building was not safe because of the combination of plumbing and electrical issues. When we did our stress tests yesterday afternoon, there was significant leakages from plumbing pipes.
DARLINGTON: Organizers said hundreds of athletes moved in on Sunday and they were working quickly to resolve the problems. "Every Olympic village, because of their magnitude, needs some adjustments until it becomes perfect. The important thing is everything will be resolved before the game without disturbing athletes."
We toured some of the Spartan apartments before inauguration.
(on camera): There is the discussion of whether or not there will be air-conditioning. They did not want to pay for it. But with the Zika scare, they had to put it in, right?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, they put air conditioning in all rooms, fans in non bedrooms.
DARLINGTON: The outdoor space helps compensate, swimming pools, tennis courts and bike trails.
The U.S. delegation, which expects to have 500 athletes and staff staying at the Olympic Village, said, as with the case of every game, they're working to resolve, quote, unquote, "minor issues."
For the Australian delegation, the problems are far from minor.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Every village has teething problems. It is very difficult to suddenly have 20,000 people in a confined space such as an Olympic Village. I have never experienced -- this is my fifth Olympic Games -- a village in this state or lack of state of readiness at this point in time.
DARLINGTON: The latest snafus less than two weeks before the start of these very controversial games.
Shasta Darlington, CNN, Rio de Janeiro.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOWELL: This is CNN NEWSROOM. Still ahead, Rio is taking serious measures to bolster security ahead of the summer Olympics. We'll take you inside those preparations ahead.
Plus, a major shakeup in the City of Brotherly Love. The e-mail scandal surrounding the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.
[02:14:20] Live around the world this hour, you are watching CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(SPORTS REPORT)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOWELL: In the United States, in just a few hours, the Democratic National Convention will formally begin. And this one will be historic. By the end of the big event, the United States will have its first female presidential nominee from a major party. Hillary Clinton will officially accept the Democratic nomination this week.
But a major shake up in the Democratic leadership that threatens to overshadow Clinton. Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz says she will resign at the end of the convention. Top Democrats has been pressuring her to step down after WikiLeaks released e-mails that appear to show party officials favoring Hillary Clinton over Bernie Sanders during the primaries.
And just a few hours ago, in fact, Debbie Wasserman Schultz was seen on the convention floor. You see there in this video taken a few hours ago. A walk through there. She's expected to give a brief speech, but party officials say she will not open and close that event.
Clinton's campaign manager suggests that newly leaked e-mails may have a longer reach.
Robby Mook spoke to CNN's Jake Tapper on "State of the Union," and says there is a Russian connection bent on helping Republican Donald Trump to win the White House. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBBY MOOK, CAMPAIGN MANAGER, HILLARY FOR AMERICA CAMPAIGN: Experts are telling us that Russian actors broke into the DNC and stole these e-mails. And other experts are saying that the Russians are releasing these e-mails for the purpose of helping Donald Trump. I don't think it is coincidental that these e-mails were released on the eve of our convention here. And that's disturbing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOWELL: As you can expect, Trump's campaign manager fired back saying that is as far fetched as it gets.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[02:20:05] PAUL MANAFORT, DONALD TRUMP PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN MANAGER: It is absurd. Donald Trump is running for president of the United States. Donald Trump is talking about the failed leadership of the Obama administration. I don't know anything about what you just said.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOWELL: Outside the convention hall, no tears have been shed for Debbie Wasserman Schultz.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(CHANTING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOWELL: Bernie Sanders supporters are celebrating her resignation, but Sanders said the party should have one goal in November.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS, (I), VERMONT & DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think the focus though that I am going to go forward on it right now is to make sure that Donald Trump, perhaps, the worst Republican candidate in the modern history of this country, somebody by temperament, somebody by ideology, must not become president of the United States. I am going to do everything I can to defeat him and to elect Hillary Clinton and to keep focusing on the real issues facing the American people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOWELL: Democrats wanted this to be the time for the spotlight to fall on their nominee, not Debbie Wasserman Schultz.
Pamela Brown takes a look at where Clinton and her running mate have been as the controversy over the e-mails dominated the headlines.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PAMELA BROWN, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was a homecoming for Democratic vice presidential candidate, Tim Kaine, and his wife as they attended Sunday mass at their Catholic Church in Richmond, Virginia.
SEN. TIM KAINE, (D), VIRGINIA & VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This in our neighborhood is the center of our lives here. We needed some prayers today and we got some prayers and support. It really feels good.
BROWN: As the Democratic ticket prepares to take center stage at this week's convention, they were asked in their first join interview how they plan to respond to Donald Trump referring to Hillary Clinton as "Crooked Hillary."
HILLARY CLINTON, (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE & FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE: I am not going to call him anything. And I am not going to engage in that kind of insult-fest that he seems to thrive on.
Whatever he says about me he's perfectly free to use up his on-air time and his own space to do.
KAINE: She's done a good job of letting that water going off her back on this. That's not the way I feel.
When I see this "Crooked Hillary" or "lock her up," it is ridiculous. It is ridiculous.
(MUSIC)
BROWN: One day after the ticket's public unveiling, the nation is just beginning to learn who Tim Kaine is. The 58-year-old first-term Senator previously served as Virginia governor and was chair of the Democratic National Committee. He also did missionary work in Honduras in the 1980s becoming fluent in Spanish, something that the Clinton campaign hopes will attract voters.
KAINE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
(CHEERING)
BROWN: Trump is trying to sow division on the Democratic side by blasting Clinton's choice of Kaine.
DONALD TRUMP, (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE & CEO, TRUMP ORGANIZATION: What happens with the choice of Tim Kaine was a slap in the face to Bernie Sanders and everybody. I was shocked.
BROWN: Sanders said the choice between Tim Kaine and Trump is not a choice at all.
SANDERS: On his worse, worse day, Tim Kaine is 100 times better than Donald Trump will ever be.
BROWN: The Democratic ticket is also getting a boost from former New York City mayor and businessman, Michael Bloomberg. The Republican- turned Independent will speak at the Democratic convention in support of Clinton this week. Advisors of Bloomberg say the decision was prompted in part because of his distaste for Trump's policy views.
(on camera): During her interview with "60 Minutes," Hillary Clinton also reiterated having a private e-mail server was a mistake and she should have had two accounts. She said she will not have a private e- mail server if she makes it to the White House. And she added that there was no evidence that would support her server was hacked but she cannot say the same for other part of the government though. We know we heard FBI director, James Comey, say that private server of hers was hacked.
Pamela Brown, CNN, Philadelphia. (END VIDEOTAPE)
HOWELL: Larry Sabato is the director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia and now joins us via Skype.
Larry, good to have you with us.
Let's talk about this situation when it comes to the DNC e-mail leak. How serious of an impact will this have as this party goes into the convention where they're hoping for unity?
LARRY SABATO, DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR POLITICS, UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA: It is another strange opening to a political convention, George. It's so odd that this would happen. I think the Democrats, unlike Republicans, have had a more unified last few weeks and they planned the convention better. It just goes to show that you never know what's going to happen.
The fact that the Democratic chairwoman, who is very controversial and unpopular with the Sanders delegates, has decided to resign, this is probably improving the situation considerably for Clinton. She will be there to speak though. She could be booed any time she appears on stage. They Sanders delegates believe she tilted the process towards Clinton. And the e-mails tend to confirm that.
Having said that, what is going on with the Democratic chairwoman is far less important than what Bernie Sanders says tomorrow night, Monday night, when he takes the stage.
HOWELL: The RNC focused a great deal on Hillary Clinton and took their perspective, her shortcomings. When it comes to the DNC and this convention, will the Clinton campaign take the opportunities to focus on Donald Trump or as Hillary Clinton has said in an interview she will void the infighting of Trump.
SABATO: At the Republican convention, it seemed to me, watching often on the floor, the proportions was more like 60 percent focused on Hillary Clinton and 40 percent focused on Donald Trump. I think those numbers will probably be reversed at the Democratic convention. There will be plenty of negative things said about Donald Trump. The Clinton campaign has another objective here, they need to improve Hillary Clinton's image. They have to make her appear more honest and trustworthy to viewers.
HOWELL: As far as improving Clinton's image, and again, we are talking about two candidates who have the highest negatives we have ever seen in election cycles, so when it comes to improving her image and the pick of Tim Kaine, let's talk about Tim Kaine and the impact that could have for Clinton.
SABATO: The Tim Kaine pick has gone over very well, with the exception of part of the Sanders voters and coalition. They believe he's not liberal enough. That may or my not be true. My suspicious is Tim Kaine being admirable as he is, and I know him pretty well since he's governor of Virginia, now Senator, but I think he will be able to win some of those people over. He has a great manner about him. I think he's going to be able to attack Donald Trump without it sounding harsh and, at the same time, he will be able to come to Hillary Clinton's defense and support her and make that appear to be the central message of his presentations.
HOWELL: Larry Sabato, on Skype for us. Larry, thank you very much for your insight.
SABATO: Thank you.
HOWELL: Of course, stay with CNN for extensive coverage of the Democratic National Convention. CNN will be live all this week with our coverage, only here on CNN.
This is CNN NEWSROOM. Still ahead, we are getting new details into the situation in Munich as investigators look for a motive in Friday's shooting. Ahead, what we are learning about the gunman.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[02:31:06] GEORGE HOWELL, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to our viewers around the world. You are watching CNN NEWSROOM. It is good to have you with us. I am George Howell, with the headlines we're following this hour.
(HEADLINES)
HOWELL: We are learning more now about the attack in Munich, Germany, on Friday. Investigators say the teenager behind it planned the attack for a year. He killed nine people. 35 were injured. Authorities say the gunman had researched mass shootings.
Police also arrested an Afghan teen suspected of being an accomplice. He is believed to be a friend of the gunman. Police say he gave them conflicting statements.
People have been paying their respect to the victims at that attack at a memorial near the scene. Mourners laid flowers and lit candles while others wept. Most of the people killed inside the attack, they were teenagers.
Police say they exchanged gunfire with the shooter after this deadly rampage.
Fred Pleitgen spoke to a witness who tried to stall the teenager as he carried out the attack.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(SHOUTING)
FRED PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As Munich shooter, Ali Sonboly, was gunning down people on his rampage, killing nine and wounding many more, just a few hundred yards away, Thomas Salbey was on his balcony for an afternoon beer. "I heard gunshots on the park deck. Then I looked down and I saw that
idiot standing there with a gun in his hand," he tells me. "So I finish my beer and threw the bottle at him."
Instead of hiding inside his apartment, Thomas Salbey yelled at the attacker, leading to an insult-laden exchange caught on camera by another tenant of the house.
(SHOUTING)
"I told him you idiot, are you stupid or something? He said, I'm a German-Iranian or something like that. I said you are a total idiot."
But soon the situation escalated far beyond verbal abuse.
"He aimed the gun over here," Thomas Salbey says. "I think he was trying to shoot the guy filming from this building. I heard bam, bam, bam. So I took cover. I could see the impacts of the bullets on the house."
Thomas Salbey says he was angry, feeling powerless, unarmed, trying to confront the gunman.
"If I would have had a gun, I would have tried to take him out," he says. "Maybe I wouldn't have killed him, but at least I would have tried to hold him up."
But what he did manage to do was buy time.
(on camera): The shooter was moving around right here on this park deck. And Thomas Salbey, standing there on his balcony, says the exchange with him lasted for about 20 minutes. He was trying to stall the gunman, to give authorities a chance to catch up with him. But he says, at some point, the shooter stopped communicating and ran off.
(voice-over): Police later found Ali Sonboly's body. Police saying all indications are he killed himself.
While Thomas Salbey didn't manage to stop the rampage, he says he hopes his efforts distracting the shooter prevented even more carnage.
Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Munich, Germany.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[02:35:26] HOWELL: Moving on to the Rio Olympics, and growing terror concerns about terrorism have overshadowed a lot of the early excitement. Brazil is moving in thousands of soldiers, all part of a massive security operation designed to keep the games safe.
CNN's Rosa Flores takes a look at the preparations.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(GUNFIRE) ROSA FLORES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Rio de Janeiro is fortified by 85,000 police, soldiers, and firemen for the Olympic Games. That was the plan all along.
(GUNFIRE)
FLORES: With the attacks in Europe in recent days and weeks, and 11 Brazil nationals arrested after reportedly planning to attack during the Olympics, the plan seems to be working. The small army of Brazilian forces are policing airports and major tourist sites where thousands of spectators are expected. Behind the scenes, officials are sharing intelligence with other countries and working as if a terror attack is eminent during the Rio Games, according to Brazil's minister of justice.
And it's already paying off. Four people were denied Olympic credentials during a background check for possible terror ties.
(GUNFIRE)
FLORES: Brazilian authorities running mock security drills in preparation for various types of attacks, including hostage events with casualties. Even nuclear emergencies are being considered.
(on camera): Despite the intense police presence, Brazilian officials insist these extra officers are focused on urban crime like petty theft, and that Brazil doesn't have a history of terrorism.
(voice-over): The 11 Brazilian nationals who were arrested for plotting an attack were deemed amateurs by authorities, who say the suspects tried to buy weapons online and train in martial arts.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is very hard for the authorities to disrupt every sing isle plot. We need to remember the old adage that the authorities have to be successful all the time. The terrorists need to be lucky just once.
FLORES: A jihadi messaging group is encouraging lone wolves in Brazil and lone wolves around the world willing to travel to Brazil to terrorize, according to Site Intelligence Group (ph), an organization which monitors jihadi activity online.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That ISIS has done it through their official channel is a concern. And that they are making an effort to get the message out, not just in Arabic or English, but Portuguese, the language of Brazil itself. So that is something that we should be taking very seriously.
FLORES: The biggest challenge remains the same, preparing for the unknown.
Rosa Flores, CNN, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOWELL: According to the Australian team, the Olympic Village is not a fit place to live. Rio's mayor is so distraught he is offering to get them a kangaroo, tongue-in-cheek. He says he'll do whatever it takes to make the Australians feel at home. But they say they don't want a kangaroo. They just want the plumber to fix the leaks at their apartment. Fair enough.
This is CNN NEWSROOM. Still ahead, a shocking rape case is shedding new light on the most oppressed cast in India. Why they have suffered so much injustice. There's also hope for a better life. We'll look into that story.
Plus, in the state of California, a look at what firefighters are up against as the wild fire growing quickly there, cutting a path of destruction through neighborhoods.
This is CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[02:42:12] HOWELL: Welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM. I am George Howell.
In India, police have arrested a fourth suspect, part of an alleged repeat gang rape in that country. The man appears in court on Sunday. A fifth suspect is still on the loose.
The victim is a college student from India's lowest caste. She told police some of the same men who raped her earlier this month had raped her three years ago. One family member fears there will be no justice because of the victim's place society there.
CNN international correspondent, Sumnima Udas, has more on what life is like for women in India's lowest caste.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUMNIMA UDAS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A typical village in northern India. There may be no physical barriers, no walls or fences, but this is segregation none the less, not on race or religion but caste, an ancient Hindu social hierarchy where status is determined by birth.
(on camera): In many villages across India, the differences are clearly visible. On the right land side, for instance, is where the lower classes of this village living there and you can see the condition of their homes.
Over here, on the left side, is where the upper class live and you can see the condition of their homes.
This is where the lower class territory ends and this is where the upper class territory begins. There is very little interaction between the two.
(voice-over): Those from the lower caste are called Dalits. Seen as impure, they're considered "Untouchables" by the upper castes. And in the state of Hariana (ph), widely considered one of India's most conservative and patriarchal, if you're a Dalit and female, you're doomed.
First, you are a woman, so you are already seen as a second-classes citizen. Then, you're a Dalit, so you're worthless. Dalit women are the biggest victims of rape and sexual assault. They're treated as if their sole purpose is to serve upper class men, this womens' rights activist says.
This woman's daughter was gang raped four years. She killed herself soon after from shame.
"They rape girls because they want to show their power and suppress us. They know our voices are never heard and we can't fight back," she says.
Those who have the power and should be helping, the police and judiciary are usually from upper class families.
Activists say they protect their own.
"The upper class have money and can easily bribe and influence. So you will have to stay quiet," she says.
Discrimination based on class was banned in India decades ago but the prejudice still deep rooted.
(on camera): Some call it modern-day apartheid, segregation on such a subtle level. You can feel the tension in the air between the community. You can feel how oppressed the lower class are, so much so that they don't dare to walk to the other side, not because they cannot, but they actually believe that they are not supposed to.
[02:45:17] (voice-over): Dalits say they only go to the other side if they have to pick up government subsidies, otherwise, even the men are too scared.
"Even if we go, we are constantly reminded that we are below them. If they are sitting on a cart or chair, we have to sit on the floor facing their feet. When they give us water, we cannot touch their utensils. So they pour water into a palm. And at the water pump, if we had used it, then they'll rinse the cap twice before using it," she says.
Even just to fetch water, they travel in groups so the upper class men can't harass them.
Behind the smiling faces though, years of oppression and despair, tolerating in justice because they're lost the heart to fight, because this is their karma, they say.
Sumnima Udas, CNN, India.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOWELL: In the U.S. state of California, a wild fire just northwest of the city of Los Angeles has now grown to 1300 hectors, or 33,000 acres. It is only about 18 percent contained. Look at that image there. You see the fire there with the mountains as background. Firefighters are fighting against dry conditions and rugged terrain. Hundreds of people have been ordered to leave their homes. The fire also consumed a ranch where a number of television shows and movies are filmed. A man's body was found in the burned car, but it's unclear whether he was killed in that fire.
In China, heavy rain triggers floods and landslides and it has killed at least 135 people. This according to local officials and state media. The flooding from Monday through Thursday has affected nearly nine million people. More than 52,000 homes have collapsed. State media reports this is the worst flood season for China since 1998, when nearly 4,000 people died in flooding that year.
For more, we are joined by our Meteorologist Pedram Javaheri at the International Weather Center -- Pedram?
PEDRAM JAVAHERI, AMS METEOROLOGIST: George, remarkable. We know it is the rainy season. It is been the case in recent days, we have the heaviest rain out here, a little off to the West. Beijing, a main area of interest with recent flooding there with over 130 fatalities in this region. Still watching this carefully. We are going to track this as more rain is expected in the next two days. Model indicates high amounts, maybe 150 or 200 millimeters, east of Beijing this go round. But you know what transpired here in the last couple of days. You see some of the images, the roadways buckling in some of these mountainous locations in recent days.
Look at these numbers. In Beijing, so far, in the month of July, over 330 millimeters of rainfall, that's almost double what's considered normal this time of year. The month began quietly, only 10 millimeters fell the first half of the month. Almost all the remaining rainfall has come in the last nine days along. That high concentration coming down in a matter of a few days causing the catastrophic flooding across the region. Events taking place in northeastern corner of Bengal. In fact, we know several fatalities taken place in recent days across the region. Rain totals from a quarter of a meter to almost 400 millimeters, numbers that would take you six months to attain in Paris or London. That's dangerous flooding across this region. Notice the high concentration of rainfall still left in the forecast causing various areas in the next couple of days.
The other a big story we're covering is the major heat that's been in place across parts of the Middle East. Baghdad, you know it is going to be hot this time of the year but the heat has been stored and in placed is absolutely remarkable. Baghdad, south towards Basra, tempers over 50 degrees, not just one but five times in the last week, 54 degrees. If this is confirmed by the World Meteorologist Organization, which we suspect, George, will happen in the next couple of days, that 54 Celsius, or 120 Fahrenheit would be the single hottest temperature ever in the eastern hemisphere on our planet. 56 is the hottest temperatures ever on the planet as a whole. That's in Death Valley in California. The consistency of what's happening in Iraq for five straight days of 50 Celsius temperatures is absolutely mindboggling.
HOWELL: Just when you want to complain about the weather here in Atlanta or New York.
(CROSSTALK)
HOWELL: Pedram, looking there at the Middle East, I think I'll be quiet.
[02:50:00] JAVAHERI: Yeah.
HOWELL: Pedram, thank you.
So take a moment to imagine the sun in your face and the wind in your sails. That sounds good. What could be better? Well, we'll show you why Olympic sailing is a great deal of hard work. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(WEATHER REPORT)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOWELL: Have you seen people walking through parks, down sidewalks, kind of like this, playing Pokemon Go? It's the game everyone is playing. They say you have to catch them all. Now one New York fan said he did. 18-year-old Nick Johnson claims is the first to catch all 142 Pokemon in the U.S. version of the game. Johnson tells CNN it only took him two weeks to become a Pokemon master. He said he had the support of his girlfriend who's also playing this game. We'll have to see if his claim holds true.
Less than two weeks away from the Rio Olympics, and one man who's not playing Pokemon is CNN's Ivan Watson, who has been reporting on the run-up to the games. His latest assignment took him to the high seas with members of Germany's Olympic sailing team. Here's a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
[02:54:57] IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We are out with the German Olympic sailing team on a training run off the coast of Rio.
Is this a good day for sailing?
UNIDENTIFIED GERMAN OLYMPIC SAILOR: Perfect day for sailing. The sun came out. We've got a nice breeze. It is perfect.
Sailing is about wind and weather and technique and currents and tactics with all your opponents. That makes it exciting.
WATSON: The moment on the boat that is the most exciting moment for you even as veteran athletes?
UNIDENTIFIED GERMAN OLYMPIC SAILOR: Finishing first.
(LAUGHTER)
Always finishing first. WATSON: She's in front
(LAUGHTER)
This is the first time that women will be competing in the Olympics in this class sailboat, the 49er FX. It is light and versatile and requires remarkable skills. Take a look.
(MUSIC)
WATSON: They are going to have sailors from all around the world competing in these waters.
I am lucky enough to come out here with these athletes and get a taste of what it is like on their incredible boat.
I'm Ivan Watson, reporting for CNN, from the coast of Rio.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOWELL: Thanks for joining us. I'm George Howell.
The news continues on CNN with our special coverage of the Democratic convention in Philadelphia.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
