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Syrian Rebels Begin Major Offensive in Aleppo; Examining the Growing Threat of Terrorism in EuropeFirst Female Governor Elected in Japan; Angela Merkel's Critics Blame Open Immigration Policy for Recent Terror Attacks; Olympics to Begin in Four Days; Trump-Khan Feud Discussed. Aired 3-4a ET
Aired August 01, 2016 - 03:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[03:00:00] ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN NEWSROOM SHOW HOST: A major offensive by a Syrian rebel forces in Aleppo to try to take parts of the city from Russian backed government forces caught in the middle more than of 200,000 people.
GEORGE HOWELL, CNN NEWSROOM SHOW HOST: The growing threat of terrorism in Europe. CNN brings you perspective from our correspondents around the world and several cities that have been hit in recent week. A look at how people there are coping.
CHURCH: Plus, history in the making in Tokyo as the city elects its first female governor.
Hello and welcome to our viewers here in the United States and all around the world. I'm Rosemary Church.
HOWELL: And I'm George Howell from CNN world headquarters in Atlanta. Newsroom starts right now.
Three a.m. on the U.S. East Coast. Good day to you.
A battle is raging for control of Syria's largest city. Rebels they are trying to remain ground but they lost last week in Aleppo.
CHURCH: Amateur video claims to show the extensive damage left by a weekend of air strikes. This is the third hospital reportedly attacked in a week.
HOWELL: And here's the thing. Witnesses say people inside the city they are setting fires, hoping the spoke will keep government war planes from hitting their targets.
CNN is following the story with our international correspondent Ian Lee, live in Beirut with the latest. Ian, what more can you tell us about these new offenses?
IAN LEE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, George, the announcement was made yesterday by the military spokesperson of Ahrar al-Sham, a rebel group that they had been planning this offensive for 20 days to break the siege on Aleppo. They say that the frontline is about 20 kilometers 16 miles long.
And that they hope to go in there and to restore the flow of goods into that besiege area where 2 to 300,000 people are living now, right now. The area is being besiege by the Syrian government. They do have these humanitarian corridors they say open so civilians can leave. And any fighters who want to lay down their arms for amnesty, they can also leave.
But talking to sources inside of Aleppo, they're telling us that they've been to these corridors, they haven't seen anyone cross over. They haven't seen any evidence that people had cross over. The Syrian state media has aired video of people crossing saying that 169 people have made the journey and across 69 rebel fighters.
But there are some discrepancies there between what the Syrian government is saying and what people inside Aleppo are saying.
HOWELL: Ian, when it comes to the passage through corridors there is also an issue of trust for many people who are in Aleppo dealing with the dire conditions there. But wanting to escape they question whether when the Syrian government will uphold its promise.
LEE: That's right. And really, I think it's the numbers that speak louder than anything. The Syrian government saying that 169 people have made it across. Well, this is a city under siege. The humanitarian conditions there grows more dire by the day. There is a lack of food, there is a lack of water, there is a lack of medical supplies and medicine. They're reusing one time use items and syringes.
Their people are saying -- doctors are saying that most everyone is suffering from malnutrition. And so the situation gets worse. You aren't seeing people use these humanitarian corridors in large numbers.
There It is 2 to 300,000 people. And if only 169 people made it crossed there is really a drop in the bucket. And when you talk to people inside of Aleppo, they say they frankly don't trust the Syrian government to live up to its promise that if people were to leave, that they would be treated well.
The Russians have said they have 14 tons of humanitarian aid waiting for people to cross over. But when you talk to people, they point to other incidents in the past where people have gone to these humanitarian corridors.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights have said that when people have crossed over in the past that men are never separated from women and children and those men are never heard of again, George.
HOWELL: And you see these images you really get a sense as best as you can from just seeing images of the hell that people are going through there and, you know, the uncertainty of whether to take these routes that would escape.
Our international correspondent Ian Lee, live for us in Beirut. Ian, thank you for the report.
CHURCH: Well, Europe has been grappling with the series of terror attack. Over the past few weeks, in Germany, ISIS claims two of five attacks in the span of eight days.
HOWELL: Authorities made arrests connected with last week's terror attack at a church in France. And now, U.K. authorities say an attack on British soil is, quote, a case of "when not if."
[03:05:06] CHURCH: Yes. And with more on all this we are joined by Nima Elbagir in London, Alexandra Field in Paris, and Fred Pleitgen in Cologne, Germany.
Nima, I want to start with you, a sobering warning there from U.K. authorities on the likelihood of an upcoming attack on British soil. So, what are authorities doing to try to reduce the possibility of a future attack if they think it's imminent perhaps, similar to what we're seeing across Europe.
NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: And this is very much in the aftermath of Paris, Rosemary. What they're saying is, although the U.K. terror threat levels remains at severe, which is at the highest --second highest level just below critical to what's been how the country's top police officers is saying is that for him means "when," not "if."
This means an attack is highly likely especially post-Paris. And what's doing is that they are increasing the number of trained police officers. You can operate firearms by really substantial numbers. And that gives you a sense of the threat level here.
They've gone from something like 600 to 2,800 police officers able to use firearms and able to be deployed. They're also -- they've also moved all terror police officers to a 24-hour level of preparedness. That means that they are immediately deployable.
And sadly, (Inaudible) how is saying really is about managing expectations. They have so far been both lucky and good as he put it. But the reality is in this current climate, Rosemary, it's not just about what they claim. It is about the reality that they are claiming and everything.
And we've seen this increasing elasticity in what this Islam -- the so-called Islamic state are able to detail as successes an also there has been, there have been huge question marks about really whether they were on ground level of these attacks.
But it is part of that mythologizing, it is part of the propagandizing that allows them to pull in and grease the recruits. And that's what the British authorities are saying hey, that it doesn't have to be specular, it doesn't have to be another really big attack what with saw a British soldier murdered on the streets of the British capitol.
As we did three years ago, it could be anything and at any time. And they are, as it stands, Rosemary, prepared for the worst. HOWELL: Nima Elbagir, live for us in London. Nima, thank you so much. Now, let's go live to Paris, CNN's Alexandria Field following more developments, these development in France and Belgium.
ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. Continued counterterrorism operation in the aftermath of this repeated terror attacks in France, and also in Brussels. Here in France we know that the two men who carried out that vicious attack on a church taking nuns hostage, taking church goers hostage, killing a priest were known to authorities.
They were on that list of people who are suspected who have been radicalized, and we know that authorities in this country are struggling to monitor that list. It includes thousands of name, 10,000 alone here in France.
So, in the aftermath of that attack, you have had police wanting additional operations. We know that they took five people in custody in connection with the investigation into that attack. Two people now remain under arrest.
Over the weekend, we're learning that the cousin of one of the attackers, that attacker, Abdel Petitjean, the cousin is suspected of having had information about his cousin planned to attack the church.
Officials don't believe that he had specific information about where or when or how exactly that attack would take place. But he is now facing charges for whatever he did know about his cousin's intention.
Another associate of Petitjean's also remains under arrested. He is suspected of being an individual who's been radicalized and what tempted to travel to Syria according to officials. However, the charges that he is being held on are not directly related to the attack on the church in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray.
And over in Belgium, more counterterrorism operations over the weekend. We have seen a number of operations, countless operations really in Brussels since the attacks that occurred in that city back in March. And even as early as November when the attacks here in Paris were connected to operatives in Brussels.
So, over the weekend, authorities went to eight different locations, they initially took two brothers into custody. A judge released one of the brothers but the other brother has been charged with attempted terrorist murder.
And official suspect that he was planning some kind of attack somewhere in Belgium. They have not released any details about what kind of attack he may have been planning, where he was in the planning stages or the what charge could have been.
But this is just more evidence when you put it together of authorities really across Europe struggling to intercept, struggling to intervene before more attacks can be carried out. And they've got big list here to monitor we know, George.
CHURCH: All right. Alexandra Field joining us live there just there from Paris where it is just after 9 in the morning.
[03:09:58] And German Chancellor is under scrutiny after a series of terror attack in the country critics are pointing the finger at her open door refugee policy.
CNN international correspondent Fred Pleitgen joins us now from Cologne, where Merkel attended a memorial service for attack victim Sunday.
So, Fred, let's talk more about that memorial service. And of course the intense pressure that Angel Merkel is feeling now of course due to her immigration policy.
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, she's certainly is feeling pressured due to that immigration policy. That memorial services that she attended in Munich yesterday was for the victims of the Munich attack.
And by all accounts, the attacker there was more of a new Nazi or right winger than it would have been sort of coming from an Islamist sort of corner.
So, this is something where she was at the memorial there on Sunday, she attended it, and it was something that shook German's society. But at the same time of course with the string of attacks that took place in Germany. At least two of them apparently were inspired by ISIS and those two apparently were carried by people who came here to Germany as refugees.
And that certainly is something that has cause Angela Merkel to feel a considerable amount of pressure. What she did was she cut her holiday short and she came back to Berlin.
And the first thing that she did was see the very large press conference, where then she presented what she called a 9.0 plan, where she says she's trying to get the authorities, but also society to come to terms with what she believes and whatever else she believes is an increase threat here in this country.
So, she said on the one hand that she wanted to increase the number of police officers. Their kit as wel,l also give them more powers than they before. One of the other things the Germans were also talking about is allowing the German military to actually operate inside the country. That's something that's been a no-no for the German military ever since World War II.
And there are other powers as well where she says that needs to be more intelligence gathering, that needs to better cooperation between the intelligence service. But at the same time she understands that if there is a major attack that happens here in Germany because they were very concerned about the attacks that did take place too.
However, by and large, they weren't as bad as, for instance, in Paris or in Brussels. If there is a major attack, she knows that the mood here in Germany could swing very, very be badly especially in light of attack. And of course, this country took in 1.1 million refugees in 2015.
So, a lot of Germans are very concerned and that certainly is something that's weighing on the German Chancellor as well, Rosemary.
CHURCH: Indeed. And a lot of nervousness right across Europe there. Fred Pleitgen reporting there from Cologne, Germany. We heard from Alexandria Field in Paris, France, and of course, Nima Elbagir in London.
Many thanks to all three of you.
Well, the Olympics countdown clock is at four days. Right now the excitement is being undercut by problems and concerns that remain. And we will take a look at whether Rio is actually getting ready.
HOWELL: A last look at there. Plus, Donald Trump's his latest war words isn't directed at his political revert -- or rivals but rather at the parents of a fallen soldier. How other republican leaders are responding to the inner feud. Still ahead.
[03:15:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KATE RILEY, CNN WORLD SPORT ANCHOR: I'm Kate Riley with your CNN World sports headline.
What a week headed theme for the PGA Championship if we weren't talking about the weather then it was the unconventional final round on Sunday, and then to top all the extraordinary tournament. We saw American Jimmy Walker claiming his first major at Baltusrol in New Jersey after playing 36 holes on Sunday.
The American would go wide to win at 14 under one short clear of Jason Day.
When Nico Rosberg won the first four races of the 2016, Formula 1 season. The sport historian to a critic (Ph) and that he go on to win the title. But on Sunday, host Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton won its fourth consecutive race of the season at the German Grand Prix. Hamilton dominated the race after jumping Rosberg off the start line and cruise to win his fourth consecutive race. The Brit goes into the season four-week break 19 points clear that tops the drivers standing.
And from tracks to tennis courts in Toronto where Novak Djokovic won the Rogers Cup in his 30th master series title. The Serbian defeated Japan Kei Nishikori in straight set, 6-3 and 7-5 on the hard court. It is now his seventh title of the season. And night made after the match when he ask everyone in the crowd to hug the person next to him.
Tennis world number one truly spreading the love around.
And that's a look at all your sport headlines. I'm Kate Riley.
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HOWELL: So it just makes you want to move. Four days.
CHURCH: It does, doesn't it?
HOWELL: I does. It's exciting. Four days to go until the Rio Olympics the excitement absolutely building. But there have also been wide raging concerns about the city's readiness for the games that are just about to happen. Critics have issued -- raised issues, rather, about the infrastructure about security and even health issues.
CHURCH: Yes, and as if that was not enough that this was the same. Rio on Sunday, Brazilians demonstrated against their President Dilma Rousseff, they called for her removal from office to be permanent.
Well, amid the political turmoil and everything else, the fans and athletes are nonetheless very excited so kickoff the game. Let's bring in Christina Macfarlane who's live from Rio with Copacabana Beach behind her.
Again, a gorgeous shot there in just four days to go, Cristina, so many challenges though for the host nation, what's the mood there and what's been happening on the ground as the countdown to the start of the game get underway?
CHRISTINA MACFARLANE, CNN WORLD SPORTS ANCHOR: Rosemary, there's been happening on the ground here I can tell you. And it's a little over 4 a.m. in the morning here. But despite the hour you can see the beach behind me here at the Copacabana completely list out -- lit up. And can you believe it there are already people out here walking their dogs and running alongside the beach.
This is one of four Olympic clusters where the games will be played. Here we'll have the beach volleyball, the swimming marathon, and the triathlon just to name a few.
But as you say, Rosemary, there has been perhaps unlike any other games in Olympic history, such so many problems in the build up to these Olympic games, the impeachment of President Dilma Rousseff, as you mentioned concerned over the Zika virus and of course, deep economic recession.
But, I can tell you I've been here on the ground now for about a week. The mood here has been somewhat different from what I expected. It's been fairly upbeat, it's been a growing sense of anticipation and excitement, especially as we've seen the athletes arriving here in Rio de Janeiro.
Of course just a couple of days ago, three days ago, we saw the fastest man on the planet. Usain Bolt arrives at the airport with a typical fanfare on my side. We saw the U.S. gymnast out here yesterday on the Copacabana taking photos shopping taking in the sides, and then of course a very special moment on Saturday when those refugee athletes arrives in Rio for the very first time.
They've been out taking in the fight as well traveling up to the Christ the Redemeer statue here on Saturday, incredibly moment for them. Now there was a protest planned here by local Brazilian people on the beach of Copacabana just a few hours ago, but that turned out to be really very small. And there is a feeling now that the mood is shifting from the problems
that we've seen in the run up to the sports themselves. As we count down to that opening ceremony in Maracana in just four days' time.
CHURCH: Yes. And all positive stuff there. But I want to go back to one of the negatives. Because Russian athletes of course, in the state limbo right now.
[03:20:01] Not quite sure if they'll be competing or not. When are they likely to find out about that and what impact is the whole doping from having on the games.
MACFARLANE: It's incredible to think, isn't it? That just four days to go until the game starts. And this issue of the doping crisis is still looming over the Olympics. And there is still uncertainty as to whether the Russian athletes are going to able to compete here.
They've already arrived. We've seen them at the bars and cafes around the town, and they still could be shift back to Russia. In fact, we understand that the decision over their involvement in the games may not come until a couple of hours before the opening ceremony here on Friday.
Now, the IOC has been roundly criticize they're dragging their heels over this issue. They've also been criticize for not responding strongly with the blanket bag of Russian athletes following that scathing report by the World anti-Doping Agency, just a few weeks ago where they found evidence of states-sponsored doping.
Now, in the past 24 hours, the president of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach has been speaking out to the press and the media for the very first time here at the Olympics, knocking back suggestions that the IOC have gone about this in the wrong way. And also suggestions knocking about suggestions that the credibility of the games will be damaged by this doping scandal.
But the time is running out, Rosemary, only three or four days to go now for a decision to come on these Russian athletes.
CHURCH: Yes, that's pretty tough on the athletes for sure. Cristina Macfarlane there joining us at 4.20 in the morning there with incredible backdrop of the Copacabana Beach. You live a great life. Thanks so much, Christina.
Well, a big question for everyone. Are you excited about the games? Be sure to stay with CNN for continuing coverage.
HOWELL: Absolutely. Head to our web site, cnn.com/Olympics. You can find more about the athletes, the festivities, and the host city there, Rio de Janeiro. Plus, you can take the great CNN Olympics quiz, I don't know how well we would with that but you can test your knowledge of the game that's all right there at cnn.com/Olympics.
CHURCH: Donald Trump's bit of feud with a parents of a fallen U.S. Muslim soldier is sparking widespread outrage from the leadership of his own party. The war od words began when Khizr Khan whose son died in Iraq spoke at last week's democratic convention.
He denounced the republican presidential candidate for proposig a ban on Muslims and said Trump has sacrificed nothing.
Trump later criticized Khan's wife for remaining silent on stage.
HOWELL: Well, not specifically mentioning Trump by name, the U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan spoke out in defend of the Khan family saying, quote, "Many Muslim Americans have served in our military and made the ultimate sacrifice. Captain Khan was one such brave example. He sacrifice and that of Khizr Khan and Ghazala Khan should always be honored. Period."
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell offering this sentiment saying, quote, "Captain Khan was an American hero, and like all Americans I'm grateful for the sacrifices that selfless young man like Captain Khan and their families have made in the war on terror."
CHURCH: Trump's former republican rival had an even sharper response. Jeb Bush tweeted, "This is incredibly disrespectful of a family that endured the ultimate sacrifice for our country."
HOWELL: Yes. The spokesperson for his brother, the former U.S. George W. Bush says, quote, "President Bush remains deeply grateful for the sacrifice of all Gold Star families, and we should all be. He thinks about them and prays for them each and every day."
Khan is calling on those republican leaders to withdraw their support for Donald Trump. He addressed them on Sunday here on CNN saying they have a more obligation to repudiate their presidential nominee. Khan also had some sharp remarks for Trump's criticism of his wife.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KHIZR KHAN, FATHER OF U.S MUSLIM SOLDIER: This person is total incapable of empathy. I want his family to counsel him, teach him some empathy. He will be a better person if he could become -- but he is a black soul. And this is totally unfair for the leadership of this beautiful country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOWELL: Also, hearing from the democratic presidential nominee, Hillary Clinton who weighed on this feud at the campaign stop in the State of Ohio. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILLARY CLINTON, (D) U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: To launch an attack as he did on Captain Khan's mother, a Gold Star mother, who stood there on that stage with her husband honoring the sacrifices of her son and who has in the days since spoken out about the overwhelming emotions that any mother would feel as her son is being honored?
[03:25:13] And then to have Trump do what he did? I don't know where the bottoms are. I don't know where the bottom is. (END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: But Trump doesn't seem to worry by the controversy, the republican candidate says his party convention boosted him in the polls and he says he got more television viewers than Hillary Clinton.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, (R) U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I had a very big bounce. I think you even said that was one of the biggest bounces in 20 years. It's been a long time since somebody had a bounce like that. Look, I think the republican convention was great or I would not have the bounce that I had.
As you said, I have three million people more than she had on the final nights. She had a Thursday, I had a Thursday, she had a speech, I had a speech. I had three million people more than she did.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: The Clinton campaign is hoping a similar bounce in the polls following the democratic convention last week. And we are awaiting those poll, those poll results and we'll of course bring them to you as soon as we have them.
HOWELL: In the meantime, the Commission on the Presidential Debate says it will not change the president's schedule for televised debates that are set for latest this year.
CHURCH: Yes, that's despite complaints from Trump's campaign that the schedule is unacceptable.
Brian Stelter has that story.
BRIAN STELTER, CNN SENIOR MEDIA CORRESPONDENT: Hi, there. Yes, the debate about the debates is underway. Almost two months remain before Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump were scheduled to meet on stage for the first of three highly presidential debates.
But this weekend, Donald Trump start to challenge the debate schedule saying he's willing to debate three times but he does not like the dates that have been selected.
So, let me tell yu what's going on here. The debates in United States organized by a nonpartisan group called the Commission on Presidential Debates. It's been around for about three decades. And actually its model has been borrowed by other countries as well.
This commission made up of democrats and republicans, sets the date for the debates about a year beforehand and then also selects the moderators, the formats and the locations.
So, the commission chose four days, three for the presidential debate, one for the vice presidential debate last September. And two of them conflict with NFL football games. And that is the thrust of Donald Trump's complaint. He said it's unfair to have the debate up against football because it will take away viewership from the debates.
Now initially, Trump told ABC News that he received a letter from the NFL complaining about the schedule. Well, that turns out not to be true. The NFL says there was no letter sent. And today, Trump's campaign backdrop and said actually it was a source close to the league that told him about this over lapping.
As for the scheduling issue, well, it was a real issue. Two of the games are scheduled on the days of the debates. But the commission says it had no other choice. This happens all the time including in 2012 when Mitt Romney and Barack Obama debated.
Let me show you part of the commission statement. An unusual statement they issued about the subject. They said, "It is impossible to avoid all sporting events and there have been nights on which debate and games occurred in most election cycles. That debate has never been rescheduled as a result."
Now the indication from the commission is, we're not going to go to change the date for this year, either. But what's really happening here is the beginning of a negotiation, the beginning of seven weeks, seven long weeks, perhaps, of haggling between the campaigns and the commission that organizes the debates.
Normally these negotiations happened in private. The campaign argue over everything. Even the temperatures of the air conditioning and the debate hall. But as with everything about this election in the U.S., Donald Trump is doing it differently. Donald Trump is starting the negotiating in public.
Back to you.
HOWELL: Brian Stelter, thank you. Talking about the debate, about the debates.
CHURCH: Yes, exactly.
(CROSSTALK)
HOWELL: That's exactly, and we'll how that goes.
CHURCH: It keeps on keeping. Well, hundreds of soldiers detained after the failed coup attempt in Turkey have been released. But the government is putting a tighter grip on the military.
HOWELL: And Tokyo's new governor faces and Olympic size challenge after her historic election. Details ahead.
It is 3.29 on the U.S. East Coast, live in the U.S. and around the world. This is CNN Newsroom.
[03:30:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHURCH: And a warm welcome back to our viewers here in the United States and all around the world. I'm Rosemary Church.
HOWELL: And I'm George Howell. With the headlines we're following for you.
This hour, Donald Trump in boiled in a bitter feud with the parents of a fallen U.S. Muslim soldier at the Democratic convention. Khizr Khan denounced Trump's proposal to ban Muslims from the United States.
And in response, Trump's criticism, he criticize Khan wife for remaining silent there on the stage. Khan told CNN the republican candidate has, quote, "a black soul and is unfit to be president."
CHURCH: The Taliban have claimed responsibility for a suicide truck explosion that's happening a hotel in Kabul, Afghanistan. The Afghan interior ministry says three armed suicide attackers who tried to enter the hotel were killed. One police officer was also killed and four others were wounded in that attack.
HOWELL: Syrian rebels trying to break a government siege of Aleppo. It launched the mayor assault on the sub western part of that city. Witnesses say that people are setting fires to fill the skies with smoke so that Syrian war planes cannot see their targets.
CHURCH: Turkey's military is now under tighter government control after series of decrees following the failed coup attempt two weeks ago. The government dismissed close to 1400 military personnel on Sunday saying they have ties to the allege mastermind Fethullah Gulen.
HOWELL: The Muslim cleric lives in exile here in the United States.
CNN's Fareed Zakaria sat down with Gulen, who again, denied any direct involvement in the coup.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FETHULLAH GULEN, TURKISH PREACHER (TRANSLATED): Let (Ph) international organization investigate this meter in depths. If there is anything I told anyone about this verbally, if there is any phone conversation, if one tenth of this accusation is correct, in fact, I will bend my neck and will say, they are telling the truth, let them take me away let them hang me.
But I am talking with certainty. I have neither talked to anyone nor did I say anything to anyone on the phone. Now, in the background, there could be naive people tricked who are sympathetic to you or appear to be sympathetic with you in the situation or pressure to say things with a promise of a reward.
[03:35:06] I don't know and I won't be able to say anything about it. However, one of the most important proofs of a haste that emit decision is the fact that today after the event, thousands of people are fired from their jobs.
It is clearly shows that they have been labeled previously and they needed a scenario for such operations. Common sense and good conscience tells this as such.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: And CNN has asked for a response from the office of Turkish president. So far we have not received a reply.
HOWELL: The Turkish has received the strong show of supporting Germany. Tens of thousands of people them turned out for a rally in Cologne in support of Recep Tayyip Erdogan after the failed coup attempt in that country.
CHURCH: The rally took place amid a heavy police presence. Germany is home to some three million Turkish nationals.
Well, Japan's former defense minister made history when she took that position. And now, she's added another historic first to her political resume. Voters in Tokyo have elected Yuriko Koike as the first female governor.
HOWELL: Koike won the race with more than a million votes over her closest rival. He was the former internal affairs minister and backed by the ruling party.
Anna Fifield joins us now. She is the Tokyo bureau chief of The Washington Post. It's good to have you with us, Anna.
So, let's first talk about Koike. This is very notable and certainly a historic election, but what are the differences between her and her predecessor?
ANNA FIFIELD, THE WASHINGTON POST TOKYO BEREAU CHIEF: Right. It is a very historic election. She is the first woman to be elected the governor of Tokyo, a city of more than 14 million people. And previously she is prepared -- compared herself to Hillary Clinton and Margaret Thatcher and talked about Japan not just having a glass ceiling but a steel ceiling for women.
So, this is big, a big moment for women leaders in Japan. She has promised to be more transparent than her predecessor. Both of her two predecessor actually had to resign early because of financial scandal involving, you know, financial irregularities.
And so, Yuriko Koike has come in and say she will run a much more transparent administration and that she will run city hall like Japanese people have never seen before.
HOWELL: And let's talk just a bit more about that. When it comes to her style of leadership what can be expected for Tokyo?
FIFIELD: Well, she has a very clearly put the 2020 Olympic games at the top of her agenda. After the Rio games will wrap up this month, Tokyo will take over the mantle for the next summer Olympics. And this whole process has been plague by fiasco one after another.
A plagiarism scandal, allegations of corruption, stadiums designs torn up inside of it again. So, there is a lot of disillusionment with the process of preparing for the games, and a lot of expectations that these games will be a big economic boost for not just Tokyo but all of Japan.
So, I think Koike will come in and she will clearly have putting the Olympic Games back on the right track at the top of her agenda.
HOWELL: It will be very interesting to see, you know, what the differences are as she takes leadership in Tokyo. Anna Fifield, we appreciate your insights, live for us in Tokyo.
Eastern Maryland is dealing with the worst flood in decades. The people there they are responding in some amazing ways. Look at that video there. Do you see what people did there? A breathtaking human chain.
CHURCH: Unbelievable. Plus, for the first time refugees will be represented at the Olympics and we will introduce to their team. That's still to come. Stay with us.
[03:40:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOWELL: Welcome back. In the U.S. State of Maryland, officials are calling it the worst flooding that they have seen in 57 years. Two people there are dead and the entire city is ruined.
CHURCH: Yes. A month's worth of rain hit the Ellicott City area within an hour. A woman was swept away and killed, a man died after leaving his car. As Ryan Hughes (Ph) tells us the focus now is on recovery.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The historic Ellicott City left ravage after severe flooding. Cars sitting on top of each other, and others swallowed after part of main street and collapses.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: People running at the restaurant and panicked. It's just devastating to the businesses and the restaurants that are in town. It's very sad.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Gail Robertson considered herself lucky only dealing with four inches of water in her basement, but her neighbors in the historic district facing tremendous devastation. The raging floodwaters tossing cars around like nothing. One man seen in this video holding on for dear life. He was rescued after going under.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When the personnel loss of life and just people lives and livelihood changed in a moment.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Maryland Governor Larry Hogan spent the morning surveying the damage. He signed a state of emergency declaration and is calling this damage the worst he's seen since taking office.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) LARRY HOGAN, MARYLAND STATE GOVERNOR: We are going to be trying to help house people that lost their homes and we're going to try to provide the assistance to get the entire community put back together.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Main Street is the hardest hit area, sidewalks are missing and buildings are facing significant structural damage. Crews spent the day pulling the chunks of concrete. And tonight, officials are vowing to rebuild.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We will make it vital and vibrant, and even more vital and vibrant than it was before this occurrence.
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CHURCH: And of course, what everyone wants to know is when this bad weather will likely come to an end in Maryland.
HOWELL: That's right. Our meteorologist Karen Maginnis is live in the International Weather Center with details on that. Karen.
KAREN MAGINNIS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes. What we've got or what we did see anywhere is a situation where this thunderstorms just roaring through and then jus piled on that rainfall in a two-hour time period, they saw six inches of rainfall, 115 millimeters of rain.
This in a city that historically have seen multiple floods or flooding. In the forecast here is the forecast radar, and there you can see just kind of a scattered thunderstorm pattern. That will allow folks there to kind of recover and start the rebuilding process.
And picking up after this devastating flood that they saw, where after 10 minutes, when thunderstorms hit this area, this historic city back from the late 1700th, they saw almost an inch and a half of precipitation.
[03:45:03] Another 10 minutes, 2 inches and that rainfall just really escalated from this storms that moved through.
I want to show you just what happened. About 9 p.m. on Saturday, local time, look at the storms that moved across this region where you see that red shaded area, that's where we saw those embedded storms. It moved out but the flooding wasn't over as you saw those streets.
And so many people with their cell phones, and so, we got to see not a real-time situation what took place across the Ellicott City, but certainly lots of images to report, lot of citizens reporting across that area.
Well, now we are talking about typhoon Nida. And it is moving across the South China Sea out of the northern Philippines after several days, they saw in some cases over 300 millimeters of rainfall. Now, taking aim at Hong Kong. Where will it make land fall? Well, long before it makes landfall you're going to see a heavy surf,
you're going to see some pretty good downpours as the, just kind of the outer banks in the system move through. If it hands on the eastern edge of Hong Kong, that's a little bit better situation where the winds will kind of pull the ocean water that storm surge away from the coast.
If it makes landfall along the western edge that's a much more dire situation. Either way, you are going to see tropical storm typhoon force winds. There is currently a tropical cyclone signal three in effect for Hong Kong. Meaning, residents need to take precautions now.
In the next couple of hours, they're anticipating there is going to be signal 8. That means you really need to baton down the hatches. Here is the way it looks right now but pretty soon we'll start to see those tropical storms force winds on shore.
Back to you guys.
CHURCH: All right. I appreciate that. Thanks so much, Karen.
Well, the team of refugee athletes poised to make mystery at the Olympics.
HOWELL: Their road to Rio, incomparable. Their stories next.
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MAGINNIS: Hello, everyone. I'm CNN meteorologist Karen Maginnis. This is your weather watch.
In Ellicott City, Maryland, a historic city that has been prone to flooding in the past saw a severe flooding. That was on Saturday evening. But some areas as much as 150 millimeters that occurred in just several hours period of time.
Two people reportedly dead, plenty of damage done in the historic portion of the city. Here is some other rainfall totals that were reported in the past 24 hours. A devastating situation there, what happens in the forecast will keep a few more showers around.
But the bulk of the heavier precipitation will be a little bit further towards the north, pretty much between Philadelphia and New York. But can't rule out a few more isolated showers before we start to see a little bit of more of a drying trend taking place.
And we'll expect some scattered showers and storms typical monsoonal weather across the desert southwest of Arizona, will pick up some showers and storms also into the Tennessee river valley, and portions of the eastern Great Lakes and portions of the upper Mississippi river valley.
In Denver, 34 degrees, a really hot forecast there. Chicago at 28, Atlanta, 32, Los Angeles, 24 degrees, and should be mostly sunny.
[03:50:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK) HOWELL: The Olympics just days away and for the first time in the Olympic history in the games, there will be a team of athlete united under a flag that belongs to no single country. Instead, they'll be competing in the name of refugees everywhere.
CHURCH: And they've come countries all over the world. And now, they are going for gold in Rio. And before arriving in Rio, some of the refugees athletes were training in Kenya.
Our David McKenzie visited them while they were there.
DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Morning training in the Ngong Hills, a Mecca for Kenya's Olympians.
But these runners are refugees. They ran from their homelands from war and famine. They have no flag of their own.
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JOHN ANZRAH, COACH: One of them came out fast ran out training where they lead athletes at the stadium. And the people are laughing at the athletes. These are not athletes. Now, what are you doing to these people? That was very discouraging.
And at the beginning as I coach we thought of it. Are we worth of, are we going to make it?
MCKENZIE: Coach John Anzrah is molding raw talent.
ANZRAH: Gather it to their (Inaudible).
MCKENZIE: Refugees selected from South Sudan, Somalia, and the Congo, training for a chance to make it in the Rio Olympics. It's their first ever refugee team.
You see the time improved, right there?
ANZRAH: Oh, it does. One way that they settle out that the way they are running now.
MCKENZIE: Rose Nathike has been running her whole life when the war came to her village in South Sudan she fled the killing on foot, then in the back of the truck.
ROSE NATHIKE, ATHLETE: People are doing (Inaudible) as they are not the human (Inaudible) But now, I can see maybe if they also discover that talent and make it maybe probably like other people so that they cannot undermine.
MCKENZIE: Rose says her tough training on compare to the hardships she has already gone through. Growing up in Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya's out of fringes. A city of refugees who fled from South Sudan's old and new walls.
Here, Rose take took care of her brothers and sisters volunteering for an NGO going school and running. (FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
MCKENZIE: So, they're very nervous today.
ANZRAH: Yes. They are nervous. But we would not just the victims dip in the camp.
MCKENZIE: Forty-three athletes from around the world were selected for training. Only 10 will go to Rio. Overcoming a lifetime of trauma to compete on the world's biggest stage.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Rose Nathike.
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MCKENZIE: Rose will run the 800 meters.
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MCKENZIE: She'll be running for her family, for the refugees of Kakuma and for every one of the 21 million refugees around the world. Given the chance, Rose says, they can achieve anything.
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HOWELL: When you consider what they've been through and now they are in the place where they are going to the Olympics. I mean, and they excelling, that is just so exciting.
CHURCH: Yes. It is so exciting. And our David McKenzie joins us now live from Johannesburg, South Africa with more on this. So, David, as you report says most of the refugee runners hadn't ever competed which just seem extraordinary, how did they get them ready for the Olympics.
MCKENZIE: Oh, Rosemary, it was real privilege to spend time with the refugee team in their training camp, and you're right.
[03:55:01] Not only they have they have never competed; some of them were not even runners. They were picked from football teams in the refugee camps, some of them just felt that this was a good opportunity. What they did is they took a truck with loud halos through the Kakuma refugee camps and other camps saying, come, we are going to train, we're going to run. We'll have races and the winners could pick up going to the Olympics.
And the contrast from that camp which has a lot of problems including security problems on the border of South Sudan and the Olympic stadium where they'll be competing in just a few days is quite extraordinary.
Some of them didn't have any kit when they arrive at the camp that it had to be donated. Some runners for the shortages does insist when they were given spikes to run on the tracks, they thought that was just running shoes and went and train in the hills of Ngong with that.
So, the coach said, most that need athletes takes around five years to take that athlete to the highest level. He had eight months and they are going to be competing at the biggest stage. Rosemary and George?
HOWELL: This is a team that, you know, all eyes will be watching and there is so much excitement for them.
CHURCH: Yes. It is quite the story. David, just a great story for you to cover, we appreciate that.
MCKENZIE: Thank you.
CHURCH: And thanks for joining us. I'm Rosemary Church.
HOWELL: And I'm George Howell.
Early Start is next for our viewers here in the United States, and for other viewers around the world Newsroom continues with Max Foster in London. Thanks for being with us.
CHURCH: You have a great day.
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