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Donald Trump Looking to Boost Sagging Poll Numbers With a Plan to Fight Islamic Extremists; Dramatic Night on Track as Desperate Dive Clenches Gold in Women's 400-Meter Final in Rio. Aired 3-4a ET
Aired August 16, 2016 - 03:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[03:00:00] ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN NEWSROOM SHOW HOST: ... Muslims, but in with a plan for extreme vetting of immigrants. Donald Trump expands on his ideas for protecting the United States and defeating ISIS.
Plus, a dramatic night on the track as a desperate dive clenches gold in the women's 400-meter final in Rio.
And a total disaster zone, historic flooding kills nine people in Louisiana and continues forcing tens of thousands to flee their homes.
Hello and welcome to our viewers all around the world. I'm Rosemary Church. And this is CNN Newsroom.
Donald Trump is looking to boost his sagging poll numbers with a sweeping plan to fight Islamic extremists. In a speech in the swing state of Ohio, the Republican presidential nominee outlined his strategy and attacked his democratic rival.
Sara Murray has the details.
SARA MURRAY, CNN POLITICAL REPORTER: Donald Trump's battling to take control of his own campaign message by laying out his vision to defeat ISIS.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, (R) U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We cannot let this evil continue.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MURRAY: Trump looking to rebound from a rocky stretch and giving up doubts about Hillary Clinton's foreign policy chops.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: With one episode of bad judgment after another, Hillary Clinton's policies launched ISIS on to the world stage. Things turned out really to be not so hot for our world and our country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MURRAY: Even questioning whether she's physically fit to be commander-in-chief.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: She also lacks the mental and physical stamina to take on ISIS and all of the many adversaries we face.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MURRAY: The billionaire businessman calling on the U.S. to abandon its attempts at nation building and saying it's time to focus on fighting ISIS on all fronts. The GOP nominee framing it as an ideological war harkening back to the days of George W. Bush as he called on the U.S. to team up with any ally willing to help battle ISIS.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: We cannot always choose our friends, but we can never fail to recognize our enemies.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MURRAY: Trump fleshing out his controversial plan to block immigrants from countries that he claims breed terrorism. Proposing a test to determine whether immigrants hold extremist views that don't mesh with American ideals.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I call it extreme, extreme vetting. Our country has enough problems. We don't need more. And these are problems like we've never had before.
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MURRAY: But such a screening comes with logistical hurdles and Trump offered few details on how he would implement the kind of ideological test he laid out today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: In addition to screening out all members of the sympathizers of terrorist groups, we must also screen out any with hostile attitudes toward our country or its principles or who believe that Sharia law should supplant American law.
(APPLAUSE)
Those who do not believe in our Constitution or who support bigotry and hatred will not be admitted for immigration into our country.
(APPLAUSE)
Only those who we expect to flourish in had our country and to embrace a tolerant American society should be issued visas.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MURRAY: Now, in delivering his foreign policy speech off a teleprompter, Donald Trump accomplished something he's struggled with and that's staying on message. But there are plenty of republicans who say he still has to do more.
And over the weekend, the Wall Street Journal editorial page says Donald Trump needs to stop blaming other person's mistake and turn his campaign around by Labor Day or hand the nomination over to Mike Pence.
Sara Murray, CNN, Youngstown, Ohio.
CHURCH: On his campaign trip with Hillary Clinton, Vice President Joe Biden slammed Trump as a threat to national security who is unfit to have access to the country's nuclear codes.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN, U.S. VICE PRESIDENT: He doesn't seem to want to learn. He doesn't seem to think it matters. This man is totally, thoroughly, unqualified to be president of the United States of America.
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: For more on all of this, we are joined by Jonathan Swan, he is the national political reporter for The Hill. Thanks so much for talking with us.
JONATHAN SWAN, THE HILL NATIONAL POLITICAL REPORTER: My pleasure.
CHURCH: So, let's start with the immigration proposals that Donald Trump laid out on Monday, calling for the extreme vetting of immigrants. How is that plan likely to work and how is it being received?
SWAN: Well, interestingly, that phrase extreme vetting was not in the original copy of the speech. It was something that Donald Trump ad- libbed.
[03:05:03] But what we know about the plan is that he has fairly broad concept of what he calls ideological vetting. He basically wants to -- again, the details are fairly gauzy at this point, but what we understood from the speech is that he wants to put a test, a new test upon immigrants to the United States to see whether they are loyal to the Constitution.
CHURCH: Right. And what about Trump's other idea for fighting terrorism? He's now talking of cooperating with Russia to defeat ISIS. How is that going to work exactly and what's being said about that proposal, given America's current relationship with Russia? SWAN: Trump's relationship with Russia is one of the most
underreported stories of this entire election. He's got very deep business ties to Russia. His campaign chairman, Paul Manafort has worked for his lobbyist Viktor Yanukovyc in Ukraine who's pro-Russian and has extensive business ties there.
And Trump's campaign as we understand it was behind the softening of a key pad or the platform in the republican platform that made it more pro-Russia. So, this is causing huge anxiety both on the left and the right. This is not a country that is generally seen as a friend of the United States.
And people are wondering what is Trump really getting at here? He has praised for Vladimir Putin lavishly in public. And Putin has praise Trump right back. There's considering the intelligence community that Vladimir Putin is playing Trump, is appealing to his ego and more likely down the track potentially manipulating.
So, this is a huge story. It's really underreported. And Donald Trump has made it very clear that he wants to change the U.S. relationship with Russia in quite a fundamental way.
CHURCH: And, Jonathan, it is worth noting that the Trump campaign has denied all that's been said and was written in the New York Times about the link to Ukraine. They are saying it was nonsense, it's nonsensical.
So, what about the reaction going forward to that story and more evidence, perhaps?
SWAN: Well, the facts are very straightforward in the sense that we know for a fact that we Paul Manafort worked for Viktor Yanukovych, no one debates that.
Where the debate lies is there is this black ledger where hand written notes of over $12.5 million of payments allegedly given to Paul Manafort. Even the Ukrainians say that there is no evidence that this money actually arrived in Paul Manafort's bank account.
That's the very specific charge that Paul Manafort's lawyer is denying. He is saying that he never received this cash. We have no way of proving that at this point, but the ties are very clear and there is no way of denying them.
CHURCH: And just very quickly, it's worth noting on the other side of the political spectrum. Joe Biden was out there supporting Hillary Clinton. What sort of impact will that likely have on her campaign.
SWAN: Joe Biden is such an effective surrogate. He was talking today in Scranton, Pennsylvania working class part of sport hard scrambled down. And Joe Biden makes a very folky test for Hillary Clinton which she's not quite capable of making herself. She is much more tilted in her speaker.
And he laid out a case that Donald Trump is temperamentally and mentally unfit to be the commander-in-chief. He really said some pretty harsh things about Donald Trump, said that he would have loved Stalin, he cozies up to dictators.
And he laid out -- I mean, this is the key line of attacks that democrats now pursuing. They're saying it's working in the polls, which is that Donald Trump is temperamentally unfit to be president.
CHURCH: Jonathan Swan, always great to talk with you. Many thanks.
SWAN: Thank you.
CHURCH: All right. Let's take a closer look now at how Donald Trump's message and his call for a values test for would-be immigrants he is resonating oversees.
CNN's senior international correspondent Ben Wedeman joins us now from Istanbul in Turkey.
So, Ben, of course, you have reported from all across the globe. How is Donald Trump's plan for extreme vetting of immigrants likely to be received worldwide, do you think? And particularly across the Middle East.
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, certainly, if you look at general reaction to Mr. Trump's speech, it's fairly muted. The only phrase for it comes from Egypt of course Mr. Trump did have good words to say about President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi who very much fit in to this strong man mold to this beloved of Mr. Trump.
But beyond that, it's been met with largely and difference because many people have already heard Mr. Trump's fairly hostile pronouncements about Muslims, his call for a ban on Muslims entering the United States.
[03:10:00] And in a sense, they've written of long ago. But certainly when people here -- things like extreme vetting, what pops to one's mind is basically here in the Middle East torture, which is a common practice when one -- when some people fall into the clutches of government intelligence services.
And I know from many people, hundreds of people I know in this region over decades who have applied for visas to the United States. I'm not even talking about immigration visas, I'm talking about simple tourist visas.
And the amount of questioning they go through, the information they have to show the bank statements, at least the houses proof that they are going for a visit rather than to stay there for work or other purposes is something you'll hear time and time again. And so, the word extreme vetting I think sends to chill down many people's minds. Rosemary.
CHURCH: Yes, indeed. And, Ben, Trump also said any effort of nation building would be brought to an end. What's the likely response to that proposal from the republican presidential nominee?
WEDEMAN: Well, certainly if people, for instance, look at the case of Iraq, that was a very failed case of nation building done by, of course, George W. Bush who was a republican President. And at the moment really what the Obama administration is trying to do in Iraq is not nation build, it's nation bolster.
The Iraqi government exists. It's imperfect by all sort of measures, but what the Obama administration is trying to do is support that government in its fights against ISIS and its fight to just generally improve -- excuse me, its performance.
And most Iraqis don't fault the United States for that. But, no, people don't want to see the United States repeated its experience in Iraq, and invasion and occupation -- excuse me, a faulty occupation and a messy aftermath. Rosemary.
CHURCH: All right. CNN international correspondent Ben Wedeman reporting there from Istanbul in Turkey, just after 10 in the morning there. Many thanks to you, Ben.
Well, U.S. lawmakers are expected to receive notes from Hillary Clinton's interview with the FBI on her use of a private e-mail server. Several republicans requested the notes after FBI director James Comey announced there would be no changes against her.
But he said Clinton was extremely careless in her handling of sensitive information while she was Secretary of State.
Well, the U.S. has announced the single largest transfer of Guantanamo bay detainees under President Barack Obama. Fifteen inmates will be transferred to the United Arab Emirates bringing the detention facility's population down to 61.
It's the latest move by the Obama administration toward closing Guantanamo. There were 242 detainees there when Mr. Obama took office in 2008.
But on Monday, republican presidential nominee Donald Trump pledge to keep the facility open if he wins in November's election.
The women's 400-meter dash ended in high drama Monday night. The Bahama's Shaunae Miller edged out the favorite, American Allyson Felix by diving for the finish line.
And earlier, another U.S star (Inaudible) gymnast Simone Biles had an untimely slip during her beam routine. And Sanne Wevers of the Netherlands took advantage to win gold.
And our Christina Macfarlane is live in Rio with all of Monday's action. SO, Christina, lots to talk about. Let's start with Brazil's dramatic win in the men's pole vault, delivering not only a gold medal there, but a new Olympic record. How did that all play out?
CHRISTINA MACFARLANE, CNN WORLD SPORTS ANCHOR: Yes, that's absolutely right, Rosemary. I think this was easily the most popular win of the night. We had expected to see the Brazilians take gold in the beach volleyball of perhaps in the judo that we have seen. But we didn't expect to see them take it on the pole vault. Now there
were heavy rainfall cast here today that delay the start of the pole vault. There were mechanical issues with the organizers trying to put it up and it all added to the intense drama.
It came down to two guys. Thiago Braz da Silva of Brazil, relatively unknown in the sport and Renaud Lavillenie who was the defending champion from London 2012, and it was around the 6-meter mark that da Silva put in the pole vault of his life. He won the event of 6 meters all three, which is actually 11 centimeters more than his personal vest.
[03:15:03] A national record, a Olympic record, and I can tell you in the stadium, the Brazilian fans went absolutely crazy. There were tears, people in tears standing and stomping their feet.
And even here around our live position. We heard cheers ringing out. And afterwards, Lavillenie he actually said red card to the crowd, he says that they were -- it's not fair play on their part with the way that he was treated in the stadium. And he gave them a big thumbs down.
But I guess, you know, at the home Olympics then you're always going to be at a disadvantage when you're up against someone from the home nation.
CHURCH: Yes, absolutely. And, of course, high drama too in the women's 400-meter when the Bahamas Shaunae Miller won gold with that jaw-dropping dive for the finish line.
And now many people are asking if it was feet. Clearly the Olympic organizers also.
MACFARLANE: Yes, I mean, especially when you consider, Rosemary. This was meant to be Allyson Felix's crowning coronation glory. She was going for gold medal number five. But she was pit on the line by Shaunae Miller.
Now what happened is Shaunae Miller went faster out of the block. She was actually leading the race. And coming down into the final 100 meters, Felix drew level with her. And then coming across the line you can see from the pictures here Shaunae Miller launched herself forward.
We don't know if she tripped or if she fell, that she fell across the line first. She was awarded the gold medal, Felix picked up the silver. Now, the rules state that your torso must cross the line first in order to be awarded the gold medal.
And after deliberating for some 20 seconds that is what the organizers decided today. They gave her the gold, Felix the silver, and afterwards, Shaunae Miller did say that it wasn't pre-meditated that she hadn't planned to do it. It was an honest trip and she came away with some bumps and bruises. But it really was dramatic to watch.
CHURCH: It certainly was. And just finally, U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps is talking about his retirement now. What all did he have to tell CNN about that.
MACFARLANE: Yes, that's right. We were lucky enough to catch up with Michael Phelps this evening. To hear from him for the first time since he announced his retirement.
And it's great to see for the first time tonight he was out enjoying himself taking in the atmosphere, maybe having a drink or two.
But of course, he won five gold medals there in this game alone. And he caught up with my colleague Coy Wire to tell him just how much he's enjoying life right now. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL PHELPS, U.S. OLYMPIC SWIMMER: I mean, these are the greatest moments of my life so far, you know, being able to have the opportunity to come back and being able to as successful as I was here, but also to have my family here and Boomer here.
It's the greatest feeling in the world having a child and to be able to have him watch my last race, it's a dream come true.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MACFARLANE: I think having his baby son here has made all the difference to him in this Olympic Games, Rosemary. But I don't see why Coy Wire gets to go to all the parties and I'm stuck here talking about it instead. But it's nice to hear from Phelps.
CHURCH: Yes. You've done great job. One live shot after the next and lots have showed from there. But beautiful backdrop Copacabana Beach there in Rio. Many thanks to you, Christina Macfarlane. Great job.
Well, Usain Bolt not only won another gold in the 100-meter, he's also winning the internet. This photo of the Jamaican superstar smiling very cheekily to the camera as he easily wins a semifinal hit Sunday night has turned into the meme of the moment.
And this Twitter user added, a me of Bolt's picture running away from deadline, sleep and responsibility. Another compares him to the famous cartoon roadrunner, Beep Beep and this tweet asking, "how does Bolt stay so relaxed in that in that atmosphere," showing the sprinter being chased by the Scoobydoo gang. How about that.
All right. We turn to more serious matters now. Boko Haram has released a new video showing some of the kidnapped Nigerian schoolgirls. We will hear from one of the girl's parents, that's next here on CNN Newsroom.
And thousands of heart stopping rescue in Louisiana as rising waters swallows home and cars. The latest on the state's devastating flooding, that's just ahead.
[03:20:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PEDRAM JAVAHERI, CNN METEOROLOGIST: That sounds means it's time for a weather update. Meteorologist Pedram Javaheri with you.
Watching a pattern here that's really ushered in a lot of rainfall across the southern U.S. You can follow this line here of active thunderstorms that stretch from Texas on to the eastern United States.
That's where we think some of the heaviest rainfall is expected over the next couple of days. It easily could pick up the moisture profile in the atmosphere there over the next several days, as well.
And it really remains put forth, we expect for this time of the year, but initially, it does stretch its way off to the north where some heavy rainfall could come (inaudible) warnings still in place for parts of Texas.
(inaudible) and the northern fringe of it now getting in on some flooding concerns, as well. When you look at the accumulations over the next several days, you can again see that really long area of rainfall, again, heavy at times as you work your way farther to the north associated with these same fronts that brought in all of the flooding in recent days towards the southern U.S
So, Montreal will go rain showers there. Some scattered thunderstorms around New York City, San Francisco, a pair of two and sunny skies. A gorgeous day in the city by the bay.
And work your way to the south, Guatemala City on to say, Belize City a lot of thunderstorms this time of year in this region. This is precisely what you expect. And Nassau will see some morning showers.
And in Kingston, Jamaica, a blustery day but should be mostly dry at around 33 degrees. We take you a little farther to the south, Bogota, looking at some afternoon rain showers there. While Salvador and Rio look to remain dry. Temps there are closing in on 30 degrees.
CHURCH: (inaudible) hope for the parents of dozens of Nigerian schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram more than two years ago. The terrorist group has released a new video showing some of the Chibok girls. They also have new demands.
CNN's Nima Elbagir spoke to the parents of one girl singled out in the video and we must warn you, some of the images are graphic.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ESTHER YAKUBU, MOTHER OF KIDNAPPED CHIBOK GIRL: It is not easy for your mother, but I also give thanks to God almighty that they say most of the kids are dead and mine is alive.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Esther Yakubu told CNN that even wearing a head covering, shaky voiced, she recognized her daughter Maida straightaway.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
YAKUBU: I give God the glory, but really, I cried.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ELBAGIR: Maida was featured front and center in the latest Boko Haram video released. It was the first time since this picture (inaudible) on the afternoon of her (inaudible) two years ago that Esther had seen her.
In the video, a mass militant stand alongside Maida asking her to say her name and the school she was abducted from. "Chibok," she says. Then he asks what she reclaim what happened the night militant claims the Nigerian government air strikes killed a number of Maida's fellow abductees.
A charge the government denies. As Maida's voice crack, some of the girls behind her begin to cover their faces, visibly upset. This airy scene gives way to footage of the purported strike, footage too horrifying to show in full as the bodies of young women are turned to face the camera.
Some gruesomely disfigured.
[03:24:59] This, the latest tally in Boko Haram's public campaign of pressure against the Nigerian government. A ransom note, the freeing of jailed Boko Haram soldiers in exchange for the Chibok girls freedom.
The abduction of over 270 schoolgirls from their parents by Boko Haram, two years ago, sends shockwaves around the world, reverberating all the way to the White House. As even first lady Michelle Obama took up the cry to bring back our girls.
A cry the Nigerian government promised would not go unheeded. For the girls' families, heartbreak vies with frustration.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
YAKUBU: Two years four months yesterday, the 14th. Nothing from the I.G., nothing from the Nigerian army, nothing from the federal government. If they are working on it, they should have done something by now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ELBAGIR: As they wait for someone to bring their daughters back home.
Nima Elbagir, CNN, London.
CHURCH: A Kurdish Peshmerga general tells CNN his forces are just 14 kilometers from the key Iraqi city of Mosul. Backed by U.S.-led coalition, air strikes the Kurdish fighters are getting closer to Mosul, and the ISIS fighters inside that city.
They say they have secured a river crossing point that will help them open a new front against ISIS there. They've also taken back 15 villages surrounding Mosul that have been controlled by the terror group.
Well, Doctors without Borders says an air strike on a hospital in northwestern Yemen has killed 11 people, 19 others were wounded. The group says this is the fourth attack on one of its facilities in less than a year.
The strike on the hospital follows Saudi-led coalition bombings of two schools in northern Yemen on Saturday, which the Saudis insisted were rebel training camps.
We'll take a break right here. But still to come, they wait in line in the rain to see him and they're backing is unshakeable.
Coming up, what Trump supporters in a swing state have to say.
[03:30:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHURCH: A warm welcome back to our viewers all around the world. I'm Rosemary Church. I want to update you now on the main stories we've been following this hour.
Brazil won their second gold medal in Rio in dramatic fashion Monday. Thiago Braz da Silva took out the defending champion and world record holder in the pole vault and he did it with the help of a raucous home crowd. He became just the sixth Brazilian ever to win a medal in track and field.
The U.S. says it will transfer 15 Guantanamo Bay to the detainees to the United Arab Emirates. That's the largest single transfer of inmates under the Obama administration.
With the new transfer, the detention facility's population will be down to 61.
Donald Trump is laying out his strategy to battle Islamic extremism. The republican presidential nominee wants a tough values test for potential immigrants that he calls extreme vetting.
Trump says the fight is similar to the Cold War and it demands a sweeping change of U.S. policies at home and abroad.
Trump's security message played well to his supporters in Ohio.
Gary Tuchman spoke some of them about the specific points he made.
GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: An invitation only crowd of Donald Trump supporters waiting out in the Ohio rain, waiting to find out how he plans to keep them safe.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBIN MCCORMACK, TRUMP SUPPORTER: This has to stop. We have to stop being victims. We have to stop being gentle.
TUCHMAN: This woman says America has to do what it has to do.
So, does that include waterboarding, in your estimation and enhanced interrogation techniques?
MCCORMACK: I'm not opposed to it.
TUCHMAN: And then this was this quote from this past December.
TRUMP: Donald J. Trump is calling for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country's representatives can figure out what the hell is going on.
TUCHMAN: So, tell me specifically what you want to do.
RON CAPITENA, TRUMP SUPPORTER: Just the Muslims, people -- yes. It has the to stop. Just until we get it ironed out till we get this country back in shape.
(CROSSTALK)
TUCHMAN: So, you're saying you want to hear Donald Trump say that Muslims should be banned for the time being.
CAPITENA: For the time being, yes. Just for the time being.
TRUMP: Only this way will we make America great again and safe again for everyone. Thank you very much. God bless you. Thank you. Thank you.
(APPLAUSE)
TUCHMAN: Once the speech was over, the reviews from this crowd were kind. Trump did not specifically mention banning Muslims. But about his newly announced plan of so-called extreme vetting.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I thought it was very inspiring. I think it's what the country needs.
TUCHMAN: And what about his declaration that any country which shares the goal of halting, in his words, the spread radical Islam would be an ally of the U.S.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We'd show the use of Russia was aligned with United States to fight terrorism but then invaded Latvia of Lithonia or Estonia, how could Russia still be a U.S. ally.
MARK WEBB, TRUMP SUPPORTER: Well, that's a very good point, but I think there's room for negotiation and I think at least we have somebody who is willing to talk to all parties to actually get something done that's positive that's in our interests.
TUCHMAN: And in his honest criticism of Hillary Clinton and President Obama.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I thought he was forceful in what he had to say to America because we are in terrible shape. Our president is a Muslim who hates America.
TUCHMAN: What did you just say? UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I just said our president is a Muslim who hates
America.
TUCHMAN: So, you think Barack Obama is a Muslim?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, yes.
TUCHMAN: No, he's a Christian.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This man is a -- no.
TUCHMAN: No, he's a Christian. That wasn't a typical response to the speech. This was.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I thought it was awesome. I loved his speech entirely.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TUCHMAN: Gary Tuchman, CNN, Youngstown, Ohio.
CHURCH: Well, Donald Trump's campaign chairman is facing an investigation by Ukrainian authorities into whether he received millions of dollars in secret cash payments from allies of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The probe is part of a wider investigation into allegations of corruption and influence pedaling against the administration of former Ukrainian President Victor Yanukovych.
Paul Manafort was a political consultant to Mr. Yanukovych his party.
More details now from CNN's senior investigative correspondent Drew Griffin.
[03:35:03] DREW GRIFFIN, CNN SENIOR INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER: It's reporting coming out of Ukraine from the Ukraine anti-corruption bureau, this is a government agency that's looking into corruption of the past government of which Paul Manafort was a consultant to the political party that ran that government.
And it's Paul Manafort's name that reportedly comes up 22 times on this black ledger. These are 841 handwritten pages that have been turned over to this investigative agency. And over the course of five years, the details 22 times where Paul Manafort is designated a payment totaling $12.7 million.
Ukraine's officials want to know what that for. They also caution that there's evidence Paul Manafort actually received any of this money, and say there is some evidence to suggest he did not because there is no signature next Paul Manafort's name.
However, this is getting a lot of political attention from Hillary Clinton's campaign, which they believe shows proof that Paul Manafort may have strong ties to an ally of Vladimir Putin over in Russia. Paul Manafort has shot back, he's criticized the story and criticized
the New York Times which broke the story in a statement that he released. He says, "The simplest answer is the truth. I am a campaign professional. It is well known. I do work in the United States and have done work on overseas campaigns, as well. I have never received a single off the books cash payment as falsely reported by the New York Times. Nor have I ever done work for the government of Ukraine or Russia."
Paul Manafort goes on to say a suggestion that I accepted cash payments is unfounded, silly and nonsensical. Still, the national anti-corruption bureau of the government, of Ukraine, is saying Paul Manafort is wrapped up somehow an investigation into corruption.
Drew griffin, CNN, Atlanta.
CHURCH: Well, Russia, Ukraine and the race for the White House all becoming increasingly entangled.
CNN's senior international correspondent Matthew Chance joins us now from Moscow. So, Matthew, there is to evidence, of course as we keep emphasizing that Donald trump's campaign chairman, Paul Manafort received this payments. But what were his ties to the former Ukrainian president?
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right. I mean, there is no direct evidence in the sense that there's no signature of Paul Manafort on that ledger that where it suggest that $12.7 million was transferred to him.
But that's, of course, the subject of the investigation which the Ukrainian authorities are now engaged in. And in terms of the relationship, well, it was obviously very close between Paul Manafort and Viktor Yanukovych who is the former President of Ukaine, who, of course, left the country in November 2013 after that popular uprising, the coup, if you like.
Some call it here in Russia that which actually the term he fled to Russia. He was the political consultant to Mr. Yanukovych his political which called the party of the regions. He was seen very much as a sort of Eastern Ukraine-based party that which had strong ties to the Kremlin and was more pro-Russian than the so more anti-Russian or pro-NATO, pro-European half of the country.
And so, basically the relationship from what I've read goes back to about 2004 with Mr. Yanukovych and Paul Manafort. And basically, Manafort oversaw the transformation of the image of Mr. Yanukovych which enabled him in 2010 to win the general elections in Ukraine and come to power there.
And so, as I say, a pretty close relationship and one which, according to this ledger, has some very sort of shady dealings attached to it, as well. But of course, Paul Manafort and his lawyers say that they received no payments like this.
CHURCH: So, Matthew, how is this playing out across Russia? What is being said about this, if very much?
CHANCE: Not very much at all, actually. Although it's being reported in the media here, in the New York Times report which originally broke this story is being widely quoted here.
But, I mean, I think it's noticeable there's not been any direct comment from Russian officials about the scandal. I think one of the reasons for that may be that the Kremlin is very sensitive after the events of the past several weeks to the DIA that it is very close to the Trump campaign.
I mean, there is this suggestion that the Trump campaign and the people around Trump are the kremlin's favored candidates, favorite party, favorite groups of individuals to take over the presidency of the United States. I think at the moment, the Kremlin are keen to put some distance between themselves and this Trump presidential campaign and his associates.
[03:39:56] CHURCH: Al right. Our Matthew Chance joining us live there from Moscow. Many thanks to you. I appreciate it.
Well, New York police have made an arrest in the murder of an imam and his assistant. A 35-year-old Brooklyn man has been charged with two counts of second degree murder.
Police say they found evidence in the wall of a suspect's home. The victims were both shot in the head Saturday after leaving a prayer service at a nearby mosque.
Authorities say they do not believe their faith played a factor in the killings. Nearly a thousand people attended the funeral of the two men in New York on Monday.
Well, devastating flooding in southern Louisiana where isolating communities and the rising waters show a little sign of letting up. We will have the very latest. That's coming up next.
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CHURCH: Fast-moving flood waters have killed at least nine people in southern Louisiana. Thousands have been pulled to safety as the water continues to rise. The governor says nearly half of the state's parishes could be declared disaster areas.
CNN's Jennifer Gray has the details.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're coming. We're coming. We'll break this window.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're breaking the window.
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JENNIFER GRAY, CNN METEOROLOGIST: More than 20,000 people have been rescued since last week as deadly flood waters have prompted a state of emergency across south Louisiana.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Get my dog.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Her dog.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And get my dog.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've got your dog.
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GRAY: Tens of thousands of residents have been forced to evacuate their homes and chilling images like this coast guard rescue of a child remind many in the region of hurricane Katrina's horrific aftermath a decade ago.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: These are all my neighbors that it ends up getting a nice dust of, no, this couldn't happen reality. Yes, it can't.
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GRAY: Reggie Wade (Ph) has lived in the southeast Baton Rouge neighborhood for 24 years.
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[03:44:57] UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've never seen it get up in this yard above the car port. And the car ports are all under water along with the entire house.
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GRAY: The Louisiana National Guard has deployed almost 2,000 soldiers to assist local first responders with search and rescue efforts. And with more than 24 inches of rain falling in the area since last week, they know they are up against the block.
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MELVIN "KIP" HOLDEN, BATON ROUGE MAYOR: It is still very, very dangerous. We have waters rising and a number of areas. All of our people are still on high alert.
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GRAY: Jennifer Gray, CNN, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
CHURCH: And our meteorologist Pedram Javaheri joins us now in the studio. And of course, when you look at all of that water and how long it's likely to stay there, it could be a matter of weeks, right?
JAVAHERI: Yes. CHURCH: What are sudden -- some of the hidden dangers that lie within
those waters?
JAVAHERI: Yes. And the officials there say do not go back to your property. The sun will come out here shortly. people want to go back retrieve their belongings. And what happens, Rosemary, as we know the infectious diseases are rampant across this region.
And if you've got an open wound, an open cut on your hands, on your feet or your legs and going back into this property, E. coli is one of the first things you can contract, the Nora virus; there are other diseases like tetanus that you can pick up very easily. That's very common in the flood waters.
And then there are wild life that could be trap in these waters as well. Because keep in mind, there is this place there's very little land for them to cling on to. So, your property, whether the kitchen counter top where the water level has not reached that level, there could be snakes sitting in your sink or even down beneath the surface and fire ants and wasps in the house.
They seem to tend to locate themselves into abandon cars or homes. So, that's why officials are saying do not go back into your belongings and get things out just yet.
So, that's worth noting. And I also want to show you the conditions across this region, as well. Because thunderstorms of course still forecast to come down the next couple of days. Much of it is this place a little further to the west every single day.
But notice, Baton Rouge, southeastern Louisiana still could see some of these isolated storms. And the soil here is over 160 percent of normal in the saturation level.
So, anytime you get above 100 percent the soil is fully saturate and that's what happening here with 16 gauges still reporting flooding across parts of Louisiana. And the heavy rainfall is scattered above the region.
You notice the concentration, again, just placed out of southeastern Louisiana where the highest concern was, but still, spilling into the Midwestern United States, as well.
So, those are the big stories across the United States. And we have three different storms, tropical in nature that are impacting portion of the western Pacific. One of which is actually impacting the South China Sea and it's bringing them a lot of monsoonal moisture.
I want to show you what's happened across Luzon, in general, because we've had many fatalities here on recent days from one related to a tornado, another one with flash flooding. Thousands have been displaced and put in temporary shelters across parts of Luzon.
These are some of the images we're getting out of this region where upwards of almost 400 millimeters of rainfall has come down across parts of Luzon and that's really led to some very dangerous situations across this region.
Again, a lot of this since Friday essentially what's been going on in the state of Louisiana at the same time this is happening across parts of southeastern areas of the Philippines, and the forecast indication still keeps very heavy rainfall in and around Metro Manila. We know the drainage is a major issue across this region.
And a lot of times people are flooded out of their properties when events like this happen. So, again, similar to what we're seeing in Louisiana, we are seeing in Luzon at this very moment in parts of Luzon.
CHURCH: Well, it is a concern for sure. Many thanks to you, Pedram.
JAVAHERI: Thanks very much.
CHURCH: We'll see you later.
Well, Katie Ledecky is poised to take over as swimming's biggest star now that her one-time hero, Michael Phelps, is retiring. Now he's passing the torch with a picture. That's next.
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JAVAHERI: That sounds means it's time for a weather update. Meteorologist Pedram Javaheri with you.
Watching a pattern here that's really ushered in a lot of rainfall across the southern U.S. You can follow this line here of active thunderstorms that stretch from Texas on to the eastern United States.
That's where we think some of the heaviest rainfall is expected over the next couple of days. It easily could pick up the moisture profile in the atmosphere there over the next several days, as well.
And it really remains put forth, we expect for this time of the year, but initially, it does stretch its way off to the north where some heavy rainfall could come down. So, flood watches and warnings still in place for parts of Texas.
Certainly Louisiana and the northern fringe of it now getting in on some flooding concerns, as well. When you look at the accumulations over the next several days, you can again see that really long area of rainfall, again, heavy at times as you work your way farther to the north associated with these same fronts that brought in all of the flooding in recent days towards the southern U.S.
So, Montreal will go rain showers there. Some scattered thunderstorms around New York City, San Francisco, a pair of two and sunny skies. A gorgeous day in the city by the bay.
And work your way to the south, Guatemala City on to say, Belize City a lot of thunderstorms this time of year in this region. This is precisely what you expect. And Nassau will see some morning showers.
And in Kingston, Jamaica, a blustery day but should be mostly dry at around 33 degrees. We take you a little farther to the south, Bogota, looking at some afternoon rain showers there. While Salvador and Rio look to remain dry. Temps there are closing in on 30 degrees.
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CHURCH: American swimmers Michael Phelps and Katie Ledecky put on a show in the pool during these Rio Olympics, but long before they were competing together, Phelps was a hero to a young Ledecky. This is a picture of an excited Ledecky getting Phelps' autograph.
Well, to show how far they both had come, they recreated that photo but with Phelps getting her signature. How great is that?
Well, Chinese Olympic swimmer Fu Yuanhi has found unexpected start of not just in the pool in Rio, but online. Well, our long broadcast last Wednesday on Inky, one of China's biggest video live streaming platforms has gotten more than 11 million views.
During the chat, her fans showered her with virtual gifts. Many people love her because of her cheerful and sometimes funny answers in post- competition interviews. Unlike the typically somber responses from some of her fellow athletes. The 20-year-old won bronze in the women's 100-meter backstroke. Good on her.
Well, China's Olympic swimmer isn't alone in her use of live streaming. Broadcasting yourself has become so profitable in China that everyone wants to cash in.
Matt Rivers explains.
MATT RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: One point nine million people spent Tuesday night watching Liu Xini put on lipstick. It's odd but it is a daily reality for this star of the Chinese live streaming explosion.
She says in the next five years, online streaming will be as popular if not more so than TV. Liu uses live streaming to dole out style advice while promoting her clothing line, just a part of a rapidly growing group of Chinese broadcasting everything online.
It's a new phenomenon than in most western countries, but with hundreds of streaming web sites, the industry here is catching up fast. At any given time, you can watch just about everything.
This man is selling beef jerky to raise money for medical treatment. This woman is just eating lunch. That's it. And 19,000 people watched live as this guy test drove a car while staring at his phone at the same time.
Chinese streaming service is different from others worldwide in that most offer a way to profit while hamming it up for the camera.
[03:55:00] Many live streamers, some earning tens of thousands of dollars per month make money by accepting online gifts that users pay for. The performers then redeem it for cold hard cash.
And while pornography is illegal here, sex still sells. Streams like these are everywhere, featuring attractive young women fully clothed asking for gifts before doing something as simple as standing up.
But government regulation is tight. Streams that, quote, "harm social morality are shut down and face punishment." More specifically, performers are prohibited from eating bananas erotically or wearing suspenders and stocking during shows.
Liu Xini welcomes the regulations and says she's made money by following the rules. At least $1.5 million in the last few years by using live streaming to help sell her clothing line online.
For via clothing, singing, cooking, or driving, it's all online and there's money to be made.
Matt Rivers, CNN, Beijing.
CHURCH: Interesting regulations there. And thanks for your company. I'm Rosemary Church. Remember to connect with me anytime on Twitter. @rosemarycnn. I love to hear from you.
And there is more news after the short break with Isa Soares in London. You have a great day.
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