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Dozens Killed in Turkey Wedding Explosion; Lochte Fabricated Rio Robbery Story; Philippine President Wages Controversial War on Drugs; Olympic Champions Reflect. Aired Midnight-12:30a ET
Aired August 21, 2016 - 00:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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A deadly explosion rips through a wedding celebration in Southern Turkey, killing and wounding many people.
On the last day of the Rio Olympics, after surprises and sweeps, an eventful Saturday night.
And filling out the prisons in the Philippines from the president's crackdown on the drug trade. CNN goes inside the dangerously overcrowded jails.
It's all ahead here on CNN NEWSROOM. Thank you for joining us. We're live in Atlanta. I'm Natalie Allen.
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ALLEN: Our top story is from Turkey. An explosion ripped through a wedding in Southern Turkey Saturday night, killing at least 30 people. Nearly 100 are wounded. The parliamentary deputy said on Twitter that ISIS is believed to be behind the attack, though no one has claimed responsibility. Let's get more from journalist Andrew Finkel, who joins me now on the line from Istanbul.
Andrew, what do you know about this attack, about this wedding?
Who was targeted, perhaps?
ANDREW FINKEL, JOURNALIST: Well, it took place in the city of Gaziantep. Gaziantep is very near the Syrian border. This is a city that once upon a time was swollen with shoppers from Damascus.
Now it's swollen with refugees, it's a city very much at the heart of the Syrian conflict on the other side of the border.
However, this particular attack appears to have targeted Turkish Kurdish nationalists, the People's Democracy Party, sort of Kurdish nationalist party, said that it was a wedding for their members, their parliamentary group has gone down to see the site.
It was an outdoor wedding in the summer heat, 30 people died in what appears to have been a suicide bombing and explosion. And many others, as you said, have been injured -- Natalie.
ALLEN: Yet another horror and a wedding as well.
Andrew, as we mentioned, reports are ISIS is behind this, but there's been no claim of responsibility.
Is that unusual for ISIS if this ISIS in this?
You say it looks like it probably will be, considering where it is.
FINKEL: There have been ISIS attacks in Syria before. And they have been slow to claim responsibility. I think the rule of thumb in Turkey is that when civilians are targeted in this horrendous way as today, there's very much ISIS is responsible.
We have had government officials who are certainly no friends of the People's Democracy Party. Indeed a statement from the president himself, pointing the finger at ISIS. So this is certainly what people are assuming now -- Natalie.
ALLEN: And we're seeing a -- we're seeing so much of this in Turkey, against civilians there.
What is going to be the reaction from the government?
FINKEL: Well, of course, it's been condemned very strongly. This is a brutal attack inside a major Turkish city against innocent people celebrating a wedding, of course. They've attacked -- the statement from the president's office that says this incident is no worse or no less than any other terrorist incident.
I think one of the aims perhaps of the attack was to inflame sectarian violence inside Turkey. This is a Kurdish wedding inside a city that has a lot of ethnic Arabs and Turks. It's an attempt, perhaps, to provoke a reaction inside Turkey. And I think the feeling here is that here has been much that Turkey has suffered in the last month or so with an attempted coup, with the attacks against military targets by the PKK.
I think there's -- the feeling is that really one has to put -- dampen down the flames and try to prevent this from becoming an incitement.
ALLEN: Thank you so much, Andrew Finkel, talking with us from Istanbul.
Thank you, Andrew.
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ALLEN: One more day of competition to go at Rio after more gold was awarded Saturday.
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ALLEN: What does that tell you right there?
Did Brazil win?
I think so. That was the reaction, the Brazilian fans, as their country won the men's football final at Rio's Maracana stadium. The leader now is the first Olympic gold in the sport for football powerhouse Brazil. They knocked off the Germans on penalties.
And in track events, a sweeping performance from the U.S. in relays, both the men's and women's teams took gold in the 4x400 meter relay. For more on the games and the closing ceremony (INAUDIBLE) CNN's "WORLD SPORT's" Kate Riley joins me again.
KATE RILEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We've had a great fortnight, haven't we?
ALLEN: Yes, we have. And I love that story about Brazil taking on -- beating Germany. It was really flit (ph) last time.
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RILEY: Yes, it really was. And there was a lot at stake not just the gold medal. Of course this is a rematch of that humiliating --
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RILEY: -- yes. You can say that humiliating semifinal that we saw two years ago at the World Cup in Brazil, the host nation going up against Germany, it ended 7-1. So plenty on the line here and of course the poster boy of the games, there we go, you can see him there, Neymar, being the hero in the penalty shootout.
Of course the match ended 1-1 after extra time. It had to go to penalties. It ended up being 5-4 in the end. So incredibly tense at the end there and of course gold for Brazil.
ALLEN: And what about the closing ceremonies?
RILEY: Yes, so a lot of the details under wraps, Natalie, right now so going back to the opening ceremony, we did expect Pele, again a footballing legend, to appear, he didn't. So there could be some -- there is speculation that he might appear at the closing ceremony.
Plenty of details under wraps, it starts at 7 o'clock Eastern. And that will be in the Olympic stadium. Yes, really exciting and it's just been a fantastic games.
ALLEN: Yes, really has and never had doubts for Rio. They've had some hiccups but they went on as they always do.
What about the last matches or that we will see the sport?
RILEY: Yes, so we're -- what's on tap on Sunday. We've got the U.S. men's basketball team going for gold up against Serbia, that's going to be a really tight one. Of course, the U.S. will be the favorites going into this. But the Serbians, a couple of them play in the NBA, so they'll know all about what the Americans are up to.
Could the U.S. go for gold?
We will see. It was gold for the U.S. women's basketball side on Saturday, so that was great and of course they're making history. That was their sixth triumph there, so, yes, just fantastic for them.
ALLEN: What about relays?
RILEY: Yes, so again, it really was all about Team USA. So (INAUDIBLE) so it was a great night for the men's having been disqualified in the 4x100 on Friday. Of course they came away with gold in the 4x400 on Saturday. So yes, well done to them but for the women, a special mention goes to Allyson Felix, she's claimed her sixth career gold.
Now the U.S. had stiff competition from the Jamaicans as well as Team GB, they ended up with bronze on the night.
But the American women are in lane six, they crossed the line in a time of 3:19:06. This gold is Team USA's sixth straight in the event. Now the question is, natal, will we see Felix at Tokyo 2020?
ALLEN: She looks the exact same as she did four years ago.
RILEY: Doesn't she just?
Yes, she's amazing.
ALLEN: (INAUDIBLE) hang in there.
All right. Thanks so much.
RILEY: Thank you.
ALLEN: The other story we've been following, unfortunately, about Ryan Lochte, he says now that he over-exaggerated his story about an altercation at that Rio gas station.
Brazilian authorities say Lochte vandalized the station and made up a story about being robbed. Lochte spoke about it in his first TV interview since he apologized on social media. He talked with NBC's Matt Lauer.
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MATT LAUER, NBC HOST: You told me on the phone, Ryan, you said. "We are victims here. We are victims. And we're happy that we're safe." In the police press conference they said, "Not victims, they're vandals."
How do you feel about that?
RYAN LOCHTE, U.S. OLYMPIC SWIMMER: It's how you want to make it look like, whether you call it a robbery, whether you call it extortion or us paying just for the damages, like we don't know. All we know is that, there was a gun pointed in our direction and we were demanded to give money. LAUER: And that's really interesting point. I want to take a little time on this. If I were to ask you the same question again right now and say, "Were you robbed on Sunday morning in Rio," how would you answer?
LOCHTE: I can't answer that because I don't know if -- because I was intoxicated, so I don't know. All I know is there was a gun pointed at us and we had -- we were demanded to give money. Whether it was to pay for the damages of the poster, whether it was extortion or whether it was a robbery, like I can't -- I'm not -- equipped to like...
LAUER: Except I want to point out that Gunnar, in his statement, the police said, at some point, someone who spoke English walked over and offered to help translate this altercation.
And he made it clear that the security guard was telling the four of you, you need to pay for that stuff, that damage before you can leave here or I'm going to call the police.
You understood that at that time, didn't you?
LOCHTE: Yes. Yes. So then, we had to give the money.
LAUER: Right. So -- but at that point it's not a robbery. At that point, you're striking a deal. You're striking a deal to pay for what damage you've cause so that he doesn't call the police and this doesn't become a bigger incident.
Isn't that fair?
LOCHTE: We just wanted to get of there. There are held -- I mean, there was a gun pointed in our direction. We are all frightened. And we wanted to get out of there as quick as possible. And the only way we knew is, this guy saying you have to give him money. So we gave him money and we got out.
LAUER: That doesn't sound like a robbery. A robbery is when some guy targets you, whether he's armed or not, to take your money and you belongings and valuables. This guy was negotiating a deal because of what happened in the walk way and you guys were on the other end of the negotiation.
LOCHTE: And that's why it could be -- people can see it in many different directions. All we know is that there was a gun pointed to us and we were demanded to give him money. End of story.
LAUER: I guess, what I'm trying to get at is, the first version of the story you told, Ryan, was much more --
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LAUER: -- about the mean streets of Rio. The version we're hearing now is much more about a negotiated settlement to cover up some dumb behavior.
LOCHTE: And that's why I'm taking full responsibility for it. Because I over exaggerated that story. And if I had never done that. We wouldn't be in this mess. Those guys would never be in Rio. Or were in Rio. Nothing of the -- none of this would have happened. It was my immature behavior.
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ALLEN: Ryan Lochte there. Both the IOC and USA Swimming will review what happened for possible disciplinary action. For all the latest updates on all things Olympics, head over to cnn.com/Olympics after this newscast.
In Kunduz province, Afghanistan, a government official says security forces have retaken a strategic district from the Taliban. Earlier on Saturday, the militant group briefly took over the district, which is near the key city of Kunduz. The Taliban temporarily seized that city last year in what was a major victory.
We have an unfortunate update to that story that has drawn enormous attention around the world. The brother of Omran Daqneesh, the 5- year-old Syrian boy pulled from the rubble of an airstrike in Aleppo, has died.
Jomana Karadsheh has more on the family's heartbreaking story.
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JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: According to a local official from Aleppo, Ali Daqneesh, the 10-year-old brother of Omran, died at 9:00 am local time on Saturday in Aleppo. He says that Ali died of his wounds that were sustained as a result of that airstrike on Wednesday. For the past three days, he had been in critical condition, succumbing to his injuries today
Now the mother of the boys remains in critical condition. The family, according to this official, remains in Aleppo, where the humanitarian situation, the humanitarian disaster continues to unfold with the escalating violence.
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ALLEN: Syrians fleeing the war are faced with other dangers and tragedies. The bodies of two young girls and three adults who drowned in the Mediterranean have arrived in Sicily aboard a boat carrying hundreds of migrants. One of the girls was 8 months old, a baby; the other, 5, a boy who was 5 also drowned, his body not recovered.
We turn now to Yemen's civil war, tens of thousands of people came out on Saturday to support the Houthi-led council that retains control of the capital. That council vows to form a new government with the rebels allied to the former president have been fighting the internationally recognized government for control.
And the group Medecins sans Frontieres says it's withdrawing from six hospitals in Northern Yemen, the U.N. says attacks on civilians are on the rise.
The zero tolerance policy for drugs in the Philippines, that's coming up here.
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IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The authorities call these operations "knock and plead." They go door to door, inviting suspected drug users and dealers to voluntarily surrender themselves to the authorities. So far, we haven't seen anybody turn down the invitation.
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ALLEN: That's Ivan Watson, his report coming next.
Plus, devastating floods in Central India. We'll have what's in the forecast for this already excessively rainy season.
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ALLEN: The controversial new president of the Philippines is following through on a campaign promise, waging a hardline war on drugs. Rodrigo Duterte and his supporters say their tactics are making a difference.
But critics say that difference is resulting in overcrowded prisons and extrajudicial killings. We have a report from our Ivan Watson. But first, a warning: this report contains graphic images.
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WATSON: This is part of the new war on drugs in the Philippines. Police send a local government official going house to house, calling out residents by name.
The authorities call these operations "knock and plead." They go door to door, inviting suspected drug users and dealers to voluntarily surrender themselves to the authorities. And so far we haven't seen anybody turn down the invitation.
Police lead suspect back to town hall. Here, urine tests, fingerprints and mug shots looking awful lot like procedures for an arrest, until the new arrivals are instructed to take this oath.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I voluntarily surrendered to the police and government authorities that I am an illegal drug user.
WATSON: More than half a million Filipinos have turned themselves in this way in just seven weeks, says the country's brand new national police chief. With no evidence, arrest warrant or trial, many of them will just end up on a watch list.
GEN. RONALDO DELA ROSA, PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE CHIEF: We have zero tolerance for drugs. So as much as possible we want to be -- to have a drugless society.
WATSON: Is that realistic?
DELA ROSA: No, it cannot be achieved.
WATSON: The country's largest government-run drug rehabilitation center is crowded and overwhelmed says the head doctor. He says he's seen a sudden surge in new patients.
Thirty new patients today.
And are they telling you why they're coming?
BIEN LEABRES, MANILA REHABILITATION CENTER HEAD: Most of them are here because of fear.
WATSON: Fear?
LEABRES: Fear. What's going on outside, the government's actions, especially the PNP.
WATSON: And the police.
LEABRES: The police, the crackdown has made them fear that they might be either incarcerated or worst, even killed.
WATSON: Since the Philippines' president launched his war on drugs on July 1st, police say they've killed at least 659 people across the country.
Are the police being ordered to kill suspected drug dealers?
DELA ROSA: We have to kill them if they endanger our lives.
WATSON: Human rights groups are sounding the alarm about the growing body counts and what that means for the rule of law, while some local government officials are worried about other new logistical problems.
ANTONIO HALILI, TANAUAN CITY MAYOR: I never thought that this would happen. I never thought that this would be overpopulated.
WATSON: Cells in the brand new Tanauan City jail built to hold 30 prisoners, now holding more than 50, many of whom were recently arrested on drug charges.
Is there room in prisons, in the jails, in the court system for these thousands of new suspects?
DELA ROSA: They have to do like that inside the prison cells. Yes, they're stuck inside.
WATSON: In his rush to combat drugs, this country's top cop seems to have little time for the idea that a suspect is presumed innocent until proven guilty -- Ivan Watson, CNN, Manila.
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ALLEN: Another story we're following is heavy rainfall in Central Northern India that could cause more flooding along the Ganges River. And Derek Van Dam's following this one for us.
DEREK VAN DAM, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Natalie, it's really crippling life across North Central India as we speak. Some of the pictures and video coming out of this area just astounding.
Take a look at this. You'll be able to see exactly what residents are having to deal with there --
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VAN DAM: -- this is in the Madhya Pradesh state, which is next to the Utta Pradesh (ph) region, that's North Central India. Really just crippling life, inundating low-lying areas. State authorities were forced to throw open gates of several dams to help drain out some of that excessive water.
Roads, houses just like the ones you're seeing on TV now, severely damaged due to the heavy rains in many parts of this district, swollen stream inundated several low-lying areas, affecting even some of the cars moving through the area.
And unfortunately, Reuters is reporting 15 fatalities, Natalie, that's coming from an authority from this particular state. So here is an image that we came across from the Ganges River, and you can see the flooding making its way through the region, really impacting people's lives like this particular gentleman, just trying to cover up from the excessive heavy monsoonal rain.
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ALLEN: A former U.S. Navy SEAL is agreeing to forfeit nearly $7 million to the U.S. government, most of it book proceeds and speaking fees. Matthew Bissonnette was a member of U.S. Navy SEAL Team 6 and says he killed Osama bin Laden in the raid in Pakistan in 2011. Bissonnette wrote "No Easy Day" under the pen name, Mark Owen. The U.S. government sued him you'll recall, claiming he failed to properly submit the book in advance to the Pentagon for review.
Seems like he's giving back a lot of money.
When they're not competing, even Olympic athletes are just regular people. Here a few Rio champions reflect on what it was like the day they won gold right after this.
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(MUSIC PLAYING) ALLEN: For Olympic athletes and most athletes, a routine can be everything. Some of Rio's champs now share their breakfast of choice, good luck charms and winning mindset.
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LAURA TROTT, CYCLING OLYMPIAN: On the morning of my gold medal racing, I have some porridge to start with and then I have eggs and avocados to finish.
GILES SCOTT, SAILING OLYMPIAN: I had marmalade (ph) and poached eggs.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Bread and Nutella. I love Nutella.
KRISTIN ARMSTRONG, CYCLING OLYMPIAN: Oatmeal with bananas, apples and a little bit of honey.
SHAUNAE MILLER, TRACK OLYMPIAN: You know, I think I missed breakfast that morning.
CHRISTIAN TAYLOR, TRACK & FIELD OLYMPIAN: Because of all the nerves and excitement, I only managed to have one boiled egg.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I do nuts and yogurt.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I just drink a smoothie.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I couldn't eat breakfast.
MAJLINDA KELMENDI, OLYMPIAN: Before the fight --
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KELMENDI: -- I usually sit down on the mat. I just want to imagine that they're just me and my opponents.
TAYLOR: My good luck superstition, my sister actually gave me her shoelace many, many years ago.
SANYA RICHARDS-ROSS, TRACK and FIELD OLYMPIAN: My mom gave me a bullet necklace when I was in the 7th grade, told me I was faster than a speeding bullet.
MILLER: I'm just the type that, you know, I leave it all in God's hands.
WAYDE VAN NIEKERT, TRACK & FIELD OLYMPIAN: I don't think it's a superstition but I always travel with my Bible on me.
DANIELE GAROZZO, FENCING OLYMPIAN: I have so many that we have to take one hour just talking about this.
KATINKA HOSSZU, SWIMMING OLYMPIAN: My nails are always mad black (ph) for the competition. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I thought my bracelet was lucky and I wasn't allowed to wear it because of aerodynamics. So I hung it around my necklace and I race with it underneath my skin suit.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I may or may not wear the same sports bra as I did in my last success.
SEGUN TORIOLA, TABLE TENNIS OLYMPIAN: I believe that on my (INAUDIBLE) I don't need anything.
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TORIOLA: And it's something (INAUDIBLE).
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My advice to other Olympic athletes would be just to go out there and enjoy yourself.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Train hard and play hard.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just be yourself and try your hardest. That's all you can do.
TAYLOR: Stay away from eating too much McDonald's.
MILLER: Keep your head in the game. You know, anything can happen.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Think of it like any other race and you'll do well.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Go to the start line with as much confidence as you had two weeks ago in training.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Never give up and, no matter what, you have to believe in yourself.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You have to believe in -- on yourself.
KELMENDI: Everything with I started in Kosovo, I became world champion. So just to believe in yourself.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just believe in yourself and never, ever give up in your dreams. I mean, if I can do it, anyone else can.
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KELMENDI: Was that OK?
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ALLEN: Very nice.
And some of Rio's poorest children are definitely learning now to believe in themselves.
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ALLEN (voice-over): There's some 200 children in this favela are learning to play badminton using samba techniques.
How about that combo?
The goal is to master the game by having fun and moving, the way they could only do in Brazil. The Brazilian Olympic badminton player says he likes what he sees.
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YGOR COELHO DE OLIVIERA, BRAZILIAN OLYMPIC BADMINTON PLAYER (through translator): I feel honored because if I worked hard and managed to get out of here, learn English, live abroad, train hard to where I get to where I played in the Olympic Games, then why can't they be in the Olympics and have the opportunity to compete?
And it's not just about creating badminton champions but creating Olympic champions of life.
ALLEN (voice-over): Several of Brazil's Olympic athletes came from this same area in Western Rio.
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ALLEN: Closing ceremonies Sunday.
Thanks for watching CNN NEWSROOM, our top stories are next.
