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Dozens Killed in Turkey Wedding Explosion; Forces Retake Kunduz from Taliban; Lochte Fabricated Rio Robbery Story; Race for the White House; California Fire Destroys Landmark Summit Inn; Philippine President Threatens to Leave U.N.; The Art of Making Olympic Medals; Olympic Champions Reflect. Aired 5-6a ET

Aired August 21, 2016 - 05:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


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GEORGE HOWELL, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Chaos and tragedy at a wedding in Southern Turkey. Dozens of people are killed after a blast rips through a celebration. The government pointing the finger toward ISIS.

Ryan Lochte breaking his silence. What he's now saying about the gas station incident in Rio de Janeiro.

Plus this: the host nation gets to boast. Brazil takes its first Olympic gold in football, soccer, after taking down Germany.

Live from CNN World Headquarters in Atlanta, welcome to our viewers here in the United States and around the world. I'm George Howell. CNN NEWSROOM starts right now.

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HOWELL: 5:01 on the U.S. East Coast.

Terror strikes a wedding celebration in Southern Turkey. The death toll has now risen to 50 people dead, dozens of others wounded. This explosion happened Saturday night in Gaziantep, that is a city near the Syrian border. Turkey's president says ISIS is likely behind that attack though no one has claimed official responsibility yet.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Our friends and neighbors were there. We were sad and in pain. The attack was carried out like an atrocity. We want to end these massacres. We are in pain, especially the women and children.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: Let's get the very latest now from journalist Andrew Finkel, on the phone and joining us live from Istanbul, Turkey.

Andrew, thank you for being with us. So the president of Turkey is pointing to ISIS.

What indication are authorities getting for the president believing that ISIS is behind this?

ANDREW FINKEL, JOURNALIST: Well, they were very prompt in identifying ISIS as the source of this attack. Of course, it was an attack against a Kurdish family, a Kurdish neighborhood of the city of Gaziantep.

And of course, ISIS is the most likely suspect in that. Apparently the authorities have found a suicide vest and have probably identified the attacker.

ISIS' motive for wanting to carry out this incredible atrocity is in the sense that they have or feel themselves to be on the receiving end of a successful Kurdish attempt on the Syrian side of the border, to work away, to prevent them from consolidating their gains.

ISIS is being driven away from the Syrian side of the border. And this may well be a revenge attack for that, as well as an attempt to stoke sectarian violence within Turkey itself -- George.

HOWELL: Well, let's talk more about that, stoking sectarian violence. Given the backdrop of Turkey as we know it today, this is a nation that has seen a failed coup attempt, a nation that has seen several terror attacks.

So when it comes to attacks like this, very personal attacks, quite frankly, at a wedding celebration in the streets, how does that affect and impact that nation?

FINKEL: Well, of course, as you say, this is a very tense time in Turkey. In any case, there was a failed coup attempt not just a month ago. And that, as a result of that, Turkey is now under a state of emergency.

And the government has been very anxious to show that support is unified, that there's all-party support against the coup and in favor of Turkey returning to some sort of normalcy.

But it has been excluding the Kurdish nationalist party from these unity -- these shows of unity and, of course, apparently, one of the members of that party was the family of which this attack took place.

So clearly this was a clever attempt by ISIS to drive a wedge between the Kurds in Turkey and the rest of the country -- George.

HOWELL: Journalist Andrew Finkel, on the line with us, live in Istanbul, Turkey. Again the death toll now at 50 and many, many more wounded.

Andrew, thank you. We'll stay in touch with you to continue following this story.

This story just in to CNN. Officials say at least 10 people are dead after two suicide car bombs hit a government building in Central Somalia in the town of Galkayo. Gunmen stormed the building after the explosions, exchanging fire with security forces.

Police say the attack targeted administrative offices but it's not clear at this point who is responsible.

In Kunduz province, Afghanistan --

[05:05:00]

HOWELL: -- a government official says security forces have retaken a strategic district back 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 for that group.

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HOWELL: Fair to say that Brazil is finding its best reason yet to celebrate the Olympic spirit. Look at this.

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HOWELL (voice-over): You know why?

Fans there are celebrating a gold medal in their own national sport, Brazil's football or soccer team beat Germany for the men's title, the same team that embarrassed them in the World Cup two years ago.

Despite five world championships, this is Brazil's first-ever Olympic gold in football. For more on the games and a look ahead at the final day of competition, Amanda Davies joins us live in Rio.

Amanda, good day to you. So I mean we have to talk about this. The host nation, beating Germany, in their own country.

AMANDA DAVIES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: George, the celebrations are still being going on here in Rio. It's just gone 6:00 am here. And there's a lot of people who still haven't been to bed. They've been trying to play down talk of revenge, officially, anyway.

Of course, after that humiliating, dreadful defeat in the semifinal at the World Cup two years ago. But there was no doubt that the feeling at the Maracana last night absolutely packed to the rafters, that it was revenge and more than that.

Because of three Olympic final defeats before this point, this is the one, of all the investment, of everything that Brazil has been through, in the last few years, to get to this point of hosting the games, this was the gold medal they really, really wanted to win.

And it was such a tense, tight affair. The atmosphere was incredible. Usain Bolt decided it was a big enough occasion that he was going to turn up and watch from the stands. He was certainly enjoying it.

And Neymar, when he scored Brazil's opening goal, celebrated with the Lightning Bolt. But then when it went to penalties, oh, my goodness, were the questions being asked. He didn't envy the German players stepping up.

You have to say, there was maybe a handful of German fans inside that stadium. There weren't many people supporting Germany at all. Nils Petersen, you had to feel for him. He had his penalty saved and the script was written, really, wasn't it, for 24-year-old Neymar, Brazil's captain who'd been forced to miss that semifinal so dramatically through injury in the World Cup.

He was able to step up to convert the winning penalty, as he put it. He has fulfilled his dream but not just his dream, George, that of a whole host of people here in Rio and across Brazil, particularly in this games that there'd been such controversy about them hosting a really, really special evening.

One that I will certainly remember for a long time to come. There was also a lot of dramatic action at the Olympic stadium. The athletics venue, as well. Mo Farah cementing his place as perhaps the greatest distance runner of all time, becoming just the second person to successfully defend both the 5,000 meters and 10,000 meters crown.

He did admit that it hurt in the 5,000 meters last night, just a few days after that 10,000-meter gold medal winning run. They went fast, the Ethiopians in an attempt to break him but Farah held firm to win his fourth Olympic gold medal.

Also a very successful night for Team USA. They are leading the way in the medals table after victory in both the men's and women's 4x400 relay. And the women's basketball yesterday -- George.

HOWELL: You know, I know it's incredibly exciting. It's got to be for you on that side to be in Rio for this but I can tell you on this side, just to watch the games and all these amazing stories by these athletes, so inspiring and a pleasure to watch.

So, Amanda, looking forward at the last day of competition, what events should we look forward to?

DAVIES: George, it's making me sad. I think actually, Rio is sad as well this morning. It is really wet and really windy and maybe realizing that it's all about to come to an end.

Day 16 there are a few events still to look forward to. The men's marathon is traditionally one of the last events at the games. Brazil are hoping for another gold. It's been their most successful Olympics ever with that victory last night. But the men's volleyball team will be looking to win their first gold for Brazil since Athens --

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DAVIES: -- in 2004 up against Italy. A repeat of the beach volleyball final actually which Brazil did emerge victorious from. The basketball final, as well, the men's basketball final.

Team USA, who haven't been as convincing as maybe you would have expected but looking to extend that incredible unbeaten run. But Serbia will give them a tough task. You think it was a very tight match when they squared off in the opening rounds.

And then, of course, the climax is that closing ceremony later this evening. So much secret and secret always surrounds the closing ceremony. They want to keep the surprise going, don't they. We know though it's going to be a celebration of the best of Brazil. That's the phrase that's been used.

We're going to see a lot of samba through the generations. Passing through the generations, we understand. We know that Simone Biles, the superstar for Team USA, has been given the honor of carrying the flag for her.

And then there will be that traditional eight minutes of Tokyo 2020. Their chance to tell us what we have to look forward to, because the countdown for the next Olympics is already on -- George.

HOWELL: Already on. But so sad to see these Rio games coming to a conclusion. But, Amanda Davies, I'm sure it has been incredible out there. Thank you so much for the reporting. We will stay in touch with you.

As these games draw to a close, the U.S. is outpacing the field the American team with a whopping 116 medals and 48 golds. Great Britain and China separated by just one gold, as both vie for second place, a second place finish. And Russia took over fourth place on Saturday, narrowly passing Germany.

Now on to the U.S. Olympic swimmer, Ryan Lochte, admitting that he, quote, "overexaggerated" his story about an altercation at a Rio gas station. Brazilian authorities say Lochte vandalized that gas station and made up the story about being robbed at gunpoint.

He spoke about the scandal in his first television interview since he apologized on social media. The Olympian told NBC's Matt Lauer the whole ordeal was his fault.

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MATT LAUER, NBC HOST: I guess, what I'm trying to get at is, the first version of the story you told, Ryan, was much more about the mean streets of Rio.

RYAN LOCHTE, U.S. OLYMPIC SWIMMER: Yes.

LAUER: And 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, is because I over-exaggerated that story and if I never done that we wouldn't be in this mess. Those guys would never be in Rio or we're in Rio, none of this would happened and it was my immature behavior.

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HOWELL: Ryan Lochte there. Both the International Olympic Committee and USA Swimming will review the incident for possible disciplinary actions.

You're watching CNN NEWSROOM. Still ahead we'll, of course, continue to bring you all the updates on our website, cnn.com.

And still ahead: reduced to ashes. Fire destroys a legendary California diner. We'll have details ahead here on NEWSROOM.

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HOWELL: Welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM, I'm George Howell.

A former guitarist for the rock band, 3 Doors Down died on Saturday. He was found dead in a hotel in West Bend, Wisconsin. That's where Matt Roberts, who was 38 years old, was set to perform at a charity event for veterans. 3 Doors Down rose to fame in the early 2000s, scoring several Billboard hits through the decades.

Roberts' father said that he struggled with anxiety and an addiction to prescription medication but the cause of death is still uncertain at this moment.

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HOWELL: America's choice 2016, Donald Trump and the Republican National Committee met with the National Hispanic Advisory Council on Saturday. The Republican presidential candidate is struggling to win over minority voters, especially Hispanic voters.

Donald Trump has alienated many about his comments over Mexican people and undocumented immigrants. He's also pushing harder for African American voters, saying the Republican Party, quote, "must do better in its outreach" to the community. Listen.

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DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Finally today I would like to address an issue of great and very deep personal importance to me. In recent days, across this country, I've asked the African-American community to honor me with their vote.

I fully recognize the outreach to the African-American community is in an area where the Republican Party must do better and it will do better. The GOP is the party of Abraham Lincoln and I want our party to be the home of the African-American voter once again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: Just the other day, Trump saying to African American voters, "What the hell do you have to lose?" To pick Trump. Trump also facing disappointing poll numbers with

those groups so he is trying to turn things around and has promoted two aides to senior positions. One of them is Trump's new campaign manager. CNN's Chris Frates has more on the woman responsible for saving the Trump campaign.

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CHRIS FRATES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A more disciplined Donald Trump on the campaign trail.

TRUMP: Sometimes in the heat of debate and speaking on a multitude of issues, you don't choose the right words or you say the wrong thing. I have done that. And believe it or not I regret it?

FRATES: Why the change?

The tone bears all the hallmarks of his new campaign manager Kellyanne Conway, a longtime Washington pollsters helped shape campaigns for GOP heavyweights including former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, 1996 vice presidential candidate Jack Kemp, Texas Senator Ted Cruz and Indiana Governor and now current vice presidential candidate Mike Pence.

And she's challenged the idea of a Hillary Clinton presidency for more than a decade.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The high watermark for Hillary Clinton was in 1998 at 28 percent. That was the year that her husband used her like a doormat. He cheated on her. He humiliated her which suggests to me --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But he never --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I admire and I actually feel sorry for her.

FRATES: In 2005, even Conway might not have backed a Trump candidacy.

TRUMP: It's time for a change. We need a change.

FRATES: Saying in the interview that, quote, "Although Americans love to pretend they have this great love affair with change and choice and options and revolution, they order the same thing at McDonald's every single night. They really don't like change, they like consistency, they adhere to certainty."

Now our mission is to help Trump -- they're winning message.

KELLYANNE CONWAY, DONALD TRUMP CAMPAIGN MANAGER: We're going to make sure Donald Trump is comfortable about being in his own skin, that he doesn't lose that authenticity that you simply can't buy and a pollster can't give you.

FRATES: For Trump, that also means winning over women voters. A group Conway has spent her career reaching. CONWAY: We're going to fight for everybody's vote and we recognize that --

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CONWAY: -- all issues are women's issues and we're going to earn their votes.

FRATES: The first woman to serve as a campaign manager for a Republican presidential candidate, Conway is viewed as the yin to street fighter and campaign CEO Steve Bannon's yang and now has Trump's ear.

CONWAY: But the advice I would give him is to be authentic because that's what Americans appreciate and he's seen with Hillary Clinton what happens when you're inauthentic when you're trying too hard to be something you're not.

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HOWELL: That was our Chris Frates reporting. And as Chris mentioned,, Steve Bannon, Trump's new campaign CEO, he's been described as a media provocateur. And an analyst says that he will beef up Trump's attacks on Hillary Clinton even more and that nothing will be off limits.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump is falling behind Hillary Clinton in the search for money to run his campaign.

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HOWELL (voice-over): This weekend, Hillary Clinton is in Massachusetts, attending private fund-raisers. Her campaign reported Saturday she has about $58 million of cash on hand to Donald Trump's $38 million of cash.

In addition, a top political action committee -- or super PAC as we call them here in the States -- backing Clinton, says that it has nearly $40 million to spend. Together the Clinton and Trump campaigns have spent a total of $300 million so far with just 2.5 months to go until Election Day.

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HOWELL: Switching now to the situation in Southern Louisiana, they've seen an incredibly shocking week of flooding. And the struggle to recover is just beginning in that part of the world. Let's bring in our meteorologist, Derek Van Dam, to talk about it.

Derek, we've seen these images there and it's heartbreaking.

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HOWELL: Let's talk just a bit more about this Blue Cut fire. It has now destroyed a California landmark, a famous diner that once played host to stars like Elvis Presley and John Wayne. CNN's Paul Vercammen explains.

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CECIL STEVENS, FORMER OWNER OF SUMMIT INN: The wine rack and a lot of other stuff, gumball machine over there.

PAUL VERCAMMEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Cecil Stevens, the long-time owner of the Summit Inn before he sold it a month ago, can't believe the Blue Cut fire torched his life's work.

STEVENS: It makes me sick to my stomach, because I know every button that was there, I know every light switch, every pipe.

[05:25:00]

STEVENS: After 50 years, you would have to repair half that stuff.

VERCAMMEN: That's right, a half-century of an old hangout on Route 66. Stevens bought the Summit Inn Friday the 13th in 1966, shut down the motel and focused on food and the history of the famed route from Chicago to the Pacific Ocean.

Cecil and his wife became the mom-and-pop stop for Route 66 worshippers, even locals obsessed with both.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There been many times I would sit at the bar right there having coffee when it was snowing and said, I'm not going to work.

VERCAMMEN: Smoldering tales in these ashes that celebrities rolled through here, too, including Elvis Presley. The King reportedly saw Cecil's jukebox didn't offer a single one of his records.

STEVENS: He said, "Maybe next time I come in here you'll have one of my records on."

And you can believe when I came back, I went out and got a record right away and it was on the jukebox.

VERCAMMEN: Music serenaded generations of people who pulled off the road to eat to the Ostrich Burger to banana splits, to the popular Hillbilly Burger.

What is a Hillbilly Burger?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That was sourdough bread, with a hamburger and lettuce, tomato, onion. It was really good. It was delicious.

STEVENS: It was a meal in itself.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was huge.

VERCAMMEN: The kitchen is now a pile of charred heartbreak, but perhaps a good omen that some inside still stands. Owners say they will rebuild and recapture every charming inch of the Cecil Stevens' American treasure -- Paul Vercammen, CNN, Hesperia, California. (END VIDEOTAPE)

HOWELL: So long to the Summit Inn, so unfortunate.

The president of the Philippines is angry. Why he's talking about leaving the U.N. after they said that his war on drugs has gone too far.

Plus: the art of making Olympic medals, a behind-the-scenes look at this hard-earned treasure.

We're live from Atlanta, broadcasting across the United States and around the world this hour. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM.

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HOWELL: Welcome back to our viewers here in the United States and around the world. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM. It is good to have you with us. I'm George Howell, with the headlines we're following for you this hour.

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HOWELL: We have a sad update to share with you. A story that has drawn enormous attention around the world.

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HOWELL (voice-over): Many people have seen this image, the image of Omran Daqneesh, this 5-year-old Syrian boy, pulled out of the rubble in an airstrike in Aleppo. We now know that his older brother has died. Our Jomana Karadsheh has more now 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.

And for the past three days he's been in critical condition before succumbing to his injuries. Now the mother of the boys remains in critical condition. The family, according to this official, remained in Aleppo where that humanitarian situation, that humanitarian disaster, continues to unfold with the escalating violence we've been seeing.

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HOWELL: Activists say that an airstrike Saturday in the Aleppo countryside has killed four other children.

Now to Yemen's civil war. Tens of thousands of people there came out on Saturday to support the Houthi-led council that retains control of the capital city in that country, the council vowing to form a new government.

Houthi rebels allied to the former president have been fighting the internationally recognized government for control and the group Medecins sans Frontieres -- or Doctors without Borders -- says it is withdrawing from six hospitals in Northern Yemen. The U.N. says attacks on civilians there are on the rise.

In the Philippines, the nation's president, Rodrigo Duterte, is threatening to pull out of the United Nations, angry because the U.N. human rights experts there say that his crackdown on drugs in that country has gone too far. CNN's Ivan Watson shows us how the death toll is rising in Mr. Duterte's war on drugs.

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IVAN WATSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This is one way teach your kids to stay away from a life of crime: with a visit to the overcrowded, sweltering city jail.

This is definitely a field trip that these kids are likely to remember. Their teach says they're brought every year to the city jail to get a very strong example of what can happen if they run afoul of the law.

This hunger for law and order in Philippine society helped propel Rodrigo Duterte to power in recent presidential elections.

The Harley-riding former city mayor promised to crack down on illegal drugs, which he says are destroying the country.

Since he took office on July 1st, he's ordered police to shoot to kill if suspects resist arrest.

RODRIGO DUTERTE, PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES: The system is violent, thereby placing your life in jeopardy. Shoot and shoot him dead.

WATSON: The official statistics of Duterte's seven-week war on drugs are staggering, amid --

[05:35:00]

WATSON: -- thousands of police raids, arrests and voluntary surrenders, police say they've killed at least 659 suspects, allegedly all in self-defense and there's been a spike of 899 further unexplained murders.

This was the crime scene before dawn on Thursday, after police say they killed a suspected drug dealer who tried to resist arrest.

Have you ever seen a body count like this in such a short period of time? LELA DE LIMA, PHILIPPINE SENATOR: No, this is the first time. It's phenomenal. It's unprecedented. And that's why it deserves inquiry.

WATSON: Senator Lela De Lima is leading a Senate inquiry into the police and alleged extrajudicial killings. President Duterte doesn't like it. He slammed De Lima, calling her an immoral woman and issuing this warning to lawmakers.

DUTERTE: Be careful with me, because when I say I will do it for my country, I will do it even if I have to kill you, or be killed in the process.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Duterte, are you happy with what you're doing to the lives of these people?

WATSON: Relatives of recent victims accused the president of giving the police a license to kill.

Family members say the man in this coffin, a meth user, was shot dead in recent days but they don't want him nor the family identified for fear of becoming the target of further retribution.

A police report says cops killed this man, a suspected drug dealer, after he opened fire on the police. But his sister claims her brother was a drug user who used to buy meth amphetamines from corrupt police.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My god, Duterte, stop doing this, you have finished the lives of these people in Philippines. Stop.

WATSON (voice-over): Ivan Watson, CNN, Manila.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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HOWELL: That was our Ivan Watson reporting earlier.

Each election cycle, U.S. presidential candidates are given government intelligence briefings. It's a practice that goes back decades.

Donald Trump was the first candidate of this cycle to be briefed.

So what kind of intelligence, exactly, is shared with these candidates?

CNN Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr tells us.

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BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's the Trump Tower version of a potential White House cabinet meeting. The key optic, Donald Trump in the same position as a president, surrounded by national security heavyweights, including former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and next to Trump, retired Lieutenant General Michael Flynn, a key adviser.

One attendee, Congressman Peter King, answering the criticism that Trump has no foreign policy experience.

REP. PETER KING (R), NEW YORK: He has as much as Barack Obama had in 2008.

STARR: Soon after, another chance to appear presidential. Trump headed to the FBI's New York office for his long-planned classified intelligence briefing from the Obama administration.

Flynn, a decades-long intelligence officer now adamantly anti-Obama, was also there.

Even before hearing the classified information, Trump was asked if he trusts U.S. intelligence.

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Not so much from the people that have been doing it for our country. I mean, look what's happened over the last ten years. Look what's happened over the years. It's been catastrophic.

STARR: The plan to brief presidential candidates isn't new, but this year, it is different says former CIA officer and briefer David Priess.

DAVID PRIESS, FORMER CIA OFFICER: On the one hand, you have a candidate who seems to say what he thinks without a filter and the FBI director has called out publicly for being careless with classified information. We've never had a situation like this before.

STARR: The briefings include classified information on threats like ISIS, but don't include covert action details, the so-called crown jewels of intelligence.

PRIESS: Donald Trump will present a challenge to a briefer, but a challenge that most briefers that I worked with back in the day that have relished. Here's a chance to get a message through to somebody who appears to take information differently than many other people.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOWELL: That was CNN's Barbara Starr reporting for us. There is no word yet on when Hillary Clinton will receive her first briefing.

Athletes in Brazil aren't the only ones celebrating that big win. A Rio artist is also celebrating his achievements at the summer Olympic Games. A man behind the gold coming up.

[05:40:00]

HOWELL: Plus a U.S. mother was shocked when police showed up to her son's birthday. Why it wasn't what she thought -- when we come back.

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(MUSIC PLAYING) HOWELL: Among the most treasured moments of the Olympic Games, the medal ceremonies. It's a time when athletes get a chance to celebrate their successes. And in Rio a local artist is getting a chance to admire his own work as the man behind those medals, as our Rosa Flores reports for us.

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NELSON NIETO CARNEIRO, SCULPTOR (from captions): My name is Nelson Nieto Carneiro and I sculpted the mold for the Olympic medals.

ROSA FLORES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The Rio Olympic medals were made in secret, inside the Brazilian Mint. Carneiro is one of 100 people who worked nonstop to make the more than 5,000 shiny beauties for the Rio Olympics since (INAUDIBLE).

CARNEIRO (from captions): I feel privileged because (INAUDIBLE) that will be shared with the world.

FLORES (voice-over): Sculpting the mold alone is a process that took two weeks. He says he used hand precision tools instead of a computer to have more control over the design.

Once the hand-sculpted mold was scanned into a computer, a computer- controlled cutting machine etched the metallic mold. Then factory workers struck the gold with 550 tons of force three times to create the coveted symbols of victory.

[05:45:00]

FLORES (voice-over): The gold medals go through an extra step, known as the bath of gold. You see, the gold medals are actually made of 494 grams of silver and six grams of gold.

The melted market value of the gold and silver inside the gold medal is worth $587. The last time an Olympic gold medal was made of pure gold was during the 1912 Summer Olympics in Sweden.

CARNEIRO (from captions): (INAUDIBLE) the medals with the athletes. Better still, I'll be getting three medals: the gold, the silver and the bronze.

FLORES (voice-over): But for the athletes, just like for the makers of the medals like Carneiro, it's not about what the medals are worth in gold; it's about the achieved dreams they represent -- Rosa Flores, CNN, Rio de Janeiro.

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HOWELL: A look behind the process and what, what great art.

Rosa, thank you for that report.

For Olympic athletes, routine as you would imagine, can be everything. Some of Rio's champions share their breakfast choices, their good luck charms and even winning mindsets.

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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, 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.

(LAUGHTER)

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?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOWELL: The competition in Central Spain called for some Olympic driving skills this weekend. Farmers in this town of about 3,000 people took part in a unique game; they drove tractors over a certain area here.

A Cuban farmer won the challenge -- you see it there. The Cuban farmer won that challenge. Another, though, explained why they came up with this game altogether.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): We use tractors and combine harvesters in an effort to vindicate local agriculture and rural population (INAUDIBLE). Our region is one of the most deserted areas in the world and we want to vindicate the role of those who stayed in the town to live and work.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: The farmers did get some help, though. Two players using a regular sized board made to move -- map out the moves -- directed them to certain spots.

Police in the U.S. responded to an urgent call at a boy's birthday party. Coming up, why one mother is grateful they showed up when they did.

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[05:50:00]

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HOWELL: Welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM. I'm George Howell.

In the United States, police in Yukon, Oklahoma, responded to an unusual call. There was a problem at a child's birthday. And his mother needed help. Our Martin Savidge explains how officers came to the rescue.

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MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It began with an anonymous phone call to the police in Yukon, Oklahoma, saying something was wrong inside this home.

CAPT. MATT HOFER, YUKON, OKLAHOMA, POLICE DEPARTMENT: So I drive by, sort of canvassing the area.

SAVIDGE: Things look OK, but just in case, Captain Matt Hofer approaches, alone.

A young woman answers.

HOFER: And she has that look of, oh, my Lord. The police are at my front door.

SAVIDGE: Terra Hubbard is already having a really bad day. Plans for her son's birthday party are falling apart, as parent after parent calls to say their child isn't coming.

TERRA HUBBARD, MOTHER OF BRAYDEN: I mean I'd get, oh, I can't oh, this has come up, oh, this and this and this and this.

SAVIDGE: Tara believes it is because they feel uncomfortable around her 3-year-old son, Brayden, who has autism. And now the police are at Terra's door.

But Officer Hofer's words change everything.

HOFER: I heard there was a birthday party for Brayden today. And she says -- she starts to smile.

[05:55:00]

HOFER: She says, yes. And I asked her if we could participate.

HUBBARD: And I was just speechless. Speechless. Nothing would come out.

SAVIDGE: Yukon's finest had come to get this party started. And more kept arriving.

HOFER: We all went over there and we doubled the party.

SAVIDGE: They lined the street with their cars.

What were the neighbors thinking?

HOFER: They were driving by really slow and staring at us.

SAVIDGE (voice-over): Brayden's party went from zero to heroes.

HUBBARD: Just to see them interact like that is truly, truly amazing.

SAVIDGE: And for mom, the timing couldn't have been better.

HUBBARD: Yeah. It's been a really tough time.

You know, you get backed into a wall, like what else do you do?

What else do you do?

And any autistic mother or special needs parent knows that feeling.

SAVIDGE: Yukon's finest saved the party and the day, while proving police officers cannot only answer the call, but occasionally also a prayer -- Martin Savidge, CNN, Yukon, Oklahoma.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOWELL: Yukon's finest saving the day. Martin, thank you.

That wraps this hour of CNN NEWSROOM. I'm George Howell at the CNN Center in Atlanta. For our viewers in the United States, "NEW DAY" is next. And for other viewers around the world, the "BEST OF QUEST" starts in a moment. We thank you for watching CNN, the world's news leader.

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