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Al Shabaab Attack in Somalia as Obama Visits Kenya; Bobbi Kristina Brown Dies at Age 22; Donald Trump Leading Republicans; Hillary Clinton Answers Email Question on Campaign Trail; Obama Delivers Message of Hope to Kenyans; Ku Klux Klan Mural Sparking Controversy; Caitlin Jenner's New TV Show Debuts; Bobbi Kristina Brown Dies at 22; "Ant Man" Tops Box Office. Aired 2-3a ET
Aired July 26, 2015 - 02:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[02:00:20] ERROL BARNETT, CNN ANCHOR: As U.S. President Barack Obama arrives in Ethiopia, the region receives a sobering reminder about the security problems it faces.
Plus, the daughter of singing stars Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown has died.
And despite the controversy surrounding him, U.S. presidential candidate, Donald Trump, shows no signs of falling in the polling.
Hey, there, everyone. A big welcome to our viewers here in the U.S. and those from all around the world. I'm Errol Barnett. I'm here for the next two hours. This is CNN NEWSROOM.
Now we begin this hour in Somalia. That's where al Shabaab carried out a deadly attack on the capitol city of Mogadishu on Sunday. Police say a suicide bomber killed at least 15 at an upscale hotel by ramming a vehicle with explosives into the front gate. The hotel is home to the diplomatic missions of several nations, including that of China.
The attack took place while U.S. President Barack Obama was visiting Somalia's western neighbor, Kenya. While there, he gave a spirited speech that included a pledge of support from the U.S. in Kenya's fight against extremists like al Shabaab. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We're going to stand shoulder to shoulder with you in this fight against terrorism for as long as it takes.
(APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: But as I mentioned yesterday, it is important to remember that violent extremists want us to turn against one another.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BARNETT: Now at this moment, Mr. Obama is in Ethiopia for the final stop of his tour of the African continent. He's just -- he's scheduled, in fact, in a few hours, to deliver a statement with the prime minister there. The two men are expected to talk about efforts to combat extremism.
CNN's Robyn Kriel tells us why Ethiopia is a key figure in the fight against al Shabaab.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(SINGING)
ROBYN KRIEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Al Shabaab militants wait to ambush an African Union convoy in southern Somalia. The attack went largely unnoticed until this gruesome terror video appeared online. The al Qaeda-linked group claims they've killed dozens of Ethiopian troops. Identity documents purport to show the dead.
The Ethiopian military is regarded as the most disciplined, effective and battle hardened among the 22,000 troops of the African Union's mission to Somalia. Their mandate is peace enforcement. Their contribution to fighting al Shabaab hasn't gone unnoticed.
U.S. President Barack Obama thanked Ethiopia for its leadership and cooperation last year.
OBAMA: Our counterterrorism cooperations and the partnerships we've formed with countries like Ethiopia will be critical to our overall efforts to defeat terrorism.
KRIEL: Those efforts have ramped up just this month with a new ground offensive by African forces and U.S. airstrikes.
MATT BRYDEN, SOMALIA SECURITY EXPERT: Obama traveling to Ethiopia, I think, is an indication of continued U.S. Engagement, possibly some increase and also signaling awareness that more needs to be done. That the last few years of combined regional and international efforts to contain al Shabaab haven't done enough, and it is time to step up both campaign against al Shabaab and to support the countries that are on the front lines.
KRIEL: The Ethiopians believe they can teach the Americans a thing or two about achieving that.
GETACHEW REDA, ADVISOR, ETHIOPIAN GOVERNMENT: The United States has to do some learning as to how on the ground and understanding on the ground would better inform whatever decisions they make.
KRIEL (on camera): He adds that the two countries have a long way in addressing what he calls their differences in approach. When pressed on that, it said that the African Union's war against al Shabaab in Somalia is the cheapest, most effective war against militant Islam in the world. But the countries fighting that war, including Ethiopia, need more support, in terms of financing training and equipment. As one Western diplomat told us, it's our treasure, but it's their blood.
(voice-over): A high price to play for the long-term goal of peace in Africa.
REDA: Peace in Somalia would also have dividends to the rest of the region.
KRIEL: And the rest of the world. Ethiopia wants to be more than a military enforcer. It wants to be the regional power broker too. And it wants the U.S. to listen, understand and support it.
Robyn Kriel, CNN, Ethiopia.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[02:05:14]BARNETT: Now I want to bring you a developing story we're watching. Four people are dead after a group of terrorists stormed the police station in northwestern India. Now police in Punjab State say at this moment they're still exchanging gunfire with the gunmen reportedly holed up in the station. This is recent video into us. There are no hostages we're told. One official describes this as a terror attack, although it's not clear which group the attackers belong to. We will keep our eye on this and keep you updated on any developments.
Two Saudi air strikes hit Yemen less than two hours into a five-day humanitarian ceasefire. Yemen's defense ministry says one of the strikes hit a medical center used as a shelter by Houthies. One person was killed and seven injured. No casualties were reported in the airstrike that hit Saada. Meanwhile, the death toll from a Saudi airstrike on Saturday has reached 80, according to Reuters. A Saudi- led coalition has been bombing Houthi rebel forces in Yemen since late March. At least 3,000 people have died in this conflict so far.
Let's get to you Turkey where unrest has been gripping the country as it struggles to deal with a spate of violent attacks that have killed dozens of people. Most recently, this car bombing killed two security officers responding to an emergency call. Meanwhile, Turkey has asked for an emergency NATO meeting to discuss the strong steps it's taking to fight terror. They include airstrikes on ISIS positions in Syria and bombing Kurdish militants in Iraq.
CNN's Arwa Damon has more on that.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Turkey is now fighting on two fronts. Bombing ISIS for the first time in Syria, making the nation a target for ISIS revenge, and going after the PKK, the Kurdistan Workers Party in northern Iraq, which Turkey has long labeled a terrorist organization. Which already proved it can and will retaliate, laying in ambush for Turkish security forces in the Kurdish heartland killing two. The shaky cease-fire with the PKK officially dead.
Turkey also launched a country-wide anti-terrorism operation, rounding up some 850 individuals the government says have ties to terrorism. Among them, around three dozen foreigners. Turkey is on the offensive. AHMET DAVUTOGLU, TURKISH PRIME MINISTER (through translation):
Whoever presents a threat to our borders, the order is very clear. We have authorized the Turkish armed forces with a directive from the prime ministry, no matter which terror group. Whoever approaches in a way that threatens our borders, the necessary precautions will be taken and punished.
DAMON: But the aggressive stance may also be a byproduct of Turkish politics. President Erdogan has yet to form a coalition government, been blamed for allowing the threat by ISIS to thrive, and flip- flopped on his position vis-a-vis the Kurds, now turning against them since they came into political power as a party in the country's most recent elections, all of which puts Turkey, a key NATO ally, in a contentious position at a precarious time.
Turkey has finally agreed to open its bases and airspace to coalition aircraft going after ISIS in Syria, something Washington has been pressuring it to do. And Turkey is calling on NATO to convene regarding terror threats to its security.
(on camera): Engagement, whether with the PKK or ISIS, will come at a cost. Airstrikes and crackdowns rarely eliminate threats, especially not in a region this volatile where tensions run deep and alliance are murky.
Arwa Damon, CNN, Istanbul.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BARNETT: Now to a surprising admission from Syria's president. Four years into a civil war, he says his forces are, in fact, stretched thin. In a televised speech, Bashar al-Assad conceded the government is struggling against ISIS and other Islamic militants. He announced an amnesty for draft dodgers and deserters to boost the military's numbers. The president said the army is conceding territory because there simply aren't enough people in the fight.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BASHAR AL-ASSAD, SYRIAN PRESIDENT (through translation): We must define the important regions that the armed forces hold onto so it doesn't allow the chance of the rest of the area. Everything is available, but there is a shortfall in human capacity.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BARNETT: Now even with a shortage of manpower, al-Assad insists his Army is capable of defeating rebel armies. More than 200,000 people have been killed since the Syrian war began back in 2011.
One of the world's holiest places became the site of clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police on Sunday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(SHOUTING) (END VIDEO CLIP)
[02:10:17] BARNETT: The violence broke out at the al-Aqsa mosque, also known in Judaism as the Temple Mount. Police say young Palestinians barricaded themselves in the mosque and started throwing rocks as officers tried to remove them. Clashes spread down into the narrow alleyways of Jerusalem's old city. It all began when ultra nationalist Jews marking the day of mourning went to the al-Aqsa complex escorted by police.
Bobbi Kristina Brown, the daughter of late star Whitney Houston has died. On January 31st, you may remember, the only child of Houston and Bobby Brown was found unresponsive in the bathtub of her home. Doctors placed her in a medically induced coma. Her condition continued to deteriorate and she was moved to hospice care last month. In a statement, the family representative said, quote, "Bobbi Kristina Brown passed away July 26, 2015, surrounded by her family. She is finally at peace and in the arms of God."
Now Bobbi Kristina Brown was only 22. And as CNN's Alina Machado reports, her short life became caught in the light and dark sides of her parents' world.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(SINGING)
ALINA MACHADO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As the adorable daughter of pop icon, Whitney Houston, Bobbi Kristina Brown was thrust into the spotlight at a tender age.
(SINGING)
MACHADO: Born in Livingston, New Jersey, in 1993, she was the only child of Houston and R&B singer, Bobby Brown. At just 12 years old, her family's drama was turned into reality TV fodder on "Being Bobby Brown."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WHITNEY HOUSTON, SINGER: I'm watching you, young lady.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MACHADO: Then in 2012, tragedy. Whitney died suddenly. Her mother's shocking death sending Bobbi to Cedar Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
BOBBI KRISTINA BROWN, DAUGHTER OF WHITNEY HOUSTON & BOBBY BROWN: I'm going to make now. It's going to be good.
MACHADO: As Bobbi tried to recover from the loss, cameras went along for Life Time's "The Houstons, On Her Own."
Estranged from her father for nearly two and a half years after Whitney's death, she shared this photo of them reuniting in 2014. Her parents struggled with addiction, and Bobbi, too, faced allegations of drug use.
CISSY HOUSTON, MOTHER OF WHITNEY HOUSTON: I wanted to do the right thing. All I'm trying to do is guide her to the right place in her life.
MACHADO: But Bobbi tried to move forward, explaining on Oprah's "Next Chapter" how she was coping with her mother's death.
BROWN: I can hear her voice and it talking to me saying, "Keep moving, baby, I'm right here, I got you."
MACHADO: As Bobbi Kristina dealt with the loss of her mother, she sparked a romance with Nick Gordon. The relationship raised eyebrows. Days before she was found unresponsive in a bathtub at the home she shared with Gordon, she posted these photos on Instagram and tweeted, "Miss you, Mommy, so much, loving you more every second."
Now, more than three years after her mother's death, the 22-year-old's life also cut short by pain and tragedy.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BARNETT: And Bobbi Kristina Brown's family is asking for privacy at this difficult time. If you would like to know more about her life, go to CNN.com.
In Florida, Coast Guard crews are searching through the night for Perry Cohen and Austin Stephanose (ph). They went missing while on a fishing trip off the Florida coastline. On Sunday, Coast Guard teams found their boat capsized. They're combing a huge area surrounding that location.
Joe Namath, former NFL quarterback, is a neighbor of the teens and is helping in the search.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE NAMATH, FORMER NFL QUARTERBACK: You know, the love is there and we're all praying. And Nick actually wants the folks to know out there searching, be very careful. We've got a lot of people out on the water and in the air looking. Both families have been hard at work at this and praying, so let's just stay safe and we'll keep on looking until we find them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[02:14:37]BARNETT: The community there held a vigil for the boys this past weekend. Their families are offering $100,000 for their rescue.
Now a U.S. automaker gets hit with a record fine. Coming up next, we'll show you how botched recalls are costing Chrysler big money.
And U.S. presidential hopeful, Donald Trump, never seems at a loss for words, especially after learning he's leading in a new poll. Like it or not, you'll hear from him after this short break. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BARNETT: Take a look at this. Six people were seriously injured in this bizarre bus accident in northern France. The bus, which was full of Spanish passengers, by the way, attempted to drive under a low bridge that prohibits vehicles taller than 2.5 meters. As you can see here, the top of the bus chopped right off. The driver, who had a clean record up to this point, says he was simply following instructions provided by his GPS. You still have to keep an eye on the road.
In Australia, a 39-year-old man accused of aiding ISIS will stay in custody. Adam Brookman (ph) appeared in court a few hours ago but didn't apply for bail, so he will remain in custody until November. The nurse says he travelled to Syria on a humanitarian mission and was forced to join the terror group after being injured. Brookman (ph) surrendered before being returned to Australia. He now faces up to 10 years in prison.
Former FIFA vice president, Jack Warner, is expected to appear in a courtroom in the coming hours. He's resisting extradition to the U.S. to face charges linked to the FIFA corruption scandal. U.S. prosecutors say South Africa funneled $10 million to Warner and two other FIFA executives. They say it was bribe money to buy support for South Africa's successful bid to host the World Cup.
Donald Trump is once again leading a national poll of Republican nominees. Now despite making controversial statements about Mexicans and U.S. Senator John McCain, Republicans respondents picked him as their front runner for 2016, for now any way.
Jeremy Roth has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
[02:20:40] JEREMY ROTH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Donald Trump is leading the pack. In a new CNN/ORC poll, 18 percent surveyed say they want Trump to be their party's nominee for president. Jeb Bush came in second at 15 percent. The other 14 GOP candidates polled at or below 10 percent.
Trump called into CNN's "State of the Union" Sunday morning.
DONALD TRUMP, (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE & CEO, TRUMP GROUP (voice- over): They view me as an outsider, I guess, and now they're starting to view me as not an outsider because I'm leading in all the polls, not just yours.
RICK PERRY, (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE & FORMER TEXAS GOVERNOR: We don't need a Republican divider-in-chief.
ROTH: Trumps rising popularity and controversial statements on undocumented immigrants and Senator John McCain have pushed more traditional Republican candidates to fight back.
PERRY: As he has come forward and we've got to see the real Donald Trump, I've got some real problems with that. I think that what he is saying and what he is doing is not necessarily moving the cause of conservatism forward.
SEAN SPICER, COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR, REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE: Our number-one goal is to win the White House back.
ROTH: This very public rift among fellow GOPers is worrying party officials.
SPICER: The name-calling, however, needs to stop. We need to learn what Ronald Reagan taught as his eleventh commander that thou shall not speak ill of another Republican candidate.
MACHADO: Even though some have called for the celebrity candidate to drop out of the race, that new poll shows 52 percent of Americans want Trump to stay in.
I'm Jeremy Roth, reporting.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BARNETT: Now Trump says he's yet to turn his attention to Hillary Clinton. But when he does, he says he will easily beat her. He's also said that Clinton's use of a personal e-mail server is criminal.
Out on the campaign trail this weekend, Clinton had to answer new questions about sending and receiving classified e-mails while she was secretary of state.
Mary Moloney has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARY MOLONEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's a constant theme on the Clinton campaign trail, Hillary Clinton's e-mails on a private server while she served as secretary of state. The rhetoric for the Clinton camp hasn't changed.
HILLARY CLINTON, (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE & FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE: I did not e-mail any classified material to anyone on my e- mail. There is no classified material.
MOLONEY: The intelligence community investigated, taking a small chunk of the 30,000 e-mails Clinton released. Out of 40 messages reviewed, investigators found four with classified information. At least one e-mail had been released to the public. The inspector general's office says the messages were classified when they were sent and are classified now. The problem? The State Department never marked the e-mails classified, and Clinton may not have known she had information that should have remained on a secure system. Now the inspector general for the intelligence community wants the Justice Department to investigate if classified information was compromised.
JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: It's a situation ripe with political peril, probably not legal peril. But for somebody running for president, political peril is a big deal.
MOLONEY: Republicans used the revelation to renew attacks and question the candidate's judgment.
Clinton says, if asked, she will testify before Congress.
CLINTON: We are all accountable to the American people to get the facts right. And I will do my part.
MOLONEY: I'm Mary Moloney, reporting.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BARNETT: Now officials in the U.S. are set to hit Fiat-Chrysler automobiles with a record fine. Some $105 million, all for mishandling recalls involving 11 million vehicles. That includes a recall of 1.5 million Jeeps with gas tanks that can leak after a severe rear impact. Federal safety officials have been pressing the automaker over its handling of recalls for years.
Now British cyclist, Chris Froome, got the yellow Jersey at the Tour de France on Sunday and secured his place in the record books. You see, he is the first British cyclist to win the Tour twice. Froome faced accusations of doping during his performance during parts of the race, even enduring being spat on from spectators along the route. Froome faced the accusations head on promising to always honor the race and the yellow Jersey.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRIS FROOME, BRITISH CYCLIST: It is special, very special. I understand its history, good and bad. I will always respect it, never dishonor it, and I will always be proud to have won it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BARNETT: The 30 year old rode into Paris to finish the race's 21st and final stage, linking arms with his Team Sky teammates.
Now praying under heavy military guard.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(SINGING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[02:25:11] BARNETT: That is exactly what Christians are doing at one Kenyan church. We will take you there after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BARNETT: You're watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Errol Barnett. Thanks for staying with me. Here are our top headlines right now.
15 people are dead after an al Shabaab attack in Somalia's capital. Police say a suicide bomber drove a vehicle full of explosives into the front gates of an upscale hotel. The diplomatic missions of several countries are housed there. The terror group says it was targeting Western diplomats.
Attackers dressed in army fatigues stormed the police station in northwestern India on Monday, killing five people. The gunmen are still holed up inside the station. We are told there are no hostages. One official describes it as a terror attack, although it's not clear which group the attackers belong to. We'll keep watching this for you.
NATO is set to hold talks Tuesday after Turkey called an emergency meeting to discuss the terror threats it's facing. Turkey began bombing both the Kurdistan Workers Party in Iraq and ISIS in Syria over the weekend. The country has been dealing with violence along its southern border.
Now the U.S. president is in Ethiopia today, the last stop on his African tour. Barack Obama is scheduled to attend a welcome ceremony in the national palace about one hour from now. This follows a trip to Kenya where he gave a moving speech covering a range of topics, including women's rights and terrorism.
Jim Acosta is there.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(CHEERING)
JIM ACOSTA, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): President Obama capped an emotional return to the land of his father with an impassioned speech steeped in Kenyan pride.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Of course, I'm the first Kenyan-American to be president of the United States.
(APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: That goes without saying.
ACOSTA: But even as he tried to weave his own family story into a larger narrative of hope for the African people --
OBAMA: I believe there is no limit to what you can achieve.
ACOSTA: -- the president issued a challenge to the continent of his ancestors to change by rejecting the oppression of women.
OBAMA: Treating women as second-class citizens is a bad tradition. It holds you back.
(APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: There's no excuse for sexual assault or domestic violence. There's no reason that young girls should suffer genital mutilation.
ACOSTA: Mr. Obama likened the problems to those who cling to the Confederate flag as a symbol of white power.
OBAMA: Just because something is a tradition doesn't make it right.
ACOSTA: The president also vowed to back Kenyans in their fight against the al Qaeda-linked terror group, al Shabaab.
OBAMA: We're going to stand shoulder to shoulder with you in this fight against terrorism for as long as it takes.
(APPLAUSE)
ACOSTA: But standing in front of Kenya's president, Mr. Obama risked offending his host by calling on the country's leaders to crackdown on corruption.
OBAMA: Here in Kenya, it's time to change habits.
ACOSTA: Still, the president pointed to his family's humble beginning, insisting they Kenya, like the Obama's, can overcome obstacles.
OBAMA: In the end, we're all part of one tribe, the human tribe.
ACOSTA: The president described the trip as something of a family reunion.
(SINGING)
ACOSTA: He sang and danced with relatives like half-sister, Alma, who introduced Mr. Obama as a man who first visited Kenya in an old Volkswagen and returned in a motorcade.
DR. ALMA OBAMA, HALF-SISTER OF PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: He gets it. (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE) He's one of us.
ACOSTA: Kenyans swarmed the president as he departed, knowing the next time he returns to this land, it will be when he's out of office. Though one woman told us, he left a message that will last.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it's going to change my life, actually, by preventing a woman from harassment.
ACOSTA (on camera): Just as the president departed Ethiopia, there were reports of casualties from large terror attacks in both Nigeria and Somalia, so expect the president to intensify his discussions with African leaders about the fight against terrorist groups like al Shabaab and Boko Haram.
Jim Acosta, CNN, Nairobi, Kenya.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BARNETT: Now some Christians in Garissa, Kenya, are standing up to terrorists, coming together to worship despite facing death threats. The president spoke about a recent massacre at a university there where al Shabaab targeting killed dozens of non-Muslims.
Nima Elbagir reports (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Sun rise over the Tana River. Traffic starts to flow over the bridge and into Garissa town.
(on camera): The morning commute into Garissa is day laborers, people going into their offices but it's also so many Christians who are too scared to sleep inside Garissa town. They've decided to move themselves and their families across the other side of the river to safety.
(voice-over): Al Shabaab militants brutally attacked Garissa University back in April, killing 147 people, mostly students. Today, the school still stands empty and desolate.
We've been invited to Sunday service at Our Lady of Perpetual Consolation, the Garissa cathedral. This Sunday, like nearly any other, brought with it threats from al Shabaab. If you worship here, they're told, you'll die.
(SINGING)
ELBAGIR: They're praying under armed guard, but they're praying, nonetheless.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Every Sunday, I'm here. I'm here. I was baptized in this church.
ELBAGIR: This is one risk they're still willing to take.
The bishop of Garissa, Bishop Joseph Alessandro, is giving the benediction. He, along with his fellow bishops and nuns, have been a constant in this community.
JOSEPH ALESSANDRO, BISHOP, OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL CONSOLATION: It's not a matter of choice. It's our duty to remain here, no? Even the pope has words of encouragement for us. He has asked us to convey his condolences to the families who suffered and lost their dear ones, to people who are injured and also he promised that we will continue to pray for Kenya, for peace in Kenya, for unity in Kenya.
(SINGING)
[02:35:14] ELBAGIR: At the invitation of the diocese, Bishop Alessandro tells us the pope add Kenya to his Africa trip in November. He says members of the congregation will be chosen to travel to Nairobi to meet him, a trip of a lifetime.
For now, though, he and his bishops are focusing on the daily task of keeping their flock safe as best they can.
(SINGING)
ALESSANDRO: We are a people of God. We are a people of faith. God never abandons us. And maybe in moments when we feel that we are left on our own, there are those moments that God might be very close to us inwardly, even if we don't feel him.
(SINGING)
ELBAGIR: Nima Elbagir, CNN, Garissa, Kenya.
(SINGING)
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BARNETT: All right, more stories still to come. A mural in the U.S. State of Florida is sparking a debate over its images, with many calling the artwork racist.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROY MCELNIRNY (ph), BAKER COUNTY RESIDENT: It's history right there. That's what people are standing for, to keep this history alive.
JOHN PHILLIPS, FLORIDA JUSTICE: The Ku Klux Klan is not heritage. That is a hate group.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BARNETT: Take a look at your television. This is in northern India where heavy rains caused land slides and flooding. Officials were forced to close a national highway in the area. And it could cut some areas off from other parts of the state that would lead to its own issues. This time of year, landslides are more frequent, more common in India.
Our meteorologist, Derek Van Dam, joins me now to kind of talk about why that is.
When you watch the video playing behind us, these are deadly.
[02:40:02]DEREK VAN DAM, AMS METEOROLOGIST: They are. You do not want to be in the way of a landslide that can travel 35 miles per hour. And their composition is rock, trees, any kind of debris from this topography. What's causing this is gravity finally winning after rain soaks the side of the mountain, and the soil just gives away. It starts to erode and the slope actually washes away, and you do not want to be at the bottom of that. Unfortunately, most countries across the world are susceptible to some form of landslides or mudslides. And even here in the United States, on average we have $3.5 billion of damage per year in the U.S. just from landslides alone. The reason for the landslide possibility across India is because we've had extremely heavy rainfall. One from an area of low pressure we're watching for tropical activity near Bangladesh in the eastern half of India, but near the coast we have been drawing in moisture from the Arabian Sea, and it's responsible for extremely heavy rainfall across western portions of India. We've already picked up over 100 millimeters over the past 24 hours, in excess of 250, even upwards of 350 millimeters of rainfall going forward. Skipping across Europe now, we have had a rough go of the weather for
Poland, Germany, as well as Netherlands. We've had wind gusts staying over 100 kilometers per hour. Very difficult landing conditions at the airport this weekend. If you've flown into the area, you know it's a windy place, but when you have wind gusts in excess of 100 kilometers per hour, that's difficult. This boat capsized thanks to the strong winds of the thunder storming that pushed through even the Netherlands and Germany. Look at that. That is seriously scary. I sail myself, and you do not want to be in that instance. They were jibing and going downwind, and their boat capsized. Fortunately everyone was OK. The boat's now upright and they're assessing the damage.
BARNETT: You see the crew falling and almost knocking into that other hull.
VAN DAM: Yeah.
BARNETT: You see how dangerous that can be.
VAN DAM: Absolutely. Scary stuff.
BARNETT: Derek, we'll see you later. Thanks very much.
VAN DAM: Thanks.
BARNETT: People in several U.S. states are rallying to remove the Confederate flag, a symbol many see as racist but others view as a piece of history. Now a mural in a Florida courthouse is sparking a similar controversy over the depiction of the Ku Klux Klan, the white supremacist group with a long and violent history against African- Americans.
CNN's Victor Blackwell reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In a quiet, rural county, about 35 miles west of Jacksonville, Florida, hangs a mural. It depicts, in the artist's words, Baker County's thousands of years of history and prehistory. And thousands of people from across the country have stopped to admire it, some leaving notes of appreciation in its very own guest book. "Beautiful with the accuracy of the history of Baker County," that's from Marion. Andre thinks, "It's an extraordinary piece of art." Then there's this anonymous message, "Should make the KKK bigger and brighter." Yes, that KKK.
PHILLIPS: The Ku Klux Klan is not heritage. That is a hate group.
BLACKWELL: The simple inclusion of these hooded clansmen on horsemen is not what's riled John Phillip and other attorneys with the group Florida Justice. It's that this mural is hanging inside the Baker County courthouse.
Marquita Smith is Phillips' paralegal. MARQUITA SMITH, PARALEGAL: If I were to walk into this courthouse for any legal matter, am I going to be getting justice? Am I going to be treated fairly?
BLACKWELL: Their group has now launched a petition on change.org to remove the mural.
SMITH: It is a pretty mural. But it should be in a place of historic value, like a museum.
BLACKWELL (on camera): Not in the courthouse?
SMITH: Not in the courthouse.
BLACKWELL (voice-over): The artist, local historian, Gene Barber, died several years ago. But in a guide, he explained why many of the elements were included in the mural, the palmettos, the panther, the Confederate soldiers. He described the KKK as "an organization that sometimes took vigilante justice to extremes but was sometimes the only control the county knew over those outside law."
MCELNIRNY (ph): It's a bad thing that happened but it's part of what happened.
BLACKWELL: Roy McElnirny (ph) has lived in Baker County all his life. He started a counter petition to, quote, "leave the mural alone at the courthouse." He's collected as many signatures as those who want it to come down.
(on camera): And they're offended by the hooded clansmen and some of the other images. You tell them what?
MCELNIRNY (ph): Well, if that's the case, then are we going to stop talking about the Holocaust in schools? You have to know your history to be able to stop it from happening again.
BLACKWELL: But the petition alleges that the mural does more than depict history. He suggests that it features white supremacist symbols hidden in plane sight.
[02:45:10] PHILLIPS: There's symbolism to turpentine, which was used in tar and feathering. There's a copious use of trees and low-hanging limbs. There's just stuff that raises questions of whether he was -- whether there was a deeper meaning.
BLACKWELL: Including this woodpecker just to the left of the clansman. Now widely considered extinct, the bird was once a southeastern U.S. native and, according to the petition and the Anti- Defamation League, a symbol embraced by skinheads.
PHILLIPS: Justice doesn't discriminate, yet, they're going into a courthouse that says it might.
BLACKWELL: Baker County seemingly settled this controversy in 2002 when the mural was dedicated. The chief judge at the time ordered that it be removed in its original intended home near courtrooms on the second floor, so it was hung on the first floor. And with its tiny Confederate flag, there, it's greeted every visitor for the last 13 years.
So why the controversy now?
(SHOUTING)
BLACKWELL: Well, because this happened.
(SHOUTING)
BLACKWELL: After the removal of the Confederate flag at the South Carolina state house, Baker County and cities and states across America are being challenged to strike a balance and to consider finding new homes for history.
MCELNIRNY (ph): It's the history of the county, that's what people are standing for, is to keep this history alive.
PHILLIPS: We feel like we have to look at history and heritage as, you know, as a common nation, white, black, red, brown, yellow, green, and that's the issue.
BLACKWELL: Victor Blackwell, CNN, MacClenny, Florida.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BARNETT: Still to come here on CNN NEWSROOM, Caitlin Jenner's new TV show debuts and she opens up her fears after going public with her gender transition. Stay with us.
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[02:50:51] BARNETT: Welcome back, everyone. The first episode of Caitlin Jenner's "I am Cait" docu-series debuted. It follows Caitlyn, former Bruce Jenner, as she goes forward with her gender transition. It also follows her journey as a transgender advocate.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CAITLYN JENNER, FORMER OLYMPIAN BRUCE JENNER: Hey, we're officially off the property. We're out into the world.
(LAUGHTER)
It's so great out there. Look at that! Isn't it great? Maybe some day you'll be normal.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You are normal.
JENNER: Just blend into society.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You are normal.
JENNER: Put it this way, I'm the new normal.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BARNETT: Just a clip from the series there. It opened with Jenner on the morning of her "Vanity Fair" cover debut confessing her fears of living up to responsibilities.
Now more than 40 women have come forward and accused Comedian Bill Cosby of sexual assault and now 35 of those women have come together on the cover of "New York" magazine. They're shown, as you see here, seated in rows with the date of their alleged assault beneath them. In the 13-page essay inside, the women talk about the accusations and the backlash they've faced since speaking out. In a 2005 deposition, Bill Cosby admitted to drug use and sexual relationships with at least five women but says they were all consensual. Cosby has never been criminally charged and denies any wrongdoing.
As we mentioned earlier, the 22-year-old daughter of late singing star, Whitney Houston, has died. In late January, Bobbi Kristina was found unresponsive in the bathtub of her home. Doctors placed her in a medically induced coma. Her condition continued to deteriorate and she was moved to hospice care last month.
Kim Serafin, the editor of "In Touch Weekly," joins us from Los Angeles to talk about Bobbi Kristina and other major headlines out of the entertainment industry.
Kim, Bobbi Kristina, no longer with us. What exactly do we know about what happened?
KIM SERAFIN, SENIOR EDITOR, IN TOUCH WEEKLY: It's really sad. I think everything pointed obviously to this happening, but you're right. This happened January 31st. We knew she was put into a medically-induced coma and just never came out of it. Bobby Brown made comments about her being alive. Then they had to put out statements talking about irreversible brain damage. In June, she was transferred to a hospice. So clearly time was running out. It's really sad, and it's just, it's sad. There's nothing more to say about this. She clearly never really dealt with losing her mother. There had been tweets that she'd sent out just a few days before this happened, before she was found in the bathtub, where she was working on projects, but then other information emerged about police being called to her apartment. It's just all really sad.
BARNETT: There is an investigation looking into some of the issues and why this happened. The family is asking for privacy, and we certainly understand that.
So let's go ahead and discuss some feel-good news in the entertainment world. "Ant Man" apparently holding onto the number one top spot, beating Adam Sandler and Jake Gyllenhaal's movies. What's the latest there?
SERAFIN: Yeah, box office, "Ant Man" continues to dominate. Just by a little, it beat Adam's film, "Pixels." This could change, potentially when the official numbers come out on Monday, but right now "Ant Man" seems to hold the number one spot. Adam Sandler, you used to not want to go up against him at the box office. His box office results have been a little bit lower, but he still does well, even movies that get terrible reviews. "Pixel" didn't get the best reviews about video games masquerading as aliens that come to attack earth. $24 million not bad. And Jake Gyllenhaal's movie "Southpaw" made about 16 million, not great, but better than expected. This is more of an adult film.
BARNETT: OK. Apparently, Tom Cruise, apparently, is open to a "Top Gun" sequel. A huge movie that came out back in 1986. But he has said this with conditions. What do we know about that?
[02:55:06] SERAFIN: Yes, the rumors have always been flying about whether there would be another "Top Gun." There have been reports that producers have said there was a script in development. But now Tom Cruise at the "Mission Impossible" premiere said it would be fun. He did say, as you mentioned, there would be conditions. He wants to do it not with CGI jets. He wants to do it with real ones. This makes sense. He's hanging off the side of a plane in "Mission Impossible." He did that stunt himself. And we know he does his own stunts. If Tom Cruise says it would be fun and he wants to get back in those jets, I think it's going to happen.
BARNETT: I think it's no surprise that he says that, too. He always makes the point that he does his own stunts. He's a top movie star. We get it. You can jump out of planes.
SERAFIN: Yes. Yes, exactly.
BARNETT: All right, Kim Serafin, nice to chat with you. Thanks for your time. The senior editor of "In Touch Weekly," with us this week from L.A.
SERAFIN: Great.
BARNETT: And you are watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Errol Barnett.
Please do stay with us. I'm lonely no more. Zain Asher joins me for the day's stories next.
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