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Muhammad Ali Lad to Rest at Emotional Service; Gaza-West Bank Crossing Closed; France Wins Opening Match at Euros 2016; Clinton, Warren Blast Trump; McConnell Criticizes Trump; Queen Elizabeth Turns 90; Brexit Vote Approaches; ISIS Morale Plummeting; Brazil's Health Minister on Olympic Safety Concerns. Aired 4-5a ET
Aired June 11, 2016 - 04:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[04:00:090]
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GEORGE HOWELL, CNN ANCHOR: A tribute to the greatest. Muhammad Ali laid to rest after an emotional funeral service in the boxer's hometown.
France comes up big. The host country wins the opening match to the 2016 Euro football tournament and bring a much needed moral boost to Paris.
And a harsh critique of Donald Trump coming from the top senate Republican. Mitch McConnell saying the billionaire doesn't know much about the issues.
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HOWELL: 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.
The greatest has been laid to rest. The many fans, the many loved ones of Muhammad Ali paid their respects, they came together on Friday.
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[Chanting Ali, Ali, Ali]
HOWELL: You see here Ali's body was driven through the streets of his hometown, Louisville, Kentucky. People wept and chanted his name as they threw flowers at his hearse. Afterwards there was a service in his memory. Religious leaders eulogized Ali along with his family and his friends there. His widow spoke about the legacy of the man that she loved.
LONNIE ALI, MUHAMMAD ALI'S WIDOW: I think he saw a nation's soul measured by the soul of its people. For his part, he saw the good soul in everyone. And if you were one of the lucky ones to have met him, you know what I meant. He awoke every morning thinking about his own salvation and he would often say, I just want to get to heaven and I've got to do a lot of good deeds to get there. And I think Muhammad's hope is that his life provides some guidance on how we might achieve for all people what we aspire for ourselves and our families. Thank you. [ applause ]
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HOWELL: Ali's life has touched many people and it showed in the sheer range of those people who were there to eulogize him. Some familiar faces took the stage to remember a legend.
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DR. KEVIN W. COSBY, SENIOR PASTOR, ST. STEPHEN CHURCH: Before James Brown said, I'm black and I'm proud, Muhammad Ali said, I'm black and I'm pretty. He dared to love black people at a time when black people had a problem loving themselves.
BILLY CRYSTAL, ACTOR: Ali forced us to take a look at ourselves, this brash young man who thrilled us, angered us, confused and challenged us ultimately became a silent messenger of peace who taught us that life is best when you build bridges between people, not walls.
BILL CLINTON, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: My enduring image of him is like a little reel in three shots. The boxer I thrilled to as a boy. The man I watched take the last steps to light the Olympic flame when I was president. [ applause ] and I will never forget it, I was sitting there in Atlanta, by then we knew each other. By then I felt I had some sense of what he was living with. And I was still weeping like a baby seeing his hands shake and his legs shake and knowing, by God, he was going to make those last few steps no matter what it took. The flame would be lit. The fight would be won, he still would be inaudible). I knew it would happen. [ applause ] we should honor him by letting our gifts go among the world as he did. God bless you. My friend, go in peace.
[Chanting] Ali! Ali! Ali!
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HOWELL: I wasn't in Atlanta in 1996, I was just a kid watching it on television. But I remember seeing Muhammad Ali and I just remember being so inspired by that moment with the Olympics. He was a major figure on the world stage and he had a special impact in people's perception on the Muslim community in the U.S.
Yassar Louati is a spokesman for the Collective Against Islamaphobia and joins us now live in Paris, France.
Yassar, its good have you with us on the program today.
YASSAR LOUATI, SPOKESMAN, COLLECTIVE AGAINST ISLAMAPHOBIA, FRANCE: Thank you.
HOWELL: So, when we talk about Islamaphobia and when you consider the things that have happened in Paris, when you consider the climate of the political cycle here in the United States, this moment that played out in the homes of millions of people watching this figure that's so revered and watching up close and personal the believes of his religion, what did it mean for you?
[04:05:23]
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LOUATI: There was pride, that's what comes to mind. I mean he gave a sense of pride for generations of people, the 60s, the 70s, the 80s, myself. Muhammad Ali is a household name for people of all religious. Of course, Muslims feel especially connected to him for what he did, what he has accomplished and the positions he took.
And our first duty as Muslim is of course to perpetuate this legacy and to make sure Muhammad is not only a brand name, but a word that needs to be passed on to next generations setting against the justice and bringing people together.
And it was beautiful how the funeral was organized yesterday. I mean honestly like I'm saying that over the emotion that I felt when I heard the news and I was in London and I came back to Paris. But seeing that you thought about bringing every single religion, people of all backgrounds and colors and social status that showed us you know his work was alive when he was alive and will be alive after he's gone.
HOWELL: I remember watching it here in the United States, but for you in Paris and just throughout France, what was the feeling for those who watched this memorial service.
LOUATI: It was time to say good-bye and you know we know he suffered a lot you know with Parkinson's and it was also a moment to remember that, you know, what he did back in his day when he was still a boxer, a professional boxer and then what he did afterwards needs to be done again.
And this is why we have a great responsibility to make sure that the name Muhammad Ali is carried on and to never forget that even today if someone does what he did in the 60s and 70s, I'm not sure he would be praised as a hero. And of course the emotion is there, we have to come together and celebrate his life. We should not forget that if a boxer converts to Islam or a football player or pop singer becomes Muslim and does the things he did like today, standing against the various wars abroad, standing against massive incarceration and all the injustices we are seeing today, we have to remember that it took a tremendous amount of courage. And that's an inspiration for us . And seeing everybody coming to the stage and giving their speeches and I was highly emotional when I saw Malcolm X's daughter speak. And I was you know greatly influenced by the work of Malcolm X and the (inaudible) of Muhammad Ali. You know it was time to thank God for sending us people like them.
HOWELL: We spend a great deal of time focusing on major story lines from radicalization to coverage of ISIS, the war against ISIS in the Middle East.
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HOWELL: But when it comes to the concerns that people have and fighting this perception of Islamaphobia, what does it take from your perspective. I mean you devote your life to this topic. What does it take to bring people together and to bring an understanding?
LOUATI: Muslim religion has been hijacked and they must take it back. That's the major problem. Because anybody now can speak on behalf of Muslims, speak for Islam and the microphone will be handed back to people of authority and people of wisdom.
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LOUATI: At the same time, ISIS are not stupid people. They know these you know western Muslims lack a sense of pride and a sense of belonging. And for me it works you know against Islamaphobia and against you know this what we call radicalization. We need to give a sense of belonging to our youngsters and to make sure they belong here. They belong to this country. And if they are unhappy, they should take a stance and we should back them up when they stand against injustice.
And you know there was a famous article made available on line on twitter via WikiLeaks, it was called "The Extension of the Gray Zone." And we see how Islamaphobes and Daesh are speaking the exact same language and using the exact same rhetoric.
People like Muhammad Ali would have fought greatly to bring these youngsters back on the path and telling them you don't have to go to these people. You can fight your fight for freedom, you can fight your fight for dignity, for equal, for social justice without having to be tempted by these radicals. And unfortunately it only takes a handful of people, loved ones to do the damage they have done in January 2015, and in November 2015 in Paris.
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HOWELL: Yassar Louati, live for us in Paris. Thank you so much for your time today.
[04:10:04]
HOWELL: Moving on now to the United States. A former reality show contestant has been shot to death.
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HOWELL: 22-year-old singer, Christina Grimmie from the T.V. competition, "The Voice" was shining autographs after a concert in Orlando on Friday night. Police say a man with two guns walked up to her and opened fire.
Grimmie's brother tackled the gunman who ended up killing himself. Police haven't said anything about a possible motive or link between Grimmie and her attacker. "The Voice" just tweeted this. "There are no words, we lost a beautiful soul with an amazing voice. Our hearts go out to the friends, fans and family of the real Grimmie."
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HOWELL: The Israeli military says crossing from Gaza to the West Bank into Israel will be closed through Sunday due to security concerns following this week's deadly shootings in Tel Aviv.
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HOWELL: The military says crossing will be open for humanitarian and medical cases only and for Palestinians wishing to worship at the Temple Mount.
Let's bring in Fred Pleitgen who joins us now live this hour from Jerusalem.
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HOWELL: Fred, good to have you with us. So there have been a great deal of tensions after these attacks. What's the latest there.
FRED PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well you're absolutely right George. And those tensions certainly do continue. And I think there's two main questions that are really on the minds of many people here in Israel and in the Palestinian territories as well.
And the first question is could there be further problems between the Israelis and the Palestinians in the immediate aftermath of all of this. Of course as we have seen the Israeli's have revoked or frozen some 83,000 permits for Palestinians to cross into Israeli territory both from Gaza and from the West Bank.
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PLEITGEN: And it's very important at this time because we are in the month of Ramadan where people visit their relatives and where people for instance also wanted to go to the Al Aqsa mosque yesterday to pray there. And certainly there were fewer people there than you would probably normally find on a day like this simply because of the tense security situation that was in place.
And then the big problem is also -- the big question is also is there going to be a further reaction from the Israelis.
Now we've already seen that the village that the two perpetrators of the attacks in Tel Aviv came from has been under a stage of being surrounded by Israeli forces. Difficult for people to get in and out, they can walk in and out but they can't drive their cars in and out. There was also a house in that village that was demolished overnight. This is a house in of the perpetrators of an attack that's unrelated to the one in Tel Aviv but of course, it is quite significant that that house was bulldozed in the immediate aftermath of the Tel Aviv attacks.
So right now the big question is is there going to be an escalation from either side. Is there going to be further security measures that will be put in place or will the situation be deescalated. One of the things that was very, very important was for both Israelis and Palestinians to get through Friday with of course the Friday prayers and all the tensions around that, to get through that without greater violence happening here in Jerusalem. Having made that now people of course are looking to the future, looking to next week to see whether or not there will be larger repercussions from the attacks that happened here on Wednesday George.
HOWELL: And the hope of course is that that will not be the case. Fred Pleitgen live for us in Jerusalem following developments. Fred, thank you for your reporting, we'll stay in touch with you.
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HOWELL: In France football fans have reasons to celebrate. That nation hosting Euro 2016 won the opening round.
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HOWELL: France beat Romania 2-1 in the national stadium just outside Paris. You'll remember that was one of the sites of last November's terrorist attacks. 80,000 fans went through multiple security attacks to attend that match amid fears the month long championship could again be a terrorist target.
Our Alex Thomas has this story.
ALEX THOMAS, CNN SPORTS: A perfect start, both for the tournament organizers and for the host nation. Away from the pitch, a huge security operation seemed to go without a hitch. On the pitch, France survived a few nervy moments to secure a win in their opening game against Romania here at the Stade de France.
It was France who took the lead through Olivier Giroud, they were pegged back when Romania scored a penalty. And Dimitri Payet who has been outstanding for English Premier league side, West Ham all season, scored an absolutely scorching winning goal hit into the top corner.
But Payet admitted there were real nerves within the Le Bleu side. And France manager Didier Deschamps said afterwards that some of the star names particularly Paul Pogba had disappointed.
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THOMAS: Nonetheless, a win for France. They put a smile back on the face of a nation who has endured negative headlines and the long list of problems isn't over. Reports of violence between rival sets of fans in Marseille and the police there ahead of the Marquis game on day two of 2016 when England take on Russia.
Alex Thomas, CNN, Paris, France.
HOWELL: Alex, thank you and here is a little more on that trouble in Marseille that Alex just mentioned.
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HOWELL: French police used tear gas to break up the scuffles on Friday between the English and Russian fans. They had reportedly taunted each other. Tens of thousands of fans from both countries are in the French fort city and more than a thousand police officers are deployed there.
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HOWELL: 4:15 on the U.S. east coast, and ahead on NEWSROOM, Donald Trump says he is the "least racist person you've ever seen."
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HOWELL: But the Republican front runner is being attacked by top figures of his own party. That story as NEWSROOM rolls along.
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PAULA NEWTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, I'm Paula Newton, and these are the top business headlines. The British pound fell more than 1% against the dollar after a new poll suggested the U.K. will vote to leave the European Union. An online survey of 2,000 people for the Independent has found the leave campaign with a 10 point lead over remain.
Brazil's health minister says there is no scientific basis for postponing the Olympics in Rio over the Zika versus. The reason August will bring with it the South American winter and he says the lower temperatures will kill off the mosquitos. Speaking to me on Quest Means Business Brazil's Sports Minister told me they're on track to have zero cases of Zika by the time the Olympics begin.
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LEONARDO PICCIANI, BRAZILIAN SPORTS MINISTER: In April, 4,000 case. It's dropped for 700 in May. It continues to drop in June and July. And we will be close to zero in August.
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NEWTON: Gawker has filed for bankruptcy and agreed a deal to sell off the brands. Now it comes after the company lost an expensive legal fight with Hulk Hogan.
The wrestler had sued Gawker for invasion of privacy with backing from the billionaire Peter Thiel. Now according to sources Gawker has agreed to sell its brands to the publisher Ziff Davis for about $100 million.
Those are the top business headlines, I'm Paula Newton in New York.
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HOWELL: America's choice, 2016 Donald Trump says he is the "least racist person and that no one should be judged by their race."
In the key state of Virginia, the presumptive Republican Presidential nominee said that the U.S. is divided by religion and race and that he will bring the nation together.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Senate majority leader is the latest Republican leader to criticize Donald Trump. Mitch McConnell has not rescinded his Trump endorsement, but says Trump doesn't know much about the issues. McConnell also said Trump should stick to the prepared speeches and stop his controversial attacks.
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[04:20:08]
HOWELL: As Hillary Clinton looks toward the general election, the Democratic presumptive Presidential nominee is blasting her Republican rival and one of Clinton's biggest supporters is now joining in.
Michelle Kosinski has this report for us.
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MICHELLE KOSINSKI, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hillary Clinton, her feet firmly planted as the presumptive Democratic nominee [Chanting] now pushing on toward November.
HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESUMPTIVE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Do we want to put our health, our lives, our futures in Donald Trump's hands?
KOSINSKI: Starting with a speech for planned-parenthood a setting to both appeal to women and blast Donald Trump.
CLINTON: When Donald Trump says a distinguished judge born in Indiana can't do his job because of his Mexican heritage or mocks a reporter with disabilities or denigrates Muslims and immigrants, it goes against everything we stand for. He does not see all Americans as Americans.
KOSINSKI: Earlier Friday morning, Senator Elizabeth Warren spotted arriving at Clinton's Washington, D.C. Home for a private conversation. Adding fuel to speculation she could be the VP pick only hours after she endorsed Clinton on television.
SEN. ELIZABETH WARREN (D), MASSACHUSSETTS: I am ready to get in this fight and work my heart out for Hillary Clinton to become the next President of the United States.
KOSINSKI: On her prospects as running mate, she would say that she is ready for the job. She would be able to draw on the independent progressive younger voters that Hillary Clinton needs on board. And she hasn't exactly been at Clinton's side from the start. She is proving more than willing and able to do battle with Trump.
WARREN: A loud, nasty, thin-skinned fraud who has never risked anything for anyone and who serves no one but himself. A thin-skinned, racist bully.
KOSINSKI: Trump's treat back just as incendiary torching warren with the nickname he gave her. "Pocahontas is at it again, goofy Elizabeth Warren, one of the least productive U.S. Senators has a nasty mouth. Hope she is VP choice."
She got in the last word though. "No seriously, delete your account."
Thursday night, Vice President Biden also called Trump's recent comments racist. So where's Bernie Sanders in this Democratic power coalition? Thursday night, still rallying his supporters in D.C. ahead of Tuesday's primary.
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT), DEMOCTRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: And we're still standing.
KOSINSKI: Not a mention there of Hillary Clinton nor has he endorsed her yet. It will be a quiet weekend at Bernie's in Vermont a day after pledging to work with Clinton from now on.
Michelle Kosinski, CNN, the White House
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HOWELL: A quiet weekend at Bernie's, a week of pride and prejudice on the campaign trail from Hillary Clinton's history making week to Donald Trump's trouble with his own party. Don't miss "Political Mann", Saturday 7:00 p.m. in London, 10:00 p.m. in Abu Dhabi, only here on CNN.
Over 90 million Americans threatened with some form of severe weather today and our meteorologist, Derek Van Dam, is here to tell us about the particulars.
DEREK VAN DAM, AMS METEOROLOGIST: It's not that it's a large area of severe weather threat today, it's the amount of people condensed in that particular region. That's why we have such a large population base that has this severe weather threat. 90 million Americans as you say George and we're talking about Philadelphia, New York City, into Boston, as well as Detroit and Chicago.
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VAN DAM: I've done my best here to try and highlight those particular regions. A few different areas starting from the upper mid-west, the upper plains I should say near the Dakota's and into Montana, that's where we have our highest risk of severe weather later this afternoon and evening, an enhanced risk for that region.
We have a slight risk stretching from Central Iowa through Northern Illinois. You can see that marginal risk extending into southern sections of Michigan. Including my hometown, Grand Rapids. But this the area that I'm concentrating on, that I-95 porter along the east coast. New York, Boston, Pittsburgh, the nation's capital, large hail, damaging winds, and the potential for an isolated tornado can't be ruled out. Just look at the amount of hail and wind reports we received yesterday
that being Friday across the Central U.S. Over 29 reports of large hail, 79 wind damage reports from Michigan through Wisconsin and Minnesota. This is the batch of thunderstorm that have really lost steam. We lose the daytime heating from the sun, it allows for the convection to kind of simmer down, but once we get that heating once again from the afternoon and evening sunshine, we'll start to see those thunderstorms flare-up and they become more convective like across the New England coast so that's why we're focusing our attention on this region.
And all the dynamics are at play here. We talk about this this time of year, the heat that continues to build across the Central U.S. It's just that, well it's only, I believe the 11th or 12th of June and the first day of summer doesn't start until the 20th and we're talking about record breaking temperature territory for much of the central and south eastern sections of the U.S.
[04:25:15]
VAN DAM: Take a look at this. Cincinnati and Indianapolis, we're flirting with decade long records that have been in place across that area. By the way 1933, FDR was in the oval office at that particular time. This is all thanks to a dome of heat or a heat dome, upper level ridge that set in across this region. Here's our temperatures for the day. Wichita 95 degrees. Across the east coast, New York you have a hot day today, but you're spared from the worst of it. It's really is condensed to the south, St Louis, to D.C. temperatures will soar into the 90s.
I'll leave you with some footage coming out of China. This is some excessive flooding that has occurred across this particular region. A mountainous part of Southwest China George and that leads to landslides and mud slides.
Certainly a dangerous situation and more rain for them coming up.
HOWELL: And those things can happen so quickly.
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HOWELL: Derek, thank you so much. This is "CNN NEWSROOM."
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HOWELL: Ahead, a royal milestone, Britain's Queen Elizabeth turned 90 in April, but the big celebrations they are happening now.
Plus ISIS on the run. Up next, why the U.S. says the terror group is losing ground and losing fighters.
Live this hour from Atlanta across the United States and around the world, you are watching "CNN NEWSROOM."
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[04:30:00]
HOWELL: A warm welcome back to our viewers here in the United States and around the world. You are watching "CNN NEWSROOM." it's 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: Muhammad Ali has been laid to rest. It has been a week-long celebration of the boxing legend's life in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. Religious leaders, lifelong friends and family all paid their respects in a public service.
Amid floods, strikes and terrorism concerns host nation France won the opening match of Euro 2016. France beat Romania 2-1 scoring the winning goal in the match's 89th minute. Three matches are set for Saturday including England vs. Russia. The tournament continues for one month.
Police in Orlando, Florida, they are investigating the shooting death of singer Christina Grimmie. A man armed with two guns opened fire while she signed autographs after her concert on Friday night. Her attacker then killed himself. Grimmie came in third on season six of NBC's "The Voice."
Keiko Fujimori has conceded defeat to Pedro Pablo Kuczinski in Peru's Presidential election. Kuczinski claimed victory after winning a bare majority of the vote but the Electoral College must officially make him President elect. Fujimori says her party will fill the role of the opposition.
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HOWELL: In London big celebrations are about to resume for Queen Elizabeth's 90th birthday.
Next hour carriages will take the Queen and members of the royal family from Buckingham Palace and proceed down the mall for The Trooping of the Color Military Parade. More than 1400 soldiers will take part in the display of pomp and pageantry. CNN will bring it all to you live. The Queen's actual birthday is April 21st, but it is officially celebrated in June.
CNN royal correspondent, Max Foster has more on the festivities.
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MAX FOSTER, CNN ROYAL CORRESPONDENT: Three days of celebrations started open Friday focused on the Queen's role as head of the Church of England.
FOSTER: A service of thanksgiving at St. Paul's Cathedral, attended by senior politicians and her entire family. PETER PHILLIPS, QUEEN ELIZABETH'S GRANDSON: This is the religious part
and we all know that religion is very important to her. And then obviously, the traditional pomp and ceremony of the trooping tomorrow and then the patron's lunch on Sunday, which is really a sort of a window of her interest. Because all of the organizations she's chosen to be a patron of and continued to be a patron of all these years. And so - and there is that personal connection.
FOSTER: On Saturday, we will see the Queen in the context of being head of the armed forces, Trooping of the Color, full pomp and pageantry on display here down the mall and down a horse guard parade. And possibly at the end of the day, a sighting of her youngest heir Prince George on the balcony behind him and many people hoping to see his little sister, Princess Charlotte as well.
Then the weekend finishes with a massive street party, a picnic along the mall. It's expected to rain. But it usually does in the U.K. but we need to bring out that British spirit.
Max Foster, CNN, Buckingham Palace London.
HOWELL: Max, thank you. And our live coverage of the Trooping of the Color military parade gets underway right here on CNN in the next hour. And of course you can go to CNN/royals for more details on all of the royal birthday festivities.
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HOWELL: And speaking of the U.K., in less than two weeks on June 23rd people there will vote on whether Britain should exit or stay in the European Union.
The leave campaign says that Britain could do better without the E.U. The remain campaign says exiting the E.U. would have terrible economic affects and now one of the stronger E.U. economies, Germany, is warning of the consequences of leaving the union. Listen.
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FRANK-WALTER STEINMEIER, GERMANY FOREIGN MINISTER: (As translated) The reasons the U.K. considers and that will be exchanged in the campaign leading up to the referendum they are not reasons only of the U.K. We can find the same reasons which may lead in the U.K. to a large minority justifying an exit from the E.U. in many parts of Eastern Europe and also parts of the old Western Europe. So I believe that if it really comes to a Brexit in the European Union, and its process of integration will face a deep crisis.
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HOWELL: A British exit, a Brexit as it's called, opinion polls have been split by voters on this issue. Our Richard Quest is touring the country to find out what many people are thinking. Here's how he set off on that journey.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) RICHARD QUEST, CNN HOST "QUEST MEANS BUSINESS": As we caravan across the United Kingdom my classic camper van has history of its own. It's already enjoyed plenty of adventures. Let's be honest, this beloved Bedford is hardly brand new.
[04:35:04]
QUEST: It was built in Britain back in 1978 the decade when the U.K. joined the European Economic Community. Oh, for its time it had all mod cons, but there are no airbags, no ABS breaking or ESP. Travel in this camper van more like a wing and a prayer. What it lacks in electronics, it makes up for in the rear. It has its own cocktail cabinet, bunk beds. A cooking stove, and, of course, a kitchen sink. There's even an shower for the truly adventurous.
For two years it was owned by the Jackson family who bought it in a very sorry state. They named it "Freddie" they painted "Freddie" blue, became the holiday home.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's just great. It's just old. It's not new, it's not flash, but it's like it's English, you know it's great.
QUEST: By any definition, "Freddie" was frail around the edges. In dire need of some tender love and care. Some sprucing up. And it was straight down to the garage for an assessment on his mechanical capabilities. What's going to be up against risk on the engine front?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Timing belt maybe? I want to do the oil and filter on it but it's got a timing belt, I don't know if the timing belt is going to be replaced.
QUEST: The mechanics set to work. Parts were replaced. A thorough going over, then a paint job, transforming our Brexit bus. Adding bright retro colors befitting the 1970s. Sign writing splashed across the sides. Our CNN logo across the roof. It can be spotted by drones overhead. So after spit and polished, "Freddie" was fit for the road. Or so we thought.
The engine and "Freddie" fell at the first hurdle. Unceremoniously trailered away, it was perhaps clear more fine tuning was required. But parts for a 1978 Bedford are not 10 a penny. Our (inaudible) produce r "pepper" again came to the rescue putting out an appeal on the Bedford owners Facebook page. Kevin Wicks came to the rescue. We completed our filming.
The long and winding road from "Freddie" from holiday home to Brexit bus. Fingers crossed. I know he's ready to roar once again up the roads of Britain.
Richard Quest, CNN, London.
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HOWELL: A thrilling ride, I'm sure, on the camper van there with Quest. We'll continue to follow that story, of course. We move on now to the Mediterranean see. Medical teams rescued 1300
migrants Wednesday and Thursday who were stranded. Doctors Without Borders says more than a third were women and children, including unaccompanied minors.
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HOWELL: Many of the migrants were suffering from dehydration and hypothermia. One of the three rescue ships is now back at sea looking for more stranded boats.
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HOWELL: The U.S. says that morale among ISIS fighters is plummeting with the terror group under fierce attack in three different countries, in Iraq, Syria and Libya and losing ground fast. Our Jonathan Mann explains.
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JONATHAN MANN, CNN HOST, "POLITICAL MANN": Start with the only major city held by is outside of Syria and Iraq. It's been surrounded according to Libyan militia forces. But Brett McGurk, the U.S. Special envoy in the fight against ISIS, says the fall of Sirte isn't imminent.
BRETT MCGURK, U.S. SPECIAL ENVOY: We've been able to control Sirte by force. But once you have a credible force on the ground that moves against them, there is a chance they could crack pretty quickly but I don't think we're there yet.
MANN: In Syria the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic forces have circled the ISIS held town of Monbij in a bid to cut off the Islamic state's last remaining access to the Turkish border. McGurk says that will make it harder for ISIS terrorists to hit Europe.
MCGURK: Monbij is where we believe the Paris attackers, the Brussels attackers, they all kind of pulsed through this area from Raqqah up to Monbij and now up to the capitals where they organized their attack.
MANN: In a separate offensive Syrian government troops backed by Russian forces are advancing through Raqqah province toward the de facto capital of is, Raqqah City. And in Iraq a combination of Iraqi military, police, Shia-led popular mobilization units and Sunni fighters have been closing in on the ISIS stronghold of Fallujah.
[04:40:07]
MCGURK: This will take weeks. It's not going to be fast. Again, they have to go block by block clearing IEDs.
MANN: McGurk estimates ISIS has shrunk from a high of 31,000 fighters to now between 19,000 and 25,000.
MCGURK: The morale now compared to where it was even four or five months ago is plummeting. We're seeing them execute their own fighters on the battlefield. We're seeing them unable to move fighters around the battlefield. And we're seeing recruits fall off precipitously.
MANN: The U.S. assessment, ISIS is on the defensive in three countries and under severe stress from within.
Jonathan Mann, CNN
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HOWELL: There is possible new evidence in the search for lost Malaysia Airlines Flight 370.
We will have the details on that coming up. Plus why Brazil's new health minister downplays the risk of catching Zika during the Olympics. Stay with us.
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HOWELL: Welcome back to " NEWSROOM" I'm George Howell. An American lawyer says he has once again found debris from missing Malaysia Airlines flight 370. That plane vanished in 2014. You will remember 239 people were on board.
CNN's Alexandra Field has more on why she says the sea is revealing its secrets.
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BLAINE ALAN GIBSON, FOUND PLANE DEBRIS: This is what you see as you step on the plane on the seat in front of you. This is very graphic. I have to tell you this, that the monitor screen touched me very deeply and brought tears to my eyes.
ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDNET: Three pieces of debris discovered on a beach on Nosy Boraha, an island off the east coast of Madagascar. Seeming they're two parts of panels and a piece of a screen. Items Blaine Gibson believes belong to missing Malaysia Airlines flight 370. Officials plan to take a closer look.
[04:45:10]
GIBSON: There's even a little bit of fabric from the seat that it was on and on the back, this is very, very important, there are three small barnacles. So those barnacles can give clues as to where it came from, and what route it took to travel here.
FIELD: Gibson, a lawyer from Seattle has made it his personal mission to find parts of the plane. He is travelling the world on his own dime looking for pieces of the puzzle that he says can be used to refine the search area.
GIBSON: I always believed the first clues would not be found by the big under water search, but by simple random people walking on the beach. The sea is revealing its secret.
FIELD: Last February in Mozambique he found a piece of wreckage that authorities say almost certainly comes from MH370. They're now looking at whether yet another new piece of debris could do. This one picked up in Australia, on a remote beach on Kangaroo Island.
SAMUEL ARMSTRONG, FOUND PLANE DEBRIS: We just stumbled across a piece of what I presumed to be an aircraft I guess. And then thought about planes that had gone down and wondered where it could have come from.
FIELD: No traces of the plane have turned up in the designated search area in the Indian Ocean thousands of kilometers off the west coast of Australia. Efforts there are expected to be complete by August and there are no plans to continue the official search after that.
Alexandra Field, CNN, Hong Kong.
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HOWELL: Reuters is reporting that scientists has found dangerous drug resistance super bacteria at some of Rio de Janeiro Olympic venues.
The bacteria were found off beaches hosting swimming events and in a lagoon where rowing and canoe athletes will compete.
In an e-mail response, Rio officials told Reuters that it the World Health Organization's recommendation for testing water safety.
In the meantime, Brazil's new health minister is responding after the safety of the Olympic games was questioned yet again.
CNN's Shasta Darlington has this report.
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SHASTA DARLINGTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Brazil is stepping up the offensive after a group of experts said the Rio 2016 Olympic games should be postponed or moved. I asked the new health minister, Ricardo Barros, if he thought the World Health Organization might agree when it meets next week.
RICHARD BARROS, BRAZIL HEALTH MINISTER: (As translated) There is no scientific basis for recommending postponement of the games. It's a period of extremely low incidence of the disease. We expect this will be a regular meeting and they will reaffirm their recommendations.
DARLINGTON: What's the real risk for visitors for athletes coming to Rio 2016.
BARROS: (As translated) According to a study done by the University of Cambridge, of the $500,000 foreign tourists that will come, only one will get the Zika virus so it's almost a zero risk.
DARLINGTON: Now the minister argued that the summer games will actually be head in Brazil's winter when the mosquito that spreads the disease tends to die off. He pointed to figures showing that the number of Zika cases has actually fallen 87% since its peak back in February.
Although the disease its was first detected here in Brazil last year and since then has sparked this huge surge in birth defects. More than 1,400 cases of Microcephaly have been confirmed. Thousands more suspected cases are being investigated and this has really caused concern around the globe, not only amongst potential tourists, but even athletes with some pulling out of the Olympics.
British long jumper Greg Rutherford said he's coming, but just in case, he's frozen his sperm. And that shows just how far Brazil and Rio have to go towards convincing people that it's safe to come.
Shasta Darlington, CNN, Rio de Janeiro.
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HOWELL: Shasta, thank you. Still to come here, what do you think happened when this black panther stuck up on the man posing for camera.
We'll show you the surprising results, next.
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[04:50:35]
(WORLD SPORTS)
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HOWELL: In Mexico a man poses with his back turned to a black panther and that is when the panther does something a little unexpected.
Jeanne Moos explains.
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JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It had a pink panther feel to it. A black panther sneaking up on a guy ready to pounce when all of a sudden -- instead of mauling the man, the man smothered the panther with kisses. No wonder this went viral.
Eduardo Serio, is the founder of an animal sanctuary in Mexico called "Black Jaguar White Tiger. (inaudible) following posting videos mainly of himself interacting with the big cats including the littlest big cats.
Papa bear as Eduardo calls himself is famous for his hugs. But is all that cuteness too cute to be true? The sanctuary has both fans and fierce critics. Celebrity fans like Khloe Kardashian are allowed to get up close and personal with the cats. And though nothing did happen, critics say it could. "This celebrity studded instagram petting zoo is, like a disaster waiting to happen."
KELLIE HECKMAN, EXEC. DIR. GLOBAL FEDERATION OF ANIMAL SANCTARIES: It's not safe to handle big cats. And what it does is portray this idea that these big cats are tractable or handleable.
MOOS: Sending the wrong message they can be pets as Kellie Heckman head of the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries which has not certified the Black Jaguar White Tiger sanctuary.
[04:55:03]
MOOS: It's also not clear precisely where Eduardo rescues his animals from. He says circuses and breeders. CNN was unable to reach papa bear. He was probably out running with his pack. Confident that they won't bite the hand that pets them.
Jeanne Moos, CNN. New York.
HOWELL: That's just a little too close to a panther there for me. Anyway, the Euro 2016 football championship is underway and German zoos are fielding animals to predict the match's outcome.
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HOWELL: The Leipzig Zoo has turned to Oobi-Oobi, the Koala. The marsupial has predicted Germany will draw with Ukraine when the two teams meet on Sunday. He had to pick between the two eucalyptus branches and didn't choose either.
But we'll see what happens. The Sea Lion thinks Germany will lose. She was given three balls and picked the Ukrainian one.
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HOWELL: That wraps this hour of "CNN NEWSROOM" I'm George Howell at the CNN Centre in Atlanta. I'll be back after the break with another hour of news from around the world. Thank you for watching CNN, the world's news leader.
