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North Korean Missile Launch Fails; Iraqi Forces Battling to Retake Fallujah; Civilians Caught in Crossfire in Iraqi Battle; Trump Critic: Outrage after Zoo Kills Gorilla to Save Boy; Strong Independent Will Enter Race; Kenyan Military Attack Kept Secret Until Now; Outrage in Brazil over Teen Rape; Harvard Grad's Inspirational Speech. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired May 31, 2016 - 02:00   ET

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


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(HEADLINES)

[02:00:46] ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, and welcome to our viewers here in the United States and all around the world. I'm Rosemary Church.

ERROL BARNETT, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Errol Barnett. Thanks for joining our two-hour block. CNN NEWSROOM starts now.

A South Korean military official says North Korea attempted to launch a missile early on Tuesday and apparently failed. This is just the latest in a string of missile tests as Pyongyang tries to advance its weapons program.

CHURCH: Japan says there's no indication that any North Korean missiles are flying their way but it will keep its military on alert.

CNN's Paula Hancocks joins us now from Seoul, South Korea.

So, Paula, what more are we learning about this missile launch and what more is South Korea and Japan saying about it?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Rosemary, we know it happened in the early hours of Tuesday morning. The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff saying it did appear to fail. At this point they were calling it an unidentified missile. But the overwhelming opinion among local media is that it was a mid-range missile, a Musudan missile. Now, this hasn't been confirmed by officials, but if that is the case, that isn't the first time North Korea has tried this. They've been trying three times last month to launch a successful mid-range missile. They failed on all counts. And of course, today's also believed to be a failure.

There has been a reaction, though, from Japan, saying they're watching the situation very closely.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

YOSHIHIDE SUGA, JAPANESE CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY (through translation): There is no missile confirmed to have flown towards Japan. So we don't recognize it as something that would directly influence our security.

In order to take all possible measures to protect the lives and assets of our people under any circumstances, we've ordered the self-defense forces to take necessary actions.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANCOCKS: Now, of course, if this was a Musudan missile, then the lowest range would take in all of Japan and South Korea as a target. The upper range of this missile could even take U.S. Military bases in Guam. So certainly it's something that officials in the region and in Washington are watching very closely -- Rosemary?

CHURCH: And, Paula, is there any significance attached to the timing of the launch of this missile?

HANCOCKS: Well, it's something we always try and figure out, whether or not there is a significance. It's not clear at this point whether there is. It is clear that North Korea wants to have this capability. They have tried this a number of times in the past. In recent days and weeks, we've also seen North Korea reaching out to South Korea for talks. Pyongyang said they would like military talks with the south. But Seoul, up to this point, has said no because they clearly say they don't think they're genuine. They don't believe there's any point in talking if denuclearization is not going to be discussed. And Pyongyang has made it abundantly clear that it wants to keep its nuclear program and it has no intention of including that in any future talks with the south -- Rosemary?

CHURCH: Just after 3:00 in the afternoon there in South Korea, in Seoul. Paula Hancocks joining us live with that update. We'll talk again next hour. Many thanks.

BARNETT: As we've been telling you for the past few days, Iraqi forces backed by coalition warplanes have launched an all-out offensive to take out the ISIS stronghold of Fallujah. They're trying to push their way into the heart of the city after capturing a handful of villages and towns on its outskirts.

CHURCH: But they're meeting fierce resistance. And as the fighting rages, it's feared 50,000 civilians are caught in the crossfire.

Here's CNN Pentagon correspondent, Barbara Starr.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): ISIS under heavy pressure on multiple battlefronts in Iraq and Syria.

(EXPLOSION)

STARR: U.S. Special Operations forces helping local troops inching closer to the front lines.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

STARR: The Iraqi military announcing it's beginning the battle to clear Fallujah, attempting to take back the strategically important city just 40 miles west of Baghdad.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

STARR: ISIS tunnels already discovered nearby, a sign of the tough fight to come.

(EXPLOSION)

[02:05:09] STARR: The U.S. providing air strikes and watching the Iraqi forces closely.

COL. STEVE WARREN, U.S. ARMY: We're seeing everything from Iraqi security forces, the regular Army, to the police and even their elite counterterrorist service, all participating in this action.

(EXPLOSION)

STARR: Less discussed but also involved in the Fallujah fight, Iran and the Shia militias it backs, joining the fight to knock ISIS from the city, raising concerns as they move against the heavily Sunni populated area it could all lead to more sectarian violence.

(EXPLOSION)

STARR: To the north, a Kurdish offensive under way around Mosul, Iraq's second-largest city, an attempt to squeeze ISIS and force it to fight in multiple locations.

GEN. JOSEPH VOTEL, COMMANDER, U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND: We do recognize the value of simultaneity when we go against this enemy. When we present them with multiple dilemmas we generally see more success with them.

(EXPLOSION)

STARR: And across the border U.S. Special Forces are accompanying and advising Syrian rebel forces fighting on the doorstep of ISIS's self- declared capitol in Raqqa.

(EXPLOSION)

STARR: During a recent visit to Iraq and Syria, General Joe Votel said he's always looking at what more the U.S. can offer.

VOTEL: As the conditions continue to change, as we continue to move into new phases of the overall operation, we'll continue to reevaluate that and where we identify the need for additional capabilities we'll ask for them.

(EXPLOSION)

STARR: U.S. Special Forces on full display in Tampa, Florida, over the weekend during an exercise drill that showed why these elite forces are now constantly called to action.

(on camera): U.S. officials do point to some measures of success. For example, they estimate, inside Syria, ISIS has lost 20 percent of the territory it once held. But nobody is counting ISIS down and out just yet. Military commanders say there is still a very long way to go.

Barbara Starr, CNN, the Pentagon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: And while Iraqi soldiers and militia battle ISIS militants in Fallujah, tens of thousands of civilians are still trapped inside the city.

BARNETT: That's right. One resident says ISIS gunmen have been going door to door pulling men, women, and children from their homes. Hundreds of people have been able to flee Fallujah and its outskirts since the offensive began last week, but that is just a fraction of the overall population. Many of them are now taking shelter in camps. They say the situation inside Fallujah is dire with very little food, water, or medicine.

Our senior international correspondent, Ben Wedeman, has reported extensively on the fight against ISIS in Iraq. He joins us now live from Rome this morning.

And, Ben, we know ISIS uses civilians during conflict. They're not above putting innocent people directly in harm's way. Just tell us more about what we're learning about how those residents who were unable to fleet are being treated right now.

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, we understand that it's very difficult at this point for people who live in Fallujah proper as opposed to the outskirts to flee. We know from the UNHCR that around 800 people have been able to flee the edges of the city. But inside, the situation is extremely difficult, and we're hearing reports, for instance, that ISIS has executed young men and others who have refused to fight.

And you have to realize that we're at a sort of critical turning point. It's clear that the Iraqi army is going to proceed with this offensive. They have mustered so many men and materiel for this fight that, in a sense, the days of ISIS in Fallujah are numbered. So there may have been people who were wavering in the past, who might even have supported ISIS in the past, but they see now that the tide is turning. They don't want to fight and die for ISIS. And so many people are just staying as low as possible, hiding in their homes.

But of course, in their homes, first of all, it's very dangerous because the city is under around-the-clock artillery bombardment and also air strikes as well. And of course, we know there's been a six- month siege on Fallujah and so food, water, medicine are all in short supply. So the situation is extremely dire.

And at this point, it's not clear how long this offensive is going to take. It's one thing to clear the villages around Fallujah, but keep in mind that the fighters in Fallujah have a lot of experience fighting the Americans before and now of course the Iraqi army. And we've seen in the past, ISIS fighters are willing to fight to the death -- Errol?

BARNETT: Ben Wedeman, live in Rome for us this morning with the latest on the fight in Fallujah. Ben, we'll reconnect with you again next hour. Thanks.

[02:10:10] CHURCH: A zoo in the United States is standing by its decision to kill a rare gorilla after a boy fell into its habitat.

BARNETT: Yeah, this comes as some blame the zoo and the child's parents for negligence.

Jessica Schneider has the latest.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(SCREAMING)

JESSICA SCHNEIDER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A tense and terrifying 10 minutes inside the gorilla world exhibit. A 3-year-old boy dragged and tossed by a 450-pound 17-year-old western lowland gorilla named Harambe.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): Engine 32. The gorilla has the child.

SCHNEIDER: The young boy ducking under a railing, climbing through protective wiring, and dropping more than 10 feet into this moat according to zoo officials.

THANE MAYNARD, DIRECTOR, CINCINNATI ZOO: This is a dangerous animal. I know you see photos, videos, she doesn't seem dangerous. We're talking about an animal with one hand that I've seen take a coconut and crunch it.

(SHOUTING)

SCHNEIDER: The zoo's dangerous Animal Response Team tried to lure Harambe from the exhibit, but he didn't respond. The team was forced to shoot and kill the gorilla to save the boy.

MAYNARD: Naturally, we did not take the shooting of Harambe lightly. But that child's life was in danger. And people who question that or are Monday-morning quarterbacks or second guessers don't understand that you can't take a risk with a silverback.

SCHNEIDER: A group of protesters expressed outrage outside the zoo, calling for justice for Harambe, and a petition has garnered more than 100,000 signatures demanding prosecutors and police criminally charge the little boy's parents.

DAVID SCHWARTZ, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: If minutes went by, then certainly there's criminal negligence on the part of the mom to not supervise a 3-year-old at the zoo, so one can make an argument. I highly doubt there will be criminal charges brought against the mother.

SCHNEIDER: The boy's mother cried out to her son.

UNIDENTIFIED MOTHER: Mommy loves you. I'm right here.

SCHNEIDER: The family today only releasing this statement: "We are so thankful to the Lord that our child is safe. He is home and doing just fine. We extend our heartfelt thanks for the quick action by the Cincinnati Zoo staff."

The zoo director says the gorilla exhibit has existed since 1978 and there has never been an incident like this.

MAYNARD: Politicians and pundits point fingers. We live in the real world, and we make real decisions. People can climb over barriers. And that's what happened.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Jessica Schneider reporting there.

And joining us now to talk more about this is Gisela Kaplan. She is a professor and animal behavior specialist at Australia's University of New England.

Thank you so much for being with us.

So we know, of course, the Cincinnati Zoo has said that they took the appropriate action under the circumstances, but you don't agree with them. Why is that?

GISELA KAPLAN, PROFESSOR & ANIMAL BEHAVIOR SPECIALIST, AUSTRALIA'S UNIVERSITY OF NEW ENGLAND: Well, let me put it this way. The gorilla is a very benign and pleasant and peaceful -- and the male in particular has the role of keeping the peace in his group. So he resolves conflicts rather than creating them. And it would have been right up his alley to resolve this particular problem as well. And we have ample evidence now that gorillas tend to take their risk assessment very accurately and judge whether something is dangerous or not. And obviously a 4-year-old boy is not an imminent danger to his group, nor to his own life. So the normal course of events would have resulted in him saving and helping that little boy.

There is one element in there that wasn't there 30 years ago in the Jersey zoo -- two elements that are different. 30 years ago, when a boy fell into the enclosure, just in a similar way as in this case, A, there were no guns, so they couldn't shoot the animals. They had to find some other means if there was any interference at all. And secondly, the crowd didn't scream and shout. And that in itself is something that the gorilla may have interpreted as something that was a threat. And he may, in fact, have tried to get the boy away from that as quickly as possible.

CHURCH: But the unsettling part of that is how the gorilla did that, isn't it? And it's difficult to know how this could have turned out if no one had intervened. If that had been your 3-year-old child in the enclosure with the gorilla, would you have been comfortable waiting out another few minutes to see how this all played out?

[02:14:54] KAPLAN: I do not -- as one doesn't know what one actually really does when one isn't rational but emotional. So anything is possible. And I don't vouch for myself, and I am not critical either of the zoo or of the parents.

But the point is that this could set another horrible precedent as well. It's taken us a long time to change the view of the general public and the world about gorillas as benign and very intelligent and very sensitive and, in fact, very gentle species. So an incident like that can easily swap it the other way.

And there's also the problem of interpretation of the gorilla's behavior. Now, when he took the boy by the arm and by the leg, that's exactly what they do with their own offspring. This wasn't in itself a particularly aggressive gesture. And he was standing in the end, on his arm, which is not a threat gesture either.

So we have to realize there were a number of elements at work which led, unfortunately, to this very tragic outcome. And many say, well, the zoo had no choice. The keeper certainly had no choice. It was policy of the zoo. So they could only function within their policy.

But I think sometimes it is important to remember perhaps the martial arts. And when you look at the martial arts, their ruling is you don't kill in the first instance. If you can't deter, you maim. If you can't maim, only then in the ultimate would you actually proceed to kill. And I think we are far too ready to shoot dead whatever is uncomfortable or dramatic. And perhaps the training in future should go exactly to such emergency moments and say, well, we must find more humane ways because this isn't just an effect on this one gorilla. It's an entire family will suffer severely and be traumatized and in shock. And I wonder whether the zoo is going to offer any program for the gorillas to cope for their whole family that has lost their leader, to cope with that loss, and it's massive.

CHURCH: There has been global outrage. People are upset on both sides of the equation here. It is difficult for all of us, of course, to know how we would respond in the same circumstances and make that sort of judgment.

But Professor Gisela, thank you so much, Gisela Kaplan, for joining us. We appreciate it.

KAPLAN: Great pleasure. Thank you very much.

BARNETT: Still to come this hour, a leading Republican throws a curveball at Donald Trump, promising a strong third-party candidate to run for president. That story and much more on the race for the White House next.

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(SPORTS REPORT)

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[02:21:48] BARNETT: A rally in Oakland, California, for Bernie Sanders was interrupted when protesters rushed the stage as they yelled. Secret Service agents sprang into action to protect the Democratic presidential candidate there at the podium, as you see.

CHURCH: Other agents caught at least four demonstrators and led them away. Bernie Sanders was not hurt.

Now, on the Republican side, a prominent anti-Trump journalist says an impressive Independent candidate is about to enter the race for the White House.

BARNETT: And the presumptive nominee fired back in true Donald Trump fashion.

Chief political correspondent, Dana Bash, has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): If you want to make a splash, send a mysterious tweet on a sleepy holiday weekend, like this from Bill Kristol, "There will be an Independent candidate, an impressive one, with a strong team and a real chance."

Kristol, the staunchly anti-Trump editor of the conservative "Weekly Standard" magazine, has been working hard to find that third-party candidate. In an e-mail to CNN he said, "An announcement is not imminent." But his tweet sure got a lot of attention, especially from Donald Trump, who responded, "If Dummy Bill Kristol actually does get a spoiler to run as an Independent, say good-bye to the Supreme Court."

CNN is told that Kristol, along with other Never-Trump Republicans, have done extensive polling and gathered private data, talking to potential candidates and financial backers.

BILL KRISTOL, EDITOR, THE WEEKLY STANDARD: There's an opening obviously for an Independent candidate.

BASH: They point to public polling as proof there is an appetite. In a survey earlier this month, little more than half of respondents, 51 percent, said they would be satisfied with a Trump-Clinton match-up. 44 percent said they'd want a third-party option. As for just Republicans, target voters for Kristol and other anti-Trump conservatives, 39 percent said they'd want a third-party candidate. But the open question is who?

MITT ROMNEY, (R), FORMER MASSACHUSETTS GOVERNOR & FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Donald Trump is a phony, a fraud.

BASH: Two sources close to Mitt Romney tell CNN the 2012 GOP nominee will still not go so far as to run as an Independent. Never-Trump forces have also been trying to recruit Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse or retired General Jim Mattis. Sass sources tell CNN he is still a no. Jim Mattis also has said, thanks, but no thanks.

Kristol has also floated GOP Congressman Adam Kinsinger. A source familiar with Kinsinger's thinking tells CNN he would have considered it, quote, "literally to save the union," because both Clinton and Trump scare him. But he doesn't think the infrastructure exists to get on the ballot.

On the stump, Trump mocks Kristol.

DONALD TRUMP, (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE & CEO, TRUMP ORGANIZATION: He can't find anybody. What a loser!

BASH: Most Republicans argue a third-party run would be a disaster for the GOP, splinter the party, and help elect Hillary Clinton.

REINCE PRIEBUS, CHAIRMAN, REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE: They could try to hijack another party and get on the ballot. But look, it's a suicide mission.

DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Even those who are not big fans of Trump.

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM, (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: Absolutely not. I'm going to have my --

(CROSSTALK)

BASH: No third party?

GRAHAM: No way. And I would advise people not to go down that road.

BASH: Still, separate from Kristol's efforts, two former Republican governors, Gary Johnson and Bill Weld, won the Libertarian Party nomination this weekend, the most experienced candidates ever for that party.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[02:25:11] BARNETT: That was chief political correspondent, Dana Bash, reporting.

Now, earlier, I spoke with the director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, Larry Sabato, about which party a third candidate would hurt most.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LARRY SABATO, DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR POLITICS, UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA: In both cases, I think it would be Donald Trump. Certainly, that's the case for Kristol's candidate. Now, we're all dying to find out exactly who this is. We've heard speculation about lots of names, and they've all denied it. So there's got to be somebody. And we'll find out soon.

Even if that individual gets only a couple of percent of the vote, probably that's enough to deny Trump the presidency. If it turns out to be a close race -- some dispute that it will be close in the end -- but if it is close in the end, well, we've had cases of this in the recent past. So I think Trump has to be worried about the Kristol candidate. And even with respect to the Libertarians. In general, Libertarians tend to take a few more votes for Republicans than they do for the Democratic nominee. So I think in both cases the Republicans have to be concerned.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BARNETT: Now, I also asked Sabato about Donald Trump's attack on the judge presiding over a fraud lawsuit against Trump University. Find out what he has to say about that and much more coming up in our next hour of CNN NEWSROOM.

CHURCH: And CNN's new show, "State of the Race," with Kate Bolduan, is just ahead for our viewers in Asia.

BARNETT: And coming up for everyone else, a Kenyan military defeat that's been shrouded in secrecy. Months later, the toll from a brazen terror attack is finally becoming clearer. We'll show you our exclusive report.

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[02:30:15] BARNETT: A warm welcome back to those of you watching here in the states and everyone tuned in around the world. I'm Errol Barnett.

CHURCH: And I'm Rosemary Church.

It is, of course, time to update you on the main stories we've been following at this hour.

(HEADLINES)

BARNETT: Now, a Kenyan military defeat has largely been shrouded in secrecy until now. Al Shabaab terrorists launched a bold attack on a Kenyan base in Somalia back in January, but Kenya's government kept it quiet.

CHURCH: Well, now the world is finally starting to see just how deadly that attack was.

Robyn Kriel has this exclusive report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FAMILY MEMBER: He was telling us, "This is not my home."

ROBYN KRIEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The photos he sent home told his family he was brave. But in his personal life, Corporal jams Saitoti Kuronoi didn't like conflict.

UNIDENTIFIED FAMILY MEMBER: He was always joking. He had a permanent smile.

KRIEL: His job was to drive tanks out of the al Ade (ph) base in southern Somalia. His pictures showed what he called his new home.

UNIDENTIFIED FAMILY MEMBER: I don't know how we will fill the gap.

KRIEL: On January 15th, Kuronoi's camp was attacked by al Shabaab militants. His family didn't hear from him again. Kenya's defense force brought four caskets home with full military honors but Kuronoi was not among them.

(MUSIC)

KRIEL: The Somali government says there were an estimated 200 Kenyan soldiers at the base the day of the attack. But the Kenyan government has released no details of what happened. No official death toll.

(MUSIC)

KRIEL: But four months after the attack, a picture is emerging of heavy losses as body after body is quietly released for burials across the country. Kenyan media has documented at least 30 funerals.

The terror group al Shabaab posted this propaganda video showing the attack and the brutal way wounded and surrendering Kenyan soldiers were simply shot dead. Al Shabaab claims more than 100 Kenyan soldiers were killed. At least 50 Kenyan casualties can be counted in the video.

(on camera): But the death toll may be even higher than that claimed by al Shabaab. Two officials familiar with the recovery operations have told CNN that the Kenyan death toll from that day is at least 141, making this attack the bloodiest defeat for the Kenyan military since independence.

(voice-over): The Kenyan defense force would not respond to repeated CNN requests for comment.

One blogger who posted photos and information about the attack was arrested under a rarely enforced national security law but was later released by the Kenyan government without charge.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Although they cite national security reasons, in fact what they end up doing is creating an opportunity for Shabaab in many cases to propagandize their victories, perhaps exaggerate them, but there's no way of countering that narrative because there is no real narrative coming from the government.

KRIEL: After seven DNA tests, James Saitoti Kuronoi was finally identified. A tree like this one will be planted near his grave site. But James's sister still has many questions.

UNIDENTIFIED FAMILY MEMBER: We would like to know who are these people. How many are they -- it is a question that will live in our mind forever. Because even if you got your body, what about the rest? How many were they? How many were there rescued? How many are there in charge? You don't know.

KRIEL: For now, the story of the Kenyan soldiers who fought and bled that day is being told not by the country they died serving but only by the families of the dead and the terrorist group they'd sworn to fight.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[02:35:10] BARNETT: Robyn Kriel joins us from Nairobi, Kenya, this morning.

Robyn, why the dramatic loss? Kenyans have much better weaponry? Were al Shabaab just tactically superior to the Kenyan military? Is that possible?

KRIEL: Well, that's a question that has been asked repeatedly. And this is not the first attack of this kind, Errol. Two similar attacks occurred on other African Union troop-contributing countries to the a. U.S. mission to Somalia. It's happened to the Ugandans and the Burundians. This was the third similar-style attack by al Shabaab where you saw an enormous amount of al Shabaab fighters, much larger than usual, 200 to 300, beginning with a very large car bomb and breaching the base, walking up and killing a large number of African Union fighters, in this case, KDF fighters.

And what a lot of military experts are asking is where were the guard patrols? Where were the forward patrols to see that this group of fighters was coming? They crossed across that field as you can see from that video in broad daylight literally jumping over a very low, about a foot-high razor wire fence. Where were the machine guns? Where were the arcs of fire? And, indeed, they have superior weaponry as well as armored personnel carriers. So where were they? So this is a really concerning question. People are saying these are questions the leadership of the Kenyan defense force needs to answer.

But this is also a concerning question for the people of Kenya, who still do not know how many of their troops died that day. And to the families of those troops, Errol, who have not seen their husbands, their brothers, their soldiers' names on a plaque remembered. And indeed, they don't know how most of them died. At the moment, the only information is coming from the terrorist group, al Shabaab.

BARNETT: And just imagine being without your loved one since January, having no clue what happened to them in their final moments.

We'll talk to you again next hour.

Robyn Kriel with us, live from Nairobi, Kenya, this morning where it's just past 9:30 there. Robyn, thanks.

CHURCH: And still to come after this short break, the latest blow to a disastrous start for Brazil's interim president. Why his anti- corruption minister is stepping down.

Back in a moment.

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[02:40:43] CHURCH: Brazil's transparency minister has resigned after leaked recordings revealed his attempts to derail a corruption investigation. Fabiana Silveira was caught on tape advising Brazil's Senate leader on how to defend himself from a probe into state-run oil company, Petrobras.

BARNETT: Transparency ministry staff protesters outside the presidential palace earlier on Monday. They scrubbed the sidewalk and building, symbolically demanding a government cleanup.

CHURCH: And a Brazilian teenager who says she was brutally gang-raped in a Rio de Janeiro slum is telling the world what happened to her.

BARNETT: Of course, this case has sparked outrage throughout the country after video of the attack was also posted online.

Shasta Darlington reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SHASTA DARLINGTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A case that has caused shock in a country accustomed to a relatively high level of violence. Now the 16-year-old victim is speaking out in an interview with CNN affiliate, TV Record. She says she's afraid justice will never be done.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translation): If I have to wait for the justice system, they've already shown me that nothing is going to happen. I am waiting for the justice of God that might be late but never fails.

DARLINGTON: This all started last week when a 38-second video emerged on the Internet purportedly posted by one of the suspects. It shows the victim naked and unconscious. You can hear men's voices in the background bragging about how more than 30 people have had sexual intercourse with her. In the interview, she also spoke about that experience.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translation): I fell asleep and woke up in a completely different place with a man under me, one on top of me, and two holding me down on my hands. Many people laughing at me. And I was drugged, out of it. Many people with guns. Boys laughing and talking.

(SHOUTING)

DARLINGTON: Over the weekend, there were numerous protests across the country. Here in Rio de Janeiro, a city that's going to be receiving hundreds of thousands of visitors for the Olympic Games in just two months' time, protesters took to the beach. They hung up laundry lines with clothes painted red, undergarments painted red. In Brasilia, hundreds of protesters carrying flowers were held back with pepper spray as they tried to storm a part of the Supreme Court.

Police on Monday launched a new raid in the Western -- the Western favela here in Rio de Janeiro where the incident took place. They have six arrest warrants and orders from the interim president, on down, to try and capture the suspects and quell the protests.

Shasta Darlington, CNN, Rio de Janeiro.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BARNETT: Now, this is raising some eyebrows. A former U.S. attorney general says the man who leaked the country's surveillance secrets actually did a public service.

CHURCH: Eric Holder talked about Edward Snowden on a CNN podcast. He said Snowden's leak of classified documents led to a national debate over U.S. surveillance techniques and prompted changes. But he also said Snowden's actions were illegal and harmed American interests. He wants Snowden to return to the U.S. from Russia to face trial.

BARNETT: Now, the Harvard commencement speech that's being called the most inspiring address ever given by a student.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONOVAN LIVINGSTON, HARVARD GRADUATE: At the core, none of us were meant to be common. We were born to be comets, darting across space and time, leaving our mark as we crash into everything.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[02:44:30] BARNETT: If you haven't seen this yet, quickly Google it, because our conversation with that student is coming up after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BARNETT: "Lift-off," those are the words of advice that one Harvard student used to close his commencement address. But it's not just what he said that's getting attention. It's the way he said it.

CHURCH: It wasn't your standard speech, but rather a powerful spoken- word poem on race and education in America.

And here's what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LIVINGSTON: I've always been a thorn in the side of injustice, disruptive, talkative, a distraction with a passion that transcends the confines of my own consciousness beyond your curriculum, beyond your standards. I stand here a manifestation of love and pain with veins pumping revolution. I am the strange fruit that grew too ripe for the poplar tree. I am a dream act, dream deferred, incarnate and a movement, an amalgam of memories America would care to forget. My past alone won't allow me to sit still, so my body like my mind cannot be contained.

Our stories are the ladders that make it easier for us to touch the stars. So climb and grab them. Keep climbing. Grab them. Spill your emotions in the Big Dipper and pour out your soul. Light up the world with your luminous allure.

To educate requires Galileo-like patience. Today, when I look my students in the eyes, all I see are constellations. If you take the time to connect the dots, you can plot the true shape of their genius shining in their darkest hour. I look each of my students in the eyes and see the same light that aligned Orion's belt in the pyramids of Giza. I see the same twinkle that guided Harriet to freedom. I see them beneath their masks. In their mischief exists an authentic frustration, an enslavement to your standardized assessments.

[02:50:07] At the core, none of us were meant to be common. We were born to be comets, darting across space and time, leaving our mark as we crash into everything. A crater is a reminder that something amazing happened right here, an indelible impact that shook up the world. Are we not astronomers searching for the next shooting star?

I teach in hopes of turning content into rocket ships, tribulations into telescopes, so a child can see their true potential from right where they stand. And injustice is telling them they are stars without acknowledging the night that surrounds them. And justice is telling them education is the key while you continue to change the locks.

Education is no equalizer. Rather, it is the sleep that precedes the American dream. So wake up. Wake up. Lift your voices until you patch every hole in a child's broken sky. Wake up every child so they know of their celestial potential.

I've been the black hole in a classroom for far too long, absorbing everything without allowing my light to escape. But those days are done. I belong among the stars. And so do you. And so do they.

(APPLAUSE)

LIVINGSTONE: Together, together, we can inspire galaxies of greatness for generations to come. So, no, no. The sky is not the limit. It is only the beginning. Lift-off.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BARNETT: Donovan Livingston joins us now via webcam from Myrtle Beach in South Carolina.

Donovan, congratulations. And thanks so much for joining us on CNN today. We appreciate it.

CHURCH: Great to talk to you.

LIVINGSTON: Thank you so much for having me. I'm blessed to be here.

BARNETT: Now, I'm just curious, why do you think your message, which was generally to teachers to reach out to students, has resonated in such a big way, particularly among African-Americans here in the states? LIVINGSTON: Well, I honestly think that there's something in the poem

that kind of touches on the human experience for all of us, especially black Americans in terms of tracing our history of being marginalized and left out of certain educational spaces. I was really glad to be able to use that stage in a way that really elevated our voices and our experiences in school so we could work to engage in dialogue on how to eradicate those differences in educational outcomes in our country.

CHURCH: And, Donovan, tell us how you first found your voice and what you hope to do with all this newfound attention when it comes to your chosen field of education.

LIVINGSTON: Definitely. So spoken-word poetry has always been a significant part of my identity, and I think I kind of touched on it a little bit in the piece itself. I talk an instance in which my seventh grade social studies teacher really pulled me to the side and encouraged me to harness all of the extra energy I was displaying in class in a positive way, and she actually coached our speech and debate team, and that was kind of my first introduction to public speaking. And from there, I kind of started to write and draft my own prose and poetry. And really, she was a catalyst in a lot of ways in helping me find my voice initially. And from there, it just kind of took off.

I'm a big fan of hip-hop. I'm a big fan of poetry. And being able to merge different aspects of my culture, and to perform them for other people has been a very authentic and genuine experience for me.

BARNETT: And I think what's interesting and eye opening for so many people is that your speech talks about teachers who helped you but some who also held you back. You mentioned in high school a teacher at the time discouraging you from reciting a spoken-word speech. I know they've since reached out to you since you've gone viral, everything's cool now. But why were they holding you back? And how could that be true as well for other American students right now?

LIVINGSTON: Well, I feel like students are often in many ways silenced and we don't often know it in the moment. But I honestly did not know it in the moment or view it as such. I was just trying to abide by protocol. And I didn't want to be taken off stage, so I kind of followed suit and provided a more traditional graduation address. But as time went on, and spoken word became more a part of who I was as a person, I saw fit to implement that in every space I possibly could, whether it was on stage or working one on one with students. And I really believe that every student has a particular niche. For me, it's poetry. Other students, it might be dance or theater. And really being able to find what it is that students need to be successful and be their authentic selves, I think it's something that teachers should do no matter what the curricular constraints might be.

CHURCH: And, Donovan, just finally, what do you see as your calling in life? What is next for Donovan Livingston?

LIVINGSTON: Well, next academically and professionally, I'll be pursuing a PhD in education leadership with a concentration in cultural studies. But on a much more larger scale, I'd like to evoke some sort of a change in the field of education where we do create spaces for students to be their best selves, both in and outside of the classroom. I really feel like school is one of those few institutions that every human passes through at some point in time, and really using schools as mechanisms to leverage equality and talk about injustice and how we can overcome those together as humanity. I really see school as a place for that to take place. So if I could evoke some sort of change in schools, in systems of education across the world, I really want to do that.

[02:55:37] BARNETT: And I guarantee you this has already started a conversation, a discussion. It will continue to as people watch this. I'm not poetic, but you did say, "I've always been a thorn in the side of injustice." So, Donovan, keep poking. OK?

LIVINGSTON: Thank you so much.

BARNETT: We appreciate the work you're doing.

CHURCH: And as you've said, lift off.

Donovan Livingston, thank you so much for speaking with us.

LIVINGSTON: You all have a blessed evening. Take care.

BARNETT: You, too, Donovan. Thanks.

CHURCH: Thanks.

What an inspiring young man, isn't he?

BARNETT: The world needs more Donovans. And they're out there.

CHURCH: And he speaks so well, too.

BARNETT: Yeah.

CHURCH: Thanks for watching CNN NEWSROOM this hour. I'm Rosemary Church.

BARNETT: And I'm Errol Barnett.

Remember, you can always connect with us on social media. It is great to hear from you all.

Next hour, our last hour together, more CNN NEWSROOM after this short break.

CHURCH: Stay with us.

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