Return to Transcripts main page

CNN NEWSROOM

Milwaukee Violence Examined; Flooding in Louisiana Detailed; Olympic Wrap Up; Iraqi Forces Moving Toward Mosul; Police Investigating Killing of Imam in New York. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired August 15, 2016 - 03:00   ET

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


(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:00:00] ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN NEWSROOM SHOW HOST: And a very warm welcome back to our viewers here in the United States and all of course, all around the world. I'm Rosemary Church.

GEORGE HOWELL, CNN NEWSROOM SHOW HOST: And I am George Howell. We are monitoring the situation in Milwaukee, Wisconsin after another night of protests and unrest in that city.

A police officer has been taken to the hospital after rocks were thrown through his car's windshield. Authorities say they have made multiple arrests there. The National Guard also has been activated and will be deployed if necessary.

CHURCH: Demonstrations first broke out Saturday after police shot and killed an armed man during a foot chase. People set several buildings on fire and throwing bricks at police. Seventeen people were arrested on Saturday night.

HOWELL: Now earlier on Sunday, vigils were head for the man who shot and killed by police. In an emotional moment, his sister spoke out about what it's like she says to lose her big brother.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHERELLE SMITH, SYLVILLE SMITH'S SISTER: This is my brother, my protector. Somebody else supposed to be there for me. (Inaudible) Maybe like a cop.

I lost my brother. I can't get him back. Never, never. That's pain. That's real heartbreak.

I cannot look my brother in the eye and say I love you. I didn't have a Facebook to tell my brother I love you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: And authorities say they want the community to voice their concerns but in a peaceful way.

CNN's Ana Cabrera has more now on that.

ANA CABRERA, CNN CORRESPODENT: Community members here continuing to gather here in Milwaukee remembering the 23-year-old who was shot and killed on Saturday afternoon by a police officer in this neighborhood.

You see a vigil that has set up for that individual. Now, identified the 23-year-old Sylville Smith. Now police officers say it all began with a traffic stop that Smith and another individual were pulled over. They got out on foot, there was a pursuit. And the police officers eventually opened fire shooting and killing Smith after police say he failed to drop a gun.

Now police say there is body camera video of this confrontation with police that clearly shows he was holding a gun. The community here wants answers. They want this investigation to be transparent.

But really that shooting they say was simply a tipping point of much larger problem. The systemic problem that they have felt in this community for years. The community that feel that's been oppressed for years. And lacks opportunity and hope for this future.

That is what trigger all of that emotion that boiled over leading to several buildings set on fire late Saturday night. Police officers said they had rocks thrown at them, there was concrete that hit a woman's head.

A police officer who suffered a concussion and four other officers were insured, 17 people were arrested Saturday night. Police are asking for this community to voice their concerns but do it peacefully.

The National Guard has now been activated on standby. Should they be needed to come in and quell any additional violence that could happen here.

We will stay here in Milwaukee and let you know about any new developments.

Ana Cabrera, CNN, Milwaukee.

HOWELL: Ana, thank you. Now moving to the U.S. State of Louisiana, relief won't be coming any time soon for the people struggling with historic floods in the southern of that state.

More than 60 centimeters or about two feet of rain has fallen near Baton Rouge since Wednesday. The National Weather Service warns that more rising water is still to come as those swollen rivers continue to spill over their banks.

CHURCH: The flooding have killed at least five people and thousands more have been evacuated.

U.S. President Obama has signed an emergency declaration to speed up help for response and recovery efforts in the state.

And during a press conference on Sunday, Louisiana's governor thanked the people for cooperating with emergency evacuations.

HOWELL: And he also had this warning for everyone thinking about going into those flooded areas. I want you to listen here. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[03:05:05] JOHN BEL EDWARDS, LOUISIANA GOVERNOR: We are very thankful for the people out there who are heeding the warnings that they are being given to evacuate when that is the proper thing to do. But also, to not go out and sightseeing.

This is an ongoing event and we still have hundreds of road closures around southern Louisiana, roads that have been open are now impassable and that's the case. Even though the sun came out later today and that's going to be the case over the next couple of days.

So, I am asking people to remain patient and compliant and we are going to get through this.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: Our meteorologist Pedram Javaheri is here. And, Pedram, you know, he's talking about this situation where and I've seen covering this floods for people who want to go back to their homes.

PEDRAM JAVAHERI, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Correct.

HOWELL: Even though the water is there. People think that they can drive through the water, even though it's high. And then there are those sites here that are just too close to these dangerous floods.

JAVAHERI: Correct. You know, and one of those things when you see people in these waters and we know of course wildlife are displaced. Tens and thousands of wildlife are displaced just like people are displaced across this region.

But even fire in the skies what they tend to do is when they are forced out of the ground from the rising water, they actually bunch up and hang onto one another and create a little air pocks and can float downstream on these rivers.

And sometimes hundreds of miles downstream before (Ph) I answer are floating down. So, if you are crossing their path in this water whether that water is inside your property or not the state may contact with you. They are going to attack.

HOWELL: Ouch.

JAVAHERI: Yes. So, it's dangerous place to be when it comes to being out there. So, we'll show you what's in store here, guys. Because the flood watches, they are still there. The rainfall is it is going to begin to win. But Baton Rouge is watching with the flood warnings there.

But the watch is from much of really west central Texas all the way into even parts of eastern Texas with the flood warnings. And then work your way to the north now, we know parts of Ohio onto Indiana even Missouri with this flood concern.

Because the front responsible for all the rainfall is beginning to move off to the north and east as it does the rainfall now will be displaced off to the north and east.

You notice the heaviest rain still seeing it across Texas. But the heaviest now are moved off towards the Midwestern U.S. over the next coming couple of days.

So, here's how much fell across parts of Baton Rouge. About 19 inches of rainfall, it's half a meter of rainfall. It's about quadruple in their monthly average. Also a foot of rainfall is the most they've ever seen in a single day.

So, a lot of record set across this region. And it's really that expansive nature of how much rainfall it came down in a large area.

You see the top of the charts there of the color contour in white, that's 20 inches.

In fact, the CNN weather computers were not even programmed to accumulate this much rainfall in such a short time period. So, at least display that and you see 20 inches as being the top of the chart there.

We know one particular location recorded 34 inches in a matter of four days. That's comparable to what the city of Seattle see in an entire year and that occurring again in just a few days across this region.

There is thunderstorm still forecast. You noticed parts of Louisiana still get some strong storms into later his afternoon. And this evening, that can be a major, major issue.

And this is been an ongoing event when you take a look at the number of states that have been impacted in recent months and the number of dollars and millions spent in assistance for all of these areas, Rosemary, last hour you alluded to the story continually repeating itself. And it's now, $7 multi-million disasters related to flooding in the last 10 months in the U.S.

HOWELL: Wow, incredible

CHURCH: It is a worry, isn't it.

JAVAHERI: It is.

CHURCH: All right. Thank you so much, Pedram. We appreciate it.

It was a start at a day in Rio on day nine of the Olympics. Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt was aiming for history and he delivered in the 100 meters. It's his third straight gold in the event. The first time anyone has ever done that.

And he will try and do the same thing in the 200 and the 4 by 100 relay.

HOWELL: And some of the earlier action, U.S. gymnast Simone Biles maintained here perfect record in Rio. She dominated the vaults earning her third gold medal. She'll turn now to the beam where she can win a fourth goal on Monday. Bolt and Biles are turning in some historic performances in Rio.

CHURCH: They certainly are. And our Christina Macfarlane has been following the competition since day one. She joins us now live.

HOWELL: Absolutely. Christina, let's talk first about just the day's highlights, where do we start there as you're Bolt his performance and also the South African sprinter who broke that world record in the 400-meter run?

CHRISTINA MACFARLANE, CNN WORLD SPORTS ANCHOR: That's absolutely right, George. We have to start with Usain Bolt though, because it's one down and two to go for that unprecedented triple, triple. And you know, it was not the fastest time we saw him run last night. But it was certainly just another gold medal notched on his belt.

[03:09:58] It was interesting because Usain Bolt say afterwards that the reason he felt he didn't put in the fastest performance. Remember he ran a time of 9 seconds 81 -- sorry, 9.81 seconds. That's actually two tenth slower than he raced in London.

Was he thought because of the turnover between the semifinals and the final, now he had about an hour and 20 minutes in between the semifinal and the final. Now usually they have around two and a half hours to readjust themselves to that final.

But, you know what, it didn't matter because he came out ahead of the field in that hundred meters at the exact moment he needed to. And that was around the 60 meter mark. Now he was back at the beginning of the race and then when Justin Gatlin went ahead of him, that is of course his great U.S. team rival.

Usain Bolt managed to bring himself back into contention and then he just straight away ahead of the field. And it was a race we've seen so often from Usain Bolt. His large frame, his large structure carrying him across the finished line.

And it was interesting to hear the rules of the crowd as well. They were cheering Usain Bolt. But by contrast there were gearing his great rival Justin Gatlin when he entered the stadium.

Gatlin of course (AUDIO GAP) of course, that controversial doping part of his, perhaps coming up to catch up with him, and you know people were saying that this wasn't just a victory for Usain Bolt but it was of course our victory for clean sport as well.

And it was great to see the Jamaican crowds in the in the audience -- in the arena there just rejoicing in this victory. This is a night they will long remember.

CHURCH: Yes, making a clear and clean message there, right?

And, Christina, what more are we learning about that extraordinary move to ordinary Russian athletes back into the Rio Games. What were the circumstances? MACFARLANE: Yes, that's right, Rosemary. We had words at this in the

past hour from the Court of Arbitration for Sports. Now the backdrop to this, do you remember the Russian athlete Darya Klishina was the only athlete to be cleared to compete here for the Russian track and field team by the IWAF.

Now that's up after they blanket banned all the Russian athlete around a month ago from competing here. That is because she is based in the United States and therefore they said she wasn't part of Russia's state-sponsored doping program.

Now, on Saturday, based on new information that they've received, the IWAF, that's the athletic sport decided to pull her from the competition. She then appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

And in the past hour, the court have ruled in her favor. She now is going to be able to compete here in Rio. We saw here warming up on the track on the Sunday. And she begins the qualifying for the women's long jump here on Tuesday.

It is, perhaps the small victory and what is been a torrid Olympic Games for these Russian athletes.

And I can tell you just this evening we were down at the beach volleyball match. They were playing against Brazil and there were so many boos bringing out for those Russian athletes on the court. It will be interesting to see what she has to say in a couple of hours about her reinstatement.

HOWELL: Also I want to talk about this 400 meter runner. Again, the world record was set back in 1999. But now, it has been broken by this South African. Tell us about that.

MACFARLANE: That's right. It was the fastest 400 meters we have ever seen, George. And he came out and he completed four of the fastest lap, for of the fastest breakdowns in the 100 meters across that 400- meter -- 400-mter track breaking the world record.

This is a guy who has been training alongside Usain Bolt. And Usain Bolt actually said to him ahead of the race that he thought he would break the world record and that is what we saw tonight.

He's actually trained would you believe by a 74-year-old great grandmother. That has been his training partner for the best part of his whole life in fact.

We could be seeing so one of the new faces in the sports emerging here as we did. And almost feeling Usain's -- Usain Bolt's limelight from the track earlier this evening.

HOWELL: The trainer is 74-years-old.

CHURCH: That's fabulous.

HOWELL: Wow, Christina, thank you. Thank you so much. Very interesting fact there. We appreciate it. CHURCH: All right, let's talk the middle table now in the U.S.

pulling away at the top of the list. But things are little tighter lower down.

Britain taking over second place just ahead of China despite seven fewer medals overall.

HOWELL: And Russia has re-entered the tough five after a lengthy absence. They have nine gold now and 30 altogether. Rounding up the group, it's Germany with eight gold medals.

CHURCH: All right. Donald Trump says he can defeat ISIS but he hasn't said much about how he would do that. Why his campaign says he's about to reveal a plan.

HOWELL: And a new video renews hope for the rescue of Nigeria's kidnapped schoolgirls.

[03:15:02] Details ahead as CNN Newsroom continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PEDRAM JAVAHERI, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Weather watch time for the Americas. I'm Pedram Javaheri watching the pattern across the southern U.S., really the historic rainfall in recent days beginning to win a little bit for some.

Some of the heaviest rain shifted back towards areas of eastern Texas. Still could see some thunderstorms bringing down at least 50 to 100 millimeters over the next couple of says. But we do have the flood warning in place for Baton Rouge, certainly parts of South central Texas, as well, of San Antonio towards Houston.

But you take a look at the last week or so, the rainfall amount still excessive. In fact, the highest amount we observe were about 750 millimeters. You notice the top of our chart the top color contour only goes to half a meter of rainfall.

This is just a remarkable amount of water coming down in a matter of just a few days. In factk, the equivalent of what you would see in London in an entire year happening in just really several days, three to five days.

And you take a look, the moistures stretches all the way to the north work your way all the way out towards Toronto you could see some heavy rainfall. Some of this certainly has to be with a sudden fetch of moisture that's coming out of the Gulf of Mexico over the next several days.

But temperatures look at such. Chicago into the mid and upper 20s, Montreal, one better at 28. You can do one better than that in Winnipeg at 29 degrees.

And the Western U.S. enjoying a little bit of a heat wave especially out towards the northwestern corner of the U.S. into southern British Colombia as well into the 20s across that region. And that's all looking at 33 degrees. Cartagena also in the lower 30s. Don't be surprise to see a few storms. Rio, sunny and warm.

CHURCH: As early as Monday, members of Congress could see FBI notes taken during the bureau's interview with Clinton.

The democratic presidential nominee was not under oath but did spend more than three hours with the FBI answering questions about her use of private e-mail servers while she was Secretary of State.

Several republican lawmakers have requested the information.

Well, republican presidential nominee Donald Trump is lashing out the media once again. Over the weekend, he called the media corrupted, disgusting and dishonest. And said he would be leading the polls if it weren't for journalists.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, (R) U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm not running against crooked Hillary Clinton. I'm running against the crooked media, that's what I'm running against.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[03:19:57] CHURCH: And here are some of Trump's latest tweets. He says and I am quoting here directly, "If the disgusting and corrupt media covered me honestly and didn't put false meaning into the words I say I would be beating Hillary by 20 percent."

He also tweeted this. "It's not freedom of the press when newspapers and others are allowed to say and write whatever they want even if it's completely false."

Well, the leading conservative newspaper is calling on the Republican Party to give up on Donald Trump if he doesn't, quote, "change his act by Labor Day."

In an editorial published on Sunday, the Wall Street Journal said, "Trump needs to stop blaming everyone else and decide if he wants to behave like someone who wants to be president or turn the nomination over to Mike Pence."

Now the Trump campaign has not responded yet to CNN requests for comment on this editorial.

Trump's running mate is coming to his defense about some of the most controversial remarks the presidential candidate has made so far.

Just days ago, Trump declared President Obama and Hillary Clinton the founders of ISIS.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRIS WALLACE, FOX NEWS SUNDAY HOST: You and him spent a day defending his remarks saying that they were serious. Now Trump says that he was being sarcastic. So, Governor, which was it?

MIKE PENCE, INDIANA STATE GOVERNOR: Well, I think he's being very serious and he was making a point that needs to be made. That there is no question that the failed policies of President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the wider or Middle East, created a vacuum within a rack in which ISIS was able to arise. There is simply no question.

WALLACE: Then why are you saying he was sarcastic?

PENCE: Well, he was making a very serious point. And look, it's so important...

(CROSSTALK)

WALLACE: But you forget why would he was being sarcastic?

PENCE: Yes. Well, he was making a very serious point. Donald Trump has a way of talking that gets people's attention. And it's drawn attention to a very important issue.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Well, Trump is comparing the fight against ISIS to the Cold War. He says he will outline his strategy for victory in a speech Monday.

He will call for banning people from countries where the U.S. can't adequately vet visa applicants and he'll say America should have banned on any efforts at nation building or the spread of democracy in the Middle East.

Our Randi Kaye has more.

RANDI KAYE, CNN'S INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER: Donald Trump likes to talk about ISIS.

TRUMP: That barbarians of ISIS. We have to get ISIS.

We will defeat ISIS.

We have to knock out ISIS.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: His most recent comment about the terrorist group included this suggestion linking both President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton to the birth of ISIS.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: ISIS is honoring President Obama. He is the founder of ISIS. He's the founder of ISIS. OK?

(CROWD CHEERING)

He's the founder!

He founded ISIS. And I would say the co-founder would be crooked Hillary Clinton.

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: Whether or not he believed Obama and Clinton are the co- founders of ISIS, Trump seems confident he's the expert on the terror group.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: I know more about ISIS than the generals do. Believe me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: If that's true, then why would he have said this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: We don't even really know who the leader is.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: Trump has suggested several different ways he's handled the terror group. First, warning ISIS their days are numbered.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: I would bomb the (muted) out of him.

(APPLAUSE)

I would just bomb those suckers.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: Then another idea, he told CBS's 60 Minutes he let Russia do away with ISIS.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Russian wants to get rid of ISIS. We want to get rid of ISIS, maybe let Russia do it, let them get rid of ISIS. What the hell do we care?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: And what about the oil fields ISIS has taken control of?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: I would bomb the hell out of those oil fields. I wouldn't send many troops because you won't need them by the time I got finished. (END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: Eight months later though, a different plan from Trump. This time, he said he'd send tens of thousands of troops to the Middle East.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: We have to knock the hell our of them. I would listen to the generals but I would -- I'm hearing numbers of 20 to 30,000. We have to knock them out fast.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: He also took heat for this idea, saying he'd target those related to ISIS members. Something that is against the Geneva Conventions.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: The other thing is with the terrorist. You have to take out their families. When you get these terrorist you have to take out their families.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: One thing Trump has made clear is that if he's in the White House, ISIS will be destroyed.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: They're going to be gone, ISIS will be gone if I'm elected president and they'll be gone quickly. They'll be gone very, very quickly.

(APPLAUSE)

KAYE: He just won't say how he'll do it. This is what he said a month before he officially announced his run for the White House.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[03:25:01] TRUMP: I do know what to do and I would know how to bring ISIS to the table or beyond that defeat ISIS very quickly. And I'm not going to tell you what it is tonight.

All I can tell you is that it is a foolproof way of winning.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: Winning, something Donald Trump prides himself on. All he seems to need is a slid plan.

Randi Kaye, CNN, New York.

CHURCH: To Nigeria now. The government is looking for three people in connection with the appearance of a new Boko Haram video. The video claims to show about 50 of the girls who were abducted from Chibok two years ago.

The Nigerian government believes the three people know were the girls are being held. Two hundred seventy six schoolgirls were kidnapped; about 200 of them are still missing.

CNN producer Stephanie Busari is in Lagos, Nigeria with more on what the video shows.

STEPHANIE BUSARI, CNN PRODUCER: This new video is around 11 minutes long. And in it, there is a mass man holding a rifle surrounded by what he claims are the Chibok, missing Chibok schoolgirls.

And this video has all the hallmarks of previous Boko Haram videos. Certainly either the one that CNN obtained in April has a similar style where the girls are sitting down, some of them are staring at the camera. Some of them looked terrified frankly. And this man is making demand.

Interestingly, one of the girls is then addressed the camera directly and she gives her name as Maida Yakubu. Now, I've been able to speak to the father of this girl and he tells me he has in the video and he confirms that that is his daughter in the video.

And he tells me, he's very happy to know that his daughter is alive. So, in one sense you can say that this video can be confirmed to be the Chibok schoolgirls. And he told me also that he recognize some of the other girls in this video.

CHURCH: Stephanie Busari reporting there.

And coming up, Kurdish forces go on the offensive against ISIS in Iraq. Why civilians could suffer the most. We will go live to the region.

Plus, a possible lead for investigators in the murder of a New York imam and his assistant. Do stay with us. We'll be back.

[03:30:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH: And a warm welcome back to our viewers here in the United States and of course, all around the world. I'm Rosemary Church.

HOWELL: And I'm George Howell. With the headlines we are following for you at this hour.

Multiple arrests have been made and police say that order is now being restored in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This after protests broke out for a second night in a row.

Milwaukee police were called in to disperse the crowd some hours ago. And they were met with shots fired and objects thrown at officers. Demonstration first began on Saturday after police shot and killed an armed man in a foot chase. CHURCH: A historic flood has killed at least five people in southern

Louisiana. Thousands more have been forced to leave their home. The National Weather Service warns that still rising rivers will produce more flooding.

U.S. President Barack Obama has signed an emergency declaration to get aid to the hardest hit areas.

HOWELL: Russian long jumper Darya Kishina has successfully appealed her suspension and will now compete in the Rio Olympics. She will be the loan Russian track and field athlete representing her country.

More than 100 Russian athletes were banned from the Olympics before these games even started.

Kurdish forces have launched an all-out assault in northern Iraq as they push in towards the ISIS held city of Mosul. The fighting is taking place in numerous small town to the south of that ISIS stronghold.

A commander says that they've seized several villages from ISIS and killed some 120 fighters.

CHURCH: Mosul is of course Iraq's second largest city ISIS has held since June 2014. Kurdish forces and the U.S.- backed Iraqi military say liberating it is a top strategic priority.

And for more on this offensive, we want to go live to CNN's Jomana Karadsheh, she is tracking the story from neighboring Jordan. So, can we confirm the progress made here, Jomana. And also talk to us about just how difficult it will be to eventually capture Mosul.

JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Rosemary, the latest we are hearing from Kurdish Peshmerga forces on the ground in northern Iraq. They say that this offensive that began on Sunday is ongoing right now.

They say that so far, they have managed to seize 11 villages that were under ISIS' control. These are villages southeast of the city of Mosul. They say that they have faced some resistance. One commander claiming that they were facing about 21 suicide car bombs launched by ISIS on Sunday.

He say what they say they've managed to repel these attacks, in the course of this fighting they say that a 120 ISIS fighters at least were killed and 13 Peshmerga forces were killed in this operation that is backed by coalition air power.

What we are seeing right now, Rosemary, is this is part of the bigger operation that has been ongoing for some weeks now. We have seen the Peshmerga forces moving in from the north on Mosul. And we have seen Iraqi forces moving in from the south.

Just last month, the Iraqi's launch a major offensive also backed by coalition air power. And they seize a very strategic air base southwest of Mosul Gayara air base that is expected to be a major staging ground for the final coach when that happened into the city of Mosul.

So, what is going on right now according to U.S. and Iraqi forces is part of the bigger plan here to encircle Mosul to cut it off before that push into the city. And of course, as you mention, this is going to be a huge challenge.

This is a major urban center Mosul with a population estimate right now with about 700,000 to about a million people who have been living under ISIS control since June of 2014.

So, this is going to be a very tricky and difficult operation as expected here because they are going into a major -- a major urban center to try and preserve civilian lives and infrastructure when this operation does go underway, Rosemary.

CHURCH: Yes. And of course, as this offensive continues, we have to look to those civilians those who are fleeing trying to find a better life, trying to escape with their lives and their loved ones. What are the circumstances?

[03:35:03] KARADSHEH: Well, a lot of concerns from the aid organizations for those civilians, Rosemary. According to one aid organization, Mercy Corps saying that recent fighting around Mosul as we've seen in some of these villages and towns of the Iraqi forces and Kurdish forces are taking over. AT least 70,000 people have been displaced.

And last week, Mercy Corps was saying that they expect within a two- week people at least 200,000 more people will be displaced by this ongoing fighting. And we are talking about people who are fleeing conflicts.

They are taking a dangerous journey to get out of this conflict. And they are doing so at a time when the weather in Iraq, we're talking about sweltering heat of temperatures reaching 50 degrees Celsius and they are lacking the basic essentials of food and water.

And when they make it to the relative's safety or whatever areas they get to there. There is a struggle to cope with this exits with people arriving these are communities that have already been stretched by these displacement crisis by this internal -- internally displace refugees.

We are talking about more than three million people who have been displaced in Iraq since 2014. And the expectation, Rosemary, is about a million others will be displaced with the fighting to liberate the city of Mosul. Rosemary?

CHURCH: Yes, the numbers of displaced civilians are just shocking.

Our Jomana Karadsheh monitoring the situation there in Mosul from her vantage point in Oman, Jordan. Many thanks to you, where it is 10.35 in the morning.

HOWELL: Also following a story in New York where police there are investigating the killings of an imam and his assistant on Saturday. Law enforcement official tell CNN that police are now questioning a

possible suspect.

CHURCH: Mourners gathered for the two men killed. The men were working home from their mosque when a gunman shot both in the head in broad daylight.

Dave Carlin with our affiliate WCBS has more now on this story.

DAVE CARLIN, WCBS REPORTER: Video from a home security camera in Ozone Park shows the murder of 55-year-old imam Maulama Akonjee and his 64-year-old friend and assistant Thara Uddin. You can't make out any faces but you see the victim in traditional Islamic clothing with an imam using an umbrella for shade.

His friend right next to him as they walked together following midday prayer Saturday. Now coming up from behind them is the suspect who you see lift his arm. It's the next two seconds we won't show when bullets were fired and the men fell fatally shot onto the sidewalk.

The suspect walked away with no apparent urgency and no one to stop him.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ASAF HUSSAIN, NEW YORK RESIDENT: I heard five shots fired.

CARLIN: Witness Asaf Hussain was inside his car park on Liberty Avenue and ran over to the scene shortly after the gunman fled.

HUSSAIN: I saw the police, they already was there. They surrounded the place and they took the person and the ambulance.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So you have a gunman who can shoot your family at any time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CARLIN: Neighbor of Asaf Hussain who gave us the security camera video says looking at it, you see no robbery, he calls the killings, 'hate crime assassinations.'

The police have yet to officially classify the case that way. The investigators spoke to witnesses who helped them create the suspect's sketch of a man described as tall with a medium complexion who wore a dark polo shirt and shorts.

At the imam's mosque about a block away from the scene of the killings religious leaders, politicians, and concerns citizens demanded justice, heightened security, and awareness.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SCOTT STRINGER, NEW YORK CITY COMPTROLLER: The imam to be shot in cold blood in the middle of the day in back of the head. Another person shot again in the back. Again, that these are facts, how could you not be concerned about your brother, your mother, you father, and your children. This is when we all have to come together.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CARLIN: Akonjee moved to Queens from his native Bangladesh two years ago. He leaves behind seven children. And Uddin leaves behind three.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REZWAN UDDIN, VICTIM'S NEWPHEW: He's my uncle, so I am very upset for my uncle. He's a good guy. Why somebody shoots him? I don't know.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: That was Dave Carlin reporting.

CHURCH: Yes. And New York's mayor quickly condemned the shooting, Bill de Blasio issued a statement saying, "While we do not yet know the motivation for the murders, we do know that our Muslim community are in the perpetual crosshairs of bigotry."

HOWELL: He added, "It remains critical that we work to bridge the divides that threaten to undermine the greatness of our city and country.

CHURCH: Well, two years after massive demonstrations in Hong Kong, the protest leaders learned their punishment. The details ahead.

[03:40:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH: Several pro-democracy leaders of Hong Kong so-called umbrella revolution are under orders to perform the community service.

HOWELL: Three protest leaders were convicted last month for the demonstration that ultimately spark massive rallies two years ago in the streets of Hong Kong.

Following the story, our Mallika Kapur is live outside the courthouse in Hong Kong, with us this hour. Mallika, good to have you with us. So, what can you tell us about these sentences?

MALLIKA KAPUR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: well, this sentence was a lot lighter, George, than many people were expecting. The maximum here could have been two years in prison. But they got away with just community service and the details of which are as followers, Joshua Wong was really became the face of pro-democracy movement here in Hong Kong.

He was sentenced to 80 hours of community service, Nathan law of 120, and the third person, Alex Chow, a three-week prison sentence suspended for one year, which basically means if he maintains a clean record for another years going forward then he serves no prison time at all. Now the court did explain why it gave these three young men such a

life sentence. And it says it's because the court generally believes that these people are truly driven by their political ideas and that they want out to harm anyone or anyone. And that they believe that they had the best interest in mind when it comes to their society to the fabric of Hong Kong.

Speaking earlier outside the court, the face of the movement, Joshua Wong, he did explain his feelings afterwards that he said that he will continue to fight for democracy no matter what the sentence would have been.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOSHUA WONG, PRO-DEMOCRACY STUDENT LEADER: Given is just facing a sentencing of 18 -- 80 hours community service. But it will not affect my persistence and my courage and the special movement. In the future, I will continue to build direction and (Inaudible) hope to both of the faith more of the Hong Kongers to fight for their democracy and human rights.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[03:45:05] KAPUR: This sentence also means that this young man can take part in local politics. And that's crucial especially for Nathan law who is standing for local election next month and that's something he would not have been able to do it if he received any jail time at all. George?

HOWELL: Mallika, just to give our viewers in context on the situation, could you explain why this has been called the umbrella revolution?

KAPUR: That's right. You might remember these pictures you may have seen two years ago in 2014 of Hong Kong financial district. And, you know, this district really give to a halt because there were tens of thousands of protesters most of them young people who took to the streets and just sat there for 79 days, bringing the city to a halt.

And many of them has up umbrellas. You know, it's very common for people in Hong Kong to hold an umbrella to shield them sometimes from the rain sometimes from the sun. And these people were sitting there with their umbrellas and many of the umbrellas were yellow in color.

Yellow being the color of pro-democracy movement here in Hong Kong. And they held up these umbrellas and also use it as a tool for self- defense against the police when the police used pepper spray to control the crowds.

And that's why its got the name of the umbrella movement. But what will it really stands for is the description of the pro-democracy movement here in Hong Kong which is largely led by the youth of Hong Kong. And these three student leaders very much the leaders of this movement.

HOWELL: CNN's Mallika Kapur, live for us in Hong Kong where it is 3.46 p.m. Mallika, thank you so much for your reporting and we'll stay in touch with you.

I want to tell you about some amazing video that is coming out of central China. A bus driver stops a car from being washed away. Look at that. State media report this happens on Saturday after a flash flood.

CHURCH: Just extraordinary. The driver saw the car in peril and took swift action. He parked the bus in the middle of the street and saved three people. One of them a child. The bus driver and passenger reached out to pull the people in the car on board.

HOWELL: Wow.

CHURCH: And others were not so lucky sadly with many vehicles washed away. But that was an extraordinary savior and brave, too on the part of the driver.

HOWELL: It shows the true power of mother nature there.

CHURCH: It really does. Yes. And just ahead, the world's fastest man has been added again. How he made lightning strikes three times in Rio.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

JAVAHERI: Weather watch time for the Americas. I'm Pedram Javaheri watching the pattern across the southern U.S., really the historic rainfall in recent days beginning to win a little bit for some.

Some of the heaviest rain shifted back towards areas of eastern Texas. Still could see some thunderstorms bringing down at least 50 to 100 millimeters over the next couple of says.

But we do have the flood warning in place for Baton Rouge, certainly parts of South central Texas, as well, of San Antonio towards Houston.

But you take a look at the last week or so, the rainfall amount still excessive. In fact, the highest amount we observe were about 750 millimeters. You notice the top of our chart the top color contour only goes to a half a meter of rainfall.

This is just a remarkable amount of water coming down in a matter of just a few days. In fact, the equivalent of what you would see in London in an entire year happening in just really several days, three to five days.

And you take a look, the moistures stretches all the way to the north work your way all the way out towards Toronto you could see some heavy rainfall. Some of this certainly has to be with a sudden fetch of moisture that's coming out of the Gulf of Mexico over the next several days.

But temperatures look at such. Chicago into the mid and upper 20s, Montreal, one better at 28. You can do one better than that in Winnipeg at 29 degrees. [03:50:01] And the Western U.S. enjoying a little bit of a heat wave

especially out towards the northwestern corner of the U.S. into southern British Colombia as well into the 20s across that region.

And that's all looking at 33 degrees. Cartagena also in the lower 30s. Don't be surprise to see a few storms. Rio, sunny and warm.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH: Some of the world's fastest sprinters come from Jamaica, surprise, surprise. But none is faster than the world's record holder, Usain Bolt.

HOWELL: You just have to give to this guy. He is amazing.

CHURCH: He is.

HOWELL: He added another chapters to his historic career on Sunday night. Winning the 100 meters for the third straight time in the Olympics and no one was more excited than his many, many fans back at home, listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, my God. The living legend proves himself once again. I feel so great to be a

Jamaican.

(CROWD CHANTING)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Overwhelm, over joy. Usain Bolt to the world.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (Inaudible) I mean, Usain Bolt is one of the sprinters of all time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: That's the feeling there in Kingston, Jamaica. And of course, Bolt's fans around the world they are all excited including some of the world's best athletes.

CHURCH: Yes. And here is what they had to say about the incredible sprinter.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Usain Bolt is...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Usain Bolt is...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Usain Bolt is...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's a legend.

SERGEY BUBKA, POLO VAULTER: He's a big champion and star.

IBTIHAJ MUHAMMAD, FENCER: He's a legend. A phenomenal athlete.

STEVE REDGRAVE, ROWER: He (Inaudible) they won us around.

JUSTIN GATLIN: SPRINTER: He definitely inspire me and gives me hope to be stronger and keep going forward.

BUBKA: For athletics he's very, very respective.

DALEY THOMPSON, DECATHLETE: He's unbelievable I say.

MO FARAH, RUNNER: It's just great. This person is a great guy.

ALLYSON FELIX, SPRINTER: Phenomenal.

ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC, FOOTBALL PLAYER: Usain Bolt is a first.

ANTHONY JOSHUA, BOXER: Usain Bolt is a world record breaker.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Usain Bolt is best.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: And he's extraordinary. Well, Kosovo And Singapore got their first ever medal at these Olympics. And each athlete is getting a very warm welcome back home. Of course, this is Kosovo gold medalist in judo, Majlinda Kelmendi waving to fans in her country's capital Christina.

HOWELL: And this is Singaporean swimmer, Joseph Schooling, fans swarmed around him the second day he step off the plane at the airport. Not only did he score a gold in the 100-meter butterfly. He beat his hero, Michael Phelps to do it.

CHURCH: Wow. And Monica Puig of Puerto Rico is also in that group of first time champion. She won the gold medal in women's tennis singles on Saturday.

HOWELL: Earlier, she spoke to our own Christina Macfarlane about what the Olympics mean to her and to her country.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MONICA PUIG, PUERTO RICO OLYMPICS TENNIS PLAYER: It's just unbelievable. Coming into this week I had no idea that I'd be here at this moment with the Olympic gold medal around my neck. You know, but a every match went on, I just saw it as more of a possibility and I just started believing it.

MACFARLANE: Yes. Talk to me about that match. Because there was so much going on and one of the biggest things we saw was the crowd involvement in your game with extraordinary. They were chanting "yes, you can." I think throughout all of it. What was that like?

PUIG: It kind of got me a little bit nervous, because I was like, yes, I can. I actually can. And I was like how do I deal with all these emotion. But it definitely helped boost me in the third set when I needed the most. Because I saw that all the crowds is backing me and they wanted this so much and they made me want it even more. So, it was a huge confidence booster there.

[03:55:05] MACFARLANE: What was the first moment you could speak to your parents and what did that conversation go like?

PUIG: When I finally got into my room about midnight, I called them and I had a super long talk with them and just trying to relive that experience with them. My mom was crying, my dad was ecstatic, and my brother was super happy.

And I actually got a dog before coming here, two days before coming to Rio. I got a brand new pomsky. She's three months old now and I named her Rio. After the Olympic Games, so.

MACFARLANE: She's your lucky charm.

PUIG: She is, she is. My mom actually sent me a picture of her biting a bottle of champagne and it was a golden of (Inaudible) and she was biting it. And everybody was like, this is a sign. So, it was great.

MACFARLANE: Fantastic. What was that moment like when you heard your national anthem play out, can you describe it?

PUIG: I mean, I heard it several times before in the Central American Games, Pan American Games but there is nothing like hearing it at the Olympics, you know. People are already in the stance at 5-1 or 5-0 in the third set, we are saying that we are going hear it, we are going to hear our national anthem.

And I was like, well, yes, you guys are because I am going to go in and I'm going to get it. It was the most emotional moment of my life. I think I ran out of tears by the end of the night.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: Congratulations to her. And naming the dog Rio.

CHURCH: Yes, I love that.

HOWELL: After the women's three meter spring board final on Sunday, a Chinese driver got even more than a silver medal.

CHURCH: Yes. That driver walked away with an engagement ring, her longtime boyfriend popped the question after the medal ceremony. He is a men's diving bronze medalist and she said yes.

And last week, a Brazilian rugby player accepted her girlfriend's proposal on the rugby field. A historic environment and clearly romantic, right?

HOWELL: And you will never forget that.

CHURCH: And thanks for watching CNN Newsroom. Early Start is next for our viewers here in the United States.

HOWELL: And for other viewers around the world, stay tuned with CNN Newsroom. Isa Soares picks it up from London.

CHURCH: Have a great day.

[04:00:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)