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Canadian Lawmakers Honor Slain UK Colleague; British Police Detain Man in Death of Jo Cox; Orlando Shooter's Wife Scrutinized; EgyptAir Voice Recorder Found; CIA Director Warns of ISIS Activity; Russian Athletes to Find out Olympic Participation Decision. Aired 3- 4a ET

Aired June 17, 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] NATALIE ALLEN, CNN NEWSROOM SHOW HOST: Hello and welcome to our viewers all around the world. This is CNN Newsroom. I'm Natalie Allen.

British police say they investigated, quote, "malicious communications" made to slain M.P. Jo Cox back in March, and even made an arrest. But they say he is not the man they detained Thursday in connection with her murder.

Cox was stabbed and shot after meeting with her constituents. People are leaving flowers outside the Palace of Westminster in London and at make shift memorials throughout the country.

Police had detained a 52-year-old Tommy Mair, of Birstall, but they're not commenting on a possible motive.

For more, here's CNN senior diplomatic editor, Nic Robertson.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: It was a brazen attack in broad daylight. A peaceful suburban street turned into a scene of horror. British M.P. Jo Cox, stabbed and shot outside a library in Birstall, Northern England. Her attacker, a 52-year-old man arrested nearby, several weapons recovered, another man also injured at the scene.

Cox had been meeting constituents before eyewitnesses describe hearing screams in the street.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They weren't normal screams. They were panicking and when we looked down the road, there were a woman laid on the floor.

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ROBERTSON: Cox was taken to a nearby hospital, but doctors couldn't save her.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) DEE COLLINS, TEMPORARY WEST YORKSHIRE CHIEF CONSTABLE: I am now very sad to have to report that she has died as a result of her injuries. Before going into further detail, I would like to express our deepest sympathies to her family and friends at this tragic time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTSON: She's been an M.P. since last May. A member of the opposition Labour Party. Her party described her deep commitment to humanity and a strong sense of public duty.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JO COX, LABOUR PARTY MP: The thing that surprises me time and time again, as I travel around the constituency, is that we are far more united and have far more in common than that which divides us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTSON: That community is now reeling at her loss.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You struggle for words because you don't expect it.

With it being a public figure, well, with anyone being shot in a town center. It's quite saddening.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTSON: This whole community is in shock, and none of course in more shock and deeper mourning than Jo Cox's husband, Brendan Cox. He's released a statement. It's powerful and it's poignant.

I'm going to read it to you. "Jo believed in a better world and she fought for it every day of her life, with an energy and a zest for life that would exhaust most people. She would have wanted two things above all else to happen now."

"One, that our precious children are bathed in love, and two, that we all unite against the fight against the hatred that killed her. Hate doesn't have a creed, race, or religion, it is poisonous."

Cox was a vocal advocate of Britain remaining in the E.U. She and her family had been involved in campaigning ahead of next week's referendum. Both the leave and remain camps have now suspended their campaigns as a mark of respect.

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DAVID CAMERON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: She was a M.P., great campaigning M.P. with huge compassion, with a big heart and people are going to be very, very sad at what has happened.

(END VIDEO CLIP) ROBERTSON: A moment for the country to pause and remember the service

of one of its youngest and most promising lawmakers as police try to establish a motive for this vicious killing.

Nic Robertson, CNN, Birstall, England.

ALLEN: Absolutely senseless. The sound of the gun shots prompted some people to rush to the area and offer their help. Hithem Ben Abdallah is the owner of a nearby restaurant. He says he ran closer when he heard the first shot. He spoke with CNN earlier.

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HITHEM BEN ABDALLAH, RESTAURANT OWNER: I saw a lady laying down on the road away from the curb about six foot, or five foot and a half. And she was sat with her knees up and leaning on her arm, with her head held back, and her hair wrap up. She must have been held by her hair as well. And blood running from her face and running down her legs.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right.

ABDALLAH: It's absolutely sad and I could not believe. Later on they told me Jo Cox, I could not believe it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[03:05:00] ALLEN: It is hard to believe, the attack took place outside a library.

CNN's Max Foster is following the story from London. And such a shock, Max, such a terrible loss. And that's a quiet area, a residential area, and she was near a library. It makes no sense, and there really is still no motive, is there?

MAX FOSTER, CNN LONDON CORRESPONDENT: No, and I doubt whether we're going to hear one, really, because of the nature of the legal process here. Though, they've got the one man they're after. They're not looking for anyone else. So they are now building a case against him. It will be presented in court, and that's where we'll hear more about the motives.

We may hear more today because there's a huge amount of interest of course, particularly if it was politically motivated because a very contentious debate coming taking in the U.K. as we head towards the referendum on whether or not Britain should stay in the European Union, which is a key play in that as you've been describing.

If there was some sort of political motivation, it does informs that wider debate and it also informs how the political leaders in this country can really handle that sensitively, because it's a very, very difficult thing for them to do right now.

They care passionately about their corners of the political debate, but they don't want to be seen capitalizing on this. And whether or not it was directly linked to the referendum, maybe we won't find out. But inevitably it is linked now because of the timing and because of her role in the referendum debate.

ALLEN: Right. And as you say, it's a time of sensitivity, because the Brexit has been such a -- we've been reporting on this for months, leading up to just days now before this vote is taken.

I want to talk with you about Britain not being a gun culture, and now this. She wasn't just shot, she was stabbed as well. Are there other M.P.'s worried now about their safety?

FOSTER: I think some M.P.'s certainly have canceled their meetings with constituents this week as a result of this. And there have been debates in parliament about sort of threats that members of parliament are facing with the rise of social media, the aggression and abuse they receive on social media, but also stalkers.

And there have been instance of police being sent to some of these constituency meetings, but whether or not Britain can afford, you know, to protect 600-plus M.P.'s at their meetings with the public, I think it's pretty clear they won't be able to afford that.

So, the debate is how to move things forward on that. You can -- you can relate remotely to your constituents by social media, but then you have to look at the abuse you're facing as well.

So, there is a tough debate to be had here, but, you know, as we know, politicians are pretty thick-skinned. They can handle all of this pressure, but I do think people feel quite vulnerable at this point.

In terms of the gun culture, there isn't a gun culture here. It's one of the reasons why police generally aren't armed. It's only specialists offices that are sent in particularly cases that are armed. And there's no real drive for that.

But as you say, there was a stabbing here as well in the same attack. And that is much more of a debate here, the threat of gun -- of knife crime in the United Kingdom. So, that is certainly something that people will address.

But you can't outlaw knives. It's more about the culture and what sort of nation we're living in, where this sort of thing is possible, it's so shocking as you say, in an area like that.

ALLEN: Yes, and help us appreciate the magnitude of this vote coming up, Max, and what has this meant, as far as the country and its passions and trying to figure out its next course. How divisive has this been?

FOSTER: Well, it's been very -- I mean, on one level, it's divisive, and that term is sort of nasty campaign at certain points, very personal as well. But at the same time, all the political parties are mixed up on this.

You have, it's not defined by your political party. There are people from the opposition and leading parties in this country. All working together very closely. David Cameron was on the same side as Jo Cox, for example. So, it's

been cohesive in that extent, but it's created this divide on the remainers and the leavers and who is right on that and because it's such an emotionally charge debate and immigration is very much at the heart of it. It's become quite nasty to that extent.

So, if this was a right-wing motivated attack on an M.P. who believed in immigration and championed diversity in communities, then that does lend itself to the narrative that has been forming, which has become pretty nasty.

But we don't know that it is directly linked at this point. Who knows what the motivation of this attacker was. But people are very keen to find out. I'm just not sure the police are going to reveal the details that they have until we see it in court.

ALLEN: All right, Max Foster for us, live there in London. Max, thank you. We'll see you again this hour.

Fellow lawmakers are of course stunned after Cox's death. A number of people from her Labour Party, are remembering the kind of person she was and how they plan to honor her.

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[03:10:06] JEREMEY CORBYN, LABOUR PARTY LEADER: We need to come together and express our deepest condolences to Jo and her family. We've lost a wonderful woman. We've lost a wonderful member of parliament, but our democracy will go on. Her work will go on as we mourn her memory, we'll work in her memory to achieve that better world she spent her life trying to achieve.

ALISON MCGOVERN, LABOUR PARTY MEMBER: She has made a huge impact in Westminster already, having given so much of her life to being an aid worker, working with some of the most vulnerable people on the planet and then representing her hometown in Batley and Spen. And bringing both that amazing experience, and also the dedication of somebody representing the place they were born in, grew up in and were so proud of and I know they're all so proud of her.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ALLEN: And condolences are streaming in from around the world. European Union foreign policy chief Feredica Mogherini tweeted, "All my thoughts with the family and friends of Jo Cox, with U.K. Labour and with all people of U.K."

The Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras tweeted, "The murder of Jo Cox is shocking. Hatred and nationalism are common enemies of our people." The Irish leader Enda Kenny tweeted, "What an appalling tragedy. Jo Cox, a mother doing her public duty. Her life taken away. My deepest sympathies to her family."

And Debbie Wasserman Schultz, chair of the U.S. Democratic Party tweeted this. "What awful news. On behalf of the entire Democratic Party, our condolences to the Cox family and the U.K." Mourners are paying their respects outside parliament in London at an

impromptu memorial.

Our Phil Black is there.

PHIL BLACK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The flag, the huge flag of the British House of Parliament is at half-mast. It was only over a year ago that Jo Cox became one of the 650 members of Britain's lower House of Parliament.

Today, everyone from the Prime Minister down has been expressing the impact she made on politics in this country at the highest level, through interest in international affairs, refugees, various international problems, but also as a local M.P., their admiration for her as a M.P., mother, and friend.

This is where the people are coming to, this is where they've been coming to lay flowers and candles before this image of a smiling Jo Cox. They've been writing messages to her as well. One of them here says "We are not remain/leave, tory or lib dem tonight. We are Britons with a belief in parliament and democracy."

In one week's time, the British is supposed to make perhaps the greatest political decision of their life after a long, bitter, difficult, often ugly campaign to a referendum if this country will stay in the European Union.

Tonight, through unexpected tragedy, many people find themselves reflecting upon the very meaning of politics and democracy in this country.

Phil Black, CNN, London.

ALLEN: And what has happened with Jo Cox is an incredibly rare incident. She is the first British lawmaker to be killed while in office since 1990.

We spoke with terrorism and security expert David Lowe about guns in the U.K.

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DAVID LOWE, TERRORISM AND SECURITY EXPERT: It's quite right what you say to try and obtain a firearm and possess a firearm in the U.K. is very, very difficult. We've seen it post on Woodford where the ownership since came in -- the ownership of rifles after Dunblane, on pistols.

But of course, you know, there are criminals who do possess firearms. And some of the ones they have and what we've seen in the past has been decommissioned old firearms. They've been decommissioned. So, that is a possibility, that it has been an old type of pistol revolver.

(END VIDEO CLIP) ALLEN: David Lowe talking about the very tight gun laws there in that

country, England is known for its very tight laws considering guns and very low rates of gun violence.

England and Wales are something of a gun-free zone, with just 6.2 guns per 100 people, according to the small arms survey. England's low rates of gun ownership were due to the country's strict gun laws which empowered local law enforcement to deny gun licenses to citizens at their discretion.

Because of the tight laws, the United Kingdom also has an extremely low gun homicide rate.

We'll have much more on our top story this hour, including a look at how the deadly attack on a British M.P. might affect the upcoming Brexit referendum.

Also ahead here this hour, we travel to the Orlando shooter's hometown where people say his violent nature started very young.

[03:15:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN TODAY ANCHOR: Hello, everyone. I'm Michael Holmes, and this is your road to Rio update.

Russia's track and field team may not be running across any finish lines in Rio, a damning report by the World Anti-Doping Agency this week accuses them of obstructing drug tests avoiding drug testers and in at least one case, providing fake urine samples.

The report was released just ahead of the International Association of Athletic Federation Friday, ruling on whether to uphold the embattled team suspension or allow them to compete in Rio.

Two members of the first ever refugee team got a sneak peek at where they'll be staying during the competition. The two Congolese judo athletes were official guests at the symbolic Tea Handover ceremony where the Rio city government passed the keys to the Olympic village onto Rio 2016 president Carlos Nuzman.

The Olympic and Paralympic village will open its doors in July. The athletes will have a place to stay. But will all the tourists? With hotels filling fast, landlords are offering up their properties for tourists, but it will cost a pretty penny.

Properties like this six bedroom apartment from the Olympic venues are going for more than $4,000 a night. Despite the soaring prices, demand is higher than ever.

That is your road to Rio update. I'm Michael Holmes.

ALLEN: The investigation into Sunday's terror attack at an Orlando nightclub now centers on the gunman's wife. A law enforcement official tells us Noor Salman exchanged texts with her husband during his rampage. Apparently, he wanted to know if she had seen the news. Another law

enforcement official said she texted back, "I love you." That official also says Salman called her husband after realizing he might have killed those 49 people.

A grand jury will determine if she will be charged.

Omar Mateen has shown violent tendencies since he was in elementary school.

CNN's Brian Todd traveled to his hometown to find out more about his troubled history.

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Alarming information tonight that his killer's pattern of disturbing behavior extended back to his childhood. Even as a young boy, Omar Mateen was troubled and disruptive.

A former classmate at Mariposa Elementary School in Port St. Lucie, Florida, tells CNN Mateen once threatened to bring a gun to school and kill everyone. That was in fourth or fifth grade. He was 9 or 10 years old.

[03:20:01] The classmate could not recall what punishment Mateen received but said it was, quote, "a very big deal at the time."

Documents obtained by CNN from the St. Lucie County School show Mateen was disciplined 31 times between 1992 and 1999. These school records describe Mateen as, quote, "rude and aggressive, a note he talked frequently about violence and sex."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERT ZIRKLE, RODE BUS WITH OMAR MATEEN: He was a little out there. Didn't really have too many friends.

TODD: Robert Zirkle rode the same bus route as Mateen during high school. Circle and other former classmates tells CNN in the days following September 11th, Mateen claimed Osama Bin Laden was his uncle and made light of the attacks.

ZIRKLE: He was acting like a plane, like he has his arms out, he was like making a plane noise, and like he would -- he would like a boom sound or like an explosion type of sound, fell in his seat and was like laughing about it, like it was a joke or something. My friends and I were like, if you don't stop, man, it's going to be a problem.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TODD: As a teenage employee at Gold's Gym in Port St. Lucie, Omar Mateen was to be avoided.

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STEFAN COMVALIUS, HELD TRAINING WITH OMAR MATEEN: He had that kind of aura that I don't think people really wanted to engage him, because they don't know where they would go.

TODD: Stefan Comvalius held personal training sessions at Gold's Gym.

COMVALIUS: One of my clients, she was completing her set on the squat rack, and she, you know, was in full stride, all the way down, and he made a derogatory statement about her anatomy which, I mean, it was just completely unacceptable and loud at that. Like he wanted her to hear it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TODD: Staff members at GOLD's Gym could not recall any disciplinary issues with Mateen. A few years later, he was transferred from a job as a security guard at a courthouse after making inflammatory comments about terrorism. That's when the FBI started investigating him.

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JAMES COMEY, FBI DIRECTOR: He said he hoped law enforcement would raid his apartment and assault his wife and child so that he could martyr himself.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TODD: Mateen's first wife said he verbally and physically abused her, to the point that her family had to rescue her to get her out of the marriage.

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SITORA YUSUFIY, OMAR MATEEN'S EX-WIFE: Emotional instability, sickness, mentally, he was mentally unstable and mentally ill, that's the only explanation that I can give. And he was obviously disturbed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TODD: These documents from the St. Lucie County School show that Omar Mateen had repeated interventions with school counselors, psychologists and others. But since the shooting, his father has repeatedly he said, he thought his son was normal.

Brian Todd, CNN, Fort St. Lucie, Florida.

ALLEN: President Obama and Vice President Biden are grieving with the families impacted by the shooting. On Thursday, they met privately with them in Orlando and offered their condolences. They also laid flowers at a makeshift memorial.

Mr. Obama has traveled to the site of at least nine mass shootings during his presidency and called this latest one an attack on the LGBT community.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA PRESIDENT: So, whatever the motivations of the killer, whatever influences led him down the path of violence and terror, whatever propaganda he was consuming from ISIL and Al Qaeda, this was an act of terrorism, but it was also an act of hate.

This was an attack on the LGBT community. Americans were targeted because we're a country that has learned to welcome everyone, no matter who you are, or who you love.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

U.S. Senate republican John McCain is now walking back a statement he made earlier Thursday, blaming Mr. Obama for the attack. Here's what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN MCCAIN, ARIZONA SENATOR: Barack Obama is directly responsible for it when he pulled everybody out of Iraq, al Qaeda went to Syria, became ISIS, and ISIS is what it is today. Thanks to Barack Obama's failures.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ALLEN: McCain now says he misspoke and he meant to say it is the president's security decisions that are to blame.

Here's a look at other stories that we're following for you this hour.

Egypt says it has found the cockpit voice recorder of EgyptAir flight 804, one of the plane's so-called black boxes. The government says the device was damaged but its memory unit was recovered.

EgyptAir flight 804 crashed in the Mediterranean on a flight from Paris to Cairo last month.

Iraqi forces have advanced into the central city of Fallujah, claiming a major victory against ISIS. This comes after days of an intense military offensive to reach the area. The army is working on liberating downtown government complexes.

An official says some ISIS militants were treated towards the west of the city.

In the U.S., the director of the Central Intelligence Agency warns ISIS is as dangerous as ever, despite military efforts to defeat them.

John Brennan told Congress that preventing attacks by those inspired but not directed by ISIS remains a top challenge.

[03:25:00] Twenty Russian football fans attending the Euro 2016 Championship are set to be deported from France. Authorities say they were part of the bloody clashes in Marseille over the weekend.

The union of Russian fans says that the head of their group is among those to be deported. Separately, three other Russian citizens have been sentenced to jail for up to two years, over the clashes in Marseille, the three fans are banned from entering France for two years.

We'll have more ahead on the investigation into the death of British M.P. Jo Cox, including a new detail police are releasing about a man they questioned just a few months ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's dreadful. It's dreadful. Poor girl. For the first time in many, many years, we actually had an M.P. that was interested in Birstall, and interested in us and interested in the people and the businesses here. And for this to happen is just -- it's horrible.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

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CAMERON: She had a huge heart. She was a very compassionate campaigning M.P. She was a bright star, no doubt about it. A star for her constituents, a star in parliament, and a star right across the house. And we've lost a star.

But above all, I'm thinking of her husband, Brendan, the children, the family, and her constituents, who will be feeling this huge sense of loss tonight.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[03:29:58] ALLEN: British Prime Minister David Cameron there talking about Jo Cox, a rising star in the country's parliament, killed by an attacker on the streets of her home district.

And police now say they investigated what they call malicious communications made to Cox back in the month of March and even arrested someone. But they say he is not the man they detained Thursday in connection with Cox's murder.

That man is 52-year-old Tommy Mair. Police are now searching his home in Birstall. Cox had just wrapped up her weekly meeting with constituents when she was stabbed and shot in the street.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: Shortly afterwards, a man was arrested nearby, by local uniformed police officers. Weapons, including a firearm, have also been recovered.

At 1.48 p.m., Jo Cox was pronounced deceased by a doctor who is working with a paramedic crew that were attending to her serious injuries.

This is a very significant investigation with large number of witnesses that have been spoken to by police at this time. There is a large and significant crime scene, and there was a large police presence in the area. A full investigation is underway to establish the motive of this attack.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ALLEN: And the attack on Jo Cox, comes at a very tense time in the U.K., just one week before voters decide whether to leave the European Union.

CNN's Max Foster joins us now from London with more about how this murder has affected the country and this crucial vote coming up, Max.

FOSTER: Yes. The killing of Jo Cox, effectively bringing the referendum debate to a halt. Both sides have suspended campaigning. No word yet on when they'll resume either.

That includes the British Prime Minister David Cameron who canceled a stronger In rally in Gibraltar. Bank of England Governor, Mark Carney also change his plans, he was due to give the annual speech on financial services, instead he gave a shorter speech reflecting on the day's events.

Joining me to talk about all of this impact of Cox's death, in particular on the political scene is Francesco Guerrera. He is associate editor and chief financial correspondent for Politico.

We don't know that it's politically motivated, but if you look at all the local media, it's suggesting that it is, so inevitably it's playing into the debate.

FRANCESCO GUERRERA, POLITICO ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Of course. And this is really going to change the debate. And we had a divisive, very difficult, at time, poisonous campaign, I think now we'll see a moment of reflection, possibly a long silence and then into the referendum which is only a few days away.

FOSTER: With a different tone possibly than before the death?

GUERRERA: Very much so. Very much so. I think we will see both the remain and the leave campaign really toning down some of the extreme arguments that they've been making and also toning down, if not eliminating completely the direct personal attacks that we've seen against M.P.'s.

FOSTER: And a lot of the tactics behind the scenes, of trying to unseat the other side as well has become really nasty, isn't it.

GUERRERA: I think so. I think what we'll carry on will be the grassroots effort, you know, trying to get people to vote, they're trying to persuade people to vote. But we will see much less in the public eye, because it has been such a difficult campaign.

FOSTER: We're getting a real sense of what a fantastic politician she was, Jo Cox, and she was very passionate about the remain campaign, but she appeared to be very measured in her approach, and perhaps that's the standard that politicians should look at next week when they're debating. GUERRERA: And I think you're already seeing it, I think you see

Jeremy Corbyn talking about this, you will hear the Prime Minister David Cameron talking about this. I think people will take it as an example of a more toned-down campaign. And let's remember, it's only a few days left.

FOSTER: OK. We've also been hearing some grim stories about some of the abuse that she was facing. And we got some figures actually, which put this into context. We can show you some figures on the number of abuse and stalking incidents.

Fifty three percent say of M.P.'s that they'd been stalked or harassed. And today, we're hearing that some of the surgeries, as they're called, these constituency meetings have been canceled, because people are concerned about being attacked.

Eighty one percent said they experienced intrusive or aggressive behaviors. Sadly, what we're learning about Jo Cox and the abuse that she was facing is that, it wasn't unusual.

GUERRERA: Unfortunately not. I mean, I think maybe for your international viewers, Max, you know, you got to remember that the surgery, the interaction with the constituents is a very important part of an M.P. job in the U.K. and it's actually a fairly unfiltered interaction between the constituents, the voters and the M.P.

And so, that leads to abuse of that and we're now seeing that there was quite a widespread abuse of it.

I've talked to a few M.P.'s who have talked about this as an examples, anecdotal examples, this kind of resembles some of the stuff we hear now about Jo Cox.

And unfortunately, it's something difficult to police.

FOSTER: Yes, Nicola Sturgeon, the Scottish First Minister has just been tweeting, saying she's going to go to her regular Friday surgery. It's what they do, it's what politicians do.

[03:35:01] So, there's a sense of defiance as well, amongst lots of parliamentarians. They're not going to succumb to what this attacker did, effectively attack someone in their work.

GUERRERA: And I guess that's what most M.P.'s will do. The question will be for law enforcement now, how they deal with this. You know, the M.P.'s, most M.P.'s will carry on doing their job, including maybe in their constituents. The question is, will there be more police presence at these events and how can you police all of that.

FOSTER: And how can they afford it, there's more than 600 M.P's.

GUERRERA: That's right. That's right. But now we have something in the public eye and M.P.'s are very much in the public eye, and will have to be protected somehow.

FOSTER: She's the politician that we all knew but we didn't know very well because she's only been an M.P. for a year. She's been in London effectively for a year. How would you define her politics and her conviction?

GUERRERA: Well, it's a politician that not many of us knew very well, let's be honest. But we knew she was a young rising star in the Labour Party, and she had made the remain campaign a big issue for her politically.

So, it's not unusual. There are a lot of conviction politicians in the U.K. on both sides of the aisle, but it's interesting that she was so well loved.

FOSTER: And she leaves a young family. She talked a lot about, she was very strong on women's issues, working women as well. And she was a real champion of that, managing to keep her local job up and running.

And, you know, with searches like this, also very powerful in issues like Syria in parliament, but also the mother of two young children. That she was very strong on making a point of the Labour Party.

GUERRERA: Yes. And that's something you also see again time and time again in the British Parliament. You know, there's a lot of M.P.'s who come from working backgrounds. They keep working, they have families. These are very much by and large ordinary people who try to also work in politics. It's an interesting development especially if you compare with other countries.

FOSTER: And as we go into next week how do you think the two sides of the campaigns can handle it sensitively without being seen to take advantage of it?

GUERRERA: It's going to be very, very difficult. I think the talks about how to handle this will resume probably right now. The issue for me will be, who goes first? You know, who breaks the silence first and how does the other campaign react?

I think we'll see a lot less talk about the immigration on the leave side. Also on the remain side, we'll see an attempt to not to in any way use this to promote their views. So, I think it will be very muted, almost softened campaign.

FOSTER: Do you think immigration is going to take a back seat now when it has been at the center?

GUERRERA: I think it's -- well, first of all, it's at the center because, you know, there's a genuine concern in the country about this. And so that's reflected in the campaign. I think the tone of it will be different, and the way the issues are tackled, not just immigration, but other economics issues as well.

FOSTER: And when it does come to the vote on Thursday, it's inevitably going to be on people's minds, going into the vote, isn't it? Just the context of it, and it's going to be so fresh in people's minds. How might that affect the way people vote do you think? GUERRERA: That's very difficult to tell. I mean, simply because we

don't have any precedent. We don't -- we never had a situation like this, certainly not with a referendum, and not even with a general election.

I think there will be a sense, perhaps, that people -- there will be a somber sense of going to the vote, more poignant use of the vote which is an important democratic tool, and I think we'll see people actually going to vote perhaps more than they would have done.

FOSTER: It's going to help inevitably, the remain side, isn't it, because the momentum was very much on the leave side. And just having a break, just having a day's break is going to help the David Cameron side of it, if we're going to be ruthless about it.

GUERRERA: That is correct. I think the simple facts of that, you know, the leave campaign seemed to have gained some momentum will -- the break will stop their momentum. Whether that's decisive or whether they can remain afterwards, that's a different matter, isn't it?

FOSTER: OK. Thank you very much for joining us. It's going to be very interesting week. And our thoughts very much with Jo Cox's family today, Natalie.

ALLEN: Thank you, Max.

Coming up, mourners from around the world join the U.K. in grieving for Jo Cox. A look at some of the tributes when we come back.

Plus, Russia and the Olympics.

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Access to the labs at the center of Russia's doping scandal. It's in these rooms that it's alleged that hundreds of samples went missing in what the World Anti-Doping Agency says was a state-sponsored program of doping.

ALLEN: Coming up, an important decision expected a few hours from now in the Russian doping scandal. Why the Olympic dreams for Russia's track and field team may already be over. We'll have a live report from Moscow.

[03:40:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ALLEN: Welcome back.

In a few hours, Russia's track and field athletes will find out whether they can compete at the Rio Olympics this summer.

The team was banned from international competition after allegations that Russia sponsored widespread doping.

Our senior international correspondent Matthew Chance has been reporting on this story and he joins us now live from Moscow. Matthew, hello.

CHANCE: Thank you very much. Well, I guess it's judgment day for Russia's track and field athletes. That decision again to be taken in Vienna later on today, to decide whether or not the Russians have done enough to convince the world athletic governing body, the AII -- sorry, the IAAF, that they've done enough to make sure that they're clean and fit and able to compete at the Rio Olympics, which of course starts in just a few weeks from now.

But let me tell you, amid all the recent allegations, it's fair to be it is going to be a difficult race to win.

Not even Russia's fastest can outrun the latest doping allegation. Already the entire track and field team is banned from international competition. But hopes that suspension would be lifted ahead of the Rio Olympics have been dealt a powerful blow.

In a new devastating report, the World Anti-Doping Agency, WADA, charges Russia, with among other things, obstructing drug testing. Accusing athletes of providing false information about their whereabouts, and avoiding drug tests at competition.

In one case, the report says an athlete even attempted to give a fake urine sample from a container inserted inside her body. It's more bad news for Russian athletes, with no history of cheating, hoping for Olympic gold.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SERGEY SHUBENKOV, 110 METERS HURDLES WORLD CHAMPION: I'm training with my coach and there's nothing I can do about other people having violated the rules of competing or something else, or taking dope. I cannot do anything about it. So, how can I be claimed responsible for other people's deeds?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[03:44:59] CHANCE: In a bid to have the Olympic ban lifted, Russia has vowed a total revamp of its anti-doping facilities. Even opening up the notorious labs at the center of earlier doping allegations.

They showed us the urine samples they've kept frozen. Russia hopes this impression of transparency will be enough. Although the latest WADA report suggests things may not have changed enough.

Well, this is rare access to the labs at the center of Russia's doping scandal. It's in these rooms it's alleged that hundreds of samples went missing in what the World Anti-Doping Agency says was a state sponsored program of doping.

For the moment, work has all been suspended as being carried out elsewhere, but the Russians say they're determined to rebuild trust. But trust is one thing even the Russian says can't enhance. Not helped by the fact their former anti-doping chief fired amid allegations of officials taking bribes from athletes to shield them from positive tests.

Unexpectedly died of apparent heart failure. And his testimony will never be heard. And the party line is now denial. Speaking to CNN, his former deputy, the new acting head, said she had no knowledge of the wrongdoing of which Rusada is accused.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHANCE: So, do you admit that the agency took bribes to cover up doping?

ANNA ANTSELIOVICH, RUSSIAN ANTI-DOPING AGENCY ACTING DIRECTOR: I can't admit, no.

CHANCE: Because you don't know it to be true, or you refuse to admit it in.

ANTSELIOVICH: I've never taken any bribe.

CHANCE: Do you know people who did?

ANTSELIOVICH: No.

CHANCE: You worked under five years under your predecessor?

ANTSELIOVICH: No. I didn't know such facts.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHANCE: As the Olympic decision approaches, Russia sporting super power had been quietly confident of a return, but it's now all quite possible this will be as close to Rio as Russia's top flight athletes ever get.

Well, I guess we'll know for sure in about eight hours from now, Natalie, when the IAAF meets in Vienna to hear the recommendations that will be given to it by its officials and to make its decision on whether or not one of the world's biggest sporting nations, Russia will be able to compete at the world's biggest sporting event.

ALLEN: And does it involve just the track and field athletes?

CHANCE: The ban just involves the track and field athletes. It's just them that have been suspended. And so that's what the decision will be about today, whether or not they can compete at the Rio Olympics.

But the most recent WADA allegations in that newest report don't just -- aren't just about track and field athletes, they talk about other athletes in other disciplines as well. So, there's a potential that this whole investigation, this whole scandal could widen even further.

ALLEN: All right, we'll be waiting to see what happens in a few hours. Matthew Chance, you'll be covering it for us. Thank you very much.

And our Fareed Zakaria is interviewing Russian President Vladimir Putin. Don't miss that interview, you can watch here on CNN on Sunday at noon in London, 7 p.m. in Hong Kong.

After this, more of our top story, the death of Jo Cox, how colleagues are remembering her, not only as a great lawmaker, but as a great person.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: Hello, everyone. I'm Michael Holmes, and this is your road to Rio update.

Russia's track and field team may not be running across any finish lines in Rio, a damning report by the World Anti-Doping Agency this week accuses them of obstructing drug tests avoiding drug testers and in at least one case, providing fake urine samples.

[03:50:01] The report was released just ahead of the International Association of Athletic Federation Friday, ruling on whether to uphold the embattled team suspension or allow them to compete in Rio.

Two members of the first ever refugee team got a sneak peek at where they'll be staying during the competition. The two Congolese judo athletes were official guests at the symbolic Tea Handover ceremony where the Rio City government passed the keys to the Olympic village onto Rio 2016 president Carlos Nuzman.

The Olympic and Paralympic village will open its doors in July.

The athletes will have a place to stay. But will all the tourists? With hotels filling fast, landlords are offering up their properties for tourists, but it will cost a pretty penny.

Properties like this six bedroom apartment from the Olympic venues are going for more than $4,000 a night. Despite the soaring prices, demand is higher than ever.

That is your road to Rio update. I'm Michael Holmes.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEOFF REGAN, CANADIAN HOUSE OF COMMONS MEMBER: I understand that there is an agreement to observe a moment of silence in honor of Ms. Jo Cox, United Kingdom Member of Parliament for Batley and Spen. I now invite the House to rise to observe a moment of silence.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ALLEN: Members of the Canadian House of Commons silently reflecting on the murder of a colleague overseas. British police have now detained a man in the death of Jo Cox. Fifty-two-year-old Tommy Mair was taken into custody just blocks from the scene.

Authorities say he's not the same man arrested for what they call malicious communications made to Cox in March. The young Labour M.P. had just wrapped up her weekly meeting with constituents when she was attacked Thursday.

Colleagues described her as a rising star in the opposition party.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROB RELLO, THE BEDFORD ENTHUSIASTS CLUB PATRON: The facts of Jo had such energy, such drive, such passion to change the world. I mean, you know, ultimately we all go into politics for really was to change. But Jo had it in bucketful.

I mean, just such energy, such drive wasn't going to let anything like her being earlier, you know, less than a year into parliament to step in her way.

She wasn't that sort of person or whatever she was going to do in the future of her life, she would have succeed at, but we will now never know. You know, we've been robbed really of the talents that she had to bring.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ALLEN: And she was just 41 years old. She was married and had two small children. Her husband, Brendan Cox, has issued a statement, and it says, quote, "Today is the beginning of a new chapter in our lives, more difficult, more painful, less joyful, less full of love."

"I and Jo's friends and families are going to work every moment of our lives to love and nurture our kids and to fight against the hate that killed Jo."

"Jo believed in a better world and she fought for it every day of her life with an energy and a zest for life that would exhaust most people. She would have wanted two things above all else to happen now. One, that our precious children are bathed in love, and two, that we all unite to fight against the hatred that killed her."

"Hate doesn't have a creed, race, or religion. It is poisonous. Jo would have no regrets about her life. She lived every day of it to the full."

We spoke earlier with a number of people who worked with her and from all of them, it was clear how much she'll be missed.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Most people of all parties go into politics with a good heart, to do things, to change things. And Jo had chosen to show from West Minster how much before an M.P., how much she thought about others, and she was thinking about others today.

[03:55:03] UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't think anyone could have imagined that something like this could have happened to such an incredible, courageous, kind, and committed Member of Parliament, who was killed in the line of duty.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No matter who you speak to from the political divide, people have -- people have a lot of respect and time for Jo, a great M.P., and a good campaigner, and making her market at Westminster and indeed lovely.

At the end of the day, this is a lovely person, a mother, who has a family, young children, and that's got to take precedence.

CORBYN: We've lost a wonderful woman. We've lost a wonderful Member of Parliament, but our democracy will go on. Her work will go on. As we mourn her memory, we'll work in her memory to achieve that better world she spent her life trying to achieve.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ALLEN: What a terrible loss. It just makes no sense.

Thank you for watching, I'm Natalie Allen. We want to leave you now with Jo Cox, in her own words, from her first speech at Parliament, almost exactly one year ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COX: And whilst we celebrate our diversity, the thing that surprises me time and time again as I travel around the constituency, is that we are far more united and have far more in common than that which divides us.

My constituency is also home to Fox's Biscuits and Lion Confectionery, so I'm sure you'll not think it's an indulgence, Mr. Speaker, if I describe Batley and Spen as a constituency with an industrial heart wrapped in a very rich and pleasant Yorkshire landscape, geographical, historical, and cultural.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[04:00:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)