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Campaigning On Pivotal Referendum Resumes; Jo Cox's Death Could Impact Brexit Vote; At Least 14 Killed In Afghan Bus Explosion; Cleveland Cavaliers Win NBA Championship; Thousands Pay Tribute To Orlando Shooting Victims; Massive Wildfire Burning In California; Campaign on Britain's Referendum to Leave or Stay in EU Resumes; Crime Concerns Emerge Ahead of Rio Games. Aired 12-1a ET

Aired June 20, 2016 - 00:00   ET

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


[00:00:09] PAULA NEWTON, CNN ANCHOR: Two options and just three days left to decide between them. We'll take you live to Northern England as the U.K. decides, are they in or out of the E.U.? A week after the fatal shooting of 49 Orlando club-goers, the city gathers to remember those lost in the worst U.S. terror attack since 9/11. And Lebron brings it home to Cleveland. The Cavaliers snatch a dramatic NBA victory 46 years in the making. Welcome to our viewers around the world. I'm Paula Newton and this is CNN NEWSROOM.

The U.K. is just days away from a pivotal vote. Thursday's referendum will decide whether or not Britain stays in the European Union. Now campaigning resumed Sunday after a three-day pause following the murder of Jo Cox, a British parliament member. Now both sides held rallies in London. Prime Minister David Cameron warned, a vote for Brexit will leave Britain permanently poor.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID CAMERON, PRIME MINISTER OF THE UNITED KINGDOM: Proving through this referendum, right, that if Britain wants to leave this organization, we can. We are a sovereign country. We choose to join NATO, we choose to join the E.U., and if we choose to leave, we can leave. But let's be clear -- if we do leave, that's it. We're walking out the door, we're quitting, we're giving up on this organization, which even if we leave, will have a huge effect on our lives, on our children, on our opportunities, on our businesses, and I don't think Britain at the end is a quitter. I think we stay and fight.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: On the leave side, former London mayor, Boris Johnson, emphasized taking back control of Britain's destiny is the issue, not immigration, he says.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BORIS JOHNSON, FORMER MAYOR OF LONDON: I am pro-immigrant, and I am in favor of an amnesty for illegal immigrants who have been here for more than 12 years, unable to contribute, unable to contribute to this economy, unable to pay taxes, unable to take proper part in our society, and I'll tell you why -- because it is the humane thing to do, it is the economically rational thing to do, and it means taking back control of a system that is at the moment completely out of control.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: British MP Jo Cox's death briefly stalled the politics in the country, but as you just heard, things are now back in full swing. Our Nic Robertson joins us now from Birstall where Cox was killed. I mean Nic, it goes without saying that everyone on both sides of the debate thought it was right and proper that things did take a pause. How have things changed now as the debate has resumed?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Well, we went out into the Yorkshire countryside here to a nearby town to try to gauge that -- have people's opinions changed? Has Jo Cox's death impacted them? You know what? There are a lot of people out there who actually are changing their minds. This is what we heard.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTSON: Gentile tearooms, lines already forming. Yorkshire life at Harrogate, not far from where MP Jo Cox was killed, moves on towards the referendum, but not the same.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It has made me reconsidered just because of the causes behind it, and I think it should probably be called a racist attack. I was undecided but it is possible (inaudible) in than out.

ROBERTSON: She is not alone.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was going for out before. Now I'm a bit unsure and I'm a bit nervous about doing something a bit different.

ROBERTSON: And yourself?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was definitely going for out all the way, and I think I was wavering, and I think this has kind of made me think, you know what, maybe we best stay in.

ROBERTSON: But men in this beautiful spa town seem less easily shaken by Cox's death.

Do you think that the killing of Jo Cox is going to make a difference on the outcome?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No.

ROBERTSON: Why not?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I just don't think it will. I think people will have made up their minds before that happened, I'm afraid.

ROBERTSON: And both convinced leaving the E.U., an organization that has at the very least given this tourist town an award for its flowers, is still the right thing to do. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My mind is made up.

ROBERTSON: Would you tell us?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're going out. We're going out.

ROBERTSON: Why is that?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Because the place is -- Harrogate's not so bad but there's places in the country that just overrun with too many immigrants, I'm afraid.

[00:05:01] UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So I'm voting out.

ROBERTSON: Why's that?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Because it's good to have a change. It's good to mix the pot a little.

ROBERTSON: This Sunday, a 1940s Remembrance Day commemoration, a ready reminder of when Europe was last at war. Security and economy on people's minds.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I've already voted, in.

ROBERTSON: Why was that?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Because of the possibility of the financial impact afterwards.

ROBERTSON: Why is that?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just think it's the safer option. I've got no evidence to suggest we would be better off out with it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTSON: It really is too soon to say how Jo Cox's death is going to impact the outcome of the referendum or by how much it may impact it, but there is a possibility here, I think we can see that her murder may indeed, in some way, actually shape the future of this country at such a critical time, Paula.

NEWTON: Yes, it was an extraordinary and very sad turn of events. Nick, if it doesn't impact the actual outcome, you know, before this debate was filled with such bitter acrimony. Do you have a sense that people in Britain will hear something very different over the next few days?

ROBERTSON: I think we heard that in the campaigns that restarted yesterday. Both sides have said that they wanted -- that the tone should be different. I think both sides have had a chance to pause and reflect and see how divisive the nature of their language had become, the nature of the arguments had become. It had become personal. And absolutely talking to everyone, even the people we talked to that were voting out yesterday that said they don't think Jo Cox's death will have an impact on the outcome of the referendum, everyone said, look, we really hope that the tone has changed and it is toned down, because people feel uncomfortable with how divisive this has become. And I think that there's been a wakeup call, people feel there's been a wakeup call now about the cost of that, potentially.

NEWTON: Yes. It's always interesting, Nic. I know that you'll continue to guide our coverage there in the next few days. Some very tense days and very historic vote there in Britain. Our Nic Robertson, appreciate it.

Now, aside from fiery words during the Brexit debate, some of which you just heard, there are also emotionally loaded images. A group supporting Britain leaving the E.U. produced a poster entitled, breaking point. It shows crowds of immigrants queuing up, presumably to enter Great Britain. Brexit opponents denounced the image, saying it's reminisce of anti-refugee Nazi propaganda from the 1930s.

Now, there is another image grabbing attention, this one from the air. You can see it there, it shows hundreds of supporters of the remain campaign coming together to spell out the word "in". Now this was formed on Sunday when they turned up in London's High Park for a rally, and we'll have more on that gathering a little later for you this hour.

In Afghanistan, a suicide bomber struck a minibus carrying security guards in the capital, Kabul. The Afghan interior ministry says the blast killed at least 14 people and wounded 8. Now the passengers were mainly Nepalese nationals. Taliban claimed responsibility for the blast in a message to media outlet.

Turning to Iraq now, the government's fight to drive ISIS from Fallujah still rages. An operation to seize the key city west of Baghdad began in May. The prime minister said Friday that the city was liberated, but a CNN crew saw firsthand that fighting has gone on throughout the weekend, and an NGO is warning that the battle has led to what they are describing as a humanitarian disaster. The Norwegian Refugee Council said on Sunday that in addition to the thousands who have already fled Fallujah, some 30,000 people had been displaced in just the last three days.

Now earlier on CNN, military analyst, retired U.S. Lieutenant General Mark Hertling talked to Michael Holmes about where the fight against ISIS goes from here.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARK HERTLING, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY, INTELLIGENCE, AND TERRORISM ANALYST: They are doing much better here than they did in Tikrit and Ramadi and other places because of the experience and the preparation of the battlefield. But I also think you're going to have to consider the fact that ISIS in this town has been under bombardment for almost a year and a half. That takes a psychological toll on an enemy. They had their supply lines cut from the Syrian border into Fallujah, so all of that is contributing, but truthfully, even with all that, I'm quite surprised that the ease, the seeming ease that the Iraqi security forces have had over about a four-week period of time going into this, the city which caused U.S. forces so much challenges in 2004 and again in 2006.

[00:09:59] MICHAEL HOLMES: Yes, you mentioned the preparation, like the force massed against ISIS in Fallujah and elsewhere, it's a complex one. You've got Iranian advisers, American air support, Shia militias, Iraqi regulars, but crucially you've also got tribal Sunni fighters, and that's a vital element here, isn't it? They are involved now and going forward north.

HERTLING: It is important now, Michael, but I -- with a little bit of hesitation say, it's worrisome to a degree, too. Because the same Sunni tribal fighters that are trying to take back this city of Fallujah are the brothers of some of the ones who defected to ISIS when ISIS first went into Fallujah. I think you're going to see a true civil war after the city is secured, and what I mean by that is, you're going to see Sunni brothers against Sunni brothers, the ones that caved into ISIS versus the one that wanted a more nationalistic fervor and connection to the province. What happens next in terms of what occurs -- the linkages from the central government in Baghdad, and Mr. al-Abadi, the prime minister, a Shia, has been very smart in terms of making sure these are Sunni militias going in there will be critical. That's going to be very important to watch over the next several days and weeks, even though there are still some ISIS fighters, they estimate, intelligence estimates between 100 and 150 are still in the center of Fallujah. It's still going to be interesting to watch to see the post battle effects as that's always the most important time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: It's worth noting that ISIS has had control of Fallujah since early 2014.

And the Cleveland Cavaliers have made history. They brought the City of Cleveland its first title in any sport in 52 years. It's also their first championship in franchise history. Superstar, you may have heard of him, Lebron James, led the way. He made the final shot of the game to win his third title of his career, but key, the first one for Cleveland. World Sports' Kate Riley joins me now. Kate, I was absolutely riveted. One, you kind of thought, well they're down two games. This is going to end as it has before, but my gosh, it really is a story that transcends the sport itself.

KATE RILEY, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Yes, and this season has been full of surprises and full of records, so no shock that it went all the way to the winner-takes-all game seven, and of course, another night of records and accolades as well. So, what a fantastic conclusion. Let's bring you the action right now. Game seven, like I mentioned, winner-takes-all. The cavaliers on the road in Oakland against the warriors, and this game was oh so tired. As you were saying, Paula, later in the fourth, Cavs down one, Lebron James with the ball, finds space and knocks down the three, then in the final minute of the fourth, the game tied at 89, Kyrie Irving working against Steph Curry. Irving pulls up and knocks down the three. Fans back in Cleveland, obviously, loving that play. Cavs would find themselves three. This game really did come down to the wire; 6.5 seconds left, Warriors down four, ball goes to Curry, steps back for three. No good. Cavaliers win the 2016 NBA finals 93-89, and of course, like we said, this is the first major championship for the city of Cleveland since the Browns in 1964. So we just witnessed history. Let's go and join my colleague right now, Andy Scholes, he's in Cleveland at this huge watch party outside the Quicken Loans Arena. Andy --

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Hey, Kate. After 52 years of sports misery, these fans here in Cleveland can finally call themselves champions. They were on the edge of their seat all night, hoping, praying that this was finally going to be their year, hey, and they came through with the championship. Obviously the fans here very excited and I spoke with many of them seconds after winning the championship. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Fifty-two years of frustration. I've been to the tribe and all the other stuff. This is wonderful.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Finally, we did it. My city, Cleveland, is finally champions.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you look around at this city right now, this is what we've been longing for. This is what we wanted. We deserved it. We got the greatest fans, we got the greatest play on the planet.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh my God, I can't even describe. Cleveland deserves this. We've been waiting so long. Like Cleveland needs nice things.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHOLES: So any championship would have obviously been special for all of the fans here, but the way they won it, coming back from being down 3-1 against the Warriors that won (ph) 73 and 9 in the regular season, obviously the fans here are very excited with Lebron James bringing them their first ever championship. The party continues here in downtown Cleveland. We'll send it back to you.

RILEY: Yes, Andy Scholes, thank you so much for joining us live there. What great scenes. Looks like great fun, doesn't it?

[00:15:05] NEWTON: If we leave right now, how long do you think it will take us to get to Cleveland to join the party?

RILEY: (laughter) Let's give it a go.

NEWTON: It is really such a story. Now like what she said, Cleveland deserves nice things. For all of us who grew up in those working class towns, go Cleveland. I am totally partisan about this, that's a major -- did you know it? They won last year. They're all good to go.

RILEY: Exactly, yes. Fantastic win. NEWTON: It was great to bring you that news story, which we should

say, a lot of Asia watching very riveted by basketball these days as well, so thanks so much for bringing us that story, appreciate it.

We should say, actually, you'll have more coming up later in the show. A lot more happening, including the U.S. Open today. Kate will help bring you more of that later on. Appreciate it.

Now thousands gathered in Orlando Sunday to remember the victims of the Pulse nightclub mass shooting. We'll show you how mother nature paid a beautiful tribute of her own.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:19:55] NEWTON: After Anton Yelchin, who was best known for his role in the new "Star Trek" films has died. Authorities say his car rolled backward in his driveway and pinned him against a brick wall and security fence. Yelchin's friends found him dead when he didn't show up for rehearsal and they went searching him. He was just 24 years old.

A huge crowd gathered in downtown Orlando, Florida, to remember the 49 victims of the mass shooting last Sunday. In a beautiful coincidence, a rainbow appeared over the vigil, and the symbolism of that wasn't lost on the thousands of people there. Our Ed Lavandera has more.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: When this event was organized a week ago, the organizer tells me that she expected maybe 100 people to show up, but on Sunday night here in downtown Orlando on the banks of the lake, some 50,000 people turned out for this memorial service and candlelight vigil for those who were killed and gunned down in the deadly shootout there at the pulse nightclub a week ago. An unbelievable sight of outpouring of grief and public emotion here at this vigil. It is staggering to see the numbers of people that have come out here to show their support for the survivors and victims and victims' relatives as well. But Monday will also be a day where we learn more about what happened inside of the Pulse nightclub more than a week ago. Authorities plan on releasing transcripts, partial transcripts of the conversations they had with the killer during the attack inside of the Pulse nightclub. So that is news that will emerge here later on today.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: In the U.S. presidential race, Donald Trump is courting controversy once again with comments on racial profiling. The presumptive Republican nominee says that the process may be necessary to limit acts of terror on American soil. Profiling allows authorities to determine an individual's likelihood of committing a crime based on race, ethnicity, or religion.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE (via telephone): I think profiling is something that we're going to have to start thinking about as a country and other countries do it and look at Israel and you look at others and they do it and they do it successfully and, you know, I hate the concept of profiling, but we have to start using common sense and we have to use, you know, we have to use our heads. I see people that -- I've seen it recently. We had a case where -- very much in my case, where we had tremendous numbers of people coming into a speech I was making, and people that obviously had no guns, had no weapons, no anything, and they were going through screening and they were going through the same scrutiny, the absolute same scrutiny, as somebody else that looked like it could have been a possible person. So we really have to look at profiling. We have to look at it seriously, and other countries do it, and it's not the worst thing to do. I hate the concept of profiling but we have to use common sense. We're not using common sense.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: Meanwhile, protesters blew up this giant inflatable mockup of Trump at a protest outside his rally in Arizona on Saturday. The inflatable Trump is standing next to a sign saying, make America hate again.

A massive wildfire has scorched more than 3,000 hectares in Southern California. Now the Sherpa fire started on Wednesday near Santa Barbara. It's about 45 percent contained. Mandatory evacuations are in effect for several neighborhoods. There is no word of any injuries. Firefighters are dealing with intense weather conditions and we want to get the latest on the fires plaguing that region. Pedram Javaheri joins me now with that. I mean, these fires really are quite dangerous. California is used to dealing with this. What is the risk now that it could actually spread to those neighborhoods?

PEDRAM JAVAHERI, CNN WEATHER ANCHOR: For some of these areas, they are hoping to contain it in the next couple of days. For other states neighboring California, it's a long, long ways ahead of them. So what we've seen here, we were, of course, the first day of summer -- now the summer solstice here on Monday, the hottest start to the summer season in recorded history is happening right now in California, in Arizona, and parts of New Mexico, as well. So the combination is not very friendly for some of these folks out here. So we'll show you exactly what's happening, Paula, because the perspective, the tremendous amount of threat here for the fire is very high over the next several days. You notice the areas from the Sherpa fire, Paula told you about in California, the cedar fire in the State of Arizona, the state of New Mexico. (inaudible) coverage of how much land these fires have consumed. Some are on the order of 15,000 hectares combined. That is roughly a good amount, actually, above what the city of Paris is in size. So really shows you what a large landscape there has been scorched across this region, and we have about 30 million people underneath heat warnings, heat advisories, stressing from Los Angeles to Las Vegas to Phoenix again. It is the first day of summer in the northern hemisphere. These temperatures well above the typical average start of summer. In Los Angeles, into the 30s. In Phoenix, closing in on 50 degrees. That is remarkable.

[00:25:08] You peel back the record books in the city of Phoenix, that puts you in the top five area for hottest temperatures ever observed and their records date back to the 1800s. So incredible heat, and notice when it does want to cool off, it still stays above the norm, that being around places like Phoenix, and if you're watching this around Europe, different story developing here to start off your first day of winter -- summer there. Feels like winter. Temperatures very cool across the northwest, going to begin to warm up dramatically in the coming couple of days. High pressure begins to camp out. We get a southerly flow out of this. Your temperatures climb rather quickly. Take a look at your Monday afternoon, just a dreary setup in London out towards Paris into the teens and 20s. Look what happens here, Paula. Temperatures climb into the 30s over the next coming couple of days, so a rapid warming trend. So you go from barely feeling like spring to feeling like the middle of summer in a couple day's time.

NEWTON: Incredibly dramatic there. I've been looking at triple digits and all the records falling. It's incredible, actually, and as you said, I didn't realize it was the warmest start.

JAVAHERI: Warmest start ever, yes.

NEWTON: Thank you. Thanks for bringing us up to date. We'll continue to watch those wildfires.

Now as Rio gets ready for big crowds at the summer olympics, the city's petty thieves are getting ready, too. One item they are really after, we'll tell you what it is, up next. And, after a pause, the British debate resumes. We hear from both sides of the Brexit debate.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NEWTON: Welcome back to our viewers around the world. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Paula Newton and these are the headlines this hour.

[00:30:00] NEWTON: In Iraq, an NGO was warning that the fighting in Fallujah has displaced 30,000 people in just three days. Norwegian refugee counsel says humanitarian disaster is unfolding.

On Friday, Iraq's prime minister said Fallujah had been liberated from ISIS, but fighting in that city continues.

Russian officials are launching a criminal investigation into a deadly boating accident. 11 children and one adult died when three tourist boats were caught in the storm in Karelia. Officials say they wanted to determine why the boats were out in the bad weather. One person has been arrested.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are basketball's new world champions. Lebron James, you see him there, led the Cavs past the defending champs, the Golden State Warriors in a decisive game seven Sunday night. It's Cleveland's first title in any major sport in 52 years.

Now campaigning on Britain's referendum to leave or stay in the European Union resumes Sunday ahead of Thursday's vote. Both the leave and remain teams rallied in London. The murder of British MP Jo Cox Thursday brought the fierce debating to a temporary halt.

Now our teams in London have been following the two sides of the debate. Becky Anderson was with the leave camp in London's (INAUDIBLE).

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There are just days to go until British voters will be facing a monumental choice, whether to stay or leave the European Union.

Campaigning on both sides got started again on Sunday. The first planned event for the leave campaign since the murder of British MP Jo Cox began right behind me today.

The mood among participants at the rally was muted, perhaps understandably, given what happened to Jo Cox.

What had been evident in recent weeks was the ratcheting up of the rhetoric, the use of divisive language, its tactic to focus on the highly contentious issue of immigration using language some have described as vile, brimming with hate.

While headlining the leave rally today was the former mayor of London and leading Brexiter, Boris Johnson. Recognizing the surprise it may cause, he chose this moment to say, "I am pro-immigration. My friends, I am the proud descendant of Turkish immigrants. And let me stun you, perhaps, by saying, I would go further, I'm not any pro- immigration, I'm pro-immigrant, and in favor of an amnesty for illegal immigrants."

That was an attempt perhaps to ratchet down the rhetoric that has come to define the leave campaign.

More possibly so, we spoke to some of those who attended the event and this is what they told us.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The speaker said that Europe, Brussels is the most corrupt entity in the -- on the planet. And I agree with him. It's totally corrupt.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The atmosphere was absolutely electric.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was involved in the 2014 Umbrella Revolution in Hong Kong, where we slept in the streets for many, many weeks.

Sleeping in the U.K. and looking around, people don't care about giving democracy away. Even putting it on the plate and hand it over to the EU.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Call it full enthusiasm there, but a really somber mood. Perhaps best reflected in the skies of the British capital.

Becky Anderson, CNN, London. NEWTON: Just across time and time, the remain camp rallied in Hyde Park, and our Richard Quest was there.

RICHARD QUEST, ANCHOR, QUEST MEANS BUSINESS: It was called the big in photographic event. Bringing together up to 1,000 people in Hyde Park to stand in outline and spell the word, in, which was then photographed from the air.

A clear message of those wanting to remain within the European Union. But before the proceedings got underway, there was a moment of silence to remember Jo Cox, of course, who was murdered last week.

Whether or not there is any connection between the Cox murder and the referendum still hasn't been fully understood.

However, both sides accept that the tone of the debate so far has been too nasty and too vitriolic. And Stanley Johnson whose son Boris Johnson is leading the leave campaign, Stanley Johnson told me, it was time to change that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STANLEY JOHNSON, CONSERVATIVE PARTY POLITICIAN: I'd like to see us go ahead now, vote to stay in, but this is the crucial part, make it absolutely clear on some of these key issues like immigration, we are going to go back to Brussels and say look, the time has come to take another hard look at the free movement rules of the treaty.

[00:35:08] They cannot, in my view, be sustained the way they are. I'm talking about other (INAUDIBLE). It has to be looked at again.

That's another reason to stay in because if we have a unilateral exit, that wouldn't help a lot of people who want to see these changes. I happen to be the optimist, who thinks we jump back on board, we hope take control of the rich (INAUDIBLE).

QUEST: There is still four days before voting. And that's plenty of time for the whole thing to degenerate once again into name calling and insults. The issue here is simply vast.

As Alastair Campbell, the former director of communications for the Labour Party reminded me, for Britain in Europe, the stakes are huge.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALASTAIR CAMPBELL, FORMER DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS, LABOUR PARTY: Well, look at Jo Cox's Twitter feed and look at the things that she was saying about the debate. We have to have this argument. We have to have this argument, not just about Europe but also about what sorts of country we are in danger of becoming if we turn our backs on the world.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

QUEST: Before Jo Cox's murder, the leave campaign had eat out a small but consistent lead in all the opinion polls. Both sides now realize that the new tone of the campaign and the time left in which to get the message across means there is very little room for error.

Richard Quest, CNN, Hyde Park, London.

NEWTON: Now some new concerns for tourists just ahead of the Rio Olympics.

What we've learn about how some crooks may be preparing to spoil their holiday at the summer games. Details up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: NS has cleared the tower.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: It has cleared the tower. Quite a spectacular view there.

The private company hoping to carry customers into space has completed a fourth successful test run. That's the unmanned Blue Sheppard rocket, you're watching there, launching from Texas. It's successfully landed a short time later.

Now the rocket is built by Blue Origin, a space tourism firm headed by Amazon CEO.

Now in addition to the launch and recovery, the spacecraft's passenger section was intentionally crash landed back to earth. Blue Origin said it's all part of the successful test.

It might take some courage to actually get on there for the first time, anyhow.

The summer Olympics in Rio are less than two months away. Brazil is already battling Zika virus, political troubles and infrastructure challenges. Now the country has a new concern in the run up to the game's street crime.

CNN's Nick Payton Walsh got an inside look at what is being done to keep visitors safe.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

[00:40:04] NICK PAYTON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice- over): The fight to end rush, sundown empties the beaches, fills rum glasses and streets, Club Kavana (ph), where an Olympic tourists will be lured by volleyball and hot sand, their phones, jewelry, sparkle, a sea of opportunity for this man once Rio's army of street robbers.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): More of less iPhone stolen. Now that's a good day's work.

WALSH: We caught Pedro. His crimes aren't sins, he says, just a way to make a living. And the Olympics will be boom time.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Very, very busy time.

(LAUGHTER)

It's going to be good, but at the same time, you'll have a lot of tourists, you'll have a lot of thieves as well, with jewelry, watches, people might go to the police station. But when it's just a phone, many don't even go to the police, they get on a ship, on a plane and they leave.

WALSH: He prefers to work in a pair approach from behind and shows me his move while have a partner bump into my front.

He shows us where he immediately takes the stolen phone. He snaps and throws the sim card, not touching the phone's buttons. This market, mostly legal resellers, brims with traders hawking very cheap phones on the corner.

And some he says can wipe and reset a phone for him for about $10. In fact, one told me that they don't need passwords to reset a phone at all. And Pedro then sells the clean phone on.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): If you can get the new launch, a 6S, all the iPhones are guaranteed money. You don't have it at home for even a day. You can steal it in an hour, and two hours later, you'll already have the money in your pocket and it's far away.

WALSH: It's a brazen industry caught on amateur camera here in the center. Opportunism and thuggery combined. A broken phone no use here and returned.

Rio police have set up a high tech CCTV center they hope will encourage people to report crimes and maybe let them see culprits in action. A grainy view of a beautiful city's harden trade.

(on-camera): You do realize you're potentially ruining somebody's holiday, right?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): I don't really think about that because if I did, no one would do it. When it's time to go and steal, you always think these are the people with more money than those in the favela here.

WALSH (voice-over): And Pedro's advice, to not get robbed by him, put your phone in your front pocket, pay attention when you use it, check it if someone bumps into you.

Now it's up to you to decide if he's left something out.

Nick Payton Walsh, CNN, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NEWTON: And thanks for joining us. I'm Paul Newton. "World Sport" is up next with all the details of the dramatic night in the NBA finals.

And I'll be back at the top of the hour with another edition of CNN NEWSROOM.

Stay with us.

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