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Multiple Bombings in Thailand; Aleppo Destruction and Humanitarian Situation Examined; British Teen Who Left Home to Join ISIS Feared Dead; Trump ISIS Remarks about President Obama; Olympic Results; Ukraine Fearing Further Russian Aggression; Wildfires in Southern Europe. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired August 12, 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] GEORGE HOWELL, CNN NEWSROOM SHOW HOST: Bombings in five cities in Thailand, deadly explosions at rock resort towns, officials trying to figure out why. We have a live report with the latest.

ZAIN ASHER, CNN NEWSROOM SHOW HOST: Also ahead, Donald Trump's falsehood. The republican candidate for president claims that Obama literally - literally founded ISIS.

HOWELL: Making history in Rio, Simone Manuel ties for gold and breaks a barrier for African-American women.

Live from CNN world headquarters in Atlanta. Welcome to our viewers from around the world. I'm George Howell.

ASHER: And, I'm Zain Asher. Thank you for joining us.

HOWELL: Good to have you here.

ASHER: Glad to be with you.

CNN Newsroom starts right now. All right. We are following breaking news out of Thailand where at least four people are dead after multiple bombings, multiple explosions. World Thai police now say at least 11 blasts have hit five locations over the past day or so.

HOWELL: The attacks happened in a number of tourist spots and police say there is no evidence at this point that they are linked to international terrorism.

Let's go live to CNN's Kristie Lu Stout, live in Hong Kong with the latest following the story. Kristie, what more do we know from security?

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN NEWS STREAM ANCHOR: George, Thai police are saying that the explosions that have rocked Thailand are not acts of terror, but what they are calling local sabotage. The Thai deputy spokesman says this that there is no evidence that what happened is linked to international terrorism.

A number of explosions have brought the country, as you said 11 bombings across five provinces since Thursday. We know at least four people have been killed, 34 wounded. Now, let's break down where these blasts took place, including some major tourist destinations.

The Island of Phuket. Two explosions took place there Friday morning. One at Patang Beach and another at Bang La Street, one person is suffering from minor injuries. In Hua Hin, a very popular tourist resort in Thailand, two explosions on Thursday evening an additional two explosions on Friday morning.

Last night, 21 people were wounded. A number of them were foreign visitors. A Thai female vendor was killed. This morning, more bombs went off at 9 a.m. at Hua Hin near the Clock Tower, it's a local landmark there. One person is dead as a result of that.

And in Surat Thani city, two explosions Friday morning, the fatality was a Thai national, a female Thai municipal worker. Surat Thani city is just south of Bangkok, it's not a major tourist destination, but it is a transit point for tourist going to Koh Samui and also in the province.

There were additional explosions in Phang-nga province and in Trang province which killed one person. And, George, it's not known if all these bombings are connected. All of this is taking place just a week before the one-year anniversary of the bomb attack in Bangkok at the Erawan Shrine.

And Thai police earlier today, they add that the latest bombings are not linked to what happened last year. Back to you.

HOWELL: Good to have that context, Kristie. But what has been the security response so far?

STOUT: Well, we've heard from the Thai Ministry of Interior, they announced that increasing security across tourist hot spots and public transportation stations, police are on alert for more explosive devices.

I've also seen reports on social media, businesses in Hua Hin and Phuket are shut down. And we've also learned that travel warnings are in place. The governments of Spain and the U.K. are advising travelers to avoid public places in Thailand. Back to you.

HOWELL: Kristie Lu Stout, live for us in Hong Kong following the story. Kristie, thank you so much. We'll stay in touch.

Moving on now to Syria, people there are suffering the destruction widespread. In the city of Aleppo the U.N. says it is working with Russia now to find a workable humanitarian pause in that key city.

ASHER: Right. And the White House said it received an open letter from a group of doctors in Aleppo, these doctors were desperately pleading for help because the situation is so bad.

Here's our Elise Labott with more.

ELISE LABOTT, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Aleppo's last remaining doctors, just 15 who remain in the besieged city are issuing a desperate plead of President Obama, begging for a lifeline, and slamming the U.S. for failing to stop the horrific bombing.

Writing in an open letter, quote, "We have seen no effort on behalf of the United States to lift the siege or even use its influence to push the party to protect civilians."

Russian air strikes helping regime forces have decimated Aleppo. Hospitals are frequent target. The doctors write, "Last month, there were 42 attacks on medical facilities in Syria, 15 of which are hospitals in which we work."

"Right now, there is an attack on a medical facility every 17 hours. At this rate, our medical services in Aleppo could be completely destroyed in a month, leaving 300,000 people to die."

[03:05:01] "What pains us most as doctors is choosing who will live and who will die."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LINA MURAD, SYRIAN AMERICAN MEDICAL SOCIETY BOARD MEMBER: Imagine, you know, you're trying to work in a hospital with no clean water, no electricity, no medical supplies and all those civilian victim, you know, coming over.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LABOTT: The doctors' urgent appeal comes as the U.S. is investigating another poisonous gas attack in the al-Zibdiye neighborhood of Aleppo. Chilling footage shows victims in the hospital as aid workers sift through the rubble.

This man describes smelling gas and gasping for breath. The raid, despite a Russian pledge to stop military action to allow for desperately needed humanitarian aid.

Last week, President Obama acknowledged the challenges of trying to solve the conflict in Syria.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA PRESIDENT: I've been wrestling with this thing now for -- a lot of years. There is not a meeting that I don't end by saying, is there something else we could be doing that we haven't thought of?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LABOTT: But Aleppo's doctors warn, we do not need tears or sympathy or even prayers. We need your action. That will come too late for this first responder, notorious for pulling a baby out of the rubble, and who colleagues say died.

The White House says it is working around the clock to try and get an agreement with Russia to end the violence and allow life-saving humanitarian aid into places like Aleppo.

But the doctors on the front line tell us by failing to stop the violence by Russia and the regime over the last six years the United States shares some of the burden of responsibility.

Elise Labott, CNN, the State Department.

ASHER: On to some other stories that we are following. A British teen who left the United Kingdom last year apparently to join ISIS in Syria is now feared dead.

Kadiza Sultana, and two other the school girls who flew from London to Istanbul, Turkey, they are expected to have crossed the border in Syria within days.

A family have then says that some weeks ago, relative received news of Sultana's death in Raqqa. Raqqa if the de factor capital for ISIS. Reports of Sultana's death have not been independently confirmed.

HOWELL: Here in the United States, Donald Trump and politics has been calling the U.S. President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton co- founders of ISIS during a campaign stops in Florida this week. It is important to point out factually speaking that is not the case.

ASHER: All right. But Donald Trump though is not backing down. He keeps going at it.

Here is our Jim Acosta with more.

JIM ACOSTA, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: It's fast becoming a go-to line of attack for Donald Trump, that President Obama and his former Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, gave birth to ISIS.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, (R) U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I call president Obama and Hillary Clinton the founders of ISIS. They're the founders. In fact, I think we'll give Hillary Clinton the -- you know if you're a sports team, the most valuable player, MVP. You've got the MVP award.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: Trump rationale is that the president's withdrawal from the Iraq war created the conditions on the ground for the terror groups rise to power.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HUGH HEWITT, RADIO HUGH HEWITT SHOW HOST: He hates them. He's trying to kill them.

TRUMP: I don't care. He was the founder. The way he got of Iraq was the -- that was the founding of ISIS.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: The problem is, Trump once advocated a speedy pull out from the war, too.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: You know how they get out? They get out. That's how they get out. Declare victory and leave. Because I'll tell you, this country is just going to get further bogged down.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: Trump first called Mr. Obama an ISIS founder at a rally last night in Florida where he also referred to the president as his full name and slamming the White House over his handling of Russia.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Now we'll find out. But this was taken during the administration of Barack Hussein Obama. OK?

(CROWD BOOING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: Continuing that soft on terror theme, Trump also alleged that the Clinton campaign was aware that the father of the Orlando nightclub shooter was at a rally for the democratic nominee this week.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: They knew. But how would you -- how did you like that picture? Him sitting, 49 people killed and that guy is sitting back there and of course he likes Hillary.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: Top Trump campaign surrogate blame unfair media coverage. But former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani insists Trump will still take part in all three presidential debates despite his relationship with the press.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RUDY GIULIANI, FORMER NEW YORK CITY MAYOR: He will do all three debates. The negotiations which the federal commission has always allowed between the candidates...

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Absolutely.

GIULIANI: ... is going to happen.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: At a rally outside of Orlando, Trump once again refer to President Obama as the founder of ISIS. At one point, he even said the president made a mistake by not leaving behind a relatively small force in Iraq. But that also runs counter to what Trump said back in 2007 when he said the U.S. should declare victory and leave.

Jim Acosta, CNN, Kissimmee, Florida.

ASHER: And aside from all of that which you just saw there, more tense moments for the Trump campaign.

[03:10:00] The Confederate flag, take a look this, this is a flag that, by the way, some people consider to be a very racist symbol here in the United States. This flag was briefly displayed at a Trump event in Kissimmee, Florida, this is on Thursday.

But the Civil War era banner did not stay up for long because police told its owners to take it down and to remove it and then they ended up stopping it out for the stars and stripes the traditional American flag.

HOWELL: The Democratic Party has been dealing with a major cyber- attack. And as it turns out it's worse than first thought. A report from the New York Times says hackers got into the private e-mail accounts of dozens of members of the party and the Clinton campaign.

The U.S. has not publicly named the culprit but the White House says experts who investigated that cyber-attack believed that Russia is behind it.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi agrees and compare this cyber intrusion to Watergate. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NANCY PELOSI, U.S. HOUSE MINORITY LEADER: This is an electronic Watergate. This is an electronic Watergate. This is a break-in. The Russians broke in. Who did they give the information to? I don't know. Who dumped it? I don't know. But I do know that this is a Watergate- type electric break-in.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ASHER: And as the hacking controversy lingers, Hillary Clinton is trying to stay on message. He's definitely trying to stay focus with her attention on the economy.

HOWELL: And during a campaign event in Michigan Thursday, she tried to make it clear to supporters that her economic plan is better than Donald Trump's.

CNN's Jeff Zeleny has more for us.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON, (D) U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Stronger together. Let's go out and build the future.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Hillary Clinton offering an upbeat view of the economy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLINTON: I want you all to work with me, to build the kind of progress that America deserves to see.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZELENY: It's a starkly different picture than the one Donald Trump painted earlier this week in Detroit.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLINTON: He talks only of failure, poverty, and crime. He is missing so much about what makes Michigan great.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZELENY: The economy is at the heart of a bruising tug of war between Clinton and Trump. She made clear she feels the pain of working class voters.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLINTON: How can you not be frustrated and even angry when you see nothing getting done? A lot of people feel no one is on their side and no one has their back.

(APPLAUSE)

ZELENY: Even while bluntly admitting trade deals she supported have hurt American workers.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLINTON: It is true that too often past trade deals have been sold to the American people with rosy scenarios that did not pan out.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZELENY: Trade is the pillar of Trump's populist argument against electing a second President Clinton.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Hillary Clinton has supported the trade deals stripping this city and this country of its jobs and its wealth.

(APPLAUSE)

ZELENY: But she warns against Trump's isolationist solutions.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLINTON: Mr. Trump may talk a big game on trade, but his approach is based on fear, not strength.

ZELENY: She also coined a new phrase to use against Trump and his plan to lower corporate taxes.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLINTON: He called for a new tax loophole. Let's call it the Trump loophole because it would allow him to pay less than half the current tax rate on income for many of his companies.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZELENY: They are fighting over some of the same terrain, that's why Clinton made her pitch in a factory in Malcolm County, home of the fabled Reagan democrats.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RONALD REAGAN, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: Well, I want to ask those of you some people call Reagan democrats to join with me and come home with me today.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZELENY: Trump believes those voters offer his best shot for winning the rust belt and the presidency. We talked to former Michigan Governor James Blanchard today. He says that times and candidates are different.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAMES BLANCHARD, FORMER MICHIGAN GOVERNOR: There's still a lot of people with fond memories of Ronald Reagan. But he was measured, optimistic, positive. That's a stark contrast to what we've got now here with a sad, sad deranged spectacle really.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZELENY: Above all, Clinton is hammering home to voters increasingly including republicans the election is a choice.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLINTON: Now, there is a myth out there that he will stick it to the rich and powerful because somehow he's really on the side of the little guy. Don't believe it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZELENY: And Clinton also called on Donald Trump to release his tax returns. He's the only presidential nominee since Richard Nixon to refuse to do so. Aide close to her campaign tell me that she will do so by Friday, her 2015 tax returns in addition to the 37 years she's already released.

Her running mate Tim Kaine will also release 10 years of returns trying to keep the pressure on Donald Trump and to highlight the fact that he is still hiding how much he pays in taxes.

[03:15:05] Jeff Zeleny, CNN, Michigan.

ASHER: All right. Coming up next on CNN Newsroom, Michael Phelps isn't running for president. But, you know, maybe he should. This guy simply will not lose. He keeps racing in those gold medals, we'll have the latest from Rio, just ahead.

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DEREK VAN DAM, CNN METEOROLOGIST: If you're located across the deep south of the United States, still a rain threat from Louisiana through Florida and Mississippi, as well as Alabama.

Look at this Gulf Coast low that continues to turn across this region. A significant amount of moisture associated with it and that means heavy rainfall possible, specifically across Central Louisiana.

This is an area we're going to monitor for the potential of flooding because you can see our forecast, rainfall through the early weekend. Calls for perhaps anywhere between 300 to 500 millimeters of rainfall. That's a short period of time.

So, localized flooding certainly a possibility. Elsewhere, across the central U.S., heat really starting to build across this region. Dallas, 40 degrees this Friday. Even across the New England coastline, even though the temperatures aren't as impressive as Dallas, you factor in the humidity levels and a major metropolitan city and that makes millions feel extremely uncomfortable.

In fact, look at the three to four-day forecasts. We're not looking for much relief in terms of the heat from New York to D.C. as well as Atlanta, temperatures in the middle 30s throughout the course of the weekend and even into next week, as well.

Here is a look at Central America. Guatemala City, 26, Belize City, 31, Kingston, Jamaica, 31. All expecting showers and thunderstorms.

And as we head towards Rio de Janeiro, the home of the 31st Olympiad, partly cloudy skies expected.

ASHER: All right. The most decorated athlete in Olympic history is literally hauling in more gold. He simply cannot get enough. He's got a bucket load of it. American swimmer, that is of course, Michael Phelps. He won the men's 200-meter individual medley on Thursday.

His fourth gold medal in Rio alone and his 22nd gold medal overall. Phelps can add to that total Friday when he swims in a 100-meter butterfly. He simply doesn't know how to lose.

(CROSSTALK)

HOWELL: Honestly, I think he...

ASHER: I think he can't. he can't do that. Is he even human?

HOWELL: He really uses that song "All I do is win." I mean, really?

ASHER: No, you love that song.

HOWELL: Chinese swimmer Chen Xinyi has reportedly traveled positive for a banned substance.

[03:20:00] China state-run news agency says that authorities will cooperate will investigators and respect the arbitration court decision.

ASHER: And we have a rag of medal tie in the Olympic pool.

CNN World Sports Christina Macfarlane joins us live now from Rio. So, Christina, I have to say, you know, as a black woman myself, I was hugely inspired by Simone Manuel. She is the first African-American woman in history to win an individual Olympic medal for swimming.

And then of course, you have Michael Phelps who literally just doesn't how to lose.

CHRISTINA MACFARLANE, CNN WORLD SPORTS ANCHOR: It's absolutely right, Zain, isn't it? Tonight, it was like, where do you look. There were so many inspirational stories coming out of that swimming pool. But as you say, I think pretty much the biggest one of the night was Simone Manuel.

You know, what was so touching about this victory is I think even she didn't expect that she was going to win gold. And to win it in the way she did of course touching the wall at the very same moment that 16- year-old Penny Oleksiak touch the world.

There was a bit of confusion understandably after they both just came up out of the water as to when who had won gold who had won silver. But when the realization dawned particularly on Simone Manuel that she'd won, was she was just could not hold it together.

Floods of tears. Waving at the crowds. The actual time was 52 seconds and 70. And that, in fact, was an Olympic record no less. And afterwards Simone says in her post -- her post race that this victory is not just for her, but for everyone who has come before her and for the next generation. She just wanted to be an inspiration and she certainly will.

And it's a brief mention about Michael Phelps, of course, his fourth Olympic gold of the week and counting. But I'll tell you, this actual medal, I think, meant more to him than most.

He stood up on the medal podium and he broke down in tears over this one. It was the 200-meter individual medley. And he say that it was because he heard to announce to say it was his fourth gold and it just meant so much to him. He couldn't keep it together.

He becomes the first Olympian to actually defend this title in fourth successive Olympic. And of course, 38 minutes later, he came out and he swam another race, this time a hit and he finish second. Not many people can do that two races and under 45 minutes and come away with a gold medal.

ASHER: Yes. You know, Christine, when you watch Michael Phelps, it's interesting because you sort of just expect him to win. You know, you sort of don't really see how it's possible for him to lose at this point.

I do want to talk about another, Simone beyond just Simone Manuel. Simone Biles, she's another Simone, but everyone is talking about the greatest gymnast possibly ever.

MACFARLANE: I think that's a fair assumption, Zain. You know, the victory last night in the all-around event for Simone Biles was expected, but that didn't make it any less spectacular because of the manner in which she did it.

You know, she actually won that event by 2.1 points. That is the biggest margin we've seen in quite some time. This is an event where athlete gymnast wins by tenths not by full points. And she actually on the floor routines was doing some of her tumbles at which twice her actual height, she's 4 feet 9.

She's won 10 world championship medals now, which is this is unbelievably her first Olympic game. She's only 19. She didn't qualify back in London in 2012. And it's her second gold medal, but we could still see three more from her to come.

She's looking to become the first gymnast ever to win five gold medals in one Olympic game. She's got the beam, the vault and the floor to come in. I tell you one routine to look out for is the routine or the move of the Simone Biles. It's actually a signature move of hers. It includes a double lay up with a twist and a blind landing.

It's her signature, not one to try at home, but many are saying as you say, the best gymnast possibly of all time.

ASHER: Just to live up to that amount of pressure, you know, your first Olympic, you've got the whole world watching you and you still deliver. Just quickly, though, Christina, I do want to talk about Fiji. Because they also won a gold in rugby no less, and beating out Great Britain.

MACFARLANE: Yes. Well, you talk about delivering, Zain, this Virginian side are actually top ranks in the world and they are first team to have win back to back Rugby 712 series. But, of course, this was the first game for the Rugby sevens as a sport and they were, you know, big favorites to go in.

So, the win today was such an emotional moment for this team. You know, Fiji is a nation where Rugby seven is king, it's almost like a religion for them, it's a bit like how football is to Brazil. Well, that is how to the Fijian nation.

And I've been following this team now for many years with our Rugby show and they have such heart, such skill, they almost untested. And we saw that today in the final. They won by a huge margin over Great Britain. It was 43 to 7 win. It was completely -- it was completely dominant. And I think we're

seeing some video coming out of Fiji now and they are going to be celebrating all week long.

[03:25:02] ASHER: No doubt. Just imagine the elation on that island. Our Christina Macfarlane, live for us there. Thank you so much.

All right. Let's check the medal count total for you. America is doing surprisingly well. They're on top there with 16 gold medals. China, right behind them, has 11. Japan, has 7. Australia, South Korea and Hungary are all tied there, doing well as well but not as well as the other three. They have 5 gold medals. The U.S. still leads in the overall medal count including gold, silver, and bronze with 38 medals total.

BOLTON: Friday will bring more medals in swimming. Michael Phelps will race for the U.S. in the 100-meter butterfly. The women will compete in the long haul 800-meter freestyle.

But first, athletes event of the games gets underway with the women's 10,000-meter race and shotput and at the Velodrome. Australia will cycle for gold and the team pursuit against Great Britain.

Two years now since Russia annexed Crimea. Why the conflict in eastern Ukraine could be about to escalate.

We're live in the United States and around the world. This is CNN Newsroom."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOWELL: Welcome back to our viewers around the world. This is CNN Newsroom. Good to have you with us. I'm George Howell.

ASHER: And I'm Zain Asher. Let's get you updated on our top stories at this hour.

Thai police say there's no evidence that series of bombings in several provinces are linked to international terrorism. Four people are dead and dozens are wounded after 11 explosions over the past day.

[03:30:03] The attack happened in five locations including popular tourist spots, Phuket and Hua Hin.

HOWELL: In Aleppo, Syria, activists and doctors say these two children and their mother died of suffocation after a suspected gas attack in a rebel-held area.

Activists say they believe a helicopter dropped a barrel bomb carrying choking agents, possibly chlorine gas on Wednesday. It is unclear who carried out that suspected attack.

ASHER: And Donald Trump is not backing away from his latest comment about President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. And during campaign event this week in Florida, he has been calling them several times, actually, he's been calling them the co-founders of ISIS. In response, Clinton tweeted that "Trump was thinking low and should

not be allowed to serve as commander-in-chief.

HOWELL: The South Pacific Island nation of Fiji is celebrating its first ever Olympic medal and it is a gold medal. Fiji's Rugby sevens team beat Great Britain Thursday to capture the title. South Africa beat Japan to take the bronze.

ASHER: And fears are growing that Ukraine could be the victim of more Russian aggression since Crimea we saw two years ago. Russia, for its part, is saying that it must take countermeasures after tearing of a terror plot that was aimed at Crimea.

HOWELL: And officials in Ukraine that allege plot is baseless but they are convinced that Russia poses a real threat.

CNN's Phil Black has more for us.

PHIL BLACK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Could these scattered items trigger yet another last scar (Ph) military conflict in Ukraine? Russia's Secret Security Service, the FSB released this video which it shows explosives and weapons that were intended to be used against targets in Crimea, the large peninsula Russia and eastern Ukraine two years ago.

The FSB says this man was one of the Ukrainian saboteurs, it stopped in operations that also resulted in the deaths of two Russian personnel.

Russian President Vladimir Putin says these events cannot be allowed to pass. He accuses Ukraine's government of embracing terror, instead of peace.

Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko described the accusations as insane and a pretext for imminent Russian military action. He's ordered Ukrainian forces to their highest state of alert.

Once again in Ukraine, tensions have suddenly escalated and there's a sense that anything could happen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SARAH LAIN, RUSI RESEARCH FELLOW: It does present this idea of either something is stirring in Ukraine again, some form of potential offensive. Or this is Russia using this as a pretext to basically blame Ukraine for not being very cooperative.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACK: Meanwhile in Ukraine's east, this is what a ceasefire looks like. These are Ukrainian government soldiers. There is daily fighting in this part of the country where Russian backed militants have carved out their own territory.

International observers say June and July saw a big spike in violence and the United Nations points to a dramatic increase in civilian casualties. Mostly from heavy weapons.

This was all supposed to stop after the signing of the Minsk agreement in February last year. But since then, all parties have continuously accused each other of breaking that peace deal.

The U.S. view Russia's violations are more frequent and more serious. America's ambassador to Ukraine, Geoffrey Pyatt, tweeted, "Russia has a record of frequently levying false accusations at Ukraine to detect attention from its own illegal actions."

He says new Russian weapon systems have made the situation more volatile. Russia denies fueling the war. Analysts say that's key to Russia's policy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LAIN: Russia can always distance itself from actually -- it being involved in the conflict. So, the separatists in the east are not in Russia's narrative, they're not Russians. they're not supported by the Russian state.

What's happening in Crimea, it was Ukrainian's fault, in their eyes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACK: Ukraine resembles this settlement that it's not a frozen conflict. Regularly boiling over and reminding the world there is an active European war with the potential to escalate much further.

Phil Black, CNN, London.

HOWELL: Phil, thank you. There are questions surrounding the blurred line between the Clinton Foundation and the top aide who worked for Hillary Clinton at the U.S. State Department.

CNN's senior investigative correspondent Drew Griffin has this report for us.

DREW GRIFFIN, CNN SENIOR INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER: On June 19th, 2012, Cheryl Mills, then chief of staff for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, boarded an Amtrak Acela train in Washington Union Station bound for New York.

For the last seven months, Senate investigators have been trying to find out what Mills was up to. And for seven months, the U.S. Department of State has refused to answer.

Now CNN has learned a potential reason why. Cheryl Mills, then a U.S. government employee and Secretary of State Clinton chief of staff was in New York working on behalf of the Clinton Foundation.

[03:35:06] A close aide to the situation confirmed to CNN Mills was interviewing two potential candidates to lead the Clinton foundation. Mills would interview top level executives at Wal-Mart and a drug company Pfizer. Both companies are huge donors to the Clinton Foundation and both have

worked with the Clinton global initiative. Was Mills role in violation of government ethics rules? Did she have permission from the U.S. Department of State? Did state even know that trip was taking place?

CNN has asked the U.S. State Department all of these questions. This was the response. "Federal employees are permitted to engage in outside personal activities, within the scope of the federal ethics rules."

A state spokesperson tells CNN "All federal employees are subject to federal ethics laws and regulations including rules pertaining to conflicts of interest."

The vague response raises more questions that are just not being answered, not to CNN, but worse says one watchdog group, not to the republican-led Senate Judiciary Committee which has the right to know.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SCOTT AMEY, POGO GENERAL COUNSEL: Congress has a rightful -- right to ask for any information that it wants to from the executive branch of government to keep track of him. And the government should be turning that information over. And when you have a breakdown in that system, we have a breakdown in our democracy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRIFFIN: It's easy to understand why Cheryl Mills was trusted with helping find an extra record of the Clinton Foundation. Her relationships with the Clintons goes back decades.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHERYL MILLS, CLINTON FOUNDATION AIDE: I'm honored to be here today on behalf of the president.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRIFFIN: As Bill Clinton's deputy White House counsel, she defended the then-president during impeachment proceedings. In 2008, when Hillary Clinton was running for president, Mills was her senior legal campaign adviser.

And when Hillary Clinton became Secretary of State, Mills left the board of the Clinton Foundation and became Hillary Clinton's chief of staff. The secrecy about the New York trip the dual roles played by trusted assistants.

The mixing of business between state, Clinton Foundation, and its donors all play into a simple theme of Donald trump's campaign that politicians like the Clintons use the government to benefit themselves.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) TRUMP: These are crooked people. They've been crooked from the beginning. You look at that foundation, it's pure theft and pure crookedness.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRIFFIN: Cheryl Mills' attorney says her client was simply doing volunteer work for a charitable foundation, she was not paid. The Clinton Foundation also says Mills was not a paid employee.

And late today, Clinton campaign spokesman, Brian Fallon sent this statement. "Cheryl volunteered her personal time to a charitable organization as she has to other charities. Cheryl paid for her travel to New York City personal, and it was crystal clear to all involved that this had nothing to do with her official duties. The idea that this poses a conflict of interest is absurd."

Drew Griffin, CNN, Atlanta.

ASHER: All right. Let's turn back now to sport because there are some really big matchups today in Olympic fencing that we would like to tell you about. For example, Egypt and the U.S. are on guard for the men's team foil the quarterfinal and many eyes will be on Egypt's Alaaeldin Abouelkassem.

HOWELL: He took the silver at the 2012 London Olympics and now in Rio he says he won't be happy with anything less than a gold.

Ian Lee has more for us.

IAN LEE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Crossing swords with a world champion takes lightning reflexes. When Alaaeldin Abouelkassem, on the left, won silver at men's foil at London's Olympics, history was made. The first African to win a medal in fencing.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALAAELDIN ABOUELKASSEM, EGYPTIAN OLYMPIAN FENCER: A lot of Egyptians they've tried for years and African tried for years to get medal on fencing. So, for them my medal was like their medal. So, I find that we were really one family.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEE: But, Alah, as his friends call him, isn't satisfied.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ABOUELKASSEM; So, I won't accepts less than gold medal in Rio.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEE: A lot returned from the 2012 games determined. He moved to France to focus on fencing full time. Expectation are high for the Egyptian, and so is the stress.

((BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ABOUELKASSEM: I work very hard for four years now. I moved out, I'm living in a new city with new friends, away from my family. So, I'm just very motivated that my work will be paid in the next Olympics.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEE: Working hard means training six days a week. The 25-year-old French coach helps with footwork, strength, technique and attacking.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[03:39:57] ABOUELKASSEM: It's more the defense it was always my strong point. Now I'm working with more because you cannot win only one action.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEE: What is foil? It's a style of fencing. Simply hit the torso with the tip of the sword before the other guy. For someone who has never fenced, Alah shows me the basics.

First, stand on guard. Second, a little footwork then you strike. It's not often you get trained by an Olympic athlete. Training Egypt's national team, Adam Kaszubowski from Poland. He's preparing the country's eight fencing Olympics for Rio.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ADAM KASZUBOWSKI, EGYPTIAN FENCING TEAM COACH: For as a coach this is a basic that you have to understand the first psychology of your players. His mentality of the warrior, of his mentality of defense. And after this we create our strategy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEE: He hopes the strategy pays off in medals. Alah aims to make history again. This time to be the first African to win fencing gold.

Ian Lee, CNN, Cairo.

HOWELL: And Ian Lee has learned fencing, so the world will have to watch out.

The southern Europe is dealing with devastating fires right now. An update ahead on what conditions firefighters expect as they work to tackle the fires you see here. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOWELL: Welcome back to CNN Newsroom.

Thousands of firefighters are battling more than a dozen fires raging in southern Europe.

ASHER: That's right. Flames have destroyed homes. They have forced evacuations and turned deadly in one country.

Here's our Alexandra Field with more.

ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: In southern France, this is the worst fire they've seen in nearly 20 years. Crews say they have it contained under control. But it has taken about 2,500 firefighters to beat back the flames, stopping them from reaching several Petro chemical plants in the country's second largest city of Marseille.

[03:45:02] Some roads leading to the city are still closed. Marseille's airport was also affected. Some flights canceled, others delayed.

Neighboring country Italy is helping out, sending some of its planes to join the French effort from the sky. Overhead, aircrafts are keeping a close watch for any signs the fire might spread while thick smoke still chokes the region.

On the ground, 400 police officers helped people to safety. Hundreds have been evacuated, some homes are destroyed. At least seven people hurt, four firefighters are badly injured.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BERNARD CAZENEUVE, FRENCH INTERIOR MINISTER (TRANSLATED): I went to the (Inaudible) department yesterday to express my solidarity to the firefighters who contained the fire with a lot of courage and to express solidarity to the troops that have been mobilized in the face of the tragedy at the fire service of our department confronted yesterday.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FIELD: Since Wednesday, the destruction has spread over 3,300 hectares. According the border in northern Spain five large fires are also burning. Helicopters are dropping water, desperately who for taking matter into their own hands offering to help wherever they can.

The region is under a blanket of smoke. In Portugal, the situation is considered dire. Four people have died. While 1,800 firefighters and almost 600 trucks are part of a furious effort to put out 12 major fires.

Hot, dry weather and heavy winds have fanned the flames across three countries. Crews everywhere are keeping a close watch now, fearful violent gusts could cause more flames to flare up.

Alexandra Field, CNN, Paris.

HOWELL: Our meteorologist -- meteorologist Derek Van Dam is following it all. Joining us now live in the International Weather Center. Derek?

DAM: George, Zain, fortunately, an update from authorities just about the fire outside of Marseille, that it is contained. Not extinguished but contained. That's good news, but unfortunately we cannot say the same about the fires in the other two countries that we're monitoring, specifically Portugal and across Spain.

Here is a satellite perspective of the Iberian Peninsula. And you can really see the hotspots just dotted across the landscape. And look at that high concentration across the northern portions of Portugal.

All the necessary ingredients are coming together for unfortunately the perfect storm here. We have all three ingredients necessary for the spread of wildfire. First and foremost, this is a Mediterranean climate, so we have a very dry brush lying on the grounds across this particular region.

We also have the heat necessary. Temperatures have really soared across this region into the middle and upper 30s over the past few days. And thirdly, we have oxygen. And that is being pumped in by the strong winds that continue to inundate this particular of Europe.

And it looks as if this heat and dry conditions will continue. High pressure in control of the weather that suppresses cloud cover. It allows for the sunshine to come out and dries the ground so much quicker than if cloud cover or rainfall was present.

Look at this day time highs. The average we should be in the upper 20s and lower 30s. But we have seen the mercury in the thermometer across Spain and Portugal climb into the upper 30s. And that means that it is just extremely timber-dry conditions across this area.

That you can also see the winds that continue to fuel and fan the flames strong as it get towards the southern sections of the Iberian Peninsula. It looks as if those will start to let up over the coming days. But really no rain in sight.

And making matters worse is the fact that the firefighters have to battle these blazes in some of the most mountainous terrain of northern Portugal. Take a look at this. You can see how difficult it is, let alone for the firefighters to access the flames.

But keep in mind that wind is often sporadic across these mountains throughout the terrain through this part of the country.

Now, we can point fingers to determine how these fires started. The bottom line, George and Zain, is that 90 percent of humans cause wildfires. Back to you.

HOWELL: Wow.

ASHER: Interesting fact.

HOWELL: Derek, thank you.

ASHER: Thank you so much. Well, zombies are on the rise, and not the flesh-eating kind.

HOWELL: The zombies?

ASHER: Well, the Smartphone kind. Smartphone zombies. And you, yes, you at home, might be turning into one of them. We'll explain after the break.

[03:50:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

DAM: If you're located across the deep south of the United States, still a rain threat from Louisiana through Florida and Mississippi, as well as Alabama.

Look at this Gulf Coast low that continues to turn across this region. A significant amount of moisture associated with it and that means heavy rainfall possible, specifically across Central Louisiana.

This is an area we're going to monitor for the potential of flooding because you can see our forecast, rainfall through the early weekend. Calls for perhaps anywhere between 300 to 500 millimeters of rainfall. That's a short period of time.

So, localized flooding certainly a possibility. Elsewhere, across the central U.S., heat really starting to build across this region. Dallas, 40 degrees this Friday.

Even across the New England coastline, even though the temperatures aren't as impressive as Dallas, you factor in the humidity levels and a major metropolitan city and that makes millions feel extremely uncomfortable.

In fact, look at the three to four-day forecasts. We're not looking for much relief in terms of the heat from New York to D.C. as well as Atlanta, temperatures in the middle 30s throughout the course of the weekend and even into next week, as well.

Here is a look at Central America. Guatemala City, 26, Belize City, 31, Kingston, Jamaica, 31. All expecting showers and thunderstorms.

And as we head towards Rio de Janeiro, the home of the 31st Olympiad, partly cloudy skies expected.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOWELL: Welcome back. So, most of us have, you know, done this on the cell phone the whole multitasking thing.

ASHER: What are you talking about? Have you ever done that?

HOWELL: Oh, my gosh.

ASHER: No, but in all seriousness, it is of course easy to sort of addicted, to sort of checking out back a new e-mail, of seeing what pictures your friends have posted. But now officials in South Korea are telling people to look up for their own good.

Here's our David Molko with more.

DAVID MOLKO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Zombies on a bullet train if this is your summer blockbuster terrifying audiences at the South Korean Box Office. But here on the streets of the capital there's concern about another

type of menace. Someone who is oblivious to everything except their phone. Let's face it we all have probably done that at some point. Here, though, they've given it a name, smartphone zombie.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (TRANSLATED): I almost got hit by a car while using my phone crossing the road. Well, I didn't think it was such a big deal so I keep texting while walking.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MOLKO: Destructive walking may seem like a joke, but this crash caught on a Korean dash cam proves otherwise. It's not clear how seriously he was injured.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (TRANSLATED): Smartphone related traffic accidents have tripled since 2010. So, we decided to do something to prevent more of them from happening.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MOLKO: "Be careful of smartphones while walking," it reads. In other words, look up. To see they're trying them out in crowded spots but it's a work in progress, Kang admits. After all, how can you spot a sign if you're too busy staring at your screen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (TRANSLATED): Perhaps signs should be bigger so they are more noticeable. I didn't notice that sign there maybe because it is up high.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[03:54:58] MOLKO: Seoul isn't the first that did try to tackle the pre-textrian. In China, a theme park created sidewalk lanes for texters and non-texters. In Germany, blinking lights warn wandering walkers they're about to hit the tracks.

And in Japan, one mobile network created this, a simulation of what could happen if hundreds of people in a smartphone inspired trance tried to make it across Tokyo and Shibuya crossing. Only 36 percent did.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (TRANSLATED): Of course, when I see the signs I think I shouldn't be doing it. Because when I concentrate on the phone, I forget about the signs.

(END VIDEO CLIP) MOLKO: That makes perfect sense said Yang Chapzou (Ph), the psychologist who specializes in digital addictions. Destructive walkers are getting their own version of a high with every tap swipe and notification.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (TRANSLATED): Research shows that about 15 percent of smartphone users in Korea are addicted. It's not like alcohol or gambling. When you stop drinking, you can stop the addiction. But you can't tell people not to use their cell phones.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MOLKO: So, in today's hyper connected world, experts say you have to ask yourself just one thing. Are you willing to delay instant gratification? Are you happy becoming just another zombie.

David Molko, CNN, Seoul.

ASHER: Well, of course George is on his smartphone. Zombie.

HOWELL: The zombie thing.

ASHER: My favorite part of that theme of theme was, the 'texterian,' that word. Anyway, we're going to take you to China now and a wedding video that will warm your hearts and get it racing at the same time.

HOWELL: Take a look at this. This couple decided to get married on a hammock hanging from a glass bridge. The groom has acrophobia, the fear of heights.

ASHER: Wow.

HOWELL: And his bride says he took a long time letting go of the railing before the hammock descended.

ASHER: Gosh.

HOWELL: That bridge in a Chinese national park...

(CROSSTALK)

ASHER: I'm having anxiety just watching that video.

HOWELL: It is suspended 180 meters over the ground. That is a marriage that will last.

ASHER: That is why I'm getting married on a beach. OK. Thank you so much for joining us. I'm Zain Asher.

HOWELL: And thanks for being with us. I'm George Howell. The news continues on CNN. My colleague Max Foster in London.

[04:00:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)