(CNN) South Sudan is the world's youngest country, and it has witnessed immense change since gaining independence in 2011. The promise of peace has given way to civil war, and tribal rifts continue to run deep, permeating political affairs. Over two million people have been displaced according to the UN, and tens of thousands killed .
Amid the tumult is the Mundari, a people who would rather get on with doing what they do best: looking after their cattle.
Meat the family
It would be hard to find a more dedicated group of herdsmen than the tribe who live on the banks of the Nile, north of the capital Juba. Their entire lifestyle is geared around caring for their prized livestock, the Ankole-Watusi , a horned breed known as "the cattle of kings."
"The next time I met them, I brought my camera. They then told me, 'You're a part of this cult, but you can't take pictures.' It took me another couple of months in the cult before they let me take pictures."
"The next time I met them, I brought my camera. They then told me, 'You're a part of this cult, but you can't take pictures.' It took me another couple of months in the cult before they let me take pictures."
"This photograph is of the initiation. When I was initiated, they hit me a little bit with a stick -- hitting is an important part of the ceremony as it serves as a warning not to reveal the secrets of the Nyau. "They removed the fabric and started dancing and I danced with them. We danced the whole night, then they took me to their hidden place -- the cemetery. They told me, 'Now, you're Nyau.' They gave me my own mask and costume and started to teach me how to dance."
"This photograph is of the initiation. When I was initiated, they hit me a little bit with a stick -- hitting is an important part of the ceremony as it serves as a warning not to reveal the secrets of the Nyau. "They removed the fabric and started dancing and I danced with them. We danced the whole night, then they took me to their hidden place -- the cemetery. They told me, 'Now, you're Nyau.' They gave me my own mask and costume and started to teach me how to dance."
"Afterward, I had to kill a chicken with the other new members, so we could take the feathers and add them to our costumes later. Later, I was brought to a nearby village, where I was covered in a fabric and flowers, and the Nyau came out, already in costume."
"Afterward, I had to kill a chicken with the other new members, so we could take the feathers and add them to our costumes later. Later, I was brought to a nearby village, where I was covered in a fabric and flowers, and the Nyau came out, already in costume."
"First, I had to learn their password system, which involved secret hand signs. If you pass a Nyau on the road and use the hand sign, nothing bad will happen to you; they'll understand you're one of them."
"First, I had to learn their password system, which involved secret hand signs. If you pass a Nyau on the road and use the hand sign, nothing bad will happen to you; they'll understand you're one of them."
"Ofis talked to the chiefs, and they agreed I could be a spectator at first, but nothing more. I started to go every week and take pictures of the dances, but I wanted to see more. I wanted to go inside and see how they made their masks. "First, I had to be accepted as a member of the Nyau. One day, they said they were willing to accept me, but I would have to go through a ceremony."
"Ofis talked to the chiefs, and they agreed I could be a spectator at first, but nothing more. I started to go every week and take pictures of the dances, but I wanted to see more. I wanted to go inside and see how they made their masks. "First, I had to be accepted as a member of the Nyau. One day, they said they were willing to accept me, but I would have to go through a ceremony."
"One day I met a teacher from Zimbabwe named Ofis, who started to ask me why I was so interested in the Nyau. We ultimately became friends, and he confessed that he was a member. I started to learn about the cult from him, but he said if I wanted to know more, I'd have to join."
"One day I met a teacher from Zimbabwe named Ofis, who started to ask me why I was so interested in the Nyau. We ultimately became friends, and he confessed that he was a member. I started to learn about the cult from him, but he said if I wanted to know more, I'd have to join."
"Nyau keep both their rituals and their identity a closely-guarded secret. I later learned that during a ritual, the dancers will rotate so no one can tell their identity. "If you see a whole family watching a dance, maybe the husband will leave for a bit then go to a secret place to change and dance, then come back so his mother, sister or wife won't know he's a member. If one dancer falls down and injures himself and starts limping, all members of the Nyau will start limping so no one can identify the injured dancer. "
"Nyau keep both their rituals and their identity a closely-guarded secret. I later learned that during a ritual, the dancers will rotate so no one can tell their identity. "If you see a whole family watching a dance, maybe the husband will leave for a bit then go to a secret place to change and dance, then come back so his mother, sister or wife won't know he's a member. If one dancer falls down and injures himself and starts limping, all members of the Nyau will start limping so no one can identify the injured dancer. "
"After my first encounter with the Nyau, I spent a year in Mozambique looking for more dances, and trying to find members, so I could photograph them. This proved difficult, since everything about the Nyau is kept secret. If you're part of the Nyau cult, you're not supposed to tell anyone."
"After my first encounter with the Nyau, I spent a year in Mozambique looking for more dances, and trying to find members, so I could photograph them. This proved difficult, since everything about the Nyau is kept secret. If you're part of the Nyau cult, you're not supposed to tell anyone."
"The performance I witnessed was the Gule Wamkulu, a secret cult and ritual practiced by the Nyau brotherhood during the harvest, as well as important ceremonies, like weddings and funerals. Gule Wamkulu means 'The Great Dance' in the Chewa language. It is performed by the Nyau, who wear masks and costumes that represent the spirits of animals, called 'nyama,' and of their ancestors, called 'mizimu.' The ritual has had UNESCO protection since 2005, when it was included as one of 90 Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity."
"The performance I witnessed was the Gule Wamkulu, a secret cult and ritual practiced by the Nyau brotherhood during the harvest, as well as important ceremonies, like weddings and funerals. Gule Wamkulu means 'The Great Dance' in the Chewa language. It is performed by the Nyau, who wear masks and costumes that represent the spirits of animals, called 'nyama,' and of their ancestors, called 'mizimu.' The ritual has had UNESCO protection since 2005, when it was included as one of 90 Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity."
"One policeman told me they are never prosecuted. 'How can you put an elephant or snake in jail? The same is with Nyau,' he said. In spite of the rumors, I never heard of any accident involving a Nyau while I was there."
"One policeman told me they are never prosecuted. 'How can you put an elephant or snake in jail? The same is with Nyau,' he said. In spite of the rumors, I never heard of any accident involving a Nyau while I was there."
"I had no idea what Nyau was, so I started to do some research," said Sokhin. "I learned it was a secret society within the Chewa culture. Chewa people live in Malawi, Zambia and Mozambique. I found out that many locals, and even policemen, were afraid of the Nyau and considered them dangerous. One type of Nyau, known as Nyau 'kampini,' or 'dangerous Nyau,' (pictured) walk around with machetes and have a reputation for attacking people."
"I had no idea what Nyau was, so I started to do some research," said Sokhin. "I learned it was a secret society within the Chewa culture. Chewa people live in Malawi, Zambia and Mozambique. I found out that many locals, and even policemen, were afraid of the Nyau and considered them dangerous. One type of Nyau, known as Nyau 'kampini,' or 'dangerous Nyau,' (pictured) walk around with machetes and have a reputation for attacking people."
Vlad Sokhin: "From 2010-2011, I lived in Mozambique's Tete province, where I was doing different jobs. One of them was for a coal exploration company. One day they asked me to photograph the opening ceremony for a new camp. While I was waiting for the ceremony to start, I saw someone pop out of the bush wearing feathers and a mask. Locals started screaming, 'Nyau,' and started to run."
Vlad Sokhin: "From 2010-2011, I lived in Mozambique's Tete province, where I was doing different jobs. One of them was for a coal exploration company. One day they asked me to photograph the opening ceremony for a new camp. While I was waiting for the ceremony to start, I saw someone pop out of the bush wearing feathers and a mask. Locals started screaming, 'Nyau,' and started to run."
In 2010, photographer Vlad Sokhin gained rare access to the rituals and practices of the Nyau brotherhood, a secret society of the Chewa people that exists in communities in Mozambique, Malawi and Zambia. He reveals how he managed to infiltrate, and ultimately join, this secret group. Photographs by Vlad Sokhin.
In 2010, photographer Vlad Sokhin gained rare access to the rituals and practices of the Nyau brotherhood, a secret society of the Chewa people that exists in communities in Mozambique, Malawi and Zambia. He reveals how he managed to infiltrate, and ultimately join, this secret group. Photographs by Vlad Sokhin.
These cows grow up to eight feet tall, and are worth as much as $500 each. It's no wonder the Mundari view these animals as their most valuable assets (or that they guard them with with machine guns).
Photographer Tariq Zaidi spent a fortnight earlier this year documenting their lives and the devotion they show towards these animals. Zaidi has captured tribes and indigenous people from over 30 African nations, though he was nonetheless taken aback by the relationship between man and beast.
"It's hard to overstate the importance of cattle to the Mundari people," says Zaidi, "these animals are everything to them."
The photographer describes how "almost every man I met wanted me to take a picture of them with their favorite cow." Their wives and children, on the other hand, were given short shrift.
Perhaps this is in part due to the function and symbolism of the Ankole-Watusi. Each bovine is so highly prized that it is rarely killed for its meat. Instead, it is a walking larder, a pharmacy, a dowry, even a friend. It is clear that cow is a resource maintaining not just a people, but a way of life.
The Mundari, tall and muscular, may "look like bodybuilders," says Zaidi, "but their diet is pretty much milk and yogurt. That's it." Other bodily fluids have more unlikely uses. Mundari men will squat under streams of cow urine, both an antiseptic, Zaidi suggests, and as an aesthetic choice -- the ammonia in the urine color the Mundari's hair orange.
Meanwhile dung is piled high into heaps for burning, the fine peach-colored ash used as another form of antiseptic and sunscreen by the herdsmen, shielding them from the 115-degree heat.
The cows, adds Zaidi, are among the world's most pampered. He says he witnessed Mundari massaging their animals twice a day. The ash from dung fires, as fine as talcum powder, is rubbed into the cattle's skin and used as bedding, while ornamental tassels swat flies from the eyes of the herd's most prestigious beasts.
Outflanking war
The Mundari sleep among their cattle, "literally two feet away from their favorites" says Zaidi, and guard them at the point of a gun. It's not unreasonable for the tribe to go to these lengths.
"Rustlers are a huge issue for them," the photographer explains. "Their cattle are a form of currency and status symbol, and form a key part of a family's pension or dowry. Since the end of the civil war, thousands of men have returned to South Sudan looking for wives, which has pushed up the 'bride price', making these animals even more precious and increasing lethal cattle raids."
Such raids have been deadly for the Mundari, but the effects of war are manifold. Landmines make finding fresh pasture a dangerous lottery. When he visited, Zaidi says the tribe were using a small island in the Nile as a safe haven. The conflict, he adds, has the paradoxical effect of preserving their way of life.
"The ongoing war in South Sudan has cut off the Mundari tribe from the rest of the world," he says. "They don't venture into the town, they stay in the bush, and it's why their unique way of life endures."
Zaidi says the Mundari have no taste for war and "their guns are not to kill anyone but to protect their herd." All the Mundari want to do is take care of their livestock, he argues, "and they will protect them at all costs."

The Mundari: The tribe dying for their cows


Ankole-Wartusi cows are among the most prized in the South Sudan, and could fetch $500. For some, this means protecting them at all costs.


(CNN) The Rio Games may be finished, but the golden feats of these athlete will live on in Olympic history forever.
Two sporting titans took their final Olympic bows, but for others it was just the start of what could be a glittering journey.

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Hong Kong (CNN) New guidelines issued by China's top media regulator have prohibited TV shows that promote "Western lifestyles," adding to a long list of banned items.
"They should also avoid putting stars, billionaires or internet celebrities on pedestals; or sensationalizing private affairs, relationships or family disputes," Xinhua said.
Here's what else is on China's blacklist.
Cleavage
Actresses' cleavage was ordered cropped out of a Tang dynasty period drama by China's censors.
After "The Saga of Wu Zetian," a TV drama about China's only female emperor, attracted great viewership figures, it was abruptly pulled from broadcast in January 2015 for "technical reasons."
Nicknamed "The Saga of Wu's Breasts" due to the generous amounts of cleavage shown by the actresses' Tang dynasty period costumes, the show returned a few days later, with a lot less skin.
Censors ordered the show's editors to crop the footage to hide any cleavage , resulting in much tighter shots on stars' faces, and widespread outrage online.
Celebrity kids
"Baba Qunar?" or "Dad, Where Are We Going?" was a hugely popular Chinese TV show starring the children of celebrities.
In a move that might be welcomed by some US television audiences tired of certain reality dramas, China's censors in April banned the use of celebrities' children on screen, killing one of the country's most popular shows in the process.
Regulators said minors should be kept out of the spotlight to allow them to enjoy a normal childhood.
The ban came after the breakout success of "Dad, Where Are We Going?", a weekly series in which celebrity fathers took their kids on trips around China, and raked in millions of viewers in the process.
Drinking and smoking
One million Chinese people died of smoking-related diseases in 2010, according to The Lancet.
A directive released in March slapped stringent new guidelines onto online shows, which have been steadily growing in popularity in recent years.
The "General Rules for Television Series Content Production" were drafted in order to "thoroughly implement (Chinese President) Xi Jinping's speech at the national forum on literature," in which he stressed that art must serve a social purpose.
Some of the first things to be hit by the new rules were shows that promote "smoking and drinking, fighting, and other unhealthy behavior."
China has severe problems with both smoking and alcohol . Around 68% of Chinese men are smokers, with one million Chinese people dying from smoking related diseases in 2010, according to The Lancet
Homosexuality
Participants pose for a photo at a Shanghai pride event.
Though China has come a long way since homosexuality was declassified as a mental illness 15 years ago -- with several cities across the country hosting gay pride parades and prominent LGBT celebrities making waves -- the censors haven't got the memo.
Guidelines released this year categorize homosexuality as an "abnormal sexual behavior" unfit for China's TV screens, alongside incest, sexual abuse and other "perversion."
"Addiction," a popular web drama about romantic relationships between teenage boys, was pulled in February , despite attracting almost 10 million views in its first 24 hours of release.
Time travel
China banned time travel drams in 2011.
Too many science fiction dramas "casually make up myths, have monstrous and weird plots, use absurd tactics, and even promote feudalism, superstition, fatalism and reincarnation," China's regulators complained in a March 2011 diktat
Speaking to the Hollywood Reporter at the time , film critic Raymond Zhou suggested another reason the censors were so keen to kill sci-fi shows: "Most time travel content that I've seen ... is actually not heavy on science, but an excuse to comment on current affairs."
Indeed, the regulation said that in many instances "producers and writers are treating serious history in a frivolous way, which should by no means be encouraged anymore."
South Koreans
South Korean drama "My Love from the Star," starring Kim Soo-Hyun (pictured), was hugely popular in China.
Following the deployment of the US-South Korean THAAD missile defense system last month, some of Korea's most successful exports may have found their fortunes waning in China.
A fan event in Beijing with South Korean TV stars Kim Woo-bin and Suzy Bae was postponed due to "forces beyond our control," the organizers said on Weibo . Two concerts by the popular boy band EXO in Shanghai were also canceled
media According to multiple reports , Chinese TV stations were also warned to put South Korean projects on hold.

Censored in China: Cleavage, time travel and 'Western lifestyles'


New guidelines issued by China's top media regulator have prohibited films and TV shows that promote a "Western lifestyle," adding to a long list of banned items.


Story highlights Laquan McDonald, 17, was fatally shot by Chicago police in 2014
Dashcam video contradicted nearly everything police initially said happened
(CNN) Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson has filed administrative charges seeking to fire six officers involved in the fatal shooting of Chicago teenager Laquan McDonald in 2014.
A statement issued Tuesday by the department says the officers gave false statements during the investigation into McDonald's death.
The cases will be heard by the Chicago Police Board.
A seventh officer the department included in the administrative charges has retired, police said.
Dashcam video of the shooting contradicted nearly everything police said happened the night McDonald died. It showed McDonald walking away from police as he held a knife, not lunging toward officers, as police had said.
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(CNN) World leaders touch down in the Chinese city of Hangzhou this week for the G20 summit and Beijing is determined it will proceed without a hitch.
Factories are shuttered, skies are clear and security is tight. Local residents have been given seven days extra vacation time and discounted tours to destinations outside the city to ensure Hangzhou is free of crowds and traffic.
Meanwhile, thousands of migrant workers have left the city due to the halt in their work lives and the growing inconvenience caused by G20 preparation measures.
What will be discussed at the summit? How has China prepared? And why is it in Hangzhou anyway?
Here's five things you need to know.
China takes the lead
The Hangzhou meeting will be the first G20 China has hosted, and only the second held in Asia since 2008.
The G20's first high-profile meeting was in Washington D.C. in 2008 , after the fall of Lehman Brothers bank and the start of the global financial crisis.
An alternative to the more exclusive G7, it was designed as a way to create conversation at the top levels of international government and try to ensure disasters, like the financial crisis, were avoided in the future.
The Hangzhou summit has been called another "milestone" for a rising China, keen to show its growing dominance on the world stage.
It's an opportunity for President Xi Jinping to burnish his diplomatic credentials.
He'll meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and it will likely be his last bilateral meeting with US President Barack Obama.
Photos: China's best public bike system – While the rest of the country is moving from two wheels to four, cycling culture is thriving in Hangzhou. The city has the world's biggest public bike system, offering more than 84,000 bicycles for rent. Hide Caption 1 of 10 Photos: West Lake – A stroll along the 12,000-acre West Lake in Hangzhou city center is all it takes to understand why the city is called "paradise on earth." Hide Caption 2 of 10 Photos: Mountain getaways – About 40 kilometers away from the city center, Qiandai Resort sits on Jing Mountain. The low-profile resort doesn't have a website, though it does have a WeChat account (China's version of Whatsapp/Facebook). Hide Caption 3 of 10 Photos: Zen – Surrounded by lush trees, Lingyin Temple is a pocket of calm a short ride from the city center. It's one of the country's oldest and most important Buddhist monasteries. Hide Caption 4 of 10 Photos: Silk – Hangzhou is known as the city of silk. Scarves are the city's most popular silk souvenir, highlighting its cutting-edge dyeing techniques. The industry leader is Wensli , a homegrown silk brand. Hide Caption 5 of 10 Photos: Longjing tea – Hangzhou is home to some of China's finest -- and priciest -- tea leaves. The village of Longjing is where tea leaves were grown for China's ancient emperor. Tea-picking season is usually around late March to April, when travelers from across the country visit the village for quality tea leaves. Hide Caption 6 of 10 Photos: Hangzhou cuisine – Unlike dishes from northern China, heavy in sauces and spices, Hangzhou cuisine -- also known as Hangbang cai -- is mild but flavorful with a focus on fresh ingredients. Longjing shrimp is Hangzhou's signature dish. Hide Caption 7 of 10 Photos: Alibaba – Nicknamed China's Silicon Valley, Hangzhou is home to Jack Ma, the founder and chairman of Alibaba Group and the second-richest man in China. Alibaba, the world's leading e-commerce group, has transformed Ma's hometown into a high-tech metropolis. Hide Caption 8 of 10 Photos: China Art Academy – Hangzhou's China Art Academy has seen some of the country's most celebrated Chinese artists pass through its halls. The head of its architecture school, Wang Shu, brought home China's first Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2012. Hide Caption 9 of 10 Photos: Fans – It's said that tea, silk and hand fans are Hangzhou's three unparalleled gifts. The most iconic fans are by Wang Xing Ji. Established in 1875, this time-honored brand has charmed tourists and locals alike with its intricately designed fans. Hide Caption 10 of 10
No effort spared
China is not taking any chances with the showpiece event -- Hangzhou is in "virtual lockdown," according to CNN's Andrew Stevens, in the lead-up to the arrival of world leaders on Friday.
A security checkpoint at the West Lake scenic spot in Hangzhou.
Police officers and security guards will be stationed every five to 10 meters at popular attractions like the city's West Lake, according to the state-run Global Times newspaper.
"Security is tight and getting tighter," Stevens said, adding his camera crew were stopped multiple times and asked for their credentials.
One migrant worker told CNN that authorities had confiscated the gas tank his family uses for cooking, saying it didn't meet safety standards.
"Ordinary people suffer. It's really affected our daily lives," said Xu, who didn't want to give his full name.
Hangzhou: Innovation capital?
Hangzhou wasn't just chosen to host the G20 because of its natural beauty -- it's also symbolic as a marker of China's transition from a low-cost manufacturer to high-tech economy.
E-commerce group Alibaba, one of China's largest companies and most successful start-ups, was founded in Hangzhou, the hometown of founder Jack Ma.
Alipay -- Alibaba's mobile payment application -- has changed the way Chinese people shop.
Chinese residents can easily get by without a wallet as the app allows them to pay bills with a simple swipe of their smart phones -- even at the smallest street restaurants and vegetable vendors.
"We're pretty small city, only have close to nine million people but Hangzhou is so powerful, so influential to China's economy, to China's culture," Ma told Alibaba's news services Alizila.
President Xi has a history with the city as well -- he lived in Hangzhou for five years while serving as the province's Communist Party chief and is said to be fond of his time there.
G20 blue
Hangzhou is renowned as one of China's most beautiful cities, but, like many places in China, it struggles with pollution, ranking 43 out of 74 cities in a 2014 study by Greenpeace.
But in the lead-up to the G20, the sky has cleared as polluting industries have been shut down or moved for the international meeting's duration. Some 225 factories have been ordered to close and traffic will also be restricted, with half the city's vehicles barred from roads from August 28.
The China Daily said an upper limit of PM2.5 particles, one of the worst pollutants, was set at 35 micrograms per cubic meter during the summit. The average PM2.5 level in Hangzhou in 2014 was 66.1.
Nearby cities of Huangshan, Anqing, Yiwu and even Shanghai are also cleaning up their factories, according to Chinese media.
It's a pattern seen before other big ticket events.
In 2014, Beijing residents coined the wry phrase "APEC blue" after authorities went all out to ensure clear skies before the powwow of Asia Pacific leaders and last September the skies turned "parade blue" as Beijing hosted a massive military parade.
Images taken from CNN's Beijing bureau on November 6, when the sky was blue during the APEC summit, and on November 19 when the smog returned.
The elephant in the room?
It's been less than three months since China lost to the Philippines in an international court case over its contested territorial claims in the South China Sea.
But at the G20 in Hangzhou, the host country will be working hard to keep it off the agenda.
Vice-Foreign Minister Li Baodong said it will be focusing on economic issues, according to government mouthpiece China Daily , rather than security.

Hangzhou G20: China tightens security, clear skies for summit


World leaders touch down in the Chinese city of Hangzhou this week for the G20 summit and Beijing is determined it will proceed without a hitch.


Story highlights McIlroy "glad to be proven wrong" about the Rio Olympic golf tournament
The 27-year-old opted not to play because of concerns about Zika virus
(CNN) More than a month ago, it sounded like Rory McIlroy -- who elected not to participate at the Olympics because of fears surrounding the Zika virus -- wasn't going to be watching the event, either.
But it turns out he did tune into some of the golf after all.
On Wednesday, ahead of the start of The Barclays in Farmingdale, New York, McIlroy gave a chuckle during his press conference when he was asked if he watched the Olympics.
"I saw Henrik (Stenson) and Justin (Rose's) fairway woods (shots) at the last (hole)," McIlroy said.
"I saw the chip shots, I saw the putts, and I saw the medal ceremony. I spent the weekend at my in-laws' cabin in upstate New York where there was no TV, no electricity, so actually didn't get to see much of anything that weekend. We got back Sunday afternoon, so (I) caught up with it.
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Story highlights Park rangers say the worker was socializing with co-workers when she fell
She was identified as a 21-year-old from Ecuador
(CNN) A worker at Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming is dead after falling off a cliff, park rangers said.
Estefania Liset Mosquera Alcivar, 21, of Quito, Ecuador, was killed early Friday morning, according to the National Park Service. She was a park concession employee.
The woman was socializing with a group of co-workers at the park's Grandview Point trail when she fell over the cliff edge into the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River, the NPS said.
Rangers say her body was recovered at first light and that the fall was not survivable.
The incident is under investigation.
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Yellowstone National Park worker falls to death


A worker at Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming is dead after falling off a cliff, park rangers said.


Dean Obeidallah, a former attorney, is the host of SiriusXM's radio's daily program "The Dean Obeidallah Show" and a columnist for The Daily Beast. Follow him @TheDeansreport . The opinions expressed in this commentary are his.
(CNN) Did Donald Trump actually believe that raising baseless accusations about the health of Hillary Clinton, who is two years his junior, will somehow cause people to stop supporting her and side with him or a third party candidate?
Even Trump's new campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, seemed to disavow this new health smear, telling CNN's Anderson Cooper on Tuesday night that the approach by campaign surrogates was a "strategy" that was not her "style."
Unfortunately, perhaps, for Conway, plenty of Trump talking heads have been hammering this bogus point for days — people like former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, and even the candidate himself, who earlier this week asserted that Clinton lacks the "mental and physical stamina" to be President.
In fact, just hours after Conway's comments on CNN, former Trump denouncer (and now Trump supporter) Karl Rove appeared on Fox News to launch a flurry of accusations that Clinton was not physically well, even using white boards scrawled with talking points as a visual aid.
And in a bizarre — and somewhat "off-message" -- installment of this cooked-up drama, on Wednesday morning Trump surrogate Ben Carson called Trump himself "elderly" (along with Clinton) and declared that they should both "disclose their medical history."
Which brings us to how this line of attack on Clinton has not hurt her -- since there's zero objective evidence she has any medical issue -- but rather produced a backlash that has hurt Trump.
It has caused the media to again focus on Trump's own health issues.
There is, of course, the media scrutiny of the truthfulness and accuracy of the "doctor's letter" Trump produced in 2015 that asserted the candidate was in good health.
For one thing, the letter's over-the-top, salesman-like language and conclusions sound like something Trump could have written himself. It raised only a little attention when it was released back then and was discussed briefly during the primaries but otherwise was quickly forgotten. ( In contrast, by the way, Clinton released a far more detailed two-page letter from her physician.)
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But now thanks to Trump, the media is taking a closer look. On Wednesday, CNN's Sanjay Gupta noted that Trump's physician, Harold Bornstein, who signed the letter, has "questionable" qualifications. Gupta explained that Bornstein, who claimed in that letter he was a member of the College of American Gastroenterology, actually had not been involved with that organization for over 20 years.
And Gupta and others have noted that the letter contains language not typically associated with actual medical doctors. One example is the hyperbolic boast that Trump's lab results were "astonishingly excellent." Also odd was Bornstein noting that Trump's test results were "positive," which in physician-speak is not good (good test results are negative.)
The closing line? Well, when was the last time you heard a doctor prognosticate something like this? "If elected, Mr. Trump, I can state unequivocally, will be the healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency."
In her own interview Wednesday night with Conway, Rachel Maddow scoffed at the veracity of this letter and pressed Trump to release more records: "If he was elected, Donald Trump would be the oldest person to ever be sworn in as president ... doesn't he owe it to the American people to release an actual medical report, a more credible, more complete statement?"
(Perhaps Trump can produce his medical records along with his tax returns.)
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There are two other points that Trump's attack on this medical front raises:
First, it reminds Americans about Trump's self-professed medical disability, which allowed him to avoid serving in the Vietnam War: The wealthy candidate, who loves to talk about the military and our veterans, didn't serve in America's military when he had the chance , and for questionable reasons.
The finding of Trump's doctor that his patient, at 70, is in "extraordinary" health — better even, presumably, than when he needed a medical deferment in his 20s -- may be hard for voters to swallow.
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Second, this baseless attack on Clinton's health reeks of the same conspiracy theory junk we have heard before from him. For example, who can forget Trump's jaw-dropping claim last May that Ted Cruz's father was somehow involved in the assassination of President Kennedy?
Even the way Trump's cheerleader-in-chief Rudy Giuliani recently tried to support his claim that Clinton was very ill smacked of typical conspiracy fare: "Go online and put down 'Hillary Clinton illness' and take a look at the videos for yourself."
Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Hillary Clinton accepts the Democratic Party's nomination for President during the Democratic National Convention on Thursday, July 28. The former first lady, U.S. senator and secretary of state is the first woman to lead the presidential ticket of a major political party. Hide Caption 1 of 40 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Before she married Bill Clinton, she was Hillary Rodham. Here she is attending Wellesley College in Wellesley, Massachusetts. She graduated in 1969 and spoke at the commencement ceremony. After Wellesley, she attended Yale Law School. Hide Caption 2 of 40 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Rodham was a lawyer for the Rodino Committee, whose work led to impeachment charges against U.S. President Richard Nixon in 1974. Hide Caption 3 of 40 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight In 1975, Rodham married Bill Clinton, whom she met at Yale Law School. He became the governor of Arkansas in 1978. In 1980, the couple had a daughter, Chelsea. Hide Caption 4 of 40 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Arkansas' first lady, now using the name Hillary Rodham Clinton, wears her inaugural ball gown in 1985. Hide Caption 5 of 40 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight The Clintons celebrate Bill's inauguration in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1991. He was governor from 1983 to 1992, when he was elected President. Hide Caption 6 of 40 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Bill Clinton comforts his wife on the set of "60 Minutes" after a stage light broke loose from the ceiling and knocked her down in January 1992. Hide Caption 7 of 40 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight In June 1992, Clinton uses a sewing machine designed to eliminate back and wrist strain. She had just given a speech at a convention of the International Ladies' Garment Workers Union. Hide Caption 8 of 40 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight During the 1992 presidential campaign, Clinton jokes with her husband's running mate, Al Gore, and Gore's wife, Tipper, aboard a campaign bus. Hide Caption 9 of 40 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton accompanies her husband as he takes the oath of office in January 1993. Hide Caption 10 of 40 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight The Clintons share a laugh on Capitol Hill in 1993. Hide Caption 11 of 40 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton unveils the renovated Blue Room of the White House in 1995. Hide Caption 12 of 40 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton waves to the media in January 1996 as she arrives for an appearance before a grand jury in Washington. The first lady was subpoenaed to testify as a witness in the investigation of the Whitewater land deal in Arkansas. The Clintons' business investment was investigated, but ultimately they were cleared of any wrongdoing. Hide Caption 13 of 40 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight The Clintons hug as Bill is sworn in for a second term as President. Hide Caption 14 of 40 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight The first lady holds up a Grammy Award, which she won for her audiobook "It Takes a Village" in 1997. Hide Caption 15 of 40 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight The Clintons dance on a beach in the U.S. Virgin Islands in January 1998. Later that month, Bill Clinton was accused of having a sexual relationship with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky. Hide Caption 16 of 40 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton looks on as her husband discusses the Monica Lewinsky scandal in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on January 26, 1998. Clinton declared, "I did not have sexual relations with that woman." In August of that year, Clinton testified before a grand jury and admitted to having "inappropriate intimate contact" with Lewinsky, but he said it did not constitute sexual relations because they had not had intercourse. He was impeached in December on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice. Hide Caption 17 of 40 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight The first family walks with their dog, Buddy, as they leave the White House for a vacation in August 1998. Hide Caption 18 of 40 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight President Clinton makes a statement at the White House in December 1998, thanking members of Congress who voted against his impeachment. The Senate trial ended with an acquittal in February 1999. Hide Caption 19 of 40 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton announces in February 2000 that she will seek the U.S. Senate seat in New York. She was elected later that year. Hide Caption 20 of 40 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton makes her first appearance on the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee. Hide Caption 21 of 40 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Sen. Clinton comforts Maren Sarkarat, a woman who lost her husband in the September 11 terrorist attacks, during a ground-zero memorial in October 2001. Hide Caption 22 of 40 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton holds up her book "Living History" before a signing in Auburn Hills, Michigan, in 2003. Hide Caption 23 of 40 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton and another presidential hopeful, U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, applaud at the start of a Democratic debate in 2007. Hide Caption 24 of 40 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Obama and Clinton talk on the plane on their way to a rally in Unity, New Hampshire, in June 2008. She had recently ended her presidential campaign and endorsed Obama. Hide Caption 25 of 40 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Obama is flanked by Clinton and Vice President-elect Joe Biden at a news conference in Chicago in December 2008. He had designated Clinton to be his secretary of state. Hide Caption 26 of 40 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton, as secretary of state, greets Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin during a meeting just outside Moscow in March 2010. Hide Caption 27 of 40 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight The Clintons pose on the day of Chelsea's wedding to Marc Mezvinsky in July 2010. Hide Caption 28 of 40 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight In this photo provided by the White House, Obama, Clinton, Biden and other members of the national security team receive an update on the mission against Osama bin Laden in May 2011. Hide Caption 29 of 40 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton checks her Blackberry inside a military plane after leaving Malta in October 2011. In 2015, The New York Times reported that Clinton exclusively used a personal email account during her time as secretary of state. The account, fed through its own server, raises security and preservation concerns. Clinton later said she used a private domain out of "convenience," but admits in retrospect "it would have been better" to use multiple emails. Hide Caption 30 of 40 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton arrives for a group photo before a forum with the Gulf Cooperation Council in March 2012. The forum was held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Hide Caption 31 of 40 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Obama and Clinton bow during the transfer-of-remains ceremony marking the return of four Americans, including U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens, who were killed in Benghazi, Libya, in September 2012. Hide Caption 32 of 40 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton ducks after a woman threw a shoe at her while she was delivering remarks at a recycling trade conference in Las Vegas in 2014. Hide Caption 33 of 40 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton, now running for President again, performs with Jimmy Fallon during a "Tonight Show" skit in September. Hide Caption 34 of 40 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton testifies about the Benghazi attack during a House committee meeting in October. "I would imagine I have thought more about what happened than all of you put together," she said during the 11-hour hearing. "I have lost more sleep than all of you put together. I have been wracking my brain about what more could have been done or should have been done." Months earlier, Clinton had acknowledged a "systemic breakdown" as cited by an Accountability Review Board, and she said that her department was taking additional steps to increase security at U.S. diplomatic facilities. Hide Caption 35 of 40 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders shares a lighthearted moment with Clinton during a Democratic presidential debate in October. It came after Sanders gave his take on the Clinton email scandal. "The American people are sick and tired of hearing about the damn emails," Sanders said. "Enough of the emails. Let's talk about the real issues facing the United States of America." Hide Caption 36 of 40 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton is reflected in a teleprompter during a campaign rally in Alexandria, Virginia, in October. Hide Caption 37 of 40 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton walks on her stage with her family after winning the New York primary in April. Hide Caption 38 of 40 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight After Clinton became the Democratic Party's presumptive nominee, this photo was posted to her official Twitter account. "To every little girl who dreams big: Yes, you can be anything you want -- even president," Clinton said. "Tonight is for you." Hide Caption 39 of 40 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Obama hugs Clinton after he gave a speech at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. The President said Clinton is ready to be commander in chief. "For four years, I had a front-row seat to her intelligence, her judgment and her discipline," he said, referring to Clinton's stint as secretary of state. Hide Caption 40 of 40
This may come as a shock to Giuliani, but not everything on the Internet is true, especially when it just leads you to an echo chamber link of Giuliani saying the same thing. (For a helpful look at all this, check out Stephen Colbert's takedown , and don't miss the clip of Trump and Giuliani's little performance with the former New York city mayor in drag.)
Trump's outlandish attacks may have helped him in the GOP primary but outside his base, it's hard to believe they will be viewed with anything but alarm about the man who wants to be President.
What else will backfire for Trump? Will his next attack on Clinton make us re-examine his bigoted comments about Latinos and Muslims? Or maybe cause us to revisit the allegations of the class action fraud case pending against him in connection with Trump University?
Given Trump's track record, it's entirely possible.

How Trump's health smear of Clinton backfired


In raising bogus questions about Clinton's health, Trump has ended up drawing scrutiny of his own medical past, as well as his doctor's letter about his health.


78-year-old Uzbekistan President Islam Karimov has been hospitalized. CNN's Matthew Chance reports.


(CNN) When it comes to ruined buildings, it's hard to match the poignancy of an abandoned luxury hotel.
Once they were places where the wealthy came to play or the less fortunate came to experience a glamor beyond their usual means.
Their fall from grace speaks of shattered dreams, faded glories and unforgiving economic realities.
And yet, because they seem to still cling to the ghosts of happier times, they remain fascinating destinations, particularly for photographers and enthusiasts seeking to preserve remnants of their luxurious past.
The magical Italian castle of Sammezzano, in the foothills of Tuscany, is a classic example.
It's been unused for more than two decades but has housed both nobility and paying guests.
The 17th century palazzo came of age in the 1800s when eccentric Italian nobleman Ferdinando Panciatichi Ximenes of Aragon spent 40 years turning its rooms into mosaic masterpieces inspired by the Arab, Indian, Persian and Spanish worlds.
It was converted into a luxury hotel in the 1970s, but the business folded in 1990 when its majestic charms were sealed off from the world.
Sammezzano was auctioned off in 1999 to be renovated into a luxury resort, complete with spa and golf courses, but these plans failed.
It's been up for sale three times in the past two years, initially for $40.4 million, later a bargain $13.69 million.
East meets West
On sale: Castello de Sammezzano could be yours for $14 million.
The castle's interiors have fallen prey to looters, leaving it with no running water or electricity -- the cost of repairs proving too much for investors.
It stands in the sleepy town of Leccio -- its population a mere 1,000 residents.
"They all know and love Sammezzano," explains Massimo Sottani, a former mayor of the town who worked as a waiter in the castle when at university, and held his wedding reception at the hotel in 1987.
"Sammezzano is private property, but people from Leccio go jogging in its wonderful park.
"In a certain way they feel it is a part of their own lives, so everybody is deeply involved in its destiny."
Sottani is president of Committee FPXA , a group of local volunteers founded in 2013 to preserve the castle's legacy and open it up to sightseers through rare viewings.
Despite opening doors just six to eight days a year, it's clocked up 15,000 visitors.
"People want to come to Sammezzano essentially to take photos, but Sammezzano is more than this," says Sottani.
"I can't imagine a better place where East and West can meet in the name of beauty."
Growth market
Hachijo Oriental Resort boasts sea views and French baroque architecture.
Sammezzano is not alone.
A volatile global economy left luxury hotels abandoned across the world. And the appeal of visiting them extends beyond Italy.
Abandoned buildings have become a growth market in Japanese tourism.
The phenomenon there is known as Haikyo, literally meaning "ruins."
Photographer Shane Thoms has been capturing the fledgling scene for his upcoming exhibition "Haikyo: The Modern Ruins of Japan," on display at Melbourne's Sofitel Melbourne on Collins from December 8, 2016 until February 28, 2017.
"The collapse of the asset [real estate] price bubble in the early 90s led to these abandoned places, which Japanese youths ended up photographing," says Thoms.
"A lot of Japanese teenagers are obsessed with horror movies and ghost stories so it's become a big market."
His most striking photographs are of the Hachijo Oriental resort -- on Hachijo-jima island, once known as the Hawaii of Japan -- but abandoned for over a decade.
The hotel was shut in 2005 because dwindling guest bookings meant it could no longer afford to employ the staff numbers needed to upkeep it.
"It would have succeeded in New York City or something like that -- but a tiny island that no one visits anymore -- it just went into liquidation," he says.
Niagara Falls
Fallside Inn, near Niagara Falls, opened in 1957.
In the US, despite pulling in 12 million annual visitors, Niagara Falls is no stranger to abandonment says urban explorer Matthew Christopher, whose Facebook page "Abandoned America" has more than 400,000 followers.
"How do you reconcile people coming in to see natural beauty, yet they are driving through a stretch of chemical plants to get there and later on, abandoned chemical plants?" he says. "It's not exactly a place you want to go for your honeymoon."
Some former luxury hotels have found new roles offering more rudimentary living.
Once lauded as the "pride of Africa," the art deco-inspired Grande Hotel in Mozambique's coastal city of Beira is today home to some 3,500 squatters.
Built overlooking the Indian Ocean, it boasted an Olympic-size pool, restaurants, bars, a post office, cinema and shops.
It closed in 1963, fewer than 10 years after it opened, having failed to attract the number of guests that were expected.
Pride of Africa
Brazilian photojournalist Fellipe Abreu spent time in the Grande's labyrinthine halls talking to current residents.
"Inside, the old hotel is dark and humid," he says. "On all sides and especially around the building, piles of garbage accumulate year after year.
"With the lack of maintenance, nature has started to regain its space."
Not all are happy with the attention that former luxury hotels attract.
In the case of Hachijo Oriental, security has been upgraded due to tourists breaking windows to get a look inside.
But such interest is to be expected, says urban explorer Christopher.
"Being able to understand how these places fell apart and were rebuilt, or in some cases not, is incredibly fascinating."

Lost luxury: Abandoned hotels around the world


These derelict resorts were once the height of opulence. Now they're gathering dust, not guests


(CNN) The Rio Games may be finished, but the golden feats of these athlete will live on in Olympic history forever.
Two sporting titans took their final Olympic bows, but for others it was just the start of what could be a glittering journey.

Rio 2016 Olympics: Five faces of the Games


The memory of the Rio Games is fading fast but these athletes' golden feats will live on in Olympic history forever.


(CNN) Ensconced in the axle of a painted-over tractor trailer, the more than 65 pounds of heroin were smuggled across the Mexican border with Texas and transported across the country to a house nestled in the woods 30 miles north of New York City.
On Tuesday, authorities seized that heroin, a fraction of the 10,000 to nearly 15,000 pounds seized in the United States each year. They also arrested two alleged traffickers, amid a spike in opioid overdoses and deaths in the United States.
At the same time, America's heroin epidemic is becoming more dangerous, as reports of heroin laced with carfentanil -- the most potent opioid used commercially -- are being recorded throughout the country.
More than 65 pounds of heroin were seized from the axle of a truck's trailer in New York.
"The amount of heroin this investigation prevented from ever hitting the streets is substantial -- distributors could have filled at least three-quarters of a million individual dose packets and reaped substantial profits," said Bridget Brennan, New York's special narcotics prosecutor.
A three-month wiretap investigation by Brennan's office and agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration resulted in this week's seizure of at least 30 kilograms of heroin and the arrests of Fernando Quiles, 47, of Texas, and Jorge Ayala, 33, of Connecticut.
'Sophisticated, well-funded heroin trafficking organization'
"The arrests ... crippled a sophisticated, well-funded heroin trafficking organization with roots in Mexico, and extending from Texas to the Northeast," Brennan said.
The two men were arrested near a large single-family home in a wooded lot in Croton-on-Hudson in northern Westchester County, according to Brennan.
The house was recently rented to park the tractor trailer and stash the narcotics from a Mexico-based drug organization, prosecutors said.
The heroin was to be sold to distributors in New York, Long Island and across the Northeast.
Ensconced in the axle of a tractor trailer, more than 65 pounds of heroin were smuggled across the Mexican border and transported across the country to a house north of New York City, prosecutors say.
"Each large seizure we make is significant as we try to rein in the heroin epidemic," Brennan said.
Investigators discovered the drugs after noticing signs of welding on the axle, according to Brennan.
In a wiretapped conversation, prosecutors said, Quiles allegedly talked about each kilogram of heroin selling wholesale for $56,000 to $57,000. The drugs seized this week would have sold for up to $2.3 million wholesale across the Northeast, authorities said Thursday.
Ayala was arrested after driving away from the house, Brennan said. In the car, investigators found plastic-sealing equipment, plastic packaging materials and a device for opening the trailer.
Quiles was picked up near the trailer. The home was empty and unfurnished, except for a narcotics ledger book, tools, a scale and packaging materials, according to prosecutors.
Overdose outbreaks in Ohio, Indiana and Florida
The heroin epidemic has worsened amid reports of the drug being laced with carfentanil. Its potency is deadly, and it is causing concern for those fighting the scourge. Recent overdose outbreaks in Ohio, Indiana and Florida have been linked to the drug.
Carfentanil is 10,000 times stronger than morphine. It is a version or analogue of fentanyl, the painkiller that most recently made headlines with its role in the death of pop star Prince.
In West Virginia on Monday, there were 27 heroin overdoses within four hours, including one death . Officials believe the drug may have been laced with something to make it particularly dangerous.
An epidemic that includes both prescription opioids and heroin has now added illicit fentanyl to the lethal mix.
Law enforcement agencies submit drug products to the Drug Enforcement Administration for testing. From 2013 to 2014, 426% more products tested positive for fentanyl, according to new numbers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In the same period, deaths from synthetic opioids increased by 79%.
Fentanyl is most commonly prescribed to cancer patients for pain relief. It is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine and 30 to 50 times more powerful than heroin.
Fentanyl is often passed off as heroin or some other pill and users have no idea they are taking the drug. Dealers are also cutting heroin and other drugs with it, because illicit fentanyl is cheap and allows them to stretch their supply.
This year in California, fentanyl was passed off as the prescription drug Norco and sold on the street. In 10 days, one batch was responsible for at least 10 deaths and 48 overdoses.
Most recently, nearly 90 heroin overdoses in five days in western Cincinnati were linked to illicit fentanyl.
More than 10,000 heroin-related deaths in 2014
After his death in April, Prince's toxicology report found fentanyl in his system. Investigators seized pills from his Paisley Park compound that were labeled as hydrocodone, but actually contained fentanyl
According to National Seizure System data, U.S. heroin seizures have increased 80% over five years -- from 3,733 kilograms (8,229 pounds) in 2011 to 6,722 kilograms (14,819 pounds) in 2015.
In 2014, 10,574 Americans died from heroin-related overdoses, more than triple the number in 2010, according to June DEA intelligence report.
Opioids, primarily prescription pain relievers and heroin, were involved in 28,647 deaths in 2014, according to the CDC. Opioid overdoses have quadrupled since 2000.
"Sustained efforts to reduce the supply of heroin pouring into our country will prevent the drug from falling into the hands of new users, and, along with treatment and prevention efforts, help us turn the corner on this epidemic," Brennan said.
Quiles and Ayala were charged with first-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, second-degree conspiracy, third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, and second-degree criminally using drug paraphernalia.
The two men were arraigned and ordered held without bail Wednesday night. It's unclear whether they have attorneys.

New York heroin seizure a 'substantial' dent


More than 65 pounds of heroin were smuggled across the Mexican border with Texas and transported across the country to a house 30 miles north of New York City.


Story highlights The Republican Party of Minnesota has not yet filed to have Donald Trump on the Minnesota ballot
The problem raises questions about the Trump campaign's infrastructure; the deadline is Monday
Washington (CNN) Donald Trump will appear on the ballot in Minnesota, after a last-minute scramble by state Republicans who discovered Wednesday that their nominee was not yet on the ballot.
The party had until Monday to submit the names of 10 electors and 10 alternate electors -- the people who will officially cast Minnesota's votes for president -- to the Secretary of State.
"We just received the last item. We were waiting for a pledge from one of the alternate electors. The filing is complete and the Republican ticket should be listed on our site shortly," Secretary of State spokesman Ryan Furlong said in an email Thursday afternoon.
A request for comment from the Minnesota Republican Party was not immediately returned, nor was a request for comment from the Trump campaign was not immediately returned.
Read More

Trump makes Minnesota ballot at last minute


Donald Trump will appear on the ballot in Minnesota, after a last-minute scramble by state Republicans who discovered Wednesday that their nominee was not yet on the ballot.


Story highlights Legendary singer Dolly Parton says she's undecided as to how she will cast her vote
She called the run-up to the election "the greatest show on television right now"
(CNN) Country music legend Dolly Parton might be undecided on whom to back in the presidential race, but there's one thing she's certain of.
"It's the greatest show on television right now," she told CNN's Brooke Baldwin, laughing, in an interview that aired Friday.
The 70-year-old "Jolene" singer, who embarks next month on a 60-date North American tour to support her new album, "Pure and Simple," also didn't hold back when asked about Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.
"I don't know where they're going to land but I think they're both nuts" she said, joking that "it's like watching the OJ Simpson trial. You just believe whoever's up next. Whoever testified last is who you believe."
The Clinton campaign is list building off of Bill Clinton's birthday, feat. this picture of HRC as Dolly Parton... pic.twitter.com/z1P50WYfHo — Dan Merica (@danmericaCNN) August 19, 2016
As far as she's concerned, she said, it's time that both Trump and Clinton stopped talking about each other.
Read More

Dolly Parton on 2016 candidates: 'I think they're both nuts'


Country music legend Dolly Parton might be undecided on whom to back in the presidential race, but there's one thing she's certain of.


Latin American music icon Juan Gabriel has died, according to sources close to the family and to Mexico's news agency Notimex. Juan Gabriel sold more than 100 million records during his career.

Latin American music icon Juan Gabriel dead at 66


(CNN) Pep Guardiola is heading back to Barcelona after his Manchester City side was paired with the Spanish giant for the group stage of the Champions League in Thursday's draw.
Guardiola won 14 major trophies during his tenure at Camp Nou, before leaving in 2012.
The 45-year-old, who then led Bayern Munich to three successive Champions League semifinals, arrived in England at the end of last season after replacing Manuel Pellegrini as City coach.
Friends reunited
While it has been four years since Guardiola left Barcelona, his legacy still remains.
Under Guardiola, Barcelona rewrote the football manual -- his philosophy of "tiki-taka" brought a whole new dimension to the game and changed the way it was played across the world.
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His two European triumphs and three domestic league titles came at a time when the team appeared unbeatable.
But both have moved on -- Guardiola at City after winning three straight league titles with Bayern, and Barcelona at its imperious best under current coach Luis Enrique.
This will not be the first time Guardiola has returned to Barcelona -- that came with Bayern Munich in 2015. On that occasion, Barcelona won through to the final after a 5-3 aggregate victory.
City reached the semifinals last season before going down to eventual champion Real Madrid -- and Guardiola has his work cut out if he is to bring the trophy back to England anytime soon.
La Liga to dominate?
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There may be 32 teams fighting it out to become Europe's top team but it's difficult to look past the usual suspects.
Spain has provided the winners for the past three seasons -- with two all-Spanish finals in that time.
So how about a repeat this time around? Well that could be a problem for Real -- but perhaps not in the group stages.
Real will face Borussia Dortmund, Sporting and Legia Warsaw -- a trio of clubs which most would expect Madrid to overcome and finish in the top two of Group F.
No team has ever successfully defended the title since the competition was revamped in 1992 -- and there's a few who are determined to make sure Real doesn't make it.
Luis Suarez has enjoyed a stellar year with Barcelona.
First up in terms of rivals is Barcelona -- the Spanish champion and one of the outstanding favorites.
In Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Brazil star Neymar, Barca has a front three to give defenders nightmares.
The trio was on fire last season, leading Barca to the league and cup double as well as the semifinals of the Champions League.
It should have few problems qualifying from a group which includes City, Germany's Borussia Monchengladbach and Scottish champion Celtic.
And don't forget Atletico Madrid -- a finalist twice in the past three years. Diego Simeone's side has suffered heartbreak on both occasions but will be a force to be reckoned with once again.
The Spanish side has been paired with Carlo Ancelotti's Bayern Munich, Dutch champion PSV Eindhoven and Russia's FC Rostov in Group D.
.@matshummels on the #UCLdraw: "I'm very happy with the group because we've got 3 teams I've never played before." pic.twitter.com/nBksumakOw — FC Bayern English (@FCBayernEN) August 25, 2016
Debut year
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If there's one name nobody had ever predicted to be involved with the Champions League draw, it would be Leicester City.
The unfancied club stunned the sporting world last season by winning the English Premier League in some style -- finishing 10 points clear of its nearest rival.
It received a somewhat favorable draw, with Porto, Club Bruges and FC Copenhagen providing the opposition.
Leicester City won the Premier League title for the first time in its history last season.
Midfielder Riyad Mahrez has become one of the most coveted players in European football, while Jamie Vardy was one of the outstanding goalscorers in the league last season.
Few give Claudio Ranieri's side much of a chance of going deep into the tournament after losing key midfielder N'Golo Kante to Chelsea and the team's stuttering start to the domestic campaign.
But as the club motto will tell you, "Foxes are never beaten."
Claudio Ranieri: "Once again I say we are underdogs. For this reason we must fight for everything." #UCLdraw — Leicester City (@LCFC) August 25, 2016
Italian joy?
Juventus reached the final in 2015 -- and while it might have lost Paul Pogba to Manchester United, the Italian champion remains a formidable prospect.
Beaten by Bayern Munich in the first knockout phase last year, Juventus will be aiming to improve after winning its fourth domestic title in succession.
This is going to be very interesting! The draw brought us trips to Spain, France and Croatia. Can't wait for #UCL to start! ✌🏼😉 #ForzaJuve — Sami Khedira (@SamiKhedira) August 25, 2016
The $99 million signing of Gonzalo Higuian a nd the arrivals of Barcelona's Dani Alves and Roma's Miralem Pjanic should give plenty of reason for encouragement.
For the second season in a row, Massimiliano Allegri's side will face Spanish side Sevilla, as well as Lyon and Dinamo Zagreb.
Tasty ties
The draw has thrown up a number of potentially entertaining clashes, with England's Arsenal set to take on French champion Paris Saint-Germain in Group A, which also includes FC Basel and Bulgarian side Ludogorets.
Benfica, which last won the competition in 1962 and has since finished as runner-up on five occasions, will fancy its chances of progressing through a group which includes Napoli, Dynamo Kiev and Besiktas.
Tottenham, which finished third in England last season, faces CSKA Moscow, Bayer Leverkusen and Monaco in Group E.
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Full draw:
Group A: Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal, FC Basel, Ludogorets.
Group B: Benfica, Napoli, Dynamo Kiev, Besiktas.
Group C: Barcelona, Manchester City, Borussia Monchengladbach, Celtic.
Group D: Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid, PSV Eindhoven, FC Rostov.
Group E: CSKA Moscow, Bayer Leverkusen, Tottenham, Monaco.
Group F: Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Sporting, Legia Warsaw.
Group G: Leicester City, Porto, Club Brugge, FC Copenhagen.
Group H: Juventus, Sevilla, Lyon, Dinamo Zagreb.

Champions League 2016: Barcelona to face Manchester City in Pep Guardiola reunion


New Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola will face a showdown with former employer Barcelona in the group stage of the 2016 Champions League.


Chat with us in Facebook Messenger. Find out what's happening in the world as it unfolds.

Kasich: Trump's immigration shift is not suprising


CNN's Anderson Cooper speaks to Gov. John Kasich about Donald Trump's shifting immigration policy and welfare reform.


(CNN) Police were called to singer Chris Brown's Los Angeles home early Tuesday for a disturbance.
Officers responded to a woman's call for help at Brown's suburban residence, an LAPD spokesman said. LAPD's Robbery-Homicide division is handling the incident.
A large police presence could be seen outside Brown's home on aerial footage from CNN affiliates Tuesday.
Brown, 27, appeared to be inside his house in videos posted to his social media accounts Tuesday. In one video, the singer railed against the police and media and said he was being unfairly portrayed as a villain.
"Good luck. When you get the warrant or whatever you need to do, you're going to walk right up in here and you're going to see nothing, you idiots," he said in one video. "I'm tired of ... dealing with y'all."
Read More

Chris Brown: Police called to his home for a disturbance


Police were called to singer Chris Brown's Los Angeles home early Tuesday for a disturbance.


(CNN) The US Department of Agriculture has temporarily closed six offices in five states after receiving several anonymous threats, USDA spokesman Matthew Herrick said Tuesday.
Monday's anonymous messages were about the safety of USDA personnel and facilities. No other details were immediately released.
The affected offices are in Fort Collins, Colorado; Hamden, Connecticut; Beltsville, Maryland; Raleigh, North Carolina; and Kearneysville and Leetown, West Virginia.
All will remain closed as a precaution until further notice.
Herrick said the department is working closely with local and federal law enforcement, including the FBI, to determine whether the threats are credible.

Department of Agriculture closes 6 offices after threats


The US Department of Agriculture has temporarily closed six offices in five states after receiving anonymous threats, USDA spokesman Matthew Herrick said.


Gaziantep, Turkey (CNN) Sometimes when a complex mess suffers an added complication, it can in fact make matters simpler -- such is the case in northern Syria now.
For months, US support for the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a predominantly Syrian Kurd force that also includes Arab tribes and other factions, has led them to take large swathes of territory from ISIS quite effectively and establish Kurdish control over the territory.
But there's always been one problem: that territory is along the Turkish border and Turkey considers the SDF's main component, a Syrian Kurdish militia called the People's Protection Units -- or YPG -- to be terrorists
For months the "what if" of Turkey's eventual reaction to these Kurdish successes has hung in the air, a potentially huge complication for US policy here, given that the US backs both sides. It's safe to say Ankara would oppose a de-facto Kurdish state springing up along its border -- and intervene.
Last week, things got a little clearer. Turkey did intervene, using the second largest army in the NATO alliance to back up Sunni Arab Syrian rebels, as they moved to take the Syrian border town of Jarablus from ISIS , almost without a fight.
But it did not stop there.
The same forces moved west along the border, expanding the valuable frontier territory now controlled by their Syrian rebel proxies. They also moved south, and ran, inevitably, into the US-backed Syrian Kurdish forces. The mainly Sunni Arab rebels consider this area theirs; and the Kurds view it as land they have fought hard for. With the Syrian Kurds being terrorists in Turkey's eyes, this is never likely to end well.
Caught in the middle
As we have seen before with the use of chemical weapons in Syria, Washington hoped they could draw a "red line" not to be crossed and all would be well. Vice President Joe Biden told the Kurds they would have to stay east of the Euphrates river, and withdraw from the Syrian town of Manbij -- which was retaken from ISIS with US assistance. The river provides a clear geographical boundary, running north to south, between areas the Kurds have controlled for a while, and fresh territory regained from ISIS.
The Pentagon said Sunday they thought that withdrawal east was happening. But, as of now, it is not. Instead, US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter was left Monday to ask the Turkish not to fight the Syrian Kurds , and for the Syrian Kurds to pull back across the Euphrates. This, essentially, was like asking two sets of allies to disobey their instinctive impulses.
Tuesday led Turkey to berate Washington's bid to limit their operations, while there was still no clear sign the Kurds were moving east. Three Turkish soldiers were also wounded West of Jarablus, but it wasn't clear who was behind it.
JUST WATCHED Turkey: We're going after all terrorists in Syria Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Turkey: We're going after all terrorists in Syria 10:23
This American balancing act probably won't last long. The Syrian Kurds don't have the manpower to take on the full might of the Turkish military. They also won't want to irritate their American backers to the point where Washington is forced to abandon them (and their priceless airpower), in an attempt to save its fragile relationship with Turkey.
There is a basic logic to this. US policy in Syria would be at a total loss without Turkish support. They need Ankara's blessing for resupply lines to their special forces and allied rebels all over Syria. They need it for airbases to launch anti-ISIS strikes from. They can't genuinely believe any long-term solution for Syria is possible without Turkey, its NATO ally, being on board.
Friend or foe?
How far will Turkey go?
The Euphrates seems a sensible, obvious demarcation line. It would allow the Syrian Kurds to save face, and keep a hold of the strategically important city of Kobani and a large swathe of northern parts of Syria. It would allow the Turks to create a buffer zone in northern Syria, focus on kicking ISIS out of other key towns like al-Bab, and let the Syrian Sunni rebels they back run a large chunk of the border region.
Turkey has the second-largest military in NATO
This is something that has oddly been a key tenet of US policy for a long time that it has resolutely failed to achieve in Syria: to establish a functional, Sunni Arab rebel force in the north. The US hoped they could represent the interests of the millions of disenfranchised Syrian Sunnis who've been kicked around and bombed since the war began. Some were so desperate and angry about their situation they initially viewed ISIS as liberators
This Sunni Arab bulwark is what the US has long sought too, to take on ISIS. You cannot send Syrian Kurdish forces to clear ISIS from Sunni Arab towns and expect a happy outcome. For future stability, the Syrian rebels Turkey is backing offer a better alternative to fight ISIS than the US's current anti-ISIS ground force -- the Syrian Kurds.
JUST WATCHED ISIS using child soldiers to carry out atrocities Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH ISIS using child soldiers to carry out atrocities 04:54
So here we are, with months of uncertainty swept away. Turkey wants the Kurds to move back, so does Washington. America wants the Turkish to leave the Kurds alone and fight ISIS. ISIS are on the back-foot and have -- regardless of the white noise of Turk versus Kurd -- just lost control of the border town they badly needed to resupply themselves.
It's now clear who wants what, and relatively clear who is doing what, and who is not. This could herald an opportunity, a golden moment in which Turkey helps Sunni Arabs back on their feet again in Syria, while Syrian-Kurdish territorial ambition gets a reality check.
Except, sadly, this is Syria, where any sense of clarity is quickly overcome by further animosity and chaos -- where anything decent is eviscerated.

Washington's headache: Keeping Turkey and Kurds apart


Sometimes when a complex mess suffers an added complication, it can in fact make matters simpler -- such is the case in northern Syria now.


European Bison roam this untouched, ancient forest


The endangered European Bison live in the oldest primeval forest in Poland, untouched for 10 millennia.


Davis Love III speaks to CNN World Sport after his European counterpart Darren Clarke made his wild-card picks.


Story highlights USS Freedom has rusted engine after seawater leak
Freedom is 3rd littoral combat ship to suffer mechanical breakdown in a year
Admiral says program will succeed with time
(CNN) For the third time in a year, one of the US Navy's $360 million littoral combat ships has been knocked out of action by mechanical problems.
The latest victim is the USS Freedom, which had seawater leak into one of its two main diesel propulsion systems on July 11, according to a Navy press release.
The Navy said seawater entered the engine oil lube system through a leak in a seawater pump's mechanical seal.
The leak occurred when the Freedom was participating in the 26-nation Rim of the Pacific exercises, the Navy said.
The ship returned to its San Diego home port for seawater decontamination on July 13 and then returned to the exercises under power of its gas turbine engines, rather than the main diesel propulsion systems, the Navy said.
Read More

Third breakdown in year for $360M US Navy warships


For the third time in a year, one of the US Navy's $360 million littoral combat ships has been knocked out of action by mechanical problems.


(CNN) Cape Verde, a remote Atlantic archipelago, is not the most likely candidate for soccer supremacy. And yet, remarkably, the island nation has risen from obscurity to the point where, until a few months ago, they were the top ranking team in Africa.
But how? The obstacles standing in the way of the archipelago, 600 km off the west coast of mainland Africa, are many. The standard of league football isn't that high and resources are limited -- for instance teams based in Santiago, the largest island, all play in the same, old-fashioned stadium. Unlike football-mad Nigeria, with a population of 181 million, Cape Verde only has 500,000 people from which to source footballing excellence.
In April 2000, Cape Verde were languishing at 182nd in the FIFA world rankings. They'd never qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations. Known as the Blue Sharks, in reality they were minnows among the big fish of African soccer. But then Cape Verde won the now defunct Amilcar Cabral Cup, a competition between West African countries, and the ball started rolling.
Over the following 14 years Cape Verde moved into ascendancy, due in part to the -- sometimes literal -- groundwork of FIFA initiatives. In 1998 the nation had no grass pitches -- now there are 25.
"They made great contributions to the development of football in Cape Verde," explains former president of the Cape Verde FA Mario Semedo. "FIFA projects were indispensable in fostering the soccer culture of the region."
It's a soccer culture that humbled former colonial masters Portugal 0-2 in March 2015 and, but for fielding a suspended player , would have taken them to the World Cup in Rio in 2014.
Caught in the dragnet of national team success is a generation of children hoping to emulate their idols. From Semedo to coach Jose Maria Lobo to national team goalkeeper Nilson Batilha, all agree injecting money into grassroots soccer is key.
"Cape Verde is producing excellent players from the senior level down to the youth level," says Batilha. "There is a lot of talent amongst youth and if we don't invest in youth, we won't be able to have good players later."
Another challenge is talent retention. Batilha is one of the few national team players still based in Cape Verde. Most of his teammates have traveled abroad to play in other leagues in pursuit of glory.
This exodus is mostly keenly felt in those who have turned away from the Cape Verdean national squad. Valencia and ex-Manchester United player Nani was born in Praia but opted to represent Portugal; Gelson Fernandes, once of Manchester City, plays for Switzerland. Soccer royalty such as French international Patrick Vieira and Swedish legend Henrik Larsson could both have played for Cape Verde given their parentage.
JUST WATCHED Cape Verde football team defies odds Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Cape Verde football team defies odds 07:06
"Before it was really hard for a player to have any interest in playing for the national team," Semedo admits. "But today things have changed... We have examples of players who have turned down offers to play in other countries so they could play for Cape Verde instead -- and they have no regrets.
"[They] can't buy what we offer them. We give them love, caring and friendship. They aren't admired only when they score a goal or play for the team. Even after retirement, they are cared for; the friendship continues. That is one important aspect about how we and Africa must treat our players so they may contribute to their countries of origin."
They may be able to offer their players love, but former player, coach, and 40 year veteran of Cape Verde soccer Luiz Da Silva says the nation needs to open its coffers if it wants to secure longterm success.
"How is it possible that a team that has made it to the qualifiers, and then qualified [for the African Cup of Nations] must rely on donations to play?" he asks. "That's unheard of."
Cape Verde is not a rich nation, and hardly ever plays friendlies because of the expense incurred. It's a serious handicap, preventing the national coach from experimenting or introducing fresh blood from local teams. Silva argues the lack of trickle-down opportunities stymies soccer at a domestic level.
How long Cape Verde can continue to defy the odds remains to be seen. It's going to take time and money to maintain their remarkable trajectory, and sustained exposure at international level. For the players on the pitch the job is much simpler: keep on winning.
"[Soccer] happens to unify everyone," says captain Marcos Soares. "We hope to continue getting good results so that we can give a good example to the country, particularly for the youth to follow."

Cape Verde's remarkable journey to the top of African football


Cape Verde, a remote Atlantic archipelago, is not the most likely candidate for soccer supremacy. And yet, remarkably, the island nation has risen from obscurity to the point where, until a few months ago, they were the top ranking team in Africa.


Story highlights Council of State suspends burkini ban in Villeneuve-Loubet, a town near Nice
Collective Against Islamophobia in France plans to sue municipalities maintaining ban
(CNN) France's highest administrative court ruled that mayors do not have the right to ban burkinis.
But if you thought that was the end of the matter, think again.
Several French mayors have reportedly maintained their bans despite Friday's ruling concerning the town of Villeneuve-Loubet, near Nice, which could affect cities around the country.
Among those continuing the ban is Cap d'Ail, near Monaco. The town saw no reason to lift the decree as the ruling wasn't aimed specifically at it, a press spokesman told CNN.
JUST WATCHED French court suspends burkini ban Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH French court suspends burkini ban 01:44
The Collective Against Islamophobia in France, one of the plaintiffs in the burkini case, plans to sue each municipality maintaining the ban on the full-length swimsuit that covers the whole body except for the face, hands and feet.

French mayors maintain burkini bans despite court ruling


Several French mayors reportedly refuse to lift the burkini bans despite a court ruling last week over the town of Villeneuve-Loubet.


Chat with us in Facebook Messenger. Find out what's happening in the world as it unfolds.

'Willy Wonka' star Gene Wilder dead at 83


Rest in peace, Willy Wonka. CNN's Jeanne Moos remembers Gene Wilder.


Man fights to stay on tracks as train roars in


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Story highlights "There's no path to legalization unless they leave the country," Trump said
But he declined to clarify whether he would forcibly deport all of the undocumented immigrants in the US
Washington (CNN) Donald Trump ruled out Thursday a pathway to legal status for undocumented immigrants in the United States, walking back comments he made earlier this week in which he appeared open to the idea.
But the Republican nominee declined in an interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper to clarify whether he would still forcibly deport the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants in the US -- a major tenet of his immigration platform -- after he suggested this week he was "softening" on the idea.
"There's no path to legalization unless they leave the country," Trump said after an event in Manchester, New Hampshire. "When they come back in, then they can start paying taxes, but there is no path to legalization unless they leave the country and then come back."
Trump said that on his first day in office, he would authorize law enforcement to actively deport "bad dudes," such as those who have committed crimes, which he said numbered "probably millions." But he declined to flatly say whether he would round up other undocumented immigrants, stressing that once the initial deportations occur, "then we can talk."
"There is a very good chance the answer could be yes," Trump said when asked if he would deport those who have lived here peacefully but without papers. "We're going to see what happens."
Read More

Trump: No legal status for undocumented immigrants


Donald Trump ruled out Thursday a pathway to legal status for undocumented immigrants in the United States, walking back comments he made earlier this week in which he appeared open to the idea.


Story highlights The victims were mourning children killed in a bombing last week
Amnesty International: Barrel bombs a common tactic of Syrian regime
(CNN) At least 16 people died when two barrel bombs struck as mourners attended a wake for children killed in a separate barrel bombing in Aleppo, a Syrian monitoring group said.
The Aleppo Media Center reported a higher number, saying 24 people were killed and 30 others injured when the two barrel bombs hit Saturday.
The two bombs targeted a wake in rebel-held Bab al-Nayrab, the same neighborhood where 15 people were killed in a barrel bombing Thursday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
Aleppo Media Center activist and witness Mojahed Abo-Aljood said he was filming near the wake when a warning came on their walkie-talkies that there was a helicopter overhead. He took shelter in a basement and heard two explosions, exiting later to air covered with thick dust.
'I couldn't see'
Read More

Syria barrel bomb attack: At least 16 killed at wake in Aleppo


At least 16 people died when two barrel bombs struck as mourners attended a wake for children killed in a separate barrel bombing in Aleppo, a Syrian monitoring group said.


Washington (CNN) The way the coattail effect usually goes, a popular presidential contender helps others in his party by bringing voters to the polls who, while there, end up pulling the lever for down-ballot candidates. But usual doesn't apply to most things in 2016 -- and coattails may be one of them.
In fact, some Republican operatives are looking at certain presidential battleground states with competitive Senate races such as Florida and Ohio, and wondering if this year, there could be a reverse coattails effect. Donald Trump could be the one benefiting from the good will GOP senators on the ballot have with voters in their states -- keeping him within sight of Hillary Clinton in the presidential race.
Right now, polls in several competitive Senate races across the country show GOP candidates outperforming Trump.
The long-time concern among many Republicans who are very nervous about losing GOP control of the Senate, is that Trump will drag other Republicans down. The worry is that Republican voters who are turned off by Trump won't show up on Election Day, and that will hurt GOP Senate candidates.
Yet others studying data say they're seeing something different. In states where the GOP senators are well-known and well-liked, especially among Republicans, it could end up drawing GOP voters to the polls, even if they're skeptical of their presidential nominee.
Ohio is Exhibit A of where Republican strategists hope this reverse coattail phenomenon will happen. The latest public poll there from Monmouth University showed incumbent Republican Sen. Rob Portman up eight points over his Democratic opponent, former Gov. Ted Strickland. That same poll had Trump trailing Clinton by five points.
Among Republicans in Ohio, Portman is a brand name. He was first elected to the House in 1993 and has been a visible figure in that state ever since. Though his Democratic opponent is also a familiar face, well liked among his party faithful too, Republicans from Washington to Ohio are cautiously predicting a Portman win, arguing he is running one of the best re-election campaigns in the country.
"Rob Portman is running the best campaign I've ever seen in Ohio. His grassroots effort is unmatched and he's talking to Ohioans of every political affiliation. Rob is the gold standard in Ohio politics," said Alex Triantafilou, Republican Chairman of Hamilton County, Ohio.
Given that no Republican has ever won the White House without winning Ohio, Trump can use all the help he can get. And although Portman endorsed Trump, he is not campaigning with him, and openly criticized the nominee for several controversial comments.
Republicans looking closely at Ohio say they have their fingers crossed that Portman can continue to walk that line -- be independent enough that GOP voters unsure about their nominee will still go vote for Portman, and once they're there, feel compelled to vote for the guy at the top of the ticket too.
Disdain for Hillary Clinton may drive GOP vote
The thinking among those hoping for reverse coattails is that dislike for Clinton will compel them voters to go for Trump, even if it means doing so holding their noses.
It certainly may be wishful thinking, especially for Republicans in the "never Trump" category, but even Republicans who are not fans of the reality TV star-turned-politician think the anti-Clinton dynamic could be stronger among many traditional GOP voters.
"There are a lot of Republicans who think Trump is crazy but once they get in [the voting booth] they will be driven by their aversion to her," said Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Trump GOP primary opponent who told CNN months ago he will not vote for either Trump or Clinton.
Still, Graham predicts that about half of Republicans telling pollsters they would never vote for Trump will end up doing just that. But that will only happen if the voters have another reason to go to the polls, like to vote for Congress.
Graham argued that his good friend John McCain will help Trump in Arizona. Although he has been pummeled by his Democratic challenger Ann Kirkpatrick for supporting Trump as the nominee, McCain is another prime example of a political celebrity with a deep reservoir of goodwill among many in his state.
In a CNN/ORC poll in Arizona last week, McCain is outperforming Trump big time. Though Trump is beating Clinton 5 points, that is nothing compared to McCain's 13-point lead against his Democratic opponent.
JUST WATCHED Trump staff, surrogates distracting from message Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Trump staff, surrogates distracting from message 04:06
In Georgia, a Democrat hasn't carried the state since Bill Clinton in 1992, but public polls show Hillary Clinton up there and privately some top GOP operatives tell CNN they worry Trump could lose. The one ray of hope among these GOP sources is Sen. Johnny Isakson, another candidate praised by GOP strategists for running a top notch campaign for a third Senate term.
Just like in Ohio and Arizona, GOP operatives are banking on the fact that there enough voters who so dislike Hillary Clinton, that once they go vote for Isakson they will end up going for the top of the GOP ticket too.
Marco Rubio: Trump's friend in Florida?
Florida may turn out to be a state with the strangest of bedfellows. Marco Rubio's presidential bid ended after he lost the GOP presidential primary there to Donald Trump.
Now Rubio wants to keep his Senate seat, and that means sharing the ballot with Trump and appealing to the same voters.
Florida is such a diverse state, Republican operatives are hoping that Trump and Rubio will help each other. For example, where Trump is popular in the Panhandle, the hope is that he helps increase turnout that benefits Rubio. Rubio's home turf is South Florida, with a high percentage of Hispanics and other voters who aren't natural Trump supporters. The hope is Rubio could attract voters who would end up also pulling the lever for Trump.
Because they could help each other, some Republicans are even hoping Rubio campaigns with Trump. In an interview with CNN's Manu Raju, the Florida senator, who had a particularly acrimonious relationship with Trump towards the end of his presidential run, didn't rule that out.
JUST WATCHED GOP senator facing anti-Trump heat in re-election race Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH GOP senator facing anti-Trump heat in re-election race 03:28
"We'll look at individual events on a case by case basis and see if it makes sense," Rubio told CNN.
Florida is another battleground state where the Senate GOP candidate is outperforming Trump. A poll earlier this month from Monmouth University showed Trump trailing Clinton in the Sunshine State by 9 points, but Rubio beating his presumed Democratic opponent Patrick Murphy by 5 points.
Similarly, in Pennsylvania, Trump and Senate incumbent Pat Toomey may end up riding on each other's coattails -- just in different parts of the state. GOP State Party Chairman Rob Gleason said he thinks the candidates "will help each other" and that it all comes down to "a tale of two Pennsylvanias" -- his way of describing the disparate nature of the state's electorate.
Gleason believes Trump could give Toomey a boost in the northeastern and central parts of the state, areas where the nominee is currently polling far ahead of Hillary Clinton 58% to 28% in a new Monmouth poll. But, Gleason says he sees Toomey with an advantage in the Philadelphia area and in the Lehigh Valley -- where Republican Congressman Charlie Dent has already said he "has no plans to vote for Trump."
Gleason says he doesn't think those Republican voters will consider a split ticket. "I think at the end of the day the people who vote for Toomey will probably end up voting for Trump. So I think Toomey will help in that way."
JUST WATCHED John McCain tries for a sixth term Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH John McCain tries for a sixth term 02:50
Still, Senate candidates like both Toomey and Rubio are keeping their focuses squarely on their own races. The Monmouth poll out Tuesday shows Toomey running ahead of Trump, but still behind his Democratic opponent by four points. Toomey has yet to throw his support behind Trump's candidacy and in a call with reporters earlier this month said he believes voters "will make a completely separate decision about the person they want representing them in the United States Senate."
Rubio echoed a similar sentiment about his race, telling Raju, "You can't take it for granted if the top of the ticket wins, and then you have a chance to win even if it doesn't."
But, at least in Pennsylvania, Gleason believes the fine line Toomey is walking with respect to his party's nominee is both working and could bring in voters. "They are both getting into different homes," Gleason said. "If they were both on the same wave length, there are some homes they wouldn't get in."
In some states, reverse coattails may not work
CNN/ORC's poll last week in North Carolina showed both the presidential contest and the Senate contest to be dead heats. Republican strategists see that as bad news for the incumbent Sen. Richard Burr. Although the chair of the Senate Intelligence committee and respected by colleagues on both sides of the aisle, unlike other GOP senators in tough fights this year, he is not seen as top-notch campaigner.
Democrats have already signaled they intended to unload on Trump in North Carolina, where Barack Obama won in 2008, but then lost in 2012. Several Republican sources tell CNN they fear Burr will have a hard time overcoming getting mortally wounded by a Democratic onslaught in that state.
Overall, the notion of reverse coattails could be wishful thinking by Republican operatives constantly trying to make sense of such an unpredictable year for their party. But if they're right -- and this year's unusually high number of competitive GOP seats ends up helping Trump -- it will be pretty high on the long list of topsy-turvy politics that defines 2016.

Could Donald Trump ride GOP senators' coattails?


Strong showings from GOP candidates in Ohio, Florida and Pennsylvania could help drive Republicans to the polls and boost Donald Trump's White House ambitions


Hughley: There's nothing more American than silence


Comedian D.L. Hughley weighs in on Colin Kaepernick's protest and the 2016 election.


Story highlights "All the things that Donald Trump railed against, he seems to be morphing into," Bush said
Some have noted that Trump's comments are starting to sound more in line with Bush's policies
(CNN) Jeb Bush hammered Donald Trump Thursday after the Republican presidential nominee appeared open to major shifts on his immigration platform -- several of which echoed the former Florida governor's during the GOP primary fight.
"All the things that Donald Trump railed against, he seems to be morphing into," Bush said in a radio interview with Rita Cosby of WABC. "It's kind of disturbing."
When the two men were competing in the Republican presidential primary, Trump advocated for deporting millions of undocumented immigrants and blasted politicians like Bush who wanted to allow some to stay and seek legal status as long as they met a wide range of criteria.
Now Trump is apparently signaling a major shift in his policy, saying that he's open to working with undocumented immigrants rather than deporting them all. They won't be allowed to pursue citizenship, he said in a Fox News town hall Wednesday night, and they'll have to pay taxes.
Some have noted that Trump's comments are starting to sound more in line with policies that Bush proposed -- stances that Trump used to bash him during the primaries.
Read More

Jeb Bush blasts 'abhorrent' Trump shifts on immigration