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CNN Live At Daybreak

U.S. Closes Nigerian Embassy After Security Incident; Students Raise Money to Build Well in Afghanistan; Racial Pill?

Aired June 17, 2005 - 06:30   ET

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


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


ANNOUNCER: From the Time Warner center in New York, this is DAYBREAK, with Carol Costello and Chad Myers.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning to you. Thank you for waking up with us.

Coming up this half-hour, the next step in a whirlwind celebrity romance is a bit of a cliche. Well, we'll fill you in on the latest.

And a very special Father's Day for an Army officer in Afghanistan.

But first, "Now in the News."

Word in this hour the U.S. embassy in the Nigerian capital of Lagos was closed today for security reasons. Also, Britain closed its office there as a result of Washington's decision. A diplomatic source tells Reuters that intelligence indicates foreign militants pose a threat to U.S. interests there.

Yet another earthquake rattles northern California. The 6.6 magnitude quake struck overnight off the coast of northern California, some 125 miles west of Eureka.

Iranians are voting today for a new president. This is Iran's supreme leader. He's casting his ballot. Opinion polls show the former president, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, is likely heading for a runoff. Washington calls the election unfair.

Today, a cleanup for people living in parts of Oklahoma. Strong storms pounded the state late last night, triggering high winds, flash flooding and power outages.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: There is news of a disturbing nature out of San Jose, California, today. Police believe this man may be responsible for molesting possibly thousands of young boys. Sixty-three-year-old Dean Arthur Schwartzmiller is in prison on charges related to two 12-year- old boys. The police say notebooks found in his home describe as many as 36,000 offenses in different states and different countries.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What was most disturbing, though, was not the child pornography images that we found, but these binders. We located seven of these. And what is most significant and certainly most disturbing, and the reason that we've asked you all here today, is because these binders contain thousands, literally thousands, of names of children that we believe Mr. Schwartzmiller may have molested.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: San Jose Police are asking victims or others with information to step forward. You are encouraged to call the Police Child Exploitation Division at 408-277-4102. If you want to be anonymous, you can call Crime Stoppers at 408-947-stop. That's 408- 947-7867.

Now to this morning's "Security Watch." We begin with a new high-tech plane that can detect potentially deadly plumes of smoke or chemical clouds. And it's designed to provide vital information that could protect first responders on the ground from harm. The technology emerged from the September 11 tragedy. It's a joint effort between New Mexico's Los Alamos National Lab and the Environmental Protection Agency.

Congress gets an earful about a surveillance system along U.S. borders. The deputy inspector testified a $250 million to put remote cameras along parts of the borders was grossly mismanaged. He told the House Committee on Homeland Security the contract was never subject to open competition. It was badly run and inadequately supervised.

This follow-up report now. A California father and son are indicted in a terror case. A federal grand jury in California indicted the pair on charges they lied to the FBI about the son attending Pakistani terrorist training camps. The Pakistani-born father and son were arrested last week on similar charges. Their lawyers say the government's case is weak since the two did not face terrorist-related charges.

High ground is known as the Hamptons, but Native Americans consider it sacred ground. Now a legal battle is brewing.

Let's check in with CNN's Bill Hemmer for a look at what's coming up on "AMERICAN MORNING."

Good morning.

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, Carol, good morning to you. Welcome to Friday.

A closer look at the Shinnecock tribe's multibillion-dollar fight for a piece of the Hamptons, the biggest Indian land claim, Carol, ever filed. The Shinnecock's claim that the state of New York stole the land 150 years ago. They say what they want is what is rightfully theirs. But is the tribe really looking for leverage on a casino? We'll talk to a tribal guest this morning out there in South Hampton today.

And, Carol, you've seen the pictures, in Florida yesterday, a Goodyear blimp crashing while trying an emergency landing in Florida. What caused it? We'll talk to a rescue worker on the scene there. Two pilots were trapped momentarily. And now, Carol, they've got to get his mess cleaned up and get it out of there. So, we'll visit down there coming up on "AMERICAN MORNING."

See you at the top of the hour, OK?

COSTELLO: Will do. Thank you, Bill.

HEMMER: Bye-bye.

COSTELLO: We have news just in to CNN to tell you about right now. In Nigeria, remember we told you there was a security concern at the embassy there? And for a brief time they closed it. Now, we understand it has been reopened.

But let's go to Jeff Koinange. He is there now with information.

Jeff -- what can you tell us?

JEFF KOINANGE, CNN LAGOS BUREAU CHIEF: Carol, I can tell you I'm standing right outside the U.S. consulate right here in Lagos, and it is not -- it has not reopened. In fact, there's a massive security presence here, something like I've never seen before. There is the Nigerian police bomb squad parked right outside the consulate. And members of the bomb squad are obviously inside there checking around.

There is a massive presence outside, but they will not let anyone near a mile of the embassy, checking all vehicles with metal detectors, mirrors underneath the vehicles.

The embassy sits on a lagoon. So in the waterway, there are police in speed boats and motorboats, checking the lagoon. So, obviously, Carol, there must have been some kind of credible threat for the U.S. to take these measures.

COSTELLO: Again, the embassy there has not reopened. You say the bomb squad is there. Was there a threat called in? I mean, how did this come about?

KOINANGE: Well, what happened is late Thursday, the U.S. embassy issued a statement, saying that the embassy would remain closed on Friday. It seemed pretty routine at the time.

But early this morning, the bomb squad was summoned in. The police -- there's about 200 police officers right here on the ground. They are not letting anyone within at least a mile of the consulate.

We were able to go through the cordon and walk right up to the embassy. But there are no officials there. No one is willing to comment. All they're saying is they're referring all questions and queries to their embassy in Abuja. So, for now, Carol, all we can do is speculate.

But I can tell you, not just the U.S. embassy, but several embassies sit along the same avenue right here in this (INAUDIBLE) part of Lagos. All of them have shut down. Once the U.S. embassy shut down, it seemed like everyone else shut down their embassies -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Well, we know you'll keep an eye on the situation there. Jeff Koinange joining us live from Lagos, Nigeria, this morning.

We're going to take a short break. We'll be back with much more on DAYBREAK.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: It's time now for a little "Business Buzz."

Who is the richest, most powerful celebrity in all the land?

Carrie Lee joins us with a look at "Forbes" celebrity 100 list.

CARRIE LEE, CNN FINANCIAL NEWS CORRESPONDENT: It's that time again, Carol. The list is out today. And keep in mind, this list keeps in mind not only salary but also press clippings, a couple of other things.

Oprah Winfrey is topping the list this year.

COSTELLO: Oprah.

LEE: Yes. And not really much of a surprise. She was number three last year, though. But her estimated pay: $225 million. I'm sorry, she moved up from number eight last year.

Also, Tiger Woods is second, breaking out of a slump after winning the Master's.

And number three, Mel Gibson. He was first last year, but still made $185 million. We know why. DVD sales of "The Passion of the Christ."

Here's a quick look at the "Forbes" issue. And, well, I can show that to our viewers here. So, here's a look the cover.

Other notable interesting people, "Star Wars" helped George Lucas come in at number four. He actually made the most money, $290 million.

Number five, rounding out the top five, Shaquille O'Neal, he's one of 25 athletes on the list.

And those are the top five.

Some other interesting folks who made it, Dan Brown, of course, author of the "Da Vinci Code."

COSTELLO: Oh, my!

LEE: Yes, number 12, pretty high up. The "Desperate Housewives" as a group made the list, coming in at number 25. And here is something interesting. Paris Hilton, thanks to all of those gossip columns, made the list. She outranks former President Bill Clinton by one. A state-of-art country, right?

And then, number 94, Ken Jennings, of course, the "Jeopardy!" winner.

COSTELLO: Oh, really?

LEE: Yes. So, number 94 is kind of at the bottom, but still he made $2.5 million. He has a board game and a television show in the works. So...

COSTELLO: Well, I am happiest for him.

LEE: Yes. A lot of different types of people are on the list. Here is a look at what the issue actually looks like. So...

COSTELLO: But Tom Cruise or Katie Holmes are not on the list, because, you know, Carrie...

LEE: No. You know, Tom Cruise is pretty far out. Let's see. He's actually number 10. Katie Holmes -- well, I don't know if I have time to go through them.

COSTELLO: That's OK, you don't have to. I was just mentioning it, because, you know, they got engaged.

LEE: Yes, I heard. At the Eiffel Tower last night, right? So...

COSTELLO: It's so beautiful, isn't it?

LEE: Well, maybe that will help her rankings next year.

COSTELLO: Let's talk more about that right now, shall we?

LEE: Sure.

COSTELLO: Because we must. It's romantic. A bit of a cliche, really, for posing atop the Eiffel Tower in Paris, but that's how Tom Cruise decided to propose to his girlfriend, Katie Holmes.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOM CRUISE, ACTOR: The premiere we wanted here in France, because it's beautiful and it's romantic. And, yes, I proposed to Kate last night.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Kate is promoting a movie over there, and that's why he mentioned the movie, "War of the Worlds." Cruise told reporters about the engagement while promoting that movie, as you can see. And Katie Holmes did indeed say yes, and she's wearing a big, old ring.

Your news, money, weather and sports. It is 6:44 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning.

It's happened again, another earthquake off northern California. The 6.6-magnitude quake struck a little more than three hours ago roughly 125 miles west of Eureka. Unlike Tuesday's night quake, no tsunami issue was issued.

In money news, McDonald's wants you to try to exercise while thinking of the Golden Arches. So, later this year, it's offering skateboards and bikes with the company's brand name.

In culture, do you go to the movie theaters much? According to a poll by the AP and AOL, three-fourths of Americans would just as soon watch a movie at home than at the theater.

In sports, it should be a better day at the U.S. Open. Only 9 out of the more than 150 golfers actually broke par on day one. Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson are just a few shots back from the leaders.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Still to come on DAYBREAK, a pill that works better for African-Americans. So, why wouldn't anyone want the FDA to approve it? We'll explain.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Sunday will be Father's Day here and, of course, also in Afghanistan, probably not so good for those serving in Afghanistan. But for one dad serving there, it will be a good day, thanks to his daughter. He's built a well for Afghan villagers outside of Kabul. It's made their lives so much better, and I'm sure it's made him feel better, too.

The father is Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Conley. He joins us live from Afghanistan now. His daughter, Mikaela, and her friend, Aamina Awan, are students at Fairfield University in Connecticut. They all joined forces to raise money to build this well.

And we welcome all of you this morning.

MIKAELA CONLEY, FAIRFIELD UNIVERSITY STUDENT: Thank you.

COSTELLO: So, let's start with you, Mikaela.

LT. COL. CHRISTOPHER CONLEY, U.S. ARMY: Good morning.

COSTELLO: Good morning to all of you.

Let's start with you, Mikaela. Tell me how you joined forces with your friend to raise money.

M. CONLEY: Well, what happened was when my dad first went over there, he was telling us a lot about the stories. And we'd read his e-mails, see his photos of, you know, the devastation that's happened over there. And, really, it was very heartbreaking to hear about. And so, I went to my advisor, Dr. Kate (ph), and she suggested talking with Aamina, who is from Pakistan. And we kind of joined forces and came together and kind of started this project.

COSTELLO: So, Aamina, how did you raise the money?

AAMINA AWAN, FAIRFIELD UNIVERSITY STUDENT: Well, we had local fund-raisers at a local grocery store in Fairfield, Connecticut, where we reside. We also contacted the theater department at our school, where we had the improv group host two shows for us, where we raised over $530 in one night.

COSTELLO: Wow!

AWAN: And -- right. And we also just collected a lot of school supplies and old articles of clothing around the dorms, on campus, from faculty members...

COSTELLO: And in the end -- in the end, you guys raised $3,000. So let's head out to Afghanistan right now and talk to Colonel Conley.

So, Colonel Conley, tell us about this village with 200 people.

C. CONLEY: Hi, good morning.

COSTELLO: Good morning. This village with 200 people. Why did they need this well?

C. CONLEY: Well, there's a critical shortage of water all throughout Afghanistan. And a well is a perfect gift, because it's a gift that keeps on giving.

COSTELLO: And these villagers, they had to walk miles and miles to get the water, to haul it into their homes. And now they don't have to do that.

C. CONLEY: Yes. There would be -- you know, we would see little kids 5 and 6 years old trying to carry some type of container, whatever size their small frames could carry. And they'd be hauling the water sometimes a mile-and-a-half, two miles.

COSTELLO: I see there's an inscription on the well. What does it say?

C. CONLEY: Well, it says it's -- it was an inscription that the village put up, and it says that it's a gift from Fairfield University to the Allowede (ph) village. And the bottom of it is it says "Peace brings all good things," which is actually a Quranic proverb-type saying. It's actually God's wish for mankind.

COSTELLO: So, Mikaela, when...

C. CONLEY: It's very nice, and it's very powerful.

COSTELLO: It certainly is. Mikaela, when you see the kids pumping the well and getting water, I mean, how are you feeling?

M. CONLEY: Oh, it's such an incredible feeling I've pretty much ever felt in my life. It's something that you would never feel. I mean, these people, I'll probably never meet them in my life, and there are so many people just benefiting from this. And it's such a rewarding feeling to be able to have done with his Aamina.

COSTELLO: And that you could work with your dad. What would you like to say to him? Because you two can communicate now.

M. CONLEY: Well, it was great working with him and feeling connected in this way, although we're 14,000 miles apart. And just to feel to have that sort of connection, and especially during the Father's Day season to have this all come out. It's just -- it's something very different than I thought I'd ever experience in my life.

COSTELLO: So, dad, what would you like to say to your daughter?

C. CONLEY: Well, I'd just like to say how proud I am, not only as a dad, but as an American, because it's a fantastic thing. And that's why we're here, and that's what this is all about.

COSTELLO: Lieutenant Colonel Conley, Mikaela, Aamina, thank you for joining DAYBREAK this morning. And congratulations on your fine work there.

M. CONLEY: Thank you.

C. CONLEY: Thank you.

COSTELLO: We appreciate it.

M. CONLEY: Thank you so much.

AWAN: Thank you so much.

C. CONLEY: Thank you. I love you, Mikaela.

COSTELLO: Oh.

M. CONLEY: I love you.

COSTELLO: Oh, it's making me cry. Thank you to all of you.

It's 6:54 Eastern. Here is what will be making news today.

Police in Blacksburg, Virginia, are investigating this discovery of burned copies of the Quran left outside of a mosque. The incident is being investigated as a possible hate crime.

A recent "New York Times"/CBS poll gives President Bush a 42 percent approval rating. That's down from a 51 percent rating in November. The poll of 1,100 adults was taken June 10 through the 15th.

And Boston, Massachusetts, and Boulder, Colorado, are both college towns. The two share another distinction. They lead the nation in marijuana use. The lowest use areas: Northwestern Iowa and South Texas. It's the first of a kind, a drug marketed specifically to one race. The drug is for heart patients, African-American heart patients. And it's nearing FDA approval.

Kareen Wynter live in Washington with details on that.

Good morning -- Kareen.

Good morning to you, Carol.

KAREEN WYNTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Carol.

The study involved black and white patients with heart failure, and it had surprising results. One race responded better to the drug.

COSTELLO: We're having some technical issues. We're going to give it one more go, Kareen. So stand by.

We do not have -- we do not have it, Kareen. We'll try to get that report on later in the day on CNN. And I'm sure we will.

Right now, though -- oh, save me, Chad.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: I will. I'll give you a minute. Maybe we can get that tape.

Anyway, it's time to give away a DAYBREAK coffee mug. We've got the ones from yesterday, Carol. There were only -- I'm not kidding -- seven -- seven correct answers.

COSTELLO: Those were hard questions.

MYERS: I might have to really kind of -- yes, I may have to make some easier questions next time.

Here are the questions. How much did the Justice Department originally seek the tobacco settlement? It was 280 million, reduced to 130 million, and now they're looking at 10 million. And what three airlines are now selling travel insurance with online ticket purchases? Those airlines are Northwest, Continental and America West.

And one of the correct seven answers, from Harry Jay Wyatt from Fort Worth, Texas. The mug is in the mail. Congratulations. Watch out for your thunderstorms later on today, though, Harry Jay.

Now let's move on now to today's questions. How much did a Google share cost when the company first went public? There are really two answers. There is what it went public at, and what the first share really sold at. I'll take either one. And for the first time, the U.S. Air Force has named a woman to what high-profile position? It's not really a job. It's way more than that, Carol.

CNN.com/daybreak. There's a link. Click on the link. Make sure you give us your name and address and the correct answers.

COSTELLO: We'll do. And thanks for saving me. Because you know what? Kareen's story is ready now.

MYERS: I knew it.

COSTELLO: Thank you so much. I appreciate it.

Kareen, we have your story. So give you little intro again, and we'll get right to it, we promise.

WYNTER: Well, let's jump right into it, Carol. This study involved black and white patients with heart failure. They were tested, but only one group performed better.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WYNTER (voice over): The drug is BiDil, designed to treat congestive heart failure, one that may be specifically used and marketed to one race: blacks.

DR. SALLY SATEL, PSYCHIATRIST: Paying attention to race in medicine is done for the benefit of the patient.

WYNTER: When BiDil was tested for treating congestive heart failure, whites had poor results. But in blacks, the death rate was cut by almost half. The results were so startling the tests were cut short.

This cardiologist worked on the study for the drug company, NitroMed.

DR. ELIZABETH OFILI, MOREHOUSE SCHOOL OF MEDICINE: If we get this compound approved as the community is anticipating, if that happens, you know, that is a huge benefit to patients in the community.

WYNTER: Why did the drug work better in tests on one race over another? Experts say it has to do with genes. Heart patients with African groups are more likely to have low levels of a chemical called nitric oxide. That leads to narrower blood vessels and restricted blood flow. BiDil helps raise levels of nitric oxide and widen the arteries.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

And the FDA is expected to make a final decision by next Thursday on whether or not to approve BiDil. Now, if this medicine gets the green light, doctors would be able to prescribe it regardless of race -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Thank you very much, Kareen Wynter.

And we apologize to you, our viewers, for the technical problems.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: From the Time Warner center in New York, I'm Carol Costello along with Chad Myers. "AMERICAN MORNING" starts right now. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.


Aired June 17, 2005 - 06:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANNOUNCER: From the Time Warner center in New York, this is DAYBREAK, with Carol Costello and Chad Myers.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning to you. Thank you for waking up with us.

Coming up this half-hour, the next step in a whirlwind celebrity romance is a bit of a cliche. Well, we'll fill you in on the latest.

And a very special Father's Day for an Army officer in Afghanistan.

But first, "Now in the News."

Word in this hour the U.S. embassy in the Nigerian capital of Lagos was closed today for security reasons. Also, Britain closed its office there as a result of Washington's decision. A diplomatic source tells Reuters that intelligence indicates foreign militants pose a threat to U.S. interests there.

Yet another earthquake rattles northern California. The 6.6 magnitude quake struck overnight off the coast of northern California, some 125 miles west of Eureka.

Iranians are voting today for a new president. This is Iran's supreme leader. He's casting his ballot. Opinion polls show the former president, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, is likely heading for a runoff. Washington calls the election unfair.

Today, a cleanup for people living in parts of Oklahoma. Strong storms pounded the state late last night, triggering high winds, flash flooding and power outages.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: There is news of a disturbing nature out of San Jose, California, today. Police believe this man may be responsible for molesting possibly thousands of young boys. Sixty-three-year-old Dean Arthur Schwartzmiller is in prison on charges related to two 12-year- old boys. The police say notebooks found in his home describe as many as 36,000 offenses in different states and different countries.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What was most disturbing, though, was not the child pornography images that we found, but these binders. We located seven of these. And what is most significant and certainly most disturbing, and the reason that we've asked you all here today, is because these binders contain thousands, literally thousands, of names of children that we believe Mr. Schwartzmiller may have molested.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: San Jose Police are asking victims or others with information to step forward. You are encouraged to call the Police Child Exploitation Division at 408-277-4102. If you want to be anonymous, you can call Crime Stoppers at 408-947-stop. That's 408- 947-7867.

Now to this morning's "Security Watch." We begin with a new high-tech plane that can detect potentially deadly plumes of smoke or chemical clouds. And it's designed to provide vital information that could protect first responders on the ground from harm. The technology emerged from the September 11 tragedy. It's a joint effort between New Mexico's Los Alamos National Lab and the Environmental Protection Agency.

Congress gets an earful about a surveillance system along U.S. borders. The deputy inspector testified a $250 million to put remote cameras along parts of the borders was grossly mismanaged. He told the House Committee on Homeland Security the contract was never subject to open competition. It was badly run and inadequately supervised.

This follow-up report now. A California father and son are indicted in a terror case. A federal grand jury in California indicted the pair on charges they lied to the FBI about the son attending Pakistani terrorist training camps. The Pakistani-born father and son were arrested last week on similar charges. Their lawyers say the government's case is weak since the two did not face terrorist-related charges.

High ground is known as the Hamptons, but Native Americans consider it sacred ground. Now a legal battle is brewing.

Let's check in with CNN's Bill Hemmer for a look at what's coming up on "AMERICAN MORNING."

Good morning.

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, Carol, good morning to you. Welcome to Friday.

A closer look at the Shinnecock tribe's multibillion-dollar fight for a piece of the Hamptons, the biggest Indian land claim, Carol, ever filed. The Shinnecock's claim that the state of New York stole the land 150 years ago. They say what they want is what is rightfully theirs. But is the tribe really looking for leverage on a casino? We'll talk to a tribal guest this morning out there in South Hampton today.

And, Carol, you've seen the pictures, in Florida yesterday, a Goodyear blimp crashing while trying an emergency landing in Florida. What caused it? We'll talk to a rescue worker on the scene there. Two pilots were trapped momentarily. And now, Carol, they've got to get his mess cleaned up and get it out of there. So, we'll visit down there coming up on "AMERICAN MORNING."

See you at the top of the hour, OK?

COSTELLO: Will do. Thank you, Bill.

HEMMER: Bye-bye.

COSTELLO: We have news just in to CNN to tell you about right now. In Nigeria, remember we told you there was a security concern at the embassy there? And for a brief time they closed it. Now, we understand it has been reopened.

But let's go to Jeff Koinange. He is there now with information.

Jeff -- what can you tell us?

JEFF KOINANGE, CNN LAGOS BUREAU CHIEF: Carol, I can tell you I'm standing right outside the U.S. consulate right here in Lagos, and it is not -- it has not reopened. In fact, there's a massive security presence here, something like I've never seen before. There is the Nigerian police bomb squad parked right outside the consulate. And members of the bomb squad are obviously inside there checking around.

There is a massive presence outside, but they will not let anyone near a mile of the embassy, checking all vehicles with metal detectors, mirrors underneath the vehicles.

The embassy sits on a lagoon. So in the waterway, there are police in speed boats and motorboats, checking the lagoon. So, obviously, Carol, there must have been some kind of credible threat for the U.S. to take these measures.

COSTELLO: Again, the embassy there has not reopened. You say the bomb squad is there. Was there a threat called in? I mean, how did this come about?

KOINANGE: Well, what happened is late Thursday, the U.S. embassy issued a statement, saying that the embassy would remain closed on Friday. It seemed pretty routine at the time.

But early this morning, the bomb squad was summoned in. The police -- there's about 200 police officers right here on the ground. They are not letting anyone within at least a mile of the consulate.

We were able to go through the cordon and walk right up to the embassy. But there are no officials there. No one is willing to comment. All they're saying is they're referring all questions and queries to their embassy in Abuja. So, for now, Carol, all we can do is speculate.

But I can tell you, not just the U.S. embassy, but several embassies sit along the same avenue right here in this (INAUDIBLE) part of Lagos. All of them have shut down. Once the U.S. embassy shut down, it seemed like everyone else shut down their embassies -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Well, we know you'll keep an eye on the situation there. Jeff Koinange joining us live from Lagos, Nigeria, this morning.

We're going to take a short break. We'll be back with much more on DAYBREAK.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: It's time now for a little "Business Buzz."

Who is the richest, most powerful celebrity in all the land?

Carrie Lee joins us with a look at "Forbes" celebrity 100 list.

CARRIE LEE, CNN FINANCIAL NEWS CORRESPONDENT: It's that time again, Carol. The list is out today. And keep in mind, this list keeps in mind not only salary but also press clippings, a couple of other things.

Oprah Winfrey is topping the list this year.

COSTELLO: Oprah.

LEE: Yes. And not really much of a surprise. She was number three last year, though. But her estimated pay: $225 million. I'm sorry, she moved up from number eight last year.

Also, Tiger Woods is second, breaking out of a slump after winning the Master's.

And number three, Mel Gibson. He was first last year, but still made $185 million. We know why. DVD sales of "The Passion of the Christ."

Here's a quick look at the "Forbes" issue. And, well, I can show that to our viewers here. So, here's a look the cover.

Other notable interesting people, "Star Wars" helped George Lucas come in at number four. He actually made the most money, $290 million.

Number five, rounding out the top five, Shaquille O'Neal, he's one of 25 athletes on the list.

And those are the top five.

Some other interesting folks who made it, Dan Brown, of course, author of the "Da Vinci Code."

COSTELLO: Oh, my!

LEE: Yes, number 12, pretty high up. The "Desperate Housewives" as a group made the list, coming in at number 25. And here is something interesting. Paris Hilton, thanks to all of those gossip columns, made the list. She outranks former President Bill Clinton by one. A state-of-art country, right?

And then, number 94, Ken Jennings, of course, the "Jeopardy!" winner.

COSTELLO: Oh, really?

LEE: Yes. So, number 94 is kind of at the bottom, but still he made $2.5 million. He has a board game and a television show in the works. So...

COSTELLO: Well, I am happiest for him.

LEE: Yes. A lot of different types of people are on the list. Here is a look at what the issue actually looks like. So...

COSTELLO: But Tom Cruise or Katie Holmes are not on the list, because, you know, Carrie...

LEE: No. You know, Tom Cruise is pretty far out. Let's see. He's actually number 10. Katie Holmes -- well, I don't know if I have time to go through them.

COSTELLO: That's OK, you don't have to. I was just mentioning it, because, you know, they got engaged.

LEE: Yes, I heard. At the Eiffel Tower last night, right? So...

COSTELLO: It's so beautiful, isn't it?

LEE: Well, maybe that will help her rankings next year.

COSTELLO: Let's talk more about that right now, shall we?

LEE: Sure.

COSTELLO: Because we must. It's romantic. A bit of a cliche, really, for posing atop the Eiffel Tower in Paris, but that's how Tom Cruise decided to propose to his girlfriend, Katie Holmes.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOM CRUISE, ACTOR: The premiere we wanted here in France, because it's beautiful and it's romantic. And, yes, I proposed to Kate last night.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Kate is promoting a movie over there, and that's why he mentioned the movie, "War of the Worlds." Cruise told reporters about the engagement while promoting that movie, as you can see. And Katie Holmes did indeed say yes, and she's wearing a big, old ring.

Your news, money, weather and sports. It is 6:44 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning.

It's happened again, another earthquake off northern California. The 6.6-magnitude quake struck a little more than three hours ago roughly 125 miles west of Eureka. Unlike Tuesday's night quake, no tsunami issue was issued.

In money news, McDonald's wants you to try to exercise while thinking of the Golden Arches. So, later this year, it's offering skateboards and bikes with the company's brand name.

In culture, do you go to the movie theaters much? According to a poll by the AP and AOL, three-fourths of Americans would just as soon watch a movie at home than at the theater.

In sports, it should be a better day at the U.S. Open. Only 9 out of the more than 150 golfers actually broke par on day one. Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson are just a few shots back from the leaders.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Still to come on DAYBREAK, a pill that works better for African-Americans. So, why wouldn't anyone want the FDA to approve it? We'll explain.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Sunday will be Father's Day here and, of course, also in Afghanistan, probably not so good for those serving in Afghanistan. But for one dad serving there, it will be a good day, thanks to his daughter. He's built a well for Afghan villagers outside of Kabul. It's made their lives so much better, and I'm sure it's made him feel better, too.

The father is Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Conley. He joins us live from Afghanistan now. His daughter, Mikaela, and her friend, Aamina Awan, are students at Fairfield University in Connecticut. They all joined forces to raise money to build this well.

And we welcome all of you this morning.

MIKAELA CONLEY, FAIRFIELD UNIVERSITY STUDENT: Thank you.

COSTELLO: So, let's start with you, Mikaela.

LT. COL. CHRISTOPHER CONLEY, U.S. ARMY: Good morning.

COSTELLO: Good morning to all of you.

Let's start with you, Mikaela. Tell me how you joined forces with your friend to raise money.

M. CONLEY: Well, what happened was when my dad first went over there, he was telling us a lot about the stories. And we'd read his e-mails, see his photos of, you know, the devastation that's happened over there. And, really, it was very heartbreaking to hear about. And so, I went to my advisor, Dr. Kate (ph), and she suggested talking with Aamina, who is from Pakistan. And we kind of joined forces and came together and kind of started this project.

COSTELLO: So, Aamina, how did you raise the money?

AAMINA AWAN, FAIRFIELD UNIVERSITY STUDENT: Well, we had local fund-raisers at a local grocery store in Fairfield, Connecticut, where we reside. We also contacted the theater department at our school, where we had the improv group host two shows for us, where we raised over $530 in one night.

COSTELLO: Wow!

AWAN: And -- right. And we also just collected a lot of school supplies and old articles of clothing around the dorms, on campus, from faculty members...

COSTELLO: And in the end -- in the end, you guys raised $3,000. So let's head out to Afghanistan right now and talk to Colonel Conley.

So, Colonel Conley, tell us about this village with 200 people.

C. CONLEY: Hi, good morning.

COSTELLO: Good morning. This village with 200 people. Why did they need this well?

C. CONLEY: Well, there's a critical shortage of water all throughout Afghanistan. And a well is a perfect gift, because it's a gift that keeps on giving.

COSTELLO: And these villagers, they had to walk miles and miles to get the water, to haul it into their homes. And now they don't have to do that.

C. CONLEY: Yes. There would be -- you know, we would see little kids 5 and 6 years old trying to carry some type of container, whatever size their small frames could carry. And they'd be hauling the water sometimes a mile-and-a-half, two miles.

COSTELLO: I see there's an inscription on the well. What does it say?

C. CONLEY: Well, it says it's -- it was an inscription that the village put up, and it says that it's a gift from Fairfield University to the Allowede (ph) village. And the bottom of it is it says "Peace brings all good things," which is actually a Quranic proverb-type saying. It's actually God's wish for mankind.

COSTELLO: So, Mikaela, when...

C. CONLEY: It's very nice, and it's very powerful.

COSTELLO: It certainly is. Mikaela, when you see the kids pumping the well and getting water, I mean, how are you feeling?

M. CONLEY: Oh, it's such an incredible feeling I've pretty much ever felt in my life. It's something that you would never feel. I mean, these people, I'll probably never meet them in my life, and there are so many people just benefiting from this. And it's such a rewarding feeling to be able to have done with his Aamina.

COSTELLO: And that you could work with your dad. What would you like to say to him? Because you two can communicate now.

M. CONLEY: Well, it was great working with him and feeling connected in this way, although we're 14,000 miles apart. And just to feel to have that sort of connection, and especially during the Father's Day season to have this all come out. It's just -- it's something very different than I thought I'd ever experience in my life.

COSTELLO: So, dad, what would you like to say to your daughter?

C. CONLEY: Well, I'd just like to say how proud I am, not only as a dad, but as an American, because it's a fantastic thing. And that's why we're here, and that's what this is all about.

COSTELLO: Lieutenant Colonel Conley, Mikaela, Aamina, thank you for joining DAYBREAK this morning. And congratulations on your fine work there.

M. CONLEY: Thank you.

C. CONLEY: Thank you.

COSTELLO: We appreciate it.

M. CONLEY: Thank you so much.

AWAN: Thank you so much.

C. CONLEY: Thank you. I love you, Mikaela.

COSTELLO: Oh.

M. CONLEY: I love you.

COSTELLO: Oh, it's making me cry. Thank you to all of you.

It's 6:54 Eastern. Here is what will be making news today.

Police in Blacksburg, Virginia, are investigating this discovery of burned copies of the Quran left outside of a mosque. The incident is being investigated as a possible hate crime.

A recent "New York Times"/CBS poll gives President Bush a 42 percent approval rating. That's down from a 51 percent rating in November. The poll of 1,100 adults was taken June 10 through the 15th.

And Boston, Massachusetts, and Boulder, Colorado, are both college towns. The two share another distinction. They lead the nation in marijuana use. The lowest use areas: Northwestern Iowa and South Texas. It's the first of a kind, a drug marketed specifically to one race. The drug is for heart patients, African-American heart patients. And it's nearing FDA approval.

Kareen Wynter live in Washington with details on that.

Good morning -- Kareen.

Good morning to you, Carol.

KAREEN WYNTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Carol.

The study involved black and white patients with heart failure, and it had surprising results. One race responded better to the drug.

COSTELLO: We're having some technical issues. We're going to give it one more go, Kareen. So stand by.

We do not have -- we do not have it, Kareen. We'll try to get that report on later in the day on CNN. And I'm sure we will.

Right now, though -- oh, save me, Chad.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: I will. I'll give you a minute. Maybe we can get that tape.

Anyway, it's time to give away a DAYBREAK coffee mug. We've got the ones from yesterday, Carol. There were only -- I'm not kidding -- seven -- seven correct answers.

COSTELLO: Those were hard questions.

MYERS: I might have to really kind of -- yes, I may have to make some easier questions next time.

Here are the questions. How much did the Justice Department originally seek the tobacco settlement? It was 280 million, reduced to 130 million, and now they're looking at 10 million. And what three airlines are now selling travel insurance with online ticket purchases? Those airlines are Northwest, Continental and America West.

And one of the correct seven answers, from Harry Jay Wyatt from Fort Worth, Texas. The mug is in the mail. Congratulations. Watch out for your thunderstorms later on today, though, Harry Jay.

Now let's move on now to today's questions. How much did a Google share cost when the company first went public? There are really two answers. There is what it went public at, and what the first share really sold at. I'll take either one. And for the first time, the U.S. Air Force has named a woman to what high-profile position? It's not really a job. It's way more than that, Carol.

CNN.com/daybreak. There's a link. Click on the link. Make sure you give us your name and address and the correct answers.

COSTELLO: We'll do. And thanks for saving me. Because you know what? Kareen's story is ready now.

MYERS: I knew it.

COSTELLO: Thank you so much. I appreciate it.

Kareen, we have your story. So give you little intro again, and we'll get right to it, we promise.

WYNTER: Well, let's jump right into it, Carol. This study involved black and white patients with heart failure. They were tested, but only one group performed better.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WYNTER (voice over): The drug is BiDil, designed to treat congestive heart failure, one that may be specifically used and marketed to one race: blacks.

DR. SALLY SATEL, PSYCHIATRIST: Paying attention to race in medicine is done for the benefit of the patient.

WYNTER: When BiDil was tested for treating congestive heart failure, whites had poor results. But in blacks, the death rate was cut by almost half. The results were so startling the tests were cut short.

This cardiologist worked on the study for the drug company, NitroMed.

DR. ELIZABETH OFILI, MOREHOUSE SCHOOL OF MEDICINE: If we get this compound approved as the community is anticipating, if that happens, you know, that is a huge benefit to patients in the community.

WYNTER: Why did the drug work better in tests on one race over another? Experts say it has to do with genes. Heart patients with African groups are more likely to have low levels of a chemical called nitric oxide. That leads to narrower blood vessels and restricted blood flow. BiDil helps raise levels of nitric oxide and widen the arteries.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

And the FDA is expected to make a final decision by next Thursday on whether or not to approve BiDil. Now, if this medicine gets the green light, doctors would be able to prescribe it regardless of race -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Thank you very much, Kareen Wynter.

And we apologize to you, our viewers, for the technical problems.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: From the Time Warner center in New York, I'm Carol Costello along with Chad Myers. "AMERICAN MORNING" starts right now. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.