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CNN Live Sunday
New York Cab Driver Returns Million Dollar Jewelry Case; Interview with Bita Honarvar
Aired August 07, 2005 - 18:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CN ANCHOR: The rescue couldn't have come quick enough for the seven Russian men trapped in a submarine. They're harrowing story of survival ahead.
And Discovery comes home. The astronauts are right now getting a few last hours of shut eye before they begin guiding the shuttle back to Earth.
And...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I (INAUDIBLE). I couldn't believe my eyes. I couldn't believe that. I started looking left and right and is there anyone watching me?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LIN: What would you do if you found something worth a million dollars in the trunk of your car? You just heard Hossam Abdala reaction. And what he did next should bring your smile to your face. I'm going to talk to the cabbie live coming up.
It is August 7. And you are watching CNN LIVE SUNDAY.
From the CNN center in Atlanta, I'm Carol Lin. Our top story in just a moment. But first, the stories making news right now.
The body of a missing honors student has been found by campers in Florida. Cape Coral police say a teenage acquaintance and a 23-year- old man confessed to killing Anna Marie Cruz Randazzo. Authorities say her body was in an abandoned refrigerator that was set on fire. They are waiting for medical tests to determine how she died.
Shaken up, but no worse for wear, two Ohio teens are safe today after an unlucky spin on Lake Erie. They were stranded on their jet sky for two hours last night when the engine conked out. A worried mom called the Coast Guard. A helicopter rescue team spotted the boys. And the harbor patrol picked them up.
And rescue crews in China are racing to save 103 miners trapped underground in a flooded coal mine. China's mines are some of the most dangerous in the world. This year alone, some 2700 people have died in Chinese mine accidents.
Already home and grateful to be there -- that is our top story -- are the seven Russians who were rescued from that disabled submarine. The crew emerged from the sub late last night. And with little time or air to spare. Senior international correspondent Matthew Chance has reaction to the remarkable rescue.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice- over): It was the moment for which few Russians had dared hoped. The mini-submarine trapped on the ocean floor for more than three days finally surfacing its seven crew members alive and well. The wife of the sub's commander spoke for many.
ELENA MILASHEVSKAYA, WIFE OF RESCUED SAILOR (through translator): I was ready to dance. I was crying. I was so glad, so happy to hear they're fine.
CHANCE: And for Russian officials a major success, too. Their early call for international assistance of this remote and military sensitive far eastern seaboard now vindicated.
VICTOR FEDOROV, RUSSIAN PACIFIC FLEET COMMANDER (through translator): I would like to stress that the help of the Royal Navy of Great Britain was crucial in this rescue operation. We admire their experience, highest professionalism and technical capability. Their apparatus placed a full stop in the story and released our mini submarine from its shackles.
CHANCE: It was Thursday morning, the Russian craft became tangled in abandoned fishing nets and a mesh of deep sea antennae off the remote Kamchatka Peninsula. British specialists arriving ahead of teams from the United States and Japan launched an undersea robot to cut the mini submarine free, an intensive operation that took three- and-a-half hours.
Underwater footage shows how the British submersible was maneuvered using cameras and lights by specialist operators on the surface. Its powerful cutting equipment severing debris to free the Russian sub.
JONTY POWIS, BRITISH SUB RESCUE SPECIALIST: This was no drill. It was saving the lives of seven men. So, we're all very pleased that it went so well.
CHANCE: These have been tense days in Russia. The crisis renewing bitter memories of the cursed tragedy five years ago: 118 sailors died on board a nuclear submarine marooned in the freezing waters of the Arctic. Back then, the Russian military refused help until it was too late.
The dramatic and happy events of recent days showing with a little help, the best of outcomes can be achieved.
(on camera): But this crisis underlines, once again, the dilapidated state of the once mighty Russian Navy, so cash strapped, it doesn't even possess the essential rescue vehicles to operate at the depth at which their sub was stranded. In the eyes of many Russians, the promises of the Russian president, Vladamir Putin after the Kursk disaster to improve naval equipment seems to have and little effect.
Matthew Chance, CNN, Moscow.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LIN: In the fight for Iraq, the country's political leaders are holding marathon meetings in Baghdad. Their goal? To reach agreement on a draft of the country's constitution, a document that's supposed to be presented to parliament by August 15th.
That day is drawing near. And insurgent violence is escalating. All across Iraq, insurgent car bombs and ambushes claimed more lives this weekend.
For example, in Samarra two U.S. soldiers were killed and three others wounded in a roadside bomb attack. There was another U.S. fatality attack near Fallujah. U.S. military officials say a marine died there in a suicide car bombing yesterday.
In Tikrit today, a fuel tanker exploded near Iraqi police headquarters. Two officers were killed and ten wounded. Two more Iraqi police officers were killed in a drive-by shooting in Baqubah.
And in the capital, a string of assassinations by insurgent gunmen. Among the dead, two Sunni Arab leaders, two employees of the Iraqi oil ministry and three Iraqi soldiers.
In the southern city of Samawa today, a street demonstration that turned violent. At least one person was killed and 50 others injured after police clashed with civilians who were protesting poor living conditions.
And another new public opinion poll reflects a growing sense of unease about Iraq. The Newsweek poll conducted last week as American war death rose asked how President Bush is handling Iraq. Well, 61 percent said they disapprove. But 34 percent did approve. A seven- point drop, though, from mid-July. And the first time the number has dipped below 40 in a poll conducted for Newsweek.
The mother of a soldier who was killed in Iraq says she will maintain her vigil in Crawford, Texas for the rest of President Bush's vacation, or until Mr. Bush agrees to see her personally. Cindy Shehan (ph) lost her son Casey last year. Two U.S. senators, a Democrat and a Republican agree that Mr. Bush should grant the grieving mother's wish, but they have very different views on the war.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. GEORGE ALLEN, (R) VIRGINIA: It is important for parents and families to understand how much we're grateful for the sacrifice they've made for the loss of their loved ones, but the cause here is for the security of the United States. We cannot just sit back. We have to take it to them. And while they die in these efforts, it's tragic. It's absolutely tragic. But, still, we look at them as heroes. And, because of them, we're going to have greater security. And there will be the advancement of freedom in the Middle East.
SEN. BARBARA BOXER, (D) CALIFORNIA: I would tell her to do everything she could to spare other families this grief, to get us off the cycle of violence, to make sure that we have a mission we can complete. Let the Iraqis defend their country. We will always help them. And let us spare our young men and women, because this is no end in sight at this point.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LIN: Still on the war, a community in Ohio continues to grieve the loss of more than a dozen marine reservists, all from a unit based in the Cleveland area. CNN's Alino Cho reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Irene Fisher knows what it's like to lose a loved one. Her brother died in World War II, her husband is a Vietnam veteran, her son-in-law leaves for Iraq next month.
IRENE FISHER, BROOK PARK RESIDENT: So I do know how the families do feel, and how they grieve behind closed doors and sob. And it's all very private, but it comes back home.
CHO: Husband Warren things about a friend's son, about all of the troops fighting there now.
WARREN FISHER, BROOK PARK RESIDENT: I pray for him. I pray for all of them. Being a veteran, I appreciate what they gave.
CHO: So they come to remember: a sea of red, white and blue adorns a makeshift memorial outside the marine reserves center, flags and flowers, cards and candles, even a varsity football jersey that once belonged to one of the fallen marines.
(on camera): This is a tough time for you.
JOHN MILBURN, IRAQ WAR VETERAN: Yeah. It's pretty touching. It brings back a lot of memories.
CHO (voice-over): Sergeant First Class John Milburn served a year Iraq. Came back in January. He drove 60 miles to see the memorial.
I MILBURN: had my wife and kids with me. And I mean -- ever since I've been home, they just know -- there's times I go off by myself and think about things I went through, that the unit I'm has went through. And they understand that. And they let me -- I think it's just -- I think we need to do that.
CHO: Bob Skoczan served in Vietnam.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When I look at this, I get as emotional as I would when I see the Vietnam wall, and that brings me very, very often right down to my knees there. CHO: Dan Polichek (ph), who served in the Navy, brought a poem.
BOB SKOCZEN, VIETNAM WAR VETERAN: They're our local boys. I mean, you know, they called to serve their country. They answered that call.
CHO: Warren Fisher says he wants the troops to finish their work in Iraq. He also wants all of them to come home safe.
W. FISHER: They're (INAUDIBLE) world. I just (INAUDIBLE). There's other states and families that lost theirs, but this is home. It's close. It's our family.
CHO (on camera): Tomorrow, thousands of people are expected to attend a public memorial service in Cleveland. And throughout the state, there will be private memorials later in the week.
Alina Cho, CNN, Brook Park, Ohio.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LIN: In roughly two-and-a-half hours, Discovery's crew gets a wake-up call for the journey home. NASA is confident the shuttle will safely navigate the dangerous descent through the Earth's atmosphere. But the wait is still going to be a nail-biter. Anticipation is growing at Kennedy Space Center. Our Sean Callebs is there.
Sean, how is the weather holding out there?
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, the anticipation didn't get any better by this late summer thunderstorm that Central Florida is so famous for, that blew in here over the last half hour. But NASA tells us that at 4:47 in the morning Eastern, the weather conditions here at the Kennedy Space Center are supposed to be fine. And everything should be fine for the crew to re-enter and land Discovery after its 13-day mission.
Well, we know that the crew spent its last hours before sacking out today buttoning up the shuttle and also going through last-minute flight tests that they must do before re-entry, including getting those orange pressure suits ready that they wear during launch and of course re-entry.
Now, time was this home stretch re-entry and landing was pretty much taken for granted by people all across the United States. But of course, all that changed on February 1, 2003 with the Columbia disaster.
Now, here is what the orbiter and the seven-person crew will have to deal with on re-entry. Temperatures close to 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit. And this is important, because most of the frame of the shuttle is made of aluminum. And that can melt at 350 degrees. So, that's why that heat shield is important.
Now, with the repeated tests and inspection that went on in space over the past 13 days, we know some of those tiles have been nicked. But NASA says the crew is not in jeopardy.
Now, in talking with some of the pilots who have gone through re- entry before, they say it is like trying to land a brick. Well, here is how Discovery pilot Jim Kelly describes it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JIM KELLY, DISCOVERY PILOT: Once we start re-entering the atmosphere, you start seeing the plasma go by the windows. If your rolled over to your side for -- Eileen rolled to the left, myself to the right -- you can see the lights. And if you're in daylight, you can see the ground rush by very, very quickly.
And we like to say, the slower you go, the faster it is. Because for us inside, as we get closer and closer to landing, we're doing more and more operations and really having to keep track of things at a relatively fast pace all the way down to the ground.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CALLEBS: Well, the astronauts are scheduled to wake up in about an hour-and-a-half. And then begin suiting up about 2:40. Then, 3:40, they will begin re-entry.
Now, the orbiter is actually going to come in over Central America, then over Cuba, then up through South Florida. It will make a number of S turns as it closes to just about 30 miles above the Earth. Then it will actually make a little bit of a U-turn and land coming in from the north. At 4:47 in the morning.
And Carol, we can tell you, Miles O'Brien is going to be here. We're going to have a special beginning at 4:00 Eastern time. And everybody, of course, is keeping their fingers crossed and hoping for a safe and uneventful landing -- Carol.
LIN: You bet. And let's hope the weather holds out as well. Thanks very much, Sean.
Sean just mentioned it. I just want to remind you, watch CNN's Miles O'Brien. He's going to bring you all the complete details of Discovery's return to Earth. That special report begins at 4:00 a.m. Eastern. It's going to be very exciting.
In the meantime, turning back to the war in Iraq. The National Guard in Georgia is also dealing with recent loss of several servicemen. How is the division in Iraq handling the pain? I'm going to talk with a photo journalist embedded with the 48th.
Israel's complete pullout from Gaza is one step closer to reality today. Up next, why the plans sent one high profile cabinet minister heading for the door.
Plus...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When I opened the box, I closed the box right away. I couldn't believe my eyes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LIN: A New York cab driver discovers hundreds of thousands of dollars. You know what? We think it is more than a million of jewelry. What did he do next? Would he run off with it? I'm going to talk with him coming up at the bottom of the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LIN: In our "Security Watch," the U.S. diplomatic mission in Saudi Arabia is issuing an ominous warning. The U.S. embassy in Riyadh and the consulates in the Saudi cities of Jedda (ph) and Tehran (ph)will be closed Monday and Tuesday. A State Department spokesman says there are specific and credible threats to American government buildings. It's also warning U.S. citizens to be careful in that region.
Now, the Saudi government says it does not have any solid information about any imminent threat in the kingdom.
Now, Saudi sources say the kingdom warned Britain of imminent terror threats against it before the July mass transit attacks in London. Those sources tell CNN they had no direct link between the threats and the deadly bombings on the 7th. In other words, they had nothing to do with it or second botched bombings two weeks later. But a senior Saudi official says the threats were intercepted communications between Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom. One source said the exchange occurred a couple of months ago.
In the meantime, London police arrested a suspected al Qaeda operative today. 30-year-old Harroun Rashid Aswat is under suspicion of facilitating or recruiting for the July 7 London bombings that killed 52 commuters. Aswat is a British citizen. And was taken into custody after landing in London on a charter flight from the west African nation of Zambia. His deportation comes two-and-a-half weeks after his arrest in Zambia. Aswat is also wanted in connection with two terrorism cases right here in the United States.
In the meantime, British police as well say they have charged two more suspects in connection with the botched July 21 bomb attacks on London's mass transit system. Ibrahim Muqtar Said and Ramsey Mohammed both face a string of charges including conspiracy to murder and attempted murder. They were arrested in raids in west London on July 29. They are due to appear in court tomorrow along with four other suspects.
Now, obviously, CNN is very committed to providing the most reliable coverage of news that affects your security. So stay tuned to us for the latest information day and night.
Also, concerns over Israel's security prompted that country's finance minister abruptly resign today. Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel's planned pullout from the Gaza Strip will create a haven for Islamic terrorists and he wants no part of it.
The Israeli cabinet today formally approved the first phase of the pullout. Under the plan, Israeli troops will leave Gaza. And the first of several Jewish settlements will be dismantled. We get more on the political fall-out from CNN's Paula Hancocks.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): There comes a moment of truth for any leader to ask himself what he's fighting for, a quote from the Former Israeli Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying that moment for him is now. The highest-ranking minister to resign in protest over the Israeli pullout of all 21 Gaza settlements and hold from the West Bank. Nethanyahu said there is (INAUDIBLE) to plan with (INAUDIBLE) starting in just over a week makes his position as a cabinet minister untenable.
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, FORMER ISRAELI FINANCE MINISTER: I cannot be a partner to a move that I think compromises the security of Israel. Tears the people apart.
HANCOCKS: His resignation comes too late to impact Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's disengagement plan. After Netanyahu put his resignation on the cabinet table. That same cabinet overwhelmingly approved phase one of the pullout. Political analysts believe Netanyahu is looking beyond the issue of disengagement positioning himself politically for what happens after the pullout.
MICHAEL OREN, THE SHALEM CENTER: Who is going to lead this the good party? In so far as it could remain the leading party in this country. Well who is going to be the dominant force in the Israeli political system?
HANCOCKS (on camera): Netanyahu was prime minister from 1996 to 1999. Few say that he still has further aspirations for the top job. He is expected to challenge Sharon's leadership with the ruling Likud Party before the next election. Netanyahu has received accolades for his economic reforms while finance minister, he widely credited with pulling Israel out of recession. Sharon says economic policy will not change but neither will his plans for disengagement saying the resignation will not delay the pullout.
Paula Hancocks, CNN, Jerusalem.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LIN: Well, they make our lives more convenient, but is dependence on the latest and greatest gadgets creating an environmental nightmare? Still to come, what's being done to clean up our modern mess.
And up next, what's it like to be a witness to history? I'm going to talk with a photographer embedded with U.S. troops in Iraq. Hear her message for Americans back home. These are some of her photos.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LIN: Every week we like to bring you the more personal stories from the front lines. And for U.S. troops in Iraq, death and danger are part of daily life. Photographer Bita Honarvar with the "Atlanta Journal Constitution" newspaper is embedded with the 48th Brigade Combat Team. Earlier, she spoke with me about how soldiers deal with loss. And there has been plenty of that.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LIN: Bita, what is it like for you to look at your own photos? I mean, for us it was, as outsiders, it was really compelling, and it was very -- a very -- these very private and intense moments for these soldiers in their moment of grief. What's it like for you to now look at your own photos?
BITA HONARVAR, PHOTOGRAPHER: Well, I look at them. And I just hope I was able to capture what it was being here and sharing those somber moments with the soldiers for the people back home reading the paper. I just hope that I was able to do a good job of representing what went on here. But it does remind me of how sad the past couple weeks have been here at Camp Striker.
LIN: Yeah. You got there at a time when the 48th -- you really saw the 48th get hit pretty hard.
HONARVAR: Right. Yes. We found out, basically, the day we left Kuwait for Baghdad that the four soldiers that died on the 24th. And with that first week we were here, we had to deal with the soldiers mourning loss of (INAUDIBLE) soldiers. Then it happened again. So, they will be having a memorial tomorrow for them also.
That's been pretty much what we've been covering since we've been here.
LIN: You know, what really comes across in these pictures is that there is a whole ritual that these brigades have around death and honoring the memory of the soldier lost.
HONARVAR: There really is. It is pretty much the same setup the whole way through. They have on the stage set up four upended rifles and helmets and dog tags and boots representing the fallen soldiers. And they go through memorials for them. And then soldiers come, usually up two by two, to pay their respects at the rifle. It is really very moving to see them do that. And you can see how much it has affected them.
LIN: Bita, and yet, the battle rages on. So, how would you describe how these men and women deal with their grief knowing that they've got to fight another day?
HONARVAR: From talking to the soldiers, I would say it is -- it is definitely -- it's obviously sad for them. And 13 men, of course, they've got some apprehension going out. But it's a -- they're soldiers. And they're at war. And they then just going out and doing their mission, I think, is the best way they deal with it, just doing what they're here to do.
LIN: What do you think is important for your readers to understand about what's happening over there right now?
HONARVAR: I guess just how serious the situation is. I think it is very easy being in the states to kind of be distracted sometimes and not realize how dangerous it can be over here, or how serious the situation is. I just hope that we do a good job trying to bring that back home and show people the kind of issues that these soldiers have to deal with as they do their job every day.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LIN: As we go to break, we want to honor some of those men from Georgia's 48th brigade who lost their lives in Iraq.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LIN: Welcome back. I'm Carol Lin.
Happening right now in the news, seven Russian sailors are back on dry land alive and well. Their mini submarine was trapped hundreds of feet under the Pacific Ocean. An unmanned British vehicle helped free the sub. Russia's president has ordered an investigation to find out what happened.
And there's now an effective human vaccine for avian flu, a highly contagious disease that has killed 57 people in Asia. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says government and private sector scientists developed the vaccine. Avian flu has also led to the deaths of millions of birds.
Falling support from Americans on the way President Bush is handling the war in Iraq. A new Newsweek poll shows 61 percent disapprove of the president's policies. 34 percent, though, do approve which is Bush's lowest rating on Iraq since the magazine started tracking it.
Astronauts on the Shuttle Discovery are on their way back to Earth. CNN is going to carry the scheduled landing just ten hours from now. The crew spent today working on flight control checks and practicing landing on a computer simulator.
Now, Discovery is going to be landing in relative darkness, something it rarely does. And that makes the weather over Florida a crucial factor. It has been turning nasty. So, is it going to be clear by landing time? Meteorologist Rob Marciano is keeping tabs on the forecast.
Rob, we just went live over there. Poor Sean Callebs for CNN is standing there in the rain at Cape Canaveral. Is it going to get any better?
ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: It should overnight tonight, Carol. I think one of the reasons they try this time of year to land in the early dawns hours is because in the afternoon you typically get these showers and thunderstorms that fire up along a sea breeze front. And on top of that, right now we have a little red L on the map down across the southeast, so that tends to agitating the atmosphere even more.
We'll use our tightened radar to highlight what I'm talking about. This illustrates what's raining -- or where it is raining right now and how heavily it is raining. You can see that the Florida peninsula has been filling up with some radar echoes. And that's why that live shot out of Cape Canaveral was showing some pretty heavy weather in the way of showers and thunderstorms.
Zooming in just a little bit more, you see a pretty intense line coming -- hovering the coast line right now. Typically they would move offshore to onshore. But because of that red L, things are just kind of meandering right in through here. And if the shuttle were to try to land right now, they would definitely say no go.
They have to have at least half the sky to be clear below 8,000 feet. And the visibility has to be at least 5 miles. And then there can't be any sort of shower activity within 30 nautical miles of the landing site. So very strict weather conditions have to be -- requirements have to be met.
All right. This is one of our computer models. We are going to take you through time. 4:38 tomorrow morning, which is when we expect the shuttle to land, showers forecast to be offshore, but still they're being pretty optimistic.
For a launch, NASA will put out a percentage chance of a successful launch. But it doesn't -- I can't find anywhere where they put a percentage chance for a successful landing. But I think we'll see a probably a 60 percent or 70 percent of likelihood of seeing a landing tomorrow morning as scheduled along Cape Canaveral. And if that doesn't happen, they may postpone it to Tuesday or bring it in over there in California. But right now, isolated showers expected offshore.
Speaking of offshore, this time of year would also be -- a fly in the bonnet would be hurricanes. And the closest thing we have to a hurricane is Tropical Storm Irene which is well out here into the Atlantic Ocean there, Carol. So we're not too worried about Irene.
Right now, the weather is nasty, typically this time of year. We'll look for those showers to dissipate overnight. And hopefully they'll meet those weather requirements tomorrow morning at 4:37.
Right now better than 50 percent chance of seeing that happening. So, that is optimistic.
LIN: All right. Optimistic, but still, anything can happen, Rob. So, we'll see. Thanks very much.
MARCIANO: OK.
LIN: Also a programming reminder. CNN's space correspondent Miles O'Brien will bring you complete details of Discovery's return to Earth. That special report begins at 4:00 a.m. Eastern.
All right. Usually there's some kind of political storm brewing in Washington, but not so much during the dog days of August. Congress is in recess. And the president is on vacation. Thank God, say the people who aren't interested in politics as unusual. But as usual, our CNN political analyst Carlos Watson has his totally "Fresh Take" on where the next big idea is coming from.
Carol, what's up? It is August. Give it a rest.
CARLOS WATSON, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Carol Lin, we have got to look overseas. You know, the former speaker of the House once said all politics is local. But the truth of the matter is, sometimes the most intriguing stories are global political stories. In fact, they have substantive implications.
LIN: All right. Like what? What's going on?
WATSON: Well, about six weeks from now, there will be a big election in Germany. And some will start to yawn and say why should I pay attention to that? But I'll give you two reasons.
LIN: OK.
WATSON: One, Germany, that conservative bastion, believe it or not, may actually elect a woman to become the first chancellor of Germany.
LIN: I think we're looking at her now.
WATSON: Angela Merkel, a former physicist with a Ph.D who grew up not in what was the former West Germany, but actually in East Germany.
And that's interesting to American politics for two reasons. One, because sometimes powerful international candidacies can inspire people here, meaning a Hillary Clinton, a Condi Rice or someone we don't even know may get more confident about their ability to run. And in fact, fundraisers, those who support them and voters who may see someone like Germany support a woman as chancellor may say, that can happen over here -- why not over there, why not over here in the U.S.?
LIN: Wow, it sounds like you're suggesting if this happens in Germany and the pundits and the funderaisers take their cue, your talking about maybe not just one woman on a ticket, maybe Hillary Clinton. But two?
WATSON: Look, you never know. In fact, 40 -- almost 50 years ago, the civil rights movement here in the United States got an extra spark, an extra piece of momentum when Dr. Martin Luther King and others looked over to see some of the independents movements in Africa. And said if those can happen in Kenya and elsewhere, why can't they happen here?
So, don't be surprised if there's not a governor, whether she is in Kansas or Arizona or somewhere, who says you know what, Hillary and Condi aren't the only ones who have ambition.
LIN: Yeah. Janet Napolitano in Arizona could be an interesting candidacy. Lots of buzz about her.
What else is going on, though, internationally, you think that might affect what's happening here?
WATSON: You know, the other interesting place to look is closer to home. And instead of a very conservative candidate, actually we're looking at a liberal candidate there. Andres Obrador who just resigned in the last week as mayor of Mexico City is now planning on running for president of Mexico. Many people expect he'll win, although the race isn't until next year.
And we here in America, why should we care here? Well one, he's another interesting and unusual candidate. Just like Merkel was a physicist turned politician, Obrador is a former Indian rights activist. And can you imagine an Indian rights activist running here in the US?
LIN: No. I mean, what influence would that have?
WATSON: You know, the other interesting thing -- there's a little -- we have got a little bit of technical difficulty, but one of the other interesting things about Obrador is his ability to potentially impact policy implications here.
For example, if next door in Mexico, someone like Obrador who is -- believes strongly investing in welfare programs decides to implement a serious universal healthcare program, you can imagine how that would alter the debate here in the U.S., where lots of lawmakers say if that can happen south of the border, why can't it happen here?
Also, what he decides in terms of immigration will be every bit as important as what President Bush, what Senator McCain, Senator Kyl and lots of others decide to do.
And last but not least, some ten plus years after NAFTA, certainly Obrador could have a key role when you talk about outsourcing. So, whether or not you keep your job in certain regions have a lot to do with him as well.
LIN: Interesting. Carlos Watson, thanks very much.
And I want to share with the folks over there a "Fresh Take" follow up. We've got the cover of "Newsweek" magazine here. It's got the big meth story. Carlos Watson, a couple of months ago, tipped us off that meth was going to be the next big story.
In fact, Carlos was talking about how -- Carlos, if you can hear me, you were talking about how pharmacists were going to be on the front lines in the meth war. And already, you are hearing talk across the country of making cold medications which meth is made from, actually be required to get a prescription.
LIN: Very much so, Carol. In fact, more than 15 states now, if you want to go in and buy some of your usual cold medicines that have pseudo-ephedrine which is often used to make meth, now you have to got to the pharmacist in order to get it.
But what's interesting here -- and one other follow-up note to think about -- some almost 20 years ago when crack became an epidemic, one of the mistakes that was made in response was it was only a law enforcement response and not as much a treatment response. And consequently many of our jails got filled up. And in some places like California, sometimes you saw them spend more on jails and correction than they do on higher education.
Similarly here with meth, which is very addictive and often called poor man's cocaine, one of the worries that there will only be more law enforcement and not enough treatment. There are a million- and-a-half regular users and some 12 million Americans who have used meth at one point or another.
LIN: And no longer the poor man's cocaine. I mean, this is hitting the middle class and hitting deep.
WATSON: Very much so.
LIN: You bet. All right. You told us about it months ago. It is just hitting the headlines. Thanks very much.
WATSON: Good to see you.
LIN: Carlos Watson, you, too.
From e-mail to e-waste, the technological age changing the way we live our lives. Now, it's even changing the way we handle our garbage. That story next.
And still to come, how a test of honesty changed a New York City cabbi's life overnight. There he is. And there's the boss. We're going to hear from both of them.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LIN: Taking a look at stories across America now.
Officials believe a missing ranger found dead in Rocky Mountain National Park died after a fall. A hiker found the body of Jeff Christianson yesterday. An intense search for Christianson had been under way since he vanished northwest of Denver more than a week ago.
A pre-season practice for the New York Giants and New York Jets got out of hand, you might say. Giants tight end Jeremy Shockey got into a brawl with two Jets players yesterday. Many others joined in as well. Practice continued after the brawl was broken up.
Elvis Presley fans are all shook up. Lisa Marie Presley has sold the business side of her father's estate. And turned over his home to the entertainment company that owns the "American Idol" television show. Some fans worry Graceland just won't be the same. Well, life is full of irony. You know all those electronic devices that make life so much easier: cell phones, computers, Blackberries -- they could be hard on the environment. Bill Prasad has the story on what could be a mountain of a modern mess.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BILL PRASAD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's called e- trash, and it's becoming an enormous problem. Parts of some landfills turning into a sea of cells, keys and circuit boards. As new products hit the shelves, the old machines land in the dump.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 486DX 33.
PRASAD: This Mary resident's 11-year-old computer was running windows 3.1.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have moved it between states multiple times. And we're moving again. So, I thought it was time to move on.
PRASAD: The environmental protection agency says 4 million tons of e-waste end up in U.s. landfills each year. In the latest issue of "Smithsonian" magazine author Elizabeth Royte says Americans discard 100 million electronic devices a year, many contain toxic materials like mercury and lead that can be harmful to the environment and to people.
JOHN O'HARA, MD. BUREAU OF ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES: So, if we can remove them from the waste stream and put them back into beneficial official use, it eliminates any kind of environmental impact from that material.
PRASAD (on camera): A dozen states are considering recycling legislation. Maryland is the latest state to pass a law that requires some computer makers to either help collect e-waste or help pay for those collections.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE; By working with the manufacturers, they're trying to do a combination of collection that's easy and convenient for the sit dens.
SCOTT WILSON, SUBTRACTIONS LLC: Steel circuit board, silver, gold, copper.
PRASAD (voice-over): At Subtractions in Laurel, Maryland, they stack, separate and shred. About 20,000 pounds of e-waste move through here a day. Devices are cleaned, recycled and given new e- lives.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everything is saved. There's virtually nothing thrown away.
PRASAD: The goal is to save landfill space, save the environment and make recycling easy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We definitely think it is a good thing to not just dump them in the trash.
PRASAD: A good thing whose time has come. The EPA says e-waste is piling up three times faster than regular household trash. Officials know they are in a race against technology that keeps pumping out new devices and consumers who keep throwing out old gadgets.
Bill Prasad, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LIN: You've heard of honest Abe, what about honest Hossam? Up next, I'll talk with a cabbi whose actions have likely warmed the hearts of even the most jaded New Yorkers. There he is on the right. His boss is on the left. I'll be talking to them both.
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LIN: You know, it takes a lot to surprise a New York cab driver. They've seen it all. But this week, a New York cabbie was completely stunned when he looked inside a suitcase a passenger had left in his car. It was filled with diamonds. Almost a million dollars worth.
So, what did he do? Something many people probably wouldn't. He tracked down the owner, a Canadian jewelry dealer, who was equally shocked that he got his diamonds back.
So, joining me now live from New York, that honest cab driver Hossam Abdullah. And with him on the left is Matthew Daus, the commissioner of New York's Taxi and Limousine Commission.
Welcome to both of you. But Hossam, I've got to start with you. Are you sitting there now, OK, in the limelight, asking yourself could I have been rich? I could have been rich. I could be sitting here -- instead of sitting here, I could be sitting on a million dollars.
HOSSAM ABDALA, NEW YORK CAB DRIVER: Yes, it really came to my mind. But this happened after I gave it back. I thought that how it will be. But you know, I just did what I thought was the right thing to do.
LIN: Right. Because you saw the suitcase, but you didn't really know what was inside after the had passenger left. Until a few passengers later, you thought well instead of turning it over to the police, it might be something dangers, maybe I should open it up.
ABDALA: Exactly. That's what happened. That's what happened.
LIN: And then when you opened it up, what was your reaction?
ABDALA: When I opened it up, I got shocked. I found all these diamonds and jewelry. I just -- I didn't know what to do. I panicked. But right away, I realized when I sat down and looked at it, I realized that I represent any New Yorker. And I have to do the right thing, because this is a responsibility. LIN: We just showed a photograph of you and the man the suitcase belonged to, Thierry Delicia (ph), I think is his name. You actually managed to track him down. How?
ABDALA: What happened is he left behind a business card on the back seat. I usually check the back seat of the car. And when I found his business card when I dropped him off, I took it and I put it next to me in a little plastic bag. And then when I opened the bag and I found all these things, I recalled the situation, I remembered that there is a business card. I took the business card. I called his company. And I asked them for his cell phone number. And that's how I got him.
LIN: What luck. And he was actually planning on leaving New York City, but instead he stayed hoping and praying that maybe somehow his suitcase would turn up. So, you called him. And got him on the telephone. How did that conversation go?
ABDALA: The first thing I asked, I called him. I said Mr. Polisha (ph). He said yes. I asked him are you in New York or are you in Canada. He said no. His answer was did you found my jewelry? I told him, yes, I did. His second question was, would you give it back to me? I said of course, I will give it back to you.
LIN: And then what was his reaction?
ABDALA: He sounded like he was crying.
LIN: Oh. Can you imagine what was on the line for him?
ABDALA: Yes.
LIN: Let me ask you, Mr. Daus, I mean, here you are. This is a star cab driver. OK. This is man of the year. Do you teach your cab drivers when they get their medallions that they need a license for driving in New York, do you teach them about honestly and how to deal with a situation like this?
MATTHEW DAUS, N.Y. TAXI & LIMOUSINE COMMISSION: Well, first of all, we're very proud of Hossam. I mean, he basically represents the spirit and integrity of all our cab drivers. I mean, there are hundreds of stories of lost property being returned every day, but not as valuable as this. This is actually the second highest valued item ever returned.
LIN: Second. What was first?
DAUS: Yo-Yo Ma's $2.4 million cello.
LIN: OK. I'll take that.
DAUS: And we do teach drivers what is to do. And we give them training on where you need to go and bring your property. And many of them go above and beyond and actually go out of their way to return the property themselves. And that's exactly what Hossam did. It was out of the playbook. And we're very, very proud of him. And very, very thrilled.
LIN: Bravo.
Hossam, so, did the diamond owner give you any money, any diamonds?
ABDALA: Yes. He promised me he's going to give me a reward when he comes back to New York this week. He said he's going to give me some diamond reward.
LIN: A diamond reward?
ABDALA: Yes.
LIN: You're going to get some rocks.
ABDALA: Yes.
LIN: All right. Are you going to retire, or are you going to keep driving then?
ABDALA: I'll keep driving, maybe.
LIN: You'll keep driving maybe. Maybe another suitcase will come your way.
Mr. Daus, what about -- what are you going to do for this man?
DAUS: Well, we already gave him an integrity award. But we're going to honor him at our annual driver recognition ceremony which we hold every year to honor drivers that go above and beyond like Hossam. And he's going to be the keynote speaker. And we're going to basically give him some more awards that day and have his whole family down and enjoy the whole day.
LIN: All right. How about a discount on his cab?
DAUS: Well, I think Hossam is doing OK. And with those diamond rings, I think his wife will be very happy.
LIN: All right. Good deal. Hossam Abdala, pleasure to meet you. Mr. Daus, you are a lucky man. If only you can clone this guy and have a thousand of him, wouldn't that be wonderful. You might. Actually you might...
ABDALA: Thank you very much.
LIN: A lot of honest cab drivers out there.
That's all the time we have for this hour.
Coming up next, "PEOPLE IN THE NEWS" features pop stars Britney Spears and Jessica Simpson.
At 8:00 Eastern, CNN takes an in depth look at the prominent sports legends that have defined the game in the past 25 years. At 9:00 Eastern, his wife is accused of sleeping with one of her students. Here from him in an encore presentation of "LARRY KING LIVE."
And I'll be back at 10:00 Eastern with my interview with Hugh Hefner. Your going to want to find out about the ageless playboy. And what he's doing now in a reality TV show.
The hour's headlines when I come back. And then "PEOPLE IN THE NEWS."
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