Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Boy Scout Missing in North Carolina Mountains; Sectarian Violence Displaces Thousands in Iraq

Aired March 19, 2007 - 14:00   ET

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

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, I'm Don Lemon live at the CNN World Headquarters in Atlanta.
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Brianna Keilar in for Kyra Phillips today. She's going to join us in just a minute from Iraq.

But first, he's endured freezing temperatures for two nights now an Amber Alert is issued for a Boy Scout missing in the North Carolina mountains. CNN is live from the search, and you are in the CNN NEWSROOM.

KEILAR: Park rangers in North Carolina are trying to cover all the possibilities in the hunt for a missing Boy Scout. They've expanded the search area and even issued an Amber Alert. Joining us live now with the very latest, CNN's Bob Franken.

Hi, Bob.

BOB FRANKEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, they're looking for Michael Auberry, who disappeared from his Boy Scout troop, suddenly, during a on lunch break. This happened on Saturday. He hasn't been seen since.

As Don pointed out a moment ago, he's endured at least a couple nights of 20-degree kind of weather. Officials still continue to be optimistic. They have a huge ground search going on, multi-faceted, but they also expanded it to it, as you pointed out, to that Amber Alert.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TINA WHITE, NATIONAL PARK RANGER: I think it's a cautionary measure to take. We always, whenever we search for someone who is missing out in the woods, we also want to take into consideration maybe they made their way to a roadway and they were picked up by someone. Maybe if there's any foul play involved, I think it's a precautionary measure we want to take to make sure we cover every base while we search for this young man.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FRANKEN: The Amber Alert was probably set up in the last day or so and not announced. What was also announced today is young Michael has attention deficit disorder. Officials are concerned he's out there without his medication, his Ritalin, which could cause him to act in unusual ways.

All of that, nonetheless has not dampened a determine optimism. His parents were at the site today, the command post, and they're saying they continue to be of -- they insist on being optimistic, though they say they have their ups and downs -- Brianna.

KEILAR: So, Bob, what can you tell us about his survival skills. Obviously, he's a Boy Scout, and I imagine they don't send these young boys out without some training. What do you know?

FRANKEN: Well, they that he's had some training, first of all. And that he would know such things as, in the cold of the night, to try roll up in some leaves. That would be a problem if there was rain, but there has been none yet. He also was dressed warmly. He had on fleece and he had on a very thick jacket. All of that is part of what's giving hope to the family and those that are conducting the intensive search.

KEILAR: Bob, thanks for keeping an eye on this search for us.

Don.

LEMON: It began with "Shock and Awe", now the war in Iraq enters its fifth year with bombs and explosions of a different kind. Insurgent attacks claimed more lives today in Kirkuk. It's the kind of violence that's forced thousands to of Iraqis to flee, some are refugees inside their own country. Our very own Kyra Phillips was in the region when the war began four years ago. Now she's back in Baghdad with an extraordinary look at life inside a refugee camp.

Hello, Kyra.

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Don.

Yep, those displaced Iraqis -- we're talking about 600,000 displaced Iraqis, right now, 50,000 more every month are being forced out of their homes. It's the sectarian violence, the Shia/Sunni violence that is forcing these families from their neighborhoods.

One family we caught up with, five children, here's their story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS (voice over): When you enter the Al-Batahl (ph) refugee camp, see the filth, smell the sewage, and imagine the dangers. It's depressing. And then you meet the children.

(On camera): I think what amazes me most about all these children is that they're still happy and positive. They bicycles and they play soccer. That's all they need right now. I asked them if they under why they're here. They say eventually they hope to have a better life. They understand democracy, they understand freedom.

This is all they know at this point. And they're just making the best of it. (Voice over): This unexpected spirit surrounds us. We followed it, and then we met Shakria. Her name means "thankful" in Arabic. Ironic, for a woman who has had everything taken from her.

"Look at this miserable situation," she tells me. "Look at this room. What can I say? We're still saying thanks, God."

Shakria welcomes us into her home. Even with so little, she and her husband Mohammed smile, laugh, and never once hint for any sympathy. Dignity dominates this humble home. Today they're not forgotten.

"I'm very proud," she tells me, "I'm very happy you're here. Seeing you compensate for the bad days. This visit gets me through the day."

Their story is just like the estimated 200 Iraqi families that have taken refuge here. Insurgents threatened to kill them if they didn't leave their home.

Shakria explains, "We can't find good clothes for our children. We can't offer them good food, or send them to school. I sold everything, even my gas canisters and my furniture, just to survive."

Now Mohammed supports his family as a street cleaner, earning $4 a day. They have five children to feed. I asked Mohammed if his children ever question their circumstances.

He tells me, "My daughter Hanna asks me, when we grow up, what will happen to our destiny? To our future? Why do we have to live under these circumstances?"

The truth is, this family doesn't know. So they pray, they work, and they wait.

What is your message to the Iraqi government now?

Mohammed tells me, "Our message is to get rid of the terrorists, get our homes back, and have security. Nothing more, nothing less."

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: And, Kyra, before your story, you mentioned thousands of Iraqis displaced every month. How many Iraqi families are we talking about now, since the war began that are displaced?

PHILLIPS: Well, the numbers say about 50,000 Iraqis every month are being forced from their neighborhoods. And they end up living in these tent cities. When they realize it will be a long time that they're going to have to there, they start to build these mud huts, which is what this camp, the Al-Batahl (ph) Refugee Camp, was all about. They were all these mud huts that they had built. And they don't have electricity. They don't have running water.

I mean, even the family that I visited, she was so proud to so me her home. That's just the culture. It's a beautiful thing. But I remember going in the kitchen and seeing all the flies. She opened up the refrigerator. You could smell the rancid food. She was still smiling, she was still being friendly. She still wanted to tell her story. I was really amazed by the attitude.

What happens is they're in these neighborhoods, get threatening letters from the insurgents saying you need to leave, we're taking over this area, or we're going to kill you. So you see all these families, all throughout Iraq, having to shift around and just make do where they can find a place to live, Don.

LEMON: Unbelievable. And then the wind and rain will come and then wash the place they lived, away. All those beautiful faces, those babies and kids we saw, they made an impression on you, didn't they?

PHILLIPS: Oh, they always do. And the most simple things they appreciate -- writing their name in English on a piece of paper, drawing a picture. They want to ask you questions.

The two things -- they've learned two words -- money and candy. They say is in a real funny way, chocolate? Chocolate? And then they move into money, money? And I they do the little hand signal. And I say, no, I don't have any money, but I do have candy. You always know to bring plenty of candy, that is for sure.

LEMON: It would be great if you can hand them money, but we know that's not realistic. We now if you could do it, you probably would. Kyra Phillips, thank you so much. We'll join you later on in NEWSROOM. Thanks a lot.

Four years of war add up to a huge death toll in Iraq and it's still rising. So far, 3,220 U.S. troops have lost their lives in Operation Iraqi Freedom. More than 24,000 have been wounded. Iraqi deaths are much harder to tally. The numbers depend on whom you ask. There's general agreement at least 50,000 civilians have died.

KEILAR: In Afghanistan, insurgents there, adopting tactics to grisly effect in Iraq. Today another suicide bombing in Kabul. And CNN has a dangerously up-close look. Here's Nic Robertson.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INT'L. CORRESPONDENT (voice over): In flames and on its roof, the suicide bombers' vehicle burns. Just feet away, the apparent target, a black U.S. embassy SUV is intact, but heavily damaged. At least one American is badly injured, several others, less severely. The cameraman who took these pictures was just two cars away from the blast.

RICHARD PERRY, FREELANCE CAMERAMAN: This great wall of flame lifted this car up in the air. First I say, whoa, what that? And second shit -- sorry -- that must be a bomb.

ROBERTSON: As his camera rolls, it reveals a rare glimpse of the moments immediately after an attack. American and Afghan security personnel protect the injured. Sirens signal help is on the way, but there's concern of a second attack. PERRY: The immediate American response was very orderly. The certain security response was very stern, they were worried about secondary IEDs, so we had guns pointing at us, get out of there. We had to pull back, pull back to a safe distance.

ROBERTSON: After the streets were cordoned off, police found several unexploded artillery shells. Not clear if they were from the suicide attack or part of a second planned explosion.

No claims of responsibility so far. The Taliban considered the most likely perpetrators. According to unofficial Afghan police sources, three people died in the attack. The U.S. embassy acknowledged Afghan bystanders may have been killed in the blast, offered condolences. But could not confirm how many casualties on the normally busy road close to Kabul's airport.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTSON: That same stretch of road has been targeted by suicide bombers in the past several times, in fact over the past couple months. Indeed, the U.S. Embassy here has issued security warnings to Americans in the region that they shouldn't travel along that particular road, Brianna.

KEILAR: Nic, do you have any idea who these suicide bombers were?

ROBERTSON: The best analysis that we get here, at the moment, is that very, very likely they were the Taliban. The Taliban have said they will continue attacking both NATO and American targets in the city here, and around the country.

When you try to find out, well, are these Taliban from Afghanistan, are they Afghans or are they coming in from outside? What you generally get from people who are reasonably well in touch with the Taliban is that probably about half the suicide bombers are Afghans, half of them are coming from outside Afghanistan, many of them Pakistanis. And they say there are hundreds of other potential suicide bombers waiting to take their places.

I talked with somebody today who is intimately knowledgeable about the Taliban. And he said there were young men out there who quite, literally, dying for the opportunity to come and do this type of attack -- Brianna.

KEILAR: So alarming, Nic. Thanks for that report, Nic Robertson, live for us from Kabul, Afghanistan.

Don.

LEMON: Acting in good faith or acting recklessly? Three New York City police officers head to court in the November killing of Sean Bell. Just hours before his wedding. CNN's Jason Carroll joins us from the borough of Queens, where the victim lived.

And Jason, what is the very latest on this. JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Don, I can tell you just a few moments ago, the Reverend Al Sharpton showed up with Sean Bell's fiancee, as well as the two men who were injured that night in the shooting, Trent Benefield and Joseph Guzman.

The group said they wanted to be here for the arraignment, wanted to see the three officers arraigned here this afternoon at the Queens Criminal Courthouse. The grand jury had indicted three of the five officers on the following charges, detective Michael Oliver, he's the one that fired 31 shots, pausing once to reload, was indicted on first and second degree manslaughter, charges as well as felony assault, and reckless endangerment charges.

Detective Gescard Isnora also faces those same charges. If those men are convicted they face a maximum of up to 25 years.

Also indicted Detective Marc Cooper, he was indicted on two counts of reckless endangerment, he faces a maximum sentence of up to one year.

The Queens District Attorney Richard Brown held a press conference a little earlier today, after those indictments were handed up. He said this is the first step in a lengthy legal process.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RICHARD BROWN, QUEENS DISTRICT ATTORNEY: As I pointed out, the defendants are innocent until proven guilty. And this is only the beginning of this case. This has to be tried in an open courtroom, and all of the facts, and all of the law will be available to all of you, as you watch this trial proceed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CARROLL: A lot of people holding press conferences today. Before the Reverend Al Sharpton showed up here, a little earlier he was in Harlem, where he also held a press conference. He basically said he hoped that all five officers would have been indicted.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REV. AL SHARPTON, CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST: These were officers of the law operating under the cover of the law, and had the ability beyond what a normal citizen would have. And they, in our judgment -- and clearly as certified by this grand jury -- used that privilege to engage in criminal activity.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CARROLL: And the three officers who are indicted scheduled to be arraigned right about now. The Reverend Al Sharpton is going to come out at the conclusion of that arraignment, and he will speak to reporters once again -- Don.

LEMON: Jason, we heard from the district attorney, we also heard from the Reverend AL Sharpton, but what about the mayor? Mayor Bloomberg, at the beginning of all this said, fifty shots, it should be looked into. What is he saying about these indictments?

CARROLL: Right. That's exactly right. In fact, he said that 50 shots seemed excessive. He also wanted to await the outcome of an investigation. And a lot of folks in the police union were very critical of the mayor for that statement that early on in the investigation. At this point, the mayor is saying that nothing, obviously, will bring back Sean Bell, at this point. But that it was his hope that basically the city and the department can learn from this -- Don.

LEMON: Jason Carroll in Queens, thank you so much.

KEILAR: Two times a refugee, Iraqis once forced to flee their homes return only to have to leave again. Their story is straight ahead in the NEWSROOM.

LEMON: And lots of people have heard Phil Spector's music, but who will hear his testimony? Jury selection begins today in the producer's murder trial. The wall of details, straight ahead, in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: All right. This information just coming over the wires here. We were wondering who that winner was in that big Mega Million jackpot? It was the biggest one in North American history. You know, the guy from Georgia, he came forward last week? The truck driver from Dalton. His name is Ed Nabors. At least he bought the ticket in Dalton.

Well, guess what? The second winner has come forward, Brianna Keilar, and they are from Cape May, New Jersey. Their names, the Messners, Elaine and Harold Messner, Cape May County, New Jersey, winners of the record-setting $390-million Mega Millions jackpot.

What are they going to do with it? What would you do with it?

KEILAR: I don't know, Don. You might be sitting here alone.

LEMON: I think I probably would. But here's what they did, Brianna, they said the Messners chose the cash option, which means they'll receive a mere $116,557,083 before the 25 percent federal withholding tax.

KEILAR: I think once you get over $50 mil, you're probably set. And the extra doesn't really matter.

LEMON: How will they survive? We don't know.

KEILAR: Well, we shall see. We'll see what they do.

LEMON: Congratulations to the Messners. If they hold a press conference, we'll bring it to you.

KEILAR: The death toll bed enough to begin with has more than doubled. Now investigators are trying to figure out what sparked an explosion today at a coal mine in Siberia. Joining us from Moscow with more, Senior International Correspondent Matthew Chance.

MATTHEW CHANCE, SR. INT'L. CORRESPONDENT: Brianna, thanks very much.

This is fast shaping up to be one of the worst coal mining disasters in Russia for more thank a decade. The latest figures we have coming to us from the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry, telling us at least 71 miners are now confirmed dead in this catastrophic explosion that struck a small mining community in a remote area of Siberia.

At least 88 people have been pulled out alive from the mine shaft. And rescue workers are at the scene, first of all, working furiously trying to get at dozens of people they believe are still trapped inside.

Secondly trying to work out what it was that caused this explosion. Investigators at this point are say they believe it was a methane gas buildup that ignited and collapsed part of the shaft, trapping people in there and killing some people, of course, outright. But it's not clear yet as to what exactly sparked the explosion as such.

Certainly what we know is this area is very prone to devastating mine explosions and accidents like this. It's got a terrible safety record, the Russian coal mining industry. And there really has been a lack of investment in safety equipment and safety procedures in this industry, really since the collapse of the Soviet Union back in 1991.

So this catastrophe, obviously, a big hit for that remote mining community, but one of many over the past several years, Brianna.

KEILAR: Is it unusual in size? You say the size is unusual, that 61 have been killed. What do we normally see in catastrophes somewhat similar to this in this region?

CHANCE: It's now confirmed to be 71 people killed, and indeed, that casualty figure may increase over the coming hours, as we get more information from that remote area. But, yes, it is unfortunately very common occurrence for there to be accidents of this size in this area of Siberia.

In 2005, for instance, in the same area of Kemerovo, which is this location in Siberia, very rich in coal mines, another incident killed 21 people. The year before that, 2004, a further 45 miners were killed in a single incident. This is an area very prone to these kinds of tragedies, Brianna.

KEILAR: Matthew Chance, live from Moscow for us. Thanks, Matthew.

LEMON: He invented what the music industry calls a wall of sound. Lots of people have heard Phil Spector's music, but who will hear his testimony? Jury selection begins today in the producer's murder trial, a wall of details, straight ahead in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KEILAR: Forty years and numerous hairstyles later, Phil Spector has a front row seat for jury selection in his own murder trail. The old-school music producer is accused of killing actress Lana Clarkson back in 2003. Now joining us with more on this TMZ.com's Harvey Levin.

So, Harvey, if you are an attorney, very plugged in to the Hollywood scene, if you are the prosecution, or the defense in this case, what are you looking for in a jury?

HARVEY LEVIN, TMZ.COM: Well, I think in some ways they're both really looking for the same person. This is not the kind of high- profile case, although it is one, it's not on the level of O.J. Simpson, where people are just so tainted. I think they're looking for people with an open mind. I really believe that.

There are cases when I don't think that's happening, but in this one I think they are. I think the defense, though, wants people who are a little bit suspicious of law enforcement, because Spector made a couple of comments to people, in law enforcement after Lana Clarkson died, that really could come back to haunt him, if the jurors believe the cops.

KEILAR: We're looking at new video of Phil Spector. And he has straight hair, I mean, normally he has this crazy mop of hair. What do you think? Do you think that this is an attempt to sort of tame down his image? Because he definitely looked pretty wild before.

LEVIN: Yeah, I think clearly that's what's going on here, but I don't think it's going to work. When you look at Bruce Cutler, who is just a flamboyant, though very good defense lawyer, combined with Phil Spector, I don't know how else to put it, he's a nut.

Everybody in Hollywood has known that for a long time. He's a genius, but he's a nut. I don't think he can be contained over the long haul in a trial. It will be an unbelievably entertaining trial.

KEILAR: You said this isn't going to be on the same level of O.J. Simpson, which obviously created -- everyone was tuning in every day for it, but how much attention is this going to get, since it is televised?

LEVIN: I think it's going to get -- it's going to get more, Brianna, than people think it will get. Right now, you know, he's not that kind of top of mind celebrity, but I am telling you, this case is just riddled with twists and turns, and the underbelly of Hollywood, and just really interesting stories with big characters. I think people will be surprised at how riveting the case will become. This is a sleeper Hollywood trial.

KEILAR: Spector told authorities, Harvey, that Lana Clarkson's death was, quote, "an accidental suicide." What do you make of that?

LEVIN: Well, I think it's an oxymoron, number one. You don't have an accidental suicide, by definition. But the bottom line is that Phil Spector is saying that Lana Clarkson put the gun in her mouth, and it fired. And he has to deal with, allegedly telling the limo driver, who was outside, I think I just killed somebody, as well as making a similar comment to cops. So that's really the issue -- at whose hands did Lana Clarkson die? Phil Spector made some comments that are troubling for him.

KEILAR: So he said to the limo driver, according to the limo driver, I think I just killed something or something to that effect. Obviously some effort on the defense here to put that back on the limo driver, to discredit him. Do you think it's possible for the defense to do that?

LEVIN: Well, I think anything is possible. Remember, the defense only has to create a reasonable doubt, and Phil Spector remains a free man. So the standard is much higher for prosecutors. The problem Spector has, is it's not just the limo driver. Independently, it's a similar comment made to one of the cops to came by right after they were called. So you have two people totally independent basically saying the same thing and the defense has to discredit both of them.

KEILAR: All right, and we'll -- literally watching on TV. Harvey Levin, TMZ.com. Thanks for joining us.

LEVIN: Sure.

LEMON: Like a neighbor, you know the rest, State Farm is there, or so goes the slogan. Well now more than a year after Hurricane Katrina struck -- actually coming up on two years, in just a couple of months, the insurer is making another promise worth millions of dollars to Gulf Coast residents. Susan Lisovicz is at the New York Stock Exchange with details on all of that. Hi, Susan.

SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN FINANCIAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Don.

Well, State Farm has agreed to speed up the payment process to Katrina victims by reexamining 35,000 claims. The deal with state officials will make millions available to homeowners and renters in three battered coastal Mississippi counties. State Farm will provide written notification for eligible policyholders. Those who want their claim reexamined just need to let the company know.

Don.

LEMON: So why now? Why is State Farm making this offer now, Susan?

LISOVICZ: Well, it's obviously not good for business. I mean, they've got to come to terms with this, Don. And as we've reported before, State Farm has been battling a glut of legal claims, because of Hurricane Katrina, including a class-action suit. A $150 million settlement had been reached, but a court rejected that deal. The terms of this agreement are similar, but there's no ceiling on the amount State Farm could have to pay. Still, how much each policyholder will get remains to be seen. State Farm is Mississippi's largest insurer and has since stop issuing in policies in that state.

Turning to Wall Street. Wow, what a difference from last week. The major averages are rallying and rallying big time with the Dow at its high, gaining more than 100 points. A bevy of corporate deals giving investors a reason to buy, especially after last week's declines. The biggest of those deals, more than $4.5 billion for Servicemaster. You may not know that name, but you know some of its businesses. The company owns pest control company Terminix, American Home Shield and other home service businesses.

Let's check the big boards. The Dow Industrial off their highs for the session but up 100 points. The Nasdaq composite, meanwhile, is up 20 or nearly 1 percent, actually for both of those averages. That's the latest from Wall Street.

Coming up, more worries in the housing sector and for good reasons. Millions of Americans could end up losing their homes. I'll have details next hour.

In the meantime, back to you, Don.

LEMON: Oh, goodness. And, Susan, I look at that big board every day and I go, well, at least it's up. At least it's up.

LISOVICZ: And it's up nicely today.

LEMON: And it's up nicely today. Let's, you know, hope it stays that way.

OK, Susan Lisovicz, we'll check back with you. Thank you so much.

LISOVICZ: Look again.

LEMON: We'll check again. Thank you.

Two times a refugee, Iraqis once forced to flee their homes return, only to have to leave again. Their story straight ahead in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KEILAR: Entering a fifth year and an uncertain future. Explosions rocked Baghdad four years ago when the U.S. launched the Iraq War. Back then, the mission seemed clear and President Bush laid it out for the nation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: My fellow citizens, at this hour, American and coalition forces are in the early stages of military operations to disarm Iraq, to free its people, and to defend the world from grave danger.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: Today, the fourth anniversary of the war, explosions are still shaking Iraq, but this time it's the insurgents who are blasting away. A string of bombings in the northern city of Kirkuk has killed at least 10 people and wounding almost 40. And in Baghdad, six people were killed, more than 30 wounded when a bomb went off outside a Shiite mosque.

LEMON: Brianna, when the war began, some Iraqis who were exiled in Iran, well they saw a chance to come home. But four years later, a permanent return seems as remote as ever. CNN Middle East correspondent Aneesh Raman has that story for us.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANEESH RAMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): Four years ago, this is not where Abu Ahmed wanted to be, an Iraqi Shia by birth, a Persian by heritage, a mechanic by trade, he and his family were kicked out of Iraq by Saddam's regime in the early 1980s.

"Under Saddam," he tells me, "we had to suffer much oppression. He considered us Iranian, even though both my father and I were born in Iraq. And one day we were told to leave."

And so decades later, when the U.S.-led Iraq War began and Saddam's regime fell soon after, Abu Ahmed saw a chance he never thought would come.

"I cried," he says, "and became very emotional. Even numb when I saw all the people celebrating. I left for Iraq the very next day."

But within a few months, it was a war zone, not a home that Abu Ahmed had returned to. Iraqi Shia, including his relatives, were soon displaced or killed, a far cry from the Iraq he envisioned.

"There is more freedom for us now," he says, "than during Saddam, but soon there was no security. I couldn't stand it. People were being murdered. For my daughter and wife's sake, I couldn't take it."

So for a second time, he returned to Iran after a year in Iraq, joined by a growing number of Iraqi Shias, seeking short-term safety with on average two-month visas, and still they are afraid, most unwilling to talk on camera for fear if they go back they will be killed.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

RAMAN: Abu Ahmed's story, Don, is really one of just many. I've met refugees here in Iran, also in Egypt, and they tell me that what's disturbing is that it's getting increasingly difficult for people to get out of Iraq. Visa restrictions are tightening. And so while families are split, while refugees are passing day by day to go home, their relatives in Iraq, they say, are trapped in the violence.

Don.

LEMON: And, Aneesh, just watching your story there, this question struck me. If there's this constant going back and forth, back and forth, how are these people supporting themselves?

RAMAN: Yes, a lot of them have some savings. But for most of them, when they come here, they're living among other Iraqis. In Iran, at least, the visas, on average, are two months. They have to go back for risk never getting back to Iran. So they go back for a few days and they come back. They're living in very meager conditions. A lot of them in single apartments.

Some of them are lucky. I met a doctor, a pediatrician, in Egypt. He's living off his savings. He doesn't know how much longer that can go. But it's hard for them to find jobs. It's hard for them to integrate into these societies, whether it's in Iran, in Egypt, in Syria, in Lebanon. Instead, they're in either camps or in little refugee areas, passing time day by day hoping to go back at some point soon. But the earliest estimate I heard from any of the refugees I've spoken to as to when they can go back was a decade from now.

Don.

LEMON: Oh, man. OK. Now let's turn to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The state department, this just came across the wires this morning, granted a visa for him to come to New York to address the United Nations?

RAMAN: Yes, we knew he had put in for the visa as late as last week. He could be speaking at the U.N. Security Council as early as Wednesday. Of course, the Security Council is debating another round of sanctions over Iran's continued nuclear defiance. Iran's president wants to speak to them directly. The U.S., the State Department has said they hope he will use this as an opportunity to engage the Security Council and announce the suspension of Iran's nuclear program. That's highly unlikely, though. All indications on the ground are that he'll push the cause once again for Iran's right to peaceful, civilian nuclear energy. And some critics within Iran are wondering what the point of that is, if the sanctions are already coming.

Don.

LEMON: All right, Aneesh Raman joining us via broadband from Tehran.

Thank you so much.

KEILAR: One thing's for sure on today's war anniversary, and that's that the war won't be over tomorrow or any day soon. U.S. troops are in for more fighting and President Bush is appealing for patience from the American people. That patience has been steadily dwindling over the past four years. But CNN military analyst James Marks says it is necessary. He spoke with our Tony Harris earlier in the NEWSROOM.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRIG. GEN. JAMES MARKS, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Four years ago, Tony, what we thought we would have is a deposed Saddam and we'd have peace in Iraq and we'd have a military that would be standing up in all forms of governance. Frankly, going into Iraq, we underestimated the amount of the commitment that we'd have. And, clearly, we had plans in place during those early days to be gone from Iraq by about Christmas of '03, you know, into the spring period of '04.

So, no, I think, honestly, the assessment was, we wouldn't be where we are. But we are where we are right now and we're making progress.

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, what's the best hope for success now? And I don't even know how we define that word anymore, but I'll let you take a shot at it.

MARKS: Well, first of all, we can't have a microwave solution. We can't expect to have a 30-second solution on this thing and check it out. This is going to take some time. General Petraeus has indicated that.

And the American public must have patience with this. That is something that's in very short supply. This is an insurgency. Insurgencies take about nine years to normalize. They're either dead and gone or they're kind of in power and they're making it work. So we're only in -- we're moving into the fourth-plus year of this. So we have to establish some patience.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: And one of the biggest casualties of the Iraq War has been public support. It's dropped 40 percentage points since the end of 2003.

LEMON: And we told you about that string of attacks on elderly people in New York last week. Well, this one is shaken but survived it. This is an 88-year-old woman. She lives to tell the story of a gunmen attacking her. Her story's coming up straight ahead in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KEILAR: It's the middle of the night, gunmen creep up to a house in Orlando, Florida, and they spray it with bullets. The woman who lives there is hit several times. But she's not just any woman, she's an 88-year-old woman. With more on this shocking attack, reporter Gustavo Almodovar of CNN affiliate WFTV.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GUSTAVO ALMODOVAR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Investigators have had to expand to the crime scene twice as technicians continue to find more and more shell casings scattered throughout the yard of this house.

CPL. SUSAN SOTO, ORANGE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE: We don't believe that it was a random act. This house was targeted for what reasons we do not know.

ALMODOVAR: This house at the corner of Turkey Lake Road and Cane Hill Circle was shot at at least 20 times overnight. When the dust cleared, an 88-year-old woman was rushed to the hospital, hit five times in the stomach, leg and arm while sleeping in her own bed.

ANDREW RILEY, NEIGHBOR: Well, they woke me up. I was actually just dozing off and it (ph) went off and I just woke up.

ALMODOVAR: Andrew Riley heard what sounded like a paintball gun. But when crime scene tags sifted through the leagues, they found more than a dozen shell casings from a 9mm handgun and quite possibly a high-powered rifle near this bedroom window. The victim's daughter was sleeping in a different room, but she was not injured.

SOTO: They obviously were looking to kill this person. Whoever they thought could have been in this bedroom.

ALMODOVAR: The sheriff's office is looking for three men seen leaving the south side of the house just before 1:00 this morning. Detectives are also looking into the possibility a grandson, who stays here from time to time, may have been the intended target. This neighbor did not want to be identified.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE:, NEIGHBOR: Occasionally the younger boy has had friends over and they talk in the driveway or they play the radio.

ALMODOVAR: Deputies say it's too soon to speculate if the shooting was drug-related. And they haven't said if they've made contact with the victim's grandchildren to get a clearer picture of why this took place.

The 88-year-old woman had moved in with her daughter recently. At last word, she was listed in stable condition.

Reporting for CNN in Orlando, Gustavo Almodovar.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: And if you have been in a car wreck lately, there's a decent chance it happened in an intersection, especially if you're over 70 years old. A report out today says elderly drivers often fail to yield, which accounts for why they're over represented in crashes at road crossings. A study says the problems include processing multi stimuli, impaired vision, even range of head movement. Among proposed solutions, more left-turn arrows at the stop lights. And since they keep traffic flowing in the same direction, more roundabouts. The study is by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. It says the grayer America gets, the more pressing the need for solutions.

KEILAR: Straight ahead, entertainment news with Sibila Vargas.

Sibila, what you got for us?

SIBILA VARGAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Brianna, the courtroom battle begins for a famous music man. And Naomi Campbell strikes a pose with her latest accessory -- a mop. All that and more when CNN's NEWSROOM continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Lots of people have heard of Phil Spector's music. Even if you think you haven't, you have. In fact, he invented what the music industry calls the wall of sound. And joining us with a wall of details about jury selection in the producer's murder trial is our very own entertainment correspondent Sibila Vargas.

Sibila, what do you have for us?

VARGAS: Well, Don, it's been four years since actress Lana Clarkson was shot to death in the home of Phil Spector. And today the trial began to determine whether or not the famed music producer pulled the trigger. Spector and lawyers for both sides arrived at the court in downtown Los Angeles this morning to began jury selection on the highly publicized case.

Now during the trial, which will be shown on live television, prosecutors will say the 67-year-old murdered Clarkson, while the defense will say it was suicide. Phil Spector is best known, of course, for his innovative wall of sound recording, as you said, and worked with the greats such as The Beatles, Tina Turner and Cher, just to name a few.

Don, back to you.

LEMON: OK, Sibila, and speaking of legal woes, Naomi Campbell and Carol Burnett are in the headlines today. What's going on there? They're two strange companies.

VARGAS: That's right, lots of drama for sure. Let's start with Naomi Campbell, who provided cameras with a bit of a catwalk of shame this morning as she arrived to begin her court-ordered community service. Complete with work boots hoisted over her shoulder, the supermodel strutted to the sanitation department warehouse in Manhattan's lower east side where she'll be sweeping, mopping and scrubbing floors for the next five days. Campbell was given the punishment for striking her maid in the head with a cell phone. Campbell, of course, claims it was an accident.

Meanwhile, it was no accident when Carol Burnett slapped Fox's animated series, "The Family Guy," with a $2 million lawsuit. Burnett says the show lampooned her with disparaging jokes because she refused them access to her copyrighted music and materials. In an episode called "Peterodica (ph)," Burnett is shown cleaning a porn store and a sexual references is made about her famous ear-tugging gesture while a slightly altered version of her theme music is played. Fox says they are surprised that a woman who has made a career out of spoofing others would sue them for a simple bit of comedy.

And in case you missed Friday's record-making "Jeopardy," no worries. You'll be able to see all three contestants again in tonight's show.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALEX TREBEK, HOST, "JEOPARDY": Scott, did you get Bonnie Parker? You did. What did you risk? $2,600. $16,000. The first time ever a three-way tie. Enjoy the weekend. You'll all be back with us on Monday.

(END VIDEO CLIP) VARGAS: That's right. For the first time in the show's history, everyone ended up with exactly the same amount, which means all three players will be back tonight for a rematch. The tie-creating answer was about a famous woman from a 1930s crime duo who was shot by a man that she often served as a waitress. And you want to take a guess who the other half of that crime duo was? I think you know it, Don.

LEMON: No, who was it?

VARGAS: It was Clyde.

LEMON: Oh.

VARGAS: Bonnie and Clyde.

LEMON: OK. You know, that theme music -- you know the theme music to "Jeopardy." Everybody knows it. But it should be changed to dun, dun, da. I know.

VARGAS: Dun, dun, da. OK. Yes, very clever.

LEMON: Yes. It looks like one in like 22 million, I heard, that someone would, you know, three contestants would have the same score.

VARGAS: Exactly. The odds were outrageous. Absolutely.

LEMON: Yes.

What's on tap for tonight?

VARGAS: Well, tonight on "Showbiz Tonight," Anna Nicole Smith's secret diaries. What she wrote as she revealed her innermost secrets. The explosive story on TV's most provocative entertainment news show. "Showbiz Tonight," 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific on Headline Prime.

Back to you, Don.

LEMON: The most provocative.

VARGAS: Very.

LEMON: Sibila Vargas, thank you.

KEILAR: The terrain is rugged, but hopes are high. Search teams are still trying to find a 12-year-old Boy Scout in the North Carolina mountains. We'll have an update for you ahead in the NEWSROOM.

But first let's take a quick check of the numbers on Wall Street today.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.voxant.com.