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FBI Investigating Death Threats Targeting Goldman Sachs; Iraqi Doctor Charged in U.K. Bombing Plot
Aired July 06, 2007 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: And this just in: As we told you just about 15 minutes ago, we were getting word that British prosecutors wanted police to charge an Iraqi doctor in those failed London and Glasgow car bombings.
Well, we're now being told, through Scotland Yard, that indeed has happened. We're talking about Bilal Abdulla. He is the Iraqi doctor that was arrested, one of the seven detainees being held responsible for those car bombings.
We're told now, through Scotland Yard, that Iraqi doctor, Bilal Abdulla, has been charged with the London and Glasgow car bombings.
We're trying to work a reporter right now to get on the air and give us more information. Hopefully, we will have that for you in just a few minutes.
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Also following -- following the developing situation happening with our weather, extreme weather, scorching out West, soaked in the Southern Plains, five inches plus in East Texas overnight, drenching areas already saturated from weeks of downpours.
Farther West, the numbers say it all; 104, that's Boise, 116, Las Vegas, 127 in Death Valley, dangerously hot from Santa Barbara all the way to Spokane.
And when will it cool down?
That's the question, Reynolds Wolf.
REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: You know, this is one of those times, I'm thinking, Don, where neighbors need to be really, really good neighbors.
If you have someone that lives down the block, and you're not sure if they have air-conditioning or not, you might want to check on them, invite them over, enjoy a milkshake, have a good time, and stay cold, because you are going to need all the help you can get, with 105 currently in Las Vegas, and 106 in Phoenix.
We hit some record highs in parts of the San Joaquin Valley. Up in Sacramento yesterday, we got up to the century point, right now, just 84 degrees. But we haven't gotten to the heat hours of the afternoon, between 3:00 and 6:00 and into the early evening. And, so, we could certainly get close to the century mark once again. Up in Boise at this time, it's 94 degrees. We have a tower cam in Boise right now that shows the skies above, and, I'm telling you, plenty of sunshine, a beautiful view, what just -- just looks fantastic. Thankfully, it looks fantastic as we stand inside the indoor air-conditioning here at CNN Center.
But I can guarantee you, right there on the streets of Boise, it is just roasting hot. They should easily get to the century mark by this afternoon. Pocatello also very warm, with 94 -- 93 in Elko, Nevada, Great Falls with 97. It could be a record day there as well.
Much cooler, thank heavens, along the coast, from Eugene northward to Seattle. It looks pretty nice, into the 70s. But that heat is going to be a big concern through the weekend -- back to you.
LEMON: All right, Reynolds, thank you.
The desert is hot. Palm Springs, you can imagine, the temperatures are rising just as fast as the sun there.
Let's go to Kara Finnstrom to see if folks are ready for another scorching day -- Kara.
KARA FINNSTROM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it is hot out here. And -- hi. It is hot out here.
And we have got some big splashes that are helping cool people down, lots of big splashes, actually, out here today. That helps. The organizers at this park hope that people enjoy themselves and get a break from this triple-digit heat, but they are still concerned about the safety of everyone out there.
They have actually got some emergency personnel on standby, in case anyone has any heat-related illness. And they say they typically get a couple cases of those every summer day. So, there are some concerns there.
And a lot of folks who are coming out here, taking their own precautions.
We have got a family here. This is little Sam (ph) and little Molly (ph).
And you're doing all kinds of things to keep them safe today.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, we're trying to stay wet, in the shade, lots of sunscreen every two hours, lots of fluid. And, all week, we have been trying to go in, in the inside, movies, games, probably between like 1:00 and 4:00, and then come back.
We're from San Diego. Everyone think we're crazy that we came here for vacation, when it's like 76 at the coast.
FINNSTROM: And it is...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No TV -- no TVs and no cell phones here. So...
FINNSTROM: And it is hot.
They have set up some shelters here, so that folks can get out of the heat, take a little bit of a break. And they are encouraging everyone to drink plenty of fluids as well.
LEMON: A lot of people, Kara, have to work out in this. How are they dealing with it?
FINNSTROM: Well, that's the thing. Not everyone can come to the water park and take a break today.
Actually, yesterday, as we drove into town, we caught up with some firefighters who said they had been out on two calls yesterday, and you can imagine all that gear they have to wear, and then just the heat of the fire. Then, you're dealing with 114, 116 degrees yesterday. And, so, they say they're just as taking as many breaks as they can, trying to keep cool, and trying to watch out for each other.
LEMON: All right, Kara, thank you.
PHILLIPS: Well, they're as simple as they are scary: hand- scrolled notes sent to nine newspapers around the country warning, hundreds will die at the investment bank Goldman Sachs. The FBI doesn't think they're credible, but the FBI isn't taking any chances.
CNN's Allan Chernoff joins us from New York.
Allan, how do they know that it's not a prank?
ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, nobody can be 100 percent sure, but there is no evidence, other than the letters that were actually sent. And we now know it is to 20 newspapers around the country -- no evidence at all indicating that there may be any terror attack on Goldman Sachs.
Let me read to you, though, from the threatening letter that was sent to those newspapers -- quote -- "Goldman Sachs, hundreds will die. We are inside. You cannot stop us," signed A-Q-U-S-A.
The letters were all mailed from Queens, New York, one of the five boroughs here, and they were postmarked on June 27. Now, federal and local authorities, as I said, both agree that they do not believe this is a credible threat. As a matter of fact, there has been absolutely no interruption in business at Goldman Sachs, which is one of the nation's premier investment banks.
Goldman put out a statement, saying: "We take any threat to the safety of our people very seriously. We are working closely with the law enforcement authorities, who tell us they don't believe the threat to be credible."
Now, included in that help that Goldman is providing, they are helping the authorities to determine if perhaps some suspects might be potential former employees who are disgruntled, or perhaps even clients who might be disgruntled. That's all a possibility here.
The envelope and the letters, some of them, are right now both at the FBI crime lab and at the crime lab of the U.S. postal inspectors -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Now, have you heard from anyone at the company? Have you talked to any of the employees? Are they nervous about this?
CHERNOFF: Most employees are going about their business. Of course, some people are nervous. We have heard of one person who actually did leave their office today at Goldman Sachs, not at this office, but another one.
But, obviously, this is New York City. The New York Stock Exchange is two blocks from where I'm standing. The police presence there is heavy every single day. In front of Goldman Sachs every morning, through the day, there are security personnel. There is a New York City police officer also, and a bomb-sniffing dog.
The fact of life here in New York is that people live with the threat of terrorism. Obviously, this happens to be a threat aimed at one company. But, again, authorities do not believe it is credible.
PHILLIPS: All right, Allan Chernoff, appreciate it.
LEMON: Well, you might have a hunch that the government is listening to your phone calls, but, unless you have proof, you can't sue. That's the bottom line of an appeals court decision throwing out a privacy lawsuit that the ACLU brought against the Bush administration.
Eavesdropping without court warrants is no longer secret. But that doesn't mean the targeted parties are told about it. That's why the plaintiffs argued it would be impossible to prove legal standing, a normal prerequisite. The lower court had ruled the whole program unconstitutional, but that decision no longer stands.
PHILLIPS: President Bush's Iraq war support network suffers another blow from another senior Republican senator. New Mexico's Pete Domenici says that the current strategy simply isn't working.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. PETE DOMENICI (R), NEW MEXICO: We need a new strategy for Iraq that forces the Iraqi government to do more, or else. I'm not calling for an immediate withdrawal from Iraq or a reduction in funding for our troops. But I am calling for a new strategy that will move our troops out of combat operations, and on the path to continuing home.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Well, a U.S. military commander in Iraq says there will be a day to pull troops out, but it's not today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) MAJOR GENERAL RICK LYNCH, U.S. MILITARY COMMAND IN BAGHDAD SENIOR SPOKESMAN, U.S. ARMY: Those surge forces are giving us the capability we have now to take the fight to the enemy.
And the enemy only responds to force, and we now have that force. You know, we can conduct detailed kinetic strikes. We can do cordon- and-searches, and we can deny the enemy the sanctuaries. If those surge forces go away, that capability goes away. And the Iraqi security forces aren't ready yet to do that.
So, now what you're going to find -- if you did that -- is, you would find the enemy regaining ground, reestablishing a sanctuary, building more IEDs, carrying those IEDs in Baghdad, and the violence would escalate. It would be a mess.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: The latest combat casualty figures from Iraq, one soldier killed in a Baghdad firefight, six Iraqi soldiers killed in several attacks. They all happened yesterday.
LEMON: A kidnapping in Nigeria's oil delta is nothing new. The kidnapping of a child is.
Margaret Hill is 3 years old. Her father is British. Her mother is Nigerian. She was snatched from a car yesterday in Port Harcourt by a gang threatening to kill her if her father doesn't take her place. The father owns a bar in Nigeria. Ransom kidnappings are very common in that part of the country, where gangs operate fairly freely. Ransoms are usually paid and hostages rarely killed. But snatching a young child is almost unheard of.
PHILLIPS: A packed house, a lone gunman, and a Las Vegas becomes a crime scene. Yet, lady luck was with four victims.
Ky Plaskon of CNN affiliate KLAS joins us now with this story.
It's a little bit of everything, crime, courage, and a bit of a close encounter. Tell us about it.
KY PLASKON, KLAS REPORTER: Kyra, one of the victims was a 13- year-old boy who was shot here in the ankle. Apparently, this 50- year-old man walked into the casino with a gun, and he started shooting down from the mezzanine at people on the casino floor. It was pandemonium in there, we were told by people inside.
We have got some video from last night at about 12:45, when it happened, to show you. And the man apparently challenged some people to come and get him. And three off-duty police officers here in Las Vegas and two military men actually took him up on that challenge, chasing him outside, onto to a bridge, to the MGM, and tackling him there.
Four people were shot in all, including that 13-year-old boy, who was shot in the ankle. Another woman in her 20s was shot in the leg, and two others were grazed by bullets, escaping with their lives here. But two visitors from out of town here to Las Vegas are going home on crutches.
And we will throw it back to you.
PHILLIPS: All right, Ky Plaskon, with our affiliate KLAS out of Vegas, thanks so much.
LEMON: Back to the Big Easy for the first time since Hurricane Katrina -- we will take you live to New Orleans for the Essence Music Festival. That's straight ahead in the CNN NEWSROOM.
PHILLIPS: It seems no one is immune to "Simpsons" mania.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. EDWARD KENNEDY (D), MASSACHUSETTS: Join us in Springfield, Massachusetts. Just think, after 400 episodes, you will even be able to enjoy some real chowder.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Oh, boy.
That's right, Ted Kennedy pushing hard to bring "The Simpsons" to Springfield, Mass. We are going to take a closer look at the cutthroat competition to host the movie's premiere.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Almost 14 past the hour.
Here are three of the stories we're working on for you right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.
Hostile heat broils much of the Western U.S. for another day, the mercury crossing the 120 mark in some hot spots -- not cool. There are worries that the need for A.C. could blow the power grid in some places.
The FBI is investigating letters sent to nine newspapers that appear to be a terror threat against the Goldman Sachs investment bank. The letters say: "Hundreds will die. We are inside. You cannot stop us."
And, in southeast Virginia, federal agents search Michael Vick's property again. The Atlanta Falcons quarterback denies being involved in dogfighting.
PHILLIPS: About 200,000 people back in the Big Easy for a big party with a purpose.
The Essence Festival moved to Houston last year, after Katrina. This year, it's being called a homecoming, three days of concerts, self-help seminars, and a political speech or two.
Hillary Clinton is there today, and Senator Barack Obama was there last night, talking about rebuilding New Orleans all across America.
Also there, of course, our own T.J. Holmes, who can never take his iPod of his ears. So, it makes sense.
Everything under control, T.J.?
(LAUGHTER)
T.J. HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, everything is going well right now. Forgive me. I was having a hard time hearing you there at the end, Kyra.
But, to tell you what is going on, I heard you mention Obama. You mentioned Clinton. And, yes, Clinton just wrapped up speaking in a little Q&A she had at the Convention Center just behind me a short time ago.
Things have gone off without a hitch so far. The people are here, expecting some 200,000. That is certainly a good thing for this city.
Now, the issue that the city is having is bringing those leisure visitors back. They are doing pretty well bringing the conventions, the big meetings, things like that, back to the city. But they are having a hard time getting the regular families to pack up their kids and come visit this city.
Why? Many of them are simply scared to.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES (voice-over): Yes, New Orleans has a crime problem. But they also have a problem with perception, according to Police Superintendent Warren Riley.
WARREN J. RILEY, NEW ORLEANS POLICE SUPERINTENDENT: First of all -- and I believe that what's been portrayed about the City of New Orleans has been embellished tremendously, because there's the progress. If the progress was focused on, more people would be coming to New Orleans, because there are a lot of positive things that are happening here.
HOLMES: A lot of the city's progress is visible downtown, where the visitors come to play and where it's relatively safe. And that's what the city wants you to know.
MARY BETH ROMIG, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC RELATIONS, NEW ORLEANS METROPOLITAN CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU: It's tough for some people to make the balance. They feel like, how can I come to New Orleans and really have a great time in a city that's still going through so much? But New Orleanians want people to come and have a great time.
HOLMES: Romig's challenge, attracting visitors to a city dubbed the murder capital of the United States. City officials are attempting to ease visitors' fears by explaining that the violent crime is almost exclusively criminals preying on other criminals.
ROMIG: We don't want to appear like we're callous and all we are concerned about is whether the tourists are safe. It's important that everybody is safe in New Orleans, because it has to be about being a great place to live, work and play.
HOLMES: "Come to New Orleans. Don't worry: The criminals are killing each other. They don't want to kill you" -- not exactly an ideal slogan for a tourism campaign, but it's a reality in the recovery of New Orleans.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: And to be clear here, and to be fair, no one, no city official here is advocating or saying it's OK, that criminals killing criminals is all right, as long as it stays away from downtown, it stays away from the visitors.
But they do acknowledge that that is, in fact, what is happening. And they have to give an answer to those visitors of some kind who have issues, who have questions. When they say, "Hey, is this city safe?" they have to give them an answer. And the answer is, and they say the truth is that, in fact, it's the criminal element preying on the criminal element, still trying to get it under control -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Well, it's just good to see so many people coming back there and for the Essence Festival to finally be back.
HOLMES: Yes.
PHILLIPS: T.J. Holmes, thanks.
Developments just into CNN, actually pretty dramatic new developments, in the U.K. terror plots. Listen to this. We are getting word that two suspects in those failed car bombing attacks in Britain actually made inquiries about working in the United States. That's according to the FBI.
We're also being told that one of the seven detained, that Iraqi doctor, has been charged in these plots.
Our Paula Newton, on the phone with us now, she's following all these new developments.
Pretty scary to think that they were looking for work in the U.S., Paula.
PAULA NEWTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think, now that they will start to delve into the backgrounds, it will start to become clear exactly what their motives for moving around as doctors. And they could have just wanted to try and work and study in the United States, of course, some of the residencies in the United States being among the most coveted around the world.
So, it's not -- unsurprising that they would have tried to apply to go to some of those places. Having said that, Bilal Abdulla, who was involved in the attack in Glasgow on Saturday, has now been formally charged. That is not surprising, in the sense that they would have had to go back to court in order to hold him longer for questioning. They didn't need to present more evidence to the judge just to hold him. They obviously have enough evidence to actually charge him now.
He is charged with conspiracy to cause explosions. That already, in itself, carries a very -- potentially, a very lengthy sentence for him, if he is convicted of that. But, to follow up on that, police could choose to then perhaps charge him with attempted murder, although we haven't been seeing that too much in these terror trials most recently.
Usually, authorities usually are pretty happy with this charge, in terms of their chances of getting a conviction on it. Again, the person who also was involved, allegedly involved, in the attack with him on Saturday still in very critical condition in hospital, and authorities say that he is not actually expected to live at this point. That's still what British authorities are telling us -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: International security correspondent Paula Newton -- thanks for the update, Paula.
LEMON: Their rewards may be greater. But what about the risks? Ahead in the CNN NEWSROOM: more about working abroad and becoming a tempting target for kidnappers.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: July 7, 2007, 7/7/07, well, many people are betting it will be their lucky day.
Stephanie Elam is at the New York Stock Exchange to tell us how business are trying to cash in on that belief.
Hi, Stephanie.
STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Don.
Well, if you are in the wedding business, you will definitely be celebrating tomorrow, 7/7/07. An industry association says it expects as many as 80,000 weddings to take place tomorrow. That's 30 percent more than a normal Saturday in July.
And, in the city known for quickie weddings, Las Vegas, it's expected to be one of the busiest days ever. So, who is benefiting? Caterers, florists, party planners, and even entertainers. Plus, hotels say people have booked earlier, and that means they make more money on the rooms.
And, Don, what's really funny is that, tomorrow, I'm going to a wedding in Baltimore at 7:00 p.m.
LEMON: Oh, my gosh.
ELAM: Yes, I am. LEMON: Have they known each other for seven years, been engaged?
(LAUGHTER)
ELAM: No, it has not been seven years. That would be a little over the top.
(CROSSTALK)
LEMON: That would be a little weird, right?
ELAM: Yes.
LEMON: But I think I read, in one the papers, someone who is doing that.
What about casinos? It seems like that would be sort of the natural place to go, if you're feeling lucky, or buying a lottery ticket, or something like that.
ELAM: Cash in on it, right?
LEMON: Yes.
ELAM: Well, it's definitely expected to be a big day for gamblers.
And casinos are gearing up. Some casinos are even offering seven-themed promotions, everything from $7 drink specials, to room packages that cost $7,777. Consider this: Three sevens make 21 in blackjack, and three sevens can give you jackpot on some slot machines, of course, as well.
Online gambling sites are also expecting to see some effect. The founder of Bodog.com tells CNN he's expecting a slight increase in action tomorrow, mostly in casino-style games such as seven and stripes. I don't think I have said seven so many times back to back.
It's a lucky day on Wall Street, too. Investors are finishing off the holiday-shortened trading week with some gains, although it was pretty much a quiet session. Also in focus, the latest news on the nation's job market. Employers added a solid 132,000 new jobs in June. Government figures were also revised higher for both April and may.
Taking a look at the Big Board right now, the Dow Jones industrials up 56 points, at 13622, the Nasdaq better by nine points, the S&P 500 also up a little over a third-of-a-percent.
We will find out if stocks can keep the momentum going and finish in the plus column for the week and for the day when I return for the closing bell in about a half-an-hour -- until then, back to you, Don.
LEMON: It would have been weird if it was up, like, seven points or 21 points.
ELAM: That -- that would...
LEMON: That would be a little spooky, right?
ELAM: It would be over the top, right?
(LAUGHTER)
LEMON: Right.
ELAM: Yes.
(LAUGHTER)
LEMON: Thanks, Steph.
ELAM: Sure.
LEMON: It seems no one is immune to "Simpsons" mania.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KENNEDY: Join us in Springfield, Massachusetts. Just think, after 400 episodes, you will even be able to enjoy some real chowder.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: That's right, Ted Kennedy pushing hard to bring "The Simpsons" to Springfield, Massachusetts. Well, we will take a closer look at the cutthroat competition to host the movie's premiere -- coming up in the CNN NEWSROOM.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): I'm Dr. Sanjay Gupta with this week's "Fit Nation" Friday tip.
Is stress preventing you from losing weight? Well, for many people, a stressful day at the office, difficult life changes, and hormone fluctuations can torpedo a weight-loss program.
So, if you're trying to start a weight-loss plan this weekend, here's what you need to know. First, identify your stressors and eliminate them, whenever possible. Next, use the less stressful times, like the weekend, to really devote to your health. Try a weekend yoga class or simply a relaxing day at home.
Finally, make an effort to stay away from comfort foods as a way to deal with your stress. Go for a good run instead.
Have a fit-tastic weekend, and don't forget to check in at CNN.com/fitnation to join the "Fit Nation" challenge.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) PHILLIPS: Two new suspects in the failed attacks in London and in Scotland, we're being told now, were actually looking for work in the U.S., just one of the developments we're learning this hour in the U.K. terror plot. Not only that, but we're also being told the Iraqi doctor, 27-year-old Bilal Abdullah, has been officially charged in those attacks.
Seven men were detained, a number of doctors. The Iraqi doctor now being charged in those attacks. In addition to finding out two of those other suspects in the failed car bombings were checking in to work in the U.S. -- checking into gaining work, rather, in the U.S. We'll have more developments throughout the hour.
LEMON: An armed standoff at a house of worship in Pakistan. It's already deadly and today more so. For four straight days Pakistani forces have tried to extract a crowd of radical students from a mosque in Islamabad. The students took refuge in the mosque after attacking a police checkpoint in Tuesday. Reports today that two student who tried to surrender were instead killed before they made it out. At least 26 people have died in the standoff.
The mosque standoff began Tuesday. CNN's Tom Foreman has more on the group at the center of it all.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A showdown in the capital of Pakistan, paramilitary forces close in on a mosque. Some suspects are captured. Some are killed. And some still remain inside. How did it come to this?
MAHMUD DURRANI, PAKISTANI AMB. TO U.S.: It was a big embarrassment, but the government, in spite of the embarrassment, was trying to avoid collateral damage.
FOREMAN: Islamic students were demanding Taliban-style Islamic law in the city, trying to force the issue by, among other things, kidnapping women they accuse of being prostitutes. The government says the leaders are Taliban sympathizers, maybe even directly connected to the Taliban.
How did Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf get into this jam?
TERESITA SCHAFFER, CTR. FOR STRATEGIC INTL. STUDIES: Certainly for the past three months, he has been very much weakened by some other developments taking place in Pakistan. And I think this has inhibited his ability to take action.
FOREMAN: The head cleric of the mosque says most of the activists were students from a religious school.
ROBERT TEMPLER, INTERNATIONAL CRISIS GROUP: For the past several decades, Pakistani governments, and particularly military governments, have been very indulgent towards these sorts of madrassas and mosques. The madrassas particularly in Karachi are extremely important to extremism in this country, but it's a very small number of madrassas that are the key extremists ones.
FOREMAN: Madrassas came under international scrutiny in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, amid concerns that they were training children to become militants.
DURRANI: The bad madrassas are few. The government has launched a major campaign to get hold of all the bad madrassas. They are trying to reform all the madrassas with the reason that they should get some modern education, too, besides religion so that people who come out of madrassas have open minds.
FOREMAN: Tom Foreman, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: Well, it's a new tactic, a disturbing tactic taken by a criminal gang in Nigeria. That's where kidnappings for ransom are common. But this time the victim is a little girl, 3 years old, the daughter of a British businessman. CNN's terrorism analyst Ken Robinson had some input for us just a short time ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KEN ROBINSON, CNN TERRORISM ANALYST: The child is probably simply a target of opportunity because there is no real protection from the child. It was taken from a car near the port. The industry right over there is really rolling right now because this terrorism and kidnapping has become real theater there to get their causes out to the world, because they don't feel that they're getting reported.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Well, the girl was taken yesterday. Her captors say they'll kill her if her father doesn't take her place. No word on what they're demanding beyond that.
LEMON: Car bombs and other attacks. Every day you hear new numbers of the dead and wounded in the Iraq War, most of them civilians. CNN's Hala Gorani puts a face on the suffering.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HALA GORANI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This was Zainab Alwan before the attack. This is her today, the human face of the victims of violence in Iraq. Overshadowed by the apparently endless body count, it is the forgotten figure, Iraq's injured and maimed.
So far in 2007, according to government figures, almost 13,000 people have survived car bombs, mortars and rockets. But their lives have been forever altered. Zainab, who's now 18, says her house was attacked last December.
"They took me to the hospital and I fainted. When I woke up, my legs were gone," she says.
She waits for an appointment at Baghdad's Artificial Limb Center, one of two public facilities for amputees in the Iraqi capital. Zainab winces in pain as a doctor measures her strength and says she still has to wait at least a month before she can be fitted with prosthetic limbs.
We follow Zainab to her house in Eastern Baghdad's Obedi (ph) neighborhood, where she says the attack that left her badly injured also killed her sister and sister in-law. At first, she says she isn't scared, that she is strong. But then...
"I can't go out. I can't. What can I do? I remember that my family was all there and in one moment I was in the ambulance back to the house. After a month-and-a-half I came home and my family was gone."
According to Iraq's Ministry of Interior, one-quarter of all injuries from the violence is Iraq involve the loss of at least one limb. The head of this center says it can make 1,200 artificial limbs a year, half the number needed to help amputees.
For Zainab and thousands of Iraqis like her, getting new legs will only be the beginning of a lifelong recovery.
Hala Gorani, CNN, Baghdad.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: Well, the search goes on for Zina Linnik in Tacoma, Washington. Time is of the essence right now, so please take a good look at this picture. Police say the 12-year-old was walking in an alley behind her house on the Fourth of July when a neighbor heard her scream. He told police an older gray van sped off but he was able to make out the numbers 1-6-7-7 on the license plate. If you have any information, you're asked to call the Tacoma police.
LEMON: Al Gore has got his hands full with the Earth and with his own family. Details, ahead in the NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Former Vice President Al Gore is saying little about his son's arrest and prosecutors in Orange County, California, have about a month to decide whether they'll file charges against 24-year- old Al Gore III. Police say they stopped him for speeding and marijuana and prescription drugs in the car. John Roberts asked the elder Gore about the arrest on CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AL GORE, FMR. VICE PRESIDENT: We're very happy that he's getting treatment and that nobody was hurt and that he's in the right place and has asked for the right kind of treatment. And beyond that, we are treating it as a private family matter.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Gore was on CNN to promote Live Earth, a global concert aimed at raising awareness about global warming. Final preparations are under way now and the concert will be broadcast tomorrow from nine cities. Now some critics dismiss all that as an empty gesture. More wind than earth. CNN national correspondent Jason Carroll takes a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Live Earth, a 24-hour concert, 100 acts in cities across the globe.
GORE: That's global warming.
CARROLL: Former Vice President Al Gore developed the idea to help protect the planet. Over the past few decades there have been several global concerts with different causes, all with the same basic goal, raise money. Not this time.
GORE: It's actually not designed to raise money. It's designed to raise awareness and to spread word about the solution.
CARROLL: Organizers won't put a dollar amount on expected money raised. Profit will go to Gore's Alliance for Climate Protection, a nonprofit he founded to help reduce global warming. Gore hopes the music will inspire people to go to the Live Earth Web site and follow the seven-point pledge, which includes fighting pollution and planting new trees. Critics say Live Earth's goals are too vague.
EVAN SERPICK, ROLLING STONE: I think it is pretty ambiguous. I think they could have done a much better job much earlier on being very clear about hard goals.
CARROLL: Bob Geldof, the man behind two global concerts for poverty is quoted as calling Live Earth a "hollow spectacle." But even with profits, getting the money to those in need can be challenging. In 2005, Live 8 hoped to influence world leaders to commit more money to poverty. Those leaders committed $50 billion by 2010.
But at least one watchdog group says they're not on track. On the other hand, concert from Bangladesh in 1971, to date, has raised $15 million. According to UNICEF, 87 cents of each dollar went to children in Bangladesh.
CARYL STERN, PRES., U.S. FUND FOR UNICEF: Concerts really do make a difference.
CARROLL: Performers such as Alicia Keys, Kelly Clarkson, The Police, and Bon Jovi will all be here at Giants Stadium to perform. We're told that all the performers are lending their talents free of charge.
Jason Carroll, CNN, East Rutherford, New Jersey.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: Well, she is desperate no more. "Desperate Housewives" star Eva Longoria tied the knot today in Paris. She and NBA player Tony Parker wed during a civil service at city hall. This reportedly is just a prelude to an elaborate wedding bash this weekend. There will be a church ceremony followed by a lavish reception at a 17th Century chateau.
PHILLIPS: She's gorgeous.
LEMON: Yes, she is beautiful.
PHILLIPS: It seems no one is immune to "Simpsons" mania.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. EDWARD KENNEDY (D), MASSACHUSETTS: Join us in Springfield, Massachusetts. Just think, after 400 episodes, you'll even be able to enjoy some real "chowda."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: That's right, Ted Kennedy pushing hard to bring "The Simpsons" to Springfield, Mass. We're going to take a closer look at the cut-throat competition to host the movie's premiere.
LEMON: A former Olympian changes speeds, but shows just as much determination and pursuit of a new goal. Christine Romans with his story of "Life After Work."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Johann Koss can still move quickly. But the former gold medal speed skater from Norway isn't circling the ice anymore, he's circling the globe for his foundation, Right To Play.
JOHANN KOSS, CEO, RIGHT TO PLAY: The Right To Play is an international organization which provides sport and play programs for children in the most disadvantaged areas around the world, where we go and develop children and youth physically, psychologically and socially, particularly when they are affected by war, poverty and disease. And we are now in over 20 countries and impacting, you know, several hundred thousand children on a weekly basis.
ROMANS: Koss retired from skating after the Lillehammer Olympics in 1994 with plans for a second career.
KOSS: I was going to be a doctor and trying that out and -- but at the same time, I traveled a lot around the world. And seeing children living in these most horrendous situations, I felt that it needed to be my responsibility and I probably would have a greater impact leading this organization, starting this and doing it and getting it through than I would as a medical doctor.
ROMANS: So far this year, Right To Play says it has reached a quarter million kids around the world. The non-profit trains local coaches and helps them set up sports programs in their communities. Right To Play also doubles as an educational outlet, and, Koss hopes, something more. KOSS: I met kids who looked up to posters of martyrs who died in the war, and they were the heroes and role models. And I thought, you know, what if you can change that? Can they have a coach to guide them on a positive behavioral path like I had?
Every time I'm traveling out and see a smile on a child's face and I see that, you know what, I have -- they have their thankfulness and their activity and their belief in themselves and they are building their own communities. It's just so motivating.
ROMANS: Christine Romans, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MUSIC PLAYING, "THE SIMPSONS THEME")
PHILLIPS: Nice close-up of Jen Murnowski (ph) there. Well, 14 Springfields, one red carpet, which Springfield will get the honor of hosting "The Simpsons" movie premiere? We'll soon know, but while we wait, CNN's Jason Carroll looks at the competition.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HARRY SHEARER, "NED FLANDERS": Look at that, you can see the four states that border Springfield: Ohio, Nevada, Maine, and Kentucky.
CARROLL (voice-over): It could be one of the summer's hottest movies. The television series "The Simpsons" is about to hit the silver screen. But don't look for a Hollywood premiere. "The Simpsons," which is based in a fictional Springfield, USA, is looking for a real Springfield to roll out its red carpet.
Bart, not the show's character, but the deputy mayor of Springfield, New Jersey, hopes his city will be chosen.
DEPUTY MAYOR BART FRANKEL, SPRINGFIELD, NEW JERSEY: My name is Bart. My wife's name is Lisa. We've put up with comments about that for years, so now it's time to capitalize on that and get everybody to vote for us as the Springfield of "The Simpsons."
CARROLL: There are 14 Springfields in the United States vying for the opportunity to host the premiere.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Welcome to Springfield, Louisiana.
CARROLL: 20th Century Fox asked each city to submit a video, explaining why it should be chosen.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Our search brings us to Portland, Oregon, hometown of series creator Matt Groening. Following the route Matt took to reach to Hollywood, Matt passed through only one Springfield.
CARROLL: Senator Ted Kennedy personally pitched Springfield, Massachusetts.
KENNEDY: Join us in Springfield, Massachusetts. Just think, after 400 episodes, you'll even be able to enjoy some real "chowda."
CARROLL: True to Simpson form, people in Springfield, Tennessee, relied on self-deprecating humor to sell their town.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Those Simpsons, all they do is cut down government employees.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There's hardly enough time to get the paperwork processed, get the paperwork in.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Let alone find time to land a man.
CARROLL: Jokes aside, the mayor in Springfield, Illinois, says a win could translate into tourist dollars for the chosen city.
MAYOR TIM DAVLIN, SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS: So if it adds $1 million, if it adds $2 million, if it adds $500,000, if it adds $500,000, the fact is that it's more money to be able to do the things that we want to do in Springfield.
CARROLL: Fans can vote online at usatoday.com for their favorite Springfield. As for the fictional Springfield, it hit theaters July 27th.
DAN CASTELLANETA, "HOMER SIMPSON": I'll teach you to laugh at something that's funny.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: "The Simpsons Movie."
CARROLL: Jason Carroll, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: All right. It's adorable baby animal time now. Look at that. That is until they get old enough to eat your face off. This is the zoo at Guadalajara, Mexico, five Bengal tiger cubs. A playful 3-month-old. Four of them are white. It's a genetic thing that's very rare in nature. White tigers are almost always born in captivity. The size of the litter, five babies, is also very unusual.
More cute kitties, more white tigers. This little guy was born Tuesday in Duluth, Minnesota. Look at -- oh, my gosh. Well, here he is with his three sisters. Helpless little fuzz balls now, but they are on their way to 400 or 500 pounds each.
PHILLIPS: And two big birthdays today. President Bush turns 61, and to celebrate he took in a baseball game last night between the Washington Nationals and Chicago Cubs. Plus, there was a party at the White House on the Fourth of July featuring many of the pro golfers in Washington for a Tiger Woods Tournament.
Former first lady Nancy Reagan also celebrating a birthday today. She turns 86. Boy, does she look amazing. Free birthday cake being handed out to visitors at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley, California.
LEMON: Well, you've got to see it to believe it. And even then belief is not mandatory. But it helps to have a high tolerance for metallic paint and dilly (ph) boppers. The UFO Festival in Roswell, New Mexico, next in the CNN NEWSROOM.
PHILLIPS: And the closing bell and a wrap of action on Wall Street straight ahead. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Submitted for your approval. It has been 60 years since aliens landed in Roswell, New Mexico, or since somebody started a heck of a rumor.
PHILLIPS: And ever since, Roswell has been at the center of an ongoing controversy and an annual celebration that's flakier than Aunt Mavis' piecrust. Reporter Drew Rudnick of KOAT is in Albuquerque.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DREW RUDNICK, KOAT REPORTER (voice-over): This week the city of Roswell is packed with people who all believe aliens touched down right here in New Mexico, 60 years ago. Some would say it's a farce, that it's not true. But former Navy man Richard Heese says differently.
RICHARD HEESE, ROSWELL STORE OWNER: I've seen UFOs. I was part of the government.
RUDNICK: The first UFO he saw was on a hunting trip in Arizona. He saw lights in the night sky traveling at astronomical speeds. The second one was in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. The spaceship looked like two pie plates put together.
(on camera): Richard says what he saw was absolutely real and the government has taken measures to make sure his story never gets told.
(voice-over): The festival that runs from Thursday through the weekend is full of guest lecturers and UFO experts who would talk about their paranormal alien encounters.
As for Richard Heese, he's sticking by his story and says that some people don't want the truth to come out.
HEESE: When I left the military, I signed a document that I would not speak of anything top secret or above for 10 years.
RUDNICK: Heese moved to Roswell in the early 1990s, where he owns his own alien novelty store just off Main Street. He is just one of thousands of similar stories that will be told throughout Roswell this week, making it a place nowhere else in the world.
In Roswell, Drew Rudnick Action 7 News.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: Well, adding an extra zing to the extra terrestrial wing ding, late night radio's George Noory will be broadcasting live from Roswell, a special Area 51 "Coast to Coast" to coast.
PHILLIPS: It's not a rumor. I've seen the aliens.
(STOCK MARKET REPORT)
PHILLIPS: All right, time to go to our favorite fill-in "SITUATION ROOM" anchor.
LEMON: Oh, yes, you know who that is, Suzanne Malveaux. Take it away.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: You guys, too.
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