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More Iraq Vilence; Civilians Fed Up with al Qaeda; Live Earth a Hit; Infant Dies in Hot SUV
Aired July 07, 2007 - 17:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: Is there really such a thing as global warming? We're going to debate it. Also, will it make a difference?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know how she could possibly forget a kid for five hours. Asleep or not, no, you can't do that.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: What can't he do? A father's unbearable loss is what he's talking about. After a summer heat wave has turned deadly for that child.
Also, an unusually violent day in Iraq. It comes while the debate over America's presence there continues to intensify. Hello everybody I'm Rick Sanchez. We're here in B control where we monitor some of the feeds, see some of the videos that are coming in. How big a liability is Iraq for President George Bush? Consider this. Majority Leader Harry Reid is now about to ramp up a new call to get out. Consider also, that just two days ago, the president lost the support of another leading Republican in Arizona's Pete Domenici. And now this, "The New York Times" is reporting that the main proponent of the war, Vice President Dick Cheney, no longer has the sway that he once wielded. That's the backdrop. Here's the news. In northern Iraq today in a place that is usually peaceful -- or as peaceful as any place can be in Iraq, a suicide bomber has killed 117 people. The bloody details in this report filed by Frederik Pleitgen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Ambulances rush the injured to a nearby hospital after a car bomb ripped through a busy market at (INAUDIBLE) village 100 miles north of Baghdad.
TARQ KALAF, WITNESS: I heard a loud explosion, this resident says, then I saw many people dead and injured.
PLEITGEN: More than 100 were killed and more than 200 wounded in the deadliest attack in Iraq at the end of a week of increased violence. Only two days ago, a car bomb exploded next to a wedding society in southern Baghdad, killing more than a dozen people. The explosion targeted a photo shop, just as the bride and groom were having their picture taken. U.S. commanders in Iraq say they believe especially Sunni insurgents are stepping up their attacks, not just against civilians, also against coalition forces. Still one commanding general says he believes the U.S. should maintain its increased troop levels in Iraq. The so-called surge brigades.
MAJ. GEN. RICK LYNCH, U.S. ARMY: The enemy only responds to force and we now have that force. We can conduct detailed kinetic strikes, we can do (INAUDIBLE) searches and we can deny the enemy of sanctuaries. If those surge forces go away, that capability goes away and Iraqi security forces aren't ready yet to do that.
PLEITGEN: Most of the victims of the Ameril village market attack were Shiite Turkmen. In a region that until this week had seen very little of the violence that is engulfing large parts of Iraq. Frederik Pleitgen, CNN, Baghdad.
(END OF VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: As we watched those pictures, there are some who are now suggesting that today's big attack is a sign of some kind of growing trend pursued by United States forces Iraq Sunni insurgents are moving the battlefield further from Baghdad and that's a sign of progress. U.S. commanders say, it's not the only one. But in Washington, patience with this war is running at an all-time low. Here now with more on that CNN's Jamie McIntyre.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SENIOR PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Ask what will happen if the so-called surge is cut short and Major General Rick Lynch will mince no words.
LYNCN: It will be a mess Jamie, it would be a mess.
MCINTYRE: Lynch and his counterpart to the north, Major General Benjamin Mixon, are showing a united front in calling for more time to build on successful operations like this one. U.S. paratroopers on a nighttime air assault clear and destroy three al Qaeda safe houses near (INAUDIBLE).
LYNCH: We need these surge forces. They came in for a reason, they're being used for the reason they came in. It's going to take some time to mature the situation. Over time we can turn the area over to Iraqi security forces and then we'll be ready to do something that looks like a withdrawal. But that's not going to happen any time soon.
MCINTYRE: That's not what many members of congress want to hear, including a growing number of disenchanted Republicans. And they're not likely to be cheered by the Pentagon's latest quarterly Iraq progress report in congress due out in a week. It will show a mixed bag of small successes tempered by big problems, especially the lack of Iraqi political reconciliation.
ANTHONY CORDESMAN, CTR. FOR STRATEGIC & INTL. STUDIES: The truth is that September is too soon. An honest assessment of the Iraqi army tells you that if you wish to really make this work, you have to be patient enough to at least test this well into 2008.
MCINTYRE (on camera): So what's shaping up is a real disconnect between what's been dubbed the Washington clock under which there is growing pressure to bring the troops home, and the Baghdad clock, which U.S. commanders say will require more time to ensure success. Jamie McIntyre, CNN, the Pentagon.
(END OF VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: Let's take you to London now. An Iraqi doctor charged in those twin terror plots has made his first court appearance. The charge read today by Bilal Abdulla suggests that the plot that produced those two failed bomb attempts in London and the attack at Glasgow airport was months in the making. Eight suspects are being held. Abdulla is the only one charged at this point.
Now in the western United States, a triple digit health threat, the mercury is going through the roof throughout the west from Arizona, California, Nevada, all the way north to Washington state, Montana, Idaho and Utah. Temperatures in Las Vegas are expected to hit 114 today. The heat wave is punishing power stations and it's also creating dangerous living conditions for people who can't find a cool place to stay. The heat can be deadly. As a matter of fact, in Idaho, a 15-month-old boy was found dead in a locked overheated car. The boy's step grandmother has been charged with involuntary manslaughter. According to police, the woman says that she forgot about the child.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PATRICK GRABER, SR., FATHER: I don't know how she could possibly forget a kid for five hours. Asleep or not, no, you can't do that. It's hurtful that he's gone. But I just want to get his name out there so this doesn't happen to anybody else ever again.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: That's a terrible situation, but you know this time of the year, you hear about it every single year because it just gets so darn hot.
(WEATHER REPORT)
SANCHEZ: Artists across the globe are rocking on for the rock that will live on. "Live Earth", it's a series of concerts held on every single continent, it's trying to raise awareness and of course money, to try and fight climate change. Live Earth performances have already wrapped up in Sydney, Australia and Tokyo and Shanghai. The concerts are the brainchild of former vice president and current environmental guru Al Gore. The finale is in East Rutherford, New Jersey, by the way -- all-star line-up there, is entertaining thousands at Giants Stadium. CNN's Brooke Anderson has been following along and she's joining us now to bring us up to date on what's happening. What have you got, Brooke?
BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDEN: Brooke, I've got Dave Matthews behind me cracking jokes left and right, trying to make me laugh as we begin this. But my favorite band, one of my all time favorites, Dave Matthews Band, Dave Matthews, Floyd Tinsley, Stephan Lasard, thank you all for being here. And I know that this cause is really close to your heart. First of all, you founded Bama Works, 1999 in part to help the environment. Also 1991, your first official gig on earth day. So this is a big part of your life and your career, hasn't it?
DAVE MATTHEWS, SINGER: I suppose. I think we did the earth day gig just because it was a gig. So I don't want to paint a picture as if we did it for earnest reasons. I think it was vile.
ANDERSON: Well, I appreciate your honesty.
MATTHEWS: But nonetheless what a good thing. And I suppose the environment affects everyone and as I'm not tied tightly to the oil industry or the coal industry or cow farts, I'm allowed to stand up and scream. Being in a rock band that tours, I can't deny that we're pretty big polluters as well.
ANDERSON: And speaking of the touring though, you were one of the first bands to really pave the way in terms of offsetting the carbon emissions. Have other artists come to you for advice on how to do the same?
MATTHEWS: Yeah, well you know we have people have helped us make that happen and to whatever degree that helps, I mean everything helps. And those same people have helped other organizations and bands and I think that' really important. And biodiesel, the fuel you've grown rather than the fuel that you've pulled out of the ground is really important. So those things are all close to us, farm aid, you know eating locally or organically-grown food. These are things that cost, as well. So understand that we can only do the things that we can do. It's not always easy to access recycling, but if you can, you should. It's not easy to buy a new car.
ANDERSON: Make the effort.
MATTHEWS: Where ever you can, ride a bike.
ANDERSON: And I know that all of you are family men. You're all fathers. Very quickly, how do you implement that at home from an early age?
MATTHEWS: Well, my girls, they don't leave the tap running. So that's important. Occasionally they do.
ANDERSON: It's the simple things. Well we will leave it right there. Thanks for that reference to the cow. I really appreciate that.
MATTHEWS: Sure, I'll tell you it's a big one.
ANDERSON: Our CNN audience needed to hear that, Dave Matthews Band, thank you so much. Rick Sanchez, back to you.
SANCHEZ: Yeah, or have the cow ride the bike. Thanks so much. We appreciate it, interesting conversation. Also around 5:30, another chapter in the global warming debate. And you thought that was settled already, right? Well, guess again. We'll bring it for you right here.
Live Earth organizations call it 24 hours of nonstop entertainment all around the world. The purpose, to try to bring awareness to the problems associated with global warming. We're headed live now to Johannesburg, South Africa. That's coming up, we're in the NEWSROOM.
Remember this charitable tribute in the '80s. Do these star studded events really work? That's the question or is it just a feel good thing for some of these artists. A reality check that we're going to do for you and then --
And then the voting is over. What places do you think should be listed on a new list of the wonders of the world? We unveil your internet choices right here in the NEWSROOM. Do not leave because this is the definitive list. You're watching CNN, the most trusted name in news.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: There's the Great Wall of China. There's the coliseum. And there's Machu Picchu, that's in Peru. Been there. These are all the leading contenders for the new Seven Wonders of the World. People all over the world have been voting online for their favorites. This is a big deal folks. At last count, 90 million people have cast votes on this. Well, tonight they're going to unveil the top seven from Lisbon, Portugal in a live webcast. That's going to be seen everywhere and always. The bad news, if you didn't vote, you can't watch the webcast tonight. Preliminary voting back in June indicated the Great Wall of China, Machu Picchu and the Taj Mahal were there. The Rome's coliseum were the top favorites that was added a little bit later. One of the oldest candidates, Stonehenge. Some of the newer candidates included the Sydney Opera House, the Statue of Liberty and the Eiffel Tower. Again, the announcement this evening at 5:30 eastern. The live webcast from Lisbon at new7wonders.com if you really want to see it, it will be there for you.
From Jersey to Johannesburg, people all over the world are rocking with some of the biggest names in the music industry. More than 150 artists taking part in "live earth" concerts. Their message, by golly, you've got to save the environment. That's what they're trying to say and that's why they're singing. Raising money, raising awareness with live earth well underway. Our Josh Levs looks now at how much of a difference these global events really make or is it all about just feeling good? Here is his reality check.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOSHUA LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): First it was the single, and then --
The live aid concerts in 1985 drew millions of people and raised more than $200 million, meant to help end Ethiopia's famine. Some of the food made it and helped, but critics say much of the aid never made it to those in need. NILE RODGERS, LIVE AID PERFORMER: We didn't understand the business and the politics of that particular country and that world. We didn't understand the infrastructure.
LEVS: Twenty years after live aid, Bob Geldoff, the man who organized it, took a new tactic. The live eight concerts of 2005 were designed to draw attention to global poverty, not to raise money.
BONO, MUSICIAN/ACTIVIST: This is not about charity, it's about justice.
LEVS: World leaders appeared with live 8 leaders. The G-8 and other world powers increased aid and alleviated Africa's debt. Though we'll never know how much credit goes to live 8. Now live earth is taking on climate change. Organizers hope the concert will have lasting effects by educating people about the environment. But back in 1985, many people credited live aid with educating the world about famine in Africa. And in the following years, the region faced even more famine. Its population remains one of the most undernourished in the world. There's no evidence live aid made a long term difference. Still organizers of live earth say this event will lead to change by inspiring people to make some environmentally friendly changes in their own lives.
AL GORE, FORMER VICE PRESIDENT: If we can get a small fraction of the people watching this concert to sign up to those measures, then you're going to see the beginnings of major change.
LEVS (on camera): But can they get that. And will it last? If "live earth" can get people to make concrete, lasting changes, it would be one of the most influential events in all of music history. Josh Levs, CNN, Atlanta.
(END OF VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: Thanks Josh, good report. Up next in the NEWSROOM, a young man wise beyond his years.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was 6 years old and I was in my grade one classroom, my teacher said there are people who have to walk 10 kilometers to get to a dirty mud hole and I decided to do something about it.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: There you go. Too young to vote but old enough to know how to make a difference in this world. Straight ahead we'll introduce you to this CNN hero.
And then, did you know today was considered the luckiest day of the century? So how do you celebrate? Take a look at this. Weddings to remember, anniversaries impossible to forget. This all has to do with the number 7, by the way. Like in rolling lucky 7s. It's coming up. Stay with us. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: And we welcome you back to the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Rick Sanchez. Whoever said that one person alone can't make a difference, never met this young man, Ryan Herljic. This remarkable 16 year old has improved the lives of hundreds of thousands of people all over Africa. As you're seeing in some of these pictures of people he's affected. Ryan Herljic is today's CNN hero.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RYAN HERLJIC: Every day, 6,000 children die because they don't have access to clean water. That's like 20 full jumbo jets crashing every day of the year. I feel that we shouldn't live in a world like that. I was 6 years old and I was in my grade one classroom. My teacher said there were people who have to walk 10 kilometers to get to a dirty mud hole and I decided to do something about it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ryan told me he has been saving money to put up a well in Africa. And he said he wanted it in a school. The well which Ryan built was the first clean water they ever had.
HERLJIC: I went to Uganda when I was 10. I was pretty excited to go see what the impact was.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You read it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ryan's well. Funded by Ryan H.
[ singing in foreign language ]
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Up to that moment, maybe Ryan never knew how much this means. A little boy who had this big dream now look where he's not only doing one well, but so many wells. Clean water has reached far and wide.
HERLJIC: When a well is built in a community, the health it skyrockets and just to see smiles light up on people's faces because they have clean water to drink. It's great to see the impact.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ryan has changed many, many lives out here. So he is a hero. He is a warrior who made it happen.
(END OF VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: Inspiring story, inspiring young man. We're not the only ones who are impressed with Ryan's work, by the way. Just last week, the actor, Matt Damon, through his nonprofit organization, H2O Africa, agreed to partner with Ryan's foundation to try to bring even more clean water to people all over the world. If you'd like to make your own contribution to Ryan's foundation or nominate your hero for special recognition later this year, you're going to find more information on our website at cnn.com/heroes.
Music with a message blasting around the world right now. Artists in 11 cities from London to New Jersey are hitting the stage to spread the word about saving planet earth. As you can tell, this is part of our theme throughout this newscast. We're going to be headed live to Johannesburg, South Africa to show you what's going on there. Plus this --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The impact of climate change is already visible. Here in the arctic, ice caps or glaciers like these are shrinking.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Up next, a challenge to global warming. Two different views about how serious this problem really is. Those who say it's totally blown out and exaggerated and those who say, no, this is very serious and we all need to take heed. A live and lively debate next in the NEWSROOM, don't miss it.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: We welcome you back to CNN NEWSROOM, I'm Rick Sanchez. Live earth is the brainchild of former VP and current environmentalist guru Al Gore. Two billion people are expected to tune in all over the world, making it the biggest show of its type. Just look at all the cities that are hosting the concerts as we speak. One of them, Johannesburg, South Africa. We have a live picture from there? We're going to, that's where we find CNN's Isha Sesay. Hi Isha, how are you?
ISHA SESAY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm good, Rick. It's been a great evening here at the Coca-Cola Dome just north of the capital of Johannesburg. The crowds have turned out for the South African leg of "live earth." And while this venue which holds just over 15,000 wasn't completely full. There was indeed a wonderful atmosphere. It's been incredibly festive. The crowds have been treated to a great lineup of artists, a mix of international and domestic names.
South African stars such as Danny K and Zola as well as more internationally-known stars like Joss Stone who just brought the house down a couple of minutes ago.
And we're all waiting for UB40 to take the stage, Rick. An oldie but a goodie. Looking forward to that. And people haven't just embraced the music there. You know, I must stress that. We've spoken to a lot of people before this concert got under way. They're also embracing the message at the heart of this global event. Take an action against climate change -- Rick.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANGELIQUE KIDJO, SINGER: I think we can do this kind of concert because we still have the planet for us. And I would like our children to be part of this kind of event in the future. That's why I'm doing it today. If we don't do something to preserve this planet and if we exhaust this planet, we are going to lose all of us. And no money in this world can save one life. (END VIDEO CLIP)
SESAY: The words there from -- yes, Rick, the words there from superstar Angelique Kidjo, who was on stage a couple of hours ago. You know, we spoke to her a short time ago and she was really passionate about this issue and felt that while there was growing awareness amongst ordinary people, it really was, as we all know, down to the government.
The governments of industrialized nations and developing countries to really take a stand on this issue because Africa is feeling the effects of global warming, of climate change very, very seriously. I mean, Rick, as we all know, Lake Chad is drying up. The glaciers among Kilimanjaro are melting. And the drought and the flash floods in Africa are getting a lot worse. And the experts say those problems will get a lot, lot worse if climate change isn't halted -- Rick.
SANCHEZ: Good report, Isha. Interesting to see how those people are being affected and how they are getting involved as well. Thanks, again.
This just in, we're getting word of a crash somewhere in the Hudson River between New Jersey and New York. Jim Acosta has been following it for us. We understand he is near the scene.
Jim, are you there? All right. We're getting information now that Jim is on the story. He's going to be joining us in just a little bit to bring us up to date. We understand -- and those of you familiar with the New York area will know immediately where this is, it's more like on the New Jersey side, it's in Weehawken.
Weehawken, of course, right there not far from the famous ferries that take people all the way over to New York across the Hudson River there. We're going to be getting more information.
A helicopter with pontoons has gone down in the Hudson River, hoping to be able to find out from Jim Acosta in just a little bit if there are any injuries, what the status is out there as emergency crews, I'm sure, get to the scene. And as soon as we're able to make contact with Jim, we'll bring you that story.
Now -- well, hold on, hold on, we've got Jim. We do. Jim Acosta apparently is filling us now.
Apparently you were at the scene. Jim, are you there?
JIM ACOSTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Rick, I'm not on the scene as of yet. I am here. Yes.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: Tell us what you know.
ACOSTA: Well, the New York Fire Department has confirmed that a helicopter crashed into the Hudson River on the West Side of Manhattan. And obviously it would be on the left side of Manhattan. The river on the East Side of Manhattan is the East River. But we do understand from talking to the fire department that the passengers onboard that helicopter, all eight of them, according to the fire department, are safely out of the water and are presumably fine.
No word yet in terms of injuries or what kind of treatment is being rendered at this time. But from what we understand, those eight people onboard were pulled from the water by a nearby ferry boat, which is very fortunate for them, because depending on the day, that water can be fairly difficult to swim in. You have to be a good swimmer to swim the Hudson River.
SANCHEZ: Yes. Not to mention if it's the wrong time of the year, it can be really cold as well. Thank goodness it is the right time of the year, though. Is this one of those sightseeing tours, Jim, that we hear about out in that area?
ACOSTA: You know, I'm not sure yet. You know, the number of eight people onboard is curious. We don't have any information in terms of what type of helicopter flight this was. But eight people would suggest something more than a TV news helicopter or something more than a law enforcement helicopter.
It's something -- you know, it could be a corporate outing. I mean, there are so many different helicopter flights in and around Manhattan that we see on a regular basis up here, as you know, Rick. Seeing helicopters over the skies of Manhattan is not an unusual sight. But we don't know at this point what type of helicopter we're dealing with.
SANCHEZ: All right. Jim Acosta on the story there. We thank you, Jim, for hustling to get us that information. Eight people, that is a big number for -- I mean, as helicopters go. Helicopter has gone down. But as you heard Jim saying just moments ago, it appears that all eight people are OK. Rescue officials have been getting to them.
And, Jen (ph), you were mentioning to me that we're going to have pictures on this in just a little bit? Or we do have some I-Reports from people there at the scene I'm being told. We're expecting them in just a little bit. And as soon as we get those pictures, we're going to turn them around for you and bring it to you.
And when we come back, we'll have not only that, but also the latest on what's going on with these festivities all over the world. And the big debate, is global warming exaggerated or is it the real deal? Two people, two opinions, two experts. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: This is the story just in. Trying to bring you up to date on it, again. We had heard a helicopter had crashed into the Hudson River there between -- on the West Side of Manhattan, we're told now, between New York and New Jersey. The good news is that all eight people onboard -- and I know that's a big number, eight people on a helicopter, we don't know yet if it was a tour helicopter. But all eight people onboard have been taken out of the water and are seemingly fine. That's the very latest information on this private helicopter that has crashed there on the West Side of the Hudson River, not far from Manhattan. As we get more information on this, we'll share it with you. But it seems like things are wrapping up there.
Now back to the thematic story of the day. Live Earth hopes to raise awareness so people will take better care of the planet. But in some areas the damage is already done. Our Becky Anderson shows us the top of the world and the impact of global warming.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A vast ocean of ice, an expanse of untouched wilderness. This is Spitsbergen, an island located within the Arctic Circle. Quite literally the top of the world. The Arctic is one of the largest unspoiled regions on Earth. But it's a region that's rapidly changing.
(on camera): All the impact of climate change is already visible here in the Arctic. Ice caps or glaciers like these are shrinking as parts of the polar region warm twice as vast as the global average.
(voice-over): NASA scientists say in just one year, between 2004 and 2005, the Arctic ice that survives summer shrunk by 14 percent. Three quarters of a million square kilometers, more than a quarter of a million square miles, an area the size of the state of Texas.
One study published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters even suggests that the Arctic could be free of all summer ice as early as 2040, an event that could have major consequences.
Becky Anderson, CNN, Spitsbergen, above the Arctic Circle.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: Earth as a planet seems to be heating up, and so is the debate, by the way, heating up. There are people extremely concerned and those who think it's all nothing but a bunch of hooey. So what's the truth? We know you want to know and so do we. So let's talk to a couple of experts, shall we? Joining us now from New York is Martin Hoffert. He's a professor at New York University. He says global warming is the real deal, no doubt about. And joining me from Washington is Myron Ebell. He is with the Competitive Enterprise Institute and says it's mostly a bunch of hot air and exaggeration.
Let's see if there's something we can start agreeing on. Can we agree that the Earth is warming, Mr. Ebell?
MYRON EBELL, COMPETITIVE ENTERPRISE INSTITUTE: Yes, we are a modest warming trend since about 1970.
SANCHEZ: So where's the difference? You would say the warming trend has nothing to do with human activity? EBELL: No, I think it probably does. We're burning a lot of coal, oil and natural gas. That releases a lot of carbon dioxide. And that is probably partly or largely responsible for the, I repeat, modest warming trend that we're in.
SANCHEZ: So when you say modest, it implies that the other side, people like Mr. Hoffert, for example, are exaggerating the findings?
EBELL: Well, I don't know about Dr. Hoffert, but I do know that there are a lot of people out there who are making outlandish claims about what is both happening now and what is likely to happen. Al Gore, of course, is the leader of that. But he's not the only one. There are some -- a few scientists doing it as well.
SANCHEZ: All right. Give us an outlandish claim and then we'll let Mr. Hoffert respond to you.
EBELL: Well, Al Gore talks very easily and comfortably about 20 feet (sic) of sea level rise in the next few decades, he says. Now the IPCC, the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which is the consensus and authoritative body, in their 2001 report, their mean estimate was about 20 inches. And in their 2007 report, they reduced that to 14 inches of sea level rise between now and 2100.
That, in fact, if it occurs, will be a significant increase over the current rate of sea level rise. But it's possible. We could have 14 inches. But 20 inches (sic) is just designed to scare people.
SANCHEZ: So you say -- he says 20 really is more like 14? Mr. Hoffert, you respond?
MARTIN HOFFERT, NEW YORK UNIVERSITY: Well, there is an uncertainty range in climate change. And I don't think that there's any doubt that global warming -- which, by the way I started working on in 1970 when the Earth was actually cooling, and where I was working, which was the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, we made some estimates that probably around the late 1980s, the signal from global warming would break out of the background because there is natural variability and there are reasons for the climate to change. And...
SANCHEZ: All right. But let's try and make it -- let's try and make it matter to our viewers. Let's say he's right, Mr. Ebell. Let's say he's right and it's only 14 inches in the year by now in 2100. What would 14 inches do? Would 14 inches, for example, put part of Florida under water?
HOFFERT: Well, certainly if the concern is erosion of coastal zones, 14 inches would be a very big problem. That's not the only problem. There are many other things happening, including the melting of alpine glaciers, the melting of tundra at high latitudes. The loss of Arctic Sea ice, the penetration of tropical disease vectors, like West Nile virus into...
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: Well, let me stop you...
HOFFERT: ... latitudes.
SANCHEZ: Let me stop you there for just a moment...
HOFFERT: The warming of the oceans and the fact that the intensity of hurricanes on a statistical average basis is likely to increase. And we're just at the beginning of a process that has an enormous inertia because things the lags associated with the human system and with the atmosphere and with the carbon cycle are such that even if we stopped emitting all CO2 right now, the warming would continue significantly.
SANCHEZ: Mr. Ebell, could you respond to that? He named a whole bevy of things there that are going to be affecting us. Do you deny that those things could happen or will happen?
EBELL: Some of them, yes. I mean, look, if you're waiting on the beach for the sea level to rise, your feet may eventually rot. But the fact is that we've had sea level rise at varying rates since the end of the last ice age, 12,000 or 13,000 years ago. We had significant sea level rise in the 20th and 19th centuries. We...
SANCHEZ: Do you deny...
EBELL: ... adapted to that.
SANCHEZ: Let me show you something. There are some pictures we have. I want you to look at them or at least let our viewers see them. All right. That was the North Pole. Jenny (ph), when was this? That's the North Pole right now. The ice boundary around it and we have a picture of what it used to look like. It seems to most of us who are not scientists undeniable. How would you respond to that, Mr. Ebell?
EBELL: Well, I would try to look at the entire historical record. If you look at the data set for the Arctic temperatures, you'll see there was a prolonged period of warming in the 1930s which was at least as warm as -- in the Arctic as today and was quite a lot longer than the current spell. Now the current warming may continue, but it also may be cyclical and it may recede.
SANCHEZ: But before we run out of time, because they are wrapping me, yes or no, do you believe as human beings that we do need to be doing something about this?
EBELL: I think global warming is a potential problem. But I certainly don't believe it is a crisis. And I think all this scaremongering is very unfortunate.
SANCHEZ: OK. You have ten seconds to respond to him, Mr. Hoffert. He says it's scaremongering. He says we don't need to be overly concerned about it.
HOFFERT: The problem with this discussion is that we're talking about something that most -- the overwhelming majority of atmospheric scientists consider settled science. What we should be talking about is what kind of energy policy should the United States and the world adopt to deal with this major issue.
SANCHEZ: I agree -- you know, most people would tend to agree with you. But there is an awful lot of people whose opinions we have to respect who agree with Mr. Ebell.
And on that note, by the way, Mr. Ebell, according to what I read, American Association of Petroleum Geologists, petroleum geologists, key word "petroleum" there, are the only scientific society that agrees with you. Wouldn't there be a reason for them wanting to do that?
EBELL: Well, I think I just pointed out that the IPCC, the expert consensus, authoritative report, agrees with me, not with Al Gore. So I think that the consensus is rather less alarmist than you're indicating.
SANCHEZ: All right. Well, we'll leave it at that. Myron Ebell, thanks so much for being with us.
EBELL: Thank you.
SANCHEZ: Professor Hoffert, it's a pleasure to talk to you as well, sir. Thank you, gentlemen. Hopefully we will be able to carry on the discussion maybe a little more in-depth at some other point.
Well, what do you do on what is called luckiest day of the century? Why you get married, of course. The story next in the NEWSROOM. You're watching CNN. And we're watching you. Stay with us.
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SANCHEZ: It is time to go global. We are beginning in Islamabad, Pakistan, where authorities fired on a mosque, detonating this fuel tank. That's why you see all that smoke in the background. Radical Islamic students took refuge in the so-called Red Mosque Tuesday after they allegedly attacked a nearby police checkpoint. Twenty-six people have been killed in the five-day stand-off, some 1,200 students have surrendered.
Check this out, it's a massive sandstorm, it's blinding drivers in China's Gansu province. It happened Thursday, the storm blew for 90 minutes. Luckily some relief came in the form of some heavy rain which helped clear the skies.
The tradition lives on despite growing protests. The annual running of the bulls got under way today in Pamplona, Spain. Seven people reportedly suffered from minor injuries as a result of doing something this -- doing something like this. The annual event marks the beginning of the San Fermin Festival, a celebration honoring bullfighting and wine-making. Stick to the wine-making, right?
American tennis sensation Venus Williams makes history at Wimbledon as the lowest-ranked player to take home the title. That's right. Williams was ranked 31st worldwide. She took Marion Bartoli in straight sets for her fourth Wimbledon championship. But this win paid better than the previous one for the first time in history. The ladies' Wimbledon winner earned the same amount of prize money as the men. Catching up.
From the beaches and the boardwalks to the casinos and the chapels, today couples are saying "I do" and they're doing so in droves. They are hoping that that lucky number seven will bless their bliss with a lifetime of love. That's nice. "Bless their bliss," who wrote that? Seven-seven-oh-seven, today's date comes just once in a lifetime.
Wedding planners say that they've been working overtime to get ready for this one today. Venues all over the country are booked solid. What is it about it? Well, Las Vegas is cashing in on the triple seven jackpot. Some casinos are holding mass weddings, others are playing the odds with back-to-back ceremonies. There you have it.
Well, we've seen our share of stories about floods and fires wiping out everything, families left with nothing. Up next, a poignant story of a family trying to rise from the ashes of disaster. We are going to hear from them next in the NEWSROOM.
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SANCHEZ: How do you start over when everything you own has been wiped out? That's the challenge that's facing people in parts of Utah, Southern California, parts of Oregon after devastating wildfires there.
CNN's Kara Finnstrom reports on the tremendous toll that the flames have taken on one Lake Tahoe family.
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MOLLY MARSHALL, LAKE TAHOE RESIDENT: It looked like a tornado of flames. The roar of it, you could hear it. It was so close.
KARA FINNSTROM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): So close to Molly and Van Marshall's home they had 10 minutes to escape.
M. MARSHALL: I was trying to grab everything I could, our important papers. And I have three little dogs. When I pulled out of the driveway, it was raining fire on us.
FINNSTROM: Within 24 hours, the swift-moving inferno accomplished its chilling destruction.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Some of these areas were open today.
FINNSTROM: But the Marshalls' personal nightmare was only beginning. They allowed us to go back home with them for the first time.
M. MARSHALL: It's like a death in the family. We're bewildered.
FINNSTROM: First, Molly and Van sifted through the home where they raised two boys.
M. MARSHALL: That's my stove. We hadn't put it in yet, and the refrigerator. I don't even see the refrigerator.
FINNSTROM: Then they took us to scorched land, just behind, where for two years Van had been building their dream home.
M. MARSHALL: And this is part of Van's tools.
FINNSTROM: They were weeks away from moving in.
M. MARSHALL: (INAUDIBLE) and I'm so sorry that it's gone.
VAN MARSHALL, LAKE TAHOE RESIDENT: I'll build you another one.
FINNSTROM: The loss is overwhelming. The Marshalls now facing not just rebuilding two homes, but two lives.
M. MARSHALL: I have to call the utilities. I have to cancel my newspaper, which sounds crazy.
JENNY CARRICK, AMERICAN RED CROSS: What they're about to face is the hard process of figuring out everything that they've lost, reporting everything.
FINNSTROM: The Red Cross's Jenny Carrick, and others at this disaster assistance center help families with everything from getting new driver's licenses and places to live, to getting help paying for it all.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The building department...
FINNSTROM: These workers have been helping families in wildfire- ravaged cities all over the West. Federal officials say more people are now living in traditionally wildlife areas. They say nationwide, wildfires have already burned at least 590 homes this year. And if this pace continues, this may be the most destructive fire year of the decade.
(on camera): What are you realizing now that you've lost?
M. MARSHALL: Oh, gosh, not only our memories, but our families. Pictures that I didn't get out. You know, things that belong to our great grandparents.
FINNSTROM: At a time in life when the Marshalls and their friends had planned to retire, they're suddenly starting all over again.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sorry, yes.
FINNSTROM: Kara Finnstrom for CNN, Lake Tahoe.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: And we couldn't let you go without telling you what one of the new Wonders of the World is. Petra in Jordan, that famous carved city. According to the Associated Press, it is now one of the New Wonders of the World. Taj Mahal apparently also made the list. We'll keep checking on it for you. Here's Lou Dobbs.
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