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Airport Security Alert; Police Beating Acquittal; Sex Line Mixup; Gator Wrestling; Mortgage Meltdown

Aired July 25, 2007 - 10:00   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Should air travelers be concerned?
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: And a story you can really sink your teeth into. Help wanted, gator wrestlers. Snap judgment a plus. Hello.

It is Wednesday, July 25th. And you are in the CNN NEWSROOM.

WHITFIELD: Strange items in airport luggage. Concerns about possible dry runs for a terrorist attack. Federal officials downplaying the danger, but a memo tells airports to be on the lookout. Here's national correspondent Keith Oppenheim.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KEITH OPPENHEIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): The TSA bulletin was meant for law enforcement and it had an alarmist tone. It read "a surge in recent suspicious incidents at U.S. airports may indicate terrorists are conducting pre-attack security probes and 'dry runs' similar to dress rehearsals." The memo cited four confiscations at four airports dating back to last fall. And in each case, suggested what was found may have been meant to resemble a bomb.

September 16th, Baltimore, agents find a checked bag with a block of cheese connected to a cell phone charger. November 8th, Houston, inside a passenger's checked bag, a plastic bag with a nine volt battery, wires, and a block of clay. June 4th, Milwaukee, a carry-on bag contains a wire coil around an electrical switch, three tubes and two blocks of cheese. And July 5th, San Diego, a checked bag contains duct tape around two ice packs filled with clay.

Mark Vehslage of Dallas says it doesn't bother him.

MARK VEHSLAGE, DALLAS, TEXAS: No, it doesn't surprise me. I mean, I don't necessarily worry about it an ordainment amount of time. I'm going to do what I got to do and I just pray and trust God's going to protect me.

OPPENHEIM: The bulletin went on to say, some of these incidents led the TSA to evacuate terminals, but ultimately the investigation had not linked passengers carrying these items with terrorist organizations. It read "however -- most passenger's explanations for carrying the suspicious items were questionable -- and some investigations are still ongoing."

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And Keith Oppenheim joins us now from Milwaukee's airport.

So, Keith, why are these incidents important enough to put out in a memo but not important enough to actually arrest those involved?

OPPENHEIM: Well, our sources say that the people who were carrying this stuff, either in checked bags or in carry-ones, through places like where I am right now in Milwaukee, that all those folks have been questioned. The investigations are ongoing. But they haven't been able to make any link between those passengers and terrorism. At least not so far.

And, Fredricka, I should also add that the TSA, in response to news reports about this bulletin, have said that there is no creditable threat or specific threat to the homeland at this point. In fact, they say bulletins like this are pretty common. There have been 90 of them in the last six months, they say, to front line law forces, which is I guess their way of trying to keep everyone in polices like this on their toes.

WHITFIELD: So does that mean they, TSA, is leaning toward these incidents being more like pranks?

OPPENHEIM: They haven't said that they are pranks. And, you know, keep in mind that we do have four incidents in these memos which have a certain commonality. So there's nothing so far that we heard which suggests a hoax. But we also haven't heard anything, you know, clearly creditable that this was intended to cause harm or it was definitely trying to test security to see if they could get a fake bomb through.

WHITFIELD: All right. Maybe perhaps making many more of us a lot more alarmed or maybe a lot more vigilant.

All right. Thanks so much, Keith Oppenheim.

HARRIS: A sobering fact in Philadelphia. More than 230 homicides already this year. The city's worst homicide rate in a decade. The latest killing was Tuesday morning. Many officials blaming each other and residents.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR JOHN STREET, PHILADELPHIA: The thing that is still haunting most of us is the fact that we had this terrible violence in our community and we have a very difficult time getting citizens to come forward and to work with the police department.

GOV. ED RENDELL, PENNSYLVANIA: I know the mayor has had to cut the number of police. But the mayor can't print money in the basement of city hall.

(END VIDEO CLIP) HARRIS: Well, the state has sent money to the city for nearly 100 new officers. Police say the one thing they don't have are witnesses. They are pleading for people to come forward with any information.

WHITFIELD: A violent scuffle in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Now a former New Orleans police officer involved in the case is cleared of any wrongdoing. WWL reporter Scott Satchfield has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERT EVANGELIST, FORMER NOPD OFFICER: I have no comment.

SCOTT SATCHFIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): Walking out of the courtroom an innocent man, former NOPD Officer Robert Evangelist wasn't interested in talking.

EVANGELIST: Once again, I have no comment.

SATCHFIELD: But his attorney, Franz Zibilich says, justice was served.

FRANZ ZIBILICH, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: I feel that he believes that everyone's been shooting at him for the last two years since the storm. And when he finally got his day in court, the vindication came. I mean, he's very pleased.

SATCHFIELD: Evangelist and two other NOPD officers were accused of beating Robert Davis in the French Quarter in October 2005. While the incident was caught on tape by the Associated Press, the judge in the case says Davis could have avoided the situation but instead resisted arrest. The judge also criticized the district attorney's office, suggesting prosecutors went after the wrong people. He said Davis' injuries were as a result of force used by FBI agents and not the NOPD officers.

ZIBILICH: As the judge said and pointed out, the FBI came into the fracas and they are the ones that caused the injuries. And I'm not saying what they did was wrong.

SATCHFIELD: Robert Davis, who has spoken out before on this case, left the courthouse quickly without commenting. While Robert Evangelist wouldn't speak about any possible plans to get back into law enforcement, NOPD union representative Michael Glasser says the outcome of the case proves the former officer did nothing wrong.

MICHAEL GLASSER, NOPD UNION REPRESENTATIVE: Well, I think the judge came to the only conclusion he could. You know, the state put on their witnesses and their evidence and their witnesses contradicted one another, including Mr. Davis. They contradicted themselves. They contradicted the videotape. They contradicted previous statements. It was the only conclusion the judge could reach.

(END VIDEOTAPE) WHITFIELD: Now two other police officers were accused in the case. Charges were dropped against one of them. The other officer killed himself last month.

HARRIS: Tension in suburban Atlanta this morning. A dispute that has immigrants rights groups seething. Cobb County has just passed restrictions on the number of people who can live in one house and the number of vehicles that be can be parked outside. It started with a woman complaining about one of her neighbors. She said there were 15 people living under one roof and just as many vehicles there. Opponents say it is just an attempt to make life difficult for immigrants.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ELISE SHORE, MEXICAN AMERICAN LEGAL DEF. FUND: These actions may be a pretext for discrimination to target the Latino community. Generally and -- and other specific immigrant communities as well.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: Supporters of the law says overcrowded homes with yards full of cars are driving down property values.

WHITFIELD: A Florida girl calls a sexual assault hotline, but little did she know that the number she actually dialed was to a sex line. The story from Greg Bilazarian from our affiliate WCJB.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEX RECORDING, SEXUAL ASSAULT HOTLINE: Hello there, hot stuff. I've been waiting for your call.

GREG BILAZARIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): It was the last thing Karen Carter expected when she had her daughter call a sexual assault hotline Sunday night.

KAREN CARTER, MOTHER: And I convinced my daughter that this phone call was going to help her.

SEX RECORDING UNDER SEXUAL ASSAULT HOTLINE: Are you ready for some tantalizing fun?

BILAZARIAN: Today we went looking for answers. The building where North Central Florida Sexual Assault Center used to be is up for sale. Closed for months. So we called the phone company and got this statement. "In May 2007, we were notified the center had been closed. The number was apparently resigned in that time frame and it should be noted that the carrier that reassigned the number is not affiliated with AT&T."

BILL MCCOLLUM, FLORIDA ATTORNEY GENERAL: The bigger problem is the idea that the provider would allow an 800 number within that short a period of time, not only to be given to someone else, but to be allowed to be used by a sex marketing agency. BILAZARIAN: So, today, McCollum's office made some suggestions to the company that owns the phone number. Hold discontinued victim service providers for at least a two-year period so that directories can be updated.

MCCOLLUM: You are actually helping us by having made this public because we're now able to understand there could be a great problem here.

BILAZARIAN: So eight-year-old girls like Karen Carter's daughter don't grow up too fast.

CARTER: Sometimes children aren't given the choice to grow up as children in the way they're supposed to be.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: A spokeswoman for the state attorney general's office has apologized to the girl and her family for that mix-up.

HARRIS: Back in treatment. That's where actress Lindsay Lohan is waking up this morning. The 21-year-old star was arrested early yesterday -- we brought you the breaking news here in the NEWSROOM -- on DUI charges. It's her second DUI arrest in two months and it comes just five days after being booked on the earlier charge. Lohan's father, Michael Lohan, just out prison himself on a DUI conviction, talked to Court TV's Lisa Bloom last night on CNN's "Larry King Live."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LISA BLOOM, "LARRY KING LIVE": Do you hold yourself at all responsible for what Lindsay's going through?

MICHAEL LOHAN, LINDSAY LOHAN'S FATHER: Of course I do. If I didn't, I'd be a liar. I mean, everyone around Lindsay, especially her parents, have a direct bearing on her life. And I made some really stupid choices in my life. I made some mistakes. And I can -- I can definitely identify with what she's going through because when I was torn from my family, I reacted the wrong way. My family are the most important thing in my life. I love my children. Always did and always will. And I was -- contrary to what people say, I was always there for my kids. The problem was, when I was taken out of their life the way I was, I reacted the wrong way.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: Police say Lohan faces five charges, including DUI and cocaine possession.

WHITFIELD: And disturbing developments in Afghanistan. A local Afghan official saying the Taliban have killed a hostage, one of 23 South Korean Christian volunteers kidnapped last week. The Afghan official says the man killed was very ill and could not be taken to a hospital. He says the Taliban are holding other hostages in three different locations. According to South Korean reports, eight of the hostages have been released. Taliban leaders are threatening to start killing the Koreans if the Afghan government does not free some Taliban prisoners.

HARRIS: And still ahead, was a killer among them? A quiet Connecticut town shaken by a deadly home invasion. The latest on the case.

WHITFIELD: Also, coming to the defense of those defending the nation. Groups raise cash for troops accused of crime in combat.

HARRIS: And there she blows. The 94-year-old Oregon Dam blasted to protect the environment.

WHITFIELD: And there's only a handful left of these dying breed.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's not the alligator that's in danger now, it's the gator wrestler.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Or I should say this dying breed. I'm talking about gator wrestling. The show must go on -- or not? Chop chop. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: And welcome back, everyone. I'm Tony Harris. And you are in the CNN NEWSROOM.

Busted again and already in prison stripes. Fans come to the side -- oh, boy.

WHITFIELD: Oh, no. That's kind of cold blooded.

HARRIS: Yes. The wax Lindsay Lohan. Yes, go figure.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: A deadly home invasion prompts a Connecticut board of pardons and paroles to re-examine its policies. Two parolees with long rap sheets, now charged with crimes including sexual assault, arson and robbery. More charges are expected. The suspects are accused of triple homicide. The medical examiner says wife and mother, Jennifer Hawke-Petit was strangled to death. Her two daughters died of smoke inhalation. Their father, Dr. William Petit Jr., hospitalized with head injuries. The suspects were caught in the family's car after ramming several police cruisers as they tried to flee the home. Authorities say the men had set fire to the house to cover their tracks.

WHITFIELD: NFL star Michael Vick headed to court tomorrow. The Falcons quarterback accused of running a dogfighting operation at a home he owns in Virginia. He is to appear for his bond hearing and arraignment the same day his team reports to training camp. The NFL has ordered Vick to stay away from the camp as the league reviews the case and considers punishment. Team officials, namely the owner of the Falcons, now addressing the charges and urging the public to let the case play out in court.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARTHUR BLANK, ATLANTA FALCONS OWNER: The notion that anyone would participate in dogfighting is incomprehensible to me. However, we do need to remember that we're dealing with allegations at this point. I want to be clear that we're not here today to pass judgment on Michael's guilt or innocence on the indictment. The courts will determine that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: If convicted, Vick could face six years in prison and a $350,000 fine.

HARRIS: Putting your hand in an alligator's mouth? Sure -- no thanks?

WHITFIELD: No.

HARRIS: Certainly a tough job. Somebody's got to do it. Not Fred. Or do they have to do it. CNN's John Zarrella on endangered alligator wrestlers.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): When James Peacock (ph) is told to get a grip . . .

JAMES PEACOCK, ALLIGATOR WRESTLER: Inside the mouth are 80 teeth.

ZARRELLA: It's a whole different meaning. He's been wrestling alligators for 17 years and has nine bites to prove it.

PEACOCK: If I attempt to get behind the alligator, he will use his tail to help bring his head around quickly, defending his back side.

ZARRELLA: But Peacock knows his days in the pits are numbered.

PEACOCK: It's not the alligators that's in danger now, it's the gator wrestler.

ZARRELLA: Peacock says there are only a handful left in Florida. In the past, gator shows were income for Native Americans. Now tribes are into big business, like casinos. And there's not much job security putting your hand in an alligator's mouth.

PEACOCK: You'll see that this guy's really big and he will definitely bite.

ZARRELLA: Peacock hopes to pass on his unique skill.

SCOTT COHEN, TRAINEE: When the jaws close, you grabs both jaws and have them tight. ZARRELLA: Scott Cohen is just 13 years old. Younger than the gators in the pit he wants to learn to wrestle. Right now he only handles the small ones. Three and four footers.

COHEN: Because I've always loved animals since I've been little and . . .

ZARRELLA: Well, yes, but it's one thing to love animals. But this is an alligator.

COHEN: I think of it as the same thing like a dog. I just love them.

ZARRELLA: Scott hopes when he's grown a bit, he can start tackling the big boys. For now, that's left to James.

PEACOCK: And once he's good in that, alligator wrestlers do dumb stuff. Things like putting our bodies in his mouth.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: No, thank you.

Well, busting in with the help of a sledgehammer. Thieves caught on camera.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was not worth it. Not at all.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Honest to God, I think it's just pretty sad.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: And now police say the suspects, well they're just kids, and they wanted just one thing.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: After yesterday's plunge on Wall Street, things are looking up. The Dow at 49 points up. That's pretty impressive considering, you know, we opened up, what?

HARRIS: Considering yesterday. Yes.

WHITFIELD: Yes. And then after that plunge, it opened up today about 100 points up.

HARRIS: Yes.

WHITFIELD: And the Nasdaq, up about 15 points. The day is young.

HARRIS: One of the nation's largest mortgage lenders suffers big. And we're talking big losses. But the bad news actually cast a shadow far beyond one board room. Here's CNN personal finance editor Gerri Willis.

Gerri, good morning.

GERRI WILLIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.

HARRIS: Hey, Gerri, we saw this coming. We have been talking about subprime and kind of the meltdown in that sector for a long time here.

WILLIS: Right.

HARRIS: And we knew that there was bad news on the horizon for Countrywide Financial. But put the bad reporting yesterday in some kind of perspective for us.

WILLIS: I will indeed. But before we get to Countrywide, I just want to bring you the latest news.

You should know, existing home sales numbers are just out for June. That sales number was down, 3.8 percent to 5.75 million units. And, Tony, that is the lowest number we've seen in five years.

There is good news, though. The median home price, which is an important number to all of us, right, is up marginally, 0.3 of a percent to 230,100.

Now, these numbers are just out. We wanted to bring them to you right away. But you should know they account for about 85 percent of the market out there.

Now, on to Countrywide. Countrywide Financial reported a sharp drop in second-quarter profit. The company also slashed its earnings forecast. And perhaps the most distressing thing is that delinquencies and foreclosures are spreading to home owners who have good credit. Not just those subprime borrowers that you and I have talked so much about, Tony. Countrywide is the nation's largest mortgage lender. It's seen as a bellwether of market conditions. So when that country takes a plunge, investors panic and you saw that sell-off yesterday.

HARRIS: Absolutely. So put all this together for us. The information that you're just reporting just in this morning. And also, what's happening in this sector? What's going on in housing right no now?

WILLIS: Well simply put, the housing market does not seem to be making a comeback any time soon. Now looks of softening home values is one of the reasons the housing market is so sluggish. There continues to be areas of the country that are suffering price declines. And as a result, people who have mortgages are increasingly unable to sell their homes or refinance.

And, as I just mentioned, we're not just talking about people who have taken out subprime loans. As you may recall, subprime loans are those loans given to people with less than perfect credit. Now, today, even prime borrowers are struggling to make payments. This is what has home owners, Wall Street and bankers worried.

And Countrywide's chairman said he doesn't see any silver lining any time soon. He sees no recovery before 2009. So big headlines yesterday sent the market tanking. More news today kind of split on the health of the housing market.

HARRIS: So wait a minute, Gerri, what -- going forward here, what should we be keeping our eyes open for?

WILLIS: Well, tomorrow we'll get new home sales. So stay tuned. We can bring you all the latest on that. But I've got to tell you, we're going to be watching these numbers very, very closely.

Tony.

HARRIS: So give us the best advice, best guidance right now if you are a homeowner.

WILLIS: Well, if you're worried about falling behind on your payments, maybe you already have, get on the phone to your lender, pick up the telephone, call the loss mitigation department. They'll try to work with you so you don't have to go into foreclosure. And I can't stress that enough. Making that phone call, making it early, that is the big problem out there right now. People can't afford these mortgages. They're staying up nights. They're worried. Take action.

HARRIS: OK. There she is. CNN personal finance editor Gerri Willis for us this morning.

Gerri, appreciate it. Thank you.

WILLIS: Thank you, Tony.

WHITFIELD: And still ahead, airport on the lookout. Suspicious incidents seen as possible dress rehearsals for a terror attack. How concerned should you be?

HARRIS: Also, more flooding fears in England. Hundreds of homes evacuated. And it is expected to get worse.

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And I'm Sean Callebs in New Orleans.

A number of troops facing crimes while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Organizations are now turning to the web to raise money for their legal defense counsel. Who's running these sites and who's donating? We'll have that story just ahead in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Welcome back to the NEWSROOM. I'm Fredricka Whitfield, in for Heidi Collins today.

HARRIS: Hi, Fred.

WHITFIELD: Hello.

HARRIS: Yes, and good morning, everyone. I'm Tony Harris.

Among our top stories this morning, airports on the lookout. A warning about possible dry runs for a terrorist attack. Incidents reported at four airports -- Milwaukee, San Diego, Houston, and Baltimore. The Transportation Security Administration now issuing an advisory. It states, "a surge in recent suspicious incidents at U.S. airports may indicate terrorists are conducting pre-attack security probes and 'dry runs,' similar to dress rehearsals." Items including wires, switches, batteries and blocks of cheese were found in passengers' bags. The TSA is downplaying the significance of the memo, but a former Homeland Security inspector general says it does raise concerns.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLARK KENT ERVIN, FMR. DHS INSPECTOR GENERAL: There have been a number of investigations showing it's sometimes difficult for screeners to spot fully assembled bombs. But obviously it's even harder for them to spot components that, in and of themselves, are innocuous. The fact that there have been so many incidents, the advisory refers to it as a surge. And the fact that al Qaeda has this pattern of testing, doing dry runs, dress rehearsals before attacks, all adds up to a very troubling picture.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: U.S. troops on duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, and sometimes on the defensive against criminal charges. Reinforcements arrive on the Internet now.

CNN's Sean Callebs explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): For months now, retired Marine Patrick Barnes has watched money trickle into the Military Combat Defense Fund.

PATRICK BARNES, MILITARY COMBAT DEFENSE FUND: Three hundred dollars here, $25 here, $100 here.

CALLEBS: The checks have added up to more than $150,000. It's just one of a dozen or so organizations using Internet Web sites to raise money for U.S. troops accused of crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan.

BARNES: They're from blue collar families. They don't -- they don't have a lot of money. And to have money for a defense, they just don't have it.

CALLEBS: The Web sites are mainly run by ex-military personnel or conservative Christian groups such as the Thomas More Law Center, which has taken on the case of Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Chessani. Chessani could be court-martialed on charges of dereliction of duty for failing to report and investigate the killings of Iraqi civilians by U.S. Marines in the town of Hadithah.

The Thomas More site has received $300,000 so far, chiefly from donors who describe themselves as patriotic Americans.

RICHARD THOMPSON, THOMAS MORE LAW CENTER: Who want to support our troops in Iraq, who may not necessarily believe that fighting the war is the appropriate thing to be doing, but they're not taking it out on our troops.

These organizations are encouraged by another Hadithah case involving Corporal Justin Sharratt, who was charged in three deaths. Marine investigators are recommending dropping murder charges against Sharratt, saying the allegations were not supported by the evidence.

The corporal's family said, "The monetary donations we received from the defense funds have helped in lessening the financial burden on our family.

Patrick Barnes, himself a decorated Vietnam veteran, says his fight to defend American military personnel goes on.

BARNES: I know what it's like to kick a door down and sweep a house. So when I read about these kids being charged with crimes for fighting a war the way they're supposed to, it is somewhat enraging.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And CNN's Sean Callebs is in New Orleans now, joining us now.

So, Sean, how do these fund-raising organizations decide on who they want to help?

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well the way they work, like, let's take the Thomas Moore site, people can find out about these sites and then they can go on to -- there's an application page. And an application will come in, and there's usually a board that sits on these organizations. Some are more clear than others, like this one is just for an individual. But the board will then go through all of those applications, and then decide how they are going to disburse the money.

And it's interesting, because we have one that's run by Patrick Barnes. It's called the Military Combat Defense Fund. And people can just go down and click on donations, and then the dollar figure comes up, and basically they take almost any kind of denomination and just through $25, $50 here and there, they've raised $150,000, Freddy, in about one year.

WHITFIELD: Wow. So is it ever the case of this organization or organizations like this have more, I guess, candidates, more soldiers that need help than they actually have money for?

CALLEBS: Well, I think, in talking to a number of people who operate these Web sites, they say there is no shortage of troops out there, Marines, soldiers, who are facing some very serious crimes right now, including kidnapping and murder. So they say there's always the need. And they point out that a lot of these people come from very humble backgrounds, and to have a civilian attorney and face the kind of charges that they are facing, it can run hundreds of thousands of dollars. So these funds are coming in at a very important time for these families.

WHITFIELD: Who simply couldn't afford it otherwise.

Sean Callebs, thanks so much, from New Orleans.

Underwater and under stress. A new front in the fight against rising floodwaters in Britain. Hundreds of homes evacuated in Oxford, along the Thames River.

We get more now from CNN's Alfonso Van Marsh in Gloucester, England.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALFONSO VAN MARSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is raining, as weather forecasters had predicted. But they are saying that the rain will ease. That's little consolation to the some 350,000 people who are waking up without water or electricity today. Where I'm standing, this is actually a footpath along one of the main rivers in the central part of the city. The forecasters say that the floodwaters will recede.

But certainly from where I'm standing, you can see that the waters are still high, the current still strong, leading its way over to this main bridge over here that runs through the center part of the city, and that's where you can see emergency vehicles, vehicles that have been ferrying hundreds of emergency workers, but also includes volunteers, as well as members of the Royal Air Force, the Army, the Navy, trying desperately to rescue those that need it and to bring bottled water. The Army, for example, some 3 million bottles of bottled water to those that need it.

But there is some good news. Officials crediting what they call the super human effort by these volunteers and military officials, as well as emergency officials, to try to keep power going. For example, that one power plant behind me, that is one of the power plants that officials say was able to restore electricity to some 38,000 homes.

Of course, now the next danger, according to public health officials, is what I'm standing in. Public health officials saying that this floodwater could potentially be a toxic combination of human sewage, industrial waste and bacteria from local livestock.

The good news, however, is that they are saying that even though the rain will continue, that it should eventually stop.

I'm Alfonso Van Marsh in Gloucester, England.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: Wow, what a mess it is there. HARRIS: That's nasty. I'm just listening to what Alfonso was saying. And we always know that's the case when we get into flooding situations.

COLLINS: It's nasty and it's dangerous.

HARRIS: It's becomes this nasty stew.

COLLINS: Yes, and the potential for even more damage, danger is not gone.

(WEATHER REPORT)

WHITFIELD: Still ahead, the countdown to this explosion -- a big blast, the first step in a dam's demolition.

Free swimming soon. That would be for the fish.

HARRIS: Yes. Also valuable lessons from Cuba? Americans graduating from medical school with an assist from Fidel Castro.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BUSINESS HEADLINES)

HARRIS: Taking advantage of the Cuban medical system. American students training in Fidel Castro's shadow hoping to use their education at home.

CNN's Morgan Neill has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MORGAN NEILL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For this group of young Americans, this day marks the end of six demanding years. They're graduating from medical school, in Cuba. Despite the political divide between the U.S. and Cuba, these students say they were drawn by the school's commitment to treating the poor, and by the full scholarships.

Toussaint, who's form New York, says he doesn't have to chase a big salary , because he doesn't have to pay off loans.

TOUSSAINT REYNOLDS CUBAN MED. SCHOOL GRADUATE: That's helping me, allowing me to work in underprivileged communities, that I don't have the debt that most recent graduates of medical school would have.

NEILL: Kenya, who studied premed at Berkeley, agrees.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Practicing medicine has become like a business.

NEILL: That's a concept Cuban leader Fidel Castro has attacked for years. So here at the school he founded in 1999, Havannah's Latin-American School of Medicine, students make a commitment to return home to working in underserved communities. The Americans studied along with students from across the region, took classes taught entirely in Spanish and lived in austere conditions.

Now they head back to a country where health care is at the center of a national debate. They say that their time in Cuba has given them an unusual perspective.

WING WU, CUBAN MED. SCHOOL GRADUATE: We're coming from a medical care system that's based on prevention and based on community care.

NEILL: Principles, critics have said, are sorely lacking in the U.S. system.

But How do they deal with criticism their education has been funded by a totalitarian government?

CARMEN LANDAU, CUBAN MED. SCHOOL GRADUATE: I have a lot of criticisms about the way that the Cuban government is working right now, but I also feel really ambivalent in the United States, and about how the U.S. government works. And I think that if you care about something, you have an obligation to do your best to make it better.

NEILL: As for charges the school is used for communist propaganda...

LANDAU: Maybe it's good PR, but that's fine by me, because it's benefiting everyone, and I think that's legit.

NEILL (on camera): Here in Havana's Hallmark's (ph) Theater, all of these students have now officially ended their studies here in Cuba. But at least the eight Americans here can't rest yet. Now they have to go back to the United States to take their qualifying exams.

Morgan Neill, CNN, Havana.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: We want to take you right now straight to Dallas. You're looking at some pretty active fires taking place. And we say fires, plural, because we're talking about the results of gas tank explosions that are used for welding at this location at 500 Industrial and I-35 there in Dallas. You're looking at pictures thanks to our affiliate WFAA there. And it's expected that because of these gas tanks there, there might be other explosions that continue.

So firefighters and emergency crews say it is a very dangerous situation that could get even more potentially dangerous. You are looking at them right there as it's happening live there up i-35, at 500 Industrial as well. We are trying to find out more about the location, what exactly is taking place.

Yes, It's remarkable. Big plumes of smoke. Dark smoke. Very active fire and aggressive. This is the kind of situation that makes it very difficult and dangerous for the firefighters on the scene because we are talking about this kind of spontaneous combustion of these gas tanks. They can only get but so close, and in some cases you've got have to wait until it kind of burns itself out.

HARRIS: Exactly. Are we looking at maybe small little explosions here, just little bursts of...

WHITFIELD: Yes, that's the warning. There may be a few explosions taking place because of the many gas tanks there.

HARRIS: My goodness.

WHITFIELD: They kind of pick up and are reignited from the next one that explodes nearby.

HARRIS: And that's what I'm sort of curious to know. Is this a situation where you have the tanks obviously, and then ones goes and then the next one goes and...

WHITFIELD: Right. The questions is, how many?

HARRIS: And how many?

WHITFIELD: Don't know right now. You know, and the big mystery is, what is this facility? We know that these gas tanks are used for welding. That's the information we're getting from sources on the ground there. But, you know, is it a situation where part of the facility extends to the other side of the highway that you're seeing there? Or further to the right? And it looks like there are other structures nearby. Who and what is being threatened?

HARRIS: And this is obviously a tower-cam shot. Certainly maybe some choppers will get in the air soon and we'll get a better look at it. But stay at a I don't know how long this has been going on. But you can see that the police in the area have done a really good job of getting the roads and overpasses and the highways and everything shut down.

WHITFIELD: I-35 is a very busy, active thoroughfare there in Dallas. And so to close it off, you know, trying to keep folks safe.

HARRIS: So why don't we do this, sort keep a very close eye on this, and maybe we'll work the phones a little bit and maybe get some clarity on it and see what we can see here. I'm just trying to look at if I can make out any structures around. Look at this. But we're still seeing the little microbursts, but they look to be small from a distance.

But, boy, if you are anywhere close to that, that would appear to me to be pretty intense right now. As you take a look at this. Again, the pictures provide a stationary shot from our affiliate there at WFAA of the situation that we have just received pictures of a short time ago. We don't know how many tanks are going off here. But we're looking at a significant gas explosion event.

Boy, we're trying to figure out what facility we are talking about here. This is very near downtown, 500 Industrial and I-35. Boy, if you know that area, you know what we're talking about here. And, again, officials are doing a great job of sort of closing the area, the immediate area around this scene.

WHITFIELD: And even evacuated this area by a half-mile radius, because it's really difficult for them to discern the potential for these gas tanks are being exploded there.

We've got some wire copy that's been released now, identifying some of the gas tanks as canisters of liquefied natural gas at this gas vendor, which is the type of business we are dealing with here. And we're seeing it live as it is happening, that one canister is exploding after the other. This at the Industrial Boulevard at Interstate 35.

And all that's taking place for those that know Dallas a little bit more specifically, near the Trinity River Bottoms (ph).

HARRIS: OK, that's what I'm looking at. I guess it's in the -- I'm not sure, foreground, background. OK, I see.

But as you take a look at this shot, as the position is pulled back a bit, you can see how huge that plume of black smoke is. My guess is you can probably see that for miles.

WHITFIELD: Yes, and you know what's alarming, too, is this the information coming from the Associated Press is also indicating that flaming shrapnel, you know, is flying as a result of these explosions taking place. I don't know the distance, but that would in part explain the half-mile radius that they closed off, not just for I-35 traffic, but for locations, businesses, where other people ordinarily occupy at this time of day, all within a half-mile radius.

HARRIS: And you make a point that -- and I'll you make it again -- that is so important here, about what firefighters can do at this point.

WHITFIELD: Right, that they are limited with the distance of their firefighting capabilities because of the spontaneity of these explosions. They're monitoring it right now, of course.

Now we don't know exactly what firefighters are able to right now, but just knowing other situations like this. This is one of the limitations that is presented to them, that they can only get but so close, and sometimes when you're talking about canisters or, you know, gas, et cetera, you just have to wait for it to burn itself out.

HARRIS: So if you're just joining us, this is a situation that has just unfolded really before our eyes, on our radar, just moments ago here in the CNN NEWSROOM. No idea actually when this even that you're looking at, boy, actually began. But look at these explosions.

Just a series of explosions we've been watching for the last couple of minutes here. Dallas fire officials say canisters of liquefied natural gas at a gas vendor exploded. Well, we can testify to that.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

HARRIS: One after the other. Just take a -- that was a huge burst. That was just a huge burst. One after another, just a series of explosions. This is happening at Industrial Boulevard, at Interstate 35-E in the Trinity River Bottoms. If you're familiar with that area -- Fred, you were making the point earlier, that 35, Interstate 35...

WHITFIELD: Hugely popular.

HARRIS: Yes.

WHITFIELD: Busy any time of day. Well, not today. They've closed off those roads, for good reason here.

But what's frightening, too, is just that bit of information I passed on just a moment ago from the Associated Press is that there's flying, you know, flaming shrapnel, that is resulting from these explosions.

HARRIS: So you would think that would be an industrial park area, probably no residential structures nearby. But, of course, other businesses -- if it's an industrial park, there would be other industrial-type businesses.

WHITFIELD: So you've got a lot of people.

HARRIS: Absolutely.

And I guess we're hearing no reports of injuries at this time. But you would think the firefighters and EMS crews have their hands full right now, certainly in trying to battle this thing. But also being on standby in case there are some injuries.

WHITFIELD: That's right. That's right. Good news. No reports of injuries thus far, and let's hope it stays that way.

HARRIS: All right, so there it is, our live shot again, courtesy of a stationary position there, from WFAA, our affiliate. And another explosion, even as we set the scene.

Why don't we do this? We're going to continue to follow this story. We're going to get some more information. Maybe work the phones a little bit to get the very latest information. We will come back. We will update you on this situation in Dallas at the top of the hour, just minutes away right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

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