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Chief Justice John Roberts to be Released From Hospital Shortly; Maryland Mother Charged; Bodies of Two Toddlers Found in South Carolina Home; More Than $60 Billion in Arms Sales Proposed to Isolate Iran
Aired July 31, 2007 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: You're with CNN.
I'm Heidi Collins. Tony Harris is off today.
Developments keep coming into the CNN NEWSROOM on this Tuesday, July 31st.
Here's what's on the rundown.
Chief Justice Roberts telling the president he's all right, one day after suffering a seizure.
Also, investigating Senator Ted Stevens. Federal agents search his Alaska home.
And unraveling a mystery in Maryland. Police searching right now for more babies' bodies.
We'll take you there live.
You are in the CNN NEWSROOM.
Chief Justice John Roberts expected to be released from the hospital any minute now. Earlier this morning, Roberts got a get well soon message from President Bush. Roberts still this morning is in a Maine hospital. Doctors say he suffered a benign idiopathic seizure yesterday.
I talked earlier this morning with our chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, all about it.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: When someone has a seizure, Heidi, obviously you look for certain causes. And there's lots of things that could possibly cause a seizure in an otherwise healthy person.
It could be medication interactions. It could be what are called electrolyte problems. So, someone's sodium or potassium may be off kilter. Or it could be something structural in the brain -- you know, a tumor or a stroke or something like that.
If all those things don't pan out, meaning none of those things are true, then it's what's called idiopathic, meaning there's no known cause. And a lot of people sort of fall into that category, Heidi.
You know, as you know, he had a seizure back in 1993, Judge Roberts. And now another one again. Part of the work-up and what I'm sure they have done over the past several hours is to investigate all those things that I just mentioned, including probably a scan of his brain to make sure there's no tumor or anything else that's possibly causing this.
And at least, you know, as Allan mentioned, limited information coming out, it sounds like, but it sounds like all those things aren't -- you know, none of those things panned out. So he just has a seizure of unknown cause at this point. And that's called idiopathic.
COLLINS: Yes. Well, I mean, it's got to be terribly frightening for him and for his family. I know that when something happens to your body that you can't control, you really start to lose some confidence in how you are feeling. So that's where the fright must come from, I'm sure.
In fact, we know that his first seizure was back in 1993. He hasn't had anything happen since then. That was blamed on stress.
What about a link between stress and seizures, Sanjay?
GUPTA: That's a bit difficult to say for sure, Heidi. Stress is, you know, something that's pointed to as a culprit in a lot of things, as you know. To say it's, you know, purely stress, perhaps it's something that may tip someone over the edge who already has some likelihood of having seizures for some reasons. Perhaps.
I'm not sure I would not point to it as a sole cause of seizures, certainly. But, you know, he is someone who now has had two seizures over a period of 14 years. At least that we know about. You know, I don't know if there have been other undocumented seizures that he's had.
And, you know, a lot of people will start to use the term "epilepsy" in a person like this. That's probably an overused term. And a lot of people think -- when they think of epilepsy, they think of someone having repeated seizures over and over again. And, you know, he will need to be on anti-seizure medications for a period of time but he may not need to be on them for the rest of his life.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COLLINS: Our resident neurosurgeon, CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta there.
Some live pictures now coming to us out of Rockport, Maine. This is the medical center where the U.S. chief justice, John Roberts, is currently.
Again, we are hearing that Justice Roberts is going to be released from that facility shortly. We of course will update you when that happens. Meanwhile, a stunning announcement this morning. Robin Roberts, co-anchor of ABC's "Good Morning America," told viewers she has been diagnosed with breast cancer.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBIN ROBERTS, "GOOD MORNING AMERICA": I have breast cancer, as my family here knows and my family at home knows. And very, very blessed and thankful that I found it earlier. I detected it, ironically, the day that we did the tribute show for our dear friend, Joel Siegel.
And I happened to do a piece on the show about his courageous battle and how early detection is key. And that very night I found a lump. Normally I would have not done anything because I'm healthy, right?
DIANE SAWYER, "GOOD MORNING AMERICA": Healthy? You are the model for all of us.
ROBERTS: Oh, please. So you'd think that. And I would not have acted upon it, but I was -- Joel was resonating in my heart.
And so I called the doctor and made an appointment. I was in the middle of vacation. Remember, I e-mailed you and said, "Do you happen to know a good doctor?"
And it's the early stages. I will have surgery on Friday, begin treatment, and move forward, as millions of people do when they hear this. But still, hearing the words and saying it and -- it's surreal.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: Roberts says the cancer was caught in the early stages, as you heard. And the prognosis is promising. She emphasized the importance of cancer screening.
A grim search in Maryland this hour. Police investigating after the bodies of four pre-term babies were found.
We want to go live now to CNN's Kathleen Koch.
Kathleen, tell us what's taking place right now from where you.
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, right now, Heidi, members of the Ocean City Police Department are searching the property behind me. This is the home where 37-year-old Christy Freeman lived with her boyfriend, Ray Godman (ph), and their four children.
Police got -- they had dogs here searching over the weekend, Saturday and Sunday, cadaver dogs, and they got a couple of hits in the yard. So what we've been seen going on the past two days has really been complete ripping up of every bit of vegetation, every tree, every bush, shrub on both properties, both Freeman's property, and then a vacant lot just to the east. Police went through it, sifting the dirt now this morning. Also, earlier this morning, not long after dawn, they went through with prods, step by step, a long line of police officers looking for evidence and looking for possibly more bodies.
Obviously, all this stemming from the discovery, the very grisly and disturbing discovery last week, Thursday and Friday, of the bodies of four pre-term infants in this home. Police believe they do all belong to Freeman.
Tests are under way on the bodies of the infants now. A the most recently born body, the body of a 26-week-old infant, now police say they believe that body was stillborn -- that baby was stillborn.
But they're going to be conducting tests for months, even up to a year, to determine the cause of death of other infants and just how old they may have been when they died -- Heidi.
COLLINS: Boy, it's such a tough story. It sounds like it's going to be quite some time before we really get any answers, too.
KOCH: Quite so.
COLLINS: CNN's Kathleen Koch from Ocean City, Maryland, this morning.
Kathleen, thank you.
The U.S. Senate's longest-serving Republican now urging his constituents not to rush to judgment. Federal agents have searched the Alaska home of Senator Ted Stevens. This comes amid a bribery and corruption investigation involving an oil services company.
Investigators reviewing a renovation project at Stevens' home. That project, overseen by a contractor who has pleaded guilty to bribing Alaska state lawmakers. In a statement, Stevens says the legal process should be allowed to run its course so the truth can come out.
Want to take a check of the weather now. There he is, Rob Marciano, talking more about this tropical storm.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COLLINS: Q&A on the Hill. The man President Bush picked to become the nation's top military officer testifying on Capitol Hill this hour. Senate confirmation hearings under way for Navy Admiral Michael Mullen to head the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The White House decided not to re-nominate General Peter Pace, fearing his confirmation would focus too much on past policies in Iraq.
Mullen told senators where he stands on Iraq.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ADM. MICHAEL MULLEN, JOINT CHIEFS NOMINEE: I believe the surge is giving our operational commanders the forces they needed to execute more effective tactics and improve security. That is happening.
Security is better. Not great, but better. I believe security is critical to providing the government of Iraq the breathing space it needs to work toward political national reconciliation and economic growth, which are themselves critical to a stable Iraq.
Barring that, no amount of troops in no amount of time will make much of a difference.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: The Senate Armed Services Committee is expected to vote on Mullen's nomination before Congress adjourns Friday for its August recess.
Arming the Middle East. The U.S. offering billions in weapons deals, hoping to isolate Iran.
Also, we are watching this. This is the medical center where Chief Justice John Roberts is currently. We are understanding that he will be released from that facility any moment. This was after the seizure and fall he had yesterday.
We'll watch that for you.
And police recover the bodies of two toddlers. Authorities say they had been locked in a car while their mother was at work.
More details coming up in just a moment.
And a self-described pedophile on the Web and in the open . Parents now being warned to watch out.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: Want to take a moment now to give you more information about this story we are learning out of South Carolina. It is very sad, to say the least.
T.J. Holmes is working the story for us inside the CNN newsroom.
T.J., what more can you tell us about these two children that were found dead?
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Yes. We're waiting to possibly get word a little later about the identification of these toddlers who were found dead, the 1 and the 4-year-old.
And also, an autopsy is being done to confirm the cause of death. But according to police officials there, the mother of a 1 and 4-year- old left the two children, the girl and boy, in the car all day when she went to work yesterday.
You're looking at pictures of the scene last night, where police were called to the home on a domestic disturbance call and found the children in garbage bags under the sink. Again, a 1-year-old girl, 4- year-old boy, who police say were left in a car yesterday in Charleston as the mother went to work.
It was some 90 degrees yesterday in Charleston. We have done these stories over and over again every summer, and we see these stories happen pretty much every summer of children being left in cars for a matter of hours.
This apparently was all day. And again, 90 degrees in Charleston easily could have gotten 120, 130 degrees-plus in that car.
Police have now -- or rather, the mother has been taken to a hospital for evaluation. According to police, she was quite distraught and had even made comments about possibly hurting herself. So she is now going through an evaluation and police are waiting to interview her.
But autopsies are being done on the children, who police say were, in fact, left in the car all day long when the mother went to work. And they were found in garbage bags under the sink at the home last night.
So, a horrible, a disgusting story to hear and to have to tell. But waiting for more details on exactly what possibly could have been going on and what could have been in this mother's head, if in fact this went down police say it did -- Heidi.
COLLINS: Yes. It certainly doesn't make any sense at all. All right.
T.J. Holmes, thanks so much.
Another body and another threat. A deepening crisis involving a group of South Koreans being held by the Taliban.
The bullet-riddled remains of a second hostage found today in central Afghanistan. The 29-year-old man among 23 Korean church workers captured earlier this month. Video of the captives shown on Al-Jazeera. A Taliban spokesman says unless Taliban prisoners are released, more hostages will be killed.
A suicide car bomber targets a coalition convoy in Afghanistan. It happened outside a U.S. base on a main road out of Kabul today. The Taliban claiming responsibility.
The U.S.-led coalition says three troops were wounded. We do not know what country they are from. Several civilians also hurt.
Spreading the wealth and weapons. The U.S. proposing billions in Middle East arms sales to isolate Iran.
More now from CNN Senior Pentagon Correspondent Barbara Starr.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
BARBARA STARR, CNN SR. PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Robert Gates sit down with Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah, they will push him to support the fragile Iraq government and crack down on Saudi fighters joining the Sunni insurgency. And they will have a proposed $20 billion arms sales package of warships, missiles and precision-guided bombs to sweeten the deal.
Congressional critics say not so fast.
REP. JANE HARMAN, (D), CALIFORNIA: Saudi Arabia continues to fund the terror movement in the Middle East. They continue to try to get -- wreak havoc inside with the civil war in Iraq.
STARR: The Saudi deal is just part of a broader U.S. effort over the next decade to sell more than $60 billion of arms across the Middle East, establishing a military hedge against Iran. Even Israel, which is getting its own weapons package, sees Iran as a greater threat than its Arab neighbors.
But analysts already question whether it's the right strategy.
ROBERT HAASS, COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS: The military experts are going to stand up and say, look, this is irrelevant.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
COLLINS: We now have Chief Justice Roberts, as you can see, leaving the hospital. Wanted to get those pictures to you just as soon as we could.
We had been told just a little bit earlier that he would possibly be released today. And so there you saw it, just the tail end of that quickly there. Once again, Chief Justice John Roberts being released from the hospital in Rockport, Maine.
I'm sure you know the story by now, that he just fell on a boat dock and had a seizure in his home yesterday. He had been given an extensive neurological exam.
You see him coming out now. This is some tape of just a matter of seconds ago. Quickly wanted to turn that around for you. Getting into that vehicle and heading out of the hospital there in Rockport, Maine.
Once again, just reminding you again of the incident, where he fell on a boat dock near his summer home in Maine, saw all of these neurological doctors, and they did extensive exams and said that there was really no cause for concern. We've done a number of interviews this morning to learn more about this condition called be a benign idiopathic seizure.
They're basically saying they're not sure what caused the seizure. But we do also know it was the second seizure that he's had. The first one back in 1993.
Once again, Chief Justice John Roberts now out of the hospital in Maine.
We'll continue to follow that story throughout the day. Meanwhile, hacking your vote. Security tests on voting machines fail. But does it count?
We take a closer look.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: Quickly want to take you directly to our correspondent on the scene in Rockport, Maine, where we just saw the chief justice leaving the hospital.
Allan Chernoff, hello to you.
ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN SR. CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Heidi. The chief justice walked out just moments ago from the ambulance exit here at the hospital, waved to the cameras, looked just fine, wearing a jacket. But he certainly looked much better than when he came in.
We know that much, because he didn't walk into the hospital. He was carted in on a stretcher. But certainly looking just fine.
The neurologists had checked him out, done the brain scan, done all the tests. And they said it was an idiopathic benign seizure that he had. Idiopathic meaning no known cause for it. But the Supreme Court and the hospital spokespeople here saying that apparently nothing to be terribly concerned about, and the chief justice walking out in good health.
He did suffer a fall after having that seizure. A fall of five to 10 feet. And he had some cuts, some bruises. He was bandaged for that.
Didn't look any worse for the tumble as he walked out. But the chief justice hopefully back on vacation now here in Maine.
Back to you.
COLLINS: Yes. We can hope that he might be able to enjoy the rest of it.
All right. Allan Chernoff live for us this morning in Rockport, Maine.
Thank you, Allan.
This year, CNN is shining the spotlight on everyday people whose passion and dedication to a cause has made a difference. We are proud to call them CNN Heroes.
Today, a woman fights a social stigma that shuns children with special needs.
Dina Abdel Wahab is today's CNN Hero.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DINA ABDEL WAHAB, CNN HERO: I remember when my son was born eight years ago, I didn't hear anything about inclusion in Egypt.
(BEGIN GRAPHIC)
There are approximately two million children with special needs in Egypt.
Less than 2 percent of them receive educational services.
(END GRAPHIC)
WAHAB: Very good reading, Ali (ph).
We first learned that Ali (ph) had Down's Syndrome when he was 3 months old. And of course it took us some time to really learn what to do. And we did a lot of research.
We went to the states and we did some programs for Ali (ph). And it was to my surprise when I went there to see the children with special needs were just integrated into the main school system and they went in the same classroom with the other children.
If it can happen around the world, it should happen here. And this is how the academy started.
I was absolutely convinced if you want to talk about mainstreaming and if you want to talk about the inclusion of children with special needs, you have to start at the very young age. You need to prepare him academically, you need to prepare him socially.
(BEGIN GRAPHIC)
Approximately 700 toddlers are currently enrolled in The Baby Academy.
Ten percent are children with special needs who are fully integrated with their classmates.
(END GRAPHIC)
WAHAB: It has prepared the children who don't have special needs to be with their peers in the classroom and accept their differences.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It has taught us to see disability in a new and different light and to learn how to deal with it in a positive way.
WAHAB: Because it was a new concept in Egypt and because not everybody really understood, can they really be together. We have prepared and opened the doors for them to see things in a different perspective.
(BEGIN GRAPHIC)
Ninety-five percent of special needs graduates from The Baby Academy have been integrated into normal education.
Over the next five years, Dina plans to open 20 centers throughout the Middle East.
(END GRAPHIC)
WAHAB: If you really believe that it is all right for every child to have a proper education and just seeing that there is a shift in mentality now is a plus and is hope for the future and not only for Ali (ph), but for all other children.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COLLINS: If you'd like to know more about Dina Abdel Wahab and her school, you can certainly find out. Or, if you would like to nominate a hero of your own for special recognition later this year, you can find all of that information at CNN.com/heroes.
A powerful senator's home searched by FBI and IRS agents. A corruption probe. The senator, Ted Stevens, urging his constituents not to jump top conclusions.
Looking for little girls. An admitted pedophile says he's doing nothing wrong. Parents want police to step in. But is there anything police can do?
You are in the CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: Good morning once again, everybody. 11:30 eastern time now. I'm Heidi Collins. Tony Harris has the day off. I want to get straight to T.J. Holmes who's working on another story now from the Newsroom. T.J., a whole lot going on today. This story coming out of California about some sort of bridge collapse.
T.J. HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, details kind of sketchy for us right here right now on this one. But, this is just north of Sacramento. Oroville is the name of the town, about 90 miles north of Sacramento where apparently a bridge has collapsed. A bridge that was under construction.
Now, county fire officials are telling it us about this. This bridge is at Highway 149 and Highway 70. If you happen to know that area at all, or happen to be in that area, certainly called in some issues with traffic this morning. But, apparently multiple cars have been trapped beneath this bridge.
We don't know if the cars went off this bridge. If they were going across and went off this bridge, if the cars were parked --. We don't exactly know, and don't exactly even know what this bridge was spanning. But, again, this bridge was apparently under construction. However, the first report that came in was that this collapsed because a truck was trying to go across it.
So, don't know if it's open to traffic or had been partially open to traffic, but still under construction. But, we have a bridge collapse and reports by the fire department that at least one person is trapped underneath this collapse. We don know how many cars, we don't know how many people might have been in those cars.
But, new information coming in and this collapse happened -- we're looking at a little over an hour ago now that they've been working on this. Sketchy details for us here right now, but we do know at least a bridge collapsed that they're working on. Don't know the extent of the possible injuries on this yet. Working some details. We'll get them to you when we have them. Heidi?
COLLINS: Very good. Also, I'm hearing T.J. that we're going to be getting some live pictures in of this area. So, we'll take a look at those just as soon as they come in. T.J., thank you.
Chief Justice John Roberts released just moments ago from a Maine hospital. Doctors say he suffered a benign idiopathic seizure yesterday. Than means they couldn't find any underlying physiological cause for the seizure. Doctors ran a series of neurological tests they kept Roberts overnight just to be sure he was OK.
A couple of hours ago, President Bush called Roberts to see how he's doing. The White House said Roberts told the President that he is feeling fine. Chief Justice John Roberts, the youngest member of the Supreme Court. He was sworn in as Chief Justice of the United States in September of 2005.
President Bush originally nominated him to replace retiring justice Sandra Day O'Connor, but Roberts became Chief Justice instead when William Rehnquist died. Roberts had earlier served on the federal appeals court for the District of Columbia. He is the father of two young children. and in 2001 he described his health as excellent. He suffered a similar seizure incident in 1993.
The U.S. Senate longest serving Republican now urging his constituents not to rush to judgment. Federal agents have searched the Alaska home of Senator Ted Stevens. This comes amid a bribery and corruption investigation involving an oil services company. Investigators reviewing a renovation project at Stevens home.
That project overseen by a contractor who has pleaded guilty to describing Alaska state lawmakers. In a statement, Stevens says the legal process should be allowed to run its course so the truth can come out.
A gruesome discovery leads to a grisly search in Maryland. Right now, police searching in Ocean City where the bodies of four preterm babies were found. They're looking for more human remains. Christy Freeman was charged after the discovery of the first body last week. Police are trying to determine if all four babies are hers. We talked with the police chief a short time ago.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHIEF BERNADETTE DIPINO, OCEAN CITY, MARYLAND POLICE: All the evidence that we have right now leads us to believe that they all belong to Miss Freeman, but we aren't ruling out for anything. And, we'll wait for a DNA analysis to get a final determination. But, we're working in cooperation with the F.B.I. and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
And, it will take at least several months if not up to a year to be able to determine a lot of this information. But, we're going to be aggressively investigating this case.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COLLINS: Freeman faces first and second degree murder and manslaughter charges. In the first baby's death. She is now being held without bail.
The military says a U.S. helicopter made a precautionary landing after coming under fire in Baghdad today. Both crew members said to have evacuated safely. Meanwhile, the military says a Marine was killed in fighting in the Anbar Province yesterday. It is the 73rd U.S. troop death in Iraq this month. More than 3,600 American troops have died since the war began.
We are just now getting some of these pictures that we were telling you about with this bridge collapse that happened in California. T.J. Holmes has been working with story for us. So, we get a little bit better idea now of what's going on here, T.J.
HOLMES: Yes, we're trying to make this out. We're seeing this for the first time with the viewers here really. But, you can see there what is -- the part that is under construction, pretty much right dead center in the middle of your screen. We're getting a zoom on it now. That section there is apparently it that has collapsed.
We don't exactly know why just yet, but it has apparently fallen down onto a completed highway that was underneath. We can't make out -- again we're at the mercy of our affiliate here, with the photographer, what he's doing with the camera. But, we're just going to stay with it here for a minute.
You are trying to make out, we understood that there was at least one vehicle trapped under this bridge collapse. And, it appears that something at least is jumbled up a little bit under where this bridge collapsed. But, the section that fell happened to be right smack dab over top of another road, a completed highway.
Here we are now, again our pictures from KCRA, our affiliate out there, showing us some of traffic issues. Can't make out what's happening there, but you see at least the traffic is backed up. It looks like we might have had another incident or something there. Or, maybe they're trying to divert or get traffic stopped, and get folks going into another direction and possibly a detour.
But, certainly going to be a traffic mess out there in California this morning -- this area. And again, this is in Oroville, about 90 miles north of -- 90 miles north of Sacramento. But, this is one of the best shots we have seen so far of this. That appears to be at least one vehicle, something trapped under there.
And, you can see the emergency workers working around whatever that is. But, apparently there is at least one vehicle that has been hit, that is trapped under the debris that has fallen from this bridge that is under construction. Now, initial reports say that some kind of a track tried to drive across this bridge that wasn't completed.
However, that seems to be highly unlikely looking at this bridge. It doesn't look like much of anything. You couldn't get a bicycle across that thing, but certainly not close to anywhere being complete and ready for traffic. But again, this close shot we're seeing here. It's one of the best pictures we're seeing.
Can't make out what kind of vehicle that is. But, certainly something is trapped, something is stuck under there. And, at least one person we understood earlier from reports was trapped in a vehicle underneath. So, we don't know the extent of any injuries.
Don't know of any possible casualties in this, but it does appear one vehicle and that -- may be a good thing, that only one. It certainly is a completed highway. Don't know if that's Highway 149 or Highway 70, but we're looking a two highways in an intersection. Don't know which is which, but one of them certainly goes right under where this bridge has collapsed.
So, we don't know which is which. And, there we are again. A close-up shot. And that looks like --
COLLINS: Yes, that's a semi. Well, no --
HOLMES: It looks like a bread truck.
COLLINS: Looks life half of a semi or, maybe a smaller truck you're right.
HOLMES: And, you see the -- maybe somebody's still stuck in there because the fire official is all up in that window. That front windshield certainly working trying to possible get somebody out of there. And, that was the initial report is that we had one person trapped. And, you can see them working pretty hard there trying to more than likely, you can assume get somebody out of this.
But, yes it does look like a bread truck which is what the initial report was of a bread truck. So, don't know what caused this collapse, but that bridge certainly was in the infancy of its construction. But, we're keeping an eye on it. If we get details we will pass them right along. Heidi?
COLLINS: Wow, yes. You can certainly see someone inside there. I saw his arm moving around as the rescuers were trying to get that person out. We will continue to watch those live pictures. T.J., thanks so much for that, coming in from our affiliate there KCRA out of Oroville, California. Yikes, we'll watch it more for you.
Hacking your votes, security tests on voting machines fail, but does it count? We're going to take a closer look at that. And, reassessing a popular diabetes drug; a government panel issues its recommendation.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) COLLINS: News for diabetes patients. A government health panel looking into the popular drug Avandia, says the drug should stay on the market. The FDA advisory panel taking a closer look at reported links between Avandia and an increased risk of heart problems. Most of the advisory panel said the FDA should ask for strong new warnings, but there is not enough evidence to stop sales of the diabetes drug. The FDA doesn't have to follow the panel's recommendation, but they usually do. To get your daily dose of health news online, just log on to our Web site. You'll find the latest medical news, a health library and information on diet and fitness. The address is CNN.com/health.
Parents on the lookout. A self-described pedophile blogging about his obsession. Is there anything police can do?
CNN's Ted Rowlands takes a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He said he's a pedophile who likes little girls.
JACK MCCLELLAN, ADMITTED PEDOPHILE: I just think they're cute, a lot cuter than women. I admit there's kind of a erotic arousal there.
ROWLANDS: Forty-three-year-old Jack McClellan claims he's never molested a child, but not surprisingly, McClellan's behavior and his outspokenness have outraged people, first in Seattle, where he was living and now in Los Angeles where he recently moved.
MCCLELLAN: It isn't really just the sexual thing; it's the whole ambiance of children that I enjoy.
ROWLANDS: McClellan says he goes to public places and events, usually wearing the same hat and sunglasses looking for little girls. On his Website, he posts photographs of girls and writes about what he sees.
That site was shut down by its host a few weeks ago, but McClellan plans to possibly start it again. This cell phone video of McClellan earlier this year, was taken by a news reporter who recognized him at a street fair in the Seattle area.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What are you doing here?
ROWLANDS: McClellan, who's done a number of interviews over the past few months, says he even went to at Wiggles concert to watch children.
MCCLELLAN: I really don't see the problem with it as long as you're not hurting children.
ROWLANDS: Parents see a problem with it, especially those who have seen pictures or descriptions of their daughters on McClellan's Website. Despite calls for action and meetings like this in Seattle, police say they have their hands tied. As creepy as it is, McClellan hasn't been caught breaking the law, yet.
LT THOMAS SIRKEL, L.A. COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPT: That kind of person is a person of interest in my business.
ROWLANDS: Los Angeles County Sheriff's Lieutenant Thomas Sirkel says McClellan is a major concern.
SIRKEL: Not all pedophiles violate the law. My experience is that most of them do and eventually when they do offend, but I have no particular knowledge of any violations of law that Mr. McClellan has been involved in.
ROWLANDS: The Santa Monica Police Department has posted a public notice warning parents that McClellan was spotted in the children's section of the local library. The notice warns: "If you see McClellan, please closely monitor your children."
At one point McClellan wrote on his Website that he likes hugging and cuddling little girls. He says he's gotten death threats and safety was a factor in moving to Southern California. But he also cites weather in place like Disneyland as great places to see little girls.
MCCLELLAN: I'm not doing anything illegal at these things, I mean if they passed a law saying you can't go to these things to admire kids, I mean, I guess I'd have to obey that.
Ted Rowlands, CNN, Los Angeles.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COLLINS: In just about 15 minuets, YOUR WORLD TODAY will be coming up right here on CNN. And Jim Clancy is the man for that.
Hi there, Jim.
JIM CLANCY, CNN ANCHOR: Hi, Heidi. How you doing today?
COLLINS: I'm doing great.
CLANCY: All right. Well, listen, we've got some interesting points to make with you on our program. We're going to take you first to Iraq, to Baghdad live. We're going to assess whether or not this surge is working, some recent reports on that. It's a complex situation, though. We'll get some needed perspective on just how to assess it.
Also, a U.S. official -- as the U.S. officials carry promises of arms sales and cause for cooperation in Iraq in the region, we're going to call on Nicholas Burns, the U.S. undersecretary of state for political affairs, and try to get a sense of why selling advanced weaponry to Saudi Arabia will somehow make Iran rethink its nuclear program.
Plus, Alessio Vinci will take us into the kitchens of Rome. You'll find the frontlines of a revolution in Italian cooking. An Italian man confesses what was the worst kiss he ever got from a woman. And you know what, if you don't see the connection in those, Heidi, you're just going to have to tune in at noon and find out.
Huh? All right, Jim. We'll definitely be watching for that.
CLANCY: Thanks.
COLLINS: Thanks so much.
Meanwhile, lemonade for a cause. A kid in Colorado sells tangy treats to help his diabetic brother, and you are not going to believe how much he was able to raise. We'll tell you about it, right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: Well, it's been about three months and tonight could be the night. Let's talk with Susan Lisovicz at the New York Stock Exchange now with more about this pending deal that Newscorps is trying to buy that little paper.
Right, Susan?
(BUSINESS HEADLINES)
COLLINS: Also want to take a moment to get to Dana Bash. She is on Capitol Hill now with more on this House vote on ethics legislation. A lot of different facets of this, but mainly talking about fund-raising by lobbyists and spending tactics by lawmakers -- Dana?
DANA BASH, CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right, and essentially what this bill is aimed at doing is making it more transparent. Everything you just talked about, fund-raising or at least donations by lobbyists to members of Congress and members of Congress, what they send back home, so-called earmarks.
What this bill is intended to do is to have greater transparency in terms of what exactly those pet projects are. And also, as you said, there are several provisions in this particular legislation. It also prevents House members for one year and senators for two years from leaving Congress and immediately becoming lobbyists to lobby their former colleagues.
So, this is something really, Heidi, that is a direct result of what lawmakers, Republicans and Democrats heard from voters back in November. And if you look at the tally, the vote is not quite yet done. But if you just look at this, something you don't see very often around here, Heidi. Overwhelmingly, this is passing. So far, it is 405 to eight. You see Republicans ...
COLLINS: Yes.
BASH: ...and Democrats are voting for this. So, it is certainly something that is hard to vote against this particular issue which is intended to show the public that Congress is trying to police itself a little bit more when it comes to the whole question of corruption, ethics and lobbying.
COLLINS: OK, looks like it's very close there.
All right, Dana Bash, thanks so much for the update.
BASH: Thank you.
COLLINS: And now, to this story, controlling the pigeon population. A Hollywood solution to the messy problem? Will it work? Tell you about it, right after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: T.J. Holmes here in the CNN NEWSROOM.
You're looking at a live picture of a bridge collapse in California, northern California, Oroville, about 90 miles north of Sacramento. There is a truck, it appears to be a FedEx truck that is trapped under the debris from this bridge collapse. This is at Highway 149 and Highway 70, there is (ph) is the highway that runs under this bridge that was under construction when some of the beams and that section you can see there, pretty much smack dab in the middle of your screen collapsed. Somebody is still trapped in that vehicle, and one construction worker had to be taken to a hospital.
We have an eye on it. Stay here for updates on CNN.
COLLINS: All right, T.J., thanks.
And now, lemonade health care. A Colorado 12-year-old rakes in thousands of dollars, all for a good cause.
This story from TaRhonda Thomas of affiliate KUSA.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Lemonade and snacks, down this road!
TARHONDA THOMAS, KUSA REPORTER (voice-over): An ear-catching advertisement ...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Lemonade and snacks down this road!
THOMAS: ...to point passers-by ...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Lemonade and snacks down this road!
THOMAS: ...to an eye catching sale ...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, it looks like we've got some more lemonade coming.
THOMAS: ...and an impressive little boy.
MARK RINKEL, SELLS LEMONADE TO HELP BROTHER: I should, like, sign people's autographs. THOMAS: 12-year-old Mark Wrinkle runs this lemonade stand.
RINKEL: I'm so glad it didn't rain.
THOMAS: But his 9-year-old brother, Jason, is the inspiration behind it.
RINKEL: My brother recently, was discovered that he has Type I Diabetes.
THOMAS: The family wants to get a medical assistance dog that can smell blood sugar levels and help give peace of mind.
RINKEL: Let's say Jason went low in the middle of the night, and we don't have the dog. He might not wake up in the morning.
THOMAS: So, Mark sells lemonade to help pay for his brother's very expensive dog.
RINKEL: $6,000.
THOMAS: He's giving lots of thirsty customers ...
RINKEL: We should have a lemonade stand sound.
THOMAS: ...and publicity ...
RINKEL: I'm going to be on the radio.
THOMAS: ...and donations.
RINKEL: A lot of people have checks because checks are easier to put more money on.
THOMAS: As they donate, lots of people ask about Mark's brother. He was at the sale, but had to leave because his blood sugar levels dropped.
RINKEL: He's quite a trooper.
THOMAS: But even without his brother here, Mark's lemonade stand is a success.
RINKEL: You know, my guess for the stand is going to be 3,000.
THOMAS: And with a packed schedule ...
RINKEL: I have to have a cell phone when I'm out here alone.
THOMAS: ...the 12-year-old has no plans to stop pedalling his punch.
RINKEL: Bye, thank you.
(END VIDEOTAPE) COLLINS: Very sweet, and those young fund-raisers reached their $6,000 goal. The medical assistance dog costs about $25,000 but a non-profit group is picking up most of the tab.
A Hollywood solution to the messy problem of too many pigeons. They're turning to a special feed laced with birth control drugs. The effort in Hollywood, California, believed to be the first of its kind in the nation. City officials say even PETA's on board, calling it more humane than the deadly measures usually taken.
CNN NEWSROOM continues just one hour from now, and "YOUR WORLD TODAY" is next.
I'm Heidi Collins, have a great day, everybody.
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