Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Newsroom
Bin Laden Video?; General Petraeus to Deliver Iraq Progress Report to Congress; Teen Story of Survival; Larry Craig Files Papers to Withdraw Guilty Plea
Aired September 10, 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. You're informed.
I'm Heidi Collins. Tony Harris has the day off.
Developments keep coming into the CNN NEWSROOM on Monday, the 10th of September.
Here's what's on the rundown.
The president's top military man in Iraq reporting for duty on Capitol Hill next hour. The state of the so-called surge.
On second thought -- Senator Larry Craig filing paperwork today hoping to withdraw his sex sting guilty plea.
And dozens of people killed when a truck hauling dangerous cargo blows up.
Death by dynamite, in the NEWSROOM.
Some news into us here in the CNN NEWSROOM about al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden. Some sort of tape that we could be seeing.
Betty Nguyen has been working the story for us and joins us now with some more details on that -- Betty.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Yes. Here's what we've learned so far.
Al Qaeda's media arm is set to release a videotape where Osama bin Laden is introducing a last testament by one of the 9/11 hijackers. We don't know exactly when that is going to be released, but what we do know about it is that hijacker is Walid al-Shehri, who is a Saudi Arabian. We have a picture of him right there. And the announcement should come -- or that video should come any time now, which would be on the eve of September 11th attacks here in the United States, the sixth anniversary of that.
Now, al-Shehri sat in seat 2B on American Airlines Flight 11, which took off from Logan Airport in Boston and slammed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York. He was on the same flight as Mohamed Atta, as you'll remember, who is the ring leader of that 9/11 plot.
Again, bin Laden has surfaced within the past couple of days. We saw last week a tape that he sent out calling on people to end the war in Iraq by embracing Islam. And today we are waiting for yet another tape from Osama bin Laden which we understand will have him introducing a last testament by one of the 9/11 hijackers.
Again, Heidi, we have not seen it just yet but when we do, of course, our folks here at CNN will be analyzing it.
COLLINS: All right. As always, Betty, thanks so much.
Our other big story this hour, the Iraq war at a crossroads on Capitol Hill. The war's top American commander delivering a long- awaited assessment and facing a lot of skepticism.
CNN Pentagon Correspondent Barbara Starr is setting the stage for us now for next hour's testimony.
Barbara, what are we expecting to hear today specifically from General Petraeus?
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Heidi, just about 90 minutes from now, General Petraeus will appear before Congress, along with Ambassador Ryan Crocker. But really all eyes on General Petraeus.
The bottom line is, what will he say about a recommendation about when the troops can begin to come home? There's really two parts to this.
First, the surge troops, the 30,000 troops that have been in Iraq since February, part of the security crackdown. When can they begin to come home?
The surge begins to run out in April, no matter what. There aren't enough troops to keep it going. Will General Petraeus say, OK, security's better, not great, but better, and I can let at least one of the brigades, about 4,000 troops, go home early, maybe at Christmas, maybe at the new year? That is certainly something people are waiting to see if he says.
Beyond that, what about the other 130,000 U.S. troops that have been part of the ongoing force in Iraq now for so many years? What will General Petraeus say about them? How long before there are real cuts in the U.S. force structure in Iraq, a real drawdown in forces?
General Petraeus will come under intense questioning about the security situation in Iraq. Many government agencies have different statistics, different numbers about what the rate of violence is, what the rate of attacks is against U.S. troops, against Iraqi civilians. These are the issues that are likely to dominate six and a half hours of testimony on Capitol Hill, Heidi, that begins about 90 minutes from now.
COLLINS: Yes. It's going to be a long day, hopefully a lot to be learned.
Meanwhile, in all of that, still, we have the concern about Iran. You were telling us last hour about some new checkpoints, trying to control the traffic coming in from Iran.
STARR: That's right, because no matter what the security progress is in Baghdad or various places on the ground in Iraq, Iran, by all accounts, is still playing a very significant role in smuggling fighters, weapons, money, training, all sorts of capabilities into Iraq. The U.S. is now building a number of checkpoints along the Iranian/Iraqi border out in this very remote eastern region. They are even going to build a small base in order to house the troops that will be manning those checkpoints.
What they say, Heidi, is they want to start checking every car, every vehicle coming across the border, but that's going to be very tough business. It is a very remote area. Still, they're trying to shut down that smuggling in order to improve the security picture -- Heidi.
COLLINS: All right. CNN's Pentagon correspondent, Barbara Starr, for us this morning.
Barbara, thank you.
STARR: Sure.
COLLINS: Want to get a military perspective now. And joining me is CNN military analyst Brigadier General David Grange.
General Grange, thank you for being with us.
Has the so-called surge brought us anything that will last?
BRIG. GEN. DAVID GRANGE (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: I think so. I think it's only the beginnings of success. It's in pockets like a mosaic.
It's sprinkled throughout the country. If you put it all together, I think you can measure a little bit of success. But it's momentum.
It's taking the fight from the enemy, taking their initiative away. And that's what matters in a counterinsurgency. So I think on the military side, yes, there is progress.
COLLINS: So does it surprise you at all that we may hear today General Petraeus saying, you know what? It's just a little too soon for me to tell you exactly what we need to do next by way of troop withdrawal, troop reduction and so forth?
GRANGE: Yes, I think it is too early. It's only two and a half months into the new strategy or the surge, as many call it. The surge is kind of a more snappy word to use, but the new strategy.
And those that are criticizing this new strategy, saying it's failed, what has failed is what's happened in the past, not the new strategy. The new strategy actually is beginning to work, and it needs time to run its course. So he will say, yes, there is a little bit of progress, but I need more time to give you measurable outcomes to show you that in fact we're setting conditions for political reconciliation.
COLLINS: That being said, General Petraeus has sort of warned us, if you will, that come April, 2008, that the amount of troops that it will take to continue the surge, the levels that we're at right now, will basically evaporate.
What options does the military have at that point?
GRANGE: Not really too many. And that's because the military is so small. And it's been run hard. And equipment's worn out, troops are tired.
That's not to say that if they're called they won't perform. They will. We're talking about American GIs, pretty tough. But it was a lot of other contingencies around the world that the United States has to keep their eye on.
There is -- to keep this number of troops in the field, you may have to break some commitments which I'm sure no commanders want to do. In other words, go beyond 15 months, as an example. And it's just not a lot to replace those that are already in the field. And so that is tough, and that will drive part of the spring, summer of '08 decision process on more troops.
COLLINS: In fact, listen with me, if you will here in just a minute to something that General James Jones, the chairman of the independent commission on the security forces of Iraq. He's the gentleman -- the general who wants to basically overhaul the national police, 26,000 of them. He's talking about it here.
Listen for just a moment.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEN. JAMES JONES, (RET.), IND. COMMANDER ON SECURITY FORCES OF IRAQ: The police hopefully will be able to take care of the internal sector, the peace and stability. Our guess -- our assessment was that while they won't be able to do the territorial defense in the next 12 to 16 months, or 18 months, that there is probably a three to four- year project for them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: What does that mean then for the U.S. military, three to four years before we see a little bit more stability from the Iraqi police?
GRANGE: Well, I think the police -- that's the weak link in the security force, forces in Iraq, there is no doubt about it. The military is moving along much faster than the police. But you have to have police to have everyday rule of law, to establish a safe and secure environment, and that's going to take longer because of corruption or just not loyal to the Iraqi government, those type of things.
But they do have the military as well, and it's not a -- like the United States where you have the law of Posse Comitatus, where you can't use the military except with National Guard, with the governor, et cetera. You can't use the general purpose forces. Iraq's a little different. And if you need to use the police -- I mean the military, they will until the police are ready.
COLLINS: If -- quickly, last one for you -- if the forces are reduced within the next 12 to 24 months, is there any way to protect against more of safe havens being created for al Qaeda?
GRANGE: Well, I think al Qaeda is having a bit of a problem right now because of the strategy that's in place. The collaborations with the sheikhs in Anbar province, and now moving to some other areas within Iraq with that same type of partnership to fight a more common or tougher enemy, al Qaeda is not spreading around like many say. They're being squeezed out and must go to other places to operate. And so that strategy is working.
So what do you do? You keep that momentum. You keep that pressure. You don't give al Qaeda a chance to breathe. You stay on them.
And that's what's happening.
COLLINS: General David Grange, we appreciate your insight for us as always here in the CNN NEWSROOM.
Thanks so much. Good to see you.
Also want to let our viewers know we'll have more military insight on the Iraq progress report tomorrow. We're going to be talking with General Richard Myers. Of course you remember him to be the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He will join us live right here in the NEWSROOM.
Meanwhile, count on CNN throughout the day to bring you the best coverage and analysis of the Iraq war progress report. And even if you're not in front of the television, you can still watch the hearings live on your computer. Just go to CNN.com. You'll find live coverage throughout the day.
Also want to let you know about something else we're following here just into us in the NEWSROOM. Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel announcing his future political plans.
Let's listen for just a moment to what he said a few minutes ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. CHUCK HAGEL (R), NEBRASKA: I'm here with my family this morning to announce that I will not seek a third term in the United States Senate, nor do I intend to be a candidate for any office in 2008. It has been my greatest honor and privilege to serve my country and represent my fellow Nebraskans in the United States Senate. My family and I will be forever grateful for this opportunity and the trust placed in me by the people of Nebraska.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: There you have it, Senator Chuck Hagel not going to be running for a third term. That announcement coming out of Nebraska today.
Meanwhile, ahead in the NEWSROOM, a guilty plea in a sex sting. Now a legal bid to undo it. Senator Larry Craig's new move to try to clear his name and keep his job.
The unthinkable. A truck carrying dynamite blows up. Many people killed and injured in the explosions.
And a missing teen's incredible survival story -- trapped for a week in an overturned car. Finally, able to crawl out to safety.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: Flags lowered to half-staff in Provo, Utah, today in memory of a college student. The body of Camille Cleverley was found at the bottom of a 200-foot cliff yesterday. The site was near a popular canyon waterfall. And that's where authorities had centered much of their 10-day search in the area.
Cleverley had been scheduled to start her senior year at Brigham Young University last week. At a memorial last night, her parents thanked everyone involved in the search.
Investigators are trying to determine how Cleverley fell. They are not ruling out foul play.
And an amazing story of survival. A missing teen finally found, injured and disoriented, but alive.
CNN's Kathleen Koch has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): A deep ravine just a stone's throw from a major highway, that's where police found the overturned car where missing 18-year-old Bowie State University student Julian McCormick had been trapped for a week. He was last seen September 1st on his way to pick up his girlfriend. Finally, McCormick managed to free himself, telling family he crawled through a creek bed, under a bridge, and up an embankment to a road, where Saturday two women spotted him.
LEIGH ANN HESS, SPOTTED INJURED TEEN: I ran up to him and I said, "Are you OK? What happened?" And he said, "I got in a car accident."
I said, "Hold on. You're going to be OK. We're going to have an ambulance come." And I ran up and I flagged my mom, yes, get them to come, get them to come, get them to come.
KOCH: The disoriented teenager asked what day it was. HESS: He did have a movie ticket in his pocket or something that he gave one of the observers and said this is the last thing he had remembered seeing.
KOCH: The date on the ticket, September 1st. Police responded immediately.
LT. ROXANNE BROWN-ANKNEY, UNITED STATES PARK POLICE: They found a young gentleman suffering from cuts, abrasions, some burns, dehydration.
KOCH: McCormick's aunt says he told his family he survived by dipping his shoe into the creek and eating what fish he could catch while he worked to tear the seatbelt. Police confirm it was evident from the crash scene McCormick had been trapped in the car for days. The teenager is being treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
PEGGY MCCORMICK, MOTHER: He said, "I love you, mom. I love you, mom." I was so scared.
KOCH: Worried friends had created a Facebook page and were headed to a Saturday night vigil for McCormick when they got the news.
EMILY SPRINGER, FRIEND: At first I kind of thought it was a joke. But then, you know, she said he was OK. So, I came over here as fast as I could.
MCCORMICK: Julian is well. He is still having medical treatment. We are just so happy.
KOCH: His family says McCormick should be released from the hospital in a few days,
Kathleen Koch, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(WEATHER REPORT)
COLLINS: The long arm of the law hovers over a missing girl's parents. The McCanns home in England now, but still suspects in Portugal. We'll give you the latest there.
And remembering 9/11. The Pentagon on fire, an Army major in the fight of his life. The safe in his office proved to be a savior.
That story after a break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: New developments this morning in the case of a missing British girl in Portugal. Police are expected to hand the case over to prosecutors today.
The parents of Madeleine McCann have returned home to England, now formal suspects in their daughter's disappearance. The 4-year-old reported missing in May. They were allowed to leave Portugal as long as they didn't talk publicly about the case.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GERRY MCCANN, MADELEINE'S FATHER: Portuguese law prohibits us from commenting further on the police investigation. Despite there being so much we wish to say, we are unable to do so except to say that we have played no part in the disappearance of our lovely daughter Madeleine.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: Under Portuguese law, the couple can be called back to Portugal at any time for more questioning or perhaps face charges.
Trapped in the Pentagon on 9/11, fire and debris all around, an Army major remembers the day that changed his life.
Fredricka Whitfield has the story.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): It's been six years, but for Army Major David King, 9/11 feels like yesterday.
MAJ. DAVID KING, 9/11 SURVIVOR: I mean, beautiful day. It was like today. Big, bright blue day. Suddenly the whole office burst into flames and -- except my corner where I was because I had two safes and a column right next to me.
WHITFIELD: Major King was not injured when the plane crashed into the Pentagon. But he was later burned over 20 percent of his body after trying to save lives, including one staff sergeant.
KING: There was debris hanging there, cable, conduits, asbestos stuff and I went to bash through it to get to her and that's how I got burned trying to get to her.
WHITFIELD: He also tried to reach his trapped colonel but was pushed back by the flames.
KING: I went back to my corner which was still untouched, nothing happening there, then I remembered looking down pictures of my boys on my desk, and I got to get out of here.
WHITFIELD: King is worried. America will forget what he and his colleagues endured. On Sunday, he and his family joined others in the annual Freedom Walk from the Lincoln Memorial to the Pentagon to remember and remind.
KING: It's important that we remember what happened on September 11th every day and not just once a year. And the home of the brave.
WHITFIELD: Fredricka Whitfield, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COLLINS: On duty in Iraq, under the microscope in Washington. Today's long-awaited assessment of the war. We'll go live to Baghdad in just a moment.
And false alarms and frustration in the Nevada wilderness -- the search for adventurer Steve Fossett.
A second barrier to keep terrorists out of cockpits? Make sense?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a absolute no-brainer. Of all the things we could do, the most cost-effective thing we could do right now is put this device in.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: But the barriers aren't required. Why? We'll tell you after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: You are in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Heidi Collins. Tony Harris is off today.
The Iraq war at a crossroads on Capitol Hill. The war's top American commander delivering a long-awaited assessment coming up next hour and also facing a lot of skepticism.
CNN's congressional correspondent Dana Bash setting the stage for us now. The kind of reception that Petraeus is going to get today is --? Scale of 1 to 10, 10 being really warm.
DANA BASH, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I think I'm going to sort of punt on that one, wait a couple of hours to see what the reception is. Because this is supposed to be a pivotal moment when it comes to the Iraq war debate here. We've been talking about it for the better part of a year.
Democrats agreed to wait until now, until September, primarily because they didn't have the votes to force withdrawal deadline which is what their ultimate political goal is. And Republicans, they for the most part, many of them, have been skeptical of this whole idea of a troop surge from the start. But they agreed to give the president a little bit more time, one last chance, until this particular moment in time, until his general can come back and brief congress about the state of things on the ground.
But this isn't the September that anybody, democrat or republican, had anticipated, because what they do expect to hear now from General David Petraeus is that he does think that there is progress from this military surge in troops, and that this particular strategy deserves some more time. So the politics of this are going to be very, very dicey.
What you will see, we are promised, from democrats for sure, and even some republicans, are some tough questions for the general and the U.S. ambassador to Iraq who of course will be here as well to try to get beyond the sort of generalization of progress to really try to get some meat on the bones, if you will, about what kind of progress to use militarily and most importantly for most members of congress, how you get beyond the hurdles of lack of political progress in the Iraqi government.
COLLINS: All right, we've heard a little bit about what republicans are saying about this. What about democrats? How do they feel about the report?
BASH: Since last week, since it became clear that General Petraeus was going to give somewhat of a positive progress report they've been trying to try to make the case that they don't necessarily think that the statistics that he's using and that the Bush administration more importantly are using to dictate progress on the ground, that they're actually accurate.
You heard the number two democrat in the senate saying the administration is actually manipulating statistics and you also heard the top democrat in the senate say that General Petraeus has made some factual errors in the past. But now an antiwar group that has a lot of power and a lot of sway over the democrats, if you will, they have ad in today's "New York Times" that many democrats privately say they are worried because it crosses the line. It actually says on the screen, "General Petraeus or General Betray Us cooking the books for the white house." Now this directly attacks the general's integrity, something that democrats have been trying to avoid. And republicans have seized on this in just a couple of hours since opening up the newspaper listening to the top republican of the senate on the senate floor just a few hours ago.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I also resent the comments of those who sat comfortably in their air conditioned offices thousands of miles away from the firefights and roadside bombs, and tried their Washington best in recent days to impugn the general's good name. These childish tactics are an insult to everyone fighting for freedom in Iraq. And they really should be condemned.
BASH: Now the problem, say republicans, for democrats and their like-minded antiwar groups is that if you even open up today's "New York Times" and look at the latest poll, it says 68 percent of Americans trust the U.S. military to deal with the hurdles on the ground in Iraq and only about 20 percent say they trust congress. That's a problem for democrats when they try to -- particularly their like-minded antiwar groups to go after the general who is going to come here and sit with his uniform and talk to the American people and talk to congress. Certainly democrats are going to try to make it clear that they don't think it is necessarily his plan, but it is President Bush's plan.
COLLINS: All right, CNN's Dana Bash, thanks so much. I'm sure we'll talk again as we get closer here. Appreciate that.
In Iraq, thousands of former enemies are now valued U.S. allies. Their domain, a gray area that stokes concerns among Iraq's political leaders. CNN's Aneesh Raman has the story for us in Baghdad. ANEESH RAMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: For years, Sheik Ifan Al- Sa'Adoun's days started like this, suiting up, kissing the kid's good- bye and heading into battle. After Saddam's fall, the Iraqi-born in Saudi Arabia was a nationalist Sunni fighting the U.S. military. But nine months ago he switched sides, and now America is his biggest backer.
SHEIK IFAN AL-SA'ADOUD, SUNNI TRIBAL LEADER: They give me project in my area like clinics and schools so that I receive some money and we buy the guns from the places.
RAMAN: It started when the U.S. sought out Sunni tribes to join the battle against al Qaeda. And with 3,500 tribal fighters, he says, under his command, Ifan is a key ally on the radio constantly talking to the Americans.
AL-SA'ADOUD: Convoy yesterday in the night, they here by visa.
RAMAN: Mixing with Fallujah's politicians. And personally commanding checkpoints throughout a city that was once a fierce battleground.
AL-SA'ADOUD: Couple months ago no one can move.
RAMAN: It seems a hands-down success, but here's the hitch, Ifan and three-fourths of his men have not yet been officially cleared by Iraq's ministry of interior. Not quite militias but not yet legitimate members of Iraq's security forces. For the U.S. military it changes nothing.
LT. COL. JOHN REEVE, U.S. MARINE CORPS: We've made partners out of the government. We've also made partners out of tribes.
RAMAN: But for Iraq's majority Shia politicians, the trend Ifan represents is one of armed Sunnis with American support operating unto themselves. Sayyed Ammar Al-Hakeem is a leading member of Iraq's biggest Shia block. How concerned are you that we're seeing the growth of Sunni militias?
We are concerned, he tells me, and arming them as groups without knowing where their loyalties lie. If al Qaeda leaves, they could be the problem that follows in Iraq.
It is a matter both sides say of coordination between the U.S. military and Iraq's government that so far's been lacking. And what the U.S. touts as the way forward, a marriage of convenience with those like Ifan, is concerning for a government that knows single moments and single individuals can affect Iraq for years.
COLLINS: CNN's Aneesh Raman joins us now live from Baghdad. Aneesh, what about the average Iraqi? Are they interested in this program?
RAMAN: Yes, hey, Heidi. For them it is really just another report about another program. Yes, there has been success in bringing down the violence in Anbar, in Baghdad. But keep in mind, just last month we saw the single-deadliest attack since the war began in the Northern Province, more than 400 people killed. A few weeks ago in Karbala, Shia-on-Shia violence left close to 60 people killed. For Iraqis, even in those areas where the violence has come down, the surge is not indefinite, that's the big issue. It will end at some point, and then what happens? The Iraqi government is not yet able to step into that void because they haven't found consensus and Iraq's security forces are far from capable yet of standing on their own. For Iraqis there is still a wait-and-see attitude. They are dizzy but all these reports. They are just waiting for some tangible action on the ground. They have some security success in certain areas. Now it is up to the government to show they can use that momentum. If they don't, this could be the last chance for Iraq's government to re-gain the trust of the people.
COLLINS: All right. CNN's Aneesh Raman coming to us from Baghdad this morning. Aneesh, thanks for that.
I want to remind everyone, count on CNN throughout the day to bring you the best coverage and analysis of the Iraq war progress report. Even if you aren't in front of the television, can you still watch the hearings live on your computer, CNN.com. You'll find live coverage throughout the day.
Also want to give you some information just in to CNN now. According to the Associated Press, Senator Larry Craig who you see there has filed those papers that we've been telling you about for a couple of days now to withdraw his guilty plea. This is all in reference to an airport sex sting. He is saying in those papers that he entered the plea, the guilty plea, under stress, caused by media inquiries into his sexuality. Once again Senator Larry Craig filing those papers to withdraw his guilty plea. We'll follow that story for you as well.
A legendary music producer, he will soon learn his fate. The latest in the Phil Spector murder trial.
And official suspects in a police investigation, yet they are allowed to leave the country. Why the parents of a missing girl got to go home to England.
And a former prime minister in Pakistan sees his homeland again. First time in seven years but the homecoming party doesn't last long. We'll explain.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: We want to show you this video just in moments ago here to CNN. You see General David Petraeus walking into the hearing room. As you well know by now, today is the day that we will begin hearing testimony from him and Ambassador Ryan Crocker. Soon to begin at 12:30 today. Going to be before the house armed services and foreign affairs committee about the progress in Iraq and some decisions about troop levels. Much speculation about what he will say and of course, what it will mean.
We will continue to follow this for you. You see him there inside the room. And bring it to you just as soon as it happens. We understand it will be about six hours of testimony. You will see live portions of it right here. We'll have quite a bit of analysis as well.
Meanwhile, new developments to tell you about this morning in the case of a missing British girl in Portugal. Police are expected to hand the case over to prosecutors today. The parents of Madeleine McCann have returned home to England. Now formal suspects in their daughter's disappearance. The 4-year-old was reported missing in May. They were allowed to leave Portugal as long as they don't talk publicly about the case.
GERRY MCCANN, MADELEINE'S FATHER: Portuguese law prohibits us from commenting on the police investigation, despite there being so much we wish to say, we are unable to do so except to say that we have played no part in the disappearance of our lovely daughter Madeleine.
Under Portuguese law the couple can be called back to Portugal at any time for more questioning or perhaps face charges.
This morning in Los Angeles, jury deliberations expected to get under way in the Phil Spector murder trial. The legendary music producer is accused of killing actress Lana Clarkson. Prosecutors say he shot her in his mansion home four years ago. The defense says Clarkson was depressed and killed herself. Spector is known for his work with John Lennon and Ike and Tina Turner, among many others.
The search for billionaire pilot Steve Fossett now in its second week, the focus of 50-mile radius around a runway in Minden, Nevada. That is where Fossett took off in a single-engine plane last Monday. Rescue crews have see-sawed between hope and disappointment. Wreckage spotted over the weekend turned out to be a false alarm. More than 200 rescuers and two dozen aircraft have taken part in the air and ground search.
Supporters say it is a second line of defense against terrorists getting into the cockpit. Then why aren't the barriers mandatory? CNN's Jeanne Meserve explains.
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The reinforced cockpit door, an effective way to keep terrorists from taking over a flight, unless the door is open.
REP. STEVE ISRAEL (D), NEW YORK: Now that plane, while the cabin door is open, is being defended by a beverage cart or by a flight attendant for the time it takes the crew to leave the cockpit to use the lavatory or to do a crew change. For the split second that that door is open, the entire cockpit is vulnerable to a terrorist.
MESERVE: The hijacker of this Turkish airlines flight last October exploited just such an opportunity, rushing the cockpit when a stewardess opened the door to ask a question. A possible solution, a second barrier at the front of a plane that can be closed when the cockpit door is opened.
CAPT. BOB HESSELBEIN, AIR LINE PILOTS ASSOCIATION: This is an absolute no-brainer. Of all the things we can do, the most cost effective thing we can do right now is put this device in.
MESERVE: But the Transportation Security Administration has not made the barriers mandatory. Even though it concluded in a 2005 report that they would offer greater security at a relatively low cost. How much they cost is a question. Estimates range from $3,000 to $50,000 per plane. Some airlines have installed them voluntarily, but an industry group says they should not be required without a risk analysis. To pilots, the risk couldn't be more clear.
Jeanne Meserve, CNN, Washington.
COLLINS: A bumpy landing for dozens of Danish passengers. Amazing pictures of a rough arrival.
SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Susan Lisovicz at the New York Stock Exchange. We're seeing some turbulence here on Wall Street as well. Stocks extending Friday's sell offs. Gas prices meanwhile moving in the opposite direction. Dollars and cents next, you're watching CNN, the most trusted name in news.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: A scary ride for passengers aboard a Scandinavian airlines plane. Watch this emergency landing in Denmark. The plane's landing gear just collapses. A propeller broke off flying into passenger cabin. All 73 passengers and four crew members were able to get out safely. 11 people were taken to local hospitals but no reports of serious injuries.
Fasten your seatbelts, gas prices have taken a turn for the worse. Susan Lisovicz at the New York Stock Exchange now with more details on that. Nobody likes to hear that.
LISOVICZ: I know, Heidi. I mean we got accustomed to the fact after Labor Day, aren't prices supposed to keep going down? But no, that's not the case. After two months of steady, or even falling, gas prices, the price at the pump on the rise again. The national average for regular up to $2.81 a gallon. According to Lundberg survey, that's up 6.5 cents in the last 2 1/2 weeks and the first increase since July. The increase comes after a recent jump in crude oil prices, which are now close to $76 a barrel, just a few bucks from their all-time high. Chicago, well more than just the windy city, it is an expensive place to buy gas. Drivers pay $3.27 a gallon on average. That's a lot more expensive than Atlanta.
COLLINS: Yes!
LISOVICZ: Cheapest gas, 15 miles away, Newark, New Jersey where by law they pump it for you.
COLLINS: I was just going to say, you don't even have to pump it there!
LISOVICZ: That's right. You don't have to get your hands dirty. New Jersey also home to a lot of oil refineries. The price there, $2.52 a gallon. Come visit, Heidi. COLLINS: Exactly. Drive all the way there and get my gas. So when you show us these numbers, feels like we might be expecting more increases?
LISOVICZ: Yes. The prices should be steady in the coming weeks but it all depends on the price of crude. OPEC set to meet tomorrow in Vienna but the cartel not expected to hike production, partly because it believes slowing economic growth in the U.S. will reduce demand. Another factor, five of the cartel's 12 members, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Venezuela and Algeria are embroiled in what the lumber folks call disturbing news headlines. That also is pushing crude higher. Stocks on Wall Street are not higher. We're extending Friday's --
COLLINS: Susan, you have this backwards. You're supposed to have stocks higher, gas prices lower.
LISOVICZ: That's the way we like it, that's not the way we're seeing it on this start to the trading week I'm afraid.
Let me give you some good news, Heidi. Chip maker Intel is bucking the trend. The company says its third quarter revenue will top forecasts boosted by stronger than expected demand. And Apple shares are up 2.5 percent. The company announced it has sold 1 million I-phones after just 74 days on the market. Maybe it didn't need to reduce the price after all. Well, in any case, Apple doing well today. But check out the big board, the Dow right now down 54 1/2 points, nearly .5 percent. NASDAQ down about two-thirds of a percent. Not a positive start to the trading week, I'm afraid. Back to you.
COLLINS: All right, Susan. Thanks so much.
LISOVICZ: You're welcome.
COLLINS: The top commander in Iraq headed to Capitol Hill next hour. General David Petraeus's long-awaited report on the troop buildup. We'll go live to Capitol Hill, the pentagon and Baghdad.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: Well, we are looking at a live shot now awaiting General Petraeus's testimony. We have been telling you about this for several weeks, this report was expected today and now we are finally going to begin hearing from him, as well as Ambassador Ryan Crocker. This testimony going to begin in about 30 minutes from now. We'll carry it for you here. Of course they will be testifying in front of the house armed services and foreign affairs committee about the progress in Iraq and of course troop levels. Everybody wants to know when some of the troops may be headed home and that will be something that we obviously don't know all of those answers yet but we are hearing from some analysts, people who are saying that in fact he will probably tell us that he's going to ask for a bit of a delay to make a decision about any substantial cuts in troop levels, asking for six more months or so before he can determine how many troops would come home and at what point. We'll closely be watching. A live shot from inside those hearing rooms. We'll bring it to you when it begins in 30 minutes.
A public health crisis builds in the Philippines. Doctors leave for better paying jobs in the United States. CNN's Hugh Riminton explains.
HUGH RIMINTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Becoming a doctor is a tough business. So why is it that over the last five years, 80 percent of Philippino doctors have re-trained as nurses? The answer, jobs in the U.S.
DR. MARIA-THERESA DAVID, ANESTHESIOLOGIST: They may be a greener pasture there, better pay there and everything. Why not? Let's try.
RIMINTON: Maria Teresa David is an anesthesiologist. This is pediatrician. Both have re-trained as nurses. Recently five of their senior colleagues left to nurse in America.
DR. HERMOGENES JARIN, HOSPITAL DIRECTOR: The problem is that these are the heads of my departments are going away. And that is very difficult to deal with and to replace.
RIMINTON: For the time being, these patients are the lucky ones. Over the last 5 years, much of the Philippines has been stripped of its doctors. A third of all the municipalities in the Philippines now simply have no public hospital doctors at all.
It's the simple arithmetic of globalized economy. A nurse in the U.S. makes eight times as much as a senior public hospital medical specialist here. Now nearly five times as many Philippino doctors are leaving to nurse as there are graduates to replace them. Can the Philippines afford to lose so many doctors?
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.voxant.com
