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Train Derails in Ohio, Starts Fire; Two Men to be Charged with Murders of Missing Boat Crew; Columbia University Prof Victim of Hate Crime; Auto Workers Strike At Chrysler Plants; Multi-National Mission to Space Station Blasts Off

Aired October 10, 2007 - 13:00   ET

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

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: All right. We've got a...
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: We start with developing news. Fredricka Whitfield working on a developing story.

Quite the pictures there, Fredricka.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Here at the Akron/Cleveland area, this is the city of Mentor, where you're seeing a pretty spectacular train derailment and fire. So it's produced some pretty hazardous conditions there. You see these black plumes of smoke.

But what you also see here is this looks like it's mostly farm/industrial area. You'll see some other pictures coming up soon. But in this live picture here, you see that it is mostly farm area. So, it's unclear whether there will be any kind of evacuations in the area.

But because it's unclear what kind of materials may have been on this cargo plane (ph), liquid, powder, et cetera, hazmat crews are on the scene and many others on the way to respond to what looks like a pretty spectacular fire involving many cars here, at least five in just this tight shot here that you can see.

But because the picture is being filled with the black plumes of smoke, it's unclear exactly how many cars may be involved. And again, what they may be carrying.

But this, taking place in the Mentor area of Ohio. Some of the witnesses are indicating that there -- they did hear some sort of loud noise before you started seeing these kinds of plumes of smoke and fire in the area. But it's unclear whether they heard the loud noise as a result of the derailment or whether there was some sort of explosion or something taking place.

So a correction on the location. It is not in the Mentor area, which is what we were originally told, but it looks like Painesville, Ohio, which is still in the Cleveland/Akron area.

When we get any more information about why this took place and how it's affected this entire community we're be able to bring that to you -- Don.

LEMON: We're -- we're looking at these pictures. I just want to hang out a little bit longer as we talk to you about this. There's -- do we know what these trains were carrying?

WHITFIELD: No.

LEMON: Exactly?

WHITFIELD: We don't. We don't know. Or at least, if hazmat crews know yet it hasn't been conveyed publicly. But those crews are on the ground because, as I mentioned, it's unclear whether it's liquid form, powder form, granular, something else that may have been transported by this cargo train.

But we do understand it was not a passenger train. So cargo being transported eastbound...

LEMON: OK. All right.

WHITFIELD: ... which is where this train was going. But we don't know the origin of this train.

LEMON: OK. Fredricka, thank you. And we're probably going to check back in with you. We're working on getting emergency officials to tell us exactly what happened with that train derailment. Of course, fire and smoke that you see there. Details that come into the CNN NEWSROOM -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right. Developing news on another story right now. Remember that mystery at sea that we were covering for a couple weeks?

The family of the crew of the Joe Cool, this fishing boat right here, had been reported missing. And at that point, two men were found floating in a small boat. Kirby Archer and Guillermo Zarabozo. They had said that that boat had been pirated, the boat that they had chartered.

As we started to investigate the story, we found out that Kirby Archer had a bit of a -- allegations of a criminal past. The investigation has gone further, and we're now getting word that federal prosecutors are going to charge those two, Kirby Archer and his friend Guillermo Zarabozo, with murder.

Things just weren't matching up when they interviewed those two. They couldn't find the four crew members. The FBI started investigating. They had found a -- bullet casings on the boat. There were issues of DNA tests, as well, possibly blood that was found on the boat.

And then after five days, family members got the sad news that the Coast Guard was calling off the search for the four members of the crew, Captain Jake Branham; his wife, Kelly; Jake's half brother, Scott Gamble; and also first mate Samuel Kairy.

Susan Candiotti has been following this for us. You know, she's based in Miami, Florida, and she joins us by phone.

And I know your sources were able to confirm for you, Susan, that federal prosecutors now are going to charge those two, Kirby Archer and Guillermo Zarabozo, with murder. What more can you tell us?

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Kyra. Well, it comes as no surprise, because we know since last week. This is exactly what the FBI and federal prosecutors have been working on.

They flagged this in court last week, that they were looking at a possible murder investigation here, and now a law enforcement source does tell us that their federal prosecutors do plan to file murder charges against the two men that survived that so-called abandoned boat.

Remember, these two men had chattered the fishing boat. The story they originally told the U.S. Coast Guard and the FBI when they were rescued is that they were attacked by hijackers. Yet there was no explanation as to why those two were the only ones to survive and the four crew members did not and were allegedly shot and killed by these so-called hijackers.

The authorities have said from the start they did not believe that story. And now, it would seem they were able to bring enough -- what was believed to be circumstantial evidence before possibly a federal grand jury, or this could be a direct filing of murder charges against these two men.

PHILLIPS: And...

CANDIOTTI: Go ahead.

PHILLIPS: I'm sorry, Susan. Finish your thought. I was going to ask you more about Kirby Archer. Because as you had investigated this story, you found out that there were allegations that he had a criminal past, possibly stealing thousands of dollars from a local Wal-Mart, right?

CANDIOTTI: That's right. He had been charged with -- with the robbery of $90,000, a little bit more than that, from a Wal-Mart where he had been a store manager. And then he disappeared from Arkansas. That's where the store was located. So, there was that outstanding warrant.

Initially, he was being held in this matter, with unlawful flight from those charges.

And the other young man who was traveling with him, a 19-year-old from Miami, a licensed security guard, was charged with lying to a federal agent about having been on that boat.

Again, authorities not believing that story to begin with, that they were the victims here. But now it would seem the tables have been turned, at least allegedly, according to the government. And now they are being charged with being the ones who shot and killed the four members of that charter fishing boat.

PHILLIPS: All right. We'll stay on top of the investigation. Susan Candiotti joining us by phone there. Appreciate it. LEMON: Another story we're following here, a symbol of hate at a bastion of higher learning, a noose is found in the office on the office door of a black professor at New York's Columbia University, and that's turning students at the Ivy League school into protesters.

Our Allan Chernoff is on the campus right now.

Allan, what are you seeing there?

ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Don, no-- no protests just yet. But let me just say, the Ivy League -- this is the nation's most prestigious school of education. Teacher's College at Columbia University, a place where people read and watch what happened in Jena and think, "Never. It could never happen here."

Only to wake up this morning to this headline in the "Columbia Spectator", the school paper here: "Professor Victim of Hate Crimes at Teacher College". As you said, yesterday, a noose found hung on the door of 44-year-old professor Madonna Constantine, a professor of psychology and counseling, who, ironically, has written a book called "Addressing Racism".

Now yesterday, there was a school meeting here. There was a little bit of a protest. And come 2 p.m. this afternoon, students do plan to protest down the block. They're going to walk out, wearing black, a protest against this horrific act of racism here at Columbia University.

Students also tell us that after this incident, after this wake- up, some, indeed, are actually frightened.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VALERIE CAMILLE-JONES, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY STUDENT: I personally felt scared for my own security, because I was -- I was nervous on how -- what the next attack would be, if it would be an actual attack and not a noose. So, me being a black woman, it made me feel insecure in my own institution of education. I didn't -- I didn't feel secure.

And I still kind of feel like who could be -- who could have done this? I really want them to come out and say who did it, because it could be someone in my classroom or someone that I'm just passing on the street. And if they feel that way and they're so -- you know, about showing through demonstration, why not say something? Why not declare who they are?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHERNOFF: What's particularly frightening to many students and faculty here is the fact that, in order to get into the building, you have to show an identification from Teacher's College. Let me tell you, security here, it's tight.

So, everybody here is wondering who might possibly have done this. The New York City Police Department is investigating this bias crime. Back to you in the studio.

LEMON: Yes. And Allan, it is amazing. When you think an institution of higher learning, and you said one of the most prestigious universities in the country, Teacher's College, it makes it all the more shocking and frightening.

Allan, we appreciate that report. We're going to check back in with you just a little bit later on.

And much, much more to come on this developing story. Columbia students are demanding answers. We'll talk with one of them right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

PHILLIPS: Out of the factories, onto the pavement. Another United Auto Workers strike is well under way, this time against Chrysler. More than 31,000 workers are off the job at the company that's No. 4 in sales in the United States.

CNN's Ali Velshi joins us now live from New York with more.

Ali, just one more to cover. I tell you, it's been ongoing all year.

ALI VELSHI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. And the first one was a bit of a surprise, too, Kyra. And not a lot of auto analysts had expected this one to happen for a couple of reasons.

One is that the United Auto Workers didn't seem to get such a great deal out of the strike against General Motors. So we were expecting by 11 a.m. this morning to hear that there was some sort of deal.

Here's what happened: 11 a.m. rolls around. We know from a source close to the negotiations that the negotiations actually went on until 11 a.m. Eastern. They didn't have a deal, so, 31,000 workers walked off the job.

It's not 45, because there are 45,000 workers altogether at Chrysler, but a lot of those plants are already idled, because Chrysler has too many cars right now.

Chrysler is not in a great position to handle a strike, but they did have some factory shutdown already in order to just get rid of some backlog. So again, just like the GM strike, not a good situation for either side.

But right now, we have 31,000 workers, 19 plants that have been shut down because of this strike. And of course, what happens is that sort of spiders out to the auto plants -- the auto parts plants that supply those ones, the factories in Canada that depend on it. So pretty soon, if this continues, you'll see even more shutdowns around it, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: And another tough thing, too, Ali, is that not everybody that's out there protesting or striking supports this. But they're sort of forced into it. So not only do you have families that are sort of on the fence, but a lot of families that are conflicted about this and losing money, as well, feeling the pressure from everybody to stand up and do this together.

VELSHI: Yes. This is a big deal. I mean, first of all, strike pay is $200 a week, Kyra, versus people who earn, on average, $25 an hour plus benefits. So, that's a very big deal.

Plus, we know that the Detroit-based auto companies have been in some trouble. There have been layoffs. There have been slowdowns in work. So it's already a tense situation.

And then you get into some of these places where these factories are 1,000 people, 1,500 people, 2,000 or more. You're talking about auto towns, the crush felt from people being out of work in places in the Midwest that have already been suffering from their home prices dropping, from the layoffs of the last couple of years. Nobody really likes a strike these days.

So for the UAW to make a decision to go on strike, things have got to be pretty serious. We're still waiting to hear official word from the UAW about what it is that actually set them off to walk off the job. We'll bring that to you as soon as we have it, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, great. Let's get to the ground now. Ali Velshi, thanks so much.

Reporter Michael Rosenfeld of CNN affiliate WXYZ is keeping track of what's happening at Chrysler's hometown in Auburn Hills, Michigan.

Bring us up-to-date, Michael.

MICHAEL ROSENFELD, WXYZ CORRESPONDENT: Well, good afternoon. We're live outside Chrysler's world headquarters here in Auburn Hills, Michigan, where at about 11 a.m. this morning, up to 2,000 people at this site alone walked off the job.

It happened at many sites all across metro Detroit, at plants where workers make the cars and here white collar and blue collar workers were represented by the United Auto Workers.

The deadline came and went at 11 a.m. this morning. There was no deal, so these workers walked off the job. The main issues: job security, trying to get more guarantee that more work will take place in this country, health care, as well.

With me now a couple of the workers here. Amika (ph), I know you work inside. You're represented by the UAW. How tough is it to be out of work and out here on the picket line?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Like I said, we have to do what we have to do. Trying to represent my UAW people.

ROSENFELD: What are you hoping for with this new contract? Is it wages, is it benefits? What are you most afraid of?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Wages, benefits, all that. I love my benefits. I love, like I said, once again, my job. I'm speechless.

ROSENFELD: Tough to be out here, I know. I know.

Tell me your name real quick. And what are you doing here?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My name is Deanna Reinhart (ph) and I work in shipping and receiving, and I'm a hi-lo driver.

ROSENFELD: How tough is it to be out here with a picket sign and not getting a paycheck?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, it's not really that tough, you know. But I do love my job. I appreciate it, you know, the good pay, the benefits and everything. And one thing about it, as being a UAW member, we do have to stand up and fight for our rights.

ROSENFELD: Did you think it was going to come to this? Or are you hopeful?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, I was hoping that it didn't. But it did. And hey, we have to do what we have to do to survive.

ROSENFELD: All right. Thanks so much. Good luck. We'll be out here with you guys all afternoon.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You're welcome.

ROSENFELD: The last set of negotiations that broke off at 11 a.m. this morning had actually gone on for 27 straight hours. So understandably, both sides are pretty tired. And right now, there is no word on whether or not the two sides will resume talks today.

We'll send it back to you guys.

PHILLIPS: All right. We'll continue to follow all sides. Michael Rosenfeld with our affiliate WXYZ out of Michigan there, thanks so much.

LEMON: More now on our breaking news story from the top of this newscast. A train derailment in Ohio causing some major problems there, not to mention all the fire and smoke and possible environment hazards there.

Let's get to some information from a person who's on the ground who would know about that, Denise Mercsak, she is with the Painesville Police Department.

I understand now there are evacuations under there -- underway there now.

DENIS MERCSAK, PAINESVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT: That is correct. We are evacuating within a half-mile radius. This is a development. And fortunately, a lot of people are away at work and their kids are away at school. So the rest -- the remaining people are being evacuated at this time.

LEMON: OK. About how many people are you going to have to evacuate in that area again?

MERCSAK: Well, there's probably about 200 homes here. We're looking at probably evacuating within the next -- probably 75 to 80 homes at this time.

LEMON: Lieutenant, I understand, you know, you have to keep record of what these trains are carrying when you're carrying -- especially if it's hazardous material. Do you know what was in these cars? Have you been able to determine that yet?

MERCSAK: Well, we've been told that some of them contain alcohol, glycerin and butane. And that is why the fire department is not approaching at this time. They are letting it burn down to get to a safe level. Obviously, waiting in case there's any other explosions.

And all I know is it's an eastbound train. We don't know where it was coming from or where it was going to as of yet. We're waiting for the conductor to come to the scene.

LEMON: And I'm glad you said that, lieutenant, about the explosion. Because we're getting word that -- from eyewitnesses that -- witnesses that they heard at least one explosion, and then flames shot into the air, 50 to 60 feet high. What can you tell us about that?

MERCSAK: I was not here in the beginning. I can see from my vantage point that there is several cars on their sides, and it's very possible, looking at the debris, that there probably was an explosion. And there still is a lot of black smoke and fire involved in this crash.

LEMON: And in your time do you remember anything like this happening in this area?

MERCSAK: Pardon me?

LEMON: In your time there, do you remember anything like this happening like this in your area?

MERCSAK: No. I've been here a long time. And we've had -- we've had a lot of excitement, but this is certainly not a welcome thing to have in our community.

Fortunately, however, there have been no injuries.

LEMON: Yes.

MERCSAK: And, you know, I think it's something that our fire department can work on, you know, once the fire gets burned out a little bit.

LEMON: Yes, and you answered my next question, which would be injuries. None. That's...

MERCSAK: None. LEMON: Yes, that's good, considering we're looking at these pictures now.

Lieutenant Denise Mercsak from the Painesville Police Department, we appreciate you joining us. We're going to continue to monitor this story and bring you the very latest, right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

MERCSAK: OK. You have a good day.

LEMON: You, too.

PHILLIPS: More on that noose that was found hanging outside the office of the black professor at Columbia University. We're actually going to talk to a student that goes to school there, get her insight on what happened and how it's affecting the school. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Update you on a developing story out of Painesville, Ohio. And now live pictures, or actually tape coming to us from affiliate WKYC out of Painesville.

Apparently, several cars from a train had derailed right near this area in Northeast Ohio, setting off this large, smoky fire. Motorist who was driving on State Route 44 that was nearby this area said that he had heard an explosion. It sounded like an oil tanker had exploded.

He said that flames shot up about 50, 60 feet in the air and then the cars, he saw they were thrown off the tracks and just started dumping piles of grain.

This CX train appeared to be loaded with oil and grain at the time. Those tracks are about 300 yards from the road. So firefighters have had a hard time reaching that fire. We're working it now, trying to get the details for you.

If you have any i-reports, if you're there on the scene, if you're close to the scene, click on the CNN.com/i-report. Send us pictures, interviews if you can.

Live pictures coming to us from our affiliate WKYC. We thank you for that. We're tracking it.

LEMON: All right. The latest mission to the International Space Station is about to make history. And the new crew just left earth just this morning. The Soyuz rocket blasted off from Kazakhstan with a Russian, an American, a Malaysian all on board.

Our space correspondent, Miles O'Brien, is watching from New York. Miles O'Brien, Irish.

Man, that's diversity. A Russian, an American and a Malaysian.

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We embrace diversity here. LEMON: Yes, an African-American here and an Irish guy there. That's diversity.

O'BRIEN: We are the world.

Yes, I mean, I think -- it sort of sounds like the preamble to a joke.

LEMON: Yes.

O'BRIEN: But there they were, seated in the tight confines of that Soyuz capsule on their way to the International Space Station now. Among them the first female commander for the International Space Station, NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson.

Take a look at her. What's she doing? Why is she -- what is that, graffiti? No. This is part of the Russian tradition. Every astronaut and cosmonaut who flies on the Soyuz must write on the door of the room where Yuri Gagarin stayed the night before back in 1961. First human in space.

And then there's this. A Russian orthodox priest with the holy water. Just some of the ritual and superstition that goes along with a Russian launch, in many ways a lot more colorful than the launches we do here in the United States.

Yuri Malenchenko. You might remember him from -- well, actually, that's the other member right there. But Yuri there, he got married in space in August of 2003.

And the third member of the crew is Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor from Malaysia, the first Malaysian to fly into space. He'll spend 10 days on the space station, coming back on another Soyuz. The other two will spend six months up there.

So, so far, so good. They'll dock with the International Space Station Friday, a little before 11 a.m. Eastern Time, Don.

LEMON: OK. So you mentioned the Malaysian. What was the Malaysian guy's name again?

O'BRIEN: Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor.

LEMON: OK. So is he a devout Muslim? Because it's Ramadan, right?

O'BRIEN: Yes, and this is very interesting. It created a whole -- matter of fact, they have a whole pamphlet. The Malaysian Space Agency came up with a pamphlet on how he should remain devout and worship his faith while in orbit.

Among the things to consider: sunrise and sunset 16 times a day. How do you handle that? But what about facing Mecca or Qibla, the direction to Mecca. Here are the choices he faces. Aim yourself toward the Ka'aba, which is the big cube in the center of the mosque there. No. 2, if he can't do that, at least in the direction of the Ka'aba, the projection of the Ka'aba.

If he can't figure that out, how about aiming towards the earth? And then, if he can't figure that out, whatever, or wherever, I should say. So he's got plenty of options to -- in order to remain devout and practice his faith while in space.

LEMON: Yes. And I think it's understandable, if he just faced earth, I think it would be fine. I would imagine.

O'BRIEN: Yes.

LEMON: Miles O'Brien, always appreciate it. Thank you.

O'BRIEN: All right. You're welcome.

PHILLIPS: It's being investigated as a hate crime, a noose found hanging on the office door of a black professor at Columbia University. We're going to hear from a student about what happened, coming up after the break.

But first, "Fortune" magazine is on news stands now with its list of the country's 50 most powerful women. Here's a woman who made company history. But before we tell you who it is, we're going to give you a chance to guess.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She started her career as an intern for the photocopying giant. Twenty-seven years later, she's president of the entire company.

Find out the business woman whose career is bursting into full color after the break.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Climbing up 16 slots to No. 11 this year on "Fortune" magazine's most powerful women in business list, Ursula Burns. In April, Burns became president of the Xerox corporation, making her the first black female to ever hold that title at the $16 billion company.

And her future might even be brighter. Many believe her appointment to president is a move that will prepare her to become CEO of Xerox, a position currently held by Anne Mulcahy, who ranks at No. 2 on "Fortune's" list.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: All right. Now, back to one of our top stories. Columbia University, where students are planning a walkout less than an hour from now. The reason, a noose found on the office door of a black professor.

Students say this is a major wake-up call for them. One student, Desiree Carver-Thomas, well, she joins us now from Columbia University on the campus there in New York City.

Very shocking, a diverse place like New York City. You may be even more surprised that this is happening. But you say you believe this is definitely a racist incident?

DESIREE CARVER-THOMAS, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY STUDENT: I'm sorry. Could you repeat that?

LEMON: Can you -- are you having trouble hearing me?

CARVER-THOMAS: A little bit.

LEMON: OK. I'll try to speak loudly. How did you find out about this? How -- did you hear about it word of mouth?

CARVER-THOMAS: Yes. I heard about this through word of mouth, just from friends. Teacher's College put out a statement to its own students, but the rest of the campus didn't really have any sort of formal -- there was no formal recognition of this event by our university president, Lee Bollinger. So a lot of people still don't know this has happened, which is really astounding and troubling.

LEMON: So Desiree, when you -- not that any place is immune to this. But when you live in New York City or when you think about New York City, the diversity there, you don't think about these things happening. Is it even more of a shock to you that it happened on campus in New York?

CARVER-THOMAS: I think it is. Being -- a combination of being in New York and being at Columbia University, we assume that everybody is really educated and tolerant, and that, frankly, is not the case, unfortunately. And I think that's why this has been a wake-up call. We're finally realizing these sorts of sentiments, while this isn't an isolated incident. This is within a number of various incidents within a culture that allows these sorts of incidents to occur.

LEMON: What do you mean by that? You mean on campus? Are you talking about there at Columbia?

CARVER-THOMAS: I'm talking about here at Columbia. This isn't the first thing that's happened. With the within the past five weeks of being on this campus, there have been a number of biassed incidents across our campus that haven't really been addressed by the administration at all. And so I think that this incident speaks to this greater campus climate, and that this is just a really ugly and blatant manifestation of the racism that really is pervasive.

CARVER-THOMAS: Desiree, I have to ask you, the news played such a big role in the Jena incident. Did these incidents that you mentioned on your campus, did they happen after we started hearing about Jena, Louisiana? CARVER-THOMAS: Well, I'm a junior here, and so I've been dealing with these things for the past two years. But I would say that all of these things are interconnected. Jena, Louisiana may be pretty far away. But at the same time, what's going on there isn't really separate from what's going on here. All of these things work together. And because something like that can happen there, it kind of opens the floodgates for things to happen everywhere. And I think that inactive injustice anywhere is an act of injustice everywhere, just sort of a quote that's been thrown around a lot.

LEMON: So we have been hearing about incidents involving nooses, and Swastikas, and those kinds of things, KKK, across college campuses, and even on some high school campuses. What's going on with young people? You would have thought we would have evolved beyond that by now. It's 2007.

CARVER-THOMAS: You would think so. But I think that, unfortunately, there's still this attitude. And maybe it's a backlash against something else. I don't really know. I can't say where it comes from. But I can only say that it's something that needs to be nipped in the bud, like, right now. This isn't something that can be allowed to continue.

And I think that, for example, the administration should take a bigger role in taking actions to keep these things from happening, proactive actions rather than simply responding to incidents, and I think that's something that -- sorry.

LEMON: No, I have to ask you real quick -- is it something that you and your friends of all races there talk about, about all these different incidents and what's going on with race in this country?

CARVER-THOMAS: Sorry. Is this something we talk about a lot, you ask?

LEMON: Yes, do you talk about this with your friends, your black friends, your white friends, you Jewish friends, your Muslim friends, or whomever? Do you discuss these issues amongst yourselves?

CARVER-THOMAS: Well, in the past five weeks, we've had three different town halls, each one gathering over 100 students. A lot of different students have come out for all of these. Because I think that we're realizing just because something targets a specific community doesn't -- it affects everybody, and it could be another community the next time. And so we are all trying to work together in order to make changes on our campus, but also in our interpersonal relationships, the way that we interact with others, the way that the administration interacts with us. So we are trying to build solidarity and work together in order to change ways what's going on right now.

LEMON: All right, Desiree Carver-Thomas, a junior at Columbia University. Thank you for joining us today.

CARVER-THOMAS: Thank you.

LEMON: The next hour of CNN NEWSROOM starts right now.

I'm Don Lemon, live at the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta.

PHILLIPS: And I'm Kyra Phillips.

A long-ago controversy with present-day consequences. A House committee convening at this hour to consider 90-year-old genocide charges. What's at stake? Maybe Turkish cooperation in the war in Iraq. You're live in the CNN NEWSROOM.

But first, straight to the NEWSROOM. Fredricka Whitfield with details on a developing story. Fred, what do you have?

WHITFIELD: More on this Ohio derailment. About a half-mile radius area where these cars have derailed and now caught fire are being evacuated. Look at some of the recent pictures that we've gotten in. Some eyewitness accounts that that they heard a loud noise. We don't know if they heard explosions or whether they heard the actual derailment of this cargo train that was traveling eastbound. Still unclear its origin and where it was going.

But this accident taking place not long ago, just within the past couple of hours, leading to this pretty sizable fire now taking place in what seemed to be a mostly rural kind of farm land, industrial area. But there are homes in the area, about 200 homes, 75 which are being evacuated here in Painesville, Ohio.

Now you're seeing the live pictures. Firefighters now that there are some hazardous materials, ranging from butane to glycerin to alcohol, onboard this train, and that's why they're allowing some of the fire to just burn off before they actually move in closer to try to attack this fire. But a serious situation.

Good news out of all this, though: No reports of any kinds of injuries. But of course the kind of chemicals that are being burned off in the air certainly are a concern. That's why so many homes, households are being evacuated right now -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: We'll keep track of it with you. Thanks, Fred.

(BUSINESS HEADLINES)

PHILLIPS: What do the death of hundreds of thousands of Armenians almost a century ago have to do with the war in Iraq? The Bush administration says plenty, if Congress succeeds in labelling the deaths at the hands of Turks genocide. A little while ago, President Bush urged lawmakers to reject the symbolic bill, citing Turkey's strong support for the U.S. war effort in Iraq.

Minority leader John Boehner took the president's cause to the House floor.

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REP. JOHN BOEHNER (R), MINORITY LEADER: The fact is, is that Turkey has been a very good ally of the United States. We have military installations there. And they are critical for our security, not only here, but of our troops overseas. To bring this resolution to the floor, I think, is totally irresponsible. Let the historians decide what happened 90 years ago.

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PHILLIPS: Along with Representative John Boehner, top U.S. military leaders are also against the Armenian genocide legislation.

Our Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr joins us now with more -- Barbara.

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, you know, you probably can't explain too often this very dim piece of history 90 years ago that is, that occurred. What the House is doing right now -- in fact, the House Foreign Relations Committee is considering this resolution as we speak. It's a resolution declaring that the killing of Armenians in the World War I timeframe -- pardon me. You see some of the house proceedings here right now.

That the killing of Armenians in the World War I timeframe was, in fact, a genocide by Ottoman Turks, this occurring some 90 years ago. The House now considering a resolution declaring it genocide. This is something the current Turkish government, which is a strong NATO ally of the United States of course, vehemently objects to.

President Bush, Secretary of State Condolezza Rice, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, today all strongly coming out in public for the first time against this, saying that this would hurt relations in the Middle East and that it would hurt very critical, strategic relations and U.S. military relations with Turkey, which is vital to the war in Iraq.

Defense Secretary Gates explained why.

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ROBERT GATES, DEFENSE SECRETARY: We're airlifting these MRAPs, these Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles right now into Iraq. 95 percent of those MRAPs going into Iraq right now are being flown in through Turkey. And so, our heavy dependency on the Turks for access is really the reason the commanders raise this, and why we're so concerned about the resolution.

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STARR: So, in fact, Kyra, actually 70 percent of all military cargo going into Iraq goes through Turkey. That is absolutely vital if the Turks see this resolution pass and they follow through with their plan to possibly cut off U.S. access to the air base at Incirlik Turkey, this could be very significant.

It's gone all the way to the level of General Petraeus in Iraq, we understand, who is privately expressing his dismay at the situation. History comes back to the forefront. Kyra? PHILLIPS: Sure, it's been interesting to even watch the military activity between Turkey and the Kurds, they are on the border of Iraq. We're following that as well. Barbara Starr, for life in the Pentagon. Appreciate it.

STARR: Sure.

LEMON: Another developing story just into the CNN NEWSROOM. Busy day for the folks in Ohio, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Yes, we've got the train derailment in the Akron area, and now in the Cleveland area at the SuccessTech Academy, a shooting. We understand that at least two people have been shot. We don't know how they're doing. One of which includes a teacher. We understand that, according to our affiliate there that a student got into a fight with another student earlier in the week.

And, apparently this student returned to the school today with a gun, firing off shots while walking down the hallway. A teacher was hit and we understand the other person just might be a student. Meantime, you're looking at live pictures. There's a lot of activity outside this Success Tech Academy. For one, because this alleged shooter, who was believed to be a student, is still in this school.

So, the search remains for that person. It's not clear as of yet whether they have conducted a lockdown on this school, or if they were able to get a number of other students to exit that school while they still search for this alleged gunman, who is believed to be a student. That's still unclear.

But, this happening just within the last few minutes here at the SuccessTech Academy at East 14th Street and Lakeside Avenue there in Cleveland. When we get more information, we'll be able to bring that to you. Don?

LEMON: Absolutely, Fredricka. The video you showed there, you said it just happened. We're watching it as it unfolds there.

WHITFIELD: Right.

LEMON: That video -- unedited videotape, it's actually live coming in to the CNN NEWSROOM. So, we apologize for swaying around. But, we see all the officials on the scene as we continue to look at that. Again, this is live video. I imagine a camera person is on the scene here, trying to get it all together. Very disturbing video. Fredricka, stay on top of this and hopefully ...

WHITFIELD: It appears now -- we're seeing now the second person on a stretcher. Earlier, we saw some images. Just maybe about ten minutes ago of a person being put on a stretcher and put into an ambulance and then a second ago, you just saw a live image of what seems to be another person.

LEMON: Obviously, we cut away, Fred, from that live picture, because we don't want to identify anyone we don't know exactly. But again, you are right, there's a second person on this stretcher. That's what we're following here. Fredricka is on top of it.

We're going to continue this -- to stay on top of this developing story. We'll take a quick break, Fred. Get us more information. We'll come right back to you.

WHITFIELD: Indeed.

LEMON: Back in a moment.

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LEMON: News from medicine in a moment, but as we promised, Fredricka Whitfield on top of the story; two people shot at a school.

WHITFIELD:: Right, at Cleveland's SuccessTech Academy. Apparently one student who may have been in an argument earlier in the week decided to come back, this time armed. Firing shots in a hallway. One teacher was hit by a bullet and we understand there to be one other person, which may be a student. So, two males who have been shot and injured.

We've seen the pictures, as you see right there, of at least one person there on a gurney and being put into the EMS truck. This taking place in downtown Cleveland at East 14th Street and Lakeside Avenue. Still unclear at this point whether they have the school on lockdown or whether they successfully were able to evacuate all the students. Why? Because this alleged gunman, who is believed to be a student, is still at large and still believed to be in the school. Don?

LEMON: All right. SuccessTech School. That shooting, Fredricka Whitfield on top of it. We'll continue to follow it. Thanks, Fred.

PHILLIPS: Going to take a different turn here. Got some Banquet turkey or chicken pot pies in that freezer? Well, don't eat them because they may have an extra ingredient -- salmonella.

CNN Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen has all the facts. We were just talking about this. Remember back in school 39 cents in college? That's what we had, pot pies.

ELIZABETH COHEN, MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Oh, great. I grew up eating these things.

PHILLIPS: That's true. As a kid, I think they were as low as 29 cents.

COHEN: Oh, right. Absolutely. They were delicious. They were easy for mom. They were great. Well, if you see one of these, you should not eat them. This is a big food borne illness outbreak, it's not just affecting a state here or there, it's affecting people in 30 states. People have gotten sick in 30 states, including 23 people have actually ended up in the hospital.

The states where it's hit the hardest, Wisconsin, 19 people sick. Pennsylvania, 13 people sick. And Missouri, 11 people sick. So, what do you want to look for to make sure you're not getting the contaminated kind of pot pie? Look for the Banquet brand frozen, not ready-to-eat chicken and turkey pot pies. Also, this gets kind of tricky -- this could be hard to spot. Some generic brands of chicken and turkey pot pies are possibly implicated here. The only thing you can do, it's not going to say Banquet. The only thing you can do is look for a "P-9" on the side panel.

Now, Conagra, the company Conagra, they made the chicken pot pies you see here, plus those generics, and they had a statement about what they think is going on, why they think so many people have gotten sick. And what they had to say is that they think it's because of the way that consumers are cooking the product. They don't think it is the product itself. "The company believes the issue is likely related to consumer undercooking of the product."

Now, here's a question. There are lots of pot pies out there. Are consumers undercooking those, because we're not hearing about salmonella in other kinds of pot pies. The USDA is investigating.

PHILLIPS: All right, as they investigate, how would you know if you're infected by salmonella?

COHEN: You would know that you were affected because a couple of hours after eating one of these or up to 72 hours, you would just feel horrible. You would be nauseous, you'd have diarrhea, and abdominal cramping and a headache. You would feel horrible. Most people get through it just fine after a couple of days. The people who really need to worry are the very old and the very young and people with some kind of immune problem.

Now, what's interesting about this is often we think, oh, I can tell when food is spoiled. It'll look funny, it'll smell funny.

PHILLIPS: Not necessarily.

COHEN: Uh-uh, usually, it's going to look just normal.

PHILLIPS: And you also think it's OK because it's frozen, but obviously ...

COHEN: Right.

PHILLIPS: ...that's not the case.

COHEN: No, no.

PHILLIPS: This isn't the first report of salmonella this year. I mean, we've had problems all year.

COHEN: Oh, there's a laundry list.

PHILLIPS: Right, right.

COHEN: Really, there's been a laundry list of things that there's been -- where there's been salmonella. We're talking about spinach, we're talking about a snack product called veggie booty, we're talking about peanut butter. In fact, peanut butter got more than 600 people sick. And that was a huge recall that happened.

Salmonella is something that, by definition, starts in an animal. And so, it's interesting here that a lot of what's been affected is things like spinach and peanut butter. Somehow, this bug is getting from animals into vegetable products.

PHILLIPS: Well, we'll keep following it. Thanks, Elizabeth.

COHEN: Thanks.

LEMON: All right, our breaking news here in the CNN NEWSROOM, it's happening in Ohio. Look at all of the man power on this scene. That is a school shooting, believed to be two victims right now. People are taking cover under their desks. Apparently, a school in chaos. You see officers on the scene with guns there. Those are live pictures coming from Ohio.

Our Fredricka Whitfield on top of it. All of our resources there in the Ohio area also following up on this breaking news story, a school shooting. We're back with details in just a moment.

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LEMON: We're going to go back to Fredricka Whitfield, she's working details on our developing story.

Fred, what do you have?

WHITFIELD: All right, this out of Cleveland. We're hearing more information from our affiliates on the ground there, reporting that at least two people may have been shot when a student, according to one of the affiliates reporting, a student who's described as being 14- years-old, apparently was upset about a suspension following an altercation or fight earlier in the week. Came back to the school with a gun in each hand, according to eyewitness accounts at our affiliates at WKYC as well as WOIO are reporting now, and simply opened fire in the hallway. At least two people being shot, one of whom may be a teacher.

You saw earlier pictures of at least one victim on a gurney there being put into an EMS truck. This is all taking place at the SuccessTech Academy, right downtown in Cleveland at 14th Street and Lakeside Avenue. Very disturbing images here. And then, according to our affiliate WKYC, they understand that there are teachers, as well as students that are hiding in portions of the building because police are confirming they are still looking for this suspected gunman in the school.

So -- earlier, we were unclear whether all the folks in the school had been evacuated or not. Now, according to some of the reporting from our affiliate, there are students and teachers still in this school as this manhunt for the suspected gunman, possibly as young as 14-years-old, may still be in this building.

LEMON: And two people transported to the hospital, Fred?

WHITFIELD: Right.

LEMON: All right.

WHITFIELD: To Metro Center -- Metro Health Center.

LEMON: All right, we're back with more details in a moment.

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