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Feds Raid L.A. Gang; Some Call Iran a Slow-Motion Cuban Missile Crisis; Terror Suspect Didn't Fit the Role

Aired September 28, 2009 - 13:00   ET

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

KYRA PHILLIPS, HOST: Tony, thanks so much.

Sex offenders in no man's land. They're out of jail, but can't find homes because of laws that keep them far away from children. We're pushing forward in the woods outside Atlanta. Are tent cities really the answer?

A good kid in a bad neighborhood. Was Derrion Albert singled out for a brutal death or dragging into someone else's street fight? Either way, Chicago is mourning again.

And the Philippines cries out for help after a month's worth of rain in six hours. Manila's in ruins. Dozens of people are dead. And a new storm may be on the way.

Hello, everyone. I'm Kyra Phillips, live at CNN world headquarters in Atlanta. You're live in the CNN NEWSROOM.

Schools, parks, churches. Our cities and towns and neighborhoods are full of them, and most people want to live close to them. Some people can't. And we're pushing forward on sex offenders who've served their sentences but can't reenter society because of laws aimed at safeguarding children.

Here in Georgia, sex offenders can't live or work within 1,000 feet of places where kids gather. And while thousands of offenders can and do find housing, even jobs within those limits, some can't. And some of those wind up in a makeshift camp in the northwest suburbs of Atlanta. Reportedly, probation officers refer offenders there if all else fails.

Georgia's not unique. We've reported on six offenders in Florida, forced to live under the bridge between Miami and Miami Beach. Laws in both those cities are tougher than Georgia's, tougher even than state law in Florida. No sex offenders within 2,500 feet of schools, playgrounds, or churches. The ACLU is suing to overturn them.

No one objects to protecting children, but the Southern Center for Human Rights calls sex offender shantytowns a terrible idea for public safety. Jerry Webber is a lawyer with that group and will join me live in the newsroom in just two minutes.

So what about sex offenders in your area? Do you want to know if they live in your neighborhood? Well, we've posted a link to the Department of Justice Web site on our blog at CNN.com/Kyra. There you can find out about where registered sex offenders live in your area.

So how do you feel about the sex offenders living in camp? Tweet us at KyraCNN. We'll have some of your responses later right here in the NEWSROOM.

Let's turn now to Chicago and breaking news on last week's killing of a South Side teen. We've just learned that three suspects have been arrested and charged with the first-degree murder of Derrion Albert. Two suspects are said to be adults. One is a juvenile.

Now I'm about to show you a piece of video that you may not want to watch. So be warned: it's disturbing. It's amateur footage from outside a South Side community center last Thursday. Derrion is attacked with a board, fists and feet. The 16-year-old honor student may have been targeted because he wouldn't join a gang. That's his family's theory.

Now some witnesses say that he simply was an unlucky bystander to a brutal fight. A vigil for Derrion is planned next hour in Chicago.

So why Derrion? Even in a city plagued by street violence, the killing of a kid who apparently didn't even want to be where he was, tried to do everything right, stands out. Derrion's grandfather is crushed.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He was at Bible class this Tuesday night, church on Sunday. I had no trouble out of my grandson, was so well (ph). This thing that happened to him is so horrific that we just don't know what he's going to do. We lost a really dear friend, my grandson. He was a blessed child.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Now next hour, an interview you don't want to miss. I'll speak live with Derrion Albert's mother, Aunt Jeanette (ph) and his Aunt Cheryl (ph). Also speak with the violence interrupter from the Chicago group Ceasefire. All of that at the top of next hour, right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

Chicago is hoping to get some good news this week from the outside. Really good news. The city is trying to win the 2016 summer Olympics, and it's got a persuasive pitchman to help seal the deal. President Obama and the first lady going to Denmark Thursday to convince the International Olympic Committee that Chicago is the place. The big announcement is Friday. Chicago will have to beat out Tokyo, Madrid and Rio.

It might be the toughest decision of his young administration. President Obama is faces to face with it: how to put forward the U.S.- led war against the Taliban and al Qaeda in Afghanistan. The president is now trying to decide whether to order thousands more combat troops to the war zone or shift to a different strategy.

His top commander on the ground in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, has turned in a troop request. It's believed that he's calling for up to 40,000 more troops. McChrystal tells CBS the fight is much tougher than expected.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are things worse or better than you expected?

GEN. STANLEY MCCHRYSTAL, TOP COMMANDER IN AFGHANISTAN: They are probably a little worse.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What's worse than you thought?

MCCHRYSTAL: Well, I think that, in some areas, the breadth of violence, the geographic spread of violence in places to the north and to the west are a little more than I would have gathered.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Now, in McChrystal's view, more troops are needed to turn things around. Defense Secretary Robert Gates hasn't backed that view just yet, but he tells CNN to quit the war now would actually be a huge mistake.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERT GATES, DEFENSE SECRETARY: Failure in Afghanistan would be a huge setback for the United States. Taliban and al Qaeda, as far as they're concerned, defeated one super power. For them to be seen to defeat a second, I think would have catastrophic consequences.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: You'll recall that President Obama ordered 21,000 more troops to Afghanistan earlier this year. Once fully deployed, by this fall, there will be some 68,000 in country.

So just what -- what war strategy -- what war strategy should President Obama push in Afghanistan? There are at least three options on the table. CNN Pentagon correspondent Chris Lawrence counts them down.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A secret meeting at a secure military base in Europe that could help decide the fate of up to 40,000 American troops. CNN has learned General David Petraeus and the chairman of the joints chief flew to Ramstein, Germany, for a face-to-face meeting with their Afghanistan war command.

The goal: to better understand the troops and equipment General Stan McChrystal needs in Afghanistan.

But those added troops are based fighting President Obama's current strategy, a counterinsurgency against al Qaeda and the Taliban. Officials tell us the administration was taken aback by General McChrystal's assessment of Afghanistan's problems and the sheer number of troops needed to fix them.

GEOFF MORRELL, PENTAGON SPOKESMAN: There's a discussion taking place about what whether to continue the strategy or whether adjustments should be made.

LAWRENCE: President Obama says he's only support expanding the counterinsurgency if it's proven to ultimately defeat al Qaeda. Another consideration is a more limited goal of ensuring al Qaeda doesn't operate in Afghanistan.

Analyst Michael O'Hanlon monitored the recent elections in Afghanistan. He says there's a third option on the table besides immediately sending more troops or scaling back the mission.

MICHAEL O'HANLON, BROOKINGS INSTITUTION: I think the leading alternative contender is a blend of trying to negotiate more with the so-called moderate Taliban, trying to await and improve Afghan government performance before we add more resources and try to do some of what Senator Levin is saying and trying to think of how we can use the Afghan's force a little more assertively and American forces a little bit less.

LAWRENCE (on camera): O'Hanlon says holding off on the troops could give the U.S. more time to pressure the Afghan government to say, "Look, we're not going all in here until you clean up your own corruption."

As for negotiating with the moderate Taliban, the problem is, a senior defense official told me the Taliban believe they're winning, and a lot of Afghan people believe they're winning. So he thinks it's going to be hard to co-opt (ph) it right now, because who wants to jump ship if you think you're already on the winning side?

Chris Lawrence, CNN, the Pentagon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Bringing a reliable power to a crippled power grid. Solar technology is helping doctors focused on their patients in a war zone.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Another major headache for President Obama is what see right here in this picture, Iran's most advanced long-range missile. It was one of two the Iranians say that they successfully tested today.

If the reports are correct, these missiles put U.S. military bases in the Middle East and parts of Europe within striking distance. It followed tests of short-range missiles yesterday.

These tests had apparently been panned but came after Iran admitted it was secretly building its second uranium reprocessing plant in a city south of Tehran.

Now, just days from now, Iran is to hold nuclear talks within the U.S. and other major nations.

Let's break down those Iranian missiles and the potential striking distance. Here's a map of the region showing Iran and possible targets of it missiles. They include Jerusalem and Kabul.

Shahab-1 is a short-range missile and can travel about 185 miles. The Shahab-2 is capable of -- is capable, rather, of traveling a much greater distance, about 435 miles.

Here's the biggest worry. The Shahab-3, its range about 1,250, which means could hit Kabul, Ankara, Jerusalem and Cairo.

Let's not forget the Sajil, a two-stage missile. Its potentially just as lethal and has the same range as the Shahab-3.

Now, the worst storm in decades. Devastating and deadly floods in the Philippines. Some signs of hope are brewing, but so is the new storm.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Flooding is devastating, and the death toll is rising. At least 140 people are dead in the Philippines now. Hundreds of thousands of people have fled their homes. The capital and surrounding cities have witnessed the worst torrential rains in more than 40 years.

An update on the ground now from our Dan Rivers in Manila.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAN RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Much of the flood waters here in Manila are beginning to go down. In this area, it's sort of ankle deep or knee deep, whereas yesterday they were actually struggling to keep their heads above water in places.

The authorities are beginning to get -- we've seen search and rescue teams making their way into some of the more flooded streets like this one. And you can see these houses now, the people are coming back in the beginning to try and assess what damage has been done and what is left of their homes.

You can see in here where the water came up to several feet deep in some places. And obviously, everything inside was completely ruined.

At one point the authorities estimate that perhaps up to 80 percent of Manila was under water, and some 450,000 people, it's estimated, now have been displaced.

One other detail that's interesting and distressing for many of the people that live here: most of these houses, in fact, most of the residents here, we're told, haven't got insurance. It's very unusual to have household insurance. So all of the damage that you see will not be covered by an insurance company.

Dan Rivers, CNN, Manila.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: And there's a new storm churning in the Pacific. It could spark new flooding in the Philippines, right, Chad?

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: There is, in fact. Right here. It's a W storm, western, obviously, Pacific. Not an east storm. Nowhere near the U.S. or the Mexican border. Sometimes these Pacific "E" storms, east storms, can be up there toward Cabo or maybe makes landfall along Mazilan (ph). This is completely on the other side of the globe.

And there it is now. The 19th event of the year, now becoming a tropical storm. Just very much on the edge of our satellite picture here. This is Katsana (ph) right here, that came through Manila, literally a direct hit. But only as a tropical storm, not even as a hurricane.

The storm has now grown an eye. It's a significantly bigger storm as it heads to Vietnam. And that line on our map's still the old border between North Vietnam and South Vietnam. But very close, probably, to what you know, you might know the sound of the city of Danang as it moves on by.

Here's the event right here sliding through the Philippines as a "TS." Now up to 105 miles per hour. It may lose a little bit of strength as it gets into here, just a little bit closer to Vietnam.

But I'm telling you, this is still going to be a very big event, Kyra, because of the way this whole area has -- it's just -- it's topographically enhanced. I mean, from what happened in the Philippines here. And in a lot of the infrastructure comes and goes in the Philippines with these storms. Just the roads that get -- gets washed out. Bridges that gets washed out, get washed out.

But here, this is Manila itself. And you can maybe begin to see the city streets and how literally, how populated this area is, from the very rich to the very not rich. And literally, it is -- it is one world and then at other places another world.

And so the rivers and the flooding going through the rivers here, coming down from what was 13 inches, 13 inches of rain in only six hours. Here's some pictures now that we have for you coming in. This is just the latest stuff that we have. This is the iReports coming in from Dorrane Lim. Anything that floats, literally, just trying to get things out of the water. That was a striking picture, trying to get this little motorcycle, moped out of the water, keeping it on some -- some kind of Styrofoam. I don't even know what it was. Not like they wouldn't save themselves. They were saving the little motorcycle. And obviously, all that going down.

Three hundred and fifty to 400,000 people without a place to stay tonight as it gets dark there tonight. It is just going to be one -- another -- another flooded mess in an area. And we talked about Atlanta, how 1,000 people lost their homes. But, you know, what about 350,000 to 450,000? An exponentially bigger event there in Manila.

PHILLIPS: You can't even imagine. I mean, they don't even have the resources that we do here. It's overwhelming. We'll keep following up, Chad. Thanks so much.

MYERS: You're welcome.

PHILLIPS: All kinds of groups are stepping in to help people devastated by that typhoon. If you need their help or you'd like to get involved, please visit our "Impact Your World" page for all the details. That's at CNN.com/Impact.

A war zone may seem like an unlikely place to find solar technology, but in Iraq, where there's an abundance of sunshine and a lack of reliable electricity, it kind of makes sense.

CNN's Mohammad Jamjoom has the story now from Baghdad.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MOHAMMAD JAMJOOM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): There's new hope for patients of this clinic in Baghdad. Not because of the medicines inside but because of the equipment installed outside.

The Al-Dakhil Medical Center is one of only three clinics in all of Iraq to use solar technology for power. Why is that a big deal? Because Iraq's power grid is so unreliable and blackouts so frequent most clinics can only open a few hours a day.

DR. THAMER AL-MUSAWI, AL-DAKHIL MEDICAL CENTER: This is a hot area, a hot spot. So people here need medical services, especially at night.

JAMJOOM: For Dr. Thamer al-Musawi, the frequent blackouts meant dropping child vaccinations. Without reliable power, the vaccines couldn't be kept cool. That changed with the solar panels.

AL-MUSAWI: That means we can give them services and they can get medical help for 24 hours (ph).

JAMJOOM: A clinic that stays open around the clock is almost unimaginable in Iraq. Besides providing jobs and much-needed medical care, it also brings hope.

Before the panels were installed, Al-Dakhil had to rely on expensive and polluting diesel generators like this one. Solar technology is cleaner, and in the long run should be far more cost- effective.

(on camera) There's 64 solar panels up here on the roof of the clinic. They were installed about four months ago and with great fanfare. The panels are linked to batteries on the ground floor. The equipment automatically runs off the batteries. When one battery loses its charge, another kicks in.

(voice-over) The solar panel technology was underwritten by the U.S. military and supported by the Iraqi health ministry. Solar systems are now installed at three clinics. The latest opened last week.

Colonel Joseph Martin, on hand for the grand opening, says that now the doctors can concentrate on what they're good at.

COL. JOSEPH MARTIN, U.S. ARMY: Everything within the clinic operates under this system: air conditions, to medical equipment, to refrigerators, everything. So it allows the doctor to focus on their patients instead of focusing on what's supporting them in the system.

JAMJOOM: But not always. Before we visited Dr. Thamer's clinic, someone tampered with a key circuit board, preventing the clinic from using electricity stored in the batteries. Until it's fixed, the clinic is back to using that unreliable diesel generator.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Mohammed Jamjoom joins us now, live from Baghdad.

Mohammed, were you able to speak to any of the patients at that clinic? And what did they tell you about this?

JAMJOOM: Well, Kyra, you know, I visited clinics in Iraq before, and what I heard from the patients at Al-Dakhil Medical Center was amazing. I mean, they were full of hope for what was going to happen at this clinic.

And I spoke to one man who brought his 5-year-old son there that day. And he said, you know, before, you know, we couldn't depend on the fact that there would be vaccinations for children. We couldn't depend on the fact that they would have the right medicines because, you know, even medicines couldn't be stored at the right temperature.

But now they really think that they're going to be able to get the kind of care they need. They are concerned, however, because somebody has tampered with the circuit board there at the clinic, and solar power is no longer, basically, flowing through the clinic. But they are thinking that it will be restored sometime in the next two or three days -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Yes. It's just -- you know. This country already is having such a hard time getting back on its feet. It's so frustrating to see people tampering with things like this, because it's so innovative.

Do you think that there will be more clinics in Iraq that will be outfitted with this type of solar technology?

JAMJOOM: The Iraqi company behind it, Kyra, they do believe that they will get the opportunity to outfit more clinics with this. They think that this is just going to be the reality of some point. And they think that it's more cost-effective, especially when you compare how much it costs to run those diesel generators that, you know, pollute the air in the neighborhood around the clinics and all neighborhoods of Baghdad, to what it will be, you know, after a few years of this solar technology.

They believe that it makes sense. And Major Andrew Atar (ph) with the U.S. military, project manager of this project, you know, he told us that this is going to be the future of, basically, clinics in Iraq. And they hope that they're going to get other companies to come in and partner up and invest and make this a reality for Iraqis -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: It's pretty amazing to watch. I mean, here we are, trying to go green in the U.S. We've been trying to conquer solar technology for a long time, and now seeing Iraq attempting it, it's pretty amazing.

Great job, Mohammed. Thanks so much.

Three teenagers have been charged in the killing of Chicago teen Derrion Albert. You see him brutally beaten right here, to death, in this graphic video. They're in police custody, and all are being charged as adults with first-degree murder. A vigil is planned today for the 16-year-old. Some believe that Derrion lost his life because he wouldn't join a gang.

The father of a terror suspect, Najibullah Zazi, is expected back in court today. A status hearing is scheduled for Mohammed Zazi in Denver. The elder Zazi and another man are accused of lying to the government in connection with the alleged terror plot.

And today could be another painful day for actor John Travolta in the Bahamas. He could be called back to the witness stand in the trial of two people accused of trying to blackmail him. Prosecutors say the suspects threatened to embarrass Travolta by revealing details about his son's death. Jett Travolta died of a seizure in January.

Drugs, guns, human beings. An unholy trade is flourishing across the U.S.-Mexican border. Cops on both sides say they're outgunned.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Following up now on a story that we first brought to you last week. New and disturbing details on the death of a part-time census worker in rural Kentucky.

The witness who found Bill Sparkman's body is backing up info from a law enforcement source and even going a bit further. Jerry Weaver told the Associated Press Sparkman was hanging from a tree in a national forest, naked, gagged, and bound with duct tape with something that looked like his census bureau I.D. taped to his neck. There was writing on his chest Weaver couldn't make out, and according to the source, it was the word "fed."

Preliminary cause of death here listed as asphyxiation.

But despite Weaver's account, more than two weeks after the body was found, authorities still are not calling it a murder investigation. And we're following breaking news out of Chicago now in the beating death of a 16-year-old honor student. The horrific video of Derrion Albert's last moments so hard to watch, but it's apparently led police to the prime suspects. Three teenagers arrested today and charged with first-degree murder. Even so, those core questions remain.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't understand how 15-, 17-year-old kids, how you could just stand over someone's body and just constantly beat them and stomp them to death.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Absolutely impossible for any of us to comprehend. And we can also imagine what's going on in Derrion's family. His mom, his aunt, they're going to be with us live at the top of the hour. Joining them also, a Chicago anti-violence activist.

Now from Chicago to Los Angeles. America's cities gripped by violence. The feds have raided an L.A. gang that was allegedly running a drug and weapons ring. They say they found dozens of high- powered guns, along with an alleged hitman for a Mexican drug cartel. The raid capped a bloody week along the U.S.-Mexican border, so we need to warn you about what you're about to see. It's pretty graphic.

Here's CNN's Casey Wian.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Immigration and customs enforcement agents arrested nine alleged members of Los Angeles's Barrio Evil 13 street gang Thursday and seized 48 weapons. The suspects face charges of drug and weapons trafficking. Authorities say one told an undercover agent he was a hitman for a Mexican drug cartel.

KEVIN KOZAK, DEPARTMENT SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE, ICE: We've had numerous investigations, not just in Los Angeles, but throughout the southwest United States, where we have identified representatives of the cartel who have been specifically sent to the United States to commit homicides.

WIAN: Agents say the suspect claimed he committed a hit early this month and has six contracts outstanding. They have not been able to confirm his story, but evidence includes four seized weapons with silencers used specifically for contract killings. Gangs with high- powered weapons are a growing problem for local law enforcement.

(on camera): Is it a fair statement to say that in some cases, your officers may be outgunned by some of these gangs now?

CHIEF RANDY ADAMS, BELL, CALIFORNIA POLICE DEPARTMENT: I think that's a very safe statement, and that's why we have to exercise the utmost caution. WIAN (voice-over): A day earlier, police in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico found 13 people dead, one victim decapitated in five separate drug cartel-related killings within 24 hours. More than 1,600 people have been killed in Juarez this year alone, already surpassing last year's total. On Tuesday in San Diego, border agents fired shots to stop an attempt to smuggle 78 illegal immigrants crammed into three vans across the world's busiest land border crossing.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I started hearing all the gunfire, and I looked to see, and I saw them -- I saw the van going east -- west, and I just saw the people running.

WIAN: Four were injured, all three of the suspected smugglers apprehended. Before dawn that same day, more than 1,300 local and federal law-enforcement officers swept through a neighborhood just north of downtown Los Angeles. They arrested 50 suspected members of the Avenues street gang, an affiliate of the prison-based Mexican Mafia. The suspects are charged with murder, weapons trafficking and drug dealing in a 222-page indictment that says they bragged about their alleged crimes on the Internet.

GEORGE CARDONA, ACTING U.S. ATTORNEY; It was part of the Avenues's effort to reinforce its authority over the neighborhood by directing violent attacks against law-enforcement officers and bragging about those attacks in Internet communications.

WIAN: The raid grew out of last year's investigation into the murder of Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy Juan Escalante. Three alleged Avenues members are awaiting trial in that case. A fourth remains at large.

(on camera): The common denominator in all of these cases, the drug, weapons and human trafficking that continues to flourish across the United States border with Mexico.

Casey Wian, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: So, you want your kids to be smart? Find out why spanking them isn't such a good idea. What I have to tell you might make you want to spare that rod.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: President Obama pushing forward his plan to overhaul health care at the Congressional Black Caucus's annual dinner. The president said the U.S. has been waiting for reform since the days of Teddy Roosevelt, and we just can't wait any longer.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Of all of the barriers still standing in 2009, few are more unjust, few are more entrenched, few are more inhumane than the barriers to a healthy life and a good education. (APPLAUSE)

OBAMA: Barriers that constrain the dreams not only of African Americans but of all Americans, barriers that can and must and shall be overcome. For the sake of every American living today and for the sake of every American yet to be born, we must bring about a better health care system in this country.

(APPLAUSE)

OBAMA: Not in ten years, not in five years, not in one year, this year.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: President Obama also urged parents to push their kids to do better in school. He warned against accepting mediocrity, saying that if they bring home a B, then tell them to push for an A next time.

Your parents need to hear this. New research shows that there may be hidden dangers from widely used medicines. Each year, more than a half million children in the U.S. need medical help for bad reactions and side effects. The research shows kids under five are the most commonly affected. Bottom line, you need to pay close attention when you give your child medicine for the very first time.

And you've heard the old saying, spare the rod, spoil the child. Well, a new study might make you drop that belt or switch. Researchers at the University of New Hampshire say that physical punishment can make kids measurably dumber. In fact, children who were spanked have lower IQs, three to five points lower, than kids who were not. So, if you want your kid to be a budding Einstein, you may think twice about maybe doing a timeout instead of a spanking.

Top stories now. Germany, acting under threat. Munich police reportedly have detained two men with alleged links to Islamic militants. Plus, the city beefing up security at Octoberfest. This happened after online video surfaced threatening the nation.

A real-life and long-running drama for director Roman Polanski. His lawyer says that Polanski plans to fight a U.S. request for extradition after he was arrested this weekend in Switzerland. It all goes back to decades-old case where he pled guilty in the U.S. to having sex with a 13-year-old girl. He later fled the country.

At least 140 people dead, and that number could rise. Just take a look at the devastation from a tropical storm in the Philippines. And to make matters worse, a new storm could strike this week with tens of thousands of people still homeless.

Some parts of the U.S. could see some nasty weather today, too. Chad Myers, where's it going to be?

(WEATHER REPORT) PHILLIPS: What a greasy mess in southeast Texas. An oil spill closes a three-mile stretch of the Houston ship channel. More than 10,000 gallons of oil have actually gushed from the ruptured fuel tank of a vessel. It collided with another ship on Friday. There were no injuries in that accident. Crews are now scrambling to clean up the mess and reopen that channel.

Also stopped up, cargo traffic on the Ohio River. The reason? Damage to the Markland Locks. It happened about 65 miles northeast of Louisville, Kentucky. The lock gate fell to the bottom of the river, and engineers are now scrambling to fix it. By the way, a lock is made up of gates that control the water levels so boats can actually be raised or lowered as they come through. More than 50 million tons of cargo pass through the Markland Locks each year.

Aiming for a different kind of political campaign.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DEAN ALLEN, SOUTH CAROLINA ADJUTANT GENERAL CANDIDATE: I wanted to have a place where we would have fun. You know, most political candidates, Republican side in particular, they want to get out at the country club and stand around with a glass of wine in their hand and everybody talk.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

At his fund-raiser, less talking, more barbecuing and tons more machine gunning.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, pushing forward now on one of our top stories, Iran's test-firing of short- and long-range missiles. Some of them could hit U.S. bases and other sites across the Middle East. Along with Iran's disputed nuclear program, President Obama now faces a double-headed dilemma.

As CNN's Jim Acosta reports, some compare it to another young president's showdown.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JIM ACOSTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was a show of strength from Iran, test-firing short-range missiles just two days after a stunning disclosure to the world.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: The Islamic Republic of Iran has been building a covert uranium enrichment facility near Qom for several years.

ACOSTA: And while President Obama is insisting on diplomacy over confrontation with Iran...

ROBERT GATES, U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: The intelligence people have no doubt that this is an illicit nuclear facility. ACOSTA: ... Defense Secretary Robert Gates is amping up the rhetoric.

GATES: This is part of a pattern of deception and lies on the part of the Iranians from the very beginning with respect to their nuclear program.

ACOSTA: Located near the city of Qom, the underground facility is Iran's second confirmed site capable of enriching uranium. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is all but warning the Iranians to start offering details at upcoming negotiations with the U.S. and five world powers set for later this week.

HILLARY CLINTON, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: We don't believe that they can present convincing evidence that it's only for peaceful purposes, but we are going to put them to the test on October 1st.

ACOSTA: And the pressure is on to get tough.

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: They're trying to develop a nuclear weapon. And if they are successful, the Sunni Arab states in the region will want a nuclear weapon. Israel becomes much at risk, and we're walking down the road to Armageddon.

ACOSTA: At a congressional hearing last year, nonproliferation experts described Iran's nuclear ambitions as a historic challenge.

GRAHAM ALLISON, HARVARD KENNEDY SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT: I say in my testimony, and I have compared this earlier to something like a Cuban missile crisis in slow motion.

ACOSTA: The October 1962 showdown with the Soviet Union played out at the United Nations...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ADLAI STEVENSON, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE U.N., 1962: I'm prepared to wait for my answer until hell freezes over.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: ... testing another young president in the early days of his administration, the kind of test that was predicted during last year's presidential campaign.

JOE BIDEN, THEN-VICE PRESIDENT-ELECT OF THE UNITED STATES: It will not be six months before the world tests Barack Obama like they did John Kennedy.

ACOSTA (on camera): But that was 1962. And unlike those missiles in Cuba, there's no evidence Iran has nuclear weapons. Nonproliferation experts believe Iran is one to three years away from that capability.

Jim Acosta, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Pushing forward to the next hour, if you're racking up bar tabs night after night, going to a marriage counselor or even shopping at the discount store, you might want to holster the plastic and pay cash. Why? But credit card companies have so many ways to judge you.

And we've come a long way from the "I've Got a Crush on Obama" song. Schoolkids sing and dance the president's praises. Innocent, indoctrination, insignificant? You make the call.

Political candidates are always looking for ways to stand out from the field. Well, for one guy in South Carolina, bullseye. Dean Allen's running for adjutant general, a job that oversees the state National Guard and emergency management. Over the weekend, he met up with potential supporters to shoot the breeze, among other things.

More now from John Eby of our affiliate WYFF.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALLEN: When I don't see (ph) them on TV, I have to hug all the pretty girls.

JOHN EBY, WYFF-TV CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When you're raising money for a political campaign, it's good to have friends who are loaded. Dean Allen found some.

ALLEN: Well, I wanted to have a place where we could have some fun. You know, most political candidates, Republican side in particular, they want to get out at the country club and standard with a glass of wine in their hand and everybody talk.

EBY: Instead, he held a machine gun social at Allen Arms Indoor Range in Greenville. For $25, donors to his campaign got barbecue and a chance to fire the machine gun of their choice. The highlight of the event was the big giveaway, one AK-47 worth around $700.

(on camera): You (INAUDIBLE) that AK-47?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, I did, actually.

EBY (voice-over): Allen chose the venue because it reflects his emphasis on Second Amendment rights. He says that as adjutant general, he would try to increase funding for the South Carolina National Guard and try to bring them home from Afghanistan to deal with domestic issues.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: And in case folks are wondering, Allen didn't just hand over those machine guns willy-nilly. A campaign promotion promised everyone at the social would get 10 minutes of training, quote, "so you don't shoot any right-wing radicals by mistake."

Right now, convicted sex offenders are living in a tent camp in suburban Atlanta. So, we asked you what you thought about it. You've been sending us your tweets.

This viewer writes, "They should give public housing to sex offenders. Then it would be easier to keep track of them." Thepowerofone98 says this, "Sex offenders lost many entitlements due to choosing to take liberties with children. the most pressing issue is helping the victims, who are often scarred for life."

Johncarleton put it this way: "I've got three kids, so I despise sex offenses. That said, everyone deserves to be able to find a place to live."

So, what do you think? Tweet us at kyracnn. We'll have more of your thoughts next hour right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

Just who is this guy? A good guy who came to this country seeking a new life or, as the feds charge, a terrorist bent on blowing up targets in New York?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Pushing forward on the alleged terror plot here at home, the feds say it centers around this man, Najibullah Zazi, set to appear in federal court in New York tomorrow for arraignment. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg says Zazi's arrest gives added urgency to the city's pleas for $40 million in federal funding to deter attacks.

The fed claim that Zazi planned to strike targets in New York. Two other people, Zazi's father and a Muslim cleric, also have been charged in the case. A hearing for the father set today in Denver has been canceled.

We're pushing forward but we're also looking back on how we even got to this point. National correspondent Susan Candiotti tracks Zazi's movements over the past several months.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Before Najibullah Zazi got a police escort to New York, those who knew him in Colorado said he showed no signs he had terror on his mind.

KARIM ABDULLLAH, AURORA ISLAMIC CENTER: When I saw him, you know, he would come. He was pleasant when he attended here. You know, he never espoused any of his beliefs or ideas or anything. He would just attend (INAUDIBLE), make the prayer and leave.

CANDIOTTI: But for Zazi, according to co-workers, friends and court records, making it in America was a struggle.

RICHARD GROSS, ZAZI'S EMPLOYER: The best adjective to describe him is hardworking. He would work approximately 80 hours per week.

CANDIOTTI: Born in Afghanistan, Zazi's family moved to Pakistan, and then joined his father, who drove a taxi in New York. In the 1990s, Zazi went to a Queens, New York, high school, but dropped out. He ran a sidewalk coffee cart in Manhattan's financial district. Last March, records show he filed for bankruptcy. He racked up more than $51,000 in credit card debt, citing an $800 monthly income.

Zazi named more than two dozen creditors, including several banks, a department store and other retailers, including Radio Shack. Last August, a month before his arrest, his bankruptcy file was closed, his huge debt left unpaid, yet somehow he managed trips back and forth to Pakistan, where he has a wife and children.

Investigators say Zazi admitted a trip to Pakistan last year that included weapons and explosives training at an al Qaeda camp. When Zazi returned in January, he moved from New York to an apartment outside Denver. Employers say he passed TSA security checks and drove an airport shuttle.

GROSS: Mr. Zazi had indicated that he was receiving harassment from certain airport officials about his beard. There's been some harassment of Middle Easterners at the airport.

CANDIOTTI: Last summer, investigators say Zazi and others bought bomb-making ingredients at beauty supply stores, and his laptop had bomb recipes.

Days before the 9/11 anniversary, court records say he booked a suite like this at a Colorado hotel, where chemical residue was found in a vent above a stove.

On September 9th, authorities say Zazi drove a rental car to New York, intending to carry out an attack, but was tipped off that he was being watched and flew back to Colorado.

He calls the charges a fantasy, ready to do battle in court.

Susan Candiotti, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Other terror-related cases, a 19-year-old Jordanian citizen under arrest in Texas on charges he tried to blow up a skyscraper in Dallas with a car bomb. His next court appearance set for a week from today.

In Illinois, the FBI accuses 29-year-old Michael Finton of trying to blow up a federal building with a truck bomb. And in New York, a 21-year-old Brooklyn man accused of traveling overseas to join a terrorist group to fight U.S. forces in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Balkans.