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NEWS STREAM

Defense Rests In Pistorius Case; Okinawa Battered By Typhoon Neoguri; Israeli Airstrikes Hit 50 Targets Overnight; Brazil and Germany Set To Faceoff In Today's World Cup Semifinal; 480 Now Dead In West African Ebola Outbreak; Women Training To Protect Families In Baghdad; TSA Urging New Security Rules For International Flights Coming Into U.S.

Aired July 08, 2014 - 8:00   ET

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


AMARA WALKER, HOST: I'm Amara Walker at CNN Center. Welcome to News Stream where news and technology meet.

More Israeli airstrikes on Gaza and more militant rockets being fired at Israel.

A powerful typhoon batters a Japanese island of Okinawa.

And Brazil and Germany prepare to face off for a place in the World Cup finals.

Israel is ramping up an aerial offensive against Hamas targets in Gaza. And Palestinian militants are firing rockets right back.

An Israeli military spokesman says Israeli airstrikes hit 50 Hamas targets in Gaza overnight. Israel's defense minister warns the operation

may go on for days and could expand.

Palestinian medical sources say three people have been killed in today's strikes and more than two dozen are wounded. The Israeli military

says militants have fired more than 100 rockers at -- rockets, rather, at Israel since Monday. The Israel defense forces have called up hundreds of

reservists to fortify positions around Gaza.

Senior International Correspondent Ben Wedeman joining us now live from Gaza City.

Ben, it sounds like this is just the beginning of a deteriorating crisis. What are you seeing?

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT; Now what we're seeing is exactly that, scattered strikes throughout the day in Gaza, one of the

most recent was a strike on a car in Gaza City not far from where I'm standing, a car with five men inside was hit by an Israeli missile.

Now one of the people inside that car was Muhammad Sa'aban who is one of the -- who is the commander of Hamas's naval forces. So we've seen

that. And we've seen at least 14 houses belonging to people affiliated with the Hamas movement being hit over the last 24 hours.

Oddly enough, though, when you go around cars are still driving around the city. There are stores still open, people vending fruits on the

street. So even though people are on edge and you do occasionally hear very loud explosions when strikes take place or the whoosh of an outgoing

rocket, many people seem to be actually trying to go about their lives in a normal manner, strangely enough -- Amara.

WALKER: But there has been strong words exchanged on both sides and Hamas is avowing to avenge for these air strikes saying that Israel has

crossed the red line. What do we know about Hamas's capability when it comes to striking back? I mean, does it have rockets or weapons that can

reach beyond southern Israel?

WEDEMAN: Ah, yes, we've seen that, in fact, in November 2012 when some rockets landed just off the seafront in Tel Aviv. Now Hamas,

according to the Israelis, has as many as 10,000 rockets. Obviously Hamas isn't going to be letting on that sort of detail.

But we've seen that they have over the years been able to develop the rockets, which initially were simply homemade rockets. I've seen some of

them being made with range of maybe 12 to 15 kilometers. Now they're talking about missiles that have a range of 50 kilometers, which is just

enough to reach Tel Aviv, some are talking about a range of 80 kilometers. So definitely they have an enhanced military capability compared to just a

few years ago.

But let's keep in mind that really it's just a drop in the water compared to what Israel has, of course. It's one of the most powerful

militaries in this region. And they are well supplied by the United States and others.

So certainly Hamas has been able to improve its military capabilities, but it has no real way to be anything more than an annoyance to Israel at

the current situation -- Amara.

WALKER: Obviously, it's in everyone's interest to de-escalate the situation. What is happening on that front? Is anyone trying to mediate a

Ceasefire? Is Egypt engaged in talks with any of the sides?

WEDEMAN: Well, we know that Egyptian officials have been in contact with both the Israelis and the Palestinians and Hamas, but keep in mind

that unlike November 2012 when the government of now deposed Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy was able to work out a cease-fire, in this case the

new president of Egypt, Abdel Fatah al-Sisi is not at all well disposed towards Hamas. Of course, he's been cracking down on the Muslim

Brotherhood in Egypt of which Hamas is basically an offshoot.

So you don't have the sort of ties, connections, intermediaries now that existed just two years ago.

So there's no sign at this point -- and of course it's early in the day, this Israeli operation, so-called protective edge was only declared

last night. So -- but at this point, there's no sign of any mediation attempt as far as we can tell -- Amara.

WALKER: Right. And with the defense minister saying that this offensive will probably not end within several days.

Ben Wedeman, thank you for that update in Gaza City.

Well, people in and around Okinawa, Japan are being spared the brunt of Typhoon Neoguri's wrath, the storm's supertyphoon strength was

downgraded earlier Tuesday. But Okinawa and surrounding islands are still dealing with strong winds and heavy rains.

Residents there are used to typhoons, but they're taking precautions. Roads are closed, flights are canceled and a U.S. air force base on the

island has ordered service members to stay indoors.

For more on Typhoon Neoguri's movements let's check in with Mari Ramos from the World Weather Center -- Mari.

MARI RAMOS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hey, you know, the waves from this typhoon, that's what we were trying to see in those images right

there, in excess of 10 meters as they pound the coastline here of Japan.

I want to show you the radar, this is from the Japanese meteorological agency. And that over here is the center of the storm, that is the eye of

this typhoon. And way back over here this is Okinawa and you can see that it is still while the center of the storm where the strongest winds are

located is relatively farther away, and they're not being impacted by the strongest winds, they are still getting these rain bands that wrap around

the storm and bringing some very heavy rain and strong thunderstorms across this region.

One of the concerns -- and sometimes people forget this -- you're not only dealing with the wind, you're not only dealing with the very heavy

rain, one of the things that happens with land falling, or with tropical cyclones as those bands move inland is sometimes you can even get

tornadoes. So that is a huge concern for some of these areas that are under the gun now with this typhoon.

The winds are down to about 200 kilometers per hour, compared to the 250 kilometer per hour winds that we had just yesterday.

And notice the storm continuing to track now to the north, close to 30 kilometers per hour. So it's really speeding up as it moves northward.

And this is typical for tropical cyclones once we get to these higher latitudes. And for this part of the world. It's called recurvature. They

begin to move north and then they shoot to the east.

How quickly that movement happens to the north and then to the east will determine who will be impacted the most, which areas. And right now,

if you've been watching over the last couple of days we've been showing you this models, these forecast models of wind in that cone of uncertainty from

the Joint Typhoon Warning Center, these forecast models. And I want to show you how they are in agreement now pretty much of the storm moving in

the same general direction, first to the north and then making that left turn right over this western part of Japan.

This is very, very important. As is continues tracking north, we'd be talking more about the Korean peninsula and the impacts there. But now the

forecasts, all the computer models, everything seems to be in agreement that it will move north like it's doing now and then make that sharp right

turn right over this area of western Japan, a very vulnerable area. You see the forecast here one more time. That will probably happen within the

next 36 hours or so and then racing across the main islands of Japan here over the next 24 to 48 hours.

We'll continue to monitor as that happens. And it should weaken as it moves over land, but we're talking about more populated areas very

vulnerable to flooding and to mudslides. Even though in Okinawa we could get over 300 millimeters of rain, these 200 millimeters of rain in

Kagoshima could really be a disaster, not only has this area been inundated over the last few days with very heavy rainfall, because it's the rainy

season, but now with a land falling tropical cyclone we could be just making it worse, I should say, the situation here for flooding and

mudslides, because it is very mountainous terrain as well.

WALKER: Yeah, it's obviously a lot to handle. Mari Ramos, thank you.

Let's get more now on what is happening on the ground from storm chase James Reynolds. He joins us on the line from Okinawa.

James, thanks for joining us. Let me first ask you what the conditions are like there where you are?

JAMES REYNOLDS, STORM CHASTER: Hi,. Well, really things are starting to get a lot better. I should say it's been a very, very long day. We

were really in the circulation of the typhoon through much of the last 24 hours. And only in the last two or three hours did things really start to

improve.

Huge waves were battering the coast lines, strong winds, torrential rain. So really the worst of it has now passed for the (inaudible).

WALKER: You say you're seeing huge waves. Are you seeing any flooding at this point?

REYNOLDS: Right now luckily not. The majority of what I will call the dangerous conditions were really confined to the coastal areas of the

small island of which I was on. The infrastructure here is very resistant to typhoons. So luckily really there's minimal damage to report so far.

WALKER: Yeah, you say the residents there are used to typhoons. And officials there have been issuing these warnings urging everyone to stay

indoors. They carried out these evacuations, businesses and schools have been closed. So overall have people been heeding these warnings? Have you

seen people out and about at all?

REYNOLDS: From what I've seen as I've (inaudible) the locals are very used to typhoons, but they've been taking this one very seriously. The

local authorities issued an emergency warning really just instructing people to stay off the streets, ride it out at home, it's really the safest

place to be, and now that the storm has moved away people are coming out and really getting a sense of life coming back to normal, which is a good

thing to see.

WALKER: And lastly before I let you go, James, any damages you have been seeing?

REYNOLDS: Luckily on the island I was riding out the storm on, really the worst of it actually just passed to the east of us. They were spared a

direct hit. And really things are OK here and life is getting back to normal. So not much damage to report at all.

WALKER: OK. Good to hear. James Reynolds. Stay safe. Thank you for that perspective from your vantage point. Storm chaser James Reynolds on

the line there on Typhoon Neoguri in Japan.

Well, still ahead on News Stream, Germany take on Brazil later today in the World Cup semifinals. We'll take a closer look at both teams.

Plus, the defense rests its case in a murder trial for South African athlete Oscar Pistorius. Details on what happened in court today.

And as insurgents made gains in Iraq, some women are preparing to take up arms and defend the capital.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WALKER: Welcome back.

Brazil and Germany have played more matches at the World Cup than anyone else, but they'll face off for only the second time ever for a place

in the World Cup final. The Germans have been here before. They're the first team to reach four consecutive semifinals, but they're facing the

hosts with an impressive record. Brazil have not lost a World Cup semifinal since 1938. That's a strong history.

And Brazil's posterboy Neymar won't play against Germany after suffering a serious injury.

So, are German fans feeling confident? We sent our very own German Fred Pleitgen to find out.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Ahead of the big semifinal against Brazil, Team Germany held its final training session here

in Belo Horizonte. The team of Joachim Loew has all its star players available. All of them are fit.

Nevertheless, fans that we spoke with here in town say it will be a hard matchup against five-time World Champions Brazil.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it's going to be a tough game. I mean, Germany is strong, Brazil is strong. I think we are on the same level.

And maybe it's just the day the form of the day decides who is the winner tomorrow.

PLEITGEN: The Germans are expecting about 4,000 fans to show up here in this town, but they also have -- and this shows the German efficiency --

is a German fan embassy that advises fans on security issues, but also the best places to hold fan parties. They also say they believe it's going to

be an exciting matchup against the Brazilians.

"I think our chances are about 50-50," he says. "We have a good track record against host nations, but it will be a close game."

Marketplaces like we are you don't see that much excitement about the World Cup here in this town. We spoke to some Brazilian fans as well and

they say they're sympathetic to the Germans, but for them it's all about advancing to the final."

"I like the German fans," she says. "I don't mind the Germans at all, but I just want Brazil to win."

A daily newspaper here in this town recently voted the German team the most well liked of all the teams participating in the World Cup.

Nevertheless, it's absolutely clear who the majority of the fans in this stadium will be rooting for on Tuesday night.

Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALKER: All right, so the match kicks off in seven-and-a-half hours from now in Belo Horizonte. Let's go live there right now. Amanda Davies

is there to watch the clash of the titans.

Amanda, so we've been saying, you know, two players are out Neymar and the captain. How are the hosts feeling about their chances? And are they

going to try to take advantage of, you know, it's on their home turf.?

AMANDA DAVIES, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, absolutely. There's no doubt that the fans are certainly nervous heading into this one, Amara.

We were on Copa Cabana Beach immediately after the game again -- sorry, it's really windy on this rooftop. My jump there was that the screen

behind me was just heading in my direction.

Anyway, I will carry on.

Yes, it was very nervous on Copa Cabana Beach, because their hush was descending when people were realizing the seriousness of the injury with

Neymar when it was officially announced that he wasn't going to be taking any more part in this World Cup. He's undoubtedly one of the most

influential players for the Brazilian squad.

But, perhaps, as you'd expect, the Brazil boss Luis Felipe Scolari in his press conference, which took place behind us at the stadium last night,

he said that his side can cope. They remain confidence. He said that he told his team they need to step up to do it for Neymar, for themselves, and

also the Brazilian people.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LUIS FELIPE SCOLARI, BRAZILIAN NATIONAL TEAM COACH (through translator): The situation is already passed. We are talking more about

it, because the media have asked for it. At the same time, our group has a new focus, a new strategy, and that's the way we have to work.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DAVIES: Well, of course, as you mentioned it's not just Neymar who is going to be missing for Brazil. They're also going to be without their

influential captain Thiago Silva. Dante (ph) very much expected to come in for him. The big question whether it will be Willian or Bernard who comes

in in place of Neymar as another attacking midfield option.

But despite that, the Germany boss Joachim Loew was adamant that is side don't go into the game today, Amara, as favorites. He still thinks

that Brazil have the home support and they have the motivation that means that they will carry on as the favorites heading into the game.

WALKER: Yeah, many Germans you talked to, as we saw also in Fred Pleitgen's piece, they seem quite nervous and agreed that it will be one

tough game.

Amanda, let me ask you this, because Brazil's coach has received a lot of criticism -- and also the tournament. I mean, leading up to the World

Cup in Brazil we saw all of these social protests and we heard these stories about homes being demolished to build these venues for the games.

What is the mood now? Is it changing now that Brazil has made it to the semifinals?

DAVIES: Yeah, there has been very much the feeling -- we've been based, of course, in Rio for the majority of this tournament. That has

been the center of this World Cup. And there's been no doubt in Rio that the World Cup is in town and that Brazil have been invested in this World

Cup from there. But it seemed quite a different story as you traveled around the rest of the country to some of the other host cities. It does

now feel, though, Amara, that that is changing. This is now a nation very much invested in their side that are at the semifinal aiming to finally win

the sixth World Cup on home soil.

Scolari has been criticized for the performances of his team earlier in the competition. But they're gaining momentum as they go on. And when

we visited the Brazil training base on the edge of the national park at Teresopolis there were hundreds of fans lining the streets there. As you

drive around here in Belo Horizonte, the tower blocks have the Brazilian flags hanging off the balconies. As we landed at the airport, there were

lots of locals asking for tickets, because they are so, so desperate to get inside this stadium today to see what could be an historic match.

They will, of course, be as Fred said, about 4,000 Germans inside the stadium, but that means that there's going to be about 50,000 odd

Brazilians. And there's no doubt that that will be serving as an extra man for Luis Felipe Scolari's side.

WALKER: And I think I know the answer to this, but I'm going to ask you and please answer quickly, because we've got to go Amanda, who do you

think is going to win?

DAVIES; Oh, it's difficult, because we have half a German crew here, but I'm to go with Brazil.

WALKER: Yeah, OK. We'll see about that. Amanda Davies, thank you for that.

Well, no shortage of drama during months of testimony in the trial of Olympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius. Now it could all be coming to an end

sometime soon. Up next, we take you live to Pretoria for the latest from the courthouse where the defense has rested its case.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WALKER: After four months of cross-examinations, tough questions and often highly emotional testimony, the trial of Olympic sprinter Oscar

Pistorius is nearing its end. The defense has now rested its case and closing arguments will begin on August 7, more than four weeks from now.

And during that time both sides will have to sift through a transcript of several thousands of pages.

Pistorius is accused of murdering his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, on Valentine's Day last year. And he insists he mistook her for an intruder

and shot her accidentally.

Robyn Curnow joining us live now for more just outside the courthouse in Pretoria.

And Robyn, you know, there has been so many twists and turns to get to this point. First off, take us through what happened in court today?

ROBYN CURNOW, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It's very short in court today. We were just sitting there for 10 minutes. A lot of

housekeeping done by both teams with the judge in terms of setting the next stage of this trial.

I think for me, also for our legal analyst Kelly Phelps, very important caveat was thrown onto the court record at the very last minute

before the defense rested. And basically the defense said that they were wanting to bring many more witnesses, but they weren't able to. These

witnesses refused to testify, because they said they didn't want to publicity, they didn't want their names or their voices to be heard on this

court feed that was broadcast to the world, even though they had the option of not showing their faces.

Now why is this important? Well, it could be some reason for appeal down the line, say our legal analysts, this is because the effect of this

media intrusion perhaps into the courtroom was laid bare really for the first time today by the defense and there could be, at least from their

argument, the assumption that Oscar Pistorius perhaps didn't get a fair trial because of this.

So, interesting little caveat at the end.

WALKER: And Robyn, August 7 is nearly a month away. Why is all this time needed before the closing arguments begin?

CURNOW: Well, like I think as said in your introduction there, there are thousands and thousands of pages of transcripts of court records to

really prepare heads of argument. To read out your closing arguments you really have to have an intimate knowledge of the court record. And of

course, then, they've also got to finesse their arguments, their narratives.

This is important and the law allows for that procedure, for both teams to take the time to lay out their case in the way that they see fit.

So that's why the judge has done this. It's unclear how long it'll take her after that to craft her verdict. You know, that's also a whole

other delay that has to be factored into this.

So, you know, just as the cliche goes, you know, the wheels do grind slowly, but in terms of South Africa this has gone actually quite fast,

that the law for many people here is far slower.

So, nearly -- after nearly about 18 months after Reeva Steenkamp was shot on Valentine's Day last year, we expect at least here the narratives

of both sides in the middle of August.

WALKER: All right, Robyn, appreciate that from outside the courthouse in Pretoria. Robyn Curnow there.

And coming up on News Stream, we'll take you to the front lines in Iraq. Thousands of fighters are digging in around Baghdad ready to defend

the capital against Islamist militants.

And an Ebola outbreak has killed hundreds of people in West Africa. We'll go to the front lines of the battle against one of the most dangerous

diseases in the world.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WALKER: I'm Amara Walker at CNN Center. You're watching News Stream. And these are your world headlines.

Palestinian medical sources say three people have been killed in Israeli air strikes in Gaza today and more than two dozen people are

injured. Israel's defense minister says air strikes targeting Hamas militants will continue in retaliation for rockets fired from Gaza.

Heavy rains and towering waves are whipping the island of Okinawa as Typhoon Neoguri hits southern Japan. More than half a million people have

been urged to evacuate from the storm's path. There are reports of at least 10 people injured and one building collapsed.

In the trial of Oscar Pistorius, the defense has rested its case. The trial has been adjourned until August 7th when closing arguments will

begin. Pistorius shot and killed his girlfriend in the early hours of Valentine's Day last year. And he says he thought he was firing at an

intruder.

Afghan Presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah is claiming victory in his country's disputed election, even though preliminary results point

towards a win for his opponent. On Monday, officials said that former finance minister Ashraf Ghani won 56 percent of their June runoff, but they

stress the final tally will not be known for another two weeks.

In Iraq, an extremist Sunni insurgency is showing no sign of backing down in their quest to capture more towns. But the country's parliament

remains paralyzed by political deadlock as fragmented groups fail to find common ground.

State TV said Monday that parliament has once against been postponed for at least a month. It was due to resume today so lawmakers could

finally form a new government. But they were unable to agree on who would take the top posts.

Now as politicians argue, as you see there, violence continues around the country. There are reports of new violence today in and around Baghdad

after bombings that killed more than a dozen people yesterday.

Security forces in the capital are digging in and preparing to defend their city against an ISIS onslaught. Excuse me.

Arwa Damon is on the ground there in Baghdad. And she joins us now with the latest.

Arwa, I mean, we're seeing that this political solution seems quite elusive. And as each day passes how much is this a threat of ISIS

capturing Baghdad growing?

ARWA DAMON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, there's one thing that's quite clear throughout Iraq's history. And that is that politics

and violence have been very closely intertwined. The longer the political stalemate grows, the more difficult it is going to be to drive a wedge

between ISIS and the various Sunni tribes that are supporting it. That most certainly needs to be the first step. And for that to occur, there

needs to be some sort of government of national unity.

With this delay of Parliament now not due to resume its sessions until August 12, concern is understandably growing amongst the Iraqi population

to the point where some people are deciding to take matters into their own hands.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAMON: In a palm orchard in Baghdad, these women are not being trained for the front line, but rather the worst case eventuality that ISIS

penetrates the capital, awakening the sleeper cells everyone fears, and that they will be left vulnerable.

"When Mosul happened, we all went crazy. We saw that a woman needed to be trained to shoot," 47-year-old Aliyah (ph), a trainee explains. "And

all our men are on the front lines. So it's up to the women to protect their homes, their children.

Her 25-year-old daughter is here with her as well.

They are covering their faces, because of our camera, not wanting their identities revealed to the identity.

This course is run by the Badr Brigade (ph), itself formally trained in Iran to fight Saddam's regime.

"I hear cease-fire, I immediately put the safety on and I lower my weapon like this," instructor Captain Jaffa Hassan (ph) barks.

Around 20 to 30 women go through a five day course on the basics. Not a skill that any of them wanted to acquire, but in a country that knows

merciless bloodshed too well, this at the very least makes them feel that little bit stronger.

Most know the bitter pain of losing a loved one, evident when we ask how many have.

(SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

Hajij's (ph) father and brother were killed within 40 days of each other in the early years of the war.

When you look at your children and you look at the situation in the country, as a mother how do you feel about their future?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Not good, really not good. I have -- I told you, I feel that I have a problem in my soul. I have a psychological

situation. I have some problems because I'm afraid -- thinking, thinking this is make us not in good -- are not in good feelings. It is something

about worries. About worry from future, about worry -- if my children go to school that he will return back. This is something I lost.

I was thinking about it every day.

DAMON: And now it has come to this.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

DAMON: And now, Amara, we are actually hearing that Parliament might meet sooner than August 12. The caretaker speaker of parliament trying to

call a session on the 13 of July. There's a lot of pressure on the various political leaderships to really get their act together, put their own

political differences, political aspirations aside and give this country what it really needs at this critical point in time. And that is a

government of true national unity that everyone can stand behind, Amara.

WALKER: Yeah, it really hits home when you hear from this mother who you asked you know about her children's future. And she says she worries

every day and she doesn't see a future for them.

Let's talk more about the toll that all of this is taking on the civilians. You know we heard from the UN recently that the death toll is

in the ballpark of 2,500 just for the month of June. Are the killing continuing at this pace and more and more people fleeing the country?

DAMON: We're not seeing those massive numbers fleeing the country at this stage, Amara, but one needs to remember what Iraq has been through

over the last 10 plus years and the vast majority of people that could flee have in fact already. when Iraq seemed to be relatively speaking

stabilizing ever so little post 2008 there was not that massive influx of returnees.

But the psychological toll that over a decade of warfare has taken on this nation is really not something that anyone is capable expressing

adequately. It's not just the fear that that one mother you heard from is living through of not knowing whether or not the day that she sends her

children to school is going to be the last one that she seems them. But with what the country is through right now and the people that are

volunteering on the front lines and the children that are continuing to be orphaned every single day, the tragedy of Iraq is one that most certainly

is ongoing and sadly one that is probably going to get significantly worse for this nation before it gets better.

WALKER: Well, the hope is that the members of parliament in Iraq really feel this sense of urgency to find a common ground here. Arwa

Damon, really appreciate that report.

Well, the outbreak of the Ebola virus in West Africa has killed more than 480 people. The World Heatlh Organization has warned that drastic

action is needed to halt the spread of the virus. And African nations are joining together to stem its deadly advance.

Dan Rivers got a close up look at what relief workers are doing to try to contain the virus, which can kill up to 90 percent of those infected.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAN RIVERS, ITN CORRESPONDENT: It might look like a science fiction movie, but this is the reality of battling the worst ever outbreak of the

world's most virulent disease.

This is a rare glimpse inside an Ebola clinic in Conakry, Guinea.

Inside the high risk zone, patients who have the virus face a grim, solitary struggle to survive. Some endure horrific bleeding, nursed by

doctors whose faces they can't see.

But there is hope, Nabolia (ph) is fighting off the virus. She doesn't want us to show her face, because of the stigma of the disease.

This is as close as I can get to someone infected with Ebola, which is spread by contact with bodily fluids.

She tells me she's a traditional healer who caught Ebola trying to treat others. She says she feels better now and urges others with symptoms

to go to hospital immediately.

The staff treating her and the three other patients here are doused in chlorine they leave. And their gloves and suits are incinerated.

Just one drop of infected blood, sweat, urine, or feces could be a death sentence.

Nurse Monia Sayah tries to reassure patience inside who have included children and even a seven month old baby who died.

MONIA SAYAH, NURSE: We try to be there and to be as present as possible and touch them and comfort them and this is quite difficult, yes.

RIVERS: When the outbreak began in April, the virus killed up to 90 percent of those infected. Now, at this clinic, that mortality rate has

fallen to 37 percent.

I can't go into the high risk zone, but one of the doctors suits me up to get an idea what it's like in this stifling climate.

The doctors and nurses have to perform their daily duties in these bio hazard suits and they are absolutely sweltering. One doctor recorded a

temperature in the suit of 46 centigrade. And what they're witnessing inside the high risk zone is often incredibly harrowing.

Medecins sans Frontieres says this outbreak is out of control in West Africa. For Conakry, a city of 2 million people, many living in appalling

squalor that's clearly worrying. But the doctors insist Ebola can be beaten if people's hysteria is replaced with knowledge and action.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALKER: And that was ITN's Dan Rivers reporting from Conakry, Guinea.

Still ahead here on News Stream, air travelers heading to the U.S. may be seeing some major changes to security checks. We'll look at what it

will involve.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WALKER: And now a look at one of this month's Leading Women, gambling resort executive Linda Chen traded the bright lights of Vegas for the

glitter of Macau. She talked with CNN's Kristie Lu Stout about her path to success.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: When it comes to the competitive world of casino resorts, in China's gambling Mecca Linda

Chen is among those at the top.

As chief operating officer and an executive director of Wynn Resorts Macau, she's been counted among the highest paid female executives in the

corporate world. Forbes Magazine also ranked her among Asia's power businesswomen.

But it wasn't until Chen took on Wynn Macau did the limelight found her.

Now Vegas was a much more mature market than Macau, so there must be unique challenges to being a top manager here.

LINDA CHEN, WYNN RESORTS: Different. You know, Vegas, I think like you said it's mature. So it's about creating something even more to the

next level. You have to always be trying to figure out something that would be different and intriguing.

Macau, it's about starting from the basics.

LU STOUT: Despite her success, gaming was not the direction she or her parents saw her career going when she graduated from Cornell back in

1989.

CHEN: It was the end of the world, you know. It was, you know, we're obviously Chinese parents coming from Taiwan, they never thought about

anybody worked in the casino industry. They didn't think there was anybody who lived outside the casinos in Las Vegas. So it took awhile, but they

were eventually...

LU STOUT: They came around.

CHEN: Yes.

LU STOUT: Now right after college, 1989, you were involved in the opening of the Mirage, a Steve Wynn Resort. What was that experience like?

CHEN: It was the best experience anybody can have. We did so much preparation for about a year. And we thought we were so ready for the

opening. But then in every details operation is where you see the actual challenge of, you know, some time you could have prepared more.

LU STOUT: Skills she sharpened when she opened the MGM Grand and the Villagio and lessons she'll use in the unveiling of the upcoming Wynn

Palace in Macao.

In addition to the titles of COO and executive director, Chen also heads the international marketing department of Wynn Resorts.

So, do you have a typical day in the life on the job?

CHEN: I don't have a typical day, if you may. And maybe that's what's good about my job, it's -- every day is a new challenge.

LU STOUT: And how do you manage your time as chief operating officer and as a mom?

CHEN: It's a bit challenging in terms of timing. But what I try to do is I try to be a friend to my daughter. So she understands what I do.

So when I have to go to work, or if I can pick her up from school or if I can see her on a weekends, she knows because I'm doing something that I

believe in.

So, she's very supportive. It's a balance, it's a tougher thing for women than of course for men.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALKER: Every week we connect you to extraordinary women who are at the top of their fields and all walks of life. We explore their careers,

their family lives, and their ideas for the future. Find out more at CNN.com/LeadingWomen.

Now football fans everywhere are gearing up for today's highly anticipated semifinal between Germany and Brazil, and none perhaps more

than this taxi driver in Germany. After the break, we take you for a drive with this superfan in his taxi fan zone.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WALKER: If you are flying to the U.S. from overseas you may want to make sure your electronic devices are fully charged. If not, you might be

leaving them behind at the airport. CNN's Susan Candiotti explains its part of new security measures aimed at keeping travelers safe.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The ramped up security measures comes as new intelligence warns terrorist groups,

including Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula are intent on developing new bombs capable of fooling airport security measures. The TSA is now asking

airports in the Middle East, Europe and Africa to watch passengers turn their devices on before boarding U.S. direct flights.

If those devices don't power up, they won't be permitted on board the aircraft and if checks won't be in the regular security line. Passengers

can expect their devices checked a second time by the airlines themselves just before boarding.

CHAD WOLF, FORMER TSA OFFICIAL: If they're coming into the U.S., they often times segregate you to a different part of the airport. And at that

point, you'll get additional what TSA calls a gate screening done, again, by security personnel, this time contracted by the air carrier themselves.

CANDIOTTI: So if your device doesn't power up, and you can't bring it on the plane, do you get it back? That's not totally clear. Neither the

Department of Homeland Security, nor the TSA will comment other than to say it's up to the foreign airport to decide. The current concerns center

around this man, AQAP master bomb maker, Ibrahim Al- Asiri. U.S. officials say Asiri designed the underwear bomb that got through security and

threatened to almost bring down a plane headed from Amsterdam to Detroit. They say he also built explosive devices hidden in printer cartridges and

got them on several planes in plots that nearly worked in 2010.

WOLF: The issue here would be if you had multiple accomplices trying to board the same flight into the U.S., and the idea here would be to

disassemble the electronics and pull those explosives together so you get a little bit bigger bang for the buck.

CANDIOTTI: A U.S. Homeland Security official tells CNN, some foreign airports are already enforcing the new measures.

Susan Candiotti, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALKER: Keep your cell phones charged. You don't want to get those confiscated.

Let's change gears now and talk about the weather and that typhoon in Japan. It looks like Neoguri is on its way towards mainland Japan. Mari

Ramos at the World Weather Center tracking that system -- Mari.

RAMOS: Yeah. And as night falls across Japan, the darkness we're going to start to see the rain bands continuing to move in here across

western Japan. You can see that here from our satellite perspective.

The other thing I want you to notice before we move on very quickly is the colors, how they've changed. Those bright red colors that you saw

before showing us the intensity of the storm, how high those cloud tops are, are beginning to change. We're seeing more muted colors on our

satellite image now. That's something to monitor, because that is an indication that the storm is weakening.

And that will happen as it races to the north. Remember, we talked about recurvature. As it recurves to the north, that interaction with

land, that speed that it has as it continues to move northward and then track to the east will help the storm weaken, but it will still be a

typhoon by the time, we think, it makes landfall here across western Japan and then weakens as it moves across the main island of Honshu.

Let's go ahead and head to Europe. There's a couple of things I want to talk to you about. One will be the possibility for some heavy rain

across eastern parts here -- I should say western parts of the UK and back over through the mainland Europe here and across the north, some very heavy

rain across portions of Germany. And then the potential for severe weather as we move to areas farther to the east.

We have very hot temperatures across this region. And with a front that's approaching, that clash of air masses could bring us not just strong

thunderstorms, but the potential for hail, very strong winds that could create downed wind -- downed trees and downed power lines and some

hazardous travel conditions and also the possibility of isolated tornadoes.

So there is that change extending anywhere from southern parts of Scandinavia all the way down over into even northern parts of Greece. So

definitely something to monitor across Europe as we headed through the rest of the day today and through tomorrow.

If you're worried about the Tour de France, it looks like they will miss the rain across this area, at least through the north of France today

as they make their way to Lille Metropole. Temperature about 18 degrees. That's not too bad, right. The rain, though, could be a problem as we head

through the next couple of days and even through the rest of the week across for the Tour de France.

And for that other big party -- or big game, I should say, that everyone is talking about, depending on how you want to look at it, the

forecast for the World Cup. Oh, gosh, Brazil versus Germany. You know, getting chills just thinking about this. In Belo Horizonte later today the

temperature not too bad, 22, fairly comfortable. The humidity could be worse at 51 percent expected by game time. So looking good for that match.

And then lastly as we head to Sao Paulo, Amara, tomorrow we may be looking at the potential for some heavier downpours across this region,

including the potential for some heavier rain.

So that match appears to be a little bit more on the soggy side compared to what we're expecting in Belo Horizonte and then of course we

head to the big one.

Both matches, of course, expected to be huge. And everyone just wondering what's going to happen next.

So, a little bit on the warm side for Belo Horizonte, a little bit on the wet side and cooler as we head over into Sao Paulo for Netherlands and

Argentina.

But that won't be until tomorrow. We still have to see what's going to happen today.

WALKER: Right. For the match today -- I mean, it remains to be seen who exactly will be partying, right, Germany or Brazil.

RAMOS: So exciting.

WALKER: It really is.

All right, Mari Ramos, thank you.

And as you are talking about the World Cup as Germany and Brazil prepare to face off in their World Cup semifinal match later on Tuesday,

one fan in Germany is sure to be watching. Fionnuala Sweeney reports on the taxi driver that's taking his team pride mobile.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FIONNUALA SWEENEY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: He dresses like some sort of super hero in a black mask, dark glasses, a body hugging suit

and a wild wizard hat. But Marcel Klingbiel is a true soccer superfan, a German cab driver with a really bad case of World Cup fever, so much so

he's turned his taxi into a fan zone on wheels.

MARCEL KLINGBIEL, TAXI DRIVER (through translator): Passengers react very positively. Of course there are some who are a little shocked, but a

lot of them are really very positive about it and they take a lot of pictures and join in on the celebration here inside the Germany taxi.

SWEENEY; Decorated with flags, figurines, scarves and a feather boa, all in German national colors, Klingbiel drives his fares around the town

of Ramstein in a rolling shrine to his favorite football team.

KLINGBIEL (through translator): I think it's fantastic. It's a big attraction here in our region. I book it regularly.

SWEENEY: For now, this is a part-time job for Klingbiel. The cab actually belongs to his father. So he's only behind the wheel on the

weekends. And, not surprisingly, Klingbiel predicts a German victory on Tuesday.

KLINGBIEL (through translator): In my view, the game will end with Germany beating Brazil 3-2.

SWEENEY: And if his prediction proves wrong, Klingbiel promises the taxi will stay like this until the end of the World Cup anyway.

Fionnuala Sweeney, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALKER: That custom, where did he come up with that? Hopefully it helps business.

That is News Stream, but the news continues here at CNN. World Business Today is next.

END