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CNN Center Shooting; Critical Days Ahead for Iranian-British Standoff; Threats From Congress, Ultimatum From Bush; Nancy Pelosi Visits Syria; New Zealand and Australia Vow to Help Solomon Islands

Aired April 03, 2007 - 13:59   ET

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

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: We're following breaking news right here at the CNN Center. A shooting which has now two people in critical condition. This happening moments ago right here at the CNN Center in Atlanta.
Now, according to witnesses, some of those witnesses CNN employees. One man was arguing with a woman and then shot her. She is believed to be in critical condition. And also the suspect at this hour.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: Let's go now to T.J. Holmes. He is standing by live in the CNN NEWSROOM with the latest -- T.J.

T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Tell folks -- setting the scene here and letting folks know what we're looking at here.

The pictures there on the left, of course, on your screen is the immediate aftermath of this shooting. It looks like the suspect, it appears, being treated there. Again, this is all new video that's been coming in to us.

And then on the right there, on the bottom right of the screen, is the shot of the atrium here at the CNN Center. And again, just setting the scene for a lot of folks. A lot of people have visited here. And then the top right of the screen is just kind of the exterior and what was happening on the outside.

All of these scenes here, just to set up for you, that is Marietta Street at the top right, which is right in front, right outside of where this shooting apparently took place. And again, you all are resetting the scene there, but setting it for folks.

The CNN Center here, where we are, where I am reporting the news, where our newsroom is, is in this larger complex which is attached to the Omni Hotel. We're all in here together.

You can walk from the newsroom down to the Omni Hotel without going outside. But the Omni there is a spot that has been very busy the past couple of days with so many events in town, the Final Four especially. Well, apparently, this man was dragging this woman -- got into an argument, dragging this woman up an escalator at the Omni Hotel. Shots were fired, and now we have two people apparently in critical condition.

What makes this such a scary scene -- a scary thought for so many of us is because we all walk in and out and around the CNN Center. That bottom level there, as you can see, again, that bottom right screen, that bottom level -- we just lost that shot, but that bottom level is open to the public. Anybody can come and go in and out all day long. We do have to have security to get up to where we are, and there is tight security, but you can come and go quite freely in the CNN Center.

This picture -- again, we want to explain to folks what you're seeing there on the left side. There is a huge area there, a hallway that goes from McCormick and Schmick's to the Turner Broadcasting Store, the Turner Store, where you can get all kinds of -- visitors are always in there, of course, picking up souvenirs and whatnot. And then there's an escalator there as well that goes up to the Omni Hotel. And that, apparently, is where this shooting took place.

This is the scene, the new video we got just a short time ago that shows, in fact, you can see that police officer or security guard -- that looks like a police officer with his gun drawn on this suspect who's laying on the ground and is not moving around too much, and is somebody who we understand now is in critical condition. There was no doubt a lot of panic. I've talked to several of our coworkers and whatnot who are always down in that area, who are always dining.

My co-anchor just a short time came up. She was in that McCormick and Schmick's as well. So we are always down there, which makes this such a scary thing for people coming and going, because this area is high traffic. And we heard a short time ago shots fired, and, of course, you don't know where the shooter is and what is possibly going on, so quite a panic here at the CNN Center.

But the latest information we have in here is people heard several shots, and that we have two people in critical condition. And possibly the woman was shot actually in the face after that argument with this suspect.

So, again, just a scary time here for us at the CNN Center, but we continue to share these pictures with you of what's happening. And on the bottom right screen -- on the bottom right of your screen, need to explain that.

That is an upper level where the general public can't get to. That is where we have to come in to the CNN Center. We show our IDs and come up that escalator. That's not the escalator -- we haven't been able to show you a good shot of the escalator over at the Omni just yet, but that's not the escalator we're talking about.

That is the secure one where you come up to go to work. There's another one where this apparently happened.

But we're just trying to share as much of this and set the scene. This is so familiar to us here at the CNN Center, so we're trying to set the scene as best we can for folks who haven't been here, but this is just a huge complex where a lot of people congregate.

And just been some scary moments for us here today -- guys. LEMON: Yes, it absolutely has. And especially, T.J., to happen right in our own backyard here, so to speak. Every shooting is important, but when it happens right here in a complex, where so many people -- especially with the Final Four just being over last night, there are thousands of people here in the area here.

That is really part of the immediate concern here, is that there's so many folks in town. That happening just a couple hundred yards away from here. So we will continue to update you on the story right here in the CNN NEWSROOM as it develops.

They look casual, they act casual, but there's nothing casual about their situation. Fifteen British marines and sailors seen again today in new pictures released by the Iranian news agency. Iranian forces seized the Brits in the Persian Gulf 12 days ago. British Prime Minister Tony Blair says the next two days will be critical.

Let's go straight to CNN's Robin Oakley in London.

And Robin, what are the chances of a diplomatic solution in this?

ROBIN OAKLEY, CNN EUROPEAN POLITICAL EDITOR: Well, I think there's a discernible mood change here in Britain, Don, and I think there's a growing feeling that it's not going to happen overnight, but there's a feeling that the diplomacy now is moving in the right direction.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

OAKLEY (voice over): For the British captives shown in a new picture released by an Iranian news agency, less news is probably good news. Both sides seem to have reverted to more backstage practical negotiation, less shouting at each other through the media. Softer noises Monday from Iran's national security chief, Dr. Ali Larijani, were greeted Tuesday by softer comments from Britain's prime minister.

TONY BLAIR, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: We hope very much that the Iranian government realizes that the best way to deal with this is in a diplomatic way.

OAKLEY: If they didn't, said Mr. Blair, then a tougher position would have to be taken, but...

BLAIR: I'm not going to say any more about this right at the moment.

OAKLEY: Dr. Larijani's assertion that Iran had no interest in keeping the captives was seen as significant by Middle East experts.

ROSEMARY HOLLIS, CHATHAM HOUSE: Dr. Ali Larijani is sufficiently seen here that it's safe to take very seriously what he has said. And he does have a direct line to the supreme leader.

OAKLEY: Focusing on technicalities could save face on both sides. HOLLIS: The core of the problem when it comes to exactly who was in whose waters could also be the solution to the problem and turn a crisis into an opportunity, because it's not clear to everybody that there's a universally recognized and agreed border in these territorial waters.

OAKLEY: One potentially new complication was the London "Independent's" claim that a U.S. operation in Iraqi Kurdistan in January resulting in the holding of five Iranians had planned, though it failed, to kidnap two senior Iranians on an official visit. This, said its author, should have alerted the British navy to the possibility of reprisals.

PATRICK COCKBURN, "THE INDEPENDENT": It was linked in that this was the starting pistol, the abduction in Erbil for a growing confrontation between the U.S. and Iran in which we now had a series of episodes, a series of tit-for-tat actions of which the seizure of the 15 British sailors and marines is the latest episode.

OAKLEY: But Iran has denied any linkage.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

OAKLEY: For the moment, we're back to gentler, direct diplomatic exchanges between Britain and Iran. Admittedly, Tony Blair is indicating a time limit, saying he wants real progress within 48 hours, but he was speaking at the launch of a local government election campaign and probably had to sound strong while doing so -- Don.

LEMON: And Robin, I'm getting words just moments ago that the British foreign secretary commented on this. Do you know what she said?

OAKLEY: Yes. She was actually cautioning reporters not to expect anything in too much of a hurry here, and I think possibly one reason for that, while the British were encouraged that today President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran canceled a press conference today, they saw that as a contribution to keeping the temperature down. He is due to speak tomorrow, and, of course, there's always the danger, because he tends to be a volatile character, that he can set tensions flaring again -- Don.

LEMON: All right. Robin Oakley in London.

Thank you so much for your report.

KEILAR: Threats from Congress, an ultimatum from President Bush. As you may have seen live on CNN earlier, the president again vowed to veto any proposed deadline for U.S. troops to leave Iraq.

Let's go straight now to our Elaine Quijano. She's at the White House -- Elaine.

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon to you, Brianna. Well, President Bush is showing no signs of backing down from his opposition, forceful opposition to any kind of legislation that does include a U.S. troop withdrawal deadline for troops in Iraq. Now, the president made his remarks in the Rose Garden this morning after a meeting with Defense Secretary Robert Gates. President Bush also took some questions, including one about Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who says that if the president goes ahead and vetoes legislation passed in the House and Senate, that Reid will support a bill to cut funding for the war.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It's interesting that Harry Reid, Leader Reid spoke out with a different option. Whatever option they choose, I would hope they would get home, get a bill, and get it to my desk. And if it has artificial timetables of withdrawal or if it cuts offer funding for troops, or if it tells our generals how to run a war, I'll veto it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

QUIJANO: Now, as for the White House, of course, it's continuing to keep tally of the number of days, approaching 60 now, the White House says, since President Bush submitted his war funding request to Congress. The president continuing to make the argument and make the case that the clock is ticking and that Congress must act to provide funding for the troops.

Now, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid today firing back. At an event today in Nevada, he essentially said that the president's policies have failed and he warned against having U.S. troops being drawn into what he sees as intractable civil war.

Here's Senator Reid.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. HARRY REID (D-NV), MAJORITY LEADER: He's going to have to deal with Congress, and this Congress has been saying we need to change direction in the war in Iraq. It is not going well.

I do not believe there should be a single drop of American blood, additional blood shed in Iraq. I do not believe there should be another head injury in Iraq of an American soldiers. Let the Iraqis handle their own country.

We've spent billions of dollars training their troops, we've spent billions of dollars propping up their government. As far as I'm concerned, that's enough.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

QUIJANO: So, the rhetoric certainly continuing, escalating, some would say. Even both sides, though, Brianna, appearing to dig in, not willing to budge on the issue as the Iraq debate continues -- Brianna.

KEILAR: Elaine Quijano, live for us from the White House.

Thanks, Elaine -- Don.

LEMON: And we're going to continue to update you on a developing story happening right here at the CNN Center. A shooting in the atrium. You're looking at live pictures of the CNN Center now. A producer who was on the scene with a camera talks to us in just a few moments.

KEILAR: And an inmate on the run. What authorities say happened before and after these pictures was even more dramatic. You won't want to miss a second of it, and you won't here in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KEILAR: And we're following a developing story right here at CNN Center in Atlanta. A shooting so close to the CNN offices here that it caused some of the folks who work in our building to evacuate.

A CNN employee reports seeing a man shoot a woman. Witnesses say this happened after an argument. They say they saw this man dragging this woman by her hair. Now, we understand both are in critical condition right now.

Let's hear a little more from Matt Sloan. He's a CNN medical producer who actually shot this video.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATT SLOANE, CNN MEDICAL PRODUCER: I was sitting at my desk doing work, and everybody started screaming, "Go along the back wall! Go along the back wall!"

And I'm actually an EMT, so my first thought was, is somebody hurt? I can go help them.

I looked over and everybody was running. And, you know, we were yelling, "What's going on?" And they said, "Get out! Get out!"

So, I grabbed my camera and went down there and started shooting. And all we could see from that vantage point was the Turner security officers seemed to have some -- some folks at gunpoint. They did appear to be injured.

KEILAR: Now, these were Turner security officers?

SLOANE: Yes. That officer you see right there on the video is a Turner security officer. There were other police officers there as well. And you could see a bullet hole in the glass and two people lying down on the ground, it looked like.

One looked injured. I can't say whether it was a gunshot or not, but...

KEILAR: But we're looking -- OK, we're seeing this man here, he's got his hand up in the air. Now, he had a gun drawn. Could you make out, was it a male, was it a female? Could you make it out?

SLOANE: It appeared to be a black male. That's all really I can't tell from where we were. And then right after we shot this, they made us leave the scene, so -- but you can see the gentleman in the blue uniform there is a Turner security officer, holding him at gunpoint.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KEILAR: A very scary sight right here, very close to the CNN offices here at CNN Center in Atlanta.

We're going to continue to follow this shooting. We understand it was a man who shot a woman, and at this point both are in critical condition, but let's move on to some other stories we're covering here in the NEWSROOM.

(NEWSBREAK)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: And this just into the CNN NEWSROOM, developing news when it comes to North Korea.

Let's go straight to the White House and our Elaine Quijano.

Elaine, what do you have?

QUIJANO: Well, we have word now -- the White House has announced just a short time ago that in fact it will be sending a delegation, a bipartisan delegation to North Korea to negotiate the returns of remaining U.S. servicemen. And this delegation is going to be led by a Democrat, Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico, and also the former secretary of Veterans Affairs, Anthony Principi.

Now, what's so interesting about this, of course, Bill Richardson running for president, but this is coming on the heels of those six- party talks which the White House certainly deemed successful. Bill Richardson, a Democrat, extensive experience in these sort of diplomatic missions as a member of Congress, as well as a former ambassador. So he will be heading there, too.

The dates we have, April 8th to the 11th, to facilitate the return of the remains of missing servicemen. This is something certainly that has been a lingering issue for the United States, but now announcing just a short time ago, Don, this high-level delegation. This is according to the White House, coming at the invitation of North Korea, being led by Governor Bill Richardson and former secretary of Veterans Affairs, Anthony Principi.

LEMON: And Elaine, you touched on this a little bit, but it's interesting that the White House is announcing this delegation led by a Democrat.

QUIJANO: Right. Well, led by a Democrat and a Republican. And that is a very interesting point. And I think also in the larger sort of international picture, what's interesting about this, too, is that perhaps, perhaps, perhaps, this may be a sign of things to come. Certainly the situation involving the six-party talks was viewed as a positive step.

North Korea joining in on those. And here now, perhaps, a sign of increased cooperation with North Korea.

But again, we'll wait to see how this all plays out, but certainly something that maybe we would not have expected to see perhaps six months ago, a year ago, this announcement coming out from the White House that in fact this bipartisan delegation would be heading over there. But who knows? This may in fact be again a sign there might be a slight window opening there, as these -- the delegation is set to head out fairly soon.

LEMON: And Elaine, this is just coming in. And I can see you getting the information there from your device as this is happening.

Thank you so much from that.

And we also want to tell our viewers, just remind them, Bill Richardson, the governor from Mexico, announced a presidential exploratory committee in January -- Brianna.

KEILAR: Microsoft Vista was rolled out to great fanfare just a few months ago, but now the company is the subject of a marketing lawsuit.

Susan Lisovicz is at the New York Stock Exchange with the details.

(BUSINESS REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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

KEILAR: And I'm Brianna Keilar, in for Kyra Phillips.

We're following a story right now, a shooting that happened right here at the CNN Center in Atlanta about an hour ago.

Let's go to T.J. Holmes. He has the latest details on this developing story -- T.J.

HOLMES: Well, again, the word was at least two people shot here after some kind of domestic disturbance, an argument between a man and a woman. Both ended up being shot.

This video -- let us explain what you're seeing here -- is apparently video of the suspect, who was also shot, who was also wounded -- wounded today. Apparently now the word is from our security force that covers this entire CNN Center, the Turner security, that one of the Turner security guards was in fact the one that fired the shot that hit the suspect.

Again, a live shot from inside, and now outside of the CNN Center, that huge complex there. You're seeing on the left there the Centennial Park -- Centennial Olympic Park. Right across from the park, the entrance there that goes into the CNN Center is pretty much where this shooting happened, inside of our main complex here.

But again, this video is video apparently of that suspect who is being treated after being shot by a Turner security officer. This building is crawling with Turner security officers who take this -- who -- certainly a very serious security situation around here, a serious security force. And, in fact, one of those security officers in fact the one that did fire the shot that wounded the suspect.

A developing story here. We are continuing to follow that, and as the updates come in, we will continue to bring them to you both. Thank you.

KEILAR: We will get right back to you T.J., if we do have more details on that. Thanks for that.

LEMON: All right, let's get straight to the severe weather center. We're getting word of a tornado warning.

Rob Marciano is on it for us. What do you have, Rob?

ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Well, Don, actually two now just in the last about 30 seconds, another tornado warning popped out. This is for south-central Illinois. First tornado warning with this line of severe weather that's rolling across part of the state. There are numerous severe thunderstorm warnings that are out, but I've kind of taken them off the map because it's just way too confusing.

(WEATHER REPORT)

LEMON: That means we'll be checking back with you throughout the afternoon here. Thank you so much, Rob.

MARCIANO: You're welcome.

KEILAR: A court hearing is scheduled this afternoon for the Ohio inmate who's escape and standoff with police we were following about this time yesterday. Check out these pictures. And this is only a small part of the story.

CNN's Miles O'Brien chased down the rest of it for us.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: It started in a Youngstown, Ohio hospital. Doctors there were treating 34-year-old Billy Jack Fitzmorris, an inmate in nearby Federal prison, a convicted drug dealer. Somehow he overpowered an armed guard, stole his .38 revolver and fled.

VOICE OF DAVID SILER, DEPUTY U.S. MARSHAL: He was able to escape, alleged to have committed two car jackings as well as possibly two armed bank robberies.

O'BRIEN: Police say Fitzmorris stole a car and sped towards the Columbus area, more than a 150 miles from the hospital where he escaped. Police say he robbed two banks, and they gave chase.

Fitzmorris hit two cars, then began running through an alleyway, breaking into a house, two women and a man were inside at the time. The man got out right away, moments later, one woman escaped from a second-story window, rolling off the roof onto the ground below, crawling to safety with the help of police, but the other woman was held hostage, for two very tense hours, eventually she was released unharmed, police moved in and Billy Jack Fitzmorris was back in custody after a wild afternoon.

Scary as it was, amazingly no one got hurt.

Miles O'Brien, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: All right, let's get back to our breaking news here in the CNN NEWSROOM. New information on the atrium shooting right here at the CNN Center. What do you have for us, T.J.?

HOLMES: Well, we now got word -- confirmation that at least one person, one of the two that were shot here at the CNN Center, is dead. The hospital, Grady Memorial Hospital is confirming that one of the two that were shot in this incident today is dead. We do not know if it is the man or the woman.

Again, a man and a woman were both shot according to police, the man and the woman were in some kind of an argument, the man pulled out a gun and shot the woman, but we do not know which one is dead. You're seeing the suspect there, the man being treated after he was shot, we now know by a Turner security officer.

One of our producers, Tristan Smith is actually down where a news conference is going to be happening, expecting to happen anytime. Tristan, what can you tell us?

VOICE OF TRISTAN SMITH, CNN PRODUCER: Yes, hi T.J. The news conference just took place. Major Lane Hagen (ph) from the Atlanta Police Department just basically filled us in on the preliminary information that the shooting took place at approximately 1:30 today in the atrium of the CNN Center, that it was some kind of domestic dispute.

We don't know the relationship of the two, that the woman involved in the domestic dispute was shot by the gentleman that was involved in this, and that a Turner security person then shot that gentleman. That's all that they have released as far as information at that time.

And it's my understanding that we've confirmed from Grady Hospital that there is now one fatality, but there was no further information given as to whether or not -- or which individual that was involved in the shooting.

HOLMES: Tristan, do we know at all, the reports earlier, that the woman had been shot in the face. Did police or were they able to say whether or not that was in fact the case?

SMITH: No, that information did not come up, no.

HOLMES: What are they anticipate doing at this point? Are they still -- I guess they still have a crime scene down there, but what are they telling people to do or just go about their business around this crime scene I guess here at the CNN Center?

SMITH: Correct. There's a certain area that's now been roped off and obviously police are keeping bystanders from entering that general area. Other than that, it appears the CNN Atrium is open for business. And I also did hear that the CNN tours are still continuing on here at the center.

HOLMES: All right. And one more thing here, Tristan, we do know apparently a Turner security officer was the one who fired the shot that hit the suspect. Do we know how long it took, or is Atlanta police TD (ph) already on scene or somewhere down here patrolling already? Do we know how quickly or how soon or how long it took them to actually get to the scene?

SMITH: Yes, they didn't comment on how long it took for them to respond, but there is an actual precinct in the CNN Center that's part of the atrium. So there would have been police officers very nearby and they should have responded very quickly.

HOLMES: That's right, I forgot. I walk by that all the time, that police force over there.

Tristan, covering that news conference for us. Tristan Smith, one of our producers here, thank you so much.

But again, toss it back to you guys and let folks know again, at least one dead confirmed to us by the hospital, one person who was shot in this incident today at the CNN Center, one dead, don't know if it was the suspect, don't know if it was the woman who was shot allegedly by the suspect, don't know which one yet, but working to get those details as well, but now we do know at least one person has died from the shooting today here at the CNN Center -- guys.

LEMON: This is a sad story, T.J. I'm sure we'll find out soon exactly what happened. Thank you so much for that.

KEILAR: Nancy Pelosi says she's on a fact-finding trip, but President Bush says she's on the wrong path. The house speaker is in Syria right now, the highest-ranking U.S. politician to visit in years.

Our Brent Sadler is in Damascus. So Brent, what kind of reception is Speaker Pelosi getting there?

BRENT SADLER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Speaker Pelosi arrived at Damascus International Airport, was greeted by one of Syria's top officials, Foreign Minister Walid Muallem.

Now this is the highest-ranking U.S. representative to visit Syria in some two years and the Syrian media has already been making the most of it, describing Pelosi as "a brave lady," and her mission is going to be "invaluable." Those headlines in the "Syria Times."

Now on this trip here, she has already been in contact with ordinary Syrians. We saw her in the old Sukieri (ph), the market part of old Damascus just at the end of the day. She spent more than an hour with her entire delegation, bipartisan delegation made up of some senior members of Congress, who tell me they spent a total of 200 trips in the Middle East between this very high-profile delegation that's now in Syria.

They talked to Syrians. Syrians told them that their country was ready to engage in diplomatic dialogue with the United States and that the United States should, in the words of one media outlet here, both rebalance its relationship with Washington.

All that, of course, coming under fire from U.S. President George W. Bush himself, the president saying that this visit is sending essentially mixed signals to the region, to the Syrians, it's undermining U.S. policy, because Washington considers Syria a state- sponsor of terror -- Brianna.

KEILAR: Brent Sadler, live for us from Damascus, Syria. Thanks for that report.

LEMON: A rising death toll, thousands left homeless, a western coast just washed away. Ahead in the NEWSROOM, we'll have the latest tsunami damage reports from the Solomon Islands.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

LEMON: Thank you very much Rob. And you know what? Rob explained what happens, yesterday, when you get a tsunami. Frightening new images now from path of that tsunami, the surge of water in the Solomon Islands, is believed to be the second wave triggered by two powerful earthquakes in the South Pacific that happened on Monday. Things were much worse in the other parts of the Arpelligo (ph), waves reported up to 30 feet high reportedly obliterated at least 20 villages.

KEILAR: Medical teams are preparing to fly into Gizo where the misery is growing. Sean Dorney from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEAN DORNEY, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORP. (voice over): The fishing and diving center of Gizo has been smashed. Houses, shops and government buildings were shaken by the powerful earthquake, and then some were flattened by the wall of water it triggered. Traditionally built homes along the coast of several islands remain under water. Some people were swept out to sea by the force of the three major waves. Those who survived retreated to higher ground. This woman managed to hold on to her children as the wave crashed through her house. Thousands who were left homeless are now living in makeshift shelters in the hills. They say they're in desperate need of aid. The Australian Regional Assistance Mission is helping the Solomon Islands authorities with aerial reconnaissance to study the damage and help get aid where it's needed most.

DORNEY (on camera): The Solomon Islands National Disaster Council is still struggling to come to grips with how high big a tragedy this is. One of their problems is that they haven't heard from perhaps dozens of villagers that would have been hit by the tsunami.

DORNEY (voice over): The official death toll has risen to at least 24 but it could go further. There are reports that villages along the south and west coast of Choical (ph) have been swept away. The remoteness of the region and virtually no modern communications are hampering relief efforts. Australia and New Zealand have pledged extra support.

JOHN HOWARD, AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER: If there is further assistance that can be reasonably provided, we will be willing to do so. It's quite a strain on a small country, and the Prime Minister obviously welcomed our gesture and that of New Zealand, and I've agreed with him that we'll continue to work closely.

DORNEY: Many locals are still worried that their ordeal is not over. There have been almost 40 aftershocks since yesterday's quake, several measuring more than six on the Richter scale. Sean Dorney, ABC News.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KEILAR: Now if you'd like to help the victims of the tsunami, some aid organizations are already accepting donations. You can visit unicefusa.org or go to the International Federation of the Red Cross, that is ifrc.org.

HARRIS: And straight ahead, in the NEWSROOM, entertainment news with Sibila Vargas. Sibila, what do you have for us today?

SIBILA VARGAS, ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Well, American Idol, hopeful Sanjaya, you know him, he has received a hair-raising proposition from one of America's biggest fast food chains. We'll tell you all about it when NEWSROOM continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Well, today we have a thumbs-up for one of America's best-known film critics. Roger Ebert is celebrating 40 years writing about movies that he loves and hates in the "Chicago Sun Times". In 1978 Ebert became the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize. A year later, he started his famous television partnership with reviewer Gene Siskel who sadly died in 1999 after surgery for a brain tumor. In a letter to CNN and in today's "Chicago Sun Times", Ebert writes about his own battle with cancer, its been a long one. He says he's improving every day in a Florida rehab hospital and hopes to resume his normal activities soon, and as he put it, 40 years is not enough, and we agree. All the best to Roger and his wife Janice.

KEILAR: Former Spice Girl will be singing lullabies for a while. There's a new baby spice, but who's the dad? Entertainment correspondent Sibila Vargas joins us with at least one name.

VARGAS: That's right, Briana, big question here in Hollywood, who is the daddy? And you may remember her as "scary spice", Mel B. Well, her real name is Melanie Brown and she's giving birth to a baby girl. Her spokeswoman says the little one is completely healthy with a good head of hair.

But back to the paternity question, she says the baby is Eddie Murphy's. Unfortunately, Eddie Murphy is not buying it. Back in December, Murphy was asked in an interview she was excited Mel B was pregnant. Murphy said it was a presumptuous question since they weren't a couple anymore, and that he would demand a paternity test to prove the child wasn't his.

Brown then issued a statement saying that she was upset and distressed by his comments and that she had no idea why anyone would discuss such a thing publicly. Brown already has an 8-year-old daughter with her ex-husband Jimmy Gulzer (ph). Her new daughter, by the way, has the same birthday as Murphy. So we'll keep you posted on this, Briana.

KEILAR: Alright Sibila, you said this baby has a healthy head of hair, so let's talk about someone else who has a healthy head of hair, Sanjaya from American Idol. What's going on here?

VARGAS: Sanjaya, Sanjaya, Sanjaya. Love him or hate him, he's making waves in more ways than one. Last week his crazy pony-hawk had people talking and now Kentucky Fried Chicken wants in on the act. The fast food chain has offered him a free lifetime supply of their famous bowls, if he'll sport a bowl hairdo in one of his next performance. KFC's president made the appeal in an open letter to Sanjaya, he said they would also make a contribution in his name to the company's college scholarship program, so some good coming out of a hairy situation.

KEILAR: And what do you have for us tonight on "Showbiz Tonight"?

VARGAS: Well, tonight on "Showbiz Tonight", do the stars in trouble get special treatment? From Mel Gibson to Paris Hilton, "Showbiz Tonight" investigates whether stars really do get preferential treatment when they are arrested. Is it true or is it just a myth? A special report on TV's most provocative entertainment news show, "Showbiz Tonight", 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific on Headline Prime.

HARRIS: Thank you both. Feeling the need for speed? We have your ticket. Ahead in the CNN NEWSROOM, all aboard, look at that, it's flying, for a record-breaking ride through France. And first, before we go to break, let's take a look at the big board. The Dow up 130 points, an official check from our Susan Lisovicz. I had a moment there. You're watching CNN, the most trusted name in news.

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HARRIS: Do you both like trains?

KEILAR: I love trains. Who doesn't like trains?

HARRIS: Well, this is a story for you. It roared across the countryside, like a jet on rails, leaving the old world speed record in its tracks. You're looking at the pride of France. A passenger train that reached, get this, 357 miles an hour on a new track linking Paris to Strassberg. It certainly impressed our Jim Bittermann, even though he points out, there's still one train faster.

JIM BITTERMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The train broke its own record this afternoon traveling at 574.8 kilometers an hour, that was just shy of the world record for any transport by train. Which is held by the Maglev train in Japan at 581 kilometers per hour. That's 360 miles an hour. But this train was moving pretty fast, nonetheless, and one can still say it's the fastest thing on rails, because the Maglev train actually floats above the rails. In any case, at 360 miles an hour, it was moving today at about twice the speed of an airplane taking off.

You certainly felt the speed inside the coaches as we were moving along, but I must say it was pretty stable given the fact it was moving so fast. We had on board with us about 60 or 70 technicians who were monitoring every aspect of the train trip. It was basically designed to show what this train can do. The trains that run on the tracks here in France, the high speed trains run at about 320 kilometers an hour, that's close to 200 miles per hour so they are not anywhere near as fast as this. But they wanted to show what the train could do and they also wanted to show the safety margin these trains have. Jim Bitterman, CNN, outside Mras (ph), France.

HARRIS: I would love to get on that train.

KEILAR: Looks like fun.

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