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Terminally Ill Navy Vet Gets Wish to See Son become Marine; Mississippi Law to Force State's Only Abortion Clinic to Close; Sacred Sites in Mali Destroyed; NBA Drafts Include Player with Mental Disorder & an Iraq, Afghanistan Vet.

Aired July 01, 2012 - 18:00   ET

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

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, everyone, I'm Don Lemon. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM. Let's get you up to speed on the day's headlines.

It is a dangerous and potentially deadly weather combo facing millions of people in the eastern part of this country: record- high temperatures paired with widespread power outages. Utility crews are working nonstop to restore power in areas hit hard by Friday night's deadly storms. They could be on the job for at least a week. A live report from Virginia just one minute away on CNN.

Families are getting their first look at what remains of their homes after a deadly wildfire tore through the neighborhoods of Colorado Springs. Look at that, just charred ashes, these homes. Roads will be open for several hours allowing families to cautiously examine what's left of their homes.

JENNIFER BLUMM, EVACUEE: It's just been like a mess because those are people's lives and we are watching it. And so, yes, my heart just goes out to them.

LEMON: We should tell you now that this area is under a red flag warning today, which means there's a chance a fast-moving fire could flare up again. We will go there live for you there in just a moment, as well.

Turkey's military said today it scrambled fighter jets on three separate occasions yesterday. They took the action after Syrian helicopters got a little too close to the border for comfort. In just the past week, Turkey has ramped up its military presence along the border. That came after the Syrian military shot down a Turkish fighter jet over international waters nine days ago.

Mexicans are going to the polls today, choosing a new president. Officials calling today's election the largest and most complex in the country's history. More than 79 million people are registered to vote. In Mexico City some polls opened late and lines stretched for blocks. Polls close in less than three hours.

Widespread power outages in the middle of the worst heat wave in recent memory. It's got public safety officials worried that the sick, the poor, the elderly are in potentially serious danger. Twenty states have imposed excessive heat warnings or advisories. Triple- digit temperatures are the norm again. Records falling by the hour here, and there is no dramatic relief in sight for anyone.

Just look at that. And power crews, well, they are working around the clock in states from Virginia, Ohio, to Maryland and New Jersey, trying to get the power back on to some tens of thousands of people so they can start to cool off.

Brian Todd is in Fairfax County, Virginia. Brian, oh, my goodness, what a -- as we say, a hot mess. How are things there?

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Oppressively hot, Don, and pretty miserable all around. You know, the governor of Virginia, Bob McDonald, calls this a very dangerous situation for his state. He calls this a, quote, "multi-day challenge" for his state.

You mentioned some of the stats there. Some of these people are not going to get their power back for close to a week after the storms will have hit on Friday, those violent storms Friday night. In the general region, the mid-Atlantic and stretching into the Midwest, close to a million customers without power.

And of course you've got the double whammy of spiking temperatures all over this region. For that reason, they have created what they've called cooling centers, heat relief centers. This is one of them, Burke Center (ph) Library, here in Burke (ph), Virginia. I'm here with Sam Clay. He's the director of the Fairfax County Public Library System.

Sam, you've had to set this up as obviously kind of a temporary heat shelter, in addition to being a library. What is your biggest logistical challenge?

SAM CLAY, DIRECTOR, FAIRFAX CO., VA., PUBLIC LIBRARIES: It was getting staffing and secondly getting the Internet and the wi-fi on.

TODD: And what are people's moods when they come in here? Are they stressed or are they just kind of relieved to get out of this heat?

CLAY: You know, it's been -- basically it is one of relief. You have air conditioning; we're going to get cool. We haven't had power for a couple of days; this feels great.

TODD: But a key situation here is, you know, 6 o'clock Eastern time, this place is just closed, both as a library and as a cooling center. But it's still really hot out here. Are you concerned, officials concerned that maybe when people leave here, they are just not going to get enough relief?

CLAY: We look at it two ways. One, we added two hours of operations today for this branch, where we'd normally not be open on Sunday. And then secondly, as we looked at the door count, it really tapered off. So by the end of 5:30 on, there were very few people remaining in the library.

TODD: All right, Sam. Well, thank you very much for joining us and best of luck to you. Sam says they are prepared to act as a cooling center the next few days if they need to. They have not been asked to do that yet. But they may very well be by the State of Virginia. You know, one of the complications here, Don, was that the 9-1-1 emergency call system in Prince William County and Fairfax County was down for a short period.

We are told that most of it, at least, is back up. But they are investigating that as well. That was something that they didn't need to happen at the height of the emergency right after the storms hit, but it did and they had to get the word out via Twitter, radio, TV, Facebook, just to give people alternative numbers to call in case they had emergencies. That was not great timing.

LEMON: Brian Todd, thank you very much, Brian. Stand by; we'll get back to you.

The heat is unbearable for millions of people. And while the worst may be over, don't count on it feeling cool anytime soon. Meteorologist Alexandra Steel is in the nice air conditioned Atlanta studio. But you know what, it is terrible for a lot of people.

And what we find interesting is that when you are in places down South that usually get the heat, many people aren't as affected by it. But when you're in places that don't get -- normally get this heat, that's when you have real trouble here.

ALEXANDRA STEEL, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Oh, yes, I mean, we get the heat in Atlanta, Georgia, but not 106 degree heat. I just want to give you a little perspective, kind of the gravity of this heat on two fronts.

One, the breadth and depth of it, meaning 45 million people since this heat wave began last week, from Colorado and Kansas to the Carolinas, and to the degree -- no pun intended -- to which we are breaking records. It is not just the warmest for the day or the warmest for the month. Places like Dodge City, Kansas, and Columbia and Nashville.

These are the warmest temperatures -- 111, 109 -- these places have seen on any day in any month since records have begun in the 1800s. So certainly breaking records during this heat wave, even today breaking records. Atlanta, Georgia, 106 today. So Greenville, Spartanburg, 107, the highest it has ever been.

So, again, the worst is over. The worst was really yesterday, kind of that was the pinnacle of the heat. And now we're going to slowly edge down, I mean, shaving off a few degrees each day. As we head toward today, here is the temperature now, dropping two degrees for some of you in the Southeast.

But as we head toward tomorrow, again, shaving off maybe two, three degrees, down into the 90s, Memphis still at 98, Denver out of the 100s to 97. But you can see Salt Lake City to Atlanta and the Carolinas. So there is tomorrow.

As we head into Tuesday, again, we shave off another few degrees. But even as we look into the four-day forecast still temperatures really for the balance of the country. We are going to see temperatures in the mid- to upper 90s. So that's been certainly the problem with the temperatures.

Also, of course, the wildfires blazing and the biggest problem with the fires? The wind -- it's the most unpredictable. It feeds the fire, giving it oxygen. And again gusts today, 30 to 40 miles per hour, Don, but not as bad as it has been. But temperatures there in the 90s still. Winds coming down and moisture, the other weather factor, we are not going to see any rain.

LEMON: All right, Alexandra Steel. Thank you, Alexandra. We'll see you again soon as well.

In Colorado, families evacuated in the Waldo Canyon fire are being allowed back into their neighborhoods for the first time. CNN's Jim Spellman joins me live now from Colorado Springs.

And, Jim, you have just gotten some exclusive video from families returning home. What is going on?

JIM SPELLMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is a family, Ted and Kate Stefani. They first discovered that their home burned when they saw it on the front of "The Denver Post" on Wednesday morning. That, of course, that was shocking. But they'd really been building up to today's visit.

The city let people in the affected area go in for a few hours to look around. And they had to reevacuate now this evening. Some clearly wouldn't even be able to go back in. But we asked them to bring a camera with them and show us, from their point of view, what it is like to go back and revisit their home.

This was where they son, Caleb, took his first steps, when they brought -- you know, where they brought him home from the hospital, almost all gone now, a few bricks and a pillar near the garage, the frames of some patio furniture, a washer and dryer that had been on the upper floor, down in the basement, burned out.

I mean, it is just unbelievable to me, Don, to look at how destructive this fire was. And then sometimes you'll see a house just one or two down completely unaffected, you know. But these families all are facing a tough decision about whether they are going to rebuild in these neighborhoods or not.

The Stefanis say absolutely they will, especially after visiting today and seeing that a lot of the homes in their general community still are there. They feel like people are going to be living there. It won't be a complete wasteland. So they are committed to rebuilding.

Others are not so certain yet. But an important day for people here as they move to the next step, the rebuilding step here, to get a -- take a chance to look at the destruction up close, Don.

LEMON: Yes, it's interesting when in tornadoes or hurricanes, people always say, "This is my home. This is all I know." So, of course, you know, I'm going to rebuild. It's -- we say cautiously, they're cautiously allowing people to go back in, and some of the roads are open. But did fire conditions prevent some people, Jim, from being able to return home?

SPENCER: Well, what they did today, Don, they have reduced the evacuations every day. And now most people are able to go back. But in this really impacted area, it is just not safe. There are these burned-out buildings. They may have to rebuild the entire gas line system in this neighborhood. So they just let people go in today.

They worked out a system, half the people can go in today, half tomorrow. They were able to go in their own cars, but they had to check in at a checkpoint and they have to be out around sundown. They just don't want people around there.

They have had problems here, as unbelievable as it may sound, with people going into the evacuated areas and actually looting and breaking into people's homes. So as well as wanting to keep everybody safe, they want to keep all these areas secure as well. So it's going to be weeks if not months, really, before they can get in there and start really, you know, meaningfully rebuilding, Don.

LEMON: Yes, that's -- if you really want some bad karma, do something like that. Thank you, Jim Spellman. We appreciate it.

To find out more on how you can help those affected by the wildfires, go to CNN.com/impact. Again, CNN.com/impact. It's on the bottom of your screen there. There you will find the organizations and the ways that you can help those in need, CNN.com/impact.

Turkish fighter jets scrambled after Syrian choppers near the border. A report from Istanbul on what sparked the drama is next. And the owners of Mississippi's only abortion clinic fights to keep it from closing. A live report from Jackson is ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Welcome back, everyone. You would think Syria has had enough problems right now, but its military is adding to the list. Yesterday, helicopters flew near the Turkish border, not just once, not twice, but three times and Turkey responded. Ivan Watson has more now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

IVAN WATSON, CNN CONTRIBUTOR (voice-over): Tensions continue to mount along the Turkish-Syrian border when the Turkish armed forces announced that on three times on Saturday they scrambled F-16 fighter jets to rush to the border region in response to what they say were Syrian helicopters, in two cases approaching to within four miles of the border between the two countries; in another case, to an unspecified distance within reach of the Turkish-Syrian border.

And this comes after the Turks announced that they would change the rules of engagement between Turkey and Syria in response to the incident a week and a half ago, when Syrian anti-aircraft defenses shot down a Turkish reconnaissance jet when it flew through Syrian air space off the coast of the Syrian city of Latakia.

The two pilots of that aircraft, still missing, and the Turks determined to show a muscular response now, warning that any Syrian military approach to their border can potentially be responded to in kind. Meanwhile, the ongoing dispute over what exactly happened with this Turkish reconnaissance jet continues.

The Syrian perspective is that the Turkish war plane was within Syrian air space and that it fired in self-defense using an anti-aircraft cannon. The Turks dispute this, saying that the jet made a mistake, flew briefly into Syrian airspace and then was shot down by a surface- to-air missile one nautical mile outside of Syrian air space.

And now the Turks are bristling at a report in "The Wall Street Journal," that cited an unnamed U.S. defense official suggesting that there was no surface-to-air missile, that the Turkish jet was probably, in fact, very close to the Turkish frontier when it was shot down by some kind of anti-aircraft machine gun or cannon fire.

Turkey's prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, calling out "The Wall Street Journal," calling out the unnamed U.S. defense official, saying "Show your face. Announce yourself if you are going to make these kinds of claims," and the Turkish armed forces as well, publishing a detailed account with a map as well of jet's flight plan and also announcing that the two pilots of this jet are still missing.

The search operations continue. And the Syrian crisis continues to threaten to spill over into neighboring countries like Lebanon and increasingly, Turkey -- Ivan Watson, CNN, Istanbul.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: All right, Ivan. Thank you very much.

At the same time the crisis inside Syria isn't ending, activists say at least 69 people were killed today across the country. There is no guarantee that a plan put forward yesterday by diplomats will end the violence. The secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, admitted as much today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON, SECRETARY OF STATE: There is no guarantee that we're going to be successful. I just hate to say that, because it's the fact. But I am very grateful that we now have a road map that has everybody on board with a clear path toward transition, with a clear set of expectations that have to be fulfilled.

And now I believe the internal reality within both the regime and elements of the opposition will begin to move in a direction that I hope puts us on an inevitable path.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Well, Syria's opposition isn't so optimistic. A spokesman said, quote, "This gives the regime a permit to continue killing and spilling more Syrian blood."

Long lines led to short tempers in Mexico today, where voters are choosing a new president. Mexicans are casting ballots across the country. In the capital, voters lined up, clearly frustrated after some polls opened late.

Their new president will take up the challenge of leading the war against the drug cartels. Several candidates want to focus on reducing violence rather than drug trafficking. Polls close in less than three hours.

At least 17 people killed today in attacks on two churches in Kenya near the Somali border. Police say the attackers wearing ski masks terrorized the churches with gunfire and grenades this morning. Forty other people were wounded. And of those, about a dozen are said to be seriously injured. So far no one has claimed responsibility for the attacks.

From health care to the Fast and Furious controversy. It has been a big week not only for lawmakers but for the media as well. Some say the coverage and the results both are being spun. Are they? Newsbusters joins us next.

You don't have to be in front of a television to watch CNN. You can do what I do. You can stay connected. You can do it on your cell phone or you can do it from your computer at work. Just go to CNN.com/TV.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Oh, man. What a week. What a week. The individual mandate. The individual mandate. The power to tax. The commerce clause. Thanks to the Supreme Court's decision on health care reform, we've all got an education in the last few days on both the Constitution and, of course, D.C. politics.

Not just D.C. politics, national politics. I'm going to talk about it with Noel Sheppard, the associate editor of newsbusters.org.

There he is. So, Noel, welcome back. Newsbusters describes its mission here as exposing and combating liberal media bias. So, Noel, again, welcome back to our show, ever since Thursday.

NOEL SHEPPARD, ASSOCIATE EDITOR, NEWSBUSTERS.ORG: Thank you for having me.

LEMON: The talking point has been that the health care law is actually a huge tax. But before this thing passed, the focus was all about the mandate, the big government angle, the tax angle completely overshadowed. So who missed the boat on this one?

SHEPPARD: Well, actually, you know, as a media analyst, it's been really enjoyable the past three months, watching all of you folks on this incredible roller coaster. I mean, you know, three months ago, before the oral arguments, you had people in the media, saying that this was clearly going to be upheld; Anthony Kennedy was going to be the swing vote.

You had your own CNN legal analyst, Jeffrey Toobin, about two days or three days before oral arguments, saying that this was going to be an 8-1 vote with even Alito and Roberts and Scalia voting in favor of upholding the mandate.

LEMON: All right, listen, we have two different memories of what happened. Every single network, just about everyone except for one person, who's not on this network, who I saw, said that the individual mandate would be struck down, Joel. I don't remember Jeffrey Toobin coming on CNN -- and maybe I'm wrong, I didn't see all of it.

I do not remember Jeffrey Toobin or anyone else coming on CNN, saying that the individual mandate will be upheld. Most people were startled and surprised that it actually was.

SHEPPARD: No, Don, actually you're confusing the pre-oral arguments phase with the post-oral arguments. Prior to the oral arguments in March, the media were pretty much unanimous that this was likely going to be upheld and that Anthony Kennedy was going to be the swing vote --

(CROSSTALK)

LEMON: OK, I -- no, I get you, I get you. I understand that. That's -- I mean --

SHEPPARD: Then it totally changed.

LEMON: That's ancient history now after that. I mean, let's not get (inaudible). Let's not get too in the weeds.

SHEPPARD: Well, but it's been --

LEMON: Let's keep it to this past week. I understand what you're saying.

SHEPPARD: OK.

LEMON: But you know, as time moves on and people learn things, they change what they think about things.

Had it not been for the way the oral arguments went, people would think different. But the oral arguments did happen; once they happened, most people said it was going to be struck down. So I don't understand your point here.

SHEPPARD: Right. But the importance of that, the importance of that is how the media responded on Thursday. If this had occurred three months ago, the media response on Thursday would have been much more of a disappointment, because the expectation prior to March was that it wasn't going to be struck down.

So after March, when we all got this vision that it was going to be struck down, at that point in time, Thursday ended up being, you know, a jubilation. The media were enthralled, almost orgasmic -- LEMON: Oh, no, no, no, no, it was not a jubilation. I watched it and I saw some anchors on conservative networks, I thought they were going to cry. It was not jubilation. I watched CNN. And CNN, there were no happy people on CNN. So don't say that people said, oh, my gosh, what happened, who died? No, there was no jubilation. Come on. You're looking for things.

SHEPPARD: There was no jubilation? The --

LEMON: Not on this network. I don't know, maybe on other liberal networks, yes, maybe you're correct. Not on this network and certainly not on more conservative networks.

SHEPPARD: But Don, obviously I don't just analyze CNN. I love you and I love CNN, but there are a lot of other networks that I have to watch and the evening news broadcasts on Thursday, the broadcast -- ABC, CBS, NBC evening broadcasts were all jubilant. They were talking about almost -- almost making Roberts a hero, where the previous day they were talking --

LEMON: No, OK, so listen. Here's the thing, Noel. When you -- I heard some of that analysis. And when someone, on an evening newscast, leads into a story, saying that Justice Roberts is the man of the hour, it doesn't mean that they agree with what Justice Roberts did, it means that that's all people are talking about on the Left and on the Right, is Justice Roberts.

So if you're talking about him, whether it's in a good way or a bad way, it means that he's the man of the hour. It doesn't mean that you necessarily agree with what he's doing. That's not jubilation, that's fact.

SHEPPARD: No, because the previous day and for the previous three months, they were talking about how he was a conservative shill. So all of a sudden because he came out with a ruling which the Left liberal media liked, he's suddenly a hero. But he was a goat for the previous three months and he's been a goat since the Citizens United ruling.

So obviously what it means is for a Supreme Court justice or, really, anybody in America today, you're going to be a hero if you do something that the liberal media likes, but you're a goat if they don't. And it can flip-flop in 24 hours.

LEMON: Well, Noel, I think that's your assessment of that. I think that even if someone is talking about it and saying bad things, you can still be the man of the hour. It means that your name is being brought up a lot and that you're being talked about.

I have not heard anyone say, anyone, on a liberal or a conservative network, that Justice Roberts is a hero. I mean, they may say, yes, Justice Roberts. I have not heard that. And if you've heard it, maybe it's just your interpretation.

SHEPPARD: Oh, we've got to broaden your horizons, Don, we've got to get you watching more than just CNN, my friend. LEMON: I wish we had more time, Joel. We should have like a -- we should have a longer segment. We'll have to invite you back on the 10 o'clock show. And I actually like sparring with you. And what's interesting to me, though, is people on Twitter, they see us going back and forth, and they think we don't like each other because we disagree.

SHEPPARD: Yep.

LEMON: That's nothing at all, they take it too seriously.

SHEPPARD: They really do, because in reality, you and I have some very good exchanges on TV and on Twitter, and yet our followers just hate the fact that we like each other, it's terrible.

LEMON: That we actually talk to each other, right. All right, Noel. Thank you. I appreciate it. We're going to talk more. I'll have you back on and we'll have a longer conversation. All right?

SHEPPARD: Look forward to it.

LEMON: All right.

Straight ahead here, a Navy veteran's dying wish. It is centered around a father-and-son relationship and the military.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Half past the hour. Want to get you caught up on the headlines right now on CNN.

Utility crews in Virginia and several other states could be on the job for up to a week as they try to restore power in areas hit hard by Friday night's deadly storms. Close to one million people are facing another hot night in the dark. Virginia's governor says his state is dealing with the largest power outage, not related to a hurricane, in its history.

A lot of those power outages are in the same areas suffering under blistering high temperatures. Cooling centers are open in many cities trying to give people some relief. 20 states issued heat warnings or advisories today and about 1,600 high-temperature records have been broken around the country. 140 of those new records are all-time highs.

(SINGING)

LEMON: It took a few weeks but family and friend are saying a final good-bye to Rodney King. During yesterday's service, King's daughter said she was proud of her father and grateful she didn't lose him after a vicious police beating in 1991. She was 6 at the time. King was found dead in his swimming pool at his California home almost two weeks ago. He was 47 years old.

A terminally ill Navy vet gets his wish to see his son become a Marine. CNN's Sarah Hoye traveled to Parris Island, South Carolina, for this moving story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SARAH HOYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was a Thanksgiving for the Burns family on a sweltering Friday morning. Charles Burns had one wish, to see his son Ryan graduate from Marine Corps boot camp.

CHARLES BURNS, SON BECOMES MARINE: I've done this trip a million times in my mind.

HOYE: Friday, his wish came true. The 65-year-old Navy veteran is dying. But not even a series of strokes, diabetes, and a worsening heart condition would stop him from making the trek from Massachusetts to South Carolina to see his boy.

BURNS: He's an amazing kid. There isn't anything he's done or will do that he doesn't excel in.

HOYE: With his wife, Lisa, at his side, the proud parents endure the South Caroline heat wave to watch Ryan from the stands. Charles's found the strength to stand during the national anthem.

BURNS: Just every -- every child, whether it's a boy or a girl, when they say they want to be a Marine or want to be something other than just a civilian, that means a lot to me.

HOYE: Military service is a Burns tradition. Charles joined the Navy following high school in 1965. He served a one-year tour of duty in Vietnam. Ryan's grandfather served in the Army during World War II.

And now its mission accomplished for Ryan, now an official U.S. Marine, and his terminally ill father.

(CROSSTALK)

RYAN BURNS, U.S MARINE CORPS: Me and my dad had a bet. When I came here to Parris Island, I'll finish boot camp as long as you make it to my graduation. So we both had mission accomplished, and we're here today. So I couldn't ask for anything more.

HOYE: Ryan says he doesn't know what keeps his father going. As for Charles, it's one day at a time.

BURNS: Have a little pride in yourself and stick to it. Whatever it is, don't let up. Even if you fail, tomorrow you can start again.

RYAN BURNS: Congratulations, dad. We did it.

BURNS: Yes.

RYAN BURNS: Together.

HOYE: Sarah Hoye, CNN, Parris Island, South Carolina.

(END VIDEOTAPE) LEMON: A new law could make Mississippi the only state without an abortion clinic. But the fight is not over yet. A live report from Jackson is next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Now the big stories in the week ahead. From the White House to Wall Street, our correspondents tell you what you need to now. We're going to begin with what's happening in the world of politics.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: I'm Paul Steinhauser at the CNN political desk. What do Americans think about the Supreme Court's ruling on health care, and where does the race for the White House stand? We'll have answers tomorrow in our new CNN/ORC national poll. Wednesday, Mitt Romney takes a break from his break for campaigning to march in a July 4th parade in New Hampshire.

POPPY HARLOW, CNNMONEY.COM CORRESPONDENT: I'm Poppy Harlow in New York. Wall Street will be closely watching health care stocks along with a broader market this week following the Supreme Court's historic decision Thursday to uphold the Affordable Care Act. Also coming up, we'll get the latest construction spending data as well as auto sales. And all eyes will be on the June jobs report that is set to be released on Friday morning ahead of the opening bell. And keep in mind, in honor of the Fourth of July holiday, U.S. markets will close at 1:00 p.m. eastern Tuesday and remain closed for the holiday on Wednesday.

A.J. HAMMER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: I'm "Showbiz Tonight's" A.J. Hammer. Here's what we're watching this week. The battle of the big summer blockbusters. "Spider-Man" versus "Batman," which one is going to come out on top? It's a "Showbiz Tonight" countdown showdown you don't want to miss. (END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: A new Mississippi law takes effect today that would all but force the state's only abortion clinic to close its doors. In fact, if the law is enforced, it would make Mississippi the first abortion- free state.

George Howell has been following this story for us. He joins us now from Jackson, Mississippi.

George, the clinic isn't going away without a fight.

GEORGE HOWELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Don, good evening. We know this clinic has filed for a temporary restraining order, asked a federal judge for that, to give the people here just a little more time to get in compliance with this new state law. The clinic is closed today. The question now, will it reopen tomorrow? And again, another question, how long could it stay open?

Under this new state law, Don, takes effect today, that basically says two things. First of all, that any physician performing an abortion in the state of Mississippi must be a board certified ob-gyn. Also, the second part of that, they must have privileges with a local hospital to admit patients if necessarily.

At this point, the clinic does not have those permissions. The director here says that she has been trying to get those permissions since the law was signed into effect back in April. She has not had success with that and she is concerned that many of the hospitals here, Don, may be bowing to political pressure, may have a lot of pressure on them not to help her out on this.

LEMON: OK, so during the appeal, can they stay open, can they not stay open? What happens if they try to stay open during an appeal?

HOWELL: The state makes that point also, that there is an appeals process, a clock that plays out over 10 days, 30 days, 60 days. But there are possible consequences. According to the clinic's interpretation of that law, that they could be fined some $2,000 per day as they stay open in violation of the state law. And also, Don, the nurses, the physicians, the management here, they could all face civil and even criminal penalties, again, every day they stay open under this new state law.

LEMON: George Howell, appreciate it. Thank you very much.

Sacred tombs destroyed and those responsible may not be finished yet. We're going beyond the headlines.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: From here to Timbuktu, sacred sites in the country of Mali dating back to the 15th century have been destroyed by Islamic militants and they're vowing to destroy more. The tombs are shrines to Muslim saints and are listed as World Heritage Sites. UNESCO, the U.N. agency that sponsors cultural, scientific and educational programs, is condemning the attacks.

CNN International's Azadeh Ansari is going behind the headlines.

Hello, Azadeh. I missed you in Atlanta.

(CROSSTALK)

AZADEH ANSARI, CNN INTERNATIONAL DESK EDITOR: Hi, Don.

LEMON: There have been a lot of concerns over these sites recently.

ANSARI: That's right. Though it seems like a far-away land, Timbuktu, it has been an intellectual and spiritual hub for the spread of Islam throughout Africa in the 15th and 16th centuries. These are Muslim militants who have a strict interpretation of Sharia Law and they've destroyed old Sufi saint tombs and shrine because they consider them sacrilegious. But the sights are important sites of Islamic history and world history. Just this Thursday, you heard the announcement, because of the threat of the conflict in the region, the World Heritage Committee accepted the request of Mali's government to place Timbuktu on the list of endangered UNESCO sites, and that got the militants really angry and they accused UNESCO of cooperating with Mali's government. So far, three of these 16 mausoleums have been completely destroyed and there's threats of more of them being on the brink of destruction -- Don?

LEMON: Explain World Heritage sites. What exactly are World Heritage sites?

ANSARI: According to UNESCO, these are places on earth that have universal and cultural significance to humanity. They put this World Heritage list together so these locations can be protected for future generations and they can appreciate and enjoy the beauty of them as many generations in the past have. And maybe people have not heard about the sites at Timbuktu. But other more familiar sites are the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, the Great Wall of China, the birthplace of Jesus in Bethlehem, and our very own Everglades here in Florida. These are just a few examples. There's about 961 national and cultural places that have been on the list of the World Heritage sites. 38 of these are in critical and immediate danger of being threatened. And Timbuktu is one of them. And also in Afghanistan, we heard about those Buddhas.

LEMON: Yes, and there's another endangered site that was the focus of an attack 11 years ago, right?

ANSARI: Right. And these are artifacts that can be used as bargaining points. And this is what I want -- this is an interesting point. These artifacts, historic monuments with the international community, you have a militant group that is not getting attention so they look at this as a site that can draw attention to their cause. In 2001, the Taliban flexed their muscles and dynamited the world's largest Buddha statues that overlooked Banyan Valley in Afghanistan. They stood there for 1,500 years. Though restoration efforts are under way, future generations will only hear stories about these monuments and places, and they'll never get to experience the future of -- there's no future for them to actually be able to see these sites in person. And the international community will respond and say, OK, what are you going to do to preserve these sites for the future?

LEMON: All right, Azadeh Ansari. Thank you, we appreciate it.

He's on the road to a career in the NBA. He's also a veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan. Did you hear? USA! We're going to talk about a player you need to know about. That is next.

Don't forget to take us with you, please. You can take me with you. I'll go wherever you take me as long as it's free. Stay connected and watch CNN live from your phone or your desktop. Go to CNN.com/tv.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: So the NBA draft included the usual can't-miss prospects plus a player who has revealed he has a mental disorder and another who served military duty in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

Let's check in now with "Sports Illustrated's" Pablo Torre. There is a S.I. new cover with Lebron James on the cover.

So it's good to see you. Good to see you here.

PABLO TORRE, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED: Yes.

LEMON: Can we talk about this guy? His name is Royce White. The Houston Rockets drafted him, number 16. He's the first NBA prospect to ever publicly say he is a mental illness. This is ground breaking.

TORRE: It's a big, big deal. There's been no NBA prospect to be so forthcoming like this. And with the NBA draft, there's millions of dollars on the line. The name of the game is to hide your flaws, do a great P.R. campaign for yourself. But he said he has generalized anxiety disorder and a severe fear of flying. Two big red flags to NBA teams. And the agents and Royce told me, in the days leading up to it, we don't know where he's going to land. The fact the Rockets took number 16 is a huge step forward and a big legacy already in a very young career.

LEMON: It's interesting because when you see high-profile people, hear of them, celebrities who have issues that every day folks have --

TORRE: Totally.

LEMON: -- it can change the stigma or lack of, or ease the stigma when it comes to that particular disorder.

TORRE: Yes, and sports, Don, is the worst. The stigma on mental illness, it's so tough. There's only been one active NBA player to come out and say that he has a problem like this, let alone a prospect with millions of dollars on the line. So the fact he's done this, he'll be the number-one ambassador on this for a long time.

LEMON: Bernard James.

TORRE: Yes.

LEMON: 33rd out of Florida State, drafted, served in the Air Force in Iraq and Afghanistan. It's the NBA. Really the most interesting thing I've ever seen.

TORRE: USA chants.

LEMON: They call his name, he puts on the hat and everyone started screaming, "USA, USA," because we're so proud of him.

TORRE: You're over the hill as an NBA prospect when you're 24. He's 27. The oldest player to be drafted in 20 years. He had done six years of duty in the Air Force. He was a staff sergeant and lived an entire life outside basketball. And the fact he's able to get that kind of embrace -- and really, we don't see this kind of thing. We should be clear about this. Bernard is an exception and also a really good player. In talking to him myself, he has all the virtues you would expect of a veteran -- disciplined, hard working, reliable. All those things are not cliches. They're actually true. LEMON: It's going to change what people think of the NBA now.

(CROSSTALK)

TORRE: -- rookie now.

(CROSSTALK)

LEMON: Listen, all this, after all the griping, can we talk for a minute now here about college football?

TORRE: Yes.

LEMON: All the griping for so many years. Now big plans for the playoffs -- now that we have plans for a playoff, is that going to end this whole annual controversy, who is number one now?

TORRE: Barack Obama weighing in and weighing against this --

(CROSSTALK)

TORRE: But the fact is controversy is what makes college football. It makes sports. moving from a computer system to now a human selection committee.

LEMON: Oh, imagine that.

TORRE: Obviously, people take very kindly to those guys making those decisions.

(CROSSTALK)

LEMON: Every year, around playoff times, I'm not like a huge sports person. Always asking my friends, so they were number one.

TORRE: I got to move to figure out --

(CROSSTALK)

TORRE: Now they'll have 14 playoffs, which is a better, better way to go about it, but the controversy is only just beginning.

LEMON: Yes. Maybe it's the best win or best team win.

TORRE: You'd like to think it's for mediocrity in one day.

Thank you.

LEMON: Stay cool out there.

TORRE: 99 degrees outside. A lot hotter in some places.

Thank you, Pablo Torre.

From first round draft pick to convicted felon -- I hope you saw this interview, Pablo -- former NBA pro, Jason Williams, had it all -- basketball, money, fame -- that was until he lost it all. Now, he says prison saved his life. My exclusive interview with Jason Williams, next.

Also next, while -- the NAACP in Dallas wants the lottery banned.

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LEMON: Many of us fantasize about what it would be like to hit it big and win the lottery jackpot -- buy a house, a car, take a posh vacation, maybe even quit your job. But the Dallas chapter of the NAACP wants the Texas lottery gone, saying it preys on the poor.

Brian Todd has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Juanita Wallace tells the saddest of stories, about a man who spent his money on lottery tickets and not on things he needed, like health insurance. Wallace doesn't want to give the man's name but tells us what happened.

JUANITA WALLACE, PRESIDENT, DALLAS NAACP: Well, he died, and having no insurance because his insurance had elapsed, it was left up to the community and people that loved him to try to pull together funds in order to bury him.

TODD: Wallace is president of the Dallas chapter of the NAACP. That group is trying to get Texas officials to abolish the state lottery.

(on camera): What are the primary reasons you want the lottery gone?

WALLACE: Research shows that there are more poor people who purchase these tickets and scratch offs than people who can actually afford it, the middle and the upper class.

TODD (voice-over): Wallace says the lottery preys on the poor. She claims there are many more lottery sales booths set up in poorer areas of Dallas than in middle and upper income neighborhoods.

Contacted by CNN, a Texas Lottery Commission spokeswoman said they try to reach all segments of the population, that they don't target poorer areas specifically, don't do any different marketing in those places.

(on camera): But the Texas Lottery Commission is required to do demographic studies. And the most recent one says people in Texas, who are most likely to play a popular Pick Three game, earn less than $20,000 a year. And it says unemployed people are more likely to buy the more popular scratch off tickets.

(voice-over): University of Maryland professor, Irwin Morris, who studies the lottery, says he hasn't seen evidence that state lotteries specifically target the poor, but says there's a reason the poor spend a greater portion of their income on lotteries than the wealthy.

IRWIN MORRIS, PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND: It's an opportunity to change your winning circumstances. And so, someone who's relatively wealthy, it would take, you know, a dramatic lottery win, you know, a lotto, let's say, to significantly change winning circumstances. If someone is of much more meager means, a much smaller win could literally change the character of their living circumstances.

TODD: The NAACP in Dallas isn't alone in its campaign. Officials with the Baptist General Convention of Texas tell us they're also pressing state officials to ax the lottery. Both groups also say the Texas lottery hasn't been the cash cow for school funding that many thought it would be. They say the money from the lottery, sent to public schools, has stayed flat over the past several years, while overall expenditures for the school systems have risen.

The Texas lottery spokeswoman counters, saying, over the past 20 years, the lottery has contributing more than $14 billion to the foundation's school fund, not an insignificant number.

Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)