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Bin Laden: Dead or Alive?; Bomb Blast Rocks Baghdad's Sadr City; Severe Storms Hit Middle of U.S.; Co-Workers Are Source Of Stress

Aired September 23, 2006 - 10:00   ET

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

SUSAN ROESGEN, CNN ANCHOR: "Now in the News," our CNN reporters and security analysts worldwide are looking into a French newspaper report that claims Osama bin Laden is dead. The newspaper report says he died of typhoid last month in Pakistan.
Our senior international correspondent, Nic Robertson, will join us with the latest on this developing story in just one minute.

A rescue from rising waters. Severe storms caused serious flooding in Kentucky. This is in Louisville, where the mayor's office says more than 100 people had to be rescued from this apartment complex.

The storms also brought tornadoes in the Midwest. Reynolds Wolf will show you where those storms are heading next coming up.

At least 28 people are dead after a car bomb went off in Baghdad's Sadr City this morning. In the meantime, Iraqi officials say a top terror suspect is in custody. The leader of the Ansar al- Sunna terrorist network was captured by Iraqi and American forces. And we will have a live report from CNN's Arwa Damon in Baghdad in a moment.

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: New signs that North Korea may be enhancing its nuclear weapons program. A visiting U.S. scholar says senior officials told him North Korea plans to unload fuel rods from its nuclear reactor to obtain more weapons-grade plutonium.

A nationwide manhunt is under way after a woman is killed at a domestic violence shelter. Police say the woman's husband forced his way into the North Carolina shelter and then shot her. He is considered armed and dangerous. Police think John Woodring got away in a blue Honda Civic.

We run down the top stories every 15 minutes here on CNN NEWSROOM with in-depth coverage all morning long. The next check of the headlines is coming up at 10:15 Eastern.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right after we got in class one of the counselors got on the intercom and said, "This is not a drill. This is not a drill."

(END VIDEO CLIP) ROESGEN: A close call for students in Missouri when tornadoes pounded the Midwest. We will have your full weather report in just a moment.

Good morning. You are in the CNN NEWSROOM. It is Saturday, September 23rd.

I'm Susan Roesgen, filling in for Betty Nguyen.

LEMON: And I'm Don Lemon.

Thanks for joining -- for starting your day in the CNN NEWSROOM.

We're going to turn now to reaction that is pouring in concerning an unconfirmed published report that Osama bin Laden may -- and I repeat may -- have died from typhoid in Pakistan. Several governments, including the U.S., say they have no confirmation of that report.

It was published this morning in a French newspaper, and we're working our reporters and sources worldwide to find out more on this developing story.

Our chief international correspondent, Nic Robertson, joins us live from London with the very latest -- Nic.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Don, this was first reported in a French regional newspaper. The editor there and the journalists claim that this -- the information they had was from a confidential French government report that detailed Saudi intelligence sources that were so credible, the information had been passed to President Chirac, passed to the French prime minister interior, and defense ministers.

The information that's laid out in this newspaper article says that Osama bin Laden got typhoid, got paralysis of his lower limbs, and died in Pakistan. The article and the journalists behind it say that the information that they have is that Saudi intelligence sources confirmed Osama bin Laden's death on the 4th of September.

Now, the French president, Jacques Chirac, at a press conference today, expressed concern that a confidential document had been leaked to newspapers. He said that he couldn't confirm any of the substance within the article. However, I've spoken with a Saudi source who is close to intelligence circles there. He has not seen these documents but is aware of the discussion that's been going on within Saudi intelligence circles.

And he says it is correct that Osama bin Laden has been sick for the last number of weeks, that he does have some sort of water-borne disease. However, according to this particular Saudi source, Osama bin Laden is not dead at this time. That's not something that -- that the Saudi officials believe, he says.

However, this does seem to be in contrast to what the document that the French journalists have seen who say that Osama bin Laden is in fact dead, but the Saudis are now searching for his body to get concrete confirmation of that -- Don.

LEMON: All right, Nic. We want to ask you real quick -- we have been hearing that Osama bin Laden possibly hiding out in Pakistan. What are we hearing from the Pakistani government this morning, anything?

ROBERTSON: Well, the Pakistani government is saying that they have no information about this report, the details that have put in -- that have been -- appear to have been linked to these French journalists, detail that Osama bin Laden got typhoid, or this water- borne illness, became sick inside Pakistan.

Now, the Pakistani officials we've talked to so far today -- and we've talked to several -- absolutely deny that they have any information about this report whatsoever. And they say if they did they would have moved to -- moved to arrest him -- Don.

LEMON: All right.

Nic Robertson reporting for us live from London with the very latest on Osama bin Laden.

We have this program note for you. Watch CNN at 10:00 Eastern Tonight for a "CNN PRESENTS" special, "In the Footsteps of bin Laden." That's tonight at 10:00 Eastern.

ROESGEN: Another bomb blast rocks Baghdad this morning. More than two dozen people were killed when a bomb went off in the Iraqi capital's Sadr City district. Also there in Iraq, a key terrorist leader is in custody.

So to fill us in on both of those stories, CNN's Arwa Damon joins us live in Baghdad -- Arwa.

ARWA DAMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Susan.

That's right, that deadly car bomb detonating in the Shia slum of Sadr City, home to some two million Iraqis. The explosion happening as Iraqi civilians were waiting in a fuel line. We are told by residents there it was a line close to a gas station.

The explosion also causing a gas -- a fuel tanker to detonate as well. We are told in that line waiting were a lot of women and children, waiting to fill their propane gas cylinders.

Now, this comes as Iraqi Sunnis have begun Ramadan. Today for the Sunni community here, it's the first day of Ramadan. Tomorrow it is the first day of Ramadan for the Shia community.

And Ramadan is normally a time of giving. It's a time of forgiveness, a time of compassion, a time that is meant to bring families and communities close together. But here in Iraq, especially these days, many civilians and many Iraqis are saying that it really is anything but.

One resident of Sadr City who we spoke to saying that they, in fact, actually expected more violence. Now, that coming a few hours after that deadly explosion. The Iraqi government did announce the capture of a senior figure within the organization that is known as Ansar al-Sunna. They identified him as Muntasser al-Jbouri.

They say that he was detained, along with two of his associates, in a raid that happened in the city of Muqdadiya. That is north of the capital, Baghdad.

They say that it was an intelligence-driven operation, but they did not encounter any resistance. And while this is a significance capture for Iraqi and U.S. forces here, we also have to remember that Ansar al-Sunna is a Sunni extremist organization and it has a structure that is meant to be able to sustain losses within its structure. That means that it can still function, even if it does take losses, even if -- even if its leaders are captured it can still continue to function here -- Susan.

ROESGEN: All right. Arwa Damon, thank you for that update there live in Baghdad.

LEMON: The number of U.S. troops killed in Iraq and Afghanistan now has surpassed the number of Americans killed in the September 11th terror attacks. The Associated Press cites Pentagon figures as showing 2,974 American military personnel have been killed in the war on terror in Afghanistan and Iraq. 2,973 Americans died in the September 11th attacks in New York, Pennsylvania, and at the Pentagon.

ROESGEN: Tonight at 6:00 p.m. Eastern, CNN correspondent will discuss the war of words at the U.N. The extended tour of duty for some American troops in Iraq, and Muslim outrage toward the pope.

John Roberts hosts "This Week at War," tonight at 6:00 p.m. Eastern, only on CNN, the most trusted name in news.

LEMON: And right now we are tracking severe storms causing problems from the Midwest to the South. The storms spun tornadoes in Missouri and Illinois. Businesses, a school and more than 100 homes were damaged in Missouri.

The severe weather caused flash flooding in parts of Indiana. Large hail and lightning was also reported.

A woman in Arkansas was killed when lightning struck her boat. And some Kentucky residents had to be rescued from rising floodwaters. The mayors office in Louisville says more than 100 people had to be evacuated from an apartment complex.

ROESGEN: Well, Reynolds Wolf has been tracking the weather all morning for us. He's now in our weather center -- Reynolds.

(WEATHER REPORT)

ROESGEN: Now our other big developing story today. Our medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, is on the phone with us to talk about this French newspaper report claiming that the French Ministry had leaked a report saying that Osama bin Laden is dead. Now, that has not been confirmed, but certainly people around the world are talking about it.

And we want to bring in Dr. Sanjay Gupta now to talk about this.

The report in the French newspaper, Sanjay, says that Osama bin Laden died of typhoid. Tell us about that. We know he's been sick for years. What -- what might have happened?

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN SR. MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, they talk a lot about various water-borne diseases, specifically in different parts of the world. Certainly much more common in developing parts of the world. And the bacteria that causes Typhoid Fever is endemic in many parts of sort of Pakistan, the Afghanistan area, and certain parts of Africa as well.

It's a bacteria. It's a bacterial illness that basically causes significant dehydration, causes significant diarrhea.

It is -- it is easily treated in certain parts of the world with an antibiotic. But a couple things have to happen. One, it has to be recognized that in fact it is typhoid. And second of all, that antibiotic treatment has to usually start within a few days for it to be the most effective.

Susan, you know, as you've traveled in that part of the world, if you go to any doctor's office ahead of time, they will give you either a shot or some pills to take to try and prevent Typhoid Fever. So it is, you know, fairly easily preventable. But if it does strike and it's not treated, it can cause very -- you know, someone to become very ill, even die. And in the United states, only about 400 deaths a year. But in other parts of the world, that number is much higher just because of this bacteria.

ROESGEN: Well, Sanjay, this report that was leaked to this French newspaper said that Osama bin Laden had paralysis in his legs. Does that strike you as something that would come with Typhoid Fever?

GUPTA: Not typically, although sometimes people who have Typhoid Fever also become sort of susceptible, if you will, to other sorts of bacterial infections as well. Sometimes somebody may just be so weak that they just simply cannot move as well.

When someone says sort of a paralysis, specific paralysis of the legs, I think more of a virus that causes -- I'm sorry, a bacteria that causes something like Polio. And, you know, that would obviously be a different sort of scenario and more common, still, again, in that part of the world, but also more common in younger people.

But, you know, those two things don't necessarily add up, both pointing to typhoid. That would cause sort of a different pattern of illness.

ROESGEN: OK. Dr. Sanjay Gupta, thank you for giving us your insight today.

Once again, a report in a French newspaper claiming that Osama bin Laden died a month ago. We will, of course, stay with this story and check all of our worldwide sources.

So far, completely unconfirmed, Don.

LEMON: We're going to continue to track that story, as you said.

Osama bin Laden, dead or alive? More of our continuing coverage on this developing story straight ahead.

Wherever he is, does the U.S. need another country's permission to attack him? A closer look at the rules of engagement coming up.

ROESGEN: Plus, some lighter fare, unless you're the person who's annoyed. Every office seems to have one, the annoying co-worker, the loud mouth, the complainer, the borrowers who never bring back your stapler. What would you do when they start driving you crazy? We've got some tips just ahead in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: "Now in the News," our CNN reporters and security analysts worldwide are looking into a published report from France that claims Osama bin Laden is dead. A newspaper report says he died of typhoid last month in Pakistan. Our Nic Robertson says his sources are telling him that bin Laden is very sick but still living.

And a program note for you. Tonight, watch "CNN PRESENTS," "In the Footsteps of bin Laden," beginning at 10:00 Eastern.

At least 28 people were killed this morning when a car bomb went off in Baghdad's Sadr City. Iraqi police say the attack came as Sunnis began observing the holy month of Ramadan. Sadr City is a largely Shiite district.

Storm trigger flashfloods in Indiana and Kentucky. And some areas could get even more rain today. The storms also spawned tornadoes in Missouri and Illinois. The Midwest got hit with hail and intense lightning.

ROESGEN: Now the latest on the E. coli spinach scare. Federal health officials say it's safe to eat spinach again as long as it doesn't come from the area where we get a lot of spinach, Salinas Valley in California. That's where they've traced the E. coli contamination that has sickened 166 people in 25 states. They also say that it could take several days for spinach grown in other places to show back up on your store shelves.

Patricia Dunn is out. The embattled chairman of Hewlett-Packard left the company yesterday, several months earlier than expected. And the announcement was made after the markets closed.

Dunn, as you know, had been embroiled in a corporate spy scandal. Chief executive Mark Hurd is the new chairman.

We run down the top stories every 15 minutes here on CNN NEWSROOM with in-depth coverage all morning long. So your next check of the headlines will be coming up at 10:30 Eastern.

LEMON: Well, whether he is dead or alive, it is believed Pakistan is a suspected hideout of Osama bin Laden. Given the chance to take him out, should the U.S. shoot first and ask questions later?

CNN Senior Pentagon Correspondent Jamie McIntyre reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SR. PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): U.S. intelligence generally believes Osama bin Laden is hiding among sympathizers in the tribal areas of Pakistan that border southern Afghanistan, but U.S. commanders say if they knew exactly where they wouldn't wait for Pakistani permission to go after him or for other most wanted terrorists, for that matter.

GEN. JOHN ABIZAID, COMMANDER, U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND: I would tell you that when we get good targeting information, that we will go where we need go to go find them and go get him.

LT. GEN. KARL EIKENBERRY, COMBINED FORCES CMD. AFGHANISTAN: Intent of our commander in chief, President Bush, is very clear to commanders at every level, including my level and down.

MCINTYRE: It wouldn't be the first time the U.S. crossed the line into Pakistan. Back in January, the CIA fired a missile at a compound near the border hoping to kill bin Laden's number two, Ayman Zawahiri. He was not among the dead.

And in 1988, the U.S. sent cruise missiles through Pakistani airspace to try to get bin Laden at an al Qaeda training camp in Afghanistan. The Pakistani government was told only after the missiles were en route.

The rules of engagement are not written in stone.

EIKENBERRY: They allow me the authorities that are needed and the flexibility that's needed to, as we say, take the fight to international terrorism.

MCINTYRE: Take this recent surveillance photograph of a Taliban funeral in Afghanistan. Funerals are usually off limits because of the risk to innocent noncombatants. But if bin Laden had been there, commanders who in this case held their fire might well have ordered an airstrike.

THOMAS DONNELLY, CENTER FOR STRATEGIC INTERNATIONAL STUDIES: I wouldn't imagine there's a lot of -- going to be a lot of teeth gnashing. You know, if you've got Osama in your crosshairs, I'm sure that pretty much any American would be anxious to pull the trigger.

MCINTYRE: The options boil down to two, a cross-border snatch mission by CIA or U.S. military Special Forces, or airstrikes from manned or unmanned planes.

DONNELLY: A perfect universe, I would much rather capture him. He still has huge intelligence value.

MCINTYRE (on camera): One reason the U.S. might want to rely on getting forgiveness rather than permission from Pakistan is the long- held suspicion that too many people in the Pakistani government would be willing to tip al Qaeda off to any U.S. operation.

Jamie McIntyre, CNN, the Pentagon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: And you can see more of Jamie McIntyre's reports on "PAULA ZAHN NOW." Watch weeknights at 8:00 Eastern only on CNN.

And watch CNN at 10:00 Eastern tonight for a "CNN PRESENTS" special, "In the Footsteps of bin Laden." That's tonight at 10:00 Eastern.

ROESGEN: Well, it is an office headache for a lot of people, the co-worker who steals your sandwich from the break room or coughs around your cubicle.

Every time I cough here, Don, I think, oh, god, I'm trying not to be annoying.

Coming up, how to survive the workplace with an annoying co- worker.

LEMON: Oh, yes. But first, she's not an annoying co-worker. Brenda Bernard is "Going Global" this morning.

How are you doing, Brenda?

BRENDA BERNARD, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, Don. We don't have any annoying co-workers here at CNN. You know that.

LEMON: Not so far. Not so far.

BERNARD: Well, I'll show you a Brazilian babe that really rocks the house. The little drummer girl's story coming up in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROESGEN: And time for "Going Global." Our focus on some other stories making news around the world.

LEMON: For that, we turn to CNN's Brenda Bernard at the international desk.

Hey, Brenda.

BERNARD: Hey, Don.

Demonstrators are beginning to gather right now in Hungary's capital, Budapest. Opposition leaders say the crowd could swell to 200,000. This was the scene into the early hours this morning. About 10,000 people were gathered in front of the parliament building demanding the prime minister's resignation.

The protests have been going on all week. They were sparked by a leaked tape of the prime minister where he admitted lying about the country's economy to win election.

A United Nations team is due to arrive in Lebanon today to start investigating allegations of human rights violations by Israel during the war with Hezbollah. The investigators arrive on the heels of a huge rally in Beirut.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah declared a divine victory over Israel in the July-August war. He told supporters militants will never give up their arms and Hezbollah, he says, is stronger than ever.

And check out this little drummer girl. She's only six years old. A real babe, and boy can she play. Latisha Santos (ph) performs with an adult rock band in Brazil called 3.5 (ph), the half being little Latisha. Her father says he gave her drumsticks when she was four and she hasn't stopped drumming since.

And Don, she says her favorite band is Led Zeppelin.

LEMON: Oh, she rocks. Or you can say that she bangs.

BERNARD: She is something.

ROESGEN: I wonder if she's old enough to get in to some of the places where they play. They must say, "Pay no attention to the little girl over here."

BERNARD: Right. She's hidden under all those drums. You know?

ROESGEN: Oh, OK. Thanks, Brenda.

LEMON: Brenda, thank you very much.

BERNARD: You bet.

ROESGEN: Well, they say it is the number one cause of stress in the workplace.

LEMON: Yes, even causing people, some people, to quit their jobs. Ahead, how to cope with that quirky co-worker.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: "Now in the News," our CNN reporters and security analysts worldwide are looking into a published report from France that claims Osama bin Laden is dead. Newspaper report says he died of typhoid last month in Pakistan. And tonight watch "CNN Presents: In the Footsteps of bin Laden" beginning at 10:00 Eastern. Stormy weather. The Midwest gets socked with tornadoes and flooding. Severe weather also triggered flash floods in Kentucky and more storms are popping up today. Reynolds Wolf will have the forecast ahead in the NEWSROOM.

At least 28 people were killed this morning when a car bomb went off in Baghdad's Sadr City. Iraqi police say the attack came as Sunnis began observing the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Sadr City is a largely Shiite district.

ROESGEN: New signs that North Korea may be enhancing its nuclear weapons program. A visiting American scholar says senior officials there's told him that North Korea plans to unload fuel rods from its nuclear reactor to obtain more weapons-grade plutonium.

The nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan says he is seriously ill, the statement on his organization's Web site. He is 73 years old and he says he began suffering ulcer pain earlier this year similar to the pain he had a few years ago when he had surgery for prostate cancer. We run down the top stories every 15 minutes here on CNN NEWSROOM with in depth coverage all morning long. Your next check of the headlines is coming up at 10:45 Eastern.

LEMON: We're following some rough weather across much of the country this morning.

ROESGEN: So let's go right to Reynolds Wolf. Reynolds.

REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: The latest we have is from the storm prediction center. They have now posted another tornado watch in effect for portions of the Ohio Valley as well as the mid-Mississippi Valley. That will remain in effect through the late afternoon hours.

The reason why is plain and simple. You see it right here on the screen, an intense line of showers and storms. Some of these storms moving over areas that have just been saturated with water. In some places we've had reports of flooding in Sharpe County.

Let's see, Arkansas, we've had reports earlier this morning of people hanging in trees trying to avoid some of the floodwaters. You can see another inch maybe even as much as two inches of rain fall in parts of northern Arkansas, at the same time through Missouri back over into Kentucky as well as Tennessee. Heavy rainfall from Louisville to Lexington where they've had over six inches of rain. More is in store for them today.

At the same time, some strong storms through Knoxville, back up towards Johnson City, not severe but there's the potential later this afternoon. Some of these storms could intensify bringing severe thunderstorms, large hail, damaging winds, heavy rain and possibly tornadoes. A busy time to say the least. Back to you.

ROESGEN: All right. Thanks for the update.

LEMON: Thank you very much for that update. It was a real life lesson in severe weather 101. A tornado touched down in south central Missouri. Students inside one elementary school put what they learned from tornado drills right into action. Chris Hayes with CNN affiliate KTVI has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRIS HAYES, KTVI: This seventh grader Cassie Quick takes pictures of what was happening while she was inside St. James Middle School.

CASSEY QUICK, STUDENT: The school was shaking.

HAYES: Parts of the roof torn off. The flagpole bent to the ground while Cassie was huddled in the hallway with more than 500 other kids.

QUICK: When we first heard the first boom, we pulled together really fast and we prayed for nothing to happen to us.

HAYES: See for yourself, the crumpled walls of the gymnasium. Cassie's mom, Bonnie Quick, called the school to say she was coming.

BONNIE QUICK: The phone was dead. I couldn't hear nothing.

HAYES: So she drove straight over.

B. QUICK: I thought for sure that something bad was happening.

HAYES: A relief to see each other like many others, some who went to their vehicles no longer with windows. Not one kid reported injured. Jack Fors told us they just practiced a tornado drill.

JACK FORS, STUDENT: Right after we got in class, one of the counselors got on the intercom and said this is not a drill. This is not a drill.

HAYES: Construction crews and some parents began repairs right away as more storm clouds threatened. Others inside the gym hurriedly pushed the water with squeegees and mops.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROESGEN: Well, if you've got some severe weather video or other video or pictures of news events, we want you to join our news team. And Veronica de la Cruz from CNN.com can show you how.

VERONICA DE LA CRUZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right Susan. We've established this online community. It's called I-exchange and that is where you can upload your pictures and video. Earlier this morning I showed you some images from the riots in Hungary.

Now we're going to focus on the severe weather that's been sweeping parts of the country. I want you to take a look at this. This is a tornado that hit Russell, Kansas. Paul Brock sent this in. He is a manager of the Russell Inn. He says a couple of barns in the area lost their roofs and one was destroyed but luckily there was no damage to his hotel. In Thailand this week, the Thai military ousted the prime minister in a bloodless coup. If you go to CNN.com/exchange, will you see many pictures that we have received from our viewers who were there. In these photos, you can tell that the takeover was peaceful with some families even coming out to take pictures with the soldiers. Susan, I told you about this picture earlier, the caption? Smile, it's a coup, very cute. It was sent to us by John Bates.

Also check out this video. It was sent to us by one of our I- reporters. It shows humvees and soldiers guarding the streets in Bangkok. The military seized not only government buildings, but the TV stations in Bangkok as well. So people were getting their news from the Internet and from videos like this that have been sent to us. We can gauge exactly what is happening on the ground.

However, we do want to remind you, don't put yourself in harm's way to get the shot, but when you are able, continue to send us pictures when you spot breaking news. It's absolutely amazing how our viewers from all over the world can really contribute to our coverage by sending in their pictures and the video.

ROESGEN: That's great. Get everybody to say I-Report.

DE LA CRUZ: CNN.com/exchange is where you can find it.

LEMON: President Bush calls on civilized nations to work together against extremism. That's just part of the message in his weekly radio address. White House correspondent Elaine Quijano joins us with more on that and the president's week ahead.

Elaine, let me first ask you about the White House, if there's any reaction from this Osama bin Laden report. Are you hearing anything this morning?

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: White House officials certainly are aware of this report coming out of France or that newspaper in France alleging that Osama bin laden has died.

But right now really there is no comment, Don and no one is confirming anything, certainly not U.S. intelligence officials either at this point. These reports are coming at a time when President Bush has been trying to highlight cooperation with U.S. allies around the world in the war on terrorism, something that he did today in his radio address.

Now, it was just yesterday that President Bush sat down with Pakistan's President General Pervez Musharraf. But there have been questions about how that U.S./Pakistan alliance was forged in those days immediately after the September 11th attacks, whether or not Pakistan was coerced into joining with the United States.

President Bush has said that his recollection is that Pakistan was a willing partner in those days after September 11th. And today the president reiterated that he has confidence in President Musharraf's commitment to fighting terrorism.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: President Musharraf understands the stakes in the war on terror because the extremists have tried more than once to assassinate him. They know he's a threat to their aspirations because he's working to build modern, democratic institutions that can provide an alternative to radicalism and it's in America's interest to help him succeed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

QUIJANO: Now over the next few days, more high-level meetings. In fact on Tuesday, President Bush will be sitting down with the president of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai. And then on Wednesday, an interesting meeting, President Bush will be sitting down not only with Hamid Karzai, but also Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan's leader.

There's been some tensions lately between Pakistan and Afghanistan, both sides essentially pointing the finger of blame at each other for the resurgence recently of Taliban activity. So President Bush is going to sit these leaders down, try to persuade them that it is in fact in their mutual interest to work more closely together in the terrorism fight. Don?

LEMON: All right, thank you very much Elaine Quijano live from the White House.

ROESGEN: We have all known one and maybe even at one time or another we have been one -- the annoying co-worker, the person who has the ear-shattering laugh or the one who always cozies up to the boss. You know who I'm talking about. So just ahead, the top co-worker complaints and how to deal with the stress of an irritating office mate, coming up in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Now in the news, our CNN reporters and security analyst worldwide are looking into published reports from France that claims Osama bin Laden is dead. The newspaper report says he died of typhoid last month in Pakistan. Our Nic Robertson says his sources tell him that bin Laden is very sick but is still living. We have a program note for you tonight. Watch "CNN Presents: In the Footsteps of bin Laden" beginning at 10:00 p.m. Eastern.

More severe storms are popping up today after spawning tornadoes in the Midwest last night. Police in Blunt County, Alabama say a tornado may have touched down there. A gas station, a football stadium and several houses were damaged.

At least 28 people are dead after a car bomb went off in Baghdad's Sadr City this morning. In the meantime Iraqi officials say a top terror suspect is in custody. The leader of the Ansar al Sunna terrorist network has captured, was captured near Baquba.

A nationwide manhunt is under way after a woman is killed at a domestic violence shelter. Police say the woman's husband forced his way into the North Carolina shelter and shot her. The suspect, John Woodring, is considered armed and dangerous.

This is of the essence in southern California. Firefighters are racing to surround a massive wildfire covering 175 square miles before hot, dry Santa Ana winds arrive. Forecasters predict wind gusts of up to 70 miles an hour could fuel that blaze.

We run down the top stories every 15 minutes here on CNN NEWSROOM with in depth coverage all morning long. Your next check of the headlines is coming up at the top of the hour.

ROESGEN: And still ahead, your annoying co-worker, how to get past them, get through them, get around them.

Plus wait, wait, you're rich. No, you're not rich. With a quarter million dollars at stake what would you do? That's coming up in our water cooler.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROESGEN: Don't you want to do that sometimes in the office? Does it look like where you work? This is a scene from NBC's Show "The Office" of course, but in real life, whether it's co-workers who talk too loudly or eavesdrop on your conversations or eat smelly food at their desks, annoying coworkers can drive you crazy. In fact a recent online survey says annoying co-workers is the number one source of stress at work. So what should you do when you want to just strangle a co-worker?

Joining us is Gini Graham Scott. She is the author of "A Survival Guide for Working With Humans," and Mark Gress. He's the founder of annoyingcoworker.com.

Mark, I have checked out your Web site. It is pretty snarky. Anyone can send an anonymous e-mail to a co-worker and say anything. Why would you start that Web site and does it work?

MARK GRESS, ANNOYINGCOWORKER.COM: Yes it works really well. I started about two years ago and had a very similar situation where I had an annoying co-worker and I needed to find a way to let them know about their problem.

ROESGEN: And what are the top annoying things that co-workers do to each other?

GRESS: I'd say personal hygiene is probably a big one, dealing with from clipping toenails at the desks.

ROESGEN: Nobody really does that, do they?

GRESS: Yes, they do.

ROESGEN: OK. Keep going.

GRESS: Also when people are aware of others going to the bathroom not washing hands. You know, communications as far as speaking too loud on the phone or ... ROESGEN: People do that on purpose, don't they? They want you to hear them say that they have just won something big or something great is happening in their love life. I think they do that on purpose.

GRESS: I think it definitely works both ways. There's a couple others as far as office etiquette. People obviously will steal each other's print jobs or emptying -- taking the last cup of coffee and not filling it up.

ROESGEN: I've done that. I don't want to be annoying, I just don't know how to work the coffee machine. I know that you get a whole lot and again your Web site lists so many different things that people send to each other. So you can send a nasty, anonymous e-mail but Ginny you still have to work with that person. What does your survival guide for working with humans say we should do to work things out?

GINI GRAHAM SCOTT, AUTHOR: Well I think the key is really communication and I think to try to find a diplomatic way to actually talk to the person. I think if you send -- I did check out the Web site this morning. And it occurred to me that, you know, people in a small office, you're going to figure out who sent it. And it just seems to me that a better way to deal with it is to have a communication face to face and try to tell the person, you know, in a nice way what to do to improve the situation.

ROESGEN: You know Gini, I mean, I'm probably like a lot of people. I shy away from confrontation. I just want things to go away on their own. Is it ever a good idea to confront a co-worker? Does that work?

SCOTT: Well, I think that there are ways to do it in a way you do it in gentle way and if you do it in a productive way. I think if somebody just got something anonymously, it could be very upsetting. It could even escalate tensions. Particularly if they suspect they're guessing who probably sent it.

ROESGEN: Is there ever a time when you should go see the boss? I mean I think people hate to go into the boss's corner office because they know that the other co-workers will see them do it. But is there a time when you should do that?

SCOTT: I mean if it's really a serious problem. But I think that you should try to deal with it on the lower level first where you deal with it among your co-workers. And if the problem is affecting a number of people, you might go as a group or maybe have a lunch with the person or go for coffee.

ROESGEN: Or strangle them.

SCOTT: In a comfortable situation where you can say this is has been a little bit of a problem for us. We'd like to try to find a way to work things out and really discuss it and get it out in the open.

ROESGEN: OK. Gini, you're so nice, you've got some nice tips for us and Mark, if we're in desperation, we'll send that annoying co- worker e-mail. Thank you both for joining us today.

SCOTT: OK. Thanks.

GRESS: Thank you.

LEMON: Can we go for a coffee? We need to talk.

ROESGEN: Not say anything, annoying things that other co-workers do that annoy us.

LEMON: Time to take a little bit of break from the news with our water cooler stories. That's where we take a break from today's regular news to sample some of the unusual stories we've come across.

ROESGEN: And as will you see, our theme today is the jackpot blues. We start with a lucky gambler in California who struck it rich on a nickel slot machine. He won nearly $750,000.

LEMON: But casino officials immediately declared the win invalid saying the machine malfunctioned. They said the maximum pay-out for a nickel slot machine is $2500 bucks.

ROESGEN: But the casino did offer him $10,000 as a consolation but the gambler is now betting that his lawyer can get more money out of the casino than that.

LEMON: A nearly identical situation at a casino, a few weeks ago in Florida, that jackpot was for a quarter million dollars, and once again, a casino declared a machine malfunction in that one.

ROESGEN: Machine malfunction, remember that, because this time the outcome was different. After swallowing hard, the casino management just agreed to pay the full amount as a gesture of good will. I think to keep customers coming in.

In Michigan's upper peninsula, someone has a lot of explaining to do because a brand spanking new hotel and casino has been sitting idle since it opened in June on Lake Huron's horseshoe bay.

LEMON: Well, it turns out, this is bad -- that part of the $36 million property was built outside the boundary where gambling is permitted, so no dice on the gambling there.

ROESGEN: As you can imagine, lots of finger pointing over who is responsible for really what was a colossal goof.

LEMON: Those are some very funny and interesting stories, but some pretty serious weather happening around the nation today. Why don't we turn to our very own Reynolds Wolf to get the very latest on that. Reynolds, what do you know?

(WEATHER REPORT)

ROESGEN: Thanks Reynolds.

It's the landscape of rural America. Wide open fields of farmland but some people say these fields are also a wide open invitation to bio-terrorists.

LEMON: Coming up, we'll examine the weaknesses in our food industry. CNN NEWSROOM continues in just a moment.

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