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Will North Korea Test Another Nuke?; Secretary Rice Makes Trip to Asia; Uptick of Violence in Iraq; Pennsylvania Congressman's Daughter Under Investigation
Aired October 17, 2006 - 13:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CO-HOST: Hello, everyone, I'm Kyra Phillips. At the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta.
DON LEMON, CO-HOST: And I'm Don Lemon.
North Korea calls sanctions an act of war. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice heads to the region. Are sanctions the answer? Will North Korea act again?
PHILLIPS: The violence in Iraq outside of Baghdad. What do U.S. troops do in the Iraqi heartland? CNN's Arwa Damon with a rare look at the dangers U.S. troops face.
LEMON: And a controversial Madonna adoption. I've reported from Malawi. A snapshot of East Africa. Why are there almost a million children without parents?
You're live in the CNN NEWSROOM.
Tough talk, ominous action and a monumental party in Pyongyang. You're seeing a fiery celebration in the North Korea capital for the 80th anniversary of the national communist union.
You're not seeing preparations for another potential nuke test. But other nations are seeing signs.
Our Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr has the very latest for us -- Barbara.
BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Don the first thing that always has to be said about North Korea is nobody knows. No one knows what their intentions are and what their plans are for the possibility of a second nuclear underground test.
But U.S. intelligence and the U.S. military now looking at this very carefully. Sources telling CNN that they do see signs of activity at several sites and at two sites in particular, the site where the first test took place and an additional site. In recent days they have seen evidence of small shelters or buildings being fabricated on those sites. No one is sure what it means.
But at least some officials saying it seems to mirror or copy the final preparations that were made before that first underground test was conducted just a week ago. So, again, no one can really say. But in an additional piece of information, sources saying that they are monitoring and they see statements from senior North Korean military officials that the regime does plan to conduct additional tests.
So now all eyes on the Korean Peninsula, watching, waiting, seeing if an additional test emerges -- Don.
LEMON: And of course, the U.N. saying no way. They've, you know, established these sanctions. So I guess the question is what's North Korea trying to prove here by possibly conducting a second test?
STARR: Well, that is the question. What would be their goal? You know, there's sort of two choices out there. Either they are trying to continue with a testing regime that they've set up. The first test, by all accounts, not as successful as they had hoped, much smaller. A potential partial failure of that first device.
But the other reason they might move very quickly for a second test, according to some analysts, is to basically in the face of the U.N. sanctions ratchet up tensions.
Of course, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice now in the region, and it would be a substantial ratcheting up, of course, if they were to conduct another test while she's out in that area -- Don.
LEMON: I would imagine, keep them guessing sort of attitude. Thank you very much, Barbara Starr, for that.
STARR: Sure.
PHILLIPS: Defying in its actions, raging in its rhetoric. It's no secret how North Korea feels about U.N. sanctions, sanctions the U.S. secretary of state is on a mission to enforce.
Hours ago, Condoleezza Rice set off on a coronation trip to make sure North Korea's neighbors don't back down. First stop, Japan.
CNN's Aneesh Raman is in Tokyo.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANEESH RAMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Secretary Rice is coming to rally a region, to persuade Asian allies to hold the line against a newly nuclear North Korea.
And on the eve of her arrival came a diplomatic blessing, in the form of a searing statement from the regime of Kim Jong-Il. Read on North Korean television, it called the U.N. resolution, passed over the weekend, a declaration of war.
It's just the sort of statement that may help the U.S. get wavering countries to enforce the sanctions passed by the U.N.
Australia is already banning North Korean ships from its ports. And Japan, Rice's first stop, started doing so even before the U.N. resolution. But there's also, here, a sense of practical limits.
ROBERT DUJARRIC, NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC POLICY: But I think the Japanese government knows very well that the only thing that really matters is what China and South Korea do.
RAMAN: And that's where Secretary Rice will face a tougher audience. China condemned the statements by Pyongyang but has stopped short of saying it will forcibly inspect all cargo coming to or from North Korea.
WANG GUANGYA, CHINESE AMBASSADOR TO U.N.: Inspection, yes, but inspection's different from interception and interdiction. I think -- in that area, I think different countries would do it in different ways.
RAMAN: U.S. officials have downplayed differences, but getting China and South Korea to tighten the grip is key. And both are anxious that tough action against North Korea could destabilize the regime or cause a humanitarian crisis.
(on camera) For the moment, Secretary Rice seems to have events on her side. In addition to the bellicose statements out of Pyongyang, U.S. and Japanese officials are warning that North Korea could conduct a second nuclear test at any moment, underscoring the threat posed to the region and to the world.
Aneesh Raman, CNN, Tokyo.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: Death squads killing civilians, insurgents killing police and police. Another day of blood and death in Iraq.
Our Cal Perry joins us once again from Baghdad -- Cal.
CAL PERRY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon to you, Kyra.
Ramadan is supposed to be a time of rest and reflection. But unfortunately for Iraqis and coalition troops, the month of Ramadan has bought a serious uptick in violence.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PERRY (voice-over): The month of Ramadan is coming to an end in Iraq. But there seems to be no end in sight to the unrelenting and bloody violence.
Baghdad, which has been at the center of the violence, continues to boil over: six explosions across the capital on Monday alone and a gunfight in the north central part of the city. Regardless of the target, civilians continuing to pay the ultimate price.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): The Americans were parking here. They left and minutes later, a blast happened. The armored vehicles, the new vehicles, left and the blast happened. PERRY: It wasn't just Baghdad. Bombs littered the country from Sawara (ph) in the south to Baquba in the north. The fighting is on two fronts: insurgent attacks against both U.S. and Iraqi security forces and a growing sectarian battle between Sunni and Shia.
Iraqi police found more than 500 bodies in the capital alone this month. Victims, police say, of sectarian violence. And in Balad, just over the course of the weekend, fighting between Shia and Sunni has killed more than 50, police say.
The government security forces have been unable to get a handle on the situation, according to at least one powerful Sunni political party. The Iraqi political party put out a statement, calling the situation, quote, "out of control," and called on the government to do something to end the bloodshed.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PERRY: And now, Kyra, while all this violence continues in the country, the coalition itself passing a very grim milestone: 3,000 troops dead since the beginning of the war -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Cal, we continue to talk about the sectarian violence between the Sunni and Shia. You've even talked about how level sources telling you they don't know how to get a handle on this.
Something's got to be on the table. There has to be other efforts that are in place, whether it's civilian or military leaders, to try and get a hold of this.
PERRY: Well, we have seen some movement from Prime Minister Maliki on this issue. He's been trying to bring tribal leaders around the same table for weeks now.
But while this has been going on, sectarian violence has only increased. So the politics don't seem to be shaking out at this point. And he's catching a lot of flack from political parties, especially Sunni political parties, who say the situation from sectarian violence level is out of control. And they're asking him to do anything to bring down the violence.
PHILLIPS: Cal Perry in Baghdad. Thanks, Cal.
LEMON: Tough talk becomes a law of the land. Today President Bush signed a bill that sets the stage for the trials of captured al Qaeda suspects, including the accused mastermind of the 9/11 attacks.
The bill allows military commissions that the Supreme Court struck down. It also permits CIA interrogations, while banning certain forms of torture.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: This bill complies with both the spirit and the letter of our international obligations. As I've said before, the United States does not torture. It's against our laws. And it's against our values.
By allowing the CIA program to go forward, this bill is preserving a tool that has saved American lives.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: The first terror trials before military commissions could begin in about two months.
Here's more on that new law. It sets tough standards for interrogating and prosecuting terror suspects, including so called high-value al Qaeda suspects linked to 9/11.
It's called the Military Commissions Act. Among other thing it permits the U.S. to gather information from captured suspects. It also establishes military commissions for trials of detainees deemed enemy combatants. It prohibits those combatants from invoking the Geneva Conventions during trials. It also authorizes the death sentence of life -- or life in prison for those found guilty.
PHILLIPS: Straight ahead, does a mass murderer in Florida have roots in Texas? The latest on that case and the Brownsville connection. That's ahead from the CNN NEWSROOM.
LEMON: Plus, a congressman's daughter's home searched by the FBI. Part of a new Capitol Hill probe. That story ahead in the CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Ten-term congressman in a tight race for term number 11. The last thing Pennsylvania Republican Weldon needed was himself at the center of a federal investigation.
CNN's Dana Bash has that story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DANA BASH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A senior law enforcement official tells CNN the FBI searched six businesses and residents related to the Curt Weldon probe, including the Philadelphia home of Karen Weldon, the congressman's daughter.
Sources familiar with the inquiry say the Justice Department is investigating whether Republican Curt Weldon used his influence to steer clients to his daughter's lobbying firm.
Weldon insists neither he, nor his daughter, did anything wrong.
CURT WELDON (R), PENNSYLVANIA: I would absolutely never use my position to help anyone in an unusual way. My daughter would be -- my kids don't need my help. My kids are successful. They're talented. They do a good job.
BASH: Weldon travels to Russia frequently and is a vocal advocate for strong U.S./Russian relations. The investigation appears to be focused on whether the congressman helped his daughter's firm win contracts with two Russian companies and two Serbian brothers, contracts worth $1 million a year, according to McClatchy Newspapers.
One source, with knowledge of the inquiry, tells CNN it's been under way for more than six months.
The Pennsylvania Republican, a 20-year veteran of the House, was already in a neck-and-neck race to keep his seat and acknowledged this investigation will hurt him, but he calls the timing -- three weeks before election day -- suspect.
WELDON: Assuming the Democrats will win control of the Congress, I think it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that this district could swing control of the Congress.
BASH: Even before the investigation became public, Democrats were using this issue against him. A flyer mailed to voters in his Pennsylvania district last week says Weldon helped get clients for his daughter.
Weldon also blamed Melanie Sloan, the head of a liberal-leaning watchdog group, for spurring the issue. Sloan did file a complaint with the FBI, but that was years ago when the questions were first raised by "The Los Angeles Times".
MELANIE SLOAN, CITIZENS FOR RESPONSIBILITY AND ETHICS: We don't control what the Justice Department does. The Justice Department is investigating Curt Weldon, and I can't force the Justice Department to do anything.
BASH: Weldon did acknowledge, under questioning, the Justice Department is run by a Republican administration.
WELDON: Well, I understand that. I'm not stupid. You know. And that's -- I mean, you know, I may have offended some people. I've been known to do that.
BASH (on camera): Weldon insists there's no need for this investigation because he took documents to the House Ethics Committee 2 1/2 years ago to prove he did nothing wrong and thought the case was closed. A call to that committee to confirm that was not returned.
Dana Bash, CNN, Capitol Hill.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: Now the Mark Foley page scandal. Is it just the tip of the iceberg on Capitol Hill?
Michigan Democrat Dale Kildee says the House Page Board is now discussing other allegations of improper conduct involving teenage pages. Kildee won't say whether the claims involve Republicans or Democrats, lawmakers or other staff members, just that they don't involve Foley.
Kildee's also irked that House Republicans didn't tell him there were questions about Foley before the scandal went public.
The Foley scandal isn't first and foremost on the minds of voters. A new CNN poll by Opinion Research Corporation asked Americans what topics are extremely important to how they vote. Terrorism and Iraq were tied at the top, followed by the economy, North Korea, and then the Foley case.
Now as we head into the midterm elections, stay up to date with the CNN political ticker. The daily service gives you an inside view of the day's political stories. See for yourself at CNN.com/ticker.
PHILLIPS: North Korea celebrates a national anniversary, but it's no party for the rest of the world, especially North Korea's neighbor and only ally. We'll talk to an expert straight ahead in the NEWSROOM.
LEMON: Plus, it is that time of the year again, but there is a little snag this flu season. Ahead in the NEWSROOM what you need to know about protecting your little ones from the flu.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: There's a new drug for people with type 2 diabetes. Januvia goes on sale today. The Food and Drug Administration says it works as well as older drugs but with fewer side effects. It triggers the body to make more insulin while signaling the liver to stop making glucose.
Cost could be an issue for some patients. Januvia is expected to cost from $3-6 a day, while other diabetes drugs can cost just 50 cents a day.
PHILLIPS: And if you've got a toddler who needs a flu shot, listen up. The company that makes the vaccine says it may be three weeks, actually, before you'll be able to get it.
We're talking about the injectible type of the flu vaccine, for children 3 and younger.
The company says it's taking longer than expected to produce it, but it should be available well before the peak of the season. That's usually between December and March.
LEMON: The Dow got within three points of the 12,000 mark yesterday, but it looks like it's moving in the wrong direction today. Let's head out to the floor of the New York Stock Exchange and our very own Susan Lisovicz. She's among all those -- there she is, right there among all the traders right on the floor.
How you doing today, Susan?
(STOCK REPORT)
LEMON: Oh, that's all right, we're going to actually -- we're going to hang with you.
SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: OK.
LEMON: You can yell out anything. Nobody's paying attention to you there if you yell stuff on the floor?
LISOVICZ: I thought I heard voices in my ear.
LEMON: It happens.
LISOVICZ: It could be something else. It could be aliens for all I know.
LEMON: It happens to me all the time. Don't worry about it.
PHILLIPS: That's voices in our head.
LEMON: Oh, OK. All right, sorry. Thank you, Susan.
PHILLIPS: All right. We want to check in with T.J. Holmes. He's got details, rather, on a developing story out of San Antonio -- T.J.
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: While you guys are getting all those voices out of your head, check out these pictures. Actually, we're going to show you.
We don't have any details about exactly what's happening or what happened. But you can look for yourself exactly what happened. This is a train that no doubt went off the tracks. This is in San Antonio. This is not a passenger train, as you can see. This is a freight train, but it has derailed near San Antonio, Texas.
It cut through an area here. It looked like there were houses and a couple of buildings or whatnot around. It looks like one of those cars -- our shot is moving around for us there, but one of the cars looked like it actually hit a home and might have gone into a home.
We have been told that at least there have not been any injuries reported with this, thank goodness. But seeing one of those -- one of those cars come off that track and go into a home, as it appears, right into the back yard there on the left of your screen, that light home.
Looks like the thing jumped off and went right into that house. We've counted here, looking at these live pictures, at least upwards of 15 of these things that have jumped off the tracks there.
But again, this is near San Antonio, Texas. Again, no injuries reported. Don't believe there are any injuries.
Also, whatever's being carried on this train, officials don't believe there are any spills or anything associated with it. But just some remarkable pictures to see this thing, looked like it was cutting through a neighborhood or an area there in San Antonio, Texas, or near San Antonio, Texas. And these cars, for whatever reason, just start jumping off the tracks. Again about 15, at least we counted, looked like they had gone off. And one of them looked like it actually went into a home.
So we're keeping our eye on these live pictures. Going to try to get more details about possibly what happened. But we'll keep an eye on it for you guys. Back to you.
PHILLIPS: Thanks, T.J.
LEMON: T.J. has got live pictures for you, and we've got some live pictures for you, as well.
Go-getter gets a green light in Washington. Let's take a look here now. This is Mary Peters. She's sworn in -- being sworn in as the secretary of transportation.
Let's give you some background on the Bush administration's newest cabinet member. She comes from Arizona, where she once headed the state transportation department. She was named to the Federal Highway Administration in 2001. And now she'll oversea a budget of more than $60 billion.
We've also got to mention that Harley Davidson fans are probably squealing with delight. Peters is an avoid motorcyclist. There you go.
PHILLIPS: All right, a little rebellion in her. I love it.
LEMON: There she is on her Harley. Check that out, in a pink suit.
PHILLIPS: That's great. That's fabulous.
LEMON: We'll have to see if she takes her hog to the Hill. What do you think?
PHILLIPS: My guess is she probably will.
LEMON: She probably will.
PHILLIPS: She's going to show her power.
LEMON: All right, we'll move on. Testing...
PHILLIPS: Go ahead.
LEMON: Testing the world's patience and maybe a whole lot more. Suspicious signs out of North Korea today as Pyongyang celebrates a communist milestone. We'll tell you more straight ahead in the CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Well, a family of four gunned down Friday on the side of Florida's turnpike. The investigation now stretches all the way to Texas.
CNN's Susan Candiotti is in Miami with the latest.
What's the connection, Susan?
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's the question, isn't it? Searching for a motive, looking for the killer. And that is why in part, authorities from Saint Lucie County, Florida, have fanned out from Florida to Brownsville, Texas. That is where the Escobedo family of four moved from, were living, before they came to Florida in June of last year.
They're going to be talking to family members, to friends, to try to get more of their background to see if, in fact, they had any enemies. What did they know about their life there? And why they moved to Florida.
The family has told the Brownsville police that they were surprised by the Escobedo's decision to move to Florida last June. And so along with -- in Texas, rather, Mrs. Escobedo was the apparent breadwinner, say police. She worked at a department store. Her husband was said to have done odd jobs.
In Florida, they rented a home where the rent costs them reportedly more than $1600 a month. Remember, authorities in Florida have not revealed to us exactly what this couple did for a living. But that is just one way of trying to find out who knew them there, who knew them here, did anyone harbor any ill will against them?
Now, police suspect that the killer was in the Jeep -- that drove the family to their death on the side of the Florida turnpike predawn Friday. That Jeep was discovered, you know, yesterday. Currently, authorities are going over it, looking for evidence, blood, hair, clothing fibers, fingerprints, possibly, from the killer who allegedly drove this Jeep away and then abandoned it about 10 miles away from where the family lived, about 70 miles south of where the bodies were found there on the Florida turnpike.
In a couple of hours from now, the St. Lucie County sheriff's office will be holding a press briefing to update us on the status of its investigation -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right, as soon as that live news conference takes place, we'll take it live. And we'll talk again, Susan, thanks.
LEMON: Punishment or provocation? So far, U.N. sanctions have only made North Korea more aggressive and put its more powerful ally, probably its only ally, on the spot. Let's get some insight from James Lilley, former U.S. ambassador to both China and South Korea.
My first question: We've tried sanctions with Fidel Castro, we've tried them with Saddam Hussein. It seems like the only people who suffer in all of this, are the people in the country. Do sanctions really, really work?
JAMES LILLEY, FMR. U.S. AMBASSADOR TO CHINA, S.KOREA: I would say 90 percent of the time they don't work, but the solution in this case is not sanctions, it's the slow, relentless pressure that China can turn on North Korea -- outside of sanctions. What South Korea can do to North Korea -- outside of sanctions. What other countries do. That's where the real leverage comes in.
LEMON: You said slow, relentless pressure from China. Explain that to China. Because China is really the linchpin in all this aren't they?
LILLEY: Well, go back to 2004. They moved two military divisions up to the North Korean border and the military's taken over that border, and reports directly to the center in Beijing. They're monitoring most all the trucks -- they've admitted this -- that go up towards the North Korean border and in Manchuria. I think they've begin to construct a fence.
They sent -- now this is symbolic, they sent their -- China sent their military minister of defense to South Korea, and North Korea. He spent five days in South Korea, three in North Korea. He sees the president in South Korea. He sees the number two in North Korea. It's a game. It's a slow, relentless game that turns pressure on North Korea.
LEMON: OK, you said slow, relentless. Isn't there -- let's look at the time factor in all of this. Because most, I guess, common wisdom will say if sanctions are going to work, if they're going to work, it's going to work from the beginning. Now, is that the reason, and also the challenge for Condoleezza Rice's visit to that region?
LILLEY: No, Condoleezza's trying to get harmony between us and our friends and allies in Asia, namely South Korea, Japan and China. This is what she's looking for.
The tradeoff essentially is this. They have a different timetable than we have. They say, we can move relentlessly towards North Korea, South Korea and China can do, and eventually change will come and the nukes will get -- we'll get rid of them because we'll take over and throw them in the Pacific Ocean.
We say, you've got to stop proliferation now because they're capable of putting these in the hands of terrorists, through their triad and mafia networks.
LEMON: You say stop proliferation, but in this case it appears they already have a nuclear weapon. So how does this even play into that, it seems that they have it already?
LILLEY: If they have a nuclear weapon and they keep it in North Korea, that is a secondary concern. The primary concern is they take that weapon, or dirty bomb, or chemical weapons and put them into the hands of terrorists or use them against us. That's must stop.
LEMON: Let's talk about that. You don't think in some way on the flip side this might incite Kim Jong-Il to get money? Because, obviously, we're imposing these sanctions against him, to get money from the highest bidder for those weapons? LILLEY: I don't think -- look, he's been doing it for years, he's been selling narcotics, counterfeit money, missiles, everything else to anybody who will buy them. To do this is right down his alley. It's not because we insulted him. It's because he has to do it to survive.
LEMON: Let's talk about -- we asked one of our reporters this earlier -- let's talk about possibly a second round of testing. Why? Why would he do this in light of all these sanctions, all these countries who are saying "don't do this anymore"?
LILLEY: Because this is Mr. Defiance. He's thumbing his nose at the world. He's going to do this, get his people mobilized. He's going to appeal to all his Third World friends in Iran, Venezuela, Castro in Cuba, Shahar (ph) in Sudan, these are his people. He's saying, I can stand up. This is my nuke. It's a show.
The question is, is this going to cause a different change in the strategic balance, if he shoots off another weapon? He's doing it because he's trying to perfect his nuclear weapons. The first one apparently didn't go off very well, so he's got to do another test. I don't think this makes that much difference.
LEMON: Here's what I'm hearing from people on the other side, and I'm sure you've heard it as well. We can have a nuclear weapon and other countries can have nuclear access, why not North Korea?
LILLEY: Because they joined the nuclear proliferation treaty. They joined the IAEA. And then they broke away. If you want North Korea to have them, how would you like to have Iran have them? And Saudi Arabia, and Egypt? All these countries get them? It has to be stopped now. We have to make a clear message it can't go ahead. And we have to block him proliferating these weapons to other states.
LEMON: Mr. Lilley, we have to run soon, but I want to ask you, what do you think can be accomplished, or will be accomplished from the secretary's trip?
LILLEY: It's the first step of 1,000-mile journey. She's going down this journey. It is not a quick fix in anyway. You have to set this up and push through with common interests of your friend and allies. We adjusting to them, they adjusting to us. And it seems to me she's starting on this journey, don't look for any quick results.
LEMON: James Lilley, former U.S. ambassador to both China and South Korea, we thank you for joining us today in the CNN NEWSROOM.
LILLEY: My pleasure.
PHILLIPS: Well, it could be a newborn, it could be an immigrant, whoever it is, his or her arrival in the U.S. marks the milestone and made the country a just a little more crowded. Details coming up.
LEMON: Plus, Texas-sized storms have moved on, but not so for the floods. The latest ahead, in the CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Let's head straight to the NEWSROOM. T.J. Holmes has a developing story. South Carolina, T.J.?
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR, CNN NEWSROOM: Yes, Don, we have a lot of questions still need to be answered here. But we have an important answer and that is an Amber Alert has been cancelled in South Carolina for a 14-year-old pregnant girl, who police say was abducted from her home at about 6:45 this morning.
This was Patricia Figueroa, the 14-year-old girl. Police believe she was taken by that man on the right, Jerson Lopez. Police are saying they believe he is an ex of hers there was some relationship, but they don't have any details on that.
They both have been located. Jerson Lopez, right now, is in custody of the Dorchester County Sheriff's Department.
She went missing from her North Charleston home. Again, police say she was abducted by this man this morning from her home in North Charleston. They were found apparently a short time ago in North Charleston, as well. Apparently they didn't go too far.
There were some fears by police that maybe he was trying to flee with her to Florida. But again, taken from North Charleston this morning, found in North Charleston, this afternoon in South Carolina.
So still a lot of things need to be answered here. A lot of questions still, but at least, all important, that the 14-year-old is fine at this point, is in police custody or, rather is with the police. She is being questioned. But, again, Jerson Lopez is in custody right now. A lot more answers, we're going to try to get them for you -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right, T.J., thank you.
Call it people power. The population of the United States officially hit 300 million just about six hours ago. No one knows who, specifically, is the 300th million. But CNN Senior Correspondent Allan Chernoff met one possible candidate. Joins me live from New York.
Oh, Allan.
ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN SR. CORRESPONDENT, CNN NEWSROOM: That's exactly right, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Yes. Do you get to pick up any of the babies?
CHERNOFF: Not yet, actually, I'll leave that for mom and dad. But we certainly did have a mini baby boom here at the New York Presbyterian Hospital in New York. There were actually 15 babies born last night and this morning. All of them potentially vying to be possibly the 300th millionth American. But it was this beautiful baby, baby Zoe, that actually came out at 7:46 a.m.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHERNOFF (voice over): Zoe Emille Hudson, announcing her arrival into the world. At 7:46 this morning, Zoe left the comfort of her mom's womb, which theoretically means Zoe could be the 300 millionth person in the country. The proud papa, Garvin Hudson.
GARVIN HUDSON, NEW FATHER: We had no idea coming in that this was going to happen, obviously, we're just here to have our baby delivered so -- it's added excitement.
CHERNOFF: The Census Bureau says a new baby is born in the U.S. about every seven seconds. So Zoe has company. A few other babies around the country may have the same claim to fame.
Doctor Georges Silvestre, a Canadian, planning to become a U.S. citizen, delivered Zoe.
DR. GEORGES SILVESTRE, NEW YORK PRESBYTERIAN HOSPITAL: Actually, I'm very proud of it. Since I'm applying myself with citizenship it feels very special. And she's beautiful.
CHERNOFF: Zoe is second generation American. Her dad's family hails from Jamaica and her mother Maria's family is from Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. That makes Zoe not only a notable baby, but one that is a true reflection the melting pot that brought the United States to the 300 million mark.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHERNOFF: Zoe weighs in at 7 pounds, 3 ounces. She's got two older sisters, seven and nine. They cannot wait to meet her. Guess what? Mom and dad are now talking about having number four. And since Zoe was born this morning, we have another 2,000 Americans. So that's how quickly that population keeps on growing.
PHILLIPS: When does Zoe get to go home?
CHERNOFF: Well, Zoe is doing just fine so should be able to go home in a couple of days, no problem. She came out right on time, very easy delivery by C-section.
PHILLIPS: Oh, Allan --
LEMON: Allan, they won't let you pick her up?
CHERNOFF: Well, I want to get mom and dad's permission.
PHILLIPS: That's a good idea.
LEMON: She's adorable. Did you see those little toes?
PHILLIPS: Make sure they save the newspaper from today. Seriously. It's history here. Who's crying?
CHERNOFF: Somebody's -- oh, Zoe's next door neighbor.
LEMON: You causing trouble in the nursery there, Allan?
PHILLIPS: What's that baby's name, do we know?
CHERNOFF: Let's see? Well --
LEMON: Should be on the side, right?
CHERNOFF: Well, the last name is Conti, but I actually can't see the first name right here.
PHILLIPS: All right.
CHERNOFF: But I'm shaking -- as you see?
PHILLIPS: You're rocking the baby, it's all better.
CHERNOFF: Daddy's touch no problem. All under control.
PHILLIPS: Allan Chernoff, look at that. He's a great reporter --
CHERNOFF: Another one.
PHILLIPS: Oh, uh-oh.
CHERNOFF: There we go.
LEMON: Man. He's not afraid. Look at that. I like the smock, Allan, too.
(LAUGHTER)
LEMON: Thank you, sir.
PHILLIPS: Thanks, Allan.
LEMON: Let's move on. They're cleaning up in and around Texas after terrible, terrible weather that left at least four people dead. The biggest problem was flooding after relentless downpours. At least three people were found dead in submerged vehicles. Yesterday's storms also spawned tornadoes that destroyed several homes but apparently didn't hurt anybody.
Let's head over to the Weather Center. The weather system is on the move. Jacqui Jeras is tracking it for us.
(WEATHER REPORT)
PHILLIPS: In Hawaii, still some rattled nerves but only a few signs of major damage after Sunday's 6.7 earthquake off the Big Island. Crews are repairing roads and cleaning debris. And a few homes were shaken off their foundations. And an historic church was left barely standing. Several schools and other structures are closed, pending inspections.
Still, a bad scene in Buffalo. Thousands of homes and businesses are still without power after last week's snowstorm, and may not get it back until Sunday. At least five deaths are blamed on the storm and most schools are still closed. About 150 members of the National Guard are helping get that region moving again and ready for winter.
When weather becomes news, you can become a CNN correspondent. If you see severe weather happening, send us an I-Report. Go to cnn.com and click on I-Report or type in "I-Report" at cnn.com on your cell phone, and share your photos or video with us.
LEMON: You can't buy love, but what about preferential treatment? The latest on Madonna's Malawi adoption controversy ahead in the CNN NEWSROOM
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Well, her outfits, her lyrics, her stage antics, she's got the beat, Madonna's no stranger to controversy.
LEMON: Nor she hopes for the 1-year-old Malawian boy she's trying to adopt. Some in the boy's home country say the pop diva is getting preferential treatment. Nonetheless, she's taken him across the borderline, as our Paula Hancocks reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT, CNN NEWSROOM (voice over): Whisked through London's Heathrow Airport, the baby, who last week was just another of Africa's orphans. He's now part of Madonna's world of wealth and celebrity.
One-year-old David Banda, with a bodyguard and police protection, swaps poverty in rural Malawi for the pop star's Central London mansion.
Pop Star Madonna and her film director husband, Guy Ritchie, say they've been given temporary custody of little David and plan on adopting him. But human rights groups in Malawi are taking legal action, claiming Madonna's adoption application has been legally fast- tracked.
Malawian law prohibits adoptions by nonresidents, typically people who want to adopt must spend 18 months in the country being evaluated by child welfare workers. But Madonna was granted custody of baby David last week, due to what her lawyers called, quote, "special circumstances". Human rights organizations are furious Madonna has been allowed to take David out of Malawi.
If David goes, and then we proceed with this case, and then the court agrees with us, we have no alterative but to bring David back, and that is more disturbing because a new life would have begun for David.
HANCOCKS: Some charities are delighted Madonna has publicized the plight of some 900,000 orphans in Malawi.
MADONNA: Food and water -- and education. HANCOCKS: Madonna has pledged $3 million to help Malawi's orphans and her charity, Raising Malawi, is setting up an orphans' center.
HANNAH PERRY, HEAT MAGAZINE: She's been setting up orphanages over there. She's been doing a lot of work over there. And she does say that she will take that baby back to understand its culture, to understand his roots. And I think you have to bear that in mind.
HANCOCKS (on camera): Adoption experts now say that Madonna and Guy Ritchie will face a tough process of checks before they're formally allowed to adopt the one-year-old. That process could take up to 2 years to complete. Paula Hancocks, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: We're going to talk more about your trip to Malawi. Right?
LEMON: You were wondering if they even knew who Madonna was. You'd be surprised. Still, also, very dire living conditions that we'll go deeper inside.
PHILLIPS: Sounds good. That's coming up.
John Mark Karr cleared in the JonBenet Ramsey case, off the hook, too, for unrelated child porn charges. Well he dropped police -- he dropped after police in California lost the evidence. That case was dropped, rather.
LEMON: Now Karr's out of jail and getting on with his life, but he'll never be just another guy, even though he told our Larry King that's all he wants.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN MARK KARR: I have a clean record. I've never been convicted of a crime.
LARRY KING, CNN ANCHOR, LARRY KING LIVE: You're going to go back and live in Atlanta?
KARR: I am. I'm going to go back and live in Atlanta, hold my head high, spend some time with my dad, my dad's a World War II vet. He's 85 --
KING: Do you want to teach again?
KARR: I might, you know --
KING: Don't you think it would be hard for you, though?
KARR: I don't know. I'm the kind of person who -- I believe America's a wonderful country and that people are innocent until proved guilty and I haven't been proved guilty of anything. And I have a right to pursue what I want to pursue. At this time, though, I'm not really -- it's not something that's of interest to me.
KING: In all fairness, though, John, and you don't have to comment, there were many reports that you did confess to a crime, which is what caused the whole hoopla to begin with, that's why there were all the photographers. That's why there was the insanity over the plane trip. You had said you did something. If you hadn't said you did something, you -- don't you think you created the story?
KARR: Well, I think that I have multiple opinions on who created the story --
KING: You were part of it --
KARR: Well, you know, the story -- that was certainly something that still disgusts me. I want to be John Mark Karr, the unknown.
LEMON: But he's still doing interviews.
PHILLIPS: A lot of controversy over the fact he's been doing interviews, and that he was on our air. We got a lot of e-mails from viewers. We'll share those throughout the newscast.
LEMON: One thing I want to say, is he says he thinks he's going to be the target of law enforcement in the future, so we'll see.
PHILLIPS: I think a lot of people would probably want to go after him.
Other stuff straight ahead.
LEMON: Condoleezza Rice on her way to Asia.
PHILLIPS: North Korea talking about a declaration of war. The latest on the crisis from the NEWSROOM.
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