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Madoff Scams Hollywood Celebs; Israel Will Not Agree to Temporary Ceasefire; Pedal Power to Light up Times Square
Aired December 31, 2008 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They are firing missiles at our civilians. They're hiding behind their civilians. That's a double war crime right there.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The (INAUDIBLE) are using the most developed weapons against Israel and they are blaming the Palestinians for defending themselves.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Opposites detract. Israel and Hamas, steadfast in their stances. It's the other guy is to blame.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): I have been detained for trying to commit a suicide attack.
WHITFIELD: The new face of terror in Afghanistan, young boys recruited by fanatics for missions they often don't understand.
And covering his assets. Accused scam king Bernie Madoff listing what's left of the billions investors gave him.
Hello again, everyone, I'm Fredricka Whitfield, live in the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta. And you're in the CNN NEWSROOM.
Israel and Hamas -- letting their weapons do the talking for a fifth straight day. Hamas managed to launch more than 50 rockets and mortar shells into Israel today. Israeli leaders say that's proof that there's no point in talking ceasefire just yet. The military is still hitting Hamas targets from the air and the sea. They've also sent more soldiers and tanks to the border.Weather that could complicate a ground invasion that could clear up tomorrow.
Israel said it would let 2,000 tons of food and supplies into Gaza today. The U.N. plans to take in supplies tomorrow. A U.N. worker said there is no fuel or electricity in the territory right now.
So, yesterday's talk of a possible ceasefire, obviously, that was just talk. Let's go to our senior international correspondent Nic Robertson. He's in Jerusalem.
So Nick, why is the Israeli government saying no ceasefire at least, not right now? NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, what they've been saying is, that they want a deal -- a new ceasefire with Hamas that will work. That will mean that Hamas won't fire anymore missiles. And what we've heard from the prime minister today is that as long as Hamas keeps firing the missiles, which is what they've been doing over the past few days indeed, firing a new missile that goes further than any of their previous rockets, going about 30 miles. That this is the basis that the Israeli government is not willing to countenance a ceasefire.
A proposal was put forward by the French foreign minister -- the defense minister here was considering it. He discussed it with the primate minister, the foreign minister late last night. There seems to be a wider discussion among other members of the Israeli Security Cabinet. But, the prime minister very clearly today, coming out and saying, look, we're going to continue with this operation. Our stated goal is to stop Hamas firing the missiles. They're continuing to do it. So we're going to continue pressing the offensive against Hamas -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: And what, Nic, is the latest on the firing of artillery?
ROBERTSON: Well, missiles and rockets have been fired today. Hamas has fired about 50 rockets so far today. And missiles have been fired targeting the tunnel complex that the Israeli government says Hamas uses to get weapons, parts, parts from their rockets from Egypt, under their border with Egypt to the southern end of Gaza into the Gaza strip. Those have been targeted by Israeli missiles today.
Also, the office of the prime minister, Ismail Haniya, the Hamas prime minister. His office has been targeted and there's been a warning given to Palestinians who live around the home of another Hamas leader in Gaza. That they should move away, because he also is going to be targeted.
So Israel continuing to target the Hamas leaders, Hamas infrastructure. But it does seem that they've sort of run out of the bigger Hamas government building-type targets. Those rockets that have been fired by Hamas, falling in Basheva (ph), which is about 30 miles east of the Gaza strip. These missiles going the longest distance. But, some of them also hitting some of those towns much closer to the Gaza strip, as well -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right. Nic Robertson, thanks so much for that update.
Well, the United Nations is calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East. A particular concern, the tremendous toll on civilians. That was one topic taken up at a news conference today at U.N. Headquarters in New York.
CNN's Richard Roth is there -- Richard.
RICHARD ROTH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Hi, Fredricka. U.N. humanitarian officials briefing the press. They don't really have new accurate casualty totals. It's very hard to assess the situation there. But they know that attacks are continuing on both sides.
U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, working the phone, doing whatever is possible to diplomatically try to do something to stop the crisis. Of course, the Secretary General was upset earlier this week that other peace partners from western countries, and those in the Middle East, were not doing enough. But there's been widespread calls for a ceasefire. No one's really been agreeing to it yet.
The CNN -- the senior humanitarian official John Holmes, telling the press in rather blunt language his assessment of the effects and damage of Israel's assault in Gaza so far.
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JOHN HOLMES, U.N. UNDER SECRETARY-GENERAL: This is a very bloody operation by anybody's standards, even by the standards of that part of the world. And it's hard to exaggerate the degree of constant fear, I think, felt by those in Gaza, in particular as the attacks continue every 20 minutes or so in many cases both during the day and during the night. And of course, there is stress on the Israeli side, too, because of the constant threat of rockets which are continuing to fall and falling in new towns and cities as the range increases.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROTH: The U.N. official expressed frustration that neither side has complied with a call for a 24-48 hour ceasefire. He said he was disappointed, Fredricka, they're in need, as we heard from Nic, of food and fuel. Hospitals have had blackouts. They need cash to bring in the food in. It's a very messy situation.
Here at the U.N., they're pretty much on hold. Arab League Ambassadors held a meeting. I think they're looking for some type of message and signal from a meeting in Cairo, going on as to how aggressive they're going to pursue the diplomatic tract here at the security council.
Back to you.
WHITFIELD:: All right. Richard Roth, in what appears to be a snowy New York there at the U.N.
Thanks so much. Appreciate it.
All right. Some Arab leaders say Palestinians could actually have prevented the attacks if they were unified. The Arab League has begun an emergency meeting in Cairo. Saudi Arabia's foreign minister said the terrible massacre would not have happened if the Palestinians were united behind one leadership. His comments reflect some Arab governments' anger at Hamas. Iran's president also spoke at the meeting. He said the league must act fast to stop the attacks on Gaza, but he didn't offer any ideas.
The pro-Israeli demonstrators in the streets of Miami. Take a look. Just one example of numerous protests in U.S. cities, both for and against the Israeli military action attacks Hamas militants.
This is the (AUDIO GAP) first announced the Israeli air strikes there. Now, in the fifth day, protests also have been held in New York, Florida and as we mentioned Miami; Ohio, California and other states, as well.
All right. Later on this hour, we're going to open up this story just a bit more. CNN's Paula Hancocks reports from the Israel border with Gaza. She'll talk about the targets Israel is shooting for and show us why aide workers say that the help for Gaza's people just isn't meeting the need. And CNN's Chris Lawrence will show us how the fighting is lighting a fire under protesters right here. More on that in the U.S.
All right. Senate Democrats say it's nothing personal. But they're not going to let Roland Burris take a seat in the U.S. Senate. Burris was appointed yesterday, by Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich, who has been accused of trying to sell that seat.
CNN's Ed Lavendera reports.
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ED LAVENDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Just when you thought that the case of Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich couldn't get any stranger, it has.
(voice-over): The chutzpah shocks even the most passionate critics of Governor Rod Blagojevich.
GOV. ROD BLAGOJEVICH (D), ILLINOIS: To not fill the vacancy would deprive the people of Illinois of two United States senators. To deprive the people of Illinois of their appropriate voice and votes in the United States Senate.
LAVENDERA: Blagojevich's lawyer had said the governor would not fill Illinois' vacant senator seat. But there he is now, scandal- tainted governor standing by the stick to become the next Illinois senator, Roland Burris.
BLAGOJEVICH: Please, do not allow the allegations against me to taint this good and honest man.
LAVENDERA: Burris is a former Illinois Attorney General who ran against Blagojevich for governor in 2002. The two quickly became friends. Burris was a key member of the governor's transition team. Some Illinois Republicans describe Burris as a Blagojevich-crony who has spent years working as a lobbyist. Between his wife, his firm and himself, he's donated about $15,000 to Blagojevich's campaigns.
ROLAND BURRIS (D), FORMER ILLINOIS ATTORNEY GENERAL: The evidence that's been presented is pretty appalling.
LAVENDERA: But just a few weeks ago, Burris said the governor should be removed from office. He's not saying that anymore. BURRIS: I am humbled to have the opportunity and promise the citizens that I will dedicate my utmost effort as a United States Senator.
LAVENDERA: The appointment sent shock waves across political circles in Illinois, many exclaiming dismay, outrage. And one Republican official says, the governor is a very confused person.
LT. GOV. PAT QUINN (D), ILLINOIS: It's time that he get the message the people of Illinois will not tolerate the antics any longer.
JAY STEWART, ILLINOIS BETTER GOVT. ASSOCIATION: This is really to some degree, the theater of the absurd. This is Governor Blagojevich snubbing his nose at the rest of the world.
LAVENDERA (on camera): And just when you thought Tuesday's press conference couldn't get any stranger, then Illinois Congressman Bobby Rush, an African-American emerged from the crowd to say that he would support Burris' appointment because he'd be the only African-American in the Senate. And then as he left, the Governor of Illinois said, don't lynch the appointer.
Ed Lavandera, CNN, Dallas.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Well, despite heavy opposition from his would-be Senate colleagues, Roland Burris is making the media rounds trying to rally public support for his appointment. CNN's Christine Romans interviewed him on "AMERICAN MORNING."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: In normal circumstances this would be a dream appointment for you. You're someone who has served your state. You are a history-making government official in the state of Illinois. You were the first African-American elected to office in that state. Yet, today, there is this firestorm of criticism about this particular appointment. Now this dream appointment must put you in a very uncomfortable position.
ROLAND BURRIS, FORMER ILLINOIS ATTORNEY GENERAL: Well, it doesn't because, I don't look upon the governor's problems as my problems. I look upon the governor's problems as his problems. He'll have to deal with that, and the governor is still the governor of Illinois.
And as a former attorney general of the state, I would, you know, state that you are innocent in our judicial system until you are proven guilty, and I don't see where the governor has been found guilty of anything. And that will take its course in the court of law, and he has to deal with that.
But the fact of him appointing me is an altogether separate situation. And no one will answer the question of whether or not the appointment is legal.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Roland Burris says Illinois will be shortchanged, if he's not seated, with only have one vote in the Senate.
After a deadly series of avalanches in western Canada, one of the survivors is finally able to talk about the ordeal. He says the decision to leave his buddies was gut-wrenching. Jeff Adams was one of 11 friends snowmobiling in the Canadian Rockies Sunday and about 550 miles east of Vancouver.
He was among three survivors. The body of the eighth and final victim was found yesterday. Adams spoke to reporters today in Sparwood, British Columbia.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEFF ADAMS, AVALANCHE SURVIVOR: And as I turned and looked at the mountain, the whole center of the mountain came down, burying everything again. So, we just decided that our best bet was to keep walking. I kept asking Jeremy what time it was, because I knew if the 911 call worked, then it wouldn't be long for a helicopter.
The helicopter, we could see it circling around the slide area. For about five minutes, it started coming down the valley towards us. We thought everything was going to be OK, and then it went away from us. So we decided just to keep walking. We were trying to find a cabin.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Well, all 11 snowmobilers lived in Sparwood. The mayor there says they were all skilled outdoorsman.
Well, he is accused of bilking investors out of billions, but how much money might Bernie Madoff have stashed away? Victims may find out today.
And out with the old and in with the new. Millions of people around the world getting a head start on 2009.
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WHITFIELD: It was a big bang or should we say flair and fireworks flaring as well as Auckland, New Zealand ushered in 2009. It's always the first big world city to bring -- ring in, rather, the new year. And then just two hours later, Aussies said g'day to '09. A record crowd came out to admire the light show over the Sydney Harbor bridge.
And then Hong Kong soon followed with its own flashy fireworks. At the stroke of midnight, Victoria Harbor exploded in color and light, the fireworks rigged to shoot from the skyscrapers, as you see there. All right. On to New York soon. You're looking at live pictures of the party preparations in a snowy Times Square. It is expected to be frigid along with those snow flurries tonight. Those crowds will have to huddle up close for the ball to drop.
And right there with them huddled up, our own Anderson Cooper and his new year's sidekick Kathy Griffin. They're kicking off the CNN party live at 11 p.m. Eastern this evening. You want to tune in for that.
All right. Upstate New York is getting blasted by winter weather as well, and that's made for a very dangerous start to new year's celebrations. Snow is being blamed for multiple car accidents in Buffalo already. A winter weather advisory is in place for the region and up through northern New England as well.
And wind is the big issue in some mid-Atlantic states and the D.C. metro area. You can see the damage right here of -- as a result of the wind gusts there. With wind speeds up to 60 miles an hour possible, several cities' fireworks shows are also in doubt now.
And it'll be nasty at least this evening for a lot of party people. We know that's going to be the case. But you know what? I have a feeling, Chad, bad weather is not going to stop a lot of party people.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, I don't think, so because it is 2:18, and let's go back to that shot from New York City.
WHITFIELD: Yes, things could change.
MYERS: Let's go back to New York City.
WHITFIELD: Let's look at those snow flurries.
MYERS: An hour ago, Fred, those people were not standing there. I hope they don't have ten hours, basically, to stand there.
WHITFIELD: No, they cannot hang out.
MYERS: Maybe they're in line for TKTS (ph). I don't now, maybe they're trying to get a half-price ticket for tonight. I don't know. But they weren't there an hour and a half ago.
WHITFIELD: Oh, my gosh.
MYERS: And I don't know. I don't know. I could stand there maybe an hour, but, if you get there that late, you're not going to get a good place. You're going to be all the way up by Central Park anyway.
WHITFIELD: So, then, I guess they will be hanging out. They've got their thermoses with their hot cocoa or hot something, toddies or whatever.
MYERS: (LAUGHTER) I was going to say, keep going. WHITFIELD: Yeah, I know, probably not hot cocoa. (LAUGHTER) They're going to be hanging out all day until tonight. They want that key spot.
MYERS: And the wind chill, Fred, wind chill is going to be cold. We're going to be like five degrees above zero all day. It's still snowing in Boston right now, but the big story I think are the wind gusts here. We've had winds over 60 miles per hour at times.
They're dying off a little bit now, but we've had a couple reports of tree limbs down and some trees down, mainly dead trees and the like, but you know, hey, if one tree down makes your power go off, it doesn't matter whether it's dead or alive. And there's your wind chill factors for the rest of the night for New York City proper. Same story for Boston.
About five degrees warmer for Philadelphia and another ten degrees warmer than this for Washington, D.C. It will be the wind, the wind 25 to 35 miles per hour. Had some higher gusts, but those are the gusts. They're not sustained winds like that.
It's going to be in the 30s and 40s across the Southeast, same story in Texas, pretty mild across the West. And the only real snow will be in the Northwest, where it has been so snowy.
I mean, I've just been trying to check the ski resorts out west. Half the ski resorts have half their mountains closed because they're trying to protect the skiers from these potential avalanches. And it's still snowing out there.
JFK, you've had some wind delays, about two hours, San Francisco and Dulles dealing with about 30 minutes to an hour. There's the rest of what's left of the snow. Boston, you're probably going to get two to three more inches and it's done. This is not a huge -- at least not yet -- a huge lake-effect event because of the direction of the wind -- Fred.
WHITFIELD: Wow, severe stuff. All right. Thanks so much, Chad. Appreciate it.
All right. Timekeepers of the world will hit the pause button just before ringing in the new year. A leap second is being added to atomic clocks. The reason? The earth's erratic rotation. That means a 61-second minute leading to the midnight hour.
And could it be a new sign of the times? Robbers getting bolder as the economy heads south?
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WHITFIELD: A very bold smash-and-grab robbery attempt caught on surveillance camera right here in Miami. Thieves crashed their vans into the car wash and tried to make off with the ATM machine on Monday, but they couldn't make a clean getaway. The machine was bolted down.
Police say there was a similar attempt in North Miami just a week ago, but those crooks failed as well.
All right. Some say that it's a worrying trend in these very trying economic times, a spike in bank robberies. Experts say that as money gets tighter, people view banks as safe bets for cash whether they take it out the legal way or not. Here now is Deborah Feyerick.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Near New York City's famed Lincoln Center, a bank robbery takes place here in broad daylight. That same day on busy city streets, this bank is also robbed. So is this one and this one and this one. New York City's top cop, Raymond Kelly, calls Monday's robberies unrelated, admitting, however, they're a part of a growing trend targeting banks.
RAYMOND KELLY, NEW YORK POLICE COMMISSIONER: They've turned into virtual cash machines.
FEYERICK: Bank robberies in the city are up 54 percent from last year, with more than 430 committed since January 2008. The police commissioner says it's not clear yet whether the bad economy is fueling the unusual spike.
KELLY: Banks don't look the way they did five years ago. They look different. They look to some people very inviting as far as just going in, handing a note to the teller and walking out with $3,000 with cash.
FEYERICK: but several former federal agents who investigated bank robberies tell CNN crime goes up when the economy is bad, and desperate people may see banks as a quick fix, especially in light of recent corporate bailouts, says this New Yorker.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If the banks have all this bailout money, probably that's one reason they're thinking that they have money.
FEYERICK: Robberies are up across the country in places like San Diego, Houston and Maryland.
(on camera): Banks seem pretty secure.
MIKE SMITH, PRESIDENT AND CEO, NEW YORK BANKERS ASSN.: They are secure.
FEYERICK (voice-over): The head of the New York Bankers Association is meeting with the NYPD to review bank security and see what more can be done to discourage robbers.
SMITH: Are there enhancements? Obviously. Criminals talk to each other. They know what is going on. But, typically, they are apprehended.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: All right. The New York Police Department says that another factor in all of these robberies: location. The banks hit were all near subway stations, which made for a quick getaway.
All right. Well, when it comes to the stock market, 2008 brought bad times for your wallet, and was chock-full of grim history-making headlines. Stephanie Elam is at the New York Stock Exchange with a look back at the year that took your breath away and perhaps a lot of chunk -- a lot of money, a big chunk out of your nest egg as well.
STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Gave up some coin this year. A lot of people did, Fred. That's definitely for sure. And this will probably go down as maybe the worst financial year most of us have endured. The markets plunged, unemployment soared, home prices tumbled and the financial sector just seized up.
Going into this final day of trading, the Dow Industrials had lost nearly 4,600 points, erased more than a third of their value. It's the third worst year ever for the Dow. The only ones that were worse were well before most of us can remember, 1907 and then 1931.
It's also been a tough year for the tech sector. Nasdaq plunged more than 1,000 points, losing more than 40 percent, and the S&P 500 has lost nearly that much as well. Of course, if you are looking for that proverbial silver lining, we've got a little one. The Dow is actually up nearly 15 percent from the five-year closing low. That was hit on November 20th.
OK, it's a small one, but one nonetheless.
WHITFIELD: We'll take what we can get.
ELAM: Yes, we'll take what we can get today.
Let's take a look at where we are right now. And you know what, Fred? We've got some green on the screen.
WHITFIELD: Oh, that's good.
ELAM: The Dow is up -- yes -- 115 points there, 8782. Nasdaq better by 24 at 1575. So, possibly we'll have a two-day really here. Investors are certainly hoping for a better year in 2009. And we are keeping our fingers crossed...
WHITFIELD: Everyone is.
ELAM: ... for those well wishes out there.
WHITFIELD: Yes.
ELAM: Maybe it will happen, you know?
WHITFIELD: Everyone's hoping.
ELAM: Get some turnaround.
WHITFIELD: Everyone's hoping. Everyone is, you know, has got their fingers crossed hoping for the best in 2009.
ELAM: Definitely.
WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks so much, Stephanie, appreciate it.
ELAM: Thanks, Fred.
WHITFIELD: All right. No ceasefire in the Middle East. Air strikes now in their fifth straight day. Israel says as long as rockets are coming in, talk of a truce, out.
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WHITFIELD: Hello again. I'm Fredricka Whitfield at the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta, and you're in the CNN NEWSROOM.
All right, 32 minutes after the hour here. Here are some of the stories we're working on in the CNN NEWSROOM. Powerful winds have toppled trees and knocked out power in some parts of the nation's capital. Some homes and other buildings have also suffered damage.
And Israel's prime minister vows the air strikes in Gaza will continue until Hamas militants stop rocket attacks against the Jewish nation. Israel has rejected a French call for ceasefire.
Five straight days of conflict now between Hamas and Israel. Hamas keeps firing rockets farther into Israel, Israel keeps pounding targets harder in Gaza, while the Palestinians pay a price. CNN's Paula Hancocks is on the Israeli border.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): It has been a quieter border than we have seen in many days, but certainly the Israeli air strikes are continuing to pound Hamas installations in Gaza, for example, the Hamas leader Ismail Haniya's offices, the Hamas interior ministry. And the Israeli defense forces released video from the cockpit to show them targeting the tunnels once again. These tunnels running from Egypt into Gaza, and the Hamas militants have been using them for a long time now, transporting food and cigarettes and weapons.
And in the opposite direction, the rockets are still being fired. Israel has not managed at this point to dent the militants' capability of reaching Israeli towns and cities, and they are reaching new Israeli towns and cities. Beersheba, almost 40 kilometers from the border with Gaza, is now under rocket attack now, and rockets have been hitting there.
There is no ceasefire, according to Israel. This was a hope for the international community. It was a hope from the French government, saying there needs to be a 48-hour truce so at least humanitarian assistance can get into Gaza for those injured, but Israel says no.
Clearly, the Israeli military not happy with what has it done so far. It wants to achieve more. It wants to try and cripple the Hamas infrastructure in Gaza even more. But the death toll is rising. At least 390, 1,900 injured. This all according to Palestinian medical sources.
And the hospitals are inundated. The hospitals cannot cope in Gaza. Now, we know that Israel has allowed some trucks in, trucks from Oxfam, from Red Cross and the U.N., to allow some medical supplies in to those who are injured, especially the civilians who are being caught up in these air strikes.
But at this point, the aid agencies say it's not enough. Paula Hancocks, CNN, on the Israeli-Gaza border.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Well, it's not clear yet how or even if this figures into the Middle East conflict. But someone shot two Israeli men today at a crowded mall in Denmark. They're both going to be OK. One was shot in the hand, the other in the leg. So far, police do not have a suspect in custody.
The conflict in the Middle East is fueling protests here at home, from Florida to Hawaii. Here now is CNN's Chris Lawrence.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In Los Angeles, one man got into a heated argument when he showed up to support Israel at a pro-Palestinian rally.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: You are killers. You are terrorists.
STEVE PATRICK, ISRAEL SUPPORTER: Oh, I'm a terrorist.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: You are!
LAWRENCE: Steve Patrick says that Hamas started this by firing rockets into Israel.
PATRICK: They have a right to live in peace, and they're not allowed to live in peace.
LAWRENCE: Patrick says Israel should keep targeting Hamas, even if some innocent Palestinians are killed.
PATRICK: I don't see any alternative when they're mixed right in with them.
LAWRENCE: At the same protest, Yossi Khen urged Israel to accept a ceasefire and talk to Hamas.
YOSSI KHEN, CEASEFIRE SUPPORTER: You don't have to like them. I don't like Hamas.
LAWRENCE: Khen is a Californian now, but he grew up outside Tel Aviv, served in the Israeli army and says Israel is wrong to bomb Gaza.
KHEN: Just because Hamas engaged in a war crime, it doesn't mean we that have to do a war crime multiplied by ten.
LAWRENCE: Across the country, tempers flare. Protesters push police barricades. And the fight in Gaza is spilling over into American streets from Miami to Minnesota. And out west in San Francisco, Americans are taking a stand. And no surprise to see a crowd surge outside the White House gates.
UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTERS: Free Palestine!
LAWRENCE: But if the president-elect thought that Hawaii would give him sanctuary, he was wrong. As Barack Obama vacationed in Honolulu, protesters let him know the kind of change they are looking for.
LAWRENCE (on camera): Obviously, passions aren't quite as heated as they are in the Middle East, but clearly, Americans all over the country on both sides are very invested in what happens in Gaza.
Chris Lawrence, CNN, Los Angeles.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: How much and where is it? Two questions the authorities and victims want to know about Bernie Madoff's money. He's expected to actually disclose the full extent of his assets to the Securities and Exchange Commission today. Madoff's allegedly scammed $50 billion from investors.
Among the folks who'd like to take a look at his assets? This couple, actors Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick. The celebrity couple, they're among the latest of Madoff's victims to come forward. They haven't, however, disclosed how much money they actually lost.
And it's a dirty job, but somebody's got to do it. A daunting cleanup awaits in that Tennessee town hit by a billion gallons of sludge. And the first lawsuits? Oh yeah, by the way, they've just been filed.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Researchers believe it may create the building blocks of the future. It is a new material that they are testing that looks like wood, but it won't hurt the environment when it decays. Jacqui Jeras explains in today's "CNN Solutions."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST (voice-over): It's estimated that up to 40 percent of what is found in landfills is building waste material, things like wood that is slow to decay. But researchers at Stanford University say they're developing a renewable material that decays faster and could be an alternative to plastics and wood.
PROF. SARAH BILLINGTON, STANFORD UNIVERSITY: The goal is not to use natural resources that can't be easily replenished, so we're not chopping down trees. JERAS: This artificial wood is made by stacking two different materials: a polymer or plastic extracted from bacteria and a natural, fabric-like hemp. They are layered to the desired thickness, hot pressed and cut. The result, researchers say, is a durable renewable building material that is not made from petroleum.
PROF. CRAIG CRIDDLE, STANFORD UNIVERSITY: There's real reasons to get rid of petrochemical plastics if we can, and to find a biodegradable substitute.
JERAS: And in a landfill, it can produce more methane gas as energy that could eventually be used to make more of the artificial wood. But research is still under way to see whether it's a viable building material.
CRIDDLE: If we can align environmental interests and economic interests so that people can make money and do well for the environment, then we really have something exciting.
JERAS: Jacqui Jeras, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All right. A bad drive last night for the an NBA Hall of Famer. Basketball great Charles Barkley, arrested on suspicion of DUI. He was pulled over after running a stop sign in Scottsdale, Arizona. Barkley declined a breathalyzer at the scene, but allowed blood to be drawn for testing. Police described him as cooperative and respectful throughout.
Barkley has just issued a statement on the arrest, by the way, saying quote, "I am disappointed that I put myself in that situation. The Scottsdale Police were fantastic. I will comment any further as it is a legal matter." End quote.
And we should note that Charles Barkley works as a NBA commentator on TNT, just like CNN, a Time Warner company.
Some landowners have filed a lawsuit for $165 million for damages caused by a billion gallons of sludge. The huge spill happened December 22nd at a power plant owned by the Tennessee Valley Authority. A retention wall failed, releasing that sludge. At least three homes were destroyed and a river that supplies drinking water was filled with muck. Tennessee's governor got a look at the site today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. PHIL BREDESEN, TENNESSEE: I don't need to tell anybody here, it is a mess. I mean, this is obviously a disaster. I do think, I'm sure they'll be lots of questions raised and things that could have been done better. I do think that the town of Kilgore and TVA are trying very hard right now to address these issues and to do everything right. At the same time, I've told them and I certainly want to assure everybody, the state of Tennessee is going to be looking over their shoulder through this entire process.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: An environmental group plans at least two federal lawsuits over the spill.
All right. Right now thousands of people are gathering in Times Square to welcome in the new year. But this time they'll do so with a nod to the past. Good old fashioned pedalled power will light up the sky in New York. CNNMoney.com's Poppy Harlow has our Energy Fix from New York.
How inventive and clever.
POPPY HARLOW, CNNMONEY.COM: Yes. Very green of people helping out in Times Square. People all over the country, Fred, helping to power tonight's New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square. That 2009 sign, which will light up when the ball drops, will actually be powered by people pedaling on bikes. Here's how it works.
Earlier this month, Duracell set up an area in Times Square where people could pedal on snowmobikes. Take a look at them there. Now, that energy is generated, stored in batteries, released tonight at the stroke of midnight, lighting up that 2009 sign. And Duracell says 230 hours of pedaling are needed to power the sign. That is nine and a half straight days. Fred, if you can get up here in time, you can jump on the bike there. It's going to be running until tonight.
WHITFIELD: Well, that could be fun. And that really, I don't know, that's kind of double duty. That helps for those whose resolutions are to get more fit and all that, too.
HARLOW: Yes, right.
WHITFIELD: What about the ball itself? How energy efficient?
HARLOW: It's a new ball this year. Expensive ball. But the Times Square Alliance says it's bigger, it's brighter than ever. Take a look at it right there. The alliance claims the new ball will only use the amount of energy per hour that it takes to operate two traditional ovens.
So not very much at all. Also head over to Rockefeller Center here in New York. Check out the Christmas tree right there. Eventually it's going to be chopped up and used as wood to build homes for Habitat for Humanity.
Of course, we'll be back next year, meaning just in a few days. We won't be with you tomorrow, but we'll be with you next week with more Energy Fixes, Fred.
But, interesting what people are doing to help the New Year's Eve celebration in New York.
WHITFIELD: I like that. That is teamwork to a whole new level.
All right. Poppy Harlow. Thanks so much. Appreciate it.
HARLOW: You're welcome.
WHITFIELD: All right. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and what they can do to young children.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): I have been detained for trying to commit a suicide attack.
WHITFIELD: A CNN reporter talks to a detained teenaged suicide bomber and finds out how he ended up in Afghanistan.
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WHITFIELD:: They are one of the tragic casualties of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Teenaged suicide bombers. CNN's Atia Abawi spoke to one who says he was forced into role of a killer.
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ATIA ABAWI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): They may be teenagers. But, to the Afghan authorities they are dangerous criminals.
Accused of theft, violent acts, even murder. These boys are held in a juvenile detention facility in Kabul. Shakirullah is one of them, just 14 years old, seized before he could kill himself and others.
SHAKIRULLAH, 14-YEAR OLD DETAINEE (through translator): I have been detained for trying to commit a suicide attack.
ABAWI: Shakirullah tells us he kills time --
ATIA ABAWI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: ...Shakirullah is one of them. Just 14 years old seized before he could kill himself and others.
SHAKIRULLAH, 14-YEAR-OLD DETAINEE (through translator): I have been detained for trying to commit a suicide attack.
ABAWI: Shakirullah tells us he kils time in his cell remembering his life in Northwest Pakistan before he was recruited by fanatics.
SHAKIRULLAH: I was studying in a madrassa when I finished citing the Koran. A mullah then came to me and old me now that you have finished the Koran, you need to go and commit a suicide attack.
ABAWI: He didn't even understand the Koran which he learned to recite in Arabic, and he did not want to go, but without a chance to talk to his parents he was driven to the Pakistan-Afghan border and handed over to strangers.
Weeks later, he was arrested while being trained as a suicide bomber.
ABAWI (on-camera): Shakirullah is not the only boy here accused for planning an attack, three others are, too. Including one of his cell mates. Both seem to be leaders in their block.
When the television is on, the two boys quickly order the channel to be changed to a reading of the Koran. Still very pious, Shakirullah says that he was cheated by his recruiters. Now, he's hearing a different take on Islam at the detention center.
MIR FAYAZ AH-DIN, MENTOR (through translator): The teachers educate them on Islam and explain to them that the acts they were doing are not right for them and for others. The way you want to kill yourself and someone else, it is in itself is a big offense in Islam.
ABAWI: The U.N. and other agencies are working here in Afghanistan to gather data on child recruitment, saying it's a growing trend in the use of children among armed groups and national forces.
CATHERINE MBENGUE, UNICEF: As you see in many places in the world, children are being used in the conflict, and recruited as child soldiers. They're being recruited as armed groups, and the phenomena is now in Afghanistan.
ABAWI (voice-over): Shakirullah is now forced to wait, wait to hear from his family.
SHAKIRULLAH: I miss my parents, my mom and dad.
ABAWI: And wait to see what his future holds.
Atia Abawi, CNN, Kabul.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Much more of the CNN NEWSROOM straight ahead. Team Sanchez is already working on the rundown.
What you got, Rick Sanchez?
RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: Always good to see you, Fred.
WHITFIELD: Good to see you, too.
SANCHEZ: You know couple of interest things. First of all, it is one thing to have officials talking about what is going on with the war, it is quite another to talk to people who are there.
Citizens and in this case bloggers who are going to be talking to us. We have an Israeli blogger who is going to be joining us by phone and describing to us what it is like to live in a place where literally rockets are falling from the sky and how threatened she feels.
And then we have a blogger inside Gaza as well. You know, for their own safety, we will only give the first name, but we are going to be talking to them live as the situation develops there, and obviously, things have to be very, tough for them there.
And then of course, Blagojevich. How do you do a newscast these days without a Blagojevich angle? Turns out that these senators, the Democrats, were saying, look, we not going to name, we're going to reject whoever he chooses.
In the case of Burris now, they may not be able to do that. We've looked into this. And we've got a constitutional expert who going to say they may have to take whoever he names. We will take you through that right here coming up in the next hour.
WHITFIELD: All right. Just minutes away. Seven. And I am counting. I can't wait to see you, Rick.
SANCHEZ: With bated breath.
WHITFIELD: All right, thanks so much. Rick Sanchez, CNN NEWSROOM, coming up.
All right, the last day of the year, pretty good time to throw things away, like out with the old, get it?
Our Josh Levs will take a buzzsaw to some buzz words, words that you need to just, take out of your dictionary.
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WHITFIELD: Well, as we say good-bye to 2008, how about saying ciao baby to a few choice words. Lake Superior State University in Michigan, has just released its list of words that should be banned.
Our Josh Levs has been looking over the list, and Josh something tells me words that you and I and everybody else have been saying a lot through this past year?
JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it makes me feel guilty a little bit. I think one of the ways they decide this stuff is if news people like us use the words a lot. But we have a context for them. Come on, people, by the way, I love ciao, baby. I refuse to banish that one.
WHITFIELD: That one stays.
LEVS: That one stays, that's not going anywhere, at least with Fred.
Graphic, let's get it before we lose our time. I want to show you some of these words they're getting rid of, check it out Fred.
This in from Lake Superior University, and they want us to stop the whole nation and get rid of green and -- someone wrote them, saying that too many companies are claiming that they are green. It's kind of lost its value.
WHITFIELD: Oh.
LEVS: And maverick, this was overused this year.
WHITFIELD: I wonder why?
LEVS: And the whole Wall Street/Main Street thing, apparently a little too much.
WHITFIELD: Folks don't like it.
LEVS: Okay. We've got three more here. Let's go to the next page --
WHITFIELD: I hope they don't give suggested replacements. But if you get rid of these words, some of the thoughts still linger.
LEVS: They should actually how to get around this. I'm going to call them when they're after new year and ask them what we should use instead.
So, they also want us to get rid of bailout. They say game changer, just enough already. And staycation, I think I'm the only person in America who actually liked that word.
WHITFIELD: I liked it. So two of us.
LEVS: So, there's two of us. Partners in word I think.
WHITFIELD: Very clever.
LEVS: It was something.
WHITFIELD: Oh, well. Ciao to those words.
LEVS: Yes. All right, so we've got a little bit of time.
WHITFIELD: Oh, we do?
LEVS: Yes, let's do this. Really quickly, I want to show you how they decide this, and then we'll show you what the viewer said.
All right, take look at this next graphic. This is how they decide, they say if the word was misused or overused or generally uselessness. So, that's how they decide. OK. Quickly --
WHITFIELD: Of course, we asked a lot of folkses what they seemed to think about this all of this, and what do they say?
LEVS: Yes. Let me just show you a couple of these, because we got so many e-mails I could barely piece through them all. Here's some of the words that got the most e-mailsl, get rid of the following words and stop saying at the end of the day.
WHITFIELD: I have to agree, because at the end of the day, and that was starting to get on my nerves and I was starting to hearing it alittle too much. At the end of the day, oh boy.
LEVS: And absolutely apparently overused and my bad. I didn't know we used it that much, but apparently my bad and a lot of people are saying that it is time for America to let it go.
WHITFIELD: I think I am guilty of the absolutely. Because I say absolutely too much. So we move on. 2009, divine with new changes.
LEVS: You got it.
WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks a lot, Josh. Appreciate it.
LEVS: Ciao.
WHITFIELD: Time now for more of the NEWSROOM, this time with Rick Sanchez.
