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Apple Tops Brand Ranking; Bin Laden Death May Be a Game Changer; New Study: Autism in Children is Higher than Suspected; Real- Life Slumdog Horror in India; Two Beached Pilot Whales Released into Atlantic Ocean; Gingrich Ready to Run; Major Surprise For Marine Mom; Two Imams Kicked Off Plane; Alleged Rape Victim Flees Libya; Bin Laden's Fifth Wife
Aired May 09, 2011 - 13:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RANDI KAYE, CNN ANCHOR: Hi, Suzanne, thank you very much. How many times have we talked about the opening of the flood gates? Usually with less than desirable results, well here's what it looks like for real. This is the Bonnet Carre Spillway (ph) less than 30 miles upstream from New Orleans. And the water spilling out is from the vast and swollen Mississippi River. One and a quarter million cubic feet every second.
The water is heading into Lake Pontcharttrain (ph) and then the Gulf of Mexico, lowering the threat of devastating floods in New Orleans even as the Mississippi surges past its banks and some levees farther north.
Well, in and around Memphis, the river is heading toward its second highest crest on record, that's 48 feet. That should happen sometime tomorrow but water levels might not fall below flood stage for two more weeks.
And what Memphis is dealing with today, many other river towns are bracing for and defending against. Take a look at this right here, you have Vicksburg, all right, that's going to crest on may 19th, Vicksburg, Mississippi, that's about ten days from now, more than 14 feet above flood stage. Then you have Natchez, May 21st the crest, 16 feet above. Look at Baton Rouge, May 22nd will see the crest, more than 12 feet above flood stage. And here in New Orleans, May 23rd, two and a half feet above flood stage, that's all thanks to the Bonnet Carre Spillway.
Let's get back to Memphis now, and CNN's David Mattingly. David, this flood is being compared to the region's all-time worst flood back in 1937, but the defenses are a lot better today, aren't they?
DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right. We've got flood walls and levees that they didn't have back in the '30s. In fact, it was that flood that inspired all the flood protection that we have now. Here in Memphis, they've -- they're watching their levees very closely. They have a great deal of confidence in them.
And look at this massive amount of water. This staircase goes down to a parking lot over there for tourists to go to the paddle boats but look at out here, it's all just a big sea of water right now. The Mississippi is usually about a half mile wide here at Memphis, and it's now six times bigger than that, and this water is not going anywhere any time soon.
And this is just a preview of what's going to be happening down river. They did not set a record here in Memphis. That crest is going to happen just a few inches from now, and it's going to happen sometime tomorrow, but that's going to be short of a record that they set here back in the '30s. This water is going to combine with other water and set records all the way down to the Gulf of Mexico now.
So, this disaster is very slow moving but everybody's watching it and it is not surprising anyone. So far it's behaving exactly the way they thought it would. The water levels are right where they thought it would be, and now all that flood protection that they've built, they're using every tool in their tool box, so to speak, to make sure this water does the least amount of damage possible -- Randi.
KAYE: So David, how desperate is the situation for homeowners? Are people out of their homes? Have they lost their homes?
MATTINGLY: Well, the problem here in Memphis hasn't been so much on the water front where the Mississippi is, it's around the city where they have these other rivers, these tributaries that empty water into the Mississippi. With this water so high, their water has nowhere to go so it's been backing up. And low-lying areas in spots around the city, those areas have been seeing some flooding, get into some residential areas.
We've seen predominantly several trailer parks in low-lying areas have been hit by this water, people forced out of their homes, there's 300 to 400 people are living in shelters right now and they're probably going to have to stay there for a while because it's probably going to be sometime in June, Randi -- June, before the Mississippi goes back to where it's supposed to be.
KAYE: And when this does -- does the crisis actually end, though, when the crest moves on?
MATTINGLY: Well, that just means that the water is not going to encroach anymore, but because this water level is going to stay so high for so long, there's concerns about are the levees going to be able to take it? They're doing fine right now but over time they're going to be watching them very closely to make sure there's not any sort of erosion problems or any sort of leakage that they may have to address. But they're watching them, everything's fine so far and they say they are prepared to move in just in case there are any problems.
KAYE: David Mattingly for us in Memphis. David, thank you.
Our "Sound Effect" is a star spangled mix of motherhood, marines and a marathon bike ride. After a year-long tour of Afghanistan,. Major Bill Connor is cycling 3,300 miles across America raising money for the Semper Fi Fund that helps wounded vets. He made sure his round included Tulsa, Oklahoma on mother's day. I don't have to tell you who was waiting for him in Tulsa.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARY ANN CONNER, MOTHER OF MARINE: Oh, my god, I'm so happy. Hurry up and get here. I haven't seen him since how 2009 and I just want to see what he looks like.
I couldn't wait, I haven't seen you. I love you. I love you so much.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I know.
CONNER: Oh, my god! I'm so happy! Oh, just unbelievable. And my husband's in heaven looking down at all this. I just can't describe it in words. I just -- I'm speechless and I'm not a woman who normally is speechless.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I didn't know she could run that fast.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: That is so sweet. Major Connors is almost half-way through his ride which is scheduled to end in Ocean View, Delaware, on Memorial Day, and if you'd like to contribute, click on www.semperfifund.org.
At another airport, two imams heading to a conference on Islamophobia were kicked off their flight. You can see the moms who were prominent in the Memphis area were wearing Islamic attire. They had already undergone an additional security check and were on board an Atlantic Southeast Airlines flight heading to a conference in North Carolina on prejudice against Muslims. The plane was taxiing towards the runway but the pilot returned to the gate. The two Imams went through a secondary screening process but shortly after the plane took off without the men.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MO IDLIBI, ATTORNEY FOR IMAMS: The only reason that the pilot had cited is that some of the passengers didn't feel comfortable but when the passengers were asked whether anybody felt uncomfortable, none of them indicated that they were.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: Atlantic Southeast Airlines said it is investigating the incident and apologizes, quote, "for any inconvenience." The airline did not say why the two men were taken off the flight but it says the men were given a chance to fly on a different flight. This story has many of you talking, so in the next hour, we'll speak to a retired pilot and a couple of experts about whether the pilot was justified in this case or if this was a simple case of profiling based on appearances.
In Arizona, Governor Jan Brewer is expected to announce what's next, now that a judge has stopped its controversial immigration law from taking effect, she will speak in just about an hour or so. The legislation would have required law enforcement in the state to arrest and help deport illegal immigrants. The justice department sued arguing that only the federal government has that authority. Brewer's legal team could ask the appeals court to revisit the case or take it directly to the supreme court.
Hunters found a Canadian woman after she had survived for seven weeks in the Nevada wilderness. Her husband ventured off to get help three days after their minivan got stranded. The woman survived on hard candy, trail mix, books and clothes she had packed for their trip to Las Vegas. She was rushed to a nearby hospital and spent mother's day with her children, but the search for her husband now continues.
We have an update now about the Libyan woman who captured the world's attention when she told foreign journalists she had been raped. Eman Al-Obeidy has fled Libya fearing for her safety. Al-Obeidy tells CNN she crossed into Tunisia on Thursday with the help of a defecting military officer and his family. She said she left Tripoli in a military car wearing a head cover that hid everything except one of her eyes and she crossed into Tunisia using her refugee document. Diplomatic sources say European diplomats are giving Al-Obeidy sanctuary while she considers her future.
Administration officials say we got a treasure trove of files from Bin Laden's compound last week, but what about people inside the compound, specifically Bin Laden's wives? Are they the missing intelligence link? A look at one of Bin Laden's elusive wives is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: As we dig deeper into the raid that killed Osama Bin Laden, more troubling questions about emerging over Pakistan and what some say boils down to Pakistan's incompetence or duplicity. While top U.S. leaders insist Pakistan remains a key U.S. ally against terrorism, the question still remains how Bin Laden could have remained hidden in Pakistan for the last six years. I want you to listen with me to what the president said in a 60 minutes interview. His answer is telling.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We think that there had to be some sort of support network for Bin Laden inside of Pakistan, but we don't know who or what that support network was. We don't know whether there might have been some people inside of government, people outside of government, and that's something that we have to investigate and, more importantly, the Pakistani government has to investigate. And we've already communicated to them and they have indicated they have a profound interest in finding out what kinds of support networks Bin Laden might have had.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: And we're now just learning Pakistan will allow the U.S. access to Bin Laden's widows but on one condition. A senior Pakistani intelligence source says the U.S. can question his wives only if their country of origin has been asked and has given permission.
This is an important development because what Bin Laden's wives know may give us some critical answers. His wives were by his side in the compound, they would know what was going on inside, who came and went. They likely overheard conversations as well. What they know could be invaluable to U.S. intelligence and the fight against terror.
President Obama's national security advisor, Tom Donilon, told CNN's Candy Crowley that the U.S. has made it known to Pakistan they want access to not only Bin Laden's wives but also the raw materials they took from his compound after last week's raid.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TOM DONILON, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR: Well, we would -- we would expect to have access to the things that we need (inaudible) to do.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But they haven't told you you could have access yet?
DONILON: Well, we'd have -- yes, we haven't been told we can't either at this point, right? You know, but we'll certainly press on this very hard.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: And Pakistani's prime minister delivered his first address to parliament since Bin Laden was killed last week. He rejects accusations that his government failed saying allegations of complicity or incompetenct were absurd.
I want to turn my attention back to Bin Laden's wives now. Again, what we learn from them could be revealing about Pakistan and Al Qaeda.
Here's what we know about one of them. Take a look here, this is Bin Laden's fifth and youngest wife, and we're learning much more about her. She's important because she was the wife who charged at the Navy SEALs and was then shot in the leg during that raid. Her name is Amal Al-Sadah, and you can make out some detail on that passport which was obtained for her marriage to Bin Laden in Afghanistan. A relative tells CNN she was a quiet, polite, easy going, and confident teenager.
She is now 29 but in 2000 Al-Sadah was only 18 when she became Bin Laden's fifth wife. He was 25 years her senior. She comes from a big conservative family in Yemen that's established and respectable but has no known militant views or ties to Al Qaeda. Her marriage to Bin Laden was arranged by an Al Qaeda figure in Yemen who was acting as the so-called matchmaker. The marriage was apparently a political alliance to shore up support for Bin Laden in Yemen which is his ancestral home.
Her family reportedly received a $5,000 dowry from Bin Laden. Her family has heard little about her since her marriage. We now know she and Bin Laden had a daughter in the weeks after 9/11. Her relative says the Yemeni government is pressuring her family to remain silent.
After Bin Laden's death, the Pakistani military spokesman says Al- Sadah told interrogators she didn't go outside the compound in the last five years.
Bin Laden had a total of 20 children with his five wives. One of his adult sons was reportedly killed in the raid last week. We're told each of Bin Laden's wives will eventually be returned to their home countries. It's not known if Al-Sadah is among the three Bin Laden widows the U.S. officials would like to interview.
Well, it is a competitive list to make. And if you're at the top, then chances are, you've taken on the best. Up next, the world's most powerful brands go head-to-head and we have the winner.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Well, the playoffs are under way in the NBA as the top teams push their way to the number one spot. And in the business world it is a different version of a playoff. This one ranks the world's top brands.
After enjoying four years in the top spot, there will be no five-peat this year for Google. The company held the top spot since 2007 but now Apple has now pulled ahead. According to WPP's annual brand ranking the brand is now worth $153 billion.
The brand rankings are based on a combination of power and financial performance. Technology brands dominating them this year. Six out of the 10 top spots were tech companies. One-third of the top 100 spots.
So what exactly propelled Apple to the top? To help answer that question, let's bring in senior correspondent Allan Chernoff. He's joining us now live from New York.
Allan, what makes Apple number one?
ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: Randi, I bet you every NBA player has an Apple product. It's become a consumer technology leader in so many areas -- computers, smart phones, music players. Music retailing, of course. It's putting record stores out of business.
WPP's branding advice for companies is this. Anticipate change, understand change, innovate and stand for something original. Apple does all of that. That's why people line up for hours to get their hands on new Apple products.
And if there's any doubt, have a look at numbers. Sales hit $26 billion last quarter. The company sold a record number of iPhones and says it sold every single iPad it made -- Randi.
KAYE: So what other companies at the top of the list, Allan, stand out to you?
CHERNOFF: Right. Well, you saw that list. Google was actually knocked out of the top spot, down to number two. Tough times for Google, huh?
IBM, Microsoft, McDonald's. Get this, the report says oatmeal is now a big driver of growth for Mickey D's. Also helping McDonald's, people being more budget conscious these days. And this is really interesting. Facebook is on the list for the very first time at number 35 -- Randi. KAYE: And why does it matter that these companies are mostly tech and telecom companies? I mean does is say something about our economy right now?
CHERNOFF: That's where we're spending our money. Right? Today have you to be connected. Whether it's through a computer, a smart phone, whatever gadget you're using. There are really no longer discretionary items for many people. They're a way of life. So that's why one-third of the 100 most valuable brands are technology and telecom companies. That's up from one quarter in 2006.
KAYE: All right. Allan Chernoff for us. Allan, thank you. Great to see you.
CHERNOFF: Pleasure.
KAYE: And of course, be sure to join Christine Romans for "YOUR BOTTOM LINE" each Saturday morning at 9:30 Eastern and don't miss "YOUR MONEY" with Ali Velshi, Saturdays at 1:00 p.m. Eastern and Sundays at 3:00.
All right, let's get you caught up on the top stories this hour.
Gas prices are down for the fourth straight day. That's some good news. The AAA Motor Club says the national average price of regular gasoline is $3.96 a gallon. That's half a cent cheaper than yesterday but still much higher than last year at this time.
Everyone in Memphis is watching and waiting to see if the levees will hold back the surging Mississippi River.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, it's anxious -- it's sort of torturous, we've been waiting so long. It's hard keeping people alert. It's warning fatigue, if you will. But we're ready for it. A lot of anxiety.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: Further downstream, the Army Corps of Engineers opened floodgates north of New Orleans to protect the city from flooding. Water from the river is being diverted into Lake Pontchartrain.
Jury selection is starting today in the trial of Casey Anthony accused of killing her 2-year-old daughter. The location wasn't made public until now because of concerns about pre-trial publicity. Jury selection is taking place in Clear Water, Florida, but only one person on the defense team and one person on the prosecution team knew that actually before today. The trial will take place in Orlando and is scheduled to begin May 17th.
A little bit of chest thumping from the White House now talking about what the death of bin Laden really means to the world.
Our Ed Henry is next with a new theme from the White House. We'll be right there, Ed.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: The death of Osama bin Laden is a game changer for al Qaeda and for the war in Afghanistan. The White House spent last week revealing information about the operation that killed bin Laden. Well now, we're hearing more about what it actually might all mean.
CNN's senior White House correspondent Ed Henry joins me at this time every day.
Ed, what is the president saying now about the effects of bin Laden's death in terms of the fight against terrorism and also the effect on the rest of the world?
ED HENRY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Randi, it's really interesting because in the "60 Minutes" interview last night the president said something pretty bold. I mean in the early days right after bin Laden was killed White House was careful to temper expectations saying, this is just one victory in terms of battling terrorism. Let's not get carried away.
But last night the president said essentially this could be a death blow to al Qaeda, I'm paraphrasing him, if -- you know he caveated, if some other things fall into place and we keep the heat on al Qaeda.
But the other question that comes up here is what to do with Pakistan. The fact that the U.S. could not even trust Pakistan and give them a heads-up about this because they were afraid they would potentially tip off bin Laden.
And you know when Jay Carney was asked a few moments ago, is there going to be consequences at -- will there be consequences for Pakistan if in fact they were providing safe harbor to bin Laden?
He wouldn't really say there'd be consequences. But on the other hand he also said the U.S. wouldn't apologize for going across the border into a sovereign country and getting bin Laden. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAY CARNEY, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: We obviously take statements and concerns of the Pakistani government seriously but we also do not apologize for the action that we took, that this president took. He said dating back to the campaign, if there is an opportunity to bring Osama bin Laden to justice and he's on Pakistani soil and this is the only way we can do it, do it unilaterally, he will take that chance and do it and he did. It's simply beyond a doubt in his mind that he had the right and the imperative to do this.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: Now the prime minister of Pakistan gave a speech today lashing out at the U.S. and suggesting there'd be retaliation if the U.S. does what Jay Carney just said and goes across the border into Pakistan with U.S. military helicopters again, whether that's an empty threat or not, we'll obviously leave our viewers up to decide.
But very interesting that this sort of war of words back and forth between the U.S. and Pakistan which are supposed to be allies -- Randi.
KAYE: Yes. And when we talk about Pakistan, we also talk about Afghanistan. What does all of this mean for the war in Afghanistan? Because we are hearing a lot of conversations about whether or not possibly to pull out the troops earlier now that bin Laden is gone.
HENRY: Here's another change within the administration I think because in the early hours, as I mentioned before, they kept saying, look, let's be careful, let's not get carried away, let's not get overly optimistic about the impact in terms of the battle against terrorism. But also the war in Afghanistan.
But then on Friday you have the Defense Secretary Robert Gates speaking at a military base in North Carolina and telling military families this could be, in his words, a game changer in terms of the number of U.S. troops we could bring back and bring home from Afghanistan because of bin Laden being killed.
Now he added caveats about we need months to study this and analyze this but let's remember, Secretary Gates is stepping down in June. He's somebody who watches his words very carefully. This is not a cowboy who throws things out there. For him to say this could be a game changer, it tells me that this administration is seriously considering bringing home more troops from Afghanistan than maybe they originally expected come July -- Randi.
KAYE: And what about these tapes, these videos, of Osama bin Laden? Do you know if there are more plans to release any more of these videos? Because a lot of people, you know, they want to hear what they -- what he was actually saying on the tapes which of course they didn't release it with any audio.
But do you know if there's any plan for that?
HENRY: There's no plan to release more in the short term. And I think the reason is very clear. It's because the U.S. is gleaning a lot of valuable intelligence from some of the tapes, some of the computer hard drives, and so they're not going to give some of that stuff away while they're still analyzing it, number one.
And number two, this is where things get very sticky with Pakistan. Previously when the U.S. pointed a finger, raised questions about Pakistan, whether they were complicit with bin Laden and other al Qaeda terrorists, Pakistan says whoa, we don't know anything.
Well now that we've got some of those e-mails from the bin Laden compound, the hard drives, et cetera, there could be some evidence in there that could expose Pakistani government officials. I underline the word "could." We don't know for sure.
And that is what makes that intelligence so sensitive, so big. And while Pakistan is talking tough -- I mentioned the prime minister gave a pretty tough speech lashing out at the U.S. today -- let's not forget Pakistan depends upon the U.S. for billions of dollars in aid. So they've got to be careful because a lever the U.S. has to hold over its head -- Randi.
KAYE: Sure. All right, Ed Henry, staking it out for us at the White House.
Thank you, Ed.
HENRY: Good to see you.
KAYE: You too.
Next, a new autism study is producing findings that researchers called surprising. We'll tell you why in just one minute.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: It is about half past the hour and time to catch you up on some stories that you may have missed.
According to a new study in the American Journal of Psychiatry, the number of children with an autism spectrum disorder, or ASD, may be much higher than previously believed. By looking at a total population sample in South Korea, the study authors estimate that 1 in 38 children there, or 2.6 percent have some form of autism. This approach is a new one. Previously researchers have examined only children known to have the neurological disorder or a high risk of developing it. The authors of the new South Korea study think autism estimates will go up in other countries, too, if researchers use this same new approach.
The United States first full face transplant recipient left a Boston hospital today about two months after the 15-hour procedure. Dallas Wiens of Ft. Worth, Texas received the transplant in mid-March more than two years after he was injured by a high-voltage line. The forehead, nasal structure, nose, lips, facial skin and underlying muscles and nerves were all transplanted. Wiens is the second person in the world to receive a full face transplant. The first such transplant happened in Spain last year.
Arizona's governor and attorney general are expected to announce next hour whether they will take legal steps to reimpose the state's controversial immigration law. A three-judge panel ruled against the Arizona law last month saying only the federal government has authority in immigration matters. Among other things, the Arizona law would have required local law enforcement officers to apprehend and help deport illegal immigrants.
And law enforcement source says an unruly passenger who had to be restrained aboard an American Airlines flight yesterday appears to have mental issues. The incident occurred during a flight from Chicago to San Francisco. The man who was traveling on a Yemeni passport was restrained by employees and passengers after allegedly rushing the cockpit door. Officials say he never breached the cockpit door and doesn't appear to have any link to terrorists. Two pilot whales were released into the Atlantic Ocean this weekend. They were among 21 whales stranded off the Florida Keys on Thursday. Fourteen have died and five survivors are being cared for around the clock in a sea pen. Stay tuned to CNN for progress updates on these survivors.
What do Carlos Santana, the Beatles, the Stones and Stevie Wonder all have in common aside from being musicians? We're going to tell you right after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
This week, CNN is bringing you special coverage on the baby boomers. This year the first wave of the baby boomer generation turns 65. Just their sheer numbers has allowed the generation to leave an imprint in every phase of their lives.
So I want to rewind for just a second to the 1950s and '60s when baby boomers came of age. This is a generation defined by some iconic moments, especially in music.
Kareen Wynter takes us back.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KAREEN WYNTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When the needle dropped on the 1960s, millions of baby boomers were just coming of age. They were destined to live through some incredible musical moments.
The Beatles hit U.S. shores in 1967, triggering a sensation with songs like "She Loves You." Their impact on the culture was profound according to "Billboard Magazine's" Phil Gallo, co-author of "Record Store Days."
PHIL GALLO, SENIOR CORRESPONDENT, BILLBOARD MAGAZINE: Teenage audience was looking for something that they could call their own and it just sparked mania.
WYNTER: The mania continued when another British import reached America.
"Time is on My Side" was the Rolling Stones' first single to crack the Billboard Top 10.
(on camera): And more hits quickly followed. Remember these favorites? "Paint it Black," "Satisfaction," countless boomers bought the 45s and played them on their turntables.
(voice-over): And as the Stones were getting rolling, a home-grown artist was emerging as an important voice. Bob Dylan's early performances are captured in the Martin Scorsese documentary "No Direction Home." Gallo says Dylan's influence should not be underestimated.
GALLO: "I was 61." Landmark record. Something every baby boomer should own. Greatest rock song of the '60s, "Like a Rolling Stone." The way he wrote challenged political moires. It made rock 'n' roll grow up in a hurry.
WYNTER: Meanwhile, out of Detroit came the young Aretha Franklin who demanded --
GALLO: Whether it's a chain of fools or it's repsect, these song become anthems and they become anthems in a hurry.
WYNTER: As the '60s progressed, the counter culture flourished and music was an inseparable part of it. The Beatles, The Doors and Jefferson Airplane explored psychedelia. Other artists confronted racism and Vietnam Mar. Graham Nash of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young remembers the sense of idealism.
GRAHAM NASH, MUSICIAN: We felt that we could help change the world, that we could bring subjects to the minds of people that they'd never thought about.
WYNTER: The decade was capped about an event that could come to define the entire era -- Woodstock. A documentary about the festival captured spectacular performances, none more powerful than by Jimi Hendrix. Carlos Santana played his first major gig there. He sums up not just Woodstock but what the music of the time was about.
CARLOS SANTANA, MUSICIAN: We weren't thinking about, you know, some superficial nonsense. We were talking about making a change, an unprecedented change of consciousness on this planet.
WYNTER: That idealistic wish may be the lasting legacy of the baby boomers.
Kareen Wynter, CNN, Hollywood.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: Art often imitates life. But up next, art is imitating art in a most brutal way. How a scene similar to one scene "Slumdog Millionaire" is playing out in real life.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Who can forget the gut wrenching scene in the Oscar-winning movie "Slumdog Millionaire?" Gangs snatching children off the streets, mutilating their bodies and forcing them into a life of begging. Investigators say that's exactly what's happening in the capital of Bangladesh.
Sara Sidner traveled there and spoke with a brave survivor. Her report is part of CNN's year-long freedom project helped at aiming tend to modern day slavery. We want to warn you, some of the images and words are graphic.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SARA SIDNER, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A father pulled his son close, guilt-ridden he couldn't protect his boy from a crime that scarred him for life.
Pain. I felt pain, he says.
Just seven-years-old, he's in police protection. He's the star witness against his alleged attackers, a criminal gang that relies on children for profit. The boy was almost killed for what he knows so we have to conceal his identity.
(on camera): What did these bad men do to you?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): They took me into an alley. I didn't want to go but they snatched me up and then four people tied my hands and legs. They said they would make me beg. I threatened to tell my father and police on them.
(voice-over): He says he recognized his captors from the neighborhood. When he refused to beg, the men responded by bashing his head with a brick, slitting his throat and stomach, and the family wants the world to know, the men also cut off most of the boy's penis.
His frantic mother found him outside in the middle of the night.
(on camera): What did you think when you first saw your son after this incident?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): I could hardly recognize him because he was so stained with blood, she says.
SIDNER (voice-over): The family went to local police but the police refused to file a case saying the dispute was little more than an argument over the father's unpaid bill to a tea seller.
(on camera): It turned out to be much, much more. Investigators say the seven-year-old boy became the key to exposing the inner workings of a criminal gang that for years had been snatching children off the streets, crippling them purposely, and then forcing them to beg.
(voice-over): Authorities say the tea seller was associated with that gang. The case was ignored until his father found human rights activist and attorney Alina Khan. Khan agreed to represent the boy and says she has now faced death threats herself.
ALINA KHAN, ATTORNEY FOR MAIMED BOY AND FAMILY (through translator): They are terrorists because this is not a small group, she says.
SIDNER: Khan went to the courts and the courts ordered a full investigation. That is when the rapid action battalion began investigating and within weeks Bangladesh's elite police forces had made arrests. And in front of local media two suspects confessed.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): That boy started quarrelling with us and I hit him on his head with a brick. Then my brother said to cut his penis and immediately I cut it. After that he cut his chest and belly, then we held his head and cut his throat, he says.
SIDNER: The suspect said the gang routinely disfigured children to increase profits because pity pays. Police say people give more to maimed children.
"Sometimes after kidnapping the children, they hide them inside vessels for five, six months and give them very little food and water. Because of the nutrition deficiency, they become lean and sick. Then they send them out to beg," he says.
In the confession, the suspect said each child brings in about $7 a day. Of that, the handler takes about $3 and the ring leader almost $4, leaving pennies for the child to buy food.
(on camera): This just sounds evil.
M SOHAIL, RAB FORCES COMMANDER: This is really cruel. In fact, I have no word to explain or express my feelings about injury with this small little boy, 7 years. This is really, really unbelievable. And that is why (INAUDIBLE).
SIDNER: Authorities say there are several other children still in the remaining gang members' possession who have not been found.
In 2009, the government banned begging and a year later, added three years jail for those caught forcing anyone to beg. But human rights advocates say enforcement is lax.
On our trip, we saw many children in the streets begging, some disabled and clearly afraid of being filmed.
In South Asia, it's a common belief that child beggars you see on the street are run by gangs. But authorities say because of one brave little boy, they now have proof in Bangladesh.
(on camera): What should happen to these men?
(voice-over): "I want them to be hanged. I demand they be hanged," he says.
A demand from a little boy who, at just 7 years old, has the scars to remained him just how cruel the world can be.
Sara Sidner, CNN, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
RANDI KAYE, CNN ANCHOR: And you can read more on CNN's year-long Freedom Project at CNN.com/freedom.
Time right now, 47 minutes past the hour. Checking our top stories:
Residents of Memphis, Tennessee are dreading what is expected to happen -- the Mississippi River cresting at a near record 14 feet above flood stage. Despite the fears of some, the mayor says the city is ready.
Down river north of New Orleans, the Army Corp of Engineers opened a spillway in a bid to take pressure off levees in populated areas. Pakistan's prime minister lashing out at the Obama administration, angrily rejecting accusations of knowing the whereabouts or helping Osama bin Laden. Speaking to parliament, he called allegations of complicity and incompetence, quote, "absurd."
In another development, a Pakistani intelligence source says the U.S. will be allowed to question or take into custody bin Laden's widows now in Pakistan.
A lawyer for two Muslim whose say they were kicked off a flight to Charlotte, North Carolina, calls the move discrimination based on appearance. It happened Friday night when the two imams both wearing Islamic attire were forced to undergo an additional security check. Well, before they could get back onboard, the pilot of the Atlantic Southeast airlines plane took off. The airline has apologized.
Well, you may not know it, but every day, incredible innovation is happening right here in the 50 stays. All this week, we are bringing you the top 10 from coast to coast. So, what's coming up in your state? More in two minutes.
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KAYE: Welcome back.
You may not know it, but really cool products and ideas are being created everyday in each of our 50 states, plus, of course, the District of Columbia. So, all week, we are bringing you some of the top innovations from coast-to-coast according to a recent "Fast Company" article.
We are going alphabetical today. So, let's start in Alabama. In Birmingham, Magic City Black Expo is an event created for young black business owners to build a presence and introduce new products. In just three years, the event has become a nexus of entrepreneurship and camaraderie.
In Anchorage, Alaska, Michael Sobocinski created Seeds of Change, a program that helps youths in the juvenile justice system through selling seeds and vegetables from an organic farm that they actually work on.
Two Arizona states started Partnered for Success in Phoenix which pairs foster kids with local college students who can mentor them.
The staff of "Voice of San Diego" is a nonprofit news organization that focuses on investigative journalism. They are known for holding local officials to account, and prompting reform through their work.
Reverend Ambrose Carroll started the Renewal Worship Center, an inner city church in Denver, with an outreach program that offers green job training and placement.
When Ben Berkowitz unwanted graffiti near his home in New Haven, he built SeeClickFix, a site where citizens can post graffiti alerts. Now, dozens of other cities are actually using the site. Affinity Lab is part shared office and creative collective for creative businesses, nonprofits and startups in Washington, D.C. The lab manages the business and operations needed of its member organizations, allowing them to better focus on their mission and their execution.
West End in Wilmington, Delaware, is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping individuals achieve self-sufficiency. It offers low-interest payday loans as an alternative to the typical high interest kinds. It also lends money for security deposits and utility payments. And all services come with financial counseling.
The University of Wynwood in Miami was created in 2008 to promote contemporary literature and poetry through events and projects for locals. An example, well, how about a poetry contest last year for the city's newest star -- yes, you can guess who that might be -- Miami Heat basketball player LeBron James.
For more about the United States of innovation, check out our blog at CNN.com/Ali and make sure to tune in tomorrow at same "Big I" time, at the same "Big I" channel. Yes, I said that.
Another Republican ready to commit for 2012. Who is officially throwing his or her hat into the ring now? Your political update is coming your way next.
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KAYE: One Republican says it's time to run, but another says, hmm, not yet.
It's time for a CNN political update. CNN national political correspondent Jessica Yellin is with us from Washington,
Jessica, all right, tell us -- who's not ready to commit?
JESSICA YELLIN, CNN NATIONAL POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: I'd say he is stoking speculation and that is New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. He has repeatedly said, you know, he's not ready to run for president. He's not going this time.
But he has agreed to meet with a group of Iowa Republicans, prominent donors from that early voting state, who plan to draft him to run for president. And he's agreed to take the meeting in New Jersey later in the month.
But he also told a radio station today that, quote, "You have to feel it in your heart that you want to be president more than anything else, and I'm not there right now."
So, maybe he just wants to get to know these folks, but he does seem to be putting out mixed signals a little bit.
So, if Chris Christie doesn't run and it does seem at this point unlikely that he will run, that's great news for the next person I'm about to talk about -- former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who, we have learned, is going to announce on Wednesday via Twitter and Facebook that he is throwing his hat in the ring for president. He will be holding his first speech as a formal candidate on Friday, a big speech in Georgia, and he is polling pretty high in the latest CNN polling in the top five or six candidates who may likely run.
And one other piece of news, Mitt Romney -- who we all know who is going to run for president, he's formed an exploratory committee -- has announced he will join the lineup for a conference that's taking place of social conservatives. It's in early June in Washington, D.C., and it's Ralph Reed's Faith and Freedom Conference.
Now, why is this relevant? Well, Ralph Reed used to run the Christian coalition and it's drawing a lot of prospective candidates. They include Bachmann, Michelle Bachmann, Rick Santorum, Ron Paul and Donald Trump.
So, this is significant for two reasons. One, Randi, clearly, Donald Trump is still interested in pursuing the presidency despite the fact that he had a terrible political week that might have driven other people from the field. And, two, even though the media likes to talk about the Tea Party and how fiscal issues and the debt and deficit will dominate the Republican conversation, it's clear that social issues, those traditional issues, like abortion, gay marriage and the like, are still going to play a major role in the presidential primaries on the Republican side -- Randi.
KAYE: It certainly seems that way. Jessica Yellin for us in Washington, D.C. -- thanks, Jessica.
Your next update from "The Best Political Team on Television" is just one hour away.
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