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NFL Players, Owners Agree on Deal; Norway's Terror Suspect in Court; Death Talks Hit Impasse; Cause of Winehouse's Death Unknown; Congressman at Center of Sex Scandal; DNA Review in Amanda Knox Case; FAA Partial Shutdown and You; Debt Fears Haunt Markets; Norway Survivors Tell their Stories; Tortured Child Went Unnoticed
Aired July 25, 2011 - 09:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Hi, guys. Good morning.
We actually are starting out with two breaking news stories this morning. First of all, the NFL, it looks like, they might have come together on a deal here. NFL.com is now reporting that the players and the owners have agreed on something that will end the lockout.
We're following it right now. We're just getting the information in. That means that the players vote will happen, I guess, a little later today in more of a formal setting. Training camp could start as early as Wednesday now, we've been told.
David Mattingly has been following this for us. He's been live out of Atlanta every day, at least he was last week when those negotiations were taking place.
So, David, did you just get word that something came forward just moments ago?
DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Reading and finding out now is that the NFL players and the owners did come to an agreement in the wee hours of the morning. And, bottom line, they're going to play some football.
Exactly what the owners were asking for last week when they came out of their meeting and had a 31-0 vote in favor of this agreement. And the players still have to vote on this. But it's largely looked at as a formality, that it is going to go through. And the fans will only miss, so far, one game this season.
The first game of the preseason, which was going to be in Canton, Ohio, the Hall of Fame game. That appears to be the only casualty of this lockout. So players will be able to start going back to their stadiums, going back to work Tuesday, Wednesday. They report for training camp this weekend.
PHILLIPS: So, are you saying the ink is dry? I mean, it's definitely -- all the details have been hammered out? Done deal for sure?
MATTINGLY: What we're being told is that the vote today by the players is being looked at largely as a formality, suggesting that the terms have been agreed on and they're ready to play some football.
PHILLIPS: Got it. OK. All right. David Mattingly, appreciate it. Thanks so much for calling in. That happens just within -- about the last 60 seconds.
Also, we're getting word that the check-in and the ticketing area at American Airlines at JFK, that area has been locked down while an investigation is going on into a suspicious package. The bomb squad apparently is on the scene, investigating this unattended bag at the entrance of that terminal.
American Airlines and the port authority of New York and New Jersey have confirmed this for us. We're going to keep an eye on that story as well.
All right. It's getting busy already. Two minutes after the hour.
We're also talking about Norway. That confessed killer is now going to court. It's not allowed -- actually you'll remember it's impacted the entire world as of Friday and journalists were actually blocked from this morning's court appearance by Anders Behring Breivik.
He reportedly wanted to explain himself for the terror attacks which he claims to have carried out alone. And this is what we know as Friday. Ninety-three people are dead. Seven people died in a massive explosion outside government buildings in Oslo. Eighty-six people were massacred at that political youth retreat.
And police say that he just rounded up the youngsters, opened fire. They all began to scatter as he continued to hunt them down and that he shot them. Bodies were lined up along the beach and that caused a lot of the panicked teens to try and escape any way they could on that island.
CNN's Michael Holmes has been covering it for us since it happened. He's outside the courthouse in Oslo.
Michael, bring us up to date about today.
MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Kyra, as you said, Anders Breivik was meant to appear here. We were meant to be out -- go in. The media was going to have access. There was even talk of a video feed from the courthouse.
Well, police went to the judge and said they wanted it to be a closed hearing. Why? Well, because they haven't ruled out completely that he may have had accomplices when he carried out those attacks, the bombing in Oslo and the attack on the island, on all those kids.
Now what they said was they feared that if it was broadcast, if the media were in there, if he did have accomplices, he would be able to send some sort of message to them on the outside. And so the judge agreed to close the hearing. We didn't get in. And we haven't heard exactly what's happened. I can tell you that his lawyer has left the building. We saw that with our own eyes. And we are now waiting for the judge to speak to the media and give them a sense of what his ruling has been.
We've just got an e-mail now from our producer, Jonathan Walden there, who said that the media is being told that Judge Kim Heger will read his ruling at 3:15 local time. That's at 9:15 where you are in Atlanta. East Coast time. And that's when we'll hear exactly what's happened.
Before the hearing, his lawyer spoke to us and said that he expected that Breivik would be remanded in custody.
That's pretty much what this was, Kyra, it was a remand hearing, what in the states you'd call an arraignment hearing, to decide whether he's going to be kept in custody, would he get bail, and of course he's not going to get bail, especially since he's confessed to this.
Paradoxically, of course, while he's confessed to it, he's also said he's going to plead not guilty. Why? So that he can have a platform to spread his views about Muslims in Europe and their domination, as he saw, increasing influence in Europe, in politics and society -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Now the victims. There was a moment of silence this morning, right?
HOLMES: Yes, there was. At noon. I was right here when it happened. Everything shut down. The trams that are running just behind our cameraman there, they all stopped. Everyone stood, stopped still a real moment here.
It has been a somber few days. There's been remembrance services and masses and the king and queen, the prince, the princess, all the political leaders have been out and about at these services.
I was up near the lake where a hotel has been turned into a welfare center for the parents and the survivors of the attack on the island up there. I'll tell you the mood up there, very, very somber, Kyra, as you would expect.
PHILLIPS: Yes. Michael Holmes, we'll keep talking this morning as we follow the story. The suspect in court.
All right. Less than 15 minutes from now, we're going to actually hear from a man who confronted homegrown terrorism right here in the United States. And he's going to share some of his hard- learned lessons from Oklahoma City to the 1996 Summer Olympics.
In Washington, the debt talks bogged down and the deadline pressure builds up. We're now less than eight days from the deadline to raise the debt ceiling. On August 2nd, the nation could run out of money, unable to pay its bills.
And that threat of default has sent world markets sinking overnight. Investors who have long viewed the U.S. as a safe bet are now seeing the confidence shaken.
Let's get straight to the White House and Dan Lothian.
Dan, President Obama has canceled two fundraisers for tonight.
DAN LOTHIAN, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Right.
PHILLIPS: And I guess that pretty much signals just how urgent this has become.
LOTHIAN: That's right. It's very urgent here. And in fact, over the weekend on "STATE OF THE UNION," you heard Secretary of Treasury Timothy Geithner talk about how the nation is almost or in this debate, they're almost out of runway. And of course we know what happens when a plane gets to the end of the runway and doesn't lift off.
So there is this big sense of urgency here that they get a deal done. And that's why over the weekend you saw the president called the bipartisan group of congressional leaders here to the White House to try to figure out, you know, what can be done to raise the debt ceiling.
And then yesterday, again, the president meeting with Democratic leaders here at the White House. One thing is certain among Democrats and the president himself is that they don't want any kind of short- term deal to raise the debt ceiling that doesn't run through the end of 2012.
Why? Well, first of all, they don't believe that any short-term deal will really settle some of the concerns of the financial markets. And secondly, if you have to then do this again in the midst of an election cycle, it would be very difficult. If it's difficult now, imagine how much more difficult it will be then.
So that's why the president wants to get something done that takes it through the end of 2012 -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right. Got it. Dan Lothian at the White House. Dan, thanks.
Investors get to show their anxieties at the bottom of the hour when trading gets under way on Wall Street.
Ali Velshi is going to join us out in 9:30 Eastern time to show what the debt crisis means to you and of course the hidden costs of the impasse.
So are you ready to hear the hotel maid's side of the story? The one who famously accused Dominique Strauss-Kahn of sexually assaulting her is now talking to the media.
Nafissatou Diallo gave interviews to "Newsweek" and to ABC News. And this is how she described what happened.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) NAFISSATOU DIALLO, HOTEL MAID: I was, like, stop, stop this. Stop this. But he would say nothing. He kept pushing me, pushing me, pushing me to the hallway, back to the hallway, keep pushing me. I was so afraid. I was so scared.
ROBIN ROBERTS, ABC NEWS: When did you realize that he was one of the most powerful men in the world?
DIALLO: I was watching the news and then they say he's going to be the next president of France. Then I say oh, my God. And I was crying. I said they're going to kill me. I said they're going to kill me. I'm going to die.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: She also denies pursuing the case for money. She says all she wanted was for Strauss-Kahn to know there are just some places you cannot use your money or influence.
You probably heard by now, Grammy Award-winning singer Amy Winehouse died over the weekend. No cause of death has been released. But if you're a Winehouse fan you probably already know she's been in and out of rehab for years. She even canceled a recent tour after stumbling through her songs on opening night.
Zain Verjee joins us live from London.
So, Zain, what are police saying about her death right now?
ZAIN VERJEE, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Police are saying that they are going to be conducting an autopsy today. But that probably won't get the results today. We'll get the toxicology report some time soon over the course of the week at least.
But she was found dead at her home in Camden here in London on Saturday night. Fans, friends, and family totally shocked, even though she had been abusing drugs and many people said that this would be the inevitable end.
People are just really shocked, they're laying pictures and flowers, even cigarettes and drinks there, too. But they really are startled.
Take a look at the newspaper headlines. The "Guardian" has this. "Album sales surge as fans pay tribute to Amy Winehouse, a great British soul." "Fans of Amy Winehouse," it says, "who died on Saturday afternoon have honored the singer not only with tributes and flowers but by buying her music. Her album 'Back to Black' and several of her singles have seen a surge in sales."
Then, Kyra, look at the "International Herald Tribune," it says, "Troubled British pop singer is found dead at 27." It goes on to say, "As much as her misfortunes eventually took on a sense of predictability, she was a fresh voice with a novel take on pop history." And finally the actor and comedian Russell Brand, Kyra, had this to say. It's getting a lot of attention on the Internet, too. He says, "When you love someone who suffers from the disease of addiction, you await the phone call. I think the world has been waiting for that phone call about Amy Winehouse, but never -- at least for me -- thinking it would actually happen. It did happen and it's sad."
Kyra, her parents were outside her house meeting with fans just a short time ago. They said thank you to everyone there and said that Amy was always all about love.
One of the reports that came out, too, was that she had lunch with her mom just the day before. And the last thing she said to her mom was, I love you -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Lot of talent, you know. That's the message. So many people fight with demons and they can't win.
VERJEE: Yes.
PHILLIPS: Zain, thanks.
Congress wrestles with the debt limit, one Democratic congressman wrapped up in a sex scandal. David Wu of Oregon is accused of making sexual advances toward the daughter of a longtime campaign donor.
Political editor Mark Preston joining us now from Washington.
So, Mark, do we know exactly what allegedly happened? And what do you think? An ethics probe?
MARK PRESTON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL EDITOR: Well, you know, Kyra, we don't exactly know the details. What we do know is that the "Oregonian" newspaper on Friday evening, late Friday evening, reported a story that David Wu had this unwanted sexual encounter with a young girl, a girl who is said to be the daughter of a longtime friend, a longtime campaign donor.
Now we also know that House Speaker Nancy -- rather Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi last night put out a statement saying she will ask for an ethics probe to look into Mr. Wu's allegations.
This is very, very telling of where Democrats think this is going at this point. They certainly do not want another sex scandal along the lines of what we saw with Anthony Weiner, Kyra. So David Wu is in a lot of trouble right now. The seven-time congressman from Oregon.
PHILLIPS: Well, we've been following the writing out of Oregon, obviously, Mark. It doesn't look like this is the only time he's been accused of this type of behavior.
PRESTON: No. He has had a history of having erratic behavior, erratic actions. In fact, during the last campaign, his aides were said to want to take him off the campaign trail because they couldn't trust him out in public. In fact he even sent this photo right here, a very bizarre photo, to his campaign aides right around Halloween.
It shows him there in a tiger costume. Now there was no explanation of why he did that. It raised a lot of eyebrows. You know he went on to say afterwards that he was under a lot of stress. He was raising his children by himself. He had the stress of a campaign and he also had lost his father and he was seeking some medical help.
But still, David Wu is not known for -- not unknown for controversy and certainly this is the biggest one he's having to face right now -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right. Mark Preston out of Washington. Mark, thanks.
We're going to have your next political update in about an hour. And a reminder for all the latest political news, just go to our Web site, CNNPolitics.com.
The Norway attacks, the work of a homegrown terrorists, and here in the U.S. we've seen it happen before. So what has a former director of the FBI so concerned about our safety? That's coming up after the break.
And out in the wilderness on a survival skill course and brutally attacked by a bear. What happened to the Alaskan teen when we go "Cross Country."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: OK. Just want to let you know, we got the all-clear from JFK Airport now.
We had just reported that the check-in and ticketing areas of American Airlines were locked down while officials were investigating a suspicious package. Just got the word, it's been checked out. There's an all clear.
All right. Checking other stories cross country.
In Alaska, a group of teenage boys taking part in a survival skills course with no instructor are mulled by a brown bear and her cub while hiking in the wilderness. They actually activated an emergency locator beacons and were rescued, but four of them are now in critical condition.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MEGAN PETERS (via telephone): We got on scene and really for the first time saw what we were dealing with. And they were mulled, and very severely.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: And in Los Angeles, two men charged with beating a San Francisco Gants fan will face a judge. Louie Sanchez and Marvin Norwood are charged with beating Bryan Stow outside Dodgers Stadium on March 31st. Stow still in the hospital in a coma.
And in New York, hundreds of same sex couples are waking up as newlyweds this morning. That includes these siblings who married their partners.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My husband and her wife. We can say that now. So many people have fought courageously over the years to make this a reality. We wanted to celebrate it and, kind of, symbolically say -- yes!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: New York is the sixth and largest state to recognize same-sex marriages.
A bomb at a government building, a massacre at a youth camp. First, we thought the mass shootings in Norway were the work of a terrorist but now, we learned it was homegrown -- a Norwegian so consumed by hate that he lashed out in the most destructive way.
Here in the U.S., we've been down this road in the U.S. before. Remember Timothy McVeigh, Eric Rudolph? Well, that's just to name a couple.
Tom Fuentes is the former FBI assistant director and has dealt with these types before.
So, what's going through your mind, Tom, as you see this unfold?
TOM FUENTES, FMR. FBI ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: Good morning, Kyra. Welcome back, by the way.
PHILLIPS: Thank you.
FUENTES: What's going through my mind, as you mentioned earlier, this is something that we've seen before. In the U.S., we've seen this for decades and so has Europe.
It appears from his manifesto that the philosophy is very similar to a neo-Nazi type group. White supremacist groups have that philosophy. Some of the militia groups in our country have been that way.
And from the beginning, this reminded me very much of the McVeigh type bombing, the use of a large fertilizer bomb, basically constructed at home, and then only followed in this case by attacks with firearms. So, it does seem to be very similar and with a similar motive we have had here in the U.S. as well.
PHILLIPS: So, Tom, if you were still on the job and you were monitoring, you know, all the hatred that's out there, you know, what we see on the Internet, et cetera, you know, what would your focus be right now when it comes to our safety in the U.S. and homegrown terrorism?
FUENTES: Well, the FBI's focus on what it calls domestic terrorism in this case has always been intense for decades, fighting the Ku Klux Klan, fighting other neo-Nazi, Aryan supremacist groups. And this has been ongoing a long time.
The focus is when does freedom of speech cross the line into a conspiracy to commit a crime or to commit murder, if there is a conspiracy? In a case like this, with basically someone acting, it appears, on his own. Maybe he had somebody help him with constructing the bomb. We don't know what yet. But it doesn't take too many people to do this.
In his case, it appears he was able to legally purchase the fertilizer because he actually owns a farm. He actually is in agriculture. So, the purchase of six tons of fertilizer didn't attract the attention of the authorities as it might normally if it was someone else. You know, that's -- I'm sorry?
PHILLIPS: So, the fact that this gunman is still alive -- I mean, Tom, is it possible to learn things from the interrogation, the manifesto, like possibly could he have been connected to somebody else in the U.S. or learning from someone in the U.S.? I mean, can there be any positive to come from this with regard to what we should be monitoring here in the States or paying attention to it?
FUENTES: Well, any of the information obtained in the intelligence gleaned by the authorities in Oslo will be shared with the FBI and other services that are allied with Norwegians. It will be shared throughout the world.
But I think in this type of case, it just shows what one individual or a handful of individuals, the utter destruction that they're able to do. And it's very difficult for any governmental agency anywhere in the world, anywhere in the free world to be able to suppress that, either the communication that he might have had with others who agree with him, or the reading of books that support this.
You know, remember, in the McVeigh era, we didn't even have the type of Web sites and Internet communication that we have today. So, people were reading things like "The Turner Diaries" and other books that inspired them to carry out violence on behalf of their philosophy.
PHILLIPS: Yes. And there's so much more out there now, as you point out, through the Internet, inspires people like this.
Tom Fuentes, always great to talk to you and get your perspective. Tom, thanks.
FUENTES: Thank you, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Well, coming up, a big court hearing today in Italy for Amanda Knox -- independent DNA experts could really help her murder appeal. The details, straight ahead.
And the FAA partially shut down. That means you don't have to pay taxes on air fares. But airlines are still finding ways to get money out of you. We'll have the details, just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Time for showbiz headlines for you.
An autopsy is being performed on Amy Winehouse today in London. The singer was found dead in her home Saturday. Her parents visited the scene this morning, thanking mourners for all the thoughts and tributes.
The 33 Chilean miners rescued, after more than two months underground, have sold their movie rights. Producer Michael Medavoy will bring the drama to the big screen. The miners say that it will include details that have never been publicly told.
And "Captain America: The First Avenger" earns more than 65 million bucks in its debut weekend. It dumped "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2" to number two at the box office.
American Amanda Knox heading back into an Italian courtroom for what could be a pivotal hearing in her murder appeal.
Zain Verjee is following developments for us.
So, Zain, what's going on today?
ZAIN VERJEE, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: This is an absolutely critical phase of the hearing. Raffaele Sollecito and Amanda Knox are basically trying to overturn the murder sentence for the murder of the English student, Meredith Kercher. This is all coming down to DNA and forensics today, Kyra.
The bottom line is the defense is arguing that in the initial stages, the police totally messed up and mishandled the DNA and forensics.
The two issues of this: number one, a bra clasp. Raffaele Sollecito's DNA was found on the victim's bra clasp. Now, what the defense is arguing is that what happened in the early stages, the police came in and they use dirty gloves and passed it on to other dirty gloves and contaminated the bra, in essence. And they also say that it took six weeks for them to even find it. It could be contaminated and, therefore, not permissible as evidence.
Now, the second thing is the knife that is alleged to have killed Meredith Kercher. Amanda Knox's DNA, Kyra, has been found on the handle of that knife and blood was found on the blade of that knife. Now, what the defense is arguing is that the blood was so teeny tiny, it was so small that there weren't even enough cells to do a proper DNA test to definitively identify it as the victim's.
Amanda Knox and her family are really hoping that independent DNA and forensic experts say, you know what, this is not going to be admissible. And, technically, they handled the DNA incorrectly. And, therefore, it may not stand in court.
They are keeping their fingers crossed that this flies. And this is the only window of possibility, they say, that could -- could see her released -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right. Keep us updated, Zain. Thanks.
Well, the FAA, as you know, is partially shut down and is impacting ticket prices at your local airport.
Allan Chernoff is at the New York Stock Exchange.
So, Allan, let's talk about how it is affecting our wallet.
ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, Kyra, there's so much Congress can't agree on these days, including funding for the FAA. As you said, the agency is now partially shut down, 4,000 FAA workers in 39 states are furloughed, and millions of dollars in construction projects are halted.
For us? Well, it means the government can't now actually collect taxes on your airfare. So, it should mean a savings for us. But, you know what, in most cases, it's not happening because many carriers raised their prices over the weekend by the exact same amount as that tax. American, United, Continental, Delta, JetBlue -- just about all of them did that. And so, you will not be getting any savings, even though you should be -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: So, what about folks that, you know, bought their tickets weeks ago, paid the taxes, but they're flying during the shutdown? I mean, will they be able to get a refund?
CHERNOFF: In theory, yes. That's what the Treasury Department is telling us on a $300 domestic ticket. It should come out to about 25 bucks. Although Washington is still working on exactly how you would get the money, it would probably have to come from the airline.
Let's also note, Kyra, not every carrier has raised their prices. Virgin America has got a great little ad. They're calling it, quote, "Evade taxes, take flight." Virgin America has left fares alone. It's advertising that savings as a tax holiday -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: OK. Allan, thanks.
Well, countdown to crisis, the debt deadline ticking closer. Investors are showing their concerns. We'll actually take a look at the first ripples from Washington's gridlock.
And she's accused of the world's most -- accused one of the world's most powerful men of sexual assault. Now the maid in the Dominique Strauss-Kahn case is going public. We're going to tell you what she's saying.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Checking top stories now.
Norway's Timothy McVeigh, the man accused of those massacres in Oslo made his first court appearance. Journalists were not allowed into the court. Attorneys representing Anders Behring Breivik say that the 32-year-old wanted to, quote, "explain himself" the attacks that left 93 people dead.
American diplomat Ryan Crocker inherits another hot spot. Crocker was sworn in today as the new ambassador to Afghanistan. Crocker is the former ambassador to Iraq.
And the New York hotel maid accusing Dominique Strauss-Kahn of sexually assaulting her is talking to the media. Nafissatou Diallo says that she was scared of the former head of the International Monetary Fund. She adds, quote, "because of him, they call me a prostitute. I want him to know that there are some places you cannot use your power, you cannot use your money."
The nation's debt crisis -- we've all heard about the August 2nd deadline. But we're already seeing the first ripples of just how damaging this political stalemate has become.
CNN's Ali Velshi in New York is watching the world markets and the opening moments on Wall Street.
So, Ali, what do you think will happen if the debt ceiling is not raised in time to, you know, where we'll see -- where will we see those problems first pop up?
ALI VELSHI, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: All right. The first thing you'll see -- and, by the way, this may happen even if the debt ceiling is raised by the August 2nd deadline, is you'll see an almost immediate downgrading of the U.S. credit rating.
And when that happens, immediately, you are likely to see bond prices go up. I'm sorry. Not bond prices. Bond yields, which are interest rates, the cost at which the United States borrows money.
It will also become more expensive for companies that need money for operating purposes to borrow. And you'll remember, Kyra, back to, you know, 2008 when this happened, September of 2008, when Lehman Brothers collapsed, that's what happened. Companies that needed to borrow money to operate didn't have it. In some cases, that caused them to lay people off.
So, those are two negative effects of this.
And then what you'll see is what you're seeing today. You're seeing a very muted reaction in the stock market. We thought the Dow would open up 100 points lower. That's kind of where it did.
This is the markets -- in the words of my colleagues from Money.com -- giving Washington the benefit of the doubt, saying they've still got a few more days to work this out. Generally, people think they will. But if they don't, this is going to be a very, very serious problem.
And it's going to trickle down to you, Kyra, because it's going to be mortgage rates. It's going to be car loan rates. It's going to be small business rates, and it's going to be your 401(k) and your IRA. It's going to be your stocks that suffer as a result.
So, this becomes very real to Americans this week.
PHILLIPS: I'm looking at the numbers right now, Dow Industrials down, you know, 104.
VELSHI: Yes.
PHILLIPS: So, you know, taking this into account -- and, you know, people like you can read through the tea leaves. People like me, I look to you to figure out what to do, you know? Is there anything we can do to prepare?
VELSHI: Yes. I would say you should know your log in for your 401(k), your investments --
PHILLIPS: We all have that memorized.
VELSHI: -- first of all. I'll get on with you the day it becomes serious to do something about it.
I wouldn't panic ahead of time. Remember, stock markets around the world are betting that they will solve this problem. If they do solve it, you're not going to see a surge in stocks. If they don't solve it, you'll see a drop. And I'll let you know when that's coming.
Number two, I wouldn't overexpose yourself to stocks right now. If you know what your profile is and how much you should have invested, that's where I would stay at the moment.
And, number three, if you are thinking of investing -- and some people are asking me, how do I get around this? Look, people are moving their money into gold and things like that, bond funds. One thing to think about is the companies that are less likely to be affected by this are companies that don't depend on borrowing money to exist. So, companies with a lot of cash flow with very little or no debt at all, those are companies to look at investing in.
But for most people, again, for now you just keep your powder dry. I will let you know. But if you decide you need to get out of the market, don't do it prematurely. But at least know how to do it. Know who to call, know how to log in and figure it out.
For now, we can all sit still. When I start panicking, Kyra, you should start panicking.
PHILLIPS: OK.
VELSHI: Until then, don't worry about it.
PHILLIPS: All right. Because you never panic, so this is going to be tough. Thank you, Ali. Appreciate it.
VELSHI: All right.
PHILLIPS: We're now hearing the hotel maid's side of the story, you know, the woman who famously accuses Dominique Strauss-Kahn of sexually assaulting her. Well, she's talking to the media now.
We're talking about Nafissatou Diallo. She actually gave interviews to "Newsweek," as you see here, and also to ABC news.
CNN's national correspondent Susan Candiotti has also been following this for many weeks. She's joining us live out of New York now.
So, Susan, what exactly did she say in these interviews? Did you find it compelling?
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Very compelling, very intriguing and certainly disturbing details. You know, it's nothing, Kyra, that we haven't heard before. Mainly, we've heard the story from police, other sources and her own attorney.
But, now, you get to hear her in her own words, hear her inflections, her whole story about what she says happened in that hotel room, 2806, the luxury suite at the Hotel Sofitel.
And among other things she talks about the moment when she walked into the hotel suite and she said she thought there was no one in there and then, all of a sudden, she saw a naked man come at her from the bathroom. Here's what she said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NAFISSATOU DIALLO, HOTEL MAID: And then I said oh, my God! And I was crying. I said they're going to kill me. I said, they're going to kill me. I'm going to die. Stop. Stop this. Stop this.
But he -- he wouldn't say nothing. He kept pushing me, pushing me, pushing me, pushing me to the hallway, back to the hallway, keep pushing me. I was so afraid. I was so scared.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CANDIOTTI: And, in fact, one of the things we hadn't heard before was how important her job was to her. And that's what she was particularly afraid about when all of this was happening, she says.
Now, remember that Dominique Strauss-Kahn has denied these charges and virtually is implying that anything that might have happened in the room was consensual. Authorities did find forensic evidence in that hotel suite.
She also said that she is demanding justice and she answered questions from people who are claiming that she may be a prostitute. Here is that answer.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DIALLO: I'm not. And I have never been called that since I was born. God is my witness, I'm telling the truth from my heart. God knows that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CANDIOTTI: Now as soon as word came out that she had granted these interviews to "Newsweek" and ABC news, the lawyers for Dominique Strauss-Kahn issued a written statement, a written statement only and it reads, in part, "Ms. Diallo is the first accuser in history to conduct a media campaign to persuade a prosecutor to pursue charges against a person from whom she wants money."
Now, Kyra, she has not yet filed any kind of civil lawsuit but certainly one is expected. Her own attorney shot back and said, you know, talk about a smear campaign and that lawyer, Ken Thompson, is accusing Dominique Strauss-Kahn's lawyers of being the ones who are not acting professionally -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Susan Candiotti out of New York. We'll see what happens then with regard to the civil case. Susan, thanks.
We're hearing harrowing details also about the Norway terror attacks. Survivors are actually beginning to tell their stories. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I ran around for five minutes and then I found the ocean and started swimming.
REPORTER: Was he shooting at you in the ocean?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. He did miss.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: We're going to take you live to Norway to hear more from the survivors and as they talk about the ordeal.
And also, being there for abused children. A horrific case where everything went wrong. And then a hopeful one, where cops did everything right.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: As you know, while we've been talking about this Norway -- confessed killer and how he has headed to court. We're now being told that a Norwegian judge says that he has ordered eight weeks detention for the gunman. Solitary confinement, ban on newspapers, visitors, letters.
It's the latest development on this man that ruthlessly stalked so many people. In particular, the kids that we had just heard from recently that actually had a chance to make it out alive. That's the part of the story that CNN's Diana Magnay has for us now at Utoya Island at Norway, as we're getting the latest information on what the judge has ordered as this confessed killer goes to court.
Diana, also some pretty amazing stories of survival.
DIANA MAGNAY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kyra.
Yes, the stories that we've been hearing over the last couple of days from those young kids on the island. And remember this was a summer youth camp, this was meant to be a sort of paradise event for these children, turned into an absolute nightmare where they were swimming for their lives.
Let us just have a listen to what some of them told me.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And he seemed like he was just taking photos when he was shooting.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He was wearing a fake police uniform and (INAUDIBLE) looked like a saloon rifle.
MAGNAY: And his expression it was blank?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Completely blank.
MAGNAY: But he was shouting?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. "Come back."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I started swimming on to the shores. And I got halfway. And then, I got cramps because I had been laying so long in the water. So I -- so I got -- some of the locals saved my life with a --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So you're kind of hiding in the water?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. It was the only place to hide because all of the other places were full of people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MAGNAY: Kyra, the police are still searching for at least four people still missing. But they've said something hopeful, that the body count, which now stands at 93 in both bombing in Oslo and these attacks, this massacre on Utoya, will be reduced downward. So we're expecting news from them soon.
But really harrowing stories and I think what's impressive from those kids, is that most of them said we will not let this gunman win. We will not let him shoot down our politics. If that summer camp happens next year, then I will be going back. And I was amazed at their courage -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Yes it's pretty inspiring, Diana thanks so much. And just to repeat once again, you know, we're following the fact that this gunman is in court today. And the judge deciding solitary confinement, ban on newspapers, visitors, all letters. We'll continue to update you as we learn more.
Coming up, two abused boys, two very different fates. We're going to have more on their stories and the lessons we can all learn from them, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Well, when you look at his picture, you see a warm smile, you see bright eyes. Maybe it even reminds you of your own kids. When some Ohio police officers look at the picture though, they're reminded of another little boy that they cared about and just refused to turn away from.
Two stories of horrific abuse are actually woven together by CNN contributor and bestselling author, Bob Greene. And Bob, you know, let's go ahead and start with the story about the boy in the picture, Christian Choate. You know, you've written a lot about this case. What was it about this story that made you want to share it with the world?
BOB GREENE, BEST-SELLING AUTHOR: Well, he was missing for two years and no one even knew he was gone, no one was looking for him. And it turned out allegedly he had been kept in a dog cage chained by seven locks and finally after he was beaten allegedly by his father and stepmother and died, he was buried encased in cement.
Letters he apparently wrote that were found after his death asked the question, he was wondering why no one liked him, why his family didn't like him. He wondered when why someone would come check on him and bring him food or water.
And so the idea that they had hidden him from the world so thoroughly that he could be dead for two years and no one knew to look was just heartbreaking obviously.
PHILLIPS: All right. Yes. In every day.
Ok, so in today's follow-up column on CNN.com, you talked to some officers who saved an abused boy's life. What's the lesson or inspiration here for, you know, other police officers, social workers, even the neighbor next door?
GREENE: Well, this happened in a town called White Hall, Ohio. In central Ohio, a number of years ago and I remembered covering it, they received a call that a 12-year-old boy was being brutally beaten. He had a severe speech impediment they were told. They went to the mobile home where he was supposedly living and the parents and brother and sister said, no, it's just the four of us here.
But the officer, his name is Rex Adkins, went back to the police department and it just didn't feel right so he came back that night with a total of five officers and they wouldn't leave. And they went in and again they were told, there is no boy here and then an officer, named Dan Wardlow (ph) a rookie at the time opened a drawer underneath the water bed where the parent slept and there was a 12-year-old boy who was bruised, he had human bite marks, he had never been sent to school.
His whole life according to the police had consisted of being beaten and made to sleep on the floor in this trailer. His parents made fun of the way he spoke because he had a speech impediment.
And you asked the lesson, Kyra. The lesson is that these guys didn't go away. They could have just accepted the story. This is just the four of us here --
(CROSSTALK)
PHILLIPS: But they acted on their gut like, like every officer should do. So just look at the outcome.
GREENE: And they said the lesson is take it the extra mile. Go that extra mile until you're absolutely sure. They said you will never regret it.
PHILLIPS: Well, it's a riveting column, Bob. Thanks so much.
GREENE: Thank you Kyra.
PHILLIPS: You can actually find Bob's Greene latest column -- you bet. "Going beyond Duty's Call to Save a Child" it's at CNN.com/opinion and it links to his previous pieces by the way about the Christian Choate case.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: And stories making news later today:
A pre-trial hearing for Michael Jackson's former doctor, Conrad Murray. It begins at 11:30 Eastern. Murray is charged with involuntary manslaughter.
President Obama welcomes the World Series champs the San Francisco Giants. They're coming to the White House 4:00 Eastern.
And the AFL-CIO is sponsoring a vigil of the Social Security Administration in Baltimore. The vigils which begins at 5:30 Eastern is to protest cuts to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.
Well, we're following a lot of developments in the next hour of the CNN NEWSROOM. Let's check in first with Kate Bolduan -- Kate.
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hey there, Kyra.
Well, despite a long weekend of talks no deal yet to raise the federal debt ceiling. Which has many wondering will they reach a compromise in time? We'll have more at the top of the hour.
MICHALE HOLMES, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, I'm Michael Holmes in Oslo, Norway. We're going to have the very latest from the court hearing here, the man accused of killing nearly 100 people. He's been in court and we'll tell you what happened.
KAYE: Thanks so much guys.
We're also going inside Anders Breivik's 1,500-page manifesto. That's coming up next hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: I'll tell you what. Australia has reason to celebrate a big sports win now. For the first time ever an Aussie has won the Tour de France. Caddell Evans pedalled into Paris at the head of the DMC team yesterday. The 34-year-old by the way is the oldest Tour de France winner in 63 years. He was runner-up in 2007 and 2008.
I'll bet you've never heard of prayer quite like this one before. It happened at a weekend race at the Speedway in Nashville, Tennessee. It's not every day that you hear a preacher thank God for his smoking hot wife.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PASTOR JOE NELMS: Thank you for Sonoko (ph) racing field and Goodyear Tires that bring performance and power to the track. Lord, I want to thank you for my smoking hot wife tonight, Lisa. And my two children, Eli and Emma or as we like to call them the little "Es". Lord I pray to you and bless the drivers tonight that they put on a performance worthy of this great track. In Jesus' name, boogity, boogity, boogity Amen.
(END VIDEO CLIP)