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Immigration Policy Takes Effect; Bad Day to be Smoker Down Under; Bomb Explodes in Damascus; Allyson Felix's Gold Medal Journey; Terror Group Builds Theme Park

Aired August 15, 2012 - 12:00   ET

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

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SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to NEWSROOM INTERNATIONAL. I'm Suzanne Malveaux. We are taking you around the world in 60 minutes.

Here's what's going on.

Rebels striking at the heart of Syria, blowing up a truck right outside of the country's capital.

Smugglers use these tunnels to run everything -- from guns to food, from Egypt into the Gaza Strip. But the chaos taking place right there, right now could finally shut those tunnels down.

I want to begin however with the battle over the border. It is taking place right here at home. We are talking about long lines of people showing up today outside of the consulates, the immigration rights centers all across the country.

These are children of illegal immigrants. They are brought to the United States as kids. Well, today, they are getting an opportunity to stay, work in the country for two years without worrying about being deported.

This is all a part of President Obama's immigration policy and it is take effect today.

I want to look at some of qualifications here.

CNN's Miguel Marquez, he is in Los Angeles, as where hundreds of thousands of folks, they are expected to jump at the chance to legalize their status.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Twenty-three- year-old Gostino Mora (ph) was brought to the U.S. from Mexico when he was 11. He is one of 1.7 million young people here illegally. That is beginning today have a shot of something they thought they never have, legal status in the U.S.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: At the beginning, it felt like a dream, and I didn't really actually believe it.

MARQUEZ: But it is a temporary program, and only lasting two years and only those 15-31 years old need apply. Each applicant will also need a slew of documents to prove they entered the U.S. before the age of 16 or in or have been finished and have been in the U.S. for five years.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Over here, I have my vaccination card, some medical records.

MARQUEZ (on camera): Because this proves that you are here all along, and you got vaccinated. So, it is a record of where you were on certain days?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes?

MARQUEZ (voice-over): Workshops teaching immigrants how the apply jam packed here CHIRLA, an L.A. based immigrant whites group, 36,000 people have attended the workshops and the group expects to help 10,000 more apply.

(on camera): Here in California, the problem could have a massive impact. The Los Angeles school district alone, more than 200,000 students could qualify.

(voice-over): Mora, a junior, is studying political and computer science at the University of California-Los Angeles, will apply along with his brother and sister.

(on camera): This must be incredibly emotional though?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is. Yes, it is.

MARQUEZ (voice-over): It is emotional on all sides of the immigration debate.

When President Obama announced the policy change in a high profile press conference two months ago, it ignited on the political right, including Rush Limbaugh.

RUSH LIMBAUGH, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: So, President Obama went out today to the Rose Garden and basically announce amnesty for young illegals in what many people are calling a jobs program for illegals.

MARQUEZ: The argument, making it legal for the young, undocumented to work here will take jobs away from Americans.

Mora counters he wants to create jobs here.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I want to establish my own business and probably creating computer software and hopefully work for either Google or Microsoft.

MARQUEZ: Big dreams for him, a nightmare for others. The fight over immigration reform on the horizon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX: Miguel Marquez is joining us from outside of the immigration rights organization that is helping the folks with these applications.

And, Miguel, you said that this is a dream come true for so many people here, and why is this so important for the folks that you are talking to?

MARQUEZ: Well, it is important because they want legal status. Once they file that document today, the ones who are filing today, they will no longer face deportation from theis country until that document is sorted out.

I can show you this line now stretches all of the way around the block now, and 300 to 400 people in line at the moment.

These young women here have been showing off their diplomas all day. Can we just see your diploma real quickly?

They've been showing off their diploma. They have brought all of the records here to prove they have been in the country illegally for years. Once they do that, they can apply. It's a strict application process, costs 465 bucks, and it is not cheap, but if they can cross all of the hurdles, then they won't be deported from the country.

The big question for them though is, great, I won't be deported for two years, but what happens then? That is yet to be sorted out.

MALVEAUX: Yes, Miguel. I wanted to ask you, is this a process that has to happen every two years in order for them to stay or do we even know how this is going to play out?

MARQUEZ: This is the sticky wicket. What people are -- what they believing here is that in the next two years, there is comprehensive immigration reform, and that the program will be expanded. But there is the possibility that it could just go away after two years and all of the people here applying today could end up in the same place they were today -- without legal status here, and facing deportation.

MALVEAUX: What happens if there isn't comprehensive immigration reform here, and al of these folks have come forward with documents about who they are and where they have been -- is there any fear that this is the government that is collecting information about people who might be worried that they now have this information now that they have come out of the shadows?

MARQUEZ: Very good point, because a lot of people here, these are the kids of immigrants who are still illegally here. And there is a fear that the information that they give up here could implicate their parents, and that enforcement agencies could go after the parents.

But it's very important to note that it's not an enforcement agency that's processing all these documents. But that's agency that turns out visas and passports for regular Americans, and they are promising them that information won't be handed over to the enforcement agencies, so they won't fear enforcement action off of this.

MALVEAUX: And, Miguel, talking about 1.7 million folks who could qualify for the temporary legal status. How many people do we expect to apply for the program? Do we have ideas?

MARQUEZ: It is very hard to say, but so far the numbers are exceed exceeding the expectations at least at here at CHIRLA, this immigrants -- - this immigrant rights organization. They expect to process in the next few weeks, 10,000 people, and the statistic that I mentioned in the story earlier in the L.A. County School District alone, there may be 218,000 people who qualify for this program.

In California certainly, it is going to be massive. Several 100,000 people will apply in this state alone, so nationwide, it is expected to be over 1 million people at least.

MALVEAUX: Wow, it's a huge program. Makes a big difference to a lot of folks there. Thank you, Miguel, appreciate it.

In Australia today, and this is a landmark and a first in the world ruling that is essentially bad news for the tobacco industry.

First of all, I want you to take a look at this. If you are buying cigarettes in Australia later this year, you are not going to see the Marlboro Man or Joe Camel, or any kind of colorful, flashy packaging. This is what you get.

This is a plain green package. It's got the brand name of the cigarette in simple letters here, and there is a large picture showing the proven effects of smoking on your health, the dangers. We're talking about lung disease, and mouth cancer and birth defects and blindness.

So when this law, tobacco industry, as you can imagine in in Australia went on a rampage. They said that this new law violates the Constitution, took (AUDIO GAP) court, and today, the high court smacked down the tobacco industry, said these graphic packaging, they're going to have to stay.

I want to bring in Michael Holmes, who is an Aussie.

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR & CORRESPONDENT: Yes.

MALVEAUX: Our resident here. First of all, tell us why this is happening in Australia? Why do you look at this fight against smoking? Because it is bitter and graphic.

HOLMES: You think that the anti-smoking lobby here is fierce, but I in Australia, it has been that way for years. Smoking is totally uncool in Australia, gave restaurants, bars and outdoor areas and government property and parks and no smoking. You have to go hideaway to smoke there.

And for years,, you've there have been packages and you will see the packet of Marlborough, but the photograph down the bottom of something gruesome, but this is a step further. This goes a step further -- this takes all the branding off. The nine will be there in uniform type, every brand the same at the bottom. That is all there is. They are trying to take away and they say this is the last vestige of advertising for the companies and these are mini billboards, no more.

MALVEAUX: Even finding cigarettes though in Australia, it's really.

Explain to us the pictures we are seeing actually, because you would not know necessarily know where to go.

HOLMES: Well, that's funny thing. In fact, because I have been here 16 years and I was back there for a couple of weeks ago on vacation and I notice that you go there to stores that you don't see the rows of cigarettes in stores like you do here in gas stations, because they are hidden away and if so, they are behind a closed door and the guy has to go get them for you.

It's like buying something illegal, you know?

MALVEAUX: There is a sign that says smoking kills, and number for quit smoking before you get the six (ph) cigarette packages.

Why is this happening? Is it a big problem in Australia?

HOLMES: Well, you know, they just want to stamp it out. It's a health issue in Australia.

And I'll tell you the other thing, too. You know, here, the pack of cigarettes here from four -- I guess if you're in Virginia or 10 bucks something in New York.

I was stunned that a friend of mine who smokes they have packets of 25, and $20 a pack and most of it is tax and the government directs it to health causes, and it is a very easy way to tax, because who is going to argue, because we are taking it to give it to the health, because you are going to die or get sick with smoking -- very hard to argue.

MALVEAUX: Is there any evidence here that this is actually working? That if you put these gross images on the packages and these warnings. I mean, you know, I mean, if you have a craving or addicted, really? Is it going to make a difference?

HOLMES: Well, what they are aiming for is to discourage new smokers and that anyone who is going to see the stuff would say, do I want to start smoking? And it is not so much for the existing smokers.

The tobacco industry is saying that a lot of the young kids and the daring, hey, I'm macho and I'm going to go get this packet with the disgusting photo, I'm going to smoke anyway, they say it might increase the smoking rate. Most people don't think that is the case.

Smoking rates in Australia been plummeting for years. It's way down the list of industrial countries when it comes to lung cancer. This is just another push.

The reason tobacco companies fought this so hard is because Australia is not their biggest market, by a long shot, this could then spread to New Zealand already saying, we're going to have a look at this. The U.K. is saying the same thing. There's a push in Canada -- India.

Now, you start pushing this out around the world, the tobacco companies are furious. They are losing their branding. That's how they tried to fight this, by the way, in the high court. They tried to say they were by taking the package look away. They were taking our property away. So, it was a removal of property.

The court said no way. It's the highest court in the land. It's like the Supreme Court, no appeal there.

MALVEAUX: They've already lost their battle there. It would be interesting to see if it catches up to other countries. Michael, thank you.

HOLMES: Yes.

MALVEAUX: No smoking.

All right. Here is what we are working on in NEWSROOM INTERNATIONAL.

It is a theme park for Hezbollah. That is right. Instead of taking the kids for a roller coaster ride or cotton candy, they learn about war and suicide bombers.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Resistance tourism is a mix of heavy vibes and finger licking fun.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

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MALVEAUX: Large explosion struck close to a government military compound -- that is in Damascus.

Nick Paton Walsh is joining us, monitor the situation from Beirut.

Nic, first of all, tell us about this attack, this explosion and who is claiming responsibility?

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, the Free Syrian Army, the rebel movement claimed responsibility saying, they were targeting a meeting of officials in a government building near a key building where U.N. monitors are saying, targeting their morning meeting.

This blast does appear to have shaken the hotel where they are staying, no U.S. staff hurt. The FSA making it clear the U.N. were their target. The state media is saying that three people were injured as a result.

But the real impact of this is psychological, getting a device like that.

So, are making it closer that the U.N. was not the target, and three people were injured as a result as reported by the state media. But getting a device like that so close to the inner sanctum of the Syrian regime reminding people of the attack that happened a month ago killing four senior officials, Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: We know that the U.N. Emergency Relief Coordinator is there in Damascus, and what is that visit about? What is the assessment about?

WALSH: Well, she is there to gather assessments of the deteriorating situation, humanitarian situation on the ground. Now, she is treated recently and tried to get to Duma, that's a city in the suburbs of Damascus, turned back because of shelling and clearly a violent day of violence there in the capital.

And opposition groups saying there are clashes in the various neighborhoods and claiming that the opposition fighters have managed to launch rocket-propelled grenade at the prime minister's office, and even the new building to the Iranian embassy there. It can't be verified but there have been suggestions of explosions occurring throughout the afternoon. As they try to use the guerrilla tactics to suggest to people the regime is holed on the capita --, so vital if they're going to maintain veneer of control over the country, is beginning to be losing by these clashes and attacks that seem to be happening over and today as well, Suzanne.

And, Nick, finally, if can you tell us how they are coping there? You see the pictures from these explosions, from this attack from the hotel. Clearly, you say a psychological impact. Are people going to work? Are they going about their lives? Are they essentially hiding essentially in their offices or homes?

WALSH: Well, while speaking to a Dutch journalist who works with us, (INAUDIBLE) earlier on today, a witness to the blast, he describes a much calmer Damascus than he'd seen in a month earlier and less checkpoints and returning to a degree of normalcy, and the fact that the grenade could penetrate the inner sanctum, to may be the regime relaxing a little too much.

Life in Damascus does appear to go on, but, of course, deeply surreal, given that these militants come into certain areas and the rebel movement penetrating these vital parts of the regime infrastructure there, Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: Nick Paton Walsh -- thank you, Nick. Appreciate it.

I want to talk a little bit more about this attack, by bringing Hala Gorani, who obviously been covering this region extensively.

And one of the things that you said interesting that is that you reach out the Syrians all of the time. You talk to them.

HALA GORANI, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR & CORRESPONDENT: Right.

MALVEAUX: And you have not been able to get a hold of too many folks there on the ground today?

GORANI: Well, it has been much harder the last couple of days and the people I speak to in Aleppo and Damascus as well. We're hearing that it's hard to get simple Internet connection. The cell network is down, neighborhoods have no electricity to charge their devices, because the price of fuel has gone up so much, and the electrical power cuts are so frequent in the large cities that people aren't able to buy the fuel to power generators in order to charge, you know, the electronic devices.

MALVEAUX: So what does all of this indicate to you?

GORANI: Well, It's basic day-to-day living has come to a complete halt. If you talk to people in Aleppo and a Damascus and what Nick Paton Walsh said there was interesting, that the NOS, the Dutch journalist who's talk to there is some degree of normalcy in Damascus and Aleppo and go from one neighborhood to another neighborhood and have fighting and shelling in one neighborhood and two neighborhoods away, people are trying to go ability their lives, as tense as life there is, because of the price of food is higher, and they are afraid that the fighting might get to them.

MALVEAUX: What does this mean when you look at the explosion and where it took place? Because Nick brought up a very good point, he says this is psychologically damaging here and this is a psychological war going on and not just the fighting taking place. How are people actually dealing with something like that to happen in the heart of the capital?

GORANI: Well, this has to be something that is rattling to the regime, because operationally wounding three people, and managing to bomb or to detonate a device of a military compound operationally perhaps is not important, but symbolically and psychologically it's important. But also this is not the first time.

You have to remember that the big hit for the rebels was killing the top security and defense officials at a meeting in the heart of Damascus in July. You'll remember, including the defense minister. So look at the regime now, Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: Right.

GORANI: The prime minister has defected, the defense minister was killed, top security officials as well killed in that rebel attack. You have crumbling government around Bashar al Assad and dozens of defections, and large part of the country under the control of the Free Syrian Army.

So, this is a regime more and more encircled, but you must remember, always, they have the superior firepower right now and still very much the firm backing of Iran and Russia, their two close allies.

MALVEAUX: And you have breaking news, a little bit more news about what we understand what happened in the Houla massacre, we were talking about -- the largest massacre ever in Syria with women and children, and what do we know more about?

GORANI: Well, the Houla massacre was shocking event in Syria over the last 17-plus months of the uprising. More than 10 civilians and 108 civilians killed and more than half of the civilians and you'll see there the burials of some of those people who were killed, half of them women and children.

And now the U.N. Human Rights Council report, which is an independent report is blaming the government and the militia, the Shabiha, for the massacre, and also saying that some of the human rights violations are authorized at the highest levels of government.

Now, why is that important? Because if any of the massacres make it, or the people responsible make it to a human rights trial at the Hague, this can be considered some of the research that background research you need for war crimes.

MALVEAUX: OK. Hala Gorani, thank you so much, Hala. Appreciate it as always.

A new CNN poll shows that Americans are mixed about Syria. More than 70 percent are concerned about the violence there, but 2/3, they oppose putting U.S. boots on the ground in Syria.

Gasoline, food, guns all comes through these tunnels from Egypt to the Gaza strip, but new tensions in the region could finally shut that tunnel down.

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MALVEAUX: In the effort to crackdown on militant attacks in Sinai, Egypt, is sealing of border tunnel tunnels. They are used to smuggling in goods into Gaza, but the militants have been using the tunnels as well. Palestinians say they are a lifeline and closing them is going to hurt the economy.

Diana Magnay, she is Gaza City. She's going to join us live here.

Diana, first all, the tickets are very re a major source of commerce and what will happen if they do shut down the tunnels?

DIANA MAGNAY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Suzanne, they have pretty much shut them down. Hamas who controls the Gaza Strip announced shortly after the attack in the Sinai that Sunday before last it would close down all of the tunnels down.

And on the Egyptian side, the Sinai side, the Egyptian government says they want to bring in the bulldozers and shut the tunnels from that end, but it literally is like a Swiss cheese underneath the ground between Sinai and Gaza, there are 1,500 or 1,600 tunnels and all of them controlled by Hamas who taxes the goods that come through, as you say mostly fuel, construction materials, and also weapons which of course they don't tax, and household goods as well.

If you go down to the markets now, people say that the prices are gone up 30 percent or 40 percent, and Eid is coming up, the feast of Ramadan, and people are they can't afford the things that they want for their families because of the blockage.

Suzanne, we went down there today and it would appear as there are some nominal activity and some of the tunnels are operating, because we did see cement coming through for example. A little bit of activity.

MALVEAUX: Who would be hurt if the tunnels were shutdown, who would suffer?

MAGNAY: Well, the people of Gaza would suffer. If you think about it right now, there are only two ways for goods to come in -- through the tunnels and through the Kerem Shalom crossing, which Israel controls.

I mean, Israel only g disease, some sort in and its sort of depends on the relations between the Israeli government and Hamas at the time. How much it will allow thro?

And, also, the governments for it allow through are a lot more expensive coming from Israeli, for the people here in Gaza than the good that come in Egypt that you'll find in the marke.t

So, yes, if the tunnels are shut down, that will be extremely difficult for people here, which is why Hamas is asking the Egyptians to open the Rafah crossing, which at the moment, it goes between the Gaza Strip and Egypt and it's only for people. They want it to be opened for goods. It will be a lot cheaper for the people here and it will cut Israel out of the equation.

MALVEAUX: All right. Diana Magnay, thank you so much. Appreciate it.

How's this for a financial scandal? We are talking about a British bank that is accused of laundering money for the Iranians. Now, it is facing the consequences.

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MALVEAUX: Welcome back to NEWSROOM INTERNATIONAL where we take you around the world in 60 minutes. Surprising what made its way to the number two spot on Italian radio. Take a listen.

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MALVEAUX: That is kind of funny, actually.

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MALVEAUX: It started out as a simple radio station promo; it goes viral -- OK. So the song is "Pulcino Pio," that's Italy's version of "Old McDonald Had a Farm." I'm not kidding. By mid-July, it had more than 6 million hits on YouTube. It is actually a hit across Italy. Pretty funny, actually.

Standard Chartered Bank has struck a deal with U.S. regulators over accusations that it hid $250 billion of transactions with Iran. The British bank is going to pay $340 million to the New York State Department of Financial Services.

Want to get a little bit more in depth with this, go to Richard Quest in London.

Richard, so tell me a little bit about this? Standard Chartered could have lost the right to trade on Wall Street because of this scandal essentially, but looks like they have made amends here with the New York authorities. Tell us how that happened and if this is the end of it?

RICHARD QUEST, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: Well, no, it is certainly not the end of it, because there are other regulators -- the Feds and the Department of Justice that will be looking at it. It is difficult to know who won and who lost in the bigger picture, because this is not about the battle, it is about the war.

Suzanne, now, Standard, the regulator in New York, the new regulator, Mr. Lawsky, he had claimed all sorts of things, a rogue institution, and was going for the banking license.

Standard Chartered it was anything but. It was all very little and that they hadn't done much wrong. Well, now they are paying this large sum of money, for $250 billion worth of misdeeds, so they say.

But here is the nub of it. Did they settle for this to protect their banking license and because they could have got worse further down the line? In other words, do they regard a $340 million fine as simply a cost of doing business? And by and large, they have protected the reputation in the longer term.

MALVEAUX: Wow. That's -- that would be quite a strategy there.

Let me ask you this, do they explain what they were doing by funneling money to the Iranians?

QUEST: They -- well, they were doing deals for the Iranians. The Iranians -- and according -- this is still the prosecutor added to the regulator, and we must assume that since they've paid this large sum of money, that they agreed, $250b, that there is a sizable truth to what was being alleged.

We are left with no other option, although the bank itself -- and this is back to the strategy point -- the bank said in an e-mail to its staff, there are a variety of reasons why people choose to settle. And what that tells me and probably you is, listen, it is quicker to get out now and pay some money.

But what we don't know is when the Feds get involved, what will the Federal Reserve, the Department of Justice, all of the other federal regulators, because now, the New York scrappy new regulator has basically laid a fist on the bank.

And by doing that, the others are either looking weak for not having done it as well, slow for letting him get out of the gate first or incompetent for not being at the front.

MALVEAUX: This certainly isn't the last that we are going to see of this. Richard, thank you so much.

QUEST: Oh, absolutely not. We're in the millions here. We're in the millions.

MALVEAUX: All right. Thank you, Richard. Appreciate it.

Prince Philip, the husband of Queen Elizabeth II is in the hospital again. Buckingham Palace says earlier today the Duke of Edinburgh was taken to the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary as a precautionary measure. The prince, who is 91, he was admitted to the hospital in June after falling ill during the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebration.

Well, thou shall not steal, right? Pretty simple commandment. Well, so who in their right mind would steal from the pope? Allegedly this guy. And it is causing a huge dust-up at the Vatican.

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MALVEAUX: This is a case that has rocked the Vatican. Paolo Gabriele, a butler to the pope, he is going to stand trial for allegedly stealing confidential documents and slipping them to an Italian journalist, who, in turn, put them in his book, "His Holiness: The Secret Papers of Pope Benedict."

In it there are many reproduced internal letters, papers from the Vatican and it alleges widespread corruption and backbiting between high level authorities within the church.

The book also casts negative light on the second in command at the Vatican, saying at times he's a bad manager and he was too controlling.

For more on this, want to go to Reverend Thomas Reese. He is a Jesuit priest. He wrote "Inside the Vatican."

Father, thank for being here with us, obviously the Vatican criminal tribunal is in recess until late September, so it looks like the pope's butler is not going to stand trial until perhaps early October.

Tell us what he is charged with here, and how embarrassing this is for the pope?

REV. THOMAS REESE, JESUIT PRIEST: Well, this is very embarrassing for the Vatican. The butler is being charged with stealing confidential documents from the pope and giving them to a journalist. Now he claims that he did this out of love for the pope, and for the church and for the good of the church.

However, he also stole a check for 100,000 euros, plus a rare 16th century book, a translation of "The Aeneid," and a gold nugget that someone from Lima had given to the pope. So this puts a little bit of doubt in this, his claim that he has this deep love for the pope and the church and that is why he leaked the documents. I think that we may discover that he was paid for these documents.

MALVEAUX: Stealing from the pope, that takes a little bit of nerve there, a little gumption. This guy, the butler here, he was a member of the pope's inner circle. There were less than 10 people, I understand, who have a key to the elevator from the Vatican courtyard directly to the pope's apartment. This guy was one of them.

Did he divulge any personal information about the pope?

REESE: We don't -- so far, all we have seen is documents that have been divulged. This was a man who had constant contact with the pope. He was in and out of his apartment, you know, doing personal things for the pope. He was kind of a gofer that would do, you know, they'd tell him, hey, we need this, go do it, get this.

And this was the kind of thing that would happen. This is not first time that something has been stolen out of the pope's apartment. Back in the 1970s, a technician from Vatican Radio stole some crosses, some gold coins and medals out of the pope's apartment. He didn't go to jail either.

MALVEAUX: Reverend, do you think, in light of the fact that the church is all about forgiveness here, that the pope could pardon him from these charges?

REESE: I'm pretty convinced that eventually he will be pardoned. I hope he is not pardoned until after the trial. I mean, I think we need the trial to get all of the information out, to find out, you know, did he have accomplices? I hope they are looking at his phone records, his bank accounts, you know, his e-mail, you know who was -- was he just the pawn being use by someone else?

He's not the, you know, the brightest bulb in the Vatican. This is a simple man. And there is suspicion that there may be some other people behind all of this.

MALVEAUX: Well, the investigation continues; we will find out just how big this scandal is. Reverend Thomas Reese, thank you very much. Appreciate it.

REESE: Thank you.

MALVEAUX: Well, she just flew back from London and not with one, not two, but three -- three gold medals. We are going to talk to track and field superstar Allyson Felix about what's next.

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MALVEAUX: She went to London in search of gold and redemption and Allyson Felix, well, she found both. She brought home three gold medals from the London Olympics, and she is joining us live from New York.

Well, it's so nice to you. Congratulations, I mean, it was so much fun, it was so inspiring to watch you and to watch your fellow runners as well. And I love the medals.

How much does that weigh, can you tell me? That's pretty impressive.

ALLYSON FELIX, OLYMPIC RUNNER: It is quite a bit. Yes. It is weighing my neck down. It is so good to be back.

MALVEAUX: It is great to have you back, it is great to see you. We were all so proud of you, I just want to remind our audience what you did, because you won gold in the 200 meters, also in the 4x100 and the 4x400 meter relays.

Now, you were the first woman since Flo-Jo, and I remember watching her back in 1988, to win three gold medals in track and field. What is next? What do you do with that now that you have done what is really just so incredible?

FELIX: Well, I feel like it's not over. You know, I still have more the accomplish. But I'm just excited, in the moment. You know, I want to enjoy it a bit. And then I also have my degree in elementary education and I'm on president's council for fitness, sports and nutrition. So I really have a passion, you know, to help kids get active again. And so that's, you know, on my to-do list as well.

MALVEAUX: Tell us a little bit about that, because I know your mom is an elementary school teacher and you are very excited and you're passionate about kids. Is that something that you would like to do?

FELIX: Yes. I have my degree in elementary education and I grew up in my mom's classroom. So that's just something that I've always wanted to do. And then I'm also going to be partnering up with Nike to try to figure out the best way to help kids get up and active again. And so it's something that I'm excited. Now I have a little more time to spend and just really go after it.

MALVEAUX: Now that you're not training -- or I assume you're not training. You're taking a little bit of a break, is that right?

FELIX: Yes, definitely. I'm going to take a break. You know, rest up and do a little vacationing as well.

MALVEAUX: A little vacationing. Where are you going?

FELIX: I'm not sure yet. I'm still like trying to figure it all out. But I know I want to be somewhere by the water. MALVEAUX: I don't blame you. This -- I want you to listen. This is what gymnast Gabby Douglas told Jay Leno about what her guilty pleasure is after the games. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GABBY DOUGLAS, U.S. GYMNAST: After the competition, I splurged on an Egg McMuffin at McDonald's.

JAY LENO, TALK SHOW HOST: Egg McMuffin.

MICHELLE OBAMA, FIRST LADY: Gabby, we don't -- don't encourage him.

LENO: Egg McMuffin.

DOUGLAS: A salad.

OBAMA: I'm sure it was on a whole wheat McMuffin.

LENO: Yes, on a whole wheat bun. On a whole wheat bun.

OBAMA: Yes. Yes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: All right, Allyson, I don't think the first lady would encourage that, but we hear that donuts are your guilty pleasure. What have you done since you've finished -- you've wrapped up the competition?

FELIX: They are one of them. The other one is ice cream. Ben and Jerry's oatmeal cookie chunk. It is amazing. And I'm just so happy. I can't wait to get some.

MALVEAUX: Tell us a little bit about preparing for 2016. Now, have you already started?

FELIX: No. You know, I'm just happy about this moment. But I am looking forward to it. You know, I'm not sure what events I'll go after or kind of what my plan will be, but I know that I definitely want to be there.

MALVEAUX: One of the catch phrases -- and it was really beautiful in the Olympics here -- this was strong is the new pretty. And a lot of people are calling this year's Olympics really the Olympics for the women, for the female athletes. Did you feel something that was unique or special about the fact that women, including yourself, did so remarkably well?

FELIX: Definitely. I mean it was just so powerful to be a part of. And I just thought about the little girls at home and, you know, hopefully we could inspire them. And I just remember when I was little watching Dominique Dawes in gymnastics and just, you know, wanting to do it. And, you know, they may not be a runner or a swimmer or whatever, but it's just whatever they want to be to go after that and hopefully they can feel empowered to do it.

MALVEAUX: You know, it's so hard when you're a kid to really feel powerful. And you talk about, you know, your childhood and young kids and we had read that some of your school mates called you chicken legs but of your long, skinny legs. But now you're leg pressing 700 pounds. What do you say to, you know, little girls or anybody who's out there who's not -- not really confident and doesn't really know the way yet? What do you say to them?

FELIX: Keep after it. You know, really find out what you're good at and what you're passionate about and just dive into it. You know, it may take a little while to figure out, but that's OK. You know, explore it and eventually you'll find it.

MALVEAUX: All right, Allyson, such a pleasure. Allyson Felix, thanks for joining us. Congratulations. You make us all proud. And it's a message that we're all going to take. Appreciate it.

FELIX: Thank you so much.

MALVEAUX: Well, it's like a theme park, right? But this is for Hezbollah. Instead of carousels, bumper cars, this park is full of tanks, guns, propaganda. We're going to take an inside look.

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MALVEAUX: This is strange. A family-friendly theme park in Lebanon puts visitors inside the history of the group that the United States considers a terrorist organization. Hezbollah calls it resistance tourism. It's a war museum that critics say tries to recruit Muslim extremists and suicide bombers. Just watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RYAN DUFFY, HOST, VICE.COM (voice-over): Hezbollah's latest PR offensive is a massive theme park called Mleeta that's built on top of one of their mountaintop strongholds. The party of god (ph) wanted the chance to take the Hezbollah story straight to the people without the governments and media outlets calling them terrorists along the way.

DUFFY (on camera): When (EXPLETIVE DELETED) not actually exploding around you, war is pretty cool looking.

DUFFY (voice-over): Mleeta seems to attract a wide range of resistance tourists. Ladies from Europe, loving couples, and, of course, kids.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hezbollah!

DUFFY (on camera): And it does actually have to be pretty rad as a little kid to be walking through a museum experience and not seeing like replica dinosaurs, but seeing real life rockets. Like, that would just stoke me out as a kid.

DUFFY (voice-over): Kids also get the chance to learn about the greatest honor for a Hezbollah fighter, killing themselves. DUFFY (on camera): Now, that wouldn't have made me as stoked as a kid. That would have freaked me out. They might want to leave that one off the children's part of this tour. Resistance tourism is a mix of really heavy vibes and finger-licking fun.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Ryan Duffy, he is with us now live in New York. And he's the lead correspondent with Vice. It's an online source for news and cultural reporting.

Ryan, this is really -- it's kind of strange, actually, to watch this and to see this. And they talk about resistance tourism here. First of all, how did you find out that this even existed?

DUFFY: Well, it's an interesting thing. Mleeta's actually trumpeted by Hezbollah as an introductory kind of course into their mission and what they're about. So they're actually quite proud about it and it's quite public.

MALVEAUX: Is there anything that you found very disturbing when you walked through this park?

DUFFY: Well, the whole thing is really actually quite surreal, because you're walking through what's essentially a theme park environment. And, you know, my reference points as an American were Disney Land and so forth. But you're seeing Israeli soldiers' helmets and boots and the famed marcova (ph) tank that's actually been rendered impotent by a -- the taking the cannon and actually turning it in on itself. So the whole thing is quite surreal.

MALVEAUX: Who is it actually geared for, do you suppose? Do you think this is a recruiting tool for others who would like to join Hezbollah or do you think this is a public relations kind of thing?

DUFFY: Well, it's a really interesting question. I think Hezbollah is -- has really gained a lot of ground in terms of its PR strategy, really. So I think, in terms of its public facing message and what they're about, I think this theme park actually goes a long ways towards humanizing their mission and making it seem a little bit more gentle than it would be otherwise.

MALVEAUX: I would imagine there's quite a bit of pushback here. That there's a lot of controversy considering that this is certainly considered a terrorist organization by our country. You had a tour guide who was walking you through here. Did you ask him, did you, you know, push him or challenge him in any way on like, hey, you know what, some of these tactics and these suicide bombings, things like this, this kills people, you know, there are innocent victims on the other side?

DUFFY: Yes, it's a really good point. And Rami (ph), our tour guide, who was a really nice guy, was very delicate around the subject. So he, you know, he was showing us -- showing us around and really descriptive and very informative. But when it got to questions about, OK, so where does the funding come from and what is the association with Iran and Syria and so far, he kind of had a very diplomatic way around of answering those questions dead-on.

MALVEAUX: Uh-huh. I can imagine so. And as an American, you didn't have a problem though, however, actually getting into this Hezbollah theme park? That wasn't even an issue for them, is that right?

DUFFY: We didn't have a problem getting in, no. But I personally was a little concerned with purchasing any goods. There was a gift shop at the end, as there is in all theme parks. A gift shop right by the exit. So we stopped by the gift shop and I -- it did occur to me that possibly those transactions would have been viewed in ill repute from the U.S. government.

MALVEAUX: Right. Right.

DUFFY: So stopped short of buying any Hezbollah replica weapons and all of that stuff.

MALVEAUX: OK. Right.

All right, well, Ryan, we've got to leave it there. A fascinating piece. Really appreciate it, as always.

Independence day in India. We're going to show you how they're celebrating with their neighbors in Pakistan.

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