Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Kim Jong Un's "Scum" Uncle Executed; Boehner, Pelosi Find Common Ground; Dangerous Laser Attacks on Planes; Tonight's Mega Millions Jackpot is $400 million; Silicon Valley Honors Science Stars

Aired December 13, 2013 - 10:30   ET

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

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. I'm Carol Costello. Thanks so much for joining me.

A look at our "Top Stories" at 30 minutes past the hour.

The Associated Press and the "Washington Post" both reporting an American missing in Iran for seven years worked for the CIA. Bob Levinson's family and the State Department had spent years denying that.

CNN's Susan Candiotti says she has confirmed with the source that there is proof Levinson allegedly worked for the CIA undercover or worked rather for the CIA undercover while also working as a private investigator. Nothing alleged about that. Susan Candiotti did confirm that.

In Denver, a huge fight breaks out in a parking lot after the Broncos game. When it was over at least three people ended up stabbed, possibly a fourth that police have not been able to find. Three people are under arrest in connection with those stabbings.

The bride accused of pushing her new husband over a cliff has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. Jordan Linn Graham was on trial for first degree murder in lying to investigators when she agree to that plead deal. Graham told the judge, quote, "I just pushed Cody Johnson during an argument." The 22-year-old will spend the rest of her life behind bars.

Shocking news out of North Korea. Leader Kim Jong-Un ordering his own uncle's execution, a brutal public display of power in a regime that loves and closely guards its secrets. Most officials say this is a dramatic and ruthless statement that's probably sending shock waves through the country's leadership. So if Kim can do this to his own family, what else is he capable of?

Here is more from CNN's Paula Hancock.

PAULA HANCOCK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well Carol being part of the family was not enough to save the second most powerful man in North Korea. Jang Sung-Taek even though he is the uncle by marriage of Kim Jong-Un he was executed on Thursday. What does that tell us about the North Korean leader?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) HANCOCK (voice over): A young man in mourning walks alongside his father's coffin. Two years later five of the seven men walking with him have been fired or executed on the orders of Kim Jong-Un.

JASPER KIM, ASIA-PACIFIC GLOBAL RESEARCH GROUP: I think in the early days he was kind of a boy leader, now he is basically a man and a man leader I say that purposely because North Korea is a very patriarchal society. So his audience are basically 60 or 70-year-old males with a military background that he has to earn their respect.

HANCOCK: Little was known of the man introduced to the world by his father the late Kim Jong-Il in 2010. Partly educated in Switzerland so exposed to the Western world many dared to hope he would drive change in the isolated nation. But then came the rocket launchers and nuclear tests. Like his father before him Kim Jong-Un proved impervious to international criticism.

The country's top military man Ri Yong Ho was fired last year. And the top political man, Jang Song-Taek fired and executed this week.

MOON CHUNG-IN, YONSEI UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR: I really don't think it is in the book of Kim Jong-Un but it's more of the product of -- with the North Korean quote.

HANCOCK (on camera): Putting his personal stamp on the leadership as putting it mildly Kim Jong-Un has replaced almost half of the major figures that were empower during his father's reign that's according to the unification ministry here in Seoul.

(voice over): Alongside the -- Kim Jong-Un showed a more personable side to his father, often smiling on camera, spearing (ph) to relish the adoration that surrounds him. And then there's Dennis Rodman an unlikely friendship between dictator and basketball star.

DENNIS RODMAN, NBA BASKETBALL PLAYER: He has to do his job, but he's a very good guy.

HANCOCK: Tell that to the two American citizens arrested recently. Korean War veteran Merrill Newman was released last week after filming a coerce apology for war crimes he now said he never committed and missionary and tour guide Kenneth Bae still held after more than one year. An apology from Bae not yet enough to secure his freedom.

Kim Jong-Un is a leader who certainly grown in confidence but not in the way the West was hoping.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HANCOCK: The U.S. State Department says that this is just another example of the extreme brutality of the North Korean regime -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Paula Hancock reporting.

Let's talk a little U.S. politics now. The House of Representatives passed a budget. Amazing in itself. What's more amazing is what it exposed. Open warfare between Republicans and their conservative counterparts. House Speaker John Boehner made no bones about it calling Republicans who did not vote for this budget deal uninformed. It seems like just yesterday Boehner was in danger of losing his speakership because he could not control Tea Party Republicans. Today it appears that's a whole different story, Boehner is victorious and not afraid to say it out loud.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. JOHN BOEHNER (R-OH), HOUSE SPEAKER: When you criticize something and you have no idea what you're criticizing, it undermines your credibility.

REP. NANCY PELOSI (D), CALIFORNIA: The party is dominated by people who do not believe in government. Those people have hi-jacked the name "Republican" which has made such a valuable contribution to our country, the Republican Party but they have taken it over the cliff.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Wow Boehner and Pelosi appear to be agreeing with each other. Let's talk more about this with CNN's Candy Crowley. That was weird, wasn't it?

CANDY CROWLEY, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: It was weird. But there is a little more here than meets the ear. For one thing, Democrats have a vested interest in making the Republican Party look way off the cliff or in danger of going off the cliff. Because it is a part of their pitch for mid-term election, which is these people don't want to do anything for you. They just block everything, they're crazy. So there's a vested interest for Democrats.

For John Boehner, I think he's saying certainly what many people thought he was thinking all this time. But for him it has to be strategic, it cannot be constant open warfare. You noticed that we didn't hear any names of people. So it can always be, oh I mean, I didn't mean that -- you know so there was not a lot of specificity to it. But I don't expect that he will employ it all the time.

Because the truth is that Republicans need the energy of the Tea Party for the midterms and beyond. And they need to keep them in their ranks. They don't want a third party candidate come 2016.

So there is a lot politically going on here even as we see this great bipartisan season of good will thing which is really more about the next election season.

COSTELLO: Well I'm sure many Democrats are hoping that this is really a sign that the Tea Party has lost its luster among Republicans and Republicans are -- are now fighting back and maybe the Tea Party will -- they've got to disappear very soon. What's your take?

CROWLEY: First of all there is no Tea Party per se as we know. This is a lot of people who joined various groups. But they are more conservative in general on fiscal matters than what they call RINOs you know the Republican In Name Only. And they have certainly on talk radio gone after John Boehner a great deal on this -- on this particular budget and on what he said.

But in the end, it is still the -- in the interest of the Republican Party, including John Boehner, to keep Tea Party types in the fold for two reasons. First, so that there are fewer primary challenges than -- I mean keep down the challenges. There already are some. But in order to keep the majority, certainly the Boehner types, the more moderate wing of the party, want to make sure that there are -- there are not people that are given the nomination for a particular district and then lose because they are too far right for the general population.

So they're trying to sort of you know head that off at the pass. And they also need them to come out. These are eager voters who need to come out in November of next year. So again, I don't -- I don't think he's looking for a fight. I do believe he said what he meant. And in the end, by the way, more Republicans voted for this than Democrats which supervised I think even the leader.

COSTELLO: That's right we should talk about the Democratic Party on Monday which we will. Candy Crowley thanks so much.

CROWLEY: Absolutely.

COSTELLO: Still to come in the NEWSROOM, have you heard of a dangerous trend of people pointing lasers at of course you have people pointing these laser at planes? It's putting passengers' lives at risk. CNN's Rene Marsh following this story for us. Hi, Rene.

RENE MARSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi Carol. You know not only passengers' lives at risk. But pilots say the blinding light in the cockpit has also caused injury. We're digging more into this growing problem on the other side of the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: It's stupid and dangerous and the FBI says it's putting the lives of anyone who flies at risk. We're talking about people aiming lasers at planes that are taking off or landing. It's happening more often and it can actually blind pilots. CNN's Rene Marsh has more for you.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARSH (voice over): In the latest incident a pilot of Jet Blue Airliner says he had to shield his eyes in order to land his plane Monday at a Florida Airport all because of another case involving laser lights. It's become such a problem, that doctors are concerned.

DR. MARC BROCKMAN, FLORIDA VISION INSTITUTE: It bothers me because of the safety factor to start with. You know that someone is doing this to a pilot and the potential for all of those people on that plane. It bothers me from a personal level because I know the guy.

MARSH: The pilot says he's suffering from severe eye damage and migraines so bad he's had to leave work. Marc Brockman is a pilot's doctor. He believes the damage will not be permanent, but the pilot still must undergo more tests.

BROCKMAN: I can tell you, the pilot wants to know exactly who did this you know and there will be some investigating.

MARSH: It happened as flight 521 from New York was landing at West Palm Beach Airport. The pilot said someone on the ground tracked the aircraft with a laser for about 20 to 30 seconds. This FAA video shows what a laser looks like from an airplanes cockpit. The FAA says a lasers beam especially from a strong laser can injure instantly.

STEVE WALLACE, AVIATION SAFETY CONSULTANT: These are not going to physically hurt the airplane but the laser can blind the pilot at least it can temporarily blind the pilot. And also just the effect of this startling burst of light into the airplane cockpit.

MARSH: Nationwide airplane laser incidents are becoming increasingly common. The FAA reported just 350 in 2006. But 3,400 in 2012. And in Palm Beach alone, there have been 32 laser attacks so far this year. A 2012 law makes it a federal offense to aim a laser at a plane.

BROCKMAN: The word needs to get out that this isn't funny, that this is something that's potentially is serious and it is a felony.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MARSH: Well, because this is becoming such a common problem, the FAA is exporting potential laser eye protection for pilots like special glasses military pilots already wear. Now, investigators they believe these are all isolated incidents.

COSTELLO: All right, Rene Marsh reporting live from Washington.

Still to come in the NEWSROOM, did you get your ticket yet? The mega- millions jackpot is now up to $400 million. Oh but there's a reason it might be harder to win this time. We'll tell you why, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Checking top stories at 48 minutes past.

Tiger Woods' half brother has been arrested. He's accused of phoning in a bomb threat. Police say Earl Woods Jr. he called in the threat to the office where he works. He later admitted it was just a joke. Well, it's not so funny now. Woods has been charged with using an electronic device to threaten or harass.

Prince Harry's trekking team has reached the South Pole. That's according to organizers with Walking with the Wounded. The charity event is pitting injured service men and women on the 125 mile trek across Antarctica. It took Prince Harry's team more than three weeks to reach its destination. Other participants came in from the United States, Canada, and Australia. Christmas came early this morning for Beyonce fans. Overnight, the 17-time Grammy Award winner released a brand new secret album online. She broke the news on Instagram with this video tease and one word "Surprise". The 14-track album is only available on iTunes. Each song comes with a music video and there's even a duet with her husband Jay-Z.

It is Friday 13th, but it might end up being your lucky day. Tonight's Megamillions jack pots is up to an estimated $400 million. But thanks to changes in the game, getting your hands on all that cash just got a little harder.

CNN's Pamela Brown has the reason why.

PAMELA BROWN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, bottom line here is that it is harder than ever to win the megamillions jackpot because of changes put into place in October. And that's a big reason why this jackpot has rolled over 20 times and has climbed to an astounding $400 million, the fifth largest jackpot in U.S. history. But even if the odds aren't so much in your favor, you still have a 1 in 15 chance of winning something.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN (voice over): The frenzy for megamillions ticket is reaching a fever pitch -- $400 million at stake, the second largest jackpot in the game's history. It has players dreaming what they would do if they win.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I want to be a millionaire.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'll be partying like a rock star.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a retirement. Early retirement.

BROWN: Recent changes to the mega millions have inflated jackpot and are attracting more customers to play, but the odds of winning are significantly lower after the revamp in October. That's because the five winning numbers increased to 75 while balls instead of 56. And the number of gold megabulbs decreases from 46 to only 15 making it that much harder to win the big prize. The chances of winning went from one in 175 million to one in 259 million.

KEVIN ALLEXON, MEGA MILLIONS, HELPFUL: I saw in the news a list of things that are more likely to happen than winning the lottery. Being struck by lightning was one of them. But hopefully I can beat the odds.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Someone is going to be lucky. And I think it's going to be me.

BROWN: If those are what's even possible that's because so far they have been. No one has won the big prize since the switch. The last jackpot winner a Maryland man who chose to remain anonymous about a winning ticket at this store on October 1. He matched all the numbers winning $186 million. Since then, 20 drawings and no winner. Now some good news. The minimum second prize won by hitting all the numbers except the megaball jumping from a quarter million dollars to one $1 million. Even more enticing, jackpots are growing larger and faster. The minimum jackpot rose to $15 million from $12 million. Guaranteed to increase by at least $5 million after each drawing without a winner.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Could see maybe in the next several years maybe an elusive $1 billion jackpot.

BROWN: So the drawing will be at 11:00 p.m. tonight Eastern time in Atlanta. That's when we'll find out if there is a winner at all.

And by the way, it is Friday the 13th. Worth noting there. A lot of people superstitious, saying this is an unlucky day. But there have been winners on this day. One man won $27 million on Friday the 13th. So you never know. Carol.

COSTELLO: That's right, you never know. But, like we keep saying, it is a long shot. You might have better luck with a few of these. Your odds of being crushed by a venting machine are one in 112 million. And finally, if the lottery doesn't work out for you, you have a one in 12,500 chance of dying in an asteroid apocalypse. Now you know.

Still to come in the NEWSROOM, scientist celebrated like rock stars. It was the brain child of Mark Zuckerberg and other Silicon Valley Giants and CNN was right there on the red carpet.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Awards honoring breakthroughs in science were handed out last night in California. They honor excellence in research. And they were funded by the titans of tech world including Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.

He spoke with Dan Simon about the prizes and the importance of science in our culture.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARK ZUCKERBERG, FOUNDER, FACEBOOK: The big goal here is to treat and honor scientists in the way that they should be recognized by society.

DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Mark Zuckerberg changed the world with Facebook. Now he wants to change how the world looks at scientists to make them more revered like Hollywood celebrities.

SIMON: Do you think that's an attainable goal to change the way people look at scientists?

ZUCKERBERG: Absolutely. Absolutely. I mean it used to be case back in Albert Einstein's day that I mean, he really was viewed as, you know, part of pop culture and a rock star in his time. It's really a shame that we've lost that.

SIMON: So with stars like Kevin Spacey. KEVIN SPACEY, ACTOR: It's kind of great to see the geeks and nerds get a really fantastic night.

SIMON: And Conan O'Brien.

CONAN O'BRIEN, HOST: The earth (ph) seemed to have the upperhand these days, don't they? When I was a kid it was jocks.

Zuckerberg helped organized an Oscars-like award show complete with paparazzi and a red carpet.

SPACEY: Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.

SIMON: To shine the spotlight on some of the world's smartest people.

Do you want this to be the most prestigious prize in science?

ZUCKERBERG: I don't know if we think about it in those terms. But we certainly want this to be both a meaningful reward for the scientists and something that's public so that way it can be an aspirational goal to children who are growing up and other folks who were thinking of going into science.

SIMON: The idea first came from this man, Russian billionaire and technology investor Yuri Milner.

YURI MILNER, INVESTOR: I used to be physicist a long time ago. And I think that I'm sort of have this idea to give back to the people that I'll be along Yolanda.

SIMON: He convinced his Silicon Valley friends including Zuckerberg and Google co-founder Sergey Brin to found the event. Each winner, seven of them at all serve of them in all, getting $3 million each. Making it the most lucrative award of its kind. For the 29-year-old CEO, science is not that big of a departure from the world of tech.

SIMON: If you were back in your Harvard dorm room today. What would you be working on? The social networks seem to be taken.

ZUCKERBERG: I don't know. That's an interesting question. I think that for me my life mission is to help make the world more open and connected and give people the hour to share. So there are always more ways to do that. Maybe if I were in college I'll started. I'm doing something else that's connected to that mission but just at a point that makes more sense for today, maybe with phones.

SIMON: You'd be taking advantage of taking advantage of your own platform?

ZUCKERBERG: Probably.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SIMON: One of the winners included a doctor who came up with new effect ways to treat cancer. Another is helping the world better understand Parkinsons. Again each winner getting $3 million, that's unprecedented as nearly three times the size of the novel prize -- Carol.

SIMON: And that's terrific. Dan Simon, reporting. Thank you for joining me today. I'm Carol Costello. "LEGAL VIEW" with Ashleigh Banfield starts now.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ma'am, I'm telling you it's dark. There are four or five kids -- there's kids laying in the ditches and in street.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

ASHLEIGH BANFIELD, CNN HOST: 911 tapes released in the affluenza drunk driving case. The crash that left four people dead and most everybody wondering, since when did being rich become a legal defense.

Plus, we've now learned that a missing American in Iran may in fact have been working for the CIA.

And the crack-smoking mayor of Toronto is now facing a lawsuit after a reporter says Rob Ford suggested that that reporter in fact was a pedophile and said so on TV.