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New Day Saturday

ISIS Claims Responsibility for Kabul Suicide Attack; ISIS Targets U.S. Consulate; Obama Furious with Senate; NHL Superstar Busted; National Guard Called Protesters "Enemy Forces"; State TV: Iraq's "King of Clubs" Killed. Aired 7-8a ET

Aired April 18, 2015 - 07:00   ET

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

[07:00:00] DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: How long after you smoke do you have relief of your pain?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Instantly. It's like instantly.

GUPTA: A couple minutes?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, a couple minutes I feel the relief of pain.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHRISTI PAUL, CNN ANCHOR: To see more of Dr. Sanjay Gupta's special investigation into medical marijuana, tune into "Weed 3", it's Sunday, 9:00 p.m. Eastern. And immediately following, be sure to watch the premiere of CNN's new series "High Profits", Sunday night at 10:00 p.m. Eastern.

(MUSIC)

PAUL: ISIS targets the U.S. consulate in the Iraqi city of Irbil. Rescue workers digging through the rubble after a deadly suicide bombing trying to determine if there are any more victims.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It's gone too far. Enough. Enough.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JOE JOHNS, CNN ANCHOR: President Obama furious with the United States Senate, why he says it's embarrassing his nominee for attorney general has been in limbo for more than five months.

PAUL: And new overnight, cops bust a hockey superstar. Officers say the L.A. Kings Jarret Stoll had molly and cocaine on him at a Vegas pool.

NEW DAY starts now.

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news. JOHNS: Good morning. I'm Joe Johns, in for Victor Blackwell.

PAUL: So glad to have you here.

JOHNS: I'm glad to be here, too.

PAUL: Thank you.

I'm Christi Paul. Glad to have you, of course, as well.

We do want to begin with you with breaking news out of Afghanistan this morning. A rush hour suicide attack, at least 33 people are dead, more than 100 are injured. ISIS is now claiming responsibility for that blast.

Here's what we know so far: we're told a man on a motor bike blew himself up in front of a bank in Jalalabad. That's about 150 miles from the capital city of Kabul, by the way. Now, investigators believe the bomber was targeting government workers who are picking up paychecks.

Earlier today, the Afghan president condemned the attack, vowing to take down terrorists who he says are using Afghan blood and soil for a proxy war. We're going to have more in this breaking story in just a moment.

JOHNS: To another developing story in Iraq this hour. ISIS is claiming responsibility for a suicide car bomb attack near the U.S. consulate in the Kurdish Iraqi city of Irbil. Officials say at least four people were killed, 18 injured in that blast. But all U.S. consulate personnel are safe and accounted for.

Let's bring in Mitch Prothero, bureau chief of McClatchy newspapers live from Irbil.

Now, Mitch, what else do we know about the blast?

MITCH PROTHERO, BUREAU CHIEF, MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS: Well, what it seems is yesterday about 5:42 local time, what -- I guess the Islamic State is now taking credit for it, three guys in an SUV attempted an operation. I think they were going to, first, attack the front gate of U.S. consulate or ram it with a car bomb or some style like that.

Luckily, Peshmerga, the Kurdish security forces that guard the area sort of saw the plot unfolding before it had a chance to, engaged the guys in the car and it ended up in a very short shootout and explosion before they could really attack the consulate's defenses.

JOHNS: Now, ISIS is also claiming they carried out this attack in Afghanistan that killed so many people. How significant is it that we have both of these attacks and ISIS claiming responsibility for both?

PROTHERO: Well, one of the things we've seen about the Islamic State is that, you know, there's a lump capital that's set sort of between Raqqa and Mosul here in Syria and Iraq. But you've also seen a lot of groups around the world in Libya, Boko Haram in Nigeria, and now, we're starting to see it even in Afghanistan are starting to pledge allegiance to the larger organization.

I'd be surprised of any attack in Afghanistan that happened was directly as a result of, let's say, operatives that had been sent from Syria or Iraq battlefield. But clearly, there's elements of al Qaeda or the Taliban that have decided to align themselves with the Islamic State here.

JOHNS: Now, we have new pictures this morning of a top Saddam Hussein aide who reportedly, apparently, has been killed as well. How significant is his death in your view?

PROTHERO: He's more significant in the sense that the Americans have been looking for him the entire time they occupied Iraq or led the coalition that occupied Iraq and weren't able to catch him. He was the highest ranking official that they never really caught and brought to justice.

So, in terms of the older generations of Iraqis who'd lived under Saddam, it was a fairly significant sort of psychological development that he had been captured or killed.

In terms of practicality, he's not a particularly member of the Islamic State. He worked with a group that was aligned alongside them.

[07:05:02] And, basically, I think he turned into somewhat of an irrelevant figure. He was also quite old, 75 years old.

JOHNS: Mitch Prothero, thanks so much for that. Good to see you this morning.

PROTHERO: Thank you so much for having me.

PAUL: Let's bring in CNN military analyst, Lieutenant General Mark Hertling as well.

Let's start, if we could please, General, with ISIS claiming responsibility, as Joe said, for the attack in Afghanistan and the U.S. consulate in Irbil.

Do you get the sense or is there any way to definitively determine whether it is ISIS itself or these might be lone wolf groups?

LT. GEN. MARK HERTLING (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Well, Christi, in Afghanistan, what I would suggest is, there are a lot of younger elements of the Taliban who see the downgrading of the Taliban with Afghan security forces that are now being recruited by ISIS to start a new generation of terrorists over there. And they are seeing downfall of the Taliban, with the potential replacement by ISIS.

So, I think, yes, there are -- I agree with Mitch that this was not funded operation by ISIS, but it certainly was under their flag.

When you talk about the attacks in Irbil, and by the way, there were also three car bombings within Baghdad against Shia neighborhoods in Baghdad yesterday, I think all of these are indicators of ISIS attempting to again take the spotlight, especially with Prime Minister al Abadi's visit to the United States, away from the advances by the Iraqi forces, although this is still a tenuous fight, Christi.

PAUL: This morning, Iraqi TV is reporting Iraqi forces have entered that oil refinery to liberate it from ISIS, that we've been talking about for a while. How important is that refinery when we talk about -- you know, is it more significant than the city of Ramadi as U.S. Army General Martin Dempsey is saying?

HERTLING: Well, General Dempsey put that in perspective, but I'd like to elaborate on this. This was not only important for Iraq, Baiji was also in on that. And I know the importance of that city. At its peak it can produce 15 million to 18 million barrels of oil a month, which is certainly need by the Iraqi government as it attempts to stand up.

But the other important piece, if it does fall to ISIS, they have that oil revenue. And what we're trying to do is starve ISIS of all of their monetary revenue so they can't pay their fighters. They can't do the types of things they're doing. So that Baiji oil refinery is say strategic target for both sides. Iraq needs to maintain security of that facility.

And ISIS desperately wants to gain control of it.

What you're seeing in Ramadi and I think General Dempsey also mentioned this, are certainly important targets, but it's an ebb and flow of a campaign plan. There are going to be some cities that are going to be fought over. And it's going to be definitely a considerable fight in Ramadi, but in Fallujah and other cities as well. Really, Baiji is a strategic target and must be defended.

PAUL: Yes, we've been hearing that. All right. Thank you so much, General Mark Hertling. Good to have you here as always.

HERTLING: Thank you, Christi.

PAUL: Sure.

Well, you know what? President Obama is slamming the Senate, calling their refusal to confirm Attorney General nominee Loretta Lynch embarrassing.

JOHNS: Quote, "embarrassing". And yet another sign of dysfunction in the Senate.

Sunlen Serfaty is following the story from the White House.

Sunlen, those were some of the harshest words we've heard from the president.

SUNLEN SERFATY, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: They were. And rarely do we see the president get angry publicly about something. This was in essence a public chastising by the president directly to the Senate, 160 days have gone by since Loretta Lynch was first nominated. That's longer than any other cabinet secretary has had to wait for confirmation in the last three administrations. The president clearly frustrated, calling on the Senate to get this done.

JOHNS: How are the Republicans responding to the critique?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: Say that there are times where the dysfunction in the Senate just goes too far. This is an example of it. It's gone too far.

Enough. Enough. Call Loretta lynch for a vote. Get her confirmed. Put her in place. Let her do her job. This is embarrassing, a process like this.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SERFATY: And Lynch's nomination has been held up in part because it's tangled into this other unrelated issue of this anti-human trafficking bill that they're trying to work through the Senate. McConnell, the Senate majority leader, he has said that he won't hold a vote on Lynch until they look through that anti-human trafficking bill.

There are some amendments in there, Joe and Christi, that are controversial, about abortion that Democrats aren't happy with.

[07:10:02] But there are some signs from the Hill that there may be some room to compromise. And McConnell has said he could potentially move to a vote on Lynch next week.

Back to you.

JOHNS: So, how have the Republicans responded to the president's harsh words?

SERFATY: Well, they're a bit snarky with their response, Joe, noting that they believe that McConnell had already made clear that he already intends to move towards the vote at some point next week, questioning, perhaps a little snarky, saying they don't have C-Span on at the White House.

This came in from Don Stewart, he's McConnell's director. He said, quote, "Members are continuing to work to find a way to overcome a Democrats' filibuster of a bipartisan bill. Once the bill's complete, the Lynch's nomination is next."

Now, if that does not happen, then Minority Leader Harry Reid, he has already announced that he intends to potentially make a unilateral move, a procedural tactic that he would potentially tried to force a vote. So, there are a lot of ifs, a lot of maybes here, that have to happen on the Hill next week.

JOHNS: Sunlen Serfaty, at the White House, thanks so much for that.

PAUL: Thanks, Sunlen.

JOHNS: Breaking the silence, the reserve deputy who says he accidentally shot an unarmed black man tells his side of the story for the first time. Heard what he had to say, plus new details in the shooting investigation.

PAUL: And under arrest this morning, a hockey star charged with drug possession, busted at a Las Vegas pool. We've got that story just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERT BATES, TULSA RESERVE DEPUTY: This was not an intentional thing. I had no desire to ever take anyone's life.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JOHNS: Now, that was Tulsa reserve deputy Robert Bates who has been charged in the deadly shooting of an unarmed black man during a sting operation that went wrong.

PAUL: Speaking publicly for the first time, Bates maintains he accidentally shot Eric Harris and apologized to the family of the victim.

[07:15:02] Here's CNN's Ed Lavandera.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BATES: Oh, I shot him! I'm sorry.

UNIDENTIFIED OFFICER: (EXPLETIVE DELETED) He shot him! He shot him!

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Seventy-three-year-old reserve deputy Robert Bates was charged with second degree manslaughter after he used his pistol, instead of a stun gun, killing Eric Harris.

In an interview with NBC's "Today" show, Bates said he still cannot believe it happened.

BATES: First and foremost, let me apologize to the family of Eric Harris. You know, this is the second thing that's ever happened to me in my life, or first, that ever happened to me in my life. I had had cancer a number of years ago. I didn't think I was going to get there. Luckily I was able to go to a hospital where I had hours of surgery. I rate this as number one on my list of things in my life that I regret.

LAVANDERA: Bates who had had been a volunteer with the Tulsa sheriff's department for several years says he can't explain why he confused his gun for his taser even though they're positioned in very different locations.

BATES: My taser, it's right here, in the front, tucked into a protective vest. My gun itself is on my side, normally to the rear.

LAVANDERA: The NAACP are calling on the Justice Department to launch an external investigation following reports from "The Tulsa World" that the Tulsa Sheriff's Department falsified Bates' training records and that three supervisors were reassigned when they refused to sign the documents.

ZIVA BRANSTETTER, REPORTER, TULSA WORLD: What we were told is that these supervisors were told to sign off on 250 hours of training. Most of that he did not have -- virtually all of that he did not have. And then the supervisors at the gun range were told to sign off on his handgun qualifications even though he did not qualify.

LAVANDERA: But Bates stands by his credentials, saying he was fully trained and qualified to be on the sting operation involving Harris. And that he has documentation to show he completed the necessary training required of reserve deputies.

BATES: That is absolutely the truth. I have it in writing.

LAVANDERA: But the Harris family attorney questions the authenticity of any documents.

(on camera): Do you think these documents have been falsified?

DAN SMOLEN, HARRIS FAMILY ATTORNEY: Absolutely. I think if there are any record that had surfaced, which none have, OK, but I believe that Mr. Bates has never been trained as -- in a field training type of situation.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): Ed Lavandera, CNN, Tulsa, Oklahoma.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PAUL: Let's get more insight into the Tulsa shooting with the former FBI assistant director and CNN law enforcement analyst Tom Fuentes.

Tom, thanks so much for being with us again.

What stands out to you first and foremost when you hear, finally as we all heard from Deputy Bates there?

TOM FUENTES, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Good morning, Christi.

I think what stands out to me is the -- you know, I have questions about their training. I have questions about they're having deployed him in a situation like that. Many departments in the country use auxiliary or reserve officers who volunteer for service, and so do fire departments, schools and hospitals. So, I don't question that he's volunteering his service in good faith.

But what I question is at a certain point, do you want somebody at potentially a very dangerous situation who not a full-time police officer. You know, as an FBI agent, I had to retire at 57 years ago old because it's mandatory, because they believe your reflex is slow. And, you know, it might not be a good idea to have you out there at a certain point, I think 57's too young but --

PAUL: You weren't ready to give it up is what you're saying?

FUENTES: No, I wasn't.

But, you know, that happens to professional athletes. It happens to people where reflexes and, you know, physical conditioning, judgment, all of that matters.

And the second thing would be I would question the training. And I think that when he described having the firearm on his right side. And because of the tactical vest having the taser also in the middle of the chest, it means that he's using the same hand to draw both.

And normally, many police departments train where the taser requires you to draw it with your left hand. On the left -- if you're right- handed, on the left side of your body. Pull it out and hand it over to the right hand. It's one extra step to help you distinguish that you're not pulling one or the other out with the same hand.

So, I would question when they trained him. How long they trained him. And why he was, you know, out there doing the position that he was, to back up a dangerous arrest.

PAUL: Right, why he was in a situation like that.

Tom Fuentes, always appreciate it. Thank you, sir.

FUENTES: Thank you, Christi.

PAUL: Under arrest. A hockey star charged with drug possession busted at a Las Vegas pool. We've got that story for you, just ahead.

JOHNS: Plus, a massive fireball erupts near a California highway and sends nearly a dozen people to the hospital.

[07:20:03] We've got the video. You'll see it next.

PAUL: And should a woman be president? One marketing company CEO says she doesn't think so. And she's a woman. Why she's defending her comment saying women are just not fit for the job.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PAUL: Twenty-three minutes past the hour.

And here's a look at other stories developing this morning.

Hockey star Jarret Stoll is in hot water. The L.A. Kings player addressed for drug possession yesterday while at a Las Vegas resort swimming pool.

JOHNS: Police tell CNN affiliate KSNV that Stoll was in possession of cocaine and ecstasy. In a statement, the Kings said they're conducting an internal investigation.

Now, take a look at this, a massive fireball after a natural gas line exploded at a shooting range in Fresno, California. Eleven people injured including inmates who were on work detail. The exact cause of this blast is still under investigation. PAUL: Oh, for all our friends in Houston, be careful, there's a flood

watch where you are. After severe thunderstorms drenched the city. Streets are flooded. Cars nearly submerged. Drivers were stranded.

There's more wet weather ahead. The National Weather Service is forecasting rain throughout the next week.

JOHNS: Coming up, a CNN exclusive: disturbing revelations used by the National Guard as they describe protesters in Ferguson, Missouri, in the wake of the Michael Brown shooting.

[07:25:03] PAUL: Also, the CEO of a marketing company, she doesn't think a woman should be president.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHERYL RIOS, GO APE MARKETING CEO: If a woman wants to run for it, go ahead. That doesn't mean that I have to support that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PAUL: Cheryl Rios explains her reason. We'll talk about it, coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PAUL: Mortgage rates down just a smidge this morning. Have a look at today's numbers.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

JOHNS: More news headlines this morning, right now.

PAUL: In Iraq, ISIS is claiming responsibility for the suicide car bomb attacks near the U.S. consulate in the Kurdish Iraqi city of Irbil. Officials say at least four people were killed, 18 were injured. No U.S. consulate personnel hurt in the attack, though.

And Australian police have arrested five men in Melbourne for allegedly plotting an ISIS-inspired attack. Authorities say the group was planning to target police at a national ceremony. Among the evidence against them, edged weapons, which were recovered by about 200 officers that were involved in this operation.

JOHNS: And back in the United States, President Obama is slamming the Senate as, quote, "embarrassing," as it continues to delay the confirmation of Loretta Lynch for attorney general.

[07:30:06] President Obama demanding that the Senate stop their, quote, "political gamesmanship" and bring Lynch's confirmation to a vote.

PAUL: I want to get you now to a CNN exclusive.

Disturbing revelations about the language used by the National Guard as they describe protesters in Ferguson, Missouri. This, of course, in the wake of the Michael Brown shooting.

Here's Sara Sidner.

SARA SIDNER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Christi and Joe, some of the protesters told us, they should be called American in documents not enemies. But it is true that some of the protesters did at times turned violent.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SIDNER (voice-over): CNN has obtained new documents revealing how the National Guard planned for the situation in Ferguson, Missouri. In internal documents that used words like "enemy forces" and "adversaries" to refer to protesters, after protests erupted in sporadic violence, looting and burning in the wake of Michael Brown's death.

The document outlined the guard's mission in Ferguson and enemy forces to watch out for, putting general protesters in the same category as known hate groups like the Ku Klux Klan and the Black Panthers, saying protesters have historically used Molotov cocktails, rocks and other debris to throw at police. Several small arms fire incidents have occurred. And some, they used militant tactics taught by that rebel group.

PAUL MUHAMMAD, PROTESTER: We are looked at as the enemy anytime we're vocal, anytime we're expressing ourselves, anytime we're disenfranchising , particularly in the black community.

CATHERINE JACKSON, PROTESTER: How am I an enemy? All I am is a 62- year-old grandmother who's worried that I'm going to leave my grandchildren in a world where I can't protect them anymore. I want to see change. I want to see real change.

SIDNER: The National Guard itself worried about the perception of the words "enemy" and "adversary." In the documents, one colonel warned the language could be construed as potentially inflammatory. The National Guard spokesman told CNN these were only drafts taken from an army form letter and the language was changed and never appeared in the final order. The head of Missouri's National Guard telling CNN in an e-mail, the documents used in the Ferguson, Missouri, case were a generic military planning format. Utilized in a wide range of military missions, so the term "enemy forces" would be better understood as potential threats.

In November when a grand jury decided not to indict the officer who killed Brown, the governor and National Guard were criticized for the guard's lack of response, as two streets in Ferguson went up in flames.

Back then, I asked the city's mayor about the guard's reaction to the riot?

(on camera): Did the governor do the wrong thing when it comes to how quickly the National Guard was actually deployed on the streets? MAYOR JAMES KNOWLES, FERGUSON, MISSOURI: I don't know who made that

call, but I do believe that the National Guard should have been out there much sooner.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SIDNER: Whether these are a draft or the final document, what we did notice was that the final change came in November, on the 18th, when they took the word "enemy" out, and that these documents had been around likely since August, which was four months prior, the first time the National Guard was deployed in Ferguson -- Christi, Joe.

JOHNS: All right.

Let's talk about this with CNN military analyst, Lieutenant General Mark Hertling, and Dr. Laura McNeal, who's currently working with the Charles Hamilton Houston Institute at Harvard Law School, also University of Louisville. Do I have that right? Yes.

General Hertling, I'll start with you. The National Guard calls these terms standard. In your experience, is that correct, certainly for war fighters, but necessarily for policing?

LT. GEN. MARK HERTLING (RET), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: It certainly is standard, Joe. I think you'll see that those kind of standard languages are changed in final documents, which I'm not making excuses for the guard. But truthfully, I mean, our oath is we protect and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic. And in this case, when you're putting together what's called an op order, an operations order, you do take examples from the various doctrinal manuals and then you adjust.

So, I'm sure there were some well-meaning people that used inappropriate language when they conducted the initial draft of the document. But I think that would be changed in the final draft, yes.

JOHNS: Now, Laura, you work with police on issues of implicit buyouts. And does this sort of start with that us versus them mentality?

LAURA MCNEAL, CHARLES HAMILTON HOUSTON INSTITUTE: Absolutely. And this is a perfect example as he just mentioned. It is well- intentioned I'm sure, but that's where bias comes in allowing the high propensity for violence. And therefore, they are being referred to as enemy combatants, enemy forces adversaries. Those are absolutely a perfect example.

JOHNS: General Hertling, we've seen controversies over this military- grade equipment used by police forces. In your view, does this language really sort of appear to increase the tension rather than cool things down?

[07:35:00] HERTLING: I don't think it does, Joe. Truthfully, I've watched the debate of the issuance of military equipment from the overstocks of equipment that the Department of Defense has to various police departments.

And in standing up for my police brothers and sisters, they are sometimes in a tough fight against material, large caliber weapons, people with bombs that they will need this kind of material equipment. It's not used all the time.

But I think in some cases and again, differentiating between enemy, going back to the document -- there certainly were people in the crowd that could be construed as enemies, people with sniper weapons, people that were causing harm with Molotov cocktails. And you do have to look at those as enemies of peaceful protests as well as the enemies of the police department.

JOHNS: Laura, these forces did face a lot of violence. And whatever you call it, should they be prepared for the kind of things they end up seeing in situations like this?

MCNEAL: Absolutely. They should be prepared for the incident of being prepared to just having an excessive display of force. They have military tanks in our communities, before you've seen that level of violence I just think is too much. And it set the scene for a conducive use of force, because it sends a symbolic message to those residents that we see you as enemies, and not as American citizens just practicing their rights to protests.

JOHNS: All right. Laura McNeal, Lieutenant General Mark Hertling, thanks so much to both of you.

HERTLING: Thank you, Joe.

MCNEAL: Thank you.

PAUL: Well, Saddam Hussein's former right-hand man was reportedly killed by Iraqi security forces. We're going to have more on the man famously dubbed the "King of Clubs" by American troops.

Plus, an ESPN reporter for a tow truck rant caught on tape. This isn't the first time she's gotten into a war of words apparently. That story in our next hour.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Tax season just wrapped and now is the perfect time to prepare for next year. And one of those things that you should think about is trying to deduct your medical expenses. You may be able to do it. If you're under 65, you can deduct medical expenses if they exceed 10 percent of your adjusted gross income.

So, for example if you make $50,000, if that's your adjusted gross income, you can deduct expenses that exceed $5,000. And that rule is even more generous if you're over the age of 65. So, if you think that you're eligible to deduct medical dispenses, start tracking them now and keep your receipts.

And you know what, there are things that you may not realize are considered medical expenses. Of course, whatever you pay out of pocket for doctors and dentist visits, that would count as long as you're not using your medical FSA, also prescription drugs. But transportation to and from appointments that would also count.

Another thing you can start doing now is start planning your surgeries and other expensive procedures. Let's say, for example, you need an MRI and two other kinds of expensive procedures, it's best to have those all in one year from a financial point of view. It will help you more on your taxes.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:41:56] JOHNS: Right now, ISIS militants are edging toward the key Iraqi city of Ramadi. That's about 80 miles from the capital city of Baghdad. Today, more than 30 vehicles including Humvees arrived to help Iraqi forces. Additional police units are also being deployed to help push back militants.

This week, thousands of civilians were forced to flee to escape escalating violence.

PAUL: Meanwhile, a former top adviser to Saddam Hussein has reportedly been killed.

JOHNS: According to Iraqi state TV, Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, famously dubbed the "King of Clubs", was killed during an operation by Iraqi security forces yesterday.

PAUL: Al-Douri has been considered one of the most wanted men from Saddam's regime.

Here's CNN's Hala Gorani.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HALA GORANI, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): At large for more than a decade, Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, the man who once served as Saddam Hussein's number two and closest deputy was reportedly killed in an operation by Iraqi security forces and Shia militias. Calling him a criminal, his death was announced on Friday in Iraqi television.

Al-Douri was a top military commander and a leader in Iraq's Baath party. He was also the so-called king of clubs in the infamous deck of playing cards used by American troops in the invasion to identify the most wanted Iraqis.

After the Hussein regime fell, al-Douri became a leader and key figure in the Sunni insurgency, including groups that support ISIS.

He was seen or heard in a number of video messages over the years, taunting Iraqi and American official, and blasting Iraq's government.

While Baghdad officials have announced his death several times before, this time, state television showed pictures of a dead body that looked like al-Douri. DNA tests are now under way to confirm his identify.

Hala Gorani, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PAUL: Video that shows just how dangerous weather can be. Severe weather causes scary moments at the circus. We'll show you what happened.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:47:53] PAUL: Iran showing off new military hardware including anti-aircraft guns and wheeled battle tanks. This is part of the country's national army day which also marks the establishment of the Islamic republic. Parades were going to be held across the country, but this one was attended by President Hassan Rouhani.

JOHNS: Well, we've got a new highest paid CEO, and it's Nick Woodman, founder of GoPro cameras. The surfer-turned-billionaire earned a whopping $285 million last year after he was awarded large packages of restricts stocks. GoPro is worth $6 billion.

PAUL: Wow.

And a heart-stopping moment in an Omaha zoo. Think about this -- a 300-pound gorilla charges a family. It's caught on camera.

Andrea Flores of our affiliate KMTV has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDREA FLORES, KMTV: Seen on this cell phone video shot by Henry Doorly visitor, hundreds of pounds of form ram into the glass of the gorilla duplex, cracking it upon impact.

DAN CASSIDY, ZOO CURATOR: We didn't feel that it was any danger to the public, so we didn't close the building. And the gorillas are out today.

FLORES: A day later, plywood covers the shattered window. Zoo curator Dan Cassidy says though it looks intimidating, a cracked exhibit window happens every couple years.

CASSIDY: It's rare that gorillas actually break the glass. But occasionally the glass will break on its own.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PAUL: That was my question. OK, they've got the glass crack. You but is it the gorilla?

JOHNS: Don't make the gorilla mad.

PAUL: The zoo curator said the windows are triple-layer laminate so it means it wasn't ever going to shatter into pieces. JOHNS: Jeez.

PAUL: Oh, thank goodness for that.

JOHNS: Yes, right. Nice gorilla.

PAUL: We're going to be right back. Stay close.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[07:53:10] UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They're parasites they have no contribution to this society, they're preying on our community and our kids and it's going to end badly.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We've got exactly $100,000 in cash in the back of the car. I bet there's guys in that prison doing what we're about to do.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I want the Breckenridge Cannabis Club to be a household name.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is us pioneering a new industry.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's going after every resort town in Colorado. His plan is brilliant.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a big boy operation now.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are not the Amsterdam of the Rockies. We're Breckenridge.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Unbelievable this has happened quickly.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's when the town erupted.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All hell can break loose.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think we have an image to protect.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The powerful elite has definitely put the pressure on.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Everyone is playing everyone.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They are going to have a target painted on their back.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That is a real threat.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's $2 billion to be had next year. I plan to take more than my fair share.

ANNOUNCER: "High Profits," series premiers Sunday night at 10:00.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PAUL: And before the "High Profits" special to see more of Dr. Sanjay Gupta's special investigation in to medical marijuana you can tune in to "Weed 3" tomorrow night at 9:00 p.m. Eastern.

JOHNS: The Republican Party has taken on New Hampshire. Republican presidential hopefuls arrived yesterday in Nashua, New Hampshire, for the two-day Republican leadership summit.

Florida Governor Jeb Bush spoke at the main presidential primary event on Friday. However, he has yet to announce his candidacy. Bush is among a wide array of possible candidates attempting to take a stance and woo nearly 500 GOP activist attendees.

PAUL: A female CEO is taking some steep criticism after she decides to casualty share Hillary Clinton's decision to run for president. She did it on Facebook. Her name is Cheryl Rios, CEO of Go Ape Marketing.

[07:55:02] She said a female should not be president. Here's part of what she wrote. She said, "Yes, I run my own business and I love it and I'm great at it, but that's not the same as being the president, that should be left to a man, a good, strong, honorable man."

I can hear people, what? A few shares later her post is viral. People are ticked off.

Well, our Nadia Bilchik spoke with her a bit earlier.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RIOS: I posted this to my personal Facebook page. I didn't put it on Twitter. I didn't announce it anywhere. It was just me sharing who I am. I'm old fashioned and I have different views than others but it's just the way that I feel in reference to the presidency.

I am a strong woman. I run my own company like you said. But that is not the same as running the best country in the world and being commander in chief and head of state. The president of the United States, to me, should be a man not a female.

NADIA BILCHIK, CNN: Now, in your Facebook post, you also wrote with the hormones as women we have there's no way we should be able to start a war. So, again, what about women like Margaret Thatcher, Golda Meyer of Israel, you know, Indira Gandhi in India?

RIOS: When I stated that I also used biblical background and biblical reference. God created us differently. Men and women are not the same. Hormones are a piece of the difference that is between us, the way we react to things, the way we mother and we're more endearing and there's different things between men and female and that's how God wanted it.

And, again, it's my belief and how I run my household and how I am. Like I believe in the woman should cook the meal for the man. Like I believe, you know, in staying home when you have your child. By no means am I saying every woman out there that doesn't do what I do is a bad female or that your daughter shouldn't aspire to be the president -- if that's what she wants. That's great. Go for it. Just doesn't mean -- all it means is that I don't support that. That's my personal opinion.

BILCHIK: Have you been surprised, Cheryl, by the enormous reaction to your comments?

RIOS: It's been very disheartening, the level of disrespect that I've received. I brought the comment to the table to my friends to just have friendly banter. I mean, we all have our good friends and we talk and you go, what, you want to do what. And you go back and forth, and it's just that, you agree to disagree.

The level it's gone to in reference to the things that have been said from people, the lies, the disrespect, the horrible expletives that have been said that have been subjected to my family as well as myself, the threats. You know, I've done some things to protect my clients. I've removed everything off my Web site, off my LinkedIn.

I'm doing everything I can to protect them because this was my opinion. Not theirs. I know in marketing and PR, we represent our clients. But this was to not to get to this level.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PAUL: OK. And interesting to note -- I know you want to say something.

JOHNS: You know, the only thing I can say is that, I mean, I think it's a medical fact that men have hormones, too.

PAUL: Thank you very much! I let the man say that. We were talking about that.

JOHNS: Wow.

PAUL: It is interesting to note that this Ms. Rios says she's not comfortable having a woman as president, she's comfortable having a female vice president. End of story.

JOHNS: That's right.

Stay right there. We've got a busy morning of news.

PAUL: The next hour of your NEW DAY starts right now.

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PAUL: Breaking this morning, ISIS claiming responsibility for deadly attacks in Afghanistan, killing more than 30 people in suicide bombings.

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BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It's gone too far. Enough! Enough.

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JOHNS: President Obama furious with the Senate. Why he says it's embarrassing his nominee for attorney general has been in limbo for more than five months.

And all eyes on New Hampshire as Republican presidential hopefuls take center stage this week.

PAUL: And take a look at this video that we are just getting in to CNN here. A scare at the circus sends people running for the exits. This was in Texas.

JOHNS: As you can see from this video people were watching a high wire trapeze act when severe weather struck. Let's listen now to the video for a moment.

(VIDEO CLIP PLAYS)

JOHNS: You can see water starting to pour through an opening in the top of the circus tent.