Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Sunday Morning
Cold Front Moving South; Russia Flooding; Possible Link In Mystery Illness; Internet Blackout Comes Monday; Campaign For President
Aired July 08, 2012 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RANDI KAYE, CNN ANCHOR: From CNN world headquarters in Atlanta, this is EARLY START WEEKEND.
Extreme heat baking half the country. More than 300,000 still without power and at least 30 dead. But while a cold front is on the way, the relief may come at a dangerous price. We'll explain.
Plus, it might be cool temperatures at Wimbledon, but it is hot on the court. For the first time in 74 years, a Brit will play in the men's finals. We'll take you there live.
And later --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RINGO STARR, THE BEATLES: We're still outselling most acts.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: My interview with Beatles great Ringo Starr. His legacy, his birthday, and, of course, his music.
It is Sunday, July 8th. Good morning, everyone. I'm Randi Kaye.
We start with another day of record temperatures across the country. The triple-digit highs being blamed for at least 30 deaths across seven states. The extreme heat has also led to power problems. More than 300,000 people were without electricity and, more importantly, air conditioning. But some relief may be on the way. A cold front is moving down from the Great Lakes, heading south. But a warning -- the front could bring with it some pretty strong storms with hail, lightning, and damaging winds. Extreme heat and more possible storms, of course, seem to be on the way.
Meteorologist Sarah Dillingham joins me now.
So where and when is this cold front going to hit?
SARAH DILLINGHAM, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, Randi, the good news is, we've seen this drop through Chicago already. Your temperatures are going to be back into the 80s today. But as we looked at that map of the heat advisories, we're already seeing a big chunk of the country with none of those advisories today. Only 12 state now under heat advisories for this afternoon, which is good news. That's about half of what we've been seeing over the past three days.
Now that cold front you're talking about, take a look at those temperatures for Chicago today. Eighty-two degrees after a stretch of three days of over 10 degrees for that city earlier this week. So those guys finally getting some relief. Columbus, 93. New York, 92. So some places are still going to be a little bit warm today. And we already did see that front push through yesterday across the northeast, bringing with it some severe storm as well.
Take a look, though, by Tuesday. Eighty-one, Chicago, 88 in Lexington, and 89 in Columbus. Even D.C. dropping down to 86 degrees. And that front is helping to break down that ridge. So even though that front doesn't really get all the way into the deep south, it's definitely going to be helping to bring some relief. But those folks in the west, unfortunately, they're going to start to see the heat build there and possible 90s and around 100 as far north as Montana.
Randi.
KAYE: All right, Sarah, thank you very much for that update.
To Tokyo now where Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made it clear time is running out for Syria's government. She talked about recent high-level defections from the Syrian military and the growing strength of opposition forces.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILLARY CLINTON, SECRETARY OF STATE: The future, to me, should be abundantly clear to those who support the Assad regime. The days are numbered.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: Clinton was in Tokyo for a donors conference on Afghanistan, where $16 billion was pledged to help the country's transition.
In Russia, flash flooding has killed at least 140 people. People climbed into trees and on to rooftops to escape the rising waters. Russian President Vladimir Putin toured the area and promised to help rebuild the homes lost in the floods. CNN's Fionnuala Sweeney has the incredible pictures of the damage.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FIONNUALA SWEENEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Floodwaters rise in southern Russia, sweeping through houses as people slept, unaware and vulnerable. The rushing water submerged streets, ripped out traffic lights, and stranded vehicles. Thousands of people have been affected. Witnesses say they were shocked by the force and intensity of the deluge.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): We lost our property. All we have invested in. First of all, it's a shock, of course. The car has drowned over there. Everything is ruined. It was frightening. UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Yes, it happened just when I was driving. I managed to stop the car, but still the landslide was too big. The airbags worked, so neither me, nor the passenger was hurt.
SWEENEY: Russian officials are calling it the worst disaster in the region in a decade. Several districts have been declared emergency zones.
ALEXANDER KOZLIKIN, KRASNODAR REGIONAL EMERGENCIES MINISTRY DEPT. (through translator): We have the most difficult situation in Kleums (ph). One-third of the houses are in water. Twenty emergency and fire trucks have arrived there already. And the rescue squad from Kopalifka (ph) is on its way. Also, the ministry has made a decision to send two planes and three helicopters from Moscow.
SWEENEY: The flooding is also a major blow to resort areas in the region at the very height of the tourist season. Officials say one town actually got two months of rain in 24 hours. Another town, five months' worth. The Itar TASS news agency says in one community, floodwaters rose seven meters, 23 feet, overnight.
Fionnuala Sweeney, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: Back here in the U.S., police broke up a major drug trafficking operation in Tempe, Arizona. Investigators say it was being run by a Mexican drug cartel. Twenty people were arrested and authorities seized three tons of marijuana and more than $2 million in cash.
Let's get to new information now on that mystery illness that is killing children in Cambodia. Doctors now think that they may have found a common link. It's called the EV71 virus. In adults, it is usually fought off by a healthy immune system. But for children, it can cause paralysis and death. Also there is no effective vaccine. Sara Sidner is live in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Sara, do they know if this EV71 is for sure the cause?
SARA SIDNER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: No. The answer to that just plainly is no. They've not sure whether or not this is the cause. This is not determinate. They haven't said yes, this EV71 is the culprit.
What they're doing right now is they're doing more tests to try and determine exactly what the cause might be. The World Health Organization was very clear in saying that this new information does not solve the problem of this undetermined disease that has been going around what they're calling a mystery syndrome.
We did, however, today, speak with a doctor who treated two children who had this mystery syndrome. Those two children, Randi, died within 48 hours of being brought to the hospital. One of them died within 24. What they noticed in these children was that they came in with very high fever. They were having much difficulty breathing. And in one case, the child's lungs deteriorated literally hour by hour. That is the child who died within 24 hours. And so there's a lot of concern not only with doctors who are trying to treat this illness, that they're not sure what it is. But, of course, parents, very worried about their children here in Cambodia because dozens of children have died after getting this mysterious syndrome.
KAYE: And what is the situation at the hospital, having just returned from there? Are the doctors overwhelmed or do they think that they're going to be able to deal with this?
SIDNER: They're doing their best. What's happened is, in Phnom Penh, which is the capital, that's where the majority of the cases have been discovered. Mainly because the children's hospital that is here is well-known around the country and many people would bring their child if they're very sick to that hospital in particular.
The hospital we went to was in the southwestern part of the country. Many of these cases are coming from the southern part of the country, though they're not clustered. There's not one area where they're finding lots and lots of cases, but dotted around most of the south. Doctors, right now, are always dealing with other kinds of illnesses, like dengue fever and encephalitis. Dengue fever is a big problem. About 50 children per day are admitted into the particular hospital that we were in during the rainy season, which is now. So they're dealing with that. They've got a lot of patients. But this particular disease has really got a lot of people worried and concerned. And they're really looking just for the answer. What is it that is killing these children?
Randi.
KAYE: It's a terrible, terrible situation there. Sara Sidner, thank you for the update on that.
And now here's a rundown of some of the stories that we're working on for you this morning.
A virus infects millions of computers worldwide and now the FBI is going to kick some of you off the Internet on purpose starting tomorrow.
Then, a wild scene at this Ohio gas station when a runaway semi crashes near one of the gas pumps.
Plus, the family of Nelson Mandela offers a unique tribute to the icon ahead of his 94th birthday. His granddaughters join me live to tell us what it is.
And one on one with Ringo Starr. The music legend reflects on his days as a member of the Fab Four.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RINGO STARR, THE BEATLES": They were incredibly, you know, exciting and important days for me. And the music we made is still important. (END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Two of the giants of social media have settled their differences. FaceBook and Yahoo! are officially friends again. The two companies say they have settled the patent lawsuit Yahoo! filed against FaceBook four months ago in a strategic deal that included no cash. In March, Yahoo! filed the lawsuit alleging that FaceBook infringed on 10 of its patents related to advertising privacy, customization, messaging and social networking.
Monday could be a bad day for many of us who use the Internet. That's because there's a computer virus that's infecting thousands of computers. And it appears the only way the FBI can fix it will involve shutting down servers that provide your Internet service. Now to better explain all this, let's bring in Tom Foreman, who can break it all down to us in terms that we'll all actually understand.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is what you need to watch out for this weekend. The FBI went after this virus called the DNS Changer through a thing called Operation Ghost Click.
Why did they call it that? Because this virus targeted about four million computers worldwide, a half million in the U.S. And what it did was if you clicked on a website, something you wanted to go to, it simply took you to another site. Sometimes it looked a lot like it.
For example, you went to iTunes. You wanted to buy some music or a movie or something. And all of a sudden you found yourself on a site that looked kind of like it where they might steal directly from you. They also were stealing ad space. The bottom line is, they ripped off about $14 million this way. These were some eastern European criminals, according to the FBI.
They were picked up, but the virus is still out there. So that's the real danger. And the big problem comes on Monday when, if this is inside your computer, there's a very good chance you will find that you simply cannot get on to the Internet at all.
So what can you do about it? Well, some of the biggest names out there on the Internet have already been trying to help. FaceBook has been sending notices to people who sign on whose computers act like they might be infected. You might have seen one of these. The same thing from Apple. Same thing from Google. Letting people know that maybe there's a problem.
What you do if you think you have a problem is simple in many ways. Just go to www.dns-ok.us. This was set up with the FBI. And the bottom line is, when you go to that website, it will automatically show you either a green indicator here or a red indicator. Green means you're clean generally. It's not a guarantee. But that says your computer doesn't seem to have a problem. If it comes up red, though, you need to act quickly. In any event, check out all of your spyware, malware indication, your protections on your computer. Get all the updates this weekend. Make sure that your security system is working as well as possible to help suss this thing out and get it out of your computer. And take a little bit of time. Go to that website and just make sure because you don't want to find that it's Monday and the ghost got you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: Checking stories cross country now.
A storm packing heavy winds and intense rain slammed into a Missouri marina lifting one dock completely out of the water and turning it upside down. Local officials say at least a dozen boats at the marina sank. An employee says it will probably take the rest of the summer to repair all that damage.
And now to Ohio, where a semi tries to make a turn off a freeway exit ramp. Whoa! Wow. Only to roll over, as you see it there, on its side. The truck slides toward that gas pump. Amazingly, actually doesn't hit it directly. Apparently the brakes failed. The driver says that the load inside his rig shifted, causing the truck to overturn. Workers at the gas station say the truck driver's skill helped avoid what could have been a huge disaster. Wow.
And he's just nine years old, but this Texas boy is in the fight of his life as he battles cancer. And now, after a recent blood transfusion, Collin Boyd is using his experience to raise awareness for blood donations. Boyd joined his friends for a blood drive at the home of the Texas Rangers in Arlington. In all, 19 people donated.
It is being called the Himalayan Viagra and thousands are traveling to Nepal in search of it. We'll tell you what it really is and why it is so hard to find.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Welcome back, everyone. It is 16 minutes past the hour. And it is time to check stories that may have been off your radar.
Forty thousand people are expected to migrate to Dolpa, Nepal, this year in search for the Himalayan Viagra. It's a rare caterpillar fungus that Tibetans and Chinese believe will boost sexual performance naturally. This fungus is very hard to find because it just looks like a thick blade of grass. But for those who do find it, it's like hitting the lottery. One study says 500 grams of it can sell for up to $26,000 U.S., an income boost for harvesters in Nepal who make an average of $283 each year.
A huge change in the world of soccer. FIFA has approved the use of goal line technology. It will use a combination of cameras and sensors to aid referees in calling a goal or not. Fans and players have wanted this for years, especially after England was denied a clear goal against Germany in the 2010 World Cup. FIFA plans to use this new technology by December.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (singing): Under the sea, under the sea, darling it's better down where it's wetter take it from me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: It may be better under the sea, but you won't see any Ariel's down there. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration crushed the dreams of boys and girls around the world by releasing this official statement. "Are mermaids real? No evidence of aquatic humanoids has ever been found." People are scratching their heads as to why the federally funded agency felt the need to post a statement on its website. And now the blog are buzzing about a cover- up. Maybe mermaids do exist under the sea.
$1,000. That's what one organization is charging for a seat to honor Donald Trump with a new award. We'll tell you which one, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Welcome back.
To politics now and an award for Donald Trump. The real estate mogul will be given the Statesman of the Year award by the Sarasota, Florida, Republican Party. The $1,000 a seat event takes place one day before the Republican National Convention gets underway just up the highway in Tampa. Trump, who flirted with his own presidential run, has endorsed Mitt Romney.
Retiring Massachusetts Congressman Barney Frank made history with an I do. He married his long-time partner yesterday. That makes him the first member of Congress to be in a same-sex marriage while still in office. The couple wrote their own vows, pledging, quote, "to love each other and be each other's best friend in sickness and in health, in Congress or in retirement, whether the surf is up or the surf's flat, for richer or for poorer, under the Democrats or the Republicans." Congratulations to Barney Frank.
The holiday week is over, and that means it is time to get back on the campaign trail. CNN political editor Paul Steinhauser has more on the political events that we need to be watching this week.
PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN POLITICAL EDITOR: Good morning, Randi.
After a week on vacation with his family, Mitt Romney returns to the campaign trail, starting his week in Colorado, reaching out to voters and fundraising in the important Rocky Mountain battleground state.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I need Colorado's vote in November.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STEINHAUSER: President Barack Obama hits the trail in Iowa Tuesday. His fourth visit to the swing state this year.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: There's something about coming to Iowa.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STEINHAUSER: Rick Santorum heads to Iowa the next day. The former senator and former Republican presidential candidate wants to thank voters in the state that gave him his first victory in the battle for the GOP presidential nomination. Santorum was Romney's main opponent in the nomination hunt before dropping out in early April.
Wednesday, Romney will speak before the NAACP convention, which is being held in Houston. Vice President Joe Biden addresses the gathering the next day. Earlier in the week, he speaks in front of La Raza, the nation's largest Hispanic civil rights group.
Friday, President Obama hits the campaign trail again. This time in another important battleground state -- Virginia.
Randi.
KAYE: Paul, thank you very much.
Attorney General Eric Holder addressed the crowd at that La Raza convention, promising to defend voters' rights.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ERIC HOLDER, ATTORNEY GENERAL: In each of the jurisdictions where proposed changes can be shown to have no (INAUDIBLE) purpose or effect, we'll (ph) follow the law. Can't (INAUDIBLE) the change. Where jurisdictions cannot meet this threshold, we will object under the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and other laws in order to guarantee that all eligible citizens have unrestricted access to the ballot box.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: The Justice Department had blocked a new Texas voter I.D. law last March. It comes up before a federal court in Washington tomorrow.
A floating museum with 67-foot guns. We'll take you on a guided tour of the U.S. Iowa as it begins its next mission.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Welcome back and thanks for starting your morning with us. I'm Randi Kaye. It is just about half past the hour.
Checking our top stories this morning.
A deadly heat wave could come to an end for parts of the country today as a cold front moves through the upper Midwest and Great Lakes. But there is just one problem -- the cool down is also expected to bring storms with hail and some strong winds. The National Weather Service says several areas from Iowa to Chicago to Virginia endured temperatures topping 100 degrees this weekend.
And the mystery surrounding the death of 64 children in Cambodia may soon be solved. Health officials say a virus known as EV71 could be to blame. More tests will be run to confirm the virus' actual role. Mild cases of the virus can cause cold-like symptoms, while the more serious forms can cause polio-like paralysis and death. No vaccine is available.
The extradition deadline has officially passed for Julian Assange. Authorities in Sweden want to question the WikiLeaks founder over sex crime allegations, but it doesn't look like he's going anywhere, at least not yet. He's thought to be at the Ecuadorian embassy in London seeking political asylum. The South American country has said it is considering his application.
And check out this video. One of the cutest and most amazing survivors of the Utah wildfire. Phoenix, a baby golden eagle, was severely burned after the fire engulfed his nest. All of his feathers, even his head were charred. Even his feet and his beak were burned. But he is recovering. That's the good news. Too early to tell, of course, whether or not he'll be able to fly.
Thousands of U.S. troops are heading home from wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. But now many of them are fighting a war after the war. We're talking about post-traumatic stress disorder, also called PTSD. It is a term that we first started to talk about in the aftermath of the Vietnam War, but for today's troops, it is as relevant as ever. PTSD is a mental disorder that some get after seeing or living through a dangerous event such as war combat. A person may have a flashback or begin reliving the event. They may have bad memories or even nightmares. They might feel numb or become jittery, or always be on alert or on the lookout for danger.
Even knowing what PTSD does to a person, it's shocking that many veterans commit suicide in this country. How many? On average, as many as 18 every day. Mike Scott is a former Marine lieutenant who served in Afghanistan and Iraq. He has recovered from PTSD. Good morning, Mike, thanks for joining us this morning.
MIKE SCOTTI: Good morning, Randi. Thanks for having me.
KAYE: You have taken your experiences and made a documentary film. And now you've written a book called "The Blue Cascade" about those experiences and how to recover from the disorder. I'm curious why you felt it was so important to share your story.
SCOTTI: Well, I think a lot of times, you know, Marines and soldiers, anybody who's fought in war has been taught that vulnerability and weakness are the same thing. And on the battlefield, they are the same thing. But once you get home and get back in the civilian world, vulnerability and weakness are not the same thing. Vulnerability is -- allowing yourself to become vulnerable is what is going to allow you to talk about what happened and what you're feeling, and allow you to get better. And so I wanted to tell my story to show others that it's OK if you're not OK. There's no shame in being upset, being angry, or feeling lonely or feeling sad. And that even warriors can cry sometimes.
KAYE: Yes. You know, I've talked to veterans like yourself who have a hard time even just driving down the street, if they see a piece of trash there, they're in fear that it's an IED or something. A lot of them don't manage it. How are you able to manage your PTSD, and how are you doing now?
SCOTTI: For me it was a unique story, but I think one that can be applied everywhere. You know, making the film "Severe Clear," you know, forced me to confront everything that happened over there. I had shot some video footage and we got some footage from other people who were with us. And so going through the scenes with the video editors and the director, Kristian Fraga, and reliving all this over and over again for hours on end, for weeks on end, was really like a giant therapy session. Once I allowed myself to be vulnerable and opened up with people that in the beginning were really almost like strangers, you know, through time that became a shared experience. And I realized how cathartic the process was and the importance of opening up. I'm doing fine.
KAYE: You are?
SCOTTI: Fine now.
KAYE: That's great. We have a lot of troops watching us around the world this morning. What advice do you give others?
SCOTTI: The first thing I say is allow yourself to be vulnerable. The second thing I say, is you know, if you think you may have a problem, is talk to someone about it. Call a buddy. Call the Wounded Warrior Project. Approach the VA, reach out to the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. There are numerous organizations that are willing to help.
You know, or you can go to CNN.com/impact, and on the left side of the page by a piece I wrote called "there's no shame in not being Superman," you can click on there and get some resources there to help you. But if there's anybody out there who knows anybody who's struggling, they need to get the book, "The Blue Cascade," and read it. Because it is a story -- it's every man's story.
KAYE: You mentioned the documentary "Severe Clear." I want to take a look at a short clip and then I want to ask you something about it.
SCOTTI: Sure.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SCOTTI: Didn't take us long to figure out that because of it, war gravitates toward uncertainty, chaos, and disorder.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: Parts of it are really tough to watch. What has been the reaction to it?
SCOTTI: Overwhelmingly the reaction has been positive. I've spoken to, you know, hundreds of Marines and soldiers who fought in the war. And they love the film because it is so raw. There is no political kind of, you know, bent to the whole thing. It's really about what it's like to fight on the front lines in combat in a war. And I think that, you know -- it was -- it's narrated by me, it's narrated by a combatant. It's not a journalist that's embedded. It's somebody who has an emotional stake in the outcome of the war.
KAYE: Well, Mike Scotti, we certainly thank you for your service. And thank you for talking about it. It certainly I hope it does help others.
SCOTTI: Thanks for having me. Appreciate it.
KAYE: A massive new museum has opened in Los Angeles. It is as big as a battleship -- in fact, it is a battleship. It is the USS Iowa. a veteran of World War II and the Korean conflict. Now out of service, but not in mothballs. Let's take a tour.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ship operations lead with the Pacific Battleship Center on the USS Iowa. She's a gorgeous ship. She's an engineering masterpiece. She's one of our nation's treasures. Watch your step.
I first came on board the battleship Iowa in November of 1985. We had between 1,300 and 1,900 guys on board the ship. We went through the Persian Gulf, we did a lot of cruises, the Caribbean, the Panama Canal, the North Atlantic. 35-foot seas. That was exciting.
She's appointed a sword. She's a battleship. Take a look around and you'll see why. This is where all the big decisions were made back in World War II, in the '40s. You get chills coming into a place like this.
We helped to shell Korea, through the Korean War. During the Cold War, too, the Russians were like, wow, look at that ship.
Back in the '40s during the Tehran conference, President Roosevelt was on board this ship, so he took this and used it as his taxi to go across the ocean to meet with Churchill and Stalin. He was in a wheelchair, as you know. This was where he stayed. Because this is the only ship in the Navy with a bathtub. Past, present and future. President Roosevelt took a bath in this bathtub.
In the '80s, they retrofitted the ship. And these are for anti- aircraft, and we could bombard the shore, too. They would fire 15 rounds a minute. Here's one of our guns. 16 inch in diameter. I could fit in there. Each one of these barrels, 67-feet long. That will fire a projectile 24 miles. One day I fired the guns, too. I didn't hear the boom like you would out here, but I felt the concussion of it. It was like, wow, I just shot the gun. So the last gun I ever shot in my life, was this gun.
One day I had the pleasure of actually driving. I remember making a turn to starboard, which is right, and the whole ship just went. I was wow, this works. Driving a battleship.
We're doing everything from deck work, we've got the mast up. We've got a lot of money from the state of Iowa to get the painting done. The ship sat for 20 years. So I mean, to look at her the way she looked a couple months ago compared to now is just amazing, and I hope everybody enjoys it when they come out.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: It cost $7 million to clean up the Iowa before it headed to L.A. $3 million of that came from the state of Iowa. And like Mike McIntaggart (ph) who took us on that tour, the ship is staffed with veterans who are volunteering their time.
His fight for human rights has inspired millions around the world, including his family members who today are launching a unique tribute to his legacy. Still to come, my exclusive conversation with the grand daughters of Nelson Mandela.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Welcome back. To the world he is an icon, a humanitarian, and an activist. But to those closest to him, this man, former South African President Nelson Mandela, is a beloved husband, father, and grandfather. And now as Mandela approaches his 94th birthday, some members of his family have designed a unique tribute to the man lovingly called Madiba in his native South Africa. Joining me now from Johannesburg are two of Nelson Mandela's grandchildren, Swati Dlamini and Zaziwe Manaway. Good morning to both of you.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Good morning, Randi.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi, Randi.
KAYE: Today I understand you're launching a clothing line to help those who wear the apparel not only remember your grandfather's legacy, but also aspire to great works of their own. And this fashion line, I know it includes the t-shirts, the caps, and the hoodies. They share the name of your grandfather's autobiography, which is entitled "Long Walk to Freedom." I want to talk to you about that. But first, I want to ask you, because Mr. Mandela was hospitalized earlier this year, how is your grandfather doing?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's doing very well. He's very healthy, he's very happy. And just very well.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, thank you for asking. KAYE: That's wonderful to hear. One of the centerpieces of this clothing line is a t-shirt that's emblazoned with the number 67. Can you tell us the significance of that number in your grandfather's life?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, we can. The significance of that number is that my grandfather dedicated 67 years of his life to the liberation of South Africa. It also symbolizes a call to action by him on his birthday, which is July 18, which is coming up very soon. To South Africans and just people all across the world to pay it forward, so to dedicate 67 minutes of their own time doing something good in the communities and their neighborhoods as he spent his life doing so.
KAYE: And we have some pictures of you with your grandfather on his last birthday wearing the sweatshirts that you designed for the family. I'm curious what he thinks of the new line. Has he even seen it yet?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's seen the new line and he loves it. And he's proud of it. The whole family is proud of the new line. And we're just happy to be here to share it with the rest of the world today.
KAYE: The United Nations has declared your grandfather's birthday, July 18th, coming up, as Nelson Mandela International Day. A day, on which people around the globe are asked to give at least 67 minutes of their time to service. Is there any way for your apparel to be incorporated into that day at all?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. We are on line, on lwtfbrand.com, where people can find our products of t-shirts and hoodies and caps. And yes, just -- you know, just bringing the message through of, you know, the 67 minutes that people can dedicate on that day, doing something good and paying it forward. And this is one of the ways that we also want to celebrate his life and celebrate his legacy through this apparel that we have created. That we're very proud of and we're very excited about.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And, you know, we hope that people can also come, you know, join us in this journey of celebrating his life and creating a legacy.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And to honor him, as well.
KAYE: Any special plans for the birthday?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This year as a family day, we'll just go down to (inaudible) on the 18th. And we'll all be there, the whole family will be there with him. And it's just going to be just us and just giving him lots of love. And just praising him and just keeping him happy for the day.
KAYE: I want to ask you because the fact that both of you are able to sit here in 2012 as businesswomen launching this global fashion line, what does that say about what your grandfather has done and his success in helping to transform South Africa do you think?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it speaks to the fact that he gave of his life to create these opportunities for young people like ourselves as women, as the youth, to, you know, be entrepreneurial and, you know, to decide and choose for themselves, you know, how it is you want to sort of create opportunities for yourself. So I mean, I'm very proud to, you know, be afforded the opportunity to do so.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And this is one of the ways that, you know, we are able to sort of, you know, create opportunities for ourselves and for other people, through employing people who are also going to be able to work on this brand. So we're very, very excited. We're very proud that we can -- we have this opportunity, yes.
KAYE: Well, from those of us here at CNN, please do wish him a very happy, healthy 94th birthday. Swati Dlamini and Zaziwe Manaway, thank you both very much.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you very much for having us.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you, Randi. Thank you so much. And we just like to also say hi to Anderson Cooper. We're huge fans of his.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We love the show. And we watch it all the time. And ...
KAYE: Well, that's great.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Please pass it on to him.
KAYE: I will -- I will give him your best.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you.
KAYE: History in the making today at Wimbledon. Could the British end the more than 70-year drought on their home courts? We'll take there live.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: It is Murray mania today at Wimbledon. British tennis star Andy Murray has the crowds buzzing about a possible hometown winner. The first since the 1930s.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think he can do it. I really do honestly think he can do it. I think we need to be more positive about it. Yes. I think he can do it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think this pressure's going to be incredible. So, yes, I think he can do it. Confident.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That'll be great for Britain. 2012 is a big year for Britain. And then you can cap off after like 74 years without finalists.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: OK. Not exactly brimming with confidence, but obviously some people think he can do it. But they know that he has to beat Roger Federer for the title. And Federer has won this championship six times. CNN world sports' Amanda Davies is there for us this morning with a ticket to this one. Amanda, is all the talk about Andy Murray right now?
AMANDA DAVIES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Randi, this morning I can tell you it's quite nuts here. British -- British tennis fans have been waiting a very, very long time for this, as you said. Fans have been camping out since Saturday morning in the winds and the rain to get their hands on one of the tickets just to go inside the all England club to watch the match on big screens. We know that the prime minister, David Cameron, is coming on to watch from the royal box as are the Beckhams, as is Kate Middleton. An estimated 20 million people are expected to watch the match on television. Andy Murray, though, says he's just going to treat it as any other day. He said he was going to get up as normal at 9:00, have his usual breakfast of porridge and yogurt, then maybe have a go on his computer games, take his dogs for a walk, and then come here as normal, being driven by a friend in an old VW Polo. You suspect he probably hasn't looked at the papers. But if he had looked at the papers, there's just a whole lot of Andy Murray. This is the front page of "The Mail" on Sunday. we're all praying for you, Andy. And here the papers have got -- cut out and keep Andy Murray masks. "The Independent" on Sunday has gone more serious, they've gone for the commemorative issue ...
KAYE: Oh, my God.
DAVIES: Now's the day. Now's the hour. And then this one, "The Eye" (ph) on Sunday, look at that, a very young Andy Murray, a picture of him in his early days as a schoolboy in Dunblane (ph). And Murray is still writing his column here and he said he's guaranteed he's going to give everything today, whatever happens.
KAYE: Well, he certainly knows that Roger Federer is going to give everything, too. Because he's got the number-one ranking in the world on the line and another championship there at Wimbledon, his seventh. So, all right, well, we wish them both luck. Amanda, thank you very much.
KAYE: And Murray's dramatic quest for hometown glory has landed him a spot on our list of the most intriguing people. See who else has caught our attention.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) KAYE: From his first days with the Beatles in 1962, Ringo Starr has never slowed down. The hysteria of the 1960s gave way to a solo musical career that began in 1970. He's just released his 17th solo studio album called "Ringo 2012." He's also been a working actor for decades. And he's still touring now with his all-star band. Yesterday on his 72nd birthday, I got to speak with the legend, and he was as charming as ever.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: Ringo, good morning to you, and happy birthday.
RINGO STARR, MUSICIAN: Thank you, Randi, good morning to you, too. 72.
KAYE: 72. We wish you many, many more. This has become more than just--
STARR: Yeah, me, too.
KAYE: This is really more than just a simple happy birthday. I know that this is a big day for you because you want your fans to send out peace and love wishes to the world every year on your birthday.
STARR: Yes. We started this several years ago now. At noon, on my birthday today, of course, of the 7th, wherever you are, on the bus, in the office, in the studio hanging out, getting Randi tea, whatever you're doing, at noon just go peace and love, that's all I ask for my birthday. Peace and love.
KAYE: We will do that 33 minutes from now.
STARR: We're here now at the - sorry, Randi. What did you say?
KAYE: I said we will do that 33 minutes from now at noon.
STARR: OK. Great. We're here at the Hard Rock. They've been very supportive. Very nice lady called Annie who helps us out a lot. So the last five years we've done this.
KAYE: I think it's great. You're in Nashville also, because you're on tour with the all-star band. Let me give our viewers a little taste of you performing.
STARR: OK.
(MUSIC)
KAYE: So tell me about the all-star band. This is, what, the 13th version?
STARR: 13th version, I've been doing it now for 23 years. Ringo and the all stars. But this band is incredibly excellent. We have Greg Rowley's on organ and keyboard, and he's from Santana. So we have "Black Magic Woman." We've got Steve Lukather from Toto, Africa. Everybody has to have a hit to be in the band. We got Richard Page back, Mister Mister, Broken Wings. And then we have Todd Rundgren back for the third time doing, you know, banging a drum. We've got a really cool lineup, a really diverse lineup. When you put it together, it works. I don't know that when I start.
KAYE: On top of it all, you have your new album out, as well, "Ringo 2012."
STARR: I hope the camera's on me now.
KAYE: We got it.
STARR: That's how it looks. Yes, "Ringo 2012," I thought let's keep it simple. And you know, there's -- the first track on it is a track I wrote with Glen Ballard. It's called "Anthem." And it's an anthem for peace and love. I'm trying my best, peace and love, peace and love, whenever I can.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: He had a lot of peace and love to go around. The Beatles, by the way, has sold more than a billion and a half records and counting.
Thanks for starting your morning with us. We've got much more ahead on CNN SUNDAY MORNING, which starts right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE (voice-over): From CNN world headquarters in Atlanta, this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
Extreme heat baking half the country. More than 300,000 still without power, and at least 30 dead. A cold front is on the way, but relief may come at a dangerous price.
Plus, a new discovery about a mystery illness. Children dying from a frightening infection that kills within days.
And later, it might be cool temps at Wimbledon, but it's hot on the court. For the first time in 74 years, a Brit will play in the men's final.
(MUSIC)
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: Good morning, everyone. I'm Randi Kaye. It is 7:00 on the East Coast, 4:00 a.m. in the West. Thanks for starting your morning with us.
We start this morning with extreme weather. Record temperatures being blamed for as many as 30 deaths now across seven states. The extreme heat has led to power problems. More than 300,000 people were without electricity power, more importantly without air conditioning.
Relief may be on the way for some. A cold front moving from the Great Lakes heading South, but a warning, that front could bring with it strong storms with hail, lightning, and some pretty bad winds. Extreme heat and more possible storms, of course.
Meteorologist Sarah Dillingham joins me.
Good morning, Sarah.
So where and when is this cold front actually going to hit?
SARAH DILLINGHAM, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Good morning.
Well, we've already seen this front push through Chicago, dropping temperatures down into the 80s for this afternoon. So, definitely, a much-needed break for folks after a string of three days of seeing over 100 degrees.
Take a look at this map now. This really tells the story. Only 11 states including the D.C. area under those heat advisories today. As we've seen the front drop already through parts of the Great Lakes and the Midwest. We're going to continue to see that push through throughout the next several days.
And as we take a look at some of these temperatures, look at that -- 98 in Lexington for today, but 89 by tomorrow. D.C, you're coming in at 87 tomorrow after that front pushes through. As that front does push through, like you said, it is going to bring severe weather.
As we take a look at the severe risk for today, D.C., you are under the gun later this afternoon for seeing some of those damaging winds with those thunderstorms. That's going to be the main threat. Some folks could also see some large hail, as well.
So, as the front pushes through and drops temperatures back into the 80s for a lot of folks, they're going to need that, because you know, heat is the number-one-related weather fatality across the U.S. every year. So those of you outside need to stay hydrated and do your best to keep cool. You really can get overheated before you know it.
KAYE: Amazing, Sarah. We're usually complaining about the high 80s. Now we're hoping for them.
DILLINGHAM: We started seeing those as early as March. It's nice to finally se them back here.
KAYE: That's true. Sarah Dillingham, thank you very much.
And now I want to show what happens when a political debate gets out of hand. Watch this.
(VIDOE CLIP PLAYS)
KAYE: The man on the right is a member of the Jordanian parliament. As you saw, after throwing his shoe, he pulled a gun. But in the end, they were separated. And no one was hurt.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) MANSOUR SAYF AL-DIN MURAD, FMR. JORDANIAN MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT (through translator): He started losing control gradually. As the audience saw, he took off his shoes and threw one at me. It seems that when I reacted, although I was keen to avoid an escalation, I saw him pull his gun. He vowed to slaughter me and kill me. It was a shock to all of us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: So you are probably wondering what prompted the outburst. The political activist you heard from called the angry parliament member a crook.
In Tokyo, investors are pledging $16 billion to help Afghanistan. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was at the International Donors Conference where she spelled out the impact the money will have.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILLARY CLINTON, SECRETARY OF STATE: Nothing offers a more credible alternative to insurgency than the jobs and opportunities that come with foreign investment and the expansion of markets.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: Sixteen billion, by the way, does not include any aid from the U.S. government.
Tomorrow could be a very bad day for many of us who are addicted to the Internet because there's a computer virus that is infecting thousands of computers. It appears the only way the FBI can fix it will involve shutting down servers that provide your service. About 70,000 American computers will be affected.
Unraveling a mystery in Cambodia. What's killing dozens of children within hours of being hospitalized. Doctors may now have a clue. We'll take you there live.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: We have new information now on that mystery illness that is killing children in Cambodia. Doctors now think that they may have found a common link in some of the cases. It is something called the EV71 virus. It's commonly linked to hand, foot, and mouth disease.
Sara Sidner is live in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, for us this morning.
Sara, do they know if EV71 is the cause? It hasn't been found in every one of the victims, correct?
SARA SIDNER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's correct. They're looking at a lot of samples. What they've found so far is of only 24 samples -- remember, we're talking about dozens of people who -- children particularly who have come down with this illness. Only 15 of the 24 samples have come positive with this EV71. This is a virus that was discovered in the 1960s, actually in the United States and California was the first instance where this was an outbreak of neurological disease that they blamed on EV71, very similar to hand, mouth, and foot disease.
So, they are looking at this as a potential link because there were so many cases that they found with it. And t they are testing more samples to try and see if those samples also have come positive for EV71.
But the World Health Organization is being clear in saying as well as the lab that's doing these tests that this does not necessarily mean they have discovered exactly what it is that is ailing these children.
And this particular mystery syndrome is killing children very, very quickly. Once they make it to the hospital, most of these children are dying within 24 to 48 hours of being admitted, Randi.
KAYE: And there's no vaccine for this, right? What are you hearing from the hospital? I know you just returned from there.
SIDNER: No vaccine. No treatment. So of course that's for EV71. For this particular virus, since they don't really know what they're dealing with, they're not sure how to treat it.
So, it is a scary situation for doctors and for, of course, the patients. We went to one of the hospitals in the Southern part of the country, the southwestern part of Cambodia. A lot of these cases are coming from all over the South. Many of them end up here in the capital because the main children's hospital is here.
But at the hospital where a couple of these cases have been treated, we spoke to a pediatrician who treated two of these children. Both of them died within 48 hours. One within 24 hours. What they found in one child is that their lungs deteriorated hour by hour. At the end, that child's left -- right lung, excuse me, was completely destroyed.
And so they're seeing al these different symptoms, very high fever, difficulty breathing, vomiting, convulsions and other neurological symptoms like drowsiness or lethargy.
These are things that doctors are telling parents -- if your child has these symptoms, do not hesitate. Bring that child to the hospital immediately. Do not try to treat them at home. Do not take them to a local clinic. Bring the child to the hospital and see if doctors at the hospital can treat them properly -- Randi.
KAYE: Yes, it certainly sounds like time is of the essence there.
Sara Sidner, thank you very much for your reporting on that.
Well, all eyes are on center court today as Andy Murray goes for a long-awaited win on home turf. He makes our list as the most intriguing people.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: A country watches and hopes as their tennis star tries to bring home a win -- tries. And a salute to a rocker's decades of work.
Nadia Bilchik is here to introduce us to some of the most intriguing people. Andy Murray?
NADIA BILCHIK, CNN EDITORIAL PRODUCER: Andy Murray. And, Randi, I know you are such an avid tennis player and I believe a very good one.
KAYE: Well, I don't know about that.
BILCHIK: But Andy Murray is intriguing because if he wins in just a few hours, this 25-year-old Dunblane-born tennis player will be the first Brit in 76 years to win. So there's a lot of pressure there. But, of course, Jonathan Murray made history yesterday when he won the double with his Swedish partner. So the Brits are at least happy about that.
KAYE: Yes.
BILCHIK: But Andy Murray has a mother who's a tennis coach. His older brother is also a professional player. So, lots of tennis in that family. It will be a big win for the man who's won over $20 million.
KAYE: Can you imagine the pressure? Possibly the queen coming. He's got the duchess there --
BILCHIK: Yes.
KAYE: I mean, this is a really big deal, since 1938. And he's got Federer on the other side of the court with six titles already. It's a huge deal for him.
BILCHIK: It's a huge deal. It will be interesting to see how he does under the pressure. This very young, very brilliant tennis player. So, we'll be watching. I know you'll be watching.
KAYE: I will be watching, as soon as I get off the air this morning.
BILCHIK: And now we go to Libya and a rather extraordinary woman, Fowzia Shweigi. And she's really is the symbol of change in Libya because she is one of 500 women who is running for the Libya's 200-seat national assembly.
And this woman is remarkable. She's a widow. She's got six children. But she's also a genetic scientist. She's one of the women, in fact, who's been identifying bodies of the people who have died in the Libya uprising.
KAYE: Wow.
BILCHIK: An extraordinary woman, extraordinary symbol. And Libya still, there's enormous conflict. And in fact, they're not open to women politicians. So on billboards the face of women politicians has been cut out often and the men left there.
So a brave woman. Certainly a symbol of hopefully a new Libya.
KAYE: Absolutely, certainly making a statement.
BILCHIK: And then to something totally different -- I take you to Hollywood's Walk of Fame.
KAYE: Oh, no.
BILCHIK: And to Slash. Slash the rock guitarist who's going to be getting a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame.
KAYE: Really?
BILCHIK: He will be on Tuesday. Believe it or not, Charlie Sheen will be speaking at the induction ceremony.
KAYE: It gets better.
BILCHIK: Now, I interviewed Slash a few years ago, and what was intriguing to me is this great performer, this unbelievable presence. And then in the interview, this quite dissident, sort of very reserved man.
KAYE: Really?
BILCHIK: So Slash gets his star. Now with the Hollywood Walk of Fame, what happens is they will elect you, and then you pay about $30,000 to actually get your star.
KAYE: So, you pay for your star.
BILCHIK: You pay for your star. But the --
KAYE: If you want this, you have to pay for it.
BILCHIK: But the organizers call him the greatest rock guitarist of all time. I loved what Charlie sheen said during his meltdown, he said, "I think I'm a rock star from mars."
KAYE: Well, he was with AC/DC, right?
BILCHIK: Well, Guns --
KAYE: Guns N' Roses. That's what I meant.
BILCHIK: Guns N' Rose, absolutely. He was the former guitarist. There's been conflict. Around April, Guns N' Roses was honored.
KAYE: Right. BILCHIK: But Axl Rose was not there. And believe me, Axl Rose will not be there on Tuesday.
KAYE: Oh, I'm sure.
BILCHIK: But Charlie Sheen will.
KAYE: That will be interesting. All right, Nadia, very interesting list this week.
BILCHIK: And you'll be watching tennis. I know that.
KAYE: Yes. Any moment now, I'm watching the clock, as soon as it starts. Thank you.
Saving for retirement is hard, we all know that, when the expenses keep on coming. So, we'll give you tips on how to save some of that cash and beef up that retirement fund of yours.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Welcome back. Nineteen minutes past the hour.
When thinking about retirement, the key is planning. And the earlier you start, the better. By putting a few thousand dollars a year early on, it could actually boost your retirement fund by hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Financial planner Karen Lee is here to tell us more about this.
Good morning.
KAREN LEE, FINANCIAL PLANNER: Good morning.
KAYE: All right. So, you say that it is never too early to start. Even to get your kids started investing. They're not even thinking about retirement.
LEE: That's right. My mantra is save 10 percent of every paycheck you ever earn for the rest of your life, no matter what, and make no excuses, and you will never have to worry about saving for your retirement.
KAYE: Ten percent.
LEE: Yes.
KAYE: Now how is it -- what is the advantage to starting so early?
LEE: So let's look at an example of that. We put together two different people. Person number one, they are -- they're earning 30 grand a year. So, 10 percent is $3,000. What they're going to do is save $3,000 from age 22 to 28, a total of $21,000. At an 8 percent hypothetical rate of return, as you see, they're going to have over $879,000. That's a lot. KAYE: When they retire.
LEE: Yes, at 65.
KAYE: Yes.
LEE: Now let's look at person B. They wait a little bit longer. They start saving at 30. Same $3,000 a year, but every year to 65.
KAYE: So they're -- so they're saving for 35 years.
LEE: That's right -- $105,000 they've saved as compared to the 21. Look, they have less, $813,000.
KAYE: That's about $60,000 less.
LEE: And if you compare the two, which we -- yes, you see this person only saved for seven years. The other person saved for 36 years.
So the point is, don't underestimate the value of those early dollars that you save in your 20s, they're your most important dollars for saving.
KAYE: I can still remember my father taking me to a bank and sitting me down and opening a checking account and telling me how important that is. It is really important.
LEE: So important. So important.
KAYE: What do -- what would you tell people? What's your advice to people who aren't doing this?
LEE: Well, I think at the heart, we have to remember that we're Americans, which means we're consumers. We like to spend. So you've got to save first. My advice is: make saving another bill. But your most important bill. Pay yourself first.
So, at the beginning of the month, whenever you get your paycheck, it's got to come off the top. If you're lucky enough to have a 401(k) or 403(b) at work, sign up immediately as soon as you're eligible.
(CROSSTALK)
LEE: It never hits your account, exactly.
If you don't have one, set up an IRA or Roth IRA at your bank or mutual fund company. The same thing -- when your direct deposit hits your account, sweep it over. If you think you're going to wait to the end of the month, there's not going to be anything left.
KAYE: I know. What about excuses? I can't do it this month, I have this or a special thing --
LEE: The excuses which I call the rationalizations and the justifications, they're endless. Let me give it to you by the generation. In your 20s, it's I've got my first apartment. I need furniture. I need a nicer car than the car I've been driving. I want to drink and party with my friends after work.
In your 30s, you're saving for the first house. You've got a baby coming. You've got to do the nursery. You need a new minivan.
In your 40s, you've got hungry teenagers and all their friends and the sport activities.
In your 50s, you're starting to save for weddings for your kids. Grandkids.
There's always an excuse, Randi.
KAYE: So we've got to get rid of those.
LEE: You just got to ignore them. Save first.
KAYE: OK. That's good to know
All right. Let's talk Social Security because a lot of people are wondering how can I maximize this, how can I get the most out of it.
LEE: True. Remember, Social Security was never meant to be your entire retirement plan. It was originally --
KAYE: Don't tell me that.
LEE: -- a three-legged stool. Your Social Security, your pension plan, and your personal savings. Well, as we know, pensions are a thing of the past. Savings is now 2/3.
But poor Social Security, the main thing I want to say without complicating it is don't just make a kneejerk reaction to take it at age 62. Every year can you wait toward age 70, your benefit goes up 8 percent. Now if can you wait then, that can add up to tens of thousands of dollars.
Second thing is, if you're married, very important to do planning around Social Security. You've got two different people's benefits. And it might make sense to delay ones, starting the others early, because when you're married you've got more choices.
KAYE: Find the right balance.
LEE: Get help, though. Seek professional advice.
KAYE: All right. I think people worry about putting it off because they're worried if it's going to be --
LEE: Running out. That's a valuable worry.
KAYE: Sure. Still a good idea to try.
LEE: Still plan.
KAYE: All right. Karen Lee, great advice. Nice to see you.
LEE: Nice to see you, too.
KAYE: Thank you.
And stay with us. A look at the day's top stories is coming your way, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: In Tokyo, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made it clear time is running out for Syria's government. She talked about high- level defections from the Syrian military and the growing strength of opposition forces.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CLINTON: The future to me should be abundantly clear to those who support the Assad regime. The days are numbered.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: Clinton was in Tokyo for a donors conference on Afghanistan where $16 billion was pledged to help the country's transition.
To Russia now, where flash flooding has killed at least 141 people. It happened in southern Russia, near the Black Sea. People climbed into trees and on to rooftops to escape the rising water. Russian President Vladimir Putin toured the area and promised to help rebuild the homes lost in these floods.
And back here in the U.S., retiring Massachusetts Congressman Barney Frank made history with an "I do". He married his long-time partner yesterday. That makes him the first member of congress to be in a same-sex marriage while still in office.
And the couple, well, they wrote their own vows pledging "to love each other and be each other's best friend in sickness and in health, in Congress or in retirement, whether the surf is up or the surf's flat, for richer or for poorer, under the Democrats or the Republicans."
From his first days with the Beatles in 1962, Ringo Starr has never slowed down. Hysteria of the '60s gave way to a solo musical career that began in the '70s. And he just released his 17th solo album called "Ringo 2012." He's also been a working actor for decades and is touring now with his all-star band on.
On his 72nd birthday, I had the chance to speak with him. Of course, we ended up talking about the Beatles.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) RINGO STARR, MUSICIAN: They were incredibly, you know, exciting and important days for me. And the music we made is still important. But the kids are still learning about our music all these years later. So we left a great musical legacy.
KAYE: And what do you think your legacy and the Beatles' legacy will be?
STARR: Well, that's it -- music. I think the Beatles -- I was talking about the Beatles, not about me. I think the Beatles' music is that every generation listens to the Beatles. You know, the kids today are listening to the Beatles. Their fathers listen, their grandfathers listened. You know, we're still outselling most acts.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: The Beatles, by the way, have sold more than 1.5 billion records and counting.
We have much at the top of the hour when CNN SUNDAY MORNING continues, including a story about one country banning circumcision. We'll tell you where it is and why and what's being done to overturn that ban.
But, first, "SANJAY GUPTA, M.D." begins now.
