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CNN NEWSROOM

Embassies Brace for Possible Attack; CBS Goes Dark in Major Cities; A-Rod's $100 Million at Stake; Husband Asks Judge for Mercy for Merfeld; Ferrante Pleads Not Guilty; Zawahiri Points Finger At U.S. for Egypt's Crisis; Fabien Cousteau's Real-Life Deep Sea Adventure

Aired August 3, 2013 - 17:00   ET

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


ANNA COREN, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, and welcome. You are in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Anna Coren sitting in for Don Lemon.

Well, it's going to be an anxious night in Washington. The State Department won't know until tomorrow whether a threat from al Qaeda was a real plot for a phantom. In either case, the danger was real enough for nearly two dozen embassies and consulates to close up shop. And obviously this isn't the first time that Washington has seen threats like this, but one high ranking lawmaker, Representative Peter King, says he's never quite seen one like this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. PETER KING (R), NEW YORK: Well, the numbers are so big. I can't go into them other than the fact that it definitely is planned a very enormous attack, a catastrophic type of attack. That's probably the best way to describe it. And I can't really go any further than that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Let's now hear more from CNN's Emily Schmidt in Washington.

EMILY SCHMIDT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Anna, one of the most unusual aspects of the U.S. deciding to close so many embassies and consulates was that it came with a specific date attached, Sunday. Now that action is closely watched to see if there will be a terrorist reaction.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: Out of an abundance of caution.

SCHMIDT: First the warnings. Now the waiting. U.S. embassies and consulates across the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia are closed Sunday in case terrorist threats turn into attacks. The move came after officials picked up increasing chatter from al-Qaeda in Yemen where multiple sources tell CNN an attack planned could be in its final stages.

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Well, these numbers are so big that I can't go other than the fact that there definitely is planned a very enormous attack, a catastrophic type attack. That's probably the best way to describe it, and I can't really go any further than that.

SCHMIDT: The threat is considered credible though ambiguous. It could target U.S. or western targets all across the region, though Yemen is getting particular attention. With security around the U.S. embassy there even tighter than usual. There's a long history of al- Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula targeting the U.S., including the Christmas Day 2009 underwear bomb plot.

Now CNN terrorism analyst Paul Cruickshank says there's a new twist, al-Qaeda's leader in Yemen, one Osama Bin Laden's personal secretary, is reportedly now the second in command in the organization worldwide.

(on camera): Is this an opportunity potentially than for him to make his mark?

PAUL CRUICKSHANK, CNN TERRORISM ANALYST: It may well be. This is Nasser al-Wahishi coming out the party as the de facto number two of al-Qaeda. The plot was in the works at the same time as this announcement was going to come out that he was playing this bigger role in the al-Qaeda global terrorist network.

SCHMIDT (voice-over): President Obama stuck to his planned weekend schedule, golfing and going to Camp David for his birthday. A White House official says, the President will continue to be updated about the threat through the weekend. The White House says, it will not comment on intelligence in this case, particularly as it relates to a "New York Times" report that says that some of this intelligence came from intercepted electronic communications between senior al-Qaeda operatives.

(on camera): Our terrorism expert Paul Cruickshank says regardless of what happens as a result of this threat, the terrorists have caused enough concern to prompt closure and travel alerts like we're seeing. Anna?

COREN: Emily Schmidt in Washington, thank you.

Well, the threat is not limited to embassies. The State Department issued a global travel alert yesterday. So, even if you don't see the extra security at airports, you can be certain that it is there.

CNN's Nick Valencia reports from Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson airport.

NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Anna, for those passengers traveling domestically this weekend, it should be business as usual. Longer lines and delays as related to this travel alert are not expected. Internationally that could be different. The State Department says that there should not be visible changes in security, though. I spent some time in the international terminal at the Atlanta airport and there was some mixed reaction. While some were completely oblivious to the alert, others said they were taking precautions.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: They said stay away from the embassies right now and you'll be OK. We are aware of it, but I've got still got to make a living.

VALENCIA: With the travel warning does it give you pause at all to get on a plane today?

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: It gives me a slight pause, I guess. It makes you think about it. I think they can handle it.

VALENCIA: Does it change at all the way you prepare to travel or what you might do when you're in the foreign country?

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: No, sir. No, sir. We trust they've got everything under control.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VALENCIA: Airlines that do fly internationally out of this airport have not had cancellations or flight changes. For those wondering if they could perhaps get refunds or waivers, they don't want to travel this weekend, right now the policy is not to let that happen. That could change based on the information from the TSA and State Department that the airlines receive.

The State Department is encouraging travelers to register with the U.S. embassy in the country that they're going to. They're also asking travelers to register with their smart traveler enrollment program where they can get up-to-the-minute alerts related to this travel warning. For now, business as usual here at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. It's pretty calm and normal, this is the busiest airport, 240,000 people travel per day out of here. But for now, it's business as usual -- Anna.

COREN: Nick Valencia in Atlanta, thank you.

Well, in California today, the demolition of a power plant turns dangerous, flying shrapnel injured three people.

Shrapnel hit a man standing more than 1,000 feet away from the site in Bakersfield. Well, police say, one of the man's legs was partially amputated and his other leg severely injured. Well, he was air-lifted to a nearby hospital. Two others were treated for minor injuries.

Well, fans of CBS programming in several major cities are pretty upset right now. Time Warner Cable and CBS television are at odds over transmission fees. So Time Warner Cable has dropped CBS stations in some of its biggest cities.

The lovely Alina Cho joins us now live from New York to tell us much more. Alina, tell us where things stand right now.

ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know, bottom-line, Anna, no agreement right now. And I can tell you that the latest we're hearing is that negotiations have stalled for the moment. They're expected to resume on Monday. But essentially what this means is, if you turn on CBS right now in New York, L.A., Dallas, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Detroit, and Pittsburgh, you will see something that you have likely never seen before. What you will see is no programming, no sound, just that right there, a blank slate and a scathing open letter that reads in part, "CBS has made outrageous demands for the programming that it delivers free over the air and online requiring us to remove their stations from your lineup while we continue to negotiate for fair and reasonable terms."

CBS said this is the first time this has ever happened, and in case you're wondering, this fight is over something called retransmission fees. Now, this is the money that cable companies' pay to broadcasters in order to get that content they so desire, the content and shows that viewers love. And remember this isn't just CBS we're talking about. CBS-owned premium networks like Showtime and the movie channels are affected as well. They're dark, too. Today we were on the streets of New York City, TV's number one market, to see how viewers were responding to this. And take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: I only heard about it because I went to watch "Web Therapy" this morning on Showtime and there was something a page on the cable thing saying, due to outrageous behavior, something like that, they said from CBS, they are not -- they don't have Showtime right now.

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: It's annoying, you know? It's like everything -- there's a ton of stuff I watch on CBS. That's the main annoying thing. David Letterman. I'm about ready to lose my mind of I don't know what I'm going to do next week.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHO: Now, remember, CBS is the most-watched network in the country. This weekends for golf fans it means no PGA tour to watch, no "Big Brother" and on Sunday, Anna, no "60 Minutes." What that means for you and me is that, instead of watching television tomorrow night, we will be going out to dinner.

COREN: I was going to say, let's go out for dinner.

(LAUGHTER)

CHO: Can't watch TV.

COREN: Have a good day.

CHO: OK.

COREN: I'll pay. Alina, thank you very much.

Let's turn to another story. It turns out, the drug that many of us take for everyday aches and pains could actually kill us. The doctor is in, and we'll be talking about it. That is next.

And the best courtroom drama not on television. Mobster Whitey Bulger's life is on the line, but this week it seems like the FBI was on trial. We'll talk exclusively to the former agent who took the stand. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COREN: Well, now an update on the cyclospora outbreak that has made hundreds of people ill in at least 17 states. The FDA tells CNN illnesses in Iowa and Nebraska have been linked to a salad supplier in Mexico that provided lettuce to two area restaurant chains, red lobster and olive garden. The FDA plans to step up its inspection of leafy products being imported into the U.S. from Mexico. Well, the nasty stomach bug is being blamed on bagged salad but not the varieties you can buy in grocery stores.

Well, who would think that a drug as common as acetaminophen could be a killer? Most of us take it for a headache or everyday aches and pains, never imagining that it could actually be fatal. So it was stunning yesterday when a report linked acetaminophen to rare but fatal skin issues. Well, Dr. Devi is an assistant professor at NYU School of Medicine and she joins us now. Dr. Devi, great to see you. Should people actually be worried about this report?

DR. DEVI NAMPIAPARAMPIL, PHYSICIAN: Well, I don't think they should necessarily change what they're doing or get worried but they need to be aware about potential side effects. So, the most important thing is that if you do use acetaminophen or even other medications like Ibuprofen or certain antibiotics, if you develop signs of a rash and fever, you do want to get checked out. So, typically with these types of reactions, people get the rash on their body, on the skin, but they can also have problems in the mouth or in the eye.

So, those are other areas that can get irritation. And in the mouth they may develop ulcers, kind of like cold sores, and those actually can progresses and can actually be deadly. So, the thing is, most important thing to remember is that this is very rare, but if you do develop those signs and symptoms, you do want to get checked out immediately.

COREN: Let me ask you this. Are there a lot of everyday drugs that have potentially serious perhaps even fatal reactions for some people?

NAMPIAPARAMPIL: Yes. So, the thing about any type of medication, Anna, is that at a certain dose it can work like a medication and improve people's health. At other doses it can be dangerous. It can turn into a poison. So it's up to doctors, scientists, the FDA or other agencies and pharmaceutical companies to help us figure out what doses are safe and what doses are more dangerous. But every medication has the potential to cause harm or potential side effects. And at the same time if you avoid all medications that also has a risk as well because there are dangers to avoiding any type of treatment as well.

COREN: Dr. Devi, let's turn to another subject now. The FDA yesterday approved a rule specifying how little gluten can be contained in actually gluten-free food, I think it's something like few of than 20 parts for million, how helpful will this be for people who suffer from celiac disease or a gluten intolerance?

NAMPIAPARAMPIL: Well, it's very important because gluten is found in so many foods. So, it's found in pastas, it's found in bread, pancakes, a lot of the foods that we like to eat. Now certain people can have a reaction when they have those foods. So, as the food travels through their digestive system, their body has an abnormal response. So, it mistakes the gluten for bacteria or viruses and has a reaction against it. It can damage the body. So if people with those types of conditions, celiac disease or gluten sensitivity know what foods actually have gluten and which ones don't, they can actually act with more confidence and they can improve their health, they can avoid those types of reactions and symptoms.

COREN: All right. Dr. Devi, as always, good to see you. We appreciate that insight. Thank you very much.

NAMPIAPARAMPIL: Thank you.

COREN: Well, turning to a major story. Americans on alert, concerns that al-Qaeda may be planning an attack on U.S. interests overseas, it closes nearly two dozen embassies and consulates. Well, we're about to talk to a former FBI assistant director about how credible those threats may be.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COREN: Welcome back. All Americans traveling everywhere in the world, they are on alert notice right now, issued by the U.S. government, because of al-Qaeda. Well, somebody in Washington believes the threats of an al-Qaeda attack is so high that travelers need to be more vigilant than usual and more than 20 embassies and consulates will be closed tomorrow.

CNN's Barbara Starr is at the Pentagon with what few specifics we do know.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Fresh intelligence on al-Qaeda here in Yemen led the U.S. to conclude operatives were in the final stages of planning an attack against U.S. and western targets according to several U.S. officials. One official telling CNN, quote, "It all leads us to believe something could happen in the near future." The chatter among operatives belonging to al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, AQAP, had gone on for weeks, but increased in the last few days.

After that, and being alerted also by Yemeni officials, the U.S. took the extraordinary step of shutting down embassies across the region and issuing a travelers' warning. Although a specific target is uncertain, U.S. officials are deeply worried about an attack against the U.S. Embassy in Yemen through next Tuesday. One reason? The holy days ending the Islamic month of Ramadan are approaching, a time of potential tension. President Obama Thursday praised the president of Yemen at the White House for cracking down on al Qaeda, but experts say AQAP is actually gaining strength and power across the region.

SETH JONES, RAND CORPORATION: There are indications from the last -- within the last week or two that Ayman al-Zawahiri, the head of the al Qaeda core in Pakistan has appointed Nasser al-Wahishi, the head of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula as his overall general manager, which is unprecedented because he's living in Yemen, he is not living in Pakistan.

STARR: Now facing the link between Ayman al-Zawahiri, the successor to Osama bin Laden, and the Yemenis, the U.S. may be taking a cautious but necessary approach.

CRUICKSHANK: In May there was a plot broken up against the U.S. Embassy in Cairo. In November of last year there was a plot against the U.S. Embassy in Amman, Jordan. So, it's not just Benghazi. There has been a sort of increased threat against the U.S. interest in the Middle East. This is very much Ayman al Zawahiri's strategy.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

STARR: There is some disagreement in the intelligence community about what may be happening. Some believe it is all about a possible attack in Yemen. Some believe it is about a broader range of attacks in the region. But there is no disagreement over how serious it is. Barbara Starr, CNN, the Pentagon.

COREN: Well, let's bring in Tom Fuentes, he's our law enforcement analyst, a former assistant FBI director and, as far as working overseas, he was on Interpol's executive committee for many years. Tom, good to see you. About these embassy closures, it's absolutely huge that this is actually going on. What does it tell you about the Intel they have?

TOM FUENTES, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Hi, Anna. Yes, it is unprecedented for them to close this many facilities simultaneously based on intercepts and other threat informations. So, that we know, you know, I think we could say the threat is credible that they would have intercepted conversations with senior al Qaeda members discussing possible attacks on U.S. facilities or western interests, to coincide with the end of the Ramadan holiday, which is tomorrow. But I think the problem is here is that it's a broad warning.

They don't have a specific time, place, embassy in mind or western interest in mind. And when you talk about al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, their attacks on us have been aviation type attacks, the underwear bomber trying to bomb the plane over Detroit at Christmas time 2009, they later mailed the packages with explosive PETN in them at a later date. So, AQAP could strike anywhere. They could strike by aviation. They could pick hotels. They could pick restaurants, any number of targets that would be much softer than an embassy.

Most of these embassies are like fortresses, and attacks on them in the past have often been futile because they can't penetrate the outer perimeter, which is usually secured by host country military or police. So they end up killing people from the country and not really killing Americans. There's been several attacks in Yemen that have failed as well at the embassy in Sana'a.

COREN: Tom, you mentioned that U.S. authorities don't actually have specifics, and yet they have specifically named Sunday as the day that they're going to close these embassies and consulate. Why name that day? Why not close them immediately?

FUENTES: Well, apparently the intelligence was that it would coincide with the end of Ramadan and so that gave them a little bit of specificity on the date but not on actual specific target. And so, that's why the wide range of embassies being closed from West Africa all the way as far East as Bangladesh. So, I think that, you know, part of the intelligence appears solid, but a lot of it isn't.

COREN: Tom, you were assistant director of the FBI's office of international operations, and you worked very closely with Interpol. Tell us about the actions that are going on right now to prevent new attacks.

FUENTES: Well, the 190-member countries of Interpol would be sharing information over their internet virtual private network, which is referred to as I-247. So Interpol would be assisting in the sharing of any information from any law enforcement agency around the world who might pick something up and share it with either the United States directly through the office in Washington, D.C., which is staffed 24/7, or Interpol Leone headquarters in France, which is also staffed 24/7.

So, Interpol serves as a communications network but the United States also has the Attache program that I was formally in charge of with 76 offices around the world, covering all of the countries especially in this region that we're so closely aligned with. So there are many different methods through different organizations to enable the communication network to function.

COREN: Tom Fuentes, always a very fascinating conversation that's taking place when talking with you. We appreciate your insight.

FUENTES: Thank you, Anna,

COREN: That's Tom Fuentes, a law enforcement analyst for CNN and former assistant FBI director.

FUENTES: Well, coming up, Alex Rodriguez, the New York Yankee, is back on the baseball field tonight playing in the minors. But could it be the last game he ever plays? We're live, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COREN: Well, it might be tonight or tomorrow or Monday, but sometime soon Alex Rodriguez's moment of truth is coming. Well, the New York Yankees slugger could be banned from baseball for life, losing about $100 million in the process over his alleged use of performance enhancing drugs.

Well, our Jason Carroll joins us now from Trenton, New Jersey, where A-Rod plays what could be his last professional baseball game in about an hour and a half. Jason, tell us what is the feeling like at the stadium?

JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, if you look at how packed the stadium is today, I think a lot of fans are thinking it very well might be his last game. This stadium is sold out, it's pretty much a waiting game if anything. I think what's going to happen is, we're going to know within the next 24 to 48 hours what major league baseball intends to do, what sort of suspension Alex Rodriguez could be looking at for his alleged involvement in biogenesis. As you know, that he is allegedly involved with biogenesis, allegedly involved with the owner, at least that's what major league baseball is saying.

Alex Rodriguez saying he has not been involved with biogenesis, the anti-aging clinic in Florida and was not involved with the owner as well. Rodriguez denying all of the allegations, in terms of what he's been doing, in terms of the double out play out here with the Trenton thunder, he's been playing well. Last night he hit a home run. He was basically Anna well received by fans who were here.

And when last night's game was over, he actually spoke to the media, talked about how he was feeling about this whole contentious relationship that he has with major league baseball. Anna, he says he's being targeted because he's a high-profile player, a lucrative player that makes millions.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALEX RODRIGUEZ, NEW YORK YANKEES: There's more than one party that benefits from me not ever stepping back on the field, and that's not my teammates and it's not the Yankee fans.

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Who is it?

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Who benefits?

RODRIGUEZ: I can't tell you that right now, and I hope I never have to, Andrew?

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Why would you be singled out?

RODRIGUEZ: I asked that and he didn't answer that, so he was under the mic. I'm not sure. I mean, I think it's pretty self-explanatory. I think that's the pink elephant in the room. I think we all agree that they want to get rid of PEDs. That's a must. I think all the players feel that way. But when all this stuff is going on in the background and people are finding creative ways to, you know, cancel your contract and stuff like that, I think that's concerning for me. It's concerning for the present, and I think it should be concerning for future players as well. There is a process. I'm excited about the way I feel tonight. And I'm going to keep fighting.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: And Rodriguez will be playing in seven innings tonight. And if all goes as planned, he will be playing with the Yankees in Chicago on Monday. If Major League Baseball issues some sort of suspension between now and then, the Rodriguez camp has already made it very clear, Anna, they plan to appeal -- Anna?

ANNA COREN, CNN ANCHOR: Jason, I know you have spent time with A-Rod and we'll obviously be following this story very closely.

Jason Carroll, good to see you. Thank you.

Imagine if your husband or wife tried to hire someone to kill you and got caught. At their trial, would you ask the judge to go easy on them? Well, this man did. How can someone be so forgiving? And how much does it cost to hire a hit man, anyway? Those answers ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COREN: Remember Julie Merfeld? You may not remember the name, but I bet you remember her crime. Back in April, the 21-year-old mother of two was caught on camera trying to hire a hit man to kill her husband.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JULIE MERFELD, ALLEGEDLY HIRED HIT MAN: It's easier than divorcing him. I don't have to worry about the judgment of my family. I didn't have to worry about breaking his heart.

UNIDENTIFIED UNDERCOVER POLICE OFFICER: You say you don't want it done in the house.

MERFELD: Because it would be messy in the house.

(LAUGHTER)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COREN: She didn't want to break his heart. That hit man was an undercover cop. Merfeld eventually pled guilty to soliciting a murderer. And here's where it gets even weirder. During her sentencing hearing this week, her husband got up and begged the judge for mercy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JACOB MERFELD, HUSBAND OF JULIE MERFELD: Before this, she's been a wonderful person, a wonderful wife. I'm sure as you know we have two young children. I'd just ask for a lighter sentence, if you could, please, sir.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COREN: I think that's what you call love.

Let's bring in criminal defense attorney, Holly Hughes, and clinical psychologist, Jeff Gardere.

Jeff, let's start with you.

Begging for forgiveness for the woman who tried to have you murdered. I presume that is unusual.

JEFF GARDERE, PSYCHOLOGIST: It is unusual, but it is about the power of forgiveness. When we forgive, it's not so much of for the other person. It's for us. I would think this particular husband can't explain what's going on. This is beyond his own comprehension. He has to rely on his religion and rely on forgiveness to let that person go, let their foibles go, and be able to move on and make sense of his own life. And he is invested in the relationship. He had two children with this woman.

COREN: Yeah. A big person, though, to move on.

Holly, if I can ask you, how hard is it to get away with murder for hire? And how much does it cost?

HOLLY HUGHES, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY & FORMER PROSECUTOR: Well, usually, these are pretty good cases for the prosecution because when you go to hire a hit man, if you get in under cover, they're going to record everything, Anna. They're going to get you on audio. They're going to get you on video. And quite frankly, it depends on your area of the country. You know, the sad part is she promised the hit man $50,000 because her husband's life insurance was $400,000 that she would be paid out if they didn't catch her. You know what she gave him as a down payment? $100. So that right there tells you, you should have known no real hit man would take a $100 down payment on a $50,000 deal.

COREN: So she didn't really necessarily think this one through.

Let's now turn to the story of James Walcott, a 15-year-old who murdered his parents and sister, is found not guilty by reason of insanity. Six years later, he's released from a mental hospital, leaves his old identity in the past and goes on to become a psychology professor. Incredible. This week, his past catches up with him and he is exposed.

Jeff, if I can ask you, his school is standing behind him, but how will he go on with students and his colleagues knowing that he was a killer?

GARDERE: Well, Holly (ph), first and foremost, as a psychologist, I assure you I've never killed anyone. But secondly, and most importantly, what we see with this particular individual is he may have had something called schizophre form of brief reactive psychosis, where you have a psychotic break for a limited amount of time. And perhaps he had the sophistication to know that and realize that you don't discriminate or you can't be prejudiced against someone who's had a mental illness and has actually recovered from it. And it's not unheard of for someone to recover from something like a schizophrenia.

COREN: Incredible.

Holly, just six years in a mental hospital after killing three people. Is that typical for someone after an insanity defense?

HUGHES: Well, it can be. The important thing to note here is, this young man, when he committed these crimes, was found not guilty by reason of insanity. There's something in the court system where you can be guilty but mentally ill. Here they found him not guilty. They said whatever your psychosis -- paranoid schizophrenia was his diagnosis -- and they said because of that, you couldn't appreciate your actions. In that case, when people are found not guilty to mental illness, they go to a psychiatric institution and they can be held for as long as it takes, until those psychiatrists treating believe they're no longer a harm to themselves or to anybody else. So that's what you see. You see the ability for rehabilitation to work.

A lot of times people think, in the criminal justice system, you get locked up forever. This is actually a success story where the jury got it right. They said, we think he can be rehabilitated, and that's what happened. He's gone on to lead a very successful life.

COREN: OK.

Well, let's move on to our third and final case, that being of Robert Ferrante a medical researcher accused of fatally poisoning his wife by spiking her creatin (ph) with cyanide. He has pleaded not guilty.

Holly, I have read the affidavit, and it certainly sounds very fishy. He says he didn't want an autopsy performed on his wife, and this is while she was still alive in the hospital. He had her cremated without her family's permission. And we haven't heard a good reason for him actually needing cyanide or needing it in his research lab. What's your take on this case?

HUGHES: My take is that the defense has an absolutely uphill battle. You're exactly right, Anna. You nailed all the things that the prosecution is going to argue show his intent. He ordered over half a pound of cyanide, used the university's credit card. He didn't need it for any of his research. He made comments to the staff at the hospital, before they even knew what was wrong with his wife, "I'm going to spend the last night with the one I love." How did he know that it was her last night before they diagnosed her with cyanide poisoning?

Again, as a doctor, he had to know that this death should be autopsied. All of the things that he's done certainly show a guilty mind. That is absolutely what the prosecution is going to argue, and they're going to say it's clear from his actions and his words he is the one responsible for this poisoning.

COREN: Holly Hughes, Jeff Gardere, as always, great to hear from you both. Thank you for joining us.

GARDERE: Thank you.

HUGHES: Thank you.

COREN: Turning to other news, the leader of al Qaeda speaking out about the crisis in Egypt and pointing fingers at the United States.

Also, a CNN special report that is a result of a year-long investigation, it looks into shocking fraud and abuse involving a taxpayer-funded rehab program. That's coming up. Stay tuned.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) COREN: Welcome back. Defiance on the streets of Egypt, despite another warning from the government and an attempt at diplomacy. Tens of thousands of supporters of ousted Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy are holding another massive sit-in in Cairo. They're refusing to move until Morsy is reinstated. But today, the government once again issued another warning and urged them to pack up and go home. Meanwhile, envoys from the U.S. and Europe are in the Egyptian capital trying to find a way out of the crisis.

The leader of al Qaeda is speaking out about that crisis. A 14-minute audio message posted online is thought to be from Ayman al Zawahiri. Well, in it, Zawahiri urges Muslims to stand together to prevent Egypt from becoming divided. And he accuses Washington of plotting Mohamed Morsy's overthrow.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AYMAN AL ZAWAHIRI, AL QAEDA LEADER: The crusaders, the seculars, the Americanized army, Mubarak's cast (ph), and some members of Islamic parties, with the support of Gulf money and Americans plotting, all agreed to topple Mohamed Morsy's government.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COREN: But CNN cannot verify the authenticity of that message.

In the Central African nation of Cameroon, there are only two doctors for every 10,000 people. And for the lucky few able to get to health care, many cannot afford to pay for it. Well, this week's "CNN Hero" is a surgeon who devotes his personal time to bringing medical care to the remote jungles of his country for free.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GEORGES BWELLE, CNN HERO: For a country like mine, people like to drink, to dance, to enjoy their life, but with poverty, they cannot enjoy their life. It's a pleasure, if I can help two or three people. That would be great.

(SHOUTING)

BWELLE: I saw my father ill for 23 years. Before he passed away, he said, you see how people suffer to see a doctor. If you be a doctor, help people.

My name is Georges Bwelle. I bring free surgery and health services to people here.

(SHOUTING)

BWELLE: They're beating the drums to say thanks.

They can live 60 kilometers around and they're coming on foot.

(SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

We are starting by doing consultation. And in afternoon, we have a list of patients that we are going to operate.

We need a generator because there's no light.

We start doing operations until Sunday morning. We are doing around 40 surgical operations for free.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have no money. That's why they bought me here. This will change my future. This will change my family.

BWELLE: We leave our address to all the patient that if there's any problem they can come back to us. We help people and they're happy.

(SHOUTING)

BWELLE: I'm doing that to give them opportunity to restart.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COREN: What an inspirational man.

Could you spend a whole month living under water? The grandson of famed oceanographer, Jacques Cousteau, is ready to try. We'll see how he's planning to do it.

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COREN: Welcome back.

We're launching a new segment here on the weekends called "The Science Behind," where we hope to teach you the why behind the what. Well, in this week's installment, Chad Myers talks with Fabien Cousteau about living under the sea. He's the grandson of famed oceanographer, Jacques Cousteau. He's getting ready to spend a month under water off the coast of Florida. Chad Myers caught up with him.

CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Good afternoon, Anna. This is no doubt a real-life deep sea adventure. No exploration team has ever spent a record-breaking 31 full days submerged in an underwater environment. The previous attempt was by famed ocean explorer, Jacques Cousteau. Well, now his grandson, Fabien Cousteau, is hoping this fall's Mission 31 will be an underwater success, all in the pursuit of science and discovery.

I spoke with Cousteau Friday about his upcoming mission.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MYERS (voice-over): Fabien, 63 feet, 31 days, never done before, what do you hope to find?

(LAUGHTER)

FABIEN COUSTEAU, DEEP SEA EXPLORER: Well, the unknown. You know, this is what it's all about is pushing outside the box and going into the mysteries and hopefully bringing some of those discoveries back.

MYERS: You have motorcycles to go on, too, some kind of underwater vehicle.

COUSTEAU: We have a lot of modern-day technology, including underwater motorcycles, which are the modern-day scooter. You can sit on top like a motorcycle with a cowling, and it gets you from point "A" to point "B" more efficiently than the traditional scooter.

MYERS: I heard you talk in the past about places that you used to dive where there would be hundreds of thousands of fish. And now you don't find any fish. Does that concern you at all?

COUSTEAU: It used for a fireworks display of life when I was a child. And I go to those placed that is used to be full and teeming of life and it's changed quite drastically. One of the things that worries me probably even more is that today's youth doesn't know what it's supposed to be like and figures that what it is today is what it's supposed to be.

MYERS: Do you think it's ocean acidification, global change, global climate, overfishing? What do you think?

COUSTEAU: I think you've hit all of the topics right on the head. It's climate change and acidification issues. It's overfishing issues, especially by commercial interests and nonselective fishing. And it's pollution issues. And all those things, of course, affect our planet and our oceans. But it affects us fundamentally and that's what we really have to be worried about.

MYERS: Let's talk about the six aquanauts that will be down with you.

(LAUGHTER)

COUSTEAU: Yeah.

MYERS: What are you going to do all day?

COUSTEAU: They're about as crazy as I am, if they're coming with me. But we're going to be doing a lot of things. We will be diving six to nine hours a day, going down to depth of up to 150 feet or more. We're going to be looking at the phosphoresce and luminescence of coral reefs -- what I call underwater cities -- and something my grandfather only dreamed of, we're going to be able to reach millions of people, millions of students around the world for a full 31 days, live, in real-time through things like Skype in the classroom.

MYERS: So you swim under, kind of like the old movies where we would see you pop up, and you will be in the air and aquaries (ph) will be full of air, but there will be water all around this bus-sized thing, right?

COUSTEAU: That's correct. It's a habitat that's about 45 feet long, 9 feet wide. Inside, full of equipment and full of people, six people. You can get in and out of the habitat from down below in what we call the moon pool. But inside, it's air, it's at pressure depth, so to speak, so we will be saturation diving as opposed to diving from the surface. And once we are down there, we're committed to being down there for the full 31 days before coming back up. (END VIDEOTAPE)

MYERS: It sounds just completely amazing.

Now, Cousteau tells me the mission is getting pushed back one month due to the Atlantic hurricane season. Weather patterns, he said, could be too bad. He said, if the water is rough, they need water support, air support, boats above them. And also they want the water to be clear. They don't want some hurricane mixing up all the water.

So if you want to know more about this mission, go to mission-31.com and we'll chart the progress all along the way.

Back to you -- Anna?

COREN: Chad, I like diving, but that's taking it to a whole new level.

Many thanks to that.

Coming up, an out-of-the-world speech.

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