jaw at their opponents? i now turn you over to wolf blitzer who brought "the situation room" to atlanta today. mr. blitzer. thanks very much. breaking news. they're supposed to be ready for missile strikes against targets worldwide but are they ready? a critical u.s. unit fails a key inspection. >> the federal government files suit to block creation of the world's largest airline. what's behind the surprise move? >> and anthony weiner just revealed hillary clinton's own political plans. i'm wolf blitzer. you're in "the situation room." we begin with breaking news.

a u.s. air force unit responsible for nuclear-tipped missiles which could be fired at targets around the world has just failed an important test and it's not the first such failure this year. let's go straight to barbara starr. she's got the details. what are you learning, barbara? >> reporter: the air force now says that one of its nuclear wings responsible for one third of the nation's intercontinental nuclear ballistic missile has failed a safety and surety inspection at its base in montana. this inspection was conducted over several days. they say there were several tactical errors. they will not tell us exactly what those errors were. they say that that is classified. wolf, this is the second major problem for two of the air force's nuclear wings this year. earlier this spring another wing at minot, north dakota did so poorly on a test, 17 members of the air force were removed from

their jobs there and had to go through certification. so where we stand is it would have the air force's three wings responsible for those minute man three icbm missiles servicing serious problems this year, now raising questions yet again. is the nuclear program flipping? you know the air force says the nuclear weapons are safe and security but are procedures getting lax, are people getting lax? the cold war ended a long time ago. are things just slipping a little too much? >> any explanation as far as these two failures are concerned? is it a lack of money, funding, lack of training, lack of discipline? what are they saying? >> so far it appears to be a variety of things but a real question about whether the force itself is really operating up to speed. in the nuclear world in the u.s. military, there is simply not one shred of room, as you can well imagine, for failure to meet standards and the standards

are very specific and very severe. and if just one person in the unit fails to meet standards, it can lead to a very low grade on one of these inspections. i think most people would want it that way. no room for error in nuclear operations. all of this is far from the first time. you'll remember back in 2007 the air force flew a bomber all the way across country with nuclear weapons on board and didn't know they were on the plane. that was probably one of the most severe failures in recent years and it's all constantly leading to this question is nuclear force, you know, up to snuff? it's a very serious matter inside the air force, wolf. >> let's not forget the united states still has nearly 8,000 nuclear warheads in its arsenal. thanks very much. a surprising move aimed at making sure a proposed mega airline doesn't get off the ground. concerned about higher prices and fees and reduced competition, the federal government and several states

took action today. let's go to rene with the details over at reagan national airport in washington, d.c. what happened, rene? >> reporter: wolf, we'll start off with a big start for you. a merger of american airlines and u.s. air ways would mean four airlines controlling more than 80% of the u.s. commercial air travel. that's according to the department of justice and they say that it all boils down to one thing and it means one things for consumers, air travel would be more expensive. it would be the largest airline in the world, but tuesday before the $11 billion deal could take off, the justice department filed a lawsuit challenging the merger of american airlines and us airways saying passengers would lose big. consumer advocates agree. >> you've been saying all along that this should not happen. >> this is really good news for consumers because we were going to lose an incredible amount of competition within the united

and when we lose competition, states. that's never good when it comes to price control. >> reporter: the justice department used a flight today to illustrate what's at stake. they say this round trip from miami to cincinnati costs $471 on us airways and $751 on american. if the two airlines merge, the justice department says us airways aggressive discounting could disappear. oaf points say it would reduce competition, cut service and increase fees. at airports like reagan national near d.c. where the two carriers operate, a combined airline would control 69% of the take-off and landing slots. in a joint statement, the airlines say they plan to fight the lawsuit. this spring the ceos defended the merger. >> we would be able to provide better service to consumers. >> this is creating enhanced

competition. today you have two really big global airline, united and delta and this create as third as a competitive counterbalance to that. >> the justice department says they can thrive on their own. >> they're not going to go away and be reduced to nothing. >> reporter: they say they don't have a problem with airline making money. they have a problem with reduced competition. it says the two airlines compete directly on thousands of routes. >> wolf? >> thank you. the other government has allowed other big airlines so why fight this one? let's get the inside story on this lawsuit. evan perez is joining us. it seems like a huge surprise to a lot of us. american has gotten approval from shareholders and the e.u. what's the story behind the story here? >> that's right, wolf. i think what has happened here is that everyone -- these two

airlines in particular were selling this merger as something that would make things better for flyers. the justice department spent a lot of time and in the end they decided there was too much chance these airlines were going to use the fact that they're combining to be able to raise fairs and be able to ruse whatever they call their pricing power. it's already gotten approval from shareholders and also from the u. the problem is that, you know, you have a thousand routes where these two airline goes head to head. so, therefore, this is something that would affect flyers all across the country. >> evan, why didn't the government challenge other airline mergers in recent years? >> well, those mergers happened at a different time. after 9/11 the airlines were in very bad shape. a lot of them were losing billions of dollars lp and, frankly, there were far more airlines.

i believe in 2005 there were nine major airlines and we would be down to four if this marger goes through. so the justice department's point is these are different times, every merger is different and for now, these two airlines are profitable enough and we don't need to have this for the industry. >> lots at stake right now and for the flying public obviously lots at stake as well. evan perez, thanks very much. up next, a dramatic hostage situation at a bank in louisiana unfolding right now. we'll have the latest. and one of the democratic party's rising stars may soon be moving from city hall to the united states senate. but there are some bumps along the way for newark's cory booker? ♪ norfolk southern what's your function? ♪

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there's breaking news coming out of st. joseph, louisiana, right now where a gunman has taken hostages at a bank. joining us is the homeland security spokeswoman. jane, what can you tell us? what's going on? >> mr. blitzer, we were alerted to the situation about 1:00 this evening. we have three employees that are still in the bank and it's still an ongoing situation. we have one suspect with a handgun. his identity is unknown. he's believed to be an employee at a local convenience store. as i said, the situation is ongoing. our local sheriff's department, as well as the louisiana state police, bomb threat, bomb squad, they're all on hand. but i do want to dispel some rumors, if i could, mr. blitzer. >> go ahead. >> there are no confirmed bomb threats.

there's been a lot of rumors going around about bomb threats and there are no confirmed bomb threats at this time. >> has there been any communication with the individual suspected of holding these people hostage? >> there are negotiators here. as far as communication goes, i cannot give you that information at this time. i will say that the only thing that we have closed down on the streets are on plank road, which is where tensas state bank is located. the on this evening we have shut down is that one section of town. >> the three people being held hostage, i assume they're employees at the bank, right? >> that's correct, employees of the bank, two women and one man. >> did this individual just walk

in and demand money and start taking hostages? can you walk us through what happened? >> that i cannot at this time. i don't have any details on exactly how it all transpired. >> if for any reason this individual who is suspected of holding these individuals watching us right now, what would you say, jane, to this person? >> i would say let the people down. just let them go. don't harm anyone. whatever your situation is, you're going to be better off if you'll just let these hostages go and let us deal with you in whatever way we can deal with you but let the hostages go. >> good advice. jane meterville from the homeland security office in tensas parish. other news in the situation room, he's one of the biggest rising stars of the democrat being party. when polls close just a few hours from now, we'll know whether the newark mayor, cory booker, is one step closer to

becoming the new jersey senator. national correspondent jim acosta is working this for us. what are the details? >> reporter: cory booker is easily expected to win today. but the newark mayor, who is well on his way to become the first elected african-american senator since barack obama may not want to put his campaign in cruise control just yet. it looks like the curtain is opening for the next act in the rise of cory booker. as the heavy democratic favorite on primary day in the race for new jersey senator, booker stayed on message. >> the great thing about this election that really has me encouraged is i really want to be a different type of senator. >> reporter: much in the wave bo -- way booker has been a different kind of mayor of newark, for example, shoveling snow for his constituents. or running to the rescue of a woman trapped inside her burning home. much of it chronicled to the more than 1 million followers on

booker's twitter page. it's no wonder his campaign is snowballing, with endorsements from celebrities like eva longoria, fund-raisers from oprah winfrey. after his speech of the democratic convention -- >> this is our american mission. these are the dreams of our mothers and fathers. >> reporter: many wonder if he'll follow in the foot steps of another up and coming candidate. >> but some say it has gone to his head after he skipped debates. >> there are three of us up here, there is one missing. if he wanted to you know where he stands, he would be standing here. >> i feel so passionate about mentoring. >> reporter: booker's opponents also say he's dodging questions

about his video book company, waywire. >> he chose to put that not in his own city of newark but right here in new york city. this is sketchy to say the least. >> reporter: booker's campaign says the other contenders are just getting desperate. donna brazile expects booker to handle the sudden rush of attention with care, if he gets to washington. >> he'll be a little fish in a big pond and he'll have to learn like other gupies to get along in order to be strong. >> now, a booker campaign spokesman says the mayor will step down from the way wire board if elected. as for the race, polls show book ser w booker is way ahead of his like

li likely republican rival. >> we'll watch this race closely. jim acosta, thank you so much. >> coming up, she lost a home in super storm sandy. now she has close to $9 million to rebuild. you're meet one of the famous ocean's 16. and why taxpayer money reportedly went into this police video. >> i love these guys! >> looks like a classic domestic. ♪ norfolk southern what's your function? ♪

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. here's a look at some of the other stories we're monitoring. we're getting a look at the georgia man who fell 65 feet to his death at turner field during last night's braves/phillies baseball game. it appears to be accidental but an investigation is under way. the autopsy has been completed but a cause of death is not being released pending toxicology results. this is the second such death at an atlanta sporting venue in the last year. >> the so-called ocean 16, a group of 16 public employes on the jersey shore were one of three winning tickets in last weeks's $448 million power ball jackpot are breaking their silence. a number of the winners are

victims of super storm sandy and shared some very personal stories. >> we lost our home. we lived there for five years. so stayed with my brother for a few months and got a little apartment above a store front. the first thing i'm going to do is buy me and my daughter a home and bring my dog back home. [ applause ] >> each of the ocean 16 will get a little more than $3.8 million after taxes. look up soon or you could miss an extraordinary meteor shower under way right now. the celestial fireworks show is at its peak and your best view is said to be just after midnight until just before sunrise when there's less light in the sky to complete with the display. the annual shower occurs as the earth passes near a comet's path. >> this next story comes from our oregon affiliate where a police department search for a new chief is generating national controversy because of a

recruiting video some say looks more like something out of a "saturday night live" skit. >> as can you see, the hillsborough police department is ready to handle any situation. >> yeah, they get me every time. >> shut up, dwayne! >> the video, which has gotten more than 15,000 views reportedly cost more than $9,000 in taxpayer money. the police department says those funds came out of a budget reserved for recruiting. >> up next, has scandal-plagued new york mayor aal candidate ju revealed hillary clinton's own plans for 2016? and an astronaut's wife was watching at mission control as her husband almost drown in space. yes, drown in space when water started filling his helmet. now she's talking about that horrifying moment. ♪

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happening now, anthony weiner's buzz feed interview, you saw some of it here on cnn in "the situation room," fueling new questions about hillary clinton's plans for 2016. you'll find out why just ahead. plus, an astronaut nearly drowns in space, as his wife watches from mission control. now she's sharing the terrifying minute-by-minute details. and what oprah winfrey says she's sorry about after claiming to be a victim of racism in a

posh boutique in switzerland. i'm wolf blitzer. you're in "the situation room." hillary clinton is back, sort of. the former secretary of state says she's in no rush to decide on a white house bid, but she is starting to weigh in on several domestic issues. and there may be a tantalizing new clue about her own political future. our chief white house correspondent jessica yellin is joining us now. she's got a closer look. what are you seeing, jessica? >> hillary clinton is keeping the guessing game about her future alive, but anthony weiner, a former friend of the clintons, is making it a lot harder for her to keep us guessing. washington, d.c. in august, the hillary for president rumor mill is buzzing. now in the cycle, this off message answer by anthony weiner about his wife, a long-time clinton aide. >> do you know what her role in

hillary's 2016 campaign will be? >> i do. >> what will it be? >> i'm not telling you. >> what? she's supposed to give a nonanswer like this. >> it's too early to handicap the race and we don't know if she's going to run. >> reporter: someone send weiner the memo. the hint came when she gave her first speech in years on a touchy issue, the supreme court's ruling on race and voting rights. >> anyone who says that racial discrimination is no longer a problem in american elections must not be paying attention. >> reporter: mrs. clinton announced she will keep giving big speeches on the kind of topics a president tackles. next month -- >>ly talk about the balance and transparency necessary in our national security policies. >> reporter: and in the fall -- >> i'll address the implications of these issues for america's global leadership and our moral standing around the world. >> reporter: tea leaves, anyone? officially she's enjoying her

time writing a book, working on early childhood development at the clinton foundation and spending time with her husband and daughter, who also won't comment. >> i don't know what hillary's going to do but whatever it is i expect to support it. >> reporter: now that's on message. an outside pac called ready for hillary has raised more than $1.25 million basically to clear the field for her entry. >> i think it's presumptuous to presume she will be a candidate. we need to show her the support to encourage her to run. >> reporter: when do you think it will be? >> it's so hard to tell. >> the first democratic primary is expected to be around january of 2016. so several top democrats that i've spoken with argue that if hillary clinton does decide to run, she doesn't even have to announce until december of 2015. that's because she has such

broad name recognition, that could keep her out of the political crossfire until then and she could still jump in and win that late. but some fund-raisers argue that she needs to get in even sooner than that to raise money and let other candidates know they should not go after democratic money. let me tell you, this is the kind of topic that is hotly debated among democrats right now and until she makes her decision, it will continue to be, wolf. >> you mentioned at the top of your report, you described anthony weiner as hillary clinton's and i think you said former friend. he's married to huma abedin, who has been her top aide, one of her closest aides for a long time. hillary clinton once said if she had another daughter, it would be huma abedin. why did you describe anthony weiner because of hillary clinton's form are friend? >> because of the trouble he's gotten himself into since running for mayor and the scandal that has erupted because

of the text messages he sent. and a source close to the clintons say they have been livid with him because of the emotional pain that he's caused for huma and because even though they're not involved in the campaign in any way, they're both very close to huma personally and that's the word that was used, that they're livid with him. >> they love huma, not so much anthony weiner anymore. good explanation, jessica. thanks very much. let's take a little bit closer look right now at the signals hillary clinton and some of the others may be sending. joining us now, the co-host of cnn new "crossfire," stephanie, what do you think? do you think hillary clinton will be a candidate for the 2016 presidential election? >> i don't think we can base

anything on what anthony weiner says. her commenting on voting rights, you know, probably largely comes from someone who has worked on vote being rights and cares deeply about it. she was the former first lady of arkansas. we know that arkansas has a long history of these issues. so i think that some things we just have to take on face value but let's call a spade a spade here, there are preparations being made. >> there certainly are. i remember when she was the first lady of the united states and i was the white house correspondent. after bill clinton left office, she started a listening tour to see if she should run for the senate and then she started giving some speeches. it didn't take very long. she became a candidate, she was elected senator. i see the same thing going on right now. what do you see? >> it's absolutely not too early. it might feel too early for a lot of folks in america who are thinking as 2016 as this far off time but hillary clinton knows

that it's a great time to invest now. she knows next year is a mid-term election that's going to take up a lot of oxygen. she's on the ground now getting people's appetites wet. she also has to be aware of that inevitable, that entitlement problem. she doesn't want people to think she doesn't have to work for it so she's goetting out early, making speeches, putting in time, it's a smart strategy. >> what's her biggest weakness, stephanie, as far as you see it? >> over the course of the next couple of years and leading up to the presidential? >> yes. >> i think that there's going to be a conversation around hillary clinton, whether or not she wants it or not. the question is does she want others to drive that conversation. i think leaving it is a big liability. i agree with what she's doing. she's going to go out and speak about national security, she's

going to do important work with the clinton foundation. those are all really important this eveni things to do because then she is shaping the conversation around her work. >> she's a uniquely positioned candidate in that she can be an experienced candidate and a change candidate. that's a really impressive thing to do, to be a candidate who has been around for a long time, no one can really question her credibility on issues or whether she knows what she's doing, but she also by virtue of the fact that she's a woman, and i hate identity politics, but it's really powerful, she can also play up the change candidate. that's works in her favor. the problem with hillary clinton is always going to be hillary clinton, the baggage that comes with being a clinton, whether she's effectively gotten past that or not is really not up to her. it's up to voters to decide whether they want to deal in all of the drama that constantly surrounds the clintons, no

matter where they go. are they going to get past that? do they think that's in the past and back in the 90s or has it been resurrected by anthony weiner and others? that's going to be her problem in the next two or three years. >> has she suffered as far as her own political future is concerned by anthony weiner, stephanie? >> i honestly don't think so. i know there's a lot of commentary about that. i think there's very little that could be introduced in the conversation right now about hillary clinton that people don't know. if they've made a decision on her based on what's happened in the past, they've already made that decision. they don't need anthony weiner to tip the scales for them. i think they probably want that conversation to go away for personal reasons and political reasons but i don't think it's tipping the scales one way or the other to for her. >> stand by. we have more to discuss including north carolina. it now has a new voter

identification law and it's sparking fewer owe out there from hillary clinton and by others. and an astronaut's wife talks about how she almost watched her husband drown in space as water started filling his helmet. that's coming up as well. chances are, you're not made of money, so don't overpay for boat insurance. geico, see how much you could save.

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as hillary clinton steps back into the political spotlight, she's also stepping into the highly charged debate over race, which lately centers around republican-led moves to require voter identification. >> anyone who says that racial discrimination is no longer a problem in american elections

must not be paying attention. legislators in north carolina have pushed through a bill that reads like the greatest hits of voter suppression. restricted early voting, no more same-day registration or extending voting hours to accommodate long lines, stricter photo i.d. requirements that disqualify those issued by colleges or public assistance agencies and it goes on and on. >> hillary clinton spoke shortly after the north carolina governor, pat mccrory, signed that controversial voter i.d. bill into law. >> many of those from the extreme left who have been criticizing photo i.d. are using scare tactics. they're more interested in divisive politics than ensuring that no one's vote is disenfranchised by fraudulent ballot. for vote who are may not even have a photo i.d., they can get one at no charge at a nearby dmv office throughout the state.

>> we're back with the new co-host of cnn's "crossfire." what's wrong with what the governor just said? >> he's casting all of these changes under the frame of voter fraud. now, everybody should be against voter fraud. unfortunately, there hasn't been voter fraud in north carolina. there have been -- last year in 2012 with the primaries and the general election, there were 7 million votes cast in that state, and according to their own figures, roughly 112 cases of voter fraud, no cases of voter i.d. fraud. it's virtually a problem that doesn't exist. we have to ask why these changes are being made. they're curbing early vote, requiring government-issued photo identification, no same-day registration. let's look at how people voted last year. before election day, more than half of the vote was already in in north carolina. the majority of that vote was

for barack obama. half of the african-american vote voted before election day. the majority of student votes happened before election day. so let's again call a spade a spade to use that phrase again, what's actually happening here is trying to curtail the ability for people to vote. >> when we have troops overseas dying for our right to vote in free and fair democratic elections every day, not a funny issue, and dying for the rights of other people, then one case of voter fraud should be significant enough to address policy changes. the problem here -- >> i don't disagree with that, s.e. >> you might not but when hillary clinton is calling one side's arguments phantom and phony, we can't have an actual conversation about your legitimate concerns of voter access and our legitimate concerns of voter integrity, we can't have that conversation when one side is calling our concerns phantom. >> when one side is trying to create a problem that doesn't

exist or trying to solve a problem -- >> again, how can we have a conversation when you say our problem doesn't exist? >> there wasn't one case of vote are fraud. they're going to the extreme here. there's nothing wrong with policy changes to solve an actual problem, but this is going to the extreme. hundreds of thousands of people -- >> you're arguing that -- >> hundreds of thousands of people -- >> how can we have a problem honestly when you are suggesting our concerns don't actually exist. they're phantom. >> s.e., don't you think there's at least a hint of what's going on here in terms of voter suppression? wouldn't you at least concede that? you're preventing hundreds of thousands of people from voting -- >> we also have legitimate concerns about voter integrity. you won't concede that. your side calls our side phantom concerns. so let's either start from a place in the middle where we're

both -- >> do you think what north carolina has done for roughly 100 cases of vote are fraud out of 7 million votes -- >> that's 100 too many. >> accurately and aptly addresses the problem or do you think it goes too far? >> that is 100 too many cases of voter fraud. >> you think denying hundreds of thousands of people the right to vote, the ability to vote to get to those hundred cases of voter fraud? that won't even voter i.d. fraud. >> there's so much that isn't even reported because your side won't allow to the kind of access to information that it would take to have an open conversation. >> oh, come on. come out on election day and look at exactly what happens at these polls, s.e. there is so much on both sides regulating how people vote, who monitors the votes. >> you keep saying on both sides but you also keep saying ours is a problem that doesn't exist. >> i don't think i said that,

s.e. >> you just did. >> no, i didn't. there were a hundred cases of vote are fraud. according to the north carolina state government, a hundred cases of voter fraud. >> so you can't say it's a problem that doesn't exist. >> there are policies in place that will now deny hundreds of thousands of people the ability to vote. >> i'm willing to admit that you have legitimate concerns. no one on your side is willing to admit -- >> s.e., that's not the argument. i don't understand why you're not getting to the heart of the argument. >> that should be the argument. >> let's talk about the right to vote and the hundreds of thousands of people who will not have that right now because of the policy changes in north carolina. that's the discussion we should be having. >> no, that's the discussion you want to have. but there's the discussion that's bigger -- >> why do you say hundreds of thousands of people won't be allowed to vote? if the governor says it will be very, very simple to get a voter i.d. card, why wouldn't they be allowed to vote? >> there are hundreds of

thousands of people who don't have a government-issued -- >> he says you go go to a drugstore and get one for free. >> let's see how that gets implemented. >> why not give it a shot? >> let's give policies that fit the problem a shot. >> what problem? you don't think there is a problem. >> all right, all right. ladies, we're going to -- obviously this is an important issue, it's an important subject. we will continue this debate and i'm sure both of you will be continuing it on the new "crossfire" as well. stephan stephanie cutter, thanks to you, s.e.cupper, thanks to you. coming up, an astronaut's wife was watching in horror at mission control as her husband almost drown in space. water started filling his helmet. we'll hear from her. stay with us.

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truly horrifying moment in space and here on earth as well as a restaurant on the international space station nearly drowned in his helmet with his wife watching from mission control. now she's sharing the unbelievable minute-by-minute details. here's our affiliate. >> reporter: luca parmatono. >> translator: they are very intense. >> reporter: five weeks later he'd find july 16th to be the most intense. just ask his wife.

>> i was there. i saw everything live on big screen. >> reporter: she was at mission control in houston when her husband noticed something was wrong while on a space walk outside the international space station. his helmet was filling up with water. >> i see sweat. it's not sweat. >> reporter: a scary sight for his wife. together she and her husband luca have built a family with six and three-year-old daughters. they were tens of thousands of miles apart and both helpless. >> for me all i could think about was my husband and what he was thinking. what he must be thinking. >> water is in his kwies now. it seems sob increasing. >> reporter: kathy watched as mission control watched and restaurants pulled him inside the space station. >> it feels like a lot of water. >> i see it now. easily.

>> reporter: luca was in danger of drowning. >> they'll be expediting the removal of his suit. >> reporter: it took just moments to free him and for both he and his wife to breathe a sign of relief. >> luca safely back inside. >> it felt like a lot longer than it was for sure. time couldn't go fast enough for me. >> reporter: cole miller, krqe, news 13. >> nasa has appointed a board to determine waying to prevent a similar problem in the future. when we come back, oprah apologizing after claiming to be a victim of racism at a swiss boutique. that's next. and we have new details about a key player in the international drama surrounding edward snowden. right now, 7 years of music is being streamed. a quarter million tweeters are tweeting. and 900 million dollars are changing hands online.

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even smarter. online scheduling. available now at meineke.com. apologizing in the aftermath of a media fire storm that erupted after she claimed to be a vukt of racism in a posh boutique in switzerland. it happened after wanting to see a $40,000 handbag but the clerk failed to show it to her because it was quote, too expensive. the manager says it was all one big misunderstanding. cnn entertainment correspondent nischelle turner is joining us. what are the latest details, nischelle? >> reporter: i think a point to be made here is that oprah's not talking about what's happened to her or say it didn't happen. she's saying she's sorry everyone is focusing on the

specifics of the story and not the point she was making that even oprah winfrey believes she is discriminated against. she was trying to use this incident as an example she still deals with racism. which is something she said to me last week as well. let's listen to what she said last night at the premiere of "lee daniels: the butler." >> i think that incident? switzerland was just an incident in switzerland. i purposely did not mention the name of the store. i'm sorry i said it was switzerland. i was just referencing it as an example of being in a place where people don't expect that you would be able to be there. >> reporter: now, you know, the store clerk is also telling her version to a swiss newspaper. she denies that she ever told oprah the bag was too expensive for her. she says this was a misunderstanding.

the clerk is an italian woman and she's blaming this on some language issues. but she says she had a bag in her hand on the same display. she tried to steer oprah towards the bag. the store claims they make an effort to always respect everyone, treat them with respect. she says she offered to resign over this entire thing. but her manager stood by her. >> thanks for the latest. nischelle turner, appreciate it. happening now, new information about a key behind the scenes player in the drama surrounding the nsa leaker. two victims of the bomber enter they plea. and the story behind michelle obama's appearance in a new hip hop video. we want to welcome our viewers in the united states and around the world. i'm wolf blitzer. you're in t"the situation room."

we begin this hour with breaking news. important new details about the intercepted al qaeda communications that sparked an unprecedented terror alert closing u.s. embassies and consulates across the middle east and north africa. cnn learned it contained specific words that u.s. intelligence interpreted as a coded message for what they believe triggered a potentially imminent attack. let's go to barbara starr. she's getting the latest information. barbara, what are you picking up? >> reporter: well, a source with access and understanding of the latest u.s. intelligence tells us that what sparked this unprecedented closure was as we know intercepted al qaeda messages. but what was in those messages was specific code words that the u.s. immediately understood to be a signal for potential imminent attack against u.s.

entrance. those code words sparking the closing of some 22 embassies and installations across the middle east and africa. much pinging on the notion an attack would be imminent. but not saying where it might come and what installation, what the target might be. so they had the imminence. they had the code words. what they didn't have was the specific location. that's why we saw so many embassies closed. as we know the u.s. intelligence community monitors al qaeda communications all the time. there were three communications that caused them great concern. two from al zawahiri. and the number two of al qaeda located in yemen. that's where they began to center the threat. and that, wolf, is why you are seeing so many drone attacks in recent days over yemen. they are going after these al qaeda members. wolf? >> so do they believe the threat

is now gone? >> reporter: officials are telling us that they at least believe they have deterred the timing of it. that by putting so much light on all of this, so much public light around the world, this will essentially spook them in yemen and scare them off. now with the possibility that so many al qaeda members in yemen have been killed by these drone strikes, now what they're doing is listening to all the chatter one more time to see what people are saying, how people are moving around and how they can target more of these al qaeda leaders. wolf? >> let's see what happens. barbara, thank you. other news. it would be the world's largest airline, but it will never get off the ground if the u.s. justice department gets its way. it's suing to stop the $11 billion merger of american airlines and u.s. airways saying it would mean higher prices and less service for all of us. but this also follows two other mergers that were allowed to

proceed without objection. here's the question. what is going on. our he knows all about this. what is going on, richard? what's this lawsuit all about? >> reporter: the department of justice in six states -- the attorney generals of six states claim if this deal now goes ahead, it would in their words lessen competition. there would be an increased price, all the incomes that the airlines love these days would also go up. the problem with this, of course, is it's very late in the day. so far the creditors of bankrupt american, the shareholders of both airlines, the eu regulators in europe have all approved this. and now right at the last minute, the u.s. department of justice, the six attorneys generals have stepped in. this was a deal, wolf, that was

supposed to close at the end of august. and now it's on hold. and if you talk to some experts, wolf, they actually believe it may never get through. because the doj has a very good history of getting its own way. american and u.s. airways tonight saying they will mount a vigorous, strong defense to get the deal through. but i have to say, bearing in mind what we've heard in the last few hours, it's looking rather than uncertain. >> a lot at stake in this potential merger. thanks very much. two friends of the boston bombing suspect dzhokhar tsarnaev, they were pleading not guilty to obstructing justice. sus susan cantiotti is joining us now. what are these men accused of

doing? >> reporter: remember, these are two young men. two young teenagers who were friends of tsarnaev. after the bombing -- this was after the fbi received photographs of the suspects that they received a text message from tsarnaev who said go to the dorm room and take things out of there. or words to that effect. they are then accused of removing a laptop computer and a backpack that had fireworks inside and putting them in a dumpster. this prompted a raid by the fbi. they are now charged with obstruction of justice, throwing away evidence. however, the defense maintains that there are two sides to this story. that these students fully cooperated with the fbi after their apartment was raided and you shouldn't prejudge them. i spoke with both of the lawyers. . . >> there has to be an intent, a knowledge that what you're doing is to aid someone else's

offense, someone else's crime. here the evidence will show at the end of the day that dios had no reason to suspect tsarnaev at this point in time. and had no intention to insist him in any way. >> do you think dzhokhar is one of the killers? >> he's incarcerated. >> reporter: it's interesting to note hear whether the clients think he's not guilty they say we don't know because they don't know because they haven't seen all the evidence. also in court today were the families of these two young men. saw them plead not guilty. and i spoke with them as well through a translator. they're from kazakhstan. >> translator: america is a great democratic country. i hope and pray that the justice system will reach a correct verdict that our children are innocent. >> translator: i want to tell the american people that my son and all the charges the

prosecution has brought, that he did not do any of these things. >> reporter: if found guilty, they face up to 20 years in prison. and deportation. wolf? >> thanks very much, susan candiotti in boston for us. new details also emerging about a key player in the international drama surrounding edward snowden, the former contractor who revealed details of u.s. surveillance programs. before he took his information public, he took it to a documentary film maker who worked behind the scenes to get his story out. brian todd has been looking into this for us. brian, what do we know about this documentary film maker? >> reporter: her name is rachel poitrus who has originally traveled to some of the world's most dangerous places. she -- with the retaliation we're told she's received, she now works deeply in the shadows. we recognize this as the video

that revealed edward snowden to the world. >> the public needs to decide whether these policies are right or wrong. >> reporter: glen greenwald interviewed the leaker. but the person who got them together is an independent film maker not widely known. her name is laura poitrus and she's part of "the new york times" magazine. she spoke last year at duke university. >> i'm working on things that are really sensitive. so i have to at times not send e-mails about it. >> reporter: after snowden contacted her, they exchanged encrypted communications. then they met in that hong kong hotel room. she dictated all of that, greenwald quoted about her. there's a reason she's good at that. poitrus has made articles about the war in iraq.

she's been on a travel watch list for several years. repeatedly stopped at u.s. airports were interrogated. she spoke about it in a "new york times" documentary. >> so it is hard to be stopped every time i travel to the united states. and never be told why it is happening. >> reporter: we tried to contact her, she says she doesn't want to do any interviews before her next film on nsa surveillance comes out. glen greenwald could not speak to us. we couldn't get the times to respond to us. and if you're wondering why there's no insight here, we tried to interview several analysts and academics that know her. none would speak to us. one said she wouldn't do it without permission from her which never came. we were told no. >> if you'd return my call, i'd appreciate. thank you. >> reporter: seemingly a reflection of how private and

wary laura is. but there was one person. ben wisener of the aclu has given legal advice. >> this person who does such profound work in america is afraid to live and work here and has moved her operations to another country switch a sad state of affairs. >> reporter: he says the upcoming film will interview more on snowden and will be very provocative. edward snowden's u.s.-based attorney would not comment on our story or "the new york times" report. >> there's some other interesting details on her first face-to-face meeting with snowden, aren't there? >> reporter: fascinating details. according to this report, snowden instructed her and glen greenwald to go to a restaurant in hong kong back in june. they were supposed to wait until they saw a man carrying a rubix

cube. he would warn them the food was bad. when the man with the cube arrived, that was edward snowden. they were blown away by how young he was. >> fascinating material. looking forward to reading that article in "the new york times." thanks very much. brian todd reporting. up next, a sink hole swallows a resort near disney world. we have more including the 911 tapes that have been released. and many tea partiers want to see ted cruz run for president in 2016. but can he? we'll looking at his eligibility since he was born in canada. ♪ turn around ♪ every now and then i get a little bit tired ♪ ♪ of craving something that i can't have ♪ ♪ turn around barbara ♪ i finally found the right snack ♪ ♪

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now? >> reporter: 26 prisoners that were meant to be released today as part of a good will gesture by prime minister benjamin netanyahu were just released. as soon as they left where we are crossing, just a little outside as the prisoners were driven -- at the compound. and then we saw israeli police, israeli security officials starting to move towards the fence and then they fired a series of flash/bang grenades in addition to we think some tear gas launched in that direction. >> these prisoners, so have they been -- >> reporter: there are still young -- >> have the 26 prisoners been released? are they free right now? >> reporter: they are. they left not more than five minutes ago. they were driven out in two

white vans. there were hundreds of people here that had surrounded the vans that had been here waiting in anticipation, eager anticipation going back to about 10:00 p.m. local time. it's about 1:15 in the morning now. as soon as we were driven out, crowds swarmed around those vehicles cheering, chanting, singing. there was music playing. as soon as the vans moved out, young men started throwing rocks at this prison where they were being released from. or where they'd been transferred to before they were going to be released to their families. and you could hear -- i don't know if you could still hear the natural sound of rocks still being thrown at this prison. we can -- it's quieted down a little bit, but we can still see israeli security officials behind the fence. >> all right. our correspondent who's based in jerusalem in the west bank right now. this was supposed to be an

israeli good will gesture. tomorrow scheduled to resume peace negotiations with the u.s. involved as the mediator. those negotiations scheduled to begin tomorrow when the release -- the first batch of these palestinian prisoners were released as a good will gesture. we'll stay in close contact with vlad on the scene. let's get to other news right now including new details about this week's big scare at disney world. listen to one of the 911 calls that came in right after a sinkhole opened up sunday, started swallowing up a three-story building. >> where's the patient located at? >> it's not a patient. we have a building that is potentially collapsing. we don't know if it's a sinkhole or what. but we've got people in the building. we're trying to get them evacuated and they're saying it's collapsing so fast, they don't know they're going to get to all these rooms. >> okay. and i am going to get the fire

department on the way. is there a specific building number? >> building 104. >> cnn's martin salve savidge is joins us now. what are you learning, martin? >> reporter: there is a press conference that was held just a few minutes ago. we learned a number of things. number one, a more accurate measure of this sinkhole finds it is larger than first reported. the engineers say it's anywhere from 110 to 120 feet wide and 15 feet deep. they don't believe any other buildings here are being threatened. the company that owns this facility says that they plan now to reopen two buildings that had been evacuated as a precaution, that's of course not including 104 that was severely damaged. here's the thing many people have been talking about.

you have tornado warnings and tsunami warnings, so why not a sinkhole warning system? well, actually, there is no such system in the state of florida. and it's been a particularly bad year this year in this state for sinkholes. just recently the government of florida received a $1 million grant from the federal government to begin a pilot program. they're going to look at three counties and basically look at how many sinkholes they have and hope to use that as kind of a map or an idea of how bad the problem is in the state. here's how one scientist explained they could use the information. >> that's going to be used by the local emergency managers at the county level and possibly the city level. they'll look at this and they can create their own mitigation strategies. now, how that extends to the public user, they also could look at this map and see the relative vulnerability they're

interested in. >> reporter: sinkholes are not uncommon in florida. but as more and more development has occurred here, they're more often coming into connection with the public. and that's the problem. this one took on the very serious tourism industry in this state. now people are realizing it's a threat that has to be dealt with. >> certainly does. all right. thanks very much martin savidge working this story for us as he always does. coming up, a red hot political question. does the u.s. constitution prevent one of the republican parties rising stars from ever running for president? we'll tell you when we come back. when you realize you need to switch to verizon, it's a reality check. i had my reality check when i'd be sitting there with my friends who had their verizon phones and i'd be sitting there like "mine's still loading!" i couldn't get email. i couldn't stream movies. i couldn't upload any of our music. i couldn't count on it, that's when i decided to switch. now that i'm on verizon, everything moves fast. with verizon, i have that reliability. i'm completely happy with verizon. verizon's 4g lte is the most reliable

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only moments ago, you saw vlad our correspondent in jerusalem. he's now at the west bank crossing. there's an israeli prison there. they have just released 26 palestinian prisoners as a good will gesture because the peace talks are to resume tomorrow. after these palestinian prisoners released, all the protesters out there started throwing rocks at ofar prison. watch vlad report on what happened next. >> reporter: young men are starting to throw stones at the prison. now flash grenades are going off behind us. these are grenades and tear gases being thrown right now at the people throwing stones behind us.

these are just -- i can see prison officials or what looks to be either police or military starting to move closer to the gate. these are just young men that were here. they just started throwing rocks at the prison gates. and you saw what happened. i can hear more rocks being thrown at -- >> let's go live to the scene now. vlad is joining us once again. what's the scene right now like? >> reporter: hey, wolf. what's happening right now is although everybody seems to have cleared out except for these young men. they're about a half a dozen young men. they are moving behind us on this ridge which is bordering the prison here in the crossing in the west bank. they are continuing to throw rocks at the prison. just not more than five minutes ago. the israeli either prison officials, security officials with b not really sure. but from the other side came a

volley of tear gas canisters that came across over the gate and into this area. we thought that would be enough to clear out these young men, but they are still there. i can actually see them right here. they're actually right up against the gate. during that moment, we saw security officials from the israeli side moving closer to the gate. we saw armored personnel moving towards the gate. that's when we saw the volley of the tear gas. >> but the 26 palestinian prisoner who is were released, they are gone from the scene, right? they've moved to the west bank or elsewhere. >> reporter: that's right, wolf. the prisoners that were meant to be released in the west bank now have been released from this prison. they are on their way to the presidential compound of abbas. where they will be given a

hero's welcome. other prisoners are being released in gaza will also be given similar welcomes. palestinians we spoke to today said these prisoners are political prisoners and freedom fighters. but the israelis we spoke to, many of them family members who have lost loved ones due to some of the acts committed by these prisoners say this should not have been done. that this was a mistake. that these are not political prisoners, that they are terrorists and in some cases murderers and killers. netanyahu said he was doing this as a good will gesture on the eve of peace negotiations that are set to resume tomorrow. >> we'll be covering those as well. let's hope those peace negotiations begin tomorrow. they produce something productive. vlad duty yea is on in the west bank. be careful over there. obviously it's a tense situation. let's move on to some other

news here in the united states. he's taken the senate by storm stirring up controversy and ruffling feathers on both sides of the aisle. first months on the job. for that ted cruz is a tea party favorite already generating lots of buzz about the 2016 race for the white house. however, the question isn't only will he run but can he run under the u.s. constitution? cnn's athena jones is joining us now. she's been looking into this. so what's going on with senator ted cruz and his eligibility potential to become one day president of the united states? >> reporter: hi, wolf. the big question here is whether ted cruz is a natural born citizen. i spoke with several constitutional law experts about this today. and all of them believe that cruz is. but it's important to know the constitution doesn't define who is a natural born citizen. and those are the only people eligible to run for president. also i should add the supreme court has never ruled on this issue. senator ted cruz, a tea party

darling who's made a name for himself stirring the political pot. the texas republican challenged pentagon chief chuck hagel at his hearing. >> you explicitly agreed with the characterization of the united states as the world's bully. >> reporter: and says the irs should be abolished. defying his own party leadership threatening to shut down the government over obama care. here he is making the case in iowa. a crucial 2016 battleground state. >> this thing ain't working, but yet i can't count the number of republicans in washington who say we can't defund it. >> reporter: he's a presidential contender but he wasn't born in the u.s. so is he even eligible to run? he says he is. cruz was born in canada to a cuban father and american mother. >> my mother was born in wilmington, delaware, so i'm a u.s. citizen by birth. >> reporter: what does natural born mean? >> as long as he qualifies of a

united states by birth, then that makes him a natural born citizen. >> reporter: the citizenship question isn't new. john mccain was born to american parents in the panama canal zone. raising questions. to try to put the matter to rest, the senate passed a non-binding resolution in 2008 recognizing mccain as a natural born citizen. even that resolution noted that the constitution doesn't define the term. >> this is an example of an interpretation of the constitution that was flushed out by congress itself. >> reporter: law professor randy barnett is talking about statute. but a 50-page report by the congressional research service provides another clue about how congress views the issue. that report says natural born applies to those born abroad to u.s. parents. it doesn't to one parent but if cruz can claim citizenship through his mother at birth and the scholars say he can, then he can claim to be natural born. but that doesn't mean it's the end of the story.

in the case of president obama even providing a copy of his hawaiian birth certificate hasn't quieted birthers like donald trump. >> some people say that was not his birth certificate. i'm saying i don't know. nobody knows. >> reporter: so would a cruz candidacy ignite a birther movement of its own? trump didn't seem as eager to jump in on cruz. he said simply i'm not going to engage. >> athena, thanks very much. let's dig a little deeper. joining us now the george washington proffer jonathan turly. i'll put on the screen what the constitution says. article two, section one. no person except a natural born citizen or a citizen of the united states at the time of the adoption of this constitution, shall be eligible to the office of president. cruz was born in canada.

a cuban dad, an american mother. what say you? is it automatic that he is eligible to become president of the united states? >> i think senator cruz is eligible to be president of the united states. the key here is whether he is, in fact, a u.s. citizen by the fact that his mother was a u.s. citizen from delaware. i think the answer to that is yes. under section 301-g of the federal law, the immigration and nationality act, that is recognized as giving you citizenship at birth. that then triggers the natural born language of the constitution if you run for president. it is certainly true that this was not defined in the constitution. it was not particularly clear in the constitutional convention. what was clear is the framers didn't want the aristocrats coming over to the united states and taking over the country. there were some that thought they were barring alexander

hamilton, although i wasn't sure as many people. how we define this term, we look at whether you were a citizen at birth. and the united states state department says on its website anyone can see it, that if you're abroad and you have a child and you're a u.s. citizen, even though that child is with a foreign person, that child is a u.s. citizen. >> barack obama was born in hawaii. we all know a matter of fact he was born in hawaii. his mother an american. obviously his father from kenya. the birthers all claim he was born in kenya which isn't true. but with an american mother, even if he had been born in kenya which obviously is not true, he still would be eligible to run for president, right? >> that's right. very few people actually bought the idea that president obama was not eligible. there's certainly the case that many of the folks on capitol hill that were making these arguments are silent today. but as you know, this is a city

that literally floats on a deep and rolling sea of hypocrisy. that's nothing new. so once again, we find people that have gone strangely silent. with regard to senator cruz, he has to make his case to be president of the united states. but i don't think he has to work very hard to say that he's eligible. >> and he's not a naturalized citizen as far as the united states is concerned. he never had to go through a naturalization process because he may have been born in canada, but he automatically was a citizen of the united states because his mother was an american citizen. >> that's right. and wolf, the problem with taking the opposing view is that it would lead to a lot of mischief. the fact is most people in this country are citizens by birth. he did not have that intervening act. he was not naturalized. if you say that that doesn't matter, that throws a lot of

people into question as to whether they would meet this requirement. also i think what's useful about this is that people have to seriously look at this provision. i'm a big fan of our constitutional system and the framers. this was a mistake. it certainly -- if it wasn't a mistake then, it's a mistake now. we're a nation of immigrants. and this is an insult to people that have come to this country and contributed so much. we can debate how long you should be in this country to be qualified for president, but it's time we put this provision to bed and change it. >> there were some movements over the years to try to change -- would require an amendment to the constitution which you know better than anyone is not easy to do. it requires a lot of work. all right. jonathan turley, thanks for the explanation. i'm sure ted cruz and his fans out there are going to be happy you say he is, in fact, eligible to become president of the united states. >> thanks, wolf. coming up an embarrassment

for a unit in charge of hundreds of nuclear missiles. and we'll meet america's new ex-millionaires. they claim their share of the giant powerball jackpot. this day calls you.

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inspection this year. the montana unit's failure coupled with an earlier bad grade for a unit in north dakota means two of thee three nuclear wings flunked three key inspections this year. reports from south africa say oscar pistorius will be indicted next week for the murder of his girlfriend. the blade runner admits to shooting reeva steenkamp last valentine's day. he says he thought she was a burglar that broke into his apartment. doctors report a second case of a rare brain-eating parasite. the family of a 12-year-old florida boy said he played in a water-filled ditch and slept the next day. so they took him to the hospital. this happened less than a month after a 12-year-old girl in around became effected with the same rare pair site.

she's now in critical condition. residents say a doctor of traditional chinese medicine spent the last six years building a mountain retreat on the roof. they've complained before, but nothing happened until recently when pictures went viral on the internet. now there's a notice saying he has 15 days to take it all down. coming up in "situation room," you'll meet the county workers that who won part of that huge powerball jackpot. you'll find out why they're called oceans 16. then the woman behind michelle obama's brand new hip hop video. a quarter million tweeters are tweeting. and 900 million dollars are changing hands online. that's why hp built a new kind of server. one that's 80% smaller. uses 89% less energy. and costs 77% less. it's called hp moonshot. and it's giving the internet the room it needs to grow.

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look at the joy. these palestinian prisoners were released just a little while now they're being reunited with their fellow palestinians. you can see these pictures coming in from the west bank. 26 prisoners have been in jail for a long time. the israelis released them as the result of some prodding by the u.s. secretary of state john kerry wants the peace negotiations to resume. they will resume tomorrow in jerusalem. negotiators with u.s. mediators taepding. they'll resume the talks. this was done by prime minister benjamin netanyahu. it was a good will gesture releasing them. the first batch. more scheduled to be released in the coming weeks as the peace process gets going. other news right now we're

following in "the situation room" including this. the shrinking powerball jackpot. last week's was worth $448 million. there were three tickets each we're $149 million. the minnesota winner decided to take the immediate lump sum cash option. that made his ticket worth 8 $6 million. but that's before taxes. a little more than $58 million given to this individual after taxes. now we've learned one of the other winning tickets has to be split 16 was. that works out to just under $4 million each after taxes. still, no one obviously is complaining. cnn business and personal finance correspondent zane asher watched them claim their winnings today. >> here is the $86 million markup check that these guys had earlier on. divided by 16, they're walking away with roughly $3.8 million each.

we did meet all 16 of them today. lots of different stories to share including one woman who unfortunately lost her home during superstorm sandy last year. she told her story. here's what she had to say. >> we lost our home in the storm. i was renting it. we lived there for five years. me and my daughter. i lived with my brother and got an apartment above a store front. the first thing i'm going to do is buy a home and bring my dog back home. when i found out we won, i was speechless. i thought they were joking with me. i thought it was the worse joke ever. i just woke up assuming we didn't win. yeah. i'm still in shock. >> reporter: we also did meet another woman who said her father died of cancer recently. she said she believed these winnings were his way of smiling down on her. and we met an interesting character who explained how he would spend his retirement days. take a listen. >> i'm going to continue

watching nascar racing on sunday. maybe i'll be at my log cabin on multiple acres of land. and i don't want to be -- i could stay up and talk to y'all. i didn't do it. >> you pay for it. >> i think i can afford it. maybe more air conditioning in here. >> reporter: we also heard about how thursday morning unfolded when these guys realized that they had won. one woman was in charge of buying the realized that the winning power ball number was 32. she realized it was sort of familiar because she had bought lots of tick it is with power ball number 32. she checked the tickets frantically and she began to shake as he realized she bought one of the winning tickets. she woke up her poor husband who, by the way, isn't poor anymore. wolf? >> he's a millionaire, so is she. thanks very much for that, zain

asher. good story. coming up michelle obama, the first lady of the united states, turns to rap to get an important message across to young people. ♪ ♪ (vo) purina cat chow. 50 years of feeding great relationships.

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first lady michelle obama's prominently featured in a brand-new rap album. cnn white house correspondent dan lothian is covering the obamas as they vacation on martha's vineyard. >> reporter: as president obama ordered up fried shrimp, fried oysters, onion rings and french fries at nancy's restaurant and snack bar in oak bluffs, his wife made a much healthier appearance in a hip-hop music

video with industry heavyweights promoting healthy living. >> it's hard to believe that -- >> reporter: the first lady doesn't sing and dance in the video, even though she's never shied away from grooving to beyonce. dancing with ijimmy fallon. in this project her let's move campaign doesn't cause her to break a sweat, but it's the inspiration for an entire album of 19 songs. with healthy tunes like "you are what you eat" and "veggie love" recorded by jordin sparks and ashante and dugi fresh. >> hip-hop is the number one tool educating and teaching the kids in a positive way. >> reporter: this album is the work of a partnership for healthier america and hip-hop public health with white house footage of the first lady celebrating the first anniversary of let's move. >> it is very unique and in my mind groundbreaking because it brings together the most unlikely of groups.

>> now, this independent initiative comes on the heels of a cdc report that shows a small but significant decline in the childhood obesity cases between 2008 and 2011. it's roughly the same time that the first lady has been pushing her campaign. no one is saying that they are connected but researchers do see this as a bright spot. wolf? >> they certainly do, glad that they're all doing it. really important, glad to see my friend doug e. fresh in the video. a great, great guy. >> reporter: i knew you would like that. >> he caught me how to doug e., so good to see him in the video. coming up, a great reason to look up in the sky tonight. i am alejandro morales, i was seven months old

and my family moved straight to chicago. america is the only country i have ever known. senior year of high school, i was promoted to city court staff commander, i held the rank of cadet brigadier general.

i was head of chicago rotc. i want to be a us citizen and i want to be a marine, i'm gonna be a marine, because i care. i care about this country. i care about those around me, i care about my family, my neighbors. you know, i do want to give back, i believe one hundred percent in what this country stands for. let me earn it, you know, let me serve. i just want an opportunity, i just want a chance. to, to show everyone out there that, i am, american and that i will honorably serve this country wearing a marine corp uniform. the great outdoors... ...and a great deal. thanks to dad. (gasp) nope. aw! guys! grrrr let's leave the deals to hotels.com. (nice bear!) ooo! that one! nice!

got it! oh my gosh this is so cool! awesome! perfect! yep, and no angry bears. the perfect place is on sale now. up to 30% off. only at hotels.com i tthan probablycare moreanyone else.and we've had this farm for 30 years. we raise black and red angus cattle. we also produce natural gas. that's how we make our living and that's how we can pass the land and water back to future generations. people should make up their own mind what's best for them. all i can say is it has worked well for us. vo:remember to changew that oil is the it on schedule toy car. keep your car healthy. show your car a little love with an oil change starting at $19.95.

new trouble on the streets of cairo today, a state hundred egyptian news site said nine people died and 11 wounds when a gunfight broke out in a protest of deposed president mohammed morsi. it was started by egyptian security forces dressed in civilian clothes. an egyptian security source tells reuters it isn't clear who started the shooting. look up soon and you could see an extraordinary meteor shower under way right now. the celestial fireworks show is at its peak and your best view is said to be just after midnight until just before sunrise. check it out. you'll want to see it. here's a quick look at some of the hour's "hotshots." in germany a wind turbine spins over a field of sunflowers. in china revelers take part in a water festival. in moscow an american pole vaulter competes at the world championships, and in serbia umbrellas provide shade at a

cafe. "shot sh "hot shots" pictures from around the world. follow the show @cnnsitroom. i'm wolf blitzer in "the situation room." erin burnett "outfront" starts right now. >> "outfront" next breaking news we now know how u.s. intelligence officials discovered a possible al qaeda attack on american embassies. they cracked their code. that news top of the hour. plus, senator rand paul comes "outfront." we'll talk birthers and sarah palin and a comment about tapping your phone that will probably surprise you. and a serial killer goes on a cross-country murder spree, and tonight the terrifying chilling video "outfront." let's go "outfront." good evening, everyone, i'm erin burnett, "outfront" we begin with the breaking news. cnn reports that u.s. intelligence