stunning allegations surfacing over michael jackson's death. now his sister is saying the king of pop was murdered. she claims she knows why. you can run, but you can't always outrace the bulls of spain. we're going to tell you what happened to four unlucky runners. and ferocious lightning won't keep endeavor on the ground. we'll keep you when the space shuttle is set to liftoff. hey there, you're watching hln, i'm virginia cha, thanks for joining us. it's turning into a deadly weekend in afghanistan, two separate bomb blasts have killed four u.s. marines and a soldier wounded in afghanistan last month has died here in the u.s. that brings the death toll in afghanistan to 649 since october

2001. 106 u.s. troops have been killed there this year alone. the u.s. has ramped up the forces in the country to oust the resurging taliban. held in iraq since 2007 are now back in iran. at least that's what iran's government-backed press tv is reporting. three of the men claim they were diplomats, the u.s. detained the men in northern iraq on january 11th, 2007. they were believed to be part of a group that possibly provides insurgent training. it's not clear who the other two freed men are. health and human services secretary kathleen sebelius says the obama administration is not ruling out any options when it comes to a health care bill. appearing on cnn, sebelius told wolf blitzer lawmakers have good ideas about a bill. both sides realize the importance of health care reform. >> i think the bottom line is it's got to be paid for. and we all have a shared responsibility, but we all need to play a role, the house and

senate version also have employers included and individuals included. and what's been remarkable, wolf, is the stake holders who in the early '90s were the most vocal opponents of anything changing in the health care system. are really at the table with their own suggestions of how to pay -- >> just to be precise, you're open to charlie wrangle's proposal. >> well, i think everything's on the table. >> a proposal backed by charlie wrangle. it would place a surtax on some wealthy americans as a way to pay for the final bill. but republicans have been quick to jump on that idea. appearing on abc's "this week," john carl says the proposal is a non-starter as far as the gop is concerned. >> at least 55% of the income that would be generated by this surtax directly hits the entrepreneurs who run these small businesses. it would be a job killer, it would be exactly the wrong thing to do any time, especially in the middle of the recession.

>> we're learning that leon panetta told members of congress the agency withheld information about a secret counter terrorism program on the direct orders of then vice president dick cheney. now, that is coming from a source knowledgeable about panetta's classified briefing to lawmakers. the program was instituted before panetta took over the agency, but the source tells cnn it was never fully operational. panetta shut it down last month after being informed about it. so far, there are no details about this program. dick cheney could not be reached for comment. the white house may not be behind the move, but attorney general eric holder apparently may push forward with a criminal investigation into the bush administration's interrogations of terror suspects. the justice department official tells the associated press, holder is considering whether to appoint a prosecutor. president obama has expressed reluctance about such a probe saying the nation should look forward, not back ward. the white house is concerned an investigation could distract from other priorities such as health care reform.

president obama and the first family arrived back at the white house early this morning. their whirlwind trips included stops in italy and russia and was capped off by a visit to ghana where the president addressed the country's parliament. in his speech, he praised ghana for the democracy and economic progress. he also challenged people on the african continent to hold their leaders responsible for ending corruption and conflict. the trip to ghana marked his first visit to africa since being sworn in. one of the more stirring moments of the obamas' trip to ghana was their trip to cape coast castle. the british once used the dungeons to hold people bound for slavery in the americas. during his visit, he spoke with anderson cooper from cnn about the meaning of his trip and what lessons could be learned from t it. >> do you think it still has resonance in america? that the slave experience still is something that should be talked about and should be remembered and should be present

in every day life? >> well, you know, i think that the experience of slavery is like the experience of the holocaust. i think it's one of those things you don't forget about. i think it's important that the way we think about it and the way it's taught is not one in which there's simply a victim and a victimizer and that's the end of the story. i think the way it has to be thought about, the reason it's relevant is because whether it's what's happening in darfur or what's happening in the congo or what's happening in too many places around the world. you know the capacity for cruelty still exists. >> to see anderson cooper's entire exclusive interview with president obama, be sure to watch "ac 360" which airs tomorrow night 10:00 eastern time on cnn.

michael jackson's sister is reportedly convinced that the king of pop was murdered. according to britain's news of the world latoyia jackson says her brother was killed in a conspiracy to steal his billion dollar fortune. she says she knows who is to blame and determined to see them brought to justice. also said cash and jewelry worth $2 million was stolen from jackson's home after he died. tonight, on hln news and views, reveals michael jackson's doctor said the singer self-injected dangerous drugs into his system. at one point he took up to 40 xanax a day. the police chief says the coroner's finding will determine if it's a homicide or case of an accidental overdose. nancy grace has all of the latest breaking developments at 8:00 and 10:00 p.m. on hln. the space shuttle endeavor is set to launch from kennedy space center this evening. nasa says the forecast is a 70% go for liftoff. this is what kept the space shuttle endeavor from lifting

off yesterday. 11 lightning strikes hit within half mile of the launch pad during a storm friday night. nasa took time to make sure there was no damage to the shuttle or the boosters. along with the seven astronauts, endeavor will bring a final component of japan's science lab to the international space station. five space walks are planned once endeavor is docked at the iss. a tornado slammed a town in southern ohio hurting at least five people. emergency officials say the twister hit some folks hard near buchanan yesterday afternoon. you can see the damage here, houses, at least three mobile homes were wiped out. some roads were closed because of debris and high water. the red cross has set up an emergency shelter in the area. record heat is scorching arizona, and people are being urged to stay indoors as much as possible. the national weather service issued an excessive heat warning for the entire weekend. in phoenix, temperatures are expected to soar to 115 degrees and higher.

the heat may have contributed to at least one death and yesterday, a woman collapsed with heat exhaustion. temperatures climbed as high as 138 degrees as arizona's prison. apparently that was enough to had melt the man who calls himself the toughest sheriff in the country. the sheriff and his deputies handed out ice cream to inmates to help them stay cool. and hello, everyone, i'm cnn meteorologist for the space shuttle, there's about a 70% chance it'll be a go at 7:13 this evening. however, we could see some of those isolated afternoon thunderstorms. it's already been delayed for three times now. hopefully sunday afternoon the weather will cooperate. as we go into the afternoon hours, the heat is going to be on across the south central united states. readings well into that 100-degree range in dallas looking at just about 103 degrees, houston, just about the

same. but the heat index values will make it feel like 110 to 115 degrees. so excessively hot. here's the frontal system responsible for some thunderstorms across the tennessee river valley. severe thunderstorms possible there, also across the northern tier states from huron, south dakota, towards topeka, kansas, while the hot weather remains in effect across the south central u.s. and the desert southwest. however yesterday, first time all season long the tucson, arizona has seen 105 degrees. it's taken a long time to get there. and it'll be windy across the pacific northwest. for hln, i'm karen maginnis. u.s. officials are counting on vaccines to win the medical war. and they're ready to write a big check to make sure that happens.

chemotherapy is considered the gold standard of treatment for many cancers, including leukemia, but sometimes not enough. so doctors may turn to additional treatments such as bone marrow transplants. but as a young woman facing the disease found out, sometimes there are unexpected obstacles. here's chief medical correspondent dr. sanjay gupta with today's health minute. u.s. health officials are bracing for the fall flu season. they want to make sure they are ready for any outbreak of the h1n1 virus otherwise known as swine flu. health and human services secretary kathleen sebelius will announce tomorrow that the u.s. will spend another $1 billion on vaccinations. she says research is underway to find a safe and effective vaccine hoping to fight the spread of the pandemic. 211 people have died of the swine flu in the u.s., as many as 1 million americans may be infected with the virus. a california jail has quarantined about 400 inmates

after one of them tested positive for the swine through virus. sheriff officials saying the inmates are being isolated in various housing units and they have been given antiviral drugs. visits to the facilities have been suspended. this brings a total number of confirmed cases in san diego county to 572. it's the danger you face when you try to outrun a bull. four people were gored in today's running the bull in spain, two hurt seriously, hospital officials say none of the injuries are life threatening. one of the runners injured when a bull slipped from, rolled him on the ground. a man was gored to death on friday, the event's first death since 1995. police say they're making head way in the search for clues in the death of a couple with 16 children. they have found a van they were searching for, but it's who they've also found that may help crack this case.

florida police questioning two people in the death of a couple known for adopting special needs children. authorities have found the red van leaving the couple's home. this by the way some of that surveillance video. police say the video suggests the suspects were experienced criminals who acted quickly. now, a relative of the van's owner and another person are

being questioned. no arrests have been made, but police say there is reason to believe the two people being questioned have "an association with the killings." the couple was found dead on thursday. investigators also want to talk to a third person who hasn't been found yet. they have 12 adopted children and four biological. the children were not injured. a legally blind man is recovering from getting stung 1,000 times. 84-year-old john pool was going for a daily walk with his dog named shadow when he encountered a swarm of bees. >> i left the walker and ran as fast as i could. >> when i ran out to the gate to see, he was just covered in bees, and so i pulled his t-shirt off and got the garden hose and started hosing him off and the dog off, as well. >> we are sad to tell you 14-year-old shadow died. but she may have saved pool's life. pool's wife says if shadow hadn't taken hundreds of stings,

it would have been much worse for her husband. firefighters found a hive inside a brick wall near where pool was walking. judge sonia sotomayor has picked up a big endorsement in her bid to become the next associate justice of the supreme court. in a note to leahy, the international association of police chiefs is throwing its support behind sotomayor. the group's president says sotomayor has shown understanding and appreciation of the challenges facing law enforcement officers. that's a quote. her confirmation hearings are set to begin tomorrow. former presidential candidate senator john mccain says he was a bit surprised at his exrunning mate's decision to step down as alaska's governor. she'll leave that office in about two weeks. mccain was on nbc's meet the press today. >> i wasn't shocked. obviously i was a bit surprised, but i wasn't shocked. i understand that sarah made the decision where she can be most

effective for alaska and for the country. i love and respect her and her family. i'm grateful that she agreed to run with me. i am confident she will be a major factor in the national scene and in alaska, as well. >> california lawmakers are working through the weekend to solve that state's massive budget mess. closed door talks continued for a third day today. governor schwarzenegger and state leaders say they are close to a breakthrough and on how to solve the $26 billion shortfall. talks are mostly on cutting educational costs and social programs. the progress comes a week after the state started issuing ious to thousands of vendors to save cash. state workers are taking three days off a month without pay. doesn't everybody want to save more and spend less? well, we've got the guy to help you. join clark howard at 4:00 p.m. eastern, he's going to show you ways to save more, spend less, and avoid getting ripped off. the clark howard show 4:00 p.m.

eastern right here on hln. two brothers turned their humble beginnings into a business empire. they launched their own company in a historically black neighborhood in st. louis. now they are worth an estimated $1 billion. ed lavandera has their story and a special black in america report. >> you know you've arrived in the business world when your office can look like this. michael and steven roberts launched their business empire from a historically black neighborhood in north st. louis. they estimate their company, which holds everything from hotels to tv stations to be worth almost $1 billion. >> so someone watching this who says, you know, that's really easy for these guys to say they've got millions and millions of dollars, they can go out and buy whatever they want. you know, i have two quarters to rub together. what do you tell that person? >> we also had two quarters to rub together. we weren't rich, we weren't poor, but we just never had any money either. >> retail folks learn it, get

your hands dirty, you know, a little sweat equity, and then you will know it. it becomes yours. >> reporter: the roberts brothers say the key to success is putting ideas into action. they are relentless workers always looking to make a deal. >> creatures or animals of the earth. what other animals requires. if a lion retired today, tomorrow morning it becomes breakfast, right? >> mike was elected first. >> reporter: out of a one-room office they created a empire made up of 76 companies with 1,100 employees. they run tv stations, hotels, own commercial real estate and telecommunications companies. their name adorns every property, the roberts village, loft, roberts hotel, don't compare them to donald trump. >> what may appear to you today as ego 40 years from now will be legacy and black folks need legacy. we have to have examples of

successes in order for us to be able to let the generations to come know that many of the successes that occurred by african-americans in this country can be seen and pointed out and can be emulated. >> reporter: the theater in downtown st. louis symbolizes the roberts' quest for legacy. decades ago their mother and other black people were only allowed to sit in the highest balcony. now the roberts brothers own the theater. >> and i assume she gets a front row seat, right? >> yeah. yeah. >> mom can sit whenever she likes. >> reporter: that is priceless. ed lavandera, cnn, st. louis, missouri. don't miss "black in america 2" 8:00 p.m. eastern july 22nd and 23rd on cnn.

stunning allegations surfacing over michael jackson's death. now his sister latoya is saying the king of pop was murdered. and she claims she knows why. you can run, but you can't always out race the bulls of spain. we're going to tell you what happened to four unlucky runners. and ferocious lightning won't keep endeavor on the ground. we'll tell you when the space shuttle is set to liftoff. hey there, you're watching hln, i'm virginia cha, thanks for joining us. it's turning into deadly weekend in afghanistan. two separate bomb blasts have killed four u.s. marines and a soldier wounded in afghanistan last month has died here in the u.s. that brings the u.s. military death toll in afghanistan to 649

since october 2001. 106 u.s. troops have been killed there this year alone. the u.s. has ramped up its forces in the war-scarred country to oust the resurging taliban. held in iraq since 2007 are now back in iran. that's what iran's press tv is reporting. three of the men claim they were diplomats, released thursday. the u.s. detained the men in northern iraq on january 11th, 2007, they were believed to be part of a group that possibly provides insurgent training. it's not clear who the other two freed men are. health and human services secretary kathleen sebelius says the obama administration is not ruling out any options when it comes to a health care bill. appearing on our sister network cnn, sebelius told wolf blitzer lawmakers from both parties have good ideas about a final bill. also said both sides realize the importance of health care reform. >> i think the bottom line is it's got to be paid for. and that we all have a shared responsibility that we all need to play a role.

the house and senate version have employers included and individuals included, and what's been remarkable, wolf, is the stake holders who in the early '90s were the most vocal opponents of anything changing in the health care system are really at the table with their own suggestions of how to pay for -- >> just to be precise, you're open to charlie wrangle's proposal? >> i think everything is on the table. >> what wolf blitzer was referring to a proposal by charlie wrangle. it would place a surtax on some wealthy americans as a way to pay for the final bill. but republicans have been quick to jump on that idea. appearing on abc's "this week," said the proposal is a non-starter as far as the gop is concerned. >> at least 55% of the income that would be generated by this surtax directly hits the entrepreneurs who run these small businesses. it would be a job killer. it would be exactly the wrong thing to do any time, but especially in the middle of a

recession. >> we're learning that cia director leon panetta told members of congress the agency withheld information about a secret counterterrorism program on the direct orders of then vice president dick cheney. that is coming from a source knowledgeable about the classified briefing to lawmakers. the program was instituted before panetta took over the agency, but the source tells cnn it was never fully operational. panetta shut it down last month after being informed about it. so far no details about this program. dick cheney could not be reached for comment. the white house may not be behind the move, but attorney general eric holder apparently may push forward with a criminal investigation into the bush administration's interrogations of terror suspects. the justice department official tells the associated press holder is considering whether to appoint a prosecutor. president obama has expressed reluctance about such a probe saying the nation should look forward, not back ward. the white house is concerned an investigation could distract from other priorities such as health care reform.

president obama and the first family arrived back at the white house early this morning. their whirlwind trip overseas included stops in italy and russia and was capped off by a visit to ghana where the president addressed the country's parliament. in his speech, mr. obama praised ghana for the democracy and economic progress. he also challenged people on the continent to hold their leaders responsible for ending corruption and conflict. the trip to ghana marked his first visit to africa since being sworn in. michael jackson's sister pop was murdered. according to britain's news of the world, latoya jackson says her brother was killed in a conspiracy to steal his billion dollar fortune. she says she knows who is to blame and determined to bring them to justice. also said that cash and jewelry worth $2 million was stolen from jackson's home after he died. tonight on hln news and views, shocking reports reveal

michael jackson's doctors said the singer self-injected dangerous drugs into his system. other documents show at one point he took up to 40 xanax a day. nancy grace has all of the latest breaking developments at 8:00 and 10:00 p.m. eastern on hln. the space shuttle endeavor is set to launch from kennedy space center this evening. nasa says the forecast is a 70% go for liftoff. this is what kept the space shuttle endeavor from lifting off yesterday, 11 lightning strikes hit within half mile of a launch pad during a storm friday night. nasa took time to make sure there was no damage to the shuttle or its boosters. along with the seven astronauts, endeavor will bring the final component of japan's science lab to the international space station. five space walks are planned once endeavor is docked at the iss. a tornado slammed a town in southern ohio, hurting at least five people. emergency officials say the

twister hit some folks hard near buchanan yesterday afternoon. you can see the damage here houses at least three mobile homes were wiped out. some roads were closed because of debris and high water. the red cross has set up an emergency shelter in the area. record heat is scorching arizona and people are being urged to stay indoors as much as possible. the national weather service issued an excessive heat warning for the entire weekend. in phoenix, temperatures are expected to soar to 115 degrees and higher. the heat may have contributed to at least one death and yesterday a woman collapsed with heat exhaustion. temperatures climbed as high as 138 degrees at arizona's famous tent city prison. apparently that was enough to melt the man who calls himself the toughest sheriff in the country. the sheriff and his deputies handed out ice cream to the inmates to help them stay cool. and hello, everyone, i'm cnn

meteorologist karen maginnis, for the space shuttle, there's about a 70% chance it'll be a go at 7:13 this evening. however, we could see some of those isolated afternoon thunderstorms. it's already been delayed for three times now. hopefully sunday afternoon the weather will cooperate. as we go into the afternoon hours, the heat is going to be on across the south central united states. readings well into that 100-degree range in dallas looking at just about 103 degrees, houston, just about the same, but the heat index values will make it feel like 110 to 115 degrees. so excessively hot. here's the frontal system that's going to be responsible for some thunderstorms across the tennessee river valley. severe thunderstorms possible there, also across the northern tier states from huron, south dakota, to topeka, kansas. the south central u.s. and the desert southwest, however, yesterday, first time all season

long that tucson, arizona, has seen 105 degrees. it's taken a long time to get there. and it'll be windy across the pacific northwest. for hln, i'm karen maginnis. u.s. officials are counting on vaccines to win the medical war. and they're ready to write a big check to make sure that happens.

lawmakers in washington are battling it out to reform health care. but less than 40 miles away kate balduan found a place where the battle is already over and the people there are the winners. >> reporter: you can't tell now, but henryette and jim neil have gone through a tough few years.

they fought and survived breast cancer only to lose her health insurance when the company she worked for closed. >> my concern was the cancer never even thinking i had heart problems. none. none. >> reporter: but it was neil's heart that almost killed her. she discovered she needed triple bypass surgery just one month after finally finding affordable health insurance. she got it through a new program called healthy howard access plan in howard county, maryland. >> do you think it saved your life? >> yes. and most definitely without question, without second thought, yes. because had they not been there for me, again, i wouldn't have gone to the hospital. >> reporter: because you were afraid you couldn't pay? >> yes, exactly. >> reporter: neil showed us her only bill from surgery. >> you saw it. $100. >> reporter: how? healthy howard is an experiment of sorts as the national health care debate rages on, howard

county decided to go it alone using a combination of public and private funds and pro bono doctor care, the county is trying to offer affordable insurance to every resident. the average premium is between $50 and $85 a month. >> there's no other program in the country that provides primary and preventive care, specialty care, prescription coverage, hospital and emergency room care, and health coaching. that's where our program is unique. >> reporter: patients are also assigned a coach like maureen pike to guide each individual health plan. >> i think the biggest thing is just trying to shift the focus from playing catch-up once people are already sick to increasing their well being and trying to prevent some of these risk factors from turning into disease later on. >> reporter: it may not work everywhere. howard is one of the wealthiest counties in one of the country's wealthiest states. but officials think they're at least setting an example, 300 participants so far and they've

found about 2,500 more who are eligible for existing insurance programs but didn't know it. as for neil, she's feeling better than ever and hopes both the uninsured and the policy makers are paying attention. >> what do you think washington and lawmakers can learn from your experience and what you've gone through? >> that there is a lot of henryettes out there. >> reporter: cnn, columbia, maryland. u.s. health officials are bracing for the fall flu season. they want to make sure they are ready for any outbreak of the h1n1 virus or otherwise known as swine flu. health and human services secretary kathleen sebelius will announce tomorrow that the u.s. will spend another $1 billion on vaccinations. she says research is underway to find a safe and effective vaccine to fight the virus hoping to fight the spread of the pandemic. 211 people have died of swine flu in the u.s. officials estimate as many as 1 million americans may be

infected with the virus. a california jail has quarantined about 400 inmates after one of them tested positive for the swine through virus. sheriffs officials in san diego county say the inmates are being isolated in various housing units and been given anti-viral drugs. visits to the county's correctional facilities have been suspended. this brings a total number of confirmed cases in san diego county to 572. authorities in south korea are trying to trace the origin of coordinated cyber attacks that hit that country and the u.s. they're analyzing about 30 of the tens of thousands of computers that were infected by hackers in order to mount a so-called denial of service attack. the attacks targeted both private and government websites including the white house, the pentagon, suspect north korea was involved in the attacks, but investigators say it may be impossible to follow the so-called contamination back to the hackers who launched the attack.

china has upped the death and injury toll from violent riots in a northwestern province. began when protests escalated into clashes with majority in xinjiang province. state-run media say the riots have left 184 people dead. it's the danger ewe face when you try to outrun a bull. four people were gored in today's running the bulls in spain. two were hurt seriously. hospital officials say none of the jury injuries are life threatening. one of them were injured when a 1,300-pound bull slipped from the pack and rolled him on the ground. a man was gored to death on friday. the event's first death since 1995. police say they're making head way in the search for clues in the deaths of a couple with 16 children. they have found a van they were

searching for, but it's who they've found that may help crack this case.

florida police are questioning two people in the killing of a couple known for

adopting special needs children. authorities have found the red van caught by surveillance cameras leaving the couple's home in florida on thursday. this, by the way, some of that surveillance video. police say the video suggests the suspects were experienced criminals who acted quickly. now, a relative of the van's owner and another person are being questioned. no arrests have been made, pbut police say there is reason the people being questioned have quote an association with the killings. the couple was found dead on thursday. investigators also want to talk to a third person who hasn't been found yet. the couple had 12 adopted children and 4 biological kids. the children were not injured. deadly coordinated attacks in mexico may have been retaliation for the arrest of this man. he is one of mexico's most wanted drug suspects and a high-ranking family member of a drug cartel. yesterday drug gangs carried out attacks in eight mexican cities. federal police officers and two soldiers were killed, another 18 federal officers were wounded.

judge sonia sotomayor has picked up a big endorsement in her bid to become the next associate justice of the supreme court, in a letter to leahy, the international association of police chiefs is throwing its support behind sotomayor. the group's president says sotomayor has shown understanding and appreciation of the challenges facing law enforcement officers. sotomayor's confirmation hearings are set to begin tomorrow. former presidential candidate senator john mccain says he was a bit surprised at his exrunning mate's decision to step down as alaska's governor. mccain was on "meet the press" today. >> i wasn't shocked. obviously i was a bit surprised, but i wasn't shocked. i understand that sarah made the decision where she can be most effective for alaska and for the country. i love and respect her and her family. i'm grateful that she agreed to

run with me. i am confident she will be a major factor in the national scene and in alaska, as well. >> california lawmakers are working through the weekend to solve that state's massive budget mess. closed door talks continue for a third day today, governoraround schwarzenegger and state leaders say they are close to a breakthrough. talks are mostly on cutting educational costs and social programs. the progress comes a week after the state started issuing ious to thousands of vendors to save cash. state workers are also taking three days off a month without pay. doesn't everybody want to save more and spend less? well, we've got just the guy to help you. join hln money expert clark howard at 4:00 p.m. eastern, he's going to show you ways to save more, spend less, and avoid getting ripped off. the clark howard show 4:00 p.m. eastern right here on hln. budget cuts in massachusetts may force the franklin park zoo

in boston and the nearby stone zoo to close by october. and get this, some of the zoo's 1,000 animals may be euthanized if homes aren't found for them. state lawmakers set aside $6.5 million to keep the zoos open, but governor patrick cut that down to $2.5 million. the cut was made to preserve services for struggling families. most people wear less clothing, right, to beat the heat in the summer. but this much less? hundreds of people tossed off their bathing suits, splashed into the guinness book of world records. this was one of the events that took place simultaneously across the country. 228 people were at this particular pool in palm springs. because this skinny dipping attempt is a new category, it automatically set a guinness record. chris daughtry says he was stunned when he was voted off american idol. but his band's success now is

less than a surprise. a look at the band's inner dynamics and what they're saying about their new album "leave this town." naing onon ud r.

weotototatatininci on us cars for everybody anont cfidedence ininin o. caususususlendnds s ve a a a t tcks. ququq n .

stunning allegations surfacing over michael jackson's death. now his sister latoya is saying the king of pop was murdered. she claims she knows why. you can run, but you can't always out race the bulls of spain. what happened to four unlucky runners. and ferocious lightning won't keep endeavor on the ground. we'll tell you when the space shuttle is set to liftoff. kathleen sebelius says the obama administration not ruling out any options when it comes to a health care bill. she told wolf blitzer lawmakers from both parties have good ideas about a final bill. she also said both sides realize the importance of health care reform. >> i think the bottom line is, it's got to be paid for.

and we all have a shared responsibility that we all need to play a role. the house and senate version also have employers include and individuals included. and what's been remarkable, wolf, is the stake holders who in the early '90s were the most vocal opponents of anything changing in the health care system. i are really at the table with their own suggestions of how to pay -- >> just to beprecise, you're open to charlie wrangle's proposal. >> well, i think everything's on the table. >> what wolf blitzer was referring to, charlie wrangle's proposal. it would place a surtax on some wealthy americans as a way to pay for the final bill. but republicans have been quick to jump on that idea. appearing on abc's "this week," said it was a proposal as far as the gop was concerned. >> at least 55% of the income that would be generated by this surtax, it would be a job

killer, it would be exactly the wrong thing to do any time, but especially in the middle of a recession. >> the space shuttle endeavor is set to launch from kennedy space center this weekend. the forecast is a 70% go for liftoff. this is what kept the space shuttle endeavor from lifting off yesterday. 11 lightning strikes hit within a half mile of the launch pad. nas that took time to make sure there was no damage to the shuttle or the boosters. along with seven astronauts tharks will bring the final component of the japan science lab to the international space station. five space walks are planned once the shuttle is docked at the iss. five iranians the u.s. held in iraq since 2007 are now back in iran. at least that's what iran's government-backed press tv claimed. three of the men were released thursday, detained on january 11th, 2007, they were believed to be part of a group that possibly provides insurgent training. now, it's not clear who the other two freed men are.

we're learning that cia director leon panetta told members of congress the agency withheld information about a secret counterterrorism program on the direct orders of then vice president dick cheney. that is coming from a source knowledgeable at panetta's classified briefing to lawmakers. the program was instituted before panetta took over the agency, but the source tells cnn it was never fully operational. they had to shut it down last month. so far no details about the program. dick cheney could not be reached for comment. former cia director michael hayden denies claims the bush administration misled congress about the details of the post 9/11 surveillance program. . in an interview with the associated press, hayden says he personally kept top members of congress well informed all along the way. the ex-cia chief was reacting to a report on friday by a team of u.s. specters general which called the program

unprecedented. the report also questioned the legal rationale and the secrecy that surrounded it. the white house may not be behind the move, but eric holder, apparently may push forward with the criminal investigation into the bush administration's interrogations of terror suspects. the justice department official holder is considering whether to appoint a prosecutor. president obama has expressed reluctance about a probe saying the nation should look forward not back ward. the white house is concerned an investigation could distract from other priorities such as health care reform. president obama and the first family arrived back at the white house early this morning. their whirlwind trip included stops to italy and russia and was capped off by a visit to ghana where the president addressed the country's apartment. he praised ghana for the democracy and economic progress. he also challenged people on the african continent to hold their leaders responsible for ending corruption and conflict. the trip to ghana marked his

first trip since being sworn in. michael jackson's sister latoya is reportedly convinced the king of pop was murdered. according to britain's news of the world, latoya jackson says her brother was killed in a conspiracy to steal his $1 billion fortune. she says she knows who is to blame and determined to see them brought to justice. she also says that cash and jewelry worth $2 million was stolen from jackson's home after he died. tonight on hln news and views, shocking reports reveal michael jackson's doctors said the singer self-injected dangerous drugs into his system. other documents show at one point he took up to 40 xanax a day. the police chief says the coroner's findings will determine if jackson's death is a homicide or case of accidental overdose. nancy grace has all of the latest breaking developments at 8:00 and 10:00 p.m. eastern on hln. a tornado slammed a town in southern ohio hurting at least five people. emergency officials say the

twister hit some folks hard near buchanan yesterday afternoon. you can see the damage here houses at least three mobile homes were wiped out. some roads were closed because of debris and high water. the red cross has set up an emergency shelter in the area. record heat is scorching arizona and people are being urged to stay indoors as much as possible. the national weather service issued an excessive heat warning for the entire weekend. in phoenix, temperatures are expected to soar to 115 degrees and higher. the heat may have contributed to at least one death and yesterday a woman collapsed with heat exhaustion. temperatures climbed as high as 138 degrees as arizona's tent city prison. apparently that was enough to melt the man who calls himself the toughest sheriff in the country. he and his deputies handed out ice cream to inmates to help them stay cool. and hello, everyone, i'm

karen maginnis. there's about a 70% chance it'll be a go at 7:13 this evening. however, we could see some of those isolated afternoon thunderstorms. it's already been delayed for three times now, hopefully sunday afternoon the weather will cooperate. as we go into the afternoon hours, the heat is going to be on across the south central united states. readings well into that 100-degree range in dallas looking at just about 103 degrees, houston, just about the same, but the heat index values will make it feel like 110 to 115 degrees. so excessively hot. here's the frontal system that's going to be responsible for some thunderstorms across the tennessee river valley. severe thunderstorms possible there, also across the northern tier states from huron, south dakota towards topeka, kansas, while the hot weather remains in effect across the south central u.s. and the desert southwest. however yesterday, first time

all season long that tucson, arizona, has seen 105 degrees. it's taken a long time to get there. and it'll be windy across the pacific northwest. for hln, i'm karen maginnis. u.s. officials are counting on vaccines to win the medical war and they're ready to write a big check to make sure that happens.

u.s. health officials are bracing for the fall flu season. they want to make sure they are ready for any outbreak of the h1n1 virus or known as swine flu. health and human services secretary kathleen sebelius will announce tomorrow that the u.s. will spend another $1 billion on vaccinations. she says research is underway to find a save vaccine to fight the virus hoping to fight the spread of the pandemic. 211 people have died of the swine flu in the u.s. as many as 1 million americans may be infected with the virus. a california jail has

quarantined about 400 inmates after one of them tested positive for the swine flu virus. sheriff officials say the inmates are being isolated in various housing units and they've been given anti-viral drugs. visits to the county's correctional facilities have been suspended. this brings a total number of confirmed cases in san diego county to 572. it's the danger you face when you try to outrun a bull. four people were gored in today's running of the bulls in spain, two are hurt seriously. the hospital officials say none of the injuries are life threatening. one was injured when a bull slipped from the pack, caught him, tossed him up, and then rolled him on the ground. a man was gored to death on friday. the event's first death since 1995. steroids a-- can you make them more effective? some therapists say, yes, add a pinch of salt. a look in today's vital signs.

>> reporter: until a few years ago, she would've found the daily tasks of walking outside or working at her job almost impossible. >> i have constantly, i'd be sneezing, probably be weeping out of my eyes. >> where would you like to sit today? >> reporter: after years of allergy pills, she looked into alternatives and discovered something known as salt therapy at a clinic in southwest london. >> when i first went into the salt cave i noticed an immediate difference going in. my breathing capacity was much better. >> the particles, negative ions blowing the salt into the treatment rooms, patients won't see anything in the air. >> they won't feel anything? >> well, they can probably taste the salt on their lips. >> therapists at the salt cave say their salt has no additives and its concentration is specific to the patient's condition. to learn more or other advances,

go to our website cnn.com/vitalsigns.

florida police are questioning two people in the killing of a couple known for adopting special needs children. authorities have found the red van caught by surveillance cameras leaving the couple's home on thursday. this, by the way, some of that surveillance video.

police say the video suggests the suspects were experienced criminals who acted quickly. now a relative of the van's owner and another person are being questioned. no arrests have been made, but police say there is reason to believe the two people being questioned have quote an association with the killings. the couple was found dead on thursday. investigators also want to talk to a third person who hasn't been found yet. the couple had 12 adopted children and four biological kids. the children were not injured. a legally blind man is recovering from getting stung 1,000 times. 84-year-old john pool was going for a daily walk with his dog named shadow when he encountered a swarm of bees. >> i left the walk and ran as fast as i could. >> when i ran out to the gate to see, he was just covered in bees. and so i pulled his t-shirt off and got the garden hose and started hosing him off. and the dog off, as well. >> we are sad to tell you that

14-year-old shadow died, but she may have saved pool's life. pool's wife says if shadow hadn't taken hundreds of stings, it would have been much worse for her husband. firefighters had a hive with thousands of bees inside it. deadly coordinated attacks in mexico may have been retaliation for this man. he is one of the most wanted drug suspects and a high ranking family member of a drug cartel. yesterday drug gangs carried out attacks in at least eight mexican cities, two soldiers were killed, another 18 federal officers were wounded. judge sonia sotomayor has picked up a big endorsement in her bid to become the next associate justice of the supreme court. in a letter to senate judiciary chairman patrick leahy, the international association of police chiefs is throwing its support behind sotomayor. the group's president says sotomayor has shown understanding and appreciation of the challenges facing law enforcement officers. that's a quote.

sotomayor's confirmation hearings are set to begin tomorrow. former presidential candidate senator john mccain says he was a bit surprised at his ex-running mate's decision to step down as alaska's governor. mccain was on nbc's "meet the press" today. >> i wasn't shocked. obviously i was a bit surprised, but i wasn't shocked. i understand that sarah made the decision where she can be most effective for alaska and for the country. i love and respect her and her family. i'm grateful that she agreed to run with me. i am confident she will be a major factor in the national scene and in alaska, as well. >> california lawmakers are working through the weekend to solve that state's massive budget mess. closed door talks continue for a third day today. governor arnold schwarzenegger and state leaders say they are close to a breakthrough on how

to solve the shortfall. talks are mostly on cutting educational costs and social programs. a week after the state started issuing ious to save cash. state workers are taking three days off a month without pay. 30-year mortgages have been the industry standard for quite a while. but there is an alternative for homeowners who want to shed their debt faster and it's gaining popularity. clark howard has the scoop. >> there's a trend going on right now that i'm hearing from my callers that i am so excited about. and i don't have actual math to prove it yet, but i can tell by the calls coming in that people are thinking about borrowing differently than they have in all of the years i've been on the radio. people calling me about refinancing mortgages in huge numbers are calling and asking me about 15-year refinances instead of 30-refinances.

a lot of mortgage bankers and brokers say they're seeing this trend with a lot more people taking on 15 years of house debt instead of 30 years. why? well, people used to think that the house was just going to go up in value a great amount each year and that was how you were going to get your equity, but people have learned the real equity you develop in your house is as you pay down debt. this is a great idea. now, you don't do it in absence of saving money for retirement, but if you got that act together, do the 15. i'm clark howard, for more money-saving tips, go to my website, cnn.com/clarkhoward. >> and for even more money-saving advice, don't miss clark's show at 4:00 this afternoon right here on hln. budget cuts in massachusetts may force the franklin park zoo in boston and the nearby stone zoo to close by october. and get this, some of the zoo's 1,000 animals may be euthanized if homes aren't found for them.

state lawmakers set aside $6.5 million to keep the zoos open, but duvall patrick cut that down to $2.5 million. his spokesperson says the cut was made to preserve assistance for struggling families. a growing man is spending his whole summer building a replica of oklahoma city out of legos. he's a lego master builder taking on a huge project helping to raise money for the new school. he works on it more than 12 hours a day and using more than 1 million lego bricks. but one of the biggest challenges is adding a building that hasn't been built yet. >> if you can picture a six-sided building and three of those points indent and go back out as a bay window, i don't know who designed this, but it's a tricky building. >> the city scape will be on display in november. winners of a lego building competition will have their entries added to the project too. most people wear less clothing to beat the heat in the

summer, but this much less? hundreds of people toss off their bathing suits splashed into the guinness book of world records as part of the largest number of people skinny dipping at the same time. this was one of the events taking place simultaneously across the country. 228 people at this particular pool in palm springs because the skinny dipping attempt is a new category, it automatically set a record. about 100 people had a very special greeting for passing amtrak trains in california. they mooned those passing commuter trains in orange county. it's an annual tradition called moon over amtrak started in 1979. more than 8,000 people showed up for it last year, but they caused so many problems with traffic, you know, public nudity. deputies had to shut down that event. things are bait more mellow this year, so officials didn't interrupt the mooning. chris daughtry says he was stunned when he was voted off american idol.

but his band's success now is less than a surprise. a look at the band's inner dynamics and what they're saying about their new album, "leave this town."

stunning allegations surfacing over michael jackson's death. now his sister latoya is saying the king of pop was murdered. and she claims she knows why. you can run, but you can't always out race the bulls. we're going to tell you what happened to four unlucky runners. and ferocious lightning won't keep endeavor on the ground. we'll tell you when the space shuttle is set to lift off. hey there, you're watching hln, i'm virginia cha. it's turning into a deadly weekend in afghanistan, two separate bomb blasts have killed four u.s. marines and a soldier wounded in afghanistan last month has died here in the u.s. that brings the u.s. military death toll in afghanistan to 649 since october 2001.

106 u.s. troops have been killed this year alone. the u.s. has ramped up the forces in the war-scarred country to oust the resurging taliban. health and human services secretary kathleen sebelius says the obama administration is not ruling out any options. appearing on our sister network, she told wolf blitzer wau law makers from both parties have good ideas about a final bill. saying both sides realize the importance of health care reform. >> i think the bottom line is it's got to be paid for, and we all have a shared responsibility that we all need to play a role. the house and senate version also have employers included, individuals included, and what's been remarkable, wolf, the stake holders who in the early '90s were the most vocal opponents of anything changing in the health care system are really at the table with their own suggestions of how to pay for -- >> just to be precise, you're open to charlie wrangle's proposal? >> i think everything's on the

table. >> he was referring to to a proposal backed by charlie wrangle. it would place a surtax on some wealthy americans as a way to pay for the final bill. but republicans have been quick to jump on that idea. appears on abc "this week," he said the proposal is a non-starter as far as the g op s concerned. >> at least 55% of the income generated by this surtax directly hits the entrepreneurs who run these businesses. it would be job killer, exactly the wrong thing to do any time and especially in the middle of a recession. >> we're learning that cia director leon panetta told members of congress the agency withheld information about a secret counterterrorism program on the direct orders of then vice president dick cheney. that is coming from a source knowledgeable about panetta's classified briefing to lawmakers. the program was instituted before panetta took over the agency, but the source tells cnn it was never fully operational. panetta shut it down last month

after being informed about it. so far, there no details about this program. dick cheney could not be reached for comment. the white house may not be behind the move, but attorney general eric holder apparently may push forward with a criminal investigation into the bush administration's interrogations of terror suspects. a justice department official tells the associated press holder is considering whether to appoint a prosecutor. president obama has expressed reluctance about such a probe saying the nation should look forward, not back ward. the white house is concerned an investigation could distract from other priorities such as health care reform. president obama and the first family arrived back at the white house earlier this morning. their whirlwind trip overseas included stops in italy and russia and capped off by a visit to ghana where the president addressed the country's parliament. in a speech he praised ghana for the democracy and economic progress. also challenged people on the african continent to hold their leaders responsible for ending corruption and conflict.

the trip to ghana marked his first visit to africa since being sworn in. one of the more stirring moments of the obamas' trip to ghana was their visit to cape coast castle. the british once used the castle's dungeons to hold people bound for slavery in the americas. during his visit, president obama spoke with anderson cooper from our sister network cnn about the meaning of his trip and what lessons could be learned from it. >> do you think what happens here still has resonance in america? that the slave experience still is something that should be talked about and should be remembered and present in every day life? >> well, you know, i think that the experience of slavery is like the experience of the holocaust. i think it's one of those things you don't forget about. i think it's important that the way we think about it and the way it's taught is not one in which there's simply a victim

and a victimizer and that's the end of the story. i think the way it has to be thought about the reason it's relevant is because whether it's what's happening in darfur or what's happening in the congo or what's happening in too many places around the world. >> to see the entire exclusive interview with president obama, be sure to watch "ac 360," which airs tomorrow night 10:00 eastern time on our sister network cnn. michael jackson's sister latoya is reportedly convinced the king of pop was murdered. according to britain's news of the world, latoya jackson says her brother was killed in a conspiracy to steal his fortune. she told the paper she knows who is to blame and determined to see them brought to justice. also says that cash and jewelry worth $2 million was stolen from jackson's home after he died.

tonight on hln news and views, shocking reports reveal michael jackson's doctor said the singer self-injected dangerous drugs into his system. other documents show at one point he took up to 40 xanax a day. the police chief says the coroner's findings will determine if jackson's death is a homicide or case of accidental overdose. nancy grace has all the latest breaking developments at 8:00 and 10:00 p.m. eastern on hln. the space shuttle endeavor is set to launch from kennedy space center this evening. nasa says the forecast is a 70% go for liftoff. this is what kept the space shuttle endeavor from lifting off yesterday. 11 lightning strikes hit within half mile of the launch pad during a storm friday night. nasa took time to make sure there was no damage to the shuttle or the boosters. along with the seven astronauts, endeavor will bring the final component to the international space station. five space walks are planned once endeavor is docked at the iss. a tornado slammed a town in

southern ohio, hurting at least five people. emergency officials say the twister hit some folks hard near buchanan yesterday afternoon. you can see the damage here houses at least three mobile homes were wiped out. some roads were closed because of debris and high water. the roed cross has set up emergency shelter in the area. record heat is scorching arizona and people are being urged to stay indoors as much as possible. the national weather service issued an excessive heat warning for the entire weekend. in phoenix, temperatures are expected to soar to 115 degrees and higher. the heat may have contributed to at least one death and yesterday a woman collapsed with heat exhaustion. temperatures climbed as high as 138 degrees at arizona's famous tent city prison. apparently that was enough to melt the man who calls himself the toughest sheriff in the country. the sheriff and his deputies handed out ice cream to inmates to help them stay cool.

and hello, everyone, i'm cnn meteorologist karen maginnis, for the space shuttle there's about a 70% chance it'll be a go at 7:13 this evening. however, we could see some of those isolated afternoon thunderstorms. it's already been delayed for three times now. hopefully sunday afternoon the weather will cooperate. as we go into the afternoon hours, the heat is going to be on across the south central united states. readings well into that 100-degree range in dallas lo looking at just about 103 degrees, houston, just about the same, but the heat index values will make it feel like 110 to 115 degrees, so excessively hot. here's a frontal system that's going to be responsible for some thunderstorms across the tennessee river valley. severe thunderstorms possible there, also across the northern tier states from huron, south dakota, towards topeka, kansas while the hot weather remains in

the southwest and the desert southwest. however, yesterday, first time all season long the tucson, arizona has seen 105 degrees. it's taken a long time to get there. and it'll be windy across the pacific northwest. for hln, i'm kiraren maginnis. u.s. officials are counting on vaccines to win the medical war and they're ready to write a big check to make sure that happens.

lawmakers in washington are battling it out to reform health care. but less than 40 miles away, a battle is already over. and the people living there are the winners. >> you can't tell now, but

henryette and jim neil went through a tough few years. she fought and survived breast cancer only to lose her health insurance when the company she worked for closed. >> my concern was the cancer never even thinking that i had heart problems. none. none. >> reporter: but it was neil's heart that almost killed her. she discovered she needed triple bypass surgery just one month after finally finding affordable health insurance. she got it through a new program called healthy howard access plan in howard county, maryland. >> reporter: do you think healthy howard saved your life? >> yes. and most definitely without question, without second thought, yes. because had they not been there for me, again, i wouldn't have gone to the hospital. >> reporter: because you were afraid you couldn't pay? >> yes, exactly. >> reporter: neil showed us her only bill from surgery. >> you saw it. $100. >> reporter: how? healthy howard is an experiment of sorts as the national health

care debate rages on, howard county decided to go it alone, using a combination of public and private funds and pro bono doctor care, the county is trying to offer affordable insurance to every resident. the average premium is between $50 and $85 a month. >> there's no other program in the country that combines care, specialty care, prescription coverage, hospital and emergency room care and health coaching. that's where our appraisal is unique. >> reporter: patients are also assigned a coach like maureen pike to guide each individual health plan. >> i think the biggest thing is just trying to shift the focus from playing catch-up once people are already sick to increasing their well being and trying to prevent some of these risk factors from turning into disease later on. >> reporter: the approach may not work everywhere. howard is one of the wealthiest counties in one of the country's wealthiest states, but officials

think they're at least setting an example, 300 participants so far and they've found about 2,500 more who are eligible for existing insurance programs but didn't know it. as for neil, she's feeling better than ever and hopes both the uninsured and the policy makers are paying attention. >> what do you think washington and lawmakers can learn from your experience and what you've gone through? >> that there is a lot of henryettes out there. >> reporter: cnn, columbia, maryland. u.s. health officials are bracing for the fall flu season. they want to make sure they are ready for any outbreak of the h1n1 virus or otherwise known as swine flu. health and human services secretary kathleen sebelius will announce tomorrow that the u.s. will spend another $1 billion on vaccinations. she says research is underway to find a safe and effective vaccine to fight the virus hoping to fight the spread of the pandemic. 211 people have died of swine

flu in the u.s. officials estimate as many as 1 million americans may be infected with the virus. a california jail has quarantined about 400 inmates after one of them tested positive for the swine flu virus. sheriff officials in san diego county say the inmates are being isolated in various housing units and given antiviral drugs. visitors to the facilities have been suspended. this brings a total number of confirmed cases in san diego county to 572. authorities in south korea are trying to trace the origin of cyber attacks that hit that country and the u.s. analyzing about 30 of the tens of thousands of computers that were infected by hackers in order to mount a so-called denial of service attack. the attacks targeted both private and government websites including the white house, the pentagon, intelligence officers in south korea suspect north korea was involved in the attacks. but investigators say it may be impossible to follow the so-called contamination paths from infected computers back to

the hackers who launched the cyber attack. china has upped the death and injury toll from violent riots in a northwestern province. it began when protests by minorities escalated into clashes with majority. nearly 1,700 people have been injured in the violence. the riots left 184 people dead. it's the danger you face when you try to outrun a bull. four people were gored in today's running of the bulls in spain. two are hurt seriously. the hospital officials say none of the injuries are life threatening, one of the runners was injured when a bull slipped from the pack, caught him, tossed him up, and then rolled him on the ground. a man was gored to death on friday. the event's first death since 1995. police say they're making head way in the search for clues in the death of a couple with 16

children. they have found a van they were searching for, but it's who they've also found that may help crack this case.

florida police are

questioning two people in the killing of a couple known for adopting special needs children. authorities have found a red van caught by surveillance cameras leaving the couple's home in beulah, florida, on thursday. police say the video suggests the suspects were experienced criminals who acted quickly. now, a relative of the van's owner and another person are being questioned. no arrests have been made, but police say there is reason to believe that the two people being questioned have quote an association with the killings. the couple was found dead on thursday. investigators also want to talk to a third person who hasn't been found yet. the couple had 12 adopted children and four biological kids. children were not injured. deadly coordinated attacks in mexico may have been retaliation for the arrest of this man. he is one of mexico's most wanted drug suspect and is a high-ranking family man of a drug cartel. yesterday drug gangs carried out attacks in at least eight mexican cities, three federal police officers and two soldiers were killed, another 18 federal

officers were wounded. judge sonia sotomayor has picked up a big endorsement in her bid the next associate justice of the supreme court. in a letter to senate judiciary chairman patrick leahy, the international association of police chiefs is throwing its support behind sotomayor. the group's president, russell b. lane, has said sotomayor has shown understanding and appreciation of the challenges facing law enforcement officers. that's a quote. sotomayor's confirmation hearings are set to begin tomorrow. former presidential candidate senator john mccain says he was a bit surprised at his ex-running mate's decision to step down as alaska's governor. she'll leave that office in about two weeks. mccain was on nbc's "meet the press" today. >> i wasn't shocked. obviously, i was a bit surprised, but i wasn't shocked. i understand that sarah made the decision where she can be most effective for alaska and for the country. i love and respect her and her

family. i'm grateful that she agreed to run with me. i am confident she will be a major factor in the national scene and in at-bat alaska, as . california lawmakers are working through weekend to solve that state's massive budget mess. closed-door talks continue for a third day today. governor around schwarzenegger and state leaders say they are close to a breakthrough. talks center mostly on cutting educational costs and social programs. the progress comes a week after the state started issuing ious to thousands of vendors to save cash. state workers are also taking three days off a month without pay. doesn't everybody want to save more and spend less? well, we've got just the guy to help you. join hshgs, will, many money expert clark howard at 4:00 p.m. eastern. he's going to show you ways to save more, spend less, and avoid getting ripped off. the "clark howard" show. 4:00 p.m. chris daughtry says he was

stunned when he was voted off "american idol," but his band's success now is less than a surprise. a look at the band's inner dynamics and what they're saying about their new album "leave this town." 

stunning allegations surfacing over michael jackson's death. now his sister la toya is saying the king of pop was murdered. she claims she knows why. you can run but you can't always outrace the bulls of pamplona, spain. we're going to tell you what happened to four unlucky runners. and ferocious lightning won't keep "endeavour" on the ground. we'll tell you when the space shuttle is set to lift off. hey, there. you're watching hln. i'm virginia kha. thanks for joining us. a deadly weekend in afghanistan. who separate bomb blasts have killed four u.s. marines and a soldier who was wounded in afghanistan last month has died here in the u.s. that brings the u.s. military death toll in afghanistan to 649 since october 2001.

106 u.s. troops have been killed there this year alone. the u.s. has ramped up its forces in the war-scarred country to oust the resurging taliban. five iranians the u.s. held in iraq since 2007 reason now back in iran. at least that's what iran's government-backed press is reporting. three of the men claim they are diplomats. they were released thursday. the u.s. detained the men in northern iraq on january 11th, 2007 opinion. they were believed to be part of a group that possibly provides insurgent training. now, it's not clear who the other two freed men are. health and human services secretary kathleen sebelius says the obama administration is not ruling out any options when it comes to a health care bill. appearing on our sister network cnn, sebelius told wolf blitzer lawmakers from both parties have good ideas about a final bill. she also says both sides realize the importance of health care reform. >> i think the bottom line is it's got to be paid for and that we all have a shared responsibility, that we all need to play a role. the house and senate version

also have employers included and individuals included. and what's been remarkable, wolf, is the stakeholders who in the early '90s were the most vocal opponents of anything changing in the health care system are really at the table with their own suggestions of how to pay for this. >> to be precise, you're open to charlie rangel's proposal. >> well, i think everything is on the table. >> what wolf blitzer was referring to was the proposal backed by house ways and means chairman charlie rangel. it would place a surtax on some wealthy americans as a way to pay for the final bill, but republicans have been quick to jump on that idea. appearing on abc's "this week," senate minority whip jon kyl says the proposal is a nonstarter as far as the gop is concerned. >> at at least 55% of the income that would be general rated by this surtax directly hits the entrepreneurs who run these small businesses. it would be a job killer. it would be exactly the wrong thing to do anytime, but especially when we're in the middle of a recession.

>> we're learning that cia director leon panetta told members of congress the agency withheld information about a secret counterterrorism program on the direct orders of then vice president dick cheney. that is coming from a source knowledgeable about panetta's classified briefing to lawmakers. the program was instituted before panetta took over the agency, but the source told cnn it was never fully operational. panetta shut it down last month after being informed about it. so far, there are no details about this program. dick cheney could not be reached for comment. the white house may not be behind the move, but attorney general eric holder apparently may push forward with a criminal investigation into the bush administration's interrogations of terror suspects. a justice department official tells the associated press holder is considering whether to appoint a prosecutor. president obama has expressed reluctance about such a probe, saying the nation should look forward, not backward. the white house is concerned an investigation could distract from other priorities such as health care reform.

president obama and the first family arrived back at the white house early this morning. their whirlwind trip overseas included stops in italy and russia. it was capped off by a visit to ghana, where the president addressed the country's parliament. in his speech, mr. obama praised ghana for its democracy and economic progress. he also challenged people on the african continent to hold their leaders responsible for ending corruption and conflict. the trip to ghana marked his first visit to sub-saharan africa since being sworn in. michael jackson's sister la toya is reportedly convinced the king of pop was murdered. according to britain's "news of the world," la toya jackson says her brother was killed in a conspiracy to steal his billion-dollar fortune. she told the paper she knows who is to blamed and she is determined to see them brought to justice. she also says that cash and jewelry worth $2 million was stolen from jackson's home after he died. tonight on hln "news and views," shocking reports reveal michael jackson's doctors say

the singer self-injected dangerous drugs into his system. other documents show at one point he took up to 40 xanax a day. the police says the coroner's findsings will determine if jackson's death is a homicide or an accidental overdose. nancy grace has the latest-breaking developments at 8:00 and 10:00 p.m. eastern on hln. the space shuttle "endeavour" is set to launch from kennedy space sent they are evening. nasa says the forecast is a 70% go for liftoff. this is what kept the space shuttle "endeavour" from lifting off yesterday -- 11 lightning strikes hit within a half-mile of the launch pad during a storm friday night. nasa took time to make sure there was no damage to the shuttle or its boosters. along with its seven astronauts, "endeavour" will bring the final component of japan's science lab to the international space station. five space walks are planned once it is docked. a tornado slammed a town in southern ohio hurting at least five people. emergency officials say the

twister hit some folks hard near buchanan yesterday afternoon. you can see the damage here, houses, at least three mobile homes were wiped out. some roads were closed because of debris and high water. the red cross has set up an emergency shelter in the area. record heat is scorching arizona, and people are being urged to stay indoors as much as possible. the national weather service issued an excessive heat warning for the entire weekend. in phoenix, temperatures are expected to soar to 115 degrees and higher. the heat may have contributed to at least one death, and yesterday a woman collapsed from heat exhaustion. temperatures climbed as high as 138 degrees at arizona's famous tent city prison. apparently, that was enough to melt the man who calls himself the toughest sheriff in the country. sheriff joe ar pie owe and his deputies handed out ice cream to inmates to help them stay cool. hello, everyone. i'm cnn meteorologist karen

maginn maginnis. for the space shuttle, there is about a 70% chance it beal a go at 7:13 this evening. however, we could see some of those isolated afternoon thunderstorms. it's already been delayed three times now. hopefully, sunday afternoon the weather will cooperate. as we go into the afternoon hours, the heat is going to be on across the south central united states. readings well into that 100-degree range in dallas looking at just about 103 degrees, houston just about the same. but the heat index values will make it feel like 110 to 115 degrees. so, excessively hot. here's our frontal system that's going to be responsible for some thunderstorms across the tennessee river valley. severe thunderstorms possible there. also across the northern tier states from huron, south dakota, towards topeka, kansas, while the hot weather remains in effect across the south central u.s. and the desert southwest. however, yesterday, first time

all season long that tucson, az a, has seen 105 degrees. it's taken a long time to get there. and it will be windy across the pacific northwest. for hln, i'm karen maginnis. battling the deadly swine flu virus. u.s. officials are counting on vaccines to win the medical war. and they're ready to write a big check to make sure that happens.

u.s. health officials are bracing for the fall flu season. they want to make sure they are ready for any outbreak of the h1n1 virus, otherwise known as swine flu. health and human services secretary kathleen sebelius will announce tomorrow the u.s. will spend another billion dollars on vaccinations. she says research is under way to fight the virus, hoping to fight the spread of the pandemic. 211 people have died of swine

flu in the u.s. officials estimate as many as a million americans may be infected with the virus. a california jail has quarantined about 400 inmates after one of them tested positive for swine flu virus. sheriff's officials in san diego county say the inmays are being isolated in various housing units and they've been given antiviral drugs. visits to the county's correctional facilities have been suspendsed. this brings the total number of confirmed cases in san diego to 572. it's the danger you face when you try to outrun a bull. four people were gored in today's running of the bulls in pamplona, spain. two are hurt seriously. hospital officials say none of the injuries are life-threatening. one of the runners was injured when a 1,300-pound bull split from the pack, caught him, tossed him up, then rolled him on the grounds. the man was gored to death on frid friday, the event's first death since 1995.

we've all heard about electric cars and hybrids, right? what about a vehicle made of veggies and fruit powered on chocolate fuel? yum. we take a look at this lean, green machine in this week's "ecosolutions." >> reporter: vegetables and powered by chocolate, this is the latest formula racing car to reach the top speed of around about 140 miles an hour. it's been built by this team at warrick university to see just how green they can race. >> we tried to do something green. >> reporter: for fear of getting too literal -- okay, i have here an apple and a chocolate bar. i'm told that that car over there uses both somehow. how on earth does it use these? >> well, the guys at warrick university are creative. >> reporter: they say they've converted the cocoa butter from waste chocolate into biodiesel, and the apple? >> the apple does very much the same thing. you can extract fuel from

anything really that's got oils within it. >> reporter: great. i'm going to do this. >> thank you very much. >> reporter: so, let's look at the car as a whole. the diesel engine can run on waste materials. some of the body work uses hemp fibers and recycled bottles. the seat uses foam made from soybeans. the steering wheel is made from carrots and the wing merit contains potato starch. but what's the point of it? after all, the car is fast, 140 miles per hour, but not fast enough. it would need to hit 160 miles per hour to have a chance of winning a race. and formula three regulations don't allow biodiesel engines to race anyway. the answer lies in the application. >> these are the early days of these materials so some of them have been quite challenging. but in the future, we hope they'll spread into other forms of motor sports and race cars. >> reporter: so, what do the experts think? first, the environmental academic. >> it appears all very nice if

you just think about your own little usage. oh, yes, we can make ourselves green by using all this stuff that's made from corn or from sugar beet or whatever. but then if you say, well, okay, what is that displacing and what is it doing for the poor people in the world in terms of their price of food, then there are very much limitations on how much one could grow that. >> reporter: and the racing experts. does it make the grade for formula three? >> not only are you going to have to create new cars with new designers with new people and a new factory to come to a new formula, but you are suggesting that maybe they're going to have a new energy power. to bring all that together at the same time is probably quite a charge. >> reporter: but all that doesn't put these guys off. the bottom line is -- >> great fun. >> reporter: sure it's fun, but, how do i get this thing off? i'm stuck. >> i'll help you. >> reporter: sasha harriman, cnn.

to learn more about this ecofriendly car and for other environmental news, go to our website, cnn.com/ecosolutions.

florida police are questioning two people in the killing of a couple known for adopting special-needs children. authorities have found the red van caught by surveillance cameras leaving the couple's

home in beulah, florida. this is some of that surveillance video. police say the video suggests they were experienced criminals who acted quickly. no arrests have been made. but police say there is reason to believe the two people being questioned have, quote, an association with the killings. the couple was found dead on thursday. investigators also want to talk to a third person who hasn't been found yet. the couple had 12 adopted children and four biological kids. the children were not injured. a legally blind man is recovering from getting stung a thousand times. 84-year-old john pool was going for a daily walk with his dog named shadow when he encountered a swarm of bees. >> i left the walker and run as fast as i could. >> when i ran out to the gate to see, he was just covered in bees, and so i pulled his t-shirt off and got the garden hose and started hosing him off

and the dog off, as well. >> we are sad to tell you 14-year-old shadow died. but she may have saved pool's life. pool's wife says if shadow hadn't taken hundreds of stings it would have been much worse for her husband. firefighters found a hive with thousands of bees in it inside a brick wall near where pool was walking. judge sonia sotomayor has picked up a big endorsement in her bid to become the next associate justice of the supreme court. in a letter to senate judiciary chairman patrick leahy, the international association of police chiefs is throwing its support behind sotomayor. the group's president, russell b. lane, has said sotomayor has shown understanding and appreciation of the challenges facing law enforcement officers. that's a quote. sotomayor's confirmation hearings are set to begin tomorrow. 30-year mortgages have been industry standard for quite a while, but there is an alternative for homeowners who want to shed their debt faster and it's gaining popularity.

hln money expert clark howard has the scoop. >> there's a trend going on right now that i'm hearing from my callers that i am so excited about. and i don't have actual math to prove it yet, but i can tell by the calls coming in that people are thinking about borrowing differently than they have in all the years i've been on the radio. people calling me about refinancing mortgages in huge numbers are calling and asking me about 15-year refinances instead of 30-year refinances. anecdotally, a lot of mortgage bankers and brokers say also they're seeing this trend with a lot more people taking on 15 years of house debt instead of 30 years. why? well, people used to think that the house was just going to go up in value a great amount each year and that was how you were going to get your equity. but people have learned the real equity you develop in your house is as you pay down debt. this is a great idea. now, you don't do it in absence of saving money for retirement, but if you got that act

together, do the 15. i'm clark howard. for more money-saving tips, go to my website, cnn.com/clarkhoward. and for even more money-saving advice, don't miss clark's show at 4:00 this afternoon right here on hln. most people wear less clothing, right, to beat the heat in the summer. but this much less? hundreds of people tossed off their bathing suits, splashed into the "guinness book of world records" as part of the largest number of people skinny dipping at the same time. this was just one of the events that took place simultaneously across the country. 228 people were at this particular pool in palm springs. because the skinny dipping attempt is a new category, it automatically set a guinness record. inhalers, nebulizers, familiar treatments with people with asthma. but can you make them more effective? some therapists say yes. just add a pinch of salt. we take a look in today's "vital

signs." >> reporter: until a few years ago, tisch webster would have found the daily task of working outside or working at her job almost impossible. >> i'd be taking them constantly, be wheezing. >> reporter: after years of taking allergy pills, tisch looked into alternatives and discovered something known as hailer therapy or salt therapy at a clinic in southwest london. >> when i first went into the salt room, i noticed an immediate difference going in. my breathing was much better. >> it's special particles charged with negative ions blowing the flow into the treatment room. patients will see an immediate effect. >> reporter: they won't feel it? >> they can probably taste the salt on their lips. >> therapists at the salt cave say their salt has no additives and its concentration is specific to the patient's condition. now, to learn more or for other

advances in the world of medicine, go to our website, cnn.com/vitalsigns.

[ music ] >> welcome to comcast local edition, i'm donna richardson, and my guest this hour is christine bergmark who is the executive director of the southern maryland agricultural development commission. welcome, christine, it's good to have you here. >> thank you for having me. >> that's a big mouthful, and i know that you're working on an extremely exciting program, bi-local challenge. >> it is an initial that we launched two years ago, and essentially what it is is the last full week of july we ask everyone across the state of maryland and beyond to take a pledge, and the pledge is eat something or drink from a farm

every day during that week. >> oh. so where do we get the information about where to find the farms or how do we sign up for this pledge? >> well, there's a website. it's www.by-local-challenge.com that website will give you all sorts of information why to buy local and where to buy local and it connects you to other statewide initiatives that are going on at the same time. if you go to the website, we've added a count. people used to say, where do i sign up? normally you have to go buy, eat something from a local farm. this year we decided to add a counter to the website. when you are' counted, you can receive a certificate with your name on it that you can put up in your office or your home or wherever. >> which is very, very important. it's reduces your carbon foot

print because you're driving hopefully a shorter distance, you have access to local products that are available, and also it helps the farmers. >> well, and in fact, our theme this year is healthy plate, healthy planet. all kinds of benefits to buying local, benefits for you, healthy, nutrition, it's fresh, and preserving our farms survive, we keep clean water, we keep clean air, we reduce the carbon footprints from things traveling 1500 miles, and it tastes good. >> exactly. now for those people who may not cook, how can they be a part of this? >> yeah, sometimes people say, well, i hate to cook. that's okay. you can go to a store or to a restaurant that features local farm products, and there are more and more restaurants every year, some of them are on our website, and you can click throughout to find out who they are,. >> what kind of items can we

acquire localfully. >> during the last week of july, there is so much product available. there's sweet corn, blackberries, all kinds of tomatoes and melons are in season, and of course, there's always wine, cheese, eggs, meatss. >> so we do have a wide variety of things we can get. say that i go and i go to a local farmer's market and purchase something, what is a vegetable that i'm not quite familiar with, how did i find a recipe. >> excellent question. there are recipes on our website. people can post their own recipes of their own events and own blogs by why they buy local. some of the things i wanted to mention is the economic benefits. we talked about the planet, we talked about the fact that it

tastes good, and it's fun, but there's also the benefit of supporting our farms, and if every household in the state mucofmaryland were to buy just 2 worth of products for 8 weeks, basically the summer season that, would put $200 million straight back into the pockets of our farmers. that would do a lot to keep our farmers thriving. >> which is so important. i know we have less than 30 seconds, but you have some partners that you wouldn't typically think of who have now joined in. >> yes. hospitals are joining in this year. fact, they're looking to do a competition to see how many people they can get involved. >> have you exciting. christine, thank you very much for coming in today. >> thank you. >> my guest today has been christine bergmark with the southern agricultural commission. if you're interested in what comcast is doing in your area, go to on demand and click get local. for comcast local edition, i'm

donna richardson.