New York's New Tallest Building; Bombs Rain Down on Journalists
MALVEAUX: More than a decade after a terrorist attack brought down New York's Twin Towers, One World Trade Center, also known as Freedom Tower, is about to become New York City's tallest building, surpassing the Empire State Building. Workers are scheduled to install a beam that will lift the tower to 1,271 feet. That is 21 feet higher than the city's tallest building right now, that is the Empire State Building. Poppy Harlow is live in Lower Manhattan. And, Poppy, explain to us why this is important -- this milestone -- and why it's bittersweet for some?</s>POPPY HARLOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm sorry, Suzanne, I had a hard time hearing you. Can you just say that one more time?</s>MALVEAUX: Yes, this is a milestone here. This is a celebration in some ways. But it's also bittersweet for some. Remind us of why that is.</s>HARLOW: Absolutely it is. It is a celebration. It's a beautiful day here in New York City. As one person who is building the World Trade Center said to me this morning, it's kind of reminiscent of September 11th. It's a beautiful, clear sky. It marks a very important milestone for New Yorkers because this becomes New York's tallest building. It makes New Yorkers think we are almost there. We are rebuilding once again. At the same time, Suzanne, I would be remiss not to mention the timing. This comes one day, one day before the one-year anniversary of the capture and killing of Osama bin Laden. So there have been a lot of questions here about security. What security measures are being taken? Have there been any credible threats to New York or the United States from al Qaeda or any terror groups? I want to read you a statement I just got from New York City Police Department's deputy commissioner, Paul Browne. I spoke with him on the phone. He said, "There is no known threat to the World Trade Center or New York City because of the anniversary. But the NYPD continues to maintain a robust counterterrorism posture." What they have done here, Suzanne, is that they have put basically 200 more police officers down here, a whole new division in the last six months or so. So, they're obviously heightened alert. But as you remember, Suzanne, heading into the days before the 9/11 anniversary, the 10-year anniversary, there were some credible threats to this area, and there are not today.</s>MALVEAUX: Was it timed, coordinated, to actually unfold in this development with the killing of bin Laden?</s>HARLOW: It was not coordinated whatsoever. It just happened. They realized a week ago they were going to hit this point because they've been building about a floor a week. So, it was not coordinated. It's really just coincidental. But, of course, it brings up a lot of questions. Suzanne, I had a chance to tour the site and actually to go to the 76th floor of One World Trade Center back in August. We're going to roll some of that video for you so you can see. I spent time going around with a man named Mike Mennella. And Mike, very interestingly, built the first World Trade Center, then watch the towers fall, and then came back to build it once again. He is leading the construction. You see him there with me. And I want you to take a listen to what he told me this morning when we talked about how meaningful this is for him personally. Take a listen.</s>HARLOW: What does this day mean for you, Mike?</s>MIKE MENNELLA, EXECUTIVE VP, TISHMAN CORPORATION: Well, today is the day we can really look back and say that the milestones we've surpassed and overcome are certainly more significant than the ones ahead of us. We have challenges going forward, but the building is in position where we can see, you know, it come to the top, and we can see it being finished off in a very, very, very significant way.</s>HARLOW: So obviously very meaningful for him. I spent the day talking to a lot of New Yorkers about what this means for them. It means a lot, symbolically and just putting a close to that chapter. Also what it means for many tourists lined up here, Suzanne. And I think you're going to carry it live at about 1:30. They're going to put that steel beam on the top floor of the 100th floor, making this building about 21 feet higher 21 feet -- that's all it takes -- than the Empire State Building, Suzanne.</s>MALVEAUX: Twenty-one feet, it sounds like nothing, but it's everything -- means everything to folks. And, Poppy, of course --</s>HARLOW: It is.</s>MALVEAUX: -- we're going to see you in about an hour or so to capture that moment, that historic moment taking place over Lower Manhattan. Thank you, Poppy. Well, under fire journalists run for cover as gunships and fighter jets take aim inside the world's newest nation.</s>MALVEAUX: It's the newest country in the world, but right now, it is on the brink of a full-blown war with its neighbor. We're talking about the two Sudans in northeast Africa. Now, South Sudan officially broke away from the larger, more powerful Sudan last summer. That was after two wars over a 50-year period. Well, now, they are locked in an escalating battle over an oil field, along the contested border. Reporter Robyn Kriel came under fire as warplanes from the north launched an attack on the south.</s>ROBYN KRIEL, REPORTER (voice-over): We've been promised a story. This is close to the front line of the border clashes with the north. And the South Sudanese commander is willing to talk. But another story is about to break around us.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Come down.</s>KRIEL: It's coming, these soldiers shout.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Come, come, come!</s>KRIEL: Sudanese warplanes are streaking in, and we have just seconds to find cover.</s>KRIEL: We find a small trench, try to make ourselves invisible as at least half a dozen bombs drop around us. We wait for the sound of the planes to fade, then we make our escape.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get in, get in, get in.</s>KRIEL (on camera): We were just three kilometers from the front line when we heard incoming fire from what the soldiers say were gunships and MiGs. We were then forced to take cover and once the firing -- once there was a lull in the firing, we decided to head out in our vehicle because it was simply too dangerous and we didn't know what to expect.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Go, go, go, go.</s>MALVEAUX: That is incredible reporting and video there. The U.N. Security Council has demanded that Sudan immediately stop those air strikes. Some big wigs on Wall Street could be out of jobs. We're going to have more on the latest, more than 20,000 banking jobs that are right now on the line.