CNN news 2011-07-14 加文本

cnn news 2011-07-14

We begin with more stunning allegations against British tabloid "News of the World." "The Daily Mirror" is reporting that staffers with the now defunct paper tried to hack into the phones of 9/11 victims. Owner Rupert Murdoch arrived in London to personally deal with the scandal now. 

cnn's Zain Verjee live in London with all the breaking developments -- Zain. 

Hi, Kyra. Yes, what they're doing is, the British tabloid "The Mirror" is quoting a former New York City cop that's making these allegations that "News of the World" journalists tried to hack into the mailboxes and the voicemails of victims of 9/11. 

Now this former cop says he was contacted by "News of the World" journalists who said that they would pay him to retrieve these phone records right the way through to 9/11, calls to the relatives, to give them the ability to see exactly who the victims were talking to up until 9/11. 

Now this former New York City cop is now a private investigator and he is saying, according to "The Daily Mirror" report, that he turned this down. He said absolutely no way, I'm am not going to do this. 

A little bit of caution here, it is only "The Daily Mirror" here that is reporting this -- this supposed 9/11 hacking claim. And we don't know for a fact, Kyra, whether it actually did happen. 

All right. But meanwhile, the family of this murdered girl, whose phone was hacked, is going to meet with the deputy prime minister, right? 

Right, exactly. I mean, there is so much outrage over that. And what the family wants is an apology from Rupert Murdoch. And that hasn't happened. 

The thing is, is that public opinion here is so far out ahead of the government. There're  people here so outraged over that story as well as the overall situation with "News of the World" that the government is really jumping up here and needs to act. 

One of the things that they're considering is blocking this big deal, takeover bid by Rupert Murdoch of British Sky Broadcasting here. And that is the big cause of concern and debate here right now. People don't want to see that deal go through -- Kyra. 

Well, we'll continue to follow that story. I have a feeling a lot more is going to break. It's just starting to unfold. 

Zain, thanks. 

Well, high stakes and heated rhetoric in the debt negotiations. President Obama still trying to broker a deal. In less than two hours from now, he's going to turn to the public with a morning news conference. 

Dan Lothian is at the White House. Kate Bolduan is on Capitol Hill. 

Dan, let's go ahead and start with you. What's the holdup? 

Well, look, there's still this big divide because there are those liberal Democrats who don't want to see those entitlement programs like Medicare and Social Security touch this part of this deal. And on the other side, Republicans who are simply saying no tax hikes at all. 

And so what you're seeing is the president using his bully pulpit, if you will, for the second time now in as many weeks. The president holding a press conference, a chance to try to get both sides to sit down and hammer out an agreement and spell out what the consequences will be if that debt ceiling isn't raised by August 2nd. 

The president, aides tell me, will continue to push for what's being called that bigger deal, up to $4 trillion in spending cuts and also tax hikes. And the reason for that is because the president believes that this is the best thing for the U.S. economy in the long term. 

All right. Dan, let's get the view from Congress now. Kate Bolduan on the Hill. 

So, Kate, what is the reaction or the expected reaction to the meeting? 

Kyra, the reaction and statements we're getting following the meeting really show that deep divisions remain, probably no surprise from what you're hearing from Dan, between Democrats and Republicans. Very little if any progress seems to have been made towards a final deal as both sides really seem to be dug in, if not more dug in, on this key sticking point especially in terms of the issue of taxes. 

Just a couple of statements that are really politically charged coming out last night. The spokesman for the Republican leader in the Senate, Mitch McConnell, saying in a statement, calling it, quote, "baffling" that Democrats and the president try to continue to raise taxes in the middle of a job crisis. 

At the same time, almost like it was firing back, the Senate majority leader, the Democrat, Harry Reid, his spokesman charges that Republicans are trying to -- continue to try to take the easy way out.

Republican says there's no support for tax increases. Democrats say revenue has to be part of this deal this, quote, "balanced approach," if they're going to accept significant spending cuts. 

Bottom line, Kyra, one point of agreement as these talks continue is that something needs to be done, it seems, between these negotiators. But how we get there seems to be a big question. 

All right. It sure is. We'll continue to try and find the answers from you and Dan. 

Right. 

Thanks, guys. 

Well, stay with us for President Obama's news conference less than two hours from now. It's scheduled for 11:00 Eastern. You can see it live right here on cnn. 

Well, with the hopes that they'll crack down on terrorists, the White House will withhold $800 million in aid to Pakistan's military. The U.S. is trying to pressure Pakistan to crack down on the militants. Meanwhile, a suicide bomber struck at a political rally in northwest Pakistan. At least six people were killed there, another 15 wounded. 

And the death toll is rising from an explosion at a naval base in Cyprus. At least 12 soldiers were killed when munitions on a cargo ship caught fire. It's not yet known how that fire started. The blast was so huge it knocked out power in the nation's largest electricity plant which is right near that base.