American Morning
Mosque near ground zero?
Emotions are running high in New York city, over a proposal to build a mosque and Muslim community center just blocks from ground zero. The city's landmarks preservation commission is deciding whether a century-old building in lower Manhattan is worth preserving. Tempers flared at a hearing yesterday. CNN's Deb Feyerick reports.
Bristol Palin, Levi Johnston engaged
(CNN) – Bristol Palin and the father of her child, Levi Johnston, are engaged, the magazine Us Weekly reported Wednesday.
The couple told Us Weekly that former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin did not know about their plans until now.
"We got engaged two weeks ago," the magazine quotes 19-year-old Bristol Palin as saying. "It felt right, even though we don't have the approval of our parents."
Sarah Palin has not yet commented on the report.
"It is intimidating and scary just to think about what her reaction is going to be. Hopefully she will jump on board," the magazine quotes Bristol Palin as saying. Watch 
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[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/07/14/ground.zero.art.jpg
caption="Opponents and proponents of a planned mosque at ground zero clashed at a hearing Tuesday."]
Clash over proposed ground zero mosque dominates hearing
New York (CNN) - Those for and against a mosque near ground zero butted heads during a passionate three-hour hearing of New York's Landmarks Preservation Commission Tuesday night.
Officially the hearing was for taking testimony on whether a more than century-old building is worth preserving, but those pushing for the landmark status are opposed to the mosque and community center at the site where the twin towers of the World Trade Center were destroyed by Islamist hijackers on September 11, 2001.
The contentious nature of the hearing was expected, because if the commission rules the building is not worth landmarking, it will pave the way for the project that is planned there. Opponents dominated the hearing.
"It would be a terrible mistake to destroy a 154-year-old building in order to build a monument to terrorism," one woman said.
"It's called Islamaphobia, pure and simple," said Zead Ramadan while being heckled.
Earlier this month, a community board said the building at the site wasn't architecturally significant enough to landmark.
The project calls for a 13-story community center including a mosque, performing art center, gym, swimming pool and other public spaces.
It is a collaboration between the American Society for Muslim Advancement and the Cordoba Initiative.
The Cordoba Initiative aims to improve relations between Muslims and the West. Read more
Sound off: We want to hear from you this morning. Add your comments to the LIVE Blog below and we'll read some of them on the show.
Can the cap stop the flow of oil?
BP's new containment cap designed to slowly stop the flow of oil into the gulf. After 85 days an estimate of more than 212 million gallons has spilled. Can this new contraption really contain the oil spill? Darryl Bourgoyne the director of Louisiana state university's petroleum engineering lab spoke with CNN's American Morning Tuesday.
George Steinbrenner dead after massive heart attack
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/07/13/yankee.art.jpg caption="Steinbrenner reportedly suffered a massive heart attack."]
[Updated at 9:58 a.m.] New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner has died, Steinbrenner's spokesman said.
“It is with profound sadness that the family of George M. Steinbrenner III announces his passing," a statement from his family said. "“He was an incredible and charitable man. First and foremost he was devoted to his entire family – his beloved wife, Joan; his sisters, Susan Norpell and Judy Kamm, his children, Hank, Jennifer, Jessica and Hal; and all of his grandchildren.
“He was a visionary and a giant in the world of sports. He took a great but struggling franchise and turned it into a champion again.”
The team has seven World Series trophies – 1977, '78, '96, '98, '99, 2000 and '09 earned under Steinbrenner's ownership since 1973.
"Owning the Yankees," Steinbrenner once said, "is like owning the Mona Lisa." Read More
FDA Avandia hearings panel decides fate of diabetes drug
An FDA panel is will begin hearings on Avandia today. The drug that's safety has been questioned since 2007 and could be pulled from the market. Steven Nissen has authored a study finding it could increase the risk of heart attacks. He spoke to CNN's Kiran Chetry Tuesday.
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