loses his battle with cancer. and millions watch. a rare sight in the sky. solar eclipse. good morning to you. welcome to early start. welcome back, ashleigh. we got you a new look. how do you like it? the music. it s such a special day. i m going to assume it s for me. it is for you. 5:00 eastern, very early in the morning. let s get started. we re going to start with breaking news. new trouble for the former imf chief, dominick strauss-kahn. he could face new charges in the alleged gang-rape of a belgian prostitute, during a party at her hotel in washington, d.c. this was almost two years ago. french prosecutors saying they re launching a new investigation, based on statements two escorts made to police. dominick strauss-kahn was imf chief. he was also arrested after a new york hotel maid accused him of sexual assault. but he was cleared after her story fell apart. also, world leaders gathering in chicago to decide the exit strategy for the war in afghanistan.
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a convicted murderer breaks down a prison extortion scheme. you re doing it again, sweetheart. hmm? the thumb thing. -mine. -mine. -mine. mine! [ female announcer ] glidden brilliance collection paint and primer in one. available only at walmart. got a day? get some color. glidden paint makes it easy to add color to your life. glidden gets you going. glidden paint makes it easy to add color to your life. lastin florida we hadulf s best tomore sun tans.years. in alabama we had more beautiful blooms. in mississippi we had more good times. in louisiana we had more fun on the water. last season we broke all kinds of records down here on the gulf. more people more good times. this year we re out to do even better. and now s a great time to start. the sun s out and the beaches are even more relaxing. you can go deep sea fishing or enjoy our world-class restaurants.
years after his release from a scottish prison. al megrahi was let go on compassionate grounds because he had prostate cancer. he was expect to live only a few months. at the time of his release, victims families were outraged after he received a hero s welcome in libya. they believe he was just a small player in the bomb plot. i spoke to a former spokesman for the victims families who lost a brother in the attack. i asked him when he heard about al megrahi s death. i received the phone call about 8:30 this morning. i m pleased he s finally left this earth. it was tempered because of, i was exhilarated when gadhafi was overthrown and killed last year. he was the big fish in ta that story. this is not the last chapter in pan am 103. he and other family members suspect there are people right now in libya, syria and iran who played a part in the bombing. and should be brought to justice. cnn s alison kosik is joining us now. i sat down with one of the victims of the bomb
if he succeeds, he charts a path out of the crisis for other countries. then iran. it s in dire economic straits for a very different reason. we have another exclusive. this one with iran s finance minister about just how crippling u.s.-led sanctions have been for his nation. next up, a conversation with paul krugman. the biggest question in the world today is whether to spend or whether to cut. krugman is the leading voice saying stimulate. i ll ask him to defend his views. all that plus superstitions in the race for space. but, first, here s my take. everyone is worried that greece might default on its national debt. that s really not news. by one estimate and the 180 years since greece gained its independence from the ottomans in 1832, the country has been in default or restructuring for half that period. the news is that this time, germany is willing to bail greece out. throughout the euro zone crisis, it has been conventional wisdom to regard the germans as narro