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American Morning
Rain Hampers Sri Lanka Relief Efforts; Children Return to School
Aired January 05, 2005 - 07:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everybody. It's 7:30 here in New York. Good to have you along with us today. It's raining outside here in New York City. It could turn into sleet, maybe snow, later tonight and into the morning hours of Thursday. We'll keep you posted on what's happening with that winter storm moving across the country this morning in a few moments.
Soledad continues reporting in Thailand. Back to her a bit later this hour.
Also some of the smallest tsunami survivors now are going back to school. We'll have a look today at how teachers are reaching out to the ones with the greatest need.
Also, a "CNN Security Watch" today. Prosecutors now plan on using the Patriot Act to prosecute a man in New Jersey. He's accused of pointing lasers at aircraft above his home. Was he just playing around? Was there more to it? We'll talk to the man's lawyer what he was thinking at the time. So stay tuned for that.
Heidi Collins is back with me here looking at the headlines.
Good morning.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. And good morning to you, everyone, once again.
"Now in the News." today.
There is word of a rocket attack in southern Israel near the Gaza border. According to Israeli military and medical staff, Palestinian militants fired two rockets, injuring at least a dozen Israeli soldiers. The attack comes despite calls for peace from Mahmoud Abbas, the front runner to succeed Yasser Arafat. Palestinian elections are scheduled for Sunday.
Here in the United States, the first of President Bush's cabinet nominees heads to Capitol Hill. Kellogg CEO Carlos Gutierrez was tapped last November for the secretary of commerce post. He is expected to be approved later today. Three more confirmation hearings are set for tomorrow, including one for Alberto Gonzales as attorney general.
And the case of Jose Padilla, the man designated as enemy combatant, is heading back to court. U.S. officials claim Padilla took part in an al Qaeda plot to detonate a so-called dirty bomb. His attorneys say they will ask a district court judge today either to charge Padilla with a crime or release him.
And that's the news for now.
HEMMER: All right. Thank you, Heidi.
Back to the story in Southeast Asia now; 46,000 people are now reported dead in the country of Sri Lanka alone, over 10,000 along the country's east coast. That's the Amparai District, Sri Lanka's hardest-hit area. Getting relief supplies there is no easy task. We know that by now. In fact, the Marines have not even arrived there yet.
But CNN's Harris Whitbeck has arrived, and a short time ago he filed this report in Sri Lanka.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS WHITBECK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The Amparai District in southeastern Sri Lanka was hit the hardest by the tsunami. The destruction in this province, which is very hard to get to, is very, very intense. More than 150,000 people have been displaced, 19,000 homes destroyed, and at least 10,000 people were killed.
Many of the displaced are living in refugee camps that have been set up throughout the province, but aid has been hard to come by. Weather conditions over the last few days have prevented large amounts of aid from coming in, and they have also prevented survivors from coming back to what was once their homes, in this area, where many, many homes were completely leveled. It wasn't until today that people were able to come back in to take a look at what was once their home and to contemplate the awesome destructive power of the tsunami.
The Sri Lankan government has announced that it will prohibit the construction of houses and other buildings near the seashore to try to avoid massive loss of life should other tsunamis strike.
Harris Whitbeck, CNN, in southeastern Sri Lanka.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: Harris, thanks for that.
As we have shown throughout the week, it is the children who now suffer the most in this tragedy. CNN's Aneesh Raman is following part of the children's story. He's at a school in Phuket, Thailand, and joins us by way of videophone.
Are they back to class there? Aneesh -- hello.
ANEESH RAMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Bill, good morning to you.
For a community in desperate need of some comfort, something coming now in the most simple of sights.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) RAMAN (voice over): Classes begin on schedule, after the holiday break at this Thai school untouched by the tsunami. But for these students, there are savage scenes close at hand and searing memories.
AIYARIN SHIRA, STUDENT (through translator): I was shocked. I was playing when my cousin screamed. Then my father and me ran up the hill, and then the water came rushing through. I was so shocked. Then my mother grabbed me, and we immediately got in the car and sped away from our house.
RAMAN: Others are now forever fearful of the ocean that surrounds this island.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (through translator): Because it might come again, I'm afraid to die.
RAMAN: Teachers are not just educators now; they're counselors. They are mindful that these students' vacations were nothing short of horrific.
MIKE BRASS, TEACHER: I'm looking for children that might be withdrawn or things like that, and just keeping an eye out that way. When the older students in the course of the remainder of the week, I'll be able to get more things out of them, but the younger ones it's hard to draw it out in English.
RAMAN: At a time when hope is hard to find, when tragedy is everywhere, one day at one school, and one story of people starting to live again.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
Now, Bill, we went back to another school today, after the first day of formalities had passed. The hell that these kids have endured is omnipresent. It is hard to imagine any of them ever fully digesting what has taken place -- Bill.
HEMMER: Indeed. Aneesh, thanks for that report. Some semblance of life returning there, but it will be a very, very long process for so many.
We have an unmatched team of top journalists on the front lines in four different countries. Stay with CNN throughout the day for the latest developments as we get them first here. And join us later tonight again at 7:00 Eastern Time for our special report, "Turning the Tide." That's tonight on Wednesday.
Tomorrow on Thursday at 10:00 Eastern, 7:00 on the West Coast, our primetime special, "Saving the Children." Anderson is there. Christiane is there. Soledad, Sanjay. Our whole team of reporters on the front lines of this story. Again, tomorrow night and a primetime special at 10:00 Eastern here on CNN.
I want to move to a different story now. A New Jersey man is facing federal charges today, accused of shining a laser beam at two different aircraft. In our "CNN Security Watch," authorities say 36- year-old David Banach has been charged under the Patriot Act and could get 20 years in prison. Here is the charge.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRISTOPHER CHRISTIE, PROSECUTOR: This conduct was reckless, in our view. And whether it was an accident or not, one thing we know is that there were a number of incidents involving this person.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: Gina Mendola Longarzo is the attorney for David Banach, and she's my guest now here in New York.
And good morning to you. And thank you for your time.
GINA MENDOLA LONGARZO, ATTORNEY FOR DAVID BANACH: Good morning. Thank you.
HEMMER: Where did your client get this laser?
LONGARZO: He ordered it off the Internet from BigHa.com.
HEMMER: And it must have a pretty powerful beam, right, if you can shine it 3,000 feet in the air?
LONGARZO: I think that the legal limit is 5 and it was a 3.5 strength.
HEMMER: All right. So when he was questioned, he lied about it, right, at first? What did he say?
LONGARZO: I don't think so. The subject of his interrogation will be addressed through motions by the defense. He was questioned without an attorney being present.
HEMMER: So investigators allege that he said it was his daughter, his young daughter, who was playing with this laser at the time.
LONGARZO: When they came on the scene of his home, he was asked what happened. And he said, my daughter was playing with this. When he realized the seriousness of this matter, he then said, no, I was the only one using the laser beam.
HEMMER: He was given a lie detector test, right?
LONGARZO: Yes, he was, which is not admissible in court.
HEMMER: Yes, but that's when he changed his story and admitted to two incidents, right? One on the 29th of December and one on the 31st, is what investigators allege. Is that accurate?
LONGARZO: It is my understanding that the only thing he has admitted to was on the 31st of December playing with the laser beam with his daughter.
HEMMER: So, you would then contest the earlier incident on the 29th?
LONGARZO: Oh, absolutely.
HEMMER: What will he plead?
LONGARZO: He will plead not guilty.
HEMMER: He apparently -- well, investigators say they don't believe he's a terrorist or that this was a terrorist incident. But he's being charged under the Patriot Act. Can you explain why that's the case?
LONGARZO: This prosecution is inconsistent at so many levels. They're claiming it's not terrorist activity, and yet they're charging him with an act of terrorism by claiming that he interfered with an aircraft with the willful intent to cause harm to passengers of that aircraft.
HEMMER: If convicted under this, though, he could face 20 years behind bars?
LONGARZO: I think the maximum sentence is 25 years, but his sentencing would be charted out under the sentencing guidelines if they remain in effect at the time.
HEMMER: He works in fiber optics, right?
LONGARZO: Yes, he does.
HEMMER: Why would he point a laser at an aircraft anyway?
LONGARZO: He didn't. I don't know why anyone would do that, but he was stargazing with his daughter.
HEMMER: Well, he admitted to it. So, if he admitted to it, then it begs the question, why would he do such a thing, whether if it was at a small jet or a helicopter flying over his house?
LONGARZO: It remains our position that he admitted to playing with his daughter with the laser beam. Anything else -- I have not yet seen the statement that was taken from him, but I know what was relayed to me about how he said that questioning went down.
HEMMER: One final question. Does he understand how a laser sometimes can blind the pilot in the cockpit?
LONGARZO: I don't think he knows that. I know he is very careful and has taught his children don't shine it in someone's face.
HEMMER: Well, keep us posted. And we'll continue to watch it.
LONGARZO: Thanks for having me.
HEMMER: We've been following now for about a week. Gina, thanks for your time. To our viewers, stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security. We'll have it for you when it happens.
Here's Heidi again with more now.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HEMMER: Will it be a good year or a bad year for Wall Street? Investors say they are already seeing clues a week into the year, and so is Andy. We'll get to that in a moment here.
COLLINS: Plus, a blast from the past. Led Zeppelin could steal the show on Grammy night, believe it or not. "90-Second Pop" will tell us why ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: Welcome back, everybody. We're going to get to Jack right now and the "Question of the Day" flying in right now.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: This just in.
HEMMER: It's yours, baby!
CAFFERTY: Up-to- the-minute news here on AMERICAN MORNING. A New York family court judge has ordered a drug-addicted woman to stop having kids until she proves she can take care of the ones she already has. She has seven. They range in age from 8 months to 12 years with seven different fathers.
The 31-year-old unidentified mother lost custody of her children in child neglect hearings over the last five years. And now six of the kids are in foster care, of course at the expense of the state, the taxpayer. Opponents say the judge's decision tramples on the fundamental right of individuals to procreate.
The question we're asking is: Can a judge order a woman to stop having children?
Jaclyn in Ohio: "Why not? Judges control every other aspect of our lives. This is only a footnote when compared to the other rights that they've taken away."
Larry in Crystal Beach, Texas: "Judges can do whatever they want, but that doesn't make it right. What's next? State-imposed sterilization?"
J.R. in Vicksburg, Mississippi: "Here we go again, another way government is trying to infringe on our basic rights. When are we going to learn then answer is always education, not government or the courts dictating how we live our lives."
Stan in St. Joseph, Illinois: "I don't think a judge has any legal basis to order a woman to stop having kids unless it's a question of balancing the rights and quality of life of her existing children versus her rights. By allowing a woman to have more children than she can reasonably support, we as a society are harming the children that she's already responsible for."
And Susan in Gualala, California: "As a physician, I have seen women who should not have children. They tend to be repeat abusers of kids and drugs. It is heartbreaking. But a judge cannot order a woman not to have children. Some of these rules need to change."
HEMMER: There's another case, right, under appeal?
CAFFERTY: Yes. The same judge ordered a different woman not to do this, and the courts are now -- it's in the appellate process.
HEMMER: Thank you, Jack.
CAFFERTY: Yes.
COLLINS: Seven children. Wow! All right.
Well, worrisome news now from the Fed. And with that and a market preview, Andy Serwer is "Minding Your Business."
We're talking inflation here.
ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: Yes, absolutely. Alan Greenspan and company are worried about that, Heidi. Yesterday, the markets took a tumble. Two days in row now the markets have been down, and we've had two days of trading this year. Not a good trend at all. We'll get to that in a second.
Ninety-eight points down. The Nasdaq down over 2 percent. Actually, the Dow is down five days in a row. Higher oil prices to blame, also some weakness in corporate reports by Alcoa and Krispy Kreme, aluminum and donuts.
COLLINS: Yes.
SERWER: That's sort of the whole American economy right there.
As far as Greenspan goes, minutes from a Fed meeting in December suggesting the Federal Reserve is concerned about inflation. That means they will probably continue to raise interest rates. I'm not sure why that's a surprise to anybody. They have signaled that for months and months now.
As far as an indicator of where we're going this year, though, the first five trading days of the year are often crucial. Since 1950, 29 times the market has been up the first five days -- or 33 times. And 29 times it's gone on to be up for the year. Conversely, when it's down the first five days, you're down.
And then there is the Packers indicator. When the Packers do well in the playoffs, the market goes up. I'm serious. Some people believe that.
COLLINS: Oh, is that right? SERWER: Yes.
HEMMER: That's like the Redskins, though, right?
SERWER: The Redskins with the election. The Packers in the playoffs, the market for the year. And if you believe that, I've got a bridge to sell you.
COLLINS: Yes.
HEMMER: Got two of them.
SERWER: Yes.
HEMMER: This is right around the time everybody thought the Dow might go to 11,000, right? Is that talk being dashed?
SERWER: Yes, it is. But basically, the market went up so strongly since the election it's probably due for a little bit of a breather here.
HEMMER: Got it.
COLLINS: All right. Andy, thanks so much for that.
SERWER: You're welcome.
COLLINS: Well, if you want to get in shape for the New Year, get cracking. One TV network says swimsuit season is already here. A revealing "90-Second Pop" is ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: Now there's some music. It's time once again for "90- Second Pop." Let's round up the usually suspects today. Andy Borowitz, minister of humor at BorowitzReport.com. Sarah Bernard, contributing editor for "New York" magazine. And Toure, CNN's pop culture correspondent.
Good morning, guys.
TOURE, CNN POP CULTURE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.
SARAH BERNARD, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, "NEW YORK" MAGAZINE: Good morning.
ANDY BOROWITZ, BOROWITZREPORT.COM: Good morning.
COLLINS: I want to talk to you, if we could first, Sarah, with you, about the tsunami relief. We're hearing from a lot of celebrities now.
BERNARD: A lot of people.
COLLINS: ... really donating a lot of money. Sandra Bullock, one million, Leonardo DiCaprio giving a significant amount. But is the PR surrounding their donation a little too much?
BERNARD: You know, I love that the way that Leonardo said, a significant amount, by the way. That's sort of making us all more intrigued. I am going to take the opposite opinion of my couch-mates that this is actually kind of a cynical way to -- Toure is looking at me. A cynical way to get attention for themselves and their really huge, you know, larger-than-life subjects.
I think there is really no difference between Sandra Bullock giving money and Rupert Murdock giving money, or Coca-Cola giving money. I mean, all of these other corporations have put out press releases that this is what they're doing. I don't see that it's any different for an individual to do it.
Besides, NBC is going to do a big celebrity musical concert on January 15, which is similar to what everybody did around 9/11. And we weren't talking about that then. So, I don't see why it's any different than that. Besides, it's the perfect celebrity cause, you have to admit. It doesn't have any partisan...
COLLINS: And when you make that much money, it could be an argument that these celebrities are corporations within themselves.
BERNARD: They are.
TOURE: Of course they are. Look, if you go on a film set and pretend for three months and get $10 million, you can give $1 million to people who are actually suffering for real. I mean, I don't think it's a PR stunt. It's something that is actual and generous and real. I mean, to whom much is given, much is required.
COLLINS: Yes. And at that point, I guess, who cares, as long as the money is going there?
BERNARD: You to agree with me.
TOURE: No. That is a good move that they seem to be doing.
BERNARD: Right.
TOURE: It's not a PR stunt.
BERNARD: No, I don't think it is a PR stunt.
COLLINS: All right. Well, the money is going, and that's the important thing.
All right, let's talk about that music we just heard a little while ago, Toure. A Lifetime achievement Grammy for Led Zeppelin.
TOURE: Yes.
COLLINS: Surprised?
TOURE: No.
COLLINS: Or is it just completely overdone?
TOURE: I mean, this had to happen. I mean, this is one of the great, great bands of their era. Big, huge sound, lots of blues and soul in their rock and roll mix. They had these great long operatic songs. I mean, when I was a kid, you know, no high school dance could end without playing "Stairway to Heaven." We would not leave.
BOROWITZ: On that note, though, in the acceptance speech it would be so awesome if they would explain what a "bustle in your hedgerow" is.
(CROSSTALK)
BERNARD: Oh!
BOROWITZ: Because they say it's just a spring clean for the May queen. I'm so lost. I have no idea.
TOURE: It's made me thought it was just stoner music, but it was great, great stuff all along.
COLLINS: It was very good stuff.
BERNARD: And everyone who has ever learned how to play guitar, it's always "Stairway to Heaven." Always.
COLLINS: That's true. That's true.
TOURE: Right.
COLLINS: We have so many of these collectors' albums at home, you have no idea.
All right, Andy, we've got to ask you, of course, about this last topic. The debut of the "Sports Illustrated" swimsuit model search. Now, were you in on the judging of this? Or...
BOROWITZ: Well, I'm all over this story. It combines everything I love. Reality TV, nearly naked women. You know, the one thing about this show that's a little different, most of these reality shows now are about people getting plastic surgery to look beautiful. And here's a show where all of the contestants have already had plastic surgery.
COLLINS: Now come on!
BOROWITZ: That's a little different. So I think it needs a twist, like maybe the winner gets to meet her birth father or something like that.
BERNARD: Oh!
SERWER: It just needs something.
TOURE: I don't even like that show. COLLINS: Well, it really is amazing, though, when you look back at the people who have been on the cover. And, of course, we want to talk about now Petra Nemcova, who is in Thailand in a hospital after suffering the tsunami. What it has done is for their careers on a different level, if you make this cover, I guess that's it. It changes your life.
(CROSSTALK)
TOURE: It has. But, I mean, the way that the "Sports Illustrated" swimsuit issue used to be, like 10-15 years ago, it was this great thing in American culture. It's not that anymore. I mean, you can find that soft core porn in "Maxim,", in stuff every month. I mean, when I was 15...
BOROWITZ: Brushon Bai (ph).
COLLINS: I forgot about that.
TOURE: ... it was the only place you could get it. And now it's just -- you know, it's all over the place. So it's not -- it doesn't mean what it used to mean. So, they've got to do a reality show to try to pump some energy back into them.
BERNARD: You know what's great about the reality show? My favorite thing is that they are -- Brushon Bai (ph) is promising that there's not going to be too much nudity, that it's going to be very conservative, bikinis that cover a lot of space.
COLLINS: So are people going to watch?
BERNARD: So, yes, I was going to say, I don't think that's what anyone wants to hear.
TOURE: It's just another one of the lame reality shows where the audience chooses who wins. Haven't we learned that reality shows are better when it's, like, one or two people are alike, you lose, you win, rather than, like, some group choosing.
COLLINS: All right.
BERNARD: Maybe you like them both.
BOROWITZ: Yes, like our presidential election.
TOURE: Exactly. Exactly.
COLLINS: All right. On that note, Andy, Sarah and Toure, you guys, thanks so much -- Bill.
HEMMER: All right, Heidi, thanks.
It's five minutes before the hour now. Our coverage of the tsunami continues in a moment. There is a sinister new threat to worry about: child trafficking in Southeast Asia. A 12-year-old Swedish boy may be the poster child for that cause. His story and more at the top of the hour, and back to Soledad in Phuket as well, after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: You can get the latest news every morning in your e- mail. Sign up for "AMERICAN MORNING" quick news at CNN.com/AM, there for you 24 hours a day.
Tourism was the lifeblood for southeast Asia. Once the rebuilding is finished, though, what happens if the tourists do not come back? Back in a moment here on AMERICAN MORNING.
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Aired January 5, 2005 - 07:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everybody. It's 7:30 here in New York. Good to have you along with us today. It's raining outside here in New York City. It could turn into sleet, maybe snow, later tonight and into the morning hours of Thursday. We'll keep you posted on what's happening with that winter storm moving across the country this morning in a few moments.
Soledad continues reporting in Thailand. Back to her a bit later this hour.
Also some of the smallest tsunami survivors now are going back to school. We'll have a look today at how teachers are reaching out to the ones with the greatest need.
Also, a "CNN Security Watch" today. Prosecutors now plan on using the Patriot Act to prosecute a man in New Jersey. He's accused of pointing lasers at aircraft above his home. Was he just playing around? Was there more to it? We'll talk to the man's lawyer what he was thinking at the time. So stay tuned for that.
Heidi Collins is back with me here looking at the headlines.
Good morning.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. And good morning to you, everyone, once again.
"Now in the News." today.
There is word of a rocket attack in southern Israel near the Gaza border. According to Israeli military and medical staff, Palestinian militants fired two rockets, injuring at least a dozen Israeli soldiers. The attack comes despite calls for peace from Mahmoud Abbas, the front runner to succeed Yasser Arafat. Palestinian elections are scheduled for Sunday.
Here in the United States, the first of President Bush's cabinet nominees heads to Capitol Hill. Kellogg CEO Carlos Gutierrez was tapped last November for the secretary of commerce post. He is expected to be approved later today. Three more confirmation hearings are set for tomorrow, including one for Alberto Gonzales as attorney general.
And the case of Jose Padilla, the man designated as enemy combatant, is heading back to court. U.S. officials claim Padilla took part in an al Qaeda plot to detonate a so-called dirty bomb. His attorneys say they will ask a district court judge today either to charge Padilla with a crime or release him.
And that's the news for now.
HEMMER: All right. Thank you, Heidi.
Back to the story in Southeast Asia now; 46,000 people are now reported dead in the country of Sri Lanka alone, over 10,000 along the country's east coast. That's the Amparai District, Sri Lanka's hardest-hit area. Getting relief supplies there is no easy task. We know that by now. In fact, the Marines have not even arrived there yet.
But CNN's Harris Whitbeck has arrived, and a short time ago he filed this report in Sri Lanka.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS WHITBECK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The Amparai District in southeastern Sri Lanka was hit the hardest by the tsunami. The destruction in this province, which is very hard to get to, is very, very intense. More than 150,000 people have been displaced, 19,000 homes destroyed, and at least 10,000 people were killed.
Many of the displaced are living in refugee camps that have been set up throughout the province, but aid has been hard to come by. Weather conditions over the last few days have prevented large amounts of aid from coming in, and they have also prevented survivors from coming back to what was once their homes, in this area, where many, many homes were completely leveled. It wasn't until today that people were able to come back in to take a look at what was once their home and to contemplate the awesome destructive power of the tsunami.
The Sri Lankan government has announced that it will prohibit the construction of houses and other buildings near the seashore to try to avoid massive loss of life should other tsunamis strike.
Harris Whitbeck, CNN, in southeastern Sri Lanka.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: Harris, thanks for that.
As we have shown throughout the week, it is the children who now suffer the most in this tragedy. CNN's Aneesh Raman is following part of the children's story. He's at a school in Phuket, Thailand, and joins us by way of videophone.
Are they back to class there? Aneesh -- hello.
ANEESH RAMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Bill, good morning to you.
For a community in desperate need of some comfort, something coming now in the most simple of sights.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) RAMAN (voice over): Classes begin on schedule, after the holiday break at this Thai school untouched by the tsunami. But for these students, there are savage scenes close at hand and searing memories.
AIYARIN SHIRA, STUDENT (through translator): I was shocked. I was playing when my cousin screamed. Then my father and me ran up the hill, and then the water came rushing through. I was so shocked. Then my mother grabbed me, and we immediately got in the car and sped away from our house.
RAMAN: Others are now forever fearful of the ocean that surrounds this island.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (through translator): Because it might come again, I'm afraid to die.
RAMAN: Teachers are not just educators now; they're counselors. They are mindful that these students' vacations were nothing short of horrific.
MIKE BRASS, TEACHER: I'm looking for children that might be withdrawn or things like that, and just keeping an eye out that way. When the older students in the course of the remainder of the week, I'll be able to get more things out of them, but the younger ones it's hard to draw it out in English.
RAMAN: At a time when hope is hard to find, when tragedy is everywhere, one day at one school, and one story of people starting to live again.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
Now, Bill, we went back to another school today, after the first day of formalities had passed. The hell that these kids have endured is omnipresent. It is hard to imagine any of them ever fully digesting what has taken place -- Bill.
HEMMER: Indeed. Aneesh, thanks for that report. Some semblance of life returning there, but it will be a very, very long process for so many.
We have an unmatched team of top journalists on the front lines in four different countries. Stay with CNN throughout the day for the latest developments as we get them first here. And join us later tonight again at 7:00 Eastern Time for our special report, "Turning the Tide." That's tonight on Wednesday.
Tomorrow on Thursday at 10:00 Eastern, 7:00 on the West Coast, our primetime special, "Saving the Children." Anderson is there. Christiane is there. Soledad, Sanjay. Our whole team of reporters on the front lines of this story. Again, tomorrow night and a primetime special at 10:00 Eastern here on CNN.
I want to move to a different story now. A New Jersey man is facing federal charges today, accused of shining a laser beam at two different aircraft. In our "CNN Security Watch," authorities say 36- year-old David Banach has been charged under the Patriot Act and could get 20 years in prison. Here is the charge.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRISTOPHER CHRISTIE, PROSECUTOR: This conduct was reckless, in our view. And whether it was an accident or not, one thing we know is that there were a number of incidents involving this person.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: Gina Mendola Longarzo is the attorney for David Banach, and she's my guest now here in New York.
And good morning to you. And thank you for your time.
GINA MENDOLA LONGARZO, ATTORNEY FOR DAVID BANACH: Good morning. Thank you.
HEMMER: Where did your client get this laser?
LONGARZO: He ordered it off the Internet from BigHa.com.
HEMMER: And it must have a pretty powerful beam, right, if you can shine it 3,000 feet in the air?
LONGARZO: I think that the legal limit is 5 and it was a 3.5 strength.
HEMMER: All right. So when he was questioned, he lied about it, right, at first? What did he say?
LONGARZO: I don't think so. The subject of his interrogation will be addressed through motions by the defense. He was questioned without an attorney being present.
HEMMER: So investigators allege that he said it was his daughter, his young daughter, who was playing with this laser at the time.
LONGARZO: When they came on the scene of his home, he was asked what happened. And he said, my daughter was playing with this. When he realized the seriousness of this matter, he then said, no, I was the only one using the laser beam.
HEMMER: He was given a lie detector test, right?
LONGARZO: Yes, he was, which is not admissible in court.
HEMMER: Yes, but that's when he changed his story and admitted to two incidents, right? One on the 29th of December and one on the 31st, is what investigators allege. Is that accurate?
LONGARZO: It is my understanding that the only thing he has admitted to was on the 31st of December playing with the laser beam with his daughter.
HEMMER: So, you would then contest the earlier incident on the 29th?
LONGARZO: Oh, absolutely.
HEMMER: What will he plead?
LONGARZO: He will plead not guilty.
HEMMER: He apparently -- well, investigators say they don't believe he's a terrorist or that this was a terrorist incident. But he's being charged under the Patriot Act. Can you explain why that's the case?
LONGARZO: This prosecution is inconsistent at so many levels. They're claiming it's not terrorist activity, and yet they're charging him with an act of terrorism by claiming that he interfered with an aircraft with the willful intent to cause harm to passengers of that aircraft.
HEMMER: If convicted under this, though, he could face 20 years behind bars?
LONGARZO: I think the maximum sentence is 25 years, but his sentencing would be charted out under the sentencing guidelines if they remain in effect at the time.
HEMMER: He works in fiber optics, right?
LONGARZO: Yes, he does.
HEMMER: Why would he point a laser at an aircraft anyway?
LONGARZO: He didn't. I don't know why anyone would do that, but he was stargazing with his daughter.
HEMMER: Well, he admitted to it. So, if he admitted to it, then it begs the question, why would he do such a thing, whether if it was at a small jet or a helicopter flying over his house?
LONGARZO: It remains our position that he admitted to playing with his daughter with the laser beam. Anything else -- I have not yet seen the statement that was taken from him, but I know what was relayed to me about how he said that questioning went down.
HEMMER: One final question. Does he understand how a laser sometimes can blind the pilot in the cockpit?
LONGARZO: I don't think he knows that. I know he is very careful and has taught his children don't shine it in someone's face.
HEMMER: Well, keep us posted. And we'll continue to watch it.
LONGARZO: Thanks for having me.
HEMMER: We've been following now for about a week. Gina, thanks for your time. To our viewers, stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security. We'll have it for you when it happens.
Here's Heidi again with more now.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HEMMER: Will it be a good year or a bad year for Wall Street? Investors say they are already seeing clues a week into the year, and so is Andy. We'll get to that in a moment here.
COLLINS: Plus, a blast from the past. Led Zeppelin could steal the show on Grammy night, believe it or not. "90-Second Pop" will tell us why ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: Welcome back, everybody. We're going to get to Jack right now and the "Question of the Day" flying in right now.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: This just in.
HEMMER: It's yours, baby!
CAFFERTY: Up-to- the-minute news here on AMERICAN MORNING. A New York family court judge has ordered a drug-addicted woman to stop having kids until she proves she can take care of the ones she already has. She has seven. They range in age from 8 months to 12 years with seven different fathers.
The 31-year-old unidentified mother lost custody of her children in child neglect hearings over the last five years. And now six of the kids are in foster care, of course at the expense of the state, the taxpayer. Opponents say the judge's decision tramples on the fundamental right of individuals to procreate.
The question we're asking is: Can a judge order a woman to stop having children?
Jaclyn in Ohio: "Why not? Judges control every other aspect of our lives. This is only a footnote when compared to the other rights that they've taken away."
Larry in Crystal Beach, Texas: "Judges can do whatever they want, but that doesn't make it right. What's next? State-imposed sterilization?"
J.R. in Vicksburg, Mississippi: "Here we go again, another way government is trying to infringe on our basic rights. When are we going to learn then answer is always education, not government or the courts dictating how we live our lives."
Stan in St. Joseph, Illinois: "I don't think a judge has any legal basis to order a woman to stop having kids unless it's a question of balancing the rights and quality of life of her existing children versus her rights. By allowing a woman to have more children than she can reasonably support, we as a society are harming the children that she's already responsible for."
And Susan in Gualala, California: "As a physician, I have seen women who should not have children. They tend to be repeat abusers of kids and drugs. It is heartbreaking. But a judge cannot order a woman not to have children. Some of these rules need to change."
HEMMER: There's another case, right, under appeal?
CAFFERTY: Yes. The same judge ordered a different woman not to do this, and the courts are now -- it's in the appellate process.
HEMMER: Thank you, Jack.
CAFFERTY: Yes.
COLLINS: Seven children. Wow! All right.
Well, worrisome news now from the Fed. And with that and a market preview, Andy Serwer is "Minding Your Business."
We're talking inflation here.
ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: Yes, absolutely. Alan Greenspan and company are worried about that, Heidi. Yesterday, the markets took a tumble. Two days in row now the markets have been down, and we've had two days of trading this year. Not a good trend at all. We'll get to that in a second.
Ninety-eight points down. The Nasdaq down over 2 percent. Actually, the Dow is down five days in a row. Higher oil prices to blame, also some weakness in corporate reports by Alcoa and Krispy Kreme, aluminum and donuts.
COLLINS: Yes.
SERWER: That's sort of the whole American economy right there.
As far as Greenspan goes, minutes from a Fed meeting in December suggesting the Federal Reserve is concerned about inflation. That means they will probably continue to raise interest rates. I'm not sure why that's a surprise to anybody. They have signaled that for months and months now.
As far as an indicator of where we're going this year, though, the first five trading days of the year are often crucial. Since 1950, 29 times the market has been up the first five days -- or 33 times. And 29 times it's gone on to be up for the year. Conversely, when it's down the first five days, you're down.
And then there is the Packers indicator. When the Packers do well in the playoffs, the market goes up. I'm serious. Some people believe that.
COLLINS: Oh, is that right? SERWER: Yes.
HEMMER: That's like the Redskins, though, right?
SERWER: The Redskins with the election. The Packers in the playoffs, the market for the year. And if you believe that, I've got a bridge to sell you.
COLLINS: Yes.
HEMMER: Got two of them.
SERWER: Yes.
HEMMER: This is right around the time everybody thought the Dow might go to 11,000, right? Is that talk being dashed?
SERWER: Yes, it is. But basically, the market went up so strongly since the election it's probably due for a little bit of a breather here.
HEMMER: Got it.
COLLINS: All right. Andy, thanks so much for that.
SERWER: You're welcome.
COLLINS: Well, if you want to get in shape for the New Year, get cracking. One TV network says swimsuit season is already here. A revealing "90-Second Pop" is ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: Now there's some music. It's time once again for "90- Second Pop." Let's round up the usually suspects today. Andy Borowitz, minister of humor at BorowitzReport.com. Sarah Bernard, contributing editor for "New York" magazine. And Toure, CNN's pop culture correspondent.
Good morning, guys.
TOURE, CNN POP CULTURE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.
SARAH BERNARD, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, "NEW YORK" MAGAZINE: Good morning.
ANDY BOROWITZ, BOROWITZREPORT.COM: Good morning.
COLLINS: I want to talk to you, if we could first, Sarah, with you, about the tsunami relief. We're hearing from a lot of celebrities now.
BERNARD: A lot of people.
COLLINS: ... really donating a lot of money. Sandra Bullock, one million, Leonardo DiCaprio giving a significant amount. But is the PR surrounding their donation a little too much?
BERNARD: You know, I love that the way that Leonardo said, a significant amount, by the way. That's sort of making us all more intrigued. I am going to take the opposite opinion of my couch-mates that this is actually kind of a cynical way to -- Toure is looking at me. A cynical way to get attention for themselves and their really huge, you know, larger-than-life subjects.
I think there is really no difference between Sandra Bullock giving money and Rupert Murdock giving money, or Coca-Cola giving money. I mean, all of these other corporations have put out press releases that this is what they're doing. I don't see that it's any different for an individual to do it.
Besides, NBC is going to do a big celebrity musical concert on January 15, which is similar to what everybody did around 9/11. And we weren't talking about that then. So, I don't see why it's any different than that. Besides, it's the perfect celebrity cause, you have to admit. It doesn't have any partisan...
COLLINS: And when you make that much money, it could be an argument that these celebrities are corporations within themselves.
BERNARD: They are.
TOURE: Of course they are. Look, if you go on a film set and pretend for three months and get $10 million, you can give $1 million to people who are actually suffering for real. I mean, I don't think it's a PR stunt. It's something that is actual and generous and real. I mean, to whom much is given, much is required.
COLLINS: Yes. And at that point, I guess, who cares, as long as the money is going there?
BERNARD: You to agree with me.
TOURE: No. That is a good move that they seem to be doing.
BERNARD: Right.
TOURE: It's not a PR stunt.
BERNARD: No, I don't think it is a PR stunt.
COLLINS: All right. Well, the money is going, and that's the important thing.
All right, let's talk about that music we just heard a little while ago, Toure. A Lifetime achievement Grammy for Led Zeppelin.
TOURE: Yes.
COLLINS: Surprised?
TOURE: No.
COLLINS: Or is it just completely overdone?
TOURE: I mean, this had to happen. I mean, this is one of the great, great bands of their era. Big, huge sound, lots of blues and soul in their rock and roll mix. They had these great long operatic songs. I mean, when I was a kid, you know, no high school dance could end without playing "Stairway to Heaven." We would not leave.
BOROWITZ: On that note, though, in the acceptance speech it would be so awesome if they would explain what a "bustle in your hedgerow" is.
(CROSSTALK)
BERNARD: Oh!
BOROWITZ: Because they say it's just a spring clean for the May queen. I'm so lost. I have no idea.
TOURE: It's made me thought it was just stoner music, but it was great, great stuff all along.
COLLINS: It was very good stuff.
BERNARD: And everyone who has ever learned how to play guitar, it's always "Stairway to Heaven." Always.
COLLINS: That's true. That's true.
TOURE: Right.
COLLINS: We have so many of these collectors' albums at home, you have no idea.
All right, Andy, we've got to ask you, of course, about this last topic. The debut of the "Sports Illustrated" swimsuit model search. Now, were you in on the judging of this? Or...
BOROWITZ: Well, I'm all over this story. It combines everything I love. Reality TV, nearly naked women. You know, the one thing about this show that's a little different, most of these reality shows now are about people getting plastic surgery to look beautiful. And here's a show where all of the contestants have already had plastic surgery.
COLLINS: Now come on!
BOROWITZ: That's a little different. So I think it needs a twist, like maybe the winner gets to meet her birth father or something like that.
BERNARD: Oh!
SERWER: It just needs something.
TOURE: I don't even like that show. COLLINS: Well, it really is amazing, though, when you look back at the people who have been on the cover. And, of course, we want to talk about now Petra Nemcova, who is in Thailand in a hospital after suffering the tsunami. What it has done is for their careers on a different level, if you make this cover, I guess that's it. It changes your life.
(CROSSTALK)
TOURE: It has. But, I mean, the way that the "Sports Illustrated" swimsuit issue used to be, like 10-15 years ago, it was this great thing in American culture. It's not that anymore. I mean, you can find that soft core porn in "Maxim,", in stuff every month. I mean, when I was 15...
BOROWITZ: Brushon Bai (ph).
COLLINS: I forgot about that.
TOURE: ... it was the only place you could get it. And now it's just -- you know, it's all over the place. So it's not -- it doesn't mean what it used to mean. So, they've got to do a reality show to try to pump some energy back into them.
BERNARD: You know what's great about the reality show? My favorite thing is that they are -- Brushon Bai (ph) is promising that there's not going to be too much nudity, that it's going to be very conservative, bikinis that cover a lot of space.
COLLINS: So are people going to watch?
BERNARD: So, yes, I was going to say, I don't think that's what anyone wants to hear.
TOURE: It's just another one of the lame reality shows where the audience chooses who wins. Haven't we learned that reality shows are better when it's, like, one or two people are alike, you lose, you win, rather than, like, some group choosing.
COLLINS: All right.
BERNARD: Maybe you like them both.
BOROWITZ: Yes, like our presidential election.
TOURE: Exactly. Exactly.
COLLINS: All right. On that note, Andy, Sarah and Toure, you guys, thanks so much -- Bill.
HEMMER: All right, Heidi, thanks.
It's five minutes before the hour now. Our coverage of the tsunami continues in a moment. There is a sinister new threat to worry about: child trafficking in Southeast Asia. A 12-year-old Swedish boy may be the poster child for that cause. His story and more at the top of the hour, and back to Soledad in Phuket as well, after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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Tourism was the lifeblood for southeast Asia. Once the rebuilding is finished, though, what happens if the tourists do not come back? Back in a moment here on AMERICAN MORNING.
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