Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Today

A Startling Look Inside Hezbollah; Fugitive on 18-Story Crane for Third Day

Aired May 27, 2005 - 11:31   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.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's take a look at what's happening now in the news. First story, a live picture from here in Atlanta, a fugitive wanted in Florida remains perched high above the ground on a construction crane. Paul Roland has been up there since Wednesday afternoon. The body of his ex-girlfriend was recovered the day before from a pond near her home in Florida.
Americans are heading out today for the long Memorial Day weekend, and high gas prices don't appear to be enough to keep motorists home. AAA predicts a record number 37 million of us will travel this weekend as the summer vacation season gets under way.

The director of Ohio Workers' Compensation Bureau resigned today. The governor says James Conrad invested $55 million of state money in a rare coin investment fund. And now at least $10 million of that investment is missing. State officials say they'll sue a coin dealer and pursue criminal charges.

The pilot of a small plane won't face charges after he flew too close to an airbase in California. F-15 fighters intercepted the plane when the pilot didn't respond. Turns out he and a passenger were taking aerial photos for a real estate company.

And drug smugglers are getting more creative. Take a look at this. They hid 750 pounds of cocaine in fake fruit bound for Florida. The fiberglass plantains were mixed in with real ones in thousands of boxes of fruit.

Let's check some news overseas, beginning in Lebanon, which is starting a month-long election on Sunday for parliament. This is the first poll in a generation without the prying eyes of Syrian troops. One party taking place in Sunday's vote is Hezbollah. But Hezbollah has a radical side dating to its emergence in the early '80s. The group has been synonymous with suicide bombings, and since driving Israel from southern Lebanon several years ago, Hezbollah has embraced the Palestinian cause.

Correspondent John Vause now with a startling look inside Hezbollah in this CNN exclusive.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was an extraordinary claim, part of a fiery speech to mark the fifth anniversary of Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon. The leader of Hezbollah publicly boasting that the militant group has thousands of rockets all pointed at Israel.

SHEIKH HASSAN NASRALLAH, HEZBOLLAH LEADER: More than 12,000 rockets capable of hitting Northern Israel.

VAUSE: Senior Israeli intelligence officers say the Lebanese- based militant group backed by Iran and Syria, is actively recruiting Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza, financing and planning attacks on Israel.

Those same Israeli intelligent officers point to this training video. It show a suicide bomber where to stand on a bus. It's just one of hundreds of tapes the Israelis say they've intercepted over last few years sent from Hezbollah to Palestinian militants.

The video is slickly produced, showing the explosion from five different camera angles. The metal sheets around the mannequin represent seats and passengers.

"You will see the seats here," the voice-over explains. "The shrapnel penetrated them and was very effective." Two seats, though, were not hit, the ones on either side of the suicide bomber. But the blast, according to the voice-over, would be fatal to the passengers.

With guidance of experts, CNN has taken care to leave out critical portions of the video from this report. But the tape does show how to make explosives from chemicals which are easily available in pharmacies, hardware stores or farms all set to inspirational music.

Once the explosives are ready, there are detailed instructions on how to make a suicide belt.

"This is here for the explosive material," the tape explains. "This is for the shrapnel."

Israeli intelligence believes in last few years, Hezbollah has become increasingly active not only planning, but coordinating and financing attacks like this one, a double suicide bombing in Tel Aviv two years ago which left 23 dead, more than 100 wounded. And says last year, almost 100 Israelis died as a result of attacks ordered from Lebanon by Hezbollah.

Why is Hezbollah so active now? Since the death of Yasser Arafat, his replacement, Palestinian authority president Mahmoud Abbas, has made renewed efforts to find a way to make peace with Israel, a goal Hezbollah opposes.

DAVID HAHAM, ISRAELI MINISTRY OF DEFENSE: They would like to prevent the Palestinians from renewing the peaceful talks, the peaceful dialogue with the state of Israel.

VAUSE: Palestinians, too, acknowledge Hezbollah is actively recruiting. The police chief in Tokaram (ph) recently told CNN, it's one of his biggest concerns.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): It is likely you may have individuals or again very small groups which may be sympathetic to Hezbollah or even linked to Hezbollah.

VAUSE (on camera): But Israel says, it's much bigger than that. Israeli intelligence says it knows of 50 cells operating in the West Bank and Gaza all made up of disaffected Palestinian militants and believes last year at least $9 million were sent by courier, money exchanges and wire transfers from Hezbollah in Lebanon to finance those cells.

(voice-over): Israeli security and intelligence officials say Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah can stop the attacks with one word. But so far, they say, there's every indication he wants to be the spoiler, determined to wreck whatever fragile chance of peace now exists.

John Vause, CNN, the West Bank.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: Also happening around the world...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You took the word of a liar, and it's one of your people!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: In Indonesia, outbursts of fury and disbelief rocked the courtroom as the judge delivered a guilty verdict for Australian defendant Schapelle Corby. The 27-year-old woman was arrested in Bali last October after nine pounds of marijuana were found in her suitcase. The smuggling conviction brings a 20-year sentence. Corby's family and attorneys say the drugs were placed in her luggage without her knowledge and vowed to appeal the conviction.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MERCEDES CORBY, SISTER: To all our family and friends, we love you all.

Schapelle is innocent. This verdict is unjust! The case now enters a new phase and we'll stand by Schapelle every step of the way. Her lawyers have done their best and we support them. (INAUDIBLE), thank you. Schapelle will be coming home soon. (INAUDIBLE)! They didn't take any witnesses into account!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: It is possible the Australian and Indonesian governments could work out a prisoner swap so Corby could serve her sentence in her native country.

Focusing now on a situation that continues to unfold right here in Atlanta, Georgia. The man up on the crane, the wanted murder suspect, he is still there.

Our Tony Harris is down below, about 18 stories below, watching what is happening -- Tony.

TONY HARRIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Daryn, if you see something, I know we've got a shot of this -- if you see something, let me know. And I'm just sort of turning around, just to sort of bring you a bit of the play-by-play. But you're right, 41-year-old Carl Roland is still up on that crane, 350 feet above the ground, dangling over Peachtree Road in Buckhead. You know when we say Buckhead here in Atlanta, you almost have to say trendy Buckhead, because it is one of the entertainment centers of this town.

And he has been there since Wednesday afternoon. I've got to tell you, it has been a nightmare for restaurant owners, business owners of all kinds, as well as residents who live in this area, because they've been able to get nothing done. Think about it. If you're a resident or a commuter who needs to get through this area, you're out of luck. There's yellow tape everywhere. There are detours everywhere, roads are closed. And if you're a business owner in this area, forget about it. You're not getting business done, because people just can't get to you.

The back story now on Roland. Well, as you mentioned, he is a murder suspect. He is linked to the brutal beating death of his ex- girlfriend in Pinellas Park, Florida. Her body was actually found on Tuesday in a pond near her home. Roland makes his way to Atlanta. He then finds his way to this construction site. He essentially bum rushes his way past a construction worker -- we understand he does has a knife -- gets on the crane elevator, goes up to where he is right now and that's where he has been since Wednesday.

I want to draw your attention, if I could, for just a moment, Daryn, to that bucket. You see the bucket, the cement water bucket hanging from the pulley, which is attached to a conveyer belt? That thing has essentially been tracking Roland's moves. If he goes right, it goes right. If he goes left, it goes left. And if he tries to fake, it does the same thing.

Now, a couple of hours ago, authorities put a siren in that bucket. And I want to tell you something. On the ground here, a few hundred yards away from the construction site, that is one loud, annoying siren. I can't imagine what it's like after 40 hours up there without a harness on that arm of that construction crane. Yes, I'm going to be quiet for just a second so that you can possibly hear this siren, because it's loud and annoying. Let me know if you can hear that, Daryn.

KAGAN: Oh yes, we can hear it, even when you're talking.

HARRIS: You can hear it?

KAGAN: Yes.

HARRIS: You can hear it? So I can't imagine what it's like for Roland up there in such close proximity. But there he is, trying to walk away from it, back and forth. The one thing I can tell you is that while he's up there walking, while that siren is going, no negotiations are taking place. Roland has been doing -- much of what he's been doing throughout the morning is his own personal deconstruction project, trying to tear everything he can off that crane and throwing it to the ground. And that's where we are.

KAGAN: So Tony, some of what they're doing, trying to make it uncomfortable for him. But when I was watching earlier today, they handed him a coat and a hat because it was kind of chilly here this morning.

HARRIS: Yes.

KAGAN: What's the thinking in that? I think, if I'm cold, I'm coming down.

HARRIS: Yes, exactly. I mean, initially, I think that it was an attempt to gain his trust and his confidence and to hopefully, through those means -- they offered him a coat, food and water to coax him to come on down through being open and friendly with him. And that clearly has not worked. And I'm going to tell you, this whole idea with this bucket and this siren, it is a far more aggressive posture than we've seen before this time.

KAGAN: All right. He's not taking food, he's taking water. I'm going to ask the question that nobody wants to ask, but everyone is wondering. The bathroom situation.

HARRIS: Yes. And you know what, I'm give the only answer I can. I don't know, Daryn. Sure, we assume he has had to go to the bathroom at some point and we do not know whether or not the authorities are made arrangements for that.

KAGAN: Maybe it's a girl thing, but that's the first thing the all the girls are saying. How do -- anyhow, we'll let you go. We are keeping our eyes on that. It is a serious situation, as we said. He is a murder suspect in Florida. Authorities would very much like to get him down, as well as the people in the Buckhead area of Atlanta -- Tony Harris, thank you.

HARRIS: Sure.

KAGAN: We're talking Viagra straight ahead. Is there a new frightening side effect or are the men taking the drug already at risk? The latest health news, next in our "Daily Dose" segment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Health news for you now.

Viagra users may have something else to worry about. The Food and Drug Administration investigating rare reports of blindness among some men using the impotence drug. No laughing. Serious matter. A spokeswoman says there is no evidence that Viagra is to blame. There have been 50 reports among the more than 23 million Viagra users. The type of blindness reported is the same sort that can occur in men with diabetes and heart disease. According to the manufacturer, among the side effects of Viagra is a blueish or blurred vision and sensitivity to light.

Other health news for you now. Federal officials fearing a major flu outbreak in the U.S. could overwhelm medical services. CDC officials told Congress yesterday they are especially worried about avian flu and that has hit parts of Asia. They warn there is no vaccine to fight the disease should it spread human-to-human. If a global pandemic broke out, some health experts say 30 million people could get sick, with about one quarter of them dying.

To get your "Daily Dose" on health news online, log on to our Web site. You'll find the latest medical news, a health library and more. The address is CNN.com/health.

And let's take live pictures now. Let's go back to Annapolis, Maryland. See how many names we can get in here. President Bush 976 diplomas at the Naval Academy graduation. Let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Christopher M. Volnek (ph). Steven A. Shaul (ph). Nicole M. Wagner (ph).

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: And with that, we go to break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

KAGAN: Before you head out on the memorial day weekend trip, log on.

Right now, here's CNN's Christina Park at the dot-com desk.

CHRISTINA PARK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: On this Memorial Day weekend, CNN.com/travel is helping you get ready for summer vacation with tips on how to save you time and money. Travel experts expect Americans to take more than 300 million leisure trips in June, July and August.

To start, if you travel in a pack, try renting a home. Not only will it save you on lodging, but it also allows you to cut down on food costs since you won't have to eat out three times a day. It's a popular option for two or more families that want to vacation together.

If you're heading for a theme park with the kids this summer, avoid waiting in line all morning. Get a head start and buy tickets in advance, by phone or online. Plus, official park Web sites may offer discounts.

And for you nature lovers traveling on the cheap, "Frommer's Travel Guide" recommends National Park Service sites for a range of affordable destinations boasting breathtaking beauty, like Yosemite, and remarkable history, like Ellis Island. The cost won't send you packing either. Many national parks charge less than 20 bucks a night to camp. Time is money. Save on both at CNN.com/travel.

I'm Christina Park, wishing you bon voyage from the dot-com desk.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

KAGAN: All of you have a great holiday weekend. I'll be back with you on Monday. I'm working. I'm Daryn Kagan.

Fredricka Whitfield joins you. She's in for Wolf, after the break at the top of the hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com


Aired May 27, 2005 - 11:31   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's take a look at what's happening now in the news. First story, a live picture from here in Atlanta, a fugitive wanted in Florida remains perched high above the ground on a construction crane. Paul Roland has been up there since Wednesday afternoon. The body of his ex-girlfriend was recovered the day before from a pond near her home in Florida.
Americans are heading out today for the long Memorial Day weekend, and high gas prices don't appear to be enough to keep motorists home. AAA predicts a record number 37 million of us will travel this weekend as the summer vacation season gets under way.

The director of Ohio Workers' Compensation Bureau resigned today. The governor says James Conrad invested $55 million of state money in a rare coin investment fund. And now at least $10 million of that investment is missing. State officials say they'll sue a coin dealer and pursue criminal charges.

The pilot of a small plane won't face charges after he flew too close to an airbase in California. F-15 fighters intercepted the plane when the pilot didn't respond. Turns out he and a passenger were taking aerial photos for a real estate company.

And drug smugglers are getting more creative. Take a look at this. They hid 750 pounds of cocaine in fake fruit bound for Florida. The fiberglass plantains were mixed in with real ones in thousands of boxes of fruit.

Let's check some news overseas, beginning in Lebanon, which is starting a month-long election on Sunday for parliament. This is the first poll in a generation without the prying eyes of Syrian troops. One party taking place in Sunday's vote is Hezbollah. But Hezbollah has a radical side dating to its emergence in the early '80s. The group has been synonymous with suicide bombings, and since driving Israel from southern Lebanon several years ago, Hezbollah has embraced the Palestinian cause.

Correspondent John Vause now with a startling look inside Hezbollah in this CNN exclusive.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was an extraordinary claim, part of a fiery speech to mark the fifth anniversary of Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon. The leader of Hezbollah publicly boasting that the militant group has thousands of rockets all pointed at Israel.

SHEIKH HASSAN NASRALLAH, HEZBOLLAH LEADER: More than 12,000 rockets capable of hitting Northern Israel.

VAUSE: Senior Israeli intelligence officers say the Lebanese- based militant group backed by Iran and Syria, is actively recruiting Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza, financing and planning attacks on Israel.

Those same Israeli intelligent officers point to this training video. It show a suicide bomber where to stand on a bus. It's just one of hundreds of tapes the Israelis say they've intercepted over last few years sent from Hezbollah to Palestinian militants.

The video is slickly produced, showing the explosion from five different camera angles. The metal sheets around the mannequin represent seats and passengers.

"You will see the seats here," the voice-over explains. "The shrapnel penetrated them and was very effective." Two seats, though, were not hit, the ones on either side of the suicide bomber. But the blast, according to the voice-over, would be fatal to the passengers.

With guidance of experts, CNN has taken care to leave out critical portions of the video from this report. But the tape does show how to make explosives from chemicals which are easily available in pharmacies, hardware stores or farms all set to inspirational music.

Once the explosives are ready, there are detailed instructions on how to make a suicide belt.

"This is here for the explosive material," the tape explains. "This is for the shrapnel."

Israeli intelligence believes in last few years, Hezbollah has become increasingly active not only planning, but coordinating and financing attacks like this one, a double suicide bombing in Tel Aviv two years ago which left 23 dead, more than 100 wounded. And says last year, almost 100 Israelis died as a result of attacks ordered from Lebanon by Hezbollah.

Why is Hezbollah so active now? Since the death of Yasser Arafat, his replacement, Palestinian authority president Mahmoud Abbas, has made renewed efforts to find a way to make peace with Israel, a goal Hezbollah opposes.

DAVID HAHAM, ISRAELI MINISTRY OF DEFENSE: They would like to prevent the Palestinians from renewing the peaceful talks, the peaceful dialogue with the state of Israel.

VAUSE: Palestinians, too, acknowledge Hezbollah is actively recruiting. The police chief in Tokaram (ph) recently told CNN, it's one of his biggest concerns.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): It is likely you may have individuals or again very small groups which may be sympathetic to Hezbollah or even linked to Hezbollah.

VAUSE (on camera): But Israel says, it's much bigger than that. Israeli intelligence says it knows of 50 cells operating in the West Bank and Gaza all made up of disaffected Palestinian militants and believes last year at least $9 million were sent by courier, money exchanges and wire transfers from Hezbollah in Lebanon to finance those cells.

(voice-over): Israeli security and intelligence officials say Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah can stop the attacks with one word. But so far, they say, there's every indication he wants to be the spoiler, determined to wreck whatever fragile chance of peace now exists.

John Vause, CNN, the West Bank.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: Also happening around the world...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You took the word of a liar, and it's one of your people!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: In Indonesia, outbursts of fury and disbelief rocked the courtroom as the judge delivered a guilty verdict for Australian defendant Schapelle Corby. The 27-year-old woman was arrested in Bali last October after nine pounds of marijuana were found in her suitcase. The smuggling conviction brings a 20-year sentence. Corby's family and attorneys say the drugs were placed in her luggage without her knowledge and vowed to appeal the conviction.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MERCEDES CORBY, SISTER: To all our family and friends, we love you all.

Schapelle is innocent. This verdict is unjust! The case now enters a new phase and we'll stand by Schapelle every step of the way. Her lawyers have done their best and we support them. (INAUDIBLE), thank you. Schapelle will be coming home soon. (INAUDIBLE)! They didn't take any witnesses into account!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: It is possible the Australian and Indonesian governments could work out a prisoner swap so Corby could serve her sentence in her native country.

Focusing now on a situation that continues to unfold right here in Atlanta, Georgia. The man up on the crane, the wanted murder suspect, he is still there.

Our Tony Harris is down below, about 18 stories below, watching what is happening -- Tony.

TONY HARRIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Daryn, if you see something, I know we've got a shot of this -- if you see something, let me know. And I'm just sort of turning around, just to sort of bring you a bit of the play-by-play. But you're right, 41-year-old Carl Roland is still up on that crane, 350 feet above the ground, dangling over Peachtree Road in Buckhead. You know when we say Buckhead here in Atlanta, you almost have to say trendy Buckhead, because it is one of the entertainment centers of this town.

And he has been there since Wednesday afternoon. I've got to tell you, it has been a nightmare for restaurant owners, business owners of all kinds, as well as residents who live in this area, because they've been able to get nothing done. Think about it. If you're a resident or a commuter who needs to get through this area, you're out of luck. There's yellow tape everywhere. There are detours everywhere, roads are closed. And if you're a business owner in this area, forget about it. You're not getting business done, because people just can't get to you.

The back story now on Roland. Well, as you mentioned, he is a murder suspect. He is linked to the brutal beating death of his ex- girlfriend in Pinellas Park, Florida. Her body was actually found on Tuesday in a pond near her home. Roland makes his way to Atlanta. He then finds his way to this construction site. He essentially bum rushes his way past a construction worker -- we understand he does has a knife -- gets on the crane elevator, goes up to where he is right now and that's where he has been since Wednesday.

I want to draw your attention, if I could, for just a moment, Daryn, to that bucket. You see the bucket, the cement water bucket hanging from the pulley, which is attached to a conveyer belt? That thing has essentially been tracking Roland's moves. If he goes right, it goes right. If he goes left, it goes left. And if he tries to fake, it does the same thing.

Now, a couple of hours ago, authorities put a siren in that bucket. And I want to tell you something. On the ground here, a few hundred yards away from the construction site, that is one loud, annoying siren. I can't imagine what it's like after 40 hours up there without a harness on that arm of that construction crane. Yes, I'm going to be quiet for just a second so that you can possibly hear this siren, because it's loud and annoying. Let me know if you can hear that, Daryn.

KAGAN: Oh yes, we can hear it, even when you're talking.

HARRIS: You can hear it?

KAGAN: Yes.

HARRIS: You can hear it? So I can't imagine what it's like for Roland up there in such close proximity. But there he is, trying to walk away from it, back and forth. The one thing I can tell you is that while he's up there walking, while that siren is going, no negotiations are taking place. Roland has been doing -- much of what he's been doing throughout the morning is his own personal deconstruction project, trying to tear everything he can off that crane and throwing it to the ground. And that's where we are.

KAGAN: So Tony, some of what they're doing, trying to make it uncomfortable for him. But when I was watching earlier today, they handed him a coat and a hat because it was kind of chilly here this morning.

HARRIS: Yes.

KAGAN: What's the thinking in that? I think, if I'm cold, I'm coming down.

HARRIS: Yes, exactly. I mean, initially, I think that it was an attempt to gain his trust and his confidence and to hopefully, through those means -- they offered him a coat, food and water to coax him to come on down through being open and friendly with him. And that clearly has not worked. And I'm going to tell you, this whole idea with this bucket and this siren, it is a far more aggressive posture than we've seen before this time.

KAGAN: All right. He's not taking food, he's taking water. I'm going to ask the question that nobody wants to ask, but everyone is wondering. The bathroom situation.

HARRIS: Yes. And you know what, I'm give the only answer I can. I don't know, Daryn. Sure, we assume he has had to go to the bathroom at some point and we do not know whether or not the authorities are made arrangements for that.

KAGAN: Maybe it's a girl thing, but that's the first thing the all the girls are saying. How do -- anyhow, we'll let you go. We are keeping our eyes on that. It is a serious situation, as we said. He is a murder suspect in Florida. Authorities would very much like to get him down, as well as the people in the Buckhead area of Atlanta -- Tony Harris, thank you.

HARRIS: Sure.

KAGAN: We're talking Viagra straight ahead. Is there a new frightening side effect or are the men taking the drug already at risk? The latest health news, next in our "Daily Dose" segment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Health news for you now.

Viagra users may have something else to worry about. The Food and Drug Administration investigating rare reports of blindness among some men using the impotence drug. No laughing. Serious matter. A spokeswoman says there is no evidence that Viagra is to blame. There have been 50 reports among the more than 23 million Viagra users. The type of blindness reported is the same sort that can occur in men with diabetes and heart disease. According to the manufacturer, among the side effects of Viagra is a blueish or blurred vision and sensitivity to light.

Other health news for you now. Federal officials fearing a major flu outbreak in the U.S. could overwhelm medical services. CDC officials told Congress yesterday they are especially worried about avian flu and that has hit parts of Asia. They warn there is no vaccine to fight the disease should it spread human-to-human. If a global pandemic broke out, some health experts say 30 million people could get sick, with about one quarter of them dying.

To get your "Daily Dose" on health news online, log on to our Web site. You'll find the latest medical news, a health library and more. The address is CNN.com/health.

And let's take live pictures now. Let's go back to Annapolis, Maryland. See how many names we can get in here. President Bush 976 diplomas at the Naval Academy graduation. Let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Christopher M. Volnek (ph). Steven A. Shaul (ph). Nicole M. Wagner (ph).

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: And with that, we go to break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

KAGAN: Before you head out on the memorial day weekend trip, log on.

Right now, here's CNN's Christina Park at the dot-com desk.

CHRISTINA PARK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: On this Memorial Day weekend, CNN.com/travel is helping you get ready for summer vacation with tips on how to save you time and money. Travel experts expect Americans to take more than 300 million leisure trips in June, July and August.

To start, if you travel in a pack, try renting a home. Not only will it save you on lodging, but it also allows you to cut down on food costs since you won't have to eat out three times a day. It's a popular option for two or more families that want to vacation together.

If you're heading for a theme park with the kids this summer, avoid waiting in line all morning. Get a head start and buy tickets in advance, by phone or online. Plus, official park Web sites may offer discounts.

And for you nature lovers traveling on the cheap, "Frommer's Travel Guide" recommends National Park Service sites for a range of affordable destinations boasting breathtaking beauty, like Yosemite, and remarkable history, like Ellis Island. The cost won't send you packing either. Many national parks charge less than 20 bucks a night to camp. Time is money. Save on both at CNN.com/travel.

I'm Christina Park, wishing you bon voyage from the dot-com desk.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

KAGAN: All of you have a great holiday weekend. I'll be back with you on Monday. I'm working. I'm Daryn Kagan.

Fredricka Whitfield joins you. She's in for Wolf, after the break at the top of the hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com