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CNN Saturday Morning News
Delays As Investigators Determine Whether U.S. Marines Massacred Innocent Iraqi Civilians; Search Is On For Suspect Who Killed Family Of Seven; Women Best Hope For American Win In This Year's French Open; Russian Diplomat Killed, Four Kidnapped In Iraq; Protect Your Valuable Assets; 17th Condoleezza Rice To Participate In Annual Susan G. Komen Race
Aired June 03, 2006 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Now in the news, we are following a developing story this morning -- a major counter-terrorism sweep north of the border.
Police say at least 10 people have been arrested in the Toronto area. One newspaper says it may be the largest anti-terror operation since the 9/11 attacks here in the U.S.
Now, authorities have not confirmed, though, reports that the suspects were plotting an attack with explosives.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: The Army says U.S. troops will not face charges in a raid in the Iraqi town of Ishaqi. Officials say troops came under attack while raiding a suspected Al Qaeda safe house in March. They fired back, first on the ground, then from the air. And the military says as many as a dozen Iraqi civilians may have been killed.
NGUYEN: Well, Iran waits for details on incentives to give up its nuclear program, but Iran's president is standing firm. He says the country won't abandon its nuclear ambitions.
Six world powers, including the U.S. are offering incentives to Iran. Those details will be presented in the coming days.
HARRIS: A suspect on the loose, police on the hunt. Authorities are still searching for the prime suspect in the deaths of seven family members in Indianapolis. Four adults and three children were killed in what one officer calls a "robbery/home invasion."
Police have arrested a man believed to be an accomplice of suspect Desmond Turner.
A live report from Indianapolis is just minutes ahead.
NGUYEN: And we are getting reports of damage from strong storms in New Jersey. Here's just a little look right now.
More bad weather is expected. This is a new video, though, coming into us from Clarksboro, New Jersey, where you see that tree there has fallen on a house.
Forecasters say heavy rain could cause flooding in some areas and meteorologist Reynolds Wolf is tracking these storms, as you know.
He joins us live.
Look at that radar.
HARRIS: Wow!
NGUYEN: So much rain.
REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Absolutely. Yes. It's lit up like a Christmas tree. We're going to be seeing that same storm system that produced that damage in New Jersey. It's now drifting into other parts of New England. And that, in turn, could cause some flooding later on today and possibly through the rest of the weekend.
We'll bring you the very latest on that, coming up in just a few moments -- Tony, let's send it back to you.
HARRIS: OK, Reynolds, thank you.
A run-for life this morning in Washington, D.C. The Race for the Cure raises money for breast cancer research.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will be taking part in the race.
For complete coverage of breaking news and today's top stories, stay with CNN, the most trusted name in news.
NGUYEN: And from the CNN Center here in Atlanta...
HARRIS: Did you enjoy your time off?
NGUYEN: Oh, I had such a good time.
HARRIS: Did you do some fun-things?
NGUYEN: I had, you know, I had a wonderful -- I went home to Dallas. I...
HARRIS: Where is that? Where is your home again?
NGUYEN: Dallas.
HARRIS: What state is that?
NGUYEN: That would be Texas.
HARRIS: Oh, right. All things Texas.
NGUYEN: Oh, yes, the great State of Texas.
HARRIS: Right.
NGUYEN: The Lone Star State.
Good morning, everybody.
I'm Betty Nguyen back in the saddle today.
HARRIS: You didn't bring any pictures or anything?
NGUYEN: Well, it wasn't that kind of fun.
HARRIS: Oh, it wasn't? OK.
NGUYEN: It was a visit with family.
HARRIS: And I'm Tony Harris.
NGUYEN: I mean, don't get me wrong, it's fun, but, hey, a visit with the family. I mean what can you say?
HARRIS: Well, good to have you back.
NGUYEN: it's good to be back.
We've got a lot to tell you about today.
HARRIS: Yes.
Good morning, everyone.
Thanks for being with us.
NGUYEN: First up, a major terrorism sweep. Suspects arrested, a possible plot disrupted.
In our CNN "Security Watch," authorities in Toronto say they have arrested at least 10 people. They're suspected of terrorism-related offenses. And the "Globe & Mail" newspapers say it appears to be the most intense operation since the September 11 attacks.
There are reports the suspects may have been involved in a bombing plot in Ontario.
Now, there's no confirmation yet from police about that. But we are going to keep you updated as we get more information. And you want to stay tuned for live coverage of a police news conference, which is expected about three hours from now.
In the meantime, you want to stay tuned to CNN both day and night for the most reliable news about your information and security.
HARRIS: U.S. forces in Iraq under fire and under scrutiny. An Army investigation clears troops of wrongdoing in one incident.
But the military is still looking into an alleged massacre and two deadly shootings.
First, the March raid in the town of Ishaqi, north of Baghdad. The Army now says troops there acted properly and will not face charges. Officials say U.S. forces came under attack and fired back. They say as many as a dozen Iraqi civilians may have died.
Now to the shooting death of an Iraqi man in Hamandiyah in April. A dozen U.S. troops are under investigation. A source says murder charges are likely against several of them.
Another incident happened this week in Samarra. The military is looking into reports that soldiers shot and killed two women. One of them was pregnant. The women's vehicle apparently sped through a checkpoint while taking the pregnant woman to the hospital to give birth.
It may be weeks before we learn whether charges will be filed in one of the most shocking Iraqi civilians, the deaths of 24 Iraqi civilians in Haditha. Investigators are trying to determine whether U.S. Marines massacred innocent civilians. But they have been delays in the search for answers.
Details from senior Pentagon correspondent Jamie McIntyre.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SENIOR PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Pentagon sources familiar with the investigation say the criminal probe into whether a small number of Marines killed two dozen civilians in Haditha last November may take another six to eight weeks. One official tells CNN investigators are still interviewing witnesses and are trying to get the families of the victims to allow them to exhume the bodies of some victims to collect more forensic evidence.
Meanwhile, legal sources tell CNN that a number of the members of Kilo Company, the Marine unit believed to have carried out the killings, are in the process of retaining attorneys, including the staff sergeant who was the most senior member of the squad.
CNN has now talked to the Marine officer who paid $38,000 in compensation to families of 15 victims. And while he wouldn't discuss the payments or the alleged massacre, he does say, when he worked with that same unit, their work was first rate.
MAJOR DANA HYATT, U.S. MARINE CORPS: They were good guys. I mean, they -- they did a great job. They -- like I said, I mean, you've got these young kids, 18-, 19-, 20-year-old kids, doing things that kids back here that same age would -- would never even dream of doing.
MCINTYRE: Commanders across Iraq are underscoring that the stress of battle does not excuse murder.
BRIGADIER GENERAL DONALD CAMPBELL, MULTINATIONAL CORPS, IRAQ: While we understand the stresses and pressures inherent in combat operations, we cannot and will not accept behavior that is legally, morally or ethically questionable.
MCINTYRE: Three Marine officers were relieved of command, but one tells CNN he's being unfairly tarred by the Haditha scandal. Captain James Kimber says his firing in April was over a dispute with his superiors about media interviews given by his troops that had nothing to do with the Haditha incident.
CAPTAIN JAMES KIMBER, U.S. MARINE CORPS: I'm here to clear my name and let everybody know that I didn't have anything to do with Haditha. I wasn't anywhere near it. My Marines were nowhere near it. And, you know, that's -- that's the bottom line.
MCINTYRE: Kimber's attorney says his client is a war hero who is simply a victim of circumstance and that his 10-year Marine career is being sacrificed on the altar of political correctness.
Jamie McIntyre, CNN, the Pentagon.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: Well, the investigations in Iraq lead us to our e-mail question this morning.
What do you think about the recent allegations against U.S. troops in Iraq?
E-mail us your thoughts, Weekends@CNN.com, and we will read them throughout the morning.
NGUYEN: Take a listen to this.
A suspect on the loose, police on the hunt. Some are calling it the worst mass murder in Indianapolis in 25 years. Seven members of one family were killed at their home this week.
CNN's Keith Oppenheim is live in Indianapolis with the very latest on this.
A lot of people are just scratching their heads as to why -- Keith.
KEITH OPPENHEIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right.
In fact, Betty, there are 100 -- excuse me -- more than 100 investigators that are working on this case from the Indianapolis police. And that's a sign that they are working very hard to try to find who they say is the key suspect in this case.
Police say his name is Desmond Turner. He is 28-years-old.
Now, last night police say there was a raid on a home about a mile from here and they think that Turner had been at that location for a time, but they believe that he left before they could get to him.
Police say they did make an arrest from someone who they say is an accomplice in this case. His name is James Stewart. He's 30- years-old. And authorities expect that he will be charged with murder. It was around 10:15 on Thursday night that this family of seven was shot execution-style in their home. Alberto Covarrubias, Emma Valdez -- a married couple, along with their four children and one grandson all murdered.
And late last night, Indiana Police Chief Michael Spears talked about the search for the suspect on the loose.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHIEF MICHAEL SPEARS, INDIANAPOLIS POLICE: Desmond Turner is still at large but he is not comfortable here. The police department is applying a tremendous amount of pressure to him. The community is applying a tremendous amount of pressure. The department and the citizens of our city are not going to tolerate this kind of conduct and I believe it's just a matter of time before we have him in custody, as well.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
OPPENHEIM: Desmond Turner is a convicted felon, Betty. Police say that he's armed and dangerous. In fact, they say that he used assault-style rifles during this attack, similar, they say, to AK-47s -- back to you.
NGUYEN: Seven family members, three children, one grandchild.
Did the suspect know any of the victims?
OPPENHEIM: In fact, investigators believe that at least one of two suspects in this case -- one arrested and one on the loose -- did know the people in this home. Now, they are officially saying that this was a home invasion and a robbery, although police have not indicated yet if they know of anything that was taken from the home.
NGUYEN: Keith Oppenheim, thanks for staying on this.
We'll be talking with you -- Tony.
HARRIS: And still ahead, from rising energy prices to higher interest rates, is your money disappearing before your eyes?
NGUYEN: You asked. It's not so funny, is it?
HARRIS: It's, you know, it's the laugh to keep from crying.
NGUYEN: Exactly.
HARRIS: Still ahead, some investment strategies to help guard that golden nest egg of yours.
NGUYEN: Yes, be on guard.
HARRIS: Yes.
NGUYEN: Plus, they are banning together to beat breast cancer. It's a real live race for a cure and you might be surprised to see who is actually lacing up her running shoes to take part today. We'll tell you who that is ahead on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
(WEATHER REPORT)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: All right, time now to get you up to speed on this morning's top stories.
In Canada, a major police sweep in the Toronto area nets at least 10 people. They've been arrested on terrorism-related offenses. Now, a local newspaper calls it the most concentrated sweep in Canada since the 9/11 terror attacks.
And there could be more arrests. There is a news conference scheduled for 10:00 a.m. Eastern.
We'll bring that to you live when it happens.
All clear -- the U.S. military investigation exonerates U.S. troops in the deaths of several Iraqi civilians in the town of Ishaqi in March. The Defense Department says American forces followed rules of engagement and any allegations of misconduct are absolutely false.
Now to a wildfire in northern Arizona. It is 50 percent contained. More than 500 firefighters and aircraft are battling that blaze. Just take a look at it. At least five structures, including one home, have been destroyed.
HARRIS: You know what? I don't want to make a big deal of it but...
NGUYEN: You don't want to make a deal of it, OK?
HARRIS: And, you know, I'm prone to do that sort of thing.
NGUYEN: Yes. That's why I mentioned it.
HARRIS: But, you saw the map earlier...
NGUYEN: Oh, with all the rain.
HARRIS: ... behind Reynolds with all the rain and everything.
NGUYEN: Yes.
HARRIS: Yes. And, you know, it's a real mess. And I understand that the storm is just moving farther up the East Coast -- Reynolds...
(WEATHER REPORT)
NGUYEN: So, how is your retirement nest egg looking, Tony?
HARRIS: I'm going to work until I drop. NGUYEN: Mine's got a few cracks in it. But I'm trying to shore that up. An unstable market, though, may have you fearful of the future. Coming up, tips to survive a market decline.
HARRIS: And the next day are the last Americans standing at the French Open Tennis Championship?
The big question of the morning.
If they go, will you stick around to watch the rest of the tournament? That's a good question here.
The man with some of the answers -- I guess he was also at the Miami "Heat" game last night.
NGUYEN: Yes.
HARRIS: Yes.
Rick Horrow...
RICK HORROW, CNN SPORTS BUSINESS ANALYST: Absolutely.
HARRIS: ... takes us...
HORROW: How do you like this, OK?
HARRIS: Yes?
HORROW: Do you play? I don't think you play tennis very well.
HARRIS: Sure, I do.
NGUYEN: Oh, he plays really well, actually.
HORROW: I really don't think so. You don't look like an athlete.
NGUYEN: Oh, there he goes.
HORROW: Well, you do, I know. But not Tony. Tony can't...
HARRIS: We're going to go "Beyond The Game" after this break, Rick Horrow.
HORROW: Yes ...
(CROSSTALK)
HARRIS: Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: When you take a look at the 50 tennis grand slam champions so far this decade, 21 of them were Americans. And of that number, U.S. winners, 16 are women. Only six American men have won a grand slam tournament this decade and one of them, Pete Sampras, has retired.
Now, if you're looking for an American winner in this year's French Open, once again, the women appear to be the best hope. That's because Andy Roddick, the last American man to win a grand slam tournament, is already out. Only James Blake is still around for the men and Venus Williams for the women.
So let's find out what this means in terms of making the game of tennis from the author of "When the Game Is On the Line."
Sports business analyst Rick Horrow joins us this morning from his usual perch there in West Palm Beach, Florida -- good to see you, sir.
Serving up some nonsense for...
HORROW: Good to see you, sir.
HARRIS: Good to see you, sir.
Hey, I have to ask you, last year...
HORROW: Yes, nonsense.
HARRIS: Yes, yes, yes.
HORROW: Yes, sir.
HARRIS: Last year, as I recall, we didn't have a -- we didn't have an American men's champion or women's champion, and yet the ratings, the TV ratings, were kind of off the charts for the French Open.
What's your take on that?
HORROW: Well, the take across the globe is that worldwide viewers like tennis. One hundred and ninety-five countries and $3 billion viewers of some or all of the French or any of the grand slams.
Americans are a little different -- we need superstars. If they're not American superstars -- and we have some of them. Maria Sharapova, for example -- $20 million in endorsements, including a $6 million Canon deal, Land Rover, Nike, Prince and the like.
On the men's side, we've got a new rivalry. Roger Federer, the number one in the world for the past few years, challenged by a boy phenom -- turning 20 today, by the way -- Raphael Nadal. His clay court winning streak is pushing 60. And if he gets to the finals of the French -- which I'll be at, by the way, next week...
HARRIS: Oh, come on.
HORROW: ... there will be a major -- yes, sir -- major, major interest in watching him defend. And, also, he doesn't look badly for a lot of people who want to see him. HARRIS: Yes.
HORROW: The key is the future of women's and men's tennis in America. Plan for growth of a $50 million, a USTA plan and they're improving. Seventy-seven percent of us say we're tennis fans, but only 30 percent of us say we're avid. More needs to be done.
Of the top 200 tennis players in the world, only 15 percent are Americans.
HARRIS: Hey, I have to ask you, is this true, there's a bit of history at the French Open this year? Men and women both being paid equally in prize money?
And, if that's true, is this a sign of, you know, things to come for the women's game?
HORROW: Yes, maybe. But it's a little slow. The top first prize in men's and women's get 950,000 euros, which is about $1.2 million. Not bad work if you can get it.
HARRIS: Yes.
HORROW: But in the early rounds, the men make more than the women and they need, they say, to improve that. Ninety percent of the French tennis fans say we ought to have equal prize money. But it's better than Wimbledon in that context, where the men and the women get different prize money all the way through the tournament.
HARRIS: Hey, take us beyond the game this morning with your fair ball. And I know you're going to love this one. I kind of like it myself.
HORROW: Well -- and, also, the fair ball is I get to sell more books, although that's not why I'm doing this. You know, 20 years ago, I was involved in that whole Miami arena plan and it's almost 20 years to the day where the arena was approved, the Miami "Heat" was awarded. Ted Arison, the father of Mickey Arison, the owner of Carnival Cruise Lines, paid $32.5 million for the Miami "Heat" franchise. I was there.
Today, it's pushing $400 million. The "Heat" wins the first time, the Miami "Heat" is in a finals for the NBA. And if Dallas wins this weekend, we're facing the prospect of two teams in the NBA finals who have never been there before. That's a big deal for basketball. Certainly a big deal for South Florida here.
HARRIS: Oh, if Dallas is in the NBA finals, do you know what life is going to be like with Betty for two weeks?
HORROW: Well, I know life has been like with Betty since, you know, their -- what's the team? The Longhorns?
HARRIS: The Long...
HORROW: What was it, baseball or football? NGUYEN: Mavericks.
HORROW: Well, you have 50,000...
(CROSSTALK)
NGUYEN: The Mavericks. The Dallas Mavericks...
HORROW: ... and you pay off the kids and all of that kind of thing.
NGUYEN: You know, it's funny that you say that, Tony -- HARRIS: It's just...
NGUYEN: ... because I was just saying god...
HORROW: Yes, wait.
Is this your segment?
Are you in the middle of ...
(CROSSTALK)
HARRIS: Yes.
NGUYEN: Yes, because once you start...
HORROW: Is this your deal here?
NGUYEN: ... talking about Dallas, it's my segment.
(CROSSTALK)
HARRIS: We just brought Texas in...
HORROW: You keep talking about Dallas.
HARRIS: ... so you know it's her segment.
Well, Rick, your foul ball this week?
HORROW: Hook 'em horns!
HARRIS: You're talking about the NHL and hockey?
HORROW: Well, because not too many people know. You know, they came back from labor Armageddon and they did a really good job. They had 21 million fans go to hockey games this year, which is a 15 percent increase. That's huge. Twenty-two of the 30 teams are making money, says Commissioner Gary Bettman.
The problem is there are only about 250,000 households watching the game on TV, despite the positives of the new OLN Network coverage and NBC. But you've got the Stanley Cup Finals starting Monday night, with Carolina -- Raleigh -- and Edmonton. Great hockey support in those cities, but not big TV markets.
HARRIS: Rick, have a great trip to Paris and drop a couple of dollars for me on that Roger Federer kid. He is something to watch. He really is.
Take care, my friend.
HORROW: We'll see. Nadal is the favorite. It'll be a good week and I'll check in with you next weekend.
HARRIS: Yes, appreciate it.
All right, Rick, thank you. OK -- Betty.
NGUYEN: Speaking of money, is there a fracture in your nest egg or are you on the road to a secure retirement?
Ahead, some advice to keep your long-term goals on course -- good morning, Veronica.
VERONICA DE LA CRUZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, there, Betty.
Good to see you.
Batten down the hatches. We are now three days into the 2006 hurricane season. I'll show you a few hurricane hot spots.
That's coming up next from the Dot-Com Desk.
(WEATHER REPORT).
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: And this just in to CNN minutes ago. One Russian diplomat has been killed and four others kidnapped in Iraq after gunmen opened fire on the diplomats' car. It happened in the Baghdad neighborhood of Mansour, where the Russian embassy is located.
For complete coverage of this breaking story, stay with CNN, the most trusted name in news.
U.S. troops accused of intentionally killing civilians in the town of Ishaqi have been cleared of misconduct. Up to a dozen Iraqis were killed in a March raid when U.S. troops attacked a suspected Al Qaeda safe house. Military officials admit as many as nine Iraqi civilians may have died from collateral damage. Military officials reacted this morning.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAJ. GEN. WILLIAM CALDWELL, U.S. ARMY: All loss of innocent life is tragic and unfortunate, and we absolutely regret such occurrences.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Several other investigations into claims of troop misconduct are still underway.
Anti-terror arrests in Canada. Police say at least 10 people were arrested on terrorism related offenses during raids in Toronto. Police would not confirm a report the offenses involved an explosives plot in the province of Ontario. More arrests are expected and a news conference is slated for 10:00 a.m. Eastern.
CNN will carry that live for you.
And, again, for complete coverage of this developing story, stay with CNN, the most trusted name in news.
NGUYEN: Time to talk money, your finances.
Is your retirement nest egg all it's cracked up to be or is it slowly coming apart?
Well, the recent stock market slide has many investors fearful of the future. The month of May -- listen to this -- had four of the Dow's five worst point drops this year, the third worst just a few days ago, Tuesday's dip of 184 points.
Rising energy prices and interest rates are also hitting home with consumers.
So what can you do to protect your valuable assets?
Well, joining us now is Cybele Weisser of "Money" magazine.
She's going to talk about some of the tips to keep our money secure, our financial future secure.
Good morning to you.
CYBELE WEISSER, "MONEY" MAGAZINE: Good morning, Betty.
NGUYEN: All right, let's get down to it. No sugar coating. Give us the bottom line.
How unstable is this economy?
WEISSER: You know what, when it comes to being a long-term investor, you really shouldn't be worrying about the ups and downs of the stock market and the economy from day to day. It's really important to just, at this point, keep your head on straight, keep a long-term outlook and stick to your plan.
NGUYEN: Yes, but if you don't react to some of this, don't you think people are going to be losing a whole lot of money?
WEISSER: I think the best thing for an investor to do right now is to take a look at your portfolio and try to assess the risk. So if you're overloaded in some areas that have dramatically shot up over the past year, there's a good chance that, well, you'll see some down side.
You want to take this time to rebalance your portfolio, get back to the asset allocation that you've chosen and that way you're going to protect yourself against down -- taking a big down side hit.
NGUYEN: Yes, financial advisers always say diversify, diversify, diversify.
WEISSER: Sure.
NGUYEN: OK.
So, in that vein, where should people put their money so that their balances, their sheets, are diversified?
WEISSER: Well, first of all, you want to be spread over stocks, bonds and cash. You want to keep some of your market -- some of your money in each one, depending on how old you are. Younger investors who have more time to make up for losses should keep more of their money in stocks, less in bonds. And as you get older, you want to shift your money gradually more toward bonds, which tend to take less of a down side hit when things get rocky.
You also...
NGUYEN: All right, what about international funds?
Are they showing any signs of gain?
WEISSER: Yes. You want to keep some of your money in international, as well. That's very important right now because international stocks don't always move in tandem with U.S. stocks.
NGUYEN: Right. So while the U.S. stocks may be on the down side, the international ones may actually be making a bit of a profit.
What about index funds, though?
WEISSER: Exactly. Well, indexed funds are the, really, one of the best ways to go for most investors. That's because they're cheap. Indexed funds just -- they mirror the results of an index, whether that's the S&P 500 or the Dow Jones. And there's nobody making stock selections who is paid a lot of money to do so.
So, basically you get the performance of the market without paying a lot of expenses.
NGUYEN: So you're essentially investing in the market, not in particular stocks?
WEISSER: Exactly.
NGUYEN: I got you.
OK, so in a down market, let's talk about this because some people are saying, all right, this is the time to buy. You've got to jump on these -- these low rates out there, these cheap buys, some would say.
What is your advice about that?
WEISSER: I'm sorry.
Could you repeat that?
NGUYEN: Yes. In a market like...
WEISSER: I'm having some trouble...
NGUYEN: That's all right.
In a market like this, when prices are really low for stocks and other things like that, is this the time to buy, to really get in on it while it's low?
WEISSER: You know, you should always be buying low and selling high. So...
NGUYEN: Yes, but who can predict that, right?
WEISSER: OK. Right. And, you know, you really probably shouldn't be predicting it. What you should be doing is what they call dollar cost averaging. So investing a little bit of money consistently. Your 401K is a great way to do that. It comes right out of your paycheck and goes into the market. And that way you know that you're buying some low and selling some high all the time.
NGUYEN: Well, there are people worried, no doubt, especially when you see the down days that we have on the market as of late.
So in that case, some are thinking well, you know what? Let me just pull a little bit out. Let me put some cash on the sidelines and wait until it's a better time to get in.
What's your advice on that?
WEISSER: Well, you know, when things go down, that's the worst time to pull out because then you're doing the opposite of that, you're selling when things are low and if you try to get back in, you're probably going to be buying when things are high.
So this is the time to really stay the course. You know, again, it's a good time to, you know, make sure your portfolio isn't overly risky, continue to invest a little bit in the market all the time and really just, you know, try to relax.
NGUYEN: What about real estate? Is that a good investment, very quickly?
WEISSER: Well, over the long haul, real estate does very well. Right now it looks like, you know, the real estate market in the U.S. on average, is probably going to flatten out over the coming year. So, you know, if you're really loaded up on real estate investments and, you know, this may be a good time to get out, yes. NGUYEN: Yes, start selling, and now. Put up that sign.
OK, Cybele Weisser, thank you so much today.
WEISSER: Thank you, Betty.
NGUYEN: With "Money" magazine -- Tony.
HARRIS: We want to give you an update now on a developing story just in to CNN.
One Russian diplomat killed, four kidnapped in Baghdad, the report so far.
CNN's John Vause is in Baghdad with the latest -- John.
JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Tony, what we understand, five Russian diplomats were traveling through the Mansour District in west Baghdad. That's an upscale area of the capital here where many embassies are located.
Now, they were in two vehicles. We understand that unknown gunmen stopped these vehicles, opened fire.
Now, one member of this diplomatic corps was wounded. Four others were kidnapped. What we've been told by sources from the interior ministry is that the wounded man was taken back to the Russian embassy, not far away from where they were stopped, but he died a short time later.
It's not the first time diplomats have been targeted. In fact, over the last few years at least six diplomats have been kidnapped. The Egyptian diplomat, for example, was kidnapped and then later executed. Just two weeks ago, a diplomat from the United Arab Emirates was kidnapped, but he was released unharmed earlier this week -- Tony.
HARRIS: John, it doesn't sound like this was random. It sounds like it was a targeted attack.
Is there anything more to go on in that area?
VAUSE: At this stage, no, Tony. I mean there is so much sporadic violence in and around the capital, it's very difficult to say it's something that's targeted or whether they were just in a flashy car and they stood out and that's why they were chosen for this particular attack. At this stage, we don't know. It could very well have been that they were singled out by these gunmen and that's why they have been kidnapped.
But this all happened within the last minutes or so. So at this stage, we just don't know whether they were particularly singled out by the gunmen.
HARRIS: Got you.
and once again the reporting is one Russian diplomat killed?
VAUSE: Well, what we understand, yes. The diplomatic workers, they were all Russians. They work for the Russian embassy so they're part of the diplomatic corps. What rank, what level they are, how close they are to the ambassador, that kind of thing, we just don't know at this stage; whether they're lower level employees or whether more senior members of the diplomatic corps with the Russian embassy, we just don't know at this stage -- Tony.
HARRIS: OK.
CNN's John Vause for us.
And, John, I know you'll be keeping us posted with the latest on this developing story here at CNN.
We'll take a break.
More CNN SATURDAY MORNING right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(WEATHER REPORT)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Well, did you know we are on day three of hurricane season?
HARRIS: Wait a minute, are we going to do this...
NGUYEN: It started June 1st...
HARRIS: ... tomorrow is day four and then day five.
NGUYEN: That's how it works.
HARRIS: Are we going to do this?
NGUYEN: Well, I mean considering what we went through last year with all of those hurricanes and Katrina, I think it's good to be prepared. So...
HARRIS: Yes.
NGUYEN: ... in order to stay prepared, let's turn it now to Veronica de la Cruz to talk about what is online dealing with hurricanes -- hi, there, Veronica.
DE LA CRUZ: Hey there, Betty.
As you probably know by now, NOAA has predicted another active storm season with as many as six major hurricanes. So we've created this special report online at CNN.com.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) DE LA CRUZ (voice-over): NOAA says there could be 13 to 16 named storms in the Atlantic. Four to six could become major hurricanes. A major hurricane is defined as a category three or higher on the Saffir-Simpson Scale, which runs from one to five.
Our online gallery highlights the kind of damage that can be expected with different category storms.
Last year, three major storms hit the U.S. and early preparation is key for your safety. These evacuation tips can help you begin your planning.
Don't forget, 2005 broke the official record for the most named storms in a single season.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
DE LA CRUZ: And, again, you can find it all online at CNN.com/hurricane. You can also find it right here on our computer screen.
We're going to walk you through it, a couple of the interactives that are available to you, starting here in the danger zone. Clicking through this glossary, just in case you want to get familiar with some of the terms that meteorologists used, maybe the Saffir-Simpson Scale, right, Reynolds?
WOLF: Absolutely.
Absolutely.
DE LA CRUZ: Also, you want to be prepared, just like Betty was saying, so there is a great gallery for safety tips. You want to read through that one.
And let's concentrate on this one. This is a map of the areas most hit in the U.S. These are the danger zones here. We're going to click and then I'm going to pass it over to Reynolds Wolf...
WOLF: Yes, that's -- that's pretty cool.
DE LA CRUZ: So break it down, Reynolds.
WOLF: Yes.
We're going to zoom it in for you a little bit.
Let's bring the camera over here, if we can.
We've got a better, better shot of it.
Hi, folks.
Here it is again. What we're showing you is just the Saffir- Simpson Scale on one side of the screen. This is the popup you can see on the Web site. And it also shows places where in, over history, you've had the type of storms that have made landfall.
For example, in parts of this Texas coastline where you've had category four storms on the Saffir-Simpson Scale. Some also in parts of Louisiana, obviously South Florida, as well.
DE LA CRUZ: But Reynolds, nothing that shows that a category five would be probable, right?
WOLF: And that is because there are several...
DE LA CRUZ: No dark spots on the map.
WOLF: Well, if there was a dark spot, it would be really, really small in parts of extreme South Florida. We're talking Miami, because those are -- they're pretty rare storms.
DE LA CRUZ: And nothing in Atlanta?
WOLF: And nothing in Atlanta, thankfully. But the site is filled with all kinds of great information, including, I think, hurricane names, right?
DE LA CRUZ: Yes. Let's...
WOLF: Let's take a look at these.
DE LA CRUZ: Let's show you that list. It's right here. It's the 2006 storm names. There is a Beryl, not a Betty.
Sorry, Betty.
There is a Rafael. There's not a Reynolds. There's a Valerie, no Veronica.
But there is a Tony.
HARRIS: Oh my goodness.
DE LA CRUZ: There's a Hurricane Tony.
WOLF: Oh my gosh.
DE LA CRUZ: And there he is.
WOLF: Oh my goodness. Run, run, run, run, run, run. That is a...
DE LA CRUZ: You know what?
WOLF: ... that's a spooky thing.
DE LA CRUZ: Yes.
Scary, scary -- well, not scary. I'm sorry.
NGUYEN: Let me say... DE LA CRUZ: Scary if Hurricane Tony is wearing a pink tie.
WOLF: Yes.
NGUYEN: If you saw that big mug chasing after you, I'd run, too. Put that picture back up.
WOLF: Probably not a smart...
NGUYEN: That's the craziest looking thing I've ever seen.
HARRIS: Why does -- why does everybody think that's so funny?
NGUYEN: Look at that!
WOLF: To me, that's a handsome hurricane.
NGUYEN: That is very scary.
WOLF: As far as hurricanes go, it's a handsome hurricane.
DE LA CRUZ: Where's the pink tie, though?
WOLF: Absolutely.
HARRIS: Why does everybody think that's so funny? Why -- oh, Betty made a funny...
NGUYEN: Because it's at your expense.
HARRIS: ... and everybody's laughing.
WOLF: Go figure.
HARRIS: That's just wonderful.
DE LA CRUZ: We love it.
Hurricane Tony, one dangerous storm.
WOLF: It's a beautiful thing.
HARRIS: You go -- she's doping me up to a cat four here, you keep it up, all right?
NGUYEN: That's what we do around here.
Oh, OK, yes.
WOLF: Well, we've got all kinds of great information we're going to share with you throughout the morning.
And in case you're wondering is your city prepared for a natural disaster? You might want to think about that, because coming up at 9:00 a.m. Eastern on CNN, we're going to have a list of cities that have a passing or a failing grade. And we'll also give you an idea if you need to pack up and start moving.
HARRIS: Yes, there you go.
WOLF: Absolutely.
NGUYEN: Wow!
OK.
WOLF: All right.
NGUYEN: I'm definitely watching for that.
WOLF: I know you will.
NGUYEN: I'll be here.
HARRIS: Veronica, Reynolds, thank you both.
WOLF: You bet.
HARRIS: That's good work in there, in the, you know...
NGUYEN: Watch out for Hurricane Tony.
DE LA CRUZ: In the CNN Weather Center.
WOLF: Absolutely.
HARRIS: Yes, thank you.
WOLF: Hard at work.
HARRIS: OK.
Well, here's the mission -- find a cure for breast cancer. That's been the running force for the National Race for the Cure since its inception in 1990.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is among those about to take part in this year's race.
CNN's Kyung Lah is in Washington with more -- Kyung, good morning.
KYUNG LAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Tony.
Pretty loud out here. This is the start and the finish of the 17th Annual Susan G. Komen Race.
I want to give you a look at the crowd here. There are 17 -- excuse me -- 40,000 participants, runners and walkers, of this 5K. Thirty-five hundred survivors among this crowd. And the reason they're saying -- that some of the organizers here are saying this is going to be one of the most memorable starts is because of something that's going to be happening here on this stage right over my left shoulder.
What's happening up here is that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is going to be leading the people here at the start of this race in a warm-up.
Now, earlier this morning, just about 30 minutes ago, she was meeting some of the survivors, shaking their hands. You could see all these ladies who are wearing pink. They are breast cancer survivors. And the reason that she is here is when she was 15 years old, her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. Because of treatment, she was able to live another 15 years.
Here is what the Secretary said to us just a short time ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CONDOLEEZZA RICE, SECRETARY OF STATE: Well, my mother had breast cancer and she first had it when I was 15-years-old, but she survived. She was a survivor. She was -- I was 30 when she succumbed to a metastasis of the cancer. But the wonderful thing is that she saw not her 15-year-old daughter, but her 30-year-old daughter. So she knew that I had grown up to teach at Stanford and become a specialist in international politics.
And I think that underscores that what we really are looking for here is, of course, the cure, the cure that makes it so that no one ever has to worry about this disease.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NANCY BRINKER, FOUNDER, KOMEN BREAST CANCER FOUNDATION: I think Secretary Rice knows, clearly, these kinds of issues are not just specific to the United States. These issues are global issues. And breast cancer is something that is a disease affecting -- over a million women throughout the world are diagnosed with this disease on a yearly basis.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LAH: Now, this caps a long week for Secretary Rice. She was in Vienna, Austria just a couple of days ago. On Thursday, she and other world powers did ask Iran, in some strongly worded compromises, to ask them to cease their nuclear program.
Just yesterday, the Iranian president said we don't think so.
This morning, Secretary Rice says that she will just allow him to think about that, but that we do believe, the United States believes that there will be a compromise from Iran.
She also did comment about Iraq, as far as the investigation -- one was wrapped on Friday. She says regarding the Haditha investigation, she says that that will also, she's confident that that will also be resolved in a free and democratic way. Now, as far as this race there, applauding. We're expecting Secretary Rice to show up in just a short amount of time, where she will be leading them in a warm-up.
We're live from Washington.
I'm Kyung Lah.
Back to you -- Tony.
HARRIS: Kyung, thank you.
Good to see the Secretary out there in her running clothes and her exercise gear.
That's great.
The administration could use more photo-ops like that.
NGUYEN: And running for a good cause.
HARRIS: Yes. It's great.
NGUYEN: It's an important race today.
Well, hey, the summer fire season is here. You've probably seen the pictures already. Well, there are some more of them. And this could soon be a familiar site, though, in some of the nation's hottest spots.
HARRIS: We'll tell you about it and other stories that have folks talking just ahead in The Water Cooler.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: And you know what that sound means. Lots of great stories in The Water Cooler.
HARRIS: I'm just uncomfortable with that sound. I just don't know what it is...
NGUYEN: He doesn't like the sound of it.
HARRIS: ... but I'm ...
NGUYEN: Bubbles.
HARRIS: I'm uncomfortable with it.
NGUYEN: All right, well, you may be uncomfortable with some of this, too.
Have you seen this surveillance video? It's of a nighttime break-in in a liquor store in Forth Worth, Texas.
Well, the burglar... HARRIS: Oh!
NGUYEN: Check it out -- was knocked out cold. What -- what a you know what.
But anyways, he was knocked out cold when he crashed through the ceiling. He was so dazed afterward he couldn't get out of the store.
HARRIS: Just get to lay down.
NGUYEN: Yes, just lay down and let them pick you up and take you off to jail, and, frankly, after that nasty injury, I mean who could expect anything else?
Can we replay that?
HARRIS: Yes, that was...
NGUYEN: That was crazy.
HARRIS: That was good. That was good.
NGUYEN: He came in through the ceiling, right?
HARRIS: Right.
NGUYEN: Right there. What -- who comes in...
(LAUGHTER)
HARRIS: Sorry. Sorry.
NGUYEN: Who comes in through the ceiling? But, yes, obviously robbers out there, that apparently doesn't work, just FYI.
HARRIS: Oh, falling and can't get up.
All right, listen up, Batman fans.
That -- we're going to run-that about 50 times. We'll figure out a way this morning.
NGUYEN: That's a good one.
HARRIS: Batwoman is back, this time with a twist to make her more contemporary. D.C. Comics has decided that Batwoman should be a crime fighting lesbian.
NGUYEN: OK.
HARRIS: We don't make it up, folks. Don't make this stuff up. You can already hear the Hollywood scriptwriters furiously rewriting their scripts as we speak, Betty.
NGUYEN: And now check out this one of a kind jumbo jet. What -- what is coming... HARRIS: Yes, all right.
NGUYEN: All right, this 747 has been outfitted as a prototype supertanker to battle forest fires. It can hold seven times more water or fire retardant. That's what we were seeing, fire retardant, than current tankers can. And it can control the release, which allows pilots to make several passes over the same fire before reloading.
HARRIS: And, finally, from affiliate WSYR -- I'm not sure of the city. Maybe we'll find out here in a second. A rock solid case of instant karma. Police were able to catch the vandal who desecrated this cemetery in Fleming, New York on Memorial Day --
NGUYEN: A cemetery.
HARRIS: ... because he left behind an important digital...
NGUYEN: Really?
HARRIS: ... digital clue, part of his middle finger.
NGUYEN: Of course, his middle finger.
That's what you get.
HARRIS: He got it caught between two headstones crashing together. The 26-year-old was already under suspicion, but when police noticed he had recently lost a finger, it didn't take long for them to get a confession.
NGUYEN: Not at all.
Those are some wild stories.
HARRIS: And there's The Water Cooler.
NGUYEN: We don't make them up, folks.
We don't make them up.
And to another thing that we're talking about today. This is our e-mail question of the day, on a serious matter.
What are your thoughts on the recent allegations against U.S. Marines in Iraq?
We've gotten lots of responses.
This one from Albert in Florida. Albert says: "Our Marines are stressed. I believe most of the civilians in the Haditha area knew about the IED" -- which is the improvised explosive device -- but did nothing to stop it. So how can you fight a war when the people you are there to protect do not want you around? It's just enough to send you over the edge."
HARRIS: Yes.
And this from C. Jones, who writes: "The scrutiny our troops are facing is a sign we need to redeploy. We've put troops in an unstable environment that will only get worse. They aren't sworn to protect Iraq."
Thank you for the e-mails this morning.
The question once again, what are your thoughts on recent allegations against U.S. Marines in Iraq?
There is the address, Weekends@CNN.com.
And we'll read more of your responses next hour.
NGUYEN: And speaking of that next hour, it begins in just a moment.
First, though, Gerri Willis with your "Tip of the Day."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GERRI WILLIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Disasters can strike quickly and without warning. So make sure you and your family are prepared for the worst.
Establish an evacuation route and a meeting place in a familiar area. In case you're separated, have an out of state contact. It may be easier to make a long distance phone call than one across town. Be sure each member of your family knows the number and has coins or a pre-paid phone card in case cell phones go down.
If you have children, ask about the school's disaster plan. This way, you know where your child will be taken to in case of an evacuation.
For more information, go to ready.gov or check with your state's emergency department.
I'm Gerri Willis and that's your Tip of the Day.
Watch a special edition of "OPEN HOUSE," "Hurricanes: Prepare and Protect," today, 9:30 Eastern, on CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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