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New York Groom Shot to Death by Police; Cheney Flies out to Saudi Arabia

Aired November 25, 2006 - 22:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You got good cops and you got bad cops. The ones that shot them, they need to be put away.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Anger and lots of unanswered questions in a New York neighborhood. A groom to be is shot to death the night before his wedding.

Also amid spiraling violence in Iraq, Vice President Cheney flies to Saudi Arabia for a whirlwind meeting with the country's king. What was he doing there?

And it's offbeat, it's bizarre, but millions of people can't get enough of the Ninja. Just ask him.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Teaching a dog ninja skills is fun, as long as you realize that once you do, he is no longer man's best friend.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: You're in the NEWSROOM, your connection to the world, the Web, and what's happening right now. I'm Carol Lin. You've been busy today, so let's get you plugged in.

Meeting the headlines here in the NEWSROOM, another long shot at peace in the Middle East. The Palestinians and Israelis agreed to a cease-fire in Gaza. It starts in less than one hour from now.

Israel launched several air strikes in Gaza, though, earlier today. We have full details in just a minute.

And Baghdad, a ghost town. A strict curfew on all civilian vehicles will remain in effect for another 24 hours. And the airport is closed, too. The curfew began after car bombs and mortar attacks killed more than 200 people on Thursday.

And he's in, he's out. Vice President Cheney's spending far more time in Air Force 2 than he did actually on the ground in Saudi Arabia. Cheney and Saudi King Abdullah met for several hours in Riyadh on Saturday. And we're going to take a closer look at what that visit means straight ahead.

A New York City police officer shooting. One man is dead on his wedding day. And it happened before dawn Saturday in Jamaica Queens. And according to police, a group of men leaving a strip club got into an altercation with undercover officers. Full details coming up, including new comments tonight from police.

And still missing, four days and four nights. Four-year-old Tristan and his two-year-old brother Avery. The boys vanished from the Red Lake Reservation in Minnesota. More than 100 searchers with dogs and special camera here are on this case. And temperatures have been falling.

Chicago police want to know if anyone has seen Jessie Ross. He's a 20-year-old college student from Kansas City last seen Monday night at a downtown hotel. His student group was in Chicago for a mock United Nations conference.

Now we want to hear from you. You choose the news. Is there a particular story that you want to hear more about? Well, just e-mail us at weekends@CNN.com or send us your video or webcam suggestion @CNN.com/exchange. And we're going to get the answer for you within this hour.

In the meantime, how many times have we heard the optimistic word 'cease-fire' in the Middle East? Well, it never seems to hold. Still, the Israeli and Palestinian leaders have both agreed to conditions to stop the fighting in Gaza, conditions that take effect just minutes from now.

CNN's Ben Wedeman reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): After months of bloodshed, at last the prospect is quiet in Gaza. Palestinian militant factions have agreed to stop their operations against Israel.

VOICE OF MIRI EISEN, ISRAELI GOV'T SPOKESWOMAN: The cease-fire is supposed to include the end of rocket fires, of suicide bombers, of tunneling, of all the different aspects of violence that we've seen coming out of the Gaza Strip not only over the last five months, but really over the last few years.

WEDEMAN: In exchange, Israel will halt its offensive and pull its forces out of Gaza.

Cruise rockets made by Palestinian militants have killed two Israelis in the last two weeks. All Israeli operations in Gaza since June have left more than 400 Palestinians dead, about half of them civilians.

The sudden announcement of an agreement may be the result of frustration with the militants from Gaza itself, starting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who has long condemned the rocket attacks as useless and counterproductive. Through to Palestinians who have seen their homes destroyed and livelihood shattered in successive Israeli operations. While in Israel, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, already under intense criticism for his conduct with the summer war with Hezbollah, has of late taken political heat for his inability to halt their daily rocket attacks from Gaza.

The agreement could foreshadow progress at last in the formation of a Palestinian National Unity government between the two main factions, Hamas and Fatah, as well as a breakthrough in talks over a deal to relieve Israeli Army Corporal Gilad Shalit, who was kidnapped on June 25th in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians held in Israeli jails.

But a cease-fire should not be confused with peace. Hamas' exiled leader Khalid Mishaal calls for real progress in negotiations with Israel or else.

KHALID MISHAAL, EXILED HAMAS LEADER: Palestinians with withdrawal from any political negotiations and move on to a third uprising. And the struggle will be as fierce as any before.

WEDEMAN: Such dire warnings notwithstanding, the cease-fire is due to go into effect just before sunrise Sunday morning with a promise that, for the first time in a very long time, Gaza and the Israeli towns around it could have a day of peace and quiet.

Ben Wedeman, CNN, Jerusalem.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: In the meantime, another big story today. It's a long way to fly for a quick visit. Vice President Cheney paid a personal visit to the kind of Saudi Arabia Saturday. We're told the two men discussed the war in Iraq, developments in Iran, and the prospect for peace in the Middle East.

Well, a Saudi official tells CNN the two men, "see eye on eye."

But you know, we want to hear from you. What do you think about Cheney's quick trip? And what do you think was behind it? Give us a call at 1-800-807-2620. And we're going to air some of your responses later this hour.

Now while we wait for your impressions of Mr. Cheney's whirlwind trip, here's a conversation I had a short time ago with our senior international correspondent Nic Robertson. Nic has some keen insight on Saudi Arabia's strong influence in the Muslim world, especially their neighbor to the north.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, the one thing that the king can deliver is that Saudi Arabia is a Sunni majority country. The Saudi Arabia rulers carry a lot of weight within the Sunni community throughout the Middle East, and in particular in Iraq. And if you think about where the insurgency has come from in Iraq, and where a lot of the initial violence came from, it came from within the Sunni community.

And why? Because they used to rule Iraq. And now there's a Shia majority. The Shias now getting a lot of influence coming in from Iran, which of course is a Shia country.

And it's hoped the United States would hope, the vice president would hope that Saudi Arabia can have some influence over the Sunnis in Iraq and perhaps convince them why they should try and find peace in the country at this time.

LIN: Now the Saudi royal family has its own issues in its own country. So what influence - what could they actually do, literally do to change the dynamic on the ground in Iraq?

ROBERTSON: At this stage, there really is very little that they can do. Saudi Arabia has a lot of money. It has influence within the Sunni tribes in Iraq. It can use that influence to convince and perhaps with economic incentives convince the Sunni Arabs in Iraq that whatever the deal is to make them stop fighting, that's the deal they can sign up to.

There has been, we've been told by a Saudi adviser, a package in the works here for several months. There's been build up between U.S. officials and National Security Council and Saudi advisers here.

And that deal, we don't know the parameters of it, but could part of that deal be something that King Abdullah will have to try and sell to the Iraqis. Perhaps that's what may have been at stake here.

LIN: Did it strike you the dramatic gesture that the vice president made to board his plane and fly all the way to Saudi Arabia for a few hours meeting with the king only to fly back to Washington? What does that tell you?

ROBERTSON: Well, I know what it tells people in this region. The United States' allies are Sunni countries. They're Saudi Arabia, they're Kuwait, they're Jordan. And there's real concern at the moment that the United States might have to make some big compromise to get stability in Iraq. And they might have to make that compromise with Iran.

And the concern here is when the vice president flies all the way to Saudi Arabia for a meeting that lasts a couple hours with the king, it could be that he's coming to deliver some very bitter news to the king that's best done in person.

Perhaps the United States is going to have to make some tough compromises that are going to allow Iran, a stronger perhaps involvement in Iraq than Saudi Arabia would like to see.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: Because obviously, the fear is that insurgency may be growing. And it turns out insurgents in Iraq are supporting themselves. That is according to The New York Times, which obtained a classified report. It says militant groups in Iraq are raking in $70 to $200 million a year.

Now no confirmation from the White House, claiming that information is actually classified. But The Times alleges that the insurgents get the money through illegal activities and ransoms and no longer from the assets of Saddam Hussein.

Well, a White House spokesman does say considerable effort goes into tracking and cutting off funds to insurgent groups. The newspaper says it obtained a report from U.S. officials in Iraq.

Now today, Iraq explodes in violence. Shiites retaliate against Sunnis by torching mosques. What now? Well coming up, our military analyst, General David Grange on why Iran and Syria may take the lead.

Plus, a groom shot to death after leaving his bachelor party. Tonight, new comments from police on why they opened fire.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's just horrible feeling to know that there's two little kids lost somewhere.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: The search grows more desperate for two little boys missing in Minnesota. And the weather grows even colder. Time could be running out.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: You're watching for the news everywhere.

In the meantime, three men left a New York strip club this morning after an all night bachelor party. What happened next is anything but clear. But there was a chaotic confrontation with undercover police and then a hail of police gunfire.

And when it was over, one man, today's groom, was killed. His two friends wounded. And even after tonight's news conference was over, there were a lot more questions than answers. Here's CNN's Mary Snow.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Exactly what led New York City police officers to open fire killing a groom to be and injuring his two friends is now being investigated by a grand jury. Shortly after 4:00 a.m., the men left a bachelor party at a Queens strip club, a club that was under surveillance. Police say undercover cops were tracking the men as they got into their car. They say the first struck a plainclothes officer who was on foot before colliding into an unmarked police van.

COMM. RAYMOND KELLY, NEW YORK POLICE DEPT.: The officer was struck. And the mini van was hit at just about the same time. And then the officer opened fire.

SNOW: Seven police officers were involved with all but two shooting their nine millimeters.

KELLY: Five officers fired a total of 50 rounds at the Altima.

SNOW: One officer alone fired 31 shots. The groom to be Sean Bell was killed. His friend Fred Benifield (ph) seen handcuffed here was shot three times.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I can't feel my legs. No.

SNOW: Joseph Goodnon (ph) was shot at least 11 times. Police say there were suspicions that one of the men may have had a gun. After obtaining a search warrant, no weapons were found. Family members are furious. A woman identifying herself as Judy said her nephew is one of the men who was injured.

JUDY, VICTIM'S RELATIVE: You've got good cops and you've got bad cops. The one who shot them, they need to be put away.

SNOW: Community activists, the Reverend Al Sharpton, is calling for in his words "real answers."

AL SHARPTON, REV., CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST: We are not anti police. Many of us have police in our family. We are anti police brutality. There is a difference between good cops and bad cops.

SNOW: NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly says none of the officers were involved in any previous shooting incidents. Kelly said his department was not able to question the five officers who opened fire on Saturday because they were being questioned by the district attorney's office.

Mary Snow, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: A little while ago, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg issued this statement. "Although it's too early to draw conclusions about this morning's shooting in Jamaica, Queens, we know that the NYPD officers on the scene had reason to believe that an altercation involving a firearm was about to happen and were trying to stop it. I have been in touch with community leaders throughout the day to hear their concerns and update them on what we know and what we will - and that we will keep them informed as this investigation continues."

In the meantime, a sad, sad story. Two missing boys from Minnesota, missing for days now. There will be a pivotal change in the investigation if they're not found tomorrow.

And it's a video blog with a 1, 2 punch. What are hundreds of thousands asks a Ninja? I'll ask the teen behind this Internet smash.

And don't forget tonight's last call. What do you think is behind the vice president's quick trip to Saudi Arabia? Give us a call at 1-800-807-2620. And we're going to air your responses at the end of the broadcast.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: Well, they have been missing since Wednesday morning. And tonight in Red Lake, Minnesota, as temperatures drop below freezing, there is still no sign of two little boys. Two-year-old Avery Lee Stately and four-year-old Tristan Anthony White. Scores of people spent today searching for the young brothers. Family members say they haven't given up hope.

Jeff Goldberg of KMSP updates the search.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEFF GOLDBERG, KMSP NEWS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The mornings keep getting colder, as the sadness and fear grows deeper.

RUTH WIND, VOLUNTEER: I just want to go get started and look and do whatever I can to help.

GOLDBERG: Ruth Wind has 10 grandchildren of her own. She can't stop thinking about the two young boys who have been away from home for nearly four days.

WIND: It's just a horrible feeling to know that there's two little kids lost somewhere.

GOLDBERG: Wednesday morning, four-year-old Tristan White and his two-year-old brother Avery Stately were playing in the front yard of their home on the Red Lake Reservation. Their mother, Alicia White, says she checked on them just before 10:00 and realized they were gone.

ALICIA WHITE, MISSING BOYS' MOTHER: My babies are gone out there in the cold by themselves.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We want to make sure we have everything going in and everything coming out.

GOLDBERG: The search to find the boys has grown each day. Saturday, volunteers joined 150 law enforcement officials to cover new ground and revisit areas already checked...

Help has come in all different forms.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We actually came from Minneapolis.

GOLDBERG: ...and from different places. Three dive teams continue to inspect frozen lakes while two government planes fly overhead day and night.

PAUL MCCABE, FBI: As it stands right now, there's nothing solid.

GOLDBERG: FBI special agent Paul McCabe says there is still no evidence proving whether the boys wandered off or were taken away, but he does not expect the ground search to last past the weekend. MCCABE: Frustration, but you keep moving forward. I mean, there's not any talk of giving up, you know, even when the ground search ends.

GOLDBERG: Ruth Wind won't consider giving up. She knows a mother's love and can only imagine one mother's pain.

WIND: And I just want to try to help and hopefully find them.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GOLDBERG: Search dogs will continue their work through the night and first thing tomorrow morning. That ground search is going to get going once again. If that proves fruitless, the bulk of the investigation will shift into the possibility of foul play like an abduction.

Meanwhile, family members of the boys and members of the Red Lake Reservation are anxiously waiting for answers. Carol?

LIN: Oh, Jeff, it's just heartbreaking when you look at those -- the pictures that they have of these two little boys. And...

GOLDBERG: Yes, no question.

LIN: ...God willing that they find these little boys very soon. All right.

GOLDBERG: Yes, absolutely. Everybody here hoping for a quick resolution.

LIN: All right, Jeff Goldberg reporting in from the scene. Thank you very much.

Let's check in with Jacqui Jeras. Jacqui, it looks pretty cold out there.

JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, it really does. You know, you hope those boys aren't out there by themselves, exposed to these conditions by themselves, because you know, they don't have the survival skills. And temperatures extremely dangerous for anybody to be outside for a significant length of time.

The real true Arctic air still kind of bottled up here to the north and in Canada. But it is going to be spilling into Minnesota. The temperature in Red Lake right up here in the north central parts of Minnesota is about 21 degrees, but there's a little bit of a breeze. So it's making it feel like 11 above.

Overnight temperatures are going to be down into the teens tonight. And even colder air is on the way. Right now, it's in the Pacific Northwest, spilling in by tomorrow. And as we approach the middle of the week, we'll watch this cold air move into upper parts of Minnesota, and into Iowa, even down into some of the Plain states. And that's when temperatures on the thermometer are going to be subzero. Carol? LIN: You know, Jacqui, we're in the business where anything can happen. You know, they could get a break tonight. So let's keep our fingers crossed.

JERAS: That would be great.

LIN: All right, thanks, Jacqui.

Well, it looks quiet, but looks can be deceiving. A mandatory curfew in Baghdad has so far proven to be ineffective. So why has it being extended?

And unusual allies. I'll talk to one retired Army general who says the U.S. must reach out to Iran and Syria if there's to be any progress in Iraq.

Stay with us right here in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: Back in the NEWSROOM with your headlines tonight and tomorrow. After a day of air strikes, the promise of peace exists tonight in the Gaza Strip. In 35 minutes, a total cease-fire agreement goes into effect. The deal would end a five month Israeli offensive and the firing of rockets by Palestinian militants. We'll see if it holds.

Two international leaders, one afternoon and one very important whirlwind meeting. Vice President Cheney is heading home tonight, after meeting with King Abdullah in Saudi Arabia. We're told the two discussed Iraq, Iran, Syria's influence in Lebanon, and the status of Hamas and Gaza.

Cheney's visit leads us to our "last call" question tonight. What do you think about this quick trip to Saudi Arabia? Give us a call at 1-800-807-2620. We're going to air some of your responses later this hour.

A police shooting in New York leaves a young groom dead on what was supposed to be his wedding day. Three men driving from a strip club allegedly rammed an undercover officer and an unmarked mini van. Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly says it's too early to know if the shooting was justified. A grand jury is investigating.

It's almost dawn in Baghdad. And for another day, no cars, only pedestrians, are allowed on the streets. It is a drastic security measure after an unprecedented spike in insurgent violence.

CNN's Arwa Damon sets the scene. She spoke to some Baghdad residents living in lockdown.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ARWA DAMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT, CNN NEWSROOM (voice-over): In this U.S. military video shot on Friday, you see what the military says are the last two of six rockets fired from Baghdad's Shia Sadr City, into a Sunni Adamia (ph). The helicopter locks on to its target and fires, destroying the rocket system. The U.S. stepping in with its military superiority to try to violence Iraqis say their government is either unable, or unwilling, to prevent.

In the wake of Thursday's devastating bombing in Sadr City that left at least 200 Shia dead, stories of retaliatory attacks taking place despite a government lockdown spread through the capital like wildfire.

(on camera): Traffic would normally be backed up at this intersection. The government imposed curfew meant to curb retaliatory violence is keeping most people at home. But it's not stopping the killing.

(voice-over): Few dared venture out, but one man who did, says Iraq's political forces are behind the violence.

"These militias belong to the government, not to us," Mohammed Taleb explains. "I am a poor person, struggling to support my children. Do you think I would carry my weapon and ask who was Sunni or Shia and kill people?"

He adds, "These days it is each man for himself," as he walks away clutching his eight-year-old son's hand.

Confined indoors, 11-year-old Badir (ph) plays a videogame called the Gulf War, of an earlier era of Iraq's war-torn history.

His father, Ryad Al Ani, one of Baghdad's dwindling educated class, repeats what we just heard outside. That what's described as sectarian violence is fundamentally a political problem.

RIYAD AL ANI, BAGHDAD RESIDENT: There is a disagreement among all the political entities. These political entities have their own militias. Each political entity has its own militia. So during the daytime they talk, and they disagree and agree, and this and that, but later on they really use their militias to serve their purposes.

DAMON: He insists the violence is breeding a hatred Iraq never knew before.

AL ANI: Well, I tell my son that this is temporary situation, that people who have disagreement among themselves, and we normally don't have this in our culture, in our society.

DAMON: But it is the normal that his son is growing up with.

Arwa Damon, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: Now what's happening in Baghdad and throughout Iraq also the Taliban and Afghanistan, and what about bringing back the draft in this country? We hit all of these topics on "This Week at War" tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. Eastern.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is just punctuation in a long chapter of what really is civil war.

BILL SCHNEIDER, CNN ANALYST: This president has got to communicate to Maliki. This has to change.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Privately, there's a lot of frustration, a lot of doubt.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hezbollah is threatening to paralyze the affairs of state. This is really coming to a very dangerous showdown.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: Despite Baghdad's strict curfew, police found 17 bullet- riddled bodies across the city today. And on Thursday, one of the worst attacks since the war began. A series of car bombs and mortar rounds killed 200 people in Sadr City. What can be done right now, if anything, to get Iraq under control?

Well, joining us to help make sense of it all, CNN military analyst Retired Brigadier General David Grange. David, great to have you.

BRIG. GEN. DAVID GRANGE (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Thank you.

LIN: Let's take a look at the big news today. The vice president of the United States gets on his plane, flies all the way to Saudi Arabia for but a two hour meeting with King Abdullah. There is one theory out there that he was there to warn the Saudis that Iran or possibly Syria, Shia dominated countries, may have to take a more prominent role if the insurgency is to be controlled in Iraq. What do you make of that?

GRANGE: Well, I believe so. And also that the Gulf states, Saudi Arabia, Oman, these states are nervous about the power that Iran is gathering, their influence in the area. And they have quite a lot of influence in Baghdad and with the militias supporting them both politically, morally, and with weapons and explosives.

Their strategy is actually working. An so you have to negotiate with people you don't like, not to compromise your position but to give them the red lines and make sure they understand where you stand in relation to this conflict.

LIN: So what does the United States -- are you saying dialogue with Syria, dialogue with Iran or actual Syrian and Iranian presence on the ground in Iraq?

GRANGE: No, I'm talking about us, the United States of America, having dialogue with Syria and Iran to make sure they understand our position, our red lines, and that we won't condone certain things. And where we will work with them if necessary.

LIN: And how... GRANGE: But I think you have to talk to these people face to face on these issues.

LIN: And how do you think that changes the dynamic on the ground, the mere fact that the United States would put down its volatile, what some might say, rhetoric out there, have these conversations with these two countries? How does that immediately change the dynamic on the ground, if at all?

GRANGE: Well, maybe people will think that we have some flexibility, that we're willing to listen to other nations in this region. And this is a regional issue. It's not just Iraq by itself in some kind of a silo. But at the same time, you can still be a tough guy and talk to other people.

LIN: And yet, you have folks like Senator John McCain who said this just in past week.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: I believe al Sadr has to be taken out. I believe that the Mehdi army continues to pose a threat. I think that it's very clear that we need to increase the size of the Army and Marine Corps.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: All right. Specifically, he there was talking about Muqtada al Sadr, right, the head of the Mehdi militia, one of the most prominent members of the insurgency some might say. I mean basically, an assassination of an insurgent leader. Is that an effective way to bring peace to the region?

GRANGE: Well, he's not -- you know, you can argue he's really not part of the insurgencies, but he's a part of the militia problem, which the militia problem is the biggest problem right now.

You know, he did -- he was supposed to be brought to court years ago because of his alleged involvement in a murder of another religious leader at a shrine. And nothing was done because of the fear of inciting more violence, more conflict.

You have to deal with the militias now. The earlier the better. Something should have been done with him years ago. Either arrest him. Or if he resisted arrest, then of course, he would have died. But the problem gets worse as the years goes on, as the time goes on. He gets more powerful.

LIN: He certainly does. All right, thank you very much, Brigadier General David Grange. We'll see what happens.

GRANGE: Thank you.

LIN: All right, so we asked you a short time ago what you want to know about and we deliver. This e-mail is from Larry in Pennsylvania. He wants an update on the upcoming presidential election in Venezuela.

Well, Larry, here's what we know. This was the scene Saturday in Caracas. Several hundred thousand people marching in support of the man who hopes to be well, president if he unseats President Hugo Chavez.

Opposition candidate Manuel Rosales is a state governor in Venezuela. And he spoke today and said the country is becoming a Cuba style nation. The latest polls put President Chavez, a good friend of Fidel Castro by the way, in a large lead. Venezuelan voters go to the poll next weekend. Thanks, Larry, for your question.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sure, that's what being a ninja is all about. Sarcasm...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: He puts the punch in punchline? Have you seen these guys on the Internet? Well, we've got questions for the teen behind he Internet sensation, ask a ninja.

And if you know what rajilay (ph) means, you know the Christmas story. Now you can visit the Christmas story home for the holidays. We'll show you how right here in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The atom blast heard around the world. North Korea stuns the international community by testing its first nuclear device. North Korea's Kim Jong-Il is a candidate for "TIME" magazine's person of the year.

ROMESH RATNESAR, WORLD EDITOR, TIME: The testing of a nuclear weapon by North Korea in some ways was the biggest single news event, if you could point to just one event.

Because not only is that a major disruption of the balance of power in Asia, but it also, I think, has kind of crystallized this larger danger that the world faces from nuclear proliferation.

The real concern with Kim Jong-Il is not so much that he would ever use a nuclear weapon, but that as the head of a really desperate, poor, starving country he would be tempted to sell some of the technology needed to develop weapon to other states that are interested or even to terrorist groups.

ADI IGNATIUS, EXECUTIVE EDITOR, TIME: He has continually tied pretty much every other nation in the world in knots as countries from the U.S., to China, to Japan, to South Korea try to figure out how to contain the North Korean threat.

(END VIDEOTAPE) (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: All right, let's check the most popular stories on CNN.com tonight. Web surfers are tracking the Russian spy story out of London. A former KGB official, at least an officer there, turned Kremlin critic, died there this week. He had been exposed a radioactive substance. British police are retracing his movements in the days before he became ill.

A cartoonist for The Miami Herald Spanish language sister paper has been charged with three counts of aggravated assault. Jose Varela barged into The Herald building yesterday, carrying a knife and a toy gun that looked like a semi automatic weapon. Varela surrendered after a two hour standoff.

And a story about love and hope. A Jewish woman sheltered from the Nazis by a Catholic family in Lithuania, well, this week, she was reunited more than 60 years later with a member of that family that saved her life. Read about these stories and much more at CNN.com.

All right, strange but true, but some of the most burning questions on the Internet these days are being answered by a ninja.

(MUSIC)

LIN: Seriously. "Ask a Ninja" is one of the hottest video blogs online. He'll tell you anything you want to know about the man in black. For example, do ninjas celebrate Christmas? Or are there ninja dogs?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NINJA: Focus is a big problem with the rin-tin-ninjas. Dogs get distracted very easily. So if Benja is half through a wall, and he forgets where he was going, you're going to have a hard time explaining to your book club why Scooby-Death is sticking halfway through your front door.

Here's another sock to the (INAUDIBLE). Just because you teach him the skill doesn't mean that you control how he uses it.

I have another buddy of mine. He taught his dog how to be a master of disguise. Dog ran away. Three years later, he found out his long time girlfriend was actually his dog. That'll mess you up. Talk about counseling.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: Ask a Ninja is among an elite group of blogs. That's video blogs, a production with extremely low overhead that's earned an online fan base of millions. And now Hollywood has come knocking.

So why has the ninja given tinsel town a polite no thank you? Well, here from Los Angeles, 'Ask a Ninja' creators Kent Nichols and Douglas Sarine.

All right, great to have you guys. Who is going to cough off the secret? Which of you guys is the ninja?

KENT NICHOLS, CO-CREATOR, "ASK A NINJA": Well, we work closely with the ninja. You know, and we're just lucky every week that he doesn't kill us.

DOUGLAS SARINE, CO-CREATOR: Yes, I mean, there's ninjas all around this set.

LIN: All right.

SARINE: Fourteen, fifteen, yes.

LIN: Yes, but not so many with blue eyes.

NICHOLS: No. It's very rare, but that's part of what makes him stand out. And that's why the International Order of Ninja chose him to be their spokesperson.

LIN: All right, well, guys, I say this with love. I really, really do. But how could something truly so stupid become to popular?

NICHOLS: Wait a second.

SARINE: That's really not our decision.

LIN: I do. I say that with affection. Because truly, we were - the news team here at the CNN Center, the global headquarters we gathered around, you know, the computer. And we were watching your tips on summer jobs. And you know, the suggestion that two co-workers could blindfold themselves and maybe play catch with the letter opener.

NICHOLS: Yes, well, you know, I mean, hey, you know, it kills time and it kills people. And you know, and so I think it was just a helpful hint.

SARINE: With high corporate overhead, I don't think a lot of companies are complaining about that advice.

NICHOLS: Yes.

LIN: Is it the overhead? You know, I mean, maybe it's high. High is relative. But you know, that lovely light blue background, I mean, it probably cost a lot of money to produce these things, don't you think?

NICHOLS: Well, painting a wall chromity (ph) blue was...

SARINE: Literally tens of dollars.

NICHOLS: Yes.

LIN: Tens of dollars. I don't know where you come up with the money.

NICHOLS: Well, you know, and -- the first big capital investment that we made for "Ask a Ninja" was buying the $6 ski mask. I mean, that was a big decision. It was just like, I don't know.

SARINE: We hope this thing pays off.

LIN: But you both came from somewhere. I mean, which one of you was the paralegal dog walker before, you know, the great success.

SARINE: That was me. And I'm still a dog walker.

NICHOLS: He's still a dog walker.

SARINE: Yes.

LIN: You know, you got to keep up your connections. But there was a point, though, that you actually pitched this idea, right, to professionals before you went on your own. You pitched to agents, right?

SARINE: Yes and no. I mean, Kent and I wrote a featured length screen play together called "Kenseye Ninjas" which is an animated screenplay that is currently in development with Atom Films. But it was...

LIN: But initially this idea of the ninja, when you first pitched it, can you show me what their faces looked like?

NICHOLS: Well, we couldn't pitch it because like, you know, we're a bunch of stupid losers. You know and...

SARINE: No, no.

NICHOLS: No, but like if we went into someone's office with a suit and they had a career riding on it, and we're like, hey, you know, we want a ninja to yell at a camera and answer people's questions. Like no one would say that's of course - that's a brilliant idea.

But you know, it was only because of things like the video iPod and youtube and our media.org and -- that we could like distribute these ideas freely. And if they got traction, like you know, blow it up into this is thing that's been viewed over 20 million times.

SARINE: Right. And thanks to (INAUDIBLE) licensing, it allows us the option to eventually potentially exploit it as a business.

LIN: So are you guys rich now?

SARINE: Oh, phenomenally. No.

NICHOLS: No, we're still kind of living college.

You know, 'Ask a Ninja's" definitely kept us in our beer and messy apartment lifestyle.

LIN: And wood boards as book shelves. The whole...

SARINE: Yes, we only get two slices of roast beef on our sandwiches.

NICHOLS: Right.

LIN: So what's next then?

NICHOLS: Our DVD comes out on December 5th, which is the International Day of the Ninja. So we're really excited about that. It's got all...

LIN: Like Ninjas need love, too, in their life, right?

SARINE: Absolutely.

LIN: It's not all about money and business. And your videos actually get, you know, other people to make videos in response.

SARINE: Right.

LIN: And we actually have a potential mate for the show. Yes, this -- we play the audio, but she's kind of hard to understand. But can a ninja date a fairy?

NICHOLS: Sure.

SARINE: Yes, absolutely. Like he was dating a seriously intense chick from the shadow spirit realm, you know, back in episode 9. So like he doesn't really tell us too much about his personal life, but he's open to it.

NICHOLS: Yes, and he plays the field. He likes the ladies.

LIN: He's a dog. That's what you're saying? He's a dog?

SARINE: No, I mean, he dated physics. You know, like - I mean, he dates on the grand scale.

NICHOLS: Yes.

LIN: Well, may the ninja find love and happiness along the way to success.

SARINE: We'll pass along those wishes.

LIN: Yes, please do. Give him my best, will you?

SARINE: Absolutely.

LIN: All right, if I have a question, I'll make sure I'll be asking the ninja.

SARINE: Yes.

LIN: All right, guys, thanks. A pleasure to meet both of you, Kent and Douglas.

NICHOLS: Nice meeting you. LIN: All right, talk about movie magic, coming up, remember Ralphie's house in the popular holiday movie, "A Christmas Story?" Well, it's getting a retro makeover. We're going to show you.

JERAS: And the Thanksgiving holiday is already over with, but you still have to get home. How is weather going to affect your travel tomorrow? We'll have the forecast coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: Well, retailers give us, but deep discounts taketh away. Retailers have been getting just what they want this holiday weekend. All kinds of shoppers. But economists say despite the heavy foot traffic, the deep discounts it took to draw the crowds may severely cut profits.

All right, so from grandmother's house we leave, it's almost time for millions of you to wrap up your Thanksgiving weekend trip. Sunday promises to be one of the busiest travel days of the year. And Jacqui, it's a lot harder to travel when you're carrying all those packages, too.

JERAS: Yes, it is. And to see your rearview mirror, too, right?

LIN: Yes.

JERAS: Be careful. Make sure you clear a little way so you can see and travel safely, because its going to be a little rough going across parts of the Pacific Northwest.

The rest of the country overall, you're going to be doing great. I know it's pretty ugly for many of you across parts of the East on Wednesday, but I promise tomorrow looks great with lots of sunshine.

The biggest concern is those of you moving along the I-5 corridor, also along I-90 across the Pacific Northwest. A very strong storm system is moving in and will be arriving by tomorrow morning.

Now we have been seeing some occasional light rain showers already in Washington state. Seattle, you had a few sprinkles about three hours ago, but you're dry at this hour.

Most of this will be coming in by the morning and continuing into the afternoon hours. The snow levels are going to be extremely low with this storm. And we're going to see some serious accumulations into the mountains. So if you had a ski holiday and you're trying to get out tomorrow, the earlier you leave, the better because we could be seeing some closures in the passes.

This is the 48-hour forecast. And what I want you to notice here into the Cascades, down in Sierra, look into parts of Idaho, into Montana, all that bright purple that you see here on the map, that's a foot or more of snow. In fact, very likely in the next two days to be more like two feet of snow, rather than one.

So here's the bottom line with this storm. What you need to know the coldest air this season will be arriving with it. Heavy snow in the mountains. Snow levels dropping down to about 1,000 feet. Maybe less. That means Seattle could be seeing some snow mixing in, or just snow late tomorrow night . Maybe even a little bit of snow in Portland. Depends on the exact track of the snow.

Also some very strong winds. Tropical storm force between 50-65 miles per hour near the coast.

If you live across the east, you're traveling across the nation's midsection, no big problems anticipated here. A little bit of wet weather. You might see a shower in Kansas City, up towards Omaha, maybe into Milwaukee, on up into Green Bay, and then into the UP of Michigan.

But overall, outside of the Pac Northwest, what a beautiful forecast for you on Sunday. Temperature-wise, get outside, roll down the window here anywhere across the south or the southeast. The southwest doing pretty good, too, but a little chilly.

63 degrees in Las Vegas. If you are traveling tomorrow, avoid the holiday headache by tuning in to CNN. We're going to have our travel ticker up all day tomorrow. You'll see forecasts at the bottom of your screen. Off to the side, we'll have updated conditions for big cities across the country and updated airport delays. And there, you can see an updated radar picture to go along with it.

Or log on to CNN.com/holidaytravel. And you can click on your city and get an updated forecast there. Carol?

LIN: All right, you're going to be busy.

JERAS: I am. And I'll be here and get you through it all tomorrow afternoon and tomorrow night.

LIN: All right, thanks, Jacqui.

Well, just in time for Christmas, Ralphie's house is now open to the public. The Cleveland, Ohio home made famous in 1983's "A Christmas Story" is now open for tours. The new owner spent half a million dollars making the three-story wood frame house look just like it did in the movie, which is now a cult classic. Yeeha.

All right, a check of the hour's headlines after the break. But first, your responses to our last call question. What do you think about Vice President Dick Cheney's visit to Saudi Arabia? Here's what you had to say.

CALLER: I think that Dick Cheney's quick trip to Saudi Arabia was to try to get the nations surrounding Iraq to be more active in promoting peace with the United States.

CALLER: I personally feel like Dick Cheney is being a little too buddy-buddy with those Saudi Arabians.

CALLER: I think it's a good thing. I think Dick Cheney's doing a great job. He's a true patriot. And we need all the help we can in the Middle East. And it doesn't hurt for him to go and do those things to foster good relationships.

CALLER: Well, I think that Mr. Cheney is kind of hob-nobbing with the Saudis. It's not about going over there and trying to conduct peace with the Middle East. It's probably about going over there and conducting oil prices.

CALLER: Well, it comes down to one word, oil.

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