Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Mine Rescue Disaster; Killer Storm; Vick Co-Defendants Pled Guilty; Gerri's Top Tips

Aired August 17, 2007 - 10:00   ET

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

HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everybody. I'm Heidi Collins. Tony Harris has the day off. Stay informed in the CNN NEWSROOM. Here's what's on the rundown now.
Utah mine search on hold right now after disaster strikes. Three rescuers killed in a cave-in. Will the search for the six trapped miners resume?

And the Fed's Friday surprise. A key interest rate slashed. The move helps calm investors. The Dow surging in early trading.

Texas drugged (ph) by Erin and looking over its shoulder now at Dean. Tropical trouble in the NEWSROOM.

We are following two breaking stories for you this morning from the heartland to the heart of the nation's economy. First, mine rescue operations in Utah halted right now after a deadly cave-in. Three workers killed, six injured. The fate of those trapped miners is still unknown. We're going to have extensive, live coverage coming up in just a few moments.

But first we are all watching Wall Street after a surprise rate cut by the Federal Reserve. It could have a big impact on your wallet. Let's get straight to Susan Lisovicz now in New York.

Susan, good morning to you. We're up 197 now.

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

COLLINS: A rescue mission turns deadly in Utah. The effort to locate six trapped miners now on hold. Here's what we know right now.

Three workers killed, six others injured in a second collapse at the Crandall Canyon Mine. We learned within the last hour that three of the injured have been released from the hospital, three others still being treated. Officials suspended the underground rescue effort at the mine until they can determine whether the conditions are safe. The above-ground drilling on a fourth hole into the mine is expected to continue and we still don't know the fate of the miners trapped in the initial collapse 12 days ago.

Let's get the very latest now. We're going to go live to Huntington, Utah. CNN's Brian Todd has been following this story for us.

Brian, any word on when a decision could be made about resuming those underground rescue efforts?

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Heidi, we should know in the coming hours what that decision is going to be, whether that halt in this is going to last indefinitely or whether they're going to resume that underground digging operation. We do know, as you just mentioned, we got this from an aide to Governor Jon Huntsman, that the drilling of the holes, the effort to reach empty chambers where these trapped miners might be, that is going to continue. Whether it's underway at this hour is unclear, but the underground rescue operation has been indefinitely suspended.

We talked to Governor Jon Huntsman a short time ago. He gave us some pretty clear and I guess very candid thoughts about what he thinks about that underground rescue operation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. JON HUNTSMAN, UTAH: I, for one, as governor of the state, feel pretty strongly that we shouldn't let another person in the underground mine until we can guarantee their safety. We've seen too much over the last week and a half and we need to begin to learn from some of these lessons.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TODD: But also some tough questions are going to have to be asked and answered about what led up to these. They've had several of these so-called mountain bumps throughout this entire rescue operation. One of them that occurred yesterday before this tragedy last night. One of those actually kicked out enough rubble and coal that it covered up one of those huge machines that is used to dig toward those miners.

So they've had this problem throughout. They've got to address whether they want to proceed the way they have been proceeding. And we should know more about that in the coming hours.

Heidi.

COLLINS: All right. We were all waiting very anxiously to get more information, of course.

Brian Todd, thanks for that.

Also new this morning, another strong aftershock rocks Peru this morning. This after Wednesday's deadly earthquake. More than 400 people dead. Other reports put that number above 500. Another 1,500 people injured. Bodies lay out on some city streets with hospitals and morgues to overwhelmed to accommodate all of the victims.

Thousands of survivors also out on the streets, fearing more aftershocks or just plain having no where else to go. Many of the victims, poor. Their mud brick houses caved in when the 8.0 magnitude quake hit late Wednesday. Aide being rushed to the hardest hit southern region now. The U.S. offering to send a Navy hospital ship equipped with hundreds of staff and a dozens operating rooms. A killer storm blasting Texas with torrential rains and strong winds. The remnants of Tropical Storm Erin blamed now for as many as seven deaths in the lone star state. Two of the victims were killed in Houston where a water-logged roof of a storage unit collapsed. Up to 10 inches of rain fell in that city and San Antonio, and more heavy rain is in the forecast.

But the weather worries don't stop there. Hurricane Dean closing in on the Caribbean. It could eventually end up in the Gulf of Mexico. Bonnie Schneider is watching all of it for us, has the latest now.

Good morning to you, Bonnie.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COLLINS: Back in Texas now, the focus is on Erin. The killer storm put entire towns underwater. CNN's Sean Callebs is standing by live in hard-hit Houston.

Sean, good morning to you. What does it look like this morning? And we see a little bit of sun, but I imagine that might be deceiving.

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, also certainly a somber mood over parts of this city. This storm killed at least six people in parts of Texas.

If you look behind me, that's a grocery store. And you can see some police tape on the trees there lining that area. What happened? This area got about seven inches of rainfall in a short period of time. We have some aerial looks. And you can see the roof of the grocery store caved in, killing two people inside.

Now in another area in Houston, an 18-wheeler ran off the road into a retention pond, killing the driver of that rig.

Scores of roads, including parts of interstates, were closed for significant portions of time yesterday because of all the rain Erin dumped on the Houston/San Antonio area in such a short period of time. San Antonio really got hammered. The rain came in during rush hour. More than seven inches in a very short period of time. People were abandoning their cars.

We have this one amazing image of this one gentleman who bailed out of his car, only found safety and solace in a tree. He stayed there for some time until he was rescued. But he's doing OK.

We know at least one person got swept away, and there was also a head-on collision that claimed three lives during the storm. And authorities are still investigating that.

And, Heidi, it is sunny, it is warm our right now. But what we're hearing, Houston and San Antonio could still get four to six inches of rain today and flash flood watches remain in effect in this simply water-logged portion of the United States.

Heidi.

COLLINS: All right. We'll check back with you a little bit later on.

Sean Callebs, thank you.

COLLINS: Rescuers become victims. A new collapse at a Utah mine takes three lives.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. JON HUNTSMAN, UTAH: There is nothing more selfless than giving your life in pursuit of saving another. And that's exactly what we witnessed tonight.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: Is it too dangerous to continue the search for six trapped miners? A decision expected soon.

The Fed cut the key rate and investors practically throw a party. The Dow surges in early trading. We're following the numbers for you.

And the clock running out on a quarterback. Michael Vick facing a decision right now, accept a reported plea deal or go to trial in a dogfighting case.

Targeting insurgents. U.S. forces on the offensive. We're taking you to forward operating base Kalsu (ph) here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: Welcome back, everybody. I'm Heidi Collins. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.

Put away the tool kit. NASA tells Endeavour astronauts to stand down on a repair job. Details ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: Now there is one. NFL quarterback Michael Vick standing alone. His last two co-defendants pleading guilty this morning in a high profile dogfighting case. Our Rusty Dornin has been following the case. She's joining us now with an update.

So, Rusty, let's start there with these two co-defendants pleading guilty.

RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right. Quanis Phillips, Purnell Peace, both pleading guilty to the entire indictment. It turns out Quanis Phillips is taken into custody immediately following the hearing because apparently he failed a drug test sometime in the recent weeks and they revoked his bonds. So both of his co-defendants pleaded guilty now. Will he or won't he. Will he take the plea deal or won't he? We understand the government has offered him at least a year in jail if he cooperates. But if he doesn't do it before Monday, then you have a grand jury in Richmond, Virginia, that's going to be considering possibly new charges and racketeering which could add years to a sentence if he's convicted. And also he could face a lifetime ban from the NFL. So a big gamble he'd be taking on that.

COLLINS: Yes. And we were just speaking with our defense attorney, Ed Garla (ph), a little while ago, and we talked exactly about that, whether or not, you know, it goes to the grand jury is going to make a huge difference if these additional charges come. I mean, a big difference from one year to possibly 20 years.

DORNIN: That's right. And the thing is, it's really a poker game right now in terms of the prosecutors and Vick and his attorneys. You know, they're negotiating. You know, he's trying to get everything he can in hopes of not having to serve jail time, in hopes of not getting suspended from the NFL and that sort of thing. And, of course, prosecutors are saying, listen, you better make this deal as quickly as possible because, you know, on Monday, the grand jury is reconvening and could be considering new charges as early as next week.

COLLINS: Yes. And as we look at this video, we're still seeing quite a bit of fan support.

DORNIN: That's right.

COLLINS: I know you've been out there. What's the situation with that? Has it changed at all or has it just stayed on?

DORNIN: Well, the PETA protesters, of course, are out there and the Humane Society, talking about prosecuting all dog fighters. They've been there pretty much every day yelling at the defendants, of course, when they come in and that sort of thing.

The Humane Society did tell CNN, though, it's interesting that they are not critical of the U.S. attorney in terms of making these plea deals. That they're not being critical of them.

COLLINS: They just want the dog fighting stuff. So that -- and that's the yelling and cheering that we're hearing is from PETA and the Humane Society, not Vick fans.

DORNIN: Right.

COLLINS: OK. We should be clear on that. Because I know that there have been some fans who have stuck by him, at least up until now.

DORNIN: And they still are. Well, and some of them still are.

COLLINS: Yes. All right. Well, Rusty Dornin, we know you're following it for us. Let us know when and if it happens today, all right? Appreciate it. Meanwhile, now, NASA decides no repair need. No space walk to repair damaged heat-protecting tiles on the belly of the shuttle Endeavour. Engineers at Johnson Space Center wanted to fix that gouge, but the rest of NASA, including safety officials, voted against what could be a risky repair job. A live shot for you now inside. Always interesting to look at there. Damaged heat tiles were blamed, of course, for the shuttle Columbia disaster. Endeavour is scheduled to return to earth on Wednesday.

A few feet and branches separating this man in raging flood waters, saved by a tree. Incredible pictures of storm-ravaged Texas.

GERRI WILLIS, PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: I'm Gerri Willis.

The Fed takes a dramatic step before the market opens. We'll tell you what it means for homeowners next in "Top Tips" in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: All right. So there you go. We're checking out the Dow. We're watching it pretty closely today in light of the latest news, the Fed cutting the discount rate. We are now up 151 points. The Nasdaq up I believe I heard 132 -- excuse me, pardon me -- let me backtrack. I'm trying to listen and talk at the same time. Never good at that. Nasdaq up 32 points. Dow Jones up 162, as we are watching those numbers for you. We are also going to see if that surge on Wall Street actually has any staying power.

And we want to go ahead and bring in Gerri Willis, she is our CNN personal finance editor, to talk more about this.

OK. So we have a cut in the discount rate. Let's make clear to everybody, just in case they're not familiar with what that is, Gerri.

WILLIS: Well, hi, Heidi. Good to see you.

You know, the Federal Reserve is cutting, as you said, the discount rate temporarily by a half percentage point to 5.75 percent. Central bank is responding to fears about the meltdown in loans to people with poor credit. We've talked a lot about the sub prime problem. They're also concerned about the big swings in the stock market.

Now the discount rate is a rate the Federal Reserve banks across the country charge lenders for temporary loans. This isn't our rate. The central bank did not change its more closely watched Federal Funds rate, which affects rates that consumers pay on various types of loans. Now that rate remains at 5.25 percent. This move eases the pressure on banks who are having trouble borrowing to offer loans to consumers and business.

Heidi.

COLLINS: Well, why does it really matter? I mean, where is the consumer? You know, if you're somebody at home saying, well, I want to see my wallet get fatter here. I want to quit freaking out with these numbers that we've seen all over the place.

WILLIS: Right. Well, you know, it's largely symbolic. Listen, in a financial crisis, the number one variable is confidence. The central bank is trying to inject some confidence in the banking business. They're saying, hey, we're not going to sit idly by and watch this credit crunch stop lending and seize up the entire economy. We're going to be active.

COLLINS: All right. And here's another $64,000 question for you. Could we see an actual rate cut at the Feds' next meeting coming up in September?

WILLIS: Well, let me first get to the consumer impact. You know, you were asking before, what does it mean for my wallet? This does not effect, obviously, the rate that consumers pay on credit cards or mortgages.

However, you should know, by instilling confident and sending a message it's willing to act in this crisis, lenders are likely to weather the crunch better and that means consumers are more likely to get the loans they need. In fact, Heidi, one mortgage broker told me today that he expects the spike in interest rates on big loans, large loans, they call them jumbo loans, to come down quickly. Remember, bankers aren't immune to their emotions anyway.

And you should know, you're asking, will we get another rate cut? Typically the Fed cuts the discount rate and the Fed Funds rate at the same time. So if this does the trick, stabilizes the market, injects some confidence into the system, we may not get that follow-up rate cut in September.

Heidi.

COLLINS: I'm willing to bet people are a little gun-shy right now, though, certainly.

WILLIS: Yes.

COLLINS: All right. Gerri Willis, thanks so much.

WILLIS: Thank you, Heidi.

COLLINS: Collapsing walls, heaving floors. Is it safe to go back into the Crandall Canyon Mine? We'll ask a former federal mine safety expert.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: Welcome back, everybody. 10:30 Eastern Time now. Updating a developing story out of Utah. The effort to reach six trapped miners on hold after another disaster. Here's what we know right now.

Three rescue workers killed. Six others injured in a second collapse at the Crandall Canyon Mine. A cave-in was apparently triggered by what a mine spokesman calls a seismic bump or a mountain bump. That's when pressure causes chunks of coal to erupt from the walls of the mine. Officials suspended the underground rescue effort until they can determine whether conditions are safe. They say the above ground work to drill a fourth hole into the mine will continue.

Amid the mine tragedy, some good news about the survivors. CNN's Kara Finnstrom is joining us now from Castleview Hospital in Price, Utah.

Kara, give us the latest word from the hospital officials.

KARA FINNSTROM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, very good news actually for this community, which has just had one devastating blow after another. What we have learned this morning is that more of these miners and rescuers have been released. We've been reporting to you overnight that one of the rescuers was treated and released here almost immediately.

Well, what we learned just about an hour ago was that two more of those rescuers were treated and released. They had crush injuries, is what the nurse supervisor is calling them. Bruises and abrasions. But they have been treated and released. The final patient who was being treated here had some more serious injuries but is said to be in stable condition. And here's what the CEO of the hospital had to say about how he's doing this morning.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEFF MANLEY, CEO, CASTLEVIEW HOSPITAL: We want to report on the one miner who's still in the hospital. He is stable. And we expect him to probably be released in two to three days. He is in the ICU. And we do expect him to do well.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FINNSTROM: The nursing supervisor told us that he is suffering from a back injury and is in a lot of pain. But, again, the good news out of this, he is expected to be released in two to three days. Much of this community just waking up this morning and really getting a sense of what happened here overnight. Still in shock. Three of these rescuers actually did die overnight. So today is going to be just a very difficult day for everyone here, but at least some good news now coming out of this hospital.

COLLINS: Yes, and the situation was already so difficult, though.

Kara Finnstrom, sure appreciate that.

Is it safe to continue the rescue effort for those six miners? Joining us now on the phone is Davitt McAteer. He's a former assistant labor secretary for Mine Safety and Health. He is in Shepherdstown (ph), West Virginia, for us this morning.

Mr. McAteer, talk to us a little bit about this agonizing decision that I'm sure the supervisors and the decision-makers are having to make whether or not to go back inside that mine to continue the rescue of the original six trapped miners.

VOICE OF DAVITT MCATEER, FMR. ASST. LABOR SECRETARY: Heidi, that's an extremely difficult decision to have to make. And the assistant secretary will be the final word on it, and I don't envy him at all, because you are at the one level, desperate to try to get those men out. And on the other level, you have to weigh the fact of the safety of the rescue teams.

I think the fact that they're going ahead with the fourth drill suggests that that would be -- we'd have to look at different options, but the mountain is so unstable at the moment, that it would be a very perilous effort to try to go back in after this second or third, in fact, seismic event, second or third event, where the mountain is really adjusting itself and you can't predict that it won't do it further.

So, it's just an absolutely inordinately difficult circumstance for the people to be in, and you have these rescue workers who are heroic, trying desperately to save their colleagues, and yet we put -- we put them at risk and perhaps we are beyond the point where we can do it. I think everyone needs to stop and take a breath now and assess what's there.

COLLINS: Sure. I think that's a very good point to make, but boy, I'll tell you, I felt the same way when I learned that they did feel confident enough to go ahead with the drilling of that fourth hole. Were you surprised by that?

MCATEER: No, because, excuse me -- the fourth hole is unrelated to the mine entry, so they can go down, because that's coming from the surface up top of the mine ...

COLLINS: Right.

MCATEER: ...as opposed to down into the sort of slope area, and that can be done independent of that. And that should be done and we should try to see if there's any sound down there. And then, decisions can be made on how -- what's the alternatives. The difficulty is, because of the terrain here and because of the pre- mining, and because of the rock formation and the way it's acting, we really don't have very many choices. That's the sadness. There's no alternative ways in here.

COLLINS: Right.

MCATEER: And that's what you look for is alternative ways to try to get in while you're protecting your rescue teams.

COLLINS: We have heard so much, Mr. McAteer, about these mountain bumps. We've heard it an awful lot now. Remind us exactly what it is, and maybe more importantly, how it differs from an earthquake of some kind.

MCATEER: Well, this part of the world, this part of the mining world of Utah is an area that is prone to pressures in the rock. And it's due to the size of the mountains. They're 2,000 feet above the mine. It's due to the formation, the geologic formation, it's a large sandstone formation, which gives an inordinate amount of pressure.

That pressure isn't like the traditional underground mine where a roof falls and a rock falls down from the top. This pressure squeezes in effect around the seam that you're mining, so you're making an entry into this mountain that's full of pressure. That pressure then begins to push out and push the softer rock, i.e. the coal, out into the work area. So it'll explode it.

If it's localized, it's called a coal burst. If it's regional, that is, more of a larger context, it's called a bump. And what that is is it's really mother nature is trying to rectify the fact that we've put holes in the ground and that you've created this void and then to that void, you've got these pressure points and they're trying to readjust.

Well, that readjustment is in this area frequently and commonly, and it has been for 50 years. So, we know that this is an area that's prone to it. So the question is whether you should be in there mining, particularly after the place -- sections have been mined out is a real live question that we have to answer.

COLLINS: Right. And I think the final question for you, with all of the experience that you have in this industry, do you see any plan that might be feasible for actually getting to these miners at this point?

MCATEER: Well, you have to first establish if they're alive, and you have to look at that. That's the first question. And if you've found them, then we'd have to look at ways to get to them. We can always figure out ways to get to them, but it would probably be from the top and it would be a lengthy period of time rather than from the bottom or side.

COLLINS: All right, understood. Well, our fingers are all still crossed.

MCATEER: Thank you.

COLLINS: Davitt McAteer, the former assistant labor secretary for Mine Safety and Health. Thank you sir, appreciate it.

Stay tuned for continuing coverage on the mine rescue disaster. Live coverage of a mine news conference coming your way 1:00 p.m. Eastern right here in the NEWSROOM.

Also watching this story for you, a killer storm blasting Texas with torrential rains and strong winds. The remnants of Tropical Storm Erin blamed now for as many as seven deaths in the Lone Star State. Two of the victims were killed in Houston when a water-logged roof of a storage unit collapsed. Up to ten inches of rain fell in that city and San Antonio. More heavy rain expected in the forecast.

But the weather worries don't stop there. Hurricane Dean closing in on the Caribbean and could eventually end up in the Gulf of Mexico.

Bonnie Schneider has been watching it for us for a couple of days now. Bonnie, what's the latest?

BONNIE SCHNEIDER, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Well, Heidi, it's really unfortunate for Martinique and St. Lucia getting hammered by this storm. And you have to realize, right now, it's a category 2, but we've had wind gusts recorded on the island of Martinique as high as 89 miles per hour from one of the weather stations there.

Right now, there is a tropical storm warning in effect for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. But a hurricane warning continues for Martinique and the islands in that region like St. Lucia and Dominica. And as we look towards Haiti and the Dominican Republic, we have a hurricane watch in advance of Hurricane Dean.

With good reason, because now that the storm is crossing into the eastern Caribbean, it's tapping into some very warm water, and water temperatures that are warm here, well, it runs deep, not just at the surface, but many, many feet below, so it has a rich, abundant atmosphere to draw upon, to intensify. So, we're looking at category 4 status, probably as early as Sunday.

But the big question is where is the storm going to go? And in order to figure that out, we use a lot of different computer models to show you. As we zoom in to where the hurricane is right now, you can see these lines here that kind of crisscross around the hurricane. That's the flight path of a hurricane hunter aircraft. In fact, that's the flight path he made earlier today. And you can see as it crosses around the area, that we get a better idea of what the winds are doing with the storm, not just at the top of the hurricane, but at all different levels.

Now, we're going to take you on the track. The lines you see here are different computer models. And they show, kind of a pretty tightly compact track, that it goes south of the islands, like Haiti, south of Cuba, but it may make a direct hit to Jamaica.

Let's look beyond that as we go into Monday and Tuesday whether or not the storm makes a direct strike on the Yucatan, well, that depends on which computer model you choose. Right now, there's a pretty widespread, and it gets even wider Tuesday and Wednesday as the storm gets into the Gulf of Mexico. Really at that point, that's when we'll be watching for a possible U.S. landfall, but it is possible it may make landfall in Mexico. As we get closer to that time, we'll have a better idea of where the storm will go.

But residents along the Gulf Coast need to pay attention to Hurricane Dean as it gets closer to the U.S. mainland -- Heidi?

COLLINS: Absolutely, a strong warning there. Bonnie Schneider, thanks so much.

Trees and stormy weather, usually a bad mix, but not for this man in Texas. He was only too happy to find this tree. During those torrential storms we've been telling you about, he was stuck in his car as floodwaters started to rise, and this is how he ended up there.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I broke out the window, and got up on top, and then the barbed wire fence gave way and the car drifted towards the tree. I grabbed a branch, pulled myself over towards the tree.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: Eventually, he was rescued from the tree. It was by no means the only dramatic save. Dozens of people, in fact, had to be pulled from those rushing floodwaters.

When weather becomes the news, count on CNN to bring it to you first. And if you see severe weather happening in your area, send us an iReport, always reminding you to be safe. But go to CNN.com and click on iReport, or type iReport at CNN.com into your cell phone and share your photos or video.

Searching for survivors, recovering the dead from collapsed buildings, Peru struggling with the aftermath of a powerful earthquake.

SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Susan Lisovicz at the New York Stock Exchange. The Fed makes a move and so do the bulls. The triple-digit charge, next.

You're watching CNN, the most trusted name in news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: Hundreds of people dead in Peru's earthquake, some 1,500 more injured. In just a short time ago, Peru was rocked by another aftershock.

Our Harris Whitbeck reports from the hard-hit city of Ica.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS WHITBECK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Residents of hundreds of communities that were devastated by Wednesday's earthquake spent another night sleeping in the streets. People sleeping in the streets either because they were afraid of more aftershocks, or because they simply had nowhere else to go.

According to preliminary reports, some 17,000 homes were lost after Wednesday's earthquake and the Peruvian government has said that it is bringing in supplies from Lima to try to help those who lost their homes. This is wintertime in the southern hemisphere. The nights get very, very chilly. The government is concerned that that might pose health problems for those who are sleeping outside.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Today, we brought for the people of Pisco, prefabricated houses, water for our brothers, and any help and support needed.

WHITBECK: Meanwhile, efforts to find survivors or to find the remains of those who died continue, particularly around the church, the main church in the city of Pisco, where, since very late Wednesday night, rescuers have been sifting through the rubble of a church that completely collapsed as a funeral mass was taking place. Authorities believe that dozens of people might still be buried under the rubble of that church.

Harris Whitbeck, CNN, Ica, Peru.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: If you are looking for a way to make a difference for the victims of the Peru earthquake, impact your world by logging on to CNN.com/impact. Click on Natural Disasters to learn how you can become part of the solution.

A sudden dramatic move by the Fed prompted a sudden dramatic move in the stock market this morning. Susan Lisovicz is at the New York Stock Exchange now with more.

Good morning to you, Susan. Are you hanging on to your hat? Oh, look, now where we are -- 82.

(BUSINESS HEADLINES)

COLLINS: Targeting insurgents, U.S. forces on the offensive. We're taking you to forward-operating base Kalsu (ph).

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: They're not going to take it. U.S. forces hit back against Iraqi insurgents who have been hitting them.

CNN's Dan Rivers reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAN RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Every day, the artillery teams on forward-operating base Kalsu are raining shells down on enemy positions. The objective?

CAPT. MATTHEW THOMPSON, U.S. ARMY: We're to deny the enemy the terrain to harm us or harm our Iraqi brothers.

RIVERS: But the insurgents are fighting back. This side of this building was torn apart by a Shiite militia missile while we were at the base. Miraculously, an air-conditioning unit took the impact, but several soldiers were injured too seriously.

Minutes after the missile struck, we were in bunkers with the troops while fighter aircraft circled overhead. Four more missiles had been found pointing right at us, an A-10 air craft strafes the rocket position, and a then F-16 jet take out a nearby house with a 500-pound bomb. The army claims it's being used by the insurgent rocket cell.

VOICE OF UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It looks like we both got the south side.

CHAPLIN PATRICK BAILEY, U.S. ARMY: You know, we kind of depend on each other ...

RIVERS: The base chaplin says the constant threat is exhausting.

BAILEY: I think there's that general sense of not having any place now safe.

RIVERS: That night, we joined an air assault involving troops from Blackfoot company, 1st Battalion, 501st Airborne, as they try to find those involved in the rocket attacks. A remote controlled drone with a thermal camera shows the troops preparing to storm a farm. They search for evidence of missiles.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Spread out.

RIVERS: They catch several men who try to escape. They're cuffed and brought back to the farm. One was carrying a pistol. Their hands are checked for traces of explosives, but the results are negative. While the women and children wait anxiously in the suffocating heat for hours.

(on camera): For the soldiers on this raid, this mission is particularly personal. Just 18 hours before this mission, their base was attacked by several rockets, and we actually heard the explosions. This is their opportunity to try and do something about the threat, but so far, they've found nothing on this farm.

(voice-over): The detainees are questioned. Among the men arrested in the multiple raids, a general from the Ministry of the Interior.

CAPT. CHARLES CANON, U.S. ARMY: He's a rocket cell leader. Here at F.O.B. Kalsu, we've had quite a few rockets come inbound and hurt some people.

RIVERS: Later, the Ministry of the Interior confirmed his arrest.

ABDUL KARIM KHALAF, IRAQI MINISTRY OF INTERIOR SPOKESMAN (through translator): This is a man with a simple job title with the ministry, and his job is not significant. He's mainly in the inspection unit. If he's really involved, he will be taken to court.

RIVERS: But despite his capture, the next day, the artillery is back in action. The threat of further attacks remains very real from an enemy that includes senior figures within the Iraqi government machine.

Dan Rivers, CNN, at forward-operating base Kalsu, Iraq.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: Remnants of Tropical Storm Erin delivering a deadly drenching to Texas, but the dangers don't end there. Hurricane Dean looms in the Caribbean.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Hello there, coming up this weekend, an emotional interview with the founder of the legendary O.J.s. Eddie Lavert (ph) lost his son and singing partner Gerald (ph) to a heart attack less than a year ago.

EDDIE LAVERT: This was a -- this is something I -- I could have lived without. I could have done without this.

HOLMES: A story about fathers, sons and family, is the topic of the best-selling book, "I Got Your Back." And Eddie Lavert talks about it this Sunday morning.

Plus this.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You would think they would send us information before they announced to the world that these toys are no good.

HOLMES: From store owners to parents, the frustration surrounding this week's toy recall. We'll tell you how you can take action by signing an online petition.

And they say they're Catholics who speak Aramaic (ph). They're being persecuted in their own country, so these Iraqis take all the risks to get to America illegally. This challenging story is in our faces of faith.

We'll also of course, keeping a track on Hurricane Dean all this weekend on CNN SATURDAY & SUNDAY MORNING. That begins tomorrow at 7:00 Eastern.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: A miner herself, and the mother of a miner. We'll talk with a woman who knows about the dangers of digging deep for coal.

Princess Diana, a life lived in the headlines, but in a new CNN Special Investigation, Soledad O'Brien reveals a side of Diana you don't know, traumatic events that happened early in her life. In SIU: "Growing Up Diana," you'll see exclusive interviews, including one with Diana's childhood nanny.

Here's a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARY CLARKE, DIANA'S NANNY: Of course, I came here to look after the children, not to end up in the Queen's court in London.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Mary Clarke was Diana's nanny. When she was nine years old, she testified at one of the custody hearings.

CLARKE: I think it was the saddest moment that's imaginable, that two people who're obviously in love to begin with, could end up like that.

O'BRIEN: It was very unusual for a father to get custody of the children. The reason he got custody, Clarke says, is that Diana's own maternal grandmother testified against her daughter, Diana's mother. Her testimony in court that the children would be better off with their father, was an unbelievable turn of events.

CLARKE: She took the side of the father against her own daughter and this had a very strong knock-on effect.

ROSALIND COWARD, AUTHOR, "DIANA: THE PORTRAIT": This was not a kind of pleasant, easy resolution of things.

O'BRIEN (on camera): Did Diana feel abandoned by her mother?

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