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Humberto's Punch; Officer & Suspect Killed; White House Sends Iraq Report to Congress

Aired September 14, 2007 - 10:59   ET

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

BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, you are with CNN and you are informed.
Good morning, everybody.

I'm Betty Nguyen.

T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm T.J. Holmes.

We're sitting in today for Tony and Heidi.

NGUYEN: There are new developments coming into the CNN NEWSROOM on this Friday, the 14th of September.

Here's what's on the rundown for you.

One-time murder defendant O.J. Simpson questioned by police again.

So, what went down in a Las Vegas casino?

HOLMES: Also, we're going to talk about this a little more. As we just saw from Bill Belichick there, the head coach live, as you just heard, not saying a whole lot but saying a little something. Getting a whole lot of questions.

The NFL's New England Patriots, the team, fined for spying on an opponent.

NGUYEN: Also, Tropical Storm Ingrid churns in the open Atlantic. Yes, here comes another one.

Brace yourself, because you are in the CNN NEWSROOM.

Our top story this hour, Las Vegas police are revealing new details about the questioning of O.J. Simpson. Associated Press reports investigators questioned Simpson about a break-in at the Palace station Casino, which you see here.

Now, police say yesterday's hotel room break-in involves sports memorabilia. Simpson was questioned and then released. And the alleged victims were also questioned. The investigators' report is being turned over to prosecutors and they will decide whether to pursue an arrest warrant in that case.

HOLMES: All right. Ingrid, now it seems like we're just breezing through all these names.

NGUYEN: Going through the alphabet.

HOLMES: Yes -- Reynolds.

REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, it's like an assembly line out there. We've got one after another after another. And next up it's Ingrid. So that's what we're going to talk about right now.

Ingrid has maximum sustained winds around 40 miles an hour, a long way from the U.S., a long way really from any spot. You happen to see right there on the screen along the right-hand corner -- let me draw it out for you -- there is little Ingrid. And this storm has really been weakened considerably, it really hasn't had the ability to strengthen all that much because of shear.

We do anticipate the storm's going to strengthen just a little bit as we make our way into the next couple of hours. Maximum sustained winds, you see right there on the screen it says 40. We just got an update moments ago. Now the winds are actually up to 45 sustained, but we have had some gusts that have been stronger, upwards of 50.

It's still 702 miles to the east of Bridgetown, Barbados. And it is expected to continue to march its way to the west-northwest into Sunday, into Monday, but not really strengthening that much. Just those winds right around 40 miles an hour.

And as you take a look at the next couple of days, it's going to weaken even more, becoming a depression as we get into early next week. But still a long way from the southeastern U.S. So that is some good news, but still we have to watch out for our friends in Bermuda and also back into the Leeward Islands.

(WEATHER REPORT)

NGUYEN: All right. Well, we do want to talk about homes in a shambles. People simply in shock.

South Texas picking up after Humberto, a storm with high winds, rain and the element of surprise.

CNN's Sean Callebs is in High Island, Texas, where they felt the brunt of this storm as it came ashore -- Sean.

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, exactly. I think you really hit the nail on the head. We heard Reynolds talking about that one forming out in the Atlantic, but this one snuck up on Texas the way a country-tough pitcher, Nolan Ryan, used to sneak fast balls past batters.

Take a look at this home out there. This belongs to 69-year-old Connie Peyton (ph), and she was actually in here.

She says she went to sleep around 10:00, knew there was some storms brewing off the coast, but didn't anticipate anything terribly bad. Well, she got up just before midnight because of the weather. And not long after that the roof flying off the house.

It ended up back by those trees over there. And then further to the right you can see bits of other parts of a roof, a mobile home, pinned up in the tree in that area.

Really some pretty widespread damage here in this small island. Only about 500 people live here.

We were out yesterday talking to folks as they were clearing trees and beginning to try and get electricity back in their homes. We actually caught up with one tough little 8-year-old who said he wasn't scared at all by the storm.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HOBIE WHITE, STORM SURVIVOR: I was scared whenever the house started rumbling. Then I was scared. I thought it was going to like fly up and was going to land on top of the school.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CALLEBS: Now, he played it tough, but his aunt said he was a little shaken up by that storm as it blew through this area.

We know at the height, about 100,000, 110,000 customers were without electricity. We've seen utility crews out throughout the morning. We know they're trying to get it restored, but they say it could take as long as four days.

But again, the big thing to hammer away here that really frustrated and shocked so many people here along the Texas coast, they just didn't see this one coming. It formed so rapidly.

When they went to bed, the winds were somewhere around 40, maybe 50 miles an hour. People living this close to the Gulf have to contend with that all the time. But boy, when the 85-plus mile-an- hour winds begin to kick in, that is when the damage kicked in as well. So this tiny little island, Betty, is going to face some significant cleanup in the days and weeks ahead.

NGUYEN: Oh, absolutely. It's apparent just looking at the house behind you, at least what's remaining of it.

Thank you, Sean Callebs. We appreciate it.

HOLMES: And new developments this morning in a fatal police shooting. The man suspected of killing a Miami-Dade officer and wounding three others shot dead in a final confrontation.

Our Susan Candiotti joins us now live from Miami.

Good morning to you, Susan.

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, T.J.

You know, it was just about 24 hours ago at this very hour when this tragedy began to unfold. Four police officers on a routine burglary surveillance noticed a car driving erratically and give chase. Finally, a gunman who left behind an AK-47 shot and killed one officer, wounded three others.

A massive manhunt began. And after a few false leads and interviews with the suspect's mother and brother, and after a law enforcement source tells us the suspect's brother talked with his brother on the telephone, Miami-Dade police eventually cornered, after 12 hours, suspect Shawn Labeet.

Investigators say he was armed, he had a weapon, he had an extra ammo clip, and he was wearing body armor. Police say they gunned him down during a battle.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DIR. ROBERT PARKER, MIAMI-DADE POLICE: Obviously, something was very wrong with that individual. We don't have any answers. I'm certain that as time passes in the future, and we look at everything that is before us in terms of the connection with Mr. Labeet, his motives and motivations, we might have some insight as to why this occurred.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CANDIOTTI: The officer who was killed is survived by a wife and two young children. He was only on the force for three years. The three other officers who did survive, one of them had one of her legs shattered and two others are expected to fully recover from their injuries.

Among the many questions here, where did suspect Shawn Labeet get all those guns, and did he have a death wish? What was his motive? The investigation goes on.

Back to you, T.J.

HOLMES: Well, that's certainly the question that needs to be answered right now.

Susan Candiotti for us there in Miami.

Susan, thank you so much.

NGUYEN: Well, the outpouring of support just keeps coming in for an Iraqi boy savagely attacked and burned. Five-year-old Youssif was severely disfigured when masked men grabbed him outside his home, doused him with gasoline, and then set him on fire.

He and his family arrived in the U.S. this week to begin his treatment and rehabilitation. And messages of support, well, they keep continuing to pour in.

Let's give you one now from Jennifer here in the U.S. She says, "In a time when positive news often makes the small print in news, it was really refreshing to read first thing in the morning. Thank you for bringing this positive article."

Also, a viewer in Dubai had this response: "Youssif's heart wrenching story is slowly turning into a heartwarming and hopeful story amidst the never-ending coverage of the war on terror. And we should be seeing and hearing, as well as learning about, these kinds of uplifting and moving stories more. And I'm wishing Youssif and his family all the best on his operation. God bless."

And Z. Sadat in Pakistan says, "It was heartening to see the little boy enjoy his life like young kids his age would normally do. I commend his parents for their courage and their patience. I also wish Youssif, his family, and many like them enough happiness to keep their spirit alive and everlasting."

Well, thousands of people, including you, the viewer, have responded to Youssif's story through CNN's Impact Your World initiative. And if you're looking for a way to make a difference for Youssif, you can.

Just log on to CNN.com/impact. click on "Iraq Burn Victim". You can learn how to become part of the solution. Impacting your world is just a click away right here at CNN.com/impact.

HOLMES: Well, U.S. troops in Iraq, who will come home? The meetings, the decisions coming up in the NEWSROOM.

NGUYEN: There was dead silence on Capitol Hill when General Petraeus spoke.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. IKE SKELTON (D-MO), CHAIRMAN, ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE: General David Petraeus, the floor is yours.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: See what I mean? Dead silence.

Don't touch that set. We were not joking, but we're going to explain what happened. Stick around for that.

HOLMES: Also, toddlers and cholesterol? Some doctors are calling for kids to be screened before their second birthday.

NGUYEN: Put it down, turn it off. It is a car, for Pete's sake. Driving under the influence of electronics, we all do it. We shouldn't. And teens, well, they can't do it in California.

We'll tell you why.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: The president speaks. Now we'll hear from Congress. Just hours after President Bush told the nation about progress in Iraq, lawmakers get an Iraq report card from the White House.

Here now, CNN's White House correspondent, Elaine Quijano.

Good morning to you, ma'am.

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, T.J.

That's right. And you know, yesterday, President Bush tried to accentuate the positive, focusing on the security and the local political gains that have been made on the ground in Iraq. Well, today came the bad news.

Of the 18 benchmarks laid out for the Iraqis on the security, economic, and political fronts, the White House's own report to Congress found that the Iraqis met nine of those benchmarks -- or satisfactory progress, I should say, has been made on those benchmarks. Seven of those have been rated unsatisfactory for progress by the White House, and two of them, the White House says, are not able to be assessed at this time.

Now, for days, Bush administration officials had clearly been trying to downplay the significance of some of these goals, saying that these measurements are just too narrow and that they don't take into account, they say, all that has happened on the ground, the progress that has been made outside of these benchmarks. In fact, that was the argument we heard earlier today from White House Press Secretary Tony Snow.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TONY SNOW, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: It's a report card that we've got to bring home for Congress. As you know, it's sort of a fractional look at what goes on in Iraq. IT is certainly not the sum and substance of everything going on, but there are some benchmarks Congress wanted to meet.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

QUIJANO: Now, later in a written statement, Snow went on to say, "While key national legislation has not yet passed, the objectives of such laws are in some ways already being achieved." For example, the White House cites the fact that oil revenues, they say, are in fact being distributed by the central government.

Nevertheless, what's important to note here, T.J., really is the standard. We're not talking about pass/fail or whether or not each benchmark has been met or not met, but rather the question, administration officials ask, in judging something satisfactory was whether something was "tracking towards satisfactory accomplishment in the near term."

Very different standard for the president's critics, of course. They will look at this report, they will look at this standard and cite it as more evidence, they say, that the president's surge strategy has so far failed to lead any kind of significant reconciliation at the very top levels in Baghdad -- T.J. HOLMES: All right. Well, Elaine, we heard a lot from the president last night. He said a lot of what he wanted to say. Well, we're going to hear from him again today at Quantico. What are we expecting from this?

QUIJANO: Yes. It's basically a follow-on to his remarks to the nation last night. The president is going to the Marine Corps base at Quantico, he'll be talking to troops there and having lunch with them.

Afterwards, he'll talk to pool reporters. And we're told he's going to make what Bush aides are describing as sort of off-the-cuff statements. But in those remarks, the president will focus on the U.S. mission in Iraq and how the administration views that as sort of transitioning over time.

The president obviously now trying to aggressively push his message. Both he and the vice president out today talking about what the administration sees as the next steps in Iraq -- T.J.

HOLMES: All right. Our Elaine Quijano for us from the White House.

Elaine, thank you so much.

Here now, a closer look at the numbers on the U.S. troops in Iraq.

Last night, President Bush, of course, announced some 5,700 Americans will be home by Christmas. They're among more than 21,000 U.S. service members expected to be withdrawn by next July.

Some 130,000 American service members will remain in Iraq. The president has offered no specific plan beyond that except to say the U.S. will remain in Iraq until after he leaves office.

NGUYEN: Well, let's take you to post-Taliban Afghanistan now. Still a country of burqas and beggars.

CNN's Special Investigations Unit lifts the veil on life on the streets for war widows.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SHARMEEN OBAID-CHINOY, JOURNALIST AND FILMMAKER (voice over): In early 2001, we found a country under Taliban rule decimated by war, poverty and violence. The streets were full of women, like this one, unable to work, forced to beg for change, with only animal feed to serve her children.

Today, despite the invasion and promises of aid, things don't look much better. Most of the beggars I see in Kabul are women. There are more than one million widows in Afghanistan, the legacy of 20 years of conflict and poverty.

Years of isolation by the Taliban have left many women unskilled and unable to work. Widows without male relatives to help them are often forced to beg.

I noticed one particular woman by the side of the road. She's clearly in distress and crying into her blue burqa.

(on camera): What is your name?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Bebe Goul (ph).

OBAID-CHINOY: Bebe Goul (ph).

How many hours a day do you sit outside begging?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (SPEAKING IN ARABIC).

OBAID-CHINOY (voice over): It turns out that Bebe Goul (ph) is also a war widow.

To understand how harsh the streets of Kabul are for women, my translator and I follow Bebe Goul (ph) as she goes begging that afternoon. I keep my microphone turned on.

(on camera): Oh, it feels really strange to be under this. Actually, I'm tripping all over myself because it's very difficult to walk in this.

(voice over): In today's Afghanistan, wearing the burqa is no longer required by law. Most are forced beneath the veil by men and their families or communities. For the Afghan woman, there is little difference.

(on camera): I can't imagine having to do this every day, day in and day out, for years and years and years, and to have no hope for what the future would hold.

This group of young boys who are just sitting in front of us, making fun of us that we are begging. Asking us if we really needed the money, and then (INAUDIBLE) deliberately give it to us.

(voice over): The men here look at us with disdain. I feel angry and invisible under the burqa. For the West, this veil has been a symbol of women's oppression here.

(on camera): But, you know, let's face it, the issue of the burqa is just the tip of the iceberg. Afghan women face far graver issues than whether to wear the burqa or not.

(voice over): I leave Bebe Goul (ph) where I found her, a lone, blue figure crouching in the mud. Her future and the future of thousands like her uncertain.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: Afghanistan, "Lifting the Veil" premiers tomorrow night at 8:00 Eastern only on CNN.

HOLMES: Well, no driving under the influence of all those gadgets. That includes those cell phones. A new law targeting California teens.

We'll tell you about it.

NGUYEN: Also, up, up and away to the moon. Japan aiming to be a player in the space race.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: All right. We want to bring you a live look here at what's happening in Cincinnati, Ohio, right now.

This scene is on I-71, where there has been a bank robbery just north of Cincinnati in Evendale. A bank there was robbed.

Police are now looking for the suspect in the Cincinnati area. They have shut down part of this highway, I-71, because they have a pretty good idea of where the suspect is, even though they don't know what vehicle he's in, because he's carrying money that is telling on him currently.

That money apparently is equipped with a GPS tracking device. Now, we don't know much about this vehicle, if this is the actual vehicle, if -- no word about a suspect being in custody or anything right now. But authorities are stopping traffic because they believe they have kind of narrowed down the area where the suspect is, where the money is, at least, and are tracking the suspect with that GPS technology that was included.

And it was thrown in there, along with the money that he took from the bank robbery. Don't know how much money he exactly got away with. No word on any injuries or much about the incident at the bank.

Again, that was in Evendale, Ohio, just north of Cincinnati.

Back to a live picture here now.

Don't have a suspect description, and also they did not have a description of the vehicle, the getaway vehicle. So, having the GPS device in there along with that money certainly is proving to be helpful right now.

We will keep an eye on this story. But again, a suspect, a robbery suspect, apparently carrying around money that is telling on him. And he might not know it right now.

So we'll keep our eye on this story, bring you more details as we get them.

NGUYEN: Well, there is a suspect description in another story that we've been following today. And his name? O.J. Simpson.

Yes, Las Vegas police now calling O.J. Simpson a suspect in a hotel room break-in. Associated Press reports investigators questioned Simpson about a break-in at the Palace Station Casino, and police say yesterday's break-in involves sports memorabilia.

Simpson was questioned and then released. And the alleged victims were also questioned.

Now, the investigators' report is being turned over to prosecutors. And they will decide whether to pursue an arrest warrant in this case.

Again, we will keep you posted.

So, next time you get your cholesterol checked, you might want to take the kids along as well, because a provocative new study says even tiny tots need a head start.

Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen explains why in today's "Daily Dose".

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Researchers said that it does help if you start screening toddlers for high cholesterol at 15 months, they said. When mom and dad take them in to get their shots, also get their cholesterol checked. And they say that way you can catch kids who have high cholesterol early and start getting them treatment.

Now, not every doctor thinks that cholesterol needs to be checked quite this early, but there certainly is a growing body of evidence that clogging of the arteries does start in childhood.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: Well, pediatricians also recommend getting your child's blood pressure checked beginning around the age of 3.

So, to get your "Daily Dose" of health news online, all you have to do is log on to our Web site. You'll find the latest medical news, a health library, and information on diet and fitness. The address, CNN.com/health.

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SR. PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Are you a little confused about how many U.S. troops are actually coming out of Iraq?

I'm Jamie McIntyre at the Iraq Fact Desk. And we'll sort it all out for you in a Fact Check just ahead.

HOLMES: All right. And from gang member to decorated marine, his story of heroism in his own words live, right here in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Well, good morning on this Friday. Hopefully you're having a good one.

I'm Betty Nguyen in the CNN NEWSROOM.

HOLMES: And I'm T.J. Holmes.

Good to see you all.

Up first here, the war in Iraq and the battle over numbers.

President Bush announces troop withdrawals but as numbers are crunched are you getting the whole story? A fact check from CNN's senior Pentagon correspondent Jamie McIntyre.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SR. PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The president announced 5,700 U.S. troops would come home by the end of the year, but as for the total by July, he talked brigades, not troops.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRES. OF THE UNITED STATES: We will be able to reduce our troop levels in Iraq from 20 combat brigades to 15.

MCINTYRE: The CNN Iraq fact desk has broken that down into hard numbers -- five army brigades, roughly 3,500 soldiers each, is 17, 500 troops. The Marine expeditionary unit, just over 2,000. And the two Marine battalions are about 1,000 each for another 2,000. That adds up to 21,500.

The president made a point of saying the mission is changing from going after insurgents to getting the Iraqis to go after insurgents.

BUSH: Over time our troops will shift from leading operations to partnering with Iraqi forces.

MCINTYRE: But the independent Jones Commission Report says that will take up to a year and a half. To his opponents in Congress, it all sounds like a warmed-over version of the old "we stand down as they stand up" slogan.

REP. NANCY PELOSI (D), HOUSE SPEAKER: I mean, please. It's an insult to the intelligence of the American people.

MCINTYRE: The president insists the surge met its goals.

BUSH: Anbar province is a good example of how our strategy is working.

MCINTYRE: But Stephen Biddle, an expert who advised general David Petraeus, says the awakening in Anbar was unanticipated, and outside the design for the surge.

STEPHEN BIDDLE, COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS: I think it's a temporary alliance of convenience that may be sustainable for a long time, if somebody remains to police it.

MCINTYRE: The president says the troop withdrawal is a return on success.

BUSH: The more successful we are, the more American troops can return home.

MCINTYRE: Critics charge the surge is ending not because Iraq is getting better, but because the U.S. Army is out of troops.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES: All right. And Jamie McIntyre joins us now, again, from the Fact Check desk. Tell us now, we're hear about the numbers, but who, these men and women are? Who exactly will be headed home? Do we know that yet?

MCINTYRE: Well, we're waiting to hear the final details on that. In fact, there are meetings going on at the Pentagon today to take a look at the deployment plans, the redeployment plans. The big question mark is, which units are going to come out first. As you know, the surge brigades were some of the last ones to go in. And the Pentagon likes to follow a, you know, first in, first out policy with the regard to Iraq. But that may not be the best military solution.

We were already told that one brigade that's going to come home before the end of the year, that Army brigade, is not one of the surge brigades. It's another brigade that General Petraeus has decided that he can do without.

So as they crunch all these numbers here they'll try to readjust the deployment schedules. Some of the troops that had been told they were extended to 15 months may only have to serve their original 12- month deployment. But that will be the next shoe to drop.

The other big question is, how many of the support troops, the 8,000 or so support troops that make up the total of 30,000 troops of the surge, how many of them will be able to come home? Some will. Some may still be needed. Like for instance, military police who were needed to guard the detainees that have been rounded up during the surge offensive -- T.J.

All right, a lot still to be worked out. Jamie McIntyre for us. Appreciate the facts, sir.

NGUYEN: Well, he gave up gangster life to serve his country, earning the military's second highest award for combat leadership in Iraq. In his book, "Hard Corp: From Gangster to Marine Hero," Marine Sergeant Marco Martinez joins us now live from Irvine, California.

Thanks for being with us today.

Can you hear us?

SGT. MARCO MARTINEZ, U.S. MARINE CORPS: Yes, I can. Thank you.

NGUYEN: All right, wonderful.

We're going to get to your story from being a gangster to being awarded one of the highest honors here in the U.S.

But first off, I want to talk to you about the president's speech last night. You listened to it. After serving in Iraq, what is your assessment, your reaction to what he had to say? MARTINEZ: I think he said what had to be said, and he's showing that our success in Iraq is working. General Petraeus is a good general, and he's an honorable general, and his planning is actually taking effect and we're having success in Iraq.

Having served in Iraq, I could tell you that the terrorists we face over there are savage and brutal, and if we were to pull out prematurely, the terrorists would follow us home and it would be disastrous for both us and Iraq.

NGUYEN: And apparently it's going to take some time because these benchmarks have not been made, as you heard the president speak about last night.

But let me get back to your story. You are the first Hispanic American since Vietnam to be awarded the Navy Cross. How exactly did you earn that? Talk to us about what happened in Iraq.

MARTINEZ: Well, first off I wrote my book "Hard Corp," to pay tribute to the Marines that I served with. What basically happened is on April 12th, 2003, me and my platoon were north of Baghdad and we were ambushed. A four-hour firefight ensued after that in which we went house to house fighting these terrorists for four hours.

And basically what happened is after taking some casualties, I found myself in a position to make a difference in the firefight. After I picked up a discarded RPG laying on the ground from some terrorists that we had killed earlier. I shot the RPG into a building which allowed some of the Marines to evacuate our wounded. After the terrorists re-assumed their assault, I took it upon myself to charge that particular building, shoot some of the terrorists from the outside, throw a grenade inside the window. After the grenade exploded, I charged the room myself and cleared out the room of the remaining terrorists.

NGUYEN: My goodness. And what an award, what an won an honor for just those heroics there on the ground in Iraq. Let me ask you though, you went from a self-described gangster, a thug on the street who joined gangs at, what, ninth grade and moved over to becoming a marine. How did that happen? How did you get involved in gangs?

MARTINEZ: Well, I wrote the book gritty and not candy-coated. What happened is, you know, I was involved in a lot things that I shouldn't have been involved in. And a lot of people fall into that lifestyle, of, you know, some people do, some people don't. So there is really no rhyme or reason why a person actually joins a gang or decides to go into that lifestyle.

But the thing that helped me pull out of that particular lifestyle was my father, God rest his soul, who passed away not too long ago, he had told me I didn't come from Mexico for a member of my family to be a burden on American society. He had earned his citizenship by serving as an Army Ranger for 20 years, and that really resonated with me. And I decided I needed to do something good, something productive, something that's going to help America. So I decided to join the Marine Corps infantry. And my father and mother were ecstatic, and everyone was proud that I had finally decided to do something worthwhile.

NGUYEN: I can imagine.

And so when young people look at you today, I mean being awarded the Navy Cross, this hero in the war in Iraq, and especially gang members, when they look at you, what is your message to them?

MARTINEZ: My message is, you know, you don't have to live that lifestyle. That lifestyle is not productive. It's actually really counterproductive. You're not doing anything for American society.

All you're doing is you're just in a downward spiral, which you end up in prison or jail or, you know, paralyzed. You're going to get shot. Something bad's going to happen to you. Pull yourself out of that, do something worthwhile, be a productive member of society and help America become a better place.

NGUYEN: All right. Marine Sergeant Marco Martinez, we thank you for your time today. We appreciate it.

MARTINEZ: Thank you for having me.

(WEATHER REPORT)

NGUYEN: Southeast Texas facing a massive cleanup job this morning. Just take a look. Homes ripped to pieces after Hurricane Humberto snuck up on the state, intensifying at blistering pace before hitting coastal towns with 85 mile-an-hour winds and torrential rain. At least one death is being blamed on that storm. Thousands of people still are without power at this hour. And officials say repairs may take up to four days for some folks.

Now from Texas, Humberto moved east, knocking out power an flooding streets in Louisiana.

HOLMES: Well, just say it ain't so. Not Bill Belichick. The New England Patriots and their coach paying pretty hefty fines here for cheating. The coach, Bill Belichick, fined $500,000. The team ordered to pay $250,000 for videotaping the New York Jets sideline signals in their Sunday game. Did the Patriots -- reach the playoffs, as far as the punishment as well -- if they reach the playoffs, that means they would have a first round pick next year. Well, they'd have to forfeit that. If the team does not make the post season, then they will lose the second and third round draft picks.

NGUYEN: All right, well the fur and the feathers. T.J. ...

HOLMES: Yes, I see.

NGUYEN: ...they were just flying in a melee between two college mascots. You have to check this out. It started when the Houston Cougar mascot, oh, right there, imitated the trademark push-ups of the University of Oregon Duck. And then, that got the Duck's feathers ruffled and led to a sideline ...

HOLMES: Wait for the move. NGUYEN: ...smack-down. Here it comes, here it comes.

HOLMES: There!

NGUYEN: There it goes! What is he doing? The Duck mascot was hit with a one-game suspension. Some say the fight was phony, all in fun. As you saw there, he goes brushing off his shoulders like it's no big deal. But school leaders say it wasn't staged. And we'll let you decide for yourself what you think about that little rumble (ph).

HOLMES: We should probably edit that move out from now on.

NGUYEN: Yes, it's a little x-rated.

HOLMES: Yes.

All right, well, up, up and away to the moon. Japan aiming to be a big player in the space race.

SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Susan Lisovicz at the New York Stock Exchange where stock prices are going down and toy prices could be on the rise. The cost of peace of mind, next.

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: No cell phones, no text messaging, no laptops, no PDAs, no electronics. Whew! You couldn't live like that, could you? Well, you don't need those things behind the wheel! That's the new law for teenage drivers in California.

Patti Lee of CNN affiliate KTVU reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PATTI LEE, KTVU REPORTER (voice-over): Lavita Fernandez (ph) got her permanent license two months ago, and driving is not yet second nature.

LAVITA FERNANDEZ: It's pretty scary, but it's fun. You know, I'm getting used to it still.

LEE: She admits some kids are susceptible to distractions, like the radio, but also PDAs, pagers and ...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hello.

LEE: ...cell phones.

FERNANDEZ: Some of them do take their phone calls, but they try to keep it under like a minute. I'm normally just like, OK, hi, I'll call you back or something when I get home.

LEE: But most people aren't so disciplined. According to the CHP, cell phone use is the leading cause of distracted driver accidents. And a Ford Motor Study revealed teen drivers are four times more distracted then adults by cell phone use.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I guess it's better for people who crash but sometimes you have to talk on the phone.

LEE: Today, Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a bill that bans anyone under the age of 18 from using electronic devices while driving.

GOV. ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, (R) CALIFORNIA: Speeches (ph) came out with a report that the majority of traffic accidents in teenagers is because they're distracted, because of cell phones, laptops or doing their makeup or whatever it may be, eating in the car and so on. So, we tried to really lower that number.

LEE: The law takes effect July 1st of next year. Also going into effect, a law that requires all drivers over 18 to use hands-free devices.

LES BISHOP, CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL: When we see somebody with a phone up to their ear, they can be stopped for that, and that's anybody of any age.

LEE: Parents of teenagers say they believe the new law will be helpful.

LORRAINE RUMLEY, PARENT: It does give some teeth to parents' rules. We like to believe they listen to us and think we know everything, but ...

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES: With this new law, California joins 15 other states and the nation's capital in banning electronic devices for teen drivers.

NGUYEN: Well, "YOUR WORLD TODAY" is coming up and we'll be checking with Jim Clancy. There he is!

Good afternoon, sir.

JIM CLANCY, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Well, and good morning, good afternoon to you, T.J. and Betty there.

You know, we're going to be looking at the story in Britain as a media frenzy continues to churn around the parents of that missing 4- year-old girl. They've been designated suspects. Are they going to be charged with any crime? I'll have a live report.

In the U.S., a media controversy over a political advertisement in the "New York Times." Should the newspaper have printed what some say was nothing more than a personal attack on America's top general in Iraq?

Plus, the passing of a friend. Europeans look on with amazement at the thousands of e-mails that have poured in to remember an African gray parrot who was a celebrity in the U.S. Alex is no longer with us, but the woman who worked with him for 30 years is going to join us live to tell us why this parrot was just so special. All right.

NGUYEN: How many e-mails again?

CLANCY: Thousands.

NGUYEN: Really!

CLANCY: Thousands have poured in. And it's being written up in the European newspapers.

NGUYEN: My goodness.

CLANCY: It is.

NGUYEN: All right, Jim.

CLANCY: All right, we'll tell you about it.

NGUYEN: We'll stay tuned for that. Thank you.

In the meantime, everybody wants safer toys, and someone is going to have to pay for it. Susan Lisovicz is at the New York Stock Exchange to tell us who will be footing that bill.

I know it's not going to be you, Susan.

(BUSINESS HEADLINES)

HOLMES: We have been turned -- we're going to turn back to weather now. We've been talking all this tropical storms and hurricanes, and all this good stuff. We got to throw in a tornado warning now.

Reynolds Wolf keeping an eye on this for us. What's happening?

REYNOLDS WOLF, AMS METEOROLOGIST: That's right, T.J.

The latest we have is a tornado warning, that's in effect for northern Tuscaloosa County in west central Alabama. This includes the city of Tuscaloosa and Holt. Not unusual when you have these dying tropical systems like Humberto moving through parts of an area. Sometimes, you'll have these storms that spin off. That's the situation that we have right now. This will expire at 11:15 Central time.

We're going to zoom in right on this area and show you where it is, not far from the Warrior River and downtown Tuscaloosa. Bryant- Denny Stadium, here's Paul W. Bryant Drive. And the heaviest rainfall now moving to the north and the northeast of Tuscaloosa.

If you happen to be tuning in to anywhere along the I-20 corridor, back towards Hughietown (ph) or Vasamir (ph), even in Birmingham, you can expect this storm system, this line, to continue to march its way eastward but these embedded cells continue to move very slowly to the north and to the northeast. Eventually, we're going to see some of this activity possibly over towards Gardendale, even in Jasper, Hoover certainly not out of the possibility of getting some rough weather there as well.

We're going to see this entire line, which stretches not just here in Alabama, but also up into parts of Tennessee, all this unsettled air will be working its way into Georgia, as well as the Carolinas. But this is the most intense spot we're watching just north of Tuscaloosa.

We'll have more throughout the rest of the day. Let's send it back to you at the news desk.

HOLMES: All right Reynolds, we do appreciate you, sir.

Well, up, up and away, heading to the moon. Japan aiming to a big player in the space race. Stay tuned for that.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: It is being called the most ambitious mission to the moon since the Apollo program. Japan today launching its lunar probe, and that probe expected to take about three weeks to reach the moon. And once it's there, the satellite will send out two more smaller satellites. And the data collected from the mission will be used to study the origin and development of the moon.

NGUYEN: Well, this next story, we are not monkeying around. Oh, no. Take a look at that! Aww! This tiny 12-week old monkey has taken a shine to its feathered friend there.

Stop rolling your eyes, T.J.

The pigeon reportedly returning the love. This is at an animal sanctuary in China, and the monkey was actually found abandoned by its mom and then taken to that sanctuary. And that's where this odd couple linked up. Workers say the two are nearly inseparable. So cute!

HOLMES: Reynolds, please.

NGUYEN: You got to save us from this, Reynolds.

HOLMES: Please.

WOLF: OK, I never picture a tornado doing that, but that's what we're going to do. We've got a tornado right now near Tuscaloosa, Alabama, at least a tornado report.

Let's zoom in right now, just north of Tuscaloosa, we have a tornado warning that's in effect for Tuscaloosa County, northern Tuscaloosa County, this includes the cities of Tuscaloosa as well as Holt. The National Weather Service has indicated that severe thunderstorm capable of producing -- there's no visual confirmation, just the doppler indicated just north of Tuscaloosa. If you happen to be in the T-town area, that's what the locals refer it, the best thing you can do at this point is certainly take cover. You want to be in the lowest floor of your home away from outside walls, an interior room, maybe even a closet would not be a bad place to be until this expires. It's going to be in effect for the next 20 minutes or so.

It is this southern half of this storm that we are seeing, it's moving along parts of I-20. You want to be on guard if you happen to be in Birmingham, northward into Gardendale, maybe even as far south as Hoover or Alabaster. Could be a stormy day for you, no doubt. And for the very latest, make sure you keep it here on CNN.

Let's send it back to you at the news desk.

NGUYEN: All right, we'll be watching. Thank you, Reynolds.

WOLF: Sure.

HOLMES: Well, the commander in chief announcing a limited troop drawdown. Today, he reinforces his Iraq strategy with a talk to marines.

NGUYEN: But first, our news quiz for you. What is the name of outgoing White House Press Secretary Tony Snow's band? Do you know? We're going to tell you.

Oh, there's just a little sound of it there. We're going to tell you after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: All right, you had some time to think about it and before the break we asked you, what is the name of outgoing White House Press Secretary Tony Snow's band? Well, the answer is Beats Workin'. Yes, that's its name, and it features a multi-tasking snow on guitar, saks and flute. That sounds like a one-man band.

HOLMES: Wow, all right. Lovely (ph), that wasn't bad. That was a good suggestion.

NGUYEN: No, I know. Good suggestion.

HOLMES: All right, well, the NEWSROOM continues an hour from now.

NGUYEN: "YOUR WORLD TODAY" is next with news happening all across the globe and here at home.

I'm Betty Nguyen.

HOLMES: And I'm T.J. Holmes.

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