Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Blackwater Investigation; Spears Loses Custody; Uncovering America; Grambling State University Speaks About Noose Incident in School

Aired October 02, 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. Stay informed all day in the CNN NEWSROOM. Here's what's on the rundown now.
Amber Alert in Florida right now. Police fear a teenager is on the run with a convicted sex offender.

Civil rights lesson. Nooses around the necks of children. Live soon, the president of Grambling talks about the troubling incident on her campus.

And Britney Spears. The ex gets custody. And a tabloid saga gets front page attention this Tuesday, October 2nd. You are in the NEWSROOM.

Happening right now, a desperate search for a missing Florida teenager. Police believe she is with a registered sex offender. An Amber Alert has been issued for 15-year-old Alyssa Frank. Authorities say she was last seen in Bartow county wearing a pink or black Tinkerbell shirt and jeans. Authorities believes he is with William Joe Mitchell. He's a 46-year-old registered sex offender from the Jacksonville area.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHERIFF GRADY JUDD, POLK COUNTY, FLORIDA: He met her on MySpace. Subsequently he created a relationship with her and she fell in love with him. Someone she'd never seen. He lured her away and now he's got her and we've got to have her back safely.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: Want to make sure that you have those phone numbers for you as well as the license plate. They may be traveling in a black 2000 model Chevy Lumina with the Florida tag number of GO25EL. And those phone numbers, if you have any information whatsoever in this case, you can, of course, call 911 or the other number is 863-533- 0344. You see it at the bottom of the screen. Or 800-226-TIPS.

Also happening right now, the head of Blackwater USA defending his company's actions in Iraq. The Iraqi government accused Blackwater of killing civilians. Our Barbara Starr is covering this story from the Pentagon this morning and Alessio Vinci is in Baghdad with the Iraqi point of view, as well as Suzanne Simons is joining us here now at CNN. She's done extensive research into private contractors in Iraq.

Barbara, I want to start with you. Tell us what exactly the Pentagon is looking into and what we're going to see today.

BARBARA STARR, PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Heidi, Blackwater chairman Erik Prince now in the room, in that congressional hearing room. The House Government Oversight Committee opening this hearing today now on this September 16th shooting incident in Baghdad and overall Blackwater operations in Iraq, as well as private security contractors.

Erik Prince's statement has been made available to journalists. We had a look at it. And what we should expect from this hearing is he will go to the wall defending his people, defending the action of Blackwater personnel during the shooting incident in Baghdad.

Now, of course, the Iraqi government tells quite a different story. They say Blackwater shot at civilians without provocation. Mr. Prince will say the following. He will say, "there has been a rush to judgment based on inaccurate information, and many public reports have wrongly pronounced Blackwater's guilt for the deaths of varying numbers of civilians. Congress should not accept these allegations as truth until it has the facts."

He will say that he believes, based on what he knows, Blackwater personnel acted appropriately. This whole hearing, of course, now taking on political overtones. Earlier today one of the Republican congressmen, who sits on this panel, who was in Iraq and guarded by Blackwater personnel, Darrell Issa of California, had this to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. DARRELL ISSA, (R) CALIFORNIA: The only time there seems to be a desire to have this type of oversight is when the headlines would help demean the very effort we are involved in in Iraq.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STARR: But the word (ph) of the private security contractors in Iraq is both very violent and very secretive. This hearing should lift the veil off some of that.

Heidi.

COLLINS: All right, Barbara, thanks so much for that. And Alessio Vinci as well. He's joining us now from Baghdad.

Alessio, tell us a little bit about the Iraqi side of the investigation. How many private contractors are we really talking about that are there in Iraq?

ALESSIO VINCI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, let me start with the Iraqi side of the investigation, Heidi. Ever since the incident on September the 16th, we spoke to a number of source here within the ministry of the interior, as well as the government, of course, and the Iraqi national police. And all these source seem to concur and to come to the same conclusion and that is, in their view, that Blackwater guards reacted with too much power, fire power, and in any case they were unprovoked. They contest Blackwater's versions of the event, that its guards came under fire before they responded.

These investigators also seem to suggest, for example, that there were two separate shooting incidents. One in the square and one about 500 yards away. And they also give us some details about how the whole incident started by Blackwater security guards arriving near the square, shooting some warning shots, some of them. Hit a car by killing the driver and therefore that car could not stop at the demand of the Blackwater security guards, as well as the Iraqi traffic police. And therefore then that prompted, if you want, an escalation of fire power against the particular car and then eventually everything sort of went out of control.

We also spoke to a lot of witnesses here and they seem to reach the same conclusion. They are telling us how Blackwater basically started shooting without being provoked, without any kind of reason. And speaking about the civilians here and especially those who have survived this incident, they really don't want any kind of compensation. They just want to make sure that at the end of this process in Washington, as well as here in Iraq, that the people who are responsible for this attack will be held accountable because, so far, they know that the private security guards, and in particular Blackwater guards, get away here in this country literally sometimes with murder.

Heidi.

COLLINS: All right, Alessio, thanks so much for that.

Also want to bring in Suzanne Simons. She's here on the set with us now to give us a little bit more analysis.

Suzanne, I know that you are in the process of writing a book about these private contractors. You've spent a lot of time looking into this. What is it that Iraqis see? I mean we just heard from Alessio a little bit about their attitudes. But is there not any good that some of these contractors are doing as well? Certainly not to make light of these most recent events.

SUZANNE SIMONS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Sure. Well, there's always another side to the story, right? And largely, up until now, the Blackwater side of the story hasn't come out. They'll tell you that's because the State Department, their main clients in Iraq, has not allowed them to speak to the media as these events pop up.

Sure, there is always another side and there's always good that's being done. I mean Erik Prince, as I've sat down with him over the past couple of months in the course of writing this book, has talked about how he has been approach bid generals when he's been out speaking at the war college and other places, who have really patted him on the back and said, good job, thank you. Even the military guys carry around little Blackwater cards. So they know who to call when they get in trouble. so there's always a flip side.

COLLINS: And when you say, when they get in trouble or good job, what exactly are we talking about?

SIMONS: They get in trouble means that a lot of time when military units come under fire by insurgents in different areas, some of these more volatile areas of Baghdad, Blackwater will be called in to come and either provide air support to help them get out of that situation or sometimes even ground teams.

COLLINS: The big question though, rules of engagement.

SIMONS: Yes.

COLLINS: And, you know, who they're answering to.

SIMONS: Exactly. And that's been a big question for years now. It's almost surprising that it's taken this long to get Erik Prince in front of a committee to answer some of these questions. Not only Erik, but really there are a lot of companies just like his. It could have been any of them. They are not accountable to Iraqi law.

Now this is because Paul Bremer, when he handed over control to the Coalition Provisional Authority, had something called Order 17, which really said, these contractors are here to protect U.S. diplomats, to protect people who are providing for reconstruction of Iraq. They can't be held accountable to Iraqi law because that would -- I mean, imagine the mess it would create if a contractor shot someone, said it was defensive, just like the mess that we're seeing now. But, again, it should have happened. And I'm surprised it didn't come up two years ago.

COLLINS: Quickly, by way of how Iraqis feel about groups like Blackwater, again, this incident, this specific incident aside, because we just don't have the details yet, as you see some live pictures coming in now of those hearing getting underway. They do actually protect, as you just said, some of the people who are trying to rebuild the country.

SIMONS: Right.

COLLINS: Is any of that ever talked about or understood that there's some good going on by way, again, of rebuilding the country?

SIMONS: Well, like we said, there's always two sides. The other side you asked about, how do the Iraqis feel? I mean, I think the Iraqis, by and large, you know, an American's an American, whether he's wearing a military uniform or a T-shirt and khakis. And the Iraqis feel, a lot of times we're hearing from people on the ground, they are victimized. You know, they can be driving down the street trying to take their children somewhere and all of a sudden somebody might open fire somewhere around them. It's something that a lot of Iraqis have expressed great frustration over. And I think that's why you're seeing this bubble at the interior ministry at the level where it is.

COLLINS: So they feel like they can get caught in the middle of it all.

SIMONS: Absolutely.

COLLINS: All right. Well, thanks so much to the three of you, Barbara Starr, Alessio Vinci and Suzanne Simons. Thanks so much.

An unannounced visit to Iraq today, in fact, by Britain's prime minister. Gordon Brown has some news about British troop withdrawals. The British leader says he expects 1,000 British troops will be sent home from Iraq probably before Christmas. He met today with the Iraqi prime minister, Nuri al-Maliki, in Baghdad. The troop reduction is part of a plan to strategy shift. The British are handing over control of the predominantly Shiite southeast to Iraqi security forces.

Classes back in session at the University of Memphis this morning. A murder investigation goes on. Police looking for clues in the campus shooting death of football player Taylor Bradford. The fresh memories of Virginia Tech. Memphis school officials were reassuring students yesterday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHIRLEY RAINES, PRES., UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS: While we cannot release any information about the suspects at this time, the initial investigation indicates that this was an act directed specifically toward the victim and it was not a random act of violence.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: Police actually said later, though, that it is too soon to know whether the shooting was random or targeted. At tonight's football game against Marshall University, a moment of silence as the team honors a fallen friend.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOMMY WEST, UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS FOOTBALL COACH: I guess that's natural for all of us. I mean it's to say that, you know, this doesn't happen here. You know, it doesn't happen to you. It happens at Virginia Tech or it happens at Delaware State or it happens other places. It doesn't happen here. When the fact is, it can happen anywhere.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: Bradford was shot on the way to his car Sunday. He got inside and drove away but crashed into a tree.

Now it is a nationwide manhunt. We want to keep this information out there. A horrible story we've been updating for you for days now. A man raping a little girl on videotape. Police looking for tips on the suspect Chester Stiles. And word is getting out there. Investigators say they're getting leads from around the country. That little girl on the video was just three years old. She's seven years old now and police say she is safe.

A noose around the neck after young child. It happened at a Grambling University run elementary school, said to be a lesson on racism. Did teachers go too far? We'll talk to the university's president.

And Kevin Federline gets the kids. Britney Spears loses custody. Another disappointment for Britney.

(WEATHER REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: You are in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Heidi Collins.

Two toddlers drowned in a bathtub. The suspect, their own mother. Family members and police wondering what happened. The story ahead in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: An Ohio mother is in jail this morning accused of a horrible crime. Her two daughters dead. The two-year-old and four- year-old found by their father drowned in a bathtub.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LT. THOMAS STACHO, CLEVELAND POLICE: The mother of the children called him on the phone and stated that she drowned the children in the bathtub.

NELLIE CINTRON, GIRLS GRANDMOTHER: They were so beautiful little girls, you know. We all loved them, you know, especially the father.

JAMES CINTRON, FAMILY MEMBER: Just pray for our family. Pray for the girls. They're in heaven now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: Police say 22-year-old Amber Hill is the only suspect. So far no charges have been filed.

Britney Spears ordered to turn over her kids to her ex. Effective tomorrow, the two boys go to Kevin Federline. CNN's Randi Kaye has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): Swarmed by the paparazzi in this footage from hollywood.tv, we see Britney Spears leaving a Malibu restaurant with her two young children. Less than 24 hours later, the pop princess learned that they would be taken away from her.

LISA BLOOM, COURT TV: I'm not surprised by the ruling. Britney has been given so many opportunities to prove herself a worthy parent and it's another, "oops, I did it again" moment.

KAYE: This is the order from the Los Angeles County court, granting Spears' ex-husband, Kevin Federline, physical custody of two- year-old Sean and one-year-old Jayden until further order of the court. It is a stunning decision, but not a surprise in what has become a sad and very public cautionary tale.

HARVEY LEVIN, TMZ.COM: The day the judge issued the ruling saying that she had to go to parenting classes, take random drug tests, she chose to go out to two nightclubs that night. And it was pretty apparent then that it was not registering with her how serious a problem this is.

KAYE: Britney Spears is only 25 years old, yet she has been famous for almost her entire life. As a child, the Louisiana native was on Broadway, a member of Disney's Mickey Mouse Club. By 17, Spears was a superstar. Her debut album and accompanying racy video made the blonde-haired teenager a household name.

There would be more albums. More moments, like this kiss with Madonna on MTV. There would also be signs of trouble. Spears wed a childhood friend in Las Vegas. She annulled the marriage days later. Then she married a dancer, an aspiring rapper, Kevin Federline. The union lasted two years.

Soon, Spears was in the headlines again for all the wrong reasons. There were photographs of her driving with her baby boy in her lap. There were also rumors of drug and alcohol use. In February, another shocking turn. Spears walks into a Los Angeles salon and shaves her head.

Spears would enter a rehabilitation center later that month. Incredibly, her life spun more out of control when she emerged. In July, reports she'd broke down and appeared disoriented at a photo shoot. Then Kevin Federline sued her for custody of the children.

Weeks later, her hopes for a comeback fizzled in a lazy lip sync performance at the MTV Music Awards. Some say she couldn't even remember the words to her own song.

The news kept getting worse. Spears was charged in an alleged hit and run incident in Los Angeles. That carries a maximum jail sentence of one year. And now she has lost physical custody of her kids. In the end, it wasn't really about Spears anymore. It was about them.

BLOOM: This has got to be devastating for Britney. She clearly loves those children. I don't think anybody disputes that. The good news is, this is hitting bottom Britney and you can turn it around. You can come back. No custody order is ever final. Prove yourself a worthy parent and that judge is going to want to give you your kids back.

KAYE: Randi Kaye, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: Unfolding this hour, the search for a missing girl. Police say she may be with a registered sex offender. They're hoping you can help find her.

Also, culture clash. An English only move splits a Midwestern city.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: Let's get another look at these numbers. Right now the Dow Jones Industrials average is down a little bit. Down about 15 points or so, resting at 14,072. But as I'm sure you know from yesterday, it hit a new high at the close of 14,088 or 87 or so. The last time that happened it was 14,000 even almost, on July 19th. So a lot that we are looking at today.

The Nasdaq is down just a little bit as well. So things are kind of opening up, even stagnant, if you will. We're going to continue to watch those numbers and see what happens by the close of business today.

Among our other top stories today, drug dealing and prison time. A racially charged issue before the Supreme Court today. The justices looking at the constitutionality of federal sentencing guidelines that require harsher penalties for crack cocaine offenders than for those convicted on power cocaine charges. Critics say it's racially discriminatory because crack is more of an urban and minority drug. Powder cocaine used more often by the affluent.

We're uncovering America on CNN today, focusing on the Hispanic experience. In one Midwestern city, Spanish only speakers may be feeling the welcome mat has been rolled up. CNN's Ed Lavandera explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): Mention the words English and official language in Carpentersville, Illinois, and the passion erupts. In June, a group of local politicians fought to declare English as this Chicago suburb's official language. They wanted all official government business to be done in English only.

JUDY SIGWALT, CARPENTERSVILLE TRUSTEE: I started feeling out of place.

LAVANDERA: Judy Sigwalt is one of those local politicians inspired, she says, by the changes she has seen around her since she moved her 25 years old.

SIGWALT: In my old neighborhood I couldn't talk to any of my neighbors.

LAVANDERA: The fight has made some American citizens, like Adam Ruiz, uncomfortable in a town that's about 40 percent Latino. The symbolic gesture, a resolution, not a law, has ignited a cultural battle.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right now I am asking all the illegal aliens and their families to pack your stuff, go back to your country of origin.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When I look at some of you, how do I know you're legal. Will we be tagged in the ear?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm sick and tired of being call add racist or a Nazi.

LAVANDERA: Ruiz decided to fight the English only crowd after this letter was sent to some white non-Hispanic residents. It said, are you tired of having to "punch #1 for English" and are you tired of watching "illegal aliens pay with food stamps" and then get in a $40,000 car? Ruiz says it's proof that the anti-illegal immigrant group is on a racist crusade.

ADAM RUIZ, CARPENTERSVILLE RESIDENT: It became personal for me. It just really felt really uncomfortable.

LAVANDERA: Ruiz says the official English movement is driving some Hispanics out. Hispanic neighborhoods are flooded with for sale signs. Sigwalt says all legal resident should feel welcome.

SIGWALT: This is what I was raised, for America to be the land, you know, the land of the free. We are all free. But still, we have our language of origin.

LAVANDERA: A battle like this, what does it do to a city?

RUIZ: It tears it apart. It makes you feel really uncomfortable. You're in like -- it's like you're in an unwritten war here.

LAVANDERA: In this cultural battle, language is a mighty sword.

Ed Lavandera, CNN, Carpentersville, Illinois.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: Check out cnn.com special online report, the Hispanic experience, today. Read about the real issues facing the Latino community and significant moments in Hispanic history. You can also share your stories and photos through an i-Report. That and more at cnn.com/uncoveringamerica.

Florida police urgently trying to find this 15-year-old girl this morning. She could be in the company of a registered sex offender.

And they're hired guns in Iraq. Private security contractors. But are Blackwater employees trigger happy? The company's chairman on Capitol Hill this morning.

A noose around the neck of a young child. It happened at a Grambling University run elementary school, said to be a lesson on racism. Did teachers go too far? We'll talk to the university's president.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) COLLINS: You are in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Heidi Collins. Tony Harris is off today.

Happening right now, a desperate search for a mission Florida teen. Police believe she is with a registered sex offender. An Amber Alert has been issued for 15-year-old Alyssa Frank. Authorities say she was last seen in Bartow, Florida, wearing a pink or black Tinkerbell shirt and jeans. Authorities believe she is with William Joe Mitchell. He's a 46-year-old registered sex offender from the Jacksonville area.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ...her on MySpace. Subsequently, he created a relationship with her, and she fell in love with him, someone she'd never seen. He lured her away and now he's got her. And we've got to have her back, safely.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

COLLINS: The pair may be traveling in a black 2000 model Chevrolet Lumina. The Florida tag number is G025EL, and police are also asking for your help by phone. If you have any information, you can the Polk County sheriff's office at 863-533-0344, or you can always dial 911. You can also call 1-800-226-TIPS, T-I-P-S.

So, a lot of buzz about this story now, a noose around the neck of an elementary school student, chains on others. A lesson on racism at a Grambling State University-run school. But did teachers go too far?

Joining me now, University president Horace Judson. Thanks for here this morning. I wonder in your own words and your understanding, if you could tell us a little bit more about what happened at the Alma Brown Elementary School?

HORACE JUDSON, PRES., GRAMBLING STATE UNIV.: Good morning.

One of the kindergarten teachers in this case, the only of the four teachers involved who was a veteran teacher there and three other first-year teachers, decided that the current events about the Jena Six was a teachable moment, as they say. And so, they planned an activity to be held at recess time where they would teach their students about non-violent demonstrations, and to talk to them about the challenges as they understood them with respect to racism and to focus them on the goals of education to overcome those challenges.

COLLINS: Non-violent?

JUDSON: And of course ...

COLLINS: I'm sorry, did you say non-violent?

JUDSON: Non-violent demonstration, yes ...

COLLINS: What did you think when you saw these ... JUDSON: ...that was one of the topics ...

COLLINS: I'm sorry for the interruption. What did you think when you saw these pictures? Did you know that this lesson was going to take place before it happened?

JUDSON: Oh, absolutely not. I mean, that's one of the regrettable situations that occurred with respect to this whole situation with the school. Nobody knew except the four teachers there, the principal didn't know and I asked that question how this could occur, but they planned it for recess and I think that's why it escaped notification of the principal and the other teachers at the school.

COLLINS: So, what you're saying is ...

JUDSON: When I found out ...

COLLINS: Sure, what you're saying is there was not a lesson plan for this because it was handled during recess. There was no formal lesson plan that was then turned into the administration or the school board or however you handle lesson plans for this particular school, so no one had any idea this was going to take place?

JUDSON: That is correct. The teachers involved admitted that it was an impromptu activity, that it was not part of the lesson plan, and we discussed that. They also admitted they didn't tell the director of instruction or the principal and so, they got together and planned this and had it during recess. And so, everyone was caught completely by surprise.

COLLINS: OK, so now what happens?

JUDSON: And ...

COLLINS: I mean obviously, there has been quite a bit of discussion about this, I assume.

JUDSON: Sure, well, first of all, I think everyone understands our position that the act itself was totally unacceptable and was very egregious. And so, we've done quite a bit of investigation, and we're completing that. One of the teachers has been put on leave. There may be other personnel actions.

We've communicated with the parents to express our regrets and to assure them that we're taking measures to make sure such an activity would not occur again. And so, we're trying to make sure everyone understand that. We are reviewing our policies and procedures which were in place, but obviously did not work in this instance. And so, we're trying to make sure that as we have new teachers coming aboard, that they fully understand what their responsibilities are.

COLLINS: I just have to ask, though. I wonder, as a human being and as an African-American man, really, what did you think when you saw these pictures? JUDSON: Well, first of all, I couldn't believe it, and I was outraged. I couldn't believe that such had happened at the Lab School associated with the University. And I was astounded, as I'm sure others were when they found out about it. And I'm still trying to figure out no matter what, how this came to be. But clearly, one person had a tremendous influence ...

COLLINS: Yes.

JUDSON: ...in causing this to happen and had three first-year teachers that followed.

COLLINS: Well, I don't think anyone's going to ...

JUDSON: And so, that's what we got to look at.

COLLINS: Yes, I don't think anybody is going to look at that as a proper defense. I'm sure that's not what you're saying.

Quickly, before we let you go. Parents, what have they been saying to you? Are they very upset about this? I'm not sure how they learned about it, if possibly from their children?

JUDSON: Well, they possibly learned it from their children. We haven't spoken with all the parents, we've written them all. And there are several who expressed concerns, but also expressed their view that we're taking the right actions. And so, they understand what we're doing to make sure their children are safe and secure when they come to school.

COLLINS: And quickly, you said one teacher is on leave right now, and the other three -- because you said there were four, continuing to investigate to determine ...

JUDSON: Yes.

COLLINS: ...what punishment, if any, will be given.

JUDSON: That's correct. One of the things we want to make sure that everyone understand that this is totally unacceptable. We want to make sure that our policy and the procedures ...

COLLINS: OK.

JUDSON: ...really prevent this ever happening again.

COLLINS: All right, very good. We appreciate your time here. Horace Judson, he is the president of Grambling State University which runs this elementary school. Thank you.

JUDSON: Thank you.

COLLINS: Security and accountability, the focus this hour at a Congressional hearing about military contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan. You see the live pictures now. Blackwater USA is facing tough questions about a deadly shooting incident last month. The Iraqi government says as many as 20 people died. Blackwater says it regrets any loss of life, but the company says contractors were just doing their job protecting U.S. diplomats. A committee report out yesterday blasted Blackwater, accusing the contractor being out of control. Blackwater disputes the allegation.

You can watch the hearing live right now on your computer. All you have to do is go to CNN.com.

Paying for the war. Another $150 billion for the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan authorized in a Senate vote yesterday. The tally, 92-3. Senate Democrats voting with Republicans. Democrats don't have the votes to pass a bill mandating that troops come home, and they're divided on whether to end funding for the war. President Bush will have to wait until a separate appropriations bill is passed before the money approved yesterday can be spent.

Jacqui Jeras joining us now. When we say that you are in the hurricane headquarters, that obviously means that something is going on. There's something new here now.

JACQUI JERAS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Absolutely. We're keeping our eye on an area of low pressure over south Florida that's been bringing in some very heavy rains over the last couple of days.

And Heidi, let me ask you this question. If you had to think about it, you might have an unfair advantage because you know, we chitchat about the weather all the time. But would you think that this has been above average, below average or kind of a normal type of hurricane season?

COLLINS: Seems like we talk about them almost every day, but I don't have the data in front of me, you know, to compare and actually look at the numbers. I would guess a little high.

JERAS: Well, you're absolutely right. Good for you on that one.

COLLINS: Do I win anything?

JERAS: You've been paying attention, because a lot of people have said, where are all the hurricanes this year? We haven't had a lot of action. Well, the U.S. has been affected by five of them, and even though that's not anywhere near the majority of the systems that have developed this year, we've had a lot of them so far. We may have number 14 actually developing as we speak.

There you can see the showers and thundershowers. Some of them are very heavy. We also have a possible tornado in Volusia County, Ormond Beach. You're under a tornado warning as we speak. A little bit of vorticity or spin with this system as it's making its way onshore. So, you do need to be taking cover now.

Well, the experts are coming out with some new predictions of what we can expect for the rest of the hurricane season, which goes through November, by the way. We always talk about Dr. William Gray and Phil Klotzbach from Colorado State University, and they are expecting for the next two months, we're going to see an additional four named storms, two of those becoming hurricanes, and one of those becoming major hurricane.

Now, where have we been so far up to this point? Well, we've already had 13 named storms, four of those became hurricanes, two of those became major hurricanes. And here, you can see what an average season holds. An average season sees 10 named storms, six hurricanes and three of those becoming major hurricanes.

So, we are already well above average. We're going to add four on top of that, and if we only look at this in terms of how many storms have been named, the predictions from both NOAA and Dr. Gray for the season will be correct.

However, one thing that really stands out is look at the low number of hurricanes and major hurricanes. We've had a lot of named storms but very few of them have been able to develop. And one of the big reasons for that is we have had a lot of wind shear in the central and eastern Atlantic and this map's moving a little bit fast I know, but this is a really good example of some of the winds coming in to break down any of these tropical waves which have been developing here.

The remnants of Karen and also what was the remnants of Melissa. They just couldn't get their acts together because the winds were breaking them down. Though we do think the next month or so, we could see more activity, and of course, your hurricane headquarters will be all over that and bring that to you.

And the hurricane hunters, by the way, flying into that ...

COLLINS: Yes.

JERAS: ...poor (ph) system in the next couple of hours, and we'll let you know what they find.

COLLINS: All right, we'll learn more from them, very good.

All right, Jacqui, thank you.

Still ahead this morning in the NEWSROOM, a rare moment in history. The leaders of North and South Korea try to find common ground for their divided nations.

Grand master with a grand design. Former world chess champion challenges President Putin to a high stakes game. Winner takes Russia.

He lost his sight in a childhood accident, now this man can see again.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's sort of almost like being gone and coming back. I didn't even know "Married With Children" was still on.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: A new outlook on life, one man's return from darkness.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Susan Lisovicz at the New York Stock Exchange where the market is giving back a bit of yesterday's spectacular gain. I'll have the numbers next.

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

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GERRI WILLIS, PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: So, you're in the market for a used car. Fire up that computer. Start at edmunds.com or kbb.com. That's the old Kelley Blue Book, now available online. You should read up on the cost of ownership, including maintenance fees.

Now, if you're buying used, you'll definitely want to find out a car's history of accidents. Grab what's known as the vin number from the dashboard. It's usually found on the metal tab just under the registration sticker. Plug the vin number into the search box at carfacts.com. That site will give you a complete rundown on the car. The $25 fee is well worth it.

That's this week's Saving Money Now. For more on saving money, watch "OPEN HOUSE" every Saturday at 9:30 a.m. Eastern right here on CNN.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: I want to give you some information about the Blackwater hearing that we have been following this morning. If you look at some of these live pictures now as we understand that this House committee as it hears the testimony on the September 16th shooting incident in Baghdad involving the private military contractor Blackwater, was actually told this morning at the beginning of the proceedings that it cannot discuss the incident because the FBI is now involved. Of course, they have opened a criminal investigation into the matter.

The chairman of the committee, this is the Oversight and Reform Committee representative Henry Waxman and the committee had received a letter that asked them to refrain from discussing the incident that left several Iraqis dead, as we said because the FBI is now investigating the matter.

We'll continue to monitor those proceedings for you throughout the day here.

Diplomatic effort in Myanmar. A U.N. envoy finally meeting with the military government's top general. The U.N. envoy has been searching for a peaceful resolution to the unrest in the secretive Asian nation formally known as Burma.

Right now, the streets of Myanmar are relatively quiet after days of demonstrations and the government crackdown. It is reported at least 10 people were killed by security forces, but CNN cannot independently confirm those numbers. There is word many are now turning to silent protests, turning off their TVs and lights during the government's 15-minute nightly newscast on state TV.

A historic summit between the leaders of the two Koreas today. North Korea's reclusive Kim Jong-il welcoming South Korea's president, Roh Moo-Hyun. It is only the second time the leaders of the two nations have met since the Korean peninsula was divided. South Korean president Roh Moo-Hyun says they are aiming for peace and prosperity. The summit coincides with six party talks in China on North Korea's nuclear weapons program.

Well, stocks have been on an incredible run since bottoming out in mid-August, and Susan Lisovicz is at the New York Stock Exchange now to tell us if the rally is continuing for yet another day.

A record high yesterday, Susan.

(BUSINESS HEADLINES)

COLLINS: Britney Spears partying ways may have cost her the mother lode. The judge orders her two tots to live with her father, and tells both mom and dad to take parenting classes.

A blind man regains his sight. Now he can see his wife's face for the first time.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Now he can actually look at my face and say, I love you, and I know he's looking at me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: Wow. Love is blind. Well, not anymore. The story ahead in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: Scientific advancement: love breakthrough -- a blind man can now see.

Sarah Sevier of Affiliate KPNX has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LINETTE ABELL, MIKE ABELL'S WIFE: We go to the store, it's a major ordeal. It's like, OK, just stand here, don't move.

SARAH SEVIER, KPNX REPORTER: As a child a firecracker robbed Mike Abel of his right eye leaving only darkness in the left. Years later he fell in love with his wife Linette at a church baseball game.

ABELL: The ball came flying, flies up, hits Mike right in the chest. I'm like going, why didn't you catch it? What are you blind? And everybody is going, oh, stop, stop! The eyes are, you know, the windows to the soul. Well, for me, with him, I've unfortunately not been able to look in his eyes.

SEVIER: Now after countless disappointments Mike tries a new surgery, a Boston kerota (ph) prostheses Performed only twice in the Valley.

DR. ROBERT GROSS, CORNEA SPECIALIST: This procedure will often allow the patients to see when there is no other option in the past.

MIKE ABELL, SEES AFTER SURGERY: If I go into it saying, well, it might not happen so don't build your hopes up. No, I want hope.

GROSS: You ready, Mr. Abell?

M. ABELL: I'm going to live on the hope.

SEVIER: Colors, shapes and Mike's family come into view.

M. ABELL: It's kind of like falling in love all over again.

It's sort of almost like being gone and coming back.

I didn't even know "Married With Children" was still on.

SEVIER: His vision is blurry, improvements expected to be slow but steady.

L. ABELL: There'd be times when you know, you know, he tells you he loves you, but he's not actually even looking in your direction. And even though I know he still loves me, and I know he means it, it still hurts if he can't figure out where you are in the room. But now he can actually look at my face and say, I love you, and I know he's looking at me, and I say it -- sorry.

M. ABELL: You can't let go of any possible hope.

You have to not be afraid to take the risk. I had nothing to lose. It's almost like the guy walking out of Las Vegas with one quarter, and instead of holding on to it is and saying I might need bus fare, I drop it in the slot machine, you know, and come away a millionaire.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: They are hired guns in Iraq, private security contractors, but are Blackwater employees trigger happy? The company's chairman on Capitol Hill this morning.

Also presidential hopeful Barack Obama focusing on foreign policy. We'll tell you why he's doing it today.

WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SR. POL. ANALYST: The campaigns are showing us the money, and there's some very big sums involved.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) COLLINS: New this morning, reports of a second arrest in an alleged plot to blow up the U.S. embassy in Vienna, Austria. The Associated Press reporting Police think the suspect knows a man accused of carrying a backpack full of explosives to the embassy yesterday. Both men are Bosnians from the same small town.

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