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Washington Threatens Pakistan Aid Cut; Floods Submerge Parts of Mexico

Aired November 04, 2007 - 19:00   ET

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

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Up next in the NEWSROOM, as if Mexico's worst flooding in 50 years wasn't enough, survivors have a new problem, a potential flood of looters.
Plus, this New York cop did not die from toxic fumes at Ground Zero. That's what New York's medical examiner says. His furious family says it's the wrong answer.

And our top story, the crisis in Pakistan, a crisis that could, could cost that country a fortune in your tax dollars. You're in the NEWSROOM, everyone. Hello, I'm Tony Harris. Here is the latest on the crisis in Pakistan.

Troops and police shut down demonstrations and rounded up rivals of the government under the nation-wide state of emergency. A spokesman reports about 500 arrests of lawyers, opposition leaders and human rights activists on a tour of the Middle East. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the clamp down could cost Islamabad a portion of its U.S. aid.

At current levels Pakistan gets about $150 million a month. Pakistan's prime minister announced military rule will last indefinitely. He said elections expected in January might not happen now for a year.

So why are we discussing Pakistan's problems with such urgency here in the United States? Why? Because what happens there will impact us here.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS (voice-over): Do we care what happens in Pakistan? Why should we? It's a relatively small Muslim country half a world away. Their chief export, textiles. And their one main adversary is India.

But there are plenty of reasons why chaos in Pakistan would spell trouble here in the United States. In no order, they are, the troops. Nearly 30,000 American soldiers and Marines are deployed immediately next door in Afghanistan.

Remember, most analysts believe Osama bin Laden is somewhere in a rocky range of mountains between the two countries. Al Qaeda would certainly flourish in a country distracted by a worsening state of emergency. Then there is the issue of the nukes. Pakistan has them. India has them. They've already fought three full-on wars, mostly about territory and autonomy. And they still threaten each other all the time. It's safe to say that the world is safer with steady fingers on nuclear buttons.

Next reason, democracy. Pakistan's current president, Pervez Musharraf, took power in 1999 -- literally took power. He was not elected. He hand-picks judges, generals and lawmakers. His last re- election, he got 98 percent of the vote. That raises eyebrows in Washington, where the White House would prefer to do business with a government of the people.

Still, Washington regards Pakistan as an indispensable ally in the war against global terrorism. But it's a relationship that will only weaken if order and stability is not soon restored in Pakistan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: So right now, the choice for the Bush administration is to determine the lesser of two evils. Be seen as supporting a dictator, or make a statement on behalf of democracy and risk, undercutting a helpful if difficult ally.

Our White House correspondent now, Suzanne Malveaux.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Chaos in Pakistan. The Bush administration now issuing a direct threat to that country's leader, Pervez Musharraf, return to democratic rule or face a possible cut in U.S. financial assistance.

CONDOLEEZZA RICE, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: We are going to have to review the situation with aid.

MALVEAUX: More than $10 billion in U.S. aid has gone to Pakistan's government since the September 11th attacks, most of it for military funding to secure the region and go after al Qaeda.

A spokesman for U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates says U.S. military support for Pakistan will not be impacted, making the Bush administration's threats largely symbolic.

Alarmed by the unfolding crisis, both Republican and Democratic lawmakers urge President Bush to take a tougher stand.

SEN. ARLEN SPECTER (R-PA), RANKING MEMBER, JUDICIARY CMTE.: I think it's not enough that Secretary Rice speaks out. I think the president has to speak out and in more specific terms.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Are you ready to say how you would vote...

SEN. DIANNE FEINSTEIN (D-CA), JUDICIARY CMTE.: I think you can put a moratorium on military assistance at this time. I think you can -- the president ought to come forward.

MALVEAUX: White House officials say the president is watching the situation closely and is being constantly briefed. But as Secretary Rice put it, it is a complicated matter.

Musharraf is a critical U.S. ally in the region, who turned on the Taliban after 9/11. His country, which borders Afghanistan, is a hot bed for breeding terrorists. The U.S. is concerned if Musharraf loses power, Pakistan could erupt into civil war and its nuclear weapons could fall into the hands of al Qaeda.

ARNAUD DE BORCHGRAVE, THE WASHINGTON TIMES: I think of Pakistan as one of the eight nuclear powers and out of control.

MALVEAUX (on camera): Focus on this hot spot is quickly becoming a hot issue for the presidential race. One Democratic hopeful, Senator Chris Dodd, was quick to accuse Pakistan's demise as a problem created by the Bush administration. One U.S. official privately acknowledged this could become a big problem for President Bush because the chaos in Pakistan could make Iraq look downright quiet.

Suzanne Malveaux, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: In other news now, the Pentagon says it has released 11 more detainees from the military prison at Guantanamo Bay. The former terrorism suspects all underwent security reviews, then were flown to their home countries. Eight are Afghans, and three are Jordanians. Some 320 detainees remain at the camp, 80 are awaiting either transfer or release.

Seven Europeans accused of conspiracy in an alleged kidnapping plot in Chad are back in Europe. Three French journalists and four members of a Spanish flight crew were released today after French President Nicolas Sarkozy met with Chad's leader. Several other people, including workers with the French-based charity group Zoe's Ark, are still in the Central African nation and behind bars. They are charged with trying to take more than 100 children out of Chad, into Europe illegally. The group claims it believed the children were orphans but authorities say most of them were taken from their families.

There has been a rash of pirate attacks off the coast of Somalia, targeting freighters, boats and cargo ships. Just hours ago, 24 foreign sailors held captive by pirates for more than six months were released. Pirates are holding other ships in international waters and the U.S. Navy wants to intervene. But can they?

Here's our Gary Nurenberg.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GARY NURENBERG, CNN, CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Two South Korean-owned fishing boats were captured in May by pirates who reportedly demanded a large ransom. American naval officers communicating bridge to bridge convinced the pirates to abandon the boats and release the 24 crewmembers held hostage.

CMDR. LYDIA ROBERTSON, NAVY SPOKESWOMAN, U.S. FIFTH FLEET: Two boarding teams from the United States Navy went aboard the ships to check the crew, to offer medical assistance and other assistance as needed.

NURENBERG: Last year, an American military team boarded this suspected pirate vessel in the Indian Ocean and held 26 men for questioning. Late last month, the Navy fired on this pirate skiff involved in seizing the Japanese chemical tanker, the Golden Nori (ph), which, along with two other ships near Somalia, still remain under pirate control. Losing control of a chemical tanker is dangerous.

GAL LUFT, GLOBAL SECURITY EXPERT: A ship like this, if it's taken by the wrong hands, could be a weapon of mass destruction.

NURENBERG: But what role on the high seas should the American military play? Speaking in Seoul last week, American Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill said you will always find our Navy prepared to help any ship in distress and certainly any ship that is confronting pirates.

FEINSTEIN: In certain areas, there has been an upsurge of piracy. I think it's desirable to put it down wherever you can.

NURENBERG: But the Pentagon says there are problems with actually capturing pirates.

GEOFF MORRELL, PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY: What do you do once you apprehend these pirates? Where is a proper place to hold them? Where to dispose of them? How do you adjudicate them? I think piracy is a problem that we are trying to figure out how to deal with.

NURENBERG: It is a problem the American Navy continues to face.

ROBERTSON: There are still three pirated vessels off the coast of Somalia and the Navy is there with several ships and we continue to strongly encourage the pirates to leave the ship.

NURENBERG (on camera): Robertson would not say what steps the Navy will take if the pirates don't leave.

Gary Nurenberg, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: OK. Our Jacqui Jeras has been using the terminology, L.E. -- "lake effect snow" today when giving out the work week forecast. That's correct, isn't it, Jacqui?

JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: That is correct.

HARRIS: Thank you for saving me.

JERAS: We've got some in the forecast. And those numbers are going to get pretty high for a few of you. Find out where that snow is going to be and who is getting the shot of cold air besides where the snow is. That's going to include a lot of people. Your forecast is coming up.

HARRIS: Thanks, Jacqui. Also coming up, do you stay or do you go? Why would some flood survivors say no thanks to rescue and relief and stay in harm's way? The story next in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Well, you know, the supplies are there in southern Mexico. Piles of relief, like bottled water and food. But not all the survivors of epic flooding there are accepting the help. They're more worried about looters.

CNN's Harris Whitbeck reports from Tabasco's water-submerged capital of Villahermosa.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS WHITBECK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A boat is launched into a newly formed river on what was once a busy street in downtown Villahermosa that is filled with neighborhood residents and rescue workers.

These days, boats are the best way to get around parts of the capital of Tabasco. After a week of rains, the city landscape is more of a seascape.

(on camera): Water levels are still high and they're expected to remain so for several days. But many residents of these neighborhoods have decided to come back and to stay in their homes to protect them from looters.

(voice-over): The Hernandez (ph) family, brothers and cousins, are armed with nothing more than their bare hands. They say they are ready to fend off anyone who might try to invade their home.

"It is the thieves we fear the most," says Ricardo (ph). "We don't want them to steal what little we have."

The occasional military boat drifts by. The cawing of birds one of the few signs of life. A few blocks away on higher ground, much of the neighborhood has taken up residence in the parking garage of a shopping mall.

"We found a spot and our neighbor suggested we come here," says Sonja Lopez (ph). She and her husband hope to return home in a few days. Meanwhile, hundreds at the shelter passed the time catching up on schoolwork, watching television, or just wondering when things will get back to normal.

Harris Whitbeck, CNN, Villahermosa, Mexico.

(END VIDEOTAPE) HARRIS: Right now is a busy time for power crews. They are working to restore electricity to storm-battered parts of southeastern Canada and northeastern United States. At least parts of the country. Noel's leftover winds and rains and cut power to more than 100,000 people in Canada alone. Thousands are still without electricity in New England. But coastal residents are already beginning to clean up some of the worst damage. And Massachusetts was (ph) -- and Maine was (ph) to majestical trees (ph).

Winds reported at up to 66 miles an hour brought them down. No deaths or serious injuries are blamed on the storm in the U.S. or Canada. But at least 142 people were killed when Noel lashed the Caribbean last week, making it the deadliest storm of the season.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HARRIS: Out West, the wildfire flames are dying down. And the Santa Ana winds didn't cause a fuss this weekend like many folks feared. But now Southern California is bracing for a new threat.

Our Vince Gonzales explains from San Bernardino.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VINCE GONZALES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): While the worst of the 2007 firestorms may be over, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger says state workers have a new fight on their hands.

GOV. ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R), CALIFORNIA: To clean up the debris and to clean up the various different sites and to prepare ourselves for rain and for flood season and mudslides and all of those things.

GONZALES: Volunteers are already filling thousands of sandbags, as similarities between this year's blazes and the massive wildfires of October 2003 rekindle fears of deadly mudslides.

On Christmas 2003, waves of black mud, boulders and fire debris wiped out homes and roads and took lives.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Man, it was just like a gushing thing of mud water.

GONZALES: Researchers say a repeat of those conditions looks possible.

RICHARD MINNICH, GEOLOGIST, UNIV. OF CALIFORNIA-RIVERSIDE: Pretty much the same risks. We're looking at another massive or mega burn of extraordinary size.

GONZALES: And they want the public to prepare.

DOUG MORTON, GEOLOGIST, UNIV. OF CALIFORNIA-RIVERSIDE: They may have escaped the fire, but they may not escape the aftermath of it.

GONZALES (on camera): The problem is the black hillsides left behind by the fire are almost totally water repellent. Researchers say it's like laying a sheet of plastic on the slopes. Rain comes and the water, the debris, the ash, any dead trees in the way, all go downhill fast.

MORTON: And this can travel in some cases, like in the San Bernardino Mountains, for miles.

GONZALEZ: And it's going to end up over here.

(voice-over): Standing at the base of the San Bernardino Mountains, Annesley Ignatius is reminded of the threat every time he looks up at the black burn area perched miles above his community.

ANNESLEY IGNATIUS, SAN BERNARDINO CO. PUBLIC WORKS: Do you see the black area over there? That is going to come down.

GONZALEZ (on camera): all this way?

IGNATIUS: All this way.

GONZALEZ (voice-over): His staff in San Bernardino's public works department is already clearing drainage creeks and basins. He worries levees could fail if the work isn't done before the rains come.

IGNATIUS: Well, right now their focus is on the fire at this point in time. But we want to be able to tell the folks there is much more danger afterward.

GONZALEZ: The danger is greatest in Los Angeles and Orange counties, where terrain can be steep. The risk is lower in the burned areas around San Diego. But officials say residents should still be on guard.

Vince Gonzales for CNN in San Bernardino, California.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: A family feels like insult has been piled onto injury. At first their loved one's death was linked to toxic fumes at Ground Zero. There was a push to have his name placed on a 9/11 memorial. Now authorities push back and say, no way. Why? The story is next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Welcome back, everyone, to the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Tony Harris. Ever since the September 11th attacks, police officers, firefighters and other first responders say they've suffered from serious respiratory problems. But a big medical debate has erupted over whether a New York police detective actually died from a 9/11- related illness.

CNN's Jim Acosta reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) JIM ACOSTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Nearly two years ago, New York Police Detective Jimmy Zadroga died of lung failure at the age of 34. And ever since, his parents have fought to have their son recognized as a victim of September 11th, with the goal of someday seeing his name on a city memorial.

Detective Zadroga had worked more than 400 hours at Ground Zero, inhaling the dust that some medical experts believe is sickening countless first responders. But late last month, Zadroga's father received this letter from the city's medical examiner who stated: "The foreign material in your son's lungs did not get there as the result of inhaling dust at the World Trade Center."

JOSEPH ZADROGA, FATHER: It was like being hit over the head with a baseball bat.

ACOSTA: The medical examiner claims Zadroga's death stemmed from an abuse of prescription painkillers, a claim the detective's father denies.

ZADROGA: That was so low, that was such a low blow.

ACOSTA (on camera): Because, the family says, they already had this letter from a different medical examiner in New Jersey who first looked at the case. That medical examiner stated the cause of death was directly related to 9/11.

(voice-over): When Mayor Michael Bloomberg defended the city's findings, he questioned Zadroga's heroism.

MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG (I), NEW YORK CITY: Nobody wanted to hear that. We wanted to have a hero. And there are plenty of heroes. It's just in this case, science says this was not a hero.

ZADROGA: Now you're talking about getting stabbed in the heart. I want a public apology.

ACOSTA: Joseph Zadroga insists the city medical examiner refused to look at all of evidence.

ZADROGA: I said, here's a picture of his lungs. How can you say he wasn't -- he didn't die from a lung problem? And he just pushed the picture back and said, that's -- normal lungs look like that, that's just normal lungs.

ACOSTA: Both medical examiners who ruled on Zadroga's death declined to talk on camera. The Zadroga family vows to keep fighting, saying other experts have stepped forward to support their belief that this young detective was one of the heroes at Ground Zero.

Jim Acosta, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: (INAUDIBLE) story. I have to tell you, the political blogs have been on fire this week. One of the hottest topics, the so-called Hillary piling on from Democrats. Comments from the left and the right next in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: OK. The most popular video at cnn.com, pictures of New England towns getting hammered by the remnants of Hurricane Noel. The storm knocked down trees and power lines, thousands of homes and businesses are still without power. Many of you apparently want to know about the gnomes. More than 70 of the little men and other lawn ornaments were mysteriously placed in front of an Oregon home. The homeowner says she has no idea who put them there.

And let the bidding begin. The little town of Albert, Texas, is being auctioned off on eBay. When we say little, we mean it, just four people live there but the sellers want big bucks, $2.5 million. The highest bid so far, $5,600.

Congress just can't get children's health care. Well, the bill at least passed, SCHIP, without threats of the president's veto. And the Dems gang up on Hillary at the debate in Philadelphia this week, she says Washington is an all-boys club. It's just another week in politics. And we want to hear from the left and the right. Our political bloggers.

On the right, Mark Hemingway from National Review Online, and on the left, Morra Aaron from blogher.org. All right. Good to see you both. Thanks for joining. Thanks for skipping out on the Indy game. Anyway, so Mark, let's start with you. Let's talk about s-chip a little bit. The president doesn't veto a single spending bill passed by the republicans. And the dems now, and some republicans, can't seem to get children covered. Aren't the optics on this terrible for this president? Talk about a loaded question, right.

MARK HEMINGWAY, NATIONAL REVIEW ONLINE: Yes, well, let me just say that I think that the president was wrong not to veto a lot of those spending bills in fact. But you know, as far as the s-chip thing goes, part of the problem here is the democratic leadership. I mean, they had a lot of bipartisan support for s-chip but they eroded that by running attack ads in republican districts without consulting their republican allies on the issue. That really helped speed things along in terms of the s-chip falling apart.

HARRIS: Mora, what do you think?

MORA AARONS, BLOGHER.COM: Mark, I think you're wrong. I think, you know, I've heard catholic groups who ran ads also targeting right to life congress people, who had normally been friendly, saying how can you say you're pro-life if you won't fund children's health? So, you can't say it only comes from one side. I think that the republicans are just wrong on this issue. And I think that Bush is being really stubborn. Again, it just makes congress look bad.

HEMINGWAY: Well, I think it's totally wrong to equate the s-chip program and pro-life issues. I understand some catholic groups may have done that.

AARONS: I didn't do it, they did.

HEMINGWAY: I know, I understand that. I'm just saying, I don't think republicans are necessarily vulnerable on that. I think people can tell the difference between being pro-life and you know, wanting to enact a middle class entitlement.

HARRIS: Oh, boy. Oh, boy. Okay, let's move on to Hillary at the debate last week. Got a couple of sound bites we want to play here. First of all, let's cue up the sound bite as we release the hounds.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: She has taken one position on torture several months ago. And then most recently has taken a different position.

CHRIS DODD (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The fact of the matter is that my colleague from New York, Senator Clinton, 50% of the American public say they're not going to vote for her.

JOHN EDWARDS (D)PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Will she be the person who brings about the change in this country? You know, I believe in Santa Claus. I believe in the tooth fairy. But I don't think that's going to happen.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: Wow, wow, wow. All right. Let's get that other sound bite ready to go. This is Hillary's response, and then question time.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: In so many ways, this all women's college prepared me to compete in the all boys' club of presidential politics.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: Whew, big applause, big applause. Mora, is Hillary playing the gender card here?

AARONS: I don't think she's playing anything. I think she's addressing something that's been around. I think her timing was bad on this. I think...

HARRIS: You do?

AARONS: I think they attacked her because she's the front-runner and because she's the front-runner it's really hard for her to take a stand. I don't like that personally. I think she vacillates way too much. I think she's been vacillating on Iran. And I think her opponents saw a moment. I do think gender is a huge factor but I usually think it's more effective when other people bring that up with Hillary.

HARRIS: And Mark, is this Hillary being a little thin-skinned? That fits into a narrative, doesn't it?

HEMINGWAY: Yes, well no, I actually, I kind of happen to agree with her. Hillary won her senate seat by busting her butt campaigning in all the small towns in upstate New York. Not playing this gender card. And although it was a week or two I guess, when she was in Iowa, she claimed that part of the reason why she wasn't doing better in Iowa was because Iowa didn't have a good track record of electing statewide politicians who are female and I think doing that kind of thing, you know, is just a tremendous mistake. You want to be the right person for the job, whether you're black, white, female, whatever.

AARONS: You know, she's a pioneer. She's going to make mistakes. I think that you know this is all a big first. And the fact that she's the front-runner and that she's a woman makes it very, very hard for her. She's got to be cautious on everything.

HEMINGWAY: Let me say something about this being a mistake. I think that this is a mistake. I think it's also very telling. Normally in a primary process, you get battered around a bit by your opponents to get you ready for the general election. It enforces message discipline on your campaign and improves you as a candidate. Hillary's been running so far ahead that she hasn't had to deal with any of these problems. Even with the fund-raising scandals her opponents have had fund-raising scandals of their own. So, you know, she really hasn't had been battered around. I think that the fact that she's getting battered around and isn't handling it too well could be telling for Hillary Clinton in a general election.

AARONS: I'm glad she's getting battered around. I think she needs to answer for some of her answers. And I think that it's fair. I'm really surprised she played the gender card at this point.

HARRIS: Well, wow. Again, we get an opportunity to end on kind of a point of agreement here. Mark and Mora, great to see you, good Sunday, and have a great week, all right.

AARONS: Thanks.

HEMINGWAY: Thanks for having us here.

HARRIS: Thank you. Appreciate it.

Still to come in the NEWSROOM, they helped change the face of the United States military. Today, sisters in arms gathered to enjoy their common bond and tell their stories. This story next in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ALI VELSHI, "MINDING YOUR BUSINESS": The fed addressed the stagnant housing market last week by cutting interest rates .25%, to 4.5%. That's the lowest level since January 2006. That's good news for anyone looking for a loan or trying to pay off a credit card debt. But it's bad news for the U.S. dollar, which reached an all-time low against the euro. That means many high-end holiday gifts like designer bags or perfume, anything made in Europe, is going to cost more. Folks trying to sell homes may have even less money in their pockets because they're paying real estate agents bigger commissions. Real trends, a company which tracks the brokerage industry, says agents are commanding higher fees this year and homeowners are willing to pay, hoping to get their houses sold. And finally this week, apartment renters may see a little relief. Saving money on cable bills. Federal regulators have banned cable companies from making exclusive deals with apartment buildings, and that opens the door to more competition and lower prices. Well, if you want more of this sort of thing, watch me on "Minding your Business" each weekday morning on "American Morning." That's it from New York. I'm Ali Velshi.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: OK, news across America now. This is certainly a story we don't want to lose sight of. Authorities in Texas hope these sketches will help break the baby Grace case. They need someone to come forward with definitive information on who the little girl is. A fisherman found the toddler's body Monday night in Galveston Bay. This afternoon, a prayer vigil was held for her.

A sordid tale takes a strange twist. A Nebraska teacher caught in Mexico with her alleged student-turned-boyfriend, is back in the United States to face kidnap and child sex charges. But the 13-year- old boy is staying in his native Mexico. He is considered an illegal immigrant in the United States.

Hold on to your wallets. Gas is nearly $3 a gallon and threatening to go higher. That is the headline from the latest Lundberg Survey of gas prices out today. The past two weeks have seen gas prices go up 16 cents a gallon. The average is $2.96. Here's how the price at the pump looks across the country. Buying gas in the windy city, about 30 cents more than in big D.

A special day for America's women warriors. Military women past and present were honored today at Arlington National cemetery. They gathered at the women's memorial to marvel at where they have been and how far they have come. More now from CNN's Fredricka Whitfield.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN, ANCHOR (voice-over): How did you decide to come down here today?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I got the letters.

WHITFIELD: You got the letters?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh yes, I signed up right away.

WHITFIELD: These women are from different generations. In some cases, different countries. LANCE CPL. SONA BABAI, U.S. MARINES: I became a citizen on the, I want to say the 27th or 24th of July. I know it's July of this year. And it was pretty exciting, you know. Finally a citizen of a country I'm fighting for.

WHITFIELD: But all of them have something in common. They've all served in the U.S. military.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Did you feel like a freak when you joined? Did you feel like a freak when you joined?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I did too.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Did you?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was the only girl in my class.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was the only one from my town.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The boys all joined up.

WHITFIELD: Since the revolutionary war, some 2.5 million women have served in or with the U.S. military. But it wasn't until 1997 that their service was recognized with a memorial at Arlington National Cemetery.

ROBERT GATES, DEFENSE SECRETARY: Consider that in 1997, when the memorial was new, few women staffed the crews of aircraft carriers. It is routine now. In 1997, women were new at training to be fighter pilots. Within weeks of September 11th, 2001, female pilots were in the skies above Afghanistan. And the Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts, there are few front lines. Women are coming in contact with the enemy. They are performing with courage and distinction.

CAPT. DAWN HALFAKRE (RET.), IRAQ WAR VETERAN: I was the first, in the first vehicle in the convoy. And we came around a corner and just got ambushed. And got hit with all kinds of fire, small arms fire, rocket-propelled grenade. One of the RPGs came through the front of my truck and just took off my arm.

WHITFIELD: Sisters. The women who play an increasingly vital role in today's armed forces and the women who paved the way. Linked together. Not just by one special day, but by history.

BABANI: I had chills just to see all these women. It's my first time here at the memorial. And to see what women have accomplished, you know, it's like, it's overpowering. It's wow. I would not be here today, if these women didn't struggle so that I could be here.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Without you all, none of this could be happening.

WHITFIELD: Fredricka Whitfield, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: Well, doctors are reporting promising results from an experimental new heart drug. A study published in the "New England Journal of Medicine" says Prasugrel may be more effective than Plavix in the battle against clogged arteries. Patients who get it are nearly 20% less likely to suffer complications like heart attack, stroke, and other fatal heart ailments. The new drug did show a higher risk of serious bleeding.

Hearts were certainly pumping for the 39,000 or so people who ran the New York marathon this morning. It proved to be a triumphant finish for Britain's Paula Radcliffe, her first run since giving birth nine months ago. It's Radcliffe's second New York marathon win. On the men's side, Kenya's Martin Lell is your winner. He finished the course in two hours 9 minutes.

Will they write or will they walk? Last-ditch efforts to avoid Hollywood's writers' strike are under way right now. So, what does that mean to you? Reality TV could be an all too real solution. The story next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Watch the steps. Look, if you filled up this weekend you probably already know - gas prices jumped again. The latest numbers say the price of a gallon of gas is up to an average of $2.96 a gallon. So do you find yourself griping about OPEC or the oil companies every time you fill up your gas tank? Maybe you should be directing some of that anger toward Wall Street. CNN's Allan Chernoff looks at how investors are driving up the price at the pump.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN, CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Prices at the pump are soaring yet again. The national average for regular gas now approaching $3 a gallon.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's getting outrageous.

CHERNOFF: Is there a shortage of gas? Not at all. It's crude oil's rapid climb to nearly $100 a barrel, say energy experts, that's driving the price of gasoline, as well as home heating oil. Yet there's no shortage of crude oil either, say fuel distributors like David (Childwalkner)(ph).

DAVID CHILDWACKER: We have more than enough oil.

CHERNOFF: In fact, the department of energy reports oil supplies are above average for this time of year. And demand? It's actually declined in the past couple of weeks.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHERNOFF(on-screen): Energy analysts say crude is rising because of fear there might be a disruption in the flow of imported oil. The last time there was a significant cut in foreign supply was when the U.S. invaded Iraq. Back then, the price of oil hit $35 a barrel. A fraction of today's price.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHERNOFF (voice-over): Andrew Lebow has been an energy trader nearly three decades. Never he says have there been so many investors bidding up oil.

Is there any way the supply and demand situation justifies oil at this level?

ANDREW LEBOW, SR. V.P., MF GLOBAL: No, I don't think so. And I think we've seen a tremendous inflow of speculative money coming into not only the oil markets but commodities in general.

CHERNOFF: Investors are putting hundreds of millions of dollars into the energy markets.

SAM GREER, EXEC. V.P., MERCANTILE EXCHANGE: So now it's as acceptable to invest in let's say crude oil or gasoline as it is to invest in IBM.

CHERNOFF: And many traders are embracing the old Wall Street rule - the trend is your friend. The trend for oil has been up, and it's been paying handsome dividend.

FADEL GHEIT, ENERGY ANALYST: The largest financial institutions control oil price, or dictate the direction of oil price, much more than any oil company.

CHERNOFF: Of course, the trend could quickly change, leading traders to bail out of oil. But for now, a major reason we're paying more at the pump is that big investors have been striking black gold in the oil trade. Allan Chernoff, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: Well, they are behind closed doors right now trying to avoid Hollywood's writers' strike. If the talks collapse, get used to Simon Cowell TV. The story 90 seconds away.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Well, more than 1 million children are homeless in the United States. Pop music star Jewel knows that statistic and she knows those kids. She used to be one of them. Tonight she tells her very personal story to CNN.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEWEL, MUSICIAN: You know, you're taught how to be a person and how to be an adult. And children that have to leave the home early aren't taught anything about systems. How the world works. So they're just lost. They're in a city full of people and it's a really lonely feeling. And it's predatory. You know, I never have been so solicited except for when I was homeless. I grew up singing in bars. And I was never, ever solicited as when I was homeless. It's just people know and they prey upon you and they, it's a dangerous environment.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: You will see Jewel in a whole new light after tonight's "Sunday Spotlight." Again with Jewel, that's coming up tonight at 10:00 p.m. Eastern time.

A federal mediator is meeting with Hollywood writers and producers right now. It is a last-ditch effort to avoid a threatened writers' strike set for one minute after midnight tonight. Their last strike was nearly 20 years ago. And as we hear from CNN's Brooke Anderson what's at stake, a piece of the new media pie.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ready, and action!

BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN, CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Producers are sweating.

RYAN MURPHY, TV PRODUCER, "NIP/TUCK": Our show, you know, I think, we'll maybe have one extra script done, and then that's it.

ANDERSON: Actors are literally at a loss for words.

DYLAN WALSH, ACTOR, "NIP/TUCK": If there's a strike, obviously we can't work. It's pretty simple.

ANDERSON: If union writers in Hollywood and New York walk off their jobs, reality is about to hit.

MAUREEN RYAN, CHICAGO TRIBUNE: The reality shows are not covered by the Writers' Guild for the most part. They'll keep going. We're going to see a lot more of them if the writers' strike continues.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everybody sort of madly scrambling to get scripts into production, sometimes a little ahead of what might otherwise be prudent.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON (on-screen): Officials on both sides declined CNN interview requests. One issue defines the negotiations. New media. Writers want more money. As studios distribute shows and movies on computers, cell phones, and mp3 players.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RYAN: Well, if you think about it, the last time a contract was negotiated, youtube didn't even exist.

MURPHY: Our shows are being downloaded on the internet, we receive nothing. Not even a penny. Studios get all that money. That's not fair. We created those episodes as artists, we deserve a piece of the pie.

NINA TASSLER, PRESIDENT, CBS ENTERTAINMENT: We don't know what the pie is yet in order to determine how to cut it up.

ANDERSON: A strike means the film and TV industry, responsible for 1.3 million U.S. jobs, will be left with no new scripts.

(VIDEO CLIP FROM CBS' "THE LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN)

DAVID LETTERMAN, HOST, "THE LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN": That makes up for not getting the Yankees' job.

ANDERSON: Late night TV will be the first casualty. Dave, Conan, John, Jay, and Jimmy are written fresh daily and can't stockpile scripts. So, expect more repeats for starters.

RYAN: They're hitting the TV networks right where it hurts. This is the middle of the season. Most shows maybe will have 12 completed episodes or scripts in the can. That's only half a season.

ANDERSON: The heads of the TV networks say if the walkout extends beyond January when stockpiled scripts will dry up, they've got contingency plans.

On fox we're advantaged over the other guys because we have "American Idol."

TASSLER: We're prepared. We've got plenty of reality. We've got plenty of news.

ANDERSON: Industry figures indicate an estimated $500 million was lost because of the writers' last strike, 18 years ago.

RYAN: It could get ugly. You know, the 5 1/2 month strike that occurred in 1988, it wasn't pretty. There was a lot of tension, a lot of people were driven out of the industry. And you know, it's a very cut throat industry at the best of times.

ANDERSON: Both the writers and the studios hope tales of the strike of 2007 is a very short story. Brooke Anderson, CNN, Hollywood.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: Well, it is one of history's greatest mysteries. What really happened to King Tut? A fresh look at the world's most famous pharaoh in 90 seconds.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: And finally tonight, Egypt is taking the wraps off of one of its biggest tourist attractions. The mummy of King Tut. Today for the first time visitors could look. Egypt's famous boy king in the face. Sorry, I wanted to look at the pictures too. Here's a computer enhanced drawing of what he might have looked like 3,000 years ago. Huh, a handsome mummy's boy. CNN's Aneesh Raman has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) ANEESH RAMAN, CNN, CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He's been dead for 3,000 years. But on Sunday, for the first time ever, the world got to see how King Tut was holding up. Gone were the casings and covers as the boy king was unveiled with, yep, bare hands. A low tech approach that faced some precarious moments going up the stairs. In the end, Tut didn't look too bad. Tucked away in his new bed, a climate controlled plexi glass container. It's meant to minimize damage done by thousands of visitors who every day pour in to see King Tut's tomb.

ZAHI HAWASS, GEN. SECY., EGYPTIAN AUTHORITIES COUNCIL: The mummy divided into 18 pieces (inaudible). Therefore I thought that the humidity and heat, that 5,000 people a day enter the tomb, their breathing would change the mummy to a powder. The only good thing in this mummy is the face. We need to preserve the face.

RAMAN: If the face doesn't look familiar, try this one. King Tut's golden mask that is today an icon of Egypt's pharaohic past. It was exactly 85 years ago this week that right here in the Valley of the Kings, Howard Carter, a British archaeologist, discovered the entrance to King Tut's tomb. It was the first found to have virtually everything inside intact. And because of that, the discovery catapulted a little-known king, who ruled in the mid 1300s B.C. and died at 19, to modern-day prominence, even giving him a hit song.

(CLIP FROM NBC'S SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Now if I'd known they'd line up just to see I'd take in all my money and bought me a museum.

RAMAN: And 85 years later the boy king is now baring it all.

JEFF RANKID, BRITISH TOURIST: I was very impressed with this. It's something that took my breath away. It's unbelievable.

RAMAN: Maybe, but for others it's a bit too much.

BOB PHILPOTTS, BRITISH TOURIST: I saw the tomb, yes. But really, I think he ought to be left alone. Just left quietly, at peace. Leave him here where he was buried. Simple as that.

RAMAN: If only, for eight decades King Tut has been a mystery especially how he died. His body has been x-rayed three times, most recently in 2005. Was it murder? Was it an accident? The debate will now rage again as visitors pour in to see King Tut in his new-found glory. Aneesh Raman, CNN, Cairo.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: I'm Tony Harris at CNN World headquarters in Atlanta. "The Noose: An American Nightmare" begins right now.

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