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Warning Signs Flanagan Was Headed for Trouble; Families of Gun Violence Victims Call for Gun Control; African Migrants' Horrific Journey Across Mediterranean to Europe; U.S., South Korea Hold Live- Fire Exercises; Recovery in World Stocks Markets; Trump Extends Lead in Polls; Calm Returns after Cast-Related Violence in India; 10 Years Since Hurricane Katrina Ravaged New Orleans; Weather Technology Advances Help Predict Deadly Storms. Aired 2-3a ET
Aired August 28, 2015 - 02:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[02:00:03] NATALIE ALLEN, CNN ANCHOR: A vow not to stay silent. Family and friends of two journalists killed in Virginia want action when it comes to gun control.
It just keeps happening. Hundreds of people are feared dead yet again after a ship packed with migrants sinks off the Libyan coast. Hate groups are offering support for Donald Trump whether he wants it or not.
Hello, everyone. I'm Natalie Allen. Welcome to our viewers here around the United States an around the world. These stories are just ahead here on the CNN NEWSROOM.
We begin with the latest on the killing of those two young U.S. journalists. A group aiming to bring an end to gun violence held a vigil last night for Adam Ward and Alison Parker. Their murders, which unfolded on live television, have gripped this nation.
And we are continuing to learn more about their killer, Vester Flanagan. Former colleagues say he was hard to work with and became angry very easily. He was gay and claimed he was a victim of harassment because of his sexuality. We have also learned he owned several gay porn web sites.
A former boss of his spoke out on his behavior at work.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAN SHAFER, FORMER BOSS OF VESTER FLANAGAN: It had come out that he had a different lifestyle than, remember this is 15 years ago, so he had what everyone called at the time, an alternative lifestyle. And they were probably mocking him a little bit. And he really, really got upset about that. To the point where he had made things very difficult for almost everyone in the news room, photographers were pushing back on going out to work with him. He had words with several of our producers, one in particular. And just really became a problem. Such a problem that after a number of counseling issues between myself and him and our general manager, we decided to terminate his contract. (END VIDEO CLIP)
ALLEN: Flanagan did legally buy the guns he used in the shooting. Law enforcement said he purchased both Glocks July 10th at a gun store in Roanoke, Virginia. Officials say authorities have been to the business to get more information, the business that sold him the guns.
We're also hearing more about the red flags, warning signs that Flanagan was headed for trouble.
CNN's Brian Todd has more on that.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIAN TODD, CNN NATIONAL INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Police found a wig, sunglasses, a shawl, three license plates and magazines inside Flanagan's rental car. A search warrant reveals Flanagan had a to-do list with a book bag and several hand-written letters and notes. It is unclear what was on the to-do list.
But we are learning new details about Flanagan's troubles. As far back as 15 years ago there, were signs that Flanagan had incidents at work.
MILES WALKER, COLLEAGUE OF FLANAGAN: Yelling incidents. Again, stuff that's normal. There were times when he probably misread something and became frustrated with himself.
TODD: Here in the state of Georgia, Flanagan moved from Savannah, Georgia, to Tallahassee, Florida, for his big first anchor job. Flanagan's contract was not renewed in Tallahassee. Flanagan sued for racial discrimination, alleging a producer called him and another employee, who was African-American, monkeys. The case was settled and dismissed.
WALKER: I can't say that it was in any way discrimination.
TODD: Flanagan was hired by WDBJ in 2012 where he reported under the name Bryce Williams.
VESTOR FLANAGAN, ALLEGED GUNMAN: Bryce Williams, WDBJ 7.
TODD: He was fired roughly a year later. The station's general manager said the day he was let go, he became agitated and threatening. Flanagan was taken from the building but no arrests were made.
WDBJ station manager said he was asked it seek mental health assistance and he complied.
JEFFREY MARKS, STATION MANAGER, WDBJ: We made it mandatory that he seek help from our employee assistance program. Many companies have them. They provide, you know, counseling and other services and we made it mandatory that he do that.
TODD: The news director said Flanagan gave him a wooden cross in 2013, saying, quote, "You'll need this."
(on camera): WDBJ is right over there. This is the apartment complex where Flanagan lived, about a block away. Right now it is under 24/7 security. His neighbors didn't want it go on camera with us but were told they were made it evacuate their units as police and bomb squads teams moved in.
(voice-over): Brian Fuqua worked as a photographer with Flanagan and said he was always around edge with flan ban because of his temper and in one instance a live reported technical problems.
BRIAN FUQUA, FORMER COLLEAGUE OF VESTER: He got so irate, just threw his stuff down and walked out into the woods and stayed there for about 20 minutes.
[02:05:08] TODD: Flanagan outlined his frustrations in a 23-page manifesto that he faxed to ABC News. CNN has obtained a copy. He wrote, quote, "In the final weeks of my life, I put on a smiley face to disguise what was to come. I told random strangers or people I interacted with at various businesses how I hated people but I would often say it with a smile on my face."
If that manifesto, Flanagan writes about his admiration for Virginia Tech shooter and he also cited the shooting at an African-American church in Charleston, South Carolina in June of this year, describing it as the incident that, quote, "sent him over the top." He said he put down the deposit on his guns two days after the shooting took place. CNN has learned Flanagan purchased those guns, two Glock .9 millimeter pistols, legally at a gun store in the Roanoke area of Virginia.
Brian Todd, CNN, Roanoke, Virginia.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ALLEN: And the fact that he walked during live report and stood right in front of the reporter -- the person she was interviewing is recovering in the hospital -- and the videographer, and just shot them to death on live tv is what just horrified so many people. And you can imagine what their family and friends, and even the community are going through, because so many local reporters and smaller communities feel like family to the people watching the news.
Allison Parker's boyfriend is among those speaking with CNN about her during her short life.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRIS HURST, BOYFRIEND OF ALISON PARKER: She was so smart. She got college credit for doing cal cue louse. She was a calculus tutor and was able to get a scholarship. She was on the robotics team. She was a nerd at heart. Which bled her beauty. She loved her job. She loved being a journalist. Not just a reporter but a journalist. Someone who seeks the issues that are important and reports them fairly and accurately and truthfully and tries to find the emotion and stories and tries to tell the human stories. (END VIDEO CLIP)
ALLEN: And the couple was reportedly saving money for an engagement ring.
Her father is also talking out. He vows he will not let his daughter's death be in vein. So many parents and loved ones say that after these many shootings in the United States. But he is appealing for sensible gun control in the United States where our Constitution guarantees the right to bear arms. Here he is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDY PARKER, FATHER OF ALISON PARKER: I'm in favor of the second amendment but there has to be a way to force politicians that are cowards and in the pockets of the NRA, to come to grips and make sense, and have sensible laws so that crazy people can't get guns. It can't be that hard. And yet, politicians from the local level to the state level, to the national level, they side stepped the issue. They kicked the can down the road. This can't happen any more.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ALLEN: Gun violence is an alarming reality in the United States. Many families across the country know all too well the pain the Parker family is going through.
Earlier, CNN spoke with one such family member, Erica Lafferty. Erica's mother, you might recall, was Dawn Hocksprung, the principal of Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. She was killed in a shooting massacre there nearly three years ago. Since then, Erica devoted her time to a survivor's network called Every Town for Gun Safety. The movement works to end gun violence.
Listen as Erica recounts a painful experience as her mother's survivor.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ERICA LAFFERTY, DAUGHTER OF SANDY HOOK PRINCIPAL: At 27 years old, I had to pick out the dress that I was going to bury my mother in. And I chose a dress that was Sandy Hook green. It was their school color and a beautiful, like, you know, tank top type dress. And I brought it to the funeral home. And they said, you need to pick something else, Erica. Because her arms need to be covered. And it never -- never crossed my mind that I would have to cover my mom's arms because there were bullet holes in them and I need to hide the bullet holes from the people that were attending her funeral. Those are the really staggering things that we need to let our elected officials know, we need to have Congress listen to these stories, something needs to terrify them and you know, just scare them to the core to wake them up and make them do the right thing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[02:10:03] ALLEN: Her mother died trying to save student at that school. 20 children died that day, six adults along with them. Despite the horror, that massacre, federal lawmakers did not pass any new gun restrictions. Two measures, one to ban assault rifles, another to extend background checks failed in the Senate.
Many of you are wanting to help the community of Virginia, and the TV station, families that lost those two young people. If you want more information about that, you can head to our website, CNN.com/impactyourworld. We turn to the crisis in the migrant that continues in the
Mediterranean despite all efforts to stop these dangerous and often dangerous journeys. 200 people are feared dead after a ship bound for Italy sank on Thursday. So many of these ships do. Reports say it was filled with mostly African migrant.
An official in Libya said many victims appeared trapped inside the ship's hold when it capsized.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED LIBYAN OFFICIAL: Today we were informed that it was a boat with illegal migrants. So we headed there with the Coast Guard. 198 people from different nationalities were rescued. 66 people are dead.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ALLEN: So the migrant crisis continues on many fronts. Many Africans trying to cross the Mediterranean to Italy. Thousands of asylum seekers tried to enter in recent weeks. Many on this migrant front are fleeing the war in Syria. And unlike the people in boats, they're walking.
Here is a look at their journey. It begins with the trip north through Turkey. They then cross over into Greece by boat and then on to Macedonia on foot, then to Serbia.
CNN's Arwa Damon is near that border with Hungary and spoke with survivors of this long journey.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Exhausted children slumped on their parent' shoulders. Others like this 9-year-old bravely declare that, no, he's not tired. He's from Syria, one of his relatives from the ISIS capital.
"Famous," he jokes, "a dark humor is all I have left in the face of all they have endured."
Both in their homeland and much to their dismay, here.
"We tried to cross yesterday but the Hungarian police were being very harsh so we got scared," his uncle tells us.
As night falls, the human highway trudges on under the moonlight, on a journey to Western Europe. Waiting in groups, some will try to smuggle through. Most hand themselves over to the Hungarian authorities, through one of the few openings in the fence.
This was not a demarcated border. Now a razor wire snakes its way throughout.
This Hungary's attempt to control the record flow of refugees, making it harder to evade capture, something many dread. Worried it will hinder their asylum in Western Europe and fearful of dismal mistreatment by the Hungarians that they have been warned about, something many end up experiencing firsthand.
Waiting for hours under the beating sun with little water, no shelter, and no translator that we saw to tell them what's going on. Eventually, they are bussed here to the processing center, which takes a couple days, and is hardly set up to accommodate the numbers coming through.
On Wednesday, some of the refugees refused to be fingerprinted and were tear gassed by the Hungarian police when a scuffle broke out and, according to the refugees, beaten.
Out the window at the bus station, these refugees who were there that day say, the four days under the rain in Macedonia was more bearable than the torture we've been through here.
"It's a prison and they won't respond to us. They just say, go back it Syria."
(on camera): No one really told them exactly where they are going or what they are supposed to do when they get there so everyone is very confused and asking us what's going on.
(voice-over): People just want to get out of Hungary, it is their gateway it Europe. But so far, their experience is more of a nightmare than a dream.
Arwa Damon, CNN, Hungary.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[02:14:52] ALLEN: And we are trying to establish contact with Arwa in our next hour and I will talk with her live about the latest on that situation.
Simulating all at war on the Korean peninsula. U.S. and South Korean bombs explode during live fire drills. We will take you inside this show of militarily might coming next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DEREK VAN DAM, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Good day. I'm CNN Meteorologist Derek Van Dam, with a quick look at your forecast.
(WEATHER FORECAST)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) ALLEN: We turn our attention to the peninsula where they are carrying out live-fire exercises, held every year by the United States and South Korea.
Kathy Novak is in Seoul.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
[02:19:33] KATHY NOVAK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is not your average target practice. South Korean F-15 fighter jets that can take down a large number of North Korean fighters at once, E 737s that can detect movement across the air space from the South Korean border, Syrian helicopters that launch flairs to evade North Korean missiles and drop off command dose to infiltrate enemy lines.
"Our soldiers are ready and able," says the Italian commander, "with the will and courage to fight against the enemy."
(on camera): These exercises bring together U.S. and South Korean fire power preparing to how to respond to a North Korean provocation and signaling all-out war.
(MUSIC)
NOVAK (voice-over): But two can play at this war game. At the Korean peninsula, North Korea invented the game, parading its 1.2 million active troops and weaponry of its own under the watchful and unforgiving eye of supreme commander, Kim Jong-Un. Anti-tank missiles manned by loyal servants of the Korean Peoples' Army, submarine that Pyongyang claims can launch ballistic missiles. 70 percent of the fleet deployed during the recent crisis. And artillery like the kind the U.S. says was aimed towards propaganda speakers on the border.
South Korea fired back. Watching this drill, it's clear these shells don't miss. Suggesting when dozens of South Korean rounds landed in an empty field north of the DMZ that's exactly what they were aiming at.
They have the fire power but the game of war this in the peninsula is more about showing off the fire power than actually using it.
(on camera): This is not only a military exercise. It's a show. Members of the public have even been invited to watch the display.
(voice-over): Nothing like patriotic music to go with your show of fatal force and with every ground-shaking, eardrum-shattering boom of artillery in a perfect "V" formation, enthusiastic applause from the crowd.
It may seem ridiculous, but it works.
"I felt really anxious living here," she says, "but after the performances, I'm not anxious at all. North Korea can't defeat us."
Satisfied theater-goers at a very dangerous show.
Kathy Novak, CNN, South Korea.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ALLEN: Quite a show of military might on both sides of the DMZ there. More military exercises on the Korean peninsula are wrapping up today.
For more, let's bring in Kyung Lah, live from Seoul.
These exercises have been ongoing, taking a pause during the particular tension and threats by North Korea, Kyung, and finally the talks. So it wasn't like these exercises were the sole responsibility for the tensions this year.
KYUNG LAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It was mainly that it was a piling on of everything that was already happening here on the peninsula. The specific exercises that we're talking about happened over 12 days, they were computer-generated and what the joint forces were doing led by the United States is basically looking at what would the response be from South Korea and the United States should North Korea attack. That was the exercise and that is something that happens every single year. North Korea knows this, they expect this.
But given what was already happening on the peninsula w, that a land mine exploded, something extremely rare, that they had responded by putting up speakers blasting anti-North Korea news, pop music, what we will refer to as propaganda from South Korea, all of this piling on with the joint U.S./South Korea exercises. That's really what sort of brought this to a higher level. That's what led to all of the concern, the joint drills ending today after 12 days -- Natalie?
ALLEN: People there probably, even though they like it as we just heard in Kathy's piece, because it gives them comfort, there's been so much tension there. Perhaps this will herald a little more stand down on that. We saw that both sides got together. They held two meetings to talk about their differences. Is there any more of that expected?
LAH: There's nothing specifically planned right now. But those marathon sessions, they were basically a gateway into more talks. There are underlying issues, persistent issues here on the peninsula that talks are hoping will be a break through to get at those issues. Specifically, what South Korea really wants is to try to conduct family reunions. Families that have been separated since the start of the Korean War. That's 65 years ago. These relatives are dying and they want to have these last meetings before that happens. That's what South Korea wants. North Korea wants a dialogue so they can get more financial assistance. Both sides have come to the table. Talks hopefully will happen in the future. That's what those marathon talks were about. Cooling things off initially and then leading to more talks down the line -- Natalie?
[02:25:05] ALLEN: We certainly hope those family reunions get to take place and we hope that our viewers saw your poignant, touching story when you interviewed these elderly people in the United States who have not seen their children in decades. And we certainly hope there are more of those reunions to take place. Hopefully, that story is on CNN.com. Kyung Lah, thank you.
One of the student leaders of last year's pro democracy protests in Hong Kong was in court Thursday to formally face charges in the movement that brought parts of the city to a stand still for more than two months. 18-year-old -- yes, just 18 -- Joshua Wong was charged with unlawful assembly and inciting others to participate. He also faces charges of obstructing police at another demonstration. Wong says he does not regret what he did, even if he does have to serve time in jail.
Financial markets in the Asia-Pacific region are extending their winning streak with more gains today. Trading has just ended in Tokyo and Sydney. And the Nikkei finishing up 3 percent. And Australia's ASX 200 closing up a half percent. The Shanghai up 2.89 percent. And Hong Kong is up .54 percent. So the green arrows continue. And on Wall Street, stocks surge for the second day in a row. Dow finishing Thursday up 369 points.
Let's bring our Asia-Pacific editor Andrew Stevens in. He is live from Hong Kong to break down these numbers for us.
Hello, Andrew.
ANDREW STEVENS, CNN ASIA PACIFIC EDITOR: Hello, Natalie. Yes. You showed the key to driving what's been happening in Asia-Pacific markets today. Take a look at that Dow streak, that Dow Wall Street number. A big boost thereafter, revision of economic growth in the U.S. sharply higher, so the U.S. economy, world's biggest, really, is motoring on very, very nicely. Combine that with people now thinking there's unlikely to be an interest rate rise in the U.S. soon and to get a powerful rally on Wall Street, which flows through very much into the Asia-Pacific markets.
And if you take a look at someone like Tokyo, interesting behind the numbers there, Japan was up sharply. And it was being led by the commodities companies, like Mitsubishi, like Mitsui. They are big companies. It is important they're up. Because what it is saying is that the growth from the in the U.S. is offsetting any slow down in China, which means there will still be a demand for raw materials, hence commodity prices are going up. That is sort of what is going on behind the scenes if you like. So the Shanghai is up by 3 percent. Second day in a row, still in positive territory, and now trading to go there.
But if you look at the markets over here -- we have been talking a lot about the roller coaster the last five days, Natalie. But if you look along the term, that red dot there, that 43 percent, what that tells you is that over the year, the past 12 months, Shanghai is still up by 43 percent. So there are still profits in that market for some investors. It has come off the top sharply down by 40-odd percent since June, but you can read that as it's still got a long way to fall but there are still people in there with some sort of profits.
ALLEN: Looking at that right there, looks like a mountain peak with a bit of a descent lately. (LAUGHTER)
STEVENS: I'm sure there's a technical term for that.
ALLEN: Yes. You won't get any technical terms for me on the money end. I leave that up to you.
Andrew Stevens, watching it for us there in Hong Kong. Thanks, as always. We will have your top stories, right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[02:32:23] ALLEN: Welcome back to our viewers here in the United States and around the world. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM live coverage. I'm Natalie Allen, with our top stories.
In the state of Virginia, people held a vigil for the two TV journalists shot and killed on air Wednesday morning. An activist group organized an event honoring Alison Parker and Adam Ward. The group is calling for an end to rampant gun violence in the United States.
Near the Libyan coast, 200 people are feared dead after a ship filled with migrants bound for Italy sank on Thursday. At least 200 people were rescued. They were trapped inside the ship's hull when it cap advertised. Sadly, a situation that continues to happen in these desperate voyages.
500 days after Boko Haram kidnapped more than 200 school girls in Nigeria, activist united to demand justice. The group Bring Back Our Girls, held a candle light vigil and marched in the girls' honor Thursday. They urged the government to do more than rescue those still held captive and end Boko Haram's grip.
To U.S. politics now. Donald Trump is extending his lead for president.
CNN's John King has a look at the latest Quinnipiac University poll.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: If you're Donald Trump, you love these numbers. Look at these numbers, 28 percent nationally. Ben Carson next at 12. Jeb Bush down to 7. Let's compare this to a month ago. Dr. Carson doubled his support from 6 to 12. Jeb Bush is slipping. Ted Cruz is up. Marco Rubio, Scott Walker like Jeb Bush has to be worrying when you look at the numbers, Anderson. Great news for Trump. Good news for Dr. Carson. Very troubling news for Bush and Walker, especially.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ALLEN: That's the Republican side. Among Democrats, Hillary Clinton leads the field with 45 percent. That's down 10 points from last month, though. 22 percent support Senator Bernie Sanders. 18 percent support Vice President Joe Biden.
And listen at this interesting nugget from the poll.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KING: What do you think is the first word that comes to mind when you think of Hillary Clinton?
Liar.
Untrustworthy.
Dishonest.
Now "a woman" comes up, "smart" comes up, "political, experience, strong" comes up. But "liar, untrustworthy, dishonest" comes up the most.
Donald Trump, "blow hard, clown, idiot." Now "businessman: does come up. Again, "strong" comes up. "Honest" in his defense. But "arrogance" comes up.
In both cases, you have a blur here. We had one of these on the Hillary graphic too. We decided to be family-friendly and not put on words not good for a family audience.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[02:35:24] ALLEN: A lot of words come up, not all so nice, are they? We want to point out, 18 percent support Joe Biden. He has not said he is going to run. He is thinking about it.
Donald Trump claims he is leading among African-American voters, but the same poll John just mentioned shows Trump will get only about 5 percent of the African-American vote in match-ups against Hillary Clinton or Joe Biden.
But there is one group that strongly supports Trump. And we learn about them from CNN's Ed Lavandera.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The irreverent Donald Trump show goes on across America, part theatrical tour.
DONALD TRUMP, (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE & CEO, TRUMP ORGANIZATION: So the news here, anybody can have it. Anybody want it?
LAVANDERA: But masses come to experience the fiery rhetoric.
TRUMP: When Mexico sends its people, they're not sending their best. They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists.
LAVANDERA: In these crowds, there's a growing undercurrent of extremist support.
(SHOUTING)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Can you not speak in English?
LAVANDERA: Last month, in Trump's rally in Alabama, a supporter shouted white power during the speech.
UNIDENTIFIED TRUMP SUPPORTER: White power!
LAVANDERA: Former Louisiana state representative and Ku Klux Klan leader, David Duke, described Trump as the best in the lot. The Neo- Nazi website, Daily Stormer, says Trump is the only candidate talking about anything at all that matters. And white nationalist organization, American Renaissance, says Trump might be the last hope for a president that would be good for white people.
When asked why he is getting this kind of support, Trump says he doesn't need it.
TRUMP: A lot of people like me, even evangelicals like me, Democrats like me, liberals like me, conservatives like me.
LAVANDERA: A campaign stop in South Carolina, he was asked again.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER; You seem to be a lot of support or growing support from radical groups, white supremacist groups, what do you think about that.
TRUMP: That I don't know about. You are telling me about something I did not know about.
LAVANDERA: Brian Levin is with a hate group watchdog. He says Trump's message is reverberating on the political fringe.
BRIAN LEVIN, ATTORNEY: He stereotypes that degrade people like Latinos. So while Donald Trump is not a hard core hate monger at all, he is someone who is not above using messages that appeal to those who are.
ROAN GARCIA-QUINTANA, FORMER MEMBER, COUNCIL OF CONSERVATIVE CITIZENS: We are letting all these people come in that do not want to be Americans.
TRUMP: Roan Garcia-Quintana is a lifetime member of the Council of Conservative Citizens in South Carolina, a white supremacist group cited by Dylann Roof, who killed church members in summer. Garcia said he is marginally involved, though the Southern Poverty Law Center listed him as a board member.
He was in the crowd for Trump's speech in South Carolina to hear Trump's speech for what he considers is for undocumented immigrants.
GARCIA-QUINTANA: I don't want anything to be done about the illegal aliens. I want them to cross the river. I will give them a towel to dry their back. They need to go. What excites me about Trump is the no-nonsense approach and straight in-your-face kind of approach.
LAVANDERA: An approach that has Donald Trump at the top of the polls.
TRUMP: I thank you all very much.
(APPLAUSE)
LAVANDERA: Ed Lavandera, Greenville, South Carolina.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ALLEN: We turn now to India where the army has been sent in to restore order Thursday after days of violent riots engulfed parts of the Western Indian state of Gujarat. The clashes left at least nine people are dead, including a police officer.
We want to go live to India Bureau Chief Ravi Agrawal, in New Delhi.
Ravi, what triggered this?
RAVI AGRAWAL, CNN INDIA BUREAU CHIEF: Hi, Natalie. What triggered this is a protest and the protest was about reservations of the quota system in India. The protest was by a very wealthy or fairly wealthy group, known as the Potels. They are traders, farmers. They run a number of motels in the United States that are sometimes called Potels. But the basic gist of their protest was that they want India to get rid of the quota system, the reservation system.
Let me just explain what that system is for our international viewers. In India, if you are one of what is known as the other backward cost of a schedule cost of a schedule tribes, if you are one of those collection of backward costs, then there is a special quota of 49 percent quota of seats that are allotted for people like this in India's top universities, in government jobs, even in ministries. So what the Potel community has been protesting about is that they want to get rid of that reservation system, get rid of that quota system, so that they can have a better chance of getting those jobs, getting no those universities. It's resentment, frustration, that spilled out on to the streets in the form after protest. That turned violent on Tuesday and Wednesday and that's why the Army was called in.
[02:40:46] ALLEN: What are chances they would get their needs met? Because this is steeped in a lot of history and culture. And this is also the home state of the prime minister. What is he saying about it? What is he doing to try to stop the violence?
AGRAWAL: Well, Mr. Modi has been appealing for peace. This is his home state. And he has seen a lot of violence communal violence in his state.
Listen to what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NARENDRA MODI, INDIAN PRIME MINISTER: Since yesterday, the type of atmosphere that is building up in the land, the manner in which violence is being used as a tool. We all know that violence serves no purpose. It is my appeal to my brothers and sisters that the occasion calls for a single mantra, peace. Each and every issue can be resolved through talks.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AGRAWAL: So they are calling for peace in his home state. But no guarantee right new that he is going to get it because he hasn't given any sign that he is going to concede to the demand. I have to say that the cost and quota system in India is enshrined in the constitution and been in place for decades and the Potel community which wants to get rid of the reservations, they are saying if their demands aren't met, they will stop delivering milk, stop delivering vegetables. They will draw money from banks. We haven't seen the last of it yet. It could escalate.
ALLEN: All right, Ravi Agrawal, thanks for explaining it so clearly and we will talk with you again about any updates there.
It has been 10 years, decade since Hurricane Katrina ravaged New Orleans, Louisiana. Up next, our Martin Savidge shares his memories of being there that day covering this horrible deadly storm.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[02:45:46] ALLEN: Saturday, is the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina's rampage through New Orleans, Louisiana as the storm made landfall. It was soon apparent the city was not prepared for what was about to happen. The levees broke. The city flooded. And some of the reporters that were covering this story that day ended up being the only lifeline for these people who were so desperate and so scared.
CNN's Martin Savidge is one of the reporters there. Here is his story about what happened that day.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(SHOUTING)
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): I was in the Superdome when Katrina struck. A couple of days later, I was here at the convention center. This place was far worse. There were thousands and thousands of people in days in without any help. They were desperate.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We can't take this. We've been out here for three days.
SAVIDGE: They begged us to take them with us. They assumed we were leaving everyday.
(CHANTING)
SAVIDGE: We weren't. We never left the city.
And so when we told that to them, they then said, you have to have some way to talk to the people. We said, we have satellite phones. That is when people began tearing up pieces of paper, grabbing cardboard and writing down telephone numbers. They were certain that if someone knew, they would come and be rescued. They gave me the numbers and beg that I call. And every evening when I got done with work and there were a few free moments, I made my way down the list.
The first realized is nobody answers their phone any more. It's always voice mail and voice mail and the message I would leave was the same, you don't know me. I'm a reporter, I'm in New Orleans. I saw your uncle today in the convention center, or I saw your aunt. I saw your sister. They are OK.
One of the people actually wrote specifically what I was supposed to say on the phone call. It goes, please call my daughter, Amethyst, and tell her, her daddy, quote, "ain't dead yet."
I hung on to this note all these years because it was a reminder of how desperate people were.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ALLEN: We will have much more on the 10th anniversary. Anderson Cooper hosts a documentary, "Katrina: The Storm that Never Stopped." It airs Saturday, 10:00 p.m. eastern in the United States, 8:00 p.m. in London.
We all know that miraculously, New Orleans has come back. But in the 10 years since Katrina, there are also advances in weather technology that vastly improved our ability to predict where a hurricane will hit and how strong it will be.
Derek Van Dam joins us with that part of the story.
Thank goodness. 10 years, much has changed.
DEREK VAN DAM, AMS METEOROLOGIST: We have seen improvements in infrastructure, in New Orleans, for instance, which is great news.
(CROSSTALK)
VAN DAM: That's right. But in the weather industry, what I pay most attention to and what means the most to people who watch our weather reports ahead of these big hurricanes is that we've gotten better at predicting not only the strength but the path of these particular storms. NOAA said models are in the process of improving 50 percent since Katrina made landfall.
I want to show you something. This is quite phenomenal. We are talking about communication ability of our super computers that forecast the paths of the particular storms. And here is a great example. In 2005, when Katrina made landfall looked like. If we take the abilities of our super computers now, this is what it looks like in terms of wind strength and speed just before making landfall near New Orleans. Can you see how detailed that is an obviously the white and purples indicating the strongest of wind gust. And narrowing the path of uncertainty. The cone of uncertainty that we talk about so much. In 2005, look how wide along the Gulf Coast. Florida Panhandle, through much of Louisiana. Now with the computer abilities, available satellite data that we have, we narrowed the window by 50 miles. That is important for everyone living in areas that could be impacted by hurricane-strength winds.
There are significant amounts of rains across the Dominica region. The airport, having airplanes actually washed down the runways thanks to over seven inches of rain fall and it was significant in a six-hour period. Take a look at some of the video footage out of that region. Significant flooding and landslides. 60 percent of the island nation of Dominica without power and telephone services and the prime minister saying, that it is going to be very difficult to go forward with search-and-rescue efforts because there is such an isolated community. There's no available roadways anywhere to get to some of those remote parts of the island.
[02:50:56] ALLEN: That's terrible. So important that the technology advances because storms are --
VAN DAM: They are getting stronger. That's right.
ALLEN: Thanks, Derek.
VAN DAM: Thanks, Natalie.
ALLEN: We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[02:54:54] ALLEN: Here's one for you. A little boy find out he is going to be a big brother but he can't seem to wrap his head around it. Watch this as his mother tries to explain.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MOTHER: You're going to be a big brother.
UNIDENTIFIED BOY: Is that your baby?
UNIDENTIFIED MOTHER: Yeah.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED MOTHER: In my belly.
UNIDENTIFIED BOY: Is it in your belly?
UNIDENTIFIED MOTHER: Yeah.
UNIDENTIFIED BOY: Just now?
UNIDENTIFIED MOTHER: Yeah.
UNIDENTIFIED BOY: Is it?
UNIDENTIFIED MOTHER: That's where I've been, to the hospital.
UNIDENTIFIED BOY: Oh, really? UNIDENTIFIED MOTHER: Yeah.
UNIDENTIFIED BOY: Are you really a real baby?
UNIDENTIFIED MOTHER: Yeah.
UNIDENTIFIED BOY: Is it in there?
UNIDENTIFIED MOTHER: It is tiny. About that small. Look.
(LAUGHTER)
UNIDENTIFIED BOY: I'm going to be a new big brother. I hope you're not joking.
UNIDENTIFIED MOTHER: I'm not joking.
UNIDENTIFIED BOY: He can't sleep in my bed.
UNIDENTIFIED MOTHER: If you want.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ALLEN: He's going to be a fine big brother, isn't he?
That will do it for our hour. We'll have another hour of news straight ahead. Back in 2 minutes. Hope you stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
