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Tornadoes Damage Dozens of Homes Across Parts of Florida; Court Upholds Death Sentence for Saddam Hussein; War in Somalia

Aired December 26, 2006 - 11:00   ET

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

RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: You are with CNN, where we keep you informed.
I'm Rick Sanchez.

BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everybody. I'm Betty Nguyen.

Tony Harris and Heidi Collins, they are off today.

SANCHEZ: Developments just keep coming into the NEWSROOM on this Tuesday, December 26th.

Here's what's on our rundown today.

NGUYEN: Saddam Hussein's death sentence, it is upheld. The former Iraqi dictator could go to the gallows in just days.

SANCHEZ: Cuba's Fidel Castro, the latest on his medical condition, the prognosis today from the prominent Madrid surgeon who flew out to see him.

NGUYEN: And check this out -- calling the plays with sign language. A basketball team with an unusual bond.

We're on the ball in the NEWSROOM.

A lot to clean up today after a just terrifying Christmas across parts of Florida. Tornadoes damaging dozens of homes, and amazingly no serious injuries are reported.

CNN National Correspondent Susan Candiotti is in the hard-hit town of San Antonio, which is near Tampa.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): A chorus of chainsaws. Not what you expect to here Christmas morning.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The wind picked up, and like everybody says, you know, you hear the train coming. And that's exactly what it was.

CANDIOTTI: Columbia County, west of Jacksonville, hit early. Authorities say a likely twister cut a seven-mile path of destruction.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was terrible. My wife was looking out the window. All she could see was just white.

CANDIOTTI: Damage expected to run at least $3.5 million, yet no serious injuries. Incredibly for some, a holiday dinner served after all.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The bird is in the oven. Everything's OK. Everybody's OK. We're going to cook that bird and go in there and enjoy it and thank God we're still alive.

CANDIOTTI: A few hours later, another sever thunderstorm took aim north of Tampa.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It hit so fast with power that it was only, I would say, 45 seconds, and it was gone.

CANDIOTTI: Gone, but not easily forgotten. Strong winds peeled off roofs and uprooted trees in Pasco County. Fortunately, police say, no one critically injured.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The roofs are gone from a lot of these houses and they're collapsed. There was cars still in the garage. It's devastating. Just devastating.

CANDIOTTI: In Volusia County, near Daytona Beach, about 50 planes crushed, crumbled, and piled on top of each other at internationally known flight school Embry-Riddle.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's just like a war zone. I mean Embry- Riddle took a beating. What happened here at the apartment complex and further on up. How we didn't lose any lives, God was smiling on up.

CANDIOTTI: Up to 200 mobile homes also damaged in the area, but no lives lost.

BEN JOHNSON, VOLUSIA COUNTY SHERIFF: I'm amazed, absolutely amazed that we didn't because by all rights we should have a number of fatalities.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: Susan Candiotti joins us live.

And just looking at that damage, I imagine there's plenty of work on tap for today. What are they doing?

CANDIOTTI: Well, you've got all kinds of people who are out on the street, walking around, using golf carts to get around and driving around their neighborhoods. Many helping each other along the way, helping their neighbors.

We have preliminary damage estimates just in from Pasco County, $700,000 of damage so far. Again, that's preliminary and they expect that to go way up as repairs start to get under way. But as you can see over here, all kinds of damage. You've got the blue tarps on. The county has handed out a lot of these, but having escaped unscathed during hurricane season, some people also had these tarps at the ready. Now they're being put to use.

In that house, as bad as it looks, the family inside, not hurt. But you have a lot of people packing up their belongings here in these two vehicles, as you can see.

This poor woman was setting up her dinner table to have the family over when everything went flying. She fell to the floor as the roof peeled off. And it's obviously very upsetting to the people whose homes were damaged.

Only 180 to 100 or so in this community, small community of 1,000 in this development. And we're standing here on -- don't you know the name of the street Caddyshack Lane.

Back to you, Betty.

NGUYEN: Oh, goodness. Susan, we appreciate it. Good news that no one was seriously injured in that, which is quite amazing.

We're going to bring in Chad Myers now in the weather center.

(WEATHER REPORT)

SANCHEZ: Let's talk about Iraq now. Mixed reaction on the streets, we understand.

Iraqis responding to news that Saddam Hussein's death sentence will stand. Now, this morning's ruling could send the ousted dictator to the gallows within a month, 30 days. That's right.

CNN's Ryan Chilcote has been following this story. He's joining us now from Baghdad to bring us the very latest.

Let's start talking about the possibility that this could happen within 30 days. And if it does, would it be a public execution? How tied in or clued in would the people of Iraq be to this?

RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good question. Really don't know for sure.

The law says something things specifically about executions. For one, it says that the condemned have to be executed within 30 days. That, according to Iraqi law after their final appeal is rejected.

That is the case with Saddam Hussein. His final appeal has been rejected. He, according to Iraqi law, now has to be put to death within 30 days.

We also know that the relatives are to be notified one day before the execution. And we know from the judge that the window for the execution begins tomorrow and ends on the 26th of January. So that's about all we know at this point, that he is going to go to the gallows, that he is set to be hanged, that his relatives will be notified one day in advance, that he will be able to make a statement that could be videotaped, we've heard, in the gallows shortly before he is executed.

Of course, it's up to him whether he's going to make a statement or not. But these are some of the very few details we have right now about the execution.

Now, the government could decide to release the video. We just don't know. That, of course, would satisfy a lot of people in here, particularly among the Shiite and Kurdish population that feel that Saddam Hussein was a tyrant and that he had an oppressive rule. But it could also anger a lot of people.

You know, there are a lot of people predicting that the insurgency, which has -- is really Sunni based, many of whom -- many of the insurgents still look to Saddam Hussein to be the rightful ruler of Iraq, despite the fact that he's now set to be headed to the gallows. That could, on their part, incite violence. So we really don't know what the Iraqi government's going to do, but it could have enormous consequences for the situation here on the ground -- Rick.

SANCHEZ: Any reaction yet from the people in Iraq? I mean, how is this information disseminated, if at all? Is there enough dissemination so enough people would even react to this announcement?

CHILCOTE: Yes. In terms of dissemination, Iraqi TV did pick up some parts of the press conference where the chief judge announced that Saddam -- that they have upheld the verdict. So people are just getting the word as we speak. As for the press conference itself, the room where the press conference was held, we do know that some of the people inside that room did begin to applaud when they heard the news.

In terms of violence, like I said, there is a wide-held expectation that there will be at least a short-term surge in the violence here as Sunnis who are upset with this decision, who believe that this is a government decision basically influenced by the Shiite- led government, expressed their anger on the streets. We haven't really seen that definitively yet.

What we have had within just the last hour in the Iraqi capital is a bombing next to a Sunni mosque. It seems unlikely that that would be a reaction to this, but we have had a bombing, eight individuals killed in that bombing, another 25 wounded, right next to a very revered mosque.

I think we're going to see a lot of gunfire no matter what, whether these are people that are expressing their anger at the decision that we heard from the chief judge today, or whether these are people that are just shooting their guns in the air to celebrate the announcement. Definitely going to hear a lot more gunfire in the Iraqi capital in the coming days -- Rick.

SANCHEZ: We should let our viewers know that those are file pictures that we're looking at of a mosque nearby as well. But just to clear up one thing, the reaction to the Saddam Hussein -- the fact that Saddam Hussein will in fact be put to death, according to the -- to the court, is this a reaction to it in any way, do you think, this bombing?

CHILCOTE: It does not look like that bombing is a reaction to the court's decision, to be perfectly frank, because the target of that bombing would appear to be a Sunni mosque. If this was the act of -- if the Sunni insurgents that still revere Saddam to be their rightful leader would attack Shiite targets, that's what we would expect.

SANCHEZ: Yes.

CHILCOTE: We would expect them to either attack Iraqi government targets or to attack Shiite targets as they express their anger at this government and the fact that they believe that this government is really a government that's pursuing a Shiite agenda at their expense, at the expense of their leader and expense of themselves in this very sectarian conflict that is developing here in Iraq -- Rick.

SANCHEZ: Yes, that makes sense. That makes sense.

Ryan Chilcote, thanks so much for hanging on in there for us.

Ryan bringing us the very latest news out of Baghdad. A lot of it this morning, by the way.

Thanks again, Ryan -- Betty.

NGUYEN: Well, there is a new progress report today on Fidel Castro's condition. We have the latest from the Spanish doctor who just examined the Cuban president.

That's ahead right here in the NEWSROOM.

SANCHEZ: Also, another battlefront. Ethiopian troops are fighting Islamist forces in Somalia. What does it mean for the United States? Another Mogadishu possibly?

We'll look into it. That's ahead from the NEWSROOM.

NGUYEN: And paying respects to a music pioneer, an icon whose influence just lives on. We're talking about James Brown, his life and legacy. That's in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: An update now from the Spanish doctor who examined Fidel Castro. He says the Cuban leader does not have cancer and he's recovering slowly from his emergency intestinal surgery. Right now there are no plans for more surgery.

The doctor, who is now back in Madrid, flew to Havana last Thursday. The Cuban president had the operation back in July, if you'll recall. He has not been seen in public since then, and for now, his brother Raul is in charge of Cuba's government.

SANCHEZ: Nigeria rocked by a massive oil pipeline explosion this morning. The Red Cross says at least 200 people are dead.

This happened just outside Lagos. Thieves apparently tried to tap into the pipeline to steal fuel. Nigeria, as you know, has many reserves of oil. They instead, these thieves, triggered the blast which also led to a massive fire in a heavily populated area.

Stealing from fuel pipelines has become an all-too-common occurrence in Nigeria. Earlier this year, at least 150 people died when vandals tried to tap a pipeline also just outside Lagos.

And police in the Philippines investigating a devastating department store fire. This one happened Christmas Day. Twenty-four people died in the blaze.

Police are blaming it on holiday fireworks being sold illegally inside the store. They say the fire spread quickly. You can see a woman trying to escape the flames on the roof of the store. Several people were trapped inside. Police say a key escape route, an exit door at the back of the store, was actually padlocked.

NGUYEN: Well, it's a worsening situation in Somalia, Ethiopian troops battling Islamic forces. Will the U.S. get drawn into a new war on terror?

CNN's Barbara Starr recently was in that region. She joins us live from the Pentagon.

And the first thing I want to ask you is, what role are U.S. troops playing in this?

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Betty, there are about 1,400 to 1,800 U.S. troops actually in the Horn of Africa, mainly doing humanitarian relief work and trying to act as a hedge against any terrorist safe havens. And their plan is to stick with that. They will try and stay as far away from the fighting as they possibly can.

You know, we all here in the states haven't heard a whole lot about Somalia and Mogadishu for over a decade since the famous "Black Hawk Down: incident in the 1990s. But now, in the last several months, an Islamic militia has essentially taken control of Somalia. And next door, Ethiopia, which has a large Christian population, has been increasingly upset about that.

Ethiopian forces now moving into Somalia. They had -- yesterday, you see the video, they bombed the airport in Mogadishu and they are advancing on the capital of Mogadishu. They want to stop this Islamic militia in Somalia from taking full control of the country. There's a very weak transitional government there, and it has been under threat by this militia.

For the United States, Betty, it's a serious issue of al Qaeda possibly advancing on another front. This militia is said to have strong ties to al Qaeda, and a lot of concern for the U.S. and the U.S. military that the Horn of Africa is now becoming another safe haven for al Qaeda -- Betty. NGUYEN: Well, you touched on that just a minute -- you know, what's at stake for the U.S. So that being the case, any plans in place?

STARR: Well, not at the moment. We have talked to military officials out in the region today. Again, they are going to try and stay away from the fighting but stay in the region so that they can continue to help the people out there.

They do expect a refugee crisis to develop out of this, but they want to be there for humanitarian relief for the people in this region of Africa. But when we were out there, just at the end of November, we went up into the hills of western Ethiopia and what we actually saw there was U.S. troops in western Ethiopia training Ethiopian commandos in anti-terrorism skills. And that's a clear indication of which side the U.S. military is on in this emerging war in the Horn of Africa.

You see some of the video here. These Ethiopian troops are very capable. The Ethiopians have a credible military force to field in the region. Their bombing of the airport in Mogadishu yesterday was carried out by Soviet MiGs that they still have in their inventory.

So, this Ethiopian military force does have some considerable capability for the region. And very clearly, it is the force that the U.S. is backing. They want to get that Islamic militia which is backed by al Qaeda not to be in that position of power in Somalia -- Betty.

NGUYEN: CNN's Barbara Starr, who was just recently in that region.

We appreciate it, Barbara.

STARR: Thank you.

SANCHEZ: Changing the rules of the road. One place is giving motorists more leeway. Will it put the brakes on bad drivers? Well, we're going to take a closer look at this in the NEWSROOM.

NGUYEN: And doctors as detectives. Desperate families looking for answers to what causes autism. Our Dr. Sanjay Gupta takes a closer look at a medical mystery.

That's ahead here in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: OK, just imagine this, right...

SANCHEZ: I'm imagining.

NGUYEN: ... no more traffic lights.

SANCHEZ: All right.

NGUYEN: Could have used that this morning. But it's just an experiment which is under way overseas.

SANCHEZ: Experts are believing now that giving drivers more responsibility will actually make the roads safer. It's an interesting concept.

NGUYEN: I'm not sure.

SANCHEZ: CNN's Jim Bittermann -- not around here -- has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JIM BITTERMANN, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Chaos. Chaos is spreading through the streets of the northern Netherlands. Traffic lights have been dismantled, parking zones eliminated, curbs have been flattened. In one county alone, nearly half of all thoroughfares are roads gone wild, with not only the agreement, but the encouragement of city planners, elected officials, and even the European Union. And the architect of this anarchy has become the roadside guru of revolution.

HANS MONDERMAN, TRAFFIC PLANNER: Chaos is an order we don't understand yet. An order is chaos where we put in the logic later on. In my opinion, chaos and order have quite a lot in common.

BITTERMANN: Hence, Monderman is a Dutch traffic engineer who thinks many traffic regulations interfere with safe driving.

(on camera): So you say you don't mind if people break the rules here?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I love it.

BITTERMANN (voice over): It's not like the Dutch have abandoned convention all together. This is still a country where educators insist children as young as 11 should pass driver's exams to ride bicycles. But what Monderman and many others advocate are traffic systems based on as few signs and regulations as possible, in order to encourage as much individual responsibility as possible.

In the Monderman world, only two rules apply: you drive, ride, or walk on the right side, and those coming from the right have the right of way. Otherwise, everyone in an intersection is equal.

(on camera): Creators of the concept say it depends at least in part in collective insecurity. That drivers have to pay more attention or they don't know what people are going to do next.

(voice over): The question is, of course, does it work as intended, to speed traffic and improve safety? The biggest shared space experiment to date is in this Dutch town of Drachten, population 55,000.

Eight years ago, Drachten began creating what are called traffic calming measures, speed bumps, artificially narrow streets, and the like. Over time, all but three of the town's 15 traffic lights were replaced with traffic circles or shared space intersections. The results, according to city officials, are encouraging.

NIESKE KETELAAR, DRACHTEN CITY COUNCIL: There have been no serious accidents. Things happen, but mostly there are -- well, damage on the car or the bicycle. But not to the human beings.

BITTERMANN: Not all drivers, cyclists, or pedestrians, of course, like that idea of having to watch out better, the concentration and constant tension that go with scrapping the traffic rules.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not everything (INAUDIBLE) is good.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, dangerous. I can't say.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It makes you pay attention, I think.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. You know, when you think, it's dangerous, so everybody wants to pay attention.

BITTERMANN: Monderman regularly determines whether people are paying attention by closing his eyes and blindly walking into traffic. "I'm still alive," he says.

Indeed, it may take time for many to learn to share, especially without all those signs for reminders. But in Drachten, the city fathers have spotted an unexpected consequence of sharing space on the roads. They believe that those who learn to be more civic-minded behind the wheel are also more civic-minded when they are not.

Jim Bitterman, CNN, Drachten, the Netherlands.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ: And this developing story out of Iraq. An appeals court upholding Saddam Hussein's death sentence. We are taking you live to Baghdad to continue to monitor this story.

NGUYEN: Plus, stormy weather. Florida families, they are picking up the pieces from Christmas Day tornadoes. Look at that damage. A holiday and lives just ripped away in an instant.

That's coming up right here in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: We are awaiting a Baghdad news conference on the fate of Iraq's former dictator, Saddam Hussein. A spokesman for Iraq's appellate court says the chamber has upheld his death sentence, handed down last month. And according to Iraqi law, the execution would be carried out within 30 days. The conviction involves a 1982 massacre in Dujail, Iraq. One-hundred and forty-eight Shiites were killed there in apparent retaliation for a failed association attempt on the Iraqi leader.

(NEWSBREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

NGUYEN: We're also paying respects to a music pioneer, an icon, whose influence does live on. James Brown, his life and legacy, that's in the NEWSROOM.

SANCHEZ: Also, doctors as detectives? Desperate families looking for answers. What causes autism? Our Dr. Sanjay Gupta is going to take a closer look at the medical mystery in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Well, the legacy lives on. Singer James Brown remembered today. The Godfather of Soul died of congestive heart failure yesterday at the age of 73. R&B, funk, rap, hip-hop, he was an innovator who's influence is felt everywhere. Fans around the world, well, they are saying goodbye. The Reverend Al Sharpton says James Brown made soul music world music. Funeral arrangements, well, they aren't complete just yet. But Sharpton is expected to speak.

And this, the Associated Press reports that James Brown was not legally married to a woman who says she's being kept out of the home she shared with the singer. Brown's lawyer reportedly says that Tomi Rae Heiny (ph) is being kept out of the South Carolina home for estate reasons.

SANCHEZ: As many as one in every 166 children in the United States diagnosed with autism. As the numbers go up, researchers still trying to figure out what is it exactly that causes this condition?

Here's our chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It is a true medical mystery, the secrets of an autistic brain.

WENDY STONE, VANDERBILT KENNEDY CTR. RESEARCH: There is no identified single cause of autism that is universal for all children. And there may never be.

GUPTA: As with many mysteries of the mind, doctors point to genetics and environment as culprits. But as the mystery starts to unfold, we learn it can be more complicated than that. The newest research shows there is something that a child is born with that allows outside factors to wreak havoc on their little brains.

More simply, these children are not necessarily born with autism, but they are born with the potential to develop it. And what exactly are the outside factors? Not sure.

STONE: Before we're born, it's the mother's womb and placenta. After we're born, it's what we eat, it's what we breathe, it's what we drink. There are so many different things out there that it's hard to pinpoint exactly what it is.

GUPTA: Still, any parents of an autistic child will have theories. When Zach Couch's parents learned he had autism, his mother began to change his diet, worried he was eating something that was causing him to get worse. Some families believe that a preservative in some childhood vaccine called thumeresol (ph) is causing autism in their children. The CDC says no scientific link.

DR. ROBERT DAVIS, CDC: Now that we have the data coming in, there's no data to suggest that the thumeresol (ph) or the mercury in vaccines is linked to autism.

GUPTA: And what about the genetic link? Doctors at Vanderbilt are studying siblings of autistic children.

STONE: They are at elevated risk of developing autism. Even from birth, we can start following these children and we can identify the very earliest signs.

GUPTA: Catching those early signs may help doctors get one step closer to solving the mystery. So, what exactly is happening in an autistic brain?

At the University of Pittsburgh, doctors are seeing what's happening inside the autistic brain. The picture here shows a normal brain on the left, an autistic brain on the right with dramatically fewer connections lighting up. And it turns out we may soon be able to diagnose autism before the child is even born.

DR. FRED VOLKMAR, YALE DEVELOPMENT DISABILITIES CLINIC: The placentas of the babies with autism had higher rates of what were called trophoblasts (ph), which are usually is a sign that something had gone wrong genetically in the pregnancy.

GUPTA: No, we still don't know what exactly causes it or even how to explain the rising rates across the United States. But everyday we're getting closer to solving the mystery of autism.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ: A basketball team with a special bond. They score in silence. Their story, coming up from the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BUSINESS HEADLINES)

NGUYEN: And now to see what's coming up on the afternoon NEWSROOM. Look who's back from the holiday vacation.

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: I had a great time. Did you miss me?

NGUYEN: I did. I was working every day.

LEMON: I won't go any further.

NGUYEN: Not your fault. SANCHEZ: Nice tie, though.

LEMON: Thank you.

SANCHEZ: Good-looking threads.

LEMON: You know, Christmas.

SANCHEZ: Somebody got some nice gifts.

LEMON: Mom, thank you very much.

NGUYEN: Somebody was nice, and not naughty. What's coming up?

LEMON: We got a lot coming up today in the NEWSROOM at 1:00, staring at 1:00 Eastern.

Often imitated but never duplicated. His life consecrated, the pursuit of soul. James Brown may be gone but it will be a long time before he's forgotten. Later on in the CNN NEWSROOM, we will hear from a man who considered the Godfather his surrogate father.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REVEREND AL SHARPTON, CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST: I met Mr. Brown at Newark Symphony Hall backstage and he told me he wanted to help me. I was the same exact age as his son. He knew I came out of a one-parent home and he became my father and I became like his son. I kind of replaced Teddy for him. He became the father I never had.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON; He also has some very interesting things, other interesting things to say about James Brown. Yes, that's right -- that was civil rights activist Al Sharpton who will share some of his very personal memories of the unforgettable James Brown. You don't want to miss that.

Plus, is a major storm brewing for later this week? If we're asking the question, then there's probably a chance of it. We will look at the latest models to see if trouble is headed your way.

That's all ahead in the CNN NEWSROOM, starting at 1:00 p.m. Eastern today and the ever-ready bunny here will be sharing part of those duties.

NGUYEN: I'll be right there with you.

LEMON: Yes, you're just going right through here.

SANCHEZ: I've got a caveat for you. I was just watching Sharpton's speech. Di you know -- remember Sharpton had that very strange haircut?

NGUYEN: A while back. SANCHEZ: For a long time. He had that hair because of James Brown. he did it as in honor of James brown -- they were best friends, thought he owed a lot to him. So that's the reason he had that James Brown kind of look.

LEMON: You know, hardest working man in show business. I think that was coined because of James Brown.

NGUYEN: Because of James Brown.

SANCHEZ: That's right.

LEMON: There you go.

NGUYEN: Looking forward to that, Don.

LEMON: Thank you, see you later.

NGUYEN: I will see you soon.

LEMON: Good seeing you, sir.

(CROSSTALK)

NGUYEN: All love around here today, folks.

Let the voting begin because Oscar ballots going out today. The more than 5,800 academy members have less than three weeks to make their choices and send those ballots back. Your Academy Awards schedule, well it looks like this: The nominations will be announced January 23rd. Expect to see that right here on CNN. And then it's on to Oscar night, Sunday, February 25th.

SANCHEZ: Story of a basketball team with a special bond. They score in silence. Their story coming up from your CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Well, you already know to catch us weekday mornings from 9:00 a.m. to noon eastern. But did you know you can take us with you anywhere? That's right, on your iPod. The CNN NEWSROOM podcast, that's available 24/7, right on your iPod.

SANCHEZ: He has played the tough guyplenty of times, as you know, but California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is no match for an Idaho ski slope.

He is having surgery this morning for a broken leg. That's obviously an older picture. He's not walking like that today, guarantee it. The governor fractured his right femur while skiing with his family over the weekend. The surgery at Los Angeles Hospital is expected to take less than two hours we're told. During that time, California's lieutenant governor will be in charge.

NGUYEN: Here's a really great story for you. For a lot of folks, the holidays mean plenty of time to enjoy their favorite sports. Well, our Larry Smith introduces us to a spirited team you will want to root for.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LARRY SMITH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Listen to the sounds of this basketball game. Now hear it the way these players do.

(SILENCE)

SMITH: Bruce Rogers has coached basketball at the American Sign language and English High School in New York City from the team's inception 12 years ago. He's not one to bark out instructions since they won't be heard by a team made up mostly of deaf players.

BRUCE ROGERS, HEAD COACH: Usually I have a towel or a jersey and try to get their attention. But, if I'm trying to get the attention of a deaf player, he's not watching the play.

SMITH: The Tigers used to compete only against other deaf schools in the northeast, playing as few as six games a season. Three years ago to help save travel costs, they joined New York's public school league, they've won just once since.

DANNY GUZMAN, SOPHOMORE GUARD (through translator): When I'm playing basketball against hearing kids, I try to read their lips and sometimes it's really hard. I'm watching their body language and that's something I really have to navigate on the court. It's hard. It's definitely hard. Not as easy as if it was with deaf.

MARTIN FLORSCHEIM, PRINCIPAL (through translator): I mean, they're playing against tough schools, yes. I think it's a good experience for them to feel that kind of competition.

GUZMAN (through translator): I think it was a lot easier when I was playing in the deaf school because the teams weren't that hard to beat. Now we're playing in the public school league and it's a little bit harder. The students are better players. It's definitely a bigger challenge.

SMITH: The Tigers now play around 20 games a year, always against teams that are more skilled and athletic, although rarely do they go against one that tries harder. Still the players admit the losing is difficult. Last season they lost a game by 100 points and even that was not nearly as devastating as the one they lost by just three.

ROGERS: They get beat up every week and they come back as charged up as last game. They have the togetherness. I guess that's what really helped them with all the losing.

GUZMAN (through translator): No matter how much we lose by, even if it's a close game or not, he always tries to make us remember, that look, it's only a game, and we're here for each other, we're here for enjoyment.

SMITH: And that's the victory Rogers seeks. His team doesn't play for cheers they can't hear. They play for much better reasons. BRANDON WILLIAMS, FRESHMAN GUARD (through translator): I don't know that it matters, deaf or hearing on the court. We're all players and playing the same game.

FLORSCHEIM (through translator): I don't think it matters whether or not they're winning or losing. Honestly, the hearing and deaf are working together. And they're proud. And everyone's equal on the team.

ROGERS: They feel so much. They know what's going on. They know what's going on at all times. They really enjoy it. It's special for them.

SMITH: So, these players may never be able to hear this game the way you do. But you will never be able to feel a game the way they do.

Larry Smith, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: That's a team with heart right there.

SANCHEZ: Isn't that great?

NGUYEN: That's a great story. I love that story.

SANCHEZ: You don't have to hear a swish to know it went through. I mean, it's just a good perfect shot.

NGUYEN: You see it happen.

SANCHEZ: It's almost an advantage for them because they can communicate with each other in ways that the other team sometimes won't understand.

NGUYEN: Exactly, they won't even see it and boom, hopefully they got the score right then before anyone even had a clue.

SANCHEZ: Like, here we go -- alley oop.

NGUYEN: That's a little obvious, but they have other signs I'm sure.

Well CNN NEWSROOM continues one hour from now.

SANCHEZ: "YOUR WORLD TODAY" is next with news happening across the globe and here at home as well.

NGUYEN: More coming up -- stay with us.

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