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Airports and Roads are Packed; Pilot Punished for Posting Videos; Holiday Travel Forecast; Parts of Paris Airport Evacuated; Russia: Initial Yes to Nuke Treaty; NYPD Hunts for Art Thief; Iraq's Grim Christmas; Last-Minute Shoppers; Delta Cancels 300 Atlanta Flights; New Coin Feature Prince Williams and Kate Middleton; Woman Survives Rare Brain Bleed; Fire in Chicago Determined to Have Been Caused By Humans; Some Troops Return Home For The Holidays

Aired December 24, 2010 - 15:00   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Maximize this Christmas Eve with less of it. It is indeed Christmas Eve and if you are not where you want to be for the holidays, time is wasting. It is a huge travel day, one of the year's busiest and on the road, on the rails, and the airport today, and this evening, something to warn you about here.

Something that you might not know could potentially slow you down as you weave through the airport. These things right here, thermos, wondering, is she really thirsty today? Why does she have these huge things? People travel with these and if you are planning on going through the airport with this, expect there will be serious inspections of such.

Carry these through security and TSA inspectors may want to take a closer look that you should be too surprised about. Read this with me right now. It's from the TSA today saying, quote, "In the coming days, passengers flying within and to the U.S. may notice additional security measures related to insulated beverage containers.

You can hear the rest of that statement on the agency's website or at CNN.com if you want to read more on that. They say the extra caution is about the possibility that someone could hide something not allowed in the bottles or insulated containers like the one I showed you.

Something else, travel safety related today. A commercial pilot, we don't know his name or the airline that he flies with, but he says that he is in hot water today because of this. Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You can see airport security is kind of a farce. It is only smoke and mirrors so you people believe that there is actually something going on here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: OK. The voice you heard there is an airline pail on the. Actually posted the clips online and that he says showed the security level that applies to both you and me at ordinary travelers and how it's different from the lower security level applied to flight crews in airport workers. So why would he do this?

What's the problem that so many are seeing with this? The TSA officials are saying they felt like enough of a problem has been made. That they are going to actually take action against this pilot now. They pulled him from a highly sensitive pilots only program and confiscated a weapon that he was authorized to carry in the cockpit.

Let's talk a little bit more about this. Joining me from Phoenix is Jim Tilmon with 30 years of flying and just about every plane at American Airlines and also a retired captain. Good to see you.

So you've seen these video clips. You heard it. Again, if you hadn't seen it earlier, so the pilot is trying to make a point here. That he says that -- the security is, in his words, ludicrous. What's the point that he is trying to make and how potentially damaging is it that he's made this point?

JIM TILMON, RETIRED AMERICAN AIRLINES CAPTAIN: Well, Fredricka, I feel this way about it. It's the right sentiment, wrong venue, wrong method and very poor timing. You know, pilots are hired for skill and judgment. I'm afraid this gentleman exercised very poor judgment in doing what he did when he did the way he did.

WHITFIELD: OK. In fact, his attorney is now saying that the TSA, federal government, is thinking about pursuing some pretty serious legal matters against him. For example, what kind of case would they be building against this pilot?

TILMON: Well, looks at this way. You know, there's a lot I don't know about the legal side of it, but just from my point of view, you know, terrorism is the enemy here. What does a terrorist do? What is their job? Their job is to make us scared, very scared and to be that way as much as possible.

When you put out this kind of information, particularly during our high-travel period of time, about a year from the time when we had, in fact, a Christmas bomber that's in existence. It scares people and -- that's the terrorists job. That's not the job of an airline pilot.

I think that -- when I say that it -- sentiment, yes, there are significant problems with ground personnel and checking of them and that sort of thing. Fredricka, I have been doing these reports on aviation security for 30 years.

We have been talking about this as an issue for quite some time, but -- this was not the right way to approach it. And -- I'm -- afraid he is going to have some serious consequences.

WHITFIELD: Well, here's this anonymous pilot's explanation of what his intent really was. Let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know, I just tried to address my concerns and voice it on YouTube. How effective is security when everybody onboard is screened and everybody on the ground isn't?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: OK, so you've already stated right sentiment and wrong venue. What would have been the best way for frustrated pilot like him to do? How would he convey this and to whom?

TILMON: First of all, he is not alone. There are a lot of frustrated pilots about this issue. Secondly, this is not a shocking kind of revelation. The TSA is aware of the fact that there's an issue here and they've been working at it for quite some time.

I don't know all of the layers of the security that they use to protect us from problems there, but I know they do have security in layers. Let me throw one other thing out that leads to one other thing. I got to tell you that I'm afraid for the attitude that we have generally throughout the country of -- lot of people that the government is making life miserable for us intentionally.

These are people who are probably underpaid and overworked who are trying to help protect us. They are not out to make life miserable and I think so far as the rules are concerned, I think they are doing a pretty darned good job. Could it be better? I don't know if any security system ever that had been perfect. There are going to be loopholes. There are going to be some problem and they're going to have to work at this on a daily basis.

Many of them are. They are working today. They work very hard. I don't think that they get enough credit for a thankless job. I also feel like it is easy to point fingers and say this is a real problem here. We need to correct it. Guess what. I don't know how long this gentleman has been flying, but for my entire flying career and for all the time that I've spent on television news, this has been an issue.

And we have to assume that all you have to do really was take this problem right to the people who are supposed to correct it. Take it to TSA. Take it to the Congress. Take it where he wants to, but not on YouTube. They're watching this video in the cave right now.

WHITFIELD: OK, so real quick then, I'm wondering in your view. Will this pilot work again, will hay be trusted again? What kind of future are you seeing for this anonymous pilot?

TILMON: I think his future is very uncertain. You know, I mention pilots are hired on skill and judgment. When you exercise poor judgment, the feeling is do I want a person with poor judgment in the cockpit of my airplane?

And that's a decision I get above my pay grade, but I got to tell you. I'm very concerned about his future because he has shown evidence of poor judgment. That's not the place for him.

WHITFIELD: Jim Tilmon, thanks so much. A retired American Airlines captain, appreciate your time and insight. Thanks so much and happy holidays.

TILMON: Thank you. Same to you, Fred.

WHITFIELD: Thanks so much.

All right, folks do indeed want to have a great holiday, but that darned nasty weather seems to be getting in the way of some travelers who are needing to pack a little extra patience before they head out today.

Take a look at this here. This is Minneapolis where they are used to snow. According to our Minneapolis affiliate, KARE-TV, police reported more than 80 crashes overnight. Let's bring in our Reynolds Wolf, yes, they are used to it, but still gets in the way.

REYNOLDS WOLF, AMS METEOROLOGIST: It really does. There are a lot of places where in Minneapolis they're going to have more issues possibly during the overnight hours. The places most susceptible are places like bridges, where you have plenty of air able to get underneath the driving surface and above it, all sides of it and that where things get kind of treacherous.

It's also going to be tough anywhere in the Midwest. In fact, take a look at the snow that we have falling right now, south of Minneapolis, 94. It's going to be very tough for you in Iowa even into St. Louis, it is going to be a snow issue for you, some places one to four inches possible there.

In fact, we already have watches and warnings that are popping up across landscape. The advisories, you'll notice, the purples numbers -- purple colors, we have things - that's pretty heavy storm warnings that will be in effect. The big weather maker that we have is going to be, of course, snow we are seeing there.

But farther to the south, we have this area of low pressure that is tracking over parts of Texas. This is a storm system that does have a dark history although we've got sunshine out west now, say in Redondo Beach plenty of sunshine. But this low was in California bringing in the heavy rainfall and bringing the snow.

The question is where is this thing headed next? Well, as computer models indicate that storm is expected to really intensify and pull a bit more to the east over the next day or so then swarming right past parts of Florida, up to eastern seaboard, possibly bringing heavy snowfall to portions of the Appalachians and into Berkshires and maybe even the green mountains, parts of New England.

Some locations maybe in excess of eight inches of snowfall and closer to the coast, should be warmer, but still you have the rain and you have the wind, which means as we get into Monday, by midday and afternoon, we have widespread delays at Logan and all your major airports in New York, Philadelphia perhaps and even into parts of Washington, D.C. so you might want to really be patient. It could be a tough time for you.

Going back in time, a little bit, compared to that forecast, we go to your forecast for tomorrow. We are showing you Monday. Now let's go back to tomorrow's forecast. It looks like we are going to be seeing that low right in parts of the southeast. So anywhere in Florida, from Orlando, right on I-4, even into South Georgia, it's going to be rain.

But when you get north of Atlanta, that's where you're going to have a little bit of cold air at the surface and you may have a light dusting of snowfall in the Atlanta area.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

WOLF: Live in Detroit for a couple of years and you are going to change your opinion.

WHITFIELD: A little excited about it.

WOLF: Absolutely. But into the Ohio Valley, dusting of snowfall out to the west and we have another round of storms possibly in California actually just one round of storms.

It's going to move right on through from California into Washington State even into Oregon. That's going to fizzle out as we rounded the weekend. Little break. The next storm system won't last hardly as long in parts of California. Not as devastating --

WHITFIELD: They don't need any more.

WOLF: They really don't. They are done.

WHITFIELD: Good. Just in time for the holidays. Something to cheer about.

WOLF: A little bit of a present.

WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks so much, Reynolds. Appreciate that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I had to get all my last-minute shopping in today. I do it every year.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have quite a few I need to pick up. Traffic is down now right now. It is great time to get it done.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's fun to be in the crowd of people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Is this you, your sentiment, down to the wire? Last- minute Christmas shoppers going after the best deals they can get their hands on and try to beat the deadline before the holiday. We will have a report straight ahead.

Plus police say a crafty burglar pulls off an art and jewelry heist worth up to a million dollars next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) WHITFIELD: All right, now a check of our top stories. Snow is creating headaches for air travelers at Paris' Charles De Gaulle Airport today. Part of the terminal was evacuated for fears the roof was in danger of collapsing. Workers rushed to clear off the snow and also short on de-icing fluid. So many of today's flights have been canceled.

Russia is pushing ahead to pass the new nuclear arms reduction treaty with the U.S. The lower House of Russia's parliament gave a preliminary thumbs up today. The treaty still needs to be approved by the upper House that could happen in mid-January. The U.S. Senate approved the new treaty on Wednesday.

And you're looking at just some of the masterpieces of New York police are now trying to hunt down. These prints by Andy Warhol and Roy Likenstein were stolen from the home of a private collector.

Police say the thief tunneled through a wall in the hallway into victim's apartment. The stolen art and other items could be worth up to a million dollars.

Next hour, a former police detective explains how such a break-in can actually go undetected.

It is Christmas Eve in the U.S. have you completed all of your shopping? We will talk to some, trying to get the last-minute deal. That's coming up next.

But in Iraq, where it is just about Christmas time right now, children are celebrating their holiday under threats of violence against Christians there. That report is straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, if waited until the last minute to do all of your holiday shopping. You are not alone. Some 23 million Americans are expected to hit the stores today. Sandra Endo among them in the crowd here in Georgia.

SANDRA ENDO, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Fred, the holiday shopping frenzy is certainly underway and all those procrastinators are up against the clock. You can see the parking lot is packed behind me with a lot of people trying to find a spot to make sure that they get to the stores.

And the National Retail Federation is anticipating that this holiday season is actually going to be better than anticipated. That's some good news out there, but that's because a lot of stores are enticing customers with some last-minimum deals.

This Old Navy in particular has been open around the clock. They opened up at 7:00 a.m. yesterday and not closing until 7:00 tonight to accommodate all of those last-minute shoppers.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We heard on the radio that they were open at midnight. So we will wait and see if we can get a deal. We finished with most of our Christmas shopping. We spun the wheel and got $15 off so it worked out pretty good.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's pretty ridiculous at the mall, but here it wasn't that many people so it's pretty to get in and get out and get it done. We get our Christmas shopping done. Do this than fight the crowd any day.

ENDO: I did find a deal of my own. This 30 buck micro fleece hoodie was only $10. There are certainly some bargains to be had, but if you want to take advantage of those, you are going to have to brave the crowd this Christmas Eve. Fred --

WHITFIELD: Congratulations for getting a nice $10 deal there. Thanks so much, Sandra Endo.

OK, meantime if you are looking to be in market of collecting coins, how about this one here? This one is a royal coin and it has been unveiled. It's brand new, but can you identify the couple on it? We will tell you who they are and what the controversy over the coin is all about straight ahead.

Children in Baghdad have to celebrate their holiday this year under threats of violence. We will tell you why there is a grim Christmas this year. That's straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: The day before Christmas and yet another travel nightmare hits Paris. Too much snow and fears of a roof collapse at Charles De Gaulle Airport plus an evacuation at that airport.

Joining me right now on the phone is CNN's Niki Cook. So, Niki, it doesn't sound like a very good night, the night before Christmas, for Paris travelers. But I guess, the bright side is there are a whole lot of hotel rooms in that particular airport. So maybe everyone won't be sleeping on the floor there in the terminals. Describe the scene for me.

NIKI COOK, CNN PARIS BUREAU PRODUCTION MANAGER (via telephone): Actually, the situation, to be quite honest, is much better tonight than it was earlier. We expect possibly up to 200 people that made overnight at the airport tonight, but indeed hotel rooms have been booked all around.

Buses are busing the passengers, stranded passengers back into the city. We have 100 volunteers at the airport who have been distributing gifts and chocolates and food and water and not champagne. But it's been a grueling two days out at the airport indeed, Fred.

WHITFIELD: Well, maybe the chocolate will perk people up. You know, when we talk about this airport being inundated with a lot of snow and there is a shortage of the de-icing, which has led to the cancellation of so many flights. So even if they clear the runways, problem is to make sure these planes are safe enough for flights.

COOK: That's exactly right. They were completely victim of a stockage, just kind of broke down there, and several hundred flights were grounded as the U.S. actually sent some of that over from the state and others arrived from Germany.

But you are absolutely right that was completely unexpected. Now we have had two issues that are going on, which is the freezing temperatures and the snow and it has been going on for several days.

This is an unprecedented for Charles De Gaulle Airport to have had so many days in the freeze. Meaning that much more of the de- icing products had to be put on the airplane and I think it was just not as anything that they say they could really expect.

WHITFIELD: So they have to evacuate one portion because they were afraid of a roof collapse. So where do the people go and then where are they now?

COOK: Yes. Actually, it wasn't an evacuation. What happened is that there has been accumulating snow over the past few days on Terminal 2-E, one section of Terminal 2-E. Going back to several years ago when that terminal actually had some real issues and part of the roof did collapse in the month of May.

They decided to simply move the passengers to the other side of the terminal while the maintenance guys basically cleaned up that roof. So 2,000 people were moved over the other side of the terminal, but it was not actually an evacuation. But it did add a lot of misery to the situation, which was already extremely difficult to deal with. Fred --

WHITFIELD: A relocation not an evacuation. Niki Cook, thanks so much. Try stay warm and maybe, you know, a chocolate or two will keep you happy there. Thanks so much. Appreciate that.

All right, meantime, children in Iraq, well, they are not having a very Merry Christmas this year because churches there are toning down celebration following attacks targeting Christians in that country. Listen to this report filed by CNN Baghdad correspondent Jomana Karachi.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOMANA KARACHI, CNN BAGHDAD CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): These Iraqi children, this Christmas is anything but merry. Most churches in Iraq have decided to tone down their celebration this year following a series of attacks targeting Christians. At Baghdad's only Anglican Church, St. George, a message of defiance.

CANON ANDREW WHITE, VICAR OF ST. GEORGE: Most of the churches here in Baghdad have actually canceled Christmas celebrations, but we have not. We are going to celebrate it to its fullest and everything all you have to find some enjoyment.

KARACHI: A feeling echoed by most of the worshipers here who brought their children to witness a rare appearance by Santa Claus and in this overwhelmingly Muslim land. Eighteen year old Miriam Samir says although this is the most grim Christmas in years, she will still make the best out of it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translation): It gets worse every year, but despite the situation, we will keep celebrating, she says and not allow sorrow to prevail.

KARACHI: St. Joseph's Catholic Church is more typical of Iraq's churches. The fear of attacks has forced them to forego decorations and to not hold any night time mass.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So many families are afraid actually to come to the church and especially after the new threats we have received by the internet and e-mail.

KARACHI: Other priests in Iraq have reported similar threats ahead of Christmas. After the horrific siege of the Baghdad church in October that killed and wounded dozens, a blood bath claimed by a group affiliated with al Qaeda and a series of bombings targeting Christians in their homes.

Church leaders say the threats are taken seriously. Thousands of Christians have already fled their homes in Baghdad and the northern city in Mosul in recent months as direct result of the renewed violence.

Iraq estimated to have had more than a million Christians before the U.S. led invasion in 2003, but the violence and persecution that followed has driven about half of them out. Church leaders are worried about another exodus and trying to stop it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are trying to give them hope but sometimes the -- the signs from the reality, from our reality, is more strong than message.

KARACHI: For now, those who remain pray this Christmas will be a peaceful one. Jomana Karachi, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: All right, here in the U.S., remember just moments ago our Reynolds Wolf was telling us about an expected ice and rainstorm. Not quite sure what it will end up being, but for tomorrow, particularly in the Atlanta area, preemptively Delta Airlines, even though this is a very huge, heavy traveled season, they have preemptively now canceled 300 flights scheduled in or out of Atlanta in advance of this snow or ice or rainstorm expected for tomorrow here.

Give us an idea. Delta is taking it very seriously. Anything can happen, but in large part because Atlanta isn't accustomed to having a lot of ice storms, snow and certainly you want to be safe at the airport.

WOLF: That's a heck of a point. You know, the issue you have here, have you that moisture that's coming in from both the Gulf Coast and in the Atlantic. You have the freezing line. The line of freezing temperatures that's going to be very close to the line -- very close to Heartsville, Jackson, the world's busiest airport.

With that in mind, Delta has gone ahead and decided to cancel those 300 flights. The only good side of the story is that well, I guess better to have it on Christmas day, Fred than to have it today. I mean, I will tell you today will be a busy day and tomorrow hopefully people will be where they need to be.

We are talking about the issues with the air travel. We had to think about the other cumulative effects you will have with the bad weather, driving conditions across parts of the southeast and higher elevations of the Appalachians, back into Blue Ridge parkway it's going to be difficult.

That does not even consider what's going to happen with the delays in days to come as the storm system will not remain locked in place. Possibly zip up the eastern seaboard so we can see this spill over into parts of New England and Washington, D.C., maybe even into Philadelphia and New York. This may be the beginning of several days of delays beginning here in Atlanta.

WHITFIELD: I was excited about snow, but now I have to take that back. It will inconvenience way too many people.

WOLF: It's two-sided coin.

WHITFIELD: I was excited about a White Christmas in Atlanta, but --

WOLF: Yes. If you don't have a place go it will be fantastic.

WHITFIELD: Yes. OK, all right. Well, we'll continue to update people on the Delta Airline cancellations and potentially any other airlines that may follow suit. All right, thanks so much, Reynolds. Appreciate that.

All right, take a look at this. Do you see anything wrong with this picture? Do you see any resemblance their royal watchers are up in arms over this new coin. We'll explain why.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

***30

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Oh, royal watchers are all a twitter over this one. It is the official coin commemorating Prince William and Catherine Middleton's upcoming wedding. Some complain the image does not look anything like the royal couple. Check out some of the reaction on the twitter board. "Is that Kate Middleton or Janis Joplin on that royal engagement coin?" says one. And I totally don't get how the royal mint could put out a coin that looks nothing like Kate Middleton!"

And then this, "The artist who did the royal engagement coin made Kate Middleton look like she got stung by a bee." Ouch. Katie Nichol is a royal correspondent for "The Mail on Sunday" and author of the book "William and Harry, Behind the Palace Walls." So Katie, people aren't just complaining about how Kate or Katherine looks on the coin. Some say Prince William looks more like Al Gore and the coin shows him with too much hair.

So explain this one. How could this happen?

KATIE NICHOL, "THE MAIL": I think it probably is an attempt at flattery. I know it does many look like it when you look at the coin because they both look unlike themselves. I met both of them many times and they are incredibly attractive people.

But what I think they are trying to do is enhance Kate's lips, give William more hair and streamline them both. And in doing so, they distorted their images so much that I think if you didn't have the names William and Katherine on that coin, I actually don't think most people would even recognize them it's such a distortion.

The strange thing is both Queen and Prince William gave the image for that, go ahead --

WHITFIELD: They gave a thumbs up and think there is accuracy here. Maybe it is quite the challenge to be able to etch a drawing or create a coin with the exact replication of an individual, simple as that.

NICHOL: I think it is a challenge. There are artists that specialize in this. We actually. when we broke the story the royal mentor preparing the mold. And this was, bear in mind, a couple of weeks before the announcement was made.

We actually put in my paper an image of what the coin would look like. And I tell you something, we did a much better job at designing it than the royal mint have done. I think they let the couple down on this one. But Prince William has given it his thumbs up so I guess the rest of us has to go along with it too.

WHITFIELD: I wonder what Will and Kate have to say about this.

NICHOL: I think Prince William is pleased with it. From what I hear from Kate's friends she had a chuckle about it and didn't think the fact that she was on the coin in first place is beyond her wildest dreams. The fact she has slightly plumped up lips, I don't think it is bothering her too much.

WHITFIELD: They don't strike me as being ungrateful about the moment and seem to be relishing the moment. So, you know, what more can we say about what the plans are for the royal wedding? Are you hearing anything new? I know you are so plugged in.

NICHOL: I can tell you that they are going to be spending Christmas Day apart, which is a little sad. But actually, it is quite understandable. This is probably going to be Kate's last Christmas with her family. As you know, as soon as she marries into the royal family she will be expected to spend Christmas at the queen's estate in Norfolk where the family congregates Christmas Day.

So William volunteered to work. In doing that he has basically allowed Kate a final Christmas. But they will be together Christmas might and I think we will probably see -- I think we will probably see them together possibly doing shooting and then saying that they may be heading to Scotland to see the new year in together.

WHITFIELD: Nice holiday plan. Coin or no coin, they are a handsome couple. I think everybody agrees.

NICHOL: I think so, too.

WHITFIELD: Katie, thanks so much. Appreciate your time. Merry Christmas and happy new year.

NICHOL: Merry Christmas to you.

WHITFIELD: Thank you.

All right, it's a pretty shocking video, a toddler in a baby carriage. You will see it play out straight ahead. Maybe you don't want to see it.

And as we approach the end of the year, do you remember the top ten news stories? We will start the countdown next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: This just in to CNN. A huge fire that killed two firefighters in Chicago this week may result in criminal charges. Larry Langford from Chicago fire department is joining me now. Thanks for your time, Larry. Give me an idea why a criminal investigation now.

LARRY LANGFORD, CHICAGO FIRE DEPARTMENT (via telephone): What we do, the Office of Fire Investigation goes in first, that's the fire department. We go in and look at the evidence so they can and talked to witnesses and look and make a determination if we can of what started the fire.

In this case we have a building that has no electricity for several months and no gas service for many months. Yet there was a fire. So we have determined that the fire was started by open flame ignition to available combustibles, wood and rubbish, inside. In layman's terms, that means it was started by a human act probably.

WHITFIELD: And even though their intent may have been to stay warm because presumably that's what the situation may have been, right?

LANGFORD: That is correct.

WHITFIELD: Even though there may have been that intent because it resulted in the fire of the two firefighters, you have to pursue a criminal investigation? LANGFORD: We turned it over to the Chicago police department, bomb and arson division, and they conducted an investigation. We deal in the science of fire and they deal in any possible suspects.

So as you mentioned, we can't prove one way or another what the intent was or whoever was in there. That will be up to the police department to conduction an investigation and make that determination. We do know it started at the rear of the building and no accelerants were used. It is just -- it may have started as a fire for heat and that's something they will have to determine once they found out who did it and what the intent was.

WHITFIELD: Negligence in the end may be a component to a charge?

LANGFORD: That is very possible.

WHITFIELD: OK. And our condolences of course going out to the families. Thanks for your time Larry Langford.

What a year it has been. And it is not even over yet, a few more days to go. A week or so before New Year. And we put together our top ten lust of the biggest stories of 2010. Here is Brooke Baldwin counting down big stories.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: Hi there. I'm Brooke Baldwin with the ten biggest stories of 2010. Number ten, the boisterous debate over the ground zero mosque.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Maybe if a mosque were built then you guys would know what Islam was about.

BALDWIN: It was actually just a proposed Islamic community center two blocks from ground zero. But that didn't stop the outcry, especially from some 9/11 survivors and the families of victims.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This building is being built on the cemetery of our loved ones. I lost 93 of my friends. What happened to the sensitivity going from the Muslim world to the families?

BALDWIN: The debate heated up on the internet, cable TV, land order the doorstep of the White House.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: This is America. Our commitment to religious freedom and must be unshakable.

BALDWIN: Developers right now are trying to secure funding for the Islamic center could cost more than $100 hundred. Project supporters say it is an effort to strengthen multi-faith understanding.

Number nine a royal engagement.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was very romantic.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did he get down on one knee?

BALDWIN: Prince William announced that he will marry long time girlfriend Kate Middleton. He gave her his mother's ring and will exchange vows at Westminster Abbey in April. And another royal wedding 30 years after we saw Princess Diana walk down the aisle.

The end of combat operations in Iraq is the number eight story of the year.

OBAMA: The United States paid a huge price to put the future of Iraq in the hands of its people. Now it is time to turn the page.

BALDWIN: It came on August 31. More than 4,400 American troops died during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Thousands of noncombat troops will stay in place to help train and assist Iraqi forces until next year.

WikiLeaks is at number seven. Julian Assange was at the center of the controversial release of the hundreds of thousands of sensitive U.S. communications. They documented everything from U.S. actions in Afghanistan to personal comments about Kim Kong-il's quote, "flabbiness." Assange ended up being arrested as part of a sexual assault investigation in Sweden.

Issue number one coming in at number six on our list of the year's biggest stories.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's very easy to get depressed and lie in bed and stay in your pajamas and watch TV all day.

BALDWIN: Of course, I'm talking about the economy, the high unemployment rates.

OBAMA: There's no silver bullet. There is no quick fix to these problems.

BALDWIN: The market shows signs of life and the government passed new legislation to overhaul the financial system, but for millions and millions of Americans, times are still very tough.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: All right, so what made our list of the top five stories of the year? Get your list together and compare. Brooke is back next hour counting down to the number one story of 2010.

Shocking and disturbing -- a Miami motorist is caught on camera hitting a toddler in a baby carriage. The outcome, next.

And a very emotional tribute to our troops this Christmas. We warn you, you need tissues to wipe tears from your eyes, next.

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WHITFIELD: This next story is shocking. Some of you actually might find it very disturbing. Miami police want to find a driver who hit three people in the sidewalk including baby in a stroller. Look right here, the surveillance video showing the Crown Victoria car veering off the road into the sidewalk. The crash happened last weekend.

The mother, her child, and the toddler in the stroller were getting ready to cross the road when they were hit. The toddler in the stroller tossed 15 feet across the parking lot.

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DET. WILLIE MORENO, MIAMI POLICE: This is a family that was getting ready to cross the street. They were on the sidewalk when out of the clear blue this black Crown Victoria started to veer off on to oncoming traffic. Number one, hits this infant in a stroller and hits a light pole and then just speeds off, unknown to him whether the child lost his life or not.

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BALDWIN: The boy suffered only bruises and is expected to make a full recovery.

And valuable art by Andy Warhol and watches and jewelry are stolen in a heist worth up to $1 million. Why police are calling the thief a crafty burglar straight ahead.

And Delta Airlines canceled hundreds of flights to and from Atlanta. We have information that may affect your travel plans straight ahead.

But first, I want you to watch an amazing story of survival. An actress and model is rushed into an emergency surgery after a tumor ruptured in her brain. She shares her remarkable recovery with Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

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DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was an ordinary day for Katherine Wolf --

KATHERINE WOLF, SURVIVED RARE BRAIN BLEED: I was standing in my kitchen, my son was down for a nap.

GUPTA: -- that in an instant changed her life forever.

WOLF: My husband came home for lunch and within a few minutes, I had fallen, collapsed.

GUPTA: Wolf had a devastating brain bleed. For this 26-year-old model, wife and new mom, she had no idea that anything was wrong.

(on camera): ABM, which is an arterial venous malformation, the arteries and veins sort of grow in a tangle.

WOLF: Yes.

GUPTA: What happened that day?

WOLF: I remember getting in the ambulance and I woke up a month and a half later.

GUPTA (voice-over): Many doctors wouldn't even have attempted the operation.

WOLF: They did tell my family that it was extremely brave.

GUPTA (on camera): They thought you were going to die. Clearly alive.

WOLF: Right.

GUPTA (voice-over): But it was a lot of work to overcome obstacles in between.

WOLF: Absolutely. As miraculous as me actually living and surviving the surgery was, the real miraculous things throughout this process has been my recovery.

GUPTA: She had to endure a lot of therapy.

WOLF: I sat through months and months and months of daily swallowing training where they put electrical stimulation on my throat. I did these horrible exercises.

It was so exhausting. Finally, I was able to eat a spoonful of pudding after like eight months.

GUPTA: Walking is still not easy.

WOLF: I've learned to use my core to really push me forward.

GUPTA (on camera): Tell me about what your limitations are. What's the most difficult thing for you to do that couldn't do before?

WOLF: I can't drive a car. I have severe double vision. I can't walk on my own well at all. Can't do many things that -- I can't dress myself.

GUPTA (voice-over): But she is alive and she's feeling better.

(on camera): What's the message, do you think, for other patients?

WOLF: Oh, I would tell other patients hang in there and work hard.

(voice-over): GUPTA: Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Joy, hugs, tears, emotional reunions at airports and homes across America this week. Scores of U.S. troops are coming home for the holidays and they're also reflecting the less fortunate buddies, those on duty overseas and those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you, keep up the good work. We're proud of you. Take care of the 4th division. We're proud of you.

(MUSIC)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

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