Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live Today
Winter's Watch; Mosul Investigation; Cyber Games
Aired December 23, 2004 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's take a look at what's happening "Now in the News."
The nation's midsection gets a winter wallop. Snow has stranded drivers along Interstate 64 in southern Indiana. The snow, ice and frigid temperatures stretch from the Midwest to the Deep South. We're going to get an update. There's some pictures for you. We'll get an update just ahead on the storm that's already causing headaches for holiday travelers.
The military says most of the wounded from the attack in Mosul being treated in Germany are expected to recover. Nearly half of them are in intensive care right now. A total of 35 soldiers and civilians are being treated at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center.
The Hungarian defense ministry says all 300 of its troops deployed in Iraq are back home this morning. One contingent arrived last night; the second just after midnight. Hungary's prime minister announced plans to withdraw the troops last month amid opposition to the war. One Hungarian soldier died during the deployment.
Former President Bill Clinton takes a trip to the hospital this hour, but for a more pleasant reason. He's visiting doctors and nurses who diagnosed his heart condition that led to bypass surgery. Clinton also helped open a new cardiac facility at the hospital in Valhalla, New York.
Keeping you informed, CNN, the most trusted name in news.
And it's 11:00 a.m., just a little past, on the East Coast, and just past 8:00 a.m. on the West Coast on this Christmas Eve eve. Good morning once again. I'm Daryn Kagan.
RANDI KAYE, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Randi Kaye, in for Rick Sanchez.
Our top story this hour is the wicked wintry weather. Ice on the streets of Albuquerque provided just a hint of what was to come as the storm began its long march across middle America.
In Texas, the wintry blast socked parts of the state with three to six inches of snow. That was enough to set records in some cities.
Farther east, wintry weather rolled into Nashville as an ice storm. Streets turned into ice rinks, with predictable results to those who dared to drive.
The snowfall became significant closer to the great lakes. Indiana is practically shut down today with a snow emergency in effect in more than 30 counties. By the time it hit Ohio, the storm had covered hundreds of miles with various combinations of ice, snow and frigid temperatures that will probably last throughout the holiday.
KAGAN: Evansville, Indiana, it is one of those Midwestern cities that is snowbound today. Among those hunkered down there, our meteorologist, Jacqui Jeras -- Jacqui.
JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Hey, Daryn.
Yes, freezing cold here. Right now the wind chill is nine degrees below zero. And I think we've got a few flurries trying to kick up.
We've got a little bit of moisture wrapping around the backside in the lows. So we could see a few light snow showers, but no additional accumulation can be expected.
Snowfall amounts, right about where I'm standing we're talking about 12 to 18 inches on average. But just south of the river, snowfalls total of two feet.
Now, you can see all the semitrucks here piled up behind me. They're waiting out the storm. They can't get anywhere right now.
We're just off Interstate 64, and it is shut down. The worst of the conditions on 64 are apparently between the Illinois-Indiana state line, extending over just to the east of Evansville.
There's about a 50-mile stretch that's shut down there right now because the National Guard is out trying to rescue people. They still don't know exactly how many people are out there that are going to be needing help.
They're trying to get some helicopters up into the air and try and assess the situation, even better. And apparently the Humvees that are out there trying to rescue the people are also having some difficulty in the snow.
I was back in Evansville in '96 when there was 15 inches of snowfall and road along with one of those National Guard troops. And in 15 inches they had problems. Right now they're having to deal with up to 24 inches in a few locations. They're hoping that the interstate may get open later on this afternoon.
The big issue isn't so much clearing the roadway, it's clearing the cars out of there and making those people safe. And with wind chill indices 10 degrees below zero, those are dangerous conditions. You really don't want to have exposed skin, and that's exactly why we tell you, if you're going to be traveling, make sure you have that winter safety kit with you.
The other issue in addition to the wind chill, the reason why it's so low is because the winds are gusting around 20, 30 miles per hour. And that's also causing some problems with blowing and drifting of snow. You can kind of see how everything looks very nice and smooth. In fact, I've been making these dents in the snow with my footprints. And it doesn't take long for them to get covered back up.
But believe it or not, everybody is really taking this thing in stride. The workers at this truck stop have not been able to get home. There are some people that have been here almost 48 hours now. And the other workers that are trying to come and relieve them just can't get here.
So the truckers that are stuck are making the best of the situation. Everybody's getting their own coffee, and there are a couple people from Florida that were helping to serve water and also clear away plates.
So despite the holiday hassle that they're dealing with here, people are trying to make the best of it and trying to have a good time. They're just hoping to get home by the holiday -- Daryn, Randi.
KAGAN: We're hoping the same thing for you, and those darling children waiting back here in Atlanta for you.
JERAS: I know.
KAGAN: Thank you, Jacqui.
JERAS: OK. Thanks.
KAYE: That snow shore is beautiful, but it may bog down some of your travel plans. So if you want to know where this storm is heading, let's turn to Orelon Sidney with the very latest on what's going to happen maybe in the next several hours -- Orelon.
(WEATHER REPORT)
KAYE: OK. Thank you, Orelon.
ORELON SIDNEY, CNN METEOROLOGIST: You're welcome.
KAGAN: We want to go back to Indiana now near the Evansville area. On the phone with us is Sherman Greer, director of emergency management for Vanderburgh County.
Mr. Greer, thanks for being with us.
SHERMAN GREER, VANDERBURGH COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT: Thank you.
KAGAN: I understand one of the problems we've been hearing reports of, motorists literally stuck on that interstate since yesterday.
GREER: Yes, we have. We've had motorists stuck out there since 4:30 -- 4:00, 4:30 yesterday.
KAGAN: Now, did the snow just come down too quickly that you weren't able to clear the highway?
GREER: We've got -- we got a lot of snow in a short period of time. Our highway departments, state highway departments, the local county highway departments have been working 24/7 since we, you know, got a prediction of the snow coming in.
KAGAN: And did people abandon their cars and go someplace warm, or are people staying with their cars? Which would be very concerning.
GREER: People have been staying with their cars. They've been advised to stay with their cars and not try to get out, especially last night. And the Indiana state police have been putting out information that they could, you know, run their cars about every 10 minutes and then -- to conserve on fuel and then also to keep themselves warm.
KAGAN: Yes, that's what I was thinking. And how -- if you can't help them at the immediate moment get their cars out, what can be done to help them?
GREER: Well, we've got the National Guard out there now within in Humvees that are trying to get them into shelters. We've got shelters opened up for people to be brought into. But it's just a time-consuming thing of getting to them and then getting them into the shelters.
KAGAN: And do people seem to be following your advice? Any injuries that we need to know about at this point?
GREER: I've been -- yes, I've been talking to people. Their family members are a lot more worried than what the people are out there, I think, the people that are waiting for these people to get in for Christmas.
KAGAN: Sure.
GREER: But I've been talking to some of the people and was talking to one gentleman. And at the time I was talking to him the National Guard picked him up at that time.
Been talking to some of the others, and they're in good spirits as of right now. But I know if I was out there for that long a period of time I would be kind of anxious of getting out of there right now.
KAGAN: That is the understatement of the day. Real quickly, for folks who need to kind of cross that part of the country to get where they want to go for Christmas, at this time what would you recommend?
GREER: I would recommend you give a call to the Indiana state police, find out exactly how the road -- what the road conditions are as of right now rather than just blindly getting out there and thinking that they're going to make it all the way across the state.
KAGAN: Good tip. Sherman Greer with -- the director of emergency management for Vanderburgh County. We wish you clear skies for the rest of the holiday, Mr. Greer.
GREER: Thank you. Merry Christmas.
KAGAN: Thank you.
We have that story. We also have these pictures that were coming into us from Richmond, Virginia. Mud -- of all things -- mud holding up air traffic in Richmond. No one's hurt, but this American Airlines jet got bogged down in the soft, wet ground when it went off the edge of the runway.
The pilot apparently didn't understand the turning radius of the plane. The crew and passengers are being evacuated, but it's holding up, as we understand, much of the traffic coming in and out of Richmond. This plane was on its way to Dallas Fort Worth.
KAYE: If it's not mud or snow...
KAGAN: Mud it is.
KAYE: That's right. If it's not snow, it's definitely mud. One or the other.
By the way, that storm we were telling you about, if you have any interest in tracking it, you can get the latest weather conditions for thousands of cities in the U.S. and around the world at CNN.com/weather.
KAGAN: Some of the wounded from Mosul that were taken to Germany for treatment are heading back to the U.S. Thirty-five soldiers and civilians are being treated at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center. About half of them are in intensive care. But the commander of the hospital says they are expected to recover.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COL. RHONDA CORNUM, HOSPITAL COMMANDER: I would like to express my absolute heartfelt condolences to all the family members and units who have lost members. For those people who have had people who are injured, I want to make sure that they understand that the medical departments of all the services are doing everything they can possibly do to get their loved ones back to them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: Colonel Cornum says that some patients have already been sent back here to the U.S. for further treatment, and more were scheduled to leave today.
KAYE: The military now says the deadly attack on the base in Mosul was likely carried out by a suicide bomber. And that is raising more questions about security for U.S. forces in Iraq.
CNN's Kathleen Koch is tracking the story at the Pentagon this morning.
Kathleen, are any changes in the works to keep those troops safer there?
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There very well could be, Randi, but it's hard to get specifics right now from the military, obviously. They're not wanting to reveal any new sources or methods to any insurgents who might try to attack U.S. forces, but there are a lot of questions floating around right now about were enough precautions taken, what about the presence of Iraqis on U.S. military installations?
But first of all, let's talk about answers. As you mentioned, General Richard Myers announced yesterday they do believe a suicide bomber was responsible for the attack, the bomber strapping explosives to their body. That conclusion reached because they simply found no evidence, investigators, that is, of a mortar, of a rocket.
Instead, they found evidence of what they call an improvised explosive device, the ball bearings or BBs that we talked about so much yesterday embedded in some of the stainless steel kitchen equipment. They also, we are told, did find remains of a torso that may be the body, the remains of the suicide bomber himself.
One victim, as you'll recall, was reclassified yesterday as a non -- as an unidentified non-U.S. person, though they -- U.S. military wouldn't say for certain whether or not again that was the bomber. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld in yesterday's briefing said that precautions had been and were being taken, but that stopping such bombers, such suicide attackers is a tough job.
KAYE: And Kathleen, I understand there are...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD RUMSFELD, DEFENSE SECRETARY: Someone who's attacking can attack at any place, at any time, using any technique. And it's -- it's -- it is an enormous challenge to provide force protection, something that our forces worry about, work on constantly. They have to be right 100 percent of the time. An attacker only has to be right occasionally.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOCH: Now, across Iraq, the U.S. military is looking at a number of things, just who is conducting the searches at the entrance to the bases, who vetted any Iraqis who come on to the bases, how is that vetting conducted, what type, again, of searches. Were physical searches conducted, or just a visual search of people coming on to the bases?
Looking at also various rules that are already in place at some installations. Apparently one installation in Iraq has a no backpack rule in the dining facility. So perhaps that's something that could be adopted throughout the country.
And when it comes to the numbers of Iraqis working on U.S. military installations in Iraq, the Pentagon can't give us that number now. But they say they're necessary not only to free up soldiers to fight, but also to provide much need jobs to the Iraqis.
Back to you, Randi.
KAYE: All right. CNN's Kathleen Koch. Thank you.
And stay tuned to CNN for an exclusive interview with the commander of the U.S. base in Mosul, Brigadier General Carter Ham. That's coming up in the next hour at 12:30 Eastern Time. And again, you will see it only on CNN.
KAGAN: A couple of stories developing this morning. First, to New Haven, Connecticut.
The former governor there, John Rowland, is now a convicted felon. He when into the federal courthouse today, pleaded guilty to a federal corruption charge, conspiracy to steal on the service.
The scandal goes back to December 2003. The former governor admitted accepting renovations to his lakeside cottage, including a hot tub and a new heating system. That was from employees and state contractors. And then he lied about it then. Other gifts and other favors soothe came to light.
So that's the latest on the former governor of Connecticut. Now to former President Clinton.
He is live right now. He is at the hospital where his heart condition was originally diagnosed in Westchester, New York.
He's there to officially open a new ambulatory cardiac center at the Westchester Medical Center. He went on then to have a quadruple bypass surgery. The former president still, I think, looking -- trying to improve.
He's thin, we're working on getting the color better there. But we've seen President Clinton up and around and helping to dedicate the hospital that he might think saved his life by diagnosing his heart condition.
KAYE: Good to see him out and about.
How do troops in Iraq get from the battlefield to home? When we return, we travel with the soldiers as they go from one medical stop to the next. A fascinating inside look at wartime treatment.
KAGAN: Plus, is it better to be fit and fat or toned and trim? We're going to answer that question in today's "Daily Dose."
KAYE: And going for the gold. In our weeklong at gaming, we tagged along with team USA as they compete in a cyber Olympics of sorts. All ahead this hour on CNN LIVE TODAY.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(STOCK MARKET REPORT)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: Let's take a look at what's making news overseas in this morning's "World Wrap."
Russia's Yukos Oil Company apparently is a step closer to official state control. That is according to The Associated Press. A financial group that bought the country at auction last Sunday for more than $9 billion has itself been bought by a state-run oil companies.
KAYE: In northern Ireland, kidnapping was the key to pulling off the biggest bank heists in history. Police say family members of two senior bank employees were taken hostage and threatened with death unless the vault was open to the robbers late Monday. The thieves made off with some $40 million.
KAGAN: Here's an interesting twist. A Manhattan bowling alley that is popular with Jewish teenagers reportedly had Yasser Arafat as an investor. According to "Bloomberg Markets" magazine, Arafat's holding company had investments in Strike Holdings, which owns bowling allies in New York, Maryland and Florida. The company says it would have rejected the investment had it known Arafat was behind it.
KAYE: And in Sydney Harbor, the spectacular site of one of the largest luxury cruise ships ever built. The 18-story Sapphire Princess can carry some 4,000 paying customers.
It's about 2.5 times bigger than the Titanic. Has 9 restaurants -- plenty of choices -- two nightclubs and 13 bars. The ship was put into service about six months ago.
KAGAN: Kind of like a floating hotel. Take the whole resort with you.
They trained for months with the hope of winning a gold medal for their country.
KAYE: We are not talking about Olympic athletes, but the guys who compete in the world cyber games. Daniel Sieberg's here. We'll explain.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: So you think your teenager spends too much time playing video games? Well, get this. Perhaps he or she is not playing enough.
Believe it or not, video gaming is turning into a spectator sport with serious cash prizes and endorsement deals for top gamers. To illustrate that point, our Daniel Sieberg followed team USA to San Francisco for the World Cyber Games.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DANIEL SIEBERG, CNN TECHNOLOGY CORRESPONDENT: For people who don't know anything about competitive PC gaming, explain what you do to prepare and what it's like to compete.
DAVE "MOTO" GEFFON, TEAM 3D: We prepare all year, four to five hours a day, sometimes even more, five days a week for this event. We try and do our best for it.
SIEBERG (voice over): That night, Dave and his teammates took our camera along to their strategy session.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The second we do this, guys, the second we do that smoke, like, the fire in the hole, like, then that's (UNINTELLIGIBLE) out. Like, when we start smoking just starting flashing that wall. I think that would probably be the best timing. Just keep them blind, so they don't get the initial shot on us.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is our little scouting report on other teams that we may possibly have to play. It goes over their defensive setups and their offensive strategies.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It could be a big waste if we don't (UNINTELLIGIBLE) in our group.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thanks for being positive, Kyle.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm just saying...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He'd murder us over his Gameboy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Whose pretzels are these?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It didn't take long for Ronald to fall back asleep.
SIEBERG: The grand finals, Team 3D for the United States against the Titans for Sweden, dozens of cameras from around the world watching their every move. In another room, a crowd of hundreds has gathered to watch the play by play.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There it goes. Modem (ph), nice job. He needs the back on it. Beautiful shot through the window.
SIEBERG: Back in the competition hall, the teams duke it out. The match goes into overtime.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good job.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good job.
SIEBERG: Then double and triple overtime. The final moments, it's down to two members of Team 3D against four from the Titans.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I wish I could put into words. It's an amazing match, and it was really closely fought towards the end. When you do something right, you can hear the whole building engulfed in screaming, and it's a great feeling.
SIEBERG (on camera): Do you think this is going to become more of a spectator sport?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think so, because I think people are starting to realize that you know what? Watching video games is actually pretty exciting.
SIEBERG: Are you going to take some time off and relax for a bit?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, no, we have to go back and we play in some leagues online, and we've got to do a ton of makeup matches.
SIEBERG: No rest at all for you guys?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm back to work.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SIEBERG: Nice to win for their country. Before their win, the Team 3D members also took home $10,000 each. And in case you're wondering, "3" stands for desire, discipline and dedication. They usually have all three, but even the best teams have off days.
In a recent tournament in Dallas, the team finished eighth. So not always the gold medal, but they're going to keep going.
KAGAN: They're determined.
SIEBERG: Exactly.
KAGAN: Add that, another "D."
SIEBERG: Yes.
KAGAN: Thank you for that, Daniel.
SIEBERG: All right. Thank you.
KAGAN: You're not going to want to miss Daniel's segment tomorrow. He'll take us inside the world of alternate realities. These are no mere video games. They are elaborate fantasy role- playing environments in which thousands of people all over the world are interacting in real time in a virtual world of their own creation.
KAYE: And we want to take you live now to Cincinnati, Ohio. These are some live aerials for you.
You're looking at a warehouse there in the city proper. We're not sure exactly where in the city of Cincinnati this airport is located. These pictures just in.
This is a roof collapse. Apparently the roof has collapsed in two different places, as you can see there from the live picture.
Apparently they had lots of snow overnight. It looks like it has stopped snowing there for the most part right now. Once again, a warehouse with a roof collapse in two different areas in Cincinnati, Ohio. We're not sure if there are any people inside.
KAGAN: We'll be checking on that. And as we get more information and more pictures, we will go back to that story.
Other news ahead, getting wounded soldiers off the battlefield to medical care.
KAYE: When we return, an inside look at treating the injured when time is of the essence. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired December 23, 2004 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's take a look at what's happening "Now in the News."
The nation's midsection gets a winter wallop. Snow has stranded drivers along Interstate 64 in southern Indiana. The snow, ice and frigid temperatures stretch from the Midwest to the Deep South. We're going to get an update. There's some pictures for you. We'll get an update just ahead on the storm that's already causing headaches for holiday travelers.
The military says most of the wounded from the attack in Mosul being treated in Germany are expected to recover. Nearly half of them are in intensive care right now. A total of 35 soldiers and civilians are being treated at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center.
The Hungarian defense ministry says all 300 of its troops deployed in Iraq are back home this morning. One contingent arrived last night; the second just after midnight. Hungary's prime minister announced plans to withdraw the troops last month amid opposition to the war. One Hungarian soldier died during the deployment.
Former President Bill Clinton takes a trip to the hospital this hour, but for a more pleasant reason. He's visiting doctors and nurses who diagnosed his heart condition that led to bypass surgery. Clinton also helped open a new cardiac facility at the hospital in Valhalla, New York.
Keeping you informed, CNN, the most trusted name in news.
And it's 11:00 a.m., just a little past, on the East Coast, and just past 8:00 a.m. on the West Coast on this Christmas Eve eve. Good morning once again. I'm Daryn Kagan.
RANDI KAYE, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Randi Kaye, in for Rick Sanchez.
Our top story this hour is the wicked wintry weather. Ice on the streets of Albuquerque provided just a hint of what was to come as the storm began its long march across middle America.
In Texas, the wintry blast socked parts of the state with three to six inches of snow. That was enough to set records in some cities.
Farther east, wintry weather rolled into Nashville as an ice storm. Streets turned into ice rinks, with predictable results to those who dared to drive.
The snowfall became significant closer to the great lakes. Indiana is practically shut down today with a snow emergency in effect in more than 30 counties. By the time it hit Ohio, the storm had covered hundreds of miles with various combinations of ice, snow and frigid temperatures that will probably last throughout the holiday.
KAGAN: Evansville, Indiana, it is one of those Midwestern cities that is snowbound today. Among those hunkered down there, our meteorologist, Jacqui Jeras -- Jacqui.
JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Hey, Daryn.
Yes, freezing cold here. Right now the wind chill is nine degrees below zero. And I think we've got a few flurries trying to kick up.
We've got a little bit of moisture wrapping around the backside in the lows. So we could see a few light snow showers, but no additional accumulation can be expected.
Snowfall amounts, right about where I'm standing we're talking about 12 to 18 inches on average. But just south of the river, snowfalls total of two feet.
Now, you can see all the semitrucks here piled up behind me. They're waiting out the storm. They can't get anywhere right now.
We're just off Interstate 64, and it is shut down. The worst of the conditions on 64 are apparently between the Illinois-Indiana state line, extending over just to the east of Evansville.
There's about a 50-mile stretch that's shut down there right now because the National Guard is out trying to rescue people. They still don't know exactly how many people are out there that are going to be needing help.
They're trying to get some helicopters up into the air and try and assess the situation, even better. And apparently the Humvees that are out there trying to rescue the people are also having some difficulty in the snow.
I was back in Evansville in '96 when there was 15 inches of snowfall and road along with one of those National Guard troops. And in 15 inches they had problems. Right now they're having to deal with up to 24 inches in a few locations. They're hoping that the interstate may get open later on this afternoon.
The big issue isn't so much clearing the roadway, it's clearing the cars out of there and making those people safe. And with wind chill indices 10 degrees below zero, those are dangerous conditions. You really don't want to have exposed skin, and that's exactly why we tell you, if you're going to be traveling, make sure you have that winter safety kit with you.
The other issue in addition to the wind chill, the reason why it's so low is because the winds are gusting around 20, 30 miles per hour. And that's also causing some problems with blowing and drifting of snow. You can kind of see how everything looks very nice and smooth. In fact, I've been making these dents in the snow with my footprints. And it doesn't take long for them to get covered back up.
But believe it or not, everybody is really taking this thing in stride. The workers at this truck stop have not been able to get home. There are some people that have been here almost 48 hours now. And the other workers that are trying to come and relieve them just can't get here.
So the truckers that are stuck are making the best of the situation. Everybody's getting their own coffee, and there are a couple people from Florida that were helping to serve water and also clear away plates.
So despite the holiday hassle that they're dealing with here, people are trying to make the best of it and trying to have a good time. They're just hoping to get home by the holiday -- Daryn, Randi.
KAGAN: We're hoping the same thing for you, and those darling children waiting back here in Atlanta for you.
JERAS: I know.
KAGAN: Thank you, Jacqui.
JERAS: OK. Thanks.
KAYE: That snow shore is beautiful, but it may bog down some of your travel plans. So if you want to know where this storm is heading, let's turn to Orelon Sidney with the very latest on what's going to happen maybe in the next several hours -- Orelon.
(WEATHER REPORT)
KAYE: OK. Thank you, Orelon.
ORELON SIDNEY, CNN METEOROLOGIST: You're welcome.
KAGAN: We want to go back to Indiana now near the Evansville area. On the phone with us is Sherman Greer, director of emergency management for Vanderburgh County.
Mr. Greer, thanks for being with us.
SHERMAN GREER, VANDERBURGH COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT: Thank you.
KAGAN: I understand one of the problems we've been hearing reports of, motorists literally stuck on that interstate since yesterday.
GREER: Yes, we have. We've had motorists stuck out there since 4:30 -- 4:00, 4:30 yesterday.
KAGAN: Now, did the snow just come down too quickly that you weren't able to clear the highway?
GREER: We've got -- we got a lot of snow in a short period of time. Our highway departments, state highway departments, the local county highway departments have been working 24/7 since we, you know, got a prediction of the snow coming in.
KAGAN: And did people abandon their cars and go someplace warm, or are people staying with their cars? Which would be very concerning.
GREER: People have been staying with their cars. They've been advised to stay with their cars and not try to get out, especially last night. And the Indiana state police have been putting out information that they could, you know, run their cars about every 10 minutes and then -- to conserve on fuel and then also to keep themselves warm.
KAGAN: Yes, that's what I was thinking. And how -- if you can't help them at the immediate moment get their cars out, what can be done to help them?
GREER: Well, we've got the National Guard out there now within in Humvees that are trying to get them into shelters. We've got shelters opened up for people to be brought into. But it's just a time-consuming thing of getting to them and then getting them into the shelters.
KAGAN: And do people seem to be following your advice? Any injuries that we need to know about at this point?
GREER: I've been -- yes, I've been talking to people. Their family members are a lot more worried than what the people are out there, I think, the people that are waiting for these people to get in for Christmas.
KAGAN: Sure.
GREER: But I've been talking to some of the people and was talking to one gentleman. And at the time I was talking to him the National Guard picked him up at that time.
Been talking to some of the others, and they're in good spirits as of right now. But I know if I was out there for that long a period of time I would be kind of anxious of getting out of there right now.
KAGAN: That is the understatement of the day. Real quickly, for folks who need to kind of cross that part of the country to get where they want to go for Christmas, at this time what would you recommend?
GREER: I would recommend you give a call to the Indiana state police, find out exactly how the road -- what the road conditions are as of right now rather than just blindly getting out there and thinking that they're going to make it all the way across the state.
KAGAN: Good tip. Sherman Greer with -- the director of emergency management for Vanderburgh County. We wish you clear skies for the rest of the holiday, Mr. Greer.
GREER: Thank you. Merry Christmas.
KAGAN: Thank you.
We have that story. We also have these pictures that were coming into us from Richmond, Virginia. Mud -- of all things -- mud holding up air traffic in Richmond. No one's hurt, but this American Airlines jet got bogged down in the soft, wet ground when it went off the edge of the runway.
The pilot apparently didn't understand the turning radius of the plane. The crew and passengers are being evacuated, but it's holding up, as we understand, much of the traffic coming in and out of Richmond. This plane was on its way to Dallas Fort Worth.
KAYE: If it's not mud or snow...
KAGAN: Mud it is.
KAYE: That's right. If it's not snow, it's definitely mud. One or the other.
By the way, that storm we were telling you about, if you have any interest in tracking it, you can get the latest weather conditions for thousands of cities in the U.S. and around the world at CNN.com/weather.
KAGAN: Some of the wounded from Mosul that were taken to Germany for treatment are heading back to the U.S. Thirty-five soldiers and civilians are being treated at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center. About half of them are in intensive care. But the commander of the hospital says they are expected to recover.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COL. RHONDA CORNUM, HOSPITAL COMMANDER: I would like to express my absolute heartfelt condolences to all the family members and units who have lost members. For those people who have had people who are injured, I want to make sure that they understand that the medical departments of all the services are doing everything they can possibly do to get their loved ones back to them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: Colonel Cornum says that some patients have already been sent back here to the U.S. for further treatment, and more were scheduled to leave today.
KAYE: The military now says the deadly attack on the base in Mosul was likely carried out by a suicide bomber. And that is raising more questions about security for U.S. forces in Iraq.
CNN's Kathleen Koch is tracking the story at the Pentagon this morning.
Kathleen, are any changes in the works to keep those troops safer there?
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There very well could be, Randi, but it's hard to get specifics right now from the military, obviously. They're not wanting to reveal any new sources or methods to any insurgents who might try to attack U.S. forces, but there are a lot of questions floating around right now about were enough precautions taken, what about the presence of Iraqis on U.S. military installations?
But first of all, let's talk about answers. As you mentioned, General Richard Myers announced yesterday they do believe a suicide bomber was responsible for the attack, the bomber strapping explosives to their body. That conclusion reached because they simply found no evidence, investigators, that is, of a mortar, of a rocket.
Instead, they found evidence of what they call an improvised explosive device, the ball bearings or BBs that we talked about so much yesterday embedded in some of the stainless steel kitchen equipment. They also, we are told, did find remains of a torso that may be the body, the remains of the suicide bomber himself.
One victim, as you'll recall, was reclassified yesterday as a non -- as an unidentified non-U.S. person, though they -- U.S. military wouldn't say for certain whether or not again that was the bomber. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld in yesterday's briefing said that precautions had been and were being taken, but that stopping such bombers, such suicide attackers is a tough job.
KAYE: And Kathleen, I understand there are...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD RUMSFELD, DEFENSE SECRETARY: Someone who's attacking can attack at any place, at any time, using any technique. And it's -- it's -- it is an enormous challenge to provide force protection, something that our forces worry about, work on constantly. They have to be right 100 percent of the time. An attacker only has to be right occasionally.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOCH: Now, across Iraq, the U.S. military is looking at a number of things, just who is conducting the searches at the entrance to the bases, who vetted any Iraqis who come on to the bases, how is that vetting conducted, what type, again, of searches. Were physical searches conducted, or just a visual search of people coming on to the bases?
Looking at also various rules that are already in place at some installations. Apparently one installation in Iraq has a no backpack rule in the dining facility. So perhaps that's something that could be adopted throughout the country.
And when it comes to the numbers of Iraqis working on U.S. military installations in Iraq, the Pentagon can't give us that number now. But they say they're necessary not only to free up soldiers to fight, but also to provide much need jobs to the Iraqis.
Back to you, Randi.
KAYE: All right. CNN's Kathleen Koch. Thank you.
And stay tuned to CNN for an exclusive interview with the commander of the U.S. base in Mosul, Brigadier General Carter Ham. That's coming up in the next hour at 12:30 Eastern Time. And again, you will see it only on CNN.
KAGAN: A couple of stories developing this morning. First, to New Haven, Connecticut.
The former governor there, John Rowland, is now a convicted felon. He when into the federal courthouse today, pleaded guilty to a federal corruption charge, conspiracy to steal on the service.
The scandal goes back to December 2003. The former governor admitted accepting renovations to his lakeside cottage, including a hot tub and a new heating system. That was from employees and state contractors. And then he lied about it then. Other gifts and other favors soothe came to light.
So that's the latest on the former governor of Connecticut. Now to former President Clinton.
He is live right now. He is at the hospital where his heart condition was originally diagnosed in Westchester, New York.
He's there to officially open a new ambulatory cardiac center at the Westchester Medical Center. He went on then to have a quadruple bypass surgery. The former president still, I think, looking -- trying to improve.
He's thin, we're working on getting the color better there. But we've seen President Clinton up and around and helping to dedicate the hospital that he might think saved his life by diagnosing his heart condition.
KAYE: Good to see him out and about.
How do troops in Iraq get from the battlefield to home? When we return, we travel with the soldiers as they go from one medical stop to the next. A fascinating inside look at wartime treatment.
KAGAN: Plus, is it better to be fit and fat or toned and trim? We're going to answer that question in today's "Daily Dose."
KAYE: And going for the gold. In our weeklong at gaming, we tagged along with team USA as they compete in a cyber Olympics of sorts. All ahead this hour on CNN LIVE TODAY.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(STOCK MARKET REPORT)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: Let's take a look at what's making news overseas in this morning's "World Wrap."
Russia's Yukos Oil Company apparently is a step closer to official state control. That is according to The Associated Press. A financial group that bought the country at auction last Sunday for more than $9 billion has itself been bought by a state-run oil companies.
KAYE: In northern Ireland, kidnapping was the key to pulling off the biggest bank heists in history. Police say family members of two senior bank employees were taken hostage and threatened with death unless the vault was open to the robbers late Monday. The thieves made off with some $40 million.
KAGAN: Here's an interesting twist. A Manhattan bowling alley that is popular with Jewish teenagers reportedly had Yasser Arafat as an investor. According to "Bloomberg Markets" magazine, Arafat's holding company had investments in Strike Holdings, which owns bowling allies in New York, Maryland and Florida. The company says it would have rejected the investment had it known Arafat was behind it.
KAYE: And in Sydney Harbor, the spectacular site of one of the largest luxury cruise ships ever built. The 18-story Sapphire Princess can carry some 4,000 paying customers.
It's about 2.5 times bigger than the Titanic. Has 9 restaurants -- plenty of choices -- two nightclubs and 13 bars. The ship was put into service about six months ago.
KAGAN: Kind of like a floating hotel. Take the whole resort with you.
They trained for months with the hope of winning a gold medal for their country.
KAYE: We are not talking about Olympic athletes, but the guys who compete in the world cyber games. Daniel Sieberg's here. We'll explain.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: So you think your teenager spends too much time playing video games? Well, get this. Perhaps he or she is not playing enough.
Believe it or not, video gaming is turning into a spectator sport with serious cash prizes and endorsement deals for top gamers. To illustrate that point, our Daniel Sieberg followed team USA to San Francisco for the World Cyber Games.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DANIEL SIEBERG, CNN TECHNOLOGY CORRESPONDENT: For people who don't know anything about competitive PC gaming, explain what you do to prepare and what it's like to compete.
DAVE "MOTO" GEFFON, TEAM 3D: We prepare all year, four to five hours a day, sometimes even more, five days a week for this event. We try and do our best for it.
SIEBERG (voice over): That night, Dave and his teammates took our camera along to their strategy session.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The second we do this, guys, the second we do that smoke, like, the fire in the hole, like, then that's (UNINTELLIGIBLE) out. Like, when we start smoking just starting flashing that wall. I think that would probably be the best timing. Just keep them blind, so they don't get the initial shot on us.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is our little scouting report on other teams that we may possibly have to play. It goes over their defensive setups and their offensive strategies.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It could be a big waste if we don't (UNINTELLIGIBLE) in our group.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thanks for being positive, Kyle.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm just saying...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He'd murder us over his Gameboy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Whose pretzels are these?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It didn't take long for Ronald to fall back asleep.
SIEBERG: The grand finals, Team 3D for the United States against the Titans for Sweden, dozens of cameras from around the world watching their every move. In another room, a crowd of hundreds has gathered to watch the play by play.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There it goes. Modem (ph), nice job. He needs the back on it. Beautiful shot through the window.
SIEBERG: Back in the competition hall, the teams duke it out. The match goes into overtime.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good job.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good job.
SIEBERG: Then double and triple overtime. The final moments, it's down to two members of Team 3D against four from the Titans.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I wish I could put into words. It's an amazing match, and it was really closely fought towards the end. When you do something right, you can hear the whole building engulfed in screaming, and it's a great feeling.
SIEBERG (on camera): Do you think this is going to become more of a spectator sport?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think so, because I think people are starting to realize that you know what? Watching video games is actually pretty exciting.
SIEBERG: Are you going to take some time off and relax for a bit?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, no, we have to go back and we play in some leagues online, and we've got to do a ton of makeup matches.
SIEBERG: No rest at all for you guys?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm back to work.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SIEBERG: Nice to win for their country. Before their win, the Team 3D members also took home $10,000 each. And in case you're wondering, "3" stands for desire, discipline and dedication. They usually have all three, but even the best teams have off days.
In a recent tournament in Dallas, the team finished eighth. So not always the gold medal, but they're going to keep going.
KAGAN: They're determined.
SIEBERG: Exactly.
KAGAN: Add that, another "D."
SIEBERG: Yes.
KAGAN: Thank you for that, Daniel.
SIEBERG: All right. Thank you.
KAGAN: You're not going to want to miss Daniel's segment tomorrow. He'll take us inside the world of alternate realities. These are no mere video games. They are elaborate fantasy role- playing environments in which thousands of people all over the world are interacting in real time in a virtual world of their own creation.
KAYE: And we want to take you live now to Cincinnati, Ohio. These are some live aerials for you.
You're looking at a warehouse there in the city proper. We're not sure exactly where in the city of Cincinnati this airport is located. These pictures just in.
This is a roof collapse. Apparently the roof has collapsed in two different places, as you can see there from the live picture.
Apparently they had lots of snow overnight. It looks like it has stopped snowing there for the most part right now. Once again, a warehouse with a roof collapse in two different areas in Cincinnati, Ohio. We're not sure if there are any people inside.
KAGAN: We'll be checking on that. And as we get more information and more pictures, we will go back to that story.
Other news ahead, getting wounded soldiers off the battlefield to medical care.
KAYE: When we return, an inside look at treating the injured when time is of the essence. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
