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Government Identifies 300 High Risk Chemical Plants; NFL Face Steroid Grilling On Hill; Thousands Watch Take Off Of Airbus A380

Aired April 27, 2005 - 10:00   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 CO-ANCHOR: We'll start by taking a look at what's happening now in the news.
President Bush is unveiling his new energy proposals today against a backdrop of soaring gas prices. Mr. Bush will propose the building of more nuclear power plants in the U.S., and possible construction of oil refineries on closed military bases. The White House concedes none of the proposals would erase the current price pains.

An Iraqi woman is the first member of the National Assembly to be killed since the country's January vote. The lawmaker assassinated outside her home today. A member of the Prime Minister Iyad Allawi's political party. This killing comes as the National Assembly prepares to vote on a cabinet.

In Sri Lanka today, a passenger train slammed into a bus carrying a -- trying to cross a railroad track. Dozens were killed. The collision was so violent, the bus split in half and caught fire. Authorities say the bus went around a warning gate.

In California, Michael Jackson's ex-wife is to take the stand today in the child molestation take trial. Debbie Rowe was married to the King of Pop for three year, will testify for the prosecution. But the judge has said he is going to limit her testimony to an interview she gave two years ago, rather than aspects of their marriage.

Good morning, I'm Daryn Kagan.

You're security is our topic at the top of the hour and the government's efforts to protect your security. That's our focus. Today, Congress will consider changing the nation's color-coded terror alert system. The five level warning each has a stage with the different color. It has been much maligned and often ridiculed. But critics say even worse it is becoming increasingly ignored by the public. A congressional measure would require that such warnings specify the regions at risk and identify which precautions Americans can take to protect themselves.

Also in the news today, sentencing is scheduled next hour for an Algerian man convicted of plotting to bomb the Los Angeles International Airport on New Year's Eve in 1999. Ahmed Rassam, the so-called Millennium Bomber, was caught at the U.S./Canada border with a car full of explosives. He agreed to exposed terrorist activities around the world, but prosecutors say he stopped cooperating about two years ago. This hour on Capitol Hill, the Senate Select Intelligence Committee is holding a hearing on reauthorizing the Patriot Act. That is the measure that was passed after the 9/11 attacks, which broadened the government's investigative powers in dealing with suspected terrorism. Sixteen portions of that law are set to expire at the end of the year. Some have been criticized as being too intrusive.

How safe are America's chemical plants from a terrorist attack? The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee is holding a hearing on that very topic right now. There are 123 chemical facilities located near urban areas in the U.S. If there were a terror strike on just one, it's believed up to a million people could die.

Both the government and critics feel more needs to be done to keep the nation's chemical plants safe. Our Jeanne Meserve looks at where those two sides are now focusing.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Chemical facilities are in every state, every city. And almost every one is a potential weapon of mass destruction. "I am aware of no other category of potential terrorist targets that presents as great a danger ," says a recently departed top Homeland Security official. Richard Falkenrath blames himself and others in government for not doing enough to make chemical facilities more secure.

RICHARD FALKENRATH, FMR. DEPUTY HOMELAND SECURITY ADVISER: I think there's been a lot of activity in chemical site security, but not a lot of results.

MESERVE: Working cooperatively with industry, the Department of Homeland Security says it has identify the 300 plants that pose the greatest risk, and has improved security at 160 of them. A spokesman acknowledges more needs to be done. Much more, say the critics.

SEN. JON CORZINE (D), NEW JERSEY: There's no regulation, there's no enforcement. There's no oversight. There's no accountability.

MESERVE: Though chemical security legislation has stalled repeatedly in Congress, some in industry have made improvements voluntarily. The American Chemistry Council says its 140 members have spent about $2 billion on security. Now it wants the government to regulate companies who have not stepped up to the plate.

MARTY DURBIN, AMERICAN CHEMISTRY COUNCIL: Absolutely want to level the playing field, make sure everyone is doing what needs to be done.

MESERVE: A DHS official says the department intends to play a more rigorous role in chemical security. And although he did not mention the chemical sector specifically, in a speech Tuesday, the new secretary hinted at a new, tougher stance towards industry.

MICHAEL CHERTOFF, SECRETARY, HOMELAND SECURITY: When necessary, we can require a specific set of steps from a security standpoint, if voluntary measures fail to achieve their needed results.

MESERVE: Chertoff says risk and threat and consequence will dictate his priority. Using that matrix, experts say, chemical plants should be at the top of his list.

Jeanne Meserve, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: Stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security.

Right now, on Capitol Hill, professional football becomes the latest sport to face congressional security of steroid use among its athlete. Unlike Major League Baseball, the NFL does have a long- standing policy against the performance-enhancing drugs. And top officials are announcing even stricter measures.

CNN's Kimberly Osias is in Washington, D.C. with more on that.

Kim, good morning.

KIMBERLY OSIAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And good morning to you, Daryn. Well, it's round two in Congress's fight to crank down on anabolic steroid abuse in pro-sports. The Committee on Government Reform, that's the same group beyond last month's 11-hour marathon hearing on Major League Baseball, shifts its spotlight today to the National Football League.

Witnesses expected to testify include NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, director of the Player's Association, Gene Upshaw and a former Pittsburgh Steelers Steve Courson, who admitted to using steroids decades ago. Although the NFL is noted for instituting random testing, recently tripling the number of off-season tests that can be done, Courson says there are still significant loopholes in the technology itself.

He says new designer drugs are so sophisticated that their molecular structure can be altered, making their presence virtually undetectable. Courson, who wrote a book on the topic, says he didn't name names, admits the NFL has made strides in its testing.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEVE COURSON, FORMER NFL PLAYER: One thing that we've seen with the NFL, and you have to give them credit; the NFL with their testing program has been very pro active. And basically has instituted the strictest and most stringent testing policy in professional sports. The question is, I guess, is it enough?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

OSIAS: Courson says he'll speak on the impact of steroids on young athletes. And that's what this committee is most concerned. I spoke with committee spokesperson Rob White, who tells CNN, 500,000 high schoolers, including young girls have admitted to using steroids at least once. White says the pressure for college scholarships is so intense, some students feel they need chemical help to gain an edge.

Coach Willie Stewart agrees. He's been on the front lines for 3 1/2 decades in the D.C. area. He's testifying as well and thinks testing should trickle down to high school.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WILLIE STEWART, H.S. FOOTBALL COACH: So many young men have aspirations of playing Division 1 football. Now we're looking for the stronger kid, the taller kid, the heavier kid, the fastest kid. And so now many of those youngsters now don't want to go to the conventional route of going to the weight room, lifting weights twice a day, running the other three days. Now they have decided that by taking a performance-enhancing drug that they hear about so much, that that can speed up the process.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

OSIAS: Well, today's hearing isn't expected to be nearly as contentious as baseball's. So far, the NFL has been cooperative in supplying information about how the testing is done and the number of positive results. But committee members are expected to pepper the organization with tough questions of just how players can get around it -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Kimberly Osias from Washington, D.C., thank you.

Now to an area near Tampa, Florida. Police have issued an Amber Alert for a 12 year girl who apparently was abducted. Margarita Aguilar-Lopez is an illegal immigrant from Mexico. She was staying at a Bradenton motel with her two brothers. Twenty-six-year-old Antonia Paulino Perez was baby-sitting her and police say he took her sometime Monday night. The two might be in a red van.

Jurors could begin deliberation in the Samantha Runnion murder case as early as today. You might remember her as the 5-year-old who was snatched from outside her Los Angeles area home in the summer of 2002. The suspect, Alejandro Avila, could face the death penalty if convicted.

Stranded in Lake Michigan, not on a boat, on a plane? More on the frantic call and a search that has now been called off.

And then there were five. Five precious babies, all at one time. We're going to take you inside the delivery room for the big debut.

Plus, a big debut in France.

RICHARD QUEST, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And indeed, this is the man, the test pilot, that flew into the air the Airbus A380 Super Jumbo. We'll be talking to him; what it was like to pull that plane in the sky. CNN continues in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: We like to show you new stuff. So a riddle for you. This thing that we're going to look at has a cocktail bar, double beds, it can hold 555 people. And we're not talking about a hotel. This one can stay up in the air for hours. The Airbus Super Jumbo.

Our Richard quest was on hand for the world's biggest passenger plane. And he's joining us from Toulouse, France this morning. Good morning!

QUEST: Good morning to you. There were no cocktail bars, no casinos, no gymnasiums onboard the plane when it lifted off from Toulouse this morning. There were certainly was many tons of testing equipment. This was its maiden flight.

Now, just imagine the nerves. You've got 421 tons of metal, four huge engines, and you don't know if it's going to fly. Oh, you never saw what!

The question for Jacques Rosay. Good morning. Good afternoon to you. You're the man that took it into the air. Were you nervous?

JACQUES ROSAY, AIRBUS TET PILOT: Not at all. I was not nervous, because we had prepared everything, and we were ready. We have done that hundreds of times in the simulator.

QUEST: But you must have wondered that moment when you pulled it back, was it going to work?

ROSAY: We are ready to face the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) which is not exactly what we were expecting. And we were ready I think. But in fact, it behaved exactly as we were expecting. and it was immediately realized that it was an excellent takeoff. and it is exactly as we wanted it to be.

QUEST: What was different? What didn't perform as you thought it would be? Or what surprised you? Oh, that's interesting. We didn't think it would do that!

ROSAY: The surprising thing is that nothing surprised us. The thing was not as expected in this ride.

QUEST: So, it was a bit boring. You could have had a cup of tea and you could have played a round of golf!

ROSAY: I had a cookie. I had a sandwich. I had a glass of water.

QUEST: So you could have had a glass of wine! Just a glass of water. so were you very excited though. Must have been a big day in your career?

ROSAY: Yes, it is indeed. Indeed. But it is very proficient. It is representative, which is very in accordance to what we were expecting. And of course, it's a great day, but it's a beginning of test -- flight test phase. which is to be I expect easy to do.

QUEST: Final question. The A380, is this the future of big planes, whether it be in Asia, Europe, or the Americas? ROSAY: Certainly, certainly. You carry more passengers with more comfort, with better efficient -- economical efficiency. So I'm sure that is a future of aviation.

QUEST: Many thanks. Many congratulations.

ROSAY: Thank you very much.

QUEST: For joining us and for talking to us. Many thanks to you.

So there you have it. A glass of water a cup of coffee and a sandwich, and you too can fly on 422 tons of metal into the air.

(LAUGHTER)

KAGAN: A coffee and sandwich. He was so calm. I want to know what kind of leg room. And as a fellow tall person, I bet you're wondering the same thing that they're going to designs in that huge plane.

QUEST: I can never imagine. Never imagine, that you would be anywhere other than at the front of the plane with large amounts of leg room. It's the likes of me that's in Row 196J!

(LAUGHTER)

KAGAN: You're going to make me cry. Richard Quest, thank you for the look at new plane. Appreciate it.

QUEST: Thank you.

KAGAN: We're going to look at another first. Some people trying to make a record going to the North Pole. That's just ahead.

And also, your weather forecast is coming up after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Looks like congratulations might be in order. Word that five explorers have set a record for reaching the North Pole. An international team, it includes an American woman, they used huskies and wooden sleds to make the 475-mile trip in only 37 days. The adventurers say they beat Robert Perry's mark, almost a century old mark, by several hour. Congratulations to them!

Also, congratulations to us. We have a special treat today. Chad Myers, A-list meteorology joining our show for the day.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Exactly. Good morning, Daryn.

(WEATHER REPORT)

KAGAN: Still to come on CNN LIVE TODAY, it's a beautiful day in neighborhood.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FRED ROGERS, "MR. ROGERS' NEIGHBORHOOD": I have always wanted to have a neighbor just like you...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: If you feel like you're missing Mr. Rogers, you're not the only one. The legacy of the late Mr. Rogers lives on. His widow will join me to share memories of his life's journey.

Plus, Gerri Willis is part of our daily journey here at CNN LIVE TODAY.

Hey, Ger.

GERRI WILLIS, CNN-FN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: Hey, Daryn. Well, it's a beautiful day in the neighborhood for one couple in retirement. You'll learn their secrets when CNN LIVE TODAY continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: So, we're talking more about retirement. Perhaps you're considering places to retire. You might want to think beyond south Florida and Arizona. Your money could actually go further and your quality of life better might be better someplace else.

More now from CNN personal finance editor Gerri Willis.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROBBIE RISNER, SAN ANTONIO RETIREE: I don't think immediately of anything we dislike about San Antonio.

WILLIS: San Antonio, Texas, is a place that Robbie and Dot Risner already knew and loved. As a city, it wasn't the kind of place where they ever thought they'd retire. But the more they thought about it, the better it sounded.

DOT RISNER, SAN ANTONIO RETIREE: There are lots of good places to eat here. And we do that a lot. We go out for dinner a lot. And the Riverwalk is such a big attraction. When people come to visit us, the first thing they want to do is go to the Riverwalk. The children like Six Flags. So they have things to offer for all ages.

WILLIS: Today more people are deciding the traditional retirement communities aren't right for them. Many baby boomers want to live in a more active environment.

WARREN BLAND, PROFESSOR, CALIFORNIA STATE UNIV.: Now there's a greater interest in recreational opportunities beyond the playing of golf and things like that. People are living longer, and they're going to probably be in their retirement spot for 20 or 30 years.

WILLIS: Robby and Dot's first concern when choosing a place to retire was access to good medical care. D. RISNER: It's hard to beat BAMC, which is Brooke's Army Medical Center, and it's huge. And they have such good care for all of us.

WILLIS: San Antonio is one of many American cities including Portland, Oregon and Boulder, Colorado that offer retirees a high quality of life with a low cost of living and top-notch health care, unlike some better established Sunbelt destinations.

BLAND: So you pick a retirement area in southern Florida, you might find that it's become expensive, crowded. Perhaps less desirable after only a few years of living there.

D. RISNER: We were a little apprehensive about living in a big community of people all the time. We thought it be so bustley and busy and all. But the people are what make this so desirable.

R. RISNER: They have a 24-hour heated swimming pool. A woodworking shop. All kinds of things. Party rooms, dance floors. There's so many things to help you live your retirement years and enjoy them.

WILLIS: So far, retirement in San Antonio exceeded all of Risner's expectations.

R. RISNER: Without knowing anything else, it is.

D. RISNER: That's right. We couldn't have design it any better, but we wouldn't have known to have asked for it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WILLIS: Bottom line, look beyond the obvious choices for retirement. Picking a city with a lower cost of living will help you get more out of your retirement dollars -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Gerri Willis, thank you.

WILLIS: You're welcome.

KAGAN: Just ahead a story of a family that won't be retiring any time soon. They wanted one. They get five babies. Still to come, a surrogate mother gives birth to quintuplets. We'll take you inside the delivery room.

And later, he taught children for years. Life lessons according to Mr. Rogers. A very nice chance to talk with his widow, just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: We're coming up on the half hour. Good morning once again. I'm Daryn Kagan. Here's a look at what's happening now in the news.

The Patriot Act, is it a key weapon in the war on terror or does it trash civil liberties? The Senate Intelligence Committee is tackling those questions right now. The act will expire, parts of it anyway, this year, unless Congress reauthorizes it. Among those testifying today, Attorney General Alberta Gonzales, you see him there; FBI director Robert Mueller and CIA director Porter Goss.

Also on Capitol Hill this hour, another terrorism concern. A Senate panel is holding a hearing on just how vulnerable America's chemical plants may be. There are 123 chemical facilities located near urban areas in the U.S. If there were a terror strike on just one, it's believed up to a million people could die.

History takes flight in the skies over France. The world's largest airliner completed its nearly four-hour maiden flight earlier today. The Airbus A380 can carry more than 800 passengers on commercial flights. It also stokes the battle with U.S. aircraft maker Boeing. Airbus says it can transport passengers more cheaply than Boeing's Jumbo 747.

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 April 27, 2005 - 10:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN CO-ANCHOR: We'll start by taking a look at what's happening now in the news.
President Bush is unveiling his new energy proposals today against a backdrop of soaring gas prices. Mr. Bush will propose the building of more nuclear power plants in the U.S., and possible construction of oil refineries on closed military bases. The White House concedes none of the proposals would erase the current price pains.

An Iraqi woman is the first member of the National Assembly to be killed since the country's January vote. The lawmaker assassinated outside her home today. A member of the Prime Minister Iyad Allawi's political party. This killing comes as the National Assembly prepares to vote on a cabinet.

In Sri Lanka today, a passenger train slammed into a bus carrying a -- trying to cross a railroad track. Dozens were killed. The collision was so violent, the bus split in half and caught fire. Authorities say the bus went around a warning gate.

In California, Michael Jackson's ex-wife is to take the stand today in the child molestation take trial. Debbie Rowe was married to the King of Pop for three year, will testify for the prosecution. But the judge has said he is going to limit her testimony to an interview she gave two years ago, rather than aspects of their marriage.

Good morning, I'm Daryn Kagan.

You're security is our topic at the top of the hour and the government's efforts to protect your security. That's our focus. Today, Congress will consider changing the nation's color-coded terror alert system. The five level warning each has a stage with the different color. It has been much maligned and often ridiculed. But critics say even worse it is becoming increasingly ignored by the public. A congressional measure would require that such warnings specify the regions at risk and identify which precautions Americans can take to protect themselves.

Also in the news today, sentencing is scheduled next hour for an Algerian man convicted of plotting to bomb the Los Angeles International Airport on New Year's Eve in 1999. Ahmed Rassam, the so-called Millennium Bomber, was caught at the U.S./Canada border with a car full of explosives. He agreed to exposed terrorist activities around the world, but prosecutors say he stopped cooperating about two years ago. This hour on Capitol Hill, the Senate Select Intelligence Committee is holding a hearing on reauthorizing the Patriot Act. That is the measure that was passed after the 9/11 attacks, which broadened the government's investigative powers in dealing with suspected terrorism. Sixteen portions of that law are set to expire at the end of the year. Some have been criticized as being too intrusive.

How safe are America's chemical plants from a terrorist attack? The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee is holding a hearing on that very topic right now. There are 123 chemical facilities located near urban areas in the U.S. If there were a terror strike on just one, it's believed up to a million people could die.

Both the government and critics feel more needs to be done to keep the nation's chemical plants safe. Our Jeanne Meserve looks at where those two sides are now focusing.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Chemical facilities are in every state, every city. And almost every one is a potential weapon of mass destruction. "I am aware of no other category of potential terrorist targets that presents as great a danger ," says a recently departed top Homeland Security official. Richard Falkenrath blames himself and others in government for not doing enough to make chemical facilities more secure.

RICHARD FALKENRATH, FMR. DEPUTY HOMELAND SECURITY ADVISER: I think there's been a lot of activity in chemical site security, but not a lot of results.

MESERVE: Working cooperatively with industry, the Department of Homeland Security says it has identify the 300 plants that pose the greatest risk, and has improved security at 160 of them. A spokesman acknowledges more needs to be done. Much more, say the critics.

SEN. JON CORZINE (D), NEW JERSEY: There's no regulation, there's no enforcement. There's no oversight. There's no accountability.

MESERVE: Though chemical security legislation has stalled repeatedly in Congress, some in industry have made improvements voluntarily. The American Chemistry Council says its 140 members have spent about $2 billion on security. Now it wants the government to regulate companies who have not stepped up to the plate.

MARTY DURBIN, AMERICAN CHEMISTRY COUNCIL: Absolutely want to level the playing field, make sure everyone is doing what needs to be done.

MESERVE: A DHS official says the department intends to play a more rigorous role in chemical security. And although he did not mention the chemical sector specifically, in a speech Tuesday, the new secretary hinted at a new, tougher stance towards industry.

MICHAEL CHERTOFF, SECRETARY, HOMELAND SECURITY: When necessary, we can require a specific set of steps from a security standpoint, if voluntary measures fail to achieve their needed results.

MESERVE: Chertoff says risk and threat and consequence will dictate his priority. Using that matrix, experts say, chemical plants should be at the top of his list.

Jeanne Meserve, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: Stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security.

Right now, on Capitol Hill, professional football becomes the latest sport to face congressional security of steroid use among its athlete. Unlike Major League Baseball, the NFL does have a long- standing policy against the performance-enhancing drugs. And top officials are announcing even stricter measures.

CNN's Kimberly Osias is in Washington, D.C. with more on that.

Kim, good morning.

KIMBERLY OSIAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And good morning to you, Daryn. Well, it's round two in Congress's fight to crank down on anabolic steroid abuse in pro-sports. The Committee on Government Reform, that's the same group beyond last month's 11-hour marathon hearing on Major League Baseball, shifts its spotlight today to the National Football League.

Witnesses expected to testify include NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, director of the Player's Association, Gene Upshaw and a former Pittsburgh Steelers Steve Courson, who admitted to using steroids decades ago. Although the NFL is noted for instituting random testing, recently tripling the number of off-season tests that can be done, Courson says there are still significant loopholes in the technology itself.

He says new designer drugs are so sophisticated that their molecular structure can be altered, making their presence virtually undetectable. Courson, who wrote a book on the topic, says he didn't name names, admits the NFL has made strides in its testing.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEVE COURSON, FORMER NFL PLAYER: One thing that we've seen with the NFL, and you have to give them credit; the NFL with their testing program has been very pro active. And basically has instituted the strictest and most stringent testing policy in professional sports. The question is, I guess, is it enough?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

OSIAS: Courson says he'll speak on the impact of steroids on young athletes. And that's what this committee is most concerned. I spoke with committee spokesperson Rob White, who tells CNN, 500,000 high schoolers, including young girls have admitted to using steroids at least once. White says the pressure for college scholarships is so intense, some students feel they need chemical help to gain an edge.

Coach Willie Stewart agrees. He's been on the front lines for 3 1/2 decades in the D.C. area. He's testifying as well and thinks testing should trickle down to high school.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WILLIE STEWART, H.S. FOOTBALL COACH: So many young men have aspirations of playing Division 1 football. Now we're looking for the stronger kid, the taller kid, the heavier kid, the fastest kid. And so now many of those youngsters now don't want to go to the conventional route of going to the weight room, lifting weights twice a day, running the other three days. Now they have decided that by taking a performance-enhancing drug that they hear about so much, that that can speed up the process.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

OSIAS: Well, today's hearing isn't expected to be nearly as contentious as baseball's. So far, the NFL has been cooperative in supplying information about how the testing is done and the number of positive results. But committee members are expected to pepper the organization with tough questions of just how players can get around it -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Kimberly Osias from Washington, D.C., thank you.

Now to an area near Tampa, Florida. Police have issued an Amber Alert for a 12 year girl who apparently was abducted. Margarita Aguilar-Lopez is an illegal immigrant from Mexico. She was staying at a Bradenton motel with her two brothers. Twenty-six-year-old Antonia Paulino Perez was baby-sitting her and police say he took her sometime Monday night. The two might be in a red van.

Jurors could begin deliberation in the Samantha Runnion murder case as early as today. You might remember her as the 5-year-old who was snatched from outside her Los Angeles area home in the summer of 2002. The suspect, Alejandro Avila, could face the death penalty if convicted.

Stranded in Lake Michigan, not on a boat, on a plane? More on the frantic call and a search that has now been called off.

And then there were five. Five precious babies, all at one time. We're going to take you inside the delivery room for the big debut.

Plus, a big debut in France.

RICHARD QUEST, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And indeed, this is the man, the test pilot, that flew into the air the Airbus A380 Super Jumbo. We'll be talking to him; what it was like to pull that plane in the sky. CNN continues in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: We like to show you new stuff. So a riddle for you. This thing that we're going to look at has a cocktail bar, double beds, it can hold 555 people. And we're not talking about a hotel. This one can stay up in the air for hours. The Airbus Super Jumbo.

Our Richard quest was on hand for the world's biggest passenger plane. And he's joining us from Toulouse, France this morning. Good morning!

QUEST: Good morning to you. There were no cocktail bars, no casinos, no gymnasiums onboard the plane when it lifted off from Toulouse this morning. There were certainly was many tons of testing equipment. This was its maiden flight.

Now, just imagine the nerves. You've got 421 tons of metal, four huge engines, and you don't know if it's going to fly. Oh, you never saw what!

The question for Jacques Rosay. Good morning. Good afternoon to you. You're the man that took it into the air. Were you nervous?

JACQUES ROSAY, AIRBUS TET PILOT: Not at all. I was not nervous, because we had prepared everything, and we were ready. We have done that hundreds of times in the simulator.

QUEST: But you must have wondered that moment when you pulled it back, was it going to work?

ROSAY: We are ready to face the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) which is not exactly what we were expecting. And we were ready I think. But in fact, it behaved exactly as we were expecting. and it was immediately realized that it was an excellent takeoff. and it is exactly as we wanted it to be.

QUEST: What was different? What didn't perform as you thought it would be? Or what surprised you? Oh, that's interesting. We didn't think it would do that!

ROSAY: The surprising thing is that nothing surprised us. The thing was not as expected in this ride.

QUEST: So, it was a bit boring. You could have had a cup of tea and you could have played a round of golf!

ROSAY: I had a cookie. I had a sandwich. I had a glass of water.

QUEST: So you could have had a glass of wine! Just a glass of water. so were you very excited though. Must have been a big day in your career?

ROSAY: Yes, it is indeed. Indeed. But it is very proficient. It is representative, which is very in accordance to what we were expecting. And of course, it's a great day, but it's a beginning of test -- flight test phase. which is to be I expect easy to do.

QUEST: Final question. The A380, is this the future of big planes, whether it be in Asia, Europe, or the Americas? ROSAY: Certainly, certainly. You carry more passengers with more comfort, with better efficient -- economical efficiency. So I'm sure that is a future of aviation.

QUEST: Many thanks. Many congratulations.

ROSAY: Thank you very much.

QUEST: For joining us and for talking to us. Many thanks to you.

So there you have it. A glass of water a cup of coffee and a sandwich, and you too can fly on 422 tons of metal into the air.

(LAUGHTER)

KAGAN: A coffee and sandwich. He was so calm. I want to know what kind of leg room. And as a fellow tall person, I bet you're wondering the same thing that they're going to designs in that huge plane.

QUEST: I can never imagine. Never imagine, that you would be anywhere other than at the front of the plane with large amounts of leg room. It's the likes of me that's in Row 196J!

(LAUGHTER)

KAGAN: You're going to make me cry. Richard Quest, thank you for the look at new plane. Appreciate it.

QUEST: Thank you.

KAGAN: We're going to look at another first. Some people trying to make a record going to the North Pole. That's just ahead.

And also, your weather forecast is coming up after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Looks like congratulations might be in order. Word that five explorers have set a record for reaching the North Pole. An international team, it includes an American woman, they used huskies and wooden sleds to make the 475-mile trip in only 37 days. The adventurers say they beat Robert Perry's mark, almost a century old mark, by several hour. Congratulations to them!

Also, congratulations to us. We have a special treat today. Chad Myers, A-list meteorology joining our show for the day.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Exactly. Good morning, Daryn.

(WEATHER REPORT)

KAGAN: Still to come on CNN LIVE TODAY, it's a beautiful day in neighborhood.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FRED ROGERS, "MR. ROGERS' NEIGHBORHOOD": I have always wanted to have a neighbor just like you...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: If you feel like you're missing Mr. Rogers, you're not the only one. The legacy of the late Mr. Rogers lives on. His widow will join me to share memories of his life's journey.

Plus, Gerri Willis is part of our daily journey here at CNN LIVE TODAY.

Hey, Ger.

GERRI WILLIS, CNN-FN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: Hey, Daryn. Well, it's a beautiful day in the neighborhood for one couple in retirement. You'll learn their secrets when CNN LIVE TODAY continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: So, we're talking more about retirement. Perhaps you're considering places to retire. You might want to think beyond south Florida and Arizona. Your money could actually go further and your quality of life better might be better someplace else.

More now from CNN personal finance editor Gerri Willis.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROBBIE RISNER, SAN ANTONIO RETIREE: I don't think immediately of anything we dislike about San Antonio.

WILLIS: San Antonio, Texas, is a place that Robbie and Dot Risner already knew and loved. As a city, it wasn't the kind of place where they ever thought they'd retire. But the more they thought about it, the better it sounded.

DOT RISNER, SAN ANTONIO RETIREE: There are lots of good places to eat here. And we do that a lot. We go out for dinner a lot. And the Riverwalk is such a big attraction. When people come to visit us, the first thing they want to do is go to the Riverwalk. The children like Six Flags. So they have things to offer for all ages.

WILLIS: Today more people are deciding the traditional retirement communities aren't right for them. Many baby boomers want to live in a more active environment.

WARREN BLAND, PROFESSOR, CALIFORNIA STATE UNIV.: Now there's a greater interest in recreational opportunities beyond the playing of golf and things like that. People are living longer, and they're going to probably be in their retirement spot for 20 or 30 years.

WILLIS: Robby and Dot's first concern when choosing a place to retire was access to good medical care. D. RISNER: It's hard to beat BAMC, which is Brooke's Army Medical Center, and it's huge. And they have such good care for all of us.

WILLIS: San Antonio is one of many American cities including Portland, Oregon and Boulder, Colorado that offer retirees a high quality of life with a low cost of living and top-notch health care, unlike some better established Sunbelt destinations.

BLAND: So you pick a retirement area in southern Florida, you might find that it's become expensive, crowded. Perhaps less desirable after only a few years of living there.

D. RISNER: We were a little apprehensive about living in a big community of people all the time. We thought it be so bustley and busy and all. But the people are what make this so desirable.

R. RISNER: They have a 24-hour heated swimming pool. A woodworking shop. All kinds of things. Party rooms, dance floors. There's so many things to help you live your retirement years and enjoy them.

WILLIS: So far, retirement in San Antonio exceeded all of Risner's expectations.

R. RISNER: Without knowing anything else, it is.

D. RISNER: That's right. We couldn't have design it any better, but we wouldn't have known to have asked for it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WILLIS: Bottom line, look beyond the obvious choices for retirement. Picking a city with a lower cost of living will help you get more out of your retirement dollars -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Gerri Willis, thank you.

WILLIS: You're welcome.

KAGAN: Just ahead a story of a family that won't be retiring any time soon. They wanted one. They get five babies. Still to come, a surrogate mother gives birth to quintuplets. We'll take you inside the delivery room.

And later, he taught children for years. Life lessons according to Mr. Rogers. A very nice chance to talk with his widow, just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: We're coming up on the half hour. Good morning once again. I'm Daryn Kagan. Here's a look at what's happening now in the news.

The Patriot Act, is it a key weapon in the war on terror or does it trash civil liberties? The Senate Intelligence Committee is tackling those questions right now. The act will expire, parts of it anyway, this year, unless Congress reauthorizes it. Among those testifying today, Attorney General Alberta Gonzales, you see him there; FBI director Robert Mueller and CIA director Porter Goss.

Also on Capitol Hill this hour, another terrorism concern. A Senate panel is holding a hearing on just how vulnerable America's chemical plants may be. There are 123 chemical facilities located near urban areas in the U.S. If there were a terror strike on just one, it's believed up to a million people could die.

History takes flight in the skies over France. The world's largest airliner completed its nearly four-hour maiden flight earlier today. The Airbus A380 can carry more than 800 passengers on commercial flights. It also stokes the battle with U.S. aircraft maker Boeing. Airbus says it can transport passengers more cheaply than Boeing's Jumbo 747.

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