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CNN Live Today

Tropical Storm Cindy Causes Flooding; Protests Surround G-8 Summit; London Gets 2012 Olympics

Aired July 06, 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 ANCHOR: Good morning. You guys have a great day in New York City. We have a lot to get to. So we'll do it. Let's start by taking a look at what's happening now in the news.
Tropical Storm Cindy lashes Louisiana and Mississippi with heavy rains. Cindy's winds have weakened since it made landfall late last night. But the storm could dump up to 10 inches of rain through the southeast. There's also the potential for tornadoes this morning.

And there's no rest for Gulf Coast residents. Tropical Storm Dennis is behind Cindy and Dennis has the potential to become even a more powerful storm. Forecasters predict Dennis will become a category three hurricane by this weekend. We'll have an update from the weather center in just a couple minutes.

President Bush is expected to arrive at the G-8 summit in Gleneagles, Scotland in the next hour. The leaders plan to focus on aid to Africa and global climate change. The president left Denmark earlier today after thanking the government for help in the war on terror. Today is Mr. Bush's 59th birthday.

In London, cheers erupt and the countdown begins. The British capital somehow overtook frontrunner Paris as the host city for the 2012 Olympic Games. It took four ballots in what's being called the most heated competition in Olympic history. The naming of London delivered Paris its third failed bid in the last 20 years.

Good morning. I'm Daryn Kagan.

Cindy is slogging ashore east of New Orleans and pushing a flood threat to the northeast even as it weakens. Some areas could face up to 10 inches of rain. CNN's Dan Lothian is in New Orleans. He filed this report just minutes ago.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAN LOTHIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We're standing right along the shores of the Mississippi River. Right now everything is relatively calm, but when Cindy was passing over New Orleans, a lot of white caps out here, when winds were whipping up as high as 70 miles per hour. Some of the biggest problems that we saw, flooded streets and a lot of trees and power lines knocked down. In fact, over to my left what we're seeing is the site that will be duplicated across the city throughout the day, and no doubt the next couple days where crews are chopping up trees that were knocked over just a few hundred yards from here another number of other large trees also pushed over by the wind. Let's take a look at some of the pictures from overnight as the storm came ashore here in New Orleans. Streets were flooded, cars going through the streets looking like they're driving through small streams, also power lines knocked down, some 200,000 people reportedly without power.

The power company brought in extra crews, some 1,100 crews, to help get power back on line. In terms of evacuations, as the storm was approaching, people were strongly encouraged to leave those low- lying areas. There were no mandatory evacuations, although folks who work out on those oil rigs, they were pulled off, evacuated from the rigs. We're told that's standard procedure any time there's major storm activity.

Most of the folks here are looking at this as somewhat of a dress rehearsal for the next big storm. There's a lot of concern about Dennis coming to the area, perhaps packing a powerful punch later in the week. That is the big concern and right now just clean up after Cindy passed through the area. That's the latest from New Orleans.

Dan Lothian, CNN, reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: For other areas the situation is eroding by the minute. Let's get the view from within the storm as it's rolling through Alabama. Reporter Matt Barrentine is with our affiliate WALA and he has the view from along Alabama's Mobile Bay.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATT BARRENTINE, WALA REPORTER: Conditions on Dauphin Island this morning have been pretty windy as Tropical Storm Cindy makes her way into land. Now, Dauphin Island is right at the mouth of Mobile Bay and the wind has been ferocious all morning long. Now it's been quite some time before there's been rainfall on this island, several hours at least. Most of that fell during the overnight hours and did flood some of the main roadways here. So that is starting to drain out. But the wind has become a big issue here right along the seashore.

In fact, we're going to take just a little bit of a look down the beach; you can see the waves smashing into the beach. Wind really gusting, blowing things around. Highest gust I've recorded on my handheld wind meter has been 59 miles per hour. About 15 miles per hour below hurricane strength.

So it has been pretty nasty down here at the coast, but the conditions inland might actually be worse. There have been many tornado warnings in inland areas as the squall lines have made their way inland. So that's been a pretty big issue. But for now, it's just a pretty big wind event at the coast.

Reporting from Dauphine Island, I'm Matt Barrentine.

(END VIDEOTAPE) KAGAN: My goodness. He looked like the Michelin Man there as his wind breaker was blowing. Rob Marciano is here to look at where the storms, plural, are headed.

ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yeah. Couple of them, Daryn, to talk about. First order of business, obviously Cindy, which has been affecting folks along the Mississippi Delta, Southern Alabama and Mississippi, mentioned the tornado warnings. There's have been a few of them have been posted throughout the morning. This very thin red line is a tornado watch that is posted through the next couple of hours as this storm continues to march its way northward and typically the northern right hand quadrant of these storms, even if it's a weaker storm, will have the possibility of throwing down tornadoes. You see the curlicue.

Western end of this storm has been pretty quiet, so much of western Louisiana hasn't seen a whole lot. But the flooding rains and the potential for rains will be the big story ongoing here in the next 24 to 48 hours across Alabama and across parts of Georgia as well.

We have a live shot for you out of Mobile Bay. This is the causeway that runs pretty much across the northern part of the bay that connects the western part of the bay to the eastern part of the bay. And you can see how the water is being pushed up over a secondary road, which is completely flooded now, underneath that causeway. So it doesn't take a whole lot of wind in these storms, essentially in Mobile Bay where everything kind of funnels towards the north to get the water to pile up. So a reminder of how lucky they were last year during Hurricane Ivan, which just passed to their east.

Right now, winds are gusting over 50 miles an hour around Mobile, Alabama. Good news is now it's inland, these things begin to fall apart. So it is doing that. The main things with this system is going to be the rainfall now here over the next couple days and it could be heavy.

Storm number two, western Caribbean, it is getting more organized. This is Tropical Storm Dennis. Could become a hurricane later on this afternoon. And right now the forecasts are for it to become a strong hurricane as it continues its march west and northwestward. Jamaica, Haiti, right now about 255 miles due south of Haiti and now there are thunderstorms that are beginning to fire up ahead this storm and that is a sign of some strengthening.

It could become a category three when it enters the Gulf of Mexico which we think will happen later on. And that means winds in excess of 111 miles an hour. Storm surge nine to 12 feet. Structural damage to small residences and with large trees being uprooted and probably the most important thing low lying evacuation routes could be completely flooded five hours before the storm even arrives. So this is going to be the bigger story I think, Daryn, as we get through the weekend.

2:00 a.m. Saturday morning official forecasts brings it to the western tip of Cuba. We'll monitor that one, obviously, for the next several days. KAGAN: You're going to be busy. Thank you.

MARCIANO: See you.

KAGAN: Ironically, a good dousing of rain would be the answer to a lot of problems in Southern California. That's where several fires across the region have torched more than 1500 acres. One of the fastest moving is near Palmdale. Just within the first three hours of its outbreak, the blaze swept across 300 acres. Winds as strong as 20 miles an hour helped push it across the dry brush.

That blaze is now 50 percent contained.

And now this fire in the San Bernadino National Forest forced the evacuation of some 1200 children from area campgrounds. The fire has burned about 100 acres and is nearly half contained.

Now, on to politics both here and abroad. Just minutes ago President Bush arrived in Scotland for the G-8 summit. The so-called Group of Eight is a gathering of the world's richest nations. Besides the U.S., the countries include Great Britain, Russia, Germany, Japan, Italy, Canada and France. The European Union also participates.

The summit officially will get under way tomorrow and most of the attention will focus on aid to Africa. It's being held at Gleneagles, a golf resort in central Scotland. And that's where we find CNN's European political editor Robin Oakley.

ROBIN OAKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Daryn. Well, as usual this summit is being disfigured by a certain amount of violence among the demonstrations that always coincide with these occasions. Protesters against global capitalism, those that feel that the G-8 leaders are not likely to do enough in their aims of helping Africa with greater aid and debt relief.

In Stirling and Bannockburn this morning, cars were attacked, windows smashed, some 60 people have been arrested, and the police appear to be in two minds thou handle these demonstrations because first of all, they banned a peaceful demonstration and march that there was going to be in nearby Auchterarder today. Then they have reinstated it.

The leaders have begun arriving, as you say. President Bush has arrived in Scotland, having come by way of Denmark this morning. The Junichiro Kuizumi, the Japanese prime minister has arrived, Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder of Germany and no official business for them to conduct today.

Basically a dinner hosted by Queen Elizabeth, that they will attend here at Gleneagles. Some will be hoping that President Chirac, the French president will be on his best behavior for that occasion because, of course, this week he's criticized the British and said you can't trust a nation who's cooking is as bad as that of the British.

So I think the chef here will be very much on his mettle tonight to prove to President Chirac that British cooking can carry the day. The leaders will be talking first of all about climate change. Tomorrow -- on that, President Bush has inched towards the others, he's the only one of the G-8 leaders who hasn't signed up to the Kyoto Treaty to curb global emissions and CO2. But he did say today that he accepts there is climate change and it is partly manmade. And some are taking that as a sign he's willing to compromise to a degree in the summit objectives. Then on Friday they will go on to the questions of Africa aid and debt relief. Daryn?

KAGAN: Robin Oakley from Gleneagles, Scotland, thank you for that.

Of course, the British get the last laugh because after years of planning, one city does get the top prize with the Olympics.

Still to come, the party will be in London. And we are taking you there live.

Plus New Yorkers put up a good fight for the 2012 Olympics. You're going to hear how they're handling today's defeat.

And later.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was thinking you know, I could get HIV and that's obviously a danger and a risk that I came willing to take.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: A group of women sacrificing their lives to care for AIDS patients in Ethiopia. It's touching. A touching story you'll see only here on CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Let's go ahead and check the markets. They've been open about 43 minutes. Investors just not liking what oil prices are doing as they sit near record highs. The Dow is down 10 points, NASDAQ also in negative territory. Actually, NASDAQ is up four.

Hotel rates are expected to rise this summer, so it might be a good time to consider a vacation al fresco. America's national parks are a great bargain. Our personal finance editor Gerri Willis has today's top five tips on planning a national park getaway. Good morning.

GERRI WILLIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey. Good morning, Daryn. Good to see you. We've got some great ideas. It's not just Yosemite and Grand Canyon any more. There are great parks where you'll find the crowds are smaller, a little more room to maneuver around. The Teton National Park, for example, in northwestern Wyoming, really great place to go. Incredible peaks to explore, great hiking. Eight peaks over 12,000 feet, you can also find Glacier Lakes. It's amazing. Check out these pictures. Also, North Cascades National Park in Washington is always fascinating to look at as well. Seven hundred glaciers to explore in this park. 386 miles of hiking trail. That's my favorite thing to do. And there's also the dry -- and I hope I'm pronouncing this right --Tortugas National Park in Florida. There's a great reef there to explore that the old-timers say is really excellent. Daryn?

KAGAN: I think it's Tortugas, but close.

WILLIS: Thank you, ma'am.

KAGAN: You're welcome. So when you go, you might want to consider staying inside the park.

WILLIS: Yeah. The beauty of staying inside the park is you'll probably pay less than staying at one of the resorts on the periphery of the park. They always charge more. To find out about camping sites, about some of the hotels that are actually inside these parks go to nps.gov to get more information. It's a great place to go. And you can book directly through the National Park Service.

KAGAN: What about the entry fees?

WILLIS: Entry fees can be stiff if you pay them over and over again. Say you go to a number of parks in a year. But you can buy an annual pass. It's a Golden Eagle pass you're looking for on the Web site. It costs you $50. Keep in mind, getting into Yosemite or Yellowstone is going to cost you $15 anyway. So at the end of the day you may be better off pointing your browser to nps.gov and just buying a -- a year-long pass for $50. Seniors, by the way, can get these for $10 and it's a one-time charge you pay and you never pay again.

KAGAN: That sounds like a good idea. But when I think national park in the summer I think huge crowds.

WILLIS: You bet. I'm telling you. The most popular parks, unless you get there really early and I mean maybe before 8:00, you could have a hard time finding parking space. So you definitely want to get in there early if you're just visiting, particularly for the day. In terms of booking your trip, the time of year to go -- get this Daryn, the last two weeks of august. I would have thought that would have been so busy you would never be able to go. But apparently some kids going back to school then, it's a great time to book your vacation. Shoulder months also. April, May, September, October, great times to book a trip in a national park because the crowds are lower and there's more room for you to maneuver about.

KAGAN: But when I think about going to see Yogi Bear and his friends I don't think about mass transit. You say you should look for it.

WILLIS: You bet. I think it's a great bargain in a lot of these national parks. They're trying to reduce the number of cars so they're offering mass transit alternatives, whether it's busses or trams. It's a great way to get around. They take you right to the trail heads, right to the things you want to see, and, you know, at the end of the day it's safer for your kids to be moving around that way anyway.

Keep in mind there are also junior ranger programs for the kids, too. Lots of activities to tap into. Again, you want to go to nps.gov for information on parks, programs, and all the fun you can have.

KAGAN: All right. Let's pack it up and go.

WILLIS: Sounds good.

KAGAN: Gerri Willis, thank you.

WILLIS: You're welcome.

KAGAN: Want to head back over to Scotland now on the eve of the G-8 summit --protesters getting riled up. Our Matthew Chance is just outside Gleneagles, Scotland, where the protesters are. Matthew?

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Daryn, thanks very much. I'm here amid a crowd of thousands of protesters who have come to the village of Auchterarder, normally a small sleepy place of about 3,500 people that has now been subject to an influx of these protesters. Protests against (INAUDIBLE), against global warming, against global poverty, against the war in Iraq as well, as the G-8 leaders, President Bush among them, of course, are meeting at the Gleneagles Hotel just a short distance down this road, about a mile from here in fact. Meeting with other world leaders to discuss those issues.

A big security operation has been under way throughout the course of the past several days to try and prevent this protest which has so far been peaceful from turning violent. There are thousands of police, as many as 10,500, in fact, in Scotland during this G-8 protest. They've put a big security cordon around the Gleneagles Hotel and this is actually the closest point to which the protesters will be able to get to the Gleneagles Hotel itself.

They're being actually stopped here and turned around to the right. That's, I think, why there's been a holdup here and protesters have basically been standing for about 10 or 15 minutes or so as they slowly walk past this area where there are police barricades, where there are police in riot protection gear, just beyond that. I don't know if you can see it. If you turn the camera into the sky you can see there are police helicopters in the sky as well. Observing this (unintelligible) all the way around, all the way around the Gleneagles Hotel and just under the helicopter in the field, you can see there are police mounted on horseback just in case some of the protesters get through these barricades and make their way to try and disrupt the G-8 summit.

So, so far it's been very peaceful, but there's a good deal of concern on the part of the police and that could change if patience and anger boils over here in Auchterarder. Daryn?

KAGAN: Matthew Chance, live from Scotland, thank you. We'll check back with you in the next hour as well. Here in the U.S., having a Big Mac fashion attack. Why McDonald's thinking it needs more than special sauce, lettuce and cheese to be dressed for success.

Plus, we're taking you live to London, the party has started for the 2012 Summer Olympics.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: This morning in Britain, London is calling and the Olympics are on the line. London won the right to host the 2012 Olympics. The International Olympic Committee made the announcement about three hours ago in Singapore. Our Don Riddell is at the big party in London with the reaction.

Hello, good morning.

DON RIDDELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there. Thank you very much. Tremendous excitement here in London. There are still hundreds, if not thousands, of people celebrating here in Trafalgar Square in the center of London. Many of them, to be honest, still can't quite believe that London has won the right to host the games in seven years. They were very much behind the favorites Paris in the entire build up to this election which was held in Singapore today, but it came down to the last two bid cities, London and Paris. Moscow, New York, and Madrid were all eliminated first and then everybody had an hour-long, a very, very tense, nervous wait sweaty palms, bitten finger nails, before the final announcement was made.

And now London has won the right to host the games. Now people here will tell you that actually they'll stage a very good games, a very exciting games but the International Olympic Committee did have one or two concerns, perhaps Londoners weren't really behind the bid, would their transport facilities be up to it? Many people who live in London spend all their time moaning about the transport facilities, but they've managed to persuade the International Olympic Committee that those problems will be fixed. The main part of their bid is regeneration.

That's very much one of the Olympic ideals and the London bid will help regenerate a large area in the eastern part of the city which is very run down area and they will help leave a real legacy beyond the games in 2012. The Paris bid didn't really offer so much of that. They claimed that all their facilities were largely built already, but London will see an awful lot of building and construction going on in the next seven years. They'll need to build new railings, they'll need to build a main stadium and an aquatic center, a village room (ph), many, many of these facilities.

But there should be interesting sights in London in seven year's time. There'll be archery at Lords, which is a cricket grounds, there will be the old Trafford Manchester United football -- soccer ground will be used, there will be beach volleyball in Horseguards Parade (ph), just around the corner from Buckingham Palace. So many of the big sites will be used and the postcard images will be used to stage the games. And people here are still getting used to it, but it should be fun.

KAGAN: I'm sure they are looking forward to it and all the preparations, as well. Don Riddell, live from London, thank you.

Well, for New York it was a dream deferred as that city lost its hard-fought, years-long bid to host the games. Normally tough-skinned New Yorkers sat stone faced and sad in Midtown Manhattan after hearing the news. One New Yorker summed it up this way.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know we'll ever know all the reason it happened but it was very sad, very heart breaking, because this was a tremendous bid.

KAGAN: Good try, New York.

Still to come on CNN LIVE TODAY, could two reporters who refuse to reveal the identity of their sources be headed to jail? We'll get a live report from Washington. Plus this.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (video clip): There's nothing you can do. You can just love the man and to make sure that their last moments that they felt that there was someone there.

KAGAN: Sister on a special mission. It's a story you will see only here on CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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

So much for that famed British reserve. Just two and a half hours ago London erupted with news that it was awarded the 2012 Olympic Games. Paris had been considered the frontrunner in what has been described as the most heated bidding competition in Olympic history.

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