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CNN Live Today

Andrea Yates Retrial Postponed Until June; Opposing Views About War in Iraq; School Bus Watch

Aired March 20, 2006 - 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: A lot of you out there facing some tough weather from Denver, across to the plains states. Chad Myers is following that for us -- Chad.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: I wouldn't want to be a truck driver trying to get across Nebraska on I-90 today, or I-70, or 76, anywhere.

(WEATHER REPORT)

KAGAN: Just keep telling yourself it's spring. It's spring. First day of spring.

MYERS: I just keep telling myself, I'm happy to be in Atlanta, out of Lincoln, Nebraska.

KAGAN: We'll see some rain ourselves later today.

Chad, thank you.

MYERS: You're welcome.

KAGAN: Our focus now, the war in Iraq. As American troops begin their fourth year in the fight, President Bush is looking to win the battle for public opinion here at home. He's set to talk about the war in Cleveland live next hour.

Few Americans have a clear picture of what's truly at stake in Iraq from the families of American troops who paid the ultimate price.

CNN's Chris Huntington talked with two very different families.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRIS HUNTINGTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Lieutenant Seth Devorn (ph) was a platoon leader in the Army's 82nd Airborne Division, Lieutenant J.T. Wroblewski, a platoon leader for the 2nd Battalion of the 4th Marines, two young men from the New Jersey suburbs who were killed in action in Iraq in 2004.

Devorn's (ph) mother, Sue, and Wroblewski's father, John, carry similar burdens of a parent's tragic loss. Both are passionately outspoken about what their sons died from completely different points of view.

SUE NIEDERER, MOTHER OF FALLEN SOLDIER: What did my child -- I have to use the word "child" -- die for? If you can't think of something that your child died for or was killed for, then your child has died in vain.

JOHN WROBLEWSKI, FATHER OF FALLEN SOLDIER: My son, not only my son, but all of those heroes that fell, all of the wounded that are in hospitals and lost limbs and so forth and so on, they did not die in vain. They died honorably.

HUNTINGTON: Wroblewski, a high school athletic director and father of four, is proud his oldest son was a Marine and fervently believes the war in Iraq is necessary.

WROBLEWSKI: It's a war that, if we're not in it and we're not on the offensive, all right, we will be fighting it here on these shores. I think 9/11 proved that.

HUNTINGTON: Sue Niederer, a real estate broker, has actively protested that premise since her son was killed while leading a search for improvised explosive devices, a mission she believes he was under- trained and under-equipped to do.

NIEDERER: How the heck did a piece of shrapnel get up and under my son's helmet and blow the back of his head off? Somebody explain that one to me.

HUNTINGTON: Niederer says her son told her he had lost confidence in the U.S. mission in Iraq but was committed to leading his soldiers. Now she says he is leading her.

NIEDERER: I will continue speaking, marching, being arrested. Until my son tells me to stop, I'm not stopping.

HUNTINGTON: John Wroblewski does not consider himself a pro-war activist, but last fall he spoke at a rally to honor military families.

WROBLEWSKI: And thank you to our commander in chief...

HUNTINGTON: And last summer, Wroblewski traveled to Crawford, Texas, to confront Cindy Sheehan, who also lost her son in Iraq and was protesting the war outside President Bush's ranch.

WROBLEWSKI: And I understand Cindy Sheehan. I feel her loss. But I think that, you know, there's a line that's drawn. You know? And she -- at one point in time I think she crossed that line.

HUNTINGTON: Lieutenant J.T. Wroblewski died in a firefight outside Ramadi. But his father visits with him many mornings at a small memorial where a poem is etched into a stone: "If tears could build a stairway and memories a lane, I'd walk right to heaven and bring you home again."

Sue Niederer says that's one thing that she and John Wroblewski completely agree upon.

Chris Huntington, CNN, New York. (END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: President Bush asking you to look beyond the violence in Iraq and see what so often on TV he says progress is being made. And today he's looking to drive that point home.

Our Kathleen Koch is at the White House with a preview of the president's speech.

Kathleen, the president speaking in Cleveland today. Do we expect to hear anything new?

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Daryn, it's unclear how much of what we hear today will be new. This is the second push from the administration in the last four months to convince Americans that the Iraq war is still worth fighting.

And President Bush left the White House about 30 minutes ago to head on this trip to Cleveland. That after a morning meeting in the Oval Office with the NATO secretary-general, where the president thanked him for NATO's efforts in training Iraqi security forces.

A senior administration official tells CNN that in this speech today, the president will cite specific case studies, examples where the White House believes that clear and definitive progress is being made on the ground in Iraq. We're told that one of those will be the increase in voter turnout in insurgent strongholds will be cited by the president.

We're also told that the president will offer his own assessment of his strategy in Iraq -- what's working, what is not, and what is still evolving.

The president is also, interestingly, expected to take questions when he speaks this morning at -- or this afternoon at Cleveland's City Club. It is known as the oldest free speech forum in the United States, with a tradition of open debate and discussion.

So, Daryn, it could be very interesting in this largely Democratic city.

KAGAN: Kathleen Koch at the White House.

Thank you.

So we'll hear from President Bush in the last hour. Now we hear from Democrats on Capitol Hill. Let's listen in to an event featuring, among others, Senator Joe Biden.

(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

SEN. JOSEPH BIDEN (D), DELAWARE: ... the administration has begun to draw down troops. They said that the decision would be made based on events on the ground. Will somebody tell me how since the election events on the ground have justified drawing down 30,000 troops? If that, in fact, is the measure we're going to use to determine whether or not we're going to draw down troops.

We'll be under 100,000 troops by the end of '06, as I've been saying for the last six months, and probably we'll be less than half of that by the end of '07.

It seems to me the critical question is this: as our troops come out, what are they going to leave behind? Iraq's future and the success or failure of our effort there is going to be played out in the next several months, in my view.

We can't want democracy and peace more than the Iraqis want it. The Iraqis have to form a unity government. They must put the key security ministries in the hands of competent people who will pursue the national interests, not a sectarian agenda.

That was a message that both the senator from South Carolina and I had when we came back from our last trip in Iraq, which is now almost three months ago, where we were told by the folks in the other agencies that there were death squads, that there were -- particularly the institution of the police had been totally infiltrated, that this whole idea that we're going to have an army that can control, a central army, a unified army that, in fact, can -- can deal with the militias which are more powerful than the army.

Lindsey Graham, who has a way of phrasing things better than I do, he said in his own way, he said, "It's a little like the Republican Party having an army and the Democratic Party having an Army." Well you know, they each have their own armies.

KAGAN: We've been listening to Senator Joe Biden, one of the many Democrats speaking out today in anticipation of President Bush speaking. President Bush will get his chance from Cleveland in just over an hour. You'll see those comments live here on CNN as well.

Meanwhile, some other tosses at the administration. This one at the defense secretary. He has a big target painted on him.

In an opinion piece for "The Washington Post," Donald Rumsfeld says that abandoning Iraq now would be "the modern equivalent of handing postwar Germany back to the Nazis."

Nixon's secretary of state, Henry Kissinger, says the two situations are not the same. He points out there was no significant resistance movement left in Germany.

And President Carter's national security adviser, Brzezinski, is not as diplomatic. He says Rumsfeld's comments are crazy to anyone who knows history.

Well, Rumsfeld is also taking it on the chin from a man who worked under him. Retired Major General Paul Eaton directed the training of the Iraqi military in 2003 and 2004. He has now written an op-ed piece for "The New York Times," and in it Eaton writes Rumsfeld is "incompetent strategically, operationally and tactically." Eaton goes on to call for Rumsfeld to resign.

Rumsfeld politely declined on that one.

So once again, President Bush speaking in about an hour and 10 minutes from Cleveland. You'll see those comments live here on CNN.

Meanwhile, a hot topic out of New York City. HIV, you need to know about it, right? But what's the right age? When is a kid too young to understand such a grownup topic? New York says 5-year-olds to know about the basics of AIDS. Next hour, my guests offer their opinion.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: We have a developing story coming to us out of Miami, Florida.

With more on that, let's go to Tony Harris -- Tony.

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: And Daryn, the Coast Guard has just rescued a group of, we understand, 11 to 14 people, Cuban migrants, all who made it ashore at Sands Cut. And that's near Miami Beach. The sheriff's department of Miami-Dade County says among those rescued, men, women, children and several seniors.

Again, 11 to 14 people, all Cuban migrants, have made it to shore. And that's near Miami Beach. And we know how incredibly dangerous that journey is.

And under the wet foot, dry foot policy of the United States, it seems as though these people will be allowed to stay in the country. We'll continue to follow it for you -- Daryn.

KAGAN: All right, Tony. Thank you.

Terrorists have vowed to strike the United States again. Experts agreeing the next target may not be a government building or a military installation, but places like shopping malls, resorts or even schools.

In our CNN security alert, we're going to show you the newest weapon in the war on terror.

Jason Carroll has that story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Donald Stuart has been driving a school bus for the past six years. Most of that time has been fairly routine -- not anymore.

Before Stuart finishes his route on this day, he must first learn about something he never imagined he would be doing: fighting the war on terrorism.

DONALD STUART, SCHOOL BUS DRIVER: With this new thing going on with this terrorist stuff, it is all new to me, too. So, I like to find out anything I possibly can. JOE VAN AKEN, TRAINING INSTRUCTOR: Identify yourself.

CARROLL: This classroom is where Stuart and more than a dozen other New York City bus drivers learn their new responsibilities.

VAN AKEN: We're going to teach you how to identify, evaluate, and report unusual activity.

CARROLL: Classes like this are popping up all over the country, now that the Department of Homeland Security has financed a program called School Bus Watch.

VAN AKEN: We're looking for things that don't look right.

CARROLL: The goal, turn 600,000 school bus drivers into observers.

VAN AKEN: The yellow school bus is an American icon. It gives everybody that warm, fuzzy feeling inside. What does it take to get into a school bus?

CARROLL: Instructor Joseph Van Aken understands the need for the new curriculum on terrorism. He says, school buses are unprotected targets, so he teaches drivers how to inspect them for tampering. And because they're on the road so much, drivers learn how to spot suspicious activity.

VAN AKEN: In my seven years of training, I have never found a program that has captivated the drivers in attendance as well as this -- this program has.

CARROLL: It certainly captured Donald Stuart's attention.

(on camera): What did you find to be the most helpful part of what you heard?

STUART: The most helpful? Mainly the observing. I didn't, you know, particularly look for certain things, like, you know, packages or trucks on the side. Those used to all be automatic to us. You know, we see them sitting every day.

CARROLL (voice-over): Here is how the program works. If a driver spots anything suspicious, he or she can call into this federal center, where Homeland Security analysts check out the information.

DON RONDEAU, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY: If you're a bad guy, broadly defined, you have to do more than look for the police officer in your rear-view mirror. You have to do more than wait for the knock of the FBI agent. You have to look at that school bus or the truck and know that you have to contend with -- with that -- with that American behind the wheel of that vehicle.

CARROLL: The program has its critics. Nancy Loeber doesn't like the idea her 8-year-old daughter's bus driver will have to take the class. NANCY LOEBER, MOTHER OF 8-YEAR-OLD: It kind of surprises me. It makes me nervous, that they think that the bus drivers should be on the front line, because, of course, our kids are on those buses. That -- that's kind of scary. I would rather see them, you know, someone -- somewhere else being on the front line, like the borders or ports.

CARROLL: But security experts say the deadly terrorist attack at a school in Beslan, Russia, in 2004 shows, children aren't targets. Bus drivers like Donald Stuart say, looking out for terrorists shouldn't be restricted to chosen professions.

STUART: I think it is something we all should do, honestly. You know, I mean, I never done it before. But, you know, now is the time to do it.

CARROLL: So, Stuart says he will proudly do his part, grateful for the training he hopes he will never have to use.

Jason Carroll, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: And another topic for you and your kids. What age should kids start learning about HIV? They're facing that in New York City. We'll get to a debate in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: So have you heard the baby news? It's a boy for Donald Trump and his wife Melania. His fifth child, her first. But the Trumps say they don't know what the baby's name is yet.

So we decided to help them out.

What do you think Donald Trump should name his new baby boy? E- mail us at LIVETODAY@CNN.com. We've been having some fun with this topic as the morning goes on.

Susan, any new flashes of brilliance come to you in the last few minutes?

SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN FINANCE CORRESPONDENT: Daryn, I have been -- I could explain the yield curve easier than coming up with a name for the littlest Trump. I'm thinking The Richest Little Apprentice?

KAGAN: Could be. Cash, maybe? Cash Trump?

LISOVICZ: Or Palm Beach Trump. Or...

KAGAN: We've been stumped by Trump.

LISOVICZ: Yes.

KAGAN: That's why we need our viewers' help -- LIVETODAY@CNN.com.

LISOVICZ: I'm working on it.

KAGAN: OK.

LISOVICZ: I'm all over it.

KAGAN: You handle the markets for us then.

LISOVICZ: OK.

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

LISOVICZ: Good luck with the name.

KAGAN: Actually, Susan, this just in to CNN -- there's a name.

LISOVICZ: Tell us.

KAGAN: The Trumps have named the baby. It is Barron William Trump. Barron rhymes with Daryn.

Barron Trump.

LISOVICZ: Very regal.

KAGAN: Yes, and kind of that European thing. Melanie is from Europe. So, Barron Trump.

LISOVICZ: We have to curtsey when we meet the baby.

KAGAN: Something like that. Kiss the ring.

LISOVICZ: Yes.

KAGAN: But perhaps, you know, our viewers could have improved upon that. So we're still going to accept e-mail. LIVETODAY@CNN.com -- what do you think the Trumps should have named their baby?

The name officially is Barron William Trump. A bouncing baby boy for the Trumps.

Susan, thank you.

And we look forward to getting your e-mail.

We're talking about kids in New York City. They're getting some interesting HIV education in kindergarten.

We'll debate that just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: It has been another day of violence in Iraq. A roadside bomb exploded earlier this morning in central Baghdad. It killed six people, including two police commandos.

Also today, nine more bodies have been found strewn across the capital. A local police official says all were killed by gunshots to the head. In just over a week, 186 bodies have been found in Baghdad.

Just about two hours ago at the White House, President Bush welcomed the head of NATO to the Oval Office. Later today, Secretary- General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer plans to address the National Press Club.

Mr. Bush now heads to Cleveland where he'll promote progress in Iraq and the war on terror.

Closing arguments under way in the trial involving Dan Brown author of the best-selling novel "The Da Vinci Code." Two authors accuse Brown of stealing many of the plot line points from their much lesser-known book. If they succeed, their legal victory could jeopardize the scheduled release of a Tom Hanks movie based on Brown's book.

To Houston, Texas. Andrea Yates' second trial on murder charges is postponed until late June. The judge made that decision a short time ago because of witness problems cited by Yates' defense attorney.

Yates is accused of drowning her five children. She was convicted of murder at her first trial, but that conviction was thrown out on appeal. This time around, Yates' lawyers again plan to use the insanity defense.

Health education for a kindergartner. You might think we're talking hand washing, covering when you sneeze. But starting today, New York City public schools are taking an updated and controversial approach to HIV-AIDS education for kindergarten. Yes, kindergarten.

Is age five too young to know about HIV?

New York says the language will be age appropriate. For example, students will be told HIV is a germ, that it's "not easy to get," and it's hard to get well if you get HIV.

Kindergartners will be told to play doctors and talk about the disease. Sex will not be mentioned. Teachers will tell students they'll learn more when they get a little bit older.

Kacie Winsor is the New York AIDS -- with the New York AIDS Coalition. She's in Miami this morning, where she interrupted her vacation to speak with us.

We appreciate that one, Kacie.

KACIE WINSOR, NEW YORK AIDS COALITION: Thanks, Daryn.

KAGAN: And in New York, Nick Comaianni. He leads the Community Education Council for District 24. That is a parents advocacy group in Queens.

Good morning to both of you.

NICK COMAIANNI, COMMUNITY EDUCATION COUNCIL, DISTRICT 24: Good morning. WINSOR: Good morning.

KAGAN: Kacie, ladies first here on this show. You don't see anything wrong. You think this curriculum is a good idea.

WINSOR: I do think it's a good idea. I apologize for my voice, but I do think it's a good idea. And I actually don't think that it is as controversial as some may deem it to be. It is actually placing it in a larger context of a health curriculum, and it is talking about it in terms of, particularly in kindergarten, sanitation, appropriate hygiene practices. It's not separating it out, which we think is critical in terms of later on down the road destigmatizing a lot of, you know, how people feel about HIV and making people take it more seriously in terms of safer practices.

KAGAN: Nick, let's go to you in New York City. Let's talk about some of the statistics in the city where you choose to live. New York has the highest number of AIDS cases of any city in the country. Forty-eight percent of high school students say they have had or are having sex. This is the environment your kids are growing up in. Is it never too early to start learning about sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV?

NICK COMAIANNI, N.Y. COMM. ED. COUNCIL DISTRICT 24: Well, kindergarten, I feel myself is a little too young for the kids to learn, just on the basis that they really won't comprehend it. I can't see -- I have a kindergartner, and I can't see my kindergartener child comprehending once they start talking about aids, or nor yet first-graders. And most teachers at that grade you speak to will agree that this is the case.

My big concern is that the later grades, which are really not that later, we're talking about eight, nine, 10-year-olds at the fourth, at the fourth or fifth-grade level, when essentially the government is forcing them to learn about sexual intercourse, something that's going to be mentioned to kids, which I feel affects moral and family values, of New York communities.

KAGAN: Kacie, how do you have this talk, the scientific talk, without talking about morality?

WINDSOR: Well, I think, as I had mentioned before, the way they have reshaped the curriculum, especially it's a very medical approach to HIV, and so it talks about it, again, as I said, within the larger context...

KAGAN: But Nick is saying it shouldn't necessarily be a scientific approach, a medical approach, that you can't separate one from the other.

WINDSOR: Well, I think the reality of the fact that 60 percent of new HIV diagnosis are among young people below the age of 25, I think it speaks to a larger issue, that yes, certainly parents have the opportunity to opt out and teach their own personal values around HIV and how its acquired, but certainly, particularly in the New York City school district, where it's home to 1.1 million children, it's a logical venue as, you know, the support of many people, including Christine Quinn, our councilwoman, and others have shown, you know, this is a critical place for us to apply this life-saving information. And the fact that we're starting to do it at an early age is something that I think is commendable, and others would say is commendable, too, because even though you're not talking about sexual activity or intravenous drug use in kindergarten, you are, you know, making them aware of things that are out there in a way that you're packaging it in appropriate language, so that once they get to the fourth grade, and someone says, oh, by the way, there's HIV, it's all of a sudden not this big, scary thing, but it's something that you've heard of and that you've been familiar, at least with the term, if not necessarily all the details behind it.

KAGAN: So but can you -- when you say we're not talking about sex and drugs, we're talking about HIV, can you talk about HIV, and is it appropriate to talk about something like that without talking about sex and drugs?

WINDSOR: Well, I think the New York City Department of Education, something we are very pleased with, they've made a very big effort to package it in a way that has language -- is language appropriate. And it uses concepts that young kids are familiar with, such as, this is how to not get a disease, this is how to be sanitary, to wash your hands. I mean, certainly it's sort of walking on a thin line and fine ice, but I think there is a way for you to do it in a way that's appropriate based on age and also based on cultural experiences.

KAGAN: Nick, will you be writing a note to your kid's school saying you don't want your kid to participate?

COMAIANNI: Absolutely. I personally feel this is something -- and now, I just want to state that I don't have a problem so much with HIV being taught to kids. My problem is basically age appropriateness.

KAGAN: At this age.

COMAIANNI: Correct. Now, kindergarten, I personally feel it's not something they're going to really comprehend, but that's fine. That's not my major opposition to this.

My major opposition is that once they reach eight years old, and contrary to what Kacie was saying, they will be teaching kids about sexual intercourse. They will be mentioning it. And fifth grade they mention it more.

Now, I've read this whole book, and I feel -- let me just read you a small verse of the lesson. This is in the fifth grade. Now, mind you, this is going to be a nine...

KAGAN: So this would be a 9 or 10-year-old.

COMAIANNI: Correct.

KAGAN: OK. "Antonio's parents are out of town. He decides to have a party and arrange for an older friend to bring beer. Now, at nine years old, why are Antonio's parents out of town and left Antonio home alone?"

And second of all, you're more or less giving kids ideas, that this is something that happens, and it's OK, when, in fact, it's not. Best of my knowledge, if a parent leaves a child that age at home, those parents are going to have legal issues.

So my problem is the age appropriateness. I always felt that it's definitely good to mention to kids, when you do reach the upper intermediate school levels and high schools, please, by all means, educate them very well. But at that particular age, I feel it's not the right age, and many parents do, as well.

KAGAN: By the way, Nick, the note that you have to write says not only will you not want your kid to participate, but you have to promise that you will talk about this with your child at home.

COMAIANNI: You see, here's the thing. I think most people are not properly informed of the state mandate. The state mandate 135 says basically that this HIV sex-ed curriculum should be in line with community values and age appropriate. They have left it up to the communities to hold hearings and basically decide at what age this should be taught for that particular community.

Now there might be communities who say, hey, we want it at an early age, and that's fine. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. But the city of New York has not done that. The city of New York has not held hearings, has not consulted with parents. They have not taken parental input. I've spoken to parents who agree with it and parents who don't agree with it, at what age it's being taught.

KAGAN: But you would just like to have a parental say.

Casey, our time is short. What would be your final thought here?

WINDSOR: Sure. My final thought, Nick, I certainly agree with new terms of involving parents more, and part of my job, a chair a task force which is seeking to do just that, to involve students, young people and parents more in that process, of examining the curriculum and how we can improve it so that we can reach our young people with this life-saving information. The last piece I would say is that we're not talking about New York State curriculum, we're talking about New York City. And New York City several years ago, in fact maybe 10 years ago, on the books reformed it, so that there's six lessons mandated in grades seven through 12, and five lessons kindergarten through six. So this isn't something new. They're actually just getting the information more medically up to date.

KAGAN: Kacie Windsor, Nick Comaianni, thank you for the discussion. It is a fascinating topic, even if you don't live in New York City.

COMAIANNI: Thank you. WINDSOR: Thank you.

KAGAN: Thank you for your time today.

Earlier this morning we asked for your opinion on the topic, when should HIV education begin in schools. Here's what some of you had to say in your e-mails today.

From Rachel in Alabama, "I personally think too age is too young. The topic should teach people to fear all sexually transmitted diseases, because they can change lives."

And then Heather is in New York. She writes, "To fully understand the dangers of HIV infection, you would first have to explain to children how exactly the virus is spread. Without understanding that factor, it would only confuse the children, and possibly scare them. The appropriate age should be a time when kids learn more about their bodies and biology. I can't believe it would be helpful to teach them before the fifth grade, without producing more confusion and harm."

Thank you to all of you for your e-mail contribution to our debate on HIV education in public schools, especially kindergarten.

A change of heart at the FDA. The government is rethinking its lifetime ban on blood donations by sexually active gay men. The American Red Cross, which collects nearly half the country's donated blood, is pushing for that change. The FDA put the lifetime ban in place in the mid '80s. Over the years, the Red Cross backed the positions. The new policy would bar donations for only one year for men who had sex with other men. That's the same as others who are at risk for any sexually transmitted disease.

Consider this next one a sign of the times. Volunteers refusing to pick up litter along some of the roads in Ohio, because of dangerous litter from illegal drugmakers. Authorities say across the state about two sons of roadside trash comes from the manufacture of methamphetamine. That's about 20 percent of all roadside trash. The litter can contain solvents that can burn skin, eyes and lungs. The leaders of some 4-H clubs say the hazard has prompted them to steer kids away from cleanup projects.

Coming up, it is a 24/7 world, and that means people can pretty much do what they want, when they want. But what about when you're not getting enough sleep? What happens to your body? Well, Dr. Sanjay Gupta has a story on the dangers of sleep deprivation.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: To world news now. First to Afghanistan. A man goes on trial and faces a possible death sentence for converting from Islam to Christianity. The trial is believed to be the first of its kind in Afghanistan. According to the Associated Press, the man said he converted to Christianity 16 years ago, but his family reported him last month, leading to his arrest. Authorities tell the Associated Press the Afghan constitution states any Muslim who rejects Islam should be sentenced to death.

With a deadline looming, the French government faces the threat of more unrest over a new labor law that affects younger workers. After a weekend of demonstrations in Paris and across the country, French president Jacques Chirac is backing his prime minister, Dominique de Villepin, who refuses to drop his support for the law. It allows employers to fire workers under the age of 26 without cause. And protesters want that scrapped. They've set an evening deadline for the government to withdraw or suspend the measure.

A country that the Bush administration calls an outpost of tyranny faces more international pressure over its just completed presidential election. Preliminary results show longtime President Alexander Lukashenko won yesterday's vote in a landslide. But international observers say the election did not meet democratic standards. Critics accuse Mr. Lukashenko of suppressing the opposition and ruling the former Soviet Republic with an iron fist.

And to more mundane matters just ahead. How ugly is your dog? We are looking for one of the ugliest in the country. The ugly dog contest winner just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

So if I told you about a pill that would reduce your chances of heart attack or stroke or diabetes, you'd probably rush to the drug store right away. Well, experts say there is one thing that can really cut those risks, and it doesn't come in a tablet. It's called sleep.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta looks at why Americans are not getting enough.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN SR. MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): We live in a world where day and night no longer matter. We can work, play, eat, pretty much do anything we want around the clock. What we don't do enough of is sleep.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I would say I average about six hours of sleep.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: About four to six hours maybe.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Probably get four or five hours.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Four or five hours.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm tired every day. Every -- every night I'm tired.

GUPTA: As a society, we are chronically sleep deprived, researchers say. Most of us need seven and a half to eight hours of sleep, but we're only getting an average of about six and a half during the week, a little more on weekends.

The shortfall doesn't go away. In fact, it builds. Researchers call this our sleep debt.

DAVID DINGES, UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA: Day after day living on reduced amounts of sleep you become more impaired, more dependent on caffeine, have more difficulty concentrating, at greater risk for falling asleep, more difficulty remembering, but you think you are doing fine.

The facility is set up to control those factors that typically influence sleep-wake behavior.

GUPTA: David Dinges runs the Sleep and Chronobiology Lab at the University of Pennsylvania. His lab deprives healthy people of sleep to see how they do.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The baby cried and upset her...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mother.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: George cannot believe his son stole a...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Quarter.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Blue, red, green...

GUPTA: Stay up for 24 hours like this test subject and you are likely to perform as well as someone who has had a couple drinks.

Here's something else. Experiments show for the vast majority of people, sleeping six hours a night for a week will result in mental lapses and sleepiness as severe as if you had stayed up all night long. Long term, lack of sleep can have serious consequences on our health.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The less you sleep, the more likely you are to die of all causes or to have a heart attack or a stroke or have diabetes or to have weight gain.

GUPTA: Eye-opening problems that should make us all want to get a good night's sleep.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: And if you're worried about your own lack of sleep, you'll want to watch our special program "SLEEP." It is hosted by Sanjay. It airs Sunday night at 10:00 p.m. Eastern.

And we're looking at new pictures in from Dallas, Texas. Watch out what you wish for. They've had drought conditions there, but storms dumped nearly eight inches of rain on some parts of Dallas. Those storms moved on Monday morning, but they left some flooding behind.

(WEATHER REPORT) KAGAN: We're going to explain that little twist to the NCAA Tournament. Brad, Pitt? How about that. We'll take a look at this just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Does your pet pooch have what it takes to win the ugliest dog contest? This year saw some bigtime competition. Check it out. The hangdog look. The judges in this California competition also awarded prizes to the cutest dog. And the one with the best costume.

But the winner, the top dog, so to speak. Oh, a face only a mother could love. Proceeds from the event went to the Humane Society and to a horse-riding program for people with disabilities.

I love that face, even with the little brown eyes popping out of its little skinny head.

(MARKET REPORT)

KAGAN: Speaking of the rich, Donald Trump, whose new baby boy, Barron Trump. But our viewers have some other suggestions.

Let's go to it, Kevin in Pennsylvania says it should be "Casino Trump."

Robert in Indiana says the first name should me Moe, middle name money, Moe Money Trump.

And our favorite from Joel. Look at this, A. Prentiss Trump.

LISOVICZ: Yes, that's the winner. Thank you, Joel.

KAGAN: Yes, thanks for the input.

LISOVICZ: And the baby was born, by the way, on, I believe, "The Apprentice" airs tonight.

KAGAN: Now that is a marketing genius, 8.5 pounds and healthy. The most important thing.

Susan, thank you.

LISOVICZ: You're welcome.

KAGAN: Talking weather now. A lot of Americans coping with snow, and rain and tornadoes. Some Australians are on the run from a gigantic storm. Just hours ago, Tropical Cyclone Larry slammed into Australia'S northeast coast as a category-five storm. Some wind gusts exceeded 180 miles per gallon (sic). That storm took aim at a popular beach resort, and while there are reports of devastation, most people had evacuated before the cyclone hit. Right now, only minor injuries are reported.

(WEATHER REPORT) KAGAN: We had to show folks this picture from over the weekend. NCAA. Bradley playing Pittsburgh. And so look what the little bug, as we call it, on the screen. It looks like Brad Pitt is playing basketball.

MYERS: And he won.

KAGAN: And it was an upset, 13th-seeded Bradley of Peoria beating the fifth-seed Pittsburgh. Might not be such a movie star ending, though, for Bradley. Up next, they face number-one seed Memphis. But congratulations to Brad and Pitt. A little picture there we had to share with you.

Thank you, Chad.

MYERS: You're welcome.

KAGAN: And thank you, Brad.

I'm Daryn Kagan. International news coming up next. Stay tuned for YOUR WORLD TODAY. I'll be back with the latest headlines in about 20 minutes from the U.S.

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