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CNN Sunday Morning
Terror in Spain; What Is Gas Really Costing Consumers?
Aired April 04, 2004 - 08:00 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.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: We have a lot coming up for you this hour.
Terror in Spain: the country's interior minister says the suspected organizer of the March 11 attack is dead after a powerful explosion near Madrid. We'll take you live to Spain for the very latest.
And what gas is really costing you. It's not just filling up that's about to become more expensive.
And this... what in the world? A harsh reality for this reality TV show. How one part of the world is just not ready for it. But, first, the headlines.
In Madrid, a top Spanish official says the ringleader of the Madrid train bombings last month is dead. He's one of at least three suspects who blew themselves up as police prepared to storm a building south of Madrid. The blast also killed a police officer. The latest from Spain in a live report in minutes.
In Iraq, protests and violence in Najaf, where militants lured Spanish coalition troops into a bloody gun battle amid Shiite protests.
In Baghdad, peaceful demonstrations from Shiites marching to support an influential cleric who they believe is being mistreated by the coalition. We'll have a live report straight ahead on that.
And here in the U.S., time to set that flashing clock to the right time, which is now an hour later than what you probably thought it was, given that you went to bed last night. Daylight Saving Time means most of the nation lost an hour of sleep overnight. Some exceptions, though. Hawaii and parts of Indiana don't bother with daylight saving.
Our top story this hour: peaceful protests in Baghdad and not so peaceful demonstrations in Najaf, keeping coalition troops busy this Sunday. CNN's Jim Clancy is in the Iraqi capital with the latest on both fronts -- Jim.
JIM CLANCY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, the U.S. authorities, the coalition here in Iraq, didn't need this. There have been demonstrations going on in both near Najaf and also here in Baghdad this day by supporters of Moqtada al-Sadr, an influential Shia Muslim cleric with some support in the Shia community in this country. Just a few moments ago, shots were fired outside the Palestine Hotel, where a demonstration of several hundred has been going on. It coincides with others around the country. But, by far, the most serious situation is in Najaf and Kufa (ph) very closely by. That's where Spanish forces are headquartered.
This was the scene earlier. This videotape has come in. It shows supporters of Moqtada al-Sadr, firing from behind a car and apparently Spanish forces firing back. You can see on the videotape that some people are hit and then carried away by some of their comrades.
Hospital sources telling agencies, along with eyewitnesses, that at least eight people have lost their lives, another 35 have been wounded. Spanish military sources telling CNN the clashes began around noon, when they came under attack by gunfire from supporters of Moqtada al-Sadr trying to get into their garrison at Kufa (ph) near Najaf.
Now, in that process, at least two Iraqi police or soldiers, were killed. They were inside the Spanish garrison. Other scenes showed just absolute chaos there.
These protests have been ongoing over the closure of a newspaper and, more recently, there in Najaf over the apparent arrest, the claimed arrest of a top aide to Moqtada al-Sadr. Now, that has been denied by Spanish authorities, although Sunday they said he may have been picked up by other members of the coalition.
A very tense situation, certainly. This Shia Muslim cleric, although well known in Iraq, did not command a wide following. There's a lot of concern that this may change all of that.
Back to you, Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right. Jim Clancy, thanks very much for that report from Baghdad.
Also in Iraq, two U.S. Marines were killed in separate indents in Al Anbar province this weekend. Both were injured during fighting Saturday. One of them died today. Both were assigned to the Marine's 1st Division. The Al Anbar province includes the city of Fallujah, where four U.S. civilian security contractors were killed in an ambush last Wednesday.
Back here into the U.S., a verdict in the trial of a Texas mother accused of bludgeoning her children to death. Deanna Laney wept as a jury declared her not guilty by reason of insanity. The 39-year-old Laney admitted to bashing in the heads of two of her sons, one 8 years old, the other 6.
Laney also seriously injured her toddler son in the attack on Mother's Day last year. Attorneys from both sides had this reaction...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) BUCK FILES, LANEY'S ATTORNEY: Relief. Since our first conversation with Dr. Resnick, we have believed as strongly as we could believe that our client was insane at the time of the events. And for anyone who has defended criminal cases, there is nothing worse than the fear that you will have a client inappropriately convicted when they are innocent, either purely innocent or innocent as a result of being insane at the time. So it's been 10 and a half months of waiting.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MATT BINGHAM, DISTRICT ATTORNEY: You can't help but take a toll on you. I mean, this is -- it's hard to deal with at times. But, you know, you have a job to do, so you go down and you do it.
I don't think anybody in this room or anybody in that courtroom wasn't touched by the evidence in this case. You know, for the rest of my life I'll remember Aaron, I'll remember Joshua, I'll remember Luke. I'll never forget what happened to them that day. But you have a job to do, and I think -- I know the defense did what they had to do and I did what I had to do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Laney will be committed to a maximum security state hospital where doctors will determine her length of stay.
A story now about a desperate attempt at a better life that often ends in tragedy. CNN's Lucia Newman sits down with the families of Cubans who have tried their luck at a dangerous journey: destination USA.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LUCIA NEWMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): These 14-year-old twins have good reason to say they've been blessed. Their mother, seen here, being rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard on March 25, was one of three Cubans who miraculously survived a stormy sea journey across the Florida straits in a raft made of inner tubes. At least five others perished in the weeklong crossing.
"She did it for us, because she knew we lived badly, had bad food." "She left to help us," says her son Orlando. The boys, who have been living with their grandmother, say they now dream of being reunited with their mother and their father, who was already living in Florida.
In the nearby neighborhood, it's a very different story for these two teenagers. Their father was one of those who didn't make it. "We begged him not to go," they say. Their mother, Glenys, says her husband, an unemployed merchant marine, left Cuba in sent of political and economic freedom, convinced he would survive the treacherous sea crossing. GLENYS FADRE DE AGUILERANE, WIDOW (through translator): He told my son, "Take care of your mother, and one day we'll all be together again. You take charge until I can make contact and help you."
NEWMAN: The wife of dissident Antonio Pantojathat, who also drowned, says he, too, was sure he would make it to the other side, as they call it.
JUANITA REP. DE PANTOJATHAT, WIDOW (through translator): That was always his dream, because he felt locked up here.
NEWMAN: Cuba's communist government accuses Washington of promoting these dangerous sea journeys by allowing Cubans who reach U.S. shores to stay, a privilege denied to most other illegal migrants.
(on camera): There are no hard statistics, but every year dozens of Cubans who leave these shores in search of a better life die in the attempt. Their bodies in most cases are never found. Glenys De Aguilerane says finding the remains of her husband Fernando would give her some comfort. A small consolation she knows she may never have.
Lucia Newman, CNN, Havana.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Turning now to Spain, where at least three suspected terrorists blew themselves up near Madrid after police tried to enter the building they were in, authorities believe the man who masterminded the March 11 attacks in Madrid is among the dead. CNN's Madrid bureau chief, Al Goodman, joins us via videophone with the latest -- Al.
Al, if you're there, go ahead with your report.
AL GOODMAN, CNN MADRID BUREAU CHIEF: Fredricka, I'm at the southern suburb of Leganes and the building where the explosion occurred. I am standing at the southern suburb of Leganes in front of the building where the explosion occurred last night, if you can hear me, Fredricka.
Now, the latest from the interior minister is that there are four suspected terrorists dead, one police officer who died in the bombing. There has been some amateur video that has been supplied showing a tremendous explosion.
We talked to one man who took some of that video, a security guard who leaned out. He said he heard a very small explosion just before the major one. He surmised that maybe the police were at that point blowing open the door or shooting down the door before the explosion happened.
Now, the key figures, Fredricka, who are dead include this Tunisian man, the alleged coordinator of the March 11 commuter train bombings in Madrid that killed 190 people and wounded 1,800 others. He was on the list of international arrest warrants. Another man, a Moroccan, also on that list of warrants, he's also dead, the interior minister said. There was another man, a Moroccan, who was not on that list. So he is a new figure in the investigation. And a fourth suspected terrorist dead, so badly mutilated in the bombing that they can't immediately identify who he is.
The police officers inside breaking in, trying to apprehend those suspected terrorists. But the funeral for that man will be held later this day. We're also being told by the interior minister that two other suspected terrorists got away -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Al Goodman thanks for that report via videophone from Leganes, Spain, just outside of Madrid.
Coming up: the high price of gas. What filling up at the pump is really costing you.
Plus, spring has sprung. For many that means time to hit the road. But we want to know, is the pumped up price of gas affecting your vacation plans? Send us your e-mails at wam@cnn.com. We'll be reading some of them a little bit later.
And this...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ZAIN AL-THAWADI, ASSISTANT PRODUCER, "BIG BROTHER": No matter how much you try to change it nothing is going to change here, you know? I really -- I feel -- I envy people who can just pick up their bags and leave.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Reality TV gets a little too real and gets kicked off the airwaves? What happened, when CNN SUNDAY MORNING continues.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: In New York, "Saturday Night Live" played the Trump card. The Donald said the show probably needed his help with the ratings.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE": Darrell, I love what you do. It's great. Do that thing, go ahead.
DARRELL HAMMOND, "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE" You're fired.
TRUMP: Do it again, Darrell. I love it.
HAMMOND: You're fired.
TRUMP: Oh, man. Keep firing, Darrell. We're going to clean out NBC.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Well, not everything Donald Trump touches flies as high as "The Apprentice," however. Stay with us to hear about the three generations that built the Trump empire, coming up next hour on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
And if you're still not trumped out, tune in to CNN's "PEOPLE IN THE NEWS." We'll profile Donald Trump and actor Kevin Spacey. That's later tonight at 7:00 Eastern right here on CNN.
Reality shows are not exclusive to American television. In the Middle East, more than one reality show got a little too real for the religious right.
Here's CNN's Brent Sadler.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRENT SADLER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): They are a huge commercial success, western-style reality TV shows captivating audiences in the Middle East. Daring brands of entertainment here featuring young men and women under one roof, for all to see. "Big Brother" clashed head on with conservative Islam.
REINA SARKIS, PSYCHOANALYST: It's as if that show sort of lifted the veil not from women's faces, but from the society's face.
SADLER: Seen in some form, say the Dutch creators, by as many as two billion viewers in 25 countries, including the United States.
(on camera): But not in the Middle East until producers thought they had worked out a new format that would not cross this region's strict religious and social boundaries.
(voice-over): Wrong. NBC (ph), a Saudi Arabian-owned company, pulled the plug on the reported $10 million program after just 10 days on air. To silence a religious outcry in the kingdom of Bahrain where the show was transmitted from, howls of protests followed this scene of a Saudi man with a Saudi flag kissing a Tunisian housemate, sparking fears, public debate, that reached parliament.
"There are many other scenes that were sickening," says this Islamist MP, "so we took action to shut down this purpose-built studio with separate sleeping quarters for men and women, and prayer rooms for both." Zain Al-Thawadi is a Bahraini who worked on the show from day one, returning home after years of study in the United States to help produce what she thought was a pioneering venture, only to feel crushed and let down.
AL-THAWADI: No matter how much you try to change it, nothing is going to change here, you know? It's -- I really -- I feel -- I envy people who can just pick up their bags and leave. I really do.
SADLER: Viewers never saw these pictures of the 12 housemates doing just that, ending a regional show that creators promised to revamp and relocate to reach a part of the world where reality TV is far stranger than fiction.
Brent Sadler, CNN, Bahrain.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: You may be feeling the pinch when you fill up your tank. But how else is the high price of gas going to cost you? We'll have a live report straight ahead.
Plus, good morning, Washington, D.C. We'll be back with your complete weather forecast.
You're watching CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(WEATHER REPORT)
WHITFIELD: All right. Those of us who drive are fed up with the cost of filling up. The national average last week was $1.77 a gallon for regular. But a good part of high gas prices comes from taxes.
So what's the true cost of gas for American drivers? CNN's Kathleen Koch is live at a gas station in Washington with a nice backdrop of some trees back there, cherry blossom season.
Good morning to you, Kathleen.
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Fredricka.
Well, as you can see, take a look at the price here for regular at this downtown Washington, D.C., gas station -- $1.89 a gallon, ouch. Now, figuring out the true cost of gasoline, though, is pretty tough, because the economists are worried that if these prices stay high that it will begin to ripple through the economy. You won't just be paying at the pump, you'll be paying with every purchase.
Businesses are beginning to start to feel the pinch as they pay higher costs for every good that is delivered to them. The large trucking companies in the country that carry about 69 percent of the goods that are moved throughout the U.S. have already begun to add fuel surcharges to every delivery.
Smaller truckers really being hit hard. Back in 2001, when the fuel prices spiked, many went out of business. They make about $35,000 a year, and they're expecting to see their fuel costs go up $4,000 a year this year alone.
But when it does come to individuals, what we're finding is that most drivers are not yet changing any of their habits. SUV sales, as a matter of fact, are up 14 percent from a year ago, while the sales of small and midsize cars are going down. And economists say that you would basically have to see a 30 percent increase in fuel costs for an extended period of time before people would decide to downsize.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) PAUL TAYLOR, CHIEF NADA ECONOMIST: We've had an increase something like that this time. If consumers come to think that it's going to be permanent, they'll start to make the subtle adjustments. But consumers buy the car that meets their needs and try and find some economy in the operation of that car as well. They look at the entire package of the price of the car, financing costs and gasoline prices.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOCH: People at this point are also not yet changing their summer driving habits. The current increase at the fuel pump, really when you translate it, it only costs the average family of four when they're out on the road on vacation only as much as two fast-food meals.
Now, some in Congress, though, say that the Bush administration needs to be doing something to force Americans who won't give up their SUV or their summer vacations, force them to conserve. And by doing that, to push basically up fuel economy standards.
Now, the Bush administration did slightly boost the fuel economy standards for light trucks last year to 22.2 miles a gallon. But conservationists, environmentalists say that that's a far cry from where they should be. They say about 27.5 miles to the gallon. That's what most average cars get -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks a lot, Kathleen.
Never good timing to have high-priced gasoline, but particularly, as we do head into the summer season, we have an e-mail question for all of you viewers out there this morning. Is the high cost of gasoline affecting your vacation plans?
We're getting lots of met mails. Walt says, "Well, not in the least, because I have adjusted for the increase. I drive diesel- powered cars. Unlike the gas hybrid cars, which are low on power and very costly, the modern diesel is easily maintained and has real freeway power, and is better suited for those in our large country."
So take that, says Walt. He's doing OK and he's managed.
Well, here now is a look at a couple of -- our top stories we're following for you the first day of Daylight Saving Time.
In Iraq, at least four Iraqis are killed in a gun battle between Shiite demonstrators and Spanish soldiers in Najaf. Protesters in both Najaf and the capital of Baghdad have been voicing anger over what they call the coalition's targeting of Moqtada al-Sadr, an influential Shiite clerk.
And in Spain, at least three suspected terrorists blew themselves up as police closed in on an apartment south of Madrid. Police believe the ringleader of last month's Madrid train bombings is among the dead.
And do you miss that hour of sleep Daylight Saving Time took away over night? Up next, "WEEKEND HOUSE CALL" tells you how much sleep you need to get a good night's rest.
Plus, 30 years ago this weekend, a super outbreak of tornadoes hit the U.S. At 9:00 a.m. Eastern, we'll talk to one survivor whose life was forever changed because of it.
And at 9:45 a.m. Eastern, which Illinois city can walk to the moon and back? Sort of. The mayors square off here when CNN SUNDAY MORNING continues.
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 4, 2004 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: We have a lot coming up for you this hour.
Terror in Spain: the country's interior minister says the suspected organizer of the March 11 attack is dead after a powerful explosion near Madrid. We'll take you live to Spain for the very latest.
And what gas is really costing you. It's not just filling up that's about to become more expensive.
And this... what in the world? A harsh reality for this reality TV show. How one part of the world is just not ready for it. But, first, the headlines.
In Madrid, a top Spanish official says the ringleader of the Madrid train bombings last month is dead. He's one of at least three suspects who blew themselves up as police prepared to storm a building south of Madrid. The blast also killed a police officer. The latest from Spain in a live report in minutes.
In Iraq, protests and violence in Najaf, where militants lured Spanish coalition troops into a bloody gun battle amid Shiite protests.
In Baghdad, peaceful demonstrations from Shiites marching to support an influential cleric who they believe is being mistreated by the coalition. We'll have a live report straight ahead on that.
And here in the U.S., time to set that flashing clock to the right time, which is now an hour later than what you probably thought it was, given that you went to bed last night. Daylight Saving Time means most of the nation lost an hour of sleep overnight. Some exceptions, though. Hawaii and parts of Indiana don't bother with daylight saving.
Our top story this hour: peaceful protests in Baghdad and not so peaceful demonstrations in Najaf, keeping coalition troops busy this Sunday. CNN's Jim Clancy is in the Iraqi capital with the latest on both fronts -- Jim.
JIM CLANCY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, the U.S. authorities, the coalition here in Iraq, didn't need this. There have been demonstrations going on in both near Najaf and also here in Baghdad this day by supporters of Moqtada al-Sadr, an influential Shia Muslim cleric with some support in the Shia community in this country. Just a few moments ago, shots were fired outside the Palestine Hotel, where a demonstration of several hundred has been going on. It coincides with others around the country. But, by far, the most serious situation is in Najaf and Kufa (ph) very closely by. That's where Spanish forces are headquartered.
This was the scene earlier. This videotape has come in. It shows supporters of Moqtada al-Sadr, firing from behind a car and apparently Spanish forces firing back. You can see on the videotape that some people are hit and then carried away by some of their comrades.
Hospital sources telling agencies, along with eyewitnesses, that at least eight people have lost their lives, another 35 have been wounded. Spanish military sources telling CNN the clashes began around noon, when they came under attack by gunfire from supporters of Moqtada al-Sadr trying to get into their garrison at Kufa (ph) near Najaf.
Now, in that process, at least two Iraqi police or soldiers, were killed. They were inside the Spanish garrison. Other scenes showed just absolute chaos there.
These protests have been ongoing over the closure of a newspaper and, more recently, there in Najaf over the apparent arrest, the claimed arrest of a top aide to Moqtada al-Sadr. Now, that has been denied by Spanish authorities, although Sunday they said he may have been picked up by other members of the coalition.
A very tense situation, certainly. This Shia Muslim cleric, although well known in Iraq, did not command a wide following. There's a lot of concern that this may change all of that.
Back to you, Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right. Jim Clancy, thanks very much for that report from Baghdad.
Also in Iraq, two U.S. Marines were killed in separate indents in Al Anbar province this weekend. Both were injured during fighting Saturday. One of them died today. Both were assigned to the Marine's 1st Division. The Al Anbar province includes the city of Fallujah, where four U.S. civilian security contractors were killed in an ambush last Wednesday.
Back here into the U.S., a verdict in the trial of a Texas mother accused of bludgeoning her children to death. Deanna Laney wept as a jury declared her not guilty by reason of insanity. The 39-year-old Laney admitted to bashing in the heads of two of her sons, one 8 years old, the other 6.
Laney also seriously injured her toddler son in the attack on Mother's Day last year. Attorneys from both sides had this reaction...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) BUCK FILES, LANEY'S ATTORNEY: Relief. Since our first conversation with Dr. Resnick, we have believed as strongly as we could believe that our client was insane at the time of the events. And for anyone who has defended criminal cases, there is nothing worse than the fear that you will have a client inappropriately convicted when they are innocent, either purely innocent or innocent as a result of being insane at the time. So it's been 10 and a half months of waiting.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MATT BINGHAM, DISTRICT ATTORNEY: You can't help but take a toll on you. I mean, this is -- it's hard to deal with at times. But, you know, you have a job to do, so you go down and you do it.
I don't think anybody in this room or anybody in that courtroom wasn't touched by the evidence in this case. You know, for the rest of my life I'll remember Aaron, I'll remember Joshua, I'll remember Luke. I'll never forget what happened to them that day. But you have a job to do, and I think -- I know the defense did what they had to do and I did what I had to do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Laney will be committed to a maximum security state hospital where doctors will determine her length of stay.
A story now about a desperate attempt at a better life that often ends in tragedy. CNN's Lucia Newman sits down with the families of Cubans who have tried their luck at a dangerous journey: destination USA.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LUCIA NEWMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): These 14-year-old twins have good reason to say they've been blessed. Their mother, seen here, being rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard on March 25, was one of three Cubans who miraculously survived a stormy sea journey across the Florida straits in a raft made of inner tubes. At least five others perished in the weeklong crossing.
"She did it for us, because she knew we lived badly, had bad food." "She left to help us," says her son Orlando. The boys, who have been living with their grandmother, say they now dream of being reunited with their mother and their father, who was already living in Florida.
In the nearby neighborhood, it's a very different story for these two teenagers. Their father was one of those who didn't make it. "We begged him not to go," they say. Their mother, Glenys, says her husband, an unemployed merchant marine, left Cuba in sent of political and economic freedom, convinced he would survive the treacherous sea crossing. GLENYS FADRE DE AGUILERANE, WIDOW (through translator): He told my son, "Take care of your mother, and one day we'll all be together again. You take charge until I can make contact and help you."
NEWMAN: The wife of dissident Antonio Pantojathat, who also drowned, says he, too, was sure he would make it to the other side, as they call it.
JUANITA REP. DE PANTOJATHAT, WIDOW (through translator): That was always his dream, because he felt locked up here.
NEWMAN: Cuba's communist government accuses Washington of promoting these dangerous sea journeys by allowing Cubans who reach U.S. shores to stay, a privilege denied to most other illegal migrants.
(on camera): There are no hard statistics, but every year dozens of Cubans who leave these shores in search of a better life die in the attempt. Their bodies in most cases are never found. Glenys De Aguilerane says finding the remains of her husband Fernando would give her some comfort. A small consolation she knows she may never have.
Lucia Newman, CNN, Havana.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Turning now to Spain, where at least three suspected terrorists blew themselves up near Madrid after police tried to enter the building they were in, authorities believe the man who masterminded the March 11 attacks in Madrid is among the dead. CNN's Madrid bureau chief, Al Goodman, joins us via videophone with the latest -- Al.
Al, if you're there, go ahead with your report.
AL GOODMAN, CNN MADRID BUREAU CHIEF: Fredricka, I'm at the southern suburb of Leganes and the building where the explosion occurred. I am standing at the southern suburb of Leganes in front of the building where the explosion occurred last night, if you can hear me, Fredricka.
Now, the latest from the interior minister is that there are four suspected terrorists dead, one police officer who died in the bombing. There has been some amateur video that has been supplied showing a tremendous explosion.
We talked to one man who took some of that video, a security guard who leaned out. He said he heard a very small explosion just before the major one. He surmised that maybe the police were at that point blowing open the door or shooting down the door before the explosion happened.
Now, the key figures, Fredricka, who are dead include this Tunisian man, the alleged coordinator of the March 11 commuter train bombings in Madrid that killed 190 people and wounded 1,800 others. He was on the list of international arrest warrants. Another man, a Moroccan, also on that list of warrants, he's also dead, the interior minister said. There was another man, a Moroccan, who was not on that list. So he is a new figure in the investigation. And a fourth suspected terrorist dead, so badly mutilated in the bombing that they can't immediately identify who he is.
The police officers inside breaking in, trying to apprehend those suspected terrorists. But the funeral for that man will be held later this day. We're also being told by the interior minister that two other suspected terrorists got away -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Al Goodman thanks for that report via videophone from Leganes, Spain, just outside of Madrid.
Coming up: the high price of gas. What filling up at the pump is really costing you.
Plus, spring has sprung. For many that means time to hit the road. But we want to know, is the pumped up price of gas affecting your vacation plans? Send us your e-mails at wam@cnn.com. We'll be reading some of them a little bit later.
And this...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ZAIN AL-THAWADI, ASSISTANT PRODUCER, "BIG BROTHER": No matter how much you try to change it nothing is going to change here, you know? I really -- I feel -- I envy people who can just pick up their bags and leave.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Reality TV gets a little too real and gets kicked off the airwaves? What happened, when CNN SUNDAY MORNING continues.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: In New York, "Saturday Night Live" played the Trump card. The Donald said the show probably needed his help with the ratings.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE": Darrell, I love what you do. It's great. Do that thing, go ahead.
DARRELL HAMMOND, "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE" You're fired.
TRUMP: Do it again, Darrell. I love it.
HAMMOND: You're fired.
TRUMP: Oh, man. Keep firing, Darrell. We're going to clean out NBC.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Well, not everything Donald Trump touches flies as high as "The Apprentice," however. Stay with us to hear about the three generations that built the Trump empire, coming up next hour on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
And if you're still not trumped out, tune in to CNN's "PEOPLE IN THE NEWS." We'll profile Donald Trump and actor Kevin Spacey. That's later tonight at 7:00 Eastern right here on CNN.
Reality shows are not exclusive to American television. In the Middle East, more than one reality show got a little too real for the religious right.
Here's CNN's Brent Sadler.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRENT SADLER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): They are a huge commercial success, western-style reality TV shows captivating audiences in the Middle East. Daring brands of entertainment here featuring young men and women under one roof, for all to see. "Big Brother" clashed head on with conservative Islam.
REINA SARKIS, PSYCHOANALYST: It's as if that show sort of lifted the veil not from women's faces, but from the society's face.
SADLER: Seen in some form, say the Dutch creators, by as many as two billion viewers in 25 countries, including the United States.
(on camera): But not in the Middle East until producers thought they had worked out a new format that would not cross this region's strict religious and social boundaries.
(voice-over): Wrong. NBC (ph), a Saudi Arabian-owned company, pulled the plug on the reported $10 million program after just 10 days on air. To silence a religious outcry in the kingdom of Bahrain where the show was transmitted from, howls of protests followed this scene of a Saudi man with a Saudi flag kissing a Tunisian housemate, sparking fears, public debate, that reached parliament.
"There are many other scenes that were sickening," says this Islamist MP, "so we took action to shut down this purpose-built studio with separate sleeping quarters for men and women, and prayer rooms for both." Zain Al-Thawadi is a Bahraini who worked on the show from day one, returning home after years of study in the United States to help produce what she thought was a pioneering venture, only to feel crushed and let down.
AL-THAWADI: No matter how much you try to change it, nothing is going to change here, you know? It's -- I really -- I feel -- I envy people who can just pick up their bags and leave. I really do.
SADLER: Viewers never saw these pictures of the 12 housemates doing just that, ending a regional show that creators promised to revamp and relocate to reach a part of the world where reality TV is far stranger than fiction.
Brent Sadler, CNN, Bahrain.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: You may be feeling the pinch when you fill up your tank. But how else is the high price of gas going to cost you? We'll have a live report straight ahead.
Plus, good morning, Washington, D.C. We'll be back with your complete weather forecast.
You're watching CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
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(WEATHER REPORT)
WHITFIELD: All right. Those of us who drive are fed up with the cost of filling up. The national average last week was $1.77 a gallon for regular. But a good part of high gas prices comes from taxes.
So what's the true cost of gas for American drivers? CNN's Kathleen Koch is live at a gas station in Washington with a nice backdrop of some trees back there, cherry blossom season.
Good morning to you, Kathleen.
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Fredricka.
Well, as you can see, take a look at the price here for regular at this downtown Washington, D.C., gas station -- $1.89 a gallon, ouch. Now, figuring out the true cost of gasoline, though, is pretty tough, because the economists are worried that if these prices stay high that it will begin to ripple through the economy. You won't just be paying at the pump, you'll be paying with every purchase.
Businesses are beginning to start to feel the pinch as they pay higher costs for every good that is delivered to them. The large trucking companies in the country that carry about 69 percent of the goods that are moved throughout the U.S. have already begun to add fuel surcharges to every delivery.
Smaller truckers really being hit hard. Back in 2001, when the fuel prices spiked, many went out of business. They make about $35,000 a year, and they're expecting to see their fuel costs go up $4,000 a year this year alone.
But when it does come to individuals, what we're finding is that most drivers are not yet changing any of their habits. SUV sales, as a matter of fact, are up 14 percent from a year ago, while the sales of small and midsize cars are going down. And economists say that you would basically have to see a 30 percent increase in fuel costs for an extended period of time before people would decide to downsize.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) PAUL TAYLOR, CHIEF NADA ECONOMIST: We've had an increase something like that this time. If consumers come to think that it's going to be permanent, they'll start to make the subtle adjustments. But consumers buy the car that meets their needs and try and find some economy in the operation of that car as well. They look at the entire package of the price of the car, financing costs and gasoline prices.
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KOCH: People at this point are also not yet changing their summer driving habits. The current increase at the fuel pump, really when you translate it, it only costs the average family of four when they're out on the road on vacation only as much as two fast-food meals.
Now, some in Congress, though, say that the Bush administration needs to be doing something to force Americans who won't give up their SUV or their summer vacations, force them to conserve. And by doing that, to push basically up fuel economy standards.
Now, the Bush administration did slightly boost the fuel economy standards for light trucks last year to 22.2 miles a gallon. But conservationists, environmentalists say that that's a far cry from where they should be. They say about 27.5 miles to the gallon. That's what most average cars get -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks a lot, Kathleen.
Never good timing to have high-priced gasoline, but particularly, as we do head into the summer season, we have an e-mail question for all of you viewers out there this morning. Is the high cost of gasoline affecting your vacation plans?
We're getting lots of met mails. Walt says, "Well, not in the least, because I have adjusted for the increase. I drive diesel- powered cars. Unlike the gas hybrid cars, which are low on power and very costly, the modern diesel is easily maintained and has real freeway power, and is better suited for those in our large country."
So take that, says Walt. He's doing OK and he's managed.
Well, here now is a look at a couple of -- our top stories we're following for you the first day of Daylight Saving Time.
In Iraq, at least four Iraqis are killed in a gun battle between Shiite demonstrators and Spanish soldiers in Najaf. Protesters in both Najaf and the capital of Baghdad have been voicing anger over what they call the coalition's targeting of Moqtada al-Sadr, an influential Shiite clerk.
And in Spain, at least three suspected terrorists blew themselves up as police closed in on an apartment south of Madrid. Police believe the ringleader of last month's Madrid train bombings is among the dead.
And do you miss that hour of sleep Daylight Saving Time took away over night? Up next, "WEEKEND HOUSE CALL" tells you how much sleep you need to get a good night's rest.
Plus, 30 years ago this weekend, a super outbreak of tornadoes hit the U.S. At 9:00 a.m. Eastern, we'll talk to one survivor whose life was forever changed because of it.
And at 9:45 a.m. Eastern, which Illinois city can walk to the moon and back? Sort of. The mayors square off here when CNN SUNDAY MORNING continues.
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