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CNN Sunday Morning
Jordanian Officials Announce Arrest of Would-Be Suicide Bomber
Aired November 13, 2005 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: There has been a stunning new development in Jordan this morning days after a string of deadly terrorist bombings. We're going to take you live to Amman for the latest.
From the CNN Center in Atlanta, good morning. This is CNN SUNDAY MORNING. I'm Betty Nguyen.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Tony Harris. It is 7:00 a.m. here on the East coast and 2:00 p.m. in Amman, Jordan. Thank you for being with us. More on our top story in a moment.
But first, here are some other stories making news right now. She is well traveled of late, but Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has just wrapped up a strategic dialogue with Saudi Arabian officials. Later, Rice will head for Jerusalem, where she'll try to advance the peace process between Palestinians and Israelis.
Midtown Atlanta is awash in emergency vehicles and officials, as the city conducts an emergency preparedness exercise. You're looking at live pictures from midtown Atlanta right now. State and federal homeland security officials are also taking part. The drill is scheduled to conclude in about three hours.
Experts will try to determine the number and intensity of the tornadoes that struck central Iowa late yesterday afternoon. There's major damage in two counties. An elderly woman was killed. Residents of Stratford say half of their small town is gone.
Come on, fellows, it's live. You can clap your hands and move -- something here.
NGUYEN: Up there in space, come on.
HARRIS: Well, here's the story, Betty. The International Space Station crew got a rather rousing royal rousting from Sir Paul McCartney this morning with the classic Beatles song. How cool is that? It gets even groovier, if I can say that, considering it's the first time a live concert was linked into outer space. So good day to you, too, sunshine.
NGUYEN: Hey, that's a great way to wake up. Yes, they need a little spunk in their step.
HARRIS: Come on, oh, yes.
NGUYEN: What's with that?
All right, here's what's on our agenda this hour. Winding down Operation Steel Curtain. U.S. and Iraqi forces are mopping up near the Syrian border. It is a key entry point for insurgent infiltrators.
Also, it's going to be a tough choice for many Santa's helpers this holiday season. Presents under the tree or heat?
And custom made kids creating that perfect child before it's even born, or even conceived. We'll tell you all about that.
HARRIS: Our top story this morning, dramatic new developments in the Jordan hotel bombings. About an hour ago, Jordanian officials announced the arrest of a woman suspected of taking part in the suicide attacks.
Let's go straight to CNN'S Brent Sadler in Amman, Jordan.
Brent, good morning.
BRENT SADLER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Tony. This is a vitally important breakthrough for the investigators looking into Wednesday's blasts by suicide bombers. What they have revealed a short time ago is that the sister of one of Abu Musab al Zarqawi, that's that top Jordanian born terrorist, one of his left (INAUDIBLE), his sister, was the fourth suicide bomber whose explosive device belt failed to detonate at the Radisson Hotel where that wedding party was targeted by a husband and wife team.
Now the deputy prime minister of Jordan has been giving details a short time ago about information that's come out subsequent to this very important arrest.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARWAN MUASHER, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER: The suicide bomber and his wife went to the Radisson Hotel, knowing that they were going to a wedding party by the clothes that they were wearing. And both had explosive belts around their waists.
His wife attempted to detonate the belt after they went in the wedding room, but failed to do so. And her husband asked her to leave the wedding party. Once she did, he detonated himself successfully.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SADLER: So four suicide bombers, all Iraqis, three men and the wife of one of the attackers. Apparently they crossed into Jordan from Iraq. They were all Iraqis. And they had spent several days here planning and then executing this terrorist strike.
Now as far this is concerned, there's going to be another very important breakthrough here in the next couple of hours when Jordanian authorities put this woman they've now arrested on television. And she's going to be giving details, they say, of that terrorist operation -- Tony?
HARRIS: So Brent, they're going to put her on television and ask questions of her? Is that what's going to happen?
SADLER: No, this is going to be a recording, we understand. She will have been facing some questions. They've got her suicide belt that was made in Iraq smuggled into this country, along with the other three explosive devices. And she, they say, here is going to be put on television facing questions about the nature of the operation.
That in itself to hear details of an attack that mostly successful is obviously going to be something of a unique nature to see this when it comes up on TV here, Tony.
HARRIS: Yes, absolutely, Brent. In essence, her statement on television. OK, Brent Sadler for us in Amman, Jordan. Brent, thank you.
NGUYEN: Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is covering a lot of ground these days. Today, Rice is making stops in Saudi Arabia and Israel. Earlier, she made a surprise visit to Baghdad. Then her scheduled visit to Bahrain was not everything that she had hoped for.
She was unable to garner Arab support for a draft promoting democracy and economic advancement in the Middle East. In fact, Egypt walked out of the U.S. backed summit over language in that draft.
Former President Bill Clinton and wife Hillary may run into Secretary Rice today as both are in Israel this morning. The Clintons are set to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Israeli defense officials. They are also scheduled to attend a service commemorating the 10th anniversary of Yitzak Rabin's assassination.
And President Bush begins a four nation tour of Asia tomorrow. The president has scheduled stops in Japan, China, South Korea, and Mongolia. His goals include improving trade with China, securing America's military presence in Okinawa, Japan, and renewing nuclear talks for the Korean peninsula.
HARRIS: Well, Betty, it has happened again. Killer weather sweeping in and blowing things away. This time, it was a string of tornadoes hitting central Iowa. The twisters ripped up farms, wrecked homes, and sent fans at a packed Iowa State football game running for cover. One woman was killed in the storms.
Eric Hanson from our Des Moines affiliate KCCI met with day survivors ravaged town of Woodward.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ERIC HANSON, KCCI NEWS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In the hours before sunset, Woodward went from quiet small town to tornado victim.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I saw all these debris swirling. And looked quick, try to find a place to hide.
HANSON: The southeast corner of town, they hit the deck.
MIKE RAMSEY, RESIDENT: I knew it was headed right at us. I knew it.
HANSON: Mike Ramsey was watching TV.
RAMSEY: And I looked off to the southwest and I could see it coming across that field. And that's when I told my wife, I said, OK, this is it. We got to go to the basement now.
HANSON: While cars were getting tossed, and walls were getting crushed above the ground, Mike and his family heard it pass overhead.
RAMSEY: Got holed up in a corner, hang on to some pipes that were overhead and rode it out.
HANSON: When he surfaced, he found trees snapped, buildings ripped apart, a nightmare scene playing out right off his front deck.
RAMSEY: Well, it's destroyed the -- the whole neighborhood. Right through here, all these houses are gone. My son was right over across the street. And you can see that house is no higher than 10 feet high right now.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Come on, everybody out of here!
HANSON: Within minutes, rescue crews arrived, going door to door.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's a gas leak!
HANSON: Searching for some victims, while trying to prevent more.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Gas leaks, if anybody was injured, if any of the power was still going.
HANSON: The realty building was destroyed. The Caseys got hit hard, too. So did dozens of homes. A corner of town turned upside- down. Debris everywhere and survival stories from everyone.
DOUG ZINNEL, TORNADO SURVIVOR: As it went over the house, they got pictures of it.
HANSON: Including Doug Zinnel, who thought he left the destruction behind.
ZINNEL: Well, we lived in Kenner, Louisiana just right south of the Lake Pontchartrain.
HANSON: Now just weeks after one disaster, another one. Second clean-up job that will start once the sun rises again.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Just went through it last Sunday in Indiana. HARRIS: Just went through it.
NGUYEN: And yet another one this time. It's just really amazing because a lot of people don't think it happens in the fall. It's usually a springtime event.
Bonnie Schneider's here to talk about it. Bonnie, are expecting any more of this?
BONNIE SCHNEIDER, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, it certainly is possible. You know, you're right. A lot of people don't expect these things to happen in November.
But believe it or not, there is a second season for tornado season. And it is November, especially when we have the weather pattern emerging as to the way it is right now.
But first, let's look back and show you exactly what happened in Iowa yesterday afternoon. As we put this map into motion, you'll find this starts at about 2:30 in the afternoon when things started getting active. And we certainly had our thunderstorms, our band of weather, working its way through.
Here's Woodward, where at least one of three tornadoes touched down. And you can see, here's the track. Look at this. The tornado worked its way to the northeast, traveling just to the north of Ames, Iowa. That's where they evacuated those folks of the football game and got a 40 minute delayed start.
Not too much damage in Ames, though. More damage here in Woodward. Certainly about 25 miles north of Des Moines we did see this activity take place. It's amazing the distance you could have so short in a tornado's path in some areas could get devastated, while others can remain just fine.
So that's where we had some damage reported. At least three tornadoes reported from this weather system. And it's a scenario the way the weather system shaped up is still set up for today.
Let's take a look at our current conditions right now. This is our picture of our radar. Here's our cold front. And what we saw yesterday was this cool air colliding with warm, moist air. And it happened where we -- right in Iowa, where we had the tornado outbreak occur.
But look what's happening now. We still have some winter weather warnings, because the colder air is being pulled down behind the front. So we're likely to see not only some snow, but very windy conditions for places like Chicago today. These yellow areas here and orange that you see in Michigan back out through Wisconsin and Minnesota, that indicates wind warnings.
So we're watching out for some high winds as well. This area right here, we'll be watching the potential for severe weather later today. I'll have more on that coming up. Betty, Tony?
HARRIS: OK, Bonnie, appreciate it. Thank you.
It has been one week since the devastating tornado struck in the middle of the night in southern Indiana. And coming up in just a few minutes, we'll talk to a man who survived the twister. He tells Betty Nguyen an amazing story.
NGUYEN: I imagine he does.
HARRIS: Do you want to have kids...
NGUYEN: All right, back this up, though.
HARRIS: Sorry, sorry, I almost looked right at you.
NGUYEN: Yes.
HARRIS: Boy, what a signal that'll send this morning.
NGUYEN: Wow.
HARRIS: And do you fear your biological clock is simply running out? Well, there could be some new hope for you. We'll explain in just a moment.
NGUYEN: Yes, you can be in trouble, too.
HARRIS: Yes.
NGUYEN: Don't look at me when you say that.
Also, live pictures of emergency crews on the streets of Atlanta. Look at that. Yes, it might look alarming. And it does. But don't worry. It is only a test. We'll tell you about it.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: And good morning, everyone. 7:14 in the East, way early out West. We're following new developments in the terror investigation in Jordan.
About an hour ago, authorities did confirm they arrested a woman who's explosive belt did not detonate. They believe she is a would-be fourth bomber. Also, Jordanian authorities say they may reveal the identities of the three hotel suicide bombers today. 57 people were killed in Wednesday's blasts.
A former New Orleans police officer has been arrested in Houston while driving a stolen truck. Houston authorities say Willie Bickham is expected to face felony charges, including unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and impersonating a police officer.
Maritime officials are searching for a mysterious mother ship off the coast of Somalia. We told you about this yesterday. They think it was used to launch smaller boats to commandeer big vessels. Pirates attacked five more ships last week after a failed attempt to seize a luxury liner. In our security watch this morning, a quiet Sunday morning in Atlanta is interrupted with blaring sirens and racing emergency cars, but it is only a drill, we're happy to tell you. The city's law enforcement officials and transit officials have teamed up with homeland security for an emergency preparedness drill.
OK, so the fake bomb going off is part of it. The drill is taking place in and around the city's transit station. And it will continue, we understand, until mid morning. Stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security.
NGUYEN: All right, Tony, listen to this. Harvest now, conceive later. Today we're talking about scientific advances in conception. Extend fertility, may offer a ray of hope to young women who want to have children, but later in life.
As CNN's Adaora Udoji explains, the procedure is still highly experimental.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LORI NELSON, EGG FREEZING CLIENT: Can you give me five?
ADAORA UDOJI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Lori Nelson yearns to have children, but never expected that age old desire would bring her to the cutting edge of reproductive medicine.
NELSON: I know on my 36th birthday, I thought, OK, I got to, you know, I got to get busy here. I got to do something.
UDOJI: Lori, a yoga teacher and part-time student, hasn't found her Mr. Right. And she knows her biological clock's ticking. Surveys show most women don't understand how quickly.
A woman's fertility peaks in her 20s. By her late 30s, her eggs are deteriorating, making it more difficult to get pregnant and increasing the risk of genetic defects.
By age 40, two-thirds of women cannot conceive naturally. Lori, now 37, was worried her chances of motherhood were slipping away until a friend told her about egg freezing.
NELSON: I was really surprised that there was actually technology available now to freeze eggs unfertilized.
UDOJI: Men have long been able to freeze sperm, but women's eggs are much more fragile. Thousands of children have been conceived from frozen embryos. Only about 125 children have come from frozen eggs, but that number's growing.
Christy Jones just started Extend Fertility, a company that offers and promotes the experimental treatment.
CHRISTY JONES, EXTEND FERTILITY: I do think it's revolutionary in the same way that the birth control pill was to our parents' generation. And that gave them so many more options. UDOJI (on camera): But does it work? Doctors have been experimenting since the mid '80s, but there have been so few studies, in fact so few patients, it's nearly impossible to know how successful it is.
(voice-over): Specialists in Italy are claiming major advances, a 17 percent pregnancy success rate in 500 attempts.
ALAN COPPERMAN, DR., REPRODUCTIVE MEDICINE ASSN.: ..that she sucks into her pipette.
UDOJI: Dr. Allen Copperman, a member of Extend Fertility's medical advisory board, said three out of four of his patients that tried the treatment got pregnant. That number is far too small to be medically significant, but he says it offers hope.
COPPERMAN: You know, 10 years ago, a woman sitting down in front of me, I didn't even discuss this as an option. Today, I think it's irresponsible not to.
UDOJI: Because?
COPPERMAN: Because the technology is getting better and better.
UDOJI: But critics say it's not good enough. The procedure's also expensive at about $10,000. And they say, it can offer women false hope.
ZEV ROSENWACS, DR., NY PRESBYTERIAN WEILL-CORNELL: We don't think it's justified to charge these women a certain amount of money with the knowledge that they have it 20 percent at best insurance policy.
UDOJI: But Lori is glad to have those odds if they can help fulfill her dream of being a mom.
NELSON: I feel very fortunate to have been able to have done it and to have this option to take the edge off.
UDOJI: Adaora Udoji, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Now this week, a Gerber British researchers got the go ahead to do experiments that could lead to designer babies. What do you think about the concept?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I personally would not do a designer baby, because I think when you dabble with the gene pool, it lends itself to other abuses and possibly, you know, cloning. I mean, where is it going to stop? Where are you going to draw the line? So personally, I wouldn't do it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I guess I would, so I could have a son that could be one of the best athletes in the world. I would like that, yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: And of course, we talked to all men there. All right, throughout CNN SUNDAY MORNING and all day, we're talking about the scientific advances that could lead to designer babies. And coming up at 9:00 Eastern, you definitely want to stick around for this. One medical ethicist joins us with his views. And of course, we're going to take your e-mails at cnn.com, or weekends@cnn.com.
But here's the question. Designer babies, what do you think about the concept? We want your thoughts this morning. Again, e-mail us, weekends@cnn.com.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Picking through what's left today after rare late in the year tornadoes swept across central Iowa. At least three tornadoes touched down northwest of Des Moines. One of them sent football fans running for their lives in Ames, Iowa, but damage there is minimal.
At least one twister destroyed homes in farms in nearby Stratford and Woodward. An elderly woman is the only fatality. Trees and power lines are ripped down and gas lines ruptured. A natural gas leak caused some residents to evacuate.
People in Iowa will soon be doing what those in Evansville, Indiana have done during the last week -- recovering personal items. It's one week since a devastating tornado smashed its way through two counties -- killing 23 and injuring more than 200 others.
Casey Lockhart is one of the residents who had his home destroyed when the twister touched down. He joins us on the phone this morning.
Casey, good to talk to you, sir.
CASEY LOCKHART, TORNADO VICTIM: Good morning.
HARRIS: A week later, boy, how are you?
LOCKHART: Well, I'm doing great. Everybody's been cleaned up. And I'm just -- I'm doing real good.
HARRIS: You have your life, but you lost virtually everything else, is that correct?
LOCKHART: That's correct. Everything, house, barns, equipment, everything.
HARRIS: So recap this week. The week since the tornado did so much damage to you, your neighbors, friends, and others in your community, recap this week for us. What has it been like for you? What have you been able to get accomplished?
LOCKHART: Well, we've got the house hauled away. And we've got one of the garages hauled away. And the barns have been fixed up. We've had a lot of family here to help. My two sons come in and help. We had an army special force then kind of head things up for me. And when they clean up, give me a truck to drive. And took his tractor and front end loader and cleaned things up.
And...
HARRIS: So you're making some progress? It sounds like you're making some real progress?
LOCKHART: Absolutely. We were -- it's really going great. The church has jumped in. Neighbors have jumped in. Everybody just really helped.
HARRIS: So Casey, take us back. When you went to bed, when you went to sleep Saturday evening last week, did you know, first of all, that there were thunderstorms in the forecast?
LOCKHART: No, I've been working horses all day. And I was tired and went to bed early. And I didn't have a clue that there was any bad weather in the area.
HARRIS: Mm-hmm. And so, but when you -- give us that moment when you realized this was something more than thunderstorms and even severe thunderstorms that you had experienced in the past?
LOCKHART: Well, when I heard about what I thought was hail hitting my window...
HARRIS: Wow.
LOCKHART: ...I rolled over to look out the window and all of a sudden, it exploded inward. And then the walls all come in on top of me. And I took a ride underneath all that stuff. About two -- actually two tornadoes hit me the same time.
HARRIS: Man. So Casey, were you...
LOCKHART: And...
HARRIS: I'm sorry, Casey, were you tossed around? What was it like inside as this storm was pounding you?
LOCKHART: Well, there were brick and two by fours and everything spinning around. And I was on a mattress. The mattress I sleep on wound up about 100 yards from where I started out at.
HARRIS: Oh, man.
LOCKHART: And I went through two walls to wind up in my kitchen and had all the roofs and the walls laying on top of me.
HARRIS: How did you survive?
LOCKHART: I guess the good Lord, He had a big hand in it, I suppose.
HARRIS: Man.
LOCKHART: I had to pull myself out. I looked -- and when I got out, it was raining and storming. And the neighbors all thought I was dead. So they didn't even come over and look at it.
HARRIS: Boy. Casey, you plan to rebuild?
LOCKHART: Yes, I -- last couple days, we decided to go ahead and rebuild. And I got a meeting with FEMA today. And everything is really looking good. People wanting to help. And so I'm doing good. I'm a lot better off than a lot of people.
HARRIS: Casey Lockhart with us this morning.
Casey, thanks for taking the time. And the best to you, as you rebuild your life.
LOCKHART: Thank you very much.
HARRIS: OK, Casey.
NGUYEN: You know, folks in central Iowa are dealing with today what Casey had to deal with last weekend, that's recovery.
So let's check in with Bonnie Schneider this morning to see what the weather's going to be like for them. It's going to be just a devastating day.
SCHNEIDER: Absolutely, of course, for a clean-up. But it looks like the weather in Iowa's improving. We're concerned with other parts of the country, where that same system is working its way through right now.
We have some wind watches posted actually for sections of the upper Midwest. And then as this front works its way to the East, it's still tapping into that moist air. So we may see some thunderstorms break out here and to parts of Kentucky, into Tennessee and even into Arkansas back off to the west.
But you know, a lot of people don't expect tornadoes in November. You should know, it's not impossible to have and certainly not that rare. About 10 to about 12 percent of tornadoes that occur annually occur from mid October through November.
And here's the reason why. We have a similar set-up right now than we have during the springtime, where we have the cold air to the north, the warm, moist air to the south. And then coming together, causing an area we know as tornado alley to gain its name.
So any time you have this collision of air masses like we're seeing right now in November, you're likely to see severe weather. So outbreaks do happen in November. They're not completely that rare. We just don't talk about it that much because we tend to think of tornadoes primarily happening in the spring season.
Betty, Tony? NGUYEN: All right, got to be aware, any time of the year. Thank you, Bonnie.
HARRIS: Bonnie, thank you.
U.S. and Iraqi forces keep up the pressure on insurgents. When we come back, CNN remains embedded with U.S. forces. We'll have the latest on Operation Steel Curtain in an exclusive report.
NGUYEN: And listen to this. A princess gives up her royal status to live with the man she loves. It is a romance for all time. Coming up in our going global segment, we're going to take you there right here on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: And we're back. 7:32 in the east, way, way early out west.
NGUYEN: Too early to think about all that. If you're watching we are so thankful that you are.
HARRIS: Good morning everyone. Welcome back to CNN SUNDAY MORNING. I'm Tony Harris.
NGUYEN: And I'm Betty Nguyen. Let's get you caught up on today's news, shall we? New developments this morning out of Jordan. Authorities say police have arrested a woman suspected of being involved in last week's hotel bombing. She is identified as the wife of one of the three suicide bombers. Now authorities say she tried, but failed, to detonate her own bomb.
Sirens are blaring. Police cars and ambulances are racing around. Here's some live pictures right now from midtown Atlanta where first responders are in action. But you know what, calm down, it's just a drill. Specifically an emergency preparedness drill put on by Atlanta law enforcement transit officials and the Department of Homeland Security.
Look at this. A series of tornadoes tore through central Iowa late yesterday, killing at least one person. The twisters also destroyed homes, snapped trees and power lines and caused at least one gas leak.
HARRIS: Now an update on the story we first told you about yesterday. Iraqi police commandos staged raids in the Baquba area northeast of Baghdad. Nearly 400 people were caught in the dragnet, including the city's deputy mayor and Sunni Arab party leaders. The Islamic party is condemning the raids and detention. It's 3:30 in the afternoon in Iraq where U.S. forces are winding up operation steel curtain in the town of Karabila near the Syrian border. After ridding the area of insurgents, the troops continue to battle the silent, hidden and deadly enemy they left behind. CNN Producer Arwa Damon is embedded with forces. She filed this exclusive report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This house right here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Where's the IED?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right here, around the corner.
ARWA DAMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It is the deadliest of insurgent weapons, the improvised explosive device.
LT. PAUL HAAGENSON, U.S. MARINE CORPS: Today's battlefield is one of almost fighting an enemy who wasn't there.
DAMON: But one that has proven deadly, hidden in dust and grime.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: About half my squad got through, then it went off. We need to clear out of this alley so we can get friggin' people in and out of here.
DAMON: A Marine is killed when he steps on a pressure plate IED. An Iraqi Army soldier is wounded. No matter how quiet the streets may seem, it is more often than not a deceptive calm. A few moments ago, the harsh reality of the dangers that lie in wait as Marines and Iraqi army soldiers pushed their way through Karabila.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE)
DAMON: The first platoon gets up and gets ready for yet another morning (INAUDIBLE). They discover in the very house that they spent the night in, more unexploded ordinance. The men tread carefully and somberly. The memories fresh, but they keep going.
HAAGENSON: It's just our fighting spirit as Marines. If someone gives us a challenge, our instinct is to push back harder. That's just the way the Marines do it. We meet resistance head on.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It doesn't take much, two or three pounds can set these off. They'll bury it just below the surface where you can barely see them.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Find caches left and right. I would say a very significant amount of ordinance and improvised weapon systems.
DAMON: A crude enemy that hides in the shadows and blends into the background. Once spotted Marines employ high tech solutions.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Great robots. Wide tracks, kind of like a tank. It's got an arm that articulates forward and back, wrists up and down and it's got a little claw on it, camera systems, basically just allows us to remotely view what we're dealing with.
(INAUDIBLE) No one is entirely sure what that massive explosion just was.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What do you need? What do you need? What's up? (INAUDIBLE) and everybody on the scene.
DAMON: Five marines are wounded. It was a pressure plate IED originally intended for a vehicle run across the road, but the explosive hidden in that hole.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a little confusing. You never know where they're coming from. Basically it's kind of sneaky. I mean you could just be walking down the street and boom, people are hurt.
DAMON: Fighting a silent but deadly enemy. Fighting to find it before it finds them. Arwa Damon, CNN, Karabila, Iraq.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: All right. Time now to check out some of the other stories making news all around the world today.
HARRIS: Police in India appear to have a suspect in two New Delhi bombings that killed about 60 people last month. Shannon Cook is monitoring that situation from our international desk and Shannon, what have you learned?
SHANNON COOK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, thanks Tony. Good morning to you. Good morning to everyone. Here's what we know right now. Authorities say a man has been taken into custody who's believed to be behind the October 29 bombings at two New Delhi marketplaces. Nearly 60 people were killed and more than 200 injured in the attack. We're being told a pharmaceutical sales executive named Tariq Dahr (ph) is in police custody. He was arrested Thursday in (INAUDIBLE) in Indian controlled Kashmir. It's believed that he and four others helped in the bombings.
Turning our attention now to France, where there's good news and there's bad news. The good news is that Paris survived a night without any violence. Authorities were concerned that there would be disturbances in the capital as it honors the Armistice Day weekend. Thousands of police are providing security in central Paris. The not so good news is that cars continue to burn across France for the 17th straight night of unrest and also rioters clashed with police for the first time in the city of Lyon.
Now let's turn our attention now to Japan. A princess there has decided to say see you later to royalty and essentially hello to romance. Princess Sayako is relinquishing her royal title to marry a commoner. She, in order to live as a housewife, she had to say a formal farewell to the imperial family in a traditional ceremony in Tokyo. You can see her wearing a kimono there. Apparently it has 12 layers. That's got to be heavy. Princess Sayako is the youngest child and only daughter of Emperor Akihito and she'll marry her fiance, who's an urban planner next week. The two were childhood friends and they apparently began dating about three years ago, although I bet in Japan they don't call it dating. Now, I don't know, maybe this is romantic, maybe it's not. But you definitely could say this performance is out of this world. Check it out.
All right. What are we watching? That is Sir Paul McCartney beaming up a wake-up call to astronauts at the international space station. Look, astronauts getting jiggy with it there, almost turning around, Tony. Sir Paul basically beamed this wake-up call from a concert that he performed live in California. And Tony, they say that or NASA says that it's the first time the wake-up call has been live. Astronauts really not cutting it up. I think one of the reasons is because McCartney is singing "Good Day Sunshine." Not a whole lot of sunshine up there in space.
HARRIS: Absolutely.
NGUYEN: They could do a few grooves, little moves up there. I mean come on.
COOK: They're kind of getting there, getting into it a little.
HARRIS: Right. But the point is that is very cool.
COOK: Very cool.
HARRIS: Isn't that great?
NGUYEN: If we all could just get Sir Paul to sing wakeup calls. He also sang "English Tea" for them as well.
COOK: Right. Getting quite a show. Fun times.
NGUYEN: And it was all free of charge for those astronauts which is just a plus there.
HARRIS: Good to see you, Shannon.
COOK: Thank you.
NGUYEN: OK, a brief standoff in Salem, Oregon, ends with a suspect critically wounded. The man holed up in the courthouse after crashing his pick-up truck through the front doors. But that is just the end of this bizarre story. Mark Glyzewski of CNN affiliate KPTV tells us how it all began.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARK GLYZEWSKI, KPTV CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Neighbors say 37-year-old Christopher Lee Millis is the father of six kids and recently lost his job. Police say early this morning, he left his house with a riffle and was wearing camouflage. His first stop was the Keizer police station.
SANDY SMITH, NEIGHBOR: The lights were flashing in the window and we heard screaming and yelling.
GLYZEWSKI: Police say an officer spotted Millis dumping what turned out to be a flammable liquid over several police cars. He set it on fire in the parking lot, burst into a wall of flame.
SMITH: You thought that you're safe next door to the police station. GLYZEWSKI: Police say Millis then took off in his car and pulled out the rifle and shot at the officer who was chasing him. He missed. Millis then ditched the car near his house.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's where the bullet came through.
GLYZEWSKI: Neighbor Gary Herd (ph) woke to the sound of gunfire and later found seven bullet holes in his trucks. Herd says he often called police after other troubles with Millis over the past year.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When this thing first started out, people just didn't believe what was going on. I would tell them what this -- oh it will pass. No big deal. Well, wrong.
GLYZEWSKI: Police say Millis shot up another neighbor's truck and house. One of the bullets shot through a bedroom wall. Police say he then took off for the Marion County courthouse where he crashed his truck. Millis then held police at bay in a three-hour standoff that ended when an officer with a tactical team shot Millis.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Just a bizarre story there. Mark Glyzewski of KPTV in Salem, Oregon, brought us that report. Now the suspect is recuperating in the hospital.
All right. So here's the good news. Modern technology brings us conveniences unimaginable a decade ago. We know this right Tony.
HARRIS: Right, right.
NGUYEN: OK. Here's the bad and we all know it.. Cell phone users, they can be so rude, can't they? I'm guilty of that every now and then. CNN.com --
HARRIS: Rude, you?
NGUYEN: Yes. Well, it's kind of rude to talk on the phone at dinner. I saw someone in the museum yesterday on the phone. We'll talk about that coming up too. That's next on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
HARRIS: Good morning Las Vegas. Let's see that live shot. Oh, there's the strip. A little later, the annual aviation nation air show gets under way. It maybe started yesterday. I think it continues today. The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds take to the skies later this morning. So what's the forecast? Because we're not thinking about leaving Las Vegas. It's all about believing Las Vegas. Meteorologist Bonnie Schneider will have the forecast for you coming up. By the way, admission to the air show at Nellis Air Force Base, absolutely free. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Following the story midtown Atlanta right now, bombs, Betty, explode and rounds of ammo pierce the morning quiet. Live pictures right now. It looks like a mayhem and chaos, not at moment, but earlier this morning, that's for sure.
NGUYEN: This looks kind of scary looking, that guy walking around in the suit there.
HARRIS: It's all part of the city's emergency preparedness plan. Seeing how things go. Homeland security officials are interested in how Atlanta will respond in the event of a terror attack and just a couple of other little tidbits about this. About 200 responders taking part, about 75 victims and the scenario, you don't see it here, but here was the scenario that they put in place here. A motorcycle rider actually threw a bomb at a bus. The bus you see there.
NGUYEN: I see.
HARRIS: The bomb was set off and everyone responded. So there you are, live in Atlanta right now.
NGUYEN: Again, it's just a drill. Learning some good information though.
All right. Here's a question. Is there such a thing as being too in touch? Well in this day and age there is certainly. And a lot of you know what that feels like, unfortunately. Melissa Long is at the cnn.com desk explains.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MELISSA LONG, CNN.COM: Today's got to have gadgets make it so much easier to stay in touch with loved ones and conduct business. But those same high-tech toys also make it nearly impossible to lose touch. At cnn.com/wireless, read about the struggle to disconnect. Popular Blackberries and laptops can make it difficult to leave work at work, and research shows about 71 percent of America's households have at least one cell phone.
With this explosion of technology, some say manners are eroding. An etiquette expert says don't play with your PDA while talking to someone. It could make them feel insignificant. If you can't get enough of the technology, check out this gallery of gadgets you might want on your holiday wish list like a camera that wirelessly e-mails snap shots or a digital music center that converts CD into MP3 files just for starters. For the dot com desk, I'm Melissa Long.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: I really like that camera that wirelessly e-mails shots.
HARRIS: You need another gadget in your life like you need a --
NGUYEN: I just need some help because this whole computer thing gets me all confused. So the easier it is, the better it is for my life.
HARRIS: Well, Christmas is coming.
NGUYEN: Yes. Put that on your list for me. HARRIS: All right, duly noted.
NGUYEN: Thank you, Santa.
HARRIS: Here's the thing, because of oil prices, gas prices, natural gas prices, this could be a really blue Christmas for a lot American families.
NGUYEN: That is right. And they might not be able to afford everything on their gift list. And you won't believe why they're tightening the purse strings. We'll tell you coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: So the little ones, want to break this.
NGUYEN: No, I don't think you should. Do what you got to do.
HARRIS: All right. Little ones may not get everything on their wish list this Christmas. Not because they've been naughty, but because the cost to heat your home this winter will be nothing nice. CNN's Allan Chernoff has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Even as she hunts for pre-holiday bargains, Cindy Kilgore knows she may disappoint her kids this Christmas. Money she might spend on toys will have to go to heat their home.
CINDY KILGORE, SHOPPER: It takes it away from your buying for your children for Christmas. It will be a short Christmas.
CHERNOFF: Jacqueline Dowd also will be tightening her purse strings.
JACQUELINE DOWD, SHOPPER: I have to have heat for my home, so if it's going to cost me a lot of money to pay for heat, I'm going to have to pay for the heat and not buy the gifts.
CHERNOFF: It will costs hundreds of extra dollars to turn the thermostat up this winter. The cost of natural gas, the most common fuel, is now up 50 percent from last year. Add price hikes at the gas pump as well as the economic effects from hurricanes Katrina and Rita and millions of American families could be facing a financial squeeze come Christmas time. With consumer confidence in a steady decline, retailers already are offering deep discounts on popular toys.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Customers will get a great deal in a Toys "R" Us store this holiday season just like they did last holiday season.
CHERNOFF: Shout Elmo selling at a third off list price. Furby discounted 15 percent and prices could go lower.
SEAN McGOWAN, TOY ANALYST: If you're looking for good items at a good price, I would advice you to wait. This is not the kind of year where you're going to see a lot of things selling out really early.
CHERNOFF: Even Barbie is singing the blues. Sales are declining. In fact, many traditional toys are facing tough times, partly because those who can afford what their children want are buying kid versions of adult electronics. Teentronics such as video cameras selling at less than $100 and yes, cell phones for children.
(on-camera): For most parents the kids come first. We don't want to deny our children. So if it does turn out to be a tough holiday season for toys, experts say it will almost certainly be worse for other retailers. Allan Chernoff, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: And speaking of children, what do you think about the idea of creating designer babies? Everything from gender type to eye color to height, to all that stuff. That's our e-mail question. Designer babies what do you think about the concept? E-mail us weekends@cnn.com and when we come back, we'll read those replies on the air.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I would actually not do it. I believe that whatever God sends down, then that's what I would be accepting and I would be more than willing to accept that. Now, if I could, I guess that it would come out like me. Because I don't see that there's anything wrong with me. That's what most people say.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think that it's fine. I would hate to see it be used frivolously and it's certainly not something available to most people because it's so expensive. It's also not 100 percent as I understand it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: So do you think it's fine, creating your own designer baby, all the way from height to gender to eye color. That's our e- mail question. And we got a lot of people fired up about this one. Ray in Virginia says as a devout Christian, I find the concept of designer babies quite disturbing. Conception is a miracle in itself and while some of the scientific breakthroughs lately have helped infertile couples conceive a child, I think that designing our children is wrong. Who better than God himself can design the perfect child? Let's leave the designing to the ultimate designer and then sit back and give praise for what he does.
HARRIS: I don't know who wrote this one. It's a little wacky though. Designer babies is such a good thing I'd love to have another me running around. Don't think I'd like the competition he'd give me with the ladies though. Oh, that's Wayne who wrote this. Wayne, I don't think you're treating this with the requisite amount of seriousness this morning. What does he think about competition with the ladies. It's 8:00 in the morning. NGUYEN: He's thinking about a mini me too. I mean he wants a little person just like him. But this is a serious matter.
HARRIS: Absolutely.
NGUYEN: Because it is happening. Doctors can determine gender and they can do all that it takes to make sure a child comes out a boy or girl depending on what the couple wants.
HARRIS: And we'll talk about it all morning long so send your e- mails along weekends@cnn.com. The next hour of CNN SUNDAY MORNING begins right now.
NGUYEN: Here's our top stories right now, following new developments this morning in the terror bombings in Jordan. About two hours ago, investigators announced they have arrested the fourth would-be suicide bomber in Wednesday's attacks, which happened on three American- owned hotels there. Jordan's King Abdullah II says the suspect is a woman, and that her explosives failed to detonate. Now, in the next few hours, a tape of her interrogation will be put on Jordanian television. Fifty-seven people died, and more than 90 were wounded in the trio of explosions.
Here is an update on a story we first told you about yesterday: Iraqi police commandos staged raids in the Baquba area, northeast of Baghdad. Nearly 400 people were caught up in that dragnet, including the city's deputy mayor and Sunni Arab Party leaders. The Islamic Party is condemning the raids and detentions.
Look at this: Giving you some live pictures right now from midtown Atlanta, where an emergency preparedness drill is going on. This is just a test, folks. The exercise began before sunrise and is expected to conclude in the next few hours. Federal, state, and local authorities are taking part in this drill, as part of homeland security preparedness.
Well, a beefed-up police force and curfews helped curb, but did not stop, a 17th consecutive night of rioting in France. French authorities report more than 300 vehicles burned overnight. That is down from 500 on Friday night -- goodness still. The French interior minister promises to expel any foreign national caught rioting.
And a Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama says science and Buddhism have something in common. Oh, yes? Well, he says, they share the desire to learn more about reality. He made the remarks before a society of neuroscientists at a meeting yesterday in the nation's capital. But his visit and commentary did draw protests from those who question the Dalai Lama's credentials in addressing a such a scientific audience.
From the CNN Center, this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING, November 13 already. It's 8:00 a.m. at CNN headquarters in Atlanta; 7:00 a.m. in Woodward, Iowa, where the cleanup resumes after tornadoes just tore through the community late yesterday.
Good morning, everybody, I'm Betty Nguyen. HARRIS: And I'm Tony Harris. We will have much more on that story, in a moment.
But we begin with the latest on the Jordanian terror investigation.
Captured in Jordan: About two hours ago, authorities in Jordan said they arrested a woman in connection with Wednesday's hotel bombings, and in an unusual move, they plan to show her interrogation on TV to reveal her suspected role in the terror attacks.
Let's go live to Amman, Jordan, now, and our Brent Sadler.
Brent, this seems to be a highly unusual move -- good morning to you.
SADLER: Good morning, Tony.
Yes, indeed, it does. Jordanian officials have given details of this breakthrough into the investigation into Wednesday's bomb attacks in the center of Jordan. They say that, in all, a team of four suicide bombers crossed from Iraq into Jordan five days before the terror attacks -- two men in their 20s and a husband and wife team, they say, in their mid-30s. Now, the wife failed to detonate her explosive belt, and she has been picked up -- a few hours ago, it was announced -- by Jordanian authorities. Jordan's deputy prime minister, Marwan Muasher, gave a news conference a short time ago, in which he gave some vivid details about these latest developments here.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARWAN MUASHER, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER OF JORDAN: The suicide bomber and his wife went to the Radisson Hotel, knowing that they were going to a wedding party by the clothes that they were wearing, and both had explosive belts around their waists. His wife attempted to detonate the belt after they went in the wedding room, but failed to do so. And her husband asked her to leave the wedding party. Once she did, he detonated himself successfully.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SADLER: Now, the authorities, Tony, have got that suicide belt that failed to detonate at that wedding party; a suicide belt that seems to have been constructed, along with the other three that did blow up, inside Iraq. So the bombers, say the Jordanian authorities, brought themselves and their explosives belts into Jordan.
Now, shortly, in the next few hours, we're expected to see this woman, who is the sister of a major terrorist operator who was killed during battles with U.S. forces in Fallujah in Al Anbar Province earlier this year. That terror operative, that dead man, very much a top lieutenant of the Jordanian terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. So some very important connections there, Tony.
HARRIS: And, Brent, stay with me here. Let us understand the motives behind showing this interrogation tape, because, obviously, what the authorities are doing is giving folks in Jordan a view of the thinking of the people who were behind this kind of terrorist act. It seems to be an attempt to just sort of solidify opinion against the activities going on, the terrorists' mindset, and terrorist thinking that we've been seeing so much of.
SADLER: I think the motive of really putting on these pictures, assuming we're going to see them, and -- as you say, unique in itself for us to see -- it's not going to be the interrogation, but certainly statements or questions and answers with this woman, is very, very unusual, indeed.
Now, I think the idea of this is to really tear away the cover of Zarqawi and his like-minded terrorist organizations in Iraq and, possibly, a network here, to show that they will use a woman to go to a wedding party and destroy that event, regardless of the loss of life, regardless of humanity. I really think it is to debase the way these terrorists are operating now in Jordan, as a result of this devastating strike -- that the authorities are really trying to tear the mask away, if you like, of the al Qaeda network, which the Jordanian king himself uses Islam as a cover to justify a heinous atrocities.
HARRIS: Tony, I think that's it. Brent Sadler for us in Amman, Jordan. Brent, that says it -- thank you.
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is talking about the spread of Democracy and post-war Iraq in her third day of touring the Middle East. Secretary Rice met with Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah earlier this morning. She says she would like to see better support for Democracy's cause in Iraq. They also touched on democratic reform in Saudi Arabia, a staunch American ally and yet a conservative monarchy. At this hour, Rice is en route to Tel Aviv.
NGUYEN: Thousands of demonstrators filled the streets of Seoul, South Korea today. They're protesting a visit by President Bush this week and rallying against globalization. The crowds are expected to swell as President Bush and other leaders open the Asia Pacific Summit on Friday. Now, the summit will tackle such issues as free trade and agricultural subsidies. Some of the protesters carried leaflets reading, "No Bush, no war, no globalization."
Well, President Bush leaves tomorrow on a week-long trip to Asia. As we said, that trip will include a stop in South Korea for the Asia Pacific Summit. His trip will also, though, be marred by an array of political troubles here at home.
So let's go live now to the White House and CNN's Elaine Quijano.
Elaine, lay out some of the problems that the president faces.
ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the problems evidenced by new poll numbers that are out and recent poll numbers that continue to show a decline in public support for President Bush's policies.
Now, first of all, taking a look at the president's overall approval rating, according to a "Newsweek" poll out this weekend, that stands at 36 percent, down about four points from a month ago. In addition, people were asked if the phrase "honest and ethical" describes President Bush. This is the same "Newsweek" poll. Less than half -- 42 percent -- said yes. That represents a drop of eight points in the last month.
Now this comes, of course, in the wake of CIA leak investigation. But the Bush administration, in recent days, has faced renewed criticism by Democrats over Iraq. That is why we saw President Bush on Veterans Day forcefully push back against Democratic critics who say his administration manipulated prewar intelligence on weapons of mass destruction. The White House says those charges are simply baseless.
Now, this week, the president will focus his attention on other matters, as well. As you mentioned the president is heading overseas. He'll be making stops in Japan, China, South Korea, and Mongolia. And he will be talking mostly about trade.
But another topic that the president will bring up and discuss is the issue of bird flu. U.S. officials are not necessarily looking for a specific plan of action to come out of those meetings, but rather, some kind of an agreement that all Asia -- that the Asian countries -- can come to help prevent a flu pandemic. The White House has signaled that this is a top priority for the Bush administration.
Now, we should mention that, before the president actually heads to Asia, he'll be making another speech tomorrow on the war on terror. This time, he will be at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska. And, Betty, aides are saying, expect the president to hit back hard, once again, against his Democratic critics.
NGUYEN: We will be watching -- Elaine Quijano, thank you.
HARRIS: To the weather now: In central Iowa, it is time to pick up the pieces and figure out just how much damage was done by another day of some wild weather.
In Stratford, twisters swept across two counties. One woman found dead under a pile of fallen bricks. Just a few feet away, another woman was pulled out alive. At least three tornadoes ripped up farms and destroyed homes in several towns, located about 50 miles northwest of Des Moines.
In Ames, horrified college football fans at the packed Iowa State/Colorado game fled the stadium seeking cover. Unfortunately, we've had to show these pictures all too often lately, Betty -- survivors picking their way through the remains, what's left.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIKE RAMSEY, TORNADO SURVIVOR: I looked off to the southwest, and I could see it coming across that field. And that's when I told my wife, I said, "OK, this is it. We got to go to the basement now." Got huddled in a corner, hanging on to some pipes that were overhead and rode it out. Destroyed the, practically, the whole neighborhood. Right through here all these houses are gone. My son lives right over across the street, and you can see that is house is no higher than 10- feet high.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: And it is just another unfortunate reminder that tornadoes don't always just happen in the springtime, Bonnie.
SCHNEIDER: No, they don't. In fact, November is known as the second season for tornadoes -- mid-October through November.
Let's take a look at the graphics, and we will show you exactly the reason why. What we're looking at, certainly, is an active tornado season that normally occurs in the springtime. However, we also can see strong tornadoes develop in mid-October, straight through November. Seventy-five percent of tornadoes do occur in March through June. However 10 to 12 percent occur in late October through November.
And if you're wondering, why November, well remember, November is kind of our transitional month where we see the cold air that's bottled up in Canada finally tapping into some of that Gulf moisture. We have the cold temperatures up in Canada, and we also still have very warm temperatures to the south. And as fronts come through, especially low pressure systems that come over the Great Lakes, they really pull up that moisture from the south and that collision of air masses certainly can cause severe weather. We saw that yesterday in Iowa.
Today the threat is not as strong. It is a little further south into much of the Mississippi Valley. We may see some strong thunderstorms break out there.
But, overall, I think one of the other concerns we'll have today is wind, especially in sections of the upper Midwest, where that wind will rush in to that area of low pressure. So we have got high wind watches in effect for places like Wisconsin, Minnesota, and even in Chicago. We are watching for some strong winds there today.
Another area of storminess we're concerned with is the Pacific Northwest. It will be raining in Seattle today -- not a big shocker there. But some good news -- of course, got to find that -- across the country, to the east we go, nice day in Boston, 63 degrees. Really looking good there. High pressure off shore, and that's allowing that warm air to push forward ahead of the cold front. So while the cooler air drops to the south, the warmer air rides in ahead of it, and makes for some pretty nice conditions on the East Coast of the country.
But cold, cold, and blustery across the rest of the country. That's where we're looking for some chilly conditions. Temperatures there will be into the 40s in places like Minneapolis and Denver. Boy, it's going to be chilly.
And if you are wondering when is that cold air going to get here? Soon enough. Remember, all that cold air will work its way...
HARRIS: In Atlanta? SCHNEIDER: Well, it will get chillier -- sure, by Thanksgiving.
HARRIS: (INAUDIBLE)
NGUYEN: Stay inside.
SCHNEIDER: Exactly.
NGUYEN: More reasons to stay inside and eat and continue just to eat, eat, eat all day long, which is what I do best, by the way.
Thank you, Bonnie.
HARRIS: And coming up, TSI. What is it -- TMI, "too much information?" TSI: The tornado scene investigation after the storm. Rob Marciano reports on what experts look for and learn when they go into the strike zone.
And this:
NGUYEN: Behind the battle lines of Operation Steel Curtain. We have an exclusive look at the coalition's hunt for Iraqi insurgents.
CNN SUNDAY MORNING continues in just a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know, as long as you are not trying to give them some sort of advantage in life, I mean, I don't think it's a big deal.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: So you have no problem with it?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't have a problem with it. I think that is their business.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: OK. It's just not for you?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not for me.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it is private. I don't think we should be talking about it.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: We shouldn't even be talking about it?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, it is private to each individual -- right?
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Would you do it?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, I wouldn't do it.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Why not?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It morally and ethically goes against what I stand for, what my family stands for.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: What do you say to people who are doing it?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That is their choice; their choice.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: You have to be able to talk about it, though.
NGUYEN: Yes, you have got to be able to talk about it.
HARRIS: We are talking all day on CNN about the scientific advances that could lead to so-called a designer baby, infants conceived with genetic markers for specific traits or excluding particular risks. And we want to know what you think of the possibility. E-mail us your thoughts. The address: weekends @cnn.com.
We will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: In Evansville, Indiana, survivors of last week's killer tornado still don't have much to go home to. CNN's Rob Marciano is there with a storm expert who sifts through the debris, and, as you're about to see, he's more like a crime investigator than a meteorologist.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROB MARCIANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is just amazing to me. This side of the street, virtually no damage at all, just insulation. And then, this side of the street, just completely wiped out.
RICK SHANKLIN, METEOROLOGIST: Then you get over here, and you see very little damage. We're right at the edge of the tornado vortex.
MARCIANO: Rick Shanklin is a man devoted to chaos. When a storm hits, he goes in to investigate. Was it a twister? How big? How bad?
SHANKLIN: No. 1 is to get out and look at the characteristics of the tornado itself from start to finish; and secondly, is to get input from everyone who was in harm's way, how they got the warning, if they got the warning, and then, what action they took.
MARCIANO: It is forensic work, much like the crime scene investigators on the popular TV show. Here, the more you know about a storm, the better prepared you'll be for the next one.
SHANKLIN: Definitely, it's an investigation process to get out here and determine, you know, exactly what went on and determine all the characteristics. MARCIANO: It's a huge task investigating a deadly tornado with a path over 40 miles long. Satellites, radars, aerials, and eyewitnesses all factor into the final report. But in the end, storm experts like Shanklin need to be on the ground to pick apart the evidence.
(on camera): So here's a home, with a brick and concrete cinderblock foundation, totally ripped apart.
SHANKLIN: Yes.
MARCIANO: What does your trained eye see now when you look at the anatomy of this tornado?
SHANKLIN: Well, I see some things in the structure that gives some clues. The bottom plate here, you can see that it is bolted down. That's obviously a good thing to have it connected well to the foundation. The next question would be: The stud walls, how are they secured?
MARCIANO (voice-over): Are the walls just nailed to the foundation? How are they fastened? How is the roof attached? Still, other questions:
SHANKLIN: Was the garage door open.
MARCIANO (on camera): So let's dispel a myth right here. A lot of people think you should open your windows when a storm is coming. You're saying that is not a good idea.
SHANKLIN: That is not a good idea. The key thing is stay away from the windows.
MARCIANO (voice-over): Glass shattered, brick pulverized, and steel bent in towards the center of the twister.
(on camera): Are we closer to the core of the vortex?
SHANKLIN: We are. We're a little bit more into the core. I would say, just in front of this house, probably, would be just about the center of the core of the vortex.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is absolutely incredible. Look at it come down.
MARCIANO (voice-over): Tornadoes are ranked much like hurricanes. F-0 is a very weak tornado. And F-5s are very strong, with winds around 300 miles an hour, causing catastrophic damage.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Rick, that's moving at us. We have got to get out of here.
MARCIANO (on camera): So what kind of wind speed would bring that kind of damage?
SHANKLIN: Well, from what we saw there, we're pretty confident that the winds would have been around 200 miles an hour. MARCIANO: F-3.
SHANKLIN: Upper end F-3.
MARCIANO (voice-over): It is likely, the people who live here don't really care what rating Rick gives this storm. But his investigative work on this tornado will help better prepare and protect other neighborhoods in the path of the next one.
Rob Marciano, CNN, Evansville, Indiana.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Now, we're going to be talking about preaching the good word of self-empowerment. Straight ahead, we'll introduce you to Juanita Bynum. If you do not know her, you should. You're going to meet her in our "Faces of Faith."
HARRIS: And, in our next hour, rebuilding an Iraqi city and restoring peace in just 14 days? We'll meet the U.S. Special Forces major who did just that.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: She is a singer, a best-selling author, and an internationally acclaimed Bible study teacher. Juanita Bynum is also the focus of this morning's "Faces of Faith." She was in Atlanta a few days ago, and we sat down and talked about her new book, "The Threshing Floor," and her recent trip to Africa.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JUANITA BYNUM, AUTHOR: This new thing that I've been on in ministering, as I go through my itinerary, is the fact that I'm trying to allow people to focus on the bigger picture, the picture that is beyond you, yourself, and I. The picture that is beyond just your group.
Help climb out desperation! That we have no room for weak! But we are the one!
When I went to Africa, it changed my life because God was steering me out of, you know, let me minister this kind of word that would make people feel encouraged about going on in life, and let me get them to another place where I am ministering a word that says, what is it that I can do to affect the nation, to affect somebody that's lower or lesser than I am.
And so, I think, when the African American church begin to turn and put that turn on the Gospel and become more universal, more global, more worldwide, then I think, people will begin to find situations right under their noses that they can see that that situation is in a much worse condition than they're in, and they'll become more global minded.
HARRIS: The new book, "The Threshing Floor." BYNUM: Yes.
HARRIS: What is it that you hope this book gives people who read it?
BYNUM: I believe that, No. 1, prayer is a universal subject. I don't believe that it's owned or dominated or it originated from no one sect or religion. I believe that prayer is the only subject that absolutely effects the individual and their personal relationship with God. I hear people saying all the time that when crisis arrive, like the tsunamis and Katrina, We're praying, we're praying, we're praying.
The Bible said, not only is our prayers not answered because, you know, we don't pray; but they're not answered because we pray amiss. And so, this book is a result of 10 years of me learning how to pray; 10 years of being taught how to pray the correct way, the Scripture way, not the emotional way, not the dramatic way, just...
HARRIS: Not the selfish way?
BYNUM: Exactly -- just when a crisis arise. But it's taught me how to walk in real relationship in knowing that when I do go in prayer, not only am I praying effectively, I am praying correctly. And that guarantees me that God will hear my prayer. It postures the individual to the point -- I believe, this book does that.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: "Faces of Faith" this morning.
Our E-mail question.
NGUYEN: It's a good one.
HARRIS: Needs a little bit of setup, though: If you could select your baby's eye color, would you? How about if you had genetic markers for a fatal disease, would you want to spare your child that risk?
NGUYEN: Well, we've been focusing this morning on the debate over the so-called designer babies and the scientific advances that could lead to them. So we asked you, What do you think about the concept?
Well, David says: "No need to constantly use technology and upset the natural course of life. Hitler attempted to design the Arian race, and that should be enough proof to run the opposite way."
HARRIS: Audrey writes: "Why not designer babies? We're putting science and technology to work for us in every possible way, why not get what you want, if it's within reach? A lot of people will talk about the ethics, but we, Americans, push ethics in many, many ways. A baby is something one will be responsible for, for life, so you may as well like what you get as much as possible."
So, how would you characterize the responses? Is the inbox full? I mean are we...
NGUYEN: The inbox is very full. But...
HARRIS: OK, great. So there it is. There's the question. We're talking about it all day on CNN. We'll hear much more about the controversial issue of designer babies.
NGUYEN: And it is. It's a hot, hot issue, because people are really just on both sides of this, far away from the middle of it.
HARRIS: Next hour, we'll hear from a medical ethicist about his views on this, as you mentioned. Betty, it's a sensitive topic.
NGUYEN: It sure is.
And also, did you know that November is Diabetes Awareness Month? Up next on "House Call," Dr. Sanjay Gupta takes a closer look at efforts to control the epidemic.
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