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CNN Sunday Morning
Middle East Battles Rage on in Face of Diplomacy; Israeli Cabinet Meeting to Vote on U.N. Cease-Fire Resolution; Investigation Widens Into Alleged Terror Plot
Aired August 13, 2006 - 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: "Now in the News," the Middle East: today the vote, tomorrow the cease-fire. That is the plan. Israel's cabinet is meeting right now to approve the U.N. cease-fire resolution.
We're live from Jerusalem in just a minute away.
You see the flashes, you hear the sounds. Amid talks of peace, the fighting is just as fierce as ever. Israeli air strikes hit south Lebanon. At least three civilians were killed in the Bekaa Valley, and Hezbollah rockets hit northern Israel. One Israeli civilian was reported killed.
We have a live report from Beirut at the half-hour.
And want to give you a look at the first pictures of Cuban president Fidel Castro since his intestinal surgery two weeks ago. The occasion? Well, today is his 80th birthday. The Cuban leader reportedly is up and moving around in his hospital room. Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez is expected to visit Castro today.
And the investigation widens into the alleged plot to blow up a U.S.-bound plane, or several of them. A report says U.S. and British officials disagreed over the handling of this investigation. NBC says the U.S. pressured the British to arrest the suspects sooner than they had planned. We have more in a live report from London seven minutes from now.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Three college-age men from Texas are being held in Michigan on terror-related charges. Bond for the two brothers and a cousin was set yesterday at $750,000. The men were arrested early Friday after buying 80 untraceable cell phones at a Wal-Mart in Caro, Michigan.
Police found 1,000 phones in their rented van. A prosecutor says Michigan's Mackinac Bridge may have been a target.
In a related case in Ohio, two young men of Middle Eastern descent face a preliminary hearing Tuesday on terror-related charges. They, too, were arrested after buying large numbers of untraceable cell phones. About two hours from now, an official with the Department of Homeland security will provide a federal perspective to these and other developments in the war on terror.
Let's get our first check of the weather this morning. Reynolds Wolf is with us from the CNN weather center.
Reynolds, good morning.
REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HAMMER: Just another reminder, we update the top stories every 15 minutes on CNN SUNDAY MORNING. Your next update is at 7:15 Eastern Time.
NGUYEN: There you go. Heavy fighting between Israeli forces and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon overnight after U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan announces a firm time for the end of this fighting.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KOFI ANNAN, U.N. SECRETARY-GENERAL: I'm very happy to announce that the two leaders have agreed that the cessation of hostilities and the end of the fighting will enter into force on 14, August at 05:00 hours Greenwich Mean Time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Yes, that is just 18 hours from now, but the response from Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HASSAN NASRALLAH, HEZBOLLAH LEADER (through translator): I consider that we are still in the war.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: His words, followed by Hezbollah missiles slamming into northern Israel and more, while more Israeli strikes in Lebanon. .
NGUYEN: From the CNN Center in Atlanta, this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING. It's August 13th.
Good morning, everybody. I'm Betty Nguyen.
HARRIS: And good morning, everyone. I'm Tony Harris. It's 7:00 a.m. here in the East, 2:00 p.m. in Jerusalem and Beirut.
Thank you for being with us this morning.
NGUYEN: Well, could a cease-fire be close at hand in the Middle East? The Israeli cabinet is meeting to vote on a U.N. cease-fire operation. The battles, though, well, they rage on in the face of diplomacy.
We have live reports from CNN's Paula Hancocks in Jerusalem and our Karl Penhaul in Tyre, Lebanon.
First up, let's first go to Karl. Karl, what's the latest where you are?
KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Betty, this morning we've seen one of the heaviest sustained Israeli bombardments that I've seen in the four weeks that I've been down here in Tyre. We've seen bombs coming in from Israeli warplanes. We've seen sustained artillery shelling, as well, coming from artillery positions, I guess, close down to the border.
And the positions that have been attacked have been on the southern and eastern edges of Tyre, at stages as well. Those bombs even falling in the outskirts itself. My colleague and cameraman, Brian Pachati (ph), said that some of that bombing came so close at stages, that he could hear the bombs whistling over his head as they slammed into targets on the eastern suburbs of Tyre.
Now, also, according to a city official here, among the targets this morning, four or five gas stations were hit. I've seen a statement also from the Israeli Defense Forces saying that these were fuel dumps used by Hezbollah fighters. And again, across on the ridges there to our south as well, some more air strikes, in fact, going in now.
But as far as how successful those strikes have been, difficult to judge, because, once again, we have seen rocket fire going up from Hezbollah firing positions. Even at one stage it seemed that Hezbollah fighters had managed to coordinate fire from five separate positions, firing off rockets or maybe even larger missiles off towards Israel -- Betty.
NGUYEN: Karl, on the heels of this cessation of violence which is supposed to take place just 18 hours from now, yesterday we saw 80 Israeli air strikes. Today it looks like 100-plus.
Do you see this escalating any?
PENHAUL: Certainly what we've seen this morning, this sustained bombardment, and also the increase in rocket fire from Hezbollah positions from the Tyre area this morning, if they are going to take this cease-fire resolution seriously, then it seems that in these could be the parting shots, but certainly ferocious shots. But obviously, the key time will be tomorrow morning to actually see if either side on the ground observe that cease-fire resolution -- Betty.
NGUYEN: We'll be watching.
CNN's Karl Penhaul joining us live from Tyre, Lebanon.
Karl, thank you.
HARRIS: And as we mentioned, the Israeli cabinet is meeting to vote on the U.N. cease-fire resolution.
CNN's Paula Hancocks is in Jerusalem for us.
Paula, good morning. PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Tony.
Well, it's four hours and counting now for this Israeli cabinet meeting, where they are going to decide whether or not to approve the U.N. Resolution 1701. Now, they are widely expected to, as the Israeli prime minister, Ehud Olmert, is going to recommend that they go ahead and accept this. But as Karl was saying, we know 8:00 a.m. local Israeli time will be when the cease-fire starts, but it is full speed ahead as far as the Israeli military is concerned. They feel they are racing against the clock to try and achieve all that they wanted to achieve in trying to degrade Hezbollah's capability of launching rockets into northern Israeli towns.
Now, Hezbollah once again this Sunday proving it's more than capable of still hurting Israel. More than 115 rockets have been launched. We know one Israeli citizen has been killed and several others injured in those rocket attacks. And we also know that Saturday was the bloodiest day for the Israeli military since this conflict began. Twenty-four Israeli soldiers were killed, including five who are presumed dead by the Israeli military in a helicopter that was shot down.
So at this point it does appear as though "cease-fire" is certainly not a word that has made its way to the battlefield of south Lebanon -- Tony.
HARRIS: Paula, and tell us about the story crossing a short time ago about Israeli security guards for Prime Minister Olmert stepping in here. Let me have you sort of give us more details on this story.
HANCOCKS: Well, the latest details we have at this point is Israeli police have confirmed that they detained a man at the Israeli prime minister's office. They said that he had suspicious -- a suspicious material found in his shoes.
Now, we understand that staffers then tried to carry out a controlled explosion on these shoes themselves. We don't know at this point whether or not it was explosives in his shoes, but Israeli police confirming that an Arab man did try and enter the prime minister's office with suspicious material in his shoes.
So we'll give you more details as we get those -- Tony.
HARRIS: OK. Great, great. All right.
CNN's Paula Hancocks for us in Jerusalem.
Paula, thank you.
NGUYEN: Now we want to turn to the widening airline terror plot investigation and a report of a disagreement between the U.K. and the U.S.
NBC News reports that British officials wanted to continue surveillance of the terror suspects for at least another week, but U.S. officials pressured them to arrest the suspects sooner. The report quotes a senior British official, and that official suggested an attack was not imminent, but at least one suspect was preparing for a "dry run," as they call it.
Well, British police are scouring the suspects' homes and hangouts. They are looking for more evidence in the alleged plot to blow up U.S.-bound planes.
CNN's John Vause joins us from London at CNN's Heathrow airport with the latest on this investigation.
Good morning to you, John.
JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Betty.
British intelligence sources have told CNN a short time ago, regarding that report coming out of the United States of a rift between British investigators and U.S. law enforcement authorities, saying that essentially, there is no difference of opinion here, there is no rift. In those reports, they're described as simply media hype. What is important to look at here in a general sense is the difference between British and American policing.
The British have a much wider scope under law for domestic surveillance, the gathering of evidence. And as a result of that, the bar is much higher for evidence once they get into a court of law. And for the United States, on the other hand, it seems there is a philosophy there of acting sooner, rather than later, especially after 9/11.
Also today, the British home secretary, John Reid, the man who is essentially the equivalent of the head of the Department of Homeland Security, he said that British authorities have in fact thwarted four terrorist attacks since the July 7th underground bombings last year. He said if those attacks had been carried out, they would have resulted in a massive loss of life. He also went on to say that right now there are 24 separate terrorist investigations which are ongoing -- Betty.
NGUYEN: All right. CNN's John Vause staying on top of it for us.
Thank you, John.
HARRIS: New travel restrictions put in place because of the terror threat will continue indefinitely. Many Americans are OK with restrictions to what they can put in their carry-on luggage, but a new poll finds most are against an outright ban on the luggage itself.
According to the "Newsweek" poll, 54 percent of Americans would oppose a ban on carry-on luggage. Still, about the same number favor limiting what you can bring on board the plane.
And all day Monday CNN will show you where America is most vulnerable to terrorist attacks. No matter what time you tune in, you'll get specific and essential insight on where the threats are, what you can do to stay safe, and whether the government has a clue. "Target: USA" all day Monday, only on CNN.
NGUYEN: Well, are you looking for links to al Qaeda? Investigators say the foiled airline plot has all the hallmarks of the terrorist group, but is there a definitive link?
We are going to talk with a terrorism analyst straight ahead.
You're watching CNN, the most trusted name in news.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: And good morning, again, everyone.
"Now in the News," talks of a cease-fire. Listen to this.
The battles rage on in the Middle East. Hezbollah rockets hit several northern Israeli towns today. Emergency services report one Israeli civilian killed, seven wounded.
In Lebanon, Israeli warplanes launched waves of air strikes on southern towns and villages. The Israeli military says it carried out more than 100 attacks targeting Hezbollah militants. The port city of Tyre was especially hard-hit.
The latest fighting comes amid the backdrop of peace talks. The Israeli cabinet is meeting today to vote on the U.N. cease-fire resolution. U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan says leaders from both countries have already agreed to stop the battles tomorrow at 1:00 a.m. Eastern.
Lebanon's cabinet meets today to discuss how to carry out the cease-fire agreement. The cabinet, which includes two Hezbollah members, approved the U.N. resolution yesterday.
You're looking at the first pictures of Cuban president Fidel Castro since his intestinal surgery two weeks ago. The occasion? Today is his 80th birthday. The Cuban leader reportedly is up and moving around in his hospital room. Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez is expected to visit Castro today.
We update the top stories every 15 minutes on CNN SUNDAY MORNING. Your next update is coming up at 7:30 a.m. Eastern Time.
NGUYEN: So, here's the question on nearly everyone's mind after the arrests in the alleged airline terror plot: Was it al Qaeda? Officials and analysts say it has the hallmarks of an al Qaeda operation.
Sajjan Gohel is a terrorism analyst and director of international security for the Asia Pacific Foundation. He joins us from London.
Thanks for being with us today.
SAJJAN GOHEL, TERRORISM ANALYST: Good to be with you. NGUYEN: First of all, let's take a look very closely at this foiled terrorism attempt. You looking at it, do you see the hallmarks of al Qaeda?
GOHEL: Well, the modus operandi certainly suggests that it's an al Qaeda type of attack. It was supposed to be coordinated, multiple, designed to inflict a number of mass casualty atrocities, and, of course, again targeting the aviation industry. And we know that al Qaeda has an obsession with it in which they graphically illustrated on the tragic 9/11 events and other plots as well have involved that. But what we have to remember is that al Qaeda's evolved, that it's not just an organization, it's a movement.
So they're a group throughout the world that aren't necessarily controlled by al Qaeda, but are motivated and inspired by them.
NGUYEN: All right. So, if they work independently from al Qaeda, how are they influenced by al Qaeda? Is it money? Is it ideology? What is it?
GOHEL: One of the key strengths that Osama bin Laden still has is that, even though the organization's taken a number of hits with key leaders being arrested, their most powerful tool is the propaganda machine that they have. So when bin Laden or his deputy, Ayman al- Zawahiri, issue a video statement that we see on television or on the Internet, it's designed to create a psychological reaction to influence, to indoctrinate, to inspire people all over the world to take up arms against the West, to target their own society, to kill and be killed. And that's the problem, is that the propaganda that bin Laden preaches is still infecting the minds of young, impressionable people, and that is where the war on terrorism is unfortunately failing, is that we're not winning the war of ideas. Al Qaeda is actually quite far ahead in that front.
NGUYEN: You know, if we look at this very closely, too, and you connect the dots, many of the players, most of them, in fact, are from Pakistan. Yet, Pakistan says it's rooting out terror, it's an ally with the U.S. on this war on terror. But you say, and I want to know why you say this -- why do you call one of America's biggest allies one of its biggest problems?
GOHEL: Let's not forget that one of the chief principal sponsors of the Taliban militia that gave home to al Qaeda was Pakistan. Now suddenly, after 9/11, we're expecting that country to abandon the project that it spent enormous time and effort in creating.
Musharraf was a very reluctant ally. That's not forget that, OK? He was the military ruler of that country, and it allowed a lot of the al Qaeda and Taliban people to actually have sanctuary there in the past.
Now, the problem is this, is that while all the key leaders of al Qaeda have been picked up in the major cities -- there is often this myth that they are somehow hiding in caves or in mountainous regions -- they are very comfortable in the urban heartlands. And we also have to remember that President Karzai of Afghanistan has accused Pakistan of not doing enough in reining in the Taliban. The religious schools are still there pumping out anti-Western comments.
Now, if Musharraf is an ally, he should definitely be doing a lot more to clamp down on these elements. And remember, he's a military dictator. It shouldn't be that difficult to have control in his own country.
NGUYEN: All right. But that's Pakistan, and we talk about the fact that many of the men, of the 23, they do have Pakistan roots. But most of them are British citizens.
So, does this appear, at least this latest plot, appear to be homegrown terrorists?
GOHEL: The biggest threat that we face today is the homegrown threat. While we increase our security at border controls and at airports and other transportation hubs, terrorism is no longer being imported. It's being recruited from within, and it's the perfect benefit for all the terrorists.
They can get people that are able to blend into the fabric of society. Most of these people have good jobs, they come from middle class backgrounds. Some have studied at a tertiary level at university. They are the ones that fit the profile the terrorists are looking for.
Therefore, they can't really be matching any profiles or any particular list, and that's the challenge now, is that, how do we -- how do we -- how do we counter the propaganda that's being used to cultivate people from within our own society? That is going to be the long-term threat, and that is something we need to look into a lot more, but the terrorism...
NGUYEN: Do you know what the answer to that is? Do you know?
GOHEL: The key, as I was talking about earlier, is again the issue of ideas, propaganda, doctrines. Until we have people that counter those ideas, counter the whole issue of what bin Laden preaches and all the other radicals around the world, a lot of these young people will start looking at what bin Laden says and others and start maybe believing that it could actually be true.
You need to have the counter arguments. Bin laden's critiques have to be torn apart, his arguments need to be exposed for the weakness and parts of it that have major problems. And unfortunately, no one has actually been articulating counter arguments, and the war on terrorism at the moment is a holding operation, capturing or killing people. It also needs to stop the recruitment, because for every terrorist killed or captured, there are at least another five coming along the assembly line.
So you need to fight the ideas that are breeding terrorism.
NGUYEN: People need to take responsibility, especially within their own communities.
Sajjan Gohel, with the Asia Pacific Foundation. Very good information for us today. Thank you.
GOHEL: Good to be with you.
HARRIS: "In the Footsteps of bin Laden." The fundamentalist founder of al Qaeda has more than a few times slipped from the grasp of troops hot on his trail.
Senior International Correspondent Christiane Amanpour takes a look at one of the many times bin Laden has disappeared.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): December, 2001, a relentless bombing campaign, air strikes thunder through the treacherous mountains of eastern Afghanistan. The battle of Tora Bora had begun.
Osama bin Laden, the jackal of 9/11 and hundreds of al Qaeda fighters, had finally been cornered, or so it seemed.
GARY BERNTSEN, FORMER CIA OFFICER: We brought in Spectre gunships which can put a bullet on every inch of a football field.
AMANPOUR: Gary Berntsen was the leader of a secret CIA paramilitary unit that had pursued bin Laden since he had fled Kabul, and now the CIA was sure it knew where he was, thanks in large part to a radio taken off a dead al Qaeda fighter.
BERNTSEN: We listened to bin Laden for several days using that radio, listened to his communications among him and his men. We listened to him apologize to them for having led them into this trap, having led them into a location where they were having air strikes called on them just relentlessly.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Well, that is a hailstorm out of Salt Lake City. It hammered the area yesterday. And here's the deal. We heard about it at I-Report. It was CNN's way of letting you be a citizen journalist, and the video came in yesterday from the storm.
We requested the video from our affiliate, KSL, after Bob Moser (ph) sent us this photo.
The I-Report process pretty simple, straightforward, easy. Just go to CNN's home page and look for the I-Report logo. It will walk you through the steps so that you can truly say, "I report for CNN."
NGUYEN: I saw a lot of rain yesterday. The question is, how much more are we going to get of this? Because many parts, Reynolds, really need the rain.
(WEATHER REPORT) NGUYEN: Well, there is good news for people taking HIV drugs.
First, a study shows the drugs may safely protect high-risk women from infection. Now, a second study shows people can safely skip the most toxic pills that sometimes create kidney and liver complications. The results of both studies were unveiled at the 16th annual conference on AIDS.
Taking a look at stories "Now in the News," the Middle East first up.
The Israeli cabinet is meeting today to vote on the U.N. cease- fire resolution. U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan says leaders from both countries have already agreed to stop the battles tomorrow at 1:00 a.m. Eastern.
You hear that? There's talks of a cease-fire, and it keeps going. The battles, they rage on in the Middle East.
Hezbollah rockets hit several northern Israel towns today. Emergency services report one Israeli civilian killed, seven wounded.
In Lebanon, Israeli warplanes launched waves of air strikes on southern towns and villages. The Israeli military says it carried out more than 100 attacks targeting Hezbollah militants. Lebanese hospital officials say at least three Lebanese civilians were killed.
Well, the investigation, it is widening into the alleged plot to blow up U.S.-bound planes, and a report says U.S. and British officials disagreed over the handling of that investigation. NBC says the U.S. pressured the British to arrest the suspects sooner than they had planned, but British intelligence officials tell CNN there is no rift with U.S. authorities.
HARRIS: Fidel Castro turns 80 today. To mark the day, these pictures are being released of the Cuban president. They are the first pictures released to the public since Castro was hospitalized two weeks ago for intestinal surgery. Castro says he is feeling great. The Venezuelan leader, Hugo Chavez, is expected to visit Castro later today.
We update the top stories every 15 minutes on CNN SUNDAY MORNING. Your next update is coming up at 7:45 a.m. Eastern Time.
Still ahead, ancient land, ancient rivalries.
NGUYEN: In 10 minutes, our "Faces of Faith" report looks at the question, whose land is it? Stay here on CNN, the most trusted name in news.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: This just into CNN, the British Home secretary, John Reed, today warned that another terrorist attack on Britain is very likely, but at the same time, in speaking with reporters, he says that many terror attacks have already been thwarted. Take a listen to what he had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN REID, BRITISH HOMELAND SECRETARY: I can tell you that at least four major plots have been thwarted. I can also tell you --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Which would have led to major loss of life?
REID: In my view, yes, on the information that I have received. We now think, in retrospect, that the first al Qaeda plot, for instance, against this country, preceded by quite a while our intervention in Iraq or Afghanistan, and actually preceded 9/11. It was in Birmingham back in the year 2000.
So this has been a long-going threat, but it is a chronic one, and it is a severe one. And as I said, even if we, on the basis of our intelligence -- because these decisions are not made by politicians, but by the Joint Terrorist Analysis Center, by independent intelligence experts -- even if they reduced from critical to severe on the basis that we don't have, warrant, or intelligence, about an imminent threat, even at the severe level, which is where we were before last Wednesday, it is highly likely there will be another terrorist attempt, and that is one thing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: So there you have it. While many attempts have been thwarted, we saw one last week, the Thursday's announcement that 24 people had been arrested in connection with possibly trying to blow up planes headed to the U.S., the British Home secretary says don't be too comfortable with that, because another attempt is highly likely. So be on guard is, essentially, what he's saying.
We'll have much more on this story. In the meantime, we're following several others.
This being one of them: Hezbollah rockets slam into northern Israel .
HARRIS: That, after fierce fighting between Israeli forces and Hezbollah fighters light up the sky in southern Lebanon.
NGUYEN: From the CNN Center in Atlanta, this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING. It is August 13. The fighting continues, even though there is U.N. peace deal on the table. People are voting on that. We'll give you latest on that. Actually, they have set a timetable for the cessation of violence.
HARRIS: 1:00 a.m. --
NGUYEN: Eastern.
HARRIS: Eastern Time, tomorrow morning.
NGUYEN: Just a few hours from now; 18, to be exact.
Good morning, everybody, a lot to tell you about. I'm Betty Nguyen.
HARRIS: Good morning, everyone. And I'm Tony Harris. Thank you for being with us.
NGUYEN: Well, if all goes as planned, the fighting could end tomorrow across Lebanon and Israel, and U.N. troops could be heading to the region to keep the peace. But for today, fierce fighting continues with Israel striking targets in Lebanon and Hezbollah sending more rockets into Israel. Anthony Mills joins us now live from Beirut with the latest there.
Good morning, Anthony.
ANTHONY MILLS, CNN CORRESPONDENT, CNN SUNDAY MORNING: Good morning, Betty.
On the political front, there is talk of a cessation of hostilities in under 24 hours, but on the ground, the violence continues. There have been strikes in the Bekaa Valley to the east of Beirut, where hospital workers tell us that at least three people were killed, and eight people injured.
In the south, as well, close to the city of Tyre, on the coast, down toward the Lebanese/Israeli border, a strike, we're told, by civil defense forces here, killed a family of four people and their maid. And there has, of course, also been heavy fighting on the ground. A short while ago, Hezbollah released a statement saying it had destroyed three Israeli tanks around the city of Kiam (ph), in south. No independence confirmation of that, but U.N. sources telling us that there has been heavy artillery fire in the south, aerial bombardments, and indeed fighting on the ground -- Betty.
NGUYEN: CNN's Anthony Mills. Anthony, thank you for that.
Well, ahead, an age-old question that is still hard to answer, even now.
HARRIS: The ancient battle that divides the Middle East. Our "Faces of Faith" report asks, Whose land is it? That's coming up in two minutes.
Reynolds, good morning!
(WEATHER REPORT)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: It's an ancient struggle over a tiny but significant piece of the world. Whose land is it? And what is the source of this dispute? Our "Faces in Faith" and Values Correspondent Delia Gallagher takes us back in time, in this report that first aired on CNN's "American Morning."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DELIA GALLAGHER, CNN CORRESPONDENT, CNN SUNDAY MORNING (voice over): For Jews, the claim to Israel begins with this, God's promise to Moses in the Bible, and Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt into Palestine.
ALON BEN-MEIR, NEW YORK UNIVERSITY: There's no doubt there is a written history that goes back 3500 years, it is a written history, of Jewish presence in Palestine, which is called today Israel.
GALLAGHER: Arabs, too, have a history in the land since the 7th century.
RICHARD BULLIET, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY: There was a desire to repossess this land that some Jews feel was given to them by God. But of course, the Arabs said, we have been here for 14 centuries, and that's not nothing.
GALLAGHER: Central to the history of this land for Jews, Christians and Muslims is Jerusalem.
BULLIET: Jerusalem becomes the religious center, because that is where the first and the second temples were. Muslim leaders appropriated this sacred site at the beginning of Islam and built the Dome of the Rock and the al-Aqsa Mosque, and of course, as the place where Jesus was crucified, Jerusalem has a very powerful meaning for Christians.
GALLAGHER: Despite the confluence and often competing interests in Jerusalem, the Middle East has seen periods of peace.
BEN-MEIR: Jews have always lived within Arab societies, since Islam came to being, and as a matter of fact, the Jewish what we call Golden Era of Jewish -- when Jews wrote the literature and reached height in various sciences, say the relationship between Muslim states, the Muslim regime and the Jews were always good.
GALLAGHER: After World War I, the League of Nations, led by Britain and France, divided up the Middle East, and Britain declared its support for a Jewish home state, by issuing Balfour Declaration.
BEN-MEIR: The Balfour Declaration of 1917 was basically promising the Jews to have their own home, to build their own refuge, their home.
FAWAZ GERGES, SARAH LAWRENCE COLLEGE: It was a systematic attempt by Britain, and the colonial powers, to change the historical and geographic and demographic nature of Palestine that brought about today the current hostilities.
GALLAGHER: World War II and the Holocaust increased Jewish immigration to Palestine. By 1947, with hostilities growing, the United Nations partitioned Palestine, dividing it between the Jews and the Arabs, with Jerusalem remaining under international control.
On May 14th, 1948, the Jews proclaimed Israel an independent state. War broke out almost immediately as Arab countries invaded Israel. Attempts to resolve the situation have been going on ever since. BULLIET: Here you have a question of a small piece of land, two people who claim rights to the land, and they're fighting it out. And it's simply a clash of two nationalisms, if you will, in the same area.
And for those people, they simply erase all of the historical arguments and say they're unimportant. The problem is that the people who are actually fighting are strongly motivated by these historical arguments, and they don't give them up easily.
GALLAGHER: In the 1967 Six-Day War, Israel captured Sinai, Gaza, East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Golan Heights, essentially creating the boundaries that exist today. The land battle remained relatively calm until Egypt and Syria attacked Israel on the Jewish holiday, of Yom Kippur in 1973, which lead to a cease-fire within a month.
Subsequent peace agreements in Oslo in 1993 and at Camp David, in 2000, have attempted to broker this land and set agreeable boundaries for living in peace. So far, all have failed.
BEN-MEIR: The problem here is a dual claim, both are right, both have rights to the same land. There is no solution. There is no way you can resolve this unless both accept each other's right to exist on the same land.
Delia Gallagher, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: Still ahead, did Miami police cross the line?
NGUYEN: Well, a street demonstration far from violent. Officers shot rubber bullets at protesters and later had a good laugh about it? But they are not smiling now. Oh no. CNN's Susan Candiotti has the details coming up in three minutes.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Good morning, everyone. "Now In The News": The Middle East. The Israeli cabinet is meeting today to vote on the U.N. cease- fire resolution. U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan says leaders from both countries have already agreed to stop the battles tomorrow at 1:00 a.m. Eastern. Still, with less than 18 hours before the cease- fire is to take effect, heavy fighting goes on in Lebanon.
We'll change the picture in a second here.
Israeli warplanes launched waves of air strikes on southern towns and villages. Port city of Tyre was especially hard hit. Hospital officials say at least three Lebanese civilians were killed in attacks across the country.
Hezbollah fired a barrage of rockets into northern Israel today. Many towns were hit. Emergency services report one Israeli civilian killed, seven more wounded. NGUYEN: Take a look at this. There you go. You're looking at first pictures of Cuban President Fidel Castro since his intestinal surgery two weeks ago. The occasion, it is his 80th birthday, and he says he is feeling great.
The Cuban leader reportedly is up and moving around in his hospital room. Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez is expected to visit Castro today.
We're getting a first look at the devastation caused by the super typhoon that crushed the southeast coast of China Friday. Wire services report an official death toll of at least 114, and many others missing. The storm hit winds in excess of 130 miles per hour. The strongest typhoon to hit China in more than 50 years.
Want to remind you, we update the top stories every 15 minutes on CNN SUNDAY MORNING. Your next update is coming up at the top of the hour.
HARRIS: Betty, right away we want to take you to live pictures coming into CNN right now of a huge explosion, just moments ago. This is Beirut, Lebanon. As we told you, the cease-fire that has been agreed upon goes into effect in less than 18 hours.
The Associated Press is reporting that this is part of a massive shelling in Beirut. As many as 18 explosions have been heard in and around Beirut. This is in Lebanon, this morning moments ago. This picture here of a huge plume of smoke.
No way of knowing if anyone is hurt in that explosion, in that attack, but once again, just wanted to get these pictures to you as soon as possible, of a huge explosion. One of as many as 18, we're understanding, according to the Associated Press, from Beirut, Lebanon this morning.
We will continue to follow this and maybe we can as we go in a little closer, maybe we will be able to --
NGUYEN: You can tell by the picture here, that this appears to be a residential area. There are lots of buildings in and around it, as we zoom in to see exactly where the damage is at the moment.
We spoke, you know, Tony, with Carl Penhaul, a little bit earlier today. He is in Tyre, Lebanon, but from his vantage point, he had already been saying it appears this thing is escalating. These are some of the last shots being fired. And apparently, they're trying to make them count, as the countdown continues for this cessation of violence, which is supposed to take place in less than 18 hours at 1:00 a.m. Eastern this morning. And the latest round, as you see right there, smoke coming from Beirut.
HARRIS: Well, and it's interesting just at this moment, talk about a confluence of events. We're just getting word that the Israeli cabinet has approved the U.N. cease-fire deal. So just as we get word of this huge explosion in Beirut, we also get word almost simultaneously of the approval of the U.N. resolution by the Israeli cabinet.
CNN's Jim Clancy is on the ground in Beirut.
And Jim, what can you tell us about what appears to be a series of explosions in Beirut?
JIM CLANCY, CNN CORRESPONDENT, CNN SUNDAY MORNING: Well, obviously, Tony, this was timed to coincide with that security cabinet vote, a vote that would bring this conflict to a close.
But in the view of many Israelis, bringing it to a close in a very static situation, one not very clear, Israel may be seen even at a disadvantage. But here in Beirut, 18 explosions battled southern suburbs today, civilian areas of those suburbs. Unclear whether there were any casualties.
These are densely populated areas, where Israel believes that Hezbollah has some of its command and control operations, may be storing some of the missiles that have exacted a heavy price in terror, if not in casualties, in the Jewish state over the course of the last month.
As you noted now, both the Lebanese cabinet now and the Israeli security cabinet have approved, accepted the cease-fire measure. It is set to go into effect at 8:00 a.m. Beirut time, tomorrow morning; a lot of doubts about how well that's going to go. Most people expect there are going to be a lot of difficulties along the way.
But Beirut paying a heavy price here today, it would appear, in a coordinated strike that was timed to coincide when Israel said it was accepting the truce. Tony?
HARRIS: Jim, as you mentioned, we have all sides now agreeing to this U.N. so the next question is, can this piece of paper -- and you know this area as well as anyone -- can this piece of paper bring true peace to this region?
CLANCY: Well, that is, of course, the question. And you have to keep in mind here, this is not a conflict between Lebanon and its government and Israel and its government. It is a conflict between Hezbollah, which touched all of this off a month ago with a kidnapped capture incident across the border inside Israel, capturing two Israeli soldiers. In the Israeli view, that's far from resolved. They don't have their soldiers back.
But this is a situation where, as it goes forward, the real question is how committed is Hezbollah to this truce, to Resolution 1701. Already we have heard from Hassan Nasrallah, and other members of Hezbollah, two cabinet ministers in the government, last night, voiced their reservations.
The question is, do those reservations amount to Hezbollah saying we agree with parts of 1701, but we won't abide by other parts of 1701? Clear in that, the real concern, Tony, will they give up the territory south of the Litani River, turn it over to the Lebanese army and the U.N., as called for by 1701? Some people in the government say flatly, they will not. So this is going to be watched very, very closely to see it is implemented, Tony.
HARRIS: CNN's Jim Clancy for us in Beirut, the site of 18, the Associated Press is reporting, and Jim is confirming for us, as many as 18 air strikes, bomb blasts in Beirut this morning, coinciding with word we just received moments ago.
NGUYEN: The resolution has been passed.
HARRIS: By the Israeli cabinet.
NGUYEN: And the time ticks down for the cessation of violence, 8:00 a.m. Mideast Time, 1:00 a.m. Eastern. We will be watching every minute of it to see it comes to pass. You're watching CNN SUNDAY MORNING. We'll be right back.
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NGUYEN: We want to give you an update on the crisis in the Middle East. Looking at some live pictures of Beirut, I believe. You can see the smoke there -- yes, Beirut, Lebanon.
Smoke there on the right-hand side of the screen. We have learned that there have been 18 Israeli air strikes just recently in the city. Now, this coincides with a deal that was approved by Israel's cabinet today. This cessation of violence deal that is supposed to take place tomorrow morning, 8:00 a.m. Mideast Time, 1:00 a.m. Eastern.
HARRIS: Boy, and that is the most telling picture right there of the huge plume of smoke. We're going to take a break and come back with the next hour of CNN SUNDAY MORNING right after this.
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NGUYEN: Here's what's happening right now in the news, breaking news, in fact, in the Middle East. CNN confirmed just moments ago the Israeli cabinet approved the U.N. cease-fire resolution. This comes a day after Lebanon approved it. We have a live report from the region. That's just a minute away.
Meantime, ferocious parting shots today. Take a look at these pictures. So telling. At least 26 explosions have rattled Beirut this morning in a barrage of Hezbollah rockets slammed into Northern Israeli town. Casualties on both sides.
HARRIS: You are looking at the first pictures of Cuban President Fidel Castro since his intestinal surgery two weeks ago. The occasion his 80th birthday. The Cuban leader reportedly is up and moving around in his hospital room. Castro was quoted as saying he feels great.
U.S. and Iraqi troops are going door to door in Baghdad looking for insurgents. The soldiers searched 3600 homes in a mostly Sunni area of southwest Baghdad today. The operation, codenamed Together Forward, also targeted weapon stockpiles.
NGUYEN: Well fires are raging and crews are battling a huge wildfire west of Reno, Nevada, where they are still making progress. We want to report the fire is now 70 percent contained. Flames narrowly missed dozens of upscale homes. Nearly 60,000 acres have been blackened so far. Full containment that is expected a little bit later today. They sure could use some rain.
Here's Reynolds Wolf with the latest on the weather outside.
REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: We are looking at pretty good conditions around much of the nation. I will tell you what though we do have a chance of some strong storms primarily in the central plains also into parts of the twin cities. It could get rough today especially in the late afternoon hours. Looking at a time frame of 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Central Time and there is the potential for possibly some tornadic activity, so we're going to keep a close eye on that, not just through the morning, but through the afternoon as well.
We'll send it right back to you.
NGUYEN: All right. Thank you Reynolds. We want to remind you that we update top stories every 15 minutes on CNN SUNDAY MORNING. Your next up great is at 8:15 Eastern.
NGUYEN: Good morning, everybody. From the CNN Center, this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING. It is August 13th, 8:00 a.m. at CNN Headquarters right here in Atlanta, 3:00 p.m. in Jerusalem. The Mideast is a busy day. Good morning everybody. I'm Betty Nguyen.
HARRIS: And good morning everyone. I'm Tony Harris. Thank you for being with us.
NGUYEN: We want to get straight to the Middle East right now and CNN's Jim Clancy he is in Beirut. Jim, we've seen the smoke and we've heard the shelling this morning. Tell us what is going on.
CLANCY: Both sides this day has decided to push it right to the brink, right until the last minute. Hezbollah firing rockets into northern Israel and just a few minutes ago, Israel passing, its security cabinet accepting the U.N. Resolution 1701, that agreement that paves the way for a cease-fire that comes in effect at 8:00 in the morning. Israel pounded the southern suburbs of Beirut one more time. This was one of the most intense and the fastest attacks that I have heard in the past ten days.
There were 18 or 20 explosions that we heard rocking the southern suburbs, coming in quick succession, one, one two three, one, two, three, four, these bombs landed in such a fashion that the areas that were hit must have been devastated, coming as a complete surprise. A lot of times when these attacks hit civilians get a little bit of notice after the first one hits and other people can head for cover. This particular attack today with these 18 to 20 strikes left hardly anyone any time to run for cover as they all landed within the course of, I would estimate, less than one minute.
Back to you.
NGUYEN: The timing, of course, as you mentioned very curious with Israel approving this cease-fire. Jim Clancy joining us from Beirut. Jim thank you for that.
HARRIS: As Betty just mentioned the cease-fire agreement has been approved by the Israeli cabinet. CNN's Paula Hancocks joins us from Jerusalem. Paula good morning.
HANCOCKS: Hello, Tony. Well it was unanimous, that decision, 24 voting in favor of approving U.N. Resolution 1701. There was one extension, at this point, but it appears the cabinet meeting drawing to a close, but as Jim was saying the Israeli military is certainly fighting against the clock. We heard from the chief of staff saying he wanted another week in order to degrade Hezbollah's capabilities of hurting northern Israel as much as possible. He hasn't been given that week.
They have until 8:00 a.m. local time Monday morning to do their worst to Hezbollah and trying to grade the capability as much as possible. If the casualty figures are anything to go by, we can say in the past 24 hours we have seen the fiercest fighting in southern Lebanon between the military and Hezbollah fighters since the beginning of this conflict. Twenty-four Israeli soldiers were killed on Saturday; five of them in a helicopter that was shot down over southern Lebanon and we also know that those Hezbollah rocket attacks are not abating. Well over 100 rockets hitting northern Israeli towns this Sunday, one person killed and also several injured.
So at this point the cease-fire has not appeared to reach those in the battlefield of southern Lebanon and as Jim was saying in Beirut as well. It does appear as if both sides are fighting against the clock.
Tony.
HARRIS: CNN's Paula Hancocks for us in Jerusalem. Paula thank you.
Coming up in ten minutes we will talk live with the Israeli ambassador to the U.S Daniel Ayalon. That's at 8:15 Eastern Time.
NGUYEN: Well the investigation widens into the alleged plot to bring down as many as 10 U.S.-bound planes and now reports of a rift between U.S. and British officials over the timing of the arrest in the case. NBC news says the U.S. pressured British police to move sooner than they had planned, but British intelligence sources tell CNN there was no rift. Our John Vause is at London's Heathrow Airport with the latest of this. Get to the bottom of it. What have you learned about it John?
VAUSE: Hello, Betty. Well British intelligence sources have told CNN a short time ago that those reports coming out of the state side are simply media hype, playing down any rift between British and U.S. law enforcement agencies. What the source did point out is the difference between British and U.S. policing policies here in Britain, law enforcement agencies are given a much broader scope under law for the domestic surveillance and the gathering of evidence and that means that once they get into court the bar is much higher. For the Americans he pointed out there is a philosophy of acting sooner rather than later especially after 9/11. What we also learned today is coming from the British Home Secretary John Reid; he's essentially the equivalent of the head of the Department of Homeland Security. He says that since the July 7th underground bombings authorities here have thwarted four other terrorist attacks and he said other attacks are also being investigated.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REID: There could be others out there, perhaps people we don't know, perhaps people who are involved in other plots. So the threat of a terrorist attack in the United Kingdom is still very substantial. Because it was imminent last week it moved up from the highly likely threat from severe to critical because it looked imminent.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: And with the terror alert here remaining at critical that means there are those extra security measures here at Heathrow Airport and that means that a third of flights out of this airport have been canceled. Today there are also lengthy delays for other travelers and British Airways; one is complaining that this airport is certainly not doing enough to get passengers on to those planes and out of this airport.
Betty.
NGUYEN: Delays and the investigation, as you mentioned, is still underway, widening, learning that police raided several Internet cafes in London and surrounding areas. What do you know about that and what they have been able to decipher from that information?
VAUSE: Well, those Internet cafes were towards London's east. One of them we are told by sources not far from Heathrow Airport. Where we are here right now. It is believed that Heathrow Airport was or quite possibly the takeoff point for these attacks or at least some of these attacks on U.S.-bound flights. So raiding those Internet cafes. We also know that authorities have been searching the homes of the 23 people who remain in custody, still being held by British authorities and they have specifically been looking at the hard drives and laptops of computers that have been taken away and we've heard from U.S. sources that so far, investigators have been able to piece together what they say almost every aspect of the suspect's lives.
Betty.
NGUYEN: Very interesting stuff there. CNN's John Vause joining us live from Heathrow Airport in London. Thank you for that John.
Well there's no word on when new restrictions will end for air travelers here in the U.S. All liquids and gels are banned from carry- on bags. Officials say the suspects in the airline terror plot planned to use liquid explosives. Now Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff says that threat poises a challenge for the U.S.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL CHERTOFF, HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: The difficulty is not only can we detect the explosive. The difficulty is what do we do with explosives made out of common chemicals, chemicals that almost everybody has with them in their dry cleaning or their cosmetics, because we don't want a system that has so many false positives that we have hours and hours waiting in line at the airport because we have to open every bottle and every cosmetics case.
So the challenge here is not just technology, but it's finding the technology that will fit with our system and not create delays and impediments for the air traveler.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: You can see the entire interview with Secretary Chertoff on "Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer." That's coming up this morning at 11:00 Eastern, 8:00 Pacific.
HARRIS: Suspiciously large purchases of untraceable cell phones have landed at least five college-aged men in legal trouble on terror- related charges. All of from Middle Eastern descent. Three are from Texas, they were arrested early Friday in Caro, Michigan after buying 80 cell phones at a local Wal-Mart. Police found a thousand more phones, a thousand more, in their vehicle. All of the battery has been taken out of the phones. The prosecutor says Michigan may have been a target.
Two men from suburban Detroit are in custody in Ohio on similar charges. They too were arrested after buying large numbers of untraceable cell phones. Their attorney's say the men were engaged in a legitimate enterprise and are victims of racial profiling. Prosecutors allege of terror connection saying cell phones can be used to detonate bombs. Next hour, a former senior counsel to the Department of Homeland security will provide a federal prospective to these and other developments in the war on terror.
NGUYEN: All day Monday CNN will show you where America is most vulnerable to terrorist attacks. Throughout the day you will get specific and essential insight on where the threats are and what you can do to stay safe. It's called "Target: USA" all day Monday on CNN.
Well analyst say the foiled airline plot have all of the earmarks of Al Qaeda. Now more than ever you need to know your enemy. So Wednesday, August 23, "CNN Presents" reveals how Osama Bin Laden trains legions of followers to do his deadly bidding. "In the Footsteps of Bin Laden," CNN Presents special investigation Wednesday night August 23rd, 9:00 Eastern.
HARRIS: When it comes to fighting terrorism are British and American investigators playing by different rule books? Coming up at 9:00 Eastern we will talk to Michael Chertoff's former senior counsel at the Department of Homeland Security. And in just about five minutes I'll speak with Israel's ambassador to the U.S. is a cease-fire in the Middle East really just 17 hours away?
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HARRIS: And good morning again, everyone. Now in the news, a deal in the Middle East. Just a short time ago Israel's cabinet approved the U.N. cease-fire resolution. U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan says Israel and Hezbollah will hold their fire beginning tomorrow morning at 1:00 a.m. Eastern time. Still today some of the fiercest fighting in the month-long conflict. Israeli air strikes pounded Beirut and southern Lebanon today and Hezbollah rockets slammed into northern Israel. Both sides suffered casualties.
NGUYEN: A top British official said today that the threat of another terrorist plot is chronic and severe, his words. Police continue to carry out raids stemming from the airline terror investigation. Now, Home Secretary John Reid says four other terror plots have been thwarted since July 2005 transit bombings.
New pictures now of Cuban President Fidel Castro. Take a look; the pictures are being released today to show a recovering Castro on his 80th birthday. Castro remains in a Cuban hospital recovering from intestinal surgery. Venezuela's president is expected to pay a visit and bring a cake later today.
Well going door-to-door and house-to-house, U.S. and Iraqi forces on the hunt today for insurgents and stockpiles of weapons. A CNN photojournalist embedded with U.S. forces say troops searched 3600 homes early "Operation Together Forward" as it is called targeted a mostly Sunni area of southwest Baghdad.
Well we want to update you on the top stories every 15 minutes here on CNN SUNDAY MORNING. So your next update coming up at 8:30 Eastern.
HARRIS: In the Middle East Israel's cabinet votes to support the U.N. cease-fire plan. It happened just within the past hour. Lebanon agreed to the plan yesterday and its prime minister had this to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FOUAD SINIORA, LEBANESE PRIME MINISTER: A cessation of hostilities means everything, cessation of hostilities that there shouldn't be anything and that they have to respect this thing. The Israelis are continuing in spite of this and I think this is not time for it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Joining us now, Israel's ambassador to the U.S., Daniel Ayalon. Mr. Ambassador, good morning, thanks for your time.
DANIEL AYALON, ISRAEL'S AMBASSADOR TO THE U.S: Thank you.
HARRIS: So we have an agreement. All sides are a party to the agreement now. What are you thinking today? What's your reaction?
AYALON: Yes. Israel would, of course, a bide by it. We approved it just a few minutes ago and we'd like to see an end of terrorism we'd like to see Lebanon goes back to the Lebanese to end this situation. We have the Hezbollah terrorist group, which used guerrilla warfare, but also had state-of-the-art equipment. They have the cutting edge of armaments from Syria and Iran and we see now the devastating results.
So it's a good resolution which will end up, if it is implemented to its spirit and letter, with the disarming of the Hezbollah, with making sure that no more armaments will be shipped illegally from Syria and Iran to Lebanon and hopefully the Lebanese government will exercise control all over the country.
HARRIS: So Mr. Ambassador we have an agreement in hand why so much heavy shelling of Beirut in these final hours before the cease- fire goes into effect?
AYALON: Well, technically, the agreement goes into effect tomorrow morning Israel's time or 1:00 a.m. Eastern Time, but Israel has received today 150 shells, Katyusha rockets over our northern towns, one Israel 83 year old man were killed and they are shelling over heavily-populated areas in our cities and what we are doing is actually self-defense and also trying to degrade even further the capabilities of the Hezbollah, thus rendering the international community a much better chance to go on with their mission once they come because their mission is really to disarm the Hezbollah and the weaker they are militarily is the better, I think, for all of us including and most for the Lebanese.
HARRIS: Does the agreement mean anything? Is it worth the paper it's written on if Hezbollah does not disarm?
AYALON: No. There have been plenty of U.N. resolutions that were not abided by and this is really weird now, really paying the price. For many resolutions that were not being fulfilled or implemented mostly the 1559 of 2 1/2 years ago which also called for the Hezbollah's disarming and nothing happened. This time, I hope, that the international community will come together and insist on implementing it. Israel will certainly do its part and we would like very much to see a smooth and quick implementation to it.
HARRIS: Respond to this -- well, it's a thought I've heard expressed a few places that a cease-fire in this conflict is, in essence, a victory for Hezbollah.
AYALON: Well, if this is their definition of victory, I would hate to see what is a defeat. Hezbollah, as of today, has been crippled severely. More than 600 of its terrorists are killed, command and control centers are taken, most if not all, their long-term launchers have been taken out, and I don't think that now, and this is the most important thing, they're very popular in Lebanon. I believe when the dust settles the Lebanese will come out and ask why is all this pain and suffering and devastation? What for? And I think this will be the main result of this war that the Hezbollah will be rendered.
HARRIS: Ambassador Ayalon we thank you for your time this morning. AYALON: Thank you.
HARRIS: This programming note, CNN's "Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer" "will have the Lebanese foreign minister representative to the United Nations and former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak. That starts at 11:00 am Eastern.
NGUYEN: And just ten minutes from now explore the mysteries of autism with Dr. Sanjay Gupta on "House Call."
HARRIS: And an 89-year-old grandmother is attacked by a home intruder. Find out what she did to fight back. That's coming up in the next hour of CNN SUNDAY MORNING. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Coming up, today's "Bod Squad" celebrates the benefits of the bike. Here's Carol Costello.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Seven time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong built up world wide excitement for cycling and Will (INAUDIBLE) who is a lifetime athlete, believes the bike is the greatest fitness advice ever invented.
WILL: On the bike, it's fast, it gets your adrenaline going, you get to enjoy the beauty and it's the best way to see the countryside.
COSTELLO: Will says cycling has become a trend in Corporate America, it's the new golf or tennis and it's not only good for corporate execs, it's good for seniors, too. Seventy year-old Joe and 67-year-old Suzanne took up cycling ten years ago while cruising into retirement.
They clocked 5,000 miles a year riding tandem. Suzanne, who is blind, says she and Joe have cycled all over the world.
SUZANNE: To ride 80 miles a day on a bicycle is wonderful exercise.
COSTELLO: How long have you guys been married?
SUZANNE: Forty-four years.
JOE: Seems like three days.
COSTELLO: Carol Costello, CNN New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Sweet couple there. Well, listen to this and check her out. An 89-year-old granny takes on a home intruder. We'll tell you who one in the next hour. CNN's SUNDAY MORNING. Take a guess who won, I think you know. But first "House Call" with Dr. Sanjay Gupta and your top stories straight ahead.
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