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CNN Sunday Morning
Ariz. Escapees Linked to N.M. Burned Bodies; Gulf Spill's Economic Impact Eases in Florida; Vigorous Tornado Touches Down in Midwest; U.S. Hands Over Iraq Combat Operations
Aired August 08, 2010 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Hey there, everybody. From the CNN Center in Atlanta, Georgia, this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING for the 8th day of August. I'm T.J. Holmes.
BOLDUAN: And I'm Kate Bolduan. Good morning, everybody. Thanks for starting your day with us. Good morning.
HOLMES: And we do want to say a special good morning, as always on Sunday, to our military men and women who are watching us this hour on the Armed Forces Network from around the world. Thank you for being with us.
And certainly going to have some big news out of Iraq. A major milestone there today. We'll tell you about that in a second.
Also going to tell you about what we're getting out of Afghanistan, this breaking-news story we saw yesterday about those Americans who were killed, those volunteers who were killed, that medical team. We're hearing from the wife of one of the victims. Going to keep you updated there throughout the morning.
BOLDUAN: Absolutely. Why don't we get to some of the top stories that we're going to be watching this morning?
When wounded soldiers return home - let's actually turn to Iraq. Combat operations in Iraq are now in the hands of the Iraqi army. The U.S. formally handed over operations yesterday. The handover ceremony included mock maneuvers by Iraqi troops manning - as well as manning checkpoints and detonating a fake explosive.
The 64,000 American troops there now will be cut to 50,000 by September 1.
And landslides triggered by heavy rain have killed at least 127 people in northwest China, and the Chinese government says about 2,000 - or 2,000 more are still missing. The local leaders say the water level rose more than three feet every five minutes, trapping many before they could get to safety. Those who did are stranded on rooftops and high ground, waiting for rescuers.
Actress Zsa Zsa Gabor's recovery from her hip-replacement surgery is going slower than predicted. Gabor broke her hip last month, but her daughter dispute Zsa Zsa - Zsa Zsa has suffered a setback. In fact, she is expected to be released from the hospital tomorrow. Gabor is 93 and has been pretty much confined to a wheelchair since a car accident in 2002 - T.J.
HOLMES: OK. They told us - authorities told us that these escaped convicts were armed and dangerous. And now, that appears to be the case, as two of these escaped cons are now prime suspects in a double murder.
Take a look at these pictures. Tracy Province and John McCluskey are now being linked to two bodies that were found inside a camper in Santa Rosa, New Mexico. Now, these two are a part of three convicts who escaped from a prison in Arizona nine days ago. One has been caught, but these two are still on the loose.
The bodies that were found in New Mexico actually had been set on fire.
On the line with us now - Peter Olson is with the New Mexico State Police. He's joining us now.
Sir, good morning. Thank you for being with us this early. Give - give me some kind of perspective of just how concerned you all are for your citizens, knowing that these two possibly are on the loose in your state.
VOICE OF PETER OLSON, NEW MEXICO STATE POLICE: Well, it is definitely a serious situation, and these two as well as Casslyn Welch, really have dangerous tendencies and they are willing to do whatever it takes to stay out of prison.
HOLMES: Well, sir, how certain are you that they are, in fact, linked to this double murder in your state?
OLSON: We have developed - late yesterday afternoon we developed some forensic evidence that links them to this case. And we want to talk to all three of them about this evidence that we've found, and about the tragic - well, we don't know for sure if it's the Haas couple - Gary and Linda Haas that are - that were burned in their camper. But we believe it's them. And we need to find out - we need to find these people, get them off the street and to talk to them about this double homicide.
HOLMES: Sir, where do you think they're headed? Are they just simply passing through your state, heading somewhere else? Or do they have some business possibly there in the state, and they could - could be there for a little while.
OLSON: We don't know where they're at. We are asking for the public to help locate these people. We're hoping that the people that are watching your program now see their pictures. They might recognize them; they might see them in a gas station or a convenience store.
If they do, call police right away.
HOLMES: Sir, do you have any reason to believe they are getting help along the way? I know that one - the mother of one of the suspects has been arrested in connection. But other than that, do you believe they are getting any help? OLSON: Well, they're taking whatever they need from whoever has it. And we don't know if they're getting help or just taking it.
HOLMES: All right. Sir, and one more thing - do you know how they're getting around? Are they simply, like you said, taking - are they - simply keep stealing cars, and that's their mode of transportation, or do you believe you know what kind of vehicle they might be traveling in right now?
OLSON: Well, it's clear that they have stolen vehicles in the past. They stole this pickup truck that belonged to the Haases. And we don't know what they're driving right now.
HOLMES: All right. Peter Olson with the New Mexico State Police.
Again, showing the pictures there one more time, Tracy Province and John McCluskey, the two that are still on the run, believed to be linked to that double murder now in the state of New Mexico.
Mr. Olson, we appreciate you hopping on the line. And as always, if anyone has any information, get a hold of the authorities as soon as possible.
Sir, thank you so much for your time.
OLSON: You're welcome.
BOLDUAN: Tornadoes touched down in a couple states, causing some pretty serious damage.
A storm chaser catches some - some close-up video of a twister in action. Just look at that.
And our storm chaser, Reynolds Wolf, is in Florida this morning covering the Gulf oil disaster.
Hey there, Reynolds.
REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Hey, guys.
We're talking about another big step that's going to get under way. If you look back and - from where we were to where we are now, we had the containment cap, then we had the "static kill." Next up is the "bottom kill."
We're going to let you know how that's going to get under way, starting tonight.
You're watching CNN SUNDAY MORNING. See you in a little bit.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BOLDUAN: Putting the last nail in the coffin on the Gulf oil disaster - that's what BP officials are hoping to do this week in permanently shutting down that ruptured well finally.
HOLMES: Yes. Our Reynolds Wolf is there in Pensacola for us this morning.
Reynolds, it sounds like it's one of these things, you want to make sure something is dead, so they keep killing it and killing it and killing it.
WOLF: I know. It's like one of those "Friday the 13th" movies, isn't it? Where Jason keeps coming back. It seems that's what has a - the situation with the Macondo Well.
But I'll tell you that is a - it's been amazing. I mean, since they've had the containment cap in place, since they had the "static kill," things have been going very well. We have also had the digging of the relief well, which is actually going to continue later on tonight. And believe it or not, only 100 feet separates from the point where the relief well has dug to the point where you have the broken well.
And they - they plan on digging the rest of that 100 feet through this week. And then on Friday the 13th, this Friday, coming up, they're going to inject just the - the - what's left of the - the cement and the mud. And that should basically kill off the well, if all goes as planned.
But the weather has to cooperate. And right now, it looks like it's going to.
And of course, you've got just those minor details. I mean, this is a very, very difficult endeavor. It's 17 feet - 1,000 feet down. I mean, imagine getting a - say, like, a coat wire hanger and trying to - to unhook your - say, in like a car door. You know, like when you loop it up over the - the window? Basically, the same kind of thing here, except you're going 17,000 feet down, below the surface of the - of - the floor of the - of the ocean, digging, digging, digging and then trying to get that point.
It is an amazing endeavor, but today, fingers crossed, they're going to get to that point, guys.
HOLMES: They might get to that point, fingers crossed. But also, a lot of people had their fingers crossed and hopes up for this summer tourism season - June, July, August so critical. You got to spend a full day there on a Saturday.
How busy did it get?
WOLF: It was insane. It was absolutely insane. I mean, this hotel we've been staying in has been sold out over the last four days. It was rocking last night.
I can tell you the same situation in many of the hotels up and down this strip. I've heard that - that conditions have been great in terms of Gulf Shores, places like, say, Perdido Key. They really have been able to rebound very well.
As the oil has been fading out, people have been coming in. But still, guys, for some people, it's - it's too late. They've really missed the bulk of their season. For a lot of the small mom-and-pop operations, they're going to have a very difficult time. For the major corporations, they should be able to last.
But still, it - it was a - it really happened at an inconvenient time.
What's funny is, this weekend is one of the last big weekends they have before things really begin to drop in terms of tourism. You're getting into the fall season; you're getting into the winter season, where things really do tend to die out around here. The big time was the spring and the summer, and unfortunately, they were hit hard during both of those times.
HOLMES: All right. Reynolds, we do appreciate, as always. Been in the Gulf for quite some time. But some good news to report there over the past several weeks, at least.
Reynolds, we appreciate you, as always. Buddy, check in with you again.
BOLDUAN: Thanks, Reynolds.
WOLF: You bet, guys.
BOLDUAN: So folks living along the North Dakota-Minnesota border are waiting for sunrise to really better determine the damage that they have sustained from a series of tornadoes last night.
HOLMES: This video of - some folks in our newsroom brought us over and said, 'Hey, you got to see this.'
BOLDUAN: Yes.
HOLMES: This is always just an extraordinary - an amazing sight to see. But they had a couple of tornadoes that went across some farming areas. Don't know how much damage it might have done necessarily. No reports of injuries that we've got. Often times, it's always good - Jacqui Jeras, bring you in here, that you do see these things out in the middle of nowhere sometimes. That's when you get some of the best pictures quite frankly.
BOLDUAN: Yes.
HOLMES: And they do less damage there, as opposed to being in a major metropolitan area. But just awesome to see nature do its thing.
JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, and you could see that there was some debris in the bottom there, in that tornado cloud. There were a couple of farmsteads that were destroyed. The people were in their basement. So they did make it out OK.
But this is an unusually strong, violent tornado. I would say this - you know, this was probably what we would call a major tornado. I would guess that it was at least an EF-3 or greater. We'll wait until the National Weather Service goes out there today and assesses the damage. But at least a half a dozen tornadoes were reported there yesterday.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HOLMES: Well, coming up, a young man who had to overcome the death of a brother and the serious illness of his mother to become the first black male valedictorian of his high school in the past decade.
And his speech - the speech he made at his graduation got a lot of views on the Internet, and might even inspire you this morning.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Despite attacks, splinters and tall boys (ph), still, I rise.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BOLDUAN: Get a look at the top stories we're watching this morning.
CNN has confirmed the names of two of the 10 medical-aid workers killed Thursday in Afghanistan. Friends of American optometrist Dr. Tom Little and New York - of New York and British surgeon Karen Woo say they knew the risks, but continued the mission to deliver humanitarian aid to a remote region there.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LIBBY LITTLE, WIDOW OF DOCTOR KILLED IN AFGHANISTAN: He gave his life, the best years of his life, you know, to bring medical care to Afghan people. And he'll be buried in the Christian cemetery right there in Kabul. And we'll be there, and we'll be surrounded by people that have been our family and our friends for years.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BOLDUAN: Five other Americans were killed, but their identities have not been identified. The Taliban claims responsibility for the attack.
Friends and family gathered also in Connecticut yesterday for the funerals of four of eight employees killed Tuesday in a workplace shooting spree. The four men had been employees at the company for 30 years. Two other victims will be buried today and on Monday - and on Monday, a candlelight vigil is also set - scheduled today. Connecticut's governor has called for tomorrow to be a day of remembrance.
And in Cuba, Fidel Castro back in the public eye with a personal message for President Obama. He urged Obama not to fire the first shot in the event of a nuclear war. Castro was - had - was making his first appearance in four years before the country's national assembly. This after keeping a pretty low profile while he recuperated from intestinal surgery.
We'll be right back. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BOLDUAN: Just when you think you've heard possibly everything about the fallout from the economic crisis, this comes a new piece of good news: A spike in the cost of pizza. I thought I misread that the first time I looked at it.
HOLMES: No, it's the truth. Right, Josh? Did have the possibility of having pizza today. But maybe I should rethink this thing.
JOSH LEVS, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Yes, maybe you should.
I'll tell you what: Let's just get right to some video. We're having some trouble getting the camera over here.
I'll tell you guys what's going on here. I was surprised by this, too. You know, we thought we knew all the big fallout. But what's happening now is, some of the basic things you buy all the time, including pizza, you could see a real spike at a time when Americans are really pinching pennies all they can. This is a problem.
What's going on - what you're seeing here is what's been going on in Russia. There's been a serious, serious drought there. They've lost about 20 percent of their wheat crop. And now, they're having to cut back.
So at CNN/Money we have some analysts talking about what the effects are of Russia actually holding off on exports through December 1. Some analysts telling CNN right now that the price of bread could jump as high as 30 percent. We're checking those figures there - as high as 30 percent for a price of bread that you buy at the grocery store.
Now, a lot of this is going to depend on how long these prices keep jumping. What we're also going to expect, if this continues to happen, the price of pizza could go up another 10 percent as well. This is on top of whatever else you're seeing at the grocery store.
And then, you know, it just keeps going from there. Analysts are weighing in. They're saying if it's about even three more weeks, at the most, four more weeks, you could start to see a dent in prices for all sorts of things, including pastries, which is always nice to see at 6 in the morning Eastern Time. But these are the kinds of things that could start to cost a lot more.
A lot of people watching what's called "wheat futures" right now, because basics that you buy all the time have wheat in them. You can get all sorts of details at CNN.com.
Now, before we go, I want to make a little shift and show you another story. It's a little sad for one person, but getting a ton of traffic online. And that's going on with Tiger Woods right now.
One of our top stories on CNN.com that you can see here talks about him sinking to a new long, and what happened here is that he got his lowest score at the end of 54 holes that he's ever had in his entire career. We actually have a series of photos. Let's zoom in on there.
This is golf.com, which is a partner with CNN.com. It's talking about the invitational that's going on right now in Ohio, the WDC- Bridgestone Invitational. And when you take a look at this, you can see that Phil Mickelson is doing really well.
A guy who's not happy so right now, that guy right there, Tiger Woods, with his lowest at the end of 54 holes, throughout his entire career.
Lots of details on this, and of course, a whole lot more stories all the time, right over here, at CNN.com. We encourage you to check it out.
And guys, later this morning, I'll have some of the more - of the other most popular stories we got going online today. Back to you.
BOLDUAN: All right.
HOLMES: All right. Josh, thank you.
Well, we saw the president's birthday earlier last week - I believe it was Wednesday. So he didn't get to have a party with his family, but he is going to get one today, albeit a little late.
BOLDUAN: A little late. But that's fine. It's still a birthday.
And although he's only one year older, the pressures of being president may be taking a toll. Just ask his barber. Yes, we're going straight to the source, people, to see if the president's getting a little more gray on top than he should be.
Twenty-four minutes after the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Well, we're coming up on the bottom of the hour here on this CNN SUNDAY MORNING. Welcome back. I'm T.J. Holmes.
BOLDUAN: Good morning, everybody. I'm Kate Bolduan. It's just before 6:30 here in Atlanta. Thanks for staying with us this morning.
HOLMES: I want to take a look at some of the stories that are making headlines.
That story we were bringing you, that breaking story yesterday, learning that six Americans were among the 10 dead in Afghanistan. They were slain in an attack in the northeast part of the country. The Taliban taking responsibility for this, but we're learning more about some of the victims.
Again, six of them were Americans, part of a medical team there. One of them was Dr. Tom Little. But you're seeing Dr. Karen Woo just there up on the screen. And then there, Dr. Tom Little. Again, had been in - 30 years in Afghanistan, helping the people there. Dr. Karen Woo, another one meanwhile, give up a good life in London, a very comfortable life in London, to work with the International Assistance Mission.
BOLDUAN: And landslides, another big story, triggered by heavy rain have killed at least 126 people in a province in northwest China. And the Chinese government says about 2,000 more are still missing.
Local leaders say the water level rose more than three feet every five minutes, trapping many before they could get to safety. And those who did are still - are off - many of them are still stranded on rooftops and high ground waiting for help.
HOLMES: Also, we told you a couple of weeks about actress Zsa Zsa Gabor. She took a fall out of her bed, had her in the hospital. She's going to have hip-replacement surgery, and some reports out that it's kind of going slower than predicted, the recovery at least.
She's a 93-year-old actress. Again, that hip was broken back in July.
The daughter now is disputing that she's necessarily suffered a setback and is actually supposed to be released from the hospital tomorrow. Zsa Zsa hasn't been in the greatest of health in the past several years and has been in a wheelchair since she had a car accident back in 2002.
BOLDUAN: And in Iraq, the U.S. has formally handed over combat operations to Iraqi security forces. Right now, 64,000 American troops are in the country, and almost as many will stay on duty in Iraq for some time to come.
CNN's Arwa Damon joins us from Baghdad.
Arwa, you've talked to the U.S. commander there. How confident is he that the Iraqi forces are ready for the job?
ARWA DAMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Kate.
Well, we did go that handover ceremony there that saw the last U.S. combat brigade handing over responsibility to the 6th Iraqi Army Division.
The U.S. has been quite confident in the Iraq security forces' abilities to hold on to the gains that have been made here over the last few years. But that has not really been what we've been hearing from some Iraqi civilians and from senior Iraqi politicians, who are expressing a genuine fear about this U.S. troop drawdown to 50,000 by the end of August.
And so we asked America's top commander on the ground what he had to say to people who were expressing genuine fear that violence would increase as the U.S. military's impact in Iraq decreased.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) GEN. RAY ODIERNO, COMMANDER, U.S. FORCES IN IRAQ: Security has continued to move forward about the same, a little bit better, depending on which area you're at, so they have done it. What I would tell them is we're still here. We're not leaving completely. We're still very committed to Iraq. And we are still going to have 50,000 troops on the ground for a significant period of time to continue to help them build that confidence between them and the Iraqi security forces.
DAMON: And building that confidence, Kate, is really going to be critical as this country does try to move forward especially since it does come at a time when there is such a political vacuum here. Remember we had elections in Iraq back in March and now we are in August and still there is no government.
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR, CNN SUNDAY MORNING: And in speaking with the general, and I know we don't like to use this term at all, I'm sure he didn't, the term "mission accomplished", but does he think his mission has been accomplished in Iraq?
DAMON: No, he doesn't. He believes that gains have been made, that the situation has improved, that the Iraqi security forces are exhibiting a certain level of competence and capability that they hadn't in the past, but in his perspective, in General Odierno's perspective, is it mission accomplished here? No, he says, quite frankly, there's a lot of work to be done in Iraq not just when it comes to security but also when it comes to the politics and economics here.
He genuinely believes the U.S. has an ongoing responsibility towards this nation. And he says that people shouldn't forget the sacrifices that the young U.S. servicemen and women have made but that they should also not forget the sacrifices that the Iraqi civilians have made. And if we look at violence over the last 24 hours, for example, we're reminded of what those sacrifices are, where we had dozens of attacks ranging from generators exploding to suicide bombings to roadside bombs. So this remains a very unpredictable scenario. But the general does remain confident that in leaving that force of 50,000 behind the U.S. still can help the Iraqi security forces maintain the current levels of violence, Kate.
BOLDUAN: I wanted to ask you about the violence in just the last 24 hours, Arwa, more than-I know the numbers have shifted a bit, but more than 50 people dead in the last 24 hours in more than one situation. What can the Iraqi forces do to try and control this violence? I'm sure with the assistance and support of the U.S. troops there still, that's going to help them?
DAMON: Well, Kate, just quickly to give you a bit of an overview, the U.S. military right now is not inside these cities and towns. The Iraqi security forces are very much the individuals who you will see at checkpoints. They are the ones that are, as the U.S. says, in the lead of security here. The Americans only come into the picture when the Iraqis ask them to and they take part in the whole planning of missions and in logistical support and air support if the Iraqis ask for it. Truth be told, that when it comes to suicide bombings, they're very hard to try to prevent. Suicide bombers tend to be very determined and that would entail very tight, tight security to try to keep that from taking place. The implantation of roadside bombs a challenge to deal with as well. And then we, of course, have these sporadic attacks, where gunmen will target one of the Iraqi security forces checkpoints, for example. What this requires and what they're trying to really permanently tamp down on the violence here requires is aggressive operations going after these individuals, trying to pinpoint them into society before they can actually carry out their attacks.
And then, of course, you also have to try to remove the factors that are having-allowing these people to try to conduct these attacks as well. So the violence is very much interlinked with the politics and the economics here.
BOLDUAN: A long road ahead but at least reaching a milestone this weekend. Thanks so much, Arwa Damon in Baghdad for us.
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR, CNN SUNDAY MORNING: Please stick around to meet a young man who wasn't supposed to be valedictorian of his high school, wasn't supposed to get $1 million in scholarship offers, his mother wasn't supposed to live long enough to even see him graduate. Whatever you tell Deonte Bridges what he's not supposed to do, chances are he's going to do it. Meet this remarkable young man after the break. It's 34 minutes past the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: It is 36 minutes past the hour.
His valedictory speech has gone viral. Thanks to a lot of hard work he's also earned more than $1 million in scholarship offers but Deonte Bridges has faced adversity since he was a child. At the age of four he lost his brother, then at the age of 13 his mother was diagnosed with leukemia, told she might not make it and survive to even see him graduate from high school.
Then in 2008 Deonte was robbed at gunpoint, but instead of allowing a lot of these things to define him, they inspired him to succeed as a student. And I had the honor of speaking to this young man earlier last week.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DEONTE BRIDGES, VALEDICTORIAN, BOOKER T. WASHINGTON H.S.: Had I given up, I would not stand here today as a possessor of more than $1 million in scholarship funds.
(APPLAUSE)
Had I given in -
(CHEERS, APPLAUSE) I would not stand before you today, honored and humbled, to the first African-American male valedictorian of Booker T. Washington in more than a decade.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: That's Deonte Bridges, the eyes are a little drier today, but he's getting some folks in the studio worked up with that speech.
You really got a lot of people worked up. Did you get overcome with emotion there?
Again, we are talking to Deonte Bridges, a young man who overcame so much to become valedictorian at Booker T. Washington High School in Atlanta, first black male valedictorian in over 10 years at that school.
But did you just find yourself getting overwhelmed up there?
BRIDGES: I became very caught up in the moment. I tried hold it back, but reality kicked in, I had to take a second to just realize that this-it was all real.
HOLMES: That reality you're talking about, and that reality has been your life, you talked about it some in your speech there. But tell our viewers just how much you've gone through from your brother to your mother.
BRIDGES: When I was younger my brother passed away, he went under cardiac arrest playing basketball. I know it may seem cliche but I really feel like he was the best brother anyone could have, and losing him at a very young age it pretty much was a reality check. I knew that it was real. I learned at a young age.
And then when I was 13 my mother was diagnosed with leukemia. They told her she had-I mean the average lifespan was five years. So five years later, here I am graduating and I'm just glad that she was here to witness it all.
And May 17th, 2008, a very tragic day, I was robbed at gunpoint on my way home, less than a minute away from walking in my door. And you know, list goes on, some people may not know it, but coming off graduation celebrating, three days later my grandfather passed away.
HOLMES: Deonte, huh.
BRIDGES: So, the adversity, it causes some men to break, but for me it helped me break records. So I'm just trying to set an example and inspire others.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: Well, he inspired me. This young man has decided to take a $360,000 Gates Millennium Scholars Program scholarship. And despite my best efforts he did not want to go to the University of Arkansas, he instead is going to go to our SEC rival the Georgia Bulldogs. He actually did that, though, Kate. He had very good reason. Like he said, his mom has been ill, told she wouldn't survive even long enough to see him graduate from high school. But he wanted to stay close to home, so he could have gone ivy league.
BOLDUAN: Anywhere.
HOLMES: He could have gone to the West Coast. He wanted to stay close to home.
BOLDUAN: What an amazing story.
HOLMES: Great kid. But just gives you chills talking to him.
BOLDUAN: Oh, my gosh. I mean, his head is so in the right place. I mean, that he could keep his focus and keep his path. Amazing story.
HOLMES: We wish him luck. We'll see him down the road.
BOLDUAN: Absolutely.
We will be back right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Taking a look at some of the stories making headlines right now.
We have now identified, or been able to confirm the identities of two of the six Americans killed in that ambush by the Taliban in Afghanistan. One of them is 61-year-old Tom Little. He had worked in Afghanistan over 30 years helping to treat people there, the other was 36-year-old British surgeon named Dr. Karen Woo. Again, six Americans all together killed. Still waiting to get the identities of the others, they are among the 10 in a medical team killed by the Taliban.
Also four funerals Saturday for victims of that shooting in Manchester, Connecticut, four had worked at that Hartford distributor, that company for 30 years. Two more victims will be buried either today or tomorrow. The governor is declaring Monday a day of remembrance. Police say the shooter was Omar Thornton, killed eight people before taking his own life.
The former Cuban leader seems to be on a comeback tour, we've seen him an awful lot here lately. Saw him once again yesterday addressing the country's parliament, his first public governmental act in four years. For the most part, everybody says, yes, he looks a little old, but he, for the most part, looked healthy. He also, in his speech, urged President Obama not to fire the first shot in any type of possible nuclear war. But talking about eminent possible nuclear war between the U.S., Iran and North Korea.
You'll remember he resigned as president in February '08.
BOLDUAN: President Obama, he will celebrate-he will celebrate his 49th birthday today, even though his birthday was last week. I would have more days of birthday celebrations if I could get them.
HOLMES: Why not.
BOLDUAN: Why not. Exactly right. And remember, his wife and youngest daughter, they took a trip to Spain, and Malia went to summer camp. So he's a bit solo. Mr. Obama celebrated his birthday with friends in Chicago. He is going to celebrate again today we're told.
HOLMES: People who watch the president, though, say he's starting to look a little older, more than just a year older possibly. Our White House Correspondent Suzanne Malveaux talked to one man who ought to know, his barber.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CROWD OF PEOPLE SINGING: Happy birthday Mr. President, happy birthday to you
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Happy birthday, Mr. President, you're getting older, and we think you've noticed.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I have a lot more gray hair than I did last year.
(LAUGHTER)
MALVEAUX: The graying president, less than two years into office, signs of the most stressful job in the world are showing, but don't tell that to President Obama's barber, Zarif (ph), in Chicago, who has been cutting his hair for more than 17 years.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Pretty much a medium cut.
MALVEAUX: He's not giving up the goods on the gray.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's looking pretty good, 49, he looks very good.
MALVEAUX: With the stress of a financial meltdown, two wars, and a massive oil spill, can you blame Mr. Obama for the salt and pepper top? Folks at Obama's old Chicago barbershop in Hyde Park weighed in.
A.C. CHANDLER, BARBER SHOP CUSTOMER: We get older, we do get wiser and especially we have a lot of things going on, everything, so I look at it as really a good thing.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Look on Bill Clinton, look on George Bush, it happened with them you know what I'm saying? So you know it's going to happen with this president as well, too.
MALVEAUX: They're right, President Obama is not alone. Some doctors claim presidents age two years for every one that they're in office. When President Bush left the White House, he said he had only one regret. GEORGE W. BUSH, FMR. PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: When I get home tonight and look in the mirror, I'm not going to regret what I see.
(APPLAUSE)
BUSH: Except maybe some gray hair.
(APPLAUSE, LAUGHTER)
MALVEAUX: President Clinton started with at least half a head of brown hair, but two years in, unlike his buddy Prime Minister Blair, he was pure silver.
BILL CLINTON, FMR., PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: He's seven years younger than I am and has no gray hair. So I resent it, but there doesn't seem to be anything I can do about it.
MALVEAUX: Clinton couldn't seem to do anything about his slowing metabolism and growing waistline either, which President Obama is now also discovering.
OBAMA: When I was 20 I could order a 12-inch. I am turning 49 next week which means I need just the half.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BOLDUAN: Just glad people aren't tracking my grays through the years.
HOLMES: You're not there yet.
(LAUGHTER)
Maybe one of these days.
BOLDUAN: Maybe one of these days. You won't tell me though, you are that wonderful. You would never.
HOLMES: Well, 46 minutes past the hour.
Of course, when an injured soldier comes home there are countless new ways they need to adapt to their new life.
BOLDUAN: We'll show you how one amazing organization gives them the keys to get going once again.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BOLDUAN: The medical road back can be tough for our wounded veterans, but that's really only part of the story.
HOLMES: A lot of them have life-changing injuries that require some major adjustments back home, when they return. That includes exactly where they live. I came across an incredible charity that is helping called, Homes For Our Troops. Sergeant Kenny Lyon is getting a house furnished by that charity. He gives us a tour of what his custom-built home looks like.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SGT. KENNY LYON, WOUNDED VETERAN: The first feature of Home For Our Troops is flat doors, so you don't have to wheel over anything.
Homes For Our Troops is a non-profit organization that builds adaptable homes for severely injured veterans.
The hardwood floors make it a lot easier to move around in a wheelchair.
I'm a severely injured veteran because I lost my left leg above the knee, as well as nerve damage to the arms and other injuries. The cook top is roll under. This home is not my home. This home belongs to Sergeant Steven Kiernan. I'm currently rooming with Sergeant Steven Kiernan.
This is the garage. Sergeant Kiernan picked the plot of land that he wanted and it was completely wooded. They came and cleared it out and poured the concrete pad, and they have what's called a build brigade. All of these people came out, didn't know him at all, they showed up to help.
This program is absolutely wonderful. I mean to think that you go over there and you do it because you want to. I did it because I wanted to. I enjoyed it. And then God forbid the worst happens, you come back, and I mean, life stops for a second. And Homes For Our Troops helps get veterans back on their feet so to say, and back to a home that can make them feel independent.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BOLDUAN: People often forget that part. It is not only recovering from the injuries but readjusting to that entire new life
HOLMES: There are a couple of organizations out there like that. We even have a CNN Hero that was building home, custom built homes, to let the home adapt to the specific injury of the soldier. So some good work being done out there.
BOLDUAN: Very good work.
Well, coming up, primaries take place on Tuesday in a handful of states. Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser will have more on that, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: You've been hearing a lot about midterms coming up, all important midterms. Still before we get there some primaries we have to get passed and several of them in several states across the country this week.
BOLDUAN: Absolutely. Our CNN's Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser, he has been watching it all and has a rundown for us from the CNN Express parked in Beaver County, Utah.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Hey, good morning, Kate, T.J.,
I'm with the CNN Election Express on the road to Colorado. Why we going there? We're going to go through the Rockies to Denver because on Tuesday Colorado holds some crucial primaries. You have some tough, bitter contests now on the Democrat and Republican side for Senate. Some great races we'll keep an eye on all this stuff.
But you know what? Colorado is not the only state holding primaries on Tuesday. Take a look at Connecticut, where you have a great Republican battle for the Senate nomination and the leader there, it seems in the polls, is a former wrestling, pro wrestling executive. Here name is Linda McMahon. We are going to keep an eye on that, as well. Minnesota also holding primaries.
But down your way, in Georgia, there is a terrific gubernatorial runoff on the Republican side. And really what makes this so interesting is because a lot of possible 2012 Republican White House hopefuls are weighing in on this. In fact, tomorrow you're going to have Sarah Palin in the Atlanta area, and she will be campaigning for former Secretary of State Karen Handel, whom she's endorsed. Handel also has the endorsement of Mitt Romney.
On the other side today you are going to have former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee. He's going to be campaigning for former Congressman Nathan Deal, the other candidate in the race. Deal also has the backing of Newt Gingrich, that is a pretty big name, down in Georgia.
Talking about all these White House hopefuls, Gingrich himself, he will be at the Iowa State Fair later this week, as will another possible contender for the 2012 Republican nomination, that is Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty.
So, you know, what I guess in a way you are getting an early taste of the next presidential campaign. Talking about presidents- presidents, present and past.
How about Barack Obama? He is going to be doing a little politicking on Monday. He'll be in Texas tomorrow. He is going to be down there in Austin and in Dallas. And he's going to be raising money for the Democratic Party.
And the former president, Bill Clinton, will be in Pennsylvania on Tuesday, with the Democratic Senate nominee there, Congressman Joe Sestak, the tough race, the Democrats want to keep that seat in Democratic hands.
As you can tell a very, very busy week ahead on the campaign trail-Kate, T.J.
(END VIDEOTAPE) BOLDUAN: We often talk about needing money, you know, with the financial crisis, recession, we all need a little bit more money. How about this? Do you have spare change you would like to donate? How about extra $25 billion, with a B?
HOLMES: That is what Bill Gates has pledged. That is about half of his $53 billion of net worth. He pledge he will give it to charity, came up with this idea to challenge other billionaires to donate half of their net worth. They are calling this project, The Giving Pledge.
Warren Buffett helped develop the idea. He is worth some $47 billion. A couple other billionaires you might recognize as well, is the New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg; he's worth about $18 billion, and also the creator of "Star Wars", George Lucas. He is worth about $3 billion. Ted Turner, he is the-I guess, the underachiever on that bunch. He is worth about $1.8 billion. Of course he is the CNN founder. Net worths you're seeing there all according to "Forbes" magazine.
The country's most famous billionaires making this public declaration, also a moral commitment. Our CNN's Lisa Sylvester explaining why they agreed to do this.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE:
U.N. Come on guys, keep moving.
LISA SYLVESTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): They are all billionaires, many of them household names. Buffet, Gates, Rockefeller, Bloomberg, and they've and it a public pledge to give at least 50 percent of their wealth to charity. It began with Warren Buffett and Bill and Melinda Gates. All three have already committed vast sums of their wealth to causes such as global health and education. But they wanted to expand on the idea. Three secret dinners brought the mega-rich together to discuss ways of getting their dollars to change the world. The Gates and Warren Buffett discussed the giving pledge recently on the PBS "Charlie Rose Show."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MELINDA GATES, PHILANTHROPIST: One of the cool things we learned in the dinner is that, you know, we know this philanthropy is personal. So to us it doesn't matter what people give, whether it's to the culture, or to climate, or to humanity or societal issues. It's what they're driven by that gets them to give. And we just want to make sure they're thinking about giving and there's a lot of energy around that.
SYLVESTER: Now 40 families and individuals have signed up including the man behind "Star Wars", George Lucas, venture capitalist George Soros, and CNN founder Ted Turner. Many on the list have already given away a lot of their wealth away, including Turner, who recently discussed his $1 billion gift to the United Nations with CNN's Wolf Blitzer.
TED TURNER, FOUNDER OF CNN: There's more international understanding than ever before. The United Nations is making a real good contribution, that's like everything else, it's no better than the people that run it.
BLITZER: So, you are happy with that donation?
TURNER: Yes, oh, yes.
SYLVESTER (voice-over): Princeton University professor, Peter Singer, says even if these multibillionaires give away half of their wealth, that still leaves them with a lot, and more to go around.
PETER SINGER, PRINCETON UNIVERSITY: And all of the billionaires on the Forbes 400 list were to give half of their wealth, that's $600 billion that's going to go to charity and philanthropic causes. And, you know, that's a fantastic amount. I mean, if that were to go to help the world's poor, for example, it could really make a huge difference.
SYLVESTER (on camera): The giving pledge isn't meant for just the mega-rich, but to inspire others, even those without the pockets, to give what they can.
Lisa Sylvester, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everybody. We're coming up on the top of the hour here now on this CNN SUNDAY MORNING at the CNN Center in Atlanta, Georgia. I'm T.J. Holmes.
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, I'm Kate Bolduan. Good morning, everyone. Thanks for starting your day with us.
HOLMES: We've got a lot to get to this morning. We want to start with information we're just getting from the South Korean state media, is that, in fact, North Korea has detained a South Korean fishing boat -- this boat was reported missing from the Sea of Japan. It has seven people on board. Tensions have certainly been -- they're usually always pretty tight between these two countries, the North and the South.
But, of course, that's stepped up a bit in March when that South Korean submarine was torpedoed, North Korea was blamed. And in just a couple of weeks ago, you saw those joint sessions between -- those joint military exercises between South Korea and the United States that angered North Korea further. So, in the midst of all that, now, we're getting word that, in fact, the North has seized a South Korean fishing with seven people on board. We are checking more into that. We'll pass along more information as we get it.
Other top stories we're keeping an eye on right now. In Iraq, this is a milestone in the seven years of the war in Iraq. Now, today, the first time that the U.S. is not in charge of military operations there, has handed security over, officially, to Iraqi security forces. You're seeing part here. This is just a training exercise you're seeing, but this was a part of the handover ceremony, they did some mock maneuvers there.
But, again, there are still 64,000 U.S. service members in Iraq, but they are no longer in that combat role. That number will go down to 50,000 by the 1st of September. Those 50,000 will stick around to help out in training and other support. But no longer is the U.S. in charge of security in Iraq.
We'll turn to China now, particularly the northwest part of that country, where at least 127 people are dead, 2,000 more missing in landslides there. Rescue operations are on the way, many people are stranded on rooftops. They're seeking high ground, but this is all because of heavy rain that has been falling there over the past couple of days that triggered all of these massive landslides.
Also, an update on actress Zsa Zsa Gabor. We told you about her few weeks back. She had fallen, broken her hip. Well, she's still in the hospital now, but expected possibly to go home tomorrow. She had hip replacement surgery.
Her daughter is now denying that she has suffered any kind of a setback. Zsa Zsa Gabor is 93 years old and hasn't been in the greatest of health in the past several years, has actually been in a wheelchair since a 2002 car accident.
BOLDUAN: Dangerous and on the run -- and now, suspects in a double murder, two Arizona inmates who broke out nine days ago have been linked to a pair of burned bodies in New Mexico.
Christie Ileto from CNN affiliate KOAT has this report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHRISTIE ILETO, KOAT REPORTER (voice-over): State police say they're starting to connect the dots.
MAJ. ROBERT SHILLING, NEW MEXICO STATE POLICE: We have linked one of the subjects through forensics to the crime scene in Santa Rosa.
ILETO: That subject, John McCluskey, who escaped from an Arizona state prison last week with inmate Terry Province. State police say a third person, Casslyn Mae Welch, is a suspect as well, believed to be on the run with the pair of inmates.
Thursday, investigators found bodies in a burnt camper in Santa Rosa. They believe they may be Oklahoma couple Linda and Gary Haas. But autopsy results have not confirmed this. The couple's white four- door Chevy pickup was found here at an abandoned parking lot in Albuquerque.
State police couldn't tell us if there was a fingerprint or hair follicle that linked McCluskey to the crime, that only that his forensics were found. But police say that doesn't mean the three aren't together.
SHILLING: We have reason to believe they are together, because currently, no indication to indicate they're apart and separated.
ILETO: A trio that state police and the U.S. Marshal's office considered to be armed and dangerous. But still, no clarity on where they may be headed next.
SHILLING: A week plus a few days from the escape in Arizona, indications of going east then we have this incident in Santa Rosa. So, the trail is not linear, which concerns us as well.
ILETO: And that unknown has state police urging the public to be aware of their surroundings.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BOLDUAN: We had Peter Olson, director of communications with the New Mexico state police, on the phone just a few minutes ago. He told us state investigators have still not confirmed that the bodies found are Linda and Gary Haas -- T.J.
BOLDUAN: Kate, we heard our Reynolds Wolf just a short time ago, last hour. He described this oil well in the Gulf of Mexico kind of like Jason in the horror movies -- every time you think you kill it, it just keeps coming back and keeps coming back and keeps coming back. Well, BP officials and government officials are trying to make sure this well never comes back and they keep killing it and killing it and killing it.
Our Reynolds Wolf is in Pensacola Beach, Florida.
Reynolds, hello to you, once again, buddy. It was a great analogy you used. And I just borrowed there but I gave you credit for it.
But, tell us, where are we in this procedure. I mean, we haven't seen oil coming out of the well in some time. It has been capped. We're told "static kill" went well.
So, what is that next step and why still is this not over just yet?
REYNOLDS WOLF, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Well, what they want to do is they want to kill the well all together, the well all together. And the way they're going to do that is with the procedure that is referred to as a "bottom kill."
Now, another analogy for you, it would be like in a football game, late in the game, we're trying to score the winning touchdown, going the length of the field, near on the one yard line, you're just trying to cash it in for a touchdown and you want to win the game, extra point comes later.
But what they're trying to do is they're trying to finish up the "bottom kill" procedure. And that's really going to get underway tonight by finishing the relief well. The relief well has been 17,000 feet of digging, all the way down, right to within 100 feet of the broken main well.
Now, the idea is to finish digging starting tonight, all the way through Friday, and then by the time we get to Friday, that's the "bottom kill" procedure begins, which is going to be very similar to the "static kill" in that they're going to inject a combination of both mud and cement into the broken well, and that should kill it all together.
But the thing is, though, they have to watch it carefully. The weather has got to cooperate. Thankfully, it looks like, in the Gulf of Mexico, that should be the case for much of the week and into next weekend. So, so far, so good.
Another great sign, T.J., is what you've seen behind me. I mean, just pristine conditions here in Pensacola. They haven't seen any oil here in a very long time, much of the Gulf Coast is just fine.
However, when you get to southeast Louisiana, the situation is very different. You got areas in Plaquemines Parish, you got St. Bernard Parish. St. Bernard Parish, the other day, they had 26 different sightings of oil in less than a 24-hour span. So, the oil is still definitely in a few key spots, especially in those pristine wetlands. But for most of the beaches, it could not look better.
Let's send it back to you, guys.
HOLMES: And you say, could not look better. And you told us earlier, the hotel you've been staying in has been packed and it's been jumping there on the beach. There was so much concern that people wouldn't be visiting the Gulf.
What do they attribute their success to there, just -- they haven't had many soiled beaches or people actually starting to come back?
WOLF: Well, I tell you, I think the number one thing they attribute it to is -- for, finally, we're able to watch and see this wellhead with no oil coming out. I mean, as we were showing just -- as so many were seeing the oil just coming up, emanating and then washing up on the beaches, that was the repellent, that's the thing that really kept people away.
But since that stop, since they put on the containment cap, even before the "static kill," that was the thing that's bringing the people back. Also, though, it's the long-term reputation of this area. I mean, you have families, generations of people that have been coming here, flocking to the coast.
I mean, you think of birds migrating -- well, people migrate, too. And this time of the year, they've been coming down to these Gulf shores, the pristine beaches. They have been enjoying the beaches. They've been enjoying the seafood. Finally, the seafood.
And one more thing on that, T.J., just a few days ago, they opened up all the waters off the coast of Mississippi, for both recreational and for commercial fishermen, with the exception of two things: oysters and crabs. But that may come later on this week as they continue some testing of some of the tissue samples of both of those animals.
HOLMES: Well, so glad you're able to report some good news to us from the Gulf. Still not over, but still, some good news we can start to finally report.
Reynolds, appreciate you as always, buddy. We'll talk to you again soon.
WOLF: You bet.
HOLMES: All right -- Kate.
BOLDUAN: Tornadoes tear through North Dakota, and one of them is caught on camera. More of this, you're looking at it right there, terrifying and really awe-inspiring video caught by a storm chaser -- coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MUSIC)
BOLDUAN: Remember the days before, I don't know, are you a video game guy?
HOLMES: I don't have that kind of time. I wish I did. I wish I did.
BOLDUAN: I agree. Well, do you remember the days before Xbox and PlayStation and all of those other video games? Do you even remember a pinball machine, when they were -- when they were popular? You'd think pinball was about as uncontroversial as they come, but not in Beacon, New York, apparently. It doesn't care much for the game.
HOLMES: Yes. This is just outside of New York, about 60 miles, let's just say, outside of New York City. But they don't allow arcade games. One guy learned that the hard way when he tried to open up a video arcade museum and game room, he was shut down in just a few months.
BOLDUAN: Believe it or not, pinball was actually banned for 30 years in many major cities because it was considered a game of chance, not skill, and therefore a form of gambling. Some city officials thought it was a racket run by organized crime.
HOLMES: Now, they have been trying lately to lift this ban. But that process is moving pretty slowly. So, we don't know if that will ever happen.
Also on the gaming front, the Tetris World Championships, this is certainly an addictive game. But this is going on today in Los Angeles, the Tetris World Championship is billed as. Players from around the world are heading to the city. They got a tournament scheduled there today. It's actually open to the public. You can actually go sign up if you happen to be in the area, but the players will have an opportunity to compete for a spot in the semifinals where they will take on the world's Tetris elite. Who knew?
BOLDUAN: I try to -- I will tell you, I'm good at plenty of things, Tetris is not one of them. I don't know why I cannot, you should see me pack or move, you can tell I'm not good at Tetris, nothing works.
HOLMES: But it's a good challenging game.
BOLDUAN: It is.
HOLMES: It occupies some time. Good for a road trip.
BOLDUAN: Good for a road trip.
HOLMES: People love it for that reason.
BOLDUAN: Sure.
HOLMES: These pictures you just showed a second ago, this is out of North Dakota.
BOLDUAN: Amazing video.
HOLMES: And Minnesota, along the border there. Folks there are waiting for sunrise and they wonder just what kind of damage was done by a series of tornadoes that we saw last night.
BOLDUAN: Yes. We're showing you this video. This is just south of Fargo, the twisters raked a couple of area farms, tossing a few tractors along the way. But as of now, good news, no injuries reported.
Meteorologist Jacqui Jeras is here with more on that.
Hey, Jacqui.
JACQUI JERAS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Hey, guys.
Look at that -- do you see right there, right now at the bottom of the screen there.
BOLDUAN: Right.
JERAS: Do you see how it kind of goes up like this? That's showing us that's some debris. So, that's definitely hitting something there and we know that several farmhouses were destroyed. A couple was in their basement when it went over their home, so they made it out OK. That's just amazing.
And when I look at this picture, this is the best tornado video I've seen in quite some time, quite honestly. That is a strong and violent tornado. It lasted quite awhile, too, by the way. Thirty minutes. So, that's kind of long for a tornado to be on the ground and just amazing that there wasn't more damage with this. So, obviously in a rural area.
Now, the storm system that produced that tornado -- on the move today, and tornadoes will be a threat just in a slightly different spot. So, we're going to be watching Nebraska, Iowa, parts of Minnesota, Wisconsin, into Michigan, for that threat, damaging winds and large hail will also be possible and we think that these will get kicking late today and tonight. So, this could happen after dark, after you go to bed perhaps. So, make sure you got that NOAA weather radio on.
We're also watching for thunderstorms across the southeast again today. You know, we've had these pop up pretty much every day with the daytime heating here. However, we're a little concerned about Florida.
You see this area of low pressure, that's kind of sticking offshore here, and that's going to bring some really heavy rain. We could see as much as six inches of rain across parts of south Florida, I think over the next 48 hours, flood watches have been posted here. So, be aware of that.
We've also had quite a few water spouts in Florida the last two days, some of which have made their way onshore and also have caused just a little bit of damage. The heat is back. I know you didn't want to hear it, but there you can see the advisories. Seventeen states under the advisories once again and this is going to build through the middle of the week.
That's the latest on your forecast. T.J. and Kate, will be right back after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Fifteen minutes past the hour now, taking a look now at some of the stories making headlines.
CNN has now been able to confirm two of the identities of two of the 10 medical team's members who are killed Thursday in Afghanistan. One of them is American optometrist Tom Little of New York.
The other, British surgeon Karen Woo. Woo raised funds to buy medical equipment for this. You see her picture there. She's 36 years old.
Tom Little, he was 61 years old. He had worked in Afghanistan for over 30 years, and he was leading the medical mission. His wife talked to our affiliate WTEN.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LIBBY LITTLE, WIDOW OF DOCTOR KILLED IN AFGHANISTAN: He gave his life, the best years of his life, you know, to bring medical care to Afghan people and he'll be buried in a Christian cemetery right there in Kabul. And we'll be there, and we'll be surrounded by people that have been our family and our friends for years.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Little was among the six Americans killed in that attack on Thursday. Other identities not yet confirmed. The Taliban is, though, claiming responsibility for the attack.
Also, news we are getting this morning out of South Korea. State media is reporting this morning that North Korea has detained one of South Korea's fishing boats. The boat was reported missing from the Sea of Japan with seven people on board.
As you know, tensions have certainly been high between these two countries after the sinking of a South Korean ship back in March. Forty-six sailors were killed; the North was blamed for that. We are working to get more information. We'll bring you the very latest.
Also, Fidel Castro continues, but some would say, as a comeback tour. He made his first institutional appearance in four years this weekend. The former Cuban president -- you see him there -- he was wearing some of the traditional fatigues we're used to seeing him over the years. He addressed a special session of Cuba's national assembly. He spoke about the dangers of nuclear war and urged President Obama to not be the first to fire a shot.
It's 18 past the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MUSIC)
BOLDUAN: A new study on, what else, love and marriage -- you can be the judge of its surprising or not. Despite the substantial divorce rate in the U.S., no one can debate that. A new marriage poll shows 95 percent of Americans believe they married the right person.
HOLMES: But if you didn't, would you admit it really?
BOLDUAN: Right.
HOLMES: Just 66 percent of them, however, believe in the idea of soul mates -- a lot of debate about that. And they broke this down by regions as well, and southerners and people making less than $50,000 a year were more likely to believe in soul mates. Also broke this down by men and women, and it's actually men who are -- 97 percent of them believe they married the right person.
BOLDUAN: There you go. There we have it, I guess.
HOLMES: Yes, we do. But some people fund that surprising. Some people find that actually surprising.
But we're going to take a quick break. Go tell your mate that she's the one.
BOLDUAN: And the soul mate. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: As we reported this morning, we are learning more about those medical volunteers -- 10 of them -- who were killed, reportedly by the Taliban on Thursday in Afghanistan. This was a volunteer medical team -- six of those killed were Americans.
Our foreign affairs correspondent, Jill Dougherty, joins us now with Kabul with -- from Kabul with the very latest.
Jill, hello to you once again. We're learning more about exactly who these people were.
JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN FOREIGN AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Hey, T.J.
You know, more details have been coming in about them. But, you know, the latest information actually is that the sad mission of bringing their bodies back here now to Kabul has been completed. The bodies were transferred from that remote area in northeast Afghanistan, back here to Kabul by helicopter. It happened -- they got back about noon. And now, what is going to happen, they have to identify officially the bodies.
We do know, of course, a couple of the people -- a couple of the Americans. But they have to go through forensics and identify those bodies.
So, who is participating in that? Well, there are consular staff from the U.S. embassy, the FBI is here, they do have an office here in Kabul. T here are representatives, similar representatives from the U.K., because there was one civilian from Great Britain. There is also a German staff and then finally, the Afghan Ministry of Interior, and they are the people, by the way, who will be leading up now the investigation.
It's really an Afghan investigation. It will be carried out by the ministry of interior.
And just about an hour ago, we happened to be over at a briefing not specifically on this but on some other issues at ISAF, the international coalition headquarters. And I did ask a question about that of the general who was briefing, and they made it clear that ISAF really doesn't have anything to do specifically with this investigation. But he made it clear, he used a very strong language, T.J., he said, called it a brutal and deranged act.
And then he also said something that you were talking about yesterday, which is, if there is not security for these international missions, aid missions and medical missions, et cetera, it's going to be very, very difficult for them to carry out their missions of helping the Afghan people. And he said that should be the message to the Afghan people.
HOLMES: And, Jill, it was yesterday as well that we finally started to see word trickle out from the Taliban that it was, in fact, their attack. They took responsibility for it. Are we getting any more details from the Taliban via a Web site or their spokespeople which they certainly have them -- any more information about their intent in this attack?
DOUGHERTY: You know, T.J., that -- I think that's an excellent question, because as I've been speaking with people basically with the United States mission here, and others, what they're pointing out is -- yes, the Taliban have taken responsibility for this, and yes, it's probably likely that they are the ones who did carry out the attack, but also what were their reasons.
You could have two theories, one would be, which the police in that area seemed to believe it might actually have been started as a robbery. They did take all of the possessions of those people who died, and then the robbery turns into something else.
Or it could be that the Taliban knew who these people were, wanted to target them, and went directly at them. Remember that the Taliban were saying that these were NATO spies, spying on the Taliban.
So, there are many, you know, different theories. And sometimes, the Taliban takes responsibility for things that they really didn't initially do.
So, we'll be back to you as this investigation goes on.
HOLMES: We know you will be. Always good to talk to you, Jill Dougherty in Kabul for us this morning. Thank you so much.
And we'll certainly stay on top of that story and keep our viewers updated throughout the day. Kate and I will be back at the top of the hour with more live news as this CNN SUNDAY MORNING continues.
