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CNN Saturday Morning News
America's Southern Border Issue; Attacks Continue in Iraq; Jewish Settlers On the Move
Aired August 13, 2005 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: History is in the making in the Mideast. Israeli settlers in Gaza are bracing for the ultimatum to leave their homes in the coming days, as Israel puts its Gaza pullout plan into effect. But some settlers plan to make a last stand as they await a forced evacuation. We will bring you a live report. That's coming up straight ahead.
Also, forecasters are expecting tropical storm Irene to strengthen to hurricane status later today. If so, it would be the third hurricane of this year's Atlantic hurricane season. Now, Irene is moving northwest at roughly 10 miles an hour. Forecasters expect it to turn away from the U.S. East Coast.
British Airways is resuming flight service out of Heathrow Airport. This after a day long walkout by ground crews stranded thousands of passengers. The airline hopes to get most of its scheduled flights out of London. But it says it could take days -- not hours, but days, to clear the backlog of affected passengers.
Well, good morning.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back.
NGUYEN: Thank you.
It's good to be back.
We want to welcome you to the show this morning.
Joining us here from the world headquarters here in Atlanta, this is CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
It is August 13th, a Saturday -- thank goodness, not a Friday.
HARRIS: Yes.
NGUYEN: I'm Betty Nguyen.
HARRIS: And I'm Tony Harris.
Thank you for being with us.
Coming up this Saturday morning...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The World Trade Center tower number one is on fire.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Heard for the first time, the voices of some firefighters from September 11. We'll play you more of the frantic moments after the attacks.
Also, an elderly woman faces off against a purse snatcher and the whole disturbing episode is caught on tape.
And we'll get you "Beyond The Game" today for a look at the dollars behind professional golf.
NGUYEN: But up first this morning, our top story.
An end of an era in the Middle East. That is what we're talking about today. Israel is due to formally begin its withdrawal from Gaza and parts of the West Bank Monday. It marks the beginning of the end of Israel's 38-year-old occupation of Gaza.
CNN's John Vause is at the settlement in the north of Gaza on the strip there, along the Israeli-Gaza border -- and, John, what's the latest there?
Are settlers preparing for the big pullout?
JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, Betty.
You know, if the Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, had his way, this is how the disengagement would look. There's a big container here full of someone's possessions, ready to move out. This is a small settlement called Dugit in the northern part of the Gaza Strip. About 100 or so people live here. For the last week or so, they've been frantically packing, removing everything that isn't nailed down. They've got to get out before that deadline, which is midnight tomorrow night local time. That's about 5:00 p.m. Eastern.
Now, they've been stripping these houses bare. Take a look at this. This used to be someone's kitchen. Even the kitchen sink is gone. The windows are gone. The window sills are gone, as well.
Now, this is not one of the religious settlements, not one of the settlements where the people moved believing that god promised the land to the Jews. For a lot of the people here in Dugit, it was a lifestyle choice to come to this small strip of land in 1990. And the reason why they came here, take a look out this window. This is the view that many of them came to see. That's the Mediterranean there, the crystal blue waters and the white, sandy beaches.
But now they've accepted the disengagement. They're not happy about it. In fact, they're quite resentful that they are being forced from their homes. But, in fact, they are leaving and they say they will leave peacefully.
That's not the case in some of the other settlements, though, Betty. Some people there are digging in for a fight -- Betty. NGUYEN: And is security being beefed up and I guess trying to stay prepared for that possible fight that could take place?
VAUSE: Well, if you look at the security, it will be the largest peacetime operation ever carried out by Israel. Something like 50,000 soldiers and police will be involved in a number of zones around Gaza. The police will be the ones who will carry out the settlers. They'll work in teams of 17 to each house. They will go there in the morning. They'll advise the settlers that they're there to evacuate them. They'll tell them how they're going to do it and then if they don't go, they will carry them out.
Now, the deadline is midnight Sunday, but there will be a 48-hour grace period where the settlers can still leave quietly. After that, though, the soldiers and the police will move in and carry them out one at a time -- Betty.
NGUYEN: So time is ticking away.
And, of course, John, we will be watching this all weekend long.
Thank you for that update.
Palestinians are celebrating the planned Israeli pullout, but some Israelis are unnerved over having to evacuate their settlements. Take a look at some compelling pictures from Gaza. Here, a Jewish settler carries her child as she walks past tents set up in one of the settlements Israel plans to take down.
Now, in the seafront of Gaza City, young Palestinians celebrate by showing off a balloon that displays their late leader, Yasser Arafat, and their current leader, Mahmoud Abbas. And near the West Bank city of Ramallah, Israeli troops take away a foreign peace activist protesting the construction of Israel's separation barrier. Israel says it's building the huge fence in the West Bank to keep out attackers, but the Palestinians say it encroaches on their land.
HARRIS: And now the chilling sounds of 9/11. The City of New York has released 15 hours of recorded communications by firefighters as they responded to the World Trade Center attack. The recordings were released after a court battle between the city and victims' family members.
Our Mary Snow has more.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
(voice-over): September 11th from the voices of firefighters. 8:46 a.m. -- Tower One of the World Trade Center is hit.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The World Trade Center Tower number one is on fire.
SNOW: A radio call from Battalion One, two blocks from the Twin Towers.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It looks like it was intentional. Inform all units going into the box it could be a terrorist act.
SNOW: At times, bursts of activity on the radio. At other times, lapses of silence. There were calls for every available ambulance and every off-duty firefighter to come to the scene. Other times, there is chaos and desperate pleas for help, like this man, whose identity is unknown.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Can anybody hear me? I'm a civilian. I'm trapped inside one of your fire trucks underneath the collapse that just happened.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stand by. There's people close to you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I can't breath much longer. Save me. I'm in a cab of your truck.
SNOW: Victims' families and others who pushed to make the transmissions public say while the tapes are painful, they are necessary to find out exactly what happened that day.
CAPT. AL FUENTES, RETIRED NEW YORK FIREFIGHTER: I just listened to a couple of video, a couple of audiotapes, and probably it was the hardest time since 9/11. I listened to my men. I listened to my friends. But I have to tell you, and I've always felt, that was our finest day as firefighters.
SNOW: But 343 firefighters died that day and questions remain about whether more would have survived if they were warned the towers might fall.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The north tower is leaning off. All operations are being moved north of the tower. They're afraid of another collapse. Everybody's being moved north of the tower.
SNOW: But that message didn't get to everyone due to problems with radio transmissions.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Urgent! Urgent! Everybody get out. We had a collapse of the second tower. Everybody's running from there.
SNOW (on-camera): Mary Snow, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
HARRIS: Well, the leaders of the 9/11 Commission are going on the defensive. A former Defense Department official says a covert intelligence program called Able Danger identified Mohammed Atta and three other hijackers as likely al Qaeda members more than a year before the attacks, but he says the information never made it into the commission's final report. Commission leaders say the information was not reliable enough to be included.
NGUYEN: Well, if you've had a busy week trying to get your kids ready for the next school year, depend on us to bring you up to date on some of the biggest news stories of the week. Here's one. Iran moves forward in making nuclear fuel, but gets a strong warning from the United Nations atomic watchdog. The IAEA voted unanimously Thursday for Iran to halt nuclear fuel work.
Washington says Iran is developing nuclear weapons, but Iran's negotiator says his country is just producing fuel and will not bend to international pressure.
The IAEA will check on Iran's compliance in three weeks.
The man convicted in the central Ohio sniper shootings will spend nearly 30 years in prison. Charles McCoy, Jr. pleaded guilty on Tuesday to the shootings, which happened in 2003 and 2004. One person died during those attacks. McCoy admitted that he had stopped taking medication for his paranoid schizophrenia.
And finally, it was the ending NASA needed. On Tuesday, the space shuttle Discovery landed safely at Edwards Air Force Base in California. The mission took needed supplies to the International Space Station and while it was the first since the 2003 Columbia disaster, NASA says all future shuttle flights are suspended until engineers figure out what caused the loss of some foam insulation during Discovery's launch.
Tomorrow, we will "Fast Forward" to the week ahead and tell you which stories will grab the spotlight.
HARRIS: And now we want to hear from you.
It is your opportunity to talk to CNN. We do our very best to bring you news up to the minute. Now you can turn to CNN for even more answers. Betty, some context on the issues of the day this morning.
Veteran Washington correspondent Bob Franken will take your questions about the week at the White House in Crawford, Texas, as President Bush tackles questions about the war in Iraq and the economy. Send your questions now -- time is of the essence -- to WEEKENDS@CNN.COM. Bob joins us to answer those questions in our 10:00 a.m. Eastern hour.
NGUYEN: Bob knows.
HARRIS: Yes.
NGUYEN: Well, it is video that will -- you've seen this, haven't you?
HARRIS: Yes, I have.
NGUYEN: It's going to make you cringe. A 93-year-old woman attacked...
HARRIS: Here it is.
NGUYEN: Look at that -- by a petty thief. We'll show you what happened.
HARRIS: Plus a first for Arlington National Cemetery. An Iraqi soldier is laid to rest.
And the eye of the storm is in focus and getting stronger. Our Rob Marciano is tracking tropical storm Irene.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: It is the 13th day of August.
And some students have been back in class for two weeks now. You know, it seems like the summer break gets shorter every year. But what about having classes all year round? We'll tell you who's doing it and if it's working live 10:00 a.m. Eastern here on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Let the kids play, already.
Here's the "Allergy Forecast" for today.
You're pretty much at the end of allergy season, but grasses still an issue. Ragweed certainly a problem in some of the Midwestern states and even out West around Salt Lake City. The sage and sage brush also a problem for some folks who suffer from allergies.
Hope you're feeling well today.
CNN SATURDAY MORNING we'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Well, in case you are just waking up with us, here is a check of our top stories today.
Jewish settlers in Gaza are preparing their final exit. Monday is the deadline for leaving the occupied settlements in Gaza. Now, some settlers are hunkering down for a fight, while others are prepared to make the move.
In Sri Lanka, the Tamil Tigers rebels are denying involvement in the assassination of the country's foreign minister. The political leader of the Tigers condemned the government for blaming the rebels for Friday's killing.
And New Mexico's governor has declared a state of emergency along his state's border with Mexico. Governor Bill Richardson says the problems of drugs, human smuggling and other crimes are extreme. You will hear more from Governor Richardson about the state of emergency in New Mexico at the bottom of the hour.
HARRIS: Two people are dead and at least two more are missing after a tornado hit the town of Wright, Wyoming. The small mining town is located about 100 miles northeast of Casper. Thirteen other people were wounded when the twister touched down. The county sheriff says there was little warning, so people had little time to seek shelter.
NGUYEN: Well, this morning let's talk about the weather outside here around this country -- Rob, how is going?
MARCIANO: I'm sorry. Somebody was talking in my ear.
Betty, were you saying how nice it was to see me...
NGUYEN: We're talking about weather.
MARCIANO: ... something like that?
NGUYEN: Yes, that, too. It's always nice to see you, Rob.
MARCIANO: Hey, Tony, how are you doing?
HARRIS: Well, good to see you, pal.
MARCIANO: See, Tony gives me applause and then he's saying nice things.
HARRIS: Yes.
NGUYEN: Tony is always ready...
(CROSSTALK)
HARRIS: ... everything.
MARCIANO: Hey, guys.
I want to talk about Irene, tropical storm Irene. Winds now 70 miles an hour, not quite a hurricane. And you look at this satellite picture. I mean, granted, this is a pretty wide shot. There's a little, just a little girl right there. Missing Bermuda, and that's good news. It may very well miss the entire U.S.
Right now the winds are 70 miles an hour. That is just under hurricane strength. It is forecast to go to helicopter status. So this is the forecast track from the National Hurricane Center. Here's the U.S. And note, this is a pretty good looking forecast if you live in the Outer Banks of the Carolinas, if you live along the Jersey Shore, if you live along Long Island or Cape Cod, because right now we think this thing is going to turn its way out to sea. And, that, of course, is the best case scenario for folks who live in the coastal U.S. So that's good news.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HARRIS: It is golf's last major tournament of the year, the PGA championship at steamy Baltusrol in New Jersey. But for golf sponsors, the game is just beginning. We'll explain when we take you "Beyond The Game" with CNN sports business analyst Rick Horrow. That's later on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) HARRIS: Time now to catch you up with some of the other big stories making headlines around the world.
NGUYEN: A state of emergency is in force in Sri Lanka following the assassination of the country's foreign minister. Joining us with more on that from our sister network, CNN International, is Femi Oke -- hi there, Femi.
FEMI OKE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hello to you both.
Good morning, everybody.
Lakshman Kadirgamar, Sri Lanka's foreign minister, had one of the largest security details in his country, but it couldn't save him. On Friday, the 73-year-old politician was shot dead by snipers. Kadirgamar was assassinated by sniper fire outside his home. A huge manhunt is now underway for suspects and police have sealed off the capital, Colombo, carrying out house to house searches in some areas.
The rebel group known as the Tamil Tigers is believed to be behind the shooting. Police investigators report they found evidence that the rebels have been watching the politician from a nearby home. But the Tigers deny involvement.
World leaders today expressed their condolences. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice described the murder as, and I quote, "a vicious act of terror which the United States strongly condemns."
Moving now to Cuba, where Fidel Castro is celebrating his 79th birthday. It's not exactly happy birthday to you, but this was the greeting Fidel Castro got from a crowd of well wishers. On Friday, Castro supporters marked the Cuban leader's 79th birthday by gathering outside dissidents' houses and shouting, "Down With The Rats and the United States!" Today is Fidel Castro's actual birthday, which he'll be celebrating privately at home.
And finally, Betty, Tony, can either of you tango?
HARRIS: Sure.
OKE: Yes? You can?
HARRIS: Uh, well...
OKE: Oh, right. OK.
HARRIS: Sure. Yes.
OKE: Yes, I believe you.
NGUYEN: Don't worry, he'll be stepping on plenty of toes.
HARRIS: Right.
OKE: Right. The reason I'm asking is -- oh, we need to take a look at this. It's just a little snippet from the tango world championships.
HARRIS: Oh, this should be good.
OKE: OK, we have 412 couples from around the world and they are dancing their socks off in Buenos Aires, Argentina, which is, of course, the home of the tango. And the competition runs until August the 21st, so it's not too late for you to enter. Although...
NGUYEN: You want us to enter?
HARRIS: Yes.
NGUYEN: Oh my goodness.
OKE: There might be a slight...
NGUYEN: Can you imagine?
OKE: ... height disparity between you two.
HARRIS: Hey.
NGUYEN: Yes, a little bit of that and Tony needs a few moves...
HARRIS: Oh, come on.
OKE: Yes.
NGUYEN: ... before we enter this competition.
OKE: I think maybe Betty and Femuel (ph) would make better partners and then Tony, you could watch.
NGUYEN: Yes.
HARRIS: Ah, well, OK.
NGUYEN: And I'll take the lead on that one.
Is that OK with you?
OKE: Yes.
NGUYEN: All right.
Femi, thank you.
HARRIS: Femi, thank you.
OKE: All right, take care.
Have a good day.
NGUYEN: Well, it's a crime you see every day, but not -- look at that -- to a 93-year-old woman. You have to stick around for this shocking video. And one governor says the human smuggling and drug running in his state is simply out of control. What's being done, coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: We are on verge of history in the Middle East, as a possible showdown awaits. It's between Gaza settlers who refuse to leave their homes and the Israeli Army, who has orders to forcibly evict them. Settlement holdouts are stocking up on supplies, as the Israeli pullout deadline draws closer. Some 9,000 Jewish settlers must leave the area in the coming days.
And British Airways expects to get nearly 80 percent of its scheduled flights out of London today after a ground crew strike earlier this week crippled the carrier's service. Roughly 1,000 catering workers walked off the job Thursday, prompting the turmoil that left thousands of passengers stranded.
Tropical storm Irene is expected to reach hurricane status later today. It would be the third hurricane since the Atlantic hurricane season started June 1. Forecasters expect Irene to veer off its present line toward the U.S. East Coast and go out to the open waters of the Atlantic.
And welcome back, everyone, to CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
Good morning.
I'm Tony Harris.
NGUYEN: And I'm Betty Nguyen.
Thanks for joining us today.
New Mexico's governor has declared a state of emergency along his state's border with Mexico. Governor Bill Richardson says there is an urgent need to deal with border crimes. Richardson says there is a 54-mile stretch of border that is particularly out of hand.
Now, Richardson says he takes this step reluctantly, but must do so to protect the people he represents. He also notes that the nation's -- he's the nation's only Hispanic governor and says New Mexico is a state that's been very good to legal migrants.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. BILL RICHARDSON (D), NEW MEXICO: It has practical benefits. We have a 180-mile border with Chihuahua, Mexico, New Mexico does. And the situation is out of hand. I declared a state of emergency basically to free up close to $1.5 million that will be used for law enforcement, overtime pay, equipment, mainly because the federal government and the Congress are doing nothing. And in New Mexico we've got border smuggling of people, we've got smuggling of drugs, we've got kidnappings, murders, we've got cattle destruction. And there's very little response from the Border Patrol. They're doing a good job, but they don't have the resources. (END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Mexico is responding. It has released a statement saying: "It is important to point out that the government of Mexico has been working consistently along the entire border, together with the governments of the federal border entities, in dealing with various problems linked to criminal activities."
HARRIS: Arlington National Cemetery is a monument to our nation's war dead. But Americans are not the only ones interred there. Now, for the first time, an Iraqi citizen has been buried at Arlington.
CNN's Pentagon correspondent, Barbara Starr, explains why.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): On this day, an American general and an Iraqi general have come together to bury the remains of four U.S. airmen and an Iraqi pilot killed in an air crash north of Baghdad in May, Major William Downs, Captain Jeremy Fresques, Captain Derek Argel and Staff Sergeant Casey Crate.
Captain Ali Abass is the first Iraqi national to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery. He and the U.S. team were scouting potential landing locations when they crashed.
Colonel Kenneth Rodriguez knew three of the airmen.
COL. KENNETH RODRIGUEZ, U.S. AIR FORCE: I was thinking two things. First of all, I was thinking about the loss of these great warriors and, of course, the three guys that belonged to me I knew very well. And then the other thing I was thinking about is I was looking at the families sitting there in the front row and how much they've sacrificed. It's sobering.
STARR: All of the families have had separate services. But some of the remains from the crash could not be identified, even using DNA. So the Air Force insisted that they be buried at Arlington in a single casket.
Iraqi General Kamal Abdul Sattar, the commander of the Iraqi Air Force, handed Iraq's flag to the family of Captain Abass.
More than 60 foreign nationals have been interred at Arlington. Now, an Iraqi Air Force captain joins 184 Americans buried here, having died in the war on terror.
Barbara Starr, CNN, the Pentagon.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
HARRIS: Meantime, the death toll escalates for U.S. troops stationed in Iraq. Friday, a roadside bomb in Tikrit claimed the life of a U.S. soldier. That brings the number of American troops killed in Iraq to 1,844. Forty-six American soldiers have died so far this month alone.
NGUYEN: Now to "Security Watch," where we update you on the week's major developments in the war on terror every Saturday morning.
This morning, the nation's terrorism level is lower. The Department of Homeland Security lowered the level for buses, subways and trains from high to elevated. Officials raised the level following the July 7th attacks in London.
Now, newly released information shows a classified military intelligence unit knew about an al Qaeda terrorist cell in New York before 9/11. A former Pentagon official says the group identified Mohammed Atta and three other hijackers as likely al Qaeda members back in 1999 but that Pentagon lawyers rejected the group's recommendation to tell the FBI. On Friday, two high ranking members of the now defunct 9/11 Commission said the former Pentagon official's account was not reliable enough to include in their final report.
Here's a question for you. How handy of a hacker are you? Well, thousands of hackers attended DEF CON in Las Vegas this week. In turns out so did federal agents. Uncle Sam is trying to recruit top hackers. The government will pay tuition for college students in computer security programs if they agree to work for the Feds when they graduate.
Stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security.
And some are calling it an open invitation to terrorists -- unattended cargo containers and open gates at one of America's busiest airports, containers set to be loaded onto passenger planes. Now, tomorrow, a CNN investigation, "Airport Cargo Security."
Plus, outrage, pure outrage over the highest gasoline prices ever in America. We're not kidding here, folks. You know it. You've paid at the pump. Some are paying more than $3 a gallon at the pump.
How hard are high gas prices hitting you in the pocketbook? You'll get a chance to sound off tomorrow on "CNN SUNDAY MORNING."
Now, we want to give you a CNN "Fact Check."
High oil prices are hitting us all in the wallet. We know that. The latest price of crude oil is $66.86 a barrel. That is a record high.
Now, adjusted for inflation, today's average gas prices still haven't broken any records, believe it or not. In today's dollars, the average price per gallon of gas in 1975 would be $2.05. The prices peaked in 1981, when on one day in March, the national average reached as high as $3.12 a gallon.
HARRIS: Wow!
NGUYEN: That's in today's terms. Now, that is the record for now. That trend eventually reversed, though. In 1998, you may recall, yes, prices, they dipped. In today's dollars, costing only about $1.22 per gallon. Boy, that sounds nice, $1.22.
HARRIS: Right, right. Can we get back there?
NGUYEN: It's been way too long since we've paid that.
Now another comparison, U.S. prices against those overseas.
If you were in the Netherlands, you'd be paying $6.48 per gallon. $6.
HARRIS: We're not there.
NGUYEN: Yes. Well, we're not there.
In Ireland the price is $4.78.
HARRIS: We don't live there either.
NGUYEN: Nope.
In Russia, it's a little cheaper, at $2.10 a gallon.
But Venezuela is apparently the place to be, for gas, at least. Get this. $0.12, just $0.12 per gallon there.
HARRIS: Well, they must have all the refineries and everything else right there in their own backyard.
NGUYEN: Apparently they have something that we don't have, because they're paying $0.12 and we're paying over $2.
HARRIS: Fifty dollars yesterday. Fifty dollars at the pump.
NGUYEN: Fifty dollars at the pump?
HARRIS: Fifty dollars for me at the pump.
NGUYEN: Oh, to fill up?
HARRIS: Fifty dollars.
NGUYEN: What are you driving?
HARRIS: It's a little buggy.
NGUYEN: Yes, with gas prices these days...
HARRIS: A little Volkswagen Beetle, a little buggy.
NGUYEN: ... it doesn't take much, right?
HARRIS: That's it, you know, my kid's bike. It is video you just really have to see to believe. Look at this.
NGUYEN: Oh goodness.
A 93-year-old woman in a walker, in a walker, attacked by a purse snatcher. It's caught on camera. We'll show you the shocking attack, coming up.
MARCIANO: And I'm Rob Marciano in the CNN Weather Center. We're looking at tropical storm Irene. Here it is on the satellite map. It is pretty close to the U.S. We'll have the latest forecast track for you coming up in about 20 minutes.
CNN SATURDAY MORNING will be right back.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TIM ZAGAT: In our guide to family travel, one of the key categories that people like to pay attention to are ball parks.
The three top-rated ball parks were SBC Park in San Francisco, where the Giants play; Safeco Field in Seattle, where the Mariners play; and Camden Yards, the home of the Baltimore Orioles.
The ball parks were all rated on the basis of child appeal, how good they would be for kids under 10, adult appeal, everything that goes into the facilities and the ball park. Finally, service and cost.
The reason that some of the older stadiums like Wrigley Field, Fenway and Yankee Stadium didn't make it to the top is that they don't have some of the facilities the new fields do. There are bad seats at some of these older parks. The new parks have been designed better, are more comfortable, provide better food and has got other things that make it more special for a family with children.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Well, for many students and some parents, it seems like the summer break gets shorter and shorter every year. School is already in session for thousands, but what about classes all year long? We'll tell you who's doing it and if it's working, live, 10:00 a.m. Eastern, right here on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
HARRIS (voice-over): The PGA championship -- pro-golf's last hurrah of the 2005 season. The big story of the year, the reemergence of Tiger Woods, winner of two of the first three majors.
The industry now turns its attention from the pros to the weekend hackers and the money they plan to spend during the Yuletide season. We're talking Christmas in August this morning as we take you "Beyond The Game."
(END VIDEO TAPE)
HARRIS: Yes, we are.
The marriage between pro-golf and corporate America is so far a happy one. In fact, most of golf's $390 million in prize money comes from corporate sponsors.
And as Rick Horrow tells us, it's all to get you, the fan, to buy more golf balls, golf clubs, bats, balls.
The author of "When the Game Is On the Line" joins us live from West Palm Beach, Florida -- Rick, good to see you this morning.
RICK HORROW, CNN SPORTS BUSINESS ANALYST: Hey, man, how are you doing?
You know, I just got back from Baltusrol, from the PGA championship. This is the official Tiger Baltusrol tiger. A dramatic last minute birdie on 18 yesterday...
HARRIS: That's right, to make the cut.
HORROW: ... kept his major cut streak alive. So you're going to sell a lot more of these Saturday and Sunday and you might not have if he went home.
HARRIS: You and your trinkets.
OK, let's get an update of the leader board right now.
At the final major of the year at Baltusrol in New Jersey, as we take a look at the leader board, Phil Mickelson is at eight under, Jerry Kelly at five under. We've got three players at minus four, five players at minus three. Tiger Woods barely making the cut at plus four. And seemingly, Rick, out of the tournament. But as Tiger Woods would say, you never really know for sure.
HORROW: Hey, Tiger Woods you never really know for sure. And that was a darned good job with that recap.
HARRIS: Appreciate you.
HORROW: You have a job waiting for you in television.
HARRIS: Thank you.
Thank you.
HORROW: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
HARRIS: Tiger is still the biggest name in golf right now. But what about this Michelle Wie? Does she have the ability to expand the game? And how attractive is she to corporate America? HORROW: Well, you know, endorsements are the name of the game. We talked about Tiger, $89 million a year in endorsements. If you want to buy Tiger for, you know, your horrible golf swing or to play or dinner...
HARRIS: Oh, my.
HORROW: ... a million bucks if you're corporate America. The next guy up is Phil Mickelson for $250,000. So if he wins, things may change a little bit.
But who's next? Michelle Wie may be. You know, when she turns pro, when people think, maybe November, $20 million of annual endorsements. That was before the Reebok-Adidas merger, so it may ratchet up the stakes. And, of course, she hasn't won either, but unlike Anna Kournikova, she's going to.
HARRIS: Yes, she is.
OK, so when we talk about this big pot of money, corporate sweepstakes out there, the majors are winding down, the PGA ends tomorrow.
So what's the next big target for corporate America?
HORROW: Well, the next big target is to keep that $2.4 billion of merchandise sold at stores. You know, we have 500 million rounds of golf here in America played by about 37 million of us, and 16,000 of us. That's a lot of numbers.
HARRIS: Yes.
HORROW: But the participation has been down about 2 percent. So the real key is how to ratchet it back up.
The women, Michelle Wie, may bring more women to the game. Twenty-five percent of new golfers are women. And the target is the kids and the women, as well. You know, 14 million golfers play only once or twice, which is way below what we do. And 17 million don't play at all, but they want to.
The key is to make the want-to-bes actually golfers, because you and I both know if they go ahead and golf, they're coming back and they're going to spend a lot of coins.
HARRIS: And that's for sure.
OK, your fair ball of the week, Mr. Horrow?
HORROW: Well, it's a fair/foul combo.
HARRIS: OK.
HORROW: Because it's a big one today. So the foul is that the NCAA executive committee last week decided that if you have an American Indian name you're deemed hostile and abusive as a mascot and you've got to change it or you're not eligible for post-season play. Well, obviously, firestorms created. The Florida State University Seminoles, the Utah Utes, they have to change.
But where do you draw the line, by the way? You know, what about the Notre Dame Fighting Irish?
HARRIS: Right.
HORROW: What about the Alma College Fighting Scots? Even PETA, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, said "hey, no gamecocks," because there are violent birds.
HARRIS: Right.
HORROW: So Jacksonville State, by the way, in South Carolina. So using that analogy, it is a kettle of fish in a hornet's nest.
HARRIS: Very good.
All right, have we done our business with you?
Is there more?
HORROW: Well, here's a fair ball. The fair ball is the response by Florida State University. President T.K. Wetherell says hey, by the way, we're going to challenge this, this isn't any good. So litigation, maybe; legislation. And maybe Jeb Bush, the Florida governor, has it right. He said let the NCAA worry more about getting these kids to graduate than worry about this issue. The Florida Seminole tribe loves the celebration of that nickname, so leave it alone.
HARRIS: OK, Rick Horrow, author of "When the Game Is On the Line," good to see you my friend.
HORROW: I'll see you next week.
HARRIS: See you next week -- Betty.
NGUYEN: All right, guys.
Well, if you are just tuning in this morning from home, let's get a quick of our top stories.
It's an end of an era in the Middle East. Israel is evacuating settlers from Gaza and four West Bank settlements. While the official pullout is on Monday, some Israelis are already leaving today. Even graves are being moved. The pullout will end 38 years of Israeli occupation.
Reliving September 11 -- the families of 9/11 firefighters are listening to hours of newly released audiotapes about the attacks at the World Trade Center. The recordings and other data were released after a court battle between the City of New York and victims' family members. Tropical storm Irene could become a hurricane today. It is churning through the Atlantic, with winds topping 70 miles an hour. Irene is located some 500 miles southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.
And just because it's mid-August and some schools are back in session, doesn't mean it's too late for some summer fun.
HARRIS: And the CNN Dot-Com Desk has a few tips on just how you can do it.
That's ahead on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
NGUYEN: But first, a "CNN Extra."
The occurrence rate for two types of skin cancer has nearly tripled among women under 40 in the past three decades. Researchers blame obsessions with tanning beds and baking in the sun despite health warnings. Basal cell and squamous cell cancers are the two most common forms of skin cancer, and are treated more easily than the deadlier melanoma. They usually appear as pink bumps and bleed and don't go away.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: So you may think summer is winding down, but there is plenty of seasonal favorites to enjoy.
Veronica De La Cruz is here with a look at some of those from the CNN Dot-Com Desk.
VERONICA DE LA CRUZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello.
NGUYEN: So, plenty to do, I hear.
DE LA CRUZ: Plenty to do. I mean, summer, we still have more than a month.
NGUYEN: Right.
DE LA CRUZ: It ends September 22.
When you think of summer, what do you think? Vacation, maybe.
NGUYEN: Barbecues.
DE LA CRUZ: Cookouts, right.
NGUYEN: Time on the beach. Oh, yes.
DE LA CRUZ: Beating the heat with a scoop of ice cream, maybe.
NGUYEN: Yes, OK. Yes.
DE LA CRUZ: Yes.
Yes, OK.
Well, to log on, to make the rest of your summer living easy, you can log on to CNNMONEY.COM/SUMMER.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
DE LA CRUZ (voice-over): I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream. And Americans are eating it up. We annually consume about six gallons of ice cream per person, which is a little more than 19,000 calories, for those of you counting. According to a new survey ranking preferred ice cream flavors among Americans, most prefer vanilla, at 29 percent. See how other flavors ranked and check out a few regional brand favorites.
Now, if you have money to burn, you can get yourself a pretty hot grilling experience. From premium gas grills to mail-order meat, this click-through gallery has all the tools you may need to get your grill on.
If a summer escape is in your cards, read about savvy online travel booking. Save money by surfing new travel Web sites like Sidestep and Kayak.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
DE LA CRUZ: And, of course, you can find it all online at MONEY.CNN.COM/SUMMER.
You saw that survey.
NGUYEN: Right.
DE LA CRUZ: Were you surprised?
NGUYEN: Well, not by the vanilla or the chocolate. But the butter pecan came in third?
DE LA CRUZ: Well, it actually tied with chocolate. They both came in at 5.3 percent. And then after that, Neapolitan.
NGUYEN: Well, yes, any type of strawberry.
DE LA CRUZ: Oh, strawberry, right.
NGUYEN: But that was a type of strawberry.
DE LA CRUZ: Right. But chocolate...
HARRIS: What are you talking about over there?
NGUYEN: Hey, we're talking about...
(CROSSTALK)
DE LA CRUZ: What is your favorite ice cream flavor?
HARRIS: It's the ice cream that goes with your birthday cake. Ah!
DE LA CRUZ: Oh.
HARRIS: There you go.
DE LA CRUZ: You guys caught me. I'm so embarrassed.
HARRIS: Happy birthday to you.
DE LA CRUZ: Yes, that's bad information (UNINTELLIGIBLE)...
(CROSSTALK)
NGUYEN: Happy birthday, Veronica.
HARRIS: Yes. Happy birthday, lady.
NGUYEN: We'll get you some ice cream a little bit later.
DE LA CRUZ: Thank you guys.
NGUYEN: Thanks.
HARRIS: Some other "Stories Across America" this morning.
In Missouri, surveillance video catches a teenage purse snatcher robbing a 93-year-old woman in Kansas City. Police say the victim was slightly hurt when she fell over her walker.
NGUYEN: Oh.
HARRIS: Yes, I think that's -- no, that's the actual shopping cart, isn't it? That's what it looks like. She said it happened so fast she had no chance to trip him up with the cane.
The suspect fled the scene with another person on bicycles. "I love that purse," the victim told KMDC-TV. "And it's a nightmare replacing all those cards." She lost $38 and a brand new lipstick. Oh, man.
In Mississippi, former Klansman Edgar Ray Killen is out of jail. The 80-year-old Killen posted $600,000 bond while he appeals his manslaughter conviction. Killen is the only person to ever face state charges in the 1964 deaths of Michael Schwerner, James Chaney and Andrew Goodman.
Paula Abdul can continue as a judge on "American Idol." The universe is safe now. Fox Broadcasting says a thorough and detailed inquiry found no proof that Abdul had a fling with contestant Corey Clark.
Still, the network says a tougher non-fraternization policy, non- fraternization...
NGUYEN: Getting tough.
HARRIS: Yes. The policy is in place now in the works and is soon to come to Fox Broadcasting.
NGUYEN: Well, I'm glad that we cleared all of that up.
HARRIS: Yes.
NGUYEN: Here's something that we can clear up. Where is Irene?
Meteorologist Rob Marciano is tracking the tropical storm next.
HARRIS: Plus, at the top of the hour, we take you to Gaza City, where history is unfolding at this hour. You'll see it live right here on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: And Rob Marciano is back with us on the day that is officially the national holiday, Veronica De La Cruz's birthday.
NGUYEN: Ah, a big birthday.
MARCIANO: It's a national holiday.
HARRIS: Yes, yes.
MARCIANO: You see it on calendars all around the office.
HARRIS: Exactly.
And he's tracking Irene and...
MARCIANO: Tracking Irene (UNINTELLIGIBLE)...
NGUYEN: You're all about the women today, Rob.
MARCIANO: I didn't say much -- OK, all right.
HARRIS: That's Rob Marciano.
MARCIANO: Hey, all right, that's enough.
NGUYEN: Well, of course (UNINTELLIGIBLE)...
MARCIANO: You guys are cutting into my time, you know?
NGUYEN: All right, go.
MARCIANO: They only give me 60 seconds here, for crying out loud.
Here's Irene. And, you know, we do name them boy/girl, boy/girl, but technically speaking, it's an it. And this is Irene with a tropical storm force winds at 70 miles an hour, almost a hurricane. And it's expected to become a hurricane here in the next 12 hours. The forecast track, though, is quite optimistic, turning it away from the East Coast. So even though it becomes a hurricane by Wednesday morning, hopefully it will be well off shore and over toward -- well into the shipping lanes. So that's a good scenario.
And all of our computer models are highlighting just that. So it looks like that will pan out. And if that changes, of course, we'll let you know.
(WEATHER REPORT)
MARCIANO: Excessive heat warnings and heat advisories out for places like Philadelphia and New York City today. And basically what that means is if you have an air conditioner and you wasn't to put off any sort of outdoor work, you can do that.
NGUYEN: You're always trying to put off work. It seems like every weekend you say that, Rob.
MARCIANO: I know. It's an issue.
NGUYEN: Apparently.
HARRIS: I'm happier here, Rob.
MARCIANO: Thanks, Tony.
HARRIS: OK. see you next hour.
NGUYEN: See you, Rob.
HARRIS: Now we will have that here for you. It's your opportunity to talk back to CNN. This morning, veteran Washington correspondent Bob Franken will take your questions about the president's week, from the White House to Crawford, Texas, as he tackles questions about the war in Iraq and the economy.
Send your questions to WEEKENDS@CNN.COM.
Bob joins us live to answer those questions in our 10:00 a.m. Eastern hour.
NGUYEN: Well, if you take Rob's advice, don't do any outdoor work. Stay inside and watch the television, because the next hour of CNN SATURDAY MORNING begins right now.
HARRIS: A rare tornado in Wyoming killed two people in the small mining town of Wright. Two others are still missing the morning after the surprise strike hit a mobile home park. Thirteen residents were injured, but none seriously. A nearby elementary school and some houses were also damaged.
London's Heathrow Airport is still awash with stranded travelers, but at least British Airways is flying again. However, the backlog created by Thursday's labor dispute may keep passengers cooling their heels until at least Monday.
They're singing "Happy Birthday" in Havana. It's Fidel Castro's 79th birthday, and he insists he won't retire. Castro overthrew the previously American-backed government in 1959. Organized supporters shouted "Fidel, Fidel, give the Yankees hell."
A state of emergency is declared along the New Mexico-Mexican border.
From the CNN Center, this is CNN SATURDAY MORNING. It is August 13, 8:00 a.m. here at CNN headquarters in Atlanta, 7:00 a.m. in the Mississippi Valley. And good morning, everyone. I'm Tony Harris.
NGUYEN: And I'm Betty Nguyen. We'll have much more about the Governor Bill Richardson's attempt to stop the dangers all along the border in a few minutes.
First, our top story.
A turning point in the Middle East. This is the Sabbath and a day of rest in Israel, but come Monday, Jewish settlers will begin leaving Gaza and part of the West Bank, ending nearly four decades of occupation. It's a time of celebration for some, and sorrow for others.
CNN's John Vause joins us now from northern Gaza with the latest. Hi, John.
JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Betty.
No, not a lot of rest here today for the settlers in the Dugit settlement in the northern part of the Gaza Strip. They're in the final stages of packing up and moving out. All of the settlers have until midnight on Sunday local time, that's about 5:00 p.m. Eastern on Sunday, to be out of the Gaza Strip. After that, it will be illegal for them to stay.
But some of the settlers are, in fact, not only praying for a miracle to stop the disengagement, they're expecting one to happen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE (voice-over): The road to the Jewish settlement of Netzarim deep inside occupied Palestinian territory is long and dangerous, protected by Israeli watchtowers and tanks. The settlers travel in convoy, guarded by soldiers against attacks by Palestinian militants armed with automatic weapons, rockets, and mortars.
Beyond the heavy steel gate, suburbia, rows of neat brick homes. No moving vans here, no one appears to be packing ahead of the August 15 deadline, and no one, we are told, has applied for compensation. No one is ready to leave.
SHLOMIT ZIV, NETZARIM SPOKESWOMAN: Can't cooperate with something so bad. I can't pack up and, you know, say, I'm helping shalom.
VAUSE: By ignoring the disengagement, they risk losing tens of thousands of dollars in compensation, and quite possibly their personal possessions. The army warns it won't pack for those who are still here once the deadline line has come and gone. ZIV: We see a value more important than our money.
VAUSE: Not only does life go on, but here, they're building new homes.
(on camera): Why build a house in a community which you will have to leave?
ZIV: Because we believe that, first of all, things can change. And in God's eyes, doing whatever we can to stay here is also continuing the daily life.
VAUSE (voice-over): Shira and Moshe (ph) Miller, recently married, are planting a new garden. A day earlier, they rolled out new grass.
SHIRA MILLER, NETZARIM RESIDENT: I believe that when we show that we are going to live here, and we still have the courage to put down grass and put flowers in the (INAUDIBLE) and do everything we need to do, then the gets -- the country will also get courage from our -- what we do.
VAUSE (on camera): The Jewish settlers in Netzarim are deeply religious, and even now, just days before Israeli police and soldiers begin the evacuation, many here are waiting for some kind of miracle, divine intervention to stop the disengagement.
(voice-over): Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon once said Netzarim was as important to Israel as Tel Aviv. But now, he says, it's just as important to give it up.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: And after the deadline, the settlers in Netzarim and everywhere else in the Gaza Strip and the four more settlements in the West Bank will have a 48-hour grace period to leave quietly. After that, though, Israeli police and soldiers take over, Betty.
NGUYEN: And we will be watching all weekend long. John Vause, thank you so much. We'll be checking in with you a little bit later -- Tony?
HARRIS: Iraqi leaders and assembly members are holding marathon meetings to come up with a draft of a permanent constitution before Monday's deadline. With the minutes ticking away, negotiators are claiming to have finished nearly 75 percent of the draft, but say the issue of federalism remains a dispute.
Iraqi and U.S. leaders hope the constitution will push the political process forward and defuse the insurgency. It's no secret it has been a rough month for U.S. forces in Iraq.
Barbara Starr has more now on what U.S. commander are doing to get Iraqi forces prepared to effectively fight insurgents.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Just days before a draft of the new Iraqi constitution is due, the attacks continue. There are now 30 roadside bombings every week.
U.S. commanders say they are still capturing or killing dozens of foreign fighters every week. Nearly 50 U.S. troops have died in Iraq this month alone. The Bush administration says troops will stay on the job until Iraqi forces can take over, whenever that might be.
There are more than 170,000 Iraqi forces on the job, but commanders acknowledge only a small portion can operate independently. Still, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is irritated with the critics.
DONALD RUMSFELD, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: Reality is that a large number of them are doing exactly what it is they were organized, trained, and equipped to do.
STARR: But if U.S. troops are ever going to come home, what does it mean for Iraqis to be ready?
GEN. RICHARD MYERS, CHAIRMAN, JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF: One of the first steps in the process of transitioning areas to Iraqi security force control involves them providing for their own fuel and food.
STARR: U.S. commanders say they are getting a better understanding of just what it takes to get the Iraqis ready.
BRIG. GEN. YVES FONTAINE, U.S. ARMY: It took about six months to get trained to proficient in (INAUDIBLE) station operation, to the point where they are using their own command and control, their own radios, their own security.
STARR: Commanders believe the worst of the violence remains in the Sunni strongholds west of Baghdad.
MAJ. GEN. RICK LYNCH, U.S. ARMY: If you track closely the indicators of violence, you'll understand that of the 18 provinces in Iraq, only four of those have significant acts of violence.
STARR (on camera): And those significant acts of violence? Some now include more lethal weapons from neighboring Iran.
Barbara Starr, CNN, the Pentagon.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Well, as forces try to stop those insurgents, in the U.S. Families here in the U.S., well, they are still grieving. And as we take a look at our A.P. photo op, you can see there are words that cannot thoroughly describe the emotions. Look at this.
In Columbus, Ohio, 16 members of the 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines, regiment are being remembered. Adults and children alike paid their respects, lining the streets with both signs and flags. The company lost five members July 26 in an ambush attack, and two days, later nine more Marines from the Columbus-based battalion were killed in what is the deadliest roadside bombing since the U.S. invasion of Iraq.
The total number of U.S. forces lost to date in Iraq is 1,844. Forty-six American soldiers have died so far this month alone.
HARRIS: And in news across America now, war-protesting mother Cindy Sheehan is taking a break. Sheehan, who lost her son in Iraq, has been leading the anti-war vigil outside President Bush's ranch in Crawford, Texas, since last Saturday. A few dozen Bush supporters staged a ally yesterday.
In Mississippi, former Klansman Edgar Ray Killen is out of jail. The 80-year-old Killen posted $600,000 bond while he appeals his manslaughter conviction. Killen was convicted in the 1964 deaths of Michael Schwerner, James Chaney and Andrew Goodman.
Two thousand five could be in the history books as the year of extremely high gas prices. This week, oil prices peaked nearly $67 a barrel, sending most gas prices from between $2.40 a gallon to more than $3 a gallon in California. But as you pinch pennies, oil companies are seeing double-digit profits.
NGUYEN: So we may have continue pinching pennies.
HARRIS: Yes.
NGUYEN: Is that what you're saying there, Tony?
HARRIS: That's it.
NGUYEN: OK.
Well, New Mexico's governor has declared a state of emergency. Governor Bill Richardson says there's an urgent need to deal with criminals crossing the Mexican border. Richardson says he declared the state of emergency to protect the people he represents. He also notes that he is the nation's only Hispanic governor, and says New Mexico is a state that has been very good to legal migrants.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. BILL RICHARDSON (D), NEW MEXICO: The federal government and the Congress are doing nothing, and in New Mexico, we've got border smuggling of people, we've got smuggling of drugs, we've got kidnappings, murders, we've got cattle destruction. And there's very little response from the Border Patrol. They're doing a good job, but they don't have the resources.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: In reaction, Mexico has released a statement saying, right here on the screen, "It is important to point out that the government of Mexico has been working consistently along the entire border, together with the governments of the federal border entities, in dealing with various problems linked to criminal activities." HARRIS: Well, the situation along the nation's southern border has been heated for some time. This week, a public forum featuring lawmakers and border security activists became tense. Even CNN's Lou Dobbs, a outspoken critic of the nation's open border, was targeted.
CNN's Casey Wian has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: U-S-A, U-S-A.
CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): More than 150 law enforcement officers in riot gear were needed to keep the peace at a southern California town hall meeting on border security. Inside, 400 people heard speakers including Colorado Congressman Tom Tancredo and Minuteman Project co-founder Jim Gilchrist.
JIM GILCHRIST, FOUNDER, THE MINUTEMAN PROJECT: My weapon of choice, the First Amendment. We're going to win.
WIAN: Outside, protesters held signs calling participants, including the Congressmen, racists.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Go ahead. Go support the Ku Klux Klan, why don't you?
WIAN: There were even death threats against the speakers.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Those threats are taken seriously. The necessary staff on hand to preclude anyone being injured, it may seem like overkill to some folks. We would rather be faulted for having too many people here than too few.
WIAN: California State Senator Bill Morrow organized the event.
BILL MORROW, CALIFORNIA STATE SENATE: The people that are calling us and the Minutemen and Minutewomen racists, it's a strategy to silence us on an issue. What they really want, they're advocating for open borders and pro-illegal immigration. That's what it comes down to.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They want to claim racism because there's nothing else they can say. I mean, they are -- have a special agenda that's not an agenda that's in the interests of America or American citizens.
WIAN: Advocates for aliens, open borders, and returning the American Southwest to Mexico have recently extended their charge to racism to "LOU DOBBS TONIGHT." Yet here's a clearly racist posting on a Web site used by the protesters. "Expletive gringos, they have no culture and they live in darkness. We shall stop them before it gets too late."
Border security activists say they will not be stopped.
(on camera): In fact, a local official canceled the town hall meeting at one point because he feared violence. Organizers sued on First Amendment grounds. Only then did the official allow the meeting to go ahead as planned.
Casey Wian, CNN, Los Angeles.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: Well, it is starting to be a wild weather weekend, as a rare yet deadly tornado hits out West.
NGUYEN: And there is still no relief for firefighters battling huge wildfires.
ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Not a whole lot of relief from the heat as well. It's awfully dark this morning here in the channel, in the CNN Weather Center. Let's go to Boston, beautiful live shot for you, where it's going to be hazy, hot, and humid today. Boy, if you could head to the Cape, get anywhere near the water you can, temperatures will well be in the in the 90s. WHDH, our affiliate out that way, and you can just see the haze hanging in the air. Weather's coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Checking our top stories, in case you're just waking up with us, a new day in the Middle East. After 38 years of occupation, Israel is poised to withdraw from Gaza and parts of the West Bank. Now, the pullout officially begins on Monday, but already some settlers have packed up and moved out.
Dramatic recordings, family members of 9/11 firefighters are listening to hours of newly released audiotapes. They reveal their loved ones' final minutes while responding to the attacks on the World Trade Center. The city of New York lost a court battle to block the release.
And gay Lutherans say they feel rejected by their own church. The Evangelical Lutheran Church voted down a proposal that would have allowed gays and lesbians to serve as clergy.
HARRIS: Wild weather. Two people are dead and at least two more are missing after a tornado hit the town of Wright, Wyoming. The small mining town is located about 100 miles northeast of Casper. Thirteen other people were injured when the twister touched down. In Oklahoma, severe thunderstorms left thousands without power across Oklahoma City. Lightning sparked at least one fire.
Meanwhile, fires and drought are plaguing the northwestern states. CNN's Bill Tucker has more on that.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BILL TUCKER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was so hot in the Northeast that golf began to look like a serious sport in New Jersey. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I got to give it to the gallery out here, by the way. It is 4,000 degrees out there, and there are people all over if place watching this.
TUCKER: The heat index near 100 across the mid-Atlantic, Southeast, and parts of the Southwest. In the West, forest fires raged. According to the National Interagency Fire Center, there are 32 fires burning on some 275,000 acres. That includes acreage in Alaska, where typically wetter, cooler weather helps dampen the fire season in August, but the rains have not yet arrived, the governor of Washington declaring a state of emergency.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're facing a siege of wildfires across our state. We currently have six major wildfires burning in eight different counties. Overall, we have had a total of eight.
TUCKER: Complicating the firefighting is the drought, which continues to plague the Northwest. The extreme drought conditions in parts of the corn belt took a bite out of crops, the government cutting its estimates for corn and soybeans by 12 and 11 percent nationally.
(on camera): There could be some relief from the heat coming for the East in the form of a hurricane, which many might regard as a mixed blessing. Tropical storm Irene expected to become a hurricane soon. However, at the moment, no one is quite sure where she will head.
Bill Tucker, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: All right, so let's get the latest on this crazy...
HARRIS: Low down, low down...
NGUYEN: ... weather out there...
HARRIS: ... need the lowdown.
NGUYEN: ... and Rob, I think they turned the lights back on for you.
(LAUGHTER)
MARCIANO: They did that, yes, yes.
HARRIS: (INAUDIBLE) Bill, lights back on.
MARCIANO: (INAUDIBLE) Bill and a -- Bill Tucker and I haven't actually met yet, but if he did, he'd know that I know where the hurricane's going.
HARRIS: Exactly.
NGUYEN: (INAUDIBLE) of course you do. MARCIANO: (INAUDIBLE) guys.
NGUYEN: OK.
MARCIANO: It's still a tropical storm. Probably going to be a hurricane here in the next six to 12 hours.
(WEATHER FORECAST)
MARCIANO: Not a great day for some of that hot clam chowder, I tell you that.
HARRIS: Ah, yes.
MARCIANO: (INAUDIBLE) cold lemonade or iced tea (INAUDIBLE).
NGUYEN: Something to cool you down.
HARRIS: It is weather you can wear.
NGUYEN: Absolutely.
(LAUGHTER)
HARRIS: Is, is (INAUDIBLE).
NGUYEN: It's one of those days...
MARCIANO: It's (INAUDIBLE).
NGUYEN: ... when you step outside, you automatically need a shower.
HARRIS: (INAUDIBLE).
NGUYEN: Go back inside. Thank you, Rob.
HARRIS: Rob, thank you.
MARCIANO: See you guys.
HARRIS: Will she stay, or will she go? We've got the scoop of Paula Abdul's future on that "American Idol" showgram straight ahead.
NGUYEN: Showgram, huh?
And next hour, golf's greats gather for round three of the PGA championship, and you won't believe who's at the bottom of the leader board.
But first, a CNN extra. Forget the days when movies tried to make smoking look glamorous. A recent study found that since the 1990s, hit movies showed more bad guys smoking than heroes, and less well-off characters are more likely to be smokers. Overall, the percentage of characters who smoked was close to real life, about 23 percent, with men more likely to light up than women, and whites more likely to smoke than minorities.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: All right, we want you to talk to CNN this morning. Veteran Washington correspondent Bob Franken will take your questions about the week at the White House, as President Bush tackles the tissues of war in Iraq and the economy. Send your questions to WEEKENDS@CNN.COM. Bob joins us to answer all those questions in our 10:00 a.m. Eastern hour.
HARRIS: Ah, Betty, we have some "Idol" chatter for all of you this morning. Paula Abdul can continue as a judge on "American Idol." Fox Broadcasting says a thorough and detailed inquiry found no proof that Abdul had a fling with contestant Corey Clark or helped him during the show. Still, the network says, a tougher nonfraternization policy is in the works.
And in Kansas City, Missouri, remember this guy here?
NGUYEN: Yes.
HARRIS: She bangs, she bangs.
NGUYEN: William Hung.
HARRIS: William Hung, the infamous "American Idol" loser.
NGUYEN: That's not William Hung, though.
HARRIS: No, no, no,, no. Hung was grand marshal of the annual Elvis Parade. The event included 15 contained be-like-Elvis contestants. Fans are remembering the King since the anniversary of the death is next week.
NGUYEN: (INAUDIBLE), I don't get it, (INAUDIBLE)...
HARRIS: The connection with Hung?
NGUYEN: Yes.
HARRIS: Yes, yes.
NGUYEN: Why is he grand marshal?
HARRIS: Well...
NGUYEN: All right. We'll do a little research on that and get back to you. How about that?
OK, we want to head back to Gaza next hour with our own John Vause. He takes us on a first-hand look at one settlement that has become a ghost town as the residents pack up and move out.
HARRIS: But first, a little girl's aching back turns into a battle with a deadly disease. Now the drug that cured her is no longer available. In today's "HOUSE CALL," we'll take a look at stories of struggle and survival in the war on cancer.
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TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: We're only days away from a possible showdown in the Middle East. Monday is the deadline for Jewish settlers in Gaza to leave their homes. The Israeli army has orders to forcibly evict them if they stay put. Some settlers are hunkering down for a fight, while others are prepared to move on.
Get ready to say ouch! New York Mets player Mike Cameron has been put on the 15-day disabled list. And you can see why here he'll need -- oh! -- facial surgery after breaking his nose and fracturing his cheek bones during this outfield collision with teammate Carlos Beltran. It happened in San Diego during a game there against the Padres. Beltran suffered a concussion and a slight facial fracture, but is likely not to need surgery.
I'm Tony Harris. "HOUSECALL" begins right now.
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