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CNN Saturday Morning News
Firecrews in Texas, Oklahoma Contain Wildfires; Iraqi Baby Arrives In U.S. For Life-Saving Surgery
Aired December 31, 2005 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning and Happy New Year to New Zealand and many of the other similar islands in the South Pacific.
It is 7:00 a.m. in New York's Times Square, where workers are putting on the finishing touches for tonight's celebrations. And 11:00 p.m. in Sydney, Australia.
Good morning.
I'm Randi Kaye in for Tony Harris and Betty Nguyen this morning.
We'll bring you Sydney's celebrations at the bottom of this hour.
But first, a check of the headlines.
The Iraqi baby who captured the hearts of U.S. troops is scheduled to arrive this afternoon in America for life-saving surgery. In a few moments, we'll bring you our continuing coverage of the military mission to save Baby Noor. It's a story you saw first right here on CNN.
In Baghdad, what appears to be a homemade bomb exploded inside the headquarters of the Sunni Islamic Party. According to witnesses, the blast killed five Iraqis and wounded two others. Insurgents also targeted Iraqi police patrols, killing two officers.
A long night's vigil is over in Texas and Oklahoma. Word from fire crews this morning, the wildfires are contained for now. But warm, dry weather could be all the fuel this parched region needs to reignite into a firestorm.
We have a lot coming up this morning.
One hour from now, the new year's fireworks will light up Sydney, Australia. We'll take you there in just a minute, where the folks began camping out on Friday to see the big light show.
No matter where you live, only CNN can bring the global celebration right to your home.
Also, a Florida teenager with a lot of explaining to do. How in the world did this high school junior, who speaks no Arabic, suddenly show up in the middle of Baghdad on Christmas Day? And the question everyone is asking -- why? We'll fill in the blanks.
And later, a fond farewell to the famous and not so famous who did not live to see the new year.
We begin this hour with the tiny Iraqi girl who has become America's littlest sweetheart. As we speak, Baby Noor is racing toward Atlanta for what everyone hopes will be life-saving surgery to correct severe spina bifida.
Yesterday, the U.S. military ferried Baby Noor, her grandmother and father out of Baghdad. And later today, they will arrive in Atlanta, which CNN will bring to you live.
As you probably know, U.S. troops recently discovered the little girl while hunting for insurgents in Baghdad. Once the soldiers realized the urgency of her condition, saving Baby Noor became their top priority.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PFC. JUSTIN DONNELLY, GEORGIA NATIONAL GUARD: It's really gratifying to know that my actions and the actions of my platoon and unit could help this little girl, get her the medical attention she needs and to potentially give her a new start in life. And it's really, it's really something to feel good about.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: CNN's live coverage of Baby Noor's arrival in America begins at 12:00 p.m. Eastern.
Later this hour, we'll tell you much more about the circumstances that led to today's mercy flight.
Turning now to the soggy West Coast. Some residents in parts of Northern California are bracing for what could be the worst flooding in years. Communities north of the San Francisco Bay Area got about four inches of rain in a 24-hour period yesterday. Another storm could add another six inches this weekend. Officials are keeping their eyes on the Russian River, Napa and Sacramento Rivers, as water levels creep toward the flood stage.
CNN's Jen Rogers shows how some people are protecting their property.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
JEN RODGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): From the beaches to the mountains, the West Coast is getting slammed again. And it's not over yet. A mudslide in Marin County, a flooded trailer park on the Sacramento River and a host of flood warnings for local rivers were evidence of nature's fury.
COLIN KAMINSKI, JOE'S BREWERY: Well, the stream is now almost to the bank edges right now. And it's almost filling right into the little sidewalks down there. So it's getting pretty bad.
RODGERS: Rainfall, runoff and high tide push the waters at the Napa River higher, but it is still far below flood level, and city officials believe they'll be spared from widespread flooding this weekend; although heavy rains or a shift in storm intensity could change that.
Many area residents aren't take anything chances. More than 7,000 sandbags have been distributed and businesses are taking preventative measures, including this brew pub on the banks of the Napa River.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Business is always booming during the flood because we have a river view dining room. People want to drink a beer and watch the river and chat. So when we go to sandbag, it's always easy for us because there's a hundred people in there that have nothing better to do than help us sandbag.
RODGERS: If only everyone had that much help.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
KAYE: So out West, they're worried about the rain.
And Bonnie Schneider is here to tell us, some folks are worried about the snow, as well.
BONNIE SCHNEIDER, ATS METEOROLOGIST: That's right, Randi.
It's really a mixed bag of weather.
(WEATHER REPORT)
KAYE: Let's get you up to speed now with "Stories Across America" this morning.
Eight hundred Amtrak passengers found themselves on the wrong side of the tracks after a day long train delay south of Savannah, Georgia yesterday. A derailed freight train disrupted service for hours on the route, leaving three Amtrak trains stranded. Amtrak says all passengers should make their destinations by this morning.
In Ohio, a corrections department computer creates a ruckus when 3,000 calls were made to crime victims inadvertently telling them inmates had been released. A department spokesman says the mistake happened during maintenance to the computer notification system. The department was double checking to certify no inmates were accidentally released.
And for this new year's toast, champagne will finally be legal in Rockport, Massachusetts. The city's century-old ban on alcohol was lifted a few months back, meaning this year, Rockport restaurants and inns can ring in the new year with sparkling cheers.
There will certainly be no shortage of spirits, bottled or otherwise, in the Big Apple, where they're getting ready and putting the finishing touches together for tonight's ball drop in Times Square.
Here we have for you a live look at what is going on right now. There you see, that's Times Square, New York City, as the de facto countdown has begun. Not too many folks out. It's still dark there.
We're roughly 16 hours, 54 minutes or so away from 2006. And, of course, we hope you ring in the new year with us, as "NEW YEAR'S LIVE WITH ANDERSON COOPER" gets underway at 11:00 Eastern. That is right here on CNN. You do not want to miss that.
It may be breakfast time in many parts of the U.S. but it's almost midnight in Sydney, Australia. In less than an hour, the Sydney harbor will burst into life with a spectacular fireworks display. And some people are going to great lengths to get prime viewing spots.
Reporter Phil Black of Australia's Channel 7 shows us.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
PHIL BLACK, CHANNEL 7 CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Everyone wants to watch the fireworks by the harbor, but only a dedicated few are prepared to do what it takes to get the best spots.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Four o'clock yesterday afternoon.
BLACK (on camera): You must be pretty keen.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Or pretty stupid.
BLACK (voice-over): The land grab continued through the morning.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, I thought giving birth was bad. Putting up this tent right now is pretty bad.
BLACK: And pretty soon all the key locations looked like this.
Definitely on the harbor. This Fort Denison party is $560 a ticket. But Esquilinay (ph) paid far more than that for this whopping pleasure craft. It's the biggest visiting Sydney at the moment.
Most of the party fleet was concerned with simpler pleasures.
UNIDENTIFIED PARTIERS: (UNINTELLIGIBLE)!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hello, Sydney!
BLACK: There were plenty of patrols making sure people didn't have too much fun.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a great night, a great night up here. And the main thing is for people to just be responsible. If you get a few people who have a few too many drinks and they'll dive off the boats and stuff, which makes it a little bit dangerous.
BLACK: But some don't need booze to get into trouble.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE). UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It makes your day.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Happy New Year.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You, too.
BLACK: This is why they come -- 11,000 shelves of fireworks and the two regular shows, at 9:00 and 12:00.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We've developed some new fireworks, water fowl fireworks and butterfly fireworks, different pastel-colored strobes.
BLACK: Another big crowd is also hoping for a colorful night at Bondi with a Fatboy Slim concert. But no matter where you spend it...
UNIDENTIFIED WOMEN: Happy New Year!
BLACK: ... it's sure to be a great Sydney party.
UNIDENTIFIED PARTIERS: Happy New Year!
(END VIDEO TAPE)
KAYE: Not a bad seat in the house there for those fireworks.
And if that party sounds like fun, wait until you hear who's coming to CNN's party -- James Brown, Brooks & Dunn, John Mayer, and, of course, our own Anderson Cooper.
The festivities get underway tonight, 11:00 p.m. Eastern.
Also, what events from 2005 will you remember most? E-mail us your thoughts. Our address is weekends@cnn.com.
And speaking of something to remember this year, Ferris Bueller he's not. But this Farris did take many days off, and you won't believe where he turned up. He's our international man of mystery this morning. We'll have his story in just a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SPC. FRANK MARROLLA: Hi.
My name is Specialist Frank Marrolla (ph).
I'm stationed here at Camp Liberty in Baghdad, Iraq.
I want to say Happy New Year to all of my family in Dallas and especially to my new niece, Gabriella (ph). I love you guys. Miss you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCHNEIDER: Good morning, everyone.
I'm meteorologist Bonnie Schneider.
Check out these beautiful pictures of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Yesterday, snow across much of the region in Minnesota and that brought about four to five inches, depending on where you were. And this was a wet, heavy, slushy snow, not good for shoveling, but good for the kids off on school break, I'm sure.
(WEATHER REPORT)
KAYE: And in case you're just joining us, here's a quick look at this morning's top stories.
Strong storms continue to slam an already drenched West Coast, prompting fears of possible mud slides and floods. A surf advisory is in effect for the coast. The flood warning spans from Sonoma County all the way to the Nevada border. Hillside homeowners have been warned of possible evacuations.
Baby Noor is Atlanta bound. The 3-month-old Iraqi girl who suffers from a severe form of spina bifida should arrive from Baghdad for needed medical treatment later today. CNN's live coverage on her arrival begins at 12:00 p.m.
And would-be presidential assassin John Hinckley, Jr. gets unsupervised visitation rights to go home. A federal judge granted Hinckley three overnight visits to his parents' home in Virginia. Hinckley has been institutionalized since his 1981 shooting attempt on President Ronald Reagan. He was found not guilty by reason of insanity.
The Florida teen who planned a trip to Iraq and flew to the Middle East without his parents knowing is now on a plane back home. And his parents couldn't be more relieved.
Christopher King take a look at Farris Hassan's unusual journey.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
PATRICK QUINN, ASSOCIATED PRESS: A 16-year-old American high school student who doesn't speak any Arabic, it's unbelievable that he is still -- that nothing happened to him.
CHRISTOPHER KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Farris Hassan's odyssey begins December 11th when, unbeknownst to anyone but two friends, he flies from Miami to Amsterdam, then to Kuwait. His goal? Baghdad. The prep school junior has been fascinated by the war and deeply sympathetic with the suffering of the Iraqi people.
Studying journalism in school, he has decided he must see the situation for himself. From Kuwait City, Hassan takes a taxi to the Iraqi border on December 13th, but it's closed ahead of elections. So he goes back to Kuwait City, where he finally tells his parents of his plan.
DR. REDHA HASSAN, FATHER: Well, he sent me an e-mail saying I am on my way to Baghdad, don't be worried that -- don't be worried.
KING: His father encourages his son to fly to Beirut instead, where the boy stays more than a week with family friends. They help arrange for Hassan to achieve his goal. And on Christmas Day, he flies to Baghdad. The friends in Beirut have arranged for a driver to pick him up and together they safely navigate the notoriously dangerous highway from the airport into town.
Hassan checks into the Palestine Hotel, largely populated by Westerners.
Hassan's parents were born in Iraq, but left for the U.S. decades ago. He looks like he could blend in, but the teen doesn't speak Arabic. And with his sneakers and jeans, he's more suited for the mall than the war-ravaged streets of the Iraqi capital.
On his second day there, Hassan parents himself at the offices of the Associated Press, stunning journalists who work there.
QUINN: I recall telling Jason here that it was -- I would have been less surprised if little green men had walked into the office. And he actually announced to us that he wanted to join us and become a journalist.
JASON STRAZIUSO, ASSOCIATED PRESS: He's curious and he's courageous. Now, if he could just wait a couple more years.
KING: Hassan's mother says she's been extremely worried and she's eager to have her son safely home.
SHATHA ATIYA, MOTHER: As far as being punished for going to Iraq, I think he's going to lose some of his autonomy for a while. And he's going to lose his passport, for sure.
KING: Christopher King, CNN.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
KAYE: There have been plenty of celebrations in our newsroom this morning over LSU's crushing Peach Bowl victory last night and we are thrilled to have, actually, one of the LSU Tigers with us.
There he goes. He's singing "Hey Fighting Tigers" for us this morning. Oh, yes, listen to him. He's my co-anchor, kind of.
All right, but can you tell me who won the Wyndham New Orleans Bowl? How about the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl? Are there too many meaningless Bowl games? Tony the Tiger here thinks so. Yes.
We'll take you "Beyond The Game."
And we all have all the New Year's Eve moments we regret, but we promise you won't regret joining our Anderson Cooper to ring in the new year, although he does regret, I think, wearing that hat you just saw.
We'll look back at past celebrations later in this hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Twenty-eight college football Bowl games in 15 days. With names like the Pioneer Pure Vision Los Vegas Bowl and the Meineke Car Care Bowl, critics say we're not getting a bunch of mediocre contests that are merely advertising tools for corporate America.
Are there too many meaningless games? Well, that depends on who you ask.
We are asking the author of "When the Game Is On the Line" and CNN sports business analyst Rick Horrow, who, as usual, joins us from West Palm Beach, Florida -- but, Rick, before we get to the name game, how about the LSU Tigers last night, huh?
RICK HORROW, CNN SPORTS BUSINESS ANALYST: Hey, I guess they -- I guess you go to L -- went to LSU or something like that because...
KAYE: I didn't, actually. But one of our producers did.
HORROW: Well, I'm sure that's why the tiger is there.
Now, I'm here in South Florida, so you understand we're in a state of mourning down here. The University of Miami Hurricanes did not show up in a 40-3 loss, but one of the advantages of 28 Bowl games, you move on to Bowl number 10 and you put that one behind you.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
HORROW (voice-over): It started this year Tuesday night, December 20, with the Wyndham New Orleans Bowl. And 27 games and 15 days later, the college football Bowl season will climax in Pasadena, California at the Rose Bowl, one of the few games without a business sponsor's name in the title.
In between, fans feast on a corporate cornucopia. Take a look at this of names: the GMAC Bowl, the Pioneer Pure Vision Las Vegas Bowl, the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl, the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl, Champ's Sports Bowl, Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl, Chick-fill- A Peach Bowl and the Meineke Car Care Bowl, just to mention a few.
Football purists say too much commercialism. But supporters say it gives students who will never vie for a national title a chance to play in a post-season game -- teams, for instance, with a six win, five loss record.
And then, of course, there is the dollar factor. The Rose Bowl alone is expected to generate a $225 million economic impact in the Pasadena area and the 27 other Bowls expect at least a $50 million hit from week long festivities. So cries of over saturation are falling on deaf ears in most cities. In fact, cities considering joining the list of permanent Bowl sites include Denver, Indianapolis, Birmingham, New York, Toronto and St. Louis -- good news for corporate America.
Bowl titles are considered the most successful sports investments available when it comes to name recall. A good example is the classic double overtime game, the 2003 Tostitos Siesta Bowl, which reportedly generated $80 million worth of media exposure for its sponsors.
With numbers like that, the cries of football purists become the sounds of silence.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
HORROW: Well, it's interesting stuff, obviously. And there are some other issues around the NFL. For example, we had a fair ball this week with finally the New Orleans Saints have a home. We've got some answers we have left. But the Superdome, what's going to happen there, the Saints and the NFL have committed to play in New Orleans in the Superdome as soon as possible, at least for next year.
What's it going to cost? How is it going to pay? All of those issues are going to be major issues down the road. But at least we've got it decided through 2006, which is very important for the NFL and New Orleans and the State of Louisiana.
KAYE: And the foul ball?
HORROW: On the foul ball side, really quickly, Dante Culpepper, the Minnesota Vikings quarterback, a party to the allegations of a misdemeanor on the October 6th sex cruise with a few other Vikings. Well, now, FedEx, a million dollar NFL sponsor, has dropped him and his commercial. And, in fact, the shenanigans may even jeopardize a $675 million stadium that the Minnesota Vikings are planning for suburban Minneapolis.
KAYE: Wow!
HORROW: So it is high stakes in the NFL.
KAYE: It sure is. That and Dante's injuries, not a good year for him.
HORROW: No. And you have a really, really Happy New Year.
KAYE: Yes, you, too, Rick.
Thanks so much.
And Rick will be back tomorrow to take a look at the granddaddy of all college holiday games. If it looks like a Rose Bowl and smells like a Rose Bowl, then there must be lots of cash. We follow the money trail all the way to Pasadena, California tomorrow when we'll take you "Beyond The Game" on "CNN SUNDAY." That's 7:00 a.m. Eastern. Also, we are really wanting to hear from you this morning. Send us an e-mail. What will you remember most about 2005? Please e-mail us your thoughts. We'd love to read them on the air. Our address is weekends@cnn.com.
Up next, Baby Noor's odyssey. The infant makes her way to America, we'll look back at how U.S. troops serving in Iraq discovered her and the sacrifices ordinary people are making to try and save the little Iraqi girl.
And later, we'll look back and remember those we'll miss next year.
CNN SATURDAY MORNING continues in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: A long journey, a mission of mercy, a baby's life at stake. CNN first brought you the story of Baby Noor. The Iraqi infant is now on her way to the U.S. for a life-saving surgery.
Welcome back to CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
I'm Randi Kaye.
More on Baby Noor in a minute.
But first, a look at the morning headlines.
New York City is making final preparations for tonight's big New Year's Eve bash. Security will be tight. Backpacks are banned and alcohol isn't allowed on the streets. Yesterday, technicians tested the cables that will hoist the 1,000-pound plus crystal ball.
A bomb packed with nails exploded in a busy marketplace in Indonesia today, killing at least eight people and injuring dozens of others. The Christian market was selling pork ahead of New Year's celebrations. The blast followed warnings of Islamic militant violence and it happened despite stepped up security in the country.
Revelers in London may have a hard time getting around the city this New Year's weekend. The underground rail station staff plans a 24-hour strike today. The union says it's fighting new work rosters which it says will reduce safety levels on the tube.
Lawyers for Jose Padilla say the terror suspect wants to stay in military custody until the Supreme Court considers his appeal. They're asking the court to refuse the government's request to transfer Padilla to law enforcement authorities in Florida.
Padilla, a U.S. citizen, is challenging President Bush's power to detain Americans when the United States is at war.
A baby's cry for help is heard all the way around the world. This is Baby Noor as she left Baghdad early yesterday for a life- saving surgery right here in Atlanta. She'll arrive this afternoon and CNN will bring you special live coverage.
As Christopher King reports, U.S. military troops discovered Baby Noor during a routine search and made it their mission to save her life.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
KING (voice-over): Doctors said she wouldn't live beyond 45 days. Little Noor, now about three months old, has so far defied the odds, living with a life-threatening disease. She was born in Baghdad with spina bifida, a birth defect in which the spinal column fails to close completely. Soldiers from the Georgia National Guard raided her parents' home in the Iraqi city, looking for possible insurgents.
Instead, they found the little girl's grandmother thrusting the baby toward them, showing the Americans the cyst-like purple sac protruding from her back.
Iraqi doctors told the family there's nothing they could do, that Baby Noor will soon die. But U.S. military doctors disagreed and believed if she can get to the United States, she can be treated and saved.
And so the soldiers, many of them parents themselves, were moved to act. But this time on a different type of mission -- that of saving this little girl's life.
LT. JEFF MORGAN, GEORGIA NATIONAL GUARD: So my heart just kind of went out to this baby and these parents, who are, you know, living in poverty and have no means to help their own baby. I thought maybe we could do that for them.
KING: Lieutenant Jeff Morgan is a single father of five. He sees his own children in Noor's tiny face. Morgan and his fellow soldiers in Charlie Company went to work, Morgan e-mailing anyone he could think of.
DEBBIE STONE, SHEPHERD OF THE HILLS CHURCH: And it started with an e-mail back in the middle of December just asking for help, if there was anything that I could do.
KING: One of those electronic messages went to Debbie Stone, a friend who belongs to the same church as Morgan.
STONE: I think we, as American people, we have our money going toward the war. But I think that the important part is that we want to make a difference in the lives of the Iraqi people.
KING: So the mission continued on the other side of the world. Stone spent hours putting out the call to get help for Baby Noor and her family. Relentless in her pursuit, failure was not an option.
(on camera): Why did you get involved with this? I mean what made you think about doing this? STONE: You know, I don't know why I did it. I just did it because I wanted to help, you know? I wanted to do what I could do to help this child out.
KING: Stone hooked up with an organization called Child Spring International, a non-profit group that transports sick children to the States. With their help, a hospital offered up their facilities. A doctor was found to perform the surgery and a host family stepped up to care for Noor's family. All of this free of charge.
DR. ROGER HUDGINS, NEUROSURGEON: There's no question that we -- since we can help, we need to help. I mean these are our hometown guys. So they're over there doing the work for us. Why can't we do a little bit for them?
KING: Dr. Roger Hudgins is the physician who will be operating on Baby Noor. His area of expertise is spina bifida, an affliction affecting nearly 2,000 babies born in this country each year.
(on camera): Baby Noor will undergo surgery here at Children's Health Care of Atlanta. Doctors here say the little girl suffers what appears to be a severe form of spina bifida, leaving her spinal cord and nerves exposed. The neurological damage that can come from her disease includes paralysis, loss of bowel and bladder control and severe learning disabilities.
HUDGINS: Left untreated, I've seen a case or two in my life here in the States of untreated spina bifida. Most of the time the baby dies, actually from infection and from meningitis. It's a life- threatening situation both early on from infection and a life- threatening situation later, if untreated, from cancer.
KING (voice-over): Her journey has been fraught with danger. Deadly violence surrounds her every day as U.S. soldiers battle insurgents. Her parents, whose faces have been blurred for this story, fear reprisal if they're seen getting help from Americans. Getting passports and visas for the family has been difficult, but the difficulty, danger and risk may offer a large payoff.
HUDGINS: I think that her chances for living if we can get her over here relatively soon are good.
KING: They were sent to Iraq to track down insurgents. These soldiers now hope their actions will help in the difficult task of winning of the hearts and minds of at least some Iraqis.
So, as the soldiers of Charlie Company continue their fight in Iraq, little Noor is fighting for her life. And, with the help of strangers from abroad, thriving against a backdrop of war.
Christopher King, CNN, Atlanta. (END VIDEO TAPE)
KAYE: And CNN will continue following this story we first brought you. Our live coverage on Baby Noor's arrival here in the United States begins at 12:00 p.m. Eastern right here on CNN. They were a part of our lives for so long and sometimes they almost seemed like one of the family. We said good-bye to many well known and well loved personalities this year.
Up next, we'll look back and say a final farewell to those we lost.
CNN SATURDAY MORNING continues in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: What will you remember from this year past? Hurricane Katrina and the tsunami? The overwhelming generosity of strangers, possibly? The kindness of neighbors in moments of need? The passing of Pope John Paul II and other well-loved personalities?
E-mail us your thoughts. We're at weekends@cnn.com.
And coming up later this morning, an amazing survival story from Pakistan you'll have to see to believe. More than two months after a devastating earthquake flattened her home, this woman was found alive in the rubble.
Our Dr. Sanjay Gupta visited her as she recovers.
He'll have more in our 9:00 a.m. Eastern hour of CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: It has been a hectic week whether you've been traveling or hosting family and friends, so let's get you caught up on some of the news that made headlines.
On Monday, New Orleans police shot and killed a man who was waving a knife at them. It happened in the South Garden District after Anthony Hayes left a pharmacy when his credit card was rejected. More than 10 officers surrounded Hayes and demanded he put down the knife. At one point, the officers used pepper spray, but to no avail.
New Orleans Police Superintendent Warren Riley says it appears the officers followed procedures.
A man wanted in multiple sexual attacks is once again behind bars. Miami police arrested Reynaldo Rapalo late Monday. Rapalo escaped from jail December 20th.
And finally, a fond farewell to a man who got up early, like many of our writers here at CNN, to make the donuts. Michael Vale portrayed the baker for Dunkin' Donuts in the 1980s and '90s. Vale also acted in the 1976 thriller, "Marathon Man." Vale died at the age of 83.
And he wasn't the only one who left us in 2005. Before we welcome a brand new year, let's take a moment to remember the people we lost this year and the legacy they leave with us. CNN's Bruce Morton looks back.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
BRUCE MORTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We lost John Paul II, the towering figure, a theological conservative who inspired his fellow Poles with visits to Poland when it was still under Soviet occupation. A devout man, one who knew him, wrote, "who thinks on his knees."
We lost Rosa Parks, courteous, tough as nails, wouldn't give up her Montgomery, Alabama, bus seat to a white. Got arrested and lit a flame. A bus boycott led by a young minister named Martin Luther King, which integrated the buses and launched the civil rights movement that integrated so much more.
We lost Terri Schiavo, who collapsed in 1990, whose husband said she was brain dead and would want to die. But the Congress passed and the president signed a bill letting her parents appeal their case to the federal courts. The courts did not intervene and she did die. The autopsy showed her husband had been right about her condition.
WILLIAM REHNQUIST, FORMER SUPREME COURT CHIEF JUSTICE: Our work as a court of impeachment is now done.
MORTON: We lost William Rehnquist, a conservative chief justice.
We lost Eugene McCarthy, a poet, senator, and, in 1968, an anti- Vietnam war presidential candidate whose success in the New Hampshire primary persuaded President Lyndon Johnson not to seek reelection. But McCarthy did not get the nomination and did not stop the war.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP, COURTESY ABC NEWS)
PETER JENNINGS, FORMER HOST, "ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT": Have a good evening. I'm Peter Jennings. Thanks and goodnight.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MORTON: We lost Peter Jennings, longtime ABC News anchorman.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Here's Johnny!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MORTON: We lost Johnny Carson, who somehow looked the way late night hosts on TV ought to look. We lost Hunter Thompson, the self- styled gonzo journalist whose book "Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trial" was, one critic said, the least factual and most accurate account of the 1972 presidential campaign.
We lost Frank Perdue, who made chickens famous, or maybe it was the other way around.
We lost Anne Bancroft, who won a Tony and an Oscar for "The Miracle Worker" and who men of a certain age remember as the sexy predator, Mrs. Robinson, in "The Graduate."
DUSTIN HOFFMAN, ACTOR: Mrs. Robinson, you're trying to seduce me.
MORTON: And we lost Richard Pryor, a gifted comedian who talked dirty and led a troubled life, but who was, as Jerry Seinfeld said in "Newsweek," "the Picasso of our profession."
We remember at year's end the famous who've died. But we ought to remember this year some others.
The 822 American servicemen and women, as of December 20th, mostly young and not famous, who died this year in Iraq. Their lives lay ahead of them. They had things they wanted to do.
And in that sense, they are like another group we should remember, the 1,322 people -- that's the confirmed count, the real toll is probably higher -- who died in Hurricane Katrina. They had hopes and plans and families. And death came out of the sky and took them all.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GREG DITRINCO, EXECUTIVE EDITOR, "SKI" MAGAZINE: A successful family ski vacation is built on convenience, great service and keeping your kids very, very busy.
Here are a few resorts that deliver on all counts.
Getting there is not half the fun. Park City, Utah is close to the Salt Lake airport and you're on the slopes literally within minutes of flying in. Park City also has the largest half pipe in North America.
Another great family resort is Smuggler's Notch, Vermont. Its single mission in life is to keep families happy. They have a "Mom and Me" or "Dad and Me" ski instruction program where the instructor teaches the kid how to ski and also teaches the parent how to teach the kid how to ski. They even have two teen centers to keep the toughest member of your family happy.
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KAYE: Welcome back.
You are looking a live picture of New York's Times Square, where workers are putting the finishing touches ahead of tonight's celebrations. Millions of people expected to pack the intersection of 42nd Street and Seventh Avenue. And yesterday they tested, they were out there, they checked the cables. The ball will drop. That 1,000 pound plus crystal ball expected to drop there tonight.
Elvis is not expected to join Anderson Cooper to help ring in the new year tomorrow night. But given the hijinks from past celebrations -- that's actually tonight that Anderson will be ringing in the new year.
But given the hijinks from past celebrations, well, you just never know.
Anderson looks back at last year's nuttiness.
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ANDERSON COOPER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): New Year's Eve in Times Square -- you never know quite what to expect. I mean, sure, you're going to see people with the funny hats and the noisemakers. But for our coverage, we like to add a little spice, sometimes even some old spice.
(on camera): Who have you got with you?
HUGH HEFNER, PLAYBOY FOUNDER: Well, I've got the girlfriends with me.
COOPER (voice-over): On New Year's Eve, we bring you women of substance on both coasts, from Hef's playmates in L.A. to Zarrella's drag queens in Key West.
JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Up there in that red high heel descending down here onto the street...
COOPER: We're not sure when the drag queen drop became a tradition exactly. But that's what's great about tradition -- it doesn't matter why it started or how it ends.
(on camera): That apparently is a drag performer who looks like she's about to drop, even if the shoe isn't.
(voice-over): We've always had great musical guests. Last year, Jerry Jeff joined us in true country style.
(on camera): What are you leaning on there, Jerry Jeff?
JERRY JEFF, MUSICIAN: I'm leaning on this mechanical bull.
COOPER (voice-over): Celine Dion even treated us to a multitude of hand signals, a couple songs and a prayer for peace.
CELINE DION, SINGER: And peace around the world.
COOPER: Even the naked cowboy strummed a few cords...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm the naked cowboy coming to a town near you.
COOPER: ... and taught us an important mind-over-body lesson. UNIDENTIFIED CORRESPONDENT: How do you not get cold? We need to know.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I pretend that I'm not cold and it works.
COOPER: How, then, do I stay warm? Well, in 2003 I went for the suit and tie. Last year, for some reason, I decided to try to look like Mister Rogers. Then the night took an ugly turn.
(on camera): You can hear the last shred of dignity I had just being stripped away right there.
(voice-over): This year, we'll have all the hoopla and confetti from New York and Florida and appearances and performances by Kool and the Gang, Brooks and Dunn, the John Mayer trio, the Barenaked Ladies, Harry Connick Jr. and the incomparable James Brown.
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KAYE: The Godfather of Soul singing for us live. How cool is that?
The party starts on CNN at 11:00 p.m. Eastern tonight.
And we want to know how you are celebrating during that show. So do us a favor, just grab your cell phone wherever you are, grab a digital camera, or, better yet, turn on your Web cam and then send us video from your party tonight. E-mail those shots to newyears@cnn.com. Once again, it's newyears@cnn.com. We'll share them with everyone.
Also, send us some e-mails about what you'll remember most about 2005.
CNN SATURDAY continues in a moment.
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SPC. HURLEY: I'm Specialist Hurley (ph) from Baghdad.
I just want to wish a Happy New Year to my family in Montana. I love you guys.
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KAYE: You are looking at live pictures from celebrations underway already in Sydney, Australia. The countdown is winding down there, where thousands have gathered at the harbor to ring in the new year down under. We'll bring you those celebrations live as they continue throughout the morning.
Also, you could call it destiny. But after you hear this story, you may want to call it something else. We'll tell you what this woman said when she received her porpoise proposal. CNN SATURDAY MORNING continues in a moment.
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GERRI WILLIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Looking for huge discounts on designer furniture? Check out model homes in your area. Sometimes the high end furniture on display is for sale.
Builders often spend big bucks to furnish homes in hopes of enticing buyers. But once the units sell out, they look to get rid of the furniture and accessories. They may send the furniture to charity, sell it to employees, sell it to their homebuyers or offer items for sale to the public.
So, if you visit a model home and see something you like, ask the salesperson about that builder's policy.
I'm Gerri Willis and that's your Tip of the Day.
For more, watch "OPEN HOUSE," Saturday mornings, 9:30 Eastern, on CNN.
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KAYE: And welcome back once again to CNN LIVE SATURDAY.
You are looking at live pictures from Sydney, Australia. New Year's celebrations already underway there. They're 16 hours ahead of us, so they're just minutes away from ringing in the new year. They are expecting a million people to crowd the harbor front area for two major displays, coming up in just a couple of minutes, at midnight their time. And organizers of Sydney's pyrotechnics display are promising the city's biggest ever.
And, of course, we will be bringing it to you live.
They're going to be blasting off those fireworks from a few barges, so it should be some fun. And you'll be sure to catch it right here on CNN.
now, today's "Wows of the Week" begins with one woman's unusual quest for martial bliss. It turns out her soul mate is of another species. That's right -- a dolphin, to be exact. The two have been seeing each other on and off at an Israeli resort over the past 15 years. And, yes, we'll just leave it at that.
Kentuckyfriedcruelty.com isn't just a PETA Web site, it's also the name of PETA's hard core members. Formerly known as Chris Garnett, the 19-year-old decided to change his name to underscore his commitment to the cause. His parents, though, they say they're cool with it, but they still call him Chris.
And, finally, need a surefire scheme to get rich quick? Well, check this out. Milliondollarhomepage.com is the brainchild of a young man in Britain who is getting very wealthy with almost no effort. He set up a home page with a million pixels and began selling advertising space at $1 per pixel. And so far he has raked in more than $900,000.
SCHNEIDER: Wow!
KAYE: Yes.
SCHNEIDER: Those are tough to read, though.
KAYE: Why didn't we think of that, Bonnie, huh?
SCHNEIDER: Good idea.
KAYE: Yes, it sure is.
SCHNEIDER: Sure.
KAYE: What's going on weather wise?
SCHNEIDER: Oh, so much, Randi.
(WEATHER REPORT)
KAYE: OK, wet weather. And we'll keep an eye on that.
And, of course, Anderson Cooper will be out there.
We're also keeping an eye on Sydney, Australia, which you are looking at live along with us.
CNN is really the only place where you can ring in the new year around the world, as your morning continues and as your day continues right here on CNN.
There they go. They're counting down. They have millions of people there crowding the harbor front area for their major fireworks display.
Let's take a listen.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Happy New Year, everybody.
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