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CNN Saturday Morning News
First Tropical Depression Of The Year; Hamas Calls Off Cease- Fire With Rocket Blasts Aimed At Israel; White House E-Mail After Katrina Could Prove Embarrassing To President Bush; Vegetable Oil As Fuel; Bush Warns Of Difficult Days Ahead In Iraq After Zarqawi Death; Reaction In Zarqawi's Hometown; World Cup Update; Restaurant Wants Customers To Order In English
Aired June 10, 2006 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Now in the news, the first tropical depression of this year's hurricane season is nearing the western tip of Cuba.
We're going to have a live report from Havana.
That is coming up.
Also, doctors are conducting an autopsy today on the body of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the leader of al Qaeda in Iraq.
We're going to have extensive coverage of al-Zarqawi's death and its aftermath.
One day after an Israeli attack killed at least seven Palestinians on a Gaza beach, Palestinian militants appear to be making good on their vow to retaliate. Eleven rockets were launched into Israel this morning. We have a live report.
And violence erupts in a German city that is hosting World Cup soccer matches as members of a right-wing political party clash with counter-demonstrators. We have more on those clashes and the World Cup itself.
Now to Afghanistan.
The coalition says it killed more than 40 Taliban fighters in the past five days. No coalition casualties were reported.
Well, hi, there.
It's Saturday, June 5.
Good morning, everybody from the CNN Center right here in Atlanta.
I'm Betty Nguyen.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Let's see, 11:00 a.m. in the East, 8:00 a.m. in the West...
NGUYEN: The West. HARRIS: ... if you're just joining us.
Good morning, everyone.
I'm Tony Harris.
A lot of major stories we're keeping an eye on for you this hour.
Straight ahead, more details emerge in the bombing that killed al Qaeda's number one man in Iraq and today the U.S. military is on the move in a bid to stop Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's terror network from regrouping. We've got the latest on the aftermath.
Plus, reaction to Zarqawi's death from his hometown in Jordan.
And an icon in Philadelphia -- the cheese steak caught up in the battle over illegal immigration. We'll explain.
NGUYEN: All right, here it is. It has happened -- the first tropical depression of the year. And, after last year's terrible hurricanes, it is drawing especially close scrutiny this time around.
The center is about 50 miles south-southwest of the western tip of Cuba.
HARRIS: So wind speeds, coordinates, let's check in now with meteorologist Reynolds Wolf upstairs in the CNN Weather Center -- Reynolds, good morning.
REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning.
And, you know, even if you throw out the -- all the data, like the wind speeds and the coordinates out the window, just by taking a look at it, you can just tell, over the last couple of hours it's gone from just a hodgepodge of individual storms and it's starting to take that classic shape that we've become so familiar with, especially over the last couple of years, with more and more of these storms forming.
Again, here we have the center just to the south, exactly, let's see, 45 miles to the south-southwest of Cabo, San Antonio. It's a rain maker. That's really the biggest threat of the storm right now.
However, it is expected to launch its way into the Gulf of Mexico-by tomorrow. And when it does so, it should be a tropical storm.
It will intensify, continue its march up to the north and the northeast by 8:00 a.m. Monday. And then, as we get to 8:00 a.m. Tuesday, it should make its way into the Panhandle and crossing over parts of northern Florida, right across the I-10 corridor.
Landfall probably around 2:00 in the morning. We're going to watch this for you very, very carefully throughout the day, throughout the evening, until this storm fizzles out or goes wherever it's going to go. We'll watch it for u.
Let's send it back to you downstairs.
HARRIS: It's time to get to work.
REYNOLDS: Oh, no...
HARRIS: He's taken off the jacket and rolled up...
NGUYEN: Your jacket is gone. The sleeves are rolled up.
HARRIS: Yes.
REYNOLDS: There you go.
NGUYEN: It's time to get down to business.
HARRIS: We're off and running.
Here we go.
NGUYEN: All right, Reynolds, we'll be checking in.
REYNOLDS: It's that time of year.
NGUYEN: Hey, speaking of getting down to business, CNN's Morgan Neill joins us on the phone from Havana to talk about the situation there -- first of all, Morgan, tell me what you're seeing and what you're hearing outside.
MORGAN NEILL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, so far, Betty, what we have seen is the skies have been darkening throughout the morning. We had steady rains starting last night and they've just, in the last hour, really started to pick up momentum. It's really starting to come down now.
Now, the head of Cuba's forecast center says he's expecting intense rains here and in the west of the country. But so far we haven't seen any emergency measures, although they say such measures can't be ruled out.
But when you go out into the streets today, you don't, for example, see people boarding up their windows or making specific preparations of that kind. But, again, having said that, Cubans have been very diligently preparing for this hurricane season, really, since the last -- the end of the last season -- Betty.
NGUYEN: Yes, they have. And, you know, with last year's hurricane season, that was a dozy.
So when the call does come, how quickly can this be put into action?
NEILL: Well, in terms of hours, it's hard to say. It really depends on the specific storm system. But having seen hurricanes in a few different places, I've never seen anywhere quite as organized as this. People have been drilling to do these instant evacuations for the last several months. These are large scale rehearsals. People are very much prepared here.
NGUYEN: Well, that's good news, because preparedness is the key to survival.
HARRIS: Yes.
NGUYEN: Morgan, we thank you for your time.
We'll stay on top of that -- Tony.
HARRIS: Thousands have died in the war in Iraq. But one single death just three days ago is dominating discussions of Iraq's future. Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the leader of al Qaeda in Iraq, died after a U.S. bomb attack on Wednesday. An autopsy is being conducted on his body today at what U.S. military officials call a safe location.
U.S. officials revealed yesterday that Zarqawi survived the initial bombing of his hideout and died after coalition troops arrived on the scene.
Meanwhile, leaders of Sunni insurgent groups are offering their condolences to Zarqawi's group and vowing continued opposition to the Iraqi government. Insurgent attacks are continuing, including a bombing that killed an American soldier near Kirkuk yesterday.
U.S. forces have been moving quickly to exploit the power vacuum, conducting more than 50 raids on suspected insurgent targets since Zarqawi's death. It took two 500 hundred pound bombs to destroy the safe house where Zarqawi was hiding out.
CNN's John Vause got a look at what was left.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is all that's left of Zarqawi's safe house, a house made of concrete and steel. All of this destruction caused by two 500-pound bombs.
The impact from the blast was so powerful, we're told by the U.S. military, that initially this hole in the ground, about 35, maybe 40 feet deep.
Now, the day after the air strike, the rubble around the area was mostly cleared and bulldozed into that crater. It's still more than 10 feet deep, as well.
It was an incredibly powerful blast. Rubble is strewn around this area, 600 feet, maybe even 1,000 feet away.
And signs of the people who once lived in this house. Over here is a towel left behind, thrown clear as part of the debris. Just over here, as well, we can see a pillow and just next to it a blanket, as well.
They say this was a safe house in an isolated area and, indeed, it was very isolated. Take a look at the trees, the palm trees and the date trees which surround this area.
At the time of the air strike, a top level al Qaeda meeting was underway. Zarqawi and five others, including his spiritual adviser, the man who was traced to this house and ultimately led to Zarqawi's downfall. And after this powerful blast, we are told somehow Zarqawi managed to survive, if only for a few moments.
John Vause, CNN, near the City of Baquba.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: And now in the hours after al-Zarqawi's death, we heard reaction from Washington, London and throughout the Middle East. But what do they think in Zarqawi's hometown?
A report from Zarqa, Jordan coming up later in this hour of CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
And tonight at 7:00, CNN's team of correspondents from around the world bring you the only in depth look at major events in the war on terror, including the strike on al-Zarqawi in Iraq.
Wolf Blitzer hosts "IRAQ: A WEEK AT WAR," beginning at 7:00 p.m. Eastern, 4:00 p.m. Pacific, only on CNN.
NGUYEN: Now to an escalation in the Middle East crisis.
Hamas calls off its year long cease-fire and backs it up with rocket blasts aimed at Israel. The retaliation is for an Israeli attack that killed seven Palestinian civilians on a Gaza beach.
Let's go live now to CNN's Fionnuala Sweeney in Jerusalem for details -- Fionnuala, first of all, I want you to walk us through what happened starting with the Israeli rockets that were fired.
FIONNUALA SWEENEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, on Friday, in a 24 hour period, some 18 Palestinians were killed in Gaza, including that family of seven that you heard about. And the girl, of course, on the beach, the pictures of which we've seen many times of her wailing.
She was saved only because she happened to be swimming in the sea when the shells struck the beach, killing all her family -- her mother, her father and her three siblings, ranging in age from a year- and-a-half to seven years of age.
Now, their funerals took place earlier this morning in Gaza, and there were huge scenes as tens of thousands of people turned out to mourn their loss.
Now, this was, perhaps, in many ways, might turn out to be a turning point in this conflict, in the sense that although a number of other people were killed on Friday, Betty, it was this singular incident to which Hamas responded when it decided that it was going to call off its unofficial truce.
And, indeed, it did call off its unofficial truce by launching several rockets at Israel. The Israeli military reporting that some 11 rockets were launched on Friday night. They did not reach Israel from northern Gaza. There were no damage or injuries to report, but it is an ominous sign.
But the death of this family on the Gaza beach dominating a news conference held earlier today by the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas.
He had been expected, Betty, to use this speech to call to Hamas, who run-the government, to join with him in support of a document known as prisoners' document, which he thinks is a way forward for a Palestinian state. Hamas has so far refused to go along with that.
And so President Abbas today was expected to use this long- awaited news conference to say he was going to put this plan to the people, it would be up to them to decide.
But, of course, the death of this family on a Gaza beach dominated the headlines, dominated his news conference. And he began by describing it as a "massacre" wondering why a child of seven years of age should have to watch her entire family being murdered by Israeli artillery and asking who is responsible -- Betty.
NGUYEN: Fionnuala Sweeney bringing us up to speed on all of the events.
Thank you for that.
Well, a storm is brewing in Washington over an e-mail sent during Hurricane Katrina. We have the details on what the president allegedly said about then FEMA Director Michael Brown.
HARRIS: Immigration food fight -- the debate over a cheese steak.
NGUYEN: And are you ready for some football?
HARRIS: What is that?
NGUYEN: Lots of men who really should put their shirts on, that's what that is. It is day two of the World Cup. If you're not sure how the game is played, well, no problem, folks, because we are going to explain it all.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Top stories now.
Just days into the new hurricane season -- literally days -- a tropical depression forms in the Caribbean. It's about 50 miles off the western tip of Cuba. Forecasters say it could become a tropical storm later today.
In Iraq, an autopsy is underway on the body of Abu Musab al- Zarqawi three days after his death. American bombs blew up the al Qaeda leader's hiding place. In Gaza, apparent retaliation for Israeli attacks on Palestinian areas, including the shelling of a Gaza beach. The military wing of Hamas says it has fired more rockets into Israel. At least 11 launches are confirmed today. The group vowed yesterday to resume its attacks on Israel.
NGUYEN: Now for a look at our top stories Across America.
He is caged now and calm, but he is one of two pit bulls that escaped from a yard and attacked students at a school in San Fernando, California. Police say the dogs mauled an 11-year-old girl, causing series, but non-life-threatening injuries. A custodian was able to beat back the animals until police came. The dogs' owners, they've been arrested.
HARRIS: Oh.
NGUYEN: The Soho bar at the center of a high profile murder case, well, that is shut down. New York police say they closed The Falls bar because of complaints about noise and illegal activity. It is the same place where a grad student, Imette St. Guillen, was last seen alive. A bouncer at the bar was charged with her killing. He denies it.
Not your typical patient for a C.T. scan. Oh, no. Take a good look. A Florida hospital conducts a test on an albino alligator, of all things. And the animal wasn't even sick. Scans from the procedure are part of an upcoming documentary for PBS and National Geographic. OK, so it all makes sense now.
HARRIS: Yes.
NGUYEN: The working title, "Super Sized Crocs."
HARRIS: Oh, OK.
NGUYEN: Yes. Be very afraid.
And, look at the proud mama and her brand new pup. How sweet. The Hawaiian monk seal has given birth on a secluded Oahu beach. The pup is about a week old and experts say monk seals are one of the most endangered species in the world. This is the first one born on Oahu in about eight years.
HARRIS: And still ahead, the hometown reaction. We've been telling you how al-Zarqawi was killed this week. Now, what the people from his birthplace are saying about their native son.
NGUYEN: But first, could an e-mail sent during Hurricane Katrina reveal some potentially embarrassing comments from the president?
That's ahead on CNN SATURDAY.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JULIE GREENWALD, PRESIDENT, ATLANTIC RECORDS GROUP: I get to work in an environment where I work with artists. And I get to bring art to the masses.
UNIDENTIFIED CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Julie Greenwald, president of Atlantic Records, is one of the few women to head a music label. She started out as a teacher and one summer took a temporary job at Def Jam Records.
Her love of music led to a new career. She's publicized well known artists like Jay-Z and Bon Jovi.
Greenwald's focus is still on promoting and cultivating new artists.
GREENWALD: The most important thing I can provide as a leader is the ability for people to know that they can take risks and make a mistake, as long as they learn from it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: All right, I'm quoting now: "Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job."
Who can forget those words of praise from President Bush commending FEMA's director while thousands of Katrina victims suffered?
Well, now there is a heck of an e-mail that could prove embarrassing to the president.
It's something you will only see on CNN.
CNN's Brian Todd filed a report for "THE SITUATION ROOM WITH WOLF BLITZER."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Wednesday, August 31, 2005 -- New Orleans has been submerged for two days.
In an interview with Larry King, FEMA Director Michael Brown is on the defensive about government failure after Hurricane Katrina.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "LARRY KING LIVE")
LARRY KING, HOST : Where's the help?
MICHAEL BROWN, FEMA DIRECTOR: Larry, the help is right there and it's going to be moving in very, very rapidly. I'm going to ask the country to be patient.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TODD: The next day, the city still is overwhelmed by chaos and official paralysis. Brown is besieged with criticism. In another CNN interview, he admits he's just finding out about one of the most horrific human catastrophes.
BROWN: The federal government did not even know about the convention center people until today.
TODD: The following day, the president declares the federal response is "not acceptable," but voices public support for Brown.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Again, I want to thank you all for -- and Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job. The FEMA director is working 24...
TODD: Two days later, Brown's immediate boss, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, is asked by Wolf Blitzer if he still has confidence in his FEMA director.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "THE SITUATION ROOM")
MICHAEL CHERTOFF, HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: Look, I think Michael Brown has had a lot of experience. I think he's done a tremendous job under pressure.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TODD: But CNN has obtained an e-mail from three days after that, September 7, 2005, indicating the Bush administration may have been happy that Brown was taking the heat.
A high level White House official close to the president writes to Brown: "I did hear of one reference to you at the cabinet meeting yesterday. I wasn't there, but I heard someone commented that the press was sure beating up on Mike Brown, to which the president replied, 'I'd rather they beat up on him than me or Chertoff.' Congratulations on doing a great job of diverting hostile fire away from the leader."
Michael Brown, through his attorney, provided this e-mail to CNN on the condition that we redact the name, not revealing the identity of its author. CNN cannot independently verify the authenticity of the e-mail, but it does have the White House eop.gov designation at the end, signifying executive office of the President.
Brown explained why he released the e-mail to Wolf Blitzer in "THE SITUATION ROOM."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "THE SITUATION ROOM")
BROWN: Well, it could embarrass the president. But, frankly, as long as we're going to continue to play this game of every time the administration talks about what worked or didn't work, I'm not going to sit back and continue to take those stabs. I was doing everything I could down there.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TODD: September 9, 2005 -- just two days after that e-mail is sent to Brown, Secretary Chertoff changes his tune. CHERTOFF: I have directed Mike Brown to return to administering FEMA nationally. And I've appointed Vice Admiral Thad Allen of the Coast Guard as the principal federal official overseeing the Hurricane Katrina response.
TODD: Three days later, Monday, September 12th, Michael Brown resigns as FEMA director. The next day President Bush says this...
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: To the extent that the federal government didn't fully do its job right, I take responsibility.
TODD: Historian Douglas Brinkley, whose recent book chronicles the infighting of state and federal officials after Katrina, says the e-mail is consistent with information he received.
DOUGLAS BRINKLEY, HISTORIAN, AUTHOR, "THE GREAT DELUGE": The e- mail clearly shows that the Bush White House and the president himself was trying to scapegoat Michael Brown, who became the human pinata of the entire Katrina debacle.
TODD: But another analyst says traditionally, it's the job of people like Michael Brown to absorb criticism for the president.
PROF. STEPHEN J. WAYNE, GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY: That's what happens. We have an old saying in Washington -- all good news comes from the White House and all bad news come from the departments and agencies.
TODD (on camera): We contacted a White House spokeswoman for reaction to our story. She replied in an e-mail: "This is an old rumor that surfaced months ago and we're not commenting on it. This story has already been reported and I have heard nothing at all that would substantiate it."
Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: And that report was filed for "THE SITUATION ROOM."
You can watch Wolf Blitzer in "THE SITUATION ROOM" weeknights at 7:00 p.m. Eastern, 4:00 p.m. Pacific.
HARRIS: The first tropical depression of his hurricane season has formed.
We'll check in with Reynolds Wolf for the details.
NGUYEN: Plus, what in the world is the World Cup?
Well, if you haven't caught the fever, we're going to help you out by explaining the game.
HARRIS: But first, gas prices are averaging about $3.a gallon and that can be tough on your wallet, to be sure. In today's "New Frontiers," Daniel Sieberg has the story of a unique alternative.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DANIEL SIEBERG, CNN TECHNOLOGY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Deep- fried foods -- a diet nightmare. But what if that fryer oil could be turned into something good for you?
BRUCE BARBOUR, OWNER, BIODIESEL WORKS: This is a biodiesel machine that actually takes vegetable oil and turns it into a fuel you can put into your car.
SIEBERG: It's called bio-diesel, a fuel that many experts call environmentally friendly because it reduces harmful emissions. The Bio49 project in America's Pacific Northwest is dedicated to producing bio-diesel for use in commercial utility trucks.
Restaurants provide their used cooking oil and 12,000 gallons are processed each month.
BARBOUR: Chemically, bio-diesel is very similar to petroleum diesel. It just doesn't have a lot of the toxins attached. It would be a lot healthier for our kids if all our school buses were using biodiesel instead of petroleum diesel.
SIEBERG: Bio49 was the first biodiesel venture to receive funding from the Environmental Protection Agency. One of the goals is to create it as an industry for years to come.
JEFF MORRIS, DIRECTOR, BIO49 PROJECT: If we want to be energy independent, we have to be able to secure some of our own fuel sources and this is something that the American farmer can grow, and we can keep our energy expenses from a day to day basis here instead of shipping it overseas and moving it offshore.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Take a look at it. The first tropical depression of the year is gaining strength and moving north. The storm is in the Caribbean Sea, about 50 miles from the western tip of Cuba. The National Hurricane Center says a depression could become a tropical storm later today. So we'll keep an eye on that.
The military wing of Hamas says it has fired rockets into Israel. This came just hours after Hamas voted to resume attacks after a year- long cease fire. Hamas says the move is in retaliation for a string of Israeli attacks, including an artillery blast that killed at least seven civilians on a Gaza beach.
Now to an autopsy that is being performed on the body of insurgent leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. That procedure should be completed by tonight. DNA tests are being performed to confirm that it was, indeed, al-Zarqawi who was killed in a U.S. air strike near Baquba Wednesday night.
Those results are expected on Monday. Meanwhile, the insurgency continues in Iraq. In the past 24 hours, two roadside bombs in Baghdad killed six people. The latest explosion happened this morning at a Baghdad market.
HARRIS: If we -- if this depression becomes a tropical storm, it carries the name Alberto, correct?
(WEATHER REPORT)
HARRIS: Now that Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is dead, President Bush vows to seize the moment with a new crack down. In his weekly radio address this morning, the president said the U.S. led coalition won't give insurgents time to regroup. CNN White House correspondent Elaine Quijano joins us live. Elaine, good morning.
ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you Tony. President Bush says this has been a good week for the cause of freedom, but he's again tempering his comments, warning of more difficult days ahead.
Mr. Bush is at the presidential retreat at Camp David where he met with Denmark's prime minister on Friday. In his weekly radio address this morning, the president called the killing of terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi an important victory in the war on terror, but he also cautioned he expects the fighting to continue.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Zarqawi is dead, but the difficult and necessary mission in Iraq continues. In the weeks ahead, violence in Iraq may escalate. The terrorists and insurgents will seek to prove that they can carry on without Zarqawi.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUIJANO: What exactly that means for U.S. forces is not clear. A senior Bush aide says that the issue of how U.S. troops are configured in Iraq is expected to be on the agenda next week. On Monday, the president is going to be meeting with his national security team, as well as key members of his cabinet. Then on Tuesday, they'll be joined via video conference by their Iraqi counterparts. The president says that the focus will be on the way forward in Iraq and also on how best to deploy America's resources there.
A senior administration official says that it is not expected that they will discuss U.S. troop draw downs during those meetings. Meantime, Democrats for their part say that they believe the president must present a concrete plan for the Iraqis to take control of their own security and Tony, they say that they believe the American people have been exceedingly patient as this war has continued.
HARRIS: OK, CNN's White House correspondent Elaine Quijano, Elaine, thank you. The death of al-Zarqawi was hailed around the west, but how do people feel in Zarqawi's hometown? CNN's Kevin Flowers traveled to Zarqa, Jordan, to find out.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KEVIN FLOWERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The sign said welcome, but within minutes of arriving, it was clear we were not. Met by Jordanian police, we were told we could not enter the city alone and that a police escort would be required.
Our goal, to speak with residents of Zarqa about their most infamous son, known locally as Akmed al-Kalela (ph) and to the world as terrorist mastermind Abu Musab Zarqawi or the man from Zarqa. A sprawling and dusty city of one million, Zarqa looks like many other urban areas in Jordan. A typical Friday afternoon, busy market streets, merchants selling their goods, worshippers gathering for Friday prayers. But underneath the placid exterior here, you could almost feel the resentment at the attention being paid to Zarqawi.
There are hundreds of Palestinians and Iraqis killed every day, this man tells us. Are they not victims of terrorism? Why is nobody talking about this? It is not an uncommon sentiment. While Zarqawi's reign of terror struck hard in Jordan, killing over 60 people last year alone in a series of Amman suicide bombings, some Jordanians still don't believe he is the man described in the media.
Who made Zarqawi fight, this man asks? Who made him a terrorist? Bush and Blair. They created him. He was a Muslim man. He was a man of religion. He never killed. He never fought. Most residents here, like Hussein, simply did not want to talk about their native son.
I don't like to talk about politics, he says. I like to talk about wrestling and play station. In fact, there is little in Zarqa indicating that the notorious terrorist ever lived here, save for his family. This house behind me is where Abu Musab Zarqawi was born and it is the closest we can get to his family. Jordanian security is are preventing reporters from visiting his relatives still living here, citing security concerns.
And their government minders (ph) would not let us get any closer than this to the tent where the family is gathering to mourn. Reporters who approached yesterday were pelted with rocks. Back at his birthplace, youngsters from his extended family showed their support, mouthing Zarqawi. Kevin Flowers, CNN, Zarqa, Jordan.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: And that story comes to us from "Anderson Cooper 360." Join "AC 360" week nights at 10:00 p.m. Eastern.
Tonight at 7:00 p.m. Eastern, CNN's team of correspondents from around the world brings you the only in-depth look at major events in the war on terror, including the strike on al-Zarqawi in Iraq. Wolf Blitzer hosts, "Iraq: A Week at War," beginning at 7:00 p.m. Eastern, 4:00 p.m. Pacific only on CNN. NGUYEN: Time now to go global. In Iran's nuclear standoff, Iran's top diplomat says his government may make a counter proposal to an incentive package offered by world powers. President Bush says Tehran has weeks, not months to accept the deal and suspend its uranium enrichment or face action by the U.N. Security Council.
Take a look at this. Fierce floods and land slides in China after days of heavy rain. It's prompted the evacuation of 7,000 people in the southern part of the country. Workers in orange life vests used sandbags to reinforce a dike where breaches have been reported. More rain, get this, is in the forecast. Not what they need.
It is a celebration fit for a king. More than two dozen heads of state and reigning royals are arriving in Thailand. They are celebrating the 60th anniversary of Thailand's king taking the thrown. The 78-year-old king made a rare public appearance and made a plea for national unity.
HARRIS: Some ugly scenes at the world's biggest sporting event. Clashes broke out today in a city in western Germany that's hosting World Cup matches. Supporters of a right wing party faced off the counter demonstrators who called the group Nazis. Police were on hand to separate the two sides. Concern over racism is in the spotlight in Germany after several recent attacks on nonwhites at it soccer matches before the cup. Black athletes have been jeered.
The leading civil rights group in the United States is calling for an end to racism in soccer. In a statement, the NAACP President Bruce Gordon says, quote, the world's largest civil rights organization will not sit idly by as athletes of color are assailed on or off the playing field.
Across Germany, celebrations are under way after the host team kicked off the World Cup with a 4-2 victory over Costa Rica in yesterday's opening game. Ecuador knocked off Poland, 2 to nothing, I guess it's two nil. Is that it? Several matches are on tap today. England just beat Paraguay 1 nil.
The American's first team is on Monday. Let's talk about it. Soccer fever, the whole world has got it, except for most Americans. So what's the deal? Why is the World Cup so popular across the planet and why is it such a big yawner here in the U.S.? Maybe Americans don't really know how it all works. Time now for some World Cup 101 with CNN's Larry Smith.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LARRY SMITH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The chase for the coveted World Cup begins with 32 teams, divided into eight groups of four teams each. The United States team is part of Group E, along with Italy, Ghana and the Czech Republic. In the cup's opening stage, teams score off within their respective groups, earning three points for games they win and one point for ties. The U.S. team will play the Czech Republic Monday, Italy on June 17th and Ghana, June 22. Then comes the so-called knockout stage, 16 teams. The top two point getters within each group move ahead. All the other teams go home. The knockout stage is single elimination. Ties are settled by overtime. And if overtime runs out, by penalty kicks, uncontested shots at the opposing team's goalie. The reigning world cup champion is Brazil, which won its record fifth title in 2002.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: So if you can't get enough of the world cup -- my kids can't get enough.
NGUYEN: Really? They have the fever?
HARRIS: Yes.
NGUYEN: Goal! That's all you need to know.
HARRIS: We've got profiles of all the teams, players to watch for game schedules, stadium info, even a soccer dream team. Just log on to CNN.com/worldcup.
NGUYEN: OK, Tony, the beloved cheese steak. Sounds pretty good right now.
Well, the well known symbol of Philadelphia though has become a player in the fight over, of all things, immigration. We'll tell you how, that's ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: A check now of our top stories this morning. Just days into the new hurricane season, literally days, a tropical depression forms in the Caribbean. It's about 45 miles off the western tip of Cuba. Forecasters say it could become a tropical storm later today.
In Iraq, an autopsy is under way on the body of Abu Musab al- Zarqawi, three days after his death. The American bombs that blew up the al Qaeda leader's hiding place cut a wide swamp of destruction.
In Gaza, apparent retaliation for Israeli attacks on Palestinian areas, including the shelling of a Gaza beach. The military wing of Hamas says it has fired more rockets into Israel. At least 11 launches are confirmed today. The group vowed yesterday to resume its attacks on Israel.
NGUYEN: There's a new ingredient in the immigration battle and it tastes, well, like cheese steak. Here is a story that first aired on "THE SITUATION ROOM." We're not kidding, folks. Mary Snow shows you the connection.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The biggest debate at Geno's is usually whether you'll take Cheese Whiz or provolone on your cheese steak. But now a whole new kind of debate is heating up in this famous Philadelphia cheese steak landmark after owner Joey Vento, whose run this business for 40 years, put up a sign in December requiring customers to place orders in English only.
JOEY VENTO, GENO'S OWNER: I'll take that stand, I'll be the poster child. I'll lead the charge.
SNOW: And how about in the debate on illegal immigration, where would you take a stand there?
VENTO: Ship them all back.
SNOW: Geno's is a Philadelphia icon, serving countless famous customers, including Bill Clinton and Rudy Giuliani and because of Geno's status in the city, the debate is gaining plenty of attention.
VENTO: I'm a proud American and I want everybody to speak English. I didn't see anything wrong with that.
SNOW: But some in the community see a different meaning.
LIZA RODRIGUEZ, JUNTO'S COMMUNITY OUTREACH: It's a way of saying no Mexicans allowed or no Latino immigrants allowed.
SNOW: Community leaders say there are a growing number of Mexicans in the city. Some, including a city councilman believe the English only rule is targeting them as the nation debates illegal immigration. Emotions run so high, a passerby interrupted one of our interviews to weigh in.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a private establishment and he has the right to refuse service to anybody he wants. If I'm not wearing a shirt or shoes ...
RODRIGUEZ: Like 15 years ago when they had signs up saying whites only?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But it doesn't say no Mexicans.
SNOW: Vento says, he will turn anyone away.
VENTO: When you come to Geno's, even though you don't speak English doesn't mean you're not going to get served.
SNOW: Vento says he'll actually help customers with the translation, but not everyone in the community is convinced.
HELEN GYM, ASIAN AMERICANS UNITED: Underneath the sign, it says management has the right to refuse service and the two of them combined together, if you read it in English, send a message.
SNOW: Mary Snow, CNN, Philadelphia.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: That story originally aired on "The Situation Room" and you can watch Wolf Blitzer week nights in "The Situation Room." That is at 7:00 p.m. Eastern, 4:00 Pacific.
HARRIS: CNN LIVE SATURDAY is coming up at the top of the hour.
NGUYEN: Fredricka Whitfield joins us with a look at what's happening.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: A lot of the top stories, very busy hour ahead. We've got a story in fact that also impacts anyone who surfs the Internet. It could affect how fast you can go on the information super highway. We're going to talk to Craig Newmark of the hugely popular Web site, craigslist about this very issue.
Also, in this week's dollars and deals segment, surviving summer air travel. You've heard the rates have gone, especially if you're going overseas. Well, we've got some tips on how to save money on your next trip. Also, we'll tell you how to get some extra leg room on your next flight. So not only saving you money, but you know, you've got to be comfortable.
NGUYEN: More room.
WHITFIELD: Right?
NGUYEN: Yes. I like that. Good stuff. Thank you Fred. See you soon.
HARRIS: Let's check in with Veronica de la Cruz at the dot com desk for a preview of what's coming up in just a couple of minutes. Veronica.
VERONICA DE LA CRUZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, guys. What are users watching at CNN.com? They have got their eyes on this kitty story. This could have been a real catastrophe. We'll explain. We'll have a few stories to share with you. That's coming up next on the dot com desk.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Time now to check out what you folks are checking out online.
NGUYEN: Veronica de la Cruz joins us now with the most popular videos on CNN.com. Hi there.
DE LA CRUZ: Hey, guys. You know how much people love their animal stories, love those animal stories. Always got a couple really good ones for you. Let's start with this one. Check out this kitty conundrum. In Miami, a man got in his Corvette and was ready to drive away and he heard a strange noise. It was the sound of kittens crying.
So he got out of his car. He looked around and what did he find? Stick up underneath his car was a litter of kittens. A female cat had apparently given birth and put her kitties underneath the car for safekeeping. Luckily a few other bystanders besides the man came to the rescue. Now, mommy cat and all her kitties are doing fine. Good news there.
This one also from Florida, this man was in shock when he was snorkeling and came face-to-face with a four to five foot reptile. He was attacked by a gator. The alligator bit him in the head. It bit them in the head. The man was taken to a hospital where they put 33 staples into his skull like you just saw.
NGUYEN: He's lucky to be alive.
DE LA CRUZ: He really is. But what was he doing snorkeling in the canal?
NGUYEN: I don't know.
HARRIS: There you go.
DE LA CRUZ: Good question. You can find both of those stories online at CNN.com/video. And you guys remember what we did earlier this morning. We would like to announce the winners of our pipeline give away.
HARRIS: Well, let's set it up. What we did is, we gave a VIP pass
(CROSSTALK)
DE LA CRUZ: So congratulations to James Fallarino, Thyra Treco and I apologize if I butcher your name here, I'm sorry, Mike Trowbridge, Ron Johnson, Dan Bayer, thank you so much to all of you who wrote in and to the rest of you ...
HARRIS: Are we going to do this, this week?
DE LA CRUZ: Possibly. You guys are not allowed, I'm sorry. I have to say, mostly men who wrote in. I would think that women would be a little bit faster at the keyboards.
HARRIS: Why would you think that?
NGUYEN: Our fingers are smaller. I don't know. I'm just trying to help her out here.
HARRIS: Why would you think that? Battle of the sexes, right here on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
NGUYEN: Well, you're outnumbered.
HARRIS: Everything on CNN.com.
DE LA CRUZ: Yes, CNN.com.
HARRIS: You're trying to start trouble here.
Finally, some young baton twirlers banned from a Fourth of July parade this year in Redwood City, California. Parade organizers say it would end up (ph) too slow. Too slow. Moving along, they delayed the procession and caused spectators to pack up and leave early thinking that the parade is over.
NGUYEN: Wait, wait, it takes time to catch the baton.
HARRIS: Yes, you got to move along. The decision is a big disappointment for the band twirlers, as you would expect.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRIDGET HOWARD, REDWOOD CITY TWIRLERS: I just really wanted to do it because a lot of us work hard.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: You're cute, but you're slow.
NGUYEN: Stop it, Tony.
HARRIS: But you're slow.
DE LA CRUZ: Again, women being a little bit too slow ...
(CROSSTALK)
NGUYEN: Oh, now you're on the bandwagon.
HARRIS: You're really trying to start something up here. All right. The young twirlers have been offered a position on the festival stage, but so far, they haven't accepted.
NGUYEN: They're holding out. They want to be in the parade.
HARRIS: There we go.
NGUYEN: We're out of time. CNN LIVE SATURDAY with Fredricka Whitfield is up next right after this short break. Don't go away, have a fantastic Saturday.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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