Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Saturday Morning News
Experts Believe Tropical Storm Ernesto Will Grow To Hurricane And Move Into Gulf of Mexico; Ominous Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina Approaching; Louisiana Town Outraged After Alleged Racist Incident on Schoolbus; American Workers Ready For Football; Iran Announcing Today It Has Reached New Phase In Critical Nuclear Facility
Aired August 26, 2006 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everybody.
Now in the news, pictures of what could be the first hurricane of the Atlantic season. It has been christened Tropical Storm Ernesto. And experts believe it will grow to a hurricane by Monday and move into the Gulf of Mexico.
So, you want to keep it tuned right here throughout the morning for live updates from the CNN hurricane headquarters.
About a half dozen security scares on planes across the country yesterday.
The major incident?
A partial stick of dynamite found in a college student's checked luggage. Dogs sniffed it out during a stop in Houston. Now, the person suspected of this says he bought this stick of dynamite as a souvenir from an abandoned Bolivian mine. And he could face federal charges.
Senator Barack Obama is on a journey to his ancestral home in Kenya today. He got an opportunity to tour his late father's village. While there, the Illinois Democrat took an AIDS test to draw attention to the epidemic. It's estimated some 700 people die each day from AIDS-related illnesses in Kenya.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Sources in Gaza report encouraging signs in efforts to free those two Fox News journalists kidnapped last week. The Palestinian Interior Ministry says there are no direct talks, but some third parties may be getting involved. On Wednesday, the militant group Holy Jihad Brigades demanded U.S. officials release Muslim prisoners in American jails within 72 hours.
Back in the States, fire at pop singer Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch. Fire crews contained a wildfire, but not before it burned about 40 acres. Flames came within a quarter mile of the house. Jackson was not at the ranch and none of his menagerie of animals was injured.
The cause of the fire is being investigated.
We run-down the top stories every 15 minutes here on CNN SATURDAY MORNING, with in-depth coverage all morning long.
Your next check of the headlines is coming up at 7:15 a.m. Eastern time.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAX MAYFIELD, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER: We've got plenty of time to watch it. But any time you have a developing storm southeast of us in the peak of the hurricane season, we need to pay attention.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Max Mayfield. And, along with him, we are tracking Tropical Storm Ernesto this morning.
From the CNN Center, this is CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
It's August 26th, just days away from the first anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. It just seems like hurricane season -- do you feel it? I kind of feel it ramping up.
HARRIS: Well, with...
NGUYEN: I mean it's that time of year.
HARRIS: Debby was kind of a dud.
NGUYEN: A downer.
HARRIS: Ernesto feels real.
NGUYEN: It does.
HARRIS: It really does.
NGUYEN: It does.
And speaking of Max Mayfield, I heard, Tony, that he's retiring.
HARRIS: Is he?
NGUYEN: Yes, as of early next year.
HARRIS: Wow!
NGUYEN: Good morning, everybody.
I'm Betty Nguyen.
HARRIS: And good morning, everyone.
I'm Tony Harris.
Thank you for being with us. So, speaking of Ernesto, let's get straight now to Bonnie Schneider in the CNN Hurricane Center with an update on Tropical Storm Ernesto -- Bonnie, good morning.
BONNIE SCHNEIDER, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, Tony and Betty.
Well, Ernesto has strengthened and actually grown larger overnight.
You're looking at a large complex of thunderstorms right now. The center of circulation is east of those thunderstorms. But we're looking at this convection growing larger. Right now, maximum winds with Ernesto are at 45 miles per hour. So that's holding steady from last night.
But if you're just waking up, there have been some changes. The pressure has dropped now to 999 millibars. That means the storm has gotten stronger and tighter in its intensity. We also saw the winds, as I mentioned, not stay the same, but the movement is to the west- northwest near 16 miles per hour.
Now, as we take a look at the track of Ernesto, we're watching for a couple of different things to happen. One is, it's forecast to maintain its insanity for the next 12 hours. But as we start working our way into the next couple of days, we're likely to see Ernesto become the first hurricane of the season, as a category one storm just south of Cuba on Monday.
Then we start working our way into Tuesday and Wednesday. And as the storm is likely to encounter less strong upper level wind shear and warmer, deeper waters where it can intensify, we may see this storm strengthen to a category two hurricane, as we work our way through the start of next week.
Now, this is all very preliminary. We're kind of just tracking the models right now. The one thing to note is that this storm right now has strengthened and grown in intensity and in size.
NGUYEN: All right, Bonnie, thank you for that.
we'll be checking in with you.
ANNOUNCER: Stay with CNN, your hurricane headquarters.
NGUYEN: Well, as Ernesto looms on the horizon, so does the ominous anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Tuesday marks the fateful day that Katrina erased communities all along the Gulf Coast and forever transformed the City of New Orleans.
CNN's Sean Callebs has returned to New Orleans to see what's changed and what hasn't.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): There are a lot of people like Al and Yani Hebron. The Lakeview couple has spent months and thousands of dollars gutting and renovating their flooded out home after Katrina. But with another storm churning in the Caribbean, they know what they will do if the storm threatens New Orleans.
AL HEBRON, NEW ORLEANS RESIDENT: Whenever you say storm, we pack up and we get out of here.
CALLEBS: It's been almost a year since Katrina struck, but some memories fade slowly.
A. HEBRON: In this block that we're the only people that live here, three people drowned in this one block here. And 23 people drowned in Lakeview.
CALLEBS: The Hebrons live in the shadow of this metal monster -- new flood gates and a pumping station designed to protect New Orleans. The Army Corps of Engineers is responsible for maintaining the levees and flood walls and offers a glowing review of what it has done to keep water out of the city.
COL. JEFFREY BEDEY, HURRICANE PROTECTION OFFICE: It is nothing short of remarkable what was achieved. And my opinion has that the system has not only been repaired to its pre-Katrina levels of protection, but, in fact, is, from a holistic perspective, is actually a better system than what we had in place a year ago today.
CALLEBS: But in recent tests on the new pumping station, it failed to perform the way it's supposed to. Efforts are being made to correct the problem. But there's no way to test the bolstered levees. Everyone remembers what New Orleans looked like when the levees failed.
An independent group, the American Society of Civil Engineers, spent months reviewing work done by the Corps of Engineers and says the levees and flood walls protecting New Orleans suffer from serious deficiencies and that there is no quick fix. The group says since no one knows how the levees will hold up in a hurricane there is only one recourse if a major storm bears down on the city.
TOM JACKSON, AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CIVIL ENGINEERS: And I think it's so important that the leadership of this area proceed in a calm fashion and an orderly evacuation, if it becomes necessary, in order to protect life and safety.
CALLEBS: This year, neither the Superdome nor the Convention Center will be used as shelters of last resort. New Orleans does have 1,800 buses on standby and 47 Amtrak trains to carry people to safety this year, a way to prevent a repeat of these horrific scenes. People here know it's not a question of if another hurricane hits but when. And at this point, residents say, no one knows how New Orleans will handle it.
YANI HEBRON, NEW ORLEANS RESIDENT: That is a big unknown, and that's real scary.
CALLEBS: Sean Callebs, CNN, New Orleans. (END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: CNN does have extensive special programming to mark the anniversary of Katrina.
Now, on Monday, the storm of a lifetime -- our crews never left the Gulf Region. And for the past year, we have documented how lives just have been changed, what progress has been made and where the greatest challenges still lie.
Also on Monday, beginning at 10:00 p.m. Eastern, "ANDERSON COOPER 360" returns to New Orleans to assess whether the city's political leaders have kept their promises to the city's residents. That's keeping them honest, Monday, 10:00 p.m. Eastern on "ANDERSON COOPER 360."
HARRIS: Well, Betty, a legal battleground in the JonBenet Ramsey murder case to tell you about this Saturday morning. It's over DNA, new and old.
Christopher King is following this story for us in Boulder, Colorado, where it is just after 5:00 a.m. -- Christopher, good morning.
CHRISTOPHER KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, good morning, Tony.
That's right, no formal charges have been filed against John Mark Karr. He'll appear in court on Monday at 4:30 p.m. Mountain time. He'll go before Judge Roxanne Bailin. Until then, he'll remain in isolation at the Boulder County Jail.
Now, we spoke with John Mark Karr's attorney, public defender Seth Temin, yesterday. And here's what he had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
QUESTION: Just a couple questions.
Were you in talking to Mr. Karr?
SETH TEMIN, ATTORNEY FOR JONATHAN KARL: Yes.
QUESTION: And are you going to defend him?
TEMIN: Yes. Mr. Karr has asked that the company public defender represent him.
QUESTION: And how was his demeanor?
TEMIN: I really can't talk about that with you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Now, yesterday, Karr's lawyer, Seth Temin, had filed a number of motions. And one motion requested a gag order be put on people involved in the case. Now, the judge, Roxanne Bailin, had agreed with that, saying that anybody who is involved with the case, being lawyers or law enforcement personnel, that if they spoke out personally publicly extensively, that could result in an unfair trial.
Now, Temin also asked that DNA -- that a hearing be held before any DNA is taken from Karr. He had also requested that access to Karr be limited to only his defense team.
Now, another motion dealt with handwriting. And the handwriting, of course, will be important in this case. Karr had apparently written a handwritten note asking for a public defender to represent him.
Temin is concerned that that handwritten note could be compared or could be used to be compared to the handwritten ransom note that was left at the Ramsey home back in December of 1996 -- Tony.
HARRIS: So, Christopher, broaden out this -- the point on the handwriting. It sounds more and more like the handwriting analysis is going to have a major role in this case.
KING: Yes, it's going to be playing a major role in this case because there are -- because, of course, the prosecution is hoping to be able to use that, to link that to whomever was the actual killer of JonBenet Ramsey.
HARRIS: OK.
CNN's Christopher King for us in Boulder, Colorado.
Again, 5:00 a.m. just after five in the morning in Boulder.
Christopher, thank you.
NGUYEN: A different era. A troubling story out of Louisiana. A white school bus driver is accused of telling African-American students to sit in the back of the bus. The full story in about six minutes.
Plus, a battle over evidence in the JonBenet Ramsey murder case. The latest legal maneuvering. That is coming up.
And...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LT. GEN. JOHN ROSA, CITADEL PRESIDENT: I was disappointed because I love this institution and we all love it. I came back here to make a difference.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Sexual assaults at the Citadel, the military academy in South Carolina.
How are female cadets reacting to a new report?
You'll hear some of that reaction coming up in about 30 minutes.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Hey, things to stick around for this morning here on CNN.
Next hour, waiting for word concerning those two journalists held hostage in Gaza. Hamas says good news could be coming soon.
And next, the back of the bus? Could this happen in America today?
Some parents say it has. We'll tell you where and what's happening now.
Stay right here.
You're watching CNN, the most trusted name in news.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Good morning, everyone.
Now in the news, trouble brewing in the Caribbean. Tropical Storm Ernesto is building up a head of steam that could reach hurricane strength by Monday. By Tuesday, Ernesto is expected to enter the Gulf of Mexico. Coincidentally, Tuesday is also the first anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, the day it smashed into the Gulf Coast.
Let's get to Bonnie Schneider now for a check of the latest with Ernesto -- Bonnie, good morning.
SCHNEIDER: Good morning, Tony.
Overnight, the storm has grown more intense and larger. Tropical storm force winds with Ernesto now extend about outward to 115 feet. So we are definitely looking at a large expanse of storm that is intensifying and growing.
But where will Ernesto go and how strong will it get?
I'll tell you, coming up.
HARRIS: Thank you.
Now in the news, fresh clashes in Afghanistan. U.S. military officials say two coalition soldiers were killed and two were wounded in a roadside bomb attack in the eastern part of the country. Military officials say after the explosion, fighting broke out with enemy forces.
A new spotlight on Iran's nuclear program. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad officially opened a heavy water production plant today. It's part of Iran's atomic program, which the West fears is aimed at producing nuclear weapons.
The move comes just days before a U.N. Security Council deadline for Iran to stop uranium enrichment. Iran insists its nuclear program is only for electricity.
NGUYEN: Well, a top Hezbollah leader reportedly says he was surprised by Israel's massive attack in retaliation for the kidnapping of two Israeli soldiers last month. According to Reuters, Hezbollah expected Israel to bomb for a day or two. Instead, the fighting lasted more than a month. About 1,200 people were killed.
Senator Barack Obama is on a journey to his home -- to his ancestral home, I should say -- in Kenya today. He got an opportunity to tour his late father's village. And while there, the Illinois Democrat took an AIDS test to draw attention to this epidemic. It's estimated that some 700 people die each day from AIDS-related illnesses in Kenya.
We do run-down the top stories every 15 minutes right here on CNN SATURDAY MORNING with in-depth coverage all morning long. So your next check of the headlines coming up at 7:30 Eastern.
HARRIS: Well, you know, it sounds like something from a different era. Residents of one small Louisiana town are outraged after a white school bus driver allegedly ordered African-American students to sit in the back of the bus.
Lisa Sylvester reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LISA SYLVESTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Nine students in Coushatta, Louisiana, catching the bus, ready for the new school year. But the lesson they are learning could have easily come out of a textbook chapter on the civil rights era.
A white school bus driver allegedly told the black students they had to give up their seats in the front for white students and sit in the back of the bus.
JANICE WILLIAMS, PARENT: I was very upset. I'm not going to tell no lie. I was upset, because my kids have never been treated that way. At all. Never.
SYLVESTER: The families filed a complaint with the Red River Parish School Board. The response was to take the students off that bus route and put them on a bus with an African-American bus driver. But that has not toned down the criticism -- outrage this kind of thing could even conceivably happen in 2006.
JAMES PANNELL, NAACP: The manual that tells you what to do about someone being asked to go to the back of the bus, that manual is somewhere in some archives somewhere. That's not even something that you could even look in a book and find because we don't assume that that's something that we would have to even be confronted with. SYLVESTER: The bus driver declined to comment to CNN, but told school officials the seating assignments were based on problems with the seating chart last year. In a statement, the school district said, "Regardless of the cause, this will not be tolerated," and added, "the actions of the bus driver do not represent the beliefs of the Red River Parish School Board, its administration or its employees. At the same time, we wish again to ensure the students and the public in general that prompt remedial action has been taken against the employee relative to this matter."
The incident has shined a spotlight not only on the small Louisiana town, once the site of a famous race riot, but on the forms of racism that still exist today.
REP. MELVIN WATT (D), CHAIRMAN, CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS: We get preoccupied with these kind of open acts of racism and we make a big deal of them, but these kinds of things are going on subtly in the workplace, in the -- in the community, in our neighborhoods all the time.
SYLVESTER: And a new generation is finding out just how hard it is for the nation to close the book on racism and discrimination.
(on camera): The school district won't say what disciplinary action has been taken against the bus driver, citing personnel confidentiality laws.
Meantime, the NAACP is weighing whether to file a formal complaint with the Department of Justice. DOJ, in a statement, said: "We are aware of the situation. We cannot comment on specifics, but we are taking these allegations very seriously."
Lisa Sylvester, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Well, Tony, I know you know this. The 2006 football season about to kick off.
HARRIS: Let's get it on.
Let's get it on.
NGUYEN: You've got the kids ready and we know what you are really doing at work, folks.
HARRIS: What?
NGUYEN: Yes, it's not taking coffee breaks.
HARRIS: Right.
NGUYEN: Oh, no.
Rick Horrow spills the beans, coming right up.
HARRIS: Something tells me this has something to do with Fantasy football.
NGUYEN: Oh, yes.
HARRIS: Yes, yes.
And we are keeping an eye on Tropical Storm Ernesto.
Find out where the storm is headed when we come back.
You're watching CNN, the most trusted name in news.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: So, are you ready for some football?
This season's college games actually start Thursday night. Pro- football kicks off a week later, September 7th. The Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers host the Fish, the Miami Dolphins. About 37 million American workers are ready for some football. Their heads are buried not in their spreadsheets, but in their Fantasy football team rosters.
You've got that right.
According to a study, they waste about an hour a week at work managing their Fantasy football teams.
So is that costing companies a bundle?
Well, this man knows.
Where is he?
Sports business analyst Rick Horrow, the author of "When the Game Is On the Line."
Rick joins us live from West Palm Beach, Florida.
There he is -- Rick, good to see you, sir.
RICK HORROW, CNN SPORTS BUSINESS ANALYST: Did you lose me? How do you lose me?
HARRIS: Well, there you -- there's no losing you. We wouldn't want to.
HORROW: There you go. There you go.
Do you ever think...
HARRIS: Despite my best efforts.
HORROW: Do you ever -- do you play -- you're the kind of guy who could take advantage in Fantasy because you think you know everything and you lay the money down...
HARRIS: Yes.
HORROW: ... and you've got to come out ...
(CROSSTALK)
HARRIS: Well, I'm in. Our draft, the CNN draft is today, as a matter of fact. And I contend, I contend that it is not a situation that hurts corporations. My feeling is that it enhances camaraderie. Folks talk more. They spend more time together.
And I know you're going to disagree with me, aren't you?
HORROW: No, not really.
HARRIS: OK.
HORROW: But nobody really cares if you talk to other people, to be honest about it.
HARRIS: And you get more work done.
HORROW: So it doesn't really matter from your perspective.
Hey, but here's the thing, it doesn't really matter at the end of the day. Those 37 million people are doing it and there are 20 million more that are hiding it but are also doing it.
HARRIS: There you go.
HORROW: Four billion dollars of economic impact and it's only going to get larger. Sprint signed a $600 million deal, Tony, with the NFL. So their 23 million phones, with the push of a button, you can know where the Fantasy stuff is every minute. And there was a lawsuit that challenged whose rights to that Fantasy information. The Eastern District Court of Missouri said it's in the public domain. So we're only going to see more of that.
HARRIS: So, let's be honest about this. Corporations -- and you've been tracking this for us for the last couple of years now -- corporations making these connections to football, they're putting their names on the stadiums, they're signing all kinds of endorsement deals with these superstar athletes, isn't it true that corporations, this marriage between corporations and pro-football, it is healthy?
HORROW: Well, of course it's healthy. But the bottom line is $600 million -- billion -- excuse me, or so, in ads and corporate spending on sports. So that isn't going away, either.
So how do you protect your investments against the Clorettes, the Zidanes, the Landises -- the Landi...
HARRIS: OK.
HORROW: ... those people who say that, well, we missed our investment? A few ways. You do Baliwood -- let's call it that -- a combination of sports and Hollywood. You've got "Invincible" coming up at the box office this weekend, an NFL movie. "Talladega Nights," as well. And you put your brands in the movie. That's the way you deal with it. You focus on a credible athlete.
Tiger Woods single-handedly drove the Buick driving age down from 65 to 55. He's a great spokesman.
And you focus on buildings, not bodies -- Reliant Energy, Toyota, Lincoln Financial. The great thing about sponsoring buildings, Tony, is they don't talk back.
HARRIS: How about that?
How about that?
HORROW: Yes.
HARRIS: All right, your -- you want to start with your foul ball this week?
HORROW: Yes. We're talking about athletes again.
How about Justin Gatlin? He ties the 100 meter record for the world's fastest human in April. In May he gets tested for testosterone. Violations in April. He stripped an eight year ban. The guy is 24 years old.
HARRIS: Yes.
HORROW: He's probably not going to be able to run-again.
HARRIS: I love, absolutely love your fair ball this week, both parts of your fair ball.
HORROW: Well, it's so timely. Andre Agassi -- first of all, the U.S. Open in tennis, when we get back into the whole tennis issue next week...
HARRIS: Yes.
HORROW: And some football. By the way, tell Betty that we'll talk about the Texas Longhorns next week. I know she wants to do that.
HARRIS: Oh, she's ...
(CROSSTALK)
HORROW: But this week it's Agassi. You know, he won $31 million on the court. But he made $280 million from endorsements. And why? Because the Andre Agassi Foundation generates $12 million a year; Agassi Prep, the learning center. He's retiring. He may not get past the first week. So we've got to honor him now.
Tennis and sports need more Andre Agassis, quite clearly.
HARRIS: Oh, but talk to us about Billie Jean King. I love this honor.
HORROW: Well, Billie Jean King is now being honored as, you know, one of the top humanitarians, top tennis players. Remember the Bobby Riggs/Billie Jean King stuff?
HARRIS: Absolutely.
HORROW: But she really brought women's tennis into a world where they've argued about equal prize money now for a number of years. And many people say the women's tennis side is more entertaining. And most of us in the industry have Billie Jean King to thanks.
HARRIS: OK.
So you're going to head out for the open?
HORROW: Oh, absolutely. The open -- opening college football games, the Dolphins-Steelers game -- we have a lot of stuff going on in the next few weeks...
HARRIS: Yes.
HORROW: ... to set this up just because we've got to deliver for CNN the best news there is that's available.
HARRIS: That's it. That's it. That's it.
All right, Rick, great to see you, man.
Have a good weekend.
HORROW: All right.
Talk to you next week.
HARRIS: And tomorrow on CNN SUNDAY MORNING it's a dream come true for Jeff Newbauer. The young man from Cleveland got to throw out the first pitch at the Indians game last night. But Jeff's not just a baseball fan. He's also battling cancer. And he is not letting his illness slow him down. He is on a quest to catch a game in all 30 major league stadiums. And he's going to the Braves game here in Atlanta today.
Jeff will join us here in the studio tomorrow morning -- Betty.
NGUYEN: That's good stuff.
Hey, Rick was really working it today. He even threw in a little Texas Longhorns action. I think he's trying to get on our good side, Tony, don't you think?
HARRIS: I hate when that happens, you know?
NGUYEN: It's so unlike him.
HARRIS: Isn't anything Texas...
NGUYEN: We'll have to talk to him.
HARRIS: Yes.
NGUYEN: All right, in the meantime, Tropical Storm Ernesto is churning its way toward Jamaica. We tracked the storm right here at CNN because we are your hurricane headquarters.
Plus, the battle over DNA -- an update on John Mark Karr and the Ramsey murder case. That is coming up in seven minutes right here on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: And good morning, everyone.
Tropical Storm Ernesto, we're watching it churning in the Caribbean. And is expected to enter the Gulf of Mexico-early next week as a full blown hurricane.
Stay with CNN around the clock for continuous live updates on Ernesto from our experts in the CNN Hurricane Center.
NGUYEN: Well, there is new concern this morning over Iran's nuclear program. Iran says President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad officially opened a heavy water production plant today. It is part of Iran's atomic program, which the West fears is aimed at producing bombs.
Now, the move comes just days before a U.N. Security Council deadline for Iran to stop uranium enrichment. Iran insists its nuclear program is only for electricity.
In the West Bank this morning, Israeli Defense Forces report an explosive device was tossed at Israeli soldiers as they surrounded a house in Nablus. The military says troops were on a mission to arrest wanted Palestinians. According to IDF, soldiers shot the person who threw the explosive.
HARRIS: U.S. military officials say two coalition soldiers have been killed in new clashes in Afghanistan. The soldiers were killed in a roadside bombing. That attack was followed by a battle with insurgents in the east.
They were thrilled to see him -- really thrilled. Senator Barack Obama is on a journey to his ancestral home in Kenya today. He got an opportunity to tour his late father's village. While there, the Illinois Democrat is drawing attention to the AIDS epidemic.
We run-down the top stories every 15 minutes here on CNN SATURDAY MORNING with in-depth coverage all morning long.
Your next check of the headlines is coming up at 7:45 a.m. Eastern time. NGUYEN: Check it out -- Tropical Storm Ernesto, as of now, still in the Caribbean. We are keeping track of Ernesto for you. Here at CNN, we are your hurricane headquarters.
So welcome back, everybody.
Good morning.
I'm Betty Nguyen.
HARRIS: And in the next half hour.
thank you for waking up with us.
ANNOUNCER: CNN, your hurricane headquarters.
HARRIS: So exactly one year ago on Tuesday, we watched Hurricane Katrina rumble across South Florida. But it was still a few days away from striking New Orleans.
NGUYEN: So as we prepare to mark that anniversary on Tuesday, another storm is kicking up in the Caribbean.
CNN meteorologist Bonnie Schneider is tracking Ernesto for us in the CNN Hurricane Center -- where is Ernesto right now, Bonnie?
SCHNEIDER: Well, right now, Betty, we're tracking Ernesto. Overnight, we've seen some changes with this storm. So if you're just waking up, you need to know Ernesto has intensified. The pressure has now dropped to 999 millibars. That's down from over 1,003 millibars, a slight adjustment. But we're also seeing a larger area of convection, mainly east of the storm's center of circulation.
The areas here in purple or red indicate where we're getting thunderstorms right now, a pretty wide, extensive area. Tropical storm force winds, those are winds at above 39 miles per hour, they extend over 115 miles from the storm's center. Maximum winds with Ernesto, that has not changed. They're at 45 miles per hour.
Let's talk about the track and show you where the storm is suggested to go by the National Hurricane Center over the next 24 to 48 hours and even beyond.
You can see on Sunday we're still looking at a tropical storm. But on Monday, some of the computer models are predicting that this will strengthen to a hurricane. This will be the first hurricane of the 2006 season, a category one in intensity, with maximum winds at 80 miles per hour.
Let's go even further into the future for Tuesday. And you'll find still a category one, but the winds intensify to 90 miles per hour. Notice this is a forecast track. And as we start going day in and day out ahead of time, this certainly is subject to change. And once again, we're looking at this wide area, the cone of uncertainty, meaning you can't keep your eye on this skinny white line. This track is likely to fluctuate as we work our way through the next few days. But what's important to note is, as long as Ernesto is in the Caribbean and getting closer to the Gulf of Mexico, it's something we need to watch very, very closely. And we certainly will.
Betty and Tony, we're also watching, in just less than 30 minutes, we'll have another advisory from the National Hurricane Center on Ernesto.
ANNOUNCER: Stay with CNN, your hurricane headquarters.
HARRIS: CNN's Anderson Cooper is keeping them honest. An "A.C. 360" investigation, "The Katrina Killings." The deadly storm revealed extraordinary heroes among the New Orleans Police Department, also some villains and allegedly even murderers.
Watch a special edition of "A.C. 360." That's today at 3:00 p.m. Eastern, only on CNN, the most trusted name in news.
NGUYEN: Well, there are new worries today about Iran's nuclear program. The country opened a heavy water production plant. But Iran insists it poses no threat.
CNN's Aneesh Raman is in Iran and he joins us by phone with the details on this -- you know, Aneesh, this comes as the deadline approaches.
It seems like Iran is full steam ahead.
ANEESH RAMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is, Betty.
Good morning.
Iran announcing today it has reached a new phase in a critical nuclear facility in Iran that's southwest of the capital. This does not, though, dramatically change things on the ground.
Iran's president touring the facility, saying that they had completed a heavy water production facility. Now, that is essentially useless until they've finished completing a heavy water reactor. That might not be done, we're told, for a couple of years.
So it is not something that dramatically speeds up Iran's nuclear program at the moment. It is, though, as you say, symbolic. Iran is just days away from a deadline by the U.N. to stop its nuclear program and today it is showing that it is going forward and expanding that program. But Iran's president again reiterated today that the country poses no threat to anyone in the world, that this program is for a peaceful civilian nuclear program.
And a foreign ministry spokesman has said that Iran will not stop, under any condition, a program that is for civilian energy.
So it really sets the dynamic for a diplomatic showdown at the U.N. on Thursday when that deadline passes. But keep in mind, when that deadline comes and goes, it does not immediately trigger action against Iran. A debate will have to take place within the Security Council as to what, if any, sanctions should be levied. And Iran's call for new talks, new dialogue, has been resonating with Russia and China. Those are countries that can veto any sanctions against Iran -- Betty.
NGUYEN: So, as Iran looks at this deadline, did the president or any of his officials say anything today about that, especially in light of the fact that this new plant was opening?
RAMAN: Yes. Essentially, Iran is committed to the fact that it will not suspend its nuclear program by Thursday. That's when it's required to do so by the U.N.
They have said as much all up until today. The only change we have really seen in the Iranian position was in that reply we saw last week, where Iran said it is open to slowing down the program, if that would bring, in its words, "some international peace."
As well, the talks could begin wherein suspension could be on the table. That is a change in the Iranian position. Before they had said suspension cannot be talked about, a signal that perhaps that can be done if negotiations begin.
So, as we head to Thursday, no expectation Iran will meet that deadline. We have a press conference expected early in the week, a rare one, from Iran's president. He could further clarify or change things.
But, again, it seems Iran is pushing forward on its nuclear program -- Betty.
NGUYEN: Yes, it does.
Aneesh Raman joining us by phone this morning.
Thank you, Aneesh.
HARRIS: Much more ahead this hour.
Coming up, sex abuse allegations in a survey of cadets at the Citadel Military Academy. A report that would cause concern for any parent. We'll take a closer look.
NGUYEN: And later in The Water Cooler, why are these women...
HARRIS: What's going on here?
NGUYEN: ... running flat out? Well, if they would pan down, you'd see what we're talking -- well, you can't see because of that banner.
(CROSSTALK)
NGUYEN: But they're not running in tennis shoes.
HARRIS: Whoa!
NGUYEN: Look at those, stilettos, folks.
Stick around. We'll tell you why.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCHNEIDER: I'm CNN meteorologist Bonnie Schneider as we take a look at your "Allergy Report" for Saturday.
As we take a look at the map, you'll find much of the country enjoying some relief from the allergies, especially in the Southeast. However, it's going to be uncomfortable for air quality and for those of you affected by pollen in parts of Utah today. You can see that little area in red. That indicates where we're expecting a high concentration of pollen and poor air quality for Saturday.
Well, this is a look at your "Allergy Report."
I'm meteorologist Bonnie Schneider.
Stay tuned.
Your forecast and a check of the tropical storm is straight ahead.
NGUYEN: Well, there is a warm welcome that greets U.S. Senator Barack Obama in Kenya. Among them is CNN's Jeff Koinange.
We're going to hear about Obama's visit live, coming up next hour on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
Well, look at this. A disturbing report out of the Citadel. More and more allegations of sexual assault and not just from female cadets.
David Mattingly has that story in three minutes.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCHNEIDER: I'm CNN meteorologist Bonnie Schneider.
We have the latest information for you on Tropical Storm Ernesto.
The storm has strengthened. Right now, maximum winds, according to this recent advisory that just came in, are now at 50 miles per hour. That's up from 45 from earlier this morning.
Now, right now the storm is situated 245 miles to the south- southwest of Santo Domingo. And currently what's interesting to note about this advisory is that a hurricane watch will likely be inside for the Cayman Islands later this morning.
So that's a heads up for folks in the Caymans.
Also, pressure, the millibars have actually dropped down even further. Now, the latest minimum central pressure reported by an Air Force Reserve reconnaissance aircraft is 997 millibars. Once again, that is down from 999.
What this means is, is that Ernesto is strengthening, slowly but surely, as it works its way to the west-northwest. The current speed, actually, has slowed down, as well. That's new, near 15 miles per hour. Earlier this morning, we were reporting the storm moving at 16 miles per hour. The slower speed is not good news, because if the storm was moving faster, it would encounter more of a hostile environment with upper level winds and likely to break down a bit.
So, Betty, Tony, unfortunately, Ernesto is holding on and gaining strength and intensity in the Central Caribbean Sea.
NGUYEN: So, when do we think this may hit the U.S. if it, indeed, strengthens enough to do so?
SCHNEIDER: Well, as we take a look at the track, Betty, we'll take a closer look. And we can take you day by day, as we work our way into the forecast period.
As we get further down the line day by day, we run-a greater risk of error here. And you'll notice that forecast track with the cone of uncertainty expanding and lengthening because of that.
But we're expecting the storm, at least right now, looking at the computer models, to continue on this track affecting the Cuban area for, as a hurricane, possibly as early as Monday, and then working its way into the Gulf of Mexico.
At that point, it's difficult to say where it will go, but it will encounter some very relaxed winds and also some deep, warm water that would likely help this storm intensify to a hurricane status, possibly category one or even a category two -- Betty.
NGUYEN: All right, we'll be watching.
Bonnie Schneider.
Thank you, Bonnie.
HARRIS: Some female graduates of the Citadel say they're surprised by new information on alleged sexual assaults at the South Carolina school. A survey found almost 20 percent of female cadets reporting sexual assaults. And the problem is not limited to women at the Citadel.
David Mattingly checked into this for CNN's "PAULA ZAHN NOW."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good afternoon, sir.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good afternoon, sir.
UNIDENTIFIED CADETS: Good afternoon, sir.
DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Despite the regimented appearance of life at the Citadel, it shares a serious problem with more conventional college campuses nationwide. Ten years after female cadets were allowed to join the ranks, one in five now say they have been sexually assaulted, almost all cases on campus and by another cadet.
LT. GEN. JOHN ROSA, CITADEL PRESIDENT: I was disappointed because I love this institution and we all love it. I came back here to make a difference.
MATTINGLY: New Citadel president, Lieutenant General John Rosa, took the unusual step of publicly announcing findings of a study revealing frequency of sexual assault and harassment for women and men. But female cadets are outnumbered almost 10 to one. They were five times more likely to be sexually assaulted, four times more likely to be harassed.
(on camera): Do you feel safe here?
TARA WOODSIDE, CITADEL CADET: Oh, absolutely. I feel -- I have never felt unsafe at the Citadel.
MATTINGLY: Citadel cadet Master Sergeant Tara Woodside is a junior. She lives in the same barracks, does the same work and is held to the same rigorous standards as men.
WOODSIDE: The order I have my bed in right now is our morning room inspection order. This is what it looks like every day.
MATTINGLY: Woodside does have a lock on her door. Men do not. It is one of the few changes made at the campus to accommodate female cadets. Woodside says she's never been assaulted, but she has experienced some harassment.
WOODSIDE: I think harassment happens everywhere. Of course you're going to get the jokes, the sexual innuendoes, the comments just by passerby. But I've gotten that also walking downtown Charleston, in New York, in Germany. So it happens everywhere. Of course it's going to happen here, as well.
MATTINGLY (on camera): The school's definition of sexual assault might seem unusually broad. It ranges from rape to unwanted kissing. All sexual contact between cadets is prohibited, even consensual sex. And that goes for off campus, as well.
(voice-over): Students are expected to be familiar with the Citadel's lengthy sexual assault and sexual harassment policies, spelling out what is bad behavior and how to respond. But when there's a problem, female victims, according to the Citadel study, are much less likely to come forward than men. Almost half saying they feared ostracism, harassment or ridicule from their peers.
PAULETORO JONES, CITADEL CADET: It's all about women in general. It's not just Citadel women. We're no different than women in the world.
MATTINGLY: These female cadets believe that by keeping the topic open for discussion, future cadets, women and men, will be less likely to become victims and less likely to keep it quiet.
KAT SHEPHERD, CITADEL CADET: It's no secret that women are a minority on campus. I think the school is maybe 5 or 6 percent women. And when you have a minority, of course people are going to be timid about approaching such a sensitive topic. And I think what the survey has done, it has opened up the floor for speaking.
MATTINGLY: And the talking will continue. The Citadel will take some of the time traditionally set aside for military drill to instruct all cadets on appropriate behavior. It's a values and respect program with the goal of preventing sexual assault and harassment for women and men within its ranks.
David Mattingly, CNN, Charleston, South Carolina.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: Going Global now, when we turn things over to our International Desk.
NGUYEN: Yes, we do.
Our Brenda Bernard joins us with stories that she is following -- good morning to you.
BRENDA BERNARD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Betty.
Lots to tell you about, beginning with a grave warning from Washington. Officials say Sudan is preparing a new offensive in the war ravaged Darfur region. They say the situation is deteriorating very, very fast. The State Department's top diplomat on Africa is on an urgent mission to Khartoum this weekend, to try to get the Sudanese government to accept a U.N. force in Darfur to stop the genocide.
Both sides in this conflict are accused of atrocities, but a government backed militia has been ruthless. Tens of thousands of people have been killed and millions displaced. The violence has increased despite a peace agreement last May.
Aid is finally getting to residents in Sri Lanka. The International Red Cross is evacuating foreigners and distributing aid to people on the northern Jaffna Peninsula. This comes after two weeks of heavy fighting between government forces and Tamil Tiger rebels. Officials say the fighting has left more than 200,000 people displaced and half a million more cut off from essential supplies.
And Thailand is learning lessons about recruiting English teachers following the arrest of Jonathan Karl. The JonBenet Ramsey murder suspect was one of several international teachers detained by Thai police this month alone. School officials say there's a huge demand for English teachers and government officials admit a need for tighter immigration checks.
So next week, the government will begin a forum to standardize recruitment procedures for international instructors. You know, they've got to protect these students -- Betty. NGUYEN: They definitely do.
Brenda, thank you for that.
We'll be checking in with you throughout the day.
BERNARD: Thank you.
NGUYEN: Well, we don't want you to move, because The Water Cooler is straight ahead. We know you like it. And here's why. You don't want to miss it. I mean these are stories that you think, what?
HARRIS: Yes, yes.
NGUYEN: What are they thinking? What was this person thinking? Because this restaurant owner in India decided to name his eatery after something, well, a little controversial.
HARRIS: Yes, but the -- but it seems that the customers don't mind at all. We'll tell you all about it. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: All right, if you're not awake, you will be after hearing some of these stories, because some of them are really kind of...
HARRIS: A little bizarre?
NGUYEN: Outrageous, yes.
Amid all the day's news, we come across lots of other stories that are just too weird to pass up. And that's what we call The Water Cooler.
HARRIS: Are you ready? Are you ready to get started?
NGUYEN: I'm ready to get started.
HARRIS: All right, what's in the monitor first here?
Check this out.
This is video of a road trip fit for an Egyptian pharaoh. The royal treatment was extended Friday to one of Egypt's most revered statues. Workers hoisted the 125-ton granite likeness of Ramses II onto a modern chariot.
Did I miss that?
Oh, there it is. There it is. There it is.
NGUYEN: Wow!
HARRIS: For a ride to the great pyramids. It seems pollution and traffic have gotten so bad in Cairo that the ancient pharaoh needed to get out of the city.
NGUYEN: Get out of there.
HARRIS: Yes, yes.
A museum will eventually be built around the statue at its new location.
NGUYEN: All right, you've got to check this out. Whoever says you can't run-in -- take the bottom banner off so we can see it.
Whoever says you can't run-in high heels wasn't providing the proper motivation. Take the -- there you go.
Can you see what they're running in?
Because their motivation is for cash, folks. A bunch of leggy women in Germany proved the point the other day with the stiletto spring. The winner dashed the 80 meters in 12 seconds and received about $12,000.
Shoot, I'd take that run, too.
That should keep her in Milano Blaines (ph) for a while...
HARRIS: Really?
NGUYEN: ... when her feet stop hurting.
HARRIS: Really? Will you, now?
NGUYEN: I should -- I wear heels every day. I could run-in them. Sure.
HARRIS: OK.
NGUYEN: All right, and finally, look at this. In Mumbai, India, probably one of the most outrageous names for a restaurant ever conceived. The owner claims that Hitler's name doesn't carry the emotional impact in India as in most other parts of the world. And just so you know, the swastika is actually an ancient Hindu symbol. So most Indians don't associate it with the Nazis.
But this, though, an international outcry has persuaded the owner to back down.
HARRIS: Good.
NGUYEN: He says he's going to come up with another name, something less provocative.
HARRIS: Good, good, good. Good idea.
NGUYEN: For a good reason, yes.
We're just getting warmed up this morning, folks. Lots more news ahead on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
HARRIS: Including a favorite son's return to Africa. And let me tell you something, Senator Barack Obama received a rock star's welcome.
We'll get a live report from Kenya in our next hour.
NGUYEN: And then at 9:00 Eastern, can you find fitness in a bottle?
Our fitness guru, Gerry Anderson, will join us with the good, the bad and the ugly on diet supplements.
HARRIS: But first, here's Gerri Willis with your real estate Tip of the Day.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GERRI WILLIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Building a new home is exciting, but be careful about getting into business with the wrong people. Obtain bids from at least three licensed contractors. And make sure you understand the reasons for the variations in price. Ask for references or, better yet, ask to see some of the contractor's previous work. You can also call your local Better Business Bureau to check on any disputes or canceled contracts.
Speaking of contracts, make sure yours has all the details, including start and end dates, material specs and a payment schedule. Put just 10 percent down. Pay 25 percent when plumbing and electrical work are done, 25 percent after cabinets and windows, and 25 percent for flooring and painting. And don't hand over the last 15 percent on the final day. It's called retainage and you should keep it for 30 extra days just to make sure everything is in working order.
More importantly make sure your contractor is properly insured, otherwise, you could be held accountable.
I'm Gerri Willis and that's your "Tip of the Day."
For more, watch "OPEN HOUSE" today, 9:30 Eastern, right here on CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
