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CNN Saturday Morning News

Nato Helicopter Crashes in Afghanistan; East Coast Still Feeling the Affects of Tropical Storm Ernesto; Hurricane John Strands Honeymooners in Cabo San Lucas; 16 Men Arrested in London As Terror Suspects; The Manhunt Continues For an Escaped Convict in New York State

Aired September 02, 2006 - 10:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: Soaked, it's a soggy September Saturday for much of the east coast, as Ernesto settles in. It is September 2, good morning from the CNN Center in Atlanta. Somewhere down there, yes, here we are. I'm Rick Sanchez.
RANDI KAYE, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning everyone I'm Randi Kaye in for Betty Nguyen this morning. Much more on the wet weather in just a moment, but first a check of the headlines.

If you are just joining us, NATO confirms one of its helicopters has crashed in southern Afghanistan. We first got word of it just about an hour ago. NATO says there is no indication it was shot down. However, you should know that the crash does coincide with the start of a NATO offensive against Taliban fighters in Kandahar province. We are still awaiting word on possibility casualties. British authorities say two men were arrested and several homes searched during an anti-terrorism raid in Manchester. 14 others arrested in a separate sweep in London. Police say some of the suspects may have helped set up terrorist training camps.

Kofi Annan has arrived in Tehran for meetings with Iran's leaders. The visit comes two days after Iran ignore a U.N. deadline that was to halt its uranium enrichment program. U.N. Secretary General also wants to dissuade Iran from rearming Hezbollah in Lebanon. CNN's Aneesh Raman will have a live report from Tehran in just about 30 minutes from now.

SANCHEZ: Pittsburgh quickly swears in a new mayor. City Council President Luke Ravenstahl was sworn in as a mayor in a brief ceremony. This happened shortly after the death last night of Mayor Bob O'Connor. A family spokesperson says he suffered a rare form of central nervous system lymphoma. O'Connor was 61 years old.

Lawsuits are filed over last Sunday's plane crash in Kentucky. The Comair jet crashed on takeoff from Lexington's Bluegrass Airport, 49 people were killed. Investigators determined the pilots mistakenly turned on to the wrong runway, that was simply too short for the plane to get enough lift to take off.

KAYE: Cuban television is showing off a healthier looking Fidel Castro. The latest video shows the Cuban leader greeting Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. Mr. Castro appeared much more animated and more alert than he had in a video released just three weeks ago. He is still recovering from the intestinal surgery he had one month ago.

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 10:15 eastern.

SANCHEZ: All right. Let's get right into it for you. Ernesto drenches the Atlantic coast. It's weaker now, no longer a tropical depression. But the storms remnants pose a flooding threat from North Carolina to New York. We are covering the storm on several fronts like these. CNN's Rob Marciano joining us from Virginia. Meteorologist Reynolds Wolf at the weather center and we're going to begin with Reynolds to give us a sense of what kind of track this thing is taking and what it could possibly still do. Good morning Reynolds.

REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning. What we're looking at is the potential of anywhere from one to three, maybe as much as four inches of rainfall from this dying system that is just crawling its way to the north. At this time up in Buffalo, to Syracuse, back over to Pittsburgh we're seeing some scattered showers. Some embedded thunderstorms, but nothing at this time is severe. The biggest threat the system will pose is the possibility of that flash flooding. Again, as I mentioned, we have those flash flood watches in effect through Sunday for a good part of the keystone state of Pennsylvania as well as the empire state of New York. We're seeing some showers now near Oil City back over towards Jamestown and right along the I-80 corridor. And the problem is, we're going to continue to see this on and off through the afternoon. So the ground, as it gets saturated in low lying areas as well as places with poor drainage, there's going to be the potential for some flash flooding. So that's something you certainly want to be advised on this holiday weekend as you're going out and about and traveling. That is the latest we have on this dying system. Let's send it right back to you.

SANCHEZ: All right Reynolds, thanks so much. We certainly will be getting back to you every 15 minutes or so. Randi over to you.

KAYE: Thank you Rick. Parts of Virginia got up to a foot of rain from Ernesto. CNN meteorologist Rob Marciano joins us from the Virginia coast this morning where crews are still trying to figure out just how much damage was done. Busy morning there, I'm sure, Rob.

ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: No doubt especially for the utility crews out in full force getting word from the power company across the entire state of the Virginia at the height of the storm, 600,000 people without power. This morning that number right around 208,000. So still a fair number of Virginians here without power this morning. And that has been the main issue, that along with flooding. The heavier rain that came through across the eastern part of the state in some spots 10 and 11 inches of rain in a short period of time. That's going to do quite a bit of flooding. Especially in the tidewater area, here near the Chesapeake Bay where it doesn't take a whole lot to do some damage as far as flooding is concerned. Three to four foot flood levels above the normal tide and this time yesterday water was right up to my waist in this spot. Saturated ground from storms that they had earlier in the week coupled with the rains from Ernesto, and you get wins 30, 40 and in some spots 50 miles an hour. That took down some trees. Obviously that's a power line issue. And unfortunately for the folks up the road in Glosser County there were two fatalities from a tree that fell right on top of their house. Wind not so much the issue here with this system. It has been the rain. But you don't need much wind when you have that much rain and the power lines down. The good news with this unlike Katrina, unlike the New Orleans where they are below sea level. This area right at sea level. So when the rains and the flooding and the tides come in, they pretty much quickly recede once the winds switched direction, which they have right now. They're out of the west-northwest and the rains pretty much have let up. We're getting a little bit of a drizzle but nothing accumulating and the forecast for this area over the next couple of days calls for limited rain and maybe even some sunshine. So, improving condition hears, no doubt. But still a large number, 208,000 people without power. Randi?

KAYE: Sorry to hear that. All right Rob, thanks so much. We'll check back with you later on. Rick?

SANCHEZ: All right, there you have it. That's situation on the east coast. Now let's do this. Let's take you over to the west coast. Hurricane John has weakened as it crossed Mexico's Baja peninsula. Downgraded to a category one storm. It spared the southern Baja resort areas but hit the capital of La Paz. About 7,000 tourists are stranded on the peninsula. Up to 18 inches of rain could trigger flash flooding and mud slides we understand.

KAYE: And I'll tell you, talk about some bad timing. Eric and Colleen von Forrester had been planning their honeymoon to Cabo San Lucas for years, years, yes. We did say years. And then hurricane John comes along. That's right. Eric and Colleen are joining us on the phone live from their hammered honeymoon hide away. Colleen, tell us how it's going so far today?

COLLEEN VON FORRESTER, HONEYMOONER: Well, today we woke up and you know the heavy, heavy rains kept us up off and on last night. And this morning the winds have started to kick up way more than anything we saw yesterday or last night. We have actually seen more damage this morning with the palm trees falling over today.

SANCHEZ: I've got to ask you a question. Your husband is there, right?

COLLEEN VON FORRESTER: Yes, he's next to me.

SANCHEZ: Has she been blaming everything on you, like somehow you were able to control the weather, right?

COLLEEN VON FORRESTER: Hey, sweetie, are you blaming this all on me or am I blaming it on you? No, no. Yeah, we both had some bad luck in our days and I don't think we blame it on each other at all.

SANCHEZ: Well for five years you planned this. You finally go on this honeymoon that I'm certain means so much to you. You get slapped by a hurricane. Are you finding ways to make the best of this?

COLLEEN VON FORRESTER: You know we're trying but there's so very little to do here. And we have done what we can to see if we can get some other people together and to try to ride it out together, but the mood is just so somber and people are just so, you know, scared and upset that nobody is wanting to have anything to do with anybody else. And everything is closed. So it's been really hard.

KAYE: Any idea Colleen on when you might be able to get out of there? I understand you have a 5-year-old son at home. I'm sure he's been watching you on TV and I'm sure he's worried about mom and dad.

COLLEEN VON FORRESTER: Yeah, he knows we're okay. He has a very good idea of what a hurricane is and how bad it -- you know, what a bad hurricane is.

KAYE: He does now, that's for sure.

COLLEEN VON FORRESTER: Well, he watched a lot of the stuff on Katrina and he's well aware that it's not anything like that. So he knows we're okay. We definitely miss him like crazy. And we're dying to get home but the airport is flooded and the roads washout very easily. And so we really have no idea how long it's going to take them to be able to clear all that out.

SANCHEZ: Well, you know what the best news is? The best news is when I asked you a question about how you guys were doing, you called each other "sweetie." So that means even in a storm you guys are getting through this and you're making the best of a bad situation and I'm sure your family is listening to you on this interview and everyone is wishing you the best and hoping that you'll be able to get out of there soon. But in the end it really is about safety, right? It's about being able to get out of there in such a way so that you'll get home well. And if you're going to be a little late that's okay, right? You've called your boss?

COLLEEN VON FORRESTER: Well I'm a student and my husband works from home. So fortunately we have no -- nothing that can't be put off for a little bit. But you know I mean as much as we're dying to get home I hate flying so I'm not ready to get on a plane in this.

KAYE: All right. Colleen and Eric Von Forrester, thank you so much. We wish you luck in getting out of there. Can you imagine you wait five years and you get stuck in a hurricane.

SANCHEZ: I like the, "Sweetie, are you mad at me?"

KAYE: It's very romantic I'm sure.

SANCHEZ: I'm sure they're having a lovely time in the end. And we're going to be right back.

Let's take you into security watch now. If you're just tuning in this morning, there's been an important development overseas that could affect your security. British authorities have announced another round-up of terrorist suspects. This time, 16 men were arrested in London and Manchester. And for the very latest we're going to take you to our CNN European political editor who has been following that for us this morning. Robin Oakley is joining us from London. Robin, what is the situation?

ROBIN OAKLEY, CNN EUROPEAN POLITICAL EDITOR: Hello Rick. From a very blustery London, well the situation is that it was a very busy night for the security and police authorities in London, as you say 16 men arrested and 14 of them in London. The bulk of them at a Chinese restaurant called the Bridge to Chinatown where other diners talked of 40 armed police coming in and talking to men for a couple of hours before they took them away. Two other men arrested in London. Two arrested in greater Manchester in the north of England where a number of cars were towed away by police investigators. And police are saying that there is no connection between these latest arrests and the events of August 10 when we heard about that alleged plot to blow up airliners en route from Britain to the United States. Nor indeed to the July 7 bombings last year here in London when 52 people were killed on the London subway by four suicide bombers. These arrests it seems are more in connection with training and recruitment for possible terrorist activity, Rick.

SANCHEZ: But do they have the goods, Robin? It's one thing to say these folks may have been thinking about doing something and it's quite another to say we know they were planning to do something.

OAKLEY: That's the same old problem that the police have so often in terrorist cases. Is how far do they allow things to develop before they make their arrests? Because it's often very difficult getting together the right kind of evidence, particularly to prove a conspiracy like that alleged on in terms of taking the liquid explosives on board airliners. Police can't afford to allow a terrorist plot to develop too far before they go in because of reasons of public safety. But if they jump in too early, very difficult as you say, getting the right kind of evidence, getting the goods on the suspects, as you put it, Rick.

SANCHEZ: Yeah, weighing on the side of caution I imagine in a case like this is probably prudent as well. Robin Oakley we thank you for that report from London. We'll be checking back with you. Stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security.

KAYE: Straight ahead, the man hunt in New York intensifies. Three state troopers shot. The suspect still on the run. A live report next.

SANCHEZ: Also it could be a major victory in the fight against cancer using a gene therapy instead of surgery and radiation to attack and kill tumors. Details on that are coming up this hour.

KAYE: And Brooke and Tom together again. Well, in the headlines at least. We'll tell you why in 10 minutes. CNN SATURDAY MORNING continues in a moment.

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SANCHEZ: Welcome back to CNN. Now in the news, NATO confirms one of its helicopters has crashed in southern Afghanistan. A technical problem is suspected. NATO says there's no indication that it was shot down. However, we should tell you the crash does coincide with the start of a NATO offensive against Taliban fighters in the Kandahar province. No word yet on any possible casualties.

Kofi Annan is in Tehran this weekend. The U.N. secretary general is going to be meeting with Iran's leaders about their refusal to give up the country's nuclear program. The visit comes two days after Iran ignored a U.N. deadline to halt its uranium enrichment program. A live report from Iran is coming your way in just 20 minutes.

KAYE: The former president of Iran is in the United States today. Mohammad Khatami is scheduled to address the Islamic Society of North America tonight. That's in suburban Chicago. He is the highest profile Iranian to visit the United States since Washington cut ties after the 1979 Islamic revolution. Khatami will be in Washington and New York next week.

Around 150 Italian marines arrived in Tyre, Lebanon to boost the U.N. force keeping the peace between Israel and Hezbollah. Hundreds more Italian troops are expected to arrive in the country this weekend.

SANCHEZ: Mexican president Vicente Fox was forced to abandon his last state of the nation address yesterday. Shortly before his scheduled speech, lawmakers seized control of the stage. They were protesting July's disputed presidential election in which their candidate, Andres Obrador, lost by just a narrow margin. It's very much still a disputed election. Fox later delivered a televised address instead.

(WEATHER REPORT)

SANCHEZ: We run down the top stories every 15 minutes here on CNN SATURDAY MORNING with in depth coverage all morning long as you've come to expect. Your next check of the headlines is coming up at 10:30 eastern.

KAYE: The dragnet widens in the search for an escaped convict in western New York. Ralph "Bucky" Phillips has been on the run since April. But the manhunt for him intensified after he became the chief suspect of shooting two state troopers this week and a third just a few months ago. Reporter Julie Wolfe joins us from our affiliate station WGRZ with the very latest. Good morning Julie.

JULIE WOLFE, WGRZ: Well good morning Randi. This is now New York State's largest manhunt ever. Police tell us Ralph "Bucky" Phillips has a long criminal history, mostly burglaries. He was in jail serving time for one of those crimes just a couple of days from getting out when he escaped through the kitchen roof using a can opener. As you said that was five months ago and then back in June police matched ballistics to a gun known stolen by him, to a shooting of a state trooper, Sean Brown. He's OK, he is back on duty now. But then two nights ago two other state troopers were having surveillance on Phillips' ex-girlfriend and they were shot from behind. Police say they were ambushed. One shot in the back. One shot in the leg. Both of those state troopers are in critical condition. This has certainly stepped up the manhunt. We have roadblocks here checking people coming on and off the freeway at the Pennsylvania state line, also checking cars, looking for this fugitive Ralph "Bucky" Phillips.

As you can imagine, the troopers here are outraged. They are really taking this personally. Governor Pataki also said he's outraged and is urging New Yorkers to pray for these troopers and for their families. Some interesting new developments we're finding out this morning. Police have raided his ex-girlfriend's house. They found night vision goggles, they found police scanners, also cell phones. Police are very upset because they think he has been able to stay on the run for five months by getting help from friends and family. Their step now, they are beginning to prosecute them. Really the state superintendent of police Wayne Bennett is telling people it is their civic duty to report them. He's also saying the last chapter in this manhunt is up to Ralph "Bucky" Phillips. They continue today on this rainy weekend. Randi?

KAYE: Julie, in some of the video that we've been looking at as you've been telling us the situation there. I see a lot of tall grass and wooded areas. Give me an idea of the terrain there and how difficult it might be for law enforcement to find this guy.

WOLFE: Well, first of all, we have to say we are about an hour south of Buffalo, New York in Chautauqua County, a very wooded area. But this manhunt over the last five months has covered a very wide area all the way up until the Canadian border. And always it has centered around some very wooded areas. He has been spotted several times, even by troopers themselves but has been able to run into the woods and elude capture. Of course there's been a lot of tough questions for state police. How has this one man been able to stay on the run for so long? And they've said when he has that head start in this kind of terrain it is very stuff. An interesting point today since we're getting some of this rainy weather. Police tell us those dogs actually work better in the wet weather, so they are hoping that they will eventually be able to catch this fugitive hopefully soon.

KAYE: And Julie quickly, before we let you go. Any word on a police press conference coming up? Can you give us an update on that?

WOLFE: Yes, there is an 11:30 press conference scheduled today at a nearby school. I'm hoping to find some new information. We just talked to a state trooper, he said, no very new developments but of course we're looking for some definitive evidence because police don't know for sure that Ralph Phillips is the one that shot these two troopers two nights ago. But because it was in that area he has made direct threats against police, he's certainly their prime suspect. But as for definitive evidence they have not released that as of yet.

KAYE: All right. Julie Wolfe with some new information for us from affiliate state WGRZ. Thanks so much. We appreciate it.

SANCHEZ: We have three words for you this morning. Go ahead Randi, tell them.

KAYE: Brooke and Tom.

SANCHEZ: Very good. They are back in the headlines aren't they this morning? It's not what you may be thinking.

KAYE: No?

SANCHEZ: No. Details straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: OK. I'm sure you remember that ugly spat between Tom Cruise and Brooke Shields. Cruise, a follower of scientology has publicly criticized Shields for taking antidepressants to overcome post partum depression.

SANCHEZ: Yeah in fact you might remember that Cruise then got into it with NBC's Matt Lauer when his views were challenged in an interview. Now remember Shields had nothing to do with it, she's just sitting at home getting over her pregnancy and all of a sudden she listens to this guy on the TV talking about her. Well apparently the spat between Cruise and Shields is now over. Words finito. Shields explained last night on the "Tonight Show with Jay Leno."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BROOKE SHIELDS, ACTRESS: He had called me and he came over, to my house, and he gave me a heartfelt apology. And he apologized for bringing me into the whole thing and for everything that happened. And through it all, I was so impressed with how heartfelt it was. And I didn't feel at any time that I had to defend myself or did I feel that he was trying to convince me of anything other than the fact that he was deeply sorry.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: That's nice. That's big of him.

KAYE: Very nice. Very big of Tom Cruise. Of course Cruise's girlfriend Katie Holmes recently gave birth maybe that softened him a little bit and he decided to say something nice.

SANCHEZ: Let me ask you a question. Did Brooke look different to you?

KAYE: She does, yes.

SANCHEZ: Something, don't know what it is.

KAYE: Maybe a little something, something. I don't know, she looks good though.

SANCHEZ: A little something, something.

The war in Iraq. How does the pentagon think it's going? There's a new report that says it's not going as well as you might think or they would like. Details with specific details of specific wording I should say but coming up in just eight minutes.

KAYE: And there are many other stories making international headlines this morning. Let's check in with the international desk Brenda, what is coming up?

BRENDA: Well the marines have landed. The latest on the Mideast peace keeping mission in Lebanon is coming up. And I bet you can't guess this man's age? Oh you can't see him there. There he is. Bet you can't guess his age? It's all ahead on CNN, the most trusted name in news.

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