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CNN Saturday Morning News
Death Count Rising In Iraq; Violence Gives Bush's Talks Next Week With Iraq's Prime Minister New Sense Of Urgency; Vice President Dick Cheney To Meet With Saudi King Abdullah; Gifts For Sports Fans; Poisoning Mystery; British Troops Battle Taliban Militants; College Republicans at Boston University Create Scholarship for Whites Only
Aired November 25, 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: Well good morning, everybody. Now in the news, lets take a look at Baghdad. A tight curfew extends into the weekend. No vehicles are being allowed in the city. Following massive attacks and suspected revenge killings Thursday and Friday.
And over night in Taji, 12 miles north of Baghdad, a coalition airstrike destroys a factory suspected of making bombs. We do have a live report from Baghdad in less than two minutes away.
In the meantime, Vice President Dick Cheney is in Saudi Arabia right now. Cheney is meeting with King Abdullah to discuss the situation in Iraq and around the Middle East. We will get a live report from CNN's Nic Robertson in Saudi Arabia in just about five minutes.
Members of Britain's Anti-terrorism team are now taking part in the investigation into the death of a former Russian Asian. His name Alexander Litvinenko. Litvinenko died Thursday in London, poisoned by highly radioactive polonium. Now we'll take a closer look at the deadly substance and its effects. That's coming up at the bottom of the hour.
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: A mother makes an appeal in the search for two missing children. She urges any one with information to come forward. The 2- and 4-year-old brothers disappeared Wednesday on the Red Lake Indian Reservation in northern Minnesota. Researchers are expected back in the area today.
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie back in the headlines, celebrity super couple, made a surprise trip to Vietnam. The state run newspaper says they visited an orphanage. Front-page photo showed them cruising around the city on a scooter.
Now to an avid Brangelina.
NGUYEN: You got it.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HOLMES: Maybe some more Brangelina updates for you later, Reynolds. Thank you, sir. We'll see you soon. And of course we run down the top stories every 15 minutes here on CNN SATURDAY MORNING with in depth coverage for you all morning long. Your next check of the headlines coming up at 7:15 Eastern.
NGUYEN: Now the prime minister finds himself in a precarious situation. Nouri al-Maliki largely owes his job to the support of Sadr's bloc. But he cannot afford to alienate the United States.
HOLMES: Under intense political pressure and with more violence raging, what does the future hold for the fragile Iraqi government? We'll take you live to Baghdad in just a moment.
NGUYEN: Meantime, good morning, everybody. From the CNN Center, this is CNN SATURDAY MORNING, November 25th. Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I'm still stuffed after it all. In fact, I had a little bit of it for breakfast this morning. You got to get rid of it somehow. Good morning everyone, hope you're not having the rest of your Thanksgiving dinner for breakfast like I did. I'm Betty Nguyen.
HOLMES: I had eggs actually. I'm T.J. Holmes. Thank you so much for being with us this morning.
NGUYEN: All right. Well lets get right to the news, shall we, and to Iraq. Curfews, airstrikes and huge funeral processions following some of the worst sectarian and revenge killings of the war. CNN's Arwa Damon joins us now live from Baghdad.
Arwa, give us the latest on all of this violence.
ARWA DAMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Betty, the violence does continue. Put simply, that death count is just rising. In the northern province of Diyala, just north of the capital Baghdad, according to an official with the Joint Coordination Center there, Sunni gunmen stormed two Shia homes and killed 21 individuals. They separated the men from the women and killed them, leaving behind devastated families.
Sectarian violence there. Diyala, too, like Baghdad, is an ethnically mixed area. In Baghdad, despite this government curfew, which has kept most of the population off the streets, it has not stopped the killing here. Overnight, clashes in a Sunni neighborhood wounded at least three civilians. We've seen mortar fire being traded back and forth between Sunni and Shia neighborhoods. Dozens wounded in those mortar strikes.
And we've been hearing horrific stories. Just to tell you one of them, this coming from an official with the Sunni Deputy Prime Minister Salam al-Zawba'i, an official with his office telling a horrific and gruesome story of three Sunni worshipers leaving the mosque yesterday and then being attacked and set ablaze by Shia militiamen -- Betty.
NGUYEN: That is just awful. So under these circumstances, with all the violence that we're seeing, what does this say about the future of the Maliki government?
DAMON: Well, Betty, you know, a lot of people who you speak to here, a lot of the Iraqi civilians who you speak to here are saying time and time again that the Iraqi government is not able to do anything to stop the violence. They look over the last about six months since this government came into power and are really only seeing an increase in the violence, not a decrease.
In fact, we were just out and had an opportunity to speak to a couple residents of Baghdad, those few that did venture out either to go grocery shopping or just get a little bit of fresh air against staying in their own neighborhoods. One of the gentlemen who we spoke to said, look, the militias that are causing all of this violence; well they're part of the government -- Betty.
NGUYEN: CNN's Arwa Damon joining us live from Baghdad this morning with the latest on all the violence that you see there. Thank you, Arwa.
HOLMES: White House reaction to Iraq's surge in violence? None too pleased. It comes one week before President Bush is set to meet in Jordan with the Iraqi prime minister. CNN's Suzanne Malveaux filed this report late yesterday.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The Iraqi's bloodiest day Thursday in Sadr City. And today's violent aftermath is giving the president's talks next week with Iraq's prime minister a new sense of urgency.
A deputy White House spokesman condemned the violence calling it "deplorable, a brazen effort to topple a democratically-elected government that would ultimately fail." The White House is now engaged in an all-out diplomatic offensive. Vice President Cheney is headed to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia with talks with King Abdullah.
Wednesday following the NATO Summit President Bush will travel to Amman, Jordan, for a face-to-face meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. Top on the agenda, White House officials say, is Iraqi security. While publicly, the Bush administration is still expressing confidence in Maliki, privately, there's frustration and concern that Maliki may not have the will or the political weight to bring peace to his country.
The White House strategy is to try to bolster the Maliki government on two fronts, from the outside in, by looking to Iraq's neighbors, namely those friendly with the U.S., to become more directly involved in Iraq's future, countries like Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Turkey and Kuwait. On the other front, working from the inside out. By looking at various options that will help Maliki train Iraqi forces, crack down on militias and reconcile warring groups.
Those options are expected to be presented to the White House in the next couple of weeks by a bipartisan commission, the Pentagon and the Bush administration's internal review. CNN has learned that the bipartisan commission, the Iraq study group, will be meeting for three days the beginning of next week to continue with the deliberations, to try to come up with some kind of consensus as what the Bush administration should do next. CNN has also learned they're not even close. Suzanne Malveaux, CNN, the White House.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: This note for you. CNN correspondents discuss another bloody week in Iraq for civilians and the U.S. military on "This Week at War" with John Roberts. Also on the table a new flurry of diplomatic activity and expectations for a Bush/Maliki meeting next week in Jordan. "This Week at War" that is tonight at 7:00 Eastern.
HOLMES: More diplomacy in the Middle East. Vice President Dick Cheney landing a short time ago in Saudi Arabia. There he'll meet with the longtime Saudi Arabian ally, King Abdullah. CNN international correspondent Nic Robertson is in Riyadh and joins us now live.
Nic, we kind of know some of the things that are on the table to be discussed but do we actually expect something to come out of these discussions?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, certainly there are some Saudi advisers who do think something will come out of this. The Saudi advisors say they've been leading the way in setting an agenda here, an agenda that has been worked out over the past two to three months. It's a broad initiative to resolve many issues that have great concern to Saudi Arabia and they say the United States.
They'll be talking about Iraq. They'll be talking about Syria. They'll be talking about one of the things that's very close to Saudi Arabia's heart at the moment, their fears and concerns about Iran's expanding influence in the Arab world, into Iraq. They're concerned about Iran's influence now in Syria as well. They will be trying to find ways to prop up the western leaning government in Lebanon and also kind of find ways to limit the influence and try and moderate Hamas in the Palestinian territories.
Now, will any of this -- will they accomplish anything right now? These Saudi advisers say, yes. They say this will be part of a broad plan that will go forward that Saudi Arabia will play a big role in over the next two years. But and this is a big but. From the vice president's office we are learning very, very little about this trip, they say actually nothing publicly other than they are going to discuss issues of neutral interest of both countries in the Middle East right now -- T.J.
HOLMES: All right. CNN's Nic Robertson for us in Riyadh. Nic, thank you so much.
NGUYEN: How about this. A college scholarship for white students only?
HOLMES: Yes, some call it racists. Others say it levels the playing field. The Deja Vu in this mornings "Reality Check" that is coming up in about 30 minutes. NGUYEN: Plus, who is to blame for his painful death? The latest developments in the poisoning case of a former Russian spy in about 22 minutes right here on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Now in the news, in Baghdad, a curfew extends into the weekend. No vehicles allowed in the city following massive attacks and suspected revenge killings Thursday and Friday. Overnight in Taji, 12 miles north of Baghdad, a coalition airstrike destroys a factory suspected of making bombs. And in Balad Ruz late yesterday, 21 Shia men were killed by suspected Sunni gunmen.
Meanwhile, Vice President Dick Cheney is in Saudi Arabia this morning. He arrived a little over 90 minutes ago to meet with Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah; they are expected to discuss state of affairs in the Middle East and most importantly Iraq.
NGUYEN: Well plenty of finger pointing in the poisoning death of former Russian agent Alexander Litvinenko. Before his death in London, Litvinenko blamed the poisoning on Russian President Vladimir Putin. In Russia, reports that lawmakers blame exiled Russian dissidents, a lot of finger pointing we told you. We will have much more on this story coming up at the half hour.
In the meantime, the man who sparked a standoff inside the Miami Herald is due in court today hoping to get bond. Police say Jose Varela armed with a toy gun and a knife was arrested Friday after a two hour standoff. Varela is a free lance cartoonist with the Herald's sister paper "El Nouveau." His attorney says he wanted to expose a conflict of interest at the paper.
We do run down the stories every 15 minutes here on CNN SATURDAY MORNING with in depth coverage all morning long. Your next check of the headlines that is coming up at 7:30 Eastern.
HOLMES: We are going to say hello to Reynolds Wolf.
Reynolds, in the Weather Center. You've been gone a couple of weekends and I think I speak for Betty when I say we missed you.
(WEATHER REPORT)
NGUYEN: Thank you Reynolds.
HOLMES: Well, if you're going to be among the millions who took to the highway this holiday weekend before you head for home, be sure to check out CNN. We'll tell you where the trouble spots are throughout the entire day or you can just go online to CNN.com/holidaytravel. Has all the latest travel news, plus tips to ease traveling stress, and a link to send us I-report on any of your possible travel headaches.
NGUYEN: Hopefully you won't be experiencing too many. But if you do send them in. In the meantime, a special treat is coming up in the "WaterCooler." Remember that? Take a look at that kid. Remember Ralphie's house in "A Christmas Story?" Well we are going to show you what it looks now and tell you can actually visit. Hopefully it's not as messy.
HOLMES: Also, giving a fine and entertaining holiday gift doesn't have to break your budget. There's our guy, Rick Horrow. He's got some wine there for us and he has some unusual and affordable gift ideas.
RON HORROW, AUTHOR, "WHEN THE GAME IS ON THE LINE:" Right here, the Ron Artest video. This is a must have. You've got to have this.
NGUYEN: I can tell.
HOLMES: So the video games are likely going to be flying off the shelves this holiday season. See if you know which game was the best seller last year. Was it "Star Wars," "Pokemon" or was it "Madden NFL '06."
NGUYEN: Oh that is easy, I even know this one. At least I think I do.
HOLMES: Don't kill it for anybody else. The answer on CNN SATURDAY MORNING continues with the easy questions.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Let the shopping games begin. According to the National Retail Foundation, the average holiday shopper is expected to spend nearly $900 this year. And all that will get you is a PlayStation 3 and a couple of games.
Of course, video games likely to be topping many of your must- have lists. In 2005 the gaming software industry raked in $15 billion in sales worldwide. The number one selling game, we asked you this. Betty knew it; she said it would be the "Madden NFL '06." In fact five of the top ten best sellers were sports related games.
But that isn't your only gift options for the sports fan in your life. To run down alternative ideas we're joined by our man, the author of "When the Game is on the Line," Rick Horrow who apparently has been doing some shopping already, got a lot stuff laid out.
Good morning, sir. We're going to go through some of these alternatives see what you got. Lets take it from the top; you have some funny stuff here, Sport Spuds what is this about?
HORROW: The Horrow sports holiday hot 10. But I want to tell you a month away from Christmas, this is the only time -- I got a lot of self esteem, right, to be able to wear this tie a month from the event but we'll be wearing it a lot as we get into the bowls and college football and all that.
Spuds. Here's a fun gift. This was Mr. Potato Head and of course it was debuted at the Pistons as a novelty item about ten years ago, now the Bulls and the Lakers and others have it and so it's also baseball. The Yankees by the way are kind of broken up here because they lost in the playoffs and of course the Red Sox didn't make it so we didn't take them out of the darn box.
HOLMES: That's no good. Come on, man, the Spuds.
HORROW: $12.99, Mr. Potato Head. But it gets better. If you had a bad week and you want to romance your significant other, we have some really interesting gifts here. First of all is the game wear jewelry. This is done out of pigskins and out of hockey pucks and it's bracelets for $9.99, necklace for $11.99 if you want to give your favorite team. You guys ought to know, I took Arkansas off of here and I took Texas off of here because you guys aren't going to be needing those. But they retail for less than $13.00. That's one thing.
The next thing is if you're a NASCAR fan you have NASCAR holiday. Harlequin books did joint ventures with NASCAR for a $6.99 romance novel through the steamy world of NASCAR, 35 million fans making $50,000 a year, NASCAR women, that ain't a bad business investment.
HOLMES: Wait a minute, a novel about the what of NASCAR?
HORROW: The steamy romance back room travails about NASCAR. Here it is. And it's pretty simple, OK so you got that. Now, the third thing for your significant other, which is really cool, is move over Greg Norman, move over Peggy Fleming, all these wine makers. Mendocino wine struck a deal with the legendary wine maker coach Mike Ditka, five wines under his name including a white zinfandel. And the Mike Ditka kick ass red.
HOLMES: Can we say that? It's a family show.
HORROW: Kick ass red, I'm just talking about what the title is. And by the way he says, I'm very experienced at wine because I've never met a wine I didn't taste. That's "Chicago Tribune."
HOLMES: You got something here NBA related, is that right?
HORROW: Yes. So that's if you really want to spend money on your sweetie. If you're cheap you have a couple of things. Remember Ron Artest was suspended during that Pistons/Pacers brawl a year ago. Has a lot of time on his hand. So here is his rap album it is called "My World."
It sold since Halloween when it was released a massive 323 copies and it's available obviously for a buck at your CD disposal bin near you. Then you've got this stuff on Marbury sneakers $14.99 retail. He wanted to be able to put sneakers on the market affordably under $20.00. Michael Jordan's sneakers go for $180.00. If you want to go to eBay and you want to deal with Stephon Marbury's autograph it will cost you another $100.
HOLMES: The Ron Artest CD, that's a disappointment if somebody gives you a Ron Artest CD for Christmas. HORROW: Hey, hook 'em Horns or Razorback hat, and a Ron Artest CD in a package, that's a former friend for you pal that is all I have to say.
HOLMES: Time to let you go. Always a pleasure.
HORROW: Next week, man.
HOLMES: Yes, see you.
Oh, the pressure of finding the perfect gift. Just one of the stresses we face this holiday season, even though we just heard wonderful gift ideas. We have it all covered now.
How can you gracefully handle all the demands in the coming months and still enjoy the season of giving. Coming up at 10:00 Eastern, 7:00 Pacific we'll talk with an expert on stress management, simple things you can begin doing today.
NGUYEN: Yes here is tip number one, don't let Rick Horrow buy your gifts this season like Ron Artest CD come on, really? Yes, just don't send it to me. I'm sure it's great but come on.
All right, speaking of stress, it's the focus of our e-mail question this morning. What stresses you out during the holidays, crowed shopping malls, travel delays, maybe your in-laws? E-mail us at WEEKENDS@CNN.com. We'll read some of your responses on the air a little bit later in the newscast. Back to you, T.J.
HOLMES: Well we will get back now to the Kremlin accused of orchestrating the killing of a former Russian spy in London. Russia's president says his hands are clean.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE, (through translator): The death of a man is always a tragedy. And I deplore this and I would extend my condolences to the family.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: British authorities today concerned about potential remaining health risks from radioactive poisoning. Don't want to miss this mystery it is coming up in about six minutes here on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
NGUYEN: Also American colleges and universities trying to boost the numbers of minority students. So why are many schools dropping their minority-only scholarships? Stick around for this and this morning's "Reality Check."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Good morning, everybody.
"Now in the News," we'll take you to Baghdad. A curfew extends into the weekend. There's no driving, no vehicles allowed in the city following massive attacks and suspected revenge killings Thursday and Friday.
Overnight in Taji, 12 miles north of Baghdad, a coalition airstrike destroys a factory suspected of making bombs.
And in Balad Ruz late yesterday, 21 Shia men were killed by suspected Sunni gunmen.
Vice President Dick Cheney is in Saudi Arabia right now. He is there to meet with Saudi Arabian King Abdullah. Here's a new video coming in to CNN. They are expected to discuss the most recent rise in violence in Iraq and the situation around the Middle East.
Listen to this. British health officials are on alert watching for further signs of a rare radioactive element that killed former Russian agent Alexander Litvinenko in London. They're cordoning areas where Litvinenko went before his hospitalization and then death.
We'll take a closer look at the sophisticated poison. That in just a few minutes.
HOLMES: A mother makes an appeal in the search for her two missing children. She urges anyone with information to come forward. The 2-year-old and 4-year-old brothers disappeared Wednesday on the Red Lake Indian Reservation in northern Minnesota. Searchers are expected back in the area today.
Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie back in the headlines and on a scooter. The celebrity super couple made a surprise trip to Vietnam. The state-run newspaper says they visited an orphanage in Ho Chi Minh City yesterday. And front-page photos you're seeing here shows them cruising around the city on that little scooter.
NGUYEN: That's how they do it.
HOLMES: That's how they roll.
We run down the top stories every 15 minutes. That's how we roll here at CNN SATURDAY MORNING, with in-depth coverage for you all morning long. Your next check of the headlines coming up at 7:45 Eastern.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PROF. JOHN HENRY, TOXICOLOGIST Polonium is an incredibly potent poison. It is 100,000 million times more toxic than cyanide.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Wow. Looking for clues in the radiation poisoning of a former Russian spy.
NGUYEN: The latest developments in this very strange and mysterious case in just a few minutes.
But in the meantime, welcome back, everybody.
Good morning. I'm Betty Nguyen.
HOLMES: And I'm T.J. Holmes.
And we thank you so much for starting your day here with us.
Well, back to that case of that Russian spy. We may never know the truth.
Former Russian agent Alexander Litvinenko killed by a sophisticated poison, but who did it? Litvinenko and friends blame the Russian government. The Russian government denies it. Caught in the middle, British authorities who are investigating.
We get more from ITV's Lawrence McGinty.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LAWRENCE MCGINTY, REPORTER, ITV NEWS (voice-over): Suddenly, the familiar streets of London are not quite so ordinary. A sushi bar where Mr. Litvinenko had lunch now closed after scientists found traces of the radioactive toxin discovered in his body.
A hotel where he had a meeting, they discovered similar contamination there. And in his home they found the same radioactive Polonium 210.
All this is uncharted territory. A poisoning like this has simply never happened before.
Polonium 210 is a highly radioactive isotope. It's very toxic. Even the tiniest amount, a trillionth of a gram, can harm you. But only if you eat, drink or inhale it. It spreads rampantly through your body and within hours will interfere with the major organs: the liver, bone marrow and heart.
Although radiation from Polonium 210 is very destructive, it only travels a short distance. It won't penetrate even a piece of paper.
So you could stand next to someone who had been poisoned with no risk. You could only be contaminated by touching their feces, urine or sweat, and not washing your hands before eating.
HENRY: Polonium is an incredibly potent poison. It is 100,000 million times more toxic than cyanide, for example.
You know, the amount you need to be lethal, if it's swallowed, would be -- we're not talking about something you can put on the head of a pin. We're talking about something you can put on the point of a pin and lose there.
MCGINTY: Polonium is one of the nastier poisons found in nuclear waste, one indication that it can't be brewed up in a back bedroom. You need a lot of technology to make it, state-sophisticated technology. That's what agents like Mr. Litvinenko would have called it.
Lawrence McGinty, ITV News.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Well, the fierce battle between British troops and Taliban forces in Afghanistan.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're being hit! Sniper fire coming down, mate!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: RPGs! RPGs!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: These are scenes from Helmand Province in southern Afghanistan. Coalition forces have been fighting a resurgence of Taliban militants in that region. Winter in Afghanistan may slow down the Taliban fighters, but coalition forces are already bracing for a spring Taliban offensive.
Our Pentagon correspondent, Barbara Starr, is traveling with the top U.S. commander in the region.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Winter has already come to these mountains of Afghanistan, and the bitter cold means that in some areas attacks by the Taliban are dropping off, at least for now. But the top commander is expressing his concerns about al Qaeda activity across the border in Pakistan.
GEN. JOHN ABIZAID, COMMANDER, U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND: I'd say that the Pakistanis have done a great deal, especially in the areas away from the mountains, to get after al Qaeda, capture their operatives and make it difficult for them to conduct operations. That having been said, there's no doubt that in this region, there is a safe haven on the Pakistani side of the border that needs continued work in cooperation with NATO forces.
STARR: Here in Afghanistan, commanders expect that 2006 will wind up with more than 100 suicide bomb attacks in this country, a tactic that had not been seen until recent years. Indeed, commanders here tell us that in the last three months they have broken up six suicide bomb cells here in Afghanistan. The bombs that are seen here are still fairly rudimentary, though some of them have grown to be larger in size than they have seen in the past.
Still, as commanders say, the attacks are dropping off with the winter weather. They are already preparing to see a spring offensive by the Taliban.
Barbara Starr, CNN, Bagram, Afghanistan.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: And from Afghanistan to Iraq and beyond, there's a lot to keep track of in the volatile Middle East. Lou Dobbs is keeping tabs on it all. He tackles the chaos in the Middle East tonight at all week long at 6:00 Eastern right here on CNN, the most trusted name in news.
NGUYEN: A lot of people enjoying today before they head back home tomorrow after this Thanksgiving weekend.
Reynolds, how is the weather shaping up outside?
REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, it's looking pretty good.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HOLMES: Well, if you are among the millions who took a trip this holiday weekend, before you head home, check out CNN. From weather, to airline updates, we'll tell you where the trouble spots are throughout the day, or you can go to our Web site, CNN.com/holidaytravel. It has all the latest travel news, plus tips for easing holiday travel stress and a link to your I-Report that you can send us if you see any travel headaches.
Well, a big controversy brewing on more and more college campuses.
NGUYEN: Yes. You have minority-only scholarships, so why not scholarships for whites only? We're going to hear both sides of this issue. It's a heated one. That's next in our "Reality Check."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Position the way it should be. All right. There it goes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: And then later, the shot hit around the world. No exaggeration here. This is coming up.
Yes, they're golfing in space. They have nothing else to do -- no, I'm kidding.
They're golfing in space. We'll tell you about this coming up.
Stick around.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: "Now in the New," in Baghdad a curfew remains in effect. No vehicles allowed on the streets following massive attacks and suspected revenge killings Thursday and Friday.
Overnight in Taji, 12 miles north of Baghdad, a coalition airstrike destroyed a factory suspected of making bombs.
And then in Balad Ruz late yesterday, 21 Shia men were killed by suspected Sunni gunmen.
Vice President Dick Cheney in Saudi Arabia right now. He's there to meet with Saudi Arabian King Abdullah. They're expected to discuss the most recent rise in violence in Iraq and the situation around the Middle East.
We'll bring you a live report from Riyadh coming up in about 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia's oil minister says OPEC could cut oil production when it meets next month. And you no know what that means, possibly higher prices at the pump. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries exports 40 percent of the world's crude oil.
NGUYEN: Well, members of Britain's anti-terrorism team now taking part in the investigation into the death of former Russian agent Alexander Litvinenko. Litvinenko died Thursday in London, and doctors found he was poisoned by highly radioactive Polonium.
Well, an appeal from the mother of two missing boys. She urges anyone with information to come forward.
Take a look at these pictures. Well, we took them off. We'll put them back up for you.
The brothers, ages 2 and 4, they disappeared from an Indian reservation in Minnesota Wednesday. The FBI is investigating whether foul play is involved. The agency is offering a $20,000 reward.
We run down the top stories every 15 minutes right here on CNN SATURDAY MORNING, with in-depth coverage all morning long. Your next check of the headlines coming up at the top of the hour.
A group in Boston is pushing for an end to scholarships that help minorities pay for college. In protest, the College Republicans at Boston University have created a scholarship for whites only. This action comes amid growing pressure against scholarships reserved for minorities.
And CNN's Joshua Levs joins us now with this CNN "Reality Check."
And Josh, I have to tell you, this heated debate, it seems like it pops up every couple of years.
JOSHUA LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Exactly. You know, that's what's so interesting.
When I heard this story this week, I thought it sounded familiar. And it turns out that's because it is familiar.
The same thing happened at a different college just a couple of years ago. But, Betty, it turns out that since then, the context has changed because colleges all over the country are starting to drop minority-only scholarships.
We wanted to tell you all about this, so here you go, the CNN "Reality Check."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LEVS (voice-over): It's the talk of Boston University, a scholarship for white students only created by the College Republicans. Just $250, it's about making a point.
JOSEPH MROSCZYK, PRESIDENT, BOSTON UNIVERSITY COLLEGE REPUBLICANS: And some people are, you know, pretty upset us -- upset about it and upset at us for it, but we're trying to explain to them that you should be equally upset about this regarding any race at all.
LEVS: Some argue minority scholarships are needed.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I see no other way in order to redress problems that were caused by racial discrimination, decades and decades of racial discrimination that followed upon centuries of slavery.
LEVS: Deja vu? Flash back to 2004, when the same debate took place at Roger Williams University in Rhode Island.
JASON MATTERA, THEN-PRESIDENT, COLLEGE REPUBLICANS: And obviously making a political statement that scholarships should be more based on -- based on people who have financial need and who really strive for academic excellence. And it shouldn't just be based on skin color.
LEVS: Then and now, the state Republican parties condemned the idea. Rhode Island's party said it had racist overtones. The Massachusetts GOP calls it offensive.
But efforts to end minority scholarships were fueled by a different debate, the one over race as a factor in admissions at the University of Michigan. Even the president weighed in.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: As we work to address the wrong of racial prejudice, we must not use means that create another wrong and thus perpetuate our divisions.
LEVS: The Supreme Court ultimately said it was OK for the school to consider race, but that awarding admission points for minorities was going too far. And the court said schools must not reject students from programs based on skin color. That led to changes in many scholarships.
"The Chronicle of Higher Education" says schools like Yale, MIT, Carnegie Mellon and others across the country have taken millions of dollars previously reserved for minorities and opened them up to all students.
(END VIDEOTAPE) LEVS: So there seems to be this momentum moving against these minority-only scholarships. In fact, the civil rights division of the U.S. Education Department has now called them very difficult to defend. But on the flip side, you have these representatives of minority groups, like the professor you just heard in there, saying these are necessary to help give minorities in this country a fair shot.
So what's happened here at Boston University may be about one group at one school. But what it's doing, Betty, is it's taking this national debate and it's moving back into the public's consciousness.
NGUYEN: Yes. And you do have strong arguments on both sides of this. In fact, in the "NEWSROOM" here at CNN at 5:00 p.m. today Eastern, we're going to be debating this very issue.
So in the meantime, Josh, thank you for that.
LEVS: Thanks.
HOLMES: Well, you may never see a new one of these again. At least not from General Motors. The car maker says it's scrapping plans to develop a new family of minivans.
Shoot. I hoped to get my hands on one of those, Betty.
NGUYEN: I'm sure you did.
HOLMES: GM is shifting focus to crossover vehicles. Those are the ones that have the body and the feel of the car but they're supposed to kind of look like SUVs.
Well, I've got another story to tell you about here. A deer versus family, I guess you could call this.
NGUYEN: Ouch.
HOLMES: This is a home in Vienna, Virginia. You saw the -- ooh!
NGUYEN: Ooh!
HOLMES: Well, a deer came crashing into the living room there, barely missing a 7-month-old child. The homeowners were actually baby-sitting their grandchildren when it happened.
The deer charged everybody in the house, several cuts and bruises. Later, though...
NGUYEN: Wow.
HOLMES: ... the family was able to tackle the thing, tie him up, and finally get him out of the house. But man, they had a mess going there for a little bit.
NGUYEN: Yes, quite a mess. What a frightening scenario there.
Well, this isn't too frightening, at least we hope not, because it's the "WaterCooler".
HOLMES: Yes.
NGUYEN: We always look forward to that, and that is straight ahead.
So are you ready to rumble? The latest dance craze. I guess it's rumba.
HOLMES: Yes. It's so wild that some folks are paying millions -- is that right? Millions?
NGUYEN: Did you call that wild? Yes, they're just crazy, aren't they?
HOLMES: Yes.
NGUYEN: So wild.
HOLMES: They're going nuts here. Millions of dollars. Millions. Look at this.
Oh, that's how you get -- that's how you get your Saturday morning started.
NGUYEN: Right there. Well...
HOLMES: See, look at that. Look at them getting crazy.
NGUYEN: Nice moves. Good hip movement there.
Well, you may be even more shocked to find out which country we're talking about. Just look at them. That will give you a clue. The answer, though, in case you didn't catch it, is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Got to love that sound. Yes, just as Thanksgiving wouldn't be complete without dessert, CNN SATURDAY MORNING, well, we just wouldn't be complete without the "WaterCooler".
HOLMES: You've got to have the "WaterCooler".
These developing stories you might have missed, and we're going to start with everybody's favorite Christmas movie.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "A CHRISTMAS STORY")
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He looks like a deranged Easter bunny.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He does not.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He does, too. He looks like a pink nightmare.
(END VIDEO CLIP, "A CHRISTMAS STORY") NGUYEN: Yes, he does. We all know the perennial classic about Ralphie and his Christmas wish for a BB gun. The 1983 film was set in a real house in Cleveland, Ohio.
HOLMES: Well, now Brian Jones (ph) such a huge fan of the movie that he bought the house on eBay for $150,000. Then he sank $500,000 into renovating the thing.
NGUYEN: Yes. The home now looks exactly as it did in the movie.
HOLMES: Jeez.
NGUYEN: Today at 10:00 Eastern, it opens as a tourist shrine, complete with -- check it out -- the leg lamp in the front window.
HOLMES: Some of the film's actors are expected to be there today. We're going to see if we might be able to get a live report from this a little later this morning.
NGUYEN: Well, quick now, watch the lower part of your screen. We're going to put it up for you.
Watch it. You see that? That was a golf ball being knocked into orbit with a gold-plated six iron. It was easily the longest drive in history.
HOLMES: Yes. This was all a stunt that was paid for by a golf club maker in Canada. NASA says the ball will likely burn up in the atmosphere after a few days.
Finally, the hottest social trend in Hong Kong. Here it is. You cannot get any jiggier than that.
NGUYEN: I mean, it's no "Dancing with the Stars," but they are having a little bit of fun, I think.
HOLMES: The rage now, ballroom dancing, all the rage these days in Hong Kong.
NGUYEN: Yes. It's not just a mere fad. It has become a national obsession. People are paying enormous sums of money for lessons and professional dance partners.
HOLMES: And when she says enormous, one bank executive, so driven to be the best, that she reportedly paid $8 million.
NGUYEN: Get out of here!
HOLMES: This is -- I'm telling you, this is the craze. Paid $8 million to have an entire stable of partners who would be available to her around the clock.
NGUYEN: All right. Now that's just downright crazy.
HOLMES: Hey, if you can do it... NGUYEN: And it's not just Hong Kong, though. Here's the frightening part of it. Some of the most talented ballroom dancers these days are said to come from -- drum roll, please -- mainland China.
Folks know how to do it there. They've got the moves. Check them out.
And speaking of "Dancing with the Stars," "Dancing with the Stars" sat down with Larry King. Emmitt, Mario, Jerry, they told it all. Even the behind-the-scenes juicy stuff. Yes, you don't want to miss it, "LARRY KING LIVE," tonight at 9:00 Eastern, only on CNN.
Get your dancing shoes ready.
HOLMES: Can we cut that music now?
NGUYEN: You've had enough?
HOLMES: All right.
Well, so you're stressed out for the holidays. Maybe some music is getting to you.
NGUYEN: Apparently so.
HOLMES: But what are you going to do about it?
NGUYEN: Before you head to the mall, stick around for our expert. She's got great tips to help you stress-proof your holidays.
HOLMES: And from stress busters to ice breakers, you've got to see this major meltdown. It was caught on tape.
NGUYEN: We're back with your top stories right after this quick break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Well, good morning, everybody.
"Now in the News," a suspected bomb-making factory North of Baghdad hit today by coalition warplanes. The U.S. military says the facility in Taji was destroyed. We have a live report from Baghdad less than a minute away.
Take a look at this. Vice President Dick Cheney is in Saudi Arabia this morning. Cheney arrived just a little while ago to meet with Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah. They're expected to discuss the state of affairs in the Middle East and, more importantly, in Iraq.
We'll go live to Riyadh for the latest in just about five minutes.
HOLMES: Without a trace. Searchers return to a Minnesota Indian reservation today to try and find two missing boys. The 2 and 4-year- old brothers disappeared Wednesday. Their mother is asking anyone with information to come forward.
A man who sparked a standoff inside "The Miami Herald" is being held on bond. Police say Jose Varela, armed with a toy gun and knife, was arrested Friday after a two-hour standoff. He's charged with aggravated assault.
Varela is a freelance cartoonist with "The Herald's" sister paper, "El Nuevo". Varela's attorney says he wanted to expose a conflict of interest at the paper.
NGUYEN: And now this. Check it out, snow across the Cascade Mountain Range. It's great for skiing, but just a headache for road warriors this holiday weekend. And a busy weekend it is for travelers.
This is Snoqualmie Pass on I-90 in Washington State. There's a report that two people along the interstate were killed when a tree fell on their pickup truck.
We do run down the top stories every 15 minutes right here on CNN SATURDAY MORNING, with in-depth coverage all morning long. Your next check of the headlines, that is coming up at 8:15 Eastern.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN SR. MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Contrast Sebastian now to him singing the same song a year ago.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (SINGING): Up came the...
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: There's no cure for autism, but there are treatment options for parents. Coming up at the bottom of the hour, Dr. Sanjay Gupta takes an in-depth look at the condition that affects a growing number of American children.
NGUYEN: From the CNN Center in Atlanta, this is CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
Welcome, everybody. It's November 25th, 8:00 a.m. in Boston, 4:00 p.m. in Baghdad.
Good morning to you. I'm Betty Nguyen.
HOLMES: And I'm T.J. Holmes.
Thank you so much for being with us this morning.
Baghdad, a city on the edge this morning. Gunmen raided two Shiite homes in the last 24 hours, killing 20 men in front of their families.
This week's violence in two Baghdad neighborhoods is being called the worst of the war. It's so bad, in fact, Iraqi president Jalal Talabani was forced to postpone his trip to Iran since the Baghdad airport is closed for security precautions.
For more on all of this we're going to go to CNN's Arwa Damon, who's in Baghdad for us.
Hello, Arwa.
DAMON: Hi, T.J.
Let's start with the violence just north of Baghdad that you mentioned there briefly. It happened in Diyala Province. That, too, an ethnically mixed province. Now, according to an official with the Joint Coordination Center there, Sunni gunmen believed to be linked to Al Qaeda in Iraq stormed two Shia homes, separating the men from the women, and shooting at 21 men in that attack alone.
Now, in the capital of Baghdad, the violence, the killing did continue despite a government-imposed curfew. The curfew is keeping most people off the streets, but it is not preventing these attacks that we are seeing happening throughout Baghdad.
Overnight, clashes in a Sunni neighborhood killed at least three Iraqis, wounded another five. Separately, in another Sunni neighborhood, mortar rounds landed. At least two dozen mortar rounds wounding at least 23 Iraqis in that area.
And in yet another area in Baghdad, this is a neighborhood called Hurriya, it's in the northwestern portion of the city. It was originally ethnically mixed, but sectarian violence over the last few months has driven out most of the Sunni population.
There, attacks by Shia militiamen destroyed two -- four mosques. Two of them were burnt, the other two were attacked by rocket- propelled grenades.
And in that very same neighborhood, according to one of Iraq's deputy prime ministers, the Sunni deputy prime minister, Salam al- Zawba'i, seven Sunni worshippers were torched by Shia militiamen. And also, elsewhere in the capital, sporadic attacks -- T.J.
HOLMES: Well, Arwa, do we know what the prime minister of Iraq, Nouri al-Maliki, plans to do? He plans -- or is expected to meet with President Bush next week. However, he has been essentially threatened by the powerful Shiite cleric there, Muqtada al-Sadr, that if he goes ahead with that meeting, Muqtada al-Sadr might make things difficult for him.
Is he going to go ahead, the prime minister, with that meeting? What options does he have?
DAMON: Well, T.J., according to the White House, that meeting is set to take place. The Iraqi government here has not commented on that.
We have tried contacting them on a number of occasions. We've tried calling the prime minister's office. They, for now, are not saying anything to us. The prime minister really is in a very difficult and delicate situation here. On one hand, he owes his prime ministership largely to the support of Muqtada al-Sadr's bloc, which holds some 30 seats in parliament. But on the other hand, he cannot afford to alienate the United States.
There's still 160,000 U.S. troops here, in fact, out in high numbers in the capital of Baghdad setting up checkpoints in support of Iraqi operations in that -- in certain areas to enforce this curfew that's going on. So how the prime minister -- his next move is really going to highlight who the real powerbrokers here are, but he is in an incredibly difficult situation.
And, in fact, we have not heard anything from him. The last time we heard from him was on Thursday, right after the devastating attack in Sadr City that killed at least 200. He was calling for calm, but since that Thursday appearance, we have not heard anything from the Iraqi prime minister, and many people here also are wondering what his next step is going to be, though there is not much hope that he or his government are going to be able to stop this violence -- T.J.
HOLMES: Yes, Arwa, he is in a tough spot.
CNN's Arwa Damon for us in Baghdad.
Thank you so much.
And coming up tonight at 7:00 Eastern, CNN correspondents give you an in-depth look at this week's developments in Iraq.
John Roberts hosts "THIS WEEK AT WAR."
And tomorrow morning at 11:00 Eastern on "LATE EDITION," Wolf Blitzer interviews Iraq's national security adviser.
NGUYEN: Well, Vice President Dick Cheney is leading a diplomatic push on Iraq right now. He landed in Saudi Arabia just a short time ago for important talks with Saudi King Abdullah.
CNN Senior International Correspondent Nic Robertson is there in Riyadh and he joins us now.
Nic, talk to us about how important these talks really are.
ROBERTSON: Well, they are very important for both the United States and Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia has a lot of concerns at the moment.
Their officials have been very outspoken that they don't want a U.S. troop withdrawal from Iraq. They think that will bring instability to the region.
The Saudis are also very concerned about what they see as growing Iranian influence in Iraq, and in Lebanon as well. Something of concern to the United States. I'm told by an adviser, a Saudi adviser, that these -- this meeting has been two to three months in the preparation, that this is -- they will discuss an important new initiative that will encompass not only Iraq, not only Iran's involvement there, but also, according to a Saudi adviser, to isolate Syria, to help support the western government in Lebanon at this time, and also to try -- and try to reduce the violence that's happening in the Israeli-Arab conflict at this time. They want to see a less-violent position from the -- from Hamas at this time.
These are all very important issues, and they are very important to the Saudis. And the United States recognizes that Saudi Arabia is a very important and useful ally and they can play a role.
NGUYEN: Well, a number of important issues there. Let's take a couple of them apart piece by piece, if we could.
Talk to me specifically about Saudi Arabia's take on Iran and Syria's desire to play a key role in Iraq's future.
ROBERTSON: Well, they're almost mutually exclusive. And when I asked this adviser, I said, "Your language is about isolating Syria, when the British prime minister, Tony Blair, is talking about involving and engaging Syria and Iran in the future of Iraq." And it seems at this stage that there are composing -- opposing and competing views on how to deal with the situation in Iraq.
The Saudis' view is very clear. They are very concerned about the growing influence of Iran in the region. They are concerned about a further breakdown of violence in the region if U.S. troops pull out. They are concerned about the involvement they see of both Iran and Lebanon, and -- Iran and Syria, rather, in Lebanon. So from the Saudi perspective, it is Iran and Syria that are going to be -- that are probably going to take up a lot of the discussions today.
NGUYEN: No doubt.
CNN's Nic Robertson joining us live from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Nic, thank you for that.
HOLMES: We now know what killed former Russian agent Alexander Litvinenko. But the who, the why and the how still a mystery.
British anti-terrorism forces have joined other agencies to investigate. Litvinenko died of Polonium poisoning Thursday in London. That radioactive killer now has British health officials concerned, forcing them to close off several buildings where Litvinenko went before his death.
His killer also a mystery. Litvinenko's friends and family say Russian President Vladimir Putin should be maybe at the top of the suspect list.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) MARK TREVELYAN, REUTERS SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Many people would say, and uncertainly the dead man's friends, that pointing the finger at Moscow, directly at Putin, that they are blaming him for this poisoning. On the other hand, there are people who say, well, actually, maybe things have been set up precisely to look like that in order to frame the Russian security services, in order to discredit Putin and his government.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: British investigators are looking at who might gain the most by discrediting Putin. Putin denies any involvement in Litvinenko's death.
NGUYEN: So what is Polonium-210 anyway? That's the form of it. It's a naturally radioactive material found in uranium ore. Here's the good on all of it.
It was discovered by famed scientist Mare Curie, who named it after her native Poland. Now, Polonium is very rare and about 250 times more toxic than cyanide. Very dangerous, obviously, and it occurs naturally, but at harmless levels.
But it can also be manufactured. Poisoning only occurs when Polonium is somehow ingested through the body either by eating, drinking, breathing in the particles, or somehow having it come in contact with an open wound.
HOLMES: Dealing with the stress of the holiday season. Later this morning, we'll talk with an expert about what you can do to relax and really enjoy this season of giving.
NGUYEN: And don't forget to give us your answers to today's e- mail question. Here it is: What stresses you out during the holiday season? A lot.
HOLMES: Yes. I've got to send an e-mail.
And then coming up in 10 minutes, we'll show you what happens to this huge iceberg when it has a run-in with warmer water. It's pretty wicked video. Stick around for that.
NGUYEN: And then the financial and emotional struggle for parents trying to help their autistic children. Coming up in 20 minutes, Dr. Sanjay Gupta shows you some solutions to the difficulties families face.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Your life is slowly beginning to disintegrate, and you can't do anything to sort of keep it together.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) HOLMES: "Now in the News," Vice President Dick Cheney in Saudi Arabia right now. He's meeting with Saudi Arabian King Abdullah about the recent rise in violence in Iraq and the situation around the Middle East.
Iraqi prime -- or Iraqi president, rather, Jalal Talabani has postponed his trip to Tehran. He planned to go for discussions on how Iran can help curb the bloodshed in Iraq, but the upswing in violence forced the Baghdad airport to close. Talabani says he'll make the trip when the airport reopens.
Reaching out to Islam. The Vatican says Pope Benedict is likely to visit a mosque during his trip to Turkey next week. The pope came under fire from Muslims over comments he made about Islam during a speech in September. The visit to the mosque would be his first to a mosque.
We run down the top stories for you every 15 minutes here on CNN SATURDAY MORNING, with in-depth coverage all morning long. Your next check of the headlines coming up at the bottom of the hour.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GUPTA (voice-over): It is a true medical mystery, the secrets of an autistic brain.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There is no identified single cause of autism that is universal for all children.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: And listen to this. It is a condition that affects one in 166 children. So why is there so little known about autism?
Today, CNN is taking a special look at the condition that is impacting so many American families.
Coming up in 15 minutes, Dr. Sanjay Gupta answers your questions. And tonight at 8:00 Eastern, a moving look at a woman's struggle to live a normal life in an autistic world.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): I decided to make this film to bring people into my world of autism.
MECHANIZED VOICE: Autism is a world.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Every year she got older and her -- her mental age stayed the same, which was at about 2 and a half. And so by the time she was 13, she still had a mental age of about 2 and a half. So that's what we thought. We believed that.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): I certainly understand why I was assumed to be retarded. All of my very awkward movements and all my nonsense sounds made me appear retarded. Perhaps I was. Voices floated over me. I heard sounds, but not words. It wasn't until I had a communication system that I was able to make sense out of the sounds.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: And you can see Sue Rubin's entire story tonight at 8:00 Eastern. "CNN PRESENTS, Autism is a World." But you don't have to wait until tonight to learn more about this mysterious condition.
HOLMES: And coming up in 15 minutes, Dr. Sanjay Gupta takes an in-depth look at autism from the perspective of the child and the parents searching for answers and treatment.
"HOUSE CALL" coming up at 8:30.
NGUYEN: Right now here's some perspective for you. Take a look.
Parts of Washington State under a fresh blanket of snow this morning. What does the rest of the country look like? Hopefully not like this, especially for travelers and shoppers out there, as many Americans prepare to head back home after the holiday.
A check of your weather is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The holidays are a fun, festive time of year. Family, friends and lots of yummy food. But if you overindulge and now you're feeling stuffed like a turkey, here is something to keep in mind.
The average Thanksgiving dinner has 3,000 calories and 229 grams of fat. And if you want to burn off all those holiday calories, you'd better get started.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A 170-pound adult would have to run a 10- minute mile for two and a half hours -- yes -- would have to swim or aerobic dance for six hours, or walk or ride their bike at a moderate pace for 10 hours. That's a lot of exercise.
COSTELLO: Newlyweds Sabrina (ph) and David Clark (ph) say they exercise before a holiday feast.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We try to stay active. You know? Like, we always work out Thanksgiving morning.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Go for a slow digestive walk after the meal. That way your body can begin to burn some of the calories, more of the calories that you have just ingested.
COSTELLO: Dana's (ph) best holiday take home advice is to limit your portion sizes and the amount of alcohol you consume. Also, slow down and savor the foods you love this holiday season. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We also, you know, keep saying every year we're going to cut this down, we don't need all this. But we keep adding it back in. It's tradition.
COSTELLO: Carol Costello, CNN New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Take a look at this in New Zealand. Helicopters and planes are ferrying tourists to catch a rare sight off the coast. Boom, there it goes.
Giant icebergs in summertime. Yes. A huge slab breaks off the main iceberg.
This is the second year in a row that icebergs have traveled so far from Antarctica without melting. The last time icebergs were seen off New Zealand -- when was it, T.J.?
HOLMES: It was 1950-ish, around there.
NGUYEN: You've got it, 1950.
HOLMES: I remember my folks telling me those stories all the time about the...
NGUYEN: I'm sure they do, right.
HOLMES: ... about the icebergs.
NGUYEN: Now for a little slice of reality, let's go to Reynolds Wolf.
Good morning, Reynolds.
REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: No, I want to hear more about these T.J. iceberg stories, because nothing starts a Saturday morning better than a story about icebergs.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HOLMES: Well, if you're just starting your day with us, we're going to run down the morning's top stories coming up in just three minutes.
NGUYEN: And then it is "HOUSE CALL." From possible causes to potential treatment, Dr. Sanjay Gupta explores the mysteries of autism.
HOLMES: And in the next hour of CNN SATURDAY MORNING, our fitness guru, Jerry Anderson, tackles the lifelong question: How can I really enjoy the holidays and all that good stuff you see right there and still fit into my clothes come January?
We're going to find out at 9:20 Eastern.
NGUYEN: But first, do you have a fitness problem? Well, I know you do, because we all do. So we want to hear from you.
E-mail us, WEEKENDS@CNN.com. And Jerry is going to answer your questions next week. So send them now, get them in early, right here on CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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