CNN news 2011-02-28
Let's go "Cross Country," see what's happening in Orange County, California. Search is on for this bumbling robber who police say spent 6 minutes searching for his gun before he held up a convenience store. Surveillance cameras caught him digging through his backpack. Police say the robber had apparently forgotten where he put his gun. But eventually, he found it in his pocket, then he demanded the money.
All right, Hampton, Connecticut, where age is just a number for this 103-year-old polka-dancing nun. Sister Cecilia Adorni teaches her fancy polka steps to elderly residents at an adult daycare center. On Tuesday, she spent her 103rd birthday doing what she does best. That's right, the polka. So, what's her secret to longevity? It's simple. Joy.
And finally, in Big Lake, Minnesota, a man's home is his ice castle. For the 4th straight year, Roger Hanson has built a massive ice structure in his backyard, 64 feet high, 85 feet wide, it's twice as big as his own house. Hanson says his only concern, now, is that it's starting to melt.
And extradition order for WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange and money problems for his whistle-blowing Web site. That tops on our "Morning Passport".CNN's Zain Verjee is all over it for us from London. Zain, what do you know?
Hey， there Kyra, Julian Assange is going to be extradited to Sweden to face allegations of rape and sexual assault. Now he has said that he is going to appeal that ruling and if it fails, though, he is going to have only about ten days before he is sent off to Sweden.One thing that I just want to focus on a little bit here Kyra is that WikiLeaks is having a major cash problem. They are putting out t- shirts and mugs and even dinner with Julian Assange to try and raise some money because he's got legal fees of something around $200,000 and things like PayPal and Visa and MasterCard are refusing to even process any of his payments.So he's in a major jam financially. We'll see what happens with the appeal.
I want to focus a little bit more on the royals, Kyra. I know you always love a good Will and Kate story. And let me show you some pictures that have just come out.They are actually in Wales, and they poured some champagne over a life boat, and named it the "Hereford Endeavour". This is actually a little bit bigger than some of the life boats and dinghies that you'd have in the U.S. But the royal couple-to-be, out there, and so many people were very excited.
You know, we've also had a heavy news cycle with a lot serious news, Kyra. So I got this story for you. Monkeys in hot tubs in Nagano, Japan. We just need to chill out a little bit and look at these monkeys, ok.
Reynolds,Reynolds likes it, too. He's getting excited over here, nothing like monkeys chilling out in a hot tub.
Yes, you know, you and I don't get to do that, but in Nagano, Japan there they are soaking it up. Because you know, the thing is they've been stealing food and attacking tourists and basically being a royal pain.So what they decided to do is build them their own little park with their own hot springs, so they can lie there in the tub and sip a little champagne and cheese and strawberries and whatever else they're doing.
What do you think, Reynolds?
I mean --
Champagne, strawberries --
I think it looks like monkey soup. It does. It's hot water, you throw in your monkeys, and then boom, voila.
Oh boy. Now -- now Pete is going to be all over us.
I prefer monkey business, Kyra. Right.
Yes, I don't know, it looks like fun. I don't know if I'd want to jump in there with them. But you know, that's a whole another story.All right, thank you, Zain, I always love to wrap it up with something warm, and yes, fun.
These are some other stories we're talking about. Budget protests planned today in Wisconsin could actually be the biggest so far. State workers are calling for the largest day of demonstrations outside of Madison. Workers are outraged saying the governor's plan to fix the budget could cause them to lose their collective bargaining rights.
And Hawaii is the seventh state in the country to recognize civil unions for same-sex couples. The governor signed the bill into law yesterday It gives partners in civil union the same rights and benefits that spouses in a marriage enjoy. That bill takes effect in January.
Mexican authorities made 10 arrests in the fatal shooting of a U.S. immigration agent earlier this month. One suspect presumed leader of a drug cartel allegedly behind the hit. Agent Jamie Zapata was killed in an ambush while on a Mexican highway. Five other men, three women and a minor were also arrested.