Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live Sunday
Spanish Journalist Killed During Haitian Rally; Kidnapped Doctor's Without Borders Worker Reported Very Ill; Universoul Circus Celebrates 10th Anniversary
Aired March 07, 2004 - 18:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Marin Savidge at the CNN Centerin in Atlanta. Here' the check of the latest developments. Despite violence today, the Iraqi Governing Council set to sign that countries interim constitution tomorrow. The signing was delayed Friday because of Shiite concerns over Kurdish veto powers.
In the Mideast, Palestinian sources say Israeli forces raided 2 central Gaza refugee camps today, killing at least 14 Palestinians including civilians. Hamas says 9 of those killed belonged to the militant group. Israel accuses Palestinian militants of using civilians as human shields.
In Baltimore, Maryland, approaching bad weather has stopped the search for 3 people who went missing when a water taxi was capsized by a squall yesterday. Among the missing is a 6 year old boy. 22 people were rescued, 1 of them later died.
Well, a real life lesson in survival for dozens of Boy Scouts near Salt Lake City. Emergency crews rescued 39 boys on a survival camping trip from snow caves. They were buried under 6 feet of snow. Nobody was hurt.
We turn now to the crisis in Haiti. An anti-Aristide rally today turned deadly. About 1,000 demonstrators rallied against ousted President John Bertrand Aristide. He left the country last Sunday. As today's demonstrations thinned, gunfire erupted. At least four people were killed that is, including two police officers, a civilian, and a Spanish journalist.
Chaos for rather more on today's rally in the heart of the heart of the Haitian capitol, CNN's Lucia Newman is live on the video phone from Port-au-Prince.
LUCIA NEWMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Martin. Indeed, it's another dark, sad day for Haiti. There was gunfire erupted at a huge demonstration that was celebrating the departure of former president Jean Bertrand Aristide exactly one week ago.
There were thousands of people in front of the Presidential Palace when suddenly we heard pistols firing. Also, high-powered rifles, people scattered and ran for cover. One person died from a bullet wound right in front of us. Also, the U.S. Marines who were behind the bars of the Presidential Palace which they're guarding also fired. The first shots, we understand, fired since they arrived in this country, Martin. It had started off as a very peaceful demonstration. Thousands and thousands of people marching down Port-au-Prince's main avenue towards the palace, celebrating the fact, they said, that they had been liberated of President Aristide. There were some tense moments when they approached areas where Aristide supporters were watching. But the most they did is hurl insults at each other.
The U.S. Marines and French troops were nearby the whole time they were going down. Once they arrived at the palace, their presence was not seen. And I want to say one more thing Martin. A very, very dear friend and a wonderful journalist from the Spanish television network, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) whom we'd been speaking to too just a few minutes before he was shot, has died.
He had been trying, in fact, to get an American photographer who had been grazed on the neck, to a hospital when he himself was shot and killed, Martin.
SAVIDGE: Lucia, that is very troubling news. The loss of anyone there in Haiti is troubling. Is there indications that violence could continue, and that revenge could now begin to move things?
NEWMAN: I think it would be better to say that there is no indication that it has stopped, or that it will stop in the very near future. It has been going on. It had been hoped that Haitians would finally lay down their weapons and have the national reconciliation that so many say they want and that they've been asking for. But there are armed groups on both sides, particularly people who supported the former president. The so called (UNINTELLIGIBLE) or armed gang that supported President Aristide.
They're working inside the slums. Nobody has disarmed them. They certainly came out today to show they're still a force to be reckoned with.
SAVIDGE: Lucia Newman, live in Port-au-Prince. Thank you.
Chaos seems to haunt former Haitian President Jean Bertrand Aristide. He and his wife were to uphold a press briefing in the Central African Republic today. He was a no-show. His wife was there, but she didn't speak. Our Jeff Koinenge picks up the odd tale from there.
JEFF KOINANGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A bizarre press conference in which the principal participant was never allow to speak. That's what happened Sunday in the Central African Republic's capital Bungui, when the government invited both local and foreign press to a press conference, promising the former Haitian First Lady Mildred Trouillot would attend.
Though cameras were set up and ready to roll when all of a sudden, several militiamen burst into the room, brandishing automatic weapons and forced us not to film. They told us to dismantle our equipment and put us out of the room. Later allowing us in but without cameras.
Several minutes passed by and Mrs. Aristide accompanied by heavily armed bodyguards and the country's Foreign Affairs Minister arrived into the room. But, she was quickly whisked over to the side, and it was the foreign affairs minister who read a prepared statement, reportedly by Jean Bertrand Aristide, in which he thanked both the government and the people of Central African Republic for their hospitality.
Mrs. Aristide meanwhile sat there in the corner looking down and would not answer questions by journalists. It was later in the day that officials from the Ministry of the Foreign Affairs called us and apologized for the day's strange events. They also went on to tell us that Monday, at 12:00 noon local time there would be a press conference in which John Bertrand Aristide himself would address.
Whether we'd we'll be allowed to film that is still a question of debate, as things here seem to change almost at the last minute. Jeff Koinange, CNN, Bangui in the Central African Republic.
SAVIDGE: A year and a half ago, a Dutch aid worker with doctors without borders was kidnapped by masked men in the Russian Republic of Dagestan. It's not known who his captors are or what they want. Doctors Without Borders has now unconfirmed information that Arjan Erkel is seriously ill. Joining me from New York is Nicholas De Torrente. He is the Executive Director of the U.S. branch of Medecins Sans Frontieres, or, Doctors Without Borders, as we know it here. Thank you, sir, for being with us this evening.
NICHOLAS DE TORRENTE, DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS: Thanks for having me.
SAVIDGE: Let me ask you this. I've not heard much about this kidnapping. In fact I haven't heard much at all recently. Why has it went so in the background?
DE TORRENTE: There's not much information coming out about the war in Chechnya. About the fate of the civilian population there, and there's not much information and coverage about the very difficult situation for humanitarian aid workers to access the population and provide them with assistance.
And that's what Arjan Erkel was doing when he was kidnapped as you say, over 18 months ago. He was running medical programs for civilians displaced by the war in Chechnya in the neighboring Republic of Dagestan. And he has been missing ever since. As you said, we've had recently received some very alarming information about his health condition.
SAVIDGE: What is it you've heard specifically?
DE TORRENTE: We've heard that he has a very serious pulmonary condition, a lung problem, and in an additional to that, we've also heard that there were threats against his life -- direct threats against his life by his captors.
What's troubling to us is that we've not heard this before in the other 18 months that this captivity has taken place. So there's a real sense of concern, of course, for -- on our part and his family's part. But also a real sense that there needs to be much more urgency given to the efforts to ensure his release now.
SAVIDGE: You believe the Russians aren't doing enough here to aid this situation. What is it they should be doing? Do you want some sort of military action launched to rescue him? Where are they falling down?
DE TORRENTE: They have clear obligations and responsibilities, as you say. They have the responsibility for the safety of aid workers on their territory. And Dagestan is clearly on their territory.
And they have responsibilities to ensure his release. What we know is that they're able to communicate -- have been able to communicate with the captors in the past. They've obtained proof of life from him, video, and photos from the captors. We know that they could do a lot more. And really they can and must do more.
SAVIDGE: What is it you would like to see them do?
DE TORRENTE: We're not dictating to the Russian authorities how they should resolve this case, but they have means. They have a very big military and security presence in this area. It's a complex place, but nothing happens there without their involvement, and without their -- the power that they have in place there. So we think they can do -- there needs to be political will, basically, and resources devoted to this.
SAVIDGE: You deal and work in such dangerous places around the world, routinely. Has this happened before? Have you had kidnappings?
DE TORRENTE: Yes, this has happened in different places before. The Northern Caucuses is a very dangerous place for aid workers. There have been over 56 international aid workers abducted. But Arjan's case stands out. He's the longest detainee in this region.
And frankly, there's really not enough that's being done to release him. And that's really the problem right now. The onus is on the Russians, but it's also on the international community to step up and demand much more from the Russians. They've been saying for months now that they know he's alive, they know he's well, and that they're doing their best.
Now it's time for the international community to hold them accountable for this. Really to press them to push them. We know the issue has been raised by U.S. officials by European Union officials. But now it's time to really ask for answers, and ask for results.
SAVIDGE: Mr. De Torrente, I have tremendous respect for Doctors Without Borders, having seen you operate firsthand in many parts of the world. Thanks for joining us. We wish well on the release of. Dr. Erkel. Thank you so much.
DE TORRENTE: Thanks very much Martin, for having me.
SAVIDGE: Moving on to other news. Democratic presidential hopeful John Kerry is in on a campaign swing through the South. He was in Mississippi today addressing a predominantly African American congregation at a church in Jackson. Mississippi is one of four Southern states holding presidential primaries Tuesday.
Kerry is well on his way to winning the Democratic presidential nomination. The big question now is who he is going to run with? CNN Senior Political Analyst Bill Schneider takes a look at the possibilities.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BILL SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: There are ten reasons for picking a running mate. Reason number one, pick someone who will help you win. The other nine reasons don't matter.
How can a running mate help you win? Three ways. Geography, demography, and message. So what are John Kerry's options? Democrats around the country seem to be thrilled at the prospect of a Kerry/Edwards ticket. Since Super Tuesday, Edwards has been sounding very vice presidential.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D) FMR. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: John Kerry has what it takes right here to be president of the United States. And I, for one intend to do everything in my power to make him the next president of the United States.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHNEIDER: What Edwards really adds is message.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN KERRY, PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: He is a valiant champion of the values for which our party stands.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHNEIDER: Mainly, populist economic values, a sharp contrast with George W. Bush. The most competitive southern state is Florida. Land of the hanging chads, which happens to have two Democratic senators available. Former astronaut Bill Nelson, and former Intelligence Committee Chairman Bob Graham.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KERRY: Bob Graham, obviously, beloved, now wrapping up at least this portion of his career.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHNEIDER: A portion of his rear? But the geography Kerry is after may not be in the South. It may be in the Midwest. In states Democrats hope to take away from Bush in 2004. Ohio, West Virginia, and Missouri. Missouri's own Dick Gephardt could help with his sharply focused economic message. Jobs, jobs, jobs.
You want demography; try New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson. The first Hispanic on a national ticket might create excitement in the nation's largest ethnic minority. Plus, Richardson, a former ambassador to the United Nations has international experience.
Any women who might add demographic appeal? Well, there's Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano and Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu, two states that went for Bush in 2000. But the woman many Democrats fantasize about is this one.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON: I don't think I would ever be offered. I don't think I would accept.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHNEIDER: That doesn't sound definitive, but would putting Senator Hillary Clinton on the ticket help Kerry win? Why not go for broke and name Former President Bill Clinton to the ticket. Constitutional experts say it's OK since you can only be elected to the presidency twice. Nothing about the vice presidency. Bill Schneider, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
SAVIDGE: What is it like inside the campaign? One of Kerry's former rivals. Be sure to watch CNN PRESENTS "True Believers." It offers a unique view of the rise and fall of Howard Dean. Tune in tonight at 8:00 Eastern Time.
Size does matter. At least when it comes to healing the heart. The smaller clogged arteries are the harder -- the smaller they are, the harder to treat. Now doctors may have found a way around the problem. We'll have that story after the break.
Plus, doctors may soon be changing the way they treat earaches in children. We'll explain why and what it means for you as a parent next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SAVIDGE: Top stories this hour, at least four people killed when gunfire erupts in a demonstration in Haiti's capitol.
A small rocket barrage hits Baghdad. No serious injuries reported.
Three people still missing after a water taxi capsized in Baltimore harbor yesterday.
Coated coils could change the way that doctors treat clogged coronary arteries. New research shows that stints coated with medicine could be the answer. Traditionally doctors squeeze a clogged artery open with a balloon, or angioplasty, and then install a stint. That is fine for fat arteries, but in skinny ones, half the time they clog again. In a new study only 10 percent of the small clogged arteries clogged again when the drug-coated stints were inserted. Doctors say the results are promising.
Doctors could soon be changing the way that they are thinking about treating one of the more common childhood ailments, ear infections. This spring, look for a contradiction to the pediatric practice of treating middle ear infections with antibiotics. Health experts believe the number of drugs used to treat such infections can and should be should be reduced.
New pediatric guidelines reducing the use of antibiotics are being proposed. Studies show that the antibiotics do very little to relieve a child's earache pain anyway. And that common painkillers like acetaminophen, or ibuprofen could be used instead.
Dr. Joseph Wright knows all about children's earaches, as do American parents. He is an Emergency Pediatrician at the Children's National Hospital, or Medical Center I should say in Washington. Thank you sir, for joining us this evening.
DR. JOSEPH WRIGHT, PEDIATRICIAN: Thanks for having me, Martin.
SAVIDGE: Well, basically, what's the guideline here? Why are we withdrawing a bit from the use of antibiotics?
WRIGHT: Well, the fact of the matter is that the vast majority of ear infections in children resolve themselves spontaneously. We know that in seven out of eight children, they will clear their ear infections within a week's period of time.
SAVIDGE: Is the concern, then that in too many antibiotics, you'll build up some sort of immunity to them, their effectiveness, that sort of thing, and could lead to greater problems down the road?
WRIGHT: Yes, Martin. The concern is that the widespread use of antibiotics in situations in which they're not indicated is causing antibiotic resistance to -- bacteria resistance to antibiotics and will render these antibiotics useless for infections in which we really need them. The concern is really one of a public health nature.
(CROSSTALK)
SAVIDGE: How does it -- I'm sorry. Then you have the parent that comes to the doctor and is concerned for their child, and the child may be in some discomfort, and they want an antibiotic. That's what they know. How does a doctor deal with that one?
WRIGHT: Sure. This is something we all deal with on a regular basis. The fact of the matter is that the treatment for ear infection and the reason parents come to the doctor and to the emergency departments is because the child is in pain, and having discomfort.
The focus with this new approach is going to be to focus on the child's discomfort which, as you mentioned earlier, can be dealt with through acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and eardrops. The watch and wait approach will include a period of observation to see if symptoms worsen. If they do worsen, then we will add antibiotics to the regimen.
SAVIDGE: Is it me, or I remember growing up not getting that many earaches. Yet I watch my own children, and they seem to be so common. Is there something going on here?
Ear infections are an occupational hazard of childhood. I don't think there's an increased incidence of ear infections in the population, but certainly there is a pressure, parents expectations for something to be done when they come to the doctor for a child with an ear infection.
And the new strategy is one that involves education on both sides of the fence, for the parents and for the doctors who are treating these ear infections to understand the broader implications of watching and waiting and a more judicious use of antibiotics.
SAVIDGE: Well, Dr. Joseph Wright, thank you very much for coming and talking to us about that problematic earache. It's one that many parents deal with. Thank you for your insight and we'll take your advice to heart. Thanks.
WRIGHT: Your quite welcome.
SAVIDGE: Still to come, it's bell bottoms, perms and bad guys. At the box office, will "Starsky & Hutch" knock "The Passion" from the number one perch?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SAVIDGE: Mel Gibson's controversial film "The Passion of the Christ," is North American box office receipts for a second phenomenal week. Attendance has dropped off little from the opening weekend, which is unusual. The film has sold an estimated $212 million worth of tickets in just two weeks.
That puts Gibson's gritty portrayal of Jesus' crucifix on track to out sell the latest "Lord of the Rings" movie. The comedy "Starsky & Hutch" opens in the number two spot. Walt Disney's horse story "Hidalgo" debuts at number three. Two previous releases "50 First Dates" and "Twisted" are fourth and fifth.
Some call it (UNINTELLIGIBLE), but Universoul Circus calls itself the best in urban family entertainment. The circus set to an African American beat is now celebrating ten years under the big top. CNN's Kyra Philips has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am the co-founder and ringmaster of this big top. My name is Casual Cal. KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: In the early '90s, former radio DJ Casual Cal Deprey (ph) and music promoter Cedric Walker wanted to offset the often-vulgar images portrayed in rap music and other forms of entertainment popular in the black community.
CEDRIC WALKER, PRESIDENT, CEO UNIVERSOUL CIRCUS: And I just thought that we should try to do something that grandmother, daughter, father, and son could all sit on the same bench, generations, and see something together.
PHILLIPS: Thus, the Universoul Circus was born. In 1994, co- founder Casual Cal became the world's first black circus ringmaster.
WALKER: Cal, I think, is a genius. I think he has the ability to touch people. He has the magic.
Phillips: They lost $500,000 the first year. The second year, it wasn't much better.
WALKER: We spent $350,000 the second time and we took in $200,000. And we were very happy to lose $150,000. I thought people thought I was crazy. I only lost, you know, the investors all were taking off one by one, you know.
PHILLIPS: Universoul now boasts as 50-city trek, two touring companies and trips to South Africa.
WALKER: People don't buy things because of the color of your skin. They buy them because the quality and the content. And the word of mouth had to go out.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If this is Atlanta, Georgia, put your hands together for the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) acrobatic troop!
PHILLIPS: It was an immediate magnet for the world's black performers.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When we got here and we see the way they was performing, it was doing the show, running, the whole thing, it was just, you know, feel that was the right place to be.
PHILLIPS: Ten years later, dreams of an even larger big top. Underneath, you would travel through the Harlem Renaissance, or skate with a black ice show. Walker says it would be a black Disney World.
WALKER: So many things that have influenced American culture, that we could pull together and represent and present in a certain ways. So we have a lot of ideas.
PHILLIPS: Kyra Phillips, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SAVIDGE: And that is it for us. Coming up at 7:00 Eastern, profiles in the news profitless domestic diva, and now convicted felon, Martha Stewart. At 8:00, CN PRESENTS "True Believers," an inside look at the Howard Dean campaign from it's remarkable rise to it's sudden fall.
At 9:00 Eastern, LARRY KING WEEKEND. Larry's guest tonight, Donald Trump. At 10:00 Eastern, an amazing story of survival. A group of Boy Scouts trapped under six feet of snow. You'll hear will hear from two who were the first to make it to safety and then helped their brother scouts.
Headlines when we come back, and then PEOPLE IN THE NEWS.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Doctor's Without Borders Worker Reported Very Ill; Universoul Circus Celebrates 10th Anniversary>
Aired March 7, 2004 - 18:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Marin Savidge at the CNN Centerin in Atlanta. Here' the check of the latest developments. Despite violence today, the Iraqi Governing Council set to sign that countries interim constitution tomorrow. The signing was delayed Friday because of Shiite concerns over Kurdish veto powers.
In the Mideast, Palestinian sources say Israeli forces raided 2 central Gaza refugee camps today, killing at least 14 Palestinians including civilians. Hamas says 9 of those killed belonged to the militant group. Israel accuses Palestinian militants of using civilians as human shields.
In Baltimore, Maryland, approaching bad weather has stopped the search for 3 people who went missing when a water taxi was capsized by a squall yesterday. Among the missing is a 6 year old boy. 22 people were rescued, 1 of them later died.
Well, a real life lesson in survival for dozens of Boy Scouts near Salt Lake City. Emergency crews rescued 39 boys on a survival camping trip from snow caves. They were buried under 6 feet of snow. Nobody was hurt.
We turn now to the crisis in Haiti. An anti-Aristide rally today turned deadly. About 1,000 demonstrators rallied against ousted President John Bertrand Aristide. He left the country last Sunday. As today's demonstrations thinned, gunfire erupted. At least four people were killed that is, including two police officers, a civilian, and a Spanish journalist.
Chaos for rather more on today's rally in the heart of the heart of the Haitian capitol, CNN's Lucia Newman is live on the video phone from Port-au-Prince.
LUCIA NEWMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Martin. Indeed, it's another dark, sad day for Haiti. There was gunfire erupted at a huge demonstration that was celebrating the departure of former president Jean Bertrand Aristide exactly one week ago.
There were thousands of people in front of the Presidential Palace when suddenly we heard pistols firing. Also, high-powered rifles, people scattered and ran for cover. One person died from a bullet wound right in front of us. Also, the U.S. Marines who were behind the bars of the Presidential Palace which they're guarding also fired. The first shots, we understand, fired since they arrived in this country, Martin. It had started off as a very peaceful demonstration. Thousands and thousands of people marching down Port-au-Prince's main avenue towards the palace, celebrating the fact, they said, that they had been liberated of President Aristide. There were some tense moments when they approached areas where Aristide supporters were watching. But the most they did is hurl insults at each other.
The U.S. Marines and French troops were nearby the whole time they were going down. Once they arrived at the palace, their presence was not seen. And I want to say one more thing Martin. A very, very dear friend and a wonderful journalist from the Spanish television network, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) whom we'd been speaking to too just a few minutes before he was shot, has died.
He had been trying, in fact, to get an American photographer who had been grazed on the neck, to a hospital when he himself was shot and killed, Martin.
SAVIDGE: Lucia, that is very troubling news. The loss of anyone there in Haiti is troubling. Is there indications that violence could continue, and that revenge could now begin to move things?
NEWMAN: I think it would be better to say that there is no indication that it has stopped, or that it will stop in the very near future. It has been going on. It had been hoped that Haitians would finally lay down their weapons and have the national reconciliation that so many say they want and that they've been asking for. But there are armed groups on both sides, particularly people who supported the former president. The so called (UNINTELLIGIBLE) or armed gang that supported President Aristide.
They're working inside the slums. Nobody has disarmed them. They certainly came out today to show they're still a force to be reckoned with.
SAVIDGE: Lucia Newman, live in Port-au-Prince. Thank you.
Chaos seems to haunt former Haitian President Jean Bertrand Aristide. He and his wife were to uphold a press briefing in the Central African Republic today. He was a no-show. His wife was there, but she didn't speak. Our Jeff Koinenge picks up the odd tale from there.
JEFF KOINANGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A bizarre press conference in which the principal participant was never allow to speak. That's what happened Sunday in the Central African Republic's capital Bungui, when the government invited both local and foreign press to a press conference, promising the former Haitian First Lady Mildred Trouillot would attend.
Though cameras were set up and ready to roll when all of a sudden, several militiamen burst into the room, brandishing automatic weapons and forced us not to film. They told us to dismantle our equipment and put us out of the room. Later allowing us in but without cameras.
Several minutes passed by and Mrs. Aristide accompanied by heavily armed bodyguards and the country's Foreign Affairs Minister arrived into the room. But, she was quickly whisked over to the side, and it was the foreign affairs minister who read a prepared statement, reportedly by Jean Bertrand Aristide, in which he thanked both the government and the people of Central African Republic for their hospitality.
Mrs. Aristide meanwhile sat there in the corner looking down and would not answer questions by journalists. It was later in the day that officials from the Ministry of the Foreign Affairs called us and apologized for the day's strange events. They also went on to tell us that Monday, at 12:00 noon local time there would be a press conference in which John Bertrand Aristide himself would address.
Whether we'd we'll be allowed to film that is still a question of debate, as things here seem to change almost at the last minute. Jeff Koinange, CNN, Bangui in the Central African Republic.
SAVIDGE: A year and a half ago, a Dutch aid worker with doctors without borders was kidnapped by masked men in the Russian Republic of Dagestan. It's not known who his captors are or what they want. Doctors Without Borders has now unconfirmed information that Arjan Erkel is seriously ill. Joining me from New York is Nicholas De Torrente. He is the Executive Director of the U.S. branch of Medecins Sans Frontieres, or, Doctors Without Borders, as we know it here. Thank you, sir, for being with us this evening.
NICHOLAS DE TORRENTE, DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS: Thanks for having me.
SAVIDGE: Let me ask you this. I've not heard much about this kidnapping. In fact I haven't heard much at all recently. Why has it went so in the background?
DE TORRENTE: There's not much information coming out about the war in Chechnya. About the fate of the civilian population there, and there's not much information and coverage about the very difficult situation for humanitarian aid workers to access the population and provide them with assistance.
And that's what Arjan Erkel was doing when he was kidnapped as you say, over 18 months ago. He was running medical programs for civilians displaced by the war in Chechnya in the neighboring Republic of Dagestan. And he has been missing ever since. As you said, we've had recently received some very alarming information about his health condition.
SAVIDGE: What is it you've heard specifically?
DE TORRENTE: We've heard that he has a very serious pulmonary condition, a lung problem, and in an additional to that, we've also heard that there were threats against his life -- direct threats against his life by his captors.
What's troubling to us is that we've not heard this before in the other 18 months that this captivity has taken place. So there's a real sense of concern, of course, for -- on our part and his family's part. But also a real sense that there needs to be much more urgency given to the efforts to ensure his release now.
SAVIDGE: You believe the Russians aren't doing enough here to aid this situation. What is it they should be doing? Do you want some sort of military action launched to rescue him? Where are they falling down?
DE TORRENTE: They have clear obligations and responsibilities, as you say. They have the responsibility for the safety of aid workers on their territory. And Dagestan is clearly on their territory.
And they have responsibilities to ensure his release. What we know is that they're able to communicate -- have been able to communicate with the captors in the past. They've obtained proof of life from him, video, and photos from the captors. We know that they could do a lot more. And really they can and must do more.
SAVIDGE: What is it you would like to see them do?
DE TORRENTE: We're not dictating to the Russian authorities how they should resolve this case, but they have means. They have a very big military and security presence in this area. It's a complex place, but nothing happens there without their involvement, and without their -- the power that they have in place there. So we think they can do -- there needs to be political will, basically, and resources devoted to this.
SAVIDGE: You deal and work in such dangerous places around the world, routinely. Has this happened before? Have you had kidnappings?
DE TORRENTE: Yes, this has happened in different places before. The Northern Caucuses is a very dangerous place for aid workers. There have been over 56 international aid workers abducted. But Arjan's case stands out. He's the longest detainee in this region.
And frankly, there's really not enough that's being done to release him. And that's really the problem right now. The onus is on the Russians, but it's also on the international community to step up and demand much more from the Russians. They've been saying for months now that they know he's alive, they know he's well, and that they're doing their best.
Now it's time for the international community to hold them accountable for this. Really to press them to push them. We know the issue has been raised by U.S. officials by European Union officials. But now it's time to really ask for answers, and ask for results.
SAVIDGE: Mr. De Torrente, I have tremendous respect for Doctors Without Borders, having seen you operate firsthand in many parts of the world. Thanks for joining us. We wish well on the release of. Dr. Erkel. Thank you so much.
DE TORRENTE: Thanks very much Martin, for having me.
SAVIDGE: Moving on to other news. Democratic presidential hopeful John Kerry is in on a campaign swing through the South. He was in Mississippi today addressing a predominantly African American congregation at a church in Jackson. Mississippi is one of four Southern states holding presidential primaries Tuesday.
Kerry is well on his way to winning the Democratic presidential nomination. The big question now is who he is going to run with? CNN Senior Political Analyst Bill Schneider takes a look at the possibilities.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BILL SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: There are ten reasons for picking a running mate. Reason number one, pick someone who will help you win. The other nine reasons don't matter.
How can a running mate help you win? Three ways. Geography, demography, and message. So what are John Kerry's options? Democrats around the country seem to be thrilled at the prospect of a Kerry/Edwards ticket. Since Super Tuesday, Edwards has been sounding very vice presidential.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D) FMR. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: John Kerry has what it takes right here to be president of the United States. And I, for one intend to do everything in my power to make him the next president of the United States.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHNEIDER: What Edwards really adds is message.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN KERRY, PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: He is a valiant champion of the values for which our party stands.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHNEIDER: Mainly, populist economic values, a sharp contrast with George W. Bush. The most competitive southern state is Florida. Land of the hanging chads, which happens to have two Democratic senators available. Former astronaut Bill Nelson, and former Intelligence Committee Chairman Bob Graham.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KERRY: Bob Graham, obviously, beloved, now wrapping up at least this portion of his career.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHNEIDER: A portion of his rear? But the geography Kerry is after may not be in the South. It may be in the Midwest. In states Democrats hope to take away from Bush in 2004. Ohio, West Virginia, and Missouri. Missouri's own Dick Gephardt could help with his sharply focused economic message. Jobs, jobs, jobs.
You want demography; try New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson. The first Hispanic on a national ticket might create excitement in the nation's largest ethnic minority. Plus, Richardson, a former ambassador to the United Nations has international experience.
Any women who might add demographic appeal? Well, there's Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano and Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu, two states that went for Bush in 2000. But the woman many Democrats fantasize about is this one.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON: I don't think I would ever be offered. I don't think I would accept.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHNEIDER: That doesn't sound definitive, but would putting Senator Hillary Clinton on the ticket help Kerry win? Why not go for broke and name Former President Bill Clinton to the ticket. Constitutional experts say it's OK since you can only be elected to the presidency twice. Nothing about the vice presidency. Bill Schneider, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
SAVIDGE: What is it like inside the campaign? One of Kerry's former rivals. Be sure to watch CNN PRESENTS "True Believers." It offers a unique view of the rise and fall of Howard Dean. Tune in tonight at 8:00 Eastern Time.
Size does matter. At least when it comes to healing the heart. The smaller clogged arteries are the harder -- the smaller they are, the harder to treat. Now doctors may have found a way around the problem. We'll have that story after the break.
Plus, doctors may soon be changing the way they treat earaches in children. We'll explain why and what it means for you as a parent next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SAVIDGE: Top stories this hour, at least four people killed when gunfire erupts in a demonstration in Haiti's capitol.
A small rocket barrage hits Baghdad. No serious injuries reported.
Three people still missing after a water taxi capsized in Baltimore harbor yesterday.
Coated coils could change the way that doctors treat clogged coronary arteries. New research shows that stints coated with medicine could be the answer. Traditionally doctors squeeze a clogged artery open with a balloon, or angioplasty, and then install a stint. That is fine for fat arteries, but in skinny ones, half the time they clog again. In a new study only 10 percent of the small clogged arteries clogged again when the drug-coated stints were inserted. Doctors say the results are promising.
Doctors could soon be changing the way that they are thinking about treating one of the more common childhood ailments, ear infections. This spring, look for a contradiction to the pediatric practice of treating middle ear infections with antibiotics. Health experts believe the number of drugs used to treat such infections can and should be should be reduced.
New pediatric guidelines reducing the use of antibiotics are being proposed. Studies show that the antibiotics do very little to relieve a child's earache pain anyway. And that common painkillers like acetaminophen, or ibuprofen could be used instead.
Dr. Joseph Wright knows all about children's earaches, as do American parents. He is an Emergency Pediatrician at the Children's National Hospital, or Medical Center I should say in Washington. Thank you sir, for joining us this evening.
DR. JOSEPH WRIGHT, PEDIATRICIAN: Thanks for having me, Martin.
SAVIDGE: Well, basically, what's the guideline here? Why are we withdrawing a bit from the use of antibiotics?
WRIGHT: Well, the fact of the matter is that the vast majority of ear infections in children resolve themselves spontaneously. We know that in seven out of eight children, they will clear their ear infections within a week's period of time.
SAVIDGE: Is the concern, then that in too many antibiotics, you'll build up some sort of immunity to them, their effectiveness, that sort of thing, and could lead to greater problems down the road?
WRIGHT: Yes, Martin. The concern is that the widespread use of antibiotics in situations in which they're not indicated is causing antibiotic resistance to -- bacteria resistance to antibiotics and will render these antibiotics useless for infections in which we really need them. The concern is really one of a public health nature.
(CROSSTALK)
SAVIDGE: How does it -- I'm sorry. Then you have the parent that comes to the doctor and is concerned for their child, and the child may be in some discomfort, and they want an antibiotic. That's what they know. How does a doctor deal with that one?
WRIGHT: Sure. This is something we all deal with on a regular basis. The fact of the matter is that the treatment for ear infection and the reason parents come to the doctor and to the emergency departments is because the child is in pain, and having discomfort.
The focus with this new approach is going to be to focus on the child's discomfort which, as you mentioned earlier, can be dealt with through acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and eardrops. The watch and wait approach will include a period of observation to see if symptoms worsen. If they do worsen, then we will add antibiotics to the regimen.
SAVIDGE: Is it me, or I remember growing up not getting that many earaches. Yet I watch my own children, and they seem to be so common. Is there something going on here?
Ear infections are an occupational hazard of childhood. I don't think there's an increased incidence of ear infections in the population, but certainly there is a pressure, parents expectations for something to be done when they come to the doctor for a child with an ear infection.
And the new strategy is one that involves education on both sides of the fence, for the parents and for the doctors who are treating these ear infections to understand the broader implications of watching and waiting and a more judicious use of antibiotics.
SAVIDGE: Well, Dr. Joseph Wright, thank you very much for coming and talking to us about that problematic earache. It's one that many parents deal with. Thank you for your insight and we'll take your advice to heart. Thanks.
WRIGHT: Your quite welcome.
SAVIDGE: Still to come, it's bell bottoms, perms and bad guys. At the box office, will "Starsky & Hutch" knock "The Passion" from the number one perch?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SAVIDGE: Mel Gibson's controversial film "The Passion of the Christ," is North American box office receipts for a second phenomenal week. Attendance has dropped off little from the opening weekend, which is unusual. The film has sold an estimated $212 million worth of tickets in just two weeks.
That puts Gibson's gritty portrayal of Jesus' crucifix on track to out sell the latest "Lord of the Rings" movie. The comedy "Starsky & Hutch" opens in the number two spot. Walt Disney's horse story "Hidalgo" debuts at number three. Two previous releases "50 First Dates" and "Twisted" are fourth and fifth.
Some call it (UNINTELLIGIBLE), but Universoul Circus calls itself the best in urban family entertainment. The circus set to an African American beat is now celebrating ten years under the big top. CNN's Kyra Philips has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am the co-founder and ringmaster of this big top. My name is Casual Cal. KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: In the early '90s, former radio DJ Casual Cal Deprey (ph) and music promoter Cedric Walker wanted to offset the often-vulgar images portrayed in rap music and other forms of entertainment popular in the black community.
CEDRIC WALKER, PRESIDENT, CEO UNIVERSOUL CIRCUS: And I just thought that we should try to do something that grandmother, daughter, father, and son could all sit on the same bench, generations, and see something together.
PHILLIPS: Thus, the Universoul Circus was born. In 1994, co- founder Casual Cal became the world's first black circus ringmaster.
WALKER: Cal, I think, is a genius. I think he has the ability to touch people. He has the magic.
Phillips: They lost $500,000 the first year. The second year, it wasn't much better.
WALKER: We spent $350,000 the second time and we took in $200,000. And we were very happy to lose $150,000. I thought people thought I was crazy. I only lost, you know, the investors all were taking off one by one, you know.
PHILLIPS: Universoul now boasts as 50-city trek, two touring companies and trips to South Africa.
WALKER: People don't buy things because of the color of your skin. They buy them because the quality and the content. And the word of mouth had to go out.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If this is Atlanta, Georgia, put your hands together for the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) acrobatic troop!
PHILLIPS: It was an immediate magnet for the world's black performers.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When we got here and we see the way they was performing, it was doing the show, running, the whole thing, it was just, you know, feel that was the right place to be.
PHILLIPS: Ten years later, dreams of an even larger big top. Underneath, you would travel through the Harlem Renaissance, or skate with a black ice show. Walker says it would be a black Disney World.
WALKER: So many things that have influenced American culture, that we could pull together and represent and present in a certain ways. So we have a lot of ideas.
PHILLIPS: Kyra Phillips, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SAVIDGE: And that is it for us. Coming up at 7:00 Eastern, profiles in the news profitless domestic diva, and now convicted felon, Martha Stewart. At 8:00, CN PRESENTS "True Believers," an inside look at the Howard Dean campaign from it's remarkable rise to it's sudden fall.
At 9:00 Eastern, LARRY KING WEEKEND. Larry's guest tonight, Donald Trump. At 10:00 Eastern, an amazing story of survival. A group of Boy Scouts trapped under six feet of snow. You'll hear will hear from two who were the first to make it to safety and then helped their brother scouts.
Headlines when we come back, and then PEOPLE IN THE NEWS.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Doctor's Without Borders Worker Reported Very Ill; Universoul Circus Celebrates 10th Anniversary>
