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CNN Live Today

Three Men Charged in Connection With Surveillance of Financial Targets in U.S.; Rumsfeld in Baghdad

Aired April 12, 2005 - 10:30   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.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Hello there. Good morning. We're coming up on the half hour. I'm Daryn Kagan. Here's a look at what's happening now in the news.
We have a developing story that we're following. U.S. government sources tell CNN that three men have been charged in connection with surveillance of financial targets in the U.S. 2000, 2001, you might remember. The alleged surveillance supposedly targeting financial landmark in New York and New Jersey was revealed last summer during an investigation in Afghanistan. They are being held in British custody.

A company that compiles and sells financial data on U.S. consumers now says the personal information on some 310,000 people may have been stolen. That figure was released today by Lexis-Nexis. That is nearly 10 times their original estimate just a month ago. The company says it will notify the people whose information may have been assessed in the 59 separate security breaches.

The U.S. trade deficit has hit another record. The government reports the deficit soared to $61 billion in February, a sharp increase in oil imports and a boost in textile have pushed the deficit higher. We'll check on how this morning's report could impact Wall Street in our business update later this hour.

A Senate panel, live picture there from Capitol Hill, holding a hearing right now on the confirmation on John Negroponte to be director of national intelligence. The nomination is expected to be approved by the Senate Intelligence Committee. Democrats want assurances that pre-Iraq war intelligence failures won't recur on Negroponte's watch.

And in Germany, a standoff in a hostage situation involving children. Police are negotiating with a man said to be holding between four and seven children in the basement of a home. The children are believed to be 11 or 12 years old. The man forced the children off a public bus at knifepoint. Police say the man hasn't made any demands.

Let's get more now on this developing story about the three men now in custody, in British custody, in light of the surveillance that allegedly took place on financial targets here in the U.S.

Kelli Arena is in Washington D.C. with more on that.

Kelli, good morning.

KELLI ARENA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn.

You may remember back last August there were several men taken into custody in Britain in connection with the surveillance that was done of several financial targets here in the United States. Some in New York, one in New Jersey, and two others here in Washington D.C. At the time, government sources had told us that one of those men, Ilsa Al Hindi (ph), his formal name Daron Barote (ph), had been in the United States personally conducting that surveillance, as well as two other men.

Well, today we are told by government sources that three -- those three men will be indicted here in the United States. They are and have been in British custody. They've been charged in Britain. No talk of any extradition move at this point.

The reason it's been so hard to come by many of these details, Daryn, is because the indictments remain under seal. And so no one is free to give out that information, most notably the name of the other two individuals that will be indicted. But we do expect a formal announcement sometime later on this afternoon from the Justice Department. This described to me by one source as just a safety move.

I mean, even though the men are facing charges in Britain, just in case that case collapses or the men are let go at any time, they will then face indictments here in the United States, can be extradited and tried here. Obviously of great concern because that surveillance was taken very seriously and thought to be preparation for a terrorist attack here in the U.S. -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Kelly, the timing of all this all along has been rather strange. Last summer we all this immediate security set up around these financial targets, but some four years after their alleged surveillance took place and then all that security went away. If I'm working in those financial areas and those buildings, I'm wondering what is the status of what they think might have happened, or might still happen.

ARENA: Well, don't forget, even though the surveillance was done a few years before, there was evidence that it had been updated as recently as last spring. New York City is on a higher state of alert than the rest of the nation, as is Washington, D.C. So the places where that surveillance allegedly took place are already at a higher -- they're at a higher level of security anyway. Many of the security officials within the financial district are well aware of the threat. The financial district has always come up in interrogations with al Qaeda detainees as a desirable target for that terrorist organization. So there are security precautions well in place all through that district. And one of those targets was in New Jersey, but New Jersey, just because it's on the outskirts of New York, also at a higher level of alert as well, Daryn. So, you know, they can do what they can do.

KAGAN: Yes, as all of us.

Kelli Arena, thank you. We'll check back with you later for more information on the story, the three men in British custody. Also much more from your CNN Security Watch just ahead. Thirty-six minutes past the hour.

We move on to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld saying that Iraqi leaders and security forces are making progress, not just enough, though, for U.S. troops to come home quite yet. Rumsfeld in Baghdad for a quick visit today, and CNN's Aneesh Raman has that story.

And there's Aneesh. Hello.

ANEESH RAMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Daryn, Good morning.

The secretary's visit really had a two-fold purpose, politics and security. On the former, he met with leaders of Iraq's transitional government, Prime Minister-designate Ibrahim Al Jaafari and President Jalal Talabani. He is the first American cabinet secretary to meet with the officials, and in doing so voiced some of the strongest rhetoric from the Bush administration, pushing this government to finally finish forming. They have one more vote on the prime minister and the cabinet before the transitional government takes over authority of Iraq. He also urged them to remove corruption from all levels of government and to really include a diversity, both of mindset and of ethnicities, in the cabinet.

Now, Rumsfeld also by virtue of his position here to talk security with America's top commanders on the ground. Among the myriad of things they will discuss is also perhaps a reduction in American troops within the year. We had Poland announce today that its 1,700 troops will be out of Iraq by the start of next year. How that will affect the American plan is yet to be seen. But the critical fact to it all is that Iraq security forces really must rise, really must become successful at managing the situation for any coalition troops to withdraw, something the secretary spoke to earlier today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD RUMSFELD, SECY. OF STATE: The goal of the United States and the coalition is to work with the Iraqi security forces, to help to build them, increase their size, increase their -- improve their equipment, and increase their capability and command and control, and increasingly, transfer responsibility to the Iraqi security forces.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RAMAN: Now, Daryn, of course the other key to all of this is a state of Iraq's insurgency. They have shifted tactics really in the past few months to less frequent but much more sophisticated attacks. In the secretary's trip, again, unannounced, a surprise visit, the ninth one since the war began, all of them surprise visits, suggests the volatile situation that still remains here on the ground -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Aneesh Raman, live from Baghdad, thank you.

President Bush plans to mark the political progress made in Iraq over the last two years. At the same time, he plans on thanking U.S. troops who have served in Iraq. The president plans to do that next hour in Ft. Hood, Texas, scheduled for 11:20 a.m. Eastern. We will bring that to you live.

Let's take a look at other stories making news coast to coast. A warehouse fire in Baltimore burned for five hours before firefighters brought it under control this morning. There were no reports of serious injuries. Styrofoam was made at that warehouse.

Classes resume at Red Lake High School in Minnesota today. It's been just over three weeks since a teenager shot seven others and himself, the death inside the school. Students will only go to school half days with Fridays off until teachers believe students are ready for more.

And look at this. An engine part fell off a Northwest Airlines jet bound for Hawaii. The plane has taken off from...

And look at this. An engine part fell off a Northwest Airlines jet bound for Hawaii. The plane has taken off from Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport on Saturday. The eyewitness reported seeing the piece fall to the ground a few miles from the airport. No one was injured. An investigation is under way.

Seven rare clams were mysteriously returned to the Waikiki (ph) Aquarium in Hawaii. They had been stolen earlier in the month. The rare giant clams were left inside the aquarium in a tupperware container. The aquarium's director says they won't pursue charges against the fugitive clam 'nappers.

(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

JOHN NEGROPONTE, NATL. INTEL. DIR. NOMINEE: ... timely, accurate intelligence is a critical component of preserving our national security. Without good intelligence we will be unable to defeat the terrorists who began their assault on us long before September 11, 2001. We will fall short in our efforts to counter the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

We will lack the insight we need to deal with hostile regimes that practice artful schemes of denial and deception to conceal their dangerous intentions. And we will possess insufficient understanding of an array of global phenomenon that that could have consequences for our economy, our health and environment, our allies, and our freedom.

The United States intelligence community, staffed by talented, patriotic Americans forms what President Bush has rightly called our first line of defense. My job, if confirmed, will be to ensure that this community works as an integrated, unified, cost-effective enterprise, enabling me to provide the president, his cabinet, the armed services, and the Congress with the best possible intelligence product, both current and strategic on a regular basis.

KAGAN: We've been listening in for a bit to President Bush's selection to be the nation's first director of national intelligence, John Negroponte. If and when he is confirmed, he will be the leader of 15 spy agencies here in the U.S.. He is today before the Senate Intelligence Committee. More from Capitol Hill on that process a little later.

Still to come on CNN LIVE TODAY, the struggles and images of Iranian women. My next guest says those that you see on television are not the Iranians she knows. She has a fascinating personal story. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: President Bush has said he wants to see democracy spread across the Middle East, but as in Iraq, that comes with a price. Now in Iran, the U.S. is trying to use cash. The United States is openly trying to promote democracy in Iran, offering $3 million to groups in the country working to further that goal.

Iranian officials are quoted in "USA Today" as saying the pro- democracy funding violates a long-standing agreement between the U.S. and Iran. The U.S. denies that interpretation.

The role of women in Iran is a common question among many urging democracy. My next guest is familiar with that issue and out to help Americans better understand Iranians. Fascinating new book she's written. It's called "Even After All This Time: A Story of Love, A Revolution and Leaving Iran."

Afschineh Latifi is my guest and she is live from New York. Good morning. Thanks for being here with us.

AFSCHINEH LATIFI, AUTHOR, "EVEN AFTER ALL THIS TIME": Good morning, Daryn. Thank you for having me.

KAGAN: The story in your book -- it's your story, it's your family's story and in some ways, I think it's a lot of other people's stories, as well. Growing up in Iran, the first ten years, you had basically a dream childhood that came to an end with the revolution.

LATIFI: That's correct. We left Iran -- my sister and I left Iran in 1980, shortly after our father, who was a colonel in the army, was executed. And my country became -- it went from regular citizens to enemies of the state overnight. So we were forced to leave, along with many millions of other Iranians.

KAGAN: Now you didn't just leave. Your mother had to make a big decision about you and your sister. Tell us how old you were when you left and took a journey that many people can never even imagine doing at any age.

LATIFI: I was 11 and my sister had just turned 13, and we were sent to boarding school on our own in Austria, where we lived in a Catholic dorm for about a year with no parental supervision because my father was executed and my mother couldn't really leave the country to be with us. And from there, we were sent to the United States, where my sister and I lived with relatives for about five or six years, until my mother and my younger brothers were able to be reunited with us.

KAGAN: So I'm just going to do a fast-forward thing because our time is so short here. As you said, your mother came, your brothers came. You grew up to be a lawyer, your sister a doctor. Do you consider this a happy ending or continuation of your family's story?

LATIFI: It's definitely a happy time right now. I wouldn't call it an ending. What I really like to see as a happy ending is, just as we've had it for my family, I'd like to see happiness brought to the people of Iran. I'd like to see change in Iran. And it's -- the journey definitely continues.

KAGAN: When you look at Iran today, when you look at the United States' relationship with your home country, what do you think?

LATIFI: I encourage the support that the United States government is giving the Iranian people. I know that I, along with many, many millions of Iranians, would like to see change in Iran. We would like to see the Islamic government gone from Iran. I believe that Iran is ready and ripe for change. The Iranian people want it, they demand it.

But the change has to come from within. And I think that the actions that the U.S. government is taking, such as the $3 million that it just allocated to push for humanitarian interests in Iran, are a great start.

KAGAN: And when you look at young women in Iran today, how drastically different would your life had been if your mother had made the choice for all of you to stay?

LATIFI: Well, I know for a fact my sister and I would not have even been able to get an education, because children of military personnel who were executed were forbidden to go to universities. So life would have been drastically different for us. And even now, for other young people in Iran, even though some universities are open to women and they can get degrees, it's very difficult for them to pursue careers.

KAGAN: Well, your family's story is a tragic but also a courageous one and it makes for fascinating reading. Thank you sharing that with us and your perspective on your home country and your current country, as well.

LATIFI: Thank you so much for having me.

KAGAN: It's great to have you on, Afschineh Latifi. The book is called "Even After All This Time."

Ten minutes to the top of the hour. Another shot to the wall, and still to come, drug prices are soaring again. We'll tell you which ones are going up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(STOCK MARKET REPORT) (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

KAGAN: Going under the knife to ease migraines. An Ohio doctor says he has discovered an unexpected benefit to plastic surgery. We'll tell you what the critics have to say.

Plus, a personal perspective on the death of a pontiff. Guess who's in town from Rome? Alessio Vinci. He'll stop by and chat with me. We're going to talk about his perspective on the pope's funeral. Also looking ahead to the conclave.

The second hour of CNN LIVE TODAY begins right now.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com


Aired April 12, 2005 - 10:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Hello there. Good morning. We're coming up on the half hour. I'm Daryn Kagan. Here's a look at what's happening now in the news.
We have a developing story that we're following. U.S. government sources tell CNN that three men have been charged in connection with surveillance of financial targets in the U.S. 2000, 2001, you might remember. The alleged surveillance supposedly targeting financial landmark in New York and New Jersey was revealed last summer during an investigation in Afghanistan. They are being held in British custody.

A company that compiles and sells financial data on U.S. consumers now says the personal information on some 310,000 people may have been stolen. That figure was released today by Lexis-Nexis. That is nearly 10 times their original estimate just a month ago. The company says it will notify the people whose information may have been assessed in the 59 separate security breaches.

The U.S. trade deficit has hit another record. The government reports the deficit soared to $61 billion in February, a sharp increase in oil imports and a boost in textile have pushed the deficit higher. We'll check on how this morning's report could impact Wall Street in our business update later this hour.

A Senate panel, live picture there from Capitol Hill, holding a hearing right now on the confirmation on John Negroponte to be director of national intelligence. The nomination is expected to be approved by the Senate Intelligence Committee. Democrats want assurances that pre-Iraq war intelligence failures won't recur on Negroponte's watch.

And in Germany, a standoff in a hostage situation involving children. Police are negotiating with a man said to be holding between four and seven children in the basement of a home. The children are believed to be 11 or 12 years old. The man forced the children off a public bus at knifepoint. Police say the man hasn't made any demands.

Let's get more now on this developing story about the three men now in custody, in British custody, in light of the surveillance that allegedly took place on financial targets here in the U.S.

Kelli Arena is in Washington D.C. with more on that.

Kelli, good morning.

KELLI ARENA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn.

You may remember back last August there were several men taken into custody in Britain in connection with the surveillance that was done of several financial targets here in the United States. Some in New York, one in New Jersey, and two others here in Washington D.C. At the time, government sources had told us that one of those men, Ilsa Al Hindi (ph), his formal name Daron Barote (ph), had been in the United States personally conducting that surveillance, as well as two other men.

Well, today we are told by government sources that three -- those three men will be indicted here in the United States. They are and have been in British custody. They've been charged in Britain. No talk of any extradition move at this point.

The reason it's been so hard to come by many of these details, Daryn, is because the indictments remain under seal. And so no one is free to give out that information, most notably the name of the other two individuals that will be indicted. But we do expect a formal announcement sometime later on this afternoon from the Justice Department. This described to me by one source as just a safety move.

I mean, even though the men are facing charges in Britain, just in case that case collapses or the men are let go at any time, they will then face indictments here in the United States, can be extradited and tried here. Obviously of great concern because that surveillance was taken very seriously and thought to be preparation for a terrorist attack here in the U.S. -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Kelly, the timing of all this all along has been rather strange. Last summer we all this immediate security set up around these financial targets, but some four years after their alleged surveillance took place and then all that security went away. If I'm working in those financial areas and those buildings, I'm wondering what is the status of what they think might have happened, or might still happen.

ARENA: Well, don't forget, even though the surveillance was done a few years before, there was evidence that it had been updated as recently as last spring. New York City is on a higher state of alert than the rest of the nation, as is Washington, D.C. So the places where that surveillance allegedly took place are already at a higher -- they're at a higher level of security anyway. Many of the security officials within the financial district are well aware of the threat. The financial district has always come up in interrogations with al Qaeda detainees as a desirable target for that terrorist organization. So there are security precautions well in place all through that district. And one of those targets was in New Jersey, but New Jersey, just because it's on the outskirts of New York, also at a higher level of alert as well, Daryn. So, you know, they can do what they can do.

KAGAN: Yes, as all of us.

Kelli Arena, thank you. We'll check back with you later for more information on the story, the three men in British custody. Also much more from your CNN Security Watch just ahead. Thirty-six minutes past the hour.

We move on to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld saying that Iraqi leaders and security forces are making progress, not just enough, though, for U.S. troops to come home quite yet. Rumsfeld in Baghdad for a quick visit today, and CNN's Aneesh Raman has that story.

And there's Aneesh. Hello.

ANEESH RAMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Daryn, Good morning.

The secretary's visit really had a two-fold purpose, politics and security. On the former, he met with leaders of Iraq's transitional government, Prime Minister-designate Ibrahim Al Jaafari and President Jalal Talabani. He is the first American cabinet secretary to meet with the officials, and in doing so voiced some of the strongest rhetoric from the Bush administration, pushing this government to finally finish forming. They have one more vote on the prime minister and the cabinet before the transitional government takes over authority of Iraq. He also urged them to remove corruption from all levels of government and to really include a diversity, both of mindset and of ethnicities, in the cabinet.

Now, Rumsfeld also by virtue of his position here to talk security with America's top commanders on the ground. Among the myriad of things they will discuss is also perhaps a reduction in American troops within the year. We had Poland announce today that its 1,700 troops will be out of Iraq by the start of next year. How that will affect the American plan is yet to be seen. But the critical fact to it all is that Iraq security forces really must rise, really must become successful at managing the situation for any coalition troops to withdraw, something the secretary spoke to earlier today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD RUMSFELD, SECY. OF STATE: The goal of the United States and the coalition is to work with the Iraqi security forces, to help to build them, increase their size, increase their -- improve their equipment, and increase their capability and command and control, and increasingly, transfer responsibility to the Iraqi security forces.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RAMAN: Now, Daryn, of course the other key to all of this is a state of Iraq's insurgency. They have shifted tactics really in the past few months to less frequent but much more sophisticated attacks. In the secretary's trip, again, unannounced, a surprise visit, the ninth one since the war began, all of them surprise visits, suggests the volatile situation that still remains here on the ground -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Aneesh Raman, live from Baghdad, thank you.

President Bush plans to mark the political progress made in Iraq over the last two years. At the same time, he plans on thanking U.S. troops who have served in Iraq. The president plans to do that next hour in Ft. Hood, Texas, scheduled for 11:20 a.m. Eastern. We will bring that to you live.

Let's take a look at other stories making news coast to coast. A warehouse fire in Baltimore burned for five hours before firefighters brought it under control this morning. There were no reports of serious injuries. Styrofoam was made at that warehouse.

Classes resume at Red Lake High School in Minnesota today. It's been just over three weeks since a teenager shot seven others and himself, the death inside the school. Students will only go to school half days with Fridays off until teachers believe students are ready for more.

And look at this. An engine part fell off a Northwest Airlines jet bound for Hawaii. The plane has taken off from...

And look at this. An engine part fell off a Northwest Airlines jet bound for Hawaii. The plane has taken off from Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport on Saturday. The eyewitness reported seeing the piece fall to the ground a few miles from the airport. No one was injured. An investigation is under way.

Seven rare clams were mysteriously returned to the Waikiki (ph) Aquarium in Hawaii. They had been stolen earlier in the month. The rare giant clams were left inside the aquarium in a tupperware container. The aquarium's director says they won't pursue charges against the fugitive clam 'nappers.

(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

JOHN NEGROPONTE, NATL. INTEL. DIR. NOMINEE: ... timely, accurate intelligence is a critical component of preserving our national security. Without good intelligence we will be unable to defeat the terrorists who began their assault on us long before September 11, 2001. We will fall short in our efforts to counter the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

We will lack the insight we need to deal with hostile regimes that practice artful schemes of denial and deception to conceal their dangerous intentions. And we will possess insufficient understanding of an array of global phenomenon that that could have consequences for our economy, our health and environment, our allies, and our freedom.

The United States intelligence community, staffed by talented, patriotic Americans forms what President Bush has rightly called our first line of defense. My job, if confirmed, will be to ensure that this community works as an integrated, unified, cost-effective enterprise, enabling me to provide the president, his cabinet, the armed services, and the Congress with the best possible intelligence product, both current and strategic on a regular basis.

KAGAN: We've been listening in for a bit to President Bush's selection to be the nation's first director of national intelligence, John Negroponte. If and when he is confirmed, he will be the leader of 15 spy agencies here in the U.S.. He is today before the Senate Intelligence Committee. More from Capitol Hill on that process a little later.

Still to come on CNN LIVE TODAY, the struggles and images of Iranian women. My next guest says those that you see on television are not the Iranians she knows. She has a fascinating personal story. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: President Bush has said he wants to see democracy spread across the Middle East, but as in Iraq, that comes with a price. Now in Iran, the U.S. is trying to use cash. The United States is openly trying to promote democracy in Iran, offering $3 million to groups in the country working to further that goal.

Iranian officials are quoted in "USA Today" as saying the pro- democracy funding violates a long-standing agreement between the U.S. and Iran. The U.S. denies that interpretation.

The role of women in Iran is a common question among many urging democracy. My next guest is familiar with that issue and out to help Americans better understand Iranians. Fascinating new book she's written. It's called "Even After All This Time: A Story of Love, A Revolution and Leaving Iran."

Afschineh Latifi is my guest and she is live from New York. Good morning. Thanks for being here with us.

AFSCHINEH LATIFI, AUTHOR, "EVEN AFTER ALL THIS TIME": Good morning, Daryn. Thank you for having me.

KAGAN: The story in your book -- it's your story, it's your family's story and in some ways, I think it's a lot of other people's stories, as well. Growing up in Iran, the first ten years, you had basically a dream childhood that came to an end with the revolution.

LATIFI: That's correct. We left Iran -- my sister and I left Iran in 1980, shortly after our father, who was a colonel in the army, was executed. And my country became -- it went from regular citizens to enemies of the state overnight. So we were forced to leave, along with many millions of other Iranians.

KAGAN: Now you didn't just leave. Your mother had to make a big decision about you and your sister. Tell us how old you were when you left and took a journey that many people can never even imagine doing at any age.

LATIFI: I was 11 and my sister had just turned 13, and we were sent to boarding school on our own in Austria, where we lived in a Catholic dorm for about a year with no parental supervision because my father was executed and my mother couldn't really leave the country to be with us. And from there, we were sent to the United States, where my sister and I lived with relatives for about five or six years, until my mother and my younger brothers were able to be reunited with us.

KAGAN: So I'm just going to do a fast-forward thing because our time is so short here. As you said, your mother came, your brothers came. You grew up to be a lawyer, your sister a doctor. Do you consider this a happy ending or continuation of your family's story?

LATIFI: It's definitely a happy time right now. I wouldn't call it an ending. What I really like to see as a happy ending is, just as we've had it for my family, I'd like to see happiness brought to the people of Iran. I'd like to see change in Iran. And it's -- the journey definitely continues.

KAGAN: When you look at Iran today, when you look at the United States' relationship with your home country, what do you think?

LATIFI: I encourage the support that the United States government is giving the Iranian people. I know that I, along with many, many millions of Iranians, would like to see change in Iran. We would like to see the Islamic government gone from Iran. I believe that Iran is ready and ripe for change. The Iranian people want it, they demand it.

But the change has to come from within. And I think that the actions that the U.S. government is taking, such as the $3 million that it just allocated to push for humanitarian interests in Iran, are a great start.

KAGAN: And when you look at young women in Iran today, how drastically different would your life had been if your mother had made the choice for all of you to stay?

LATIFI: Well, I know for a fact my sister and I would not have even been able to get an education, because children of military personnel who were executed were forbidden to go to universities. So life would have been drastically different for us. And even now, for other young people in Iran, even though some universities are open to women and they can get degrees, it's very difficult for them to pursue careers.

KAGAN: Well, your family's story is a tragic but also a courageous one and it makes for fascinating reading. Thank you sharing that with us and your perspective on your home country and your current country, as well.

LATIFI: Thank you so much for having me.

KAGAN: It's great to have you on, Afschineh Latifi. The book is called "Even After All This Time."

Ten minutes to the top of the hour. Another shot to the wall, and still to come, drug prices are soaring again. We'll tell you which ones are going up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(STOCK MARKET REPORT) (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

KAGAN: Going under the knife to ease migraines. An Ohio doctor says he has discovered an unexpected benefit to plastic surgery. We'll tell you what the critics have to say.

Plus, a personal perspective on the death of a pontiff. Guess who's in town from Rome? Alessio Vinci. He'll stop by and chat with me. We're going to talk about his perspective on the pope's funeral. Also looking ahead to the conclave.

The second hour of CNN LIVE TODAY begins right now.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com