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CNN Live Sunday

Suspected Pirate Ship Captured in Somalia; White House Steps up Defense of Wiretapping; Struggle for Help in Gulf Coast

Aired January 22, 2006 - 18:00   ET

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

CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: This is CNN LIVE SUNDAY, I'm Carol Lin. Ahead this hour, 14 miners killed in mine accidents in less than a month. Now the investigation and calls for action. What is next? What's next for the families and the governor of West Virginia?
And a shot across the bough, literally. The U.S. Navy stops pirates in their tracks. I talked to the navy captain about the harrowing run-in at sea.

And, they hiked to the top of Mt. Olympus, more than 9,000 feet up, and something went wrong. Their amazing rescue, straight ahead.

Ford employees brace now for bad news tomorrow. The carmaker is expected to announce details of its restructuring. Six assembly plants could be shut down, and thousands of employees laid off.

A Red Cross helicopter is missing somewhere along the Pakistan- Afghan border. Seven people were on board to deliver aid to earthquake survivors in Pakistan. Mountainous terrain and bad weather could slow down the search.

And gas prices are inching up again. The Lundberg Survey tracked an increase of more than three cents a gallon over the past couple of weeks. That's nearly 20 cents per gallon since December 2nd. The average cost of a gallon of self-serve regular is now $2.33.

Those are the headlines. This is our top story.

Off the coast of Africa today, the U.S. Navy chases a band of pirates.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: Fifty miles off the coast of Somalia, the USS Winston Churchill closes in on its target, a small vessel suspected of piracy.

CAPT. MARTY ALLARD: We tried verbally over the radio and our acoustic device again in five languages, many, many, many times and so as we stepped through what I thought we needed to do at the time.

LIN: Unable to establish communications with the boat, the Churchill launched a boarding team and then fired warning shots. The boat stopped and its crew came on deck. The U.S. Navy Fifth Fleet says some were detained and small arms were recovered.

ALLARD: I'm very confident in my own mind that this vessel was involved in an attack on the merchant vessel that we responded in distress to. I believe their intention, obviously, with piracy, and what we are seeing over here, is that they want to take those vessels and then hold them for ransom.

LIN: Piracy has become all too common off the coast of Somalia. In November, a cruise liner with 150 passengers was attacked. One crewman was injured by shrapnel, but the liner, "The Seaboard Spirit" outran its assailants.

That was just one of about 30 recorded attacks off Somalia in 2005. The country remains in a state of near-anarchy with no government, desperate hunger and a heavily-armed militia. The United States believes Somalia has become a haven for terrorists and a training ground for al Qaeda.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: The commander of the Navy's strike group, you heard him a little bit there, was on the Churchill when it tracked down and stopped the suspected pirate ship. So I talked with him. Captain Marty Allard, a short while ago.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

Captain Allard, what do these pirates do to get the attention of the Navy?

ALLARD: We were informed of a distress call by motor vessel, and we responded to that distress call. That was passed by the International Maritime Bureau in Kuala Lumpur to us, that there was a motor vessel in distress.

LIN: So you heard that there was a boat that was under attack by these pirates? You actually tried to question the pirates? There wasn't any response? Did you fire a warning shot?

ALLARD: Yes, ma'am, we made multiple and repeated attempts to talk to the pirates. And we called several times in five different languages to get their attention.

We believed that we had the vessel that was involved in the piracy act, warning shots I believe were appropriate, as to get their attention. And an attempt to force them to communicate with us at the time, Carol.

LIN: So Captain, what happened next?

ALLARD: Well, after the first warning shots, ma'am, they continued to go towards the Somali Coast, that's when the second round of warning shots were fired, and at that time that's when the suspect vessel and the personnel aboard surrendered, and then they started communicating with us on a radio.

LIN: Who were they, and what did they have onboard?

ALLARD: We have determined that there were 26 people onboard and were Somalian and 16 were Indian. We did not find anything particular aboard, it's just -- it was a cargo boat.

LIN: We had a report that there were some weapons that were found onboard, is that true?

ALLARD: Ma'am, I can't discuss what was really found right now with the weapons, because there's an investigation going on, and I don't want to compromise any of the evidence. I'm very confident in my own mind that this vessel was involved in an attack on the merchant vessel that we responded in distress to.

LIN: How much of a danger do you think these pirates were? What was their intention?

ALLARD: Well, I believe their intention, obviously, with piracy, and what we're seeing over here, is that they want to take those vessels and then hold them for ransom.

This piracy off the coast of Somalia has disrupted international aid that's flowing to that country. It's causing an unstable condition in the maritime environment.

One thing I'd like to say, Carol, about this -- the piracy operations, it's an international problem, and it's going to require an international solution, because obviously it's very destabilizing in the maritime environment.

LIN: So good job, Captain, to you and your crew. I'm glad you weren't in any danger and you were at least able to stop some criminals from attacking yet another boat.

ALLARD: Thank you, Carol.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: We want to show you some outrage now in Pakistan. More fallout from the recent U.S. missile strike. Pakistanis turned out by the thousands to support Osama bin Laden. They gathered near the site of the attack in a remote border village.

Demonstrators chanted anti-American slogans and burned effigies of President Bush. Now officially the U.S. is not confirming the strike, but sources say the CIA targeted bin Laden's No. 2 man, Ayman al-Zawahri. Pakistan says 13 people were killed in that strike.

Now, to a twist in another story. Pakistan disputes U.S. claims that top al Qaeda members were killed in the attack. Pakistan's prime minister calls those claims, "bizarre." He also says Pakistan was totally unaware the U.S. had been planning the strike.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHAUKAT AZIZ, PRIME MINISTER, PAKISTAN: We had no idea that this would take place. We generally are aware if there's activity in this area. And the normal standard operating procedure is, because we have the people on the ground, you can rely on electronic intelligence up to a point. But you need human intelligence and you need people to capture. That is why 13 people who were apparently civilians have died, and we are still investigating the whole area, combing the area. There is no evidence as of half an hour ago that there were any other people there.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: Meanwhile, new efforts by the White House to defend its domestic spying program. White House correspondent Elaine Quijano standing by. Elaine?

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hello to you, Carol. Well this week we're going to hear from top Bush administration officials about this issue, including the attorney general, Alberto Gonzales. It's all part of this new push to get out ahead of congressional hearings next month.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

QUIJANO (voice-over): The White House is launching an aggressive campaign to get President Bush's message on domestic surveillance out to the American people.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I can say that if somebody from al Qaeda's calling you, we'd like to know why.

QUIJANO: As Congress prepares to hold hearings on the controversial National Security Agency program, the president will visit NSA headquarters to underscore his main arguments.

He says to disrupt terrorist plots, he has constitutional authority. to order the monitoring of Americans' international communication. But on the weekend talk shows, Democrats said President Bush overstepped his authority by ordering the wiretaps without court warrants. Democratic Senator John Kerry backs Al Gore's call for a special council.

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D) MASSACHUSETTS: I agree that we ought to have a special counsel investigate. I agree that we ought to have an independent commission, because this Congress has proven itself unwilling to do what's necessary to perform its responsibilities.

QUIJANO: Yet against the backdrop of a new Osama bin Laden audiotape, Senator Kerry is stopping well short of calling for an end to the program. Even so, critics say the Bush administration should be obtaining warrants from a court created under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. But others say that's not practical when hunting terror suspects.

SEN. PAT ROBERTS (R) INTELLIGENCE CHAIRMAN: Under the FISA court you're backed up in regards to all of the paperwork that you have to do. The key is agility to respond to a possible terrorist attack. And I might add that all the people who are worried about civil liberties, you don't have any when you're dead.

QUIJANO: Some Democrats and Republicans do agree on one point, that it may be time to amend FISA. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well I think we'll take a look at whether there needs to be a change in the law.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

QUIJANO: Now, as an example of the forceful new push back from the White House late tonight, the White House released this document called "Setting the Record Straight." It basically reiterates the administration's argument and provides rebuttals to concerns voiced by Democrats this weekend. Carol?

LIN: Elaine, thank you very much.

Stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security.

In Baghdad, a car bombing wounds two police officers and three civilians. Elsewhere in Iraq, insurgents killed nine people, including four children. And officials say they found the bodies of three dozen police applicants.

And an agonizing wait. What's happened to kidnapped journalist Jill Carroll? No word from the militants holding her. A U.S. Muslim group in Baghdad is pleading for her release. Military intelligence analyst Ken Robinson tells me there could be a behind-the-scenes negotiation going on.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KEN ROBINSON, MILITARY INTELLIGENCE ANALYST: United States policy is not to negotiate with terrorists, but what they will do is they will reach out to those who may be able to influence and possibly negotiate with terrorist groups. They won't do it directly, but they will reach out for people of influence, intermediaries who they think might be able to achieve the release.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: Jill Carroll was taken hostage more than two weeks ago.

And we've got some high drama for you. Hikers stranded at 9,000 feet are plucked to safety. Their survival story, next.

And five months after the storm, and it looks just like Katrina has blown through maybe yesterday. Families fighting insurance companies for help and hope is running out.

And what it takes to become a millionaire. One tip? Well, you've got to start thinking like one. I'll talk with a millionaire maker straight ahead. You're watching CNN LIVE SUNDAY. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: In news across America, it's 33 years since Roe v. Wade. Demonstrators on both sides of the abortion issue are marking the landmark decision. Gatherings are taking place across the nation this weekend and tomorrow.

In Ohio, Gloria James, mother of basketball star LeBron James, is arrested. She faces several charges, including driving while drunk. Police say she almost hit their cruiser, and weaved in and out of traffic. She posted bond and will appear in court tomorrow.

And Terri Schiavo's former husband marries his long-time girlfriend. Terri was at the center of a bitter right to life battle that ended with her death last March. Michael Schiavo's wedding took place yesterday in Florida.

And rescue helicopters in Utah plucking injured hikers from a snow-capped mountain today. The hikers spent a frigid night near the summit of the 9,000-foot mountain. Tim Lister has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TIM LISTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Clinging to life on the face of a mountain, four trekkers, members of a local Korean climbing club, trapped just below the summit of Mt. Olympus. The temperature on the mountainside, about four degrees Fahrenheit.

A group of seven hikers set out on Saturday, but on the way down from the peak left the trail. They were not roped together. One of the women hikers slipped, knocking over two others who fell 60 feet. The whole group ended up on the shear mountainside, with darkness closing in.

When they failed to return, family members alerted authorities. Rescuers were able to locate the group and bring three uninjured hikers off the mountain overnight. But three others had suffered fractures and lifting them off by helicopter before daybreak was too risky.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The area they were in was very technical and very dangerous and unstable area.

LISTER: A mountain rescue team stayed with the injured hikers overnight. Then at daybreak, the operation began to bring them down.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They were not hysterical. They were fairly well-contained. They understood their situation. They were relaxed and they let us do their work. They weren't jumping up and down trying to take control of what we wanted to do.

LISTER: The first to be brought off the mountain, a woman with serious back injuries. One of the hikers acknowledged they had a lucky escape.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Without the rescue team's excellent job, maybe we really have really big problems, so they did a really great job.

LISTER: But when ask why the group left the trail he said...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... It was a mountain area, it's challenging. LISTER: In this case, somewhat too challenging. Tim Lister, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: Frustration boiling over how the tragedies at two West Virginia coal mines could spark changes in safety regulations.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KATHY EVERARD, MISSISSIPPI RESIDENT: I feel so alone and I've never felt so desperate in my entire life.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: On the front lines of Hurricane Katrina, how the fight against insurance companies is leaving some lives in limbo, five months after the storm.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: Every week we like to bring you the more personal stories from the frontlines. And today the frontlines move to the Gulf Coast of Mississippi, where it looks like Katrina hit yesterday. Gary Tuchman shows us a family's struggle to get help. Now watch the story and see if you understand what you pay insurance for, and whether any of us are actually secure.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A cow bell rings to end the day at the damaged Bay High School on Mississippi's Gulf Coast. And 17-year-old Rebecca McIntosh makes her way back to her neighborhood in the town of Waveland, a neighborhood that looks like it's stuck in a time warp.

Four and a half months after Hurricane Katrina destroyed property and lives, Piny Ridge Road looks almost the same as it did in August, when we first met Rebecca.

(on camera): Do you know who used to live in this house we're standing on?

REBECCA MCINTOSH, 17-YEAR-OLD: I think this is the roof to the house that was right there that a friend of mine used to live in.

TUCHMAN (voice-over): It was two days after the hurricane, the first time she saw her house.

(on camera): Is that black thing over there, was that your roof?

MCINTOSH: That was our roof.

TUCHMAN: And it blew all they way down there.

(voice-over): Today, this is the view. Not much different. (on camera): When we walk through your house, it looks exactly the same as it did the day after the hurricane.

MCINTOSH: Yes.

TUCHMAN (voice-over): Except now, next to the rubble of the home, is the small FEMA trailer she is living in with her grandmother, Kathy Everard.

EVERARD: Well, I can't go any place else. I have no place else to go. I have no money to go elsewhere.

TUCHMAN: Rebecca's grandmother initially thought she would have money to rebuild here or elsewhere. But she was in for a rude surprise.

EVERARD: I've got excellent insurance. And they say well, we can't help you because you don't have any wind damage.

TUCHMAN: Kathy Everard says the insurance company told her all this damage is from flood water. So while the government's flood insurance program has paid out money, it only covers a portion of the cost of what was a 3,000 square foot home. The grandmother refuses to have the rubble cleared, hoping to use it as evidence as she fights the insurance company over the phone.

EVERARD: Yes, and that's what hit my house, was a tornado. And I've got trees to prove it.

TUCHMAN: Throughout the Gulf region, many families from all walks of life are having similar battles with their insurance companies.

Granddaughter and grandmother do their best to cope in very tight conditions in their trailer. Rebecca, who was a National Honor Society student, says she tries to keep her mind off the troubles.

MCINTOSH: I try not to let anything affect my school because my school is pretty much all I have.

TUCHMAN (on camera): Here is -- what's this?

MCINTOSH: It's actually a Mardi Gras doll that I got when I was like seven.

TUCHMAN (voice-over): Back in August, Rebecca told us how her lifelong doll collection had been destroyed. After our story aired, viewers and businesses sent her new dolls.

MCINTOSH: And Mattel sent me these right here.

TUCHMAN: Brightening her outlook, as well as that of her grandmother. But the insurance issue is becoming harder and harder for Kathy Everard to deal with.

EVERARD: I feel so alone. And I've never felt so desperate in my entire life.

TUCHMAN (on camera): You may have noticed we didn't identify the insurance company. That's because there are many insurance companies in the same dispute.

But we did talk with this insurance company and officials there now acknowledge there was wind damage here. They say they will come talk to Kathy Everard and anticipate a payout.

Gary Tuchman, CNN, Waveland, Mississippi.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: That's just one of the examples of the examples of problems people are still having with their insurance companies. So we invited Louisiana's chief deputy commissioner of insurance Jim Donelon to talk to us about what people can do and what's going on out there. Dr. Donelon, good to have you.

JIM DONELON, CHIEF DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF INSURANCE: Pleasure to be with you.

LIN: You're in a completely different state, let's acknowledge that, from the Everard family here. But does it sound like to you she's getting jerked around?

DONELON: Well it sounds to me like she's experiencing the most common area of complaint that we are having in the 20,000 phone calls per month that we're receiving at the Department of Insurance. The wind versus storm surge dispute is the most common complaint, followed closely by those who are having a dispute with their insurer over the cost of construction and restoration in south Louisiana today, versus the national construction figures that are in the database used by insurers pre-Katrina nationwide.

LIN: Well what's insurance for if it's not insurance to rebuild your home, if a disaster strikes?

DONELON: Well, it certainly is there. And these are the people who tried to do the right thing by insuring themselves, in this lady's case, both for flood and for wind damage. And she's facing this dilemma where she obviously has had both damages done to her property, one by a tornado, the other by a tidal surge. And she should be collecting from both. And I'm sure her commissioner of insurance is anxious to help her with that dispute.

LIN: Well, CNN would like to follow up on that story as well. But in Louisiana, you've had a process of mediation, right? If there's a dispute, how is it handled?

DONELON: The insured, all the insured has to do is call AAA through an 800 number, or our department through an 800 number and request mediation -- voluntary mediation, free to the insured, mandated by the Department of Insurance, to be paid for by the insurance company. And AAA has been selected by us, as well as by the Mississippi Department of Insurance to administer the program, to pick the mediators from certified mediators, and in an informal setting, allow folks to bring their pictures, bring their appraisals, bring their estimates, tell their story to a mediator, let the insurer come there with checkbook, and tell its side of the story.

The mediator makes a decision. If both sides agree to it, then the check is written at that point. The insured has three days to change their mind, or go on to court if they're not satisfied with what the mediator recommends.

LIN: All right, so how many people have been able to rebuild then, or start the process of rebuilding as a result of the mediation? Because I understand 85 percent of the cases you've had so far have been resolved successfully, but I want you to define that.

DONELON: Actually, let me correct that. That success ratio was Florida's experience a year ago, where they had 1.2 million claims, and 35,000 of them were taken to voluntary mediation. Of those 35,000, 85 percent resulted in a successful conclusion.

We just started our program the first of the year, and we have 200 scheduled that will begin February 2nd, and we're receiving about 100 phone calls per day asking for mediation.

LIN: You know what...

DONELON: So we're optimistic.

LIN: ... and for those folks who are scattered to the wind and may not know about this, this could be valuable information for them. Mr. Donelon, thank you very much.

DONELON: Positively.

LIN: Absolutely.

DONELON: Thank you.

LIN: Let's see some rebuilding, hopefully by the summer, OK?

DONELON: Yes, indeed.

LIN: Let's try. All right, Lynn Swann running for office? Carlos Watson has a "Fresh Take" on the new GOP.

And winter without power. Mysterious explosions are to blame for the loss of electricity. Were they intentional? I'll take a closer look next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: Welcome back, and here's a quick look at what's happening right now in the news. We're going to take you to some Pakistan prime minister's claims, actually calling U.S. claims that top al Qaeda members were killed in a CIA air strike this month -- and they're calling it, quote, "bizarre." He says there is no evidence that any terrorists were in the town along the border with Afghanistan.

The trial of Saddam Hussein resumes Tuesday in Baghdad. Former members of his regime are expected to take the stand. Hussein and seven others are on trial for crimes against humanity.

And hospital officials in Israel say a brain scan performed today on Ariel Sharon shows no changes. Sharon is in critical but stable condition in a Jerusalem hospital, where he remains in a coma after suffering a stroke.

The U.S. Navy says it's captured a group of suspected pirates off the coast of Somalia. The Navy says a guided missile destroyer shadowed the suspected pirate ship overnight after getting word of an attempted act of piracy.

Time for a "Fresh Take" with Carlos Watson. And what's on his mind today? Medical treatment and the Internet, starting in Kentucky prisons, of all places and the rising black GOP. Hey there, Carlos, you've got some interesting things on the menu today. Let's start with health care.

CARLOS WATSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, a little bit different. You know, whenever you look at polls, one of the top three issues that concern Americans usually is health care. Almost a quarter of Americans have pretty significant concerns about their access. And where might there be a new break-through in the politically contentious issue? None other than Kentucky.

In the state of Kentucky, over the last couple of years they've been experimenting using the Internet to get people access to the kind of medical specialists they normally wouldn't get access to. So in other words, if you were in a rural school or now significantly, if you're in a prison, you might be able to get access to an orthopedic surgeon, maybe to a cardiac specialist or other kind of doctors.

Oncologist, for example, who may be able to look your X-rays and or may actually look in your ear via the Internet and ultimately prescribe a significant diagnosis. This could save money, give people better health care and Kentucky may be helping to lead the nation in a new, more technologically-sound approach to health care.

LIN: Well, let's hope they don't try surgery over the Internet. I don't think that's going to work too well.

WATSON: Not yet.

LIN: You're seeing some surprising things when it comes to race in politics for 2006?

WATSON: Yes, Carol, you know, people are starting to talk about the 2006 races in part because there are a lot of big primaries in a number of states. The big talk has been, will Democrats take back either the House or the Senate?

But maybe the bigger, quiet story, maybe the surprising story could be -- this could be the year of the black GOP. Meaning that when you think about African-Americans and politics, you tend to think about the Democratic Party, where Democrats typically win in presidential elections, close to nine out of 10 black votes.

But this year, as many as three significant black GOP candidates could put forth pretty big wins. No. 1, you've got Lynn Swann, the former all-American and all-pro wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers -- is running for governor of Pennsylvania. You could end up hearing a lot about him.

Not very far away in the state of Ohio, the current Secretary of State Ken Blackwell is running for governor there. And finally, in the state of Maryland, there's a significant candidate for the U.S. Senate on the Republican side, Michael Steele. So in a pretty short amount of time, wouldn't it be quite a story if indeed you had three African-Americans win underneath the Republican banner?

LIN: So is this something that worries the Democratic Party?

WATSON: You know, it's got to. If Democrats were to lose even a relatively small portion, let's say 25 percent of black votes in the state like Pennsylvania, critical presidential state, were to shift, that state would go from being a blue state to a red state, and certainly would make Democratic hopes in lots of places much tougher.

You do see a number of African-American Democrats runs for significant seats. You see Harold Ford running in Tennessee for the U.S. Senate. You see, in Maryland, Kweisi Mfume running for the Senate. And Deval Patrick running in Massachusetts. But you may finally be starting to see the first shift in some 60 or 70 years in terms of African-American loyalties in terms of political parties.

LIN: Why do you think that is, Carlos?

WATSON: You know, I think part of it, frankly, has been the focus effort not only of President Bush, but of the new Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman.

Part of it may be just people exploring different opportunities. And part of it, interestingly enough, Carol, I think, has been the success of Barack Obama. I think Barack Obama's success in Illinois opened up a lot of eyes for people on both sides of the aisle and said, "You can have crossover candidates who can succeed."

And I should add, not just Obama, but particularly some of the Latino candidates like Mel Martinez in Florida, and Ken Salazar in Colorado have also said, "Maybe there's a new day, maybe we should expand the pool of candidates we turn to."

LIN: Interesting. Carlos, thank you.

WATSON: Good to see you. LIN: Well, another day of mourning, unfortunately, in West Virginia. This time, for two coal miners found dead yesterday in Melville. Elected officials in West Virginia have expressed frustration about mine safety problems. This is expected to boil over in a congressional hearing scheduled for tomorrow in Washington. Gary Nurenberg has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GARY NURENBERG, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The hearing Monday is the first since 14 miners died in West Virginia accidents in the last three weeks.

SEN. JOE LIEBERMAN (D), CONNECTICUT: We've got to take a quick and urgent look to make sure that the laws to protect those miners are all that they should be.

NURENBERG: Senators toured the site of the fatal Sago Mine accident Friday and got safety recommendations from relatives and friends of the dead.

SEN. JAY ROCKEFELLER (D), WEST VIRGINIA: I mean, there's such a rich resource of ideas. People were just scribbling down ideas one after another.

NURENBERG: The Bush administration said over the weekend it wants specific ideas within 60 days to improve mining safety.

(on camera): On the list of possible reforms, better technology to enhance survival after an accident, better tracking equipment to communicate with miners, better oxygen supplies and rapid response plans that would get rescue workers into the mines more quickly.

Senior West Virginia Senator Robert Byrd asked for Monday's hearing, saying he doesn't believe the federal government is doing enough to protect miners. Massachusetts Democrat John Kerry blames the Bush administration for relaxing mine regulation.

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D), MASSACHUSETTS: I think it's inexcusable. And I'm confident that Congress is going to move as are the states.

NURENBERG (voice-over): But Virginia Senator George Allen warns against going too far.

SEN. GEORGE ALLEN (R), VIRGINIA: You can't have it so over regulated that no one can economically mine coal in this country, and therefore, have to import it from Colombia or somewhere else around the world.

NURENBERG: And the mining industry plans to tell senators to keep the recent fatalities in perspective.

BRUCE WATZMAN, NATIONAL MINING ASSOCIATION: Since 1990, fatality rates have come down 60 percent. Since 1970, fatality rates have come down 92 percent. And we've seen a commensurate reduction in injuries as well. NURENBERG: West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin said over the weekend he will propose state reforms and plans to visit Washington this week to urge congressional action as well.

ALLEN: But we need to learn from these disasters, so that we -- if possible, and I believe there's bound to be a way, we can make it safer, so such accidents and deaths do not occur in the future. And I think that's an industry, in the industry's interest as well as obviously from the coal miners and their families.

NURENBERG: Monday's hearing is just the beginning. Expect specific legislative proposals in the days that follow. Gary Nurenberg, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: More violence in Gaza. Two people are dead. For more details on that and some of the other stories making news around the world, let's go to an Anand Naidoo. Anand?

ANAND NAIDOO, CNN ANCHOR: Carol, here's what we know about these incidents. There were actually two incidents in Gaza. Palestinian security sources are telling us that an explosion in East Gaza City killed one person and wounded three more.

Witnesses there say that they saw Israeli warplanes firing two missiles at a car. The Israelis say that they were not involved in any strike in Gaza City, but that they did fire missiles at three armed Palestinians, killing one. And that happened near the fence that separates Israel from Gaza.

Now, moving on to eastern Europe, gas and electricity to Georgia have been cut after explosions hit pipelines and power lines in neighboring Russia. Georgia's president is questioning the timing of those blasts. He says that the region is experiencing one of its coldest winters, and the Russians for their part are saying that the explosions were a criminal act.

And moving to South America, Evo Morales has been sworn in as Bolivia's first indigenous president. The new president has left-wing views and he's been pretty critical of the United States. He's an Aymara Indian leader and also a cocoa grower and is promising to get rid of poverty in what is arguably South America's poorest country. So those are the big stories happening this hour around the world, Carol.

LIN: Interesting, Anand, thank you.

Also another story from overseas. Pakistan's children, many who survived October's devastating earthquake, face a second crisis. With temperatures plummeting, many are getting sick and may not survive the winter. Dan Rivers has that story. And afterwards, we have a way for you to help.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAN RIVERS, ITV NEWS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The children of Moori Patan have survived another night. Their bedding is damp. Their tents, freezing. Their shoes are wet through.

(on camera): Well, it's about 7:00 o'clock in the morning on our second day here. And as you can see, the children are just beginning to come out of these tents. It was freezing enough for us in all this warm clothing and in a sleeping bag overnight. I can't imagine what it was like for these children in this flimsy cotton tent with only a couple of blankets to keep them warm.

(voice-over): Their day starts with a walk to the village spring. They wash in icy water, 10-year-old Nassim (ph) helps her four- year-old sister, Tyru (ph). Nassim's had to grow up fast. Their mother died in the earthquake. They take breakfast in one of the few standing houses. Tea and biscuits is all that's on offer.

(on camera): Ask any of them, have any of them got a cough?

(voice-over): As I chat to the children, it's obvious many are suffering illnesses because of the total lack of medical supplies.

(on camera): This is little Rayman (ph) who's just two-years- old. And you can see he's got a really nasty eye infection. He can't see out of either eye. He's got a bit of a chesty cough, as well. Now, if this eye infection, and it is after five days, isn't treated, he could end up going blind.

Sadik (ph) is eight. He seems healthy, until he removes his hat. He has scabies. Like the eye infection, it's easily treated, if only he could get to a doctor.

Lacking the proper protection against the biting cold, the children are run down and succumbing to infections. A pathetic and depressing situation.

Everywhere, the sound of coughing children. They survived the earthquake, but can they really survive living like this?

Dan Rivers, ITV News, Pakistan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: If you would like to help Pakistan's sick and dying children, here is a number for you to call. The United Nations is at the forefront of international organizations rushing to provide help. The number on your screen is 1-800-770-1100. That's 800-770-1100.

Up next, warnings ignored. The doomed space flight of Christa McAuliffe. Some knew it was not a good day to launch.

And later, to be a millionaire, you have to think and invest like one. I'll ask a millionaire maker how it's done.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) LIN: Soon it will be 20 years since the Challenger disaster when seven astronauts, including the first civilian in space, teacher Christa McAuliffe, were killed. And now, there are new details. Only now, coming out, perhaps the most famous astronaut of all to die that day, Christa McAuliffe. Here's CNN's Paula Zahn.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Two months after the explosion, the crew capsule was found intact on the ocean floor.

WAYNE HALE, NASA MANAGER: It's very hard to talk about, for me. They probably were not killed in the initial explosion, but lost consciousness within 15 seconds maybe. Certainly the impact, when the cockpit hit the water, was the fatal blow. On that day in January, we were ignorant, quite frankly. And we thought it was a good day to go flying. And it wasn't.

ZAHN: Investigations conclude that some engineers knew it wasn't a good day to fly and tried to warn NASA managers. The freezing temperatures caused an O-ring attached to the shuttle's right solid rocket booster to fail. This allowed the rocket's own flame to leak through the damaged ring and ignite the shuttle's main fuel tank. Both human and material failures created the catastrophe.

PAM DAWBER, ACTRESS: In a way, this was a big publicity stunt to get the public's attention again, and focus it back on the space program. Everyone felt a little bit of guilt that we had participated in this thing that went so wrong.

LISA BRISTOL, CHRISTA'S SISTER: People that had this, you know, outpouring of sympathy to us and our family, for losing her, because I think they had -- they felt, knowing Christa, seeing Christa, I think they could kind of grieve along with us, knowing what a great loss it was. Yes, it was.

BETSY CORRIGAN, CHRISTA'S SISTER: It's a very different sense of mourning. Because you're just out there. And people that you've never seen before that your sister touched so deeply, like crying, explaining how, you know, how saddened they are. And I mean, yes, it's very touching and it's very moving, but it's very difficult at the same time.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: A program note, coming up later tonight, an all new "CNN PRESENTS Christa McAuliffe: Reach for the Stars." It starts at 8:00 Eastern.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: Among the most popular stories this hour on CNN.com: An Italian court asks, did Jesus exist? You can get the full story of one Roman Catholic cleric who has been accused by an atheist of unlawfully asserting that Jesus Christ lived.

Plus the best cars for cops. You think you demand a lot from your car? Try needing big trunks and back seats with enough room for computers and radios up front. Not to mention a prisoner. To find out who made the cut click on to CNN.com.

Well, where you're mired in debt or making it just fine, you can be a millionaire. No, this is not a get-rich-quick segment. It's about thinking and acting like millionaires and exploiting all the advantages they have when it comes to building wealth. Loral Langemeier is the author of "The Millionaire Maker" and she has helped more than 200 people become millionaires. So let's see what she can do for you. Loral, I read your book. It was really interesting.

LORAL LANGEMEIER, AUTHOR: Thank you, Carol.

LIN: You say, OK, typical way of building wealth, everybody tells people, you know, maximize your 401k, buy a house and build equity. You're saying that that could be a big mistake. Why?

LANGEMEIER: I totally agree. And the other thing that they focus on, Carol, is debt. I mean, focusing on debt keeps you in a pattern of debt. What we do in "The Millionaire Maker" plan is we focus on your skill set to create more money.

And we work with you on how to invest for better returns. And that's what millionaires do, we create more. And I'm not saying debt's not important. But, you know, the debt, maximizing your 401k, that's not created millionaires, at best, maybe in 20, 30 years. Our plans in "The Millionaire Maker" book are doing it in three-to-five years.

LIN: All right, take for example, the family of four that you had.

LANGEMEIER: OK.

LIN: You've got a wife, who lost her job. You have a husband who's making $50,000 and may lose that some day as well. And two teenage sons and no college fund. All right, you actually -- you tell the wife, don't get another job.

LANGEMEIER: I know.

LIN: I think she nearly cried. Why?

LANGEMEIER: She did cry. She cried and cried.

LIN: So what was the plan there?

LANGEMEIER: So what was the plan with them is they're, you know, what I call a typical blue-collar family. And they're the first family that we talk about in the book.

And what they're doing wrong is accumulating debt throughout the year and then focusing all year long on paying off the debt. And then it's just 25 years that cycle has just continued for them. So there has to be something that breaks that cycle.

And what millionaires do is we create more money. So what we did first is we looked at the equity in their house. And they had $300,000. We took $60,000, and this is how millionaires invest. We took them, we introduced them to a team partner in the Midwest where we can buy $40,000 houses that are rentable.

And that $60,000 now produces, and they'll show it to you, that they get $2,000 a month in cash flow. So we take part of the $2,000 to pay down some debt, and we take the other part that replaced their income, and what we're doing with Mary right now is we're having her focus on generating a family business. And they're, you know, Carol, their millionaire plan was in their garage the whole time.

LIN: They're building dune buggies.

LANGEMEIER: They build dune buggies. It's called the SandSlinger company. It's this incredible car company. They have a prototype now. They have a Web site up. And so, what she's doing with her time is generating more money for the family. They only have to sell four cars and they're going to produce an extra $100,000 this year.

LIN: Do you think people can do this? I'm sorry, go ahead.

LANGEMEIER: I know people can. No, absolutely. I mean, we do this for people all the time. I think the biggest thing, Carol, is most people think that this is for other people. You know, that this really can't happen to me. And I'm a farm girl from Nebraska. If it can happen to me, it can happen to anybody.

LIN: Well, listen, you talk about building a business, all right. Getting that cash machine going, so you need to get that income going. So you talked to them about income from rental properties. You tell people, consider promissory notes where you can get double-digit rate of return if you loan somebody the money, if they're starting a business.

LANGEMEIER: Very strategic.

LIN: And to take advantage of all those tax codes. But let's say something goes wrong. For this family, I was fascinated that you could take $60,000 and buy rental property where the cash flow would be $2,000.

How do you find that partner if you don't have Loral in your life? How do you find somebody who can help you find those properties and put these deals together?

LANGEMEIER: Great question. And this is where somebody's already done something that you already want to do. And I think the challenge that I see in teaching this across, not just America, Canada, we're all over -- we're in other countries -- is that so many people are lone rangers.

And so how we -- how I would encourage somebody to do that is, No. 1, you start picking up the phone and you find people who work with investors. There are brokers and agents and folks that work with investors all over the country. It's how I find a lot of my team members.

The person that I'm working with in Arkansas, Louisiana, we find them through networking and starting to talk out loud, "This is what I want to do. I want to come to the markets." And you strategically start making those relationships where you can find those cash flow houses.

And in the book we do talk, and I share with very specific steps on how to create the relationships that take care of people. I think a lot of people get burned and they shy away from this kind of thing. And there are ways where you can legally contract through, you know, entity structuring and through the team, that's really going to help you put it together. There's a lot of teams in the country. You've got to find the right people who know how to do it. That really mitigates your risk.

LIN: Right, find the right people, take advantage of the tax code and take some risk, right? Because we don't want to hang on that stock portfolio ever. And Loral, I'm afraid we're going to have it to leave it there, but you truly were one of the guests I was really looking forward to because your book is very outside the box from the way most people think.

LANGEMEIER: It is. Well, thank you. I appreciate being on today.

LIN: Thanks, Loral.

Now coming up next, in the next of CNN LIVE SUNDAY, did you ever think your Christmas tree could help fight the bird flu? Well, it does. Find out how.

And at 8:00, "CNN PRESENTS Christa McAuliffe: Reach for the Stars." Her family reveals a side of her we never knew and shows us the private pain beneath the public tragedy.

At 9:00 Eastern "LARRY KING LIVE," and Larry's guest tonight, Sharon Rocha. She lived every mother's nightmare. Laci Peterson's mom shares her story of loss and her fight for justice.

And I'll be back at 10:00 Eastern with a lawsuit to chew on. We're going to take a closer look at one woman's fight against big corporations in the quest for healthier children -- her battle against junk food. The next hour of CNN LIVE SUNDAY after a quick break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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