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CNN Live Today

Global Threats; Katrina Hearings; Iran Nuclear Threat

Aired February 02, 2006 - 10:59   ET

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

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's take a look at what's happening right "Now in the News."
Houston mother Andrea Yates is now in a state mental hospital awaiting her second trial for killing her five children. Although she does admit to drowning her children, her conviction was overturned last year. Yates' defense attorney, who posted the $200,000 bond, told me in the last hour the hospital is the best place for her because of her severe mentally ill state.

We're expecting a news conference by police in New Bedford, Massachusetts. That's supposed to start in about 30 minutes. They're looking for this young man, 18-year-old Jacob Robeta (ph). He's accused of wounding three people in an assault in a shooting incident last night at a bar popular with gay men in the city. And we'll have more on that story just ahead.

The dispute over Iran's nuclear program is at a critical stage today. The U.N.'s nuclear watchdog agency is considering whether to report Iran to the U.N. Security Council, which could lead to sanctions. The meeting has adjourned for the day and will resume tomorrow. The outcome could set the stage for an international showdown.

A live report from Vienna is just ahead.

President Bush has a message for American businesses today: staying competitive tomorrow requires hiring more math and science teachers today. In other words, future workers will be needed, and they'll have to be better educated. The president will make his pitch in about 90 minutes. He'll do that in Minnesota.

In Baghdad, the trial of Saddam Hussein and his co-defendants played to an almost empty court today. Hussein, his co-defendants and their defense team plan to stay away from the trial until the chief judge is removed from the court. They claim that the new chief judge is biased. The trial is scheduled to resume on February 13.

The U.S. military reports that five U.S. troops have been killed in three separate combat incidents in Iraq. Three soldiers were killed when their vehicle was struck by a roadside bomb south of the capital. A fourth soldier died when his unit came under attack in southwestern Baghdad. A Marine was also killed by small arms fire near Falluja.

Good morning, and welcome to CNN LIVE TODAY. Let's check some of the time around the world. Just after 11:00 a.m. in New Bedford, Massachusetts; just after 10:00 a.m. in Houston, Texas.

From CNN Center in Atlanta, I'm Daryn Kagan.

Up first this hour, the international showdown over Iran's nuclear program and fears that the country is trying to build bombs. Iran is just one of the global hotspots that senators are discussing at a hearing on Capitol Hill this morning. It comes as the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency began an emergency session today on Iran's nuclear activities.

In Washington, as we look at live pictures, the National Intelligence -- well, I guess they're not live. National Intelligence director John Negroponte is giving his first assessment of the top global threats to national security.

And our national security correspondent, David Ensor, joins us live now on what Mr. Negroponte had to say.

Some scary stuff, David. Good morning.

DAVID ENSOR, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's right, Daryn. It's always a bit of a grim day in February when the nation's top intelligence officer reports on the threats to the United States.

There are many of them, he says, but it looks as if the news, the top news out of this hearing may come from the Democrats on the committee who are very angry that they have not gotten the briefings they want on the NSA domestic surveillance program that broke into the news in mid-December with a newspaper report. The program under which Americans are being surveilled while -- while the NSA, the National Security Agency, tries to monitor al Qaeda conversations with personnel -- with people in this country.

That has the Democrats angry. And we got a taste of that from the ranking Democrat, Senator Rockefeller of West Virginia.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JAY ROCKEFELLER (D), WEST VIRGINIA: How can this committee reconcile this ongoing intimate understanding and evaluation of the NSA's overseas activities with the wall that the White House has constructed around the NSA's warrantless collection of phone calls and e-mails inside of the United States? What is unique about this one particular program among all the other sensitive NSA programs that justifies keeping Congress in the dark?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ENSOR: So sitting next to Mr. Negroponte is General Michael Hayden, the former NSA director. And he could find himself on the hot seat as the questions start later in the morning.

But as far as the threats to the United States, Director Negroponte said the preeminent threat to the United States remains terrorism. And the group they most worry about, of course, is al Qaeda. He referred to the recent statement by the number two man of that group, Ayman al-Zawahiri.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN NEGROPONTE, NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE DIRECTOR: This week's statement by Zawahiri is another indication that the group's leadership is not completely cut off and can continue to get its message out to followers. The quick turnaround time and the frequency of Zawahiri's statements in the past year underscore the high priority al Qaeda places on propaganda from its most senior leaders.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ENSOR: Now, this testimony will cover a lot of ground. In remarks prepared for delivery that he will presumably make shortly, Mr. Negroponte will talk about the threat of Iranian nuclear weapons being developed. He will say that there is -- that the intelligence community believes Iran does not yet have a nuclear weapon, nor the fissile material to make one, but they appear to be moving as fast as they can in that direction and it's a concern to the U.S. intelligence community -- Daryn.

KAGAN: David, how much is really learned at these public hearings? I would think with information of this nature the really good stuff is classified and kept behind closed doors.

ENSOR: There is -- there are classified hearings, closed-door hearings that follow these open ones. And I suspect that you're right, that is where the really interesting details come out.

That said, you get a clear indication of what the thinking process is of the nation's top intelligence officers. And after all, they're all new people now. Negroponte is a new guy. It's the first time he's done this. So it's interesting to see the body language and how he articulates what the threats are -- Daryn.

KAGAN: All right. David Ensor, live from Washington, D.C.

Thank you.

Here's one threatening scenario for you. Terrorists set off a crude nuclear device, a dirty bomb. Well, what happens then?

"The New York Times" reports that the Pentagon will reveal the existence of its nuclear go team today. The paper says experts would rush in with robots to gather debris after a nuclear explosion. Kind of like a "CSI" at a murder scene.

The team would then try to figure out the whodunit. That presumably would allow the Pentagon to launch a quick military strike in retaliation.

We're going to talk more about Iran this hour when Christiane Amanpour looks at life under the Ayatollah's rule. And I'll have a chance to discuss the nuclear threat with international security expert Jim Walsh at MIT in about 20 minutes. He's working on a new book about Iran.

Our CNN "Security Watch" keeps you up to date on safety. Stay tuned day and night for the most reliable news about your security.

Two governors whose states were ravaged by Hurricane Katrina are testifying on Capitol Hill this morning. A Senate panel is examine how the governors and their states responded to the disaster.

There is Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco. They're also hearing from Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour.

Right now, let's listen in to Governor Blanco.

GOV. KATHLEEN BLANCO (D), LOUISIANA: ... got evacuated before the public hospital.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What person or agency do you hold accountable for responding to nursing home needs in the event of a disaster?

BLANCO: We will now have the Department of Health and hospitals responsible for that, and that will be Secretary Fred Cerise.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you.

Governor Barbour, your testimony raises concerns over the labor shortage in Mississippi that is hindering your state's reconstruction. I share your concern over labor issues; however, in order to attract workers, their rights must be protected.

I understand that Latino and immigrant workers are playing a critical role in rebuilding Mississippi communities, yet numerous reports indicate that they are being exploited by contractors. The Mississippi Immigrant Rights Alliance, one of the key organizations assisting foreign workers on the ground, has filed approximately 200 complaints of non-payment with the U.S. Department of Labor. Complaints have also included injuries resulting from unsafe working conditions.

What is being done to enhance enforcement of state labor laws, and to penalize unscrupulous contractors who refuse to pay or refuse to protect their workers?

GOV. HALEY BARBOUR (R), MISSISSIPPI: Senator, as you noted, those complaints were filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. They haven't been filed with the state, to my knowledge. Now, the attorney general is not my appointee. He is independently elected government official, like I am, and perhaps his office has received those complaints.

He is the person who would receive complaints about consumer fraud, or business practices, that sort of stuff. But perhaps this organization has chosen to file those exclusively with the United States Department of Labor, which would be -- of course, that's up to them. KAGAN: We've been listening in as the governors of -- there's Haley Barbour, and also Governor Kathleen Blanco of Louisiana have been speaking and testifying on Capitol Hill, talking about the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. If you'd like to keep listening, then just go to the Internet. CNN.com/pipeline will continue to carry live coverage of that.

As we mentioned at the top of the hour, police in New Bedford, Massachusetts, are looking for 18-year-old Jacob Robeta (ph) in connection with a violent attack that left thee people wounded at a gay bar. We're expecting police to hold a news conference in about 20 minutes.

In the last hour, I had a chance to speak with the bartender at the Puzzles lounge about what happened. The bartender asked to be identified only as "Phillip."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIP, PUZZLES LOUNGE BARTENDER: What he did is he took the hatchet and he started swinging the hatchet on top of -- on top of this customer's head. And I thought he was -- I thought it was a bar brawl and I thought it was a beer bottle.

At that time, I picked up the phone, I dialed 911 and dropped the phone to the floor so that way he didn't look at me and see me talking to police and I'm a target at that point. I moved towards the end of the bar, and another customer had come up with pool stick to try to intervene when he was smacking him in the head. And he took the pool stick from that customer and attacked him twice with it and went to swing a third time and actually struck me on my left leg.

At that time, another customer had come up and tried to stop him as well. At this time, I had seen the hatchet. He brought it up. He attacked him once in the face, and then when he turned his back to try to get away from him he struck him again in the back, and then that customer went down to the ground as well.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: More on that story when that news conference begins in about 20 minutes.

Right now, we go back to Capitol Hill. National Intelligence Director John Negroponte speaking on the worldwide threats to the U.S., right now talking about Tehran.

NEGROPONTE: ... to the Middle East, and Tehran views its ballistic missiles as an integral part of its strategy to deter and if necessary retaliate against forces in the region, including the United States forces.

As you are aware, Iran is located at the center of a vital and volatile region. It has strained relations with its neighbors and is hostile to the United States, to our friends and to our values. President Ahmadinejad has made numerous unacceptable statements since his election. Hard-liners have control of all the major branches and institutions of government. And the government has become more effective and efficient at repressing the nascent shoots of political -- of personal freedom that had emerged in the late 1990s and earlier in the decade.

Indeed, the regime today is more confident and assertive than it has been since the early days of the Islamic republic. Several factors work in favor of the clerical regime's continued hold on power.

Record oil and other revenue is permitting generous public spending, fueling strong economic growth and swelling financial reserves. At the same time, Iran is diversifying its foreign trading partners.

Asia's share of Iran's trade has jumped to nearly match Europe's 40 percent share. Tehran sees diversification as a buffer against external efforts to isolate it.

Although regime-threatening instability is unlikely, ingredients for political volatility remain. And Iran is wary of the political progress occurring in neighboring Iraq and Afghanistan.

Ahmadinejad's rhetorical recklessness and his inexperience on the national and international stage also increase the risk of a misstep that could spur popular opposition, especially if more experienced conservatives cannot rein in his excesses. Over time, Ahmadinejad's populist economic policies could, if enacted, deplete the government's financial resources and weaken a structurally flawed economy. For now, however, supreme leader Khamenei is keeping conservative fissures in check by balancing the various factions in government.

Iranian policy towards Iraq and its activities there represent a particular concern. Iran seeks a Shia-dominated and unified Iraq, but also wants the United States to experience continued setbacks in our efforts to promote democracy and stability.

Accordingly, Iran provides guidance and training to select Iraqi Shia political groups and weapons and training to Shia militant groups to enable anti-coalition attacks. Tehran has been responsible for at least some of the increasing lethality of anti-coalition attacks by providing Shia militants with the capability to build improvised explosive devices with explosively formed projectiles similar to those developed by Iran and the Lebanese Hezbollah.

Tehran's intentions to inflict pain on the United States in Iraq has been constrained by its caution to avoid giving Washington an excuse to attack it, also the clerical leadership's general satisfaction with trends in Iraq, and Iran's desire to avoid chaos on its border.

Iranian conventional military power constitutes the greatest potential threat to Persian Gulf states and a challenge to United States' interests. Iran is enhancing its ability to project its military power in order to threaten to disrupt the operations and reinforcement of United States forces based in the region, potentially intimidating regional allies into withholding support for United States policy towards Iran and raising the costs of our regional presence for United States, for us and for our allies.

Tehran also continues to support a number of terrorist groups, viewing this capability as a critical regime safeguard by deterring United States and Israeli attacks, by distracting and weakening Israel, and enhancing Iran's regional influence through intimidation.

Lebanese Hezbollah is Iran's main terrorist ally which, although focused on its agenda in Lebanon and supporting anti-Israeli- Palestinian terrorists, has a worldwide support network and is capable of attacks against United States interests if it feels its Iranian patron is threatened. Tehran also supports Palestinian Islamic Jihad and other groups in the Persian Gulf, Central Asia -- Central and South Asia and elsewhere.

Now, turning to North Korea, North Korea claims to have nuclear weapons. A claim that we assess...

KAGAN: We've been listening to National Intelligence Director John Negroponte as he testifies before the Senate Intelligence Committee about the worldwide threat to the United States. Right there he was talking about Iran -- Iran the topic as well.

And If you'd like to continue with Mr. Negroponte, just go to CNN.com/pipeline. And that live coverage will continue of his testimony.

But let me jut say that Iran is also the topic today at the IAEA meetings in Vienna. And our Matthew Chance joins us live from there with the latest on that -- Matthew.

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Daryn, thanks very much.

And diplomats here at the IAEA, the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog, have been engaged in intense discussion about what action to take over Iran and its controversial nuclear program. On the table is a draft resolution that would report Iran to the Security Council at the United Nations, where, of course, it could face punitive actions, punishment such as sanctions eventually, although at least not until March, according to the terms of that draft resolution.

It's a text, though, that was finely worded, set out by the five permanent members themselves. The text that indicates that the real problem with Iran, as far as the international community is concerned, is that it lacks confidence in Iran's intentions. Iran, of course, says that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only and it does not have a secret nuclear weapons program.

The resolution also calls on Iran to provide full and prompt cooperation with the IAEA to help clarify what it calls possible activities that could have a military or nuclear dimension. That's important, because there are these dubious aspects of the Iranian nuclear program that have never been fully explained by Iran to the international community. And that's what this body is trying to change to try and get those blanks filled in.

Iran, for its part, says if there is any kind of involvement of the United Nations Security Council, that would, as far as it is concerned, mark an end to diplomacy. It says it will halt its currently voluntary snap inspections by IAEA inspectors of nuclear facilities on the ground and resume full uranium enrichment activities. Precisely the kind of activities the international community is trying to stop -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Thank you very much. Live from Vienna, Matthew Chance.

And we'll take a break. We're back after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: OK. What's your pleasure here? Punxsutawney Phil or General Beauregard Lee? Both have provided their weather predictions this Groundhog Day.

Now, if you're a Phil fan, you're going to want to bundle up. He says winter will linger for at least six more weeks. If you like Lee, then spring should be right around the corner.

Both rodents are much more optimistic than the calendar, which dictates that spring begins on March 20, and not a day sooner.

It seems like kind of a wacky idea to rely on a groundhog to foretell the end of winter. It might seem like a silly superstition, but it actually grew out of a time when people observed nature for clues about the weather.

Here now are the facts about how it got from the old world to the new.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DANIEL SEIBERG, CNN TECHNOLOGY CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The origins of Groundhog Day date back to medieval times. Europeans had various weather forecasting animals. Their prognostications always came 40 days after Christmas, February 2.

Germans settlers brought the tradition to Pennsylvania in the 1700s, and that's the home of America's most famous groundhog. Punxsutawney Phil has been performing the ritual since the 1880s.

If the sun is out and he sees his shadow, tradition says there will be six more weeks of winter. If there's no shadow, then spring just might come early. Phil hasn't made it out every year, but he has starred in a movie.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Don't drive angry. Don't drive angry.

SEIBERG: Despite Phil's celebrity status, his performance has been less than perfect. His keepers admit Phil's been right only about 39 percent of the time.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: And let's check in on weather with a real, live human being.

Jacqui Jeras, I will take you over a rodent any day of the week.

JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: I knew I liked you, Daryn.

KAGAN: Yes. Showing you the love.

(WEATHER REPORT)

KAGAN: Authorities in New Bedford, Massachusetts, lead off what's happening "Now in the News." They plan to hold a news conference any minute now to discuss the search for 18-year-old Jacob Robeta (ph). Authorities say he is suspected of attacking two people in a gay bar.

Witnesses say he struck the victims first with a hatchet and then shot them in the head. Their conditions are not being released.

West Virginia coal mines are being inspected for safety today, and miners are getting safety lectures. They're complying with a request from the governor following the deaths of two more miners yesterday. In all, 16 miners have died in coal mine accidents across West Virginia in the past 30 days.

And nature delivers another blow to New Orleans. A suspected tornado barreled through parts of the city overnight, damaging the Louis Armstrong International Airport and other buildings in the area. Police also report damage inside the city, including collapsed houses, overturned tractor trailers and downed power lines.

Concerns about Iran's nuclear activities. President Bush talked about it in his State of the Union Address. It's dominating discussion in the international community.

Ahead, we go beyond the politics and the threats and look at the daily lives of average Iranians.

Stay with us.

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