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Your World Today

One Year Since Assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister; Saddam Hussein Trial; Iran Resumes Work on Uranium Enrichment; Great Britain Votes on Smoking Bands

Aired February 14, 2006 - 12:00   ET

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

JIM CLANCY, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Martyr's Square masses. A sea of people waving flags in Beirut on the anniversary of Rafik Hariri's assassination.
HALA GORANI, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Pointed fingers. More outbursts from Saddam Hussein at his trial. He now says he's on a hunger strike.

CLANCY: And crisis in Kenya. A lasting drought means there is not enough water for livestock and wildlife, and that huge implications for humans.

It is 7:00 p.m. in Beirut, 8:00 p.m. in Baghdad.

I'm Jim Clancy.

GORANI: I'm Hala Gorani.

Welcome to our viewers throughout the world.

This is CNN International and this is YOUR WORLD TODAY.

CLANCY: We begin our report in Lebanon, where hundreds upon hundreds of thousands of people crammed Martyr's Square in Beirut remembering their fallen prime minister. They waved flags and shouted anti-Syrian slogans. The assassination of the former Lebanese prime minister, Rafik Hariri, exactly one year ago today, set off a political earthquake in Lebanon.

Beirut Bureau Chief Brent Sadler is there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRENT SADLER, CNN BEIRUT BUREAU CHIEF (voice over): A clarion call to challenge Syria through its Lebanese allies to unseat a demonized pro-Syrian president here, bring to trial pro-Syrian Lebanese security chiefs implicated in the still unsolved murder of Rafik Hariri a year ago. In death, as in life, Hariri, a five-time prime minister, towers over Lebanese politics.

The first commemoration of his assassination draws hundreds of thousands to Martyr's Square, the place where Hariri is buried. His son and political heir, Saad Hariri, running the gauntlet of continuing threats he says to his own life. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In all the world, this is Lebanon: the Christians, the Muslims, the Druze. Everybody is here. Everybody. They want free Lebanon. Only free Lebanon.

SADLER: Not everybody, though, was here. Shiite Muslims close to Syria and Iran stayed largely away. But this sea of waving Lebanese flags echo a pivotal moment a month after the Hariri bomb blast, the peak of the so-called Cedar Revolution, when a million people openly defied Syria to promote freedom.

(on camera): It's the kind of people power that helped break the back of Syrian control over Lebanon last year, an opportunity to regain lost ground, to boost confidence, say organizers, in Lebanese democracy.

(voice over): Reenergizing a flailing drive for political stability and reliable security here.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: To make an example that Christians and Muslims, we are all together. Even they are trying to make everything -- you know, make trouble between us.

SADLER: Shielded by bulletproof glass, Saad Hariri applauds the crowd for foiling what he insists is a conspiracy to weaken and divide Lebanon. One of many defiant speeches re-energizing the year-long anti-Syrian campaign on a day many Lebanese many never forget.

Brent Sadler, CNN, Beirut.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GORANI: Now the aftermath of those controversial Prophet Mohammed cartoons. At least two people were killed in Lahore, Pakistan, during riots fueled by those caricatures. More than a dozen buildings were burned, including the provincial assembly, a Norwegian phone company office, a U.S.-based restaurant franchise.

There were also violent protests in Islamabad. Students invaded the diplomatic district and tore down portraits of Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf. They were chased out by police firing tear gas.

CLANCY: Well, let's turn now to Baghdad, where it was another day of outbursts, loud interruptions and arguments in the trial of Saddam Hussein and seven co-defendants. The deposed dictator and his half-brother mocked the court and the presiding judge for a second day running.

In the midst of his tirade, Hussein announced that he was on a hunger strike to protest his treatment. Hussein clashed with the judge, who then later adjourned the proceedings until the 28th of February.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SADDAM HUSSEIN, FMR. IRAQI DICTATOR (through translator): You were appointed by Bremer. Your government was appointed by Bremer. You can't try the president...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Listen, you're a defendant. You have to stand up if you want to speak. I won't listen to you if you're sitting down. You have to stand up.

Take that hammer and knock it on your own head.

HUSSEIN (through translator): I said I don't want to discuss anything with...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Later. Later.

HUSSEIN (through translator): Don't tell me to shut up. I'm not your servant. Probably I'm better than you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GORANI: All right. With all of these outbursts and tantrums, some of them been calling them the delays and tirades by Saddam Hussein and his co-defendants, this trial is quickly turning into a legal nightmare. How do you take back control of the proceedings?

CNN legal analyst David Scheffer joins us now. He's a visiting professor at Northwestern University Law School as well.

David, what do you do?

DAVID SCHEFFER, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Well, actually, today's trial, although we saw some very dynamic and rather vociferous dialogue in the opening stages of the trial, actually was a fairly good day in the courtroom, believe it or not, because we did get some very good witness testimony. But also, the judge ultimately allowed that second co-defendant that you saw there, Ibrahim al-Tikriti (ph), 30 minutes air time in the courtroom to explain why he was not to be charged with the various offenses that the prosecution has brought against him for this Dujail massacre.

So, he was given a 30-minute period where the judge tolerated a rather complete explanation by him of why he should not be charged with these particular offenses.

So, at the conclusion of today's session, I would say that you actually saw a fair amount of evidence presented. And the defendants, at least one of them, had a chance to defend themselves.

I think the wildcard here remains Saddam Hussein, because every time he comes in, he comes in shouting. And that is extremely disruption.

He said one thing today which I thought was very disturbing, and the judge will have to deal with this. And that is, he tried to stoke up the insurgency by praising the Mujahedin and the insurgency for what they're doing in Iraq, which, of course, is a very severe national security problem. And you would think that the judge might use that as a premise to say, well, Mr. Saddam Hussein, you may need to sit out and have this trial fed to you by video if you come in here and stoke up the insurgency.

GORANI: Here's the thing, though, David. Even if from a legal standpoint things got done basically, and the trial advanced...

SCHEFFER: Yes?

GORANI: The perception is that it's a circus. What needs to be done concretely to try to reign the defendant in?

SCHEFFER: Well, one -- one possibility, of course, is not to have them in the courtroom but to ensure the international audience that they are seeing the witness testimony, that they are hearing the evidence by having them in their jail cells with the video feed, but also with cameras on them to show that they are seeing the trial progress. That would be one way I think to control the proceedings, otherwise you sort of have to build a glass booth in the courtroom, which is not unprecedented, to ensure that their outbursts, in fact, are not heard.

A third possibility would be for the judge or someone else in the courtroom to be able to cut off the audio of these defendants while they're shouting so that in fact the international audience cannot hear them.

GORANI: I guess one of the things that critics say is, look, if you have them in the courtroom, Saddam Hussein, his half-brother, the other co-defendants, shouting, turning their backs to the judges, sulking, that that takes away from the legitimacy and the credibility of this court, which is essential since this is the first trial.

SCHEFFER: Right. But you can't control the defendants' personal behavior in the courtroom by punishing them by either removing them from the courtroom or otherwise insulating them within the courtroom.

I think another way to solve this, or at least address this issue -- and it's a grievance of the defendants -- is to use this time before the trial resumes on February 28 to try to bring their -- their own chosen defense counsel back into the courtroom. They weren't there today. And this deeply disturbs the defendants.

Now, the judge has imposed certain conditions on defense counsel, that they have to agree to wear green sashes and to apologize to the judge. I think that's where the judge needs to show some reasonable flexibility and bring those defense counsel in so that they assist in actually controlling the decorum and conduct of this trial.

They have a duty to the court to do that. And, of course, if they refuse to do that, and sort of join with the defendants in disrupting the proceedings unreasonably, then of course the judge has the right to remove them again and bring court-appointed attorneys back in.

GORANI: All right.

David Scheffer, CNN legal analyst.

Thanks very much -- Jim.

CLANCY: Turning now to Tehran and its nuclear program, the government of Iran confirms it's resuming work on uranium enrichment at the Natanz nuclear plant. This the latest development in a deepening dispute over Iran's nuclear program. It is raising concerns around the world, but perhaps nowhere more than in Israel.

Paula Hancocks explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Creating a nuclear program is a matter of national pride for Iran. Stopping that happening is a matter of national security for Israel.

Iran maintains its nuclear program is solely to generate electricity. Israel stands alongside the United States and the European Union in believing Iran's true intention is to create a nuclear weapon. Israel is believed to already have these weapons, and the point to which Iran could make a bomb of its own could be closer than many dare to think, according to Major General Aharon Zeev- Farkash.

He retired last month as Israel's director of military intelligence. And he believes Iran is less than a year away from gaining enough technical knowledge to enrich uranium, the component needed for a nuclear weapon.

AHARON ZEEV-FARKASH, FMR. ISRAELI INTELLIGENCE DIRECTOR: By Iranian (INAUDIBLE) approximately one year will give them the opportunity to build a site with 2,000 to 4,000 centrifuges and to achieve enough fissile material to build the first bomb approximately in 2010 or 2011.

HANCOCKS: When Israel felt threatened by the Iraqi weapons program in 1981, it took the military option, sending F-16 fighter planes into Iraq to destroy the nuclear reactor. It was said to have set Baghdad's nuclear ambitions back by about a decade.

Iran is different.

EPHRAIM KAM, JAFFE CENTER FOR STRATEGIC STUDIES: The difference is very important. It's much more distant. The Iranians protect their nuclear sites much better than the Iraqis. Always there is the possibility that some -- there are some sites which are not know to Israeli intelligence or to the American and Western intelligence communities.

HANCOCKS (on camera): Israel may view the military operation whether with or without American help as a last resort. But some experts say that a strike could do more harm than good if it failed to destroy all of Iran's nuclear capabilities or merely delayed the program for a year or two. And Iranian retaliation against Israel has to be taken into account considering President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has already publicly called for the destruction of the Jewish state.

Paula Hancocks, CNN, Jerusalem.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CLANCY: We're going to take a short break. But a report says that the U.S. and Israel are looking at ways to topple the new incoming militant Hamas government of the Palestinians. We'll have a closer look at that after the break.

GORANI: Also, talk about switching gears. It is Valentine's Day, and as the love struck among us celebrate around the world, we want to know, what did you buy your valentine?

CLANCY: That's right. What did you buy your valentine? I need some ideas here.

As always, e-mail us, YWT@CNN.com. And don't forget, include your name. You can even include your sweetie's name, and where you're writing us.

GORANI: Your sweetie's name.

CLANCY: Yes. Why not?

GORANI: Your honey's name.

Stay us with us.

CLANCY: After the break, find out what everybody else brought.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GORANI: A warm welcome back. You're with YOUR WORLD TODAY on CNN International.

There are reports the U.S. and Israeli officials are discussing ways to isolate and destabilize Hamas. The militant group which swept to power in Palestinian elections last month will be sworn in this weekend.

"The New York Times" reported Tuesday that the goal of the campaign would be to ensure that Hamas officials fail and new elections will be called again soon. The paper reports on a proposed campaign to starve the Palestinian Authority of cash to discredit Hamas.

A senior Israeli says if Hamas continues its present policies it will self-destruct.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RA'ANAN GISSIN, ADVISER TO ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: Well, I think, you know, it falls on very responsive and receptive ears when you have this sort of conspiracy or wamara (ph) as they say in Arabic. It ignites the imagination. But really, there's no need for any such come conspiracy, because I think if Hamas continues on its present course, it will do itself in. It, itself, will destabilize the Palestinian government.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GORANI: Ra'anan Gissin there.

Israel has already said it won't deal with Hamas until the group renounces violence and recognizes Israel.

CLANCY: Well, for reaction from Hamas, we are joined on the phone right now by Mahmoud A-Ramahi. He's a newly elected Hamas member in the Palestinian legislature.

Thank you so much for being with us.

What do you think about this report? Are you surprised that Israel and the United States might be preparing to undermine any Hamas rule in the PA?

MAHMOUD A-RAMAHI, HAMAS MEMBER: Thank you very much.

Before -- I hear responding about this news, and I hope it will be -- it was not correct, because we can hear as government after (INAUDIBLE), and our people give us the majority.

CLANCY: It's -- we're having trouble hearing Mahmoud A-Ramahi.

Mahmoud, are you still there on the line? Can you hear me?

I'm sorry, I apologize. It's really important for us to get Hamas's point view on all of this. And we are going to try to get that newly-elected lawmaker. A member of Hamas there telling us that he was surprised to hear this news and a bit dismayed by it all.

Now, Israel has denied it's plotting with the U.S. The U.S., from its side, says there's no agreement that has been made with Israel.

Still, both sides have clearly said that funding a new PA, giving those funds directly to the Palestinian Authority, with Hamas holding the reins, would be impossible.

Israel at one point already cut off the funds that were coming from tax and imports duties to them. In the United States, under law, cannot give money to Hamas -- Hala.

GORANI: All right. We're going to try to reconnect there with that Hamas lawmaker.

Moving on the meantime to this story, the government of Yemen is offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of 13 al Qaeda prisoners. They were among 23 escapees who dug a tunnel that led to their freedom.

Barbara Starr has more from the Pentagon.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE) BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): CNN was recently in Sanaa, the capital of Yemen, to interview Interior Minister Rasheed Al Aleemi about terrorism. He told us that Yemen had successfully dismantled the al Qaeda's network which existed in October 2000 when the USS Cole was attacked here.

(on camera): What we did not know was that just a short distance away, in what was supposed to be a highly secure jail, 23 al Qaeda prisoners were digging an escape tunnel. Just 11 days after our interview, they broke out.

(voice-over): They are some of the world's most wanted, including Jamal Al Badawi, one of the masterminds in the Cole attack.

The tunnel took two months to dig and stretched from the jail's bathroom to a nearby mosque, a distance of 140 feet. According to a senior U.S. official, several escapees had tunnel digging experience in Afghanistan.

The U.S. believes the prisoners had help from inside the prison and the mosque. A number of prison officials have been detained for questioning.

In Yemen, the geography offers a number of escape routes.

PETER BERGEN, CNN TERRORISM ANALYST: They've got several choices. One is to go straight up to the northwest into an area not really controlled by the Yemeni government on the Saudi border.

STARR: Bergen says another escape route is east, into the so- called "empty corner." International warships are patrolling south, in the Gulf of Aden, hoping to shut off access to Somalia, a haven for al Qaeda.

There is concern these men -- several have planned attacks in the past -- will again begin plotting.

BERGEN: It's quite worrisome for the United States and its allies. The people who escaped, after all, have attacked the USS Cole already. They've tried to blow up a French oil tanker, you know, and they're not going to suddenly decide to, you know, we'll retire, I think.

STARR: The frightening question now -- what if the men are not re-captured? What new threat could be posed by 23 al Qaeda terrorists on the run?

Barbara Starr, CNN, the Pentagon.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

CLANCY: Well, still ahead right here on YOUR WORLD TODAY, we're going to be checking on the global financial markets.

GORANI: And we'll tell you what's triggering a comeback in the New York Stock Exchange. Stay with us. You're with YOUR WORLD TODAY.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Daryn Kagan at CNN Center in Atlanta. More of YOUR WORLD TODAY in just a few minutes. First, though, let's check on the White House press which is briefing taking place right now.

To Washington, D.C.

SCOTT MCCLELLAN, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: That was what was arranged with the local law enforcement. You ought to ask them that question.

Suzanne, go ahead.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Is the president satisfied that he learned the details about the shooting through Karl Rove and Andy Card and not directly from the vice president?

MCCLELLAN: He was informed about it. And there are lots of different ways to keep the president informed about events, and that was the way it was -- happened in this instance.

MALVEAUX: Is he satisfied that he didn't hear directly from...

MCCLELLAN: Yes, again, Suzanne -- if you all want to continue to focus on this, you all can spend your time on it. We're going to keep focusing on the pressing priorities of the American people, like talking about how to make health care more affordable and accessible.

We've got important work to do for the American people. And that's where we're going to keep our focus.

You're welcome to continue to focus on these issues. I'm moving on.

Go ahead, David.

QUESTION: There are timeline questions on this that I don't think was fully addressed yesterday. Could you tell us who was it in the vice president's party who first informed of the situation? And could you tell us how it was that Mr. Rove learned of this and got involved enough then to call...

MCCLELLAN: I did answer that question yesterday. Karl spoke with Mr. Armstrong.

QUESTION: But who informed -- I'm trying -- I'm trying to understand the chain of custody of the information prior to that. In other words, who from the vice president's party first informed the Situation Room...

MCCLELLAN: When he has an entourage that travels with him -- I'm not going to get into -- I'm not going -- he has a entourage that travels with him from a military aide to Secret Service personnel. I'm not going to get into discussing specific people. I don't think that -- I don't thin that's -- I don't think it's necessary.

QUESTION: Can you tell us if it was a military aide or if it was a Secret Service person?

MCCLELLAN: David, I think I just asked your question. I'm just not going to get into naming specific people.

QUESTION: You're not going to tell us who informed of the Situation Room?

MCCLELLAN: It was from the vice president's traveling team.

QUESTION: Will you tell us who informed...

MCCLELLAN: I just told you.

QUESTION: OK.

And then on the second question, can you tell us who then informed Mr. Card. Was it Andy Card -- I'm sorry, who informed Mr. Rove? Was it Andy Card, was it somebody else?

MCCLELLAN: I don't know where he first heard it from. He may have heard it from the Situation Room. I know Andy spoke to him pretty quick after he heard about it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.

And then the third issue relating to this is...

KAGAN: A little bit of the continuation of yesterday. The White House press corps continuing to press White House spokesperson Scott McClellan.

They want more information about the shooting that took place when Vice President Cheney was on a hunting trip. The White House press corps very upset about how the process of information has flowed from the White House and from the vice president's staff to them.

Very contentious meeting between Scott McClellan and reporters yesterday.

By the way, you heard Scott McClellan say that the president wants to focus on things like health care. The president does plan to speak on health care tomorrow in a speech at noon Eastern.

Other news today.

An emotion plea from a convicted child killer in Florida. Today, Joseph Smith tearfully apologized and asked a judge to spare his life. He was convicted of kidnapping, raping and killing 11-year-old Carlie Brucia two years ago. Her abduction outside of a Sarasota car wash was caught on surveillance tape. The jury said he should be executed. Today, Smith said he was trying to kill himself when he took a large amount of cocaine and heroin the day of the abduction. But he thinks the drugs contained some unknown substance as well. He asked that he spared for his own family's sake.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOSEPH SMITH, CONVICTED KILLER: Every day I think about what I did and I beg god for forgiveness. I will continue to think about the pain I caused for the rest of my life.

Judge Owens, I do not ask for mercy for myself. As you have heard, there have been many times that I did not care whether I lived or died. The only reason that I can see to ask you to give me a life sentence is for the sake of my family.

I do not want to see my children hurt any further. I'm hopeful that I can still be a positive influence to them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: The judge will sentence Smith next month.

Now a new sign in the road to recovery for the Gulf Coast. Tulane University Hospital reopened this morning. The move comes more than five months after it was damaged by Hurricane Katrina.

Repaired costs topped $90 million with the flooded first floor being rebuilt. It's a partial reopening for the hospital. The emergency room, five operating rooms, four cardio labs and a pharmacy will also be open, in addition to 63 of 235 beds.

Hospital officials say the ER is a critical need. There will now be two emergency rooms in Orleans Parish treating adults.

"LIVE FROM" with Kyra Phillips starts at the top of the hour.

Meanwhile, YOUR WORLD TODAY continues after a quick break.

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone.

I'm Daryn Kagan.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GORANI: Welcome back to YOUR WORLD TODAY on CNN International. I'm Hala Gorani.

CLANCY: I'm Jim Clancy, and these are the stories that are making headlines around the world.

Hundreds upon hundreds of thousands of people gathering in Beirut's Martyr Square, marking the first anniversary of the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. His death sparked massive demonstrations at the time, and eventually led to the pull-out of Syrian troops from Lebanon. The United Nations inquiry into Hariri's murder continues.

GORANI: Also in headlines, deposed Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, announced he was on a hunger strike to protest his treatment. He broke the news during his trial for alleged war crimes. Tuesday's proceedings were often interrupted by Hussein and his half-brother. After three witnesses testified, the judge adjourned the trial until February 28th.

CLANCY: Tehran confirming now that it has resumed some work on uranium enrichment at its main nuclear facility in Tahns (ph). Enriched uranium, of course, can be used to make either peaceful fuel, or it can be used for nuclear weapons. The announcement comes as tension mount over Iran's nuclear program, which the country insists is only for peaceful purposes.

All right, we've been following the story that was pretended this day in the "New York Times." The story that said that the U.S. and Israel were plotting to undermine Palestinian Authority that would be led by Hamas so that new elections could be held and perhaps someone else would win.

For reaction from Hamas, we are joined on the phone by Mahmoud A- Ramahi. He is a newly-elected Hamas member in the Palestinian legislature.

I apologize, we got cut off a little bit earlier. But what is your reaction to this? Should Israel and the U.S. be trying to undercut Hamas?

A-RAMAHI: Listen, we think that this the result of democracy and the whole world has to democracy. And now we are in the government with the majority. Instead of planning for a break-up, they can -- I speak now about the U.S.A. -- they can reach us and they can open channels with the ELO. We are a moderate people, and we are now representing the majority of Palestinian people. And we are able to sit with the United States and the Europeans and to discuss and reach a compromise. This will be more effective than planning for isolate us.

CLANCY: As appealing it would be to have a dialogue between Palestinians and Americans -- American lawmakers have a law that says that they can't talk to Hamas because Hamas believes that the way forward is suicide bombings that blow up innocent civilians.

A-RAMAHI: Listen, many times, we propose for Israeli to save the life of the civilians, but they continue to kill more civilians. But now we are ready -- after (INAUDIBLE), and now we are ready to sit and discuss all of these issues and to arrive at compromise. Listen, we are now a moderate people, and you and all of those can speak with us. If they continue to ignore us in the future, there will be extremists, that they refuse to hear and think from those (INAUDIBLE). But that...

CLANCY: You want Israel to recognize you as the legitimate government of the Palestinians; at the same time, you will not recognize even the existence of Israel or its right to exist.

A-RAMAHI: Listen, Israel, as a state exists, and all of the world recognizes Israel and some of our country. But who needs this organization is our people. We want that Israel recognize us our right to live in peace and security and to have our state, our Palestinian state (INAUDIBLE). At the moment, we are ready to (INAUDIBLE) and to live in peace and security.

CLANCY: It will all come down to money, and that is that the U.S., the international community, could cut off, what it is it, about $1 billion a year in assistance. Israel, certainly, is going to cut off all of the tax money, all of the custom duties. They're not going to give it to Hamas-led government. And it's going to be the Palestinian people that pay the price.

Is there any realistic way of replacing that money from places like Iran or Damascus, which really risk the accusation that the Palestinian for the first time in decades will be entirely in the hands of a foreign power, or foreign powers, that are controlling them?

A-RAMAHI: Listen, now we have a contact with many Arab and Muslim countries, and they are -- they guarantee for us that they will give us the money (INAUDIBLE). But as I said, it's it's immoral for the Western and the United -- from the European Union to cut the (INAUDIBLE) of the Palestinian people. If they help Palestinian people, they have to continue.

They didn't help Hamas for -- the government. (INAUDIBLE) give the trust for this government, government of Hamas. And Hamas now is stronger and it's ready to discuss all of the matters, but via dialogue, not via newspaper and the media. Now, all the world has to respect the democracy, and we are the result of this democracy.

CLANCY: Mahmoud A-Ramahi, a newly-elected Hamas member and the now a member of the Palestinian Authority legislature. We thank you very much for being with us, outlining, giving us somewhat of an idea of where they stand on all of this.

It must be said that both the U.S. and Israel are now saying that there's no secret plot, but clearly, both countries are not planning on advancing funds to a Hamas-led government of the Palestinian Authority. We'll have more later.

GORANI: Now, political wrangling over a proposed smoking ban in public places is creating friction in the U.K.

Let's go to London and our European political editor Robin Oakley. There is a picture of Big Ben for you. Let's get more on the hot-button issue and the heated debate.

Robin, what precisely is being voted on tonight?

ROBIN OAKLEY, CNN EUROPEAN POLITICAL EDITOR: Well, Hala, I'm standing here in shadow of Big Ben, where British lawmakers just beneath, in houses of parliament, are tonight going to be making a decision which could affect the lives of very many people in Britain, the social lives and perhaps the health of those people in Britain.

Because something like $12 million Britons are actually smokers. That's around a fifth of the population. And the debate is really whether in pubs, taverns, clubs, restaurants like this famous Steven's (ph) Tavern here in Westminster, people should in future should be banned from smoking. And this decision will be taken as to whether there should be a total ban on smoking in public places, or whether there should be exemption for pubs like this in Steven's Taverns that actually serve food, or whether there should be an exemption only for private pubs. And it's certainly leading to some pretty hefty debate -- Hala.

GORANI: Now, what are pubgoers are saying? I mean, this would be a huge cultural sea change if all of a sudden you couldn't enjoy a cigarette or two when you go out to your local -- what are customers saying?

OAKLEY: I think lot of them are seeing it as inevitable, because there's already been bans in countries like Ireland, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Norway. It's all moving into that direction. And interestingly, in the opinion polls, something like 70 percent of the British people say they favor a ban on smoking, and that includes quite a quite a lot of smokers.

And the government believes that if they do have a ban on smoking in public places, something like 700,000 people are going to give up smoking in the year that follows that. And they say that can only be a good thing. But the 100,000 people a year dying of lung cancer or associated diseases in Britain, they think it will be for the health of the nation and for the protection of barworkers and those who are subjected to passive smoking, other people's smoke in their nostrils all the time, Hala.

GORANI: All right. Robin Oakley, down the pub, live from London, thanks very much, our European political editor.

CLANCY: Interesting live shot.

GORANI: Absolutely.

It would really -- I mean, you know London pubs, it would entirely change the atmosphere there.

We're going be check in with the international weather center and Femi Oke. We're going to talking about the Kenya drought -- Femi.

FEMI OKE, CNN ANCHOR: Hello there to you both. Good to see you. Good to see our viewers around the world.

Aid workers in East Africa say the drought in Kenya could be the worst humanitarian disaster in decades. Even camels, famed for surviving in deserts on minimal amounts of water, are dying, and now there are fears the drought may threaten the wildlife in Kenya's national parks.

Eli Flournoy reports. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELI FLOURNOY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The wilderness of Amboseli (ph), Kenya has barely been touched by humans, until now. The lasting drought in this East African country is increasing fears of environmentalists, fears that the rich wildlife in Amboseli National Park might be threatened by nomadic Massai tribesmen, and the cattle they depend on for their livelihood. Animals, buffaloes and lions are among the animals which must now compete for gazing space with the cattle.

Amboseli is the only permanent source of the water in the region, crucial for the Massai to save their herds in the drought.

Kenyan officials recently loosened their rules to a allow cattle in the small national park near the border with neighboring Tanzania. But Kenyan wildlife service managers warn that the government plan, which turns park management over to local officials, threatens Amboseli's delicate ecosystem.

CONNIE MAINA, KENYA WILDLIFE SERVICE: Basically a national park is a protected park, and we don't have human any activities in the national park. And if we don't (INAUDIBLE) Amboseli National Park, that means (INAUDIBLE) from human activities, including grazing livestock. So basically you have human beings mixing with the wildlife.

FLOURNOY: The Massai, say animals, have become a priority over people in this region for too long.

SAIYANKA MOLLEI, MAASAI CATTLE HERDSMEN (through translator): It's place which has been taken over by the Kenyan Wildlife Service. When a cow's in the park, if it gets eaten by a lion, we will not get paid, because it's Kenyan Wildlife Service region. If I'm hurt by an elephant, it's the same.

FLOURNOY: But conservation groups say local politicians lack the experience and personnel to balance conserving wildlife and habitat with providing security for animals and tourists, tourists who are critical to Kenya's national economy.

Eli Flournoy, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

OKE: Thanks to you, Eli Flournoy.

Now this drought has been going on for some while. The Horn of Africa, East Africa in particular. Kenya is here, Somalia, Ethiopia, all affected by drought. What you see back here is where the rain is right now. We have the rainy season down through the more southerly part of Africa, which even Makes the drought worse than it's already is.

I also have reports from Kenya in recent months that Massai warriors are grazing their cattle in Nairobi, in the middle of a very busy city center, because they don't have enough grazing pastures in order to keep their cattle, their livestock going.

So the Horn of Africa, once again, has proven problematic. We're not going to see any significant of rain in this area until, let's say, March, April time, when these rains gradually begin to move further up toward the north. In the meantime, it's almost Business as usual with this very dry part of world.

Back to Hala and Jim at the newsdesk.

CLANCY: All right, we're looking for a good rainy season around the Equator this year.

Up next, we'll have the medals, the strained muscles and, well, the gold.

GORANI: And the cold. We'll have an update from Torino when we return.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CLANCY: This is YOUR WORLD TODAY. Welcome to our viewers in the United States and around the world. We want to check right now at what's going on in Torino at the Winter Olympic Games.

Mark McKay is there. He joins us now for all of the action -- Mark.

MARK MCKAY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Jim, thank you. It turned out to be another day for disappointment for a U.S. athlete, Bode Miller. He came in here with the big headlines. Unfortunately he made headlines for all of the wrong reasons. The day started with such promise as Miller led the Olympic combined event after the first run, the downhill. The downhill portion was out of the way. They go away a few hours, come back.

Miller gets up on the hill at Sestrear (ph), runs the slalom, and then straddles the gate. Bode Miller disqualified from the Olympic combined event. He was the silver medalist in 2002. There's a been a lot of speculation and a lot of talk about Miller being too aggressive on the slopes. Well, this is the fight-straight disqualification for Bode Miller in a slalom race. You may remember, Miller finished out of the medals over the weekend in the downhill.

A pair of U.S. Olympians may be a bit sore this evening here in Torino. But at least they're out of the hospital thankfully. Lindsey Kildow, a medal hopeful for the U.S. in women's alpine skiing and Samantha Petroski (ph), who was injured in women's luge, were both released from the Torino CTO Hospital earlier today.

Believe it or not, Lindsey Kildow and Samantha Petroski both released from the hospital earlier today. Believe it or not, Kildow is even thinking about getting back on the slopes and racing in Wednesday's women's downhill. We'll have to follow that story throughout this evening tonight and certainly tomorrow.

The puck drops on men's ice hockey Wednesday. And don't be surprised if there are a few bleary-eyed players out on the ice. Why? Many of the North American contingent delayed in getting to Torino for the start of the men's ice hockey competition. The Canadians arriving not long ago here in Torino. The Americans are also hear, but they were delayed. That big snowstorm up and down the East Coast of the United States and into Canada delayed the flights over here.

And, Jim, the National Hockey League season took a break over the weekend. So there are going to be some players wondering which time zone they're in, especially those from North America.

CLANCY: All right, Mark McKay there, live from Torino.

Mark, thank you very much.

For more on the Games now, be sure to log on to CNN.com/Olympics. Our special Web coverage has the latest developments, including the current medal standings. We also take a look back at some of the most memorable moments of the past Olympics. All that and much more at CNN.com/Olympics.

GORANI: Well, he's been known to hang out in his secure location.

CLANCY: But no matter where he goes, he can't get away from the late-night comedians.

Up next, U.S Vice President Cheney once again in an unwelcome but, well, very funny spotlight. Stay with us.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID LETTERMAN, LATE NIGHT SHOW HOST: Good news ladies and gentlemen, we have located weapons of mass destruction -- it's Dick Cheney.

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GORANI: Now to the vice president and the late-night comedians.

CLANCY: There are a lot of them. Ever since U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney accidentally shot a fellow hunter over the weekend, injuring him, the comedians have been lampooning him without mercy. Here's sample.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID LETTERMAN, HOST, LATE NIGHT: We can't get bin Laden. But we nailed a 78-year-old attorney.

The guy who got gunned down, this buddy of -- he's a Republican lawyer and a big Republican donor. Fortunately the buck shot was deflected by wads of laundered cash. JAY LENO, HOST, THE TONIGHT SHOW: I guess the guy's going to be OK. When the ambulance got there, out of force of habit, they put Cheney on the stretcher. He's going, no, the other guy. The other guy.

I think Cheney is starting to lose it. After he shot the guy he screamed, anyone else want to call domestic wiretapping illegal, huh?

JON STEWART, HOST, THE DAILY SHOW: Vice president Dick Cheney accidentally shot a man during a quail hunt at a political supporter's ranch. Making 78 year old Harry Whittington the first person shot by a sitting veep since Alexander Hamilton. Hamilton, of course, was shot in a duel with Aaron Burr over issues of honor, integrity and political maneuvering. Whittington was mistaken for a bird.

CATHERINE ARMSTRONG, RANCH OWNER: The vice president took aim at the bird and shot and unfortunately, Mr. Whittington was in the line of fire and got peppered pretty well.

STEWART: Peppered? Yes, Harry Whittington, seasoned to within an inch of his life. Peppering is what you do to a Caesar salad. He shot that dude.

LENO: Cheney's defense is that he was aiming at a quail when he shot the guy. Which means Cheney now has the worst aim of anybody in the White House since Bill Clinton.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CLANCY: Well, you know, who didn't get on this. Conan O'Brien. You know why? He's in Finland.

GORANI: He's going to be reunited -- if you have been following this story it's really hilarious, he's going to be reunited with his long-lost twin. Not really. But after commenting that he and Finland's president, who happens to be female, look alike, he's getting a chance to make that comparison face-to-face.

O'Brien joked that he is partly responsible for her re-election.

CLANCY: In keeping with the U.S. political tradition of rewarding supporters, he's requesting to be appointed to Finland's Minister for Sauna Inspections, specifically, and we're quoting here, mostly woman saunas..

GORANI: Let's wrap this up with our question of the day and some of the replies you've been sending in.

CLANCY: Since we're celebrating Valentine's Day around the world we're asking you to tell us what did you buy your valentine.

GORANI: Mitch from Atlanta, Georgia writes, "I bought two-dozen roses. Traditional but my wife, Karen, appreciated it anyway."

CLANCY: Elliott wrote this. "For my valentine I did not have a lot of money. I made her a mix CD of all songs that make me think of her." That's nice.

GORANI: This one by Mike in Des Moines. "I got my valentine a very special gift, an all-expense paid hunting trip with Vice President Dick Cheney."

CLANCY: You know, I'm not sure we believe that. In fact I'm sure we don't believe that but we had to include it.

GORANI: Is there a message being sent there if someone offers you an all-expenses paid hunting trip with the vice president.

CLANCY: I would think so, Hala.

GORANI: All right, for our viewers in the U.S., "LIVE FROM" is next.

CLANCY: That's right, Kyra Phillips will be hosting that show. Also, for the rest of you YOUR WORLD TODAY continues. Coming up -- we'll have a closer look at bird flu as Nigeria just the latest country to battle the spread of the disease.

GORANI: Stay with us.

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