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Dozens Killed in Suicide Bombing in Iraq; Hamas Police Fire on Protesters, Wounding 4; Military Funeral Held for Augusto Pinochet

Aired December 12, 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: Looking for work, lured by false promises. Day laborers in Baghdad crowd around a truck with a suicide bomber behind the wheel. Dozens are killed in the blast.
HALA GORANI, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Some said tearful good- byes, others good riddance. Chileans lay to rest former dictator Augusto Pinochet, a polarizing figure, even in death.

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: And I'm Becky Anderson, live in Moscow, with our weeklong special coverage, "Putin: Power in Politics." Today, how energy is used as a tool on the international stage.

CLANCY: It is 8:00 p.m. right now in Moscow, 2:00 in the afternoon in Santiago, Chile.

Hello and welcome to our report broadcast around the globe.

I'm Jim Clancy.

GORANI: I'm Hala Gorani.

Wherever you might be watching, this is YOUR WORLD TODAY.

All right. We start this hour in Iraq. Sixty Iraqi men looking for a day's work instead met their death at the hands of a suicide bomber in Baghdad on Tuesday.

Nic Robertson brings us the latest on this carnage in the Iraqi capital -- Nic.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hala, 220 other people injured in that attack. It happened at 7:00 in the morning. The blast was so big, it could be felt a mile way, heard a lot further away.

Police says that the suicide bomber drove his vehicle packed with 200 kilograms of explosives into an area where people, day laborers were gathering, looking for work. And he called out to them, "I have work on offer." And as the people gathered around and came close, that's when he detonated his explosives.

People were taken to a number of different hospitals in the center of Baghdad. This is not the first time day laborers have been targeted like this, quite possibly a sectarian attack. Many of these day laborers were likely Shias. They are the more numerous among the unemployed and the impoverished here -- Hala.

GORANI: Now, let's talk about on the political front these reports that some major Iraqi political parties are talking to try to find a way to lessen the power of the Shiite leader, Muqtada al-Sadr. What can you tell us about that?

ROBERTSON: Well, two weeks ago, when Muqtada al-Sadr withdrew his parliamentarians, some 30 of them from the -- from the parliament, withdrew his support from the prime minister, he was joined by a couple of other Sunni parties. Now, leading politicians here describe that as a sort of a cross-sectarian grouping of extremists.

What they have tried to do is group together what they call a moderate grouping, a cross-sectarian grouping of politicians. There are -- there is the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq led by Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, the two Kurdish parties are there, and the largest Sunni party.

Tariq al-Hashimi, one the leaders of that grouping, a vice president of Iraq, meeting with President Bush at the White House today. These leading politicians and this moderate grouping of politicians, if you will, are trying to accelerate the process of ridding the country of sectarian violence. They say that's what they're trying to do, but at the same time, diminish the power of Muqtada al-Sadr and his Mehdi militia.

But it's calling into question the future of Iraq's prime minister, Nuri al-Maliki, at this time. There have been rumors that he will be ousted. Maliki's office says that's not the case, but definitely it seems on the cards as a potential, at least -- at the very least, for a cabinet reshuffle -- Hala.

GORANI: All right. A lot going on in every level in that country.

Thank you very much.

Our senior international correspondent, Nic Robertson, live in Baghdad.

Well, the White House says it now looks likely that President Bush will detail changes in Iraqi strategy in January. Mr. Bush had been expected to lay out the new way forward plan before Christmas, which is now less than two weeks away, of course.

Meanwhile, the president continues his listening tour with an Oval Office by the vice president of Iraq. Earlier, he took part in a video conference, teleconference with the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, along with military commanders there. And Monday, he met with senior State Department advisers -- Jim.

CLANCY: Well, now to the first factional violence in Gaza since the killing of three children of a Fatah intelligence officer this week. Hamas gunmen fired on a group of protesting Fatah members who were out on the streets criticizing the children's deaths. At least four people are said to have been wounded. Atika Shubert is in Gaza City with more on the tense situation there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The streets of Gaza are on edge as Palestinians are mourning the loss of three children gunned down on their way to school. The father of those children was a senior intelligence officer. And there are fears that this killing could trigger an escalation in the political fighting that has plagued Gaza in recent months.

Now, morning services are being held at the family home. Friends and neighbors are arriving, as well as politicians from the various factions.

And it's interesting to note that one of the women in the morning in the morning services there said that the people who carried out these killings could very well come and offer their condolences. That's indicative of the kind of political infighting that's happening here in Gaza.

Now, President Abbas promised that there would be more security. He's put out extra security out on to the streets here. Unfortunately, it has not been enough to stop some clashes south of here in Khan Yunus, where members of the executive force of the interior ministry loyal to the militant faction of Hamas exchanged gunfire with the national guard. Those are forces loyal to President Mahmoud Abbas.

So clearly, clashes are continuing to happen. The Palestinians say they're sick of the violence. They want to see law and order imposed. However, many here are not optimistic that will happen anytime soon.

Atika Shubert, CNN, Gaza City.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GORANI: All right. Now we take you to Latin America. It's the end of an era in Chile. The nation said its final farewell to the former military dictator, Augusto Pinochet. The military funeral was held at Santiago's military academy.

As CNN's Harris Whitbeck reports, the funeral was the focal point for Pinochet's supporters and his detractors.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS WHITBECK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thousands gathered outside the military academy in Santiago, where funeral services were held for former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet. Thousands more gathered at a rally organized by opponents of Pinochet at a monument to Salvador Allende, the Marxist president that Pinochet deposed in 1973, starting his decades-long rule in Chile. Pinochet's death did little to quell divisions among Chilean society on his legacy. In fact, those divisions were in many cases exacerbated. Protests on the streets since Pinochet's death on Sunday continued up until his funeral.

Chilean president Michelle Bachelet said she would not attend the funeral and would not organize a state funeral for the man who ruled Chile from 1973 into the 1990s. Opponents of Pinochet say his death cheated them of justice. Several hundred court cases against him will now be canceled due to his death. However, those who support Pinochet say that he saved Chile from communism and credit Pinochet's rule for the strong economic growth that Chile has experienced consistently in the last decades.

Harris Whitbeck, CNN, Santiago.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CLANCY: British police confirming now to CNN that they have found the bodies of two women in the area of Ipswitch in England. That is where police believe they have been on the trail of a serial killer who is targeting prostitutes.

The identity of the two women has not been confirmed to be that of the two missing women in the area. A total of five women's bodies have now been found.

We're going to bring you details of this as we update it. But, again, British police telling CNN they have found two bodies near Ipswitch.

All right. Coming up, we're going to continue keeping our eye on Russia. This week, "Putin: Power and Politics."

GORANI: With a wealth of resources like oil, Russia is a tempting target for investors. But with the possibility of big gains comes plenty of potential risk.

ANDERSON: And playing politics with power. I am Becky Anderson in Moscow. Energy coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CLANCY: Welcome back.

As we were telling you a moment ago, there's anxiety in Britain that the worst fears of police could be confirmed. Two more bodies of young women have now been found, bringing to five the number found in just the past eight days.

For more on the fears on the streets and the situation with the police, we're joined by Alphonso Van Marsh, on the line from Ipswitch in England.

Alphonso, what can you tell us? ALPHONSO VAN MARSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: As you mentioned, I can tell you that there is a lot of apprehension, a lot of fear here in the streets in this community. People very nervous, wondering who is behind these murders.

Police, as you mentioned, now finding five bodies. We are actually at the location where one of the first young women was found. There were police divers combing through the river, looking for any kind of clue leading them to find out how these women may have died, the circumstances leading to their murders.

As you mentioned a little bit earlier on, two more bodies found. It is suspected that they are connected to these five women missing. This case started around December 2nd. That's when the first body was found. And now with these new discoveries, people very nervous that what the local press is dubbing "The Suffolk Strangler" may be working, especially during this holiday season, making people very nervous about how safe it is to be out in the streets, particularly for what people are calling here working girls; i.e., prostitutes working these streets in this neighborhood, how safe is it for them while somebody may be out targeting prostitutes and killing them.

CLANCY: What are the police doing? I mean, obviously, they have been searching wooded areas. But in terms -- do they have a suspect at all?

VAN MARSH: If they do have a suspect, they're certainly not telling us. We sat down with one of the lead investigators, detective -- Chief Superintendent Stewart Gold (ph), which you may have seen on the press talking to reporters, letting them know what's been happening.

They are talking to people. They say they're talking to other prostitutes, they're talking to other people in the community. They're warning prostitutes to look out for each other.

They're telling these working women not to be working on the streets. They're also telling the general public, especially during this holiday season, if you're going out with friends, especially if you're a woman, to look out for each other, not to head out alone, to be very cautious about your surroundings, and most certainly, not to be alone on the streets at night.

CLANCY: Alphonso Van Marsh there with some of the fear reflecting from the streets of Ipswitch, where five women's bodies have now been found since December 2nd.

Thank you.

GORANI: All right. You can see it there on your screens. All this week, we are focusing on Russia. "Putin: Power and Politics."

CLANCY: And our colleague Becky Anderson is there, she joins us live from Moscow with a closer look at the politics of energy -- Becky.

ANDERSON: That's right. Thank you very much indeed, Jim.

It does feel as if it's getting colder by the moment here in Russia, although our local staff do tell us that it is fairly temperate for this time of year. So I guess we ought to consider ourselves lucky.

Tonight we are talking indeed about energy. We'll come to the politics of energy in just a short while, but let's take a look at the financial markets first, because this market here in Moscow has been an enticing investment for those involved in the financial markets for some time. Let me give you some of the numbers that I found in "The Moscow Times" just today.

It's been a record-breaking year for the markets here. Especially the main MICEX Stock Exchange. Just consider these quotes.

It says in the paper today that more than $650 billion worth of shares were traded there from January to November. Now, that is a whopping 191 percent increase -- 190 percent increase in the markets here. Fueling that, obviously, high oil prices and other commodities, along with strong growth in corporate earnings.

Now, despite a correction of the markets in May, it is now believed that Russian equities have returned 68 percent since the start of the year. Not bad if you're looking for a decent return. But with the promise of rewards, of course, come high risks.

Charles Hudson has been taking a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHARLES HUDSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Oil, gas, minerals like gold, and a fast-growing domestic marketplace. Russia is an increasingly tempting target for investors.

CHARLES ROBERTSON, ECONOMIST, EMERGING MARKETS, ING: This is an economy that's gone from $200 billion in 1999 to become the 10th trillion-dollar economy by 2007. It's going to be ranking up there with Spain, South Korea and Canada.

HUDSON: Driving all of this is the energy sector. Economists say as long as the oil prices stays above $40 a barrel, Russia will grow at a blistering six percent a year or more. But President Vladimir Putin has made clear that strategic industries, above all oil and gas, must remain under tight state supervision, if not control.

Two years ago, the oil magnate Mikhail Khodorkovsky, once Russia's richest man, was put on trial and imprisoned after stepping into the political arena. His powerful oil company Yukos was saddled with a huge tax bill, forced into bankruptcy and split up.

Now officials are targeting foreign oil companies involved in the $20 billion Sakhalin-2, an oil and gas venture led by Royal Dutch Shell in Russia's far east. They say environmental laws have been broken and warn they'll withdraw operating licenses unless foreign interests play ball with state-run gas monopoly Gazprom. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So what is this? I'm intrigued.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is ore from the pioneer mine.

HUDSON: Peter Hambro founded a successful gold mine 12 years ago. Two weeks ago, it lost hundreds of millions of dollars in market value after natural resources ministry officials said it, too, had broken environmental rules. Shortly afterwards, though, an equal ranking official in the same ministry, Vladimir Pavlov (ph), praised the company and dismissed his colleague's earlier comments.

PETER HAMBRO, PETER HAMBRO MINING: Three of the licenses of the five that we're talking about didn't even belong to us. So I think what Mr. Pavlov (ph) says is probably real. It was a premature approach.

HUDSON: The World Bank rates Russia only the 96th easiest country to do business in of the 175 it surveys. Is cites red-tape corruption, lack of transparency, and failing corporate governments.

Economists say more reform here would pay dividends.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If Russia is growing at six percent a year now, perhaps they could be growing at seven, eight or nine if they had a much more flexible regime, a much easier place to do business.

HUDSON: Economists and business leaders add that President Putin has already helped enormously. Above all, by providing political stability. And they hope Russia stays stable after he steps down a year and a half from now.

AREND KAPTEYN, ECONOMIST, EMEA, DEUTSCHE BANK: Maybe not enough has been done in terms of developing the economy and making it competitive and letting it operate on the basis of market principles. But, by and large, the progress being made over the last five years has been tremendous. So people are hoping for more of the same, I think, after Putin.

HUDSON: The Kremlin clearly likes companies that further its aims by providing capital, know-how, taxes and jobs. Play the game by the state's rules, say old hands, and everybody benefits.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As far as foreign companies like ours investing in Russia, I think the playing field is actually becoming better. The rule of law is much stronger. And as long as you comply with that law, you have nothing to fear.

HUDSON: Money is flooding into Russia. Economists expect as much as $30 billion in direct investment this year. The clever investors are concentrating on retail, plenty of opportunities, rapid growth, and little chance of attracting unwelcome state attention.

Charles Hudson, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE) ANDERSON: And play by the rules, Jim. That is the message, it seems here, to the international investment community and to foreign firms who want to get invested, involved in projects here, want that get a slice of the action, effectively.

We've just seen in the last 24 hours or so Gazprom trying to get a slice of the action at the largest oil and gas project on Sakhalin Island, which has until now been effectively run by Shell. It looks as if Shell may have to concede some three quarters of its control in the project there.

Gazprom looking very much to get involved there. So a squeeze on foreign companies, that's what you see here to a certain extent.

And the other side of the energy politics dice, as it were, is how it's used as a weapon on the international stage. Some people would call it bullying tactics, I suppose. Just remember, last winter, when Russia turned off the gas taps to Ukraine for what they say were various issues so far as Ukraine not coming good and paying off its debts, others effectively saying that it wanted to show that it could wield its power.

So a lot of power plays going on here. It's a high-stakes poker game at the moment. Russia believes it's got the winning hand. And at this point, it's important for Europe to try and work out whether it can call its bluff -- Jim.

CLANCY: All right. Becky Anderson there in Moscow. Becky is going to be with us all week long as we take a special behind-the- scenes look at what's going on in Russia. Some interesting reporting coming up ahead.

GORANI: All right. A lot more here on YOUR WORLD TODAY as you join us from around the globe. We'll be back with a look at the business headlines.

CLANCY: And then just a little bit later we're going to be talking with the outgoing U.N. humanitarian coordinator, Jan Egeland, on this, his very last day in a very tough job.

GORANI: And Princess Diana's sons announce plans for a pop concert and memorial service next year. That will mark the 10th anniversary of her death.

We'll bring you more details ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Hi, everybody. I'm Heidi Collins at the CNN Center in Atlanta.

More of YOUR WORLD TODAY in just a few minutes. But first, a check on stories making headlines in the United States.

The violence in Iraq ongoing. But today in Washington, a search for the way forward. The White House now says President Bush's speech about his new Iraq strategy will likely be in January.

Meanwhile, the president has wrapped up a teleconference with top military commanders in Iraq. The U.S. ambassador to Iraq was also part of that discussion.

And this afternoon, the president meets with Iraq's vice president, a Sunni leader. Tomorrow, the president will hear from senior defense officials at the Pentagon. It's all part of the effort to find a solution to the situation in Iraq.

Take two for Dennis Kucinich. The Ohio congressman announcing his candidacy for president. He launched a long-shot bid back in 2004. Just minutes ago, Kucinich said he is running again because he disagrees with some of his fellow Democrats on Iraq.

A Pennsylvania high school student is dead after an apparent suicide on campus. Authorities say the boy took a rifle to his school this morning and shot himself.

No other injuries are reported. The school is in Springfield Township. That's near Philadelphia.

After the incident, students were moved to a middle school. And all the schools in the district were locked down.

Every year, thousands of people die in rollover crashes. Experts say whether you live or die may largely depend on the strength of your roof. That word today from safety advocates.

They demonstrates a new system to measure roof strength and other safety devices during a rollover crash. The test shows this SUV's roof collapsing.

Some vehicles like the Volvo XC90 come equipped with stronger roofs. The public safety group says rollovers account for only four percent of crashes but represent 40 percent of highway fatalities.

Meanwhile, Rob Marciano in the weather center now to give us an update on all things weather across the nation.

Hi, Rob.

ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Hi, Heidi.

(WEATHER REPORT)

Here's a question now. When is a nickel worth more than five cents? When it's a rare 1913 liberty nickel. This coin is expected to go for about $5 million at auction next month. Say it with me, $5 million, everybody. Only five of these liberty nickels are known to exist, and two of those are in museums.

A mother says someone kidnapped her baby boy at knife point. And police fear the crime is something even more sinister. Was the baby taken because his parents owed money to human traffickers? We're expecting a live news conference on the case this afternoon. Join Kyra Phillips and Don Lemon in the "NEWSROOM," starting at the top of the hour.

YOUR WORLD TODAY continues after a quick break.

I'm Heidi Collins.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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

CLANCY: I'm Jim Clancy. And these are some of the stories that are making headlines around the world.

A military funeral being held for Chile's former military dictator Augusto Pinochet. Supporters, upset that the government refused to give him a state funeral. Detractors though, say they wished he lived a little bit longer to face human rights charges. Pinochet's remains are going to be cremated. His son says the family doesn't want a burial because it fears his enemies might vandalize his grave.

GORANI: Well, in another developing story, two more bodies of young women have been found in Britain. That brings to five, the number of women found dead since December 2nd alone in the U.K., making big headlines there in England. Police are hunting a possible serial killer who is targeting prostitutes in and around the area of Ipswitch.

60 people were killed and more than 200 wounded in a suicide bombing in central Baghdad Tuesday. The bomber detonated a truck packed with explosives in a busy square where day-laborers gather looking for work. The president of Iraq blamed the bombings on Sunni extremists.

CLANCY: Tensions soaring between political factions in the Palestinian territories. Hamas security forces firing on a group of Fatah demonstrators in Gaza -- at least two of them were wounded. President Mahmoud Abbas has deployed security troops across Gaza. They are manning checkpoints and guarding key installations.

GORANI: All right, those are your headlines quickly. Now, this story coming out of Israel. The Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert is facing calls for his resignation. The reason, an apparent slip of the tongue that Israel has nuclear weapons. The Jewish state has long maintained a policy called nuclear ambiguity. Israeli officials are now trying to close what could become a Pandora's box.

Ben Wedeman reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Ambiguity has always been Israel's response to questions about whether or not it has nuclear weapons. But in an interview with German TV, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert didn't sound so ambiguous.

EHUD OLMERT, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: We never threaten any nation with annihilation. Iran openly, explicitly, and publicly threatens to wipe Israel off the map. Can you say that this is the same level, when they are aspiring to have nuclear weapons, as America, France, Israel, Russia?

WEDEMAN: Were this words a slip of the tongue or a blunt message for Iran that Israel has its own well-developed nuclear program. Olmert's spokeswoman says the quote is being taken out of context. But the fallout at home from his comments is intense.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: While we are trying to work very hard to impose sanctions on the Iranians. While, we believe the Iranians are threatening the stability of the entire world, obviously this statement was not helpful.

WEDEMAN: Security experts long ago concluded Israel is a nuclear power. In his confirmation hearing, incoming U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates didn't seem to have any doubt about it, when talking about Iran's atomic aspirations.

ROBERT GATES, INCOMING U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: They are surrounded by powers with nuclear weapons. Pakistan to their east. The Russians to the north. Israelis to the west. And us in the Persian Gulf.

WEDEMAN: Much of the work on Israel's nuclear program is believed to have gone on here at a top-secret facility in Dimona (ph) in Israel's Nagaf desert.

Veteran Israeli politician Shimon Perez was instrumental in developing Dimona (ph). He always insisted it was a textiles factory.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, textile is out of business. You know, people are going for high-tech today. But the textile business achieved its basic aim at the time.

WEDEMAN: Ambiguous, indeed. Prime Minister Olmert has since come out to reiterate his country's traditional position that Israel will not be the first to introduce nuclear weapons to the Middle East.

(on camera): Which brings to to mind the words of William Shakespeare who once wrote me thinks he doth protest too much. Few at this point doubt that Israel in one form or another is a well- established member of the nuclear club.

Ben Wedeman, CNN, Jerusalem.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CLANCY: From Palestinians' living conditions to the plight of Darfur refugees, the United Nations' humanitarian coordinator who has been with us many times here on YOUR WORLD TODAY. Jan Egeland has tried to tackle all of it. Today was his last day on the job. I talked to Egeland as he took stock and looked not only to the past, but to the future.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) JAN EGELAND, U.N. HUMANITARIAN COORDINATOR: Well, as we take stock and I will have my swan song not only here but with my colleagues later today, taking stock, the world is getting better.

There are less conflicts today than there were 3 and a half years ago. Liberia is dramatically better. Eastern Congo is better. Northern Ugand (ph) is better. Southern Sudan is better. But in the remaining conflicts in the world, civilians are more targeted than before. Like in Dafur, eastern Chad, in Gaza, in Iraq, and in parts of Afghanistan.

CLANCY: Just a day earlier, Kofi Annan, the secretary general, also bid farewell from Independence, Missouri in the Truman Library, some controversy there, but at the same time, he -- telling our own Zain Verjee that he's going to spend the entire day today working on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. That's a stubborn conflict where the situation hasn't gotten any better, has it?

EGELAND: It has gotten worse. I have myself travelled to Gaza for 20 years. I've never seen so much hatred, bitterness as I saw in my last visit. And I think it is of extreme importance that we give hope to the Palestinian youth.

They are, at the moment, in a situation where they could go either to extremism or into believing in a future. At the moment, the jury's out on that.

CLANCY: How can you -- you constantly, you transfer food. You work to ensure that the various U.N. agencies are on the scene. But there is no agency to restore the hope to so many people around the world, whether it's the result of a natural disaster. How do you deal with that?

EGELAND: Well, we do see we can restore hope when we have access, when we have enough resources, when we have security. Our problem is, that in many places, like in Darfur, in Gaza, in Iraq, in Afghanistan, we have too little access, we have too little security.

And this terror directed, not only against civilians, but also against aid workers is probably my biggest worry for my colleagues as I now step back. Because we've become much more effective in saving lives, but we've also met more obstacles on our road to do that.

CLANCY: Jan Egeland, so often you look across all of these conflicts, the United Nations takes the brunt of the blame and you've been on the end of it. People on the outside world say, well the U.N. is worthless, it can't solve these problems. It's got to be frustrating?

EGELAND: It is frustrating because, perhaps especially in North America and parts of the West and in parts of the Arab world there is this notion that the U.N. is impotent. Nothing could have been more wrong.

What I have seen is dramatic progress in so many areas. Take Congo. It was the worst killing field of our generation. 4 million people died. What has the U.N. been able to do, with the European Union -- have elections for the first time ever. Disarmed hundreds of militia groups. Provided access and security for humanitarian work for the first time.

It's a triumph for the United Nations. So are so many other areas of Africa. If the world now reassembles and says the U.N. is the legitimate organization, we want to help it succeed, the sky's the limit for what the U.N. can do.

CLANCY: All right. We'll leave it there. Jan Egeland. Thank you very much. What's next for you.

EGELAND: Well, I'm going back to my country Norway tonight and I will write a book on all I've seen. I've been places nobody have seen really. I've seen the worst and the best of humankind and I want to describe it. And I want to try to say how I believe our generation can end the carnage and the misery on our watch. This generation have the resources to do it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

U.N. Humanitarian Chief Jan Egeland on his final day on the job. And I'm going to miss him. Very articulate, very accessible.

GORANI: And definitely highlighting some of the major problems in the world and remaining optimistic after 20 years witnessing some of the world's worst events.

(NEWSBREAK)

CLANCY: All right, we've got to take a short break here. But still ahead, digging for diamonds in Botswana.

The country shines as the world's largest diamond producer. But will allegations by Bushmen of the Kalahari make it lose its luster? We'll tell you why some are not taken in by all that glitter when we return.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GORANI: Welcome back to YOUR WORLD TODAY on CNN international.

Now, it's the hardest known natural material known to humankind. It's been treasured as a gemstone for more than 2,000 years, and it's still precious, as most of us know. Now a movie "Blood Diamond," starring Leonardo DiCaprio, is shining a spotlight on one of the world's most coveted object still.

Now, one country in particular in Africa is concerned about possible negative publicity from that movie. We focus this hour on diamonds in Botswana. The country is the world's largest diamond producer. But we stress Botswana does not produce "Blood Diamonds," or conflict diamonds as they're sometimes called, which is said to fuel some of Africa's dirtiest and most vicious wars. Now diamonds have turned out to be Botswana's best friend. Some facts now about diamond mining in that country. Ever since it was discovered four decades ago in the land-locked country, the precious stones transformed one of Africa's poorest countries to one its biggest success story. More than 30 million carats -- 30 million carats -- a third of the world's global supply, is mined in Botswana every year. Diamond exports accounted for over 80 percent of total experts last year. The diamonds are not cut or polished in Botswana. Instead they're shipped to London and sold to dealers around the world, including in Belgium, of course, big center there. Botswana has four active mines, all run by Debswana (ph), a joint venture between the government and the diamond giant DeBeers.

When diamonds were found on the central Kalahari game reserve two decades ago, the government moved thousands of bushmen from their ancestral land. The government denies that they were forcibly moved to make way for diamond mining.

Now the bushmen are fighting that eviction in the courts.

CNN's Africa correspondent, Jeff Koinange, has this report on one man trying to cling to his old way of life.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEFF KOINANGE, CNN AFRICA CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Maswa Kuwaya (ph) says he feels like a man without a country. He's a Basawa (ph), or a bushman of the Kalahari, an ethnic group spread across Southern Africa. His ancestors walked the land and hunted wild animals for a living. He, too is, a hunter and a gather, a throwback, one might say, from a bygone era, still clinging to the ways of his ancestors.

"I really miss my home and my ancestors," he says. "This is not my home. I think the ancestors are angry that we have left them behind."

I asked Maswa if he's ever heard of a computer or the Internet, whether he's ever watched television or used a mobile phone. He said he's heard of all these things, but has no use for them. He just wants to be left alone to do what he does best.

"The thing I miss the most is my hunting," he says. "If I was in the land of my ancestors, I would have gone hunting with my bow and arrow and I would have offered you some meat."

Now, all he can offer us is these leather bags which he makes from the hide of animals he hunts illegally in the central Kalahari game reserve. The government of Botswana decided to relocate Maswa his fellow bushmen off the reserve self-years ago, to a place some 150 miles way. The reason given, to be able to offer them the same privileges accorded all citizens of Botswana -- schools, hospitals, jobs.

ATHALIAH MOLOKOMME, BOTSWANA ATTORNEY GENERAL: (INAUDIBLE) we've been removed from this land forcibly, and we would like a court order that we return. Now, the government say we did not remove (INAUDIBLE) forcibly. In any event, nobody in this country has exclusive rights to what is known as (INAUDIBLE).

KOINANGE: But Maswa says this is unfamiliar territory, a strange land. There are no animals to hunt here, no berries to forage, no leaves to pluck.

"I'm really very sad to be here," he says. "My heart bleeds when I think of my ancestors' land which was taken from me."

Taken from him, he says by what he calls an uncaring government determined to render the bushmen extinct.

"They just arrived one day and made us get into these huge trucks. And the little ones, they just tossed them in, and we were brought here," he says.

Maswa now lives here with his eight children. His two grandchildren were born here.

"I just want to go back home. Please tell them to take us back home," he pleads.

The bushmen insist they were removed because of the discovery of diamonds. They've put their case against the government of Botswana before a judge who will rule this week whether they were forcibly removed. The country's minister of education admits there are diamond deposits in the reserve, but denies they have anything to do the relocation.

JACOB DICKY NKATE, BOTSWANA MINISTER OF EDUCATION: They've never been mined, because they're not viable, because of the investment that you'd have to put on the ground to mine that (INAUDIBLE) is not a sensible business.

We don't move people (INAUDIBLE) away from a mine, even the richest diamond mine in the world. We just don't do that.

KOINANGE: (INAUDIBLE) man is an activist fighting for bushman rights in Botswana. He, too, is a bushman, educated by the government. He says despite his privileged upbringing, he sees a race of people fast disappearing before his eyes in the 21st century. A race of people whose only past time now seems resigned to drinking alcohol with money given by the Botswana government.

JUMANDA GAKEIBONE, ACTIVIST FOR BUSHMEN'S RIGHTS: The courts are against us and we are going to be put here. As I said that, it's going to be bye-bye with the Bushmen. It's just not taking a hole, putting them and burying them.

KOINANGE: Burying them, some people say, along with their past, a fate not unknown to the Aborigines or Native Americans. Jeff Koinange, CNN, Hutze (ph) in southern Botswana.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GORANI: Well, big diamonds mean big money. So any decision related to mining that precious stone is important. The Botswana high court is set to rule on Wednesday on whether the Bushmen were forcibly removed. Jeff Koinange will have a live report from Johannesburg on the decision when it happens. Back to you, Jim.

CLANCY: All right, very interesting segment there. Well we're going to take a short break. When we come back, remembering Princess Diana 10 years after her death. Just ahead, Princes William and Harry planning a concert to honor their mother on what would have been her 46th birthday.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GORANI: Welcome back, everybody.

CLANCY: Seen live in more than 200 countries all around the globe, this is YOUR WORLD TODAY on CNN International.

GORANI: All right. Well, you know it's hard to believe it's almost been 10 years since the death of Princess Diana. And plans to commemorate that 10th anniversary of her passing has now been made public.

CLANCY: By her sons, Princes William and Harry, are going to hold a celebrity-studded charity event, a concert really next July 1st. Paula Hancocks have been covering that story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Diana, princess of Wales, would have turned 46 next year. Her sons, Princes William and Harry are determined to make this birthday one to be remembered.

PRINCE WILLIAM: We wanted to have this big concert, full of energy, full of sort of fun and happiness, which I know she would have wanted. And on her birthday as well, it's got to be the best birthday present she'd ever had.

HANCOCKS: The concert will also mark something more somber, 10 years since Diana died in a car crash in Paris.

With stars like Elton John who sang at Diana's funeral, Joss Stone, and Duran Duran.

PRINCE WILLIAM: The idea is we wanted to get artists my mother really loved and then artists that both Harry and I enjoy. And then in the middle with the ballet and Andrew Lloyd Webber, obviously she loved the dancing in their musicals.

HANCOCKS: Proceeds from the concert will go to a number of charities that were supported by Diana during her life and to two of the princes' own charities.

PRINCE WILLIAM: We're raising money for Centrepoint and Sentebale. I'm pitching Centrepoint and Harry's pitching Sentebale. And they're both charities that are for my mother's legacy.

HANCOCKS: The princes are also planning a commemorative memorial service for August 31st, the anniversary of their mother's death. That would be a family affair. Their stepmother, the duchess of Cornwall will also attend. William and Harry gave their word, they will be making an appearance on stage at some point during the evening of the concert. As to where you can buy tickets.

PRINCE WILLIAM: We're going to be very good to our Santa, very nicely.

PRINCE HARRY: Or ring his mobile.

(CROSSTALK)

HANCOCKS: Paula Hancocks, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GORANI: All right, yes, we're asking the question, how do you give someone a standing ovation without standing?

CLANCY: Well, you stay in bed. That's how you do it.

GORANI: Of course. What is that, Jim?

CLANCY: They're giving a standing ovation. I mean, that's the best way they can say, that you know what, it worked.

GORANI: They're falling asleep together to the sounds of a special concert.

CLANCY: The event was the dream child of an international mattress company, who else. It moved 144 beds into the biggest concert hall in Tel Aviv.

GORANI: All right, they asked the Ranana (ph) Symphonette to plan a concert to which everyone fell asleep. I don't know if that's an endorsement or if that's a compliment. In any case, that's it for YOUR WORLD TODAY for now. I hope you didn't fall asleep. I'm Hala Gorani.

CLANCY: I'm Jim Clancy. Stay with CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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