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Mine Rescue Briefing Continued; Jewish Settlers Evicted from Hebron; Chinese Train To The Extreme To Bring Home Gold In 2008 Olympics; Monsoons Decimate Vast Areas Of India, But Indian Army Coaxes Survivors To Leave Their Flooded Homes; Iranian Cyclists Tour Europe, United States, Promote Peace

Aired August 07, 2007 - 12:00   ET

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


AL DAVIS, MINE SAFETY & HEALTH ADMIN.: I think what we're seeing is just some small readjustments in the forces underground, after the major event that occurred.
ROBERT MURRAY, MURRAY ENERGY CORPORATION: For clarification, Mr. Davis, I believe you're asking about the bump that occurred in the night last night. Not your earlier earthquake, let's just make that clear, that drove the miners out that I previously referred to. That was last night.

QUESTION: That was 4:00 a.m. yesterday.

MURRAY: Yes, this morning, that I referred to. Yes, ma'am.

QUESTION: Can we get a little bit of a timeline here? I mean, so you all worked for how long up until 4:00 a.m.? At 4:00 a.m. the rescue workers were pulled out. At what point did you all begin trying to place ventilation material? And what is actually going on right now, can you just sort...

(CROSSTALK)

DAVIS: The event occurred before 4:00, 4:00 was when the men came out. The event was closer, I don't have the exact time but it was closer to 1:30, about that time.

QUESTION: The bump?

DAVIS: The bump. Yes. People pulled back to a safe area, assessed the conditions they had and...

MURRAY: And were withdrawn from the mine at 4:00 a.m. Now you asked a question, when did we go back in? I was there. Our management went immediately back in the mine around 4:00 a.m. to start assessing the damage.

QUESTION: Thank you.

MURRAY: To answer your question, ma'am, the bump occurred at about 1:30 this morning. Our miners were withdrawn to a safe area immediately. They were withdrawn to a safe area. Immediately they were withdrawn from the mine and were outside about 4:00 a.m. Remember, it takes about 30 minutes for them to come out of the mine. And then we sent miners back in at about 4:00 a.m. to start assessing the situation. At that point, I went to administer to the needs of the families, and I don't know exactly how many men are back underground at this time, because I have been with the families and with you.

QUESTION: Mr. Murray, could you help us understand better the type of work the men were doing there? There have been some reports of this retreat mining. Can you tell us what kind of work they were doing there, and how that differs from this retreat mining, and could you explain those?

MURRAY: Number one, I wish you would take the word "retreat mining" out of your vocabulary. Those were words invented by Davitt McAteer, Oppegard, who are lackeys for the United Mine Workers and officials at the United Mine Workers. They would like to organize this coal mine. You people don't understand that.

I'm telling you that. That's a fact. Retreat mining had absolutely nothing to do with the disaster that happened here. Nor was there any retreat mining happening at the time of the disaster.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) now a difference from that?

MURRAY: Yes, in my press release, I say it was primary mining on the advance. The pillars were left. They...

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) continuous mining, is that what the problem...

MURRAY: Yes.

QUESTION: Can you just tell us how that works?

MURRAY: Retreat mining, as quoted in the media from Dennis O'Dell of the United Mine Workers, says, you have only got four or five posts between you and the danger. There are no posts in this coal mine. He's talking about the retreat mining that is done in other coal seams where the pillars are removed. The pillars were not being removed here at the time of the accident. There are eight solid pillars around where the men are right now.

And I really am not going to respond to this retreat mining anymore, because it is invented by people who have motives that want to damage Murray Energy, Utah American, and the United States coal industry, for their own motives. You weren't told this in the previous disasters last year in America. But now, journalists, I'm telling you how it really is.

QUESTION: Let's talk about the helicopter drilling rig. And is the helicopter simply there to get the rig in place, or does it actually do drilling of its own?

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) any of that drilling, actually.

MURRAY: The helicopter is only used to position the drilling rig. The drilling rig has positioned. Do we know, Chris, whether it has started yet or not?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (OFF-MIKE)

MURRAY: It has not yet started.

QUESTION: Mr. Murray, as a result of the mine bump, is it correct that you're only 50 feet closer to the trapped miners as of now?

MURRAY: No, in my report, when you get a chance to read it, I say we are 310 feet closer to the trapped miners, but we only made 50 feet of progress right now last night. Very disappointing and a very good question. And thank you for clarifying that.

QUESTION: Could you clarify for us how long it is going to take? You mentioned three days to get the two-inch hole and then you mention later maybe two days going in from a different angle. I want to make sure I get that straight. What are we talking about here? How many days?

MURRAY: Any way we try to do this, it's going to be a minimum, and I emphasize a minimum, sir, of three days to get to these miners, three days any way we do it.

QUESTION: That's a two-inch hole.

MURRAY: That's correct.

(CROSSTALK)

MURRAY: From the surface with a small helicopter drill, it's three days. From where we are...

(CROSSTALK)

MURRAY: Including today. What we're setting up now is two days. But we're not set up with that large drill rig yet. We worked all night. The access from underground, sir, is three days at a minimum. And the other method we tried to get access within 24 hours did not work.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) methods to get a two-inch hole or will some of those a hole big enough for people?

MURRAY: No, sir. The way we're going underground, where we'll reach them in three days will be with a cavity 18 feet wide, eight feet high that you could almost drive a tank through. And we will get that done, hopefully, in three days.

QUESTION: Mr. Murray, who are these rescuers? Are they mine workers? Are they trained in rescue efforts?

MURRAY: They are. These people undergo -- they are very committed professionals. There are generally nine members to a team. They undergo extensive training which the companies pay for. Two of the teams are from Utah American that are in there now. There are two other teams from Arch Mineral Corporation. We appreciate them providing those teams. These men go through years of training under the auspices of federal Mine Safety and Health Administration and the company. They are very sophisticated in what they do, and they are the best in the world.

(CROSSTALK)

QUESTION: Do you actually right now have (OFF-MIKE) working now or are they working in shifts (OFF-MIKE)? How many people are out there?

MURRAY: There are six teams on a rotation basis with two teams on the property at any time on a rotation basis.

(CROSSTALK)

QUESTION: You have 18 people?

MURRAY: Nine members each.

QUESTION: If these six men are alive right now sitting down there, what sort of gear do they have with them? What do they have to help keep them alive?

MURRAY: They have breathing apparatus, where, for well over an hour, they can breathe in an atmosphere of no oxygen. And they are thoroughly protected. And they have techniques where they don't advance into dangerous areas.

I would like Mr. Davis to answer this question. This is their -- this is what they do, is see that we provide these rescue teams. And I'm going to tell you something, ladies and gentlemen. I'm committed to a professional prompt recovery of these people. And I'll do everything in my power to stay here until it's done. And let me tell you something. If I don't do it, Mr. Davis and the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration will see that I do. Please believe that.

DAVIS: Let me clear up some of the confusion about the mine rescue teams. We have six teams that are available for use. But when we say mine rescue teams, we are talking about trained individuals who can wear breathing apparatus, who can enter atmospheres that are not safe to breathe otherwise.

But the work we are doing right now is not in that type of atmosphere. The men that are underground that are trying to move this loose coal, they are working in good air. They are not the mine rescue teams. The mine rescue teams are sitting, ready to go if we need them. And those people will be called in when we get to the next stage where we need somebody, and we have access to move ahead where the air might not be as good.

But right now, we are utilizing miners. They are rescuers, but they are miners. They are equipment operators.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) miners have? DAVIS: Pardon me?

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

QUESTION: What equipment does a normal miner that would be in this mine carry with them? What kind of gear will they have that can help them?

DAVIS: Well, they have with them and available two self- contained self-rescuers that they could use if their atmosphere was unbreathable. But other than that, they just carry the normal tools that they might need to work with.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

DAVIS: They last for...

HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: All right. We've been listening into a very lengthy press conference. First heard from the CEO of Murray Energy, who you know by now, has operated this mine, Robert Murray talking for an extended period of time about his company and his thoughts on this disaster.

He says, first and foremost, again, according to Robert Murray, that this accident was caused by an earthquake. He also says it will take three days, if everything goes well, to get to the miners. Also talking about various things. We want to go straight to Dan Simon who is standing by now on the scene.

Really and truly one of the most bazaar press conferences I've ever seen. I wonder what the families' reaction will be.

DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Heidi, I'm not sure how else you would describe it. Really two things at play here, is really the temperament and attitude of Mr. Murray. And then behind all that, there is the substance of what he was saying. And if we focus on the substance part and talk about exactly where these miners are believed to be, really nothing changed overnight.

They had some additional setbacks. They tried to get into the mine using the various drills. And there are geotechnical problems. And they really only advanced about 50 feet overnight. He said that they brought in additional equipment, some 30 pieces of equipment to reach these miners.

In terms of what Mr. Murray is saying, though, I think we can all agree that he's a very defensive person, very defensive about his company, very defensive about how this whole thing is being conducted. You're right. It really was quite bizarre, Heidi.

COLLINS: We only started to get some information, Dan, about literally 30 minutes into that press conference, and that was coming to us from Al Davis, who is the district manager of Mining Safety and Health Administration.

He was actually talking more about exactly where they are. And as you mentioned, they do tell us that they know exactly where the miners are, that they are about 310 feet closer to them but were upset with the progress that you mentioned. And ventilation, that they had lost some temporary ventilation that they actually went back in to repair.

SIMON: Indeed. And there are still so many unanswered questions here. I mean, you heard Mr. Murray say that it will take a minimum of three days to reach the miners, but even if the -- even when they do, they are only going to be able to dig two-inch holes. Not -- certainly not big enough to actually get people out of the mine. So it's really not clear when, after all of this time, you're actually going to be able to remove these miners.

COLLINS: Yes. It's amazing all of that work, all of that drilling and then only a two-inch hole. All right. Dan Simon, we know you'll be cover the story for us very carefully. Thanks so much for your reporting, live from Huntington, Utah, this morning.

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: And of course, more on this story at the top of the hour right here on CNN as NEWSROOM continues.

COLLINS: I'm Heidi Collins. Have a good day, everybody.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

JIM CLANCY, CNN ANCHOR: An emotional funeral procession in Gaza on Tuesday, the victims, children ages 7 and 9, they were killed by a stray rocket, a rocket that was fired by Palestinian militants.

HALA GORANI, CNN ANCHOR: Medical workers say the rocket fell short of an intended target in Israel, instead striking the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanoun. So far, no group has claimed responsibility for launching that rocket.

Welcome back, everyone. You are with CNN INTERNATIONAL and YOUR WORLD TODAY.

CLANCY: Bringing you resources of CNN INTERNATIONAL as they examine the stories that are making news right around the globe.

GORANI: All right. And we're going to move on to this story. After a six-year standoff and prolonged court battle, Jewish settlers are finally out of a building in the West Bank town of Hebron. But the ending was ugly. Atika Shubert has more on the forcible eviction and why some Israeli forces refused flat out to participate.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): They were picked up and carried out kicking and screaming. Dozens of diehard Israeli settlers forcibly erected from the town of Hebron. It should have been simple. The eviction of two Israeli families illegally occupying an abandoned Palestinian shop.

It was complicated, not just because the supporters of the families barricaded themselves inside, but because a dozen of Israeli soldiers pointedly disobeyed orders and refused to join the eviction effort.

Israel has faced this dilemma before. In 2005, the withdrawal of troops and settlements from Gaza. Several soldiers protested the so- called disengagement on religious grounds, insisting they would not participate in forced evacuation of Jewish homes. Nonetheless, at the end of the day, most soldiers carried out their duties.

This time dissident soldiers dug in their heels, in some cases, backed by their parents. Moshe Rosenfeld (ph) tried to stop the bus carrying his son to the Hebron operation. He yelled a final warning to the departing soldiers. "Don't expel Jews."

The Israeli military says all of the dissenting soldiers will stand trial for disobeying orders.

(on camera): Hours after the operation to evict settlers in the marketplace of Hebron, and now Israeli forces have time to take a break and consider the implications of the action they have taken.

(voice-over): Israel's army has always been reflection of the country's multi-dimensional character. In the past, soldiers from the left side of the political spectrum protested the continuing occupation of the West Bank.

But now politics have shifted to the right. Many of Israel's most motivated soldiers hold a fervent belief in the Jewish state's claim to the disputed land, particularly in the West Bank even as the country's leaders inched towards compromise with the Palestinians.

MICHAEL OREN, POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, what we've seen in Hebron today is probably not even a dress rehearsal for the dress rehearsal. Clearly if there is to be some type of historic agreement between Israel and the Palestinians, it will involve the relocation not of two or three families, but thousands of families, tens of thousands of Israelis will have to be relocated from those homes.

SHUBERT: A wake-up call for an army increasingly torn between duty and faith.

Atika Shubert, CNN, Hebron.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CLANCY: Topic under discussion in Britain, is that last call for alcohol harmful to your health?

GORANI: Well, if have you spent any times in pubs in London or elsewhere in Great Britain, you know that the bell -- anyway, we're all too familiar with it. Well, it appears that Brits who belly up to the bar are actually at much higher risk for liver disease.

CLANCY: That's right. The head of the Royal College of Physicians says cirrhosis deaths have spiked in Britain over the past two decades and the United Kingdom's pub culture may be the culprit.

GORANI: And here's why. Experts say that those who hang out at British pubs are to driven to down as many beers as possible, just go ahead and down as many as you can before the traditional 11:00 p.m. closing time. And doctors say that leads to binge drinking, of course, that leads to liver disease. And there's an epidemic, according to some in Britain.

Unless more Brits learn when to say when or, frankly, when the closing time is extended a bit. They're all adults. They know when to stop drinking.

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

GORANI: Intense summer heat is stretching across a large section of the United States.

CLANCY: That's right. Ahead on YOUR WORLD TODAY, we're going to look at some of those hot spots and how those who have to be outside are keeping cool.

GORANI: And good and bad news in the search for six trapped miners. The latest from U.S. state of Utah when we come back. Stay with YOUR WORLD TODAY.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, everyone, I'm Kyra Phillips at the CNN Center in Atlanta. More of YOUR WORLD TODAY in just a few minutes. But first a quick check on stories making headlines here in the U.S..

In Utah a sobering update on attempts to rescue six trapped miners. Mine officials say five different rescue strategies have been used to reach the men. They're believed to be about 1,500 feet underground but there has been no sign of life since the collapse.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MURRAY: If the miners survive the concussion of the earthquake, and the shocks in the mine, and the damage to the mine, we'll rescue them alive because there is plenty of air in there for them to survive for weeks and there's water. But we don't know. We'll know in three days.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Well, mine operator Bob Murray went on to say seismic data shows an earthquake caused that collapse. Some experts question whether it was actually the cave-in that caused earthquake-like tremors.

Well, ahead in the NEWSROOM, one of the men that survived Quecreek Mine accident, his experience, his hopes for the miners trapped, and his advice for the families waiting for word of their loved ones. That's coming up at 1:00 p.m. Eastern.

A new milestone in Iraq for the U.S. military. The Pentagon says the number of American troops there is now at its highest level ever, about 162,000. Pentagon officials say the spike is related to the movement of troops in and out of that country causing an overlap. They say the level is expected to drop a bit as more troops move out. President Bush's build-up plan has also raised troop levels. More than 20,000 U.S. troops have arrived in Iraq since February.

Fresh fighting in Afghanistan, the U.S.-led coalition says that troops fought off an attack on a military outpost in the southern Oruzgan province. Officials say that almost two dozen militants were killed in that fighting. The coalition says that four Afghan girls were wounded by the insurgents' rocket-propelled grenades.

Now just a couple of hours ago, a court appearance for two suspects in a gruesome Connecticut home invasion, Joshua Komisarjevsky, and Steven Hayes, did not even enter pleas. They face capital felony charges. Prosecutors say they'll seek the death penalty. Police say the pair held a family hostage for hours, then set their home on fire. Investigators say that Jennifer Hawke-Petit was raped then strangled. Her two daughters, tied to beds, they died of smoke inhalation. The father was beaten but escaped. Several family members attended today's proceedings. The next hearing, September 18th.

Well, a big reward offered in Newark, New Jersey, now. Police hope that it will spark leads. Three college friends, killed executive style this weekend. A fourth was shot but survived. The mayor says that crimes are down in the city, but Newark's murder rate is still high, at least 60 people killed this year.

Baking in the summer heat, parts of the Midwest, the South, and the Northeast coping with dangerous triple-digit temperatures today. In some areas it will feel like 115 degrees. And not much choice for these workers in St. Louis, they're having to brave that muggy, stifling air. Temperatures there expected to stay at or above the century mark for at least the next three days.

And drinking water, big demand today in Little Rock, Arkansas. That city also baking in the heat. The hot stagnant air also responsible for another problem, smog. These scenes are not Los Angeles but Atlanta. That city under smog alerts this week.

(WEATHER REPORT)

PHILLIPS: Well, a new focus today for investigators in that Minnesota bridge collapse. Teams of FBI and Navy divers now part of the search for victims. They brought a small unmanned submarine to navigate the wreckage. Eight people are still missing. Rebuilding efforts also moving ahead this morning. Designers and builders up against a deadline. They must show by tomorrow that they're qualified to bid on the reconstruction project. State officials hoping that new bridge can be built by the end of next year and they're getting some help. President Bush signing a bill to waive a limit on federal relief funds. It's going to provide $250 million for the work in Minneapolis. And tonight a moment of silence for the victims, 6:05 p.m., the exact time that bridge collapsed last Wednesday.

YOUR WORLD TODAY continues after a quick break. I'm Kyra Phillips. See you at the top of the hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CLANCY: Hello, welcome back to our viewers, joining us for more than 200 countries and territories around the globe, including the United States. This is YOUR WORLD TODAY. I'm Jim Clancy.

GORANI: I'm Hala Gorani. Welcome everyone.

Here's some top stories we're following. Media reports say there is new evidence in the case of a British girl missing for more than three months. That new evidence could point to murder. They say sniffer dogs have detected blood in the apartment where Madeleine McCann and her family were staying on holiday in Portugal some months ago. Madeleine's parents, though, say they believe their daughter is still alive.

Georgia accusing Russia of trying to provoke panic after a guided missile hit near a village about one hour from its capital, Tbilisi. The missile is not explode and Russia is denying any involvement. Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili says Europe must condemn Moscow, which he says, in his words, is "a problem for European security and safety."

GORANI: Taking you to China for another headline, big celebrations are coming in the coming hours, in Beijing, to mark the one year countdown to the lighting of the Olympic torch. Organizers say all of the venues will be completed by the end of this year with the exception of the national stadium, better known as Bird's Nest.

CLANCY: All right. Well, next year is leap year. So athletes training for the Summer Olympic Games have 366 days left until the Beijing opening ceremonies.

GORANI: Right, one extra day. In Chinese athletes there go through what is sometimes considered excessive training, all in efforts to make their country proud, of course.

CLANCY: Lindsey Hilsum brings us on a report of an eight-year- old girl already training to be an Olympian.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LINDSEY HILSUM, CNN INTL. CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Darkness before dawn, eight-year-old Zhang Huimin is running her daily half marathon. Her brother is at her side. Every morning she rises at 2:30 to run along the deserted streets of her home town Ling Gao (ph) on China's Hinan (ph) Island. Sunrise finds her on the track with older enthusiasts. Just four foot tall and weighing 44 pounds, a symbol of China's determination to succeed at sport a year before the Beijing Olympics.

ZHANG HUIMIN, EIGHT-YEAR OLD RUNNER (through translator): I run for the future. I want to be champion, I want to win honor for the country. HILSUM: Zhang Huimin's father is a frustrated athlete himself. He's worked out a program, which not only involves four hours running in the morning but several hours of other posit training after school. She sleeps only five and a half hours a night and two in the afternoon. He says it does her no harm.

ZHANG JIANMIN, ZHANG HUIMIN'S FATHER (through translator): The training may be too harsh for others. She's used to it after training like this for years.

I do my very best to be responsible and careful. If injuries occur, we'll have to accept it. You could have an accident walking on the street. It's all fate. As long as I don't harm her by pressuring her too much, she can train to be fit.

HILSUM: But she's only a child. And medical experts say such intensive training at such a young age could not only lead to injury but stop her bones from growing properly, give her long-term problems with joints and delay puberty.

DR. SIMON YUNG, INTL. SPORTS MEDICNE FEDERATION: We're talking about eight-year-old girls, right? Well, starting when she's entering the age of 10 or 11, she should start menstruations and then rapid increase of bone growth, but long-term intensive training will affect menstruation to start, right? So that will affect the maturation of her growth, as well as the bone growth.

HILSUM: Zhang Huimin does her homework but her mind is on the next goal. During the summer holiday running more than 3,500 kilometers from Hinan (ph) to the Great Wall, and her long-term aim, when she's old enough, to win an Olympic medal.

ZHANG JIANMIN (through translator): We live for a goal. Everyone must aim for a goal in life. One must fight to reach that goal.

HILSUM (on camera): The marathon in next year's Olympics will end here, at the new Beijing stadium. Zhang Huimin won't be competing, of course, she's too young. She's aiming for 2016. Who knows what will happen to her by then. But that same determination to push beyond the limits can be found in the current Chinese marathon team. They've been told that their job is to win gold, seemingly, whatever the cost.

(Voice over): Olympic training in Dalyen (ph) northeast of Beijing. In the lead, Jo Chung Shu (ph), winner of the Women's London Marathon, a great Olympic hope for China and a challenge to Britain's Paula Radcliffe.

Before a major race, she runs 200 to 250 kilometers a week, and sometimes even more.

LIAN SONG LI, OLYMPIC WOMEN'S MARATHON COACH: Today's training was not the lengthiest, 30 kilometers in total for morning and afternoon session. In winter, the maximum was 340 kilometers a week.

YUNG: It's amazing that this child has trained for almost 300 kilometers per week. So, I most of the athletes will suffer from some sort of musculoskeletal injuries, or other problems even from just a few months of this type of training.

HILSUM: Dr. Yung says the immediate danger is stress fractures, runner's knee, severe pain in the sole of the foot, hip, or groin pain and suppression of the immune system. In the long term knees and angles may degenerate. Previous Chinese athletes who over trained have ended up crippled.

ZHOU CHUNXIA, MARATHON RUNNER (through translator) I've heard of injury cases. I would be lying if I said I wasn't worried at all. I thought about myself. But being in this position, I'm not allowed to think too much about the future. It's more important to do well in today's competition.

HILSUM: Zhou and her teammates get a good diet and are well looked after by the Chinese state. Much of their life style and training is similar to that of top athletes anywhere in the world. But the coach Lian believes that Europeans have denser bone structure and better diet, so the Chinese have to train harder.

LIAN: Because of the racial difference we must realize this advantage in our physical build. We must be willing to take on more hardship and more intensive training, injuring more pain than average people can ever imagine. Then we can beat all our rivals.

YUNG: Frankly speaking. From the athlete's based medicine's point of view, I have not heard about this, right?

HILSUM: Last Friday, we caught up with Zhang Huimin, now treated like a minor celebrity in the town of Shining (ph). She with her brother and father set off from home on Hinand Island a month ago, and is now more than two-thirds of the way to Beijing. She was rather reluctantly signing flags for the curious public with the legend Olympic spirit, strong body, extreme challenge, on earth of the nation.

So on she runs, another 1300 kilometers to go. The journey her father said, a gift for the 2008 Olympics and glory of the Chinese nation. Zhang Huimin has no idea how vulnerable she is. She just loves to run. Lindsey Hilsum, Channel 4 News, Shining (ph).

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CLANCY: There's a lot more about the 2008 Olympics available on our web site.

GORANI: There are interactive features on the athletes, the venues, as well as the issues.

CLANCY: You can also send in your photos, any video that you've taken, comments, become an iReporter.

GORANI: You can find it all on cnn.com/beijing.

CLANCY: South Asia remains absolutely inundated by record monsoon floods and outrage is rising along with swollen rivers and lakes. GORANI: There have been hundreds who have died, millions displaced. Hunger and thirst and outbreaks of disease. Now compound then misery throughout the region. Government and relief groups struggles to get supplies to millions huddled in flooded homes or in makeshift shelters.

CLANCY: Even in places where enough medicine, water and food are available, access, still a problem. Scuffles over the meager supplies have been reported all around India.

GORANI: And many are asking why their leaders where so ill- prepared in a region where monsoons rains are really a yearly fact. Now, in some areas, the India army can reach flood survivors.

CLANCY: But even the promise of medical supplies and food is not enough to lure victims to leave behind what few possessions they still have.

GORANI: Delia Gallagher rode along with some of those troops.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DELIA GALLAGHER, CNN INTL. CORRESPONDENTL (voice over): The Indian Army is looking for survivors. Floodwaters here run 10 feet deep. Their first challenge is to find any oasis of dry land, where villagers may have taken refuge. But as the Army major explains to me, that's the easy part.

MAJ. GINSH BHARADWAJ, INDIAN ARMY: We have to convince people out there, to get them to evacuated.

GALLAHGER (on camera): Why do you have to convince them?

BHARADWAJ: Because most of them don't want to leave the place. They don't want to leave their personal belongings out there.

GALLAGHER: Spotting makeshift tents they set ashore with medical kits and food. A village elder tells us he is relieved to see the soldiers.

"The government has give us food," he says. "If we eat, he are happy."

But Ramji (ph) confirms what the Army fears. He doesn't want to leave.

"I have my only belongings here, why should I go there," he says?

Anita is 25 years old. This tarp is now her home. The baby in her arms is one day old. She says despite the risks. She will not go without her family. And they are all family here, including the animals.

So the Army sees to their immediate needs, dishing out warm food to children living exposed to the elements, who don't usually get such a large serving, even in the best of times. Handing out medicines with instructions on their use.

The main complaints, fever and rashes.

COL. MANJIT SINGH, INDIAN ARMY: Our response is immediate.

GALLAGHER: Colonel Singh, in charge of regional operations, tells me that's the reality of rescue.

SINGH: We are putting our best food forward for mitigating the problems as they exist. And you're seeing the area, around, and determine, is that water going last here for the next two months.

GALLAGHER: The Army leaves behind those who refuse to go, and that's most of the group. Still, they say, it has been a successful day. Of the 50 families on that island, one has decided to come back. The Army still has a lot of work to do. Delia Gallagher, CNN, Beha (ph), India.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GORANI: Well, from floods to extreme heat, it's the case for millions of people across the United States, sweltering these summer months under a thick blanket of hot, humid air.

CLANCY: We certainly feel it here in Atlanta.

GORANI: We certainly do.

CLANCY: But the heat wave making temperatures soar in many states, from the Western Plains all across to the East Coast, temperatures climbing above the century mark, in Fahrenheit, 38 degree Celsius, in some areas.

GORANI: Authorities are warning people to stay indoors in air conditioned buildings if they can, if that's possible at all. They say older adults and children face the greatest risk of heat-related deaths, or health problems associated with heat.

And it is the humidity. Because really if it were under 100 Fahrenheit in Atlanta but humidity is the 90s. That's what makes it so hard.

CLANCY: All right. Let's turn to politics. Well, we're actually going to take a break, but Hillary Clinton, when we come back, going on the defensive.

GORANI: Ahead on YOUR WORLD TODAY, her response to claims she's accepting too much cash from corporate America.

CLANCY: Plus it may be an uphill journey but that is not stopping these Iranian cyclists from spreading their message. Those stories coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CLANCY: Hello, everyone. Welcome back. You're watching YOUR WORLD TODAY on CNN International.

GORANI: All right, this hour we welcome U.S. viewers as well as all of our international viewers from more than 200 countries around the globe. A new poll shows U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has strengthened her lead over her closest Democratic rival.

A "USA Today"/Gallup survey of more than 1,000 adults found Senator Clinton now has a 22 percent lead over Senator Barack Obama. The swing in her favor comes after a foreign policy dispute that some say made Obama seem experienced. The survey found 48 percent of Democrats and Democratic leaning Independents, support Clinton, 26 percent favored Obama. That's an eight-point drop from last month for Barack Obama.

CLANCY: No surprise in the revelation that money is a big driver in U.S. presidential politics. Candidates who are trying to avoid being beholden to corporate interests think Senator Clinton is taking too much lobbyist cash. Kathleen Koch has been following that story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): It's a pledge both Barack Obama and John Edwards tout with pride, not to take money from Washington lobbyists. But front-runner Hillary Clinton does, to the tune so far of $400, 000. It put her on the defense in a Democratic forum this weekend.

SEN. HILLARY CLINTON, (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Those lobbyists, whether you like it or not, represent real Americans. They actually do. They represent nurses, they represent social workers. Yes, they represent -- yes, they represent corporations that employee a lot of people.

KOCH: Edwards took on that assertion, asking for a show of hands of audience members with Washington lobbyists.

SEN. JOHN EDWARDS, (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: You are not represented by Washington lobbyists. You need to cut these people off.

KOCH: But the Center for Responsive Politics says some $10,000 in local North Carolina lobbyists money has ended up in Edwards campaign coffers. Yet, the Edwards campaign insists there has been no talk of banning lobbyists dollars representing local interests.

And the center points out that although Washington lobbyists may pour hundreds of thousands of dollars into politicians' campaigns, PACs and big corporate donors can pony up millions.

MASSIE RITSCH, CENTER FOR RESPONSIVE POLITICS: Lobbyists are not necessarily the most generous to these candidates. But they do get a lot of attention, because it's very easy to point at them and say, well, these are the special interest. These are the people who most represent those big monied interest that are trying to influence policy.

KOCH: Political experts agree that while Washington lobbyists do represent the interests of many grass roots Americans, Senator Clinton could have a tough time making her case.

STU ROTHENBERG, THE ROTHENBERG REPORT: The problem she's making an analytical argument about the way the system works. Everybody has lobbyists and her role as legislature. Senator Edwards is simply getting the emotional advantage of portraying her as somebody is close to lobbyists and big business, and the establishment. Presidential races are all about emotion and gut.

KOCH: So, expect Democratic candidates to increasingly exploit what they see as weakness on the front runner, and expect increasing attention on any lobbyist cash that manages to sneak in. The Edwards campaign today pledging to return a $4,600 donation by Bank Credit Suisse, which it turns out is registered as a Washington lobbyist. Kathleen Koch, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CLANCY: That story could end up being quite important. Because if you looked at the last Democratic debates, we had a meter that showed what the public reaction was and when they started talking about special interest groups, involving campaigns, it shot it straight up.

GORANI: And many of these issues. They are so many months ahead where they will develop and we'll be able to tell you what issues are important to American voters. By the way, what is more interesting, is when you travel abroad, Jim, you know.

The U.S. election is followed by pretty much everyone. And in the Middle East, that is one of the issues.

CLANCY: They wish they had a vote.

GORANI: They certainly do.

Let's move on to this story, because tempers really boiled over in an Ohio courtroom Monday.

CLANCY: And a lot of people would say they understand the anger. The defendant had just entered a plea of guilty to killing this man's son.

GORANI: And that's when Mike Swett (ph) jumped across the table and took a swing at the man who admitted to killing his son. The sheriff and others joined in. Ended up pulling the two men apart.

CLANCY: And police say Sweet's (ph) son was shot and killed. He as was trying to buy drugs at the time. Everybody admitted the anguish in the father's face. He tried to choke the man who pled guilty to killing his son.

GORANI: Regardless of the circumstances, it is true, you can understand his motivation there.

OK, taking a short break. Coming up, something entirely different. Pedaling for a cause. CLANCY: That's right. And it's an interesting one. A group of young Iranians is traveling thousands of kilometers trying to bring their message to the U.S. They've already been all across Europe. What do they have to say? It's coming up, on two wheels.

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GORANI: Welcome back. The U.S. and Iran have had no formal relations since 1980s, even though they've had a few series of lower- level meetings between themselves.

CLANCY: Jill Dougherty reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN INTL. CORRESPONDENT: Fourteen young Iranians Pedaling For Peace. It may sound a bit odd, but in May members of several Iranian charitable organizations oiled up their bikes and set off with a send a message.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are Iranian people. We are a peaceful people and we want to be a friendship with all other people around the world.

DOUGHERTY: They cycled across Italy, Germany, France, the U.K. By July they loading their bikes on a plane to the United States. After weeks of braving rain, flat tires, and political tensions.

YAHYA ROUHANI, MILES FOR PEACE CYCLIST: We realize it takes all of two minutes of face-to-face conversations, all of two minutes of talking with someone, to break down years of propaganda and demonization between the two nations.

DOUGHERTY: Demonization, they say, that works both ways.

ABBAS MOKHTAN, MILES FOR PEACE: Actually, I had a bad background about America people. When I came to this country, I saw something else that people were trying, coming -- they made relationships where they are good and friendly. Very good. They are very good. They changed my mind.

DOUGHERTY: The Iranians talked with all sorts of people, presenting some with their own hand-designed peace symbol. They even did personal lobbying for peace on Capitol Hill, meeting with New York Congressman Gary Ackerman.

REP. GARY ACKERMAN, (NY): And what is your message?

UNIDENTIFIED MALES: Peace.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALES: Peace.

DOUGHERTY: They didn't get a meeting with President Bush but they did get a picture in front of his house. There were some glitches, trouble getting visas in Europe. But surprisingly, they say, no trouble getting U.S. visas. The group vows it's completely independent from the Iranian government.

In Washington, at a poetry club the cyclists got a standing ovation. On their website, Milesforpeace.org, thousands of Iranians are signing up in support of peace with the United States and the world.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As we go back to Iran, we will continue to work hard and we'll continue to try to make it a way for people from the United States to bicycle to Iran.

(APPLAUSE, CHEERS)

DOUGHERTY: The long journey for peace is just beginning. Jill Dougherty, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GORANI: All right, interesting story? Good luck to them. Good initiative.

CLANCY: Really, it was. That's it. That's our report for this hour. I'm Jim Clancy.

GORANI: I'm Hala Gorani, lot's more ahead on CNN and CNN International. Stay with us.

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