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NEWS STREAM

Israel-Hamas Conflict; Rebels Take City in Congo; Nintendo Introduces New Controller

Aired November 20, 2012 - 08:00   ET

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

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong and welcome to NEWS STREAM, where news and technology meet.

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STOUT (voice-over): And we begin with the Israel-Hamas conflict. After seven days of violence, Israel says it will hold off on a ground offensive to give time for a diplomatic solution. This is as U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton prepares to head to the region.

Also ahead, in the wake of heavy clashes, witnesses now say rebel fighters are taking control of a major city in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

And in sport, leaving Los Angeles, star David Beckham prepares to exit the Galaxy.

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STOUT: There are significant new developments in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. An Israeli government official tells CNN the Israeli prime minister and his security cabinet have decided to hold off for now on any ground offensive in Gaza to give diplomatic efforts more time to work.

This as Arab League foreign ministers are heading from Egypt to Gaza today in a show of solidarity with Palestinians. And U.S. President Barack Obama is sending his top diplomat to the region. The U.S. secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, will stop in Israel, the West Bank city, Ramallah, and in Egypt.

Arwa Damon is in Gaza City, where there have been more explosions and airstrikes, even as international diplomatic efforts ramp up.

And Arwa Damon joins us now.

And, Arwa, as the cease-fire talk intensifies, we're hearing the airstrikes go on. What have you seen today?

ARWA DAMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And most certainly, at least from this vantage point, it seems as if a diplomatic solution to all of this is going to be incredibly difficult, just to give you an idea of what's been happening.

We have been seeing, hearing explosions coming from Israeli strikes, but we also saw a rocket being fired from that general direction toward Israel and shortly there afterwards, our Jerusalem bureau reported hearing sirens going off and some -- the Israeli channel, too, reporting that it seems to have impacted outside of Jerusalem itself.

We also just saw leaflets being dropped in that direction as well, or at least what most certainly seemed to be leaflets. And that has been happening on occasion.

This right here is a leaflet that was picked up a few days ago, effectively warning residents of Gaza to stay away from any Hamas military installations, to stay away from what the Israelis are calling terrorist organizations and their installations as well.

Of course, the great challenge for the residents here is that, for many, that quite simply is not an option. They really have nowhere else to go. A lot of these rocket-firing positions that Hamas does have are in residential areas, in these open fields that exist between very narrow alleyways. And this is an incredibly densely populated city.

We have been seeing people moving around, gathering into homes with their relatives, into areas where they perhaps do feel safer. But at the same time, as we are seeing this increasing death toll, which, when it comes to the death toll in Gaza right now, is at least 110. There are civilians amongst them. There are women and children amongst them as well, Kristie.

STOUT: The death toll has increased to 110.

Now, Arwa, we have reported that Hillary Clinton is traveling there to the region. Now she will be in Ramallah to talk to the Palestinian authorities. So what is the view about that in Gaza? Mahmoud Abbas negotiating on behalf of Gaza?

DAMON: Well, there's not a lot of hope that really hinges on that. People do feel at this point in time that if Mahmoud Abbas had the power, had the capability to broker a cease-fire, he would have done so already. The vast majority of people we are talking to are really saying that that capability lies with Egypt.

And of course, Egypt has been trying to mediate between both sides for quite some time now. We do have this delegation from the Arab League that just crossed into Gaza. This part of a diplomatic effort, but also part of an effort to show solidarity with what the Palestinians living here are going through.

But, again, when it comes to brokering a cease-fire, many people are saying that that is going to really be Egypt's role at this point in time.

STOUT: That's right, Egypt really taking a lead, the diplomatic efforts underway.

Arwa Damon joining us live from Gaza, thank you.

And as Israel drops bombs on targets in Gaza and Hamas fires rockets at Israel, including children, they are caught in the crossfire. Now take a look at this image of a young Israeli girl. And she is drawing pictures in a large concrete pipe that's being used as a bomb shelter in southern Israel.

And on the other side of the border, we have this striking image: a Palestinian boy. He sits with his charred toys in the ruins of his home in Gaza. The house is nearly obliterated by an Israeli airstrike.

Now this next image, it shows the aftermath of the single deadliest attack in this conflict, an entire family was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City on Sunday.

Now Israel says that the strike was intended to kill a senior Hamas member. But the military wing of Hamas calls it a massacre. Now a word of caution: Ben Wedeman's report is disturbing to watch.

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BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The body of 5-year-old Yusif Al-Dalou was held aloft as calls rang out for revenge. In life, Yusif was a child known only to his family and friends; in death, yet another potent symbol for the cameras and the angry crowds.

Yusif and eight other members of the Dalou family were killed Sunday afternoon in an Israeli airstrike on their home. Israeli officials say they were targeting a Hamas military official, though no Hamas official is known to be among the dead.

Their bodies were carried through the street to the sound of gunfire under the banners of a Hamas to the Shaikh Radwan Cemetery. When the crowd leaves and the chanting stops, the real mourning begins. Friends and relatives quietly pray for the dead. Quiet tears are shed for the latest to die so suddenly without warning.

Hamdi's (ph) brother was killed in another Israeli attack Sunday. Like so many here, he's weary of war, but sees only more coming.

"There will be an escalation," he says. "Israel won't accept our conditions. It wants blood for blood."

Abu Ahmed (ph) and his team of grave diggers prepared 15 graves, their busiest morning yet -- and they're preparing for more.

"What's left?" he asks me. "No one is safe anymore in their homes."

WEDEMAN: The main cemetery for Gaza City is out of town near the Israeli border and, therefore, too dangerous to hold funerals at. Now, they're bringing the dead here to the Shaikh Radwan Cemetery, but this cemetery has no more room for new graves.

Back where Yusif Al-Dalou's home once stood, mourners greet an Egyptian delegation led by Mohamed Katatni, head of the Freedom and Justice Party, the political wing of the Muslim Brotherhood.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (Speaking foreign language).

WEDEMAN (voice-over): A member of his delegation loudly vows vengeance against Israel for the deaths of Gaza's children, children caught in a struggle they were too young to comprehend, but not too young to die in -- Ben Wedeman, CNN, Gaza.

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STOUT: The death toll is climbing and the international push for a Gaza cease-fire is growing.

Let's get more on that story as well as today's visit to Gaza by the Arab League, their delegation has just crossed the border. Reza Sayah joins us now from the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza.

And, Reza, there's so many diplomatic activity this day; an announcement earlier from Israel saying that a Gaza ground attack plan is on hold to give diplomacy a chance.

What is the outlook for a cease-fire right now?

REZA SAYAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, if you listen to what Egyptian officials, Hamas officials are saying, they seem to be optimistic that a truce, a cease-fire is within reach. We spoke to a senior Egyptian intelligence official last night as well an Hamas -- as well as an Hamas officials. They say they've been working through the night.

Egypt, of course, is making all sorts of efforts to play the role of lead peacemaker. And they're telling us that, generally speaking, both sides have agreed on the conditions, but they're having difficulty agreeing on the timing of the conditions.

And this is from Hamas' perspective. Hamas's conditions are for Israel to stop the air operation and open up the ground crossings, immediately simultaneously. According to Hamas officials, Israel is saying no. What they're willing to do is to stop the air operation first. And then they say they want to gradually open up the ground blockade.

So, again, if you listen to Hamas officials, Egyptian officials, they seem to be optimistic. Israeli officials have been more quiet when it comes to the possibility of progress.

But a positive sign came from a tweet of the spokesperson for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He seemed to be suggesting that Israel is willing to be open to the suggestion of a negotiation to break this conflict at the moment. So there's some positive signs going on, many saying they'll believe it when they see it.

STOUT: Yes, positive signs for progress, as you mentioned. Egypt is playing a lead peacemaker role in this. And now we have the U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton en route to the region. How does Egypt view that?

SAYAH: Well, the early indications are that Egypt's reaction is lukewarm, and I think there's a couple of reasons for that. I think Egypt is looking to take credit. If there is a cease-fire, they want to say they led the efforts.

And I think in many ways many Egyptians don't believe that Washington is going to be an effective peacemaker. They believe that Washington's support for Israel actually undermines the possibility of a long-term truce.

We spoke to the adviser of President Mohammed Morsi, the Egyptian president. And he told us the reason U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is going to Ramallah is only to boost the status and credibility of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who's obviously locked horns with the Hamas faction.

So the reaction from the Egyptian officials to Hillary Clinton's visit, lukewarm; they're being diplomatic, but not too much excitement that she's coming in.

STOUT: All right. Reza Sayah joining us at the Rafah border crossing, many thanks indeed.

Now we have been covering both sides of the conflict here. And a little later, we'll show you people in Israel are coping with the crisis and we'll also hear how the online community is playing its part in the Israel-Palestinian conflict. The Internet as the new frontline in international struggles.

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STOUT (voice-over): OK. Welcome back. Let's get more on the conflict between Israel and Hamas. We have the mayor of Jerusalem, Nir Barkat, joining us on the line. And as we've been discussing so far on CNN, cease-fire talks are intensifying; and yet, the airstrikes and the rocket attacks go on.

What have you seen today?

NIR BARKAT, MAYOR OF JERUSALEM: Well, unfortunately, Israel's been suffering from Hamas indiscriminate fire for the last few days, actually the last few months and years. And today, they even tried to hit the city of Jerusalem, which, in my mind, is one of the most craziest things one can do.

God forbid, we're talking about the holy city with so many precious and important religious sites for all religion. And God forbid, imagine what could happen if one of the most important cities, one of the (inaudible) sites in the world, God forbid, may be hurt.

So thank God, they missed it. It didn't even hit the city of Jerusalem. But they're willing to fire indiscriminate fire and to terrorize the country and to terrorize, you know, civilians all over the country, I think is a big shame. And Israel will never allow that to continue.

STOUT: OK. You're saying that Hamas tried to hit Jerusalem with rocket fire. Can you please explain a little bit more? Was the rocket intercepted by the Iron Dome? Or did it fail to reach its intended target?

BARKAT: It failed to reach its target and naturally, I won't say exactly where it hit. But the point is that it did not hit Jerusalem. It was -- they miscalculated and thank God, you know, we did have the alarm go on and Ban Ki-moon is here, had to also take cover.

The reality is that people have to realize that when somebody takes a rocket, shoots it at a city, the intent to hurt innocent people, exactly the opposite, exactly the opposite of Israeli philosophy and value. When we take a shot, we are trying to hit only the people that are responsible for shooting indiscriminate fire.

And Israel goes out of its way to defend itself using great technology and using technology to pinpoint and target only the ones responsible on the other side. And it's a fundamentally different philosophy.

I think today they crossed another line and I think internationally the fact that they don't care about the holy city and they're willing, from their perspective, even to take an aim and maybe hit holy places, I think, is another line that one, you know, I'm not surprised. They'll cross any line.

STOUT: And how does this attempt, as you're saying, by Hamas to target Jerusalem with rocket fire affect cease-fire talks that are underway in Cairo and just the diplomatic flurry of activity that brought the U.N. secretary-general, Ban Ki-moon, to your city?

BARKAT: Well, I think the trial is to, at the tail end of the -- maybe there's negotiations, at the tail end of the negotiations, to have more terror (ph), to maybe score, make a -- kill more people, hurt more people, terrorize more people. Maybe they think that this is something that will help them and benefit them in a negotiation.

The reality is exactly the opposite, because here in Jerusalem and the rest of the country, we now -- they thought they had a strategic weapon against Israel and thank God, (inaudible) tactical -- it's a tactical weapon against us. And in Jerusalem, we are continuing our path. We haven't canceled anything.

The tourists are continuing to enjoy the city and we are aware that if, God forbid, there's another alarm, one must take cover. There's very clear instructions and when people follow instructions, it's -- it becomes a nuisance, not anything else. And we move on as fast as possible with a normal life.

STOUT: Sirens heard in Jerusalem this day, people taking cover there. The mayor of Jerusalem on the line with us, many thanks indeed for that update.

Now let's take you to Africa next. And heavy fighting has broken out between rebels and government forces in the Democratic Republic of Congo. And witnesses say the M23 rebel group has taken control of parts of Goma. It's the main city in the east of the country.

And one NGO official tells CNN that Goma's airport is at the center of the violence, though it's not known if the rebels have captured it.

Now the eastern part of the DRC has suffered violence for almost two decades. Hutu forces, they crossed the border from Rwanda in 1994, during reprisals over the genocide there. David McKenzie joins me now live from Nairobi.

And, David, what is the latest you're hearing on these clashes and the rebel violence?

DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kristie, we have a significant update for you, and that is that M23, the rebel group that has pushed over recent days and, in fact, for some months towards this crucial city in the eastern part of the Congo has taken the town of Goma.

They've taken the airport; they've also secured the border with Rwanda, which is right on the edge of the city limits. They've also taken over the radio stations, witnesses describe M23 rebels strolling about town; people have come out from their hiding places. They've been hiding there for some time because of the fierce fighting that had gone on overnight.

Now the rebels have taken the Goma and also it appears they are pushing further to the west to chase those Congolese armed forces, which are escaping, as it were, the town limits to the west, which is potentially a big escalation of this fight.

There's also indication that MONUSCO, the U.N. peacekeeping force in the town, is still in Goma. They are still patrolling. It appears that they didn't take any major action against M23, once they got inside the city limits. This is a major regional implications that this group has taken over Goma. We'll have to wait and see in the coming days.

Rwanda's foreign ministry -- foreign minister talking to me earlier, said that they are willing to talk to the Congolese government; they are not willing to talk to the rebels themselves. They have been accused of in fact, backing the M23 rebels, something they deny. It will be very serious times in the eastern part of the Congo, potentially big, regional implications, Kristie.

STOUT: Yes, very worrying developments, these reports out of the DRC, the rebels taking over a border crossing, intense fighting underway at the airport, David McKenzie reporting for us live, thank you.

Now the U.K. has become the latest country to recognize the recently formed Syrian National Coalition as the voice of the opposition. And Britain joins France and the Arab League in pledging that support.

But an Islamist rebel group is against the alliance, claiming that it was created by forces outside Syria. And the coalition is hoping to unite the opposition.

You are watching NEWS STREAM. And coming up next, Nintendo's next console goes on sale. And we'll ask Nintendo why you need a Wii U.

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STOUT (voice-over): Live from Hong Kong. You're back watching NEWS STREAM.

Now do you remember the Wii? Nintendo scored a big hit by giving their last console a motion controller. And now Nintendo's newest console has gone on sale in the U.S. So what's new with the Wii U?

Now in addition to the traditional console, it also has a new controller. It's called the Game Pad, a controller with a 6-inch touchscreen in the middle. Nintendo says you could use it as a second screen, another way to view the world, another option for controlling your games.

But is this really how we will play games in the future? Or is it just a gimmick?

It's been six years since Nintendo released its last console. And Reggie Fils-Aime is the present CEO of Nintendo of America. He joins us now live from our New York studio.

And good to see you. Thank you for joining us. And we've got to ask, Reggie, why the touchscreen? And how does it change the overall gaming experience?

REGGIE FILS-AIME, PRESIDENT/COO, NINTENDO OF AMERICA INC.: You know, it changes the gaming experience tremendously by giving you a second screen. It opens up all types of new experiences for our developers, for fantastic third-party developers. It really gives consumers a new way to play games.

But in addition, this console has fantastic social features. It also has wide-ranging video on demand features. So it's a whole new entertainment system for that center of the living room.

STOUT: Now we'll get into those multimedia features in a sec. We just want to talk about the pad itself. And we live in a time when everyone seems to already have an iPad, a tablet device. So why buy a Wii U when I already have an Apple table?

FILS-AIME: Well, the big difference is this: first, only Nintendo content will be available on this system. You can't get that type of content on an iDevice.

Additionally, this tablet is seamless connected to the system, meaning there's no lag, there's no delay. That allows us to create all types of new features that you really can't do with any competing device.

And then thirdly, because it's seamlessly connected, it allows our developers and third-party developers to create future content that you really won't be able to get anywhere else. All of this makes it unique and distinctive.

STOUT: Now in terms of specs, the Wii U, it's pretty much on par with the Xbox 360 and the PS3. But we know Sony and Microsoft are set to release new consoles next year. So aren't you worried about the timing and that the Wii U will be a generation behind your rivals?

FILS-AIME: Well, first off, I have to correct you. The specs are quite different than are the competitive systems, much more graphically intensive. If you do a side-by-side comparison, you would actually see that third-party games, like Call of Duty, look dramatically better on our system.

And then in terms of what competition's going to do in the future, we'll see. We know that, based on our own development, this two-screen gaming experience really is the next innovation that consumers are gravitating to.

It's selling extremely well here in the Americas. Already stocks are quite low in the marketplace. We're rapidly replenishing. And so for us, certainly the consumer's deciding that the innovation is well worth their investment.

STOUT: Now let's talk about those multimedia features, the online features. I mean, your company, Nintendo's famous for your focus on games. But the Wii You, it includes features like Netflix, an online store and Amazon Video. I mean, do you think all video game consoles need multimedia functions?

FILS-AIME: Well, here's the way that we look at it. For us, incorporating an e-shop, incorporating all of these video on demand features created an opportunity for consumers to pick up that Game Pad every single day, and also to have that happen throughout the entire household.

We saw with Netflix, for example, on the Wii, that the utilization was quite significant, more significant than what they saw on other devices. And that's because we're linked to that center of the living room, we're there with all types of other great family entertainment. And so for us, it's a great way to extend the use of the system and have it used every day.

STOUT: You're going after the living room again, the same way you did with the Wii. And that was a huge success for Nintendo, thanks, in part, to Wii Sports. And it was this intuitive gaming experience; you hold the controller and you could hold it and swing it like a tennis racket.

Do you think the Wii U has that same appeal, that ability to appeal to all types of gamers, so anyone could just pick it up and get it and understand it and game with it right away?

FILS-AIME: Yes, absolutely. In the deluxe version -- that's being sold here in the Americas -- we're including a game called Nintendo Land. Nintendo Land utilizes 12 of the most beloved franchises in Nintendo history.

And many of these games are very intuitive, utilizing the Game Pad to navigate cars through a obstacle course, to throw ninja stars from the Game Pad to your TV, very pick-up-and-play types of experiences.

So we'll certainly have that more casual consumer, but for us the big opportunity is also having content from the makers of Activision or EA or Ubisoft. These companies that are making content that is quite different than what Nintendo makes, and that's going to make for a much more well- rounded console.

STOUT: All right. Reggie Fils-Aime, president and COO of Nintendo America, thank you so much for joining us here on NEWS STREAM.

FILS-AIME: Great. Thank you.

STOUT: All right. Now let's go back to our top story. And we have some breaking news to report for you.

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STOUT (voice-over): The president of Egypt says this, quote, "Israeli aggression against Gaza will end later today." Of course, Egypt has been playing a central role in bringing about a truce in this ongoing conflict. We'll have much more on this in just a few minutes.

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STOUT: Also ahead, as Hillary Clinton goes to Gaza and diplomacy goes into overdrive, some of the dialogue appearing online is definitely less than tactful.

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STOUT (voice-over): We'll also explore the role of the Internet and social media in the current conflict. So stick around.

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STOUT: I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong. You're watching NEWS STREAM, and these are your world headlines.

Now Israel says it will hold off on a military ground offensive against Hamas in Gaza for now.

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STOUT (voice-over): And government officials tell CNN that's to give diplomatic efforts more time to work. And Egypt's president says, quote, "The Israel aggression will end in a few hours."

The U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, meanwhile, is on her way to Israel right now. And she will also stop in the West Bank city of Ramallah and in Egypt.

Also an Arab League delegation has just crossed the border from Egypt into Gaza.

Rebels have taken control of the city of Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo, including the airport and the border with Rwanda. This follows days of heavy fighting with U.N.-backed Congolese soldiers. Congo's president, Joseph Kabila, has broadcast an address expressing solidarity with the Congolese people.

U.S. President Barack Obama has held talks with outgoing Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao in Cambodia. Mr. Obama tried to focus attention on some trade issues that raised tensions during his first term. But a series of territorial disputes in the East and South China Seas have overshadowed the meeting of Southeast Asian nations.

And the woman who was one of Rupert Murdoch's top executives at News International, Rebekah Brooks, will be charged with making illegal payments to a U.K. ministry defense employee. Britain's Crown Prosecution Service says she is among five people to face action as part of an inquiry into illegal activity by journalists.

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STOUT: As Gaza is hit from the air, both sides are being targeted in a less violent but damaging manner. Now the Web has arguably become the most important weapon in this conflict. And Israel's chief information officer says that the war is being fought on three fronts: the first, physical; the second, in the world of social networks; and the third, via cyber-attacks.

As we reported yesterday, no fewer than 44 million such attacks have been reported by Sunday, just five days into the conflict. The hacker collective Anonymous has claimed responsibility for trying to take down Israeli government websites unsuccessfully for the most part.

But the Israeli government's presence is not restricted to official sites. The country's defense forces have been active on social media forums like Twitter and Tumblr. And for more on this, let's bring in our regular tech expert, thenewyorker's Nick Thompson.

And Nick, we know that Israel has set up this virtual situation war room on social media. Why? What is its objective here?

NICHOLAS THOMPSON, NEWYORKER.COM: Well, the objective is to influence world public opinion, which has an influence on the way events transpire and how negotiations happen. And they want the sympathy of the world. They want everyone to believe that Hamas is firing weapons without any concern for Israeli civilians and that Israel is retaliating, but trying to be careful.

They're trying to spin the war, and they know that the way the world gets information is partly through social media. And they're actually doing a pretty good job. I mean, whether you agree with their objectives or goals or how this started, the IDF Twitter account is very clever and very clear.

STOUT: It's propaganda, propaganda to the world and propaganda to Israel's citizens. Your thoughts about Hamas? And what about Hamas's use of social media? I mean, there have been some reports that Hamas has been using social media data to target its rocket fire. I mean, is this true?

THOMPSON: Well, we don't really know. This is a warning that went out from the Israeli government and it said to Israeli citizens, "Please don't tweet out information about rocket strikes or troop movements or anything else, because we believe that Hamas is using location metadata to further hone its targeting of its rockets."

Probably there are indications that Hamas is trying to do that, whether they're doing that successful, I don't know. But it would be extremely smart. And Hamas is also very clever at social media.

I think -- I think what's most interesting about this is this is a sign of something that will play into every war that happens in the future, which is there's a lot you can learn about something happening on the ground based on where people are tweeting, what people are saying.

You know, if people have been really following closely Twitter feeds in Pakistan, you would have known about the raid on Osama bin Laden because there was a guy who was sitting there, saying, hey, wait; there's a helicopter crash. Something strange is going on in Abbottabad.

So if you're extremely clever at extracting information from what the public is putting out there, you can get a huge advantage. So in a lot of ways, I find this bit about Hamas honing its targeting strikes for its rockets through social media data more interesting than Israel's very effective propaganda use of social media, though both are important and both are ongoing right now.

STOUT: Yes, and there are also wider implications here. The big question is this: can social media play a role in determining where the conflict goes next? I mean, social media is a public forum. Can it stoke feelings to encourage war or to encourage peace?

THOMPSON: Oh, it absolutely can. And there's no question about it. My fear -- and this is a fear I've had about social media since it became a very significant force in our culture -- is that it doesn't tend to push people towards peace or agreement. What happens in social media is you tend to go to the sites which reinforce whatever beliefs you had coming in.

So in politics, Democrats who go on social media become much more riled up in favor of Obama; Republicans who go spend a lot of time on social media become much more riled up in favor of Romney.

And I fear the same thing happens in international conflict, that if you support Israel's positions in general on this, you can go onto social media and find lots of things. And you can find pictures of Israeli children who have been killed and families that are fleeing and videos of Israeli pilots showing restraint and not hitting civilians in Gaza.

And if you're generally sympathetic to Hamas here, you can find all sorts of social media. You can find all sorts of information about the horrible atrocities carried out by Israel. So I think what social media tends to do is to harden your views.

And that's not generally helpful in a conflict like this. Fortunately, it does seem like this conflict is, you know, not because of social media, but it seems as the breaking news just announced, you know, moving towards a resolution. But I don't social media's helpful in that process.

STOUT: Yes, but it is shaping the conflict. All right, Nick Thompson --

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THOMPSON: Absolutely.

STOUT: -- from newyorker.com, fascinating discussion. Thank you very much indeed for that.

Now let's get back to that breaking news that we brought your earlier, the president of Egypt says Israel's action against Gaza will end within hours. Let's go to Reza Sayah at the border between Gaza and Egypt for more on this statement.

And, Reza, parse it for us.

SAYAH: Yes, Kristie, we should be cautious in reporting this, because obviously there -- we haven't seen an official cease-fire, but a statement coming from the Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi, according to (inaudible) Mr. Morsi, saying that he expects the, quote, "Israeli aggression to stop on Tuesday."

That's consistent with similar statements we've heard over the past 12 hours, some optimism coming from Egyptian officials, Hamas officials, that a cease-fire or some sort of truce could be hammered out by today.

Egyptian official told us last night that they're talking to Hamas officials and Israeli officials, and they seem to have generally agreed on the conditions. Hamas' conditions is for Israel to stop the air operation, the air attacks and to immediately and simultaneously open up the blockades, the ground crossings.

The problem is in the timing, according to Hamas officials, Israel says they're willing to stop the air operation but they want to gradually reopen these ground crossings. And that's where we're at. So (inaudible) the Egyptian side, the Hamas officials, they seem to be optimistic. The Israeli side seems to be a bit more quiet when it comes to the possibility of progress in these talks.

STOUT: So the end to the violence later today. According to the Egyptian president, we shall see. Reza Sayah, joining us on the line, thank you very much indeed for that.

Now time to take a break and we'll look at the world weather forecast. We've got Mari Ramos joining us for the latest on that.

Mari, what you got?

MARI RAMOS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Hey, Kristie, we're going to go ahead and start taking a look down under in Australia. Now this time of year, it's hard for us here in the Northern Hemisphere to think about warm temperatures and summer and all of that, because of course, we're headed right into winter. But in Australia, they just had their warmest temperature so far since last year.

So these are summer-like temperatures in some cases, some 12 degrees above the average, as is the case in Adelaide, as you can see there. We're going to see a little bit of a changing weather pattern, though, and temperatures very slowly will return to normal, 18 right now in Sydney. It's pretty late already there for you, 11 in Canberra, 23 in Melbourne.

I think these cities in the east, that it really get that heat factor. And now with the front coming through, I think you're going to see your temperatures pretty quickly return to average. But in the north, the hot temperatures will continue.

Again, the danger for wildfires is a big concern with the wind and the heat and the temperatures and even some of these dry thunderstorms that tend to pop up from time to time, so the bush fires season, of course, now in full swing.

There you see the front continuing to pull on through across southeastern Australia. As we head north, 21 in New Delhi, no huge problems with fog across the north, but that's always a concern this time of year across this region, so keep that in mind.

We have travel plans into that area. And while it's generally dry here across the eastern half of China, the -- as we head over toward Shanghai all the way down to Hong Kong, we do have rain on the way, pretty cold already in Beijing.

That's that cold front that continues to advance, only 1 degree in Seoul right now. We're going to see that cold air continue to pull in here as we head towards Japan. And then eventually head farther to the south, but before any of that happens, we'll start to see the rain continuing to develop here, here across areas to the south. And some of it will be heading.

We'll take a quick break right here on NEWS STREAM. Don't go away. More news right after this.

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STOUT: Welcome back. Now two leading women may have had very different careers, but they have both made major impacts in their respective countries. And this week we speak to Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, who's breaking ground in India's pharmaceutical industry and Susana Gimenez, who's been called the Oprah of Argentina.

Now Becky Anderson and Felicia Taylor have their stories.

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BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST (voice-over): Now Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw's path to success started like that of many youngsters.

KIRAN MAZUMDAR-SHAW, CHAIRMAN AND MANAGING DIRECTOR, BIOCOM: I think starting with my mother and father, my father was a man way ahead of his time. Both of them really encouraged me in pursuing an entrepreneurial kind of path.

ANDERSON (voice-over): In 1973, after graduating from Bangalore University, she headed to Australia where she studied fermentation, becoming India's first female brewmaster in 1975.

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ANDERSON (voice-over): She ultimately used those skills to start Biocon, at first developing enzymes and later pharmaceuticals.

MAZUMDAR-SHAW: I guess I was determined to prove that I would -- that I could succeed and I would succeed as a woman entrepreneur.

ANDERSON (voice-over): And succeeded she has. Today her company, which started in a garage, sits on a sprawling complex. Shaw says part of her mission is finding new and lower-cost solutions to deliver health care, especially to the poor.

MAZUMDAR-SHAW: We simply cannot afford to develop drugs that cost $1 billion to $3 billion to develop because these drugs will not actually reach people who really need it the most.

I think very important.

ANDERSON (voice-over): She relies on a core team to propel her company and her causes forward.

MAZUMDAR-SHAW: I've been very much a consensus kind of a leader.

I think that's what we need to get to.

I think I'm a good people person. I do manage people fairly well, because I think I engage with people very closely.

ANDERSON (voice-over): One of the people who helps her manage the company is her Scottish husband, John Shaw, Biocon's vice-chairman, the former textile executive relocated to India after he and Kiran Shaw married in 1998.

MAZUMDAR-SHAW: My husband has played a very important role in my life, because not only is he supporting me, but he is my greatest mentor.

ANDERSON (voice-over): And she mentors. Here, she's visiting a group of rural children at a school she supports.

MAZUMDAR-SHAW: (Speaking foreign language).

Being a woman in a country like India, although it seems challenging and daunting, I also believe that it has enabled me to do things which I normally couldn't have even thought of.

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FELICIA TAYLOR, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): I'm Felicia Taylor. Argentina's Susana Gimenez may be working from a very different platform than Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, but her mission is still the same: to make people's lives a little easier.

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TAYLOR (voice-over): For Gimenez, that's through her top-rated talk show, and she sees the effect she has on viewers every time she meets a fan.

SUSANA GIMENEZ, ACTRESS, MODEL AND PUBLISHER: They all say the same, thank you for the smile you put on my face every hour. I think I'm part of a family.

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TAYLOR (voice-over): Gimenez has been a part of Argentina's TV- watching family for 25 years. And before that, she had a successful career in film, theater and modeling.

She's one of Argentina's biggest celebrities. And while her show is on hiatus this year, she remains popular.

With fans recognizing her while she shops near her home in Miami.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (Speaking Spanish).

TAYLOR (voice-over): Gimenez captures viewers with her warmth and genuine spirit.

GIMENEZ: Pia! Pia!

TAYLOR (voice-over): As seen when a friend arrives during our interview in her home.

GIMENEZ: Pia -- she's my granddaughter.

TAYLOR (voice-over): Gimenez loves animals. In fact, she says after two divorces, she'll take a dog over a man anytime.

GIMENEZ: They never make you cry. If you have a man, you cry almost once a week.

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TAYLOR (voice-over): She says she holds nothing back from her viewers, but she did let us in on a little secret: her method of relaxation.

TAYLOR: Love that you do needlepoint.

GIMENEZ: Yes.

TAYLOR: I needlepoint. Nobody would believe that I do -- and I crochet, I mean, of all things.

GIMENEZ: Oh, you do crochet?

TAYLOR: Yes.

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GIMENEZ: (Inaudible).

TAYLOR: (Inaudible) in a long time.

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TAYLOR: Of all the things that you've done, what are you most proud of?

GIMENEZ: I think the TV show, the TV show. It let me come to the people's house every day of my life. And it became, you know, a classic, the show. So that's -- I'm proud of that, yes.

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STOUT: I can't get enough of her.

Now next week, our "Leading Women" share their dreams for the future. And for more on the series, including videos and feature articles, logon to CNN.com/leadingwomen.

Now still ahead on NEWS STREAM, leaving the Galaxy: David Beckham says that he will part ways with his club. So what's next for the soccer superstar? We've got sports coming straight up.

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STOUT: Now David Beckham arrived in the U.S. with plenty of fanfare. Now one of the world's most famous footballers says he'll play only one more game in America before moving on.

Amanda Davies has much more. She joins us now live from London.

Amanda?

AMANDA DAVIES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kristie, lots of different questions being asked this morning about David Beckham, what impact has he actually had on the MLF, but the big one that everybody wants to know the answer to is where next for David Beckham, the former England captain has announced his final game with L.A. Galaxy, will be the MLS Cup, as you said.

That's before he takes on what he's described as one last challenge. The 35-year old will sign off against the Houston Dynamo on December the 1st after six years with the American club. Melbourne hearts (ph) claim that they're in talks with Beckham over a 10-game stint in Australia. But his camp say he has no plans to play in the A League.

Beckham is holding a news conference later on Tuesday, but he's already released a statement through Galaxy and says, "I've had an incredibly special time playing for the L.A. Galaxy; however, I wanted to experience one last challenge before the end of my playing career. In my time here, I've seen the popularity of the game grow every year.

"I've been fortunate to win trophies, but more important to me has been the fantastic reception I've had from fans in L.A. and across the States."

Well, wait and see if Beckham is on his way back to Europe, where the Champions League is back in action this week. Chelsea face a must-win game in Italy and manager Roberto Di Matteo insists his dressing room is united ahead of the Juventus match, despite talk of unrest following their poor run of form.

Saturday's 2-1 defeat to West Brom left Chelsea without a win in four Premier League games. And the talk that Di Matteo could drop the outer form striker Fernando Torres for the match against Juventus. (Inaudible) should be confident ahead of this contest, knowing that they've lost just one of the last 40 home matches in all competition.

But it's a game that neither side can afford to lose with (inaudible) leading Group D.

ROBERTO DI MATTEO, CHELSEA MANAGER: At the moment, you know, we are - - we're thinking positive and you know, we're -- we played a very good game up against Ju and it's going to be a, you know, difficult one tomorrow for sure. But as I said, you know, they're under pressure as well to win this game. So it's going to make it an interesting game.

DAVIES: That's just one of a whole hosts of fascinating Champions League games on Tuesday, Kristie. We've got a full look ahead in "WORLD SPORT" in three hours' time.

STOUT: All right. Look forward to that, Amanda Davies there. Thank you.

And finally, let's go over and out there. Now with over 14 million followers, Oprah Winfrey is one of the most popular people on Twitter. And she's been using her influence to tell her followers about her favorite things, like this tweet here, where she praises Microsoft's new tablet, Surface.

Now Oprah says she's already bought 12 as Christmas presents, but there's something odd about her tweet. Just look in the top right corner there. Now Oprah wrote her tweet praising Microsoft's Surface using an iPad. Right there. Now Surface may be one of Oprah's favorite things, but clearly, she doesn't use it for everything.

And that is NEWS STREAM. But the news continues at CNN. "WORLD BUSINESS TODAY" is next.

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