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Egg Safety Under Scrutiny; Fired Policeman Holds Tourist Bus Hostage in the Philippines; Iran Unveils 'Ambassador of Death'

Aired August 23, 2010 - 11:00   ET

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

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Live from Studio 7 at CNN headquarters, the big stories for Monday morning, August 23rd.

A fired police officer holds tourists at gunpoint on a bus in Manila. The 10-hour siege plays out to a violent end on live television.

A tiny camera finds a smiling face almost a half-mile underground. Trapped miners confirm they're alive in dramatic fashion, but rescue, well, that may be months away.

And the doctor charged in the death of Michael Jackson inside a Los Angeles courtroom at this hour. Outside, the singer's fans target Dr. Conrad Murray with their anger.

Good morning, everyone. I'm Tony Harris.

Those stories and your comments right here, right now in the CNN NEWSROOM.

So we're up to what, more than a half-billion eggs and counting? The head of the FDA says more eggs could be added to the recall prompted by a salmonella outbreak. So far, about 1,000 people have gotten sick and 17 states are on alert. Federal regulators have traced the outbreak to two Iowa egg producers.

CNN's Casey Wian examines the safety record of one of the companies.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This modest building in Iowa farm country is at the center of one of the largest food safety scares in recent history. Wright County Egg is based here.

We met the chief operating officer inside, but he declined to speak with us about the company, its related businesses, and their long history of fines for health and safety violations. They include animal cruelty, sexual harassment of workers, even rape, and the hiring of illegal immigrants.

This undercover video obtained last year by the group Mercy for Animals shows how chickens were treated at the company's farm in Maine. The owner agreed to pay more than $130,000 in fines. We met several local residents who are not happy with Wright County Eggs' expanding presence.

RON ZIN, WRIGHT COUNTY RESIDENT: People moved away, because who wants to live by a mega site?

DAN BRIDGES, WRIGHT COUNTY RESIDENT: We've got more migrant workers than we have our own workers. Wages are low.

WIAN: In a statement, the company said, "When issues have been raised about our farms, our management team has addressed them swiftly and effectively." It also said the company is cooperating with the FDA investigation into what caused the outbreak of salmonella and led to the recall of more than half a billion eggs. About a thousand people have become ill this summer, including the Danielson family in Minnesota.

TODD DANIELSON, TAINTED EGG VICTIM: Everybody had diarrhea. That was kind of the first thing, and then headaches, and then throwing up. And then it was body aches.

You couldn't even move. I mean, it was like in your joints. It hurt so bad. I mean, it was worst than any flu I've had.

WIAN: Already, lawsuits are being filed in several states by people who say they became sick eating eggs from Wright County Egg.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WIAN: Now, the FDA says it is still investigating the original source of the salmonella outbreak. One of the targets of that investigation is certain to be this building right behind me. We've been watching trucks pulling up here all morning, delivering all kinds of different ingredients that are used in chicken feed here at Wright County Egg. They're delivering things like oyster shells, bone meal, meat byproducts, lime.

All kinds of different ingredients go into this chicken feed, and that is, of course, one of the possible sources of salmonella contamination. And we've got a statement that the company just released to the media saying, "It is important to note that any concerns raised verbally during the FDA's on-farm visit were immediately addressed or are in the process of being addressed."

That's the latest word from Wright County Egg -- Tony.

HARRIS: OK.

CNN's Casey Wian for us.

Casey, appreciate it. Thank you.

The FDA says you should pay close attention to the recall and be on the lookout for tainted eggs. On CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING," Commissioner Margaret Hamburg was asked how the eggs became contaminated with salmonella.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) MARGARET HAMBURG, FDA COMMISSIONER: We're still trying to determine that. It could have been environmental exposures, infection of the laying hens themselves, or feed, or some combination.

The important thing is that we do know that these eggs are the source of contaminated product. The recall should be taken seriously. I would advise consumers to go to the Web site foodsafety.gov, where they can get all the information on the recall and how to identify whether products that may be in their refrigerators are part of the recall and should be thrown out or returned to their supermarkets for reimbursement.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: So, a little more information now on salmonella poisoning from Web MD.

It is the type of food poisoning caused by salmonella bacteria. Approximately 40,000 cases are reported in the United States each year, but the actual number may be much higher. Eggs, poultry, beef and milk are the most common sources of infection. Symptoms of salmonella poisoning include diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps. The illness usually lasts four to seven days.

(NEWSBREAK)

HARRIS: A 10-hour siege aboard a hijacked tourist bus ends in gunfire. The hijacking played out live on television in the Philippines.

CNN's Anna Coren now in Manila.

And Anna, before you tell us how this ended, which is pretty grisly, maybe you can tell us how it began and what we know about the hijacker.

ANNA COREN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I can tell you that his name is Rolando Mendoza. He's a 55-year-old former police officer. He was sacked from his job last year following an investigation by the ombudsman on charges of extortion and robbery.

When he boarded that bus at 10:00 a.m. local time here, he told negotiators that he was innocent, that he wanted to be reinstated as a police officer, as a senior inspector, and that he wanted to be awarded his pension once he turned 56. He initially was cooperating with police. He allowed nine of the hostages to get off the bus during the day. Police even feared that his state of mind was stable.

And then late this afternoon, early this evening, around 6:00 p.m. local time, the situation deteriorated dramatically, and that is when the exchange of gunfire began. That's when the SWAT team surrounded the bus, and that's when they tried to storm that bus. And that eventually happened once the police officers shot the gunman in the head.

HARRIS: Oh, boy. Pretty grisly stuff, and apparently on live television.

And Anna, I'm getting information that you actually witnessed this, this pretty grisly conclusion to this whole ordeal. What did you see?

COREN: Well, that is correct. We are standing about 150 meters from the bus. I don't know whether you can see it over my shoulder. And it is apparently being looked on by forensic police, who are going through it. There's a tow truck there.

So, our crew was shooting this hostage crisis as it unfolded. We were witness to the gunfire, the exchange of machinegun fire. We had to take cover behind our van, as did all of the other media and public who were watching the situation unfold. So, certainly some scary and intense moments out there earlier this evening.

HARRIS: CNN's Anna Coren for us.

Anna, appreciate it. Thank you.

Still to come, an unbelievable development in Chile, where almost three dozen miners are trapped deep under ground.

Also, Rob Marciano tracking weather for us -- Rob.

ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Hey, Tony. Listen, we just got the latest update from the National Hurricane Center about Tropical Storm Danielle. She continues to strengthen.

We'll have the latest forecast track as well.

CNN NEWSROOM is coming right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Look, you just can't believe the news out of Chile.

Thirty-three miners trapped for, Ines, what, two and a half weeks after this mine caves in, and they are alive. Eighteen days, no contact, and then, we're here.

INES FERRE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We're alive. That's what they said.

And, you know, this is so amazing, because some of these family members were saying, look, we never gave up hope. And this is a copper and gold mine in northern Chile, and rescue crews have been frantically drilling since the cave-in on August 5th. And yesterday, they were finally able to lower a probe into the mine, then the miners tied a note to it saying that they're alive.

And here's the president of Chile. Well, you just saw him, actually, Sebastian Pinera. There he is.

He's holding the note in his hand. It reads, "We are fine in the shelter, the 33 of us." And for family members and rescue workers, you can just imagine, complete jubilation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAGDALENA LOGOS, SISTER OF TRAPPED MINER (through translator): No, my family lost hope and faith. As a matter of fact, I had a call while at home and I was told that Frankie (ph) was gone. But and I said, "No, no, Frankie (ph) is alive. They are alive. And God's going to get him out of that."

One day he will get them out alive. And now all of them are alive. Thank God!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FERRE: Now, the miners are 2,300 feet under ground, so it could take as long as four months to get to them, Tony, because they have to make a shaft that's big enough.

HARRIS: Four months?

FERRE: Four months.

HARRIS: So what about their condition?

FERRE: Well, OK. Actually, they took down a little camera where they are able to see -- you're going to see right here. We're going to show you some video.

HARRIS: We have some video of it? OK.

FERRE: Yes, of this little camera where you can see the face of one of the miners there.

HARRIS: Oh, man.

FERRE: And it's unbelievable, yes.

Now, they are in a shelter that has some food and some water, and rescuers can see them with this small camera that they have lowered.

HARRIS: That's crazy.

FERRE: They're also going to lower some microphones down there, because they want to see what their conditions are like, and also to be able communicate with them through this time. And they're going to also be lowering some food, some medicine.

HARRIS: OK. So, obviously, the shaft that they are going to lower the food and the water and the medicine down is not big enough to bring them out. So they've got to drill this other shaft to get them out of there, wide enough, deep enough and everything else to get them out.

FERRE: Exactly. HARRIS: Amazing stuff, huh?

FERRE: It's amazing. It's amazing.

HARRIS: We're alive! Eighteen days, still months to get them out. My goodness.

All right, Ines. Appreciate it. See you a little later.

Also, Americans, many, many Americans, out of work. You might have to move to find that next job.

And let's take a look at the markets here.

Where are the numbers? Are they behind me?

All right. Let's take a look at the New York Stock Exchange. They're down 2, down 3. Let's call it flat. Going to stay optimistic here.

We're back in a moment. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Well, here is a number we talk about all of the time around here, 9.5 percent. That is the national unemployment rate, but in seven states Americans are battling double-digit unemployment as high as 14 percent.

Patricia Wu has the list in her hot hands here, and she's at the New York Stock Exchange.

And Patricia, if you would, rattle off a few of those double- digit states, and maybe give us an idea of what's going on in those states.

PATRICIA WU, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, Tony.

We know it's not a pretty picture overall, but we'll start with Nevada, because they had a record high of 14.3 percent jobless rate. That's the third straight month that Nevada has led the nation is unemployment rate.

And why is it? They've got two big problems, Tony.

One is the housing bust. You'll remember during flush times, there was a lot of building, building new casinos, building of new homes. Well, now that the money has dried up, you're seeing the biggest losses in jobs in construction.

Nevada also leads the nation in the number of foreclosures. And compounding that problem is a new phenomenon that the Nevada government says it's seeing. It's called strategic defaults.

And strategic defaults occur when financially capable owners choose to stop paying for property that has dramatically declined in value. And it's considered an entirely sound business decision, to walk away from a losing proposition. So, the stigma of foreclosure is just not there.

Now, the second problem is the lack of tourism. As you know, Nevada depends on Las Vegas and its casinos for a lot of revenue. Those casinos are the top employers in the state. And when you have fewer people traveling and fewer companies having their conventions in Las Vegas, that revenue has dropped by a lot, and therefore you've got layoffs.

So that's the big problems in Nevada.

The other thing, Tony, is that we do have another state I think that we wanted to talk about.

HARRIS: Michigan?

WU: Michigan, yes.

HARRIS: Maybe we can talk about Michigan, because it's not surprising that it's number two. We've sort of chronicled the problems there, but this is actually a bit of a positive story. The situation in Michigan, am I correct here, Patricia, is getting better?

WU: Yes, absolutely, Tony. That unemployment rate, 13.1 percent, it doesn't tell the whole story. It's actually been dropping since January, and it's dropped a full percentage point in the past year.

Now, the reason why it's still so high is because Michigan was hit so hard early on in the recession. You'll remember the Chrysler, GM bankruptcies, all the ripple effects from that.

So, you had the auto parts companies and the steel companies. They were just bleeding jobs. So it's going to take them a while to build back up, but it's actually a positive story because they have been doing that little by little, and whittling down that unemployment number -- Tony.

HARRIS: Yes. And GM is about to launch an IPO. It's going to raise billions of dollars, and maybe that means we refurbish some plants and hire some more workers again.

WU: Absolutely.

HARRIS: That would be good for that entire state.

WU: Yes.

And I don't want to leave you without something even more positive. We're going to take a look at the states with the lowest unemployment numbers at 11:50 -- Tony.

HARRIS: That's terrific. All right, Patricia. See you then. Thank you.

WU: Sure.

HARRIS: Vice President Joe Biden is in Indiana right now at the Veterans Foreign Wars Convention. The vice president is focusing on the troop drawdown in Iraq.

Later today he travels to Toledo, Ohio, and visits a Chrysler plant. The administration has paid special attention to Ohio.

Live pictures here, guys?

OK. Live pictures of the vice president.

Ohio, as you know, is a key swing state, and President Obama was there just last week.

And the midterm elections are just 10 weeks away, and the president's approval ratings are at their low point. What does this mean for Democrats? Former party chairman Howard Dean says people are frustrated but they still like the president.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HOWARD DEAN, FMR. DNC CHAIRMAN: We're in tough times in America. We've got an unemployment rate that's over nine percent. We've got people who are still making a zillion dollars on Wall Street, while the average person thinks that they're doing great, and how come since they screwed up the economy we're not, we're where we are? There's a lot of resentment. It's a tough time.

But the key number is whether people still like the president or not, and I think they do. And I think that we're going to be in much better shape than most of the Washington pundits think we are on the Democratic side, because the president is out there fighting every day. This election, for better or for worse, depends on how hard the president fights between now and Election Day, and he shows every sign that he is really serious about this.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: He is charged with involuntary manslaughter in the death of one of the most popular performers on the planet. Today, Michael Jackson fans direct their anger at Dr. Conrad Murray.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Iran unveils its so-called "Ambassador of Death." It is the first long-range military drone manufactured in the hard-line Islamic nation.

Pentagon Correspondent Barbara Starr has got the story for us.

Good morning, Barbara. And if you would, what can you tell us about this weapon? And any reaction so far from the Pentagon?

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, they're looking very closely at the video that the Iranians showed over the weekend when President Ahmadinejad unveiled this so-called "Ambassador of Death."

This is a prototype, by all accounts, of a drone that they have developed that they say, the Iranians say, can fly about 600 miles, carry a number of cruise missiles. Not long enough range, Tony, to hit Israel, but long enough, if the whole thing works, certainly to cause some concern about shipping in the Persian Gulf, long enough possibly to be used domestically, or just across Iran's borders. Not a development that the U.S. wants to see Iran have militarily, but they are watching to see, how real is this thing?

Does it really work? Do they have a fleet of them? Can they really pose a threat?

HARRIS: And Barbara, one other Iran note here. Iran started fueling its first nuclear power plant over the weekend. What can you tell us about that?

STARR: Well, you know, that might be the one that's of more concern, Tony. That's the Bushehr plant on Iran's southern coast, of course. The Russians are helping them considerably with it.

Now, the good news is the U.S. feels it has some safeguard guarantees from the Russians that they will keep an eye on all of that fuel for this nuclear power electricity plant. At least that's what the Iranians say it's for. But make no mistake, lots of concern.

The number one concern is that Iran somehow, someday will begin making enough weapons-grade nuclear material from all of these facilities, that it will have nuclear bombs and pose a threat to its neighbors, to the region, and to the world. That's the number one concern. That's what everybody's keeping an eye on -- Tony.

HARRIS: CNN's Barbara Starr at the Pentagon for us.

Barbara, appreciate it. Good to see you.

And while we're bringing you news from around the world, we are also watching "What's Hot" online. Ines Ferre is surfing the Web as always for us. Ines, good morning.

INES FERRE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Tony. She's only 13 years old, recognized by the National Baseball Hall of Fame. She pitched not one, but two, perfect games against boys.

HARRIS: What?

FERRE: Yes. We'll be right back. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) HARRIS: It is time for "Sunny's Law." Doggone, that's clever. It's like I came up with it myself. Michael Jackson fans planning a campaign to hound the doctor charged in the superstar's. Conrad Murray in court in downtown Los Angeles this hour.

Sunny Hostin is a former federal prosecutor to "In Session" on our sister network, TruTV. Sunny, let's start with what we expect out of this hearing today. I'm not expecting much, but you tell me what you think is going to happen today.

SUNNY HOSTIN, LEGAL CONTRIBUTOR, "IN SESSION": Today is a hearing date that has been set to set the actual preliminary hearing, which really is going to be a very significant hearing in this case because it really is a mini-trial. I think what we will find out today is which side is ready because if the government is pushing for an early preliminary hearing date, that means it's game on, Tony. That they are ready to go.

If the defense is pushing for a hearing, that means that their investigation is done and they are ready to defend Dr. Conrad Murray. So, it really is the time that we will basically be able to tell who is ready to go forward on this case.

HARRIS: So, this is the judge's show, but we're going to learn a lot, it sounds like, from the attorneys, in terms of their preparation and their ability to move forward in kind of a timely manner here. That's interesting.

HOSTIN: Absolutely. Absolutely. And I will tell you, there have been some sources are saying that there's a discovery issue that may be discussed as well, and that means that someone doesn't have the evidence that they want. And so that may be something else that will play out in the courtroom. I don't think that we will hear from Dr. Conrad Murray, but we will certainly hear from the judges -- and the attorneys.

HARRIS: Yes, and the attorneys. So, we look ahead to the preliminary hearing, right? We get past today, have a date set for the preliminary hearing. And what do you expect in that preliminary hearing? I remember that O.J. Simpson trial, and that felt like - that preliminary hearing felt like a mini-trial-in-chief.

HOSTIN: Absolutely. That's what I expect. This is going to be a big, big hearing. I think it's going to be a lengthy hearing. And we're going to hear the prosecution's theory. I mean, he has been charged with felony manslaughter -- felony voluntary manslaughter. And that is not the easiest thing to prove. And so, we will hear the prosecution's theory and we are going to hear the defense's theory. It really is a mini-trial. Remember the Robert Blake case -- that went on and on and on, and I think that's what we'll see.

HARRIS: What do you expect ultimately - we'll get some of this, I would suspect, in the preliminary hearing -- but is this a case ultimately where we will get a lot of medical testimony? I wouldn't expect Conrad Murray to testify, but what do you think about that? HOSTIN: I -- absolutely, it's really going to be about the medicine. The coroner's report was very clear. The coroner ruled Michael Jackson's death a homicide by Propofol, by sedatives. And so that's - I think going to be the crux of this case. And let's face it, it's sort of Hollywood health care on trial. Are people doctor shopping? Was Michael Jackson doctor shopping? Who gave him what? That's really what preliminary hearing is going to be about. And quite frankly, the trial as well.

HARRIS: What do you think? Will Conrad Murray -- Dr. Murray take the stand, in your view? I don't see it happening but you're the expert here.

HOSTIN: I think he has to -

HARRIS: You do?

HOSTIN: You know, I -- thank you.

HARRIS: Wow.

HOSTIN: I think he has to, actually. You know, there have been all of these conflicting reports about what he did, what he didn't do. He did make several statements. He already admitted to giving Michael Jackson Propofol. So, I think he's going to take the stand. I'm going to predict that, Tony, here on "Sunny's Law." And I think he's going to take the stand and really vigorously defend himself and defend his actions on that night - on that day.

HARRIS: Wow. Can't wait.

"Sunny's Law." We're going to try to do this, what, at least once a week. Maybe a couple of times a week. Is that what we're working on here, Sunny?

HOSTIN: Yes, absolutely. Would, would love to.

HARRIS: All right. Let's work it out. "Sunny's Law." There's Sunny Hostin. Good to see you, lady. See you later in the week.

HOSTIN: Good to see you.

HARRIS: Let's do this. Let's take a look at our Top Stories now.

More than half a million eggs recalled, and officials say there may be more to come. A salmonella outbreak has made at least a thousand people sick so far.

In Chile, after more than two weeks trapped in a mine, a handwritten note emerges telling rescuers the 33 are alive. Officials say it may take as long as four months to get them out.

And so long, sweet Lou. After 48 years in the game, Lou Piniella says good-bye to baseball. The Cubs' manager says he wants to spend more time with his sick mother. His last game was against the Atlanta Braves. And, by the way, the Cubs were clobbered 16-5. Sweet Lou.

A California toddler helped save her father's life. The three- year-old little girl knew exactly what to do when he dad collapsed. Let's get the report from our affiliate KOVR.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALESAUNDRA TAFOYA: That's Flounder. That's Sebastian.

JONAS TICHENOR, KOVR-TV CORRESPONDENT: And this is the very simple world of a three-year-old little girl.

FRANK TAFOYA, ALESAUNDRA'S FATHER: She just talks, talks and talks.

ALESAUNDRA TAFOYA: She's a mermaid. She has a flower on her hair.

TICHENOR: But what she did yesterday was very un-three-year-old- like.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE SPEAKER: I'm very proud of her.

TICHENOR: When her dad, Frank, got some medication confused.

FRANK TAFOYA: I took a mixture of medication that I wasn't supposed to at the time. It's like a bed-time dose, and I guess I collapsed.

TICHENOR: Alesaundra took action, heading out of the house on her own to get help.

FRANK TAFOYA: You show me, because I don't know which way you went.

ALESAUNDRA TAFOYA: I went that way.

FRANK TAFOYA: That way?

TICHENOR: She re-walked the trip today, this time with her dad.

FRANK TAFOYA: This is dangerous, you know that, right?

TICHENOR: Nearly two blocks to Fire Station 243.

VILLALOVOZ: Hi, how you doing?

ALESAUNDRA TAFOYA: Hey, he's taking a picture of you. Say cheese.

VILLALOVOZ: I've been here over 20 years, that's the first time I ever had a three-year-old walk up to the fire station.

TICHENOR: Captain Robert Villalovoz said Alesaundra was focused and said her daddy was frozen and wouldn't wake up.

VILLALOVOZ: She walked us down to the house. And there her dad was, sitting in the living room, needing medical care. TICHENOR: Doctors say without that care, Frank probably would have died.

FRANK TAFOYA: Thanks to you guys, I'm doing good.

VILLALOVOZ: No, not thanks to me. Thanks to her.

FRANK TAFOYA: Thanks to her, yes.

TICHENOR: So, just how did she know where to go? The family says they pass this fire station daily, pointing it out as a safe place, and that firefighters are her friends.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE SPEAKER: She's been listening. What we've been teaching her, she's been listening, and that's really good.

TICHENOR: The Manteca fire chief says that they intend to hold some kind of ceremony next week to honor Alesaundra Tafoya.

ALESAUNDRA TAFOYA: What's this?

TICHENOR: That's a microphone.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Pakistan's flooding has displaced millions of people, and now the misery is showing up in the form of illnesses. The U.N. reports as many as 1.5 million flood victims stricken with everything from acute respiratory infections to diarrhea. Our Kyung Lah takes us to one of the displacement camps.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KYUNG LAH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This city of Sukkur continues to swell with refugee camps like this. This is a fairly well established camp. We can see that they have shelter. It appears that the people have food and some access to water and some sanitation.

But the concern is among health officials is what happens to the refugees after a couple of weeks or the refugees who don't have access to such facilities. And the concern is that the spread of communicable disease cannot be stopped. The World Health Organization estimates some 200,000 people have some sort acute communicable respiratory illness. And that spreads in camps like this. These camps are literally Petri dishes for that spread of disease.

The other concern: the longer-term economic impact. The International Monetary Fund is going to be meeting with members of Pakistan's government on Monday in Washington to talk about what's going to happen to this country, how to stabilize it, and talk about the damage to the crops and the livestock. The concern is, when you have so many millions affected, then what is going to be here in this country to keep it stable? What can't be measured, though, is the toll of human suffering. The pain that these people are going through. This is a note that was handed to me from a man named Ner Hassan, whose English is very difficult to understand,, but his message at the bottom is very clear. It reads, "Please, help, help, help."

Kyung Lah, CNN, Sukkur, Pakistan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: So, let's do this. Let's get more on the potential long-term affects of the disaster. Our Fareed Zakaria discussed it with a member of Pakistan's parliament.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FAREED ZAKARIA, CNN HOST, "FAREED ZAKARIA GPS": Tell us, if you will, whether we have understood the magnitude of this problem correctly? What is it like on the ground in Pakistan, from your perspective?

IMRAN KHAN, LEADER, TEHREEK-E-INSAF: I don't think the international community fully comprehends the extent of the disaster, because as you quite aptly put, the real problem is going to come when the water recedes. And in that time there's fear of disease, but the biggest fear is that about 20 million people will be completely impoverished.

Now, most of these are subsistence farmers, so they have lost their crops, they have lost their animals -- they rely on their animals -- their houses, end everything in their houses, because as the water was going up, they left -- to save their lives, they left their homes. So they will be left without shelter, without food, without any source of income. And you're not talking about, you know, a few people. It's 20 million people.

And then on top of it, this area is also Pakistan's greatest producing area of cash crop cotton. So the cotton crop is going to be affected.

So, as it is, the country's going through its worst economic crisis. So, the extent, the magnitude of the crisis is so huge, that in Pakistan not -- the government still not has come up with a plan, how we're going to deal with it, and that's the worry.

ZAKARIA: Imran, what is the mood on the ground? I mean, is this just -- is there utter despair?

KHAN: Well, Fareed, if you go to these camps now -- and I went, you know, a couple of times, and I don't want to go again, because, you know, when you go to the camps, it's just so depressing, what you see, because you can't do anything. You take 10 trucks of relief with you, and there are literally people fighting over the trucks.

You have to have security to protect the trucks, because such is the state of the people right now, that they're really fighting over the goods. And even in the government camps -- and remember, this is a minuscule amount of people who got into the government camps -- there's no food there.

ZAKARIA: Do you feel that the government has simply not had a plan and that President Zardari has been in a sense asleep at the switch? You think that his taking a trip abroad right as these floods began was a very bad mistake symbolically and substantively?

KHAN: Well, just look at the criticism George Bush got when Katrina happened, but at least he wasn't roaming around the world on a 10-day trip when all this devastation was taking place. And not just that. There was a personal trip.

He was visiting his chateau. Then he went to launch his son's coronation in Birmingham, in England. And all this -- that's where the shoe was thrown at him, and not surprisingly, because the country was being flooded and he then made this excuse that he had gone abroad to collect money.

But when you look at the money coming in, there's no money. It is the lowest-ever donations received in a catastrophe as huge as these floods. So, clearly, there was no leadership. At the moment, no one knows what to do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: OK, just keep in mind, there is a way to help. And pointedly, you can help. Just go to CNN.com/impact and see a list of organizations providing relief supplies to the people in Pakistan.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: CNN, of course, is your source for financial news. Want to get you to our favorite site -- our favorite money site - of course, at CNNmoney.com. A service of CNN, "Fortune" and "Money."

Take a look at the lead story here. "Rivals HP and Dell in Biding War." What's going on -- a takeover offer. Got you.

But I actually want to direct your attention here to this piece ride here. Five new normal -- sorry, I should have given you a heads- up. Sorry, Jack. "Five New Normals Of The Economy." Things that have really sort of changed forever in this recession and the way that we're recovering. So, CNNmoney.com. I need to hope that myself.

Let's get you to the Big Board, New York stock exchange. We were in positive territory just a couple of moments ago, up three points, but that's been reversed. We're trending in negative territory now. We thought the markets might do better today after a couple weeks in a row in negative territory. And the NASDAQ is down 12, as well.

We'll follow these numbers throughout the day, and maybe ask a question of Patricia Wu about the markets today.

We are focusing on unemployment, and earlier we told you which states have the highest jobless rates in the country. Now, it's time for a look at the states with the lowest rates. Let's get back to Patricia at the New York Stock Exchange with details. And this is the end of the list, Patricia, you want to be on.

PATRICIA WU, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely. And North Dakota comes in with the lowest unemployment rate in the country at 3.6 percent. South Dakota, right behind it at 4.4 percent.

Now, typically, they come in with similar numbers because they similar economies, and they also typically come in at the bottom. Why? Well, they make the most of what they have, which is natural resources. Most of the people work in trade and transportation industries, which include jobs that move, store and sell these natural resources. So, it's more insulated from these downturns in the economy.

Also, intertwined with those natural resources is that their energy industry is growing. Not only traditional energy from the fossil fuels, but also alternative energy. Their wind energy industry is big. And so there are many available jobs in energy and exploration and production.

And another big thing this time around is that they weren't really hit hard by the housing bust, because their home prices were not overly inflated to begin with, Tony.

HARRIS: Yes. Hey, Patricia, we were just talking about a quick little market check at a moment ago, and we thought we might see a bit of a rally this week. We're coming off a couple weeks -- we're trading negatively, and losses for the week. But look, we're flat today, and if anything, we're trading negative as well today. What's going on with the markets?

WU: Well -- exactly, Tony. It's hard to tell these days.

HARRIS: Right, right.

WU: It's up, it's down. But this morning, we did have a little bit of a balance, which was fueled by some MNA talk, but that's just it. It was just talk. There were no actual deals that were announced.

And also, as you mentioned, Hewlett-Packard is one of the companies that was involved in this mergers and acquisition talk. It wanted to make an acquisition, and typically the company that lays out the cash sees a dip in its stock price.

Also, we still have those lingering fears about the economy. The renewed fears about the double-dip recession. The weak reports we saw in jobs and manufacturing. And also, we have no economic reports out today to trade on, so something to move the momentum of the market.

But we do have a busy week ahead with reports coming out on GDP, new and existing home sales, durable goods. So hopefully we'll see something positive there.

HARRIS: Yes, we need it. I hope we're not talking ourselves into a double-dip recession here.

WU: I hope not.

HARRIS: Yes. All right, Patricia, see you next hour.

And as a matter of fact, we're going to talk to Ali Velshi at the top of the hour about these concerns with the markets, what's happening with the housing sector and affordable housing markets, and as much as we can get in.

Also next hour, your teens and their cell phones. Texts, tweets, e-mails. And status updates. Boy, what is going on? By the hundreds every day. One doctor tells CNN your kids are addicted, and it's the new nicotine.

Plus, you can stop feeling guilty about these bad habits of yours. We have got ten vices that are actually pretty good for you. Sleeping in, a little hooky now and then. The whole list, next hour in the CNN NEWSROOM.

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HARRIS: Let's see here.

Get prepared for what could be a more intrusive frisking in airport security lines. "The Boston Herald" reports a new procedure is being tested at the Boston and Las Vegas airports before being rolled out nationally. Now, under the present search technique, screeners use pat-down motions of their hands over passengers' clothing and then switch to the back of their hands over sensitive body parts. The new searches will be done with front-of-the-hand sliding motions over greater parts of the passengers' bodies, including sensitive areas. TSA male officers search male passengers, female officers search females.

If you are in the market for a condo, you might want to consider Florida. Units are selling at the lowest prices in 20 years. Have a listen.

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KEVIN BERMAN, BANKERS REALTY SERVICES: We have a one-bedroom, one-bathroom, about 550 square feet. The kitchen is over here. And you have a dishwasher, range and a refrigerator.

This property sold for $145,000 in 2006. And now it's priced at $34,900.

We have been selling them this low, you know, for some time. But they seem to keep creeping down, and the values seem to be getting better. We have people from all over the world, actually, even as far as Mongolia calling us about real estate in Florida. People are flying in. And in some cases, they're also buying sight unseen.

Every week that one property sells, another one or possibly another two comes on the market. There are 75 properties in this area alone that are priced under $50,000 that are actively available for sale right now.

This is further west. You're in what would be considered suburbia. At $26,900, it's an excellent perceived value. You have 1,000 square feet of living space. Here we have the master bedroom. Also with simulated wood floors and its own private balcony and also its own walk-in closet. And master bath.

Purchasing this property at one-sixth of what the values were or what maybe your neighbor paid in the last four or five years is an opportunity that doesn't come up, you know, every day.

Everyone has got to go back to work, certainly. Everyone needs to start, you know, earning. But necessity for housing is not going to go away. Everyone needs to live somewhere. And prices right now are at the lowest that we have seen possibly in the last two decades. That being the case, you should take advantage of it.

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