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Tokyo's Water not Safe for Babies; Libyan Air Force 'Ineffective'; Inside Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant; Fire Out At Interior Ministry; Elizabeth Taylor Dies At Age 79; Talk Back Question

Aired March 23, 2011 - 12:01   ET

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

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: Top of the hour. I'm Suzanne Malveaux.

I want to get you up to speed.

A terror attack in Jerusalem. A bomb attached to a phone booth exploded as a bus drove by. Officials now say one person has died, almost 30 people were wounded, some critically. Today's bombing follows rising tensions between Israel and the Palestinians.

Militants in Gaza fired rockets into southern Israel yesterday. Israel responded with air strikes.

In Libya, coalition warplanes bombed Moammar Gadhafi's fighters at Misrata today. The town has been under assault for days now, and rebels appeared on the brink of defeat. The U.S. military says Gadhafi's air defenses and air force are largely ineffective after days of coalition strikes.

Despite bombs falling around him, Gadhafi remains defiant and insists that he's going to win this battle. Last night, Libyan state TV showed what it said was a live Gadhafi rally at his Tripoli compound.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MOAMMAR GADHAFI, LIBYAN LEADER (through translator): We will be victorious in this fight. We will not give up. They will not terrorize us. We are making fun of their rockets.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: NATO ministers are expected to vote on a plan today to take military control of the Libyan operation. Now, political control reportedly will stay with the coalition. And what that means, it gives a voice to non-NATO countries, the Arab states of Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

President Obama, in an interview with CNN en Espanol, stressed the mission's narrow focus.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We have a limited task, a focused task, and we have saved lives as a consequence. And, you know, I think the American people don't se any contradiction in somebody who cares about peace also wanting to make sure that people aren't butchered because of a dictator who wants to cling to power.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Egypt's stock market opened today for the first time since late January. And analysts had predicted an ugly day. Well, they were right. Egypt's market ended the trading day down almost nine percent.

Witnesses say Syrian security forces gunned down protesters outside a mosque today, killing six people in the city of Daraa. Syrian state TV tells a different story. It reports that armed thugs attacked police. Well, the newscast showed weapons and ammunition allegedly stored at the mosque.

Black smoke poured from reactor number 3 at the Fukushima nuclear plant today. Now, authorities, they're not sure why that happened. They evacuated workers, but they say radiation levels have not spiked. Despite constant setbacks, crews say they are making some progress.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): It had settled down quite a lot compared to the beginning, and we could even begin to see a bright hope that maybe it would somehow work out in a little bit. They are constantly switching over all the time since the work cannot be stopped.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: The United States is banning dairy, vegetables and fruit produced in the region of Japan nearest the Fukushima nuclear plant. Hong Kong went a step further today. It banned food imports from five regions of Japan.

And in Tokyo, officials say radioactive substances in tap water now is twice the level that is safe for babies. They say parents should not use tap water to prepare infant formula, and that led to a run on bottled water.

Our senior medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen, she's joining us from New York now to kind of put this all into perspective here.

Elizabeth, you hear these reports. Just how bad is this problem in Japan?

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SR. MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: You know, if you live in that area, or if you live anywhere between that area and Tokyo, around there, it's definitely an issue. As you just said, they are telling parents, don't make infant formula with water, and they're saying that the levels are OK for adults to eat. Of course, we're bigger and could sustain more radiation; however, the runs that we're seeing in stores in Tokyo tell you that, you know, there's probably more than just parents of infants who are going out there and hoarding that water, understandably. They hear the warnings, but they're still worried, and the government is telling people, please don't hoard bottled water -- Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: And Elizabeth, what about the reports of the issue with the food supply?

COHEN: Right. There are no more exports coming from those four prefectures around the plant. They say, you know, we're not going to send out any more milk, we're not going to send out any more leafy vegetables or certain kinds of fruits.

And literally, what happens is radiation is in the air and it falls on this produce. And if there is no protective layer like, say, with an orange, then there is nothing to prevent you from eating it. So, you see there milk, leafy greens and certain fruits, they're not sending it out of that region.

MALVEAUX: And Elizabeth, should we be concerned? Should Americans be concerned about our food supply?

COHEN: You know, Suzanne, I know that a lot of people are, and I am here to tell you that there is no reason to be concerned.

First of all, the United States isn't taking in any foods or drinks from that area of Japan. So that's first of all. So you're not going to see it here.

Second of all, very little food and drinks are imported from Japan anyhow.

And thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, I know that people think, wow, radiation from Japan has hit the West Coast. And there is no question, that's true. But I want to tell you something that a professor when I was in public health school told me, and that is the solution to pollution is dilution.

There is more than 5,000 miles between Tokyo and the West Coast. That pollution is so diluted, that it isn't causing any kind of a health threat at all to people in the United States. And even if it were to fall on agriculture, it's in such tiny amounts, that it's not hurting people.

MALVEAUX: All right. Elizabeth, we're going to remember that. Thank you very much. Appreciate it.

Here is your chance to "Talk Back" on one of the day's big stories. President Obama signed the health care bill a year ago, you may recall. And you remember how polarizing that battle was.

A new CNN poll released today shows that Americans are basically unchanged in their view of the bill. Thirty-seven percent of Americans support the measure, 59 percent oppose. But take a look at last March -- 39 percent supported the law and 59 percent opposed. About 13 of those opposed say the bill did not go far enough. Our Carol Costello, she joins us with the "Talk Back" question.

Carol, I remember President Obama, traveling with him all over the country trying to sell this plan. And the main point was, the more Americans learn about it, they'll like it. A year later --

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, a year later, as the poll just showed, many Americans don't like it and don't understand it, quite frankly. I can't believe it was just a year ago he signed that bill into law. It seems like, what, a thousand years ago?

The health care battle has been polarizing, though. Think angry town halls, talk of death panels. And congressmen from both sides, insulting their opponents.

And it's not over. Not by a long shot.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO (voice-over): The political fight over health care was exhausting, historic.

REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA), MAJORITY LEADER: The bill is passed!

COSTELLO: On the day it passed, Democrats cheered. And on the day President Obama signed the health care law, Vice President Joe Biden inadvertently told America just how amazing it was.

Was it ever. And still is, in so many ways.

The health care debate helped fuel the Tea Party movement.

OBAMA: I told John Boehner --

COSTELLO: It paved the way for a shellacking for Democrats in the midterm elections. And the repercussions continue. It was just this past January the newly Republican-led House voted to repeal what Republicans call Obamacare.

REP. JOHN KLINE (R), MINNESOTA: The American people flat out reject a Congress to sweep through legislation without engaging the American people.

COSTELLO: And that's not all. Florida and 25 other states filed lawsuits alleging the Affordable Health Care Act is unconstitutional. Various judges have ruled in various ways, and that surely means a final decision on health care will land in the U.S. Supreme Court's lap.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Oh, the memories. It will surely play a role -- health care, I'm talking about -- in the 2012 campaign. Just this morning, Republican presidential contenders Mitt Romney and Tom Pawlenty blasted the law, saying it infringes on individual rights and calling for its repeal. So, "Talk Back" today: Was the health care battle worth it?

Write to me at Facebook.com/CarolCNN, and of course I'll read your responses later this hour.

MALVEAUX: All right. Thank you, Carol.

Well, a sad story. Legendary movie star Elizabeth Taylor died today from congestive heart failure. She was 79 years old.

And there are so many memorable roles where she was -- here she is with soon-to-be husband Richard Burton in "Cleopatra" in 1963.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "CLEOPATRA")

ELIZABETH TAYLOR, ACTRESS: You come here then running over with wine and self pity to conquer Caesar.

RICHARD BURTON, ACTRESS: It's over now. You fill my life.

(END VIDEO CLIP, "CLEOPATRA")

MALVEAUX: Taylor used the role to become the first actress to command $1 million for a film. Taylor is considered the last major star to come out of the old Hollywood system.

Here's what's ahead "On the Rundown."

Explosions and anti-aircraft fire rock Libya's capital. We're going to go live to Tripoli.

And it takes a lot of money to wage a war. We're going to find out it is costing for the military operation now in Libya.

And Egypt takes another step to get back on its feet after unrest there. The stock market in Cairo is open again.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: U.S. and coalition forces say that Libya's air defenses and air force are now largely ineffective. The plan carried out more than 50 air strikes in the last 24 hours.

Want to go live to our CNN's senior international correspondent, Nic Robertson, who's in Tripoli.

Nic, give us a sense of what this means. The coalition says now that it has near impunity in the skies. Is that the sense you're getting on the ground?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, last night was the first night just before dawn where we thought we could hear pretty clearly the sounds of jets flying over the city, not so low, but we also had a couple of explosions after. And that seemed to us to indicate that coalition forces can operate over even Tripoli now. We know that the no-fly zone is sort of extended from the east around Benghazi and the rebel areas there, and all the way along the coast, past Misrata, where they're still fighting, then all the way up here to Tripoli.

So it should allow the coalition precision attacks using coalition aircraft now, rather than sort of standoff missile systems, and, of course, fly over the country and keep an eye on what aircraft are coming (ph) from what location. But also, in Misrata, for example, where Gadhafi forces and armed rebels are sort of in a very tight fight inside an urban environment, it should allow the coalition to get much better eyes, one would imagine, with drone aircraft that can sort of spy on the situation below without fear now of being shot down, and therefore allow a much more precise targeting of Gadhafi's forces -- Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: And what is the feeling on the ground there among the Libyan people about what has happened? Are they bolstered by this news? Do they feel like they are now winning? They're on the other side of this?

ROBERTSON: In the capital here, particularly as a TV crew, people really don't want to -- even opposition people really don't want to be seen associating with us or even sort of talking to us, particularly on camera, because they're afraid that, therefore, the government will come after them and perhaps arrest them.

And I'm thinking back to two weeks ago, when a taxi driver who picked us up here and drove us across the city, he didn't even express any opinions to us. He was arrested and detained for well over a week.

So people are rightly afraid to be seen associating and talking with us. But certainly we know there are plenty of people here in the city that are opposed to the regime.

But the way people explain the situation to us here is, if they are opposed to the regime, they tell us that, you know, they're very concerned about the way that the fighting may progress. They're worried about what happens next, will there be a wider conflict? Are the children safe? All these sorts of things -- will there be enough food, all these issues.

But from the sort of loyalists around the government and the government itself, we're not really hearing any cracks in the leadership here at the moment, but certainly there is high level of anxiety about what is going to come. Is there going to be a cease- fire, will there be talks, or will this descend into a wider war -- Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: Nic Robertson, on the ground for us there in Tripoli.

Still a lot of unanswered questions, fears and anxieties there, but clearly the allied forces believe that they have defeated Moammar Gadhafi's air force. Well, Yemen is being rocked by violent protests, and instability in this Arab nation could be trouble for the United States. We're going to tell you why.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: Violence is rocking the Arab world. We're focusing on what these conflicts mean for U.S. interests and safety.

In Libya, air strikes have knocked Moammar Gadhafi on his heels. But it's going to take a lot more than that to knock him out. The stakes, very high.

Libya has the world's ninth largest oil reserves. It's a lesson in how bloody and difficult the battle for change in the Arab world may prove to be.

We are zeroing in on three other countries as well -- Yemen, Egypt and Syria.

I want to head to Yemen first, a country that could gain steam as a dangerous hotbed for al Qaeda.

Michael Holmes is here to talk about the looming threat and the unrest that this country poses.

Yemen was on our radar, we realized. This was back in the Christmas -- the attempted Christmas bombing, what many people called the underwear bomber. And we know that this is a potential threat, a hotbed for terrorist activity.

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, a lot of attempts, terror attempts, have come out of Yemen, attempts against the United States, against Saudi Arabia, their neighbors. And why is Yemen like this?

Well, in a word, poverty. That's got to be the biggest one. Yemen, one of the poorest nations in the world, the poorest in the region. The people are desperate.

Now, you take that and so a lot of corruption. And that's what's driving these protests. That's what makes Yemen also ripe for al Qaeda influence.

Now, there is already a significant al Qaeda presence in the country. And the government has been working with the United States in combating it.

Now, if thee government falls, there is no viable, strong alternative waiting in the wings to move in. Well, al Qaeda, they would be thrilled, and really they would thrive in the chaos. The West would then find itself without any allies in that country to help in the battle.

MALVEAUX: Now, you would think that the Obama administration would be thrilled to get rid of a dictator here in this country. And this leader in particular has been really key when it comes to fighting the war on terror.

HOLMES: Absolutely. It's another one of those things where the self-interests of the United Sates is that we really would like him to stay, because he's being so helpful. There is a paradox in a lot of these uprisings as well.

Now, President Saleh, he's a military-backed dictator. His people are calling for change, but as we said, he's also a linchpin in what is and what was before all of this a deeply unstable country -- rebellion in the north, secession in the south, al Qaeda in the middle.

It's the ancestral home, in fact, of Osama bin Laden, the current home of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. It's the HQ, if you like.

Now, al Qaeda regrouped in Yemen after being forced out of Saudi Arabia. And that was after 9/11. And, you know, you've seen several terror attacks, as I said, that have emanated from Yemen since.

Now, Saleh has been an ally, as you said, of the United States. An unstable one, though.

If he does step down or is thrown out after 30 years in power, it's still unclear who would step in. And what the West could hope for from any new leader in terms of cooperating when it comes to the war on terror.

MALVEAUX: It's a hotbed.

HOLMES: It is very a important country, yes.

MALVEAUX: It's something that we're going to be watching very, very closely. And we're going to be talking about some others as well.

HOLMES: Yes.

MALVEAUX: Thank you, Michael.

HOLMES: Good to see you.

MALVEAUX: Good to see you.

Well, how safe are America's nuclear power plants? There is one near New York City that sits right on top of a fault line. We're going to take you to the Indian Point nuclear plant for an unbelievable look inside.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: Here's what's ahead "On the Rundown."

The nuclear industry in the spotlight after the disaster in Japan. We're going to go inside a U.S. nuclear plant to find out if it is prepared for an earthquake.

Plus, the cost of war. We're going to find out what it takes to run a military operation like the one against Libya.

And gay parents in the Bible Belt. We're going to take look at the challenges they face.

As the world watches the nuclear crisis unfold in Japan, questions now about nuclear safety are being raised here in the United States. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has its eye on more than two dozen power plants, including the Indian Point nuclear facility. That's about 35 miles from New Cork City.

CNN's Allan Chernoff has been granted exclusive access and is going to take us inside Indian Point.

Allan, give us a sense of whether or not this plant can either withstand an earthquake as powerful as the one that hit Japan. Do we even know?

ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN SR. CORRESPONDENT: Well, Suzanne, there is no building in this area that has been put up to handle a 9.0 earthquake. And seismologists say that is not even in the cards over here.

But we did enter the number 3 unit of the Indian Point nuclear plant yesterday. We walked through 11 feet of concrete and steel, into the big dome, and saw workers replacing the nuclear fuel rods.

They do this every two years. Very, very delicate work, of course. And I asked the plant manager right there whether the plant can handle the most severe quake that seismologists have forecast for this area.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHERNOFF: Do you believe that this structure can withstand as much of a punch as Mother Nature is going to deliver?

JOE POLLOCK, VICE PRESIDENT, OPERATIONS, INDIAN POINT: We believe this structure is designed to withstand as much of a punch is expected to happen in this area, that's correct.

CHERNOFF: What about unexpected?

POLLOCK: Well, unexpected, you know, we believe if it's greater than a 6.0, it can handle. We believe that we can handle a 7.0 earthquake.

CHERNOFF: You think you could handle a 7.0 earthquake?

POLLOCK: Yes, I do.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHERNOFF: The worst quake ever in this region was a 5.3 back in the 1880s -- Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: And what other risks are there to this plant? Do we know?

CHERNOFF: Yes. A hurricane is really the biggest risk. And what they need to do there is keep the power going.

Let's have a look at the pools that hold the nuclear fuel. We stepped right above these as some of those fuel rods were being inserted, taken out, and then sent through a canal to the plant. Hopefully, we can come up with that video right now, a very, very interesting scenario.

The pool is very, very, very delicate, of course. We're not looking at the pool right there, but nonetheless, that's inside of the nuclear core.

And essentially what they need to do here is make sure that no matter what problem they have, the power stays on. They have got three backup generators for each unit. They have got a backup to the backup.

They have got diesel fire pumps. They have all sorts of contingencies. They spend lots of their time there at this plant just planning for disasters. Hopefully, those don't come.

Suzanne, it is a very interesting place. As you know, the governor wants to shut it down.

MALVEAUX: Do we know if it lost power before? Have they had these kinds of problems?

CHERNOFF: Actually, about three weeks ago, one of the units did lose power. The diesel generators jumped in right away, and it wasn't even noticed. It wasn't noticed, of course, to the electrical grid. But the diesel backup generators were able to handle the problem.

And also, during the 2003 blackout, they also had to turn those backup diesel generators to keep those nuclear rods cool. That's the essential thing here. The pumps run by electricity, circulate water, keep those rods cool. Otherwise, they can evaporate the water in the pools and we can have the potential for a meltdown as we've had in Japan. Fortunately, nothing like that has ever happened here.

MALVEAUX: All right. Very fortunate. Thank you, Allan.

President Obama says he hopes that Libya's opposition movement can regain momentum and force Moammar Gadhafi from power. The president discussed the U.S. mission in Libya in an interview with our Spanish language network, CNN en Espanol.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: Gadhafi may try to hunker down and wait it out even in the face of a no-fly zone, even though his forces have been degraded. But keep in mind that we don't just have military tools at our disposal in terms of accomplishing Gadhafi's leaving. We put in place strong international sanctions. We've frozen his assets. We will continue to apply a whole range of pressure on him. But with respect to the military action, that specifically is done under the U.N. Security Council resolution, and calls for maintaining the no-fly zone and ensuring that the people of Libya aren't assaulted by their own military.

LOPEZ: Can you and will you give military support to the rebels?

OBAMA: Well, you know, obviously we're discussing with the coalition what steps can be taken. I think that our hope is that the first thing that happens once we've cleared the space is that the rebels are able to start discussing how they organize themselves, how they articulate their aspirations for the Libyan people and create a legitimate government. And you know, potentially what we may see is that all the enthusiasm the Libyan people had for a change in government that was occurring a few weeks ago but that Gadhafi, through just brutal application of force, made people fearful, that that can resurface. And it may be that it's not a matter of military might, but instead an idea that's come to the Libyan people that it's time for a change that ends up ultimately sweeping Gadhafi out of power.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Remembering one of Hollywood's most celebrated superstars. Elizabeth Taylor has died at age 79. We're going to talk about her life with -- and her career -- with actor James Earl Jones.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: Census Bureau numbers show that gay black and Latino couples are twice as likely to be raising children than gay white couples. Perhaps more surprising is where many same-sex parents call home. Our David Mattingly has the story in today's "What Matters."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Which one is the loudest soccer mom? That's what I'd like to know.

MISTY GRAY, GAY PARENT: Latisha (ph).

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Me.

Good job, Mike (ph).

MATTINGLY (voice-over): At the soccer field, they are two moms cheering for the same child. But in church, Latisha Bines (ph) and her partner, Misty Gray of Jacksonville, Florida, are part of a new phrase on the old Bible belt. Same sex couples, raising children, turning to pro-gay churches for support and acceptance.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK, we're gay, we're lesbian, but our God still loves us no matter what.

MATTINGLY: A surprising UCLA study of the 2010 census reveals same-sex couples in the south are more likely to be raising children than similar couples even on the West Coast. San Antonio is number one. Number two, Jacksonville. It took one phone call to find out why.

MATTINGLY (on camera): Why is this happening in the south of all places?

GARY GATES, UCLA DEMOGRAPHER: Gay and lesbian people tend to come out later in life in those areas, which means they're actually more likely to have children early -- from a prior relationship earlier in their lives.

MATTINGLY (voice-over): Demographer Gary Gates cites another big reason, Southern pro-gay churches reaching out to minorities and creating safety nets for the entire family.

MATTINGLY (on camera): Of course, not all churches are happy to hear about this trend. This, in fact, is one of them here in the Jacksonville area. The leader of this church is calling on pastors all over the city to pray.

BISHOP VAUGHN MCLAUGHLIN, POTTER'S HOUSE CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP: I believe that they should be preaching a positive message that Jesus is right.

MATTINGLY: And that these couples, they should not have gay relationships?

MCLAUGHLIN: I believe that the couples in the church that have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ that would bring a conviction that Jesus taught and the scriptures teach that marriage is between a man and a woman. Simple.

MATTINGLY (voice-over): But not so simple for people like Latisha Bines, raising her three biological children with her partner, Misty Gray.

GRAY: Hetero, homo, it doesn't matter.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Right.

GRAY: Either way.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. Definitely.

GRAY: It's a great support system.

MATTINGLY: And their pastor believes happy parents start with happy children.

MATTINGLY (on camera): The focus is the children.

PASTOR VALERIE WILLIAMS, ST. LUKE'S COMMUNITY CHURCH: Yes. Absolutely. The children being able to serve God with their families and not being judged.

MATTINGLY: It wasn't too long ago that gay and lesbian couples might have thought it was too risky to bring their children to church with them. This Jacksonville church was fire bombed three times back in the 1980s.

MATTINGLY (voice-over): Now, it is a place for family worship and youth groups. Signs of the times in a changing Bible Belt.

David Mattingly, CNN, Jacksonville, Florida.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX: Defense Secretary Robert Gates is in Cairo as the U.S. attempts to preserve critical ties to the new Egyptian government. We're going to have more on Egypt's uncertain future.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: As the Arab world boils over in unrest and violence, we're focusing on what these conflicts mean for U.S. interests and safety. Now, we've taken a closer look at Syria and Yemen.

Now more on Egypt. Protests in Egypt resulted in historic change in the largest Arab nation in the world. But the anger is far from over. And the future there is still very much uncertain. Egypt was a strong American ally before President Hosni Mubarak yielded to the protests and stepped down.

Defense secretary Robert Gates is in Cairo today to make sure that that relationship is preserved. The United States gives $1.3 billion in military aid each year to Egypt, and stability there could be crucial to stability throughout the rest of the Arab world.

Our Ivan Watson is live in Cairo. Ivan, just give us a sense. I know the stock market today reopened. A stable economy critical to a stable government. What do we know about the state of affairs?

IVAN WATSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Just before I start, I want to just point, Suzanne, to an announcement we just have gotten from the state-run newspaper here, announcing that the supreme ounsel of the armed forces - basically, the military is governing this country after the fall of Hosni Mubarak, has announced it will -- is criminalizing protests and organizers of demonstrations. They can now face jail sentences or stiff fines if they try to organize protests along the lines of the democratic uprising that we saw in Cairo and in other cities across the country.

That's a pretty serious development as we're also getting reports from a number of former revolutionaries and human rights groups that people who come out and speak out and demand changes, additional changes, have been rounded up by the military that now run this country. And some of them, I'm increasingly hearing about, have been subjected to torture while in military custody. So from these allegations, some of the old practices of the former police state now appear to be carried out by representatives of the military state.

Now, moving on to --

MALVEAUX: That sounds like a very serious setback --

WATSON: Go ahead, Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: Ivan, that sounds like a very serious setback for the people there in Egypt who have certainly hoped for revolutionary change.

WATSON: Yes. The concerns about the detentions of activists out in the streets, we're hearing increasingly about this. People who I interviewed in Tahrir Square a month-and-a-half ago before the fall of Hosni Mubarak or immediately afterwards in that burst of idealism and hope. One of them subjected to gruesome beatings inside the walls of the Egyptian museum after a crackdown by the military on May 9.

I just spoke with another Egyptian woman who claimed to have been stripped naked by military interrogators and subjected to a virginity test. This was reported in Amnesty International today, that about 18 women protesters detained on March 9 were subjected to these kinds of tests. They're harrowing accounts, and not the type of things you would expect to hear after this revolution.

And I do have to point out that as a journalist moving around, just yesterday, we covered the aftermath of a fire that erupted on the top floors of the interior ministry here. The soldiers that were trying to restore order there were grabbing cameras from journalists on the scene. A month ago, I was nearly arrested and had my camera seized by an army officer. So peace and democracy has not quite broken out as some may have expected certainly in the streets of the Egypt capital yet.

Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: Ivan, it seems like those were some very worrisome signs. We appreciate the update. And, please, keep us posted on what is taking place on the streets of Cairo and throughout Egypt. It certainly looks like things may be going backwards under this military rule.

Ivan Watson there in Cairo. Thank you.

Well, remembering one of Hollywood's most celebrated superstars. Elizabeth Taylor has died at age 79. We're going to talk about her life and her career with actor James Earl Jones.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: Hollywood is mourning the loss of a superstar. Elizabeth Taylor has died at age 79. Taylor's publicist says she died peacefully at the Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles. And over the years, Taylor had suffered a number of health problems. Just six weeks ago, she was in the hospital for congestive heart failure. Our CNN's Brooke Anderson looks back on Taylor's star-studded career and often dramatic personal life.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Elizabeth Taylor was called one of the most beautiful women in the world. Her violet eyes lit up the screen in memorable roles from "Cat On A Hot Tin Roof" to "Cleopatra," which made her the first actress to receive $1 million for one part.

ELIZABETH TAYLOR, ACTRESS: So much is said with the electricity of eyes, the intensity of a whisper. Less is more.

ANDERSON: Her highly publicized real life sagas were punctuated by eight marriages to seven different men. Richard Burton twice.

Taylor's first union took place before she turned 18, to hotelier Nicky Hilton. She married actor Michael Wilding, producer Mike Todd and singer Eddie Fisher. Taylor was blamed for breaking up Fisher's marriage to America's sweetheart Debbie Reynolds. But her often tempestuous marriages to Richard Burton, the first lasting 10 years, became even more sensational fodder for the press.

TAYLOR: I think he's one of the finest actors of -- sorry.

ANDERSON: Taylor's other marriages included Virginia Senator John Warner and finally construction worker Larry Fortensky, whom she divorced in 1996.

Her personal dramas often drew attention away from an accomplished film career. The British borne Taylor rode into moviegoers hearts as a child actress in 1944 with "National Velvet."

TAYLOR, "NATIONAL VELVET": Oh, you're a pretty one.

ANDERSON: The actress downplayed her abilities.

TAYLOR: I, along with the critics, have never taken myself very seriously. My craft, yes, but as an actress, no.

ANDERSON: Still, Taylor received five Academy Award nominations, twice winning best actress honors for her role as a call girl in "Butterfield 8" in 1960, and as an ornery alcoholic wife in "Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf" in 1966.

TAYLOR, "WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF": T-t-touch yourself you old flusey (ph).

ANDERSON: Through the years, Taylor battled a litany of health woes, from her struggle with substance abuse, to a chronic bad back, to respiratory problems, the replacement of both of her hips and removal of a brain tumor. Taylor was recognized for her tireless effort to educate the public about AIDS, a battle prompted in part by the death of close friend Rock Hudson in 1985.

TAYLOR: This is something that is a catastrophe that belongs to all of us. It isn't a thing that belongs to a minority group any longer.

ANDERSON: Taylor helped found AMFAR, the American Foundation for AIDS Research, established the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation. Later, she publicly befriended Michael Jackson, appearing with the singer several times and supporting him to an often critical press. She called him wonderful. But that was before his trial and ultimate acquittal on child molestation charges.

Through all her hurt, physical and emotional, Liz Taylor will stand as one of Hollywood's most giving and glamorous superstars.

Brooke Anderson, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX: She was something else. Superstar actor James Earl Jones, who worked with Taylor and, of course, is the voice of CNN, he joins us now by phone.

What do you remember best about Elizabeth Taylor?

JAMES EARL JONES, ACTOR (via telephone): You know, I've watched Richard and Elizabeth and it just really moved me where she played Kate and he played Petruchio in Shakespeare's "Taming of the Shrew." And it was very clear that he ran docile (ph). His mind so brilliant and his speech was so brilliant. She ran deep (ph), though. So, in contract to each other, they were a perfect match.

I had a chance to work with them both and the movie was set in Haiti but we had to film it in Africa, in a former French colony in Africa, it was then called Dahomey, now called Benin. And I had a chance to work with mainly Richard, but they were both starring in it. Their first time starring on equal footing. And the friendship, I think, you know, it began there partly because of my own squareness. I -- they gave a reception where they were to introduce themselves to the cast, which included Cicely Tyson and Gloria Foster and Raymond St. Jacques and Roscoe Browne and Sir Alec Guinness and a great bunch of world famous actors and actresses.

And I was the only sort of novice and dufous (ph) in the company and I'm sitting beside this attractive lady, on the sofa, in the hotel lounge, waiting for this reception to start. And I said to someone, so when does Elizabeth Taylor arrive? And I'm sitting right next to her. And she just looks at me and smiles. I guess she thought I was trying to make a funny. I wasn't. I didn't know who I was sitting next to.

MALVEAUX: You were sitting next to Elizabeth Taylor. We --

JONES: I didn't know I was sitting next to Elizabeth Taylor. I think our friendship probably started then without my really knowing it. She could have slapped the heck out of me.

MALVEAUX: Well, we saw, Mr. Jones, a picture of you at the Kennedy Center Honors in 2002 with Miss Taylor. Can you give us a sense of what that was like to be around her?

JONES: It was -- well, she had to go visit the jewelsman (ph) in the lobby. I mean that was Elizabeth. But my wife got to know her then too. And they formed a fast friendship. It was what she called a late friendship. They're very rare in life.

And I was happy to reunion with her and which then led to my chance to read with her for her AIDS foundation, her performance in "Love Letters." And I witnessed her and Joey Tillinger directed us and thank God he was there because she leaned on him. She didn't want to do it, but she felt she had to do something to raise funds. And she trusted me, I believe, I hope, to really stand hard by her. And we got through it. But not only got through it, she began to blossom and she felt that audience response. And I don't know how long it had been since she had done a stage production, but she felt the electricity between herself and the audience and it was wonderful to see.

MALVEAUX: Mr. Jones, thank you very much for your recollections. She was truly a special talent.

JONES: Thank you.

MALVEAUX: Really appreciate it.

JONES: Thank you very much.

MALVEAUX: We're going to take a quick break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: Here's your chance to "Talk Back" on one of the big stories of the day. President Obama signed the health care bill one year ago today. And that is the topic of today's "Talk Back" question. Our Carol Costello is here with your responses.

Hey, Carol.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I was curious about what people would say to this question. The "Talk Back" question today, was the health care battle worth it?

This from Jon. "The health care battle was worth it. It shows us to what length big business will go to protect their profits versus what is best for America as a whole. The general public is easily hoodwinked by flashy ads that are mostly false and misleading that feed on stereotype fears and beliefs that are not even true."

This from Alexander. "Was this time wasted? Yes. A terrible bundle of confusion was voted on and passed. I feel if the bill had been single payer, it would have failed. But Democrats would have had an argument that would have given them the majority they needed in the Senate to do it. Sadly I feel it has cost the president a second term."

And this from David. "Simple answer, yes. Critics focus on the constitutionality of mandatory health care but don't want to talk about who pays for the uninsured. That would be us, unless we let them die. What does that cost every year, both financially and in human misery?"

Thanks, as always, for your comments and continue the conversation, facebook.com/carolcnn.

MALVEAUX: All right. Thank you, Carol.

COSTELLO: Sure.

MALVEAUX: CNN NEWSROOM continues right now with Randi Kaye.