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CNN Live Saturday

Twelve-Year-Old Girl Fights For Freedom. Fourth London Terror Suspect Apprehended in Rome. Astronauts Walk in Space, Repair Space Station. Famine Devastates Niger. Virginia Dog Owners Support Canine Troops in Iraq.

Aired July 30, 2005 - 16:00   ET

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

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICKENZIE, ABDUCTEE: I was just hitting and screaming, and doing whatever I could to aggravate him. And make him mad.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN HOST: A 12-year-old girl says she courageously fought off her would-be abductor. Find out what defense experts say all children should be to protect themselves.

A suspected terrorist appears in an Italian court. How a cell phone helped investigators nab him in Rome.

The struggle for survival in Niger. Thousands have died from hunger and millions more ate at risk. We'll tell you what you can do to help ease the famine.

Hello, and welcome to CNN live Saturday. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. All that and more after this check of the headlines.

Commander in chief, fit as a fiddle. Doctors give President Bush a clean bill of health after his annual physical today in Bethesda, Maryland. They say Mr. Bush is in superior condition for a man in his age group. He's 59. We'll have a live report from the White House in 15 minutes.

Another tragedy for the Boy Scouts. Thirteen-year-old Ryan Collins was taken off a ventilator last night and pronounced dead. A lightning strike during a scouting hike in California, left Collins brain dead and killed his troop leader. It's the sixth fatality for the Boy Scouts this week. Four scout leaders were killed in an accident in Virginia.

U.S. troops are getting an eviction notice. The government of Uzbekistan is calling on the U.S. to leave a key military base known as K2. The move comes as no surprise to U.S. officials. They've already been reassigning troops to bases in Tajikistan and Krzykstan. U.S. military planes had used K2 for cargo and refueling.

Up first, the London terror investigation is moving full speed ahead. Authorities are on the hunt for the masterminds behind last week's botched bombings. Now that all four suspected would-be bombers are in custody, three of the men were captured yesterday, two in London, one in Rome. CNN's Jennifer Eccleston is following today's developments from Rome -- Jennifer?

JENNIFER ECCLESTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Fredricka. Well Hussain Osman, the suspected fourth bomber in the July 21st failed attacks on the London transport system, tonight in a Central Rome jail. He was appointed a lawyer today. And he was questioned throughout this day. Now a hearing on a U.K. extradition call also took place today. But a decision on whether to proceed with the extradition could take place up to 48 hours from now, and that is according to his court-appointed lawyer.

Now, we know the 27-year-old was arrested yesterday in an apartment in Rome after a tipoff from Scotland Yard that Osman's cell phone calls indicated he was indeed in Italy. Now the Italian interior minister, Guiseppe Pisanu, today said that Osman, a naturalized British citizen, is from Ethiopia and not from Somalia as was reported earlier. And that he left London's Waterloo Train Station on the 26th of July. Now the Italian police yesterday said he traveled to Rome via Paris, Milan and possibly other Italian cities.

The Italian interior minister also saying today that this is an ongoing investigation, that searches were under way today in at least 15 provinces here in Italy. They're trying to locate anyone who's had contact with the suspect, anyone specifically the immigrant community from east Africa here in Italy, who might have helped Osman, as he made his way to Rome. Now, also today the city's chief prosecutor said the suspect also goes by another name, and that is Isaac Hamdi. And that his brother who lives here in Rome was also arrested and is in the same jail. But he is being held on charges of carrying false Italian documents -- Fredricka?

WHITFIELD: Jennifer Eccleston, thanks so much for that report from Rome.

A British community that was home to three of the July 7th bombers is still trying to come to terms with what's happened there. Today Christians and Muslims from that community went to London to pay their respects to the victims. CNN's Chris Burns reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRIS BURNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): At St.Pancris Church near one of the July 7th bombing sites, an ecumenical moment of silence for those who died. Both Muslims and Christians from the small Leeds community of Beeston, many of them neighbors of three of the suspected suicide bombers, wrestling with the thought that three of their own could have gone so tragically astray.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a wakeup call, this event that has taken place. We as ethnic minorities have to ask questions. That's our part. And we need to address them.

BURNS: They ask some of the same questions as authorities, among them, was there an outside influence. Police are hoping the arrests of suspects in London and Rome in connection with the July 21st failed bombings could shed light on the deadly July 7th attacks. And possibly head off yet another one. A race against time. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are in a somber moment. It does remain possible that those at large will strike again.

BURNS: The similarities between the two incidents are, in Blair's words, striking. In both, three subway stations and a bus were targeted with homemade backpack bombs of similar ingredients. Sixteen more explosive devices were found in the car of one of the July 7th suicide bombers.

And there's a possible al Qaeda link. Haroon Rashid Answat, a British born man, detained in Zambia. British authorities now suspect Aswat lent support to the July 7th bombings. He's also wanted by the U.S. for allegedly trying to set up an al Qaeda training camp in the state of Oregon. Aswat is tied as well to Abu Hamsa Al Masri, the fire brand Muslim cleric whose followers included 9/11 conspirator Zacharias Musawi and convicted shoe bomber Richard Reid. Abu Hamsa is set for trial in Britain for alleged extremist activity.

As the residents of Leeds prepare to return home, there's a sense of frustration that the attacks occurred despite years of organizing interfaith activities.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're's dealing with human nature, aren't we? We are hoping for an ideal community, an ideal world, and it will fail at times.

BURNS (on camera): It's a long-term healing process, trying to promote communication across Britain's ethnic mosaic. In the short run, authorities are racing to use the latest breaks in their investigation as a way to head off any more bombings, like the one that shattered a bus right here on July 7th. Chris Burns, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And the fight for Iraq is getting more difficult as that country tries to draft a constitution. Insurgents have carried out a slew of brutal attacks today, using a range of tactics to target diplomats, soldiers and civilians. One of the worst attacks happened at the Iraqi National Theater in Baghdad where community groups were holding talks on the country's new constitution. They're facing an August 15th deadline. A suicide car bomb detonated outside the theater killing six people and wounding 26 others.

Elsewhere in Baghdad, roadside bombs ripped through two separate neighborhoods. Authorities say a U.S. soldier was killed, along with three Iraqi civilians. Six others wounded.

Around the same time four insurgents stormed the Baghdad home of an Iraqi government official. Police say they abducted her at gun point. The woman is director general of the health ministry project's department.

And further south in Basra, insurgents targeted a convoy of British diplomats. Officials say a roadside bomb killed two private security guards working for the British embassy. A spokesman for the security company says both victims were British citizens.

And the bodies of three Baghdad International Airport employees have been found on a Baghdad road. They were kidnapped earlier in the week. The victims were found with their throats slit, blindfolded, their hands tied behind their back and their bodies showed signs of torture.

The latest now on the Shuttle Discovery. Two crew members are back inside the shuttle after spending much of the day walking in space. The astronauts performed experiments while enjoying an out of this world view of earth. CNN's John Zarrella has this report from the Johnson Space Center in Houston.

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JOHN ZARELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): If you didn't know they were in space, you might have thought astronauts Steve Robinson and Soichi Noguchi were working on weekend home repairs.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well it's really gluey stuff so it's a little hard to get off.

ZARELLA: For the first two hours of a nearly seven hour space walk, the astronauts experimented with techniques and materials that could be used in the future to repair damage to a shuttle's thermal protection system.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I would recommend if you were to do this for real, to use lots of (INAUDIBLE).

ZARELLA: It was recommended in the wake of the Columbia accident that NASA come up with a way to fix potentially catastrophic damage to heat shielding materials while a shuttle is in orbit.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Now, that's a full bag.

ZARELLA: Noguchi and Robinson worked in Discovery's cargo bay using a caulk gun and a spatula Robinson practiced repairing gauges in samples of reinforced carbon carbon, the material exposed to extremely intense heat on reentry. Noguchi stood by with a cloth to wipe off the tool.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. Significant swelling in the gas here. I'm going to try to take another little bit of it off here.

ZARELLA: This test, and a second similar one, are expected to give NASA engineers a wealth of knowledge about what repair materials and procedures will work in space.

CINDY BEGLEY, LEAD SPACE WALK OFFICER: Everything looked great on video. And we can't wait to get it home and take a look at it. They will be doing evaluation of that sample where they can see the whole distribution inside the material of the voids, et cetera, and how the material hardens.

ZARELLA: The spacewalk also provided an opportunity for some spectacular views. Including Robinson moving hand over hand down a space station handrail. As the earth passed below him. And just to finish up the day's chores, Noguchi replaced a failed antenna and Robinson changed out a circuit breaker.

(on camera): The picture perfect spacewalk was clearly a morale booster for NASA and the mission team. They had suffered through several down days, after the external tank problems came to light.

(voice over): NASA also released stunning video Saturday of the solid rocket boosters, from the moment of ignition through separation and splashdown in the Atlantic. John Zarrella, CNN, at the Johnson Space Center in Houston.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And for complete details on the spacewalk and the shuttle's return to space, including stories, interactive galleries and other information, log onto CNN.com.

Far out in space, a stunning discovery. Astronomers in California say they've found a large object in the distant regions of the solar system that could be a tenth planet. They say it may be bigger than Pluto. Right now it's being called 2003 UB 313. It's about 9 billion miles from the sun. A complete orbit around the sun takes it 560 Earth years. The discovery is sure to stir the debate over the definition of a planet. Some astronomers already dispute the classification of Pluto as a planet.

CNN PRESENTS takes a fascinating look at the search for life in the universe. "Is There Anybody Out There" airs tomorrow night at 8:00 Eastern with special online content at CNN.com/presents.

The president goes in for a little checkup. We'll tell you what doctors have to say about Mr. Bush's health.

Is the war on terror being lost in translation? Still to come, why America is having a hard time finding Arabic translators.

Nearly four years since 9/11. Plus this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: These are Doggles. The soldiers have e-mailed saying they desperately want more of these to put on their dogs in Iraq and Afghanistan. It helps keep the hot desert sand out of their eyes.

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WHITFIELD: Ask and you shall receive. We'll tell you how dogs in the U.S. are helping their canine counterparts in the U.S. military.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Welcome back to CNN LIVE SATURDAY. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. On the subject of mysteries, here's one for the White House. What caused the drop in President Bush's approval rating. It's at the lowest of his presidency. Forty-four percent, according to a new Gallup poll. That's five points lower than last week. Fifty-one percent said they disapprove of how the president is handling his job and 50 percent said their opinion of Mr. Bush is unfavorable.

Unrelated to that, President Bush took a trip to the doctor today. CNN's Elaine Quijano is standing by live at the White House with the word on the president's physical health. And he says he's feeling pretty great.

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. And according to the doctors, he's right. The team of doctors today in fact pronounced President Bush fit for duty and say that all of the information they have suggests that he'll remain so for the duration of his presidency. Now, Mr. Bush spent about three hours with doctors during his annual checkup in suburban Washington. He weighed in, interestingly, at under 192 pounds, which is eight pounds lighter than last year. Now, the president, who is 59 years old, remains in what doctors say is the superior fitness category for men his age. While at the hospital, the president also met with 14 wounded Marines and awarded seven Purple Hearts. Afterwards he spoke to reporters.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Just finished two things. One, I had my physical. And feeling pretty good. Great hospital to come to to get your physical. Also visited with some brave Marines who have been wounded. Remarkable experience to meet with these incredibly courageous souls who keep their spirit. They understand why they're serving the country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

QUIJANO: Now back on the subject of the president's physical exam, White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said doctors froze a non- cancerous skin growth, the result apparently of sun damage. But doctors recommended that he take some protective measures like using sunscreen and wide-brimmed hats. Other than that, Fredricka, pretty much a clean bill of health.

WHITFIELD: And now, Elaine, right before this report, we talked about the president's approval rating, which is sinking. Any explanation, or is the White House doing anything to perhaps get the rating numbers back up?

QUIJANO: Well, what the White House continues to say is that they don't look at poll numbers. That President Bush is a leader who leads from conviction, and isn't subject to sort of the whims of polls. At the same time, though, critics would point to a couple of issues, perhaps the Iraq war, and the fact that Social Security, which was to have been the president's signature domestic initiative, has not gotten much traction. But interestingly, on the Iraq war, that same Gallup poll that cited his overall approval rating at 44 percent, also says there's actually been little change in the public views on Iraq in recent polls. So they seem to believe that it's not a factor, at least in this latest rating. They're saying that the July 22nd to 24th poll, the one prior to this one, showed that fewer Americans believe the Iraq war is a mistake. So unclear exactly, though, Fredricka, what exactly might be behind this particular number -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Elaine Quijano at the White House, thanks so much.

Going under the knife doesn't always mean going to the hospital. We'll explain why doctors are changing how they do surgery and what it means for your health.

And up next --

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MICKENZIE: It was just the classic, I've lost my dog. Can you help me find it?

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WHITFIELD: Wow. And she didn't fall for it. A 12-year-old girl tells her tale of an attempted abduction and her fight for freedom.

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WHITFIELD: Parents, listen. If you haven't talked to your children about defending themselves, you're surely going to want to hear how a pre-teen girl may have saved her own life. The incident happened Tuesday in Utah. And it's instructive. Here's CNN's Jen Rogers.

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JEN ROGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It happened here, on a little dirt road in Northern Utah.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: 911, what's the address of your emergency?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. We have a little girl here at our house. We live on a dirt road and she said someone tried to kidnap her.

ROGERS: Twelve-year-old Mickenzie, her last name being withheld at her family's request, was biking with her brother when she says a man approached her with a familiar line.

MICKENZIE: It was just the classic, I've lost my dog, can you help me find it?

ROGERS: Mickenzie instincts told her something wasn't right. But before she could get away, the man overpowered her, throwing her in his car.

KAIDEN, MICKENZIE'S BROTHER: I thought that she -- I would never see her again. ROGERS: But Mickenzie fought back. Making a day gone terribly wrong into a lesson on what to do right.

MICKENZIE: I was just hitting and screaming, and doing whatever I could to aggravate him, and make him mad. And he just pulled over and told me to get out.

ROGERS: Janice Flynn, who teaches self-defense to children through the international group Kidpower, said Mickenzie was smart to make herself a difficult target for her kidnapper.

JANICE FLYNN, KIDPOWER: They don't want to draw attention to themselves, they don't want to be caught. So she did exactly the right thing. She fought and she yelled and she drew attention to herself until he said this is just not worth it.

ROGERS: Even with no formal self-defense training, Mickenzie was able to make an impact using her voice and her body as her only weapon.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Shin kick, ready. Good. Ready.

FLYNN: You want to hit sensitive areas, the eyes, very sensitive, you know, anything you can -- to the eyes, to the face, the groin, always good.

ROGERS: Mickenzie's family says after Elizabeth Smart's abduction they talked about what to do in a kidnapping situation. Now, Mickenzie's story may inspire other families to have similar conversations.

MICKENZIE: I just didn't really want to have happen what -- has happened to every -- like all the kidnappings that you hear about that bad things have happened to. I didn't want that to happen, because I have dreams that I want to fulfill.

ROGERS: Now she'll have that chance. Jen Rogers, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Courageous little girl. Twenty-two-year-old Damon Victor Christ is being held in the case on suspicion of felony kidnapping and probation violations. Authorities say there were numerous tips that led to the suspect, and several reports of a man asking children for help in finding his dog.

You have no power to make it rain. But you can still help the starving people of Niger. The African nation is facing famine following years of drought and locusts. Up next, we'll tell you what you can do to save those struggling to survive.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Our top stories. Italian police are on the move today against possible terrorist plots. After yesterday's arrest in Rome of a British man of African origin wanted in London. The man is believed to be one of four would-be bombers, all now in custody from the failed attacks of July 21st. Italian officials convened a hearing today on Britain's request for the suspect's extradition.

An experiment in space for Discovery, astronaut Steve Robinson and Soichi Noguchi. During a seven-hour space walk with two applied caulk to purposely damaged space shuttle tiles in a test of potentially life-saving repairs. The repair technique was developed after damage to the shuttle Columbia caused the craft to break apart on reentry two-and-a-half years ago.

In Egypt, plainclothes police beat and arrest opposition demonstrators in the streets of the capital of Cairo. The incidents followed the announcement by President Hosni Musbarak that he'll run for re-election in September. The long-time U.S. ally has been in power for 24 years.

And four days after torrential flooding, more than 100 bodies were recovered today near the Indian city of Mumbai. As the death toll rose past 850, officials took precautions against the possible spread of disease. And protesters took to the streets to complain the government is taking too long to remove decaying bodies.

In the African nation of Niger, a pair of natural disasters combined to put nearly one-third of the country's population at risk for starvation. A drought and one of the worst locusts invasions in decades has decimated Niger's crops. Now more than three million people, including 800 thousand children, are desperately in need of food. CNN's Jeff Koinange, along with Anderson Cooper, are there. Jeff, let's begin with you. This is a problem that did not occur overnight. However, it seems in recent days the images have been reported, the stories are being reported. What's different? Why is this just now coming to light in terms of public view?

JEFF KOINANGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, the simple answer to that is that this problem here could have been avoided. When aid agencies were raising the red flag, saying this country is going to be in problems in the coming months. The world turned its back on Niger. And those images that you see, the children with the distended bellies, with the big brown eyes, which are unfocused and are crying out for help, with starving babies. That's what you see in an avoidable situation. Let me just now bring in Anderson Cooper, who literally just came into Maradi a few hours ago, having driven the 600 or so kilometers across country. Anderson, what did you see along the way?

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST: It's interesting, when you drive from the capital to here, it takes about ten hours -- (INAUDIBLE) -- crops in the field, and in fact we were even in a rain storm. The rains have come, so there's no drought right now in Niger. The problem really occurred a year ago in last year's crop season with the drought and with the locusts. So even though there are crops on the ground and things have been planted, that doesn't help the people who are hungry right now. The rains which are coming are not helping those who are hungry. And there are so many hungry people. Especially, as you said, Jeff, the children. KOINANGE: The other thing that the farmers are telling us is even if it does look so green, it is deceiving, because the millet grain, this county's staple food, it's supposed to be above our heads right now. It's below our knees.

COOPER: Yes. You see that in field after field, this sort of low level millet. And even a lot of them have already sold their crops, because they're in so much debt, they've already had to pre- sell whatever crops are harvested in October. So they're going to be in trouble, especially in the coming month of August. The relief workers we've been talking to, they all say the coming four weeks are crucial.

KOINANGE: If the rains don't come, have they been telling you, that it could be catastrophic, it could lead to that kind of situation?

COOPER: It absolutely could. I mean, what is not happening right now, which they're relieved about, is that they are not seeing adults starving to death, it's really the children. And children are the most vulnerable, they're the most easily malnourished, there seems to be a malnourishment. We were just over at a feeding center. There was a little boy ten months old who may not make it through the night. He's got severe infections. And they see that every day. They're seeing in this one feeding center, two different children dying every day.

KOINANGE: The other thing we noticed going out into the fields, lots of carcasses of dead animals. And when we spoke to the nomads, the Tuaregs, who seek in that area, they tell us this is a bad sign. You're going to be taking a couple of drives into the countryside, too, you're probably going to see a lot of that.

COOPER: Yes. We're going to try to drive up a several miles too. Because that's the other thing, there's a lot of the story that you don't see. I mean, what we're seeing really is what is in these feeding centers. These relief agencies have set up in the big city, like Maradi which we're in, it's the third largest city to Niger. But, you know, hundreds of miles from here, north of here, there are these small villages that no one gets to, and where people are just too weak to even bring their children to the village.

KOINANGE: Fredricka, think about this way. A country twice the size of Texas with one-tenth the infrastructure. That's how difficult it is getting into the countryside, getting out into the villages. And that's why it's taking so long for the help to get there -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Wow. That really does put it in perspective. And then give me a sense, Jeff, if you could, while you and Anderson try to traverse this very difficult logistical nightmare there, give us a sense as to what your access will be once you do get into some of these areas to see where the need is.

KOINANGE: I'll tell you what, Fredricka, once you get off the main road, and we've done this a couple of times, we drove, what, maybe 150 miles. It took us eight hours. Imagine that. Through infrastructure that is totally dilapidated, roads that were impassible. Imagine the trucks laden with sacks of grain and wheat and stuff trying to make it into those areas. There's no way they can make it there. It is almost impossible. I think air drops, food drops are going to have to be key. But then they end up losing so much grain when they drop the food, ANderson.

COOPER: Also food drops, they're just not practical. They're very expensive. It's not as effective as over land. They can bring more supplies over land. The reason they've set up right here in Maradi is because there is one good road from the capital to here. It is a long drive, but it is a paved road. But, again, it's those outlying area, it's those small villages that have no roads that you have to go off-road.

KOINANGE: Absoulutely. And, Fredricka, the other thing is -- another irony of this whole thing is, there's plenty of food in the marketplaces here in Maradi. People just cannot afford to pay for those meals.

WHITFIELD: And because affording those meals is nearly impossible for so many families, are you hearing any kind of rumblings from people there, from their neighbors who do have the money or the resources to provide some of this food as to whether they might even consider donating some of this food?

KOINANGE: Well, for the very first time today, Fredricka, we actually heard people blaming the government. In the last few days, the opposition parties have been blaming the government, back and forth with politicians. People in the streets now are starting to point fingers saying why didn't the government anticipate this. Anderson, you're going to see a lot of that.

COOPER: Yes. There were, in fact, demonstrations in the capital, I think about a month or two ago, people complaining that the government wasn't vocal enough in trying to, sort of, raise the alarm internationally. You know, there are a lot of relief agencies which said we were sending out press releases months ago saying this is going to be a problem. But they said the government here didn't do enough to, kind of, put this on the front burner. You know, you could argue that the tsunami really diverted the world's attention. I mean, so many people were focused on that, that in February, when press releases were going out about Niger, people weren't really paying attention. They were focused on helping Southeast Asia recover. And Niger is now suffering because of that.

KOINANGE: And the other thing that people were telling us, Anderson, is that it's the same images. It could be Darfur, it could be Eastern Congo, it could be anywhere else in Africa. The images were pretty much the same up until, maybe a month ago, when they had the Live Aid concert. The theme was make poverty history. Less than a month later, you see these images, Fredricka. It's a contrast of contradictions.

WHITFIELD: And, Jeff and Anderson, we're talking about the need for food. But when we look at these images, the emaciated children and adults who are starving as well, that also means you've got a medical need. We haven't heard too much from these international aid groups, these non-governmental agencies about what kind of medical assistance they may be able to provide to these people.

KOINANGE: Anderson, actually, literally got back from the camp where the Medicine Sans Frontiers Doctors Without Boarders. You actually had a walk around with the doctor.

COOPER: I did. I didn't hear the question, because --

KOINANGE: Sure. The question was, the doctors, are they saying anything about the level of diseases?

COOPER: Yes. There seeing a lot of disease. Another blessing to this is a group like Doctors Without Borders has been here for five years. So they have an infrastructure already set up, with clean water supplies, you know, things are sterile. But they are seeing a large number of diseases. Another little boy we just met earlier tonight, about two hours ago, his skin is literally peeling off because his diet has been deficient in zinc. And immediately they tried to hydrate him, they inject sugar in him, they give him saline, and very gradually they give him milk which has a lot of nutrients in it. But they're seeing a lot of infections. But to respond to the food, and the malnourishment is getting dealt with, those kids can die in an hour if an infections takes hold. And these kids are plied with antibiotics. But often, it's too late. The infections are ravaging their bodies. And again, they're seeing that every day, kids dying every day in these centers.

KOINANGE: Excellent. A lot of stories, Fredricka. A lot of heroes and heroines in this war against famine. A famine that was totally avoidable -- Fredricka?

WHITFIELD: It is indeed a remarkable situation there, Jeff. And Anderson, you alluded to a moment ago, talking about how the efforts on the tsunami relief may have distracted the world from the kind of need taking place there in Niger. So now that the world does know about it, these relief agencies that were helping to institute help for those tsunami victims, is there any concern from those relief agencies that perhaps they might feel that people have depleted, you know, their donations, and that perhaps they may not still be inspired or even have the monies to give to help out the people there in Niger?

KOINANGE: That is the major -- most -- the major grumbling around here is from these agencies saying the tsunami took up a big chunk of the world's attention and the world's finances. And now Africa again has been relegated to the back burner. Anderson, the question was basically, these aid agencies, are they going to have -- will they see that the money won't be as forthcoming as it was?

COOPER: They now have money committed enough that they think that they need. They still want a little bit more. The question is -- or the problem is, the food has not gotten here yet. You know, yes, it's in the pipeline, but that doesn't really help feed a child tonight. And that's the problem. What they are hoping for, and what some people in the U.N. are now asking for is a set amount of money, a trust fund, if you will, so that in future emergencies, they have an instant ready supply of money that they can immediately devote to an emergency. Right now, every emergency that comes along, they have to go ask the international community for help. Sometimes the international community responds incredibly like in the tsunami, sometimes it's slow in coming. So, you know, that's a long-term solution, according to some relief agencies that we talked about. But, again, it's the problem for these kids right now in this town and outlying villages, and even if the food is in the pipeline, it's not gotten here yet to them right now.

KOINANGE: And that's probably a debate, Anderson, that probably go on for many years to come. In the meantime, disasters like this, completely avoidable disasters, continue to happen. And that's why those images are so heart wrenching, heartbreaking. This shouldn't have to happen, Fredricka. But, again, as Anderson said, the aid has to come, and it has to come sooner rather than later -- Fredricka?

WHITFIELD: Heart wrenching indeed. Thank's so much, Jeff Koinange and Anderson Cooper. They're in Maradi, Niger. And if you're wondering how you can help feed the starving people of Niger, several relief agencies are providing the help, as you heard. You can log on to their Website, or you call the numbers you see right here on the screen and make your donations.

And stay with CNN for the latest on the food crisis in Niger. Catch a special report on the famine on Anderson cooper 360. That's Monday night at 7:00 Eastern only here on CNN.

Pakistan's president is facing heat for a decision to expel international students studying in Pakistan's Islamic schools. General Pervez Musharraf says the move is intended to stop the seminaries or medrases from being used to spread religious extremism. Some 1,400 international students are believed to be studying in these medrases. Many of the students are urging Musharraf to reconsider his decision. CNN's Carol Lin will take a closer look at the issue tonight with terrorism expert Jim Walsh and a leading Pakistani journalist. That's at six Eastern, three Pacific.

Many American Muslims fear the terrorist attacks in London will make them a favorite target of law enforcement. To ease concerns, a mosque in New York recently opened its doors to the FBI. Here's CNN's Mary Snow.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): It is called little Pakistan. Those who live in this Brooklyn community say following 9/11, many residents here have had an uneasy relationship with law enforcement. That's why a friendly visit by the FBI to this mosque was striking. The special agent in charge of the FBI's counterterrorism unit in New York addressed hundreds of Muslim worshipers.

CHARLES E. FRAHM, FBI COUNTERTERRORISM UNIT: And I need your support, as I have received. SNOW: Community leaders are trying to enforce the message that Islam does not support terrorism. And they stress that Agent Charles Frahm was invited and not there for policing.

SUHAIL MUZAFFAR, COMMUNITY ACTIVIST: There's much more trust and confidence today in the community, when he comes as an invited guest than previously, soon after 9/11.

SNOW: This community says it has been hard hit since 9/11 with thousands leaving.

MOHMMAD RAZVI, COUNCIL OF PAKISTAN: We have lost about 20 thousand members within this community in Brooklyn alone. And we found out that over 30 businesses within this community have just shut down. Because people had left.

SNOW: Mohmmad Razvi is a community activist who has collected reports of discrimination, particularly against Muslim children.

RAZVI: Discrimination that had occurred to her, was a girl called me a stupid Muslim.

SNOW: Discrimination is one concern among leaders. Another is that young people can become vulnerable to extremist message.

FRAHM: The community at large is very concerned that there are pockets and elements that receive maybe a message that Islam does support terrorists. And that's not the case.

SNOW: As one leader put it, Muslims' feet are to the fire to denounce terrorism.

WISSAM NASR, COUNN./AMER.ISLAMIC RELATIONS: Both locally and nationally, and even internationally, you're getting a lot of anger from the average Muslim about -- against terrorism.

SNOW: But some say the visit from the FBI will do little to erase suspicion against Muslims. One 28-year-old Pakistani man who asked not to be identified says even after denouncing terrorism, he feels his neighbors are still looked at as suspects.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is all a media stunt. Just to give an impression to people that we are there for you, we are here. All these communities are okay. Whereas everybody knows we all know that we are being profiled.

SNOW: The FBI says its motives are often misunderstood and they want to listen and respond to the community's needs. Mary Snow, CNN, New York.

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WHITFIELD: And CNN is committed to providing the most reliable coverage of news that affects your security. Stay tuned to CNN for the latest information day and night. Surgery without the hospital stay? Up next, doctors are changing the way patients go under the knife. It's not just about saving money. I'll talk with Dr. Bill Lloyd about what it means for you.

And still ahead, how cleaning a canine can help the U.S. military on the front lines in Iraq.

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WHITFIELD: More than 10 million people are opting to go under the knife outside of the hospital this year alone. Not only does it cut medical costs, it can also help you avoid dangerous infections contracted in hospitals. But is ambulatory surgery safe for everyone. Dr. Bill Lloyd is a surgeon and a professor with the University of California Davis Medical Center. Good to see you Dr. Bill.

DR. BILL LLOYD, UNIV. OF CALIF.-DAVIS MED. CTR.: Hi, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Well what kinds of surgeries are we talking about?

LLOYD: Oh. We're talking about everything. Not just little snips of skin. But you can have a hernia repair. You could have a gallbladder removed. Almost anything, so long as the procedure doesn't take more than about 90 minutes. And you can recover in less than about four hours. You don't want to be there when the shop closes.

WHITFIELD: No, that's a good advice. Well why is ambulatory surgery on the rise?

LLOYD: Well money has a lot to do with it. And people who own hospitals discovered that if you can have a facility that just does surgery, no dining room, no laundry, you can save yourself a lot of money because there's no overhead. Also, medical technology is advanced so much more, that surgeons can do complicated procedures with tiny incisions. That means you heal quicker and you can go home sooner. You know, Fredricka, there's an enormous shortage of beds across hospitals in America, and as there are more and more older Americans, the beds become more valuable. So doing surgery on the outside is a smart idea. And think about patient safety. As you mentioned, sticking around the hospital isn't always a good thing. You'll heal better in your own bed surrounded by those who love you. And finally, the convenience of just driving up to have your surgery.

WHITFIELD: Sorry about that. Well it sounds like not every patient is the best patient for this kind of care. Is this catering to certain people's conditions?

LLOYD: Well like every kind of medical procedure, there's good people and bad people for it. You want to know about the overall health of a person who's going to have ambulatory surgery. If they have complex medical problems, it may not be a good idea, because when you're in that little ambulatory surgical room, it's just like a traditional hospital. But if there's a problem, they can't wheel you right over to the intensive care unit. They're going to have to put you in an ambulance and take you there, and that can be a problem. So, again, we want people who are healthy, that can tolerate a brief procedure, a recovery that lasts four hours or so, and have already set up a home care plan, a ride home and people who will look after them. Because after ambulatory surgery 100 percent of your post operative care is on you.

WHITFIELD: Wow. It sounds like patients really need to ask pertinent questions. Because there are a lot of concerns that come with ambulatory surgeries as well, right?

LLOYD: Well, Fredricka, people are somewhat reluctant to get started with. But after they've had it, they love outpatient surgery. You want to know about the facility and if it's accredited. Ask if they've had inspections, and most importantly, ask if they've failed any recent inspections. You want to know what kind of anesthesia support they you're going to have. Sure, you may have something with a local anesthesia, but is there an anesthesiologist in the next room to help you if you develop other problems. Where's the nearest hospital. If I do have a problem -- if I lose too much blood, where are you going to take me? A few blocks away or 15 miles away in traffic? And how am I going to get home? Do I have that home plan we talked about? And finally, emergency help. The night when I get home, if I get a fever, if I don't feel well, if I have a reaction to anesthesia, where do I go? You have to know precisely where to go and where you can find your doctor the night following your surgery.

WHITFIELD: Good questions to ask. Dr. Bill LLoyd, thanks so much.

LLOYD: We'll talk again soon.

WHITFIELD: All right. Well more of CNN LIVE SATURDAY coming up with Carol Lin. What's on tap? Hello.

CAROL LIN, CNN HOST: Hello. At 6:00 we're going to have a story about a village waiting with baited breath on Saddam's trial coming up. He's accused of killing thousands of people in this particular Iraqi village and bulldozing it. How the village survived today.

Ten o'clock, I'm going to be talking with Ken Robinson, our military intelligence analyst, about how they tracked these London terror bombing suspects. It's really remarkable. Cell phone records and they managed to even pull photographs of these nameless, faceless people.

WHITFIELD: A lot being learned from all of that.

LIN: You bet.

WHITFIELD: Carol Lin, thanks so much.

LIN: You're welcome.

WHITFIELD: Well nearly 200 dogs are serving on the front lines in Iraq and Afghanistan. Now, some dog owners and their pets here in the U.S. are doing their part to make their overseas service more bearable. That story next. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: U.S. troops aren't the only ones dealing with sweltering temperatures and dangers from insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan. Canine units are on patrol in many areas, searching for bombs. A Virginia dog spa recently appealed to pet owners to help provide the military dogs with some much-needed TLC. Our Barbara Starr has that story.

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BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): They came in all shapes and sizes. Tough little dogs with plenty to yap about. Big dogs, just hanging out. And this gang of golden retrievers. We'll get back to them in a minute. One hundred and fifty dogs came to get a bath in support of their canine comrades serving in the military. Humans were asked to donate $10 for each bath. One man with no dog dropped off $1,000 check. All the money will be used to buy veterinary supplies and toys for the nearly 200 military working dogs sniffing for bombs and going on patrols in Iraq and Afghanistan. Mitchell is happy. Very happy. His mom explains why he is here.

BRIGETTA JONES, DOG OWNER: I've heard a lot about how their paws get damaged from the heat. Their paws just get all the sand and everything.

STARR: Amy Nichols, owner of the Happy Tails Dog Spa, decided to have a dog wash when she got e-mails from dog handlers in Iraq saying they were having a tough time.

AMY NICHOLS, DOG SPA OWNER: Seven dogs over there were sharing one toy. And of course, we're all -- it broke our hearts. So we got a box out there right away.

STARR: Like soldiers, dogs are working in 100-degree plus weather.

NICHOLS: One of the things they asked us for were cooling pads. You lay them out on the ground, the dog can lay on them and it takes heat off of their body.

STARR (on camera): These are Doggles. The soldiers have e- mailed saying they desperately want more of these to put on their dogs in Iraq and Afghanistan. It helps keep the hot desert sand out of their eyes.

(voice over): This is how they are supposed to look. Our little fashion model doesn't quite have full military discipline. And those golden retrievers, Maggie, Emily and Samantha, it's hard to say who was happiest to get a bath. But we do know all this dog washing raised more than $9,000 to help canine soldiers on the front lines. Barbara Starr, CNN, Tyson's Corner, Virginia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Well stay with CNN. A check of the day's top stories coming up.

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