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Taliban Threatens Pakistan, U.S.; U.S. Keeping Close Eye on Pakistan Battle; Bush Speech on Iraq Strives to Unite Allies; Powell Snubbed by Arab Press; Taiwan's President Recovers from Assassination Attempt; Injured Soldiers Have Long Road to Recovery

Aired March 19, 2004 - 13:00 ET

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

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Zeroing in on a high value target. Will a fierce battle in Pakistan net one of al Qaeda's top leaders?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: We'll never turn over Iraq to terrorists who intend our own destruction. We will not feel the Iraqi people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Marking one year of war with a vow to finish the job in Iraq.

A close call for the president of Taiwan. Check this out. An assassin's bullet goes through the car's window but only grazes the president.

Panic at a zoo. A gorilla goes on a rampage, attacking several people, include a woman and her child. You'll hear from the woman this hour.

From the CNN Center in Atlanta, I'm Fredericka Whitfield. Miles O'Brien and Kyra Phillips are off today. CNN's "LIVE FROM" begins right now.

Up first this hour, standoff in South Waziristan. And that's the remote and rugged chunk of northeast Pakistan, where thousands of government troops continue to battle hundreds of al Qaeda fighters and Pakistani tribesman. The latter group is presumed to be defending a high valued target, possibly the man considered to be the brains of al Qaeda, Ayman al-Zawahiri. And the next 48 hours, says one top official, may be conclusive.

CNN's Nic Robertson is in Islamabad with the latest -- Nic.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The latest from here, we've heard a statement read on our regional Arab satellite networks here by a spokesman from the Taliban, organization saying that Pakistan has made a mistake, claiming that the Taliban was trying to infiltrate into Pakistan, saying that the Taliban would now target Pakistan, saying as well that they are not in negotiations -- the Taliban was not in negotiations with U.S. troops and they would attack U.S. troops if confronted inside Afghanistan.

They say they've divided up Afghanistan now into different areas, different battle areas and that they would target and attack U.S. troops.

Also saying that President Bush should embrace Islam, because there are many areas in the world where the United States is now perceived as an enemy. But they say it wasn't -- the Taliban claims that the United States wasn't in the past.

In Pakistan today, the contentious area in Waziristan, the battle heating up there. Pakistani forces have the area cordoned off, they say. They say they have an inner court and an outer court. They've been firing heavy artillery, flying Cobra attack helicopters. And they're engaging in gun battles by as many as 400 al Qaeda members they believe are holding up in various compounds in that area.

They say throughout the day they have detained another eight people. They say three of them were Pakistanis. Five of them they describe as being foreigners. One, they say, was injured.

They say the people that they're fighting, these up to 400 al Qaeda members, one of whom they believe could be Osama bin Laden's lieutenant, al-Zawahiri.

They say they have been returning fire with mortars, with rockets from a gun battle.

But it seems, Fredricka, to be developing into a standoff with the Pakistan military, not yet taking on any of those compounds as far as they're telling us, any of those compounds where they think these people are holding up -- Fredricka.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, ANCHOR: And Nic, let me ask you about the top of our report, talking about the Taliban spokesperson.

In the past couple years it had been believed that the Taliban had been dismantled, that perhaps they were reorganizing along the border now. How organized do officials believe they are now?

ROBERTSON: Well, they do believe -- officials do believe, both Pakistani officials and U.S. and coalition officials inside Afghanistan believe over the last year or so, that the Taliban have been regrouping, have been reorganizing.

It's not clear to what level they've reorganized. They appear to now at least have a spokesman, apparently speaking for them, as an organization, again, despite the fact they are banned by the coalition inside Afghanistan.

How many people support them and follow them, certainly, perhaps, in the southern, the more -- what's known as the Pashtun-speaking areas, where the Taliban typically had a lot of support before. Perhaps finding support in those areas.

The statement today aimed against Pakistan and aimed against the United States, saying they would attack both those countries.

WHITFIELD: And Nic, on al-Zawahiri, let me ask you again, the past two years, he has been absent from official's view. What apparently led Pakistani military officials to the place they believe he is being surrounded?

ROBERTSON: We don't know what exactly led them to this particular area.

Certainly, the way it's been recounted to us, the way the operation has unfolded over the last three or four days -- it began on Tuesday -- makes it appear as if Pakistani military officials didn't know when they went into this area that they would find such a high value target.

The reason that assessment is made by security analysts is because Pakistani troops went in with lower level ability troops that this were -- they took many casualties. Then they realized they were up against a strong holdout, the holdout that seemed to be defending what appeared to be a high value target.

They confirmed that when they interviewed some of the people they captured but it's the quality of fighters they've been facing which makes them believe that there is a high value target there.

The interrogations made them believe that, as well.

So it's not clear why they choose to go into that area. What's clear, though, is as they got into it the resistance was so strong it made them very quickly realize that they had a high value target, that they needed to put in more troop, focus on the area in a much stronger military way. And that appears to be so far what they've been doing, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. Nic Robertson in Islamabad, thank you very much.

Well, America's role in the Pakistani battle is said to be indirect and minimal at most, though sizable number of U.S. forces are watching and waiting, not from far away.

CNN's Barbara Starr has that side of the story from the Pentagon -- Barbara.

BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRSPONDENT: Well, hello to you, Fredricka.

Yes, officials confirm very specifically that there are no U.S. military groups on the ground in Pakistan at the site of this gun battle. That, of course, does not mean the U.S. isn't keeping a very close eye on things.

The U.S. has been giving support to the Pakistanis for the last several week if not months. Communications, intelligence, surveillance that type of support, much of that coming from the U.S. intelligence community. Indeed, also, U.S. forces are reinforcing along the border with Afghanistan on the Afghan side, watching those mountain passes, making sure that no high value targets escape as this fighting in Pakistan continues.

But here in Washington, here at the Pentagon, officials seeking to manage expectations, if you will, saying they still do not know if Ayman al-Zawahiri is inside that compound. They are waiting to hear from the Pakistani government.

And that if he is, if he or Osama bin Laden is captured or killed, that will be good news, of course, but that the war on terrorism still has a long ways to go.

General Richard Myers, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, spoke earlier today on CNN.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEN. RICHARD MYSER, CHAIRMAN, JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF: It's one step in a many step process defeat international terrorism. So by itself, it's not going to stop plots that are already under way. It's not going to stop some of these operatives from continuing to operate.

But when you take the head off an organization, it's obviously going to have an impact. He's been around a long time in this organization, supporting it and leading it. So it will be a significant event, but it will just be one more step in many steps that have to happen.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STARR: But, Fredricka, there is no getting around it. Perhaps the most fascinating question to which there is no answer at the moment what about Osama bin Laden? Did he escape that Pakistani dragnet? Was he even there? Is he already on the run? Once again, no one knows -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: And Barbara, you mention that there are several U.S. forces that are in the proximity of this location that's being surrounded. But how flexible is the U.S. to be recruited to actually get involved with the Pakistani military, if need be?

STARR: Well, Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, of course, has made a number of public statements that he will not allow U.S. military forces to come across the border into his country.

A couple of points to be made there. U.S. reconnaissance assets, high-flying airplanes like the U-2, they can fly above all of this. They could stay technically on the Afghan side of the border, fly and keep an eye, using some of their very high-tech sensors, on what's going on across the border in Pakistan.

Also, to be very clear, the Bush administration saying no U.S. military troops, but not saying publicly whether there are any operatives from the Central Intelligence Agency on the Pakistan side of the border. That's one piece of business nobody talks about.

WHITFIELD: Barbara Starr at the Pentagon, thanks very much.

Well, the capture -- capture, rather, of Zawahiri, or Osama bin Laden for that matter, would be significant in the war on terror. In an interview this morning on CNN, national security adviser Condoleezza Rice put it this way.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CONDOLEEZZA RICE, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: Al Qaeda's a network, and you have to break up a network. We've already captured or killed two-thirds of their known leadership. That has been a blow against the organization. And the capture of major al Qaeda figure would also be a major blow.

But we have to do this systemically over time. There is no silver bullet to disbanding al Qaeda.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Well, join Lou Dobbs today for his interview with the deputy U.S. secretary of state, Richard Armitage. That's at 6 p.m. Eastern, 3 Pacific, right here on CNN.

As you may have seen, live here on CNN, President Bush today marked the war anniversary with a speech envisioning, and we quote, "a free, successful, stable Iraq."

CNN's Kathleen Koch is at the White House with more on that -- Kathleen.

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, it was also a speech today building bridges, reaching out to allies, some who have felt alienated by the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.

And ambassadors from some of those countries -- France, Germany, Russia specifically -- were front and center in the East Room today when the president made the speech. They, as well as ambassadors from the 30-plus countries that supported the war in Iraq.

President Bush acknowledged that there have been what he called disagreements between old and valued allies over the war in Iraq, but he said that those differences now belong to the past.

Mr. Bush spoke sweepingly of the global war on terror, saying that there is no neutral ground. Nations can only win that war by staying united.

And the president made a veiled reference to the recent elections in Spain and its plans to pull its troops out of Iraq.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MYERS: It's one step in a many step process to defeat international terrorism so by itself, it's not going to stop plots that are already under way. It's not going to stop some of these operatives...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOCH: Well, obviously that was not President Bush. Instead, General Richard Myers.

President Bush also in his speech focused on the war in Iraq, saying -- calling the U.S.-led invasion one year ago a day of deliverance.

The president -- now we do have that -- that clip from President Bush's speech, talking again about Spain and its plans -- not Spain specifically, but making reference to anyone who would try to appease terrorists.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: There can be no separate peace with the terrorist enemy. Any sign of weakness or retreat simply validates terrorist violence and invites more violence for all nations. The only certain way to protect our people is by united and decisive action.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOCH: And when it comes to the war in Iraq, the president said that no one can disagree right now at this point, that the action did, indeed, remove what he called a source of violence, aggression and instability in the Middle East.

The president calling the invasion a turning point and a crucial advance for human liberty.

The president's only mention of the elusive weapons of mass destruction was his reference that it was, quote, "a good thing that years of illicit weapons developed by the dictator have come to an end."

So all in all, a very tough speech by the president, expressing the Bush doctrine of solidarity on the war on terror, which he said is the inescapable calling of our generation.

Back to you, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. Kathleen Koch from the White House, thanks very much.

Just less than an hour ago, explosions were heard in Baghdad. Let's listen in.

This new tape coming in within the past hour here at CNN, where you could hear the explosions. However, the source of the explosion is still unclear, as is the target. And exactly what the circumstances were of that explosion.

Meantime, all of this taking place on the one-year mark of the U.S.-led war in Iraq.

This day was also marked in Iraq by a surprise visit from an American VIP. There were no red carpets rolled out. Instead, a bit of a snub.

Let's get the latest now from our Walter Rodgers.

WALTER RODGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Fredricka.

Well, first of all it does appear that three rockets, or perhaps mortars, were fired less than an hour ago into the so-called Green Zone, the heavily fortified compound where U.S. officials and where the U.S. military stays here in Baghdad.

A senior military spokesman said to the best of his knowledge there were no casualties and no damage.

This is not an infrequent occurrence in Baghdad, to hear the sounds of explosions at night, but it is quiet again now.

Indeed, Secretary of State Powell arrived earlier in the day. There was no shooting when he came, at least not in the literal sense, although the secretary did face some very tough questioning when he held a news conference in Iraq.

The questioning, of course, required him to, one year later, after the U.S. invasion, again, have to justify the American invasion and assault on this country a year ago.

One of the tough questions was: "Mr. Secretary, when can you believe the Americans can turn the corner on the continuing violence here? The car bombs, the suicide bombs, and the drive by shootings?"

The secretary seemed to suggest that this is going to depend when the Iraqis come up with their own efficient and reliable security forces, and he did not suggest that that was going to be anytime soon.

There were other tough questioning -- questions about whether the war -- the invasion was really necessary a year ago. The secretary, however, responded by saying President Bush did the right thing by inviting Iraq. He also said that the world cannot hide from terror.

The secretary did, indeed, receive something of a snub in that news conference, because as he was about to speak, the entire Iraqi media corps, press corps, got up and walked out in boycott.

Actually, it was a protest for the fact that at a U.S. military checkpoint yesterday two Arab journalists were shot and killed. Again, Arab journalists, more than a little unhappy about that.

And the Arab street in Baghdad saw demonstrations today, again, anti-American demonstrations -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. Walter Rodgers, from Baghdad, thanks very much for that update. Well, here in the states, some anti-war demonstrations today. In San Francisco, a couple of hundred protesters are clogging downtown streets, demanding health care, not warfare.

Police are hoping to minimize traffic disruptions the city endured in similar events last year.

A close call caught on tape -- take a look at this -- a traffic stop gets out of control. We'll show you what happened to the officer straight ahead.

An assassin's bullet aimed at the president of Taiwan. You can see the bullet hole in the windshield, or you're about to. You'll hear what the president had to say about it.

And a threat prompts a police search of schools in Washington, D.C. Details from the nation's capital, straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Tense moments in the classroom in the nation's capital. All 165 public schools were in lockdown while police combed the hauls for explosives.

Earlier this morning, D.C. police received an e-mail threat that bombs would explode in five schools an the noon. After searching hundreds of private, public and parochial schools, no explosives were found.

Universities and colleges were also on lockdown. Police say they were especially cautious because of the anniversary of the Iraqi war.

Four people, including a 3-year-old child are recovering today after a savage gorilla attack at a Dallas zoo. The 300-pound primate broke out of his cage yesterday, causing complete chaos. The animal attacked the four people before the rampage came to an end.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KEISHA HEARD, ATTACKED BY GORILLA: The gorilla actually bit him in his head and on his side. So I think his lung is punctured and he has bite wounds in his side and around his face and around his eye area, really bad.

BILL HEMMER, "AMERICAN MORNING" HOST: We're pulling for him. How are you doing with that? It looks like your arm is in a bandage, possibly a cast? What's happening there?

HEARD: I think the gorilla stepped on my hand. That's what happened there. And then he bit my leg. And he actually hit me across my head and flung me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Well, the people survived but after the officials chased the animal for a half an hour, officers fired three shots, killing the 13-year-old gorilla. Officials say they feared it would escape the zoo complex altogether.

Here's a story you've got to see to believe.

In Michigan, Trooper Keith Carlson was approaching a stranded driver Tuesday night when an out of car hit him, knocking him 20 feet, right there. The whole thing was caught by his dashboard camera. And as bad as it looks, Carlson suffered only bumps and bruises.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KEITH CARLSON, MICHIGAN STATE TROOPER: I walked away from this accident where I was struck really hard by this vehicle, and some bruising, some strained muscles, real, you know, sore on my left side where I took the brunt of the impact. But overall, I feel pretty good.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Lucky trooper. Police have not identified the 18- year-old driver, but say she'll probably face charges.

Other news across America now.

After his first court appearance this morning, suspected highway sniper Charles McCoy Jr. is not fighting extradition to Ohio. He was arrested yesterday at a motel near the Las Vegas strip. McCoy is accused of carrying out a string of shootings near Columbus, Ohio, starting in May. One attack was fatal.

In Forsyth, Montana, stunning accusations against three grade school boys. Investigators say two 8-year-olds and an 11-year-old schoolmate are charged with plotting to shoot and stab a third grade girl. The boys allegedly brought a loaded handgun to school and buried it in a playground sandbox.

And in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, one court officer was killed this morning and two others wounded while trying to serve a warrant on a rape suspect. The male suspect, who was also shot, tried to escape but was captured a short time later.

More of LIVE FROM right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(STOCK REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: A look at our top stories.

Pakistan says its forces continue to surround hundreds of al Qaeda fighters in the rugged northwest section of that country. Those al Qaeda are said to include a high value target, possibly the second in command, Ayman al-Zawahiri.

A Pakistani military official says his troops will get the fighters, dead or alive. President Bush says it is the responsibility of every nation to act against terrorism.

In a speech we brought to you live here on CNN, Mr. Bush vowed to do whatever it takes to ensure freedom in Iraq. This speech marked the one-year anniversary of the Iraqi war.

People who oppose the Iraq war are marking the anniversary in their own way. Anti-war activists turned out today in San Francisco, a prelude to a larger worldwide day of protest scheduled for tomorrow. The marchers will call for an end to the U.S. presence in Iraq and condemn terrorism.

Taiwan's president is out of the hospital following an assassination attempt. It happened a day before voters go to the polls to decide whether to re-elect him.

CNN's senior Asia correspondent, Mike Chinoy, is live from Taipei with the latest -- Mike.

MIKE CHINOY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Fredricka.

Well, you can imagine the shock here. The president and the vice president, both of them shot on the final day of campaigning, less than 24 hours before people go to the polls.

Luckily, neither of them suffered serious injuries. President Chen Shui-Bian is now back here in the capital and a short while ago appeared on national television to reassure an anxious population.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHEN SHUI-BIAN, PRESIDENT OF TAIWAN (through translator): Thank you to the people of Taiwan. Thank you for your concern. Under the treatment of the medical staff, it's fine. Rest assured, I'm fine.

After the incident, the national security department and the relevant departments of the department -- the relevant systems are on. The national security of Taiwan is fine. Please rest assured. Thank you. Thank you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHINOY: Now this incident happened as President Chen and Vice President Lu were driving in an open Jeep through Chen's home town in southern Taiwan. Crowds of people lined the streets. Many of them were setting off firecrackers.

And in the din somebody -- the police suspect there may be two assailants -- fired two shots. One hit Chen in the stomach. One hit Lu in the knee.

At this point, no one has been arrested. No weapons have been recovered. And we have no idea who did this or why -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: And so no motive as well as no suspects?

CHINOY: Well, there are lots of possible motives. Chen has been a very controversial president. He's angered a lot of people here by his support for making Taiwan independent from mainland China. Beijing, of course, claims this island and has threatened to use force to prevent that from happening.

It's been a very bitter, tough election campaign. So there's no shortage of possible motives. But in terms any hard evidence as to who did this, at this stage, we simply don't have it.

WHITFIELD: All right. Mike Chinoy, thanks very much, from Taipei.

Well, news from other parts around the world now.

Terror suspects charged. In an all-night session, a Spanish court charged five men in last week's deadly train bombings in Madrid. Two are from India. The others are Moroccan. One suspect was released. Five others remain in custody.

Troops to Kosovo. More than 1,600 French, German and NATO troops will be pouring into Kosovo over the coming days to help quell an upsurge of violence there. Thirty-one people have been killed since Wednesday when ethnic Albanians went on a rampage against the minority Serbs.

And Japan stands firm, giving resounding support to the U.S. mission in Iraq. The chief cabinet secretary says his nation remains committed to fighting terrorism and rebuilding Iraq. Japan is deploying 1,000 troops for humanitarian duties there.

Time now for a closer look of the Iraq invasion anniversary, by the numbers.

From March 19, 2003, until President Bush declared an end to major combat, and that was on May 1, 139 U.S. troops were killed in Iraq in hostile fire or otherwise.

From May 1 to now, another 433 have been killed, slightly more than half in hostilities.

In the so-called combat phase, roughly 200,000 coalition troops were in-country, or in striking range. Since then, the number has been much closer to 130,000.

And the cost in dollars: more than $150 billion and counting.

Many Americans are returning from Iraq bearing the scars of war, both physical and psychological wounds that underline the randomness of the death in combat and the unpredictability of their lives ahead.

Here's CNN's David Mattingly.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SPEC. LANCE GIESELMANN, U.S. ARMY: And I remember, I tried to roll over, and my leg wouldn't go with me. And then I really thought it was broken really bad.

DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In an instant clouded by dust and confusion, Specialist Lance Gieselmann's tank was destroyed. His two close friends were killed.

Near death himself, Gieselmann somehow survived and now hopes to defy doctors, who say he may never walk again.

But the attack also left psychological wounds, problems common to soldiers wounded in combat.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I freaked my wife out, because I actually thought that we were taking fire.

MATTINGLY: These injured soldiers at the Army's Fort Campbell talk of nightmares, anxiety, anger, and marriage difficulties. There's also the deep feeling of guilt for leaving buddies behind.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Feel like I abandoned them. Not being able to be there to support them.

MATTINGLY: Army doctors say 40 percent of soldiers in combat report some psychological symptoms. The number drops dramatically with stepped up counseling, mandatory screening, and a waiting time upon returning home.

Gieselmann has received counseling, and the nightmares he had early on seem to have gone away, leaving him to focus on his physical recovery and his young family.

GIESELMANN: I want to be able to walk by myself. That's my long-term goal. And for everything to go back the way it was before I left.

MATTINGLY: A mission possibly more difficult than any he survived in Iraq.

David Mattingly, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Well, everybody wants something to call their own, even a man who seemingly has everything.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, REAL ESTATE MOGUL: This is a tough one. You're fired.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: It's not so tough for him. Donald Trump looks into another acquisition.

And the FCC goes on the offensive against offensive material over the airways.

And nothing offensive about this treat in New York City. Something's got the Big Apple all abuzz. Jeanne Moos fill us in.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: This is a tough one. You're fired.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Donald Trump owns a casino, hotel, and tons of real estate. Now the mega-millionaire turned reality TV star wants to own the right to two little words: you're fired.

If he gets it, Trump plans to plaster it on games and services in casinos and on a line of clothing.

But if you have a bad boss, beware. The trademark won't prevent him from using the phrase on you.

Well, another word is off limits for the airwaves, period. The FCC has reversed its decision about the "F" word, as Bono uttered during last year's Golden Globes broadcast.

Any use of the word is now considered too indecent and profane for radio or television. Bono won't be fined however.

Not so for the shock jock known as Howard Stern. The FCC is levying two fines against Infinity Broadcasting, one for Stern's radio show. And another fine will hit a subsidiary of Clear Channel Communications. All are for indecent language.

The former wife of televangelist Jim Bakker, Tammy Faye Messner, is back in the news again. She told Larry King last night that she had inoperable lung cancer.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TAMMY FAYE MESSNER, DIAGNOSED WITH LUNG CANCER: They decided to do a CAT-scan in my lungs, and when they did they found a two-inch spot on the -- right next to my heart and then that spot on the bottom and then another little spot.

And so we went through the bronoscopic (ph) tests where they go down your throat and they take biopsies of the lung and that showed up nothing.

And they couldn't figure out what it was. At first they said, well, it could be tuberculosis. Then they said, well, it could be -- there's something that you get in the desert that can get on your lung from -- it's a fungus. They thought, well, it might be that. And I don't think anybody suspected that it was lung cancer.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Messner says the cancer is too near to her heart to be removed, so she's expected to begin chemotherapy and radiation treatment soon.

MTV is marking the loss of a pioneer today. One of the original VJs who helped usher in the era of music television is dead.

Sixty-two-year-old J.J. Jackson died of an apparent heart attack Wednesday in Los Angeles.

Friends and colleague credit Jackson with being instrumental in helping to establish the tone of the cable music network when it was launched back in 1981.

After five years of spinning videos for MTV, Jackson returned to his radio roots, mostly recently hosting an afternoon show in Los Angeles.

Taking a tip now from Austin Powers, just look at this new Web ad from the Republican National Committee, lashing Senator John Kerry over the foreign leaders flap.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Allow myself to introduce myself.

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I have had conversations with leaders.

I've also had friends of mine who've met with leaders.

And I'm not going to betray the confidences of those conversations.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Need the info.

KERRY: I think there ought to be some...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Mike Myers what do you say?

Well, the Democrats are rolling out a response, sort of, a new anti-Bush message of their own, and this online, as well.

This one bashes the president for what the Democrats call the ballooning deficit. It criticizes the administration for cuts in job training, childcare, homeland security and the environment.

Well, former presidential candidate Howard Dean may be out of the race, but he's not out of the spotlight completely. Talking with "AMERICAN MORNING's" Soledad O'Brien today, he outlined what he believes is the president's Achilles heel in this election. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HOWARD DEAN, DEMOCRACY FOR AMERICA: Where the president is really going to sink, though, is not on defense. It's on jobs and credibility.

The president's been saying a lot of things that aren't true. He got us into Iraq by saying a lot of things that weren't true. For example, Saddam Hussein has nothing to do with al Qaeda.

Saddam Hussein's a terrible person. I'm glad he's gone. But had nothing to do with terrorism. And he admitted that himself.

The key, however is that the president's people deliberately lied to Congress by preventing civil servants from telling the truth about how much the Medicare prescription bill cost, which is a bill that funneled millions and millions of our taxpayer dollars to the HMOs and drug companies.

The credibility is going to become the biggest issue in this race, not even jobs or the health care or the war. It's going to come -- It's going to become can you believe this president? And that's an area I think the president's very weak on.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Dean also denies that he blamed the ongoing war on terror for last week's train bombings in Spain.

Well, you say you want a piece of presidential history? Well, if it's former President Clinton's childhood home, you better hurry because the price is going up, up, and up.

And Fred Katayama is here to tell us what's up next on Wall Street.

FRED KATAYAMA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fredricka. We're talking jobs, so get ready to send out those resumes. I'll tell you where workers are the happiest and the mopiest when LIVE FROM continues right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Hard at work here at CNN.

Well, "USA Today" is coming clean, apparently, with an internal investigation into one of the newspaper's former star reporters.

Newspaper officials say a seven-week-probe shows there's, quote, "strong evidence" that former foreign correspondent Jack Kelly faked or plagiarized parts of at least eight major stories.

Kelly spent his entire 21-year career at "USA Today" and was nominated five times for a Pulitzer Prize. He resigned in January, saying he never plagiarized any stories.

(STOCK REPORT)

WHITFIELD: An inside look at the life of Katharine Hepburn. Some of the late, great actress's possessions will be auctioned at Sotheby's. And you can see them, first-hand.

Among the items on the block: Hepburn's birth announcement, her wedding dress and her passports. There's also an address book with the numbers for such leading men as Sir Laurence Olivier and Spencer Tracy, her main man.

Well, there are a lot of art pieces, as well, and finishings from Hepburn's various homes, including some paintings she did herself.

And it's all on public view.

Well, speaking of auction, something for political junkies. Bill Clinton's boyhood home is on the block at eBay.

The future president was only 4 years old when his family moved into this humble bungalow in Hope, Arkansas. They moved two years later.

Bidding for the 1,000-square foot home opened at $45,000 on eBay. Well, as of a few minutes ago it topped $435,000. The auction ends April 7, and the sellers don't take Pay Pal.

Well, if you call someone a cream puff, it's considered an insult, right? But if you want to eat a cream puff, you're tapping into New York City's hottest food trend.

CNN's Jeanne Moos take a high caloric bite into the Big Apple.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's a dessert that had been all but deserted when suddenly New Yorkers began lining up for it.

(on camera) Was it worth the wait in line?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIFE MALE: It melts in your mouth.

MOOS (voice-over): Bagels, beware. Krispy Kreme, prepare to be creamed. Puff Daddy, there's a new puff on the block.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What kind of stuff do they have?

MOOS (on camera): Cream puffs.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is that what it is?

MOOS (voice-over): Wrinkle your nose, but this could be the comeback of the cream puff thanks to the Japanese?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (speaking Japanese)

MOOS: Loosely translated, that's "Here come the world's greatest puffs."

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's dreamy and creamy. It's better than having a lover if you don't have one. It's better than the lotto.

MOOS: The Japanese chain Beard Papa recently opened its first U.S. outpost.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's a secret recipe.

MOOS: The filling's a blend of whipped cream and custard.

Will this inject new life into a dying dessert? They're good enough for Sheba and her owner.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's chowing down on that one.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I got cream puff on my diamonds. How about that?

MOOS (on camera): Is it in my hair?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's the goo. It's the goo. I keep spitting on you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My girl saw it in the Japanese newspaper and made me ride all the way from Queens on a bicycle to get this. Apparently, this is the...

MOOS: You must love her.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I do.

MOOS (voice-over): Devon here says his favorite food is macaroni and cheese.

(on camera) Devon, if you had to choose between macaroni and cheese or cream puffs, what's it going to be?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Cream puff.

MOOS (voice-over): Two hundred and fifty calories each, or 220 if you miss your mouth.

Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Looks good.

Well, coming up next in our second hour of LIVE FROM, the manhunt for Ayman al Zawahiri in Pakistan continues. But how much would his capture affect al Qaeda? We'll talk more about that when LIVE FROM returns.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com

on Pakistan Battle; Bush Speech on Iraq Strives to Unite Allies; Powell Snubbed by Arab Press; Taiwan's President Recovers from Assassination Attempt; Injured Soldiers Have Long Road to Recovery>

Aired March 19, 2004 - 13:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Zeroing in on a high value target. Will a fierce battle in Pakistan net one of al Qaeda's top leaders?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: We'll never turn over Iraq to terrorists who intend our own destruction. We will not feel the Iraqi people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Marking one year of war with a vow to finish the job in Iraq.

A close call for the president of Taiwan. Check this out. An assassin's bullet goes through the car's window but only grazes the president.

Panic at a zoo. A gorilla goes on a rampage, attacking several people, include a woman and her child. You'll hear from the woman this hour.

From the CNN Center in Atlanta, I'm Fredericka Whitfield. Miles O'Brien and Kyra Phillips are off today. CNN's "LIVE FROM" begins right now.

Up first this hour, standoff in South Waziristan. And that's the remote and rugged chunk of northeast Pakistan, where thousands of government troops continue to battle hundreds of al Qaeda fighters and Pakistani tribesman. The latter group is presumed to be defending a high valued target, possibly the man considered to be the brains of al Qaeda, Ayman al-Zawahiri. And the next 48 hours, says one top official, may be conclusive.

CNN's Nic Robertson is in Islamabad with the latest -- Nic.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The latest from here, we've heard a statement read on our regional Arab satellite networks here by a spokesman from the Taliban, organization saying that Pakistan has made a mistake, claiming that the Taliban was trying to infiltrate into Pakistan, saying that the Taliban would now target Pakistan, saying as well that they are not in negotiations -- the Taliban was not in negotiations with U.S. troops and they would attack U.S. troops if confronted inside Afghanistan.

They say they've divided up Afghanistan now into different areas, different battle areas and that they would target and attack U.S. troops.

Also saying that President Bush should embrace Islam, because there are many areas in the world where the United States is now perceived as an enemy. But they say it wasn't -- the Taliban claims that the United States wasn't in the past.

In Pakistan today, the contentious area in Waziristan, the battle heating up there. Pakistani forces have the area cordoned off, they say. They say they have an inner court and an outer court. They've been firing heavy artillery, flying Cobra attack helicopters. And they're engaging in gun battles by as many as 400 al Qaeda members they believe are holding up in various compounds in that area.

They say throughout the day they have detained another eight people. They say three of them were Pakistanis. Five of them they describe as being foreigners. One, they say, was injured.

They say the people that they're fighting, these up to 400 al Qaeda members, one of whom they believe could be Osama bin Laden's lieutenant, al-Zawahiri.

They say they have been returning fire with mortars, with rockets from a gun battle.

But it seems, Fredricka, to be developing into a standoff with the Pakistan military, not yet taking on any of those compounds as far as they're telling us, any of those compounds where they think these people are holding up -- Fredricka.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, ANCHOR: And Nic, let me ask you about the top of our report, talking about the Taliban spokesperson.

In the past couple years it had been believed that the Taliban had been dismantled, that perhaps they were reorganizing along the border now. How organized do officials believe they are now?

ROBERTSON: Well, they do believe -- officials do believe, both Pakistani officials and U.S. and coalition officials inside Afghanistan believe over the last year or so, that the Taliban have been regrouping, have been reorganizing.

It's not clear to what level they've reorganized. They appear to now at least have a spokesman, apparently speaking for them, as an organization, again, despite the fact they are banned by the coalition inside Afghanistan.

How many people support them and follow them, certainly, perhaps, in the southern, the more -- what's known as the Pashtun-speaking areas, where the Taliban typically had a lot of support before. Perhaps finding support in those areas.

The statement today aimed against Pakistan and aimed against the United States, saying they would attack both those countries.

WHITFIELD: And Nic, on al-Zawahiri, let me ask you again, the past two years, he has been absent from official's view. What apparently led Pakistani military officials to the place they believe he is being surrounded?

ROBERTSON: We don't know what exactly led them to this particular area.

Certainly, the way it's been recounted to us, the way the operation has unfolded over the last three or four days -- it began on Tuesday -- makes it appear as if Pakistani military officials didn't know when they went into this area that they would find such a high value target.

The reason that assessment is made by security analysts is because Pakistani troops went in with lower level ability troops that this were -- they took many casualties. Then they realized they were up against a strong holdout, the holdout that seemed to be defending what appeared to be a high value target.

They confirmed that when they interviewed some of the people they captured but it's the quality of fighters they've been facing which makes them believe that there is a high value target there.

The interrogations made them believe that, as well.

So it's not clear why they choose to go into that area. What's clear, though, is as they got into it the resistance was so strong it made them very quickly realize that they had a high value target, that they needed to put in more troop, focus on the area in a much stronger military way. And that appears to be so far what they've been doing, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. Nic Robertson in Islamabad, thank you very much.

Well, America's role in the Pakistani battle is said to be indirect and minimal at most, though sizable number of U.S. forces are watching and waiting, not from far away.

CNN's Barbara Starr has that side of the story from the Pentagon -- Barbara.

BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRSPONDENT: Well, hello to you, Fredricka.

Yes, officials confirm very specifically that there are no U.S. military groups on the ground in Pakistan at the site of this gun battle. That, of course, does not mean the U.S. isn't keeping a very close eye on things.

The U.S. has been giving support to the Pakistanis for the last several week if not months. Communications, intelligence, surveillance that type of support, much of that coming from the U.S. intelligence community. Indeed, also, U.S. forces are reinforcing along the border with Afghanistan on the Afghan side, watching those mountain passes, making sure that no high value targets escape as this fighting in Pakistan continues.

But here in Washington, here at the Pentagon, officials seeking to manage expectations, if you will, saying they still do not know if Ayman al-Zawahiri is inside that compound. They are waiting to hear from the Pakistani government.

And that if he is, if he or Osama bin Laden is captured or killed, that will be good news, of course, but that the war on terrorism still has a long ways to go.

General Richard Myers, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, spoke earlier today on CNN.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEN. RICHARD MYSER, CHAIRMAN, JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF: It's one step in a many step process defeat international terrorism. So by itself, it's not going to stop plots that are already under way. It's not going to stop some of these operatives from continuing to operate.

But when you take the head off an organization, it's obviously going to have an impact. He's been around a long time in this organization, supporting it and leading it. So it will be a significant event, but it will just be one more step in many steps that have to happen.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STARR: But, Fredricka, there is no getting around it. Perhaps the most fascinating question to which there is no answer at the moment what about Osama bin Laden? Did he escape that Pakistani dragnet? Was he even there? Is he already on the run? Once again, no one knows -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: And Barbara, you mention that there are several U.S. forces that are in the proximity of this location that's being surrounded. But how flexible is the U.S. to be recruited to actually get involved with the Pakistani military, if need be?

STARR: Well, Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, of course, has made a number of public statements that he will not allow U.S. military forces to come across the border into his country.

A couple of points to be made there. U.S. reconnaissance assets, high-flying airplanes like the U-2, they can fly above all of this. They could stay technically on the Afghan side of the border, fly and keep an eye, using some of their very high-tech sensors, on what's going on across the border in Pakistan.

Also, to be very clear, the Bush administration saying no U.S. military troops, but not saying publicly whether there are any operatives from the Central Intelligence Agency on the Pakistan side of the border. That's one piece of business nobody talks about.

WHITFIELD: Barbara Starr at the Pentagon, thanks very much.

Well, the capture -- capture, rather, of Zawahiri, or Osama bin Laden for that matter, would be significant in the war on terror. In an interview this morning on CNN, national security adviser Condoleezza Rice put it this way.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CONDOLEEZZA RICE, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: Al Qaeda's a network, and you have to break up a network. We've already captured or killed two-thirds of their known leadership. That has been a blow against the organization. And the capture of major al Qaeda figure would also be a major blow.

But we have to do this systemically over time. There is no silver bullet to disbanding al Qaeda.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Well, join Lou Dobbs today for his interview with the deputy U.S. secretary of state, Richard Armitage. That's at 6 p.m. Eastern, 3 Pacific, right here on CNN.

As you may have seen, live here on CNN, President Bush today marked the war anniversary with a speech envisioning, and we quote, "a free, successful, stable Iraq."

CNN's Kathleen Koch is at the White House with more on that -- Kathleen.

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, it was also a speech today building bridges, reaching out to allies, some who have felt alienated by the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.

And ambassadors from some of those countries -- France, Germany, Russia specifically -- were front and center in the East Room today when the president made the speech. They, as well as ambassadors from the 30-plus countries that supported the war in Iraq.

President Bush acknowledged that there have been what he called disagreements between old and valued allies over the war in Iraq, but he said that those differences now belong to the past.

Mr. Bush spoke sweepingly of the global war on terror, saying that there is no neutral ground. Nations can only win that war by staying united.

And the president made a veiled reference to the recent elections in Spain and its plans to pull its troops out of Iraq.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MYERS: It's one step in a many step process to defeat international terrorism so by itself, it's not going to stop plots that are already under way. It's not going to stop some of these operatives...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOCH: Well, obviously that was not President Bush. Instead, General Richard Myers.

President Bush also in his speech focused on the war in Iraq, saying -- calling the U.S.-led invasion one year ago a day of deliverance.

The president -- now we do have that -- that clip from President Bush's speech, talking again about Spain and its plans -- not Spain specifically, but making reference to anyone who would try to appease terrorists.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: There can be no separate peace with the terrorist enemy. Any sign of weakness or retreat simply validates terrorist violence and invites more violence for all nations. The only certain way to protect our people is by united and decisive action.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOCH: And when it comes to the war in Iraq, the president said that no one can disagree right now at this point, that the action did, indeed, remove what he called a source of violence, aggression and instability in the Middle East.

The president calling the invasion a turning point and a crucial advance for human liberty.

The president's only mention of the elusive weapons of mass destruction was his reference that it was, quote, "a good thing that years of illicit weapons developed by the dictator have come to an end."

So all in all, a very tough speech by the president, expressing the Bush doctrine of solidarity on the war on terror, which he said is the inescapable calling of our generation.

Back to you, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. Kathleen Koch from the White House, thanks very much.

Just less than an hour ago, explosions were heard in Baghdad. Let's listen in.

This new tape coming in within the past hour here at CNN, where you could hear the explosions. However, the source of the explosion is still unclear, as is the target. And exactly what the circumstances were of that explosion.

Meantime, all of this taking place on the one-year mark of the U.S.-led war in Iraq.

This day was also marked in Iraq by a surprise visit from an American VIP. There were no red carpets rolled out. Instead, a bit of a snub.

Let's get the latest now from our Walter Rodgers.

WALTER RODGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Fredricka.

Well, first of all it does appear that three rockets, or perhaps mortars, were fired less than an hour ago into the so-called Green Zone, the heavily fortified compound where U.S. officials and where the U.S. military stays here in Baghdad.

A senior military spokesman said to the best of his knowledge there were no casualties and no damage.

This is not an infrequent occurrence in Baghdad, to hear the sounds of explosions at night, but it is quiet again now.

Indeed, Secretary of State Powell arrived earlier in the day. There was no shooting when he came, at least not in the literal sense, although the secretary did face some very tough questioning when he held a news conference in Iraq.

The questioning, of course, required him to, one year later, after the U.S. invasion, again, have to justify the American invasion and assault on this country a year ago.

One of the tough questions was: "Mr. Secretary, when can you believe the Americans can turn the corner on the continuing violence here? The car bombs, the suicide bombs, and the drive by shootings?"

The secretary seemed to suggest that this is going to depend when the Iraqis come up with their own efficient and reliable security forces, and he did not suggest that that was going to be anytime soon.

There were other tough questioning -- questions about whether the war -- the invasion was really necessary a year ago. The secretary, however, responded by saying President Bush did the right thing by inviting Iraq. He also said that the world cannot hide from terror.

The secretary did, indeed, receive something of a snub in that news conference, because as he was about to speak, the entire Iraqi media corps, press corps, got up and walked out in boycott.

Actually, it was a protest for the fact that at a U.S. military checkpoint yesterday two Arab journalists were shot and killed. Again, Arab journalists, more than a little unhappy about that.

And the Arab street in Baghdad saw demonstrations today, again, anti-American demonstrations -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. Walter Rodgers, from Baghdad, thanks very much for that update. Well, here in the states, some anti-war demonstrations today. In San Francisco, a couple of hundred protesters are clogging downtown streets, demanding health care, not warfare.

Police are hoping to minimize traffic disruptions the city endured in similar events last year.

A close call caught on tape -- take a look at this -- a traffic stop gets out of control. We'll show you what happened to the officer straight ahead.

An assassin's bullet aimed at the president of Taiwan. You can see the bullet hole in the windshield, or you're about to. You'll hear what the president had to say about it.

And a threat prompts a police search of schools in Washington, D.C. Details from the nation's capital, straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Tense moments in the classroom in the nation's capital. All 165 public schools were in lockdown while police combed the hauls for explosives.

Earlier this morning, D.C. police received an e-mail threat that bombs would explode in five schools an the noon. After searching hundreds of private, public and parochial schools, no explosives were found.

Universities and colleges were also on lockdown. Police say they were especially cautious because of the anniversary of the Iraqi war.

Four people, including a 3-year-old child are recovering today after a savage gorilla attack at a Dallas zoo. The 300-pound primate broke out of his cage yesterday, causing complete chaos. The animal attacked the four people before the rampage came to an end.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KEISHA HEARD, ATTACKED BY GORILLA: The gorilla actually bit him in his head and on his side. So I think his lung is punctured and he has bite wounds in his side and around his face and around his eye area, really bad.

BILL HEMMER, "AMERICAN MORNING" HOST: We're pulling for him. How are you doing with that? It looks like your arm is in a bandage, possibly a cast? What's happening there?

HEARD: I think the gorilla stepped on my hand. That's what happened there. And then he bit my leg. And he actually hit me across my head and flung me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Well, the people survived but after the officials chased the animal for a half an hour, officers fired three shots, killing the 13-year-old gorilla. Officials say they feared it would escape the zoo complex altogether.

Here's a story you've got to see to believe.

In Michigan, Trooper Keith Carlson was approaching a stranded driver Tuesday night when an out of car hit him, knocking him 20 feet, right there. The whole thing was caught by his dashboard camera. And as bad as it looks, Carlson suffered only bumps and bruises.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KEITH CARLSON, MICHIGAN STATE TROOPER: I walked away from this accident where I was struck really hard by this vehicle, and some bruising, some strained muscles, real, you know, sore on my left side where I took the brunt of the impact. But overall, I feel pretty good.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Lucky trooper. Police have not identified the 18- year-old driver, but say she'll probably face charges.

Other news across America now.

After his first court appearance this morning, suspected highway sniper Charles McCoy Jr. is not fighting extradition to Ohio. He was arrested yesterday at a motel near the Las Vegas strip. McCoy is accused of carrying out a string of shootings near Columbus, Ohio, starting in May. One attack was fatal.

In Forsyth, Montana, stunning accusations against three grade school boys. Investigators say two 8-year-olds and an 11-year-old schoolmate are charged with plotting to shoot and stab a third grade girl. The boys allegedly brought a loaded handgun to school and buried it in a playground sandbox.

And in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, one court officer was killed this morning and two others wounded while trying to serve a warrant on a rape suspect. The male suspect, who was also shot, tried to escape but was captured a short time later.

More of LIVE FROM right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(STOCK REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: A look at our top stories.

Pakistan says its forces continue to surround hundreds of al Qaeda fighters in the rugged northwest section of that country. Those al Qaeda are said to include a high value target, possibly the second in command, Ayman al-Zawahiri.

A Pakistani military official says his troops will get the fighters, dead or alive. President Bush says it is the responsibility of every nation to act against terrorism.

In a speech we brought to you live here on CNN, Mr. Bush vowed to do whatever it takes to ensure freedom in Iraq. This speech marked the one-year anniversary of the Iraqi war.

People who oppose the Iraq war are marking the anniversary in their own way. Anti-war activists turned out today in San Francisco, a prelude to a larger worldwide day of protest scheduled for tomorrow. The marchers will call for an end to the U.S. presence in Iraq and condemn terrorism.

Taiwan's president is out of the hospital following an assassination attempt. It happened a day before voters go to the polls to decide whether to re-elect him.

CNN's senior Asia correspondent, Mike Chinoy, is live from Taipei with the latest -- Mike.

MIKE CHINOY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Fredricka.

Well, you can imagine the shock here. The president and the vice president, both of them shot on the final day of campaigning, less than 24 hours before people go to the polls.

Luckily, neither of them suffered serious injuries. President Chen Shui-Bian is now back here in the capital and a short while ago appeared on national television to reassure an anxious population.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHEN SHUI-BIAN, PRESIDENT OF TAIWAN (through translator): Thank you to the people of Taiwan. Thank you for your concern. Under the treatment of the medical staff, it's fine. Rest assured, I'm fine.

After the incident, the national security department and the relevant departments of the department -- the relevant systems are on. The national security of Taiwan is fine. Please rest assured. Thank you. Thank you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHINOY: Now this incident happened as President Chen and Vice President Lu were driving in an open Jeep through Chen's home town in southern Taiwan. Crowds of people lined the streets. Many of them were setting off firecrackers.

And in the din somebody -- the police suspect there may be two assailants -- fired two shots. One hit Chen in the stomach. One hit Lu in the knee.

At this point, no one has been arrested. No weapons have been recovered. And we have no idea who did this or why -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: And so no motive as well as no suspects?

CHINOY: Well, there are lots of possible motives. Chen has been a very controversial president. He's angered a lot of people here by his support for making Taiwan independent from mainland China. Beijing, of course, claims this island and has threatened to use force to prevent that from happening.

It's been a very bitter, tough election campaign. So there's no shortage of possible motives. But in terms any hard evidence as to who did this, at this stage, we simply don't have it.

WHITFIELD: All right. Mike Chinoy, thanks very much, from Taipei.

Well, news from other parts around the world now.

Terror suspects charged. In an all-night session, a Spanish court charged five men in last week's deadly train bombings in Madrid. Two are from India. The others are Moroccan. One suspect was released. Five others remain in custody.

Troops to Kosovo. More than 1,600 French, German and NATO troops will be pouring into Kosovo over the coming days to help quell an upsurge of violence there. Thirty-one people have been killed since Wednesday when ethnic Albanians went on a rampage against the minority Serbs.

And Japan stands firm, giving resounding support to the U.S. mission in Iraq. The chief cabinet secretary says his nation remains committed to fighting terrorism and rebuilding Iraq. Japan is deploying 1,000 troops for humanitarian duties there.

Time now for a closer look of the Iraq invasion anniversary, by the numbers.

From March 19, 2003, until President Bush declared an end to major combat, and that was on May 1, 139 U.S. troops were killed in Iraq in hostile fire or otherwise.

From May 1 to now, another 433 have been killed, slightly more than half in hostilities.

In the so-called combat phase, roughly 200,000 coalition troops were in-country, or in striking range. Since then, the number has been much closer to 130,000.

And the cost in dollars: more than $150 billion and counting.

Many Americans are returning from Iraq bearing the scars of war, both physical and psychological wounds that underline the randomness of the death in combat and the unpredictability of their lives ahead.

Here's CNN's David Mattingly.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SPEC. LANCE GIESELMANN, U.S. ARMY: And I remember, I tried to roll over, and my leg wouldn't go with me. And then I really thought it was broken really bad.

DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In an instant clouded by dust and confusion, Specialist Lance Gieselmann's tank was destroyed. His two close friends were killed.

Near death himself, Gieselmann somehow survived and now hopes to defy doctors, who say he may never walk again.

But the attack also left psychological wounds, problems common to soldiers wounded in combat.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I freaked my wife out, because I actually thought that we were taking fire.

MATTINGLY: These injured soldiers at the Army's Fort Campbell talk of nightmares, anxiety, anger, and marriage difficulties. There's also the deep feeling of guilt for leaving buddies behind.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Feel like I abandoned them. Not being able to be there to support them.

MATTINGLY: Army doctors say 40 percent of soldiers in combat report some psychological symptoms. The number drops dramatically with stepped up counseling, mandatory screening, and a waiting time upon returning home.

Gieselmann has received counseling, and the nightmares he had early on seem to have gone away, leaving him to focus on his physical recovery and his young family.

GIESELMANN: I want to be able to walk by myself. That's my long-term goal. And for everything to go back the way it was before I left.

MATTINGLY: A mission possibly more difficult than any he survived in Iraq.

David Mattingly, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Well, everybody wants something to call their own, even a man who seemingly has everything.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, REAL ESTATE MOGUL: This is a tough one. You're fired.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: It's not so tough for him. Donald Trump looks into another acquisition.

And the FCC goes on the offensive against offensive material over the airways.

And nothing offensive about this treat in New York City. Something's got the Big Apple all abuzz. Jeanne Moos fill us in.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: This is a tough one. You're fired.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Donald Trump owns a casino, hotel, and tons of real estate. Now the mega-millionaire turned reality TV star wants to own the right to two little words: you're fired.

If he gets it, Trump plans to plaster it on games and services in casinos and on a line of clothing.

But if you have a bad boss, beware. The trademark won't prevent him from using the phrase on you.

Well, another word is off limits for the airwaves, period. The FCC has reversed its decision about the "F" word, as Bono uttered during last year's Golden Globes broadcast.

Any use of the word is now considered too indecent and profane for radio or television. Bono won't be fined however.

Not so for the shock jock known as Howard Stern. The FCC is levying two fines against Infinity Broadcasting, one for Stern's radio show. And another fine will hit a subsidiary of Clear Channel Communications. All are for indecent language.

The former wife of televangelist Jim Bakker, Tammy Faye Messner, is back in the news again. She told Larry King last night that she had inoperable lung cancer.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TAMMY FAYE MESSNER, DIAGNOSED WITH LUNG CANCER: They decided to do a CAT-scan in my lungs, and when they did they found a two-inch spot on the -- right next to my heart and then that spot on the bottom and then another little spot.

And so we went through the bronoscopic (ph) tests where they go down your throat and they take biopsies of the lung and that showed up nothing.

And they couldn't figure out what it was. At first they said, well, it could be tuberculosis. Then they said, well, it could be -- there's something that you get in the desert that can get on your lung from -- it's a fungus. They thought, well, it might be that. And I don't think anybody suspected that it was lung cancer.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Messner says the cancer is too near to her heart to be removed, so she's expected to begin chemotherapy and radiation treatment soon.

MTV is marking the loss of a pioneer today. One of the original VJs who helped usher in the era of music television is dead.

Sixty-two-year-old J.J. Jackson died of an apparent heart attack Wednesday in Los Angeles.

Friends and colleague credit Jackson with being instrumental in helping to establish the tone of the cable music network when it was launched back in 1981.

After five years of spinning videos for MTV, Jackson returned to his radio roots, mostly recently hosting an afternoon show in Los Angeles.

Taking a tip now from Austin Powers, just look at this new Web ad from the Republican National Committee, lashing Senator John Kerry over the foreign leaders flap.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Allow myself to introduce myself.

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I have had conversations with leaders.

I've also had friends of mine who've met with leaders.

And I'm not going to betray the confidences of those conversations.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Need the info.

KERRY: I think there ought to be some...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Mike Myers what do you say?

Well, the Democrats are rolling out a response, sort of, a new anti-Bush message of their own, and this online, as well.

This one bashes the president for what the Democrats call the ballooning deficit. It criticizes the administration for cuts in job training, childcare, homeland security and the environment.

Well, former presidential candidate Howard Dean may be out of the race, but he's not out of the spotlight completely. Talking with "AMERICAN MORNING's" Soledad O'Brien today, he outlined what he believes is the president's Achilles heel in this election. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HOWARD DEAN, DEMOCRACY FOR AMERICA: Where the president is really going to sink, though, is not on defense. It's on jobs and credibility.

The president's been saying a lot of things that aren't true. He got us into Iraq by saying a lot of things that weren't true. For example, Saddam Hussein has nothing to do with al Qaeda.

Saddam Hussein's a terrible person. I'm glad he's gone. But had nothing to do with terrorism. And he admitted that himself.

The key, however is that the president's people deliberately lied to Congress by preventing civil servants from telling the truth about how much the Medicare prescription bill cost, which is a bill that funneled millions and millions of our taxpayer dollars to the HMOs and drug companies.

The credibility is going to become the biggest issue in this race, not even jobs or the health care or the war. It's going to come -- It's going to become can you believe this president? And that's an area I think the president's very weak on.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Dean also denies that he blamed the ongoing war on terror for last week's train bombings in Spain.

Well, you say you want a piece of presidential history? Well, if it's former President Clinton's childhood home, you better hurry because the price is going up, up, and up.

And Fred Katayama is here to tell us what's up next on Wall Street.

FRED KATAYAMA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fredricka. We're talking jobs, so get ready to send out those resumes. I'll tell you where workers are the happiest and the mopiest when LIVE FROM continues right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Hard at work here at CNN.

Well, "USA Today" is coming clean, apparently, with an internal investigation into one of the newspaper's former star reporters.

Newspaper officials say a seven-week-probe shows there's, quote, "strong evidence" that former foreign correspondent Jack Kelly faked or plagiarized parts of at least eight major stories.

Kelly spent his entire 21-year career at "USA Today" and was nominated five times for a Pulitzer Prize. He resigned in January, saying he never plagiarized any stories.

(STOCK REPORT)

WHITFIELD: An inside look at the life of Katharine Hepburn. Some of the late, great actress's possessions will be auctioned at Sotheby's. And you can see them, first-hand.

Among the items on the block: Hepburn's birth announcement, her wedding dress and her passports. There's also an address book with the numbers for such leading men as Sir Laurence Olivier and Spencer Tracy, her main man.

Well, there are a lot of art pieces, as well, and finishings from Hepburn's various homes, including some paintings she did herself.

And it's all on public view.

Well, speaking of auction, something for political junkies. Bill Clinton's boyhood home is on the block at eBay.

The future president was only 4 years old when his family moved into this humble bungalow in Hope, Arkansas. They moved two years later.

Bidding for the 1,000-square foot home opened at $45,000 on eBay. Well, as of a few minutes ago it topped $435,000. The auction ends April 7, and the sellers don't take Pay Pal.

Well, if you call someone a cream puff, it's considered an insult, right? But if you want to eat a cream puff, you're tapping into New York City's hottest food trend.

CNN's Jeanne Moos take a high caloric bite into the Big Apple.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's a dessert that had been all but deserted when suddenly New Yorkers began lining up for it.

(on camera) Was it worth the wait in line?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIFE MALE: It melts in your mouth.

MOOS (voice-over): Bagels, beware. Krispy Kreme, prepare to be creamed. Puff Daddy, there's a new puff on the block.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What kind of stuff do they have?

MOOS (on camera): Cream puffs.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is that what it is?

MOOS (voice-over): Wrinkle your nose, but this could be the comeback of the cream puff thanks to the Japanese?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (speaking Japanese)

MOOS: Loosely translated, that's "Here come the world's greatest puffs."

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's dreamy and creamy. It's better than having a lover if you don't have one. It's better than the lotto.

MOOS: The Japanese chain Beard Papa recently opened its first U.S. outpost.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's a secret recipe.

MOOS: The filling's a blend of whipped cream and custard.

Will this inject new life into a dying dessert? They're good enough for Sheba and her owner.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's chowing down on that one.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I got cream puff on my diamonds. How about that?

MOOS (on camera): Is it in my hair?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's the goo. It's the goo. I keep spitting on you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My girl saw it in the Japanese newspaper and made me ride all the way from Queens on a bicycle to get this. Apparently, this is the...

MOOS: You must love her.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I do.

MOOS (voice-over): Devon here says his favorite food is macaroni and cheese.

(on camera) Devon, if you had to choose between macaroni and cheese or cream puffs, what's it going to be?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Cream puff.

MOOS (voice-over): Two hundred and fifty calories each, or 220 if you miss your mouth.

Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Looks good.

Well, coming up next in our second hour of LIVE FROM, the manhunt for Ayman al Zawahiri in Pakistan continues. But how much would his capture affect al Qaeda? We'll talk more about that when LIVE FROM returns.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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on Pakistan Battle; Bush Speech on Iraq Strives to Unite Allies; Powell Snubbed by Arab Press; Taiwan's President Recovers from Assassination Attempt; Injured Soldiers Have Long Road to Recovery>