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Andrea Yates Found Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity; Other Parties Join Fighting in Lebanon; Shelling Ends Quiet Day in Southern Lebanon Town; No Cease-Fire Yet from International Diplomats; Israeli Soldiers Killed in Hezbollah Ambush

Aired July 26, 2006 - 13:00   ET

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

KYRA PHILLIPS, HOST: Hello, everyone, I'm Kyra Phillips live at the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta.
Deadly rockets, close headquarters fighting. A new Hezbollah promise the battle will go beyond Haifa. Will diplomacy fail?

Help arrives. An airborne hospital carries much-needed medicine. How will the relief get to those in need?

And 90 degree temps, spoiled food, no power to run the AC. How are American families coping in this heat? And how can you help them?

LIVE FROM starts right now.

First, we want to tell you about some news just coming in to CNN out of Vail, Colorado. We're being told that President Gerald Ford was admitted to Vail Valley Medical Center in this mountain resort town, not long ago.

According to the president' spokeswoman, Penny Circle, she is saying that he was admitted after he was experiencing shortness of breath. She says that Ford is expected to be released today and will return to his home in Beaver Creek.

As you know, Ford is the nation's oldest living former president, at 93 years old. He has been in and out of the hospital within the past couple of years with bouts of pneumonia. Now we're being told he's been rushed to the hospital after experiencing shortness of breath.

We'll keep following the former president's condition and bring you the latest as we get it.

Also live this hour, a verdict expected in the retrial of Andrea Yates. Houston jurors taking just two days to come to a decision. We're going to bring that decision to you live as soon as it's announced.

Meanwhile, our Ed Lavandera is in Dallas, covering what has happened to this point.

Hi, Ed.

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kyra. Well, we understand that the jury will be making its way into the courtroom there in Houston, Texas. This retrial has lasted the better part of a month. And the jury started deliberating late Monday afternoon. So in all about 12 hours of deliberations over the past two days.

They have asked for several pieces of evidence to take a look again at several pieces of evidence. As you might expect, a lot of analysis, going back over much of the expert testimony. The medical experts that testified in this case, of course, the linchpin for the prosecution and the defense in this case.

The jury, what appears to be painstakingly, going over some of the answers that those expert witnesses testified to over the course of this month-long retrial.

And then the last thing they asked for this morning -- which was perhaps rather interesting, and might, depending on what the outcome is here this afternoon, might be rather telling later on, as we hear this verdict. But they requested to see a picture of the five children, a candid picture of the five smiling children that Andrea Yates admitted she drowned in her bathtub back in June of 2001.

So here we expect -- that is the judge in the case that you're looking at. She was also the judge in the first case, as well, so it's been under her jurisdiction since this has all transpired. But we understand that the jury will be making its way into the courtroom here very shortly, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: And I think I'm being told that they are walking in. The judge is waiting for them to be seated. As soon as everyone starts talking, Ed, we'll take this live. I'll just wait for the cue.

OK. We're going to go ahead and go to it now. Let's listen in.

LAVANDERA: OK.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Miss Yates, please stand.

In cause number 880205, the state of Texas versus Andrea P. Yates, we, the jury, find the defendant, Andrea P. Yates, not guilty by -- by reason of insanity. Signed, Todd Christopher Frank, foreman of the jury.

In cause number 883590, the state of Texas versus Andrea P. Yates, we, the jury, find the defendant, Andrea P. Yates, not guilty by reason of insanity, signed Todd Christopher Frank, foreman of the jury.

Does either side wish to have the jury polled?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We do, your honor.

PHILLIPS: Well, you've heard the judge, coming out with -- after the jury deliberated in two days. We now have heard from the judge the jury has decided that Andrea Yates, 42 years old, has been found innocent by reason of insanity. That means that Yates will be committed to a state medical hospital, with periodic hearings -- periodic hearings before a judge to determine whether she should be released.

Once again, we are waiting to hear if, indeed, that would be the decision, versus convicted of murder, where she would have been sentenced to life in prison.

But now the jurors find her innocent by reason of insanity. Yates will now be committed to a state mental hospital.

Ed Lavandera, of course, been listening to this, as well. Not really a lot of emotion from her, Ed.

LAVANDERA: I think we've perhaps seen a little bit -- the only time she really shows an incredible amount of emotion is when she is forced to see the pictures of her children there in the courtroom. That is when she showed the most emotion.

Her attorneys will say that along -- throughout a lot of this process, that she hasn't fully grasped exactly the nuance and exactly what is going on in a lot of these trials.

Now having said that, over the last month, she has looked, just from the physical appearance -- there aren't many people that get to talk with her directly outside of her family. But those of us who have watched her closely over the last five years, this is the best she has looked since we, you know, first learned her name back in June 2001.

And just so people understand, as well, it's very important to understand that it doesn't appear that Andrea Yates will, just because of this not guilty verdict, will walk free any time soon. She will remain under the jurisdiction of this judge in this case. And it will be up to the judge to determine when Andrea Yates might be fit to return to society.

I haven't spoke within anyone in Houston who thinks that will happen any time soon. Even her own attorneys say that this is what they've fought for vigorously in the last five years, this kind of result in this case.

But there's another thing we should also point out. She is charged here with the deaths of only three of her children. If prosecutors want to go and try this again, they can. Now whether or not they have the stomach for that is another story. But they could go back and pursue the other charges that were not tried in this case for the deaths of the other two children.

Of course, we're perhaps getting a little bit ahead of ourselves here. But that is still kind of floating out there.

But the big point here today is that Andrea Yates will not walk out of this courtroom by any means. She will be transferred to that state hospital, where her attorneys feel she will get the best care, the kind of care she needs desperately at this point. PHILLIPS: Ed, Jeff Toobin, our legal analyst, on the phone with us right now. He's been following this. And now that we've heard the verdict, charged, as Ed said, only with three of the deaths, Jeffrey, which is pretty common when you are talking about cases with multiple slayings, right?

JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: I would say it's somewhat common. Most prosecutors don't try to game the system in that way.

It is, as Ed said, theoretically possible for the prosecutors to try the identical case for what would be a third time and bring her up on two subsequent charges. But given the fact that, you know, she is not going anywhere. She's likely headed to Vernon state medical -- mental hospital in Texas where they've got 17-foot walls, and the daily regime is awfully similar to a maximum security prison. She's likely to spend the rest of her life there.

So the stakes in this trial -- they weren't zero, but there was never any chance she was going to be getting out at the end of it or for many, many years.

PHILLIPS: Jeff Toobin, Ed Lavandera, appreciate it. We'll continue to follow this news story as the news breaks.

You're seeing right now, Andrea Yates to be committed to a mental institution. She was not convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison by rather -- after she pleaded innocent by reason of insanity. The judge and the jury -- you heard the judge announce, the jury going forward with the not guilty verdict for Andrea Yates as she leaves the courtroom.

We'll stay on the story throughout the day.

Also, we are getting news in, as we told you at the top of the hour, about former President Gerald Ford. This news coming out of Vail, Colorado. The former president was admitted to Vail Valley Medical Center in the mountain resort town. His spokesperson came forward not too long ago, confirming in an official news release that he was admitted after he was experiencing shortness of breath.

Circle -- Penny Circle has been his longtime spokeswoman. She says that he's expected to be released today and will return to his home in Beaver Creek.

As you know, Ford is the oldest living American president. He's 93 years old. Just in -- within the past year, we've even been reporting about how he's been able to get out and play golf and spend time with grandchildren and family members. But at the same time having a number of bouts with pneumonia. He's been in and out of the hospital.

And now we're hearing today, out of Vail, Colorado that he was taken to Vail Valley Medical Center with shortness of breath. We are following his condition and all news concerning the former president today.

The crisis in the Middle East passes the two-week mark. Here's what we know on day 15.

New explosions in Southern Lebanon's Tyre, a frequent target of Israeli warplanes. There is heavy damage in that city now.

Also new fighting in Southern Lebanon's Bint Jbeil, a city Israel claimed it controlled yesterday. Heavy casualties reported on both sides. More Israeli troops are on the way.

And there's no deal. International talks in Rome failed to reach agreement on the cease-fire. Most nations were pushing for one, but Secretary of State Rice held the U.S. line that something more lasting is needed.

And U.N. observers under fire. Israeli bombs fell on their observation post in Southern Lebanon, killing four of them. Israeli denies the bombing was deliberate. U.N. Chief Kofi Annan wants answers.

CNN has reporters all across the region. LIVE FROM will have live reports throughout our program.

Well, it was one of the first targets when the Mideast conflict began. And today for the first time since Israeli bombs struck its runways, planes landed at Beirut International Airport.

CNN's Michael Ware join us now live from the Lebanese capital -- Michael.

MICHAEL WARE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, there's been a significant development here in Lebanon today. It's emerged that it's not just Hezbollah guerrillas who have been battling Israeli Defense Forces here, but that other Lebanese forces have also taken up arms against the Israelis.

Militia fighters, loyal to the speaker of parliament, Nabih Berri, have been fighting in what officials from his party say has been every major battle of the war so far, including the engagement currently under way for a key southern town that holds strategic high ground, where the Israeli defense forces report 22 casualties today alone.

Lebanese security forces have confirmed to CNN that the speaker's militia has been involved in the fighting, and they described the declaration of their involvement as a very dangerous and serious development.

The speaker's party says that they have lost eight fighters killed in the past three days. This afternoon, Israeli forces bombed one of the offices in Southern Lebanon of the speaker's party.

A second Lebanese party, the Lebanese Communist Party, has also declared that its forces have been involved in the fighting, but that has yet to be confirmed.

PHILLIPS: Michael, I just want to clarify a few things here, because I know you've got some incredible sources, deep within what's happening here in this battle. Sort of for our viewers that are not familiar with the political layout -- this political party, Amal, I hope I'll saying it right, or Amal, you'll have to tell me. That you are saying your sources are now telling you that it is involved in the battle here against Israeli forces.

Can you explain a little bit more about this party, if there's any connection or -- to Hezbollah? Is this a party operating completely separate in this ongoing battle from this group, from Hezbollah?

WARE: Yes, Kyra, the Amal movement, as its known, is one of the militia forces that was involved in the fight against the Israeli occupation during the 1980s.

However, what we see now is, whilst it has cooperated or deconflicted (ph) with Hezbollah in previous anti-Israeli operations, right now there is intense rivalry between the two groups.

Essentially, the currency of political life here in Lebanon is a party or group's ability to deliver to its people, to its constituents. Both Hezbollah and the Amal movement of the parliamentary speaker are Shia groups that come from Southern Lebanon. That's where the brunt of the Israeli attack is coming. So its people are looking to these parties to defend them. If the speaker's party was not to take up arms, analysts say, than they would lose credibility.

What we also see is that as the speaker met with visiting secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, on Monday, to discuss U.S. terms for a cease-fire, his guerrilla forces were actually involved in battle at that time -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Michael Ware, it's obviously intensifying, other parties getting involved, getting a little more complex. We appreciate you trying to hammer it out with us out of Beirut.

Michael Ware, we'll keep checking in with you.

Also coming up next, we're going to take you live to Tyre, Lebanon, where explosions are happening. Our Karl Penhaul and Ben Wedeman are there. Stay with CNN, the most trusted name in news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: It's been a frequent target of Israeli forces, and it's come under fire once again. Explosions shake the city of Tyre in Southern Lebanon.

Our Karl Penhaul is there, also our Ben Wedeman. I know that both of you have been working, tag teaming over there.

Ben, let's start with you. Tell us what you are seeing and hearing. And then Karl, I want to hear from him, as well.

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Kyra. What we saw, basically, was just a bit over an hour ago, we heard some large explosions coming, not from the normal place, which is behind us to the south or to the east of Tyre, where sometimes Katyusha rockets are fired, but, rather, the center of town. And what -- we saw a huge plume of black smoke coming from the area.

Karl Penhaul, my colleague, rushed to the scene. And he's able to give us a firsthand account of what he saw.

Karl, what did you see?

KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Ben, we guided ourselves into the downtown area by the plumes of black smoke that were still billowing from that area. I mean, we got -- we got going to the scene just a couple of minutes after we heard those two explosions. As you remember, we heard the crack of two what we presume was to be Israeli rockets slamming into that building.

And the first thing that I saw, a couple of blocks from where the explosion had taken place, were women and children, already trying to wash dust and smoke off their faces. A woman screaming with a baby in her arms.

And then, as I made my way down that street, down a side street, it was a scene of just utter devastation. There had been a ten-story building in that area. The two Israeli rockets, according to residents, had hit it on the roof and it had totally collapsed.

There was smoke in the area just billowing from there. Because a number of fires had started. And the air was thick with dust, dust from the concrete, dust from bricks, and from this immediately surrounding area.

The local residents had moved in very quickly and were dragging some of the injured from the scene. I saw women. I saw young people. I saw an old man. And they dragged them -- they were bleeding from the face, some bleeding from the ears, and all covered in this thick, thick cement dust.

The Red Cross ambulances were on the scene, very quickly. And, again, local residents, piling them in there. There were sirens going, and they just made their way off through the thick dust and smoke to made their way to some area for treatment, although obviously, Ben here the hospitals are already teeming and overwhelmed.

WEDEMAN: And was there any indication from what you saw in the rubble, in the area, any indication of why that sort -- that building might be targeted?

PENHAUL: It certainly is a civilian area. That we know from our last seven, eight days here in Tyre, and on either side were civilian apartment buildings. Residents say that that was a 10-story resident apartment building.

But again that doesn't stop other people using it for other intentions. And so we don't know obviously what the Israelis thought may have been in there. We don't know specifically what they were targeting.

Certainly, the people that I saw being pulled out for treatment for their injuries were women and elderly men. I didn't see young people. I didn't see a number -- I didn't see any younger men there.

What I did see later on -- because there was a great deal of frustration and anger at that scene, was a group of young men chanting slogans in favor of Hezbollah, in favor of the leader, Hassan Nasrallah.

WEDEMAN: All right. Very good. Thank you. And thank you for getting back safely.

Now, Kyra, this -- today was an entire -- entire, relatively quiet day. There wasn't much bombing. But it was basically once this building was hit, we saw a variety of explosions going off to the south of the city and to the east.

So it seems that Israel has, at least for now, intensified its bombardment of the area. In fact, just before you came to us in this live shot, we heard a large explosion to the east of here. So certainly the quiet of the day has come to a dramatic end -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Ben Wedeman, Karl Penhaul, thanks to both of you so much, in Tyre, Lebanon, there.

Straight ahead, new video constantly coming into us here at CNN a lot of that from Karl and Ben, where they are. But these dramatic images are just in from Tyre, as well. They show the chaos and the aftermath of bombing, and what it's like for the first responders on the scene.

May be hard for some people to watch, but we want to take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(sirens)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (speaking in foreign language)

(screaming)

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Once again, following the news that we just got in a short time ago about the former president, Gerald Ford. He was admitted to Vail Valley Medical Center in the mountain resort town of Vail, Colorado.

The president's spokeswoman has confirmed that he was admitted after experiencing shortness of breath. She said that he was expected to be released today and will return to his home there in Beaver Creek. As you know, Ford is the nation's oldest living president. He's 93 years old. He's been in and out of the hospital within the last year with bouts of pneumonia.

Now we were able to confirm that he was shaken to Vail Valley Medical Center in Vail, Colorado, with shortness of breath. We will continue to update you on his condition as we get new details.

Fighting in the Middle East, disagreement in Rome, international talks to end the violence come up short of an agreement on how to achieve a cease-fire. John King joins us now from the Italian capital with the latest -- John.

JOHN KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, the fundamental challenge of the emergency summit here in Rome was to try to bridge very substantial and significant disagreements and try to come up with some plan to stop the fighting, some cease-fire plan that also included, perhaps, a new international force into Southern Lebanon.

That was the fundamental challenge. And it is, not that late this afternoon, into the evening hours, here in Rome, the fundamental disappointment. They simply could not bridge a divide.

And what sources inside the meeting and familiar with the meeting describe is essentially Condoleezza Rice against the world, the U.S. secretary of state holding out, saying simply to call for a cease- fire, as most involved in these conversations wanted to do, and then deal with the difficult political issues, like disarming Hezbollah, what should a new force look like, and go into Southern Lebanon. Condoleezza Rice said that was essentially a false choice, that it would be a paper statement calling for a cease-fire but that there was no guarantee Hezbollah would ever give up its rockets and no guarantee Israel would accept such a plan.

So the talks broke without what they wanted most, a cease-fire. The diplomats say they did make progress when it comes to reconstruction and humanitarian aid, some progress when it comes to coming up with the beginnings, at least, of what an international force would look like if, down the road, a big if, they can get to a cease-fire.

Perhaps the man here with the most at stake was Lebanon's prime minister, and he left after voicing his very profound disappointment.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FOUAD SINIORA, LEBANESE PRIME MINISTER: I think from there we have to remove -- so that to reduce the sufferings of the Lebanese. As I said, the more we delay the cease-fire, the more we are going to witness more are being killed, more destruction and more aggression against the civilians in Lebanon.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Now, the talks will continue. And again, at the meeting, some progress toward creating an international force. Italy promised it would contribute some troops. France said it would contribute some troops. The European Union will take the lead in trying to decide just who would be in that force, how many troops they could pull together.

But Kyra, the fundamental question is you would only send in that force once you get a cease-fire. The parties came to Rome to try to come up with an agreement; they left Rome without one. Bottom line to that, of course, meaning, the hostilities will continue -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: John King in Rome, Italy. Thanks, John.

Extremely intense, that's how Israeli soldiers are describing the fighting in a Hezbollah stronghold in Southern Lebanon. Israel said it was in control of the city yesterday, but it's reporting casualties today.

CNN's John Roberts join us now live from the Northern Israel -- from Northern Israel, rather, with new developments.

John, tell us about your day.

JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: And good afternoon to you, Kyra.

Yes, it shows just how quickly this conflict can change and the effectiveness and the surprise of what military people call asymmetrical warfare, a conventional military fighting a guerrilla force.

We have known this for some time, but because of Israeli army censorship rules, we have not been able to report it. We can report to you now that eight Israeli army soldiers were killed in the fighting for Bint Jbeil. Also, another 22 were injured. It happened early this morning.

Yesterday, General Gal Hirst (ph) had told me that they were in complete control. They said -- he said to me, "Just in the last few hours, we've taken control of Bint Jbeil," as we reported on CNN.

This morning, they woke up to quite a different story. They were involved in some clearing operations, and suddenly Hezbollah fighters popped their heads and set off a number of booby traps.

Let's pick up with Captain Mitch Pilcer. He is an Israeli Department -- Israeli Army, rather, spokesman. Here's what he had to say about the fighting in Bint Jbeil.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CAPT. MITCH PILCER, ISRAELI DEFENSE FORCES: Patrols in the town to make sure that everything is out over there, and we're surprised we found some Hezbollah were still embedded in some (UNINTELLIGIBLE) other there. There was heavy fighting going on over there. They came out. There's hand to hand, street to street fighting between the houses. And in the course of it, we suffered some -- some wounded, as well.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTS: So, again, it's the same type of fighting that they engaged in over the last 72 hours. And that's this idea of very close combat, house to house in some cases, hand to hand. The injuries that he was talking about, they number 22.

But again, we can now confirm to you that eight Israeli soldiers have been killed in the fighting. And if memory serves me correctly, that is the worst casualty count thus far of this campaign in a single area.

Now this entire area behind me -- we're on the route into Avivim, which is the Israeli town that sits just below the border, just underneath Maroun Al Ras, which is the first town in Southern Lebanon that they took. This was declared a military zone. None of the media were let in. Everyone was kept out all day. But of course, we knew a back way in, so we sort of circumvented that security. We got in right along the border. We were driving right along the edge of the fence that separates Israel from Lebanon. Very quiet in there today, compare to yesterday, when in an area similar to that yesterday, we actually came under mortar fire for about 10 minutes.

We did come across some heavy tanks, as well as those big heavy bulldozers that were on their way to try to back up to try to reinforce the forces that were fighting in Bint Jbeil.

And even as the Israeli military is tied up in that area, they are expanding the fight westward now in southern Lebanon, as the sun was going down, we got some pictures of artillery coming in on a town just to the west of Maroun Al Ras, just to the west of Bint Jbeil. The only thing that we know about there, that's a significant population center, would be a town called Yiron (ph). The barrage that it was getting, the Israeli army certainly would seem to think that there was something of pretty keen interest in there, perhaps a dug-in Hezbollah position, because the entire ridgetop, and then sweeping down into the valley as the smoke was blowing back into Israel, was completely covered in smoke.

So even though they are tied up there, even though they're still trying to suppress fire coming from Maroun Al Ras, continuing expanding the campaign further to the west -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: John, let me ask you about these eight soldiers you were able to confirm dead now by Hezbollah ambush. You know, we've been talking so much about Iraq and the threat of IEDs and how U.S. soldiers, victims of a number of ambushes by Iraqi insurgents. What seems to be the weapon of choice for these Hezbollah guerrillas?

ROBERTS: It's difficult to know, Kyra, because again, we don't have eyes on ground in Lebanon. The Israeli Defense Forces have not allowed us to go in. They kept us out of Avivim today, and there was not even any fighting going on in Avivim. There didn't seem to be any threat from the mortar attacks we saw yesterday. There were no Katyusha rockets being fired at it. They're really clamping down here on the flow of information coming from across the border. They only give us what they want, when they want it. And we have gone to them repeatedly to say, please take us in with you, please let us tell our viewers what's going on inside the country, you know, we have been embedded with American forces in Iraq, we go out with them in Baghdad all the time, we're used to being in close combat fighting, but they still will not take us inside. So until they do, we have no what the threat is in those cities.

PHILLIPS: Point well made. John Roberts there in northern Israel. John, thanks so much.

(BUSINESS HEADLINES)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Have a Coke and a trial? No, it's not a new ad slogan. Those are just a couple of highlights from Saddam Hussein's day. The former Iraqi leader ended his 18-day hunger strike washing down a meal with a Coca-Cola. But he was still hungry for attention, as he returned to his torture and murder trial. Hussein first griped about being forcibly brought back to court, then argued with the judge about his court-appointed lawyer.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SADDAM HUSSEIN, FMR. IRAQI DICTATOR (subtitles): You are my enemy.

JUDGE (subtitles): He is your representative.

HUSSEIN (subtitles): Why would you turn yourself into an enemy of the people? Why?

JUDGE (subtitles): Sir, read your statement.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

HUSSEIN (subtitles): The Canadian wrote it down for him. I challenge him to write 20 lines himself. The American spy has written it for him.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Well, Hussein also told the judge that if he's sentenced to death, he should be executed by a firing squad like a military man, and not hanged like a criminal.

Well, he came, he saw, but did Iraq's prime minister conquer criticism about his views on the current Mideast crisis or quell fears about the future of his own fledgling democracy?

Our congressional correspondent Andrea Koppel has the latest on Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's visit to Capitol Hill.

Andrea, we hear that New York Senator Charles Schumer made good on his promise to boycott the speech. Any other prominent Democrats?

ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, Kyra. To the best of our knowledge, Senator Schumer is the only Democratic senator, or Republican for that matter, who boycotted. There were a handful of House Democrats who boycotted. But contrary to the buildup to this speech, much of the controversy surrounding the prime minister's address seemed to have evaporated by the time he walked onto the House floor. And the reason for that, according to the Democratic leader Harry Read, is that many of their concerns were addressed earlier this morning when they had breakfast with the prime minister. Their concerns had focused around reported remarks that Al- Maliki had made in which he criticized Israel in its attacks on Lebanon, while not condemning the Hezbollah attacks.

That said, Lebanon and Israel didn't come up during the prime minister's about-a-half-hour address. He did focus all of his remarks on the violence in his country and sounded many of the same themes we've heard from President Bush, saying Iraq is the central front in the war on terrorism.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NURI AL-MALIKI, IRAQI PRIME MINISTER (through translator): Your loss on that day was the loss of all mankind, and our loss today is the loss for all free people. And wherever humankind suffers a loss at the hands of terrorists, it is a loss of all humanity.

It is your duty and our duty to defeat this terror. Iraq is the frontline in this struggle, and history will prove that the sacrifices of Iraqis for freedom will not be in vain. Iraqis are your allies in the war on terror.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOPPEL: The speech was also briefly interrupted by a demonstrator who was wearing a pink T-shirt. She's from an activist group known as Code Pink. Of course, she was escorted from the chambers, as you see there. She was yelling several times, "Iraqis want the troops to leave, bring them home."

That said, Kyra, the speech was very warmly received by most of the lawmakers. He was interrupted, by my count, about 27 times by applause. Seven of them were standing ovations, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Andrea Koppel, appreciate it. Thanks so much.

Now, at this hour, Prime Minister al-Maliki and President Bush are on a lunch date at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. The leaders left the White House just a short time ago to sit down with U.S. military troops and their families. They're going to thank them for their courage and for sacrifices that were made to help establish Iraq's new government.

But just how established is that new government as Baghdad continues to boil over with sectarian violence? Al-Maliki's visit means that tough questions were aimed at White House advisers.

CNN's Suzanne Malveaux has more on that angle -- Suzanne. SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, certainly, day two of much of the fanfare of Maliki's visit, truly an historic visit, the flag of Iraq hanging over Blair House, just across from the White House. And at this hour, we saw the president with Maliki enjoying a lunch with U.S. soldiers at Fort Belvoir, Virginia.

Also, of course, these are soldiers who made sacrifices, their families as well, in liberating Iraq. So the highlight, the pictures here, is what the White House is truly pushing forward here. And I have to say, the pictures today, much stronger than yesterday. The performance of Maliki much stronger today before Congress than what you saw yesterday in the East Room of the White House, that press conference.

Both of the leaders bogged down with questions over how difficult the situation is in Baghdad, in Iraq. The White House strategy is simply twofold: to bolster this leader to prove that he is capable of changing the conditions on the ground; and secondly, also to highlight those difficult challenges that he has. That is in the hopes that they buy some time. The strategy? Buy time, so that Americans and Iraqis will be patient with this leader.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEPHEN HADLEY, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: Death squads and armed gangs are going around murdering people, kidnapping people, sometimes in broad daylight. There has to be a consequence for that. People need to be held to account.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: And, of course, Kyra, we just heard from President Bush and Maliki, both of them on the same page here, President Bush reiterating, saying that Maliki's success, Iraq's success, really is in the interest of the United States.

And then Maliki also saying just moments ago to the soldiers, thanking them, thanking their families, saying "one blood mixing together in the field to achieve one goal. Our relationship will stay forever."

And, Kyra, that is not an overstatement. These two leaders intricately tried, their political legacies as well -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, Suzanne Malveaux at the White House, thanks so much.

Straight ahead, food is running out, disease is starting to spread. Straight ahead on LIVE FROM, I'm going to talk with a college student whose south Lebanon hometown is flooded with refugees and is now cut off from the outside world. Stay with us.

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PHILLIPS: Let's get straight to the newsroom now, Fredricka Whitfield working new details on the Andrea Yates' verdict -- Fred. FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Well, Kyra, less than an hour ago, the Texas jury found Andrea Yates not guilty by reason of insanity. And now we're able to hear from her ex-husband, Rusty Yates, who is speaking right now in Houston. Let's listen in.

RUSTY YATES, ANDREW YATES' EX-HUSBAND: She's much clearer now. Yes, she's -- in fact, you know, like I said before, having her sit through those -- that's why I walked out the other day, you know, in the closing arguments, you know. It's what I was saying about the truth, but not the whole truth. It's like Kaylynn Williford brought up pictures of our children at the crime scene and all this stuff.

And I think, who are they really serving there? Do they think our children want Andrea to be in prison? Do they think that we, her family, on either side, want Andrea to be in prison? Is it of any public benefit for Andrea to be in prison? You know, is she a danger to anyone? I mean, it's amazing to me. And like I said, I'm so proud of the jury for seeing past that, you know, being able to ...

WHITFIELD: Well, you were listening there to Rusty Yates, the ex-husband of Andrea Yates. It's been quite the emotional roller coaster ride for him and everyone involved in this trial. The second trial, the first one being overturned just last year, and now this retrial once again.

She was charged with the murders of three of her five children, and she was found not guilty by reason of insanity. Now she will spend time at a mental institution -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, Fred, we'll follow all the developments, of course, throughout the day on the Andrea Yates verdict. Thanks so much.

Meanwhile, new Israeli air strikes in Lebanon. Here's what we know about the crisis in the Middle East now. Huge explosions rocked the city of Tyre, leveling a six-story building. It was believed to contain the offices of a Hezbollah commander, but witnesses say it was empty. Israel staged 15 airstrikes in all in Southern Lebanon today.

Jordanian military planes are the first to land at Beirut International Airport since it was bombed when the conflict began. They're delivering medical supplies. One brought a field hospital and officials hope to take that to Southern Lebanon.

Israeli troops say there's extremely intense combat in the Hezbollah stronghold in Southern Lebanon. Israel is reporting eight soldiers were killed and 22 were wounded in that fighting. Just yesterday, it said it was in control of that town.

We're hearing more and more stories about innocent civilians isolated by the fighting in Lebanon. Carla al-Hage is a 19-year-old college student at American University in Beirut. She's currently in Rmeish near the Israeli border. The mostly Christian village has taken in thousands of displaced people. The power is out, supplies are dwindling, and now disease is starting to spread. Carla al-Hage joins me on one of the only working cell phones in the area. It's her phone. She keeps recharging it in her car. So Carla, I'm not going to take up too much of your time. I know it's important that you have it, but update us on the conditions right now in this village.

CARLA AL-HAGE, COLLEGE STUDENT: The situation here is really miserable. There is no food. Communication is really very hard. My phone is one of the few phones that are -- that have national coverage in the area. Because I'm lucky because my house is relatively high, compared to the (INAUDIBLE).

The families are divided. Some are here. Some are in Beirut. Sicknesses are spreading, especially yellow fever and scabies. There is no fuel. There is no diesel. There is no water, neither for drink, nor for use even. Food is very scarce. The markets are empty.

PHILLIPS: So Carla, who is responsible for that area, you know, the political force there? Who is it that is normally supposed to tend to those in that village?

AL-HAGE: Well, the Lebanese government, of course...

PHILLIPS: And you have not been able to get in touch with any representatives, and no one within the government has been able to get into the area and help you?

AL-HAGE: No, not at all. We tried a lot -- many sources. We called the United Nations, asking them for help, because we need some diesel in order to extract some water from a deep well, a 600-meter well. But they didn't help us, and they complained about lack of food, lack of water and lack of fuel. So we called the joint center created by Lebanese security forces, the army's internal security, and the UNIFIL. And we asked for help, but they did not return any answers.

PHILLIPS: Carla, have you had any problems with any type of Hezbollah infiltration? Do you feel that you are safe where you are, with regard to the people that are staying in this village?

AL-HAGE: No, of course, we are not safe, because there are no basements. There are no safe places. Everyone is hiding in their houses, even if the houses are not safe, are not considered safe. But it's better than staying outside.

PHILLIPS: So are you able to hear the battle going on? Are you feeling...

AL-HAGE: Yes, we can...

PHILLIPS: Yes?

AL-HAGE: We can hear everything, especially from my place. There is a very clear view. So every bomb is falling, and we can see exactly the location of every bomb.

PHILLIPS: Is it getting close to where you are, or is it still on the outskirts of the village?

AL-HAGE: It is exactly surrounding us. We have been bombed on the 18th of July in the village. But no journalists could get there, and so nobody knew about it.

PHILLIPS: Carla Al-Hage, we're going to keep in touch with you. I appreciate the update. We're going to keep calling you there in Rmeish, on the Lebanese border with Israel. We sure appreciate you calling into us, and we'll stay in touch, Carla. Thank you.

AL-HAGE: OK, thank you.

PHILLIPS: Well, take searing heat, subtract electricity, and multiply it by several days. It's a miserable equation. We'll have an update on the U.S. heat wave, straight ahead on LIVE FROM.

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PHILLIPS: Still slow going in sweltering St. Louis, where power crews are struggling to restore electricity to nearly 100,000 homes and businesses. Six times that many were in the dark after violent storms blew through last week. No air conditioning, no refrigerators, tons of food spoiled, and the city has opened eight hot meal centers. And the Salvation Army expects to dish out about 20,000 meals a day to those still without power.

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MAJ. DENNIS STISSEL, SALVATION ARMY: We're going to be doing nutritious, warm food. I mean, it's really important right now. They've had all the sandwiches they can handle. They've had all the junk food that they need. Right now, it's important that they have nutritious, warm meals.

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PHILLIPS: Well, a lot people have also been looking to the St. Louis Area Foodbank for help. You can actually help the cupboards get more stocked by donating online. Just go www.stlfoodbank.org, or you can send a check to this address. Meanwhile, you can make your check payable to the St. Louis Area Foodbank.

Cooling off. After a ten day blackout, air conditioners and refrigerators are humming again in the Queens section of New York. Consolidated Edison tells CNN only a handful of customers are still without power. At one point, it was about 100,000 people. ConEd is promising to pay up to $350 per household for food that has spoiled.

Digital diary. Middle East bloggers share their stories from the frontlines in real time. It's on the Web. LIVE FROM is straight ahead.

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