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Live From...
President Bush Meets With British Prime Minister Tony Blair; California Suffers Record Heat Wave; 'American Idol' Contestants Visit White House
Aired July 28, 2006 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, everyone. I'm Kyra Phillips, live at the CNN World Headquarters in Atlanta.
Tanks, bombs, missiles, Khaibar-1? Hezbollah says its new rocket will go far beyond Haifa. Could it reach Jerusalem?
Caught in the crossfire, families fleeing for safety -- town after town overflowing with refugees -- how long they have to run and hide.
"I'm innocent, and I will prove it." Tour de France champ Floyd Landis speaks out.
The third hour of LIVE FROM starts right now.
Let's get straight to the newsroom first -- Carol Lin with the details on a developing story -- Carol.
CAROL LIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Want to update you now on this garage collapse in Jamaica, Queens -- CNN reporting, confirmed by our New York bureau, that one person died in that garage collapse. One was injured, not life-threatening injuries -- no more reports of anybody trapped.
And what you are seeing right now is the recovery operation to get the body of the person who died in that collapse. We don't know much more about exactly what happened, Kyra, here. But it's a -- it looks like a fairly large garage.
And they have been working at this now for about two hours, as we have been getting pictures from our CNN affiliate, WABC. So, we don't know much more other than that, but a tragic situation, as somebody has died in some sort of -- you know, what might be characterized right now as a construction accident, or faulty building materials.
PHILLIPS: All right, We will follow it -- our pictures coming to us from WABC -- Carol Lin bringing us the latest. Appreciate it so much.
LIN: Mmm-hmm.
PHILLIPS: Day 17 of the Mideast crisis, and there's new talk of diplomacy. Let's check out what we know right now.
At the White House, President Bush and Britain's Tony Blair agree to push for a new U.N. resolution aimed at ending the crisis. Secretary of State Rice is heading back to the Middle East tomorrow.
Now, if a peacekeeping force ever gets to the region, count Norway out. But Sweden today joined France, Italy and Turkey on the list of countries that would at least consider taking part.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah unleashes more firepower. The militant group hit Israel today with its most powerful rockets yet. Three rockets that landed near Afula carried about 100 kilograms of explosives each.
Another day of relentless airstrikes in the Middle East -- at least 110 Israeli strikes on Hezbollah targets -- more than 80 Hezbollah strikes on Israeli targets.
And civilians keep getting caught in the crossfire.
CNN's Ben Wedeman joins me now from Tyre, Lebanon.
We are just looking at live pictures, Ben, of that U.N. convoy coming in. What can you tell us about it?
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CAIRO BUREAU CHIEF: Yes. That has just arrived from Beirut with more relief supplies for this city.
We have seen that, over the last few days, the United Nations has been able to bring in supplies. But, really, the problem isn't getting it to Tyre. The problem is getting the supplies out to the outlying areas and the isolated villages and towns throughout southern Lebanon, many of which are simply cut off, because of Israeli bombing, because of the activity of Israeli aircraft in the area.
Now, we have seen, Kyra, over the last few days, attempts by essentially ad hoc groups of drivers to go to isolated villages and towns in southern Lebanon to pick people up and take them out. Now, today, one group of drivers went into the south. They were headed toward a town called Yaroun, which is near the Israeli border, about 20 miles southeast of here.
They went with a large group of journalists. And they weren't able to get to Yaroun. They got to a town called Rmeish. There, they were told by the Israeli Defense Forces that it was unsafe to go any further than that.
Shortly afterwards, apparently, the convoy came under some kind of fire. A German journalist, a Jordanian cameraman, a Lebanese driver and some civilians who were in the convoy were slightly injured. But this incident, Kyra, really underscores the danger of anybody trying to go into the southern part of Lebanon to any of these remote villages.
And we have just heard that Jan Egeland, the U.N. emergency relief coordinator, has called for a 72-hour window to allow the civilians who are caught in these towns and villages to get out -- but no word yet whether that call is going to be responded to by either Israel or Hezbollah -- Kyra. PHILLIPS: Well, you have been covering this region for a long time, Ben. And -- and you hear something like that, and it sounds like a great idea. But what's the reality of it happening? Have you ever seen something like that happen before, when a cry for a stop from someone like Egeland has come forward?
WEDEMAN: No, I haven't, actually. And it's a great idea.
It certainly would allow so many who really can't move out to get out. But, in a sense, you really need some sort of cooperation from both sides. And in no instance in the last 16 days have we seen anything of the sort. So, I -- I can only say we can wait and see. And, certainly, the people who are caught in these villages are probably praying that this sort of -- this call will receive some sort of positive response from both sides.
PHILLIPS: Ben Wedeman, in Tyre -- thanks so much, Ben.
The United Nations has had enough. It's pulling out of its two observation posts in southern Lebanon, saying the unarmed observers there are at risk. An Israeli airstrike, as you know, destroyed one U.N. observation post earlier this week, killing four observers. The wife of one of those observers, a Canadian, says she was convinced that that attack was no mistake.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CYNTHIA HESS-VON KRUEDENER, WIDOW OF UNITED NATIONS OBSERVER KILLED IN ISRAELI AIRSTRIKE: And why did they bomb the U.N. site? In -- and, in my opinion, if those are precision-guided missiles, then, that is intentional.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Now, that woman's husband, Major Paeta Hess-von Kruedener, sent an e-mail to Canadian television just a few days before his death, describing the situation at the observer post.
He wrote, in part -- quote -- "Our position has come under direct or indirect fire from both artillery and aerial bombing. The closest artillery has landed within two meters of our position. And the closest 1,000-pound aerial bomb has landed 100 meters from our patrol base."
Well, an Israeli village so close to the Lebanese border that it's supposedly safe, but still very, very loud -- CNN's John Vause went to see for himself.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Rumbling across the not--too-distant valleys, the sounds of conflict, shattering peace and tranquility on this small kibbutz called Adamit, home to about 100 Israelis.
AVNER KLEIN, ADAMIT RESIDENT: We're heading toward a viewpoint out over a canyon that separates Israel from Lebanon.
VAUSE: Avner Klein has been listening to the soundtrack of this war for the past two weeks.
KLEIN: I would say my pulse rate is pretty much normal. It's not that -- I'm not scared.
VAUSE: Because Adamit is in the eye of the storm, so close to the Lebanon border, when the Hezbollah rockets and Israeli artillery are flying, they're flying directly overhead.
KLEIN: It's an advantageous position, in that almost all the incoming and outgoing artillery and Katyushas fly high above, and we're down below the arc. We have been very lucky nothing has fallen here yet.
VAUSE: But this village has not been untouched by war. The metal shop, where most here work, has been shut down. Few leave their homes. The children stay indoors. Israeli soldiers are on guard, but, for now, no one has used the bomb shelter.
(on camera): The last time this kibbutz took a direct hit from a rocket was 24 years ago. And despite the almost constant boom of the outgoing artillery, and the incoming Katyushas, there is an odd sense here of feeling relatively safe, which may explain why most residents have decided to stay.
(voice-over): No one flinches. And Meir Shaked, the kibbutz ambulance driver, says the explosions seem like white noise.
MEIR SHAKED, ADAMIT RESIDENT: We're used to it. Like -- like -- like a person that -- that's -- live in a -- near -- near an airport, the planes that are up and down, it doesn't bother him.
VAUSE: From here, they can see the smoke rise over southern Lebanon and feel the vibrations from the 1,000-pound bombs, giving them a unique perspective.
KLEIN: But you hear it very well. And you hear the air force planes going over. And, then, shortly thereafter, you hear a loud rumbling sound. And it's trouble for the people below.
VAUSE: But, here, the war is only heard, never really seen.
John Vause, CNN, Adamit, northern Israel.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: Well, he has been the president's staunchest ally in the war in Iraq. But will Mr. -- will British Prime Minister Tony Blair, rather, retain first-pal status when it comes to the crisis involving Israel and Hezbollah?
Sources say that Blair hoped to persuade Mr. Bush to support a United Nations cease-fire resolution during his visit to the White House today. White House Suzanne Malveaux joins me live with an update on how it went.
Hi, Suzanne.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, hey, Kyra -- as you know, both of these leaders under tremendous pressure, of course, to agree to an immediate cease-fire.
We did not hear that from the leaders today. But there was a renewed sense of urgency to bring an end to this violence, both of them offering three things to move forward: of course, tomorrow, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to go back to the region, to meet with the leaders of Lebanon and Israel for additional talks; Monday, the United Nations meeting to come up with an agreement over this international stabilization force, to help back the Lebanese government and its army, in particular, to secure the border with Israel, create a buffer zone.
And, then, finally, perhaps optimistically here, but they're want -- they want, both of them, a U.N. resolution, as early as next week, to set up conditions for a lasting peace. What is -- what -- what does that mean? Requiring Hezbollah to essentially give up its arms, to stop attacking Israel, to return those Israeli soldiers, for Israel to stop the counterattacks, eventually for Israel, Palestinians to come back to the negotiating table, all of this, of course, very ambitious -- but both of these leaders under a tremendous amount of pressure here to create what they call is a lasting peace.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: So, like the prime minister, I would like to end this as quickly as possible, as well.
Having said that, I want to make sure that we address the root cause of the problem. And I believe the plan that -- that Tony and I discussed will yield exactly what we want, and that is addressing the root cause of the problem.
TONY BLAIR, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: The U.N. resolution, the passing of it, the agreeing of it, can be the occasion for the end of hostilities, if it's acted upon and agreed upon.
And that requires not just the government of Israel and the government of Lebanon, obviously, to -- to abide by it, but also for the whole of the international community to exert the necessary pressure, so that there is the cessation of hostilities on both sides.
Now, that would be important also in making it very clear to Hezbollah, and those that back Hezbollah, that they have to allow the stabilization force to enter.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: And Kyra, of course, both of these leaders very sensitive to the kind of criticism that they have been getting -- they stand alone in many ways, but together in their position here.
And that is all the civilian casualties, particularly coming out of Lebanon. Both of them reiterated time and time again during this press conference, they recognize that. They were empathizing -- Blair staying that what's happening in Lebanon is a complete tragedy, and, then, also President Bush, however, adding, saying that it -- it is essential to do what is right, not popular.
That is a very similar argument to what they used in the lead-up, of course, to the Iraq war -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right, Suzanne, a totally separate issue -- what do you think? Does the president watch "American Idol"?
(LAUGHTER)
MALVEAUX: Well, he certainly got to meet all of them today. Taylor Hicks, of course, and...
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: ... the other nine finalists, they were here at the White House, met in the Oval Office.
We were told he's familiar with the show, but he doesn't necessarily watch the show. So, we're...
(LAUGHTER)
MALVEAUX: But we think, maybe, Taylor Hicks would be his favorite, considering, you know, he's a Southerner, and, you know, Birmingham, Alabama.
But the funny thing about this story is that Taylor Hicks actually got -- I think it was 63 million -- to Bush's votes back in 2004.
(LAUGHTER)
MALVEAUX: He got 59 million.
(LAUGHTER)
MALVEAUX: But, in all fairness to the president, you can vote as many times as you want for "American Idol." So, you know...
(LAUGHTER)
MALVEAUX: ... we will see who is more popular in the polls.
But, yes, they were -- they were all here. They were with the president. They had a great time. We have not gotten a chance to actually see them. You can bet a lot of photographers, producers are all at the stakeout, just waiting, very eagerly, to see who comes out.
PHILLIPS: Well, we will definitely bring the pictures, as soon as we get them.
And, Suzanne, did you know the little connection with the first lady's...
MALVEAUX: I...
(CROSSTALK)
PHILLIPS: You...
(CROSSTALK)
MALVEAUX: I heard. I heard.
Yes, they're -- he's got a little inside scoop here at the White House, because I guess it's the first lady's press secretary.
PHILLIPS: Right.
MALVEAUX: She used to be his ninth grade English teacher. So...
(LAUGHTER)
MALVEAUX: ... who knew?
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: Yes. And, evidently, used to let, you know, Taylor sing now and then, perform in class.
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: So, you know, she really launched his career.
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: All right, Suzanne, well, as soon as we get those pictures, we will bring them...
MALVEAUX: We will bring...
(CROSSTALK)
PHILLIPS: ... to our viewers.
MALVEAUX: Right to you. I know you want them really quickly.
PHILLIPS: You know it, breaking out of the White House.
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: All right.
Thanks, Suzanne.
MALVEAUX: Breaking news. (LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: Well, straight ahead, we are going to be talking about a cooling trend, believe it or not. For some, it didn't come soon enough -- LIVE FROM with all the results of the day's relentless heat.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Well, no lights, no air-conditioning, no power for 10 days -- and the state of Missouri wants to know why. Ten thousand homes and businesses in Saint Louis are still in the dark And, a week-and-a-half after severe storms brought down trees and power lines, the utility company Ameren Corporation, says that its crews are working as quickly and carefully as they can. Initially, it was thought about 600,000 customers lost power. That's been upped now to 700,000.
And a break for Californians -- or for those in California -- for the first time in almost two weeks, no heat advisories. Don't get us wrong. It's still plenty hot and there are still plenty of problems.
CNN's Sumi Das joins us now from L.A.
Hey, Sumi.
SUMI DAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kyra. Thanks very much.
Well, some California county coroners have really had a hard time keeping up with the casualties. They have been overwhelmed, particularly in California's Central Valley. The death toll from this heat wave, which began about two weeks ago, is currently at is 112. Now, that figure accounts for about one-third of California's counties.
And, as more counties report back to the Office of Emergency Services, that figure may rise even further.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GOV. ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R), CALIFORNIA: These conditions are not only uncomfortable, but they're very dangerous.
DAS (voice-over): What started as an unusually oppressive heat wave in California has also become one of its most deadly. More than 100 people have died from heat-related causes in the past two weeks, most of them elderly. California's Central Valley Has been the hardest hit -- the highest death toll, in Fresno County, where the mercury has risen above 100 degrees for 14 consecutive days.
To stem further casualties, police officers went house to house, checking on residents. Cooling centers opened their doors. Air- conditioned buses were dispatched.
Little has escaped the scorching sun. Losses have extended to livestock, cattle carcasses piled up, because haulers couldn't dispose of them fast enough.
And, while it's too early to put a dollar amount on crop damage, the California Department of Food and Agriculture says, grapes are shriveled to the size of raisins, walnuts are burning in their shells, and peaches are shutting down, simply not growing.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's not even worth going in and picking them.
DAS: Equally at risk, those who tend these crops, as well as others who work outdoors -- new state regulations that took effect this week impose stiff penalties against employers who don't protect outdoor workers from excessive heat.
SCHWARZENEGGER: This is their right, to get enough water, to get enough shade, if someone feels dizzy, to get the -- the protection that they need.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
DAS: Kyra, you are taking a look at Mulholland Fountain. Looks pretty inviting, doesn't it? Well, this was a place where many residents would come and cool off. It was pretty popular. People would bring their pets, they would bring their pets kids, up until about three weeks ago.
And that's when city officials decided that it wasn't safe or sanitary for people to be wading in the water. So, now they have security guarded posted here to make sure that people abide by that no-swimming or wading rule.
(LAUGHTER)
DAS: Kyra.
PHILLIPS: I remember that fountain well. I think I threw a few pennies in there for good luck, actually, Sumi.
All right, what do...
(CROSSTALK)
DAS: Should I try to fish them out?
PHILLIPS: Yes. Why don't you? Let me -- I...
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: I could use a little extra change.
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: This really isn't a -- a surprise or unprecedented, though. I mean, it is California. It's hot. You know, we have lived through this before, yes.
DAS: Yes. I mean, California is the Golden State.
Everybody -- people flock to the state for the weather, right? But while the triple-digit temperatures may be somewhat common, fairly common, what was extraordinary is how long those triple-digit temperatures lasted. The duration was really rather unprecedented.
Consider this: A record was broken, a record that was set more than 150 years ago. Sacramento, California's capital, experienced 11 straight days of 100-plus-degrees heat. So, really, this is something that hasn't really been seen before, especially in recent history -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Sumi Das, appreciate it. Thanks so much.
Well, a state of emergency in one Ohio county -- deluge flood streets -- or floods are -- they're -- the streets are being flooded, rather. Homes and rivers are filled to the brim.
Reporter Todd Meany from Cleveland affiliate WJW takes a closer look now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TODD MEANY, WJW REPORTER: We are in Fairport Harbor, just outside Cleveland.
The raging water behind me, this is the Grand River, just one of two rivers in this area that is well above flood stage, and has been for about 12 hours now, as a result of about nine inches of rain that fell in a matter of 24 hours yesterday.
There have been boats, probably 30 or 40, floating down, breaking loose from the moorings -- all these boats just floating down the river, like toys. It has been quite a disaster for these people out here. They have been busy tying boats down, trying to make them as safe and secure as possible.
But, in the meantime, we also have reports now of a missing man, a man who probably fell into the other river that we were talking about earlier, and may have been swept away by the very swift current. They still have not yet found him.
Numerous evacuations continue to take place here in the Cleveland area, outside of that, in Fairport Harbor, and also in Eastlake. The entire area of Lake County has pretty much lived up to its name, and become a lake.
You will be able to see how the moorings have broken away from many of these boats. You can see, it's just kind of chipped up. And it just keeps clanging into the boats all over the place here, not only on this river, but the other rivers that are associated with it, its tributaries. And this flood stage is going to continue -- continue for some time. People have taken off work just to keep an eye on their boats -- other people now left cleaning up messes, as their basements and homes have flooded.
In Fairport Harbor, Todd Meany, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: Well, search -- searing heat, rather, and drenching rain.
We want to take you to the new CNN Weather Center.
Our Reynolds Wolf telling us what's in store for all of us.
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: We even get a little wave.
(LAUGHTER)
REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Kind of a cool shot.
PHILLIPS: A little wave to the jib cam, isn't that cool?
WOLF: Yes, I know. You got to, yes.
PHILLIPS: Should we take that again? That's Scott's (ph) favorite.
WOLF: Let's do it.
PHILLIPS: All right.
WOLF: Let's do it.
PHILLIPS: All right, Scott (ph) -- Scott (ph), let's do another jib shot.
Why don't you give a little...
WOLF: Isn't this great?
PHILLIPS: Yes.
(CROSSTALK)
WOLF: Want to do a quick tour?
PHILLIPS: Yes, do a quick tour.
WOLF: OK.
PHILLIPS: What the heck.
WOLF: This is what we call our Christi (ph) monitor, which, a lot of times, if you have ever been in a TV station -- some of you tuning in may have been -- usually, this wall is green, or it's like a -- a bluish color. And we use something that is called a chroma key.
But, with this cool screen, which I am sure, during football season, we are going to put to pretty good use, behind the scenes, we're actually able to put that image right here. And it's just a -- a wonderful facility to bring breaking weather stories to you, and, of course, just the day-to-day weather stories that, you know, you have got to know the information to help you get through your -- your day, through your weekends and through your months and years.
We have got a lot to talk to you about.
Remember the flooding that we had in northern Ohio? How can you possibly forget? We just showed you the story from that just moment ago. That same storm system is now driving its way through portions of New York state, back into Pennsylvania as well -- nothing severe at this point.
However, into the afternoon, there's the potential that we could have some strong storms, even into the evening hours. So, we already have a severe thunderstorm watch that is in effect for a good part of the Northeast, certainly an area that we have to keep an eye on.
Meantime, we have some delays to deal with -- in Philadelphia, about a 50-minute delay. In Newark, it seems like you are never going to get off the ground, with a -- a delay that is over two hours. But just give it some time, be patient, and enjoy an extra cup of coffee, and -- and have some good conversation, and they will we gone before long.
Meanwhile, we're looking ahead to tomorrow's forecast. And what we are going to be seeing is some scattered shower activity again, up towards the Great Lakes, precisely where we don't need it. In the Ohio Valley, south of the Great Lakes, we already have the flood-prone areas. We don't want to see more rain, but it is the potential -- so, certainly, something that we're going to have to watch.
And the heat that we have been telling you out to the West is going to start moving its way into the center of the U.S. That means places like Saint Louis, that have been suffering from a great deal of heat, could see more into the weekend -- for Memphis, 91 degrees; Kansas City, 91; 99 in Denver.
But for Saint Louis, specifically, take a look at what you can expect for the next couple of days, for Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, all the way through the weekend, from today through Tuesday, temperatures above normal, into the 90s.
And the excessive heat watch that is going to be in effect for Saint Louis will remain in effect through Wednesday of next week. So, take it easy out there. If you don't have to get out there and exert yourself, by all means, don't do so.
That's the latest in your forecast. Let's send it right back you to at the news desk.
Nice -- nice Weather Center, though, isn't it?
PHILLIPS: Yes.
WOLF: Yes.
PHILLIPS: Very nice.
I am glad you just gave me an excuse not to run. That's perfect.
WOLF: There you go.
PHILLIPS: Thank you.
WOLF: Whatever it takes.
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: There it is. Reynolds Wolf, appreciate it.
Well, evacuations, closings and warnings out West, as the wildfire threat spreads -- right now, crews are battling close to 30 fires in Oregon, California, Nevada, and southwestern Utah. About 500 people have been told to get out of the way of this fire burning near the town of Sisters, Oregon. Another 1,000 people are on standby to evacuate. And parts of Los Padres National Forest in California are closed indefinitely because of all the lightning that has sparked fires.
Well, America voted. Now he's in Washington -- no, not George Bush -- Taylor Hicks, your "American Idol." He pops in on the president.
LIVE FROM hits all the high notes, so stick around.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MUSIC)
PHILLIPS: Hicks in the White House? Oh, calm down. I mean Taylor Hicks, your "American Idol."
He's at the White House this afternoon. And why not? More people voted in this years's finale than have ever voted in a U.S. presidential election. All right. Since you can be under 18, and vote more than once, it's not exactly a fair comparison. But you can't deny the show's populous appeal.
Now, there's someone else Taylor Hicks wants to see in Washington today. He may owe his "Idol" victory to the "Soul Patrol," but he probably owes his White House invitation to a certain fan in the East Wing. Now, we don't know if the first lady voted for Hicks, but we bet that woman standing next to her did.
In fact, Susan Whitson, who is now Laura Bush's press secretary, may have unleashed the ham in the Birmingham high schooler. As Hicks' ninth grade English teacher at Hoover High, Whitson occasionally let him entertain his classmates with his harmonica skills.
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: Well, stocks got off to a good start this week, and it looks like they could end the week with a rally as well.
Susan Lisovicz joins us live from the New York Stock Exchange.
Hey, Susan.
SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Kyra, big gains, in fact.
You know, we're looking at the Dow, the Nasdaq and the S&P 500 to close
(MARKET REPORT)
PHILLIPS: All right, Susan, thanks so much.
Well, Tour de France champ, Floyd Landis is speaking out on the alleged high levels of testosterone found in his system during the race. Landis held a news conference today and said he's determined to clear his name. He said he was not involved in any doping process and his levels of testosterone were all natural.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FLOYD LANDIS, TOUR DE FRANCE WINNER: I declare convincingly and categorically that my wining the Tour de France has been exclusively due to many years of training and my complete devotion to cycling, to the sacrifice of an entire life to carry out my dream, a dream of thousands of kilometers that I have completed through an absolute respect for the cleanness of the sport.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
Floyd Landis will be the guest tonight on "LARRY KING LIVE" and Larry will be asking for some of your questions. So go ahead and submit your thoughts. Click on to CNN.com/LarryKing.
Well, your home video camera has probably shot a few family vacations and birthdays, but imagine shooting scenes like this one in your backyard.
Guess what, those bombs are real, home video right out of Lebanon by a 19-year-old college student. We will talk with Carla al-Haj about her ordeal, caught in a war zone, straight ahead on LIVE FROM. But first our weekly series "Life After Work."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WALT RUSSO, RETIRED SKYDIVER: This is 1,315th jump.
VALERIE MORRIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Walt Rosso doesn't spend his retirement counting the days go by. Instead, this retired U.S. army ranger is adding up his skydiving jumps. RUSSO: It's an adrenaline rush. I mean when you open that airplane and they open that door and you are at 10,000 feet, and you're relying on your training and your equipment, some people say it's the most fun you can have with your cloths on.
It was great. And I got to stand up.
MORRIS: Rosso was in the military for 20 years. Most of the time he was in the parachute infantry. After his retirement he spent another 20 years working different jobs ranging from farmer to real estate agent, until he earned enough to retire. One summer while traveling Rosso realized it had might be possible to jump in all 50 states. Five years later he reached his goal.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You are the only 50-state jumper I know. Great jumping with you Walt. John, thanks.
ROSSO: To make my 50th jump I decided I wanted to do it in Hawaii. Because Hawaii was the 50th state to come into the union.
MORRIS: Even with this feat, at nearly 70 years old, Rosso isn't done yet.
ROSSO: My new goal is to jump until I am 82. Life is goals and I just want to keep going.
MORRIS: Valerie Morris, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: President Bush says he views the Middle East crisis as a chance for change in the region. Here's what we know right now, Mr. Bush agreed today with British Prime Minister Tony Blair to seek a U.N. push to end the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. He says a cease-fire agreement would have to address problems left unsolved before, such as Hezbollah's presence in Southern Lebanon.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is to land in the region tomorrow. She is to work with Israel and Lebanon to hammer out terms of a Middle East resolution to be presented to a U.N. Security Council.
And as fighting continues today, the head of U.N. Relief is asking Israel and Hezbollah to observe a three-day truce. He says thousands of people need to be evacuated and need new supplies of food and medicine sent in.
Hezbollah fired its most powerful rockets yet into northern Israel today. Three rockets landed near the Israeli town of Afula, some 30 miles south of the border with Lebanon. And deeper into Israel that Hezbollah has ever struck before. Last hour I spoke with Israeli military expert Steve Hartov as to how the new rocket could change the dynamics and politics of this conflict.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEVE HARTOV, ISRAELI MILITARY EXPERT: Affording Hezbollah that capability is basically putting Iran, an Iranian signature on that war, on this war. And I am not so sure that the Syrians, or the Iranians want to openly now involve themselves by supplying Hezbollah with such long-range capabilities. If that is going to be the next step then I think they are inviting a response from the Israelis.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Israeli police say that the new Kaybar (ph) rocket carried some 100 kilograms of explosives, making it the most powerful rocket Hezbollah has ever fired into Israel. Now, Hartov was not referring to the Kaybar weapon, the Kaybar one, in that part of the interview. He was talking about a separate weapon that has not been used yet on behalf of Iran.
All right, Hezbollah's new weapon is a potentially ominous development that threatens to boost the level of fire power that we've seen in this crisis.
CNN's Matthew Chance is in northern Israel.
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MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What the Israeli authorities are telling us is that the rocket that landed in the northern Israeli town of Afula earlier today was a kind of rocket that has never before been fired at Israel. They're saying it's much bigger than the regular Katyushas that have come sailing in from Southern Lebanon over the course of the last several weeks they've been battling.
This one, they say, was much, much bigger. It had a payload of explosives of about 100 kilos. The regular Katyushas carry between five and 35 kilos of explosives, so it was a very different type of rocket indeed.
There has been a great deal of concern about the kinds of missiles that are held by the Lebanese Hezbollah militia. Hassan Nasrallah, the militia leader, has threatened to even strike against Israel's biggest city, Tel Aviv, and people are very concerned here in Israel about whether this is that major escalation many people in this country have been bracing for.
Meantime, on the battlefield in Southern Lebanon, Israel forces are there clashing with fighters particularly around the town, village of Bint Jbeil, which is the strike forces of the Hezbollah's stronghold and where Israel has very sustained heavy casualties in the past. There is fierce fighting underway there again today.
Also, Israel's airstrikes are being sustained, as is their artillery barrage, but as we have seen, more than 100 rockets, including this very big one, fired into Israel today. Hezbollah's ability to strike at Israel's northern towns and cities seems pretty much, at the moment, undiminished.
Matthew Chance, CNN, on the Israeli-Lebanese border.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: On the road to Beirut -- a stranded college student shares details of her family's perilous journey through the horrors of Southern Lebanon, including her own home video that she shot. That's coming up on LIVE FROM.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: Now to Beirut. Two days ago we spoke with a college student who was stranded in Southern Lebanon, witnessing scenes such as this.
But yesterday Carla al-Hage and her family packed up and made the dangerous drive from the scene of these attacks to their home in the Lebanese capital. We are happy to report they made it.
Carla joins us again today, this time live from Beirut. Carla, it's good to see you. Last time we were on your cell phone, one of the only cell phones in Rmeish. Tell me what led to this point. Why did you finally decide to pack your bags and go?
CARLA AL-HAGE, FLED SOUTHERN LEBANON FOR BEIRUT: Well, the situation was getting worse and worse there, and there was a convoy who had Americans and people with foreign nationalities going in it, and they told us that they are giving our license plate numbers, car types, and car colors to the American embassy. So we felt that it was a bit safer, and so we just drove off.
PHILLIPS: Well, were you concerned about the roads or having to travel from Rmeish to Beirut?
AL-HAGE: Yes, of course, the route took us seven hours and it wasn't even really safe, so that's why we were really concerned at the beginning.
PHILLIPS: Now, what about everybody that's still in that village where you were? Are you concerned about them, Carla? What are they dealing with right now? How bad is it getting?
AL-HAGE: Yes, of course, a lot of families stayed there and couldn't leave their houses because they were afraid that their houses would be stolen. And this is all what they have. So they stayed there and the situation is really very miserable. There is no food, no water, no electricity, no fuel if they want to escape, at another point, to Beirut.
PHILLIPS: And a lot of people were going to Rmeish, where you were, because it is a Christian village, right? They felt that it would be safe?
AL-HAGE: Yes. It's not that safe. Felt it would be safe, but it was the only place they could run away in two hours or four hours, the time they were given to escape. PHILLIPS: Now, Carla, I know you were helping people as much as you could while you were there, whether it was with your cell phone or just supporting them and trying to get help. I know you called the U.N., tried to get aid to that region. What can you do now from Beirut to try and help your people there?
AL-HAGE: Well, first, we can try to search for donations, or try to help get help donations there, or try through the media, as much as we can, to raise our voices, maybe in the possibility of a possible cease-fire, at least, to some safe roads.
PHILLIPS: Do you still have family members there, Carla?
AL-HAGE: Yes, my grandfather, my aunt, my grandmother and a lot more.
PHILLIPS: Oh, then -- and so, they all wanted to stay? They felt they couldn't leave?
AL-HAGE: Yes, they felt they've couldn't leave, especially those who base their income on the plantation of tobacco. You see, the tobacco can be stolen and, thus, they would have no income the whole year, so they had to stay there.
PHILLIPS: Wow, so it's a big tobacco area? Where -- who buys that tobacco? Where does that go and is it looting that your family members are afraid might happen?
AL-HAGE: The tobacco is usually sold to the Rejei company here in Beirut. Yes, we are very concerned about our family members. It really hurts that they can't be with us here where it's a bit safer, but we can't do anything. This is the only way they can get their income. These are their houses. They can't just leave them and come here.
PHILLIPS: Carla al-Hage, we will follow up with you and, of course, with your family members still there in Rmeish. We're glad you made it back safely. Thanks for joining us, again.
AL-HAGE: Thank you.
PHILLIPS: Let's get straight to the newsroom, Carol Lin with details on another developing story -- Carol.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: I want to get your reaction to this one, Kyra. This just in to the breaking news desk, CNN Headline Prime "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" show is going to report tonight that Oscar-winning, actor/director Mel Gibson was pulled over for suspicion of a DUI, driving under the influence. He was charged with a misdemeanor, he posted $5,000 in bond.
CNN entertainment is making calls to Mel Gibson's representatives for some sort of a comment, but this is what we know. It happened last night. He was apparently driving on the Pacific Coast Highway out there in Los Angeles at a, quote, "excessively fast speed," Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right. I am sure our entertainment show tonight will handle that.
LIN: They're on it.
PHILLIPS: Yes, OK. Appreciate it. Thanks, Carol.
When we come back, we're going to cross the border to Israel. CNN's Wolf Blitzer explains how terrorists are conducting attacks by land and sea using jet skis. We'll have that with Wolf when LIVE FROM continues.
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PHILLIPS: Well, as you know, our Wolf Blitzer is anchoring "THE SITUATION ROOM" once again from the Middle East. He joins me from Jerusalem.
A lot's on tap for today, right, Wolf?
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Lots on tap. We're going to be covering all the latest developments in the crisis in the Middle East, Kyra.
One of the things that's very interesting -- I had a chance to get a background briefing from a tomorrow Israeli Navy official. And we all know the threats coming into Israel from the north, the Katyusha rockets. Threats coming in from the east, from the West Bank, from the south, from Gaza.
But you know what? There's some significant potential threats to Israel coming in from the Mediterranean, and we had a chance to take a look at some video, extraordinary video, that Israeli military sources, provided us, including some video showing some seemingly innocent jet skiers -- a jet skier coming into Israel's beaches.
And Israel authorities, Israel naval vessels, tried to stop that jet skier and gave several warnings to stop that jet skier. This is in recent years. Didn't, and they finally shot him. And it was all caught on camera. We're going to show the video to our viewers on how this jet skier was really a suicide bomber, and there was a huge explosion as a result. It could have cost the lives of lot of people.
We've got a lot of stuff going on today, Kyra, and we're going to bring it to all of our viewers over the next two hours.
PHILLIPS: Well, Wolf, I think that's fascinating, because we've been talking so much about threats on the ground and also by air. And now you're talking about sea. I guess we should expect that, right, with all the bodies of water? You mentioned jet skis. You also had a chance to learn about suicide boats, right, and dingy explosions?
BLITZER: There have been about 80 maritime terror attacks, at least plots that have been uncovered by the Israelis over the years. Most of them have been foiled, not necessarily all of them. We're going to show our viewers some of the video that was captured of those that were not necessarily foiled. You know, those Katyusha rockets that have been coming into Israel from northern -- from Southern Lebanon. Here's one of the nightmare scenarios that the Israelis have, that Hezbollah gets a ship out into international waters, more than the 12-mile territorial waters of Israel along the coast, and they start lobbing and launching some of those Katyusha rockets from ships into international waters into Israel, further south in Israel. It's one of the things they worry about, and especially in the aftermath of that shore-to-ship missile that did some significant damage to an Israeli naval vessel off the coast of Lebanon about two weeks ago.
So there's a whole bunch of threats that are going on here. We're going to try to take a closer in-depth look at some of them, coming up in "THE SITUATION ROOM."
PHILLIPS: Wolf, it sounds good. We got a glimpse of the video there for just a minute or so. It looks pretty fascinating. Appreciate it, Wolf. We'll be watching. See you in a little bit.
Well, the Middle East crisis, gas prices soaring. Ali Velshi explains the effects on American families and the closing bell. The news keeps coming. We'll keep bringing it to you.
Hi, Ali.
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