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NASA Sets Discovery Launch Date; Footage Released of Sudan Media Scuffle; Deadly Southwest Heat Wave

Aired July 22, 2005 - 11:30   ET

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

(WEATHER REPORT)
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Just past the half-hour. Good morning, everyone -- 11:31.

Now in the news, London's police commissioner says today's fatal shooting of a man at a South London subway station is directly linked to yesterday's attempted bombings. Police also have released surveillance pictures of three suspects, and three London locations are being searched in connection to yesterday's attacks.

We are covering this developing story throughout the day with live reports from London. Transit systems in the United States remain on heightened alert. Subway passengers in New York are now subject to random searches, and there is a greater show of force by police along train platforms, and even inside cars.

A federal report say Chicago officials underestimated how much it will cost to expand O'Hare International Airport. The city has proposed a $15 billion overhaul. The report says inaccurate assessments could affect federal funding for airports nationwide. The project's foes hope to use the report to stop the expansion.

And there are job cuts ahead for Kimberly-Clark, the maker of Kleenex tissues and Huggies diapers. The company plans to eliminate nearly 6,000 jobs and sell off or close about 20 manufacturing plants. The Texas-based company reported lower second-quarter earnings, and it is trying to streamline operations.

Our coverage of the breaking news out of London continues after the break.

Also ahead, we show you a defiant Saddam Hussein, who was back before an Iraqi judge Thursday. Find out what he really thinks about his upcoming trial.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Ah, the crew of the Space Shuttle Discovery is back in Florida this morning. There you see the crew. They're at the Kennedy Space Center gearing up for another try at liftoff. Now NASA has scheduled a launch for next Tuesday at 10:39 a.m. Eastern. The seven- member crew left Kennedy for additional training at the Johnson Space Center in Texas after last week's launch was scrubbed. Shuttle Commander Eileen Collins will speak to the media, we believe in just a few moments. The Discovery mission will be the first shuttle launch since the Columbia disaster two years ago. And I believe once the commander speaks, we'll take you back to hear those comments.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is taking a sidestep on her Mideast tour. She is paying an unexpected visit to Lebanon today. Rice is in Beirut to meet with Lebanon's newly elected government, the first since Syria withdrew its troops earlier this year. And watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, no. No. No. The camera doesn't go in without writers.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Don't push.

CONDOLEEZZA RICE, UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF STATE: No, no no. No questions.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Can you tell us why the violence is continuing, Mr. President?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, no, no, please.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Can you tell us why the government is still supporting the militias?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, no, please. No, please. No, no, no, no, no.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Don't ever touch our journalists again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: Okay. This is video of yesterday's culture clash, I guess we could call it, between reporters covering Rice's trip and Sudanese authorities. Attempts were made to keep reporters -- as you can see here -- out of Rice's meeting with Sudanese President Omar al- Bashir.

Now, one reporter was forcibly removed when she tried to ask al- Bashir a question. When she explained that the U.S. has a free press, one official replied, "Well, we don't here." The Sudanese foreign minister later apologized.

Another deadly day for police in Iraq. At least six officers are dead after a series of attacks in eastern Baghdad. Two officers were gunned down early this morning. Later in the day, three other officers were killed in other attacks in the area. Officials also say the mutilated bodies of a police officer and two of his brothers were found in eastern Baghdad.

Also in Iraq, Saddam Hussein says his upcoming trial is a game. Saddam appeared in court Thursday. In video of the hearing, the ousted leader is critical of the proceedings and says he wants his attorney in court. The special tribunal has charged Saddam in connection with 1982 series of executions following an assassination attempt. A serious summer scorcher. It is hot, hot, hot from coast to coast. We'll show you the worst spots in the country and how people are coping when CNN LIVE TODAY continues right after a quick break.

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(WEATHER REPORT)

HARRIS: As Rob just mentioned, the deadly heat wave in the Southwest shows no signs of letting up, and officials are scrambling to help those most vulnerable, including the homeless.

CNN's Rick Sanchez reports from Phoenix.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RICK SANCHEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It is oppressive heat and it's clamping down on most of the country, but the Southwest seems to be suffering the most.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Excuse me, sir, did you get enough water today?

SANCHEZ: Here in Phoenix, volunteers bring bottles of cold water to people on the streets. Eighteen have already died of heat-related causes, almost all of them homeless, prompting Phoenix official to open air-conditioned shelters during the day, something they haven't done in years.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's just been a little overwhelming these last many days as people have come for relief from the heat, for water, for food and for shelter.

SANCHEZ: Yes, they're used to the hot weather here, but for weeks, temperatures have been above average. For ten straight days, they have soared to 109 degrees or higher and that isn't the only problem. There's little respite from the scorching heat even at night when lows still hover in the 90s and the drenching downpours that occur almost daily and normally help cool things off a bit this time of the year just haven't been happening.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I had no idea that it could be so intense. I mean, the air is even hot when the wind blows. That has you feel like you're cooking.

SANCHEZ: And people who make their living predicting weather say they're not surprised.

JEFFREY SCHULTZ, CHIEF CLIMATOLOGIST, WEATHER 2000: We're absolutely having a hotter summer than normal. This is something that we actually saw coming for a while, thanks to -- one of the key ingredients is amount of drought or lack of precipitation.

SANCHEZ: Whatever the cause, the crushing heat is causing havoc from coast to coast and north of the border. In Las Vegas, temperatures have hovered around 115 degrees every day for a week now. Illinois has had more 90-degree days this summer, than in the past two summers combined.

Los Angeles, feeling the heat as well, with temperatures reaching from the high 90s to 104 and there seems to be no end in sight. Even the East Coast is baking with temperatures in Boston and New York hovering in and around the 90s and with high humidity, making it even more uncomfortable.

And in parts of normally cool Canada, officials have had to import power to help keep up with demand. So what can we do to keep cool? Follow the same advice your mother probably gave you years ago...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stay out of the sun, plenty of fluids, you know, eat regularly, that's about it.

SANCHEZ (on camera): This is one of about four or five homeless shelters in the city of Phoenix, usually full to capacity at around 400 people. Now they're all the way up to 430. As you can see behind me, they have people actually sleeping on mats on the floor because they've just had to continue to allow people in. They usually put a limit on things, and as they do with people who may have a tendency to be disruptive because of alcoholism and drugs. But even with them, they're being more lenient.

Officials do say that they suspect the 18 people that died in the Phoenix area in the last couple of days, because of the heat, probably had other problems, including just that, alcohol and drugs. They say they're doing what they possibly can and hoping for the weather to cool down somewhat.

In Phoenix, I'm Rick Sanchez. Back to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: All right. Let's get you some survival tips for coping with the heat wave in our "Daily Dose" of health news.

Dr. Holly Phillips is a general internist in private practice, and she joins us from New York with some important advice. Holly, good to see you.

DR. HOLLY PHILLIPS, GENERAL INTERNIST: Good morning, Tony.

HARRIS: Got to ask you, this is the time of year where we hear drink fluids with electrolytes. What the heck is an electrolyte and why is that important when it gets this hot?

PHILLIPS: Well, electrolyte fluids, you know, we find most frequently in sports drinks, Gatorades, that sort of thing, as well as fruit juices. Electrolytes really help us to absorb nutrients and help to hold the fluid inside our bodies.

HARRIS: OK, so you find the electrolytes in those sports drinks that you mentioned. So what kinds of things should we avoid drinking?

PHILLIPS: Well, it's very important, the type of fluids that we choose. Obviously, water is great, juice and some of the sport drinks are good, as well. It's important to avoid things like soda, tea, coffee with caffeine and alcohol, as those things have what we call a diuretic effect. They make us lose more fluids than we're holding in our bodies.

HARRIS: But can you help yourself? Maybe this is an old wives' tale here, but can you help yourself during these months by eating lighter, eating more fruit, more vegetables?

PHILLIPS: Well, I do think it's a good idea to eat foods that are high in hydration, as well. Fruits and vegetables also give us a bit of fluid, whereas some of the breads and proteins don't.

HARRIS: What is it about -- we always hear the caution to the elderly and children. What is it about the systems of the elderly and the young that make them less heat tolerant?

PHILLIPS: Well, heat is -- you're right -- heat is hardest on the very young and the very old, particularly those who might be on medications that can interfere with the bodies' ability to clear heat. You know, the mechanisms are not necessarily clear, but we do know the very old and the very young should really be particularly careful when it comes to their heat exposure.

HARRIS: And, on the extreme end of this scale is heat stroke. Are there some signs, some things that we need to look out for?

PHILLIPS: Absolutely. It's very important to be able to identify the danger signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Some of the most important are headache, sense of confusion. We see some muscle aches at times. And if things really progress, you can actually see a loss of consciousness or convulsions.

HARRIS: You know, that's interesting. I see that one up there that said sweating. What sign -- maybe this is a sign of heat stroke -- when your body stops sweating?

PHILLIPS: That's actually a big red flag. If you stop sweating, that basically means that the body's ability to clear and to regulate its temperature has broken down. That's when we see heat stroke. And the body can increase its heat to about 105 degrees, even more than that. It's very dangerous.

HARRIS: Yikes. OK. Dr. Holly Phillips. Let's leave it there. Thank you. Good to see you again

PHILLIPS: Great to see you, too.

HARRIS: For your "Daily Dose" of health news online, log on to our We site. You'll find the latest medical stories, special reports and a health library. The address is CNN.com/health.

You may not have noticed, but in cities both in the U.S. and abroad, cameras may be following your every move. Hear from an expert about the price we are paying for security. That's next. Stay with us. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: 9/11 changed the way we fly and the attacks in London have made authorities take a closer look at security on the nation's trains and busses. Around the world, terrorism has raised concern about travel and, most importantly, who's traveling. It's an area Guy Martin knows something about. He's a senior correspondent for "Conde Nast Traveler," and he joins us live from New York.

Guy, good to see you.

GUY MARTIN, "CONDE NAST TRAVELER": Tony, thanks for having me.

HARRIS: Identity data collecting -- are people going to be surprised once they realize the extent to which their I.D., their personal information is getting worked over when they travel?

MARTIN: Yes, I mean, yes and no. We have to offer up some of the information in order to get on a plane. It's just that simple. The passenger name record is growing by leaps and bounds. In other words, the kind of information that the government and the airlines want to know about you -- how you purchased your ticket, where you live, whether your address agrees with the address on the credit card, various little-bitty forms of checks like this will be expanded and deepened in order to give the airlines and their security personnel, as well as the TSA an idea of who you are.

HARRIS: Guy, give us a sense of what happens when you hand a ticket agent, for example, a ticket, I.D., what happens? What information is contained and where, I guess, more importantly, where is it going?

MARTIN: All over the place. I mean, you know, the database is actually -- let me take a step back if I could.

HARRIS: Sure.

MARTIN: The databases now kind of communicate with each other, and I think one of the big pushes inside the federal government has certainly been since 9/11. Today by the way I should add is the anniversary of the publication -- or near the anniversary of the publication of the 9/11 report. That's about like a template of where our information has been brought to. And what I mean by that is that we are exploring various databases and how they communicate with each other, so that your birth and death records, your credit card history, your real estate records, your...

HARRIS: Wow!

MARTIN: These are not all automatically given to a ticket agent at the point of sale of the ticket. But certainly as we move through our land and into -- across borders and into other lands, this sort of information is becoming more and more accessible. I can't tell you definitively what we've got access to, but I can tell you that the databases are becoming more fluent with each other. HARRIS: When you travel abroad, let's say Europe, the focus of our attention over the last couple of weeks, for sure, data collection in Europe, it is far from uniform, isn't it?

MARTIN: Way far from uniform. Actually what's happened there, they're sort of where -- I would say where we were in 2002, 2003, we really after 9/11, we basically re-organized the federal government. So that the databases for entry into the country have grown. The electronic fingerprinting, of course, by now is rather famous. It's called the U.S. VISIT program. That's people coming into the states. I'll get to Europe in a sec. It's a biometric measure of your identification. Say you're an English or a German citizen, and they keep that on file now for 75 years. In other words, for a person in their 20s or 30s, until they're dead and their children are middle- aged.

Europe is a little bit further -- it's less unified, first of all.

HARRIS: Guy, I'm sorry, I have flat run out of time. That's bad time management on my part.

MARTIN: That's all right.

HARRIS: Let's have you back and we'll wrap up the Europe story.

MARTIN: I look forward to it.

HARRIS: OK, Guy, thank you.

MARTIN: Thanks a lot.

HARRIS: I'm Tony Harris, in for Daryn Kagan. International news is up next. Have a great day.

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