Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Today

Iraq's Vice President Criticizes Israel; Raw Grief in Southern Lebanon; Six Killed in New Orleans Over Weekend

Aired July 31, 2006 - 11:30   ET

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

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We're at the half-hour. Let's take a look at what we know right now. A comprehensive settlement to the crisis. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says that she believes that's attainable by the end of the week. Rice is now headed home after a trip to Israel.
There's more violence today after announcing a two-day halt in its air campaign over Lebanon. The Israeli military attacked more targets. In northern Israel, at least two Hezbollah rocket attacks are reported today.

Raw grief, and growing anger in southern Lebanon today -- both emotions are on display after these pictures, Israeli missiles leaving civilian carnage behind.

With more on that, we're going to check in with Ben Wedeman, but let me caution you, his report contains graphic images that come with the violent conflict.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Another stretcher, another body. The ambulances are full of the dead -- children, women, old men, crushed while hiding in the basement.

An Israeli bomb landed right next to a house in the village of Qana where dozens of women, children, and old people had taken shelter. There's a 4-month-old baby under the rubble says Qana resident Rihad Shelhoub (ph). Lebanese army officers say they counted more than 80 strikes on Qana overnight. Large parts of the town have been totally devastated. Those who have come to help pause as another Israeli jet roars overhead.

(On camera): This town was struck just after midnight. The Israeli army says it gave the inhabitants fair warning to leave. Some didn't.

(Voice-over): Town residents say they couldn't. We wanted them to leave, but they didn't have any money, says Jalil Shelhoub (ph). Cars and ambulances are being hit. They were forced to stay here. We offered several times to take them out, says this town resident. But they were poor. They were hoping nothing would happen to them.

It's difficult to confirm Israeli claims that Qana is an important base of operations for Hezbollah. In April 1996, during Operation Grapes of Wrath, more than 100 Lebanese civilians were killed when Israeli artillery hit a United Nations compound. Ten years later, death has come again to Qana. Ben Wedeman, CNN, Qana, south Lebanon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: Scathing criticism of Israel today. It comes from Iraq's vice-president. The latest on that from our Harris Whitbeck who is in Baghdad. Harris, hello.

HARRIS WHITBECK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Daryn. The Iraqi vice-president said that the Israeli air strike was an act of aggression. He considered it a "horrible massacre." And he said it insights all Iraqis into spirit of brotherhood and solidarity.

He said that in his speech that was intended by Iraq's president, by the prime minister, and other top government officials. It was a much harsher reaction to that which was issued yesterday by the Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki. The top Shiite religious leader in Iraq also criticized the Israeli air strike on Sunday. And he demanded an immediate cease-fire. And he warned that Islamic nations will not forgive the entities that hinder a cease-fire. That was a veiled reference to the United States.

In Baghdad, there was a small demonstration this morning in Sadr City. About 200 people, including women and children, were out on the streets chanting their opposition to the Israeli air strike, and saying that Allah should grant victory to Hassan Nasrallah. So the reaction here has been, again, much more intense today than it was yesterday. Daryn.

KAGAN: Harris, what about -- and speaking of intense, what about the latest round of violence there over the weekend?

WHITBECK: Well, the weekend was relatively quiet. But that's not the case for today. There were two incidents in which several people were kidnapped.

A group of armed gunmen who were dressed in military uniforms went into a business sector in Baghdad. They went into the offices of a telecommunications company and into the offices of the Iraqi American Chamber of Commerce and Industry. In both of those offices, they took a total of 26 people hostage. They took them with them. And no word has been heard of what might have happened to them.

They were also bodies of five people who had been pulled out of a car near Tikrit north of Baghdad. Those bodies were found today. They'd all been shot in the head by apparently an unidentified gunman. So the violence continues here. That despite the fact that there are more U.S. troops on the streets of the Iraqi capital. Daryn.

KAGAN: Harris Whitbeck, live from Baghdad. Thank you.

A Changing of the guard in Afghanistan -- NATO taking over command from the U.S.-led coalition in the southern part of the country. It's the latest tactic to crush a spike in Taliban attacks. The 8,000 strong NATO forces, led by a British general -- troops are mostly British, Canadian, and Dutch. But there are Americans as well. It's the first time a non-American has commanded the U.S. forces in combat.

Well, a woman who came to Israel to start a new life, her dream now shattered. Straight ahead, Dr. Sanjay Gupta on the doctors working together to save lives in the Middle East conflict. You're watching CNN, the most trusted name in news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

Interesting and perhaps controversial move on the morning after pill by the U.S. government. Betty Nguyen has details on that.

BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Yeah, Daryn, a lot of talk about this. The FDA today says that it is going to consider allowing the morning after pill, this emergency birth control pill, to be allowed over the counter, which means without a prescription, to women 18 years and older.

Now not to be confused, this pill, the morning after pill, also known as plan B, is available to all women, but with a prescription. And so what the FDA is doing is trying to determine whether it should be sold over the counter without a prescription to women 18 years and older.

And I have a statement from the FDA which says basically -- this is what they're trying to determine and establish -- which is a framework that strikes a balance between providing access to this medicine and insuring the right policies are in place to promote its safe use. Again, if it's over the counter, they want to make sure that it is regulated and doesn't fall in the hands of people who should not be buying it. Again they're looking and seeing if it should be sold without a prescription to women 18 years and older.

And just a quick note, Daryn, the morning after pill is basically a high dose of a regular birth control pill which, when it's used 72 hours after unprotected sex, it does reduce your chances of becoming pregnant by 89 percent. So the FDA has a big decision on their hands. And they're going to be speaking with the maker of the over the counter -- well, not just yet -- the morning after pill to be determined if it should be sold over the counter.

KAGAN: Betty Nguyen, at the Breaking News Desk. Thank you.

NGUYEN: Sure.

KAGAN: And to get your daily dose of health news online, just log on to our Web site. You'll find the latest medical news, a health library, and information on diet and fitness. The address is CNN.com/health.

Killing after killing in New Orleans -- now, new concerns that the city's image is in even more danger. Six people were killed in New Orleans over the weekend, all in a 24-hour period. City leaders worry that violent crime will hurt tourism as the city tries to recover from Katrina. CNN's Shawn Callebs has more. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Crime tape, police lights, and another bloody weekend in post Katrina, New Orleans.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't know. Nothing's going on if they got my grand baby. Please bring him to me.

CALLEBS: Six people dead in three separate shootings this weekend. And this, after five teenagers were killed a month and a half ago in a bloody shooting. Authorities blame the recent violence on the drug trade. New Orleans is struggling to rebuild, bring its residents back, and see tourists once again fill the French Quarter. But ask Mayor Ray Nagin about a perceived crime problem, and he offers this rosy assessment.

RAY NAGIN, MAYOR, NEW ORLEANS: The National Guard state troopers and the NOPD have done an incredible job. Crime is dropping dramatically.

CALLEBS: City leaders say fewer people were killed this year in New Orleans compared to the same date last year. But there are far fewer citizens in the city right now. In an effort to allay fears that could cripple the rebuilding effort, police are telling tourists and law-abiding citizens, they aren't being targeted.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But it is clearly, clearly, people who live the life that are involved in drugs and violence who are killing each other and who are dying.

CALLEBS: And they say the spade of killings coincides with government benefits running out for Katrina victims.

JOHN BRYSON, DEPARTMENT SUPERINTENDENT, NEW ORLEANS POLICE: What's happening is that they have no jobs. They have no place to stay. So therefore, they take to the streets and try to support themselves through the narcotics trade, which is dangerous.

CALLEBS: In fact, police say, this sign is right on the mark.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And I don't know what is next, what we're going to do with the young people.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: From Louisiana, the Governor, Blanco, says that she's extending the time that state police and National Guard will remain in New Orleans. They're expected to pull out in September.

Coming up on the quarter hour let's take a look at what we know right now. A comprehensive settlement to the crisis. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says she believes that's attainable by the end of the week. Rice is now headed home after a trip to Israel.

And there's more violence today after announcing a two-day halt in its air campaign over Lebanon. The Israeli military attacks more targets. In northern Israel at least two Hezbollah rocket attacks are reported today.

I want to check in on the southern part of Lebanon. Karl Penhaul is just back from an area in that part of the country with some of the heaviest fighting has taken place in the village of Bint Jbeil. He's with me now from Tyre to tell us what he saw.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE))

KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is downtown Bint Jbeil, or at least what's left of it. This was the scene of some of the heaviest combat. For their part, the Israeli military says they fought Hezbollah guerillas here hand-to-hand, door-to-door, window-to- window.

But I've also talked to a member of the Hezbollah militia, and he says there were no running gun battles in downtown. He says there were no Hezbollah fighters here in town. Though he does say around a hundred Hezbollah fighters were stationed in the hills roundabout.

I've also talked this morning to a doctor who remained in Bint Jbeil Hospital through the thick of the fighting. He said it was so intense at one stage, he counted 300 Israeli artillery shells falling on the town in a space of just half an hour. Karl Penhaul, CNN, Bint Jbeil, South Lebanon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: Breaking news right here in Atlanta, Georgia. Betty Nguyen with more on that. Betty?

NGUYEN: We've been watching this Daryn. I'm trying to give you some live pictures. It appears that our affiliate is on the scene in Downtown Atlanta. In fact, this is in midtown Atlanta, where an office building has been evacuated after a suspicious package was found there.

And we were watching just a little bit earlier. They had sent a robot in to determine what kind of package this is and check that out. Now, according to our affiliate, this is WSB -- what you're seeing the pictures of right now -- as it moves closer to the mid town area, you'll see the building. It's called the Presidio -- Persiniam I should say.

And it is kind of hard to tell right now, because it's such a wide shot. But as it closes in, I'll tell you which one it is. But it is one of the high-rise buildings, right there. You see it there. And basically it was evacuated because of the suspicious package. You see the officers on the scene.

But here's what's very interesting about this. The captain of the Atlanta Fire Department told our affiliate WSB that this same building, where this package was found this morning, also had a minor fire last week. Now, I don't know if that is related in any way. But, as you can see, there's a lot going on at this building to determine if this package is something that they really truly need to be worried about. But they are taking every single precaution that needs to be done, including evacuating the building.

We apologize for these shaky shots. But again, it is a high-rise in midtown Atlanta, which is not too far from downtown. And they're working on it. And we'll let you know.

Actually, I'm just being told right -- here you go. Here is what I was telling you about Daryn -- that robot that was sent into the building to check out this package. Obviously they're taking every precaution that they can, because they don't know what's inside of this package. But they've also evacuated the building to make sure that if indeed it's something that is explosive, everyone is out.

But the key here too is, as you well know Daryn, this being the mid town area of Atlanta, there are a lot of people who work and live down there. And this indeed is a high-rise. So they've evacuated this particular building as we're watching that robot go inside of it.

Now we don't know any details or where the package came from, or exactly who found it this morning. But it is of suspicion. And they are checking it out at this moment. As soon as we get more information on it, Daryn, we'll bring it to you.

KAGAN: All right, yeah. One of the busiest parts of Atlanta at this time of day, between people living there and working there. Betty, thank you.

Heading to California, take a look at this. Whoa! Close call in California -- danger at the gas pump. We'll tell you what one of the people went back -- see him go back in his car. We'll tell you what he's looking for there. Coming up on CNN, the most trusted name in news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Let's go ahead and take a look at what we know right now, and what's happening in the Middle East.

A comprehensive settlement to the crisis -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says she believes that's attainable by the end of the week. Rice is now headed home after a trip to Israel.

There's more violence, though, to report today after announcing a two-day halt in its air campaign over Lebanon, the Israeli military attacked more targets. In northern Israel, at least two Hezbollah rocket attacks are reported today.

Arabs and Jews working together to save lives, no matter who they are or where they're from. Our senior medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, has that story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Galina Zololenro (ph) is 43, Russian and divorced. She immigrated to Israel to start a new life just two weeks ago. Her timing couldn't have been worse. After only ten days. She became a casualty of one of those randomly fired Katyusha rockets. She tells me she remembers nothing of the explosion. Shrapnel went through her leg. Doctors tried to save it but could not.

DR. HANY BAHOUTH, RAMBAM HOSPITAL: But it wasn't a salvageable injury that we can take care and do a ray (ph) transplantation.

GUPTA: I made rounds with her doctor, Hany Bahouth. He's an Arab working at northern Israel's largest hospital.

BAHOUTH: I am an Arab, yes. I am an Arab.

GUPTA: There's a war going on.

BAHOUTH: It's a war going on. And I'm a surgeon. I'm a doctor, I'm above all these things that I'm an Arab or a Jew or a Christian or a Muslim or a Drews (ph). We have here a lot ethnities. And as a doctor I'm above all these things, especially when we're taking care of patients.

GUPTA: At Rambam hospital, Arabs and Jews work together to take care of all patients no matter where they're from. Galina belongs to Haifa's growing community of Russian immigrants.

(On camera): And it is Russians that are probably the hardest hit. They are one of the most impoverished communities in Haifa. And they are also scared. This is a bomb shelter, and several Russian families have actually decided to move down here, actually live down here, for the last two weeks. Let's take a look.

You can actually see that this is a shelter down here. This is to try and protect people. The most remarkable thing is that children have been living down here for two weeks, their parents will actually make these quick runs out of the shelter to a store to buy some food and water, bring it back down. They have no idea how long they're going to be down here. They have no resources. They're very frightened. And for now this is their home.

(Voice-over): Galina never made it to a shelter. Now, if there is a positive side to her story at all, it is this. Because she lost her leg in a terrorist military act, she qualifies, even as a brand- new immigrant, for the highest category of the Tua Lui Mi (ph), which is a sort of national social security.

As with victims of suicide bombings, the government of Israel will cover all of her medical costs, including prosthesis, give her a lifelong stipend, even pay for her burial. In some ways, financially certainly she's better off than she was when she came here two weeks ago. But her new life in Israel will be different in ways she could have never imaged. Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, Haifa.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: Want to let you know, we expect to get tape of President Bush that was shot in South Florida, in Miami today. He's going to make some comments on Iran and some moves taking place at the United Nations earlier today.

While we wait for that tape to come in, let's go ahead check in on business news and Susan Lisovicz has that. So Susan, if I do that rude thing where I just jump in --

SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: I've already been warned. And it's something we do at an all-news network. And that's fine with me.

I want to tell about the latest competitor to try to take a little piece of the apple pie, Daryn. Verizon Wireless releasing a new phone that doubles as a music player. It even has a design that includes a click wheel similar to the iPod.

The Verizon Chocolate Phone made by Korea's L.G. electronics -- that's what they're calling it, Chocolate, although it looks black. It will be in stores one week from today and will sell for $249 with a two-year contract. The phone, another attempt by wireless carriers to grab market share from Apple and to tap into another new source of revenue, music downloads from their own stores. That's the latest from me, Daryn back to you.

KAGAN: All right. Good enough just to call it chocolate, I'm in. Thank you.

LISOVICZ: You're welcome.

KAGAN: Here's President Bush who was in South Florida earlier today making comments on Iran. Well, that's what you call live television and rewinding the tape. Looks like the tape's ready to go this time. Let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: This resolution follows up on the North Korea resolution. And it goes to show that when America takes the lead, works with our friends, the nation accomplishes (inaudible). And now Condi Rice comes back from the Middle East, and we are working with our friends and allies on a resolution (inaudible) Lebanon. The Iranians must hear loud and clear loud and clear that this is (inaudible).

We're working together to make sure they do not end up with a nuclear weapon or the know-how to build a nuclear weapon. Again I want to thank or allies for this very important resolution and to remind the American people that we've got a strategy in place. We'll send a common message, a unified message to the Iranian leadership. I want to thank you all for coming. I appreciate it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: That message coming from the U.N. And here's U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., John Bolten.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) JOHN BOLTEN, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO UNITED NATIONS: If we still have Iranian obfuscation or a flat rejection of the E.U. 3 plus 3 offer by August the 31st.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You just the one dissenting voice, that of (inaudible) I guess you mean. You said it's on timing, not on the substance of the resolution. Were you surprised, because the procedure had us believe this is a presidential draft, and that countries can tell if hey have any objection on Saturday. Did you know that they had objection? When did you know that the (inaudible) are going to surprise you with a no? Did they surprise you with a no?

BOLTEN: We're informed of the vote beforehand and of the reasons for it, which, as I say, listening to the explanation to vote strikes me as concerns about timing, not about substance.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: On the one hand that you know you are concerned about the Hezbollah and the Middle East (inaudible). On the other hand, you are supporting (inaudible) in the north of Iraq (inaudible) Turkey. It's almost 15 years. How do you like justice?

BOLTEN: Well, actually, that's not the case, but not the subject of our discussions here in any event. Yes, sir.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: On this Iranian resolution which was just announced, there is an indication that Iranian may accept this deal before August 22, which they've been saying. So in fact if they do, this resolution will still stand as monitor of what Iran is doing or will it die away?

BOLTEN: No, the resolution will still be there, obviously, and as a signal to Iran. But if Iran wants to respond, they should call Mr. Salona's office in Brussels. I'm sure he'll be there, someone will answer the phone. And they can give us an answer instead of the non-answer they've given us so far.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: That's U.S. Ambassador to United Nations John Bolten commenting on a move at the U.N. The Security Council has passed a resolution giving Iran until August 31 to suspend uranium enrichment or face sanctions. More ahead in "YOUR WORLD TODAY" at the top of the hour. I'm Daryn Kagan. Keep watching CNN. "YOUR WORLD TODAY" is up next.

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