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CNN Live Today

London Terror Plot; Latest on Efforts to Find Peace in Middle East

Aired August 11, 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: This morning on both sides of the border. Israel now says 124 of its citizens have been killed since the fighting began on July 12th. Forty of the dead are civilians.
In Lebanon, security forces say 861 people have been killed, most of them civilians. It's unclear how many Hezbollah fighters have died.

Let's tell you what we know right now at the half hour about the airline terror plot. Shorter lines for passengers and a new line of duty for National Guardsmen. Troops are helping with airport security in California, New York and Massachusetts. Passengers also face a second security check today for those newly banned liquids and gels.

Evidence of an al Qaeda link may be growing, that from government officials in the U.S. and Great Britain. They tell CNN two of the 24 suspects now in custody may have met with a suspected al Qaeda operative in Pakistan.

Excuse me. Just looking at this. We're getting news from Reuters, They're reporting -- and this is getting back to the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. This comes from Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, ordering the army to expand their ground offensive into Lebanon on Friday. That would cite a lack of progress on the U.N. talks on a truce.

Now, if we have a picture of the United Nations, we've been watching what's happening there today as well. The top members of the Security Council meeting right now.

There is word, according to U.S. ambassador to the U.N., John Bolton, he says that they're very, very close to a deal. And he is hoping -- and he came out and said publicly that he hopes there could be a vote as early as this afternoon.

We're watching that with Richard Roth. This would appear, from Reuters, to be an expression of a frustration with a lack of a vote there. And the Prime Minister of Israel saying that they will go ahead with their ground offensive and push further into Lebanon. More on that. We'll check with our sources in Jerusalem and also with the United Nations to clarify those reports.

Meanwhile, back now to the London terror plot story, the view from London's Heathrow Airport and CNN's Isha Sesay. Isha?

ISHA SESAY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Daryn, the scene here is that planes are taking off and landing at Heathrow Airport this day. But in the terminal, as much as it was yesterday, a sea of people cramming those buildings, long ques, long delays and cancellations.

It's fair to say, the situation has eased somewhat from what it was in place yesterday, but, still, difficult times for passengers.

And, you know, what we have to remember is, Heathrow Airport is the busiest international airport in the world. Over 600 flights were canceled in and out of here yesterday. So there is quite a backlog to get through -- Daryn?

KAGAN: OK. All right. Isha, thank you. And Isha, one of these days I will get your name right. But it's a beautiful name. Isha, say it for me.

(LAUGHTER)

SESAY: Isha Sesay.

KAGAN: Isha Sesay, that's a beautiful name. Thank you, Isha Sesay. On a more serious note, we are watching developments at the U.N. We'll stay tuned for the latest from there.

Word from John Bolton, the U.S. Ambassador. He says a vote could come today on a Middle East peace agreement. We'll see if that will happen. We'll check in with Richard Roth. You're watching CNN, the most trusted name in news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Let's bring you the latest on the effort to find peace in the Middle East. A lot of pressure, a lot of eyes on the United Nations. The Security Council could be close to a vote on a peace agreement.

The U.S. ambassador to the U.N., John Bolton, saying earlier today, he believes they are very, very close to an agreement. And a vote could come today.

Meanwhile, though, the Israelis apparently not pleased with the lack of progress and a lack of a vote. The Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert saying today that he has given the green light for Israel to expand its ground offensive into Lebanon.

And this is a quote from the Prime Minister. He says, quote, "We said two days ago that we would stop fire either militarily or diplomatically. We see that the cease-fire deal and the U.N. is not making the required progress and, therefore, we have authorized military action."

And we are watching the action both at the U.N. and also along the Israeli-Lebanese border as well.

We'll bring you the progress. And we'll check in with Richard Roth on a possible vote straight ahead. Meanwhile, a strong earthquake felt today in Mexico City.

Fredricka Whitfield has the latest on that -- Fred?

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, again, Daryn. Well, a couple of hours ago, people in Mexico City were shaken from their homes, their offices. All of that because of a 5.9 quake.

It's considered a moderate quake. But it was indeed a pretty frightening jolt for a lot of folks.

These latest pictures are showing how hundreds of people, either voluntarily or through evacuation, left their offices, skyscrapers, went to the streets, all to assemble to figure out what is going on.

They all got the green light to go back into their buildings. Amazingly, no reports of any kind of structural damage because, as I say, it's considered a moderate quake. The epicenter is 126 miles west, southwest of downtown Mexico City. No reports of structural damage or injuries as well -- Daryn?

KAGAN: Thank you, Fred.

Getting back to the terror plot and how it's affecting your lives, especially if you're an airline passenger. Many seem to be adjusting to the new restrictions on liquids and gels.

But it has been anything but easy for duty-free stores and other airport shops. What about their bottom line? Our Susan Lisovicz is taking a look at that from the New York Stock Exchange.

Hello.

SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Daryn. Yes, they're getting squeezed when you think about it. You've already checked in and then you can't buy most of the products that they sell.

Duty-free stores bracing for a massive slowdown in sales because the new restrictions apply to many of the products international air travelers buy, including perfume, wine and liquor.

In fact, those liquid products make up half of the estimated $27 billion global duty-free business.

The new restrictions have the potential to reshape the duty-free sector, a major source of revenue for companies such as French Luxuries Goods Group, LVMH, Muway Hennesy (ph).

The owner of Duty-Free America, the biggest operator of duty-free stores here in the U.S., says the ban is unfair, because his products still have to be cleared through security.

Some duty-free operators are requesting a meeting with the Transportation Security Administration to develop a work-around that would meet security standards while allowing the stores to resume sales of their most profitable and requested items -- Daryn? KAGAN: Those of us who spend a lot of time in airports know there are more than duty-free retailers in the airports. How are those retailers doing?

LISOVICZ: Right. There are some airport retailers that are being hurt more than others. The new restrictions force cosmetics chain, The Body Shop, for instance, to shut down half of its airport stores. The ones that remain open are selling only nonliquid items such as bar soaps.

One big airport retailer said sales at its restaurants suffered yesterday but the restrictions could actually have a positive effect in the long run.

Many airlines are now advising passengers to get to the airport three hours before the time of their flights. And when travelers come to the airport earlier and linger longer, they could spend more at restaurants in the terminals.

But, of course, you can't eat things like perfume or hair gel. So those are off limits -- Daryn?

KAGAN: And how does that play into the retail sales report? Is it moving the markets today?

LISOVICZ: Yes, it really is, Daryn. Retail sales jumped nearly 1.5 percent last month. That's got investors concerned that the U.S. economy may not be slowing down as much as we thought, which may prompt the Federal Reserve to resume raising interest rates again next month.

Right now, the Dow Industrials are off 32 points or a quarter of a percent. The NASDAQ composite is down 12 or about two-thirds of a percent. That's the latest from Wall Street. Daryn, back to you.

KAGAN: All right. Thank you, Susan.

Today may be Friday, but CNN does not take the weekend off. Let's check in with Betty Nguyen for a look ahead to "CNN Saturday."

BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Coming up, could today's possible United Nations vote be the beginning of the end for the Middle East crisis? We'll speak with the man who helped broker a peace deal in Northern Ireland, former international peace negotiator Senator George Mitchell. He's a man who knows how to get it done.

Plus, the airport security alert.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED SECURITY PERSONNEL: No liquid items, ma'am, meaning hand sanitizer, toothpaste, shampoo.

(END VIDEO CLIP) NGUYEN: Just how potentially dangerous are those common household items, like hand lotion and mouthwash? We'll talk with an expert. Plus what you need to do before you leave for the airport to get through security smoothly.

And take a look at this. Find out how this college student's invention could change the way you shop in the future. It's quite interesting.

From London to Beirut, we'll take you live around the world beginning at 7:00 eastern tomorrow morning.

KAGAN: Betty, we look forward to that. Meanwhile, CNN has confirmed the word from Ehud Olmert that he approved and authorized the Israeli military to move further in with its ground offensive into Southern Lebanon. This apparently with frustration over what is happening or rather what is not happening at the United Nations, a lack of a vote on a cease-fire agreement.

Ehud Olmert says it's time for the Israelis to push further on the ground into Lebanon. The quote says "We said two days ago, we would stop the fire either militarily or diplomatically. No vote at the U.N. means that it's time for the Israelis to move on in on the ground further into Lebanon."

We are following that story from the U.N., and also from Israel and from Lebanon.

Getting back to the travel story and these new carry-on rules. What you have to toss, what you are allowed to take on board your flight, a live report coming up on CNN. It is the most trusted name in news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: A lot of parents these days struggling to find healthy ways to talk to their teens about healthy eating. Dr. Sanjay Gupta looks at how that conversation can make for a fit nation.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Kathy Kaysen and Molly Kaysen have a tight, mother-daughter relationship. They talk about everything from school to shopping to prom, also more sensitive subjects like weight and dieting.

MOLLY KAYSEN, DAUGHTER: Probably back in the sixth and seventh grade when I did go through my phase where I thought I was too overweight and I would barely be eating enough for like one meal, and that would be my day. And I think that was my drastic time.

KATHY KAYSEN, MOTHER: I think it's just all around them, advertising. And they just want to have that perfect body, which is so thin and, you know, it's not healthy.

GUPTA: Turns out, Molly is not alone. Many teenagers feel intense pressure from what they see in media and advertising and from their peers to be thin.

If you're a parent who has a teenager who's obese or struggling with weight issues, how do you approach the subject without hurting their self-esteem?

Dianne Neumark-Sztainer, author of "I'm like So Fat" has interviewed thousands of teenagers and offers up this insight.

DR. DIANNE NEUMARK-SZTAINER, PROFESSOR, and UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA: My advice to parents is to talk less and do more. We spend so much time talking about dieting and weight; not very effective. And what we can do can make a bigger difference.

GUPTA: She says parents should listen to how they talk about weight. Their words are powerful. And they should be positive.

K. KAYSEN: Perfect.

(LAUGHING)

NEUMARK-SZTAINER: You get dressed in the morning. Do you say something like "Do you think I look fat in these pants?" Or do you say, "Oh, I like the way I look."

Those kinds of messages can be strong for a teenage daughter growing up and looking at her mother.

GUPTA: So here's some specific things she says parents can do to help their teenagers. Focus less on weight and more on health. Encourage self-esteem rather than looks. Buy healthier foods and snacks. Get active. Work out together. Buy a family membership to a gym.

Mollie and her mother have created a healthy lifestyle. And they say dieting doesn't fit into their lives.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: We're following a developing story out of Jerusalem, also into southern Lebanon. The Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has given the OK and the authorization for the Israeli military to expand its ground offensive into southern Lebanon.

This, he says is an expression of the lack of movement at the United Nations where we do hear word they could be close to a vote on a cease-fire agreement. But that has not happened.

And the Israeli Prime Minister Olmert saying we had said we were going to try to stop the fire out of southern Lebanon one way or another, either diplomatically or militarily. No vote means they go in further.

Let's go into southern Lebanon, Tyre, That's where our Karl Penhaul is standing by. What that news may mean to a City like Tyre -- Karl?

KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Daryn, throughout the day we have seen heavy Israeli bombardments. Those have been concentrated on positions about three or four miles to the south of where we are, a kind of plainy area just beneath a hilly ridge there, which military experts say is a strategic area.

Some of those explosions have been very large explosions, bombs from some of those Israeli fighter jets. We also heard the sound of artillery fire.

And at one stage, as well, Israeli gunboats joined the fray and were firing shells into the coast line as well.

At the same time, we have also heard Hezbollah rockets going out in the course of the day. Mid-afternoon, we saw some kind of rocket, possibly Katyushas being fired off toward Israel.

And in the morning, we heard the sound of something that was possibly larger, possibly a Hezbollah rocket going off in that region.

It's not only the civilians that have been caught in the crossfire but the United Nations troops.

One of their bases south of where we are took a Hezbollah shell, one French peacekeeper was slightly injured in that attack. And this morning, a United Nations armored personnel carrier came under small arms fire from Hezbollah, although no injuries were reported from that -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Karl Penhaul, live in Southern Lebanon in the city of Tyre. Thank you.

We'll take a look at the new carry-on rules ahead. What you can take, what you can't on board your flight. A live report coming up on CNN, the most trusted name in news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Many of you have to travel with your medication or you need to bring formula on board the plane for your baby. Here to explain what you can have, what you can't, our medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen.

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: There are a lot of can-nots. We've been hearing about them for two days, lotions, gels, liquids. There are a few cans. They fall into two categories.

The first one is if you were traveling with a baby or small child, can you bring formula, breast milk or juice. Contrary to what a lot of people have said, you do not have to taste it. In the United States, they are not making people taste it. They are going to look at it and give it scrutiny, but you do not have to taste it. And you do have to have a baby or small child with you. You can't just bring these things on if you don't have that. The second category has to do with medications. You can bring a prescription drug but the name on the prescription, on the label has to match with your ticket.

You can also bring essential nonprescription medicines such as insulin. But, again, look at that word essential, medicine. You really want to think through what you're taking and not taking.

Let's say you have a cough and you buy over-the-counter cough medicine, you want to take it on your flight, do you really need it during the course of the flight? Or can you check it or not bring it at all and buy it when you get to your destination. It's more time, more of a hassle.

KAGAN: Something you might want to check on, nursing mothers.

COHEN: Yes, yes.

KAGAN: Coming up in a few weeks for you. You might be out of town on a story and have pumped, so you're bringing breast milk with you but there's no baby.

COHEN: That's a problem, actually. We asked them about that. What if there's breast milk and no baby? And they said basically tough luck. You cannot carry on breast milk unless you have the baby right there with you. You could pack it up with cold packs and whatnot and check it if you wanted to. You cannot carry it on with you if there's no baby present.

KAGAN: All right. Elizabeth Cohen, thank you. We'll keep that in mind when sending you on assignments.

COHEN: Thank you.

KAGAN: Thank you. That will wrap up our couple hours together. I'm Daryn Kagan. Keep watching CNN, "Your World Today" is up next.

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