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Israel's President Skips First Day of Israeli Parliament's Winter Session; Madonna Adoption Bid; Sunni Insurgent Group Ready to Negotiate With U.S.

Aired October 16, 2006 - 12:00   ET

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

JIM CLANCY, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Scandal strikes the Israeli president. Will he be indicted?
ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: An American celebrity's adoption bid draws opposition, but the little boy at the center of it all may already have left Malawi.

CLANCY: And Ireland and Guinness do indeed go hand in hand. We'll look at how that longstanding relationship just may be changing.

CHURCH: Hello, and welcome to our report broadcast around the world.

I'm Rosemary Church.

CLANCY: I'm Jim Clancy.

From Israel to Britain, Malawi to Ireland, wherever you are watching, this is YOUR WORLD TODAY.

Well, as Israel's president fights for his political life, the prime minister makes a peace overture to Lebanon.

We begin in Jerusalem, where it's the first day of parliament's winter session. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is making headlines for what he said, but the country's president, Moshe Katsav, is making news for skipping the session altogether.

Let's get right to John Vause in Jerusalem to explain all of this.

John, quite the political scandal here.

JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Rosemary. In fact, all the news today was meant to be what did not happen, a no-show by Israel's president at the opening session of the winter parliament of Israel's Knesset.

Now, we are all expecting Moshe Katsav not to show up. He didn't show up. That's because police have recommended charges against him, serious charges ranging from rape, assault, sexual harassment, illegal wiretapping, just to name a few.

But during that opening session, it was the Israeli prime minister, Ehud Olmert, who made news of his own, calling on his Lebanese counterpart to begin direct peace talks.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EHUD OLMERT, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER (through translator): I would like to take advantage of this opportunity to call on Fouad Siniora, the prime minister of Lebanon, to meet with me directly, not through mediators, in order to bring about peace between us and Lebanon.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: In that same speech, Mr. Olmert said he was also willing to meet immediately with the Palestinian Authority president, Mahmoud Abbas. He said Mahmoud Abbas was in fact a partner for peace, but he also in that same speech rejected out of hand any talk of holding peace negotiations with Syria, despite some overtures coming from Damascus over the last couple of weeks.

All of this, of course, against the backdrop of that presidential sex scandal. Moshe Katsav, the ceremonial figure head of the Jewish state, now, at the very least, surviving for his -- sorry, fighting for his political survival.

At worse, he could be facing jail time. Those charges, the most serious of them rape, carry jail time up to 16 years. The attorney general is now reviewing that police recommendation. In the next couple of days, maybe the next week or so, the attorney general will decide if there is enough evidence to indict the president -- Rosemary.

CHURCH: All right. Our John Vause in Jerusalem.

Thanks so much.

CLANCY: A little boy from one of the world's poorest countries will soon belong to one of the world's richest families, perhaps. That is if Madonna has her way. A private plane carrying the 1-year- old that she is seeking to adopt left Malawi a few hours ago, despite attempts by some to block that adoption.

Paula Hancocks is following the story from London -- Paula.

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Jim.

Well, we do know that that private jet did leave with, we believe, David Banda, this 13-month-old baby that Madonna and her film director husband, Guy Ritchie, want to adopt. Now, it did leave along with one of Madonna's bodyguards on its way to Johannesburg. Now, we're trying to confirm at this point whether or not this plane will then come to Britain this evening, or whether that will be tomorrow.

Now, we do now that at this point, Madonna does have custodial rights over this particular baby. Now, usually within Malawi law it takes about 18 months for a potential parent to stay in the country. Eighteen months, it has to stay there, it has to undergo checks, it has to be with the child it wants to adopt. But a high court in Malawi decided that Madonna did have "special circumstances". So, that 18 months could take place in Britain.

Now, there are a lot of legal hurdles for Madonna and her husband to overcome. There are legal proceedings which are expected to start any moment now.

They were expected to start on Monday. Probably now they'll start Tuesday.

And many human rights organizations say this is not right. If Madonna is allowed to do this, then in the future other couples will try to do this. And this could lead to future problems, as there could be human traffickers, even, it has been suggested, that could try and do this in the future, as well -- Jim.

CLANCY: Paula Hancocks reporting to us there live from London.

CHURCH: All right. We want to turn now to the sectarian violence that's spinning out of control in Iraq.

CLANCY: Dozens of dead bodies turning up daily. A main Sunni insurgent group, though, now says it's ready to talk about ending the violence.

CHURCH: Iraqi police found more than 100 bodies over the past three days. Twenty-six of them were in Balad, a Shiite town north of Baghdad.

Now, those bodies did show some signs of torture. The victims appear to have been killed execution style. Violence exploded in Iraq Friday when the headless bodies of 17 Shia Muslims were found there. Shia quickly retaliated by killing Sunnis and forcing others to leave town.

CHURCH: And The Associated Press reports two near-simultaneous car bombs killed at least 15 people in a mixed neighborhood in northern Baghdad.

In an unusual move, a top Sunni insurgent group offered a way out of the cycle of violence, it says. In response to submitted questions, CNN has received a videotaped message that features an offer to the United States and an explanation of why they fight.

Michael Ware is in Baghdad with this exclusive story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAEL WARE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Amidst a wave of guerilla attacks for the holy month of Ramadan, and a spiraling American death toll, one of Iraq's most significant insurgent groups has reiterated its willingness to negotiate with U.S. forces.

The renewed offer of dialogue comes from the Islamic Army of Iraq, a leading member of one of the most powerful factions within the insurgency. Using known Islamic army insurgent channels, questions were passed to the network's leadership.

Their response to CNN came in a professionally produced video which obscured the speaker's face. That speaker is purported to be Ibrahim al-Shimri (ph), the group's official spokesman. While his identity cannot be confirmed, the voice is consistent with audio statements released previously on the Internet.

In the interview, the spokesman gives what is possibly the most articulate address to a Western audience to emerge from the Iraq war, displaying a keen understanding of domestic politics in America.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): We in the Islamic army, as we have announced many times, do not reject the principle of negotiations with the Americans. But only if the Americans are serious.

WARE: In the wide-ranging question-and-answer, he canvases the group's relationship with al Qaeda, the state of the sectarian conflict, and one of the greatest motivations driving many Sunni insurgent groups, combating Iranian influence in Iraq, which he says amounts to a dual occupation of the country.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): America and Iran have occupied Iraq. America is the disease that caused the infection, which is the Iranian occupation. But now the infection has become even more dangerous than the disease.

WARE: Speaking directly to the American public, he urges people to question President Bush's record on Iraq, vowing the will of the insurgents is far from broken. A promise this war has a long way to go.

Michael Ware, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: All right. We do want to check some other stories making news this hour.

CLANCY: Let's begin at the Vatican, where officials are confirming now Pope Benedict will indeed visit Turkey next month. That trip had been put in doubt by recent comments the pope made about Islam. Turkey is predominantly Muslim but is officially secular.

CHURCH: A Sri Lankan defense spokesman calls it a deliberate, barbaric terrorist attack. More than 90 Sri Lankan sailors were killed when a truck loaded with explosives rammed into their convoy. It happened in Habarana, some 240 kilometers from the capital. A navy official accused the separatist Tamil Tiger rebels of carrying out that attack.

CLANCY: The race for the presidency of Ecuador headed for a runoff now. Neither banana kingpin Alvaro Noboa nor leftist Rafael Correa won an outright victory in this weekend's election. A second round of voting between the market-friendly Alboa, and Correa, an ally of Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez, is going to take place in November.

CHURCH: All right. After a short break on YOUR WORLD TODAY, we're going to tackle the global problem of hunger.

CLANCY: Today is World Food Day, and we're going to check to see if the problem is getting any worse or getting better.

CHURCH: And what role will China play in enforcing the U.N. sanctions against North Korea?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH: And a warm welcome back to you all. You're watching YOUR WORLD TODAY, where we bring CNN's viewers around the globe up to speed on the most important international stories of the day.

Well, Washington says the crisis in Darfur is nothing less than genocide. But so far, no one has been able to convince Khartoum to accent U.N. peacekeepers to help stabilize the region.

Also, key to ending the violence is the disarming of Darfur's Janjaweed militia. According to Sudan's English language daily, "The Citizen," a Sudanese cabinet spokesman says a plan has been drafted to do just that. It says a plan to disarm the Janjaweed has been submitted to the African Union and will be carried out in the next two months. It does not say how.

CLANCY: The United Nations also has its hands full with North Korea. In the wake of that nuclear test, now confirmed by U.S. officials, the United Nations Security Council resolution calls for inspections of North Korean cargo coming in and out of the country.

A key player in ensuring the sanctions work is China. But as Jaime FlorCruz tells us, gaining Beijing's cooperation is a diplomatic effort all on its own.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JAIME FLORCRUZ, CNN BEIJING BUREAU CHIEF (voice over): One week after North Korea says it conducted a nuclear test, the U.N. Security Council sent a unanimous message: Pyongyang must be punished. Not so unanimous is just how to do it.

One controversial measure of the U.N. resolution, inspections of cargo going in and out of North Korea, especially via ports and sea. China says it won't participate in such inspections because it wants to avoid situations like this: a firefight in 2001 between the Japanese coast guard and a fishing boat suspected of spying for North Korea.

Still, the U.S. is not taking no for an answer.

JOHN BOLTON, U.S. AMB. TO U.N.: And I'm sure, sure that China is going to abide by the very resolution that it voted for. How it accomplishes that I'm sure we'll have discussions about. But let's be clear, they voted in favor of the resolution that provides for an inspection regime.

FLORCRUZ: That's true. But will China give in to U.S. demands?

STEVE VICKERS, PRESIDENT AND CEO, INTERNATIONAL RISK: China doesn't react well to pressure from the U.S. And I think looking at it through the U.S. prism, I fully understanding the viewpoint. From the China's point of view, I doubt that they're going to be pushed or bullied by the U.S. into adopting measures that are not in their national interest. So, I think these sanctions are not going to do the job.

FLORCRUZ: The U.S. also points out that China, as North Korea's main supplier of food and energy, would be "powerfully persuasive" if it cut off its aid. But U.N. aid agencies say emergency food aid to North Korea should not be suspended.

A World Food Program team who shot this video in North Korea last week found recipients of past food aid looking well for now. But without more aid from countries like China, many North Koreans face severe hunger.

MICHAEL HUGGINS, WORLD FOOD PROGRAM: The food delivery to North Korea is absolutely critical for ensuring people get a minimum amount of food to survive. This year's harvest has been the worst in two years, and there's a deficit of about 800,000 tons.

FLORCRUZ: Experts warn it's not in China's national interest to do anything that could destabilize its neighbor.

VICKERS: Two million refugees or more on your border, it would not be something that any -- any country would want.

FLORCRUZ (on camera): Without China's full cooperation in the inspection of North Korean cargo, the U.N. resolution will be largely ineffective. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will be traveling to Beijing this week to put a squeeze on China and to seek a united front against North Korea.

Jaime FlorCruz, CNN, Beijing.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CLANCY: Millions upon millions of people all around the globe are simply not getting enough to eat.

CHURCH: Coming up on YOUR WORLD TODAY, we'll talk to the executive director of the World Food Program and ask about efforts to end hunger on this World Food Day.

CLANCY: Also ahead, a heartwarming gesture from the U.S. National Football League. It makes a dream come true for one little boy.

We'll have his story coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, everyone. I'm Heidi Collins at the CNN Center in Atlanta.

More of YOUR WORLD TODAY in just a few minutes. But first, a check on stories making headlines in the United States.

North Korea's claim it conducted an underground nuclear test now confirmed. That confirmation in a statement from the office of the director of National Intelligence here in the U.S. It says analysis of air samples collected shortly after last Monday's test confirms the presence of radioactive debris.

With North Korea staring at new international sanctions, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice heads to Asia tomorrow to try to ease tensions in the region. We're expecting to learn more about that trip at a news conference coming this afternoon.

Sanctions cleared the Security Council over the weekend. Now the key issue is enforcement.

A U.S. diplomat talked about the sanctions on CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING".

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NICHOLAS BURNS, UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE: I think you'll see that China -- that North Korea is isolated because of this action, and it's going to impose on countries like China and Russia, South Korea, ourselves, Japan, the necessity of making sure that all of us are stopping trade in nuclear items, we're banning visits by North Korean officials to our countries. And we do have the ability if there is suspicious cargo on ships to stop those ships and to search them. That is a resolution with real teeth.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: The White House, of course, watching to see how things play out. President Bush hopes to sit down today with Condoleezza Rice and U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. John Bolton.

The Mark Foley investigation -- the House Ethics Committee hearing from Congressman Rodney Alexander's chief of staff today. Alexander sponsored the page at the center of the e-mail scandal. Alexander's chief of staff says concerns over Foley messages to the page were passed on to Speaker Dennis Hastert's office one year ago.

Hastert and his staff haven't yet appeared before the Ethics Committee. The investigation is not expected to wrap up before the crucial midterm elections.

New developments in the killing of a young Florida family. The sheriff's department says this Jeep does belong to the family killed last week.

The SUV was found this morning in West Palm Beach. That's about 70 miles from where the bodies were dumped along a road in St. Lucie County.

Police say Jose Escobedo was just one day away from his 29th birthday when he was shot on Friday. His wife Yessica and two young sons also were killed. All of the victims shot several times.

Investigators believe the attacker was in the Jeep at some point before the family was killed. They are hoping the vehicle can provide some crucial evidence. They are also studying bullets, casings and blood from the crime scene.

Jittery nerves, rumbling aftershocks. Here is what we know right now about the quake that jolted Hawaii's big island Sunday.

The state's governor puts out a disaster declaration. It was the strongest quake since 1983 to hit the big island. Officials now say the quake measured 6.7. Only minor injuries that we know of, but some areas did get hit with heavy damage to homes and roads.

When you don't have power, life is tough. Just ask the people in Buffalo, New York. More than 200,000 are still without electricity after last week's record snowstorm. Schools are closed and several suburban districts have canceled classes for the entire week.

Downed powerlines and fallen trees make it hard to get around. Power for much of the region isn't expected to be back on until the weekend. President Bush has declared a state of emergency.

Deadly flooding in Houston. Ten inches of rainfall fell there overnight, making roads almost impassable. Two people were found dead in an SUV on one flooded street. There is more rain expected in Texas today.

Awful news there.

Jacqui Jeras in the weather center now with an update on all of that.

Hi, Jacqui.

JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Hi, Heidi.

Yes, a lot more rain. In fact, we could see an additional three to six inches overall, as the system continues to pull on through, bringing in some tropical moisture. And we also have the threat of some severe thunderstorms, including tornadoes.

And we do have one warning which is in effect for Sabine County. You can see it right there. And down here in Jasper County we have a severe thunderstorm warning.

These are both pushing up to the north and to the east around 40 miles per hour. You can see a tornado watch also in effect across the region.

Now, Houston, most of the heavy rain has been on the east side of town. But you can see just off to the west and on up to the north right now is where we're getting some of the heaviest rain amounts. We could see a good one to two inches per hour with these isolated cells, and with those amounts that we just heard Heidi mention, up to 10 inches.

We have flashflood warnings in effect for much of the metro there. That will continue until 12:45 Central Time. And there you can see flood watches extending across much of Louisiana, into Mississippi.

This whole system, Heidi, is going to be moving off to the east, and we'll watch for this to move into places like Atlanta, into Nashville, and even move into the Northeastern Corridor later on in the week.

COLLINS: All right, Jacqui. We'll be watching it.

Thank you.

When "NEWSROOM" returns at the top of the hour, another weather story. More on recovery efforts in Hawaii.

Meantime, YOUR WORLD TODAY continues after a quick break.

I'm Heidi Collins.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH: Welcome back to YOUR WORLD TODAY.

I'm Rosemary Church.

CLANCY: I'm Jim Clancy.

These are some of the stories that are making headlines around the world.

More calls for Israel's president to resign now that police have recommended he be charged with rape. The attorney general has the final word on whether Moshe Katsav will be put on trial. Katsav denies any wrongdoing, saying the charges have been trumped up by his political enemies.

CHURCH: A private jet with a 1-year-old boy Madonna hopes to adopt has left Malawi. Malawi law prohibits adoptions by non- residents, but officials granted a waiver to the pop star.

Rights groups accuse Madonna of using her celebrity status to push through the adoption and are seeking to block it. The boy was living in an orphanage and his father agreed to the adoption.

CLANCY: More than 100 mutilated bodies have been found across Iraq in the last several days. In Balad, sectarian violence triggered revenge killings, and many Sunnis have been forced to abandon their homes.

In another surprise development, the Sunni insurgent group the Islamic Army of Iraq says it wants to negotiate with U.S. forces to end the violence.

CHURCH: Well, what began as a row between a head teacher and a teaching assistant has become a full-blown political debate over religious rights in Britain.

As Paula Newton reports, many in the Muslim community believe they are being persecuted by a government that is concerned about Islamist extremists.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAULA NEWTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The veil has become a provocative piece of clothing in Britain, made more so by Anjem Choudary. As a teaching assistant, she's been suspended after refusing to take off her full veil in front of elementary school children. She is fighting her reprimand, calling it racist.

ANJEM CHOUDARY, MUSLIM ACTIVIST: We know that even with the veil on we can do our job perfectly well. We have to open up and accept each other. And when we're going to accept each other -- there are people in the community who dress like this.

NEWTON: The veil issue is quickly driving a wedge between British communities. And Jack Straw is on the receiving end of much of the blame. The former foreign secretary was ridiculed by Muslim protesters this weekend after opening up this controversy by saying he found the veil a barrier in communicating with Muslim women.

JACK STRAW, FMR. BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY: People on all sides of the communities, plural, have started to talk about this issue. But the surprise to me is the extent of what was obviously underlying concern on both sides about the issue. So good will come from this.

NEWTON: Or just more controversy. Now, a British Airways employee complains of a double standard after the airline barred her from wearing a cross on her neck.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They have accommodated the hishjab (ph) and other religious apparels and given dignity to my -- to colleagues of other fate.

NEWTON: More and more, people in Britain are examining the country's cultural diversity and questioning whether it does or doesn't undermine national unity.

(on camera): And the government seems to be in need of the same soul-searching. Cabinet ministers and government policies have only fueled the controversy. The latest, a leaked document that encouraging colleges and universities to spy on their students for signs of extremist activity.

(voice-over): Muslim politicians, the government needs to rethink the approach.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think the government also needs to listen to communities more than a handful of right-wing writers who are influencing the government policy.

NEWTON: The woman who was supposed to be the country's cultural peacekeeper dismisses accusations that the government is vilifying the Muslim community.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We've been discussing the shared challenge that we face, the scale of the threat that we face from Islamist terrorism in this country. And I detected a real sense of enthusiasm and ambition for us to work together on this shared agenda.

NEWTON: Islamic extremism parked this debate, but many of lost sight of that, instead stirring a broader cultural confrontation, one in which there will be no winners.

Paula Newton, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Well, the United Nations Food Agency says millions of North Koreans face real hardship this winter because of a drop in food aid from foreign donors. Sanctions imposed last week by the U.N. Security Council over the North's nuclear test don't apply to food aid, but the World Food Program says supplies from foreign donors, including South Korea, China and the U.S., have been all reduced, and this will have a serious impact on the country.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAEL HUGGINS, WORLD FOOD PROGRAM: We're at a very critical juncture right now. The World Food Program is trying to reopen the country. We're only reaching a million. We only have 10 percent of the funds that we need, and winter is approaching. It's going to be a very tough winter by all accounts.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Huggins says some 37 percent of North Korean children are malnourished, while a third of mothers are malnourished and anemic.

CLANCY: North Korea hardly the only nation where hunger is a problem. More than 850 million people around the globe go without enough food. That despite a pledge in 1996, exactly ten years ago, by the World Food Summit to cut the number of hungry people in half.

Today is World Food Day. Our guest is not in any mood to celebrate. He's James Morris, executive director of the World Food Program. He joins us now from Washington.

Mr. Morris, great to see you on this World Food Day.

JAMES MORRIS, EXEC. DIR., WORLD FOOD PROGRAM: Thank you, Jim.

CLANCY: What has gone wrong? A hundred and seventy-five heads of state or more pledged ten years ago they were going to cut hunger in half by the year 2015. Are we going in that direction? MORRIS: No, we're -- some places are making very good progress. China's made good progress, India's making good progress. But for places in Africa, places in Asia where things are actually much worse, and the aggregate about five million more people are hungry every year. And the impact on this, especially on women and children, is extraordinary.

In my judgment, the humanitarian crisis in the world, the most shameful indictment of humanity, is the fact that there are 400 million hungry kids today, 18,000 children will die today of hunger, and it doesn't have to be. This is a problem we can solve. We know what is necessary, what's needed, to do the work. And it's not all that expensive, when you look at the huge amounts of money we're using for other purposes.

CLANCY: When you talk about that, there are wars, there are conflicts, there are governments with starving people that are developing nuclear weapons. When you add it all up, where -- is it a problem of priorities?

MORRIS: Well, I suspect so. But, you know, when I talk to heads of state, as I do every week, there is a strong commitment that women and children should not starve, that food should be available. It's the shingle-most important factor in education. It's the single-most important factor in health care.

The World Bank would tell you that the investment of nutrition in newborn children is the single-most important investment any country in the world -- be it the United States, Bangladesh, Malawi or Canada -- makes in its future. We need more political will. We need more champions. And we need the world to be outraged at the fact that so many children are so at risk, so compromised at the very beginning of their lives.

CLANCY: And if they don't get the food that they need, even the minimal amounts in the first two years of their lives, are they really condemned to poverty, a lack of education for the rest of their lives?

MORRIS: If they are not born to healthy mothers, nursed by healthy mothers, given good nutrition the first 24, 36 months of life, their brains will be underdeveloped. And no matter what all the remedial action is the rest of their lives, they will never catch up. There is no substitute for seeing that a child is born to a healthy mother and well nourished early in life.

CLANCY: Now, Jim, but it's not at all just a matter of getting food aid and trying to feed these people, getting the donations in. There is violence that is preventing your work. Take an example of that case in Darfur today. I understand that there's a real shortfall, especially in northern Darfur.

MORRIS: Well, in Darfur, in the month of September, we provided food for 2.9 million people. Another 225,000 people we couldn't reach because of security. The numbers of people going to the camp is increasing. But the good news is, the number of people that we couldn't reach because of violence decreased by about 150,000 from August to September.

But the fact of the matter is, the people in Darfur, before the conflict, were leading good lives, were taking care of their families. Their kids were going to school, they had plenty of food. And suddenly, this unwarranted, unnecessary violence takes place and millions of people are at risk. You know, in Lebanon, thank goodness it's behind us now. But for a period of weeks, we were feeding 735,000 people, because of that conflict.

CLANCY: OK. You say it wouldn't be that hard to do. What does this mean? The world has to, every year, pony up so many billion dollars to pay for people to be able to eat. Or are these people -- some day, is the world going to be self-sufficient?

MORRIS: Sure. Well, you know, we have to be thoughtful on a two-track approach. We have to be sure that lives are saved, people who are at risk -- the World Bank would tell you the number of natural disasters is increasing four-fold in the last 30 years. You put that with conflict and with AIDS, there are, you know, thousands, millions of people at risk every single day.

So we have to save their lives. But importantly for the long- term, we have to make more investment in basic agricultural infrastructure. We have to be more thoughtful about how water is available. We have to be focused on microactivities so families can take care of themselves. This is not complicated rocket science. It's simply requires a commitment to see that money is available to feed people and that governments have the political will to have sophisticated food security strategies to develop their own simple agricultural economies.

CLANCY: Jim Morris, I'd like to thank you and your people there at the World Food Program for the work they do today, World Food Day, and every day around the world.

MORRIS: And thank you, Jim. Good to be with you.

CHURCH: And just following on from that, a program called "Stand Up Against Poverty." In cities from New Delhi to New York, they have been taking part. Indian children gathered in the capital, vowing to be the generation that will defeat poverty. And in the Philippines, activists joined forces for the U.N.-backed campaign. The aim of the drive is to remind governments to keep that millennium promise, made six years ago, to eradicate global poverty by 2015. Similar rallies took place in Mexico, Zimbabwe and in the United States.

CLANCY: All right, big story at the United Nations, an open seat there at the council, coming down now to a vote. Pretty contentious.

CHURCH: And coming up here on YOUR WORLD TODAY, the U.N. showdown between Venezuela and Guatemala. We'll tell you what's next for the two countries vying for that one seat.

Also ahead, we're going to have a look at what's ailing one of Ireland's best-known experts on its own home turf. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CLANCY: Indonesia has begun dumping mud into the sea, this despite an outcry from environmentalists. Officials hope to minimize the destruction from a disaster that has submerged entire villages. The mud flow started four months ago, after a drilling accident at a gas exploration site. The mud is believed to come from a huge reservoir deep underground.

Welcome back. Seen live in more than 200 countries around the globe, this is YOUR WORLD TODAY on CNN International.

The state of Hawaii, this day, under a disaster declaration after being rattled by a powerful earthquake. The magnitude 6.6 tremor hit just after 7:00 in the morning local time. That was off the West Coast, generating landslides. The quake was not strong enough to trigger any tsunami, but it did cause power outages and widespread damage in some areas. Several hours after the tremor, the islands were still experiencing aftershocks. There are no reports of any casualties thus far.

CHURCH: All right, well, while the North Korean crisis is certainly keeping the U.N. busy, it's not the only thing. A huge showdown is looming over which country will win the next Latin American seat on the Security Council. One contender, the nation whose president recently described George W. Bush as the "devil."

Well, let's get the details from our senior U.N. correspondent Richard Roth.

And, Richard, between Venezuela and Guatemala, who very different outcomes. Who's going to get it?

RICHARD ROTH, CNN SR. U.N. CORRESPONDENT: They've already had two rounds of voting, and neither country has won enough votes, but Venezuela has lost a few votes between the first and second round of balloting. Venezuela says it's not really running against a brother state in Guatemala; it running against a world power, the only world power, it says, the United States, and it has certainly cast this race in that vein, that Venezuela is competing against the United States, and that it will, if it achieves a seat in the Security Council, a nonpermanent seat for two years, it will do the bidding of countries that have been underrepresented and dominated by what Venezuela has accused Washington of, hegemony all over the globe.

The balloting in the last round was Guatemala, 114 votes, Venezuela, 74. They needed. Either country needed 126. Venezuela received two fewer votes than the first round. Chili said it was going to abstain before the first ballot, and its ambassador explained this contest.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HERALDO MUNOZ, CHILEAN AMB. TO U.N.: What clearly has happened is that our region has not reached a consensus. Our region has been divided, because we know that some countries, Central America, Mexico, to give an example, have voted with Guatemala, and a good part of South America has either voted for Venezuela or has abstained. So you have to draw your own conclusions. There's not a solid region behind either of the two candidates.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROTH: Guatemala said if it got the Security Council seat, it would favor a policy of consensus, not confrontation. Venezuela, something different. The impact of the Chavez speech may have been seen in the voting. Venezuela has not gotten the seat yet. Some thought it was favored a few months ago. There will be a third ballot, going on right now, and we'll know in about 10 minutes or so if someone has gotten it. Could be another runoff, and maybe Costa Rica or another country from the Latin American Caribbean region might be asked to step in, if Guatemala and Venezuela just can't be separated.

CHURCH: All right, Richard, only about 10 more minutes and we will know, at least. But the United States is pretty nervous about the prospect of Venezuela winning that seat. Truly how likely is that, and what sort of trouble could they cause for the United States?

ROTH: Well, some say it's not trouble. Some countries here say the U.S. deserves the trouble. Some want to stand up to them in the council. But Venezuela would haven't a veto.

At this point, after two rounds, after they've lost a few votes, it doesn't appear they would get it, but you know, who knows? It's too close to call. There have been accusations, especially from the Guatemalan side, that Hugo Chavez has been spending millions of dollars to lobby for votes, giving countries various hospital clinics, using the oil money as power to win this vote. No one has come up with confirmed cases for us of that type of bidding.

But for the United States, Venezuela would be a major irritant inside the security council. There are times when the U.S. would need, even a non-permanent member like Venezuela, to sign onto statements which they need all 15 onboard for. So there's a lot of tough sledding ahead. On Iran and elsewhere, it would be tougher for Washington -- Rosemary.

CHURCH: Indeed. All right, Richard Roth at the United Nations. As Richard said, we should know in just a matter of minutes. We'll bring that to you, of course.

CLANCY: Well, from politics to people. There's been no shortage of stories of heartbreak coming out of America's hurricane-ravaged Gulf Coast. But the story of one young boy has a way of putting the anguish really into perspective. He's facing an illness that will, in all likelihood, take his life one day, but for now, according to Sean Callebs, he has one simple wish.

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SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's a southern Louisiana story that has nothing to do with levees, flooding, debris, but everything to do with perseverance in the face of adversity. Eight-year-old Cameron Steig is coping with a disease that is taking his muscle control, motor skills and will likely soon claim his life.

JULIE STEIG, CAMERON'S MOTHER: It's very difficult to be strong, but then when you look at him, he sort of guides me. You know, simple things make him excited. He only says good things, joyful things.

CALLEBS: Cameron has a rare disorder called Leigh's Disease and now can only speak in a whisper.

CAMERON STEIG: Go, Saints!

CALLEBS: Just a couple weeks ago, his doctor began laying out plans for long-term treatment to Cameron's parents.

J. STEIG: That's when I stopped her and told her, you know, Cameron is already having a hard time walking. You know, he's having a hard time swallowing and choking. And so that's when she told me, you know, don't listen to anything I've said. Really there's nothing you can do but let him live a full life while he can.

CALLEBS: He had a simple wish: to see a New Orleans Saints game. A charitable group based in New Orleans called A Child's Wish got the ball rolling. Cameron and his three siblings loaded up on Saints' gear.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's a Saints pumpkin!

C. STEIG: Wow!

CALLEBS: But a meeting with players, stars like rookie sensation Reggie Bush and quarterback Drew Brees, ignited something special.

MARION STEIG, CAMERON'S FATHER: It's been amazing. You know, and that's what he does, he brings the love out of people.

CALLEBS: Hulking players that can seemingly move mountains were moved to tears by Cameron's inner strength. So when the Saints' captains walked to mid-field for the opening coin toss, there was Cameron, his dream come true and more.

New Orleanians have been pushed beyond the limits over the past 14 months, but helping others, especially children, somehow survives. The Saints won a nail-biter against a good Philadelphia team. Saints' coach Sean Peyton said Cameron inspired the team and was awarded the game ball.

SEAN PEYTON, SAINTS COACH: I'm just glad we were able to make him smile today. I don't know how many smiles he's got left, but we made him smile today.

J. STEIG: You don't realize how much it affects him, but, you know, you look back -- for the next couple months, he'll look at these pictures and these videos and just be in awe.

CALLEBS: Cameron is showing a lot of people winning has nothing to do with numbers on a scoreboard.

Sean Callebs, CNN, New Orleans.

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CHURCH: Singer Patti Smith has helped give one of punk music's best known addresses a fitting send-off. She headlined the final gig at New York club CBGB, which closes its doors at the end of the month.

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PATTI SMITH, SINGER: You know, I just feel happy. I feel happy and I feel all the memories of the past and all the hope for the future, and all the energy of the present all at the same time. So, I can't say that I feel nostalgic, I feel -- I feel good.

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CHURCH: After 33 years, the club's lease is not being renewed, and its owner Hilly Kristal has given up a year-long legal fight to stay put. He plans to move the club to Las Vegas. The iconic venue helped launch the careers of the Ramones, Blondie and Talking Heads in its glory day.

CLANCY: Well, speaking of night spots, in Ireland, pubs long been recognized as the center of secular society, really.

CHURCH: Just as powerful an emblem for camaraderie has been the dark, smooth body and creamy cap of Guinness in a glass. But time and people change.

CLANCY: Robin Oakley tackles -- it was a difficult question he had to investigate here -- whether pints of Guinness in Dublin's pubs are becoming an endangered species.

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ROBIN OAKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Dublin's Palace Bar: gleaming wood, polished brass, laughter in the company of friends. The band plays a jig. The conversation flows. And so, pint after pint, does the Guinness. But hang on a minute. That is old Ireland.

Dublin's home these days to smart eateries like the Mermaid Cafe, where it's wine that helps an elegant meal on its way.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's fine.

OAKLEY: And across town in the trendy Q Bar, many of these young workers, fresh from the office, have a lighter colored glass before them. Cider is the new fashion.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'd be the first cider drinker in my family.

OAKLEY: If the ritual of pouring, settling and tasting has been part of the success, iced cider now has its ceremonies, too.

STEPHEN KENT, BULMERS CIDER BRANDS DIRECTOR: Consumers repeatedly tell us that there is a ritual in their own product. So in the same way that people enjoy pouring it over ice, sitting, enjoying it over their own time, and relaxing and drinking a pint, it's -- there is the element of anticipation attached to the product.

OAKLEY: The prosperous Irish these days work much longer hours. New drink driving laws and a ban on smoking are changing pub culture. More now take their alcohol home with them. And, as a pub product, Guinness has its image problem.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Women do not drink Guinness, really.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's an old man's drink. The younger generation...

OAKLEY (on camera): The Guinness that goes around the world in barrels like these fills 10 million glasses a day. But Guinness isn't just a drink; it's an Irish experience. And 40 percent of the visitors who come to Dublin come here to the Guinness storehouse to see how its made.

(voice-over): People don't just sample the product, they buy Guinness shirts, mugs and aprons to identify with the culture it represents. And Diageo are adamant they won't be selling.

MICHAEL PATTEN, DIAGEO, IRELAND: Guinness is part of the heritage of Diageo. It is one of the world's most iconic brands, and Diageo is famous for brands. We don't see that changing.

OAKLEY: But back in the Palace Bar, no sign that Guinness is in serious decline.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In Ireland, it's always going to be there, yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You certainly feel you can solve the problems of the world after some Guinness.

OAKLEY (on camera): Changing social habits and pushy new rivals are facing Guinness with a new challenge on its home territory. Irish sales are down. But Guinness' brewers are maintaining a frothy, stiff upper lip, and they're going (INAUDIBLE). Rumors of their demise, they insist, are greatly exaggerated. It's too good a chew to fail.

Robert Oakley, CNN, Dublin.

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CHURCH: I think Robin enjoyed himself on that story. What do you think?

CLANCY: Might have.

CHURCH: That's it for this hour. I'm Rosemary Church.

CLANCY: I'm Jim Clancy. Stay tuned. This is CNN.

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