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Tangled Tale of Poisoned Russian Spy Gains New Intrigue With Each Passing Hour; Iraqis React to Findings of Iraq Study Group; Siniora Fires Back at Hezbollah Leader

Aired December 08, 2006 - 12:00   ET

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

COLLEEN MCEDWARDS, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Searching for a new strategy. The U.S. president looks for lawmakers' input on the Iraq Study Group's bleak assessment of the war.
STEPHEN FRAZIER, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Tracing the radioactive trail. Detectives looking into the murder of a Russian ex-spy now focusing on an upscale London hotel and key witnesses in Moscow.

MCEDWARDS: A war of words deepens a political crisis. Lebanon's prime minister trades personal attacks with the Hezbollah leader who wants him ousted.

FRAZIER: And burning the midnight oil. While Tokyo sleeps, it's rush hour for traders bringing fish to the markets. We'll see how sushi makes it from the auction bloc at Tsukiji to your chopsticks.

It's 2:00 a.m. in Tokyo, in fact, noon in Washington.

Hello, everyone. I'm Stephen Frazier.

MCEDWARDS: And I'm Colleen McEdwards.

Wherever you're watching, this is YOUR WORLD TODAY.

FRAZIER: The tangled tale of a poisoned Russian spy gains new intrigue with each passing hour, almost.

MCEDWARDS: Yes, it certainly does. The radioactive trail now leads to a London hotel bar and to a student who says that she may know of a possible motive here.

FRAZIER: It's also focusing on two key witnesses in Moscow, both of whom met Alexander Litvinenko on the day that he fell ill.

Matthew Chance has been following these complex threads of the investigation.

And I hope, Matthew, you can knot some of them together for us now.

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, Stephen, I'll certainly try, because there have been more developments in what you say is a tangled investigation into the murder of the former KGB spy, Alexander Litvinenko. Russian authorities here in Moscow saying that a key witness in the investigation is now showing symptoms of severe radiation poisoning as well. He's being treated in a clinic here for the damage to what they say are is vital organs.

All this, of course, could have a very severe impact on the ongoing police investigation in the Russian capital. A team of nine British investigators are here trying to piece together evidence and to interview witnesses in order to try and get as close -- as close as possible to the truth.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHANCE (voice over): Another twist in the poison plot that already defies belief. A key witness now may be facing the same agonizing fate of former KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko. Dmitri Kovtun was one of the Russians who met Litvinenko in the Millennium Hotel in London on the day he was poisoned. Now the Russian news agency Interfax reports he, too, has acute radiation sickness. Investigators say he's already revealed important evidence.

There's renewed focus on London's Millennium Hotel as the possible site where Litvinenko was poisoned. Seven of its staff are now confirmed to be contaminated with radiation. Russian authorities say they have opened their own criminal investigation. It could mean Russian detectives following the trail to London.

But progress by their British counterparts in Moscow appears to be slow. British investigators say the Russians are cooperating, but they say they've still been unable to cross-examine key witnesses, including Andrei Lugovoi, a former Russian agent, also at the Millennium Hotel meeting. He told reporters it was an innocent get- together.

"I told Litvinenko I wouldn't be alone," he said. "I knew he was careful with unknown people from Russia."

Back in London, two Ph.D. students among the last to interview Alexander Litvinenko before he fell sick say the former spy told them about a dossier he acquired. They say Litvinenko claimed it contained evidence implicating Russian officials in corruption.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He told me, "I've got files. I've got very sensitive information. I've got special files, that I have access to do those blackmails." He indicated to me clearly that he had an access to very sensitive information through FSB.

CHANCE: The existence of the dossier has never been confirmed, but sensitivities in this case, political and diplomatic, have very much come to the forefront.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHANCE: Already Russian authorities say references to the possibility of official Kremlin involvement in this poisoning has already damaged relations between Russia and Britain. The digging of the Russian -- of the British police, rather, now here in Moscow runs the risk, at least, of making matters worse. After all, Stephen, who knows what they might find.

FRAZIER: Indeed, Matthew, although it's a little confusing what the official response is. The prosecutor general said that Russia's going to run this case, and yet, in spite of that comment, it looks as though Russia has been extremely cooperative to date in giving the Britons access, albeit with their presence, to witnesses.

CHANCE: Well, certainly I think there's a double game being played here. On the one hand, the Russians are certainly saying they will be as cooperative as they possibly can be. But at the same time, they've also set very strict parameters in which the British investigators are permitted to work.

For instance, they've made it clear that any interrogations, any questioning of witnesses, will not be carried out by the British police, but will only be carried out by the Russians. The British will simply have to stand by and look on.

They've also made it clear that if any suspects are identified, any arrests are to be made, there's no question of any Russian citizen being extradited for trial in Britain. They've also laid the ground very much, Stephen, for the possibility, as I mentioned in that report, of sending Russian detectives, Russian investigators to follow the trail in London. And that could seem -- that could appear to be very controversial as well -- Stephen.

FRAZIER: Indeed. We all should remember that Litvinenko was a British citizen at the time of his death, so the British investigators would want to be claiming that case in London.

Matthew Chance in Moscow now.

Matthew, thank you very much.

We'll be spending a little bit more on this. Next week, CNN turns the spotlight on Russia. Becky Anderson will be hosting a week of special coverage from Moscow, "Putin: Power and Politics." Join us as Becky investigates the country behind these headlines and all the others with in-depth reports from CNN's Moscow-based correspondents, Matthew Chance and Ryan Chilcote.

For more details, you can log on to cnn.com/russia.

MCEDWARDS: U.S. President George W. Bush is under a lot of pressure to make a decision on a new U.S. strategy for Iraq. The Iraq Study Group has already issued its findings, and he's waiting, he says, for more reports from various government groups. But according to a recent opinion poll, the American public is getting a little bit impatient about all of this.

The latest Associated Press-Ipsos poll found that only 27 percent of Americans approved of President Bush's handling of the war in Iraq. That's down from 31 percent last month. And Americans are not optimistic about a positive outcome to the war. Sixty-three percent of Americans did not expect to see a stable democratic government in Iraq.

Now, President Bush met with top congressional leaders at the White House to talk about all of the options on the table.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We just had a very constructive conversation. We talked about Iraq, we talked about the need for a new way forward in Iraq, and we talked about the need to work together on this important subject.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MCEDWARDS: Mr. Bush is expected to announce his decision sometime before Christmas -- Stephen.

FRAZIER: Colleen mentioned the reaction from the American public. We're also getting more reaction now from the Iraqi public to the findings of the Iraq Study Group. Kurdish leader Massoud Bazani (ph) has rejected the report. He says the panel ignored the needs of Kurds inside Iraq, and he's opposed to giving too many authority to any central government.

Proposed changes in the role of U.S. military another matter of concern for other Iraqis.

Senior International Correspondent Nic Robertson tells us about that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Already a very bloody month. More than 30 U.S. servicemen killed in the first week of December. American soldiers still under attack as Iraqi politicians ponder the Iraq Study Group's report.

Haider al-Abadi has lots of influence in the prime minister's party.

HAIDER AL-ABADI, AIDE TO IRAQI PRIME MINISTER: Now, there's very clear direction that, at the end of the day, U.S. forces are going to leave. This is good news.

ROBERTSON: But he's also worried about how it could possibly work to have 20,000 U.S. military trainers embedded with the Iraqi military.

AL-ABADI: There is a nightmare. I thought, immediately, 20,000. How many translators?

I mean, Iraqis, most of them, they don't understand English. We need proper translators, efficient translators, to get the message to the Iraqis to get trained properly.

ROBERTSON: On the vexing question of U.S. engagement with Iran and Syria, Iraq's national security adviser was delighted with the recommendations.

MOWAFFAK AL-RUBAIE, IRAQI NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: From our perspective, we believe that the United States government should engage with Iran, should engage with Syria.

ROBERTSON: According to Rubaie, only America wields enough power to stop Iranian and Syrian interference. The situation is so out of control now, he says, Syria is the gateway for 85 percent of all foreign fighters entering Iraq.

AL-RUBAIE: And probably more than 90 percent of this 85 percent are landing in Damascus airport. The Syrian government can stop the foreign fighters (ph).

ROBERTSON: Equally pressing, figuring out how to disband Iranian-backed militias, which now control large chunks of Baghdad. For Iraq's government, the study group's recommendations offers no quick fix.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They are very keen to see the militias disarmed. I know the prime minister is very keen on this. He wants to implement it very quickly.

ROBERTSON (on camera): Can he, though?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That is a problem.

ROBERTSON: A problem, because even under the accelerated hand- over envisioned by the report, Iraqis say they won't have the power they need to combat the militias until late into next year at the earliest.

Nic Robertson, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MCEDWARDS: Well, the Iraq Study Group says some funding for Sunni insurgents is coming across the Saudi border. A new Associated Press report backs that up as well, giving some details about the flow of cash.

It says millions of dollars from private Saudi citizens end up in the hands of insurgents, and then much of it is used to buy weapons. The report quotes Iraqi officials as saying some of the Saudi money comes from donations collected for Islamic causes or charities. The Saudi government strongly denies that any money for insurgents is coming from its country.

FRAZIER: Let's check now on some of the other stories that are making news around the world at this hour.

MCEDWARDS: And we want to begin in Turkey. Leftist protesters clashed violently with police overnight in Istanbul. Demonstrators set fire to cars and threw molotov cocktails at police, who responded with tear gas and water canons. Supporters of an underground far-left political party were protesting the arrests of several of its members. FRAZIER: Palestinian prime minister Ismail Haniyeh says his Hamas-led government will never bow to pressure to recognize Israel. He was speaking during a visit to Iran and said at Tehran University "Palestinians will" -- and we're quoting now -- "continue the jihad- like movement until the liberation of Jerusalem."

MCEDWARDS: Foul weather forced NASA to scrub the planned launch of the space shuttle Discovery Thursday night. Clouds and wind have so far prevented the start of what is to be a 12-day mission to the International Space Station. NASA hopes to launch in the next few days or so. But the forecast for the weekend is not that promising either.

Stay tuned.

FRAZIER: Former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Jeane Kirkpatrick has died we learned a short time ago. Although originally a Democrat, she switched to the Republican Party and became a heroine of conservatives. She helped to design Ronald Reagan's policies that eventually brought down the Berlin wall.

Jeane Kirkpatrick 80 years old.

MCEDWARDS: All right. We want to bring you some news just coming into CNN.

We are getting news of a terror plot of some sort that had been planned in the Chicago area. We're finding this out because some indictments apparently have been unsealed.

And Kelli Arena has been working this story for us from Washington and joins us now with more details on this breaking story.

Kelli, how much do we know?

KELLI ARENA, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Well, first of all, we know it's not an indictment yet.

MCEDWARDS: OK.

ARENA: So I just want to clear that up. And I know this is fast moving.

It was a criminal complaint that was filed against him and just unsealed. Basically, it's a 22-year-old man living in Chicago, a U.S. citizen. The name is Derek Sharif (ph). He was arrested two days ago for allegedly planning to set off hand grenades in garbage cans in malls over the holiday season.

Now, we're told by a federal law enforcement official that there's no indication that he was working with any group or that he's connected to any terror organization. He was doing this on his own. He's going to be charged with attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction and also with planning to damage or destroy a building by using fire or an explosion. Again, a 22-year-old U.S. citizen in custody. And, you know, will be charged with allegedly, you know, planning to disrupt the holiday shopping season.

MCEDWARDS: All right. Kelli Arena, thanks a lot for bringing that to us and for clarifying the points on that.

And we'll of course keep you up to date if there's any more details we feel you need to know about.

Thanks, Kelli.

FRAZIER: Coming up, Lebanon's prime minister accusing him of trying to stage a coup.

MCEDWARDS: He says he'll continue to lead protests until the government is gone. We're going to bring you the war of words between the head of Hezbollah and the Lebanese prime minister.

FRAZIER: And then switching gears a little bit, Americans snapped it up. It is now flying off the shelves in the United Kingdom. We'll play around with Nintendo's red-hot video game console and the Wii just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FRAZIER: Welcome back to CNN International.

MCEDWARDS: 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 for you.

And we want to turn now to the growing political crisis going on in Lebanon. More words Friday between the prime minister and the leader of Hezbollah.

This is not the first time that the two have criticized each other. That's for sure. But it is the first time their remarks have descended into direct personal attacks, further stoking the tension that threatens to tear this country apart.

Let's bring in our Beirut bureau chief, Brent Sadler, who is outside another noisy protest.

These have been going on for more than a week now, Brent. What's the latest there?

BRENT SADLER, CNN BEIRUT BUREAU CHIEF: That's right, Colleen.

This is the eighth day of unbending protests by an Hezbollah-led opposition to try to bring down the western-backed government of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora. Now, this escalating political crisis here took a sharp turn for the worst, many observers say, when the Muslim Shiite leader of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, went on live television and was watched on giant screens in the center of the protest in downtown Beirut here to tell the people here, to tell his supporters, that, in effect, that Fouad Siniora's government had been conniving with Israel during the recent war here to try to stop a flow of arms reaching Hezbollah when the armed militant group was fighting Israel to defend Lebanon against Israeli attacks.

Now, in effect, say Siniora supporters, that was Hezbollah's leader calling the prime minister a traitor. Now, the prime minister hit back very quickly today with his own televised broadcast in front of supporters inside his besieged prime minister's complex, in effect, saying that Hezbollah's attempt, along with its opposition allies, to pull down the government, that campaign would eventually fail, said Siniora.

And this is what he said about Nasrallah, claimed Siniora, trying to stage, in effect, a coup to take over control.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FOUAD SINIORA, LEBANESE PRIME MINISTER (through translator): The least that can be said actually is that Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah was not right in what he said yesterday. He is trying to bring about a coup, or at least threatening to bring about a coup and determining its outcome in advance.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SADLER: Now, also today, there was a break from the normal Friday prayer day, when we saw again in the center of downtown Beirut both Muslim Shiite and Sunni worshipers coming together at the same time. This, an attempt to give an exhibition of religious unity at a time when there's been increased sectarian tensions building in the city after a recent death of a Muslim Shiite supporter of the opposition.

Yet again, Colleen, many people in this country are now nervous as this war of rhetoric between rival leaders intensified over the past 24 hours amid continuing protests and continuing failure by both sides to get back around a negotiating table -- Colleen.

MCEDWARDS: OK. Well, let's throw another voice in the mix here, too, because I understand that Egypt's president, Hosni Mubarak, is quoted at least as essentially saying this is going to tear Lebanon apart, be careful here.

SADLER: That's right. Many Arab states have been sending either envoys or through contacts have been trying to get Lebanon out of this deepening deadlock. There have been two previous civil wars in this country. There has been one death since these campaigns of protests started.

Very deep concern in the Arab world that this could lead to greater violence. And there are reports today in the Lebanese press that the next threatened phase of this campaign by the opposition could be to try to disrupt major air and road links into this country. So it is among intensified fears here, both inside this country and by not only Lebanon's neighbors, but also the Arab world, that things here could get very much worse as long as this standoff, this showdown, continues at this pace -- Colleen.

MCEDWARDS: All right.

Brent Sadler.

Thanks for keeping us up to date on this, Brent. Appreciate it.

FRAZIER: Next, a big change of pace. It took only minutes to fly off the shelves.

MCEDWARDS: Right. We're talking about the hottest new gadget in the world practically right now. Nintendo's Wii video game console hits stores in Europe after its debut in the U.S. and Japan. We'll tell you about it.

(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.

Want to get straight to this information coming from our Kelli Arena. After speaking with the federal law enforcement, she is reporting a 22-year-old U.S. citizen was arrested two days ago in Chicago for allegedly planning to set off hand grenades in garbage cans and malls over the holiday season.

There was a complaint filed against him. It was just unsealed. Those charges will be attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction and with planning to damage or destroy a building by fire or explosion.

You can watch more of this live report coming our way from Kelli Arena on "CNN NEWSROOM" at 1:00 today.

Meanwhile, crews are battling a fire at an office building in Cambridge, Massachusetts. There are reports of people being treated for smoke inhalation. But so far, no reports of serious injuries.

Witnesses described making their way out of the building through thick smoke. We don't know yet what offices are in the 17-story building, but a spokeswoman for M.I.T. says it's owned by the school.

The fire has disrupted traffic and transit service in the area. So we'll watch that one for you.

And a construction accident in Arlington, Virginia, today. Officials say a slab of wet concrete collapsed at a high-rise construction site this morning.

Sixteen workers were hurt, three of them in critical condition. Four are now in serious. And the cause of the accident is still under investigation. A farewell to the troops. Outgoing defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld at the Pentagon. It was his last town hall meeting with service members and civilian employees. That audience shared his spotlight with questions like this...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How do you want history to remember you?

DONALD RUMSFELD, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: My goodness. Better than the local press.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: A West Wing huddle on the war in Iraq. President Bush met with congressional leaders from both parties at the White House as part of the search for a new Iraq strategy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: ... a very constructive conversation. We talked about Iraq. We talked about the need for a new way forward in Iraq. And we talked about the need to work together on this important subject.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: After the meeting, incoming House speaker Nancy Pelosi talked about the urgency of making changes in Iraq.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA), INCOMING HOUSE SPEAKER: The time for change is now. It is apparent to the American people. They made this decision one month and one day ago. And the Iraq Study Group reinforced some of the concerns of the American people about the urgency.

They said it's not a matter of months anymore, it's weeks, it's days. Hopefully, the president has gotten that message.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: The president says he will consider the recommendations of the Iraq Study Group, but he has already objected to some of them, including talks with Iran and Syria. He says other studies will also be part of his decisionmaking process.

Well, the curtain coming down on the 109th Congress. A live shot there out of Washington, D.C.

Lawmakers scrambling to finish work on tax and trade legislation. The tax bill includes $38 billion in breaks for businesses, higher education expenses, and school teachers. Today

will mark the end of 12 years of Republican control of the House. When the new Congress convenes in January, Democrats will be in the majority in both the House and the Senate.

Former U.N. ambassador Jeane Kirkpatrick has died. Kirkpatrick's assistant says the former diplomat died in her sleep Thursday at her home in Bethesda, Maryland.

Kirkpatrick was 80 years old. The cause of death not immediately known, but Kirkpatrick had been in declining health.

She was the nation's first female ambassador to the United Nations. She served in the Reagan administration.

James Kim's co-workers are honoring him with a video tribute. Kim lost his life while trying to save his family stranded in the Oregon wilderness.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAMES KIM, CNET: Very nice built-in headphones with built-in Bluetooth.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: That's him. He worked as an editor for the technology Web site CNET. On CNET's Web site, Kim was described as an expert on cutting-edge digital devices. But he is also remembered as being faithful to old-fashioned values like sacrifice, friendship and family.

Our "CNN PRESENTS" team is right now working on a documentary on the James Kim tragedy. Be sure to watch the CNN prime-time special coming your way on Monday.

Well, baby, it's cold outside. An arctic blast sends temperatures diving from the Midwest and into the South. Single digits reported in some areas around Louisville, Kentucky. The bitter cold and slick roads forced several school systems to close.

In Illinois and Missouri, thousands of people still in the deep freeze and in the dark. It's been a week since a brutal wintry storm blanketed the area in ice and snow. Residents accuse power companies of not doing enough to get people back on line.

At the top of the hour, back in the "NEWSROOM." New Orleans, forgotten in Washington? Kyra Phillips and Don Lemon will be talking to the Crescent City's mayor, Ray Nagin.

And at 3:00 p.m. Eastern, Homeland Security secretary Michael Chertoff joins us in the "NEWSROOM." He'll take your questions. Just e-mail us at cnnnewsroom@cnn.com, then get his answers this afternoon.

Meanwhile, YOUR WORLD TODAY continues after a quick break.

I'm Heidi Collins.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(NEWSBREAK)

MCEDWARDS: Well, investigators hope to question another key witness on Friday, a businessman who met Litvinenko at the same London hotel bar.

David Mattingly has more now on former KGB agent Andre Gugovoy (ph).

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: He's become the mystery man in Scotland's Yard hunt for the killer of Alexander Litvinenko. The case has thrust...

(INTERRUPTED BY LIVE EVENT)

COLLINS: Good morning, I'm Heidi Collins here at the CNN Center. We are waiting for Wesley Snipes to come to those microphones. You see him on the left-hand side of your screen. He surrendered to authorities today on tax-fraud charges two months after he was indicted. This, according to law enforcement officials. He flew to Orlando Airport on a private jet and voluntarily surrendered. We are now waiting for him to speak about what happened in court today. This is federal court. We're listening in to Billy Martin. And here, now, is Wesley Snipes.

WESLEY SNIPES, ACTOR: Yes, yes, I want to say thank you, everybody, all of the fans out there, showing support. I look forward to clearing my name and resolving this issue post haste. And merry Christmas, happy Hanukkah, happy New Year and Habari Gani.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you could bear with us one second.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My name is Dan Meechem (ph). I'm Mr. Snipes' attorney. We are elated by the judge's decision. He looks forward to going back to Namibia to finish his movie, "Gallow Walker," to complete the training for the resident of Namibia in the movie productions movie and finishing his movie. Thank you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have one more statement, then we'll take it...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm Don Bearman (ph). I'm Florida counsel for Mr. Snipes, and we intend to fully defend these matters. The government has been most cooperative. We have brought Mr. Snipes back. He voluntarily returned to the United States. He never intended not to be here. He was in Africa long before these charges occurred. He's here to answer them, and we'll answer them in court.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One thing before you ask, Mr. Snipes, in August, as many of you heard in a courtroom, Mr. Snipes left America to begin filming "Gallow Walker" long before this indictment was returned. We want to make it clear he did not avoid returning to the United States. He's always been ready to return and he's confident...

SNIPES: And that I didn't flee. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He did not flee.

SNIPES: I was already gone.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Any questions for Mr. Snipes?

QUESTION: What happened?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Martin's going to take any questions...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let me say -- let me say this. Mr. Snipes, based on the advice of all three of his counsel, will not answer these issues here. We're going to finish this case in court, not out here.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you, guys, so much.

QUESTION: You said in court that you really needed to go back, not just for yourself, but for the other folks involved in these movies.

SNIPES: We're trying to create a nice exchange, cultural and trans-Atlantic exchange of the arts, and also to assist the government and the people there in their uplift of their movie and film industry.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you very much. We're going to step this way. Thank you.

COLLINS do there you have it, the latest from Wesley Snipes, who was charged in October with fraudulently claiming refunds totaling nearly $12 million between the years of 1996 and 1997 on income taxes that were already paid. He has been cleared to go back to resuming filming in Namibia. He has also been released on $1 million bond. He's been cleared to go back and do the shooting on this film.

But his next court appearance will be on January 10th. He of course will be required to be in court on that day. Once again, the latest coming to us out of Florida on Wesley Snipes.

Now back to your WORLD TODAY.

(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

ROY RAMM, FMR. SCOTLAND YARD COMMANDER: You have absolutely direct evidence of what they saw, what they heard, and why somebody should try to kill one or more of these people in London.

FRAZIER: We should point out that Litvinenko had become a British citizen, so British investigators have certain rights, I guess. But when they go into Russia to find out what happened to him, do those footprints in the snow then kind of lead to a -- you know, a back -- an alley that has no way out? They're getting no help there, apparently.

RAMM: It's always very difficult for a detective, once he goes outside his jurisdiction. What will happen is that the detectives will rely on the diplomats in the -- the British diplomats in Moscow to facilitate their inquiries. And there will be a lot of kind of horse-trading of, you know, can we do this, can we not do that? They will be relying on Russian detectives and Russian officials to facilitate them. They have absolutely no powers whatsoever. So it really is down to diplomacy to facilitate cooperation.

FRAZIER: Well, now that you're retired from public service, would you be comfortable talking about whether you think British secret services may be asking their own investigation without acknowledging it and without asking for anybody's help?

RAMM: Well, I appreciate the preface to your question. And I think that as a retired officer, I will be cautious. But I think it's inconceivable that British security forces are not looking at what's gone on here. And I imagine other security forces around the world -- not least of all your own -- would be very interested in the developments of this case. Because I think it has got really far- reaching effect. It's the first time ever we've seen the use of a radioactive substance to poison somebody in this way. And I think it will be making the hairs bristle on the back of necks in all kinds of security agencies around the world, not least of which are our own and yours.

FRAZIER: Indeed, but you're helping us, I think, understand the larger implications of this. It's still terrifying, although not perhaps of the scale that might have been taken by agencies during the Cold War.

I mean this was the murder of a British citizen in London, a great offense, I think, to British authorities. But the kingdom, the United Kingdom, isn't really directly threatened as a nation by this kind of an operation.

RAMM: No, it's not, but I think you also have to understand the reaction of British people, and I'm sure people in any city around the world, when suddenly you know we've got seven members of the bar staff of a hotel who have been told that in the longer term they may have an increased risk of cancer as a result of this attack.

British Airways aircraft were taken out of service. This is not a very discrete affair now. This is having very wide-ranging effects. And I think one of the -- one of the spin-offs of this is, you know, that some people are starting to question the impacts of -- of the openness, now, of Russia and of Russians coming to London. And I think people are saying what's actually going on here, you know, what have we allowed in?

FRAZIER: Indeed what are they bringing with us and how many of us could be affected by that? Well, we'll be eager to see how this plays out. We'll look forward to chatting with you as more developments occur. Commander Roy Ramm, thank you for joining us today.

RAMM: It's a pleasure.

MCEDWARDS: A top Islamic official in Somalia says Muslim militiamen from his country are fighting Ethiopian soldiers. The battle is taking place in a town called Diinsoor, that is in southern Somalia. It's the first time the Islamic militia that rules that region has fought directly with Ethiopian troops. The Ethiopians are backing Somali transitional government forces.

FRAZIER: Ethiopian troops Colleen also have formidable power behind them, it's the U.S. military. Troubled by the rising power of the Islamic militias in Somalia, the U.S. is now training Ethiopian forces in an effort to balance the power.

Barbara Starr is there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: It is a heart- stopping moment. A U.S. soldier surrenders his weapon to an Ethiopian commando. But, of course, this is a field exercise. Deep in western Ethiopia, about 30 U.S. soldiers are training this Ethiopian commando unit in anti-terrorism and infantry operations.

This is all aimed at giving Ethiopia an improved capability to defend its borders at a time of rising tensions in this region. The U.S. soldiers act as the enemy force. The Ethiopian troops call to each other to plan their counterattack.

As they move through the grass, the young troops are learning how to work as a team. The U.S. trainers are from a National Guard unit in Guam. Here, two different cultures, but a common understanding.

UNIDENTIFIED U.S. SOLDIER: I see a lot of motivated soldiers here. They want to learn so they can protect their country.

STARR (on camera): But the U.S. troops here are also training these young Ethiopian soldiers in very basic skills like looking after each other on the battlefield.

(voice-over): This commando training may be put to use sooner than anyone expects. Ethiopia is sending thousands of troops to its southern border with Somalia. Many here believe the two countries are headed for war over a long-standing border dispute. The training here is a sign of which side the U.S. is already backing.

Barbara Starr, CNN, Balati, Ethiopia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MCEDWARDS: Well, coming up here on YOUR WORLD TODAY, sushi, of course, is a big deal in Japan.

FRAZIER: No surprise that making it would also be a big production, too. Not just making it, but getting all the ingredients. That's the really cool part that Richard Quest is going to help us understand as he wades into Tsukiji -- Tokyo's's sushi city, when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FRAZIER: Welcome back to CNN International.

MCEDWARDS: Seen live in more than 200 countries and territories around the world -- this is YOUR WORLD TODAY.

FRAZIER: Our Richard Quest has been to most of those 200 and he's on the move again for CNN's business traveler now.

MCEDWARDS: This time around, our intrepid road warrior is eating his way through Tokyo as only he can do. And if you ever wondered where your favorite sushi bar gets its succulent fresh fish, this report's for you.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RICHARD QUEST, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The fish start arriving from 3:00 in the morning. Then for three hours this is a constant bustle of activity as buyers and sellers prepare for the auction of today's catch. There's fish everywhere. Nearly 5 million pounds of fish are sold here every morning. It's worth $23 million.

(on camera): 5:00 in the morning and the only people who are awake in Tokyo are the business travelers who can't sleep because they're jet lagged and the traders here at the Tsukiji market. This is the largest fish market of its kind anywhere in the world. And the fish, being sold here now, will be on the tables across Tokyo over the next 24 hours.

(voice-over): Inspecting the tuna before the auction is essential. Not too much fat. The color has to be just right. It's only then that the buyer can know the fish is really fresh.

You can look, but not touch. Nothing must be allowed to endanger these valuable fish. I've met chef Aioki (ph). He's the owner of one of Tokyo's finest sushi restaurants. It's in the Ginza District and I'll be going there to get a guided tour.

(on camera): How much tuna will he be looking for today?

CHEF AIOKI (through translator): Something like this. I'll probably buy certain parts like the belly from a fish this size. The belly is the most expensive.

QUEST: The auction starts bag on time. Each auctioneer has his own original style. No wonder tourists get up early to see this. Most of the fish is being sold to wholesalers, who then sell it onto Tokyo's restaurants.

Ten minutes later, and the tuna's all been sold. And our fish was the finest in the market that morning. Even tuna royalty still heads to the chopping board.

(on camera): Follow the fish. This is no cheap piece of tuna. It finally sold for 3 million yen, about $30,000. It will be cut up and probably about 75 percent of the fish can be used.

(voice-over): This fish has to be cut exactly in half, without spoiling the beauty of the meat. After all, it's that beauty which gave the fish its value of nearly $30,000. I never thought it would take four people to cut a fish in half with over a meter long blade.

Choosing the right fish for sushi is one thing. Making the sushi itself, well, that's more of an art than a science.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): You can practice with this. Here you want the thumb there. With the wrist. With the wrist, like this. You place it down gently, as if to say it's very delicious.

QUESTION: What out of 10?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Two.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FRAZIER: Well, now that we have your appetite whetted, you can watch "Business Traveler" for the rest of that story. It's on this weekend at all the times you see there on the screen.

MCEDWARDS: Let's go for some sushi. I'm hungry.

We'll be back with a look at the world's weather.

FRAZIER: Also ahead, it's not exactly the most inspiring battle cry in the world. We'll see what the man on the street has to say about the White House's latest slogan for the war in Iraq. It's "the way forward."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The way forward. Analyze the way forward.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MCEDWARDS: A popular toy that has been around the U.S. for years has now become a prime example of how battlefields' improvisation is saving the lives of U.S. soldiers in Iraq. You might remember this stuff. It's called silly string.

Kids certainly have a blast spraying each other during play time. It makes a bit of a mess though, too. But here's the story. The mother of a U.S. soldier stationed in Iraq found out that silly string can do a lot more.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARCELLE SHRIVER, MOTHER OF U.S. SOLDIER IN IRAQ: I thought it was just to have fun with and he said no, mom, we use it to spray in the doorways to look for tripwire. And I said, I don't believe this. I said, OK, dad and I will send it to you. So we sent him some and our daughter sent some.

(END VIDEO CLIP) MCEDWARDS: Yes, you heard that right. Silly string helps troops to detect tripwires that are attached to bombs. So now, the mom we just heard from there is organizing a drive to send cans of silly string to Iraq. She's collected about 1,000 of them so far.

FRAZIER: Nothing silly about that use of a repurposed silly string.

A general once described a retreat as an advance in the opposite direction.

MCEDWARDS: But characterization is critical to some and stay the course is certainly not going to cut it anymore.

FRAZIER: So, who better than Jeanne Moos to analyze what may become the new White House catch phrase?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When those pesky reporters start asking those "F" word questions...

QUESTION: Are you capable of admitting your failures?

QUESTION: Do you acknowledge that your approach has failed?

MOOS: ... it's time to tell them to look forward, not back.

BUSH: And design a way forward.

MOOS: In one answer alone, President Bush used the phrase five times...

BUSH: The way forward in Iraq.

A important way forward.

Talk about the way forward.

Analyze the way forward.

MOOS: Apparently, the way forward is contagious. Tony Blair caught it standing next to President Bush.

TONY BLAIR, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: The way forward. How do we find the right way forward? We've got to get the right way forward.

MOOS: You could blame it on the Iraq Study Group for naming one of the sections in its report "the way forward." Even Democrats like to go forward. Senator Barack Obama's big foreign policy speech was titled "A Way Forward in Iraq." Senator Joe Biden called his, "Iraq, A Way Forward."

(on camera): But watch out. The phrase "The Way Forward" tends to surface when things are a complete, utter, total mess.

WILLIAM CLAY FORD JR., CEO, FORD MOTOR CO.: We call our plan, "The Way Forward."

MOOS (voice-over): That's the head of Ford Motor Company announcing a restructuring that would cut 25,000 jobs.

FORD: "The Way Forward" contains some strong medicine.

MOOS: But which way is forward wondered "Forbes" magazine when the Ford plan to move forward seemed stuck. You might as well get used to hearing the administration's new mantra.

TONY SNOW, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: The way forward. The new way forward. What he sees as the way forward.

MOOS: He also uses variations of the phrase.

BUSH: Go forward. Go forward. I'm heading back.

MOOS: No, that's no policy reversal, just the president heading back to pick a questioner. All of this forward motion...

BLAIR: A different way forward. Whatever way forward.

BUSH: A important way forward.

MOOS: Sort of makes you long for the days of...

BUSH: We'll stay the course.

MOOS: Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MCEDWARDS: Oh, dear.

FRAZIER: Well, although that's it for this hour, we are staying the course. We'll be right back. I'm Stephen Frazier.

MCEDWARDS: Moving forward, actually. I'm Colleen McEdwards. You're watching CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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