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Your World Today
Many New Yorkers Angered by Iranian President's Visit; Myanmar: Led by Military Junta for Decades
Aired September 24, 2007 - 12:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is a man who is nothing more than a hate monger.
JOHN COATSWORTH, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY SIPA DEAN: However much we may disagree with their views, like it or not, he's an important guy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JONATHAN MANN, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Debating academic freedom. A university opens its doors to Iran's president and angry protests.
COLLEEN MCEDWARDS, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Joing a crimson tide. Buddhist monks lead thousands in Myanmar in a growing anti- government protest.
MANN: Walking off the job. Auto workers man picket lines at General Motors plants across the United States.
MCEDWARDS: And ready to make a splash. Millions of Halo fans count down to one of the biggest launches in the video gaming industry.
MANN: It is noon in New York, 10:30 p.m. in Yangon, Myanmar.
Hello and welcome to our report broadcast around the globe.
I'm Jonathan Mann.
MCEDWARDS: And I'm Colleen McEdwards.
From Dubai to Detroit, from Singapore to Seattle, wherever you are watching, this is YOUR WORLD TODAY.
And we are closely following protests on two continents today.
MANN: That's right. One pushing for democratic reform in a to totalitarian state, the other demonstrating against controversial speech in a country that values freedom.
MCEDWARDS: Yes. We're going to see how tens of thousands of monks are leading the biggest challenge to the rulers of Myanmar in decades.
MANN: But we begin here in the U.S. with anger over the visit of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
MCEDWARDS: Yes, that's right. The Iranian president traveling around New York today for a series of speeches. But the city isn't exactly rolling out the welcome mat here.
His denial of the holocaust and his anti-Israel comments have infuriated many New Yorkers who don't want him to have a forum, essentially, they say, for his ideas. One of his most controversial stops is Columbia University, where he is going to speak and also take some questions from students.
Jim Acosta looks at how that has triggered a fierce debate over how far freedom of speech should go.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JIM ACOSTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Before he boarded his plane for New York, Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said he's on a mission to deliver correct and clear information to the American people. But when the Iranian leader arrives at Columbia University for a scheduled speech as part of his official visit...
DOV HIKIND, NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLYMAN: I call on New Yorkers to make the life of Ahmadinejad as he is in New York miserable! Make his life miserable!
ACOSTA: Ahmadinejad might find himself on the receiving end of a message from New Yorkers.
(on camera): You seem to be actively encouraging, what?
HIKIND: Civil disobedience. If New Yorkers would stop this man from coming into this university, you know, sort of along the line of Martin Luther king civil disobedience, I think that would be very proper. No violence, god forbid, but civil disobedience.
ACOSTA (voice over): New York's Jewish leaders concede there is no stopping the Iranian president from addressing the United Nations as a head of state, just as he did last year, but Columbia they say is different, especially considering Ahmadinejad's statements calling for the elimination of Israel.
Paula Blank's family visits relatives in Israel every year.
(on camera): In your mind, is Ahmadinejad a terrorist?
PAULA BLANK, NEW YORK CITY RESIDENT: Without a doubt he's a terrorist. I mean, he says it. He doesn't -- he doesn't deny it. He says what his goals are.
ANITA KHALILI, PERSIAN/JEWISH COLUMBIA STUDENT: I think it's very important for him to see how wrong he is, how students are going to protest and react against him.
ACOSTA (voice over): Columbia student Anita Khalili is conflicted. Born in Iran but also Jewish, she wants the Iranian leader to see how free speech really works. Even though she says she's ashamed of the image he offers of her homeland.
KHALILI: To be Persian now means to be associated with someone that's a cruel dictator. And that's not what it means at all.
ACOSTA: University officials who invited Ahmadinejad say it's about an exchange of ideas.
RICHARD BULLIET, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT: It's an educational benefit for the Columbia community to be able to have a firsthand acquaintance with the man.
ACOSTA: Not good enough, says Senator Hillary Clinton.
SEN. HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON (D-NY), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If I were a president of a university, I would not have invited him. He's a Holocaust denier. He's a supporter of terrorism.
ACOSTA (on camera): Last year Columbia invited Ahmadinejad to speak but then withdrew the offer citing security concerns. This time around the university appears to be ready to open the door to the Iranian leader.
Jim Acosta, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MANN: Politicians and pundits of all stripes are speaking out about Mr. Ahmadinejad's invitation to Columbia. It was one of the most heated topics on the Sunday talk shows.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY KISSINGER, FMR. U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: Ahmadinejad is the first speaker in a distinguished lecture series under the auspices of the president of Columbia University, and I do not believe that that is an appropriate invitation.
ZBIGNIEW BRZEZINSKI, FMR. U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR: It seems to me that the function of the university is to provide a forum for the expression of every point of view. Including the most obnoxious.
I don't believe in censorship. I don't believe in some sort of thought control.
SEN. CHUCK HAGEL (R), NEBRASKA: I think we violate every premise of who we are when we don't allow people to speak in this country.
NEWT GINGRICH, FMR. HOUSE SPEAKER: I think it is an outrage against civilization for Columbia University to lend its prestige and its status to a man -- to a dictator whose government executes homosexuals, tortures and kills journalists, locks up students. I mean, the Iranian government locks up students. I think that Columbia University is being foolv foolish to allow that kind of person to have a venue like an American university.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MANN: For their part, some Columbia students want President Ahmadinejad to know exactly how they feel about him as soon as he gets there. They've plastered protest signs around campus. Some highlighting his own controversial remarks about Israel.
Allan Chernoff is watching crowds of protesters gather outside Columbia and joins us now.
Allan, angry crowd?
ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN SR. CORRESPONDENT: Well, Jonathan, I have to tell you, so far, outside of campus, it's actually pretty quiet right now. There's a major police presence here, dozens of officers up and down Broadway outside of the Columbia campus, and there are barricades set up and down the road here as well. Inside of campus, in front of the library, a protest is going on, but so far it has been relatively peaceful, and students are marching into the auditorium where the speech will begin in about one and one half hour's time.
All the students who are going in, they had tickets. They registered in advance. And they're going through some very heavy security. So far, not all that much protest activity, at least out here.
Let's talk to one of the people who does plan to protest. His name is Elliott Mathias. He's with a Jewish educational group called Hasbara.
Elliott, what's the plan? We don't see much protest out here yet.
ELLIOTT MATHIAS, AISH INTERNATIONAL: Well, the president is supposed to be speaking at 1:30. So we're expecting thousands of students and community members about 1:00. People should be filing in.
And we've talked to the police. Basically, all up and down Broadway here from 116th to 114th should be blocked off with protesters.
CHERNOFF: Now, Columbia says there is educational merit in having a person like this come to campus even if his opinions are despicable.
MATHIAS: Well, it's a gray area of when you disagree with someones opinions. But we say, would we invite the Ku Klux Klan to come and speak? Is there an educational value to that?
This is a man who leads the nation that is the largest state sponsor of terror. This is man that's denied the Holocaust, who says he wants to destroy Israel. This is a man who has said publicly that he wants to create a religious war against the West.
Where do we draw that line? We wouldn't invite the Ku Klux Klan. We say we shouldn't invite a person like this who really wants to fight a religious war against the West.
CHERNOFF: Elliott Mathias, thank you very much.
So, Jonathan, as you can see, there are protests planned and certainly some very strong opinions here in New York City.
Back to you.
MANN: Not a big crowd, though. That's something to note.
Let me ask you -- Columbia did invite him last year and then cancelled the invitation, presumably, we were told, out of security concerns. Why the change in heart this year?
CHERNOFF: What happened last year was that the dean of the school of International and Public Affairs actually met the Iranian president at the United Nations and there presented the invitation only three days in advance of the actual date. It turned out, three days was really not enough time to set up all the security, and that, the school says, is why it was cancelled last year.
This year, the Iranians asked Columbia, approaching a professor here first, asked Columbia if they'd like to have him back. They said, yes, we would. And as you can see, all the security set up well in advance, and, therefore, it's going forward this year.
MANN: Allan Chernoff at Columbia waiting for the president.
Thanks very much.
Our Christiane Amanpour will get a rare chance to question the Iranian president. You can see that in its entirety on Wednesday in CNN Business International. That's 21:00 GMT here on CNN.
MCEDWARDS: All right. Well, we want to take you now to the other side of the world, to the secretive Asian country of Myanmar, which is currently experiencing its biggest show of dissent in two decades.
Just take a look at this.
Myanmar one of the region's poorest countries, and last month, when the ruling military Junta dramatically raised fuel prices, people reacted. But no one really expected this.
Dan Rivers explains.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAN RIVERS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The defiant protesters on the streets of Yangon seem to be growing in number and nerve every day. In one of the world's most repressed authoritarian countries, these scenes are nothing short of extraordinary.
The marches were prompted by a huge increase in fuel prices but have now escalated into a direct challenge to the military government. Some unconfirmed reports say there are now some 100,000 people on the streets of the capital led by orange-robed Buddhist monks. Most Western journalists are unable to enter the country, but from the outside, pro-democracy activists are concerned about what will happen next.
MARK FARMENER, THE BURMA CAMPAIGN, U.K.: Our greatest fear is that the regime will respond violently. Our contacts in Rangoon are telling us that the regime could be preparing to send agents into some of these demonstrations, with the intention of perhaps stoning the police, provoking violence, and then giving the regime the pretext that it's looking for to actually start a crackdown.
RIVERS: A fear echoed by exiles in the regime.
SOE AUNG, NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR THE UNION OF BURMA: This is such an embarrassment to them, you know, in the eyes of the international community, and I am very much concerned about this situation, that they might use violent crackdown like what they did in 1988 and 1996.
RIVERS: A grainy photo emerged this weekend, apparently showing imprisoned pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi watching the protests from her house, surrounded by armed guards. She's been under house arrest on and off for much of the last two decades, opposing an army that's ruled for 45 years.
Her party won a landslide election in 1990 but has never been allowed to take power. Instead, the country has been brutally ruled by a series of generals.
Than Shwe is the latest incumbent. I witnessed this theatrical show of strength earlier this year. And I met dissidents who were brave enough to speak out in support of democracy.
But the real tragedy of Myanmar lies in its hospitals. A country that spends less on health care than almost any other nation on Earth, according to the United Nations. As our undercover camera shows, conditions are awful.
But now the people are sensing a chance to end the oppression. And the momentum for change seems to be gathering pace. The question is: how will the army manage to stop this uprising before it reaches a critical tipping point?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MCEDWARDS: We're joined now by Dan Rivers in London.
Dan, the military government has been making some ominous- sounding threats just in the last couple of hours or so. But I think a lot of people are surprised it hasn't clamped down more severely already.
Is there anything significant in that, do you think?
RIVERS: I think it is incredibly surprising it's been allowed to go this far. That this many people have managed to get out on the streets before the army has been deployed to arrest them.
There have been sporadic protests over the last couple of years when people have unfurled banners and so on, but nothing has really gathered the kind of momentum that seems to be under way now. And there is a real feeling you get watching this from the outside, anyway, that this is coming to a head, that one way or another this is going to come to a head in the next few days, whether it be the crackdown that is feared by Burma activists, Myanmar activists that has happened before or perhaps, just perhaps, a chance that this may be the end of the regime.
MCEDWARDS: And Dan, you had a really rare and really incredible chance to actually go there back in the spring, in April. Just tell us about that. What was it like there?
RIVERS: Well, the first thing that struck me was just how beautiful this country is. One of the results of it being so isolated for so many years is that there are large areas which are in pristine condition. Lots of rain forests, beautiful hold towns and temples, not spoiled by the commercialism of neighboring Thailand, for example.
The bad side, though, is the human rights, the freedom of the people there is so curtailed by this awful regime that's been in power with a series of generals for 45 years. People are terrified to even talk to you about politics in the streets. And as you can see from those pictures in hospitals, some of the conditions there are really dreadful.
MCEDWARDS: Dan Rivers for us in London.
Dan, thanks very much.
Well, we're going to take a look now at some pictures that viewers in Myanmar have actually been sending us. Taking great risk to do this as well, I might add.
These pictures were sent in by onlookers who, of course, asked to remain anonymous. This protest filling the streets. Nuns apparently are now joining the monks in their numbers on the streets. People once again protesting the rule of the military Junta.
MANN: In just a moment, we're going to take you live to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, his speech to the National Press Club. We'll have a listen to what the president is saying.
And then the buoyant Mr. Brown. With his lead growing, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown lays out his vision for his country's future.
MCEDWARDS: But he leaves the door wide open to an early election. More on his maiden speech to the annual Labour Party conference. That is coming up.
Plus, how popular is he?
MANN: And a big story still developing. Workers at one of the world's largest automakers, GM, walk off the job. The latest on that strike, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Going to take you live to Detroit, Michigan, where we are waiting for this news conference that is expected to take place any minute now. We're going to be hearing from the United Auto Workers Union on a decision to call a national strike.
Ali Velshi is going to be joining us shortly as well. But right now we see them taking to the microphone.
Let's take a listen.
RON GETTELFINGER, UAW: Good afternoon, everyone. I'm Ron Gettelfinger with the UAW.
Of course, you know Vice President Cal Rapson, And we have all of our national negotiating committee here.
The first thing I want to do is I want to applaud our national negotiators for the long hours, the dedication, the commitment and the hard work that they've put in to trying to reach an equitable agreement with the General Motors Corporation.
As you're aware, we opened negotiations with DaimlerChrysler on July the 20th. On July the 23rd, we opened negotiations with General Motors. And then we proceeded to Ford Motor Company.
As we got closer to Labor Day, it had become apparent to us that we thought that the best place for to us go to get a contract would have been General Motors. And immediately after Labor Day, we started moving more and more in that direction.
And I just want to step back and say to you that going into these negotiations, if you go back to the '03 national negotiations, our membership took the line item off of the cost of living, which amounted to eight cents an hour at the end of the contract. Additionally, we gave up an immediate two cents per quarter that continues to this day. Additionally, we worked with General Motors on every issue that came before them.
In '05, we worked out the VEBA to help them with their health care obligations. That's an $18 billion write-down, $3 billion in annualized expenses and $1 billion in cash.
Additionally, we worked with them on an attrition program and a restructuring announcement. And, just as importantly, we worked through the issues at Delphi.
We were very disappointed in this round of negotiations to discover, as we moved forward, that it was a one-way set of negotiations. It was going to be General Motors' way at the expense of the workers.
We honestly believed when we got to the contract expiration date and that we extended the contract that General Motors would come to the bargaining table and work hard with us to get an agreement. They gave us every reason to believe that that would happen.
On Thursday night, we had a meeting with them, wherein we made it clear to them that we expected to see movement on the subcommittees. There had been a lot of talk and a lot of leading up to what was going on.
From Thursday night, when we had that discussion, until Friday night, the company moved on one issue, and that was an issue where they had put a cap on profit sharing. And in that period of time that was the only issue. And we knew then that we were headed to a difficult conclusion to these negotiations.
We continued to meet with the company over the weekend. We went in early yesterday morning. I think yesterday was Sunday -- yesterday morning -- and we stayed all night. We worked all night. We worked up until the deadline.
As you're aware, we did give the company a deadline on Sunday night. And we said it was a firm deadline. That this bargaining committee was here to represent their membership and that we would not deviate from that deadline.
The company walked right up to the deadline like they really didn't care. And as a result of that, we called a strike at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time this morning.
So, that sort of sets the stage for where we're at. And we'll be glad to entertain questions, either Vice President Cal Rapson...
Cal, do you have an opening statement you want to make?
So we'll kind of open the floor for questions and we'll take -- let's take one question before we conclude the press conference.
QUESTION: I'd like to ask you, did you -- are you going to go back to the table today?
GETTELFINGER: Absolutely. Absolutely. We're going to go back and see if the company has indicated they want to meet.
They contacted Vice President Cal Rapson, and we will be going back to the bargaining table today. However, the frame of mind we're in right now, we would expect that the company would move rather expeditiously on the open issues that are in front of us.
QUESTION: And how far apart are you at this point? Can you say with any, you know, sense of certainty that you're close or you're far? Are you within days or a week or whatever?
GETTELFINGER: I really -- I wouldn't speculate, because as we discovered more and more as these negotiations progressed, it has to be a two-way street. The company's willing to meet as long as we were willing to give them something. But when it comes to them giving something back, it becomes more and more difficult.
So, it that's be -- from our standpoint, we're ready to go in and wrap this strike up and wrap -- and conclude these negotiations. I can't speak for them, nor would I even want to.
QUESTION: Sir, could you speak on the issue of job security and how important that is...
NGUYEN: And you've been listening to Ron Gettelfinger, the UAW president, talking about the fact that a national strike is under way. Although, he did say that they are going back to the bargaining table today. However, they do expect GM to move quickly on the open issues.
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Our Ali Velshi has been standing by with us and keeping an eye on these things.
Here's the official word I guess we do have. We've been waiting for it all day.
And did you hear him there? He said, "Our frame of mind," going back to the negotiating table now, that he expects the company to move more expeditiously. Is he saying we got you now, and a bit of a threat there almost?
ALI VELSHI, CNN SR. BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, he's saying -- Ron Gettelfinger has a history. He's a tough negotiator, and they've come down to the wire many, many times, and his point I think was that GM didn't really believe we were down to the wire. We were saying, let's get on with these things. He's saying they are on strike.
You know, we've been hearing word from people that maybe there was a settlement. We were going to hear about a settlement. And of course, I was saying to you it seemed very strange that we're not hearing from General Motors on that side of things, except to get -- and I'll show you this -- a confirmation from General Motors to say that we are very disappointed in the UAW's decision to call a national strike.
So the UAW says there's a strike. General Motors says there's a strike. They are still talking apparently. But the bottom line is this is the not the settlement. This is not the deal we thought we would have when we went to sleep last night.
GM is saying, "The bargaining involves complex and difficult issues that affect the job security of our U.S. work force and the long-term viability of the company."
And I've got to say, that is one sentence that says it all. We've got job -- we've got worker problems and we've got the viability of the company.
They said they are fully committed to working with the UAW to develop solutions. Ron Gettelfinger, who you just heard, seems to think otherwise.
We have ourselves a full-blown national strikes, guys. This is 59 plants across the United States, 73,000 unionized workers.
This is the first national strike of the UAW since the 1970s. Depending on who you ask, GM can weather this thing for a week, maybe up to a month. They're in a better position than Ford and Chrysler are.
UAW workers at Ford and Chrysler are not striking at those two companies. Typically what happens is the UAW negotiates with one company, and then tries to duplicate its contract at the other two.
But this is a serious problem. Detroit is not in good health. UAW workers are not in good health.
General Motors is in probably better health than Ford and Chrysler. But it's not in good health. And now we have a strike.
No clue from Ron Gettelfinger as to when this strike is going to end. But workers are off the job, guys.
HOLMES: Ali, is he right, though, to say -- or to feel like he's in a pretty good position of power right now, and can the union -- can the workers definitely wait this thing out longer than GM can?
VELSHI: No. I mean, the union as a body can. But the union is made up of individual people.
I mean, I've been covering the story for years. And when you actually go out to these lines or when there are these layoffs we've seen since the mid-2000s of more than 100,000 people, you know what? These are all people. And they are concentrated in towns where the auto industry is the major industry there.
So, when you shut down a plant, if a plant goes out of business, if the auto company shuts down that plant, it's not the workers only. It's all of their property values, because nobody wants to live there anymore. It's the support services, the stores, all of that kind of stuff that goes on.
This is economy-crushing stuff. And this economy -- this industry has been in such big trouble. So, nobody's got an upper hand in this one.
The car companies fail in America, the shareholders get hurt, the workers get hurt, American consumers get hurt. I don't know whose got the bargaining chips in this one. All we know is that it's a bad situation.
HOLMES: All right. When will we hear from GM -- we haven't heard much. We got the one statement. Are we expecting to hear anything else?
VELSHI: We've been -- we've been trying to get word -- we spoke to them a couple times early this morning. And then as soon as this started to happen, we couldn't get word back from General Motors.
So we are on the phones with them, and as soon as we do get word we will continue to bring it to you. But we're going to -- we're going to cover this very, very fully, obviously, because it affects hundreds of thousands -- it affect millions of Americans, really.
HOLMES: All right., Our Ali Velshi on this for us.
And you're right, nobody -- no upper hand in this. It doesn't work out for anybody, really. Nobodyn't wants to see this.
Ali Velshi for us.
We appreciate you sticking with us this morning and this afternoon on this story.
We appreciate you.
NGUYEN: And you know the UAW president didn't even want to speculate how close they were to getting a settlement. So this thing could last for some time, or they could get it settled very quickly as they are going back to the bargaining table today.
But the big news, the headline right now, is that workers are on strike. This is a national strike and it's the first of its kind since the 1970s.
We'll stay on top of this story.
You'll want to stay with CNN for all the latest developments.
HOLMES: And more of YOUR WORLD TODAY is coming up right after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
JONATHAN MANN, CNN ANCHOR, YOUR WORLD TODAY: Welcome back to our viewers joining us from around the globe, including the United States, some 200 countries and territories. This is YOUR WORLD TODAY. I'm Jonathan Mann.
COLLEEN MCEDWARDS, CNN ANCHOR, YOUR WORLD TODAY: And I'm Colleen McEdwards.
Here are some of the top stories that we're following for you right now. Myanmar's military regime threatening to take action against demonstrators. That is according to the country state-run media. Buddhist clergy have led a week of protests. It started as a reaction to a massive hike in fuel prices, but have lately incorporated a broader push towards democracy.
MANN: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says he wants to give the Americans correct information about his country. The president is addressing the National Press Club right now. And later he is to deliver a speech at Columbia University, followed by a question-and-answer forum. Those opposed to his appearance, and his message, say they'll mount protests on campus.
MCEDWARDS: And with more now on Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's day in New York, let's bring in senior U.N. Correspondent Richard Roth, who is live from United Nations headquarters with us. Richard, boy, when you listen to people on the streets of New York, you get a whole range of opinions. But most people don't seem to be very happy about this.
RICHARD ROTH, CNN U.N. CORRESPONDENT: Well, you could use a scout team right now to chase after this Iranian leader, but they are going to see him at Columbia University shortly. Right now there's a demonstration going on a few blocks from the United Nations. Hundreds, we are told, are in the streets protesting against President Ahmadinejad.
This is a video just in of that demonstration. There are people who don't think he should ever be allowed to visit ground zero. There are many who don't think he should be allowed inside the United States, and some probably don't like the fact that he's addressing the General Assembly. But this is a U.N. club that has 192 members and they have opened their doors for him, or anyone else that represents a country.
You see some of the signs that this protest. This is in the shadow of the U.N., in the demonstration staging area. Can the people inside the U.N. hear this? No. But when their limousines pass the demonstration, maybe. They'll be another demonstration tomorrow. Some Israeli diplomats will be at the demonstration. Earlier the Israeli ambassador to the U.N. Dan Gillerman told CNN how outraged he is that Ahmadinejad is in the country.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAN GILLERMAN, ISRAELI AMBASSADOR TO U.N.: I think that Ahmadinejad's visit to the United states, not only the U.N., is shameful and scandalous. If I were part of this administration -- I know it's not my job -- I would simply refuse the entry of this murder, of this bigot, of this person who denies the Holocaust was occurring, and the next one, and who is personally responsible for the deaths of hundreds and thousands of Americans including every day now, entry in this country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROTH: The Iranian president has questioned the existence of the Holocaust. And says Israel should be put off the map, which has drawn the condemnation of the U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan when he was there, and the current Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon. The Iranian leader is right now speaking to the National Press Club in Washington, by remote, from New York.
They opened the floor by talking -- gave him the floor, and he's been talking for 20 or 30 minutes about religious themes. I'm not sure they know how to cut off the president of a country at the National Press Club. Though he told the Associated Press earlier this morning in an interview he did not think the U.S. wanted war with his country.
Back to you, Colleen.
MCEDWARDS: He has a tendency to talk on, doesn't he? I should remind our viewers, we are monitoring this. We're going to listen to it anything interesting. He's taken his first question already. And if anything interesting comes, we'll bring it to you.
Richard, it's easy when you get a presence like this, you get protests in the street, it's easy to lose sight of some of the business that is being done, this week, at the U.N. There's a climate summit. Just tell us about that.
ROTH: There is for the first time a conference devoted just to climate change and climate control; and dozens of world leaders have broken off into panels giving them all the chance to speak. It's interesting they, all speaking at the same time in four different rooms. But it is important that U.N., the officials say here, is devoting this attention to try to bring more momentum to countries, to cut back on their greenhouse gas emissions and to get tougher.
Condoleezza Rice, the U.S. secretary of State, is expected to speak to the group. President Bush is not, but he will be here at the U.N. for a climate change dinner. This after, a lot of prodding by the U.N. secretary-general. But there are big differences, of course, between the developed, developing world, on how to go about cutting carbon emissions and, you know, who is going to pay for it.
MCEDWARDS: All thins that the United Nations from Richard Roth there.
Richard, thank you so much.
Jon.
MANN: OK, let's look next door. Iraq's prime minister, Nuri al- Maliki, has some tough words right now for embattled U.S. private contractor Blackwater. He vowed to bring the killer of Iraq civilians to justice after that shooting incident involving Blackwater last week. Mr. al-Maliki's government says it has video and photo evidence to back it's contention that Blackwater acted too aggressively.
MCEDWARDS: Well, it was a novel concept a few decades ago. But today more and more people in the United States are thinking about how they want to die, when the time comes. It's not an easy subject for a lot of families to talk about. Some of them are now turning to hospice care. Jill Dougherty looks at this trend.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): This is how half of all Americans face death; in a hospital, with sometimes heroic efforts to keep them alive. Eighty-four-year-old Ann Richardson has major heart disease. And she spent plenty of time in hospitals. But that's not where this former exercise teacher wants to spend the last moments of her life.
ANN RICHARDSON, HEART PATEINT: I'd rather be home.
DOUGHERTY: Mrs. Richardson and her children decided on hospice; a program of care and support for terminally ill persons and their families. Nurse Marcie May visits weekly, or more frequently, if needed. A home health care worker gives her baths. A doctor stops by regularly and social workers help the family cope.
LORETTA MITCHUM, DAUGHTER: She, you know, was told it may be six months, you know, three months, or a year. And are we looking forward to as long as the Lord will allow. But we've seen her health improve.
DOUGHERTY (on camera): Really?
MITCHUM: It has really improved through the hospice and the care that she gets.
DOUGHERTY: The first hospice program in the United States opened in 1974. Today, there are 4,100 programs nationwide. About one-third of all Americans who die, die in hospice care. Capital Hospice is one of the oldest and largest nonprofit hospices in the U.S., caring for an average of 800 patients, and their loved ones each day. Instead of trying to cure illness, hospice makes pain management and symptom control the number one goal.
MALENE DAVIS, CAPITAL HOSPICE: We're coaches. We are kind of, you know, you go to the gym and you get a trainer, you know. And in some sense we're the trainers for people to help them, you know, proceed through this journey that essentially will, you know, end their life.
DOUGHERTY: Capital Hospice also has an in-patient center, one of the first of its kind in the U.S. for patients who can't be cared for at home. As the family of Eileen Hammer gathers to say good-bye, they say it's giving them peace.
MISSY TIMKO, DAUGHTER: It's just so comfortable and welcoming and homey; and everything that you would hope it would be. That I know I could not provide for her.
DOUGHERTY: Ann Richardson says she prays for people who don't have their families with them for the final chapter of their lives.
RICHARDSON: I really pray for them, because the family means more to you and a lot to you. They know more about you in the first place.
DOUGHERTY: Jill Dougherty, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MANN: Two kidnapped Italian soldiers are free right now thanks to a NATO-led rescue. The two soldiers disappeared along with their Afghan driver and translator two days ago in western Afghanistan. Both Italians were wounded in the rescue, but are being treated at a NATO hospital. Officials say that at least eight kidnappers were killed during the operation.
MCEDWARDS: Still to come. Video game fans are on the edge of their seats. I know you are. MANN: You know who you are. I'm not sure I'm one of them. Halo 3 hits store shelves tomorrow. We'll find out what the fuss is about. There's a big fuss to talk about. Why so many people, young and old, want to get their hands on this one game.
MCEDWARDS: Yes.
And another chapter in the heartwarming story of Youssif, the badly burned boy from Baghdad. We're going to tell you why he's back in the operating room. We'll bring you up to date. Stay with CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MCEDWARDS: It is the day millions of video gamers around the world have been waiting for, for a long time. Another chance to, you know, slaughter some aliens and save the world. It's all in a day's work, I guess.
MANN: Who doesn't want to do that once in a while? Veteran games know exactly what we're talking about, but if you are among the uninitiated, we feel bad for you. This is one of the most-anticipated video game -- maybe the most-anticipated gaming product in all of history. Get that. More than 1 million have already been purchased. Halo 3, a million of them before they even went on sale.
MCEDWARDS: That's unbelievable. The final chapter of the Halo saga goes like this. The object is to reclaim 26th century Earth, and the rest of the galaxy, from the dark alien forces of the Covenant, what do you think?
MANN: You betcha. Sure it is about saving the planet from bad guys, and this maybe obvious to those of you who do video games out there. But it's worth reiterating the Halo series is more than a shoot'em up space adventure. It actually spins a complex tale with lots of plot twists and turns. Adults like it. Women like it. I'm still mystified. But to explain all the fuss Marc Saltzman, syndicated technology columnist, who can let us in on the secret.
Marc, I want you to explain this to for us because a lot of people are outside of this. And this is a whole culture. This is like "Star Wars". This is like The Beatles. This is very big, isn't it?
MARC SALTZMAN, SYNDICATED TECHNOLOGY COLUMNIST: Yes, this is as big as pop culture phenomenons get. The Halo games are one of those rare instances where they get it all right; from the storytelling to the control to the high-definition graphics to the surround-sound music. And, you know, it's -- it's caused -- you know, it spawned comic books, and action figures and a secret project with Peter Jackson, director of "Lord of the Rings."
It's become much more than a popular video game franchise and to say that Halo 3 is eagerly anticipated would be a huge understatement.
MANN: You did the list of the things they do well. They got all the bits right. But is there something different, precedent-setting about this? Or is it just a video game done the way video games really ought to be?
SALTZMAN: Yeah, good question. You know, the folks at Bungee Studios in Washington State that worked on this game, just have such an unprecedented amount of detail, that it's more than just the sum of its parts. I mean, this is the Halo 3, for example, has about 39,000 lines of dialogue. So this is more than a few motion pictures rolled into one interactive narrative.
This is a character, Master Chief, that many players can associate with. And, you know, can really bond with. And this isn't a movie that's over in an hour and a half. It's a 10-, 15-hour adventure. That's just the single-player component. So, there's something about this game. The magic -- the devil is in the details as they say -- and this is one game that truly delivers on its promises.
MANN: Now, this isn't just a game, though. It isn't just art or leisure culture. It's business. It's not that they are just going to make a fortune on this. They've already made $100 million. All of those of us with children, those of us with entertainment consoles know about the Xbox, know about the Wii, the future of those devices may be decided by this particular product.
SALTZMAN: Absolutely. As like you said before, we chatted, 1 million copies of Halo 3 have already been sold two months before the game came out. They hit the milestone back in July. Tomorrow, September 25, they are expecting about $200 million in revenue from this one game alone. Don't forget in November of '04 Halo 2 grossed $125 million. At that point that was an entertainment record. And this looks like it's going to eclipse it by even up to $100 million more.
So this is big business. This could solidify the Xbox 360 as the quintessential gaming system for the home. Sony is obviously trying to find their killer app to sell PlayStation 3 units. And as popular as the Wii, you know, the Xbox 360 delivers on a lot of other levels and Nintendo is still waiting for that one big game. Maybe it's the next Mario game that could elevate the Wii up to what we're going to expect tomorrow with Halo 3.
MANN: Well, Marc Saltzman, thanks very much.
I'm going to remind everyone the game isn't out yet. But Marc is going to be one of the first people to play it and he's going to tell us all about it, join us. Have a look at CNN.com tomorrow for his review. Because after all, the whole question is, is it any fun?
Marc Saltzman, thanks so much.
Colleen.
SALTZMAN: Thank you.
MCEDWARDS: I'll look for that. That sounds great.
You may think games like Halo 3 are for the young. But maybe you should rethink that. Think again about that. Seniors at a retirement home in England are going high-tech. Things like bridge and crossword puzzles are apparently passe, in their place some electronic entertainment. I'm not sure it's Halo 3 or not. But you'll find out here. Alphonso Van Marsh reports on the video game grandparents.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALPHONSO VAN MARSH, CNN INTL. CORRESPONDENT (voice over): This is how seniors keep alert at the Sunrise Community Living Center, playing video games that react to body movement. From age 80 to 103, they are setting the walkers aside for something more competitive.
BARRY EDGAR, VIDEO GAME ENTHUSIAST: It's probably a great help to us in coordinating eyesight and body movement and that sort of thing.
VAN MARSH: Card games and a cup of tea are still on offer here. But after a staffer brought his kid's game system into the center last month, many of these experienced hands preferred to reach out for the wireless handset.
(On camera): You're right down the middle.
(Voice over): Playing tennis and bowling on the big screen.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, I don't think so. Oh!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Triple strike!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It must be my lucky day.
VAN MARSH: Eighty-two-year-old Irene Peach is so good at making her on-screen bowler move to her whims, she regularly scores in triple digits.
(On camera): Does that make you the official --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, yes.
VAN MARSH: Champion?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, yes, I'm the champion, yes.
VAN MARSH: Sunrise administrators say the games are so popular, they are buying the $400 units for all their centers in England.
RICHARD GUY, SUNRISE SENIOR LIVING CENTER: It's so important that every day our residents get the opportunity to use those joints, and use the muscles, that perhaps if they sat down reading a newspaper, they wouldn't do.
VAN MARSH (voice over): Feisty 87-year-old Gladys Harrington doesn't sit anywhere for too long, but today she's taking a back seat to offer me some bowling tips. This is my first time with the game console.
(On camera): Fortunately, I have an excellent instructor. But it seems that my talent and ability my new nickname is "Gutter Ball." I can't get a break.
(Voice over): These geriatric gamers may no longer golf the back 9 or serve an ace on the court. This high-tech entertainment designed for a younger generation providing physical and mental challenges for the young at heart. Alphonso Van Marsh, CNN, Edgebesten, England.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MANN: We're going to go back now to the live remarks of the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. He's just been asked by reporters, speaking to him via satellite about allegations from the U.S. military that Iran is assisting of the smuggling of weapons into Iraq. Let's listen in.
(BEGIN LIVE FEED, IN PROGRESS)
MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD, PRESIDENT OF IRAN (through translator): Because Iraq's security means our security.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So is that confirming that those weapons are going in?
AHMADINEJAD (through translator): No. This does not happen -- exist. Are you telling me that the U.S. military is defeated as a result of two or three weapons here and there? There are two problems here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, I'm simply repeating the government's allegations.
AHMADINEJAD (through translator): First of all, it undermines the power of the U.S. military by making statements like this, actually. And, second of all, the U.S. politicians will not be able to make the right decision on matters about Iraq. The problem of the U.S. military rise elsewhere.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why will Iran --
AHMADINEJAD (through translator): They need to change their methods.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why will Iran not agree to a civilian nuclear partnership with other countries? Why must Iran enrich its own uranium when doing so raises suspicious it intends to develop nuclear weapons?
AHMADINEJAD (through translator): First of all, that's our right. We are a member of the IAEA. And the bylaws of the IAEA explicitly grant us that right. Secondly, two years ago, I made the same proposal you just sort of referred to you, in the United Nations. But those selfish groups that didn't want to listen to it did not embrace it.
And, secondly, why should a nation tie its future to another group, another nation? Is the U.S. government willing to engage in partnership with us, and advance its nuclear activities in partnership with us? Is it willing to do that? We're willing to do it, too. Are they willing to divide their rights with us? Why do you think the U.S. administration, the government, which is a member of the IAEA, should have more rights over Iran, which is also a member of the IAEA. If there is law, international law, it's equal for everyone.
(END LIVE FEED, IN PROGRESS)
MANN: Defending his country's right to nuclear research and his country's investment in the security of Iraq, the remarks still live from Iran's president, as he addresses reporters at the National Press Club via satellite. We'll be back with more news, right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MCEDWARDS: We have an update now on Youssif, the Iraqi boy disfigured in a brutal attack. A short while ago this five-year-old completed a second in a series of operations, and our Arwa Damon has been following this. She joins us now from Los Angeles with the surgeon who actually performed the surgery.
And Arwa, I hope you've got some good news for us here.
ARWA DAMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Colleen, we do have some good news. And at this point I'm going to introduce Doctor Peter Grossman. He's the lead surgeon on Youssif's burn team.
And, doctor, how did the surgery today go?
DR. PETER GROSSMAN, GROSSMAN BURN CENTER: Arwa, today's surgery went very well. I was very pleased with how everything went. Today we took a full-thickness graft from his abdomen, and we covered the area of the open wound that was created when we removed the scar tissue the other day around his forehead and nose.
DAMON: And when will you know when today's operation is successful?
GROSSMAN: We'll take down the dressing in about three days. At that point we'll have an early hint as to whether or not the grafts have taken or the grafts are surviving. Still we won't know for sure for another week or two. But we'll have a good idea then. And that will be the next step in our progress in getting Youssif better.
DAMON: And looking ahead, what will happen next of Youssif? What can he expect to have to go through?
GROSSMAN: He'll go through a time now where we'll allow him to heal. We've done a lot of surgery on him in the last week and we want him to rest up a bit. But probably the week after next, we'll begin the expansion process, which means we'll be blowing up those empty water balloons that we put under his neck and under his face. To try to stretch out the good skin, in essence grow more good skin over the next several months and then come back to surgery, probably in about two to three months. And go for a very large surgery, which will hopefully give a significant improvement to his appearance. DAMON: Doctor, thank you very much. We'd also like to thank the Grossman Burn Center and the Children's Burn Foundation, of course, all of our viewers and the countless others that helped bring this together. There are very difficult times for Youssif and his family, coming ahead. In fact, his father, as Youssif was recovering from today's surgery turned away from the bed. The pain that he was going through evident on his face, the pain that his child even has to go through this. But of course, everyone hoping that one day Youssif will be able to lead a normal life -- Colleen.
MCEDWARDS: Arwa Damon, for us there.
Arwa, thank you very much to you, and to the doctor.
And you know, we saw the video of him so upset before his first surgery. Anyone who has children just feels for that little boy.
MANN: This is not an easy time, but our fingers are crossed.
I'm Jonathan Mann.
MCEDWARDS: And I'm Colleen McEdwards. You're watching CNN.
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