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Protests Over Anti-Islam Movie Spread in Middle East; Officials in American Consulate in Libya Killed; Kate Middleton's Nude Photos were Publish in a French Magazine

Aired September 15, 2012 - 15:00   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN HOST: Hello, everyone. Here in the CNN NEWSROOM, I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

Straight ahead, the suspected creator of an anti-Muslim film makes an on camera appearance of his own. CNN got the firsthand look at the chard and ransack remains of the U.S. consulate in Libya.

And not even the threat of legal action is stopping the publication of nude photos of Katherine.

But first, Taliban militants in Afghanistan say they attacked a NATO base in Afghanistan today to retaliate against an internet movie that insults the Islam religion. The attack in Hellmann province killed two American marines.

Anna Coren is in Kabul.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)[

ANNA COREN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There's serious questions raised amongst U.S. and NATO forces as to how the Taliban could infiltrate the heavy fortified camp Bastion in Hellman province in southern Afghanistan. Twenty Taliban members armed with small weapons dropped off a grenade in suicide IED were able to get through the perimeter, killing two U.S. marines and wounding several others.

The Taliban says this attack is in response to the inflammatory video that has outraged much of the Muslim world. Other Taliban members say that Prince Harry was a target. Prince Harry, of course, is based at camp Bastion, but official say he was no way near the assault and was never in danger. He's in a four month rotation here in Afghanistan as gana (ph) on an apache attack helicopter.

In other big news, there's been another green on blue attack. This time, an Afghan police officer turning his weapon on NATO soldiers killing two of them. That takes this year's death toll up to 47. It's a huge concern for the coalitions who are in the process of transferring power and security to the afghan armed forces.

Anna Coren, CNN, Kabul.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: And now to the man who made the controversial anti-Muslim movie that the Taliban says was the motivation for the attack. The filmmaker surfaced publicly for the first time during an overnight visit to his probation officer in Los Angeles.

CNN's Miguel Marquez joining us live now from Los Angeles.

So Miguel, what more have we learned from the meeting?

MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We haven't heard anything from the meeting yet, but we know that the court system had opened up a review of this gentleman's five-year probation. He was on probation for five years of supervised probation after being convicted in 2010 for bank fraud and identity theft.

L.A. County sheriffs' deputies transported him about midnight at the behest of the court system. He went to meet with probation officers. This is sort of the next step in the process for them as they review his entire case to figure out whether or not they have to hold a hearing. That would come in the days or weeks ahead. Once the hearing occurs, if it does, then his probation, the terms of it, could be changed. It could be revoked, and that Mr. Nicula could be in a much different position than he is now.

He was returned to his house. He had nothing to say, and indeed all of this was voluntary as well. Officials are very, very quick to point out, so we'll have to wait and see whether or not this will turn into anything more in the days ahead, Fred.

WHITFIELD: And Miguel, what are actors or other people associated with the film saying?

MARQUEZ: They had gone quiet for a while. They started talking to us and then they went quiet and now they're starting to talk again. I think seeing what is happening in the Middle East is having a great effect on them, seeing the death of ambassador Stevens and others is having an effect.

They are afraid personally. They're afraid to go on camera, but they're saying, I spoke to one actor in the last 24 hours who said that she, and other actors, that their voices were actually dubbed by other people. Certain words, certain phrases that they saw at least in the trailer that is online, it was not their voices at all but others. There was an extensive use of redubbing, looping, their words -- it sounds like a very chaotic process that occurred with this film, and the end result is it's not clear that any full film has ever been completed. We know that at least one showing of a version of it was here in Los Angeles, but we don't know that the film has ever been completed, Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right, Miguel Marquez. Thanks so much from Los Angeles.

So, anger over that controversial movie spilled into the streets of Sidney, Australia, today. This was the scene outside the U.S. consulate there. The protests turned violent when police pushed back protesters from the consulate building. Authorities used tear gas and police dogs to disperse the demonstrators who threw bottles. Four people were hurt.

The FBI is putting off its visit to Libya for safety reasons. Agents had hoped to arrive today to continue their investigation into the bombing that killed the U.S. ambassador and three others.

The bodies of ambassador Christopher Stevens, Foreign Service officer Sean Smith, and security officers Ty Woods and Glen Doherty will be transferred from Dover air force base to their families. They were killed four days ago in an attack on the United States consulate in Benghazi.

Our Arwa Damon got inside that building. It's now burned out and has the most complete picture yet that she's about to bring us of the violence from that night and the warning that came days before.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ARWA DAMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice0over): Amid the ash, soot, and debris, remnants of a life that was. And what it meant to those stationed here. Scrawled on this sheet, Libya is so important. Traces of blood stain the walls. What is now a blackened ruin was a pleasant compound in an upscale Benghazi neighborhood.

Libyan officials say Tuesday night's attack was planned by Islamist militants and quickly overwhelmed the Libyan and American guards. The compound's first line of defense easily breached. According to one of the Libyan guards who was stationed at the gate, armed with only a radio, the assault happened simultaneously from three different directions. He said he initially heard chanting growing increasingly louder and then suddenly, the gun fire, the rocket propelled grenades and other heavy machine gun fire all began attacking the compound. He's so terrified of repercussions he's refusing to appear on camera. He says at one point, the masked men came over and threatened to kill him at gun point for protecting the infidels. He only survived because another individual was in their ranks intervened and managed to lead them away.

A rocket propelled grenade took out the power, and set the main residence on fire. Here, the bedroom where U.S. ambassador Chris Stevens stayed, part of a small suite. We're told this is where the ambassador, after being separated from his guards in the chaos, smoke, and darkness, died of smoke inhalation.

What we're being told is that the ambassador's security detail brought him into this location, shutting the door, trying to insure his safety. And then we're being told that when the situation finally calmed down, the ambassador's body was then taken out through this window by a group of Libyans.

Other consulate staffs were evacuated to what was supposed to be a safe house. But then it, too, was targeted. That's where two more Americans died. Libya's government has vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice. But the country's president touring the site admitted that would be difficult.

MOHAMED MAGARIAF, PRESIDENT, LIBYA'S GENERAL NATIONAL CONGRESS: We'll do our utmost, whether we succeed or not, we expect help from our friends.

DAMON: But currently, you're not capable? Currently, you can't control these groups, currently? Currently.

MAGARIAF: We are not far from the truth.

DAMON: The question is whether the United States underestimated the threats from hostile groups here.

One Libyan security official told me that he met with American officials in Benghazi three days before the attacks took place. He says he warned them, not for the first time, that security in Benghazi was deteriorating. He said, quote "we told the Americans the situation was frightening. It scares us. The ambassador, too, seems to have been aware of the general threat from Islamic militants, but no one anticipated the terrible violence that would take his life and the life of three other Americans on Tuesday night."

Arwa Damon, CNN, Benghazi, Libya.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And back here in the states now, with tentative deal has been reached in a five-day old teacher's strike in the nation's third biggest city. But the fight lives on right now. Why teachers and community leaders aren't letting up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Chicago teachers are rallying at Union Park right now as a five-day strike may soon enter a second week. We're told a framework for a deal has been reached. At least 350,000 students will remain out of school unless there's a breakthrough this weekend.

Joining me now from a rally in Chicago is CNN's Kyung Lah, a pretty sizable rally there.

So Kyung, are you ably to read the tea leaves? Does it look optimistic at all for both sides?

KYUNG LAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know, it was sounding very optimistic yesterday, but someone just came up to the mic and said that the language has not yet been finalized. And this is language in this contract that has been too accepted by the teachers union. The language has not yet been finalized. And as of now, the strike is still on.

So, what's happening behind closed doors? Lawyers from both sides working on that contract. Then it's got to go to the delegation of teachers, about 800 of them, and that delegation has got to call off the strike. Until that happens, this strike is still on. And you can see how many teachers there are here.

This entire park is filled with teachers. There are thousands of them here, and a lot of them are carrying signs. They're fully aware that this is a week-long strike, and that if it is not accepted, if the strike is not called off by tomorrow, children will not be in the classroom on Monday. But, the expectation, Fred, is that we heard from both sides last night was they were going to hammer it out. They will not going to leave the table. They are going to try to figure it out because the major hurdles that kept kids out of the classroom, that -- those hurdles have already been jumped over - Fred.

WHITFIELD: OK. So, there is not one or perhaps two significant hurdles that the two sides are trying to come to terms with. It's really just an issue of language?

LAH: Exactly. We're talking about language. If you look at any sort of contract, you may agree, let's say you buy a house. You agree on the price of the house, you agree on both sides are going to bring to the table, but then you have to work on all of the little details, and that's the problem right now. They've got to make sure to hammer all that out.

WHITFIELD: OK. And then you spoke to a teacher out there. I know you spoken to a lot of people, but one teacher in particular who is very shaken up about all of this.

LAH: And something that she really wanted to share with us because something that these teachers want to make sure that people know is that they don't want to be out of the classroom. Here's what she told us.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JUANITA MARTINEZ, CHICAGO TEACHER: This is more work than being in the classroom. I would rather be teaching. I miss my students, I miss my neighborhood, I miss my community. I miss my peers.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ready to go back?

MARTINEZ: I'm ready to go back.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LAH: Ready to go back and they're hoping to go back. See how tough it is on her and it's been very, very hard on the 350,000 students who are not in the classroom today.

WHITFIELD: All right, Kyung Lah. Thanks so much from Chicago. Keep us posted.

Unconstitutional, that's the ruling of a Wisconsin judge on the state's law restricting the collective bargaining rights of public employees. The bill was signed into law in March of last year, and according to yesterday's ruling, it violates union membership and free speech rights. Governor Scott Walker says he will appeal the ruling.

The Pope makes a journey to a troubled land. He has never set foot in. And he's hoping he can bring differences and bring peace.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) WHITFIELD: Pope Benedict XVI is urging Middle Easterners Christians and Muslims to respect each other's religions and live in peace. He made the plea during his visit to Lebanon. It's his first ever visit and only the third by a Pope and it come amid the protests at U.S. embassies and consulates across the Middle East.

Earlier, I asked CNN's senior Vatican analyst, John Allen who was in Beirut with the Pope what made this trip so significant.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN ALLEN, CNN SENIOR VATICAN ANALYST: Well Fredricka, when this trip was originally drawn up, I think the idea was for Benedict to try to deliver a shot in the arm to the beleaguered to Christian minority of the Middle East, not just Lebanon, which has been in decline for a long time, and I think there's real fear that the land that the Christ lived in may one day be empty of Christians.

But, in the run up to this trip, it sort of got overtaken by events. And now, I think, instead of being directed primary at Christians, it's certainly directed in the whole world. This is Benedict's effort to lift up a different face of the Middle East to show that despite the images of sort of a violence and chaos we have seen in recent days, that there's another story to tell about the Middle East, that there are also places where peaceful coexistence, in this case between Christians and Muslims, is possible. In effect, I think he's trying to offer a counter narrative, Fredricka, to what we have seen spread across the region in recent days.

WHITFIELD: How does he do that? How does he try to strike a balance, you know, between Muslim and Christian tensions, especially after what has taken place this week?

ALLEN: Well, the Pope is not directly engaged in the events this week, but I think what he has done during his time on the ground here in Lebanon, is try in every way possible to send the world images of Christians and Muslims getting along together. I mean, let's start with the fact there have been Muslim clerics visibly present at virtually every one of the Pope's events.

On the way here, on the plane en route to Lebanon, he gave a sort of positive reading of the Arab spring and talking about that is full of promise for greater democracy and liberation and fulfillment of the potential of the people of the Middle East. And there have been signals of kind of Christian/Muslim harmony along the way, too.

One of the most intriguing bits here, Fredricka, is that Hezbollah, which of course in the west is known as a terrorist organization but is here also seen as a political and social movement, not only welcomed the Pope's trip but actually has festooned the city with banners welcoming Benedict to Beirut.

So, in effect, I think the idea here is to try to show the world for all of the sorts of bloodshed and mayhem we have witnessed in recent days, a different future for the Middle East remains possible. WHITFIELD: And John, you know, captive Christians have been expressing a real fear they have now especially since that controversial filmmaker professed to be Coptic Christian. So, is there a different message that the Pope will try to convey to them?

ALLEN: Well, the Pope himself has not directly engaged the film controversy, although in the run up to his trip, the Vatican put out a statement expressing sympathy for Muslims whose religious instability have been offended by the film.

But basically, I think, the Pope's message to that substantial Coptic minority in Egypt is the same message that he's trying to bring to the entire Middle East, which is I know your difficulties, I know the struggle you're facing and I know the anxiety you have about the future. That's what he said to about a group of about 20,000 Christian youth here tonight on the water front of Beirut.

But at the end of the day, he's also calling on them not to leave, to stay in place, to make the choice to try to stay in the land of their birth and to build a better future. He knows it's a tough one and he knows that previous papal appeals along those lines have not stopped Christian out migration from the Middle East, but I think he remains hopeful it's possible.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: All right, thanks to the senior Vatican analyst John Allen there.

All right, headlines from around the world now.

The relentless violence in Syria centered on the city of Aleppo today. Opposition leaders say at least 120 people died in fighting across the country.

Meanwhile, the new envoy to Syria met with President Bashar Al-Assad saying she's committed to resolving to crisis but peace won't come easily.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LAKIHDAR BRAHIMI, U.N. ARAB LEAGUE ENVOY: I said it was a difficult mission. It is still very difficult. It will remain difficult. But I think this kind of mission needs to be undertaken. I'm not undertaking it because I'm looking for a quick success for myself. I have undertaken it because I am very hopeful that I will be able to help however little, the people of Syria.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: And the man many think will succeed, China's president, made his first public appearance in two weeks today in Beijing. Xi Jinping had canceled public appearances with foreign dignitaries without explanation leading to rumor and speculation about his condition. And in Moscow today, thousands protested against President Vladimir Putin. They're reacting to Putin's harsh crackdown on the opposition. Putin say his return to power is a setback for Russian democracy.

Violence and unrest all across the Middle East, and much of it aimed at America. We will talk with an expert about what it all means.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Two U.S. marines were killed today during a militant attack on a NATO base in Afghanistan. It happened in Hellman province. Officials say about 20 armed insurgents infiltrated the base perimeter and opened fire. Coalition members fought back killing all but one of the militants. The Taliban is claiming responsibility, saying the attack was in retaliation to the internet movie that insults the Islam religion.

The man who made the controversial movie has surfaced publicly for the first time since protest over the film began. Nakoula Basseley Nakoula met with his probation officer in Los Angeles over night. Nakoula was convicted on bank fraud back in 2010 and placed on supervised probation for five years. He's banned from using computers without approval from his probation officer. Federal officials say his probation is not under review.

At Union Park in Chicago, teachers and community leaders are rallying in a protest to what they call assaults on public employee unions. Teachers went on strike Monday, keeping at least 350,000 students out of school. Both sides agreed on a tentative deal just yesterday. It could be finalized this weekend.

The anger toward America that began at the embassy in Cairo, Egypt, and then to the consulate in Benghazi, Libya, which claimed the life of a U.S. ambassador there, has put U.S. missions on alert and some personnel have been moved, and the violence has spread throughout the Middle East.

Just take a look at this map here from West Africa and Morocco to the cashmere region, protesters have burned the American flag and in some cases scaled the walls and gates of America's diplomatic compounds.

So, what does it mean for America's posture around the globe?

Ned Walker was U.S. ambassador at three important posts in that region, Israel, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates. Mr. Ambassador is joining us now.

Good to see you.

NED WALKER, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO EGYPT, ISRAEL, UNITES ARAB EMIRATES: Good to see you. Thank you.

WHITFIELD: You know this area well, and I understand you did have some knowledge of or a brush with ambassador Christopher Stevens, the ambassador killed in Benghazi. WALKER: Yes. Well, Chris was junior to me, and I think we served at one post together, but I didn't know him well. He's -- was an upstanding, great diplomat. Very calm, had a nice personality.

WHITFIELD: It really does send shock waves throughout the world, throughout this United States, and of course throughout the diplomatic community. Give me an idea of how his death impacts the diplomatic core?

WALKER: One of the problems you have is when something like this happens everybody does a lot of second guessing as to whether our security apparatus is adequate. And sometimes that leads to further restrictions on our diplomats to the point where sometimes, they really can't do the job they're being paid to do. They're supposed to be out talking to people, working with the government, and they can't be holed up in a vault somewhere.

So there are risks with the job. And every one of us who knows into it understands that, at least in the Middle East.

WHITFIELD: Huge risks.

All right, let's talk about the first protest that took place in Cairo, Egypt. The Egyptian president Morsi has since kind of revised his comments. You know, he sounds more firm about condemning the violence and urging people not to place blame on the United States for the controversial film.

How much will that resonate in other countries seeing protests? We know that a lot has happened in the past five days in terms of bubbling up protests in different forms around the globe. But is it the case where the Egyptian president's words or comments could in any way kind of re-shape the sentiment that is spreading around the world?

WALKER: I think it already has re-shaped the sentiment in Egypt and certainly there is a calmer situation today than there was two days ago. He can't stop it alone. I mean, he has going to have to - I mean, we're going to have to have the support of every leader in the region, particularly religious leaders to calm the situation and recognizing that this is not the American government. This is not the American people. This is a bunch of cooks who, I think, are very similar to the Ku Klux Klan but with different title, and their entire effort is to create just this kind of outrage and animosity. They have been successful.

WHITFIELD: And Ned, how about the president of the United States when he said that, you know, Egypt is not necessarily an ally. This is what he had to say a few days ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I don't think that we would consider them an ally, but we don't consider them an enemy.

(END VIDEO CLIP) WHITFIELD: How impactful is a statement like that coming from the president of the United States when Egypt enjoys, you know, the second largest bulk of U.S. assistance, financial aid, second to Israel?

WALKER: That was a very firm and welcome shot across the bow for president Morsi. He's new in his job. We have to work out our relationship a bit more, but he needs to know that the United States is not going to sit around and watch its embassies burn. And that his very limp initial statements were -- they angered the president, rightly so. So it was the right thing to do. And Morsi changed his tune after that.

WHITFIELD: Egyptian president Morsi really is in a tough place though, isn't he? I think everyone is in agreement revealing his allegiance, you know, to the Muslim brotherhood, to the U.S., and to all Egyptians. How does he do that? Is he finding it difficult?

WALKER: Sure --

WHITFIELD: Way to go here.

WALKER: It's a very difficult thing for him to do. He's got to thread the needle, so to speak, but he hit the right tone in his subsequent statement, which essentially said, we have an obligation to our guests. We're not people that go around killing people. Basically, he said that, yes, of course, we're upset about the film. But it's not the American people. It's not the American government. And so I think he had a good take on his second statement. It shouldn't anger the Muslim brotherhood. It's supporting them.

WHITFIELD: Meantime, there is an investigation in Benghazi where, you know, the firing took place at that U.S. consulate leading to the death of the four Americans. We understand the FBI has planned to go but now they're postponing their trip because of security matters. What have you learned in your dialogue with sources about where the investigation is going?

WALKER: Well, clearly, the investigation ultimately has to come down to the FBI because they have the forensic capabilities and so on. But in the first or initial stages, it's going to be the CIA that seeks out sources and tries to get a better picture of what is actually going on. I'm not sure that anybody has a clear picture of the actual incidents that led to the death of the ambassador. But I worked with the FBI before. They are persistent. They aren't going to give up. And the president made it very clear. We will follow this to the end of the earth.

WHITFIELD: Ambassador Ned Walker. Thanks so much for your time from Washington today.

WALKER: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: All right, imagine controlling your air conditioner or locking your doors from anywhere you are with your smart phone. We'll show you device that does all of that and more.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, from unlocking your door via smart phone to making your bike ride a little bit safer, a new wave of technology is here to make your life easier. Our CNN money reporter Laurie Segall recently traveled to San Francisco for the tech crunch disrupt conference. What a mouthful, and learned about some new gadgets.

Hello to you, Laurie. First, tell us about the gadget that does everything except cook for us.

LAURIE SEGALL, CNN MONEY TECHNOLOGY REPORTER: If only it cooks. That would make my life a lot easier.

WHITFIELD: I would be happy.

SEGALL: I know. So it does -- it almost is promising to do everything but cook, really. You know, essentially, imagine if you could automate your whole home. I mean, imagine if you could control your air conditioning, you can control the locks all through your smart phone.

So, this is a new technology that is promising to do that. So, I'm going to take you through some of the things they're promising to allow you to do using the technology.

First and foremost, turn out your lights and turn them on. And you don't even have to be home. You can make it look like you're home if you're not actually home, Fredricka. You know, control air conditioning. Let's say I want my place to be cool before I get back from the segment. I can use the app. I can turn on my air conditioning. My place is going to be cool when I get back. I can get a push notification if there's a leak in my home.

And also this is a fun one when you can actually keep track of your pets. So, let's say your dog runs into the street. Your dog runs somewhere they're not supposed to be, you can get a push notification saying they're out of the area.

So, you know, the idea is to allow all these items in our home, you know, whether it's our air conditioning and our refrigerator and make them quote/unquote "smarter.' So, I guess the question is how exactly do you do that?

Well, there's a company says Smarthings has now officially launched a kick starter campaign at the crowd hunting Web site. And you can pay many, you can go and you can buy this smarthings kit.

So, it essentially has a smart think tub, you are looking at it right now and you can put it in your home, and they'll give you quote/unquote "things," sensor devices. So, a present sensor, a motion sensor and you put them on your refrigerator, you can put them on your cat, you can put just about anywhere, and using that technology, you're going to be able to go into the smart things mobile app and use these apps for all kinds of different things, whether it's getting a notification if, you know, if the dog bowl is empty and you need to feed the dog. So you know the future looks pretty cool. WHITFIELD: So we don't have to think anymore, in other words.

SEGALL: I know. Your whole life can become that much smarter. This is all shipping out in December.

WHITFIELD: OK, very good. Laurie Segall, thanks so much. I'm feeling smarter already. All right, for more on this story, go to CNNmoney.com/technology.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Go to any running event and you're likely to witness at least one skilled athlete overcoming a physical challenge. It wasn't always that way. This week's CNN hero Dick Traum, broke barriers himself to make it happen. He was the first amputee to run the New York City marathon and now he's helping others discover their own potential.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DICK TRAUM, CNN HERO: Working out in central park is the best time of the day for me. It gives me the opportunity to test myself. You feel like you could do anything.

Back in 1965 I got hit by a car, and I ended up losing my leg. I didn't see it as holding me back. It just wasn't a big issue.

In 1976, I became the first amputee to run the New York City marathon. It was probably the best day of my life. And I just felt this joy should be shared with others.

I'm Dick Traum and I help people with disabilities achieve their potential through sports. How many people here are doing the New York City marathon? Virtually everyone who is a member of Achilles has a vulnerability. People come to Achilles and we match them with guides.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He just did 16 miles!

TRAUM: The atmosphere is social, and there are jokes and there's laughter.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're going to beat me still?

TRAUM: It truly is a family.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have a stroke in 1980. When with I start with Achilles, I could only walk one lamppost to another lamppost. And now, I run New York City marathon. I can do anything in my life. Dick helped me (INAUDIBLE) in my life.

TRAUM: We change the way people perceive themselves. And you see the glow. There's nothing in the world that I have more fun doing.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And next Thursday at 12:00 eastern time, we'll be announcing the top ten heroes on CNN.com. And you will get to decide which one will be the CNN hero of the year starting next week. Vote online and on your mobile device for the hero who most inspires you.

All right, are you up to taking on something as grueling as a triathlon? Dr. Sanjay Gupta is coming up, and we will go live to Malibu where he has been training with a group that he called the lucky seven.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, the triathlon, a tough test of strength and endurance. And Dr. Sanjay Gupta's next challenge, as he explored the human factor of getting and staying fit. Well, he is joining us live from Malibu because tomorrow is the big Nautica triathlon.

Oh, my God, so picturesque out there. Sanjay is joining us now.

So, this is finally getting under way after how months of training with you and the lucky seven?

DOCTOR SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, we started really officially in January, so it has been about eight and a half months or so. And you know, a lot of this, Fred, is sort of practicing what we preach. You know, we talk about fitness and what is happening with obesity in the country, quite a bit. And we decided to actually through the stories of what we called the lucky seven, show people, our viewers, what is happening and what people can do about it.

So, it has been a wonderful nine months. And I think everybody, I can speak for everybody who has been transformed by what happened to them.

Wow, transformed in a big way, they all had huge responsibilities, work, children, just taking care of themselves, et cetera. How did many of them profess to be able to find time to train and be ready for tomorrow?

WHITFIELD: Wow. I mean, transformed in a very big way. I mean, they all gad huge responsibilities, work, you know children, just taking care of themselves, et cetera. How does many of them for the best to be able to find time to train and be ready for tomorrow?

GUPTA: Yes, and I should point out, as well, that none of them had done a triathlon before, many of them were never athletes and had never done anything remotely like this, so that was a significant obstacle to overcome.

But, I will tell you that the timing is that it is the first thing everyone sort of brings up as a concern about doing something like this. And what you find is obviously that they have all done it. But I think it is more than a question of finding time, it is a question of priorities. If you think about your training and just getting fit and getting in the exercise as something you have to do as opposed to something that would be nice to do, it changes everything. And you treat it with the same degree of significance, as you would having an appointment or a meeting with your boss, for example. So it just becomes a part of your life, fitness, and when you start to see the positive results, then you know, it just builds on itself.

WHITFIELD: And how about for you personally? Here you are covering the globe. You are covering the story. And then when you are back in Atlanta, you are, you know, carrying out surgeries. How were you able to fit in the training? I mean, you know, when you traveled, you have the bike or running at least is great, you don't have to have anything but your sneakers. But, how did you do it, personally?

GUPTA: Well, you know, a lot of times on the road, I mean first of all, I would try to always, when I would think about my next day, think about when I got a workout in, of sorts. So if I could run, like you pointed out, that was the easiest thing to do but just keeping a jump rope in my hotel room, sometimes using bands or something to do a little bit of weight training trying to break a sweat, not letting a day go by where I didn't do something.

And what you find as well, just doing that, even if it is not super intense, but just really consistent probably has tremendously more payoff, than doing you know, very intense exercises which is how most people exercise, I missed Monday, Tuesday, I'm going to make that for by getting on the treadmill and running twice as fast. What you may find is that is not as helpful, and may even hurt something. So, just get something in, break a sweat every single day.

WHITFIELD: OK. And then recently, you spoke with the mayor city, Mayor Michel Bloomberg, who is a big advocate of a healthy life-style. What did he have to say?

GUPTA: Well, you know, I mean something happened in New York right now is a lot of people referred about is a health department now has passed a law saying that restaurants, movie theaters, fast food restaurants can no longer cell sugary soda and other drinks that are larger than 16 ounces. And this has been controversial, Fred, as you may know. We were the first people -- we talked to the mayor after the law has passed by the health department.

You know, he said something very interesting to me. He said, this is as much about psychology and education, as this is about regulation. He said simply putting more food in somebody is making them eat or drink more.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

GUPTA: That is what he is trying to address, just take away the extra food.

WHITFIELD: Well, fantastic. If anything, we all be inspired tomorrow when you wake up, rise in early to get ready for your triathlon, not a good triathlon right there in Malibu.

All the best to you and the lucky seven.

GUPTA: Come join us next year, Fred.

WHITFIELD: Yes, next year I'll be ready for it. I will feel a little bit, you know, more fit maybe. GUPTA: There's always next year.

WHITFIELD: All right, take care. Thanks so much. And we'll have much more in the news room right after this.

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WHITFIELD: Another European publication publishing the revealing nude photos of Britain's duchess of Cambridge. Prince William and his wife, Katherine, are on an overseas tour. But earlier, while on vacation, France a photographer snapped of her while she was sun bathing. The Irish Daily star has now followed the French magazine closer in publishing the topless pictures. And an Italian publisher tells CNN, it will do a 26-page spread next week.

CNN's Max Foster is with the world couple in the Solomon Island.

MAX FORSTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Shortly after the pictures were published, a royal source told me that the duchess was upset by claims that the pictures had been taken, and that it had crossed the red line. That is a crucial thing here. Has this been an invasion of the royal couple's privacy? The palace obviously, they do have a right to privacy like other people, and this was crossing the line.

Shortly after it, a formal statement from the palace, which was unusual in itself, but the wording was particularly strong. They talked about a grotesque invasion of privacy, which was completely unjustifiable. And they took up the matter with their lawyers. So, they are going to be taking this to the French court.

WHITFIELD: Nadia Bilchik is here with me now.

So Nadia, you have seen the images, the pictures.

NADIA BILCHIK, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: I have.

WHITFIELD: How clear are they?

BILCHIK: They are very clear. They are not that grainy, believe me, you can see all the parts. Now, there is one with Kate either putting back her bikini top or taking it off. And there is one where she has her back turned and Prince William is actually rubbing sun tan lotion into her back, and her bikini bottoms are quite a lot down, so yes, it is very revealing.

WHITFIELD: So clearly they thought they had a private moment and something that they should expect maybe at a private villa they had rented? They are not like out on the beach?

BILCHIK: Now the photographer was half a mile away. If you think of a mile, it is 20 blocks, like in New York City. So, it is 10 blocks away.

WHITFIELD: Incredible -- they thought they had a moment of privacy, and that is exactly what the palace was pursuing. BILCHIK: They thought they had a moment of privacy. So, they were in queen's nephew's chateau n the south, not a tiny chateau. There must have been servants around. And you can't tell me that that Kate Middleton is the state is not aware there is a lens on her any time she steps out.

WHITFIELD: So, this is her fault?

BILCHIK: So I think she could have been a little more prudent.

WHITFIELD: Interesting, interesting.

BILCHIK: Not that being topless among the European culture is so -- she --

WHITFIELD: Well, the palace is disagreeing, and that is why they're pursuing this lawsuit, now. It is a breach of privacy. Those are the words that they're using. They want to sue this publication, but wait, there is more. There are other publications that are jumping on the band wagon and using the images.

BILCHIK: An Italian magazine says they have more pictures, and apparently there are a lot more to come. Now the question is how damaging is this for Kate Middleton? And I don't think it is terrible damaging. First of all, people are feeling sorry for her, being very defensive of her, also if you think it is just 15 years since Princess Diana died, which was commemorated the anniversary --

WHITFIELD: In France as well.

BILCHIK: Exactly on her death. So, one has feelings about Princess Diana. And so there is a great sense of people rushing to her defense.

WHITFIELD: And apparently there are real feelings involving Prince William, talking about his mother dying, being pursued by paparazzi in France and now, they being pursued. His wife being pursued in France by the paparazzi.

BILCHIK: So that, obviously, is very difficult. You can imagine for him it is difficult, he couldn't protect his mother, will he be able to protect his wife.

WHITFIELD: You have analyzed it, up, down, front and center, inside and out. Nadia Bilchik, I appreciate it, thanks so much.