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Connect the World
Crisis in Ecuador; Irish Government Deals with Debt Crisis; The Impact of Crisis in the Eurozone; Charges of Doping Against Tour de France Champion; Nigerian Politicians Use the Web; State of Emergency Declared in Ecuador After Riots Over Canceled Bonuses for Police; Rutgers University Student Commits Suicide After Roommate Allegedly Streamed Video of Him Kissing Another Man on Internet; Elizabeth Hurley and Evelyn Lauder Discuss Breast Cancer Awareness; The Possibility of Life on Other Planets and UFOs Visiting Earth in Parting Shots
Aired September 30, 2010 - 16:01 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MAX FOSTER, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: Ireland says failure is not an option as it pumps billions into its ailing banks. The move sends its deficit soaring.
But are other struggling European economies moving in the right direction?
And with the U.S. still in trouble, how are Europe's money woes affecting Wall Street?
On CNN, this is the hour we connect the world.
Bailing out Ireland's banks could cost $69 billion. The country says the alternative is simply unthinkable.
Joining the dots from London, I'm Max Foster.
Also coming up on the show, was contaminated meat to blame?
The regaining Tour de France champion protests his innocence after failing a drug test.
Did an invasion of privacy lead to this student's death or was it a case of cyber-bullying?
And using fashion to fight breast cancer. Liz Hurley answers your questions. She's our Connector of the Day.
The Irish government has come to the rescue of its debt-ridden banks, thwarting a crisis that threatened to bring the economy to the brink.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRIAN LENIHAN, IRISH FINANCE MINISTER: The banking crisis, which began in Ireland with the dramatic drop in property prices, which started in 2006 in the country -- and became very apparent on the balance sheets of the banks, I think, by 2008, that crisis has been resolved.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOSTER: Resolved in that the Irish government now knows exactly what it's dealing with. The final costs have been, quote, "On the size of debts amassed by the country's banks." And Irish taxpayers will be paying it off in a bailout package that could amount to as much as $69 billion.
Let's get reaction from the European Union and matters there.
Phil Black joins me now from Brussels -- Phil, how has this news been received where you are?
PHIL BLACK, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Max, there was certainly an injuc -- an acknowledgement that Ireland is in real trouble. But the official language is all strangely positive. Ireland's declaration has been described as a helpful and important clarification. It is said that the commitment to deal with this all by itself is welcomed, supported, to deal with it, to bailout the banks, to bring down its deficit, all within four years and regardless of how staggeringly large that challenge may be, there is a common message from many of Europe's finance ministers and that is, that unlike Greece, Ireland will not need to be bailed out by the Eurozone.
Take a listen now to the head of the Eurogroup giving an official response.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEAN-CLAUDE JUNCKER, EUROGROUP PRESIDENT: Ireland's track record in terms of fiscal adjustment has so far been strong and the consolidation measures taken have been effective. That is why we have confidence in the commitment of Ireland to deliver a revised, multi-annualized adjustment program that will bring its deficit under the 3 percent target by 2014 and its public finances on a sustainable path.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLACK: So officially, great confidence that Ireland can handle this.
But I spoke to Austria's finance minister and he conceded that there could come a point down the track where Ireland might need more substantial help from Europe, from the Eurozone. But he said before they even begin to talk about a bailout, Ireland must first show that it is working very hard, that it is hurting, that it is doing everything it possibly can to handle this all by itself -- Max.
FOSTER: Phil Black in Brussels, thank you so much.
I'm going to put this into some perspective for you now. I'm going to show you how the five European countries' economists refer to as the PIGS compare in terms of debt, beginning with Portugal.
Its budget deficit stands at 9.4 percent. Ireland debt before today was 14 percent of GDP. And it is, of course, now higher.
And next up, Italy, the best performer, 5 percent.
The figure for Greece is 13.6.
And Spain, more than 11 percent.
Now compare that chart with this one. It shows the extraordinary level of debt that Ireland is now facing now because of the new bailout package. A very telling graph. As we heard, the European Union is confident Ireland can bring its debt back to below 3 percent by 2014.
Let's find out now how some of Europe's other struggling economies are faring.
Guy Dinmore, from "The Financial Times," is in Italy for us.
But first, an update from Alicia Gonzalez, who is in Spain.
ALICIA GONZALEZ, FINANCIAL JOURNALIST, "EL PAIS": Oh, you can't imagine that with an unemployment rate of almost 21 percent, the crisis -- the situation is quite serious, although this is not a crisis similar to the Ireland -- to the one that suffers Ireland or Greece. We don't have a public debt problem because the public debt is below the E.U. average.
And -- and we don't have, also, problems with our financial sector. It passed the stress test. Ninety percent of the -- of the banking sector passed the stress test in July quite well.
So we have a problem and a need to adjust and make reforms. In that way, the wheat crisis came as a kind of a blessing for the Spanish economy. And the government is taking the adjustment and the cuts on spending and even the reforms quite seriously. And to date, the government will just make public the budget for next year. And they -- the government deepens in these cuts. So I think it's taking it quite seriously, although the forecast for GDP growth for the next year is the weakest part of the budget.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GUY DINMORE, "FINANCIAL TIMES" JOURNALIST: Well, here in Italy, no banks have crashed, there's been no big property bubble to burst, the main problem for Italy has been terribly slow growth coming out of this recession -- two years of sharp declines, one of the worst recessions since the Second World War.
So the problem for Italy is paying off its massive debt levels. It's the highest level in the Western world, running at about 120 percent of GDP. In fact, over two trillion euros, if you can imagine that. And coming out of this recession, there is simply not enough growth to pay off this debt. The government has introduced an austerity package. They're trying to cut spending over the next two years by something like 20 billion euros.
But this is going to have a dampening effect on the economy. Unemployment is still raising steadily. So the real problem for the markets and for Italy is paying off this huge debt mountain.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOSTER: The -- the debt crisis continues to ripple across Europe.
But how it exposes the rest of the world -- one man who asses the risk is Nariman Behravesh.
He is chief economist for Global Insight.
He joins me now from Boston, Massachusetts in the USA.
Thank you very much, indeed, for joining us.
NARIMAN BEHRAVESH, CHIEF ECONOMIST, IHS: Thank you.
FOSTER: When you look at these figures, they're frightening, aren't they, if you're in Europe.
But how do you look at it if you're from the American economy and you do a lot of trade with Europe?
BEHRAVESH: Well, so far, the effect of not just the Irish situation, but the broader European and Eurozone crisis has been fairly small. I mean the biggest sort of a potential effects are through the exchange rate. So that in the spring, when we had that big crisis before the rescue package was put in place, the drop in the euro and the rise in the dollar scared a lot of U.S. businesses, because they looked at their earnings, the euro earnings in Europe. They were falling. They looked at their competitiveness worldwide, also not doing very well.
But since then, the euro strengthened, ironically, just -- even in the last few weeks. And so that's not necessarily bad news for the U.S. You know, a stronger euro means better earnings for -- for American companies in Europe. And it means better competitiveness for U.S. companies.
So, so far, this -- this sort of second round of the euro crisis, if we can call it that, the impact has been very small on the U.S.
FOSTER: But we haven't felt the real pain, have we, because the strikes are all about what's going to happen. It hasn't actually happened yet. We haven't had the mass redundancies or the very painful cuts that all the governments are talking about. And that's going to start happening now.
Surely, that's going to affect demand in Europe, which will affect the companies you were talking about just then.
BEHRAVESH: You're absolutely right about that. And -- and you are right that certainly the pain has yet to come. But, also, the good news for the U.S. is that the weakens of its exports growth to the -- to the European countries is more than offset by very strong growth in its exports to Asia and other emerging countries, including other countries like Canada, which aren't emerging, are already emerged, as it were.
But the good news is, to the rest of the world, American exports are growing very rapidly. They're not vis-a-vis Europe and, in fact, we could see more downside, as you're saying, as a lot of these restrictions and fiscal austerity programs begin to bite.
So I think a lot of American companies are not looking to Europe for growth. They're looking to China, Asia and other emerging countries. And so far, it seems to be paying off.
FOSTER: And isn't that a fundamental shift in the global power shift, in terms of economics, at least, because you're seeing the Asian economies sort of riding through this with amazing growth whilst the Americans and Europeans are suffering. And they're not going to be able to catch up, are they?
BEHRAVESH: You're absolutely right about that. I mean, to begin with, you had the emerging markets growing faster than the developed or the advanced economies anyway. But as a result of this crisis, the growth in the advanced economies is even slower, as you say.
And -- and therefore, we will probably -- I mean in terms of catch-up, certainly the Chinas of this world, the Brazils, Indias and so forth, will be catching up a lot faster than we thought before, because we're growing very slowly now and they're continuing to grow quite rapidly.
FOSTER: Nariman Behravesh, thank you very much, indeed, for joining us from Boston with your insights -- n global insight.
Connecting the dots on the best stories.
I'm Max Foster here in London.
Up next, the reigning Tour de France champ says he's scared and disappointed but he can hold his head up high. Alberto Contador talks to CNN about his suspension and involvement in a doping scandal.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALBERTO CONTADOR, TOUR DE FRANCE CHAMPION (through translator): I think this will be resolved quickly. I think that the truth can be spoken loud and clear. And I believe that justice will be served. This is a real mistake.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOSTER: Three time Tour de France champion, Alberto Contador, speaking there, defending himself against doping allegations. The International Cycling Union suspended him from competitive cycling today, saying he tested positive for a banned substance during this year's race.
Contador says he's the victim of food contamination. He told reporters in his hometown of Pinto, Spain the bad meat was to blame for the tiny amount of Clenbuterol in his system.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CONTADOR: The test was done in Cologne. And the luck I had was that the other tests were also done in Cologne. I was lucky because in other labs, they can't detect quantities that low. The quantities that low are impossible to be administered explicit for tainted food. Also, that quantity is absolutely useless for competition. It doesn't even serve a purpose. Any expert can confirm this.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOSTER: Some of cycling's best have been caught up in doping scandals, of course, including Floyd Landis. In 2006, the American became the first Tour de France winner to fail a drug test. He was stripped of his title and banned in the sport for two years.
That same year, Germany's 1997 Tour winner, Jahn Ulrich, was accused of doping. Ulrich denied it, but he was fired from his team and retired soon after.
Italy's Guerra de Italia champia -- champion, Ivan Basso, was also implicated in that doping scandal. He admitted his involvement. He served a two year ban and is back racing again.
And Alexander Vinokourov, a teammate of Contador's, served a one year ban after testing positive for blood doping during the 2007 Tour. But, he, too, is racing again.
So, are these scandals now tainting the sport?
I talked earlier with Daniel Friebe, features editor at "Procycling" magazine.
I began by asking what the cycling community is saying about the most recent allegations involving Alberto Contador.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DANIEL FRIEBE, FEATURES EDITOR, "PROCYCLING MAGAZINE": A doping story in itself is not surprising, frankly. A doping story even involving Alberto Contador wouldn't have been a surprise. What was a big surprise was the substance, Clenbuterol. It's a substance which is well known from the Eastern Bloc in 1980s and '90s --
FOSTER: (INAUDIBLE).
FRIEBE: -- yes. And its effectiveness is questionable. Certainly at those quantities -- you know, it was found in tiny, tiny quantities in his system.
And, you know, you associate the Tour de France riders like, well, Alberto Contador, if he had taken drugs, you would imagine it would have been a blood boosting type of product, not a steroid. So, you know, these familiar names we've -- we hear now, EPO, Sarro (ph), which is another variety of EPO, not Clenbuterol.
FOSTER: Would this substance have been a particular help to him, as the cyclist that he is?
FRIEBE: Absolutely not. That's another thing that is -- is kind of incongruous about this case, because steroids tend to build muscle and they're good for speed. You know, the last guy who got caught for taking this drug, actually, in the Tour de France was in 1997. It was a sprinter. And that would have made more sense.
Contador needs to remain light. He needs to maintain a good power to weight ratio. So steroids are something you would imagine he would stay away from.
FOSTER: And he's blaming the substance being in some meat that he ate.
Is that likely?
FRIEBE: I think it is plausible. I'm not a scientist. It certainly is given to cattle in certain parts of the world. Whether it can then be transferred into an athlete's system is a moot point. There are other steroids in the path and adrenelone, it's an excuse that's been used for Nigel (INAUDIBLE) stake, apparently it contains traces of nangelone (ph).
FOSTER: But cyclists are aware that this does get into the meat system.
So should they be eating this meat at a -- at the time of a race?
I mean I'm not a cyclist so it might sound ridiculous. But just explain.
FRIEBE: The very fact that there's never really been a case like this before with meat contamination suggests that it's not really a risk. Whether they carry out studies and know to what extent there is a risk, I don't know. But they certainly meet on a regular basis and I don't think they vouch for the origin of that meat all the time.
FOSTER: And is there a sense that the authorities are being very heavy-handed here, because there is such a tiny amount that has been detected.
FRIEBE: We need to see, really, what the sanctions are. At the moment, he's provisionally expended -- suspended pending further investigation. It certainly would be incredibly harsh if he were suspended for two years, which is the -- which (INAUDIBLE) --
FOSTER: (INAUDIBLE) told you think with this level of contamination?
FRIEBE: It's a provisional ban and/or a provisional suspension. He wouldn't have been racing at this time anyway. He'd already concluded his season after the Tour de France.
It's an interesting one, has he forced their hand by coming out and revealing this himself?
Whether they would have taken these measures had he kept quiet?
And perhaps they would have just carried on investigating silently themselves and we would never have found out about it.
FOSTER: I guess this is the last thing the sport really needs, though, is just the fact that you and I are talking about this on CNN -- more publicity, more doping in -- in cycling.
FRIEBE: Yes, the danger is that people won't make the distinction between this, which is a -- a kind of borderline questionable case and, you know, proven doping scandals in the past involving people like Floyd Landis, you know, a whole swath of -- of the professional cycling population in the past 10 years, you know, heavy duty (INAUDIBLE) of EPO, heavy duty methods like blood transfusions. That's not what this is about.
But a lot of people won't make that nuance.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FOSTER: Daniel Friebe of "Procycling" magazine speaking to me earlier.
Now, Web savvy politicians -- rappers rocking YouTube and a movement to light up the nation -- a closer look at social networking, Nigerian- style, when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
FOSTER: Nigeria in the spotlight -- all this week, we're looking at how Africa's most populous nation is making its mark on the global stage. As part of CNN's monthly I-List series, we've stepped out with the bold and the beautiful who are driving the country's growing fascination with celebrity.
We met a man who has turned his small, local petrol station into an empire, ready to take on the global oil giants.
We've also discovered that Nigeria is a cut above the rest when it comes to hair styles. Wigs and weaves are all the rage, creating a booming business that's even attracting foreign investment now.
From grassroots movements pushing for change to musicians spreading their sounds, a growing number of Nigerians are using social media to their advantage and the nation's.
As Errol Barnett explains, with a booming population of young people comes a boom in social networking.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ERROL BARNETT, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Nigeria's president, Goodluck Jonathan, has a Facebook page with more than a quarter of a million fans -- clearly, an Internet savvy politician.
AMARA NWANKPA, CREATOR, LIGHT UP NIGERIA: The president updates his - - his Facebook page every day. And there are thousands and thousands of comments coming.
BARNETT: On September 15th, Goodluck Jonathan chose this platform to announce his candidacy for the 2011 election, prompting thousands of comments, mostly short phrases but also lengthy personal replies.
NWANKPA: It's very perceptive of him to recognize, you know, how relevant and -- and critical, you know, the -- the youth bloc, the bloc of -- of young people between 18 and 35 and to decide to engage them directly. And I think it's -- it's a good move.
BARNETT: Awara Nwankpa knows a lot about Nigeria's social networks. In July 2009, he created a movement that went viral -- Light Up Nigeria advocates for constant electric power in Nigerian homes and businesses.
NWANKPA: Between 5,000 and 10,000 Nigerians are participating in this discussion on Twitter.
BARNETT: Despite being a country rich in oil, Nigeria's power supply has been unreliable for some.
NWANKPA: When we started Light Up Nigeria, the electricity issue was there, but the government wasn't doing anything specific about it. It was an issue that a lot of people scattered around, but nobody was taking concrete steps. What happened with the social campaign is that it has brought the issue to the fore as making it an issue that nobody can avoid.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hi. My name is eLDee Ledong (ph) and us Nigerians have had enough. Light Up Nigeria. Please join the revolution on Twitter, cash tag (ph), Light Up Nigeria.
BARNETT: eLDee Real name, Lanre Dabiri is a successful Nigerian- American rapper. His song, "One Day," can be found on YouTube, Venio (ph) and other Web streaming video sites addressing key issues plaguing Nigeria.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
NWANKPA: eLDee is a very good friend of mine. I've known eLDee for a long time. But he is one of the few people who have decided to walk, you know, the talk.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
NWANKPA: And he has been, you know, part of Light Up Nigeria from the very beginning.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
BARNETT: Nwankpa also uploads videos to YouTube and iReport, sharing the problems Nigerians face on the streets with the rest of the world.
NWANKPA: And would you like to (INAUDIBLE) Nigeria, because
I know quite a few other, you know, movements on Facebook and Twitter, as well. For instance, there is 419 Positive movement. There is Nigerians for Nigeria, which has so far, about 45,000, you know, members. The coalition of -- of youth and youth-like groups Enough is Enough, which, you know, we are involved in.
BARNETT: And now, Nwankpa's Light Up Nigeria is an active member of RSVP2011.org, encouraging young people to register to vote for next year's election.
NWANKPA: What we want to do is to create the atmosphere, to create the context where this generation can play a critical role in the 2011 elections.
BARNETT: Connecting a coalition, engaging Nigeria's young voters to help sway the electoral tide.
Errol Barnett, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FOSTER: Well, tomorrow, Nigeria celebrates 50 years of independence from the U.K. We'll mark that key anniversary and provide fresh insight into the country's dynamic industries and devise cultures. Nigeria -- Africa's biggest energy producer -- is now in a position to upset South Africa as the continent's economic powerhouse, some say.
Now burnt tires, furious police and a president jostled by the crowd - - and Ecuador, we're seeing a government on the verge of collapse. We'll look at what's behind the riots.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
FOSTER: You're back with CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Max Foster in London. Coming up, Ecuador is under a state of emergency, with the unrest growing so serious that Peru has closed their common border. We'll have details of what Ecuador's president calls a coup attempt.
Then, did cyber bullying lead this American college student to commit suicide. Two of his classmates are facing charges in a case that races privacy concerns.
And she's so much more than a pretty face. Model and actress Elizabeth Hurley is also busy these days with fashion, farming, and a campaign to raise cancer awareness. She's taking your questions tonight as our Connector of the Day.
All those stories ahead in the show for you, but first, we're going to check on the headlines this hour.
Ireland Central Bank has announced a huge price tag for bailing out the country's troubled lenders. That amount, a potential $69 billion. The cost of bailing out Anglo Irish Bank alone could climb to $46 billion.
Spanish cycling champion Alberto Contador denies using banned substances, despite test results to the contrary. For the time being, Contador has been suspended from competitive cycling. The doping test during the Tour de France this year indicated traces of a banned stimulant.
Indian troops are at the ready in the case of unrest -- in case of unrest after a court ruling on a disputed holy site. A judge decided to divide the site between Muslims, Hindus, and a local Hindu sect. Two thousand people died after Hindu extremists razed a mosque there in 1992.
This is treason. And a coup attempt. These accusations from Ecuador's president after police protestors in Quito lobbed tear gas at him. The country has declared a state of emergency, and police state they're angry at a canceled bonuses and promotions. But the interior security minister says there is no threat to salaries or to benefits.
Ecuador's government blames the riots on massive campaign -- a massive campaign of misinformation. President Correa told local media that his personal safety is at risk, and that he's prepared to die.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RAFAEL CORREA, PRESIDENT OF ECUADOR (through translator): They're trying to get into my room, maybe to attack me. I don't know. But forget it. I won't relent. If something happens to me, remember my infinite love for my country and to my family. I say that I will love them anywhere I end up.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOSTER: Senior Latin American Affairs Editor, Rafael Romo is tracking developments for us. He joins us now from CNN Center. Rafael, just tell us what you know about what actually happened to the president today?
RAFAEL ROMO, CNN SENIOR LATIN AMERICAN AFFAIRS EDITOR: Well, he decided that he wanted to go talk to the police officers who had been rioting since this morning. He wanted to personally talk to them. And he went to one of the places where they were rioting in Quito, the capital of Ecuador.
As he was speaking with them from a balcony, he was heckled, and then once he was trying to get away from that place, somebody started throwing water at him, then a teargas bomb. And all of a sudden, the mob started attacking him.
Let's remember that President Correa recently had knee replacement surgery and, at that moment, his security team decided that it was too risky for the president. He was immediately taken away to the National Police Hospital, which is located nearby. And he has been there since. He suffered minor injuries, but is reported to be OK.
And the statement that we just heard from the president was recorded inside the hospital. He called the state-run Ecuador TV network to let them know what the situation was, and he said that at one moment, there were rioting police officers who were trying to enter this hospital to attack him. As far as we know, that hasn't happened. The hospital is surrounded by those protesting. And then there is a wider circle of people who support the president and who are there to try and rescue Mr. Correa, max.
FOSTER: Can we assume he doesn't have control of his country if police and some soldiers are striking and are out protesting?
ROMO: The reality is that the situation in Ecuador is very volatile at this point, Max. Because we don't really know what's going to happen to the rest of the police, the national police forces, and also the military.
The government is saying that only about ten percent of the total national police force, which consists of about 40,000 members, is actively protesting and participating in the riots. But so far, no one has stepped forward to try to regain control of the situation. And also, to really look after the security of President Correa.
So it's still very much a developing situation, with countries around the region, and also the Organization of American States making statements this afternoon, calling for peace and order and asking police officers participating in the riots not to violate the constitutional order of Ecuador, Max.
FOSTER: Briefly, Rafael, he has the option to rule by decree, hasn't he? And that's something that he could turn to if this doesn't calm down.
ROMO: Well, that is true. And let's also remember that he's coming from a situation where he was considering dissolving Congress because Congress didn't favor some of the laws that he had proposed. Under Ecuadorian law, he has that option. But so far, what we know is that his government has declared a state of emergency. But so far, we haven't gone into the next step, which would be martial law, Max.
FOSTER: OK, Rafael Romo. We'll let you get back to the story. Thank you very much, indeed.
Now, coming up, a case of high-tech humiliation proves too much to handle for a young university student in the United States. We'll have that horrific story for you just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
FOSTER: Two university students are facing charges in the United States after they allegedly streamed video of another student live on the internet with tragic consequences. CNN's Stephanie Elam is following developments for us from New York. Stephanie, take it away.
STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is just an awful, horrific story no matter how you look at it, Max. But the New York medical examiner's office is now saying that a body found yesterday in the Hudson River is, in fact, that of Tyler Clementi. It has been ruled a suicide, and the cause of death is drowning and blunt injuries from the impact from the jump from the George Washington Bridge, which connects the US state of New Jersey to New York.
The last alleged message from Tyler was on his Facebook page where he said, quote, "Jumping of the GW Bridge. Sorry." End quote. And the suicide comes after Clementi's roommate, Dharun Ravi, along with another student, allegedly streamed video online of Clementi kissing a male companion. Ravi allegedly tweeted about Clementi, quote, "Roommate asked for the room till midnight. I went into Molly's room and turned on my webcam. I saw him making out with a dude. Yay." End quote.
On another day, he wrote, quote, "Anyone with iChat, I dare you to video chat with me between the hours of 9:30 and 12:00. Yes, it's happening again." End quote.
Obviously, we have to point out here that this story -- this was on a messaging board, and it's emerging today that a user on a gay-oriented website that closely resembles the events that occurred at Rutgers has been posted here. And the post reads, quote, "So the other night, I had a guy over. I talked to my roommate that afternoon, and he said it would be fine with him. I checked his Twitter today. He tweeted that I was using the room, which was obnoxious enough, and that he went into somebody else's room and remotely turned on a webcam and saw me making out with a guy." End quote.
Obviously, Max, we have to mention that this post does not sound like it was from someone who was necessarily distraught enough to kill himself, and that's one of the reasons why we're working to confirm that these posts actually did come from Tyler Clementi. But we did learn, CNN has learned, that the IP address associated with the post does trace back to Rutgers. So that's why people are thinking it might -- it might have been Tyler reaching out for some sort of help.
FOSTER: Students on this campus, on campuses across America and the world, spend so much time online, don't they? So what's the reaction on campus to this?
ELAM: You know, Max, the thing is, you know you don't have to really be online, right? If you have your phone, you could send out a tweet. You can hop on a social networking site. It's just so easy to do. So, of course, people are shocked that something like this has happened at their campus. We spoke to Rutgers VP of -- the vice president of student affairs, Gregory Blimling, and he spoke about, now, the lack of trust among students. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GREG BLIMLING, VICE PRESIDENT OF STUDENT AFFAIRS, RUTGERS UNIVERSITY: And I think one of the things that has shocked people so much is how this allegation has really breached the trust the students develop among one another when they live together. So the university community has been shocked, and we're very saddened by what happened.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ELAM: So, obviously, Max, the takeaway that everyone is thinking about this, you've seen a promising young life, he's a violinist, coming to an end at 18 years of age. You also have two other students who are now impacted by their decisions to film this. Obviously, the question now is, is there a need for more regulation of these social networking sites and, if so, how do you do it? It's just a tragic, tragic story.
FOSTER: Yes. We're going to come onto that. Stephanie, thank you very much, indeed, for telling us the story.
Clementi was by all accounts a nice young man, a gifted musician. The Rutgers freshman allegedly posted this Facebook message just before he took his life, "Jumping off the GW Bridge. Sorry."
That's the reminder of the story. And whether or not this was a case of cyber bullying or just an invasion of privacy has been a point of debate in our newsroom as well as around the world. Now, the US National Crime Prevention Council defines cyber bullying as "using the internet, cell phones, or other devices to send or post text or images intended to hurt or embarrass another person."
New Jersey, where the Rutgers University incident took place has had laws against cyber bullying on the books since 2007. But across the country, laws vary from state to state, and in the UK, cyber bullying is not a specific criminal offense. But laws like the Harassment Act and the Communications Act may be applicable to cyber bullying.
Australia does have a law against cyber bullying, but recently a bill that would have allowed authorities to confiscate equipment, like cell phones, used in bullying was actually voted down. And in Taiwan, penalties up to half a million dollars may be charged for people who violate the revised Personal Data Protection Act, which covers cyber bullying. That goes into affect early next year.
Whether the Rutgers University case is cyber bullying or not, is a tragic -- it is, definitely, we can all say, a tragic situation. And many people following the case are calling for harsh punishments for the two students charged. But there's a question, of course, about the law here.
Earlier, I spoke with Parry Aftab, an expert in the field of internet privacy, and I began by asking her how she would classify this case.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PARRY AFTAB, INTERNET PRIVACY AND SECURITY LAWYER: In the United States, we don't have a crime called "cyber bullying." We have cyber harassment laws that apply to everyone of all ages. In this case, I think what he did constituted cyber harassment. Usually, the word "cyber bullying" we reserve to actions with minors to minors, whether it's criminal or just rude.
FOSTER: I'm wondering about the intent here, though. The intent wasn't to push someone to the edge. It was a very dramatic response. So, isn't intent a relevant issue here?
AFTAB: It's clearly intentional that they were taking very embarrassing, highly private pictures and making them public with an intent to embarrass him. It was not their intent, I believe, to have him take his own life. But cyber bullying laws, as I've indicated, don't exist as a cyber bullying law.
In the United States, you cannot be charged, to my reading of all of this, with manslaughter or reckless endangerment or murder because he took his own life. Because that is so outside of the scope of what it is they did. It's outside of the reasonable expectations of their actions.
FOSTER: We're learning about cyber bullying and cyber harassment all the time, aren't we? As the internet grows, social networking grows. This is a reminder, I guess, of how dangerous as well as how powerful it can be.
AFTAB: We need to recognize that the technology allows you to do something in an instantaneous way. That's a good thing when you want to communicate with people who are far away, or you want to share ideas or do something. But it's a bad thing when you have young people involved who may not understand the consequences of their actions. They may think about it, then do it in the same two seconds.
FOSTER: How can we stop this happening? Is it just telling people that, obviously, there are consequences to your actions and you might not be aware of how powerful this technology is?
AFTAB: If kids are doing this for attention, we need to make sure that they don't get the kind of attention they're looking for. We don't turn them into heroes and rate them and fan them when they're online. We need to turn around and say, "I'm not interested. You're a loser. I'm not going there. If you do this, we're clearly not going to be your friends." That's number one. That comes only from other university students or high school students or middle school students who say, "Not with me, not now, and I don't think it's cool at all."
In addition, we need to send the message that when you break the law and you commit a crime, you go to jail. And while there's a great deal of sympathy for all of the parties, they are 18 years old, they're freshman at the university, we need to recognize that what they did was criminal intent, had dire consequences, and for that, there are penalties under our law that need to be enforced.
I hope the prosecutors here will look at civil rights violations and chief (ph) violations, not just the simple privacy law, for which they've been charged so far in the state of New Jersey.
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FOSTER: This story is getting a huge response online. Unsurprisingly, Horace writes, "I don't know what charges cyber bullying brings, but if they are worse than invasion of privacy, throw the book at them. Their actions led to a young man jumping off a bridge and taking his life."
Capilano sees another problem, writing, "This is homophobia, plain and simple. We need to our educate our children there is not stigma to being gay."
But beild725 has sympathy for the two other students, writing, "The fact that Tyler committed suicide was his decision alone, and who knows what his mental health was like. The two students should only be charged for invasion of privacy, nothing more." What do you think? Join the discussion, cnn.com/connect.
Actress, model, activist. Elizabeth Hurley is our Connector of the Day. We'll ask her about her push for better breast cancer research and much more when we return.
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BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST (voice-over): She shot to fame wearing that dress. Elizabeth Hurley's daring safety pin number, designed by Versace, stole the limelight at a film premier in 1994. The model and actress hit the Hollywood silver screen in the 1997 movie "Austin Powers International Man of Mystery."
But Hurley is, perhaps, best known as the face of beauty line Estee Lauder. She's captivated many, including Indian businessman Arun Nayar, whom she married in 2007. And her swimwear line, Elizabeth Hurley Beach, has made a splash on the fashion scene. Currently supporting Estee Lauder's breast cancer campaign, Elizabeth Hurley is your Connector of the Day.
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FOSTER: Liz Hurley has been working with Estee Lauder on raising awareness about breast cancer. She's currently in New York with the cosmetic company's vice president, Evelyn Lauder. I caught up with them both a little while earlier, and I began by asking Liz what prompted her to become involved.
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ELIZABETH HURLEY, MODEL/ACTRESS: I was very lucky, because I got offered the job to initially just model for Estee Lauder 16 years ago. And I met Evelyn at my audition for the company, and she became a friend. And I got the job.
And when I started to work in 95 for them, Evelyn said, "I've just started a foundation," it was in its infancy then, only two years old. She said, "We're going to eradicate breast cancer one day. Will you help?"
And as it happened, I'd just lost my maternal grandmother to breast cancer. And so, it was something which I felt very passionately about. And when Evelyn explained to me where they were coming from which was -- it was like the dark ages at that time in the mid-90s. Nobody spoke about breast cancer. We found out that my grandmother had known she'd had a lump for more than two years before she plucked up courage to tell anyone, because she was scared and she was embarrassed.
And I don't think that happens today now. And it's, actually, really it's thanks to, I believe, Evelyn and the breast cancer awareness campaign that she and the Estee Lauder company and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation have done.
FOSTER: Evelyn, could you just explain to people around the world what you're doing this month, and how it is so truly global. And how this issue, actually, is very global.
EVELYN LAUDER, VICE PRESIDENT, ESTEE LAUDER: In about 1986, the United States government decreed that October would be Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It turned out that twice as may women were dying of breast cancer as victims of AIDS at that time. And the AIDS activists were phenomenally successful in getting a lot of publicity.
At that time, it was taboo to write anything about the breast. And as a result, people were not getting information that they should have had. I hope that I was partially responsible for the change in that attitude by going to all the editors who I knew, of which there were many, and asking them to do stories, not only about cosmetic breast surgery, but about breast health in general.
The Estee Lauder Breast Cancer Awareness campaign begins every year at the very beginning of October, which is right now. And it's a worldwide effort, one of which is lighting monuments everywhere. And this year, we are looking to get a new listing for record-breaking lighting campaign in the lower -- in the Guinness Book of World Records.
FOSTER: I've got a question here from Greg, and it's for both of you. "Is it just me, or do breast cancer rates seem to be decreasing rapidly around the world?"
LAUDER: Because of the awareness campaigns around the world and all the publicity around the pink ribbon, women are no longer frightened. More of them are going for self examination, making the pledge to connect with other women, and to tell everyone. The cure has gone up, and fewer people are dying.
HURLEY: So, they may detect more cancers, but less people die of breast cancer now.
FOSTER: Liz, we've had so many viewer questions, and they're not all about this subject, as you can imagine. I've got one here from Robert, he says he's a big fan and asks when we can expect to see you on the silver screen again. A lovely term.
HURLEY: I'm not so sure about silver screen, even though there may be something in the works for the spring. But on the small screen, I'm in the middle of making a documentary for Living TV. It's just a one-hour one-off slice of life where we're shooting a mixture of sort of fashion, fame, and farming. So it'll be a bit of everything.
Two days before I came here, I was learning how to milk sheep.
(LAUGHTER)
HURLEY: To make my own sheep cheese at home. Today, you know, we're raising money for breast cancer, and tomorrow we're lighting the Empire State Building pink. So, we all have a varied life now, and we're going to show a little bit of that on my show.
FOSTER: Mobin has got a question for you, Liz. I presume he's from India, because his question is, "You married an Indian, what is it you love about India most?"
HURLEY: Well, Evelyn came to my Indian wedding.
LAUDER: Didn't I, though.
HURLEY: She danced until dawn in her jewelry and her hennaed hands. I love -- I've always loved India. I've been going there for more than 20 years. And, of course, my husband is half Indian. And I think what I love most about India is the warmth of the people. And this goes right through every walk of life, really.
Wherever you are, you get a great feeling of friendliness. It's a very peace-loving, friendly nation. And from an aesthetic point of view, of course, it's bliss. If you're in fashion, you can look out of the window and you just see this kaleidoscope of -- it's like a fantasy the whole time.
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FOSTER: Taking viewer questions, Liz Hurley, there. Now, we've got another great line of Connectors for you next week, including the spectacular Liza Minnelli, no less. Send us your questions. Remember, do tell us where you're writing from, though. Head to cnn.com/connect. We'll be right back.
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FOSTER: It could be the most Earth-like planet ever discovered. Time now for our Parting Shots images that make you think and keep you talking.
A US astronomer says this planet, seen here in an artist's rendition, just might be able to support life, would you believe? That's because it has surface gravity and appears capable of sustaining water in liquid form. We Earthlings aren't exactly neighbors. The planet is 20 light-years away.
Sounds far, but consider the Antennae galaxies captured by the Hubble Telescope. They're 62 million years -- light-years away.
And this huge cluster of galaxies also snapped by the Hubble is 2.2 billion light-years from Earth.
Do we have to go far, though, to find a habitable planet? We have Mars, virtually on our own backyard. Experts believe much of it was once covered in waters. Here, you see gullies and a crater. But all we really know for sure right now is that Mars has a lot of ice.
Maybe we are alone in the universe. Then again, maybe we don't have to go looking for life in outer space after all. Consider this statement from a US researcher at a news conference with former Air Force personnel.
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ROBERT HASTINGS, UFO RESEARCHER: I believe, these gentlemen believe, that this planet is being visited by beings from another world who, for whatever reason, have taken an interest in the nuclear arms race, which began at the end of World War II.
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FOSTER: Food for thought for you. We'd love to hear your thoughts on any of our stories. As always, just head to our Web site, cnn.com/connect. You'll find everything you need there to get involved in the program.
I'm Max Foster. "BACKSTORY" is next, but we're going to check the headlines before we go to that.
Ecuador's government has declared a state of emergency and put the military in charge of security.
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