[Daryn Kagan, Cnn Co-anchor:] Let's take a look at what's happening now in the news. The Vatican says Pope John Paul II is breathing on his own this morning without help from a ventilator. However, his spokesman says for the next two days the pontiff will be unable to speak because of tracheotomy surgery. We have a live update from Rome coming up in one minute. Snowplows are rolling and salt trucks are out, as the northeast battles the late winter lashing. Meteorologist Orelon Sidney joins us shortly with a look at where that storm is headed and how long it is expected to last. Heavy fog is hampering the search for a missing 9-year-old girl in Homosassa, Florida. Jessica Marie Lunsford was last seen when her grandparents put her to bed on Wednesday night. The father said he discovered she was gone when he came home early this morning. About an hour ago, her family made an impassioned plea for information.
[Mark Lunsford, Father:] I really need as much help as I can get right now. I just want my daughter home.
[Kagan:] And two boys are the focus of a search on Grayton Mountain in Ray County, Tennessee. Two boys aged 7 and 8 have been missing since yesterday afternoon. A highway patrol helicopter, outfitted with infrared camera, is assisting emergency crews in the area.
[Sanchez:] I'm Rick Sanchez.
[Kagan:] Good morning, everyone. I'm Daryn Kagan. Catholics worldwide are praying for Pope John Paul
[Ii. Sanchez:] Yes. The pope is breathing on his own after being taken off a respirator, although he still has a tracheal tube in his throat to just to be able to breathe. Joining us now from Rome is CNN's Matthew Chance. Matthew, what are we learning this morning from Vatican officials?
[Matthew Chance, Cnn Correspondent:] Well, Rick, as a frail Pope John Paul II rests in his hospital bed, after undergoing surgery to try to get him to breathe more easily, Vatican officials have been moving to try and allay some of the public concerns about the welfare, the health of the ailing pontiff. A medical bulletin released by Vatican officials earlier today dispelling rumors that the pope had needed a respirator to breathe. It is said that the pope is now breathing of his own accord without any assistance at all. And has been, in fact, throughout this medical crisis. The bulletin also ruled out the possibility that the pope had been infected with pneumonia. So that's very good news as well. It also said that doctors had advised the pope not to attempt to speak. To ease the pressure on his larynx. Obviously, it would be very difficult for him to speak anyway because he has had a tracheotomy. A tube has been inserted in his throat. But doctors again are saying that he shouldn't even try and speak, to try and give that larynx an opportunity to heal. Nevertheless, it's the things the Vatican is not saying at this stage that's causing most concern. For instance, it is not yet clear how long the pope will have to remain inside this, the Gemelli Hospital, in northern Rome. It's an important Christian seasonal period coming up at the end of March. The Easter season celebrations over which the pope would be expected to preside. And it's not altogether clear at this stage he'll be anywhere fit enough for that. And so there's still a great concern over his condition. Church leaders are still calling on the public in general. Particularly the world's 1.1 billion Catholics, though, to pray for the speedy recovery of the man who is essentially led the Roman Catholic Church for the past 26 years Rick.
[Sanchez:] Oh, we know he'll still going to have that tracheal tube. Like you said, he can't speak. So one wonders, for example, on Sunday will he be able to give the blessing? Will he be able to communicate in some way with some other Vatican officials? What do we know about this?
[Chance:] Well, we don't know a great deal. The Vatican hasn't been giving us any specific information about what they plan to do with the pope. I think they'll be monitoring the medical situation obviously to see whether he's fit enough to make any kind of appearance perhaps here at the Gemelli Hospital on Sunday. But certainly the fact that he has this tracheotomy; that it's making it very difficult if not impossible for him to communicate verbally. That may have profound implications on not just his ability to run the church and the way that he's run it, on his papacy in general. This is a pope who has, for the past 26 years, used his voice very much in the media, to travel the world, to communicate the message his message, his version of Roman Catholic teachings around the world. He's done that very effectively with his voice. It seems that even if he does make a recovery in this, the papacy will not be the same with a pope who is not able to communicate as effectively Rick.
[Sanchez:] Matthew Chance following that story for us from Rome. Thank you, Matthew.
[Kagan:] Now we're going to talk about the specifics of a tracheotomy and the challenges facing the pope and his recovery. Joining us from New York is medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen. Good morning.
[Elizabeth Cohen, Cnn Medical Correspondent:] Good morning, Daryn. Daryn, the pope has been through a lot in the past 24 hours. It is yet another health hurdle that he has had to face in his lifetime. Just to recap, he had the flu 10 days ago. He was discharged. The Vatican said that he was doing better, and then he was put back in the hospital and had a tracheotomy. Let's talk a little bit about what a tracheotomy is and why people have them. A tracheotomy actually is quite mechanical and really pretty simple. A tube, which you'll see flying in here, this white tube here is put through the neck. An incision is made and it connects directly-to-the windpipe. In that way, air can go directly into the windpipe; it doesn't have to be breathed in through the mouth. Now, one of the reasons you would do this is if there's some kind of obstruction above that where it is put into the windpipe, some kind of obstruction that's not allowing oxygen to get in. And at the press conference that the Vatican had earlier this morning, they talked about how he had something called laryngeal stenosis. And what that means is stenosis of the larynx. Stenosis is a medical term for narrowing. And the narrowing of this stenosis can make it difficult for people to breathe. Why he has laryngeal stenosis is not known. They didn't explain that. It can happen for several reasons. People who have had a trach tube in for a long time can get laryngeal stenosis. People who have some kind of an infection in that area can get laryngeal stenosis. But they really didn't talk much about why that happened. They did mention that he is not allowed to speak, as we heard earlier from Matthew Chance. But he is able to eat. They said he had a cafe latte, yogurt and 10 small biscuits Daryn.
[Kagan:] Elizabeth Cohen live from New York, thank you.
[Sanchez:] And we should also tell you special Masses for Pope John Paul II are being held around the world. In fact, we have some live pictures we can show you. This is from services this morning at New York's St. Patrick's Cathedral. Cardinal Edward Eagan is celebrating Mass there. Also in John Paul's native Poland, we've been told that Catholics are sending special prayers in droves. In fact, one woman said we'll read you this one. "I am praying for him so hard, as hard as he is praying for us."
[Kagan:] Returning from his trip to Europe, President Bush issued a statement about the pope. He said, quote, "On behalf of all Americans, Laura and I send our heartfelt best wishes to Pope John Paul II. The Holy Father is in our thoughts and prayers. And we wish him a speedy recovery and return to the service of his church and all humanity." You can follow Pope John Paul II's recovery on our website. We also have more details about the tracheotomy procedure and a pictorial history of the man who is pontiff. Visit us at cnn.com.
[Sanchez:] There's another big story we'll follow throughout the day. President Bush back home after his five-day European trip. Mr. Bush arrived at Andrews Air Base last night. Because of the snow and the howling winds, the president had to take a motorcade, rather than the usual helicopter ride to the White House. The climax of Mr. Bush's tour was his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Here is now CNN's John King wrapping things up.
[John King, Cnn Senior White House Correspondent:] The post meeting news conference turned into a spirited seminar on democracy and trust. Russia's Putin forcefully rebutting those who say he has turned away from reform and rule of law.
[Vladimr Putin, President, Russia:] This is our final choice and we have no way back. Any kind of turn towards totalitarianism for Russia would be impossible, due to the condition of the Russian society.
[King:] Mr. Putin said his critics do not understand him, Russian culture, or his country's difficult and continuing transition from the days of the Soviet Union.
[Putin:] The implementation of the principles and norms democracy should not be accompanied by the collapse of the state and the impoverishment of the people. King President Bush said he raised a number of concerns in private, including, aides say Kremlin media restrictions, and prosecutions of Putin critics the White House says undermine confidence in Russia's political and investment climates.
[George W. Bush , President Of The United States:] I think Vladimir heard me loud and clear. And he explained why he made decisions he made.
[King:] Mr. Bush entered the meeting, held at a scenic hillside castle in Slovakia, under pressure from some conservatives back home to take a tougher line with the man he calls "friend" and "Vladimir." But the president stood by his first impression four years ago, when he spoke of peering into Mr. Putin's soul and finding him trustworthy.
[Bush:] Sometimes in politics yes means maybe, and no means if. This is the kind of fellow who when he says yes he means yes. And when he says no he means no.
[King:] Both governments cited new agreements as proof of a friendship that can be productive even at times of tension. The commitments were designed to reinvigorate cooperation on several fronts, including: dismantling and securing Russian nuclear materials, improving security at nuclear facilities, preventing illicit sales of shoulder fire missiles and exploring sales of more Russian oil and natural gas to the United States. And while the two leaders have tactical differences, both said it is critical that Iran and North Korea agree to foreswear nuclear weapons. [on camera]: This was the 14-face-to-face meeting between the two leaders. And they will see each other at least three more times this year. Providing ample opportunities to test those promises of cooperation and to continue their debate about democracy. John King, Bratislava, Slovakia.
[Kagan:] Still to come on CNN LIVE TODAY, a dispute that didn't go one man's way turns in to a deadly shooting rampage. A local camera crew catches it all on tape as people scramble for safety inside a Texas courthouse.
[Sanchez:] Also, some forceful raids in the middle of the night to try and bring some fugitives. And CNN's cameras are there to capture it for you.
[Kagan:] And we have a treat coming up later. They are from Spain, Russia and Africa. And they've got twist and tricks that you won't find anywhere else.