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Nuclear Crisis Escalating in Japan; Jaczko to Congress: Secondary Containment Destroyed, No Water in Spent Fuel Pool; Gadhafi Forces Bombard Ajdabiya; TEPCO's History and Safety Violations; 'On the Case'

Aired March 16, 2011 - 16:00   ET

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

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: And now watch this.

They are being called the Fukushima 50. Could be the only people standing between Japan and a nuclear catastrophe. I'm Brooke Baldwin. The news is now.

The nuclear crisis is a slow-moving nightmare. Radiation levels are fluctuating and each hour a new concern at the plant in Fukushima. Behind the scenes, dozens of workers are risking their lives. We will find out exactly what these faceless people are doing and why they could be Japan's last line of defense.

Plus, Tokyo is one of the world's most populous cities, but now people are leaving in an unprecedented exodus.

Welcome back. I'm Brooke Baldwin.

Happening right now, Japan is still getting hit with massive aftershocks as workers race to prevent a meltdown, maybe multiple meltdowns at that troubled nuclear plant. There are reports here that radiation levels are on the rise, and now the U.S. military giving out iodide pills to crew members before they arrive in Japan simply as a precaution.

Also, I want to let you know this. The White House is now telling Americans within 50 miles here, a 50-mile radius of the troubled nuclear plant to evacuate as soon as possible.

Our own Wolf Blitzer just sat down with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who is traveling in North Africa.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: The safety of American citizens is always our highest priority. And we are literally monitoring this minute by minute. We have Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Department of Energy experts on the ground in Japan working with the Japanese. And we are doing everything we can to help them try to get this disaster -- this triple disaster of earthquake, tsunami, nuclear reactors under control.

(END VIDEO CLIP) BALDWIN: Coming up, we're going to talk about what's happening now inside of that plant and whether Americans here in the U.S. have anything to worry about.

But, first, there are stories coming out of the tsunami zone that you just cannot shake. I want to share two of those stories with you right now.

I want you to meet a man who left his home and family right after Friday's earthquake hit to go out on what turned out to be a failed mission to stop a tsunami, and a couple desperately searching for their son who was in the tsunami's path. Watch this with me.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Volunteer firefighters had been working day and night. Kenichi (ph) Suzuki returned home for the first time since the disaster.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): I can't think of anything to say.

UNIDENTIFIED CORRESPONDENT: Suzuki, who heads the local firefighters, hadn't heard from his family. Right after the quake, he had set out to close a tsunami wall. Now he regrets putting his job ahead of his family.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): My wife, my son's family and four grandchildren, I lost them all. I can't take it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Look at this mess.

UNIDENTIFIED CORRESPONDENT: In this city, an old couple searches for their missing son.

Hiroyuki (ph) had been working at the post office.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Our son. Post office?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): The building is over there.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): I hope we will find him.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): The rescuers will find him.

UNIDENTIFIED CORRESPONDENT: They finally find the post office, but the massive tsunami had reached all the way up to the roof.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: That's tough to watch.

And as survivors wait and wonder what is next for them, more and more are opening up about how they escaped the tsunami, some cases with inches to spare.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): I did not expect the wave to reach up to the third floor, so all six people who were behind me were washed away. I could hear a voice from behind me saying, "Hurry up, hurry up," but I could not help them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: He is a 17-year-old high school student. Meanwhile, parents describe the panic and the horror of not knowing whether their own children are still alive.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): My child was at a kindergarten over that river. So we did not have time to go retrieve him. I hope his teacher was able to evacuate the children.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): It's hard to believe almost everything has been washed away, but the fact that we cannot be sure whether the kids are safe, and that's what --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Imagine.

(STOCK MARKET UPDATE)

BALDWIN: She mentioned investors being on pins and needles. Imagine if you live in Japan and this nuclear plant is in your backyard practically.

The crisis is escalating there, and one of the questions we're asking is, who are the workers who are in there risking their lives at that plant that's leaking radiation? And, if they leave, is it a sign that a catastrophe is imminent? Find out exactly what they are doing to prevent a worst-case scenario.

Also, there's apparently proof that experts warned the Japanese government about the danger of these nuclear power plants, so why did they build them so close to these fault lines and could the plants have been reinforced? That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: According to the diplomatic cables published by WikiLeaks, the potential dangers to Japan's nuclear plant were no secret to the Japanese government.

CNN correspondent Atika Shubert has been poring all over those cables.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Brooke, U.S. diplomatic cables show that Japan was warned several years ago that its nuclear facilities may not stand up to a massive earthquake. It also shows that despite the Japanese government's defense of its nuclear energy plan, there was strong political opposition from at least one politician.

In particular a distinguished member of the Liberal Democrats, Taro Kono, is quoted as telling the U.S. ambassador that the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry was -- quote -- "covering up nuclear accidents."

He also said that it was obscuring the true cost and problems of nuclear energy. And one of his main concerns that he highlighted in his discussion with the U.S. ambassador was the storage of radioactive waste, what to do with it, and whether or not there was truly any safe place in a -- quote -- "land of volcanoes" -- Brooke.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: Atika, thank you.

And I want to turn back to our expert here, Robert Alvarez. He is a senior scholar for the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington. And I know he has been involved in the nuclear power issue for decades, both as a government official and also as an analyst.

And, Robert, just to bring our viewers up to date as to what's happening here at the Fukushima Daiichi plant, today here, we know that they have had a fire at reactor number four, and then also another issue, possible radiation leak from the number three reactor. That's just the latest that we're hearing here.

How would you assess the situation today relative to when we spoke this time yesterday?

ROBERT ALVAREZ, INSTITUTE FOR POLICY STUDIES: I think the situation is still out of the control of the authorities and the operators, and appears to be worsening.

BALDWIN: As it's worsening, there have been also questions as to why the IAEA, the International Atomic Energy Agency, has yet to be in Japan at this particular plant. We have just learned today that they are coming.

My question to you, once they get there, what kind of help can they provide, and is it perhaps at all too little too late?

ALVAREZ: Well, the IAEA is doing the best it can. And I don't think we should expect them to be like the Lone Ranger coming in to rescue things.

They have their own limits and their limited capabilities. I think that, quite frankly, the military assets of the United States government and the Japanese government and other governments which may be involved are going to prove to be far more important.

BALDWIN: You had alluded to sort of the piecemeal information coming in from TEPCO, but then we also have, in terms of the information flow, we had Energy Secretary Chu say today that even our government here in the United States is not completely clear as to what's happening right here.

It's obviously a fluid situation. Things are changing hour by hour, but are the authorities in Japan perhaps walking a fine line between telling every single detail that's happening here at this plant or perhaps creating some sort of panic?

ALVAREZ: Well, I think they are walking a fine line, and it is a genuine concern to create panic that may be unnecessary.

You have to understand, too, that they don't -- they may not have enough people on the ground at the site to have a full understanding themselves.

BALDWIN: I've just gotten some information here, I want to get it to you and I want your reaction.

Now apparently Gregory Jaczko from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the NRC, has just testified on Capitol Hill and he said he believes there's been a hydrogen explosion in unit number four, reactor number four, because of an uncovering of the fuel -- I'm assuming he's referring to the fuel rods, I can't be for sure, the fuel rods in the fuel pool -- we believe that secondary containment has been destroyed and there is no water in this spent fuel pool, that radiation levels are extremely high.

So this is something we spoke about yesterday, that the already used fuel rods. So that -- I mean, how serious is that?

ALVAREZ: That's very serious. Chairman Jaczko has said this. This means that the spent fuel in unit four has been exposed, has been -- the zirconium, which is the metal cladding around the uranium fuel, has gotten so hot that it has been interacting with the water and generating hydrogen, and that it's also been catching fire, which is very, very serious.

And it also means that, as Chairman Jaczko has informed the Hill, is that once that pool -- that fuel is uncovered by the water -- see, the water serves to both keep it cool and as a form radiation shielding.

BALDWIN: Right.

ALVAREZ: And so, if the spent fuel sun covered, then the radiation rates nearby becomes life-threatening.

BALDWIN: But, Robert, the obvious follow-up -- we were just talking about this yesterday, is this was a concern yesterday as well with these spent fuel rods. And they had talked about sending in the helicopters and dousing these storage pools with cold water. But those helicopters had to bail because of the steam coming up, the steam was full of radiation.

So if they are fearful of the steam, they're fearful of the crews experiencing radiation, what's the next solution?

ALVAREZ: Well, I think that the next solution may involve people having to take heroic acts, I'm not sure.

BALDWIN: Can you be more specific?

ALVAREZ: Well, I mean, this is a situation where people may be called in to sacrifice their lives, and I don't think that that's something that -- I mean, it's very difficult for me to contemplate that, but it's -- it may have reached that point.

BALDWIN: So we're talking, potentially -- you and I have talked about this before, about these 50 people, and I'm hearing it could be up to 180 people who are working, these emergency relief folks who know as they walk into any of these reactor sites that they would be risking their lives, and is that just part of the job? You know, when you sign up to work at a nuclear plant, in the case of a disaster, you could have to sacrifice your own life for the greater good.

ALVAREZ: Well, I don't think that this was in any way anticipated, and this certainly wasn't part of the job interview process when they were hired. But I think that as the accident unfolded, those people who are there clearly know that their lives are in jeopardy.

BALDWIN: Robert Alvarez, thank you.

Now this -- the moment of impact caught on video. You're going to see the terrifying moments when the tsunami in Japan sweeps away homes, chases down a group of people. That is next.

Plus, Hala Gorani tells us who is facing the biggest danger in the country right now. Stay here.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: New developments out of Japan. The death toll is spiking again today, and it's expected to go even higher, and we have more horrifying video of the actual moments when the tsunami struck.

CNN's Hala Gorani is here.

And, Hala, I know we've been seeing these different images when the tsunami first washes inland. We have one image, we'll watch it, and then we'll talk on the other side.

(VIDEO CLIP)

HALA GORANI, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR/CORRESPONDENT: OK. So what you see, there are people on the bottom left-hand corner of your screen. I want to tell our viewers to look at those individuals running up the hill. And you see behind them just that sea, the debris-laden wave climbing up the hill, churning its way up the hill carrying with it, houses, homes, cars and the rest of it.

BALDWIN: Look how close they are.

GORANI: Yes.

But the reason they are not moving faster because if you look closer, they are carrying someone up the hill. It looks like someone maybe who isn't maybe as mobile as others is needing help.

And we don't know what happened to that small group of people that remained stationary at the bottom of the hill. You are seeing one pair of individuals carrying someone dressed in white, but look at those closest to the wave.

BALDWIN: They are right up on it.

GORANI: They are not moving, and it looks as though, and we can't be sure, but it looks as though they are with somebody not able to make it up the hill, somebody they can't bear to leave behind, a family member or anything like that.

And also, we're not exactly sure what happened to that group, because you saw that the water looked like it was moving relatively slowly, but the force of it has washed so many people away in Japan, and the death toll is rising and rising as more bodies are discovered under the debris.

BALDWIN: Where is it now? How high has it climbed?

GORANI: Now the death toll -- and by the way, I want to tell the viewers that was Minamisanriku, that's where the video was shot on the day that the tsunami struck, about half an hour after the earthquake.

Now we are at 4,300 missing. These numbers really do sound meaningless, you know, when you see actually the pictures of people who are still going through agony not knowing if their loved ones are OK. And that is because 8,600 people are still missing and unaccounted for, Brooke. And so this is a total of more than 10,000.

And you'll remember that in the initial hours of the quake, people were talking about a few hundred, they were talking about a thousand, then it became 2,000, then 3,000. Now we're talking about over 10,000, possibly 13,000 people and 450,000 refugees in their own country, people displaced, homeless. And you see the shelters as well.

BALDWIN: And these white erase boards where they're so organized, have you seen this person, looking for my daughter, you know.

GORANI: And it's important to keep in mind that the Japanese population is a very old population, and it's aging. More than 21 percent of Japanese people are over the age of 65.

This isn't Haiti. It isn't a country in the developing world. It's an extremely aging population, and its' aging rapidly, because only 20 years ago, 11 percent were over the age of 65. That's because of a very low birthrate.

So this is adding to the misery of people. Elderly people having to cope and go through this in their senior years.

BALDWIN: Perhaps that's who they were trying to get up the hill that was precariously close to the tsunami wave.

Hala, thank you.

GORANI: Thank you.

BALDWIN: And there is another story that is developing here by the second, that is Libya. And we've learned today, four "New York Times" reporters are now missing. Also, the last time anyone heard from them they were covering the escalating violence. We'll take you there live to Libya next.

Plus, emergency in Bahrain. The government is firing on protesters. A live report ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Reporters are missing in heated battle in Libya, CNN reporter in Bahrain got kicked out of country, and the workers who stayed behind at Japan's nuclear plant.

Time to play "Reporter Roulette" and I want to begin with Arwa Damon in Eastern Libya.

And, Arwa, what we know, Gadhafi forces, they are gaining momentum, they're moving eastward to -- is it Ajdabiya?

ARWA DAMON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right. The fight right now really centering around the city of Ajdabiya. We were there yesterday witnessing heavy artillery bombardment. Today, we actually tried to get back into the city and were prevented from doing so by opposition forces at a checkpoint just on the outskirts saying that the fighting was simply too intense.

Eyewitnesses speaking of ongoing air bombardment, artillery; some saying they are pro-Gadhafi snipers in the city. One eyewitness telling us of the rising civilian death toll, saying that an entire family had been killed in the bombing.

This, of course, just underscoring the ongoing calls by the opposition for some sort of international intervention. They do, at this point, feel as if the global community is abandoning them, Brooke.

BALDWIN: Arwa, you've been covering this story, I know, for days, possibly weeks here. I know Benghazi was one of the first rebel strongholds. That is where the Gadhafi forces are headed. Do the opposition appear to be weakening at all there?

DAMON: Well, here they appear to be standing firm, bearing in mind things do sort of go along at what has now become the normal situation. I mean, shops are closed, many are open. People do tend to go about their daily business.

What we did see a little bit of and what we heard even more about is what sort of what defenses they are trying to set up around the city. They claim that they do have a plan to defend Benghazi. They say that they will be able to fight to the death, if that what it's going to take. But at the end of the day, the bottom line go back to whether or not global leaders are actually going to stand with the opposition and provide them the aid that they are asking for that is going to allow them to win this battle. Otherwise, many of them fear that they are simply going to eventually at the end of the day probably be massacred by Gadhafi's forces.

BALDWIN: Arwa Damon live in Libya. Arwa, thank you.

Next in "Reporter Roulette," not too far from Arwa, Bahrain. Government troops reportedly storm a hospital, beating doctors. Mohammed Jamjoom actually got escorted out of Bahrain today. Happened just a couple of hours ago. He's now live in Abu Dhabi. And Mohammed, while you were there, describe some of the violence that you saw firsthand.

MOHAMMED JAMJOON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Brooke, it was a very violent day. Started in the morning very early. We could see from our vantage point, Pearl Roundabout, where the protesters were, just about half a mile down the road. Thick, black plumes of smoke. At least four helicopters hovering overhead for several hours, flying by. Tanks coming in. We saw anti-riot police firing tear gas on crowds and residential neighborhoods, trying to disperse onlookers.

After that, we started calling medics to try to find out what was going on at hospitals. We got harrowing tales from inside one of the hospitals. Solomenia Hospital. Doctors saying security forces busting in, actually beating up medics and doctors. The doctors were running from room to room, trying to hide.

Now, the government issued a statement on state-run television denying all of those allegations. They said in fact the protesters were saboteurs and withdrew of their own volition and that none of this at the hospitals being reported actually happened. A lot of conflicting reports. But we never got a Bahraini official to speak to us to try to clear up what was going on from the side and perspective of the Bahraini government. Brooke?

BALDWIN: I know, Mohammed, there are a lot of geopolitical issues at play there in Bahrain. Tell me where Saudi Arabia fits in here.

JAMJOON: For Saudi Arabia, what's happening right now is really their nightmare scenario, and I'll tell you why. Bahrain, you have a majority Shiite population. You have a Sunni government. Saudi Arabia has always been concerned if there is an uprising that's going on, like the one currently going on in Bahrain, that could affect and embolden the minority Shiite population in the country's eastern province where most of the oil in Saudi Arabia is produced. That's right next door to Bahrain. In the last couple of weeks, we see more and more protests by the Shiites in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia. They have been coming out by the hundreds into the streets, demanding the release of political prisoners and demanding an end to what they perceive as their oppression. Saudi Arabia, by sending in forces to Bahrain, sending a message not just of support to Bahrain but also to their Shiite population, according to many analysts that I've spoken with, saying any kind of uprising will not be tolerated, not in neighboring countries specifically, not in our country as well. Brooke?

BALDWIN: Mohammed Jamjoom live in the UAE. Mohammed, thank you.

Next on "Reporter Roulette," as the nuclear crisis is escalating in Japan, many people are wondering about those workers, those few workers still inside the plant. David Mattingly joins me live.

And David, I know you've been watching some of the Japanese TV. What are some of the Japanese people saying about these workers?

DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, "The New York Times" calls them the Faceless 50, and we're learning a lot about the Japanese people and their values because we're not learning a lot about these people as individuals by watching Japanese television. And we're not learning a lot about them from their spouses, either. Listen just for a moment from a brief interview with a wife of one of those workers.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She says her husband is working at the site in the face of danger of exposure to radiation. But she wants him to do his best. She says he's replied by e-mail, indicating a serious situation. He told her to take care of herself because he won't be home for a while.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MATTINGLY: "Take care of yourself, I won't be home for a while. Do your best." All very understated. Very, very serious situation. We've been seeing a little bit of what they might be going through on Japanese television, but again, nothing as individuals there. All about that selfless dedication for the greater good.

BALDWIN: And because the electricity has been out there for days, they're in there in the pitch dark likely with some sort of batteries, flashlights, perhaps.

MATTINGLY: Not to mention the radiation.

BALDWIN: Not to mention the radiation. So, you have all of these people, the survivors. How are they reacting to the threats of radiation?

MATTINGLY: We're seeing a lot of that as well. In days past, we see a lot about the rescue efforts that have been going on and a lot about the recovery that's trying to get started in Japan. But now we're seeing almost wall-to-wall talk about the nuclear plants and what's going on there.

But when it comes to the general population, we're finding out that they are getting a lot of very practical information. Some of them actually look like the old films that we saw during the Cold War back in the '50s and '60s. And listen to what some of the advice the population is getting from this one doctor.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (via translator): People are advised to wear face masks so that they do not breathe in the air directly. It will be more effective if you were to wet the face mask.

The radioactive substances will be absorbed by the water, and, therefore, it will prevent the substance from penetrating through. If you do not have a mask, you can wet a towel and cover your mouth and neck like this. This will be a very easy way of preventing radioactive substances.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MATTINGLY: A wet towel, a wet mask, all just very practical advice to keep the radioactive particles from getting into your lungs. Again, something we saw back in the '50s and '60s with civil defense films. But now we're seeing that on the level for the population there in Japan.

We've heard this from Soledad O'Brien, they are paying attention to this very closely. They are not panicking. They are very calm, but they are concerned.

BALDWIN: They are concerned. I think I heard someone say duct tape should be everyone's best friend. Because you can duct tape, keep your windows closed and doors shut if you're in that radius.

MATTINGLY: Yes. And that radius, telling everyone to stay inside, don't go outside. But they are also giving advice. If you have to go outside what kind of clothing to wear and part of that demonstration we saw was a type of overcoat and type of hat you should be wearing if you have to go outside as well.

BALDWIN: Wow! Wow. David Mattingly, thank you so much.

And you know, on this whole subject of radiation here, you have these things. Do you know about these? These are iodide pills. Apparently they are flying off of some store shelves here in the U.S. But should Americans really be worried about radiation spreading all the way from Japan to the West Coast? What about radiation leaks, though, right here in the United States? We're going to get you some answers, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. PENNY BORENSTEIN, SAN LUIS OBISPO COUTY PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIAL: The most important thing we want people to know is do not take this medication at this point. You will be advised to do so when there is a threat of exposure.

DR. JAMES THRALL, RADIOLOGIST-IN-CHIEF, MASS. GENERAL HOSPITAL: In my opinion, there is no radiation risk in the U.S. whatsoever.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: You just heard that, but despite reassurances from many health experts out there, Americans are still heading to stores buying up these potassium iodide pills in the U.S. In fact, some manufacturers like Flemming Pharmaceuticals say they are bombarded with requests for the drug, which prevents the thyroid from absorbing the radiation. In fact, they have ramped up the production of these things.

This even as the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission says it does not expect harmful radiation levels from Japan to reach all the way to American soil. But they are increasing monitoring efforts here -- in fact, in the western part of the U.S. And while the U.S. surgeon general is voicing not to worry, she is careful not to dismiss many of your concerns.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REGINA BENJAMIN, U.S. SURGEON GENERAL: I'm not sure that there's a level of need right now. And certainly the health officers are monitoring -- we at CDC are monitoring and certainly will alert the public if there's ever a real threat.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: And we're also hearing a lot about this word. Have you heard people talk about millisieverts? Millisieverts is the unit of measurement used to gauge radiation exposure. So, the average person is exposed to 3 millisieverts a year just from natural sources in the environment, which isn't considered too dangerous. But our chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta actually spoke with Anderson Cooper about this, about which radiation levels are considered a bit high.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON COOPER, HOST, "AC360": Obviously, people in all these different areas are trying to measure radiation doses to get a sense for people --

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. You've got one, too.

COOPER: You've got one of these things.

GUPTA: Yes. It's a pocket dosimeter, and it basically tells you two things. One is, since you're wearing, it how much radiation you've been exposed to, measuring that. And it also has an alarm, yours does. If you suddenly find yourself in an area with too much radiation, you'll hear the alarm.

You can't see this number here, Anderson, but I've been wearing this for about 24 hours. It went up .0001 now. Very, very small amounts, possibly just from normal background radiation. Yours is still at zero but it's likely to go up, and that would be normal. If it got up into the one range, 1,000 times that, then that would be of concern.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Look at that moment. You know, we keep getting videos, iReports of these terrifying moments during the earthquake. And also I should say the many, many aftershocks. We'll share another one of these videos with you ahead.

Also, the CIA contractor who killed two men in Pakistan is suddenly now a free man. But does it have anything to do with blood money? That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: We'll take you back to Japan in just a moment, but first, if it's interesting, if it's happening right now, you about to see it, "Rapid Fire." Let's begin with this one.

Nearly 200 alleged child sex traffickers have been arrested in a global crackdown. Police have identified more than 600 suspects. In total here, 230 children have been rescued.

Europol, the European law enforcement agency, has been trying to crack the case for nearly three years. They finally got a break when they bypassed the security features of a key computer server.

And American CIA contractor Raymond Davis is now a free man. He was released from a Pakistan jail after the families of two men he killed in January forgave him.

Davis said he shot the men after they attacked him in the city of Lahore. A lawyer connected to the case tells CNN the families were paid about $1.4 million in compensation, though it's not yet known who paid.

There are also conflicting reports over the amount of money. A U.S. official not authorized to speak insists there was no quid pro quo and also refused to comment if there was an exchange of so-called "blood money." Davis' wife says she has not spoken with him yet, but obviously hopes to very soon.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REBECCA DAVIS, WIFE OF RAYMOND DAVIS: No. I probably won't hear from him until maybe this weekend. I'm not sure, you know. He's in and out to wherever, and then should be back in the states sometime this weekend, not really sure. (END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Want to get you this now. There's a brand new development in that alleged gang rape of an 11-year-old girl, ant prosecutors are now complaining this case is gaining too much attention. So the judge just made a big, big move. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: You know, nuclear watchdogs are very, very critical right now of the Tokyo Electric Power Company, or as its known by its acronym, TEPCO. It owns the stricken Fukushima Daiichi power plant, where workers are struggling with all those damaged reactors, six in total there.

Drew Griffin, with CNN's Special Investigation Unit, takes a closer look at TEPCO's history and allegations that it hides safety problems.

They are dealing with the stricken reactors, six in total. Now a closer look at TEPCO's history and allegations that it hides safety problems.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DREW GRIFFIN, CNN SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS UNIT CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Three reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant are now almost certainly dead. Never to be used again. The question is, can the danger inside be contained? Can the nuclear material be continuously cooled? And can the potential for a dangerous radiation leak into the environment be averted?

The Tokyo Electric Power Company, TEPCO, says so far yes. But nuclear watchdogs say TEPCO has misinformed the public before which is why they carefully follow what's happening on the ground.

And on the ground, so far, exposure testing is under way and the government has ordered 200,000 people living within 12 miles of the plant to be evacuated.

ARJUN MAHKIJANI, INSTITUTE OF ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH: The history of the Japanese nuclear industry and the government that is very closely tight with the industry is less than glorious in regard to public information and full disclosure. And what is going on now is actually an illustration of that?

GRIFFIN: Arjun Mahkijani is an anti-nuclear activist and is extremely concerned that this crisis, seemingly under some control, may not be under control at all. Both Japanese government officials and the private owners of nuclear power plants deny that.

But TEPCO doesn't have a history to inspire confidence. In 2002, the president of the power company and four executives resigned after it was discovered repair and inspection records were falsified. "Dishonest practices," the company admitted later. PHILLIP WHITE, CITIZEN NUCLEAR INFORMATION CENTER: It was discovered that TEPCO, Tokyo Electric Power Company, had covered up incidents of cracking in one of the important pieces of equipment within the reactor vessels of its -- all its reactors. And as a result, they were forced to close down all 17 of their reactors.

GRIFFIN: And the plant with the worst record, Fukushima Daiichi, the plant now in trouble.

WHITE: There's a pattern emerged that TEPCO isn't frank and deliberately covers up to protect its own interests.

GRIFFIN: Despite promises to regain public confidence, TEPCO's honesty was questioned again in 2007 when a 6.8 earthquake struck western Japan, shaking the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear plant. TEPCO reporter only a minor fire at the plant and less than a gallon of water leakage.

Later the public learned the fire burned for two hours and hundreds of gallons of radioactive water had leaked into the sea.

The plant that is now in trouble survived the most recent quake. A quake stronger than it was designed for. By design, the reactors immediately shut themselves down. Good news, according to the spokesperson, for the group that lobbies the U.S. Congress on pro- nuclear power issues.

TONY PIETRANGELO, NUCLEAR ENERGY INSTITUTE: I think as we've seen in Japan, despite the magnitude of that earthquake, they hold up quite well.

GRIFFIN: But it turns out surviving the quake was not the end of the crisis. At Fukushima Daiichi, the backup power supply, 13 diesel electric generators, ran for a while then failed. When the generators failed, so did the water pumps that cooled the reactors.

WHITE: You have in total six reactors that have been under great stress with problems cooling the core. And just as you think you might have gotten control of one, then another one goes.

GRIFFIN: Unlike the shattering moments of an earthquake with a powerful surge of the tsunami, this disaster will linger for months, if not longer, as Japanese nuclear workers try to cool the reactors whose heat has helped to power Japan for more than 40 years and now threatens it.

Drew Griffin, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: There is a new development today in a story we've been committed to following for you, talking about that alleged gang rape of an 11-year-old girl happening in a filthy -- allegedly here -- in a filthy abandoned trailer Cleveland, Texas. This story has gotten so much attention, prosecutors are worried they won't be able to get an impartial jury for the 18 men and boys charged in the case. Well, now a judge has order everyone even remotely connected to this case to stop talking about it, to anyone. It's called a gag order, and it's not unusual in cases that tend to grab the public's attention. But there is a feeling that this gag order might be going too far.

Sunny Hostin is "On the Case."

And Sunny, how far are we talking here?

SUNNY HOSTIN, "IN SESSION," TRUTV: We're talking pretty far, very sweeping, very broad, Brooke. I mean, I haven't seen something like this in quite some time.

As you mentioned, it covers all potential witnesses. It covers witnesses that have already testified. It covers attorneys. It covers their staffs, their agents, their employees, it covers investigators.

And interestingly enough, it even covers case workers, parents, siblings, and all blood relatives, and relatives related through marriage from discussing the case. And so, you know, maybe the question is, who doesn't it cover? Because I can't quite figure that out. Very, very broad.

BALDWIN: So what happens if someone were to violate the gag order?

HOSTIN: That person would be found in contempt of court, and a contempt count could lead to jail time. And so certain -- it's certain that the stakes are very high when it comes to a gag order.

And I think that is why there's always so much pushback, Brooke, because what if someone without knowledge violates this gag order? That is a possibility when you have something that's so broad and so sweeping.

BALDWIN: So then why, Sunny -- why would a judge agree to such a sweeping gag order, and would it even stand up if anyone tried to challenge it legally?

HOSTIN: Well, you know, I think the judge in this case made it very clear that the defendant's right to a fair trial, which is a constitutional right, is paramount, is important. Will it withstand legal challenges? Because we know the legal challenges are coming.

People have -- lawyers have already indicated that they are going to appeal this ruling. I'm not sure, because there are free speech implications here.

There is the free flow of information that people are entitled to, that the public is entitled to, and so I think that it is possible that this gag order may be constricted a bit. Too soon to tell, but very, very interesting development in this case.

BALDWIN: How about that, so far sweeping. We're committed to tell it no matter what.

Sunny Hostin, thank you.

How are the winds -- taking you back to Japan. How are the winds affecting the spread of radiation? That answer next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Got about a minute left. I want to spin over to Chad Myers.

Chad, talk to me about the winds here near this Fukushima Daiichi plant. They had been out of the north. Are they still?

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: They are out of the west.

BALDWIN: OK.

MYERS: They switched behind a cold front, a cold front that ran through the country yesterday. And I'm not a computer modeler when it comes to radiation modeling, but all I can do is tell you is how the winds will continue to spin any bit of radiation off the shore.

It will move away from Japan and into the Pacific. Where it goes from there is not anybody's guess, but certainly a computer's guess.

The winds, off shore and then around the low. And then possibly up even toward Russia as it moves towards the north. A couple of computer -- amazing-looking graphics that we have here. I've never even looked at this before --

BALDWIN: Wow.

MYERS: -- because I've never ever had to worry about, but that's the North Pole. OK?

So here's Europe, here's Russia, all the way back around to the other side of the globe, and Japan and the U.S. We would follow a little parcel of radiation all the way across the country and all the way across the Pacific. It would take many days. A lot of the radiation would be gone. You've heard people say there's just no threat.

We'll see.

BALDWIN: We will see. You will keep watching, as will I.

Thank you so much for watching us here.

I want to turn things over to Jessica Yellin, in "THE SITUATION ROOM."

Jess, to you.