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CNN Live Saturday
California Battered In Rare Snow Storm; Death Toll Continues To Rise In South Asia; Relief Efforts Continue Round the Clock In Asia
Aired January 08, 2005 - 12:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, ANCHOR: It is Noon here in Atlanta, 9:00 a.m. on a wintery West coast, and it's Midnight in devastated Banda Aceh.
Good afternoon. I'm Fredricka Whitfield here at CNN's headquarters. We're covering lots of news this hour in addition to continuing our look at the tsunami tragedy.
On the eve of a historic election for Palestinians, how might the landscape of Middle East politics be impacted?
ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: And I'm Rob Marciano live in the shores of Lake Tahoe where just last night's two fee of fresh snow has fallen and a winter storm warning up until Tuesday morning. So, not all good news, we'll go over the details in just a little bit.
WHITFIELD: All right, Rob, and later this hour:
What went wrong with one of Hollywood's most beautiful couples? But first, a look at the top stories now in the news.
The U.S. is likely to increase its aid contribution to victims of the tsunami disaster, that's according to President Bush in today's radio address. The U.S. already has pledged $350 million. He calls that amount, quote, "an initial commitment."
A U.S. Army sergeant is facing sentencing at Fort Hood, Texas in an assault against an Iraqi civilian. Tracy Perkins was found guilty of assaulting an Iraqi who drowned after being pushed into a river. Possible penalty: A maximum 11 year sentence.
The U.S. military is trying to evacuate injured sailors from the USS San Francisco in the western Pacific. U.S. Navy sources say the sub ran aground while conducting submerged operations. Twenty crewmembers were reportedly injured, one critically. The sub, which has since resurfaced, is making its way back to its home port of Gaum. There is no report of damage to the sub's nuclear reactor.
Nearly two weeks now after the tsunami disaster in south Asia, the death toll is still rising and around the clock relief and recovery efforts continue. Here are some of the latest developments in that region:
United nation's Secretary General Kofi Annan is getting a firsthand look at some of the worst damage. Today he's in Sri Lanka. Annan flew to the island after visiting Indonesia's hard-hit Aceh province. He called the destruction there, the worst he has ever seen.
The Indian prime minister, Manmohan Singh, is touring his country's worst-hit island. He says the Indian government will spare no resources to help victims there recover from the disaster.
And across south Asia, the death toll now stands at more than 155,000 and it's likely to rise dramatically now that Indonesia has raised the number of missing, in that country, from 6,000 to 77,000. Right now, the death toll in hardest-hit Indonesia alone is nearly 95,000.
CNN continues its extensive up-to-the-minute coverage of the disaster. We have reporters throughout the tsunami-battered area. CNN's Richard Roth is keeping track of U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan's visit to Sri Lanka where the massive waves killed more than 46,000 people. And Richard is now on the phone with us from Colombo -- Richard.
RICHARD ROTH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. On Friday, it was Indonesia, Sumatra. Now, today, it was Sri Lanka. Secretary General Kofi Annan, again, spent hours in a helicopter flying over those areas devastated by the tsunami. I don't think he saw as great a damage that he witnessed in the skies over Aceh and Sumatra. However, this time on this trip, Annan was able to get out of the helicopter and talk, in person, with more people -- refugees, displaced people, homeless people who now have a temporary housing, where they are right now, and I think he was able to comfort them. I mean, how long that lasts is another matter. I mean, they were very glad, it seems, to see him. I don't think they really knew who he was, but they knew he was with the U.N. and I think that other officials were glad to see James Wolfensohn of the World Bank because he's got the money. And I think they need the coordination and they need international funding for years to come.
Annan flew to the south of Sri Lanka, the East coast. He is not seeing any bodies. This has all been a few days before, but he did get to talk, in person, with people. One man practically collapse in his arm. Another man got by, kind of, security and hugged him immediately. And the children are always a special -- a special group for the Annan's. Nan Annan and Kofi Annan both worked for the U.N.'s commission for human -- for refugees, years ago. And they spent some time with children who where really all smiles, probably not really aware of what had happened -- complete -- completely to their family and loved ones -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: And Richard, what more has Annan said, if anything, about the demise of the money that has been pledged, but the concern about how much of it will actually be delivered?
ROTH: Well, he told some towns people, in one of the stops, how in the past the U.N. is lucky to get 20 percent of what is pledged. This time, there seems to be a little bit more of media focus. I'm not so sure the level will be that low, but it's always a priority. They hold these so-called "donors' conferences" in luxury capitals sometimes around the world and then months later the money never really is coming, whether it's donor fatigue or whatever. This time, though it's not really refugees from war, it's a force of nature. Maybe that will produce a more spirited reaction from the international community.
WHITFIELD: Richard Roth in Colombo, Sri Lanka, traveling with the U.N. secretary general. Thanks so much.
On to Indonesia now, where military troops from around the world are helping out with relief and rebuilding efforts. Australian soldiers are the latest to arrive in Banda Aceh. They're focusing on getting a heavily damaged hospital up and running. CNN's Mike Chinoy reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MIKE CHINOY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Banda Aceh has had two hospitals, one civilian and one military. They've been so over whelmed, they had to turn patients away, and that's why this hospital, Zanoel Adidin Hospital, has become a focus of activity. This hospital was badly hit by the tsunami. The water was really a river of sludge about as high as my waist. And even now, nearly two weeks afterwards, they're having to clean up sludge that inundated the entire ground floor of the hospital.
Those are Indonesian troops over shoveling this dark gray-black muck that is coating the floors of all of the rooms. It destroyed equipment. Clearly, anybody who has a patient on the ground floor here wouldn't have had a chance. The Indonesians have also been pulling out beds, cupboards, equipment. There are big piles of antibiotics and syringes coated in mud, trying to clean this place up. It's an international effort. There are Chinese experts here, German, Pakistanis. U.S. Navy CBs were in surveying the hospital the past couple of days and beginning the clean-up process and the Australians have arrived and have set up a tent field operating theater that will begin operating tomorrow. They'll be able to do almost all kinds of major surgery. There still are some patients in the upper floors of this hospital, but the hospital has not been able to function the way it used to, obviously and so, getting it back in operation is considered by the aide workers here to be a very important step in terms of meeting medical needs of a still hard-pressed people.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: That was Mike Chinoy in Banda Aceh, Indonesia.
And now, take a look at this: New tsunami video to show you. This was taken by a tourist at a newly opened resort on Thailand's Koh Racha Island. It shows the horrifying moments when the wave crashed on to shore and flooded the beach. A clear warning to astonished sunbathers who quickly ran for higher ground, and then it was followed by three more surges, each more powerful and devastating than the other. Anything that was not tied down was dragged out to sea. Some structures were flooded up to their roofs. And while apparently most of the people there managed to escape, somehow much of the structures there were damaged.
Well, traditionally, this is prime tourist season in Thailand. Merchants count on it to survive, but now, even for businesses virtually untouched by the tsunami on Phuket, worry about what the future may hold. Here's CNN's Matthew Chance.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): They danced like the tsunami never happened. Thai sex workers at Patong Beach acting out the party tourists come to see. But the seedy glamour always skin deep, now masks real grief and anxiety. Around a television at the bar, customers and staff are reliving the horrors they've witnessed, but it's the aftermath that matters most.
Yam serves drinks at the Happy Night Bar, already back in business after being flooded by the tsunami wave, but business is bad, the seats half empty.
"We never believed this could happen to us, but so many people could be lost," she told me. "It'll take a year at least, but we must rebuild."
The sandy beaches of Patong's more innocent traction, the tsunami struck in peak season. The few tourists, who stayed on, now tan amidst the rubble.
Edward from Austria says it's his way of helping out.
EDWARD, AUSTRIAN TOURIST: We think it's better to stay here, because if we leave the country, our money leaves the country too. And I think it's important to help the people here, to begin a normal life on the beach.
CHANCE: And it's an urgent task. Here, the once popular Surby (PH) Beach restaurant is being refitted after the tsunami left it ruined. No one was killed here, but the owner, Willapong (PH), showed me where the sea water had come to and the clock that stopped at the exact time the tsunami hit.
"If the tourists stay away, none of us will have a job or any money," he says, "It'll be another disaster."
CHANCE (on camera): These are incredibly difficult times for everybody who was caught up in the tsunami, even walking along the sands feels slightly odd, knowing so many people were lost at sea. But everybody we've spoken to shared that sense of horror at this terrible loss of life, but they're looking to the future as well, picking up the pieces of their lives and starting to try and live them again.
(voice-over): And that means luring valuable tourists back to Phuket every way the island can.
Matthew Chance, CNN, Patong Beach, Phuket.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: CNN's special tsunami coverage continues throughout the day. Tonight at 8:00 Eastern, join us for a CNN special report "Saving the Children" our correspondent's look at how the disaster has orphaned or displaced thousands of children and what's being done to protect them from predators and how to reunite them with their families.
California dreaming? Well, maybe not today. From Los Angeles, to northward, along the coast, past the Canadian border, it's a winter wallop of rain and snow. Up to a foot of rain is predicted in southern California, raising the risk of mudslides in Los Angeles. Flash flooding is possible in low-lying areas around San Francisco, as well. And the snow is piling up by the foot in the northern mountains.
Well, it's been snowing like mad in the mountains above in the mountains above Lake Tahoe, as well and that's where we're connecting with our CNN meteorologist, Rob Marciano who is almost knee-deep, aren't' you, in that snow in Tahoe City, California?
Marciano: Yeah, well I -- yeah, Fredricka, actually this is one of the more shallow depths. What they do here, in order to clean, they plow the roads first, then they actually take the snow with a bulldozer and lift it up on to the other side of this road. This road encircles the entire lake. Beyond that snow bank is Lake Tahoe itself. It sits at about 6,000 in elevation, so that's why it can snow in California.
This road is one of the access roads to a couple ski resorts that way, one of which is Squaw Valley and Alpine. On Saturday at 9:00 local time, this would be literally cars bumper to bumper, and as you can see, not a lot of cars. Reason being the roads to get to Lake Tahoe have been almost disastrous, some roads are closed.
The video last night as our photographer, Jeff king, rolled into town, he managed to get over I-80 and Donner (PH) Pass OK, but you can see, at times, whiteout conditions, shortly after this video was shot, I-80, at this, point closed and it's been closed ever since.
To give you an idea just how deep some of this snow is, this is just from last night, so two feet of snow since last night. And here's some from the older snow storms back through January. Some beautiful (UNINTELLIGIBLE), this is a pretty (UNINTELLIGIBLE), but commerce hurt just a little bit. You know, Fredricka, a little bit too much of a good thing as the ski resorts aren't getting the people there and those that do make it up, there's avalanche worries and windy, very windy. Along the ridges, 100 mile winds today, that's a possibility, so many of the ski resorts, the top half of which, can't be open, so...
WHITFIELD: Wow! And whiteout conditions.
(CROSSTALK)
WHITFIELD: So, you can't enjoy skiing if you get whiteout conditions, so I guess folks are going to have to....
(CROSSTALK) MARCIANO: At this rate though -- at least they'll be skiing in July with this thing (UNINTELLIGIBLE). That's the good news.
WHITFIELD: All right, well maybe they'll makeup for business that way, then, the ski resorts will. All right, thanks a lot, Rob.
Well, with more on the west coast storms and the rest of the forecast, let's go now to CNN Weather Center with Orelon Sidney -- Orelon.
(WEATHER REPORT)
WHITFIELD: All right, thanks a lot Orelon, appreciate it.
ORELON SIDNEY, CNN METEOROLOGIST: You're welcome.
WHITFIELD: Well still ahead, NBA stars shoot and score for tsunami relief. We'll total it up for you.
Also, only on CNN, a look at the tsunami's impact on some of the region's endangered species.
And later the Pitts call it quits. We'll have all the details, this is CNN LIVE SATURDAY.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Among those lending a helping hand, sports celebrities. The NBA is making a hardcore press for tsunami relief. Several players including: Jermaine O'Neil, Kobe Bryant, are donating $1,000 for every point scored this week. The grand total for all the players this past week came to $208,000 so far and the NBA's Player Union is giving half a million. The NBA says it will match the gift, all in all, $1.2 million for Unisef.
The FBI is warning Americans to be aware of phony relief groups that claim to be helping tsunami victims. Several schemes cropped up on the internet this week alone. Let's talk about avoiding charitable scams with our guest, she's the author of "Don't Just Give it Away: How to Make the Most of Your Charitable Giving." Renata Rafferty joins us Las Angeles, today.
Good to see you, Renatta.
RENATA RAFFERTY, AUTHOR "DON'T JUST GIVE IT AWAY": Good morning, Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right, well many of us are getting e-mail, we're getting phone solicitations. How in the world do you kind of legitimize those groups out there?
RAFFERTY: No. 1, do not respond to e-mail, telephone, door-to- door or direct mail solicitations at this time. None of the significant charities that are doing the major relief work there are contacting people that way. Simply ignore those solicitations at this point. WHITFIELD: So, then how do you make a decision about what group to go for? Is there a way that you could verify an organization is actually helping out the cause of tsunami relief?
RAFFERTY: Absolutely. You -- in listening to the news, listen to which of the charities that are mentioned, that are being interviewed on the spot. You want to work with charities that are familiar with the region and then you can verify the legitimacy by going to www.guidestar.org to verify that they're IRS registered.
WHITFIELD: We've heard a lot about American Red Cross and apparently $92 of every $100 is going directly to the aid of the tsunami victims. The remaining $8 goes towards transportation, etcetera. Doctor's Without Border is another organization that says, "we've received so much money, that we really don't need any more right now for tsunami relief." So, can you, best bet, that legitimate organizations, such as the ones that I just mentioned, will be honest and forthright giving that kind of information to those of us that may want to donate so that you know how that money going to be spent?
RAFFERTY: Absolutely. Particularly after the relief efforts post September 11, most charities became much more clear with themselves and with the public about how they were going to use their funds and that's absolutely the case right now with tsunami relief. The major charities are being very direct about how they're using their funds, where they're directing the funds.
WHITFIELD: The tsunami has galvanized so many people to give. Is it your concern, however, that because this particular tragedy had received so much money that perhaps there are other victims of other tragedies, say for instance, Sudan, Iran earthquake a year ago, or perhaps even the victims from Sudan are not getting the kind of money that was promised because so many resources are being sunken into the tsunami relief?
RAFFERTY: Well, we're hoping that people are reaching into their pockets to give over and above what they normally do so that not only those efforts in other countries are being taken care of, but that the needs in our own local communities are being met, the homeless shelters, the food banks, the local blood bank. So, we're hoping the people are digging a little deeper so that they can help both over in southeast Asia and continue to support all the many causes around the world and around the nation that also need the help.
WHITFIELD: All right, in the meantime, Renata Rafferty, great advice. Folks need to be vigilant if they decide to be gracious and to be generous in their giving to ask questions of these organizations and make sure they're legit. Thanks so much for joining us from Los Angeles.
RAFFERTY: Thank you.
WHITFIELD: Well, Palestinians prepare to make history. We'll go live to Ramallah in a minute.
And wicked winter weather whips the West coast. Orlean will be along with the forecast a bit later.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: A big day tomorrow in the Middle East. Palestinians are heading to the polls Sunday to choose a successor of Yasser Arafat. CNN's Guy Roz is in the West Bank city of Ramallah.
And Guy, what is the mood looking like on the eve before this historic election?
GUR ROZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, we're here in al-Manara Square, right in the heart of downtown Ramallah where in just about 12 hours from now, about a million Palestinian in the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem will go out to the polls to take part in a historic election, the first Palestinian election in 40 years without Yasser Arafat.
Now, we've been talking to residents of Ramallah throughout the day, gauging public opinion, finding out what's on their minds. And we're joined by another local resident here, Nader Khoury is a student at Bir Zeit University.
Nadia, thanks very much for joining us.
NARER KHOURY, STUDENT AT BIR ZEIT UNIVERSITY: You're welcome.
ROZ: First of all, in those days, weeks, months ahead, once a successor is elected, do you expect to see any real changes for Palestinians here in the West Bank?
KHOURY: There should be some changes, because people are fed up with the fact that there's no progress in the peace process, so I think the new president should be able to make some difference, some changes.
ROZ: And who do you think is the best person to do that?
KHOURY: Well I think, I would imagine, is the best person who is the most capable of doing any change here.
ROZ: What is it about Abu Mazin that differentiates him from other Palestinian leaders? Why do you think he is the man who might be able to bring about those changes?
KHOURY: Well, he's willing to negotiate with the Israeli side and I think we should know by now that we should live with the fact that the Israelis are existing here, so we should have, like, a person who can talk to them and negotiate with them about the -- of process here.
ROZ: Now Nader, you're a student at the Bir Zeit University, you're 20 years old. Do you find that a lot of people your age, a lot of the university students, are following this election, are engaged and are actually excited about it? Or is there some pessimism as well? KHOURY: I think everybody's excited about this because we have suffered enough from orphans (PH) and sent all the peace processes -- former peace processes, so we need, right now, a person who can change. And I think everybody's looking forward for these elections in order to make some difference in the region.
ROZ: Nader Khoury, thank you very much.
KHOURY: You're welcome.
ROZ: And so Fredricka, clearly, there will be a heavy task for whoever wins the election tomorrow. It's expected Mahmoud Abbas, or Abu Mazin, will win that election and many Palestinians are placing their hopes in Mahmoud Abbas, hoping he'll bring them out of their situation -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right. Guy Roz, thanks so much for that update.
Well, will the election help jumpstart the peace process or will perhaps stall it? Steven Erlanger is with the "New York Times" and writes about that on the front page today, of the "New York Times."
All right, good to see you.
STEVEN ERLANGER, "NEW YORK TIMES": Nice to see you.
WHITFIELD: Well, a lot is riding on this election. Perhaps are expectations too high?
ERLANGER: I think they are a bit. I mean, Abu Mazin, presuming that he wins, would have enormous challenges in front of him, and his first challenges will be internal. I mean there are -- has been enormous chaos in security in the Palestinian authority. People want change in their lives. They want an end to corruption. They want more public order. They want changes in the people who surrounded Arafat. Abbas must negotiate within the Palestinian world, not just inside Fattah, but with Hamas and the other radicals to come up with a kind of joint position that -- so he can go to Israel and really have something to say. I mean, the hope is on the Israeli part, that he will win by a big enough margin, with a large enough turnout, that he will really have legitimacy to face down some of the militants and some of the radicals.
WHITFIELD: Isn't that, indeed the --
ERLANGER: He has taking a very radical stance...
WHITFIELD: Isn't that, indeed, the big hurdle, however, the legitimacy of the outcome of this election because of potential low vote turnout, Hamas is encouraging a boycott tomorrow, and if that, indeed, is respected, then perhaps, the legitimacy of this race might be challenged.
ERLANGER: Well, that's what we'll have to watch. But, at the moment, it looks like -- you know, it's hard to say, but perhaps if 80 percent of the people who are registered turn out to vote, that would be very, very good, certainly compared to American figures. And if another Abu Mazin, let's say, wins by 52 to 55 percent, I think he could almost credibly claim to have more democratic legitimacy than most Arab leaders. That would help him as he sets about trying to put the Palestinian house in an order, because his real job, to be frank, is to try to create the basis of a Palestinian state. And to do that, the state needs to have a monopoly on power. He needs to control the gunmen, he needs to put corruption behind them, he needs to open up Palestinian policies toward democracy and the rule of law. These are things he wants to do, but the question is, what kind of vested interests now will he have to face? It's going to be very, very difficult.
WHITFIELD: Well, you write about how Mahmoud Abbas may be the favorite to carry the torch of Yasser Arafat, but at the same time you write about another leading candidate, Mustafa Barghouti, what are his chances -- you know of appealing to, perhaps the masses? Is he a real threat for Mahmoud Abbas?
STEVEN ERLANGER, "NEW YORK TIMES": I think he isn't. I think what he is is a person who makes this election respectable. Mustafa Barghouti is a medical doctor, works with his the poor and has contacts abroad. He is he an independent and not a real threat to Mahmoud Abbas in terms of victory. The latest polls show him getting about a quarter of the vote. And so, having an opposition will make this election look much better. But, you know, generally, the United States, most Palestinians, Israel also, will be very happy if Abu Mazen wins and wins with a decent vote so he can present himself to the Palestinian people with legitimacy and authority and begin to go to work clearing away the mess of the last four years.
WHITFIELD: But you anticipate even with a Mahmoud Abbas win, there could still be external and internal conflict. Steven Erlanger, thank you so much for joining us of the "New York Times" from Jerusalem.
ERLANGER: Thank you.
WHITFIELD: Other stories we're following for you at this hour, President Bush has come up with a new way to get financial help to the victims of the tsunami disaster. He has signed a law to allow Americans to deduct cash contribution for tsunami relief from their 2004 taxes. Mr. Bush says he is urging all Americans to contribute as they are able.
Three Democratic senators are calling on President Bush to get back the money the Education Department paid to a political commentator. Armstrong Williams, a frequent guest on CNN, was paid $240,000 to promote the president's No Child Left Behind law. The senators say the payment amounts to bribing journalists. Williams calls the criticism legitimate and says he will not do it again.
There is no let up in the wild weather battering that is battering parts of the West Coast. Flood warnings are in effect in parts of California where heavy rains are still falling. Some neighborhoods east of Los Angeles have been getting more than half an inch of rain an hour. And to make matters worse, heavy snow is also slamming the state. Half a foot is expected in Sierra Nevada over the weekend. A look at the forecast coming up.
Here are latest headlines involving the tsunami disaster. The death toll may rise dramatically. The Indonesia government announced today it still has 77,000 people missing in the aftermath of that disaster. India's prime minister visited the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, remote areas close to the epicenter of the earthquake which triggered the tsunamis. Despite criticism of slow relief work, Manmohan Singh said the Indian government is coping adequately.
And UN Secretary General Kofi Annan is in Sri Lanka touring areas hit hard by the tsunami. Annan says he has never seen so much destruction.
U.S. marines have been working delivering American aid to desperate tsunami survivors in remote areas of Sri Lanka. CNN's correspondent Satinder Bindra, who went along on one of the relief missions and has this firsthand account.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
SATINDER BINDRA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is the story of a mission. Three Blackhawk helicopters, tasked with carrying USAID relief supplies to Sri Lanka's east coast. U.S. marines and Sri Lankan soldiers work side by side, loading thousands of pounds on to each helicopter, working energetically, aware many will die if these supplies do not reach them on time.
Once the helicopters are loaded, cameraman Sanjiv (ph) and I hop on. As we fly east, the helicopters must avoid the supply planes coming west. An hour and a half later, we touch down in a school soccer field. The crew is quick to offload, helped by local residents, hungry for attention, hungry for care.
Hundreds watch. Another Blackhawk arrives. Within minutes, all are safely on the ground. A human chain is formed, unloading boxes marked "gifts from the people of the United States." Policemen try to control the crowd. The crowd wins. Hundreds swarm their U.S. heroes. Dozens board this helicopter. Airmen and this charging policeman back them off.
(on camera) These U.S. Air Force helicopters are normally used for search and rescue operations. Here, they are being deployed to carry plastic sheeting and jerry cans (ph), for the people of Ampara (ph), the worst affected area in Sri Lanka.
(voice-over) From the air, we can see that Ampara's low lying coast has been completely destroyed, hundreds of thousands still leaving in relief camps. They're quick to thank their benefactors.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are very happy, but we want to do more, more.
BINDRA: The Blackhawk crews realize these supplies are just a start for people who have lost their families, homes and livelihoods. We take off, again in great haste. The marines are silent during the journey home. The pride that only comes from a job well done is enough.
It's too loud for microphones. So, I chat with crew member Tiffany Gaverd (ph) from Clinton, Utah the old-fashioned way. She tells me it's her birthday. I ask her what the happy faces on the ground meant to her. "It made me feel proud and it was the best birthday present for me ever," she writes. For two days, she has seen only endless destruction from the air. Now, she can afford a breather. Catching a herd of elephants, disturbed by the helicopters.
As the trip winds down, the crew realizes this mission means more than just saving lives. It's a step towards rebuilding the image of an army and a nation that have taken a beating in Asia since the Iraq War. Satinder Bindra, CNN, on board a U.S. Blackhawk in eastern Sri Lanka.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
WHITFIELD: And it's a story you'll only see on CNN. Some of nature's slowest and gentlest creatures, how they're now threatened because of the tsunami.
And next, perhaps they may not be among the most important worries out there, but one that apparently is getting most of the hits on the Web. They're famous. They're beautiful and, guess what, they're splitsville.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: News across America now. Rosemary Kennedy, the eldest sister of former president John F. Kennedy died Friday at age of 86. Senator Edward Kennedy was at her bedside along with her surviving sisters. Rosemary Kennedy was born mentally retarded and underwent a lobotomy when she was just 23. She inspired the creation of the Special Olympics.
A nightclub shooting leaves two dead and at least five others injured in Chicago's North Side. Police say several patrons began firing on employees when they were denied entry. That was at 3:00 a.m.
Toxic vapors from a deadly chemical spill will keep some residents of Graniteville, South Carolina out of their homes until early next week. Eight people died and more than 250 were sickened when a train wreck released chlorine gas into the air. That was on Thursday.
And more than 500 fans gathered on the front lawn of Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee to celebrate what would have been Elvis' 70th birthday. Elvis Presley died in 1977. One fan expressed her devotion, calling Presley immortal.
Well, they say they're still friends, but Hollywood's power couple Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston are separating. Here is CNN's Brooke Anderson.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): News about the break-up of Hollywood's most beautiful couple left fans surprised.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm glad Brad is single.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it's kind of interesting. I thought they were probably the coolest couple in Hollywood so I'm a little surprised.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Shocked. That's awful.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: In a joint statement Friday evening, Hollywood power couple Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt announced that they're formally separating. The couple met in 1998 when they were set up by their agents on a dinner date, keeping their relationship a secret from the public for months. They eventually wed in July of 2000 in an elaborate ceremony at the Malibu home of television executive Marcy Carsey.
It wasn't long before tabloid reports predicted the demise. Eyebrows were first raised in 2003 when Aniston forgot to thank her husband during her Golden Globe acceptance speech for her work in "Friends." Last summer, some linked Pitt to Angelina Jolie, his co- star in the upcoming "Mr. and Mrs. Smith." Others cited Aniston's reluctance to start a family as the reason for their marital tension. Speculation peaked after reports that Aniston cancelled her husband's 41st birthday plans. Shortly afterwards she was photographed not wearing her wedding ring at Los Angeles International Airport.
In their statement they said their split was amicable. Quote, "Our separation is not the result of any of the speculation reported by the tabloid media. We happily remain committed and caring friends with a great love and admiration for one another."
The couple co-own a production company called Plan B Entertainment whose production credits include "Troy." And now it appears Pitt and Aniston will seeking a plan B for their love lives as well. Brooke Anderson, CNN, Los Angeles.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
WHITFIELD: Coming up, from L.A. to British Columbia, the West Coast is getting pounded by a winter storm. Orelon Sidney will be along with the latest. While on the East Coast it's a winter wonderland for your favorite cold weather sport. We'll tell you about some of the best skiing in that area. CNN LIVE SATURDAY continues right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Well, winter storms are hitting the west coast pretty darn hard. In Southern California, residents are worried about mudslides after heavy rain. Some places are getting half an inch per hour, even though that picture doesn't look too bad. But look at this. In the northern Sierra Mountains snow is piling higher this weekend and more is expected. Some of the heaviest snow is in the mountains above Lake Tahoe. Let's get the latest on the coastal storms and more out west. Orelon Sidney is here in the East in the weather center.
ORELON SIDNEY, CNN METEOROLOGIST: And that's the best place to be when it's like that out West. Take a look at these advisories. My goodness. There are winter weather advisories Canadian border all the way southward almost to the Mexican border. Once you get down to Los Angeles and Phoenix you get some flood warnings and flood watches for those areas. You could see as much as a foot of rainfall before it's all over on Tuesday in those areas. So that's why we see that. Not only do we have the storm here, but one in the eastern United States as well. Snow here is not going to be nearly as heavy. Six to eight inches maybe in those areas.
You're going to find showers and thunderstorms, too, southward, down into the Gulf Coast states. In fact, damage from tornadoes yet yesterday as this storm system moves through the region. We actually had some homes damaged in parts of Mississippi. By the afternoon now, it looks like we'll continue to see showers and rain here. The rainfall, of course, out to the west going to be the big problem going into tomorrow. Expected to end, the rain, on Tuesday. Fredricka?
WHITFIELD: All right just trudge along a couple more days, then.
SIDNEY: That's right, actually float along.
WHITFIELD: All right, thanks a lot, Orelon.
SIDNEY: You're welcome.
WHITFIELD: Well, there is fresh snow on the ground in New England for some great skiing. Granted, not as much out in Tahoe, California, but northeastern Skiing, like so many things in New England is a little bit different. Mel Allen is executive editor for "Yankee Magazine" and he has covered New England for 25 years and Mel joins us from Manchester, New Hampshire this afternoon. Good to see you, Mel.
MEL ALLEN, "YANKEE MAGAZINE": Hi, Fredricka. It's snowing here.
WHITFIELD: Oh, yay. That's good, because you have a big job to convince me and everybody else out there why do we want to head to New England when there's this fresh new powder ought out west for skiing.
ALLEN: That's a good question.
WHITFIELD: What's the answer?
ALLEN: There is no doubt that western skiing is awesome. Of course, it is. But New England skiing is unique. It's more idiosyncratic. It's traditional. This is where the first tows (ph) were invented, the first snow making, and the eastern ski trails are like no other trails in the world. They hug the mountain contours, they are rimmed by trees, the snow is held on those narrow trails. And we also have these beautiful unique New England villages at the bases of these mountains.
WHITFIELD: It's generally a little colder and a lot icier, too, which sometimes means you become much more skillful skier, don't you, in the Northeast?
ALLEN: Well, you know, the word is if you can ski New England mountains and ski them well, you can ski anywhere. But we have mountains that face south. SO even if it's colder, you sit on the deck outside and the sun heats your body and it feels great.
WHITFIELD: All right. Let's talk about some specifics. Some destinations we need to keep our eyes on. Beck Brook, where is this? What's this trail all about?
ALLEN: That's a beautiful green trail that is in Sunapee, just an hour or so from Boston. Mt. Sunapee is one of these mountains that is makes New England special. It's only maybe 50, 60 trails. They tend to be cozier mountains in New England than, say, the big mountains out west, like Mammoth that has 3,000 acres. Our mountains, for the most part, tend to be 100 or 200 acres. But every mountain has trails suited for specific skiers, green, blues, blacks, double blacks. Jay Peak in northern Vermont has the best tree skiing in North America.
WHITFIELD: And perhaps trails more suitable for families, like perhaps Birdland?
ALLEN: Well, don't forget now, families may have -- like my children, we're a family, but they knocked me off in terms of skiing. They want the blacks and double blacks and things of that sort. So don't think families and just think easy. But yes, there's a mountain like my favorite mountain for families, there's one in Bretton Woods, which is right at the base of Mount Washington. Mount Washington Hotel is one of these great, elegant motels. But Bretton Woods is probably one of the finest mountains anywhere for the novice and the intermediate skier.
WHITFIELD: All right. Lots of variety of skiing out there and other kind of snow-like activities. Snowboarding, snow shoeing. All that good stuff in New England. Mel Allen of "Yankee Magazine," thanks so much for helping us look ahead and look back, too, the nostalgia of New England skiing that you can still enjoy now.
ALLEN: I hope you come east.
WHITFIELD: I'm going to try. Thanks a lot, Mel.
ALLEN: Thanks, Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: And coming up next only here on CNN, Hugh Rimington brings us the story of a an endangered turtle refuge swamped by the tsunamis.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) WHITFIELD: Now to a story found only here on CNN. The tsunamis have cut a wide swath of damage through countries in the Indian Ocean. The human toll is still being determined but for one nature preserve protecting at saving endangered sea turtles, the loss is almost total. Here's CNN's Hugh Riminton.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
HUGH RIMINTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: In this rubble, all that's left of one of the last hopes for five endangered species of turtles.
KITHSIRI KANNANGARA, TURTLE GUY: The big tsunami wave coming in, washed all tank and everything destroyed.
HUGH RIMINTON: In this rubble all that's left of one of the last hopes for five endangered species of turtles.
KANNANGARA: The big waves, tsunami waves, they come in and wash all hatcheries, tank and everything is destroyed.
RIMINTON: Thousands of baby turtles were due to be released into the sea the very day the tsunami struck.
KANNANGARA: It was more than 20,000 turtle eggs ready for the hatching.
RIMINTON (on camera): And how many of those are saved?
KANNANGARA: About 400 we have been able to save.
RIMINTON: From 20,000.
KANNANGARA: Yes.
RIMINTON (voice-over): It's effectively a wipeout. Of his 18 adult turtles only six remain, some of them found up to five kilometers away washed into local rivers.
(on camera) Has this tsunami made them more endangered because of this destruction?
KANNANGARA: The tsunami left a lot of problems for the endangered species to protect, yes.
RIMINTON: This one adult loggerhead turtle was found badly hurt.
(on camera) So with this damage to the shell
KANNANGARA: The tsunami, they are hitting with trees.
RIMINTON (voice-over): Of the handful of rescued eggs some have now hatched.
KANNANGARA: One day old.
RIMINTON (on camera): One day old. This shell is really beautiful.
(voice-over) But his immediate concern is the loss of his critically endangered hawksbill turtles.
KANNANGARA: We had 11 of these ...
RIMINTON: 11 hawksbills and you've got just these two ...
KANNANGARA: Only two.
RIMINTON: That's a tragedy that so many died.
KANNANGARA: Sure.
RIMINTON (voice-over): Then, after nearly two weeks, another hawksbill is brought in. Its shell has been damage by fresh water immersion. It appears stressed but Kithshiri is confident he can keep it alive and depleted as his stocks are, his work goes on.
(on camera): Well, there are so few of these survivors but Kitshiri says it is time for them to go off to sea so let's send a few of them on their way.
(voice-over) It is hard to believe a wave swept six meters high across this very sand.
KANNANGARA: They get experience for walking by putting them in the sand.
RIMINTON (on camera): Here comes the water.
(voice-over) It is not the thousand hatchlings he dreamt of but the first ones since the tsunami. Much is now riding on their survival.
Hugh Riminton, CNN, Bentota, Sri Lanka.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
Still much more ahead on CNN SATURDAY. In a few moments, more reporting from Hugh Riminton on the situation in the region after the tsunami. Then at 1:30, a CNN special report, "Tsunami: Healing After Tragedy." At 2:00 pm Eastern, CNN LIVE SATURDAY taking a closer look at the U.S. response to the tsunami and whether it's changing Arab perceptions of America overseas.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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Aired January 8, 2005 - 12:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, ANCHOR: It is Noon here in Atlanta, 9:00 a.m. on a wintery West coast, and it's Midnight in devastated Banda Aceh.
Good afternoon. I'm Fredricka Whitfield here at CNN's headquarters. We're covering lots of news this hour in addition to continuing our look at the tsunami tragedy.
On the eve of a historic election for Palestinians, how might the landscape of Middle East politics be impacted?
ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: And I'm Rob Marciano live in the shores of Lake Tahoe where just last night's two fee of fresh snow has fallen and a winter storm warning up until Tuesday morning. So, not all good news, we'll go over the details in just a little bit.
WHITFIELD: All right, Rob, and later this hour:
What went wrong with one of Hollywood's most beautiful couples? But first, a look at the top stories now in the news.
The U.S. is likely to increase its aid contribution to victims of the tsunami disaster, that's according to President Bush in today's radio address. The U.S. already has pledged $350 million. He calls that amount, quote, "an initial commitment."
A U.S. Army sergeant is facing sentencing at Fort Hood, Texas in an assault against an Iraqi civilian. Tracy Perkins was found guilty of assaulting an Iraqi who drowned after being pushed into a river. Possible penalty: A maximum 11 year sentence.
The U.S. military is trying to evacuate injured sailors from the USS San Francisco in the western Pacific. U.S. Navy sources say the sub ran aground while conducting submerged operations. Twenty crewmembers were reportedly injured, one critically. The sub, which has since resurfaced, is making its way back to its home port of Gaum. There is no report of damage to the sub's nuclear reactor.
Nearly two weeks now after the tsunami disaster in south Asia, the death toll is still rising and around the clock relief and recovery efforts continue. Here are some of the latest developments in that region:
United nation's Secretary General Kofi Annan is getting a firsthand look at some of the worst damage. Today he's in Sri Lanka. Annan flew to the island after visiting Indonesia's hard-hit Aceh province. He called the destruction there, the worst he has ever seen.
The Indian prime minister, Manmohan Singh, is touring his country's worst-hit island. He says the Indian government will spare no resources to help victims there recover from the disaster.
And across south Asia, the death toll now stands at more than 155,000 and it's likely to rise dramatically now that Indonesia has raised the number of missing, in that country, from 6,000 to 77,000. Right now, the death toll in hardest-hit Indonesia alone is nearly 95,000.
CNN continues its extensive up-to-the-minute coverage of the disaster. We have reporters throughout the tsunami-battered area. CNN's Richard Roth is keeping track of U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan's visit to Sri Lanka where the massive waves killed more than 46,000 people. And Richard is now on the phone with us from Colombo -- Richard.
RICHARD ROTH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. On Friday, it was Indonesia, Sumatra. Now, today, it was Sri Lanka. Secretary General Kofi Annan, again, spent hours in a helicopter flying over those areas devastated by the tsunami. I don't think he saw as great a damage that he witnessed in the skies over Aceh and Sumatra. However, this time on this trip, Annan was able to get out of the helicopter and talk, in person, with more people -- refugees, displaced people, homeless people who now have a temporary housing, where they are right now, and I think he was able to comfort them. I mean, how long that lasts is another matter. I mean, they were very glad, it seems, to see him. I don't think they really knew who he was, but they knew he was with the U.N. and I think that other officials were glad to see James Wolfensohn of the World Bank because he's got the money. And I think they need the coordination and they need international funding for years to come.
Annan flew to the south of Sri Lanka, the East coast. He is not seeing any bodies. This has all been a few days before, but he did get to talk, in person, with people. One man practically collapse in his arm. Another man got by, kind of, security and hugged him immediately. And the children are always a special -- a special group for the Annan's. Nan Annan and Kofi Annan both worked for the U.N.'s commission for human -- for refugees, years ago. And they spent some time with children who where really all smiles, probably not really aware of what had happened -- complete -- completely to their family and loved ones -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: And Richard, what more has Annan said, if anything, about the demise of the money that has been pledged, but the concern about how much of it will actually be delivered?
ROTH: Well, he told some towns people, in one of the stops, how in the past the U.N. is lucky to get 20 percent of what is pledged. This time, there seems to be a little bit more of media focus. I'm not so sure the level will be that low, but it's always a priority. They hold these so-called "donors' conferences" in luxury capitals sometimes around the world and then months later the money never really is coming, whether it's donor fatigue or whatever. This time, though it's not really refugees from war, it's a force of nature. Maybe that will produce a more spirited reaction from the international community.
WHITFIELD: Richard Roth in Colombo, Sri Lanka, traveling with the U.N. secretary general. Thanks so much.
On to Indonesia now, where military troops from around the world are helping out with relief and rebuilding efforts. Australian soldiers are the latest to arrive in Banda Aceh. They're focusing on getting a heavily damaged hospital up and running. CNN's Mike Chinoy reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MIKE CHINOY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Banda Aceh has had two hospitals, one civilian and one military. They've been so over whelmed, they had to turn patients away, and that's why this hospital, Zanoel Adidin Hospital, has become a focus of activity. This hospital was badly hit by the tsunami. The water was really a river of sludge about as high as my waist. And even now, nearly two weeks afterwards, they're having to clean up sludge that inundated the entire ground floor of the hospital.
Those are Indonesian troops over shoveling this dark gray-black muck that is coating the floors of all of the rooms. It destroyed equipment. Clearly, anybody who has a patient on the ground floor here wouldn't have had a chance. The Indonesians have also been pulling out beds, cupboards, equipment. There are big piles of antibiotics and syringes coated in mud, trying to clean this place up. It's an international effort. There are Chinese experts here, German, Pakistanis. U.S. Navy CBs were in surveying the hospital the past couple of days and beginning the clean-up process and the Australians have arrived and have set up a tent field operating theater that will begin operating tomorrow. They'll be able to do almost all kinds of major surgery. There still are some patients in the upper floors of this hospital, but the hospital has not been able to function the way it used to, obviously and so, getting it back in operation is considered by the aide workers here to be a very important step in terms of meeting medical needs of a still hard-pressed people.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: That was Mike Chinoy in Banda Aceh, Indonesia.
And now, take a look at this: New tsunami video to show you. This was taken by a tourist at a newly opened resort on Thailand's Koh Racha Island. It shows the horrifying moments when the wave crashed on to shore and flooded the beach. A clear warning to astonished sunbathers who quickly ran for higher ground, and then it was followed by three more surges, each more powerful and devastating than the other. Anything that was not tied down was dragged out to sea. Some structures were flooded up to their roofs. And while apparently most of the people there managed to escape, somehow much of the structures there were damaged.
Well, traditionally, this is prime tourist season in Thailand. Merchants count on it to survive, but now, even for businesses virtually untouched by the tsunami on Phuket, worry about what the future may hold. Here's CNN's Matthew Chance.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): They danced like the tsunami never happened. Thai sex workers at Patong Beach acting out the party tourists come to see. But the seedy glamour always skin deep, now masks real grief and anxiety. Around a television at the bar, customers and staff are reliving the horrors they've witnessed, but it's the aftermath that matters most.
Yam serves drinks at the Happy Night Bar, already back in business after being flooded by the tsunami wave, but business is bad, the seats half empty.
"We never believed this could happen to us, but so many people could be lost," she told me. "It'll take a year at least, but we must rebuild."
The sandy beaches of Patong's more innocent traction, the tsunami struck in peak season. The few tourists, who stayed on, now tan amidst the rubble.
Edward from Austria says it's his way of helping out.
EDWARD, AUSTRIAN TOURIST: We think it's better to stay here, because if we leave the country, our money leaves the country too. And I think it's important to help the people here, to begin a normal life on the beach.
CHANCE: And it's an urgent task. Here, the once popular Surby (PH) Beach restaurant is being refitted after the tsunami left it ruined. No one was killed here, but the owner, Willapong (PH), showed me where the sea water had come to and the clock that stopped at the exact time the tsunami hit.
"If the tourists stay away, none of us will have a job or any money," he says, "It'll be another disaster."
CHANCE (on camera): These are incredibly difficult times for everybody who was caught up in the tsunami, even walking along the sands feels slightly odd, knowing so many people were lost at sea. But everybody we've spoken to shared that sense of horror at this terrible loss of life, but they're looking to the future as well, picking up the pieces of their lives and starting to try and live them again.
(voice-over): And that means luring valuable tourists back to Phuket every way the island can.
Matthew Chance, CNN, Patong Beach, Phuket.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: CNN's special tsunami coverage continues throughout the day. Tonight at 8:00 Eastern, join us for a CNN special report "Saving the Children" our correspondent's look at how the disaster has orphaned or displaced thousands of children and what's being done to protect them from predators and how to reunite them with their families.
California dreaming? Well, maybe not today. From Los Angeles, to northward, along the coast, past the Canadian border, it's a winter wallop of rain and snow. Up to a foot of rain is predicted in southern California, raising the risk of mudslides in Los Angeles. Flash flooding is possible in low-lying areas around San Francisco, as well. And the snow is piling up by the foot in the northern mountains.
Well, it's been snowing like mad in the mountains above in the mountains above Lake Tahoe, as well and that's where we're connecting with our CNN meteorologist, Rob Marciano who is almost knee-deep, aren't' you, in that snow in Tahoe City, California?
Marciano: Yeah, well I -- yeah, Fredricka, actually this is one of the more shallow depths. What they do here, in order to clean, they plow the roads first, then they actually take the snow with a bulldozer and lift it up on to the other side of this road. This road encircles the entire lake. Beyond that snow bank is Lake Tahoe itself. It sits at about 6,000 in elevation, so that's why it can snow in California.
This road is one of the access roads to a couple ski resorts that way, one of which is Squaw Valley and Alpine. On Saturday at 9:00 local time, this would be literally cars bumper to bumper, and as you can see, not a lot of cars. Reason being the roads to get to Lake Tahoe have been almost disastrous, some roads are closed.
The video last night as our photographer, Jeff king, rolled into town, he managed to get over I-80 and Donner (PH) Pass OK, but you can see, at times, whiteout conditions, shortly after this video was shot, I-80, at this, point closed and it's been closed ever since.
To give you an idea just how deep some of this snow is, this is just from last night, so two feet of snow since last night. And here's some from the older snow storms back through January. Some beautiful (UNINTELLIGIBLE), this is a pretty (UNINTELLIGIBLE), but commerce hurt just a little bit. You know, Fredricka, a little bit too much of a good thing as the ski resorts aren't getting the people there and those that do make it up, there's avalanche worries and windy, very windy. Along the ridges, 100 mile winds today, that's a possibility, so many of the ski resorts, the top half of which, can't be open, so...
WHITFIELD: Wow! And whiteout conditions.
(CROSSTALK)
WHITFIELD: So, you can't enjoy skiing if you get whiteout conditions, so I guess folks are going to have to....
(CROSSTALK) MARCIANO: At this rate though -- at least they'll be skiing in July with this thing (UNINTELLIGIBLE). That's the good news.
WHITFIELD: All right, well maybe they'll makeup for business that way, then, the ski resorts will. All right, thanks a lot, Rob.
Well, with more on the west coast storms and the rest of the forecast, let's go now to CNN Weather Center with Orelon Sidney -- Orelon.
(WEATHER REPORT)
WHITFIELD: All right, thanks a lot Orelon, appreciate it.
ORELON SIDNEY, CNN METEOROLOGIST: You're welcome.
WHITFIELD: Well still ahead, NBA stars shoot and score for tsunami relief. We'll total it up for you.
Also, only on CNN, a look at the tsunami's impact on some of the region's endangered species.
And later the Pitts call it quits. We'll have all the details, this is CNN LIVE SATURDAY.
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WHITFIELD: Among those lending a helping hand, sports celebrities. The NBA is making a hardcore press for tsunami relief. Several players including: Jermaine O'Neil, Kobe Bryant, are donating $1,000 for every point scored this week. The grand total for all the players this past week came to $208,000 so far and the NBA's Player Union is giving half a million. The NBA says it will match the gift, all in all, $1.2 million for Unisef.
The FBI is warning Americans to be aware of phony relief groups that claim to be helping tsunami victims. Several schemes cropped up on the internet this week alone. Let's talk about avoiding charitable scams with our guest, she's the author of "Don't Just Give it Away: How to Make the Most of Your Charitable Giving." Renata Rafferty joins us Las Angeles, today.
Good to see you, Renatta.
RENATA RAFFERTY, AUTHOR "DON'T JUST GIVE IT AWAY": Good morning, Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right, well many of us are getting e-mail, we're getting phone solicitations. How in the world do you kind of legitimize those groups out there?
RAFFERTY: No. 1, do not respond to e-mail, telephone, door-to- door or direct mail solicitations at this time. None of the significant charities that are doing the major relief work there are contacting people that way. Simply ignore those solicitations at this point. WHITFIELD: So, then how do you make a decision about what group to go for? Is there a way that you could verify an organization is actually helping out the cause of tsunami relief?
RAFFERTY: Absolutely. You -- in listening to the news, listen to which of the charities that are mentioned, that are being interviewed on the spot. You want to work with charities that are familiar with the region and then you can verify the legitimacy by going to www.guidestar.org to verify that they're IRS registered.
WHITFIELD: We've heard a lot about American Red Cross and apparently $92 of every $100 is going directly to the aid of the tsunami victims. The remaining $8 goes towards transportation, etcetera. Doctor's Without Border is another organization that says, "we've received so much money, that we really don't need any more right now for tsunami relief." So, can you, best bet, that legitimate organizations, such as the ones that I just mentioned, will be honest and forthright giving that kind of information to those of us that may want to donate so that you know how that money going to be spent?
RAFFERTY: Absolutely. Particularly after the relief efforts post September 11, most charities became much more clear with themselves and with the public about how they were going to use their funds and that's absolutely the case right now with tsunami relief. The major charities are being very direct about how they're using their funds, where they're directing the funds.
WHITFIELD: The tsunami has galvanized so many people to give. Is it your concern, however, that because this particular tragedy had received so much money that perhaps there are other victims of other tragedies, say for instance, Sudan, Iran earthquake a year ago, or perhaps even the victims from Sudan are not getting the kind of money that was promised because so many resources are being sunken into the tsunami relief?
RAFFERTY: Well, we're hoping that people are reaching into their pockets to give over and above what they normally do so that not only those efforts in other countries are being taken care of, but that the needs in our own local communities are being met, the homeless shelters, the food banks, the local blood bank. So, we're hoping the people are digging a little deeper so that they can help both over in southeast Asia and continue to support all the many causes around the world and around the nation that also need the help.
WHITFIELD: All right, in the meantime, Renata Rafferty, great advice. Folks need to be vigilant if they decide to be gracious and to be generous in their giving to ask questions of these organizations and make sure they're legit. Thanks so much for joining us from Los Angeles.
RAFFERTY: Thank you.
WHITFIELD: Well, Palestinians prepare to make history. We'll go live to Ramallah in a minute.
And wicked winter weather whips the West coast. Orlean will be along with the forecast a bit later.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: A big day tomorrow in the Middle East. Palestinians are heading to the polls Sunday to choose a successor of Yasser Arafat. CNN's Guy Roz is in the West Bank city of Ramallah.
And Guy, what is the mood looking like on the eve before this historic election?
GUR ROZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, we're here in al-Manara Square, right in the heart of downtown Ramallah where in just about 12 hours from now, about a million Palestinian in the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem will go out to the polls to take part in a historic election, the first Palestinian election in 40 years without Yasser Arafat.
Now, we've been talking to residents of Ramallah throughout the day, gauging public opinion, finding out what's on their minds. And we're joined by another local resident here, Nader Khoury is a student at Bir Zeit University.
Nadia, thanks very much for joining us.
NARER KHOURY, STUDENT AT BIR ZEIT UNIVERSITY: You're welcome.
ROZ: First of all, in those days, weeks, months ahead, once a successor is elected, do you expect to see any real changes for Palestinians here in the West Bank?
KHOURY: There should be some changes, because people are fed up with the fact that there's no progress in the peace process, so I think the new president should be able to make some difference, some changes.
ROZ: And who do you think is the best person to do that?
KHOURY: Well I think, I would imagine, is the best person who is the most capable of doing any change here.
ROZ: What is it about Abu Mazin that differentiates him from other Palestinian leaders? Why do you think he is the man who might be able to bring about those changes?
KHOURY: Well, he's willing to negotiate with the Israeli side and I think we should know by now that we should live with the fact that the Israelis are existing here, so we should have, like, a person who can talk to them and negotiate with them about the -- of process here.
ROZ: Now Nader, you're a student at the Bir Zeit University, you're 20 years old. Do you find that a lot of people your age, a lot of the university students, are following this election, are engaged and are actually excited about it? Or is there some pessimism as well? KHOURY: I think everybody's excited about this because we have suffered enough from orphans (PH) and sent all the peace processes -- former peace processes, so we need, right now, a person who can change. And I think everybody's looking forward for these elections in order to make some difference in the region.
ROZ: Nader Khoury, thank you very much.
KHOURY: You're welcome.
ROZ: And so Fredricka, clearly, there will be a heavy task for whoever wins the election tomorrow. It's expected Mahmoud Abbas, or Abu Mazin, will win that election and many Palestinians are placing their hopes in Mahmoud Abbas, hoping he'll bring them out of their situation -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right. Guy Roz, thanks so much for that update.
Well, will the election help jumpstart the peace process or will perhaps stall it? Steven Erlanger is with the "New York Times" and writes about that on the front page today, of the "New York Times."
All right, good to see you.
STEVEN ERLANGER, "NEW YORK TIMES": Nice to see you.
WHITFIELD: Well, a lot is riding on this election. Perhaps are expectations too high?
ERLANGER: I think they are a bit. I mean, Abu Mazin, presuming that he wins, would have enormous challenges in front of him, and his first challenges will be internal. I mean there are -- has been enormous chaos in security in the Palestinian authority. People want change in their lives. They want an end to corruption. They want more public order. They want changes in the people who surrounded Arafat. Abbas must negotiate within the Palestinian world, not just inside Fattah, but with Hamas and the other radicals to come up with a kind of joint position that -- so he can go to Israel and really have something to say. I mean, the hope is on the Israeli part, that he will win by a big enough margin, with a large enough turnout, that he will really have legitimacy to face down some of the militants and some of the radicals.
WHITFIELD: Isn't that, indeed the --
ERLANGER: He has taking a very radical stance...
WHITFIELD: Isn't that, indeed, the big hurdle, however, the legitimacy of the outcome of this election because of potential low vote turnout, Hamas is encouraging a boycott tomorrow, and if that, indeed, is respected, then perhaps, the legitimacy of this race might be challenged.
ERLANGER: Well, that's what we'll have to watch. But, at the moment, it looks like -- you know, it's hard to say, but perhaps if 80 percent of the people who are registered turn out to vote, that would be very, very good, certainly compared to American figures. And if another Abu Mazin, let's say, wins by 52 to 55 percent, I think he could almost credibly claim to have more democratic legitimacy than most Arab leaders. That would help him as he sets about trying to put the Palestinian house in an order, because his real job, to be frank, is to try to create the basis of a Palestinian state. And to do that, the state needs to have a monopoly on power. He needs to control the gunmen, he needs to put corruption behind them, he needs to open up Palestinian policies toward democracy and the rule of law. These are things he wants to do, but the question is, what kind of vested interests now will he have to face? It's going to be very, very difficult.
WHITFIELD: Well, you write about how Mahmoud Abbas may be the favorite to carry the torch of Yasser Arafat, but at the same time you write about another leading candidate, Mustafa Barghouti, what are his chances -- you know of appealing to, perhaps the masses? Is he a real threat for Mahmoud Abbas?
STEVEN ERLANGER, "NEW YORK TIMES": I think he isn't. I think what he is is a person who makes this election respectable. Mustafa Barghouti is a medical doctor, works with his the poor and has contacts abroad. He is he an independent and not a real threat to Mahmoud Abbas in terms of victory. The latest polls show him getting about a quarter of the vote. And so, having an opposition will make this election look much better. But, you know, generally, the United States, most Palestinians, Israel also, will be very happy if Abu Mazen wins and wins with a decent vote so he can present himself to the Palestinian people with legitimacy and authority and begin to go to work clearing away the mess of the last four years.
WHITFIELD: But you anticipate even with a Mahmoud Abbas win, there could still be external and internal conflict. Steven Erlanger, thank you so much for joining us of the "New York Times" from Jerusalem.
ERLANGER: Thank you.
WHITFIELD: Other stories we're following for you at this hour, President Bush has come up with a new way to get financial help to the victims of the tsunami disaster. He has signed a law to allow Americans to deduct cash contribution for tsunami relief from their 2004 taxes. Mr. Bush says he is urging all Americans to contribute as they are able.
Three Democratic senators are calling on President Bush to get back the money the Education Department paid to a political commentator. Armstrong Williams, a frequent guest on CNN, was paid $240,000 to promote the president's No Child Left Behind law. The senators say the payment amounts to bribing journalists. Williams calls the criticism legitimate and says he will not do it again.
There is no let up in the wild weather battering that is battering parts of the West Coast. Flood warnings are in effect in parts of California where heavy rains are still falling. Some neighborhoods east of Los Angeles have been getting more than half an inch of rain an hour. And to make matters worse, heavy snow is also slamming the state. Half a foot is expected in Sierra Nevada over the weekend. A look at the forecast coming up.
Here are latest headlines involving the tsunami disaster. The death toll may rise dramatically. The Indonesia government announced today it still has 77,000 people missing in the aftermath of that disaster. India's prime minister visited the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, remote areas close to the epicenter of the earthquake which triggered the tsunamis. Despite criticism of slow relief work, Manmohan Singh said the Indian government is coping adequately.
And UN Secretary General Kofi Annan is in Sri Lanka touring areas hit hard by the tsunami. Annan says he has never seen so much destruction.
U.S. marines have been working delivering American aid to desperate tsunami survivors in remote areas of Sri Lanka. CNN's correspondent Satinder Bindra, who went along on one of the relief missions and has this firsthand account.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
SATINDER BINDRA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is the story of a mission. Three Blackhawk helicopters, tasked with carrying USAID relief supplies to Sri Lanka's east coast. U.S. marines and Sri Lankan soldiers work side by side, loading thousands of pounds on to each helicopter, working energetically, aware many will die if these supplies do not reach them on time.
Once the helicopters are loaded, cameraman Sanjiv (ph) and I hop on. As we fly east, the helicopters must avoid the supply planes coming west. An hour and a half later, we touch down in a school soccer field. The crew is quick to offload, helped by local residents, hungry for attention, hungry for care.
Hundreds watch. Another Blackhawk arrives. Within minutes, all are safely on the ground. A human chain is formed, unloading boxes marked "gifts from the people of the United States." Policemen try to control the crowd. The crowd wins. Hundreds swarm their U.S. heroes. Dozens board this helicopter. Airmen and this charging policeman back them off.
(on camera) These U.S. Air Force helicopters are normally used for search and rescue operations. Here, they are being deployed to carry plastic sheeting and jerry cans (ph), for the people of Ampara (ph), the worst affected area in Sri Lanka.
(voice-over) From the air, we can see that Ampara's low lying coast has been completely destroyed, hundreds of thousands still leaving in relief camps. They're quick to thank their benefactors.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are very happy, but we want to do more, more.
BINDRA: The Blackhawk crews realize these supplies are just a start for people who have lost their families, homes and livelihoods. We take off, again in great haste. The marines are silent during the journey home. The pride that only comes from a job well done is enough.
It's too loud for microphones. So, I chat with crew member Tiffany Gaverd (ph) from Clinton, Utah the old-fashioned way. She tells me it's her birthday. I ask her what the happy faces on the ground meant to her. "It made me feel proud and it was the best birthday present for me ever," she writes. For two days, she has seen only endless destruction from the air. Now, she can afford a breather. Catching a herd of elephants, disturbed by the helicopters.
As the trip winds down, the crew realizes this mission means more than just saving lives. It's a step towards rebuilding the image of an army and a nation that have taken a beating in Asia since the Iraq War. Satinder Bindra, CNN, on board a U.S. Blackhawk in eastern Sri Lanka.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
WHITFIELD: And it's a story you'll only see on CNN. Some of nature's slowest and gentlest creatures, how they're now threatened because of the tsunami.
And next, perhaps they may not be among the most important worries out there, but one that apparently is getting most of the hits on the Web. They're famous. They're beautiful and, guess what, they're splitsville.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: News across America now. Rosemary Kennedy, the eldest sister of former president John F. Kennedy died Friday at age of 86. Senator Edward Kennedy was at her bedside along with her surviving sisters. Rosemary Kennedy was born mentally retarded and underwent a lobotomy when she was just 23. She inspired the creation of the Special Olympics.
A nightclub shooting leaves two dead and at least five others injured in Chicago's North Side. Police say several patrons began firing on employees when they were denied entry. That was at 3:00 a.m.
Toxic vapors from a deadly chemical spill will keep some residents of Graniteville, South Carolina out of their homes until early next week. Eight people died and more than 250 were sickened when a train wreck released chlorine gas into the air. That was on Thursday.
And more than 500 fans gathered on the front lawn of Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee to celebrate what would have been Elvis' 70th birthday. Elvis Presley died in 1977. One fan expressed her devotion, calling Presley immortal.
Well, they say they're still friends, but Hollywood's power couple Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston are separating. Here is CNN's Brooke Anderson.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): News about the break-up of Hollywood's most beautiful couple left fans surprised.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm glad Brad is single.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it's kind of interesting. I thought they were probably the coolest couple in Hollywood so I'm a little surprised.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Shocked. That's awful.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: In a joint statement Friday evening, Hollywood power couple Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt announced that they're formally separating. The couple met in 1998 when they were set up by their agents on a dinner date, keeping their relationship a secret from the public for months. They eventually wed in July of 2000 in an elaborate ceremony at the Malibu home of television executive Marcy Carsey.
It wasn't long before tabloid reports predicted the demise. Eyebrows were first raised in 2003 when Aniston forgot to thank her husband during her Golden Globe acceptance speech for her work in "Friends." Last summer, some linked Pitt to Angelina Jolie, his co- star in the upcoming "Mr. and Mrs. Smith." Others cited Aniston's reluctance to start a family as the reason for their marital tension. Speculation peaked after reports that Aniston cancelled her husband's 41st birthday plans. Shortly afterwards she was photographed not wearing her wedding ring at Los Angeles International Airport.
In their statement they said their split was amicable. Quote, "Our separation is not the result of any of the speculation reported by the tabloid media. We happily remain committed and caring friends with a great love and admiration for one another."
The couple co-own a production company called Plan B Entertainment whose production credits include "Troy." And now it appears Pitt and Aniston will seeking a plan B for their love lives as well. Brooke Anderson, CNN, Los Angeles.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
WHITFIELD: Coming up, from L.A. to British Columbia, the West Coast is getting pounded by a winter storm. Orelon Sidney will be along with the latest. While on the East Coast it's a winter wonderland for your favorite cold weather sport. We'll tell you about some of the best skiing in that area. CNN LIVE SATURDAY continues right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Well, winter storms are hitting the west coast pretty darn hard. In Southern California, residents are worried about mudslides after heavy rain. Some places are getting half an inch per hour, even though that picture doesn't look too bad. But look at this. In the northern Sierra Mountains snow is piling higher this weekend and more is expected. Some of the heaviest snow is in the mountains above Lake Tahoe. Let's get the latest on the coastal storms and more out west. Orelon Sidney is here in the East in the weather center.
ORELON SIDNEY, CNN METEOROLOGIST: And that's the best place to be when it's like that out West. Take a look at these advisories. My goodness. There are winter weather advisories Canadian border all the way southward almost to the Mexican border. Once you get down to Los Angeles and Phoenix you get some flood warnings and flood watches for those areas. You could see as much as a foot of rainfall before it's all over on Tuesday in those areas. So that's why we see that. Not only do we have the storm here, but one in the eastern United States as well. Snow here is not going to be nearly as heavy. Six to eight inches maybe in those areas.
You're going to find showers and thunderstorms, too, southward, down into the Gulf Coast states. In fact, damage from tornadoes yet yesterday as this storm system moves through the region. We actually had some homes damaged in parts of Mississippi. By the afternoon now, it looks like we'll continue to see showers and rain here. The rainfall, of course, out to the west going to be the big problem going into tomorrow. Expected to end, the rain, on Tuesday. Fredricka?
WHITFIELD: All right just trudge along a couple more days, then.
SIDNEY: That's right, actually float along.
WHITFIELD: All right, thanks a lot, Orelon.
SIDNEY: You're welcome.
WHITFIELD: Well, there is fresh snow on the ground in New England for some great skiing. Granted, not as much out in Tahoe, California, but northeastern Skiing, like so many things in New England is a little bit different. Mel Allen is executive editor for "Yankee Magazine" and he has covered New England for 25 years and Mel joins us from Manchester, New Hampshire this afternoon. Good to see you, Mel.
MEL ALLEN, "YANKEE MAGAZINE": Hi, Fredricka. It's snowing here.
WHITFIELD: Oh, yay. That's good, because you have a big job to convince me and everybody else out there why do we want to head to New England when there's this fresh new powder ought out west for skiing.
ALLEN: That's a good question.
WHITFIELD: What's the answer?
ALLEN: There is no doubt that western skiing is awesome. Of course, it is. But New England skiing is unique. It's more idiosyncratic. It's traditional. This is where the first tows (ph) were invented, the first snow making, and the eastern ski trails are like no other trails in the world. They hug the mountain contours, they are rimmed by trees, the snow is held on those narrow trails. And we also have these beautiful unique New England villages at the bases of these mountains.
WHITFIELD: It's generally a little colder and a lot icier, too, which sometimes means you become much more skillful skier, don't you, in the Northeast?
ALLEN: Well, you know, the word is if you can ski New England mountains and ski them well, you can ski anywhere. But we have mountains that face south. SO even if it's colder, you sit on the deck outside and the sun heats your body and it feels great.
WHITFIELD: All right. Let's talk about some specifics. Some destinations we need to keep our eyes on. Beck Brook, where is this? What's this trail all about?
ALLEN: That's a beautiful green trail that is in Sunapee, just an hour or so from Boston. Mt. Sunapee is one of these mountains that is makes New England special. It's only maybe 50, 60 trails. They tend to be cozier mountains in New England than, say, the big mountains out west, like Mammoth that has 3,000 acres. Our mountains, for the most part, tend to be 100 or 200 acres. But every mountain has trails suited for specific skiers, green, blues, blacks, double blacks. Jay Peak in northern Vermont has the best tree skiing in North America.
WHITFIELD: And perhaps trails more suitable for families, like perhaps Birdland?
ALLEN: Well, don't forget now, families may have -- like my children, we're a family, but they knocked me off in terms of skiing. They want the blacks and double blacks and things of that sort. So don't think families and just think easy. But yes, there's a mountain like my favorite mountain for families, there's one in Bretton Woods, which is right at the base of Mount Washington. Mount Washington Hotel is one of these great, elegant motels. But Bretton Woods is probably one of the finest mountains anywhere for the novice and the intermediate skier.
WHITFIELD: All right. Lots of variety of skiing out there and other kind of snow-like activities. Snowboarding, snow shoeing. All that good stuff in New England. Mel Allen of "Yankee Magazine," thanks so much for helping us look ahead and look back, too, the nostalgia of New England skiing that you can still enjoy now.
ALLEN: I hope you come east.
WHITFIELD: I'm going to try. Thanks a lot, Mel.
ALLEN: Thanks, Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: And coming up next only here on CNN, Hugh Rimington brings us the story of a an endangered turtle refuge swamped by the tsunamis.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) WHITFIELD: Now to a story found only here on CNN. The tsunamis have cut a wide swath of damage through countries in the Indian Ocean. The human toll is still being determined but for one nature preserve protecting at saving endangered sea turtles, the loss is almost total. Here's CNN's Hugh Riminton.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
HUGH RIMINTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: In this rubble, all that's left of one of the last hopes for five endangered species of turtles.
KITHSIRI KANNANGARA, TURTLE GUY: The big tsunami wave coming in, washed all tank and everything destroyed.
HUGH RIMINTON: In this rubble all that's left of one of the last hopes for five endangered species of turtles.
KANNANGARA: The big waves, tsunami waves, they come in and wash all hatcheries, tank and everything is destroyed.
RIMINTON: Thousands of baby turtles were due to be released into the sea the very day the tsunami struck.
KANNANGARA: It was more than 20,000 turtle eggs ready for the hatching.
RIMINTON (on camera): And how many of those are saved?
KANNANGARA: About 400 we have been able to save.
RIMINTON: From 20,000.
KANNANGARA: Yes.
RIMINTON (voice-over): It's effectively a wipeout. Of his 18 adult turtles only six remain, some of them found up to five kilometers away washed into local rivers.
(on camera) Has this tsunami made them more endangered because of this destruction?
KANNANGARA: The tsunami left a lot of problems for the endangered species to protect, yes.
RIMINTON: This one adult loggerhead turtle was found badly hurt.
(on camera) So with this damage to the shell
KANNANGARA: The tsunami, they are hitting with trees.
RIMINTON (voice-over): Of the handful of rescued eggs some have now hatched.
KANNANGARA: One day old.
RIMINTON (on camera): One day old. This shell is really beautiful.
(voice-over) But his immediate concern is the loss of his critically endangered hawksbill turtles.
KANNANGARA: We had 11 of these ...
RIMINTON: 11 hawksbills and you've got just these two ...
KANNANGARA: Only two.
RIMINTON: That's a tragedy that so many died.
KANNANGARA: Sure.
RIMINTON (voice-over): Then, after nearly two weeks, another hawksbill is brought in. Its shell has been damage by fresh water immersion. It appears stressed but Kithshiri is confident he can keep it alive and depleted as his stocks are, his work goes on.
(on camera): Well, there are so few of these survivors but Kitshiri says it is time for them to go off to sea so let's send a few of them on their way.
(voice-over) It is hard to believe a wave swept six meters high across this very sand.
KANNANGARA: They get experience for walking by putting them in the sand.
RIMINTON (on camera): Here comes the water.
(voice-over) It is not the thousand hatchlings he dreamt of but the first ones since the tsunami. Much is now riding on their survival.
Hugh Riminton, CNN, Bentota, Sri Lanka.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
Still much more ahead on CNN SATURDAY. In a few moments, more reporting from Hugh Riminton on the situation in the region after the tsunami. Then at 1:30, a CNN special report, "Tsunami: Healing After Tragedy." At 2:00 pm Eastern, CNN LIVE SATURDAY taking a closer look at the U.S. response to the tsunami and whether it's changing Arab perceptions of America overseas.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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