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CNN Live Saturday

Arlene Approaches; Confession Made in Holloway Disappearance; G8 Scrap Debt for Poor Countries

Aired June 11, 2005 - 16:00   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, CNN ANCHOR: New developments in the search for a missing high school student in Aruba. Two suspects are arrested and police released new information about the case.
Among Pope John Paul II's last wishes, that his personal writings be burned after his death. But that wish is not being honored. Ahead, how one archbishop hopes the pope's wishes are carried through.

Now more -- and more as well on Tropical Storm Arlene. We'll be updating you as we take you to Pensacola Beach, Florida.

"Well, here we go again." That's the sign posted at an establishment in Pensacola Beach, Florida, and it sums up the mood in the panhandle as Tropical Storm Arlene makes its way. And it comes on the heels of last year's deadly hurricanes.

Take a look right now at live pictures from Pensacola. Arlene has come ashore near Gulf Shores in Baldwin County, Alabama.

Leigh Anne Ryals joins us now by phone. She's with the county's emergency management agency.

Leigh Anne, thanks for being with us. How does it look there?

LEIGH ANNE RYALS, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR, BALDWIN COUNTY: Well, we're a little wet. It's -- but not as bad as we had anticipated.

WHITFIELD: Oh, very good. So does that mean you all feel like you've dodged the bullet?

RYALS: We really do. Along our coastline, we have a tremendous amount of construction going on following Hurricane Ivan. So that was some of our areas of greatest concern.

But we've been in contact with those -- those mayors and those municipalities. They say the beach is going and handling the storm very, very well. We are monitoring some conditions right now with water over the road. A couple power lines down and a couple of trees, but other than that, those are the only reports that we've had in today.

WHITFIELD: Do you have any concerns about any other vulnerable areas that perhaps you don't have reports about as of yet?

RYALS: Basically, we have not seen as much rainfall as we had earlier anticipated. It's been really kind of steady all day. Nothing too, too heavy for our streams and tributaries to handle. So basically we feel like that we've come through this storm very, very well.

WHITFIELD: All right. Leigh Anne Ryals, thanks so much, at the county's emergency management agency. Thanks so much for joining us on the phone there.

RYALS: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: Well, 17 counties in Alabama are under a tornado watch right now. Tropical Storm Arlene is following a track similar to last year's Ivan the terrible. Evidence of that hurricane's destructive force is still visible in the Florida panhandle. And Arlene may be insult to injury.

Our Susan Candiotti joins us now from Pensacola Beach, Florida -- Susan.

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fredricka.

Yes, there was some worry about that, because there are about 10,000 homes that still need repairs here. So because of the worry over the amount of rain that we will receive, up to 10 inches, some of the residents were pretty worried about what kind of extra damage they would suffer as a result of Arlene. But it does appear to be a far drier storm than perhaps was anticipated, and certainly, also in talking with emergency operations officials here, they seem to be very gratified that the storm isn't as intense as it might have been.

Now, we've been standing here since this morning, and we've had a few squall lines come through. But other than that, it's been pretty much what you would expect from a tropical storm.

A little bit of heavy rain from time to time, but quite frankly, out here on the beach we've had a steady stream of people walking out here to see the storm or the effects of it on the Gulf Coast for themselves. People for a time even went out on the pier and were shooed off there. And some tried to go in the water, and again, the beach patrol told them, don't do it.

But in talking to a number of residents here, they said, "We feel good having gone through Ivan because it made us pay extra attention when we get a storm warning, even a tropical storm, to be prepared." They hope they won't see anything the likes of Ivan once again, but who knows as the hurricane season goes on.

Fredricka, back to you.

WHITFIELD: That's right, it's early yet. Still a long way to go before the end of this season.

CANDIOTTI: Very early.

WHITFIELD: Susan Candiotti, thanks so much from Pensacola, Beach, Florida. Well, let's check in with Jacqui Jeras, who's in the weather center, to give us a sense as to what this storm is doing and what it might be doing next -- Jacqui.

JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, it made landfall officially, Fredricka. That happened between 2:00 and 3:00 in the afternoon. The National Hurricane Center not picking an exact location. They're just saying it kind of happened right there on the Florida-Alabama state line.

You can see this is the area. And there you can see the center of circulation. And it's very broad. It's about 30 miles wide, and that's why you really can't pinpoint an exact location like you can with a typical hurricane.

It's still, though, a strong tropical storm, packing maximum sustained winds at 60 miles per hour when it made landfall. And you can see some of these outer bands. This is where we're seeing the strongest activity at this hour. We will see some gusts, 50, maybe as much as 60 miles per hour with them.

The storm will continue to weaken now that it has made landfall. But still some maximum sustained winds, pretty strong, between 20 and 40 miles per hour. These are the gusts. Valparaiso at 43 miles per hour; 38 now in Pensacola, and 32 in Panama City.

Now, our biggest concern is what's going to be happening as it moves inland and how much, if anything, this slows down. Hopefully it just continues to move very quickly on up into the Tennessee Valley and also into the Ohio River Valley. But the rainfall amounts generally should stay somewhere between two and three inches. You might see locally heavier amounts.

This is a forecast model animation, call it our wharf (ph) model exclusively that we have here at CNN from WSI Services. And there you can see in the bright white areas, right along the Mississippi-Alabama state line, on up towards Nashville, into Paducah, Kentucky, and on up towards Evansville, Indiana, this is where the heaviest rain is going to be as the storm continues to push on up to the North.

So we've had landfall, some of the worst of the weather is over with. After the next couple of hours we'll watch things wind down. But still, it's going to be kind of touch and go we think for another maybe one to two hours -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks so much. Jacqui Jeras in the weather center.

Well, let's focus in now on Alabama. The National Weather Service says that possible twisters and the threat of heavy rains are some of the biggest concerns facing that state. But Alabama has been bracing for Arlene for a while now.

Joining us on the phone, John Kilcullen, Mobile County emergency management operations director.

All right. Good to hear from you again, John. How's it looking out there?

JOHN KILCULLEN, MOBILE COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OPERATIONS DIRECTOR: Not too bad. I think we've fared fairly well here in our jurisdiction. Rain's been steady, experienced some wind. The highest wind gusts measured at our barrier island. It was about 40 miles an hour.

So overall, I think we've fared reasonably well.

WHITFIELD: So as I said in the lead-in, some of the biggest concerns remain the possibility of twisters and possibly heavy rain, or maybe even flash floods. How concerned are you about those possibilities?

KILCULLEN: We've had some minor flooding on some of our coastal roads, but nothing serious as yet. I think the main flooding threat is yet to come, particularly in some of the inland counties in Alabama.

WHITFIELD: And oftentimes people really put themselves in danger when they venture out, thinking that it's an all-clear, things are OK. They get out in the car, and they find they get into trouble.

So what are you trying to try to curb any possible terrible things from happening to those people who venture out?

KILCULLEN: Yes, we're monitoring the road conditions, and we're just advising the public to be very careful and to avoid water. If they encounter water over a road, to seek an alternate route.

WHITFIELD: All right. John Kilcullen, Mobile County emergency management operations director. Thanks so much.

KILCULLEN: You're welcome.

WHITFIELD: Now focusing on Aruba and word of an apparent confession in the disappearance of Alabama teenager Natalee Holloway. A senior police official tells CNN that one of the suspects in custody has confessed in the case. But prosecutors are saying not so fast.

CNN's Karl Penhaul is live from Palm Beach, Aruba.

Karl, we're hearing that three of the suspects went before a judge today. What happened?

KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: In fact, those suspects are still before the judge as we speak, Fredricka. We saw outside the courtroom two -- at least two of the three suspects arriving. We believe one of those was Joran Van Der Sloot, the 17-year-old who met Natalee Holloway and became friends with her in the casino of the Holiday Inn the day before she disappeared. The other we believe was either Depak or Satish Kalpoe, one of the other two brothers accused -- or accused in this case.

What we also have learned from police, a senior police official, is that he says there has been a breakthrough during interrogations of the three and that one of them has made a confession, or something, a sort of confession. That in the words of the senior official that we spoke to.

Earlier this morning, there was a statement by the prosecution office. They're also, along with police, heading this investigation. This is what they said...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VIVIAN VAN DER BIEZEN, PROSECUTOR'S SPOKESWOMAN: Good morning, members of the press. The prosecution service has -- is aware of some information that are related to the investigation of alleged statements of witnesses -- sorry, suspects in this case. And -- but the prosecution service would like to state, at this moment, we neither confirm or deny any information coming from other sources.

The investigation at this point is the following: we have five suspects, they are being interrogated, and we are at a very crucial, very important moment in our investigation. And as soon as we have other information, we will make that available to you.

Thank you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PENHAUL: Other law enforcement sources close to this investigation said there is no confession at this stage, but they do say that there's discrepancies and cracks in the stories that the three men detained on Thursday are telling to their interrogators. But to recap, those three men currently before a judge who will decide whether they can be kept in custody for a further eight days -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: And now, Karl, what about Natalee Holloway's parents? We know they've been there for a long time. Were they there in court? Or have you seen them publicly lately?

PENHAUL: No, there is no access to members of the public at the court during those hearings neither for the members of the family of those accused, or the members of the family of a potential victim. And certainly not for the press either.

We did see briefly members of the family foray through the Holiday Inn hotel lobby last night. We haven't seen too much of them this morning -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. Karl Penhaul, thanks so much from Aruba for that update.

Coming up, the search for Natalee Holloway hits home for another American family. The story of their tragic lost near the same Caribbean vacation spot and how they empathize with the Holloway family.

And clearing the slate. G8 countries agree to wipe out debt for some of the world's poorest countries. What it really means. And later, more on Tropical Storm Arlene. How residents in its path are coping with the early season storm.

You're watching CNN LIVE SATURDAY.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Forty billion dollars in debt just wiped away. That's what the group of eight industrialized nations has agreed to do for some of the world's poorest countries. G8 members, which include the United States, say 18 developing nations which were heavily in debt now owe nothing. It's a 100 percent write-off.

CNN's Jim Boulden has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JIM BOULDEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): An historic agreement on the way to making poverty history, that's how the world's richest nations described their agreement on Saturday in London to eliminate $40 billion of debt owed by some of the world's poorest nations. With billions more in debt, cancellation promised to other poor countries.

JOHN SNOW, U.S. TREASURY SECRETARY: There was something fundamentally wrong about -- about this cycle of lend and forgive and lend and forgive which had borne down upon the poorest countries for -- for decades.

BOULDEN: The agreement eliminates much of the debt owed to the World Bank, the IMF and the African Development Bank by countries like Uganda and Tanzania, and South American countries Nicaragua, Bolivia and Honduras.

In turn, rich countries of the G8, like the United States, Canada, Britain, France, and Japan, will replenish the organizations with fresh capital. Britain sees this as just the first step.

GORDON BROWN, BRITISH CHANCELLOR EXCHEQUER: The message is sends out to the poorest countries, that if they can get the reforms in place, there will be more debt relief. And added to that is increased, more money for health, HIV-AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, to find cures in particular for some of the strains of these diseases, and, of course, more access to trade with funds available to help countries compete.

BOULDEN: What Saturday's agreement does not do is eliminate debt for dozens of other countries.

STEPHEN RAND, MAKE POVERTY HISTORY: This is some of the debts of some of the world's poorest countries, and we've been campaigning for that 100 percent to be 100 percent of all the world's poorest countries. So good news, but more needs to be done.

BOULDEN: Campaigners will turn their attention to getting rich nations to double financial aid to the world's poorest countries, as the British government wants.

(on camera): But with opposition from the United States, Italy and Japan, an agreement on vastly increasing aid will be much harder for Britain to hash out in time for the G8 summit in Scotland next month.

Jim Boulden, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: In other news around the world now, precision-guided air strikes aimed at insurgents in Iraq. U.S. Marines say about 40 rebels were killed when Marine and coalition aircraft engaged several large groups of insurgents in western Iraq today. It's part of ongoing efforts by U.S. and Iraqi forces to rid the country of insurgents.

Iraqi insurgents have staged a brutal attack on a minibus filled with local construction workers. Police say gunmen riding in two cars ambushed the bus south of Baghdad. Ten workers were killed, three survived, but were injured. And in Baghdad at least nine people died in insurgents attacks today.

In northern China, 62 children were killed when a wall of water from a flash flood slammed into their school. Two adults were also killed and 24 people injured. Most of the town reportedly remains under three feet of water.

Coming up, American history on display. The Emancipation Proclamation put an end to slavery in this country 140 years ago. That document is now on display thanks to one man's efforts to preserve history. A conversation with him next.

And we continue to keep an eye on Arlene. What will it bring and where is it headed next? The latest on that when we come right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Several documents that tell the story of American slavery, emancipation and freedom are on display today in White Plains, New York. One of the documents is a rare copy of the Emancipation Proclamation signed by Abraham Lincoln. The exhibit is part of the Juneteenth celebrations commemorating the ending of slavery in America.

Juneteenth gets its name from the date June 19, 1865, when a group of African-Americans in Texas finally learned of the end of the Civil War two-and-a-half years after the Emancipation Proclamation.

Seth Kaller, one of the most respected American historic document dealers, is displaying the collection. Earlier, he showed me some of these important pieces of history.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SETH KALLER, HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS DEALER: Well, Juneteenth is a great day to celebrate, because it was really the last day that slaves were freed by the Emancipation Proclamation. And so it was an important turning point before the total end of slavery in the country.

And now in White Plains, they're using it as a day to celebrate history and African-American achievement. And I'm just thrilled to be part of it, displaying the proclamation.

WHITFIELD: So are many of these documents with such historical relevance in museums, in places like the Library of Congress, or are there individual collectors out there?

KALLER: There are both. It's a good mix. Of the 48 of these that Lincoln signed, about half are known, and 17 are in museums. So there still are a handful left in private hands.

WHITFIELD: So you have others that are going to be on display, and I understand you also have a copy of that proclamation with you, right? Can we take a look at it?

KALLER: Yes, sure.

WHITFIELD: And some of the others that you have, including a Frederick Douglas letter, right?

KALLER: That's right. It's a wonderful letter 125 years ago, talking about an issue that is still important today, finding the balance between security and liberty. And Douglas is saying that, at that point, in 1880, he sees no danger to the free institutions of our country, but every individual, every American needs to be on guard.

WHITFIELD: So you have a document of that abolitionist -- from that abolitionist. You also have a Kentucky slave's freedom papers. What do those look like, and why is that so relevant and so important to take a look at on this day?

KALLER: Well, there were many parts to -- for somebody to become a freed slave or to be a freed African-American in the country, there were many pieces of paper that needed to be signed. This was a $500 bond that showed that this freed slave would not become a charge on the county, that there were white people, or any people with money who were supporting or were guaranteeing that this ex-slave would be supported.

WHITFIELD: And he would have to carry that piece of paper almost anywhere he went for awhile, right?

KALLER: Sure. In fact, one of the other documents on display is a paper signed by five white people showing that they knew a free African-American who was traveling from Alabama to Texas. And they were concerned if he ever got stopped or searched or separated, that, you know, he'd be able to travel home safely.

WHITFIELD: And in addition to those written documents, you also have a photograph of a black sergeant from the Civil War. Let's take a look at that. KALLER: One of the most important things that the Emancipation Proclamation did is to make it possible for African-Americans to fight for their own freedom. So Lincoln encouraged them to join the Army. And in the end, hundreds of thousands of ex-slaves really were crucial to the effort to end slavery and to make the Emancipation Proclamation a reality.

WHITFIELD: It's sobering to see all of these documents and that photograph. What are you hoping with the display today. People who come and enjoy these documents, and learn from this treasure trove, what are you hoping they'll walk away with?

KALLER: Just a sense that they've seen and touched history. I mean, even going to a museum exhibit now, if you see an original, you walk away with a different feeling than you do when you're looking at a reproduction. And it just brings you back.

It lets people touch, really, a turning point in our history. And lets them know that individual actions are important, they can really change the world.

WHITFIELD: Seth Kaller, thanks so much. These documents and photographs on display today at the Barnes and Noble at City Center on Main Street in White Plains, New York.

Thanks so much.

KALLER: Thank you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And coming up, lost in paradise. Before Natalee Holloway's disappearance, another American family member wondered about the fate of their loved one. That story coming up next.

And no stranger to stormy weather. How is the city of Pensacola holding up to the hurricane season's first storm? I'll speak with that city's mayor next on CNN LIVE SATURDAY.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Here are the headlines "Now in the News."

A hearing in Aruba looks at evidence in the case of missing American teenager Natalee Holloway. CNN has word from a police official of a confession by an unidentified suspect, but prosecutors will not confirm or deny that report at this hour. A Holloway family spokesman says a body has not yet been found.

From the African nation of Namibia, an international group that had reported missing, has been found in the northwestern part of that country. Americans were with that group which is reported to be making a documentary.

And a creative protest is putting men and women on bicycles without their clothes. In London and in other cities, "The World's Naked Bike Ride," is calling attention to western dependence on gas- guzzling cars. Some cyclists carrying banners reading, "Oil Is Not A Bare Necessity."

Clever.

Now back to our top story: Tropical Storm Arlene. Let's get the latest on the strength and its location with Jacqui Jeras.

JERAS: Hey, Fredricka. This just in now from the National Hurricane Center -- in almost a half an hour early, so I'm surprised to see this so quickly. The 5:00 Eastern time or 4:00 Central time update on the location, now, of Arlene. 20 miles northwest of Pensacola, Florida. And you can see on our Titan radar -- that you can see the very large center of circulation continuing to push on a northerly track around 15 miles per hour. So, it's sustaining its forward speed. The maximum sustained winds have now dropped down, exactly as you would expect after it makes landfall, down to around 50 miles per hour.

Now, they're are still some higher gusts, but those are confined to the southeast of the center, and over the water, at this time. The tropical storm force winds, though, extend out quite a ways, about 115 miles from the center of the storm. This is going to be that primary area of concern. You get those thunderstorms pushing in there, you're going to be getting some of the higher gusts: 40, 50-plus miles per hour.

So, the worst of the storm is over and done with for now. And our next concern is going to be some of these tornadoes that are going to still be possible, and then also, the flooding rains. Rainfall amounts in those heavier thunderstorms are going to be as much as an inch per hour. And that is going to cause some localized flooding. You can see the watches in effect from the Florida Panhandle, all throughout the state of Alabama, into eastern parts of Mississippi. They extend all the way up into Nashville and watch out if live up in the Paducah -- up into Evansville, Indiana. This whole storm system continues to track on up to the north.

So, again, Arlene has made landfall. It's continuing to weaken. Winds right now, at 50 miles per hour, and the big thing we're going to have to worry about, at this hour, is going to be possibly some scattered power outages. Escambia county in Florida, reporting about 4,000 customers in with out power at this time. And then flooding is the other big concern --Fredricka?

WHITFIELD: All right, Jacqui, thanks for the update. Well Tropical Storm Arlene is making its presence felt in Pensacola, Florida, particularly. Wind gusts of up to 55 miles per hour are being reported there today, along with heavy rain. The city's mayor, John Fogg, joins us now by phone. Mayor Fogg, I understand that the eye is passing over your city right now. What are you experiencing?

JOHN FOGG, MAYOR, PENSACOLA FLORIDA: Well, actually, the timing of your call is nearly perfect. We did experience all the gusts that you've already described. Probably in the 40-50-mile-an-hour range. But the eye was almost a direct hit on us. And still, is on top of us. I would anticipate we'd would start to see the other side of the storm really within just a few minutes.

WHITFIELD: So, what is Pensacola prepared for? knowing that this tropical storm was coming your way?

FOGG: Well, it's -- I have to put that in context. Hurricane Ivan was a dramatic event in our community, not unlike what Homestead experienced with Andrew many years ago. It took them about four to five years to recover from that impact. And we're looking at the same kind of situation. We still have thousands of people that are displaced. Many, many homes -- roofs have not been replaced yet. So, even though this was a minor storm in terms of wind, the water and rain that it brought can be a real serious threat because there's still an awful lot of people who have compromised homes.

WHITFIELD: And so, did you hear of a lot of anxiety from many of those people with those still-compromised homes from last year?

FOGG: Well, I think there's -- we have to acknowledge that there's some residual anxiety from Ivan, and there will be for many years to come, for most of us. But in reality, I think what the net effect of all that is, is that they all took this storm, even though it was not forecast to be real serious, we took it very seriously.

And we did all the things that we, that live on the coast, know how to do in terms of preparation of all the batteries, and radios, and water, and food, and generators, and all those things -- fuel -- that you need to do, in order to be able to harden your home. And make it inhabitable after a storm regardless of, you know, its intensity

WHITFIELD: So, how important will it be to further evaluate how ready Pensacola was, given this is the first-named storm of the season? You've got a long way to go; a long summer, and fall to go.

FOGG: Well, I think that's the real psychological impact. I don't recall in modern history that we've had a tropical storm in the month of June, in our area at least. And so that kind of reinforces what we've all been hearing about the experts saying that this is going to be a particularly bad season for tropical storms and hurricanes.

So, certainly it puts us on notice, and for some reason or another, we seem to statistically have a higher probability of experiencing tropical storms here in Pensacola. And I don't have any idea what the reason for that is. But certainly it's not a wakeup call. We're fully awake, and aware, and sensitized, to these events. But I think everybody is -- you know, we're going to take every one of these is seriously.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

All right. Mayor John Fogg of Pensacola, Florida. Thanks so much, and continued best wishes as you guys ride out the storm.

FOGG: Well, thank you, so much. I appreciate it. WHITFIELD: Well, after 12 days of searching, still no sign of a missing Alabama teenager in Aruba. Natalee Holloway's disappearance is renewing painful memories for one woman who lost two of her family members near the island.

CNN's Tony Harris has her story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TONY HARRIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): One of the great lures of the islands of Aruba and nearby Bonaire, is the spectacular diving. Tom Ennis and his son Brandon were on vacation, and scuba diving in the waters off Bonaire when for reasons no one knows, they disappeared. Just vanished into the vast waters of the Caribbean.

LESLIE ENNIS, TOM ENNIS' SISTER: He loved the beauty of it. He loved the beauty of another world. He loved the fact that there was another universe in this world we live in. It was like going to the moon. He was in a completely different environment. He loved the -- he really loved anything with freedom.

HARRIS: The loss of her brother and nephew have been extremely hard on Leslie Ennis. Months went by before even the thinnest thread of a clue was found.

ENNIS: I believe it was sometime in June, May or June, I don't have the date exactly, but --

HARRIS: Of this year?

ENNIS: 2004.

HARRIS: Oh, 2004.

ENNIS: That human remains were found in the water off of Bonaire. Located around the site that my brother was thought to have been diving.

HARRIS: Bones and a shredded dive suit were found. A tantalizing clue, but another year passed before DNA tests finally confirmed the bones and dive suit were those of her brother. And cleared up at least part of the mystery about what happened.

What unites Leslie with the Holloway family, is the intense pain of not knowing. To have many, many more questions than answers, and she has advice for Natalee's parents.

ENNIS: I would say to them that I -- I totally understand what they're going through. And I empathize with them. And my heart just breaks for them. And I know what they're going through. I think about it all the time. I know what they're thinking. I know what they're feeling.

HARRIS: Leslie still thinks about her nephew, Brandon. His remains were never found.

ENNIS: I wish they'd find Brandon. I wish they'd keep looking.

HARRIS: A mystery. 17 long months, and still counting.

Tony Harris, CNN, Douglasville, Georgia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: "News Across America," now. The parents of a 13- year-old Texas girl are dropping their objections to treating their daughter's cancer. Katie Wernecke's parents had insisted radiation treatments would only harm their daughter. Last week, they lost custody of the girl. Now the parents say they've changed their minds based on tests that show their daughter's cancer is no longer in remission.

President Bush is urging Congress to act on stalled parts of his domestic agenda. In his weekly radio address, the president said Social Security and healthcare reform are vital to the nation. The president is planning to take his talking points on the road this week.

Senator Mel Martinez is joining calls to shut down the U.S. military lock-up in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The Florida Republican says the Bush administration should consider closing the Guantanamo Bay prison, after allegations of prisoner abuse. Martinez is the first Republican to suggest that shutdown.

Reigniting concerns about mad cow disease: Federal officials are trying to determine if a cow here in the U.S. has it. Officials say the beef-cow never entered the food chain.

Our Kathleen Koch is in Washington with the latest on the investigation -- Kathleen?

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, it was back in November when an animal arrived for slaughter at a slaughter house, but it couldn't walk so it was tested for mad cow disease. A preliminary test was inconclusive. Then, a second, more sophisticated test found it free of the disease. Still, upon the urging of consumer groups, the Agriculture Department's inspector general decided said a third test should be conducted and it was then that the cow was found to be positive.

Just to verify, a sample from the animal has been sent to a laboratory in England for more detailed analysis. And the Agriculture Department itself is doing more testing. Agriculture officials insist this shows their system to keep mad cow out of the food supply is working.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. JOHN CLIFFORD, USDA CHIEF VETERINARIAN: This animal was incinerated. So it did not go into any animal feed production, nor did it go into the human food supply.

(END VIDEO CLIP) KOCH: Mad cow, or BSE, is a chronic degenerative disease that affects the central nervous system of cattle. It's usually transmitted via contaminated feed. It's not a contagious disease and there's no evidence it can be transmitted through direct contact with a cow or spread animal to animal.

There is, though, of course, the concern over consumption of the beef. In the early 1990s, more than 150 people died from a human form of the disease, after consuming cattle infected during an outbreak of mad cow in Great Britain.

The only confirmed case of mad cow in the U.S. was a Washington state dairy cow in December 2003. That discovery resulted in the cut- off of U.S. beef trade with major buyers like Japan and South Korea. The federal government right now is in the middle of negotiations to reopen those markets. So Fredricka, there is concern that this potential discovery will not help their case.

WHITFIELD: And so Kathleen, how much concern is there about the government's program of testing cattle for mad cow?

KOCH: Well, this discovery was just announced last night, so there's not been a lot of reaction, but the senior Democrat on House Appropriatinos Agriculture Subcommittee is worried. Congressman Rosa DeLoro (ph) of Connecticut says that this raises concerns over the integrity of our cattle. And she wants the government to put in place stronger safeguards to protect not only cattles, but consumers, from mad cow disease.

WHITFIELD: All right, Kathleen Koch in Washington, thanks so much.

Coming up, an oral obsession. The need to make those pearly whites even whiter. The products are numerous, but do they work? And what makes our teeth discolored in the first place?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Tea, coffee, soda, all cause teeth to become discolored, right? Well, do the take-home whitening kits work better or last as long as whitening treatments that you get from your dentist's office?

Dr. Bill Lloyd is with me from San Antonio, Texas. Just dotting yourselves all along the map there. As a professor at the University of California Davis Medical Center, he's heard all the teeth whitening claims. All right, Dr. Lloyd, can we blame our day-to-day habits like coffee, tea, and smoking as to why our teeth don't always stay white? Is it that simple?

DR. BILL LLOYD, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA DAVIS MEDICAL CENTER: Oh, many different reasons, but those are good ones. All of our teeth discolor with age. The older you get, the more yellow they get. But we can change that. There's a variety of medications that you can take -- tetracycline and fluoride -- early in life that can make the teeth very dark. And previous dental work, I neglected to mention, can also change the color of your teeth.

These are all important things to consider if you're thinking about having your teeth whitened, because there's different procedures that will get you different results. And I should mention, if you smoke or drink too much coffee, you'll get the wrong color.

WHITFIELD: Well, let's talk about those procedures. Everything from bleaching -- I guess you can get at your dentist's office -- to some other whitening techniques, where they actually kind of paint on the white?

LLOYD: They certainly do. Many different kinds. Whitening's been around actually for about 100 years. But since the late 1980s, it's been available to the consumer market. So yes, you could have it done by a dentist, you could have your dentist guide you in doing it at home, or you could just go to the store and buy the product.

The prices is going to vary. The faster you want it done, the whiter you want it, it's going to cost you more. If you've got plenty of time and you're not too fancy about -- too prissy about the color, you can do it yourself. Just go into the drug store.

WHITFIELD: So I imagine if you go to your dentist, of course, you're talking about, it's going to be more costly and it won't take as long when you talk about, you know, the timespan you're dealing with. If you get the over-the-counter it's cheaper, but it might 14 days versus a few days at your dentist?

LLOYD: A lot of people aren't patient to wait 14 days. And I would encourage everyone to start in the dentist's office, anyway. Get a good tooth exam. You may find other dental problems that need to be fixed before you go forward with the whitening. And guess what, Fredricka, just a good teeth cleaning will satisfy many people. They get in that chair and they say, hey, that's white enough, thanks a lot.

WHITFIELD: Can some people be a little bit more sensitive to certain -- some of those whitening products? I mean, in other words, do they work for everyone?

LLOYD: You know, it's a common complaint. People say when they use the whiteners, particularly when they use them too often, their teeth hurt. The scientists tell us that the material inside the teeth actually dries out -- actually dehydrates with excess use. And some people's gums hurt after whitening and that's because the bleaching compounds themselves, for selected people, make them very, very irritated. So if you're doing a lot of whitening and you notice your teeth or gums are getting sore, back off a little bit.

WHITFIELD: So how connected are oral health and your overall health? In other words, are there certain candidates, no matter what they try, their teeth just may never get any whiter?

LLOYD: Well, like life, there's a spectrum and there's some people whose teeth can never be made pearly white, Fredricka. But everybody could be helped with a whitening procedure if they have a problem and they can go from very dark to less dark to mildly.

But you know, Fredricka, so many people are interested in having snow-white teeth, and that's really very artificial. And you're going to have to pay again and again to keep it that white. And dentists would recommend, back off and just take a nice natural color, keep them clean, and you'll be satisfied with your appearance.

WHITFIELD: OK, and say you are successful at whitening your teeth, how long can you generally expect that it will last? Months, years, or just days?

LLOYD: Well, if you're not smoking and drinking a lot of coffee, you should expect the results to last a minimum of one year. If you take extra good care of it you use any of the super bleaches, then you may be able to stretch it out for three years.

WHITFIELD: Wow. All right. Dr. Bill Lloyd, showing us your pearly whites. Thanks so much.

LLOYD: We'll talk again soon.

WHITFIELD: All right, take care.

The final jewel in horse racing's triple crown, coming up later today. Will it be a showdown of this year's other winners? A preview of today's Belmont Stakes, straight ahead.

And another update on Tropical Storm Arlene. How much rain will it drop on the Gulf communities in the Panhandle?

More, when CNN LIVE SATURDAY returns.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: A cool million dollars in prize money is up for grabs in the final leg of horse racing's Triple Crown, today. Mark Fine has our preview of the Belmont stakes pitting two new leaders against a field of challengers.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARK FINE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Despite being the final leg of the Triple Crown, the Belmont stakes has anything but a Triple Crown-like field. Six of the 11 entrants have never won a stakes race, and only three of the horses were among the 20 in the Kentucky Derby field. But the biggest uncertainty may be the distance, the test of running a mile and a half. The longest of the three Triple Crown races gives every horse a chance.

TIM RITCHEY, TRAINER, AFLEET ALEX: It's a test of the champions. You know, not a lot of horses really, you know -- the modern horses, in America anyhow, aren't really bred to go a mile and a half.

JOHN SHIRREFFS, TRAINER, GIACOMO: You have to have faith that the horse can go a mile and a half. I think that's the most important thing. If a horse can't go a mile and a half, then, you know, nothing you're going to do is going to change that.

FINE: Many expect the Belmont to be a two-horse race. Afleet Alex won the Preakness in dramatic fashion: stumbling in the final turn, and nearly falling down before taking off and winning not only the race, but the public's affection.

JEREMY ROSE, JOCKEY, AFLEET ALEX: The public loves the horse. He's the fan favorite everywhere he goes, and you know, it's nice to see. He gets that type of fan base.

FINE: Giacomo continues to struggle to get the respect that a Kentucky Derby Champion generally receives, despite fouling up the surprising win with a solid third-place finish at the Preakness.

SHIRREFFS: We like Giacomo because for that distance you need a horse with a big stride, you know, that it can repeat, and repeat, and repeat. And that's what we think Giacomo has.

FINE: For only the third time in the last nine years, the Belmont arrives with the hope of a Triple Crown winner being dead. But an unpredictable field, racing an uncomfortable distance, means the chance for excitement is alive and well.

Mark Fine, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: That's all for this hour of CNN LIVE SATURDAY.

Straight ahead, "People in the News," and two celebrities making different kinds of news: Michael Jackson and Angelina Jolie.

Then as 6:00 Eastern, Carol Lin and the amazing story of some hikers taking some incredibly difficult steps for a very good cause.

And at 7:00 Eastern, it's "CAPITAL GANG."

And I'll be back in a few minutes with this hour's headlines including the latest on Tropical Storm Arlene.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Hello. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. "People in the News," in a moment, but first, here's what's happening in, "Now in the News."

Arlene has reached shore. The tropical storm has weakened, but it's still drenching parts of the gulf coast. And there's an added concern: Tornadoes.

Jacqui Jeras joins us with the latest on the storm.

JERAS: Well, Fredricka, the center of the storm is now to the north of Pensacola, Florida. And you can see almost all of the center has made its way over the land, now. Still seeing strong thunderstorms surrounding the center. And we can still expect to see some strong, gusty winds associated with that.

You can see some stronger storms just to the south and west of Mobile, and then kind of crossing across along the I-10 corridor, at this time. It is forecast to continue pushing in a northerly direction around 15 miles per hour. The maximum sustained winds at the bottom of the hour were about 50 miles per hour, and those will continue to drop now that the storm is weakening now that it's over shore.

The threat of tornadoes still a possibility. This watch in effect across much of northern Florida, extending to southwestern Georgia and into southern parts of Alabama. Isolated tornadoes are always a possibility with tropical type systems.

We are expecting a little bit of flooding with Arlene as it continues to move inland. Rainfall amounts should be somewhere between two to four inches. It should be making its way into the Tennessee Valley by late tomorrow -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, thanks so much, Jacqui.

A hearing in Aruba looks at the evidence in the case of missing American teenager Natalee Holloway. CNN has word from a police official of a confession by an unidentified suspect, but prosecutors will not confirm or deny that report at this hour. A Holloway family spokesman says a body has not yet been found.

Back in 30 minutes with more headlines. "PEOPLE IN THE NEWS" begins right now.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com


Aired June 11, 2005 - 16:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: New developments in the search for a missing high school student in Aruba. Two suspects are arrested and police released new information about the case.
Among Pope John Paul II's last wishes, that his personal writings be burned after his death. But that wish is not being honored. Ahead, how one archbishop hopes the pope's wishes are carried through.

Now more -- and more as well on Tropical Storm Arlene. We'll be updating you as we take you to Pensacola Beach, Florida.

"Well, here we go again." That's the sign posted at an establishment in Pensacola Beach, Florida, and it sums up the mood in the panhandle as Tropical Storm Arlene makes its way. And it comes on the heels of last year's deadly hurricanes.

Take a look right now at live pictures from Pensacola. Arlene has come ashore near Gulf Shores in Baldwin County, Alabama.

Leigh Anne Ryals joins us now by phone. She's with the county's emergency management agency.

Leigh Anne, thanks for being with us. How does it look there?

LEIGH ANNE RYALS, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR, BALDWIN COUNTY: Well, we're a little wet. It's -- but not as bad as we had anticipated.

WHITFIELD: Oh, very good. So does that mean you all feel like you've dodged the bullet?

RYALS: We really do. Along our coastline, we have a tremendous amount of construction going on following Hurricane Ivan. So that was some of our areas of greatest concern.

But we've been in contact with those -- those mayors and those municipalities. They say the beach is going and handling the storm very, very well. We are monitoring some conditions right now with water over the road. A couple power lines down and a couple of trees, but other than that, those are the only reports that we've had in today.

WHITFIELD: Do you have any concerns about any other vulnerable areas that perhaps you don't have reports about as of yet?

RYALS: Basically, we have not seen as much rainfall as we had earlier anticipated. It's been really kind of steady all day. Nothing too, too heavy for our streams and tributaries to handle. So basically we feel like that we've come through this storm very, very well.

WHITFIELD: All right. Leigh Anne Ryals, thanks so much, at the county's emergency management agency. Thanks so much for joining us on the phone there.

RYALS: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: Well, 17 counties in Alabama are under a tornado watch right now. Tropical Storm Arlene is following a track similar to last year's Ivan the terrible. Evidence of that hurricane's destructive force is still visible in the Florida panhandle. And Arlene may be insult to injury.

Our Susan Candiotti joins us now from Pensacola Beach, Florida -- Susan.

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fredricka.

Yes, there was some worry about that, because there are about 10,000 homes that still need repairs here. So because of the worry over the amount of rain that we will receive, up to 10 inches, some of the residents were pretty worried about what kind of extra damage they would suffer as a result of Arlene. But it does appear to be a far drier storm than perhaps was anticipated, and certainly, also in talking with emergency operations officials here, they seem to be very gratified that the storm isn't as intense as it might have been.

Now, we've been standing here since this morning, and we've had a few squall lines come through. But other than that, it's been pretty much what you would expect from a tropical storm.

A little bit of heavy rain from time to time, but quite frankly, out here on the beach we've had a steady stream of people walking out here to see the storm or the effects of it on the Gulf Coast for themselves. People for a time even went out on the pier and were shooed off there. And some tried to go in the water, and again, the beach patrol told them, don't do it.

But in talking to a number of residents here, they said, "We feel good having gone through Ivan because it made us pay extra attention when we get a storm warning, even a tropical storm, to be prepared." They hope they won't see anything the likes of Ivan once again, but who knows as the hurricane season goes on.

Fredricka, back to you.

WHITFIELD: That's right, it's early yet. Still a long way to go before the end of this season.

CANDIOTTI: Very early.

WHITFIELD: Susan Candiotti, thanks so much from Pensacola, Beach, Florida. Well, let's check in with Jacqui Jeras, who's in the weather center, to give us a sense as to what this storm is doing and what it might be doing next -- Jacqui.

JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, it made landfall officially, Fredricka. That happened between 2:00 and 3:00 in the afternoon. The National Hurricane Center not picking an exact location. They're just saying it kind of happened right there on the Florida-Alabama state line.

You can see this is the area. And there you can see the center of circulation. And it's very broad. It's about 30 miles wide, and that's why you really can't pinpoint an exact location like you can with a typical hurricane.

It's still, though, a strong tropical storm, packing maximum sustained winds at 60 miles per hour when it made landfall. And you can see some of these outer bands. This is where we're seeing the strongest activity at this hour. We will see some gusts, 50, maybe as much as 60 miles per hour with them.

The storm will continue to weaken now that it has made landfall. But still some maximum sustained winds, pretty strong, between 20 and 40 miles per hour. These are the gusts. Valparaiso at 43 miles per hour; 38 now in Pensacola, and 32 in Panama City.

Now, our biggest concern is what's going to be happening as it moves inland and how much, if anything, this slows down. Hopefully it just continues to move very quickly on up into the Tennessee Valley and also into the Ohio River Valley. But the rainfall amounts generally should stay somewhere between two and three inches. You might see locally heavier amounts.

This is a forecast model animation, call it our wharf (ph) model exclusively that we have here at CNN from WSI Services. And there you can see in the bright white areas, right along the Mississippi-Alabama state line, on up towards Nashville, into Paducah, Kentucky, and on up towards Evansville, Indiana, this is where the heaviest rain is going to be as the storm continues to push on up to the North.

So we've had landfall, some of the worst of the weather is over with. After the next couple of hours we'll watch things wind down. But still, it's going to be kind of touch and go we think for another maybe one to two hours -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks so much. Jacqui Jeras in the weather center.

Well, let's focus in now on Alabama. The National Weather Service says that possible twisters and the threat of heavy rains are some of the biggest concerns facing that state. But Alabama has been bracing for Arlene for a while now.

Joining us on the phone, John Kilcullen, Mobile County emergency management operations director.

All right. Good to hear from you again, John. How's it looking out there?

JOHN KILCULLEN, MOBILE COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OPERATIONS DIRECTOR: Not too bad. I think we've fared fairly well here in our jurisdiction. Rain's been steady, experienced some wind. The highest wind gusts measured at our barrier island. It was about 40 miles an hour.

So overall, I think we've fared reasonably well.

WHITFIELD: So as I said in the lead-in, some of the biggest concerns remain the possibility of twisters and possibly heavy rain, or maybe even flash floods. How concerned are you about those possibilities?

KILCULLEN: We've had some minor flooding on some of our coastal roads, but nothing serious as yet. I think the main flooding threat is yet to come, particularly in some of the inland counties in Alabama.

WHITFIELD: And oftentimes people really put themselves in danger when they venture out, thinking that it's an all-clear, things are OK. They get out in the car, and they find they get into trouble.

So what are you trying to try to curb any possible terrible things from happening to those people who venture out?

KILCULLEN: Yes, we're monitoring the road conditions, and we're just advising the public to be very careful and to avoid water. If they encounter water over a road, to seek an alternate route.

WHITFIELD: All right. John Kilcullen, Mobile County emergency management operations director. Thanks so much.

KILCULLEN: You're welcome.

WHITFIELD: Now focusing on Aruba and word of an apparent confession in the disappearance of Alabama teenager Natalee Holloway. A senior police official tells CNN that one of the suspects in custody has confessed in the case. But prosecutors are saying not so fast.

CNN's Karl Penhaul is live from Palm Beach, Aruba.

Karl, we're hearing that three of the suspects went before a judge today. What happened?

KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: In fact, those suspects are still before the judge as we speak, Fredricka. We saw outside the courtroom two -- at least two of the three suspects arriving. We believe one of those was Joran Van Der Sloot, the 17-year-old who met Natalee Holloway and became friends with her in the casino of the Holiday Inn the day before she disappeared. The other we believe was either Depak or Satish Kalpoe, one of the other two brothers accused -- or accused in this case.

What we also have learned from police, a senior police official, is that he says there has been a breakthrough during interrogations of the three and that one of them has made a confession, or something, a sort of confession. That in the words of the senior official that we spoke to.

Earlier this morning, there was a statement by the prosecution office. They're also, along with police, heading this investigation. This is what they said...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VIVIAN VAN DER BIEZEN, PROSECUTOR'S SPOKESWOMAN: Good morning, members of the press. The prosecution service has -- is aware of some information that are related to the investigation of alleged statements of witnesses -- sorry, suspects in this case. And -- but the prosecution service would like to state, at this moment, we neither confirm or deny any information coming from other sources.

The investigation at this point is the following: we have five suspects, they are being interrogated, and we are at a very crucial, very important moment in our investigation. And as soon as we have other information, we will make that available to you.

Thank you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PENHAUL: Other law enforcement sources close to this investigation said there is no confession at this stage, but they do say that there's discrepancies and cracks in the stories that the three men detained on Thursday are telling to their interrogators. But to recap, those three men currently before a judge who will decide whether they can be kept in custody for a further eight days -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: And now, Karl, what about Natalee Holloway's parents? We know they've been there for a long time. Were they there in court? Or have you seen them publicly lately?

PENHAUL: No, there is no access to members of the public at the court during those hearings neither for the members of the family of those accused, or the members of the family of a potential victim. And certainly not for the press either.

We did see briefly members of the family foray through the Holiday Inn hotel lobby last night. We haven't seen too much of them this morning -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. Karl Penhaul, thanks so much from Aruba for that update.

Coming up, the search for Natalee Holloway hits home for another American family. The story of their tragic lost near the same Caribbean vacation spot and how they empathize with the Holloway family.

And clearing the slate. G8 countries agree to wipe out debt for some of the world's poorest countries. What it really means. And later, more on Tropical Storm Arlene. How residents in its path are coping with the early season storm.

You're watching CNN LIVE SATURDAY.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Forty billion dollars in debt just wiped away. That's what the group of eight industrialized nations has agreed to do for some of the world's poorest countries. G8 members, which include the United States, say 18 developing nations which were heavily in debt now owe nothing. It's a 100 percent write-off.

CNN's Jim Boulden has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JIM BOULDEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): An historic agreement on the way to making poverty history, that's how the world's richest nations described their agreement on Saturday in London to eliminate $40 billion of debt owed by some of the world's poorest nations. With billions more in debt, cancellation promised to other poor countries.

JOHN SNOW, U.S. TREASURY SECRETARY: There was something fundamentally wrong about -- about this cycle of lend and forgive and lend and forgive which had borne down upon the poorest countries for -- for decades.

BOULDEN: The agreement eliminates much of the debt owed to the World Bank, the IMF and the African Development Bank by countries like Uganda and Tanzania, and South American countries Nicaragua, Bolivia and Honduras.

In turn, rich countries of the G8, like the United States, Canada, Britain, France, and Japan, will replenish the organizations with fresh capital. Britain sees this as just the first step.

GORDON BROWN, BRITISH CHANCELLOR EXCHEQUER: The message is sends out to the poorest countries, that if they can get the reforms in place, there will be more debt relief. And added to that is increased, more money for health, HIV-AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, to find cures in particular for some of the strains of these diseases, and, of course, more access to trade with funds available to help countries compete.

BOULDEN: What Saturday's agreement does not do is eliminate debt for dozens of other countries.

STEPHEN RAND, MAKE POVERTY HISTORY: This is some of the debts of some of the world's poorest countries, and we've been campaigning for that 100 percent to be 100 percent of all the world's poorest countries. So good news, but more needs to be done.

BOULDEN: Campaigners will turn their attention to getting rich nations to double financial aid to the world's poorest countries, as the British government wants.

(on camera): But with opposition from the United States, Italy and Japan, an agreement on vastly increasing aid will be much harder for Britain to hash out in time for the G8 summit in Scotland next month.

Jim Boulden, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: In other news around the world now, precision-guided air strikes aimed at insurgents in Iraq. U.S. Marines say about 40 rebels were killed when Marine and coalition aircraft engaged several large groups of insurgents in western Iraq today. It's part of ongoing efforts by U.S. and Iraqi forces to rid the country of insurgents.

Iraqi insurgents have staged a brutal attack on a minibus filled with local construction workers. Police say gunmen riding in two cars ambushed the bus south of Baghdad. Ten workers were killed, three survived, but were injured. And in Baghdad at least nine people died in insurgents attacks today.

In northern China, 62 children were killed when a wall of water from a flash flood slammed into their school. Two adults were also killed and 24 people injured. Most of the town reportedly remains under three feet of water.

Coming up, American history on display. The Emancipation Proclamation put an end to slavery in this country 140 years ago. That document is now on display thanks to one man's efforts to preserve history. A conversation with him next.

And we continue to keep an eye on Arlene. What will it bring and where is it headed next? The latest on that when we come right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Several documents that tell the story of American slavery, emancipation and freedom are on display today in White Plains, New York. One of the documents is a rare copy of the Emancipation Proclamation signed by Abraham Lincoln. The exhibit is part of the Juneteenth celebrations commemorating the ending of slavery in America.

Juneteenth gets its name from the date June 19, 1865, when a group of African-Americans in Texas finally learned of the end of the Civil War two-and-a-half years after the Emancipation Proclamation.

Seth Kaller, one of the most respected American historic document dealers, is displaying the collection. Earlier, he showed me some of these important pieces of history.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SETH KALLER, HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS DEALER: Well, Juneteenth is a great day to celebrate, because it was really the last day that slaves were freed by the Emancipation Proclamation. And so it was an important turning point before the total end of slavery in the country.

And now in White Plains, they're using it as a day to celebrate history and African-American achievement. And I'm just thrilled to be part of it, displaying the proclamation.

WHITFIELD: So are many of these documents with such historical relevance in museums, in places like the Library of Congress, or are there individual collectors out there?

KALLER: There are both. It's a good mix. Of the 48 of these that Lincoln signed, about half are known, and 17 are in museums. So there still are a handful left in private hands.

WHITFIELD: So you have others that are going to be on display, and I understand you also have a copy of that proclamation with you, right? Can we take a look at it?

KALLER: Yes, sure.

WHITFIELD: And some of the others that you have, including a Frederick Douglas letter, right?

KALLER: That's right. It's a wonderful letter 125 years ago, talking about an issue that is still important today, finding the balance between security and liberty. And Douglas is saying that, at that point, in 1880, he sees no danger to the free institutions of our country, but every individual, every American needs to be on guard.

WHITFIELD: So you have a document of that abolitionist -- from that abolitionist. You also have a Kentucky slave's freedom papers. What do those look like, and why is that so relevant and so important to take a look at on this day?

KALLER: Well, there were many parts to -- for somebody to become a freed slave or to be a freed African-American in the country, there were many pieces of paper that needed to be signed. This was a $500 bond that showed that this freed slave would not become a charge on the county, that there were white people, or any people with money who were supporting or were guaranteeing that this ex-slave would be supported.

WHITFIELD: And he would have to carry that piece of paper almost anywhere he went for awhile, right?

KALLER: Sure. In fact, one of the other documents on display is a paper signed by five white people showing that they knew a free African-American who was traveling from Alabama to Texas. And they were concerned if he ever got stopped or searched or separated, that, you know, he'd be able to travel home safely.

WHITFIELD: And in addition to those written documents, you also have a photograph of a black sergeant from the Civil War. Let's take a look at that. KALLER: One of the most important things that the Emancipation Proclamation did is to make it possible for African-Americans to fight for their own freedom. So Lincoln encouraged them to join the Army. And in the end, hundreds of thousands of ex-slaves really were crucial to the effort to end slavery and to make the Emancipation Proclamation a reality.

WHITFIELD: It's sobering to see all of these documents and that photograph. What are you hoping with the display today. People who come and enjoy these documents, and learn from this treasure trove, what are you hoping they'll walk away with?

KALLER: Just a sense that they've seen and touched history. I mean, even going to a museum exhibit now, if you see an original, you walk away with a different feeling than you do when you're looking at a reproduction. And it just brings you back.

It lets people touch, really, a turning point in our history. And lets them know that individual actions are important, they can really change the world.

WHITFIELD: Seth Kaller, thanks so much. These documents and photographs on display today at the Barnes and Noble at City Center on Main Street in White Plains, New York.

Thanks so much.

KALLER: Thank you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And coming up, lost in paradise. Before Natalee Holloway's disappearance, another American family member wondered about the fate of their loved one. That story coming up next.

And no stranger to stormy weather. How is the city of Pensacola holding up to the hurricane season's first storm? I'll speak with that city's mayor next on CNN LIVE SATURDAY.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Here are the headlines "Now in the News."

A hearing in Aruba looks at evidence in the case of missing American teenager Natalee Holloway. CNN has word from a police official of a confession by an unidentified suspect, but prosecutors will not confirm or deny that report at this hour. A Holloway family spokesman says a body has not yet been found.

From the African nation of Namibia, an international group that had reported missing, has been found in the northwestern part of that country. Americans were with that group which is reported to be making a documentary.

And a creative protest is putting men and women on bicycles without their clothes. In London and in other cities, "The World's Naked Bike Ride," is calling attention to western dependence on gas- guzzling cars. Some cyclists carrying banners reading, "Oil Is Not A Bare Necessity."

Clever.

Now back to our top story: Tropical Storm Arlene. Let's get the latest on the strength and its location with Jacqui Jeras.

JERAS: Hey, Fredricka. This just in now from the National Hurricane Center -- in almost a half an hour early, so I'm surprised to see this so quickly. The 5:00 Eastern time or 4:00 Central time update on the location, now, of Arlene. 20 miles northwest of Pensacola, Florida. And you can see on our Titan radar -- that you can see the very large center of circulation continuing to push on a northerly track around 15 miles per hour. So, it's sustaining its forward speed. The maximum sustained winds have now dropped down, exactly as you would expect after it makes landfall, down to around 50 miles per hour.

Now, they're are still some higher gusts, but those are confined to the southeast of the center, and over the water, at this time. The tropical storm force winds, though, extend out quite a ways, about 115 miles from the center of the storm. This is going to be that primary area of concern. You get those thunderstorms pushing in there, you're going to be getting some of the higher gusts: 40, 50-plus miles per hour.

So, the worst of the storm is over and done with for now. And our next concern is going to be some of these tornadoes that are going to still be possible, and then also, the flooding rains. Rainfall amounts in those heavier thunderstorms are going to be as much as an inch per hour. And that is going to cause some localized flooding. You can see the watches in effect from the Florida Panhandle, all throughout the state of Alabama, into eastern parts of Mississippi. They extend all the way up into Nashville and watch out if live up in the Paducah -- up into Evansville, Indiana. This whole storm system continues to track on up to the north.

So, again, Arlene has made landfall. It's continuing to weaken. Winds right now, at 50 miles per hour, and the big thing we're going to have to worry about, at this hour, is going to be possibly some scattered power outages. Escambia county in Florida, reporting about 4,000 customers in with out power at this time. And then flooding is the other big concern --Fredricka?

WHITFIELD: All right, Jacqui, thanks for the update. Well Tropical Storm Arlene is making its presence felt in Pensacola, Florida, particularly. Wind gusts of up to 55 miles per hour are being reported there today, along with heavy rain. The city's mayor, John Fogg, joins us now by phone. Mayor Fogg, I understand that the eye is passing over your city right now. What are you experiencing?

JOHN FOGG, MAYOR, PENSACOLA FLORIDA: Well, actually, the timing of your call is nearly perfect. We did experience all the gusts that you've already described. Probably in the 40-50-mile-an-hour range. But the eye was almost a direct hit on us. And still, is on top of us. I would anticipate we'd would start to see the other side of the storm really within just a few minutes.

WHITFIELD: So, what is Pensacola prepared for? knowing that this tropical storm was coming your way?

FOGG: Well, it's -- I have to put that in context. Hurricane Ivan was a dramatic event in our community, not unlike what Homestead experienced with Andrew many years ago. It took them about four to five years to recover from that impact. And we're looking at the same kind of situation. We still have thousands of people that are displaced. Many, many homes -- roofs have not been replaced yet. So, even though this was a minor storm in terms of wind, the water and rain that it brought can be a real serious threat because there's still an awful lot of people who have compromised homes.

WHITFIELD: And so, did you hear of a lot of anxiety from many of those people with those still-compromised homes from last year?

FOGG: Well, I think there's -- we have to acknowledge that there's some residual anxiety from Ivan, and there will be for many years to come, for most of us. But in reality, I think what the net effect of all that is, is that they all took this storm, even though it was not forecast to be real serious, we took it very seriously.

And we did all the things that we, that live on the coast, know how to do in terms of preparation of all the batteries, and radios, and water, and food, and generators, and all those things -- fuel -- that you need to do, in order to be able to harden your home. And make it inhabitable after a storm regardless of, you know, its intensity

WHITFIELD: So, how important will it be to further evaluate how ready Pensacola was, given this is the first-named storm of the season? You've got a long way to go; a long summer, and fall to go.

FOGG: Well, I think that's the real psychological impact. I don't recall in modern history that we've had a tropical storm in the month of June, in our area at least. And so that kind of reinforces what we've all been hearing about the experts saying that this is going to be a particularly bad season for tropical storms and hurricanes.

So, certainly it puts us on notice, and for some reason or another, we seem to statistically have a higher probability of experiencing tropical storms here in Pensacola. And I don't have any idea what the reason for that is. But certainly it's not a wakeup call. We're fully awake, and aware, and sensitized, to these events. But I think everybody is -- you know, we're going to take every one of these is seriously.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

All right. Mayor John Fogg of Pensacola, Florida. Thanks so much, and continued best wishes as you guys ride out the storm.

FOGG: Well, thank you, so much. I appreciate it. WHITFIELD: Well, after 12 days of searching, still no sign of a missing Alabama teenager in Aruba. Natalee Holloway's disappearance is renewing painful memories for one woman who lost two of her family members near the island.

CNN's Tony Harris has her story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TONY HARRIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): One of the great lures of the islands of Aruba and nearby Bonaire, is the spectacular diving. Tom Ennis and his son Brandon were on vacation, and scuba diving in the waters off Bonaire when for reasons no one knows, they disappeared. Just vanished into the vast waters of the Caribbean.

LESLIE ENNIS, TOM ENNIS' SISTER: He loved the beauty of it. He loved the beauty of another world. He loved the fact that there was another universe in this world we live in. It was like going to the moon. He was in a completely different environment. He loved the -- he really loved anything with freedom.

HARRIS: The loss of her brother and nephew have been extremely hard on Leslie Ennis. Months went by before even the thinnest thread of a clue was found.

ENNIS: I believe it was sometime in June, May or June, I don't have the date exactly, but --

HARRIS: Of this year?

ENNIS: 2004.

HARRIS: Oh, 2004.

ENNIS: That human remains were found in the water off of Bonaire. Located around the site that my brother was thought to have been diving.

HARRIS: Bones and a shredded dive suit were found. A tantalizing clue, but another year passed before DNA tests finally confirmed the bones and dive suit were those of her brother. And cleared up at least part of the mystery about what happened.

What unites Leslie with the Holloway family, is the intense pain of not knowing. To have many, many more questions than answers, and she has advice for Natalee's parents.

ENNIS: I would say to them that I -- I totally understand what they're going through. And I empathize with them. And my heart just breaks for them. And I know what they're going through. I think about it all the time. I know what they're thinking. I know what they're feeling.

HARRIS: Leslie still thinks about her nephew, Brandon. His remains were never found.

ENNIS: I wish they'd find Brandon. I wish they'd keep looking.

HARRIS: A mystery. 17 long months, and still counting.

Tony Harris, CNN, Douglasville, Georgia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: "News Across America," now. The parents of a 13- year-old Texas girl are dropping their objections to treating their daughter's cancer. Katie Wernecke's parents had insisted radiation treatments would only harm their daughter. Last week, they lost custody of the girl. Now the parents say they've changed their minds based on tests that show their daughter's cancer is no longer in remission.

President Bush is urging Congress to act on stalled parts of his domestic agenda. In his weekly radio address, the president said Social Security and healthcare reform are vital to the nation. The president is planning to take his talking points on the road this week.

Senator Mel Martinez is joining calls to shut down the U.S. military lock-up in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The Florida Republican says the Bush administration should consider closing the Guantanamo Bay prison, after allegations of prisoner abuse. Martinez is the first Republican to suggest that shutdown.

Reigniting concerns about mad cow disease: Federal officials are trying to determine if a cow here in the U.S. has it. Officials say the beef-cow never entered the food chain.

Our Kathleen Koch is in Washington with the latest on the investigation -- Kathleen?

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, it was back in November when an animal arrived for slaughter at a slaughter house, but it couldn't walk so it was tested for mad cow disease. A preliminary test was inconclusive. Then, a second, more sophisticated test found it free of the disease. Still, upon the urging of consumer groups, the Agriculture Department's inspector general decided said a third test should be conducted and it was then that the cow was found to be positive.

Just to verify, a sample from the animal has been sent to a laboratory in England for more detailed analysis. And the Agriculture Department itself is doing more testing. Agriculture officials insist this shows their system to keep mad cow out of the food supply is working.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. JOHN CLIFFORD, USDA CHIEF VETERINARIAN: This animal was incinerated. So it did not go into any animal feed production, nor did it go into the human food supply.

(END VIDEO CLIP) KOCH: Mad cow, or BSE, is a chronic degenerative disease that affects the central nervous system of cattle. It's usually transmitted via contaminated feed. It's not a contagious disease and there's no evidence it can be transmitted through direct contact with a cow or spread animal to animal.

There is, though, of course, the concern over consumption of the beef. In the early 1990s, more than 150 people died from a human form of the disease, after consuming cattle infected during an outbreak of mad cow in Great Britain.

The only confirmed case of mad cow in the U.S. was a Washington state dairy cow in December 2003. That discovery resulted in the cut- off of U.S. beef trade with major buyers like Japan and South Korea. The federal government right now is in the middle of negotiations to reopen those markets. So Fredricka, there is concern that this potential discovery will not help their case.

WHITFIELD: And so Kathleen, how much concern is there about the government's program of testing cattle for mad cow?

KOCH: Well, this discovery was just announced last night, so there's not been a lot of reaction, but the senior Democrat on House Appropriatinos Agriculture Subcommittee is worried. Congressman Rosa DeLoro (ph) of Connecticut says that this raises concerns over the integrity of our cattle. And she wants the government to put in place stronger safeguards to protect not only cattles, but consumers, from mad cow disease.

WHITFIELD: All right, Kathleen Koch in Washington, thanks so much.

Coming up, an oral obsession. The need to make those pearly whites even whiter. The products are numerous, but do they work? And what makes our teeth discolored in the first place?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Tea, coffee, soda, all cause teeth to become discolored, right? Well, do the take-home whitening kits work better or last as long as whitening treatments that you get from your dentist's office?

Dr. Bill Lloyd is with me from San Antonio, Texas. Just dotting yourselves all along the map there. As a professor at the University of California Davis Medical Center, he's heard all the teeth whitening claims. All right, Dr. Lloyd, can we blame our day-to-day habits like coffee, tea, and smoking as to why our teeth don't always stay white? Is it that simple?

DR. BILL LLOYD, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA DAVIS MEDICAL CENTER: Oh, many different reasons, but those are good ones. All of our teeth discolor with age. The older you get, the more yellow they get. But we can change that. There's a variety of medications that you can take -- tetracycline and fluoride -- early in life that can make the teeth very dark. And previous dental work, I neglected to mention, can also change the color of your teeth.

These are all important things to consider if you're thinking about having your teeth whitened, because there's different procedures that will get you different results. And I should mention, if you smoke or drink too much coffee, you'll get the wrong color.

WHITFIELD: Well, let's talk about those procedures. Everything from bleaching -- I guess you can get at your dentist's office -- to some other whitening techniques, where they actually kind of paint on the white?

LLOYD: They certainly do. Many different kinds. Whitening's been around actually for about 100 years. But since the late 1980s, it's been available to the consumer market. So yes, you could have it done by a dentist, you could have your dentist guide you in doing it at home, or you could just go to the store and buy the product.

The prices is going to vary. The faster you want it done, the whiter you want it, it's going to cost you more. If you've got plenty of time and you're not too fancy about -- too prissy about the color, you can do it yourself. Just go into the drug store.

WHITFIELD: So I imagine if you go to your dentist, of course, you're talking about, it's going to be more costly and it won't take as long when you talk about, you know, the timespan you're dealing with. If you get the over-the-counter it's cheaper, but it might 14 days versus a few days at your dentist?

LLOYD: A lot of people aren't patient to wait 14 days. And I would encourage everyone to start in the dentist's office, anyway. Get a good tooth exam. You may find other dental problems that need to be fixed before you go forward with the whitening. And guess what, Fredricka, just a good teeth cleaning will satisfy many people. They get in that chair and they say, hey, that's white enough, thanks a lot.

WHITFIELD: Can some people be a little bit more sensitive to certain -- some of those whitening products? I mean, in other words, do they work for everyone?

LLOYD: You know, it's a common complaint. People say when they use the whiteners, particularly when they use them too often, their teeth hurt. The scientists tell us that the material inside the teeth actually dries out -- actually dehydrates with excess use. And some people's gums hurt after whitening and that's because the bleaching compounds themselves, for selected people, make them very, very irritated. So if you're doing a lot of whitening and you notice your teeth or gums are getting sore, back off a little bit.

WHITFIELD: So how connected are oral health and your overall health? In other words, are there certain candidates, no matter what they try, their teeth just may never get any whiter?

LLOYD: Well, like life, there's a spectrum and there's some people whose teeth can never be made pearly white, Fredricka. But everybody could be helped with a whitening procedure if they have a problem and they can go from very dark to less dark to mildly.

But you know, Fredricka, so many people are interested in having snow-white teeth, and that's really very artificial. And you're going to have to pay again and again to keep it that white. And dentists would recommend, back off and just take a nice natural color, keep them clean, and you'll be satisfied with your appearance.

WHITFIELD: OK, and say you are successful at whitening your teeth, how long can you generally expect that it will last? Months, years, or just days?

LLOYD: Well, if you're not smoking and drinking a lot of coffee, you should expect the results to last a minimum of one year. If you take extra good care of it you use any of the super bleaches, then you may be able to stretch it out for three years.

WHITFIELD: Wow. All right. Dr. Bill Lloyd, showing us your pearly whites. Thanks so much.

LLOYD: We'll talk again soon.

WHITFIELD: All right, take care.

The final jewel in horse racing's triple crown, coming up later today. Will it be a showdown of this year's other winners? A preview of today's Belmont Stakes, straight ahead.

And another update on Tropical Storm Arlene. How much rain will it drop on the Gulf communities in the Panhandle?

More, when CNN LIVE SATURDAY returns.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: A cool million dollars in prize money is up for grabs in the final leg of horse racing's Triple Crown, today. Mark Fine has our preview of the Belmont stakes pitting two new leaders against a field of challengers.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARK FINE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Despite being the final leg of the Triple Crown, the Belmont stakes has anything but a Triple Crown-like field. Six of the 11 entrants have never won a stakes race, and only three of the horses were among the 20 in the Kentucky Derby field. But the biggest uncertainty may be the distance, the test of running a mile and a half. The longest of the three Triple Crown races gives every horse a chance.

TIM RITCHEY, TRAINER, AFLEET ALEX: It's a test of the champions. You know, not a lot of horses really, you know -- the modern horses, in America anyhow, aren't really bred to go a mile and a half.

JOHN SHIRREFFS, TRAINER, GIACOMO: You have to have faith that the horse can go a mile and a half. I think that's the most important thing. If a horse can't go a mile and a half, then, you know, nothing you're going to do is going to change that.

FINE: Many expect the Belmont to be a two-horse race. Afleet Alex won the Preakness in dramatic fashion: stumbling in the final turn, and nearly falling down before taking off and winning not only the race, but the public's affection.

JEREMY ROSE, JOCKEY, AFLEET ALEX: The public loves the horse. He's the fan favorite everywhere he goes, and you know, it's nice to see. He gets that type of fan base.

FINE: Giacomo continues to struggle to get the respect that a Kentucky Derby Champion generally receives, despite fouling up the surprising win with a solid third-place finish at the Preakness.

SHIRREFFS: We like Giacomo because for that distance you need a horse with a big stride, you know, that it can repeat, and repeat, and repeat. And that's what we think Giacomo has.

FINE: For only the third time in the last nine years, the Belmont arrives with the hope of a Triple Crown winner being dead. But an unpredictable field, racing an uncomfortable distance, means the chance for excitement is alive and well.

Mark Fine, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: That's all for this hour of CNN LIVE SATURDAY.

Straight ahead, "People in the News," and two celebrities making different kinds of news: Michael Jackson and Angelina Jolie.

Then as 6:00 Eastern, Carol Lin and the amazing story of some hikers taking some incredibly difficult steps for a very good cause.

And at 7:00 Eastern, it's "CAPITAL GANG."

And I'll be back in a few minutes with this hour's headlines including the latest on Tropical Storm Arlene.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Hello. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. "People in the News," in a moment, but first, here's what's happening in, "Now in the News."

Arlene has reached shore. The tropical storm has weakened, but it's still drenching parts of the gulf coast. And there's an added concern: Tornadoes.

Jacqui Jeras joins us with the latest on the storm.

JERAS: Well, Fredricka, the center of the storm is now to the north of Pensacola, Florida. And you can see almost all of the center has made its way over the land, now. Still seeing strong thunderstorms surrounding the center. And we can still expect to see some strong, gusty winds associated with that.

You can see some stronger storms just to the south and west of Mobile, and then kind of crossing across along the I-10 corridor, at this time. It is forecast to continue pushing in a northerly direction around 15 miles per hour. The maximum sustained winds at the bottom of the hour were about 50 miles per hour, and those will continue to drop now that the storm is weakening now that it's over shore.

The threat of tornadoes still a possibility. This watch in effect across much of northern Florida, extending to southwestern Georgia and into southern parts of Alabama. Isolated tornadoes are always a possibility with tropical type systems.

We are expecting a little bit of flooding with Arlene as it continues to move inland. Rainfall amounts should be somewhere between two to four inches. It should be making its way into the Tennessee Valley by late tomorrow -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, thanks so much, Jacqui.

A hearing in Aruba looks at the evidence in the case of missing American teenager Natalee Holloway. CNN has word from a police official of a confession by an unidentified suspect, but prosecutors will not confirm or deny that report at this hour. A Holloway family spokesman says a body has not yet been found.

Back in 30 minutes with more headlines. "PEOPLE IN THE NEWS" begins right now.

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