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Death Toll Rises in Hurricane Ivan's Wake; Ban on Guns To Run Out at Midnight, Protester Gets Past Queen's Guard

Aired September 13, 2004 - 13:00   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.


KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: The death toll rises as Hurricane Ivan rips through the Caribbean -- the damage, the preps, and the forecasts.
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Taking a look at assault weapons in the United States. A ban on guns that include AK-47s and Uzis is set to run out at midnight. It is a polarizing issue here in the United States. I'm Sean Callebs. I'll have that story coming up on LIVE FROM.

BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: And we're watching your money today. Find out what you can do to protect yourself when an airline files for chapter 11.

PHILLIPS: And holy security breach, Batman. Live pictures as this protester gets past the queen's guard and makes a stand at Buckingham Palace, complete with fanny pack. And it's no laughing matter for the royals. From the CNN Center in Atlanta, hello, everyone. I'm Kyra Phillips.

NGUYEN: And I'm Betty Nguyen. It is Monday, September 13. CNN's LIVE FROM starts right now.

PHILLIPS: We begin this hour with Ivan the irrepressible. The killer storm we've been watching for a week now is back to a category five -- top of the scale, with an every growing string of devastated islands in its wake. This is Jamaica, where damages and casualties are still being assessed more than two and a half days after Ivan came and went as a category four.

So far, at least 17 deaths are being blamed on the storm in Jamaica, at least 62 throughout the Caribbean. CNN's Karl Penhaul joins us now on the phone with the latest from Kingston. Karl...

KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Kyra. The Jamaican government is beginning to get a better idea of the scale of the damages, injuries, and deaths caused by Hurricane Ivan. They've put aerial reconnaissance teams up into the air in helicopters to checkout the damage from those areas that have been largely cut off from the rest of the country, either because the highways have been damaged by flooding or by landslides, or simply because the phone communications with those areas haven't worked.

It's still likely, though, to be a few days before a full-scale plan for reconstruction and relief is put into operation. We've traveled to an area about two hours drive from Kingston, one of the southern-most points of Jamaica, a village called Portland Cottage. And there, the images that we found were really devastating.

We found, as we arrived in that village, the villagers were still pulling three bodies out of the mangrove swamps... three people that had drowned as Hurricane Ivan smashed into that village on Friday. Talking to some of the people, some tremendous, tremendous stories there.

We talked to one woman -- she had decided to leave her woodland tin home close to midnight, as the floodwaters started to rise. She said that as she went out of the door, the floodwater was already between waist and chest height. And as she carried her two babies in her arms trying to reach safety, a huge wave came and pulled those two children out of her arms.

In the last two days, she's recovered those two babies dead out of the mangrove swamps. We also talked to one man. He also left home at the height of the storm on Friday. He had his wife firmly grasped by the hand. But again, that massive wave came and dragged his wife out of his hands. She died too.

Many other stories like that, Kyra. Also, the fact that residents there seem to have little left apart from the clothes that they had when the hurricane struck most of the homes there, because the type of construction there has been devastated. Kyra...

PHILLIPS: Karl Penhaul live from Kingston, thank you. Betty...

NGUYEN: In Florida, the Keys are calming down, but the gulf coast is gearing up. Ivan may wind up somewhere near the Florida- Alabama border late on Wednesday, the key words there being "may and somewhere." CNN's Susan Candiotti is in Panama City Beach with the latest. How are they preparing there, Susan?

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, in the usual ways, as you always see people do, that is, sheltering their homes, putting shutters up, buying plywood left and right. But certainly, anyone who's lived here about 10 years would vividly remember Hurricane Opal back in October of 1995. That's the last time a hurricane ravaged this area.

You will remember, perhaps, as well a tremendous storm surge came through this area, washing away homes and the beaches. And yet that hurricane, Hurricane Opal, made landfall in Navarre, about 80 miles west of here. Now, history teaches lessons, just as it did with Hurricane Andrew, and now Frances, Charley, and Ivan. Disaster planners have been spreading the word that people need to get ready just in case. They cannot wait until the very last minute, because Ivan's track, of course, can wiggle one way or another.

And in just about an hour from now, there will be a meeting to decide whether to being evacuating people as early as tomorrow from flood prone areas.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) BOB MAJKA, BAY COUNTY EMERGENCY MGMT.: What we'll look at is the potential impact of this system. Whether we're going to be looking at the landfall of hurricane force winds here will dictate whether or not the evacuation order is mandatory. If it looks like the system's going to move further to the West, let's say into the Alabama or Mississippi region, then we may have some voluntary evacuations for folks in low lying areas and mobile homes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CANDIOTTI: Now, we also ran into some tourists who are still here in the area, even though this is the slowest part of the tourist season, after Labor Day. Someone who arrived here, for example, just over the weekend, only to face the possible hit from Hurricane Ivan. Of course, it's cutting short this one woman's vacation. Susan Ahern is her name, and she's been testing the pulse of people who live in this area.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SUSAN AHERN, TOURIST: We've talked to several cab drivers, people who live... the locals, and they seem to all be making reservations to go elsewhere. So we figured that was probably the best plan, to move someplace else.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CANDIOTTI: Now, Susan Ahern says that she and her husband had been looking at this area as a potential permanent retirement place for them. However, because of what's been happening with the hurricanes in Florida, she says she and her husband are now rethinking that plan. Back to you, Betty.

NGUYEN: Yeah, they may change their minds. Susan Candiotti, thank you so much for that. Coastal Alabamans are battening down and stocking up, trying not to think about Hurricane Frederick. Now, that storm attacked the town of Gulf Shores 25 years ago yesterday, and took out everything in its way. A woman who rode out Frederick in a mobile home in Mobile County says she doesn't plan to press her luck with Ivan.

We want to get a track on this storm as it's brewing, and for that we go to CNN meteorologist Jacqui Jeras, who's watching Ivan's every twist and turn. She joins us with the latest...

(WEATHER REPORT)

NGUYEN: We'll keep a watch of it. Jacqui Jeras, thank you. Kyra...

PHILLIPS: The western tip of Cuba may still avoid a direct hit, but that country's chief meteorologist warns no one should think we're safe. CNN's Lucia Newman watching the weather in Pinar del Rio. She joins us now live by telephone. What's the latest, Lucia?

LUCIA NEWMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's raining very, very heavily her in Pinar del Rio. The winds are really, really increasing by the minute, I would say. In the next couple of hours, we are told by chief meteorologists, we should begin to feel hurricane force winds here in Pinar del Rio, which, as you mentioned, is on the most western tip of Cuba. And although the eye of this hurricane is expected, or at least (UNINTELLIGIBLE) ... will not make landfall, we will still be feeling a lot of the hurricane force winds and rains.

Already, electricity has been cut in Pinar del Rio Province. This, say authorities, to ensure that people are not electrocuted when power lines fall, and it's expected that they will. Hundreds of thousands of people have been evacuated to shelters, and the government has just declared what they call here a hurricane alert, telling people to stay indoors or go to their shelters immediately, and not come out until this hurricane passes.

President Fidel Castro is here, I can tell you. He is taking a front road seat, showing that he's the man in charge of this country. He's touring some of the areas where people have gone for refuge, also some of the towns which could be flooded. Most of them have been evacuated, though, by now.

PHILLIPS: Another round of bloody attacks in the Sunni Triangle. U.S. warplanes hit a so-called terrorist meeting site in Fallujah, and there were battles on the ground as well. CNN's Walter Rodgers fills us in from Baghdad now -- Walter.

WALTER RODGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Kyra. A senior U.S. military commander here in Iraq called the Iraqi city of Fallujah a "cancer." And early this morning, U.S. jets were in action trying to destroy a part of that cancer. A target, according to the U.S. military, was a confirmed Abu Musab Zarqawi meeting site for his terrorist lieutenants.

There were at least four U.S. strikes on that particular site in Fallujah, and the U.S. military claims it killed 25 of Zarqawi's fighters. Another side of that story, however, comes from Fallujah itself, where our sources inside the city say that 20 Iraqis were killed, 38 injured. Among those 38 were said to be five women and four children.

One of the Fallujah doctors told CNN that an ambulance was hit, with four patients being rushed to hospital inside, in those U.S. strikes. No indication whether the four patients inside that ambulance were Zarqawi fighters or innocent civilians. The U.S. strategy in Iraq, and particularly Fallujah, continues to be to try to decapitate the resistance, the insurgency inside that city, and try to contain it.

Still, over the weekend, the fighting and the insurgency broke out everywhere, including Baghdad itself. At times yesterday, the forecast here in the Iraqi capital seemed to be heavy showers of mortars and rockets that just pounded this city for hours, at times. Overall, over the past Sunday alone, at least 80 people were killed nationwide in Iraq. One of the worst incidents was in Baghdad itself.

The insurgents targeted a U.S. Army Bradley fighting vehicle. It caught fire. The three crewmembers inside were quickly evacuated. Helicopters were called in to destroy the Bradley fighting vehicle to see that its munitions did not fall into the hands of the insurgents, and particularly into the hands of the dozens of Iraqi civilians jubilantly rejoicing in the hit against that Bradley. In the process, U.S. helicopters struck at the Bradley, killing at least 22 people, dancing around it, and including one of our colleagues, an Al Arabiya television correspondent hit in that U.S. helicopter strike in downtown Baghdad.

No one here is predicting when this bloodshed will end, but it is spiking again. Kyra...

PHILLIPS: Walter Rodgers live from Baghdad, thank you. Straight ahead, bigger's always better, at least that's what one truck maker hopes as it wheels out a heavy duty truck to compete with those, you know, those little Hummer things. And to go with your big truck, how about an assault rifle? The ban's about to end. Does anyone care? Should they?

CNN REPORTER: We're live in Redwood City, California. A fight, which erupted last week between the two families in the Scott Peterson double murder trial has caught the attention of the judge. We'll have the very latest on the case coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Eleven hours and counting until the controversial assault weapons ban is due to expire. Now, despite countless appeals, Congress has made it clear it has no intention of renewing the ban. Joining us from Washington with reaction is CNN's Sean Callebs. Hi there, Sean.

CALLEBS: Hi, Betty. Indeed, a decade ago, the ban on assault weapons was heralded as an important tool in eradicating violent crime. Now, despite outcries from critics, the federal measure is scheduled to expire at midnight tonight. That means AK-47s, Uzis, and Tech 9's will be back on the market.

Under the '94 law, the maximum capacity for a clip was 10 rounds. Police say once the measure expires, guns will be able to hold perhaps five times that number of bullets. Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry is wasting no time blaming George Bush. He says since the president did not take the lead in pushing for an extension on the ban of assault weapons, Mr. Bush is making the job of a terrorist easier and more difficult for police.

Those affected by violent crime -- law enforcement officers, trauma surgeons -- are voicing their frustration with the situation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. DANNY WESTERBAN, SUBURBAN HOSP. TRAUMA SURGEON: As a trauma surgeon, I can tell you that when these weapons are used against a human being, they create injuries of such magnitude that they leave the victim with little chance of survival, even in our country's best trauma centers. (END VIDEO CLIP)

CALLEBS: It is an issue polarizing people in the United States. Critics of the '94 law say it did nothing to curb violent crime. They contend loopholes in the measure allowed manufacturers to keep many weapons on the market simply by changing the name of the gun or altering some features. The NRA is still concerned there could be an eleventh hour push to reauthorize the law.

This is what the group is saying on its Web site... quote, "Over the next few weeks, we must remain extremely vigilant against any attempt by the anti-gunners to reauthorize legislation." For his part, President Bush has said if Congress would approve such a measure, he would support it. Despite public pressure that include a group of law enforcement officers showing up at the White House this pasty Friday, congressional GOP leadership has made it clear, Betty, there are not enough votes to approve a further ban on assault weapons.

NGUYEN: That time is running out. Sean Callebs, thank you very much. Kyra...

PHILLIPS: The world is still weary of that monumental cloud of smoke seen over North Korea last week. But a senior U.S. intelligence official tells CNN, and we quote, "it certainly was not nuclear." That's been the fear, in light of Pyongyang's public and longstanding nuclear ambitions. But North Korean officials tell Britain that the cloud arose from detonations in a mountain range where a hydroelectric dam is going up. The U.S. official tells CNN that could be true, but we can't rule it out.

Now, live pictures once again from London. No live pictures taped turnaround, I'm being told, of a story we're following right now. Actually, it's coming to us now... I'm not sure if it's going to be taped, OK, or live. It is going to be taped. But it's a protestor dressed as Batman.

He actually scaled the front wall of Buckingham Palace, reaching a ledge near the balcony where the royal family appears on ceremonial occasions. We're working those pictures for you right now. The protest... here we go. He's not protecting Buckingham Palace. Rather, he's protesting.

You can see the negotiators there trying to talk to him. Now, this protestor's been identified as Jason Hatch, a 33-year-old from the Britain area. He's a member of the Fathers for Justice group, a group that's been known for pulling stunts like this, I guess you could say. He's campaigning for greater custody rights for divorced or separated fathers.

Now, no member of the royal family, we are being told, is at the palace. Queen Elizabeth, we are being told, is in Scotland. But right now, negotiators still trying to talk Batman off the ledge. We're going to talk about how the heck he was even able to get through security and end up getting himself up on that ledge right there at Buckingham Palace, not far from where the royal family steps out and appears on ceremonial occasions.

We'll talk more about it right after a break. Next, airlines in bankruptcy. Find out how to protect your travel plans, money, and miles. Antidepressants and kids -- it could be a lethal combination. The FDA talks about the risks today. And tomorrow, Patti Labelle is LIVE FROM'S diva of the week, talking about her new show, he hot tour, and looking great at 60. Ichi-gichi-ya-ya-ya... baby, we've got a new attitude right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: U.S. Airways is making its second trip to bankruptcy court today. The airline filed for bankruptcy protection yesterday, just a year and a half after it emerged from its first filing. Now, with United Airlines also in bankruptcy and Delta trying to stay aloft, what does this mean for travelers? Joining us from New York is Bear Stearns airline analyst David Strine to tell us all about it. Good afternoon to you.

DAVID STRINE, BEAR STEARNS AILINE ANALYST: Good to see you.

NGUYEN: This is U.S. Airways' second trip to bankruptcy court. What are the chances that this airline is going to survive?

STRINE: Well, each day that goes by that they don't achieve a deal with their pilot union and the other work groups, the odds of forced liquidation, I think, increase. But they're currently negotiating with those parties and working hard to try and get a deal. If they can get a deal, then they can avert actually having to liquidate.

NGUYEN: United has already filed, second trip for U.S. Air, Delta is having cutbacks. What's the biggest problem for these airlines? Is it the fact that there's competition out there from low airfare carriers?

STRINE: Well, there's a couple of big problems. Number one, oil prices are really high, so it's giving them a big hit on the cost side. At the same time, they're being infiltrated more and more by low cost carriers in their big markets, and the airfares are coming down more and more. So it's pressuring their yields, and their margins are being squeezed.

NGUYEN: So it's not really about 9/11, because the passengers have come back since then.

STRINE: Yeah, exactly. Since 9/11, volumes have actually recovered. It's just that airfares still remain quite depressed, and it's being exacerbated by the growth of low fare carriers like Jet Blue, Southwest, and even Air Tran.

NGUYEN: So what does this mean for ticket holders?

STRINE: Well, ticket holders, while a company's in chapter 11, it's not a major concern, because the company will continue to operate. However, if they actually begin to think about liquidating, it's a whole other story. If they cease operations, ticket holders would have to have a claim against the company. But those folks who purchased them through credit cards would likely be able to deal with that issue through their credit card company.

NGUYEN: So that's the best way to purchase, if you're going to continue booking with airlines that have filed for bankruptcy or are in trouble financially.

STRINE: That's certainly one way of protecting yourself as a consumer.

NGUYEN: OK. Well, let's talk about... a lot of people want to talk about frequent flyer miles. What does it mean for people in those programs?

STRINE: Well, while the company's still operating -- and they'll still be honoring their frequent flyer programs, so that too is not a major concern. However, again, if a company were to actually liquidate, then the frequent flyer program, if it was just attributable to the individual company that's liquidating, the consumer would have a problem.

But many of those programs are shared, and they can be used for carriage on other airlines.

NGUYEN: So for people still wanting to travel, you say they shouldn't stop booking with U.S. Airways, at least not now.

STRINE: Well, not unless it becomes likely that the company will actually liquidate. While they're in chapter 11, they're still operating, and the tickets will be honored.

NGUYEN: OK. Bottom line, what do these carriers need to do to get back on their feet?

STRINE: They need to do one major thing, and that's bring their costs down. Part of it is labor costs; part of it is simplifying their operations. But at the end of the day, they need to bring their costs down so they can run more efficiently and compete with the new breed of airlines that's out there.

NGUYEN: There's a lot of competition out there. David Strine with Bear Stearns, thank you so much.

STRINE: Thanks.

NGUYEN: Kyra...

PHILLIPS: Well, a new vehicle for people who think Hummers are too small. Can it be possible? Rhonda Schaffler, live from the New York Stock Exchange.

(MARKET REPORT)

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Aired September 13, 2004 - 13:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: The death toll rises as Hurricane Ivan rips through the Caribbean -- the damage, the preps, and the forecasts.
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Taking a look at assault weapons in the United States. A ban on guns that include AK-47s and Uzis is set to run out at midnight. It is a polarizing issue here in the United States. I'm Sean Callebs. I'll have that story coming up on LIVE FROM.

BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: And we're watching your money today. Find out what you can do to protect yourself when an airline files for chapter 11.

PHILLIPS: And holy security breach, Batman. Live pictures as this protester gets past the queen's guard and makes a stand at Buckingham Palace, complete with fanny pack. And it's no laughing matter for the royals. From the CNN Center in Atlanta, hello, everyone. I'm Kyra Phillips.

NGUYEN: And I'm Betty Nguyen. It is Monday, September 13. CNN's LIVE FROM starts right now.

PHILLIPS: We begin this hour with Ivan the irrepressible. The killer storm we've been watching for a week now is back to a category five -- top of the scale, with an every growing string of devastated islands in its wake. This is Jamaica, where damages and casualties are still being assessed more than two and a half days after Ivan came and went as a category four.

So far, at least 17 deaths are being blamed on the storm in Jamaica, at least 62 throughout the Caribbean. CNN's Karl Penhaul joins us now on the phone with the latest from Kingston. Karl...

KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Kyra. The Jamaican government is beginning to get a better idea of the scale of the damages, injuries, and deaths caused by Hurricane Ivan. They've put aerial reconnaissance teams up into the air in helicopters to checkout the damage from those areas that have been largely cut off from the rest of the country, either because the highways have been damaged by flooding or by landslides, or simply because the phone communications with those areas haven't worked.

It's still likely, though, to be a few days before a full-scale plan for reconstruction and relief is put into operation. We've traveled to an area about two hours drive from Kingston, one of the southern-most points of Jamaica, a village called Portland Cottage. And there, the images that we found were really devastating.

We found, as we arrived in that village, the villagers were still pulling three bodies out of the mangrove swamps... three people that had drowned as Hurricane Ivan smashed into that village on Friday. Talking to some of the people, some tremendous, tremendous stories there.

We talked to one woman -- she had decided to leave her woodland tin home close to midnight, as the floodwaters started to rise. She said that as she went out of the door, the floodwater was already between waist and chest height. And as she carried her two babies in her arms trying to reach safety, a huge wave came and pulled those two children out of her arms.

In the last two days, she's recovered those two babies dead out of the mangrove swamps. We also talked to one man. He also left home at the height of the storm on Friday. He had his wife firmly grasped by the hand. But again, that massive wave came and dragged his wife out of his hands. She died too.

Many other stories like that, Kyra. Also, the fact that residents there seem to have little left apart from the clothes that they had when the hurricane struck most of the homes there, because the type of construction there has been devastated. Kyra...

PHILLIPS: Karl Penhaul live from Kingston, thank you. Betty...

NGUYEN: In Florida, the Keys are calming down, but the gulf coast is gearing up. Ivan may wind up somewhere near the Florida- Alabama border late on Wednesday, the key words there being "may and somewhere." CNN's Susan Candiotti is in Panama City Beach with the latest. How are they preparing there, Susan?

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, in the usual ways, as you always see people do, that is, sheltering their homes, putting shutters up, buying plywood left and right. But certainly, anyone who's lived here about 10 years would vividly remember Hurricane Opal back in October of 1995. That's the last time a hurricane ravaged this area.

You will remember, perhaps, as well a tremendous storm surge came through this area, washing away homes and the beaches. And yet that hurricane, Hurricane Opal, made landfall in Navarre, about 80 miles west of here. Now, history teaches lessons, just as it did with Hurricane Andrew, and now Frances, Charley, and Ivan. Disaster planners have been spreading the word that people need to get ready just in case. They cannot wait until the very last minute, because Ivan's track, of course, can wiggle one way or another.

And in just about an hour from now, there will be a meeting to decide whether to being evacuating people as early as tomorrow from flood prone areas.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) BOB MAJKA, BAY COUNTY EMERGENCY MGMT.: What we'll look at is the potential impact of this system. Whether we're going to be looking at the landfall of hurricane force winds here will dictate whether or not the evacuation order is mandatory. If it looks like the system's going to move further to the West, let's say into the Alabama or Mississippi region, then we may have some voluntary evacuations for folks in low lying areas and mobile homes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CANDIOTTI: Now, we also ran into some tourists who are still here in the area, even though this is the slowest part of the tourist season, after Labor Day. Someone who arrived here, for example, just over the weekend, only to face the possible hit from Hurricane Ivan. Of course, it's cutting short this one woman's vacation. Susan Ahern is her name, and she's been testing the pulse of people who live in this area.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SUSAN AHERN, TOURIST: We've talked to several cab drivers, people who live... the locals, and they seem to all be making reservations to go elsewhere. So we figured that was probably the best plan, to move someplace else.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CANDIOTTI: Now, Susan Ahern says that she and her husband had been looking at this area as a potential permanent retirement place for them. However, because of what's been happening with the hurricanes in Florida, she says she and her husband are now rethinking that plan. Back to you, Betty.

NGUYEN: Yeah, they may change their minds. Susan Candiotti, thank you so much for that. Coastal Alabamans are battening down and stocking up, trying not to think about Hurricane Frederick. Now, that storm attacked the town of Gulf Shores 25 years ago yesterday, and took out everything in its way. A woman who rode out Frederick in a mobile home in Mobile County says she doesn't plan to press her luck with Ivan.

We want to get a track on this storm as it's brewing, and for that we go to CNN meteorologist Jacqui Jeras, who's watching Ivan's every twist and turn. She joins us with the latest...

(WEATHER REPORT)

NGUYEN: We'll keep a watch of it. Jacqui Jeras, thank you. Kyra...

PHILLIPS: The western tip of Cuba may still avoid a direct hit, but that country's chief meteorologist warns no one should think we're safe. CNN's Lucia Newman watching the weather in Pinar del Rio. She joins us now live by telephone. What's the latest, Lucia?

LUCIA NEWMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's raining very, very heavily her in Pinar del Rio. The winds are really, really increasing by the minute, I would say. In the next couple of hours, we are told by chief meteorologists, we should begin to feel hurricane force winds here in Pinar del Rio, which, as you mentioned, is on the most western tip of Cuba. And although the eye of this hurricane is expected, or at least (UNINTELLIGIBLE) ... will not make landfall, we will still be feeling a lot of the hurricane force winds and rains.

Already, electricity has been cut in Pinar del Rio Province. This, say authorities, to ensure that people are not electrocuted when power lines fall, and it's expected that they will. Hundreds of thousands of people have been evacuated to shelters, and the government has just declared what they call here a hurricane alert, telling people to stay indoors or go to their shelters immediately, and not come out until this hurricane passes.

President Fidel Castro is here, I can tell you. He is taking a front road seat, showing that he's the man in charge of this country. He's touring some of the areas where people have gone for refuge, also some of the towns which could be flooded. Most of them have been evacuated, though, by now.

PHILLIPS: Another round of bloody attacks in the Sunni Triangle. U.S. warplanes hit a so-called terrorist meeting site in Fallujah, and there were battles on the ground as well. CNN's Walter Rodgers fills us in from Baghdad now -- Walter.

WALTER RODGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Kyra. A senior U.S. military commander here in Iraq called the Iraqi city of Fallujah a "cancer." And early this morning, U.S. jets were in action trying to destroy a part of that cancer. A target, according to the U.S. military, was a confirmed Abu Musab Zarqawi meeting site for his terrorist lieutenants.

There were at least four U.S. strikes on that particular site in Fallujah, and the U.S. military claims it killed 25 of Zarqawi's fighters. Another side of that story, however, comes from Fallujah itself, where our sources inside the city say that 20 Iraqis were killed, 38 injured. Among those 38 were said to be five women and four children.

One of the Fallujah doctors told CNN that an ambulance was hit, with four patients being rushed to hospital inside, in those U.S. strikes. No indication whether the four patients inside that ambulance were Zarqawi fighters or innocent civilians. The U.S. strategy in Iraq, and particularly Fallujah, continues to be to try to decapitate the resistance, the insurgency inside that city, and try to contain it.

Still, over the weekend, the fighting and the insurgency broke out everywhere, including Baghdad itself. At times yesterday, the forecast here in the Iraqi capital seemed to be heavy showers of mortars and rockets that just pounded this city for hours, at times. Overall, over the past Sunday alone, at least 80 people were killed nationwide in Iraq. One of the worst incidents was in Baghdad itself.

The insurgents targeted a U.S. Army Bradley fighting vehicle. It caught fire. The three crewmembers inside were quickly evacuated. Helicopters were called in to destroy the Bradley fighting vehicle to see that its munitions did not fall into the hands of the insurgents, and particularly into the hands of the dozens of Iraqi civilians jubilantly rejoicing in the hit against that Bradley. In the process, U.S. helicopters struck at the Bradley, killing at least 22 people, dancing around it, and including one of our colleagues, an Al Arabiya television correspondent hit in that U.S. helicopter strike in downtown Baghdad.

No one here is predicting when this bloodshed will end, but it is spiking again. Kyra...

PHILLIPS: Walter Rodgers live from Baghdad, thank you. Straight ahead, bigger's always better, at least that's what one truck maker hopes as it wheels out a heavy duty truck to compete with those, you know, those little Hummer things. And to go with your big truck, how about an assault rifle? The ban's about to end. Does anyone care? Should they?

CNN REPORTER: We're live in Redwood City, California. A fight, which erupted last week between the two families in the Scott Peterson double murder trial has caught the attention of the judge. We'll have the very latest on the case coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Eleven hours and counting until the controversial assault weapons ban is due to expire. Now, despite countless appeals, Congress has made it clear it has no intention of renewing the ban. Joining us from Washington with reaction is CNN's Sean Callebs. Hi there, Sean.

CALLEBS: Hi, Betty. Indeed, a decade ago, the ban on assault weapons was heralded as an important tool in eradicating violent crime. Now, despite outcries from critics, the federal measure is scheduled to expire at midnight tonight. That means AK-47s, Uzis, and Tech 9's will be back on the market.

Under the '94 law, the maximum capacity for a clip was 10 rounds. Police say once the measure expires, guns will be able to hold perhaps five times that number of bullets. Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry is wasting no time blaming George Bush. He says since the president did not take the lead in pushing for an extension on the ban of assault weapons, Mr. Bush is making the job of a terrorist easier and more difficult for police.

Those affected by violent crime -- law enforcement officers, trauma surgeons -- are voicing their frustration with the situation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. DANNY WESTERBAN, SUBURBAN HOSP. TRAUMA SURGEON: As a trauma surgeon, I can tell you that when these weapons are used against a human being, they create injuries of such magnitude that they leave the victim with little chance of survival, even in our country's best trauma centers. (END VIDEO CLIP)

CALLEBS: It is an issue polarizing people in the United States. Critics of the '94 law say it did nothing to curb violent crime. They contend loopholes in the measure allowed manufacturers to keep many weapons on the market simply by changing the name of the gun or altering some features. The NRA is still concerned there could be an eleventh hour push to reauthorize the law.

This is what the group is saying on its Web site... quote, "Over the next few weeks, we must remain extremely vigilant against any attempt by the anti-gunners to reauthorize legislation." For his part, President Bush has said if Congress would approve such a measure, he would support it. Despite public pressure that include a group of law enforcement officers showing up at the White House this pasty Friday, congressional GOP leadership has made it clear, Betty, there are not enough votes to approve a further ban on assault weapons.

NGUYEN: That time is running out. Sean Callebs, thank you very much. Kyra...

PHILLIPS: The world is still weary of that monumental cloud of smoke seen over North Korea last week. But a senior U.S. intelligence official tells CNN, and we quote, "it certainly was not nuclear." That's been the fear, in light of Pyongyang's public and longstanding nuclear ambitions. But North Korean officials tell Britain that the cloud arose from detonations in a mountain range where a hydroelectric dam is going up. The U.S. official tells CNN that could be true, but we can't rule it out.

Now, live pictures once again from London. No live pictures taped turnaround, I'm being told, of a story we're following right now. Actually, it's coming to us now... I'm not sure if it's going to be taped, OK, or live. It is going to be taped. But it's a protestor dressed as Batman.

He actually scaled the front wall of Buckingham Palace, reaching a ledge near the balcony where the royal family appears on ceremonial occasions. We're working those pictures for you right now. The protest... here we go. He's not protecting Buckingham Palace. Rather, he's protesting.

You can see the negotiators there trying to talk to him. Now, this protestor's been identified as Jason Hatch, a 33-year-old from the Britain area. He's a member of the Fathers for Justice group, a group that's been known for pulling stunts like this, I guess you could say. He's campaigning for greater custody rights for divorced or separated fathers.

Now, no member of the royal family, we are being told, is at the palace. Queen Elizabeth, we are being told, is in Scotland. But right now, negotiators still trying to talk Batman off the ledge. We're going to talk about how the heck he was even able to get through security and end up getting himself up on that ledge right there at Buckingham Palace, not far from where the royal family steps out and appears on ceremonial occasions.

We'll talk more about it right after a break. Next, airlines in bankruptcy. Find out how to protect your travel plans, money, and miles. Antidepressants and kids -- it could be a lethal combination. The FDA talks about the risks today. And tomorrow, Patti Labelle is LIVE FROM'S diva of the week, talking about her new show, he hot tour, and looking great at 60. Ichi-gichi-ya-ya-ya... baby, we've got a new attitude right after this.

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NGUYEN: U.S. Airways is making its second trip to bankruptcy court today. The airline filed for bankruptcy protection yesterday, just a year and a half after it emerged from its first filing. Now, with United Airlines also in bankruptcy and Delta trying to stay aloft, what does this mean for travelers? Joining us from New York is Bear Stearns airline analyst David Strine to tell us all about it. Good afternoon to you.

DAVID STRINE, BEAR STEARNS AILINE ANALYST: Good to see you.

NGUYEN: This is U.S. Airways' second trip to bankruptcy court. What are the chances that this airline is going to survive?

STRINE: Well, each day that goes by that they don't achieve a deal with their pilot union and the other work groups, the odds of forced liquidation, I think, increase. But they're currently negotiating with those parties and working hard to try and get a deal. If they can get a deal, then they can avert actually having to liquidate.

NGUYEN: United has already filed, second trip for U.S. Air, Delta is having cutbacks. What's the biggest problem for these airlines? Is it the fact that there's competition out there from low airfare carriers?

STRINE: Well, there's a couple of big problems. Number one, oil prices are really high, so it's giving them a big hit on the cost side. At the same time, they're being infiltrated more and more by low cost carriers in their big markets, and the airfares are coming down more and more. So it's pressuring their yields, and their margins are being squeezed.

NGUYEN: So it's not really about 9/11, because the passengers have come back since then.

STRINE: Yeah, exactly. Since 9/11, volumes have actually recovered. It's just that airfares still remain quite depressed, and it's being exacerbated by the growth of low fare carriers like Jet Blue, Southwest, and even Air Tran.

NGUYEN: So what does this mean for ticket holders?

STRINE: Well, ticket holders, while a company's in chapter 11, it's not a major concern, because the company will continue to operate. However, if they actually begin to think about liquidating, it's a whole other story. If they cease operations, ticket holders would have to have a claim against the company. But those folks who purchased them through credit cards would likely be able to deal with that issue through their credit card company.

NGUYEN: So that's the best way to purchase, if you're going to continue booking with airlines that have filed for bankruptcy or are in trouble financially.

STRINE: That's certainly one way of protecting yourself as a consumer.

NGUYEN: OK. Well, let's talk about... a lot of people want to talk about frequent flyer miles. What does it mean for people in those programs?

STRINE: Well, while the company's still operating -- and they'll still be honoring their frequent flyer programs, so that too is not a major concern. However, again, if a company were to actually liquidate, then the frequent flyer program, if it was just attributable to the individual company that's liquidating, the consumer would have a problem.

But many of those programs are shared, and they can be used for carriage on other airlines.

NGUYEN: So for people still wanting to travel, you say they shouldn't stop booking with U.S. Airways, at least not now.

STRINE: Well, not unless it becomes likely that the company will actually liquidate. While they're in chapter 11, they're still operating, and the tickets will be honored.

NGUYEN: OK. Bottom line, what do these carriers need to do to get back on their feet?

STRINE: They need to do one major thing, and that's bring their costs down. Part of it is labor costs; part of it is simplifying their operations. But at the end of the day, they need to bring their costs down so they can run more efficiently and compete with the new breed of airlines that's out there.

NGUYEN: There's a lot of competition out there. David Strine with Bear Stearns, thank you so much.

STRINE: Thanks.

NGUYEN: Kyra...

PHILLIPS: Well, a new vehicle for people who think Hummers are too small. Can it be possible? Rhonda Schaffler, live from the New York Stock Exchange.

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