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Massive Cleanup In the Aftermath Of Isabel; Spacecraft Galileo To End Service By Plunging Into Jupiter; At Look At the DMZ Between North, South Korea

Aired September 20, 2003 - 15:00   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.


CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Today on NEXT@CNN, at least 29 deaths, three million people still without power, and a massive cleanup amid predictions that more flooding is likely. We'll have the latest on the aftermath of Hurricane Isabel.
Also, a spacecraft that's delivered lots of scientific treasures for NASA heads for its death tomorrow with a fiery plunge into Jupiter.

And more and more American kids are playing soccer. One study says some of them may be getting minor brain injuries. We'll show you a proposal for protecting players' heads.

But first, we start with the aftermath of Isabel. Mid Atlantic states are cleaning up after the category 2 hurricane stormed ashore Thursday. It's now wheezing towards Canada as a mere tropical depression.

But the day after the winds and rain moved on, Baltimore saw some of Isabel's worst behavior. Storm surge and the neighborhood of Fells Point is reeling from it. CNN's Kathleen Koch is live in Baltimore with more on the cleanup -- Kathleen.

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, you just mentioned, I want to touch on this right now quickly, that as this storm is heading on up into Canada, I think that's something that's really important to remember as we look at Hurricane Isabel. It's really an example of how modern technology, improvements in meteorological technology, has really helped us follow these storms and saved hundreds, perhaps thousands of lives.

We watched this storm as it grew in the Atlantic. It started out a category 5. Really high wind speeds and was a true killer, then gradually it reduced, got weaker and weaker, until it came on shore as roughly a category 1.

We take for granted we can track a storm, follow its every move. But in earlier years, earlier in this decade, for instance the Okeechobee hurricane back in 1928, they didn't have a way of tracking that storm, knowing where it was going or what it would do. It caused an incredible surge from Lake Okeechobee in Florida, a six to nine foot surge that inundated the entire area. And in Florida alone, 1,836 people died.

Take, for example, another deadly hurricane, category 5, that hit in 1935. That was a Florida Keys hurricane. That storm, obviously people did not know it was coming, did not know how large it was at that point. The technology didn't exist. And that storm, 408 people died.

Let's jump up to more recent times. Say 1969, Hurricane Camille. The most deadly category 5 to hit the U.S. in recent memory. We did have some storm tracking technology but nothing compared to what we have today. That storm in Mississippi left about 140 people dead. It roared north into Virginia, West Virginia, a lot of rain and huge flooding. Over 100 people died in the state of Virginia. I think that's something important to keep in mind.

Another technological influence here is obviously electricity. Despite all the warning that we got for this storm, we have these outages all up and down the United States. So here in Maryland, a record number of power outages. Some 1.27 million people in the state of Maryland alone without power after the storm roared through.

It's really the second example in less than two months of how reliant the country is on electricity. The big blackout of course that occurred back in August. How vulnerable we are and really how few backup systems we have. How few options we have when the power goes out.

We spoke earlier today with the mayor of Baltimore. He said he believed they were ready here. He believed they knew what was coming. But here in Baltimore, they believe that the storm, even with the storm surge, that it would stop at the seawall here. But it just kept on coming.

It was a little bit of a freak of nature in that it came in just as high tide was wrapping up. And so while they thought they might get a few feet of water in the streets here, it topped seven feet above normal. So you had the water just flooding into the basements of businesses, homes, and there really wasn't much anyone could do about it.

The power companies tried to prepare. They brought in thousands and thousands of workers, both in Maryland and Virginia. And also North Carolina. Power workers from other states. They knew they were going to get hammered. But even all those workers, it's not going to be enough to bring the power on any time soon.

Another interesting phenomenon, the reason some of these outages are so severe was the really heavy rain that we have had all through the spring in this area. The really heavy snow too that this area was pummelled with. So you had very, very rain-soaked ground.

Down in Virginia Beach where I was recording earlier in the week, there were 28 inches ahead of normal rainfall. So the mayor was describing the vegetation on the trees as being tropical. So the trees in this area, also in Maryland, very heavy with leaves, making them very top-heavy. So the confluence of events led to the trees toppling on the lines, the massive power outage. But again, because we were able to track it well with technology, at this point loss of life, only 29. Those though 29, very tragic -- Carol. LIN: Yes, indeed. Thanks so much, Kathleen Koch reporting live in Baltimore.

On to Virginia. The state reporting the greatest loss of life with at least 16 deaths blamed on the storm. Virginia is also dealing with the largest power outage. More than 1 million people are without electricity there. We go live to Poquoson, Virginia. CNN's Chris Osbourne is there with the latest. Chris how are people cleaning up?

CHRIS OSBOURNE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello to you. There's been a lot of cleanup certainly a lot of progress, but a lot of people particularly in this area of Poquoson, which is right on the water in Southeastern Virginia, a lot of people just have a long way to go. A lot of them have their homes essentially destroyed.

Now on that point, today is very much a day of damage assessment. Not long ago, in part to inspire and console those suffering the aftermath of Isabel, a number of officials were here to help out. They had a press conference. It included Homeland Security Defense Secretary Tom Ridge, Virginia governor Mark Warner and four members of Congress.

A number things were discussed Carol, including now, 16 additional counties will be added to the 31 counties currently eligible for federal aid. Governor Warner also talked about how there has been some health concerns. He talked specifically about carbon monoxide poisoning in some generators in the basement of some homes. He also talked about the power outage, Carol, which you referred to earlier. That number is down to 1.2 million. So, still a lot number of people without power. For more on this, we're joined by Charlie Burgess. He is the city manager here in Poquoson. Thank you for your time. How are things going? You heard the increase conference as well. Some progress, but still a long way to go.

CHARLIE BURGESS, POQUOSON CITY MANAGER: Certainly. We are making great strides every day. I'm just amazed at the efforts that are coming through and the debris cleanup at least that's taken place. We're still looking for resources to come into the community, such as food, water, and ice in particular.

OSBOURNE: Now what about that? Governor Warner talked about this as the largest power outage in Commonwealth history. The sun is shining, it seems otherwise pretty calm, yet the enormity of this is sinking in.

BURGESS: That's very true. Each night we hope and pray we'll have some power on in our homes and have that restored. As well as just basic LAN line phone communications. I think everyone feels very cut off, particularly when the sun goes down.

OSBOURNE: Now, about the restoration of power. Governor Warner saying it's a matter of days. What are people going through in terms of not having power, not having access to clean water?

BURGESS: Well, particularly with the power, of course, your refrigeration of any of the food products that you had, perishable foods in the home. We're trying to actively get out there in the community and spread the word that we're collecting, we have collection points to collect perishable food items here in the city.

The idea being that the only -- only bad things can happen if you leave those in your home, as far as bacteria and potential disease.

OSBOURNE: Well, and about that very concern, some state environmental officials talk about being mindful of floating debris, overflow if you will into reservoirs. Basic safety concerns that relate to flooding.

BURGESS: Exactly right. Many, many properties were flooded out. As most garages have different pesticides, small quantities of flammable liquides, even behind us we have an oil drum that's floated up from a house.

Many of these things could end up on other people's properties or back into the tributaries. It's just going to be a continuing environmental concern for us.

OSBOURNE: About those continuing concerns, Secretary Ridge talked about how several hundred additional federal employees, federal emergency workers, are on the way down to the region to set up disaster relief centers. Still a lot of work ahead.

BURGESS: Yes, we're very encouraged by the promises of the presence of the federal relief crews and such. Really look forward to the establishment of those centers to provide the needed basic necessities to the community. We're not looking for a lot of grandiose things. But just the basic needs, human needs, that's what we're looking for.

OSBOURNE: Thank you very much Charlie Burgess, the city manager here in Poquoson.

So, there you have it Carol, a lot of concern, some optimism. Some people literally crying in the streets. Others crying to add levity, sharing a drink or two, just trying to find a way to get through it. Back to you.

LIN: Ah, the human spirit. Thank you very much, Kris Osbourne reporting right there.

All right, well remnants of Hurricane Isabel are still being held. Our meteorologist Orelon Sidney has been tracking Isabel for several days. Are the Canadians going to get a taste of Isabel?

ORELON SIDNEY, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, the thing is, it's merged now with an area of low pressure that I'll show you in a moment. It's going to be the remnants of Isabel but try to find it in there, It's going to be tough. Actually they're probably going to get some rain and snow up around the James Bay.

The thing about Isabel, not only did it come in at just the right angle, at just the wrong time -- I guess you can say the wrong angle at the wrong time for the Chesapeake Bay area and for the Potomac River Basin, but it dropped lots of rainfall. So, you've got storm surge flooding. You've got flooding from the rains itself just locally in the area. And in addition to that, you've got flooding from rain upstream.

Of course now the storm surge is going to be pretty quick to recede going back out after a couple of tide cycles. But, you add in the local rainfalls, and then you not only worry about that, but there was rain that fell upstream in the mountains.

Look at some of these totals now. Big Meadows, Virginia, almost a foot of rain. Devil's Knob, came in at just about almost 11. Down at Annapolis the picked up almost 2.5 inches. And it did rain of course, also on the mountain areas. As you go back to the north and west.

After the rain cleared here, the flow has to come down out of the mountains. And that's what we're looking at over the next couple of days. Some of the rivers have already crested. The upper portion of the Shanandoah has already crested. Parts of the Potomac have crested. But as more rain continues to work south into the Chesapeake Bay, it's going to be at least mid-week before we start to get things to clear out.

There is excellent news though. Cold front moving through now. High pressure coming in. That's going to mean offshore flow. That's going to help push the water back to sea. It's also going to mean several days of dry weather.

This storm system coming in from the west will be the next one to affect the area. You won't see rain until Tuesday and even then it's probably going to be widely scattered and very quick.

LIN: All right, thank you very much, Orelon. A relief from what we've seen the last several days.

Coming up, we'll talk to a man who's been warning for years about the dangers of building homes on the beach. He says the homeowners are not the only ones in danger.

And later in the show, the Galileo Spacecraft is headed for a fiery end tomorrow after 14 years in space. We're goint to show you some of its accomplishments.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: Checking on some of the stories making news on our beat this week. An earthquake shook Tokyo today causing some minor injuries. The quake was centered more than 500 miles away in a remote group of islands in the Pacific. Japan's Meteorological Agency measured it at 5.5. The U.S. Geological Survey readings put it at 4.7. Tokyo's troubles aren't over yet either, it is in the path of a typhoon expected to hit on Monday.

Authorities in San Diego say fires that destroyed four homes under construction Friday were a coordinated arson attack. Banners found at the scene indicate the fires may be the work of radical environmentalists. The Earth Liberation Front Web site described the fires as an E.L.F. action against urban sprawl, although the site said it had not heard directly from those responsible.

The E.L.F. has claimed responsibility for other acts of arson and vandalism, including a fire last month that destroyed a San Diego condo complex under construction.

The Energy Department says the cleanup of the Hanford Nuclear Plant is ahead of schedule. And 29 of the most dangerous underground tanks are almost completely free of radioactive waste. But workers at the plant say the quick cleanup is compromising safety. The workers say there has been a dramatic increase in exposure-related injuries since the accelerated cleanup started.

The Energy Department says it's just that more exposure events have been reported lately because of new rules about which incidents require medical attention.

President Bush is trying to push through Congress controversial air pollution regulations called the Clear Skies Initiative. White House correspondent John King has that story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The president calls it the Clear Skies Initiative. Makes it sound anything but controversial.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We'll have more affordable energy, more jobs, and cleaner skies.

KING: And in case you missed the jobs argument...

BUSH: One way to make sure the job supply is steady and growing in the long-term, is to have a realistic energy policy coupled with realistic environmental policy.

KING: The president says his initiative would cut air pollution from power plants by 70 percent over the next 15 years. Dramatically reducing emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and mercury. But major environmental groups say the cuts in pollution and dangerous emissions would be more dramatic under existing law and say the administration initiative does nothing to reduce carbon dioxide emissions they blame for global warming.

NARRATOR: We know how to stop them but the government won't. They're dirty power plants.

KING: The president's focus on environmental initiatives is in part to push Congress to act, and in part to raise his profile on what Democrats consider a major Bush weakness.

Bush's higher profile is stirring up critics who say this White House is too cozy with industry groups in drafting its energy policy and is putting the environment at risk by easing pollution standards on power plants and proposing exploration at the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and other sensitive areas.

ERIC SCHAEFFER, ENVIRO. INTEGRITY PROJECT: This administration is operating as an agency of the energy industry to try to change the laws we were trying to enforce.

KING (on camera): The president's focus on what he calls the necessary balance between the environment and the economy is no accident. Officials here have little hope of winning over what they call the liberal leaning major environmental groups. But they do believe the jobs argument has added sway because of the struggling manufacturing economy. John King, CNN, the White House.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: and now we've got breaking news coming out of the Pentagon. Chris Plante is standing by there -- Chris.

CHRIS PLANTE, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: All right Carol. That's right, we've just learned that U.S. army captain named James Yee was taken into military custody about ten days ago on September 10. Captain Yee is a Muslim chaplain who had been assigned to the Guantanamo Bay facility where many members of al Qaeda are being detained and have been since the Afghan war there.

As a Muslim cleric he was working with detainees on a daily basis. Captain Yee was arrested, as I said, September 10 as he was returning from Guantanamo Bay, taken into custody at the Naval Air Station at Jacksonville, Florida as he was returning from Guantanamo Bay.

He's now being held at the Navy brig in Charleston, South Carolina. Officials tell CNN he had in his possession documents, including diagrams of the facility there, showing where specific detainees were being held. He also had lists of interrogators that were involved in interrogating the detainees there.

The captain left the army as a 1990 graduate of West Point, and he left the army some time later and went and studied Islam in Syria for four years before returning to the army. During that time away from the army, he converted to Islam, became a Muslim cleric. Now in U.S. custody on suspicion of espionage and possibly treason -- Carol.

LIN: Chris, does the military have any sort of screening process or criteria for people who have done similar things, such as leave the military to study Islamic law and come back?

PLANTE: Well, I'm not sure what background check might have been conducted when he returned to the army. But certainly as a 1990 graduate of West Point he would have been in good standing. He did study abroad in Syria. He married a woman over there, we believe a Syrian woman. Certainly a woman of Middle Eastern descent. As for the background check, I'm not entirely sure. But again, West Point goes a long way in the army.

LIN: Chris, any indication as to who he might have been giving this information to? PLANTE: Well, there is no clear indication at this point. And in fact, officials wanted to caution that no specific charges have been filed at this point. This is an ongoing investigation. But there were indications before his arrest, I am told, at the Naval Air Station at Jacksonville, that he had some contact with radical Muslims or radical Muslim groups that were already under investigation inside the United States. That was the first tip-off that led investigators to start looking at him.

And of course, when they found these documents that, as one official said, a Muslim chaplain had no business having, they took him into custody. They didn't announce his arrest. It kind of came out against the army's wishes today. We're still learning details as we go along -- Carol.

LIN: Thank you very much, Chris Plante with that information out of the Pentagon. We'll be following this story very closely throughout the day.

Now when we come back, still thinking about buying a vacation house at the beach? Well, if scenes of flooding and damage haven't changed your mind, our next guest might.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: Hurricane Isabel destroyed or damaged hundreds of coastal homes, and cut a new inlet straight through North Carolina's Hatteras Island. Our next guest says that kind of damage is exactly what you should expect if you insist on building at the water's edge. He is Orrin Pilkey, a coastal geologist at Duke University, and a long-time critic of beachfront development. Orin thank you for being with us today.

All right. So many homes have been damaged or destroyed. Do you think these people should are allowed to rebuild?

ORRIN PILKEY, DUKE UNIVERSITY: I think it makes sense they not be allowed to rebuild. In the past what we've seen, these hurricanes such as Hugo and Fran in the past on our coast, have actually been an urban renewal project and actually increases the density of buildings along the shoreline, which is kind of a form of societal madness.

More and more buildings, more and more people, greater density of buildings. And I think at a time of rising sea level and eroding shorelines that it's time to take a fresh look at what we do after a storm comes by.

LIN: Orrin, societal madness, that's a strong statement to make. These people buy property. If they want to spend the money to rebuild in an area clearly that has been touched by hurricanes before, isn't that their right?

PILKEY: Well, maybe they have a right to build there. And maybe we can look at it that way. But they shouldn't be calling on us. These people are very, very expensive. We're nourishing the beaches at $1 million per mile, having to repair the roads, repair the infrastructure again and again and again.

What they do along the shoreline here is they often damage the quality of the beach that we all want to go and enjoy. So it's not just a simple matter of property rights. We have to look at the bigger picture here, I think.

LIN: So, what would you do, then, here on out? Should these people be allowed to rebuild? And if they don't get to rebuild, what do you do with the existing houses?

PILKEY: Well, I think we can let them peel away as time comes. This is my view, at least. If I was king of North and South Carolina, I would simply let these buildings fall in as their time comes but not protect them with beach nourishment or sea walls or anything like that.

LIN: Now, beach nourishment, that's the regeneration of the sand? They bring more sand in?

PILKEY: That's correct. Bringing new sand in, usually from the continental shelf to replace the beach. But we wouldn't have to replace the beach if it wasn't for those buildings. And we have to look at the bigger picture in a context of a rising sea level, and ever-increasing rates of shoreline erosion.

LING: But, Orrin, if you're not going to allow people to rebuild, then it's sort of -- you're paying someone. In other words, someone's going to have to buy up that property from these people.

PILKEY: That's one approach. We could buy the property. A study of the Outer Banks of North Carolina showed that buying property would be cheaper than a proposed -- than nourishing the beach. Especially if you look at it in the long-term. So, that's quite feasible. Why not buy the property? A lot cheaper than what we're doing now.

LIN: All right, that price tag would be, what? In the millions?

PILKEY: Oh, yes. In the millions. It would take $400 million to buy all the property in front of the 14 miles of the Outer Banks they're looking at nourishing. But it would take $1.6 billion over 50 years to keep that beach in place.

LIN: We'll see what happens. Orrin Pilkey, the debate continues. But, certainly the recovery from Hurricane Isabel is going to take quite some time. Thank you very much for joining us today.

PILKEY: My pleasure.

LIN: Well, coming up next half hour, the Galileo spacecraft has about 24 hours to go before it plunges to its death in Jupiter's atmosphere. We'll look at its long and successful mission and how it's going to end.

Also, the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea is a hostile place for people from both sides. Find out why it's friendly to wildlife.

Those stories and a lot more still to come. First a quick break and then we'll check the latest headlines.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: "Next@CNN" continues in just a minute after a check of what is going on at this hour. Officials, along North Carolina's outer banks, say the preliminary damage toll along the coastal line from hurricane Isabel tops half a billion dollars. The death toll from the storm now stands at 29. Officials in Maryland and Virginia say at least four of those deaths were from asphyxiation, when gasoline generators were used indoors.

In Iraq, gunmen opened fire today on a convoy carrying politician Akila Al-Hashimi, wounding her and three other people. One of the three female members of the Iraqi governing council, Hashimi is said to be in critical condition at a hospital.

An Islamic chaplain in the U.S. Army who served at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba has been arrested and is being investigated on suspicion of espionage and possibly treason. Army Captain James Yee was taken into custody by U.S. military authorities September 10th, while in possession of classified documents. Those documents included, quote, "diagrams of the cells and the facilities at Guantanamo Bay" where about 600 al Qaeda and other enemy combatants are being held by the military.

In Miami, the suspect sought in a series of rapes is in police custody. An officer on patrol spotted a man who matched a police sketch, last night. Miami officials say DNA from the man matches that taken from one of the victims.

More top stories at the top of the hour, but now, back to "Next@CNN."

Well, a couple of generations of rocket scientists and engineers will gather at California's Jet Propulsion Laboratory tomorrow for a sad farewell. After 14 years and a stellar career, the spacecraft Galileo is headed for a death dive into Jupiter in about 24 hours. Space correspondent Miles O'Brien has a look at this feisty flier.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): for the plucky persistent space probe Galileo, it will be a well-earned blaze of glory. With its gas tank on "E" and sensors failing, the diehard explorer will dive into the planet it orbited 34 times. Jupiter will quickly vaporize the little spacecraft that spent years unlocking so many of its secrets.

CLAUDIA ALEXANDER, GALILEO PROJECT MANAGER: I will be crying. OK? I will be crying, because I'm sentimental. Don't tell anyone that I said that.

O'BRIEN: It's our little secret, Claudia. And, along with Kleenex(r), Galileo's ground-locked guardians are also pulling out the family albums with a healthy dose of parental pride.

ALEXANDER: It's almost like having a troubled child that ends up graduating from law school, OK? You're so happy that it had these -- that it was able to overcome the difficulties and do a fabulous return.

O'BRIEN: Check out this family portrait. A montage of Jupiter and its four largest moons, the ones first discovered by Galileo, the renaissance astronomer. The moons turned out to be cooler than Galileo or anyone else imagined. Io with its gargantuan volcanic eruptions, 100 times greater than anything found on earth, and beneath the craters and ice sheets of Ganymede, Callisto, and most notably, Europa, strong evidence of liquid saltwater oceans.

ED WEILER, NASA: On the earth, where there's water, there's life. And, when you find liquid water outside of the earth's environment, you have to ask the question, could there be? Is it possible?

O'BRIEN: The Galileo team made a lot of things possible in spite of some serious problems.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We have ignition and liftoff of Atlantis and the Galileo spacecraft bound for Jupiter.

O'BRIEN: Launched aboard Atlantis in '89, the $1.5 billion project was hampered by the Challenger explosion in '86. Delayed and then denied a more powerful buster rocket, for shuttle safety sake, mission managers had to abandon a beeline to Jupiter in favor of a solar system slingshot around Venus. Along the way, Galileo took pictures of lightning on Venus, on two asteroids -- one named Ida that had its own moon, us here on Earth, can you see me waving? And the Shoemaker-Levy comet as it augured into Jupiter in '94.

WEILER: Galileo was the only spacecraft that was there that could actually see the impacts. It saw the chunks of the comet as they entered the atmosphere on the night side.

O'BRIEN (on camera): But, it's amazing Galileo sent back anything at all. The antenna that was supposed to transmit all the pictures never unfurled. The backup was measly, to say the least, able to send only a trickle, like drinking an ocean through a straw. But the computer whizzes, at NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab, reprogrammed Galileo on the fly and thus squeezed ten pounds of data into a one ounce bag.

ALEXANDER: We had to make choices. We had to make, sort of -- you know, mind-bending scientific tradeoffs. But, we also learned to fold our science together in such a way that we really maximized how much we got. It was amazing how much you could fit in.

O'BRIEN: When Galileo first knocked on Jupiter's door in '95, it sent down a probe, tasting the ammonia-laced atmosphere and giving scientists an inkling of what happened to the planet that nearly became a second sun. Now the mothership will do the same, sending in the science even in her final throes. NASA is incinerating Galileo, this way, to insure it does not contaminate one of the Jovian moons with any hitchhiking microbes from earth. In Pasadena, they will hold a party that will be a wake, of sorts.

ALEXANDER: you know how it is, when you're celebrating someone who has passed and you're -- you end up reminiscing and talking and sharing wonderful stories and you want to do that with other people who know what you're talking about.

O'BRIEN: Not unlike Hubble, Galileo came back, in spades, from the brink of utter failure. Perhaps our greatest triumphs arise from our worst mistakes.

Miles O'Brien, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: Tomorrow afternoon, we'll have live coverage from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, and talk with Galileo's project manager about the spacecraft's final assignment. That is tomorrow on NEXT at 5:00 p.m. Eastern.

In the meantime, when we come back, some Chinese pandas are getting new digs. We'll have details.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: Now a look at some of the stories on our beat this week. It's moving time for some pandas in the Sichuan Province of China. A new nature preserve is opening to provide a bigger and better home for some of the highly endangered animals. Eight pandas will be moving in tomorrow. Only about 1,000 Giant Pandas still survive in the wild, about 140 are in captivity. A breeding program will be priority at the new facility.

Thousands of Spaniards are saying their last goodbyes to a long- time symbol of the city. Snowflake a very rare albino gorilla is dieing of skin cancer. The animal's about 40 years old, and that is nearly 80 in human years. He's been at the zoo since 1966 and since then has fathered 22 offspring, all of them with normal coloring. Veterinarians expect Snowflake to live for a few more months.

Scientists in Northern India are trying to figure out what's killing so many vultures. A mysterious viral disease has killed nearly 90 percent of both White Back and Long Billed vultures over the past three years. Both species are now on the verge of extinction. A research center has been set up to study the sick scavengers, but so far, few clues to the sickness.

Also in India, three young tigers are the toast of the Trivandrum Zoo. The youngsters have survived the crucial first four months of their lives. The cubs are the first born at the zoo in 15 years. The zoo has also five adult tigers.

And, you wouldn't think wildlife would ever benefit from war. But, in one of the last remaining cold war battlefields, the no man's land has turned into an unlikely Eden.

Martin Savidge van reports from Korea's demilitarize the zone.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): You are watching what few civilians have ever seen -- White Chinese Cranes drifting in the evening sky over the DMZ, carried on the same gentle breeze that brings North Korean propaganda music South. The birds move freely. The music blares from a land where freedom is almost unknown. The DMZ is a land of contradictions.

It is one of the world's most dangerous places that also has become one of the world's safest havens for nature.

PROFESSOR KWI-GON KIM, SEOUL NATIONAL UNIVERSITY: I was so amazed by the nature was not -- which was not disturbed by human beings.

SAVIDGE: Professor Kwi-gon Kim was the first naturalist ever allowed into the South Korean side of the DMZ in 1996. He documented over 1,000 species of animals, plants, and insects, many of which could be rarely found anywhere else. In seven years of study since, that number has grown.

KIM: Almost to the 2,800 species of animals and plants, which live in this area.

SAVIDGE (on camera): That's an amazing number.

KIM: Yes, an amazing number.

SAVIDGE (voice-over): The work hasn't been easy. He's had to overcome military bureaucracy, and avoid the DMZ's inherent dangers.

KIM: Particularly right after raining, I feel very dangerous.

SAVIDGE: Why?

KIM: Because the landmines.

SAVIDGE: But, what he sees is worth the risk. Nearly 1,000 square miles make up the DMZ and the military area around it. It is the largest swath of undeveloped land in all of South Korea. For half a century, it has been almost entirely off-limits to humans and modern intervention.

Professor Kim believes it is a treasure, not just for Korea, but the world. And in another contradiction, he fears peace could be its greatest threat. Like most South Koreans, he yearns for the day North and South are reunited.

KIM: But there is some worries. About the keeping the ecosystem as it is.

SAVIDGE: He's concerned economic pressure will force the land to change. Farms and factories could lay siege to nature. Instead, he dreams of the DMZ becoming a nature preserve dedicated to peace. A place where everyone, not just soldiers, can watch the White Chinese Cranes fly free.

Martin Savidge, CNN, in the DMZ.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: For more on the DMZ, tune in tomorrow at 6:00 p.m. Eastern for "Dangerous Divide: Korea's Demilitarized Zone." Martin Savidge spends a full hour looking at that fascinating and forbidding place, a CNN exclusive.

And, when we come back, soccer is growing in popularity, but it can cause injuries football and baseball don't. We'll show you one way to protect young soccer players.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: The 2003 Women's World Cup kicks off today. The first match pits Norway against France in Philadelphia. The U.S. team that won the World Cup in dramatic fashion four years ago is again favored this time around. Daniel Sieberg joins now, to tell us more about the women's team and a new fashion statement they will be making, this year.

Daniel, I've been gone for a while, but I didn't know fashion was part of your beat.

DANIEL SIEBERG, CNN TECHNOLOGY CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Carol, you may not have known that, but there's some fashion in technology.

And, the U.S. women are the reigning World Cup champions and are ready to take the world head on, literally. FIFA soccer's governing body, recently approved a soccer helmet for use during sanctioned matches, made by Full90, it's really more like headgear, which you can see here, I'm just showing you an example of it, right now. And, pro- soccer star Allie Sullivan uses the new equipment. She joins us now, from San Diego to talk about it.

Allie, thanks for joining us.

ALLIE SULLIVAN, PRO SOCCER PLAYER: Hi, thanks for having me on.

SIEBERG: First of all, I know you're recovering from injury. People may not realize that soccer has a lot of injuries inherent with it and head injuries are definitely a part of the game. What made you decide to wear this Full90 headgear?

SULLIVAN: You know, there was a girl on my team, Jamie Pagliarulo, and she's a goalkeeper, and -- you know, goalies, as you know, are so physical, and always going into crazy situations, and she was wearing it, and couple of other girls on our team started thinking -- hey, that's a good idea -- you know, we go up against those crazy goalies that are coming out at us. And, you know, I started hearing from them that it gave them more confidence -- you know, going up for headers not thinking they're going to be -- you know, knock off the ball. And, of course, as a professional athlete, I want to stay in the game and keep my job. So, you know, and once I started wearing it, it was comfortable and I kind of forgot I was -- had it on.

SIEBERG: And, we should say your injury is not a head injury?

SULLIVAN: No.

SIEBERG: It's a leg injury -- we should point that out. But, how common do you think these head injuries are in a game like soccer? It could be, as you say, impacting another player, even hitting a goalpost, or just from heading the ball repeatedly?

SULLIVAN: Well, you know, in soccer your head is so important, not only to think about what you're doing out there, but also to pass the ball, to score, to defend. It's a key asset, and -- you know a lot of -- I coach, and I know a lot of my girls don't like to head the ball, and don't like the practice, because it doesn't feel good and it's scary, going up and hitting heads. So, you know, I think it's extremely important for athletes to have something that's going to protect them, and we wear shin guards when we go out there, and nothing around our head that's going to kind of protect us from those crazy situations.

SIEBERG: Well, we should point out that some medical research that looked at a similar type of product like the Full90 headgear, found that it didn't do a whole lot. Because it wasn't all that thick -- and I have an example of it again, here -- but, it -- because it's not all that thick, it's actually doing that much. Now, this was a separate product. But do you find that it's actually making a difference when you're out on the field?

SULLIVAN: You know, personally, I know it does, because I've been hit right on it and kind of get up and say, "Oh, I feel fine" -- you know, and in my -- on my WUSA team, there was a girl that missed a few games because of repetitive concussions and I think there are so many concussions that we don't really know happen -- you know? A kid comes off the field just with a headache, or feels hot, or dizzy and maybe they think they're just tired. But, then they happen over and over again and -- you know the owner of the company, he developed this because he has a daughter that had so many concussions at age 16, she couldn't play anymore. So, I think there are a lot of the concussions we probably just don't know about.

SIEBERG: Now, you talked about kids wearing it, as well as the professionals. I happen to coach soccer, as well. I know that kids can be a little harsh, sometimes when it comes to maybe teasing, wearing something a little bit different. How do you think this can be adopted at a young age and also by professionals to make it more a part of the game?

SULLIVAN: You know, I think the fact that there are professionals wearing it. In the World Cup, you'll see that the Canadian national team's wearing it, the U.S. national teams, Japan, Brazil. The fact that we're discussing things with MLS, a lot of different male players are wearing it. That is really -- you know, kids look up to them. And also, there are so many out there. You look at major tournaments and we have a lot of really great teams that are wearing it and loving it. And, it's kind of something that is a little tough at first to get used to, but then once you wear it, it's hard to take off and head without in it, and -- you know, you kind of feel bare without it.

SIEBERG: Allie, just a seconds left. The news this week, the WUSA folded. You were with the San Diego Spirit. Just a few seconds -- what's next for you?

SULLIVAN: Ah, you know, I'm still looking for different jobs. But -- is there any openings at CNN?

SIEBERG: We'll look into that, maybe a soccer correspondent.

SULLIVAN: Yeah, we're hoping that something comes back, and I'm sure it will eventually.

SIEBERG: All right, well Allie Sullivan, pro soccer player, thanks so much for joining us to talk about this technology.

And, Carol, all eyes will be on the U.S. team as they go into the World Cup. They're playing Sweden, tomorrow. So, it will be their first challenge and it should be quite a challenge for them.

LIN: You bet. A whole new meaning to keep your hats on, folks.

SIEBERG: Right.

LIN: All right, thanks so much, Daniel.

And, that's all the time we have for today. But, NEXT will be back tomorrow at 5:00 p.m. Eastern. Write that down. Among the stories we'll be covering: It's been decades since a new nuclear power plant was built in the United States. Is that about to change? That story and more coming up tomorrow. Hope you'll be watching. And, thanks for watching and joining us, today.

Ahead on CNN, "CNN Live Saturday." Coming up at the top of the hour in the "Dollar Sign" segment we'll take your phone and e-mail questions on buying a car. That's followed by "People in the News" at 5:00 Eastern time. With a look at the cast of the Emmy winning sitcom "Friends" as it enters its final season. And, "CNN Saturday" at 6:00 Eastern with a guest who thinks it's dangerous to refer to a, quote, "war on terrorism," we'll find out why.

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Galileo To End Service By Plunging Into Jupiter; At Look At the DMZ Between North, South Korea>


Aired September 20, 2003 - 15:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Today on NEXT@CNN, at least 29 deaths, three million people still without power, and a massive cleanup amid predictions that more flooding is likely. We'll have the latest on the aftermath of Hurricane Isabel.
Also, a spacecraft that's delivered lots of scientific treasures for NASA heads for its death tomorrow with a fiery plunge into Jupiter.

And more and more American kids are playing soccer. One study says some of them may be getting minor brain injuries. We'll show you a proposal for protecting players' heads.

But first, we start with the aftermath of Isabel. Mid Atlantic states are cleaning up after the category 2 hurricane stormed ashore Thursday. It's now wheezing towards Canada as a mere tropical depression.

But the day after the winds and rain moved on, Baltimore saw some of Isabel's worst behavior. Storm surge and the neighborhood of Fells Point is reeling from it. CNN's Kathleen Koch is live in Baltimore with more on the cleanup -- Kathleen.

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, you just mentioned, I want to touch on this right now quickly, that as this storm is heading on up into Canada, I think that's something that's really important to remember as we look at Hurricane Isabel. It's really an example of how modern technology, improvements in meteorological technology, has really helped us follow these storms and saved hundreds, perhaps thousands of lives.

We watched this storm as it grew in the Atlantic. It started out a category 5. Really high wind speeds and was a true killer, then gradually it reduced, got weaker and weaker, until it came on shore as roughly a category 1.

We take for granted we can track a storm, follow its every move. But in earlier years, earlier in this decade, for instance the Okeechobee hurricane back in 1928, they didn't have a way of tracking that storm, knowing where it was going or what it would do. It caused an incredible surge from Lake Okeechobee in Florida, a six to nine foot surge that inundated the entire area. And in Florida alone, 1,836 people died.

Take, for example, another deadly hurricane, category 5, that hit in 1935. That was a Florida Keys hurricane. That storm, obviously people did not know it was coming, did not know how large it was at that point. The technology didn't exist. And that storm, 408 people died.

Let's jump up to more recent times. Say 1969, Hurricane Camille. The most deadly category 5 to hit the U.S. in recent memory. We did have some storm tracking technology but nothing compared to what we have today. That storm in Mississippi left about 140 people dead. It roared north into Virginia, West Virginia, a lot of rain and huge flooding. Over 100 people died in the state of Virginia. I think that's something important to keep in mind.

Another technological influence here is obviously electricity. Despite all the warning that we got for this storm, we have these outages all up and down the United States. So here in Maryland, a record number of power outages. Some 1.27 million people in the state of Maryland alone without power after the storm roared through.

It's really the second example in less than two months of how reliant the country is on electricity. The big blackout of course that occurred back in August. How vulnerable we are and really how few backup systems we have. How few options we have when the power goes out.

We spoke earlier today with the mayor of Baltimore. He said he believed they were ready here. He believed they knew what was coming. But here in Baltimore, they believe that the storm, even with the storm surge, that it would stop at the seawall here. But it just kept on coming.

It was a little bit of a freak of nature in that it came in just as high tide was wrapping up. And so while they thought they might get a few feet of water in the streets here, it topped seven feet above normal. So you had the water just flooding into the basements of businesses, homes, and there really wasn't much anyone could do about it.

The power companies tried to prepare. They brought in thousands and thousands of workers, both in Maryland and Virginia. And also North Carolina. Power workers from other states. They knew they were going to get hammered. But even all those workers, it's not going to be enough to bring the power on any time soon.

Another interesting phenomenon, the reason some of these outages are so severe was the really heavy rain that we have had all through the spring in this area. The really heavy snow too that this area was pummelled with. So you had very, very rain-soaked ground.

Down in Virginia Beach where I was recording earlier in the week, there were 28 inches ahead of normal rainfall. So the mayor was describing the vegetation on the trees as being tropical. So the trees in this area, also in Maryland, very heavy with leaves, making them very top-heavy. So the confluence of events led to the trees toppling on the lines, the massive power outage. But again, because we were able to track it well with technology, at this point loss of life, only 29. Those though 29, very tragic -- Carol. LIN: Yes, indeed. Thanks so much, Kathleen Koch reporting live in Baltimore.

On to Virginia. The state reporting the greatest loss of life with at least 16 deaths blamed on the storm. Virginia is also dealing with the largest power outage. More than 1 million people are without electricity there. We go live to Poquoson, Virginia. CNN's Chris Osbourne is there with the latest. Chris how are people cleaning up?

CHRIS OSBOURNE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello to you. There's been a lot of cleanup certainly a lot of progress, but a lot of people particularly in this area of Poquoson, which is right on the water in Southeastern Virginia, a lot of people just have a long way to go. A lot of them have their homes essentially destroyed.

Now on that point, today is very much a day of damage assessment. Not long ago, in part to inspire and console those suffering the aftermath of Isabel, a number of officials were here to help out. They had a press conference. It included Homeland Security Defense Secretary Tom Ridge, Virginia governor Mark Warner and four members of Congress.

A number things were discussed Carol, including now, 16 additional counties will be added to the 31 counties currently eligible for federal aid. Governor Warner also talked about how there has been some health concerns. He talked specifically about carbon monoxide poisoning in some generators in the basement of some homes. He also talked about the power outage, Carol, which you referred to earlier. That number is down to 1.2 million. So, still a lot number of people without power. For more on this, we're joined by Charlie Burgess. He is the city manager here in Poquoson. Thank you for your time. How are things going? You heard the increase conference as well. Some progress, but still a long way to go.

CHARLIE BURGESS, POQUOSON CITY MANAGER: Certainly. We are making great strides every day. I'm just amazed at the efforts that are coming through and the debris cleanup at least that's taken place. We're still looking for resources to come into the community, such as food, water, and ice in particular.

OSBOURNE: Now what about that? Governor Warner talked about this as the largest power outage in Commonwealth history. The sun is shining, it seems otherwise pretty calm, yet the enormity of this is sinking in.

BURGESS: That's very true. Each night we hope and pray we'll have some power on in our homes and have that restored. As well as just basic LAN line phone communications. I think everyone feels very cut off, particularly when the sun goes down.

OSBOURNE: Now, about the restoration of power. Governor Warner saying it's a matter of days. What are people going through in terms of not having power, not having access to clean water?

BURGESS: Well, particularly with the power, of course, your refrigeration of any of the food products that you had, perishable foods in the home. We're trying to actively get out there in the community and spread the word that we're collecting, we have collection points to collect perishable food items here in the city.

The idea being that the only -- only bad things can happen if you leave those in your home, as far as bacteria and potential disease.

OSBOURNE: Well, and about that very concern, some state environmental officials talk about being mindful of floating debris, overflow if you will into reservoirs. Basic safety concerns that relate to flooding.

BURGESS: Exactly right. Many, many properties were flooded out. As most garages have different pesticides, small quantities of flammable liquides, even behind us we have an oil drum that's floated up from a house.

Many of these things could end up on other people's properties or back into the tributaries. It's just going to be a continuing environmental concern for us.

OSBOURNE: About those continuing concerns, Secretary Ridge talked about how several hundred additional federal employees, federal emergency workers, are on the way down to the region to set up disaster relief centers. Still a lot of work ahead.

BURGESS: Yes, we're very encouraged by the promises of the presence of the federal relief crews and such. Really look forward to the establishment of those centers to provide the needed basic necessities to the community. We're not looking for a lot of grandiose things. But just the basic needs, human needs, that's what we're looking for.

OSBOURNE: Thank you very much Charlie Burgess, the city manager here in Poquoson.

So, there you have it Carol, a lot of concern, some optimism. Some people literally crying in the streets. Others crying to add levity, sharing a drink or two, just trying to find a way to get through it. Back to you.

LIN: Ah, the human spirit. Thank you very much, Kris Osbourne reporting right there.

All right, well remnants of Hurricane Isabel are still being held. Our meteorologist Orelon Sidney has been tracking Isabel for several days. Are the Canadians going to get a taste of Isabel?

ORELON SIDNEY, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, the thing is, it's merged now with an area of low pressure that I'll show you in a moment. It's going to be the remnants of Isabel but try to find it in there, It's going to be tough. Actually they're probably going to get some rain and snow up around the James Bay.

The thing about Isabel, not only did it come in at just the right angle, at just the wrong time -- I guess you can say the wrong angle at the wrong time for the Chesapeake Bay area and for the Potomac River Basin, but it dropped lots of rainfall. So, you've got storm surge flooding. You've got flooding from the rains itself just locally in the area. And in addition to that, you've got flooding from rain upstream.

Of course now the storm surge is going to be pretty quick to recede going back out after a couple of tide cycles. But, you add in the local rainfalls, and then you not only worry about that, but there was rain that fell upstream in the mountains.

Look at some of these totals now. Big Meadows, Virginia, almost a foot of rain. Devil's Knob, came in at just about almost 11. Down at Annapolis the picked up almost 2.5 inches. And it did rain of course, also on the mountain areas. As you go back to the north and west.

After the rain cleared here, the flow has to come down out of the mountains. And that's what we're looking at over the next couple of days. Some of the rivers have already crested. The upper portion of the Shanandoah has already crested. Parts of the Potomac have crested. But as more rain continues to work south into the Chesapeake Bay, it's going to be at least mid-week before we start to get things to clear out.

There is excellent news though. Cold front moving through now. High pressure coming in. That's going to mean offshore flow. That's going to help push the water back to sea. It's also going to mean several days of dry weather.

This storm system coming in from the west will be the next one to affect the area. You won't see rain until Tuesday and even then it's probably going to be widely scattered and very quick.

LIN: All right, thank you very much, Orelon. A relief from what we've seen the last several days.

Coming up, we'll talk to a man who's been warning for years about the dangers of building homes on the beach. He says the homeowners are not the only ones in danger.

And later in the show, the Galileo Spacecraft is headed for a fiery end tomorrow after 14 years in space. We're goint to show you some of its accomplishments.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: Checking on some of the stories making news on our beat this week. An earthquake shook Tokyo today causing some minor injuries. The quake was centered more than 500 miles away in a remote group of islands in the Pacific. Japan's Meteorological Agency measured it at 5.5. The U.S. Geological Survey readings put it at 4.7. Tokyo's troubles aren't over yet either, it is in the path of a typhoon expected to hit on Monday.

Authorities in San Diego say fires that destroyed four homes under construction Friday were a coordinated arson attack. Banners found at the scene indicate the fires may be the work of radical environmentalists. The Earth Liberation Front Web site described the fires as an E.L.F. action against urban sprawl, although the site said it had not heard directly from those responsible.

The E.L.F. has claimed responsibility for other acts of arson and vandalism, including a fire last month that destroyed a San Diego condo complex under construction.

The Energy Department says the cleanup of the Hanford Nuclear Plant is ahead of schedule. And 29 of the most dangerous underground tanks are almost completely free of radioactive waste. But workers at the plant say the quick cleanup is compromising safety. The workers say there has been a dramatic increase in exposure-related injuries since the accelerated cleanup started.

The Energy Department says it's just that more exposure events have been reported lately because of new rules about which incidents require medical attention.

President Bush is trying to push through Congress controversial air pollution regulations called the Clear Skies Initiative. White House correspondent John King has that story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The president calls it the Clear Skies Initiative. Makes it sound anything but controversial.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We'll have more affordable energy, more jobs, and cleaner skies.

KING: And in case you missed the jobs argument...

BUSH: One way to make sure the job supply is steady and growing in the long-term, is to have a realistic energy policy coupled with realistic environmental policy.

KING: The president says his initiative would cut air pollution from power plants by 70 percent over the next 15 years. Dramatically reducing emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and mercury. But major environmental groups say the cuts in pollution and dangerous emissions would be more dramatic under existing law and say the administration initiative does nothing to reduce carbon dioxide emissions they blame for global warming.

NARRATOR: We know how to stop them but the government won't. They're dirty power plants.

KING: The president's focus on environmental initiatives is in part to push Congress to act, and in part to raise his profile on what Democrats consider a major Bush weakness.

Bush's higher profile is stirring up critics who say this White House is too cozy with industry groups in drafting its energy policy and is putting the environment at risk by easing pollution standards on power plants and proposing exploration at the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and other sensitive areas.

ERIC SCHAEFFER, ENVIRO. INTEGRITY PROJECT: This administration is operating as an agency of the energy industry to try to change the laws we were trying to enforce.

KING (on camera): The president's focus on what he calls the necessary balance between the environment and the economy is no accident. Officials here have little hope of winning over what they call the liberal leaning major environmental groups. But they do believe the jobs argument has added sway because of the struggling manufacturing economy. John King, CNN, the White House.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: and now we've got breaking news coming out of the Pentagon. Chris Plante is standing by there -- Chris.

CHRIS PLANTE, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: All right Carol. That's right, we've just learned that U.S. army captain named James Yee was taken into military custody about ten days ago on September 10. Captain Yee is a Muslim chaplain who had been assigned to the Guantanamo Bay facility where many members of al Qaeda are being detained and have been since the Afghan war there.

As a Muslim cleric he was working with detainees on a daily basis. Captain Yee was arrested, as I said, September 10 as he was returning from Guantanamo Bay, taken into custody at the Naval Air Station at Jacksonville, Florida as he was returning from Guantanamo Bay.

He's now being held at the Navy brig in Charleston, South Carolina. Officials tell CNN he had in his possession documents, including diagrams of the facility there, showing where specific detainees were being held. He also had lists of interrogators that were involved in interrogating the detainees there.

The captain left the army as a 1990 graduate of West Point, and he left the army some time later and went and studied Islam in Syria for four years before returning to the army. During that time away from the army, he converted to Islam, became a Muslim cleric. Now in U.S. custody on suspicion of espionage and possibly treason -- Carol.

LIN: Chris, does the military have any sort of screening process or criteria for people who have done similar things, such as leave the military to study Islamic law and come back?

PLANTE: Well, I'm not sure what background check might have been conducted when he returned to the army. But certainly as a 1990 graduate of West Point he would have been in good standing. He did study abroad in Syria. He married a woman over there, we believe a Syrian woman. Certainly a woman of Middle Eastern descent. As for the background check, I'm not entirely sure. But again, West Point goes a long way in the army.

LIN: Chris, any indication as to who he might have been giving this information to? PLANTE: Well, there is no clear indication at this point. And in fact, officials wanted to caution that no specific charges have been filed at this point. This is an ongoing investigation. But there were indications before his arrest, I am told, at the Naval Air Station at Jacksonville, that he had some contact with radical Muslims or radical Muslim groups that were already under investigation inside the United States. That was the first tip-off that led investigators to start looking at him.

And of course, when they found these documents that, as one official said, a Muslim chaplain had no business having, they took him into custody. They didn't announce his arrest. It kind of came out against the army's wishes today. We're still learning details as we go along -- Carol.

LIN: Thank you very much, Chris Plante with that information out of the Pentagon. We'll be following this story very closely throughout the day.

Now when we come back, still thinking about buying a vacation house at the beach? Well, if scenes of flooding and damage haven't changed your mind, our next guest might.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: Hurricane Isabel destroyed or damaged hundreds of coastal homes, and cut a new inlet straight through North Carolina's Hatteras Island. Our next guest says that kind of damage is exactly what you should expect if you insist on building at the water's edge. He is Orrin Pilkey, a coastal geologist at Duke University, and a long-time critic of beachfront development. Orin thank you for being with us today.

All right. So many homes have been damaged or destroyed. Do you think these people should are allowed to rebuild?

ORRIN PILKEY, DUKE UNIVERSITY: I think it makes sense they not be allowed to rebuild. In the past what we've seen, these hurricanes such as Hugo and Fran in the past on our coast, have actually been an urban renewal project and actually increases the density of buildings along the shoreline, which is kind of a form of societal madness.

More and more buildings, more and more people, greater density of buildings. And I think at a time of rising sea level and eroding shorelines that it's time to take a fresh look at what we do after a storm comes by.

LIN: Orrin, societal madness, that's a strong statement to make. These people buy property. If they want to spend the money to rebuild in an area clearly that has been touched by hurricanes before, isn't that their right?

PILKEY: Well, maybe they have a right to build there. And maybe we can look at it that way. But they shouldn't be calling on us. These people are very, very expensive. We're nourishing the beaches at $1 million per mile, having to repair the roads, repair the infrastructure again and again and again.

What they do along the shoreline here is they often damage the quality of the beach that we all want to go and enjoy. So it's not just a simple matter of property rights. We have to look at the bigger picture here, I think.

LIN: So, what would you do, then, here on out? Should these people be allowed to rebuild? And if they don't get to rebuild, what do you do with the existing houses?

PILKEY: Well, I think we can let them peel away as time comes. This is my view, at least. If I was king of North and South Carolina, I would simply let these buildings fall in as their time comes but not protect them with beach nourishment or sea walls or anything like that.

LIN: Now, beach nourishment, that's the regeneration of the sand? They bring more sand in?

PILKEY: That's correct. Bringing new sand in, usually from the continental shelf to replace the beach. But we wouldn't have to replace the beach if it wasn't for those buildings. And we have to look at the bigger picture in a context of a rising sea level, and ever-increasing rates of shoreline erosion.

LING: But, Orrin, if you're not going to allow people to rebuild, then it's sort of -- you're paying someone. In other words, someone's going to have to buy up that property from these people.

PILKEY: That's one approach. We could buy the property. A study of the Outer Banks of North Carolina showed that buying property would be cheaper than a proposed -- than nourishing the beach. Especially if you look at it in the long-term. So, that's quite feasible. Why not buy the property? A lot cheaper than what we're doing now.

LIN: All right, that price tag would be, what? In the millions?

PILKEY: Oh, yes. In the millions. It would take $400 million to buy all the property in front of the 14 miles of the Outer Banks they're looking at nourishing. But it would take $1.6 billion over 50 years to keep that beach in place.

LIN: We'll see what happens. Orrin Pilkey, the debate continues. But, certainly the recovery from Hurricane Isabel is going to take quite some time. Thank you very much for joining us today.

PILKEY: My pleasure.

LIN: Well, coming up next half hour, the Galileo spacecraft has about 24 hours to go before it plunges to its death in Jupiter's atmosphere. We'll look at its long and successful mission and how it's going to end.

Also, the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea is a hostile place for people from both sides. Find out why it's friendly to wildlife.

Those stories and a lot more still to come. First a quick break and then we'll check the latest headlines.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: "Next@CNN" continues in just a minute after a check of what is going on at this hour. Officials, along North Carolina's outer banks, say the preliminary damage toll along the coastal line from hurricane Isabel tops half a billion dollars. The death toll from the storm now stands at 29. Officials in Maryland and Virginia say at least four of those deaths were from asphyxiation, when gasoline generators were used indoors.

In Iraq, gunmen opened fire today on a convoy carrying politician Akila Al-Hashimi, wounding her and three other people. One of the three female members of the Iraqi governing council, Hashimi is said to be in critical condition at a hospital.

An Islamic chaplain in the U.S. Army who served at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba has been arrested and is being investigated on suspicion of espionage and possibly treason. Army Captain James Yee was taken into custody by U.S. military authorities September 10th, while in possession of classified documents. Those documents included, quote, "diagrams of the cells and the facilities at Guantanamo Bay" where about 600 al Qaeda and other enemy combatants are being held by the military.

In Miami, the suspect sought in a series of rapes is in police custody. An officer on patrol spotted a man who matched a police sketch, last night. Miami officials say DNA from the man matches that taken from one of the victims.

More top stories at the top of the hour, but now, back to "Next@CNN."

Well, a couple of generations of rocket scientists and engineers will gather at California's Jet Propulsion Laboratory tomorrow for a sad farewell. After 14 years and a stellar career, the spacecraft Galileo is headed for a death dive into Jupiter in about 24 hours. Space correspondent Miles O'Brien has a look at this feisty flier.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): for the plucky persistent space probe Galileo, it will be a well-earned blaze of glory. With its gas tank on "E" and sensors failing, the diehard explorer will dive into the planet it orbited 34 times. Jupiter will quickly vaporize the little spacecraft that spent years unlocking so many of its secrets.

CLAUDIA ALEXANDER, GALILEO PROJECT MANAGER: I will be crying. OK? I will be crying, because I'm sentimental. Don't tell anyone that I said that.

O'BRIEN: It's our little secret, Claudia. And, along with Kleenex(r), Galileo's ground-locked guardians are also pulling out the family albums with a healthy dose of parental pride.

ALEXANDER: It's almost like having a troubled child that ends up graduating from law school, OK? You're so happy that it had these -- that it was able to overcome the difficulties and do a fabulous return.

O'BRIEN: Check out this family portrait. A montage of Jupiter and its four largest moons, the ones first discovered by Galileo, the renaissance astronomer. The moons turned out to be cooler than Galileo or anyone else imagined. Io with its gargantuan volcanic eruptions, 100 times greater than anything found on earth, and beneath the craters and ice sheets of Ganymede, Callisto, and most notably, Europa, strong evidence of liquid saltwater oceans.

ED WEILER, NASA: On the earth, where there's water, there's life. And, when you find liquid water outside of the earth's environment, you have to ask the question, could there be? Is it possible?

O'BRIEN: The Galileo team made a lot of things possible in spite of some serious problems.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We have ignition and liftoff of Atlantis and the Galileo spacecraft bound for Jupiter.

O'BRIEN: Launched aboard Atlantis in '89, the $1.5 billion project was hampered by the Challenger explosion in '86. Delayed and then denied a more powerful buster rocket, for shuttle safety sake, mission managers had to abandon a beeline to Jupiter in favor of a solar system slingshot around Venus. Along the way, Galileo took pictures of lightning on Venus, on two asteroids -- one named Ida that had its own moon, us here on Earth, can you see me waving? And the Shoemaker-Levy comet as it augured into Jupiter in '94.

WEILER: Galileo was the only spacecraft that was there that could actually see the impacts. It saw the chunks of the comet as they entered the atmosphere on the night side.

O'BRIEN (on camera): But, it's amazing Galileo sent back anything at all. The antenna that was supposed to transmit all the pictures never unfurled. The backup was measly, to say the least, able to send only a trickle, like drinking an ocean through a straw. But the computer whizzes, at NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab, reprogrammed Galileo on the fly and thus squeezed ten pounds of data into a one ounce bag.

ALEXANDER: We had to make choices. We had to make, sort of -- you know, mind-bending scientific tradeoffs. But, we also learned to fold our science together in such a way that we really maximized how much we got. It was amazing how much you could fit in.

O'BRIEN: When Galileo first knocked on Jupiter's door in '95, it sent down a probe, tasting the ammonia-laced atmosphere and giving scientists an inkling of what happened to the planet that nearly became a second sun. Now the mothership will do the same, sending in the science even in her final throes. NASA is incinerating Galileo, this way, to insure it does not contaminate one of the Jovian moons with any hitchhiking microbes from earth. In Pasadena, they will hold a party that will be a wake, of sorts.

ALEXANDER: you know how it is, when you're celebrating someone who has passed and you're -- you end up reminiscing and talking and sharing wonderful stories and you want to do that with other people who know what you're talking about.

O'BRIEN: Not unlike Hubble, Galileo came back, in spades, from the brink of utter failure. Perhaps our greatest triumphs arise from our worst mistakes.

Miles O'Brien, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: Tomorrow afternoon, we'll have live coverage from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, and talk with Galileo's project manager about the spacecraft's final assignment. That is tomorrow on NEXT at 5:00 p.m. Eastern.

In the meantime, when we come back, some Chinese pandas are getting new digs. We'll have details.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: Now a look at some of the stories on our beat this week. It's moving time for some pandas in the Sichuan Province of China. A new nature preserve is opening to provide a bigger and better home for some of the highly endangered animals. Eight pandas will be moving in tomorrow. Only about 1,000 Giant Pandas still survive in the wild, about 140 are in captivity. A breeding program will be priority at the new facility.

Thousands of Spaniards are saying their last goodbyes to a long- time symbol of the city. Snowflake a very rare albino gorilla is dieing of skin cancer. The animal's about 40 years old, and that is nearly 80 in human years. He's been at the zoo since 1966 and since then has fathered 22 offspring, all of them with normal coloring. Veterinarians expect Snowflake to live for a few more months.

Scientists in Northern India are trying to figure out what's killing so many vultures. A mysterious viral disease has killed nearly 90 percent of both White Back and Long Billed vultures over the past three years. Both species are now on the verge of extinction. A research center has been set up to study the sick scavengers, but so far, few clues to the sickness.

Also in India, three young tigers are the toast of the Trivandrum Zoo. The youngsters have survived the crucial first four months of their lives. The cubs are the first born at the zoo in 15 years. The zoo has also five adult tigers.

And, you wouldn't think wildlife would ever benefit from war. But, in one of the last remaining cold war battlefields, the no man's land has turned into an unlikely Eden.

Martin Savidge van reports from Korea's demilitarize the zone.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): You are watching what few civilians have ever seen -- White Chinese Cranes drifting in the evening sky over the DMZ, carried on the same gentle breeze that brings North Korean propaganda music South. The birds move freely. The music blares from a land where freedom is almost unknown. The DMZ is a land of contradictions.

It is one of the world's most dangerous places that also has become one of the world's safest havens for nature.

PROFESSOR KWI-GON KIM, SEOUL NATIONAL UNIVERSITY: I was so amazed by the nature was not -- which was not disturbed by human beings.

SAVIDGE: Professor Kwi-gon Kim was the first naturalist ever allowed into the South Korean side of the DMZ in 1996. He documented over 1,000 species of animals, plants, and insects, many of which could be rarely found anywhere else. In seven years of study since, that number has grown.

KIM: Almost to the 2,800 species of animals and plants, which live in this area.

SAVIDGE (on camera): That's an amazing number.

KIM: Yes, an amazing number.

SAVIDGE (voice-over): The work hasn't been easy. He's had to overcome military bureaucracy, and avoid the DMZ's inherent dangers.

KIM: Particularly right after raining, I feel very dangerous.

SAVIDGE: Why?

KIM: Because the landmines.

SAVIDGE: But, what he sees is worth the risk. Nearly 1,000 square miles make up the DMZ and the military area around it. It is the largest swath of undeveloped land in all of South Korea. For half a century, it has been almost entirely off-limits to humans and modern intervention.

Professor Kim believes it is a treasure, not just for Korea, but the world. And in another contradiction, he fears peace could be its greatest threat. Like most South Koreans, he yearns for the day North and South are reunited.

KIM: But there is some worries. About the keeping the ecosystem as it is.

SAVIDGE: He's concerned economic pressure will force the land to change. Farms and factories could lay siege to nature. Instead, he dreams of the DMZ becoming a nature preserve dedicated to peace. A place where everyone, not just soldiers, can watch the White Chinese Cranes fly free.

Martin Savidge, CNN, in the DMZ.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: For more on the DMZ, tune in tomorrow at 6:00 p.m. Eastern for "Dangerous Divide: Korea's Demilitarized Zone." Martin Savidge spends a full hour looking at that fascinating and forbidding place, a CNN exclusive.

And, when we come back, soccer is growing in popularity, but it can cause injuries football and baseball don't. We'll show you one way to protect young soccer players.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: The 2003 Women's World Cup kicks off today. The first match pits Norway against France in Philadelphia. The U.S. team that won the World Cup in dramatic fashion four years ago is again favored this time around. Daniel Sieberg joins now, to tell us more about the women's team and a new fashion statement they will be making, this year.

Daniel, I've been gone for a while, but I didn't know fashion was part of your beat.

DANIEL SIEBERG, CNN TECHNOLOGY CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Carol, you may not have known that, but there's some fashion in technology.

And, the U.S. women are the reigning World Cup champions and are ready to take the world head on, literally. FIFA soccer's governing body, recently approved a soccer helmet for use during sanctioned matches, made by Full90, it's really more like headgear, which you can see here, I'm just showing you an example of it, right now. And, pro- soccer star Allie Sullivan uses the new equipment. She joins us now, from San Diego to talk about it.

Allie, thanks for joining us.

ALLIE SULLIVAN, PRO SOCCER PLAYER: Hi, thanks for having me on.

SIEBERG: First of all, I know you're recovering from injury. People may not realize that soccer has a lot of injuries inherent with it and head injuries are definitely a part of the game. What made you decide to wear this Full90 headgear?

SULLIVAN: You know, there was a girl on my team, Jamie Pagliarulo, and she's a goalkeeper, and -- you know, goalies, as you know, are so physical, and always going into crazy situations, and she was wearing it, and couple of other girls on our team started thinking -- hey, that's a good idea -- you know, we go up against those crazy goalies that are coming out at us. And, you know, I started hearing from them that it gave them more confidence -- you know, going up for headers not thinking they're going to be -- you know, knock off the ball. And, of course, as a professional athlete, I want to stay in the game and keep my job. So, you know, and once I started wearing it, it was comfortable and I kind of forgot I was -- had it on.

SIEBERG: And, we should say your injury is not a head injury?

SULLIVAN: No.

SIEBERG: It's a leg injury -- we should point that out. But, how common do you think these head injuries are in a game like soccer? It could be, as you say, impacting another player, even hitting a goalpost, or just from heading the ball repeatedly?

SULLIVAN: Well, you know, in soccer your head is so important, not only to think about what you're doing out there, but also to pass the ball, to score, to defend. It's a key asset, and -- you know a lot of -- I coach, and I know a lot of my girls don't like to head the ball, and don't like the practice, because it doesn't feel good and it's scary, going up and hitting heads. So, you know, I think it's extremely important for athletes to have something that's going to protect them, and we wear shin guards when we go out there, and nothing around our head that's going to kind of protect us from those crazy situations.

SIEBERG: Well, we should point out that some medical research that looked at a similar type of product like the Full90 headgear, found that it didn't do a whole lot. Because it wasn't all that thick -- and I have an example of it again, here -- but, it -- because it's not all that thick, it's actually doing that much. Now, this was a separate product. But do you find that it's actually making a difference when you're out on the field?

SULLIVAN: You know, personally, I know it does, because I've been hit right on it and kind of get up and say, "Oh, I feel fine" -- you know, and in my -- on my WUSA team, there was a girl that missed a few games because of repetitive concussions and I think there are so many concussions that we don't really know happen -- you know? A kid comes off the field just with a headache, or feels hot, or dizzy and maybe they think they're just tired. But, then they happen over and over again and -- you know the owner of the company, he developed this because he has a daughter that had so many concussions at age 16, she couldn't play anymore. So, I think there are a lot of the concussions we probably just don't know about.

SIEBERG: Now, you talked about kids wearing it, as well as the professionals. I happen to coach soccer, as well. I know that kids can be a little harsh, sometimes when it comes to maybe teasing, wearing something a little bit different. How do you think this can be adopted at a young age and also by professionals to make it more a part of the game?

SULLIVAN: You know, I think the fact that there are professionals wearing it. In the World Cup, you'll see that the Canadian national team's wearing it, the U.S. national teams, Japan, Brazil. The fact that we're discussing things with MLS, a lot of different male players are wearing it. That is really -- you know, kids look up to them. And also, there are so many out there. You look at major tournaments and we have a lot of really great teams that are wearing it and loving it. And, it's kind of something that is a little tough at first to get used to, but then once you wear it, it's hard to take off and head without in it, and -- you know, you kind of feel bare without it.

SIEBERG: Allie, just a seconds left. The news this week, the WUSA folded. You were with the San Diego Spirit. Just a few seconds -- what's next for you?

SULLIVAN: Ah, you know, I'm still looking for different jobs. But -- is there any openings at CNN?

SIEBERG: We'll look into that, maybe a soccer correspondent.

SULLIVAN: Yeah, we're hoping that something comes back, and I'm sure it will eventually.

SIEBERG: All right, well Allie Sullivan, pro soccer player, thanks so much for joining us to talk about this technology.

And, Carol, all eyes will be on the U.S. team as they go into the World Cup. They're playing Sweden, tomorrow. So, it will be their first challenge and it should be quite a challenge for them.

LIN: You bet. A whole new meaning to keep your hats on, folks.

SIEBERG: Right.

LIN: All right, thanks so much, Daniel.

And, that's all the time we have for today. But, NEXT will be back tomorrow at 5:00 p.m. Eastern. Write that down. Among the stories we'll be covering: It's been decades since a new nuclear power plant was built in the United States. Is that about to change? That story and more coming up tomorrow. Hope you'll be watching. And, thanks for watching and joining us, today.

Ahead on CNN, "CNN Live Saturday." Coming up at the top of the hour in the "Dollar Sign" segment we'll take your phone and e-mail questions on buying a car. That's followed by "People in the News" at 5:00 Eastern time. With a look at the cast of the Emmy winning sitcom "Friends" as it enters its final season. And, "CNN Saturday" at 6:00 Eastern with a guest who thinks it's dangerous to refer to a, quote, "war on terrorism," we'll find out why.

END

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Galileo To End Service By Plunging Into Jupiter; At Look At the DMZ Between North, South Korea>