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CNN Saturday Morning News

Tsunami Aftermath Coverage; Robert Novak's Year in Review

Aired January 01, 2005 - 09:00 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.

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning from the CNN Center. This is CNN SATURDAY MORNING. I'm Tony Harris.
RANDI KAYE, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning. I'm Randi Kaye. If you're just waking up, it is 9 a.m. on the East Coast, six a.m. on the West.

HARRIS: And the world wakes up to a new year with an overwhelming sadness, and a tremendous challenge recovering from the tsunami that struck almost a week ago.

KAYE: A steady stream of international military aircraft, including U.S. helicopters, touched down in Indonesia today. They're carrying desperately needed food, medicine and other supplies to areas most affected by last Sunday's earthquake and tsunami. We go live to hard hit Banda Aceh, Indonesia in just a few minutes.

Japan's prime minister says he's offering $500 million in grant aid for countries seriously affected by the tsunami disaster. That makes Japan the single largest contributor to the relief effort. Japan had previously pledged $30 million.

And in Argentina, police have detained the owner of a Buenos Aires night club where a fire broke out Thursday night, killing 175 mostly young people. Seven hundred others were injured. Survivors say locked doors prevented them from escaping. Investigators suspect the fire started when someone lit a flare during a rock concert.

HARRIS: Nearly a week after the tsunami disaster, stories of survival. Coming up on CNN SATURDAY MORNING: Imagine being buried for days. We'll bring you one man's amazing tale. Also, Americans in the path of destruction. He'll join us with a firsthand account. And on a lighter note, zoo director Jack Hanna is coming up Roses. He loves a parade, and he won't be disappointed today. We'll talk to him.

Our top story this hour. The numbers are nearly impossible to comprehend. But let's try to get a bit of a handle on the scope of what's happening in Southern Asia. We know now that at least 138,000 people were killed by this week's quake and following tsunamis. Donations from across the world so far stand at $1.5 billion, including the $500 million Japan just announced it will send. The United States has so far agreed to donate $350 million. That's up from the $35 million previously pledged by President Bush.

New Year's Day offers another day of uncertainty and suffering in the tsunami disaster zone. But help is arriving. These are new pictures today of U.S. military helicopters delivering the first critically needed food and medicine to hard-hit areas in Indonesia. CNN's Mike Chinoy rode along on one of those relief flights. It's a story you'll see only on CNN. He joins us now by phone from Banda Aceh, Indonesia -- Mike.

MIKE CHINOY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Tony, that's right. I went on the first U.S. helicopter flight through the most hard hit area, aiming for a town called Kudaitanam (ph). We knew it had been badly damaged. No one had gotten there. The CH-60 helicopters, three-man crew off the aircraft Abraham Lincoln touched down after a flight over 70 miles of total devastation. In Kudaitanam (ph), almost nothing but some desperate survivors. They swarmed towards the helicopters. Crew members offloaded boxes of milk and nutritional drinks. It was a scene of absolute chaos. They were frantic, desperate. We were the first people they've seen since the disaster, the fist help of any kind they've got.

There's now going to be a steady stream of American Navy choppers, making trips like this, going up and down the very remote and isolated west coast of Indonesia, where the worst damage was done. It's been totally cut off from the rest of the world. There is no way to get there by road, only by choppers, and the American choppers are well equipped for this sort of thing. The crew members saying they were really moved by what they saw, and determined to do whatever they could to play a role in trying to save lives and help people here pull themselves together -- Tony.

HARRIS: Mike, let me follow up on that, as we look at these pictures of -- of the relief effort, and that helicopter that you were on, and the dropping off of those initial packages of relief aid -- it was a bit of a chaotic scene. Were the service personnel a little concerned that the situation might get a little out of hand? There is so much desperation right now.

CHINOY: Oh, indeed. In fact, the -- the -- the serviceman who was actually offloading ...

HARRIS: Yeah.

CHINOY: ... the boxes at one point was worried that the crowd was just going just swamp the helicopter, possibly even turn it over. I jumped off too, and was just behind the cameraman there, and we were watching these incredible things.

But what's interesting, and it's been true all along in this disaster, however desperate people are, there's kind of basic decency and politeness about them, and they did kind of pulled back, and the people were not clawing and gouging at each other to get these boxes, even though they were -- they were so, so desperate. And some of them stopped to talk with me for a minute, and one of them -- they were emotional -- one of them said, Aceh has drowned, we're finished. But another was crying, and he kept saying, thank you, thank you, thank you. So this is amazing, that they've managed to maintain that level of decency in circumstances that you can't even begin to imagine.

HARRIS: That's good to hear. Mike Chinoy reporting for us. Mike, thank you. And earlier on CNN SATURDAY MORNING, we spoke with Brigadier General John Allen Jr., the Pentagon's director of East Asian and Pacific Affairs about the U.S. military aid effort in South Asia.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRIG. GEN. JOHN ALLEN JR., U.S. MILITARY CORPS: We're going to do all we can to ensure that these supplies reach these people, and we will do all we can to assist in the process of the distribution of these supplies, so they reach the right people in the right manner. But, yes, there will be desperation on the ground, but we believe that our forces are well enough trained to be able to handle that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: A new development this morning -- amid the darkness of despair, a ray of light. This man spent six days trapped amidst debris in Indonesia's Banda Aceh, before rescue workers pulled him out. And yes, he's alive. Reports say, he appears to be relatively healthy, despite some open wounds on his legs and his arms.

A group of elite rescue workers from Virginia are among the cress on their way to help tsunami survivors. The team left on a flight last night, along with some other specially trained crews from Los Angeles. They will be advising local officials on reconstruction efforts.

HARRIS: For the first time since the deadly wall of water hit many people, and many of the areas are seeing fresh food and water for the first time, even hardest hit parts of Indonesia, there are efforts to try and re-establish a normal life. Look at this: Some shopping areas in Banda Aceh are bustling with activity again, bringing in some fresh fruits, vegetable and fish. In other areas like this airstrip in Medan, Indonesia, soldiers are distributing aid, but dwindling fuel supplies making it hard to get the food out to remote areas. The United Nations Relief Agency says more than 400 tons of urgently needed supplies are on the way to people in Indonesia's Aceh province.

KAYE: In the days immediately after the disaster in Southern Asia, cnn.com opened its site to people desperately searching for information about loved ones in the tsunami zone. It paid off. Many people use CNN as a clearinghouse for information. Here now, some of their messages and the result.

"My friends Henrich and Gina Ellis went on honeymoon in Phuket. They're age 25 and 27 and from South Africa. If anybody has any information, please, please, please call or e-mail."

Now, here's the update: "The response I received from people willing to help was overwhelming. Thank you very much for the kind words and offers to help. Great news, the couple made contact on Monday and are coming back today." We like to hear those stories.

The mounting momentum of worry and woe is creating a dire situation for those in need. If you'd like to help, the organization CARE is accepting donations and can be reached via the Internet or phone, and UNICEF is accepting money through its general emergency fund.

HARRIS: While many did welcome in the New Year around the world, there were some somber celebrations. In Thailand, where the giant waves killed more than 4,800 people, there was a candlelight vigil, but the New Year was also celebrated with tourists dancing and drinking in night clubs in Phuket.

In Moscow, fireworks illuminated the Kremlin, and President Vladimir Putin said his top priority in 2005 is to improve the lives of Russian citizens. And Pope John Paul II prayed for victims in a special midnight mess earlier today.

KAYE: Now, to our "Security Watch," where we update you on the week's major developments in the war on terror. Tuesday, U.S. intelligence officials said Osama bin Laden may be using political arguments instead of threats of violence to rally Muslim opposition against the U.S., and at least have noticed a change in the last few messages bin Laden is thought to have released. Officials believe bin Laden is trying to exploit some allies' concerns with U.S. policy in the Middle East to sway moderate Muslims. The latest audio message purported to be from bin Laden came out Monday.

Wednesday, the government said it is sharing detailed information with all levels of law enforcement on al Qaeda surveillance activities inside the U.S. But a bulletin released this week says there is no sign that al Qaeda surveillance is helping to advance plans for an attack.

And clashes between some government agencies on sharing fingerprint information may be making it easier for known terrorists to enter the country. That's one of the findings in a Justice Department review released Wednesday. Among the concerns is which law enforcement agencies should have access to fingerprint records.

A Parsippany, New Jersey man has been questioned about laser beam shown on a small plane and a police helicopter. Federal agents questioned the man at his home, but filed no charges. The incidents were among several around the country this week, involving lasers and aircraft.

Stay tuned to CNN day and night, for the most reliable news about your security.

HARRIS: While they were enjoying the underwater sites in Thailand when the tsunami began its deadly race to shore in South Asia. Straight ahead, two Texans tell their story as they waded in the dangerous waters.

KAYE: And mounds of debris everywhere, but one resort in Thailand sees its tourists getting back to being tourists.

(WEATHER REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Lynn and Frank Guziec were on their last day of their vacation in Thailand, December 26th. They were on their way back to shore, when they realized, something was very wrong. The Guziecs are now back home in Texas, and they join us this morning from Austin. Good morning to both of you.

FRANK GUZIEC, TSUNAMI SURVIVOR: Good morning.

LYNN GUZIEC, TSUNAMI SURVIVOR: Good morning.

HARRIS: Well, Lynn, set the scene for us. Where were you, what were you doing, and when did you know -- how did you know something was wrong?

L. GUZIEC: We were on a snorkel trip, and we were actually on the boat, and we got to the Semilian (ph) island, and the crew of the boat realized that something was amiss, because the water was much, much lower than it should be, and it was strange, murky color. And they decided that it looked far too dangerous for us to snorkel, and they said that they were going to cancel the trip.

HARRIS: Frank, what are you thinking at this point -- let's get back to shore -- what are you thinking?

F. GUZIEC: Well, we've done a little bit of reading and were familiar with what a tsunami was.

HARRIS: Oh.

F. GUZIEC: And we knew that if the water wasn't near the Semilian (ph) islands, it had to be somewhere, so I guess the crew recognized the same thing, and they put a bunch of us on very fast boats to get us back to the harbor.

HARRIS: So, you actually made the trip back to harbor. Did you -- did you ride out one of the waves?

F. GUZIEC: Yes, we actually -- going out, we probably rode out the main wave that hit the shore.

HARRIS: Lynn, what did that feel like?

L. GUZIEC: We actually didn't feel a thing. And we really didn't see anything other than maybe a five-inch little wave. It was amazing.

HARRIS: Were you prepared, Frank, by your crew as to what you might see? Were they particularly nervous?

F. GUZIEC: Well, they were -- they were concerned, and in fact, as we started getting back towards the harbor, we started seeing huge areas of debris flooding, sort of football field size areas, and the captain then got a cell phone message that his house had been washed away.

HARRIS: Wow.

F. GUZIEC: So they contacted the Thai navy, who suggested that we go back out to sea, because there was another wave predicted to come at about 1:00 o'clock.

HARRIS: Is that what you did?

F. GUZIEC: Yes, we did. And we stayed out there for an hour, hour and a half, and then the navy decided that it was safe to go back into the harbor.

HARRIS: So, Lynn, as you're out there at sea, knowing that something pretty dramatic has happened ashore, are you preparing yourself for what you might see?

L. GUZIEC: I think so. I think we were all frightened. The crew was absolutely wonderful. They tried to make light of it, tried to have us eat something, prepared lunch for us on the boats. And meanwhile, their homes had been flattened. They were amazing.

HARRIS: Frank, what did you see when you finally made it back to shore?

F. GUZIEC: Oh, when we get back to shore, we started seeing things like ships up in trees, and we saw a ship sinking. We saw huge areas of debris with propane tanks, tents. Couldn't even imagine what would have been floating there, but these were just huge areas. And ultimately got to the area where we left from, that was a bustling port with souvenir shops and restaurants, and it was completely gone. They managed to get us to be able to scramble across some boats, and lowered some tires down that we could in fact climb up to the pier, but the devastation was just astonishing. It is -- it was as it had been bombed.

HARRIS: Frank and Lynn, thank you for that first person account, and we're happy you made it through.

L. GUZIEC: Thank you.

HARRIS: Thanks for taking the time to talk to us, and happy new year to you. Thank you.

F. GUZIEC: Thank you.

L. GUZIEC: Same to you.

KAYE: Updating our top stories right now, Japan's prime minister promises a half billion dollars in emergency aid to tsunami relief efforts. That follows yesterday's pledge by President Bush to earmark $350 million to the cause. Overall, the international community has committed some $1.5 billion.

A scene you will see only on CNN. U.S. military helicopters from the USS Abraham Lincoln began bringing in emergency supplies to some of the hardest hit parts of Indonesia. CNN accompanied the choppers as they ferried aid to western Sumatra.

And in Buenos Aires, one official says a deadly night club fire was made worse because of locked doors; 175 people died in that blaze. The official says many patrons could not escape, because at least four exits were either wired shut, or padlocked.

HARRIS: The president rings in the new year with prayers and promises of aid for survivors of the tsunami disaster. A live report from Crawford, Texas, straight ahead.

KAYE: And later, Jack Hanna on the annual Rose Parade. Hear why this animal lover makes it a point to participate every year.

HARRIS: And we want to hear from you, what made 2004 unforgettable? Send your comments to wam@cnn.com, and we will read some of them on the air later this hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: President Bush wants American flag float at half staff next week in mourning for the victims of the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunamis. In his New Year message, the president says America's thoughts are with those who've lost so much to the natural disaster. Mr. Bush remains on vacation at his Texas ranch, and CNN's Elaine Quijano is nearby in Crawford. Good morning, Elaine.

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Tony. President Bush didn't have any public events yesterday, but he did make that announcement, increasing the amount of aid that the U.S. is pledging for the tsunami victims, increasing it from $35 million to $350 million.

While President Bush issued that in a written statement and did not have any public appearances, in New York City yesterday, his Secretary of State Colin Powell met with the U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan to discuss the humanitarian relief efforts. Secretary Powell after that meeting saying that the U.S. decision to increase aid came after initial assessments were made, and the secretary also saying that relief could go beyond the $350 million figure.

Now, Secretary Powell will be heading up a U.S. delegation traveling to the region to assess and survey the damage. He will also be joined there by the brother of President Bush, Florida Governor Jeb Bush.

Now, the White House says he was chosen because of his extensive experience with natural disasters. Of course, last year Jeb Bush was at the helm, in charge when four hurricanes hit within about a two- month period, hit his state quite hard. He was praised at that time for his ability to help residents cope with the emergency there.

Now, the White House, as we mentioned yesterday issuing the written statement talking about the relief efforts already under way. They're saying that U.S. military personnel and planes are already helping to deliver humanitarian supplies to the affected regions. In that statement, also, the president noting that within days U.S. military ships and personnel will also be in place to assist the teams there in helping to generate some clean drinking water. Of course, Tony, that has been a major concern. Clean drinking water sources, they are not readily available. The hope is to get these U.S. teams in place to help folks there, and hopefully alleviate some of the -- the crises, the problems that people have been having trying to find clean sources of drinking water -- Tony.

HARRIS: Folks there can't get enough. Elaine Quijano with the president in Crawford, Texas. Elaine, thank you.

KAYE: As the U.S. pledges aid to tsunami victims, it still has its hands full in Iraq. Coming up tomorrow morning on CNN, a special "Soldier's Story" segment: Tales of the wounded and their journeys home.

Nina Berman joins us. She's the author of "Purple Hearts Back From Iraq." That's in the 9:00 a.m. Eastern time hour of "CNN SUNDAY MORNING."

HARRIS: Right now we're going bowling for some great weather today for all of the -- Brad, all of these bowl games around the country.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HARRIS: Brad, thanks.

It's been described as a paradise lost, but not for everyone. Straight ahead, tourists in Thailand. Why it's important that they stay.

KAYE: Also, the best of "The Novak Zone." Our Robert Novak takes a look back at 2004.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: I'm Randi Kaye, in for Betty Nguyen. Here's what's happening now in the news.

HARRIS: The first U.S. aid has arrived on the earthquake and tsunami-devastated Indonesian island of Sumatra. Helicopters from the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln brought supplies and military officers to assess the relief needs in Aceh, the hardest hit Sumatran province. The U.S. military is also conducting search and rescue missions in other South Asian countries.

Police in Buenos Aires are questioning a night club owner about locked doors in his club where fire killed 175 concert goers Thursday night. Officers say some of the doors were padlocked, and others were wired shut. Authorities believe the fire started when someone fired a flare, which ignited a foam ceiling.

If you live in Morgantown, West Virginia or Lincoln, Nebraska and you smoke, this is a good time to quit. No smoking ordinances became effective in those towns, effective on this first day of 2005. Also, taxes on tobacco are taking a leap today in Montana and Oklahoma. Keeping you informed, CNN, the most trusted name in news.

KAYE: From jumping out of a plane to jumping onto the stage. It's been an eventful year for Robert Novak. Here is a taste of the best of 2004 in this week's edition of "The Novak Zone." (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERT NOVAK, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to "The Novak Zone," at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. We're in the historic Ford's Theater in downtown Washington, D.C. And we're on the terrace of the new National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. We're at the Orioles Park in Campden Yards. We're at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland, with the U.S. Army (UNINTELLIGIBLE) the Golden Knights.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: At Juilliard, they have these things called the rehearsal rooms, and in the rehearsal rooms, you're supposed to be doing -- that's what you're supposed to be doing. And I was going, earth angel, earth angel.

NOVAK: You've been asked this question in 2000, and I'll ask it in 2001. If there is a Deep Throat...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I know there is.

NOVAK: ... if he isn't a composite...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I know there is.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I dedicate my life totally to the singing of opera and conducting opera. And now some days I do some concerts with them, and some concerts alone, but my real passion is stage and the pit (ph).

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're extremely excited to jump with you. I hope you're excited to jump with us also.

Main parachute we're going to be using today is a 395 or 370- square foot E.Z. (ph). It's top of the line equipment, unlike everything else in the military, which we get from the lowest bidder. This is top-line equipment.

It's a semi-elliptical, high porosity. All you got to know, Mr. Novak, is that it will take a suspended weight of both you and I. OK? That's all you really got to know about it, OK?

NOVAK: When I was only 10 years old, in 1941, our family drove from Illinois to Colorado to visit the Rocky Mountain National Park, the first national park I ever visited.

I was in the high school band. I played the clarinet, not that well, but I enjoyed it.

I never did this. Closest I came was a close combat course and infiltration course, but I was always on the ground. I was a ground soldier.

What did you, just roam the floor after they adjourned and pick up stuff they leave, what?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, that's one way that you could do it, but what we're really looking for are three things. We're looking for material, of course, but -- that represents the social part of the convention, the political part, the message part, and then the overall media spectacle that we're a part of.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know, I've served five presidents. They disagreed on everything, but not when it came to chocolate chip cookies. See? If you (UNINTELLIGIBLE) it a little bit, and you know, oil (ph) it a little bit.

BEN STEIN, AUTHOR: Fight back against your children's teacher. Fight back if you're a college student, against the uniform, monolithic left wing standing of the teachers, and stand up for America.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think you have the cue for -- we'll do it slowly one time. No, see, it's (SINGING).

Violins. You play together here, 114. Longer. You play that mixed with the piano on the fourth 16. No earlier. 177, everybody. Go. That's it. We can start at the beginning in tempo.

That's it. Good.

NOVAK: Have you ever seen any substantial steroid use in the major leagues?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I haven't seen it, and I think that it's been overblown. I don't think that -- you know, I'm sure that there's guys that are doing it, because I'm sure in every sport, there's players who want to get the edge, but I think that it's been blown over -- overly -- way more than -- than guys who are using it in our game.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have some (UNINTELLIGIBLE). And look at these, voila.

NOVAK: Voila.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I mean, look at these. This is the best. You see, look how chewy they are? Look at this. Look. You see? The inside is nice and chewy and loaded with chocolate. This is what you want when you do a chocolate chip cookie.

OK, let me get another try, broken hip and all.

We jumped out of an airplane. That is really scary, man. You're out in the middle of nowhere, you're free-falling. I mean, that is a scary situation.

And now, the big question.

And now, the big question.

And now, the big question.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've been waiting all week to ask you the big question. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's do it again, Bob.

NOVAK: No.

(LAUGHTER)

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: Tourists frolicking on the beach, riding jet skies, posing for pictures. These are scenes you might expect in any number of tropical resorts, but believe it or not, this is the scene in Phuket, Thailand, just six days after it was swamped by a deadly tsunami. As CNN's Aneesh Raman reports from Phuket, it's a boost to an economy that desperately needs it.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANEESH RAMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): On Phuket Island, the contrast is surreal. Almost incredible. What was once a pristine vision must be painstakingly restored from among the debris left here in moments last Sunday.

NINA ZEN, HOTEL OWNER: And that is what remains of my office.

RAMAN: That's the huge task for hotel owners like Nina Zen. But she says that because some resorts were left standing, the island can recoverer. And it must.

ZEN: We really have to go on, and we owe it to the people around us, the people who have worked very hard to develop this destination, both the agents, the operators, the people, the local people.

RAMAN: Livelihoods are at stake. Thailand's tourism industry brings in $10 billion annually. And Nina's employees rely on three peak months to sustain them for the rest of the year. It is that thought that keeps her going.

ZEN: The negative part of your brain says, I want to put down my papers and just pack my bags and go. But then when you see staff looking at you, what are you going to do?

RAMAN: Phuket is all that remains here. Other tourist areas like Phi Phi Island, to the coastal shores of Khao Lak, are devastated. Rebuilding them will take months, if not years. Nina realizes she is more fortunate than most and working helps numb the reality.

ZEN: Getting it up and running is a part of reliving the trauma, because if you just sit down and do nothing, it creeps in you and in the end you don't do anything. But it's just that initial push to get up, walk.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

RAMAN: And, Tony, despite those images, early indications, not so good for this island. Some 70 percent of reservations from here on have been canceled. But the Thai tourism minister says he wants everything up and running with a month. The hope is that they can try and rebuild and try and salvage something for this economy -- Tony.

HARRIS: Let's hope they can soon. Aneesh Raman in Thailand for us. Thank you.

KAYE: All morning, we've brought you quotes from those affected by the enormity of this tragedy. Now, one from a man whose sister was killed in this disaster. "She was spectacular and brilliant. She has everything except 40 more years." That from Mike Anderson, referring to his sister, Kristi, who was vacationing in Sri Lanka when the tsunami struck.

And on the sheer scale of devastation, there is this: "I've not experienced anything like this in my 30 years in the relief and emergency business." That from Scott Faiia, the director of CARE in Sri Lanka.

HARRIS: The tsunami tragedy is dominating the headlines this week, but right now, we're going to rewind to take a look at some of the other stories in the news from the past five days.

Tuesday, actor Jerry Orbach died of prostate cancer, at the age of 69. The award-winning actor was perhaps best known for his role as detective Lenny Briscoe on the NBC crime drama "Law & Order."

Wednesday, a government official told CNN that over the course of four days, six commercial jets had their cockpits lit up by laser beams as they made their descent for landing. None of the flights were affected. A New Jersey man has been questioned about possible involvement in similar incidents, but he hasn't been charged.

And Thursday, at least 175 people were killed in a fire during a rock concert in a crowded night club in Buenos Aires. Officials say stampeding crowds were trapped inside by locked doors. Hundreds were injured. The club owner has been detained for questioning.

And tomorrow, we'll fast forward to the week ahead and tell you which stories will grab the headlines.

KAYE: And straight ahead, animal expert and Rose Parade participant, Jack Hanna joins us to explain why he makes it a point -- there he is -- good morning, Jack.

HARRIS: Good morning, Jack.

KAYE: Why he makes it a point to participate ever year. We'll hear from him, coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: Be sure to stay with CNN for all the new developments in the fight to get help to the people of South Asia. In the next hour, we'll go live to Sri Lanka and Hugh Riminton for an hour-long look at the tsunami disaster. And at 11:00 a.m., a CNN special report with live updates and new developments from the region, with Tony Harris and me.

HARRIS: The tsunami disaster tops our coverage this New Year's Day. Here's the latest. U.S. military helicopters are bringing aid to Indonesia's Sumatra island, near the epicenter of the earthquake that triggered the deadly tsunamis. Aid workers face some big hurdles, including a lack of coordination, a fuel shortage, rough weather and washed out roads.

Other nations are also making big offers of aid. Japan's prime minister has pledged up to $500 million for tsunami-ravaged areas. That makes Japan the biggest single donor nation so far.

And police in Argentina have detained the owner of a Buenos Aires night club. Investigators say locked doors contributed to the deaths of 175 people after fire broke out at the club. Many of the escape doors were locked or tied shut with wires.

KAYE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Rose's Parade is today in Pasadena, California. It's been an annual New Year's Day tradition for generations, and a festive prelude to the Rose Bowl game. This animal-themed float by the Rain Bird Corporation will carry famed naturalist Jack Hanna along the parade route, marking his sixth appearance in that event. Jack Hanna is with us live right now from Pasadena with a preview. Good morning, Jack.

JACK HANNA, ANIMAL EXPERT: Good morning.

KAYE: Tell us about the float that you're going to be participating with today.

HANNA: Well, you won't believe it. The Rain Bird float, Playful Pandemonium, just won first place in sweepstakes award for six out of eight years. Isn't that something?

KAYE: That is something.

HANNA: We're all really excited right now. It really is. We're all excited right now. Of course, Walter Crawford is here with his American bald eagle, which is absolutely gorgeous. We felt with the year the way it is, and our troops overseas, that the bald eagle would be just real fitting for the parade this year, and obviously Walt is here with it, and has to go down the whole three or four hours holding that bird, but it is beautiful. Of course, that really fits in with the theme of the float too, the Playful Pandemonium, because the pandas are one of the most endangered animals of the world, and so we're real excited about that.

KAYE: Now, how involved are you with the -- with the decorating of the float?

HANNA: Well, as far as involved, I've put a few flowers on here. You got to remember, there's 30,000 roses, 10,000...

KAYE: A few flowers?

HANNA: Yeah, 30,000 roses, 10,000 volunteer hours. About 35,000 carnations. All the little seeds you see on the panda there are onion seeds that are put on by hand. Everything on that float -- and I know you know this -- has to be living. Even the chairs we sit in have to be living. Seven waterfalls, 1,500 gallons of water. Rain Bird being the largest irrigation company in the world. Obviously, they're very much concerned about the conservation of water, so this whole theme without water, we don't have bald eagles, and we sure don't have pandas or any other animal on the Earth.

KAYE: Yeah, sure. Now, Jack, I know it's early out there, but have you had a chance to maybe size up your competition a little bit and see how it's looking and maybe...

HANNA: Oh, yeah, I've been sizing it up since yesterday, with pouring rain yesterday, so we sized it up. And all these floats down -- you know, as I said, they're all absolutely magnificent. Rain Bird really just puts 100 percent effort, 10 months of preparation, as I said before, and of course when you see, though, you've seen the float, it's just magnificent. With all those waterfalls, the music and the pandas moving, you know, it's an emotional thing for me. I've been all over the world filming my series, and this is one of the highlights I do anything during the year.

KAYE: If we could just to get off topic just a little bit here, as long as we have you, I wanted to ask you about what's going on in Southern Asia, with the tsunamis.

HANNA: Right.

KAYE: There has been a lot of talk recently about whether or not the animals were able to sense it coming. Do you think that they were able, that they knew that the tsunami was coming and that the earthquake had occurred?

HANNA: Yeah, there is no doubt about it. I've done several interviews and told people that what my belief is that animals have a sense -- it's a sixth sense, yes, but they also have a compass in their brain -- some birds, some dolphins -- that let them know about changes in electromagnetic fields, especially in the ocean, when the fish and the dolphins really felt that quake -- they obviously knew about it right away, even before it happened. And so they start moving in a different direction. Then the birds, which feed off of fish, they say, something is wrong here. So what does an animal do? They go back to where their nesting places are. Now, when you start seeing animals do that, like in Yawa (ph) national park in Sri Lanka, 200 some people were killed but not one animal. Those elephants, they went up high right away along with all the other animals. So animals warn each other. Predator and prey at that point don't become enemies. They warn each other on where to go, and that's exactly what happened, is my feeling, in that part of the world.

Now, as far as loss of animal life. There's going to be tremendous loss of some of the greatest sea turtle nesting grounds the world over. I just got back from Phuket last year, filming in Thailand. So we're definitely going to lose those, and in a year or two from now, we'll know how bad it is going to be with a lot of the sea creatures. It's going to be pretty bad, I'm afraid. KAYE: And just how far away can an animal sense it coming, or feel the vibration come?

HANNA: Well, when we were in Africa, filming out in Africa in the Serengeti, the elephants can actually hear us three or four miles away. Their hearing is beyond comprehension, but it's the feel of their feet. A lion, for example, feels us coming from several miles away, because they can feel the earth. And so what they do there is warn other animals. When they jump up, then the other animals tend to do the same thing. So you know, we used to have the same warning system in us, back when we -- when you're by a camp fire in Montana, I listen to when the squirrels start chirping, I know there's something around there, you know. But we have lost all that, because we don't have to have it anymore.

KAYE: Right. All right, Jack Hanna, joining us this morning from the parade route in Pasadena. Good luck today with your float and happy new year.

HANNA: Oh, it's going to be a beautiful float. I'll wave to you.

KAYE: OK, I'll wave back. Thank you.

HANNA: All right.

HARRIS: Well, the floats are ready, but how is the weather going to be in Los Angeles?

KAYE: We will have your complete weather forecast in about two minutes. CNN SATURDAY MORNING continues in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: Good morning, Santa Monica, and hello to those preparing to attend the annual New Year's Day Rose Parade in Pasadena. Brad Huffines has your forecast in just one minute.

HARRIS: As we peer now into the left of the picture, that's probably the 3rd Street Promenade...

KAYE: It's your old stomping ground there.

HARRIS: My old stomping grounds.

Well, you guys have been great this morning in sending us along your e-mails, and the question this morning is: What made 2004 memorable for you?

And here is how Barb answers that question. "A new job the last week of December after a three-year long search." That's what made it special for Barb.

KAYE: And we also got an e-mail from Judy. She writes: "There is no doubt it was the horror of the tsunami. The incredible suffering on that side of the planet overtakes any event in my 60 years of life. I hope and pray food and water gets to each of the survivors before it is too late, and I pray they know that the non- well-to-do people in America have not forgotten them." She writes: "We are the real America, and we have kind hearts."

HARRIS: Someone was talking about the Red Sox, and I guess they're a Red Sox fan. The year the Red Sox had in winning the World Series made it special for that particular person.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HARRIS: And thank you for joining us this morning. We will see you in one hour for our special coverage of the tsunami disaster, new developments from the region, and amazing stories of survival. I'm Tony Harris.

KAYE: And I'm Randi Kaye, in for Betty Nguyen. Now, a special simulcast live from Sri Lanka, with our sister network, CNN International.

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

Aired January 1, 2005 - 09:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning from the CNN Center. This is CNN SATURDAY MORNING. I'm Tony Harris.
RANDI KAYE, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning. I'm Randi Kaye. If you're just waking up, it is 9 a.m. on the East Coast, six a.m. on the West.

HARRIS: And the world wakes up to a new year with an overwhelming sadness, and a tremendous challenge recovering from the tsunami that struck almost a week ago.

KAYE: A steady stream of international military aircraft, including U.S. helicopters, touched down in Indonesia today. They're carrying desperately needed food, medicine and other supplies to areas most affected by last Sunday's earthquake and tsunami. We go live to hard hit Banda Aceh, Indonesia in just a few minutes.

Japan's prime minister says he's offering $500 million in grant aid for countries seriously affected by the tsunami disaster. That makes Japan the single largest contributor to the relief effort. Japan had previously pledged $30 million.

And in Argentina, police have detained the owner of a Buenos Aires night club where a fire broke out Thursday night, killing 175 mostly young people. Seven hundred others were injured. Survivors say locked doors prevented them from escaping. Investigators suspect the fire started when someone lit a flare during a rock concert.

HARRIS: Nearly a week after the tsunami disaster, stories of survival. Coming up on CNN SATURDAY MORNING: Imagine being buried for days. We'll bring you one man's amazing tale. Also, Americans in the path of destruction. He'll join us with a firsthand account. And on a lighter note, zoo director Jack Hanna is coming up Roses. He loves a parade, and he won't be disappointed today. We'll talk to him.

Our top story this hour. The numbers are nearly impossible to comprehend. But let's try to get a bit of a handle on the scope of what's happening in Southern Asia. We know now that at least 138,000 people were killed by this week's quake and following tsunamis. Donations from across the world so far stand at $1.5 billion, including the $500 million Japan just announced it will send. The United States has so far agreed to donate $350 million. That's up from the $35 million previously pledged by President Bush.

New Year's Day offers another day of uncertainty and suffering in the tsunami disaster zone. But help is arriving. These are new pictures today of U.S. military helicopters delivering the first critically needed food and medicine to hard-hit areas in Indonesia. CNN's Mike Chinoy rode along on one of those relief flights. It's a story you'll see only on CNN. He joins us now by phone from Banda Aceh, Indonesia -- Mike.

MIKE CHINOY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Tony, that's right. I went on the first U.S. helicopter flight through the most hard hit area, aiming for a town called Kudaitanam (ph). We knew it had been badly damaged. No one had gotten there. The CH-60 helicopters, three-man crew off the aircraft Abraham Lincoln touched down after a flight over 70 miles of total devastation. In Kudaitanam (ph), almost nothing but some desperate survivors. They swarmed towards the helicopters. Crew members offloaded boxes of milk and nutritional drinks. It was a scene of absolute chaos. They were frantic, desperate. We were the first people they've seen since the disaster, the fist help of any kind they've got.

There's now going to be a steady stream of American Navy choppers, making trips like this, going up and down the very remote and isolated west coast of Indonesia, where the worst damage was done. It's been totally cut off from the rest of the world. There is no way to get there by road, only by choppers, and the American choppers are well equipped for this sort of thing. The crew members saying they were really moved by what they saw, and determined to do whatever they could to play a role in trying to save lives and help people here pull themselves together -- Tony.

HARRIS: Mike, let me follow up on that, as we look at these pictures of -- of the relief effort, and that helicopter that you were on, and the dropping off of those initial packages of relief aid -- it was a bit of a chaotic scene. Were the service personnel a little concerned that the situation might get a little out of hand? There is so much desperation right now.

CHINOY: Oh, indeed. In fact, the -- the -- the serviceman who was actually offloading ...

HARRIS: Yeah.

CHINOY: ... the boxes at one point was worried that the crowd was just going just swamp the helicopter, possibly even turn it over. I jumped off too, and was just behind the cameraman there, and we were watching these incredible things.

But what's interesting, and it's been true all along in this disaster, however desperate people are, there's kind of basic decency and politeness about them, and they did kind of pulled back, and the people were not clawing and gouging at each other to get these boxes, even though they were -- they were so, so desperate. And some of them stopped to talk with me for a minute, and one of them -- they were emotional -- one of them said, Aceh has drowned, we're finished. But another was crying, and he kept saying, thank you, thank you, thank you. So this is amazing, that they've managed to maintain that level of decency in circumstances that you can't even begin to imagine.

HARRIS: That's good to hear. Mike Chinoy reporting for us. Mike, thank you. And earlier on CNN SATURDAY MORNING, we spoke with Brigadier General John Allen Jr., the Pentagon's director of East Asian and Pacific Affairs about the U.S. military aid effort in South Asia.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRIG. GEN. JOHN ALLEN JR., U.S. MILITARY CORPS: We're going to do all we can to ensure that these supplies reach these people, and we will do all we can to assist in the process of the distribution of these supplies, so they reach the right people in the right manner. But, yes, there will be desperation on the ground, but we believe that our forces are well enough trained to be able to handle that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: A new development this morning -- amid the darkness of despair, a ray of light. This man spent six days trapped amidst debris in Indonesia's Banda Aceh, before rescue workers pulled him out. And yes, he's alive. Reports say, he appears to be relatively healthy, despite some open wounds on his legs and his arms.

A group of elite rescue workers from Virginia are among the cress on their way to help tsunami survivors. The team left on a flight last night, along with some other specially trained crews from Los Angeles. They will be advising local officials on reconstruction efforts.

HARRIS: For the first time since the deadly wall of water hit many people, and many of the areas are seeing fresh food and water for the first time, even hardest hit parts of Indonesia, there are efforts to try and re-establish a normal life. Look at this: Some shopping areas in Banda Aceh are bustling with activity again, bringing in some fresh fruits, vegetable and fish. In other areas like this airstrip in Medan, Indonesia, soldiers are distributing aid, but dwindling fuel supplies making it hard to get the food out to remote areas. The United Nations Relief Agency says more than 400 tons of urgently needed supplies are on the way to people in Indonesia's Aceh province.

KAYE: In the days immediately after the disaster in Southern Asia, cnn.com opened its site to people desperately searching for information about loved ones in the tsunami zone. It paid off. Many people use CNN as a clearinghouse for information. Here now, some of their messages and the result.

"My friends Henrich and Gina Ellis went on honeymoon in Phuket. They're age 25 and 27 and from South Africa. If anybody has any information, please, please, please call or e-mail."

Now, here's the update: "The response I received from people willing to help was overwhelming. Thank you very much for the kind words and offers to help. Great news, the couple made contact on Monday and are coming back today." We like to hear those stories.

The mounting momentum of worry and woe is creating a dire situation for those in need. If you'd like to help, the organization CARE is accepting donations and can be reached via the Internet or phone, and UNICEF is accepting money through its general emergency fund.

HARRIS: While many did welcome in the New Year around the world, there were some somber celebrations. In Thailand, where the giant waves killed more than 4,800 people, there was a candlelight vigil, but the New Year was also celebrated with tourists dancing and drinking in night clubs in Phuket.

In Moscow, fireworks illuminated the Kremlin, and President Vladimir Putin said his top priority in 2005 is to improve the lives of Russian citizens. And Pope John Paul II prayed for victims in a special midnight mess earlier today.

KAYE: Now, to our "Security Watch," where we update you on the week's major developments in the war on terror. Tuesday, U.S. intelligence officials said Osama bin Laden may be using political arguments instead of threats of violence to rally Muslim opposition against the U.S., and at least have noticed a change in the last few messages bin Laden is thought to have released. Officials believe bin Laden is trying to exploit some allies' concerns with U.S. policy in the Middle East to sway moderate Muslims. The latest audio message purported to be from bin Laden came out Monday.

Wednesday, the government said it is sharing detailed information with all levels of law enforcement on al Qaeda surveillance activities inside the U.S. But a bulletin released this week says there is no sign that al Qaeda surveillance is helping to advance plans for an attack.

And clashes between some government agencies on sharing fingerprint information may be making it easier for known terrorists to enter the country. That's one of the findings in a Justice Department review released Wednesday. Among the concerns is which law enforcement agencies should have access to fingerprint records.

A Parsippany, New Jersey man has been questioned about laser beam shown on a small plane and a police helicopter. Federal agents questioned the man at his home, but filed no charges. The incidents were among several around the country this week, involving lasers and aircraft.

Stay tuned to CNN day and night, for the most reliable news about your security.

HARRIS: While they were enjoying the underwater sites in Thailand when the tsunami began its deadly race to shore in South Asia. Straight ahead, two Texans tell their story as they waded in the dangerous waters.

KAYE: And mounds of debris everywhere, but one resort in Thailand sees its tourists getting back to being tourists.

(WEATHER REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Lynn and Frank Guziec were on their last day of their vacation in Thailand, December 26th. They were on their way back to shore, when they realized, something was very wrong. The Guziecs are now back home in Texas, and they join us this morning from Austin. Good morning to both of you.

FRANK GUZIEC, TSUNAMI SURVIVOR: Good morning.

LYNN GUZIEC, TSUNAMI SURVIVOR: Good morning.

HARRIS: Well, Lynn, set the scene for us. Where were you, what were you doing, and when did you know -- how did you know something was wrong?

L. GUZIEC: We were on a snorkel trip, and we were actually on the boat, and we got to the Semilian (ph) island, and the crew of the boat realized that something was amiss, because the water was much, much lower than it should be, and it was strange, murky color. And they decided that it looked far too dangerous for us to snorkel, and they said that they were going to cancel the trip.

HARRIS: Frank, what are you thinking at this point -- let's get back to shore -- what are you thinking?

F. GUZIEC: Well, we've done a little bit of reading and were familiar with what a tsunami was.

HARRIS: Oh.

F. GUZIEC: And we knew that if the water wasn't near the Semilian (ph) islands, it had to be somewhere, so I guess the crew recognized the same thing, and they put a bunch of us on very fast boats to get us back to the harbor.

HARRIS: So, you actually made the trip back to harbor. Did you -- did you ride out one of the waves?

F. GUZIEC: Yes, we actually -- going out, we probably rode out the main wave that hit the shore.

HARRIS: Lynn, what did that feel like?

L. GUZIEC: We actually didn't feel a thing. And we really didn't see anything other than maybe a five-inch little wave. It was amazing.

HARRIS: Were you prepared, Frank, by your crew as to what you might see? Were they particularly nervous?

F. GUZIEC: Well, they were -- they were concerned, and in fact, as we started getting back towards the harbor, we started seeing huge areas of debris flooding, sort of football field size areas, and the captain then got a cell phone message that his house had been washed away.

HARRIS: Wow.

F. GUZIEC: So they contacted the Thai navy, who suggested that we go back out to sea, because there was another wave predicted to come at about 1:00 o'clock.

HARRIS: Is that what you did?

F. GUZIEC: Yes, we did. And we stayed out there for an hour, hour and a half, and then the navy decided that it was safe to go back into the harbor.

HARRIS: So, Lynn, as you're out there at sea, knowing that something pretty dramatic has happened ashore, are you preparing yourself for what you might see?

L. GUZIEC: I think so. I think we were all frightened. The crew was absolutely wonderful. They tried to make light of it, tried to have us eat something, prepared lunch for us on the boats. And meanwhile, their homes had been flattened. They were amazing.

HARRIS: Frank, what did you see when you finally made it back to shore?

F. GUZIEC: Oh, when we get back to shore, we started seeing things like ships up in trees, and we saw a ship sinking. We saw huge areas of debris with propane tanks, tents. Couldn't even imagine what would have been floating there, but these were just huge areas. And ultimately got to the area where we left from, that was a bustling port with souvenir shops and restaurants, and it was completely gone. They managed to get us to be able to scramble across some boats, and lowered some tires down that we could in fact climb up to the pier, but the devastation was just astonishing. It is -- it was as it had been bombed.

HARRIS: Frank and Lynn, thank you for that first person account, and we're happy you made it through.

L. GUZIEC: Thank you.

HARRIS: Thanks for taking the time to talk to us, and happy new year to you. Thank you.

F. GUZIEC: Thank you.

L. GUZIEC: Same to you.

KAYE: Updating our top stories right now, Japan's prime minister promises a half billion dollars in emergency aid to tsunami relief efforts. That follows yesterday's pledge by President Bush to earmark $350 million to the cause. Overall, the international community has committed some $1.5 billion.

A scene you will see only on CNN. U.S. military helicopters from the USS Abraham Lincoln began bringing in emergency supplies to some of the hardest hit parts of Indonesia. CNN accompanied the choppers as they ferried aid to western Sumatra.

And in Buenos Aires, one official says a deadly night club fire was made worse because of locked doors; 175 people died in that blaze. The official says many patrons could not escape, because at least four exits were either wired shut, or padlocked.

HARRIS: The president rings in the new year with prayers and promises of aid for survivors of the tsunami disaster. A live report from Crawford, Texas, straight ahead.

KAYE: And later, Jack Hanna on the annual Rose Parade. Hear why this animal lover makes it a point to participate every year.

HARRIS: And we want to hear from you, what made 2004 unforgettable? Send your comments to wam@cnn.com, and we will read some of them on the air later this hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: President Bush wants American flag float at half staff next week in mourning for the victims of the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunamis. In his New Year message, the president says America's thoughts are with those who've lost so much to the natural disaster. Mr. Bush remains on vacation at his Texas ranch, and CNN's Elaine Quijano is nearby in Crawford. Good morning, Elaine.

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Tony. President Bush didn't have any public events yesterday, but he did make that announcement, increasing the amount of aid that the U.S. is pledging for the tsunami victims, increasing it from $35 million to $350 million.

While President Bush issued that in a written statement and did not have any public appearances, in New York City yesterday, his Secretary of State Colin Powell met with the U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan to discuss the humanitarian relief efforts. Secretary Powell after that meeting saying that the U.S. decision to increase aid came after initial assessments were made, and the secretary also saying that relief could go beyond the $350 million figure.

Now, Secretary Powell will be heading up a U.S. delegation traveling to the region to assess and survey the damage. He will also be joined there by the brother of President Bush, Florida Governor Jeb Bush.

Now, the White House says he was chosen because of his extensive experience with natural disasters. Of course, last year Jeb Bush was at the helm, in charge when four hurricanes hit within about a two- month period, hit his state quite hard. He was praised at that time for his ability to help residents cope with the emergency there.

Now, the White House, as we mentioned yesterday issuing the written statement talking about the relief efforts already under way. They're saying that U.S. military personnel and planes are already helping to deliver humanitarian supplies to the affected regions. In that statement, also, the president noting that within days U.S. military ships and personnel will also be in place to assist the teams there in helping to generate some clean drinking water. Of course, Tony, that has been a major concern. Clean drinking water sources, they are not readily available. The hope is to get these U.S. teams in place to help folks there, and hopefully alleviate some of the -- the crises, the problems that people have been having trying to find clean sources of drinking water -- Tony.

HARRIS: Folks there can't get enough. Elaine Quijano with the president in Crawford, Texas. Elaine, thank you.

KAYE: As the U.S. pledges aid to tsunami victims, it still has its hands full in Iraq. Coming up tomorrow morning on CNN, a special "Soldier's Story" segment: Tales of the wounded and their journeys home.

Nina Berman joins us. She's the author of "Purple Hearts Back From Iraq." That's in the 9:00 a.m. Eastern time hour of "CNN SUNDAY MORNING."

HARRIS: Right now we're going bowling for some great weather today for all of the -- Brad, all of these bowl games around the country.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HARRIS: Brad, thanks.

It's been described as a paradise lost, but not for everyone. Straight ahead, tourists in Thailand. Why it's important that they stay.

KAYE: Also, the best of "The Novak Zone." Our Robert Novak takes a look back at 2004.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: I'm Randi Kaye, in for Betty Nguyen. Here's what's happening now in the news.

HARRIS: The first U.S. aid has arrived on the earthquake and tsunami-devastated Indonesian island of Sumatra. Helicopters from the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln brought supplies and military officers to assess the relief needs in Aceh, the hardest hit Sumatran province. The U.S. military is also conducting search and rescue missions in other South Asian countries.

Police in Buenos Aires are questioning a night club owner about locked doors in his club where fire killed 175 concert goers Thursday night. Officers say some of the doors were padlocked, and others were wired shut. Authorities believe the fire started when someone fired a flare, which ignited a foam ceiling.

If you live in Morgantown, West Virginia or Lincoln, Nebraska and you smoke, this is a good time to quit. No smoking ordinances became effective in those towns, effective on this first day of 2005. Also, taxes on tobacco are taking a leap today in Montana and Oklahoma. Keeping you informed, CNN, the most trusted name in news.

KAYE: From jumping out of a plane to jumping onto the stage. It's been an eventful year for Robert Novak. Here is a taste of the best of 2004 in this week's edition of "The Novak Zone." (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERT NOVAK, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to "The Novak Zone," at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. We're in the historic Ford's Theater in downtown Washington, D.C. And we're on the terrace of the new National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. We're at the Orioles Park in Campden Yards. We're at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland, with the U.S. Army (UNINTELLIGIBLE) the Golden Knights.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: At Juilliard, they have these things called the rehearsal rooms, and in the rehearsal rooms, you're supposed to be doing -- that's what you're supposed to be doing. And I was going, earth angel, earth angel.

NOVAK: You've been asked this question in 2000, and I'll ask it in 2001. If there is a Deep Throat...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I know there is.

NOVAK: ... if he isn't a composite...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I know there is.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I dedicate my life totally to the singing of opera and conducting opera. And now some days I do some concerts with them, and some concerts alone, but my real passion is stage and the pit (ph).

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're extremely excited to jump with you. I hope you're excited to jump with us also.

Main parachute we're going to be using today is a 395 or 370- square foot E.Z. (ph). It's top of the line equipment, unlike everything else in the military, which we get from the lowest bidder. This is top-line equipment.

It's a semi-elliptical, high porosity. All you got to know, Mr. Novak, is that it will take a suspended weight of both you and I. OK? That's all you really got to know about it, OK?

NOVAK: When I was only 10 years old, in 1941, our family drove from Illinois to Colorado to visit the Rocky Mountain National Park, the first national park I ever visited.

I was in the high school band. I played the clarinet, not that well, but I enjoyed it.

I never did this. Closest I came was a close combat course and infiltration course, but I was always on the ground. I was a ground soldier.

What did you, just roam the floor after they adjourned and pick up stuff they leave, what?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, that's one way that you could do it, but what we're really looking for are three things. We're looking for material, of course, but -- that represents the social part of the convention, the political part, the message part, and then the overall media spectacle that we're a part of.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know, I've served five presidents. They disagreed on everything, but not when it came to chocolate chip cookies. See? If you (UNINTELLIGIBLE) it a little bit, and you know, oil (ph) it a little bit.

BEN STEIN, AUTHOR: Fight back against your children's teacher. Fight back if you're a college student, against the uniform, monolithic left wing standing of the teachers, and stand up for America.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think you have the cue for -- we'll do it slowly one time. No, see, it's (SINGING).

Violins. You play together here, 114. Longer. You play that mixed with the piano on the fourth 16. No earlier. 177, everybody. Go. That's it. We can start at the beginning in tempo.

That's it. Good.

NOVAK: Have you ever seen any substantial steroid use in the major leagues?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I haven't seen it, and I think that it's been overblown. I don't think that -- you know, I'm sure that there's guys that are doing it, because I'm sure in every sport, there's players who want to get the edge, but I think that it's been blown over -- overly -- way more than -- than guys who are using it in our game.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have some (UNINTELLIGIBLE). And look at these, voila.

NOVAK: Voila.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I mean, look at these. This is the best. You see, look how chewy they are? Look at this. Look. You see? The inside is nice and chewy and loaded with chocolate. This is what you want when you do a chocolate chip cookie.

OK, let me get another try, broken hip and all.

We jumped out of an airplane. That is really scary, man. You're out in the middle of nowhere, you're free-falling. I mean, that is a scary situation.

And now, the big question.

And now, the big question.

And now, the big question.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've been waiting all week to ask you the big question. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's do it again, Bob.

NOVAK: No.

(LAUGHTER)

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: Tourists frolicking on the beach, riding jet skies, posing for pictures. These are scenes you might expect in any number of tropical resorts, but believe it or not, this is the scene in Phuket, Thailand, just six days after it was swamped by a deadly tsunami. As CNN's Aneesh Raman reports from Phuket, it's a boost to an economy that desperately needs it.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANEESH RAMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): On Phuket Island, the contrast is surreal. Almost incredible. What was once a pristine vision must be painstakingly restored from among the debris left here in moments last Sunday.

NINA ZEN, HOTEL OWNER: And that is what remains of my office.

RAMAN: That's the huge task for hotel owners like Nina Zen. But she says that because some resorts were left standing, the island can recoverer. And it must.

ZEN: We really have to go on, and we owe it to the people around us, the people who have worked very hard to develop this destination, both the agents, the operators, the people, the local people.

RAMAN: Livelihoods are at stake. Thailand's tourism industry brings in $10 billion annually. And Nina's employees rely on three peak months to sustain them for the rest of the year. It is that thought that keeps her going.

ZEN: The negative part of your brain says, I want to put down my papers and just pack my bags and go. But then when you see staff looking at you, what are you going to do?

RAMAN: Phuket is all that remains here. Other tourist areas like Phi Phi Island, to the coastal shores of Khao Lak, are devastated. Rebuilding them will take months, if not years. Nina realizes she is more fortunate than most and working helps numb the reality.

ZEN: Getting it up and running is a part of reliving the trauma, because if you just sit down and do nothing, it creeps in you and in the end you don't do anything. But it's just that initial push to get up, walk.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

RAMAN: And, Tony, despite those images, early indications, not so good for this island. Some 70 percent of reservations from here on have been canceled. But the Thai tourism minister says he wants everything up and running with a month. The hope is that they can try and rebuild and try and salvage something for this economy -- Tony.

HARRIS: Let's hope they can soon. Aneesh Raman in Thailand for us. Thank you.

KAYE: All morning, we've brought you quotes from those affected by the enormity of this tragedy. Now, one from a man whose sister was killed in this disaster. "She was spectacular and brilliant. She has everything except 40 more years." That from Mike Anderson, referring to his sister, Kristi, who was vacationing in Sri Lanka when the tsunami struck.

And on the sheer scale of devastation, there is this: "I've not experienced anything like this in my 30 years in the relief and emergency business." That from Scott Faiia, the director of CARE in Sri Lanka.

HARRIS: The tsunami tragedy is dominating the headlines this week, but right now, we're going to rewind to take a look at some of the other stories in the news from the past five days.

Tuesday, actor Jerry Orbach died of prostate cancer, at the age of 69. The award-winning actor was perhaps best known for his role as detective Lenny Briscoe on the NBC crime drama "Law & Order."

Wednesday, a government official told CNN that over the course of four days, six commercial jets had their cockpits lit up by laser beams as they made their descent for landing. None of the flights were affected. A New Jersey man has been questioned about possible involvement in similar incidents, but he hasn't been charged.

And Thursday, at least 175 people were killed in a fire during a rock concert in a crowded night club in Buenos Aires. Officials say stampeding crowds were trapped inside by locked doors. Hundreds were injured. The club owner has been detained for questioning.

And tomorrow, we'll fast forward to the week ahead and tell you which stories will grab the headlines.

KAYE: And straight ahead, animal expert and Rose Parade participant, Jack Hanna joins us to explain why he makes it a point -- there he is -- good morning, Jack.

HARRIS: Good morning, Jack.

KAYE: Why he makes it a point to participate ever year. We'll hear from him, coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: Be sure to stay with CNN for all the new developments in the fight to get help to the people of South Asia. In the next hour, we'll go live to Sri Lanka and Hugh Riminton for an hour-long look at the tsunami disaster. And at 11:00 a.m., a CNN special report with live updates and new developments from the region, with Tony Harris and me.

HARRIS: The tsunami disaster tops our coverage this New Year's Day. Here's the latest. U.S. military helicopters are bringing aid to Indonesia's Sumatra island, near the epicenter of the earthquake that triggered the deadly tsunamis. Aid workers face some big hurdles, including a lack of coordination, a fuel shortage, rough weather and washed out roads.

Other nations are also making big offers of aid. Japan's prime minister has pledged up to $500 million for tsunami-ravaged areas. That makes Japan the biggest single donor nation so far.

And police in Argentina have detained the owner of a Buenos Aires night club. Investigators say locked doors contributed to the deaths of 175 people after fire broke out at the club. Many of the escape doors were locked or tied shut with wires.

KAYE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Rose's Parade is today in Pasadena, California. It's been an annual New Year's Day tradition for generations, and a festive prelude to the Rose Bowl game. This animal-themed float by the Rain Bird Corporation will carry famed naturalist Jack Hanna along the parade route, marking his sixth appearance in that event. Jack Hanna is with us live right now from Pasadena with a preview. Good morning, Jack.

JACK HANNA, ANIMAL EXPERT: Good morning.

KAYE: Tell us about the float that you're going to be participating with today.

HANNA: Well, you won't believe it. The Rain Bird float, Playful Pandemonium, just won first place in sweepstakes award for six out of eight years. Isn't that something?

KAYE: That is something.

HANNA: We're all really excited right now. It really is. We're all excited right now. Of course, Walter Crawford is here with his American bald eagle, which is absolutely gorgeous. We felt with the year the way it is, and our troops overseas, that the bald eagle would be just real fitting for the parade this year, and obviously Walt is here with it, and has to go down the whole three or four hours holding that bird, but it is beautiful. Of course, that really fits in with the theme of the float too, the Playful Pandemonium, because the pandas are one of the most endangered animals of the world, and so we're real excited about that.

KAYE: Now, how involved are you with the -- with the decorating of the float?

HANNA: Well, as far as involved, I've put a few flowers on here. You got to remember, there's 30,000 roses, 10,000...

KAYE: A few flowers?

HANNA: Yeah, 30,000 roses, 10,000 volunteer hours. About 35,000 carnations. All the little seeds you see on the panda there are onion seeds that are put on by hand. Everything on that float -- and I know you know this -- has to be living. Even the chairs we sit in have to be living. Seven waterfalls, 1,500 gallons of water. Rain Bird being the largest irrigation company in the world. Obviously, they're very much concerned about the conservation of water, so this whole theme without water, we don't have bald eagles, and we sure don't have pandas or any other animal on the Earth.

KAYE: Yeah, sure. Now, Jack, I know it's early out there, but have you had a chance to maybe size up your competition a little bit and see how it's looking and maybe...

HANNA: Oh, yeah, I've been sizing it up since yesterday, with pouring rain yesterday, so we sized it up. And all these floats down -- you know, as I said, they're all absolutely magnificent. Rain Bird really just puts 100 percent effort, 10 months of preparation, as I said before, and of course when you see, though, you've seen the float, it's just magnificent. With all those waterfalls, the music and the pandas moving, you know, it's an emotional thing for me. I've been all over the world filming my series, and this is one of the highlights I do anything during the year.

KAYE: If we could just to get off topic just a little bit here, as long as we have you, I wanted to ask you about what's going on in Southern Asia, with the tsunamis.

HANNA: Right.

KAYE: There has been a lot of talk recently about whether or not the animals were able to sense it coming. Do you think that they were able, that they knew that the tsunami was coming and that the earthquake had occurred?

HANNA: Yeah, there is no doubt about it. I've done several interviews and told people that what my belief is that animals have a sense -- it's a sixth sense, yes, but they also have a compass in their brain -- some birds, some dolphins -- that let them know about changes in electromagnetic fields, especially in the ocean, when the fish and the dolphins really felt that quake -- they obviously knew about it right away, even before it happened. And so they start moving in a different direction. Then the birds, which feed off of fish, they say, something is wrong here. So what does an animal do? They go back to where their nesting places are. Now, when you start seeing animals do that, like in Yawa (ph) national park in Sri Lanka, 200 some people were killed but not one animal. Those elephants, they went up high right away along with all the other animals. So animals warn each other. Predator and prey at that point don't become enemies. They warn each other on where to go, and that's exactly what happened, is my feeling, in that part of the world.

Now, as far as loss of animal life. There's going to be tremendous loss of some of the greatest sea turtle nesting grounds the world over. I just got back from Phuket last year, filming in Thailand. So we're definitely going to lose those, and in a year or two from now, we'll know how bad it is going to be with a lot of the sea creatures. It's going to be pretty bad, I'm afraid. KAYE: And just how far away can an animal sense it coming, or feel the vibration come?

HANNA: Well, when we were in Africa, filming out in Africa in the Serengeti, the elephants can actually hear us three or four miles away. Their hearing is beyond comprehension, but it's the feel of their feet. A lion, for example, feels us coming from several miles away, because they can feel the earth. And so what they do there is warn other animals. When they jump up, then the other animals tend to do the same thing. So you know, we used to have the same warning system in us, back when we -- when you're by a camp fire in Montana, I listen to when the squirrels start chirping, I know there's something around there, you know. But we have lost all that, because we don't have to have it anymore.

KAYE: Right. All right, Jack Hanna, joining us this morning from the parade route in Pasadena. Good luck today with your float and happy new year.

HANNA: Oh, it's going to be a beautiful float. I'll wave to you.

KAYE: OK, I'll wave back. Thank you.

HANNA: All right.

HARRIS: Well, the floats are ready, but how is the weather going to be in Los Angeles?

KAYE: We will have your complete weather forecast in about two minutes. CNN SATURDAY MORNING continues in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: Good morning, Santa Monica, and hello to those preparing to attend the annual New Year's Day Rose Parade in Pasadena. Brad Huffines has your forecast in just one minute.

HARRIS: As we peer now into the left of the picture, that's probably the 3rd Street Promenade...

KAYE: It's your old stomping ground there.

HARRIS: My old stomping grounds.

Well, you guys have been great this morning in sending us along your e-mails, and the question this morning is: What made 2004 memorable for you?

And here is how Barb answers that question. "A new job the last week of December after a three-year long search." That's what made it special for Barb.

KAYE: And we also got an e-mail from Judy. She writes: "There is no doubt it was the horror of the tsunami. The incredible suffering on that side of the planet overtakes any event in my 60 years of life. I hope and pray food and water gets to each of the survivors before it is too late, and I pray they know that the non- well-to-do people in America have not forgotten them." She writes: "We are the real America, and we have kind hearts."

HARRIS: Someone was talking about the Red Sox, and I guess they're a Red Sox fan. The year the Red Sox had in winning the World Series made it special for that particular person.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HARRIS: And thank you for joining us this morning. We will see you in one hour for our special coverage of the tsunami disaster, new developments from the region, and amazing stories of survival. I'm Tony Harris.

KAYE: And I'm Randi Kaye, in for Betty Nguyen. Now, a special simulcast live from Sri Lanka, with our sister network, CNN International.

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