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CNN Live Sunday
Hurricane Ivan Threatens Cayman Islands; New Worries About North Korea's Nuclear Program
Aired September 12, 2004 - 11:00 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.
LINDA STOUFFER, CNN ANCHOR: It is 11:00 a.m. in Washington. It is 10:00 a.m. in the Cayman Islands; that is where Hurricane Ivan is threatening. Hi there, I'm Linda Stouffer at CNN Global Headquarters in Atlanta. Welcome to CNN LIVE SUNDAY.
Also this hour, new questions, new worries about North Korea's nuclear program. Is a suspicious cloud evidence of a nuclear bomb test? We'll have that.
And later, millions of Americans love to fish. But what has to be done to make sure their grandchildren will be able to enjoy it too.
First, though, stories now in the news.
The eye of Hurricane Ivan is nearing Grand Cayman Island. It's now getting pounded with heavy rain and high winds. Next stop is western Cuba, according to forecasters. CNN's Lucia Newman will have a live report from Havana in just three minutes from now.
Military officials say at least 20 Iraqis have been killed and dozens more wounded. It's part of a wave of violence across Baghdad. A live report from CNN Baghdad just ahead in ten minutes.
US Airways is expected to file for bankruptcy protection today. It's all according to the "Charlotte Observer Newspaper," home town of the airline's busiest hub city. Meantime, U.S. Airways and its pilots say they're ready to negotiate but right now no talks are scheduled.
Well, here comes Hurricane Ivan. In Cuba, Fidel Castro is warning residents to brace for this storm. Ivan has already blasted Jamaica with devastating effect, 16 people have been killed there. A total of 41 are now dead across the Caribbean. And in Florida, Governor Jeb Bush says it's time to prepare for another possible evacuation.
Forecasters say the storm is veering slightly away from south Florida toward the northwest portion of the state. It hasn't made that expected northern turn. So what does it look right now well Rob Marciano joins us live with the latest on the forecast.
Hi Rob what do you have?
ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Hi, Linda. The latest advisory of the National Hurricane Center just came out. They have not changed the intensity of this thing, just the location. Now 30 miles southwest of Grand Cayman Island. You see the picture of this it has grown not only in strength but in the scope of things the hurricane forced winds now extend 90 miles out tropical storm forced winds to 175 miles out. So it's now about the same size as Frances was.
But even stronger, in that it's a category four on the brink of becoming once again a category five storm. Here's a close-up shot of it. You can see as the eye pulls away from Jamaica -- Jamaica by the way could have gotten a lot worse but it just shunted down to the south and now heading into the south of Grand Cayman. And that's good news, because the eye didn't make a direct hit there.
The forecast still brings it toward the western tip of Cuba. Probably re-strengthening into the category five status as there are some warmer waters there in the northwestern Caribbean. Category five status there it is making landfall across the western tip of Cuba. Sometime tomorrow afternoon, as a category five storm. Anywhere from Havana westward, they're certainly watching for this. Even the Yucatan Peninsula will see some wind if not some wave action with this as well.
Then into the Gulf of Mexico, there are some winds out of the west that will probably knock it down somewhat into intensity. Hopefully into a category three or even less, that'll be nice. But we're going to bring it somewhere into the northeastern of Gulf of Mexico. By the time Wednesday morning rolls around and the official forecast has not changed in the last 12 hours.
It still brings it across the Florida Panhandle sometime during the day on Wednesday. If that track at all goes east or west, then we're -- to the east; we're talking about a slightly earlier landfall- affecting folks in Tampa. If that track goes slightly to the west we're talking a slightly later landfall towards Biloxi, Mobile and even towards New Orleans that is a possibility as well. Not a whole lot showing up on the radarscope in Florida. It's still a couple days away, Linda.
But that is the latest forecast. Really has not changed. Wednesday landfall expected across the Florida Panhandle. We will keep an eye on it for you.
STOUFFER: I know you will. Rob Marciano, thank you. Well, as he said, western Cuba and the city of Havana have to prepare for Ivan today and CNN's Lucia Newman has an up date for us.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LUCIA NEWMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): On the Caribbean's largest island, Seaside residents like Terese Savone Salious (ph) are packing up. Our generation has never seen a hurricane like this she says. There has been nothing like it since 1944. She is still reeling from last month's Hurricane Charley, and is going to a hurricane shelter. "I'm not staying here," she says. "My roof was blown off during the last hurricane."
Teresa (ph) who is helping with neighborhood evacuation effort says their instructions to evacuate everyone who lives above the fourth floor. Havana is particularly vulnerable. Even without a hurricane, buildings here are crumbling, and experts fear higher floors won't resist Ivan's treacherous winds. The slower this hurricane moves, the more damage it will cause us says Cuba's National Weather Institute chief. These European tourists who are being transferred to a safer hotel are overwhelmed.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I thought it was going straight to Florida and not passing over Cuba, so you never expect such a thing, of course.
NEWMAN: Cuba is nevertheless well organized to face natural disasters. Thousands have already been taken to shelters in central Cuba and hundreds and thousands more expect to be evacuated to higher ground in the coming hours. Many put their trust in the civil defense authorities. Others, like Elaine, in their saints.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
STOUFFER: And again, that was Lucia Newman reporting from Havana. Cuba may see that storm tomorrow.
We turn now to the nuclear fission developing between Iran and Europe. Iran today is rejecting European demands to stop its nuclear activities and Iran's foreign ministries say it won't halt the atomic fuel cycle that processes including uranium enrichment. It could be used to make bombs. Iran's foreign ministries say it could give assurances that its nuclear technology is for peaceful purposes only. Meanwhile, Britain, France, and Germany want Iran to prove that by a November deadline. The nations will propose a drop resolution at a meeting of the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog agency, which starts, by the way, tomorrow.
And there's a cloud of uncertainty right now over North Korea's nuclear activities. A large cloud appeared over North Korea in a satellite image several days ago right near the Chinese border. South Korea reports it was a mushroom cloud over two miles wide accompanied by a massive explosion. Meanwhile "The New York Times" reports today that the White House had prior intelligence that North Korea was preparing for its first nuclear test.
CNN is monitoring these developments from our bureau's in Korea, China and Washington. And Dana Bash joins us live with more coverage from the White House. Dana, hi.
DANA BASH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Linda. Well, you know, administration officials from the secretary of state to the national security adviser said they're not exactly sure what appears to have been a large explosion in North Korea actually was. But they both said they do not believe that it was actually any kind of nuclear event.
However, officials say that they do have some kind of indication from intelligence that perhaps, perhaps, that country, Pyongyang is preparing to test a nuclear weapon but again they're just not sure.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: Recent intelligence suggests that there's some activity taking place that is inconclusive in respect to what it means. It could be that. It could be that they're doing some test preparations or it could be that just some maintenance is going on. So it's not conclusive, and we continue to examine it and study it on a regular basis.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: Now, National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice said North Korea could be preparing what they call their own "October Surprise." Meaning, they could be preparing something to affect the U.S. elections in November. But regardless, this is already opening the day for Democrats to say that the administration is simply not doing enough to confront North Korea. Even making the point during the convention that President Bush talked about the threats to the United States but didn't even mention North Korea in his speech at Madison Square Garden.
Now, regardless of all of that, the administration officials this morning are saying that they are monitoring the events in North Korea. And that they have been working with North Korea's neighbors to try to find a diplomatic solution and they will continue to do so -- Linda.
STOUFFER: Dana Bash, live at the White House. Thanks for covering that for us.
Also, National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice talks about the North Korea issue with Wolf Blitzer and you can see that interview on "LATE EDITION." That is at noon Eastern, 9:00 Pacific right here on CNN.
Well, North Korea's nuclear problem and program is not the only concern of the U.S. and its allies. Why the international war on drugs is turning its attention toward the reclusive communist nation?
Also a day of more violence day in Iraq. We will have a live report from Baghdad for you after this break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
STOUFFER: Welcome back. It's been a bloody Sunday across Baghdad. Violence including car bombings and rocket attacks have left at least 20 Iraqis dead. Dozens more wounded today. CNN's Diana Muriel is live from Baghdad she has the latest details for us.
Diana.
DIANA MURIEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Linda, it's been another day of explosions and of violence here in Baghdad. The most intense fighting taking place in Haifa (ph) Street, which runs into the international zone, which is where the American embassy is based. On the other side of the River Tigris, where I'm speaking to you now, fighting began very early in the morning with insurgents taking on U.S. forces in that area. U.S. military spokesman confirming that a Bradley fighting vehicle was hit by a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device. That's a homemade car bomb to you and I. The soldiers in that vehicle were then extracted, they were evacuated. While that was going on, the spokesperson told me that the forces had taken on fire from insurgents. Molotov cocktails were thrown, hand grenades were thrown and RPG rocket propelled grenades also were fired at them.
They then decided to send in air support and attack the Bradley that was burning in the street. This is because the military say, it was being looted by insurgents who were after the ammunition that remained on the vehicle but this is in direct contradiction with eyewitness reports that we have had here at CNN in Baghdad.
People who were observing the scene say that in fact civilians came out into the streets to celebrate the burning of this vehicle. They were shouting, "Allah, God is great." They were throwing stones at it. They were beating it with pipes. And at that point, the helicopter gunship fired on the vehicle and that's where most of the casualties were taken. There were 13 people killed and 55 people wounded -- these are civilians -- according to the ministry of health here in Iraq, in the incident there.
Now, a producer for Al Arabiya Television was killed in that fighting, in that incident when the helicopter gunship struck the Bradley and also Reuters' cameraman was wounded, and the information that we get from our colleagues here at Reuters is that there were civilians at that Bradley and they were not firing on the American soldiers or the helicopter gunship as the U.S. military have indicated to us.
We're awaiting further confirmation from the pilots flying those -- that aircraft. But that's what we have at this stage. Elsewhere in Baghdad more violence. There were a series of car bombs around the city in various locations. All in all, the day's tally has been more than 20 killed and around 60 wounded here in Baghdad this day -- Linda.
STOUFFER: Dana, I have a question for you about the Haifa Street scene. How difficult is it to quiet and calm a situation like that, and what is the street like now? As it been cleared?
MURIEL: It's extremely difficult to calm the situation. There was a very hostile attack-taking place on the U.S. forces who patrol that area. And the insurgents it seems were firing with very heavy ammunition with rocket-propelled grenades and these homemade Molotov cocktails as well as hand grenades and small arm's fire. What tends to help in these sort of situation, which is quite extraordinary is that people come out of their houses.
Sometimes even with their children, to look at the battle going on around them. It's almost as if they feel they're immune to the fighting that's taking place. When that Bradley fighting vehicle was attacked and was burning, people then coming out into the streets to celebrate. And people seem to engage at that point and come out of their homes when it would be much more sensible for them to remain inside.
Right now, the fighting has subsided. There is no more fighting going on in that area but every night brings more conflict in this city. There has been fighting in Sadr City. And slum to the northeast of the center of Baghdad. Again, last night, more expected tonight and it may well be that we'll see flair ups in other parts including Haifa Street -- Linda.
STOUFFER: CNN's Diana Muriel live in Baghdad. Thank you.
And here is a quick check of other stories making news all around the world today. At least eight people have been killed in fighting in Herat, Afghanistan. Police and solders fire on a crowd setting fire to United Nations' offices and clashes broke out after the Afghan president dismissed a local warlord from has job as provincial governor.
Israel's prime minister says civil war could result from the division over his plans to withdraw from Gaza. Ariel Sharon called on members of his cabinet to speak out against threats of violence. He made the comment hours before a planned to demonstration against the withdrawal plan tonight in Jerusalem.
There's been heavy voter turnout in Hong Kong today. Some polling places ran out of ballot boxes. They had to ask for more. Residents have been unhappy with decisions made by the territory's Chinese communist rulers and pro-democracy operations politicians could benefit by gaining unprecedented clout in the legislative election.
Drugs, nukes and terror, why the U.S. and its allies fear the three may all be coming together due in part of North Korean leaders that story and a lot more ahead on CNN LIVE SUNDAY.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
STOUFFER: Welcome back to CNN on this Sunday. You know, earlier we told you about a large mushroom-like cloud rising over North Korea and one U.S. official assures CNN it is not the result of a nuclear explosion, but there are concerns about reports that North Korea could be planning a nuclear test in the future. CNN's Mike Chinoy has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MIKE CHINOY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): In the stormy waters off Japan, a ship, where it shouldn't be. Radio intercepts show it's talking to North Korea. The Japanese Coast Guard orders the ship to halt. Warning shots are fired. No response. The Japanese, then, strike hard to disable what they suspect is a North Korean spy ship, possibly caring a cargo of drugs. Night falls, the Japanese move to board. Suddenly the North Koreans return fire.
In the dark, the smoldering ship then sinks beneath waves. Months later, the Japanese raise the ship. They confirm the North Korea connection. They find weapons from grenade launchers to machine guns, and sophisticated communication's gear, revealing calls to known members of the Japanese underworld. North Korea has long been one of the major suppliers of drugs, not only to Japan but also to much of Asia. Since the late 1970s, according to the U.S. State Department, more than 50 North Koreans, including diplomats, have been arrested on drug-related charges in more than 20 countries.
RAPHAEL PERL, CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE: Very clearly the North Korean state is basically a continuing criminal enterprise.
CHINOY: And say government and intelligence sources in Asia and the U.S., the drug business may have even more sinister purposes.
PERL: Number one that it finances and underwrites the costs of the nuclear program. And number two, that the skills and methods the North Koreans employ for smuggling drugs are used or will be used to smuggle weapon's technology and nuclear materials.
CHINOY: Fon Yong Young (ph), the most senior North Korean official ever to flee his homeland, confirms that criminal activity is officially sanctioned there.
(on camera): Is the North Korean regime in your view, capable of making nuclear materials available to terrorists?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (translator): I don't know for sure, but I do know that North Korea is capable of doing whatever is in its interest.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
STOUFFER: And that's really just the beginning. You can learn more about North Korea's nuclear aspirations. Also the threat of nuclear terror on "CNN PRESENTS." That's tonight at 8:00 Eastern, so join us for that.
Time now though to check out what is coming up on "RELIABLE SOURCES." It starts in just a few minutes and Howard Kurtz is live in D.C. with a preview for us. Hello, Howard.
HOWARD KURTZ, HOST, RELIABLE SOURCES: Hi, Linda. Thanks. Coming up, was CBS News the victim involve fraudulent documents about President Bush's National Guard service? The media continue their relentless coverage of the candidates' Vietnam service with this new twist. And Kitty Kelley's new book about George Bush. Is the press lending credibility to scandalous charges without knowing whether they're true?
Plus, John Kerry fighting the polls and the pundits. That's all next on "RELIABLE SOURCES."
STOUFFER: Howard, thanks. You have a juicy week for media stories.
Reeling in trouble off of the U.S. coast, find out why some sports fisherman are crying foul over new environmental survey and what it could mean for their popular activity. That and more when CNN LIVE Sunday continues.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
STOUFFER: Russia has laid claims at the top spot on the women's side at the U.S. Open tennis championship in New York. Svetlana Kuznetsova knocked off fellow Russian Elena Dementieva in the women's final. It's her first Grand Slam title in her first try. On the men's side, Roger Federer takes on Lleyton Hewitt in today's finals. Federer is the top seed there and he is trying to become the first player in 16 years to win three Grand Slam men's titles in one year.
Well, fishing for fun and sport is a growing pastime for Americans, but some experts say all of that fishing could have long- term consequences down the road. Donna Tetreault explains why that might require limits on just what people can hook.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DONNA TETREAULT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Sport fishing has anchored itself as one of America's favorite past time.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It takes off of the stress in your life that's for sure.
TETREAULT: And another sure thing, Johnny Holback out fishing everyday for the past 45 years. But what's not so certain is what and how much Holback can catch anymore. A new study, which looked at 22 years of fishing's statistics for the journal of science, found that sport fishing is hooking 5 percent of the U.S. salt-water catch. That's up from the federal statistic, up 2 percent. It's not the individual fisherman, according to the study. It's the 10.5 million individuals.
DR. SUZANNE EDMUNDS, MARINE BIOLOGIST: If we want to see fisheries sustained for your grandkids, then recreational fisheries are going to have to experience some of the same real regulations that the commercial fisheries have.
TETREAULT: Off of the coast of California, Oregon and Washington the percentage of highly fished species such as lingcod and percatchio (ph) has increased dramatically over the past 2 decades. Twenty years ago 14 percent of those fish were caught by recreational fisherman. By 2002 that number was up to 59 percent.
(on camera): But sportsmen have another story to tell. They say strict regulations already in place have sunk a lot of opportunity. More than 35 sculpin (ph) have been caught on this excursion alone. All thrown back into the water.
CAPTAIN RICK CARHAJAL, FISHERMAN: I would love to go fishing, and catch 100, 200 sculpin (ph) but I can't. Because they have taken that away from us.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Every time we catch fish, it's not the right size. We toss it back and sometimes out of respect, we throw the big fish back because he's been out there for a while.
TETREAULT: Edmunds says 20 percent of fish caught die after they're put back into the ocean but that's now how dads out with their kids for a day of fishing see it.
CARHAJAL: They took our rock fishing away. They have taken away our sculpin (ph) OK, we are already regulated. We don't have a problem with that but now they're saying we're the problem, we're a big problem. What's next? Are they going to shut us down completely?
TETREAULT: So while the numbers may have changed, it is not going to change the war in the water say marine biologist. Sport fisherman say new regulations would leave them reeling.
Donna Tetreault for CNN, Marina Dalloway, California.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
STOUFFER: Well, there is much more ahead on CNN SUNDAY in just a few moments. At the bottom of the hour, "RELIABLE SOURCES." At noon it is "LATE EDITION" with Wolf Blitzer, among Wolf's guest today National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice. And at 2:00 Eastern time, "PEOPLE IN THE NEWS" profiles Osama bin Laden.
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Aired September 12, 2004 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LINDA STOUFFER, CNN ANCHOR: It is 11:00 a.m. in Washington. It is 10:00 a.m. in the Cayman Islands; that is where Hurricane Ivan is threatening. Hi there, I'm Linda Stouffer at CNN Global Headquarters in Atlanta. Welcome to CNN LIVE SUNDAY.
Also this hour, new questions, new worries about North Korea's nuclear program. Is a suspicious cloud evidence of a nuclear bomb test? We'll have that.
And later, millions of Americans love to fish. But what has to be done to make sure their grandchildren will be able to enjoy it too.
First, though, stories now in the news.
The eye of Hurricane Ivan is nearing Grand Cayman Island. It's now getting pounded with heavy rain and high winds. Next stop is western Cuba, according to forecasters. CNN's Lucia Newman will have a live report from Havana in just three minutes from now.
Military officials say at least 20 Iraqis have been killed and dozens more wounded. It's part of a wave of violence across Baghdad. A live report from CNN Baghdad just ahead in ten minutes.
US Airways is expected to file for bankruptcy protection today. It's all according to the "Charlotte Observer Newspaper," home town of the airline's busiest hub city. Meantime, U.S. Airways and its pilots say they're ready to negotiate but right now no talks are scheduled.
Well, here comes Hurricane Ivan. In Cuba, Fidel Castro is warning residents to brace for this storm. Ivan has already blasted Jamaica with devastating effect, 16 people have been killed there. A total of 41 are now dead across the Caribbean. And in Florida, Governor Jeb Bush says it's time to prepare for another possible evacuation.
Forecasters say the storm is veering slightly away from south Florida toward the northwest portion of the state. It hasn't made that expected northern turn. So what does it look right now well Rob Marciano joins us live with the latest on the forecast.
Hi Rob what do you have?
ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Hi, Linda. The latest advisory of the National Hurricane Center just came out. They have not changed the intensity of this thing, just the location. Now 30 miles southwest of Grand Cayman Island. You see the picture of this it has grown not only in strength but in the scope of things the hurricane forced winds now extend 90 miles out tropical storm forced winds to 175 miles out. So it's now about the same size as Frances was.
But even stronger, in that it's a category four on the brink of becoming once again a category five storm. Here's a close-up shot of it. You can see as the eye pulls away from Jamaica -- Jamaica by the way could have gotten a lot worse but it just shunted down to the south and now heading into the south of Grand Cayman. And that's good news, because the eye didn't make a direct hit there.
The forecast still brings it toward the western tip of Cuba. Probably re-strengthening into the category five status as there are some warmer waters there in the northwestern Caribbean. Category five status there it is making landfall across the western tip of Cuba. Sometime tomorrow afternoon, as a category five storm. Anywhere from Havana westward, they're certainly watching for this. Even the Yucatan Peninsula will see some wind if not some wave action with this as well.
Then into the Gulf of Mexico, there are some winds out of the west that will probably knock it down somewhat into intensity. Hopefully into a category three or even less, that'll be nice. But we're going to bring it somewhere into the northeastern of Gulf of Mexico. By the time Wednesday morning rolls around and the official forecast has not changed in the last 12 hours.
It still brings it across the Florida Panhandle sometime during the day on Wednesday. If that track at all goes east or west, then we're -- to the east; we're talking about a slightly earlier landfall- affecting folks in Tampa. If that track goes slightly to the west we're talking a slightly later landfall towards Biloxi, Mobile and even towards New Orleans that is a possibility as well. Not a whole lot showing up on the radarscope in Florida. It's still a couple days away, Linda.
But that is the latest forecast. Really has not changed. Wednesday landfall expected across the Florida Panhandle. We will keep an eye on it for you.
STOUFFER: I know you will. Rob Marciano, thank you. Well, as he said, western Cuba and the city of Havana have to prepare for Ivan today and CNN's Lucia Newman has an up date for us.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LUCIA NEWMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): On the Caribbean's largest island, Seaside residents like Terese Savone Salious (ph) are packing up. Our generation has never seen a hurricane like this she says. There has been nothing like it since 1944. She is still reeling from last month's Hurricane Charley, and is going to a hurricane shelter. "I'm not staying here," she says. "My roof was blown off during the last hurricane."
Teresa (ph) who is helping with neighborhood evacuation effort says their instructions to evacuate everyone who lives above the fourth floor. Havana is particularly vulnerable. Even without a hurricane, buildings here are crumbling, and experts fear higher floors won't resist Ivan's treacherous winds. The slower this hurricane moves, the more damage it will cause us says Cuba's National Weather Institute chief. These European tourists who are being transferred to a safer hotel are overwhelmed.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I thought it was going straight to Florida and not passing over Cuba, so you never expect such a thing, of course.
NEWMAN: Cuba is nevertheless well organized to face natural disasters. Thousands have already been taken to shelters in central Cuba and hundreds and thousands more expect to be evacuated to higher ground in the coming hours. Many put their trust in the civil defense authorities. Others, like Elaine, in their saints.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
STOUFFER: And again, that was Lucia Newman reporting from Havana. Cuba may see that storm tomorrow.
We turn now to the nuclear fission developing between Iran and Europe. Iran today is rejecting European demands to stop its nuclear activities and Iran's foreign ministries say it won't halt the atomic fuel cycle that processes including uranium enrichment. It could be used to make bombs. Iran's foreign ministries say it could give assurances that its nuclear technology is for peaceful purposes only. Meanwhile, Britain, France, and Germany want Iran to prove that by a November deadline. The nations will propose a drop resolution at a meeting of the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog agency, which starts, by the way, tomorrow.
And there's a cloud of uncertainty right now over North Korea's nuclear activities. A large cloud appeared over North Korea in a satellite image several days ago right near the Chinese border. South Korea reports it was a mushroom cloud over two miles wide accompanied by a massive explosion. Meanwhile "The New York Times" reports today that the White House had prior intelligence that North Korea was preparing for its first nuclear test.
CNN is monitoring these developments from our bureau's in Korea, China and Washington. And Dana Bash joins us live with more coverage from the White House. Dana, hi.
DANA BASH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Linda. Well, you know, administration officials from the secretary of state to the national security adviser said they're not exactly sure what appears to have been a large explosion in North Korea actually was. But they both said they do not believe that it was actually any kind of nuclear event.
However, officials say that they do have some kind of indication from intelligence that perhaps, perhaps, that country, Pyongyang is preparing to test a nuclear weapon but again they're just not sure.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: Recent intelligence suggests that there's some activity taking place that is inconclusive in respect to what it means. It could be that. It could be that they're doing some test preparations or it could be that just some maintenance is going on. So it's not conclusive, and we continue to examine it and study it on a regular basis.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: Now, National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice said North Korea could be preparing what they call their own "October Surprise." Meaning, they could be preparing something to affect the U.S. elections in November. But regardless, this is already opening the day for Democrats to say that the administration is simply not doing enough to confront North Korea. Even making the point during the convention that President Bush talked about the threats to the United States but didn't even mention North Korea in his speech at Madison Square Garden.
Now, regardless of all of that, the administration officials this morning are saying that they are monitoring the events in North Korea. And that they have been working with North Korea's neighbors to try to find a diplomatic solution and they will continue to do so -- Linda.
STOUFFER: Dana Bash, live at the White House. Thanks for covering that for us.
Also, National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice talks about the North Korea issue with Wolf Blitzer and you can see that interview on "LATE EDITION." That is at noon Eastern, 9:00 Pacific right here on CNN.
Well, North Korea's nuclear problem and program is not the only concern of the U.S. and its allies. Why the international war on drugs is turning its attention toward the reclusive communist nation?
Also a day of more violence day in Iraq. We will have a live report from Baghdad for you after this break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
STOUFFER: Welcome back. It's been a bloody Sunday across Baghdad. Violence including car bombings and rocket attacks have left at least 20 Iraqis dead. Dozens more wounded today. CNN's Diana Muriel is live from Baghdad she has the latest details for us.
Diana.
DIANA MURIEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Linda, it's been another day of explosions and of violence here in Baghdad. The most intense fighting taking place in Haifa (ph) Street, which runs into the international zone, which is where the American embassy is based. On the other side of the River Tigris, where I'm speaking to you now, fighting began very early in the morning with insurgents taking on U.S. forces in that area. U.S. military spokesman confirming that a Bradley fighting vehicle was hit by a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device. That's a homemade car bomb to you and I. The soldiers in that vehicle were then extracted, they were evacuated. While that was going on, the spokesperson told me that the forces had taken on fire from insurgents. Molotov cocktails were thrown, hand grenades were thrown and RPG rocket propelled grenades also were fired at them.
They then decided to send in air support and attack the Bradley that was burning in the street. This is because the military say, it was being looted by insurgents who were after the ammunition that remained on the vehicle but this is in direct contradiction with eyewitness reports that we have had here at CNN in Baghdad.
People who were observing the scene say that in fact civilians came out into the streets to celebrate the burning of this vehicle. They were shouting, "Allah, God is great." They were throwing stones at it. They were beating it with pipes. And at that point, the helicopter gunship fired on the vehicle and that's where most of the casualties were taken. There were 13 people killed and 55 people wounded -- these are civilians -- according to the ministry of health here in Iraq, in the incident there.
Now, a producer for Al Arabiya Television was killed in that fighting, in that incident when the helicopter gunship struck the Bradley and also Reuters' cameraman was wounded, and the information that we get from our colleagues here at Reuters is that there were civilians at that Bradley and they were not firing on the American soldiers or the helicopter gunship as the U.S. military have indicated to us.
We're awaiting further confirmation from the pilots flying those -- that aircraft. But that's what we have at this stage. Elsewhere in Baghdad more violence. There were a series of car bombs around the city in various locations. All in all, the day's tally has been more than 20 killed and around 60 wounded here in Baghdad this day -- Linda.
STOUFFER: Dana, I have a question for you about the Haifa Street scene. How difficult is it to quiet and calm a situation like that, and what is the street like now? As it been cleared?
MURIEL: It's extremely difficult to calm the situation. There was a very hostile attack-taking place on the U.S. forces who patrol that area. And the insurgents it seems were firing with very heavy ammunition with rocket-propelled grenades and these homemade Molotov cocktails as well as hand grenades and small arm's fire. What tends to help in these sort of situation, which is quite extraordinary is that people come out of their houses.
Sometimes even with their children, to look at the battle going on around them. It's almost as if they feel they're immune to the fighting that's taking place. When that Bradley fighting vehicle was attacked and was burning, people then coming out into the streets to celebrate. And people seem to engage at that point and come out of their homes when it would be much more sensible for them to remain inside.
Right now, the fighting has subsided. There is no more fighting going on in that area but every night brings more conflict in this city. There has been fighting in Sadr City. And slum to the northeast of the center of Baghdad. Again, last night, more expected tonight and it may well be that we'll see flair ups in other parts including Haifa Street -- Linda.
STOUFFER: CNN's Diana Muriel live in Baghdad. Thank you.
And here is a quick check of other stories making news all around the world today. At least eight people have been killed in fighting in Herat, Afghanistan. Police and solders fire on a crowd setting fire to United Nations' offices and clashes broke out after the Afghan president dismissed a local warlord from has job as provincial governor.
Israel's prime minister says civil war could result from the division over his plans to withdraw from Gaza. Ariel Sharon called on members of his cabinet to speak out against threats of violence. He made the comment hours before a planned to demonstration against the withdrawal plan tonight in Jerusalem.
There's been heavy voter turnout in Hong Kong today. Some polling places ran out of ballot boxes. They had to ask for more. Residents have been unhappy with decisions made by the territory's Chinese communist rulers and pro-democracy operations politicians could benefit by gaining unprecedented clout in the legislative election.
Drugs, nukes and terror, why the U.S. and its allies fear the three may all be coming together due in part of North Korean leaders that story and a lot more ahead on CNN LIVE SUNDAY.
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STOUFFER: Welcome back to CNN on this Sunday. You know, earlier we told you about a large mushroom-like cloud rising over North Korea and one U.S. official assures CNN it is not the result of a nuclear explosion, but there are concerns about reports that North Korea could be planning a nuclear test in the future. CNN's Mike Chinoy has more.
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MIKE CHINOY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): In the stormy waters off Japan, a ship, where it shouldn't be. Radio intercepts show it's talking to North Korea. The Japanese Coast Guard orders the ship to halt. Warning shots are fired. No response. The Japanese, then, strike hard to disable what they suspect is a North Korean spy ship, possibly caring a cargo of drugs. Night falls, the Japanese move to board. Suddenly the North Koreans return fire.
In the dark, the smoldering ship then sinks beneath waves. Months later, the Japanese raise the ship. They confirm the North Korea connection. They find weapons from grenade launchers to machine guns, and sophisticated communication's gear, revealing calls to known members of the Japanese underworld. North Korea has long been one of the major suppliers of drugs, not only to Japan but also to much of Asia. Since the late 1970s, according to the U.S. State Department, more than 50 North Koreans, including diplomats, have been arrested on drug-related charges in more than 20 countries.
RAPHAEL PERL, CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE: Very clearly the North Korean state is basically a continuing criminal enterprise.
CHINOY: And say government and intelligence sources in Asia and the U.S., the drug business may have even more sinister purposes.
PERL: Number one that it finances and underwrites the costs of the nuclear program. And number two, that the skills and methods the North Koreans employ for smuggling drugs are used or will be used to smuggle weapon's technology and nuclear materials.
CHINOY: Fon Yong Young (ph), the most senior North Korean official ever to flee his homeland, confirms that criminal activity is officially sanctioned there.
(on camera): Is the North Korean regime in your view, capable of making nuclear materials available to terrorists?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (translator): I don't know for sure, but I do know that North Korea is capable of doing whatever is in its interest.
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STOUFFER: And that's really just the beginning. You can learn more about North Korea's nuclear aspirations. Also the threat of nuclear terror on "CNN PRESENTS." That's tonight at 8:00 Eastern, so join us for that.
Time now though to check out what is coming up on "RELIABLE SOURCES." It starts in just a few minutes and Howard Kurtz is live in D.C. with a preview for us. Hello, Howard.
HOWARD KURTZ, HOST, RELIABLE SOURCES: Hi, Linda. Thanks. Coming up, was CBS News the victim involve fraudulent documents about President Bush's National Guard service? The media continue their relentless coverage of the candidates' Vietnam service with this new twist. And Kitty Kelley's new book about George Bush. Is the press lending credibility to scandalous charges without knowing whether they're true?
Plus, John Kerry fighting the polls and the pundits. That's all next on "RELIABLE SOURCES."
STOUFFER: Howard, thanks. You have a juicy week for media stories.
Reeling in trouble off of the U.S. coast, find out why some sports fisherman are crying foul over new environmental survey and what it could mean for their popular activity. That and more when CNN LIVE Sunday continues.
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STOUFFER: Russia has laid claims at the top spot on the women's side at the U.S. Open tennis championship in New York. Svetlana Kuznetsova knocked off fellow Russian Elena Dementieva in the women's final. It's her first Grand Slam title in her first try. On the men's side, Roger Federer takes on Lleyton Hewitt in today's finals. Federer is the top seed there and he is trying to become the first player in 16 years to win three Grand Slam men's titles in one year.
Well, fishing for fun and sport is a growing pastime for Americans, but some experts say all of that fishing could have long- term consequences down the road. Donna Tetreault explains why that might require limits on just what people can hook.
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DONNA TETREAULT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Sport fishing has anchored itself as one of America's favorite past time.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It takes off of the stress in your life that's for sure.
TETREAULT: And another sure thing, Johnny Holback out fishing everyday for the past 45 years. But what's not so certain is what and how much Holback can catch anymore. A new study, which looked at 22 years of fishing's statistics for the journal of science, found that sport fishing is hooking 5 percent of the U.S. salt-water catch. That's up from the federal statistic, up 2 percent. It's not the individual fisherman, according to the study. It's the 10.5 million individuals.
DR. SUZANNE EDMUNDS, MARINE BIOLOGIST: If we want to see fisheries sustained for your grandkids, then recreational fisheries are going to have to experience some of the same real regulations that the commercial fisheries have.
TETREAULT: Off of the coast of California, Oregon and Washington the percentage of highly fished species such as lingcod and percatchio (ph) has increased dramatically over the past 2 decades. Twenty years ago 14 percent of those fish were caught by recreational fisherman. By 2002 that number was up to 59 percent.
(on camera): But sportsmen have another story to tell. They say strict regulations already in place have sunk a lot of opportunity. More than 35 sculpin (ph) have been caught on this excursion alone. All thrown back into the water.
CAPTAIN RICK CARHAJAL, FISHERMAN: I would love to go fishing, and catch 100, 200 sculpin (ph) but I can't. Because they have taken that away from us.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Every time we catch fish, it's not the right size. We toss it back and sometimes out of respect, we throw the big fish back because he's been out there for a while.
TETREAULT: Edmunds says 20 percent of fish caught die after they're put back into the ocean but that's now how dads out with their kids for a day of fishing see it.
CARHAJAL: They took our rock fishing away. They have taken away our sculpin (ph) OK, we are already regulated. We don't have a problem with that but now they're saying we're the problem, we're a big problem. What's next? Are they going to shut us down completely?
TETREAULT: So while the numbers may have changed, it is not going to change the war in the water say marine biologist. Sport fisherman say new regulations would leave them reeling.
Donna Tetreault for CNN, Marina Dalloway, California.
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STOUFFER: Well, there is much more ahead on CNN SUNDAY in just a few moments. At the bottom of the hour, "RELIABLE SOURCES." At noon it is "LATE EDITION" with Wolf Blitzer, among Wolf's guest today National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice. And at 2:00 Eastern time, "PEOPLE IN THE NEWS" profiles Osama bin Laden.
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