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Hospital Briefing on Randal McCloy, Sole Survivor of Sago Mine Tragedy; Ariel Sharon's Health Crisis Raises Political Questions

Aired January 05, 2006 - 11:59   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Daryn Kagan. We normally air YOUR WORLD TODAY at this hour, but there is a developing domestic story we want to give our full attention. So we will get to world news, but while we await the start any moment of a news conference, this is the hospital where Randy McCloy, Jr. is in critical condition.
You might recall he is the sole survivor of this week's mining tragedy in West Virginia. And when that does begin, that news conference, we will go live right back there.

Meanwhile, a memorial service has been tentatively set for next Sunday for the 12 men who were killed in the Sago Mine accident in West Virginia. Last night, dozens of people gathered for a candlelight vigil at the Sago Baptist Church. While the community mourns the dead, an investigation into the accident is under way.

Let's bring in our Kimberly Osias. She's joining us from outside the mine in Tallmansville, West Virginia.

Kim, first, I'd like to talk about this report we're hearing from AP, and actually we've confirmed here at CNN, that at least one of the families, one relative of one of the miners who didn't make it, say that some of the miners left behind notes from them to their families.

KIMBERLY OSIAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Daryn, yes, I actually just confirmed that just now before this live shot. And I did speak with one family member.

And he said, yes, certainly they are waiting to hear if they were one of the people that notes were left for as well. But we do know that one note was left that said that they were just going to sleep.

Obviously, that would give some hope and some credence to the theory that these miners all lasted longer. You know, there was a notion that they had all barricaded themselves in, were able to find sort of one safe pocket of air.

And of course we are waiting on that press conference for the sole survivor, 27-year-old Randal McCloy. He is believed to still be in critical condition.

Now, interestingly, Daryn, his oxygen mask was still working, authorities say. And the interesting part of that is, I am told that those apparatuses are only good for one hour. So all the families wonder if, in fact, they did live and what exactly happened. I mean, they all now really are looking for answers, Daryn, as to the cause. And of course obviously the investigations are ongoing on the federal level and the state level as well.

KAGAN: Right. Not just the cause, but the speed of the rescue efforts. That would be so frustrating to know that had that happened a lot sooner, that perhaps more of those miners would be living today.

OSIAS: Yes, absolutely, Daryn. I mean, obviously, one issue is why they didn't know information much faster, why those rescue workers didn't go down, didn't go into the mines immediately.

And when I talked to some of the officials, they said, look, they were doing the best that they could do. It was a holiday weekend. They were getting everybody out that they could as fast as they could.

But obviously, you know, these families, they are in tremendous turmoil. I mean, this reality is not going to change. I mean, you've heard everybody say, and we have all felt that, it was a variable roller-coaster for these families to go through, sort of the false hope, believing that they were alive and then that they were dead.

And now they are dealing with the aftermath of starting that grieving process. And they say they want answers. They want to know exactly what happened.

They do feel very, very buoyed by this community, a very close- knit community, Daryn, that has truly banded together and showing signs of support. You see signs all over around this town, prayers being with these families, with these miners.

It is a deeply religious community. And also, all over the state, the governor, Governor Manchin, has ordered that the flags be flown at half-staff.

KAGAN: We are just about a minute away. We are hearing word that we're just a minute away from the news conference beginning in Morgantown, West Virginia. So we will go to that, Kimberly, and to our viewers, as soon as it begins.

Meanwhile, let me ask you about this, Kimberly, this $2 million donation that the owner of the mine has made to surviving family members?

OSIAS: Right. That's exactly right. That was announced actually on our air on "AMERICAN MORNING" earlier this morning.

He said it's just a start. He is certainly seeking other donations as well. And the family members that I spoke with said, look, you know, that is good. Certainly they are pleased with that, but it doesn't mitigate their grief in any way.

Some family members saying that they are contemplating possible lawsuits. And other family members are saying, look, they are just simply too grief-stricken at this juncture to do that.

KAGAN: Yes. I would imagine there's no shortage of lawyers floating around that town for possible lawsuits.

OSIAS: No.

KAGAN: And then, of course, as you were saying, part of that -- actually, here are the doctors. Let's go ahead and listen in, in Morgantown.

BRUCE MCCLYMONDS, PRESIDENT & CEO, WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS: Hi. I'd like to welcome you to the press conference.

My name is Bruce McClymonds. I'm the president and CEO of West Virginia University Hospitals. We are here to give a medical update on Randy McCloy, a patient here at the hospital.

Before I do that, I'd like to read a statement from his wife.

Anna McCloy wishes to express her appreciation for the prayer and hopes of the many people who have come to her support over the last few days. She also wants to thank the news media for their interest in the tragedy that struck so many of Randal's co-workers.

Anna has received many requests from local and national news media for interviews. At this time, her focus is on Randy and his recovery. And she cannot take time to respond to these requests.

She hopes that you will understand this. And please give her the time and privacy to deal with this family crisis.

Given that, I'd like now to introduce John Prescott. Dr. John Prescott has been very involved in the care of Randy here. He is the dean of the school of medicine, the former chair of emergency medicine here at the hospital, and will give you the medical update today.

Thanks.

DR. JOHN PRESCOTT, WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS: Thank you, Mr. McClymonds.

I've been visiting with the family and with our patient, Mr. McCloy, earlier today. Just left them about an hour ago.

His condition remains guarded. It remains serious. He's in a critically ill patient.

As has been described by Dr. Roberts, there were multiple organs that have been affected through this incident. We are addressing and providing comprehensive care to him at this time.

We've called an entire team of specialists, as we do with all of our critically ill patients, to care for Mr. McCloy. We also have -- obviously have been providing round-the-clock nursing care to him to ensure that we are not only able to monitor him but also to provide any of the needed services that he would have.

Now, as far as how is he doing, we have been seeing a slight improvement, as we mentioned earlier today. And we say slight. We need to say it is slight in some of the body functions.

We've seen some improvement in his pulmonary function, in the way his lungs are working. We've seen some improvement also with the way that his kidneys are functioning, some improvement with his heart functioning, and some improvement with his liver.

We have not seen much of a change in his neurological status. And that's been something that we are closely monitoring also.

At this time, we continue to do additional tests. We've been in -- as I mentioned before, in consult with others within our university, on the outside, when needed, certainly to talk with them and to offer Randy the very best care that we possibly can.

Throughout this entire process we've been keeping the family very much informed. We have certainly worked with them and certainly are involving them with every aspect of this process.

I'd be happy to take questions with regard to him.

QUESTION: Dr. Prescott, is there any way to gauge when he might come out of his coma? And have you seen any indications that he might be coming out?

PRESCOTT: We see a fluctuating neurological examination at this time. We don't see him coming out of the coma at this moment. We don't know when this would occur.

We are hopeful that it will occur soon. But again, we are dealing with a person, a patient who is very critically ill. And we just don't know.

QUESTION: Are there any early signs that would tip you off?

PRESCOTT: At this point, again, it's the repeated neurological examinations which we're doing. These neurological examinations include testing of reflexes, seeing how awake he is, and again, response to stimuli.

Yes, sir?

CHRIS HUNTINGTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Doctor, Chris Huntington, with CNN. Yesterday Dr. Roberts said there was some hope (INAUDIBLE) ramping down the sedatives a bit.

PRESCOTT: Yes.

HUNTINGTON: Do you anticipate continuing that today? And can I also ask you to elaborate on the specific types of procedures, stimuli that you are giving him?

PRESCOTT: Sure.

HUNTINGTON: HUWays that you are actively treating him other than just monitoring?

PRESCOTT: Correct. All right. We'd be happy to do that.

We have stopped sedation with our patient. And we've now gone ahead, and we are now letting the chemicals, the drugs that had put him to sleep wear off.

QUESTION: Painkillers of any type?

PRESCOTT: When you do a sedation, it involves several different medications along the way. And we did -- we did make sure -- I mean, it does affect your level of consciousness. And so then, as those are dissipating, we are, again, monitoring his neurological status very carefully.

We did recently complete an EEG, which has been done, which is a way of testing electrical waves inside the brain. I do not have the results of that test yet back. That was done just a short while ago.

We continue to, again, monitor his blood chemistries on a-- I wouldn't say hourly basis, but fairly close to that. And we continue to monitor all the functions.

I mean, there are -- for all of you, and I'm sure all of you have been to an ICU at one particular time, you understand that there's monitors, there's lines. There's a whole host of things that are going on. And we are measuring all those things now.

One last thing I just wanted to mention is that, again, people keep asking about improvement. And yes, we see improvement. But this is one of these processes in which you see -- sometimes can see moving forward two steps. Then he may take three steps back, then maybe four steps forward.

That's how it is when you deal with a critically ill ICU patient, is that it's not an easygoing, straight, linear fashion of improvement. So we must deal with different situations, we are dealing with different situations as they come up. More certainly, trying to make sure that he gets the very best care possible.

Vicky (ph), you had a question?

QUESTION: Yes. You were talking about blood pressure being tested hourly. I asked you earlier this morning (INAUDIBLE) carbon monoxide. Can you tell us whether you've found out other gases or any other chemicals in his blood such as (INAUDIBLE), something else that may have been in the air that he was breathing?

PRESCOTT: OK. We have found no evidence of any other chemicals at this particular time.

QUESTION: Dr. Prescott...

PRESCOTT: Yes?

QUESTION: As the sedation wears off, (INAUDIBLE) take out the breathing tube? Can you tell us how long he'll have to have this breathing tube in? And how will you prevent him from, you know, taking it out?

PRESCOTT: Well, one of the things -- one of the things we do look for -- and that would be a very purposeful movement. Trying to pull the breathing tube out is actually something that you would see. But we are not seeing that at this time. OK?

Not seeing him move in that direction. But, again...

QUESTION: (INAUDIBLE)

PRESCOTT: OK. Again, I don't want to conflict with the family. When I say I've examined the patient, I've not seen him try to remove the breathing tube -- remove the breathing tube.

Now, how long does it stay in for? It stays in as long as it really is needed. We are trying to make sure that he gets adequate oxygenation and we make sure there's enough blood -- oxygen in his blood and adequate ventilation to make sure that we are -- that all of the organs are being (INAUDIBLE) and getting the correct oxygen that they need.

Sir, you in the back?

QUESTION: Dr. Prescott, can you verify the sedation and the coma? It is an induced coma, or is it just the sedation (INAUDIBLE)?

PRESCOTT: At this time we believe the pharmacy -- the medicines that we have given him are wearing off. And we believe that he is in the state of coma at the present time.

And we are still determining, we're trying to determine -- again, as I mentioned before, at least as Dr. Roberts mentioned before, is that his organs weren't working as well. The kidneys and the liver, the things that would typically break down some of the chemicals that we were using weren't working as fast -- as quickly as before.

So those drugs may have lingered. And again, we are still assessing. And we'll know when we're doing -- trying to watch a sequence of events that occur.

You have a follow-up question?

QUESTION: Yes. What percentage (INAUDIBLE) functioning at full capacity?

PRESCOTT: OK. What percentage? Which organs?

QUESTION: (INAUDIBLE)

PRESCOTT: Oh, that's a difficult thing to say. I got asked earlier today, "Tell me about these organs." And I said to him that we have a lot of reserve in some of our organs.

Our kidneys and our liver have a lot of reserve. And actually, with time, it would seem to get better. And that's what we are hoping for with this. And that's what we are hoping for. Again, I can't tell you a percentage of -- and I don't think physicians -- physicians don't usually say that -- the only way that they'll look at it is sometimes your heart. They'll say how is that functioning, because you can measure a specific thing. But they don't measure the kidneys or the liver that way.

Ma'am?

QUESTION: Yes. Any comment on whether his young age played a role in his survival?

PRESCOTT: I've been asked that repeatedly, whether or not his young age has played a role in the survival, and we don't know. We do know that he was the youngest member, and he is here with us, and he has survived.

We do know at least there was one other miner who was in his 20s, very close in age. Why Randy is here and the other one isn't, I don't know.

I do -- I can tell you that he's a healthy male, that he has been in good shape. And that -- does that make a difference when someone has a serious illness or injury? Absolutely. And so we keep hoping that that will play an important part in his recovery.

QUESTION: Do you have any other idea how long the other miners lived?

PRESCOTT: I do not know -- I have no other information on the other miners.

QUESTION: Doctor, we heard that Randal was communicating with facial expressions. Can you explain that?

PRESCOTT: OK. There was a report yesterday that that was going on. I was not there for that. I've not seen that today.

QUESTION: What would that -- what do you know about it?

PRESCOTT: Again, I wasn't there. I have not seen any indication at this time.

QUESTION: What about the squeezing of the hand? Is that something that a patient in this condition would be able to do?

PRESCOTT: Squeezing of the hand is one of the -- again, if you think about it, it's an easy reflex. OK? It's something that people can do.

If you think about it, think about those little babies. You put your fingers, and a child will grab your hand instantaneously.

That's a simple reflex that can go on. It's a good sign. It's like -- we do want to see that.

But again, purposeful movement is what we are looking for. And we certainly are hoping to see more of that.

There was another question.

Yes?

QUESTION: (INAUDIBLE)

PRESCOTT: OK. Well, you know, no, we don't know. We don't know when he'll be able to go home.

Again, I do want to stress with all of you that he is a critically ill patient, getting the maximum amount of care around the clock by the very best that West Virginia has to offer. We are doing all we can for him and for the family.

QUESTION: Doctor, how much weight has Randal lost?

PRESCOTT: OK. I don't know. A lot of the weight that one loses in an incident like this is just the water weight. He was markedly dehydrated when he came in, and we've taken care of that problem at this time.

QUESTION: A slightly different question. Is there any thoughts about an alternative approach of providing stimulants to him, somebody reading to him all the time, a family member being there all the time? Are you using anything like that?

PRESCOTT: Well, the family are there quite a bit. And we do encourage the family to talk with the patient. And we are all waiting for that moment when he opens his eyes. And we think that that will -- we hope that will occur.

That's -- that's something that we do feel is very, very important. We encourage that with all of our intensive care unit patients.

We do encourage the family to be there, to be present, to talk with the patient. And as Dr. Roberts had indicated I think in one of the interviews yesterday, anecdotally we've all seen it. I mean, I've seen this, too, where you talk to patients afterwards and they've said to you, we remember you talking to us. We remember hearing from your mom or dad or from your wife.

QUESTION: Is it possible -- I mean, (INAUDIBLE), about what damage is done to the brain, is it possible that when he wakes up he may not remember what happened in the mine?

PRESCOTT: That is -- someone asked that also, and I would have to say that we are all hoping that he will be able to give us some sort of indication as to what occurred. We don't know if he'll be able to do that. We just don't know if that'll happen.

Again, folks who are involved in traumatic incidents lots of times don't recall that incident. And don't recall the specifics regarding it.

Yes?

QUESTION: (INAUDIBLE)

PRESCOTT: We do believe that there has been -- there has been some injury at this point. I mean, I don't think that we can -- we can -- we can't quantify it, but we do believe there has been some injury at this point to the brain.

QUESTION: Why? Why do you believe that?

PRESCOTT: The fact that he has not waking up as quickly as we had hoped for him to do. So that would be the reason why.

Yes? I'm sorry.

QUESTION: Was there any clear brain damage you would expect (INAUDIBLE)?

PRESCOTT: The EEG test will help us know a little bit more about how the brain is functioning at this time. I don't know -- we don't expect -- you know, expect is a tough word as far as brain functioning is concerned. We don't know.

We just don't know how his brain will recover. And we still -- we'll know more 12 hours from now. And we'll know more tomorrow. But right now, it's -- we are still just getting a baseline.

He's been here just 36 hours. So we're still gaining...

QUESTION: Doctor, can I ask you please to continue to elaborate, because when you say, "I think he may have suffered some brain damage," (INAUDIBLE). And I can imagine (INAUDIBLE) potentially he could recover quick significantly from some damage. Could you just elaborate?

PRESCOTT: You know, I really can't elaborate at this time. I don't know how he's going to recover.

We do know that we've talked to the family and explained to them that he is seriously ill and has been seriously injured. We don't know. We just can't tell.

QUESTION: (INAUDIBLE) suffered some brain damage, do you think it's possible that he could recover in a reasonable fashion from that?

PRESCOTT: I just don't know. I'm being honest with you. I don't know.

Someone else in the back had a question.

I think you had a question.

QUESTION: Yes. If he were to recover, what kind of post- traumatic treatment would he get?

PRESCOTT: OK. That's a great question, because people who have been -- if we anticipate as he recovers, people who have been in serious car crashes, people who have been in serious mining incidents, people who have been in battles, a lot of times have had Post- Traumatic Stress Disorder. A lot of times what you can do is you can make interventions early on and talk to them about the incident.

And certainly we have people on our faculty here who are experts at that and would be able to work with him on those issues. It's working with him, it's working with the family. It's working with the others. The rescuers also along the way.

There was another question.

Yes?

QUESTION: His family said this morning that he was showing some recognition to his children. (INAUDIBLE)?

PRESCOTT: OK. I was not there for that. OK? And I don't know. I wasn't there when the children were in.

I know they were there yesterday for sure. I don't know about today. I didn't know that.

Yes?

QUESTION: You said you were there just about an hour ago. As far as Randy's condition currently, is his temperature (INAUDIBLE) normal stance right now? Or what is -- when you left, how were things?

PRESCOTT: Vital signs are stable at this time. We will see an increase in his heart rate and his respiratory rate. And he is trying to breathe around the tube, is what we talk about, around the machine, which is -- which is showing signs that he's trying to do this without just the mechanical ventilation itself.

And when you stimulate him, his heart rate will go up somewhat, which is, again, a normal response that one would see. And you don't...

QUESTION: You don't have a specific temperature that his body is currently at?

PRESCOTT: No, I don't know that. I'm sorry. I do know that he's doing fine. I don't know the specific temperature at this -- yes?

QUESTION: (INAUDIBLE) in a coma and you've stopped sedation. Is that usual in a patient who has been through what he has? And is it possible for the body to put itself in a coma?

PRESCOTT: This is not a usual patient. I think that that's a very important point about this, is that we are dealing with an individual here, and we are dealing with a situation here in which we don't know what happened. And the only person who does know what happened is now is incubated (ph), can't talk, can't relate to us in any way. So we just don't know exactly what occurred. And so we won't be able to really figure out what -- what will happen with him along the way.

The most important thing is that we will just continue to provide the care that we can do to make sure that he gets -- so that he can improve to the best of his ability.

I know there was a second part to that. I'm sorry.

QUESTION: Is it possible for a body to put itself in a coma?

PRESCOTT: I think there are cases of that happening. I'm not aware of them for sure offhand. So...

I just wanted to make sure I got everybody. And we'll go back.

Yes?

And then yes, sir, up here in front?

QUESTION: His family, earlier they said (INAUDIBLE).

PRESCOTT: His family -- he has a wonderful family. He just truly does. And for those of you who are not from West Virginia, this is a family that's kind of the heart and soul of West Virginia.

They are -- his wife is a very devoted wife who talks about her husband very lovingly and very emotionally and very caringly. Their faith is a very important part of their lives. As a matter of fact -- I mean, it just is.

We have been in touch with the family. We continually talk with them. And we are certainly updating them as to his condition at all times.

Sir?

QUESTION: You mentioned that a team of specialists -- are all the specialists from the West Virginia University Hospitals, or have some been brought in from outside?

PRESCOTT: The specialists who have examined him and who have cared for him have been people that we have -- that we've had here on our staff. So we've had the folks in neurology, the folks in opthalomology, we've had folks from pulmonology.

We've had our kidney doctors, our (INAUDIBLE), trauma doctors, others, all up and down the line have been in to take care of him, as well as our specialized nurses who have been caring for him, around the clock care. We have been in touch with others along the way, absolutely, to make sure that, as we would with any particular case, you always go outside and take a look and consult and talk to other people about the situation along the way.

But the doctors who have been examining him and caring for him are right here from WVU.

QUESTION: Doctor...

PRESCOTT: Yes?

QUESTION: ... I know you can't (INAUDIBLE) talk about how quickly he can progress. But based on his information that he may have suffered some brain damage and other damage to organs, can he ever fully be what he was before he went into that mine?

PRESCOTT: Again, I don't know. I listened this morning. Maybe some of you did too. Maybe some of you didn't who were on the press.

I was listening to some reports about Ariel Sharon and people making predictions about his recovery. It's difficult for us to say.

It just is so difficult for us to say how he's going to recover, how Randy's going to recover, what he's going to be like and what level of functioning he'll have in the future. We do know, again, as we keep saying, and it's the important point of this, is that he is a critically ill patient who's in stable but guarded condition.

We are seeing progress on some fronts. But again, as we see some progress, sometimes we see things, we see a step back. We see -- then we see it going forward. It's sort of the natural progression as we take care of this patient and render the very best care possible.

I will have to ask one last question, because I have to meet with the family next. I have a scheduled appointment with them, and I will take one last -- Vicky (ph).

QUESTION: I'd just like to follow up on the body putting itself in a coma to heal, because as I recall our conversation this morning, you told me you did not have a medical reason for the coma that he's in. Can you explain to me -- I mean, is it a possibility...

PRESCOTT: I'm sorry. There is a medical reason. I don't know what it is at this point.

And I think we are determining -- trying to determine what it is, why he's in that coma.

QUESTION: OK.

PRESCOTT: But I don't know what this is. And our specialists are still working on trying to figure that out.

Again, I appreciate everybody else.

OK. Yes?

QUESTION: Is he still on dialysis?

PRESCOTT: He's still on dialysis, yes. He is still on dialysis. But his kidneys are starting to function. But he still needs -- and it does require dialysis. Again...

QUESTION: (INAUDIBLE)

PRESCOTT: You know, we want to see him wake up. And that's the whole thing. Once he starts to respond in a purposeful manner, we all want to see him wake up.

Again, thank you very much. I appreciate it.

KAGAN: We've been listening in to an update from the hospital in Morgantown, West Virginia, where Randy McCloy, Jr., the sole survivor from the mining tragedy of this week in West Virginia, is fighting for his life.

The doctors there say that he still is a very critically ill patient, that he is fighting back on multiple organs. There is slight improvement, they say, in his lung, his kidneys, his heart and his liver. But the big question mark here is in brain function.

And doctors at this point not really certain how much brain damage might have been done, and that he is still in a coma. And that they really at this point are not certain how his brain will recover from these injuries and -- for what he has been through.

His wife Anna released a statement before the doctor saying that she very much appreciates the signs and prayers of support she's getting all around the country. But she understandably at this point is not in the place where she can talk to reporters, that she is focusing on helping her family and her husband.

Randy McCloy Jr.'s mother, though, did earlier today talk to us here at CNN, and here's what she had to say.

All right. OK. Apparently we don't have that. We'll have that for you a little bit later perhaps on "LIVE FROM."

Well, there is dramatic rescue under way here in Georgia. Emergency crews trying to rescue a man on a water tower. This is in the town of Jefferson, several miles northeast of Atlanta.

We brought you this breaking news story in the last hour. Authorities say the man was painting the inside of the water tower, which was empty. They were painting the outside and the inside, and apparently he fell 35 feet into the tank. A report just into us now from our affiliate WAGA.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, Eric (ph), this is a really dangerous rescue operation here in Jackson County. This is in the town of Jefferson.

You can see two rescue workers atop this water tower. Now, that's about 150 feet off the ground. And inside that tower is a worker who apparently fell and sustained some injuries. Now, right now there are a couple of additional rescuers that are inside that water tower right now trying to rescue this individual. Now, that's a very precarious operation because they have got to figure out a way to get him out of the inside of that water tower, up through that hole on top. And then they will have to get the man down off of the top of the tower, and then off of the entire tower itself.

Now, as I pull back, you can see just what a dangerous situation they are dealing with. They are up on top of this water tower. They do have an air ambulance on scene standing by, waiting for them to get this man out so he can be transported to an area hospital.

Now, at this point, we do not have information about the circumstances of the accident or the condition of the victim. We do not know if he is conscious or if he is talking with rescuers. That is information that we will hopefully be able to gather as they proceed with this rescue effort.

But right now the rescue continues. It's a very dangerous situation here for rescue workers here in Jackson County and the town of Jefferson.

Reporting live...

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: And that report coming to us from WAGA.

This is a perfect example of when you can continue our coverage on CNN Pipeline. We have a live feed of that incident taking place right now. Just go to cnn.com/pipeline.

We move on with other news here on CNN.

A deadly military accident near San Diego is under investigation. Two Marines are dead and two others hurt. One military vehicle was towing another when both struck a concrete barrier and tumbled off the freeway.

A fiery traffic accident in Louisiana leaves four people dead. A car crossed the median on I-10, crashed head on into a truck, setting both vehicles on fire. The truck was carrying X-ray equipment with radioactive material. State troopers say no radioactive material did leak.

Former Pittsburgh Steelers star receiver Lynn Swann hopes to catch the Pennsylvania governor's office next November. It might take a primary in May for Swann to grab the nomination. He has three GOP opponents lined up across the scrimmage line.

And everything came up roses for the orange and white. Texas fans jump for joy after their Longhorns gored USC at the Rose Bowl. And the new national champions will get their Wheaties box. The team will be featured on a commemorative Wheaties box starting next month.

And from Hollywood, the job goes on to Jon Stewart. The fake newscaster will host the 78th Academy Awards on March 5. Stewart specializes in biting political humor on his Comedy Central program "The Daily Show." He has a couple of Grammy hosting jobs under his belt.

Last year's Oscar emcee, Chris Rock, was not asked back. Eight- time host Billy Crystal did not want to do the gig -- the job -- do it again this time.

Stay with CNN. We are going to join YOUR WORLD TODAY after a quick break.

I'm Daryn Kagan. I'll see you tomorrow morning.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

JIM CLANCY, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to YOUR WORLD TODAY on CNN International. I'm Jim Clancy.

COLLEEN MCEDWARDS, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Colleen McEdwards. Here are some of the top stories that we're following.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is hospitalized in serious but stable condition after he suffered a major stroke. Doctors operated for more than nine hours to stop severe bleeding in the brain. His grave condition comes just months before an election that has his new centrist party expected to win. Vice Premier Ehud Olmert has been named acting prime minister.

CLANCY: More than 130 people, almost all civilians, have been killed in a violent wave of insurgent attacks across Iraq. Two suicide bombers did the greatest damage. They hit first outside an Iraqi police recruitment center in the troubled city of Ramadi, west of Baghdad. Then another bomber detonated an explosive device near two Shia shrines in Karabala. Five U.S. soldiers were killed, meantime, in a roadside bomb attack in Baghdad.

MCEDWARDS: At least 15 people were killed when a small hotel collapsed in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Thirty-nine others were injured. Islam's holiest city is preparing for the annual hajj pilgrimage. It gets going on Sunday. The hotel is near the Grand Mosque, a focal point for most of the hajj. Four of those killed were citizens of the United Arab Emirates.

CLANCY: Returning now to our top story, the grave condition of Ariel Sharon, the Israeli prime minister. Suffering a minor stroke two-and-a-half weeks ago, he was put on blood-thinning medication. And then doctors said that the medicine may now have contributed to his major stroke on Wednesday.

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DR. WENDY WRIGHT, NEUROLOGIST: It's a known complication, and the most serious and most deadly risk of being on blood thinner medications. When doctors prescribe these medications, we try to balance out those risks and our hope is to prevent further blood clots that would go on to cause another major stroke. But it is a well-known complication and one of the most feared and one of the most deadly, this type of hemorrhage into the brain. It's almost assuredly a result of the blood thinning medication.

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MCEDWARDS: All right, let's get some perspective now on Mr. Sharon's condition and what it could mean for Israel's political future.

We are joined now by Gil Hoffman, who is with "The Jerusalem Post." Gil, thanks a lot for being here.

Ehud Olmert, in position now for 100 days or so. Tell us more about him. What should the public expect to see?

GIL HOFFMAN, "JERUSALEM POST": Well, Ehud Olmert has been a member of the parliament going back all the way to 1973. He's a veteran politician. He was Sharon's closest ally in the new party that he formed, the Kadima party.

He's someone who has dovish views, who certainly wants to try to bring about a peace agreement with the Palestinians. And he's committed to making sure that the legacy of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon gets carried on. And that's the legacy of trying to bring peace to the Middle East and trying to draw a border for the state of Israel.

MCEDWARDS: Gil, just hold that thought for a moment. I just want to report something that we are hearing on Israeli TV Channel Two and also is being reported by AP, the wire service, saying that hospital officials being quoted here, saying that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's brain and heart are now working without artificial support. We had been told earlier that he still was on support systems. Now Israeli television channel two saying that he is operating without artificial support. We'll work to get confirmation on that.

But Gil, I want to pick up on your last thought about continuing the plan of Mr. Sharon. And really what everyone wants to know is where the Kadima party is going, this new centrist party that Mr. Sharon left Likud to form. What's going to happen, though, regardless of his health, if he can't be back on the political scene in force?

HOFFMAN: ... Ariel Sharon at the head of Kadima, the party could still win the election. It won't win by a landslide, like Sharon was expected to do. Sharon had been expected to really get support from right and left and united consensus in this country. There is no other consensus figure in this country that can bring a huge amount of support the way Sharon did. But even under Ehud Olmert, Kadima is still favored to win this election, but not by much.

MCEDWARDS: But, you know, how much political chaos could there be? I mean, a lot of people are suggesting, you know, some of the people who moved over might decide to move back to other parties. I realize no one knows at this point, but there clearly could be chaos. HOFFMAN: There certainly could be. And Israel is used to chaos. There were reports a few minutes ago that Shimon Peres, who had moved from Labor to Kadima, that Amir Peretz, the current leader of the Labor Party, who defeated Peres a month ago, would be making overtures to Peres -- already started in that to try to get him back into the Labor Party. And we haven't heard yet from Shimon Peres about whether he would be interested in that.

But other than him, the people who had moved to Kadima have all said today that they intend to stay in the party and to unite behind Ehud Olmert and really try to win this election.

MCEDWARDS: If there is to be new leadership, just give us your analysis on that. I mean, a lot of people say that Ehud Olmert is not real leadership potential material right now. We've got Benjamin Netanyahu to think about, we've got Ehud Barak to think about. Who would your money be on?

HOFFMAN: Well, I try to avoid making predictions. But let's go into the analysis. Ariel Sharon was the only man who was seen as having enough clout among the people of Israel to really move the country forward in a substantial way.

Ehud Olmert is someone that has never really been elected by the people of Israel to a major post. He just started being finance minister a few months ago, that Sharon had appointed him to. He only narrowly made the last Knesset. He only had 600 people in the Likud Central Committee vote for him, and now he suddenly has to attract the support of a million people in 82 days. And that's something that's not very easy.

Netanyahu, his campaign since he was elected leader of the Likud Party two weeks ago now really wasn't going anywhere. Amir Peretz, who was leader of the Labor Party, he was also not really going anywhere. So we have three people who weren't seen as prime minister material not too long ago who now are facing off against each other. And so a lot of Israelis, rather than the voting enthusiastically in the polls on the 28th of March, might have to be deciding who the lesser of all the evils is for them.

MCEDWARDS: All right. Gil Hoffman, we've got to leave it there. Gil with "The Jerusalem Post," thanks a lot for your thoughts. Appreciate it.

And you can find a biography of Mr. Sharon, photos and much more on our Web site. It's all at CNN.com/international. Take a look. We'll be right back.

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GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Not everybody around this table agreed with my decision to go into Iraq, and I fully understand that, but these are good, solid Americans who understand that we've got to succeed now that we are there. And I am most grateful for the suggestions that have been given.

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CLANCY: All right, U.S. President George W. Bush there talking about listening to input that he's been getting. We'll get to that in just a moment. But first I want to tell you that at the top of the hour we're going to be hearing from Hadassah Hospital and get an update on the condition of Ariel Sharon. There's some discussion now. Hospital officials being quoted by the Israeli media quoted as saying that Ariel Sharon's brain and heart are functioning without any artificial support. We'll have a full update coming at the top of the hour.

Meantime, back to the U.S. president. You know he has been criticized for consulting only a tight circle of his aides. Today once again he was soliciting the views of former secretaries of state and former secretaries of defense on his Iraq policy. The efforts come amid what has been seen as dramatic upsurge in violence following parliamentary elections in Iraq.

Also, Mr. Bush's poll numbers, at least some of them, are also up. And for some analysis on the situation in Iraq and beyond, let's go to David Mack. He's vice president of the Middle East Institute. Now he is formerly a U.S. ambassador to the United Arab Emirates. President Bush listening to the former secretaries of state this day, what does he need to hear. What is this a sign of?

DAVID MACK, VP, MIDDLE EAST INST.: Well, what the president needs to do is to listen to people who have real experience dealing with Iraq over the years, and dealing with the greater geopolitical situation out there. I think it's high time. In fact I think it's well beyond the time when he should have been talking with people who've got this kind of experience. And who bring different views to the table than the ones he's used to hearing from some of his closest advisers.

CLANCY: But some people would argue that the kind of leadership that George Bush has put in place here is the leadership that sees a new Middle East, a Democratic Middle East, and that listening to the old voices, you are not going to get that. You have to make a bold move. Certainly it's been a bold and we must say a costly move in Iraq.

MACK: Well, Jim, I'm sorry, but I believe that the so-called strategy that the Bush administration had in mind when it went into Iraq in terms of changing the entire Middle East by virtue of a dramatic military victory in that country, followed by an easy political and economic transformation, was based on a lot of illusions. It never had very much to do with Iraq. I've served twice in Baghdad, and I can tell you that the career people in the U.S. military, the CIA and the State Department were giving advice that went very much contrary to this strategy based upon illusions.

CLANCY: A strategy based upon illusions from whom? Specifically, can you name names? Who was behind this strategy? MACK: Certainly. Certainly. Vice President Richard Cheney is certainly the number one and the most influential adviser of the president on these matters. He's a very dominant personality. He has had a lot of relevant experience, one would think. On the other hand, Cheney himself, I believe, fell into a lot of illusions that were pushed by neoconservatives, that were pushed by a lot of my friends in the Iraqi opposition who are very convincing people, who certainly knew a lot more about the situation than he did.

CLANCY: Now you know, a lot of people talk about what he is next then. Iraq, people will say is a mess. But you know, any way you look at it, and there's a lot of different ways to look at it, it is improving in some respects. Today's a particularly difficult day, and we've told there will be those. Other people are looking on the horizon. They're saying, is there going to be military action against Syria, against Iran. Is there really a risk of that?

MACK: Well, I think that there's less of a risk than there would have been if there had been the kind of dramatic victories that the Bush administration thought would be relatively easy in Iraq. In fact -- and I don't want to suggest that the dire outcome in Iraq has any good aspects, because I don't really believe it does -- but it certainly has deflated the balloon that was being puffed up by neoconservative advisers and others. Basically this was based upon a misunderstanding of what could be accomplished. It didn't have much to do with Iraq. As Dorothy might have said, this is not Kansas after all.

CLANCY: All right, we're going to have to leave it there. David Mack, I want to thank you very much for being with us.

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FEMI OKE, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Now hundreds are still missing a day after a devastating landslide in Indonesia. At least 21 people confirmed dead, and Red Cross officials say that number is likely to soar as emergency workers sift down through the rubble.

Angeline Rowe (ph) reports

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ANGELINE ROWE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Under clear skies, rescue workers use their bare hands in a bid to find survivors of the massive landslide which claimed the village of Seadarook (ph). The calm weather conditions contrast starkly with the tragic events that took place here yesterday. Triggered by severe weather, a ferocious torrent of mud and rocks tore through the area which lies at the foot of a hill covered by a forest.

Rescue workers spent the past two days pulling bodies from the rubble. Among them, a mother clutching her child. Excavators were also mobilized in the effort, moving aside rain-sodden earth and the remains of decimated wooden homes.

Ambulances remained on standby near the site, waiting to transport victims to the local hospital. There, relatives waited for news of their loved ones. For some of them, the grief became too much.

Doctors treated the injured, many of whom said they had long feared the hill around Seadarook village would not hold. After hearing a deep rumbling sound late on Wednesday, some fled for safer ground. Others stayed behind.

WARSONI, LANDSLIDE SURVIVOR (through translator): My five children are buried in the mud. I also have two grandchildren and one of them is still trapped.

ROWE: The disaster followed flash floods and landslides in neighboring East Java province, which killed at least 77 people. Natural disasters like these are all-too common in Indonesia. Many are caused by illegal logging that wipes out jungle barriers which would otherwise protect inhabited land. But because not all homes in Seadarook were effected, it's believed excessive logging was not to blame.

For villagers though, that's little comfort when this is all that's left of their homes.

Angeline Rowe, CNN, Hong Kong.

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MCEDWARDS: Welcome back to CNN International. Well, you've got your keyboard, you are alone in your home surfing the Internet. You might assume that you are all by yourself.

CLANCY: Think again.

MCEDWARDS: Not true. Not necessarily. Lindsay Janus (ph) has more.

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LINDSAY JANUS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In London, Speakers' Corner people have been exercising their freedom of speech for hundreds of years. But preaching to crowds in public parks is no longer the only place to express controversial views.

In recent years, the Internet has transformed the way we communicate. Now it's posing new challenges to free speech. Joe Gordon worked at this branch of Waterstone's Bookstores in Edinburgh for 11 years. Then he was fired for what he wrote on his personal Web log.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think you become, well, quite worried about what corporations are doing. Up until now freedom of speech is something that most people have considered to be a legal thing or political thing. And now people are suddenly waking up to the fact that it's like oh, actually, you might have a bigger threat from the people you work for. You know, you might have to think, you know, does my boss read what I do?

JANUS: Getting into trouble with your employer is nothing compared to the consequences paid by people living under oppressive regimes. In China and Iran, citizens face arrest or worse if they make a wrong move on the Internet. California-based Anonymizer has been helping people protect their online identity for ten years.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's this perception of privacy on the Internet. You're sitting at home in your pajamas in front of the computer. You feel anonymous. But the reality is, it's really the least anonymous time that you spend all day.

JANUS: That's because every computer has what's called an Internet protocol or IP address that other computers can see.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just like you have caller ID, we give you kind of caller ID blocking on the Internet. So if you are out there visiting the Web sites, they don't know who you are.

JANUS: But Anonymizer strictly vets its users.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So when you go in and sign up for a subscription here, as a consumer, online, on the Web, what it is, is they check your credit cards, and we do two or three additional like hops in regards to like checking that sign-up process. So the consumers here are actually double or triple vetted before they actually have access to the service.

JANUS: Back in Edinburgh, I met up with Ian Clarke (ph), the inventor of Freenet, a software that makes you practically invisible on the Web. He took me to the city's Grassmarket, to the spot where political dissidents were once hangs, and to the pub where they had their last drink.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I realize that instead of being a bastion of free speech, the Internet could be the opposite, because it's so much easier to control people's e-mail, to monitor what people are doing, to look at the Web sites they are visiting. So I started to think about how you could use technology to allow people to publish and consume information on the Internet without being monitored and without being censored.

JANUS: Freenet is decentralized. There's no central server. That means no one knows who's using it and it can't be shut down.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: People are using the software for things that you and I would agree with. And they are using the software for things that you and I might disagree with. The point is that if you or I could control what people were or were not able to do with Freenet, then that would defeat the whole purpose of freedom of speech. JANUS: Ian believes the Internet is the biggest boost of free speech since the printing press. Governments may try to sensor information, but where there is a message, it's likely to find a medium.

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MCEDWARDS: And that was Lindsay Janus reporting again. A reminder for you too, we are awaiting an update on Ariel Sharon's health. And that is going to be from Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem.

CLANCY: We are going to bring that to you live when it happens, but we are going to have to go a little bit early now. I'm Jim Clancy.

MCEDWARDS: I'm Colleen McEdwards. We'll be back.

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