Whether you`re just returning from the summer or if you`ve been watching us this past week,
welcome to a new season of CNN 10, an objective explanation of world news events. My name
is Carl Azuz.
Last week`s coverage, which you can view online at CNN10.com, had several reports previewing
today`s top story. It`s a total solar eclipse spanning the U.S. from the Pacific to the
Atlantic Oceans. The last time an eclipse like this happened was 99 years ago. The next
one isn`t so far away. It will be in the year 2024 over America.
For those directly in the moon`s umbra or shadow, the sky will darken as the moon passes
between the sun and the earth. The temperature will drop.
Scientists expect animals to behave as if night is falling. Birds will stop chirping.
Cows will head toward the barn. Bats and owls might come out to eat.
If like most of us, you were not in the path of the moon`s complete shadow, you can watch
CNN`s live stream of the event from our Website, CNN10.com.
Some of those who are in the path have spent years preparing for a celestial event that
will last less than 3 minutes.
Countdown to total eclipse coast-to-coast.
In its path -- an astronomical celebration from Oregon to South Carolina.
The place to be: the 70 mile swath of full eclipse or totality. The man`s shadow racing
across the country right through 12 states, turning day into
night.
What do you think is going to happen?
In Chicago, long lines, despite the rain, for eclipse-viewing glasses. Eclipse traffic
already heavy.
BELLA LARSEN, OREGON RESIDENT: We are hearing a lot of information about traffic is going
to be real heavy that day. We`re going to be staying
home.
MARQUEZ: Cities and small towns along the path of totality preparing for massive crowds.
(on camera): You think you can literally double, triple, quadruple the size of this place overnight.
MAYOR JOHN MCARDLE, CITY OF INDEPENDENCE: Oh, yes, very much so. And the people will
be spread out through town.
MARQUEZ (voice-over): In Idaho, all hands on deck for massive crowds. Across the country,
friends staying with friends, families coming together.
Millions on the move, even camping out.
(on camera): You`ve been planning this trip for how long?
MARK JOHNSON, CALIFORNIA RESIDENT: At least seven years.
MARQUEZ: Seven years?
JOHNSON: Yes. We got two vehicles with truck campers and we just -- we left at 4:30 in
the morning. We got here about 3:30 in the afternoon.
MARQUEZ (voice-over): In the path of totality? Total eclipse of the theme for everything.
KENNETH "CAT DADDY" POGSON, COW-OWNER, VOODOO DOUGHNUTS: It`s a chocolate top. It`s got
this sun ring around it. But then when you break it open,
it`s full of sunshine, orange creamsicle flavoring.
MARQUEZ: This eclipse unique for the U.S. The last time one went coast- to-coast here,
1918. Woodrow Wilson was president and the First World War was nearing its end.
AZUZ (voice-over): Ten-second trivia:
Which of these landmarks would you find at a latitude of 38 degrees north of the equator?
Mount Rushmore, Machu Picchu, Damascus, Syria, or the Korean Demilitarized Zone?
The area that divides North and South Korea, the demilitarized zone, is located on the
38th parallel north.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AZUZ: Because the Korean War never officially ended. The DMZ is actually very militarized
on both sides of the border.
Right now, it`s even more on edge than usual, following recent missile test by North Korea,
new economic punishments on that country by the United
Nations, and upcoming military exercises between South Korea and its ally, the U.S. Those start
today. They happen regularly and typically angered
the North which sees them as practice for an invasion.
The U.S. and South Korea say they`re only practice for defense. But with all this going
on, here`s a slice of life from the southern part of the
DMZ.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Art class in the local village
school. Today, it`s all about making felt bags. This
scene could be anywhere in the world. It just so happens to on North Korea`s door step.
Daesong is the only South Korean village within the DMZ, the militarized zone, between North
and South Korea.
(on camera): North Korea is just about 500 meters away from this village at its closest
point. So, residents here really do feel any increase in
tension far more than anybody in the rest of the country.
And another thing they have to deal with, 24 hours a day, some of the residents are
telling me is this propaganda broadcast coming from North
Korea. All of the houses here I`m told have special sound proofing, very thick walls to
try and give them some kind of respite from the 24/7
broadcast.
(voice-over): A hundred ninety-seven people live in Daesong, also known as Freedom Village,
mostly farmers who need a South Korean military escort
every time they go to their fields. One step too far, and they`re in the North.
Very few residents want to talk on camera, saying the situation is too tense.
Cho Young-sook who runs the one resident in the village tells me this is the most concerned
she`s been in 38 years of living here.
Although the North was threatening Guam, she says, we still see this as quite negative.
We locked our doors at night now, which we never did
before.
Only residents are allowed in. Checkpoints and a nightly curfew of midnight, part of
the daily routine. As our regular evacuation drills to
the village shelter stocked with gas masks and emergency supplies.
The propaganda war between the two Koreas is not subtle here. Each side increasing the
size of their flagpoles over the years. North Korea is
currently in the lead with a pole of 165 meters.
There have been two abductions of Daesong residents by North Korean soldiers over past
decades, but no one is thinking of leaving. Amidst the
soldiers, the mines, the incessant propaganda music, this is still home.
Paula Hancocks, CNN, Daesong Village in the DMZ.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
AZUZ: Siew Te Wong is a CNN hero, an ordinary person making an extraordinary difference
for his work to save sun bears. They`re the
smallest species of bears. They`re classified as a vulnerable species. And dozens of them
are getting a second chance to thrive, thanks to Wong.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SIEW TE WONG, CNN HERO: The rainforest in Borneo is a very special place. It`s just
filled with life. Clean air, clean water, and stable climate
come from the forest. But this amazing place is slowly disappearing.
Sun bears live in tropical rainforests in Southeast Asia. They play very important roles
that keep the forest healthy and everything in balance.
But forest in Southeast Asia has been widely deforested and they face a lot of threat from
hunting and poaching.
Sun bears are in deep trouble.
I grew up by rescuing birds and so on. I study wildlife biology and I met a professor. He
was looking for a Malaysian student to do a study on sun
bear.
I said, hey, I`m your man.
When I first started, no one had ever studied sun bears. The more I learned about them,
the more I care. The more I care, the more I worry. I
have to help them.
OK, let`s get started. So, this is portion for (INAUDIBLE)
I established this center to ensure the survival of the sun bear. We have 44 sun bears brought
in for various reasons, including people keeping them
as illegal pets.
So, this is Mary.
Most people call me, "Papa Bear", but I want bears to live in the forest and not in captivity.
Yes, open up the door 11 right now. The one is, and two, three.
The bears spend their daytime in the forest enclosure. They need to explore the forest
and have a lot of happy hours. They learn to forage, to
climb three, getting themselves ready to be released and survived in the forest one day.
Where they do sleep? Spend time here, you will the bears sleep on top of the tree.
When I see visitors excited about the sun bears, I feel like a proud father.
This sun bear is climbing the tree. They can climb 50 meters above the ground.
People can see how special is the sun bear and learn about how their survivals are important
to ours.
I am very humble of serving the sun bears. But my ultimate goal is everybody can live
harmoniously together in the planet we call home.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
AZUZ: We`re giving this a perfect "10 out of 10", even if it made us all hungry.
It`s the Guinness World Record for longest pizza. At more than 6,300 feet, it stretches
more than a mile long. The California concoction is not
locale. It took more than 17,000 pounds of dough and almost 5,000 pounds of cheese to
make. That took a team of over 100 people to put together.
So, how do bake that? By conveyor belt.
So, if you want to beat the record, don`t get mad, get oven. Who wouldn`t want a pizza
that pie? It`s the biggest you ever saw. It`s a slice of
life perfect for a show top with cheesy puns and we bake and serve it all daily at CNN
10. I`m Carl Azuz.