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Day Will Turn to Night for Total Eclipse; A Look at Daily Life Near the Korean Demilitarized Zone; A CNN Hero`s Efforts to Help Sun Bears

Aired August 21, 2017 - 04:00:00   ET

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


CARL AZUZ, CNN 10 ANCHOR: 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.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): 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.

(on camera): 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.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

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.

END