Where is Kim Jong-Il; Pentagon Memorial to 9/11 Attack Site Unveiled
COLLINS: Where is Kim Jong-Il? Rumors surround the reclusive North Korean leader. He hasn't been seen in public for weeks, and he missed his country's 60th birthday parade. U.S. intelligence officials tell CNN he may have suffered a stroke. CNN's Hugh Riminton is live in Seoul, South Korea, this morning with the very latest. So, Hugh, it's pretty unusual that he would miss events like this, right?</s>HUGH RIMINTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely. This is a big birthday party for North Korea. It's a sort of thing that he turns up to usually. He did the last two big commemorations that they had at the founding of his country. But the main information on this, Heidi, is coming through from South Korean officials. They say their intelligence information is that about three weeks ago, they believe that he suffered a mild stroke. Their information is that his face is partly paralyzed. He speaks only now with slurred speech, and he cannot walk without a limp. However, they say that he's still thinking clearly. He appears to be still in control and that his condition has stabilized since then. It hasn't gotten any worse. At the moment, they are keeping very much a close eye on it, as is every other country that borders on North Korea, and United States as well, taking a keen interest to see what they can learn about Kim Jong-Il's health -- Heidi.</s>COLLINS: Well, sure. I mean, and that is a very big part of this story. How serious would it be if these reports are true?</s>RIMINTON: Well, I mean, for one thing, we should point out the North Korean authorities say they are untrue. They say that this is just a more falsehoods coming from the West. They say it's not only worthless information, they say, it's also a conspiracy plot. That's what they're saying. Now this, of course, is where the axis of evil countries, in the famous phrase from President George W. Bush. So, some people might say -- well, what's the bad thing if he's sick? If he's incapacitated, even if he dies, surely the world is a better place. Most military intelligence analysts say that the thing that might be worst in Kim Jong-Il is North Korea in a power vacuum with no one in control, with nuclear weapons on board, potentially with various factions of the military perhaps fighting for control of this country, perhaps with millions of people, refugees fleeing across borders into China, into South Korea, perhaps into Russia as well which also shares a border. So, many people say stability under Kim Jong-Il is better than any instability that might follow, and there is no clear succession plan if Kim Jong-Il is incapacitated.</s>COLLINS: All right. Well, we're glad you are there following it for us. From Seoul, South Korea, Hugh Riminton this morning. Hugh, thank you. It will be the first major memorial at a 9/11 attack site. The Pentagon Memorial will be unveiled tomorrow on the seventh anniversary of the terrorist attack. CNN Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr got an up-close look at this place of remembrance.</s>BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Water, sunlight, and trees. It's being called The Park. There was horror that morning when hijackers crashed American Airlines' Flight 77 into the Pentagon. 184 souls lost. Now on this 9/11, the first major memorial at one of the attack sites is being dedicated. Tom Heidenberger's wife and young Thomas' mother Michelle was a flight attendant.</s>THOMAS HEIDENBERGER, SON OF 9/11 VICTIM: She was a great woman. I mean, she was my best friend. You know, it was very hard losing her.</s>TOM HEIDENBERGER, HUSBAND OF 9/11 VICTIM: The best way to explain Michelle is to look at Thomas. And see how proud I am, and so as his mom.</s>STARR: A bench, a tree and water pool for each victim.</s>KEITH KASEMAN, 9/11 MEMORIAL ARCHITECT: This place is really all about the visitors' thoughts. Your interpretation when you visit this place.</s>STARR: Architect Keith Kaseman placed it all in line, marking their ages.</s>KASEMEN: When we learned that there were five children, who lost their lives that day, that's really what sparked the idea.</s>STARR: One man already had made history. (on camera): This is the bench commemorating the life of Max Beilke, who died inside the Pentagon. But decades ago as a young man, Max Beilke was the last U.S. combat soldier to leave Vietnam. (voice-over): Visitors will discover details as they explore. To read a name on the bench of a Pentagon victim, you must face the building. For someone on the plane, you read the name facing the sky. Seven years later, this is one of the most guarded sites in the country. But it's estimated now 1 to 2 million people will visit each year, to pause, reflect, and remember.</s>COLLINS: Barbara Starr joining us now. Barbara, excellent piece. It was just an absolutely beautiful place of remembrance as we've been saying here. And I imagine a lot of preparations under way for tomorrow's big dedication.</s>STARR: Indeed, Heidi. You know, just about 24 hours from now, the official dedication will begin, and thousands of people, tens of thousands, are really expected to begin gathering here outside the Pentagon in the early morning dawn hours. But I have to tell people that here inside the building, there will also be a number of very private memorials in offices up and down these hallways as people who work inside this building also pause to remember those co-workers that they lost -- Heidi.</s>COLLINS: Well, the country will never forget, certainly, what happened in Washington, D.C., as well as in New York. All right, Barbara Starr, thanks so much.</s>STARR: Sure.</s>COLLINS: And as we just mentioned, tomorrow marks the seventh anniversary of 9/11 terrorists attacking the United States. American Flight 77 out of Washington, D.C., rammed into the Pentagon building at 9:37 a.m. Eastern. 184 people died. We're going to be bringing you live coverage of the Pentagon Memorial dedication tomorrow morning as part of our remembrance of the 9/11 anniversary. Hurricane Ike swirling through the Gulf of Mexico and sending new ripples of fear, crashing on the Gulf Coast. The storm expected to be a Category 3 when it makes landfall at week's end. Almost all of the Texas Coast is now considered at risk of that hit. Texas officials getting buses and shelters lined up and considering possible evacuation orders. This morning, Brazoria County issued a mandatory evacuation order for its coastal residents. We want to get over to Rob Marciano now to get the very latest on all of this. Hey, Rob.</s>MARCIANO: Hi, Heidi. Watch this thing develop even more as it heads to the Gulf of Mexico. It's getting a little bit better structure. We're getting some numbers from the hurricane hunter aircraft. It is strengthening. The pressure is beginning to drop. So, the winds will be cranking up pretty soon as well. Not a whole lot ahead of it, is there? We got 900 miles of warm Gulf of Mexico water real estate to navigate before it gets to the Central Texas coastline. It's not moving all too rapidly either at about eight miles an hour to the northwest. You can see the last couple of frames of this. The convection, especially on the northern side which is where most of the winds are at least for now, is becoming more developed. So, this thing could get on the scary sides, my friends. A Category 2 storm likely. It might happen before lunchtime today. Certainly, by tonight. And then as we get into tomorrow, and tomorrow night, into Friday, we're looking at a Cat 3 status. So, winds could easily top 115 or 120. And the forecast track does take it towards Brownsville or Galveston, in that cone. But note the northerly turn here. High pressure will break down at some point here and that will allow the storm to release. If it does that 12 hours or so earlier, you're talking Houston, you're talking Galveston, you're talking Beaumont, you're even talking potentially of Lake Charles. So, a big concern here. Miami, you're out of it. But still, probably, a real cool- looking sky. Let's check it out on the live picture. Yes, shaky breeze, shaky camera there, WPLG. You see those clouds, they're moving pretty good. They are moving very nicely towards the northwest. Wrapping around what is Ike. And showers and thunderstorms continue to roll through not only Cuba but the Keys. So, not done with Florida yet, Heidi, and certainly has its eyes on Texas, possibly Louisiana as well. It's going to be a tricky forecast I think as we go to the next couple of days.</s>COLLINS: Really, you know, be watching for this, because we've been talking about Ike for such a long time that maybe they're tuning out. And I sure hope not, because obviously it is still well on the way. So, Rob, thanks for that.</s>MARCIANO: All right.</s>COLLINS: People in Haiti certainly know that. More than 340 people have died from four recent storms including Hurricane Ike. Many of those who have suffered have very little left. CNN's Karl Penhaul is in the town of Gonaives.</s>KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Amid Haiti's floodwaters, the fear of dying is giving way to the frustration of just how to go on living. Most Haitians are so poor, they had almost nothing to begin with. Now, they are clinging to the few tools they have left. These girls to their father. These boys to their drinking water. This woman to her donkey. "Can you see the misery we're in? I have to wade through all that water with my baby. Can you foreigners please do something for us?" She asks. (on camera): Wherever you look right now in Gonaives, whether it's here on the outskirts, or whether it's in the city center, you just see a procession of bedraggled people. They're just walking through the floodwaters still, carrying whatever they have left on their heads. (voice-over): Dry mud forms a tiny island on Christoff Street (ph). Jocelyn Augustine (ph) works as a housemaid even though she is just 7, doesn't seem to care how futile it is cleaning up with filthy floodwater. "There were many people running from the rain as well as pigs and cows. When I saw all those people and the water, I thought I was going to die," she says. One of her neighbors, just sits, shrouded from the sun, and blankly stares.</s>COLLINS: Very tough situation there. The U.N. and other humanitarian groups are leading the relief effort in Haiti. One woman told us she's seen aid convoys pass but hasn't gotten any hand-outs. We'll stay on top of that story for you. Big, bang, boom! 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