to help him win their release and will ripley joins me live from tokyo.n with them just two months ago and now they are free. let's talk about kenneth bae because his health was really in focus. his family saying he was not doing well. how was he when you were with him? >> reporter: i was struck, poppy, when i saw him in person because i'd only seen video clips of him previously and he had lost so much weight. and another thing that i notice it didn't show up well on camera but there were chunks of his hair that were falling out, there were long pieces but a lot of bald patches on his head. i didn't know what was going on with that, but he was very tired. he seemed very worn out. two years in north korea, it certainly is an exhausting place for a lot of different reasons. mentally and physically. the fact that inspite of his declining health he had just gotten out of the hospital but he was at a labor camp doing agricultural work six days a week. he talked to me about his health conditions. >> i'm working eight hours a day, six days weeks and working agri

ana, as we watch this, you mentioned will ripley's interview with this man matthew miller. he looked quite stowic and quite serious in that interview. of course he's probably under duress. wary of what to say. but he was allowed to give an interview. and that's unusual. >> reporter: all three men who were being detained at that moment were provided -- put before will ripley for this interview, and he was given a very short amount of time, and we were aware that the north korean government was watching that interview as well. and so it was -- there was a lot of uncertainty as to they were saying things they had been maybe coerced to say or felt pressure to say or if it was really from the heart. this is so fun to watch to see him here with his family and them being able to converse. we did hear from him at the time that he was very concerned he would be sentenced soon or he would be facing his trial soon and didn't really know what the future held for him in north korea. a and it was just a short time ago he had actually been convicted of hostile acts against the government

will ripley is on the phone.tually interviewed some of the prisoners in north korea not too long ago. tell us about that experience. >> caller: it was just other two months ago we were inside north korea on a completely unrelated assignment. we requested to speak with the three americans but were told repeatedly that would be impossible. on our last day of shootingwhis. not told where we were going on who we were speaking with until we got a conference center in a part of the city foreigners are not normally allowed. and that's when we were told. and we could only ask about certain topics that were agreed upon. we were warned if we went out of those toppingics we potentially couldn't not be on our flight out of pyongyang the next day. and that was it. and we met jeffrey fowle and then matthew miller and kenneth bae. and each of them had specific talking points. they all said they were being treated humanely and they missed their families and felt their situation was getting desperate. and most importantly they wa

will ripley, cnn, pyongyang. >> and now they are. again, will ripley was in north korea talking with them two months ago. >>> the return of the two american detainees in the past day has put the spotlight on another american held in a foreign country. stacy addison is a veterinarian who sold everything she had to travel the world. now she's being held in east timor for a crime she says she did not commit. cnn's susan candiotti has her story. >> reporter: veterinarian stacy addison has a passion for travel and wildlife. from machu picchu to costa rica to the galapagos islands and antarctica. voluntarying to treat animals along the way. winding up in prison was not on her itinerary. >> a crime i didn't commit. it's just a very surreal experience. >> reporter: the oregon vet quit her job, even sold her house to travel the world, her mom tells me, setting out last year. >> she was just having a wonderful time. it was her dream. >> reporter: but in timor west in southeast asia that dream takes a nightmarish turn. during a september trip t

will ripley, cnn, tokyo. >>> well, people across the u.s.hrough a cold air invasion last winter and guess what, they tell us another is on the way. weather experts say the polar vortex is to blame. cnn meteorologist jennifer gray explains. >> reporter: remember this? winter of 2013, 2014 is one many want to forget. reporters standing in the frozen tundra. >> let's go. >> kind of worked. >> reporter: while much of the nation was bundled and digging out for months, it was also the season of new hashtags, snowjam 2014 in atlanta, snowpocalypse and snowmageddon. but the one trending term that may have a cringing grip on you as much as the cold, polar vortex. we heard it over and over last winter as if it was something new. now that we've all had a chance to thaw out a bit, let's set the record straight on what it is and what it isn't. it's not a storm, it's not a hurricane of cold air, it's not even something that can come and get you. the only way to be in the polar vortex is to be in an airplane. it exists in the upper levels of 9 atmosphere a

cnn's will ripley is live in tokyo. this is a huge recall. that many cars on the road right now. everyone needs to pay very close attention to, will. >> yeah, absolutely, christine, because these air bags have the potential to explode and shoot shrapnel at the drivers and passengers. people have died. many people have been injured. and here at the company headquarters in tokyo, we tried to speak to somebody in person to ask them how they're going to handle the demand for repair kits in this expanded recall. we were turned away. but a statement was e-mailed to us later. takata basically saying they are not convinced that this problem goes beyond the regional recall that they're struggling to keep up with demand right now. we're talking about 8 million cars that can barely get enough repair kits put together. only about a third of the repair kits by february for that regional recall. and if they have to increased number exponentially there are going to be many drivers on the road in the united states who are told that their cars need to be fixed but there simply aren't the parts to

will ripley, cnn, tokyo. >>> okay. flooding in southern thailand is at critical levels right now. some areas have been inundated with over 1 meter of water. derek joins me now. any chance of letting up? aren't we at the end of the monsoon season? >> november is the end of the monsoon. this is ending pretty quickly. however, there is still more rain in the forecast. and they have received in a four day period nearly a third of what they would see the entire month of november in southern parts of thailand. we have the national disaster warning center in thailand issuing a flood and landslide warning to the four southern most provinces in thailand. that borders the country of malaysia. look at the rainfall totals. 179 millimeters, the monthly average is 545. just higher amounts to the north. the thunderstorm activity across the region. and you can see that more rainfall is in the forecast over the next 24 to 48 hours. but, again, the southwest monsoon should start to be retreating. at least that's what they would call for

will ripley, cnn, tokyo. >> thank you for watching this hour. back with the latest news after a short break. you are watching cnn. so we gave people the power of the review. and now angie's list is revolutionizing local service again. you can easily buy and schedule services from top-rated providers. conveniently stay up to date on progress. and effortlessly turn your photos into finished projects with our snapfix app. visit angieslist.com today. ♪ ring ring! progresso! i can't believe i'm eating bacon and rich creamy cheese before my sister's wedding well it's only 100 calories, so you'll be ready for that dress uh-huh... you don't love the dress? i love my sister... 40 flavors. 100 calories or less. >>> a new report says iraqi security forces played a part in a deadly mosque attack that killed 34 people back in august. >>> in eastern ukraine rebel elections get under way. kiev say it is is illegal. >>> and a full investigation now under way, looking for answers in virgin galactic's deadly crash. >>> and welcome to our viewers in the u.s. and a

ripley is wearing a panda tie, and i have my panda pin on. pandamonium is going to break out right here at the zoo. thank you very much. [applause] >> next on american history tv, benjamin carp examines the link between alcohol and politics in prerevolutionary new york city. places,al meeting taverns stimulated discussions about british policies and helped foster a patriotic spirit leading up to the revolutionary war. the fraunces tavern museum hosted this hour-long event. >> all right. i felix 15 toasts would have been an appropriate way for us to get started. everyone grab a drink to get in the spirit. i'm going to start with a story. kasichary 3, 1775, john walked into drakes tavern on water street. he was a 16-year-old loyalist from suffolk county. it was an odd place for a loyalist to be. it was a popular hangout for seamen and revolutionaries. jesper drake was the father-in-law of the newer patriot isaac sears. the patriots included sears and alexander mcdougall who invited case of tweet discussion of politics -- into a discussion of po

. >> will ripley, elise labbot, erin mcpike, thank you for coming on. >>> another story we're following, president obama's nomination of loretta lynch to be the next attorney general. right now, lynch is serving her second stint as a u.s. attorney in new york. if confirmed as attorney general. she's make history, becoming the first african-american woman to hold the post. she will succeed eric holder, who announced his resignation in september. lynch is grateful for the opportunity. >> the department of justice is the only cabinet department named for an ideal. and this is actually appropriate because our work is both aspirational and grounded in gritty reality. it's both ennobling and profoundly challenging. >> right now, it's unclear when lynch's confirmation hearings will be held. we'll have more on what qualifications she brings to the table late their hour. >>> in the meantime, evan perez was the first to break the news of lynch's pending nomination. we know lynch is a u.s. attorney in new york. beyond that, what else do we know about her? here's joe johns. >> reporter: as united s

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our will ripley trying to get answers past 5:20 p.m. in tokyo.nk you very much. >>> almost every state in the u.s. is in a deep freeze. but buffalo, new york, is really getting hit hard. you will get a look at what the mayor calls the heaviest snowfall in 40 years. back in a moment. i'm only in my 60's. i've got a nice long life ahead. big plans. so when i found out medicare doesn't pay all my medical expenses, i looked at my options. then i got a medicare supplement insurance plan. [ male announcer ] if you're eligible for medicare, you may know it only covers about 80% of your part b medical expenses. the rest is up to you. call now and find out about an aarp medicare supplement insurance plan, insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company. like all standardized medicare supplement insurance plans, it helps pick up some of what medicare doesn't pay. and could save you in out-of-pocket medical costs. to me, relationships matter. i've been with my doctor for 12 years. now i know i'll be able to stick with him. [ male announcer ] with these types

. >>> i want to go to tokyo to will ripley. you interviewed these men two months ago in pyongyang. and i can't imagine what you must be feeling now that they have been released. tell me a little bit about what they told you and also about why you think north korea has all of a sudden released the remaining two. >> reporter: well, this whole experience from start to finish has been really surreal, poppy, as you and i were e-mailing back and forth earlier, because we went to north korea. we asked to speak with these americans. we were told that that would be impossible and then on our last day of filming with almost no notice we were put into a room with each of these men separately in a part of pyongyang that we'd never seen before, that foreigners weren't allowed in. we had strict conditions, but as i listened to each of these men talk, they had is similar talking points, that they were being treated humanely, they were desperate to see their families and most importantly they wanted the help of the united states government. we were being watched as we were doing the interviews. no

and when they sat down along with jeffrey fowle in that interview with our will ripley, that imprompturth korea, we heard from kenneth bae describing that hard labor being eight hours a day, six days a week, working in a field for him. he had discussed on his health and concerns that his health was failing as he suffers from diabetes. we know he has high blood pressure and was dealing with kidney stones. so that was of grave concern. all of the men, of course, were asking for the u.s., pleading for the u.s. to help and send a team, an envoy of some sort, to try to plead for their release. and we're hoping to be able to get home to the u.s. jeffrey fowle was released less than a month ago and the final two americans held hostage in north korea will be heading home and landing in the u.s. sometime in the next few hours. i just want to read a quick statement from the family of kenneth bae. really a touching statement on this important day for their family. it says, quote, words cannot adequately express our relief and gratitude that kenneth is finally coming home. we have been waiting for

i found out later that because of an action by a young marine, a fellow by the name of ripley, who blew up a bridge, one of the few bridges armored units could use to cross the river -- the meal gang river -- the meogang river. he destroyed it. that put all those north vietnamese forces right in the way i was going. i knew there was a bundle, because i moved through them every night. but my actions were, to me -- it was the job i do. and i knew that those people would not get out if i did not perform my job the way i am supposed to and get them out of there, because there was no other way to do that. and that is what drives you to perform your operations. heroism is kind of a strange word. none of us here believe we were heroes. none of us here believe we did anything extraordinary. we did what we had been trained to do. we certainly do not wear the medal for ourselves. we wear it for those who cannot, for all those who served, and who gave their life in that service. but you are not -- you do not ever consider yourself a hero. you were successful in a certain mission, and somewhere lat

in an interview a couple months wag will ripley he talked about feeling numbness and tingling in his hands and being unable to sleep so the good news is he condition.e in fairly good his sister telling us that may have been because he was hospitalized not long before his release. as for what he's been doing since he arrived back in the u.s., we know he had pizza for his first meal and that the family stayed up late joking and sharing stories. so it sounds like he's on a road to recovery. but let's not kid ourselves, his sister says. it's probably going to be a longer road as he has to work through some of the emotions and still continue to recover physically as well. randi? >> pizza, huh? i'm sure he was wondering what he was going to eat when he was released thinking positively when he was there. ana cabrera, thank you so much. >> indeed. >>> it may be time to grab your winter coats already. 200 million americans are in the path of a deep freeze that is striking too early for comfort this year. check out minneapolis, minnesota, right there. it's below freezing there right now and th

found out later that because of the action of another marine, a fellow by the name of ripley, who blew up a bridge, which was one of the few bridges that the armored units could use to cross the river, neogang river, actually, he destroyed it. that left one other bridge available which was where all these pilots were shot down, and that put all those north vietnamese forces right in the middle of where i was going. i didn't know it at the time, i later found out there was over 30,000 north vietnamese there, i knew there was a bundle because i moved through them every night. we had a get them out of there because there was no other way to do that. and that's what drives you to perform your operations, heroism is kind of a strange word, i don't -- none of us here believe we were heroes, none of us here believe that we did anything extraordinary. we did we did what we had been trained to do. we certainly don't wear the medal for ourselves. we wear it for those who can't. for all those who served, for those who gave their life in that service. sure, you know, you're not -- you don't ever c

found out later that because of the action of another marine, a fellow by the name of ripley, who blewa bridge, which was one of the few bridges that the armored units could use to cross the river, neogang river, actually, he destroyed it. that left one other bridge available which was where all these pilots were shot down, and that put all those north vietnamese forces right in the middle of where i was going. i didn't know it at the time, i later found out there was over 30,000 north vietnamese there, i knew there was a bundle because i moved through them every night. we had a get them out of there because there was no other way to do that. and that's what drives you to perform your operations, heroism is kind of a strange word, i don't -- none of us here believe we were heroes, none of us here believe that we did anything extraordinary. we did we did what we had been trained to do. we certainly don't wear the medal for ourselves. we wear it for those who can't. for all those who served, for those who gave their life in that service. sure, you know, you're not -- you don't ever consi

found out later because of the action after young marine, fellow by the name of ripley, who blew up a bridge, one of the few bridges that armored units could use to cross the river, he destroyed it. that left one other bridge available, which is where all of the pilots were shot down. and that put all the north vietnamese forces right into where i was going. i didn't know at the time. i later found out there was vietnamese there, i knew there was a bundle, because i moved to them every night. but my actions were, to me, it was the job i do. and i knew that those people would not get out if i didn't perform my job the way i'm supposed to and get them out of there, because there was no other way to do that. and that's what drives you to perform your operations. heroism is kind of a strange word. i don't -- none of us here believe we are heroes. none of us here believe we did anything extraordinary. we did what we have been trained to do. we certainly don't wear the medal for ourselves. we wear it for those who served and gave their life in service. but you know, you're not -- you don't