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Did an Unlocked Gate Lead to James Kim's Death?; Movie Shines Spotlight on Conflict Diamonds

Aired December 09, 2006 - 22:00   ET

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

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Kims may have thought they were traveling to safety, but in fact that road was leading to a dead end.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: And today, is an unlocked gate to blame in a man's death?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We now know that this is a smuggling operation. It is a human trafficking operation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: And the victim of that operation, a one-month old baby still missing.

Also...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LEONARDO DICAPRIO, ACTOR: Who do you think buys the stones that I bring out? American girls who all want a storybook wedding and a big shiny rock.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: A new movie about conflict diamonds is out. And tonight, Russell Simmons wants Americans to buy more diamonds. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.

And this is the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Rick Sanchez standing in for Carol Lin, bringing you the world, the Web, and what's happening right now. You've been busy today, so let's get you plugged in.

First of all, blast-off and a sign of relief from NASA, trying since Thursday to get the Shuttle Discovery off the launch pad. It was pretty. The Shuttle lit up the Florida sky about an hour and 15 minutes ago. Discovery is on a 12 day mission. And we're live from the Kennedy Space Center. We're going to do this for you in just a few minutes. Also, this. Surprise, it's Donald Rumsfeld. The short timer Defense Secretary on an unannounced trip to Iraq. A Pentagon spokesperson is saying that Rumsfeld wanted to bid farewell to combat troops face to face. He leaves his post in nine days. It has been a surprise day for Mr. Rumsfeld. We'll going to bring you a full report in just a minute.

Also this -- two horrific and deadly fires in Russia, Saturday. 45 people died. And this Moscow drug treatment center burned before dawn. The other fire at a Siberian hospital killed eight. Officials at the Moscow fire say the windows were barred. No definitive word yet on the cause of either fire.

Taco Bell, clean for e.coli, but take no chances with those green onions. Scallions are still off the menu. The company's president says we have taken this health issue very seriously and are extremely concerned for all those who are ill. Dozens of people in six states are sick from e.coli. They've been indirectly linked to Taco Bell restaurants.

Also this. On the decline, the numbers of prisoners being sent to death row. A federal study found a three-year downward trend in prison inmates sent to be executed. Last year saw the fewest prisoners sent to death row since 1973.

Topic of the day -- conflict diamonds and whether people pay the ultimate price for your precious stones. Is this going to hurt diamond sales? Well, Russell Simmons hopes not.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RUSSELL SIMMONS: Africans are empowered by diamonds. You buy a diamond, empower the African.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Simmons is just back from southern Africa. He saw the process and the problem first hand. You're going to hear more from him during this hour.

Now we want to hear from you. Do you have diamonds on your gift list? Or is the recent publicity turning you off? Give us a call at 1-800-807-2620. That's 1-800-807-2620. And we're going to air some of the responses about this later this hour.

From Washington to Baghdad, the coming days could mean big changes to the U.S. strategy in Iraq. President Bush is going to address the nation before Christmas, offering his response to the Iraq study group, a revised plan for success you might say.

Joining him in that mission, Robert Gates confirmed this week as the next Defense Secretary. He gets sworn in nine days from now.

But it turns out that Don Rumsfeld, the man Gates is going to replace, has one more big moment left in his tenure. Earlier tonight, we learned that Rumsfeld was in Baghdad. He's been there before, of course, but this time it's a little more personal.

CNN's Gary Nurenberg begins our coverage.

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GARY NURENBERG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What is presumably Donald Rumsfeld's last visit to Iraq as Secretary of Defense was cloaked in secrecy more severe than earlier visits. A Pentagon spokesman confirms to CNN that Rumsfeld left the United States Friday afternoon and arrived in Baghdad. The reason for the journey -- to express appreciation to the troops for what they're doing and for the sacrifices they and their families are making.

When asked at a Pentagon town hall meeting Friday what he takes from his 50 years of public service, Rumsfeld replied, gratitude. Listen to what he had to say then about the troops, and you may get a sense of what motivated his Iraq trip this weekend.

DONALD RUMSFELD, DEFENSE SECRETARY: And I'll tell you that people over there in uniform get it. They really do. I was in Walter Reed the other day. And a fellow just come in with multiple wounds. And he was on his back and he had a tube in his nose. And he looked up and he said, "If only the American people will give us the time, we can do this. We're getting it done."

NURENBERG: Hearing that makes it more understandable Rumsfeld would want to express that gratitude he talked about in person. But Iraq is also, as he said Friday, the site of painful memories. He was asked then about is his worst day as secretary.

RUMSFELD: You know, clearly, the worst day was Abu Ghraib and seeing that what went on there, and feeling so deeply sorry that that happened.

NURENBERG: Spokesman Brian Whitman tells CNN Pentagon correspondent Jamie McIntyre that the secrecy surrounding this trip, the last of more than a dozen he's taken since the 2003 invasion, is because Rumsfeld wanted a "very small footprint, wanted it to be about him and the troops without a lot of press coverage." And that's how this trip is taking place.

Gary Nurenberg, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ: Meanwhile, Secretary Rumsfeld's trip was kept under tight wraps, to say the very least. Even a lot of key people in Iraq, we understand, were unaware that he planned to visit there on the very day that he was expected to arrive.

CNN'S Nic Robertson has that view from Baghdad.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: Well, Donald Rumsfeld's visit here has been a very, very well-kept secret. Even senior level U.S. military spokesmen, who we normally speak to here, don't seem to have been aware of his visit, and not aware of any of the details.

Very likely security highest of the concerns here to keep this visit a secret. Often we've seen senior level officials come here. Often over the past year or so, we don't find out about those visits until they've left. That is because of security concerns.

Indeed, when President Bush came to meet with the prime minister here just a couple of weeks ago, they met in neighboring Jordan. But the security has been -- has determined the movements of senior level officials when they're visited here before. Generally, they fly into very secure airports. Generally, they don't meet with any of the Iraqi population.

If they have to go and meet with Iraqi officials, they'll go by helicopter to those meetings. Very, very secure airborne convoys to make those journeys.

We're not clear at this stage exactly whom Donald Rumsfeld met with here. But very likely wanting to keep this low profile, personal, and quiet, so he could thank the generals here personally for their efforts, thank the soldiers that he could meet with personally for their efforts. They will continue serving here now after he's gone. He's due to leave his post in nine days.

The soldiers here will continue to fight and be fighting the war that he has been directing, that's been affecting that lives, that's been putting the lives of these soldiers on the line.

So probably a very personal mission. That's very likely why it's also been kept a closely guarded secret. But no doubt about it, the security here a very major concern for this visit of the outgoing Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.

Nic Robertson, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ: These are some of the other stories that we're going to be bringing you over the next hour. More tragic twists in that story of a California man who died while trying to save his family. A story. Also...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You don't need any special equipment to make it.

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SANCHEZ: I'm going to be able to show you what I learned after the spending night, well, in the cold. I flew to the Rockies for this one.

And it's a big, shiny, called a girl's best friend. And Russell Simmons wants you to buy more of them. What is it? We'll have it later in the hour. From Florida now, here's John Zarrella. John, what you got?

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the skies cleared, the clouds cleared, and the winds died down, and "Discovery" lifted off. We'll have that story coming up. Rick?

SANCHEZ: Thanks so much, John.

Now it's your turn to choose the news. Is there a particular story that you want to hear more about? E-mail us right here at weekends@CNN.com. Or send us your video or webcam suggestions at cnn.com/exchange. We'll get you the answer within the hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: Want to share with you now which are the most checked out stories on CNN.com. The shooting in Chicago tops the list. Turns out the gunman who killed three people did so because of a patent for a toilet he felt cheated on. Police shot and killed him after he grabbed a hostage.

Number two, Hitler's car. This rare one-seater on the auction block may fetch more than well, any car ever. Hitler commissioned it in the 1930s to show off Germany's technological prowess. It's expected to get $12 million at auction in February.

And number three is a word, a new word, truthiness. It was the overwhelming favorite in a survey by dictionary publisher Merriam Webster. Where did we first hear it? Well, comedian Steven Colbert gets the credit for that. He coined it. Visit cnn.com for details on these stories and others.

The NEWSROOM returns in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ten seconds. We have a go from main engine start. Six, four, three, two, one, we have booster ignition and liftoff at the Space Shuttle "Discovery" lighting up the nighttime sky as we continue...

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SANCHEZ: Isn't that something? Tonight, for the first time in four years, we get to show you this illuminating scene. A nighttime launch of the Space Shuttle "Discovery" about two hours ago, it finally happened. Blasted off from the Kennedy Space Center.

And that is where CNN's John Zarrella was covering it for us then. And now, joining us again to tell us how it went down. What happened, John?

ZARRELLA: Rick, you know, all day we were concerned about the weather becoming a factor here. But it really was not at the very end. It cleared up beautifully here. The winds died down. No issues with the weather at launch.

And the vehicle itself was clean right through. No technical issues at all. You know, you showed those spectacular images there of lift-off. And there's another spectacular image about eight minutes into the flight. They've already had the booster separation at two minutes. And now what you're looking at is the external tank, 500,000 gals of liquid nitrogen and oxygen.

All of that now just about used up. And momentarily, we'll see the separation of that tank from the space shuttle. The space shuttle there on the top and the external tank on the bottom. And it will separate away that tank, falling away into the Indian Ocean, not recoverable, but certainly did its job tonight.

Now once the vehicle is in orbit, they're going to spend the next couple of days chasing down the international space station.

Now of course, this being a night launch, one of the big concerns was how are they going to be able to monitor it? Keep an eye on the vehicle, worrying about - of course, about any kind of foam falling off of that external tank?

But what NASA was able to do was they had three radar sites. Two radar sites out on the solid shuttle's rocket booster recovery ships and one land based radar. And with those radar, they would literally be able to monitor and see if any debris fell off of that foam insulation falling off of the tank.

And from what I can tell you, from the press conference going on here now by mission managers, by the launch team managers, they're all smiles. It was an excellent, excellent lift-off, a clean vehicle.

The -- once they get into orbit, of course, Rick, chasing down the international space station, 12-day mission. Three 6 1/2 hour space walks planned. The primary focus -- to rewire the space station from its temporary wiring configuration to a permanent wiring configuration.

Of course, they've got 15 missions to go between now and 2010, at which point they've got to get those solar rays all operational, get the vehicle all operational. That being the space station. Still a lot of work to do between now and 2010. 15 more missions to finish the construction of the international space station. But they're one step closer tonight with the launch of the shuttle "Discovery." Rick?

SANCHEZ: Thanks so much. John Zarrella following that for us.

Other stories across American now. Some scary moments today for people in an Allentown, Pennsylvania neighborhood. An explosion destroyed at least three houses and badly damaged a fourth. No reports of major injuries. Police evacuated nearby homes as a precaution. A resident says a gas company employee was changing out a meter shortly before the blast.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) CRYSTAL MACK, HOMEOWNER: No sooner did I hang up, everything just blew. And it knocked me down across the street. My nephew down on his knees across the street. And my little grandson got cut across his face.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Also a new twist in that missing baby case in Fort Myers, Florida. Police first thought a woman kidnapped the month old boy to claim him as their own. Now they're suspecting the baby was kidnapped because his parents didn't pay the human smugglers who snuck them into the U.S. from Brazil.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILTON DANIELS, CHIEF, FORT MYERS, FLA. POLICE DEPT.: We're able to focus on the smuggling end of it, instead of looking for a lady that needed a baby.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Also in New York, a rousing welcome home for two American pilots accused in a deadly Amazon crash. They'd obtained in Brazil since the September air accident - the country's worst. 154 people were killed when the pilot's small jet collided with a commercial flight. The pilots were allowed to return to the U.S. after promising to come back to Brazil for their trial.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It couldn't be the wise man, because one of the wise man because got stolen. So it couldn't be one of them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Christmas spirit is alive and well, even after a Christmas outrage in Waterbury, Connecticut. Last weekend, somebody swiped a wiseman, an angel, and then even the Baby Jesus from the city's nativity scene.

Well now some kindergartners are on the quest to try and replace the figurines. You're going to meet one of them, by the way, and her family tomorrow morning in the NEWSROOM. That's at 9:00 Eastern, 6:00 Pacific.

Christmas lesson in Seattle. The politically correct police are at it again. The story in 10 minutes.

But first, you need to know the threes to survive the extremes this winter. What are they? We're going to count them down for you.

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CHRIS YOUN, JAME KIM'S COUSIN: He loved his family, loved his wife, loved his kids a lot. And you know, he would have done the same thing over again if it happened to him again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: James Kim, a father, a husband, and a man who was willing to sacrifice it all to save his stranded family. He was also determined. Associated Press is reporting tonight that Kim walked 16 miles in the snow before succumbing to hypothermia. Remember, the original estimate was seven, then eight, then 10

We've learned something else as well, something that might have prevented this whole tragedy from ever happening. CNN's Drew Griffin reports from southern Oregon.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DREW GRIFFIN, CNN INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT: We now know just one more thing that went wrong during the Kims' fatal drive into this Rogue River wilderness area. Fifteen miles in they came to a fork in the road to go left or right. The right was the wrong way to go.

It should have been locked up tight with this type of Bureau of Land Management gate. But now we are learning that the gate was wide open, their path was wide open, because vandals had broken the lock and left the gate open.

The Kims may have thought they were traveling to safety, but, in fact, that road was leading to a dead end deep inside the Rogue River wilderness area. They would drive some 20 or so more miles. The road would turn to dirt. It would begin snowing.

Finally, they came up to a spot where they just could not travel any longer. And it was here, at this spot, the Kims tried to hold out day after day.

Remnants of the diapers of the little baby all over the place there, bottled water. And in a corner of this wide-open area are the four tires that the Kims took off their car and set ablaze, trying to find rescuers to try to find them.

It never happened. Mr. Kim eventually tried to walk out and walked to his death. A day or so later, the Kims were rescued.

Drew Griffin, CNN, in the Rogue River wilderness, Oregon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ: There is no doubt that this story has captivated the attention of people from all over the country. So we thought that while we have your attention, it may be a good time for all of us really to find out how this can happen.

So I flew to Colorado to spend a night in the Rocky Mountains to try and find out first hand how to survive in extreme conditions.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) SANCHEZ (voice-over): It's sundown in the Rockies. The allure of the mountains conceals the danger, though, high altitudes, the low temperatures that become even more hazardous at night. The park rangers who work these parts know that only too well.

DAN WEBBER, RANGER, COLORADO STATE PARKS: If you go headed down a road in the wrong direction, you may come across a road that's not plowed or not maintained, that may not well traveled. It may not be an area that we would normally patrol.

SANCHEZ (on camera): It is very difficult to find your way when you're driving at night in the snow. Snow banks tend to hide signs. So you may be turning off into what you think is a short cut or a side road. And that's where you end up getting stuck.

(voice-over): And it didn't take us long to experience it firsthand. Look at the front tires as they spin on the ice, while the back tires dig into the snow.

Faced with that, the first instinct may be to find help. There must be someone, somewhere who can help us. That's what we think.

I set out to see how long I can last. I spot a trail in the woods. That's about as bad as it gets, if you think about it. That's what really gets hypothermia to set in. That's water, a creek. And I almost walked into it.

And that would have been serious because even if you stay bone dry in freezing temperatures, experts say the average person will only survive for three hours, three hours, that's it. After that, you're going to succumb to hypothermia by passing out, and then dying just like that.

KEN BRINK, SURVIVAL EXPERT: You fall asleep. Some people say it's a peaceful way to end your life. But certainly, hypothermia is one of the big of the dangers we see in people that are recreating outdoors.

SANCHEZ: I continue my trek. It's getting later and colder.

Now I've been walking for about an hour in the woods. And one of the things that strikes you is how still it is out here. You don't hear anything. It's almost eerie.

And you think you're going to be able to make good time, but because of the terrain, you're walking uphill, you're walking downhill, it's rugged, and it's difficult. And oftentimes, you end up walking around in circles because you're so disoriented.

BRINK: Human beings generally don't have an ability to walk in a straight line.

SANCHEZ: Lesson learned. You never, ever give up your shelter. Because of what experts call the rule of threes.

Here it is, you can survive up to three weeks without food, three days without water, but only three hours without shelter if you're in freezing temperatures.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ: By the way, while we're talking numbers, let's go with three as in three things everyone needs to remember as a matter of fact.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KEN BRINK, SURVIVAL EXPERT: If you tell people where you're going, and when you get in trouble, you stay put, there's a very high possibility that we can find you within 24 hours.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: What should you have on board? How do you keep your car warm when you run out of gas? And can you make your own shelter? All that in my next report. That's coming up in just a couple of minutes.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP()

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have a go from main engine start. Six, five, four, three, two, one. We have booster ignition and lift-off.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: And there she goes into the night sky. Next stop, the international space station. The spectacular textbook lift-off of the Shuttle "Discovery" right on schedule shortly before 9:00 p.m. Eastern. You saw it right here on CNN. Less than perfect weather foiled two previous attempts to get the 12-day mission underway.

Don Rumsfeld is in Baghdad tonight. His final announcement visit to - by the way, this was an unannounced visit to the war zone as Defense Secretary. We're told Rumsfeld wanted to personally thank U.S. troops. He addressed troops at the Pentagon yesterday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD RUMSFELD, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: But by golly, it --- something important isn't easy. And this isn't easy. And by golly, it's important. And we better do it right.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Moses Hardy died this week. You might not have heard of him, but he's been around longer than you. Hardy was believed to be the last living black veteran of World War I and the second oldest man in the world at this time. Moses Hardy was a month shy of 114 years.

No green onions for you, not at Taco Bell anyway. The chain is linked to an e.coli outbreak that has now spread to six states. Taco Bell's president "Our company has moved quickly to safeguard the health of our customers and employees." Taco Bell may leave green onions off the menu, in fact, permanently now.

Bah humbug, you won't know it's the holiday season at Seattle's Tacoma Airport this year. Complaints about the exclusion of Hanukkah decorations and threats of a lawsuit forced the airport to take down all seasonal ornaments.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When is it going to be that we're going to take the wreath down?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: And this will come as no surprise to college football fans. Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith wins the Heisman. He led the Buckeyes through a stellar season.

Number one, from day one. Smith had no real challenger for the trophy. Ohio State and Florida battle for the national championship. That's in January.

Still to come -- the diamond conflict. And the stars take sides.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JENNIFER CONNOLLY, ACTRESS: Hopefully if people see the film, they'll be inspired to shop. If they're going to choose to wear it -- to purchase diamonds, they'll want to buy diamonds that are conflict free.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Also, the stars take sides on a girl's best friend. Should you go out and buy some bling or not? It's our last call question. So tell us what you think. Your answers in 30 minutes.

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SANCHEZ: Welcome back to the NEWSROOM. I'm Rick Sanchez. We've been talking about the Kim family tragedy. Since that happened, survival kits have seemingly been flying off store shelves in certainly parts of the Northwest.

The story has people thinking about what they would do in that same situation. I wanted to get that same type of information. So to do this, we flew to Colorado, the Rockies, to find out for ourselves.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ (voice-over): A recent snowfall has left a couple of feet of snow in this area. We're right in the middle of the Rocky Mountains. Elevation right here is 8,000 feet. It's about 20 degrees. It's going to get into the teens pretty soon. These conditions are very difficult and very disorienting for someone who's in this element suddenly. And you could see from these conditions how easy it would be to get disoriented between the trees, also the elevation itself. You think you're heading in one direction, and suddenly, you're going around in circles.

Here, let me show you what I'm talking about. Now imagine what it's like to be out there for several hours. You begin to appreciate what the experts call the rule of threes. And that is you can probably survive about three hours without shelter, about three days without water, about three weeks without food.

Now you begin to get a sense of how we prioritize these things, according to what experts teach. Let's talk to an expert if we can.

This is Ken Brink. He's with Colorado State Parks, an expert on surviving. Thanks, Ken, for joining us.

KEN BRINK, SURVIVAL EXPERT: Sure.

SANCHEZ: I probably made a mistake by trying to walk through the woods. Had I been stuck out here and I had a car near me, I should have stayed in the car.

BRINK: We tell people to stay put in you're in trouble. If you tell people where you're going, and when you get in trouble you stay put, there's a very high possibility that we can find you within 24 hours. Not always, but usually.

SANCHEZ: And don't give up your shelter?

BRINK: Absolutely. If you're with a vehicle, it can provide good shelter for you. If you get out wandering like you were, there are some things you can do. As an example, one thing we teach is what we call a desperation trench.

SANCHEZ: This is a shelter of last resort, if you will?

BRINK: Absolutely. And you don't need any special equipment to make it. You're not going to have to work real hard to put it together. And hopefully, you're not going to get soaking wet building it.

SANCHEZ: So it looks like a hole in the ice that you've made, taken some tree branches, covered it with snow. And you would literally just get yourself in there.

BRINK: Absolutely. You don't want to make it much wider than you are. If you can build it so that it goes on an uphill slope, that's ideal because the warmth from your body will rise.

SANCHEZ: Let me try and get in here, Ken. I'm going to try and just show. So it's deep and deep enough in the back that I can raise my head. And what do I do? Put my -- just kind of get into a ball?

BRINK: You want to pull your knees up and put your hands around your knees. SANCHEZ: Right.

BRINK: You want to minimize the air that's around you inside. And once you put the pine boughs on the top, you seal it with snow. And if you've got this built on an uphill slope, that will hold your heat and keep the wind off you.

SANCHEZ: And this keeps me warm because of my own what - breath?

BRINK: Your own body heat certainly will stay in there. You're insulated from the ground with the pile of pine boughs we've put on the ground. And you're insulated at the top. And you have no wind on you. So...

SANCHEZ: So this is not an ideal condition. It's basically a shelter of last resort.

BRINK: That's correct absolutely. But it will minimize your exposure to weather and hopefully help you get through a tough night.

SANCHEZ: Thanks, Ken, appreciate it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ: And it's cold. By the way a special, Paula Zahn Monday, "Stranded: The James Kim Ordeal." We're going to retrace his steps and show you more ways to stay safe in extreme conditions. That's Monday night at 8:00 Eastern, 5:00 Pacific.

Speaking of extreme conditions, there are still some parts of the Midwest thawing out from last week's snow storm. In tonight's i- report, Matt Dimmer sent us this picture from Markle, Indiana. Imagine being stuck in this.

This is a multi car pile-up. Fortunately, no major injuries, but look at the pictures.

Matt says several people were stranded for about four hours as a result of this. Look at the snow as well. Hopefully they had their survival kits handy that we had talked about.

Now you can become part of the CNN team yourself, i-team that is. Send us your pictures or video of breaking news or just cool stories that you see. Go to CNNcommand. Click on i-report to find out how to become part of the most trusted name in news.

By the way, you asked, we deliver. It's choose the news time. And a viewer wanted a reminder of a shopping scam that we mentioned a few days ago. So here's what we learned.

Thieves have figured out a way to drain the balance of a gift card that you bought at a retail store. The scam is this. The thief notes the number of an unpurchased gift card in the store. He or she waits a few days, then calls the store to check if it's been activated. If it has, they use the card to make online purchases. Most of the big mall stores say it is happening more often. There is advice for this. Buy the card from a customer service desk where criminal eyes can't see it. Thanks for writing in, by the way.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It came from the heart of the earth. A stone so rare, men will do anything to possess it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Hollywood takes on the diamond industry. And the man with the -- plenty of bling takes on a new movie.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Don't tell me you're going to try and sell it to yourself. To who and for what price, my friend? You need my help, whether you like it or not.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What are you talking about?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You hear that? You hear that? They came into the city overnight. It started. What are you going to do now? This is the right stone can buy anything, information, safety, even freedom. But a big stone does not stay secret for very long.

The moment you tell anyone about it, your life is absolutely worthless. The only reason you're still alive is because you haven't told anyone where it is. Am I right?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: That's a scene from the new movie, "Blood Diamond," starring Leonardo Dicaprio. In all their glory, diamonds are the quintessential image of wealth, style, and beauty. But now Hollywood is revealing a dark side to the diamond business. The diamond industry wants to make sure the movie is put in its proper context.

CNN's Ali Velshi has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALI VELSHI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): You may think it's been there forever, but it hasn't. Debeers flagship store on New York's Fifth Avenue opened just over a year ago. So why does the name sound so familiar?

Maybe because for most of the 20th century, Debeers was diamonds. No other industry has been so dominated by one company, one brand, for so long. Debeers was the only place most diamond dealers could buy the rough stones to cut, polish, and sell to jewelers around the world. With a virtual monopoly, Debeers controlled how much it sold and how much it charged. ROSALIND KAINYAH, DEBEERS GROUP PUBLIC AFFAIRS: If you're the only man in the village who sells bottled water, then I guess you set the prices because you're the only man in the village who sells the bottled water.

VELSHI: Debeers isn't the only man in the village anymore. Diamond prices are now driven by real supply and demand. But a relentless marketing campaign by Debeers turned a diamond into definitive proof of a young man's devotion.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A diamond is forever, Debeers.

MATTHEW HART, AUTHOR, "DIAMOND": The diamond is the hardest natural substance in the world. It, in that sense, is more or less eternal. And Debeers managed to conflate these diamond qualities with the idea of eternal love.

VELSHI: That created demand for value in small packages. And while Debeers didn't intend it, diamonds became the currency of choice for warlords who needed to buy arms.

HART: That great big jet would land on this dirt strip. Off would come a tank, on would go the diamonds.

VELSHI: In places like Angola, conflict diamonds were mined from rivers, often using forced or slave labor. Debeers says it never knowingly traded in those stones.

KAINYAH: Debeers was never involved in conflict with diamonds.

VELSHI: Conflict diamonds have prolonged a number of civil wars in Africa. By 2002, public pressure on governments and on the diamond industry led to the establishment of the Kimberley process. It's a certification of sorts, a passport for rough diamonds.

The World Diamond Council says conflict diamonds now account for less than one percent of the trade. And it's concerned that the movie, "Blood Diamond" could dull the stone's luster.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: People back home wouldn't buy a ring if they knew it cost someone else their hand.

VELSHI: Set in Sierra Leone in the late 90s, "Blood Diamond" is a fictionalized account of the very real role that conflict diamonds played in that country's civil war. The diamond industry is bracing for some impact from the movie. They just hope it doesn't last forever.

Ali Velshi, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Known as the World Diamond Council launched a multimillion dollar marketing campaign ahead of the release of "Blood Diamond" to counter any bad publicity, along with an educational website called diamondfacts.org. It put together a global ad campaign, stressing the industry's efforts to reduce the number of blood diamonds. .

Hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons is also stressing the positives when it comes to the diamond trade. He started an effort to teach Africans how to cut and polish their own diamonds, so they keep more of the profits themselves.

Simmons just returned from Botswana. He spoke to CNN's Carol Lin.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Are you worried then that this whole issue over conflict diamonds and what some in the entertainment industry are warning don't even take the risk of buying a conflict diamond...

SIMMONS: Yes, but...

LIN: Are you saying that those warnings could hurt African economies?

SIMMONS: Yes, yes. Millions of Africans dependent on the proceeds from diamonds to pay the bills, pay for their healthcare, and education, and opportunities. I mean, it's rude -- I think Warner Brothers has to -- the message -- the movie's good, the history is important. And it's always important to tell history. It's good to tell a good story.

LIN: The movie, "Blood Diamond."

SIMMONS: Yes, "Blood Diamond," that's fine. But the documentary, the movie, the record stuff, it's hurtful. People are suffering in Africa who need these diamond resources.

I mean, in Botswana where the number one diamond mine in the world is, all those proceeds that are benefiting all those Africans are critical to their economy, lifting the people up out of struggle that they're in. Most of the time, we don't talk about, you know, the uranium, the oil, the gold, and stuff. I'm not going to discuss those other industries, extracted industries, but I'm talking today about diamonds.

LIN: I understand.

SIMMONS: And how much it helps to lift people out of the struggle that they're in.

LIN: So who is responsible then for stopping conflict diamonds and leaving that continent?

SIMMONS: The Kimberley process. There's a Kimberley process that they started a couple of years ago.

LIN: But that's based on what? Somebody's word?

SIMMONS: The Kimberley's process is about... LIN: Right, somebody's word that that diamond did not come to fund a war zone -- the sale of the diamond didn't come to fund a war zone in Sierra Leone.

SIMMONS: War zone - there's - look, I'm not defending the history of Debeers or Oppenheimer. It's not my - my thing is that, Africans are empowered by diamonds. You buy a diamond, empowers Africans.

I want to make that statement because it's very, very important. When you start sending messages out about history that, you know, one country...

LIN: Right.

SIMMONS: And God knows Sierra Leone is still being rebuilt now, by diamonds now. Finally, it's gotten it right, but there are 22 countries where diamonds are. 20 of those 22 countries have signed on to the Kimberley process, where they regulate this whole process.

It's very important that the diamonds...

LIN: Right.

SIMMONS: ...that the messaging doesn't come out that diamonds...

LIN: Right.

SIMMONS: ...don't buy diamonds because they hurt Africans. In fact, you buy diamonds because they do help Africans.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ: Controversial conversation. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: We're following a developing story for you right now. It's coming in from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. We understand it's a three-alarm fire.

As far as we know at this point, there have been no injuries reported. But it's quite a dramatic scene as it's being described by witnesses there. Certainly something that we're going to keep tabs on throughout the course of the night. There you see some of the fire rescue officials who have arrived on the scene.

We're also looking at some of the pictures that have been coming in throughout the night. We've got some Associated Press pictures to share with you.

Isn't that something? That is the Shuttle "Discovery" taking off just a couple of hours ago. We talked about the fact that this is the first time in four years that there's a nighttime launch. And we were told by officials before the launch that it would be so well illuminated, because of obviously, even just the lights that come from the very fire itself, as the blastoff takes place.

And boy, they certainly were correct. Look at this from different angles. And then, of course, the pictures of the Shuttle "Discovery" itself as it had its separation of its boosters and its external engine as well.

So there you have it, some of the pictures. All of this going up.

By the way, the reason the space Shuttle "Discovery" is going up on this mission is they're going up to the international space station, where they're going rewire it. For many, many years, in fact since 1998, since the space station was first put into orbit, it has been using old technology, essentially a generator to keep it powered.

Look at that picture. That's as it goes up. But now, we understand, it's going to use solar technology. But they have to go up there and rewire it completely. And that's what the astronauts are going to be doing. In fact, several of them are going to be doing space walks just so they can take the wires from outside and make it work.

Every weekend, we let you choose the news. Nathaniel from Georgia wants to know more about the Wesley Snipes story. The actor pleaded not guilty in Florida yesterday to charges that he failed to pay tens of millions of dollars in federal taxes. Snipes posted $1 million bond. He's allowed to work on a movie set in Africa until next month, but he has to be back in the U.S. and surrender his passport January 10th. Snipes is scheduled to go to trial in March.

Thanks for writing, Nathaniel. We appreciate your concern, your interest in that. And there you have it.

Also, a check of the hour's headlines after the break. But first, your responses to our last call question. Do you have diamonds on your gift list? Here what you had to say.

CALLER: No, I do not have diamonds on my gift list. With this film that is bringing attention nationwide to "blood diamonds," I believe every human being that owns a diamond or is thinking about purchasing a diamond should really be responsible and view this film.

CALLER: Yes, I have diamonds on my gift list. I bought them for myself. And I'm very much interested in gems versus the economy. And the scene with Russell Simmons I didn't know about it.

CALLER: No, I don't have diamonds on my gift list. I never have. I've known about this problem for at least 15 or 20 years.

CALLER: No, I don't. I wouldn't buy a diamond. I avoid buying diamonds because of the African situation for the last 20 years.

CALLER: No. And I would never buy a diamond.

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