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Parts of Arizona Have Seen 110-Degree Temperatures Every Day This Month; Extreme Health Risk Warning Issued For 15 Cities In Italy; Biden Administration Announces $39 Billion In Student Debt Relief Following Administrative Fixes; Russian Drones Struck Zaporizhzhia Overnight. Aired 8-9a ET
Aired July 15, 2023 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[08:00:00]
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VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning and welcome to the best day of the week. It is Saturday, July 15. I'm Victor Blackwell. This is CNN this morning.
RAHEL SOLOMON, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Rahel Solomon in this morning for Amara Walker. Good to be with you at home and Victor my friend, food to be with you.
BLACKWELL: Good to be with you. It's going to be a hot weekend for tens of millions of people across the country and not just uncomfortable, it's dangerous. Millions across the country bracing for sweltering temperatures, we'll tell you who will feel the worst of it.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm worried that it's going to go on for a long time. I hope that it's not.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And right now, we cannot make a livable wage on what we're earning.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOLOMON: Hollywood rising to a halt as actors joined writers on the picket line after failing to reach a deal with studios. So how long it could go on and what it could mean for your favorite shows.
BLACKWELL: Plus, Vice President Biden unveils billions of dollars in student loan forgiveness after administrative fixes. We'll tell you how many people could be impacted.
SOLOMON: And a Star is Born, literally, a new image from the web telescope capturing a star formation what scientists could learn from it.
BLACKWELL: Let's start with the -- the biggest story that most people will feel, this extreme heat wave expected to intensify this weekend, more than 85 million Americans under heat alerts. Temperatures in Phoenix have reached 110 degrees Fahrenheit every single day this month. And that's forced a lot of businesses and parks to close or adjust their hours. Medical experts warn the conditions could be deadly and they're urging people to listen to the warnings.
SOLOMON: Yes. And national park websites across the west and southwest warning hikers about the dangerous heat. The Death Valley website even warning people to "travel, prepare to survive." And the Sacramento Zoo in California, well, that's actually open to visitors but it's going to close early today and tomorrow due to the triple digit temperatures. And it's not just here in the U.S. because cities across Europe also getting hit with severe heat during one of the busiest travel seasons of the year.
BLACKWELL: We have team coverage; Brandon Miller and Barbie Latza Nadeau are standing by. We're going to start though with Rafael Romo who is live in Las Vegas. The strip -- the strip is scorching on a regular day, right? Hot for many reasons but what are you seeing and feeling there now?
RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Victor and good morning and good morning, Rahel. It's 5:00 a.m., just past 5:00 a.m. here in Las Vegas. And the temperature is already getting close to 90 and that's not all. There's a possibility and it's a good possibility that the city's official all-time record of 117 degrees could be tied, or at least approached sometime this weekend or Monday. That's something that already happened here in 2021 according to city officials. A good portion of the country is experiencing extreme heat, more than 90 people -- people are under heat alerts from the National Weather Service and at least 15 states from Florida to California.
Every day this week has had at least 90 million people or more on their heat alerts. You mentioned Phoenix topping 110 degrees for more than two weeks now. And an official in the City of Scottsdale has a warning for people who live in a state going through this heat wave. Let's take a listen.
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DAVID HONDULA, DIRECTOR, CITY OF PHOENIX, HEAT RESPONSE AND MITIGATION: Unfortunately, in our region, and many thousands more all across the United States. Heat is fatal. It is something that the public needs to take seriously and it can impact everybody nobody is immune --
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ROMO: And of course Victor and Rahel, this is one of many cities experiencing very high temperatures. Miami has seen a record 33 straight days where the heat index has climbed over 100 degrees with at least the last 12 topping 105 degrees which is double the previous record of six. Paul's Valley in Oklahoma saw its heat index climbed to 126 degrees on Thursday, the highest in 30 years. Here Las Vegas, the city is reminding people that excessive heat can cause injury and illness and it can also increase the chance of fires in homes and businesses. And very tragically, Victor and Rahel, local media are reporting that two puppies were found dead and several others rescued inside a vehicle outside a motel here yesterday.
City officials here are reminding residents and this applies to people in other states too, that you should never leave pads or people in hot cars even for just a few minutes because the temperature inside can increase to dangerous levels very quickly. If you see someone trapped inside a car they say called 911 immediately. Victor and Rahel, back to you.
SOLOMON: That's really sad update. Rafael Romo, thank you. Now let's bring in our CNN meteorologist Brandon Miller. Brandon, it's the heat that's one thing but it's the duration of this heat that I think is really causing a lot of concern because apparently, it's not going anywhere right now.
BRANDON MILLER, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, Rahel. As you can see from the -- from the graph here behind me, we're starting in Las Vegas, where Rafael was just reporting from. And again, he told you how hot it was. 114 is the high today, that's going to be a record, 117 tomorrow's a forecast, that is the all-time record. That would tie it if it goes up one more degree, that's hotter than it has ever been in Las Vegas. And you know, I know it's -- it's summer, it's in the desert, it's going to be hot. But those residents in Las Vegas and around a lot of the West really feel other than the Desert Southwest in Arizona. This came on quite suddenly. I'll give you an example. There in Las Vegas. June 30 was the first time they reached 100 degrees. That was just about what, two weeks ago. That was the latest on record that they had ever reached 100.
It hasn't looked back since. It's been 105, 110 plus, and I guess you know, in Las Vegas, your luck can change just that fast and it certainly has and hundred plus possible records today. Las Vegas, Phoenix is another one that could get there today. Also Austin in Texas. And these are record high temperatures. But also record high, low temperatures. And that's really where things can get dangerous when it doesn't cool off at night. And we're seeing that in a lot of these locations.
Phoenix, we've talked about 117, that record is 15 days, and counting today will be the 16th, and tomorrow the 17th for sure. You know sometimes the meteorologists can be wrong about those things but not this time. The heat is not going anywhere, anytime soon. We are looking -- at because it's going this is 110 and above, it's going to fly passed that and -- and certainly reach that 18 days will be the longest on record. Imagine every day 110 plus for almost three weeks and who knows when it's going to stop.
BLACKWELL: Yes. That is remarkable to think about people living in 110 for almost three weeks. Brandon Miller, thanks so much for the forecast. Let's go to Italy now where health officials had issued and extreme health risk warning for 15 cities including Rome and Florence.
SOLOMON: Yes, CNNs Barbie Latza Nadeau joins us now from Rome. Barbie, look, people in the Mediterranean certainly used to heat, certainly used to this in the middle of summer but this is this is excessive.
BARBIE LATZA NADEAU, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, you know, this really is excessive and it's also a banner year for tourism, especially American tourists. The City of Rome is brimming with people. Now it's 2:00 p.m. right now. This is the hottest time of the day. And authorities are hoping that tourists and the other people get inside. As you can see behind me, I'm in Piazza del Popolo in central Rome that's brimming with people. There are a lot of people out under the sun when they should be inside.
We talked to a couple of American -- American tourists in -- a tourist from Northern Europe where they're certainly not used to this weather. Let's listen to what they had to say.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The heat is very intense and there's a lot of people. I hope -- hopefully no one will suffer any illness. It was very intense in here. So I think yes, the sun is very strong right now. It could be dangerous.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The heat, it's hard but we're going to push through it and you know, I don't know where I will ever be back. So have to take advantage of the day. Yep. So stay hydrated, wear a hat, and take breaks where you can.
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NADEAU: And you know, when you listen to those tourists, so many people when they plan a trip to a place like Rome or Florence or anywhere in southern Europe, these beautiful tourist towns, they plan that, you know, far in advance. It's not like you can just change the plan and, you know, air conditioning isn't as prevalent here in Europe as it is in the United States and certainly doesn't -- they don't air condition the same way we're used to there either but people are persevering. We're seeing so many people out everybody's kind of taking it in stride. But the authorities are very concerned that the as the heat goes up, and it's supposed to get hotter tomorrow and hotter again, Monday, Tuesday until Wednesday, that it could really turn dangerous for a lot of vulnerable people.
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SOLOMON: Barbie Nadeau, thank you for being with us. Of course, we hope you remain safe as well. And so hopefully you can get in the shade and get some water. Thanks for being with us.
Well, for parts of the U.S. northeast, it's a different type of severe weather that's creating concern. The rain and more rain is in the forecast for parts of the Northeast -- Northeast after days of flooding. Parts of Vermont, for example so drying out after days of heavy rain caused rivers there to spill over their banks. Cleanup efforts have begun but this next round of rain which they're expecting could do even more damage to already waterlogged areas.
Joining me now is Commissioner Jennifer Morrison. She is with Vermont's Department of Public Safety. Jennifer, thanks for being with us. I mean, first, are you feeling prepared for this next round?
JENNIFER MORRISON, COMMISSIONER, VERMONT, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY: Yes, we are prepared for this next round. But I just want to point out that last night we had a very active night with multiple water rescues and evacuations from homes when the Otter Creek spilled over its banks in Middlebury, Central Rutland, and we had a landslide and Richton. So our -- our weather has continued. We are simultaneously continuing our rescue efforts and turning to recovery in the areas that hopefully have seen the worst of it.
SOLOMON: Yes, that's an interesting point. I mean, you told us here at CNN earlier this week that this disaster isn't over yet. And it seems like those words have certainly rung true. Jennifer, in terms of the water rescues, I mean, has anyone been hurt? Give us a sense of sort of where things stand in Vermont.
MORRISON: Well, our Swift water rescue teams have made slightly more than 200 water rescues. We've -- we've had one fatality related to the storm. But it was in a home in a basement when a gentleman went to check on a sump pump. But other than that we -- we have not today had anyone who has died in floodwaters. I can tell you that last night, a Swift water team out of Michigan, thanks Michigan, was working in the area of the Otter Creek and a woman's car was swept off the road into a field. And at some point she was swept out of the vehicle just as the team was arriving in that area. And -- and she was carried away in the floodwaters and they were able to rescue her. So we've had some close calls, but we have not had any fatalities, knock wood.
SOLOMON: Yes. And how about the number of people who have lost their homes. I know the -- the damage and the destruction is expected to be just really incredible.
MORRISON: You know, I don't have the information on the number of homes yet. I know that there was at least one home destroyed in Ripton last night and 12 houses evacuated related to the landslide. I know that in Rutland City there was a water main break last night and approximately 50 -- 50 households were evacuated.
So the damage assessments are underway. We've done some aerial reconnaissance, which is difficult this time of year because of our thick foliage and then we have teams on the ground both state teams, nonprofit teams, and FEMA teams that are on the ground and beginning the work of tallying up the damage in our communities. Meanwhile, we are bracing for a flood watch that goes into effect starting tomorrow morning at six and lasting for 24 hours.
SOLOMON: Yes. I know you just mentioned FEMA there and we know that President Biden has approved a disaster declaration for the state. Jennifer, do you feel like Vermont has everything it needs in terms of support?
MORRISON: I mean, yes, we have all the water -- Swift water rescue assets and Urban Search and Rescue assets that we need. FEMA and the American Red Cross and multiple other nongovernmental organizations have leaned into this disaster. But it's hard to say if we have what we need when we don't know the full extent. I mean, we know of communities that have no wastewater treatment systems anymore, many that are still experiencing sewage overflows. 15 towns currently on boil water notice what that change is that number is dynamic and changes multiple times a day.
So the needs are still being tallied. And one thing I can say is, thank you, America. Your help in our -- that you're helping concern for our brave little state has been amazing. We have had tremendous outreach from other states, other state governors, other state public safety commissioners, and the general public who have been wanting to know how to assist here in Vermont. So I am confident that between our internal resources, those of the Federal Government and all of the assistance coming from across the country that we will meet the needs of Vermonters as we recover from this.
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SOLOMON: And as you say you're still sort of fully assessing the needs as the -- the severe weather continues but Jennifer we certainly hope that you do get everything you need, that the state of Vermont needs. Jennifer Morrison thanks for being with us today.
BLACKWELL: A cold case cracked in Long Island police have arrested the man that they say is responsible for some of the Gilgo Beach murders. Rex Heuermann is charged with killing three women over a decade ago. Investigators have spent the past year gathering evidence using DNA evidence to link him to the crimes.
This all started back in 2010. Beginning that year, investigators discovered 10 sets of human remains, eight adult females, one male, and one toddler. The discovery started with four women whose bodies were found within a quarter mile of one another. The women known as the Gilgo four were all found bound by Camo Burlap. And he's been charged with three of the four killings. Heuermann has pled not guilty and insists that he is innocent.
SOLOMON: All right, still ahead for us. Hollywood actors say they will strive for as long as it takes to reach a deal with studios and streaming services.
BLACKWELL: Plus, you might be one of the 800,000 people who qualify to have their student loans wiped away under the new Biden Administration Plan we'll discuss.
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BLACKWELL: Some of Hollywood's biggest stars are out of the studios and now on the picket lines. The major union representing tens of thousands of actors is officially on strike.
SOLOMON: Yes. And the actors joined the writers who've already been on strike against the same studios and same -- same streaming services since early May. CNNs Chloe Melas breaks down their demands and also the pushback from the studios. CHLOE MELAS, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Victor and Rahel, this is the first time in decades that we've seen both the writers and actors go on strike at the same time and the ramifications will be felt for a long time. Take a listen.
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MELAS: The actors of Hollywood are on strike.
FRAN DRESCHER, NATIONAL PRESIDENT, SAG-AFTRA: This is a moment of history. That is a moment of truth,
MELAS: Disrupting the industry in the midst of its critical summer movie season. The actors of the forthcoming movie Oppenheimer walking out of their premiere Thursday.
FLORENCE PUGH, ACTRESS: It's been a really, really tense few days for a lot of people, not just actors, but everybody in the industry who are going to be affected by this decision but affected by decision that -- that is necessary.
KENNETH BRANAGH, ACTOR: We know it's a critical time at this point in the industry and the issues that are involved need to be addressed, that difficult conversation. But I know that everybody's trying to get a fair deal. That's what's on the line so we'll support that.
MELAS: And the actors from the highly anticipated Barbie movie voicing their support for their union amidst our global promotional tour.
MARGOT ROBBIE, ACTRESS: Yes, absolutely. No I very much in support of all the unions and I'm a part of SAG so I would absolutely stand by that.
RYAN GOSLING, ACTOR: I would support the actors. Yes.
GRETA GERWIG, DIRECTOR: And I'm glad, love the unions, they've always protected all of the artists I know and I really want them to stand strong and win their fight.
MELAS: The union is fed up over compensation in the streaming era enough to walk the line
DRESCHER: We are being victimized by a very greedy entity. I am shocked by the way the people that we have been in business with are treating us.
MELAS: The strike crippling a TV and movie business. Already limping during the Writers Guild of America strike, SAG-AFTRA reps around 160,000 entertainment professionals of all kinds.
UNIDENTFIELD MALE: And action.
MELAS: Along with better pay actor see residuals for past work have dried up in the streaming era. Add to that, artificial intelligence. Actor say A.I. threatens their future, the Guild claiming that studios want to use A.I. to replace background actors. DUNCAN CRABTREE-IRELAND, CHIEF NEGOTIATOR, SAG-AFTRA: They proposed that our background performers should be able to be scanned, get paid for one day's pay, and their company should own that scan, their image, their likeness and to be able to use it for the rest of eternity in any project they want with no consent, and no compensation
MELAS: Studios say they've offered the highest percent increase in minimum pay in 35 years and that the actors aren't seeing reality.
BOB IGER, DISNEY CEO: This is the worst time in the world to add to that disruption.
MELAS: Disney CEO Bob Iger notes, the decline in revenue from traditional platforms, and the industry wide struggle to make streaming a viable alternative.
IGER: There's a level of expectation that they have that is just not realistic. And they are adding to a set of challenges that this business is already facing that is quite frankly, very disruptive.
DRESCHER: How they plead poverty, that they're losing money left and right when giving hundreds of millions of dollars to their CEOs. It is disgusting.
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MELAS: So you're listening to SAG-AFTRA, the union representing over 160,000 actors taking a very hard stance on artificial intelligence and wanting higher pay among many issues. But then you have the alliance of Motion Picture and Television producers coming out and saying, we're doing our part and we're not making as much money as you think that we are, and that this is historic and what we are offering. But right now both sides, they just are not finding a way to meet in the middle and it's unclear just how long this could all last. Back to you.
BLACKWELL: Chloe, thank you. Let's add Jonathan Kuntz, film historian and Professor of Film and Television at UCLA to the conversation. Thank you, Professor for being here. So the last time that the writers' union and the actors union, they weren't strike at the same time, early 60s, and there of course have been strikes since then. You say this is different fundamentally how and why
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JONATHAN KUNTZ, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Well, in some ways it's similar at least on the surface in the 19 early 1960s strikes the issue was over new markets opening up specifically television that films could be sold to. In fact, most of these strikes are going to be when new markets open up, and there's new money available. Likewise, in the 1980s, there were strikes as we were entering the era of pay TV, and most importantly, home video. So in some ways, maybe this is similar in the early 2020s. Here, they're striking over this new things streaming. And the -- in this case, the -- the actors and writers want their share of streaming. But there's some big differences, though, right now that make this quite different from the previous strikes. In those previous strikes, they were striking over something very hard
and specific that they could quantify. In other words, you could count the box office of a film and how -- know how well, it does. You can look at the Nielsen ratings to see how good a TV show does. And you can count unit sales to see how good your DVD or BluRay is selling. But with streaming, it's different because streaming is not sold program by program. What the streamers are doing is selling monthly subscriptions, not box office tickets. And well, the streamers know exactly how many people are streaming different things and what each individual is streaming.
This is proprietary information to them that they don't want to get out. In fact, in some ways, it's their secret sauce, it's the secret of their success, their data, as to who's watching what it allows them to shape, what's coming up in the future for these audiences. And so the management is very reluctant to open it's, you know, computers to allow folks to see what's going on really with the streaming services. So that's one big difference today. I can one other another difference too. Oh, go ahead.
BLACKWELL: Go ahead with the difference. Go ahead.
KUNTZ: Now, another difference just is in the nature of management today, you know, all the past strikes, the guilds have been striking against the Hollywood moguls, you might say, the folks that ran the major studios, at who for the most part, you can look at Lew Wasserman, who was kind of the dominant figure in Hollywood in the late 20th century. These were motion picture Hollywood lifers. People who were born in the business, worked their whole lives in the business, dying in the business. They were connected to it.
Management is a different thing today in the 2020s, These streamers are not folks that began necessarily in Hollywood. And in many ways for companies like Amazon, maybe in Apple, what goes on in Hollywood is just a tiny percentage of their business. And I don't think there's any kind of kind of dedication amongst management today to preserving that entity called Hollywood.
BLACKWELL: Yes, some important distinctions there. Oh, let me talk about A.I. I want to get your thoughts on this, because we heard what the union said that was the proposal from the producers. They came out with a statement after that, that said that, "The current MPTP proposal only permits a company to use the digital replica of a background actor in the motion picture for which the background actor is employed. Any other use requires the background actors consent and bargaining for the use subject to a minimum payment." So that's where they are there.
But as it relates to the threat that this presents to actors, this seems like it could be fundamental as they talk about, you know, not just the residuals of getting paid when something airs again, for some of those top line talent. But having a role more than the single time that you're, you know, in the background of a cafe.
KUNTZ: Of course, A.I. is, in some ways, the big issue here. And this is kind of like the year of A.I. that we're in. And in many ways, here, the writers and the actors are just the first unions that are going up and having to deal with A.I. But it's eventually it's going to come for all of us, it's going to come for you, and it's going to come for me as well.
And this is, you know, this is an existential issue, you know, does a performer for that matter, does a writer own themselves and their own creations in any way or can they simply be, you know, fodder for, for data for a computer that can then without their permission be endlessly reused? So it's not at all surprising that the writers and the actors want to get control of this now. The thing is, this is only unknown territory. We're right at the beginning of A.I.
BLACKWELL: Yes, there's so much to learn about A.I. And as you mentioned, the writers, they also are concerned about it because if you teach a program, the arc of a story, some characters they pick up a typical speech that these programs could probably write a season in an afternoon putting a whole lot of people out of business. And that went off the series would be any good, but they could certainly do it. Jonathan Kuntz, with the history and context, thank you so much. Rahel.
SOLOMON: Coming up Victor, you still might be able to qualify for student loan forgiveness. That's under a new plan announced by the Biden administration. We'll tell you what it is after this.
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[08:33:44]
SOLOMON: And now to some welcome news for thousands of people struggling under a mountain of student loan debt. The Biden administration announcing a $39 billion program for debt relief for more than 800,000 people.
BLACKWELL: And the president promised to find a path to loan forgiveness after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down his original plan. CNN White House reporter Jasmine Wright is with us now. So explain this new plan.
JASMINE WRIGHT, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Yes, well, this program is meant to fix what the Biden administration is calling his historical inaccuracies from some loan servicers for those who have been a part of the income driven loan repayment programs.
Now, basically, what it's going to impact is those who under that program have paid down their loans for about 20 to 25 years who should have seen their debt then erased under the program but have not. So it's really going to be administrative fixes to that program, really trying to bring back what President Biden has promised that he would do which is attack and really trying to consolidate this debt forgiveness where he can.
Now it's not only just the amount of which it's going to be really important here. We know that about 804,000 borrowers are going to be impacted by this debt forgiveness and it's going to cancel up to $39 billion of student loans, as you can see on your screen here, really from fixing past administrative failures.
[08:35:10]
But it's also about the timing. It was just a few weeks ago when Supreme Court struck down President Biden's widespread and signature student debt forgiveness program where a borrower's would be forgiven a debt for up to $20,000, of course, really throwing a wrench in that President and President Biden's plans his campaign promise there.
And we know that since that time, President Biden has really decided that he's going to go another track rooted in the Higher Education Act, but we know that trying to forgive student loans, that way, the White House said is going to take months, even up to a year.
So they are -- while they're doing that in the it -- while they're doing that they're also saying that in the interim of that action, that they're going to be doing smaller things like this, including this program that they announced Friday, which is separate from that larger track that they're still trying to go and that is under the regulatory process right now, but still, they say it's going to be impact for borrowers going forward. Victor.
BLACKWELL: Jasmine Wright, thank you.
Still ahead, Ukraine says the city of Zaporizhzhia was hit overnight in a Russian drone strike. The latest on the intense fighting there.
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[08:40:34]
SOLOMON: Welcome back. Now to the war in Ukraine. Russian drone strikes hitting the city of Zaporizhzhia overnight. That's according to local officials there.
BLACKWELL: And we're getting word from Ukraine's border guards that Wagner troops are now in Belarus and border guards continue to monitor the situation to understand the location, the number the purpose of these mercenaries. CNN corresponded. Scott McLean is joining us live.
Scott, let's start with the overnight strike on Zaporizhzhia. What do you know about that?
SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, so Victor, Zaporizhzhia sits about 20 miles or so away from the frontlines. The Ukrainians have been pretty vague about what was hit, saying that an infrastructure facility was damaged along with some residential buildings as well and that one man in his 60s was injured.
On the other side of the frontline, though, Ukraine has seen some success deep behind Russian lines, hitting supply lines, hitting barracks, things like that. On the front lines themselves, though, it is a very different story. Even senior Ukrainian officials will tell you it is a slog, it is very slow.
There have been some bright spots around Bakhmut. For instance, the Ukrainian say that they are making some inroads there but no major breakthroughs. And because of that analysts say that frankly, it is pretty difficult to figure out who has -- who has the momentum who's really winning this war.
Attrition is maybe a good word to describe what's happening here, meaning that both sides are reporting, hitting enemy troops, hitting enemy equipment, but neither side really able to make a major breakthrough.
Obviously, if it is purely a numbers game, Russia has the advantage, but Ukraine may have an advantage when it comes to training equipment, and you have to imagine they're more motivated as well.
SOLOMON: Scott, you know, it's been more than 500 days of Russia's invasion in Ukraine and as Ukrainian fighters returned from the battlefield, Ukrainian parliament now considering a plan to try to help some of these troops deal with their injuries. What are they considering?
MCLEAN: Yes, so Ukraine has tried and failed to pass similar legislation in the past, according to the House Majority Leader of the Ukrainian parliament, the last effort was two years ago. But now lawmakers he says are waking up to the new realities of war.
And so they have passed the first reading of a bill which would legalize medical marijuana, medical cannabis, and they are motivated in part to be able to treat wounded soldiers. This would also apply though, to civilians with serious injuries, like or serious illnesses, I should say, like cancer. It's only past the first reading it still has one more vote to go.
But I should say that officials, exiled officials from Crimea are already looking at this as a potential business opportunity to grow the crop in Crimea should Ukraine actually succeed in taking back that territory. Rahel. Victor.
SOLOMON: You know, they certainly would like to. Scott McLean. Thank you.
Coming up for us and still ahead, stunning new images captured by NASA's James Webb telescope, providing a rare glimpse into the secrets of the universe. Take a look at that. We'll discuss put up next.
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[08:48:08]
SOLOMON: Welcome back, NASA has released a stunning new image of the birth of a star, it was taken by the James Webb telescope on its one year anniversary. The Webb's detailed close up shows a cloud complex that's 390 light years from Earth, where crisscrossing jets of gas and dust from young sun like stars hit interstellar gas causing what you see there that incredible glow.
Let's bring in NASA astrophysicist and the senior project scientist for the James Webb telescope, Dr. Jane Rigby, Dr. Rigby, great to have you today. This is so interesting. So can you explain to us first how the star began forming and what the image tells us about stars?
DR. JANE RIGBY, NASA ASTROPHYSICIST: Sure, so this is the closest place in our own galaxy to us where stars are forming. Right. So this is the -- this is a nursery. This is a set of about 50 baby stars and newly born stars. That one in the bottom right is already formed. It's lit up, and it's actually lighting up its own stellar nursery.
So it's like lighting up the room where it was born. And so we see here this gorgeous -- we're learning from images like this how stars like our own Sun were formed.
SOLOMON: Yes. The photos that we've been getting from the telescope have just been incredible. Walk us through why the James Webb Telescope is able to get these pictures that we really haven't seen before. What's different about this telescope than the others?
RIGBY: Sure, so the Webb telescope works. First of all, it's working fantastically. Its images are about twice as sharp as we planned. And it is an infrared telescope so it can see what is invisible to Hubble. It can see through the dust and gas and the smoke filled parts of the universe and can get at places where stars are forming and can also see very far back in time to the first billion years of the universe's history when galaxies were brand new.
[08:50:10]
And so in the very nearby Universe like this, we're seeing how stars are forming today, and what those processes look like. And then we're also peering back over 13 billion years of time to see how those processes were working in the very young universe. And to see both has it worked today. And then what was the story early in the universe. And what's been changing with time.
SOLOMON: Yes, and we're showing just beside your some of the photos, tell us about this last year, you say that it's been performing fantastically? I mean, what have we been learning? What are we learning new about space as a result of this telescope?
RIGBY: Great question. So in images like this, you can actually see in that top there, your can see these -- you're seeing these disks that are forming around the star, this is where we think planets are forming. So part of the story of Webb of what we're seeing is how stars form, how planets form and how galaxies form.
And that's really the story of us, right? That's the story of how we got here. We live in a galaxy, we live on a planet, we go around the star. What Webb is giving us this new is a perspective that is sharper, that is clear, that sees further back in time, that sees the parts of the universe that have just been invisible to us. Because if you look with your eyes, or even with Hubble, at this part of the sky, all you see is black, you can't see any of this. It's just too hidden by dust.
But Webb sees right through the dust and sees where the action is where the stars are forming. So, from the nearest planets in our own solar system, to the -- to way out in time and space, we're seeing how does all this work.
SOLOMON: From your perspective, do the sharper pictures, do the discoveries from the telescope help try to build enthusiasm, perhaps for space? What do you think?
RIGBY: So I will say that, you know, it's funny, because we look at like the image that was released today. And it's really gorgeous. And so there's a scientific appreciation. Ah, we're learning more about how planets form and we're learning about, you know, we can geek out all you want, but it's also really beautiful.
And I got to say that for those of us who do this for a living, Miki (ph) count about the images too like, we kind of we oh, what's the new one and we crowd in and take a look. Because the universe is such a beautiful place. And that appreciation is part of the fun. And absolutely, we're --
SOLOMON: Yes.
RIGBY: It's showing us what's out there this whole time.
SOLOMON: Dr. Jane Rigby, great to have you. Thank you. We have to run but thanks so much.
BLACKWELL: Now, if you don't like snakes, I'm warning you right now you need to look away for just a second. We have new video of a group of snake hunters capturing the longest Burmese python ever caught in Florida.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm losing it Jay.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh my God. Oh my God.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's go.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLACKWELL: 19 feet 125 pounds according to the Conservancy of Southwest Florida. Nonprofit officials say the hunters caught this female Python Monday morning in Big Cypress National Preserve. The longest Python previously documented in the state was 18 feet, nine inches. What do you think, Rahel?
SOLOMON: That's a no for me.
BLACKWELL: That's a no.
SOLOMON: That's a no for me, dog.
BLACKWELL: That's a no for your, dog. Yeah, I'm not anti-snake. But it's just the -- this guy grabbed it behind the head and struggles to hold on. Good job there. All right.
Now, in this week's Impact Your World, we're getting a look at how a group of female scientists they're kicking down barriers in shark research. Here's a look.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm a shark scientist, I very quickly became aware that there's not a lot of people like me in the fields. We had this sort of movement on Twitter of black scientists with the hashtag Black in Nature.
When we started talking, we said well, we should start a club. Minorities in Shark Sciences' mission is to change the culture so that people from historically excluded groups participate in marine science. We have programs like our guild guardians, which is curriculum that lives online to help educate people about sharks and move them from fear to fascination.
We have camps are our kids science at the sea, where we bring kids out to the ocean, and then we have science on the move for those kids that can't get to the ocean and we can bring the ocean to them. We also have professional development so people can get very specific skills that they need to be successful in this field and help connect people with other people that are doing research.
[08:55:00]
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: MISS just opened a lot of doors that I didn't think were feasible being 45 years old pursuing my degree later in life.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: MISS reminds me that anything I want to do as possible.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What I hope is that one day Minorities in Sharks Sciences doesn't need to exist because barriers are eliminated.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLACKWELL: To learn more about organizations helping with shark conservation, visit cnn.com/impact or text FINS to 707070 to donate.
All right, join us again in an hour.
SOLOMON: I think I might, Victor Blackwell.
BLACKWELL: Come on back.
SOLOMON: Thank you. Mr. Smerconish is coming up next. We'll see you back here at 10:00 a.m. Eastern.
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