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New Prime Minister Appointed in Jordan; Benzene Spill in China Leads to Dangerous Pollution; Future of Liberia with New Female President; Dogs Allegedly Shot during Hurricane Katrina; Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey Call it Quits

Aired November 24, 2005 - 14:30   ET

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

JIM MORET, CHIEF CORRESPONDENT, INSIDE EDITION: ... be a symbol for the government, as well, saying no on is too big, no one is too important. If you do something wrong, we'll get you.
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PHILLIPS: Back here live in B control on this Thanksgiving Day. We're talking about a new prime minister and tough new orders from the king. Two weeks after three hotels in Jordan were hit by suicide bombers, King Abdullah wants an all-out war on Muslim radicals. CNN's Hala Gorani has the latest now from Amman.

HALA GORANI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A major shakeup in Jordanian politics. The entire Jordanian cabinet has resigned. King Abdullah II has appointed Marouf al-Bakhit as a new prime minister designate. Marouf seen as emphasizing the role security will take in the new government here. Marouf al-Bakhit is a former ambassador to Israel. He's also a military man with decades of experience.

We're hearing from government sources here that the composition of the new cabinet might be announced as soon as Friday, but the smaller ministries might keep their heads and the larger ministries, such as the deputy prime minister and the foreign ministry will change.

Hala Gorani, CNN, Amman, Jordan.

PHILLIPS: I remember all that talk about secret CIA charter flights, allegedly transporting suspected terrorists to prisons and other countries, Well, the Spanish foreign minister told his parliament today that there is no evidence that U.S. planes broke any Spanish law by stopping over at its airports.

Spanish authorities are investigating at least ten stopovers by private planes described in the Spanish press as being operated by the CIA. A number of other European countries also are investigating similar stopovers in their territories.

And just one day before his 90th birthday, Chile's General Augusto Pinochet is indicted on human rights charges. The former dictator has been placed under house arrest in connection with the disappearance of several dissidents in the 1970s. He was arrested on tax fraud and passport forgery yesterday and had been granted bail in that case when he was slapped would the new charges today. Pinochet has been charged with human rights abuses before, but those cases were thrown out of court on grounds that Pinochet was too ill to stand trial. He's 90-years-old, by the way.

And it's clear, colorless and a known carcinogen. It's got the city of Harbin, China, in an uproar right now after an industrial accident unleashes a toxic of benzene. The water system shut down, city workers drilling new wells. And the city's 3.8 million residents are stocking up on bottled water now.

Along with fear, there is anger in Harbin. The government didn't publicly confirm the benzene spill until Wednesday, ten days after the explosion. CNN's Jaime Florcruz with more on a vital lifeline turned lethal.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JAIME FLORCRUZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A slick of toxic benzine floats into Harbin city, confirming that the river, the city's main supply of water, is dangerously polluted.

Many crowd into the city's train station in a scramble to leave. But many more in the city of nine million people hunker down, lining up for rationed water and storing it in pails and tubs as the city's water supply was cut off.

The crisis was triggered by an explosion at a chemical plant in neighboring Jilin city two weeks ago. It unleashed benzene and other chemicals into Songhua river.

New walls are being drilled in the search for alternative sources. But in the meantime, truckloads of bottled water are being brought into the city. Government officials say the toxic water should simply wash through the city in two or three days.

GOV. ZHANG ZUOJI, HEILONG JIANG PROVINCE (through translator): We promise to resume the water supply in four days, but I think there won't be a problem because our monitoring department will take a close look at the water quality. We only take water from the river when it is very safe. I, Zhang Zuoji, will drink the first mouthful of water.

FLORCRUZ: But cleaning up the pollution in the Songhua river could take a longer time and cost a lot of money. And in Beijing, officials indicate the criminal charges may also follow this environmental disaster.

ZHANG LIJUN, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ADMINISTRATION (through translator): The investigation is still going on. We will announce it to the public and the media after we get the results.

FLORCRUZ (on camera): The clumsy handling of the crisis has created a mood of distrust and panic among Harbin citizens. It's also exposed the grim environmental consequences of China's rapid economic growth. Official estimates say 70 percent of China's rivers are contaminated.

Jamie Florcruz, CNN, Beijing.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Volcano alarm in southern Colombia. This is the Golaras mountain, a very active volcano shooting smoke and lava into the sky, even as we speak. It's been mostly a smoker for the past 12 years or so, but it's awakened. Authorities are urging about 9,000 people living nearby to evacuate that danger zone. Still, thousands of people have not left yet, a lot of farmers.

Well, known as the newlyweds, now known as the newest celeb couple to split. Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey, say it isn't so. They're in the news. We've got the story next in entertainment. Stay with us.

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PHILLIPS: Louisiana's attorney general now investigating the accusations of mass killings in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The victims, all dogs, allegedly shot to death, some say by the people who were supposed to protect them, local police. CNN's Ed Lavandera has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): When Katrina hit, residents of St. Bernard Parish fled for cover to Beauregard Middle School.

KIT BAUER, EVACUEE: A lot of people, about 50, 60 people, evacuated to that point and brought their animals with us, because they told us we could bring our animals.

LAVANDERA: But when it came time to evacuate, they had to leave their dogs behind.

BAUER: They up and told us then that we couldn't take any of the animals with us. which everybody went ballistic on, you know, because nobody -- that was like leaving your kids behind. LAVANDERA: They left messages for rescuers, begging them to save the dogs they were forced to abandon, but their pleas were ignored and dogs were shot to death.

KIM DAVIS, ANIMAL RESCUER: Three dogs, a large one and two smaller ones, all lying in a pool of blood. It looks like they may have all been gathered together and shot together.

This is hard. When dogs are shot like this, too, they don't die instantly, as you can see from the large amount of blood. They bleed to death.

LAVANDERA: No one knows for sure who killed the dogs. Animal rescuers say St. Bernard Parish sheriff's deputies did it. Sheriff Jack Stevens said he didn't order anyone to kill the dogs but admitted it was possible his deputies might have done it. He's referred the case to prosecutors.

JACK STEPHENS, SHERIFF OF SAINT BERNARD PARISH: Certainly not prepared to say without reservation that it wasn't one of our officers that did it. But what I do know is that it's a despicable act.

LAVANDERA: Christopher Acosta left his pitbull Mercedes at the school.

CHRISTOPHER ACOSTA, MERCEDES' OWNER: After I find out they shot these animals, I come back about three, four weeks later. I said, well, man -- you know, I was just going to get some closure. I'm going to go see my dog, you know.

And when I got here, I checked every single animal. Every single one.

LAVANDERA: He didn't find her body, but on October 27, in a building about 20 feet away from where those dogs were killed two months earlier, there was barking. It was Mercedes.

KELLE DAVIS, RESCUED MERCEDES: This is the building I found her in. Right here.

I started throwing her wet food, went up to her. She did eat out of my hand. And by this time, she was just very -- extremely trembling and very scared. Very scared.

LAVANDERA: They got to her just in time.

DAVIS: It was extremely emaciated. She just -- you could tell she had not had food for weeks.

ACOSTA: Come here, my girl. Come here, my girl.

LAVANDERA: Today, almost three months after he left her, Chris Acosta was reunited with Mercedes.

ACOSTA: Thank you so much.

DAVIS: Oh, you're welcome.

LAVANDERA: He doesn't know how or even when she escaped. He just knows he's happy to have her back.

ACOSTA: I love this animal with all my heart. And I'm just grateful to get her back. And if it wasn't for these people, maybe that would have never, ever been possible.

LAVANDERA: Ed Lavandera, CNN, New Orleans.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: And, news from Hollywood, straight ahead, including confirmation of a big-time celebrity split. Sibila, tells us about it. SIBILA VARGAS, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: You know, they're one of the most talked about celebrity couples in history, but are the rumors finally true? Have Nick and Jessica really split up? I'll have that and more when LIVE FROM returns.

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PHILLIPS: Well, maybe they tempted Tinseltown fate by letting MTV document their marriage on the reality show, "Newlyweds."

Whatever the reason, Hollywood publicists confirm what the tabloids have been speculating about for weeks. It's officially splitsville for Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey.

CNN's Sibila Vargas with more. Oh, Sibila.

VARGAS: I know, say it ain't so. Another one bites the dust. Well, it seems like we've been hearing about their break-up since the two became a hot commodity on MTV's "Newlyweds." But today, that's right, Kyra, I can finally confirm that Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson are officially separated.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JESSICA SIMPSON, SINGER: We know how hard it is to be in the public with a relationship.

VARGAS (voice-over): An eerie foreshadow, indeed. That was the couple just months ago at the "People's Choice Awards." Nick and Jessica told us about the difficulties of keeping a marriage alive when you're in the spotlight.

The two have been hounded by tabloid rumors of trouble in paradise for some time now. Last month, "US Weekly" reported that the 25-year-old Simpson and the 32-year-old Lachey had split. But, Jessica denied those rumors in "Teen People" earlier this month.

Nevertheless, last night their publicist released this joint statement saying, quote "after three years of marriage and careful thought and consideration, we have decided to part ways."

(on camera): We certainly wish them all the best.

In lighter news, it is Thanksgiving and just like you and your loved ones, your favorite celebrities are also enjoying the holiday. We caught up with some of them to find out about their plans today and what they're most thankful for.

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AMY SMART, ACTRESS: I am most thankful for my health and my friends and my family, hands down.

LANCE ARMSTRONG, ATHLETE: Probably our health and the health of my children. We take so much for granted when it comes to our health, but the five of us have it and that's a real blessing. MARIAH CAREY, SINGER: Having been able to learn my lessons, even though I had to learn them in public, to learn lessons and to allow that to make me a stronger, better, more spiritual, more confident, just more grounded person.

KELLY ROWLAND, SINGER: For Thanksgiving, I'm just going to go home in Atlanta with my mom and the rest of my family, my grandmother and we're going to eat.

RYAN REYNOLDS: We're just going to go spend a little time with family. There's nothing in this world I'm more grateful for than just that. I have three healthy great brothers and two healthy amazing parents. So, I'm going to go spend a little time with them, with Alanis, as well.

MARISOL THOMAS, WIFE OF ROB THOMAS: Actually, we get together with my family and we all have a dish we make, so that's the tradition. We all do little dishes and Rob is the one who actually goes to the store because you don't want him cooking, really.

ROB THOMAS, SINGER: I sit around and I watch TV at Thanksgiving and when the food's ready...

M. THOMAS: ... he enjoys it.

R. THOMAS: I eat, I eat. There, I said it, there.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VARGAS: Lucky guy. Well, Kyra, I want to know. What's your signature dish?

PHILLIPS: Actually, yes, last night I made the stuffing. It's this apple, pecan, Italian sausage stuffing. It's awesome.

VARGAS: That sounds good. I have potato salad that I do. Potato salad. Been in the family for a long time. Unfortunately, I did not cook today. That's my husband. I'm happy, though.

PHILLIPS: So, he did the potato salad, is that what you're saying?

VARGAS: He wants to -- I know he wanted to do it, but he doesn't think he can do it, so I might run home, make the potato salad, but that's it. But it's really good.

PHILLIPS: Well, save me some, and I'll save you some stuffing. That's fair.

VARGAS: Sounds good.

PHILLIPS: Sibila Vargas, happy Thanksgiving, great to see you.

VARGAS: You, too.

PHILLIPS: Well straight ahead, we're going to be talking about history in Liberia. We're going to hear from the first-ever woman president of an African nation. Our favorite Jeff Koinange sits down for a one-on-one. The news keeps coming, we're going to keep bringing it to you. More LIVE FROM, straight ahead.

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PHILLIPS: Leaders across the African continent are praising Liberian voters today for writing a bold new chapter of history. The elected, the first-ever, woman president of an African nation. But victory at the polls is nothing compared to the challenges, now facing Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf. CNN's Africa correspondent Jeff Koinange spoke with Liberia's president-elect in Monrovia.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEFF KOINANGE, CNN AFRICA CORRESPONDENT: President-elect Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, first of all, congratulations.

ELLEN JOHNSON-SIRLEAF, PRESIDENT-ELECT, LIBERIA: Thank you.

KOINANGE: Second of all, you know the old saying, be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it? You've been fighting for this for the last seven years or so, now you've got it. How do you feel? Where do you start?

JOHNSON-SIRLEAF: I feel great. I'm excited. I'm also humbled, you know, by this great opportunity that the Liberian people have given me and the awesome challenges and responsibility which this implies, not only for Liberia, but for all women in Africa.

KOINANGE: Clearly the challenges are huge. They're enormous. Infrastructure, 14 years of civil war has literally reduced Liberia, for lack of a better word, a basket case. Are you hopeful, are you confident you can turn this country around?

JOHNSON-SIRLEAF: I'm confident that we can, Jeff. Liberia is not a poor country. We've been blessed with a lot of natural resources. We have managed those resources well and, certainly, managed them for the benefit of the people.

Well, that's going to change. Yes, there will be no quick fix, no magic wand. It's going it be a long, hard road for recovery. But I'm confident that we can embark upon that road and that we can set a realistic development agenda that's bound to have measurable benchmarks, and that we can start to make progress, so that we build the confidence of our people in our ability to deliver to them, within the period that will be set within this agenda.

KOINANGE: OK, so you've got this position now. Where do you begin? When do you begin? Is it after January the 16th or are you going to start right away?

JOHNSON-SIRLEAF: I've already begun. And, officially, I begin now. Sitting at my desk, as I was a little while before coming to talk to you. Looking at all the suggestions that are coming from Liberians and from friends all over the world, as to how we approach the problems.

KOINANGE: You come into this position with some very impressive credentials. How are those going to help you now in this position?

JOHNSON-SIRLEAF: I won the elections on the basis of the deep experience I have in developing matters. The competence I have established in a professional life that has spanned some 40 years.

In the fact that throughout this period the courage, the courage that I've shown right in my own country, in taking positions with a national interest, sometimes against repressive governments. I've paid the price for that.

KOINANGE: I have to ask you this question. The ghost of Charles Taylor, has it now been exercised with the coming of Ellen Johnson- Sirleaf?

JOHNSON-SIRLEAF: Yes, I think so. Mr. Taylor is diminishing relevance to our country, and its future. We have said that we hope that his absence, his continued absence, will give us the opportunity to consolidate peace, to get stability back, and to put our country on the road to renewal.

And I think that the Liberian people are ready to move forward with the new leadership, leaving Mr. Taylor to history.

KOINANGE: You're smiling for the first time in a long time. It seems like you're at ease now, and you're ready to move on. Are you hopeful now, are you ready to set the stage?

JOHNSON-SIRLEAF: Yes, I am. You know, I'm ready for this job. I'm ready for it professionally, emotionally, spiritually and I'm also, you know, give our people an uplift that the long, hard road of suffering and devastation is now at an end.

It is a new era, that we've started and embarked upon a new path. So, if I'm smiling, it's because I want to see the Liberian people smile. For a long time there's been no hope on their faces.

I mean, it's just been bleak because there was nothing to look forward to. The vote establishes a new course and I want them to feel a part of this and, so, my smile, I hope, will be infectious all over Liberia and all the Liberian people will smile, walking boldly into the future of a new Liberia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: All right, let's get an update on today's accident at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York. You may not have seen the video, but we were able to get this from an amateur photographer. When two people were injured, right there in Times Square, when the ropes attached to one of the big, inflated balloons. It got entangled with a lamp post. Part of the light fixture fell to the ground.

Mary Snow has been working this story. And Mary, we learned from the news conference with the mayor, that actually, this lamp post, had been -- was pretty new, and it was the type of land post -- it wasn't supposed to be sticking out into the street for situations like this, right?

MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Kyra, and the mayor said that these lamp posts were actually designed after an accident in 1997, to ensure that ropes would not get caught on those lamp posts during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, when the balloons come down.

The mayor said that is one thing that is going to be investigated. He said, fortunately, the two sisters, one is 26, was in a wheelchair and also an 11-year-old girl, both of them were injured. The mayor saying the injuries were not serious.

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