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America's New Spy Satellite; Illegal Fireworks Blamed for Oregon Fire; Lil' Kim Released From Prison
Aired July 03, 2006 - 14:29 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, we're about 24 hours and counting to a scheduled Fourth of July spectacular at Kennedy Space Center. For the moment, the launch of the Space Shuttle Discovery is still a go, even after inspectors found a crack in the foam on the external fuel tank.
Engineers say the crack is just too small to have caused any damage during a launch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN SHANNON, DEPUTY PROGRAM MANAGER: The obvious question is well, gee, if this would have happened in flight and this piece of foam would have come off, would that have been an issue, and the answer is no, absolutely it would not have been an issue.
It is less than half the size that we think can cause damage to the orbiter. So although it is in an area that we don't like to have foam come off, this was not unexpected and it would not have caused any damage to the orbiter itself.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Now, NASA officials say they'll discuss their options against this evening, and you'll want to stay tuned to CNN primetime for the latest updates on this launch.
Well, a celestial close encounter, and you probably slept through it. Massive asteroid -- maybe half a mile wide -- whizzed by the earth overnight. Some are calling it a near-miss, but near -- well, that's a relative term. We're talking 269,000 miles away, farther than the moon. Astronomers say it coming, and you know, they didn't even flinch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JACK HORKHEIMER, ASTRONOMER, MIAMI PLANETARIUM: All of the planets have crater impacts. We have a lot of crater impacts on our earth, the only reason we don't show as many because our earth is so dynamic. These craters on earth are constantly eroding and so they disappear.
And, incidentally, the one that slammed into to the earth 65 million years ago -- it may have wiped out the dinosaurs -- was probably about 10 miles wide. The one we're talking about that passed us last night, maybe a quarter to half a mile. (END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: There you have it. Now astronomers say the same asteroid will make more passes at the earth in the future -- lucky us -- but here's the good news. It is not expected to hit.
A new eye is in the sky, but you'll have to take my word for this one because America's newest spy satellite is way too high to see, but it can probably see you and me and just about anything else its minders want to look at.
The minders work for the National Reconnaissance Office, which is a top secret agency that recently opened its doors to our David Ensor. His exclusive report aired first on "AMERICAN MORNING."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ADM. VICTOR SEE, NRO: I'd much rather be putting my flight suit on.
DAVID ENSOR, CNN NATL. SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Navy Admiral Victor See is suiting up to take us into the clean room at a low-profile facility in California, for a rare look at a government satellite under construction. The suits keep tiny particles on clothes from contaminating the satellite's complex electronics.
(on camera): It's a good size, isn't it?
SEE: It's about four stories tall when all put together and deployed in space.
ENSOR: Is that part of it as well?
SEE: That is. That is the spinning section.
ENSOR (voice-over): This relay satellite is designed to capture pictures and signals from the nation's spy satellites and transmit them to ground stations.
(on camera): Officials won't give a precise number, but there are currently between 15 and 20 U.S. intelligence satellites up there in orbit. They are the nation's eyes and ears in space.
(voice-over): The National Reconnaissance Office designs, builds and runs satellites that track everything from North Korean missiles and Iranian secret nuclear facilities, to individual al Qaeda fugitives high in the Pakistani-Afghan mountains.
Just how good are they? Government officials won't say. Only outside experts will give you an estimate.
LOREN THOMPSON, LEXINGTON INSTITUTE: The really good ones, the high resolution ones, can see details as small as four inches from over 100 miles away.
ENSOR: They are good, but the NRO director says Hollywood, "Enemy of the State" to Tom Clancy movies, has completely exaggerated what they can do.
DONALD KERR, NRO DIRECTOR: One of the biggest misconceptions is the idea that we can put a satellite over some point on the earth and keep it there. The laws of physics are, in fact, immutable.
ENSOR: In fact, each satellite has only minutes to photograph an intelligence target. That's why the U.S. has a constellation of spy satellites amongst its many civilian ones. So do the Russians and the rest of the world.
Then there are the inactive satellites out there and the space junk. To avoid collisions, the new relay satellite will use its red boosters with their big silver fuel balls.
(on camera): NRO officials say in the post-9/11 world, every spy satellite they have is working flat-out. They are working on some new types that cannot be seen by adversaries, and others who can tell what's going on even underground.
David Ensor, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Well, it's no secret Jimmy Carter is no fan of the Bush administration, and now he's objecting to the current president's fondness for secrets. In an op-ed column for the "Washington Post," Carter laments that what he sees as a government obsessed with secrecy.
Quoting here, Carter writes, "The events in our nation today, war, civil rights violations, spiraling energy costs, campaign finance and lobbyist scandals, dictate the growing need and citizens' desire for access to public documents." Carter calls for expanding the Freedom of Information Act and creating a broad -- or a board, I should sea, to oversee compliance.
Only you can prevent forest fires. Remember that line? Well, more evidence Smokey knew exactly what he was talking about. News you need before all those barbecues and fireworks displays.
More LIVE FROM, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Well, this just into CNN, the Supreme Court today has intervened to save a large cross on city property in California. Justice Anthony Kennedy issued a stay while supporters of the cross continue their legal fight. So here's what this fight is all about.
A lower court judge ordered the city of San Diego to remove the cross or be fined $5,000 a day. Now, the 29-foot cross, which is on San Diego property, sits atop Mt. Soledad and attorneys for the city said that the cross is part of a broader memorial that was important to the community. It's been in place for decades, but it was contested recently by Vietnam veteran and an Atheist. So, at this point, the Supreme Court has intervened and issued a stay until supporters of this cross can continue with their legal fight and, of course, we're going to stay on top of this and bring you the latest just as the developments occur.
The north rim of the Grand Canyon has reopened. It was closed last week when flames jumped the only paved highway leading to it. Look at this video. Rain and humidity did help fire crews build a line completely around a fire that has consumed more than 58,000 acres.
Well, someone in Oregon decided to celebrate the Fourth a little early, and now he or she is in big trouble. Illegal fireworks are blamed for a fire in the mountains near Estacada.
Here's reporter Randy Neves with CNN affiliate KGW.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RANDY NEVES, KGW REPORTER (voice-over): It seems no matter how much water they throw at this wildfire...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're still here.
NEVES: ... it just won't go away.
JAMIE PAUL, FIGHTING OREGON WILDFIRE: It's been rough. As you can see, the terrain is steep. The fields are really dry. We've had really gusty, erratic winds up here. And there's no water on site.
NEVES: The Oregon Department of Forestry has been chasing flames, dropping buckets of delivered water and laying down a line of red retardant to keep the 60-acre blaze from pushing east.
PAUL: This looks like a Roman candle and these are bottle rockets here.
NEVES: It didn't take long to figure out what caused this wildfire, illegal fireworks.
(on camera): We're not just talking bottle rockets here. Check out this piece of evidence. It's called the Golden Bear. It shoots off 200 airborne fireworks. Whoever did this was aiming right toward the dry, wooded area.
(voice-over): From there, hot wind under a baking sun dragged the fire across acres and acres of bone dry logging slash.
GLEN BEERS, LIVES NEAR FIRE: We're concerned about getting it knocked down quick.
NEVES: Glenn Beers and his family live a quarter mile from the flames.
ALICIA HANSEN, LIVES NEAR FIRE: We heard the fireworks last night. We didn't know where they were coming from. NEVES: They're angry at those who set off the fireworks.
TANI MORRIS-BEERS, LIVES NEAR FIRE: Well, we hope to catch them and we think they will. There's only so many people that know about this place, only so many that would come in, and people saw them, so, they're going to catch them.
NEVES: With help from Estacada Fire District, crews will monitor hot spots, making sure this fire doesn't reignite.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: And if you're visiting a national forest this holiday, just remember, all fireworks are illegal, no matter how safe you think they may be.
(WEATHER REPORT)
NGUYEN: Well, for Roger Ebert, the review of a lifetime. The film critic's wife gives him two thumbs up after his latest health scare.
Here's the quote: "After Ebert's emergency operation on late Saturday," she says, "I am pleased to report that the doctors say Roger is stable and responding well to the recent surgery. Roger and I are just so grateful for your prayers and support. But, please, give the big guy the space and time needed to recover until he is ready to use those thumbs again."
Apparently, a blood vessel had burst near the site of an operation a couple of weeks earlier to remove a cancerous growth from a salivary gland. That was his Ebert's fourth cancer operation in recent years.
Straight ahead, entertainment news with Brooke Anderson of "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT." Hey, Brooke, what's on tap?
BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Hey there, Betty.
Well, a Grammy-winning producer is behind bars in Dubai. We're going to tell you why July Fourth could bring his independence or a very long jail sentence.
Also just a few days after his divorce was finalized. Nick Lachey sharing his thoughts on life without Jessica. All that and more just ahead. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MUSIC)
NGUYEN: You hear her, right? Queen Bee. She flies free while a leading hip-hop producer prepares, well, to face the music.
Brooke Anderson joins us with the latest entertainment headlines and a preview of "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT."
Hey there, Brooke.
ANDERSON: Hey there, Betty. And Queen Bee, of course, is rapper Lil' Kim's nickname. I'll have that in just a second.
First, hip hop producer Dallas Austin pleaded guilty yesterday to drug charges in Dubai, where he's been behind bars for more than a month. Austin, has an A-list musical clientele, including Madonna, Michael Jackson and the trio TLC, said, quote, "I'm pleading guilty, but by mistake. I had no knowledge and no intention of violating the law."
Austin was arrested at Dubai International Airport May 19th, when Customs officials searched his bags, allegedly finding cocaine. Austin was reportedly on his way to a three-day birthday party for Naomi Campbell at a Dubai hotel. He is scheduled to be sentenced tomorrow. Austin could face up to four years in prison, maybe even longer.
OK, rapper Lil' Kim is celebrating Independence Day a day early. The 31-year-old singer was released from federal prison in Philadelphia this morning. The hip hop star has been behind bars since last September after she was charged with perjury in connection with a shooting outside a New York radio station.
Now after spending nearly 10 months before behind bars, Lil' Kim will be under house arrest for the next 30 days and on supervised release for the next three years.
Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey are toasting their independence from one another. Each is now officially single. The divorce was finalized on Friday in Los Angeles, but no financial agreements have reportedly been reached between the pair. These famous newlyweds filed for divorce back in December after three years of marriage. Now, this morning on the "Today Show," Lachey, who is making the rounds to promote his new album "What's Left of Me" addressed his new single status.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NICK LACHEY, SINGER: I'm doing what I think it is a process that everyone goes through something like that. And for me, this past week was the final step in that process. And it's time to move on with life.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Does it public still want to keep making it a part of you, though, because they were so involved in the show?
LACHEY: It is a huge part, of you know, of my life, both on a personal and professional level. So I think that's only natural for people to do that. But for me personally and professionally, it's time to move on and life goes on.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Indeed, it does.
OK, tonight on "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT," shocking T.V. ads from breast feeding to smoking. The new ads that are igniting outrage and surprise. The story on T.V.'s most provocative entertainment news show, that is "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT." It comes on 11:00 p.m. Eastern, that is 8:00 Pacific on CNN Headline Prime, so we hope you join us then. Betty?
NGUYEN: OK, shocking T.V. ads in the same sentence as breast feeding. You know what, I don't even want to know, I really don't, but I'll watch.
ANDERSON: If you're having dinner watching a little T.V. and these ads come on, you may lose your appetite.
NGUYEN: Oh yikes, and then definitely reason to watch, right? OK, thank you.
To launch or not to launch, that is the question for NASA engineers faced, once again, with falling foam from the external fuel tank. We'll hear from a man who understands that problem first hand. Live from the Kennedy Space Center. And back from Iraq, but life will never be the same. Hear a soldier's story from the frontlines to the home front when LIVE FROM continues.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: In Iraq, severely wounded troops are taken first to a cache, which is a combat support hospital. Like its predecessor, the mash unit cache is a place where dark humor and tough banter counter the daily reality of pain and loss. Our Baghdad camera team was there when one serviceman arrived for the second time.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SGT. CHRISTOPHER FLORES, U.S. ARMY: Dad, hey dad, it's Chris. Hey, I got some good news and I got some bad news. Well, the good news is I'm probably going to go home pretty soon. The bad news is I got hurt.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just a tip off the big toe and maybe the second toe in.
C. FLORES: Will I still be able to walk?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Of course, not a problem.
C. FLORES: My name is Sergeant Flores, Christopher, Bravo Company of the 102nd.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Lungs are clear, belly looks good too.
C. FLORES: This is me second time in this case.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You have to stop visiting us, but we appreciate you taking one for the time, OK. C. FLORES: I hate you guys.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And we love you, too.
C. FLORES: You know you don't forget how those people take care of you. They look after you; they try to do their best. It doesn't matter how long it will take them. They will do their best to patch you up to get you back into the game.
LT. NATALIE SKATES, U.S. ARMY: This shows he was in here a few months ago actually; I had him as a patient I think in March. But he's back again.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sorry about that news, your son is a trooper man, he's joking and giving us a hard time.
SKATES: A lot of them come in with major injuries and they are joking around, trying to pull through. They just roll with the punches.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That guy is a hero.
C. FLORES: All right. I love you dad.
I'm glad I joined. I don't regret it one minute. I don't regret that my face is like this. I don't regret that my toes are almost gone. As a matter of fact, I embrace the fact that this happened to me, and I am just proud to be in the infantry. That's it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Sergeant Flores has been home for about two months now. He's still recovering and still thinking about the men and women on duty in Iraq. Flores and his father were guests on "CNN LIVE SUNDAY."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
C. FLORES: I was kind of scared, but at the same time I was really excited to hear from my dad because he always encourages me and tells me to pull through. But more so, I was kind of glad that I'm OK, glad that I'm fine, glad that I survived the blast. And you know, just glad to be talking to them. That's why I said I have good news. The good news is I'm going to come home and be fine.
JOSE FLORES, SGT. FLORES' FATHER: We are proud that he served our country, we are very proud of him. We're proud of the men and women that are serving personally and we pray for every one out there. But we are glad our son is back and like he said we believe he has already done his time. He done it well and served his country proudly and well. And we are just anxious to get him back out here and pick up on the family business and be with us at all times.
C. FLORES: I wanted to get out there and I wanted to do something for our country. And you know, being out there, it just shows you a lot. It shows you how fortunate we are to be here. And it shows you everything. It makes you grow a little faster. I left when I was 18. I had to grow up fast and I did. And the army, they gave me most of that. They made me become the person I am now and I am grateful for my friends still out there as we speak right now guarding those road, they are out there getting in fire fights. They are still out there fighting and you know I just want to say a strong hello to them because I miss them and love them, they are my friends. Unfortunately we have lost a couple of those friends but that's the way it is. We have to think of them in a positive way rather than remembering in a negative way.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Well Sergeant Flores says he wouldn't go back to the war zone. He instead, plans to go to college.
The next hour of LIVE FROM starts right now.
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