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CNN Saturday Morning News
Historic Vote In Egypt; Manhunt for Canadian Shooting Suspect; A Doctor Without Borders; Economic Orphans; China Sends Female Astronaut to Space; Mexican Drug Cartels Move Into U.S.; Saudi Crown Prince Dies
Aired June 16, 2012 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RANDI KAYE, CNN ANCHOR: From CNN world headquarters in Atlanta, this is EARLY START WEEKEND.
In just 30 minutes, we'll take you live to Beijing where China is scheduled to launch their first woman into space. The event actually comes 49 years to the day after the former Soviet Union put their first female cosmonaut into space.
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BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: They are Americans in their heart, in their minds, in every single way but one.
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KAYE: It's a dream come true for more than a million undocumented immigrants in the U.S. Supports hail the president's dramatic shift in immigration policy as a humanitarian moment in history. But critics call the move outrageous, even arrogant. We put the immigration overhaul in focus.
And later, families so devastated by the economy, that they are abandoning their children in orphanages. We'll tell you where it is a real crisis tearing families apart.
It is Saturdays, June 16th. Good morning, everyone. I'm Randi Kaye. We'll get to all the headlines in a minute.
But first, on this Father's Day weekend, I wanted to make sure you knew what one Texas father did to protect his daughter. This story has captured the country's attention of ours. I just returned from Shiner, Texas, where I visited a neighborhood ranch that is now a crime scene. Here's what we know according to the sheriff. A 23-year-old father was working his horses and getting a barbecue started for his family when suddenly he heard his five-year-old daughter screaming in the barn. As any father would, he ran toward her and found a 47-year-old man, an acquaintance of the family, allegedly trying to rape his little girl. The father pulled him off her and beat him to death.
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SHERIFF MICAH HARMON, LAVACA COUNTY, TEXAS: Defense of her, trying to get her away from him, that he struck the individual in the head several times.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you think this father should be charged?
HARMON: (INAUDIBLE) don't ask that question.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: Authorities are investigating. But, get this. They haven't cleared the father yet. They are still deciding whether or not to press charges. But neighbors I spoke with think the father doesn't deserves an indictment, he deserves a medal.
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KAYE: If this was your daughter, what would you have done?
MICHAEL JAMES VEIT, NEIGHBOR: I would have killed him 10 times worse. I mean that seems cruel, but I'm just -- I mean anybody would have snapped. But I'm that -- it's just -- it's unspeakable. It should never have -- you know, that person's not right in the mind for them to even do something like that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: What would you do if it were your child? Would you do the same thing that this father did? Let me know. Tweet me @RandiKayeCNN. We'll talk much more about this story throughout the morning.
It's a historic weekend in Egypt. A country that has been a critical U.S. ally in the Middle East. Before the polls even opened today, voters were lining up to choose a new president. But the future of Egypt's fledgling democracy remains in doubt. Allegations have been swirling that the country's interim military rulers are not ready to give up power. Let's get straight to CNN's Ben Wedeman in the Egyptian capital, Cairo.
Ben, good morning to you. What is the mood there like right now?
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, the mood here at this -- outside a middle school in the northern Cairo suburb of Shobra (ph), is quite good, actually. People seem to be in a very good mood.
It's very hot out here at the moment. It is midday. But no complaints of any fraud. Lots of people -- this is a station for women, a voting station for women. They are lined up by the hundreds here. There are hundreds more inside waiting to vote.
Now, they have a choice, a fairly stark choice as far as most Egyptians are concerned, between Ahmed Shafiq, who was the last prime minister of Hosni Mubarak, very much a symbol of the old regime, and Muhammad Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood.
And I was speaking with one gentleman here this morning who told -- who likened the choice to the choice between taking bitter medicine and poison. Bitter medicine being, of course, Ahmed Shafiq, and poison being Muhammad Morsi of the brotherhood. And he said, whether I like it or not, I'm going to go for the poison -- rather the bitter medicine, and skip the poison. So, not the best of all choices. But people seem to be taking it in stride here.
Everybody I've spoken with at this voting station saying they're voting for Ahmed Shafiq largely because they don't want to see the Muslim Brotherhood taking over this country, or at least the presidency.
Randi.
KAYE: With the candidates running for president, though, as you just mentioned, one is from the Muslim Brotherhood, the other is ousted Hosni Mubarak's last prime minister. Will either of them really represent any real change in Egypt?
WEDEMAN: Well, certainly, we have to remember, that beyond the candidates, beyond the parties that are involved in this election, there's been a fundamental change in the way Egyptians look at politics. I spent many years in Egypt under Hosni Mubarak and politics was simply a subject people didn't care about, let alone not really want to talk about.
What we have now is a politicized population, which people who used to just not read the newspaper, now everybody reads the newspapers. All the discussions when you walk down the street by cafes, by shops, people are talking about politics. And that's really what's changed. And people are saying, no matter who we elect this time, they'll be president for four years. If we don't like him, we'll vote him out. And that, as a concept, is absolutely revolutionary in Egypt.
Randi.
KAYE: Yes, they've certainly never felt that before. But you look at all that went on during the Arab Spring revolution, all that work by the protesters there in Tahrir Square. I mean is there a sense now, given their choices and given what the military and the high court did this week by dissolving parliament, that the Arab Spring revolution has unraveled?
WEDEMAN: I wouldn't say it's unraveled. And I think the most important thing, as I said, is to take account of the mental change, the change of mind. Yes, there are rough spots. The dissolving of parliament was a shock for many people. But, you know, what's interesting is, many people were highly critical of the Muslim dominated parliament, which sat for four and a half months. People watched it very closely on live television and said, you know what, most of these guys did a lousy job and many of them were actually quite happy to see the parliament dissolve.
There is, you know, a minority of political activists who are worried about the principle involved. But for most Egyptians, they looked at that parliament, they said they did a horrible job, wasted our time and our taxpayer's money and we're happy to see them go. It's going -- the Arab Spring is -- was never going to be a yellow brick road, but people feel they're engaged, they're involved and they can, through the vote, make a difference.
Randi.
KAYE: Still a new day there in Egypt. Ben Wedeman in Cairo, thank you.
Well, in case you missed last night's historic moment, Nik Wallenda pumped his fist in the air after he crossed over Niagara Falls on a tightrope. People anxiously watched him walk 1,800 feet in the dark with mist and wind blowing around him. After 25 minutes, he sprinted to the end. And after all that, Canadian border patrol was there to ask him for his passport.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And what is the purpose of your trip, sir?
NIK WALLENDA, DAREDEVIL: To inspire people around the world.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How were you able to stay so calm during that walk?
WALLENDA: You know, a lot of praying. That's for sure. And that helps a lot. But, you know, it's all about the concentration and the focus. And it all goes back to the training. You know, in the middle of the wire, at one point I just started thinking about my great grandfather and paying tribute to him and all the walks that he did and he was successful on. That's what this is all about, paying tribute to my ancestors and my hero, Karl Wallenda.
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KAYE: The great grandfather, Karl Wallenda, from the Flying Wallenda's fame, died while walking a tightrope between two buildings in 1978. Nik Wallenda says his next goal is to walk across the Grand Canyon. Amazing.
Three people are dead, one person is critically injured after a shooting at a Canadian university. And now the mother of the man accused is pleading for him to surrender. Police say this man, 21- year-old Travis Baumgartner shot four employees as he attempted to rob an armed vehicle at the University of Alberta. He now faces three counts of murder and is the subject of an international manhunt. For more on this story, I'm joined by Nick Valencia.
Good morning, Nick.
NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Randi.
KAYE: So what do we know at this point? Is this guy still on the run?
VALENCIA: This is just an unspeakable crime for the city of Edmonton. And he's still on the run. He's still on the loose. The police have widened their manhunt beyond Edmonton. They're calling it an international manhunt. So far, Interpol has not issued a release officially about their search for Travis Baumgartner. What we do know happened, that just shortly after midnight on Friday morning, witnesses say that they heard gunshots. Baumgartner works for a security firm, an armored truck company, making a delivery to the University of Alberta. That's when we hear that he shot three of his co-workers and injured another one critically.
KAYE: And so what are -- they believe he's armed and dangerous while he's on the run? I mean, how much of an inside job was this? I mean he worked for the same firm.
VALENCIA: We don't know too much. Again, unspeakable crime. Armored truck -- attacks on armored trucks are not a common thing worldwide, let alone in this small city of Edmonton. Specifically, sort of an ominous foreshadowing. We saw his Facebook page this morning, Randi. A picture of him wearing a ski mask with aviator sunglasses. Sort of, again, an ominous warning to what transpired.
KAYE: Yes. All right. Well, we wish them luck in finding this guy. Nick, thanks for the update. Appreciate it.
VALENCIA: Thank you.
Turning now to the hot button issue of immigration, and a stunning election year policy shift that aims to assist young, illegal immigrants known as dreamers.
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BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Effective immediately, the Department of Homeland Security is taking steps to lift the shadow of deportation from these young people. Over the next few months, eligible individuals who do not present a risk to national security or public safety will be able to request temporary relief from deportation proceedings and apply for work authorization.
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KAYE: It is a move President Obama calls, quote, "more fair, more efficient and more just." And his administration says the new guidelines could potentially impact around 1 million people. Specifically, those who came to the U.S. under the age of 16 and who have continuously resided in this country for at least five years. They must currently be in school, have graduated from high school or be a U.S. military veteran. They cannot have been convicted of a crime and cannot be older than age 30. Reaction to the news was swift with rallies in support of the president's plan taking place outside the White House and across the nation. But in the political world, the sentiment was a bit more mixed.
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MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I believe the status of the (ph) people who come here through no fault of their own is an important matter to be considered and should be solved on a long term basis so they know what their future would be in this country. I think the action that the president took today makes it more difficult to reach that long term situation because an executive order if, of course, just a short term matter. It can be reversed by subsequent presidents.
JANET NAPOLITANO, HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: As someone who is charged with enforcing the immigration system, we're setting good, strong, sensible priorities. And again, these young people really are not the individuals that the immigration removal process was designed to focus upon.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: The change in immigration policy comes in the wake of sharp criticism of the Obama administration by some Hispanic-American leaders regarding the recent spike in deportation to the immigrants. Last year, nearly 400,000 people were removed, the largest in the history of the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement Agency.
Now to this story of an amazing rescue. A woman was trapped inside her burning car after she lost control and flipped. But a stranger smashed open the window with a fire extinguisher and pulled her to safety -- amazing -- moments before the car was consumed by flames. Then he disappeared. That was two weeks ago. Our affiliate KTRK tracked him down. His name is Mitchell Corbin and he's a sergeant in the Texas Air National Guard.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MITCHELL CORBIN, TEXAS AIR NATIONAL GUARD: I saw a lady frantically screaming that, you know, "she's still in there, she's still in there." I figured out that there was a big problem going on and took the steps to fix it. I was just happy that everything turned out all right and everyone was safe.
NANCY DECKER, RESCUED FROM BURNING CAR: He's my guardian angel. He really is. I have a hero. God put him there.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: Corbin actually teaches emergency response in the guard, but says this was his first time that he's actually had to rescue someone himself.
Here's a rundown of some of the other stories that we're working on.
President Obama makes a shift in policy, but what will it mean for the people effected? We're going in focus on the topic of immigration.
Then, one year later, the remnants of Japan's devastating earthquake and tsunami are washing ashore here in the U.S.
Plus, today, China heads to outer space to make history. We'll tell you how.
And with the 40th anniversary of Watergate approaching, we're learning more about the man who helped expose the scandal. Inside the FBI's Deep Throat files. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: This morning we are going in focus on the issue of immigration and the potential impact of a new policy implemented by the Obama administration designed to stop the deportation of young, illegal immigrants. My next guest has a unique perspective on the issue. He is a world famous surgeon with a Harvard degree, but he traces his beginnings in this country back to a day in 1987 when he literally jumped the border fence between the U.S. and his native Mexico. He is Dr. Alfredo Quinones-Hinojosa, professor of neurosurgery and oncology at John Hopkins University, and the author of "Becoming Dr. Q: My Journey From Migrant Worker To Brain Surgeon."
We're happy to have you with us, Dr. Q, this morning. Good morning.
DR. ALFREDO QUINONES-HINOJOSA, NEUROSURGEON, JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY: Good morning, Randi. I'm delighted to be here. Thank you.
KAYE: You have such an incredible story. First tell us, what is your reaction to this policy change?
QUINONES-HINOJOSA: Well, Randi, as you can imagine, I am incredibly happy because I think it's a testament of what a wonderful country this is, to give people a second chance. People who truly deserve it and who are willing to give it all they got to make this place and this country a better place for us to live.
KAYE: And all those years ago, what made you want to come to the United States? And when was that exactly?
QUINONES-HINOJOSA: Oh, this was the late '80s. 1987 to be precise. All I wanted, Randi, I just wanted a better life for myself, for my family, my siblings, my parents. All I wanted was to just literally put food on the table of my siblings, who were going through an incredible economic depression in Mexico. And I was just literally hungry. I'm not hungry about hungry for success, my belly was hungry, literally.
KAYE: And do you remember that moment when you crossed the border? What did that feel like? As we look at this picture of you when you were just about four years old.
QUINONES-HINOJOSA: I was, you know, I was so incredibly afraid, Randi. And I would say that I was also excited about the possibilities of making a better life for myself. But, yes, I was just a kid. I was 19 years old. And fear was just driving me. And I was -- I came to this country, eventually went on to UC-Berkeley, to Harvard and now here as a professor of neurosurgery. The same fear of failure. The same fears that I had back then continue to drive me every single day.
KAYE: Did you ever think that one day you would be this world-renowned surgeon? I mean let's talk about the work you were doing in the fields before this, right?
QUINONES-HINOJOSA: Well, it's interesting, Randi. I actually work in the field with these hands. And I did farm labor. Now, I work in the field of neurological surgery as a brain tumor surgeon, expert and also as a scientist. I continue to work with the same hands, Randi. Nothing has changed. My DNA is the same. Now I just have a better education. I went to Harvard and I'm a professor of neurosurgery here. But I'm still the same kid who came to this country with the same dreams.
KAYE: So how did you capture that dream? I mean for -- maybe there's some undocumented immigrants watching the program this morning. I mean where did you find the will to move forward and know that you would find success?
QUINONES-HINOJOSA: I would say -- you know, and I was thinking about it. I knew you were going to ask me this question.
I'm just a very simple man. I get up every day in the morning and I work as hard as I can. I go to bed every day tired, exhausted. But I enjoy my life. And I would say that I find that energy in the dreams that we all have in this country. The United States is the most beautiful country in the world. And I think that sometimes, you know, we lack role models, especially in the Hispanic community. So it is our responsibility, our duty to continue to be role models for our future generations.
KAYE: Such a pleasure to speak with you. Dr. Alfredo Quinones- Hinojosa. Dr. Q, as we like to say. Thank you so much for waking up with us this morning.
QUINONES-HINOJOSA: I'm really -- I'm delighted and I'm ready to go and do a 10-mile race for all my patients and their families. Thank you.
KAYE: All right. You go do that. Thank you again.
And stay with us. In our next hour, I'm going to talk to someone who says President Obama's plan to overhaul immigration violates the U.S. Constitution. My conversation with author and columnist Phil Kent (ph) coming up at 7:15 Eastern Time.
Can anything slow down the relentless march of those wildfires burning across Colorado? Firefighters are hoping for rain. But that may not be enough for thousands of people forced from their homes.
And how many times have we seen this in Los Angeles? We'll tell you how this high speed police chase finally came to an end.
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KAYE: Good morning, everyone. Good morning, Atlanta. Lovely shot there. Folks waking up. So glad you're with us for EARLY START WEEKEND this morning.
Checking stories cross country.
Firefighters battling that raging wildfire in Larimer County, Colorado, are really hoping for some rain today. If they don't get it, they'll face another grueling day on the fire lines. The High Park Fire has incinerated 54,000 acres and it's still growing. Thousands have had to evacuate. More than 100 homes have burned. And at least one person is dead.
In Los Angeles, a high speed police chase. CNN affiliate KCBS reports that the driver hit 100 miles an hour at times and weaved dangerously through traffic for about an hour last night. Along the way, he hit several cars, injuring a three-year-old child in one of them. Police used spike strips to flatten his tires, but he kept on going, riding on his rims. Police finally arrested the man for drunken and reckless driving.
To Chicago now. Some kayakers. One of them, just 17-year-old, rescued a man who had fallen into the Chicago River. They heard people screaming, saw the man floating face down in 60 degree water and held his head up until a police rescue diver arrived. Police say their actions likely saved the man's life. He was taken to the hospital in critical condition.
A nightmare scenario. The economy hitting parents so hard, they're forced to give up their children. You'll see the painful reality inside an orphanage, next.
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KAYE: To Greece now where, against a backdrop of ongoing outrage over budget cuts. The country will hold a repeat election tomorrow. At stake is Greece's continuing membership in the European Union and a permanent government after a May election failed to give either of Greece's two main parties a majority. The current contest is between supporters and opponents of the bailout with polls showing a slight lead for those who are against the measure.
And there's another side to this story. Greece's youngest victims. Orphans. Some parents can simply no longer afford to feed their children.
CNN's Matthew Chance takes a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The youngest victims of Greece's economic despair. Abandoned not through lack of love, but money. We gained access to this orphanage in Athens where care workers say they've witnessed a surge in the number of Greek families unable to feed and clothe their children.
STERGIOS SINFIOS, DIRECTOR SOCIAL WORK, SOS CHILDREN'S VILLAGES GREECE: I think that is -- for first time for us. And I'm working for SOS Villages since 1982. So, for first time, I see so many poor families ask for help for their own children.
CHANCE: Austerity and years of recession are literally breaking up families here.
CHANCE (on camera): Of course, there have always been orphans, children in care in Greece, but what's changed over the course of the past two years is this. Previously, children in care came from problem families. Parents who were drug addicts or alcoholics. But over the past two years, it's transformed dramatically. The vast majority now come from families who simply can't afford to look after their children.
CHANCE (voice-over): Parents like Kassiani Papadopuolou. A single mother, unemployed and unable, she says, to care for her three children. We caught one of her rare visits.
CHANCE (on camera): Pleased to meet you. How are you?
Kassiani Papadopuolou: Mikala (ph). Mikala.
CHANCE: Hello, Mikala. Good to see you.
CHANCE (voice-over): Giving up this family, she told me, was painful. But in Greece's economic climate, still her best option.
PAPADOPUOLOU (through translator): It's really difficult. Really tragic for a true mother to leave her children. But when you understand they are not at fault and deserve a future, it's better to make a move like this than have them beside you without even a plate of food.
CHANCE (on camera): Who do you blame for putting you and your family in this situation? Do you blame the government? Do you blame the economic crisis? I mean, who do you hold responsible.
PAPADOPUOLOU: For me, it's all those who govern. They have all looked out for themselves instead of the people. And the poor like us should be the responsibility of the state.
CHANCE: But this is the terrible social price of Greece's economic crisis even for its youngest, most vulnerable. The state can barely afford to pay.
Matthew Chance, CNN, Athens.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: That is a side of this crisis that we don't hear much about. And this is a growing problem. It's grown over the past two years, and it may get even worse before it gets better. Right now, nearly 23 percent of all Greek families with children under the age of 18 are on the verge of poverty.
A killer wave washed ashore Japan's coast more than one year ago. It's scattered debris halfway around the world. Find out what's washed ashore now on the U.S. West Coast.
And we are moments away from an unprecedented rocket launch in China. For the first time ever, a Chinese woman heading to space.
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KAYE: And it is 32 minutes past the hour. Welcome back, everyone. I'm Randi Kaye. Thanks for starting your day with us. Checking some top stories this morning, a manhunt under way in Canada for the robber of an armored vehicle at the University of Alberta. Three armored car guards were killed in the robbery. Fourth critically injured, police believe it was an inside job. The suspected killer, the victim's colleague. Police say, suspect Travis Baumgartner is considered armed and dangerous.
A Georgia man is facing felony murdering cruelty charges one year after he allegedly put vodka in his four-month-old baby girl's bottle. The baby died after drinking it. The DeKalb County District Attorney says that he intends to pursuit justice for the child and lawyer for defending, Keith Furlow says it was simply an accident.
Southern Mexico is feeling the fury of Hurricane Carlotta. At least two children were killed when the storm destroyed their home, the girls' mother is hospitalized with injuries. Carlotta made landfall on Mexico's Pacific Coast last night. It tore off roofs, knocked out lights and in many areas it triggered landslides.
More debris from Japan's deadly tsunami may be surfacing halfway around the world. Pieces of a Japanese boat including its motor have washed up on the coast in Washington State. Authorities are trying to determine it's the wreckages from last year's powerful earthquake and killer wave.
Well, we are minutes away from a historic space launch in China. For the first time ever, they are sending a female astronaut into space. And another first, they will be docking to the Chinese space lab. Eunice Yoon is in Beijing watching all this. So, Eunice, good morning to you. How important is this launch for China?
EUNICE YOON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is a very important launch for China, Randi. It's very significant moment for the Chinese space program. If everything goes well, really we're going to see China becoming only one, one of only three countries worldwide that have been able to successfully conduct a manned space docking in addition to the United States and Russia. It's also going to be the first time for China to send a female astronaut into space. Currently, the three person crew is aboard this Shenzhou-9 spacecraft atop a long march carrier rocket. Once in orbit, this Shenzhou 9 spacecraft is expected to dock with the Tiangong-1, a Heavenly Palace One space lab.
Now, this space lab is bus-sized and it's seen as a precursor to a permanent space station. Now, the crew is expected to stay in space for about two weeks, they are suspected to conduct scientific and technological experiments and expected also to practice docking the vessels manually.
Now, the whole point of the mission, of course, is really to get enough experience for these Chinese astronauts and pave the way eventually for China to build and operate its own permanent space station by 2020 and thereafter send a man to the moon. Randi.
KAYE: Let's talk about this female astronaut, though. I mean she's had years of training. And now as we've saying, she's breaking barriers. How big of a deal is this for women in China to see this happening? YOON: Well, it's a huge deal. A lot of people have been talking about it online and also just on a nationalized, nation -- nationwide level, people have been talking about how proud they feel not only for the space program, but also for this woman.
There's been a lot of attention on this -- on Liu Yang, who is a mother of one. She's in her 30s. She's a veteran air force pilot. She was recruited specifically out of the military for the space program. And a lot of people online have been just gushing about her flying skills. People have been talking about how she once landed her plane successfully after a bird strike, had to save all but one of her engines.
So, there's been a lot of discussion about her online. And also the program officials have said that this mission isn't going to be remembered solely for the breakthrough for the space program, but also for its social significance in a country that normally favors boys over girls. Randi.
KAYE: And we are just about -- less than 60 seconds away from the launch here as we continue to watch these live pictures as we prepare for it. But China, certainly, it sounds like, Eunice, looking to compete with Russia and the U.S. in space travel.
YOON: Not only in space travel, Randi. It's also been a very big week for Chinese exploration in deep sea diving. The lift-off follows a very successful deep sea dive. And we saw a three-person crew and a Chinese sub explore the Mariana Trench. They managed to break a record for the country diving 6,500 meters. And they are expected to break and they want to continue to break another record for the Chinese deep sea diving and eventually explore the (inaudible).
KAYE: Let's pause here for just a second and watch this historic launch.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Lifting off.
KAYE: There you have it. That live historic launch in China carrying the first female astronaut into space. Eunice Yoon, you are still with us here, tell me about who else is on board with her and what the plan is, once again.
YOON: Well, there are also two other astronauts with her. Both of them male. One of them is a commander, who is a very experienced man in space. The point, again, for this mission is to explore and really to conduct several experiments on this -- on the Tiangong One, or at Heavenly Palace space lab. Again, this is a bus sized space lab. It's seen as a precursor to a permanent space station. And the astronauts are all going to be in space for about two weeks.
They are expected to conduct both technological experiments as well as scientific experiments. They are supposed to be practicing docking the vessels manually while they are there. And after those two weeks pass, the spacecraft is supposed to land back in northwest China, in the western grasslands. So, this is what we are expecting. And once they come back, I'm sure they are going to get a hero's welcome because they have been followed so closely. And there's just been an outpouring of nationalism over this space program and the ambitious projects that China has for space exploration.
KAYE: I do want to mention, we want to welcome our viewers from around the world, our international viewers watching this here from CNN International along with us. Eunice, how long will the mission take? When will they be back?
YOON: Well, they are supposed to be back in about two weeks. So, specifically they said, at least ten days that these three astronauts are going to be in space. Again, the Shenzhou 9 spacecraft is currently headed for the Heavenly Palace One space lab. This laboratory is small. It's bus size. It's supposed to eventually lead to enough experience for the Chinese to pave the way for a permanent space station by 2020.
That permanent space station right now hasn't been set. A lot of people are speculating that it could be a smaller space station than the United States has seen in the '70s with NASA's program of the Skylab, or the International Space Station. They are expecting that China's space station will probably be a lot smaller.
But currently, they are testing out a lot of their technical skills in order to try to really get themselves there so that eventually they will be able to build and operate a permanent space station and eventually send a man to the Moon. Randi.
KAYE: Well, it looks like we have had a successful launch. This Shenzhou 9 blasted off looking good. Eunice Yoon, thank you there for that reporting from Beijing. I appreciate that.
They are building roots in the United States at an alarming rate. Still ahead, a look at the rise of drug cartels across the country.
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KAYE: Saying it's not amnesty, but a quote, deferred action. The Obama administration is making huge policy changes for young illegal immigrants. Undocumented immigrants younger than 30 who were brought to the U.S. as kids and have no criminal record will get a two year deferral from deportation. That gives them a chance to apply for work permit. Many are praising Obama's election year decision, but others are outraged.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: These are young people who study in our schools, they play in our neighborhoods, they are friends with our kids. They pledge allegiance to our flag. They are Americans in their heart and their minds, in every single way but one, on paper.
GOV. JAN BREWER, (R ), ARIZONA: I felt it necessary to respond to the president's outrageous announcement this morning that he intends to grant back door amnesty to nearly one million people. He says it's temporary, but we all know better.
SEN. DICK DURBIN, (D), ILLINOIS: This is an historic humanitarian moment in American history. It is an opportunity for us to demonstrate to the world the values and caring of a great nation.
MITT ROMNEY, GOP PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I believe the status of the young people who come here through no fault of their own is an important matter to be considered and should be solved on a long term basis so they know what their future would be in this country. I think the action that the president took today makes it more difficult to reach that long term solution, because an executive order is, of course, just a short term matter. It can be reversed by subsequent presidents. I would like to see legislation that deals with this issue.
And I happen to agree with Marco Rubio as he will consider this issue. He said that this is an important matter. We have to find a long term solution. But the president's action makes reaching a long term solution more difficult. If I'm president, we will do our very best to have that kind of long term solution to provide the certainty and clarity to the people who come into this country through no fault of their own, by virtue of the action of their parents.
Thank you.
JANET NAPOLITANO, HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: As someone who is charged with enforcing the immigration system, we are setting good, strong, sensible priorities. And again, these young people really are not the individuals that the immigration removal process was designed to focus on.
SHERIFF JOE ARPAIO, MARICOPA COUNTY, ARIZONA: Politics. Why timing? Why now? Why not let Congress decide next year on this issue and on all of the illegal immigration problems we have.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: You could call them the drug lords next door. I'm talking about drug cartels taking root in the United States at an alarming rate. Nick Valencia is joining me now to talk about this. Good morning, again.
NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.
KAYE: You have found actually some shocking numbers on just how prevalent this is and how this network is really infiltrating this country.
VALENCIA: That's right. And I want to be clear, Randi. This is not a new phenomenon. That we have the cartels in the United States, Mexican drug cartels living among us. What is new, and what is interesting about this story, is that they are building roots and they are getting comfortable. In 2006, the National Drug Intelligence Center, what they told us, is that cartels operated in about 50 U.S. cities. Today, it's five times that much. If you can believe that. Almost 1300 U.S. cities where these drug cartels are operating. KAYE: So it's not -- and I have been to the border. And it's not just right across the border. I mean they are going deeper and deeper, they are moving up north even?
VALENCIA: That's right. This is Wilmington, North Carolina. This is Kingston -- Kingstown, Rhode Island. These are states like Wyoming. Unconventional cities where you wouldn't expect to see Mexican cartels operating. Why are they there? They are operating under the cloak of Latino communities built in these areas. Rising Latino populations, cloaked by the innocence of Latinos, if you will. Cartels move in there. They feel comfortable. They build their nexus. Why are they here? Because four percent of the population in the world right here in the United States consumes two-thirds of all drugs in the world. All illegal drugs in the world.
KAYE: And what drugs are we talking about?
VALENCIA: We're talking about marijuana, cocaine. But the big drug the cartels really started to expand in the 1990s here in the United States, because of methamphetamine production. They took that over from U.S. biker gangs, allowed them to really build their network. And again, 50 U.S. cities in 2006, if you could believe that, now, close to 1,300.
KAYE: And do the communities even know they are there?
VALENCIA: Oh, yes.
KAYE: Do they do anything about it?
VALENCIA: They know they are there. What else I want to emphasize is, you are not going to see and experts believe this you are not going to see the Mexican style violence that you have seen in Mexico spill over into the United States. Yes, there have been calculated attacks. Yes, there have been incidents. Having said that, it's bad for business. One, cartels don't want to bite the hand that feeds them. Again, just to re-emphasize, four percent of the world's population consuming two- thirds of the world's illegal drugs.
KAYE: Yes. Wow.
VALENCIA: Why are they here? They are here because this is the best market for them.
KAYE: All right, Nick Valencia, thank you for that sort of an alarming report, for sure. I appreciate it.
The FBI releases tens of thousands of deep throats personal files. I'll tell you where to go to read them for yourself.
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KAYE: Welcome back, everyone. Let's take a look at some stories that may have been off your radar. 40 years after the Watergate scandal, you can read all about the central character in-depth. The FBI released almost 1900 pages in their deep throat file. Mark Felt was Deep Throat, and he was the man who gave Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein the nudge and the information that they needed to follow the money and expose the Watergate players. You can read Felt's file on the FBI's online record site called "The Vault." By the way, at 10:30 I'll be speaking to one of the leading authors on the Watergate scandal.
It is one thing when a teenager does a little dine and dash. But what about the president? President Obama ate at a barbecue joint in Washington Wednesday and skipped out on the bill. But later that day, the White House paid the $55 tab. The irony, he had devoted that day to talk about responsible fatherhood.
How much would you pay to get a piece of a technological revolution? One anonymous buyer shelled out almost $350,000 for the original Apple computer. Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak built about 200 of them in 1976 paving the way for affordable personal computers. By the way, the Apple One that was sold was still working.
All right, the breaking news now for you this morning.
Saudi Arabian state run TV is reporting that Saudi Crown Prince Nayef Abdulaziz died outside the kingdom. The station is also broadcasting Koran readings as an expression of mourning. It was just as recently as June 3rd that the kingdom was saying that he was in good health, apparently. We were told that Prince Nayef is in good health. He had been in the United States for some time getting medical tests. He was 77 or 78 years old, it's unclear. He had left the kingdom for a holiday late last month, just about a month after he'd been abroad in the U.S. getting those medical tests. So, once again, the Saudi Crown Prince Nayef has died.
With his bare hands, a Texas father killed a man who tried to molest his five-year-old daughter. But is he guilty of a crime or is he a hero in this small Texas town?
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KAYE: Welcome back.
It is a question of justice. What would you do to a man who tried to sexually assault your daughter? Your five-year-old daughter. The little girl's father took matters into his own hands. I was in Shiner, Texas earlier this week. And that's where this happened.
Apparently, the girl's father and grandfather were working on this farm here, the family's farm as you see. And they were working with the horses when the father heard his little girl screaming. He ran toward the sound of those screams. He found his little girl in an area of the brush near chicken coop on the farm. And he told the sheriff that there was a 47-year-old man who was working on the farm attempting to rape his little girl. So he pulled him off her, punched him repeatedly in the face and the head and the man died as a result.
So we wanted to share that with you and ask you what you think about it. Is he a hero or a killer? Should he be charged with a crime? They are considering it. Tweet me your comments at randikayecnn, and we'll read some next hour.
CNN "SATURDAY MORNING" begins right after this.
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