Syria To Allow U.N. Weapons Inspectors; California Wildfire Spreading; 12-Year-Old Dies From Brain-Eating Parasite; Unclaimed $1M Lotto Ticket Expires Today
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Plus, the baffling disappearance of a Pennsylvania schoolteacher. Authorities say he went on a hiking trip a month ago and hasn't been seen since. As the sound of bombs and accusations of chemical weapons use goes on in Syria. The Syrian government now says it will allow U.N. weapons inspectors access to the site of the alleged chemical attacks but they are also warning the U.S. not to take any military action. Our Fred Pleitgen is in Damascus and Chris Lawrence is at the Pentagon. So Fred, let me begin with you. How soon will the weapons inspectors be allowed to begin inspections?</s>FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fredricka. Yes, I spoke to Syria's deputy foreign minister right after he came out of the meeting with the United Nations where that deal was struck and he said that the weapons inspectors will be about to wherever they wanted to go and it is strict where this allegedly happen effective immediately. Now, of course, that doesn't mean that they are actually going to be on the ground that quickly. They still have to sort out logistical things. The United Nations is saying they are going to send the weapons inspectors out on their first mission to these areas starting tomorrow. And I want to listen in to some of the other things that the deputy foreign minister said to me earlier.</s>PLEITGEN: What sort of agreement have you reached with them?</s>FAISAL AL MEKDAD, SYRIAN DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER: We worked for two days. I have adopted the possibility of reaching an agreement.</s>PLEITGEN: So they have complete access and they can go anywhere they want any time they want?</s>MEKDAD: Yes.</s>PLEITGEN: Is that the case in all of these areas?</s>MEKDAD: Yes.</s>PLEITGEN: OK. And that can start immediately?</s>MEKDAD: Yes.</s>PLEITGEN: And, Fredricka, the main concern, of course, that the weapons inspectors have is the safety of their team. They do, in fact of course, have to cross the front line to get in the opposition-held territories. The Syrian government will allow them to pass from their side but they have to talk to the rebels to see if they're going to have safety on the ground. And the other big thing is that apparently the Syrian government has given them also the go-ahead and said they are not going to be shelling these areas as long as the U.N. troops are on the ground. But I can tell you from tonight we're hearing and we're seeing major shelling here in the Damascus area and a lot of that seems to be hitting exactly the neighborhoods that the weapons inspectors want to go to tomorrow -- Fredricka?</s>WHITFIELD: And then, Fred, all this at a time when we are hearing the governor of Hama province being assassinated.</s>PLEITGEN: Yes, absolutely. That's news that came earlier today that apparently the governor of Hama province was assassinated in a bomb attack as his convoy was going through the capital which also poll town and it has been a place that seeing a lot of fighting in the -- since the conflict started but seem to have gotten a little quieter in the recent weeks and months. So, this is something that is very significant and shows that the opposition of the rebels are still capable of striking even in area where's the government believes it has control. So certainly, this is a very significant fact. And it shows that while we're talking about the chemical weapons which are the main issue right now, the civil war here still continues and rages on unabated -- Fredricka.</s>WHITFIELD: All right, Fred. And I'm mentioning Chris Lawrence is at the Pentagon. So Chris, you know, the president of the United States meeting with the national security team yesterday and likely again over the course of days. What do we know so far that's been discussed?</s>CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, basically, it's the fact that they think at this point and their assessment is it's too little too late from the Syrian government. They say if the Syrian government had nothing to hide it would allow those inspectors in five days ago. Senior administration officials saying basically at this point they have little doubt that this was a chemical weapons attack and that it was perpetrated by the Syrian government. They think that the evidence at that site is corrupted at this point because of all that shelling that Fred just mentioned, consistent shelling over several days may have corrupted some of that evidence. But at this point, they seem to already be very close to making the conclusion. And I can't stress enough the fact that the president of the United States not only working on Saturday but convening his entire national security team, from the CIA to the director of national intelligence, the U.S. ambassador to the U.N., defense secretary Chuck Hagel calling in via videoconference from his trip to Asia. So this was a significant meeting. And it seems to move the ball in terms of the U.S. taking more action in Syria.</s>WHITFIELD: All right, Chris Lawrence, thank you so much and Fred Pleitgen in Damascus, thank you, as well. All right, meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has some strong words for Syria. He said, quote "what happened in Syria is both a terrible tragedy and an awful crime." He went on to say, quote, "ours is a responsible finger and, if necessary, it will also be on the trigger. We will always know to defend our people and our state against whoever attacks us, tries to attack us, or has attacked us," end quote. All right, back in the United States now, California, a huge wildfire still burning in and around western edge of Yosemite National Park. So far, more than 130,000 acres of forest has been scorched, 2600 firefighters are on the front lines right now, and the fire is still only about seven percent contained. Nick Valencia is just outside Yosemite. So Nick, there doesn't appear to be much hope that this fire can be put out quickly. What are you hearing there on the ground?</s>NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Fred. Firefighters have made some progress on containment but this fire continues to grow.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was cooking. It was moving fast.</s>VALENCIA: This is the time of year the Yosemite National Park is usually packed with tourists, not firefighters. But on the western boundary of the forest, about 40 miles from the heavily visited Yosemite Valley, fire crews are dealing with this.</s>BJORN FREDRICKSON, U.S. FOREST SERVICE: Yosemite is certainly iconic worldwide so it's on the minds of the public in this area and beyond.</s>VALENCIA: Fast moving, fierce, and so far unpredictable, the so- called rim fire could potentially be the largest fire in California's state history. Getting a handle on this fire has been difficult. It's being fueled by extremely dry conditions and canyon winds. CNN was escorted through the fire zone by the U.S. forest service. On the tour, the steady march of the fire is evident. Here at Yosemite National Park firefighters are making progress but with limited resources they're dealing with a lot of hot spots like these.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's critical at this time. We have teams out nationwide and we do have to share resources. But because I say we are, number one priority, we're getting what we need.</s>VALENCIA: But what these firefighters also say they need is for the weather to cooperate.</s>VALENCIA: And, Fred, joining me now is Pam Martin with the U.S. forest service. Pam, this fire is out of control. It's creating its own weather system. Why is it so difficult to get this under control?</s>PAM MARTIN, U.S. FOREST SERVICE: Well, we are looking at extreme drought here in California. And we are looking at steep topography and with relative low humidity. And today, we're going to have wind gusts from 25 to 30 miles an hour. And all of that combined will increase the fire activity today. They are anticipated.</s>VALENCIA: We know you're dealing with a lot. We know that there are a lot of firefighters on the frontlines there. We wish them the best and you as well. Fred, this fire is being unpredictable so far. They have made some progress. Since we have been here, already, it's grown more than 15,000 acres in over a day -- Fred.</s>WHITFIELD: Incredibly fast moving. All right, thanks so much. Nick Valencia, keep us posted. All right, now take a look at this picture, a shot of the Yosemite fire taken from a NASA satellite in orbit. You can really see that burned out area and, of course, the smoke. The winds in the fire area have been dying down just a bit but the conditions overall are still feeding the flames, as you heard nick mention there. Alexandra Steele is in the severe weather center and she explains.</s>ALEXANDRA STEELE, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Hi, Fred. I mean, the weather is just not cooperating on myriad fronts -- temperatures, rain, and wind. So in terms of the temperatures, you know, the temperatures in the morning haven't gotten as low or as cool as they have been earlier in the week. So the fire activity has picked up earlier in the day. Also, this fire is really creating its own weather pattern. It's so ferocious now and so large. And what's happening is that smoke column is building up, it's breaking down and collapsing on itself. And when it collapses it sends these down drafts and wind gusts in op operate and desperate directions. So, it's harder for the firefighters to know the direction from which the wind is coming. All right, so here's what we can expect from the winds. Strongest late this evening and it is the overnight hours. This is sustained winds between about 16 and 20 miles per hour. Gusts will be even stronger than that and you can see that here in this legend when the winds really fire up, really late in the day and overnight. So on so many fronts, the temperature, staying in the 70s, no rain at all to cool things down, and, also, of course, the strong winds and the temperatures during the morning hours. So, on so many fronts this fire is t not getting a break from the weather at all. Fred.</s>WHITFIELD: All right, thanks so much, Alexandra Steele. All right, a 12-year-old boy has lost his fight against a brain-eating parasite. According to the facebook page that was providing updates for Zachary Reyna, he died yesterday afternoon. The site says he's on a ventilator so his organs can be donated. His family says Zachary may have lost his battle but he won the war.</s>TAMMY YZAGUIRRE, ZACKARY REYNA'S COUSIN: I look at the big picture and I see like he said how he's affected the world. As a family we stand strong together but the whole world was behind him.</s>WHITFIELD: Zachary's family believes that he was infected with a rare parasite while knee boarding in a ditch three weeks ago in Florida. Doctors had been treating him with an experimental drug. Investigators in Louisiana say an 8-year-old boy shot and killed his 87-year-old caregiver after playing a violent video game. Police say the boy was playing Grand Theft Auto 4 just minutes before he grabbed a gun in the home and then shot her. The child told police it was an accident. He will not face any charges. Under Louisiana law the child under 10 is exempt from criminal responsibility. Amanda Knox will not return to Italy for retrial in the 2007 death of her British roommate. That's what a spokesman for the family says. Italy's Supreme Court plans to retry the case this fall. The court says the jury that acquitted Knox two years ago didn't consider all of the evidence. It is still possible Italy could request Knox's extradition from the U.S. New York's attorney general is suing Donald Trump for millions, claiming he scammed students at his for-profit investment school. Hear the skating (ph) accusations and the billionaire's angry response. Plus, U.N. teams are on the ground in Syria investigating chemical weapons allegations. And President Barack Obama is weighing his options. We will tell you what they are and the potential consequences, next.