CNN news 2007-06-10 加文本

cnn 2007-06-10



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Good afternoon, I'm Cory Kessler at the cnn center in Atlanta. Here's a look at what's happening Now In The News.

The Atlantis Space Shuttle crew will conduct inspections today on a section of the shuttle skin that may have been damaged during yesterday's launch. A photo shows a tear in the thermal blanket that protects the shuttle during re-entry. NASA scientists say they aren't overly worried.

"It looked like a typical small piece of foam that we have been losing off the area near the bracketry of the, of the external lines that run outside the tank. It was at the very end or just past the aerodynamically-sensitive time and, and so that is sometime that we have to come to understand and expect. "

Atlantis is scheduled to dock at the International Space Station tomorrow afternoon.

Bitter division over the Iraq war was the reason given for a surprising move to replace the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. General Peter Pace will step down when his term ends in September. His renomination had been widely expected, but Defense Secretary Robert Gates says he was warned by members of Congress that Pace's renomination hearing before the Senate would be very contentious.

"It had been my intention from early in my tenure to recommend to the president that General Pace be renominated for another two-year-term as chairman. However, after consultations over the courses of several weeks with both Republican and Democratic senators, I concluded that because General Pace has served as chairman and vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Stuff for the last six years, the focus of his confirmation process would have been on the past, rather than the future. "

Gates is recommending Adm. Michael Mullen as Pace's replacement. Mullen, the current Chief of Naval Operations.

The Lebanese army says at least 3 soldiers have been killed and 21 wounded. It’s a new round of intense fighting with Palestinian militants. Those militants are entrenched in the Nahr el-Bared Palestinian refugee camp and they vowed to fight to the death. Lebanese security has said it's already pushed deep inside the camp in what could be a final assault. Since the violence began more than three weeks ago, there have been several bombings in the Beirut area as well as clashes between the army and militants at a refugee camp in the south.

Destruction as far as the eye can see. These scenes are in Wisconsin after tornados ravaged central and northeastern parts of the state. The storm struck rural communities, causing widespread damage to more than 350 homes. The National Weather Service says one of the twisters had winds up to 165 miles an hour. So far, no reports of any serious injuries.

There is a new best beach in America. No, it's not in Florida or Hawaii. It's on a remote section of the Outer Banks of North Carolina. It's called Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach and it wins the honor from Dr. Beach. He's a Florida professor who rates US beaches. And what makes Ocracoke so great? Dr Beach says its 14 miles of unspoiled, undisturbed shoreline. That's so remote even his staff didn't know where it was. I love that.

You are now up-to-date. For more on these stories and other news of the day, cnn is the place to turn online, on TV, or on your wireless device.