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Slashing Executive Salaries; Deciding Troops for Afghanistan; Targeting Medicare and Medicaid

Aired October 22, 2009 - 11:00   ET

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

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: It is Thursday, October 22nd. And here are the top stories for you in the CNN NEWSROOM.

U.S. troops and the Afghan runoff election. President Obama could decide on troop levels before voters go back to the polls.

Crime mobs targeting Medicare. Health care fraud is the newest scheme for organized crime. We will take you inside an undercover sting operation.

JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Tony, CNN is taking a close look this week at the FBI's most wanted fugitives, who they are and why you need to know about them, what they're accused of. We'll show you.

HARRIS: Josh, appreciate it.

Good morning, everyone. I'm Tony Harris. And you are in the CNN NEWSROOM.

The companies took billions of your tax dollars and bailouts. Now the Obama administration is demanding drastic pay cuts for top executives of the biggest bailed out companies.

Salaries slashed by an average of 90 percent. Total compensation cut by 50 percent on average. That's the order coming down from the administration's pay czar, Kenneth Feinberg.

Christine Romans of our money team spelled it out on CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Big pay cuts coming to the bailout hall of shame. These are the companies that would not exist today if your money and my money weren't funneled at the very last minute to keep them afloat.

These are companies like Citigroup, GM, GMAC, Bank of America, AIG. This is all about changing the pay culture and rewarding for performance, not for taking short-term risks. That's what the administration thinks is really behind so much of the financial crisis, that people were taking these wild, risky bets for pay in the near term and not caring what was going to happen longer term.

These companies also knew this was coming. No doubt about that. They have been talking with him, consulting with him. They have been for months now giving documents over to Kenneth Feinberg, the guy who's in charge of trying to fix all of this in the very near term.

And I spoke with someone recently from one of these big banks who said that he's been pretty methodical and that he gets it, that there's a fine line here between making sure that you're not paying for risk and you're not using taxpayer money to give some big, bloated paycheck, but also not pushing away good talent. Because these are actually the companies that need the best talent right now, because they're sitting there with all of our money and we've got to make sure they succeed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: OK. And we want to hear from you about the dramatic pay cuts the administration is demanding. Is it a necessary government intervention in the private sector or is it justifiable when corporations are subsidized by your tax dollars?

Go to CNN.com/Tony and join the conversation.

A program to help first-time homebuyers is under scrutiny on Capitol Hill. A House panel is looking into concerns about fraud. The program gives homebuyers a tax credit of up to $8,000.

The IRS is investigating more than 100,000 questionable claims. The tax credit is set to expire by the end of November, and Congress is deciding whether to extend it.

A mistrial is declared in the Bahamas in the case of two people accused of trying to blackmail actor John Travolta over his son's death. The judge concerned about a communication from a juror to someone outside the jury room. The Travoltas are said to be disappointed.

The election going (ph) on right now in Afghanistan. U.N. workers hurrying now to deliver ballots and voting kits across the country with just two weeks and two days to go before the presidential runoff. The White House says President Obama could decide on U.S. troop levels for Afghanistan before that vote.

Our Pentagon correspondent, Chris Lawrence, is in the Afghan capital, Kabul, and he joins us live now.

Chris, a couple of things here.

I want to talk to you about the candidates and then U.S. troops. How are the candidates for this runoff going to handle campaigning in this very, very tight window?

CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: And it is tighter than even we thought at first, Tony, because we found out, according to Afghan law, the campaign is contained only 12 days, which means they can't start campaigning until noon on Saturday, and they've got to be wrapped up two days before the actual election.

We spoke with Abdullah Abdullah, who is challenging President Hamid Karzai. These two men represent the two primary ethnic groups in Afghanistan. There's a lot of concern that now that it's down to two people, it could inflame some of that ethnic tension. But Abdullah Abdullah said he will not play to Afghan sentiments in that regard.

He will not use those tactics. He's not going to try to play that ethnicity card to try to get votes.

And in an exclusive interview with CNN's "FAREED ZAKARIA GPS," President Hamid Karzai says he looks at the election as having millions of people voted, the investigators did their job, that the Independent Election Commission did its job. So he said it's more of a success than the way it may have been portrayed.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HAMID KARZAI, AFGHAN PRESIDENT: The last election wasn't as bad as it was claimed. It was a lot better. This election, we should try to have better.

Afghanistan is a poor country. In the western terminal, a third world country, has gone through years of war. The institutions are just young toddlers in this democracy that resembles a toddler. It walks and falls. We have to understand that, and we have to accept the Afghan elections in the context of the Afghan situation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LAWRENCE: But in that interview, President Karzai also said that it was in the interest of peace and stability in this country that he called for the runoff. That characterization is not entirely true, because Afghan law dictates if no candidate gets a certain percentage of the vote, there must be a runoff. So, in effect, President Karzai is following Afghan law, not necessarily making a choice -- Tony.

HARRIS: Exactly, Chris. And one more quick one here.

How are U.S. troops preparing -- again, in that very tight window -- for the runoff? There are a lot of security concerns.

LAWRENCE: Yes. Well, one U.S. defense official told me in some ways it's better because there are more U.S. and Afghan forces in place now than there were a couple months ago for the first election. Also, the fact that they are conducting counterinsurgency operations means they are already in some of these villages.

Their goal is to protect the people. It's sort of a similar mission to actually switch over and try to protect the election. And he said also that it's the Afghan police who will provide the first tier of security. Afghan army provides the second. U.S. and international and American forces will be that third level of security -- Tony.

HARRIS: All right. Chris Lawrence for us in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Chris, appreciate it. Thank you.

Look at this. Yes, we love these pictures.

Big hugs, plenty of smooches for sailors returning aboard the USS Ronald Reagan and three of its strike group warships.

Thousands of family members welcoming them home to San Diego. This happened yesterday following a five-month deployment. Their mission included air strikes and support of U.S. forces in Afghanistan and operations against pirates off Somalia.

The president continues to listens to advisers and ambassadors about troop levels in Afghanistan. And we're hearing from you.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIPS)

CALLER: I think that we need to stay in Afghanistan and prove that we're a strong country committed to winning the war on terror and showing the terrorists that we will stay committed. They're counting on us to pull out and not stay committed, and we need to rebuild the country so that Afghan women can have hope and opportunity like American women and lead by example around the world.

CALLER: I think the Russians already went in there and tried to do this. These people are formidable. The guerrilla fighters.

If we're going to go in, we need to go in as allies and we need to go in as friends, because these are beautiful people. And I think we need to help them but we need to do it in a nonconventional way.

CALLER: My opinion on the war is that we should bring our troops home. We have no winning strategy to defeat Afghanistan.

They are born and raised in Afghanistan. They know the loopholes and the ins and outs of their country. Our strategy for what reason, the real reason are unknown. But one thing we know for sure, that our troops are dying and we must bring them home.

(END AUDIO CLIPS)

HARRIS: And you can still voice your comments. Just call us at 1-877-742-5760. Let us know what you think the U.S. should do next in Afghanistan.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Organized crime has found a profitable target -- Medicare and Medicaid.

CNN senior correspondent Allan Chernoff has an exclusive report on crime gangs stealing from you and me.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Federal agents in Los Angeles last week arresting two Nigerian members of an organized crime ring. They're charged with defrauding Medicare of $6 million. It's the latest strike in a growing battle against organized crime's newest scheme...

GLENN FERRY, SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE: These are big checks.

CHERNOFF: ... ripping off taxpayer-funded Medicare and Medicaid programs.

FERRY: They are definitely well organized, well schooled in how to commit Medicare fraud. Easy with sort of the heavy hand...

CHERNOFF: Organized crime groups of multiple ethnicities and nationalities are muscling in on the action in health care fraud hot spots like Los Angeles. Crime boss Konstantin Grigoryan, a former Soviet army colonel. He plead guilty to stealing $20 million from Medicare.

Karapet "Doc" Khacheryan, boss of a Eurasian crime gang. He and five of his lieutenants were recently convicted of stealing doctor identities in a $2 million scam.

CHERNOFF (on camera): The Khacheryan gang filed Medicare claims for patients receiving treatment at an office here in downtown Los Angeles. But there's no doctors office here, only a mail drop. Prosecutors say the crime ring received hundreds of thousands of dollars of Medicare reimbursement checks.

FERRY: Medicare was - had no idea that a lot of this was going on because they assumed a legitimate doctor was providing services.

CHERNOFF (voice-over): In this undercover sting, Khacheryan was caught giving instructions on how to set up bogus medical clinics that bill Medicare using stolen doctor IDs.

KARAPET "DOC" KHACHERYAN, EURASIAN GANG BOSS: Doctors that do know, they can claim identity theft any way.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

KHACHERYAN: That's pretty slick.

CHERNOFF: Dr. Gianfranco Burdi had his identity stolen when he was recruited to join what appeared to be a new medical practice here. After the managers failed to show a business license, Dr. Burdi pulled out. Two years later, the FBI came calling.

DR. GIANFRANCO BURDI, PSYCHIATRIST: I was actually pretty - pretty frightened.

CHERNOFF: The FBI questioned Dr. Burdi, a psychiatrist, whether he had prescribed electric wheelchairs for Medicare patients - $800,000 worth.

BURDI: And I said, no. I'm a psychiatrist. Why would I prescribe electric wheelchairs?

CHERNOFF: To file fraudulent claims, criminals need beneficiary ID numbers. They're easy to collect along LA's Skid Row. Residents tell CNN they've accepted cash from recruiters known as cappers to go to bogus medical clinics. There, they share what they call their red, white and blue -- their Medicare card that has a beneficiary number for billing the government.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And that happens all the time around here?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. All the time.

CHERNOFF: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everyday. People down here need to eat. Somebody who comes up with a quick hustle, with quick money, they're going to jump on it. I'm one of them. I will.

CHERNOFF: Jimmy Rogers (ph) says he went three times a week to a clinic, receiving $100 a visit.

JIMMY ROGERS (ph): There were no doctors. They were just -- somebody had their hand out and just ripped the system off.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHERNOFF: Rip-offs that costs billions of dollars. And because government-run health programs operate on the honor system, it's easy for organized crime to cash in at the expense of the taxpayer. The two Nigerians plead not guilty this week and they are being held without bail in a federal detention center -- Tony.

HARRIS: Think about that for a second. You said it's easy. Boy.

So, Allan, how much fraud is out there?

CHERNOFF: Well, we do know that health care fraud in total amounts to more than $70 billion. That's the best estimate from experts.

How much of that is tied to organized crime? Nobody really knows. But the government investigators at the Office of the Inspector General, Department of Health and Human Services, they're saying that this year, they expect to recover $4 billion from health care fraud. Those are big bucks -- Tony.

HARRIS: That's a big number.

All right. CNN's Allan Chernoff for us.

Allan, appreciate it. Thank you.

For all you PC users, Windows has something new for you today. Susan Lisovicz has details.

Then later, the struggle of immigrants to learn English. It is part of our "Latino in America" special series.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: A quick look at our top stories now.

A Pakistani army brigadier home on leave is assassinated in Islamabad. Gunmen on two motorcycles opened fire on his car today, killing him and another soldier. He was the commander of the Pakistani peacekeeping contingent in Sudan.

Shawn Drumgold spent almost 15 years in prison for the 1988 murder of a 12-year-old Boston girl that he didn't commit. For that, a federal jury this week awarded him $14 million.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHAWN DRUMGOLD, WRONGFULLY CONVICTED: No, it couldn't erase it, but it could help my family and I. But it can't replace all the memories and different things that we experienced. You know, we lost.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: And in the ancient Greek sanctuary where the games began, torchbearers lit the Olympic flame early this morning. It will burn at the Vancouver games in February, following a torch relay in Greece and a longer run across Canada.

Look, it might as well be Christmas in the computer world. That's because today marks the launch of Microsoft's newest operating system, an event that's expected to give PC sales a pretty big boost.

Susan Lisovicz reports it will affect millions of us, whether we buy a new computer or not.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It doesn't have the cool factor of an Apple event, and it doesn't have the crowds of a Sony or Nintendo launch, but the introduction of Windows 7 is bigger than any of them, and not only among geeks.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have to buy a new computer, so hopefully it will have Windows 7 in it, yes, simply because the geeks tell me that Windows 7 is worthwhile having.

JUAN CAMPOS, DIRECTOR OF COUNTER INTELLIGENCE, GEEK SQUAD: The new operating system is definitely the Super Bowl for geeks. Everyone is excited about the operating system.

LISOVICZ: Windows 7 is the first operating system for Microsoft since Vista in 2007.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I had Vista. I was very unhappy with it. And I bought a Mac.

LISOVICZ: Many others simply held on to Microsoft's earlier operating system. Windows XP came out in 2001, nine years ago, an eternity in the tech world.

Microsoft's operating systems account for an estimated 85 percent to 95 percent of the global computer market, so odds are the release of its new operating system will affect you directly.

JOHN BIGGS, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, "CRUNCHGEAR": Everybody's going to be upgrading in terms I.T. shops who have been holding off and holding off and holding off on purchasing new hardware and new computers for their employees, you're going to see a massive rush to get Windows 7 hardware into the -- into the -- in the enterprise.

LISOVICZ: Bloggers like Biggs have been trying out Windows 7 for a year. He says it's faster, less cluttered, and more compatible with hardware and software. Given the company's dominant operating system, consumers will also have to become more compatible, with Windows 7.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: Windows 7. OK.

So, let's bring in Susan Lisovicz. She's standing by there at the New York Stock Exchange.

Susan, good to see you.

So, let's see here -- it is better than Vista. That's not saying a whole lot.

Are there some complaints out there? Have you been checking the blogs where they do a lot of complaining generally?

LISOVICZ: What makes you say that bloggers would ever complain about anything, especially in the tech world?

Well, yes, as a matter of fact, they do. I mean, Windows -- it's just a fact -- has a long, unfortunate history with viruses. Remember the "I Love You " virus?

HARRIS: Oh yes.

LISOVICZ: That was 2000. Remember the "Blaster" virus? That was '03.

These are just a few of the biggies among a countless number of viruses. So, anti-virus software is going to be crucial to Windows 7.

Also, upgrading to Windows 7 ain't that easy. Maybe some folks shouldn't try that at home, which is why so many people are waiting to buy a new PC, which is why a lot of computers are coming out with new models with Windows 7.

There's all sorts of promotions. You noticed that I was at Best Buy. They have a free upgrade if you bought a new PC since June.

There is a $40 installation fee from the Geek Squad, but some of it may be well worth it. And that just really points to how big this is.

You know, I'm looking at this study here from IDC, Tony. It says that companies will spend $41 billion between now and the end of next year developing, marketing and supporting products and services around Windows 7.

It's not just something that will benefit Microsoft. It can juice the U.S. economy. It's that big.

HARRIS: Yes, got you.

How about the markets? Anything juicing the market today?

LISOVICZ: We've got so much information coming at us this morning, Tony. We have five Dow 30 companies. All of them reporting better than expected earnings, so the Dow is doing OK.

Dow industrials up half a percent. NASDAQ's under a little bit of pressure.

We also got initial jobless claims. After five weeks of declining claims, we did see a little bit of a jump, although continuing claims fell below six million. We like that.

HARRIS: Yes, we do.

LISOVICZ: That's encouraging.

HARRIS: All right. Thank you, Susan. See you next hour.

LISOVICZ: See you next hour.

HARRIS: Got to tell you, we are also, right here in the NEWSROOM, tracking new jobless claims as 7,000 people lose their unemployment benefits every day. It is all at CNNMoney.com.

H1N1 flu, it is forcing schools to close and people to stand in long lines for a vaccine.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Swine flu is apparently spreading faster than expected. Take a look at this map. States in red are having the highest percentage of cases. The hardest hit areas are in the Southeast, the Great Lakes region and western states.

The Department of Education says the H1N1 virus has forced 198 schools to close across 15 states. That is a huge jump from just a few days ago. Now on Monday, just over 2,200 kids were out of school due to swine flu symptoms. By yesterday it was more than -- wow -- 65,000.

Many people are eager to get the swine flu vaccine. Others are concerned about whether the shots are safe. One thing is certain: The vaccine is in short supply.

CNN congressional correspondent Brianna Keilar looks at the problem and what the government is doing.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Dressed for the cold and huddled together in predawn darkness in Rockville, Maryland. Around the country, people like these are lining up to get the swine flu vaccine.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We got here around 1:00 in the morning.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's a premature baby. I want him to get it this morning. Look at the line. It's bad.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We have a limited amount of injectable vaccine.

KEILAR: Many are disappointed when they can't get a shot.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: With the year advance that they had on this disease, I am amazed at the lack of response by the medical community in the United States.

KEILAR: The lines are fueled by the newly available H1N1 flu vaccine and warnings from government officials trying to avert a wider outbreak. The secretaries of homeland security, health and human services and education testified before a Senate panel Wednesday.

KATHLEEN SEBELIUS, U.S. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES: There are actually 86 H1N1 lab-confirmed pediatric deaths since we began reporting this in April. And the number is equivalent to the entire flu season of past years, so we are already at that level.

KEILAR: Despite THE scary statistics, many Americans have no plans to get the shot, concerned about the safety of the vaccine. In a new CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll, 43 percent of respondents said they are afraid the vaccine could lead to death or serious health problems.

SEN. SUSAN COLLINS (R), MAINE: They want to know if it's safe to give to their children, what kind of testing was done and whether it contains any dangerous additives.

KEILAR: But just steps from where congressional staffers in high- risk categories were receiving their H1N1 vaccines, officials told Congress it is safe.

SEBELIUS: We have a vaccine. Go get vaccinated.

KEILAR (on camera): But that's easier said than done at this point. Health officials were hoping to have about 40 million vaccinations available by the end of October, and so far, they've fallen short by about 10 to 12 million. Secretary Sebelius told senators she expects the vaccine will be widely available by the beginning of November.

Brianna Keilar, CNN, Capitol Hill. (END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: All right, very quickly we want to take you to Washington, D.C. Do we have -- all right, there he is, the attorney general, Eric Holder. We're getting an update on an ongoing Justice Department investigation now called Project Coronado, an effort targeting Mexican drug traffickers. Let's listen in.

(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

ERIC HOLDER, U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL: ... law-enforcement action as part of Project Coronado, a 44-month operation targeting the La Familia cartel's distribution network within the United States. Yesterday and this morning, more than 3,000 federal, state and local law-enforcement officials have worked throughout the United States to locate and arrest more than 300 individuals. Over the last two days, arrests have been carried out in 19 states, and we continue to make additional arrests as we speak.

This unprecedented coordinated United States law-enforcement action is the largest ever undertaken against a Mexican drug cartel. Coordinated by the special operations division and attorneys from the criminal division's narcotics and dangerous drug section, many of whom are here with us today, this operation has dealt a significant blow to La Familia's supply chain of illegal drugs, weapons and cash flowing between Mexico and the United States.

Now, over the course of the operation, 1,186 people have been arrested, including the 303 people arrested yesterday and today. In Dallas alone yesterday, we arrested 77 people. In addition to the arrests, we have seized more than $32 million in United States currency, more than 2,700 pounds of methamphetamine, nearly 2,000 kilograms of cocaine, approximately 16,000 pounds of marijuana and 29 pounds of heroin during the 44-month project.

In the last two days alone, we have seized $3.4 million in U.S. currency and nearly 730 pounds of methamphetamine, as well as other narcotics. We have also seized close to 400 weapons. Now, these are drugs that were headed for our streets and weapons that were often headed for the streets of Mexico.

Now, I'll let the DEA and the ATF talk more about specifics of some of these cases, but I want to emphasize one overarching point. The La Familia cartel demonstrated an incredible level of sophistication and ruthlessness. To combat this violent criminal enterprise, we must be coordinated at all levels of law enforcement. That coordinated approach is what today's takedown is all about.

Now, for those of you who are not familiar with La Familia, it is the newest and it is the most violent of the five Mexican drug cartels. Alleged to have shipped large quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine from Mexico to cities throughout the United States, La Familia is one of three Mexican drug trafficking organizations against which the United States imposed sanctions earlier this year under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act. The sheer level and depravity of violence that this cartel has exhibited thus far exceeds what we unfortunately have become accustomed to from the other cartels. La Familia operates primarily from the state of Michoacan, Mexico. However, as we've shown today, their operations reach far into the United States. Indeed, while this cartel may operate from Mexico, the toxic reach of its operations extends to nearly every state within our own country.

And that's why we're hitting them where we believe it hurts the most, their revenue stream. By seizing their drugs and upending their supply chains, we have disrupted their "business as usual" state of operations.

As I said before, this is not a one-country problem, and solving it will take more than a one-country solution. The government of Mexico has taken courageous steps to combat the cartels, and we stand with them in that fight. La Familia's attacks against Mexican law enforcement officials only make the valiant effort of our friends and partners across our border more heroic.

And just as our Mexican partners are standing strong, the cartels should know that we here in the United States are not going to allow them to operate unfetterred in our country. When you seek to extend your nefarious criminal networks north of the border, we will come after you here in the United States, Mexico or wherever in the world we find you.

Now, I and other senior Department of Justice officials have traveled to Mexico and have had productive meetings with our Mexican colleagues. It is through close personal working relationships at all levels that together we are fighting those cartels that bring drugs and violence into our communities.

Now, I'd like to thank the thousands of brave law-enforcement agents and officers who every day put themselves at risk in the pursuit of justice and have participated over the course of this operation. And I'd like to say a special thank-you to the agents and prosecutors who coordinated this mammoth takedown. It simply could not have happened without their valiant efforts to pull together all of the pieces.

Now, I have stood before you in the past to announce charges and arrests related to Mexican drug cartels. There is no doubt in my mind I will do so again in the future. No one strike is going to bring an immediate end to the cartels, but these sustained direct blows to the heart of cartel operations in the United States are making a difference. With the increases in cooperation between the United States and Mexico in recent years, we are taking the fight to our adversaries, and in so doing we're making our communities safer and more secure. I'll now turn it over to the administrator for DEA, Michele Leonhart.

MICHELE LEONHART, ADMINISTRATOR, DEA: Thank you, Attorney General.

HARRIS: OK, there you have it. U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder calling it a mammoth takedown. The AG with an update on Project Coronado, the effort targeting Mexican drug traffickers in this country along with law enforcement in Mexico. So far, 1,200 arrested over the last three and a half years, 300 arrests in the past few days. And this was pretty striking -- over the last two days, $3.4 million in cash seized along with 400 weapons.

They're terrorists, murders, kidnappers, and could be walking in your city. Our Josh Levs is working on America's top ten most wanted list -- who they are and why you need to be on the lookout. Josh is next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Let's get you caught up on top stories now. We are expecting an update momentarily on the condition of 15-year-old Michael Brewer. He is the Florida boy intentionally set on fire last week by some of his classmates, apparently in a dispute over money. Five teens face charges in the case. Brewer has second-degree burns covering almost two-thirds of his body and months of recovery ahead. Doctors preparing to give us an update on his condition.

A mortar attack on a market in the Somali capital of Mogadishu today kills at least 30 people and wounds at least 70 more. It is unclear who fired the mortars. Islamic militants linked to al Qaeda have been battling the U.N.-backed government and African Union troops in the area.

You know, CNN is shining a spotlight this week on the FBI's most wanted fugitives, who they are and what they did. Josh Levs is here to show us. What do you have for us, Josh?

JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And actually, the FBI announced some of the newest additions to that list on "CAMPBELL BROWN." I'll tell you more about that in a minute.

But what we wanted to do, given all this, Tony, right, is take a look at who these top ten are. What did they do? what are our concerns about them? Let's zoom right in here. We're taking a look at fbi.gov now. The first face on here is the one that most Americans will recognize and probably the only one. Osama bin Laden, as we know, wanted in connection with terrorism.

Let's go to this next one here. This is one of the latest additions here, Eduardo Ravelo. He has been added to the list. And as we've been reporting, he's officially wanted on racketeering charges, but the FBI says his criminal background goes a lot deeper, that he is believed to be responsible for dozens of murders and assaults.

Let's go to this third one now right here. Now, the FBI doesn't give an order for them. It just says who the ten are. James Bulger is the next one I'm showing you here. Sought for his role in, allegedly, murders throughout the 1970s and into the 1980s. And what they've done here is, they've created an age progression to try to guess what he would look like today. They've also put a little bit of video that they have from surveillance camera at a garage going back a long ways. And they do this for some of them, Tony, just in case you're able to spot something in one of these images that might help you spot one of these fugitives sometime.

Let's go back over here. You can see the next one. It's interesting what makes the list and sometimes what doesn't. Jason Derek Brown is on the list as well, wanted for murder and armed robbery in Phoenix, Arizona, dating back to 2004. Let's keep going through the list here.

Robert William Fisher, wanted for allegedly killing his wife and two young children, then blowing up the house in which they all lived.

HARRIS: Geez!

LEVS: That was in Scottsdale, Arizona, back in 2001.

And we've got time for a little more. Let's keep taking a look. Joe Luis Saenz. This is one of the newest additions as well, Tony. And this goes back to 1998, a reminder how long some of these people have been fugitives. He allegedly shot and killed two rival gang members going way back then. And then this past year, there was a victim, they believe in October 2008, they believe, his hands.

Victor Manuel Gerena being sought in connection with the armed robbery of approximately $7 million from a security company back in 1983. And we can finish out the list here. Glen Stewart Godwin on the list as well, top ten most wanted fugitives, specifically. And he's being sought for a 1987 escape from Folsom State Prison and some activities after that.

Let's just do the last two here. Semion Mogilevich -- this is interesting. He's been added to this list, as well. He's actually a Russian mobster. But the FBI is saying he participated in a multimillion-dollar scheme to defraud tens of thousands of investors, and he ultimately escaped authorities.

And we'll get to the last one right now, which is right here, Alexis Flores. You can see him as well, wanted for alleged involvement in the kidnapping and murder of a 5-year-old girl in Philly. She was reported missing in late July 2000.

So, Tony, a lot of these people have escaped authorities for years and years and years. You can see the extent of the crime that gets them into that top ten list there.

HARRIS: Absolutely. You have more on this next hour, Josh?

LEVS: I do, yes. There's a lot to be said about this. Next hour I'm going to tell you about how many women have ever been on the list, also how many people have ever appeared on the list, and of the people who ever been named, top ten most wanted fugitives in America, how many have actually been caught. We'll tell you next hour.

HARRIS: OK, Josh, thank you.

LEVS: Thanks, Tony.

HARRIS: All right, let's be honest here. You think you know what a Latino looks like. Well, watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You can tell that I'm Latina because I'm brown.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Because of the way I act, because of the way I dress.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Because I have an accent. I haven't lost my accent, of course.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Because I travel with my coffeemaker whenever I go anywhere. I bring my (INAUDIBLE) and my coffeemaker.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: By the way I dance. By my hair.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Because of family values.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Because I'm confident, I got style and I got flavor.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You could tell I'm a Latino because the first thing I do when I meet someone is lean over and kiss them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

HARRIS: Looking ahead to our next hour, he wants to end the antitrust exemption enjoyed by health insurers. Is this payback for the industry's approach to reform? I will be speaking live with that man, Senator Patrick Leahy, about that, plus other issues related to health care reform.

Also, read the sign, folks. There it is, limiting hospital visitors and hopefully keeping a lid on the quickly spreading H1N1 flu virus. That and more in the next hour of CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VALENTINA GARCIA, CHILE AND USA: I think I struggle with my identity. Here in the States, I sometimes feel like, you know, where do I fit in here in terms of trying to represent myself as a Latina? When I go back to Mexico or when I go back to Chile, I sometimes feel like I'm not Latina enough for them. I'm not enough for them, I'm not enough for them -- who am I? (END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: One woman's reflection on what it's like to be Latina in America. CNN is taking a closer look at the fastest-growing minority group in the United States. By the year 2050, the Latino population in America is expected to nearly triple.

One of the many issues CNN is exploring is American perceptions of illegal immigrants. A recent CNN/opinion research corporation poll finds 73 percent calling for a decrease in the number of illegal immigrants in the United States. That's the highest number since CNN started asking this question four years ago. Twenty-two percent think the number should be kept the same, and 3 percent actually think the number of illegal immigrants should be increased.

Carlos Robles was born and raised in Puerto Rico. He is hoping to become a member of the police force in Florida, but it is an uphill battle for him, to be sure.

CNN special correspondent Soledad O'Brien joining me now. And she is the host in our "LATINO IN AMERICA" special airing tonight. And, Soledad, for Carlos, what is -- what's the major issue, the obstacle, the stumbling block for him?

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, Carlos Robles was born in Puerto Rico, so he's an American. But the big problem for Carlos is the language, believe it or not. He was taught in American schools, but that doesn't mean that he's actually English fluent. And in spite of some very big obstacles he's continuing to go for his dream in Orlando, Florida.

Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Repeat after me: Logs used as wheels.

CLASS: Logs used as wheels.

O'BRIEN (voice-over): Carlos Robles seems like the typical American, until he opens his mouth.

CARLOS ROBLES, TRYING TO JOIN POLICE FORCE: A horse-drawn chariot.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALES: Chariots.

ROBLES: Chariot.

O'BRIEN: This 29-year-old is taking English pronunciation classes at Valencia Community College in Orlando. He's hoping to reduce his Spanish accent.

(on camera): When you came to Orlando, how did you think your English was?

ROBLES: Worse. Really worse.

O'BRIEN: Did you feel -- did you know you couldn't speak English well?

ROBLES: Yes. I also cry in my bed because I can't have a conversation with the people, so it was really bad.

This place, like, two minutes.

O'BRIEN (voice-over): Carlos was born in Puerto Rico, an American territory whose residents are U.S. citizens. Spanish is the main language.

ROBLES: It's hard to understand the English.

O'BRIEN: In Puerto Rico, he was a decorated police officer. Now he dreams of a job in Florida law enforcement. But, first, he has to pass the sheriff's exam.

ROBLES: I failed the first one. But I don't think it's so hard, the test. I can do it, really I can.

O'BRIEN (on camera): Would knowing English better help you on the exam?

ROBLES: Yes.

O'BRIEN: Academy requirements, criminal justice chain of command, officer safety and response, community relations, intervention services.

ROBLES: Yes.

O'BRIEN: This looks hard. How many questions is it, over how long?

ROBLES: Two hundred fifty...

O'BRIEN: Yes.

ROBLES: ... in four hours. I going more comfortable for the test now.

O'BRIEN: This time.

ROBLES: A little nervous, but I think I'm ready.

O'BRIEN: When's the test?

ROBLES: Next week.

O'BRIEN: You got a lot of pressure on you. And basically a week to go.

ROBLES: That's right. But I have to move forward.

O'BRIEN (voice-over): Adding to that pressure? Fatherhood.

Carlos met Kayla (ph) a year ago. Now they're engaged and expecting a baby. Carlos Robles is unemployed, uninsured and still struggling with his English. His future, and now his family's future, is in his hands.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: Man, that is pressure. Find out what happens to Carlos and Kayla (ph) tonight. An all-new "LATINO IN AMERICA," a groundbreaking look of how Latinos are changing America, continues. The finale of "LATINO IN AMERICA" airs tonight at 9:00 p.m. Eastern. And this will also be simulcast in Spanish on CNN en Espanol.