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2007 Hurricane Season; Jack Kevorkian Released; Tuberculosis Scare; Gerri's Mail Bag; Tony Blair's Legacy in Africa
Aired June 01, 2007 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Look over there at that picture of the wounded being lowered down that fire scape. Those are all my Marines. That's very meaningful. Those Marines carrying a wounded Marine through a blown out wall that we had worked our way through. They're my Marines. So, yes, this is very meaningful to me. It really is.
RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): Randi Kaye, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everybody. I'm Betty Nguyen, in for Heidi Collins.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: And hello to you. I'm Tony Harris. Stay informed all day in the CNN NEWSROOM. Here's what's on the rundown.
One of the president's senior adviser and longest serving is calling it quits. Dan Bartlett resigns. What his departure means for the White House.
NGUYEN: Andrew Speaker says he is sorry. No harm intended. The Atlanta man exposed airline passengers to a rare and often deadly strain of tuberculosis.
HARRIS: The power of nature means dangerous days ahead. Experts think we will see plenty of this in the coming months. The 2007 hurricane season blows in today. It is Friday, June 1st and you are in the CNN NEWSROOM.
And at the top this hour, they told me I wasn't contagious and I wasn't dangerous. Those words this morning from an Atlanta lawyer infected with a dangerous form of tuberculosis. In an interview on ABC's "Good Morning America," Andrew Speaker apologized to fellow air travelers he may have exposed to TB. He says health officials told him he was not a risk to anyone. Speaker's father accuses the media of exaggerating the situation.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TED SPEAKER, TB PATIENT'S FATHER: The way he's being shown and spoken about on TV is like a terrorist traveling around the world escaping authorities. This is blown out of proportion immensely.
(END VIDEO CLIP) HARRIS: More on Andrew Speaker and the TB scare just minutes from now. Medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen joins us right here in the NEWSROOM.
NGUYEN: Well, a big departure at the White House. Dan Bartlett says he will leave the administration in about a month. He is the longest-serving aide to the president and is considered one of his most trusted advisers. President Bush issued a statement on the announcement and it said in part, "since coming to work for me 14 years ago as I prepared to run for governor, Dan has become a husband and a father. I understand his decision to make his young family his first priority."
HARRIS: A new wave of attacks in northern Lebanon today. Lebanon's army unleashed heavy fire on Islamic militants holed up inside a Palestinian refugee camp north of Tripoli. It is part of a campaign to root out militants said to be linked to al Qaeda. Most of the 30,000 refugees who once lived in the camp has fled. The Red Cross says about 10,000 remain. Dozens of people, including about 30 soldiers have been killed since the fighting broke out on May 20th.
ANNOUNCER: CNN, your hurricane headquarters.
NGUYEN: Well, the 2007 hurricane season is here, but are New Orleans levees ready for after Katrina? CNN's Sean Callebs investigates.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): A winding, twisting mass of pipes and metal. It looks like something Dr. Seuss may have designed. But this is one of the new pump systems in New Orleans. And residents here have little choice but to hope these new flood gates, as well as repairs to 225 miles of levees, protect the city.
JOHN KITE, HOMEOWNER: I don't know. I think there's a lot of oversight that may not have been around the last time. A lot of people looking over their shoulders. I think they're doing the best they can do.
CALLEBS: The Army Corps of Engineers receive $5.7 billion to strengthen and rebuild flood walls and levees. But is it enough? Will it stand up to a category three, four, or five?
COL. JEFF BEDEY, ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS: Well, I'm not going to try to even begin to try to measure in term of category protection. What I will tell you is, this system is stronger today than it was pre-Katrina. And I think that's a powerful statement.
CALLEBS: But Ivor van Heerden, an engineer with the LSU Hurricane Center, has a different assessment.
IVOR VAN HEERDEN, LSU HURRICANE CENTER: The problem is there's still weak links. And as we all know, it takes one hole to sink a ship. CALLEBS: Critics say the problems are widespread. These new pumps at the 17th Street Canal haven't worked properly. The Corps, however, believes they have the problems under control.
And another major flooding threat persists. This area, called the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet, or Mr. Go, it was carved out of marsh land to create a shipping channel. But everyone now admitting it created a funnel, allowing a storm surge to flood the city. Just weeks ago, the Army Corps of Engineers proposed damming up Mr. Go. And repairs to the flood walls in the lower ninth ward are already showing problems. The channel is 40 feet deep, but pilings for the flood wall goes down into the soil 19 to 23 feet. The Corps of Engineers says there's no problem.
VAN HEERDEN: And what we see is this damp spot.
CALLEBS: A sign, van Heerden says, that water is seeping through.
VAN HEERDEN: Because this is a potential site where you could have significant piping and potential blowout.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: And Sean Callebs joins us now live.
Sean, people on the streets there, how do they feel about these levees? Are they confident that they're going to hold up under another storm?
CALLEBS: Well, I think in talking to people, they know the Army Corps of Engineers has done a tremendous amount of work. I'm going to take you to another camera angle, if you can look here at the 17th Street Canal. Just some work that's been going on around the clock here.
But will they hold up? People simply don't know. And if we come back to this deck area, we can show you, in hindsight, it's really staggering that people were allowed to build this close to the levee. We're standing near a group of condos, Betty, that has since been condemned and the Army Corps of Engineers is getting ready to tear these down. But as we heard in that report, it just takes one weak area for the levees to be breached and the work, 225 miles, that is an area longer than a drive from New York City to Washington, D.C. So that is a tremendous amount that they are responsible to maintain.
NGUYEN: Yes. As we saw in your piece there, a lot of potential storm-related problems in that area. So which one is most on the minds of those who live there, as well as city officials?
CALLEBS: Well, I think that there are a couple things that people are looking at. One, simply, the levees. We know that they breached in a number of areas. Now is that going to happen again? The areas that they went in and repaired. The Corps says it is confident that they won't be breached again. But the area down in the lower ninth, where we were down with the engineer who showed us that water actually seeping under the flood wall there, the Corps says that is not a problem. But people here say if that would lead to ping or a blowout again and come through there, flooding the city, it would just be devastating emotionally.
Just want to take you to one more shot. We have this out in front of this condo complex that's going to be torn down. There you see a very somber sign that a lot of people really cling to, vestiges of grandeur. People remember what it was like before and really long for those days.
Betty.
NGUYEN: CNN's Sean Callebs joining us live from New Orleans.
Sean, we thank you.
HARRIS: And, Betty, as the Atlantic hurricane season gets started today, with check in with Bonnie Schneider in our hurricane headquarters.
And, Bonnie, I know you're keeping an eye on what was, what used to be Tropical Storm Barbara, aren't you?
(WEATHER REPORT)
NGUYEN: Well, too close for comfort. A 350-acre wildfire in central Oregon has forced about 100 people from their homes. Officials say evacuees won't be able to return until this afternoon. Firefighters expect to contain that blaze tonight. But it is unclear what caused the fire. Officials say a resident was reportedly burning debris which got out of control.
HARRIS: Driving through hail, caught on tape, the Kansas prairie, peppered and pounded. The story behind the pictures in the NEWSROOM.
NGUYEN: And an Iraqi city wrestled from insurgents, now facing a new threat from its own fledgling government. Success in peril. That's ahead in the NEWSROOM.
HARRIS: The National Spelling Bee crowns a new champ. It's not this kid and it's not this one either.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Melilidosis (ph).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Meli what?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: I would have said the same thing. You talking to me?
HARRIS: Yes, you try to spell it. Yes, you at home. Yes, you watching us. The letter perfect winner later in the NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: And this just in to CNN. We are learning that Jack Kevorkian has just been released from jail this morning. Here is a live picture out of Coldwater, Michigan. He's promised to never help another person in an assisted suicide. But that, of course, hasn't dimmed the attention focused on his release from prison.
The 79-year-old retired pathologist, again, released this morning from jail. No news conference scheduled that this time. But I do believe he is going to be speaking with Larry King on Monday. So you definitely want to stay tune for that.
Just one more time, though, Jack Kevorkian being -- Dr. Death, as he has been called in the past, being released from jail today. And has promised never to help another person in an assisted suicide attempt.
Well, let's talk about disaster preparedness, shall we? Can the U.S. learn from Cuba? We'll take a closer look when you stay right here in the NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Well, again, this news coming in to CNN. Dr. Jack Kevorkian, once known as Dr. Death, now a free man. He walked out of a Michigan prison just a short while ago. This is a file video. Kevorkian served more than eight years for the death of a 52-year-old man suffering from Lou Gehrig's Disease. Now he says he helped more than 130 end their lives during the 1990s, but Kevorkian says he won't help anyone else die. Instead, he says he's going to work to legalize assisted suicide. And we do want to let you know that a podium has been set up.
HARRIS: So there's a possibility.
NGUYEN: We weren't expecting a news conference. In fact, we were told there might not be one. But it appears we could be hearing from someone, not sure if Dr. Kevorkian will be taking to the mics today. But, of course, another live look at Coldwater, Michigan, where he was released today from jail.
Want to let you know a little bit more about this situation. Pathologist, filmmaker, photographer and artist, all Dr. Jack Kevorkian's titles. Well, beyond the assisted suicide, of course. Here's John List (ph) with a fact check.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN LIST, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): For nearly 10 years, the man labeled by the media as Dr. Death helped people kill themselves. In doing so, Jack Kevorkian forced the nation to focus on euthanasia. Kevorkian says his aim was to help the terminally ill or those suffering debilitating pain, to end their lives with dignity. Before his 1999 conviction for second degree murder, Kevorkian claimed he helped 130 people die. A videotape of one was broadcast on CBS "60 Minutes." He called his machine for helping people kill themselves the Thanatron, death machine in Greek. It released lethal drugs through an intravenous drip. He described it as dignified, humane and painless. Some advocates of physician-assisted suicide have strongly criticized Kevorkian, saying he hurt rather than help the effort to gain acceptance of the procedure.
Jack Kevorkian was born in Pontiac, Michigan, in 1928. In 1952, he graduated from the University of Michigan Medical School with a specialty in pathology. He acquired the nickname Dr. Death, not for his work in assisted suicide, but for his efforts to photograph the eyes of dying patients.
In the '60s, Kevorkian conducted experiments on transfusing blood from cadavers to live patients. A decade later, he quit his pathology career and took a stab at directing and producing a future movie on Handel's "Messiah." Unable to find a distributor, the project flopped. Another interest, oil painting. An author of a book on Kevorkian describes his artwork as surreal, frightening, demented, and hilarious.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: And Dr. Jack Kevorkian talks to "Larry King Live." That is Monday night, June 4th, 9:00 Eastern only on CNN.
HARRIS: Asking for forgiveness, but defending his decisions. An Atlanta lawyer infected with a dangerous form of tuberculosis says he never meant to put air travelers at risk. But Andrew Speaker tells ABC's "Good Morning America," his life was on the line during his globe trekking odyssey. Medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen is here.
Elizabeth, look, I'm trying to get to the bottom of this, as the best I can.
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right. Right. It's very complicated.
HARRIS: And you're here to help us. Was Speaker told, look, you have tuberculosis. Don't travel. Don't fly. Don't do it.
COHEN: Fulton health authorities say that is exactly what they told him. They said not only do you have tuberculosis, you have multiply drug resistant tuberculosis. They said, we've tried a bunch of drugs on you. They haven't worked. We really, really, really encourage you not to fly. And if you are going to fly, you should wear a mask. And according to passengers who were on that plane with Speaker, they say he was not wearing a mask. Now, that's according to Fulton County health officials.
Now I'm going to go over what Andrew Speaker told Diane Sawyer on "Good Morning America" this morning. He says that this is what went down in Atlanta before he hopped on that plane. Speaker said, "so they said" -- they meaning the health authorities, said, "we would prefer that you do not go on this trip." That sounds pretty clear to me. And then Diane Sawyer said, "so they did say they prefer you not go on the trip." And Speaker said, "yes, ma'am. That's when my father said, 'okay" -- now this gets tricky -- now are you saying you would prefer for him not to go on the trip because he is a risk to anybody or are you simply saying that to cover yourself.' And they said, 'well, we have to tell you that to cover ourselves, but he is not a risk.'"
HARRIS: We're splitting hairs here.
COHEN: Remember that Mr. Speaker and his father are lawyers. I think that's extremely important to remember here. They tape recorded these conversations. When was the last time you tape recorded a conversation with one of your doctors?
HARRIS: Well, I can tell you this, if my doctor said this to me, I think the responsible -- OK, then you're telling me not to go, I'm not going to -- prefer, whatever the language is, I'm not going.
COHEN: Right. Lots of people have ask asked me, why didn't they just lock this guy up to make sure he didn't get on a plane.
HARRIS: Right.
COHEN: Public health authorities almost never do that. They almost never lock somebody up. That's an extreme, extreme measure. You're really taking away someone's civil liberties because most of the time when, you know, the head of the county public health department looks you in the eye and says, we really don't think you ought to get on an airplane, most people say, OK, I won't get on an airplane.
HARRIS: I won't do it.
OK. So now he's in Denver and he's getting treatment there. What will this treatment regimen consist of?
COHEN: They are going to shower him with antibiotics. And not just with the kind of antibiotics that you or I might get if we go to our doctor with a sinus infection. We are talking second and third line antibiotics that are toxic to the kidney, toxic to the liver. They really don't like to give these to people. They only give them to people when they absolutely have to. They're going to give him a whole bunch. It's not clear, three, four, five, but that's often what they do.
HARRIS: Here's where I'm confused. Wasn't that done here in Atlanta?
COHEN: No. Because you try other things first.
HARRIS: OK.
COHEN: And so you try several rounds of some of the less toxic ones. HARRIS: Oh, OK.
COHEN: So they went through a whole bunch, at least five and now they're trying another set.
HARRIS: I see. So how does tuberculosis get to be so dog gone drug resistant?
COHEN: The answer is that bacteria are smarter than we are. That's what it comes down to. This is not just with tuberculosis. But bacteria, in general, they learn how to out smart all these medicines that we invent. They are, first, they are vulnerable to the medicines and the medicines can get them. Then, over time, the bacteria -- I don't know if they have conferences or meetings or what they do -- but they get together and they say, let's figure out a way to survive these terrible medicines they're throwing our way and they out smart the medicines, simply what it comes down to.
HARRIS: Let's start recording the meeting of the bacteria.
COHEN: There we go.
HARRIS: Why don't we -- yes, let's do that.
COHEN: There we go.
HARRIS: Elizabeth, great to see you. Thanks for the information.
COHEN: Thanks, Tony. Yes, OK. Thanks.
GERRI WILLIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Gerri Willis.
From hybrid battery life to your work life, we answer your questions next on "Top Tips" in the NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: And check this out. New video of Dr. Jack Kevorkian today leaving the Lakeland Correctional Facility after spending eight years behind bars. As you know him, some, by the name Dr. Death. He claims he participated in at least 130 assisted suicides. That conviction, the one dealing with a 1999 second degree murder conviction and the 1998 poisoning death of a 50-year-old Michigan resident who had Lou Gehrig's disease is what put him behind bars. It earned him a 10 to 25 year sentence for second degree murder, but he earned time off of his sentence for good behavior.
As today, as you see in this video, Dr. Jack Kevorkian, some have called him Dr. Death, leaving prison after eight years. And he says he will not assist in any other suicides. So we, of course, will continue to follow this story throughout the day.
And I am being told right now from our producer that we have sound coming in from Dr. Kevorkian's attorney. So let's take a listen to that. Oh, it's from Kevorkian himself. Let's take a listen. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Council, along with Jeffrey (ph) and the firm. And we just all wish you very well and thank you very much (INAUDIBLE).
QUESTION: You're smiling, too.
QUESTION: It must be great to be out, though.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Absolutely smiling.
DR. JACK KEVORKIAN, RELEASED FROM PRISON TODAY: Sure. Yes. After eight years, yes. It feels wonderful.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right, Jack.
QUESTION: Looking good.
KEVORKIAN: Some (ph) of the high points in life.
QUESTION: How you feeling?
NGUYEN: Obviously joking there. Dr. Jack Kevorkian saying that his past eight years were just wonderful and some of the high points of life. Again, spending eight years behind bars at the Lakeland Correctional Facility where he has left prison today. As you see in this video, and he says that he will not assist in any other suicides. Although he will fight for the right to a person to commit suicide and have that assisted by a doctor. And then we'll see how that turns out. But again, Dr. Jack Kevorkian leaving prison today.
HARRIS: And he's on Larry King Monday evening, 9:00 Eastern Time.
Let's take you to the New York Stock Exchange now. The big board. Wall Street. The Dow, as you can see, up 36 points on this getaway day. A short week because of the Memorial Day holiday. And the Nasdaq, we understand, up 17 points. We are checking all of the business headlines of the day with Susan Lisovicz right here coming up in just a couple minutes, in fact, in the NEWSROOM.
NGUYEN: Well, hybrid cars, student loans, and don't you need a raise? I think we all do.
You agree, Tony?
HARRIS: Yes. Yes. Who says no?
NGUYEN: Exactly. If you're saying no, well, listen up because we have some e-mail questions for CNN's personal finance editor Gerri Willis.
Hey, Gerri, you need a raise?
WILLIS: Hey, Betty. We all need a raise, right?
NGUYEN: OK. We'll talk about that soon. That's one of the ones that all of us are very interested in. But let's start with some of the e-mails that we're getting.
This first one from Tom. And he wants to know, "what is the life expectancy of batteries in the hybrids and how much does it cost to replace them?"
WILLIS: You know, this is a really great question, Betty. The bottom line is that no one really knows how long they last. But manufacturers like Toyota and Honda have warranties that last for eight years and between 80,000 and 100,000 miles. But listen to this, anecdotally, we've heard the Prius taxicabs used in Canada have gone 200,000 miles without being replaced.
NGUYEN: Wow.
WILLIS: No kidding. That's amazing, right? Generally, though, if you do have to replace them, they cost about $3,000. So they're not cheap. Much more expensive than a conventional battery. Keep in mind, though, the more hybrids that are out there on the road, the more sources that will pop up for finding cheap batteries. And you've got to think, technology will get better and that will make battery prices more competitive.
NGUYEN: All right. OK. Speaking of money, John from D.C. says, "I have $35,000 in student loans. I've been told you cannot deduct student loan interest when your salary reaches some cap." Is that true?
WILLIS: It is true. You know, if you're single, the tax deduction on student loan interest begins to fade out after your adjusted gross income exceeds $50,000. And you won't be able to deduct anything at all if you make more than $65,000. If you're filing jointly, if you're married, the fade out begins at $100,000. For more on the details on this, go to Publication 970. That's on the IRS Web site at irs.gov.
NGUYEN: And this is an interesting, yet very popular question. I really want to know. Joshua from California has something that, in fact, I think most viewers might want to know. "When is the right time to ask for a salary raise in your company?"
Come on, Gerri, bring it.
WILLIS: Well, you know, Betty, I don't think it's about when, it's about how you ask for the raise.
NGUYEN: Very true.
WILLIS: You know, you've got to make a list of all your accomplishments and contributions. And if you just had a big success or finished a project, your case for a raise is much stronger. Before you approach your manager, well, you know, you've got to evaluate his or her mood, an outlook before you even make the appointment. And when you do present your case, make sure you ask for something maybe a little more than you want to get. You know, you don't always get everything you want. Be armed with typical salaries in your field so you can make some comparisons. And, of course, be flexible. Maybe you can negotiate for Fridays off or extra vacation time if the company doesn't have the money to give you the raise.
And if you have a question, send it to us at toptips@cnn.com. We answer them right here every Friday and we love to hear from you.
NGUYEN: All right. So speaking of raises, here is your opportunity to tell how hard you've been working, Gerri Willis, and how much you deserve that raise. So what's coming up this weekend?
HARRIS: Yes, the big "Open House" show.
WILLIS: The big "Open House" show, Saturday morning, 9:30 a.m. You know, you've got to join us this week because we're doing this great show on hurricane preparedness. What you need to do to keep you, your family, your house safe when very dangerous weather hits. We've got all the answers, 9:30 a.m. Saturday morning right here on CNN, 5:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday on Headline News just in case you can't get up that early.
NGUYEN: See, that's what I'm talking about. That's how you get a raise right there. Tell people how to save their lives. I tell you what, Gerri, that raise is in the mail. See you soon.
WILLIS: Thank you, Betty.
ANNOUNCER: This is CNN, the most trusted name in news. Now, back to the CNN NEWSROOM.
NGUYEN: Yes, good morning, everybody, on this Friday, June 1st.
HARRIS: Yes, yes.
NGUYEN: You are in the NEWSROOM. I'm Betty Nguyen in for Heidi Collins.
HARRIS: And good morning everyone, I'm Tony Harris.
A big departure at the White House. Dan Bartlett says he will leave the administration in about a month. He is the longest-serving aide to the president and is considered one of his most trusted advisers. President Bush issued a statement on the announcement.
It said in part, "Since coming to work for me 14 years ago as I prepare to to run for governor, Dan has become a husband and a father. I understand his decision to make his young family his first priority."
NGUYEN: Well, an apology this morning from a tuberculosis patient who may have put other air travelers at risk. Atlanta lawyer Andrew Speaker tells ABC's "Good Morning America," he hopes the other passengers can forgive him. But, he says he was told he was not a danger before leaving for his wedding in Europe.
He says, "I truly believe there is a misunderstanding of how we entered into all of this. It was conveyed to me that my family, my daughter, that no one was at risk and that I was not contagious." HARRIS: Still to come this morning, British Prime Minister Tony Blair in Africa, soon to be out of office. A look at his legacy on a continent desperate for help. That's still to come in the NEWSROOM.
NGUYEN: That's a welcome, he is home from war and lucky to be alive.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The medics that are over there are incredible. I really -- I owe my life to the medics and, you know, the people that were there that were by my side, kept me alive.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: A wounded soldier soldiers on, in the NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: You know when it comes to preparing for a hurricane, some say the U.S. could learn a lot from Cuba.
CNN's Morgan Neill reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MORGAN NEILL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In 2004, Hurricane Ivan ravaged the Caribbean, killing dozens of people. The category five hurricane hammered Cuba, forcing authorities to evacuate some 1.3 million people. But the final death toll on the island was zero. Cuba's been so successful at minimizing casualties during hurricanes, it's been hailed by the United Nations as a model for other countries.
"Whenever there's a problem, they come by the house to tell people they need to go to the shelters," says Magdelena (ph), a student.
"In other parts of the world, they're not prepared like we are," says this man proudly.
Every year just before hurricane season begins, the government sets aside a weekend for preparations. They coordinate strategy, rehearse evacuation routes, and practice emergency rescues, often at full speed.
(on camera): The drills cover all kinds of disasters, not just hurricanes. Here, for example, people are learning what to do in case of a massive fire in downtown Havana.
(voice-over): Cuba's response to natural disasters relies on tight coordination between different arms of the government. Because the state owns and runs virtually everything, coordination is less complicated here than elsewhere.
At the Forecast Center in the hills above Havana, Cuba's chief meteorologist, Jose Rubierra (ph) and his team monitor storms and broadcast warnings. When a storm is on the way, his forecasts go out on every channel on practically every TV on the island. He says the key to Cuba's response is that the population hears a single clear message.
"When dangerous storms come," he says, "I'm speaking as a meteorological service, but it's just the same as if civil defense were talking, or the media."
Rubierra (ph) says he doesn't think Cuba's approach can be exactly reproduced elsewhere, but he says, other countries, including the United States, can better coordinate their response to storms.
All that may sound like a jab at Cuba's political arch rival, it's not. Rubierra (ph) works closely with the U.S. National Weather Center because, he says, when it comes to saving lives, you can't recognize borders.
Morgan Neill, CNN, Havana.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Graduation and grief, devastated by a tornado, an Alabama high school remembers those lost and looks to the future. That is ahead in the CNN NEWSROOM.
SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Susan Lisovicz at the New York Stock Exchange where investors are cheering the most important economic report of the week. The numbers and the latest jobs report next. You're watching CNN, the most trusted name in news.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Once again, I want take you back to the pictures from earlier in the hour from the Lakeland Correctional Facility. That is in Coldwater, Michigan, where Jack Kevorkian, known to many as Dr. Death, was released. Let's take a look at the pictures. Kevorkian is a man who claims to have helped at least 130 people die from 1990 until 1998. Released from prison after serving eight years of a 10 to 25-year sentence. Released on parole. Jack Kevorkian is 79 years old. And moments after his release he says, it feels wonderful, and rather sarcastically said it is one of the high points of my life.
Dr. Jack Kevorkian will be a guest on "LARRY KING LIVE" Monday, 9:00 eastern on CNN.
(BUSINESS HEADLINES)
HARRIS: Rising from the ruins an Alabama high school hit by a deadly tornado holds its graduation ceremony. The school paid tribute to two seniors who died in the storm. Graduation caps and gowns placed on chairs in their honor. You saw that just a moment ago. Residents in the town of Enterprise cleaned up the school's football field for the ceremony. And despite the sadness there was plenty of celebration. Students tossed their caps into the air after the official world -- there you go -- that they had graduated.
There's hometown healing for soldier wounded in war. A warm welcome. We'll show it to you right here in the NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Are you podcasting me today?
NGUYEN: I sure am. You lucky man.
HARRIS: Lucky, yes, I am. Every single day. Absolutely.
Well, you already know to catch us weekend day morning -- we appreciate that -- right here in the NEWSROOM, from 9:00 to noon Eastern time. But now you can take us with you anywhere on your iPod. Make us a part of your daily life. If you're out shopping, taking your kids to the pool, to soccer, to basketball camps, just take us with you to the CNN NEWSROOM podcast available 24/7 right there, right there on your iPod.
NGUYEN: Stay connected. Stay informed.
I do want to tell you about this now. A British reported kidnapped in Gaza appears in a videotape for the first time. The captors delivered a tape to the Palestinian news agency today. Take a look. In it, Allan Johnston says he's been treated well, and he speaks of Palestinian suffering.
Now, CNN cannot verify the authenticity of this tape or when it was recorded. The BBC reporter was abducted on March 12th.
HARRIS: A farewell tour of sorts for British Prime Minister Tony Blair. In Africa, on a final visit before stepping down later this month. He leaves behind a mixed legacy. Did he do enough for a continent plagued with so many problems?
CNN's Fredricka Whitfield travels to Pretoria, South Africa.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Tony Blair arrived Pretoria on his farewell tour of Africa, six years after appealing to the world to help its poorest continent.
TONY BLAIR, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: The state of Africa is a scar on the conscience of the world.
WHITFIELD: He met South Africa's elder states man, 88-year-old Nelson Mandela.
NELSON MANDELA, FMR. SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT: He has been a very good friend of Africa as prime minister.
WHITFIELD: The British prime minister again challenged G-8 nations to keep the promise they made two years ago of billions of dollars in Africa aid and debt relief.
BLAIR: It is not only our duty, but also in our self interest to do what we can to bring about change for the better. WHITFIELD: Three weeks before he leaves office, Blair's legacy in Africa is not universally admired.
(on camera): Why are you or your organization reticent to say what he has done is ...
(voice-over): Ayesha Kajee is one of the doubters.
AYESHA KAJEE, SOUTH AFRICA INSTITUTE OF INTL. AFFAIRS: I think that in some ways it is a tremendous credit. It has perhaps for the first time, focused concentrated attention on Africa, both from the Commission for Africa and through the fact that Britain chaired the G- 8 at the same time.
WHITFIELD (on camera): But there's a but.
KAJEE: But there's a but. There are people within Africa, particularly citizens on the ground, when you travel through the continent, who feel that this is yet another attempt by a western government to deflect attention away from one of its errors and, therefore, to use Africa as a spin doctoring exercise.
WHITFIELD (voice-over): Aid agencies agree that not everything promised has been delivered, but Blair says that under his leadership, British aid to Africa has nearly tripled. The debt of 18 countries, including Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia has been erased. And more help given to tackle malaria and HIV/AIDS.
CARDINAL UWISHAKA, ASSISTANT SECRETARY-GENERAL, CIVICUS: I think he's selected ...
WHITFIELD: Cardinal Uwishaka of Civicus, a civil rights organization, overall gives Tony Blair good marks.
UWISHAKA: Believe (ph) he's used his leadership position to get a commitment from the most developed nations to increase their funding for international aid.
WHITFIELD (on camera): Of the money promised by G-8 nations, the Africa Progress Panel, headed by the former U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, says rich nations have met only 10 percent of the targeted goals. And adding insult to injury, many of the African nations enjoying full debt relief still fall short of plans to immunize, educate and feed the neediest.
So when you look at some of the things that are not working, which are not satisfactory, do you blame Blair or do you blame someone or some other entity?
KAJEE: I think there's a mixed blaming to be done, if any. I think that quite a few of the governments in Africa have also not lived up to their promises.
WHITFIELD: So are we talking about misspending, corruption?
KAJEE: Misspending, misallocation. To some extent, I would call it corruption. For example, when money that ought to have gone into health or education is spent on upgrading a presidential palace.
WHITFIELD (voice-over): Tony Blair may have been warmly greeted by South Africa's leaders, others were not much impressed.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't know him, so I won't comment on that.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it's a waste of time. It's a waste of English taxpayer's money.
WHITFIELD: For ten years, it was Tony Blair who urged the taxpayers of wealthy nations to support Africa. As he leaves office, Africa hopes his successor as prime minister will pick up the torch.
Fredricka Whitfield, CNN, Pretoria, South Africa.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: President Bush losing another top adviser. Later in the NEWSROOM, Dan Bartlett's departure and what it means for a White House tested by an unpopular war.
HARRIS: His time's up. Dr. Jack Kevorkian walks us out of prison with a promise, no more assisted suicides. His release in the NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: A soldier wounded in Iraq, now a warm welcome home and some healing.
Don Kerrigan (ph) with affiliate WCSH has the story from Maine.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DON KERRIGAN, WCSH REPORTER (voice-over): The Ramsdells have a big family but some of these people were total strangers. But they all came to say thanks to the young soldier and welcome him home to Maine.
Sergeant Chris Ramsdell was wounded by an IED explosion in late March on his second tour in Iraq. His parents were on vacation when they got the call.
JEAN RAMSDELL, SOLDIER'S MOTHER: We knew he was alive. We knew he was going to be -- it was not -- he wasn't going to die from his injuries. We just -- they didn't know if he was going to be able to keep his arm. His hearing is still iffy. But we knew he was alive.
STEPHEN RAMSDELL, SOLDIER'S FATHER: It was a relief to know he was alive and well once we got to North Carolina and saw him. So, that's been mentally easier than the day-to-day grind of not knowing.
KERRIGAN: They last visited Chris three weeks ago at the hospital. And today, there he was, looking a whole lot better.
J. RAMSDELL: Hi, sweetheart.
SGT. CHRIS RAMSDELL, U.S. ARMY: Hello.
(APPLAUSE)
KERRIGAN: And outside, a welcome that was much more than he ever expected.
CROWD: Welcome home.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Welcome home, kid.
C. RAMSDELL: Thank you.
KERRIGAN: The American Legion and the Patriot Guard were there, and plenty of relatives and friends.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He looks wonderful. A little thin, but wonderful.
KERRIGAN: Saying he's just grateful to be home and alive, Chris was overwhelmed by it all.
C. RAMSDELL: The medics that are over there are incredible. The life support over there, they caught the golden hour (ph), now they got me to the hospital. I was in surgery and I was -- I was stabilized within an hour, so ...
KERRIGAN (on camera): Really?
C. RAMSDELL: You know, I really -- I owe my life to the medics and, you know, the people that were there that were by my side, kept me alive.
KERRIGAN (voice-over): And just down the road at the Owl's Head school, Chris got a second surprise. All the kids were out there with banners and cards.
(SINGING)
C. RAMSDELL: It's incredible the support I'm getting and I just hope that everybody else who comes home gets the same -- same support from everybody.
KERRIGAN: Chris Ramsdell says he's going to need a lot more therapy, but he's hoping to be discharged from the army sometime in the summer. For now, he's just happy to be safe and home.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: You're with CNN, you're informed. Good morning everyone, I'm Tony Harris.
NGUYEN: Hi there, everybody, I'm Betty Nguyen. Heidi Collins is off today. Developments keep coming into the CNN NEWSROOM on this Friday, the first day of June. Here's what's on the rundown. A top presidential adviser announces he is leaving the White House. Dan Bartlett's departure and what it means for President Bush.
HARRIS: Eight years behind bars, Dr. Jack Kevorkian walked out of prison last hour a free man. No more assisted suicides, he pledges.
NGUYEN: Hurricane season blowing in today ...
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