Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

CIA Interrogation Tactics; More U.S. Troops to Afghanistan?; Clunkers on the Clock; No Social Security Cost of Living for 2 Years; New Orleans Riverfront Revitalization Project Planned; Video Depicts Healthy Castro

Aired August 24, 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: And good morning, everyone. It is Monday, August 24th, and here are the top stories for you in the CNN NEWSROOM.

Inside the CIA's secret prisons. An agency investigation of itself goes public today. One terror suspect threatened with a power tool.

Clunkers on the clock. The auto rebate program ends tonight. What you need to know if you're heading to a dealership today.

Four years after Hurricane Katrina drowned New Orleans, a dream to turn the Mississippi River waterfront into a vibrant, money-making destination.

And right now, let's take you back to the skies above Key Biscayne, Florida, right now, pictures we've been showing you for the last five minutes or so here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

You see a number of people on the scene of this -- I guess we can call it a rescue attempt. They're certainly trying to get this young child out of this pool here.

We've got a child stuck in a pool drain. We understand that it might just be the child's hand that is stuck in the pool filter, or the drain, either/or. It's a situation where we've got a number of people on the scene here trying to make this happen.

We understand the child's mother is nearby as well. Can't really make out exactly what is going on here, but we can certainly tell you that a number of power tools are being used right now. We're talking about a jackhammer, a hacksaw, a reciprocating saw, other devices being used to try to get this child out of the situation.

We will obviously keep an eye on this. Maybe we'll squeeze it so we can show you the rescue as it takes place right now as we get to other news this morning in the NEWSROOM.

New revelations today about what the Bush administration called harsh interrogation techniques. CIA interrogators apparently threatened a suspected terrorist with a gun and power drill.

Here's CNN's Elaine Quijano.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In separate incidents, CIA interrogators threatened Abd al-Rahim al- Nashiri. He's the man suspected of plotting the deadly bombing of the USS Cole, according to knowledgeable sources familiar with the 2004 CIA report. Sources confirm one interrogation session involved a gun, another an electric drill. Both meant to scare the Al Qaeda prisoner into giving up information.

And "Newsweek" reports mock executions were staged, including one where a gun was fired in a room next to a detainee to make him believe another prisoner had been killed. The American Civil Liberties Union, which sued to get the CIA report released, called the tactics under the Bush administration "not only reprehensible but illegal" and said the American public has a right to know the full truth about the torture that was committed in its name.

Although the government had authorized such controversial techniques as waterboarding, the use of a gun and drill fell outside approved tactics. A CIA spokesman said, "The CIA in no way endorsed behavior no matter how infrequent that went beyond formal guidance," and added that Justice Department officials reviewed any cases of alleged misconduct. But the report could renew questions about whether the Bush administration went too far in the name of national security.

Former Vice President Dick Cheney has maintained the interrogation program as a whole was needed to keep the country safe.

DICK CHENEY, FORMER VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The intelligence officers who questioned the terrorists can be proud of their work, proud of the results because they prevented the violent death of thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands of people.

QUIJANO: For the Obama administration, the reports released means a delicate balance.

ERIC HOLDER, U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL: We will not be doing anything that would endanger the American people or in some ways lessen our national security.

QUIJANO: But some fear the release will have a chilling affect on intelligence officers trying to do their job.

GEN. MICHAEL HAYDEN, FORMER CIA DIRECTOR: We will teach timidity to a workforce that we need to be vigorous and active.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: And Elaine Quijano joining us live now from Washington.

Elaine, good to see you.

The White House, we understand, is changing the way interrogations are managed moving forward. What have you learned? QUIJANO: Well, that's right. Just moments ago, in fact, at a briefing on Martha's Vineyard, Deputy White House Press Secretary Bill Burton confirmed that President Obama has approved the creation of a high-valued detainee interrogation unit. Now, he said that this new unit does not mean at all that the CIA is out of the interrogation business. He said that this unit would include different elements under one group and would be based at the FBI headquarters in Washington -- Tony.

HARRIS: OK.

Elaine Quijano for us.

Elaine, appreciate it. Thank you.

QUIJANO: Sure.

HARRIS: U.S. troops were out in force to help ensure free and safe elections in Afghanistan, but fraud and intimidation charges now casting a shadow over last week's vote. More than 200 complaints have been registered. The independent commission set up to handle the complaints says they include accounts of ballot box stuffing and lack of impartiality among poll workers. The validity of the vote could depend on the outcome of the investigations. Authorities plan to announce preliminary results on a piecemeal basis starting tomorrow.

Taliban tactics are getting deadlier. The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff tells CNN the serious in Afghanistan is serious and deteriorating.

Live now to CNN Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr.

Barbara, good to see you.

That's pretty grim language being used by a top military official.

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Grim, indeed, Tony, and worth listening to. Let's have a listen to what Admiral Mike Mullen said yesterday on CNN's "STATE OF THE UNION."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ADM. MIKE MULLEN, JOINT CHIEFS CHAIRMAN: I think it is serious and it is deteriorating, and I've said that over the last couple of years, that the Taliban insurgency has gotten better, more sophisticated. Their tactics, just in my recent visits out there, and talking with our troops, certainly indicate that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STARR: So, how bad is it, Tony? Well, CNN has learned from a senior U.S. military official that the latest military assessment, now, eight years after the 9/11 attacks, is that the Taliban have extraordinary influence, if not outright control, in one-third of Afghanistan. One-third of the land mass of that country now under Taliban influence. And that, of course, is why many people now believe that General Stanley McChrystal, the new commander in Afghanistan, will, within the next several weeks, ask for additional troops, additional combat forces to be sent to that country.

August, we are only 24 days into the month, and already, Tony, it is the second deadliest month of the war for the coalition. Sixty-two troops already this month having lost their lives. So, everybody is on hold waiting to see him what General McChrystal's troop recommendation will be -- Tony.

HARRIS: Yes.

All right. Barbara Starr at the Pentagon for us.

Barbara, appreciate it. Thank you.

Starting September 7th, Anderson Cooper takes you inside Afghanistan live from the battle zone. It's an "AC 360" special report starting September 7th, only on CNN.

And the clock is running on Cash for Clunkers. Can you still make a deal? We've got the answer coming up.

And let's take a look at the Big Board, New York Stock Exchange. The numbers pretty good so far this morning, trying to extend a rally from last week.

Four of the five days -- yesterday, in positive territory. And as you can see, we're off to a fast start today. The Dow up 81 points.

And let's see these pictures again over Key Biscayne.

We are keeping an eye on this situation. We're talking about this child stuck in a pool drain.

As you can see, all kinds of rescue teams on hand right now to try to help this kid get out of this -- stuck in either the pool filter, drain. It doesn't make much of a difference what it is. The kid is stuck.

And the effort is under way right now to free the child -- a jackhammer, we've seen a jackhammer being used at various points, a hacksaw, a reciprocating saw, other devices. All hands on deck here as rescue teams try to get this kid out of this precarious situation.

We're back in a moment. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: OK. So, you hear the tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick. The feds will put the Cash for Clunkers program in permanent park tonight and call it a done deal.

Your personal finance editor, Gerri Willis, is back from vacation. Welcome back, Gerri. Gerri, it's good to see you.

GERRI WILLIS, CNN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: It's great to be here, Tony. Good to see you.

HARRIS: All right. Let's talk about this program.

Is it too late to sort of trade in my clunker and get one of these high-performance -- one of these more fuel-efficient vehicles?

WILLIS: Well, you have a little bit of time left, until tonight. Look, if you're trying to get your clunker in before the end of the program, you have to act quickly.

Fewer dealerships will be offering the program. That's because dealerships are concerned they're not going to be able to collect the money from the government.

So, go to cars.gov to see who is still offering that program in your area, and call the dealership first to make sure it's still accepting those clunkers before you put in the time of going over there. Get your financing and paperwork in order before you go. You'll need proof the car has been insured and registered in your name for a year, and you'll also need a clear title. This means it has to be free of any liens -- Tony.

HARRIS: So, what should people look out for at the dealership?

WILLIS: Well, there's some things you definitely need to be aware of.

Don't sign paperwork that holds you liable for the amount of the clunker incentive in case that deal falls through. That happens.

Don't leave the dealership without a car, whether it's your old clunker or your new fuel-efficient vehicle. The dealer is supposed to hand you the keys to the car that day. There have been cases where people have walked away and not had a car for three weeks. You can keep an extra set of keys to your clunker so the dealer can't keep it hostage.

And finally, negotiate the price of the car you buy. Remember, just because the government is offering incentives, that doesn't mean you don't have any leverage on price. You do.

HARRIS: Right.

Hey, I'm wondering if it would be worth it to push the family budget just a bit here and take advantage of this program.

WILLIS: Well, I wouldn't. Frankly, look, just because the program is ending, that doesn't mean you have to rush into it.

Evaluate what you really need. In some cases, limited inventory of fuel-efficient cars is actually driving up the costs of the replacement car to near or even above sticker prices. And this may eliminate the advantage you have getting into the program.

Bottom line, you've got to be able to afford that new car. Also, check the true market value of your car at Edmunds.com or Kelly Blue Book. Hey, you may be able to get more money by selling the car on your own, rather into this program.

HARRIS: Right.

And what if I missed out on this round of the Cash for Clunkers program? What do you think?

WILLIS: Well, you know, hey, look, Cash for Clunkers, what is it? It's an incentive, and we've seen a lot of incentives before, like dealer cash or zero percent financing. Experts say that we could very well see a similar incentive program rolled out in the near future from manufacturers and dealerships.

So, if you can't take advantage of this program right now, or the timing just isn't right for your wallet, give it time. You're probably going to see more deals ahead.

And, of course, if you have any questions, send them to me at Gerri@CNN.com. We love to hear from you.

HARRIS: Awesome. Great to see you. Welcome back, Gerri.

WILLIS: Thank you, Tony.

HARRIS: Wonderful to see you. All right.

And as always, check out our special report, "America's Money Crisis." You can find it at CNNMoney.com.

Remember the last time you saw images of Fidel Castro? Take a look at him now.

Cuban state television broadcasting the first pictures of Fidel Castro in more than a year. Wait a minute. Is that a track suit?

Let's get you a quick update now on the story we're following for you.

Take these pictures full here.

Above Key Biscayne, Florida, boy, the work continues right now to free this child from this pool drain. It's a girl. OK, great. So, it's a young girl who's stuck in this pool drain.

We've been following this for the last 20 minutes or so, and we'd like to think that the rescue team is making some progress. You see a saw being used there. They're really chipping away at this pool.

OK. We're getting more information now.

So, we're learning from our -- we're getting information from a local affiliate that the child is 3 years old and stuck in a pool skimmer. OK. So, I guess that it's going to take a while. But the child is safe at this point and she has been covered.

We'll continue to follow these pictures for you and we'll get an update in just a couple of minutes, right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: A CIA investigation of the agency's own terror tactics will be made public today. Among the findings, sources say CIA interrogators threatened a terror suspect with a gun and a power drill.

You know, the CIA's treatment of terror suspects may lead to a formal criminal investigation. "The New York Times" reports today the Justice Department's Ethics Office is advising the attorney general to move forward.

Mark Mazzetti has done a lot of work on this story. He's with "The New York Times," and he joins us now from Washington.

And Mark, so the advice here is that at least some cases be reopened. Do you expect that that will happen?

MARK MAZZETTI, SECURITY CORRESPONDENT, "THE NEW YORK TIMES": I think it's the expectation that, with this recommendation from the Ethics Office of the Justice Department, that Attorney General Eric Holder would, in fact, then reopen some of these investigations and maybe appoint a special prosecutor to examine some of the these death cases, cases that occurred in CIA custody, at some point in the next couple of weeks.

HARRIS: Well, Mark, our understanding is that one CIA official has been formally disciplined. Would a new investigation necessarily have to be about the attorneys who provided the legal justification for the harsh interrogation techniques? It can't just be about those who carried it out.

MAZZETTI: Well, that's been a pointed debate. And President Obama has indicated that he would not want to pursue lawyers from the Bush administration who approved these techniques. And he's trying to sort of, I think, keep this investigation in a box, not have an expansive investigation looking at the lawyers and looking at all CIA interrogators, but more the CIA interrogators who may have exceeded the guidelines of the Justice Department, and also any death cases or abuse cases that involve techniques that were never approved by the Justice Department.

HARRIS: Is it your expectation that the Justice Department will act independent of what the president's view of this is?

MAZZETTI: Well, Attorney General Eric Holder has indicated that if he sees a reason for an investigation, he's going to pursue it. President Obama and White House officials, for much of this year, have indicated that they are not interested in dredging up the past or going over some of these things again. But, you know, it's Eric Holder's job to pursue these things as he sees fit. So, the sense is, is that he will at least start some kind of a limited investigation into this.

HARRIS: All right. I want to be measured here. Can we assume that the Bush administration was aware of these allegations? I think the answer is yes to that. And then can we move forward with the question of, why didn't it choose to prosecute?

MAZZETTI: Well, it's unclear. This CIA inspector general's report was completed in 2004. A lot of these cases were referred to the Justice Department for possible prosecution. Career prosecutors in the Justice Department decided not to pursue these investigations. It's unclear exactly why. There were questions of whether there was enough evidence to prosecute, whether they couldn't find bodies in order to prosecute.

These are still unanswered questions that we'll hopefully get more clarity on maybe today or over the next week.

HARRIS: Yes. All right. Mark Mazzetti from "The Washington Post." Ooh, we lost the signal.

Mark, appreciate it. Thank you.

Hey, we've been telling you over the last 20 minutes or so about the situation where a young girl, 3 years old, is stuck in this pool skimmer. The good news picture here is that the young girl, about 3 years old, has been freed from the pool. And there you go, the pictures of the young girl right now.

I believe we have the public information officer on the phone with me, Lieutenant Carroll.

Lieutenant, thanks for your time this morning.

Tell us about arriving on the scene here and what you encountered.

LT. IGNATIUS CARROLL, JR., PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER, MIAMI FIRE-RESCUE (via telephone): Well, Tony, I guess you could imagine arriving there and finding a little girl that's trapped inside of a pool, a mother frantically trying to keep her daughter's head above water, and hoping that help is going to arrive soon. From my understanding, that they were unable to free her, so our technical rescue team had to actually chisel away from around the pool just to free this little girl's arm.

(CROSSTALK)

HARRIS: No, I'm sorry. Lieutenant, I was just wondering, as we take a look at the girl now, how was she when you arrived? Was she pretty stable? Was she a bit in shock?

Describe, if you would, the young girl when you arrived at the scene.

CARROLL: I'm going to say that the little girl was stable because her head was above water, which is the most important thing. HARRIS: Yes.

CARROLL: But I think the thing here is that, how long has she been stuck in there, not knowing if her mom was able to call 911? Frantic screams from her were heard by other people. And this is in the morning time, where a lot of people were at work or at school. So, a rescue helicopter is on standby just to get her to the hospital because we don't know how long she's been stuck in there.

HARRIS: Wow.

And Lieutenant Carroll, tell us about the rescue effort here. Our understanding is that you needed, what, a jackhammer, a hacksaw, reciprocating saw and other devices to free the girl?

CARROLL: Oh, yes, several different pieces of equipment and hydraulic tools were used to get in there. But we had to be very careful that we didn't injure her any more than what she was already injured right now. And also, a 3-year-old little girl hearing all these noises on these machines could be very scary.

HARRIS: And what did you -- tell us about the procedure here, because it looked like at one point you actually covered her head.

CARROLL: Right. That's to keep her from getting any injuries from the stuff that's maybe flying around...

(CROSSTALK)

CARROLL: Right.

HARRIS: Yes. Well, she looks great. I mean, was she pretty much calm throughout, or were there moments when she was anxious and nervous as you might expect from -- she looks great now.

CARROLL: Yes. I think just the fact that her mom was there with her gave her some kind of comfort that everything is OK. And I'm sure she's happy to have her arm out of there right now.

HARRIS: OK. And it was her arm?

CARROLL: Right.

HARRIS: We had reports that it was just her hand, but how far up the arm? Are we talking up to the elbow or a little beyond that?

CARROLL: That I'm not sure because there were so many people around. But I'm sure it was enough that -- I think it was probably mid arm, because it was hard for them to even try to pull it out.

HARRIS: Wow.

Lieutenant Carroll, we appreciate your time. She looks great. And congratulations for your team. Obviously, they did a terrific job under difficult circumstances, but the little girl looks great.

One more quick question. Do you know her name? Do you know her name?

CARROLL: No, that I don't have right now.

HARRIS: OK.

Lieutenant Carroll, appreciate it. Thank you.

CARROLL: Thank you, Tony. OK. Bye.

HARRIS: Boy, she looks terrific.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HARRIS: All right. We want to get to our Stephanie Elam now. And Stephanie -- boy, Stephanie is at the New York Stock Exchange for us.

And, you know, Social Security recipients are used to the idea that they're going to get yearly increases. Not so in the future, over the course of the next couple of years.

Is that correct?

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Things are changing, Tony. That's for sure.

HARRIS: Yes.

ELAM: I'm kind of the bearer of bad news on this one, because it's true. The trustees who oversee Social Security, they're saying that there will not be a cost of living adjustment for the next two years. This has not happened since 1975.

So, I know everyone wants to know what the heck is going on. The cost of living increase is pegged to inflation, but here's the thing. Inflation has actually cooled down. Last year, for an example, oil prices were near 150 bucks a barrel. Today, they're at $74. Remember the gas prices we were paying last summer?

HARRIS: Yes.

ELAM: It was a painful, painful summer. Not the same this year. Not only that, consumer prices are down as well. Still, it comes at a time when many older Americans are struggling with smaller retirement portfolios. All told, 50 million people get Social Security checks, Tony. And so, for them, this is actually a really big deal.

HARRIS: So, Stephanie, even though inflation isn't heating up, health care costs, as we all know, are. And that is a really big concern for older Americans.

ELAM: No doubt about it, because everyone is going to get older, and everyone's going to have to deal with health issues. That's pretty much just how it goes, right?

HARRIS: Right. ELAM: So, that's the big complaint about this. The average Medicare prescription drug premium will rise from $28 to $30 next year. And since about 6 million people have premiums automatically deducted from their Social Security check, they could actually see their check decrease.

Some Social Security advocates are calling for a one-time payment of $150, but critics point out that Social Security checks were boosted in January by nearly 6 percent, and that was the biggest increase in 27 years. So, obviously, a lot of people will be watching this one.

Taking a look at Wall Street down here, prices are rising. Optimism from last week is carrying over. The Dow Jones Industrials, they are in the green. They're on the other side by 64 points, 9570, and S&P 500 better by 11 at 2032. The best one, S&P 500's up about three quarters of a percent right now.

So, Tony, right now, things are looking pretty good. We've got some tall mountain peaks there on our graph. I like that. When I say a bloodbath, the other way. So, when it looks like that, it looks, you know, verdant and beautiful.

HARRIS: Four days of gains to end the week last week. And we're off to a fast start this week. Boy, it must be you, Stephanie. All right, see you next hour. Take care.

ELAM: All right, see you.

HARRIS: Flying high in Maryland. How that state maintains a fleet of emergency helicopters virtually free of charge to those who need them.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: OK. If you want to follow the health care debate in this make-or-break month for health care reform, there are two health care town halls hosted by House members today. The first in Buckingham County, Virginia. The other is in Inman, South Carolina.

You know, often during a medical emergency, your life depends on how fast you can get to the hospital. CNN photojournalist Oliver Janney shows us how the State of Maryland goes the extra mile, virtually for free.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MAJ. A.J. MCANDREW, MARYLAND STATE POLICE: In 1970, the Maryland State Police Aviation Command performed the first civilian medevac ever, transporting over 300,000 patients on our helicopters in the past 30 years.

DICK ELFMAN, CAR CRASH SURVIVOR: My name is Dick Elfman, and I was involved in a head-on collision. The person coming in the other direction apparently fell asleep or was otherwise distracted and crossed the center line. MCANDREW: We do about 8,000 missions a year. Of those 8,000 missions, about 5,000 are medevac missions. If we can get a patient within 25 minutes, we have over a 90 percent chance of getting that patient to a trauma center within what we call the golden hour.

ELFMAN: I wouldn't be here right now if I hadn't been flown out.

DR. ROBERT R. BASS, MARYLAND INSTITUTE FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES: This is SISCOM and the Emergency Medical Resource Center. This is the hub of our statewide communications system where calls come to when a helicopter's requested.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Seventeen's landed safely.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) en route. Nine minutes, two patients. Information on the first patient -- a 44-year-old female.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE)

GOV. MARTIN O'MALLEY, MARYLAND: Maryland has the best medevac system in the world. There are people who come from other countries to see what Maryland has done.

ELFMAN: I never got a bill for the helicopter ride. It's an amazing thing.

BASS: In our system, we don't charge any patients for transport. It's paid for by a surcharge on vehicle registrations.

ELFMAN: We have a system that works. We have choppers that take people no matter where they -- and it's not a question of who it is that's injured. It's not a question of whether the person is a child, an adult, a bad guy, a good guy, a cop, a crook. It's not that kind of a question. It's a question of, here's a person in need. We've got to get them care. That's what, you know, a society ought to be doing.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: Saying goodbye to a guitar legend. Our iReporters pay tribute to inventor Les Paul.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Guitar pioneer Les Paul has been laid to rest, but he is still in residence, so to speak, at a Milwaukee museum. Paul died last week at the age of 94. He was buried Friday. Visitation on Friday was held at the Science and Technology Museum. The museum has an exhibit on the Wisconsin-born virtuoso through the end of this year.

And Les Paul had an enormous influence on an awful lot of people. Let's check on that now. Our CNN.com iReport desk and producer Rachel Rodriguez is with us. Rachel, good to see you. Many iReports, well, the iReporters sent their tributes to Les Paul in big numbers. RACHEL RODRIGUEZ, CNN.COM PRODUCER: Yes, they really did. We got a ton of tributes. Les Paul died on August 13, and we wanted to pay tribute to him in a really unique way because he's best known for inventing the Gibson Les Paul guitar, which is probably, you know, the most ubiquitous guitar in the world, you know, along with the Fender stratocaster.

So, we thought, let's have iReporters break out their Les Paul guitars and play an original riff. So, we had, you know, everybody play their original riff. We asked them to play it in the key of E, good guitar key, so that we could combine them all. So, we kind of made this mashup. So, let's take a look.

HARRIS: All right.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right, so you want a riff for CNN. I better play it right because this is going to be on the Internet.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: God bless Les Paul.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: Wow, that's good. That's good stuff.

RODRIGUEZ: Yes, so again, the cool thing about this is, they didn't work together, you know. We just were able to combine all of their original licks for Les Paul.

And the other cool thing that you saw in the video is, you get to see a lot of the different models and styles of the Les Paul guitar, because, you know, some of those are the modern Les Paul standard, Les Paul studios made in the last few years. A couple of the ones that you saw actually were Les Paul Goldtops from the 1950s. And those are actually really valuable guitars. So, it was really cool to see all that come together.

HARRIS: Hey, Rachel, and my understanding is some iReporters are sharing their summer photos, as well.

RODRIGUEZ: Yes, definitely. If you have summer pictures that you want to share -- we have horizon photos, that sort of thing -- go to ireport.com.

HARRIS: Rachel, appreciate it. Thank you.

And now a look at some of our top stories. A prominent Houston doctor shot dead on his own property. Another man is wounded. The hunt is on for five suspects.

The man suspected of murdering his swimsuit model wife is found dead. Ryan Jenkins's body was discovered in a hotel in Canada. And raging wildfires swallowing up homes around Athens. A state of emergency declared. Can firefighters save the city from the flames?

It has been almost four years since Hurricane Katrina. Is New Orleans coming back? We'll take a look.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Well, four years ago this weekend, Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast. We all remember those early days, then weeks, then months. But what about now, and what about the city of New Orleans?

Not quite three quarters of its residents have returned. One group of architects and developers is hoping to bring the people back, the jobs back and the neighborhoods. CNN's Fredricka Whitfield on reinventing the Crescent City.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Everywhere you look, remnants of Hurricane Katrina sometimes camouflaging, if not upstaging, any progress of a city slowly rebuilding. Unlocking a different view...

SEAN CUMMINGS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, NEW ORLEANS BUILDING CORP.: It's going to be this great multi-use performance venue.

WHITFIELD: Developer Sean Cummings and architect Allen Eskew showing me a part of their dream project: Reinventing a six-mile stretch of Mississippi riverfront, the centerpiece of a $300 million New Orleans revitalization project, bringing acres of green space, with dog trails, ballparks, benches and amphitheaters just inches from the water.

ALLEN ESKEW, URBAN DESIGNER: This is for me the sweet spot of the whole place because I love industrial relics, and this one's about 1926.

WHITFIELD: Unused dilapidated wharves like this one getting a major overhaul, designed by some of the city's and some of the world's most prominent designers and planners.

ESKEW: And to be able to capture this, save it and then repurpose it for community activity is, you know, is pretty exciting.

WHITFIELD: And particularly special...

ESKEW: The river.

CUMMINGS: Right there!

WHITFIELD: ... for these native New Orleanians, who say for too long, people living on the crescent of the Mississippi have been unable to fully enjoy the muddy waters, a strange irony as pointed out by Ryan Scully, who lives in the neighborhood called Bywater.

RYAN SCULLY, NEW ORLEANS RESIDENT: It's a shame that it's called the Bywater, yet you can't get to the water. WHITFIELD: Can't even see it.

CUMMINGS: Part of the problem is, it's not the folks, it's that they can't get out here and enjoy it. So, when you have this calliope of this mesmerizing view of the river, you've got the bridge, you know, it's pretty cool.

ESKEW: So, we have that piece, and then we have that one, OK.

WHITFIELD: It's a plan, they say, that won't disturb the ecosystem, nor undermine the business of this vital shipping channel.

ESKEW: And last week we had -- we were within about six inches of the river cresting. So, you had this enormous power of water -- you know, it drains 40 percent of the continent -- flowing right within inches of the edge of the wharf. So, the power of the river, it's also something that's every exciting.

WHITFIELD: Right now, recreation along the river here is limited. Other Bywater residents say green space within walking distance will be good for families.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It will be nice for the kids. It will keep them out of trouble.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Good. It will give the kids something to do.

WHITFIELD: Groundbreaking for the Reinventing the Crescent project is this fall. The first phase, a mile and a half stretch to be open for walks, jogs or weddings by 2011.

CUMMINGS: We're going to have music events out here. You'll be able to have large dinners.

WHITFIELD: This $30 million phase financed by public funds and private donations. These planners see promise and potential no drawings could quite capture.

CUMMINGS: I think that it's going to unleash a lot of job creation. It's going to unleash a lot of investment privately, and, you know, that's what you want.

ESKEW: I already know people that are holding on and literally running out of patience with the slowness of the recovery, but they're in these neighborhoods, and now they go to the meetings, and they say, my goodness, this is going to be our -- this is our neighborhood park? This is the front porch in our community.

WHITFIELD: A big front porch that in a year and a half will for first time be accessible to everyone.

Fredricka Whitfield, CNN, New Orleans.

(END VIDEOTAPE) HARRIS: Remember the last time you saw images of Fidel Castro? Well, take a look at him now. Cuban state television broadcasting the first pictures of Fidel Castro in more than a year. And I think that's a new track suit.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(MUSIC PLAYING)

HARRIS: Hey now. "Summer Nights," Rascal Flatts. You know, summer is slipping away fast. Soon, it will be just a memory. So, how about a little more fun before it is gone? We want to know what song best sums up your summer, the one that when you hear it years from now, it will bring back those sweet, sweet memories of the summer of '09.

Give us your feedback. Just go to CNN.com/tony. Tell us what your song is, and we will go down the list and maybe even try to play a few on the air. And you know what? We found the Grand Bahamas Youth Choir in Atlanta on Friday taking the CNN tour.

So, of course, I asked the choir to sing us a little summer ditty. We're back in a moment.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: You know, it's been more than a year since we've seen video of an ailing Fidel Castro. Now, new pictures are out showing the former Cuban president looking well. Live to Havana now and our Shasta Darlington. And Shasta, well, the truth is, he looks pretty healthy.

SHASTA DARLINGTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Tony, he does. And you know, this is the first video broadcast by Cuban TV in 14 months. And there's probably a reason they're doing it now, because he looks so good.

We see him looking a little fatter, a little stronger and even having this animated conversation with students visiting from Venezuela. And in fact, we went out on the street and talked to Cubans, and they were also pretty excited about his appearance.

Keep in mind, Fidel Castro hasn't actually been seen in public for more than three years. And we've seen a lot of photos -- the state -- the government publishes photos every now and then, but these videos are rare. And it's a chance to not only see him but to hear him.

And although there haven't been any rumors lately about his health, this is certainly an opportunity for the government to send the message that Fidel Castro and live and well -- Tony.

HARRIS: OK. Shasta Darlington for us from Havana, Cuba. Shasta, good to see you. Thank you. And I've got to tell you, seeing those pictures of Fidel Castro, for so many, he represents so much of Cuba's past. We want to dig a little deeper here and talk about the future for Cuba, particularly for young Cubans. Nicole Lapin is here, and she keeps us -- well, her fingers on the pulse of what young people are doing and what they are thinking.

NICOLE LAPIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I try to help you out there.

HARRIS: Yes, appreciate that. Thank you.

LAPIN: I do what I can.

(LAUGHTER)

LAPIN: The question is, do young people want change? And seeing these pictures, can they find it? A buddy of mine focuses on just that, youth and Cuba. He started a national nonprofit called Raices de Esperanza, Roots of Hope.

Felice Gorordo joins us live from Miami. Felice, help Tony and I understand. Is Cuba -- in Cuba, is Castro still relevant for young people there?

FELICE GORORDO, CO-FOUNDER, ROOTS OF HOPE: Well, thank you so much, Nicole and Tony, for having me on the show today. I think the reality is that these pictures are irrelevant. They don't do anything to meet the most basic needs of the Cuban people. And the truth is that under the current regime and the current government, the Cuban youth aren't able to actualize their potential, aren't able to freely exercise their most basic human rights. They aren't able to study what they want or say what they want without repression.

And the truth is that they can't also make ends meet based off of just the basic average salary of $12 to $15 a month. Even with subsidized health care, education, food and housing, that doesn't make it enough.

LAPIN: So, even if the Castros, as you say, aren't considered relevant, their financial restrictions, Felice, of course, as you know, are still very much in place. So, can anything actually change?

GORORDO: Well, youth hunger, just like you and I, to be able to actualize our dreams, our hopes and to be what they want to be. And the truth is that they will overcome any financial obstacles to be able to do that. But the truth is that also making only $12 to $15 a month, the most basic necessities are out of reach, as well as luxuries like these, like cell phones.

LAPIN: Like a cell phone.

And so, we see the pictures, Felice, but you're showing us a different picture of young people on the ground. So, if it's up to them, what will the next regime be? Who will be in power from our generation? GORORDO: Definitely. We'll I think it's actually up to the Cuban people to define. But what I think they hope for is not a regime but a government that they have elected, one that respects all human rights, both their political and their social human rights and one that gives them the ability to be able to make a better life for themselves and their families on the island.

LAPIN: Felice, always a pleasure to see you. Thanks so much for giving a sense of what young people are doing in Cuba right now. Tony, just a snapshot of what the future could be if it were up to young Cubans like Felice in the states or on the island.

HARRIS: Well, that was good. Thank you, Nicole. See you in just a couple of minutes.

LAPIN: You're welcome. Absolutely.

HARRIS: All right.