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Americans Sentenced in Iran; Gadhafi: Will Stay and Fight; President Vacations in Martha's Vineyard; GOP Candidates Stump in Key States; Social Media and Crowd Violence; Anxiety Rises Over U.S. Economy; MLK Memorial Sneak Peek; Taking the Cuba Tour
Aired August 20, 2011 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ALINA CHO, CNN ANCHOR: From the CNN Center, this is CNN SATURDAY MORNING. I'm Alina Cho, sitting in for T.J. Holmes this morning. Thank you for joining us.
A major turning point in Libya: Moammar Gadhafi is reportedly preparing for a last stand in the capital of Tripoli and his final offensive could target civilians.
CNN reporters are in Libya and join us live straight ahead.
Social media used for extremely anti-social activity, organizing crimes. So what can police do about it? We'll take an in-depth look at this high-tech dilemma.
And a bucking bronco this cowboy will never forget. It was a rough ride with an even rougher ending. We'll show it to you, coming up.
But first, this breaking story: Two American hikers detained in Iran on spying charges, now know their fate. Iran's state television says Josh Fattal and Shane Bauer have been sentenced to eight years in prison. The men were charged with spying and illegal entry.
CNN's Reza Sayah has been covering this story and joins us now live from Islamabad, Pakistan. So what do you know, Reza?
REZA SAYAH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, we know, according to state-run media, that Josh Fattal and Shane Bauer have been convicted and sentenced to eight years. I think this is a verdict that's going to surprise a lot of people, especially outside of Iran, who were perhaps expecting these two hikers to be released after being held in prison by Iranian authorities for two years while they waited for this very lengthy case to be completed.
And of course, it's a verdict that's going to be deeply disappointing to the parents of Fattal and Bauer, who were hopeful that this ordeal is going to be over soon, but clearly this ordeal appears to be far from over.
Again, according to state-run media, Josh Fattal and Shane Bauer convicted and sentenced to eight years in prison. Here is the statement according to state-run media. It says, "In connection with illegal entry into Iranian territory, each was given three years prison sentence in connection with the charges of espionage and cooperating with American intelligence services, each was sentenced to five years in prison."
We spoke to the lawyers of the hikers. He hasn't spoken to judiciary officials. He doesn't seem to be up to speed with what's happening and he's refraining from commenting until he does. But if you look at the statement clearly, you have the revolutionary court convicting these hikers of spying, something that they and their lawyers have vehemently denied.
Of course, this is a case that went worldwide with the headlines and ratcheted tensions between Tehran and Washington. And Alina, certainly, this verdict is probably not going to help those tensions at this point.
CHO: Reza Sayah live in Islamabad, Pakistan. Reza, thank you very much for that update.
Our Susan Candiotti has been in touch with -- been in touch rather with the families of these two men. She joins us now from New York.
So Susan, I know you've been trying to speak to the families of these hikers. Have you spoken to them yet? And if so, what have they -- what have they said?
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, not yet. But certainly, we've been in touch with them over the course, consistently, over the past few years, but so far right now they are remaining quiet. We've reached out in various ways to them.
This is not uncommon. Initially, they oftentimes, when there is a major development here, they get together, they talk with each other, they get together a united front, and then they issue a statement, sometimes followed by appearing on camera to publicly give reaction.
Now, the last time, Alina, we saw them was just a few weeks ago. And this was as the trial was underway. They were in a rally outside the United Nations. And after that, we -- they were waiting for a sentence. As you know, the sentence was supposed to be released about three -- well, almost three weeks ago, within a week after the trial ended, but it wasn't. We are only finding this out now through state- run media two weeks later than anyone expected.
It has indeed, been a very difficult journey. And you will remember that the families have said consistently, as well as their lawyer, who was actually in court for the trial, that Iran never presented any evidence of spying. And so the lawyer was concerned about that, certainly the families were concerned about that. And that's why this -- this conviction and sentence of -- for spying is particularly disturbing for the families.
CHO: Susan Candiotti, live for us in New York on this. Susan, thank you very much. We want to move now to Libya, where rebel forces are closing in on the capital of Tripoli. Right now, they're in Zawiya. That's about 30 miles from Tripoli. As the fighting rages, U.S. officials tell CNN that Libyan leader, Moammar Gadhafi, may be getting ready for a last stand, but Libyan officials deny that.
Rebel leaders say they could begin their advance toward the Libyan capital within days.
CNN's Sara Sidner is in Zawiya right now. And Sara, what is happening where you are on the ground right now?
SARA SIDNER, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Right now we're hearing lots of loud blasts, but they are much further outside the city than they were when we were here yesterday. We've been able to go all the way in to the city center where Martyr Square is. And what we're seeing is extensive damage to all of the buildings, and it's basically the commercial district of Zawiya. That we're seeing what looks like strikes -- NATO strikes certainly in that -- in that part of the city.
And according to rebels they were told in the last couple of days to move out of the center of the town, to evacuate the residents, and there was definitely some NATO action here overnight according to the rebels that we've been speaking to inside of Zawiya. But they do now say that they have control of the city, but there is still fighting just outside the city, where -- where they're obviously are close enough to send in, for example, shells and mortars into -- into the city.
CHO: CNN's Sara Sidner. I know you've come under gunfire there, so please stay safe as you continue your reporting. Live for us from Libya. Thank you very much.
And with rebel forces closing in, the big question, of course, is Colonel Gadhafi planning some sort of last stand?
Our senior international correspondent, Matthew Chance, is in the Libyan capital. So what are you seeing, Matthew and what are you hearing?
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, certainly, we've heard, you know, a very resistant words coming from Colonel Gadhafi. He's made it clear that were the rebels to advance on Tripoli, he will resist that and he's motivated, you know, all of his loyalists here. And there's a lot of support for Colonel Gadhafi as far as we can make out in Tripoli, to stand their ground and be prepared and -- and be prepared to fight the rebels should they advance on Tripoli.
Much of the military effort at the moment, though, appears to be in trying to hold or recapture whatever they can of Zawiya, that town where Sara has been reporting from. Apparently, there are still clashes, as we heard there, with Gadhafi loyalist forces, but it does seem that -- that the rebels are in -- more or less, the control of the majority of that town. That's a huge blow for the Gadhafi regime, of course, because it settles (ph) their communications and supply route to the west and it means that the city is essentially surrounded now by rebel forces, of course, backed by NATO war planes -- Alina.
CHO: Matthew Chance live for us in -- in Tripoli, in the Libyan capital. Matthew, thank you very much for that.
Meanwhile, the pressure is building on Syria to stop its brutal crackdown on demonstrators. Human rights activists say at least 40 people died in confrontations outside the capital of Damascus yesterday. The United Nations is now sending a humanitarian mission there and world leaders, including President Obama, are calling on Syria's President Bashar al Assad to step down.
Tensions are also rising between Egypt and Israel. Egypt has recalled its ambassador from Tel Aviv and is now demanding that Israel investigate the deaths of three Egyptian security members. They were killed during Israeli strikes in Gaza. Hundreds of Egyptians have protested outside the Israeli embassy in Cairo, demanding that Egypt sever its ties with Israel.
President Obama is delivering a pointed message to Congress. You're going to hear it after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHO: President Obama is urging Congress to put partisan differences aside and work together to boost the economy and create jobs. How about that? And he made that call in his weekly address. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: There are things we can do right now that will mean more customers for businesses and more jobs across the country. We can cut payroll taxes again, so families have an extra thousand dollars to spend. We can pass a road construction bill so construction crews who are now sitting idle can head back to the work site, rebuilding roads and bridges and airports.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: In the Republican's response, Ohio Governor John Kasich focused on a different approach to job creation. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. JOHN KASICH (R), OHIO: We need to start thinking about what we can do to help our children have a great future. Reform the behemoth that is the federal government to create the space so that businesses can invest and create jobs.
Let's look at what has worked throughout history. Government is not the answer, but it can be part of the answer. Rather, it's the ability of providing for a robust private sector, where people want to invest and take risks. That's what's going to get this country moving again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: And while President Obama is on vacation on Martha's Vineyard, the economy and the volatile stock market still very much on his mind.
CNN's Dan Lothian is live for us on Martha's Vineyard. So Dan, this is the working vacation, as the White House puts it. So how is he dealing with these issues during his time on the island there?
DAN LOTHIAN, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: That's right, very much a working vacation. The President away from the White House, but as the White House describes it, very much on the job. It was described to us that the President in the morning receives two kinds of briefings.
First of all, his economic briefing, which yesterday and today have been on paper. And then in person, a national security briefing from John Brennan, his counterterrorism adviser. So that's how the President's morning shapes up. And then in the afternoon, he tries to have some fun time, if you will.
But the focus really has been on what to do about fixing the ailing economy and the President plans to after returning to Washington from his vacation, roll out a jobs proposal, a jobs plan. That is something that he's working on here on the island. His advisers, who are here and those back in Washington, also working on various different ideas.
I'm told that this is still a work in progress, but that they are still making some progress, but it's again, they will be working on it all of next week. One of the President's top advisers, economic advisers, will be coming here to the island, we're told, to give the President frequent updates on the economic situation.
So, the President, again, working, but then trying to have a little bit of R&R as well.
CHO: Well, I've said it once, I'm going to say it again, great assignment if you can get it. CNN's Dan Lothian on Martha's Vineyard --
(CROSSTALK)
LOTHIAN: Thank you.
CHO: -- with the President. A really tough assignment there.
LOTHIAN: OK.
CHO: Dan, thanks so much.
Which one of these presidential candidates is grabbing the spotlight in South Carolina today? Hmm, find out after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHO: 17 minutes after the hour. Welcome back to CNN SATURDAY MORNING. I'm Alina Cho.
Republican presidential candidates are zeroing in on two key early voting states this weekend. We want to go live to Washington and CNN deputy political director, Paul Steinhauser. Paul, I want to start with the newest GOP candidate, Rick Perry, and he's back in South Carolina today, isn't he?
PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: He sure is. You know what; it was a week ago today, Alina, that he announced his candidacy for president of the United States, and where'd he do it? South Carolina. That's the first southern state to vote in the primary and caucus calendar.
From there he went on to New Hampshire and Iowa, the other two very crucial voting states, then back to New Hampshire. Now he's back in South Carolina, Alina, the second straight day campaigning there. So it's really been a whirlwind first week for him, not only for visits, but also for some of the controversial things he has said.
So it's been quite a week for Rick Perry no doubt about that -- Alina.
CHO: So who else is on the campaign trail today? I hear Newt Gingrich may be in Hawaii?
STEINHAUSER: Yes. Well, let's start with Newt Gingrich. You have not heard a lot about the former house speaker and his campaign has been quite modest, I think you can say, on a shoestring budget.
He is in Hawaii today. He's going to be meeting -- doing an event with the Maui GOP. He's going to be fund-raising out there, and guess what, it's his anniversary, his 11th year he's been married. This is his third marriage, so yes, Newt Gingrich on the campaign trail, extends all the way to Hawaii.
Also in New Hampshire today, Herman Cain, the former Godfather's Pizza CEO and former radio talk show host. He's campaigning for a second straight day in New Hampshire.
You're also going to see Rick Santorum there as well. So things are quieting down a little bit, but there's still some business on the campaign trail this weekend -- Alina.
CHO: Hey Paul, you mentioned with Newt Gingrich, that shoestring budget. Obviously, I want to say a month or two ago, there was a mutiny in his campaign and everyone just sort of upped and quit. Has he hired back most of those campaign staffers?
STEINHAUSER: No. They are gone and some of them, some of the top ones are now with Rick Perry.
CHO: Really? STEINHAUSER: When that happened, that was an indication that, well, maybe Perry's jumping in, because two of his top former staffers were with Gingrich. Newt Gingrich continues to campaign. He does it on a very modest budget, he's got a small staff. But he continues to do his thing, as do a couple of the other candidates with not that much money like a Rick Santorum or Herman Cain. They continue to be out there.
We should probably see a lot of those candidates at the debates. Remember, there are five debates coming up in September and October, so Alina things may get quiet over the next two weeks as the campaigns concentrate on fund-raising. But September and October are going to be very busy and we could have a change again in the race for the White House -- Alina.
CHO: Well, let's hope it narrows down a little bit. You can't even keep track of all the candidates, Paul.
STEINHAUSER: Remember, four years ago, we had twice as many because we had the Democrats and Republicans. So, a little bit easier this time.
CHO: I have a short memory. I'm not that smart.
All right. Paul Steinhauser, thank you so much for joining us this morning. Enjoy your weekend.
Social media is being used to organize crowds, some for protests, and even criminal activity. How are the police responding to this new technology? I'll tell you, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHO: Some high-profile cases of crowd violence have raised big concerns and questions about how social media is being used. Let's take London, for example. Prime Minister David Cameron talked about putting restrictions on social media after social media like Twitter and Facebook were used to draw in crowds.
And in San Francisco, the Bay Area Rapid Transit Authority even shut down cell service in some of its stations in advance of a planned protest over the shooting death of a homeless man by a BART officer. Now that protest never happened.
Earlier I talked to Lauri Evans (SIC); she is a social media expert who works with law enforcement and she talked about these techniques that are being used to combat the ill-use of social media.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LAURI STEVENS, SOCIAL MEDIA EXPERT: Oftentimes they're findings themselves, the agencies who are thrust into these positions are -- they don't understand how the social networks work to begin with, so then all of a sudden they're in a position where they're having to, you know, they're being thrust into having to gain intelligence on platforms that they don't understand. There are tools to do that. There are tools to monitor them, to automate it. There are business tools available. There are tools made especially for law enforcement to do that and they're learning to use those tools.
But I think the ones that are really the law enforcement agencies who are in there using the tools already, are also on Twitter monitoring Twitter and using it to dispel the rumor, for example, in West Midlands and the UK. They're looking at Twitter, looking at what types of things are being said that aren't true. They're using it to dispel those rumors. They're reassuring their citizens that everything is OK and they're using it very effectively in some cases.
It's important here not to overstate the role that social media is playing. You know, these social networks that exist, exist in real life too. I recall speaking with a sergeant at Chicago P.D. back in about the May time frame when they were first experiencing some flash robs. And he didn't deny that he felt that maybe Twitter was involved there, but he said you know, we're arresting these kids and they're all coming from the same two or three high schools.
These things are being organized over lunch, you know. It's just that all of this is so new to all of us. The law enforcement community is learning it. We're all learning how to use these tools. And so, it's making the news, I think, because it's just really new as well.
I really think that the single biggest thing that law enforcement needs to do is learn to use the tools in the first place. They need to build that foundation. They need to build relationships with their citizens. There are, you know, other opportunities to use these tools in a positive way, rather than making decisions like what we know the law enforcement commanders made in San Francisco.
But I don't like to be in a position to second guess any law enforcement commander. They had a potentially very serious situation there, potential flash mob on a train platform during rush hour. So who am I to armchair quarterback that? I think the best thing that they can do though is to just learn to use the tools in the first place.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: Well, this woman went to her bank, but instead of getting her money, the bank cut up her card.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I explained to her, well, I didn't feel dead, but she insisted that I was.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: To your face?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: To my face.
(END VIDEO CLIP) CHO: Believe it or not, this happens to 14,000 Americans every year. We'll tell you what's going on, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHO: Coming up on half past the hour, top stories now. Rebel forces in Libya could be just days away from advancing on the capital of Tripoli. Right now, they're battling Moammar Gadhafi's forces in Zawiya, just 30 miles from the capital. Libyan officials deny the rebel claims that Gadhafi and his family are getting ready to leave Libya.
Iran state television is reporting the two American hikers detained in Tehran have been sentenced to eight years in prison. Josh Fattal and Shane Bauer received five years on espionage charges and three years for illegal entry into the country. They were seized two years ago while hiking in the Kurdish region of Iraq near Iran. A third hiker, Sarah Shourd, was released last year for medical reasons.
And British police have released dramatic security camera footage of last week's rioting there. Take a look at this. They say that the video shows masked and hooded rioters firing 11 shots and unarmed officers and a police helicopter in Birmingham. They are now urging the public to come forward with any information on the suspects.
And North Korea's reclusive leader is now in Russia. Kim Jong-Il is scheduled to meet with President Dmitry Medvedev, then visit Siberia. Ahead of his trip, Russia began sending tons of wheat to North Korea in the midst of a severe food shortage there.
Well, it's probably the last thing thousands of people on Social Security expect, being declared dead. Now, that's bad enough, but then they have to convince the Social security Administration that they're still alive. Our Allan Chernoff has this incredible story.
ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: Alina, "reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated." That quote attributed to Mark Twain certainly applies to thousands of Social Security recipients every year, including one elderly woman we met who received some untimely news from the Social Security Administration.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHERNOFF (voice-over): Marjorie Louer is a healthy and vibrant 94-year-old, yet the Social Security Administration thought she died five years ago.
(on camera): You look very much alive to me.
MARJORIE LOUER, SOCIAL SECURITY RECIPIENT: I feel alive now, but at one time I didn't.
CHERNOFF: Was that because of what the Social Security Administration told you?
LOUER: Yes, exactly. Yes. In fact, one young clerk looked me in the face and told me I was dead. And I said, but I'm standing right here.
CHERNOFF: Marjorie went to her local bank to get some cash, but her ATM card wouldn't work. When she went inside, a bank officer cut the card up right in front of her and said, according to our records, you're dead.
LOUER: And I explained to her, well, I didn't feel dead, but she insisted that I was. And from there I --
CHERNOFF: To your face?
LOUER: To my face.
CHERNOFF (voice-over): Someone inside the Social Security Administration had accidentally typed an incorrect digit while recording the number of a person who had recently died, leading the computers to believe Marjorie was the decedent. It happens all the time. About 14,000 times a year according to the Social Security Administration.
What's more, when someone is recorded as deceased, their Social Security Number and address are recorded in the death master file that the public can purchase, raising the risk of identity theft for those who have already suffered the ultimate insult of being declared dead.
Social Security told CNN, "mistakes do happen and there isn't a process where there will be zero mistakes. We try to correct these situations as quickly as we can."
Marjorie quickly had the mistake corrected, proving her identity to the bank and notifying Social Security, which sent her two months of missed payments. Both Social Security and Citibank mailed apology letters, but the memory of having been killed off remains a bitter one for Marjorie.
LOUER: It's a dreadful experience to go through. You laugh and your friends joke with you, but inside you're feeling pretty sad about it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHERNOFF: Social Security says it could be nearly error free if every state participated in a computerized system called Electronic Death Registration. But only two-thirds of the states do, apparently because of a lack of federal funding for the program -- Alina.
CHO: Allan Chernoff. Allan, thank you.
Meanwhile, it's a pretty dismal week for the U.S. economy. It really showed on Wall Street this week. Get this, the Dow has lost nearly 11 percent just this month.
Felicia Taylor here with a look at the numbers and what they could mean.
FELICIA TAYLOR, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Alina, this past week there was just a tremendous amount of anxiety and uncertainty in the marketplace. And the problem is, is we don't know where the growth is going to come from. That's the major question facing investors and traders around the world.
We heard from China that they're now concerned that their own growth rate, which is not hurting at all, but that they're going to have to hamper it back because the growth rate in the U.S. and in Europe is beginning to slow town.
And then we heard problems with European banks, whether or not they're going to be able to satisfy their debt obligations in the United States. And certainly we're still concerned about European sovereign debt. And also in countries like Greece, whether or not they're going to be able to satisfy their obligations. So all of those concerns are still out there.
And then as far as the U.S., we got some pretty dismal figures on the jobless front, which increased to over 400,000. Housing fell by 3.5 percent. And, also, a little tick of inflation on the consumer front. So nothing good in the economy. And that's what is concerning everybody, as to whether or not we're going to have a double-dip recession.
The president of the Dallas Federal Reserve Bank, Richard Fisher, was able to talk to CNN and he allayed fears that we won't have a double-dip recession. Here's what he had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RICHARD FISHER, PRESIDENT, DALLAS FEDERAL RESERVE BANK: We have gas in the tank. What the problem is, is that no one is stepping on the gas pedal and engaging the transmission to move our economy forward at the speed we would like to move forward. We're still moving forward.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TAYLOR: So he's mentioned that word stagnation, and that's when you have less than 2 percent growth in the marketplace, and that's what everybody is really concerned about. We need to see more like 3 and 4 percent growth to really get a recovery in place. And that's part of the problem.
The other -- you know, the other thing that we heard in the prior week is that HP has cut its forecast moving forward. So you saw that stock on Friday drop about 20 percent. That's significant. Unfortunately, Bank of America announced that it's going to lay off about 3,500 people, possibly as many as 10,000 employees. So that's exactly what we don't want to see, because we want to see job creation.
So, on Friday, the selling really kicked in, in the last five minutes of trade to have a market down about 1.5 percent across the board. And moving forward, you can expect that this volatility is going to continue, unfortunately, until we start to get some answers about where the economy and markets are moving in the future -- Alina. CHO: All right. We'll wait to see what happens next week. Thank you, Felicia Taylor.
Meanwhile, Dr. Martin Luther King stands tall in the nation's memory, literally. A grand sculpture of him is now in the nation's capital and the dedication and opening is next week. We're going to have a sneak peek just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHO: Stormy weather in parts of the U.S. this weekend and some areas have already had some damage. Meteorologist Reynolds Wolf is with us now with the forecast.
(WEATHER REPORT)
CHO: A civil rights giant immortalized in this nation's history and a giant sculpture of him erected in the nation's capital. The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial will be dedicated next week, but we've got a sneak peek courtesy of CNN's Josh Levs, who's here with us right now.
Hey, Josh, good morning.
JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Alina.
You and I were talking earlier about how incredibly long in the making this is. The first congressional action towards the ultimate arrival of this Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial began 15 years ago. I have a couple of new pictures here the organizers have been getting to me today. These are renderings of what it looks like.
And I also have for you now an interactive virtual tour video. Let's jump into that. We're going to say on this. I'm going to tell you all some new information about this. The entire site is four acres and organizers say it's designed to evoke the images and presence of Dr. King himself. And it has several separate sections inside of it, 14 quotations from Dr. King's speeches, sermons, and writings, plus two inscriptions in addition to those.
Now, the centerpiece of all of this is a giant sculpture of Dr. King himself. Thirty feet tall. And I'm able to do this on my screen right here. I can actually show it to you right now, and I can show you what it signifies, how it was designed.
Let's zoom in here. I want you all to take a look at this for a second. This is made out of granite blocks and it shows him looking out over water, over what is Washington's tidal basin. And they say it signifies the idea of him looking toward a future of justice and peace.
Now, there's an inscription over here on the side. I'm going to click on it a couple times and my photographer, Scotty (ph), can zoom in on this. "Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope." This is a very famous quote from Dr. King. One that he used inside his "I have a dream" speech. So think about this. We're talking about "out of a mountain of despair, a stone of hope." This is designed to be a stone of hope out of this, a mountain of despair, coming out of it. So they're literalizing that very famous, very popular, very beautiful metaphor that Dr. King put forward.
The actual exact location of this is very significant as well. So let's go to Google Earth and I want to talk you all through this. So what we've done is we've put a triangle here so you can see some of the major memorials. You've got the Jefferson Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Washington Monument. And
you can see the Martin Luther King Memorial is just on the other side of the tidal basin. And if we start at the Washington Memorial, this is part of what's so cool here, we're going to zoom over to the Lincoln Memorial, that is where Dr. King delivered his "I have a dream speech," on those steps.
And we're going to zoom behind it and look over at where the Martin Luther King Memorial is. So it's just near that reflecting pool, just near where he gave his most famous speech. It's in that corner in the distance right there. And the Google Earth will be updated as you get to see the memorial itself.
I want you to hear one thing that the president of the organization overseeing this project said about the memorial.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HARRY JOHNSON, PRESIDENT, MLK NATIONAL MEMORIAL PROJECT FOUNDATION: When future generations visit Washington, they will see a mall that is more closely reflecting the diversity of our great nation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEVS: Now, the dedication will be a week from tomorrow, but there's events all week. And right now you can see everything I just showed you and a lot more. Take a look here. I've put it up for you at Facebook and Twitter, joshlevscnn, and at my blog, cnn.com/josh. You can see all these interactives. Check them out yourself. And let us know what the memorial means to you. We're very curious to hear your thoughts on the significance for the United States.
So, Alina, the excitement gets going right now. All week long, a lot of events for it.
CHO: On Facebook and on Twitter. I want to thank you for following me on Twitter.
LEVS: Yes, alinachocnn. It's time to join up. She is finally, finally coming to the fold. We lassoed her into Twitterville and we've got Alina now.
CHO: I saw -- I went kicking and screaming, but I've done it and I now love it. How about that, Josh Levs? LEVS: You'll bring fashion to it.
CHO: Thank you very much.
LEVS: You got it.
CHO: It's been decades since Americans have been allowed to travel to Cuba. Well, now the ban is partially lifted. Do you know what year that trade embargo and travel ban were put into place? Was it 1960, 1962, 1963, 1964? We'll have the answer next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHO: For decades there's been a trade embargo and travel ban from the United States to Cuba. Now, do you know what year it was put into place? Drum roll. And the answer is, 1962 by President John F. Kennedy. Earlier this year, President Obama partially lifted the travel ban. And as our Shasta Darlington reports, many Americans are now seeing Havana for the very first time.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SHASTA DARLINGTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Sipping mojitos to the rhythm of Cuban salsa at Havana's historic Hotel National (ph). Thousands of tourists do it every year, but usually they're not Americans.
GARY BORIERO, AMERICAN TOURIST: We're here to experience the people and the culture.
DARLINGTON: Cuba receives more than 2 million tourists every year. They flock to the white sand beaches and ogle at the vintage American cars. But for half a century, the vast majority of Americans have been barred from traveling to the communist country. Earlier this year, President Barack Obama eased restrictions and resumed allowing Americans to visit the island for purposeful travel, called people to people tourism. Such trips had been suspended by President Bush. The first tours, organized by Insight Cuba, have finally landed.
TOM POPPER, DIRECTOR, INSIGHT CUBA: And so we take them throughout the real places in Cuba, meeting real people in real life settings and they're just incredibly rewarding.
DARLINGTON: The idea is that visitors interact with ordinary Cubans to help support civil society. They also get a taste of forbidden fruit.
BORIERO: I don't have to see a McDonald's and a strip mall every five feet and I get to experience something new and exciting.
DARLINGTON (on camera): The itineraries include schools and hospitals and community projects, like this one. This is Kiahona Hamil (ph), where Afro Cuban artists and musicians get together every weekend to jam and show off their art.
DARLINGTON (voice-over): Most participants say they prefer it to longing on a beach.
CHRIS WOMMER, AMERICAN TOURIST: I would choose this kind of visit. You learn the culture, you learn to live with Cuban people.
DARLINGTON: Some said they feel they were being fed too much propaganda, and others just want a little more free time.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: But we want our own time. It's a bit of a heavily programmed trip.
DARLINGTON: A delicate balance for organizers who have to meet U.S. requirements for purposeful travel and work with Cuba's state run tourism operators. Nonetheless, Insight Cuba says it hopes to bring in 5,000 Americans in its first year alone.
Shasta Darlington, CNN, Havana.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHO: CNN NEWSROOM continues at the top of the hour with Fredricka Whitfield.
Fred, my friend, nice to see you in person. It's been a long time.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, good to see you. I know it has been a while.
CHO: Too long.
WHITFIELD: I know. We'll have to do this more often.
CHO: Yes.
WHITFIELD: T.J.'s going to have to go on vacation or on assignment more often. Sorry, T.J., we love you. We love you.
CHO: Sorry, just kidding. We love you.
WHITFIELD: Anyway --
CHO: Happy birthday.
WHITFIELD: Oh, yes, and happy birthday, T.J.
CHO: Yes. Yes.
WHITFIELD: All right, cool.
Have you heard of swatting?
CHO: I haven't, but I saw this in the notes here.
WHITFIELD: Yes.
CHO: So what's that all about? WHITFIELD: It's incredible. There are so many different things out there, right? You know, mob calling, flash mob has taken on a new connotation these days.
CHO: Right.
WHITFIELD: OK, then there's swatting, which is hackers calling upon computers or hacking into Xboxes and then sending a message that then is sent to dispatch, 911, SWAT teams and then police, law enforcement, SWAT teams descend on a certain address to --
CHO: And there's nothing going on?
WHITFIELD: And there's nothing going on in at the end.
CHO: Oh, so it's like the reverse of the flash mob.
WHITFIELD: Yes. It's a real problem, though --
CHO: Wow.
WHITFIELD: Because it's interfering with, you know, law enforcement --
CHO: Sure.
WHITFIELD: And their ability to respond to real, legitimate calls. So our legal guys are going to talk about that case. There's a recent case in Naples, Florida. It involved a 15-year-old and his Xbox. So they're going to elaborate on that.
And then, you know, we're dedicating to helping people kind of rebuild their finances. So if you're out of work, you've lost your job, you've probably, you know, what is five or six months, you know, of savings that you've probably already eradicated? You've probably maxed out your credit cards. We're going to have a financial expert along to kind of help you rebuild your finances.
CHO: We all do.
WHITFIELD: That's right. Whether you're out of work or whether you are working.
CHO: That's right.
WHITFIELD: So this really applies to everybody.
And then we love to talk about the movies on the weekend.
CHO: Have you seen this movie "One Day" with Anne Hathaway?
WHITFIELD: I have not. No.
CHO: I am dying to see it. And it got a really good review.
WHITFIELD: In fact, Matt Atchity (ph) is going to be along with us to talk about whether he thinks this is kind of -- you know, is it a modern day "When Harry Met Sally"? Should you tune in? Does Anne Hathaway steal the show? All that good stuff.
CHO: I like her.
WHITFIELD: I do too.
And then, you know, Conan, remember, "Conan the Barbarian" with Arnold Schwarzenegger. Well, now there is a new one.
CHO: Who is that?
WHITFIELD: A new Conan. His name is -- well, let me get my notes, because I've got to remember how --
CHO: OK. That's OK.
WHITFIELD: Jason Momoa. I'm still trying to work --
CHO: It doesn't matter.
WHITFIELD: I know, it doesn't matter. Exactly. This is a thrill-seeking, you know, Conan of modern day. It's also the kind of new eye candy, sorry, had to go there because, you know, people were thinking that when it was Schwarzenegger.
CHO: That's right.
WHITFIELD: They're thinking it too with Jason Momoa. Get used to the name. Hawaiian actor. I'm still trying to rehearse Momoa. I hope I said that right.
CHO: That's OK. That's OK. For now, he's the cute guy.
WHITFIELD: Yes, he's a -- that's right.
So, anyway, we got all that starting at noon, 2:00, 3:00, 4:00 Eastern. Just hang out with me all day long.
CHO: You're doing the same marathon that I did this morning.
WHITFIELD: That's the way we do it on the weekends.
CHO: All right, that's the way you roll.
WHITFIELD: All right, Alina, good to see you.
CHO: All right, Fred, thank you so much. Good to see you, as always.
Did you know that when making purchases online, you don't have to enter the numbers on your actual credit card? There's something called virtual credit card number. So, what is it? We'll tell you after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) CHO: Take a look at these pictures here. This cowboy and the crowd got a little more than they bargained for yesterday at a rodeo in Quincy, Illinois. Did you see that? With this rider hanging on for dear life, the horse crashed into a fence and fell into the stands. Wasn't just the rider, it was the horse, too. Spectators scrambled to get out of the way. The rider was pinned under the horse for a little bit of time there, but thankfully all are OK. The rider and the horse. Nice ending to that story.
Well, you don't have to enter your actual credit card numbers when you make purchases online. Earlier I spoke to financial analyst Clyde Anderson and he told me about the existence of something called a virtual credit card number.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CLYDE ANDERSON, FINANCIAL ANALYST: The beauty is that they do exist. And it can help -- we know that identity theft is one of the nastiest crimes out. So to be able to protect yourself, especially in this age when a lot of people are making online purchases. It's a dummy number. It's a 16-digit number that's different from your regular number that you can use to make online purchases, but you can limit it for the amount of time to use it, have an expiration date. So that's how it protects you.
CHO: So this is a number that you can get through your bank or your credit card company and it has an expiration date, as you mentioned, right, so you can use it once or you can use it a couple of times or for a month? I mean, how does that work?
ANDERSON: That's the beauty. That's the beauty. You can set it up. You can decide to have a certain amount and it will expire after a certain date, or you can have it for a one-time purchase and one- time use. So you kind of choose depending on the provider and what options they have able. And so that makes it required that they have this number, they can only use it at certain websites or they can only use it for a certain period of time. So if thieves do get the number and they try to use the number, it probably will not work at another provider.
CHO: Is it free or does it cost anything to get this?
ANDERSON: That's another wonderful thing. It's free. And so this is free -- a free service, free technology that's available to really help protect you. And, again, a lot of people just don't know that it's there. But I think it's a great tool to protect you.
Now, you have to be careful because, again, you remember, it will expire or you will have a certain -- or a date that it will expire or an amount that you can have it expire. The only thing is, that if you're going to say maybe rent a car and you rent a car online, you want to be careful. When you go and you're going to show your card, you're going to have that different number on your card. So that's something to be careful about as well, just to kind of take note.
CHO: Now, I want to ask you this, because nothing is foolproof, obviously.
ANDERSON: Yes.
CHO: But people and you say this is hacker proof. So how is that so? I don't want to get too techie on people, but explain to me exactly how is it hacker proof.
ANDERSON: Well, the number -- it's a special number that's encoded. And so if you say, I only want to use this one time and I want to use it at ABC website, that's what's going to happen and you're only going to use that card one time. So if someone else tries to use the card, they know that it's fraud.
Now, again, you said everything's not foolproof. So there are some ways around this and some hackers have already probably found this, but it's limited. The thing about it is that you have to make sure that you do dispute anything that happens on your credit card that you feel that you weren't responsible for quickly. So the quicker that you do notice it, so it's key to look at your bills, the faster you can get it taken care of.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: Good advice.
Thanks for spending part of your day with me. I'm Alina Cho. I'll be back again tomorrow morning bright and early, 6:00 a.m. But don't go anywhere. CNN NEWSROOM continues now with my friend Fred Whitfield.
Hey, Fred.
WHITFIELD: Oh, thanks so much. Good to see you. All right, have a great rest of the weekend, until tomorrow morning when it's back to work.
CHO: I know. OK.
WHITFIELD: All right, thanks, Alina.
