Friends and relatives of the Air France flight 447 passengers comfort each other after attending a mass in their homage at the Candelaria Cathedral on June 4, 2009 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Getty Images
Here are the big stories on the agenda today:
- A serious setback for investigators who want answers – and families who need closure... Brazilian officials now say debris found in the Atlantic Ocean was nothing more than "sea trash." None of it, from the doomed Air France Flight 447, which dropped off the radar Monday.
- President Obama is in Germany this morning, strengthening ties on a European tour., and fresh from delivering a key speech to the Muslim world. He’s focusing on the global economy today, with a German chancellor who has very different ideas about how to get out of the financial funk.
- Trial by secrecy in North Korea. No word on the fate of two American journalists reportedly on trial for committing what North Korea calls "hostile acts". They could face ten years in a labor camp. The U.S. State Department may call on some diplomatic heavyweights to try and secure their release, including Former Vice President Al Gore.
- Making Terror Easy. We’ve known terrorists could use tools such as Google Earth to help plan attacks, but upgraded imagery is making things even easier, according to a civic activist who lives near the Three Mile Island nuclear reactor. The activist can demonstrate how improved imagery is revealing sensitive information that nuclear power plants undoubtedly don’t want disclosed – such as the location of roof-top guard shacks, ladders, entrances, gun placements, etc. The activist has asked the government to ask Google Earth and others to “fuzz” the imagery, much like they have fuzzed aerial and satellite photos of the vice president’s mansion. But he isn’t getting far. We take a look at his concerns, and whether Google Earth and others are making life too easy for terrorists.
- Just Sayin’… There is a fear the middle class is dying – or already dead. Thousands who’ve been laid off from manufacturing jobs are often forced to take lower paying jobs, making it difficult to maintain a middle class way of life. We’re “Just Sayin’” are these real fears? Is it a pipe dream to believe companies like GM and Chrysler will ever provide the numbers of jobs they used to? Or is it time for middle class, blue collar America to accept the fact their culture, their way of life is over – and it’s time to find some other way to support their way of life?
- Inside Sanjay’s O. R. CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta is back to give us another look at his “day job.” Dr. Gupta, as you may know, is a practicing neurosurgeon and an assistant professor of neurosurgery. It’s was one of the most popular segments on our show earlier this week. Don’t miss it.