Five years later, as we remember the days running up to Hurricane Katrina, the remaining troubles of the disaster are far from gone. That, and this morning's top headlines.

This weekend marks five years since Hurricane Katrina swept through and ravaged New Orleans. Earlier in the week, we spoke about recovery efforts with the mayor of Biloxi, Mississippi, and Grammy award winning Jazz musician Terence Blanchard explained how the rich musical community in New Orleans has evolved since. Many Katrina victims are still very much in the recovery process. Five years after Hurricane Katrina there are 12,000 homeless people New Orleans. That’s double what it was before the storm.

All week long, in partnership with our friends at Scientific American, we’ve been talking about "the end" on The Takeaway. The end of the world, the end of our own lives, or, today, the end of things that we could do without.

From Daylight-Saving time to the Space Shuttle, landfills to human drivers, we talk to Scientific American editor Michael Moyer about an eclectic mix of things that the world — and humans — might be better off without.

What do you think? What are some of the things we'd be better off without?

We've been asking listeners: What are some of the things we'd be better off without? We got plenty of responses from you on the things you could — or would love to — find missing from your life.

Pakistan's Taliban hinted on Thursday that they may attack humanitarian workers who are helping to provide relief to more than eight million people affected by catastrophic flooding. "No relief is reaching the affected people, and when the victims are not receiving help, then this horde of foreigners is not acceptable to us at all," a Taliban spokesman told the Associated Press. How do you bring aid to people in need when there are factions in the country threatening attack on those trying to help?

There's long been a growing gap between the rich and the poor in the United States, but some believe that disparity could actually cause more harm than previously thought. A group of economists, sociologists, and legal scholars are saying there may be a correlation between income inequality and financial crises. One possible link between the two, according to David A. Moss, an economic and policy historian at the Harvard Business School could be the fact that Wall Street titans wield power that, in turn, allows them to promote policies which benefit them, but not necessarily the financial system as a whole.

This weekend, television fans around the world will be tuning into the Primetime Emmy Awards telecast. And if they’re devotees of "Glee," they’ll likely be cheering for Jane Lynch, who plays cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester on Fox’s musical phenomenon. "Glee" is nominated for 19 Emmys — including a best supporting actress nod for Lynch. She's also nominated for a guest spot on "Two and a Half Men."

Needless to say, the economic news around the country is mixed at best. But are we on a slow recovery, or just about to hit the second half of a double dip recession? That and this morning's top headlines.

Federal Reserve chairman, Ben Bernanke speaks today at an annual Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City economic symposium in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. What will Bernanke say about where our economy stands, in light of some recent grim numbers we've received this summer? And do we face a real threat of a "double-dip recession?"

The Emmy Awards are this Sunday night. Jimmy Fallon is hosting, and it’s expected to be a big night for "Glee," which is up for 19 Emmys. Here to preview the Emmys with us and share her predictions is Delaina Dixon, TV blogger and a friend of The Takeaway.

On Monday, the U.S. Open in New York City will pit the world's best tennis players against each other. The Takeaway's sports contributor Ibrahim Abdul-Matin tells us more about the standings: what matchups to look for, and the expected head-to-head of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.

For most people living outside of the Gulf, Hurricane Katrina was a tragedy represented by tens of thousands of nameless faces. People waved frantically from rooftops or crowded into the Superdome, returning home only to find their houses and possessions destroyed. However, for fans of the award-winning graphic novel “A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge,” by Josh Neufeld, there are very specific names and faces attached to Katrina. Those people aren't just characters in a book either – they are real people. Five years after the hurricane, we follow up with two of them to see where their lives – and their city – are today.

NASA Scientists working on the Kepler spacecraft mission say they may have found the first Earth-sized planet, orbiting a Sun-like star just 2,000 light years away. The Kepler was launched in March 2009 to find habitable planets in the universe. Despite the fact that the potential planet isn't "Earth-like," its confirmation could still be a "true revolution" and a big step forward towards the discovery of life in outerspace.

Bedbugs, once thought all but eradicated, have become resurgent all across America. This summer, we've heard stories about these pests spreading all over the country — from the Empire State Building to rural towns. But why does the problem continue to get worse? Recently, a major pest-control company releaseed a top-10 list of the most infested cities in America. However, even with the number of reported infestations continuing to climb, all hope is not lost.

Revised GDP numbers for the second quarter — a key indicator of financial health for the country — have just come out, and they are disappointing for those who hoped the U.S. was improving economically. Growth was cut sharply to 1.6 percent in the second quarter, and though the drop isn't as bad as some economists feared, many are wondering if a double-dip recession is becoming a reality. What do the new numbers mean, and what can we do to improve our situation?