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American Morning

Key Fatah Security Installation Falls to Hamas in Gaza; Iranian-Taliban Connection?; Getting the Best Mortgage Rate

Aired June 14, 2007 - 07:59   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: And welcome back. Thanks so much for being with us. It's Thursday, June 14th.
I'm Kiran Chetry.

JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning to you. And thanks for being with us.

I'm John Roberts.

Also ahead on our radar this morning, a new chapter in America's standoff with Iran. The State Department says there is irrefutable evidence that Iran is supplying weapons not just in Iraq, but to the Taliban in Afghanistan. Could it spark a new diplomatic crisis?

We'll check in with the State Department.

CHETRY: Also a new housing headache to tell you about. Some trouble on Wall Street that could cause problems for anyone who wants to buy or even sell a house.

We're going to talk about that, and also share some important information about how you may get some help with anyone who needs to deal with trying to figure out a mortgage at this point.

ROBERTS: All right.

In Gaza this morning, breaking news. A major escalation of violence in what increasingly looks like a civil war there. A key Fatah security installation fell to Hamas earlier today. And Hamas now appears to be in control of all of Gaza.

Fatah leader and Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas tells The Associated Press that Abbas is being urged to declare a state of emergency and dismantle the government.

CNN's Atika Shubert is live in Jerusalem.

So, Atika, where do things stand right now? Who is in charge there?

ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, at the moment it seems that Hamas has taken over the Gaza Strip. They say clearly that they're in charge.

They've taken over key installations of Fatah. In fact, Hamas TV has been showing pictures of the Hamas flag flying over Fatah security headquarters, ransacking the inside of the buildings. Also marching out Fatah loyalists by gunpoint, taking them out on to the streets and holding them captive. There have also been reports coming in from Associated Press and an eyewitness report that some Fatah loyalists have been executed on the street by Hamas forces.

Now, we have not been able to confirm that. It's a state of chaos inside Gaza trying to confirm this kind of news. But clearly nobody seems to be in charge. There is no law and order.

In the meantime, we're still waiting for this word from Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas. He is expected to make an announcement in the next few hours whether or not the government has been dissolved.

ROBERTS: Well, but dissolving the government, what would that do?

SHUBERT: Well, in terms of in putting in authority, it wouldn't do much for Abbas. Clearly, even if he does have emergency powers, he wouldn't have much authority in Gaza with Hamas in control.

What it might do, however, is completely isolate Hamas in Gaza. It would mean they would be cut off from funding, cut off from any sort of access to the government. And that would isolate them, but it would also put the residents in Gaza under a state of siege without any access to those basic services. So it's a very difficult position that President Abbas is in.

ROBERTS: Wow. A terrible situation there.

Atika Shubert for us from Jerusalem this morning.

Atika, thanks. We'll keep checking back with you.

CHETRY: Another hotspot in the Middle East today we're talking about, and that's Iraq. And a wave of revenge attacks sweeping the country now.

At least six Sunni mosques have been blown up. This in retaliation for the attack on a Shiite mosque in Samarra yesterday.

Thousands of Iraqi and American soldiers are on the streets trying to enforce these curfews. This is what's left of the mosque, the Golden Mosque. Yesterday's bombing was the second attack on this important Shiite shrine. An attack on it last year ignited fierce sectarian violence that still continues today.

(NEWSBREAK)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHETRY: Baseball steroids scandal topping your "Quick Hits" now.

New York Yankees slugger Jason Giambi could be suspended as early as next week unless he cooperates with the steroid investigation. "USA Today" is reporting that baseball commissioner Bud Selig wants a decision from Giambi by Tuesday. In a recent interview, Giambi all but admitted using steroids.

And former Washington mayor Marion Barry acquitted of drunk driving and other traffic offenses. Barry, now a D.C. council member, was arrested last year near the White House. He was charged with driving under the influence, operating an unregistered vehicle, and misuse of tags. But as we said, acquitted.

And a carjacking caught on tape. It happened in Pittsburgh. Here's the video.

Two men pulled a driver out of his SUV at knifepoint and then eventually led police on a chase. There you see that's how it ended, the suspect slamming the car into a pillar. Both of them had to go to the hospital.

Nine minutes after the top of the hour right now, and Reynolds Wolf is keeping a track on the weather pictures for us.

(WEATHER REPORT)

ROBERTS: Twelve minutes after the hour.

A top U.S. State Department official says there is "irrefutable evidence" that the Iranian government is providing arms to Taliban rebels, but today Afghanistan's defense minister dismissed that claim.

So, is there an Iranian-Taliban connection?

State Department Correspondent Zain Verjee is standing by in Washington with the latest.

And can we answer that question definitively? Is there yet another sort of tension between the United States and Iran?

ZAIN VERJEE, CNN STATE DEPT. CORRESPONDENT: Well, yes. Right, it is.

I mean, the U.S. has accused Iran of backing militants in Iraq that target U.S. forces. It's also been locking horns with Iran over its nuclear program. And now the U.S. is accusing Iran of arming the Taliban in Afghanistan, saying that a shipment of arms was intercepted in Afghanistan that the U.S. says came from Iran.

Now, here's what U.S. Undersecretary of State Nick Burns had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NICHOLAS BURNS, UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE: General Pete Pace, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs, said about six weeks ago that the Iranians had been transferring arms to the Taliban inside Afghanistan. Some of those arms shipments have been intercepted by NATO forces.

It's quite surprising, because as you remember, the Iranians had been -- had said they were the mortal enemies of the Taliban in 2001 and '02. But there's irrefutable evidence the Iranians are now doing this.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VERJEE: Now, the State Department walked back some after this statement, saying really that it couldn't provide a chain of evidence that links these arms to a specific, approved Iranian government program. But also added that given Iran's past behavior, the U.S. says it's hard to believe that they're not at least aware. Afghan officials we spoke to also tell CNN that the Iranian government would at least know about the weapons shipments -- John.

ROBERTS: But, you know, what are the options here, Zain? I mean, even if it is the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps operating somewhat independently of the government, is there anything that really the U.S. could do?

VERJEE: Well, I mean, there are different options. The State Department has been pursuing really the diplomatic track, trying to engage Iran, saying really that, you know, it will talk to Iran about anything that Iran wants as long as it suspends uranium enrichment. The U.S. has also been saying that if Iran doesn't act, it's going to face other sanctions as well.

The U.S. has also been targeting Iranian banks and companies that they really want to ban U.S. companies from doing business with them. And also things like freezing assets under U.S. jurisdiction.

Those are things that can really hurt Iran. I mean, things, too, like getting China to stop doing business with Iran. That would hurt as well.

But the thing is, John, that there's a lot of tension within the administration itself. Secretary Rice has been pushing diplomacy and talking directly to Iran about Iraq, and then you have Vice President Cheney, who appears to want to get tougher with Iran.

The military option, too, is something that the U.S. always says is on the table. One analyst that we spoke to says the important thing is to try and get the delicate balance of carrots and sticks right. And that may work. And maybe even a strategy of just waiting for Ahmadinejad to go -- John.

ROBERTS: Right. And then you have Joe Lieberman, who is saying attack Iran, they deserve it.

State Department Correspondent Zain Verjee.

Thanks.

(NEWSBREAK)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(NEWSBREAK) CHETRY: Well, mortgage rates are at their highest in 11 months. That's according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. The average 30- year fixed mortgage is 6.61 percent as of last week.

CNN's personal finance editor, Gerri Willis, joins us now with some advice.

The mortgage rates are creeping up and...

GERRI WILLIS, CNN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: I'm telling you, lots of pain for people out there who are getting mortgages. Remember the near-term low a couple years ago, 5 percent? Now it's 6.61. Big difference.

CHETRY: And there are people that got the adjustable rate back then. So, I mean, is now the time to think about locking in?

WILLIS: Well, you know, let's talk about how you get the best rate right now.

The first thing to do is to understand what rate is available to you. The big mistake people make is they look at the numbers in the paper and they think, well, I'll get 6.61. You may not. It depends on your credit score.

Go to myfico.com, and you can get your credit score there for $15.95. You see the Web site right here. Then take that number, and there is a little calculator. You see it right there on the Web site. And it will tell you the average rate of interest you'll be offered by lenders in your state.

So that at least gives you a benchmark so you can say, OK, well, most people are going to offer me that. Let's see if I can get under that. Let's see if I can get a better rate of interest.

CHETRY: So you may even be able to get under. Some people, though, it's going to be higher because of that all important credit score.

WILLIS: Some lenders are more aggressive than others.

CHETRY: Now, do you need a mortgage broker? Is this something you should be thinking about?

WILLIS: Well, everybody now thinks you've got to have a mortgage broker, you can't even get a loan. That's not true. You can shop around and talk to all kinds of lenders on your own.

I think best case scenario, you do both. You get a mortgage broker, but you also do some of your own research.

A great place to go, credit unions often have great rates of interest. And Kiran, I just want to tell you, people out there think that the more you go out there and solicit credit, the more you go out and ask for a loan, the more your credit score is going to go down. That's not necessarily true when you're looking for a mortgage loan, particularly if you do it in just a 30-day window.

So, don't be shy. Shop around. Ask for a number of quotes.

CHETRY: All right.

Some other tips that you should be looking out for as you go to apply for a mortgage?

WILLIS: Fees, fees, fees. Let me tell you, there are a lot of fees out there that people want to charge you when you're getting a mortgage loan.

You really want to pay attention to junk fees. These are fees that you negotiate to get rid of. You see them right here, like the documentation fee, origination fee, underwriting fee.

CHETRY: I feel like we paid all of those.

WILLIS: You didn't have to.

CHETRY: I didn't know they were junk fees.

WILLIS: You know, everybody thinks that when they sit down at the table to sign all of those loan documents, that they cannot negotiate a thing. It's not true.

They do not want you to get up and walk away. That's the last thing they want to see happen. You can definitely get them to think twice about charging some of these fees.

CHETRY: All right. And quickly, before we go, should you lock in right now if you have these adjustable rate mortgages?

WILLIS: If you've got an adjustable rate mortgage, you want to think about getting a fixed rate. I think definitely.

See what you're on the hook for, though. It depends on what your loan is and how long you're locked for.

So check out your loan documents. Make sure you understand what you're on the hook for. And then consider locking in a rate.

I've got to tell you, though, mortgage bankers are saying that rates won't go up for much from here. They could go to 6.75 by the end of the year. They're not seeing a big bump up. So think about that before you make a change.

CHETRY: All right. That's something to keep in mind as well.

Gerri Willis, thank you.

WILLIS: Thank you.

ROBERTS: Great to see you, Gerri.

Twenty-two minutes after the hour now. And let me just warn you that Mr. "I Run in Fast Circles" is going to dropping some big names as he takes on the airline industry and this business.

Hey, good morning to you, Ali Velshi.

ALI VELSHI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.

You know, we track traffic and fares and things like that, but if you're Boeing or Airbus, you actually have to think a little bit ahead. So Boeing has come up with its prediction for the next 20 years.

It says that 28,600 planes are going to be built and delivered in the next 20 years. The forecast is up from last year. And the big driver -- we knew last year that China would be a big driver. Now Russia has added to that mix. Aeroflot ordered a lot of planes in the last week.

Boeing says that by 2026 -- 19 years from now -- there will be 36,400 passenger and cargo planes in air. That is double the number that we have today.

That's a 737, which, by the way, is the most popular plane out there. That's the one that you'll see the most growth in. That and the A-320 from Airbus. On the big end, of course, you'll see fewer of them, but you'll see the 747s continue to be built, the jumbo jets, and the A-380s, which we're expecting the first one to be delivered in October.

Now...

ROBERTS: I bet you m et some famous people last night.

VELSHI: Well, speaking of the airline business, I was at an event last night and I was speaking to Sir Richard Branson. It's the annual awards for the Global Business Coalition Against HIV-AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

This is actually a very interesting coalition. It's 200 of the biggest companies in the world that get together to fight these diseases around the world.

So he's always worth a conversation. And I asked him whether doing these things that he does and this coalition does is really -- is it just for the image, or is it really good for his bottom line? And here's what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SIR RICHARD BRANSON, CHAIRMAN, VIRGIN GROUP: It costs next to nothing to get -- you know, give people antiretroviral drugs and keep them alive, you know, until they're 70, 80, 90 years old and they die from something completely different. So it makes good business sense and it's morally right.

WILLIAM JEFFERSON CLINTON, FMR. PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: If the people who can organize, invest and lift the world decide that what we have in common is more important than our interesting differences, the world will be just fine.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELSHI: And the thing about this organization -- by the way, I looked like I needed a haircut there. But the thing about this organization that's interesting, is a lot of people say that companies do these or environmental things because it's good for their image. Really, the response is that it might be, and if it is, fine, as long as they're actually making a difference.

ROBERTS: I think you actually do need a haircut.

VELSHI: Yes, I definitely...

ROBERTS: And maybe a bit of a shave as well.

VELSHI: I'm out of here...

(CROSSTALK)

ROBERTS: It's being called a silver bullet in the battle against the bulge. But top doctors in this country don't like a new diet pill and say it has some dangerous side-effects.

We'll tell you about it next on AMERICAN MORNING.

The most news in the morning is on CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROBERTS: Our thanks to affiliate WFAA in Dallas this morning for a sunrise shot over the twin cities, Dallas and Fort Worth this morning. It looks like it's going to be a nice day down there in Dallas. A hot one, though.

Oh boy.

CHETRY: You can see the...

ROBERTS: Deep in the heart of Texas.

CHETRY: I can feel the sun baking already, and we're not even there.

ROBERTS: Good morning to you. It's Thursday, June the 14th.

Thanks for joining us. I'm John Roberts.

CHETRY: And I'm Kiran Chetry.

Some stories "On Our Radar" this morning.

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, the latest poll showing her with a healthy lead over some of the other Democrats, thanks in part to women who were polled who say they think they are going to support her. Can she hold on to that lead? Is she presidential material? We're going to get one man's perspective. Actually, the author -- the co-author of this new book out on Hillary Clinton.

Don Van Natta Jr. just wrote "Her Way," and he's going to talk to us, give us some of his insights on the woman who may become president.

ROBERTS: And Don, of course you'll remember, broke the story on the warrantless wiretapping as well for "The New York Times". So a lot of credibility going in to that book.

A night out with Brad and Angelina. Her movie "A Mighty Heart" premiered last night in New York.

Our Lola Ogunnaike was there. She'll take us behind the scenes.

And wait until you hear about the price of that little black dress that Angelina is wearing. For a small amount of material, it carries a big price tag.

An update now on a story that we've been following all morning.

Mission control in Moscow and the Russian computer aboard the International Space Station apparently now are talking to each other. They're trying to figure out what's wrong with the malfunctioning computer on the station that controls its positioning, oxygen and food supply.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HOLLY RIDINGS, ISS FLIGHT DIRECTOR: Certainly in Moscow they've been working overnight with their team in order to come up with a troubleshooting plan. And just on this last Russian ground site pass, they were able to re-establish communication with the central computer.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTS: The Shuttle Atlantis is docked with the station and has to fire its thrusters to keep the space station in the correct position. They're hoping they'll be able to fix it before the day is out.

An FDA advisory committee has shot down a diet drug that was recently hailed as a miracle weight loss pill. Studies found that it has some serious side effects.

Medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen joins us now from Atlanta.

Elizabeth, this is a blow to people who were eagerly awaiting this drug, because it seemed to work where many other drugs didn't.

It's called Zamolti (ph), is it not?

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right, that was the name that it was going to be sold as in the United States. Anyone waiting for that drug to be the cure to their weight loss woes, well, huge disappointment. John, what FDA advisers basically said is this pill isn't safe enough to go on the market.

The problem? Psychiatric problems. People who took this pill were twice as likely to have problems like anxiety, depression. Some people took this pill and started thinking about killing themselves. These FDA advisers said, no way, don't put it on the market.

ROBERTS: Now this pill targets certain receptors. What's the exact mechanism that it works by?

COHEN: Right. It targets receptors in the brain and makes you sort of lose your appetite. It worked. People lost some weight. It's interesting, though, they didn't lose tons of weight. They lost about an extra 10 pounds when taking this over the course of the year. So someone would start out at 220 pounds approximately, and over the course of a year would lose an extra 10 pounds because of this pill.

Now, John, most of us trying to lose weight don't weigh 220 pounds. Usually people weigh even less. And so those people would lose even less weight. So losing an extra 10 pounds or less and having the risk of developing psychiatric problems, that's a bit problematic according to the folks at the FDA.

ROBERTS: Now at the same time, Elizabeth, there's another diet pill on the horizon. This one, though, unlike Zamolti, would not be prescription; it would be over the counter. Tell us about that one.

COHEN: Right, this one would be over the counter. And another difference from Zamolti is it wouldn't act on your brain, it would act on your stomach. So it would cause some weight loss, not the kind of weight loss that people saw in Zamolti. So we're talking about some pretty modest weight loss changes. And has this sort of what some describe as a rather nasty side effect. It can cause loose stools. There are stories of people soiling themselves when they go on this diet pill.

So some doctors I've talked to said, you really want to have to lose weight to take that risk. And the doctors I talked to says the weight loss isn't that terrific anyway.

ROBERTS: OK, Elizabeth, thanks for that.

COHEN: You're welcome. Got to tell it like it is.

ROBERTS: Good morning talk. Thank you -- Kiran.

CHETRY: Thanks, John.

Well, what kind of president would Hillary Clinton be? A look at her Senate record and political past might be the best way to judge, and that's what Jeff Gerth and Don Van Natta Jr. have done in a book that's out, "Her Way: The Hopes and Ambitions of Hillary Rodham Clinton."

Don Van Natta is here with me now to talk more about Hillary. Thanks for being with us.

DON VAN NATTA JR., "THE NEW YORK TIMES": Thanks for having me.

CHETRY: It was interesting because I read much of the book yesterday on the plane, and it struck me how positive Hillary is portrayed in your book. I mean, you tell the story from her childhood on up, and yet her campaign would not allow her to be interviewed. She refused interviews and many close to her did as well. Why?

VAN NATTA: She's hypersensitive. She really didn't want us to do this book. We heard when we began our reporting that she had angst about the book, and she really went out of her way to put road blocks in our way to do the book, and it's too bad, because I think it's a fair book, it's down the middle, it's a rigorously reported book. And unlike any other book, we go into a lot of detail about her Senate record, which is the record she's running no to become the next president.

CHETRY: And what did you find there?

VAN NATTA: We found two Hillaries actually. One Hillary is diligent, hard working, intelligent. The other Hillary is somebody who doesn't take well to criticism, is afraid to admit a mistake.

On her Iraq war vote, for instance. We go into a great bit of detail about the Iraq war vote and show she voted for it. As the war went south, she has retreated from it and played fast and loose with the facts in her own legislative record.

CHETRY: Let's take a look at a couple of the poll numbers in our latest CNN poll, showing that while Clinton is leading in the polls among the Democratic contender, she seems to consistently have a problem that crops up, which is the likability. And on this New Hampshire primary voter poll, Barack Obama getting 40 percent for likability. Edwards, who's run behind in many of these polls, 20 percent. And Hillary Clinton just at 14 percent likability. Why?

VAN NATTA: That's a terrific question. I think that people feel she doesn't really connect well. You know, she got off on the wrong foot with the American people in 1992 when she was defending Bill Clinton on the Gennifer Flowers allegations. She was kind of abrasive and seemed brittle. And she's had to really work hard to connect with people. She has this song contest now that she's doing, and she's really just trying to lighten up and connect. And it's a big issue for her campaign.

CHETRY: The other interesting thing, though, is she is doing extremely well among women, especially among low-income women, a two- one advantage over Barack Obama when asked who they were going to vote for.

VAN NATTA: Yes, and they're counting on the women's vote. It is really the thing that they're hoping will catapult her to the presidency.

CHETRY: And speaking of the presidency, after countless interviews and all the research you two did, can Hillary Clinton take the White House?

VAN NATTA: I think she has a terrific chance. If she's the Democratic presidential nominee, she really has a great chance to make history.

CHETRY: Don Van Natta Jr., a very interesting book, "Her Way: The Hopes and Ambitions of Hillary Rodham Clinton." Thanks.

VAN NATTA: Thank you very much.

ROBERTS: "ANDERSON COOPER 360" airs weeknights at 10:00 Eastern.

John King is in for Anderson tonight. He's got a look at what's going on tonight -- John.

JOHN KING, CNN ANCHOR: John, tonight a peaceful town, the seemingly perfect family. Now three of them are dead, savagely murdered in a town where they don't even lock the doors at night. The question now, why, and did they have a deadly secret? "360" tonight, 10:00 Eastern -- John.

ROBERTS: John, thanks very much.

(NEWSBREAK)

ROBERTS: And life after the frontlines. There's a new plan to help veterans after they hang up their combat boots. We'll tell you about it next on AMERICAN MORNING.

The most news in the morning is on CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROBERTS: Coming up to 40 minutes after the hour. Some breaking news to report to you today. These are pictures from Gaza City, when Hamas fighters took over a Palestinian security installation. It was the headquarters of the Fatah security services.

But we have since learned that now Hamas fighters have taken over the southern town of Rafah. This is right at the very bottom of the Gaza, strip where it butts up against the Sinai peninsula. Apparently this is the latest conquest by Hamas and its near takeover of all of Gaza. That would leave them literally in control of everything.

Mahmoud Abbas is said to be preparing a significant statement. It may be that he's about to dissolve the coalition government between Fatah and Hamas. And to try to take complete control, but it's not known what there would be left to take control over because Hamas fighters heavily armed appear to be now in control of most of Gaza. Their latest conquest, again, Rafah, right down at the southern tip of Gaza right where it, abuts the Egyptian border.

(WEATHER REPORT)

ROBERTS: How do veterans returning from the war in Iraq get their lives back to normal? A new Web site is aiming to help them do just that, including finding a job. Jacki Schechner joins me now to tell us more about it.

You know, Jacki, I ran into this all the time, talking to military people in Iraq who are coming to the United States and would be leaving the military. I say, what do you plan to do? I don't know. I guess I'll have to try to find a job, but sometimes it's difficult.

JACKI SCHECHNER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There's a Web site now that they've put online called turbotap.org. And TAP stand It stands for transition assistance program. And it's a one-stop shop really, a hub to tell you what you can do when you get back. You can set up your own personalized transition plan, if you can see that there, and then follow it through. It's really your spot to go online. It's information about how to find a job, organizations looking to hire veterans.

ROBERTS: So they're in contact with employers.

SCHECHNER: Yes.

ROBERTS: A distribution point.

SCHECHNER: Yes, certain networks that basically have a preferential treatment for veterans or who are specifically looking to help veterans. What I like is it tells you how to translate your military skills into real world skills. You may not think linearly about how what you've learned in the field might translate into the real world. So this is a really good opportunity. Also tells you about the stress coming back, how to deal with that. What kind of benefits are available for you, not only the traditional V.A. benefits, but also benefits in terms of getting ready for a world in civilian life.

ROBERTS: Any idea how successful this has been so far?

SCHECHNER: Just launched. Just launched. So up and running now. But what's interesting to note, I wanted to point out in searching around this morning, it's turbotap.org. If you go to turbotap.com, it's actually a beer tap distribution company. And Turbotax is your online tax resource. So make sure you go to turbotap.org.

ROBERTS: You can go to turbotap.org to get the job, then you can go to turbotap.com to get the beers to celebrate it, and then you can go to turbotax.com to pay the taxes from the job.

SCHECHNER: Just be careful you go to dot-org and not...

(CROSSTALK)

ROBERTS: ... falls in together.

SCHECHNER: It's a quick little address change, and you never know what you're going to find.

ROBERTS: Jacki, thanks. CHETRY: You're right. I just went on the wrong one. It says, "One perfect pint? Two seconds."

Thanks, Jacki, for that advice.

"CNN NEWSROOM" is just minutes away. Heidi Collins is at the CNN Center with a look at what's ahead.

Good morning, Heidi.

HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR; Good morning, Kiran.

That's right. These are the stories we're working on for our rundown this morning. Revenge attacks -- a wave of ethnic violence unleashed across Iraq after a Shiite mosque is bombed.

And little girl missing on vacation -- now could a map lead to her burial site? Investigators follow an anonymous tip.

And hospital outrage -- calls come into 9/11 from an emergency room. Witnesses say a woman dies untreated. We'll tell you about that.

Join Tony Harris and me in the NEWSROOM. We get started right at the top of the hour.

(NEWSBREAK)

CHETRY: The highs and lows of celebrity life. Lola Ogunnaike taking us behind the scenes at Angelina's big movie premiere last night in New York.

And Isaiah Washington finally speaking out after he got the boot from "Grey's Anatomy." That's next on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(NEWSBREAK)

CHETRY: Meanwhile, former "Grey's Anatomy" star Isaiah Washington is speaking out about losing his job on the hit show. He fought hard to keep his role as Dr. Preston Burke on the hit ABC drama, but apparently, I'm sorry, rehab, a public service announcement, not enough for producers to keep him on after he used the homophobic slur against his co-star.

AMERICAN MORNING's Lola Ogunnaike joins us now more with that, and also the backstage pass to Angelina Jolie's premiere of "A Mighty Heart."

But first things first, Isaiah Washington, boy, he's taken a lot of heat, and he became the butt of jokes for entering rehab for using a derogatory comment against his co-star.

LOLA OGUNNAIKE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Isaiah Washington, who played Dr. Preston Park, did everything -- sorry, Dr. Preston Burke, did everything to try and keep his job. It did not work out. Here is what he told "Entertainment Weekly": "I am saddened by the outcome. I did everything that the producers and the network asked me to do. it was just not enough."

As you said before, he did the PSA announcements, with GLAAD, which is a gay rights group. He went into rehab. It just wasn't enough.

CHETRY: There was some buzz that he was very difficult to work with on the set as well. I mean, did that contribute to it?

OGUNNAIKE: There were rumors that he was difficult to work with. Obviously people are questioning why his co-workers have not come out to his defense. He hasn't spoken to any of them, with the exception of Kate Walsh and Chandra Wilson. So people are wondering what really was going on on the set. It seems like there wasn't a lot of camaraderie. But Chandra Rimes was apparently very saddened by the fact that he had to go, called him last week and had an emotional interview. She's the one who broke the news to him that he was indeed leaving.

CHETRY: OK, and she's the show's creator.

OGUNNAIKE: She's the show's creator, Shonda Rhimes, exactly.

CHETRY: OK. The other question is, I mean, are they writing his character out? Is he going to be gone?

OGUNNAIKE: His character has been written out already. There was a cliffhanger last season. He is not returning. So yes, he is gone.

CHETRY: They were possibly preparing for the worst even last season.

OGUNNAIKE: Seems like they were ready to make a contingency plan, and they executed it. So he will not be back.

CHETRY: Let's talk about the premiere -- Let's get to the "Mighty Heart," "It Was a Mighty Heart," the movie that Angelina Jolie is starring in, and the red carpet buzz when Brad and Angelina are there was unbelievable, right?

OGUNNAIKE: It's amazing. Those two are the biggest stars right now in Hollywood. And when they come together, it's just this massive explosion of energy. You've got the paparazzi. You've got the chaos, the fans. Everyone's screaming.

CHETRY: And they're very nice on the red carpet. They actually stop and make their way around, signing with the Sharpies the whole way.

OGUNNAIKE: Very gracious, very sweet, very attractive. Very interesting, though, Angelina, you're thinking she's going to would have on this big glamorous dress. She's wearing a $26 vintage dress from a store in L.A. CHETRY: It was so Angelina.

OGUNNAIKE: So Angelina. Expensive shoes, Christian Vuitton (ph), but cheap dress, cheap chic, work it out. She got inside, though, and the mood inside was very, very somber. The film is about Daniel Pearl, a "Wall Street Journal" reporter who was killed in 2002 while reporting in Pakistan. So we're talking about fashion on the red carpet; inside we're talking about real serious world issues.

And the energy inside, it was very sad. People were still visibly upset by this. I was inside. There were tears, lots of emotion. And yes, it's a very important film. It's coming out June 22nd. We'll talk about it a lot next week.

CHETRY: You'll have the review for us next Friday.

OGUNNAIKE: Absolutely.

CHETRY: Lola, thank you.

OGUNNAIKE: Thank you.

CHETRY: Here's a quick look at what "CNN NEWSROOM" is working on for the top of the hour.

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: See these stories in the "CNN NEWSROOM": Go directly to jail? Scooter Libby hearing this morning.

Hospital outrage -- 911 calls about a dying woman from the emergency room.

Trouble at the space station -- will a computer shutdown lead to abandoning ship?

And Bessie's belly flop -- cow goes in pool.

You're in the NEWSROOM, just minutes away.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROBERTS: Today is World Blood Donor Day. And several global health organizations are encouraging all people to donate blood. But today's CNN Hero doesn't need a special day for this. He's been quietly donating blood twice a month for 33 years.

Meet CNN Hero Wilbur Armstrong.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WILBUR ARMSTRONG: My name is Wilbur Armstrong. I've been donating blood for 33 years.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A very good donator. He never flinches and he never complains.

ARMSTRONG: So many people are afraid of needles, but it doesn't hurt at all.

Every other Thursday, I go to donate blood.

When I became legally blind, I couldn't drive anymore.

Hi there.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey. How are you?

ARMSTRONG: Good.

I can travel around in public by myself. I take three buses, roughly an hour and a half each way.

HARVEY SCHAFFLER, DIR. OF MARKETING & DONOR RECRUITMENT: Wilbur's exceptional. Today he makes his 216th platelet donation. Patients with cancer undergoing chemotherapy require platelet treatment. So it's really urgent that people donate.

ARMSTRONG: They told me I had a high platelet count, and I was what they call a splitter. A splitter is a double donation. Whole blood takes about 10 minutes. The split for platelets can take you an hour and a half, but you'd be helping out two people instead of one.

RICHARD PRENDERGRAST, RECRUITER: For all the platelets he's donated, you're bound to run into people that have his platelets running through his blood and they're alive because of him.

ARMSTRONG: I don't know who these people are that I'm helping, but if I'm helping to keep them alive, makes me feel good.

I lost three kids in my neighborhood to cancer. That shakes you up. These kids, they're just beginning to live and they're gone already. So I said if I can prevent somebody else from dying like that let me do it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTS: And there is a lot more about Wilbur Armstrong and his remarkable giving on our Web site where you can also nominate your hero for special recognition later this year. All the details are at CNN.com/heroes.

A break now. We're back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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