Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Ousted Honduran President Turns To OAS, Deadly Protests At Honduran Airport; Obama Meets with Russians

Aired July 06, 2009 - 09:00   ET

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

HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Now - in Moscow this morning, meeting with his Russian counterparts, we'll have a live report for you coming up in just a few seconds on that.

And also Honduras, the exiled leader of this country buzzed away by a military jet. So what is his next step going to be? We've got a story on that, as well.

And then also, of course, Michael Jackson's memorial, it's coming up. Thousands of lucky fans heading out today to pick up their tickets. It is Monday, July 6th. Hi, everybody, I'm Heidi Collins, and you are in the CNN NEWSROOM.

President Obama is beginning a week long overseas trip in Moscow today. And the first U.S.-Russian summit in seven years is already showing progress on arms control. Our Suzanne Malveaux is joining us now live from Moscow with the very latest. Suzanne, good morning to you there.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Heidi.

We're already seeing some signs of progress. We're seeing some fresh pictures, as well, of these two leaders meeting face to face. This is their second meeting and both of them saying that they are optimistic. President Obama saying he appreciates the hospitality, Medvedev saying that even the weather favors us. It may be chilly outside, but warm inside.

And U.S. officials, as well as Russian officials, tell us even ahead of this U.S.-Russian submit that both these leaders will come out, announce an agreement of reducing their nuclear arms on both sides.

This is really just a first step in trying to replace an arms treaty that will expire in December. But it is considered an important first step in what they say is pressing that reset button.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX (voice-over): President Obama seeking a new tone in the complicated U.S.-Russia relationship. A second meeting with President Dmitry Medvedev, but most important, his first face to face encounter with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The old cold war approaches to U.S.-Russian relations is outdated, that it's time to move forward in a different direction. I think Medvedev understands that. I think Putin has one foot in the old ways of doing business and one foot in the new.

MALVEAUX: Still a key question, is Putin really in charge? Even though Medvedev is most visible on the world stage?

ANDREW KUCHINS, CSIS, RUSSIA AND EURASIA PROGRAM: You can have the photo opportunities between Mr. Obama and Mr. Medvedev, but for some of the really tough issues, for the things that we are more -- that we're deeply concerned about Russian behavior and that are very, very high priorities for our interests, got to find a way for Mr. Obama to convey that to Mr. Putin.

MALVEAUX: On the table, diffusing tension over a U.S. missile defense shield in Europe, pursuing a new nuclear arms reduction treaty, and helping with the war in Afghanistan.

President Obama sees Russian cooperation in keeping Iran's nuclear ambitions in check. But can he get them to agree to possible economic sanctions? A positive sign, Russia voting with the U.S. for tough sanctions against North Korea after its recent nuclear tests. Mr. Obama telling European allies...

OBAMA: I've reaffirmed our commitment to a more substantive relationship with Russia, working with the Russian government on issues where we agree and honestly confronting those areas where we disagree.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX: Heidi, there are also some positive signs already of goodwill. A new agreement for the U.S. to allow to use Russian air space to help supply the U.S. military mission in Afghanistan.

Also, as we had mentioned before, both of these leaders will come out and talk about reducing their nuclear arms, their nuclear weapons. This is something that will take place in the press conference, but the big question as we know, Heidi, tomorrow, that is the first time when President Obama will sit down with Vladimir Putin. We'll see how that goes.

COLLINS: Yes, it's really interesting, all of the politics behind the politics, if you will, as far as who he will really be dealing with if there are any decisions to be made. So we will be watching very closely.

Suzanne Malveaux coming to us this morning live from Moscow. Suzanne, thanks, for that.

In fact, we are going to be hearing from President Obama and Russian President Medvedev at a joint news conference from the Kremlin. That's going to be happening in the next hour. We, of course, will bring it to you live, we believe, around 10:30 or so. Just as soon as it happens.

So now a few facts about Dmitry Medvedev. He was elected Russia's third president on March 2nd, 2008. In November 2005, he was tapped by then President Vladimir Putin to be deputy prime minister. The two had worked together in St. Petersburg city government in the early 1990s.

Medvedev became chairman of the board of the state-controlled gas monopoly Gazprom in 2000. Medvedev is an attorney by trade. He is married and has one son.

And now for the latest from Honduras, where a plane carrying the deposed president was refused permission to land. The plane landed in El Salvador instead while back at the Honduras airport violence broke out.

CNN's Karl Penhaul was there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Gun shots ring out. Honduran soldiers fire, the supporters of ousted leftist president, Manuel Zelaya, tried to bust through the airport perimeter. Protesters lobbed rocks, the military responds with bullets and tear gas.

It's unclear if they're firing into the air or directly at civilians. A dying man is carried through the crowd. Video clearly shows him bleeding from a head wound. The Red Cross confirms an initial death toll.

"We have one person dead, a man in his 20s from a gun shot in the head and eight people wounded," he says.

Amid the violent clashes, protesters report more may have died. This man soaked in blood says a child died in his arms.

"I ran over and laid beside the boy to try and help him because I didn't want him to die, but he died," he tells me.

Word comes that Mr. Zelaya's arrival was imminent. He was sent into exile after the military coup a week ago and he's trying to reclaim his presidency.

(On camera): We just had word that Mr. Zelaya's plane is already in the air and now dozens of soldiers are heading towards the airstrip to try and prevent the plane from landing or arrest him if it does.

(Voice-over): A white executive jet carrying Mr. Zelaya buzzes the airport. The runways heavily guarded. A military fighter plane has scrambled to force Mr. Zelaya's jet out of the air space.

Thousands of Zelaya's working class supporters turned out Sunday, vowing to risk their own lives to protect their president.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Rally to fight. Rally to die!

PENHAUL: The interim government put in place by the military coup threatened to arrest Zelaya and put him on trial for corruption and treason. Riot police attempted to block the highway to the airport, but later backed off.

"They're Hondurans like us, we don't want to fight our own people," he says.

There's no way on to the runway for Zelaya supporters, the airport is closed off. Zelaya headed off to neighboring El Salvador.

"We're calling on the people of Honduras to stage a peaceful insurrection, we will not give up, we want Manuel Zelaya back," he says.

The struggle to restore Zelaya to power seems far from over, the revolt against the coup has now turned bloody.

Karl Penhaul, CNN, Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: I want to get this news out to you now. Former Defense Secretary Robert McNamara has died. You may remember him, of course, as a key architect of the U.S. war in Vietnam under two presidents, John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson, as well. He died at the age of 93 years old. This is according to his family.

Once again, former U.S. Defense Secretary Robert McNamara under John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson has died at the age of 93. He was certainly a member of Kennedy's inner circle during the Cuban missile crisis, as well, back in 1962. So I just wanted to get this news out to you as we get it here and confirm it at CNN.

From Iran this morning, word that a British embassy staffer has been released. So that leaves one other staffer still in jail. A top Iranian cleric said Friday he could be tried for inciting post election unrest.

Meanwhile, other leading clerics have now come out against the results of a disputed election there. And the former Iranian president Ali Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani has also expressed doubts about the official result. Rafsanjani heads the group responsible for appointing or removing the supreme leader, that's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Khamenei backs the incumbent president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

A big move in the business world to tell you about, too. A bankruptcy judge has now approved the sale of General Motors' assets to a new GM.

CNN's Christine Romans is joining us now from New York to explain what all of this means for taxpayers and then, of course, the GM customers.

Hi there, Christine.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there. Well, first of all, let's talk about what the judge said. The judge said there's simply no other choice. He said he had to approve the sale of these good assets to the new GM, otherwise it'd be facing liquidation and that would hurt everybody. He said the only alternative to an immediate sale is liquidation, "a disastrous result for GM's creditors, its employees, its suppliers who depend on GM for their own existence and the communities in which GM operates." So what's happening here? Well, taxpayers will get 60 percent stake in the company. This new GM would have four benchmark brands, Chevy, Cadillac, Buick, and GMC, everything else is going to stay in bankruptcy, is going to be sold, liquidated, could take a couple of years to get rid of all that stuff.

It will mean for retirees, future retirees will have lower benefits. Those very rich benefits of the past would be gone and this is moving ever closer, a victory really for the Obama administration, the Obama Treasury Department, because this is moving even more quickly than they had promised. This judge approving the sale and now this is essentially...

COLLINS: Yes.

ROMANS: ... imminent barring any appeals, Heidi.

COLLINS: Yes, it sounds like it. That's for sure. What about your "Romans' Numeral" for today? Anything to do with this?

ROMANS: It sure is. 335,000, a finer point on what's happening here. We're talking about a future and a new beginning for the American auto industry. It's very important to look at what has happened since this recession began. 335,000 auto jobs lost since the recession began. So GM faces an important proving ground here.

It has to compete, it will be much smaller, there are a lot of autoworkers who will be left behind who will not be part of this new American industry. It will be a test of the Treasury Department, the Obama administration for how well they've crafted this turn around.

COLLINS: Yes.

ROMANS: And just how well it's in compete. So now the hard work begins, Heidi.

COLLINS: Yes. That's for sure. All right. Christine Romans, thank you.

ROMANS: You're welcome.

COLLINS: The FBI now dismissing talk of a corruption investigation into Alaska governor Sarah Palin. A spokesman says that was nothing but a rumor bouncing around the Internet. But Palin's surprise resignation still has a lot of people talking.

Sean Callebs is live for us now in Anchorage, Alaska.

So Sean, what has Governor Palin been up to since she made this announcement? I'm sure there are a lot of people trying to follow her around.

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, exactly, and there are a lot of people in Alaska that want to know exactly what's going on. People here say they are like the folks in the lower 48, kind of on the outside looking in, waiting to see exactly what's behind all this. The governor has kept it very low profile. She made a couple of stops in a small village yesterday, and right now she's fishing with her family in Bristol Bay, the western part of the state.

We have one picture from her on July 4th. She was in Juneau, of course, the capital, taking part in a parade there. But what is going to do? What is behind all this? Well, a lot of people are wondering, is she going on a speaking circle? Is she going to get a TV show? What will she be doing?

Well, for her part, the governor has been communicating with the public via Twitter, via Facebook. Listen to this Facebook quote. She said, "How sad that Washington and the media will never understand it's about country and though it's honorable for countless others to leave their positions for a higher calling and without finishing a term, of course, we know by now for some reason a different standard applies for the decisions I make."

Of course she's leaving 18 months early. And you talked a bit, Heidi, about the FBI making an unusual statement. And that's what's getting press attention here. FBI says Palin not the subject of an inquiry...

COLLINS: Right.

CALLEBS: ... in the "Anchorage Daily News,' but I also like this. She has to share top billing with a little moose cat there brazing in the meadows. So that's kind of typical about how Alaskan folks are taking it. They believe that she's much bigger news in the lower 48 that she is up here and that political persona just continues to move on.

COLLINS: Yes. Well, it's a fascinating story. And thanks so much, Sean Callebs, for us live out of Anchorage. Also we're going to be talking further about that here with one of the reporters for that newspaper you just saw in Anchorage and also Bill Bennett coming up next hour to talk more about what the political future may or may not be for Sarah Palin.

Meanwhile, millions of fans wanting to say good-bye to the king of pop, but only a select group beat the odds to get that chance.

ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: And severe weather center, we have some storms that are going to becoming across the south again today and our second tropical storm of the Pacific season. We'll highlight that coming up later in the show.

The CNN NEWSROOM will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: Millions of people want to go to the public memorial for Michael Jackson, but only 8,750 fans won tickets to the service, which is tomorrow at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. They can pick up their tickets today.

CNN's Kara Finnstrom is joining us now live from L.A. with more on this.

So Kara, how will this ticket process work?

KARA FINNSTROM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's a little bit complicated, only so that they can try and rule out, you know, any particular folks that might be trying to sell these tickets to make a profit off of them.

COLLINS: Yes.

FINNSTROM: Heidi, you know, we've seen such a tremendous outpouring from fans since Michael Jackson's death a week ago. Just behind me here, you can see, you know, a lot of the balloons and notes and such that were left. Overnight these 8,750 fans became the lucky few that will get to actually go and see this memorial service in person.

And what they'll have to do today is they'll go to Dodger Stadium. They've been given a secret pass code which they'll take with them. They'll turn that in, and in exchange, what they'll get are two wristbands, one that they have to put on immediately, the other that they give to a guest, and then two tickets.

The purpose of the wristband, to make sure that they aren't selling both of those tickets. If the wristbands are damaged or taped in any way, they will not be allowed to go in and see that memorial service.

Heidi, we also understand everything is completely going to be cordoned off around Staples Center. So if you're not a ticketed or if you're not a credential member of the media, you won't be getting in.

COLLINS: All right. Well, obviously, the looks of the people behind you, everybody there hoping that they will be part of that crowd.

Meanwhile, Kara, while we have you, what's the very latest now on the investigation into his death?

FINNSTROM: Well, a new development overnight. The "Los Angeles Times" reporting that Los Angeles Police Department has issued three warrants. At least three warrants for searches. And that this is to try and collect more information about whether drugs, prescription drugs in particular, may have played a role in his death.

It's been really difficult for police to piece together Michael Jackson's medical history because he saw so many different doctors. This will, hopefully, allow them to start piecing all of these different physicians that he saw together and how different prescription drugs that he were taking may have potentially played a role.

COLLINS: Yes. Understood and forgive me, I'm noticing now those are not people behind you, a lot of memorabilia and balloons and so forth. So forgive me, with all the balloons waving, it looked like people behind you there.

Kara Finnstrom reporting on the Michael Jackson story for us this morning out of L.A. Thank you, Kara. FINNSTROM: OK.

COLLINS: Join CNN tomorrow for around the clock coverage of the memorial celebrating the life of the worldwide pop icon, Michael Jackson as family, friends, and fans say good-bye.

"Michael Jackson, The Memorial," CNN all day tomorrow starting on "AMERICAN MORNING" at 6:00 a.m. Eastern.

Alaskans shocked, Republicans confused, who was in the loop for Governor Sarah Palin's decision to resign? We'll ask someone who knows Alaska politics inside and out.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: Even for a political career filled with surprise is the decision to leave office was another shocking moment for Sarah Palin.

Erika Bolstad has covered the governor as a Washington correspondent for the "Anchorage Daily News" and she's joining us now live from Washington.

Hi, Erika, thanks for being with us today.

ERIKA BOLSTAD, DC CORRESPONDENT, ANCHORAGE DAILY NEWS: Thanks for having me.

COLLINS: You bet. Hey, let's start with some sound from Friday during this whole announcement from the governor. Let's listen for just a moment.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. SARAH PALIN (R), ALASKA: A good point guard -- here's what she does. She drives through a full court press, protecting the ball, keeping her head up because she needs to keep her eye on the basket and she knows exactly when to pass the ball so that the team can win. And that is what I'm doing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: So, Erica, were there any rumblings before that announcement on Friday for her to pass the ball and step down?

BOLSTAD: No, not at all. And I don't want to use too many sports analogies.

COLLINS: Yes.

BOLSTAD: But -- but yes, now she -- this really came as quite a surprise to everyone in Alaska and obviously on the national stage. Of course, she had spoken to her lieutenant governor about this, but not until Wednesday night. And so it was really just a very close inner circle, her family and the lieutenant governor who really knew what was about to happen. COLLINS: Yes, wow, it's wild. So it's been eight months since the election, as we all know, Governor Palin has faced some challenges, obviously, in the press and out of the press, quite frankly. According to the editorial page in your paper says she's not getting along with the legislature very well. What do you think is really going on here?

BOLSTAD: Well, there's so many motivations, so many things that could be going on. Obviously if you listen to what she said, she's got some really serious concerns about the ethics investigation. She mentioned the toll that this has taken on her family. But she also talked about her own future and over the weekend on her own Facebook page talked about pursuing a higher calling.

COLLINS: A higher calling? Hmm, well, that obviously has people talking and speculating as to what that might be. But hey, we should be pretty clear about this. The ethics investigation that you're talking about completely different than all of these rumors that are out there.

In fact, the FBI came out and said, and this is pretty unusual for them, and I want to use their words, this is according to Special Agent Eric Gonzalez. "Normally we do not confirm or deny those kind of allegations saying that she was under investigation out there." But by not doing so, it just casts her in a very bad light. So the FBI being very clear saying that they are not investigating Governor Palin.

But then again, from your paper, let's go ahead and put this on the screen real quickly. This is what is said about Sarah Palin. "She's a charismatic leader with a devoted national following and ambition to match so there's no surprise if she sees a future for herself beyond Alaska. But, we thought she'd finish her work on the home front first. She hasn't made clear why she won't."

So people kind of unhappy that she'll be leaving at the end of the month with 18 months in the term.

BOLSTAD: Right. And that, I think, is, you know, that's going to be one of the interesting -- the interesting factors in her future. Obviously there's going to be a sense of disappointment in Alaska. But it's also going to be if she does decide run for president in 2012, it seems like the number one thing that would follow her throughout the rest of her political career, which is, you left your job early.

COLLINS: Yes, it's pretty curious, isn't it? So do you think she's going to run for president?

BOLSTAD: You know, who knows? She's got so much stuff coming her way. She's got a book deal. She's going to be working on her memoirs and there are a lot of people out there who said that she could be the right-wing Oprah Winfrey, which, you know, that might be -- that might be something that's attractive to her, too.

COLLINS: Interesting. All right. And you're very smart not to say whether or not you think she's going to run for president in 2012. Appreciate it, Erika Bolstad.

BOLSTAD: Thank you.

COLLINS: Washington correspondent for the "Anchorage Daily News." Thank you.

And we want to know what you think. So we put a question for you on the blog page. And this is what it is. What is next for Sarah Palin? Let us know what you think about that. Obviously a lot of people are really speculating to all of this.

Just go to CNN.com/heidi and then go ahead and post your comments there. We'll read some of them to you coming up a little bit later right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: Wall Street, back open for business today after the three- day holiday weekend. But investors here ready to pick up where they left off Thursday.

Susan Lisovicz at the New York Stock Exchange now with a preview on today's action.

So is there going to be any action, Susan?

SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, I do expect the volumes to be light. And that's actually something that we saw last week, as well, Heidi.

COLLINS: Yes.

LISOVICZ: We're also officially into the summer season. And unfortunately, as the opening bell rings, we're going to pick up right where we left off, at least that's what futures tell us. Could be hangover, not necessarily from the Fourth of July festivities, but from Thursday sessions when the Dow tumbled 223 points after the government's miserable jobs report.

We don't want to dwell on that. Let's move on to General Motors.

COLLINS: Yes.

LISOVICZ: A federal judge approving the car maker's plan to transfer its best assets to a new GM after three days of hearings. The judge said the decision was, quote, "The only means available to preserve the continuation of GM's business," end quote.

Economic calendar relatively light this week. We do receive a reading on the nation's service sector in about 30 minutes. Analysts expect the index to have risen in June from the previous month.

Meanwhile, second quarter earnings season kicks off Wednesday. Dow component ALCOA releases its quarterly results after the close of trading; the company bracing for a third straight quarterly loss after being hammered by falling aluminum prices. Also something that's falling, you know, with this debate as to where the global economy is right now is oil prices. Oil's down nearly $2.50 right now because there's a sense that well, maybe, everybody got ahead of themselves that the demand for oil may not be as robust as traders might have thought.

And demand for stocks, not so robust either, in the first minute of trading, Ms. Collins, the Dow, Nasdaq, S&P 500 down about two-thirds of a percent.

But how about those fireworks, Saturday?

HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR, CNN NEWSROOM: Oh!

LISOVICZ: Beautiful.

COLLINS: Beautiful, hour-long, it was amazing, right?

LISOVICZ: You were on the Intrepid.

COLLINS: Yep, the Hudson River, right there.

LISOVICZ: Very good spot to see it.

COLLINS: Happy Independence Day, late.

LISOVICZ: Yes, thank you.

COLLINS: All right, Susan, we'll check back on later on with you.

Checking the latest now on the political upheaval in Honduras. Deposed President Jose Manuel Zelaya is expected to hold talks at the OAS officials in Washington today. The plane carrying Zelaya was refused permission to land yesterday at an airport in the Honduran capital after a Honduran military jet forced Zelaya's plane out of the capital's air space. The plane was rerouted to El Salvador.

Meanwhile, there was violence outside the Honduran airport. At least one person was killed, eight wounded after security forces opened fire and used tear gas on several thousand Zelaya supporters. Honduras' interim government says police opened fire when protestors tried to force their way on to airport grounds.

We just mentioned Zelaya's talks with the OAS. I want to let you know, the Organization of American States is made up of the nations of the Western Hemisphere. The group's goal is to strengthen cooperation on democratic values, defend common interests, and debate major issues for the region and the world. There are 35 member states, 34 of them are active. Cuba was suspended back in 1962.

Joining us more to talk about the situation in Honduras is Cresencio Arcos; he is the former U.S. ambassador to that country.

Thank you for being with us, Mr. Ambassador.

CRESENCIO ARCOS, FMR. U.S. AMBASSADOR TO HONDURAS: Thank you. COLLINS: Were you surprised about how things went down over the weekend? The drama when we hear about that story must have been pretty intense.

ARCOS: Well, certainly it was very surprising because having been familiar with Honduras, I quite frankly never expected this to come to this point.

COLLINS: Really?

ARCOS: Yes. But I believe that Honduras is now presented the administration with the first challenge in Latin America in terms of a defining moment of how it's going to proceed with Latin America, and how democracy is very much part of this.

COLLINS: And how exactly do you think it will proceed?

ARCOS: Well, I believe it is going to -- at this point it has asked for restoration of democracy. But clearly, Mr. Zelaya returning to Honduras is not quite as practical as it seemed at one point. Maybe, I think, it is quite dangerous at this point. It's been polarized beyond anyone's imagination and anyone that's familiar with Honduras.

COLLINS: Yeah, no question about that. In fact, not only would he be in danger, but then, of course, his supporters would certainly be in danger, too. Do you think that could make him think twice about trying to come back again?

ARCOS: Well, it should. But I think that we need to discuss with Mr. Zelaya, the OAS and the United States, and I think we need to get more engaged in what is happening on the ground, in terms of our own policy makers. I think that we need at least some visible White House participation and secretary of State direct participation in this.

COLLINS: Really? I mean, whenever this seems to happen, in other countries, it seems like there are people who don't want us involved. You hear that every time. There's some type of political conflict going on in other countries. You think the U.S. should be getting involved in this?

ARCOS: Well, I think we should get involved to avoid bloodshed and an escalation of conflict. I think that we should contribute in terms of identifying who can dialogue on both sides and try to come to some mutually acceptable agreement in terms of the democracy, in terms of the principles that were violated, or apparently violated at that point.

COLLINS: What about President Hugo Chavez in all of this? The interim president of Honduras sort of offered him an olive branch in trying to bring some relationships together in this. How would that work?

ARCOS: Well, I think, Chavez has clearly been a factor. I think the Honduran people rightly feared that maybe Honduras is moving in that direction and there were indicators that suggested this. And I think this added to the whole conflict - and conflict among the different separation of powers in Honduras that led to this unfortunate event. But I think that Chavez continues to be sort of a very visible threat to many countries in the region.

COLLINS: Yeah. Quickly, what do you think is going to happen next here?

ARCOS: Next year?

COLLINS: Next, in the situation? What will be the next step?

ARCOS: Next, oh, I think what needs to happen is Mr. Zelaya come back and the consultations with the OAS and with countries like the United States, and we suddenly nudge him toward a -some sort of solution, as well as the opposition he faces down there. We need to engage them.

COLLINS: Interesting. All right, former U.S. ambassador to Honduras, Cresencio Arcos, thanks so much for your time.

ARCOS: Thank you very much.

COLLINS: Now to this developing story out of China: 140 people are dead and more than 800 injured after a protest turned violent in western China. Chinese media reports the protest spun out of control on Sunday, deteriorating into a deadly riot in the country's western Xinjiang region. Part of the backdrop to this story now, al long history of ethnic tensions between the minority Uighurs and the Han Chinese, who are in the majority. Many protestors reportedly said they were angry about the way the Chinese government handled an earlier brawl in southern China where two Uighurs were reportedly killed.

Well, over now to Afghanistan where we have word of a fierce fire going on, right now, between U.S. Marines and insurgents. There is also word women and children may be caught in the crossfire. The standoff began in a town in the Helmand Province. Our Pentagon Correspondent Barbara Starr joining us now, with more of the details.

Good morning, Barbara. What do you have?

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Heidi.

Well, we are learning this standoff is continuing in Helmand Province. Sometimes, you know, it's the little battles that may be the marker of much larger picture in the region.

Right now, let's go to a map so we can show you where all of this is happening. This is a place in Khan Neshin, down in Helmand Province, in southern Afghanistan; part of this large operation, where the Marines have been operating. They began fighting in Garmsir, to the north, Lashkar Gar, and have moved south in to Khan Neshin.

What they're telling us is several years ago, they started taking fire from a group of insurgents, the insurgents ran into a compound, as it usually worked, you might have seen air strikes to go in to destroy the compound. COLLINS: Right.

STARR: But the Marines held off, Heidi, because of this situation of civilian casualty problems. So they sent somebody to go talk to the insurgents and, indeed, some women and children came out. So, they were very glad they didn't do the air strike, but they still didn't call in fire. The standoff still continues. We are told, about an hour ago, another round of women and children have come out. And now the Marines decided they're going to wait out the insurgents and they're not going to risk killing women and children in this situation.

Heidi, this is all part of the new strategy.

COLLINS: That's right.

STARR: I want to show everybody a document that we just got here. This is the new directive issued by the top commander in Afghanistan. Dated today, just out. And it underscores this whole issue. What General Stanley McCrystal says is, quote, "We will not win based on the number of Taliban we kill. The Taliban cannot militarily defeat us, but we can defeat ourselves."

All of this now geared towards not just starting off by killing the Taliban, but by protecting the people, and not engaging in situations that might risk civilian casualties, Heidi.

COLLINS: This is exactly what you and I had spoken about when he first made this known, at least to the public anyway. And the military, obviously, about how these changes will take place in Afghanistan. So now he's implementing it.

Our Pentagon Correspondent Barbara Starr, thank you.

A student who felt she was facing discrimination at school, left. But she hasn't given up her fight just yet. We'll tell you why she's speaking out now.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: Quickly want to show you some of this video coming in and happening right now, just outside of Milwaukee. Again, these live pictures coming to us. Five-alarm fire at a meat-packing plant. If you happen to know the area or are familiar with Milwaukee we'd be talking about Cudahy. Again, just outside of Milwaukee.

Apparently this fire started last night, they've been battling it through the night. Now about 100 firefighters, 15 different departments, mandatory evacuation orders have been given by the mayor, numerous roads closed off. And lots and lots of smoke and open flames, you can see for yourself. We will continue to follow this story. Again, meat-packing plant on fire there just outside of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

It was a homicide, that's the official word from investigators on the death of former NFL star Steve McNair. Nashville police found McNair dead on Saturday, next to the body of this woman, Sahel Kazemi. Police believe the two were dating, even though McNair is married McNair was shot multiple times. Kazemi was shot once and the gun was found under her body. So far, police have not made a ruling on her death. McNair's family is understandably in disbelief.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FRED MCNAIR, STEVE MCNAIR'S BROTHER: This is very disturbing that, you know, that a person of Steve's caliber that --that just get caught like that. I mean, it's bad. I can't really believe that it happened like that. Without just him just putting up a fight or something like that. It's just hard to believe.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: McNair played 13 seasons in the NFL. Many of them in Nashville.

Pretty dangerous time of year for wildfires in Southern California, in fact, one of them has burned 130 acres of national park land near Los Angeles, that's according to the Associated Press. You can see the flames there. But firefighters say they do have it under control. Luckily winds pushed the fire away from any buildings in the area and no one was hurt. Authorities did not have to evacuate anyone.

Rob Marciano, standing by now in the severe weather center.

How are you, Rob.

(WEATHER FORECAST)

ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: One thing I learned, I learned a couple things down there in Disney World last week. Teddy Roosevelt named this the White House. It was always called the Executive Mansion. And he said, you know what? It just looks like a big white house to me. Ever since then we've been calling it the White House. That's not a lie.

COLLINS: There you go.

MARCIANO: Unless they were lying to me.

COLLINS: No, no, that would never happen.

MARCIANO: I've been suckered by a few things.

COLLINS: We won't talk about that here. We don't have enough time. Rob, thanks so much. Appreciate it. We'll check back later on.

Meanwhile, I want to take you back to Russia because as we've been telling you, that is where President Barack Obama is. I understand that we are getting some pictures in, right now, getting ready for this joint news conference with Dmitry Medvedev, he the president, obviously, that we see there, I believe, maybe not.

Anyway, we will continue to watch these pictures for you and bring this event to you live just as soon as -- here we go. Here are the new pictures that we have been looking for. The president there in front, obviously, going through and greeting some of the people who are standing by to meet him, and behind him President Dmitry Medvedev.

So, he also is traveling with this family to Russia, which is kind of interesting. Once again, we will bring this to you as just soon as it happens. We are expecting to hear from both of them.

The last time President Obama spoke at a college commencement, lots of protestors showed up. But that was on an American campus. What can we expect when he takes the podium at this school in Russia?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: A Muslim doctoral student at Georgia State University says she experienced discrimination for wearing a headscarf and was punished for speaking up. Now, she wants justice from a court in Georgia. CNN's Brooke Baldwin reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SLMA SHELBAYAH, FMR. GEORGIA STATE UNIV. STUDENT: I feel like they are very angry at me.

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Because why?

SHELBAYAH: Because I complained and stood up for myself.

BALDWIN (voice over): Ever since she was 16, Slma Shelbayah has worn her hijab, a symbol of modesty in Islam. Not once she says has anyone ever discriminated against her appearance until this school year when she says her communications professor made a comment about her head scarf.

SHELBAYAH: She turns back to me and looks at my scarf. And I kind of had it back, maybe a little further back, so you could see my bun, with my hair. And she points to it and says, what is that? A bomb?

BALDWIN: According to the doctoral student that was the first of several comments Doctor Mary Stuckey made. Other comments she alleges in the complaints she filed with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission include: "What you have under there? Bombs? Are you carrying any bombs on you today? By the way, don't worry, that's the headdress, not a bomb."

SHELBAYAH: So much of my work was given to Georgia State. It hurts that they didn't think twice before retaliating against me.

BALDWIN: Shelbayah says her professor did eventually apologize but then, as she calls it, retaliation began. She was told she could not continue on at GSU as both a doctoral student and a visiting instructor. And she was stripped of her title as director of a study abroad program.

DONA STEWART, GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY: Total, total shock.

BALDWIN: Dona Stewart was the director of Georgia State's Middle East Institute until this week, and these allegations of discrimination.

STEWART: The way in which the college retaliated, in the aftermath, has sent a very clear signal around the university that if you're a faculty member, or in a position of power, it's OK to discriminate. For me, this is not necessarily a Muslim issue. It's a civil rights issue.

BALDWIN: In an e-mail to CNN, the doctor says, "I have to refer all inquiries to the university." The university released this statement, quote, "The student's complaint against Professor Stuckey was addressed, using university procedure and appropriate action was taken in September of 2008. It was Dona Stewart's decision to resign as director of Middle East Institute. While she has resigned as director, Doctor Stewart is still an employee of Georgia State University and was recently promoted to full professor with the dean's support. In no way was retaliation taken against Professor Stewart, nor the student, as a result of the complaint."

As for Shelbayah, she says she seeking justice. Right now she finds comfort in family, colleagues, and student support.

SHELBAYAH: We love you and are behind you. (Speaking foreign language), means my teacher.

BALDWIN: Brooke Baldwin, CNN, Atlanta.

COLLINS: There's a lot going on in the CNN NEWSROOM this morning. Here's a look at what we're looking on for you in our next hour. We begin with our Kara Finnstrom.

Hey, Kara.

KARA FINNSTROM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Here in Los Angeles, some excited Michael Jackson fans now learning that they will be seeing the public memorial live. What they have to do to get those tickets coming up at the top of the hour.

POPPY HARLOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Poppy Harlow in New York. Will GM's bankruptcy process fix the fundamental problem at the automaker, we the taxpayers are still billions in the hole and we're yet to see improving sales at General Motors. Heidi, I'll have more on that at top of the hour.

MARCIANO: And I'm Rob Marciano at the CNN Severe Weather Center. All things considered, not too shabby of a holiday weekend for most folks. But the heat is building back and we have our second tropical storm of the season. All that and the next hour of the CNN NEWSROOM, Heidi.

COLLINS: All right, Rob, thank you.

Also, coming up in the next hour, the exiled president of Honduras denied permission to land in his own country. We'll talk to our Karl Penhaul who was at the airport when violence broke out.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) COLLINS: First it was Arizona state, then Notre Dame, now President Obama is ready to give another commencement speech, but the setting couldn't be more different. Moscow's New Economic School. CNN's Foreign Affairs Correspondent Jill Dougherty takes us to campus.

JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN FOREIGN AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: At Moscow's new economic school, when graduate students told their friends their commencement speaker was going to be Barack Obama, president of the United States, they didn't believe it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They all were saying, wow. And many else, actually said that that's just a joke.

DOUGHERTY: But Mr. Obama did choose the school, founded just 17 years ago, but already a world class institution and a hotbed of new thinking.

EDUARD URASKULOV, STUDENT, NEW ECONOMIC SCHOOL: I like Barack Obama, and what he is doing as president (ph). Of course, I couldn't vote for him.

DOUGHERTY: Most of the students we talked with are fans of Mr. Obama. Some of them say they agree with his policies.

URASKULOV: I think its impossible now to solve international problems using power of firearms, but instead of this one should use power of negotiations.

DOUGHERTY: Almost all of them zeroed in on Mr. Obama's favorite slogan, "Change".

OLGA KOTSUR, STUDENT, NEW ECONOMIC SCHOOL: You know, Russia now, is very dynamic. You know, it not - it's very vibrant, right now.

DOUGHERTY (On camera): Very vibrant?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Right, right, very vibrant. And lots of change is happening.

DOUGHERTY: But Russia is also being hit hard by the economic crisis.

ANTON SMISLOV, STUDENT, NEW ECONOMIC SCHOOL: This crisis is kind of like changes, and the economic times are changing. So it is probably the best time for economists to start a career.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think he's a great revolutionary president.

DOUGHERTY: You know, you have your own young president, you have President Medvedev.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There are some concerns about our president but, yes, generally I'm hopeful about a relationship between Medvedev and Mr. Obama.

DOUGHERTY: And there is another favorite word of President Obama these student quote. VALERY SOROKIN, STUDENT, NEW ECONOMIC SCHOOL: I heard that Mr. Obama's name is associated with the word "hope", right, the hope for change. What I'd like to hear from him probably isn't some good news that we are -- we have something to hope for, to hope for. This a hard time that we talking about right now, a really, bad and really tough, but there's something better in our future. And he's the first guy who believes in it.

DOUGHERTY: A sampling of the young people that President Obama will be speaking to, a new generation that could be shaping Russia's future. Jill Dougherty, CNN, Moscow.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: We are going to be hearing from President Barack Obama and Russian President Medvedev, at the joint news conference, from the Kremlin, scheduled to begin next hour. We'll bring that to you live just as soon as it happens.