American Morning
Why did intelligence chief step down?
(CNN) – There's new information today about threats against Americans. The Pakistani Taliban, blamed for the Times Square bombing attempt, may be trying again.
It may not be a good time to have a vacancy at the very top of our terror fighting community, but that's exactly what we have right now after Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair announced he's stepping down. CNN contributor Fran Townsend was former President Bush's homeland security adviser and is an unpaid member of the CIA's advisory board. She joined us on Friday's American Morning.
Read more: Top Obama intelligence adviser resigns
Nun excommunicated for approving life-saving abortion
By Carol Costello, CNN
(CNN) – It was an agonizing decision for all involved. A 27-year-old pregnant patient at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona became gravely ill.
Doctors told her unless she aborted her 11-week-old fetus she would likely die. The problem: St. Joseph's is a Catholic hospital and abortions are largely prohibited.
Sister Margaret McBride was part of an ethics panel that included doctors that consulted with the young woman. The woman had the procedure and survived. But Sister McBride took some heat. The Phoenix Catholic Diocese, led by Bishop Thomas Olmsted, automatically excommunicated the nun, effectively banning her from participating in the church. Bishop Olmsted said, in a statement:
"An unborn child is not a disease. While medical professionals should certainly try to save a pregnant mother's life, the means by which they do it can never be by directly killing her unborn child."
Bluefin tuna threatened by oil spill
(CNN) – The oil slick in the Gulf is now making its way into the loop current, posing a very real danger to the already fragile existence of the bluefin tuna. Our Rob Marciano spent some time with marine biologists who don't like the scenario that's beginning to play out.
Minn. father, son refuse chemo treatments
(CNN) – There's an update on the Minnesota couple caught up in a court drama for refusing to treat their son's cancer with chemotherapy. The teenager's father is now facing his own battle with the disease and says he has no intention using chemo. Our Jason Carroll talked to the family about their controversial decision.
LIVE Blog: Chat with us during the show
Editor's Note: Welcome to American Morning's LIVE Blog where you can discuss the "most news in the morning" with us each and every day. Join the live chat during the program by adding your comments below. It's your chance to share your thoughts on the day's headlines. Keep in mind, you have a better chance of having your comment get past our moderators if you follow our rules: 1) Keep it brief 2) No writing in ALL CAPS 3) Use your real name (first name only is fine) 4) No links 5) Watch your language (that includes $#&*).
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/US/05/17/gulf.oil.spill/t1main.video.jpg caption="A BP official says oil pouring from its damaged Gulf of Mexico well could be shut off as early as next week. BP also acknowledged the leak is bigger than estimated to date."]
BP: Oil leak into Gulf could be stopped by next week
(CNN) – A BP official says a gusher of oil pouring from its damaged Gulf of Mexico well could be shut off as early as next week.
BP Managing Director Bo Dudley said Thursday night the company will pump fluids into the well this weekend in the beginning of a process that - if successful - could lead to the leak finally being closed off in a matter of days.
"If that option doesn't work, we've got a second and a third option we'll do after that," Dudley said on CNN's Larry King on Thursday. "We're hopeful that next week we'll be able to shut it off."
Earlier in the day, BP acknowledged that the underwater gusher is bigger than estimated to date, as new video showed a cloud of crude billowing around its undersea siphon. Read more
Watch: LIVE video of leak from BP
Pakistani Taliban plotting to strike U.S.?
U.S. intelligence has strong reason to believe that the Pakistani Taliban is actively plotting to hit interests in the U.S. and American targets overseas, a U.S. official told CNN Thursday.
The concerns about the group that authorities say directed the Times Square bombing plot are coming from multiple streams of information, including from Faisal Shahzad, the Times Square bombing suspect, the official said.
The official told CNN that CIA Director Leon Panetta and National Security Adviser Jim Jones relayed the new terror threat information to Pakistan's government on their trip there earlier this week.
Sound off: We want to hear from you this morning. Add your comments to the LIVE Blog below and we'll read some of them on the show.
About this Show
Welcome to the American Morning blog where you can get daily news updates from American Morning's reporters and producers. Join us for "the most news in the morning," weekdays from 6-9 a.m. ET, only on CNN.
On Twitter
