>> kisses. hello and thanks for joining us here on cnn. i'm rosemary church. >> and i'm errol barnett. a big welcome to our viewers in the u.s. and round the world. we are your team for four hours as we cover breaking developments from all over the world. first up, people everywhere are mourning the shocking death of robin williams in a suspected suicide. the actor, comedian, and performer is responsible for some of the most memorable moments in entertainment. like this one from "good morning vietnam." >> good morning vietnam! hey, this is not a test. this is rock and roll.

time to rock it from the delta to the dmz. is that me or does that sound like an elvis presley movie? viva danang. ♪ oh, viva danang >> absolutely classic. ahead this hour, reaction from people closest to him and a closer look at his long-time struggle with depression and addiction. and the other big story we are following, the deepening political and humanitarian crisis in iraq. cnn captured dramatic video of people clamoring to get on board a helicopter delivering food to thousands stranded by isis militants. you will hear their heartbreaking stories just ahead. all right. but we begin with a man who brought tears and laughter certainly to myself. i know you as well. and so many others. through his comedy and his acting. robin williams has died. >> yeah. the world today mourning the loss of robin williams. he was found dead in his california home monday just north of san francisco. the local sheriff's office says

coroners believe williams' death was a suicide due to asphyxia. he was 63. >> now, his wife, susan schneider, has asked for privacy at this very difficult time, but she did release this statement. take a look. "this morning i lost my husband and my friend while the world lost one of its most beloved artists and beautiful human beings. i'm utterly heartbroken. as he is remembered our hope is the focus will not be on robin's death but the countless moments of joy and laughter he gave to millions." >> and word of williams' death has led to an outpouring of sorrow in hollywood. it was there that the funny man shot to fame in his first major tv role as the alien mork in "mork and mindy." >> i was looking at the ratings for "mork and mindy" when it was at its peak in the late 197 0z and early '80s, when people like my mom and dad were watching. we were seeing 60 million viewers every week for that show. 60 million viewers.

that is of course -- no show on television gets that many viewers nowadays. but it speaks to how significant it was for his career. after all, robin williams was an unknown when he was cast first for the "happy days" role and then it became "mork and mindy." the show was moved around on the schedule and it eventually lost audience, but it was the springboard for his career. >> 60 million viewers. how incredible is that? and williams' body of work spans more than 40 years, covering a myriad of different roles. from the alien, as we heard there, who came to earth in an egg-shaped spaceship. >> to one character we cannot forget. the cross-dressing nanny. even android on a journey to become human. robin williams proved that he could play all. our own nischelle turner shows us just how diverse he was. >> reporter: his high-octane brand of comedy was his trademark public persona. but robin williams proved himself an oscar winner with a strong philanthropic side.

born in 1951, it was in his 20s when williams was unleashed. first as an american tv star. >> run for your life! the emotions are coming! >> reporter: as mork from the planet ork in "mork and mindy" williams became a household name. when the series ended after a four-year run in 1982, he showed he could do more than make people laugh. >> my name is t.s. garp. >> what's t.s. stand for? >> terribly sexy. >> the juilliard-schooled actor unveiled his dramatic side for the first time in 1982's "the world according to garp." >> i was trained as an actor. so it's not like they have to medicate me. >> reporter: that serious side earned him oscar nominations for "the fisher king." >> good morning vietnam! >> reporter: "good morning vietnam" and "dead poets society." >> it's the golden dude. >> he finally won his only oscar statue in 1998 for "good will hunting." >> this one, yes. the other ones were just

foreplay. it's extraordinary. >> reporter: but williams never stopped being funny, even when the topic seemed serious. he helped launch and co-hosted eight telethons over 20 years to help the homeless. >> men who sleep with chickens and the women who love them. >> reporter: comic relief earned more than $50 million. and even when he talked about his battles with drugs and alcohol, he talked about it with humor. >> you were drunk. >> well, that's nice of you to say that. >> reporter: he took three trips to rehab. most recently this summer. he talked about the process on "larry king live" in 2007. >> what happens to people, basically start the process of just saying no and being among others. you know, and learning that you're not alone and working on giving up. >> do you lose your sense of humor in it? >> no. you find it. you're with people who have a great sense of humor. >> so you're funny there too. >> oh, yeah. you've got to be. >> reporter: in 2009 williams was rushed to the hospital with

heart problems. forced to temporarily cancel his one-man show to undergo surgery. he talked about his recovery on the "ellen" show. >> you have a heart surgery, and literally they open you up, they crack the box, and you get really vulnerable. you'll be like a -- a kitten. and you get very, very emotional about everything. but i think that's in a way a wonderful thing. it really opens you up to everything. >> reporter: and with a new lease on life williams quickly sprang back into action. in 2011 he made his broadway acting debut starring in "rajiv joseph's bengal tiger at the baghdad zoo." that same year he would marry his third wife, graphic designer susan schneider. in 2013 williams would return to the small screen. starring in the cbs sitcom "the crazy ones." where he would reunite with his old friend pam dawber, better known as mindy. >> i've never met anyone as screwy as you. you're like an alien. >> reporter: from stand-up and

sitcoms and beyond williams would delight audiences for decades with his wacky humor and joyful energy. he was the definition of full of life. and even now his comic legend is destined to endure. >> now, as nischelle turner mentioned, williams recently returned to rehab in an effort to maintain his sobriety. a spokesman for the actor says he had been battling severe depression. we want to talk about some of the struggles he may have been facing. we've brought in a clinical psychologist, paula bloom. thank you so much for coming in to the cnn center. >> thank you for inviting me. >> to talk about this. and we should note you didn't treat robin. >> no. >> we don't know specifically outside of the suicide what caused it. but what does it tell us about his mental state, that he was suffering with severe depression and that he had made these attempts to get through rehab most recently in july? >> right. the thing about -- and it was in the statement. it's not based on a diagnosis. they said he was struggling with severe depression. the thing with depression, that is the leading cause of suicide,

is depression. and what happens is -- depression is a biochemical brain disease. this is not some choice that he made. this is a disease. and one of the symptoms of that disease is that it narrows your field of vision. it makes it much more difficult to solve problems. so what happens is you narrow your field of vision and what ends up happening is that the only solution to stop your pain looks like the only solution looks like suicide. >> but what makes this so shocking for all of us as we go through all of his famous roles, everyone here telling a story of something funny he did that really, really touched them-s we see often famous successful actors and comedians dying in such tragic ways because of drug overdoses, possibly to cover up things. what about the life of a comedian? a lot of them say they actually pull their material from some deep dark experiences. >> right. >> but they're in these comedy nightclubs. robin williams really shot to fame in the '70s when he was a struggling comedian before he got the "mork and mindy" role.

is it wise to be getting free alcohol, jumping up on stage, ve venting so openly, being so vulnerable, and seeing what a bunch of strangers think of you? >> a lot of times people who are actors and comedians and they talk to you, they say they can't imagine doing anything else. they're called to do this work. so you're right. it isn't the ideal situation to be in if you're vulnerable to mental illness or addiction. but a lot of times what it is is this kind of mask that people can wear that can have this double life. you know, people have been saying to me, i was on facebook and talking about oh, my gosh, he was so funny, i don't understand. how well do we really know people? you know, actors, they aren't their characters. and a lot of times comedians are almost acting all the time. >> so it's almost perfectly suited for that type of character who has a professional mask. >> he can wear a mask, yeah. >> so we do know he was suffering with severe depression based on the statement. for anyone watching now who feels that they may be suffering, what would you advise? i notice in the u.s. you get these commercials, you're bombarded with them, that say are you upset at this very

moment? do you have a lack of sleep? and i think to myself, oh, my goodness, that's me. >> right. > but is that the right thing to do, to simply prescribe a pill? what's the right approach for someone watching who feels they may be suffering with depression? >> sure. when it comes to depression, depression has a lost different characteristics to it. lots of disorders have to do with sleep. being a new mother, that's a sleep deprivation. there is a lot of things that have to do with sleep. the big thing to look at with depression is how are you functioni functioning? when you're having thoughts of wanting to die, that is a serious, serious warning sign. the good news with all of this is that depression is highly treatable. the problem is that the depression, when it gets bad, it tells you you're not depressed. it tells you life is terrible. life is hopeless. but we want people to know that they can get help. that they can get help. >> and is it the kind of thing where you can just talk to your doctor, see a psychologist? >> you can talk to your doctor, find mental health. here in the states there are national suicide hotlines where you can talk to people if you need help. >> but the help is there. >> the help is there. and just remember, this is highly treatable.

one of the symptoms of depression is hopelessness. so it's hard to see it sometimes. >> thank you so much for coming in. midnight here on the east coast. really appreciate your insight. dr. paula bloom, we hope to see you again. now, still to come, we will have much more on the life and career of robin williams. we'll be crossing live to the walk of fame on hollywood boulevard for reaction there. it's just past 9:00 in the evening. how the people he touched most are remembering the comedian's greatest moments. stay with us here on cnn. >> the refrain for the 1972 spot was "you deserve a break today." and today people really need a break. food is one thing, hannah. a moment together with family is everything. human connection. looking each other in the eye. those special moments, they're so gone. so missed. 3rd and 3. 58 seconds on the clock, what am i thinking about?

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the little idiosyncrasies that only i know about. that's what made her my wife. boy, she had the goods on me too. she knew all my little peccadillos. people call these things imperfections. but they're not. oh, that's the good stuff. we get to choose who we let into our weird little worlds. you're not perfect sport. and let me save you the suspense. this girl you met, she isn't perfect either.

but the question is whether or not you're perfect for each other. >> robin williams there in "good will hunting." and he won an academy award for best supporting actor in that 1997 film. >> yeah. check twitter right now and everyone's kind of sending out their favorite quotes and inspirational things they heard in that movie. across hollywood in los angeles celebrities are also reacting to the tragic death of williams, who apparently committed suicide monday. here are some of the new comments we've just got into cnn. here's mork and mindy co-star there, pam dawber, said, "i'm deeply -- i'm completely and totally devastated. what more can be said?" >> from steve martin this -- "i con be more stunned by the loss of robin williams. mensch, great talent, acting partner, genuine soul." >> and ben stiller released a longer statement here -- "i think most people my age have the same feeling, that he and steve martin and bill murray sort of represent what it meant to be funny. his kindness and generosity is what i think of, how kind he was

to anyone who wanted to connect with him. and he could not help but be funny all the time. he made such a big impact on the world. so there is the man and his talent, and i think in his case both were extraordinary." >> and from john travolta, "i've never known a sweeter, brighter, more considerate person than robin. robin's commitment as an artist to lifting our mood and making us happy is compared to none. he loved us all, and we loved him back. we are all better for having known him." some incredible sentiment there from his colleagues and friends. >> and the connection people feel is so strong that some are even going to some famous landmarks in the programs he was in. for example, people are stopping by the house featured in the "mork and mindy" show to pay their respects to robin williams. >> the home is actually located in boulder, colorado. u.s. congressman jared polis was among those who visited. take a listen. >> this is our town's most famous fictitious residence.

so just paying my respects. i'm sure robin would have appreciated that. >> even getting choked up there. meantime, in los angeles a memorial on the hollywood walk of fame. people of course leaving flowers and notes on his star there to honor the late comedian. >> well, ted rowlands joins us now live from the walk of fame. and ted, it is just after 9:00 p.m. there on the west coast. 9:17 to be precise. how are people reacting there to the news and the shocking news of the passing of robin williams? >> reporter: yeah. well, absolutely shocking. hundreds of people have been coming out here throughout the evening after hearing the news, and they're leaving flowers, candles, and mementos for robin williams. it was a complete shock, obviously, for not only hollywood but the world because this was an individual that made people feel so good for so long,

and it was just an absolute shock that he was feeling so bad to the point where apparently he has taken his life. and we've been talking to people throughout the evening. from all over the world here. many of them on holiday in los angeles and hollywood. this is jovana. she's from las vegas, nevada. the younger generation representati representative. jovana, robin williams, what did he mean to you, and how shocking was it to hear of his death? >> well, the first movie that i actually knew him about was "jumanji." and i actually grew up with that movie. and he was just a very talented man. and it's really sad knowing that he has passed. especially by suicide problem. it's very shocking to everyone. right now. >> reporter: absolutely. eric is from texas and look at his shirt. nanu-nanu. robin, 8-11-2014. what compelled you to come down here and make the shirt?

how did robin williams touch you? >> well, he's got to be the king of improv, right? i mean, watching the guy in the early days with "mork and mindy" and even before that with "happy days," i understand that much of what came out of the man was even unscripted. he just -- you know, he did it right there. his mind just worked nonstop. just amazing. genius. comic genius. >> absolutely. westin is eric's son. he's getting into the business, actually. robin williams, what kind of icon to you as a young person just getting into this business of entertainment is he and what was your reaction to his death? >> i love that he used his craft to make people happy. you know? that he pursued comedy. and he produced -- or he acted in some of the great movies of our time. just like "mrs. doubtfire." an icon. you know. you'll never forget that movie. him dressing up as a crazy goofy lady. we loved that.

and one of the wittiest men alive for sure. so i think that he's definitely someone that people should look up to. especially in the business. when a lot of people are just in it for the fame and fortune. and to make people happy. >> rosemary, we've talked to a couple people that said they started their career because of him. there was a com ipg out here who laid some flowers. he said he came out to los angeles some 20 years ago to become a comedian because of robin williams. you see the crowd here. it doesn't look like it's getting any thinner. and i'm sure people will be out here throughout the night paying tribute to robin williams. rosemary? >> and ted, what is incredible here, of course it's difficult for us to ascertain the number of people behind you. but what is really incredible here is it spans generations, doesn't it? which is a surprise. >> absolutely. yeah. we talked to both -- different generations. because this was a guy that did not just come and go for a cup of coffee.

he was here for a long time. in the entertainment industry. and it wasn't just comedy. it was acting. he won a grammy. he touched every element of entertainment, and he made us feel so good. and it just is an absolute shock that he was feeling so bad to the point where he took his life. and he's got four movies that are coming out this year. this was not someone whose career was slowing down by any stretch of the imagination. so people are, as you might imagine, very moved. >> yeah. it certainly has come out of nowhere and shocked so many people right across the globe. our ted rowlands reporting there from the hollywood walk of fame in l.a. many thanks to you. and of course you can find the latest details on the life and death of actor-comedian robin williams at any time online. you'll see more celebrity reactions on social media from around the entertainment industry. williams interviewed by larry king and talking to cnn's dr. drew about his mental illness. and for that and more just go to

cnn.com/showbiz. but still to come for you here this hour, the other major story we're following here at cnn, misery, fear, and political instability. this is throughout iraq. we'll have the incredible video you're seeing here of a daring air drop of humanitarian supplies. stay with us. [ female announcer ] we help make secure financial tomorrows a reality for over 19 million people. [ mom ] with life insurance, we're not just insuring our lives... we're helping protect his. [ female announcer ] everyone has a moment when tomorrow becomes real.

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it's still not clear whether he'll use force as a means of holding on to power. >> and while that political crisis is playing out, in northern iraq u.s. warplanes struck four isis checkpoints and several vehicles near mount sinjar. that's where tens of thousands of yazidi civilians are surrounded by the islamist fighters facing dire shortages. well, on monday the u.s. military dropped a fifth load of humanitarian relief down to the yazidis trapped on that mountain. british c-130s and iraqi military helicopters are dropping aid as well. >> but what those people really want and need in addition to the

aid is just to get out of there. our senior international correspondent ivan watson and photojournalist mark phillips rode along with the iraqi military as they plucked some of those desperate people off that mountainside. take a look at this. [ machine guns firing ] >> reporter: machine guns unleash bursts of hot metal. this is the crew aboard an iraqi air force helicopter. they burned through cartridges and belts of ammunition while rushing an aircraft full of food, diapers, water, and baby's milk over isis front lines to civilians trapped on sinjar mountain. >> opening fire at targets down below. they're clearly trying to defend the aircraft.

you can see the people below. trapped on sinjar mountain. they're clustered. they're clustered under olive trees right now, waving to us. they seem to have gathered in these shelters down here. a lot of women and children waving. >> reporter: the crew hurls packages out the door. people swarm the chopper. >> this has been one chaotic aid distribution. i mean, i really hope we didn't hurt anybody with the bottles of water we were throwing down from a height of 20, 30 feet. it's chaotic. people were waving. they were giving thumbs up. and there are a couple -- there are a couple people very relieved to be off the mountain and clearly very, very

frightened. >> reporter: then the helicopter lands one last time to pick up more passengers. here they come. more desperate people throw themselves at the aircraft. heaving their children on board. it's first come, first served. there were some who couldn't make it. aboard the aircraft, shock.

exhaustion. fear. that eventually gives way to relief. i can't describe to you how relieved people are right now. they're just shocked. in the chaos of that moment. but we've got little aziza here. she's not happy. because she says her father got left behind. the gunners are opening fire on targets below. they're protecting the helicopter. but it's terrifying these little kids, who are traumatized after their week trapped on that mountain. the problem is we're flying over isis front lines. this is the only protection we have right now to protect the

aircraft and its precious cargo. tensions ease when we cross into kurdish-controlled territory. and for a moment there are even smiles as these children realize their ordeal on the mountain is finally over. ivan watson, cnn, over sinjar mountain in northern iraq. >> incredible images there. and of course the heartbreak of this story is that is just a portion of the people. there are tens of thousands of people waiting to be saved. and of course there's no -- there's no possibility at this point. i mean, they're talking about humanitarian routes possibly being able to get people out. but those air strikes can only do so much. >> a fantastic report by ivan there. i mean, use social media for good. if there's a story to tweet and facebook today, that's the one right there. still ahead four here on cnn, we'll have more on the death of actor-comedian robin williams.

friends, fans, and colleagues are reacting with shock and grief. so are too world leaders. when we come back, we'll hear what u.s. president barack obama had to say about the loss of robin williams. we're trying our best annto be role models.rmodels. we don't jump at the sound of the opening bell, because we're trying to make the school bell. corner booth beats corner office any day. we make the most out of our time... and our money. the chevrolet malibu. the highest ranked midsize car in initial quality. the car for the richest guys on earth.

thanks for staying with us here on cnn, everyone. i'm errol barnett. >> and i'm rosemary church. and we do want to check the headlines for you this hour. >> he started a style that was imitated by many but duplicated by no one. you know, the howie mandels, the people that were frenetic on stage, those are all fine acts. but as doebie gray of the in crowds once said, the orange lds is still the greatest. robin is an original. >> a comedian and friend of the late robin williams there. williams was found dead in his home in california on monday. he was 63. the local sheriff's office says coroners believe his death was a suicide due to asphyxia. >> u.s. president barack obama says iraq has taken a positive step in nominating a new prime minister. iraq's president announced that haider al ibadi will assume the new position. but current prime minister nouri al maliki says he'll contest

that nomination. palestinian negotiator saeb erakat attended this arab league meeting on monday asking for national help to get gaza back on its feet. meantime, indirect talks are continuing between palestinians and israelis in cairo. israel wants hamas to disarm and demilitarize gaza. hamas is demanding an end to the blockade of gaza. and we have this developing story for you out of the u.s. midwest. take a look at this footage. riot police in ferguson, missouri. they're using tear gas to break up protesters after shots were heard monday night. the recent shooting death of an african-american teenager has sparked outrage there. federal authorities, though, say they're working with local officials to investigate. now back to our top story. people around the world are expressing their sorrow over the death of robin williams, including the president of the united states. >> yeah, barack obama called him one of a kind saying this -- "he

arrived in our lives as an alien, but he ended up touching every element of the human spirit. he made us laugh. he made us cry. he gave his immeasurable talent freely and generously to those who need it most, from our troops stationed abroad to the marginalized on our own streets. the obama family offers our condolences to robin's family, his friends, and everyone who found their voice and their verse thanks to robin williams." >> we also have this from actor henry winkler. he worked with williams briefly on the tv series "happy days," essentially where williams was discovered. here he spoke to us about the comedian's impact on others. >> it is unimaginable that this is the reality today. that this incredible human being, incredible delicate, funny, dramatic human being is

gone. there is no one to now fill his shoes. those shoes will remain right there empty forever. he just -- and no matter what he did, funny, dramatic, it was always with a depth that left you breathless. >> now, robin williams is gone. in fact, that news still just kind of sinking in. but certainly his work continues. >> yeah. as entertainment correspondent nischelle turner tells us, williams had multiple projects in the works including films slated for release later this year. >> reporter: he did return to rehab in july of 2014. at that time his representatives told us that he was checking himself back in in order to maintain his sobriety, that he of course had been battling his addictions for more than two decades and sometimes when you are a recovering addict you go back in to make sure that

everything is working and that you're still on the right road. we don't know if he was struggling. we don't know right now because of his passing and their saying he was battling depression if something else was going on. at the time they said he was maintaining his sobriety. we also know that robin williams left four movies behind. "night at the museum 2," that was slated to open in december. "merry frigging christmas," that was going to open in november. he had recently signed back on to reprise his role, wolf, in "mrs. doubtfire," one of his romantic comedies with sally field that we all loved, a feel-good movie. sew was going to reprise his role there. and he also signed on to do a couple of indie films. we saw in 2013 his return to television in a show called "the crazy ones" for cbs. that was much heralded because we fell in love with him when he played mork on "mork and mindy," and when he came back to television everyone thought,

well, here he comes again. so it is just a shock tonight to be talking to you and reporting that robin williams is dead at 63. >> yeah, it is incredible. and we want to involve you in this story. if you're not familiar with cnn ireport, it is a way to share your thoughts, stories, pictures, and videos. is go to ireport.cnn.com if you want to pay a tribute to the comedic actor. and see those left by other viewers. and you too could be a part of our coverage. that's in memoriam, robin williams at ireport.cnn.com. all right. let's get you back to breaking developments out of iraq now. and two volatile situations there. >> yeah. first a humanitarian disaster in the north of the country, where tens of thousands of yazidi minorities are cut off by isis fighters. cnn witnessed the desperation firsthand. we showed you that video as the iraqi air force and kurdish fighters carried out a dangerous mission to deliver aid. the pentagon says recent air

strikes are slowing isis. on monday the u.s. military hit four isis checkpoints and multiple isis vehicles near mount sinjar. >> and the other situation we're tracking is in the capital where a political deadlock could turn ugly. iraq's president nominated haider al ibadi to be the country's new prime minister, but current prime minister nouri al maliki says it's illegitimate. the white house, though, is backing the new nominee. >> this new iraqi leadership has a difficult task. it has to regain the confidence of its citizens by governing inclusively and by taking steps to demonstrate its resolve. the united states stands ready to support a government that addresses the needs and grievances of all iraqi people. >> well, to get some insight into both situations in iraq, we turn now to bob baer, a cnn security analyst and a former cia case officer. he joins us via skype from california. thanks, bob, for joining us

again. there are of course so many layers to this story. so let's start with the political crisis that of course threatens to unravel the nation. prime minister maliki refusing to step down despite the naming of his replacement, and he has troops loyal to him taking up position as around the capital. where's that going? >> rosemary, i think you got to it right away, and that's what are these troops going to do. is he going to put up resistance? because right now as of today he's in trouble. iran apparently has withdrawn backing from maliki. ayatollah sistani, as you know, is a very influential person. the senior shia cleric has also withdrawn support. so maliki's pretty much alone. he's got a faction of the dhawa party. and his replacement, ibadi, has considerable support from dhawa. so we're going to see just how desperate he is at this point. he could cause a lot of problems.

but the jury's out. >> the reality is it's going to take the new prime minister some 30 days to form a government. that's a lot of time for maliki to get up to mischief if you like if he's digging in his heels and refusing to go. >> exactly. and iraqi shia are divided in the first lace. there was fighting four weeks ago south of baghdad. it's not a unified community at all. so it's completely unpredictable. and let's not forget that the new prime minister, the one that's just been appointed, is from the dhawa party as well. he's not entirely accepted by the sunni. he may be an improvement over maliki, but he is looking very sectarian, and they may resist him as much as they did ma qulooi liki. >> and the timing couldn't be worse as this political crisis plays out. isis is moving toward baghdad. and of course we know what's happening in the north of the country. how prepared is the capital if i.c.e. takes advantage of this

current political turmoil and actually moves in? >> well, my sources in baghdad reflect the panic there. so they're not exactly trustworthy. but they think that isis is making a move toward baghdad going around a division, heading toward the airport. they're capable of closing the airport. according to these sources. i haven't seen any evidence of it. but that's the kind of fear that isis is a very mobile force. it can fight the kurds, you know, pretty much at the drop of a hat they attacked them in the north, and they could do the same around baghdad. and if maliki were to take on the new prime minister with force i think it's almost inevitable isis will take advantage of this. and they're probably waiting as we speak. >> and bob, just finally of course, u.s. government sources say that kurdish forces are being supplied with u.s. arms and ammunition. and we're also learning from the pentagon that air strikes are having an effect at least on

isis in the north of the country. but they're not likely to stop isis in their tracks. they've admitted that. so what needs to be done to end the threat that isis poses? >> well, rosemary, according to my sources in the kurdish area, they're doing much better today against isis. they have plenty of ammunition, which was sent in by the central intelligence agency. a lot more is coming in. they've recovered their morale. they claim that they have major successes today. i don't have any confirmation of that. but they're certainly more optimistic. and the kurds, if anyone in iraq can beat isis, it's them. i spent a couple years with them in the field, and they are very, very capable, properly armed, and they could win this. >> all right. bob baer joining us there via skype from california. your take. and we appreciate you bringing that to us here on cnn. thanks, bob. >> thanks. all right. coming up, a story that has had many people around the world

talking and interested. an australian couple accused of abandoning a baby with down syndrome is now saying the world has it all wrong. we're going to bring you the latest twist in thailand's surrogacy controversy when we come back. stay with us here on cnn. for the first time american kids are slated to live a shorter life span than their parents. it's a problem that we can turn around and change. revolution foods is a company we started to provide access to healthy, affordable, kid-inspired, chef-crafted food. we looked at what are the aspects of food that will help set up kids for success? making sure foods are made with high quality ingredients and prepared fresh everyday. our collaboration with citi has helped us really accelerate the expansion of our business in terms of how many communities we can serve. working with citi has also helped to fuel our innovation process and the speed at which we can bring new products into the grocery stores.

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side of the story. >> and their version is very different from what the surrogate mother claims. >> we didn't know what to do. we had no one to talk to. >> reporter: tears and frustration from the couple at the center of an international firestorm. david and wendy farnell spoke out for the first time on australia's "60 minutes sunday," attempting to explain why they returned to australia with their healthy baby girl piper while leaving behind her twin brother gamy, who has down's syndrome. >> the surrogate mother wanted to take our girl. and we were getting scared that we were going to -- so we had to try to get out as fast as we could. >> reporter: the surrogate mother tells cnn that is absolutely untrue. she says the farnells wanted to put gammy in a moment,home, a f

couldn't stomach for the child she carried. so she agreed to keep the baby. "i feel sorry for him," she told cnn last week. this is not his fault. he's innocent. why does he have to suffer like this? after he was born, in desperation she turned to international donors for help with his medical bills. so far raising over $200,000. gammy's plight shining a spotlight on the murky issues around commercial surrogacy. >> i'm just finding it very difficult to get the answer. >> reporter: in the 40-minute-long interview the farnells struggled to explain their actions, saying they were angry at the surrogacy agency for not telling them earlier about the boy's condition, saying they wanted their money back. >> they've come back to us and said the surrogate mother wants this boy. >> yeah. >> so we were thinking, oh, maybe, maybe this might be okay.

i don't know. >> reporter: they say they still want their son, though are focusing first on settling legal issues surrounding their daughter. david farnell also acknowledges that he is a convicted sex offender who spent time in prison for abusing young girls, crimes he regrets, he says, and will not repeat. >> i know that i do not have any urges at all of this nature. for 30 years i've known this. i don't have any urges. >> wendy? >> yeah. >> how concerned are you about the safety of your daughter in the care of your husband? >> i'm 100% trust david to not do any wrong thing for the little girl. >> reporter: the farnells break down when asked if the

controversy might cost them their daughter. the baby they so desperately wanted that they left her twin brother behind. kristie lu stout, cnn, hong kong. >> such a compelling story there. and you just don't know who to believe. i actually didn't realize he was a convicted sexual predator. it just raises all sorts of questions. >> yes. this is not just about surrogacy and all of the problems associated with that. certainly when you're doing it with an agency abroad, it is about pedophilia. it is about a whole lot of other things. >> that does happen. >> and of course abandonment of a child and whose story is correct. but incredible. and of course it is all over the front pages of australian papers. >> yeah. australian and thai authorities, we should mention, they are looking into baby gammy's case in the state of western australia, where the farnells are from, it is legal to seek surrogacy abroad. so we'll certainly continue to follow the twists and turns of this story. >> all right. but for now let's take a very short break. still to come, the u.s. clears the way for an experimental

ebola drug to be rushed to liberia. the latest on efforts to stem the outbreak. that's next. huh, fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance. everybody knows that. well, did you know the great wall of china wasn't always so great? hmmm...what should we do? geico. fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance. the ca♪illac summer collection is here. ♪ during the cadillac summer's best event, lease this 2014 ats for around $299 a month

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pharmaceutical who makes the drug says the supply has been exhausted. a w.h.o. panel discussed the ethics of using experimental medicine to fight the outbreak on monday. a woman now living in minnesota has lost nine family members to ebola in liberia. she says more needs to be done. >> my mom, dad, sister, niece, nephew, in-laws, cousins. your entire family die in a month and a half. it's just so scary. i'm just so confused. i don't even know what to do. we need support for our country. we cannot fight it alone. >> the world health organization says the virus has killed more than 960 people. we turn to weather now. and rough seas in northern ireland are partly responsible for 80 sailboats which capsized during a sailing race on monday. >> tragic. meteorologist pedram javehiri joins us with that and your global forecast.

so these boats ruined, pedram? this must be the livelihoods of a lot of people. >> the race was taking place there, errol. we've seen some 200 people plucked from the waters as well. and this time yesterday we were talking about tropical storm bertha, at least remnants of bertha that skirted across the eastern united states about four days ago, tracked across, all the way across the north atlantic and made a secondary landfall of course remnants of it again across portions of ireland. but the boats certainly not in good condition when it comes to what occurred here because we had seas very high, winds up to 60 miles pr hour or 100 kilometers per hour. and showing you the satellite imagery, here's what's left of bertha as it pushes across portions of the north sea. zooming in for that closer perspective, the coast guard off of belfast there, sent out onto the waters there where we know children had to be rescued. some 10 people treated for hypothermia as the race was taking place. and of course this was all with the expectation, at least meteorologically we know that the remnants of this storm system were coming through. kind of surprised to see that this event took place with all

the weather in that region. and reports of at least five tornadoes over the past 24 to 48 hours. one of them across kingston and hull across this region and down toward belgium. a second tornado also reported with remnants of the storm system. and even the next couple days you kind of see that rotation still with what's left of bertha as it slowly exits this region. so certainly the rescue operation there quite -- a scary moment for a lot of people in that region. but want to take you out toward the hawaiian islands. about 600 miles north of the islands. because we still have tropical storm julio in place. and believe it or not, another rescue operation here as another boat capsizing. waters in this region 30 feet high. we know three men on a boat. they had taken off from stockton, california toward the hawaiian islands. they were unaware there was a tropical storm at one point. hurricane julio heading in this direction. they were taken off here and safely brought back to hawaii. the boat still adrift at this hour. they're expecting to bring the boat back to shore. but again, in just 24 hours

seeing a couple of events here around the world with tropical storms causing a lot of problems with people caught by surprise out in the open waters, guys. >> certainly check the weather if you're going to be heading out on the open seas, right? boating 101. >> thanks, pedram. our special coverage on cnn continues after this very short break. >> that's right. next hour, we're going to take you live to l.a., where the tributes are mounting for actor robin williams, who died monday at the age of 63. we'll also get some of the first comments now from his daughter. a look at the career and legacy of the oscar-winning actor when we come back. [ female announcer ] we help make secure financial tomorrows a reality for over 19 million people. [ alex ] transamerica helped provide a lifetime of retirement income. so i can focus on what matters most. [ female announcer ] everyone has a moment when tomorrow becomes real. transamerica. do you guys have identity theft protection? [ male voice ] i'm sorry, did you say identity distribution?

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hello there again, everyone.

i'm errol barnett. >> and i'm rosemary church. a warm welcome back to our viewers in the united states and of course all around the world. coming up, the irrepressible robin williams. comedian, oscar winner, tv alien. a look back at a one-of-a-kind figure. >> the emotions are coming! >> more on that coming up. also escape from sinjar mountain. cnn gets a firsthand view of a desperate situation for thousands of iraqi refugees trapped by sunni militants. racial tensions in the u.s. heartland. police fire tear gas, during a second night of protests against the shooting death of an unarmed teenager. >> also ahead, more on the ebola outbreak. liberia asks for and receives permission to use the experimental serum that could treat the disease. all right. at this hour the world is mourning the loss of actor and comedian robin williams. he was found dead monday in his