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Gas Station Explosion Kills Four; Admiral Fallon Undergoes Hearing to be Top Middle East Commander; Testimony Continues in Scooter Libby Trial; Violence Erupts at Shia Holy Festival; FAA to Raise Mandatory Retirement Age for Pilots

Aired January 30, 2007 - 13:00   ET

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

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, I'm Kyra Phillips live at the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta.
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Don Lemon.

How old is too old? The FAA says airline pilots should be able to fly after 60.

PHILLIPS: The Scooter Libby trial. Judith Miller went to jail instead of revealing her source. What does the former "New York Times" reporter say about the CIA leak case now?

LEMON: And pass the French fries. McDonald's says it has a new formula that's better for you, and you'd never know. We're doing a taste test, right here live in the CNN NEWSROOM.

And we start the first hour at the CNN NEWSROOM with some news that's just in, breaking news out of West Virginia. T.J. Holmes, tell us what's going on.

T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, we're trying to get more and more developments here as they come into us. But what has happened in Ghent, West Virginia, is where we want to take you to, where there has been an explosion at a gas station there.

You see the location, southern West Virginia there. But this is what you're seeing here, is what's left of this gas station. These are the first pictures we are getting in from the scene here.

But this was at the Flat Top Little General Store, where there was an explosion, and CNN has confirmed that at least three people died at this explosion at this gas station.

You are seeing these pictures as pretty much we are seeing them for the first time here ourselves. But brand new video coming into us. But officials there are telling us -- or had told us over the phone, essentially, that the place was disintegrated and nothing was left.

Officials had been called to this gas station to check out a leak, some kind of gas leak there, and when officials got there to check it out, that's when the explosion happened. Being reported as some kind of a propane tank possibly. But a huge, you can tell, a huge, a massive explosion there that has pretty much, looking at these pictures, pretty much wiped out any sign of a gas station.

This was a gas station, a general store there, the Flat Top Little General Store that has completely been wiped out. We do know again, confirmed that three are dead. But there are other reports that as many as seven people have died in this explosion. Also officials were telling us that several people had to be taken to the hospital with pretty serious and critical injuries.

Again, don't know exactly what may have -- what was the spark, I guess, if there was a gas leak. Don't know what that spark might have been to set this off. But again, we are looking at these new pictures here. And it pretty much goes and meshes with what we were told by local officials there, which was that this place was completely wiped out.

This is in Ghent, West Virginia. Also in Ghent is the Winter Place ski resort, a popular ski resort there. And this -- certainly this gas station was on the way to -- certainly a place that people used getting to and from, would stop there, of course, to gas up and get supplies and whatnot.

But this is a developing story. Again, at least confirmed dead, and as many as seven possibly, at a gas station explosion in Ghent. These new details are coming into us, guys, fast and furious. We'll continue to monitor this story and get them back to you.

LEMON: Yes, you do. And stick with those. If we can get those pictures back up. You said the Winter Place ski resort, which is just off the turnpike there at 77, just to tell people where it was. Route 19, which is near the area, T.J., this was blocked to traffic following that explosion, which was felt at least a mile away.

HOLMES: A mile away. And they say it felt like a huge explosion. The ski resort, which isn't too far away, of course, the manager there saying the power went off and they thought they'd got hit by lightning or something.

LEMON: Yes.

HOLMES: The whole place shook. But the place is the Flat Top Little General Store actually on Route 19 as you were saying there. But you can't even tell there was a gas station there. Look at these new pictures.

LEMON: Yes. Right off Interstate 77. And that's where, as you said, people go to gas up.

We will be following this, T.J. We'll check back in with you. Trying to get some people from the town to give us a talk, to talk to us about what's going on. As soon as that happens, we'll get back to T.J. in the NEWSROOM. Thank you so much.

PHILLIPS: All right. Time is short and new and different actions are needed. The subject, Iraq, and the speaker, President Bush's pick to lead all U.S. forces in the Middle East. Navy Admiral William Fallon is on Capitol Hill today for his confirmation hearing. CNN Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr is on the story -- Barbara.

BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, Admiral Fallon is the man with many years of military experience, very well respected. So it was a hearing that was expected to make some news, and it just didn't quite do that.

Admiral Fallon appeared to be well aware he was walking into a political environment on the committee, where there are at least two presidential candidates, Senator McCain, Senator Hillary Clinton. Admiral Fallon walking a fine line, being very much the diplomat.

Even on the question of whether more U.S. troops are need in Iraq and whether he would support additional troop increases, Admiral Fallon was very circumspect. Have a listen to what he had to say in an exchange with Senator Lindsey Graham, the Republican, of South Carolina.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ADMIRAL WILLIAM FALLON, U.S. NAVY: There are many, many tasks in Iraq. And the biggest challenge right now is to get the level of violence down, to establish the base-line security that will enable us to move forward on some of these other areas.

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: And you would support sending more troops to accomplish that goal?

FALLON: I don't know how many troops are going to be necessary to effect the outcome that we want but General Petraeus, in my conversations with him, indicated that he believes he needs these troops now to get moving.

GRAHAM: And if he said he needed more, you would support him?

FALLON: I don't know, sir. I haven't been there yet. I'm not in a position to make that judgment.

GRAHAM: Well, it's his judgment about 21,500, does it make sense to you?

FALLON: I will better be able to give you an informed answer when I understand the situation there.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STARR: So Admiral Fallon making very clear at this juncture he's not going to let himself get boxed in with Congress into too many specifics, too many answers. He is expected, of course, to win confirmation from the committee, Kyra, and as soon as he does, possibly go right to Iraq, right to the theater, and begin that process he says he needs to, of learning more so he can come to some decisions -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: You know, Barbara, as we were listening to this hearing, almost every senator asked him about Iran and the threat of Iran and the influence of Iran in Iraq, whether it's weapons, finance, and now this talk about Iran even building Banks there in Iraq. How's he going to deal with it?

STARR: Well, you know, you really focused in on what probably what may become one of Fallon's top priorities. Iraq will go along, of course, with General Petraeus. There it's a very serious situation. But that will be day to day business in Iraq.

Iran does become a different matter. Admiral Fallon making very clear that he is in line with the administration's strategy of pursuing diplomatic initiatives, international pressure against Iran, to both curb its nuclear program and stop its meddling inside of Iraq.

But Admiral Fallon also very much the military man, Kyra, saying that he wants to keep all of his options open and warning that he believes one of Iran's goals is to try and shut down the Straits of Hormuz, which of course is the area through which much of the world's oil supply moves, something the U.S. Navy will be watching for very closely in the months ahead -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Something else that came up, Barbara, just the capability of Iraqi forces. And he was asked directly, how are you going to determine if they're reliable and they're capable?

STARR: You know, that's a really tough question. Again, Admiral Fallon sort of not being very specific about it, because that has been the challenge for so long now.

The U.S. has, you know, quote, "trained and equipped" perhaps hundreds of thousands of Iraqi security forces. And yet, those Iraqi security forces still in many cases struggle to maintain security. We saw that just in the last 48 hours or so in that huge firefight down in Najaf.

Many Iraqi security forces have performed very well. Many have not. There is still a massive issue with corruption, especially in some of the units associated with the interior ministry, some of the units that are believed to be much more loyal to Shiite militias than they are to the central government. So that is going to be something that is going to have to be dealt with.

Admiral Fallon not having a lot of specifics. That may well be the kind of thing that falls more into General Petraeus' bailiwick since he will be the top commander on the ground inside of Iraq.

PHILLIPS: All right. Barbara Starr, following the hearing for us there. Appreciate it very much.

And also this programming note. Admiral William Fallon steps into the CNN NEWSROOM Friday for an exclusive interview. He's going to talk about the big four, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan and protecting U.S. troops. Join us, 1 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday.

LEMON: A White House lawyer and a former "New York Times" reporter in the spotlight today in the perjury trial of Lewis "Scooter" Libby, once the vice president's most trusted aide.

Our Brian Todd is at the courthouse is Washington with the latest for us -- Brian.

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Don, we're entering a very critical phase of the trial of Dick Cheney's former chief of staff. This is the phase that we're in now, and we're going to enter it in even more intensely in the next hour or two, of the prosecution trying to give us a window into the White House spin machine, as it was in the summer of 2003.

According to the prosecution, this was a machine that was really in overdrive at that time as it tried to counter claims by former ambassador Joe Wilson that the administration skewed intelligence to go to war in Iraq.

Now, this is where the former star "New York Times" reporter Judith Miller comes in. The prosecution trying to portray the White House at that time and Scooter Libby as being part of a very meticulous effort to manipulate the media. Ms. Miller had, according to the indictment, three different conversations with Scooter Libby in that summer of 2003.

Her testimony for the prosecution is going to be key for them to try to dismantle Libby's argument that he simply forgot key details of this story and when he talked to reporters and what he said to them.

Of course, the drama here with Judith Miller is that she is being compelled to testify for the prosecution and testifying against the man who she went to jail to protect as a source. Judith Miller, sentenced to 85 days in jail in 2005. She went to jail for that period of time, because she would not cooperate with the prosecution in divulging her source, which later came out was Scooter Libby. So this is going to be some heavy drama in the courtroom.

Judith Miller scheduled to take the stand this afternoon.

Now, this morning, the testimony focused on current Cheney chief of staff, David Addington. At the time that this investigation began, he was the counsel to the vice president's office.

The testimony today was fairly dry, dealt with mainly his -- David Addington's correspondence with the Justice Department, the documents that he helped hand over to the Justice Department regarding this investigation.

But it did give the defense a chance in their cross examination of Addington to bring out the scapegoat defense. A very kind of dramatic tact they introduced at the beginning of this trial, where they portrayed the White House side as kind of hanging Scooter Libby out to dry to protect Karl Rove.

And it gave the defense this morning the chance to introduce into evidence a note that Dick Cheney wrote to Scooter Libby at the beginning of this investigation, when Libby was concerned, brought his concerns to Cheney that he was being scapegoated. Cheney wrote a note to Libby saying, quote, "Not going to protect one staffer and sacrifice the guy that was asked to stick his neck in the meat grinder because of the incompetence of others."

This gave the defense a chance to introduce that note by Cheney to Scooter Libby into evidence, to again bring out the very dramatic point that they believe Scooter Libby was hung out to dry by the Bush administration to protect Karl Rove in the initial stages of this investigation.

Very dramatic testimony scheduled to happen in the next hour or so when Judith Miller takes the stand -- Don.

LEMON: All right, Brian Todd in Washington, thank you.

TODD: Thank you.

PHILLIPS: More proof that nothing is sacred in the war in Iraq. Shiite pilgrims bombed and shot on their holiest day of the year, while mortars rained down on a Sunni neighborhood in Baghdad. Altogether, almost 15 people are dead. More than 100 are wounded.

CNN's Arwa Damon joins us now from Baghdad to bring us up to date -- Arwa.

ARWA DAMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, hello. That's right, attacks today focusing mainly on Shia pilgrims in the capital, Baghdad, and just to the north of in the province of Diyala.

The attacks left dozens of pilgrims dead, over 100 wounded, ranging from suicide bombers to roadside bombs attacking pilgrims as they were moving towards religious sites, to drive-by shootings.

This is meant to be a time for religious expression, but at the same time Ashura here in Iraq is also becoming a very powerful political platform.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAMON (voice-over): The Shia ritual of Ashura, commemorating the death of Imam Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammed, Shia's defining moment. Saddam Hussein banned it for decades, fearing the power of the Shia people, the majority in Iraq, marking an event seen by many as the symbol of the Shia struggle against Tyranny, oppression and injustice.

But now this expression of mourning is not just a religious event; it is symbolic of the power Iraq's Shia community now commands, power it never knew before, power it now fully embraces.

IMAM MOUSTAFA QAZWINI, ISLAMIC CENTER OF ORANGE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA: I believe that there is a Shia revival, but it is very wise; it is not a crazy revival. America should not be afraid of Shiaism.

DAMON: What is of increasing concern to America and its allies in the Middle East is not necessarily Shiaism, but its political power, risking turning Iraq into an Iranian-style theocracy.

MUNA SELZALAH, SHIA M.P. (through translator): Me as a Shiite woman, I believe that religion and politics cannot be separated, that politics and religion are mixed.

DAMON: Shia religious establishments can harness the fervor generated from emotional rituals like Ashura, turning it into a powerful political platform, the crowds controlled not by politicians but by clerics.

ABDUL AZIZ AL-HAKIM, UNITED IRAQI ALLIANCE (through translator): I sincerely call on all honorable Iraqis to stop escalating the sectarian rhetoric.

DAMON: Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, one of the most powerful men in Iraq, a religious cleric who heads Iraq's largest Shia bloc in parliament, preaching peace, while forwarding his political agenda. In this case, calling for a central government with three autonomous regions for Shia, Sunni and Kurds.

Iraq's Sunni politicians are now in the minority and out of power, painfully aware they can never mobilize masses like this.

AYAD AL-SAMARAIE, SUNNI MEMBER OF IRAQI PARLIAMENT (through translator): Some societies work to get some political advantages from their religious rituals.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

DAMON: Shia leaders say that Shia power should not be feared and that Shiaism is merely the embodiment of Imam Hussein's struggle and revolution. But it is a religious struggle and revolution, which may come to define Iraq's already faltering democracy -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Arwa Damon, live from Baghdad.

Lemon: We've been following breaking news for you here in the CNN NEWSROOM, a story out of West Virginia. A gas station explosion. At least three people dead, maybe more. We'll have more on that when the NEWSROOM continues.

PHILLIPS: Attention all passengers. New debate over the age of commercial pilots and when it's time to pack it in. How old is too old? Straight ahead from the NEWSROOM.

LEMON: And Tyra Banks, fighting back against reports she is fat. We've got the skinny on this weighty story, straight ahead in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: We are following a developing story here in the NEWSROOM. T.J. Holmes, all the details. It appears the death toll may be climbing in all this?

HOLMES: Yes, it is. We earlier confirmed three. The Associated Press now reporting four. And other reports out there have the death toll higher after a gas explosion at a gas station and a convenience store in Ghent, West Virginia.

This is the new video of, some of it's latest we've gotten in. But like we were told earlier by local officials, that the place was just wiped out, completely obliterated. Nothing left. And this is the video you can see and you can't even make out that there was a gas station and convenience store there.

But this is on Route 19, the Flat Top Little General Store. And this morning, there was a report that came in to authorities of some kind of a leak, some kind of gas leak at this place. And apparently once local officials, firefighters, were getting to the scene, that is when the explosion happened. No word on what sparked it, what exactly the leak was or where the spark came from that triggered this massive, massive explosion.

But, again, right now, the Associated Press reporting at least four people, at least four people dead, and several others injured, as well, critically injured, is the word we got. And now here at CNN we are able to confirm as well that, yes, in fact, four people have been killed in this explosion.

Again, this is in Ghent, West Virginia, which is close to the Winter Place ski resort in this area in Southern West Virginia. Ghent, as you're seeing there, was a popular spot, Winter Place ski resort. And of course this general store is a place where certainly people stopped to gas up and to get supplies on the way to the ski resort.

But keeping an eye on this. This story is continuing to update, continuing to change. But again, we can report at least four dead after that gas explosion. We're continuing to follow this and bring you those updates, guys.

LEMON: And T.J., you know, it says that the explosion happened just as emergency crews were coming, because they got a call that there was a leak or something happening there. So just as the emergency crews were getting there...

HOLMES: Were getting there.

LEMON: It appeared that it happened.

HOLMES: And also, we are getting a report, at least A.P., that a paramedic and a firefighter were among those that were injured in this, but, yes, apparently the explosion happened just as those emergency officials were getting to the scene. And it looks like a paramedic and firefighter injured. Don't know the extent of their injuries. But we were told by local officials that there were numerous critical injuries to several people, so still trying to get those details.

LEMON: All right. It appears, again, T.J., you said five people at least. We have reports here of four people, the Associated Press, but local reports say maybe as many as seven people? HOLMES: As many as seven possibly. Local affiliates are reporting that number. We haven't confirmed that. We have confirmed at least four dead, but it really -- it looks like it could go higher.

And as well, we don't know the extent of the injuries to the others, but they are described as critical to us by local sheriff's officials. As critical injuries so...

LEMON: T.J., this is new video we're getting in to -- from the scene there. And you were talking to us earlier. You said this explosion was heard about a mile away. And one of the eyewitnesses said, "You know what? It sounded like we got -- we felt like we got hit by lightning, struck by lightning."

HOLMES: You know, that's a heck of an explosion to be a mile away and to feel it and certainly feel it to the extent that it is described by those folks at the ski resort who were about a mile away at a ski shop there. They felt it, power knocked out. Just shook their whole building. And that was a mile away.

And -- and just looking at the pictures gives you a good idea of just the extent and how massive that explosion had to be to completely wipe out what was there. We don't have a before picture. But if this is the after picture, I mean, there's nothing there.

LEMON: Yes, it's not good. Yes. Well, we'll keep checking back with you, T.J., because it appears it could get much worse. We hope it doesn't, but we'll check in with you. Thank you so much.

HOLMES: All right, Don.

PHILLIPS: It's been a cockpit controversy for ages. Able- bodied, clear-eyed, quick-witted airline pilots forced to retire at the age of 60. The FAA has been considering whether to let older pilots keep their wings a while longer. And today, we finally get a decision.

Joining us from Washington with the details, Brianna Keilar.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, there, Kyra.

Well, it's been since 1959. If you're a commercial airline pilot, and you turn 60, you're out; you're forced into retirement. But the FAA proposed today to change that and allow commercial airline pilots to retire at 65 instead.

Now there would be one caveat. If there is a pilot who's over 60 in the cockpit, the other pilot would have to be under 60 years old. This would bring the FAA up to international standards.

The International Civil Aviation Organization, which governs aviation issues for most countries, in November decided to increase its mandatory retirement age to 65, as well.

Marion Blakey, head of the FAA, just announced this proposal here in Washington a short while ago. Here's why she said it's a good idea.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARION BLAKEY, FAA ADMINISTRATOR: There are no scientific studies out there to say don't do this. In fact, I think we all agree that medical science is at a place where we're all living longer and healthier. And that includes in the cockpit.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: So Marion Blakey, head of the FAA, saying there that there are no scientific studies why this should not be done.

I actually spoke with the head of the Allied Pilots -- or pardon me, communications director, for the Allied Pilots Union, which represents American airline pilots, and he said there's no scientific evidence of why it should be done. That was really his concern.

Historically, people who are against increasing this -- increasing this mandatory retirement age have said that it's really a safety risk, that health deteriorates over time and that includes pilots, as well, and that puts passenger safety at risk.

But those who are for it obviously, in this case, Marion Blakey, head of the FAA, have said that more experience in the cockpit is only a good thing. But of course, Kyra, some people concerned that perhaps the bottom line here is coming before safety.

PHILLIPS: Well, money was a part of this debate as well, right?

KEILAR: No, that's exactly right, and it always has been. In the past, for instance, younger pilots or pilots who have been laid off, have always been in favor of there not being an increase in the retirement age because that creates more room at the top for them. That creates opportunity for them.

But as you know, with some of the bankruptcies of airlines in recent years, pretty much some pilots have seen their pensions just evaporate. So this gives them a chance to work for five more years and, of course, make their personal financial situation better.

PHILLIPS: So what's your take? When could this proposal go into effect?

KEILAR: Well, talking with an FAA spokesperson today, they told me that it could take several months. It could take as long as two years. It's really a long process here of formal proposal, taking public comments and then laying out a time line.

PHILLIPS: All right. Brianna, thanks.

LEMON: Think you know all you need to know about breast cancer? Well, so did this Boston reporter until she got a shock at her doctor's office. Her story and what you can learn from all of it. Ahead right here in the NEWSROOM. PHILLIPS: And Tyra Banks fighting back against reports that she's fat. We've got the skinny on this weighty issue, straight ahead from the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Hello, everyone. I'm Kyra Phillips, live at the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta.

LEMON: And I'm Don Lemon.

"You have breast cancer." Almost 2,000 American women will hear those words this year. What do you know? More importantly, what don't you know about breast cancer? We'll tell you about it today in the CNN NEWSROOM.

PHILLIPS: But first, you're probably not losing much sleep over how much Tyra Banks weighs or doesn't weigh and neither is she, but she does want to set the record straight.

CNN's Sibila Vargas reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SIBILA VARGAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Tyra Banks scantily clad is hardly headline news. This is, after all, the angelic catwalker whose 5'10" body sold lingerie and bikinis for more than a decade, who for two years in a row fronted "Sports Illustrated's" hallowed swimsuit issue.

But last month, paparazzi in Australia snapped these less than flattering pictures of Banks in a one-piece swimsuit, and the former cover girl found herself in the middle of a big fat scandal.

Tabloids ranging from "Star" magazine to "National Enquirer" printed the pictures and dubbed her, "America's Next Top Waddle". But Banks, who currently hosts TV's "America's Next Top Model" and "The Tyra Banks Show", fired back.

With a cover story in this week's "People" magazine, in which she says, "It was such a strange meanness and rejoicing that people had when thinking that was what my body looked like." Banks also accused tabloids of distorting her weight gain.

GALINA ESPINOZA, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: The tabloids had said that she was near 200 pounds. She told "People" magazine that she's 161 pounds, and that since retiring from modeling in 2005 her weight has gone up and down like it does for a lot of women. She has fluctuated between about 148 and 162.

TYRA BANKS, FMR. MODEL, HOST, "TYRA BANKS SHOW": Now, hear what I have to say.

VARGAS: This Thursday, on her show, Tyra Banks sets the record straight.

BANKS: Today, I weigh 160 pounds. So that is 10 pounds that I have gained, not 40.

VARGAS: In that prerecorded episode, she attempts to debunk her own weight rumors and also looks at eating disorders among models and body image. Something Banks has done before for her program, even devoting a show in 2005 to disguising herself in a fat suit.

BANKS: As I walked through the store, I felt the cold stares.

VARGAS: I talked with her then.

(On camera): You said it was a heartbreaking experience.

BANKS: Uh-huh. You're going to make me tear up. It just was heartbreaking because it was so in your face.

VARGAS: Though far from 300 pounds she wore in her TV disguise, Tyra herself now feels the similar pain of ridicule. Despite her weight falling well within healthy guidelines for a woman of her height, 132 to 167 pounds, according to the American Dietetic Association.

BANKS: You guys, I eat. On this show I eat all the time. I talk about how much I love to weight. I gain weight, I lose weight constantly, just like everybody else.

VARGAS: She says everybody else has to get used to seeing pictures of a formerly 126-pound supermodel happy with her healthy normal weight. Sibila Vargas, CNN, Hollywood.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Banks spoke out about the fat flap with CNN's Larry King last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BANKS: It wasn't that it was embarrassing because I don't think it's a reflection of what my body is right now. Although I do think one day it will be a reflection of my body because I like to eat. I'm not obsessed with working out.

So it wasn't so much of an embarrassment, it was just like, what is that? It saddens me because I felt there was such a rejoicing. But I think I understand it. For so many years I was this high-fashion model, putting this image out there that's so difficult to live up to. Then these pictures come out and it's like, wow, look at her.

LARRY KING, CNN ANCHOR: Gotcha!

BANKS: Gotcha! And it's like, no, that's not a reflection of my body. But it was I would out and say, yeah, you guys, that's me. But for it to not be, is the thing that's so crazy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: So is she right? Are we crazy to be preoccupied with a few pounds? What do you think of America's obsession with weight? We want to hear from you. E-mail us at cnnnewsroom@cnn.com. We're going to share some of your e-mails right here in just a little bit.

LEMON: How's this for a story to follow this one -- Wendy's has done it, so has KFC, and Taco Bell. Now the nation's largest restaurant chain is cutting the trans fat. Susan Lisovicz at the New York Stock Exchange with the details.

And Susan, I'll take the story with a side of fries, please. Some fries to go with that shake.

SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN FINANCIAL CORRESPONDENT, CNN NEWSROOM: I'm happy to deliver --

(LAUGHTER)

LISOVICZ: This is the large size. Tyra's not eating these, I can guarantee you. As part of the story development, they're kind of cold right now.

LEMON: Cold fries are good, though.

LISOVICZ: Here's the thing, seriously, don't laugh, McDonald's is a burger joint, right?

LEMON: Yes.

LISOVICZ: But it's really the fries that are considered the most popular item on the menu. The CEO of McDonald's actually calls the French Fries iconic. Restaurant analysts say the burgers, well, you know, they get like sort of mixed ratings, but not the fries. They are considered the best in the business.

So this is a big move for McDonald's. It has developed a new cooking oil. It's canola-based. Also -- excuse me, I have some fries in my mouth. Also includes corn and soybean oils. Mickey D's is planning to use, eventually, to use the transfat free oil in nearly all of its 14,000 restaurants.

You may have already tasted the new fries. McDonald's says the healthier oil is currently being tested in 1200 of its restaurants. The company is not saying where those locations are. But one thing's for sure, we New Yorkers will be able to taste the new oil by this summer. Excuse me, I need to drink something.

LEMON: I want to ask you, did -- two questions did you value size those fries? Number two, how did they taste?

LISOVICZ: Yes. I don't know if these are the new ones. That's the whole thing --

LEMON: You won't know, oh.

LISOVICZ: Seriously, McDonald's or any restaurant chain really has to have a consistent taste, right?

LEMON: Yeah.

LISOVICZ: That's why they're trying them out. They're not saying where. By the way, McDonald's doesn't supersize anymore. That was a whole other flap.

LEMON: You can go up a value size. You can go up.

LISOVICZ: Yes.

LEMON: Trust me, I know about those fries.

LISOVICZ: Yes to that.

LEMON: New York, because of the whole transfat thing, right? Is that why they're doing it in New York?

LISOVICZ: That's right. That's right. It's partly in response to a New York City ordinance that was passed last month. It bans all New York City restaurants from using artificial transfat by July 1. McDonald's has tried to make it's famous fries with a healthier oil before but the company backed off just a few months later because of concerns the fries would taste differently.

But after testing, get this, 18 varieties of oil over the last seven years, McDonald's now claims its fries will taste the same. And sharper palettes than mine will, basically, have to put that test to work.

Shares of McDonald's meanwhile are gaining -- let's see, where are they? Are gaining 1.3 percent. That's helping to keep the Blue Chips in positive territory, but just barely right now.

Investors are also weighing the latest read on consumer confidence, against uneasiness about tomorrow's Fed decision on interest rates. Confidence rose modestly in January as the job market remains strong.

Checking the number, the Dow industrials up 18 point, the Nasdaq up just 2 points. And that is the latest from Wall Street.

Coming up, Revlon is going boldly where few women's products have gone before, the Super Bowl. I'll have details next hour.

Don, you won't want to miss that story.

LEMON: I won't want to miss that story. Overnight some of those fries to us.

LISOVICZ: They're already cold, let me tell you.

LEMON: All right, thank you, Susan.

We're also following developing news out of Ghent West, Virginia. We told you about an explosion. The Associated Press is saying as many as four people have been killed. Local reports saying as many as seven. Gas station explosion in West Virginia. We'll be back in NEWSROOM with more on that. The news keeps coming and we'll keep bring it to you. You're watching CNN, the most trusted name in news.

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PHILLIPS: Go straight to the NEWSROOM. T.J. Holmes working details on that explosion. What do you know?

T.J. HOLMES, CNN NEWS ANCHOR, CNN NEWSROOM: Of course, out of Ghent, West Virginia, a gas station, the Flat Top Little General Store, huge explosion there. I have several that we know of right there has confirmed that there are deaths, also other injuries. We'll try to get the latest now from Sheriff Danny Moore, of Raleigh County.

Sir, thank you for taking the time to update us. So, if you can, update the casualty numbers and also the number of injuries that you have there from this explosion.

SHERIFF DANNY MOORE, RALEIGH COUNTY, WEST VA.: Yes, T.J., we have five that's confirmed injured, at the hospital. We have anywhere from 3 to 7 casualties. As we speak, the debris is -- the whole building is leveled. We're digging through the debris now to confirm. We are trying to confirm how many were actually working, how many customers they had, how many were at the gas pump itself.

We have an EMS, had an ambulance there, it is disintegrated. The explosion just leveled the whole complex.

HOLMES: What was the initial call that authorities were coming to respond to? Firefighters were responding to a gas leak, is that right?

MOORE: Correct, on a propane tank. From what I understand, there is a hole in the propane tank. I think one of the propane people was actually there. The fire department, volunteer fire department at Ghent, was called. They were on their way out here to evacuate when the explosion happened.

HOLMES: Any idea what the spark was, what triggered the -- or got that gas to ignite like this?

MOORE: At this point, we do not know. We do have the state fire marshal's office here. We still have that part of the investigation. And that's what we have to determine, what actually caused the explosion outside the leak, what set it off. We do not know. And unfortunately if there was a gas personnel worker there, than he won't -- he's probably one of the casualties.

HOLMES: Yes. Sir, give us an idea, if you can, even, of where the tank was and how big of a tank we're talking about here?

MOORE: Well, it was behind the building -- it looks to me like a 750 or 1,000 gallon tank, best I can tell, that was there. It's a large tank. HOLMES: Sir, this time of day, I think, it was this morning, before noon, right before 11 o'clock, when this happened. And what is this, on a Tuesday morning. How popular of a spot is this, for people to stop, guess on their way to the ski resort? During this time of day, would you expect this was a pretty happening and busy spot during this time of day?

MOORE: Well, not so much this time of day. Fortunately, we have an elementary school that's close by, and probably there's -- it's busier after school with parents stopping by with their children and all. So I just thank the Good Lord that was not the case. It's a tragedy enough to the people here in the area. Everybody knows each other. I'm sure I know some of these folks out here because I'm from this district myself.

But it is in an area, it could have been a lot worse. It's a bad enough tragedy. But the location a little bit more remote, and nothing really close by. Some houses around the store absolutely the windows and doors were rattled. But fortunately, there's no casualties outside. And we did not have to evacuate the school. We did advise the schoolchildren, the principal, to keep the children in the school itself, because it's like 300 or 400 yards away from the site. We do have debris in the roads and debris all over the area.

HOLMES: Sheriff Danny Moore from the Raleigh County, sir, we appreciate you. Like you said, a tight community there, and certainly wish you all the best in this recovery. And still we appreciate you taking the time-out and updating us and our viewers about that really tragic situation you have going there. Thank you for your time.

Again, we're hearing there from Sheriff Moore, saying now three to seven dead. The place completely flattened, as you could see by those pictures. Possibility, they're still trying to figure out how many people were exactly there. How many people were working on that particular shift, how many customers had stopped by.

But there's rubble, debris, and there's a possibility they could find more dead under some of that debris when they start to work this all out. Don't exactly know what triggered it. They do believe there was a gas leak. That was what -- that got sparked some kind of way and caused this huge explosion. We're keeping a close eye on the tragic situation on this Tuesday morning. But trying to get more details, we'll be working those for you guys.

PHILLIPS: All right, keep us on top of the investigation. Thanks, T.J.

LEMON: How about that economy? Amid all the sound and fury over Iraq, President Bush wants to talk job growth and GDP. Today, he's touring a Caterpillar plant in East Peoria, Illinois. Kathleen Koch is there, too.

Kathleen.

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT, CNN NEWSROOM: Don, this is the second time that President Bush has used a Caterpillar plant as a backdrop to tout his policies. The president sees the world's largest maker of construction equipment as a real success story, as an example, of how U.S. companies can benefit and thrive when there's global free trade, when they have a level playing field.

Caterpillar, for example, in 2006 posted record profits for the third year in a row. President Bush had some fun today here, climbed up on a bulldozer, a D-10 took it for a test drive. He called it a, quote, "cool experience". The president said that Caterpillar is proof not only that U.S. companies can compete in a global economy, but proof that his economic policies are working.

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GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Our job in government is not to get in your way. Our job in government is to put pro-growth economic policies in place, that mean companies like Caterpillar, which do the right things, can succeed.

Let me talk of some what that means. First it means keeping taxes low. There's a debate in Washington that says we need more taxes. We don't need more taxes. It's important for you to keep your own money.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOCH: Well, so how is it playing in Peoria? The president got a good reception from the crowd of several hundred. But he and Caterpillar don't always see eye to eye. Caterpillar is one of 10 companies that on the eve of his State of the Union Address called for the president to make mandatory reductions in climate changing pollution. But the president rejected that, he instead believes that voluntary cutbacks in greenhouse gases, which actually many of those 10 companies have already taken -- the president believes voluntary way is the way to go -- Don.

LEMON: Kathleen Koch, thank you so much.

PHILLIPS: Another breaking news story we're working on: There's a verdict in the case of a wife accused of killing her Marine husband. And severe weather moving in for some of you. Meteorologist Rob Marciano in the Severe Weather Center. You're watching CNN, the most trusted name in news.

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PHILLIPS: T.J. Holmes working a number of developing stories for us. What do you have now, T.J.?

HOLMES: This other -- some folks may remember -- the case of a woman, Cynthia Sommer, out of San Diego, accused of poisoning and killing her Marine husband of -- who was a 23-year-old, in great health, accused of killing him for the life insurance.

Well, as you're seeing there, we're telling you she has been found guilty of poisoning her Marine husband. You're seeing him there, Todd Sommer, a 23-year-old, who was in good shape, good physical condition, like many Marines are. And just fell ill and it was determined he was the victim of arsenic poisoning. At first thought he had died of a heart attack. An investigation a short time later showed he had 1,000 times the normal level of arsenic in his liver.

We do have some sound here from the courtroom just a short time ago as she heard the verdict read.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Superior Court of the State of California, for the County of San Diego, the people of the State of California, plaintiff, versus Cynthia A. Sommer, defendant. Case number SCD 195-202.

Verdict. We, the jury in the above entitled cause find the defendant Cynthia A. Sommer guilty of the crime of murder of Todd Sommer, a human being, in violation of penal code section 187-A as charged in Count 1 of the information. And fix the degree there of as murder in the first degree.

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HOLMES: So you saw not much of, but a bit of a reaction there from Cynthia Sommer, who prosecutors say she led a promiscuous, partying lifestyle pretty much immediately after her husband's death. And got the $250,000 life insurance policy and took that money and began a lavish lifestyle that she wasn't able to live before, because she had a -- as she said, a strict Marine husband that she was married to.

But a tough case here from back in 2002, February of 2002. In fact, now, Cynthia Sommer has been convicted of the murder of her Marine husband, poisoning him with arsenic to collect the life insurance.

So again that's one of -- like you said, several developing stories we're following here. We're on top of them all for you.

PHILLIPS: We'll keep checking in. Thanks, T.J.

LEMON: Oh boy, here comes rain snow and chilly temperatures, a relatively normal winter weather day for most of us, for once. But that could change.

Rob Marciano, what's going on?

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LEMON: Is it hot in here or is it just us? The Bush administration catches heat from Democrats on climate change and whether the president's men tried to squelch the science. We're heading for the Hill, ahead in the CNN NEWSROOM.

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LEMON: For years people with painful hips have been told to wait until they hit 60 for a joint replacement. Active boomers who have worn out their hips too soon have another option. The FDA has approved a kind of resurfacing with a smooth metal that covers both ball and socket. It's said to be more durable than older materials with less friction. One potential hang-up is price, more than $40,000, and not all insurance covers it.

PHILLIPS: It was perhaps the original "If you build it they will come" destination. Now scientists may have found out where the Stonehenge building crew hung out. Up next, the discovery that's rocking the archaeological world.

As we end this hour, let's get a quick check on Big Board on Wall Street. Right now, Dow industrials up 24 points. We'll be right back.

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