Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Libyan Rebels Strike Back; Plutonium in Soil, Radiation in Ocean; Medical Marijuana Approval; Questioning Libya Strategy

Aired March 28, 2011 - 14:00   ET

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

RANDI KAYE, CNN ANCHOR: We're following major developments in two of the world's hotspots. After weeks of being outgunned and outmaneuvered in Libya, forces opposed to Moammar Gadhafi again have the upper hand.

And for the first time since Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant fell victim to a tsunami, plutonium is showing up in the soil.

We'll have full coverage of both these stories beginning right now, first with Libya.

Now more than ever now, the Libyan unrest isn't just a civil war, it's a tug-of-war. After a week of allied air strikes aimed at protecting Libyan civilians, fighters opposed to longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi regrouped and pushed back with a vengeance.

In the space of a weekend, they took back most of the ground that Gadhafi forces claimed in the past month. Today they're poised to launch what could be their toughest battle yet, for Gadhafi's hometown of Sirte. A victory there would be symbolically huge, and geographically, one giant leap toward Tripoli.

So check out this map that we have here behind me.

Just about a month ago, in the early days of the uprising, momentum was clearly with the rebels. The cities that you se here in green actually fell quickly, but then came the counter-assault. And after 40-plus years in power, Gadhafi had the weapons, the organization, and the will to remain in power no matter what. Regime opponents were pushed back to their unofficial capital, Benghazi.

Now take a look at this. Here is the map today.

Town after town in the east, in rebel hands. Gadhafi forces holding the line for now, at least, at Sirte. We've heard accounts of rebels pulling back under fire in one case from forces who had waved a white flag signifying surrender.

CNN's Arwa Damon is in the rebel-held town of Ras Lanuf. She joins me now by the phone.

Arwa, can you set the scene for us there?

ARWA DAMON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Randi. And what we're beginning to see here are just how the dynamics of the battlefield are shifting as these opposition forces push towards Sirte, Gadhafi's hometown, and an area that is filled with Gadhafi loyalists.

Now, the forces got to an area called Um Al Gundel (ph). It's around 60 miles to the west of Sirte. And we were tailing behind them when, all of a sudden, we noticed them streaming down the highway, beating a hasty, chaotic retreat, firing their 50-caliber machineguns into the air, firing all sorts of small arms fire.

When the situation finally came under control, quite a distance away from what the front line was, one of the fighters told us that when they went into this area, they began searching homes and noticed that residents were armed with new weapons they say were given to them recently by Gadhafi's forces. They say that they began to negotiate with the residents, tried to convince them to come over to the opposition's side, when a number of residents opened fire on them.

Bearing in mind, Randi, they said there were families in this area as well. The opposition claims that it then decided to retreat because it did not want to take part in a pitched gun battle that could cause civilian casualties.

As they were beating their retreat, they say they came under an intense hail of bullets. They say they're going to try to regroup, try to go back in, hope that the civilians there have cleared out. But what we are really seeing is a shift in battlefield, a shift in dynamics. This is significantly turning more and more towards a street-to-street running gun battle as these forces close in on Sirte -- Randi.

KAYE: And how far do you think they're going to get when you see residents being armed? I mean, they don't know who is friend or who is foe. I mean, do they still believe they can make it all the way to Tripoli? Is that their plan?

DAMON: It's still their plan, it's still what they believe, but the realization is sinking in that this is going to be much tougher than they expected. A lot of what they were banking on is that residents in these areas, as they pushed westward, would side with the opposition. And if this one small area is anything to go by, it does seem as if Gadhafi's loyalists are willing to push the opposition forces out, fight against the opposition forces.

And this, of course, creates an entirely new dynamic, because as they go into these areas, as this turns into more and more of a street warfare, in this case what is the coalition going to do? The opposition forces only got this far because of the air strikes that really took out a number of Gadhafi's tanks, heavy armor, forced his troops back. But now that this is going to turn into a literal battle for each and every city and town, it would seem, that's going to pose an entirely new set of challenges, especially since the opposition says it doesn't have the weapons or equipment to engage in proper warfare, never mind the training.

KAYE: All right. CNN's Arwa Damon for us in Ras Lanuf.

And we want to take you now a bit up the road to CNN's Reza Sayah. He's following the fighting from his vantage point in Benghazi. And he joins me now on the phone.

Reza, a remarkable weekend. Certainly a lot of progress as the rebels push westward.

REZA SAYAH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Randi. They almost made it look easy over the past three days, gaining about 200 miles in territory, capturing about five cities.

Today was the first time in those 72 hours where they faced some resistance, some fights from the Gadhafi forces in the town of Sirte. I believe you just spoke to our correspondent Arwa Damon. I'm not sure how much of the details she provided for you, but apparently in Sirte -- this is Gadhafi's hometown -- Gadhafi loyalists and soldiers, using chicanery and subterfuge, according to rebel fighters, to fight off the opposition.

Rebel fighters telling CNN that Gadhafi forces are arming civilians. One rebel fighter telling CNN that he and a group of other fighters were approaching Gadhafi forces who were waving a white flag, suggesting that they were done fighting, that they were surrendering. But as they were approaching them, this rebel fighter said Gadhafi forces fired on them, killing some of the opposition members.

So that's the type of resistance they're facing in Sirte. The opposition expected this type of fight in Sirte. Of course, this is Gadhafi's hometown. He has got family members there, friends.

His tribe, the Gadhafi (ph) tribe, is based out of there. The first tough fight really, Randi, in the past 72 hours for this opposition.

KAYE: Yes.

What about -- in terms of the organization of the rebels, I'm just curious, because they have been painted for weeks now, really, as this sort of ragtag group. Do you sense any type of political organization being formed among them?

SAYAH: Well, you have the fighters. And on the other hand, you have the government, the transitional government. They're pretty much a hodgepodge mix as well.

They are prominent figures, think are politicians, military leaders who have said they are going to form the government once the regime is toppled. They say they're going to draft the constitution and they're going to have a democracy.

Now, it's not clear how easy this is going to be, considering this is a country that's made up of a patchwork of sects and tribes that have never really tasted modern democracy. But this transitional government is saying the right things. Essentially, they're saying trust us, but really not clear what happens, if and when Gadhafi falls, what type of government is going to be in place. And that's what concerns the international community.

KAYE: Reza Sayah with the very latest from Benghazi.

Reza, thank you.

All eyes certainly on Libya, so we want to remind you that President Obama will be addressing the nation tonight on the U.S. role in the Libya campaign, how it came to be and when it might end. The president speaks at 7:30 p.m. Eastern, but CNN's live coverage begins 7:00 Eastern, 4:00 Pacific.

A powerful explosion in Yemen destroys a weapons factory. Medical officials say the blast killed at least 121 people and injured 45 in southern Yemen. Islamic militants had seized control of the plant, and residents were looting it when the explosion occurred.

This all comes after months of demonstrations against Yemen's president, Ali Abdullah Saleh. And it's just the latest in an intensifying battle between the government and a local al Qaeda group. Saleh says he's holding onto power, arguing he is best equipped to fight off militant Islamists.

Security forces flooded to Syrian cities today as they attempt to break up anti-government protests. This was the scene, if you take a look here, from Daraa.

The situation is extremely tense. As protests continued, officers patrolled the streets and protected government buildings. Witnesses say forces marched into the main square of one of the cities earlier this morning, firing shots in the air and turning water cannons on the protesters. The U.N. says at least 37 people have died since last week.

In the meantime, two Reuters journalists missing in Syria since Saturday, they are now free. A Syrian official says the Reuters producer and cameraman were detained two days because they lacked a work permit and filmed in a prohibited area. Both journalists are Lebanese nationals and did return safely today.

Some alarming signs out of Japan -- high levels of radiation in the ocean and the air. And now plutonium in the soil. Experts say these are signs the nuclear crisis is reaching a turning point for the worse.

We'll get you the facts and the latest update, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: Take a look at this video. It's been more than two weeks, and we're just getting this new video in. This was what happened to a town north of Sendai, the epicenter of the earthquake, another powerful reminder of the tsunami's destructive fury as it consumes cities along Japan's coast. Wow. That tsunami awakened a nuclear crisis in Japan, and experts say there are signs the crisis may be reaching a turning point for the worst. We're getting a steady stream of new developments out of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant right now.

The latest, workers at the Fukushima plant were able to get external power to reactor 3, which is key to restoring the plant's cooling system, but there's also some troubling news as well today. Tokyo Electric tested the water, air and ground near the plant. It says it is finding plutonium in the soil.

On top of that, the water in a tunnel connected to reactor 2 is at least 100,000 times more radioactive than normal. Officials say they are still trying to find the source of the leak.

But Japan's nuclear agency says its tests show high levels of radiation in the ocean and in the air near the reactors. Test showed seawater in different locations off shore had radiation levels as high as 1,850 times the normal amount.

So let's talk about this. Let's bring in Maria Korsnick, an expert in the nuclear industry. She joins us now from D.C.

Maria, thanks for being with us.

When you hear what's happening there, and you hear Tokyo Electric has now found three types of plutonium in the soil around the plant, what does this tell you?

MARIA KORSNICK, NUCLEAR EXPERT: Yes. Hi, Randi. Thanks.

I don't think we should be overly alarmed by what we're hearing. Obviously, they've been spraying the spent fuel pools, as we've been seeing on television. This likely could be the source of what's being noted right now. And the good things is they are out, they are monitoring, they are looking, and will take the appropriate actions.

KAYE: In a case like this, though, we're getting so many mixed messages, and a lot of people don't know what to believe. Tokyo Electric is under fire right now about just how accurate their radiation tests are. So Greenpeace is now in Japan, and it's doing its own tests. We actually spoke with Greenpeace's nuclear expert on Sunday, so I want you to hear what he had to say, and then I'll get your response.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAN VAN DE PUTTE, RADIATION MONITOR: So the population would get above the maximum allowed annual dose in just a few days, and we strongly recommend the government to help those people to relocate to another place.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: So this is a really important finding. I mean, people about, what, 30 miles or so away from the plant being exposed to levels of radiation that they would normally get in about a year? And now they're getting it in just a few days.

So, we have to ask, how reliable do you think these tests are?

KORSNICK: Yes. And again, I would look to the International Atomic Energy Agency, as well as the World Health Organization in this case. They are working with the government in Japan, and you're going to see very organized -- they monitor the information very closely, and there's pre-established guidelines very much like we would have in the United States before any action is taken.

And they're demonstrating that they're taking this type of action. You've seen that with previous evacuations, with recommendations they've given on spinach and drinking water and milk, et cetera. So I have confidence that the IAEA, along with the government of Japan, is working hand in hand to appropriately inform the public there.

KAYE: So then let me ask you about this concern. And a lot of people talking about and wondering about seafood from Japan. Hong Kong has banned the import of it.

How concerned are you about that? Is that seafood safe, do you think, with talk of radioactive material heading into the soil, heading into the water?

KORSNICK: Yes. You know, there's obviously very well- established methods for them to monitor.

You mentioned that there was something in the water close to the plant. They're also monitoring several miles away from the plant. Those are well below regulated limits.

But they take into account the fact that it's going to get into the water like this, that it's going to work its way through the ecosystem. And there's predetermined measurements for them to take. And if it's appropriate for them to quarantine the seafood and not allow it to be sold, again, that's very well-established. It's in fact very similar to what happened in the Gulf crisis for us when there was oil in the water.

KAYE: All right. Maria Korsnick, thank you. Appreciate your time today.

KORSNICK: Thank you.

KAYE: The Black Eyed Peas are dedicating their latest video, "Just Can't Get Enough," to the people of Japan. They were actually in Tokyo a week before the deadly earthquake and tsunami and are asking fans to help in this "Impact Your World."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was just blown away because we were just there. We were just with friends there in Japan walking around, filming our video in the beautiful streets of Tokyo.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We've been going there since, when, 1999?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Since 1999.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And when we first went there, we fell in love with Japan.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So I want to encourage everybody to help out.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Let's take care of those who have lost family members, those children who are out there stranded who have lost their parents. This video now is dedicated to Japan and all of its beauty and all of its people.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAYE: And for more ways to help, CNN is launching a new high- tech way for smartphone users around the world to take immediate action. Scan this image with your smartphone to load our "Impact Your World" Web site. You'll find links to charities helping disaster victims in Japan.

Japan's nuclear disaster is no laughing matter for European broadcasters who are now taking a closer look at episodes of "The Simpsons." As any fan of the show knows, Homer works at a nuclear power plant, and let's just say safety, not job number one. Networks in Germany, Switzerland and Austria want to mike sure an episode featuring a meltdown never airs.

Go to our blog if you want to comment on this, CNN.com/Ali. You can share your thoughts, and you can also post on Ali's Facebook and Twitter accounts. And share your thoughts with me as well on my Facebook and Twitter account, RandiKayeCNN.

We'll share your comments right after this short break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: Now back to the story of some European countries pulling jokes about nuclear power plants out of old episodes of "The Simpsons."

We asked for your input and, well, we definitely got it.

Jo posted this on Facebook: "Many people may argue that political correctness has gone too far, and in some cases this may be true. Yet, we need to be careful that in compensating for this correctness, we don't forget how to recognize a simple act of consideration."

Savannah disagreed with Jo and said, "This isn't the first nuclear disaster. If jokes on the subject are going to be deemed inappropriate, it should have happened a long time ago."

And Jon has an interesting take on this story. He said, "The sad part is that nuclear power plants should have been pulled in light of the satirical wisdom of the show, not the other way around."

So, to join the discussion, if you'd like, go to our blog, CNN.com/Ali, or to my Facebook and Twitter account, RandiKayeCNN.

Checking the time for you right now, 22 minutes past the hour. Here are some top stories.

In Libya, rebels appear to have regained the momentum from Gadhafi forces and are now marching toward his birthplace of Sirte. Part of today's fighting has centered on the main road leading into that town. Over the weekend, the rebels seized a number of coastal towns and oil installations.

The White House says President Obama will give a televised speech tonight on his case for U.S. involvement in Libya. He's expected to talk about NATO's decision to take command of military operations, including air strikes on the ground. The White House also says the president will discuss U.S. policy from here on in.

The speech is set to start at 7:30 p.m. Eastern from the National Defense University in Washington. CNN's live coverage begins promptly at 7:00 p.m.

On the housing front, things are going from bad to worse, it seems. The national vacancy rate crept up to just over 13 percent, according to the new Census report out last week. That's up from 12 percent in 2007. As one analyst put it, "More vacant homes equal more downward pressure on home prices."

Last week we started following his journey in a frigid, faraway land. CNN Special Correspondent and environmentalist Philippe Cousteau joins us next for an update of days five and six on his expedition in the Arctic. So don't go anywhere.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

KAYE: And very quickly, our friend Philippe Cousteau, he has been making his trek, or at least trying to make his trek.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: No. He's stuck.

KAYE: He's been stuck in the northern Canadian Arctic.

Are his conditions going to improve at all?

MYERS: He is way up here. And, yes, for seven days they've had whiteout conditions up there. And the storms have been really brutal.

This is our map for our winds for Japan, but it works for here, too. If the winds die off, he gets his trip in, coming up.

KAYE: Yes? All right. Well, that's good news, because we've been getting these updates from him, but he hasn't really been able to do much. But the updates, still, nevertheless, very interesting.

Despite delays, as we mentioned, Philippe's been keeping us informed on his journey. And here is his latest video diary. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PHILIPPE COUSTEAU, CNN SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT & ENVIRONMENTALIST: This is day number five stuck in Resolute. So the weather is perfect down here, but it's still not good up Catlin Ice Base. So we are just trying to bide our time. We've been doing a little bit of filming here and there, but everybody is pretty frustrated at the current state of affairs.

So this afternoon we decided to get some of our aggression out and head up to the top of that peak up there. It should take about two hours roundtrip, we're hoping, and should provide a fantastic view of the entire surrounding area, Resolute Bay and up north, et cetera.

Whoever thought you'd be sweating at minus 20 degrees? These clothes are really good for sitting around and doing scientific work, but not so good for regulating body temperature. I just had to take my coat off, because after about 45 minutes or so hiking up hill, it is, believe it or not, hot.

We made it to the top. It's gotten a little bit chillier up here, so I put my coat back on. This is the marker for the highest point on this, and it looks like pretty much any mountain anywhere around here, and it is completely covered over in crystalized ice and snow.

And it's -- this is probably about as pure snow as you can find almost anywhere in the world. And it is absolutely part of this beautiful white desert that surrounds us as far as the eye can see. It is quite a gift to be able to be up here.

Below me is Resolute, town of 250 people on a good day. And as nice as our stay has been there and as beautiful as this view is, well, let's just say we really, really want to get out of here as soon as possible. And get up to the Catland ice base. We'll see how long it takes, but hopefully it will be soon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAYE: To read Phillippe Cousteau's daily expedition blogs and see his videos, including one on surviving an encounter with a polar bear, head to Ali's blog at CNN.com/ali.

Stopping a superbug where the infection is spreading and who exactly is at risk. We'll tell you next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: Now a look at news you may have missed.

President Obama explains the goals and scope of the Libyan mission tonight. He'll speak to the American people from the National Defense University in Washington. CNN's live coverage begins right here at 7:00 Eastern.

And the next target of Libyan rebel troops is Moammar Gadhafi's hometown. They're moving west to Sirte, where they expect a bloody battle for control. Opposition fighters swept out of Benghazi in the east this weekend and reclaimed towns they had recently lost to Gadhafi's forces. Their ultimate goal is the capital ,Tripoli.

Three types of plutonium have turned up near Japan's Fukushima nuclear plant. The Tokyo Electric Power Company says the radioactive element was found in the soil inside the plant grounds. They say it may come from the reactors but poses no risk to humans. The company also announced it's restored power to the number three reactor, a step toward restarting that cooling system.

A superbug is spreading through Los Angeles County nursing homes and hospitals. The potentially deadly bacteria is called CRKP, and it's resistant to antibiotics. Health officials saw more than 350 cases during the last half of last year, most of them occurring in the elderly. Doctors say the best way to prevent the spread of CKRP is through washing hands.

Libyan rebels marching on Gadhafi's hometown. Is the Libyan leader finally, finally on the verge of a downfall? We have some answers for you, right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: In Libya, big advances by rebels fighting to overthrow Moammar Gadhafi. Joining us to talk about all of this, Michael Holmes.

So we're seeing the rebels, Michael, moving westward.

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We are, and what's interesting about this, and we've got to keep this in mind is that they're not beating anyone, they're just moving. They're having skirmishes and there are military encounters going on, but it's not like the rebels have had to pitch battle with Gadhafi's forces. They're getting to towns and taking them because, by and large Gadhafi's forces are pulling back.

They're still holding together when they're not getting bombed by the coalition. I'm talking about more in Tripoli. But the rebels are being helped enormously by the coalition, bombing Gadhafi's heavy arms. And so, they're just sort of moving forward.

Now, they'll have a problem in Sirte, because that is the hometown of Gadhafi. A lot of loyalists there. Other places. Ras Lanuf as well. There will be some local resistance. But that gets technical then, doesn't it? Because you've got a bunch of basically civilians who are fighting civilians.

KAYE: Yes. What Arwa Damon was telling us, the residents in Ras Lanuf are now armed.

HOLMES: Then you really have civil war, haven't you? By definition.

KAYE: I want to ask you - I know we have some video of this about this woman in a shocking report of this woman who allegedly said she was held and raped by Gadhafi's forces.

HOLMES: Yes.

KAYE: And then she came, she burst in when the journalists were gathered in Libya to tell her story.

HOLMES: Yes. Dramatic footage. Eman Al-Baidi is her name. She went into the hotel where foreign media are based, said as you said, tried to tell a story. Said she was stopped at a checkpoint east of Tripoli, was basically then held, beaten, battered and raped for the next two days, she said by more than a dozen men. And then she went in -- when she was in the hotel trying to tell the story to reporters, Gadhafi's security guys got involved and you've seen the pictures -- just dramatic stuff as they basically took her away.

KAYE: Yes. I mean, in the video you see they put a towel over her head.

HOLMES: A bag over her head.

KAYE: Right a bag. They try and drag her out. And one of our cameraman's cameras was broken.

HOLMES: Yes. Deliberately broken. Not in the scuffle. The guy took it off him, went into the corner, and deliberately pulled the view finder off, the lens. Deliberately destroyed the camera.

KAYE: This is serious, because this is how the (INAUDIBLE) work there. It just seems they obviously didn't want her to speak to the journalists.

HOLMES: Exactly. They said they were taking her to a hospital. She thought she was going to jail. They later said they released her, but there hasn't been any sign of her as of yet.

Now, Nic Robertson made a very good point. He was saying that everything has been so stage-managed by the Libyans in terms of where the reporters can go, what they can see, what they're told. And this was something that wasn't in the script for the Libyans and you saw perhaps the real security apparatus of --

KAYE: Oh, yes. They freaked out, plainly.

HOLMES: Beat up journalists. Guy from "The Financial Times" got punched and kicked.

KAYE: Yes. Really something. Can we turn to Syria? More antigovernment protests there.

HOLMES: Yes, there are. There was security forces flooding into the town Daraa, which we've been talking about a lot lately. There's been more reports of shooting as well. There's a sense -- I've been talking to some people in Syria and those talking with people in Syria as well, and there's a sense of this growing. This isn't going away. There are massive pro-regime protests planned for tomorrow, but this is starting to grow. And worryingly it is becoming more sectarian thing. Sunni versus the -- Bashar Al-Assad, of course, is Alawi.

KAYE: Right. Yemen, just quickly, deadly blasts in an ammunition factory in Yemen today. What is happening there?

HOLMES: This is a town called Jar. Islamic militants - they were described by some as al Qaeda -- went in and basically stripped this place. It was a place that made AK-47s among other things. And then all the locals went in and they started stripping it, too. There were huge amounts of ammunition there as well.

It exploded, dozens of people were killed. Just a horrible, horrible thing. In a country that is already racked by violence and unsettle -- going to say, too, this is a country that is the poorest in the Middle East. Forty percent of people live on less than $2 a day. You know, two-thirds of the population is under the age of 24. Just a terrible situation.

KAYE: On a bright note, we don't have time for it today, but I really did want to speak with you about Prince William's supposed secret stag party.

HOLMES: Oh, yes!

KAYE: Can we talk about that maybe tomorrow?

HOLMES: Absolutely. I wasn't there, but I know somebody who was.

KAYE: Well, I'm glad to know you were -- oh, good tease! All right. You'll have to wait until tomorrow on that one.

All right, Michael, thank you.

Thousands of people are executed worldwide every year. Find out where the United States stands when it comes to number of executions after this short break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: Thousands of people were executed around the world in 2010. Just today, Amnesty International released their death penalty report for last year. So, we want to take a look at the results and break it all down for you.

First, we'll look at the countries with the highest number of executions. Here is the list right here. China topping the list with 1,000-plus. In fact, China is believed to have executed thousands in 2010, but you don't really know the real numbers because they're all about secrecy over its use of the death penalty.

Iran is more than 250 here, number two on the list. North Korea at 60. And if you're looking to find the USA, here it is with 46- plus. Again, that's the number of executions in 2010.

What's interesting here as well, if you look at Libya and Syria, Libya with 18 plus, Syria with 17-plus, compare that to the U.S., that's quite a bit less. And Somalia is there on the bottom of the list.

And many -- just getting back to China for a second, many of those executions had to do with nonviolent crimes, which I think is interesting to point out.

We also have one more breakdown to show you here. Our source on this, of course, is Amnesty International. This shows you the countries carrying out executions from 1991-2010. And if you look, I just want to call your attention to, say, 1995 there. That's about -- it looks as though where the countries peaked, about - I don't know -- 42 or so it looked like in term of the numbers carrying out -- number of countries carrying out executions. Then you can see it sort of goes up and down throughout the years, jumps up again after going down in '96, up a little bit in '97, then up again in 2001, 2002.

But there's been sort of a steady dip, and then 2009 it went down. And then 2010, just last year, it's gone up. But 31 countries actually abolished the death penalty in law or in practice during the last ten years. So, that's an interesting look at the death penalty around the world from Amnesty International.

You can, of course, see the complete report by heading to Ali's blog, CNN.com/ali.

All right, medical marijuana, we know it's big business, but is it a business the federal government needs to get nor involved in? The "Stream Team" weighs in. This is going to be an interesting discussion you don't want to miss it next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: Welcome back. It is time now for the "Stream Team." We're talking about medical marijuana today. Let's take a quick trip down marijuana's memory lane.

It was first used, you may recall, in western medicine many, many years ago in the 1840s by an Irish surgeon, W.B. O'Shaughnessy learned about its properties as a sedative during his work in India.

In 1937 the Marijuana Tax Act passed, $1 an ounce for medicinal use, $100 an ounce for recreational use then 1951 Congress passed a law naming cannabis as a narcotic. Well, 20 years later it was named a Schedule 1 Drug as part of the Controlled Substance Act.

In 1978, U.S. government began distributing marijuana to patients as part of a compassionate use drug program. That program lasted until 1992. So why are we talking about it today?

Well, the blogs are buzzing over what they say is an update by the National Cancer Institute. Part of the federal government's national institutes of health. The talk is about the NCI mentioning potential medical benefits of marijuana, a first by a government agency.

But that's not quite right, an Institute of Medicine report paid for by the White House actually talked about it back it in 1999. All right, so it's not necessarily new.

And here's what the National Cancer Institute says about it on their web site. At present there is insufficient evidence to recommend inhaling cannabis as a treatment for cancer-related symptoms or cancer treatment-related side effects outside the context of well- designed clinical trials.

Joining me now is Sirius XM radio host Pete Dominick and former Oklahoma Congressman Earnest Istook. Welcome to both of you. The government isn't endorsing the use of medical marijuana, but they say there could be benefits for some patients. Should Congress remove the Schedule 1 classification that says marijuana has no medical uses, this changing the penalties associated with pot?

Pete, let's start with you.

PETE DOMINICK, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Yes, of course, Randi. I mean, the only reason not to is if you're not going to make money off of it. I think most people understand at this point it's the pharmaceutical industry and we found out the alcohol industry that is behind the opposition to legalizing marijuana, especially for medicinal purposes.

It's proven to help people with cancer, glaucoma, AIDS, I know people who use it for multiple sclerosis. There's a lot of -- it's not addictive. A lot of the painkillers out there are really, really terrible. They can kill you if you overdose on them, but pharmaceuticals make a lot of money on them, Randi.

KAYE: Yes, Congressman, would you like to weigh in on that?

ERNEST ISTOOK, THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION: Certainly so. I mean, remember, decades ago people were advertising supposed health benefits of tobacco. Lots of medications have been pulled off the market because even though they had some benefits it was outweighed by the multiple side effects.

When we're talking about the U.S. government standards, do what I did. I went a half hour ago to the White House web site to the office of National Drug Control Policy, I pulled off a couple of their fact sheets that are on the White House web site right now.

Talking about the fact that, whatever may be medical benefits, are outweighed by side effects., things like causing mental illness, impairing your ability to think, impairing your memory, plus the fact that marijuana smoke has far more carcinogens than tobacco smoke does.

KAYE: So you think that outweighs the benefits, the fact you have to smoke it?

ISTOOK: Well, absolutely. And the ingredient in marijuana that has some therapeutic effect has been isolated and refined out away from the other things. It's been on the market for 25 years in a medication known as Marinol.

So the beneficial portion of marijuana ingredients is already available as a prescription drug without adding the 400-some- odd other chemicals in it without getting the marijuana high, which is what really a lot of people are after. And without getting all the side effects that come from smoking marijuana.

KAYE: Pete, I know you want to respond to that.

DOMINICK: Well, listen, I could argue all of those points, but I would just simply say, what are the side effects of painkillers like Vicodin and Oxycontin? They're tremendously addictive.

ISTOOK: That's why they're prescriptions.

DOMINICK: Of course, this would be prescription as well. I took a phone call from a veteran the other day on my radio show who had severe burns across most of his body. He tried everything. He was getting addicted to many of the painkillers.

Marijuana was the only thing that helped him. Unfortunately, he can't get that legally or prescription for it. This is a drug that actually really does help people. No one is saying use it recreationally or promoting that. The fact is --

ISTOOK: There's nothing unique about marijuana that way.

DOMINICK: Then it's not going to be legalized. The government won't get behind. It's no conspiracy.

KAYE: Let me ask you quickly before we have to --

ISTOOK: What's really behind this is most people want to get the high.

DOMINICK: No, not people with AIDS, cancer and MS. No.

ISTOOK: No? It is not -- if you read the scientific studies, you'll find that the government studies say it is not the best thing for alleviating those difficulties that people have. There are much better things on the market than so-called medical marijuana.

DOMINICK: You're right. Pharmaceuticals on the market that are legalized and oftentimes addictive. You're right.

ISTOOK: And far more efficacious. Well, without the side effects of medical marijuana, so-called medical marijuana. Again, look, do what I did. Go to the White House web site to the office of National Drug Control Policy, see what they say about how it impairs your thinking, your ability --

DOMINICK: I agree. I agree. Think for yourself. Look it up.

KAYE: All right, gentlemen, thank you. I'm glad we got one question in. It was an interesting debate. We'll talk more abut it. Thank you both.

The Senate is back in session to work on the budget is on the agenda and so is Libya. Let's bring in senior congressional correspondent, Dana Bash. Dana, what are you hearing from the Senate on Libya today?

DANA BASH, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Very interesting, Randi. You know, we heard from House Speaker John Boehner last week. He was an out front for Republicans asking tough questions of the president on Libya.

Today, we heard from the top Senate Republican, Mitch Mcconnell, who actually said that unlike some of his colleagues, Democrats and Republicans, he believe that the president did have the authority to go ahead with the mission so far without Congress' approval.

But -- there's a big but here -- now there's a transfer and the mission is changing a little bit, there are a lot of questions that he and other Americans have and they want to hear from the president tonight. Listen to what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SENATOR MITCH MCCONNELL, (R) SENATE MINORITY LEADER: As President Obama addresses the nation this evening like many Americans I'll be listening for answers to the following questions.

When will the U.S. combat role in the operation end? Will America's commitment end in days, not weeks, as the president promised? What will be the duration of the non-combat operation and what will be the cost?

What national security interest of the United States justified the risk of American life? What is the role of our country in Libya's ongoing civil war?

The president made clear that our combat forces' role in Libya will be limited in scope and duration. Tonight I hope he will reiterate that pledge or ask Congress, before extending the duration or scope of our mission there.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: Just to quickly underscore that point about when the president would have to come back to Congress, Senator McConnell said if military forces were to have a responsibility for close air support or execute additional strikes on behalf of the opposition forces in Libya then that would be one example of how the president would have to come back to Congress and get authority in order to do that. Randi --

KAYE: All right, Dana Bash, thank you. Of course, the president we want to remind you speaks at 7:30 p.m. Eastern, CNN's live coverage begins at 7:00 p.m. Eastern/4:00 p.m. Pacific.

My "XYZ" today involves a picture of a New York firefighter. I'll tell you the story behind that picture and why it maybe misleading.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: Time now for my "XYZ." Today it is all about a single picture that caught my eye. Take a look at the photo that was published in the "New York Post." You can see it shows an FDNY firefighter holding an image of the World Trade Center after the 9/11 attacks.

The headline reads "I was there." Well, there's just one problem. This guy wasn't there. In fact, he didn't join the fire department until 2004, years after the attacks. He posed for what he apparently thought would be a fire prevention ad. He was paid 350 bucks.

In the original shot, according to the "Post," he was holding a helmet, but in the current ad a picture of the destroyed twin towers was photo shopped in. The law firm behind the ad has negotiated huge settlements on behalf of sickened ground zero workers and has taken heat for keeping more than a third of that settlement as payment.

This image was first used last week on a flyer. The firefighter in that photo, Robert Kiley, told the "New York Post," this is an insult, saying, quote, "it makes me look like I'm cashing in on 9/11, saying I was there even though I was never there and I'm sick and possibly suing, trying to get a chunk of money."

What makes it even more painful for him? He had friends who died on 9/11. At the bottom, in tiny letters on the ad, the ad states, this is an actor portrayal of a potential zedroga claimant referring to sick 9/11 workers who could receive aid under the federal James Zedroga Act.

The ad agency has said it was well within its rights to use Kiley's (ph) image because he had signed a release when he first posed for the photo.

Well, the firefighter is now considering a lawsuit. Thanks for listening.

CNN NEWSROOM continues now with Brooke Baldwin.