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CNN Live Today

Bombings in Baghdad; Limiting Lawsuits; Top Gun

Aired February 18, 2005 - 10:59   ET

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

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


TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: And here's what's happening "Now in the News."
President Bush gets the first legislative victory of his second term. This hour he signs a bill to limit class action lawsuits by shifting more cases from state courts into federal courts. We'll have the signing ceremony live. It's expected in about 40 minutes.

Climate experts say it's the clearest signal yet that global warming is real. They point to new computer models that measure ocean temperatures rather than the atmosphere. The scientists say the studies leave little doubt that the Earth is getting warmer because of greenhouse gases from automobiles, industries and other sources.

New satellite photos are raising more questions about Iran's nuclear ambitions. The images reportedly show a tunnel under construction near uranium conversion facilities. Iran says the tunnel is for storage, but a nonproliferation group says it can be used in the uranium conversion process. Once converted to a gas, uranium can be enriched and used in civilian programs or to make nuclear bombs.

Will Vioxx a comeback? The drug's maker says it may put it back on the market depending on the recommendations from an FDA advisory hearing. That hearing wraps up today in Washington. Merck took Vioxx off the market after studies raised concerns about an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Well, good morning, good morning, good morning. It is 11:00 a.m. here in the East, 8:00 a.m. in the West. From the CNN Center in Atlanta, I'm Tony Harris, in for Rick Sanchez.

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: A foggy morning in the West.

HARRIS: In the West, yes.

KAGAN: Sending you dry thoughts in California. Good morning once again. I'm Daryn Kagan.

Up first this hour, a religious ritual marred by bloodshed in Iraq. Attackers today carried out deadly attacks against Shiites observing their holy period known as Ashura. And within the last hour another explosion was reported in Baghdad. Our senior international correspondent, Nic Robertson, has the latest from the Iraqi capital.

Nic, hello.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Daryn.

Well, this latest attack appears to have been targeting a security checkpoint on a bridge -- or close to a bridge in the northern side of Baghdad. What we've been told is that a suicide bomber approached this checkpoint and he detonated his explosives, killing one soldier, one policeman, wounding 10 other soldiers and two civilians who were nearby.

The other attacks coming earlier in the day as Shia Muslim worshipers were on their way to mosques. Targeting one mosque on the southern side of Baghdad, a suicide bomber there walking up to the worshipers just as they were about to go into the mosque, detonating his explosives.

A witness -- a witness reported seeing the suicide bomber approach the crowd before -- before exploding. Fifteen people there killed, at least 20 wounded.

And within half an hour, another attack again at a Shia mosque on the western side of Baghdad. A suicide bomber there detonating his explosives, killing two people, wounding eight. And according to U.S. officials, there was at that mosque a second suicide bomber who was chased off by guards. He detonated his explosives some yards away, not killing anyone.

And later in the day a rocket was fired at a Shia mosque in the northern side of Baghdad. And there the rocket missed, hit a small coffee shop, we're told, and there it killed one person and wounded three others. All of these attacks appear to be aimed at -- at least three attacks close to the mosque, appear to be an aimed at Shia Muslims. And this on the eve of one of their most celebrated and revered festivals, that of Ashura.

KAGAN: And there's a recent history of a lot of violence surrounding this festival. Did not Iraq as one of the precautions seal all the borders?

ROBERTSON: Sealed all the borders, indeed, around the shrines in Baghdad and around the shrines in the hole city of Kabul, which are principal focal points for this particular celebration. The roads have been closed so that people can't get their vehicles close to them.

Last year, celebrating the same -- or commemorating the same day, the Ashura day, at least 141 Shias were killed when insurgents perpetrated multiple attacks both in Baghdad and in Karbala. It appears as if -- and certainly this is a conclusion politicians and security experts here are drawing -- as if the Sunni Muslim insurgents are trying to ignite sectarian warfare by targeting the Shias. So far, the Shias, led by their clerics, have resisted, and their politicians have resisted any type of retaliation that we have been able to see so far -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Nic Robertson live in Baghdad. Thank you.

HARRIS: President Bush this hour signs a bill that will put restrictions on certain big lawsuits. It's the first major legislative victory of his second term.

CNN's Elaine Quijano is at the White House.

Good morning, Elaine.

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Tony.

Curbing lawsuits is an issue that President Bush has mentioned quite often in his speeches. In fact, earlier this year the president traveled to Collinsville, Illinois, to put the spotlight on this issue, specifically Madison County there, an area where White House officials say there are a disproportionate amount of class action suits brought every year.

Well, this morning the president will sign into law the Class Action Fairness Act of 2005, designed to shift class action suits from state courts to federal courts. The expectations is that those federal courts will be less likely to allow those cases to go forward and less likely to award huge damages. Now, opponents say that the legislation puts corporate interests above citizen rights, but supporters say that the legislation is needed.

In the meantime, the president is also getting ready to head overseas, getting ready to head to Europe to meet with allies, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, who opposed the Iraq war. The president very mindful there are still some lingering sore feelings in Europe over the Iraq conflict. But U.S. officials say that Mr. Bush, in addition to talking about Iraq, will likely raise the issue once again of some behavior by President Putin that is considered undemocratic by some; namely, the appointing of governors there instead of having elected governors.

President Bush also set to meet with French President Jacques Chirac, another opponent of the war. The president also is going to be visiting three countries during his five-day trip: Belgium, Germany and the Slovak Republic. President Bush, while he is very much aware of those lingering tensions, those concerns, the president says he wants to move beyond that, beyond the difference of the past and look ahead to the future.

HARRIS: And Elaine, 11:40 or is when the president will sign the Class Action Fairness Act?

QUIJANO: That's right, Tony. About 40 minutes or so from now.

And we understand that there are going to be joining the president a few people who have actually appeared with him before when talking about this issue. As I mentioned, the president has hit the road a couple times talking about this. But they are victims, if you will, or people who have in some way, shape or form been adversely impacted by class action lawsuits. And so they will be joining him, as well as a bipartisan group of lawmakers -- Tony.

HARRIS: We will carry that ceremony live. Elaine Quijano at the White House. Elaine, thank you. KAGAN: To Lebanon now. Swiss explosive experts arrived in Beirut today. They'll try to get to the bottom of the huge explosion that killed former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Sixteen others also died on Monday.

The Hariri family is demanding an international investigation. It is questioning the Lebanese government's intent to find the killers. Today, the Syrian-backed Lebanese president went to the Hariri mansion to express his condolences to Hariri's sons. The family refused to let any Lebanese government officials attend the funeral. The U.S. hints that Syria may have had a hand in Hariri's assassination.

HARRIS: CNN "Security Watch" focuses on the most powerful weapon you can legally own in the United States, the .50 caliber rifle. So powerful it can kill a man a mile away, so deadly the state of California has banned it.

CNN's Drew Griffin has the story of buying, arming and shooting this top gun. He did it all legally without a background check, without a license of any kind, without leaving his home.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DREW GRIFFIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: To buy a gun, even a .50 caliber gun, this huge gun, you just need to go to your computer and click on one of the biggest classified gun sites, which is in our case is GunsAmerica.com. AK-47s, shotguns, pistols, all kinds of rifles.

But what we wanted to buy was the biggest caliber rifle you could possibly buy, and that's this category right here, the biggest .50 caliber rifle. This is the gun that is now banned in California. And on this Web site we have about three dozen of them for sale.

But what we're looking for is one that is not being sold by a dealer. See where it says "Federal licensed firearm dealer?" We're trying to find one that's being sold by just a private citizen. This is actually the gun we bought.

When you finally find the gun you want on this Web site, and you're dealing with a private party, you just give him your e-mail and you send him a note, "Let's set up a meeting, I'm paying cash." And the next thing you know we're going to buy our gun.

(voice-over): But before I shelled out $2,500 to buy this gun, I wanted to make sure I could buy ammunition. That turned out to be as easy as ordering flowers.

With just a couple of clicks on my computer, I ordered and paid by credit card for .50 -- .50 caliber armor piercing rounds. They were delivered in a week. Shells as long as my hand delivered, no questions asked by UPS. I could have even bought tracer rounds if I wanted. Now it was time to get the gun.

(on camera): What we're about to do is legal in dozens of states where cash and carry is the rule. A private seller, a private buyer. There will be no background check, no government waiting period, no government paperwork at all. In fact, the only paper that will change hands is the money we used to buy our .50 caliber rifle.

(voice-over): The transaction at a house in suburban Houston took about 20 minutes. We walked out with a case holding the gun critics say is the perfect terrorist weapon, a brand new .50 caliber with scope bipod and directions.

We flew home. Guns are checked as baggage. And when the bags arrived for our flight, I simply picked it up and left.

Ronnie Barrett, who manufacturers .50 caliber rifles, believe as an American it is your right to own one.

(on camera): Isn't that particular gun in the hands of a terrorist dangerous?

RONNIE BARRETT, BARRETT MANUFACTURING: We're not talking about terrorists. We're disarming here (ph) civilians. These laws have nothing to do with terrorism.

GRIFFIN (voice-over): Barrett's company makes one of the most popular and top of the line .50 caliber rifles on the market, a semiautomatic favored by armies around the world. But Barrett says his company couldn't survive on military orders alone, and what keeps all of these workers busy is its popularity among recreational shooters. Barrett says it may be effective on the battlefield, but on the target range it is just plain fun.

(on camera): Should there be any regulation ons your guns?

BARRETT: There should be regulations on criminals.

GRIFFIN (voice-over): Gun control advocates want a federal ban on this weapon. Their reasoning? Anything that can hit a target at 1,000 yards with a bullet the size of a small artillery shell could certainly pose a major threat to aircraft.

(on camera): But the question at most of the nation's airports is not what you can do with a .50 caliber gun at 1,000 yards. Here at LAX a would-be terrorists could get within 1,000 feet.

(voice-over): This week at a police gun range I found out what this gun could do to the emergency exit door of a Boeing 727 fired from 1,000 feet away. The gun is very heavy, not easy to maneuver, but took only a few moments to set up. The first time I fired it I missed. After adjusting for the sight, round after armor-piercing round went straight through the door.

But just about any gun could pierce the thin aluminum skin of an airplane. What scares law enforcement is what else this round can do when fired from this gun.

This is a one-inch think piece of steel plate. More protection than almost any armored car. The .50 caliber goes right through the aircraft door and right through one-inch steel. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wow. Right through.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right through it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right through it, baby.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's where it came out. That's where it went in. One-inch steel plate.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Unbelievable. Just unbelievable.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: Some in Congress want to follow California's lead and ban the .50 caliber nationwide. A bill was reintroduced last week. California's prohibition took effect last month. The bill was signed by Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to the dismay of gun enthusiasts.

CNN "Security Watch" keeps you up to date on safety. Stay tuned day and night for the most reliable news about your security.

KAGAN: So you heard Suzanne Malveaux tell you about President Bush and the tort reform bill. Actually, I think it was Elaine Quijano that was telling us.

HARRIS: Right. That's right.

KAGAN: Yes. We're going to be showing you the new law, how it's going to affect people on both sides on the issue.

HARRIS: And it's the last day of the FDA hearings. Any changes to our medicine? Well, anything expected? A live report coming up.

KAGAN: And look at this tiny baby. I mean, we're talking tiny, 24 ounces at birth. Just over a pound there.

HARRIS: That's tiny.

KAGAN: On the top of that, he needed open heart surgery. They don't do open heart surgery on babies this little.

HARRIS: Right.

KAGAN: He -- they did it. He made it. I don't have a problem giving away the answer because it's such a happy story. We're going to have that incredible story for you when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: We want to bring you up to date on a story we're following out of Florida. This is YeeHaw Junction, Florida, about 75 miles south of Orlando. A really bad accident here. At least three passengers are dead.

The van they were riding in flipped over on the Florida turnpike. A total of nine people were in that van.

It happened this morning. Weather was good. It has temporarily closed several lanes of the toll road.

Three people announced dead at the scene. Others were air lifted to local hospitals. Their conditions is not immediately available. But again, this taking place YeeHaw Junction, 75 miles south of Orlando on the Florida turnpike.

HARRIS: And Daryn, let's get you a check of business news this hour with Kathleen Hays at the New York Stock Exchange.

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: In medical news, he is believed to be the tiniest baby in the world to survive a complex type of open heart surgery. And doctors say his prognosis following the operation is good.

Little Jerrick (ph) was born more than 13 weeks early with a heart defect. Doctors at Stanford University performed what's called an arterial switch. And the surgeon who performed the operation says the baby's heart was the size of a grape and his arteries were the size of a pencil point.

Some women with breast cancer may be able to avoid undergoing unnecessary chemotherapy. Scientists have found a genetic marker that may tell us who is at high risk of recurrence. Many breast cancer patients receive additional chemotherapy even after surgery and (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

KAGAN: Hearings wrap up today on whether the benefits of some popular painkillers outweigh the possible health risks. And that outcome could mean the return of a drug taken off the market just a few months ago. Medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen here with details in our "Daily Dose."

Vioxx could be making a comeback, huh?

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: You never know. I mean, the Merck folks didn't come out and say that to the FDA yesterday or the day before during the hearings. They didn't say, gee, let's put Vioxx back on the market, but they said some things that definitely made you wonder.

Basically, what the Merck doctors said was, look, when we took it off the market in September, we were doing it with the best information that we had at that time. And they hinted maybe that information has changed since September. Here is what the Merck doctors told the Food and Drug Administration.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. PETER KIM, PRESIDENT, MERCK RESEARCH LABS: If this committee and the FDA agree that what we are dealing with here is a class effect, then I think it would be important for us to take those -- the implications of that conclusion into consideration with regard to Vioxx, particularly given the unique benefits that Vioxx provides.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COHEN: However, Merck received a blow from Dr. David Graham. That's the FDA doctor who originally blew the whistle on these drugs called COX-2 inhibitors.

He said that not only was he concerned about this entire class of drugs, but that he was particularly concerned about health problems with Vioxx. He did an interview with CNN after he testified.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. DAVID GRAHAM, FDA WHISTLEBLOWER: At all doses of Vioxx there was an increased risk of heart attack, and that increased risk was present from when people began taking the drug. And I think that that's an important issue to be aware of.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COHEN: These hearings wrap up today.

KAGAN: OK. And unlike many hearings in Washington, something is actually going to happen. There is a do thing. What are they going to do?

COHEN: Like there's that do thing.

KAGAN: Yes.

COHEN: At the end of it they say they're going to do something.

KAGAN: What to do, right.

COHEN: It's unclear what they will do, though. This advisory committee to the Food and Drug Administration, this committee of experts, will do something at the end.

They will either, for example, say, let's pull these drugs from the market. That's one possibility.

They could also say, let's keep them on the market but let's have stronger warnings. Or they might say, let's not make any changes, we think the way it works right now is fine. But they say they will have some form of recommendations.

Also testifying at this hearing, patients who say that their lives were saved by these drugs. That they were unable to go to work, unable to get out of bed, and then could when they took the drugs. And, of course, patients saying the opposite, that these drugs gave them cardiovascular problems.

KAGAN: All right. Elizabeth Cohen, thank you.

COHEN: Thanks.

KAGAN: And for more information on the story, tune in on Saturday to "House Call," 8:30 a.m. Dr. Sanjay Gupta will take your questions.

HARRIS: Daytona 500 is -- oh, I'm sorry. I jumped ahead of myself.

KAGAN: What you really wanted to say was that for your "Daily Dose" of health news online...

HARRIS: yes.

KAGAN: ... you can log on to our Web site. You'll find the latest medical stories, special reports and a health library. The address is cnn.com/health.

Now -- because you're so -- you're revved up. Your motor is revved up.

HARRIS: Revved up because all the talk about the Daytona 500. That's next -- this Sunday.

KAGAN: It is. It's like the Super Bowl of NASCAR.

HARRIS: It really is.

KAGAN: How about that, a sport that starts with their biggest event up front.

HARRIS: At the beginning of the season.

KAGAN: Already drama on the track. Shocking. Why are contenders now at the back of the lines for the start of the race? We'll explain.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: You've got to laugh sometimes.

HARRIS: You do.

KAGAN: You've just got to laugh.

HARRIS: You do. You worry through life. You just laugh and sometimes it helps you get through it. We're trying to get ready for the weekend, right? Make some plans?

KAGAN: And the weather, yes. Change some plans?

HARRIS: Sure.

(WEATHER REPORT)

KAGAN: Daytona, absolutely the center, the center of the NASCAR universe on Sunday. The 47th annual Daytona 500, the premier event officially starts the NASCAR season.

Things might look calm now, but tempers were hot as the engines during yesterday's qualifying races. Driver Kevin Harvick (ph) was blamed for a big wreck that damaged several cars.

HARRIS: Oh.

KAGAN: Some of those drivers must now switch to backup cars -- that's not good -- and start at the back of the pack on Sunday. Three-time Daytona winner Dale Jarrett will be in the pool position.

NASCAR -- I mean, NASCAR is huge. Huge.

HARRIS: And the biggest event of the year starts the season.

KAGAN: Right. Daytona is like their Super Bowl.

HARRIS: So there's no big end of year...

KAGAN: Well, now there is, because they switched last year to the point system.

HARRIS: The Nextel Championship Series...

KAGAN: They turned it around.

HARRIS: See, you didn't think I knew that, did you?

KAGAN: That's good.

HARRIS: Yes.

(CROSSTALK)

KAGAN: Yes.

HARRIS: Still to come, President Bush prepares to sign a bill aimed at limiting big awards in class action lawsuits. So what does it mean for you? A closer look when CNN LIVE TODAY continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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Aired February 18, 2005 - 10:59   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: And here's what's happening "Now in the News."
President Bush gets the first legislative victory of his second term. This hour he signs a bill to limit class action lawsuits by shifting more cases from state courts into federal courts. We'll have the signing ceremony live. It's expected in about 40 minutes.

Climate experts say it's the clearest signal yet that global warming is real. They point to new computer models that measure ocean temperatures rather than the atmosphere. The scientists say the studies leave little doubt that the Earth is getting warmer because of greenhouse gases from automobiles, industries and other sources.

New satellite photos are raising more questions about Iran's nuclear ambitions. The images reportedly show a tunnel under construction near uranium conversion facilities. Iran says the tunnel is for storage, but a nonproliferation group says it can be used in the uranium conversion process. Once converted to a gas, uranium can be enriched and used in civilian programs or to make nuclear bombs.

Will Vioxx a comeback? The drug's maker says it may put it back on the market depending on the recommendations from an FDA advisory hearing. That hearing wraps up today in Washington. Merck took Vioxx off the market after studies raised concerns about an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Well, good morning, good morning, good morning. It is 11:00 a.m. here in the East, 8:00 a.m. in the West. From the CNN Center in Atlanta, I'm Tony Harris, in for Rick Sanchez.

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: A foggy morning in the West.

HARRIS: In the West, yes.

KAGAN: Sending you dry thoughts in California. Good morning once again. I'm Daryn Kagan.

Up first this hour, a religious ritual marred by bloodshed in Iraq. Attackers today carried out deadly attacks against Shiites observing their holy period known as Ashura. And within the last hour another explosion was reported in Baghdad. Our senior international correspondent, Nic Robertson, has the latest from the Iraqi capital.

Nic, hello.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Daryn.

Well, this latest attack appears to have been targeting a security checkpoint on a bridge -- or close to a bridge in the northern side of Baghdad. What we've been told is that a suicide bomber approached this checkpoint and he detonated his explosives, killing one soldier, one policeman, wounding 10 other soldiers and two civilians who were nearby.

The other attacks coming earlier in the day as Shia Muslim worshipers were on their way to mosques. Targeting one mosque on the southern side of Baghdad, a suicide bomber there walking up to the worshipers just as they were about to go into the mosque, detonating his explosives.

A witness -- a witness reported seeing the suicide bomber approach the crowd before -- before exploding. Fifteen people there killed, at least 20 wounded.

And within half an hour, another attack again at a Shia mosque on the western side of Baghdad. A suicide bomber there detonating his explosives, killing two people, wounding eight. And according to U.S. officials, there was at that mosque a second suicide bomber who was chased off by guards. He detonated his explosives some yards away, not killing anyone.

And later in the day a rocket was fired at a Shia mosque in the northern side of Baghdad. And there the rocket missed, hit a small coffee shop, we're told, and there it killed one person and wounded three others. All of these attacks appear to be aimed at -- at least three attacks close to the mosque, appear to be an aimed at Shia Muslims. And this on the eve of one of their most celebrated and revered festivals, that of Ashura.

KAGAN: And there's a recent history of a lot of violence surrounding this festival. Did not Iraq as one of the precautions seal all the borders?

ROBERTSON: Sealed all the borders, indeed, around the shrines in Baghdad and around the shrines in the hole city of Kabul, which are principal focal points for this particular celebration. The roads have been closed so that people can't get their vehicles close to them.

Last year, celebrating the same -- or commemorating the same day, the Ashura day, at least 141 Shias were killed when insurgents perpetrated multiple attacks both in Baghdad and in Karbala. It appears as if -- and certainly this is a conclusion politicians and security experts here are drawing -- as if the Sunni Muslim insurgents are trying to ignite sectarian warfare by targeting the Shias. So far, the Shias, led by their clerics, have resisted, and their politicians have resisted any type of retaliation that we have been able to see so far -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Nic Robertson live in Baghdad. Thank you.

HARRIS: President Bush this hour signs a bill that will put restrictions on certain big lawsuits. It's the first major legislative victory of his second term.

CNN's Elaine Quijano is at the White House.

Good morning, Elaine.

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Tony.

Curbing lawsuits is an issue that President Bush has mentioned quite often in his speeches. In fact, earlier this year the president traveled to Collinsville, Illinois, to put the spotlight on this issue, specifically Madison County there, an area where White House officials say there are a disproportionate amount of class action suits brought every year.

Well, this morning the president will sign into law the Class Action Fairness Act of 2005, designed to shift class action suits from state courts to federal courts. The expectations is that those federal courts will be less likely to allow those cases to go forward and less likely to award huge damages. Now, opponents say that the legislation puts corporate interests above citizen rights, but supporters say that the legislation is needed.

In the meantime, the president is also getting ready to head overseas, getting ready to head to Europe to meet with allies, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, who opposed the Iraq war. The president very mindful there are still some lingering sore feelings in Europe over the Iraq conflict. But U.S. officials say that Mr. Bush, in addition to talking about Iraq, will likely raise the issue once again of some behavior by President Putin that is considered undemocratic by some; namely, the appointing of governors there instead of having elected governors.

President Bush also set to meet with French President Jacques Chirac, another opponent of the war. The president also is going to be visiting three countries during his five-day trip: Belgium, Germany and the Slovak Republic. President Bush, while he is very much aware of those lingering tensions, those concerns, the president says he wants to move beyond that, beyond the difference of the past and look ahead to the future.

HARRIS: And Elaine, 11:40 or is when the president will sign the Class Action Fairness Act?

QUIJANO: That's right, Tony. About 40 minutes or so from now.

And we understand that there are going to be joining the president a few people who have actually appeared with him before when talking about this issue. As I mentioned, the president has hit the road a couple times talking about this. But they are victims, if you will, or people who have in some way, shape or form been adversely impacted by class action lawsuits. And so they will be joining him, as well as a bipartisan group of lawmakers -- Tony.

HARRIS: We will carry that ceremony live. Elaine Quijano at the White House. Elaine, thank you. KAGAN: To Lebanon now. Swiss explosive experts arrived in Beirut today. They'll try to get to the bottom of the huge explosion that killed former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Sixteen others also died on Monday.

The Hariri family is demanding an international investigation. It is questioning the Lebanese government's intent to find the killers. Today, the Syrian-backed Lebanese president went to the Hariri mansion to express his condolences to Hariri's sons. The family refused to let any Lebanese government officials attend the funeral. The U.S. hints that Syria may have had a hand in Hariri's assassination.

HARRIS: CNN "Security Watch" focuses on the most powerful weapon you can legally own in the United States, the .50 caliber rifle. So powerful it can kill a man a mile away, so deadly the state of California has banned it.

CNN's Drew Griffin has the story of buying, arming and shooting this top gun. He did it all legally without a background check, without a license of any kind, without leaving his home.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DREW GRIFFIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: To buy a gun, even a .50 caliber gun, this huge gun, you just need to go to your computer and click on one of the biggest classified gun sites, which is in our case is GunsAmerica.com. AK-47s, shotguns, pistols, all kinds of rifles.

But what we wanted to buy was the biggest caliber rifle you could possibly buy, and that's this category right here, the biggest .50 caliber rifle. This is the gun that is now banned in California. And on this Web site we have about three dozen of them for sale.

But what we're looking for is one that is not being sold by a dealer. See where it says "Federal licensed firearm dealer?" We're trying to find one that's being sold by just a private citizen. This is actually the gun we bought.

When you finally find the gun you want on this Web site, and you're dealing with a private party, you just give him your e-mail and you send him a note, "Let's set up a meeting, I'm paying cash." And the next thing you know we're going to buy our gun.

(voice-over): But before I shelled out $2,500 to buy this gun, I wanted to make sure I could buy ammunition. That turned out to be as easy as ordering flowers.

With just a couple of clicks on my computer, I ordered and paid by credit card for .50 -- .50 caliber armor piercing rounds. They were delivered in a week. Shells as long as my hand delivered, no questions asked by UPS. I could have even bought tracer rounds if I wanted. Now it was time to get the gun.

(on camera): What we're about to do is legal in dozens of states where cash and carry is the rule. A private seller, a private buyer. There will be no background check, no government waiting period, no government paperwork at all. In fact, the only paper that will change hands is the money we used to buy our .50 caliber rifle.

(voice-over): The transaction at a house in suburban Houston took about 20 minutes. We walked out with a case holding the gun critics say is the perfect terrorist weapon, a brand new .50 caliber with scope bipod and directions.

We flew home. Guns are checked as baggage. And when the bags arrived for our flight, I simply picked it up and left.

Ronnie Barrett, who manufacturers .50 caliber rifles, believe as an American it is your right to own one.

(on camera): Isn't that particular gun in the hands of a terrorist dangerous?

RONNIE BARRETT, BARRETT MANUFACTURING: We're not talking about terrorists. We're disarming here (ph) civilians. These laws have nothing to do with terrorism.

GRIFFIN (voice-over): Barrett's company makes one of the most popular and top of the line .50 caliber rifles on the market, a semiautomatic favored by armies around the world. But Barrett says his company couldn't survive on military orders alone, and what keeps all of these workers busy is its popularity among recreational shooters. Barrett says it may be effective on the battlefield, but on the target range it is just plain fun.

(on camera): Should there be any regulation ons your guns?

BARRETT: There should be regulations on criminals.

GRIFFIN (voice-over): Gun control advocates want a federal ban on this weapon. Their reasoning? Anything that can hit a target at 1,000 yards with a bullet the size of a small artillery shell could certainly pose a major threat to aircraft.

(on camera): But the question at most of the nation's airports is not what you can do with a .50 caliber gun at 1,000 yards. Here at LAX a would-be terrorists could get within 1,000 feet.

(voice-over): This week at a police gun range I found out what this gun could do to the emergency exit door of a Boeing 727 fired from 1,000 feet away. The gun is very heavy, not easy to maneuver, but took only a few moments to set up. The first time I fired it I missed. After adjusting for the sight, round after armor-piercing round went straight through the door.

But just about any gun could pierce the thin aluminum skin of an airplane. What scares law enforcement is what else this round can do when fired from this gun.

This is a one-inch think piece of steel plate. More protection than almost any armored car. The .50 caliber goes right through the aircraft door and right through one-inch steel. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wow. Right through.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right through it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right through it, baby.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's where it came out. That's where it went in. One-inch steel plate.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Unbelievable. Just unbelievable.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: Some in Congress want to follow California's lead and ban the .50 caliber nationwide. A bill was reintroduced last week. California's prohibition took effect last month. The bill was signed by Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to the dismay of gun enthusiasts.

CNN "Security Watch" keeps you up to date on safety. Stay tuned day and night for the most reliable news about your security.

KAGAN: So you heard Suzanne Malveaux tell you about President Bush and the tort reform bill. Actually, I think it was Elaine Quijano that was telling us.

HARRIS: Right. That's right.

KAGAN: Yes. We're going to be showing you the new law, how it's going to affect people on both sides on the issue.

HARRIS: And it's the last day of the FDA hearings. Any changes to our medicine? Well, anything expected? A live report coming up.

KAGAN: And look at this tiny baby. I mean, we're talking tiny, 24 ounces at birth. Just over a pound there.

HARRIS: That's tiny.

KAGAN: On the top of that, he needed open heart surgery. They don't do open heart surgery on babies this little.

HARRIS: Right.

KAGAN: He -- they did it. He made it. I don't have a problem giving away the answer because it's such a happy story. We're going to have that incredible story for you when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: We want to bring you up to date on a story we're following out of Florida. This is YeeHaw Junction, Florida, about 75 miles south of Orlando. A really bad accident here. At least three passengers are dead.

The van they were riding in flipped over on the Florida turnpike. A total of nine people were in that van.

It happened this morning. Weather was good. It has temporarily closed several lanes of the toll road.

Three people announced dead at the scene. Others were air lifted to local hospitals. Their conditions is not immediately available. But again, this taking place YeeHaw Junction, 75 miles south of Orlando on the Florida turnpike.

HARRIS: And Daryn, let's get you a check of business news this hour with Kathleen Hays at the New York Stock Exchange.

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: In medical news, he is believed to be the tiniest baby in the world to survive a complex type of open heart surgery. And doctors say his prognosis following the operation is good.

Little Jerrick (ph) was born more than 13 weeks early with a heart defect. Doctors at Stanford University performed what's called an arterial switch. And the surgeon who performed the operation says the baby's heart was the size of a grape and his arteries were the size of a pencil point.

Some women with breast cancer may be able to avoid undergoing unnecessary chemotherapy. Scientists have found a genetic marker that may tell us who is at high risk of recurrence. Many breast cancer patients receive additional chemotherapy even after surgery and (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

KAGAN: Hearings wrap up today on whether the benefits of some popular painkillers outweigh the possible health risks. And that outcome could mean the return of a drug taken off the market just a few months ago. Medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen here with details in our "Daily Dose."

Vioxx could be making a comeback, huh?

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: You never know. I mean, the Merck folks didn't come out and say that to the FDA yesterday or the day before during the hearings. They didn't say, gee, let's put Vioxx back on the market, but they said some things that definitely made you wonder.

Basically, what the Merck doctors said was, look, when we took it off the market in September, we were doing it with the best information that we had at that time. And they hinted maybe that information has changed since September. Here is what the Merck doctors told the Food and Drug Administration.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. PETER KIM, PRESIDENT, MERCK RESEARCH LABS: If this committee and the FDA agree that what we are dealing with here is a class effect, then I think it would be important for us to take those -- the implications of that conclusion into consideration with regard to Vioxx, particularly given the unique benefits that Vioxx provides.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COHEN: However, Merck received a blow from Dr. David Graham. That's the FDA doctor who originally blew the whistle on these drugs called COX-2 inhibitors.

He said that not only was he concerned about this entire class of drugs, but that he was particularly concerned about health problems with Vioxx. He did an interview with CNN after he testified.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. DAVID GRAHAM, FDA WHISTLEBLOWER: At all doses of Vioxx there was an increased risk of heart attack, and that increased risk was present from when people began taking the drug. And I think that that's an important issue to be aware of.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COHEN: These hearings wrap up today.

KAGAN: OK. And unlike many hearings in Washington, something is actually going to happen. There is a do thing. What are they going to do?

COHEN: Like there's that do thing.

KAGAN: Yes.

COHEN: At the end of it they say they're going to do something.

KAGAN: What to do, right.

COHEN: It's unclear what they will do, though. This advisory committee to the Food and Drug Administration, this committee of experts, will do something at the end.

They will either, for example, say, let's pull these drugs from the market. That's one possibility.

They could also say, let's keep them on the market but let's have stronger warnings. Or they might say, let's not make any changes, we think the way it works right now is fine. But they say they will have some form of recommendations.

Also testifying at this hearing, patients who say that their lives were saved by these drugs. That they were unable to go to work, unable to get out of bed, and then could when they took the drugs. And, of course, patients saying the opposite, that these drugs gave them cardiovascular problems.

KAGAN: All right. Elizabeth Cohen, thank you.

COHEN: Thanks.

KAGAN: And for more information on the story, tune in on Saturday to "House Call," 8:30 a.m. Dr. Sanjay Gupta will take your questions.

HARRIS: Daytona 500 is -- oh, I'm sorry. I jumped ahead of myself.

KAGAN: What you really wanted to say was that for your "Daily Dose" of health news online...

HARRIS: yes.

KAGAN: ... you can log on to our Web site. You'll find the latest medical stories, special reports and a health library. The address is cnn.com/health.

Now -- because you're so -- you're revved up. Your motor is revved up.

HARRIS: Revved up because all the talk about the Daytona 500. That's next -- this Sunday.

KAGAN: It is. It's like the Super Bowl of NASCAR.

HARRIS: It really is.

KAGAN: How about that, a sport that starts with their biggest event up front.

HARRIS: At the beginning of the season.

KAGAN: Already drama on the track. Shocking. Why are contenders now at the back of the lines for the start of the race? We'll explain.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: You've got to laugh sometimes.

HARRIS: You do.

KAGAN: You've just got to laugh.

HARRIS: You do. You worry through life. You just laugh and sometimes it helps you get through it. We're trying to get ready for the weekend, right? Make some plans?

KAGAN: And the weather, yes. Change some plans?

HARRIS: Sure.

(WEATHER REPORT)

KAGAN: Daytona, absolutely the center, the center of the NASCAR universe on Sunday. The 47th annual Daytona 500, the premier event officially starts the NASCAR season.

Things might look calm now, but tempers were hot as the engines during yesterday's qualifying races. Driver Kevin Harvick (ph) was blamed for a big wreck that damaged several cars.

HARRIS: Oh.

KAGAN: Some of those drivers must now switch to backup cars -- that's not good -- and start at the back of the pack on Sunday. Three-time Daytona winner Dale Jarrett will be in the pool position.

NASCAR -- I mean, NASCAR is huge. Huge.

HARRIS: And the biggest event of the year starts the season.

KAGAN: Right. Daytona is like their Super Bowl.

HARRIS: So there's no big end of year...

KAGAN: Well, now there is, because they switched last year to the point system.

HARRIS: The Nextel Championship Series...

KAGAN: They turned it around.

HARRIS: See, you didn't think I knew that, did you?

KAGAN: That's good.

HARRIS: Yes.

(CROSSTALK)

KAGAN: Yes.

HARRIS: Still to come, President Bush prepares to sign a bill aimed at limiting big awards in class action lawsuits. So what does it mean for you? A closer look when CNN LIVE TODAY continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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