Skip to main content

tv   CNN Newsroom  CNN  March 9, 2014 12:00pm-1:01pm PDT

12:00 pm
time. small unmanned vehicles have a lot of potential. not just the stun. imagine the system delivering an early ems package, imagine it finding a lost child with tunnel vision. a lot to be used for in the commercial space, safety space but also personal space. >> oh, my good neness. laurie joining us now. can be used in law enforcement, the search of a child. tell us more about the launching pad of this. >> i did not volunteer getting stunned. that was an amazing thing. it was unreal to see this happen and this could be a possibility. the first thing you think about is law enforcement. this is the conversation law enforcement is going to be
12:01 pm
havin xxxx>> also celebrities fending off paparazzi drones. packages, moved beyond the smartphone. >> thank you so much. >> thank you. hello again, everyone. i'm fredricka whitfield at the top of the hour. these are the stories we're following. fresh new clues on the malaysian aircraft. prime minister will be meeting president obama. vladimir putin showing no signs of backing away from crimea. a new blood test could predict your chances of developing alzheimer's. researchers are calling it a game changer for research and treatment. first up search and investigators from across the globe to solve a baffling mystery, disappearance of the
12:02 pm
jetliner that vanished on the way to beijing 22 hours ago, 239 on board, including at least three americans. today investigators got two significant leads. one in the gulf of thailand. some floating objects in the area. search boats are on the way to the site right now. meantime malaysian military officials say radar data indicates the plane turned around before vanishing. because of that they are asking crews from thailand to refocus their search on the sea, the small or circled area to the left there. we're also learned more about the tibet bought by two passengers aboard the flight who were traveling on stolen passports. the passports were stolen in thailand. the tickets were apparently bought together. the fbi says it's ready to send atmosphere to asia to help with the investigation. a team from ntsb and faa are already on the way to the
12:03 pm
region. law enforcement analyst tom fuentes in washington and andrew from beijing. lets start with you, andrew, what are authorities saying about the search right now? >> it's 3:00 in the morning here, fred, so there's little movement in beijing, and there has not been much movement with the beijing government since this crisis first began. what we do know vietnamese air reconnaissance did see what they think is debris, some think it may be a tail section of the plane. i stress these are unconfirmed reports of what it could be at the mom. there could be false leads before, vietnamese thought they saw something that turned out to be a piece of coral. malaysian authorities giving information out. they were very, very clear in saying everything is still on
12:04 pm
the table. they were asked point-blank was this a terror attack. we cannot say this is a terror attack but we can't say -- can't rule out that possibility either. so such is the position in this search. no one is really prepared to say anything until you get conclusive evidence the plane did go down in the gulf of thailand. the search has been expanded. reports the plane -- there's a possibility of the plane turned around as opposed to it definitely turned around. there's still a lot of gray areas in the search at the moment. >> all right. andrew, thank you so much. turn to law enforcement analyst tom fuentes. tom, what can you tell me about the stolen passports an these two passengers that were traveling with them? what we understand thus far is that investigators have examined
12:05 pm
surveillance video and they have also determined that these tickets were purchased at the same time. what kind of questions do you have in terms of advancing the whereabouts and locations of the passengers. >> right now it's going to be tough to link the videos to the individuals who purchased the fraudulent tickets. that will be ongoing and they will try to do that but it's not going to be an easy match. there is the possibility the individuals carrying those passports had nothing to do with the aircraft. it could be a coincidence. it's too soon to tell that. but the authorities can't wait to confirm if it's a terrorist act before they start looking at the passenger list and the backgrounds of as many
12:06 pm
passengers as can be identified. i want to clarify reports of the fbi on the way there. the fbi is already there. they have fbi there full time in kuala lumpur, full time at u.s. embassy in beijing, fulltime at u.s. embassy in thailand. so they already would be providing assistance, accessing information, systems and databases of the fbi from the very beginning of this incident or beginning when the plane disappeared. >> given that proximity, that's a real advantage. to what extent are they assisting and is that kind of cooperation just a given by virtue of the fact it's there or does a special request have to be made? >> no. they work closely with malaysian police every day and china every day. this would be immediate. they wouldn't have to do formal requests. they are already there. that's the basis of being there and already having the permission of the country to have that office in the embassy in the country. so they would already be
12:07 pm
working. the question whether additional resources need to be on the ground there is another story, especially since again through the computer databases those systems can be accessed here in the united states from the offices in the embassy in kuala lumpur and the other offices. >> sorry, tom. what other sort of things are being examined. you talked about the surveillance tape, the correspondence of how these tickets were purchased and tracked, et cetera, but what else can the fbi assist in in trying to determine the real motivation here potentially by the two passengers with their fake passports. >> the fbi and other agencies involved in this would be inquiring of all their sources and contacts and databases worldwide to see if there was some reported threat or some group taking credit if it's possibly a terrorist act.
12:08 pm
looking into that is an extensive situation. as far as individuals you have drug smugglers, human traffickers, any number of people has are up to no good that might have been the ones using those passports that are not terrorists, may have had nothing to do with the aircraft but did travel on fraudulent documents. >> tom fuentes, from washington, thank you so much. appreciate it. all right. another big matter overseas. ukraine's interim prime minister will meet with president obama in the u.s. this week as his country scrambles to hold onto crimea. the white house says the two will talk on wednesday. the prime minister has called upcoming crimean vote on the referendum to vote in russian illegitimate decision. it's a vote deeply dividing crimea. pro russian supporters pack the capital city for a huge rally
12:09 pm
and pro ukrainian demonstrators are telling russian forces to get out of crimea. today russian president vladimir putin called david i had cameron and angela merkel. called david cameron and german chancellor angela merkel. according to the government the leaders have a different assessment on what's happening on the ground in ukraine. they do agree the situation needs to be deescalated. joining me now via skype is cnn's former moscow bureau chief jo dougherty, fellow at harvard. good to see you, jill. how do you interpret conversations voluntarily taking place between putin and cameron and merkel. what can happen? it is more meaningful that any more conversation vladimir putin
12:10 pm
would have with president obama than he did last week. >> one thing, look at vladimir putin and how he traditionally acts, he tries to present his position as being legal. he is a warrior by training. so he's always saying we are abiding by the letter of the law. so in this circumstance you have president putin saying the vote -- there will be a vote in crimea, as you've been reporting, seceding from ukraine joining russia. that's legitimate. why? the government in kiev, revolutionary new interim government is actually illegal, that it was a coup. so the people in crimea have the right to leave and enter russia. the united states and west have a very different viewpoint. i think president obama at one point says, look, i think we've got different lawyers here. it is a legal issue. the problem is no time for
12:11 pm
lawyers at this point on the ground. it is very dangerous and highly unstable. >> now, there are some experts who say putin doesn't want to isolate himself. isn't he putting himself and his country in that situation? >> he is. i was just checking the russian wires. one leading person who is a member of their parliament often is kind of a bellwether for what the russian government thinks, look, it cuts both ways. you have sanctions on us. we will do something to you. so be prepared for a boomerang effect. that's what government, russian government is indicating as well. if there are these sanctions, and there already are some. if they get harsher, they, perhaps, might take over businesses, western businesses that are located in russia. so there's a game -- i think,
12:12 pm
fred, have you to look at this with two thing going on. military, troops on the ground, even though president putin says they are not russian troops, then you have the economic situation. all of this is very -- the timing is really important. in a week you're going to have that vote in crimea. that could be -- who knows. obviously in an unstable situation like this, to have a vote over the future of crimea is maybe not the best timing. put it off to when cooler heads prevail. not many cool heads. >> in washington, thank you so much. onto health matters straight ahead. would you want to know if you're developing alzheimer's disease? a new study released today said there might be a way to find out. also, a small community in florida is in big trouble after a lot of money simply vanished from the city's coffers. we'll follow that money trail straight ahead. as a business owner, i'm constantly putting out fires.
12:13 pm
so i deserve a small business credit card with amazing rewards. with the spark cash card from capital one, i get 2% cash back on every purchase, every day. i break my back around here. finally someone's recognizing me with unlimited rewards! meetings start at 11, cindy. [ male announcer ] get the spark business card from capital one. choose 2% cash back or double miles on every purchase, every day. what's in your wallet? i need your timesheets, larry!
12:14 pm
spending the day with my niece. i don't use super poligrip for hold because my dentures fit well. before those little pieces would get in between my dentures and my gum and it was uncomfortable. even well-fitting dentures let in food particles. super poligrip is zinc free. with just a few dabs, it's clinically proven to seal out more food particles so you're more comfortable and confident while you eat. so it's not about keeping my dentures in, it's about keeping the food particles out. [ charlie ] try zinc free super poligrip. [ female announcer ] some people like to pretend a flood could never happen to them. and that their homeowners insurance protects them. [ thunder crashes ] it doesn't. stop pretending. only flood insurance covers floods. ♪ visit floodsmart.gov/pretend to learn your risk.
12:15 pm
12:16 pm
all right. now to a significant breakthrough in research that might predict if you can get alzheimer's disease. estimated 5.2 million americans have alzheimer's, a disease that causes memory loss. a short time ago a new study released on the first blood test that can predict if someone is on the brink of getting it. i want to bring in senior medical correspondent elizabeth cohen. who is releasing the study and why? >> they and others describe this as game changing. it will be game changing if we can tell someone you're on the way to get alzheimer's, but there's a number of things to think about. so lets take a listen.
12:17 pm
a simple blood test was able to predict who would get alzheimer's. >> it's a wonderful piece of scien science, the most significant observation that we've been able to report in my entire scientific career. >> reporter: the researchers looked at the blood of healthy elderly people, checking for ten fatty molecules called lipids. those with lower levels of lipids, were more likely to develop alzheimer's or memory problems that precede alzheimer's. on average the change from healthy to sick took two years. the test was over 90% accurate. researchers and alzheimer's association point out more studies need to be done to check and see if this test works. even if all goes well, the test won't be in doctor's offices for several years. so who would want a test to predict alzheimer's? after all, there's nothing you can do to stop it. dr. howard federov, a researcher
12:18 pm
in the study, says he would want to know. >> i would want to plan. i would want to work with my family to make sure i attend to issues important to us. >> some people might not want to know they are destined for a devastating disease. >> wow, that is incredible potential breakthrough. i guess it is a breakthrough, not even potentially. how might this help in treatment? i guess that's the potential there. >> right, exactly. when doctors want to test prevention, that's what you really want to do is prevent alzheimer's, you want to start with a group of people who you know are pretty much destined to get it. you can't start with people, some might get it, some might not. you can't test a drug in that group. you need a group of people you know are going to get it. if they can get that group of people, it can make the research go much faster. >> certain people better candidates for this, besides a potential of getting it. are we talking about a potential age group? they did the test in 70 years
12:19 pm
old. i asked a doctor -- >> seven. oh my gosh. >> 70. would it work with 50 years old or 30 years old or 20 years old. they said, that's the big question. at some point we will test it on younger people. then the question becomes would you want to know at 40 if you would have this at the end of your life. >> would you want to know? >> i had this discussion with the doctor who said he wanted to know. i don't know. i think it would be depressing to live life knowing that you're going to someday get alzheimer's. it could push people over emotionally. >> i could see the advantage for knowing later on in my life so i could plan. at the same time you don't want to change the way in which you live your life if you know too far in advance. >> how would you get that out of the back of your head. i think that's the question. how would you get it out of the
12:20 pm
back of your head you would get alzheimer's. you want to plan. you want to know at age 70, but would you want to know at 40. >> we did some unscientific polls in the studio, most people said they don't want to know. >> the scientists said they did want to know. >> meantime something odd going on, rather underhanded say some in a small florida city. lawmakers say they plan to shut it down after investigations are over. we'll explain next. [ male announcer ] legalzoom has helped start over 1 million businesses. if you have a business idea, we have a personalized legal solution that's right for you. with easy step-by-step guidance, we're here to help you turn your dream into a reality. start your business today with legalzoom.
12:21 pm
we're here to help you turn your dream into a reality. to manage your money.r guy around 2 percent that's not much, you think except it's 2 percent every year. go to e*trade and find out how much our advice and guidance costs. spoiler alert. it's low. it's guidance on your terms not ours.
12:22 pm
e*trade. less for us, more for you. the recent increase in cafeteria prices is not cool. when you vote for flo, we'll have discounts. ice-cream discounts. multi-cookie discounts. pizza loyalty discounts! [ kids chanting "flo!" ] i also have some great ideas on car insurance. [ silence ] finding you discounts since back in the day. call or click today. i like her.
12:23 pm
12:24 pm
state lawmakers in florida are trying to shut down a small city called hampton. they say officials there are corrupt and suggest up to a million dollars could be missing from the city's coffers and are investigating how a highway speed trap was turned into a moneymaking scheme. here is ed lavandera. >> reporter: welcome to twilight zone of government gone wrong, hampton, florida, population 77. >> all i could relate was duke hazard. they made boss hogg look like a sunday school teacher. >> sanction add speed trap along 301. the tiny town had 19 police officers of that's one officer for every 25 residents, writing
12:25 pm
tickets to boost the city's coffers. sheriff gordon smith says one of the officers was nicknamed rambo. >> he was actually getting out of the car with ar-15 strapped to his shoulder, tactical gear on. >> to write tickets. >> to write tickets. that's crazy. >> it wasn't illegal but in three years they wrote about $600,000 in traffic fines. when state auditors examined the city's books they found a rotten cesspool in this swampy landscape. for starters, how the money was spent is unclear. it triggered a state criminal investigation. a few years ago this bombshell was dropped on the front porch of city hall, an audit of the way the city of hampton has done business. inside 31 findings of inappropriate action, questionable recordkeeping, accusations of nepotism, money that's missing. you name it, it's in here.
12:26 pm
now some state lawmakers want to make the city of hampton disappear, wipe it off the map. >> according to the audit several city employees were overpaid roughly $9,000. a city credit card had $27,000 worth of questionable charges. $132,000 charged to a city account at a convenience store next to city hall. the city says they are reviewing the recommendations. >> that's a lot of money. >> reporter: nothing symbolizes hampton's woes like this. we found the elected mayor sitting in the county jail. he was in office a month and a half when he was arrested in undercover sting and charged with selling oxycodone. he denies being involved in the mess. >> the people running hampton are a bunch of crooks? >> exactly. that's not very far from the truth at all. they are a bunch of crooks or a
12:27 pm
bunch of stupid people. i hate to say it like that but it's the truth. looks more like they are crooks than anything. >> but you, given the situation where you're in -- >> i look like a crook sitting here in an orange suit, don't i? >> the city's former clerk jane hall is one of the central figures in the state's audit. she hasn't been accused of crimes but the audit was highly critical of how she handles business. after we left hall e-mailed us. she wrote questionable expenditures were for city related business and was doumtd. she added there has been a deliberate campaign to make me look like a criminal mastermind. that would be like saying snoopy is cudjo's twin brother. >> give them a chance to talk to us. what the heck is wrong? >> former mayor mitzel walked off the job skefrl years ago. he's not suspected of wrongdoing. but he said the mayor's paycheck
12:28 pm
isn't worth the headache. state officials are asking lawmakers who want the city to shut down for one last chance to fix its problems. the former mayor should get the chance. >> the governor bailed out general motors, chrysler, why not hampton. don't shut our town down. our town should not be shut down. >> the saga of a town lost in the woods, mired in a mess that might shut it down forever. ed lavandera, cnn, hampton, florida. new information coming in on that missing judgment boo jet overseas. an update on the search for answers and the plane itself.
12:29 pm
geico motorcycle. see how much you could save.
12:30 pm
12:31 pm
scores of teams from around the world are now joining in on the search for that malaysia airlines flight 370. the plane was on its way to beijing more than 48 hours ago
12:32 pm
when it vanished. 239 people were on board, including at least three americans. vietnam's navy spotted a floating object in the gulf of thailand. malaysia's military says radar data indicates the plane turned around before disappearing. international police agency interpol says it is examining additional suspects' passports with the missing plane. two passengers were traveling on stolen passport. and the fbi says it is ready, has agents in the area to help out with the investigation. a team from ntsb and faa are also on the way. u.s. military taking part in the efforts to find the plane, a lot of area to cover. started with the search of the south sea. now the search area clouds the area to the left of cambodia
12:33 pm
there. our pentagon correspondent barbara starr is on the phone with us now. barbara, what can the u.s. do to help out with the search. >> reporter: this is such an area to try and cover. the u.s. navy tries to join in when there's a maritime crisis and a number of countries joining in in the region. what the navy is doing is out of okinawa they are flying a patrol aircraft, it can stay up for hours. it has sonar, certainly capability over wide areas. it has spotted some debris. sadly it turned out to be a false alarm. this is the kind of thing that stay up for a long time and sem wide areas of water. there's a navy ship in the region with helicopters, also
12:34 pm
sonar and other search capabili capability. a supply ship on the way out of okinawa so it can supply efforts ongoing. u.s. supply ship sailing out of sink po singapore early today. you're beginning to see the u.s. both offer assistance in the law enforcement side of this of this situation and the mysterious side of where it went down. it's going to take a lot to locate it. >> barbara starr, appreciate that. we've heard one man who was listed as a passenger on that missing flight is actually alive and well. this is luigi at a police station in thailand. he's an italian national. he told police he caught wind of
12:35 pm
the mix-up after friends and family contacted him through social media. he said his passport had been stolen last year. interpol confirmed today at least two passports were reported as lost or stolen. his one of them. they were used by passengers on that plane. flight recorders could prove key in this investigation. why one expert says we shouldn't have to wait for the plane to be found actually to learn what happened. spokesperson: the volkswagen passat tdi clean diesel
12:36 pm
can go 795 highway miles on a single tank. huh... so you could drive from los angeles all the way philadelphia with just three stops for fuel. that's just a hop, skip, and a jump. try that in another midsize sedan. it's more of a hop... a skip... a jump... a leap... maybe a schlep... probably a hurdle... a little bit of a trek... avo: during the tdi clean diesel event, get a $1,000 fuel reward card and 0.9% apr for 60 months.
12:37 pm
and his new boss told him two things -- cook what you love, and save your money. joe doesn't know it yet, but he'll work his way up from busser to waiter to chef before opening a restaurant specializing in fish and game from the great northwest.
12:38 pm
he'll start investing early, he'll find some good people to help guide him, and he'll set money aside from his first day of work to his last, which isn't rocket science. it's just common sense. from td ameritrade. it's just common sense. so our business can be on at&t's network for $175 a month? yup. all 5 of you for $175. our clients need a lot of attention. there's unlimited talk and text. we're working deals all day. you get 10 gigabytes of data to share. what about expansion potential? add a line, anytime, for $15 a month. low dues, great terms. let's close! new at&t mobile share value plans our best value plans ever for business. if your denture moves, it can irritate your gums. try fixodent plus gum care. it helps stop denture movement and prevents gum irritation. fixodent. and forget it.
12:39 pm
the jumbo jet that vanished 48 hours ago continues to be a huge mystery. primary focus will be to locate flight recorders. earlier i talk with mary skif organizations, a former inspector general with the department of transportation about that. search the ocean through the grid. the navy, submersibles will be looking for and listening for pingers from black box, cockpit voice recorder and data recorder. they give off an audible sound. they are powered by a battery. the battery lasts for about a month. they want to get it before the seawater takes its toll. >> aviation reporter clive irving says we shouldn't have to
12:40 pm
wait that long. contributor to "the daily beast" and conde nast traveler. you say this is antiquated. why? what other means to locate if not the ping device. >> this is a very serious accident with large loss of life. i think it's amazing today we still rely on a principle and system devised in the 1960s when there was no alternative to it. it's simple, crucial evidence to the play and you go out and try to find black box flight recorder. we all live in digital world now. we have numerous devices we use every day. technically it's a relatively simple thing to have live realtime transmissions from the plane. the plane in the air monitoring its systems, like a person
12:41 pm
monitoring their own heartbeat and systems, all that information is being collected as it is flying of the problem is it's not getting from the plane to anywhere else. my argument is it should now be necessary to end this very difficult situation we face with the crash. if that information were being transmitted the whole time the plane was in the air, as soon as it disappeared we'd know two things. we'd know where it was, we don't even know that yet and we'd know if anything was wrong with the plane before that happened. >> just so i understand you correctly, you're saying once the crash is resolved or investigated, there should be other means in which we should be able to locate aircraft. but for now this is the primary or a primary tool in which to locate any remnant of this crash, right? >> the whole purpose of this
12:42 pm
operation now is not to find anything other. the priority here is not to find anything other than those flight recorders. i've had no mention so far of a solar beacon being part of this. a solar beacon is something that drops in the ocean with the plane and transmits 30 days to tell searchers where it is. the problem with that idea is, if the plane -- the mystery about the crash, it happened instantaneously, without any chance for the decree to communicate anything wrong. if it happened in that way and the plane broke up at 36,000 feet, all the parts of it could be scattered over an extremely large area. we're not talking about one place. we're talking about wreckage strewn over a large area. part of that wreckage will be the sonar beacon and flight recorders. >> why hasn't better technology come about thus far? >> i think priority has always been given,vokes, entertainment
12:43 pm
in the cabin. we're soon going to be making cell phone calls from cabins. i think it should have been made apparent long ago. for example serious crash of air france flight 447 in the south atlantic several years ago. by pure chance that plane transmitted 20 so-called maintenance messages. in paris looked and realized something was wrong with the plane before it disappeared. turned out fault messages were a clear indication of what was happening to the plane. it was losing its flight control system. that was pure chance. in the case of every -- you don't have to do this with every plane flying over land but i think priority should be given to planes that fly long distances over water. >> thus far, a perplexing mystery that has so many intrigued, whether you fly or whether you're an investigator, still unresolved. thank you so much clive irving
12:44 pm
from london. also overseas with more russian troops on the move in ukraine. the baltic states worry if they will face russian tanks. what they want the u.s. to do. next. first, 2014 paralympic games are happening in sochi. sanjay gupta has the story of one of those remarkable athletes. overcoming obstacles is nothing new for tatiana. she was born with spina bifida. that's a birth defect that prevents spinal cord from closing in the womb. as an unwanted child in russia, tatiana was immediately send to an orphanage after surgery. >> i didn't have a wheelchair so my legs were atrophied behind my back and behind my back the whole time. >> a chance visit by an american changed her life. >> i immediately knew she was my
12:45 pm
mom. >> adoption gave tatiana an instant family. her mom pushed tatiana to get involved with sports. >> getting involved with sports saved my life. i wrote down my life. i want to be an olympic athlete, a model. >> at the athens paralympic games, won medals in beijing and in london she finally won gold. in 2013 she won grand slam title for wheelchair racing and traded it. she's back in russia competing in sochi cross-country skiing event. dr. sanjay gupta, cnn, reporting. [ female announcer ] who are we?
12:46 pm
we are the thinkers. the job jugglers. the up all-nighters. and the ones who turn ideas into action.
12:47 pm
we've made our passions our life's work. we strive for the moments where we can say, "i did it!" ♪ we are entrepreneurs who started it all... with a signature. legalzoom has helped start over 1 million businesses, turning dreamers into business owners. and we're here to help start yours. ♪ ♪ ben! ♪ [ train whistle blows ] oh, that was close. you ain't lying. let quicken loans help you save your money with a mortgage that's engineered to amaze.
12:48 pm
12:49 pm
as the crisis in ukraine grows by the day, the pressure is on the obama administration and nato to do something to stop what secretary of state, john kerry has called the crisis there. vladimir putin talked today but
12:50 pm
will those talked result in more than just talking? >> joining me now from washington, good to see you candy. today you talked with three ambassadors from the baltic states? what is their fear and what do they want the u.s. to do? >> first, they all went out of their way to thank the united states for their reassurances. they are nato countries and that is a one for all and all for one entity. they feel good goabout that. if i had to describe how they felt about what was needed the answer is more. take a listen. >> if you have a big country, with missiles and armies, that is serious.
12:51 pm
that can make a huge impact on our family. our response should be stronger than in usual cases. >> what does he want? >> the ome way for him to stay in power is to have a war. >> with. >> with ukraine. >> yes. >> i don't see psychologically why should he stop? this popularity is rising. >> in general, they do not feel as though they are as vare vulno the dynamic of the region. they are applauding and supporting the other western european linked countries. they are not sure as you heard that putin is going to listen to
12:52 pm
as much persuasion. a lot of americans are critical of all of this leading up to the 2016 toll picks talks. this weekend rand paul actually one that poll taken at the conservative action conference again this year for the second time in a row what does this mean for his second potential run for the nomination? >> it give him a good week and weeks can add up. and that is really where we are. when you look at the race, in november of 2016. this is about building now. so, it is better to build on winning this and on our talking about it on the people that were at that group of activists talking about it. so it is a good win for him but sure not a permanent one.
12:53 pm
>> thank you so much have a great week. >> you have heard of children dialing 911 in a crisis weighri? >> but this is 2014 and there is an app for that. what this two-year-old did calling for help. >> and another winter blast is coming and believe it or not, all of this year's snow is actually a blessing in some parts of the country. cnn's tom forman takes us on an american journey. >> through the misery and madness the long running winter has brought long awaited water. head of the american farm bureau says after dry years that is a big relief. whether you live in dc your food
12:54 pm
comes from a farm and it is hedged on that water. it koupts. >> every 20 inches of snow will melt into one inch of water. but a year ago well over half the country was in drought conditions. now the dry spots are about to 25% and that is mainly in the west places like california. >> in simple terms it comes down to this, with enough snow and rain a farm like this can more than double it's output of corn and csoy beans and so much else. i hope it does this in the summertime not snow but precipitation. we hope for it. >> high hopes that the water that winter is leaving behind.
12:55 pm
i'm beth... and i'm michelle. and we own the paper cottage. it's a stationery and gifts store. anything we purchase for the paper cottage goes on our ink card. so you can manage your business expenses and access them online instantly with the game changing app from ink. we didn't get into business to spend time managing receipts, that's why we have ink. we like being in business because we like being creative, we like interacting with people. so you have time to focus on the things you love. ink from chase. so you can.
12:56 pm
...and let in the dog that woke the man who drove to the control room [ woman ] driverless mode engaged. find parking space. [ woman ] parking space found. [ male announcer ] ...that secured the data that directed the turbines that powered the farm that made the milk that went to the store that reminded the man to buy the milk that was poured by the girl who loved the cat. [ meows ] the internet of everything is changing everything. cisco. tomorrow starts here. i use my citi thankyou card to get two times the points at the is chcoffee shop.thing. which will help me get to miami...and they'll be stuck at the cube farm. the citi thankyou preferred card. now earn two times the points on dining out with no annual fee. go to citi.com/thankyoucards. i reckon a storm's a bruin'. reckon so. reckon you gotta hotel? i reckon, no.
12:57 pm
reckon priceline express deals can get you a great deal. wherever you...mosey. you reckon? we reckon. vámonos! priceline express deals. humans -- we are beautifully imperfect creatures, living in an imperfect world. that's why liberty mutual insurance has your back, offering exclusive products like optional better car replacement, where, if your car is totaled, we give you the money to buy one a model year newer. call... and ask an insurance expert about all our benefits today, like our 24/7 support and service, because at liberty mutual insurance, we believe our customers do their best out there in the world, so we do everything we can to be there for them when they need us. plus, you could save hundreds when you switch -- up to $423.
12:58 pm
call... today. liberty mutual insurance. responsibility. what's your policy? all that straight ahead at the top of the hour. first a two-year-old got help from his mom when she needed it. rickey mitchell picks up the story. >> reporter: panic started to set in when she couldn't dial 911. i begged them to dial 911, but my phone was covered in blood. a foster dog bit part of her
12:59 pm
finger. she continued to lose blood and when she thought she was going to pass out, he came over with a dish towel and proceeded to call my friend on facetime. he facetimes her friend connie so often she usually just ignores it. >> all i could see was his little forehead and it was quiet for a little bit and then i hear laura screaming. he even unlocked the door for firefighters and now laura is so thankful for her little hero.
1:00 pm
>> hi >> hello everyone again. new clues surface in that baffling disappearance in the missing jetliners. and the country's prime minister prepares to head to the u.s. for a face-to-face meeting with president obama. key u.s. allies. and a potentially ground breaking study could have a major impact on how alzheimer's is diagnosed. but first, let's again with the around the clock search and investigation into finding that malasian airlines flight on its way to beijing. 233 people were onboard including 3