>> certainly a massive search and the australian prime minister said he would be throwing everything he can at it and that we're still in the ramp-up phase, certainly the numbers are reflecting that. i can actually hear the turboprops of, we believe, one of the search planes, one of the very first search planes taking to the air. the numbers that we're getting now from the australian authorities who are running this, 15 planes will take to the air, those will be 11 military planes, 4 civilian planes. there will be 11 ships at sea. we're not real clear on whether those two ships that are pulling the pinger locators, that they are included in that number or not. so what they're trying to do is, in addition to having the underwater search, also trying to continue to look at this area from the air using spotters. one thing we should point out, wolf, is that the search area will be concentrated in the general area that it was yesterday. still looking at three specific areas hoping to find something. wolf?

>> and those -- they're using that word "specific" very deliberately, kyung, aren't they? because they have a sense that this is an area, potentially, potentially, based on a lot of calculations that could produce some important results. >> a very educated guess. that's what we keep hearing. it is on science, it's on numbers, it's on whatever the mathematicians have been able to figure out. so again an educated guess, but yes, they're trying to narrow it because they have the suspicion that it may be out there in those particular areas. >> the ocean shield and the echo, two of the ships in the area right now, they really have the clock ticking because we only have what, three, four, five days left before the batteries dry up for those black boxes that are emitting those pings, if you will. and after that, it becomes in effect a whole new ball game if you're not going to be able to try to find those pingers, the source of the indication where

those black boxes are. >> and it may be at that point, wolf, that there is that reassessment that we've heard angus houston the head of jacc that's running this operation, that this reassessment may have to take place at that point. some other sobering numbers we've heard as far as how many days they'll be out, the teams that are going to be pulling those towed pingers, they're expecting to use them only for the next 10 to 12 days because after that point all hope is generally going to be lost on whether or not those batteries on the black boxes are actually working. >> kyung lah in perth, australia, thank you. much more on this story coming up. also we're now learning new details about an argument between the ft. hood gunman and his fellow soldiers. why investigators still don't thing this points to a concrete motive for his rampage. and a deadly attack on the press. two veteran journalists. they are attacked while covering

the elections in afghanistan. we have their story, that's coming up. [ male announcer ] when fixed income experts... ♪ ...work with equity experts... who work with regional experts... that's when expertise happens. mfs. because there is no expertise without collaboration. mfs. ...return on investment wall isn't a street... isn't the only return i'm looking forward to... for some, every dollar is earned with sweat, sacrifice, courage. which is why usaa is honored to help our members with everything from investing for retirement to saving for college. our commitment to current and former military members and their families is without equal. life's an adventure and it always has been. but your erectile dysfunction - it could be a question of blood flow. cialis tadalafil for daily use helps you be ready anytime the moment's right.

you can be more confident in your ability to be ready. and the same cialis is the only daily ed tablet approved to treat ed and symptoms of bph, like needing to go frequently or urgently. tell your doctor about all your medical conditions and medications, and ask if your heart is healthy enough for sexual activity. do not take cialis if you take nitrates for chest pain, as this may cause an unsafe drop in blood pressure. do not drink alcohol in excess with cialis. side effects may include headache, upset stomach, delayed backache or muscle ache. to avoid long-term injury, seek immediate medical help for an erection lasting more than 4 hours. if you have any sudden decrease or loss in hearing or vision, or if you have any allergic reactions such as rash, hives, swelling of the lips, tongue or throat, or difficulty breathing or swallowing, stop taking cialis and get medical help right away. ask your doctor about cialis for daily use and a 30-tablet free trial.

we'll continue cnn's special coverage of the search for flight 370 shortly. but there's breaking news in the ft. hood shooting. we're getting new information about the gunman. we have correspondents working their sources. pamela brown is in texas at ft.

hood. barbara starr is over at the pentagon. what did you just learn about the suspect and the events leading up to the shooting? >> wolf, we have some clarity now on new details. you'll recall that the army says that ivan lopez reported a traumatic brain injury at some point, but it had never been clear what they were talking about because when he served in iraq he had no contact with enemy forces there. u.s. official, military official familiar with his record says what happened was while he was in iraq he suffered a fall while on patrol and reported hitting his head. that was the traumatic brain injury that he reported that u.s. military officials had been looking into on patrol in iraq. he fell and hit his head. another issue has been that the claim perhaps is he did not get sufficient leave for his mother's funeral when she died. this u.s. military official says he was offered full bereavement

leave but declined it and only took a few days at his own choice because he wanted to get to a course he was about to take in truck driving at ft. leonard wood. so a couple of new details about what led up to some of the issues, potentially, in his career history, wolf. >> barbara, stand by. pamela, sorties, we're told they searched his home, the lopez house today at ft. hood. what did they find? >> that's right. learning from a law enforcement source, wolf, that nothing turned up in lopez's home that indicated a clear motive. they searched his entire home and learning now that there was nothing there to help authorities figure out what caused lopez to snap. but today at a press conference they talked about that verbal altercation between lopez and another soldier saying that it was an argument that escalated, and they believe that was the impetus for lopez to go on his

shooting spree. also they talked about his mental health history and, of course, as part of this investigation, they're going to look at the medications he was on for his sleep disorder, for depression and anxiety. wolf, we're learning from sources as well about the days leading up to the shooting. i learned from a law enforcement source on march 1st when they bought that .45 caliber he also bought a lot of ammo, according to this so source, and went back to that store, gun gas lore here in killeen and bought more ammo. he had a stockpile of ammunition leading up to that shooting. but officials saying there's no clear evidence that the anct wa premeditated. >> what are you hearing about lopez from your sources? >> i want to underscore what pamela is saying. u.s. military officials say they will go back through all of his records. they're going to take a very close look at his medical history, the mental health issues, the medications he was on, all of that. that's really important to try

and figure out exactly what did happen here. the precipitating event, they believe for the shooting was the argument, the altercation he had with fellow soldiers. but what was going on in this soldier's mind? what was his mental health situation in the days and weeks leading up to this? this is going to be crucial. they'll look at every single factor. this is an investigation that could take a long time, and they're already saying because he, of course, is deceased, he committed suicide, they may never get the full picture, but they're certainly going to try and find out searches they can, wolf. >> pamela, the suspect's father spoke out today. what did he say? >> that's right. the suspect's father breaking his silence for first time, wolf, through a family spokesperson that released a statement today. in that statement the father says, my son could not have been in his right mind. he was not like that. also in that statement, the father said that he was astonished calling his son a calm man who just wanted to protect his family and ensure

their future. so it came across very clearly in this statement that this came as a big surprise to his father. >> pamela brown, barbara starr, guys, thanks very much. meanwhile a deadly attack in afghanistan today. one that resonates deeply with all of us here at cnn. two veteran journalists for the associated press were shot while traveling with a convoy of election workers. one of them was killed. cnn's anna coren is there with this report. >> reporter: on a blood-soaked car seat sits a camera and notebook. this was where award winning photographer anja niedringhaus and her associate kathy gannon, were sitting. when according to the news agency a police man yelled allah akbar before spraying the car with bullets. niedringhaus was killed instantly while gannon was seriously injured. the two had been in a convoy

following the independent election commission delivering ballot papers when the brutal attack occurred. it comes on the eve of afghanistan's historic elections, which the taliban have vowed to use all force to disrupt. in recent weeks they've launched a series of high profile attacks especially in the capital. designed to create fear and stop the public from voting. the insurgents have threatened violence against anyone who participates, but it would appear that tactic isn't working. millions of people have registered to vote while attendances at the rallies for the top presidential candidates have exceeded expectations. >> our democracy has a cost. so we have accepted the cost. there will be many sacrifices ahead of us to have a secure, to have a democratic country in the future. at least 14 million ballot papers have been printed for

almost 6,500 polling stations. this will be the first democratic transfer of power in afghanistan's history. >> how important is this election to you. >> to me, it's very important. >> reporter: to give you an idea just how determined the people are to make this election a success, back in 2009 only 35% of the population turned out to vote. well, despite the threats of violence, independent election observers believe that this time around, voter turnout could be as high as 75%. afghans risking their life to vote is something niedringhaus would have been documenting. these are some of the last photos she took in a war-torn country desperate to change the course of its future. reporting for cnn, kabul. >> our deepest condolences to her family. coming up, the search for flight 370 moves from above the ocean surface to below it. we'll have the latest on the new

underwater hunt for the missing malaysian airlines plane in just a moment. and a presidential portrait. painted by an actual president. george w. bush unveils his new gallery. you're going to have to see it to believe it.

humans. even when we cross our "ts" and dot our "i's", we still run into problems. that's why liberty mutual insurance offers accident forgiveness with our auto policies.

if you qualify, your rates won't go up due to your first accident. because making mistakes is only human, and so are we. we also offer new car replacement, so if you total your new car, we'll give you the money for a new one. call liberty mutual insurance at... and ask us all about our auto features, like guaranteed repairs, where if you get into an accident and use one of our certified repair shops, the repairs are guaranteed for life. so call... to talk with an insurance expert about everything that comes standard with our base auto policy. and if you switch, you could save up to $423. liberty mutual insurance -- responsibility. what's your policy? because you can't beat zero heartburn. woo hoo! [ male announcer ] prilosec otc is the number one doctor recommended frequent heartburn medicine for 8 straight years. one pill each morning. 24 hours. zero heartburn.

who better to paint a presidential portrait than an actual u.s. president? george w. bush has been busy sketching all sorts of world leaders and he's showing it all off at a new exhibit. cnn's john berman has the story. >> reporter: picasso had his blue period, van gogh, his own blue period when he cut off his own ear. for george w. bush let's call this his late, late leader period. >> did you paint that? i can't make fun of him now.

>> reporter: after mastering comedians, family pets, even bathtub self-portraits, he unveiled his first ever art exhibit today. at the george bush presidential library in dallas. okay, maybe it helps to have your own art gallery when you're a budding artist, but these, these are genuinely pretty good >> i looked the man in the eye. i was able to get a sense of his soul. >> yes, that soul. now captured on canvas and if putin appears a bit well pouty listen to what the artist told a certain "today" correspondent who happens to be his daughter. >> barney, i introduced him to putin. >> don't mess with the man's

dog, especially if he's going to paint you. bill clinton publicly turned down his chance to sit for a bush portrait after some of w's mother-in-law paintings leaked online. >> those bathroom sketches are wonderful but at my age, i think i should keep my suit. >> bush revealed his newer works were really painted from photographs. most of the subject like tony blair haven't seen them. >> i think i told postseason i was painting him and he brushed it off. >> bush painted on undeterred a former president now a painter in his prime. >> i do take painting seriously. it's changed my life. >> today bush told nbc he hopes the men will see his work in a spirit of friendship. while he said this painting of his father is his favorite there is one work that didn't work. for all the power of leadership, for all the power of art, there

are limits. >> you don't paint your wife. >> john berman, cnn, new york. >> we'll be right back with more on the search for flight 370. a powerful airlines pilots union is calling for some important changes in airline technology. stand by for that. but first, this impact your world. >> good morning. good morning. >> even at age 89 president jimmy carter is still campaigning but this isn't political. it's a medical race against time to stop a disease called river blindness. >> this is one of those diseases that not many people want to fool with. so disease caused by the sting of little black fly that only breeds in very rapidly flowing wter. >> reporter: river blindness has affected millions in latin america and africa. causes severe itching, skin discoloration, rashes and eventually take the patient's sight.

>> we began to administer this medicine and since then we have treated 174 million times in latin america and all across africa. >> reporter: thanks to the efforts of the carter center river blindness has been almost wiped out in latin america. >> to go into those villages and see them of a flighted in a horrible way and to know that disease doesn't need to exist there because it's been eliminated in richer countries and to start a program and go back later to see the disease is gone and that people have a totally transformed life. there's some great dividends to be derived from a small investment. co: i've always found you don't know you need a hotel room

until you're sure you do. bartender: thanks, captain obvious. co: which is what makes using the hotels.com mobile app so useful. i can book a nearby hotel room from wherever i am. or, i could not book a hotel room and put my cellphone

back into my pocket as if nothing happened. hotels.com. i don't need it right now.

how much money do you think you'll need when you retire? then we gave each person a ribbon to show how many years that amount might last. i was trying to, like, pull it a little further. [ woman ] got me to 70 years old. i'm going to have to rethink this thing. it's hard to imagine how much we'll need for a retirement that could last 30 years or more. so maybe we need to approach things differently, if we want to be ready for a longer retirement. ♪ 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. call... today. liberty mutual insurance -- responsibility. what's your policy?

some more breaking news. the airline pilots association is weighing in on the flight 370 investigation. the group is now calling for more transparency saying open disclosure of all the facts in context will ease the urge for speculation. the pilots union is asking for the industry to use existing technology to track planes in real-time. another breaking development we're following, we just learned this will be the biggest search day so far with more planes in the air, more ships scanning the indian ocean for flight 370. 15 aircraft, 11 ships in all. let's bring in our invitation correspondent renee marsh. the airline technologies, they are outdated. what's the problem here >> here's the bottom line. in talking to a lot of people

this is it. the thing is unless it's mandated many airlines won't go ahead and take it upon themselves to make the changes on their own. if it's mandated they will do it, if not they won't. you mentioned the pilots union are asking for stronger transmitters, better battery life. i think after this people will revisit those issues and perhaps we'll see some changes. plans as far as batteries on those pingers that's something we've been talking about and should be extended beyond the 30 days. >> batteries on these pingers on those two black boxes they may not have been properly installed. >> cnn read out to the manufacturer of these pingers and said look they were due for an overhaul, a maintenance overhaul to change out the batteries and essentially give this thing a new look because they were due for that in 2012. it didn't happen. now that could mean one of three things. it could mean malaysia airlines got it done somewhere else or switched out the pingers. >> renee marsh with the very

latest on that. we'll stay on top of this story. remember you can always follow us on twitter, tweet me @wolfblitzer. thanks very much for watching. i'm wolf blitzer in "the situation room". erin burnett "outfront" starts right now. next breaks news on flight 370 search planes heading over the indian ocean a desperate search under water. a biggest search day so far. four weeks ago this hour we found out plals flight 370 was missing. families are demanding answers why nobody has searched the remote island of diego garcia. let's go "outfront". >>d