CNN 2008-05-09

Hello, I'm Melissa Long here at the CNN Center in Atlanta with some of the headlines NOW IN THE NEWS at this hour this Thursday.

In Beirut Lebanon, a major gun battle is going on right now between rival political factions 1. Shiite's supporters of Hezbollah, a powerful force in that country regarded as a terrorist 2 organization by the West, are trading some serious fire power with Sunni Backers of Lebanon's western-backed government. The clash 3 broke out shortly after a speech from Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. We will of course keep you posted.

The World Health Organization says it's getting reports of malaria 4 outbreaks in Myanmar and fears that waterborne illnesses could be next. An estimated million people, one million people are homeless. After last week's cyclone 5, they're facing hunger, thirst and disease. The first United Nation's aid flights arrived today, but Myanmar has not accepted many other offers of help. The US reportedly is considering air-dropping food and medicines into the military-ruled nation.

No injuries have been reported in Mississippi after a tornado 6 struck parts of Tupelo. The extreme weather caused damage to a large shopping mall and some other structures. The twister was part of the same storm system that caused similar problems in Oklahoma last night. And the bad weather continues to move east.

How to fight cancer and win, that's the focus of a Senate Committee hearing in its looking into the challenges and the opportunities available to those living with the disease. It is an issue that holds close to home for former cancer patient and tour de France winner Lance Armstrong.

Simply put, the 560, 000 deaths we have every year in this country, a full third of them could be prevented. We could save close to 200, 000 American lives every year if we simply apply the information and the technology and the knowledge that we have to the people that need it the most.

And Elizabeth Edwards, a cancer survivor 7 and wife of former Democratic presidential candidate Kennedy John Edwards, was also testified 8 during today's Washington hearing.

Both calendar and the math are working against Democratic Senator 9 Hillary Clinton, but she is not letting up. And she in fact made a campaign stop already in West Virginia, ahead of next Tuesday's primary in the state. Today she'll also be in South Dakota and Oregon. And meantime her democratic rival is laying low today, Senator Barack Obama spending the day in Washington meeting with some lawmakers. And he is scheduled to sit down with CNN’s Wolf Blitzer a little later today on The Situation Room.

And these are the headlines making news at this hour. For more on these stories or other news of the day, remember CNN is your source whether you are surfing the Web, watching the television or you happen to be on the go with your cell phone. Don't forget about cnn.com updates.