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In Spain, String of Explosions on Madrid's Commuter Rail Line

Aired March 11, 2004 - 05:00   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.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: In Spain, a string of explosions on Madrid's commuter rail line. Scores are dead. We'll take you live to Madrid in 60 seconds.
Good morning to you.

It's Thursday, March 11.

From the CNN global headquarters in Atlanta, I'm Carol Costello.

Thanks for being with us this morning.

Breaking news to tell you about. Four explosions hit the Madrid train system at rush hour this morning. More than 62 people are dead and scores of others wounded.

A roadside bombing has killed a U.S. soldier in Iraq. Two other soldiers were wounded in the convoy attack in West Ba'qubah.

Meat produced on a Canadian pig farm may be contaminated with human DNA. The remains of as many as 23 women have been found on the farm. The owner of the farm has been charged with murder.

They were detainees for more than two years at Guantanamo Bay, but less than 24 hours after their return home to Britain, all five are free men.

And Tulane University has suspended its contract with a distributor of donated bodies. The move follows reports the company sold cadavers to the Army and blown up to test protective footwear against land mines.

We update the top stories every 15 minutes. The next news update comes your way at 5:15 Eastern.

The same-sex marriage issue returns today to where the latest national debate began, Massachusetts. Lawmakers there will again take up a proposed constitutional amendment. Gay marriage becomes legal in Massachusetts May 17th.

Beth Germano of our Boston affiliate, WBZ, has more on this story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are we ready? BETH GERMANO, WBZ-TV CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Gay marriage supporters by the hundreds putting the spotlight on Beacon Hill.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are friends. We are neighbors. We are family members of the people in this building.

GERMANO: The building where Massachusetts lawmakers are still wrestling with a compromise constitutional amendment that would block gay marriage but legalize civil unions for gays and lesbians.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is the place where we need to make our stand. The court said that we had these rights.

SEN. BRUCE STARR (R), MASSACHUSETTS SENATE: Like many legislators, I'm wrestling with the questions that are before us.

GERMANO: Republican Senator Bruce Starr still can't say how he'll vote.

STARR: These are phone messages and then these are letters.

GERMANO: The paperwork from constituents and lobbyists has piled up since the constitutional convention deadlocked on the issue a month ago and the senator is wary of last minute maneuvering.

STARR: And a lot of folks feel if you can release something at the last minute, that may push the vote one way or the other.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How are you? What can we do for you?

GERMANO: Lobbyists are going door to door at the statehouse, some finding their timing a little too late.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You're here at the eleventh hour, a delivery.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am here at the eleventh hour delivering because time is of the essence at this point.

GERMANO: Lawmakers resume their debate as several states have started issuing marriage licenses. What happens here is considered a test case for the nation.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Definitely the nation is going to be watching what Massachusetts does and it's up to us...

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: We're going to try -- that report out of Boston, by the way, by Beth Germano of our Boston affiliate, WBZ.

Any amendment that passes would have to be approved by Massachusetts voters and they wouldn't be able to vote on it until November, 2006.

Now, we want to take you to Madrid, Spain right now.

We're trying to get Al Goodman live. He's not going to be live right now, but we're going to show you a story that he filed moments ago.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

AL GOODMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We're standing outside the Atocha train station, which was the scene of at least some of the bombings and some of the carnage this day. The death toll is rising. Reports put it at about 60 and rising, with scores of people injured. The emergency services strapped here in Madrid. Public calls going out for the Madrid citizens to come forward and donate blood.

Now, these explosions occurred during the morning rush hour, at least on some of the commuter trains coming into the capital. These would be commuter trains that would have been packed, people standing, jammed in there, trying to get to their jobs by eight o'clock or eight thirty in the morning local time.

The blame here from several Spanish leaders and also from several leading Spanish media, saying that this is the work of the Basque separatist group ETA. If so, it is the single worst attack in the history of this organization, which has been blamed for more than 800 killings over its more than 30 year fight for Basque independence. The previous worst death toll in the history of ETA was in 1987 in Barcelona, a supermarket bombing killed 21 people. This day here in Madrid and in the environs of Madrid, we're hearing there are in, around 60, and perhaps more, dead, in addition to scores of injured.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: On to American politics now. The Bush reelection campaign hits stride as it hits the road. Today in Bay Shore, New York, the president will participate in a conversation about the economy at USA Industries. Later, in East Meadow, New York, he'll attend a groundbreaking for a Nassau County memorial to the 9/11 victims. And tonight, he'll speak at a political fundraiser.

John Kerry spends the day in Washington and he'll be the guest tonight of Senator John Edwards at a thank you event for Edwards' biggest donors. Kerry will introduce himself to those 100 donors and Edwards will ask them to get behind Kerry's campaign.

But before that event, Senator Kerry will appeal for full support from the Democratic members of Congress. The big meeting is with the House Democratic Caucus, but he'll be meeting separately with the Congressional Black Caucus and with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.

U.S. Marines in Haiti, under new orders to head off any violence, have killed two Haitians who opened fire on the outgoing prime minister's house. In the meantime, the new provisional prime minister is talking about bringing back Haiti's army. The army was disbanded by President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, who is now in exile in Africa. The new interim prime minister, Gerard Latortue, has returned to Haiti from exile in Florida. He's trying to put together a new government now.

Here's what he has to say when asked about his goals.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Could you just tell us what are your goals as the prime minister?

GERARD LATORTUE, HAITIAN PRIME MINISTER: Number one, security; number two, justice; number three, economic development and commercial investment. And we are hoping we will be able to build up the foundations for Haiti to be a different country, you know?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Gerard Latortue, by the way, is a former Haitian foreign minister and a former U.N. official.

Charges of smuggling, that tops this look at stories across America. Two Chinese men are set to appear in a Los Angeles federal courtroom today. They're accused of smuggling themselves and 17 immigrants from Hong Kong to Los Angeles last month inside of a cargo ship container. The 19 immigrants spent about 25 days inside that container.

Another suspected illegal immigrant case, this one in Tucson, Arizona. Border Patrol agents have taken 135 people into custody at a motel. Authorities say they found them packed into 13 rooms.

And in Anaheim, California, Disneyland is taking steps to guard against terrorism. The theme park plans to install security gates there and at its California Adventure Theme Park next door. During the war on terrorism in Afghanistan, al Qaeda documents were found listing Disneyland as a potential terrorism target.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Only nine days till spring. I can't wait. I think I'm getting spring fever.

We're going to learn later this morning what punishment the NHL has for Todd Bertuzzi. The Vancouver Canucks All Star forward may still face criminal charges for his sucker punch that seriously injured the Colorado Avalanche's Steve Moore. Moore is out for the season with a broken neck and a concussion.

Bertuzzi has made an emotional apology. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TODD BERTUZZI, VANCOUVER CANUCKS: Steve, I just want to apologize for what happened out there, that I had no intention on hurting you, that I feel awful for what transpired. To the fans of hockey and to the fans of Vancouver, for the kids that watch this game, I'm truly sorry. I don't play the game that way and I'm not a mean-spirited person. And I'm sorry for what happened.

(END VIDEO CLIP) COSTELLO: Vancouver police and British Columbia prosecutors are now investigating that hit.

Feeling the need, the need for speed? We'll look at some new computer games that will satisfy that need and save you maybe from speeding tickets.

That may be the only driving you do, with gas prices as high as they are. We'll look at how prices at the pump might influence the presidential election.

And you've waited four years for it -- a look at what the swimmers will be wearing at the 2004 Olympic Games.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: We're in a breaking news situation here at CNN. The death toll in Spain steadily rising after a string of explosions at three train stations. The attack happened just a few hours ago at the height of the morning rush hour.

Al Goodman live on the phone for us from Madrid -- Al, describe the scene for us.

GOODMAN: Carol, I'm outside the Atocha train station, which so far appears to have taken the brunt of what amounts to three different explosions on three different commuter trains coming into the southern Atocha train station in the capital. This is the train station, for those who know Madrid, where you take the bullet train to the south of Spain.

The scene out here, the police have pushed back all the reporters. Just about an hour ago they pushed us back a bit further and a few seconds after that, there was yet another explosion, apparently a controlled explosion of an explosive device they found.

Now, about half of the 62 people who have been killed, according to the interior minister, died here at the Atocha train station or on the tracks just near this station. The second place that was hit was a commuter station called Cosodel Tiaramondo (ph) and the third place was called Santa Eugenia. All of these are busy commuter stops heading in from the southern or southeastern portion of the city.

This happened just before eight o'clock local time. The trains would have been standing room only packed.

The blame, Carol, is being placed squarely by officials and the Spanish news media on the Basque separatist group ETA. This would be, if so, the single deadliest day in the long, three decades plus history of ETA, which wants an independent Basque homeland. They've so far, before this day, been blamed for killing 810 or 20 people, and now we have at least 60 more. And there is one report which we've just come across from other officials in Madrid that the death toll may be double that, more than 100 -- Carol. COSTELLO: You were fading in and out there.

Who does the government think is to blame and is that for sure, Alan?

GOODMAN: I didn't hear the second part of your question. The phone lines are just collapsed here. But the officials have been blaming the Basque separatist group ETA, which, if this is the case, there was no warning call, says the interior minister. It would be, Carol, the single deadliest day in the long history, three decades plus, of ETA, which is fighting for a Basque freedom, a Basque independent homeland in northern Spain.

Before this day, Carol, ETA was blamed for killing somewhat over 800 people and now during a single day at least 60 dead; according to the interior minister, 62. Some reports coming from a different official (AUDIO GAP) in Madrid that it could be double that -- Carol.

COSTELLO: You say it's, they blame Basque separatists. There's been no claim of responsibility from that group. And the reason I'm questioning you on this is because I know Spain has been under an intense terror alert because they have troops in Iraq. And, of course, they've been a very good friend of the United States.

GOODMAN: Indeed. And so we have mentioned that, as we've been talking with CNN throughout the morning, that Spain has been on high alert, especially ahead of the national elections for prime minister and parliament, which are this Sunday. Spain has 1,300 troops in Iraq and Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar, the conservative here, was a staunch ally of the Bush administration on the war in Iraq despite overwhelming public opposition to the war here.

He stayed with the Bush administration, has kept 1,300 Spanish troops, who are stationed just south of Baghdad. Spain has also been on alert for al Qaeda type of terrorist activities.

But the thinking here is that it is the Basque ETA group, Carol, and there are several indicators of that. The police last Christmas Eve, just a few months ago, broke up what was an attempt, they said, by ETA to bomb the other major train station in Madrid. They caught a couple of suspects and seized explosives. And just a few days in east, east of Madrid in a province called Quinta, they seized two other suspects who were driving a van that had more than 100 kilos of explosives that they said was headed to the capital for an attack during the election campaign.

We can tell you that the ruling popular party, the conservatives, have suspended their campaign rallies through the end of the campaign, which is scheduled for Friday night, called all of those off out of respect for the dead and the injured here. And we're waiting to hear what the other parties are going to do. So far, no one has talked about calling off the elections, or postponing them, that is -- Carol.

COSTELLO: All right, we'll let you break away, Al, to get more good information for us.

Al Goodman reporting live by phone from Madrid, Spain.

On Wall Street, a third straight losing session has erased all the Dow's gains for the year.

Let's see now what's going down overseas.

For that, we head live to London and Todd Benjamin -- good morning, Todd.

TODD BENJAMIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

Not surprisingly, the major markets here all lower after that sell-off on Wall Street.

The FTSE is off 1 1/2 percent here in London.

The DAX is off some three percent.

And the CAC in Paris is off some two percent.

The futures market in the U.S. pointing to, once again, a lower open. But we'll get two pieces of data today that could influence the markets. One is retail sales for February. They're expected to be up about 6/10 of one percent, strip out the auto sales, up 5/10 of one percent. We know that the large retailers have been reporting good sales, backed by tax refunds and better weather.

And the other bit of data we'll get, of course, is the weekly job claims numbers. This is watched closely because, of course, we've struggled to create jobs in the U.S. recovery.

One other item. As you mentioned, both the Dow and the NASDAQ, of course, under water for the year. Now, the NASDAQ, from its high in January, is now off about 8 1/2 percent and the Dow is off 4.1 percent from its high of this year.

People have been calling for a correction because the Dow really hasn't corrected more than five percent since the March lows of last year, when people were worried about the war in Iraq. And some people feel that this correction could go on a little longer. But if we get some very good economic data, that could change sentiment quite quickly -- Carol, back to you.

COSTELLO: All right, Todd Benjamin, many thanks to you.

If your dog, your dog, is getting a little overweight, could Atkins be the answer? One nutritionist thinks so.

And ever wanted to take that corner on two wheels? Hear the tires screech and the rubber burn, all from the safety of your own living room? It's possible now.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Welcome back.

It's 5:23 Eastern time.

Some monkey business in New York. That leads this DAYBREAK Eye- Opener.

Animal control officers confiscated six monkeys from a man's Manhattan apartment. They also took out a tarantula. Authorities say keeping the monkeys and the spider is a health code violation. Officers left the man with his great Dane, a Chihuahua, a cat and a tank full of fish.

Check this out, big fellah. This is Kenneth, a resident at Tacoma, Washington's Defiance Zoo. If you hate going to the dentist, consider his fate. On Saturday, he's scheduled to have not one, not one root canal, but five. Ooh.

And in San Diego, dog owners who think their pooches have, well, too much pouch, may want to consider putting them on the doggy version of the Atkins diet. Listen to this, a canine nutritionist -- and there are such things -- has created a line of low carb, high protein foods for dogs. The Honest Kitchen Food was developed to resemble the meat-based diet of wolves.

Cyber racers are gearing up for some virtual high speed action half a world away.

Our Kristie Lu Stout takes us for a spin.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Imagine racing through the streets of Hong Kong at 200 kilometers an hour. Well, now you can thanks to a couple of photo realistic video games. Microsoft's Project Gotham Racing 2 and Sony's Grand Tourisma 4 both feature tracks set on real Hong Kong streets, created with state-of- the-art technology and meticulous research. In fact, Sony went to great heights to digitize its version of the city.

KAZ YAMAUCHI, GT4 PRODUCER (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): We also traveled above by helicopter to get a bird's eye view of the area. And we actually measured the roads and buildings, the heights and lengths, to get everything as accurate as possible.

LOU STOUT: Microsoft took over 10,000 photographs to the turn the streets of Hong Kong into a race track. From the photographs, wire frame models were created and then shaded to appear solid. The final touch -- a slick of virtual paint to match the models to the real thing.

Yet despite all the hard work, game critics say there's something missing.

JOE WILLIAMS, GAME CRITIC: In Project Gotham Racing, they’ve duplicated Hong Kong exactly. The buildings are exactly right, the streets are exactly right. But it doesn't feel anything like Hong Kong because there's no people, there's no traffic, there's no dirt and there's no signs. I mean it's difficult to imagine a city with so much life with no signs or people. So it feels like a plastic shell of a real city.

LOU STOUT: Gamers don't seem to mind. The Project Gotham series is the most popular racing title for the Xbox and when Grand Tourisma 4 is released this summer, it's expected to sell over 11 million copies. Still, don't expect the realism trend to continue, as it could get in the way of the fun.

WILLIAMS: If the car is too realistic, when it crashes it breaks and it's no fun to drive. And the same thing with a street. If you make your street really realistic, it might not be the best possible street from a fun point of view. It doesn't have any jumps. It doesn't have shortcuts. It doesn't have loop-de-loops or crazy things like that. So you'll see games that are less realistic, as well as realistic ones.

LOU STOUT: While there may not be any loop-de-loops in Cyber Hong Kong, there is one equally crazy sight to enjoy -- no traffic.

Kristie Lu Stout, CNN, Hong Kong.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: No traffic. Boy, does that sound good, you know, when you're about to head out into the morning rush?

CHAD MYERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. And you think you can get to work in about two minutes. I don't know, I'm not into those video games. I just don't, you know, I guess you've got to buy the steering wheel and the little gas pedal to really enjoy it, because to play it on the keyboard, it just seems like, you know, G-H-J, ooh, stop, B, you know, whatever?

COSTELLO: It's sort of tedious, isn't it?

MYERS: Whatever, whatever the letters are. You need those little extra things to make it feel realistic, I guess.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: It's only nine days till spring, so we won't have to agonize over the weather for too much longer, maybe.

MYERS: You've never seen a snowstorm in spring, I see?

COSTELLO: I try to forget about 'em, actually.

MYERS: OK.

COSTELLO: Thank you, Chad.

MYERS: You're welcome.

COSTELLO: Playing the blame game -- everybody's fed up with high gas prices and you can beat you'll be hearing more about it in the presidential campaign.

And the hunt for Osama bin Laden -- is the U.S. really getting any closer? We're going to take you live to Afghanistan.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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Aired March 11, 2004 - 05:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: In Spain, a string of explosions on Madrid's commuter rail line. Scores are dead. We'll take you live to Madrid in 60 seconds.
Good morning to you.

It's Thursday, March 11.

From the CNN global headquarters in Atlanta, I'm Carol Costello.

Thanks for being with us this morning.

Breaking news to tell you about. Four explosions hit the Madrid train system at rush hour this morning. More than 62 people are dead and scores of others wounded.

A roadside bombing has killed a U.S. soldier in Iraq. Two other soldiers were wounded in the convoy attack in West Ba'qubah.

Meat produced on a Canadian pig farm may be contaminated with human DNA. The remains of as many as 23 women have been found on the farm. The owner of the farm has been charged with murder.

They were detainees for more than two years at Guantanamo Bay, but less than 24 hours after their return home to Britain, all five are free men.

And Tulane University has suspended its contract with a distributor of donated bodies. The move follows reports the company sold cadavers to the Army and blown up to test protective footwear against land mines.

We update the top stories every 15 minutes. The next news update comes your way at 5:15 Eastern.

The same-sex marriage issue returns today to where the latest national debate began, Massachusetts. Lawmakers there will again take up a proposed constitutional amendment. Gay marriage becomes legal in Massachusetts May 17th.

Beth Germano of our Boston affiliate, WBZ, has more on this story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are we ready? BETH GERMANO, WBZ-TV CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Gay marriage supporters by the hundreds putting the spotlight on Beacon Hill.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are friends. We are neighbors. We are family members of the people in this building.

GERMANO: The building where Massachusetts lawmakers are still wrestling with a compromise constitutional amendment that would block gay marriage but legalize civil unions for gays and lesbians.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is the place where we need to make our stand. The court said that we had these rights.

SEN. BRUCE STARR (R), MASSACHUSETTS SENATE: Like many legislators, I'm wrestling with the questions that are before us.

GERMANO: Republican Senator Bruce Starr still can't say how he'll vote.

STARR: These are phone messages and then these are letters.

GERMANO: The paperwork from constituents and lobbyists has piled up since the constitutional convention deadlocked on the issue a month ago and the senator is wary of last minute maneuvering.

STARR: And a lot of folks feel if you can release something at the last minute, that may push the vote one way or the other.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How are you? What can we do for you?

GERMANO: Lobbyists are going door to door at the statehouse, some finding their timing a little too late.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You're here at the eleventh hour, a delivery.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am here at the eleventh hour delivering because time is of the essence at this point.

GERMANO: Lawmakers resume their debate as several states have started issuing marriage licenses. What happens here is considered a test case for the nation.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Definitely the nation is going to be watching what Massachusetts does and it's up to us...

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: We're going to try -- that report out of Boston, by the way, by Beth Germano of our Boston affiliate, WBZ.

Any amendment that passes would have to be approved by Massachusetts voters and they wouldn't be able to vote on it until November, 2006.

Now, we want to take you to Madrid, Spain right now.

We're trying to get Al Goodman live. He's not going to be live right now, but we're going to show you a story that he filed moments ago.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

AL GOODMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We're standing outside the Atocha train station, which was the scene of at least some of the bombings and some of the carnage this day. The death toll is rising. Reports put it at about 60 and rising, with scores of people injured. The emergency services strapped here in Madrid. Public calls going out for the Madrid citizens to come forward and donate blood.

Now, these explosions occurred during the morning rush hour, at least on some of the commuter trains coming into the capital. These would be commuter trains that would have been packed, people standing, jammed in there, trying to get to their jobs by eight o'clock or eight thirty in the morning local time.

The blame here from several Spanish leaders and also from several leading Spanish media, saying that this is the work of the Basque separatist group ETA. If so, it is the single worst attack in the history of this organization, which has been blamed for more than 800 killings over its more than 30 year fight for Basque independence. The previous worst death toll in the history of ETA was in 1987 in Barcelona, a supermarket bombing killed 21 people. This day here in Madrid and in the environs of Madrid, we're hearing there are in, around 60, and perhaps more, dead, in addition to scores of injured.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: On to American politics now. The Bush reelection campaign hits stride as it hits the road. Today in Bay Shore, New York, the president will participate in a conversation about the economy at USA Industries. Later, in East Meadow, New York, he'll attend a groundbreaking for a Nassau County memorial to the 9/11 victims. And tonight, he'll speak at a political fundraiser.

John Kerry spends the day in Washington and he'll be the guest tonight of Senator John Edwards at a thank you event for Edwards' biggest donors. Kerry will introduce himself to those 100 donors and Edwards will ask them to get behind Kerry's campaign.

But before that event, Senator Kerry will appeal for full support from the Democratic members of Congress. The big meeting is with the House Democratic Caucus, but he'll be meeting separately with the Congressional Black Caucus and with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.

U.S. Marines in Haiti, under new orders to head off any violence, have killed two Haitians who opened fire on the outgoing prime minister's house. In the meantime, the new provisional prime minister is talking about bringing back Haiti's army. The army was disbanded by President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, who is now in exile in Africa. The new interim prime minister, Gerard Latortue, has returned to Haiti from exile in Florida. He's trying to put together a new government now.

Here's what he has to say when asked about his goals.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Could you just tell us what are your goals as the prime minister?

GERARD LATORTUE, HAITIAN PRIME MINISTER: Number one, security; number two, justice; number three, economic development and commercial investment. And we are hoping we will be able to build up the foundations for Haiti to be a different country, you know?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Gerard Latortue, by the way, is a former Haitian foreign minister and a former U.N. official.

Charges of smuggling, that tops this look at stories across America. Two Chinese men are set to appear in a Los Angeles federal courtroom today. They're accused of smuggling themselves and 17 immigrants from Hong Kong to Los Angeles last month inside of a cargo ship container. The 19 immigrants spent about 25 days inside that container.

Another suspected illegal immigrant case, this one in Tucson, Arizona. Border Patrol agents have taken 135 people into custody at a motel. Authorities say they found them packed into 13 rooms.

And in Anaheim, California, Disneyland is taking steps to guard against terrorism. The theme park plans to install security gates there and at its California Adventure Theme Park next door. During the war on terrorism in Afghanistan, al Qaeda documents were found listing Disneyland as a potential terrorism target.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Only nine days till spring. I can't wait. I think I'm getting spring fever.

We're going to learn later this morning what punishment the NHL has for Todd Bertuzzi. The Vancouver Canucks All Star forward may still face criminal charges for his sucker punch that seriously injured the Colorado Avalanche's Steve Moore. Moore is out for the season with a broken neck and a concussion.

Bertuzzi has made an emotional apology. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TODD BERTUZZI, VANCOUVER CANUCKS: Steve, I just want to apologize for what happened out there, that I had no intention on hurting you, that I feel awful for what transpired. To the fans of hockey and to the fans of Vancouver, for the kids that watch this game, I'm truly sorry. I don't play the game that way and I'm not a mean-spirited person. And I'm sorry for what happened.

(END VIDEO CLIP) COSTELLO: Vancouver police and British Columbia prosecutors are now investigating that hit.

Feeling the need, the need for speed? We'll look at some new computer games that will satisfy that need and save you maybe from speeding tickets.

That may be the only driving you do, with gas prices as high as they are. We'll look at how prices at the pump might influence the presidential election.

And you've waited four years for it -- a look at what the swimmers will be wearing at the 2004 Olympic Games.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: We're in a breaking news situation here at CNN. The death toll in Spain steadily rising after a string of explosions at three train stations. The attack happened just a few hours ago at the height of the morning rush hour.

Al Goodman live on the phone for us from Madrid -- Al, describe the scene for us.

GOODMAN: Carol, I'm outside the Atocha train station, which so far appears to have taken the brunt of what amounts to three different explosions on three different commuter trains coming into the southern Atocha train station in the capital. This is the train station, for those who know Madrid, where you take the bullet train to the south of Spain.

The scene out here, the police have pushed back all the reporters. Just about an hour ago they pushed us back a bit further and a few seconds after that, there was yet another explosion, apparently a controlled explosion of an explosive device they found.

Now, about half of the 62 people who have been killed, according to the interior minister, died here at the Atocha train station or on the tracks just near this station. The second place that was hit was a commuter station called Cosodel Tiaramondo (ph) and the third place was called Santa Eugenia. All of these are busy commuter stops heading in from the southern or southeastern portion of the city.

This happened just before eight o'clock local time. The trains would have been standing room only packed.

The blame, Carol, is being placed squarely by officials and the Spanish news media on the Basque separatist group ETA. This would be, if so, the single deadliest day in the long, three decades plus history of ETA, which wants an independent Basque homeland. They've so far, before this day, been blamed for killing 810 or 20 people, and now we have at least 60 more. And there is one report which we've just come across from other officials in Madrid that the death toll may be double that, more than 100 -- Carol. COSTELLO: You were fading in and out there.

Who does the government think is to blame and is that for sure, Alan?

GOODMAN: I didn't hear the second part of your question. The phone lines are just collapsed here. But the officials have been blaming the Basque separatist group ETA, which, if this is the case, there was no warning call, says the interior minister. It would be, Carol, the single deadliest day in the long history, three decades plus, of ETA, which is fighting for a Basque freedom, a Basque independent homeland in northern Spain.

Before this day, Carol, ETA was blamed for killing somewhat over 800 people and now during a single day at least 60 dead; according to the interior minister, 62. Some reports coming from a different official (AUDIO GAP) in Madrid that it could be double that -- Carol.

COSTELLO: You say it's, they blame Basque separatists. There's been no claim of responsibility from that group. And the reason I'm questioning you on this is because I know Spain has been under an intense terror alert because they have troops in Iraq. And, of course, they've been a very good friend of the United States.

GOODMAN: Indeed. And so we have mentioned that, as we've been talking with CNN throughout the morning, that Spain has been on high alert, especially ahead of the national elections for prime minister and parliament, which are this Sunday. Spain has 1,300 troops in Iraq and Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar, the conservative here, was a staunch ally of the Bush administration on the war in Iraq despite overwhelming public opposition to the war here.

He stayed with the Bush administration, has kept 1,300 Spanish troops, who are stationed just south of Baghdad. Spain has also been on alert for al Qaeda type of terrorist activities.

But the thinking here is that it is the Basque ETA group, Carol, and there are several indicators of that. The police last Christmas Eve, just a few months ago, broke up what was an attempt, they said, by ETA to bomb the other major train station in Madrid. They caught a couple of suspects and seized explosives. And just a few days in east, east of Madrid in a province called Quinta, they seized two other suspects who were driving a van that had more than 100 kilos of explosives that they said was headed to the capital for an attack during the election campaign.

We can tell you that the ruling popular party, the conservatives, have suspended their campaign rallies through the end of the campaign, which is scheduled for Friday night, called all of those off out of respect for the dead and the injured here. And we're waiting to hear what the other parties are going to do. So far, no one has talked about calling off the elections, or postponing them, that is -- Carol.

COSTELLO: All right, we'll let you break away, Al, to get more good information for us.

Al Goodman reporting live by phone from Madrid, Spain.

On Wall Street, a third straight losing session has erased all the Dow's gains for the year.

Let's see now what's going down overseas.

For that, we head live to London and Todd Benjamin -- good morning, Todd.

TODD BENJAMIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

Not surprisingly, the major markets here all lower after that sell-off on Wall Street.

The FTSE is off 1 1/2 percent here in London.

The DAX is off some three percent.

And the CAC in Paris is off some two percent.

The futures market in the U.S. pointing to, once again, a lower open. But we'll get two pieces of data today that could influence the markets. One is retail sales for February. They're expected to be up about 6/10 of one percent, strip out the auto sales, up 5/10 of one percent. We know that the large retailers have been reporting good sales, backed by tax refunds and better weather.

And the other bit of data we'll get, of course, is the weekly job claims numbers. This is watched closely because, of course, we've struggled to create jobs in the U.S. recovery.

One other item. As you mentioned, both the Dow and the NASDAQ, of course, under water for the year. Now, the NASDAQ, from its high in January, is now off about 8 1/2 percent and the Dow is off 4.1 percent from its high of this year.

People have been calling for a correction because the Dow really hasn't corrected more than five percent since the March lows of last year, when people were worried about the war in Iraq. And some people feel that this correction could go on a little longer. But if we get some very good economic data, that could change sentiment quite quickly -- Carol, back to you.

COSTELLO: All right, Todd Benjamin, many thanks to you.

If your dog, your dog, is getting a little overweight, could Atkins be the answer? One nutritionist thinks so.

And ever wanted to take that corner on two wheels? Hear the tires screech and the rubber burn, all from the safety of your own living room? It's possible now.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Welcome back.

It's 5:23 Eastern time.

Some monkey business in New York. That leads this DAYBREAK Eye- Opener.

Animal control officers confiscated six monkeys from a man's Manhattan apartment. They also took out a tarantula. Authorities say keeping the monkeys and the spider is a health code violation. Officers left the man with his great Dane, a Chihuahua, a cat and a tank full of fish.

Check this out, big fellah. This is Kenneth, a resident at Tacoma, Washington's Defiance Zoo. If you hate going to the dentist, consider his fate. On Saturday, he's scheduled to have not one, not one root canal, but five. Ooh.

And in San Diego, dog owners who think their pooches have, well, too much pouch, may want to consider putting them on the doggy version of the Atkins diet. Listen to this, a canine nutritionist -- and there are such things -- has created a line of low carb, high protein foods for dogs. The Honest Kitchen Food was developed to resemble the meat-based diet of wolves.

Cyber racers are gearing up for some virtual high speed action half a world away.

Our Kristie Lu Stout takes us for a spin.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Imagine racing through the streets of Hong Kong at 200 kilometers an hour. Well, now you can thanks to a couple of photo realistic video games. Microsoft's Project Gotham Racing 2 and Sony's Grand Tourisma 4 both feature tracks set on real Hong Kong streets, created with state-of- the-art technology and meticulous research. In fact, Sony went to great heights to digitize its version of the city.

KAZ YAMAUCHI, GT4 PRODUCER (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): We also traveled above by helicopter to get a bird's eye view of the area. And we actually measured the roads and buildings, the heights and lengths, to get everything as accurate as possible.

LOU STOUT: Microsoft took over 10,000 photographs to the turn the streets of Hong Kong into a race track. From the photographs, wire frame models were created and then shaded to appear solid. The final touch -- a slick of virtual paint to match the models to the real thing.

Yet despite all the hard work, game critics say there's something missing.

JOE WILLIAMS, GAME CRITIC: In Project Gotham Racing, they’ve duplicated Hong Kong exactly. The buildings are exactly right, the streets are exactly right. But it doesn't feel anything like Hong Kong because there's no people, there's no traffic, there's no dirt and there's no signs. I mean it's difficult to imagine a city with so much life with no signs or people. So it feels like a plastic shell of a real city.

LOU STOUT: Gamers don't seem to mind. The Project Gotham series is the most popular racing title for the Xbox and when Grand Tourisma 4 is released this summer, it's expected to sell over 11 million copies. Still, don't expect the realism trend to continue, as it could get in the way of the fun.

WILLIAMS: If the car is too realistic, when it crashes it breaks and it's no fun to drive. And the same thing with a street. If you make your street really realistic, it might not be the best possible street from a fun point of view. It doesn't have any jumps. It doesn't have shortcuts. It doesn't have loop-de-loops or crazy things like that. So you'll see games that are less realistic, as well as realistic ones.

LOU STOUT: While there may not be any loop-de-loops in Cyber Hong Kong, there is one equally crazy sight to enjoy -- no traffic.

Kristie Lu Stout, CNN, Hong Kong.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: No traffic. Boy, does that sound good, you know, when you're about to head out into the morning rush?

CHAD MYERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. And you think you can get to work in about two minutes. I don't know, I'm not into those video games. I just don't, you know, I guess you've got to buy the steering wheel and the little gas pedal to really enjoy it, because to play it on the keyboard, it just seems like, you know, G-H-J, ooh, stop, B, you know, whatever?

COSTELLO: It's sort of tedious, isn't it?

MYERS: Whatever, whatever the letters are. You need those little extra things to make it feel realistic, I guess.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: It's only nine days till spring, so we won't have to agonize over the weather for too much longer, maybe.

MYERS: You've never seen a snowstorm in spring, I see?

COSTELLO: I try to forget about 'em, actually.

MYERS: OK.

COSTELLO: Thank you, Chad.

MYERS: You're welcome.

COSTELLO: Playing the blame game -- everybody's fed up with high gas prices and you can beat you'll be hearing more about it in the presidential campaign.

And the hunt for Osama bin Laden -- is the U.S. really getting any closer? We're going to take you live to Afghanistan.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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