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CNN Live At Daybreak

9 Dead in Baghdad Suicide Bombing; New Cabinet Level Position of National Director of Intelligence Proposed by 9/11 Panel

Aired July 19, 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.


BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Iraq's security and the men in harm's way once again the target of a suicide bomber.
It's Monday, July 19, and this is DAYBREAK.

Well, good morning on this Monday.

From the CNN Headquarters here in Atlanta, I'm Betty Nguyen in for Carol Costello.

Now in the news, just about four and a half hours to go. A suicide truck bomber struck near a police station in southern Baghdad, actually nearly four and a half hours ago, that is. Nine people were killed, including three police officers. Sixty people were wounded.

A low ranking official of the Shiite Muslim organization Hezbollah is killed in a southern Beirut neighborhood. Authorities say it happened when he started his car and it exploded.

A wind whipped wildfire 20 miles north of Los Angeles has forced about 1,000 people out of their homes. More than 4,200 acres have burned in the Santa Clarita foothills.

And a veterans group plans to take a granite monument depicting the Ten Commandments on a national tour. Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore was ousted when he refused to remove the monument from Alabama's state judicial building.

Keeping you informed, CNN, the most trusted name in news.

And now we want to get a look at the weather this morning -- it's an early morning, Chad.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Ah, not so bad, Betty. Just for you, because you're not used to it.

NGUYEN: Yes, exactly. You're used to this.

MYERS: Good morning.

(WEATHER REPORT)

NGUYEN: The acting CIA director calls it "unnecessary." He was referring to a new cabinet level position of national director of intelligence proposed by the 9/11 Commission.

Here's CNN's White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Abraham Scott lost his beloved wife Janice at the Pentagon September 11. The one thing he wants to hear from the Commission investigating the attacks is...

ABRAHAM SCOTT, LOST WIFE ON 9/11: What's being done and what's needed to be done in order to prevent this from happening again.

MALVEAUX: Thursday, the Commission will release its final report and sources familiar with it say it will call for a new national director of intelligence, a cabinet level official to report directly to the president and oversee all 15 intelligence agencies. The goal? Better prepare for terrorist attacks by consolidating information.

But the proposal has already drawn fire from the Pentagon and CIA, who stand to lose authority over the estimated $40 billion in the annual intelligence budget.

The CIA's acting director argues it's his job to overhaul the agency.

JOHN MCLAUGHLIN, ACTING CIA DIRECTOR: I see the director of Central Intelligence as someone who is able to do that and empowered to do so under the National Security Act of 1947.

MALVEAUX: Members of the Senate Intelligence Committee are divided.

SEN. DICK DURBIN (D-IL), INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE: I'm open to suggestions for reform for one basic reason -- intelligence is our first line of defense in any war on terrorism. Our intelligence failed us before the invasion of Iraq.

SEN. SAXBY CHAMBLISS (R), GEORGIA: Now, if just add another level of bureaucracy, and that's exactly what Dick's talking about here that we need to look at, if you just add that, we're not going to do anything.

MALVEAUX: One thing the CIA has recently started doing is reaching out to small town America. A U.S. intelligence official tells CNN over the past several weeks, the CIA has sent agents to about a dozen small cities and towns to give local officials tips on how to prevent terrorist attacks.

George Kehl, police chief of Fishers, Indiana, welcomed his CIA briefing.

GEORGE KEHL, POLICE CHIEF: This is just one step of the beginning of sharing information with the local entities. And it's a big step for us and it just absolutely has to continue.

MALVEAUX: But for Abraham Scott, who lost so much on September 11... SCOTT: It's too late. Three thousand lives were lost. They need to be more proactive.

MALVEAUX (on camera): Privately, sources familiar with the interagency talks on creating an intelligence czar say there is such fierce opposition that the Bush administration is nowhere near reaching a consensus on intelligence reform.

Suzanne Malveaux, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: Not enough proof to go to war in Iraq? That's the opinion of America's former chief weapons inspector, David Kay. In a British television interview, Kay says President Bush and Prime Minister Blair should have realized that intelligence on Iraqi weapons was weak. Kay suggests the two leaders may not have been sufficiently critical of intelligence on alleged weapons of mass destruction. Kay resigned from the CIA back in January.

Security remains one of Iraq's biggest problems. Today, there was another suicide car bombing. And like many others, Iraq's security forces were targeted. This latest bombing killed nine people, three of them police officers.

Here's CNN's Michael Holmes in Baghdad.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The blast happened at 8:20 a.m. local time. Again, the targets, as we've seen so often, Iraqi police.

It happened at the al-Durah police station in the southern suburbs of Baghdad and it was a large explosion. By all accounts, a truck bomb that pulled up at the rear of the police station and detonated.

Because it was in a street at the rear of the police station, many of the casualties from this blast are civilians. It was a very busy street.

We're told by the Ministry of Health the latest death toll is nine dead and 56 wounded, many of those in very serious condition. The blast leaving a crater three meters deep.

Now this, as I said, is the latest in a series of attacks on Iraqi security forces. Also, the latest in a series of bombs this last week that began with a large explosion outside the green zone, the heavily fortified area that houses both coalition headquarters, the U.S. Embassy and the Iraqi interim government.

So a very bloody week in Baghdad and it continues this day.

Other news, also, we're told that the Philippine troops who have been due to pull out of Iraq will do so this day. They have not left at this stage. However, they are due to go to Kuwait and from there back to the Philippines, therefore fulfilling their side of a bargain struck with hostage takers who have been holding the Filipino truck driver Angelo de la Cruz, 46 years old, the father of eight. We're told by the hostage takers -- or we're told by people who have been speaking with the hostage takers that he will be released once the last Filipino soldier has left. That is due to happen this day.

Michael Holmes, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: A review of classified military documents by "USA Today" shows U.S. commanders in Iraq authorized the use of dogs at Abu Ghraib Prison. The newspaper reports the use of dogs during the interrogation of prisoners was authorized five months after Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld barred their use at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The Navy base at Guantanamo is where terrorism suspects are being held.

Now, "USA Today" reports the U.S. commander in Iraq allowed the dogs to be used at the discretion of interrogators.

Shifting winds in southern California have put some homeowners in harm's way. More than 600 houses were evacuated after one of several wildfires jumped a fire line and closed in on its residents.

Here's CNN's Donna Tetreault from Santa Clarita, California.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DONNA TETREAULT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The past 24 hours have been a roller coaster. In the morning, flames swept through the Santa Clarita mountains, but families were headed back home. Mandatory evacuations were lifted.

PATTY KELLY, EVACUEE: We love our house here and the area. It's just so scary because you just don't know.

TETREAULT: Only hours later, churchgoers heard a different story.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There was an announcement saying everybody that lives up in the Sand Canyon area, you're being evacuated, so go home or whatever. Do what you need to do.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The fire is doing a lot of really, really sporadic things. It's spotting way ahead of itself.

TETREAULT: Getting out safely proved to be a challenge for the Gomez family. They've been part of this community since 1977 and say they knew this day would come.

JOSEPH GOMEZ, EVACUEE: I think we've been anticipating it from the obvious fires that smoke, and things that are going on.

TETREAULT: As the afternoon heat rose into the 90s and the high winds remained unpredictable, police pulled hundreds of people to evacuate.

CYNTHIA GARRICK, EVACUEE: They're pretty much coming in saying a mandatory evacuation at this point. So you need to move out.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's going to have its way. It's going to continue to chew up critically dry fuel and burn. And unfortunately that's just the nature of the beast here in southern California.

TETREAULT (on camera): Investigators say a person caused this fire. Whether or not it was accidental or intentionally is still unknown. But an arson investigation is open.

Donna Tetreault for CNN, Santa Clarita, California.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: Well, the news is a little better in Carson City, Nevada. Firefighters say the wildfire there is nearly contained. Fifteen homes and 76,000 acres have been destroyed by that fire. Crews are putting out hot spots and have begun replanting some of the trees that were burned out in those areas.

Well, for more on the California wildfires, be sure to log onto cnn.com. There, you'll find more on the causes of the fires and the efforts under way to save several neighborhoods. All that and much more at cnn.com.

Now, here are some stories making news across America this Monday.

In New Jersey, 38-year-old Jack Fuller will appear in court this afternoon to answer charges he murdered a missing teenage girl. Sixteen-year-old Brittney Gregory disappeared eight days ago. Police still have not found her body. Prosecutors won't comment on why Fuller was charged in the case, but he is being held on a million dollars bail.

Kobe Bryant is expected back in an Eagle, Colorado courtroom today for more hearings. One of the issues will be whether to allow cameras in the courtroom. Jury selection in the sexual assault case is scheduled to begin August 27.

The government's star witness in the Martha Stewart trial will be sentenced later this week. Douglas Faneuil was the assistant for Stewart's broker, Peter Bacanovic. Both Stewart and Bacanovic got five months in prison for their stock swindle. Faneuil faces a one year maximum sentence after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor.

And coming up tonight on CNN, Martha Stewart will join Larry King for her only live prime time interview and she'll also be taking your phone calls. That gets under way at 9:00 Eastern tonight right here on CNN "LARRY KING LIVE."

The judge in Scott Peterson's murder trial has rejected two requests for a mistrial. Will Peterson's defense attorney try again? Rusty Dornin has that update in just three minutes. And one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind. Remember who said that and when? Bruce Morton takes a look back 12 minutes from now.

Plus, diagnosing cancer in children can be a scary thing for them. A new procedure helps take some of the fright out of it. Denise Belgrave has that report in about half an hour.

This is DAYBREAK for Monday, July 18.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: The Scott Peterson murder trial resumes this morning with the defense hammering away at police testimony and the prosecution's case. Peterson is charged with murdering his wife and their unborn son.

And here's CNN's Rusty Dornin with an update.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Police divers spent several days last year looking for more of Laci Peterson's remains in San Francisco Bay. They were also told to look for concrete anchors that prosecutors claim Scott Peterson used to weight down his wife's body. Instead, they pulled up beer cans, pipes, plastic bags, sticks and other garbage.

Under cross-examination by defense attorney Mark Geragos, Detective Dodge Hendee admitted repeatedly that investigators found nothing in those searches that was related to the case. Hendee also said he found no forensic evidence when he searched the nursery in the Peterson house and spots he thought were blood in the house and Scott's warehouse were not.

Even the plastic container prosecutors had been hinting was used to make homemade anchors, Hendee told the court they found no evidence it was used for that.

SCOTT PETERSON: People accuse me...

DORNIN: The judge watched TV interviews with Scott Peterson to decide what parts the jury can see.

In an interview with ABC's Diane Sawyer, Peterson claims he told police about his affair with Amber Frey.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, COURTESY ABC)

PETERSON: I told the police immediately.

DIANE SAWYER, HOST: When?

PETERSON: That was the first night we were together with the police. I spent with the police...

SAWYER: You told them about her?

PETERSON: Yes, from December 24.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DORNIN: On July 29, the judge will hear a defense motion to dismiss charges against Peterson. Peterson's lawyer says a lead investigator, Detective Al Brocchini, lied on the stand about an interview with a tipster.

(on camera): Judge Delucchi has already denied two mistrial requests by the defense. Legal analysts here believe that it's unlikely the judge will dismiss the charges, but if Geragos is allowed to question Brocchini, it could damage his credibility and ultimately the prosecution's case.

Rusty Dornin, CNN, Redwood City, California.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: We have your news and money, we and sports.

The time right now, 5:16 Eastern.

Now here's what's all new this morning.

A newspaper report says an Iranian general provided safe passage for nine of the 9/11 hijackers on their way to the U.S. The London- based Arabic newspaper says the general had ties to al Qaeda's number two man, Ayman el-Zawahiri.

Accused U.S. Army disaster Charles Jenkins is in Japan, where he is seeking urgent medical attention. Jenkins is accused of defecting to North Korea some 39 years ago. U.S. officials say they still expect to take Jenkins into custody when possible.

In money, plenty of it was spent by people going to see Will Smith in "I, Robot." The movie debuted this weekend and pulled in just over $52 million. "Spider-Man 2" fell to number two, but has earned more than $300 million since its opening day.

In culture, eBay has pulled a controversial item from its auction site. A Memphis judge was trying to sell the bathtub James Earl Ray stood in when he assassinated Martin Luther King, Jr. EBay says it has a policy not to offer items that portray violence.

In sports, watch this scary sight. Check it out. NASCAR star Dale Earnhardt, Jr.'s car burst into flames after a crash during practice for the American Lemans Series race. Earnhardt was able to climb from the car, but was hospitalized with second degree burns on his face and his legs -- Chad, what an amazing crash. Thankfully, he got out.

MYERS: Yes. It's just, it's truly amazing that that fuel cell didn't do its job, actually. The fuel cell is supposed to keep all of that fuel inside and obviously the bladder didn't do its job there. So they have some investigation to do there. It does look like Dale, Jr. will be fine, though, for next week. So that's some good news, just second degree, and he was treated and he spent the night overnight, but he will be released today.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Well, the future of the Democratic Party -- an up close look at two players who could be at opposite ends of the spectrum in just four years. That's later on DAYBREAK.

But first ahead, space then and now -- looking back 35 years ago to a time when space exploration was exciting.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Take a look at this. It's a new image of Saturn's two- faced moon, called Iapetus. The images come from the international Cassini spacecraft. Scientists hope to figure out what makes one side of the moon dark and the other bright. Iapetis is just one of Saturn's 31 known moons.

Well, it's hard to believe that it's been nearly 35 years since Neil Armstrong became the first human being to walk on the moon. But now, more than three decades later, has space exploration become mundane?

CNN's Bruce Morton explores the subject.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRUCE MORTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): John Kennedy said the U.S. would do it, proving America was ahead of the Soviet Union in what back then was called the space race.

JOHN F. KENNEDY, FORMER PRESIDENT: I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal before this decade is out of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the Earth.

MORTON: The United States did it.

NEIL ARMSTRONG: It's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.

MORTON: Thirty-five years ago, Neil Armstrong stepped onto the moon, almost a powdery surface, he reported, and spoke words he knew would be in the history books. The country held its breath. TV networks stayed on the air the whole time, 21 hours or so. Armstrong n Buzz Aldrin were on the moon and it all worked.

Some skeptics that first time said it was a fake. But the astronauts came back and moon rocks came back and Apollo 13 proved it wasn't easy. "We have a problem, Houston," the commander messaged. The crew lived in the lunar module, conserving fuel on the way home. No landing that time.

And then, maybe the first real surprise, America got bored with the moon. The last few planned flights were canceled and Americans went back to sitcoms or football or whatever. And the space program turned into the shuttle flights, which were dangerous but not dramatic somehow. And when President Bush said recently Americans must go back to the moon, you could almost heart the country yawn.

Thirty-five years ago, it was magical -- man in the heavens. That was then. This is now.

Bruce Morton, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: And speaking of now, here's what's ahead in the next half hour.

Thousands of people in Los Angeles County are homeless thanks to wildfires. The latest on that situation just ahead.

An emergency meeting is under way in the West Bank -- we'll have a live report from Jerusalem -- over a Palestinian power struggle.

And it looks like the last of the Philippine troops are out of Iraq. A live report on the Filipino hostage situation. That's next.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRAD MARTIN, CHMN. & CEO, SAKS INCORPORATED: Everyone has unique talents and something to contribute. And if you be yourself, you'll figure out exactly what that is.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Brad Martin certainly had something to contribute back in 1984, when he purchased a small retail company and quickly turned it into the multi-billion dollar mega retailer known as Saks Incorporated. As CEO, Martin overseas operations for stores like McCrae's, Parisian's and Saks Fifth Avenue, just to name a few.

But Martin says with success comes hard work, too.

MARTIN: As merchants, we have to constantly look for the next new thing. We have to continuously upgrade the service we deliver in our stores to our customers. We have to constantly stay on the edge of technology to improve our productivity.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Fleeing the danger -- wildfires near Los Angeles force hundreds of people from their homes.

It is Monday, July 19, and this is DAYBREAK.

Well, good morning and welcome to the second half hour of DAYBREAK on this Monday.

From CNN's Global Headquarters here in Atlanta, I'm Betty Nguyen in for Carol Costello.

Now in the news, five hours ago in southern Baghdad, a fuel tanker explodes while racing toward a police station. At least nine people are killed and 56 wounded, some of them police officers. The truck bomb explosion left a crater 10 feet deep.

Philippine troops are getting out of Iraq, as demanded by kidnappers who have threatened to kill a Filipino hostage. The commander of the small Philippine contingent has arrived in Manila and the others are headed for Kuwait.

The nation's amber alert system connects to the Internet 12 hours from now. Authorities say this should make it easier to rescue abducted children by sending information to pagers, cell phones and Blackberries.

A wildfire is racing toward four hillside communities in northern Los Angeles County. Sixteen hundred homes have been evacuated and at least 600 of them are considered to be in imminent danger.

Keeping you informed, CNN, the most trusted name in news.

These wildfires are really out of control, Chad.

They need some help from Mother Nature.

MYERS: Yes, and you know what? They're really two months early. I mean this typically starts at the end of August, the beginning of September, when there hasn't been any rain. We are seeing a couple of showers here in the mountains, but nothing really all the way back to Los Angeles. But some showers through parts of Nevada, also into Phoenix and parts eastward yesterday and more will fire up in the heat of the day again today. Most of them are dying out, as they always do, in the morning hours. But then they fire back up in the hottest part of the day.

(WEATHER REPORT)

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Aired July 19, 2004 - 05:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Iraq's security and the men in harm's way once again the target of a suicide bomber.
It's Monday, July 19, and this is DAYBREAK.

Well, good morning on this Monday.

From the CNN Headquarters here in Atlanta, I'm Betty Nguyen in for Carol Costello.

Now in the news, just about four and a half hours to go. A suicide truck bomber struck near a police station in southern Baghdad, actually nearly four and a half hours ago, that is. Nine people were killed, including three police officers. Sixty people were wounded.

A low ranking official of the Shiite Muslim organization Hezbollah is killed in a southern Beirut neighborhood. Authorities say it happened when he started his car and it exploded.

A wind whipped wildfire 20 miles north of Los Angeles has forced about 1,000 people out of their homes. More than 4,200 acres have burned in the Santa Clarita foothills.

And a veterans group plans to take a granite monument depicting the Ten Commandments on a national tour. Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore was ousted when he refused to remove the monument from Alabama's state judicial building.

Keeping you informed, CNN, the most trusted name in news.

And now we want to get a look at the weather this morning -- it's an early morning, Chad.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Ah, not so bad, Betty. Just for you, because you're not used to it.

NGUYEN: Yes, exactly. You're used to this.

MYERS: Good morning.

(WEATHER REPORT)

NGUYEN: The acting CIA director calls it "unnecessary." He was referring to a new cabinet level position of national director of intelligence proposed by the 9/11 Commission.

Here's CNN's White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Abraham Scott lost his beloved wife Janice at the Pentagon September 11. The one thing he wants to hear from the Commission investigating the attacks is...

ABRAHAM SCOTT, LOST WIFE ON 9/11: What's being done and what's needed to be done in order to prevent this from happening again.

MALVEAUX: Thursday, the Commission will release its final report and sources familiar with it say it will call for a new national director of intelligence, a cabinet level official to report directly to the president and oversee all 15 intelligence agencies. The goal? Better prepare for terrorist attacks by consolidating information.

But the proposal has already drawn fire from the Pentagon and CIA, who stand to lose authority over the estimated $40 billion in the annual intelligence budget.

The CIA's acting director argues it's his job to overhaul the agency.

JOHN MCLAUGHLIN, ACTING CIA DIRECTOR: I see the director of Central Intelligence as someone who is able to do that and empowered to do so under the National Security Act of 1947.

MALVEAUX: Members of the Senate Intelligence Committee are divided.

SEN. DICK DURBIN (D-IL), INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE: I'm open to suggestions for reform for one basic reason -- intelligence is our first line of defense in any war on terrorism. Our intelligence failed us before the invasion of Iraq.

SEN. SAXBY CHAMBLISS (R), GEORGIA: Now, if just add another level of bureaucracy, and that's exactly what Dick's talking about here that we need to look at, if you just add that, we're not going to do anything.

MALVEAUX: One thing the CIA has recently started doing is reaching out to small town America. A U.S. intelligence official tells CNN over the past several weeks, the CIA has sent agents to about a dozen small cities and towns to give local officials tips on how to prevent terrorist attacks.

George Kehl, police chief of Fishers, Indiana, welcomed his CIA briefing.

GEORGE KEHL, POLICE CHIEF: This is just one step of the beginning of sharing information with the local entities. And it's a big step for us and it just absolutely has to continue.

MALVEAUX: But for Abraham Scott, who lost so much on September 11... SCOTT: It's too late. Three thousand lives were lost. They need to be more proactive.

MALVEAUX (on camera): Privately, sources familiar with the interagency talks on creating an intelligence czar say there is such fierce opposition that the Bush administration is nowhere near reaching a consensus on intelligence reform.

Suzanne Malveaux, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: Not enough proof to go to war in Iraq? That's the opinion of America's former chief weapons inspector, David Kay. In a British television interview, Kay says President Bush and Prime Minister Blair should have realized that intelligence on Iraqi weapons was weak. Kay suggests the two leaders may not have been sufficiently critical of intelligence on alleged weapons of mass destruction. Kay resigned from the CIA back in January.

Security remains one of Iraq's biggest problems. Today, there was another suicide car bombing. And like many others, Iraq's security forces were targeted. This latest bombing killed nine people, three of them police officers.

Here's CNN's Michael Holmes in Baghdad.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The blast happened at 8:20 a.m. local time. Again, the targets, as we've seen so often, Iraqi police.

It happened at the al-Durah police station in the southern suburbs of Baghdad and it was a large explosion. By all accounts, a truck bomb that pulled up at the rear of the police station and detonated.

Because it was in a street at the rear of the police station, many of the casualties from this blast are civilians. It was a very busy street.

We're told by the Ministry of Health the latest death toll is nine dead and 56 wounded, many of those in very serious condition. The blast leaving a crater three meters deep.

Now this, as I said, is the latest in a series of attacks on Iraqi security forces. Also, the latest in a series of bombs this last week that began with a large explosion outside the green zone, the heavily fortified area that houses both coalition headquarters, the U.S. Embassy and the Iraqi interim government.

So a very bloody week in Baghdad and it continues this day.

Other news, also, we're told that the Philippine troops who have been due to pull out of Iraq will do so this day. They have not left at this stage. However, they are due to go to Kuwait and from there back to the Philippines, therefore fulfilling their side of a bargain struck with hostage takers who have been holding the Filipino truck driver Angelo de la Cruz, 46 years old, the father of eight. We're told by the hostage takers -- or we're told by people who have been speaking with the hostage takers that he will be released once the last Filipino soldier has left. That is due to happen this day.

Michael Holmes, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: A review of classified military documents by "USA Today" shows U.S. commanders in Iraq authorized the use of dogs at Abu Ghraib Prison. The newspaper reports the use of dogs during the interrogation of prisoners was authorized five months after Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld barred their use at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The Navy base at Guantanamo is where terrorism suspects are being held.

Now, "USA Today" reports the U.S. commander in Iraq allowed the dogs to be used at the discretion of interrogators.

Shifting winds in southern California have put some homeowners in harm's way. More than 600 houses were evacuated after one of several wildfires jumped a fire line and closed in on its residents.

Here's CNN's Donna Tetreault from Santa Clarita, California.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DONNA TETREAULT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The past 24 hours have been a roller coaster. In the morning, flames swept through the Santa Clarita mountains, but families were headed back home. Mandatory evacuations were lifted.

PATTY KELLY, EVACUEE: We love our house here and the area. It's just so scary because you just don't know.

TETREAULT: Only hours later, churchgoers heard a different story.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There was an announcement saying everybody that lives up in the Sand Canyon area, you're being evacuated, so go home or whatever. Do what you need to do.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The fire is doing a lot of really, really sporadic things. It's spotting way ahead of itself.

TETREAULT: Getting out safely proved to be a challenge for the Gomez family. They've been part of this community since 1977 and say they knew this day would come.

JOSEPH GOMEZ, EVACUEE: I think we've been anticipating it from the obvious fires that smoke, and things that are going on.

TETREAULT: As the afternoon heat rose into the 90s and the high winds remained unpredictable, police pulled hundreds of people to evacuate.

CYNTHIA GARRICK, EVACUEE: They're pretty much coming in saying a mandatory evacuation at this point. So you need to move out.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's going to have its way. It's going to continue to chew up critically dry fuel and burn. And unfortunately that's just the nature of the beast here in southern California.

TETREAULT (on camera): Investigators say a person caused this fire. Whether or not it was accidental or intentionally is still unknown. But an arson investigation is open.

Donna Tetreault for CNN, Santa Clarita, California.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: Well, the news is a little better in Carson City, Nevada. Firefighters say the wildfire there is nearly contained. Fifteen homes and 76,000 acres have been destroyed by that fire. Crews are putting out hot spots and have begun replanting some of the trees that were burned out in those areas.

Well, for more on the California wildfires, be sure to log onto cnn.com. There, you'll find more on the causes of the fires and the efforts under way to save several neighborhoods. All that and much more at cnn.com.

Now, here are some stories making news across America this Monday.

In New Jersey, 38-year-old Jack Fuller will appear in court this afternoon to answer charges he murdered a missing teenage girl. Sixteen-year-old Brittney Gregory disappeared eight days ago. Police still have not found her body. Prosecutors won't comment on why Fuller was charged in the case, but he is being held on a million dollars bail.

Kobe Bryant is expected back in an Eagle, Colorado courtroom today for more hearings. One of the issues will be whether to allow cameras in the courtroom. Jury selection in the sexual assault case is scheduled to begin August 27.

The government's star witness in the Martha Stewart trial will be sentenced later this week. Douglas Faneuil was the assistant for Stewart's broker, Peter Bacanovic. Both Stewart and Bacanovic got five months in prison for their stock swindle. Faneuil faces a one year maximum sentence after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor.

And coming up tonight on CNN, Martha Stewart will join Larry King for her only live prime time interview and she'll also be taking your phone calls. That gets under way at 9:00 Eastern tonight right here on CNN "LARRY KING LIVE."

The judge in Scott Peterson's murder trial has rejected two requests for a mistrial. Will Peterson's defense attorney try again? Rusty Dornin has that update in just three minutes. And one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind. Remember who said that and when? Bruce Morton takes a look back 12 minutes from now.

Plus, diagnosing cancer in children can be a scary thing for them. A new procedure helps take some of the fright out of it. Denise Belgrave has that report in about half an hour.

This is DAYBREAK for Monday, July 18.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: The Scott Peterson murder trial resumes this morning with the defense hammering away at police testimony and the prosecution's case. Peterson is charged with murdering his wife and their unborn son.

And here's CNN's Rusty Dornin with an update.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Police divers spent several days last year looking for more of Laci Peterson's remains in San Francisco Bay. They were also told to look for concrete anchors that prosecutors claim Scott Peterson used to weight down his wife's body. Instead, they pulled up beer cans, pipes, plastic bags, sticks and other garbage.

Under cross-examination by defense attorney Mark Geragos, Detective Dodge Hendee admitted repeatedly that investigators found nothing in those searches that was related to the case. Hendee also said he found no forensic evidence when he searched the nursery in the Peterson house and spots he thought were blood in the house and Scott's warehouse were not.

Even the plastic container prosecutors had been hinting was used to make homemade anchors, Hendee told the court they found no evidence it was used for that.

SCOTT PETERSON: People accuse me...

DORNIN: The judge watched TV interviews with Scott Peterson to decide what parts the jury can see.

In an interview with ABC's Diane Sawyer, Peterson claims he told police about his affair with Amber Frey.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, COURTESY ABC)

PETERSON: I told the police immediately.

DIANE SAWYER, HOST: When?

PETERSON: That was the first night we were together with the police. I spent with the police...

SAWYER: You told them about her?

PETERSON: Yes, from December 24.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DORNIN: On July 29, the judge will hear a defense motion to dismiss charges against Peterson. Peterson's lawyer says a lead investigator, Detective Al Brocchini, lied on the stand about an interview with a tipster.

(on camera): Judge Delucchi has already denied two mistrial requests by the defense. Legal analysts here believe that it's unlikely the judge will dismiss the charges, but if Geragos is allowed to question Brocchini, it could damage his credibility and ultimately the prosecution's case.

Rusty Dornin, CNN, Redwood City, California.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: We have your news and money, we and sports.

The time right now, 5:16 Eastern.

Now here's what's all new this morning.

A newspaper report says an Iranian general provided safe passage for nine of the 9/11 hijackers on their way to the U.S. The London- based Arabic newspaper says the general had ties to al Qaeda's number two man, Ayman el-Zawahiri.

Accused U.S. Army disaster Charles Jenkins is in Japan, where he is seeking urgent medical attention. Jenkins is accused of defecting to North Korea some 39 years ago. U.S. officials say they still expect to take Jenkins into custody when possible.

In money, plenty of it was spent by people going to see Will Smith in "I, Robot." The movie debuted this weekend and pulled in just over $52 million. "Spider-Man 2" fell to number two, but has earned more than $300 million since its opening day.

In culture, eBay has pulled a controversial item from its auction site. A Memphis judge was trying to sell the bathtub James Earl Ray stood in when he assassinated Martin Luther King, Jr. EBay says it has a policy not to offer items that portray violence.

In sports, watch this scary sight. Check it out. NASCAR star Dale Earnhardt, Jr.'s car burst into flames after a crash during practice for the American Lemans Series race. Earnhardt was able to climb from the car, but was hospitalized with second degree burns on his face and his legs -- Chad, what an amazing crash. Thankfully, he got out.

MYERS: Yes. It's just, it's truly amazing that that fuel cell didn't do its job, actually. The fuel cell is supposed to keep all of that fuel inside and obviously the bladder didn't do its job there. So they have some investigation to do there. It does look like Dale, Jr. will be fine, though, for next week. So that's some good news, just second degree, and he was treated and he spent the night overnight, but he will be released today.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Well, the future of the Democratic Party -- an up close look at two players who could be at opposite ends of the spectrum in just four years. That's later on DAYBREAK.

But first ahead, space then and now -- looking back 35 years ago to a time when space exploration was exciting.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Take a look at this. It's a new image of Saturn's two- faced moon, called Iapetus. The images come from the international Cassini spacecraft. Scientists hope to figure out what makes one side of the moon dark and the other bright. Iapetis is just one of Saturn's 31 known moons.

Well, it's hard to believe that it's been nearly 35 years since Neil Armstrong became the first human being to walk on the moon. But now, more than three decades later, has space exploration become mundane?

CNN's Bruce Morton explores the subject.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRUCE MORTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): John Kennedy said the U.S. would do it, proving America was ahead of the Soviet Union in what back then was called the space race.

JOHN F. KENNEDY, FORMER PRESIDENT: I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal before this decade is out of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the Earth.

MORTON: The United States did it.

NEIL ARMSTRONG: It's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.

MORTON: Thirty-five years ago, Neil Armstrong stepped onto the moon, almost a powdery surface, he reported, and spoke words he knew would be in the history books. The country held its breath. TV networks stayed on the air the whole time, 21 hours or so. Armstrong n Buzz Aldrin were on the moon and it all worked.

Some skeptics that first time said it was a fake. But the astronauts came back and moon rocks came back and Apollo 13 proved it wasn't easy. "We have a problem, Houston," the commander messaged. The crew lived in the lunar module, conserving fuel on the way home. No landing that time.

And then, maybe the first real surprise, America got bored with the moon. The last few planned flights were canceled and Americans went back to sitcoms or football or whatever. And the space program turned into the shuttle flights, which were dangerous but not dramatic somehow. And when President Bush said recently Americans must go back to the moon, you could almost heart the country yawn.

Thirty-five years ago, it was magical -- man in the heavens. That was then. This is now.

Bruce Morton, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: And speaking of now, here's what's ahead in the next half hour.

Thousands of people in Los Angeles County are homeless thanks to wildfires. The latest on that situation just ahead.

An emergency meeting is under way in the West Bank -- we'll have a live report from Jerusalem -- over a Palestinian power struggle.

And it looks like the last of the Philippine troops are out of Iraq. A live report on the Filipino hostage situation. That's next.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRAD MARTIN, CHMN. & CEO, SAKS INCORPORATED: Everyone has unique talents and something to contribute. And if you be yourself, you'll figure out exactly what that is.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Brad Martin certainly had something to contribute back in 1984, when he purchased a small retail company and quickly turned it into the multi-billion dollar mega retailer known as Saks Incorporated. As CEO, Martin overseas operations for stores like McCrae's, Parisian's and Saks Fifth Avenue, just to name a few.

But Martin says with success comes hard work, too.

MARTIN: As merchants, we have to constantly look for the next new thing. We have to continuously upgrade the service we deliver in our stores to our customers. We have to constantly stay on the edge of technology to improve our productivity.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Fleeing the danger -- wildfires near Los Angeles force hundreds of people from their homes.

It is Monday, July 19, and this is DAYBREAK.

Well, good morning and welcome to the second half hour of DAYBREAK on this Monday.

From CNN's Global Headquarters here in Atlanta, I'm Betty Nguyen in for Carol Costello.

Now in the news, five hours ago in southern Baghdad, a fuel tanker explodes while racing toward a police station. At least nine people are killed and 56 wounded, some of them police officers. The truck bomb explosion left a crater 10 feet deep.

Philippine troops are getting out of Iraq, as demanded by kidnappers who have threatened to kill a Filipino hostage. The commander of the small Philippine contingent has arrived in Manila and the others are headed for Kuwait.

The nation's amber alert system connects to the Internet 12 hours from now. Authorities say this should make it easier to rescue abducted children by sending information to pagers, cell phones and Blackberries.

A wildfire is racing toward four hillside communities in northern Los Angeles County. Sixteen hundred homes have been evacuated and at least 600 of them are considered to be in imminent danger.

Keeping you informed, CNN, the most trusted name in news.

These wildfires are really out of control, Chad.

They need some help from Mother Nature.

MYERS: Yes, and you know what? They're really two months early. I mean this typically starts at the end of August, the beginning of September, when there hasn't been any rain. We are seeing a couple of showers here in the mountains, but nothing really all the way back to Los Angeles. But some showers through parts of Nevada, also into Phoenix and parts eastward yesterday and more will fire up in the heat of the day again today. Most of them are dying out, as they always do, in the morning hours. But then they fire back up in the hottest part of the day.

(WEATHER REPORT)

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