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CNN Live At Daybreak
Democrats in Boston; Mideast Violence; Turban Bias; Democratic National Convention; Convention Security; Work & Worship
Aired July 26, 2004 - 05:30 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.
(WEATHER REPORT)
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Thank you -- Rob.
ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: You bet.
COSTELLO: Boston bound Democrats kick off their National Convention today with the goals of nominating a president and a setting -- and setting a party platform, I should say. Two former presidents and a vice president will speak tonight, but party faithful may not hear much Bush bashing.
CNN's Kareen Wynter live in Boston with a preview.
Good morning.
KAREEN WYNTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
Well organizers here are putting the finishing touches on the Fleet Center in Boston as the city gets ready to host its first National Democratic Convention.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WYNTER (voice-over): The national stage is set for two senators gunning for the White House. Favorite son John Kerry and his running mate, John Edwards, will be officially nominated this week by more than 4,300 delegates at the National Democratic Convention in Boston.
STEVEN HESS, BROOKINGS INSTITUTE: They formalize what we already know, they legalize it, they make the choice of the party. To that degree, they are not a selective convention but they are a confirmation.
WYNTER: They were rivals, now best of pals. Analysts say Edwards, a former trial lawyer from North Carolina, has helped energize the Kerry campaign.
PATRICK BASHAM, CATO INSTITUTE: And just has a sort of certain amount of pizzazz, a certain vibe around him. More of a celebrity vibe than a John Kerry does.
WYNTER: But will there be the traditional post convention bounce in the polls?
HESS: This is a unique campaign or an election in which virtually everybody seems to have already made up their mind. So I don't think there is an awful lot of room anymore for bounce.
WYNTER: While the spotlight shines on the Democratic ticket mates, tight security remains at the forefront with roughly $50 million spent protecting the first national political convention since 9/11.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WYNTER: And other safety measures include the installation of hi-tech security cameras strategically placed all across the city to help prevent possible attacks -- Carol.
COSTELLO: So how are the residents of Boston taking all of this?
WYNTER: Well interestingly enough, Carol, the reaction has been rather mixed. A lot of Bostonians say they didn't even want the convention held here. They are saying it will infringe on their ability to get around town. You can just imagine so much security here with it being so tight as it is.
Also, downtown Boston where the Fleet Center is located, a lot of business owners are unhappy in the fact that they say from the gridlock, to the streets that will be closed off, to the congestion, that they are going to be losing business, losing money this week.
COSTELLO: Yes, because some of them have actually had to shut down, right?
WYNTER: They've also encouraged workers to take the week off. Some businesses are putting up workers in places and hotels downtown to help them with the traffic, what they call a traffic nightmare.
COSTELLO: It usually always is a traffic nightmare in Boston. I can only imagine.
Kareen Wynter, thank you very much, live in Boston this morning.
For a Republican take on the Democratic National Convention, CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING" talks to Nicolle Devenish, the Communications Director for the Bush-Cheney campaign. "AMERICAN MORNING," of course, comes your way at 7:00 Eastern.
CNN has your complete convention coverage in prime time as well. Former President Bill Clinton speaks from the convention floor at 10:00 p.m. Eastern. A special edition of "NEWSNIGHT WITH AARON BROWN" follows at 11:00 Eastern. And Larry King wraps up CNN prime time coverage live from the Fleet Center at midnight.
Nearly four years after the Florida fiasco with hanging chads, a trial begins today in the battleground state of Ohio over its punch card voting system. The American Civil Liberties Union wants all of Ohio's punch card ballots removed before the November election. The ACLU says the system is antiquated and causes errors that lead to undercounting votes cast by minorities.
To the Mideast now, another violent weekend. In the West Bank in Gaza, at least six Palestinians were killed and six Israeli children were wounded. In the meantime on Sunday, thousands of Israelis joined in a human chain to protest Ariel Sharon's plan to withdrawal from Gaza and portions of the West Bank.
CNN's Alessio Vinci is live in Jerusalem.
Good morning.
ALESSIO VINCI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
Well let's begin with that human chain. Took hundreds of volunteers, as well as whole months, to organize this human chain which began in Gaza and went all the way to the western wall in Jerusalem. It's about 55 miles. There were some holes, but overall the show was quite impressive.
Organizers say as many as 200,000 people participated in the event, while police officials put the number at slightly lower, about 130,000. People participants were mostly settlers and those supporting them, who basically do not want to give up their homes. Saying that this would mean basically rewarding terrorism, among other things.
That said, the majority of the Israeli public does support Sharon's plan to withdrawal. And while this human chain may have been an impressive show, it failed to perhaps gather the support of ordinary citizens who do not share the settlers' concerns saying that the Gaza settlement, it cost too much in terms of resources, as well as human lives. It takes hundreds of Israeli soldiers to protect just a few thousand, 7,500 settlers, living in Gaza.
And to perhaps to underscore the precarious nature of these settlements in the Gaza Strip, while this human chain was under way, Palestinian militants fired an anti-tank rocket at a community center, an Israeli community center, located in the Gushkative (ph) settlement there. That attack resulted in wounding six children and one of them moderately.
And there was also more violence, Carol, in the West Bank, as well. Six Palestinians were killed by a special unit of Israeli border mortar police in the town of Tukarm (ph) while these men were having dinner and etsow (ph) a cafe in a restaurant there.
According to the Israeli military sources, six -- the six were wanted militants belonging to the Al-Aqsa Martyr Brigade, which is an offshoot militant group of Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement. The Palestinian security officials, however, are telling us that of the six, only two were militants while the other four were just innocent bystanders being there. Al-Aqsa Martyr Brigade has vowed to revenge this attack, the latest one in a string of attacks in the West Bank targeting militants there.
Carol, back to you.
COSTELLO: Alessio Vinci live in Jerusalem this morning. While you were sleeping, deadly violence starts the week in Iraq. A suicide truck bomb attack in Mosul kills two Iraqi civilians. Seven others were hurt, including three U.S. soldiers. The bomb exploded near an airfield gate.
In central Baghdad, a mortar attack. Iraqi police say two mortars hit an Iraqi ministry building. No one was inside. Another landed by a home. No casualties reported here.
In India, people take to the streets calling for the return of three hostages in Iraq. Protesters say the government is not doing enough to bring them home. The Indian captives were among seven international truck drivers kidnapped.
And a new den for the lions of Uday Hussein, you know, Saddam's son. Three adult lions and six cubs are now at the Baghdad Zoo. Armed soldiers escorted the animals from one of Saddam's former palaces. Uday apparently kept them as pets.
Ever since 9/11, Arabs and Muslims in this country have increasingly been singled out and sometimes mistreated. Now one religious group that has nothing to do with Islam has been facing growing bias and violence because of the turbans they wear.
More from CNN's Jason Carroll.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Rajinder Singh Khalsa can't read the Sikhs' holy book when he prays. His eyes still too damaged from a brutal beating he suffered two weeks ago.
RAJINDER SINGH KHALSA, BIAS ATTACK VICTIM: My eye was closed, and I have fractured around here. And fractures in the nose. I could not open the eyes the first day.
CARROLL: A group of men attacked Khalsa on a street near his home in New York after associating his turban with Osama Bin Laden. They called it a dirty curtain.
KHALSA: I was explaining to them about the turban and our religion that we trust in one God.
CARROLL: Khalsa does not share Osama's Muslim faith nor is he Arab. He is Sikh an Indian religion, a half million Sikhs live in the United States. Their turban, a symbol of saintliness, also a symbol that's received unwanted attention since September 11th.
AMARDEEP SINGH, SIKH COALITION: Our organization has logged over 300 different incidents of bias against Sikhs since 9/11 and they have occurred in urban centers where Sikhs have a substantial presence, and they've occurred in rural areas where nobody's seen a Sikh before.
CARROLL: Some Sikhs are facing resistance on the job. For 20 years, Kevin Harrington didn't have a problem with his turbine. While being a subway operator in New York. Now he says his bosses won't let him wear it while he's working with passengers. They offered to transfer him to a rail yard job if he insists on wearing it. Harrington says that violates his civil rights.
KEVIN HARRINGTON, N.Y. SUBWAY OPERATOR: Because I'm not going to accept the transit's version of apartheid. They have one set of rules for non-Sikhs and another set of rules for Sikhs and that Sikhs can only work where they can't be seen.
CARROLL: The transit authority set up a committee to review Harrington's case. In another case, the City's Human Rights Commission ordered that New York City Police Department to reinstate a Sikh traffic officer who refused to remove his turban. The NYPD may appeal. Khalsa says this country is the last place he expected intolerance.
KHALSA: What happened to me should not happen to any other. This is America.
CARROLL (on camera): Khalsa and other Sikhs we spoke to say overcoming ignorance has been a slow process in this post-9/11 world. Even as we conducted one of the interviews for our story, a group of boys on bikes rode by shouting "Osama!"
Jason Carroll, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: The Kobe Bryant case takes a turn. In the next hour of DAYBREAK, our legal eagle Kendall Coffey will tell us all about the big win for the Bryant defense team.
Security lockdown, we'll take you behind the scenes at a federal command center for a look at Boston's unprecedented security efforts.
This is DAYBREAK for Monday, July 26.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Your news, money, weather and sports. It is 5:43 Eastern. Here is what's all new this morning.
The Democratic National Convention begins in Boston today. Police and protesters are gearing up, along with all of the delegates. Their main man, John Kerry, arrives there on Wednesday.
9/11 Commission members are defending their report against critics who say it ducks the big issues. The report is a popular read, though. It hit No. 1 on the online sales list for both Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.
In money news, have you noticed you're paying a little less at the pumps these days? Gas prices dropped nearly a penny during the past two weeks, and it's expected to continue dropping in the weeks ahead.
In culture, fewer students have taken the new high school equivalency test, but they passed at a slightly higher rate than in previous years. The exam, now in its first year, requires more analysis and has fewer multiple-choice questions.
In sports, Lance Armstrong has done what no man has done before, he's won the Tour de France for a sixth year in a row -- Rob.
MARCIANO: Right, here we go.
(WEATHER REPORT)
MARCIANO: Carol, back to you.
COSTELLO: Thank you, Rob.
Those are the latest headlines for you.
Boston is expected to be jam-packed this week because of the Democratic Convention and massive security. Some of the locals just want to get out of Dodge, and that could benefit neighboring states.
Joining us on the phone to talk about it are Mark Ericson and Danielle Carrier of the "WOKQ Waking Crew" which serves Portsmouth and Manchester, New Hampshire.
Good morning -- guys.
MARK ERICSON, WOKQ MORNING WAKING CREW, PORTSMOUTH AND MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE: Good morning.
DANIELLE CARRIER, WOKQ MORNING WAKING CREW, PORTSMOUTH AND MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE: Good morning.
ERICSON: And welcome back.
COSTELLO: Thank you very much. It's kind of good to be back.
(LAUGHTER)
COSTELLO: It's weird, we're talking to you in New Hampshire about what's happening in Boston, but apparently you're expecting kind of a tourism wave.
ERICSON: Well you know we're not that far from Boston. It's only about an hour down the road no matter how you slice it. And a lot of people at this point in the city of Boston just want to get out of town.
COSTELLO: You're not kidding. We're taking a live look at the Fleet Center now on CNN in Boston. It's looking beautiful there I must say. Traffic seems to be moving. But tell us what Interstate 93 will be like?
ERICSON: Well, as you look at that live shot, you can see that those cars driving by there within literally feet of the Fleet Center, that is Route 93. And that's what the issue is is in the afternoon, 93 has got to be shut down because that road just goes too close to that building.
CARRIER: And not to mention the fact that actually we went -- we went into Boston this weekend...
COSTELLO: No.
CARRIER: ... for a concert. And on our way in, everybody was coming this way. It was just insane to see the amount of traffic flowing into New Hampshire. And we don't actually blame them. I mean it was insane some of the security measures that were being taken place. It's just amazing.
COSTELLO: You're not kidding. So tell us how many people is New Hampshire expecting to just visit the state during the time of the convention?
ERICSON: Well it's tough to gauge because there are no figures. But given that thousands of workers are either taking vacation time or in some cases some businesses in Boston are closing down for the week, Hampton Beach is expecting a little bit of an influx of visitors, as well as the Lakes region.
And the downside to this, too, is that there is rail service that goes from Portland, Maine, through New Hampshire, into Boston at North Station, which is also just a stone's throw from the Fleet Center. That whole railway is shut down for the entire week.
COSTELLO: You're kidding? And they're -- but they're taking advantage of that, aren't they?
ERICSON: There's a four-mile stretch of that railway that needs a little bit of work.
CARRIER: Right, they are doing some repairs through the week this week while it's shut down.
COSTELLO: Well that's smart of them, don't you think? You guys sound so down about it.
CARRIER: Well I'm just kind of hoping they do the same with a lot of the roadways that they have shut down, you know.
ERICSON: And it would be nice if they did a little paving work along the same lines. However, some people in Boston are making a buck off of this. There are some vendors selling T-shirts that say Democratic National Congestion.
CARRIER: I want one.
COSTELLO: Very clever. Well if you get one, send one to me.
CARRIER: I will.
COSTELLO: Mark Ericson and Danielle Carrier of WOKQ, thank you so much for joining DAYBREAK this morning.
The Democratic Convention is being called a special national security event. Well, big brother is watching over Boston.
CNN's Jeanne Meserve shows us some cutting-edge technology being used to keep an eye on the city and possible suspects.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN HOMELAND SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In the thicket of security surrounding the parade of protesters in Boston, officers of the Federal Protective Service, some of them getting an assist from new technology. Handheld computers allow them to access 75 cameras arrayed on federal buildings around the city. And in some circumstances, even control them.
CNN was given exclusive access to the Federal Protective Service command center which monitors, records and in most cases, pans, tilts and zooms the cameras to see what and whom it wants.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It will be useful. It will allow us to see, for example, if the crowd was being dispersed and you had a leader and he decided to run around the corner here. We'd be able to see where he went.
MESERVE: The command center can feed these pictures, not just to its street officers, but to other law enforcement agencies, the Department of Homeland Security and to its own mobile command post.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Demonstrators are on the outside of the perimeter of the fence line.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is very new for us and this is probably the first time that we're really going to put it through its paces.
MESERVE: In 1995, tapes from surveillance cameras at the Murrah Federal Building were destroyed when the building collapsed. If there were a similar tragedy in Boston now, images and possible clues would be captured elsewhere.
Officials dismiss privacy advocates' concerns.
RON LIBBY, FEDERAL PROTECTIVE SERVICE: If you're not doing anything wrong, these cameras should be of no threat to you. If you are committing a criminal act, then I would probably be concerned there is a camera watching you.
MESERVE (on camera): There wasn't much criminal activity for the cameras to capture on Sunday, only one protester was arrested. But demonstrations at the Fleet Center aren't the only things that require security. There are also events like free concerts, like the one held here. That's why the total tab for security is expected to exceed $50 million.
Jeanne Meserve, CNN, Boston.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: CNN's convention coverage goes prime time starting at 7:00 Eastern with the "SPECIAL EDITION of ANDERSON COOPER 360." Wolf Blitzer hosts "AMERICA VOTES 2004 SPECIAL" at 8:00 p.m. Eastern. And "LARRY KING LIVE" is live from the Fleet Center at 9:00 p.m. Eastern. And he will be live again for you at midnight.
Coming up in the next hour of DAYBREAK, car crash test safety results, why this car fared the best.
But first, straight ahead, major companies across the country are taking a leap of faith. Coming up, reevaluating the role religion plays in the work place.
This is DAYBREAK for Monday.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: 'Health Headlines' for you this morning.
Duke University researchers say caffeine may interfere with the body's ability to handle blood sugar, worsening Type 2 Diabetes. The study found increased glucose and insulin levels among diabetics who had caffeine with their meals.
Specialist from Arizona says too many breast cancer victims are having the entire breast removed when it could be saved. Dr. Robert Kuske (ph) places a tiny radioactive seed inside the breast next to the cancerous tissue. Dr. Kuske says the treatment takes only four to five days and conserves most of the breast and the surrounding tissue.
A subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson admits it minimized safety risks for the popular schizophrenia drug Risperdal. Jansen Pharmaceutical Products notified doctors last week of the risks of strokes, diabetes and other complications that could be fatal. Risperdal has been prescribed for more than 10 million people worldwide.
For more on this or any other health story, head to our Web site. The address, CNN.com/health.
There is a new movement under way and it may be coming to a cubical near you. It's worship in the work place.
CNN's J.J. Ramberg has details for you.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So would you pray with me and would you reflect at this time?
J.J. RAMBERG, CNN FINANCIAL NEWS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): During Homebanc Mortgage's annual meeting, the CEO doesn't just talk about the bottom line, he also addresses a higher power.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: God's plan for each of us is unique.
RAMBERG: Top management invoking God may not be that common, but increasing numbers of corporations are adapting to allow employees to practice religion on company time.
DONNA MONROE, HOMEBANC EMPLOYEE: I've been a person of faith since I was a little girl. And if I were in a work place that didn't allow me to express that or where I felt like I had to hide it, I feel like I would be not being true to myself.
RAMBERG: So a growing number of companies, Tyson Foods, the Coca-Cola Company and Sears among them, are letting employees start religious groups, allotting space for meditation and prayer and in some cases, hiring corporate chaplains.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So how is life treating you?
RAMBERG: Those who study such trends say the recent stretch of massive layoffs, corporate scandals and the impact of 9/11 have driven people to reevaluate the role of religion in their lives.
DAVID MILLER, YALE CENTER FOR FAITH & CULTURE: People are fed up of a compartmentalized life where they do their worship thing on the weekend and their work thing on Monday.
RAMBERG: The Faith at Work movement, as it's known, also supports employees outside the office. There are management workshops.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When something good happens through your leadership, are you the very first person to give God the credit?
RAMBERG: And a growing selection of books on the topic. But while bringing spirituality to work is credited with everything from lower absenteeism to increasing productivity, it does carry risks.
DUDLEY ROCHELLE, ATTORNEY, LITTLER MENDELSON: Employers have to be careful that they are not creating an atmosphere that causes people to feel that if you don't believe the way I do or believe the way your supervisors do or go along with certain activities in the work place, then you can't get ahead in the company. You have hit the same glass ceiling.
RAMBERG: Some companies have already heard complaints. So lawyers are quick to advise management that Faith at Work should be something that's accommodated, not promoted, and should include all religions.
J.J. Ramberg, CNN Financial News, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: Going to take you out live to Boston right now to show you some overhead shots of the Fleet Center, or near the Fleet Center, I should say. This is the security being set up this morning. Many of the people you see are Boston police officers and secret service members and a whole bunch of other security personnel.
It is all about the Dems this morning. Beantown does prepare for the first day of the convention, but the Democratic presidential nominee is not even there. We'll explain why in a live report that will happen in the next hour of DAYBREAK. Stick around.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired July 26, 2004 - 05:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(WEATHER REPORT)
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Thank you -- Rob.
ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: You bet.
COSTELLO: Boston bound Democrats kick off their National Convention today with the goals of nominating a president and a setting -- and setting a party platform, I should say. Two former presidents and a vice president will speak tonight, but party faithful may not hear much Bush bashing.
CNN's Kareen Wynter live in Boston with a preview.
Good morning.
KAREEN WYNTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
Well organizers here are putting the finishing touches on the Fleet Center in Boston as the city gets ready to host its first National Democratic Convention.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WYNTER (voice-over): The national stage is set for two senators gunning for the White House. Favorite son John Kerry and his running mate, John Edwards, will be officially nominated this week by more than 4,300 delegates at the National Democratic Convention in Boston.
STEVEN HESS, BROOKINGS INSTITUTE: They formalize what we already know, they legalize it, they make the choice of the party. To that degree, they are not a selective convention but they are a confirmation.
WYNTER: They were rivals, now best of pals. Analysts say Edwards, a former trial lawyer from North Carolina, has helped energize the Kerry campaign.
PATRICK BASHAM, CATO INSTITUTE: And just has a sort of certain amount of pizzazz, a certain vibe around him. More of a celebrity vibe than a John Kerry does.
WYNTER: But will there be the traditional post convention bounce in the polls?
HESS: This is a unique campaign or an election in which virtually everybody seems to have already made up their mind. So I don't think there is an awful lot of room anymore for bounce.
WYNTER: While the spotlight shines on the Democratic ticket mates, tight security remains at the forefront with roughly $50 million spent protecting the first national political convention since 9/11.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WYNTER: And other safety measures include the installation of hi-tech security cameras strategically placed all across the city to help prevent possible attacks -- Carol.
COSTELLO: So how are the residents of Boston taking all of this?
WYNTER: Well interestingly enough, Carol, the reaction has been rather mixed. A lot of Bostonians say they didn't even want the convention held here. They are saying it will infringe on their ability to get around town. You can just imagine so much security here with it being so tight as it is.
Also, downtown Boston where the Fleet Center is located, a lot of business owners are unhappy in the fact that they say from the gridlock, to the streets that will be closed off, to the congestion, that they are going to be losing business, losing money this week.
COSTELLO: Yes, because some of them have actually had to shut down, right?
WYNTER: They've also encouraged workers to take the week off. Some businesses are putting up workers in places and hotels downtown to help them with the traffic, what they call a traffic nightmare.
COSTELLO: It usually always is a traffic nightmare in Boston. I can only imagine.
Kareen Wynter, thank you very much, live in Boston this morning.
For a Republican take on the Democratic National Convention, CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING" talks to Nicolle Devenish, the Communications Director for the Bush-Cheney campaign. "AMERICAN MORNING," of course, comes your way at 7:00 Eastern.
CNN has your complete convention coverage in prime time as well. Former President Bill Clinton speaks from the convention floor at 10:00 p.m. Eastern. A special edition of "NEWSNIGHT WITH AARON BROWN" follows at 11:00 Eastern. And Larry King wraps up CNN prime time coverage live from the Fleet Center at midnight.
Nearly four years after the Florida fiasco with hanging chads, a trial begins today in the battleground state of Ohio over its punch card voting system. The American Civil Liberties Union wants all of Ohio's punch card ballots removed before the November election. The ACLU says the system is antiquated and causes errors that lead to undercounting votes cast by minorities.
To the Mideast now, another violent weekend. In the West Bank in Gaza, at least six Palestinians were killed and six Israeli children were wounded. In the meantime on Sunday, thousands of Israelis joined in a human chain to protest Ariel Sharon's plan to withdrawal from Gaza and portions of the West Bank.
CNN's Alessio Vinci is live in Jerusalem.
Good morning.
ALESSIO VINCI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
Well let's begin with that human chain. Took hundreds of volunteers, as well as whole months, to organize this human chain which began in Gaza and went all the way to the western wall in Jerusalem. It's about 55 miles. There were some holes, but overall the show was quite impressive.
Organizers say as many as 200,000 people participated in the event, while police officials put the number at slightly lower, about 130,000. People participants were mostly settlers and those supporting them, who basically do not want to give up their homes. Saying that this would mean basically rewarding terrorism, among other things.
That said, the majority of the Israeli public does support Sharon's plan to withdrawal. And while this human chain may have been an impressive show, it failed to perhaps gather the support of ordinary citizens who do not share the settlers' concerns saying that the Gaza settlement, it cost too much in terms of resources, as well as human lives. It takes hundreds of Israeli soldiers to protect just a few thousand, 7,500 settlers, living in Gaza.
And to perhaps to underscore the precarious nature of these settlements in the Gaza Strip, while this human chain was under way, Palestinian militants fired an anti-tank rocket at a community center, an Israeli community center, located in the Gushkative (ph) settlement there. That attack resulted in wounding six children and one of them moderately.
And there was also more violence, Carol, in the West Bank, as well. Six Palestinians were killed by a special unit of Israeli border mortar police in the town of Tukarm (ph) while these men were having dinner and etsow (ph) a cafe in a restaurant there.
According to the Israeli military sources, six -- the six were wanted militants belonging to the Al-Aqsa Martyr Brigade, which is an offshoot militant group of Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement. The Palestinian security officials, however, are telling us that of the six, only two were militants while the other four were just innocent bystanders being there. Al-Aqsa Martyr Brigade has vowed to revenge this attack, the latest one in a string of attacks in the West Bank targeting militants there.
Carol, back to you.
COSTELLO: Alessio Vinci live in Jerusalem this morning. While you were sleeping, deadly violence starts the week in Iraq. A suicide truck bomb attack in Mosul kills two Iraqi civilians. Seven others were hurt, including three U.S. soldiers. The bomb exploded near an airfield gate.
In central Baghdad, a mortar attack. Iraqi police say two mortars hit an Iraqi ministry building. No one was inside. Another landed by a home. No casualties reported here.
In India, people take to the streets calling for the return of three hostages in Iraq. Protesters say the government is not doing enough to bring them home. The Indian captives were among seven international truck drivers kidnapped.
And a new den for the lions of Uday Hussein, you know, Saddam's son. Three adult lions and six cubs are now at the Baghdad Zoo. Armed soldiers escorted the animals from one of Saddam's former palaces. Uday apparently kept them as pets.
Ever since 9/11, Arabs and Muslims in this country have increasingly been singled out and sometimes mistreated. Now one religious group that has nothing to do with Islam has been facing growing bias and violence because of the turbans they wear.
More from CNN's Jason Carroll.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Rajinder Singh Khalsa can't read the Sikhs' holy book when he prays. His eyes still too damaged from a brutal beating he suffered two weeks ago.
RAJINDER SINGH KHALSA, BIAS ATTACK VICTIM: My eye was closed, and I have fractured around here. And fractures in the nose. I could not open the eyes the first day.
CARROLL: A group of men attacked Khalsa on a street near his home in New York after associating his turban with Osama Bin Laden. They called it a dirty curtain.
KHALSA: I was explaining to them about the turban and our religion that we trust in one God.
CARROLL: Khalsa does not share Osama's Muslim faith nor is he Arab. He is Sikh an Indian religion, a half million Sikhs live in the United States. Their turban, a symbol of saintliness, also a symbol that's received unwanted attention since September 11th.
AMARDEEP SINGH, SIKH COALITION: Our organization has logged over 300 different incidents of bias against Sikhs since 9/11 and they have occurred in urban centers where Sikhs have a substantial presence, and they've occurred in rural areas where nobody's seen a Sikh before.
CARROLL: Some Sikhs are facing resistance on the job. For 20 years, Kevin Harrington didn't have a problem with his turbine. While being a subway operator in New York. Now he says his bosses won't let him wear it while he's working with passengers. They offered to transfer him to a rail yard job if he insists on wearing it. Harrington says that violates his civil rights.
KEVIN HARRINGTON, N.Y. SUBWAY OPERATOR: Because I'm not going to accept the transit's version of apartheid. They have one set of rules for non-Sikhs and another set of rules for Sikhs and that Sikhs can only work where they can't be seen.
CARROLL: The transit authority set up a committee to review Harrington's case. In another case, the City's Human Rights Commission ordered that New York City Police Department to reinstate a Sikh traffic officer who refused to remove his turban. The NYPD may appeal. Khalsa says this country is the last place he expected intolerance.
KHALSA: What happened to me should not happen to any other. This is America.
CARROLL (on camera): Khalsa and other Sikhs we spoke to say overcoming ignorance has been a slow process in this post-9/11 world. Even as we conducted one of the interviews for our story, a group of boys on bikes rode by shouting "Osama!"
Jason Carroll, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: The Kobe Bryant case takes a turn. In the next hour of DAYBREAK, our legal eagle Kendall Coffey will tell us all about the big win for the Bryant defense team.
Security lockdown, we'll take you behind the scenes at a federal command center for a look at Boston's unprecedented security efforts.
This is DAYBREAK for Monday, July 26.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Your news, money, weather and sports. It is 5:43 Eastern. Here is what's all new this morning.
The Democratic National Convention begins in Boston today. Police and protesters are gearing up, along with all of the delegates. Their main man, John Kerry, arrives there on Wednesday.
9/11 Commission members are defending their report against critics who say it ducks the big issues. The report is a popular read, though. It hit No. 1 on the online sales list for both Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.
In money news, have you noticed you're paying a little less at the pumps these days? Gas prices dropped nearly a penny during the past two weeks, and it's expected to continue dropping in the weeks ahead.
In culture, fewer students have taken the new high school equivalency test, but they passed at a slightly higher rate than in previous years. The exam, now in its first year, requires more analysis and has fewer multiple-choice questions.
In sports, Lance Armstrong has done what no man has done before, he's won the Tour de France for a sixth year in a row -- Rob.
MARCIANO: Right, here we go.
(WEATHER REPORT)
MARCIANO: Carol, back to you.
COSTELLO: Thank you, Rob.
Those are the latest headlines for you.
Boston is expected to be jam-packed this week because of the Democratic Convention and massive security. Some of the locals just want to get out of Dodge, and that could benefit neighboring states.
Joining us on the phone to talk about it are Mark Ericson and Danielle Carrier of the "WOKQ Waking Crew" which serves Portsmouth and Manchester, New Hampshire.
Good morning -- guys.
MARK ERICSON, WOKQ MORNING WAKING CREW, PORTSMOUTH AND MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE: Good morning.
DANIELLE CARRIER, WOKQ MORNING WAKING CREW, PORTSMOUTH AND MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE: Good morning.
ERICSON: And welcome back.
COSTELLO: Thank you very much. It's kind of good to be back.
(LAUGHTER)
COSTELLO: It's weird, we're talking to you in New Hampshire about what's happening in Boston, but apparently you're expecting kind of a tourism wave.
ERICSON: Well you know we're not that far from Boston. It's only about an hour down the road no matter how you slice it. And a lot of people at this point in the city of Boston just want to get out of town.
COSTELLO: You're not kidding. We're taking a live look at the Fleet Center now on CNN in Boston. It's looking beautiful there I must say. Traffic seems to be moving. But tell us what Interstate 93 will be like?
ERICSON: Well, as you look at that live shot, you can see that those cars driving by there within literally feet of the Fleet Center, that is Route 93. And that's what the issue is is in the afternoon, 93 has got to be shut down because that road just goes too close to that building.
CARRIER: And not to mention the fact that actually we went -- we went into Boston this weekend...
COSTELLO: No.
CARRIER: ... for a concert. And on our way in, everybody was coming this way. It was just insane to see the amount of traffic flowing into New Hampshire. And we don't actually blame them. I mean it was insane some of the security measures that were being taken place. It's just amazing.
COSTELLO: You're not kidding. So tell us how many people is New Hampshire expecting to just visit the state during the time of the convention?
ERICSON: Well it's tough to gauge because there are no figures. But given that thousands of workers are either taking vacation time or in some cases some businesses in Boston are closing down for the week, Hampton Beach is expecting a little bit of an influx of visitors, as well as the Lakes region.
And the downside to this, too, is that there is rail service that goes from Portland, Maine, through New Hampshire, into Boston at North Station, which is also just a stone's throw from the Fleet Center. That whole railway is shut down for the entire week.
COSTELLO: You're kidding? And they're -- but they're taking advantage of that, aren't they?
ERICSON: There's a four-mile stretch of that railway that needs a little bit of work.
CARRIER: Right, they are doing some repairs through the week this week while it's shut down.
COSTELLO: Well that's smart of them, don't you think? You guys sound so down about it.
CARRIER: Well I'm just kind of hoping they do the same with a lot of the roadways that they have shut down, you know.
ERICSON: And it would be nice if they did a little paving work along the same lines. However, some people in Boston are making a buck off of this. There are some vendors selling T-shirts that say Democratic National Congestion.
CARRIER: I want one.
COSTELLO: Very clever. Well if you get one, send one to me.
CARRIER: I will.
COSTELLO: Mark Ericson and Danielle Carrier of WOKQ, thank you so much for joining DAYBREAK this morning.
The Democratic Convention is being called a special national security event. Well, big brother is watching over Boston.
CNN's Jeanne Meserve shows us some cutting-edge technology being used to keep an eye on the city and possible suspects.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN HOMELAND SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In the thicket of security surrounding the parade of protesters in Boston, officers of the Federal Protective Service, some of them getting an assist from new technology. Handheld computers allow them to access 75 cameras arrayed on federal buildings around the city. And in some circumstances, even control them.
CNN was given exclusive access to the Federal Protective Service command center which monitors, records and in most cases, pans, tilts and zooms the cameras to see what and whom it wants.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It will be useful. It will allow us to see, for example, if the crowd was being dispersed and you had a leader and he decided to run around the corner here. We'd be able to see where he went.
MESERVE: The command center can feed these pictures, not just to its street officers, but to other law enforcement agencies, the Department of Homeland Security and to its own mobile command post.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Demonstrators are on the outside of the perimeter of the fence line.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is very new for us and this is probably the first time that we're really going to put it through its paces.
MESERVE: In 1995, tapes from surveillance cameras at the Murrah Federal Building were destroyed when the building collapsed. If there were a similar tragedy in Boston now, images and possible clues would be captured elsewhere.
Officials dismiss privacy advocates' concerns.
RON LIBBY, FEDERAL PROTECTIVE SERVICE: If you're not doing anything wrong, these cameras should be of no threat to you. If you are committing a criminal act, then I would probably be concerned there is a camera watching you.
MESERVE (on camera): There wasn't much criminal activity for the cameras to capture on Sunday, only one protester was arrested. But demonstrations at the Fleet Center aren't the only things that require security. There are also events like free concerts, like the one held here. That's why the total tab for security is expected to exceed $50 million.
Jeanne Meserve, CNN, Boston.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: CNN's convention coverage goes prime time starting at 7:00 Eastern with the "SPECIAL EDITION of ANDERSON COOPER 360." Wolf Blitzer hosts "AMERICA VOTES 2004 SPECIAL" at 8:00 p.m. Eastern. And "LARRY KING LIVE" is live from the Fleet Center at 9:00 p.m. Eastern. And he will be live again for you at midnight.
Coming up in the next hour of DAYBREAK, car crash test safety results, why this car fared the best.
But first, straight ahead, major companies across the country are taking a leap of faith. Coming up, reevaluating the role religion plays in the work place.
This is DAYBREAK for Monday.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: 'Health Headlines' for you this morning.
Duke University researchers say caffeine may interfere with the body's ability to handle blood sugar, worsening Type 2 Diabetes. The study found increased glucose and insulin levels among diabetics who had caffeine with their meals.
Specialist from Arizona says too many breast cancer victims are having the entire breast removed when it could be saved. Dr. Robert Kuske (ph) places a tiny radioactive seed inside the breast next to the cancerous tissue. Dr. Kuske says the treatment takes only four to five days and conserves most of the breast and the surrounding tissue.
A subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson admits it minimized safety risks for the popular schizophrenia drug Risperdal. Jansen Pharmaceutical Products notified doctors last week of the risks of strokes, diabetes and other complications that could be fatal. Risperdal has been prescribed for more than 10 million people worldwide.
For more on this or any other health story, head to our Web site. The address, CNN.com/health.
There is a new movement under way and it may be coming to a cubical near you. It's worship in the work place.
CNN's J.J. Ramberg has details for you.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So would you pray with me and would you reflect at this time?
J.J. RAMBERG, CNN FINANCIAL NEWS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): During Homebanc Mortgage's annual meeting, the CEO doesn't just talk about the bottom line, he also addresses a higher power.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: God's plan for each of us is unique.
RAMBERG: Top management invoking God may not be that common, but increasing numbers of corporations are adapting to allow employees to practice religion on company time.
DONNA MONROE, HOMEBANC EMPLOYEE: I've been a person of faith since I was a little girl. And if I were in a work place that didn't allow me to express that or where I felt like I had to hide it, I feel like I would be not being true to myself.
RAMBERG: So a growing number of companies, Tyson Foods, the Coca-Cola Company and Sears among them, are letting employees start religious groups, allotting space for meditation and prayer and in some cases, hiring corporate chaplains.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So how is life treating you?
RAMBERG: Those who study such trends say the recent stretch of massive layoffs, corporate scandals and the impact of 9/11 have driven people to reevaluate the role of religion in their lives.
DAVID MILLER, YALE CENTER FOR FAITH & CULTURE: People are fed up of a compartmentalized life where they do their worship thing on the weekend and their work thing on Monday.
RAMBERG: The Faith at Work movement, as it's known, also supports employees outside the office. There are management workshops.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When something good happens through your leadership, are you the very first person to give God the credit?
RAMBERG: And a growing selection of books on the topic. But while bringing spirituality to work is credited with everything from lower absenteeism to increasing productivity, it does carry risks.
DUDLEY ROCHELLE, ATTORNEY, LITTLER MENDELSON: Employers have to be careful that they are not creating an atmosphere that causes people to feel that if you don't believe the way I do or believe the way your supervisors do or go along with certain activities in the work place, then you can't get ahead in the company. You have hit the same glass ceiling.
RAMBERG: Some companies have already heard complaints. So lawyers are quick to advise management that Faith at Work should be something that's accommodated, not promoted, and should include all religions.
J.J. Ramberg, CNN Financial News, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: Going to take you out live to Boston right now to show you some overhead shots of the Fleet Center, or near the Fleet Center, I should say. This is the security being set up this morning. Many of the people you see are Boston police officers and secret service members and a whole bunch of other security personnel.
It is all about the Dems this morning. Beantown does prepare for the first day of the convention, but the Democratic presidential nominee is not even there. We'll explain why in a live report that will happen in the next hour of DAYBREAK. Stick around.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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