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CNN Live At Daybreak
Woman Survives Plane Crash in Montana; Latest on British Hostage in Iraq; Latest Fighting Between Israelis and Palestinians
Aired September 23, 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 Iraq today, a British engineer's life is on the line.
It is Thursday, September 23.
This is DAYBREAK.
And good morning to you.
From the CNN Global Headquarters in Atlanta, I'm Carol Costello.
Now in the news -- the family of a British man being held hostage in Iraq anxiously awaits word on his fate. The same Islamic militants holding Ken Bigley already have beheaded the two Americans kidnapped along with him a week ago.
Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi is in Washington to get support for his nation. Five hours from now, he addresses a joint meeting of Congress. And then later he'll meet with President Bush.
The man once known as Cat Stevens arrived back in Great Britain overnight. Singer Yusuf Islam was denied entry to the United States because he's on a security watch list. Islam, a Muslim, says he was shocked and slightly amused by being on that list.
Chilling numbers out of Haiti this morning. Officials say the death toll from flooding by tropical storm Jeanne is close to 1,100 and could surpass 2,000. Another problem -- feeding thousands of survivors.
To the forecast center now.
And Ivan is back.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: It really, part of it is back, Carol. As Ivan went up and across parts of Louisiana and the Florida Panhandle, went up across into parts of Mississippi and Georgia and then on through and into Pennsylvania, New York State. And then it made a right hand turn and went into the Atlantic Ocean.
There on the back side of a high pressure, it came down the Atlantic coast and then came across Florida. Remember we talked about that one tornado warning a couple of days ago down around West Palm Beach County, around Belle Glade? That was still the remnants of what was Ivan. It's now come across the Gulf of Mexico and it's down south of New Orleans, headed, really, between Lake Charles and Houston. Here's your 2:00 a.m. Friday and then Friday evening into Saturday it does come across the islands there, the barrier islands, if you will, at about 40, maybe 50 miles per hour. Certainly not a hurricane. It just doesn't look like it's going to have enough time to get more involved or to get more of that hot water in its system.
This is Jeanne, though, much more of a concern here. This is a hurricane. It's still a category two hurricane at 100 miles per hour right now. And it is forecast to make landfall somewhere, at least -- this is the Hurricane Center's forecast now from 5:00 a.m. The Hurricane Center says somewhere around Melbourne, Florida and then maybe glancing off the coast and then back up into the Carolinas again, like we need another of this thing here.
But at least Karl and Lisa are still way back out there in the Atlantic and not affecting land at all. But this has been such a busy season. Wow!
COSTELLO: It has been crazy!
MYERS: It has.
COSTELLO: Thank you, Chad.
MYERS: You're welcome.
COSTELLO: A tense waiting game is being played out in Iraq and in Great Britain. At stake, the life of 62-year-old British hostage Ken Bigley. On Wednesday, Bigley pleaded for his life in a video that was posted on that Islamic Web site.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KEN BIGLEY, HOSTAGE: I need you to help me, Mr. Blair, because you are the only person now on God's earth that I can speak to.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: In Liverpool, Bigley's son pleaded with the Islamic militants to release his father.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CRAIG BIGLEY, KEN BIGLEY'S SON: We have seen and heard Ken's pleas. Thank you for letting Ken make his appeal. All of the family are very grateful to you for his message. They wish you to say to Ken that they love him dearly and are waiting for him to come home soon.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: And right now it's just after 10:00 in the morning in Great Britain.
We're going to go live to London in just a second to check in with Robin Oakley. He's standing outside of the prime minister's residence. Also, at the half hour, we'll take you live to Bigley's hometown. Our Diana Muriel is live in Liverpool.
Let's talk American politics now, countdown to election this Thursday morning.
America votes in just 40 more days. Iraq one of the main issues. President Bush is hoping Iraq's interim prime minister, Ayad Allawi, can assure American voters that progress is being made despite the chaos. Bush meets with Allawi today at the White House before heading to Maine to do some campaigning.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In which direction would John Kerry lead? Kerry voted for the Iraq war.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Here is the Bush campaign's latest television ad. It shows John Kerry wind surfing. And of course, he's switching directions. He's switching, he's flip -- get it? The metaphor is that Kerry's opinions shift with the political wind.
The Kerry camp was quick to respond to this ad, saying: "The light-hearted approach is inappropriate in the middle of a war."
Kerry launched a major political attack of his own. He suggests that re-electing Bush could lead to the resumption of a military draft.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If George Bush were to be reelected, given the way he has gone about this war and given his avoidance of responsibility in North Korea and Iran and other places, it is possible -- I can't tell you. I will tell you this, I will not reinstitute the draft.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: The Bush campaign calls Kerry's comments "irresponsible."
But it does bring us to our e-mail Question of the Morning. Should the draft be reinstated? We all know that the military is stretched thin, so should the draft be reinstated? Is it a good idea? Drop us a line at daybreak@cnn.com. That's daybreak@cnn.com.
In other news across America now, police in Lebanon, Tennessee, call it the worst case of child abuse they have ever seen. They found a 15-year-old boy who was chained to his bed, sometimes for days at a time. The teenager weighed 49 pounds. The boy ate only soup and water and was forced to wear a diaper. His parents have both been charged with aggravated child abuse. Evangelist Jimmy Swaggart is apologizing for anti-gay comments he made during a televised church service. Swaggart said if any gay man looked at him romantically, "I'm going to kill him and tell god he died." That's a quote. In his apology, Swaggart said he used the expression thousands of times as a joke about all kinds of people. He says he meant no harm.
An agreement has been reached to send Yaser Esam Hamdi to Saudi Arabia. Hamdi is the American citizen who was captured in Afghanistan more than two years ago. He's been held as an enemy combatant ever since. Hamdi has dual citizenship in both the U.S. and Saudi Arabia. And under the terms of his release he must renounce his American citizenship.
Modesto police released a tape of their search of Scott Peterson's home. This tape was part of the day to day timeline of the investigation given to the jurors. Earlier in the day, a forensic expert testified that Laci Peterson's unborn child may have died the day before she was reported missing. But the defense challenged the accuracy of that report.
Some people in Montana are calling it a miracle. Listen to this. Two people who were thought to have been among five people killed in a plane crash survived. One of them, Matthew Ramige, is being treated for burns at a hospital in Seattle. He and the other survivor, Jodee Hogg, were found in a wilderness road two days after their small plane went down in the Montana mountains.
A member of Hogg's family spoke with reporter David Jay of CNN affiliate KTVQ in Billings.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LETHA PILKINGTON, FAMILY MEMBER: Of course we are just absolutely elated that she's alive, as we were planning her funeral.
DAVID JAY, KTVQ CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Family members say they're now planning a party, even as they wait for more news on Jodee, the last couple of days have been difficult.
PILKINGTON: Just so tragic. We've all been just devastated.
JAY: And then came the good news.
PILKINGTON: I came back home and the phone rang and it was my daughter Rhonda. And she said, she just was crying and screaming, "She's alive! She's alive!" And I couldn't hardly understand her and wanted to know that's really what she said.
JAY: Jody's identical twin sister Tina works for the Forest Service in Tahoe, California.
PILKINGTON: She's a very excited girl, I'll tell you. She has been devastated and she -- we talked, I talked to her in the hospital and she's just ecstatic, ecstatic. And she had seen her. And I said, "And you held onto her?" And she said, "Oh, yes. I hugged her good."
So...
JAY: Her family says Jodee is a very tough young lady.
PILKINGTON: My brother said, "God must have big plans for Jodee to spare her, you know?" Not many people walk away from a small plane crash.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: That report from David Jay of CNN affiliate KVTQ in Billings, Montana. Three people did die in that crash.
The British singer Yusuf Islam, once known as Cat Stevens, back in London this morning, tired and shocked, and, as he puts it, slightly amused. Islam was taken off a United Airlines flight to Washington on Tuesday when the plane was diverted to Bangor, Maine because Islam, his name is on the terrorism watch list.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
YUSUF ISLAM, BRITISH SINGER: You know, the whole thing is totally ridiculous. Everybody knows who I am, you know? I'm no secret figure. Everybody knows my campaigning for charity, for peace. And there's going to be a whole lot of explanations. Hopefully, there will be that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge says Islam is suspected of having some kind of relationship to terrorist activity, but he didn't exactly specify what.
Israelis come under attack again. This time an army outpost is targeted in Gaza. Five people are dead. We're going to take you live to Jerusalem in six minutes for details.
Plus, a roadblock in the push for illegal immigrants to get drivers licenses in California. There's a much bigger issue at hand here. We'll have a full report for you at 46 minutes past the hour.
And the horrors in Haiti. More than 1,000 people are dead there and as floodwaters go down, the body count goes up. You'll want to see that report at 50 minutes past the hour.
But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Thursday morning.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(STOCK MARKET REPORT)
COSTELLO: We were telling you before, it's just after 10:00 in the morning in Great Britain. And we do want to go live now and talk to Robin Oakley.
He's standing outside of the prime minister's residence there and he's going to tell us the latest on that hostage being held in Iraq -- good morning, Robin.
ROBIN OAKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
And the news from here is that Tony Blair probably has not yet seen the video of Ken Bigley appealing to him to save his life. But he is fully aware of the contents of that.
Officials say that the prime minister's reactions are, of course, exactly the same as any other human being watching such a distressing appeal. The British government is still doing everything it can behind-the-scenes to secure Ken Bigley's safety. But there are considerable restrictions on what they can do.
The situation was really summed up by the foreign secretary, Jack Straw, who's in New York.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JACK STRAW, BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY: What we are doing everything we can to do is to find a way through so that Mr. Bigley's life can be saved. But it has to be a way through which is consistent with the very firm policy we and every other government around the world has, which is that you can't bargain with evil people like this.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
OAKLEY: So, the great difficulty, Carol, that Tony Blair faces is that there's enormous public attention now focused on this issue. But he's pretty well powerless to do anything significant because the fear of doing any deal with terrorists is that you simply increase the amount of kidnapping, of death threats and demands for other concessions -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Robin Oakley reporting live from London this morning. Thank you. Your news, money, weather and sports.
It's 5:14 Eastern.
Here's what's all new this morning.
Fighting has been raging again in Baghdad's Sadr City. At least 10 are dead, none of them American.
Back here in the States, Mark Hacking, the Utah man accused of killing his wife, has a preliminary hearing this morning. Police are still searching the county landfill for Lori Hacking's body.
In money, oil prices going up again, but this time it looks like it's Ivan's fault. Production problems caused by hurricane Ivan led the price per barrel to top the $48 mark.
In culture, James Garner is getting a lifetime achievement award from the Screen Actors Guild. The 76-year-old actor starred in classic TV shows like "Maverick" and "The Rockford Files." He also appeared in more than 45 feature films.
In sports, for the second straight night, the Boston Red Sox beat the Baltimore Orioles in their last at bat. The 7-6 victory gives the Red Sox a six and a half game lead in the American League wildcard race -- Chad.
MYERS: Well, of course, it's the last at bat, Carol. You say I found my keys in the last place I looked. But why would you keep looking after you found them?
COSTELLO: I mean it was a nail biter.
MYERS: I know what you meant.
Good morning.
Rain showers into New Orleans and Baton Rouge, all the way down through Homa. Even in New Iberia, you're going to see some showers. That's all part of what you won't believe -- Ivan. Ivan. It's back to haunt us again. It came across Florida yesterday. Some showers there. Now it's in the Gulf of Mexico. A little more organized yesterday, but there's now a little surge of convection this morning. It is 40 miles per hour, just a tropical storm, not a hurricane.
This thing here, though, this is Jeanne. Jeanne is still dropping to the south and it is forecast to make landfall in Florida late Sunday or early Monday. We'll have more on that coming up in the next half hour. There's Jeanne, there's the front, still beautiful in the East today -- Carol.
COSTELLO: All right, thank you, Chad.
Those are the latest headlines for you now.
A fierce firefight this morning in a Jewish settlement in southern Gaza, with Israelis and Palestinians suffering casualties.
CNN's Guy Raz is live in Jerusalem.
He has more for you -- hello.
GUY RAZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
Under the shroud of fog, three Palestinian gunmen managed to infiltrate an Israeli Army outpost near the Jewish settlement of Morag in the southern part of Gaza.
Now, according to eyewitnesses, a fierce gun battle ensued. It lasted about 45 minutes, leaving three Israeli soldiers and two Palestinian gunmen dead.
Now, later on the third gunman was discovered and he was also killed, according to Israeli military sources. Now, at the same time, there was a fresh incursion that was launched into the Khan Yunes refugee camp. Israeli military forces, tanks and bulldozers, entered that camp overnight, saying that that camp is used as a staging ground by militants to launch attacks on nearby Jewish settlements.
Now, according to eyewitnesses, an Israeli helicopter gunship launched a missile into that camp, wounding at least 12 Palestinians and several homes were damaged.
Now, Carol, all of this comes less than 24 hours after a female suicide bomber detonated a device in East Jerusalem yesterday. The bomber, Zeinab Abu Salem, carried out the attack in the French hill neighborhood of East Jerusalem, killing two Israeli border police officers at the same time.
Now, according to the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades -- that's the group that carried out that attack -- the attack was carried out in retaliation for recent Israeli assassinations of some of its key members.
Now, at the same time, Carol, the Israeli government has announced heightened security measures throughout this holiday period. It's a holiday period in the country now. Most of the occupied West Bank has been sealed off. Palestinians have been unable to reach Israel. In some cases it's been very difficult for Palestinians to reach other villages within the West Bank.
Israel saying those measures are necessary, Carol, for security.
COSTELLO: Guy Raz live in Jerusalem this morning. Thank you.
What's hot on our Web site straight ahead.
And later this hour, a bill that would have given drivers licenses to illegal immigrants -- it's dead. Or is it? We'll get that live for you out of California.
Keep those e-mails coming. Our question today, the draft -- should it be reinstated? E-mail us, daybreak@cnn.com, daybreak@cnn.com.
And you are watching DAYBREAK for a Thursday.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Time to check out our Web clicks this morning.
We're always interested in what you're interested in on cnn.com.
The number one clicked on story, Ivan.
MYERS: Of course. Ivan's back. Although kind of a misnomer. Ivan really went away. It became an extra tropical storm. It became nothing at all, kind of, some of it remnants moved down the East Coast across Florida. And here it is now, really, south of Lake Charles, south of New Orleans, south of Homa and moving to the west, actually toward Houston, if you will, but only 40 miles per hour right now. This is just a little tropical blow. This is not a category three or anything like that. You can see it's a very small little storm.
COSTELLO: Oh, I just wish Ivan would die out and go away altogether.
MYERS: You, me and the rest of the weather office.
COSTELLO: Oh, yes.
The second most clicked on story, Britney Spears. Can you believe it?
MYERS: She's married, but not really.
COSTELLO: Not really. They forgot the marriage license.
MYERS: Yes, a technicality.
COSTELLO: Ah, you know, they'll get to that later.
MYERS: They had to work on the prenuptial agreement, they said. They moved forward the wedding a month because people were finding out about it. So, they said oh, let's just get married. So, now they're just going to apply for the marriage license later.
COSTELLO: That's nothing.
MYERS: Yes.
COSTELLO: They're a beautiful couple.
Number three on our Web site of the most clicked on stories...
MYERS: Naked yoga is OK!
COSTELLO: Who'd have thunk it?
MYERS: Oh, thank goodness.
COSTELLO: Naked yoga in San Francisco, apparently this guy was doing naked yoga right on the wharf there in San Francisco.
MYERS: Yes, on the street.
COSTELLO: Passersby were complaining, so they took it to court. And a judge ruled that you can be naked in San Francisco doing yoga.
MYERS: According to the D.A., "Simply being naked on the street of San Francisco is not a crime. To bring a case, a person would have to exhibit lewd behavior, block traffic or impede pedestrians."
COSTELLO: Exactly. MYERS: But you can be naked.
COSTELLO: And doing yoga. Some of those poses I just -- we'll move on. It's time for our DAYBREAK...
MYERS: Yes, it's not a pretty thought.
COSTELLO: No.
DAYBREAK "Eye Opener" time.
Finally, Chucky is back home, Chad.
MYERS: Oh, all right!
COSTELLO: Yes. The thousand pound alligator escaped from Gulf Shores, Alabama zoo after it was hit by Ivan. Chucky was found lounging in a drainage ditch. He's now being kept in a bear's den while repairs are being done to his habitat. So, they didn't shoot him. He's going back to the zoo.
MYERS: And he got some chickens yesterday.
COSTELLO: I'm sure he did.
The annual Lake Geneva, Wisconsin corn maze is taking on a political tilt this year. But you have to look very closely...
MYERS: Oh.
COSTELLO: I love corn mazes. Have you ever done them?
MYERS: No.
COSTELLO: I think they're great. You have to look closely here.
MYERS: I did do tassled corn, but I wasn't...
COSTELLO: Caricatures of both Kerry and Bush have been cut into the corn field. Do you see them?
MYERS: It kind of looks like hairy husker or something. I don't know what to do.
COSTELLO: The Badger State attraction was expanded to 20 acres this year, to accommodate 12 candidates.
In Russia, bad language has become a cash cow. Officials in the southern region of Belgorod have banned swearing in public. Offenders face a fine of up to $50 for each instance. The program, which was part of a cleaner living initiative, has already raised more than $17,000 in just two months.
MYERS: That reminds me of an Arnold Schwarzenegger movie, when he was just swearing and swearing and swearing, and those little hiccups, I think it was Sylvester Stallone, little hiccups kept coming out.
COSTELLO: I do remember that.
MYERS: It was Stallone.
COSTELLO: Let's talk about what's happening in Germany. They may be giving new meaning to the phrase phone hog. A telecommunications company is working on a new cell phone that will tell users when they smell bad. That includes bad breath as well as other offensive body odors. So, you're talking on your phone, your phone will beep, "You have bad breath."
MYERS: That's all I need.
COSTELLO: Here's what's all new in the next half hour of DAYBREAK.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right, open your boxes. Open your boxes. One, two, three.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Yes, remember this?
MYERS: Yes.
COSTELLO: Well, the show is over and audience members who got a surprise of a lifetime are happy but...
MYERS: Getting a second one.
COSTELLO: Oh, yes. They're getting a financial reality check. We'll have more on that.
Also, later this hour, a native son returns home after being denied entry into the United States. But how did the artist formerly known as Cat Stevens end up on a terror watch list?
This is DAYBREAK for a Thursday.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Our immune system is a fascinating network of organs and cells to protect the body from biological intruders. Darrell Irvine and his team of researchers at MIT are exploring new ways to program immune cells to fight things like malignant tumors, transplant rejections and viral infections like HIV.
DARRELL IRVINE, RESEARCH SCIENTIST, MIT: One thing we're trying to do is uncover new fundamental knowledge that will help us design better therapies based on how the immune system works. And the main challenge is just that the immune system is extremely complex. What I hope is that where this would show up in society is in the development of new drug delivery strategies, new vaccines and new knowledge for clinicians to use in treatment of disease.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One objective of the Irvine's team research is to find out what exactly makes the immune system work so well and how that knowledge may be used to fix the immune system when it fails.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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Aired September 23, 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 Iraq today, a British engineer's life is on the line.
It is Thursday, September 23.
This is DAYBREAK.
And good morning to you.
From the CNN Global Headquarters in Atlanta, I'm Carol Costello.
Now in the news -- the family of a British man being held hostage in Iraq anxiously awaits word on his fate. The same Islamic militants holding Ken Bigley already have beheaded the two Americans kidnapped along with him a week ago.
Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi is in Washington to get support for his nation. Five hours from now, he addresses a joint meeting of Congress. And then later he'll meet with President Bush.
The man once known as Cat Stevens arrived back in Great Britain overnight. Singer Yusuf Islam was denied entry to the United States because he's on a security watch list. Islam, a Muslim, says he was shocked and slightly amused by being on that list.
Chilling numbers out of Haiti this morning. Officials say the death toll from flooding by tropical storm Jeanne is close to 1,100 and could surpass 2,000. Another problem -- feeding thousands of survivors.
To the forecast center now.
And Ivan is back.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: It really, part of it is back, Carol. As Ivan went up and across parts of Louisiana and the Florida Panhandle, went up across into parts of Mississippi and Georgia and then on through and into Pennsylvania, New York State. And then it made a right hand turn and went into the Atlantic Ocean.
There on the back side of a high pressure, it came down the Atlantic coast and then came across Florida. Remember we talked about that one tornado warning a couple of days ago down around West Palm Beach County, around Belle Glade? That was still the remnants of what was Ivan. It's now come across the Gulf of Mexico and it's down south of New Orleans, headed, really, between Lake Charles and Houston. Here's your 2:00 a.m. Friday and then Friday evening into Saturday it does come across the islands there, the barrier islands, if you will, at about 40, maybe 50 miles per hour. Certainly not a hurricane. It just doesn't look like it's going to have enough time to get more involved or to get more of that hot water in its system.
This is Jeanne, though, much more of a concern here. This is a hurricane. It's still a category two hurricane at 100 miles per hour right now. And it is forecast to make landfall somewhere, at least -- this is the Hurricane Center's forecast now from 5:00 a.m. The Hurricane Center says somewhere around Melbourne, Florida and then maybe glancing off the coast and then back up into the Carolinas again, like we need another of this thing here.
But at least Karl and Lisa are still way back out there in the Atlantic and not affecting land at all. But this has been such a busy season. Wow!
COSTELLO: It has been crazy!
MYERS: It has.
COSTELLO: Thank you, Chad.
MYERS: You're welcome.
COSTELLO: A tense waiting game is being played out in Iraq and in Great Britain. At stake, the life of 62-year-old British hostage Ken Bigley. On Wednesday, Bigley pleaded for his life in a video that was posted on that Islamic Web site.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KEN BIGLEY, HOSTAGE: I need you to help me, Mr. Blair, because you are the only person now on God's earth that I can speak to.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: In Liverpool, Bigley's son pleaded with the Islamic militants to release his father.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CRAIG BIGLEY, KEN BIGLEY'S SON: We have seen and heard Ken's pleas. Thank you for letting Ken make his appeal. All of the family are very grateful to you for his message. They wish you to say to Ken that they love him dearly and are waiting for him to come home soon.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: And right now it's just after 10:00 in the morning in Great Britain.
We're going to go live to London in just a second to check in with Robin Oakley. He's standing outside of the prime minister's residence. Also, at the half hour, we'll take you live to Bigley's hometown. Our Diana Muriel is live in Liverpool.
Let's talk American politics now, countdown to election this Thursday morning.
America votes in just 40 more days. Iraq one of the main issues. President Bush is hoping Iraq's interim prime minister, Ayad Allawi, can assure American voters that progress is being made despite the chaos. Bush meets with Allawi today at the White House before heading to Maine to do some campaigning.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In which direction would John Kerry lead? Kerry voted for the Iraq war.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Here is the Bush campaign's latest television ad. It shows John Kerry wind surfing. And of course, he's switching directions. He's switching, he's flip -- get it? The metaphor is that Kerry's opinions shift with the political wind.
The Kerry camp was quick to respond to this ad, saying: "The light-hearted approach is inappropriate in the middle of a war."
Kerry launched a major political attack of his own. He suggests that re-electing Bush could lead to the resumption of a military draft.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If George Bush were to be reelected, given the way he has gone about this war and given his avoidance of responsibility in North Korea and Iran and other places, it is possible -- I can't tell you. I will tell you this, I will not reinstitute the draft.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: The Bush campaign calls Kerry's comments "irresponsible."
But it does bring us to our e-mail Question of the Morning. Should the draft be reinstated? We all know that the military is stretched thin, so should the draft be reinstated? Is it a good idea? Drop us a line at daybreak@cnn.com. That's daybreak@cnn.com.
In other news across America now, police in Lebanon, Tennessee, call it the worst case of child abuse they have ever seen. They found a 15-year-old boy who was chained to his bed, sometimes for days at a time. The teenager weighed 49 pounds. The boy ate only soup and water and was forced to wear a diaper. His parents have both been charged with aggravated child abuse. Evangelist Jimmy Swaggart is apologizing for anti-gay comments he made during a televised church service. Swaggart said if any gay man looked at him romantically, "I'm going to kill him and tell god he died." That's a quote. In his apology, Swaggart said he used the expression thousands of times as a joke about all kinds of people. He says he meant no harm.
An agreement has been reached to send Yaser Esam Hamdi to Saudi Arabia. Hamdi is the American citizen who was captured in Afghanistan more than two years ago. He's been held as an enemy combatant ever since. Hamdi has dual citizenship in both the U.S. and Saudi Arabia. And under the terms of his release he must renounce his American citizenship.
Modesto police released a tape of their search of Scott Peterson's home. This tape was part of the day to day timeline of the investigation given to the jurors. Earlier in the day, a forensic expert testified that Laci Peterson's unborn child may have died the day before she was reported missing. But the defense challenged the accuracy of that report.
Some people in Montana are calling it a miracle. Listen to this. Two people who were thought to have been among five people killed in a plane crash survived. One of them, Matthew Ramige, is being treated for burns at a hospital in Seattle. He and the other survivor, Jodee Hogg, were found in a wilderness road two days after their small plane went down in the Montana mountains.
A member of Hogg's family spoke with reporter David Jay of CNN affiliate KTVQ in Billings.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LETHA PILKINGTON, FAMILY MEMBER: Of course we are just absolutely elated that she's alive, as we were planning her funeral.
DAVID JAY, KTVQ CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Family members say they're now planning a party, even as they wait for more news on Jodee, the last couple of days have been difficult.
PILKINGTON: Just so tragic. We've all been just devastated.
JAY: And then came the good news.
PILKINGTON: I came back home and the phone rang and it was my daughter Rhonda. And she said, she just was crying and screaming, "She's alive! She's alive!" And I couldn't hardly understand her and wanted to know that's really what she said.
JAY: Jody's identical twin sister Tina works for the Forest Service in Tahoe, California.
PILKINGTON: She's a very excited girl, I'll tell you. She has been devastated and she -- we talked, I talked to her in the hospital and she's just ecstatic, ecstatic. And she had seen her. And I said, "And you held onto her?" And she said, "Oh, yes. I hugged her good."
So...
JAY: Her family says Jodee is a very tough young lady.
PILKINGTON: My brother said, "God must have big plans for Jodee to spare her, you know?" Not many people walk away from a small plane crash.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: That report from David Jay of CNN affiliate KVTQ in Billings, Montana. Three people did die in that crash.
The British singer Yusuf Islam, once known as Cat Stevens, back in London this morning, tired and shocked, and, as he puts it, slightly amused. Islam was taken off a United Airlines flight to Washington on Tuesday when the plane was diverted to Bangor, Maine because Islam, his name is on the terrorism watch list.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
YUSUF ISLAM, BRITISH SINGER: You know, the whole thing is totally ridiculous. Everybody knows who I am, you know? I'm no secret figure. Everybody knows my campaigning for charity, for peace. And there's going to be a whole lot of explanations. Hopefully, there will be that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge says Islam is suspected of having some kind of relationship to terrorist activity, but he didn't exactly specify what.
Israelis come under attack again. This time an army outpost is targeted in Gaza. Five people are dead. We're going to take you live to Jerusalem in six minutes for details.
Plus, a roadblock in the push for illegal immigrants to get drivers licenses in California. There's a much bigger issue at hand here. We'll have a full report for you at 46 minutes past the hour.
And the horrors in Haiti. More than 1,000 people are dead there and as floodwaters go down, the body count goes up. You'll want to see that report at 50 minutes past the hour.
But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Thursday morning.
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(STOCK MARKET REPORT)
COSTELLO: We were telling you before, it's just after 10:00 in the morning in Great Britain. And we do want to go live now and talk to Robin Oakley.
He's standing outside of the prime minister's residence there and he's going to tell us the latest on that hostage being held in Iraq -- good morning, Robin.
ROBIN OAKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
And the news from here is that Tony Blair probably has not yet seen the video of Ken Bigley appealing to him to save his life. But he is fully aware of the contents of that.
Officials say that the prime minister's reactions are, of course, exactly the same as any other human being watching such a distressing appeal. The British government is still doing everything it can behind-the-scenes to secure Ken Bigley's safety. But there are considerable restrictions on what they can do.
The situation was really summed up by the foreign secretary, Jack Straw, who's in New York.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JACK STRAW, BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY: What we are doing everything we can to do is to find a way through so that Mr. Bigley's life can be saved. But it has to be a way through which is consistent with the very firm policy we and every other government around the world has, which is that you can't bargain with evil people like this.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
OAKLEY: So, the great difficulty, Carol, that Tony Blair faces is that there's enormous public attention now focused on this issue. But he's pretty well powerless to do anything significant because the fear of doing any deal with terrorists is that you simply increase the amount of kidnapping, of death threats and demands for other concessions -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Robin Oakley reporting live from London this morning. Thank you. Your news, money, weather and sports.
It's 5:14 Eastern.
Here's what's all new this morning.
Fighting has been raging again in Baghdad's Sadr City. At least 10 are dead, none of them American.
Back here in the States, Mark Hacking, the Utah man accused of killing his wife, has a preliminary hearing this morning. Police are still searching the county landfill for Lori Hacking's body.
In money, oil prices going up again, but this time it looks like it's Ivan's fault. Production problems caused by hurricane Ivan led the price per barrel to top the $48 mark.
In culture, James Garner is getting a lifetime achievement award from the Screen Actors Guild. The 76-year-old actor starred in classic TV shows like "Maverick" and "The Rockford Files." He also appeared in more than 45 feature films.
In sports, for the second straight night, the Boston Red Sox beat the Baltimore Orioles in their last at bat. The 7-6 victory gives the Red Sox a six and a half game lead in the American League wildcard race -- Chad.
MYERS: Well, of course, it's the last at bat, Carol. You say I found my keys in the last place I looked. But why would you keep looking after you found them?
COSTELLO: I mean it was a nail biter.
MYERS: I know what you meant.
Good morning.
Rain showers into New Orleans and Baton Rouge, all the way down through Homa. Even in New Iberia, you're going to see some showers. That's all part of what you won't believe -- Ivan. Ivan. It's back to haunt us again. It came across Florida yesterday. Some showers there. Now it's in the Gulf of Mexico. A little more organized yesterday, but there's now a little surge of convection this morning. It is 40 miles per hour, just a tropical storm, not a hurricane.
This thing here, though, this is Jeanne. Jeanne is still dropping to the south and it is forecast to make landfall in Florida late Sunday or early Monday. We'll have more on that coming up in the next half hour. There's Jeanne, there's the front, still beautiful in the East today -- Carol.
COSTELLO: All right, thank you, Chad.
Those are the latest headlines for you now.
A fierce firefight this morning in a Jewish settlement in southern Gaza, with Israelis and Palestinians suffering casualties.
CNN's Guy Raz is live in Jerusalem.
He has more for you -- hello.
GUY RAZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
Under the shroud of fog, three Palestinian gunmen managed to infiltrate an Israeli Army outpost near the Jewish settlement of Morag in the southern part of Gaza.
Now, according to eyewitnesses, a fierce gun battle ensued. It lasted about 45 minutes, leaving three Israeli soldiers and two Palestinian gunmen dead.
Now, later on the third gunman was discovered and he was also killed, according to Israeli military sources. Now, at the same time, there was a fresh incursion that was launched into the Khan Yunes refugee camp. Israeli military forces, tanks and bulldozers, entered that camp overnight, saying that that camp is used as a staging ground by militants to launch attacks on nearby Jewish settlements.
Now, according to eyewitnesses, an Israeli helicopter gunship launched a missile into that camp, wounding at least 12 Palestinians and several homes were damaged.
Now, Carol, all of this comes less than 24 hours after a female suicide bomber detonated a device in East Jerusalem yesterday. The bomber, Zeinab Abu Salem, carried out the attack in the French hill neighborhood of East Jerusalem, killing two Israeli border police officers at the same time.
Now, according to the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades -- that's the group that carried out that attack -- the attack was carried out in retaliation for recent Israeli assassinations of some of its key members.
Now, at the same time, Carol, the Israeli government has announced heightened security measures throughout this holiday period. It's a holiday period in the country now. Most of the occupied West Bank has been sealed off. Palestinians have been unable to reach Israel. In some cases it's been very difficult for Palestinians to reach other villages within the West Bank.
Israel saying those measures are necessary, Carol, for security.
COSTELLO: Guy Raz live in Jerusalem this morning. Thank you.
What's hot on our Web site straight ahead.
And later this hour, a bill that would have given drivers licenses to illegal immigrants -- it's dead. Or is it? We'll get that live for you out of California.
Keep those e-mails coming. Our question today, the draft -- should it be reinstated? E-mail us, daybreak@cnn.com, daybreak@cnn.com.
And you are watching DAYBREAK for a Thursday.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Time to check out our Web clicks this morning.
We're always interested in what you're interested in on cnn.com.
The number one clicked on story, Ivan.
MYERS: Of course. Ivan's back. Although kind of a misnomer. Ivan really went away. It became an extra tropical storm. It became nothing at all, kind of, some of it remnants moved down the East Coast across Florida. And here it is now, really, south of Lake Charles, south of New Orleans, south of Homa and moving to the west, actually toward Houston, if you will, but only 40 miles per hour right now. This is just a little tropical blow. This is not a category three or anything like that. You can see it's a very small little storm.
COSTELLO: Oh, I just wish Ivan would die out and go away altogether.
MYERS: You, me and the rest of the weather office.
COSTELLO: Oh, yes.
The second most clicked on story, Britney Spears. Can you believe it?
MYERS: She's married, but not really.
COSTELLO: Not really. They forgot the marriage license.
MYERS: Yes, a technicality.
COSTELLO: Ah, you know, they'll get to that later.
MYERS: They had to work on the prenuptial agreement, they said. They moved forward the wedding a month because people were finding out about it. So, they said oh, let's just get married. So, now they're just going to apply for the marriage license later.
COSTELLO: That's nothing.
MYERS: Yes.
COSTELLO: They're a beautiful couple.
Number three on our Web site of the most clicked on stories...
MYERS: Naked yoga is OK!
COSTELLO: Who'd have thunk it?
MYERS: Oh, thank goodness.
COSTELLO: Naked yoga in San Francisco, apparently this guy was doing naked yoga right on the wharf there in San Francisco.
MYERS: Yes, on the street.
COSTELLO: Passersby were complaining, so they took it to court. And a judge ruled that you can be naked in San Francisco doing yoga.
MYERS: According to the D.A., "Simply being naked on the street of San Francisco is not a crime. To bring a case, a person would have to exhibit lewd behavior, block traffic or impede pedestrians."
COSTELLO: Exactly. MYERS: But you can be naked.
COSTELLO: And doing yoga. Some of those poses I just -- we'll move on. It's time for our DAYBREAK...
MYERS: Yes, it's not a pretty thought.
COSTELLO: No.
DAYBREAK "Eye Opener" time.
Finally, Chucky is back home, Chad.
MYERS: Oh, all right!
COSTELLO: Yes. The thousand pound alligator escaped from Gulf Shores, Alabama zoo after it was hit by Ivan. Chucky was found lounging in a drainage ditch. He's now being kept in a bear's den while repairs are being done to his habitat. So, they didn't shoot him. He's going back to the zoo.
MYERS: And he got some chickens yesterday.
COSTELLO: I'm sure he did.
The annual Lake Geneva, Wisconsin corn maze is taking on a political tilt this year. But you have to look very closely...
MYERS: Oh.
COSTELLO: I love corn mazes. Have you ever done them?
MYERS: No.
COSTELLO: I think they're great. You have to look closely here.
MYERS: I did do tassled corn, but I wasn't...
COSTELLO: Caricatures of both Kerry and Bush have been cut into the corn field. Do you see them?
MYERS: It kind of looks like hairy husker or something. I don't know what to do.
COSTELLO: The Badger State attraction was expanded to 20 acres this year, to accommodate 12 candidates.
In Russia, bad language has become a cash cow. Officials in the southern region of Belgorod have banned swearing in public. Offenders face a fine of up to $50 for each instance. The program, which was part of a cleaner living initiative, has already raised more than $17,000 in just two months.
MYERS: That reminds me of an Arnold Schwarzenegger movie, when he was just swearing and swearing and swearing, and those little hiccups, I think it was Sylvester Stallone, little hiccups kept coming out.
COSTELLO: I do remember that.
MYERS: It was Stallone.
COSTELLO: Let's talk about what's happening in Germany. They may be giving new meaning to the phrase phone hog. A telecommunications company is working on a new cell phone that will tell users when they smell bad. That includes bad breath as well as other offensive body odors. So, you're talking on your phone, your phone will beep, "You have bad breath."
MYERS: That's all I need.
COSTELLO: Here's what's all new in the next half hour of DAYBREAK.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right, open your boxes. Open your boxes. One, two, three.
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COSTELLO: Yes, remember this?
MYERS: Yes.
COSTELLO: Well, the show is over and audience members who got a surprise of a lifetime are happy but...
MYERS: Getting a second one.
COSTELLO: Oh, yes. They're getting a financial reality check. We'll have more on that.
Also, later this hour, a native son returns home after being denied entry into the United States. But how did the artist formerly known as Cat Stevens end up on a terror watch list?
This is DAYBREAK for a Thursday.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Our immune system is a fascinating network of organs and cells to protect the body from biological intruders. Darrell Irvine and his team of researchers at MIT are exploring new ways to program immune cells to fight things like malignant tumors, transplant rejections and viral infections like HIV.
DARRELL IRVINE, RESEARCH SCIENTIST, MIT: One thing we're trying to do is uncover new fundamental knowledge that will help us design better therapies based on how the immune system works. And the main challenge is just that the immune system is extremely complex. What I hope is that where this would show up in society is in the development of new drug delivery strategies, new vaccines and new knowledge for clinicians to use in treatment of disease.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One objective of the Irvine's team research is to find out what exactly makes the immune system work so well and how that knowledge may be used to fix the immune system when it fails.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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