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CNN Live At Daybreak
New U.S. Offensive in Iraq; Allegations That Al Jazeera Has Direct Ties to Al Qaeda
Aired November 24, 2004 - 06:00 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: Al Jazeera and al Qaeda -- an Iraqi official accuses the Arab news network of having ties to the terrorist group.
Are you or someone you know looking for a job? Stick around. We'll tell you what not to put on that resume.
And expecting one of those gift cards this Christmas? We'll tell you some things about them you just might not know and should.
It is Wednesday, November 24.
You are watching DAYBREAK.
And good morning to you.
Thank you for waking up with us.
I'm Carol Costello along with Chad Myers.
Let's go right to the headlines now.
A new offensive to wipe out the insurgency south of Baghdad now underway. More than 5,000 U.S., British and Iraqi troops are mounting raids and house searches in Babil Province. We head live to Baghdad for the latest details straight ahead.
Growing demonstrations despite freezing temperatures in the Ukraine capital of Kiev. The rally is to show support for an opposition presidential candidate and to protest what they say was a fraudulent election.
A California appeals court has turned down Scott Peterson's appeal for a new jury to decide his fate. It also rejected the convicted killer's request to move the sentencing part of the trial out of Redwood City.
And you'd better pack a book and a lot of patience. Yes, it's the Thanksgiving travel rush. It is on today. You are looking at live pictures from Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson Airport. The FAA says there will be more flights nationwide today than any other day this year. And, oh, there is nasty weather across parts of the country.
Let's head right to the forecast center to check it out with Chad.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: That means there'll be more flights canceled today than any day of the year, I'm afraid.
Oh my god.
The planes are going to be backed up so long today, patience will be strained everywhere. Now, we're getting a couple of calls this morning from just people around the area. When should I leave? Should I go now? Should I wait? And it really depends on where you are. If you're going from Boston to D.C., Florida on up to Raleigh, yes, leave now, before the rain gets here. A little bit of fog out there. But look at the size of the storm that's headed your way.
But if you're in the central Plains, I want you to wait until the sun comes up, because it's easier to drive in the rain if at least the sun's up. If you're waiting to drive through Arkansas or even to parts of Mississippi, wait a little while. This storm is going to be gone.
So, you know, it all really depends on what you're talking about. And the interstate travel could be ugly. Kansas City to St. Louis, there's going to be snow there. Baton Rouge, you're going to see rain showers, the I-10. I-65 going to see rain showers and severe storms.
We've got a new tornado warning here from Dave.
Thank you.
That is for Jefferson Parish.
We still have that tornado warning for Orleans Parish. The storm has moved up toward Slidell now, St. Tammany Parish, including Meterie, Merrill and Kenner. This is the same storm I was showing you a little bit earlier that was spinning to the west of New Orleans. It is still spinning. That is Jefferson Parish in southeastern Louisiana, a tornado warning until 6:00 Central. That's 7:00 Eastern time -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Oh, well, Chad.
So get busy.
MYERS: We'll get back on the Vipir and show you that storm in 15 minutes.
COSTELLO: All right.
I can't say we're looking forward to it, but we'll be back with you.
MYERS: Wow!
All right.
COSTELLO: Thank you, Chad.
MYERS: You've got it. COSTELLO: U.S. and British forces and Iraqi forces are into their second day of a new offensive in Babil Province. That's south of Baghdad. It's an area called the Triangle of Death.
CNN's Karl Penhaul joins us live from Baghdad with what's going on -- good morning.
KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Carol.
This is being dubbed Operation Plymouth Rock, in tune with the Thanksgiving period. What we understand are 5,000 troops, members of an Iraqi SWAT team, U.S. Marines and members of the British Black Watch regiment are taking part in this.
But it is very different from the type of offensive we've seen in Falluja of late. That was a big urban combat when tanks and military went in hard and fast. The military here have told us that this campaign in the Triangle of Death is going to be surgical rather than sweeping and the captain that we've spoken to says that it's going to demand precision, patience and also persistence.
He tells us that the enemy they're trying to fight there are insurgents that have drifted south there from Falluja and who have struck up an alliance with criminal gangs who operate in this area. There have been a lot of insurgent attacks in that area, a lot of criminal offenses, attacks on ambushes on vehicles traveling through that area. That's what was getting this region the name the Triangle of Death -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Karl Penhaul live in Baghdad this morning.
Thank you.
Al Jazeera is expanding. It will start an English speaking network and you can soon watch it here in the United States. This news comes on the heels of new and disturbing allegations. Iraq's interim defense minister is accusing the network of having direct ties to al Qaeda.
With some insight, we're joined by Octavia Nasr, our senior editor of Arab affairs -- good morning, Octavia.
OCTAVIA NASR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
COSTELLO: So, first of all, run down these new allegations.
NASR: Well, the defense minister spoke to Al Sharq Al Awsat. Important to indicate that Al Sharq Al Awsat is a Saudi-owned newspaper based in London with close ties to Al Jazeera's staunchest competitor, Al-Arabiya.
The defense minister said some scathing and blistering remarks. Here is an example of what he said. He said, he's talking about this man named Omar Hadeed, and he is, according to the defense minister, wanted by the Iraqi interim government. He said Omar Hadeed used to carry tapes depicting terrorist activities to the station by way of his brother Hamed, who is helping -- who is being investigated right now.
Of course, Al Jazeera responded to these allegations. They said that they were wrong, that this man has no ties to the Al Jazeera bureau chief in Baghdad. Al Jazeera said things like it is utterly outraged at the unsubstantial allegations. They also called it a smear campaign.
Another example of what the defense minister said, Carol, he said that this man, again, Omar Hadeed, is without a doubt the brother of the Al Jazeera bureau chief in Baghdad and he was delivering tapes to Al Jazeera, along with everything the terrorists needed to get to Al Jazeera. There is also a relationship, he says, involving payments and donations.
Of course, these are very, very serious allegations and Al Jazeera is not taking them sitting down. They are telling the world through a press release that they will be taking legal action and also they take this very seriously. They think that there is a direct threat toward their employees in Baghdad and that the minister of defense is enticing violence against their employees in Baghdad -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Fascinating.
Octavia Nasr live from Atlanta this morning.
Thank you.
Donald Rumsfeld is on the defensive. The defense secretary says he's not the reason a controversial bill on intelligence reform was shelved in Congress last week.
Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD RUMSFELD, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: The congressmen who are saying that I had blatant opposition to the bill is incorrect, because the bill didn't exist in the form that it currently is and the president didn't have a position on the bill at the times that I was briefing him.
Needless to say, I'm a part of this administration. I support the president's position.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: President Bush supports the changes, which would install a national intelligence director. Rumsfeld says Congress may now be close to a compromise on the measure. We'll keep you posted.
The man in the white hat speaks. An update now on the basket brawl.
He says he didn't do it. But prosecutors say tapes show Detroit fan John Green throwing a cup and also punching Pacers' Guard Ron Artest. Green says he didn't throw the cup that landed on Artest, you know, while he was laying on the scorer's table.
He also told CNN's Larry King that no matter who threw the cup, it did not warrant an all out brawl in the stands.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM CNN'S "LARRY KING LIVE")
JOHN GREEN: A cup hitting somebody, I don't think, should be, you know, constitute somebody going on a rampage and beating people. And, you know, the guy is a thug, I mean. So he's going to pay the price of what happens to him.
The only thing I did was grab him from behind. I was pulling him off of the guy and he was shouting something at him. I don't know what -- I couldn't quite hear it. And I was shouting at Artest to get off of him, you know, it's not a big deal or something like that. And then he kicked me from behind, like mule kicked me into the shin. And that's when I reacted.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: I think it's cool he's still wearing his white hat.
As for Ron Artest, he spent the day signing autographs for fans in Indianapolis. The NBA players union appealed Artest's suspension that could keep him off the basketball court for the rest of the season.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RON ARTEST, PACERS PLAYER: It was a harsh decision, I think, and I'm not sure what's going to happen. I'm working out, staying in shape, you know. I'm ready to -- I want to come back to (UNINTELLIGIBLE), you know?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: In the meantime, two fans have now filed lawsuits against Artest and fellow Pacers' players Steven Jackson and Jermaine O'Neal. The Indiana Pacers, by the way, were back on the court for their second game without those suspended players and they came away with a 106-96 win over the Boston Celtics. Guard Jamal Tinsley -- oh, I can never say his last name. I'm sorry, Jamal. He led the Pacers with 29 points. He paid tribute to his missing teammates by putting Artest's number on his shoes. You see them there. And he put the numbers of Steven Jackson and Jermaine O'Neal on his wristbands.
But the Pacers were not the only ones remembering the players. Indianapolis Colts players donned Artest: Juries In Support.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARCUS POLLARD, INDIANAPOLIS COLTS TIGHT END: I don't agree with what he did going in the stands, but for the guy to miss a whole year and not get paid and not to play, I'm a big fan of Ron Artest, a big fan of the Pacers and I'm just, you know, I'd just like to see him play. And that's the only reason I'm wearing the jersey. I'd like to see him play this year.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Well, and the Colts play the Lions on Thanksgiving Day, so I'll keep an eye on the Colts' uniforms during that game.
As with a lot of things lately, the last word on the brawl comes from eBay. Someone put the cup that hit Ron Artest up for sale on the auction Web site. But eBay pulled the item after the bidding absolutely went out of control. Get this, the final bid was $999,999,999. There was also no way to prove that it was the actual cup that hit Artest.
He's one of the big three in broadcast news. Now Dan Rather says he's leaving the anchor chair after 24 years. We're talking about his career and what the move means to the news biz.
Also ahead, it's never a good idea, but some job seekers fudge the facts on their resumes. From little white lies to big old whoppers, we'll tell you the top employment embellishments.
Plus, do we really want to know just how many calories do we consume on Thanksgiving? Ooh, some food for thought coming up.
But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Wednesday morning.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(STOCK MARKET REPORT)
COSTELLO: Your news, money, weather and sports.
It is 6:13 Eastern.
Here's what's all new this morning.
New details from that deadly mass shooting in Wisconsin. The man suspected of killing six deer hunters says they shot at him first. The suspect, who's Laotian, says he was taunted racially.
The latest scare over mad cow disease is over because the cow on this farm has tested negative for the disease. The original test on the animal was inconclusive and that led to more testing.
In money news, it's one of the biggest fines of its kind. Viacom agrees to pay $3.5 million. The deal ends federal probes into alleged indecent programming by Howard Stern and other shock jocks.
In culture, former Friend Lisa Kudrow, Feebie to you and me, is moving to a brand new neighborhood. Kudrow signed a deal to be the executive producer and star of a sitcom on HBO. The show is expected to fill the void left by another long running series, and that would be "Sex and the City."
In sports, running back Ricky Williams may be coming out of retirement after all. You had to expect this. His attorney says he could serve a four game drug suspension next month and then be reinstated to his old team, the Miami Dolphins. And I'm sure they'll welcome him with open loving arms. The NFL says no agreement has been reached.
To the forecast center now and Chad.
MYERS: Good morning, Carol.
How much money did he owe the Dolphins?
COSTELLO: Millions of dollars.
MYERS: Millions.
COSTELLO: It's crazy.
MYERS: Of course he's going back to work.
(WEATHER REPORT)
MYERS: The only place to be, Carol, is out West. A nice trip to Denver for a little bit of skiing or maybe to Las Vegas to lose some money. But I'll tell you what, if you're trying to go in the East today, take some time to plan ahead -- back to you.
COSTELLO: And, you know, Chad, a lot of people are already in the airport. And that's where they're watching us this morning.
MYERS: Oh, my. Yes.
COSTELLO: So, Happy Thanksgiving everyone at the airport.
MYERS: The bookstores will be busy at the airport today.
COSTELLO: That's for sure.
Thank you, Chad.
Those are the latest headlines for you this morning.
You can already taste it, that Thanksgiving dinner. How delicious it is. But what's it going to cost you in calories? We'll crunch the numbers in our "Breakfast With DAYBREAK."
Lisa Drayer will join us.
Plus, what you need to know before you give one of the most popular holiday gifts.
That's all ahead right here on DAYBREAK.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: If you're in the midst of a job hunt and think you won't get hired until 2005, you are wrong. Here are some of the most common job seeking myths.
Number one, nobody hires in December. Not true.
Number two, you won't find the job you really want in December and you'll have a better chance if you wait until the first of the year. The truth is companies do hire between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
And speaking of the truth, make sure you're telling it.
John Challenger of Challenger, Gray & Christmas joins me now with some of the top resume lies.
Good morning.
JOHN CHALLENGER, CHALLENGER, GRAY & CHRISTMAS: Hi, Carol.
COSTELLO: You know, I must admit, I'm guilty of some of this. And I'm ashamed as -- well, not really. See, it's a weird conundrum. But let's run down the list.
The top five resume lie is, what, education?
CHALLENGER: It is education. So many people feel that that is so crucial in their job search that they feel that they have to push, say, a degree or the grade point average obtained. And yet interestingly, once you get past about 40, companies are far more interested in your experience and what you've done in the last five to 10 years anyway.
COSTELLO: So what if you're not past 40, though?
CHALLENGER: Well, it is more important as you get younger, and obviously you just can't not tell the truth. More and more companies are going to services that are checking information, certain kinds of information, on resumes. You don't want to get into the job and then get kicked out because the company feels you're not telling the truth.
COSTELLO: Got you.
A lot of people lie about their job titles. They sort of inflate it.
CHALLENGER: A lot of people pad that area. They feel that the company didn't recognize their skills or their talents or their contribution. So they bump that title up a little bit. Maybe that vice president title that they always thought they should have, this is the time to add it in.
COSTELLO: But does that help you, to inflate your job title?
CHALLENGER: You know, it really doesn't. It doesn't mean that some companies aren't looking, you know, if they are looking for a job at vice president level, that they'd like to see someone with it. So you can't say that it's not going to help in sorting you in. The problem is once the company finds out. The strategy just is not, long-term, a good one.
COSTELLO: OK. People lie about compensation. They say they are making more than they actually are, and they're probably doing that so that they can make more money in the next job.
CHALLENGER: A lot of companies, when they hire people, you know, look and ask just what it is the person made in the former job. They don't want to bump the person down. So if there's a range, you know, of salary, sometimes people think well, I'll put myself up to the top range, you know, and give themself that boost.
COSTELLO: Having been fired twice in my life, or maybe three times, this next one I can really understand, reason for leaving. Not a lot of people like to sit down at a job interview and say hey, the reason I left is because I was fired.
CHALLENGER: You know, it's a very hard question to answer and it is one that you don't have to tell, in a sense, the whole good, bad and ugly of what happened. You do want to put this in terms that says something good about yourself. It doesn't say that you were totally at fault. A lot of people talk themselves down. You don't want to blame the company for being rotten. That doesn't help. And you also want to tell the truth.
So this is one you've got to really fashion in the right way. But sometimes people cross the line and tell all right, you know, an outright falsehood.
COSTELLO: Got you.
Accomplishments. A lot of people say they've done more on the last job than they actually did.
CHALLENGER: Yes, this is really growing and it's a very hard one to detect. How are you ever going to really find out what someone did while they're on the job? You're not going to go back to the company and find out. With all the resumes that are proliferating over the Web, you can go in and cut and paste. People are taking whole accomplishments out, throwing them into their resume.
But if you get into a job and they want you to do work that you say you've done and you just don't have the know how to do it, it's going to become evident soon enough.
COSTELLO: John Challenger live from Chicago.
Thank you for joining DAYBREAK this morning.
CHALLENGER: Thanks, Carol.
COSTELLO: We'll break down the calories in that Thanksgiving Day feast next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: The holidays are filled with family, friends and do not forget the food. So how many calories are in that traditional Thanksgiving Day feast and do we really want to know?
Nutrition expert Lisa Drayer is here to talk about that.
I don't think I want to know.
LISA DRAYER, NUTRITIONIST: Oh, why not?
COSTELLO: So I'll cover my ears while you're talking about that.
DRAYER: But it's not so bad, especially if you go with the low fat options. But first, in terms of holiday weight gain, there's some good news, Carol. We don't gain as much as we may think.
COSTELLO: Really?
DRAYER: A recent study -- yes -- published in the "New England Journal of Medicine" followed holiday weight gain among 200 adults. So researchers followed them between Thanksgiving and New Year's. And they found out that they only gained about a pound, on average, during the six week period.
COSTELLO: No matter how much they ate?
DRAYER: Well, that's a good point. Of course, it depends on how much you eat. And interestingly, another study from, this one from Georgia State, shows that the more people you eat with, the more food you tend to consume. So, for example, if you eat with one other person, your meal tends to be 33 percent larger. With two it's 47 percent larger. And with three it's 58 percent larger. So...
COSTELLO: Oh, talk about following the crowd.
DRAYER: Right.
COSTELLO: Yes.
So, OK, give us -- give us the facts here. How many calories are in your Thanksgiving Day dinner?
DRAYER: OK, well, we're talking close to or maybe even more than a day's worth of calories. So we have a, just in number crunching, we have a graphic here.
First, beef and puff pastry, that's about 200 calories, 260 calories, 18 grams of fat. If you do dark meat with skin, that's 221 calories, 11 1/2 grams of fat. Turkey gravy with giblets, that's the higher fat option, 72 calories and four grams of fat. Going down, a high fat green bean casserole, 137 calories. High fat stuffing, close to 400 calories. That's for a cup. Candied sweet potatoes, that's with, you know, the brown sugar and the marshmallows, 360. And pecan pie, one slice of pecan pie, 452 calories and 21 grams of fat.
COSTELLO: No, no.
DRAYER: Yes. So the total -- 1,990 calories and 91 grams of fat. COSTELLO: Who knew pecan pie had that many calories in it?
DRAYER: I know. I was even surprised to see that.
Now, if you go low fat, you have a significant calorie savings. So, for example, if you do shrimp cocktail; turkey -- white meat turkey without the skin; fat free gravy; a low fat green bean casserole made with fresh onions, fat free or reduced fat, condensed Cream of Mushroom soup, that's a little recipe substitution there. Low fat stuffing made with olive oil and fat free chicken broth cuts your stuffing calories in half. Baked sweet potato, only a little more than 100 calories. And pecan pie, 229 calories. So you save 200 calories by choosing pumpkin over pecan pie. And your total savings is close to 1,000 calories.
COSTELLO: I feel like we need the cha-ching noise. Cha-ching.
No, that's great advice. And I like pumpkin better than pecan pie, so that's good news for me.
DRAYER: And it has the beta carotene in it, too, so.
COSTELLO: Right. Primo.
Let's talk about why turkey makes you sleepy, because every time I eat that huge meal, I just feel like taking a nap.
DRAYER: Right. A lot of us do. But chances are it's because of the amount of food that we've consumed, not the turkey per se. The turkey does contain tryptophan. This is an amino acid that's present in turkey and high levels have been shown to induce sleep, specifically in supplement form.
But the amount present in turkey is so low that it's probably not the tryptophan in turkey that's causing you to feel sleepy. It's probably all the other food that you've consumed.
COSTELLO: OK, so I'll be coming to your house tomorrow.
DRAYER: You're going to watch me?
COSTELLO: Yes, I'm going to watch you like cook a cheese sandwich. No, that's grill a cheese sandwich.
DRAYER: All right.
COSTELLO: I'm as bad as you are.
Thank you, Lisa.
DRAYER: Thanks.
COSTELLO: So which dishes do you plan to pig out on tomorrow? If you're like most Americans, you're most thankful for that turkey. Many of us like to get stuffed on stuffing. Tying for a weak third place, ham, mashed potatoes and even the perennial pumpkin pie. And which Thanksgiving traditions can you live without? Most say cranberry relish, any type of veggie and even sweet potatoes. Wait. The Jello-O salad with floaty things? It didn't make the list. I wonder why?
We're packing up much more for you this Wednesday morning. We'll tell you how some stormy weather might affect your travel plans this holiday week.
And what's ahead for a CBS News icon? We'll look at why Dan Rather is leaving the anchor Dan Rather is leaving the anchor desk.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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Aired November 24, 2004 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Al Jazeera and al Qaeda -- an Iraqi official accuses the Arab news network of having ties to the terrorist group.
Are you or someone you know looking for a job? Stick around. We'll tell you what not to put on that resume.
And expecting one of those gift cards this Christmas? We'll tell you some things about them you just might not know and should.
It is Wednesday, November 24.
You are watching DAYBREAK.
And good morning to you.
Thank you for waking up with us.
I'm Carol Costello along with Chad Myers.
Let's go right to the headlines now.
A new offensive to wipe out the insurgency south of Baghdad now underway. More than 5,000 U.S., British and Iraqi troops are mounting raids and house searches in Babil Province. We head live to Baghdad for the latest details straight ahead.
Growing demonstrations despite freezing temperatures in the Ukraine capital of Kiev. The rally is to show support for an opposition presidential candidate and to protest what they say was a fraudulent election.
A California appeals court has turned down Scott Peterson's appeal for a new jury to decide his fate. It also rejected the convicted killer's request to move the sentencing part of the trial out of Redwood City.
And you'd better pack a book and a lot of patience. Yes, it's the Thanksgiving travel rush. It is on today. You are looking at live pictures from Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson Airport. The FAA says there will be more flights nationwide today than any other day this year. And, oh, there is nasty weather across parts of the country.
Let's head right to the forecast center to check it out with Chad.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: That means there'll be more flights canceled today than any day of the year, I'm afraid.
Oh my god.
The planes are going to be backed up so long today, patience will be strained everywhere. Now, we're getting a couple of calls this morning from just people around the area. When should I leave? Should I go now? Should I wait? And it really depends on where you are. If you're going from Boston to D.C., Florida on up to Raleigh, yes, leave now, before the rain gets here. A little bit of fog out there. But look at the size of the storm that's headed your way.
But if you're in the central Plains, I want you to wait until the sun comes up, because it's easier to drive in the rain if at least the sun's up. If you're waiting to drive through Arkansas or even to parts of Mississippi, wait a little while. This storm is going to be gone.
So, you know, it all really depends on what you're talking about. And the interstate travel could be ugly. Kansas City to St. Louis, there's going to be snow there. Baton Rouge, you're going to see rain showers, the I-10. I-65 going to see rain showers and severe storms.
We've got a new tornado warning here from Dave.
Thank you.
That is for Jefferson Parish.
We still have that tornado warning for Orleans Parish. The storm has moved up toward Slidell now, St. Tammany Parish, including Meterie, Merrill and Kenner. This is the same storm I was showing you a little bit earlier that was spinning to the west of New Orleans. It is still spinning. That is Jefferson Parish in southeastern Louisiana, a tornado warning until 6:00 Central. That's 7:00 Eastern time -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Oh, well, Chad.
So get busy.
MYERS: We'll get back on the Vipir and show you that storm in 15 minutes.
COSTELLO: All right.
I can't say we're looking forward to it, but we'll be back with you.
MYERS: Wow!
All right.
COSTELLO: Thank you, Chad.
MYERS: You've got it. COSTELLO: U.S. and British forces and Iraqi forces are into their second day of a new offensive in Babil Province. That's south of Baghdad. It's an area called the Triangle of Death.
CNN's Karl Penhaul joins us live from Baghdad with what's going on -- good morning.
KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Carol.
This is being dubbed Operation Plymouth Rock, in tune with the Thanksgiving period. What we understand are 5,000 troops, members of an Iraqi SWAT team, U.S. Marines and members of the British Black Watch regiment are taking part in this.
But it is very different from the type of offensive we've seen in Falluja of late. That was a big urban combat when tanks and military went in hard and fast. The military here have told us that this campaign in the Triangle of Death is going to be surgical rather than sweeping and the captain that we've spoken to says that it's going to demand precision, patience and also persistence.
He tells us that the enemy they're trying to fight there are insurgents that have drifted south there from Falluja and who have struck up an alliance with criminal gangs who operate in this area. There have been a lot of insurgent attacks in that area, a lot of criminal offenses, attacks on ambushes on vehicles traveling through that area. That's what was getting this region the name the Triangle of Death -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Karl Penhaul live in Baghdad this morning.
Thank you.
Al Jazeera is expanding. It will start an English speaking network and you can soon watch it here in the United States. This news comes on the heels of new and disturbing allegations. Iraq's interim defense minister is accusing the network of having direct ties to al Qaeda.
With some insight, we're joined by Octavia Nasr, our senior editor of Arab affairs -- good morning, Octavia.
OCTAVIA NASR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
COSTELLO: So, first of all, run down these new allegations.
NASR: Well, the defense minister spoke to Al Sharq Al Awsat. Important to indicate that Al Sharq Al Awsat is a Saudi-owned newspaper based in London with close ties to Al Jazeera's staunchest competitor, Al-Arabiya.
The defense minister said some scathing and blistering remarks. Here is an example of what he said. He said, he's talking about this man named Omar Hadeed, and he is, according to the defense minister, wanted by the Iraqi interim government. He said Omar Hadeed used to carry tapes depicting terrorist activities to the station by way of his brother Hamed, who is helping -- who is being investigated right now.
Of course, Al Jazeera responded to these allegations. They said that they were wrong, that this man has no ties to the Al Jazeera bureau chief in Baghdad. Al Jazeera said things like it is utterly outraged at the unsubstantial allegations. They also called it a smear campaign.
Another example of what the defense minister said, Carol, he said that this man, again, Omar Hadeed, is without a doubt the brother of the Al Jazeera bureau chief in Baghdad and he was delivering tapes to Al Jazeera, along with everything the terrorists needed to get to Al Jazeera. There is also a relationship, he says, involving payments and donations.
Of course, these are very, very serious allegations and Al Jazeera is not taking them sitting down. They are telling the world through a press release that they will be taking legal action and also they take this very seriously. They think that there is a direct threat toward their employees in Baghdad and that the minister of defense is enticing violence against their employees in Baghdad -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Fascinating.
Octavia Nasr live from Atlanta this morning.
Thank you.
Donald Rumsfeld is on the defensive. The defense secretary says he's not the reason a controversial bill on intelligence reform was shelved in Congress last week.
Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD RUMSFELD, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: The congressmen who are saying that I had blatant opposition to the bill is incorrect, because the bill didn't exist in the form that it currently is and the president didn't have a position on the bill at the times that I was briefing him.
Needless to say, I'm a part of this administration. I support the president's position.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: President Bush supports the changes, which would install a national intelligence director. Rumsfeld says Congress may now be close to a compromise on the measure. We'll keep you posted.
The man in the white hat speaks. An update now on the basket brawl.
He says he didn't do it. But prosecutors say tapes show Detroit fan John Green throwing a cup and also punching Pacers' Guard Ron Artest. Green says he didn't throw the cup that landed on Artest, you know, while he was laying on the scorer's table.
He also told CNN's Larry King that no matter who threw the cup, it did not warrant an all out brawl in the stands.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM CNN'S "LARRY KING LIVE")
JOHN GREEN: A cup hitting somebody, I don't think, should be, you know, constitute somebody going on a rampage and beating people. And, you know, the guy is a thug, I mean. So he's going to pay the price of what happens to him.
The only thing I did was grab him from behind. I was pulling him off of the guy and he was shouting something at him. I don't know what -- I couldn't quite hear it. And I was shouting at Artest to get off of him, you know, it's not a big deal or something like that. And then he kicked me from behind, like mule kicked me into the shin. And that's when I reacted.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: I think it's cool he's still wearing his white hat.
As for Ron Artest, he spent the day signing autographs for fans in Indianapolis. The NBA players union appealed Artest's suspension that could keep him off the basketball court for the rest of the season.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RON ARTEST, PACERS PLAYER: It was a harsh decision, I think, and I'm not sure what's going to happen. I'm working out, staying in shape, you know. I'm ready to -- I want to come back to (UNINTELLIGIBLE), you know?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: In the meantime, two fans have now filed lawsuits against Artest and fellow Pacers' players Steven Jackson and Jermaine O'Neal. The Indiana Pacers, by the way, were back on the court for their second game without those suspended players and they came away with a 106-96 win over the Boston Celtics. Guard Jamal Tinsley -- oh, I can never say his last name. I'm sorry, Jamal. He led the Pacers with 29 points. He paid tribute to his missing teammates by putting Artest's number on his shoes. You see them there. And he put the numbers of Steven Jackson and Jermaine O'Neal on his wristbands.
But the Pacers were not the only ones remembering the players. Indianapolis Colts players donned Artest: Juries In Support.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARCUS POLLARD, INDIANAPOLIS COLTS TIGHT END: I don't agree with what he did going in the stands, but for the guy to miss a whole year and not get paid and not to play, I'm a big fan of Ron Artest, a big fan of the Pacers and I'm just, you know, I'd just like to see him play. And that's the only reason I'm wearing the jersey. I'd like to see him play this year.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Well, and the Colts play the Lions on Thanksgiving Day, so I'll keep an eye on the Colts' uniforms during that game.
As with a lot of things lately, the last word on the brawl comes from eBay. Someone put the cup that hit Ron Artest up for sale on the auction Web site. But eBay pulled the item after the bidding absolutely went out of control. Get this, the final bid was $999,999,999. There was also no way to prove that it was the actual cup that hit Artest.
He's one of the big three in broadcast news. Now Dan Rather says he's leaving the anchor chair after 24 years. We're talking about his career and what the move means to the news biz.
Also ahead, it's never a good idea, but some job seekers fudge the facts on their resumes. From little white lies to big old whoppers, we'll tell you the top employment embellishments.
Plus, do we really want to know just how many calories do we consume on Thanksgiving? Ooh, some food for thought coming up.
But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Wednesday morning.
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(STOCK MARKET REPORT)
COSTELLO: Your news, money, weather and sports.
It is 6:13 Eastern.
Here's what's all new this morning.
New details from that deadly mass shooting in Wisconsin. The man suspected of killing six deer hunters says they shot at him first. The suspect, who's Laotian, says he was taunted racially.
The latest scare over mad cow disease is over because the cow on this farm has tested negative for the disease. The original test on the animal was inconclusive and that led to more testing.
In money news, it's one of the biggest fines of its kind. Viacom agrees to pay $3.5 million. The deal ends federal probes into alleged indecent programming by Howard Stern and other shock jocks.
In culture, former Friend Lisa Kudrow, Feebie to you and me, is moving to a brand new neighborhood. Kudrow signed a deal to be the executive producer and star of a sitcom on HBO. The show is expected to fill the void left by another long running series, and that would be "Sex and the City."
In sports, running back Ricky Williams may be coming out of retirement after all. You had to expect this. His attorney says he could serve a four game drug suspension next month and then be reinstated to his old team, the Miami Dolphins. And I'm sure they'll welcome him with open loving arms. The NFL says no agreement has been reached.
To the forecast center now and Chad.
MYERS: Good morning, Carol.
How much money did he owe the Dolphins?
COSTELLO: Millions of dollars.
MYERS: Millions.
COSTELLO: It's crazy.
MYERS: Of course he's going back to work.
(WEATHER REPORT)
MYERS: The only place to be, Carol, is out West. A nice trip to Denver for a little bit of skiing or maybe to Las Vegas to lose some money. But I'll tell you what, if you're trying to go in the East today, take some time to plan ahead -- back to you.
COSTELLO: And, you know, Chad, a lot of people are already in the airport. And that's where they're watching us this morning.
MYERS: Oh, my. Yes.
COSTELLO: So, Happy Thanksgiving everyone at the airport.
MYERS: The bookstores will be busy at the airport today.
COSTELLO: That's for sure.
Thank you, Chad.
Those are the latest headlines for you this morning.
You can already taste it, that Thanksgiving dinner. How delicious it is. But what's it going to cost you in calories? We'll crunch the numbers in our "Breakfast With DAYBREAK."
Lisa Drayer will join us.
Plus, what you need to know before you give one of the most popular holiday gifts.
That's all ahead right here on DAYBREAK.
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COSTELLO: If you're in the midst of a job hunt and think you won't get hired until 2005, you are wrong. Here are some of the most common job seeking myths.
Number one, nobody hires in December. Not true.
Number two, you won't find the job you really want in December and you'll have a better chance if you wait until the first of the year. The truth is companies do hire between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
And speaking of the truth, make sure you're telling it.
John Challenger of Challenger, Gray & Christmas joins me now with some of the top resume lies.
Good morning.
JOHN CHALLENGER, CHALLENGER, GRAY & CHRISTMAS: Hi, Carol.
COSTELLO: You know, I must admit, I'm guilty of some of this. And I'm ashamed as -- well, not really. See, it's a weird conundrum. But let's run down the list.
The top five resume lie is, what, education?
CHALLENGER: It is education. So many people feel that that is so crucial in their job search that they feel that they have to push, say, a degree or the grade point average obtained. And yet interestingly, once you get past about 40, companies are far more interested in your experience and what you've done in the last five to 10 years anyway.
COSTELLO: So what if you're not past 40, though?
CHALLENGER: Well, it is more important as you get younger, and obviously you just can't not tell the truth. More and more companies are going to services that are checking information, certain kinds of information, on resumes. You don't want to get into the job and then get kicked out because the company feels you're not telling the truth.
COSTELLO: Got you.
A lot of people lie about their job titles. They sort of inflate it.
CHALLENGER: A lot of people pad that area. They feel that the company didn't recognize their skills or their talents or their contribution. So they bump that title up a little bit. Maybe that vice president title that they always thought they should have, this is the time to add it in.
COSTELLO: But does that help you, to inflate your job title?
CHALLENGER: You know, it really doesn't. It doesn't mean that some companies aren't looking, you know, if they are looking for a job at vice president level, that they'd like to see someone with it. So you can't say that it's not going to help in sorting you in. The problem is once the company finds out. The strategy just is not, long-term, a good one.
COSTELLO: OK. People lie about compensation. They say they are making more than they actually are, and they're probably doing that so that they can make more money in the next job.
CHALLENGER: A lot of companies, when they hire people, you know, look and ask just what it is the person made in the former job. They don't want to bump the person down. So if there's a range, you know, of salary, sometimes people think well, I'll put myself up to the top range, you know, and give themself that boost.
COSTELLO: Having been fired twice in my life, or maybe three times, this next one I can really understand, reason for leaving. Not a lot of people like to sit down at a job interview and say hey, the reason I left is because I was fired.
CHALLENGER: You know, it's a very hard question to answer and it is one that you don't have to tell, in a sense, the whole good, bad and ugly of what happened. You do want to put this in terms that says something good about yourself. It doesn't say that you were totally at fault. A lot of people talk themselves down. You don't want to blame the company for being rotten. That doesn't help. And you also want to tell the truth.
So this is one you've got to really fashion in the right way. But sometimes people cross the line and tell all right, you know, an outright falsehood.
COSTELLO: Got you.
Accomplishments. A lot of people say they've done more on the last job than they actually did.
CHALLENGER: Yes, this is really growing and it's a very hard one to detect. How are you ever going to really find out what someone did while they're on the job? You're not going to go back to the company and find out. With all the resumes that are proliferating over the Web, you can go in and cut and paste. People are taking whole accomplishments out, throwing them into their resume.
But if you get into a job and they want you to do work that you say you've done and you just don't have the know how to do it, it's going to become evident soon enough.
COSTELLO: John Challenger live from Chicago.
Thank you for joining DAYBREAK this morning.
CHALLENGER: Thanks, Carol.
COSTELLO: We'll break down the calories in that Thanksgiving Day feast next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: The holidays are filled with family, friends and do not forget the food. So how many calories are in that traditional Thanksgiving Day feast and do we really want to know?
Nutrition expert Lisa Drayer is here to talk about that.
I don't think I want to know.
LISA DRAYER, NUTRITIONIST: Oh, why not?
COSTELLO: So I'll cover my ears while you're talking about that.
DRAYER: But it's not so bad, especially if you go with the low fat options. But first, in terms of holiday weight gain, there's some good news, Carol. We don't gain as much as we may think.
COSTELLO: Really?
DRAYER: A recent study -- yes -- published in the "New England Journal of Medicine" followed holiday weight gain among 200 adults. So researchers followed them between Thanksgiving and New Year's. And they found out that they only gained about a pound, on average, during the six week period.
COSTELLO: No matter how much they ate?
DRAYER: Well, that's a good point. Of course, it depends on how much you eat. And interestingly, another study from, this one from Georgia State, shows that the more people you eat with, the more food you tend to consume. So, for example, if you eat with one other person, your meal tends to be 33 percent larger. With two it's 47 percent larger. And with three it's 58 percent larger. So...
COSTELLO: Oh, talk about following the crowd.
DRAYER: Right.
COSTELLO: Yes.
So, OK, give us -- give us the facts here. How many calories are in your Thanksgiving Day dinner?
DRAYER: OK, well, we're talking close to or maybe even more than a day's worth of calories. So we have a, just in number crunching, we have a graphic here.
First, beef and puff pastry, that's about 200 calories, 260 calories, 18 grams of fat. If you do dark meat with skin, that's 221 calories, 11 1/2 grams of fat. Turkey gravy with giblets, that's the higher fat option, 72 calories and four grams of fat. Going down, a high fat green bean casserole, 137 calories. High fat stuffing, close to 400 calories. That's for a cup. Candied sweet potatoes, that's with, you know, the brown sugar and the marshmallows, 360. And pecan pie, one slice of pecan pie, 452 calories and 21 grams of fat.
COSTELLO: No, no.
DRAYER: Yes. So the total -- 1,990 calories and 91 grams of fat. COSTELLO: Who knew pecan pie had that many calories in it?
DRAYER: I know. I was even surprised to see that.
Now, if you go low fat, you have a significant calorie savings. So, for example, if you do shrimp cocktail; turkey -- white meat turkey without the skin; fat free gravy; a low fat green bean casserole made with fresh onions, fat free or reduced fat, condensed Cream of Mushroom soup, that's a little recipe substitution there. Low fat stuffing made with olive oil and fat free chicken broth cuts your stuffing calories in half. Baked sweet potato, only a little more than 100 calories. And pecan pie, 229 calories. So you save 200 calories by choosing pumpkin over pecan pie. And your total savings is close to 1,000 calories.
COSTELLO: I feel like we need the cha-ching noise. Cha-ching.
No, that's great advice. And I like pumpkin better than pecan pie, so that's good news for me.
DRAYER: And it has the beta carotene in it, too, so.
COSTELLO: Right. Primo.
Let's talk about why turkey makes you sleepy, because every time I eat that huge meal, I just feel like taking a nap.
DRAYER: Right. A lot of us do. But chances are it's because of the amount of food that we've consumed, not the turkey per se. The turkey does contain tryptophan. This is an amino acid that's present in turkey and high levels have been shown to induce sleep, specifically in supplement form.
But the amount present in turkey is so low that it's probably not the tryptophan in turkey that's causing you to feel sleepy. It's probably all the other food that you've consumed.
COSTELLO: OK, so I'll be coming to your house tomorrow.
DRAYER: You're going to watch me?
COSTELLO: Yes, I'm going to watch you like cook a cheese sandwich. No, that's grill a cheese sandwich.
DRAYER: All right.
COSTELLO: I'm as bad as you are.
Thank you, Lisa.
DRAYER: Thanks.
COSTELLO: So which dishes do you plan to pig out on tomorrow? If you're like most Americans, you're most thankful for that turkey. Many of us like to get stuffed on stuffing. Tying for a weak third place, ham, mashed potatoes and even the perennial pumpkin pie. And which Thanksgiving traditions can you live without? Most say cranberry relish, any type of veggie and even sweet potatoes. Wait. The Jello-O salad with floaty things? It didn't make the list. I wonder why?
We're packing up much more for you this Wednesday morning. We'll tell you how some stormy weather might affect your travel plans this holiday week.
And what's ahead for a CBS News icon? We'll look at why Dan Rather is leaving the anchor Dan Rather is leaving the anchor desk.
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