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Difficulties of Women Candidates in Iraqi Elections; Are There Ways to Avoid Being Kidnapped in a War Zone?
Aired January 26, 2005 - 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: The senior citizen has some choice words for the officers who tasered him.
And how do you get out of a hostage situation? We'll talk to an expert who's trained people heading to Iraq.
Plus, "Defending America" -- what if the plane you were flying on became the target of terrorists with missiles? Are we prepared?
It is Wednesday.
You are watching DAYBREAK.
And good morning to you.
From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Chad Myers.
Now in the news, a U.S. Marine Corps helicopter crashed in western Iraq this morning. A rescue team is there now. No word yet on casualties or why the chopper went down.
Back here in the States, Condoleezza Rice is expected to win Senate confirmation this morning. In about five and a half hours, senators plan to vote on her nomination as secretary of state.
Another cabinet post also on the Senate's agenda this morning, the Judiciary Committee meets to consider attorney general nominee Alberto Gonzales. Democrats say Gonzales has dodged questions about U.S. anti-terror policies.
And dozens of people are homeless this morning after a fast moving fire ripped through a New York City apartment building. No word on what sparked the blaze, but a gas leak apparently fed the flames. Two firefighters were injured.
And they've been floating out in space for about four hours now, and they have two more to go. The two crew members of the international space station are on a space walk this morning. One of the jobs, installing a robotic arm -- Chad, good morning.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, Carol.
Kind of fascinating pictures there being beamed back, obviously. We've been getting them all night long.
Temperatures up there are very, very cold.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: A new wave of insurgent attacks across Iraq in the run-up to elections. In Baghdad, a car bomb targets a military convoy. Four coalition troops were wounded in the attack, but their nationalities are not yet known. And west of Kirkuk, three car bombs detonate within an hour, killing three Iraqi police officers and two Iraqi soldiers. The bombs targeted a police station, the mayor's office and a U.S. military convoy.
That ongoing and increasing violence in Iraq has had a chilling effect on the election process. Candidates keep a low profile, in fear of becoming targets for the insurgency. And for female candidates, the dangers on the path to democracy are even more extreme.
Here's our Christiane Amanpour.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Balsam Hashimal Hilli (ph) has come back from 35 years in exile to run in Iraq's election. Workers are still fixing up the electricity and the plumbing in the home she uses as an office. Her walls are festooned with cheerful campaign posters. But this is how she has to campaign -- by phone.
BALSAM AL-HILLI, NATION PARTY CANDIDATE: Well, of course, because a lot of women don't walk alone in the street. They're afraid of being kidnapped, not because for political reasons, but also because for ransom. You know, people ask for money. So that's a very big problem.
AMANPOUR: Election TV ads feature women and encourage them to participate and vote. Election organizers have mandated that 30 percent of the candidates must be women.
(on camera): The violence and political terrorism here have struck this election campaign hard. Neither the candidates nor the election workers can move around freely. They operate like underground cells, especially the women, who were targeted even before the campaign started.
(voice-over): Since the fall of Saddam, several women in Iraq's various transition governments have been assassinated. So have female engineers, university professors and school teachers. It has a chilling effect.
In the Shiite stronghold of Najaf, these six women announced to the press that they would be running in the elections. But Najaf is not as dangerous as Baghdad, where, like many female candidates, this one will not reveal her name or her face. All we can say is that she belongs to the main Shiite party, the United Iraqi Alliance. That's been attacked several times. She's afraid, but determined. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's my responsibility. I've got a responsibility of everyone. I am a woman. I should be involved in the political life.
AMANPOUR: Balsam is equally committed.
AL-HILLI: I came back because my roots are here and I want to come back to my roots. Even though I've lived for 35 years abroad, but to be honest, even when I dream, I always dreamt of the house I was born in.
AMANPOUR: It's not a normal election, they say. But they hope it'll be a start.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
AMANPOUR: In the meantime, the fear campaign is being beefed up by these insurgents. They have attacked several polling stations here in Baghdad, schools that were going to be used as polling stations. Some of those were damaged. And fliers that are being distributed in some areas of Baghdad and elsewhere in this country, warning people to stay away, not to vote and to just not go to the polling stations giving rather precise details about where they should be, not within 500 meters of a polling station, for instance.
So it's going to take a lot of courage for people to come out. They want to vote, but it'll take a lot of courage -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Christiane Amanpour live in Baghdad this morning.
Thank you.
Congress is considering a move that would raise the death payment for soldiers killed in action. Right now, families receive a check for just over $12,000. That's actually double what it was before Congress raised the amount in 2003. They also made it tax-free. The "New York Times" reporting that Congress is now discussing another raise, to a $100,000 payment. It's also considering changing the amount of automatic life insurance coverage from $250,000 to $300,000.
The Army National Guard wants to offer higher bonuses in order to fill a shortage of soldiers. The plan is to offer $15,000 to active duty soldiers who are willing to join the Guard when their enlistment is up. The current bonus is $50. The Guard says it has a shortage now of 15,000 soldiers.
In other news across America this morning, all eight Navy crew members were rescued after their helicopter crashed about 30 miles off the coast of Virginia. The Sea Dragon helicopter was on a training mission off the USS Eisenhower when it went down. The Navy now investigating.
An update on a story we told you about yesterday. A small plane that was watched by federal officials as it landed in San Antonio, Texas was carrying four illegal Chinese immigrants. The pilot is expected to be charged with smuggling, while the immigrants will likely be deported.
And here's another update for you. City officials in San Francisco call for more study on a plan to charge shoppers for grocery bags. The $0.17 per bag charge would help pay for cleanup and recycling. Further study is required before that fee can be imposed. The study is expected to be finished by the end of April.
A 78-year-old California man is planning to sue Los Angeles Airport police after he was tasered twice and manhandled. William Lamb had gone into the LAX police station to retrieve his impounded car. Now, this tape shows some of what happened next. It's hard to see, though, isn't it?
Police say when Lamb could not get the car, he became very angry and he moved toward the officers. They say they warned Lamb before taking action.
But Lamb tells it this way.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WILLIAM LAMB: He shot me twice on the leg here. Of course, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) and then, then he was still mad and then he grabbed my right hand and put it up behind my back and started pushing it up and pulling it and yanking it as much as he could. And he broke a bone here in my elbow.
They're not police. These are security people. These are 90 I.Q. people.
QUESTION: Yes.
LAMB: They couldn't pass any exam.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Lamb was taken to the hospital and apparently went home OK.
Still to come on DAYBREAK this hour, McDonald's isn't off the hook yet. We'll give you the skinny on a lawsuit that accuses the fast food giant of making people fat.
Also, it's much more than just cutting carbs. We'll look at drastic weight loss options that more and more people are opting for.
And how do you keep from getting kidnapped in a war zone? We'll get some expert advice.
But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Wednesday morning, January 26.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(STOCK MARKET REPORT)
COSTELLO: Your news, money, weather and sports.
It's 6:12 Eastern.
Here's what's all new this morning.
Condoleezza Rice is expected to be confirmed today. The Senate begins debate on her nomination as secretary of state just about four hours from now. The vote is expected to come at 11:30 a.m. Eastern.
U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan has been questioned for a third time in the Oil For Food Program in Iraq. He was interviewed by the U.N.'s Independent Inquiry Committee, a panel he named to look into the program.
In money news, the Congressional Budget Office says this year's deficit will top $368 billion. And over the next decade, deficits will total $855 billion. And those figures do not include war costs, President Bush's Social Security plan or making his tax cuts permanent.
In culture, a handwritten letter by controversial boxing champion Jack Johnson is to be sold at auction. In the letter, Johnson claims he purposely lost a title fight to the great white hope, Jess Willard, in 1915.
In sports, if Eagles' wide receiver Terrell Owens plays in the Super Bowl, it will be against his doctor's wishes. Owens has said he plans to be in uniform for the game on February 6, but his doctor says he hasn't taken enough time to recover from that broken ankle -- Chad.
MYERS: Yes, he was dancing on the sidelines, Carol. He was having a good time there in Philadelphia. Maybe now with a little bit of warmer weather down in Jacksonville coming up in the next couple of weeks, that'll maybe help him out, as well.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: Those are the latest headlines for you this morning.
Time now for a little "Business Buzz."
The famous McDonald's obesity case gets new life, raising concerns about advertising to kids.
Carrie Lee live at the Nasdaq market site to tell us more -- good morning.
CARRIE LEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Carol.
Good morning to you.
An appeals court on Tuesday has revived part of a class action lawsuit blaming McDonald's for making people fat. The suit reinstates claims pertaining to deceptive advertising.
Now, other parts of this case were thrown out years ago when a judge ruled the case failed to link children's alleged health problems directly to McDonald's' products. McDonald's continues to say the case is without merit. Separately, the "Wall Street Journal" is reporting that food companies and ad agencies are coming together, creating a lobbying group to defend their right to advertise for kids. And the alliance includes General Mills, Kellogg's and Kraft Foods, the top three advertisers of packaged foods to children. They are defending the industry's rights to advertise to children and to promise or to promote their willingness to police themselves.
So the story continues here.
Turning to stocks, we saw the biggest gains of the year yesterday. The Dow finishing higher by 92 points.
Futures looking strong for this morning's session.
One stock to watch today is going to be Sirius Satellite Radio. The company is coming out with profits and the shares have been volatile lately. They've doubled since they agreed to hire Howard Stern and Mel Karmazin. We'll see what they do today -- Carol, back to you.
COSTELLO: Carrie Lee live at the Nasdaq market site.
Thank you.
Much more to come on DAYBREAK.
File sharing on the Web -- it's got some famous folks up in arms -- the Eagles, the Dixie Chicks, Bonnie Raitt. They're not performing together, they're going to court together.
Also, a hostage drama overseas hits an American family back home. We'll show you what has left them on edge, after a break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Sixty seconds of fear -- a videotape of an American being held hostage in Iraq is dramatic and frightening. A gun is pointed at the head of Roy Hallums. He's wringing his hands, pleading for help. Back in Corona, California, a daughter fears for his safety.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CARRIE COOPER, ROY HALLUMS' DAUGHTER: I'm in a lot of pain. It's hard. It's hard seeing my dad in the state he was in, because he doesn't look like himself, you know? He doesn't look healthy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: In addition to Roy Hallums, two other Americans remain unaccounted for in Iraq -- Specialist Matt Maupin and Kellogg, Brown & Root truck driver Timothy Bell. They both have been missing since their convoy came under attack back on April 9 in 2004, near the Baghdad International Airport. Is there a chance they're all still alive? And are there ways to avoid being kidnapped in a war zone?
Live to Randy Spivey, president of R.S. Consulting. He spent 11 years as a senior Defense Department instructor in hostage survival.
Welcome.
RANDY SPIVEY, PRESIDENT, R.S. CONSULTING: Good morning, Carol.
COSTELLO: I know you've seen the Hallums tape.
What can you determine from looking at it?
SPIVEY: Well, there are a couple of things. First of all, you can see obviously he's under a lot of duress. You can see the muzzle of a weapon pointed at him. And so the comments that he's making, obviously, have been handed to him or he's certainly under duress.
COSTELLO: He was kidnapped a number of months ago, back in November.
Is it unusual that the kidnappers would release a tape this late in the game?
SPIVEY: No. It's not unusual for them to release it at this point. You know, they obviously have a reason for doing that. But one of the positive things is people on the outside can look at that as a proof of life. Obviously, we don't know exactly when that was released, but it is a positive to be able to see him alive.
COSTELLO: Mr. Hallums is an American who was working for a Saudi company. On the tape, he asks for Arab help in the form of Libyan leader Moammar Qaddafi.
Is that significant?
SPIVEY: Well, you know, third party entities have played significant roles in the past in freeing hostages or even political prisoners. So the fact that he's reaching out to that area or maybe that was part of what was handed to him, we don't know. But certainly third party entities have been effective in the past in securing the release of hostages.
COSTELLO: You trained people to survive kidnapping.
Without getting into specific information, generally, how do you do that?
SPIVEY: Well, we use a model called stress inoculation training. And it's similar, if you were going to travel in a high risk area, say someplace you could catch malaria, you'd want to take medicine or a vaccine that would boost your immunity to that. Similar with a hostage situation. You want to be exposed to a little bit of the real thing.
So we'll give them guidance. We'll provide academics on how to prevent being abducted. We'll also give them academics on how to survive it.
But then we actually place them in a simulated role play situation, to where they have to practice that guidance and it actually allows them to build a skills set they could use if, in fact, they are taken hostage.
COSTELLO: Do most private contractors who go to Iraq go through training like that?
SPIVEY: No, I think the majority do not. From what I understand, most will get a briefing. They will get an orientation when they go overseas. But going into what I would call a higher risk category of training that usually puts more in depth training, a day or two, my understanding is most do not.
COSTELLO: And finally, from all that you have studied over the years, and you have a long history in the study of these things, what are the chances that Roy Hallums and the others are still alive?
SPIVEY: Well, we hope for the best. Obviously, the situation in Iraq is very volatile. But, you know, we want to be optimistic that he is alive and know that the State Department and other U.S. agencies are doing everything they can to secure their release.
Most hostages worldwide survive. Obviously is it a little bit more volatile than other countries. But historically, about 85 percent of hostages come out alive.
COSTELLO: Randy Spivey, thank you for joining DAYBREAK this morning.
The price tag for invading Iraq is high and it's getting higher. Just ahead on DAYBREAK, we'll look at President Bush's latest request for billions of your tax dollars.
And later, a desperate push for some morbidly obese people involves a radical change. Is this kind of surgery too high a price to pay, though? We'll get some answers just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: And good morning to you.
Welcome to the last half hour of DAYBREAK.
From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Chad Myers.
Now in the news, Connecticut today plans to appeal a federal court's decision halting the execution of serial killer Michael Ross. Ross admits to killing eight women in Connecticut and New York in the early '80s.
In India, the relatives of 258 people killed in a stampede during a religious procession have been trying to identify the victims. An estimated 300,000 people had gathered for a festival on a narrow walkway leading to a Hindu temple in western India.
It's been exactly one month since the devastating earthquake and tsunamis hit Southeast Asia. Workers are still finding bodies under the rubble. After changes in the way the dead and missing are accounted for, the toll now stands at nearly 144,000 dead. And, listen to this, nearly 147,000 still missing.
And in southern California, fears of another mud slide forced the evacuation of six homes at the bottom of a 70-foot slope. As much as an inch of rain is expected beginning today. Previous rains have already saturated the ground and officials fear the slope could collapse.
Tell us more -- Chad.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: President Bush wants $80 billion more of your tax dollars. Most of that money would go for the war in Iraq, which is already costing American taxpayers some $4.3 billion a month.
Live to Washington and CNN Radio correspondent Dick Uliano -- good morning, Dick.
DICK ULIANO, CNN RADIO CORRESPONDENT: A very good morning to you, Carol.
COSTELLO: Is it likely the president will get his wish?
ULIANO: Absolutely, it's likely the president will get what he's asking for when it comes to money for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. For example, the House Democrat leader, Nancy Pelosi, said it is the highest responsibility of the Congress to provide money for the troops when they need it. And this $80 billion figure, which the White House says the president will seek for the war in Iraq, would bring the expected federal budget deficit this to $427 billion. That's the highest ever. The highest before that was last year, at $412 billion -- Carol.
COSTELLO: I know the numbers you're tossing around are just mind boggling.
Isn't it the president's wish, though, to lessen the budget deficit? Wasn't that one of his promises?
ULIANO: Yes, Carol, and the White House continues to say that plans are still in place to cut the budget deficit in half over the next five years by curbing spending and cutting taxes to promote economic growth. And if people don't know what the budget deficit is or if it's too early in the morning to grasp this, it is that the government plans to spend $427 billion more this year than it takes in in taxes and fees and other revenue.
COSTELLO: Oh, you put it simply for us and we appreciate that.
Dick Uliano reporting live from Washington this morning. Thank you.
Military families nervously watch the news for any word of their loved ones serving in Iraq. This week, the anticipation is even greater, with violence expected ahead of the Iraqi elections.
CNN's Bill Hemmer joins us now to tell us about a family he'll talk to on AMERICAN MORNING.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired January 26, 2005 - 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: The senior citizen has some choice words for the officers who tasered him.
And how do you get out of a hostage situation? We'll talk to an expert who's trained people heading to Iraq.
Plus, "Defending America" -- what if the plane you were flying on became the target of terrorists with missiles? Are we prepared?
It is Wednesday.
You are watching DAYBREAK.
And good morning to you.
From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Chad Myers.
Now in the news, a U.S. Marine Corps helicopter crashed in western Iraq this morning. A rescue team is there now. No word yet on casualties or why the chopper went down.
Back here in the States, Condoleezza Rice is expected to win Senate confirmation this morning. In about five and a half hours, senators plan to vote on her nomination as secretary of state.
Another cabinet post also on the Senate's agenda this morning, the Judiciary Committee meets to consider attorney general nominee Alberto Gonzales. Democrats say Gonzales has dodged questions about U.S. anti-terror policies.
And dozens of people are homeless this morning after a fast moving fire ripped through a New York City apartment building. No word on what sparked the blaze, but a gas leak apparently fed the flames. Two firefighters were injured.
And they've been floating out in space for about four hours now, and they have two more to go. The two crew members of the international space station are on a space walk this morning. One of the jobs, installing a robotic arm -- Chad, good morning.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, Carol.
Kind of fascinating pictures there being beamed back, obviously. We've been getting them all night long.
Temperatures up there are very, very cold.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: A new wave of insurgent attacks across Iraq in the run-up to elections. In Baghdad, a car bomb targets a military convoy. Four coalition troops were wounded in the attack, but their nationalities are not yet known. And west of Kirkuk, three car bombs detonate within an hour, killing three Iraqi police officers and two Iraqi soldiers. The bombs targeted a police station, the mayor's office and a U.S. military convoy.
That ongoing and increasing violence in Iraq has had a chilling effect on the election process. Candidates keep a low profile, in fear of becoming targets for the insurgency. And for female candidates, the dangers on the path to democracy are even more extreme.
Here's our Christiane Amanpour.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Balsam Hashimal Hilli (ph) has come back from 35 years in exile to run in Iraq's election. Workers are still fixing up the electricity and the plumbing in the home she uses as an office. Her walls are festooned with cheerful campaign posters. But this is how she has to campaign -- by phone.
BALSAM AL-HILLI, NATION PARTY CANDIDATE: Well, of course, because a lot of women don't walk alone in the street. They're afraid of being kidnapped, not because for political reasons, but also because for ransom. You know, people ask for money. So that's a very big problem.
AMANPOUR: Election TV ads feature women and encourage them to participate and vote. Election organizers have mandated that 30 percent of the candidates must be women.
(on camera): The violence and political terrorism here have struck this election campaign hard. Neither the candidates nor the election workers can move around freely. They operate like underground cells, especially the women, who were targeted even before the campaign started.
(voice-over): Since the fall of Saddam, several women in Iraq's various transition governments have been assassinated. So have female engineers, university professors and school teachers. It has a chilling effect.
In the Shiite stronghold of Najaf, these six women announced to the press that they would be running in the elections. But Najaf is not as dangerous as Baghdad, where, like many female candidates, this one will not reveal her name or her face. All we can say is that she belongs to the main Shiite party, the United Iraqi Alliance. That's been attacked several times. She's afraid, but determined. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's my responsibility. I've got a responsibility of everyone. I am a woman. I should be involved in the political life.
AMANPOUR: Balsam is equally committed.
AL-HILLI: I came back because my roots are here and I want to come back to my roots. Even though I've lived for 35 years abroad, but to be honest, even when I dream, I always dreamt of the house I was born in.
AMANPOUR: It's not a normal election, they say. But they hope it'll be a start.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
AMANPOUR: In the meantime, the fear campaign is being beefed up by these insurgents. They have attacked several polling stations here in Baghdad, schools that were going to be used as polling stations. Some of those were damaged. And fliers that are being distributed in some areas of Baghdad and elsewhere in this country, warning people to stay away, not to vote and to just not go to the polling stations giving rather precise details about where they should be, not within 500 meters of a polling station, for instance.
So it's going to take a lot of courage for people to come out. They want to vote, but it'll take a lot of courage -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Christiane Amanpour live in Baghdad this morning.
Thank you.
Congress is considering a move that would raise the death payment for soldiers killed in action. Right now, families receive a check for just over $12,000. That's actually double what it was before Congress raised the amount in 2003. They also made it tax-free. The "New York Times" reporting that Congress is now discussing another raise, to a $100,000 payment. It's also considering changing the amount of automatic life insurance coverage from $250,000 to $300,000.
The Army National Guard wants to offer higher bonuses in order to fill a shortage of soldiers. The plan is to offer $15,000 to active duty soldiers who are willing to join the Guard when their enlistment is up. The current bonus is $50. The Guard says it has a shortage now of 15,000 soldiers.
In other news across America this morning, all eight Navy crew members were rescued after their helicopter crashed about 30 miles off the coast of Virginia. The Sea Dragon helicopter was on a training mission off the USS Eisenhower when it went down. The Navy now investigating.
An update on a story we told you about yesterday. A small plane that was watched by federal officials as it landed in San Antonio, Texas was carrying four illegal Chinese immigrants. The pilot is expected to be charged with smuggling, while the immigrants will likely be deported.
And here's another update for you. City officials in San Francisco call for more study on a plan to charge shoppers for grocery bags. The $0.17 per bag charge would help pay for cleanup and recycling. Further study is required before that fee can be imposed. The study is expected to be finished by the end of April.
A 78-year-old California man is planning to sue Los Angeles Airport police after he was tasered twice and manhandled. William Lamb had gone into the LAX police station to retrieve his impounded car. Now, this tape shows some of what happened next. It's hard to see, though, isn't it?
Police say when Lamb could not get the car, he became very angry and he moved toward the officers. They say they warned Lamb before taking action.
But Lamb tells it this way.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WILLIAM LAMB: He shot me twice on the leg here. Of course, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) and then, then he was still mad and then he grabbed my right hand and put it up behind my back and started pushing it up and pulling it and yanking it as much as he could. And he broke a bone here in my elbow.
They're not police. These are security people. These are 90 I.Q. people.
QUESTION: Yes.
LAMB: They couldn't pass any exam.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Lamb was taken to the hospital and apparently went home OK.
Still to come on DAYBREAK this hour, McDonald's isn't off the hook yet. We'll give you the skinny on a lawsuit that accuses the fast food giant of making people fat.
Also, it's much more than just cutting carbs. We'll look at drastic weight loss options that more and more people are opting for.
And how do you keep from getting kidnapped in a war zone? We'll get some expert advice.
But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Wednesday morning, January 26.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(STOCK MARKET REPORT)
COSTELLO: Your news, money, weather and sports.
It's 6:12 Eastern.
Here's what's all new this morning.
Condoleezza Rice is expected to be confirmed today. The Senate begins debate on her nomination as secretary of state just about four hours from now. The vote is expected to come at 11:30 a.m. Eastern.
U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan has been questioned for a third time in the Oil For Food Program in Iraq. He was interviewed by the U.N.'s Independent Inquiry Committee, a panel he named to look into the program.
In money news, the Congressional Budget Office says this year's deficit will top $368 billion. And over the next decade, deficits will total $855 billion. And those figures do not include war costs, President Bush's Social Security plan or making his tax cuts permanent.
In culture, a handwritten letter by controversial boxing champion Jack Johnson is to be sold at auction. In the letter, Johnson claims he purposely lost a title fight to the great white hope, Jess Willard, in 1915.
In sports, if Eagles' wide receiver Terrell Owens plays in the Super Bowl, it will be against his doctor's wishes. Owens has said he plans to be in uniform for the game on February 6, but his doctor says he hasn't taken enough time to recover from that broken ankle -- Chad.
MYERS: Yes, he was dancing on the sidelines, Carol. He was having a good time there in Philadelphia. Maybe now with a little bit of warmer weather down in Jacksonville coming up in the next couple of weeks, that'll maybe help him out, as well.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: Those are the latest headlines for you this morning.
Time now for a little "Business Buzz."
The famous McDonald's obesity case gets new life, raising concerns about advertising to kids.
Carrie Lee live at the Nasdaq market site to tell us more -- good morning.
CARRIE LEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Carol.
Good morning to you.
An appeals court on Tuesday has revived part of a class action lawsuit blaming McDonald's for making people fat. The suit reinstates claims pertaining to deceptive advertising.
Now, other parts of this case were thrown out years ago when a judge ruled the case failed to link children's alleged health problems directly to McDonald's' products. McDonald's continues to say the case is without merit. Separately, the "Wall Street Journal" is reporting that food companies and ad agencies are coming together, creating a lobbying group to defend their right to advertise for kids. And the alliance includes General Mills, Kellogg's and Kraft Foods, the top three advertisers of packaged foods to children. They are defending the industry's rights to advertise to children and to promise or to promote their willingness to police themselves.
So the story continues here.
Turning to stocks, we saw the biggest gains of the year yesterday. The Dow finishing higher by 92 points.
Futures looking strong for this morning's session.
One stock to watch today is going to be Sirius Satellite Radio. The company is coming out with profits and the shares have been volatile lately. They've doubled since they agreed to hire Howard Stern and Mel Karmazin. We'll see what they do today -- Carol, back to you.
COSTELLO: Carrie Lee live at the Nasdaq market site.
Thank you.
Much more to come on DAYBREAK.
File sharing on the Web -- it's got some famous folks up in arms -- the Eagles, the Dixie Chicks, Bonnie Raitt. They're not performing together, they're going to court together.
Also, a hostage drama overseas hits an American family back home. We'll show you what has left them on edge, after a break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Sixty seconds of fear -- a videotape of an American being held hostage in Iraq is dramatic and frightening. A gun is pointed at the head of Roy Hallums. He's wringing his hands, pleading for help. Back in Corona, California, a daughter fears for his safety.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CARRIE COOPER, ROY HALLUMS' DAUGHTER: I'm in a lot of pain. It's hard. It's hard seeing my dad in the state he was in, because he doesn't look like himself, you know? He doesn't look healthy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: In addition to Roy Hallums, two other Americans remain unaccounted for in Iraq -- Specialist Matt Maupin and Kellogg, Brown & Root truck driver Timothy Bell. They both have been missing since their convoy came under attack back on April 9 in 2004, near the Baghdad International Airport. Is there a chance they're all still alive? And are there ways to avoid being kidnapped in a war zone?
Live to Randy Spivey, president of R.S. Consulting. He spent 11 years as a senior Defense Department instructor in hostage survival.
Welcome.
RANDY SPIVEY, PRESIDENT, R.S. CONSULTING: Good morning, Carol.
COSTELLO: I know you've seen the Hallums tape.
What can you determine from looking at it?
SPIVEY: Well, there are a couple of things. First of all, you can see obviously he's under a lot of duress. You can see the muzzle of a weapon pointed at him. And so the comments that he's making, obviously, have been handed to him or he's certainly under duress.
COSTELLO: He was kidnapped a number of months ago, back in November.
Is it unusual that the kidnappers would release a tape this late in the game?
SPIVEY: No. It's not unusual for them to release it at this point. You know, they obviously have a reason for doing that. But one of the positive things is people on the outside can look at that as a proof of life. Obviously, we don't know exactly when that was released, but it is a positive to be able to see him alive.
COSTELLO: Mr. Hallums is an American who was working for a Saudi company. On the tape, he asks for Arab help in the form of Libyan leader Moammar Qaddafi.
Is that significant?
SPIVEY: Well, you know, third party entities have played significant roles in the past in freeing hostages or even political prisoners. So the fact that he's reaching out to that area or maybe that was part of what was handed to him, we don't know. But certainly third party entities have been effective in the past in securing the release of hostages.
COSTELLO: You trained people to survive kidnapping.
Without getting into specific information, generally, how do you do that?
SPIVEY: Well, we use a model called stress inoculation training. And it's similar, if you were going to travel in a high risk area, say someplace you could catch malaria, you'd want to take medicine or a vaccine that would boost your immunity to that. Similar with a hostage situation. You want to be exposed to a little bit of the real thing.
So we'll give them guidance. We'll provide academics on how to prevent being abducted. We'll also give them academics on how to survive it.
But then we actually place them in a simulated role play situation, to where they have to practice that guidance and it actually allows them to build a skills set they could use if, in fact, they are taken hostage.
COSTELLO: Do most private contractors who go to Iraq go through training like that?
SPIVEY: No, I think the majority do not. From what I understand, most will get a briefing. They will get an orientation when they go overseas. But going into what I would call a higher risk category of training that usually puts more in depth training, a day or two, my understanding is most do not.
COSTELLO: And finally, from all that you have studied over the years, and you have a long history in the study of these things, what are the chances that Roy Hallums and the others are still alive?
SPIVEY: Well, we hope for the best. Obviously, the situation in Iraq is very volatile. But, you know, we want to be optimistic that he is alive and know that the State Department and other U.S. agencies are doing everything they can to secure their release.
Most hostages worldwide survive. Obviously is it a little bit more volatile than other countries. But historically, about 85 percent of hostages come out alive.
COSTELLO: Randy Spivey, thank you for joining DAYBREAK this morning.
The price tag for invading Iraq is high and it's getting higher. Just ahead on DAYBREAK, we'll look at President Bush's latest request for billions of your tax dollars.
And later, a desperate push for some morbidly obese people involves a radical change. Is this kind of surgery too high a price to pay, though? We'll get some answers just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: And good morning to you.
Welcome to the last half hour of DAYBREAK.
From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Chad Myers.
Now in the news, Connecticut today plans to appeal a federal court's decision halting the execution of serial killer Michael Ross. Ross admits to killing eight women in Connecticut and New York in the early '80s.
In India, the relatives of 258 people killed in a stampede during a religious procession have been trying to identify the victims. An estimated 300,000 people had gathered for a festival on a narrow walkway leading to a Hindu temple in western India.
It's been exactly one month since the devastating earthquake and tsunamis hit Southeast Asia. Workers are still finding bodies under the rubble. After changes in the way the dead and missing are accounted for, the toll now stands at nearly 144,000 dead. And, listen to this, nearly 147,000 still missing.
And in southern California, fears of another mud slide forced the evacuation of six homes at the bottom of a 70-foot slope. As much as an inch of rain is expected beginning today. Previous rains have already saturated the ground and officials fear the slope could collapse.
Tell us more -- Chad.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: President Bush wants $80 billion more of your tax dollars. Most of that money would go for the war in Iraq, which is already costing American taxpayers some $4.3 billion a month.
Live to Washington and CNN Radio correspondent Dick Uliano -- good morning, Dick.
DICK ULIANO, CNN RADIO CORRESPONDENT: A very good morning to you, Carol.
COSTELLO: Is it likely the president will get his wish?
ULIANO: Absolutely, it's likely the president will get what he's asking for when it comes to money for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. For example, the House Democrat leader, Nancy Pelosi, said it is the highest responsibility of the Congress to provide money for the troops when they need it. And this $80 billion figure, which the White House says the president will seek for the war in Iraq, would bring the expected federal budget deficit this to $427 billion. That's the highest ever. The highest before that was last year, at $412 billion -- Carol.
COSTELLO: I know the numbers you're tossing around are just mind boggling.
Isn't it the president's wish, though, to lessen the budget deficit? Wasn't that one of his promises?
ULIANO: Yes, Carol, and the White House continues to say that plans are still in place to cut the budget deficit in half over the next five years by curbing spending and cutting taxes to promote economic growth. And if people don't know what the budget deficit is or if it's too early in the morning to grasp this, it is that the government plans to spend $427 billion more this year than it takes in in taxes and fees and other revenue.
COSTELLO: Oh, you put it simply for us and we appreciate that.
Dick Uliano reporting live from Washington this morning. Thank you.
Military families nervously watch the news for any word of their loved ones serving in Iraq. This week, the anticipation is even greater, with violence expected ahead of the Iraqi elections.
CNN's Bill Hemmer joins us now to tell us about a family he'll talk to on AMERICAN MORNING.
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