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CNN Live At Daybreak

Colorado Blizzard; Controversial Mass; Delicate Middle East

Aired April 11, 2005 - 5:00   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: Straight ahead on DAYBREAK, an American cardinal prepares to remember the pope. But not everyone is celebrating this morning's mass. We'll tell you why when we go live to the Vatican in six minutes.
Plus, it may be April, but keep on shoveling. A blizzard roars through Colorado, stranding travelers left and right.

And the Tiger smiles. Doesn't that tell it all? A finish you will not believe at the Masters.

It is Monday, April 11. This is 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," Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and President Bush meet at the president's Texas ranch this morning. The president is objecting to Israel's plans for 3,500 new housing units in the disputed West Bank.

John Bolton has voiced disdain for the United Nations, but he's the president's pick to be the U.N. ambassador. The nomination goes before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee three hours from now.

Court martial opens this morning for U.S. Army sergeant accused of killing two officers before the Iraq invasion. Hasan Akbar's trial begins about four hours from now at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

And holy cow, Colorado. Parts of the state are socked in by a blizzard this morning. Up to two feet has fallen, closing roads and stranding travelers. Many schools are closed today.

And it's April, Chad.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, it is, Carol. But when you get up in elevation like 5,000, Mile High City, that doesn't always work.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Nasty, nasty, nasty. Sean Callebs is in Denver, Chad.

MYERS: Yes.

COSTELLO: He's going to show us more of the blizzard.

MYERS: He's going to try.

COSTELLO: Yes.

MYERS: I saw a big white sheet, which was the snow flying horizontally.

COSTELLO: Well, let's watch his story and see.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it may be great for the skiers, but it is an absolute nightmare for travelers. White stuff been coming down for hours and hours here in Denver throughout the whole plains area of Colorado, dealing with this early spring blizzard.

Now, what's it mean for travelers? Denver International Airport shut down virtually all of Sunday. United Airlines canceled all of its flights that day. It's a major hub for the airlines, so simply legions of travelers stuck.

The only flights that were being accepted throughout the day, international flights coming into this area. As far as the interstates go, it was very bad as well.

I-70, east of Denver, shut down for hours and hours. And I-26 -- it goes up and down the state -- shut down about a 20-mile stretch of Colorado Springs, and then further south all the way to the New Mexico border.

And look how bad it is. This in Denver proper. And it's getting less snow than some of the other areas. You can see it's close to a foot deep here.

Also, spring had just begun to be noticed out here. These crab apple tree blossoms were coming out, but they are already withering because of the snow and ice buildup.

Now the potential for drivers also very bad. There you see the capital area. Much of the street there has been cleaned in the Denver area. But much different in the outlying areas.

And power outages, too, a problem. Here's a pretty good example of exactly why. This tree simply overburdened by the snow. And this is happening to power lines.

Close to 10,000 people without power for most part of the day. People out here used to the very light, fluffy snow. Not much humidity out here. But this is far different. This is very wet, very thick, and causing a lot of problems.

Sean Callebs, CNN, in Denver.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: I thought he was going to throw that snowball right at the camera. But he was responsible. Good for Sean.

Denver, as you know, is a big western airport hub. It's a good idea to check the airport's Web site, FlyDenver.com. It's suggesting that only travelers with confirmed seats on flights that are confirmed to depart should come to the airport today. You can always check the status of any airport in the country. It's real time at FAA.gov -- that's FAA.gov.

We'll get the travel forecast near the back half of our next hour when we check in with the Denver police liaison to the Colorado Office of Emergency Management. He'll join us live in the next hour of DAYBREAK.

More news from "Across America" now.

Here are some great pictures of a tornado touching down near Russell, Kansas. Look at that thing. Several twisters were spotted in the north and central parts of the state. You heard Chad talking about that. No reports of damage or injuries here.

Students at Miami University in Hawaii are mourning the deaths of three classmates. They were killed during a fire at a house off campus. Two other people were injured. The cause of this fire still under investigation.

Law enforcement sources tell CNN that the man accused of killing Jessica Lunsford told police that he buried her alive. The police say they're still trying to confirm several details in John Couey's story. Lawmakers and school officials held a town meeting with residents of Homosassa, Florida. They outlined changes being made to better protect children from sexual predators.

And supporters from several states attended a rally in West Carmel, Ohio, to mark the one-year anniversary of Matt Maupin's capture. The 21-year-old Army reservist was taken in Iraq. He still hasn't been found. Maupin is the only U.S. soldier listed as captured in Iraq. He was promoted to sergeant last week, but the military says Maupin's status is being reviewed and that could change.

Anger over the Catholic priest sex scandal in the United States may spill over to Rome today. One of the men at the center of the American scandal is scheduled to perform a special mass today to remember Pope John Paul II. CNN's Chris Burns joins us live from the Vatican with more.

Good morning, Chris.

CHRIS BURNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

Just as last word, there's a group that just left the plane today, got off the plane here in Rome called SNAP, Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. And they plan to protest right out here over my shoulder on the edge of St. Peter's Square during a mass by an American cardinal whose name is Bernard Law.

He was the archbishop in Boston, and he resigned in disgrace there a couple of years ago after -- after court documents show that he was moving priests to various other parishes after those priests were accused of sexual abuse of children. And this is where this group, which claims to represent some 5,000 people in American, the leader of that group has arrived here. And she is among those who have been abused by priests. They are going to be expressing their anger outside.

Now why, would you ask, is Cardinal Law giving mass as part of this mourning process at the Vatican for John Paul II's death? It is because, according to Vatican insiders, that he is head of the church of -- the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore here in Rome, which is a ranking position. And that is why he is entitled to this.

But there is a lot of question and controversy as to why he's still being allowed to do this. The SNAP group is calling this a cynical attempt to rehabilitate himself. And so we'll be watching this later today -- Carol.

COSTELLO: So can that group, members of that group, anyway, get to these cardinals to stop Cardinal Law from performing this mass?

BURNS: Well, you know, in the process here, what is going on is, in this period over the next week before the conclave to pick a new pope, these cardinals are supposed to remain quiet and in prayer and not talk to anybody. So the accessibility is completely locked down.

There's a media blackout, really, as far as the cardinals are concerned. And that is why they can't get to them. But they do intend to protest here outside St. Peter's Square, perhaps even be inside the basilica.

We'll be watching for that.

COSTELLO: Chris Burns live from Vatican City this morning. Thank you.

BURNS: Thank you.

COSTELLO: To the Middle East now, Israel and the Palestinians. Thousands of Israeli police kept Israelis out of Jerusalem's old city Sunday while Muslims worshipped. Protesters say this was a trial run for the demonstrations planned this summer, when Israel orders settlements closed in Gaza.

There also were protesters in Crawford, Texas. A few waved Palestinian flags. A group calling itself United Coalition for Israel plans to demonstrate today against allowing Palestinian statehood.

Those protesters are expected to be kept far away from the president's ranch, where Ariel Sharon is meeting with President Bush. It seems Sharon is catching heat every which way he turns.

Our Elaine Quijano has more on that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In roughly three months, Israel plans to remove its troops and thousands of Jewish settlers from 21 Israeli settlements in Gaza and four in the West Bank. But Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon is taking intense political heat for the idea, even receiving death threats.

DAVID MAKOVSKY, INSTITUTE FOR NEAR EAST POLICY: I think Sharon has a sincere problem at home with 100,000 protesters, 200 Israelis that are trying to kill him and a party that is very divided and convinced that this is a bad idea. Meeting with President Bush is not going to change that fundamental point.

QUIJANO: Still, Mr. Sharon heads to Crawford with the hope of getting backup once again from President Bush.

It was nearly a year ago, the two leaders stood together at the White House and President Bush made clear he was firmly behind Sharon's plan.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I commend Prime Minister Sharon for his bold and courageous decision to withdraw from Gaza and parts of the West Bank.

QUIJANO: Yet complicating the picture now, Israel's recent call to develop land just east of Jerusalem that the Palestinians claim is theirs. Critics say that would affect what any future Palestinian state might look like, while Sharon argues it would be a natural extension of an existing Jerusalem suburb.

The U.S. calls those plans at odds with American policy. And while the president says he intends to take up the issue of Jewish settlements with Sharon, Mr. Bush also wants to give the prime minister the latitude he needs in the short-term to carry out the Gaza withdrawal successfully.

At the same time, President Bush will urge the Israeli leader to work closely with the new Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas. Yet Israelis say Abbas has not been effective enough in dismantling and disarming terrorist groups.

(on camera): Still, analysts say with Mahmoud Abbas Israelis and Palestinians have a prime opportunity to move the peace process forward. They see Abbas and committed to coexistence and say it's critical any plans for Israel to withdraw must be coordinated with him.

Elaine Quijano, CNN, Crawford, Texas.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: It can happen in an instant if you're driving in bad weather, and it did in Toledo, Ohio. Man, did they all walk away? We'll have details for you in six minutes.

It took a playoff to do it, but a familiar face is once again wearing that familiar green jacket. Highlights in 11 minutes. And with the royal wedding behind them, Charles and Camilla relax in the Scottish highlands. Comments from the experts on the British peerage coming up in 32 minutes.

But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Monday morning.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: The international markets are in negative territory this morning. Tokyo's Nikkei down 129 points. The London FTSE down nearly 17. The German DAX down 11.5 points.

Your news, money, weather and sports. It's 5:15 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is in Texas to meet with President Bush. The two are expected to discuss Sharon's plan to withdraw troops from Gaza and an Israeli settlement in the West Bank.

Accused bomber Eric Rudolph is expected to plead guilty on Wednesday. Rudolph reached a deal with prosecutors to escape the death penalty. As part of the deal, Rudolph agreed to tell authorities where he stashed more than 250 pounds of dynamite. He's expected to get four consecutive life sentences.

In money news, gas prices have jumped nearly 20 cents over the past three weeks. The latest national survey shows the average price for a gallon of unleaded gas is now $2.29.

In culture, makers of the desert drama "Sahara" are anything but parched after a successful first weekend in release. "Sahara" was tops at the box office with $18.5 million.

His -- Jeff Gordon overcame some early tire troubles to win his sixth race at Martinsville Speedway. He becomes the first driver to win two races this season. Teammate Jimmy Johnson held on to the points lead with an eighth place finish, though -- Chad.

MYERS: Carol, good morning. That was kind of a rough and tumble race out there. That was one of those, if you can't pass them, just knock them out of the way. Kurt Busch felt the front end of that car on the back end of his car. And he wasn't pleased about it.

But anyway, I guess that's Rubbin's racing, as they say in whatever movie that was.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: You know, Chad, we always talk about how dangerous it is to drive in bad weather and how some people ignore even the warnings that we're giving out.

MYERS: Well, right.

COSTELLO: We have an illustration of that. MYERS: Because they go too fast because they have four-wheel drive.

COSTELLO: Well, sometimes four-wheel drive ain't all it's cracked up to be.

MYERS: Exactly.

COSTELLO: Here's an illustration. Take a look.

An SUV is going to slide into a disabled car. You see it there.

MYERS: Yes.

COSTELLO: You see the tow truck there. If you look closely, you'll see the tow truck driver tumble over the guard -- see him there?

MYERS: Yes.

COSTELLO: See him going over the guard rail?

MYERS: No, not yet. Right there he jumps over.

COSTELLO: There he goes. Well show -- did we show it in slow motion and regular speed? Do we have it in slow motion now?

MYERS: There you go. He's running down the side there. Yes, she wasn't hit by the other car very hard. It was very little impact for him.

There he goes tumbling over the side.

COSTELLO: Now, we show you this because no one got hurt.

MYERS: Exactly.

COSTELLO: No one was seriously hurt. This happened near Toledo, Ohio, but it's such amazing video we decided to show it to you, because how many times do you see this caught on camera?

MYERS: Well, because the police car was right there behind it trying to protect the tow truck, trying to protect the people that were getting the tow truck -- and the SUV just slid in right from the slide. You do see that a lot, though.

COSTELLO: Yes. So be careful out there.

MYERS: Yes, exactly.

COSTELLO: Especially if you live in Denver, Colorado.

MYERS: Denver, all the way down to Trinidad, all the way through the Rockies. And many of the roads are closed this morning. All the schools are just in bad shape.

So if you are out there, you obviously have a radio on. You know the local weather.

COSTELLO: So consider yourself warned.

A lot of you drive minivans because you haul around some very special cargo, and that would be your children. CNN's Julie Vallese has the results of the most recent crash tests to show you. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JULIE VALLESE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): One of the top- selling minivans in the country is also one of the top rated for safety.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The new Honda Odyssey did a good job of protecting the driver in this severe frontal crash. Not only did we give it a good rating, but we gave it a "best pick."

VALLESE: When the institute tested the Chevrolet Transport back in 1997, it called the vehicle "one of the worst ever tested." But now Chevy has redesigned the vehicle and renamed it the Uplander. It's now rated good.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think this is a case of Chevy paying attention. They've looked at how other people are doing well in this test, they see that the design isn't magic. And now they've got their own minivan that does a good job protecting its occupants.

VALLESE: Small pickups with extended cabs were also crashed and rated. The Nissan Frontier, Chevrolet Colorado and the Toyota Tacoma were all rated good.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Toyota Tacoma earned a good rating and a "best pick" rating in the frontal offset crash test this time around.

VALLESE: The Dodge Dakota and Ford Ranger were rated acceptable.

(on camera): The institute says its goal has been to have no vehicle rate lower than acceptable. And that's almost the case. In previous tests of these two classes, there are only two vehicles rated poor. And after this model year they'll no longer be named.

Julie Vallese, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Much more ahead for you this morning. The roar of the Tiger at Augusta. Masters highlights after a break.

And later, all over the nation's capital a shimmering shade of pink.

It's 5:20 Eastern. You're watching DAYBREAK for Monday, April 11.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) COSTELLO: You know, Chad, I'm not a big fan of golf.

MYERS: I know.

COSTELLO: But the Masters, what a tournament.

MYERS: It was a great tournament yesterday.

COSTELLO: It -- I mean, even if you're not a golf fan, the end of this tournament was a heart-stopping moment to remember. Tiger Woods hit this putt on the first playoff hole. Look at it.

MYERS: Yes.

COSTELLO: Oh! And that means he wins his fourth Masters championship.

MYERS: But he would not have been there, Carol, without that chip in at 16. The chip in at 16 from way off on the fringe for a birdie was the most amazing shot of the day.

COSTELLO: Is that -- is that the one that hung on the cup...

MYERS: Yes.

COSTELLO: ... and then took forever to fall in?

MYERS: It was "Caddy Shack." Just waiting and waiting, and then the earthquake went off and then the gophers came out of the hole and then the ball fell in.

COSTELLO: Well, this is what Tiger had to say after winning the masters.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TIGER WOODS, 2005 MASTERS CHAMPION: I was close. I was close on a couple times. I felt like I should have won at Royal St. George. I didn't handle the final five holes very well.

And there were a couple of other times I was in contention. But I just didn't win. Just part of it. But then over the -- when I started changing my swing last year, it was just -- you've got to be patient.

You know, when it turns it turns. And the worm gets on your side. It's pretty sweet.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: It certainly is. Tiger gets his first major win since the 2002 Masters. Chris DiMarco gave him a run for his money in the final round, but again came up short.

DiMarco also finished second in last year's Masters. That one he lost to Phil Mickelson. Mickelson had a little drama himself when he played the final round with Vijay Singh. Just two days before, Mickelson and Singh got into a locker room argument over the length of the spikes on Mickelson's shoes.

Did you hear about that, Chad?

MYERS: Well, the -- the PGA officials stopped Phil Mickelson on the way down the fairway and said, we've seen a couple of spike marks on the greens after you got off. Let's -- let me look at your spikes. And it actually wasn't -- it wasn't his spikes. It was Vijay Singh's spikes that were actually making those marks. So...

COSTELLO: And Vijay Singh was the one complaining about it.

MYERS: Well, they were just too long. They had a little burr, they said, a small burr on one of the spikes. And maybe it got knocked over or something, so they filed it off and everything was good.

COSTELLO: Well, that's great.

MYERS: Yes.

COSTELLO: Tiger Woods, by the way, did not make it on to "TIME" magazine's top 100 list. But the "TIME" list of the world's most influential people did include several celebrities. Actually, more than several.

MYERS: More than several.

COSTELLO: Like 25 of them.

MYERS: Yes.

COSTELLO: Twenty-five of them. Among them, Oprah Winfrey, Clint Eastwood and Michael Moore. Of course, world leaders like President Bush and Kim Jong-il made the list.

Controversial leaders such as terrorist leader Abu Musab al- Zarqawi are listed as well, but so were the Oscar winners like Hilary Swank and Jamie Foxx. They lead a growing list of influential celebrities.

You know, we were thinking that there were 25 celebrities on this list, Chad.

MYERS: Yes.

COSTELLO: That might make...

MYERS: Influence of celebrity, too much?

COSTELLO: We wanted to make that our DAYBREAK email "Question of the Day" because, frankly, it irritated us as well. So, the influence of celebrity, is it too much? I mean, does Hilary Swank influence your life?

DAYBREAK@CNN.com. That's DAYBREAK@CNN.com.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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Aired April 11, 2005 - 5:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Straight ahead on DAYBREAK, an American cardinal prepares to remember the pope. But not everyone is celebrating this morning's mass. We'll tell you why when we go live to the Vatican in six minutes.
Plus, it may be April, but keep on shoveling. A blizzard roars through Colorado, stranding travelers left and right.

And the Tiger smiles. Doesn't that tell it all? A finish you will not believe at the Masters.

It is Monday, April 11. This is 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," Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and President Bush meet at the president's Texas ranch this morning. The president is objecting to Israel's plans for 3,500 new housing units in the disputed West Bank.

John Bolton has voiced disdain for the United Nations, but he's the president's pick to be the U.N. ambassador. The nomination goes before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee three hours from now.

Court martial opens this morning for U.S. Army sergeant accused of killing two officers before the Iraq invasion. Hasan Akbar's trial begins about four hours from now at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

And holy cow, Colorado. Parts of the state are socked in by a blizzard this morning. Up to two feet has fallen, closing roads and stranding travelers. Many schools are closed today.

And it's April, Chad.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, it is, Carol. But when you get up in elevation like 5,000, Mile High City, that doesn't always work.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Nasty, nasty, nasty. Sean Callebs is in Denver, Chad.

MYERS: Yes.

COSTELLO: He's going to show us more of the blizzard.

MYERS: He's going to try.

COSTELLO: Yes.

MYERS: I saw a big white sheet, which was the snow flying horizontally.

COSTELLO: Well, let's watch his story and see.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it may be great for the skiers, but it is an absolute nightmare for travelers. White stuff been coming down for hours and hours here in Denver throughout the whole plains area of Colorado, dealing with this early spring blizzard.

Now, what's it mean for travelers? Denver International Airport shut down virtually all of Sunday. United Airlines canceled all of its flights that day. It's a major hub for the airlines, so simply legions of travelers stuck.

The only flights that were being accepted throughout the day, international flights coming into this area. As far as the interstates go, it was very bad as well.

I-70, east of Denver, shut down for hours and hours. And I-26 -- it goes up and down the state -- shut down about a 20-mile stretch of Colorado Springs, and then further south all the way to the New Mexico border.

And look how bad it is. This in Denver proper. And it's getting less snow than some of the other areas. You can see it's close to a foot deep here.

Also, spring had just begun to be noticed out here. These crab apple tree blossoms were coming out, but they are already withering because of the snow and ice buildup.

Now the potential for drivers also very bad. There you see the capital area. Much of the street there has been cleaned in the Denver area. But much different in the outlying areas.

And power outages, too, a problem. Here's a pretty good example of exactly why. This tree simply overburdened by the snow. And this is happening to power lines.

Close to 10,000 people without power for most part of the day. People out here used to the very light, fluffy snow. Not much humidity out here. But this is far different. This is very wet, very thick, and causing a lot of problems.

Sean Callebs, CNN, in Denver.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: I thought he was going to throw that snowball right at the camera. But he was responsible. Good for Sean.

Denver, as you know, is a big western airport hub. It's a good idea to check the airport's Web site, FlyDenver.com. It's suggesting that only travelers with confirmed seats on flights that are confirmed to depart should come to the airport today. You can always check the status of any airport in the country. It's real time at FAA.gov -- that's FAA.gov.

We'll get the travel forecast near the back half of our next hour when we check in with the Denver police liaison to the Colorado Office of Emergency Management. He'll join us live in the next hour of DAYBREAK.

More news from "Across America" now.

Here are some great pictures of a tornado touching down near Russell, Kansas. Look at that thing. Several twisters were spotted in the north and central parts of the state. You heard Chad talking about that. No reports of damage or injuries here.

Students at Miami University in Hawaii are mourning the deaths of three classmates. They were killed during a fire at a house off campus. Two other people were injured. The cause of this fire still under investigation.

Law enforcement sources tell CNN that the man accused of killing Jessica Lunsford told police that he buried her alive. The police say they're still trying to confirm several details in John Couey's story. Lawmakers and school officials held a town meeting with residents of Homosassa, Florida. They outlined changes being made to better protect children from sexual predators.

And supporters from several states attended a rally in West Carmel, Ohio, to mark the one-year anniversary of Matt Maupin's capture. The 21-year-old Army reservist was taken in Iraq. He still hasn't been found. Maupin is the only U.S. soldier listed as captured in Iraq. He was promoted to sergeant last week, but the military says Maupin's status is being reviewed and that could change.

Anger over the Catholic priest sex scandal in the United States may spill over to Rome today. One of the men at the center of the American scandal is scheduled to perform a special mass today to remember Pope John Paul II. CNN's Chris Burns joins us live from the Vatican with more.

Good morning, Chris.

CHRIS BURNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

Just as last word, there's a group that just left the plane today, got off the plane here in Rome called SNAP, Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. And they plan to protest right out here over my shoulder on the edge of St. Peter's Square during a mass by an American cardinal whose name is Bernard Law.

He was the archbishop in Boston, and he resigned in disgrace there a couple of years ago after -- after court documents show that he was moving priests to various other parishes after those priests were accused of sexual abuse of children. And this is where this group, which claims to represent some 5,000 people in American, the leader of that group has arrived here. And she is among those who have been abused by priests. They are going to be expressing their anger outside.

Now why, would you ask, is Cardinal Law giving mass as part of this mourning process at the Vatican for John Paul II's death? It is because, according to Vatican insiders, that he is head of the church of -- the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore here in Rome, which is a ranking position. And that is why he is entitled to this.

But there is a lot of question and controversy as to why he's still being allowed to do this. The SNAP group is calling this a cynical attempt to rehabilitate himself. And so we'll be watching this later today -- Carol.

COSTELLO: So can that group, members of that group, anyway, get to these cardinals to stop Cardinal Law from performing this mass?

BURNS: Well, you know, in the process here, what is going on is, in this period over the next week before the conclave to pick a new pope, these cardinals are supposed to remain quiet and in prayer and not talk to anybody. So the accessibility is completely locked down.

There's a media blackout, really, as far as the cardinals are concerned. And that is why they can't get to them. But they do intend to protest here outside St. Peter's Square, perhaps even be inside the basilica.

We'll be watching for that.

COSTELLO: Chris Burns live from Vatican City this morning. Thank you.

BURNS: Thank you.

COSTELLO: To the Middle East now, Israel and the Palestinians. Thousands of Israeli police kept Israelis out of Jerusalem's old city Sunday while Muslims worshipped. Protesters say this was a trial run for the demonstrations planned this summer, when Israel orders settlements closed in Gaza.

There also were protesters in Crawford, Texas. A few waved Palestinian flags. A group calling itself United Coalition for Israel plans to demonstrate today against allowing Palestinian statehood.

Those protesters are expected to be kept far away from the president's ranch, where Ariel Sharon is meeting with President Bush. It seems Sharon is catching heat every which way he turns.

Our Elaine Quijano has more on that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In roughly three months, Israel plans to remove its troops and thousands of Jewish settlers from 21 Israeli settlements in Gaza and four in the West Bank. But Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon is taking intense political heat for the idea, even receiving death threats.

DAVID MAKOVSKY, INSTITUTE FOR NEAR EAST POLICY: I think Sharon has a sincere problem at home with 100,000 protesters, 200 Israelis that are trying to kill him and a party that is very divided and convinced that this is a bad idea. Meeting with President Bush is not going to change that fundamental point.

QUIJANO: Still, Mr. Sharon heads to Crawford with the hope of getting backup once again from President Bush.

It was nearly a year ago, the two leaders stood together at the White House and President Bush made clear he was firmly behind Sharon's plan.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I commend Prime Minister Sharon for his bold and courageous decision to withdraw from Gaza and parts of the West Bank.

QUIJANO: Yet complicating the picture now, Israel's recent call to develop land just east of Jerusalem that the Palestinians claim is theirs. Critics say that would affect what any future Palestinian state might look like, while Sharon argues it would be a natural extension of an existing Jerusalem suburb.

The U.S. calls those plans at odds with American policy. And while the president says he intends to take up the issue of Jewish settlements with Sharon, Mr. Bush also wants to give the prime minister the latitude he needs in the short-term to carry out the Gaza withdrawal successfully.

At the same time, President Bush will urge the Israeli leader to work closely with the new Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas. Yet Israelis say Abbas has not been effective enough in dismantling and disarming terrorist groups.

(on camera): Still, analysts say with Mahmoud Abbas Israelis and Palestinians have a prime opportunity to move the peace process forward. They see Abbas and committed to coexistence and say it's critical any plans for Israel to withdraw must be coordinated with him.

Elaine Quijano, CNN, Crawford, Texas.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: It can happen in an instant if you're driving in bad weather, and it did in Toledo, Ohio. Man, did they all walk away? We'll have details for you in six minutes.

It took a playoff to do it, but a familiar face is once again wearing that familiar green jacket. Highlights in 11 minutes. And with the royal wedding behind them, Charles and Camilla relax in the Scottish highlands. Comments from the experts on the British peerage coming up in 32 minutes.

But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Monday morning.

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COSTELLO: The international markets are in negative territory this morning. Tokyo's Nikkei down 129 points. The London FTSE down nearly 17. The German DAX down 11.5 points.

Your news, money, weather and sports. It's 5:15 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is in Texas to meet with President Bush. The two are expected to discuss Sharon's plan to withdraw troops from Gaza and an Israeli settlement in the West Bank.

Accused bomber Eric Rudolph is expected to plead guilty on Wednesday. Rudolph reached a deal with prosecutors to escape the death penalty. As part of the deal, Rudolph agreed to tell authorities where he stashed more than 250 pounds of dynamite. He's expected to get four consecutive life sentences.

In money news, gas prices have jumped nearly 20 cents over the past three weeks. The latest national survey shows the average price for a gallon of unleaded gas is now $2.29.

In culture, makers of the desert drama "Sahara" are anything but parched after a successful first weekend in release. "Sahara" was tops at the box office with $18.5 million.

His -- Jeff Gordon overcame some early tire troubles to win his sixth race at Martinsville Speedway. He becomes the first driver to win two races this season. Teammate Jimmy Johnson held on to the points lead with an eighth place finish, though -- Chad.

MYERS: Carol, good morning. That was kind of a rough and tumble race out there. That was one of those, if you can't pass them, just knock them out of the way. Kurt Busch felt the front end of that car on the back end of his car. And he wasn't pleased about it.

But anyway, I guess that's Rubbin's racing, as they say in whatever movie that was.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: You know, Chad, we always talk about how dangerous it is to drive in bad weather and how some people ignore even the warnings that we're giving out.

MYERS: Well, right.

COSTELLO: We have an illustration of that. MYERS: Because they go too fast because they have four-wheel drive.

COSTELLO: Well, sometimes four-wheel drive ain't all it's cracked up to be.

MYERS: Exactly.

COSTELLO: Here's an illustration. Take a look.

An SUV is going to slide into a disabled car. You see it there.

MYERS: Yes.

COSTELLO: You see the tow truck there. If you look closely, you'll see the tow truck driver tumble over the guard -- see him there?

MYERS: Yes.

COSTELLO: See him going over the guard rail?

MYERS: No, not yet. Right there he jumps over.

COSTELLO: There he goes. Well show -- did we show it in slow motion and regular speed? Do we have it in slow motion now?

MYERS: There you go. He's running down the side there. Yes, she wasn't hit by the other car very hard. It was very little impact for him.

There he goes tumbling over the side.

COSTELLO: Now, we show you this because no one got hurt.

MYERS: Exactly.

COSTELLO: No one was seriously hurt. This happened near Toledo, Ohio, but it's such amazing video we decided to show it to you, because how many times do you see this caught on camera?

MYERS: Well, because the police car was right there behind it trying to protect the tow truck, trying to protect the people that were getting the tow truck -- and the SUV just slid in right from the slide. You do see that a lot, though.

COSTELLO: Yes. So be careful out there.

MYERS: Yes, exactly.

COSTELLO: Especially if you live in Denver, Colorado.

MYERS: Denver, all the way down to Trinidad, all the way through the Rockies. And many of the roads are closed this morning. All the schools are just in bad shape.

So if you are out there, you obviously have a radio on. You know the local weather.

COSTELLO: So consider yourself warned.

A lot of you drive minivans because you haul around some very special cargo, and that would be your children. CNN's Julie Vallese has the results of the most recent crash tests to show you. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JULIE VALLESE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): One of the top- selling minivans in the country is also one of the top rated for safety.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The new Honda Odyssey did a good job of protecting the driver in this severe frontal crash. Not only did we give it a good rating, but we gave it a "best pick."

VALLESE: When the institute tested the Chevrolet Transport back in 1997, it called the vehicle "one of the worst ever tested." But now Chevy has redesigned the vehicle and renamed it the Uplander. It's now rated good.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think this is a case of Chevy paying attention. They've looked at how other people are doing well in this test, they see that the design isn't magic. And now they've got their own minivan that does a good job protecting its occupants.

VALLESE: Small pickups with extended cabs were also crashed and rated. The Nissan Frontier, Chevrolet Colorado and the Toyota Tacoma were all rated good.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Toyota Tacoma earned a good rating and a "best pick" rating in the frontal offset crash test this time around.

VALLESE: The Dodge Dakota and Ford Ranger were rated acceptable.

(on camera): The institute says its goal has been to have no vehicle rate lower than acceptable. And that's almost the case. In previous tests of these two classes, there are only two vehicles rated poor. And after this model year they'll no longer be named.

Julie Vallese, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Much more ahead for you this morning. The roar of the Tiger at Augusta. Masters highlights after a break.

And later, all over the nation's capital a shimmering shade of pink.

It's 5:20 Eastern. You're watching DAYBREAK for Monday, April 11.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) COSTELLO: You know, Chad, I'm not a big fan of golf.

MYERS: I know.

COSTELLO: But the Masters, what a tournament.

MYERS: It was a great tournament yesterday.

COSTELLO: It -- I mean, even if you're not a golf fan, the end of this tournament was a heart-stopping moment to remember. Tiger Woods hit this putt on the first playoff hole. Look at it.

MYERS: Yes.

COSTELLO: Oh! And that means he wins his fourth Masters championship.

MYERS: But he would not have been there, Carol, without that chip in at 16. The chip in at 16 from way off on the fringe for a birdie was the most amazing shot of the day.

COSTELLO: Is that -- is that the one that hung on the cup...

MYERS: Yes.

COSTELLO: ... and then took forever to fall in?

MYERS: It was "Caddy Shack." Just waiting and waiting, and then the earthquake went off and then the gophers came out of the hole and then the ball fell in.

COSTELLO: Well, this is what Tiger had to say after winning the masters.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TIGER WOODS, 2005 MASTERS CHAMPION: I was close. I was close on a couple times. I felt like I should have won at Royal St. George. I didn't handle the final five holes very well.

And there were a couple of other times I was in contention. But I just didn't win. Just part of it. But then over the -- when I started changing my swing last year, it was just -- you've got to be patient.

You know, when it turns it turns. And the worm gets on your side. It's pretty sweet.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: It certainly is. Tiger gets his first major win since the 2002 Masters. Chris DiMarco gave him a run for his money in the final round, but again came up short.

DiMarco also finished second in last year's Masters. That one he lost to Phil Mickelson. Mickelson had a little drama himself when he played the final round with Vijay Singh. Just two days before, Mickelson and Singh got into a locker room argument over the length of the spikes on Mickelson's shoes.

Did you hear about that, Chad?

MYERS: Well, the -- the PGA officials stopped Phil Mickelson on the way down the fairway and said, we've seen a couple of spike marks on the greens after you got off. Let's -- let me look at your spikes. And it actually wasn't -- it wasn't his spikes. It was Vijay Singh's spikes that were actually making those marks. So...

COSTELLO: And Vijay Singh was the one complaining about it.

MYERS: Well, they were just too long. They had a little burr, they said, a small burr on one of the spikes. And maybe it got knocked over or something, so they filed it off and everything was good.

COSTELLO: Well, that's great.

MYERS: Yes.

COSTELLO: Tiger Woods, by the way, did not make it on to "TIME" magazine's top 100 list. But the "TIME" list of the world's most influential people did include several celebrities. Actually, more than several.

MYERS: More than several.

COSTELLO: Like 25 of them.

MYERS: Yes.

COSTELLO: Twenty-five of them. Among them, Oprah Winfrey, Clint Eastwood and Michael Moore. Of course, world leaders like President Bush and Kim Jong-il made the list.

Controversial leaders such as terrorist leader Abu Musab al- Zarqawi are listed as well, but so were the Oscar winners like Hilary Swank and Jamie Foxx. They lead a growing list of influential celebrities.

You know, we were thinking that there were 25 celebrities on this list, Chad.

MYERS: Yes.

COSTELLO: That might make...

MYERS: Influence of celebrity, too much?

COSTELLO: We wanted to make that our DAYBREAK email "Question of the Day" because, frankly, it irritated us as well. So, the influence of celebrity, is it too much? I mean, does Hilary Swank influence your life?

DAYBREAK@CNN.com. That's DAYBREAK@CNN.com.

We'll be right back.

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