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CNN Live At Daybreak

Rumsfeld in Iraq; Deadly Crime Spree; Gas Prices

Aired April 12, 2005 - 05:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Straight ahead on DAYBREAK, an ex- con on the run. A nationwide alert goes out after two bodies are found on the South Carolina coast.
Plus, if you think you've got pump pain, just wait until you hear what they're paying now in Europe.

And migraine headaches, is there help through surgery?

It is Tuesday, April 12. 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," Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is in Iraq this morning. He's warning Iraq's new leaders to avoid political purges and corruption in government. He also says there should be no delaying the next round of elections.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD RUMSFELD, DEFENSE SECRETARY: We had a good discussion about the political process that's taking place. It is, I know, something that is being watched not just in this country and not just in this region, but is having an effect in the region and the world.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Our Pentagon correspondent Jamie McIntyre is with Rumsfeld. We'll get his report in 60 seconds.

President Bush will go to Fort Hood, Texas, this morning. He'll talk about the situation in Iraq and then have lunch with the troops. He's expected back at the White House late this afternoon.

John Negroponte, President Bush's choice to be the nation's top intelligence chief, heads to Capitol Hill this morning. He appears before the Senate Intelligence Committee five hours from now for confirmation hearings.

Eastern Colorado can't catch a break. Up to two feet of melting snow froze as the thermometer dropped last night. Hundreds of people are stuck at Denver's airport, dozens of schools are closed.

And so are 200 miles of interstate highways -- Chad.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes. Good morning, Carol. (WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Thank you, Chad.

MYERS: You're welcome.

COSTELLO: More now on our top story, Donald Rumsfeld's quick trip to Iraq. Just a short time ago, our Pentagon correspondent Jamie McIntyre, who's traveling with the defense secretary, he filed this report for you.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SR. PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Defense Secretary Rumsfeld has just emerged from a meeting with Iraq's new transitional president, Jalal Talabani. This visit of Secretary Rumsfeld to Iraq comes at a time of some cautious optimism that Iraq may be the tipping point with the formation of the new transitional government.

Rumsfeld met not only with the new president, but also just earlier today with the new prime minister, the real power in the Iraqi government. He told both of them that the momentum needs to be continued and the U.S. wants to see no delay in plans for the next round of elections.

At a town hall meeting with U.S. soldiers earlier today, Rumsfeld again underscored that he hoped there'd be no delay in the next round of elections set for December after the writing of the new constitution. And he answered questions from soldiers who are anxious to know when their tours might end.

Rumsfeld again said that there's no exit strategy for the United States, only a victory strategy, a reference to his decision that no U.S. troops should leave until they're no longer needed. A round of review of troop levels in summer will determine how many troops, if any, will leave.

Some commanders have suggested as many as 30,000 U.S. troops could be drawn down by the end of the year. But, in fact, Rumsfeld continued to insist that it was premature to make any decisions about that.

At the town hall meeting this morning, there were no -- pointed questions about the lack of armor. In fact, one soldier presented Rumsfeld with an armor plate that had saved his life by stopping a sniper's bullet. And while recruiting and retention are a big problem in the U.S. military in general, it doesn't seem to be a problem here. In fact, about 100 soldiers took the opportunity of Rumsfeld's visit to reenlist on the spot, taking the oath while the secretary was here.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Jamie McIntyre reporting for us this morning.

Rumsfeld's trip was unannounced because of security concerns. This is his ninth trip to Baghdad since Saddam Hussein was ousted two years ago.

An American working for a contracting company in Baghdad has been abducted. A U.S. embassy spokesman says the man was working on a reconstruction project when he was kidnapped. We don't know his name or his hometown yet.

They've agreed to disagree. We're talking about President Bush and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. They got together at the president's Texas ranch, and topic number one was the touchy issue of Jewish settlements in the West Bank.

Listen to what both had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Israel has obligations under the road map. The road map clearly says no expansion of settlements. And we'll continue to work with Israel on their obligations. And the Palestinians have got obligations.

And it seems like an important role for the United States is to remind people of the obligations and to work with people, continue to work with people so that we can achieve the peace. And we have a chance.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARIEL SHARON, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: Regarding the unauthorized outposts, I wish to reiterate that Israel is society-governed by the rule of law. As such, I will fulfill my commitment to you, Mr. President, to remove unauthorized outposts.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Sharon says the ban on settlement expansion does not apply to Israel's plan to add more than 3,600 homes to its largest housing bloc in the West Bank.

And before he does head back to Washington, President Bush will talk about the war on terror in a speech in Fort Hood, Texas. Of course we'll bring that to you live at 11:20 a.m. Eastern.

Now to South Carolina, where a manhunt is under way for a suspect police say went on a deadly crime spree over the weekend. Law enforcement agencies nationwide are on the lookout for 37-year-old -- for a 37-year-old ex-con who authorities say is armed and dangerous.

Mike Hughes of our Charleston, South Carolina, affiliate WCSC has the details for you from Myrtle Beach.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MIKE HUGHES, REPORTER, WCSC (voice-over): Cops say ex-convict Stephen Stanko may run, but they're hoping he can't hide for long. LT. ANDY CHRISTENSON, HORRY COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA, POLICE: We're doing everything within our arsenal to locate this individual. We have sent a nationwide BOLO. So it's not only been sent throughout the state of South Carolina, but it's been sent nationwide.

HUGHES: That BOLO, or Be On the Lookout, is an electronic message sent to law enforcement agencies across the country detailing the suspect's description and any possible getaway vehicles he may be in. Cops say Stanko's rap sheet has grown quickly.

He's accused of killing a 43-year-old woman, killing a 74-year- old man, sexually assaulting a teenager, and stealing two vehicles. The alleged crimes all carried out in a 20-mile radius between Murrells Inlet and Conway within a 24-hour period.

An alert was last sent out to people on the watch for Stanko driving in a black Mazda pickup truck like this one, South Carolina license plate 709 PYJ. But as time passes, police say Stanko's getaway plan is likely to change.

CHRISTENSON: He may try to get another vehicle. He's obviously at some point going to run out of money and have the need for money to continue his ability to flee. So who knows what he's capable of.

HUGHES: And until this felon is caught...

CHRISTENSON: We're asking people to just kind of heighten their threat level and be aware that this individual is out there, he's on the loose. Keep your doors locked, keep your houses lit up at night. Be vigilant, be cautious.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: That was Mike Hughes of our Charleston, South Carolina, WCSC. If you've seen a car with this license plate number -- it would be South Carolina plate 709 PYJ -- or have any other information about the suspect, here are some phone numbers for you to call. The Horry County Police Department at 843-248-1520, or the Georgetown County Sheriff's Office at 843-546-5102.

In other news "Across America" now, a New Jersey man who abducted his 4-month-old daughter and her mother surrendered after more than a six-hour standoff with police. Police credit his mother's intervention with the peaceful end. The two hostages were released unharmed about halfway through the stand off. The standoff began after Almutah Saunders allegedly shot and wounded the baby's grandfather and then led police on a chase.

Dozens of firefighters worked late into the night trying to control a raging warehouse fire in Baltimore. The company that owned the warehouse makes foam packing products. The cause of this fire still under investigation.

Terri Schiavo's parents will attend a memorial service in her honor today in Jacksonville, Florida. The memorial is being sponsored by the Justice Coalition. The Schindlers hosted their own memorial for their daughter last week. Husband Michael Schiavo hasn't yet announced the date for Terri's funeral in Pennsylvania.

Classes resumed today at Red Lake, Minnesota, High School for the first time since a fatal shooting there three weeks ago. Sixteen- year-old Jeff Weise killed seven people at the Indian reservation school last month before killing himself. Students came back to school yesterday for a traditional Indian healing ceremony.

It's a tough question for federal experts to figure out. Are silicone breast implants safe enough to go back on the market after 13 years? The FDA is making the decision, and they're getting some emotional testimony on the issue.

Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRENNA DOWD, OPPOSES IMPLANTS: I have never known a healthy mother. Mom would never tell people about all the times she has been unable to walk right, sometimes crawling, many times falling. She would never tell you about the times when she gets confused or when her legs hurt her so much she has to sit in a hot bath maybe three times a day or more just to ease the pain because of the silicone breast implants.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Oh, you can see people have strong feelings about this. Well, some women, like the ones we just heard from, were very upset that the implants might go back on the market. Others said it's all about choice and they could make the best decisions for themselves.

Whatever happens, you've got to wonder, with reality makeover shows and programs like "Nip and Tuck," do they do a number on people's heads? Do we wind up feeling we just aren't good enough unless we get some kind of physical overhaul?

You know, I've been thinking about that a lot, Chad, actually.

MYERS: Is that right?

COSTELLO: Well, because plastic surgery, I mean, it seems like everybody's doing it. You reach a certain age and you're expected to do it almost.

MYERS: Have you seen the show "Doctor 90210"?

COSTELLO: I have not, but I've heard about it.

MYERS: Wow. You think -- I mean, it makes "Nip and Tuck" look like "Bugs Bunny." I mean, really, they're pretty amazing shows on the air now. And exactly, they're making people that are pretty enough now, "Oh, I need better, I need more, I need more."

So that kind of leads us to the "Question of the Day," Carol.

COSTELLO: It certainly does. Makeover nation: is America too obsessed with plastic surgery?

And, you know, talking about these silicone breast implants, too, Chad, we had a doctor on yesterday...

MYERS: Yes.

COSTELLO: ... and he was saying, even though women knew they were dangerous, they're clamoring for them. Some women, I should say, because they look more natural.

MYERS: And feel more natural he said.

COSTELLO: And feel more natural. So it doesn't matter...

MYERS: But also...

COSTELLO: ... the health implications. It's just in how you look.

MYERS: But he also said that the new part that's inside the implant is much safer because it doesn't leak as far or won't leak as far.

COSTELLO: Yes, the gel is thicker, so it won't leak through your body if it does spring a leak inside you.

MYERS: Right. So what do you think?

COSTELLO: Yes, we want to know what you think this morning about plastic surgery. Have we gone crazy? DAYBREAK@CNN.com. That's DAYBREAK@CNN.com.

Up, up and up they go. As gas prices pinch you in the wallet, consider this... it's much worse across the pond.

Oh, you know how I feel about this, now don't you? Anyway, that's coming up at 15 minutes after.

In our "Eye Openers" at 22 past, even a blimp could use a little hot water on a hot, sunny day.

And in our next half-hour, security scare in Washington right at the spot where President Bush was inaugurated.

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: The international markets mixed this morning. Tokyo's Nikkei down 75 points. The London FTSE down 8. The German DAX is up a little, almost 4 points, actually.

Your news, money, weather and sports. It's 5:16 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is in Baghdad this morning. His trip was kept secret for security reasons. He's there to meet with the new Iraqi government. He's also scheduled to hold a town hall-style meeting with U.S. troops in Iraq.

Former President Clinton announced that his foundation will help raise around $10 million this year to help treat children infected with HIV and AIDS. The foundation is hoping to double the number of children worldwide who receive AIDS medications.

In money news, former AIG chief Maurice Greenberg is supposed to testify today about accounting practices at the insurance giant. But Greenberg is expected to plead the 5th when he finally faces investigators.

In culture, Miss North Carolina captures the crown in the 54th annual Miss USA pageant. Twenty-one-year-old Chelsea Cooley will now move on to compete in the Miss Universe pageant. And that will be next month.

In sports, the Boston Red Sox received their World Series championship rings before their home opener at Fenway. And then they punch away to the proceedings by beating their rival Yankees 8-1 in the actual game.

It was a good day for Boston, Chad.

MYERS: Yankees fans up here are just saying -- Yankees fans are saying, yes, it's just two games to two now, whatever. Yankees have won two and Boston won one in the first series, and here we go again.

But congrats to those guys for picking up their rings here. Nice day to pick it up, too. Great day up there in Boston.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Thank you, Chad.

Those are the latest headlines for you this morning.

We've asked you many times, when it comes to gas prices, how high is too high? Well, current prices look like this... the average price for a gallon of regular unleaded is at a record high of $2.29. If you live in Bakersfield, California, you pay the highest, $2.62 a gallon. But, believe it or not, it could be worse. You could live in Europe.

CNN's Chris Huntington explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRIS HUNTINGTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Imagine you and the family setting out on a European vacation in, say, a Ford Excursion. If you think gas is expensive in the United States, try filling up that full-size SUV in Holland. Topping off the 44-gallon tank near Amsterdam would cost you more than $285. Premium unleaded, which is the standard in Europe, costs $6.49 a gallon in the Netherlands. It's a bit less than that in France, Italy and Germany. But in Great Britain, where petrol is nearly $6.00 a gallon, motorists are well acquainted with pain at the pumps.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's killing us. Really, it's killing us.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's too much. I don't mind because I don't do too much mileage, you know. But I do feel sorry for the people that, you know, have to.

HUNTINGTON: This man from Poland says Londoners have it easy.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The cost of fuel in London is not expensive because I've got experience in our country, and relative we've got more expensive fuel than -- for example, in Poland.

HUNTINGTON: On average across Europe taxes account for 70 percent of the retail price of gasoline. In the United States, total gas taxes average less than 25 percent of the pump price. In fact, if you exclude all taxes, Americans actually pay more for fuel than many Europeans. Some of that difference is due to the weakening dollar.

In the past two years, while crude oil prices have skyrocketed, the dollar has tumbled, particularly against the euro and the Japanese yen. And that has been a concern of oil exporters, particularly OPEC members.

SHARIF GOLLUB, ENERGY INTELLIGENCE GROUP: The falling dollar reduces the purchasing power of the OPEC countries whose oil is denominated in dollars. So when the dollar weakens, the ability of the OPEC countries to buy goods from abroad because of dollar income diminishes.

HUNTINGTON (on camera): But a weak dollar is only a small part of the problem. The main reason that oil and gas prices are so high is due to rising global demand. And nowhere is demand more insistent than here in the United States. And there's a growing sense that until U.S. prices approach those in Europe demand and prices here in the U.S. will continue to rise.

Chris Huntington, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: You feel better? I didn't think so.

Coming up in the second hour of DAYBREAK we'll have more on the reasons for the rising cost of gas here. We'll have Jack Otter in. He's from "Smart Money" magazine. Carrie Lee will also tell you how much the oil companies are making in these times of high gas prices.

Time for a quick break now, though. When we come back, a little green fellow is practicing for the boys of summer. Hey, better than (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

You're watching DAYBREAK for Tuesday, April 12.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: It's time for some lighthearted banter and some laughs.

MYERS: A little Jon Stewart?

COSTELLO: From Jon Stewart. And he's making fun of who, Chad?

MYERS: I would probably say the new royal couple.

COSTELLO: I know. They're getting it from everywhere.

MYERS: Yes, we need to stop with that. Enough, really.

COSTELLO: But we have to show people this from "The Daily Show" because it was just brutal.

MYERS: OK.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JON STEWART, "THE DAILY SHOW": Let's begin tonight with the remains of a fairytale. In 1981, the world was enthralled by the storybook wedding of Charles, Prince of Wales, and Lady Diana Spencer. And now, 24 years later, the clock has struck midnight, and that enchanted horse-drawn carriage has turned into a bus.

(LAUGHTER)

Yes, on Saturday, the Prince of Wales married his longtime mistress, Camilla Parker Bowles, in the town of Windsor in a no-frills royal wedding. And then it was off to their honeymoon in Scotland.

(LAUGHTER)

They had their honeymoon in Scotland because apparently England wasn't damp and cold enough.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MYERS: I was amused by the bus, to see the royal kids getting off the bus.

COSTELLO: I couldn't get over the "Bride of Chucky" graphic.

MYERS: Of course.

COSTELLO: That was so wrong. OK.

Well, it's time for our DAYBREAK "Eye Openers" now.

People driving by the Long Beach Airport in California got quite an eye-full. They saw this brightly-colored blimp sitting at that odd angle. MYERS: Yes.

COSTELLO: Fire officials say the blimp was over-pressurized. So they used water to cool it down. The odd-looking Ameriquest blimp was actually designed by kids to promote the arts.

MYERS: It looks like "The Partridge Family" bus.

COSTELLO: It does, doesn't it? Kind of in the shape of a giant rat. Anyway -- I'm looking at it upside down, that's why.

Seven rare clams were mysteriously returned the Waikiki Aquarium in Hawaii. The endangered baby giant clams were left inside the aquarium in a Tupperware container. They had been stolen a month earlier. The aquarium's director says they won't pursue charges against the fugitive clamnappers.

MYERS: Wow, they're beautiful.

COSTELLO: They are beautiful. What would you do with them when you got them home in the Tupperware?

MYERS: Well, put them in your aquarium, I guess.

COSTELLO: Oh, yes, that's probably true. You wouldn't eat them, I guess.

MYERS: No.

COSTELLO: Incase you couldn't quite make out that squawking, can you tell the bird's singing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame?"

MYERS: I'm sorry, Carol, I can't. I thought he said, "Gentlemen, start your engines" or something. I couldn't tell.

COSTELLO: Well, this singing Quaker parrot is from Cleveland, who apparently has been practicing for baseball season. But there's no word yet if he'll get the call to help out the hometown Indians.

MYERS: Well, they need to get a better recording. That one that he was singing to was like from an old 45. I mean, you can get Roseanne Barr to sing better than that recording. Yikes.

COSTELLO: Oh, that is an insult.

All new in the next half-hour of DAYBREAK, tense moments in Washington as a mysterious man in black with two suitcases plants himself outside the Capitol building, and he refuses to move. We'll show you what happens when you do that.

And a reminder. Our e-mail "Question of the Morning," makeover nation, is America too obsessed with plastic surgery? Send us your thoughts this morning, DAYBREAK@CNN.com.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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Aired April 12, 2005 - 05:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Straight ahead on DAYBREAK, an ex- con on the run. A nationwide alert goes out after two bodies are found on the South Carolina coast.
Plus, if you think you've got pump pain, just wait until you hear what they're paying now in Europe.

And migraine headaches, is there help through surgery?

It is Tuesday, April 12. 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," Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is in Iraq this morning. He's warning Iraq's new leaders to avoid political purges and corruption in government. He also says there should be no delaying the next round of elections.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD RUMSFELD, DEFENSE SECRETARY: We had a good discussion about the political process that's taking place. It is, I know, something that is being watched not just in this country and not just in this region, but is having an effect in the region and the world.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Our Pentagon correspondent Jamie McIntyre is with Rumsfeld. We'll get his report in 60 seconds.

President Bush will go to Fort Hood, Texas, this morning. He'll talk about the situation in Iraq and then have lunch with the troops. He's expected back at the White House late this afternoon.

John Negroponte, President Bush's choice to be the nation's top intelligence chief, heads to Capitol Hill this morning. He appears before the Senate Intelligence Committee five hours from now for confirmation hearings.

Eastern Colorado can't catch a break. Up to two feet of melting snow froze as the thermometer dropped last night. Hundreds of people are stuck at Denver's airport, dozens of schools are closed.

And so are 200 miles of interstate highways -- Chad.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes. Good morning, Carol. (WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Thank you, Chad.

MYERS: You're welcome.

COSTELLO: More now on our top story, Donald Rumsfeld's quick trip to Iraq. Just a short time ago, our Pentagon correspondent Jamie McIntyre, who's traveling with the defense secretary, he filed this report for you.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SR. PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Defense Secretary Rumsfeld has just emerged from a meeting with Iraq's new transitional president, Jalal Talabani. This visit of Secretary Rumsfeld to Iraq comes at a time of some cautious optimism that Iraq may be the tipping point with the formation of the new transitional government.

Rumsfeld met not only with the new president, but also just earlier today with the new prime minister, the real power in the Iraqi government. He told both of them that the momentum needs to be continued and the U.S. wants to see no delay in plans for the next round of elections.

At a town hall meeting with U.S. soldiers earlier today, Rumsfeld again underscored that he hoped there'd be no delay in the next round of elections set for December after the writing of the new constitution. And he answered questions from soldiers who are anxious to know when their tours might end.

Rumsfeld again said that there's no exit strategy for the United States, only a victory strategy, a reference to his decision that no U.S. troops should leave until they're no longer needed. A round of review of troop levels in summer will determine how many troops, if any, will leave.

Some commanders have suggested as many as 30,000 U.S. troops could be drawn down by the end of the year. But, in fact, Rumsfeld continued to insist that it was premature to make any decisions about that.

At the town hall meeting this morning, there were no -- pointed questions about the lack of armor. In fact, one soldier presented Rumsfeld with an armor plate that had saved his life by stopping a sniper's bullet. And while recruiting and retention are a big problem in the U.S. military in general, it doesn't seem to be a problem here. In fact, about 100 soldiers took the opportunity of Rumsfeld's visit to reenlist on the spot, taking the oath while the secretary was here.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Jamie McIntyre reporting for us this morning.

Rumsfeld's trip was unannounced because of security concerns. This is his ninth trip to Baghdad since Saddam Hussein was ousted two years ago.

An American working for a contracting company in Baghdad has been abducted. A U.S. embassy spokesman says the man was working on a reconstruction project when he was kidnapped. We don't know his name or his hometown yet.

They've agreed to disagree. We're talking about President Bush and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. They got together at the president's Texas ranch, and topic number one was the touchy issue of Jewish settlements in the West Bank.

Listen to what both had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Israel has obligations under the road map. The road map clearly says no expansion of settlements. And we'll continue to work with Israel on their obligations. And the Palestinians have got obligations.

And it seems like an important role for the United States is to remind people of the obligations and to work with people, continue to work with people so that we can achieve the peace. And we have a chance.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARIEL SHARON, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: Regarding the unauthorized outposts, I wish to reiterate that Israel is society-governed by the rule of law. As such, I will fulfill my commitment to you, Mr. President, to remove unauthorized outposts.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Sharon says the ban on settlement expansion does not apply to Israel's plan to add more than 3,600 homes to its largest housing bloc in the West Bank.

And before he does head back to Washington, President Bush will talk about the war on terror in a speech in Fort Hood, Texas. Of course we'll bring that to you live at 11:20 a.m. Eastern.

Now to South Carolina, where a manhunt is under way for a suspect police say went on a deadly crime spree over the weekend. Law enforcement agencies nationwide are on the lookout for 37-year-old -- for a 37-year-old ex-con who authorities say is armed and dangerous.

Mike Hughes of our Charleston, South Carolina, affiliate WCSC has the details for you from Myrtle Beach.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MIKE HUGHES, REPORTER, WCSC (voice-over): Cops say ex-convict Stephen Stanko may run, but they're hoping he can't hide for long. LT. ANDY CHRISTENSON, HORRY COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA, POLICE: We're doing everything within our arsenal to locate this individual. We have sent a nationwide BOLO. So it's not only been sent throughout the state of South Carolina, but it's been sent nationwide.

HUGHES: That BOLO, or Be On the Lookout, is an electronic message sent to law enforcement agencies across the country detailing the suspect's description and any possible getaway vehicles he may be in. Cops say Stanko's rap sheet has grown quickly.

He's accused of killing a 43-year-old woman, killing a 74-year- old man, sexually assaulting a teenager, and stealing two vehicles. The alleged crimes all carried out in a 20-mile radius between Murrells Inlet and Conway within a 24-hour period.

An alert was last sent out to people on the watch for Stanko driving in a black Mazda pickup truck like this one, South Carolina license plate 709 PYJ. But as time passes, police say Stanko's getaway plan is likely to change.

CHRISTENSON: He may try to get another vehicle. He's obviously at some point going to run out of money and have the need for money to continue his ability to flee. So who knows what he's capable of.

HUGHES: And until this felon is caught...

CHRISTENSON: We're asking people to just kind of heighten their threat level and be aware that this individual is out there, he's on the loose. Keep your doors locked, keep your houses lit up at night. Be vigilant, be cautious.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: That was Mike Hughes of our Charleston, South Carolina, WCSC. If you've seen a car with this license plate number -- it would be South Carolina plate 709 PYJ -- or have any other information about the suspect, here are some phone numbers for you to call. The Horry County Police Department at 843-248-1520, or the Georgetown County Sheriff's Office at 843-546-5102.

In other news "Across America" now, a New Jersey man who abducted his 4-month-old daughter and her mother surrendered after more than a six-hour standoff with police. Police credit his mother's intervention with the peaceful end. The two hostages were released unharmed about halfway through the stand off. The standoff began after Almutah Saunders allegedly shot and wounded the baby's grandfather and then led police on a chase.

Dozens of firefighters worked late into the night trying to control a raging warehouse fire in Baltimore. The company that owned the warehouse makes foam packing products. The cause of this fire still under investigation.

Terri Schiavo's parents will attend a memorial service in her honor today in Jacksonville, Florida. The memorial is being sponsored by the Justice Coalition. The Schindlers hosted their own memorial for their daughter last week. Husband Michael Schiavo hasn't yet announced the date for Terri's funeral in Pennsylvania.

Classes resumed today at Red Lake, Minnesota, High School for the first time since a fatal shooting there three weeks ago. Sixteen- year-old Jeff Weise killed seven people at the Indian reservation school last month before killing himself. Students came back to school yesterday for a traditional Indian healing ceremony.

It's a tough question for federal experts to figure out. Are silicone breast implants safe enough to go back on the market after 13 years? The FDA is making the decision, and they're getting some emotional testimony on the issue.

Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRENNA DOWD, OPPOSES IMPLANTS: I have never known a healthy mother. Mom would never tell people about all the times she has been unable to walk right, sometimes crawling, many times falling. She would never tell you about the times when she gets confused or when her legs hurt her so much she has to sit in a hot bath maybe three times a day or more just to ease the pain because of the silicone breast implants.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Oh, you can see people have strong feelings about this. Well, some women, like the ones we just heard from, were very upset that the implants might go back on the market. Others said it's all about choice and they could make the best decisions for themselves.

Whatever happens, you've got to wonder, with reality makeover shows and programs like "Nip and Tuck," do they do a number on people's heads? Do we wind up feeling we just aren't good enough unless we get some kind of physical overhaul?

You know, I've been thinking about that a lot, Chad, actually.

MYERS: Is that right?

COSTELLO: Well, because plastic surgery, I mean, it seems like everybody's doing it. You reach a certain age and you're expected to do it almost.

MYERS: Have you seen the show "Doctor 90210"?

COSTELLO: I have not, but I've heard about it.

MYERS: Wow. You think -- I mean, it makes "Nip and Tuck" look like "Bugs Bunny." I mean, really, they're pretty amazing shows on the air now. And exactly, they're making people that are pretty enough now, "Oh, I need better, I need more, I need more."

So that kind of leads us to the "Question of the Day," Carol.

COSTELLO: It certainly does. Makeover nation: is America too obsessed with plastic surgery?

And, you know, talking about these silicone breast implants, too, Chad, we had a doctor on yesterday...

MYERS: Yes.

COSTELLO: ... and he was saying, even though women knew they were dangerous, they're clamoring for them. Some women, I should say, because they look more natural.

MYERS: And feel more natural he said.

COSTELLO: And feel more natural. So it doesn't matter...

MYERS: But also...

COSTELLO: ... the health implications. It's just in how you look.

MYERS: But he also said that the new part that's inside the implant is much safer because it doesn't leak as far or won't leak as far.

COSTELLO: Yes, the gel is thicker, so it won't leak through your body if it does spring a leak inside you.

MYERS: Right. So what do you think?

COSTELLO: Yes, we want to know what you think this morning about plastic surgery. Have we gone crazy? DAYBREAK@CNN.com. That's DAYBREAK@CNN.com.

Up, up and up they go. As gas prices pinch you in the wallet, consider this... it's much worse across the pond.

Oh, you know how I feel about this, now don't you? Anyway, that's coming up at 15 minutes after.

In our "Eye Openers" at 22 past, even a blimp could use a little hot water on a hot, sunny day.

And in our next half-hour, security scare in Washington right at the spot where President Bush was inaugurated.

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: The international markets mixed this morning. Tokyo's Nikkei down 75 points. The London FTSE down 8. The German DAX is up a little, almost 4 points, actually.

Your news, money, weather and sports. It's 5:16 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is in Baghdad this morning. His trip was kept secret for security reasons. He's there to meet with the new Iraqi government. He's also scheduled to hold a town hall-style meeting with U.S. troops in Iraq.

Former President Clinton announced that his foundation will help raise around $10 million this year to help treat children infected with HIV and AIDS. The foundation is hoping to double the number of children worldwide who receive AIDS medications.

In money news, former AIG chief Maurice Greenberg is supposed to testify today about accounting practices at the insurance giant. But Greenberg is expected to plead the 5th when he finally faces investigators.

In culture, Miss North Carolina captures the crown in the 54th annual Miss USA pageant. Twenty-one-year-old Chelsea Cooley will now move on to compete in the Miss Universe pageant. And that will be next month.

In sports, the Boston Red Sox received their World Series championship rings before their home opener at Fenway. And then they punch away to the proceedings by beating their rival Yankees 8-1 in the actual game.

It was a good day for Boston, Chad.

MYERS: Yankees fans up here are just saying -- Yankees fans are saying, yes, it's just two games to two now, whatever. Yankees have won two and Boston won one in the first series, and here we go again.

But congrats to those guys for picking up their rings here. Nice day to pick it up, too. Great day up there in Boston.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Thank you, Chad.

Those are the latest headlines for you this morning.

We've asked you many times, when it comes to gas prices, how high is too high? Well, current prices look like this... the average price for a gallon of regular unleaded is at a record high of $2.29. If you live in Bakersfield, California, you pay the highest, $2.62 a gallon. But, believe it or not, it could be worse. You could live in Europe.

CNN's Chris Huntington explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRIS HUNTINGTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Imagine you and the family setting out on a European vacation in, say, a Ford Excursion. If you think gas is expensive in the United States, try filling up that full-size SUV in Holland. Topping off the 44-gallon tank near Amsterdam would cost you more than $285. Premium unleaded, which is the standard in Europe, costs $6.49 a gallon in the Netherlands. It's a bit less than that in France, Italy and Germany. But in Great Britain, where petrol is nearly $6.00 a gallon, motorists are well acquainted with pain at the pumps.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's killing us. Really, it's killing us.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's too much. I don't mind because I don't do too much mileage, you know. But I do feel sorry for the people that, you know, have to.

HUNTINGTON: This man from Poland says Londoners have it easy.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The cost of fuel in London is not expensive because I've got experience in our country, and relative we've got more expensive fuel than -- for example, in Poland.

HUNTINGTON: On average across Europe taxes account for 70 percent of the retail price of gasoline. In the United States, total gas taxes average less than 25 percent of the pump price. In fact, if you exclude all taxes, Americans actually pay more for fuel than many Europeans. Some of that difference is due to the weakening dollar.

In the past two years, while crude oil prices have skyrocketed, the dollar has tumbled, particularly against the euro and the Japanese yen. And that has been a concern of oil exporters, particularly OPEC members.

SHARIF GOLLUB, ENERGY INTELLIGENCE GROUP: The falling dollar reduces the purchasing power of the OPEC countries whose oil is denominated in dollars. So when the dollar weakens, the ability of the OPEC countries to buy goods from abroad because of dollar income diminishes.

HUNTINGTON (on camera): But a weak dollar is only a small part of the problem. The main reason that oil and gas prices are so high is due to rising global demand. And nowhere is demand more insistent than here in the United States. And there's a growing sense that until U.S. prices approach those in Europe demand and prices here in the U.S. will continue to rise.

Chris Huntington, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: You feel better? I didn't think so.

Coming up in the second hour of DAYBREAK we'll have more on the reasons for the rising cost of gas here. We'll have Jack Otter in. He's from "Smart Money" magazine. Carrie Lee will also tell you how much the oil companies are making in these times of high gas prices.

Time for a quick break now, though. When we come back, a little green fellow is practicing for the boys of summer. Hey, better than (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

You're watching DAYBREAK for Tuesday, April 12.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: It's time for some lighthearted banter and some laughs.

MYERS: A little Jon Stewart?

COSTELLO: From Jon Stewart. And he's making fun of who, Chad?

MYERS: I would probably say the new royal couple.

COSTELLO: I know. They're getting it from everywhere.

MYERS: Yes, we need to stop with that. Enough, really.

COSTELLO: But we have to show people this from "The Daily Show" because it was just brutal.

MYERS: OK.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JON STEWART, "THE DAILY SHOW": Let's begin tonight with the remains of a fairytale. In 1981, the world was enthralled by the storybook wedding of Charles, Prince of Wales, and Lady Diana Spencer. And now, 24 years later, the clock has struck midnight, and that enchanted horse-drawn carriage has turned into a bus.

(LAUGHTER)

Yes, on Saturday, the Prince of Wales married his longtime mistress, Camilla Parker Bowles, in the town of Windsor in a no-frills royal wedding. And then it was off to their honeymoon in Scotland.

(LAUGHTER)

They had their honeymoon in Scotland because apparently England wasn't damp and cold enough.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MYERS: I was amused by the bus, to see the royal kids getting off the bus.

COSTELLO: I couldn't get over the "Bride of Chucky" graphic.

MYERS: Of course.

COSTELLO: That was so wrong. OK.

Well, it's time for our DAYBREAK "Eye Openers" now.

People driving by the Long Beach Airport in California got quite an eye-full. They saw this brightly-colored blimp sitting at that odd angle. MYERS: Yes.

COSTELLO: Fire officials say the blimp was over-pressurized. So they used water to cool it down. The odd-looking Ameriquest blimp was actually designed by kids to promote the arts.

MYERS: It looks like "The Partridge Family" bus.

COSTELLO: It does, doesn't it? Kind of in the shape of a giant rat. Anyway -- I'm looking at it upside down, that's why.

Seven rare clams were mysteriously returned the Waikiki Aquarium in Hawaii. The endangered baby giant clams were left inside the aquarium in a Tupperware container. They had been stolen a month earlier. The aquarium's director says they won't pursue charges against the fugitive clamnappers.

MYERS: Wow, they're beautiful.

COSTELLO: They are beautiful. What would you do with them when you got them home in the Tupperware?

MYERS: Well, put them in your aquarium, I guess.

COSTELLO: Oh, yes, that's probably true. You wouldn't eat them, I guess.

MYERS: No.

COSTELLO: Incase you couldn't quite make out that squawking, can you tell the bird's singing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame?"

MYERS: I'm sorry, Carol, I can't. I thought he said, "Gentlemen, start your engines" or something. I couldn't tell.

COSTELLO: Well, this singing Quaker parrot is from Cleveland, who apparently has been practicing for baseball season. But there's no word yet if he'll get the call to help out the hometown Indians.

MYERS: Well, they need to get a better recording. That one that he was singing to was like from an old 45. I mean, you can get Roseanne Barr to sing better than that recording. Yikes.

COSTELLO: Oh, that is an insult.

All new in the next half-hour of DAYBREAK, tense moments in Washington as a mysterious man in black with two suitcases plants himself outside the Capitol building, and he refuses to move. We'll show you what happens when you do that.

And a reminder. Our e-mail "Question of the Morning," makeover nation, is America too obsessed with plastic surgery? Send us your thoughts this morning, DAYBREAK@CNN.com.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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