Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live At Daybreak

Missing Student; GM Massive Cuts; Life-Saving Advice

Aired June 08, 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: It is Wednesday, June 8. California is the scene of an ongoing terror probe this morning. Federal agents are on the case, and they are making arrests.
Also, what do officials think really happened to Natalee Holloway? We could find out more today.

And a former president says Guantanamo should go.

ANNOUNCER: From the Time Warner Center in New York, this is DAYBREAK with Carol Costello and Chad Myers.

COSTELLO: And good morning to you. We'll have more on those terror arrests in just a moment.

Also ahead, massive job cuts at General Motors. What does this mean for American manufacturers?

And toxic algae known as red tide is hitting New England. We'll tell you what you need to know about shellfish from those waters.

But first, "Now in the News."

Two security guards from a hotel in Aruba are set to appear in court today. Their attorney says prosecutors are looking at them as possible murder suspects in the disappearance of 18-year-old Natalee Holloway of Alabama. We'll have a report from Aruba in just a few minutes.

In the battle for the bench, the Senate votes today on the nomination of California Supreme Court Justice Janice Rogers Brown to the federal appeals court for the District of Columbia. Brown was nominated to the post two years ago.

North Korea's soccer team is playing its home game today in Thailand. And get this, the stadium will be empty. No fans, no spectators. The international board governing soccer ordered the change from North Korea to Thailand after North Korean players pushed referees at a March match with Iran.

To the forecast center now and Chad.

Good morning.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Oh, those wacky soccer players. Good morning, Carol.

COSTELLO: Oh, I remember that, yes.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Thank you, Chad.

MYERS: You're welcome.

COSTELLO: Now to our CNN "Security Watch." And there is news this morning on possible terror arrests in Lodi, California. Federal agents have arrested four men. Two of those arrested are top Muslim leaders in Lodi; the other two, a father and a son, appeared in federal court on charges they lied to agents.

The son, Hamid Hayat, is accused of training at an al Qaeda camp in Pakistan. He's being held without bail this morning after a judge says he was a danger to the community. Supporters of the men think this is a setup.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PAMELE PARVEZ, LODI, CALIFORNIA, RESIDENT: The family has a large institution in Karachi, Pakistan, that is also known as Ferukia (ph). It's a center there. And he was actually brought here by the Muslim community of Lodi to start an institution as this one that he's been working on for some time. And I think this is just a ploy on the opposition's part because June 16 is coming for the ferment (ph), and I think it's just their way to try to stop it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: The FBI raided the Hayats' home and carried away videos and photos. The two other men are Islamic community leaders who were detained on immigration charges after meeting with the Hayats. The FBI plans to release more information on the case later today.

Expanded powers for the FBI have been approved by the Senate Intelligence Committee. It's part of the bill to renew the Patriot Act, now on its way to the full Senate. The FBI would be given the power to subpoena records without the approval of a judge. Some supporters admit that the bill still needs to be amended to limit the law.

Stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most up-to-date information about your security.

We could learn more today about the disappearance of the 18-year- old Alabama student in Aruba. Two men held in connection with Natalee Holloway's disappearance will appear in court today, and prosecutors could lay out more of the case against them.

Karl Penhaul has more for you from Aruba.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We've just sent people off to the left, so maybe if you guys go a little bit to the right.

KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): New Jersey plumber Mario Belviso and his wife Carla hadn't planned to spend their dream vacation quite like this. But when they heard Natalee Holloway's parents were desperate for volunteers to hunt for clues for their missing daughter, they didn't hesitate.

CARLA BELVISO, SEARCHER: You don't want anyone to go through what the parents are going through, especially if you're a parent yourself. So you want to try to help out all you can.

PENHAUL: It's nearly midday, and by now Mario could be sitting on a white sandy beach, sipping his first pina colada. But he doesn't mind.

MARIO BELVISO, SEARCHER: I'll give them one day, two days, whatever they need. No biggie. The island will always be here.

PENHAUL: Search leaders have told them to keep their eyes peeled for vital signs.

M. BELVISO: The lady just told us to walk around and see if -- look for disturbed dirt, shallow grave, or something like that.

PENHAUL: In twin raids Sunday, police arrested two hotel security guards, a 28 and a 30-year-old in connection with Natalee's disappearance. Their attorney, Chris Lejuez, says they've been formally accused of multiple crimes.

CHRIS LEJUEZ, ATTORNEY: They are mentioning murder, accomplice to committing murder, homicide, accomplice to committing homicide, and kidnapping with the consequence of death.

PENHAUL: But investigators have not yet offered any conclusive proof whether Natalee is dead or alive. Lejuez says his clients were not at work near the Holiday Inn where Natalee was staying on the night she disappeared. One was out partying with his wife.

Prosecutors have not publicly revealed what evidence led them to arrest these men who are now being held in separate jail cells at opposite ends of Aruba.

LEJUEZ: Both of them are very concerned. They are nervous. They know that they are being suspected of something very -- very heavy, very serious. But they are confident, both of them, and they have shown that confidence to me that they very categorically deny being involved in this case.

PENHAUL: At a Tuesday afternoon news conference, prosecutors said the two suspects would be held for at least another week while they gather more evidence.

Back on Aruba's north shore, Mario, Carla and their buddy, George Christopher, also a plumber from New Jersey, are drawing a blank. Just the usual flotsam and jetsam litters the craggy coastline. Nothing to report in the thorny scrub or between the cacti either. It's more than a week since she disappeared, and the only sign they see of Natalee anywhere is this missing poster in an abandoned fisherman's retreat. There's now a $55,000 reward for anyone who finds her.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know, god forbid it was my daughter, I'd want people out here helping me.

PENHAUL: Karl Penhaul, CNN, Aruba.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: And get this, Natalee Holloway isn't the only American woman reported missing in Aruba. Twenty-three-year-old Amy Bradley disappeared back in 1998 during a family cruise to the Caribbean. Aruba was one of the ship's stops. She even reportedly the very same nightspot where Natalee Holloway was last seen, which would be Carlos 'N Charlie's.

Amy Bradley was never found. If you have any information, please call the FBI office in Richmond, Virginia. That number, 804-261-1044. Bradley's family in Virginia has offered a $250,000 reward for her return.

In other news "Across America" this morning, a gruesome discovery when this South African Airways jet landed at JFK in New York. Airport workers found a body part hanging from one of the wheel wells. Apparently, someone had tried to stow away. One report says body parts from the plane were also found in a Long Island neighborhood.

In Los Angeles County, the end to a long chase. A man suspected of attempted kidnapping refused to give up after his car was pinned against the wall of Interstate 10. Police used tear gas and a police dog to get him out. His alleged victim got away at the beginning of the incident.

And take a look at this Web site. It's from the Infertility Center of St. Louis. Doctors there completed the first known successful ovary transplant in the United States. The doctor who performed the surgery says the 25-year-old transplant patient gave birth Monday night. The woman became pregnant in October after ovarian tissues from her identical twin sister were used to make her fertile.

You can find out more on that Web site. That's why we're showing it to you this morning.

Huge cuts are coming at General Motors. The automaker announced plans to cut 25,000 domestic jobs over the next three years. It's all part of a money-saving plan to fight slumping sales. But as CNN's Christine Romans reports, GM isn't the only one making massive cuts.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Every time a car rolls off the General Motors assembly line in the United States, the company loses $1,100. That brutal math will cost 25,000 GM employees their jobs. And it's got GM chief Rick Wagoner, like so many other CEOs, looking east for cheaper components made by cheaper labor.

RICK WAGONER, CEO, GENERAL MOTORS: We're reenergizing our global sourcing efforts.

ROMANS: Translation...

PETER MORICI, UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND: Clearly, it's his strategy to move his car-making capabilities to China, where he can do better. Rather than address the problems here at home, he's just running off to where he can find some cheap labor in a favorable currency environment.

ROMANS: Indeed, today's terrible news for American workers is good for the Chinese.

MICHAEL BEE, BOYD WATTERSON ASSET MANAGEMENT: In GM's case, the average worker in this country is getting about $54. And then in China, it's about $5.50 per hour. Even though the average worker in China makes about $100 a month, GM is paying them $200 a week.

ROMANS: That lure of cheaper Chinese wages has decimated the U.S. manufacturing employment base. And these 25,000 workers are just the latest.

Three million manufacturing jobs have been lost over the last five years. And many fear even more blood-letting. After these cuts, GM will still be dramatically larger than its foreign competitors in this country, who are consistently eating away GM's market share.

Christine Romans, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: I feel an e-mail segment, don't you?

MYERS: Well, Carol, the e-mail segment today is, what's the difference between an American car and a foreign car nowadays? Do you even look at the sticker? You've got to look at the little sticker up there that says what's the percentage of U.S. stuff.

So under the hood, do you buy an American or an import? Do you even look? Do you even care?

And when Honda's building cars in America, what's the percentage you're looking for, for American percentage or Japanese percentage or imported goods or domestic goods? You know, those numbers on all the cars, I mean, does it even matter anymore? Where does this stuff come from?

Now GM says they want to outsource more of their stuff. Ugh.

COSTELLO: But still, people are buying cars made outside of this country... MYERS: Of course.

COSTELLO: ... or managed by outside firms, because the cuts at GM are a product of their falling market share, right? In fact, all the big three automakers have seen sagging sales this year. Asian automakers are seeing a rise in sales and a rising share in the market.

MYERS: But all the Asian model makers have auto plants in America.

COSTELLO: Yes, but, you know...

MYERS: Is that an American car, or are they shipping in the motors so you don't -- you don't consider that an American car because it doesn't have an American engine in it?

COSTELLO: Well, supposedly, at least the managers say, they can run those businesses better because those things -- those plants are non-union plants. So they don't have to pay their workers as much, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.

MYERS: So...

COSTELLO: So we're just interested to know. Do you buy American cars anymore? I don't know. DAYBREAK...

MYERS: Buy American products, period? You know? I mean, you only buy a car once maybe five years. But if you've got a shirt that says "Made in China," you've got a shirt that says "Made in the USA," if they look the same, do you buy the one made in the USA? But that's not the question.

COSTELLO: I don't know. I think a car is different. No, we're going to center on cars this morning because GM shares have fallen so very far. Nobody's buying American cars anymore.

So we're wondering why this morning.

MYERS: Well, they're buying them. They're just losing $1,100 every time you buy one.

COSTELLO: Yes, I know. It's terrible. DAYBREAK@CNN.com. That's DAYBREAK@CNN.com.

Still to come this hour, the tide is high, and that has New England fishermen seeing red.

Plus, digging into the past. Will some old bones reveal more about the birth of America?

And this crazy frog isn't saying ribbit. He's saying ca-ching.

But first -- oh, gosh, that's enough of that -- here's a look at what else is making news this Wednesday morning.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: International markets mixed this morning. Tokyo's Nikkei up 63.5 points -- actually, almost 64 points. The London FTSE down nearly 19 points. And the German DAX is flat.

Your news, money, weather and sports. It's 5:16 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning.

A developing story out of California. FBI agents have arrested two Muslim leaders in Lodi, along with a father and son. Authorities are reportedly probing possible links to al Qaeda.

Is it a case of taking money back from 9/11 victims? Congress says New York City did not properly spend $44 million in 9/11 aid. They say New York should give it back or get new authorization from Congress.

In money news, Southwest Airlines wants to be able to fly from Love Field in Dallas to most U.S. cities, but a 1979 law prevents those flights. Southwest says long-haul flights would save travelers nearly $700 million. Congress put restrictions on Love Field to help the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport grow.

In culture, actress Michelle Rodriguez is getting lost, so to speak. She is joining the cast of the drama when it resumes its second season on ABC this fall.

In sports, the Arizona Diamondbacks have picked Justin Upton, a high school shortstop from Chesapeake, Virginia. Upton batted 519 this season. Pro baseball's draft should end today.

They never make a big deal about that, Chad.

MYERS: Carol, they just didn't pick him. They picked him number one. They had the first pick, and they picked him number one.

Seventeen years old. The irony is his brother, B.J., actually plays for a far team, the Durham Bulls, for the Tampa Bay team. And they picked him second in...

COSTELLO: Wow!

MYERS: ... the draft back in 2002. So clearly a talented family there.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Thank you, Chad.

That's a look at the latest headlines for you this morning.

Now that it's warming up, kids are heading back to the pool. And as you parents know, that can be dangerous. CNN medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen has advice that could save your child's life.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's the second leading cause of death for children after car crashes, but drowning, especially in pools, can be prevented. Experts say never leave your children alone in or near a pool.

HAL STRATTON, CONSUMER PROTECTION SAFETY COMMISSION: Constant parental supervision is the only thing that I can guarantee parents will save their kid in a pool situation.

COHEN: If you have a pool in your back yard, safety should come first.

STRATTON: If you're going to build a pool, and you've got kids, I can't imagine that you wouldn't go out and research everything possible to try to make that safe.

COHEN: And making pools safe means a fence around the entire pool, all four sides. The gate should shut and lock automatically, and the latch should be out of the reach of a child. If a house forms a barrier to one side, its doors and windows should have an alarm. The pool itself should have one too.

As an extra precaution, invest in a pool cover. Plus, the American Academy of Pediatrics says keep rescue equipment and a phone nearby.

Elizabeth Cohen, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Still to come this morning on DAYBREAK, a ring tone by any other name would be just as lucrative. Later, we'll get down to business on the international Crazy Frog sensation.

You are watching DAYBREAK for Wednesday, June 8.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Apparently you feel very strongly about our question this morning. Under the hood, do you buy American or import when you go to buy a car? Because you know GM is laying off 25,000 people over four years. And American sales are down, yet Asian car sales are up.

So Chad, take it away.

MYERS: Carol, I didn't get any e-mails up here in Atlanta. So I had to have you e-mail them over to me. It's amazing how the world works, isn't it? You can give them to me and then -- even though I didn't get them for real.

"Perhaps the reason people are buying other cars other than GM, Ford and Dodge is because these other cars have better warranties, most times, they are better made, and they get better gas mileage." Well, you know what? The folks that build GM cars probably have something to say about that. But... "American carmakers complain about the competition and refuse to face the real reasons they're losing business. If they made cars that had qualities, good qualities, instead of giving us more bells and whistles, or for our SUVs they worked on fixing fuel economy to match that of imports, people might buy them."

That was from Aline (ph), Carol.

And I've got one from Kristen (ph). "I only look at one thing when I'm shopping for a car, or anything else, nowadays, price. I simply cannot afford to pay the price it costs to buy American. Does that make me a bad person? No, just a poor one."

And Richie -- Richie Rich (ph). "Too many times in this new economy Americans feel the need to point the finger at outsourcing as the route to the demise of our economy. Unfortunately, we fail to understand that other countries choose to have different labor standards, nothing more than a competitive advantage which they leverage on Americans and the entire world. When GM produces a vehicle that is better than all the other cars in the market, then they'll be able to recoup their losses" -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Wow. No ringing endorsement for American cars this morning, but keep those e-mails coming -- DAYBREAK@CNN.com. That's DAYBREAK@CNN.com.

Time for our DAYBREAK "Eye Openers" now.

Twenty brides to be got in the thick of things in New York. They were digging through that giant wedding cake in search of a $50,000 first prize. It was all part of a P.R. stunt to promote an upcoming television series on weddings gone wacky.

And what goes better with wedding cake than tomato juice? Well, just pretty much anything, actually.

What you're watching is the war of tomatoes. It is the annual festival in one town in Colombia to celebrate the tomato harvest. The festival is also a bonanza for the area's dry cleaners.

These are not your normal, everyday, cute kittens. No, sir. They're called fishing cats.

These little ones are on display at a zoo in Berlin. The thing about these kitties is they actually like the water. They're known to jump under water to catch fish for their dinner.

Here's what's all new in the next half-hour of DAYBREAK.

A discovery has some historians scratching their heads over America's first English colonists.

Plus, something lurking in the waters off New England is affecting what's for dinner.

The stories behind these mysteries when DAYBREAK continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) ANNOUNCER: From the Time Warner Center in New York, this is DAYBREAK with Carol Costello and Chad Myers.

COSTELLO: Good morning to you. Thank you for waking up with us. Welcome to the second half-hour of DAYBREAK.

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 June 8, 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: It is Wednesday, June 8. California is the scene of an ongoing terror probe this morning. Federal agents are on the case, and they are making arrests.
Also, what do officials think really happened to Natalee Holloway? We could find out more today.

And a former president says Guantanamo should go.

ANNOUNCER: From the Time Warner Center in New York, this is DAYBREAK with Carol Costello and Chad Myers.

COSTELLO: And good morning to you. We'll have more on those terror arrests in just a moment.

Also ahead, massive job cuts at General Motors. What does this mean for American manufacturers?

And toxic algae known as red tide is hitting New England. We'll tell you what you need to know about shellfish from those waters.

But first, "Now in the News."

Two security guards from a hotel in Aruba are set to appear in court today. Their attorney says prosecutors are looking at them as possible murder suspects in the disappearance of 18-year-old Natalee Holloway of Alabama. We'll have a report from Aruba in just a few minutes.

In the battle for the bench, the Senate votes today on the nomination of California Supreme Court Justice Janice Rogers Brown to the federal appeals court for the District of Columbia. Brown was nominated to the post two years ago.

North Korea's soccer team is playing its home game today in Thailand. And get this, the stadium will be empty. No fans, no spectators. The international board governing soccer ordered the change from North Korea to Thailand after North Korean players pushed referees at a March match with Iran.

To the forecast center now and Chad.

Good morning.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Oh, those wacky soccer players. Good morning, Carol.

COSTELLO: Oh, I remember that, yes.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Thank you, Chad.

MYERS: You're welcome.

COSTELLO: Now to our CNN "Security Watch." And there is news this morning on possible terror arrests in Lodi, California. Federal agents have arrested four men. Two of those arrested are top Muslim leaders in Lodi; the other two, a father and a son, appeared in federal court on charges they lied to agents.

The son, Hamid Hayat, is accused of training at an al Qaeda camp in Pakistan. He's being held without bail this morning after a judge says he was a danger to the community. Supporters of the men think this is a setup.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PAMELE PARVEZ, LODI, CALIFORNIA, RESIDENT: The family has a large institution in Karachi, Pakistan, that is also known as Ferukia (ph). It's a center there. And he was actually brought here by the Muslim community of Lodi to start an institution as this one that he's been working on for some time. And I think this is just a ploy on the opposition's part because June 16 is coming for the ferment (ph), and I think it's just their way to try to stop it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: The FBI raided the Hayats' home and carried away videos and photos. The two other men are Islamic community leaders who were detained on immigration charges after meeting with the Hayats. The FBI plans to release more information on the case later today.

Expanded powers for the FBI have been approved by the Senate Intelligence Committee. It's part of the bill to renew the Patriot Act, now on its way to the full Senate. The FBI would be given the power to subpoena records without the approval of a judge. Some supporters admit that the bill still needs to be amended to limit the law.

Stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most up-to-date information about your security.

We could learn more today about the disappearance of the 18-year- old Alabama student in Aruba. Two men held in connection with Natalee Holloway's disappearance will appear in court today, and prosecutors could lay out more of the case against them.

Karl Penhaul has more for you from Aruba.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We've just sent people off to the left, so maybe if you guys go a little bit to the right.

KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): New Jersey plumber Mario Belviso and his wife Carla hadn't planned to spend their dream vacation quite like this. But when they heard Natalee Holloway's parents were desperate for volunteers to hunt for clues for their missing daughter, they didn't hesitate.

CARLA BELVISO, SEARCHER: You don't want anyone to go through what the parents are going through, especially if you're a parent yourself. So you want to try to help out all you can.

PENHAUL: It's nearly midday, and by now Mario could be sitting on a white sandy beach, sipping his first pina colada. But he doesn't mind.

MARIO BELVISO, SEARCHER: I'll give them one day, two days, whatever they need. No biggie. The island will always be here.

PENHAUL: Search leaders have told them to keep their eyes peeled for vital signs.

M. BELVISO: The lady just told us to walk around and see if -- look for disturbed dirt, shallow grave, or something like that.

PENHAUL: In twin raids Sunday, police arrested two hotel security guards, a 28 and a 30-year-old in connection with Natalee's disappearance. Their attorney, Chris Lejuez, says they've been formally accused of multiple crimes.

CHRIS LEJUEZ, ATTORNEY: They are mentioning murder, accomplice to committing murder, homicide, accomplice to committing homicide, and kidnapping with the consequence of death.

PENHAUL: But investigators have not yet offered any conclusive proof whether Natalee is dead or alive. Lejuez says his clients were not at work near the Holiday Inn where Natalee was staying on the night she disappeared. One was out partying with his wife.

Prosecutors have not publicly revealed what evidence led them to arrest these men who are now being held in separate jail cells at opposite ends of Aruba.

LEJUEZ: Both of them are very concerned. They are nervous. They know that they are being suspected of something very -- very heavy, very serious. But they are confident, both of them, and they have shown that confidence to me that they very categorically deny being involved in this case.

PENHAUL: At a Tuesday afternoon news conference, prosecutors said the two suspects would be held for at least another week while they gather more evidence.

Back on Aruba's north shore, Mario, Carla and their buddy, George Christopher, also a plumber from New Jersey, are drawing a blank. Just the usual flotsam and jetsam litters the craggy coastline. Nothing to report in the thorny scrub or between the cacti either. It's more than a week since she disappeared, and the only sign they see of Natalee anywhere is this missing poster in an abandoned fisherman's retreat. There's now a $55,000 reward for anyone who finds her.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know, god forbid it was my daughter, I'd want people out here helping me.

PENHAUL: Karl Penhaul, CNN, Aruba.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: And get this, Natalee Holloway isn't the only American woman reported missing in Aruba. Twenty-three-year-old Amy Bradley disappeared back in 1998 during a family cruise to the Caribbean. Aruba was one of the ship's stops. She even reportedly the very same nightspot where Natalee Holloway was last seen, which would be Carlos 'N Charlie's.

Amy Bradley was never found. If you have any information, please call the FBI office in Richmond, Virginia. That number, 804-261-1044. Bradley's family in Virginia has offered a $250,000 reward for her return.

In other news "Across America" this morning, a gruesome discovery when this South African Airways jet landed at JFK in New York. Airport workers found a body part hanging from one of the wheel wells. Apparently, someone had tried to stow away. One report says body parts from the plane were also found in a Long Island neighborhood.

In Los Angeles County, the end to a long chase. A man suspected of attempted kidnapping refused to give up after his car was pinned against the wall of Interstate 10. Police used tear gas and a police dog to get him out. His alleged victim got away at the beginning of the incident.

And take a look at this Web site. It's from the Infertility Center of St. Louis. Doctors there completed the first known successful ovary transplant in the United States. The doctor who performed the surgery says the 25-year-old transplant patient gave birth Monday night. The woman became pregnant in October after ovarian tissues from her identical twin sister were used to make her fertile.

You can find out more on that Web site. That's why we're showing it to you this morning.

Huge cuts are coming at General Motors. The automaker announced plans to cut 25,000 domestic jobs over the next three years. It's all part of a money-saving plan to fight slumping sales. But as CNN's Christine Romans reports, GM isn't the only one making massive cuts.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Every time a car rolls off the General Motors assembly line in the United States, the company loses $1,100. That brutal math will cost 25,000 GM employees their jobs. And it's got GM chief Rick Wagoner, like so many other CEOs, looking east for cheaper components made by cheaper labor.

RICK WAGONER, CEO, GENERAL MOTORS: We're reenergizing our global sourcing efforts.

ROMANS: Translation...

PETER MORICI, UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND: Clearly, it's his strategy to move his car-making capabilities to China, where he can do better. Rather than address the problems here at home, he's just running off to where he can find some cheap labor in a favorable currency environment.

ROMANS: Indeed, today's terrible news for American workers is good for the Chinese.

MICHAEL BEE, BOYD WATTERSON ASSET MANAGEMENT: In GM's case, the average worker in this country is getting about $54. And then in China, it's about $5.50 per hour. Even though the average worker in China makes about $100 a month, GM is paying them $200 a week.

ROMANS: That lure of cheaper Chinese wages has decimated the U.S. manufacturing employment base. And these 25,000 workers are just the latest.

Three million manufacturing jobs have been lost over the last five years. And many fear even more blood-letting. After these cuts, GM will still be dramatically larger than its foreign competitors in this country, who are consistently eating away GM's market share.

Christine Romans, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: I feel an e-mail segment, don't you?

MYERS: Well, Carol, the e-mail segment today is, what's the difference between an American car and a foreign car nowadays? Do you even look at the sticker? You've got to look at the little sticker up there that says what's the percentage of U.S. stuff.

So under the hood, do you buy an American or an import? Do you even look? Do you even care?

And when Honda's building cars in America, what's the percentage you're looking for, for American percentage or Japanese percentage or imported goods or domestic goods? You know, those numbers on all the cars, I mean, does it even matter anymore? Where does this stuff come from?

Now GM says they want to outsource more of their stuff. Ugh.

COSTELLO: But still, people are buying cars made outside of this country... MYERS: Of course.

COSTELLO: ... or managed by outside firms, because the cuts at GM are a product of their falling market share, right? In fact, all the big three automakers have seen sagging sales this year. Asian automakers are seeing a rise in sales and a rising share in the market.

MYERS: But all the Asian model makers have auto plants in America.

COSTELLO: Yes, but, you know...

MYERS: Is that an American car, or are they shipping in the motors so you don't -- you don't consider that an American car because it doesn't have an American engine in it?

COSTELLO: Well, supposedly, at least the managers say, they can run those businesses better because those things -- those plants are non-union plants. So they don't have to pay their workers as much, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.

MYERS: So...

COSTELLO: So we're just interested to know. Do you buy American cars anymore? I don't know. DAYBREAK...

MYERS: Buy American products, period? You know? I mean, you only buy a car once maybe five years. But if you've got a shirt that says "Made in China," you've got a shirt that says "Made in the USA," if they look the same, do you buy the one made in the USA? But that's not the question.

COSTELLO: I don't know. I think a car is different. No, we're going to center on cars this morning because GM shares have fallen so very far. Nobody's buying American cars anymore.

So we're wondering why this morning.

MYERS: Well, they're buying them. They're just losing $1,100 every time you buy one.

COSTELLO: Yes, I know. It's terrible. DAYBREAK@CNN.com. That's DAYBREAK@CNN.com.

Still to come this hour, the tide is high, and that has New England fishermen seeing red.

Plus, digging into the past. Will some old bones reveal more about the birth of America?

And this crazy frog isn't saying ribbit. He's saying ca-ching.

But first -- oh, gosh, that's enough of that -- here's a look at what else is making news this Wednesday morning.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: International markets mixed this morning. Tokyo's Nikkei up 63.5 points -- actually, almost 64 points. The London FTSE down nearly 19 points. And the German DAX is flat.

Your news, money, weather and sports. It's 5:16 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning.

A developing story out of California. FBI agents have arrested two Muslim leaders in Lodi, along with a father and son. Authorities are reportedly probing possible links to al Qaeda.

Is it a case of taking money back from 9/11 victims? Congress says New York City did not properly spend $44 million in 9/11 aid. They say New York should give it back or get new authorization from Congress.

In money news, Southwest Airlines wants to be able to fly from Love Field in Dallas to most U.S. cities, but a 1979 law prevents those flights. Southwest says long-haul flights would save travelers nearly $700 million. Congress put restrictions on Love Field to help the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport grow.

In culture, actress Michelle Rodriguez is getting lost, so to speak. She is joining the cast of the drama when it resumes its second season on ABC this fall.

In sports, the Arizona Diamondbacks have picked Justin Upton, a high school shortstop from Chesapeake, Virginia. Upton batted 519 this season. Pro baseball's draft should end today.

They never make a big deal about that, Chad.

MYERS: Carol, they just didn't pick him. They picked him number one. They had the first pick, and they picked him number one.

Seventeen years old. The irony is his brother, B.J., actually plays for a far team, the Durham Bulls, for the Tampa Bay team. And they picked him second in...

COSTELLO: Wow!

MYERS: ... the draft back in 2002. So clearly a talented family there.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Thank you, Chad.

That's a look at the latest headlines for you this morning.

Now that it's warming up, kids are heading back to the pool. And as you parents know, that can be dangerous. CNN medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen has advice that could save your child's life.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's the second leading cause of death for children after car crashes, but drowning, especially in pools, can be prevented. Experts say never leave your children alone in or near a pool.

HAL STRATTON, CONSUMER PROTECTION SAFETY COMMISSION: Constant parental supervision is the only thing that I can guarantee parents will save their kid in a pool situation.

COHEN: If you have a pool in your back yard, safety should come first.

STRATTON: If you're going to build a pool, and you've got kids, I can't imagine that you wouldn't go out and research everything possible to try to make that safe.

COHEN: And making pools safe means a fence around the entire pool, all four sides. The gate should shut and lock automatically, and the latch should be out of the reach of a child. If a house forms a barrier to one side, its doors and windows should have an alarm. The pool itself should have one too.

As an extra precaution, invest in a pool cover. Plus, the American Academy of Pediatrics says keep rescue equipment and a phone nearby.

Elizabeth Cohen, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Still to come this morning on DAYBREAK, a ring tone by any other name would be just as lucrative. Later, we'll get down to business on the international Crazy Frog sensation.

You are watching DAYBREAK for Wednesday, June 8.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Apparently you feel very strongly about our question this morning. Under the hood, do you buy American or import when you go to buy a car? Because you know GM is laying off 25,000 people over four years. And American sales are down, yet Asian car sales are up.

So Chad, take it away.

MYERS: Carol, I didn't get any e-mails up here in Atlanta. So I had to have you e-mail them over to me. It's amazing how the world works, isn't it? You can give them to me and then -- even though I didn't get them for real.

"Perhaps the reason people are buying other cars other than GM, Ford and Dodge is because these other cars have better warranties, most times, they are better made, and they get better gas mileage." Well, you know what? The folks that build GM cars probably have something to say about that. But... "American carmakers complain about the competition and refuse to face the real reasons they're losing business. If they made cars that had qualities, good qualities, instead of giving us more bells and whistles, or for our SUVs they worked on fixing fuel economy to match that of imports, people might buy them."

That was from Aline (ph), Carol.

And I've got one from Kristen (ph). "I only look at one thing when I'm shopping for a car, or anything else, nowadays, price. I simply cannot afford to pay the price it costs to buy American. Does that make me a bad person? No, just a poor one."

And Richie -- Richie Rich (ph). "Too many times in this new economy Americans feel the need to point the finger at outsourcing as the route to the demise of our economy. Unfortunately, we fail to understand that other countries choose to have different labor standards, nothing more than a competitive advantage which they leverage on Americans and the entire world. When GM produces a vehicle that is better than all the other cars in the market, then they'll be able to recoup their losses" -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Wow. No ringing endorsement for American cars this morning, but keep those e-mails coming -- DAYBREAK@CNN.com. That's DAYBREAK@CNN.com.

Time for our DAYBREAK "Eye Openers" now.

Twenty brides to be got in the thick of things in New York. They were digging through that giant wedding cake in search of a $50,000 first prize. It was all part of a P.R. stunt to promote an upcoming television series on weddings gone wacky.

And what goes better with wedding cake than tomato juice? Well, just pretty much anything, actually.

What you're watching is the war of tomatoes. It is the annual festival in one town in Colombia to celebrate the tomato harvest. The festival is also a bonanza for the area's dry cleaners.

These are not your normal, everyday, cute kittens. No, sir. They're called fishing cats.

These little ones are on display at a zoo in Berlin. The thing about these kitties is they actually like the water. They're known to jump under water to catch fish for their dinner.

Here's what's all new in the next half-hour of DAYBREAK.

A discovery has some historians scratching their heads over America's first English colonists.

Plus, something lurking in the waters off New England is affecting what's for dinner.

The stories behind these mysteries when DAYBREAK continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) ANNOUNCER: From the Time Warner Center in New York, this is DAYBREAK with Carol Costello and Chad Myers.

COSTELLO: Good morning to you. Thank you for waking up with us. Welcome to the second half-hour of DAYBREAK.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com