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CNN Live At Daybreak

Cambodia Hostages; Update on Missing Teen; The Iranian Vote

Aired June 16, 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 Thursday, June 16. Students and teachers taken hostage, and there are deaths to report this morning. Within the last hour, an end to the volatile hostage crisis at an international school in Cambodia. We'll take you live to that region.
Plus, a traffic stop in South Carolina, but it's the two police officers who wind up with legal problems.

And the arguments over Guantanamo Bay, an international embarrassment or a facility vital to the war on terror?

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 the hostages in Cambodia in just a minute.

Also ahead, he won the masters in April. Can Tiger do it again? The U.S. Open kicks off later today. We'll take a look at the course in Pinehurst, North Carolina.

And later, she's not just an award-winning actress. Oh no. She's also a Goodwill ambassador for the United Nations. Our sit-down with Angelina Jolie.

But first, "Now in the News," to that developing story in Cambodia. At least one child is dead, as well as two gunmen. We're awaiting word on whether any other children were killed or injured at the end of a six-hour hostage crisis. The end came as police rushed a van that had delivered -- that had been delivered to the hostage- takers.

The police broke the windows and pulled out the gunmen. The hostage-takers had demanded more weapons, money and safe passage to the Thailand border.

Battling identity theft is the focus of a Senate committee this morning. The senators will look at ways to prevent the stealing of data that costs you billions. A survey by the Technology Trade Group shows many of you don't shop online before you fear identity theft.

The power is out for more than 70,000 homes in southeast Texas. That's forced a precautionary lockdown at some state prisons. A transmission failure is blamed for this outage.

And I guess, Chad, the power came on briefly there. And then, since so many people had their air conditioners on, it crashed again.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Right. Yes. You really have to -- when you know your power is off, the best thing to do is try to shut as many appliances off as you can, because that drain isn't so big when the power comes back on.

And that's not just for Texas. That's for anywhere. Anytime your power goes out, that's the best thing to do.

Anyway, good morning, Carol.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: We're going to get to more on the U.S. Open a little later, and I'm sure you'll help me out there.

MYERS: OK.

COSTELLO: Thank you, Chad.

MYERS: You're welcome.

COSTELLO: Let's get more now on the end of a tense hostage standoff at an elementary school in northwest Cambodia. CNN's Aneesh Raman live in Bangkok with the story.

Tell us what happened, Aneesh.

ANEESH RAMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, good morning.

The hostage standoff has ended some five-and-a-half hours after it began at that international school in the tourist town of Siem Reap. There, dozens of children between the ages of 2 and 6, along with their teachers, were held hostage by six masked gunmen, armed, police say, with shotguns.

Among the children, a large variety of nationalities. Their parents, expats working in Siem Reap, Cambodia, as part of the tourism industry.

About an hour ago, Carol, the deputy prime minister arrived on the scene, initiated action by the government. Gunfire was heard in and around the school. At that point, the children were released through the gate and the gunmen went into a van and were then apprehended.

John McDermott, a freelance journalist, was on the scene. He spoke with us earlier today.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

JOHN MCDERMOTT, FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER: The police rushed the van and smashed the windows. The bandits are out. They drug one of them off; two or three are on the ground.

All the kids are out. The ambulance is going in. I don't know about injuries. Rumor has it there may be some. I don't want to speculate without knowing anything.

Most -- most everybody has -- at least has their children out. There's several thousand people milling around, of course. Like I said, there's -- the ambulance is going into the gate. Like I said, several -- several of the bandits are tied up on the ground. A couple of others were carried out.

And really, that's all I can tell you at the moment. It's a little bit of controlled chaos. It looks like the situation is under control now, but not a -- maybe not a happy ending.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Aneesh -- can you still hear me, Aneesh?

Aneesh Raman cannot hear me anymore, but Aneesh Raman reporting from Thailand. Again, that hostage crisis in Cambodia is over, with one child dead. As for who the gunmen were, these masked gunmen, we don't know. We'll try to get back to Aneesh Raman to find out more answers for you.

On to CNN "Security Watch" now.

Are you concerned about the government snooping into what you read? The U.S. House of Representatives is. It's voted to restrict federal investigators from using the Patriot Act to look at library records and bookstore sales receipts. Several provisions of the act are set to expire this year. President Bush wants wider government access to information as a way to prevent terrorism.

A six-day sweep of New England has netted nearly 200 illegal immigrants. The immigrants were supposed to have been deported for committing crimes but had managed to avoid authorities. The number of such arrests could increase because the government is doubling the number of fugitive apprehension teams this summer.

The airline passenger screening program is under review by the Homeland Security Department. The department wants to see if privacy laws are being violated. In some instances, the program failed to properly disclose its use of commercial databases.

Stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security.

It's been more than two-and-a-half weeks now since Alabama teenager Natalee Holloway was reported missing. Karl Penhaul updates us on the search and what's happening to the three suspects in custody.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: An Aruban judge is expected to rule today on two motions filed by the defense attorneys for the three young men listed as suspects in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway. The first of those motions by the defense attorney for Joran Van Der Sloot calls on prosecutors to allow Van Der Sloot's father to be allowed to visit him in jail. So far, he's only been allowed visits from his mother.

The second motion is by one of the defense attorney for the two Kalpoe brothers. That defense attorney is calling for prosecutors to hand over more documentation and more evidence so that he can prepare a defense for his client.

There was a search of Joran Van Der Sloot's home. That was the second time in the last week that this home has been searched. Witnesses and investigators on the scene said bags of unspecified items were seized, along with two vehicles from that home.

That search came a day after another more extensive search alongside the Marriott hotel in the high-rise hotel district of Aruba. An area of about 500 yards by 150 yards was cordoned off. In addition to local police and investigators, a law enforcement source tells us five FBI agents, along with a police dog and its handler from Miami- Dade Police were also present there.

The police now tell us that nothing suspicious was found there. No evidence linked to the disappearance of Natalee Holloway.

Karl Penhaul, CNN, Palm Beach, Aruba.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Now to South Carolina, where two police officers could face criminal charges after beating a suspect at a traffic stop. The officers have already been kicked off the force, and here's why. We warn you, this video is hard to watch.

This was just after a traffic stop. And as you can see, the pictures were being taken by the onboard video camera in the police car. And you can see the victim's passenger standing there, watching with his hands up.

We don't know all of the details about this, but the tape does contradict what the officers, Donny Bubba Grimsly (ph) and Daryn Miles (ph), wrote in their police reports about the incident. This actually happened on June 5. And as I said, criminal charges could be filed very soon.

A new high school subjects is causing some controversy in Philadelphia. The school district there has made it mandatory for all high school students to take an African-American history class. They're trying to lower the 33 percent dropout rate among black students.

About two-thirds of Philadelphia's 210,000 students are African- American. But some critics say that studying just African history is unfair to Hispanic, Asian and Native-American students.

And of course, Chad, that brings us to our e-mail "Question of the Morning."

MYERS: Well, exactly. There were -- there were eight courses that they could have taken. Three were mandatory, five were electives. One of those electives was the course we're talking about.

Now it's not elective anymore. Now it's a mandatory course, or will be. And so it will be four and four; four mandatory, four electives.

So what do you think about this? Do you think -- do you think African-American studies should be a required subject in high school class? DAYBREAK@CNN.com.

COSTELLO: And keep in mind that most students who attend Philadelphia schools are African-Americans.

MYERS: Yes.

COSTELLO: And administrators say that learning about African- American history gives them a sense of pride and ownership.

MYERS: Yes.

COSTELLO: Some students were driven to tears by what they learned about the slave trade, perhaps.

MYERS: They're actually allowed to trace their roots as well in this class as well, Carol, and how far back they can get. It's a pretty amazing little class.

COSTELLO: It is amazing. But does it leave other students out? Should history on, you know, Hispanic culture be required in schools as well?

Again, let us know what you think, DAYBREAK@CNN.com.

Also, coming up in the next hour of DAYBREAK, we will talk with Gregory Thornton. He is from the Philadelphia school district, and he will answer your questions. So we're interested in what you think this morning.

Still to come on DAYBREAK, will tomorrow's presidential elections in Iran change anything for the women who live there? We'll look at the race and meet some amazing young women.

Angelina Jolie takes her cause to Washington, but it was no movie premier that got her out in front of the cameras. We will explain.

And the U.S. Open opens today. Can Tiger take home another Grand Slam? We'll look at his chances just ahead.

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: International markets are all a bit higher this morning. Tokyo's Nikkei is up, oh, I call it just a smidge. The London FTSE higher by 16 points. The German DAX up over 20.5.

Your news, money, weather and sports. It's 5:14 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning.

A hostage drama in Cambodia has ended violently. About six hours ago, masked gunmen stormed an international school, seizing dozens of children and teachers. Cambodian police reportedly killed two gunmen and captured two others. Authorities say a 5-year-old Canadian girl was also killed.

A British newspaper reporter claims he could have blown Prince Harry to bits. A reporter carrying a fake bomb penetrated Harry's elite military academy at Sandhurst. The newspaper reports Harry was there at the time.

In money news, it seems that more of you are giving online. The country's biggest charities say online donations rose 63 percent last year to more than $166 million. The rise may be partly due to tsunami relief.

In culture, the return -- the return tour of King Tut begins today in Los Angeles. Around eight million people saw the ancient Egyptian artifacts when they came here 25 years ago. After November 15, the exhibit will go to Fort Lauderdale, Chicago and Philadelphia.

In sports, the 105th annual U.S. Open tees off in Pinehurst, North Carolina, in less than two hours. Tiger Woods looking for his second straight Grand Slam victory this year. He won the Masters in April. We will have a preview a little later.

How about the weather, Chad?

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: All right. Thank you, Chad.

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

Iranians will go to the polls tomorrow to elect a new president. The race has turned into a tight one, and no candidate may win the 50 percent needed to avoid a runoff. The close race has galvanized many voters, including Iranian young women.

Chief International Correspondent Christiane Amanpour introduces us to some Iranian women and the things they care about.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Golshifteh Farahani is 21 years old. She's been an actress she was 14 and rarely out of work. Iran has a thriving film industry, and her movies pack the cinemas and reap awards.

GOLSHIFTEH FARAHANI, ACTRESS: I like to work in Iran. I like it, because I think it makes me more creative because of these, you know...

AMANPOUR: She's trying to say pressures and limitations, political, religious and social, that force everyone here, especially the women, into subtle forms of self-expression. Her latest film was released this week, but Golshifteh knows that her career flourishes at the pleasure of the authorities. Like many Iranian women, she hopes their next president will give women more rights, especially legal rights.

FARAHANI: I think the problem is it's not only the government and the, you know, system that doesn't give enough rights for women. Even the women themselves, they don't give -- they don't know their rights. They don't know it. So I think that's the real problem.

AMANPOUR: But women's rights advocates point out that all the women who tried to register as candidates for this presidential election were disqualified by the Guardian Council, which vets all contenders.

(on camera): And this week, groups of professional women and students held their first public demonstrations since the veil was made obligatory 26 years ago. This time, they're demanding their next president improve women's status.

(voice-over): Authorities allow women to wear ever-tighter overcoats, show evermore hair and makeup, and they tolerate women like Laleh Seddigh, competing in car races. But she, too, believes that women should pursue their rights more.

LALEH SEDDIGH, RACE CAR DRIVER: If they ask for their rights, by sure they will -- they will achieve it. And I hope so.

AMANPOUR (on camera): Do you think it's that easy?

SEDDIGH: By sure, no. But they must try if they want to be accepted (ph) with everything.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you remember some colors that we talked about?

AMANPOUR (voice-over): For now, though, many Iranian women see more interested in improving their daily lives rather than risking them on political activism. Women who have always turned out to the polls wonder this time, will they vote?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think I will because I love my country. And it's my right to participate in it. But it belongs to me.

AMANPOUR: But still, they ask, will it make a difference?

Christiane Amanpour, CNN, Tehran, Iran.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Still to come this morning on DAYBREAK, an autopsy of Terri Schiavo's body may give some closure, but still leaves some questions unanswered. We'll take a look.

You are watching DAYBREAK for Thursday.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Our e-mail "Question of the Morning." We're asking you this: should African-American studies be required learning for high school students? E-mail us at DAYBREAK@CNN.com.

Of course, Chad, that's what they're doing in Philadelphia.

MYERS: Yes.

COSTELLO: We've already gotten a lot of response.

MYERS: We really have, yes.

And Larry -- just a couple quick ones here, then we'll get to more later. Larry in Cleveland says, "I don't know a single instance where expanding a child's mind is harmful. Keeping potential dropouts in school isn't just a bonus, it's the right thing to do."

And from somebody named Ms. Peterson, "Of course African-American history should be a required class. Why would we even call that into question? Is African-American history less valid of a subject than other subjects. And whatever this ethnic makeup of the school is, such a class would be rewarding and enriching to all students, not just African-Americans" -- Carol.

COSTELLO: We'll keep the responses coming.

MYERS: OK.

COSTELLO: Time now for a little lightening of the mood, some "Late Night Laughs."

MYERS: Oh, good.

COSTELLO: And guess what the topic was again?

MYERS: Michael Jackson. No?

COSTELLO: Make it stop. But anyway, there were some good jokes about it last night. So incase you missed them...

MYERS: And I did.

COSTELLO: ... let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAY LENO, "THE TONIGHT SHOW": In fact, Thomas Mesereau's going to be here?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, yes?

LENO: He's going to be here on Friday, the lawyer. Yes, yes. You know, he looks like -- Ellen (ph), show Thomas Mesereau's picture.

You know him, that's the lawyer. That's Michael's lawyer. I'm thinking, who does he look like? And then it hit me. Oh, yes.

Do you got that other picture?

Yes.

(LAUGHTER)

LENO: Yes. Yes.

And friends of Michael Jackson say that he can't help himself. That's what they're saying. They're saying he'll go back to the same dysfunctional situation that's caused all the trouble -- that's not -- that's Phil Jackson. Go on to the Lakers. I'm sorry.

That's the big story here in Los Angeles. Phil Jackson returning to coach the Lakers. How about that?

(APPLAUSE)

LENO: I tell you, Phil made it very clear today, this is consensual, Kobe is not forcing him to do this.

(LAUGHTER)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MYERS: No, $10 million over three years is.

COSTELLO: Oh, can you believe...

MYERS: Nice contract.

COSTELLO: ... making that amount of money? What are we doing?

MYERS: Well, he's going to have to turn some games here.

COSTELLO: He will. He's a great -- he's a great coach. It's just, you know, can he get along with Kobe Bryant? And will Kobe Bryant cooperate this time?

And, you know, he wrote that book. Phil Jackson wrote that book slamming Kobe Bryant.

MYERS: I know.

COSTELLO: So that can't help.

MYERS: I know. It's like, oh, boy. Anyway.

COSTELLO: Time for our DAYBREAK "Eye Opener" now.

And this one is a story for the ages. Take a look at this.

MYERS: Oh!

COSTELLO: Oh, it seems this kitten got his head stuck in a lead pipe a long time ago. So long ago that his head grew too big to pull out of the pipe. It took firefighters two-and-a-half hours and a little bit of grease to get the kitty's head -- look, the kitty looks absolutely fine now.

MYERS: Oh.

COSTELLO: Rescuing this dog was even more difficult. This stray wandered onto Interstate 95 near Miami. Oh.

Police were forced to close down the highway while animal control officers chased the dog around. He is now at custody at the pound, and he's look for a good home.

Don't you hate when people dump off dogs like that? Oh. That just breaks my heart.

MYERS: Yes.

COSTELLO: But the dog's OK this morning.

MYERS: Oh, good. There, they got him.

COSTELLO: One more animal story. This six-foot tall baby giraffe is just six days old. He's the newest resident at the San Diego Zoo, but he's got quite a bit more growing to do. This baby will someday reach a height of about 18 feet.

MYERS: Isn't it amazing how animals can just get out and start walking? And...

COSTELLO: They don't go through that crawling stage.

MYERS: ... human babies take forever, or so it seems.

COSTELLO: All right. Now this would qualify as desperate, Chad.

This 45-year-old truck driver from Omaha, Nebraska, wants to find a wife. So he's taking his approach straight to the street. Later, he plans to put his face on a big billboard. So far, he's spent about $1,000, and says he will go as high as $10,000 to find a wife by Christmas.

MYERS: Well, I went to school in Nebraska, and I'm glad I don't know him.

COSTELLO: What woman would take him up on that?

MYERS: Well, he's dressed nicely. He's got cufflinks.

COSTELLO: Yes.

MYERS: Well shaven. Next.

COSTELLO: OK. I have nothing else to say about this.

Here's what's all new in the next half-hour of DAYBREAK. It is tee time for the U.S. Open. We'll preview the course in Pinehurst, North Carolina. And a look at who might take home the coveted prize.

Plus, Angelina Jolie talks about her role as U.N. Goodwill ambassador. And our reporter Andrea Koppel asks her about, you know, Brad Pitt.

Stick around. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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Aired June 16, 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 Thursday, June 16. Students and teachers taken hostage, and there are deaths to report this morning. Within the last hour, an end to the volatile hostage crisis at an international school in Cambodia. We'll take you live to that region.
Plus, a traffic stop in South Carolina, but it's the two police officers who wind up with legal problems.

And the arguments over Guantanamo Bay, an international embarrassment or a facility vital to the war on terror?

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 the hostages in Cambodia in just a minute.

Also ahead, he won the masters in April. Can Tiger do it again? The U.S. Open kicks off later today. We'll take a look at the course in Pinehurst, North Carolina.

And later, she's not just an award-winning actress. Oh no. She's also a Goodwill ambassador for the United Nations. Our sit-down with Angelina Jolie.

But first, "Now in the News," to that developing story in Cambodia. At least one child is dead, as well as two gunmen. We're awaiting word on whether any other children were killed or injured at the end of a six-hour hostage crisis. The end came as police rushed a van that had delivered -- that had been delivered to the hostage- takers.

The police broke the windows and pulled out the gunmen. The hostage-takers had demanded more weapons, money and safe passage to the Thailand border.

Battling identity theft is the focus of a Senate committee this morning. The senators will look at ways to prevent the stealing of data that costs you billions. A survey by the Technology Trade Group shows many of you don't shop online before you fear identity theft.

The power is out for more than 70,000 homes in southeast Texas. That's forced a precautionary lockdown at some state prisons. A transmission failure is blamed for this outage.

And I guess, Chad, the power came on briefly there. And then, since so many people had their air conditioners on, it crashed again.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Right. Yes. You really have to -- when you know your power is off, the best thing to do is try to shut as many appliances off as you can, because that drain isn't so big when the power comes back on.

And that's not just for Texas. That's for anywhere. Anytime your power goes out, that's the best thing to do.

Anyway, good morning, Carol.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: We're going to get to more on the U.S. Open a little later, and I'm sure you'll help me out there.

MYERS: OK.

COSTELLO: Thank you, Chad.

MYERS: You're welcome.

COSTELLO: Let's get more now on the end of a tense hostage standoff at an elementary school in northwest Cambodia. CNN's Aneesh Raman live in Bangkok with the story.

Tell us what happened, Aneesh.

ANEESH RAMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, good morning.

The hostage standoff has ended some five-and-a-half hours after it began at that international school in the tourist town of Siem Reap. There, dozens of children between the ages of 2 and 6, along with their teachers, were held hostage by six masked gunmen, armed, police say, with shotguns.

Among the children, a large variety of nationalities. Their parents, expats working in Siem Reap, Cambodia, as part of the tourism industry.

About an hour ago, Carol, the deputy prime minister arrived on the scene, initiated action by the government. Gunfire was heard in and around the school. At that point, the children were released through the gate and the gunmen went into a van and were then apprehended.

John McDermott, a freelance journalist, was on the scene. He spoke with us earlier today.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

JOHN MCDERMOTT, FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER: The police rushed the van and smashed the windows. The bandits are out. They drug one of them off; two or three are on the ground.

All the kids are out. The ambulance is going in. I don't know about injuries. Rumor has it there may be some. I don't want to speculate without knowing anything.

Most -- most everybody has -- at least has their children out. There's several thousand people milling around, of course. Like I said, there's -- the ambulance is going into the gate. Like I said, several -- several of the bandits are tied up on the ground. A couple of others were carried out.

And really, that's all I can tell you at the moment. It's a little bit of controlled chaos. It looks like the situation is under control now, but not a -- maybe not a happy ending.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Aneesh -- can you still hear me, Aneesh?

Aneesh Raman cannot hear me anymore, but Aneesh Raman reporting from Thailand. Again, that hostage crisis in Cambodia is over, with one child dead. As for who the gunmen were, these masked gunmen, we don't know. We'll try to get back to Aneesh Raman to find out more answers for you.

On to CNN "Security Watch" now.

Are you concerned about the government snooping into what you read? The U.S. House of Representatives is. It's voted to restrict federal investigators from using the Patriot Act to look at library records and bookstore sales receipts. Several provisions of the act are set to expire this year. President Bush wants wider government access to information as a way to prevent terrorism.

A six-day sweep of New England has netted nearly 200 illegal immigrants. The immigrants were supposed to have been deported for committing crimes but had managed to avoid authorities. The number of such arrests could increase because the government is doubling the number of fugitive apprehension teams this summer.

The airline passenger screening program is under review by the Homeland Security Department. The department wants to see if privacy laws are being violated. In some instances, the program failed to properly disclose its use of commercial databases.

Stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security.

It's been more than two-and-a-half weeks now since Alabama teenager Natalee Holloway was reported missing. Karl Penhaul updates us on the search and what's happening to the three suspects in custody.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: An Aruban judge is expected to rule today on two motions filed by the defense attorneys for the three young men listed as suspects in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway. The first of those motions by the defense attorney for Joran Van Der Sloot calls on prosecutors to allow Van Der Sloot's father to be allowed to visit him in jail. So far, he's only been allowed visits from his mother.

The second motion is by one of the defense attorney for the two Kalpoe brothers. That defense attorney is calling for prosecutors to hand over more documentation and more evidence so that he can prepare a defense for his client.

There was a search of Joran Van Der Sloot's home. That was the second time in the last week that this home has been searched. Witnesses and investigators on the scene said bags of unspecified items were seized, along with two vehicles from that home.

That search came a day after another more extensive search alongside the Marriott hotel in the high-rise hotel district of Aruba. An area of about 500 yards by 150 yards was cordoned off. In addition to local police and investigators, a law enforcement source tells us five FBI agents, along with a police dog and its handler from Miami- Dade Police were also present there.

The police now tell us that nothing suspicious was found there. No evidence linked to the disappearance of Natalee Holloway.

Karl Penhaul, CNN, Palm Beach, Aruba.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Now to South Carolina, where two police officers could face criminal charges after beating a suspect at a traffic stop. The officers have already been kicked off the force, and here's why. We warn you, this video is hard to watch.

This was just after a traffic stop. And as you can see, the pictures were being taken by the onboard video camera in the police car. And you can see the victim's passenger standing there, watching with his hands up.

We don't know all of the details about this, but the tape does contradict what the officers, Donny Bubba Grimsly (ph) and Daryn Miles (ph), wrote in their police reports about the incident. This actually happened on June 5. And as I said, criminal charges could be filed very soon.

A new high school subjects is causing some controversy in Philadelphia. The school district there has made it mandatory for all high school students to take an African-American history class. They're trying to lower the 33 percent dropout rate among black students.

About two-thirds of Philadelphia's 210,000 students are African- American. But some critics say that studying just African history is unfair to Hispanic, Asian and Native-American students.

And of course, Chad, that brings us to our e-mail "Question of the Morning."

MYERS: Well, exactly. There were -- there were eight courses that they could have taken. Three were mandatory, five were electives. One of those electives was the course we're talking about.

Now it's not elective anymore. Now it's a mandatory course, or will be. And so it will be four and four; four mandatory, four electives.

So what do you think about this? Do you think -- do you think African-American studies should be a required subject in high school class? DAYBREAK@CNN.com.

COSTELLO: And keep in mind that most students who attend Philadelphia schools are African-Americans.

MYERS: Yes.

COSTELLO: And administrators say that learning about African- American history gives them a sense of pride and ownership.

MYERS: Yes.

COSTELLO: Some students were driven to tears by what they learned about the slave trade, perhaps.

MYERS: They're actually allowed to trace their roots as well in this class as well, Carol, and how far back they can get. It's a pretty amazing little class.

COSTELLO: It is amazing. But does it leave other students out? Should history on, you know, Hispanic culture be required in schools as well?

Again, let us know what you think, DAYBREAK@CNN.com.

Also, coming up in the next hour of DAYBREAK, we will talk with Gregory Thornton. He is from the Philadelphia school district, and he will answer your questions. So we're interested in what you think this morning.

Still to come on DAYBREAK, will tomorrow's presidential elections in Iran change anything for the women who live there? We'll look at the race and meet some amazing young women.

Angelina Jolie takes her cause to Washington, but it was no movie premier that got her out in front of the cameras. We will explain.

And the U.S. Open opens today. Can Tiger take home another Grand Slam? We'll look at his chances just ahead.

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: International markets are all a bit higher this morning. Tokyo's Nikkei is up, oh, I call it just a smidge. The London FTSE higher by 16 points. The German DAX up over 20.5.

Your news, money, weather and sports. It's 5:14 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning.

A hostage drama in Cambodia has ended violently. About six hours ago, masked gunmen stormed an international school, seizing dozens of children and teachers. Cambodian police reportedly killed two gunmen and captured two others. Authorities say a 5-year-old Canadian girl was also killed.

A British newspaper reporter claims he could have blown Prince Harry to bits. A reporter carrying a fake bomb penetrated Harry's elite military academy at Sandhurst. The newspaper reports Harry was there at the time.

In money news, it seems that more of you are giving online. The country's biggest charities say online donations rose 63 percent last year to more than $166 million. The rise may be partly due to tsunami relief.

In culture, the return -- the return tour of King Tut begins today in Los Angeles. Around eight million people saw the ancient Egyptian artifacts when they came here 25 years ago. After November 15, the exhibit will go to Fort Lauderdale, Chicago and Philadelphia.

In sports, the 105th annual U.S. Open tees off in Pinehurst, North Carolina, in less than two hours. Tiger Woods looking for his second straight Grand Slam victory this year. He won the Masters in April. We will have a preview a little later.

How about the weather, Chad?

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: All right. Thank you, Chad.

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

Iranians will go to the polls tomorrow to elect a new president. The race has turned into a tight one, and no candidate may win the 50 percent needed to avoid a runoff. The close race has galvanized many voters, including Iranian young women.

Chief International Correspondent Christiane Amanpour introduces us to some Iranian women and the things they care about.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Golshifteh Farahani is 21 years old. She's been an actress she was 14 and rarely out of work. Iran has a thriving film industry, and her movies pack the cinemas and reap awards.

GOLSHIFTEH FARAHANI, ACTRESS: I like to work in Iran. I like it, because I think it makes me more creative because of these, you know...

AMANPOUR: She's trying to say pressures and limitations, political, religious and social, that force everyone here, especially the women, into subtle forms of self-expression. Her latest film was released this week, but Golshifteh knows that her career flourishes at the pleasure of the authorities. Like many Iranian women, she hopes their next president will give women more rights, especially legal rights.

FARAHANI: I think the problem is it's not only the government and the, you know, system that doesn't give enough rights for women. Even the women themselves, they don't give -- they don't know their rights. They don't know it. So I think that's the real problem.

AMANPOUR: But women's rights advocates point out that all the women who tried to register as candidates for this presidential election were disqualified by the Guardian Council, which vets all contenders.

(on camera): And this week, groups of professional women and students held their first public demonstrations since the veil was made obligatory 26 years ago. This time, they're demanding their next president improve women's status.

(voice-over): Authorities allow women to wear ever-tighter overcoats, show evermore hair and makeup, and they tolerate women like Laleh Seddigh, competing in car races. But she, too, believes that women should pursue their rights more.

LALEH SEDDIGH, RACE CAR DRIVER: If they ask for their rights, by sure they will -- they will achieve it. And I hope so.

AMANPOUR (on camera): Do you think it's that easy?

SEDDIGH: By sure, no. But they must try if they want to be accepted (ph) with everything.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you remember some colors that we talked about?

AMANPOUR (voice-over): For now, though, many Iranian women see more interested in improving their daily lives rather than risking them on political activism. Women who have always turned out to the polls wonder this time, will they vote?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think I will because I love my country. And it's my right to participate in it. But it belongs to me.

AMANPOUR: But still, they ask, will it make a difference?

Christiane Amanpour, CNN, Tehran, Iran.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Still to come this morning on DAYBREAK, an autopsy of Terri Schiavo's body may give some closure, but still leaves some questions unanswered. We'll take a look.

You are watching DAYBREAK for Thursday.

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COSTELLO: Our e-mail "Question of the Morning." We're asking you this: should African-American studies be required learning for high school students? E-mail us at DAYBREAK@CNN.com.

Of course, Chad, that's what they're doing in Philadelphia.

MYERS: Yes.

COSTELLO: We've already gotten a lot of response.

MYERS: We really have, yes.

And Larry -- just a couple quick ones here, then we'll get to more later. Larry in Cleveland says, "I don't know a single instance where expanding a child's mind is harmful. Keeping potential dropouts in school isn't just a bonus, it's the right thing to do."

And from somebody named Ms. Peterson, "Of course African-American history should be a required class. Why would we even call that into question? Is African-American history less valid of a subject than other subjects. And whatever this ethnic makeup of the school is, such a class would be rewarding and enriching to all students, not just African-Americans" -- Carol.

COSTELLO: We'll keep the responses coming.

MYERS: OK.

COSTELLO: Time now for a little lightening of the mood, some "Late Night Laughs."

MYERS: Oh, good.

COSTELLO: And guess what the topic was again?

MYERS: Michael Jackson. No?

COSTELLO: Make it stop. But anyway, there were some good jokes about it last night. So incase you missed them...

MYERS: And I did.

COSTELLO: ... let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAY LENO, "THE TONIGHT SHOW": In fact, Thomas Mesereau's going to be here?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, yes?

LENO: He's going to be here on Friday, the lawyer. Yes, yes. You know, he looks like -- Ellen (ph), show Thomas Mesereau's picture.

You know him, that's the lawyer. That's Michael's lawyer. I'm thinking, who does he look like? And then it hit me. Oh, yes.

Do you got that other picture?

Yes.

(LAUGHTER)

LENO: Yes. Yes.

And friends of Michael Jackson say that he can't help himself. That's what they're saying. They're saying he'll go back to the same dysfunctional situation that's caused all the trouble -- that's not -- that's Phil Jackson. Go on to the Lakers. I'm sorry.

That's the big story here in Los Angeles. Phil Jackson returning to coach the Lakers. How about that?

(APPLAUSE)

LENO: I tell you, Phil made it very clear today, this is consensual, Kobe is not forcing him to do this.

(LAUGHTER)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MYERS: No, $10 million over three years is.

COSTELLO: Oh, can you believe...

MYERS: Nice contract.

COSTELLO: ... making that amount of money? What are we doing?

MYERS: Well, he's going to have to turn some games here.

COSTELLO: He will. He's a great -- he's a great coach. It's just, you know, can he get along with Kobe Bryant? And will Kobe Bryant cooperate this time?

And, you know, he wrote that book. Phil Jackson wrote that book slamming Kobe Bryant.

MYERS: I know.

COSTELLO: So that can't help.

MYERS: I know. It's like, oh, boy. Anyway.

COSTELLO: Time for our DAYBREAK "Eye Opener" now.

And this one is a story for the ages. Take a look at this.

MYERS: Oh!

COSTELLO: Oh, it seems this kitten got his head stuck in a lead pipe a long time ago. So long ago that his head grew too big to pull out of the pipe. It took firefighters two-and-a-half hours and a little bit of grease to get the kitty's head -- look, the kitty looks absolutely fine now.

MYERS: Oh.

COSTELLO: Rescuing this dog was even more difficult. This stray wandered onto Interstate 95 near Miami. Oh.

Police were forced to close down the highway while animal control officers chased the dog around. He is now at custody at the pound, and he's look for a good home.

Don't you hate when people dump off dogs like that? Oh. That just breaks my heart.

MYERS: Yes.

COSTELLO: But the dog's OK this morning.

MYERS: Oh, good. There, they got him.

COSTELLO: One more animal story. This six-foot tall baby giraffe is just six days old. He's the newest resident at the San Diego Zoo, but he's got quite a bit more growing to do. This baby will someday reach a height of about 18 feet.

MYERS: Isn't it amazing how animals can just get out and start walking? And...

COSTELLO: They don't go through that crawling stage.

MYERS: ... human babies take forever, or so it seems.

COSTELLO: All right. Now this would qualify as desperate, Chad.

This 45-year-old truck driver from Omaha, Nebraska, wants to find a wife. So he's taking his approach straight to the street. Later, he plans to put his face on a big billboard. So far, he's spent about $1,000, and says he will go as high as $10,000 to find a wife by Christmas.

MYERS: Well, I went to school in Nebraska, and I'm glad I don't know him.

COSTELLO: What woman would take him up on that?

MYERS: Well, he's dressed nicely. He's got cufflinks.

COSTELLO: Yes.

MYERS: Well shaven. Next.

COSTELLO: OK. I have nothing else to say about this.

Here's what's all new in the next half-hour of DAYBREAK. It is tee time for the U.S. Open. We'll preview the course in Pinehurst, North Carolina. And a look at who might take home the coveted prize.

Plus, Angelina Jolie talks about her role as U.N. Goodwill ambassador. And our reporter Andrea Koppel asks her about, you know, Brad Pitt.

Stick around. We'll be right back.

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