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CNN Live At Daybreak

Gaza Pullout; Palestinian Pride; Cut the Fat; Chicano Art

Aired August 12, 2005 - 05:30   ET

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


FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning from the CNN World Headquarters in Atlanta. I'm Fredricka Whitfield in for Carol Costello.
"Now in the News."

British Airways has canceled flights to and from London's Heathrow Airport, one of the busiest airports in the world, and that's left some 20,000 travelers stranded this morning. Airport ground staff walked off the job in support of another union. The cancellations are having a ripple effect on other airlines as well.

The two people accused of killing a prison guard during a courthouse escape in Tennessee are scheduled to appear in court today. George and Jennifer Hyatte were arrested in Columbus, Ohio. They have an extradition hearing there.

Today you'll learn more about how New York firefighters responded to the 9/11 attacks. The department is releasing hours of radio transmissions and hundreds of oral histories telling about the heroism of the firefighters.

And NASA is hoping the third time is a charm for the Mars Orbiter. Authorities rescheduled the launch of the spacecraft due to a computer glitch. The new two-hour window for liftoff begins at 7:43 Eastern this morning.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: All right.

WHITFIELD: How are you doing again?

MYERS: Not as many showers today down there so maybe that's something good.

WHITFIELD: Well that is good.

MYERS: Yes. Good morning, Fred.

Good morning, everybody.

(WEATHER REPORT)

WHITFIELD: All right, thanks -- Chad.

MYERS: You're welcome.

WHITFIELD: Well this is the last weekend for Israeli settlers to get out of Gaza before they'll be forcible removed next week. Many Israelis are outraged.

CNN's Guy Raz joins us live from Gaza where protests are planned -- Guy.

GUY RAZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, August 14 at midnight is D-Day, the deadline in which all Israelis must be out of the Gaza settlements. Now any who remain here will be considered illegal.

Now many of the resident settlers have already started to pack up and leave. The problem for Israel's army, which will be carrying out this evacuation, is an estimated 2,700 infiltrators, many of them young people, many who have arrived into the Gaza settlements only in the past few weeks and days.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GUY RAZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): One gets the impression these young activists in the Gaza settlements are here for posterity. Hundreds gather daily in the town square of Gaza's largest Jewish settlement, Neve Deqalim, showing bravado in defiance and will, no doubt, take their stories home with them. I was there they will say one day. But for now, they adhere to a parallel reality, one that genuinely believes in divine intervention, enough even to stop the Gaza pullout.

ARYEH HOLTZ, DISENGAGEMENT OPPONENT: Something is going to happen, this engagement will not happen. That's what I believe.

RAZ: Aryeh Holtz, like most of the kids who have poured into these settlements in the past weeks, is religious.

(on camera): For many of these young people, being here in the Gaza settlements during this period is a kind of religious nationalist rite of passage. The atmosphere now is calm, but when the evacuation begins, the sheer number of young infiltrators could cause major problems for Israel's army.

(voice-over): We met a group of young men, all recent arrivals, who say they have no plans to physically resist the evacuation. Like the others here, they are convinced there won't be any need, God will intervene.

Their rabbinical patrons have told them that Israel's manmade laws contravene divine law.

AHARON FRANKEL, DISENGAGEMENT OPPONENT: Our law is the God. So our rabbin told us to do it, so we're doing it.

RAZ: Not all the young people are religious, though, some are secular Israelis, like Orit Arfa (ph). She sneaked into the settlement a few days ago.

ORIT ARFA, SETTLER: To me, I don't see it so much as a religious battle, I see it as a national issue. As a citizen, you know, I feel that this disengagement is going to endanger my life. RAZ: All of these youngsters, who have come from outside, face jail time once evacuated by Israel's army. It's illegal for them to be here, but they persist and ignore the warning signs and pray, even as the moving trucks pass behind them.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

Fredricka, as Friday evening approaches here in the Gaza settlements, many of the people here are preparing for the Jewish Sabbath. Tomorrow is a day of rest. Sunday marks the end of a period of mourning, commemorating the destruction of two ancient Jewish temples. And then on Monday, the Israeli army begins the process of fanning out throughout all 21 Jewish settlements in Gaza to seal them up for one final time -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: And so, Guy, for those infiltrators, and perhaps even other settlers who are refusing to leave, how will they be removed?

RAZ: Well this is a big question, of course, for the Israeli army, because it's expected that they'll have to be removed by force.

Now we have spoken to many hundreds of people here in the settlements who have remained, are remaining. They say they will not attack. They will not physically confront the Israeli army when it does arrive. But we do expect to see scenes of young people being dragged out of their homes, perhaps being handcuffed and being put on to buses that will then remove all of them from these settlements. And that, of course, will take about three weeks to clear out all 21 of the Jewish settlements inside of Gaza -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, Guy Raz, thanks so much.

While the Israelis are preparing to protest the pullout, Palestinians are getting ready to celebrate it.

CNN's Hala Gorani has details from the Palestinian territories in Gaza.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HALA GORANI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The workers in this Gaza factory are laboring 13 hours a day to meet an order for tens of thousands of Palestinian flags in time for the Israeli withdrawal. The Palestinian Authority is reportedly spending $1.7 million to celebrate the Gaza pullout. Part of the budget goes to textile factories, like this one.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Every day we have 1,000 flags. This is the number of the flags, 25,000 flags.

GORANI (on camera): Also on order from the Palestinian Authority in souvenir shops across Gaza, T-shirts, like this one. It reads: Gaza Today, the West Bank and Jerusalem Tomorrow. There are also baseball caps with the Palestinian flag on them and dozens and dozens of souvenirs celebrating PLO leaders, Yasser Arafat on one side, Abu Mazen on the other. (voice-over): Shop manager Ahmad Abu-Dayyah says sales of pullout trinkets have boosted business. He ordered these mugs himself and says T-shirts are selling well at $3.50 apiece.

I ordered 500 of the T-shirts, he says, and I've already sold 280.

For the Palestinian Authority, withdrawal souvenirs aren't just for fun, they're about sending a message that the government gets credit for the pullout, not militant groups like Hamas.

KAMAL AL SHRAFI, PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY (through translator): The Palestinian Authority is responsible, and it wants to assert that it's the only authority in the land and the one responsible for receiving these lands.

GORANI: At the souvenir shop, the manager shows us a series of pins. The best seller among them, the one with the Palestinian flag on one side and the Israeli flag on the other.

Hala Gorani, CNN, Gaza.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Still to come on DAYBREAK, can restaurants cut out the fat? New York City wants them to at least try. That story is straight ahead.

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: It was August 14, 1945, V-J Day, Victory over Japan. And remember this, arguably the most famous photograph from World War II, a U.S. sailor and a nurse embracing in New York's Times Square the day the war ended.

Now a statue by Seward Johnson, unveiled yesterday, commemorates that exuberant kiss. Edith Shain, who claims to be the nurse in the photo, helped with the unveiling of the statue. Shain never asked of the man's name. And 60 years later, the sailor's identity remains a mystery. The 60th anniversary of the famous event is Sunday.

Your news, money, weather and sports. It is now 44 minutes after the hour, and here is what's all new this morning.

Thousands of air travelers are stranded at London's Heathrow Airport. British Airways canceled flights in a dispute with a catering company. Then baggage handlers and other airport workers sided with the caterer. The cancellations are causing a ripple effect on flights to other countries.

NASA says it still can't figure out why a large chunk of foam insulation broke off space shuttle Discovery during liftoff. And that's one reason NASA is postponing the September launch of shuttle Atlantis.

In money, it's going to cost you more to fly, and you can blame it on rising oil prices. United, Delta, US Airways and Continental have upped the cost of a ticket. Other airlines are thinking about doing the same thing.

In culture, movie star Angelina Jolie is granted official Cambodian citizenship. It's to recognize her environmental work there. The Oscar-winning actress will donate $5 million to set up a wildlife sanctuary in Cambodia, but she also retains her U.S. citizenship, by the way.

In sports, Baltimore Orioles slugger Rafael Palmeiro is back, but not back in the lineup. His 10-day suspension for using steroids is up. It might be a couple of more days before Palmeiro starts again -- Chad.

MYERS: He had a little news conference. I saw it there by the dugout. I didn't hear much of it, but he was basically saying that you know he was sorry for what happened, and he was sorry to his teammates and to the fans, and we're just going to get on and get over this. So maybe he can. That would be great if he could actually get by it and do another drug test or a steroid test and get negative and figure all that out.

(WEATHER REPORT)

WHITFIELD: All right, thanks a lot -- Chad.

MYERS: Sure.

WHITFIELD: Well it's baby steps in going smokeless in Louisville. City leaders in the former Mecca of tobacco adopted a limited ban on smoking in public buildings. Louisville has the most adult smokers and the most deaths from lung cancer in the country. The new ordinance bans smoking in most work places and restaurants, but allows several exceptions. Lexington, Kentucky banned smoking in most indoor places last year.

And, Chad, sorry, I thought you were gone, but you're back.

MYERS: No, I'm here.

WHITFIELD: Time for some e-mail responses.

MYERS: There's nowhere for me to go.

Yes, actually, for our question here, what should be done about gas prices? What are you doing about your consumption for gas prices and gas in general?

Kevin Shore (ph) from South Carolina says, hey, you know what, hey, let it rip. Twelve bucks a gallon do wonders for the environment. I think our dependence on the petroleum industry would go down. What the heck, we'll be out of oil in 40 or 50 years anyway, let the prices rip and maybe you'll figure out whether that trip you're taking is really all that necessary.

WHITFIELD: Oh boy!

MYERS: And all the money -- Joe says all the money wasted mowing lawns, heck, forget about it. Let's not even do it from the city and the state and those medians. Forget it. Don't mow so often, that'll save a little gas.

And Eddie (ph) in Mississippi says, we, America public, I included, we're very spoiled. We drive all over creation not really caring about the gas we burn. People need to realize what price we're paying for the gasoline today so that it's not been pumped out of the ground yet what's going to be going up and up and up. These speculators are driving the price of crude oil way up, taking huge profits. And you know the oil companies aren't going to say anything about this because they're making more profit and more profit and more profit.

WHITFIELD: Folks are fired up about fuel.

MYERS: Well, you know, and you have to do something about it, too. Make sure that your tires are inflated, maybe put a new air cleaner in your car. You can get better gas mileage by just staying behind somebody on the freeway rather...

WHITFIELD: Yes.

MYERS: ... than racing them side-by-side...

WHITFIELD: Yes.

MYERS: ... all the way down.

WHITFIELD: Doesn't that kill you? Folks race, race, race and then you end up at the same stop sign or stop light.

MYERS: It's all...

WHITFIELD: I'm like, well what are we doing all that for?

MYERS: I know, right.

WHITFIELD: All right, my little pet peeve of the day here.

MYERS: I knew it.

WHITFIELD: All right, thanks a lot, Chad.

Well still to come on DAYBREAK, counting calories, watching your carbs? Just ahead, how one city wants to cut out the fat.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: New York City is known for its restaurants and fine cuisine, right? Well now health officials are urging the city's restaurants to stop using trans fat. That may take a little zing out of the flavor, but it could also help your health.

Here's CNN's Mary Snow.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): From cupcakes to knishes, New York City's Health Department is urging an estimated 20,000 restaurants cut out the fat. Trans fat, that is. Fat produced when liquid oils are turned into solid fats. It's commonly used in deep frying and has been linked to an increase in heart disease.

The city's health commissioner compares it to public health threats of the past.

THOMAS FRIEDEN, NYC HEALTH COMMISSIONER: Things like asbestos or lead or problems with the water. Things that are in our environment that initially we didn't realize were harmful.

SNOW: Margarine, once touted as a healthy alternative to butter, is now thought to be potentially harmful.

ALAN DELL, KATZ'S DELI OWNER: One day something's great for you. The next day it's bad. Then a few weeks later, it's the best thing for you.

SNOW: Alan Dell is thankful his deli uses beef oil and not trans fat for their French fries.

DELL: It's nice to be on the right side of fat at the moment.

SNOW: But not everyone is, or can afford to be, as some alternatives to trans fat are more expensive. For example, many baked goods come under scrutiny for having trans fat.

Madge Rosenberg doesn't want the city interfering with her recipes. She thinks ingredient labels are a better option.

MADGE ROSENBERG, BAKERY SOUTINE OWNER: If people want things identified, I go with that. I think that's a great idea. Label things that are low fat, label things that are high fat as well.

FRIEDEN: Labeling is fine for grocery stores, but in the restaurant, you're not going to know.

SNOW: The city's health commissioner says at least 30 percent of restaurants use trans fats. It's unclear just how many will deliver on changed menus.

Mary Snow, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And we'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) WHITFIELD: The art world is getting what one collector called a gift, a chance to get acquainted with contemporary Chicano art. You may not know much about that particular artistic style, but you probably do know the man who is promoting it.

Here is CNN's Sibila Vargas.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SIBILA VARGAS, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When you picture an art collector with exquisite taste, this is hardly the image that comes to mind.

CHEECH MARIN, ACTOR/ART COLLECTOR: I've been smoking since I was born, man. I can smoke anything, man.

VARGAS: Off screen, though, Cheech Marin is nothing like the guy in the Cheech and Chong comedies. An avid art-buff, his collection of contemporary Chicano art is one of the largest in the world.

MARIN: Well, I would like to spread Chicano art into the mainstream and have it recognized as it should be.

VARGAS: Marin's already made some headway on that goal: paintings from his private collection are currently on a five-year tour to 50 major art museums across America. And he's just launched another one: The Chicano Collection, a series of prints by 26 Chicano artists.

MARIN: What I learned from show business and kind of my dealings with corporate America, it's all about shelf space. It's all about getting your name from the public. You can't love or hate Chicano art unless you see it.

VARGAS: Well then, let's have a look.

MARIN: This is Janine (ph) at 39, mother of twins, lying in the agava with a rose, and just like ripe lushness. I mean if there was ever a picture of the lusciousness of a woman, this is it.

This particular one kind of chronicles the blending of two neighborhoods, Chino-Latino, Chinese-Latin. It's a blending of turf, fighting for turf, trying to say which is more dominant, or do they actually get along?

The man who loves women and whether it's the whore or the virgin or the girlfriend, you know. It's like, he likes them all, with both hands, you know?

The greater thing about this particular painting is just how technically incredible it is. I mean, you know, and that the youngest painter in the show decided to depict one of the seminal historical events of Chicano history.

VARGAS: Art snobs not withstanding, Marin hopes the public comes to love this art as much as he does. MARIN: What we're bringing to America is this wonderful gift for free. Here's the best and the brightest and the culmination of our creativity in pictures. And this -- we come -- you know we come bearing gifts. We come in peace. And we come to add to the culture.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And that was Sibila Vargas.

The next hour of DAYBREAK begins in just a few moments.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: It's Friday, August 12.

The headaches at Heathrow Airport are getting worse this morning. Thousands of travelers remain stranded as British Airways' labor troubles enter a second day. We're live in London.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I grieve for every death. It breaks my heart to think about a family weeping over the loss of a loved one.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: A MOTHER'S MISSION OUTSIDE THE WESTERN WHITE HOUSE COMMANDS THE PRESIDENT'S ATTENTION.

And how high will they go? The price of oil breaks yet another record, as gas tops $3 a gallon in some places.

From the CNN Center in Atlanta, I'm Fredricka Whitfield in for Carol Costello this morning.

Good morning to you, everyone.

We'll have more from Heathrow Airport in a moment.

Also ahead, a recall prompts difficult decisions for heart patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillators.

And gearing up for the Gaza withdrawal. We'll take you there live.

But first, now in the news, Britain says it has barred a radical Muslim cleric from returning to the country. Omar Bakri Mohammed left London last week for Lebanon. British officials say he faced possible incitement charges for comments he made following the deadly July 7th bombings on London's transit system.

A California man goes before a judge in Manhattan this morning. He was caught trying to enter a United Nations parking garage with a pistol, a rifle, more than 200 rounds of ammunition and a large knife. Monsignor Eugene Clark, the rector of New York's Saint Patrick's Cathedral in New York City has resigned after being named in a divorce case. The husband of Laura DeFilippo, the monsignor's secretary, named Clark as the other man in the divorce case.

Wildfires are burning in more than a dozen Western states. Washington State's governor has declared a wildfire emergency to bring out more resources to fight several fires. Some have been sparked by lightning.

And -- Chad, it's very dry out there.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: It certainly is.

WHITFIELD: And so you talked about those dry rains.

MYERS: Yes.

WHITFIELD: And when that happens, you have the lightning and then sometimes you have problems like that.

MYERS: Yes, people ask you all the time, what are you talking about, dry thunderstorm? How can there be a dry thunderstorm? Well, it doesn't start out that way. When, you know, up above, where the clouds are, the relative humidity is 100 percent or there wouldn't be a cloud there. But when it tries to rain, the air down here is so dry and so hot that the drops can't make it all the way down without evaporating. Well, lightning doesn't have that problem. It's coming down whether you want it to or not.

WHITFIELD: Period.

MYERS: Yes, exactly, so.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

(WEATHER REPORT)

WHITFIELD: We begin this hour with the fight for Iraq and another American dead. The U.S. military says a soldier assigned to Task Force Liberty died today in a roadside bomb near Tikrit. The soldier's name has not been released.

Elsewhere in Iraq, two U.S. soldiers were wounded when their Apache helicopter crashed near Kirkuk. The military is investigating.

Meanwhile, leaders are still rushing to meet that August 15 deadline to complete the country's constitution. Sunni Arab leaders are rejecting a Shiite proposal that would gives Shiites local control in the southern and central parts of the country.

The growing battle at home over the fight for Iraq is also heating up. President Bush is again defending his policy on staying the course in Iraq and not setting a timetable for troop withdrawal. The president met with top aides and later voiced sympathy for a mother who lost a son in the war. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: It breaks my heart to think about a family weeping over the loss of a loved one. I understand the anguish that some feel about the death that takes place. I also have heard the voices of those saying pull out now. And I've thought about their cry and their sincere desire to reduce the loss of life by pulling our troops out. I just strongly disagree.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: President Bush is expected to drive past the protest near his ranch where a grieving mother who lost her son in Iraq is trying to talk to the president. He's not expected to stop, though. About 100 people have now joined Cindy Sheehan's demonstration.

Beyond all the media attention to Sheehan's protest and speculation about the president meeting with her is the son Sheehan called Casey.

CNN's Rusty Dornin reports on the beloved son who became a fallen hero.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When Casey Sheehan's family saw these images in April of 2004, their hearts sank.

CINDY SHEEHAN, MOTHER: I saw the news report about the ambush. I knew that, I knew my son was one of them. I just knew it in my heart.

DORNIN: It was. Twenty-four-year-old Army Specialist Casey Sheehan was one of eight U.S. troops killed in that ambush. Sheehan spent most of his teen years in Vacaville, California, about 50 miles northeast of San Francisco. A quiet boy, friends say he came alive on stage in the drama club at Vacaville High School. An altar boy at St. Mary's Catholic Church, he also taught bible classes and was an Eagle Scout.

Bob Valmer, a Scouting mentor, remembers him planting more than 1,000 trees for a project.

BOB VALMER, FORMER SCOUT LEADER: He just took charge. He was a great leader. He taught them a lot about the outdoors.

DORNIN: That love of the outdoors sent Sheehan to Camp Pendola, a Catholic retreat, first as a camper, then a counselor.

Director Stephen Tholke remembers a young man always anxious to lend a hand.

STEPHEN THOLKE, CAMP DIRECTOR: Casey would be on the service team, which meant long hours, never out in front, but the ones who would set the stage, break down the stage.

DORNIN (on camera): It doesn't sound like he went into the military for combat, certainly.

What would he have gotten out of military service?

THOLKE: He would have gotten an opportunity to serve people. Casey was about serving people. So as a Humvee mechanic or as a mechanic, he would be able to work on things to help other people.

DORNIN (voice-over): He joined the Army at age 21, with hopes of becoming an officer. He also wanted to finish college and become a teacher. He re-enlisted three years later and was sent to Iraq. Two weeks later, he was dead.

Back up at Camp Pendola, volunteers are creating the Casey Sheehan Memorial Grove.

Did Casey Sheehan believe the war to be a noble cause? No one we spoke to seemed to know. His family and friends say he was a gentle person who loved peace, but one dedicated to helping others and to the job at hand.

Rusty Dornin, CNN, Vacaville, California.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: NARAL Pro-Choice America has pulled a controversial advertisement attacking Supreme Court nominee John Roberts. The commercial by the abortion rights group aired on CNN before it was pulled.

Senior analyst Jeff Greenfield explains the controversy.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM NARAL PRO-CHOICE AMERICA AD)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Supreme Court nominee John Roberts filed court briefs supporting violent fringe groups and a convicted clinic bomber. America can't afford a justice whose ideology leads him to excuse violence against other Americans.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JEFF GREENFIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was no surprise...

UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTERS: Women must decide our fate!

GREENFIELD: That when NARAL Pro-Choice America, a group that exists to promote abortion rights, unleashed this very tough ad and John Roberts, another group formed to promote President Bush's judicial choices would fire back.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM PROGRESS FOR AMERICA TELEVISION AD)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: With little to attack in Roberts' superb record, liberals are taking the low road, what newspapers call a witch-hunt.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GREENFIELD: What was unusual was that Factcheck.org, a non- partisan Web site associated with the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg School of Communications, came down particularly hard on the ad.

Brooks Jackson, a veteran political reporter for the "Wall Street Journal" and CNN, is the Factcheck.org director.

BROOKS JACKSON, FACTCHECK.ORG: False is strong language and we use it very seldom. Usually ads are misleading, twisted, distorted. But this one is just downright wrong in the total impression it tries to create.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM NARAL PRO-CHOICE AMERICA AD)

EMILY LYONS, VICTIM OF ABORTION CLINIC BOMBING: I almost lost my life.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GREENFIELD: Jackson's case against the ad includes the fact that the spokeswoman, the victim of an abortion clinic bombing, never mentions that the bombing occurred seven years after Roberts wrote his brief or that the issue was a legal one, whether an 1871 law aimed at the Ku Klux Klan could be stretched to make the case that these protests amounted to sex discrimination.

NARAL Pro-Choice America argued that by making the same legal argument that the abortion protesters did, Roberts was, in fact, "supporting violent fringe groups....If the solicitor general's office did to intent to support the protesters," NARAL said, "the office could have chosen to intervene on the side of the reproductive health clinics or not to intervene in the case at all."

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And that was Jeff Greenfield.

Beginning this morning, an ad in support of Roberts by the Progress for America group will air on television networks, including CNN.

Shifting focus now to the aftermath of that Tennessee courthouse escape, George and Jennifer Hyatte have an extradition hearing this morning in Columbus, Ohio. They're charged with first degree murder in the killing of a prison guard during that getaway on Tuesday. They were arrested after a manhunt and a tip from a cabbie, who gave them a ride to the motel in Columbus where they were caught.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE WAGERS, CAB DRIVER: The only thing that was really noticeable was when I asked them, you know, why they wound up taking a cab, they said they were involved in the accident that happened there underneath the 275 overpass the day before that had traffic all screwed up for so long; and they were with Amway, and they were doing some things up in Columbus with a conference. And, you know, I honestly can say, I didn't really believe that. But I had been paid for the trip.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: The corrections officer killed in the escape, 56- year-old Wayne Morgan, will be buried today in Tennessee.

Now, let's get to London, where at least 20,000 airline passengers are stranded at Heathrow Airport after British Airways canceled all of its departing flights. It's a real mess out there and it's all started -- it all started, rather, over a labor dispute. So far, 120 flights have been canceled at one of the world's busiest international airports.

CNN's Richard Quest joins us now from Heathrow Airport.

And did you find any other folks who were as patient as Mary was the last hour?

RICHARD QUEST, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, it ain't hard. I mean what's that phrase you Americans have about fish in barrels getting -- shooting fish in the barrel? I mean when you're at Heathrow Airport and you're looking for stranded passengers and angry passengers, there's plenty of them. They are here literally by the thousands because when an airline like B.A. cancels its flying schedule, it affects thousands. And the ripples just keep going.

Now, one of the people whose -- to prove it's an international angle to this, this is Glen. Glen comes to us from Sydney. And you're trying to get back to Australia.

What route were you hoping to take?

GLEN THORNTON, BRITISH AIRWAYS PASSENGER: I'm trying to take from here to Singapore, Singapore to Sydney. There's just no flights. We're trying to get a ticket reissued so we can go with another air carrier. Where, there's probably a six to eight, a 10 hour wait to get a ticket reissued. Then the chances of getting even one seat on a different carrier may be impossible. We just don't know.

QUEST: Now, Fredricka was just asking me, are you -- are people here angry? How would you describe the mood?

THORNTON: Last night very angry, particularly people with -- you're missing the family. A big group of us Australians were just relaxed, calm, not much you can do. There's no point getting angry, it won't get you any further. You've just got to wait, patience. It's very frustrating.

QUEST: Now, it's Friday evening already in Sydney.

THORNTON: Yes. QUEST: You have to be at work by Monday morning. It's a 24-hour journey from London to Australia, so, really, if you're going to make work, you've got to -- on Monday -- you've got to be going in the next few hours.

THORNTON: Yes. Not possible. Not possible. I expect maybe Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday.

QUEST: In this day and age.

All right, many thanks.

We wish you well.

THORNTON: Thanks.

QUEST: And you know the crucial number, don't you, is number 90...

THORNTON: Three.

QUEST: That is the number, that is his line, his number in line to get into the terminal, where he'll finally be able to rebook his ticket.

WHITFIELD: And he is so pleasant about it. But, you know, I guess, like he said, there's no need to get angry about it.

Richard Quest, thanks so much, from Heathrow.

Still to come this hour, the delays are only part of the problems facing air travelers. Rising oil prices are prompting more air fare increases. Carrie Lee will have details.

And getting out of Gaza -- tensions there keep rising as Israeli protesters to the streets days ahead of the controversial withdrawal. A live report coming up in the second half hour.

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Your news, money, weather and sports.

It is 16 minutes after the hour.

Here's what's all new this morning.

What a mess at London's Heathrow Airport. A caterers' strike supported by the airport's ground workers has stranded at least 20,000 travelers. British Airways has canceled all of its flights out of the airport.

In money, crude oil prices hit yet another record high today. It's now above $66 a barrel. The increase comes amid fears gasoline supplies won't be able to keep up with demand.

In culture, Grammy winning producer Pharell Williams tops "Esquire's" list of best dressed men in the world. "Esquire" compliments Williams for his knack of mixing fine tailoring with the baggy hip-hop style. And Jake Gyllenhaal holds the number two spot.

In sports, the Tiger Woods juggernaut has derailed at the PGA championship. He is not out, but is not doing so great, either. Errant tee shots left Woods with a five over par, 75 or eight shots back. Phil Mickelson, at three under, is in a six way tie for the lead. But you know it's early -- Chad.

Anything can happen.

MYERS: You know, I think he likes being behind in the first round.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

MYERS: And then he's got somewhere to charge. Then he can just play...

WHITFIELD: And then he charges up for...

MYERS: Yes, he can just play his game and not really worry about it.

WHITFIELD: All it takes is the red shirt.

MYERS: Yes, it's on Sunday.

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WHITFIELD: Well, I know we're starting to sound a bit like a broken record, but the price of oil has again shattered another record and travelers across the spectrum are feeling the pinch.

Carrie Lee will be along with some details.

Also, we have the key to this weekend's big screen releases.

Tom O'Neil will be here with details in a moment, and his previews.

But first, we want to say good morning to the Motor City.

DAYBREAK will be right back.

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WHITFIELD: Time now for a little "Business Buzz."

7-Eleven Stores are tightening procedures to prevent teenagers from buying cigarettes. 7-Eleven is the nation's largest retailer of tobacco products. Among steps it is taking -- banning tobacco vending machines and removing tobacco signs from windows within 500 feet of schools or playgrounds.

And another story about smoking. If you visit Kentucky Fried Chicken or Pizza Hut any time soon, leave your cigarettes at home. Yum Brands, the parent company of both, is banning smoking at its restaurants nationwide.

And oil prices seem to make new record highs every day, and that leaves us all feeling the pain at the pump for certain, and at the gate, at the airports.

Carrie Lee joins us from New York with more on that -- Carrie Lee.

CARRIE LEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Fredricka, you know, the whole travel industry really seems to be taking a hit, with retail gas prices up every day this week. We hit a new record, along with record oil prices.

According to AAA, the national average for a gallon of self-serve regular is now $2.40 a gallon. California has the highest price, at $2.70. South Carolina, the cheapest, at $2.23.

Now, the increases come after a report of another drop in gas inventories earlier this week and also there are some production worries after outages at several big U.S. oil refineries.

Now, if you're flying instead of driving, well, it doesn't get much better. United, Delta, Continental have all raised fares by as much as $10 per trip to try to cover fuel costs. So this is the latest fare hike we've seen here. Other airlines are expected to match those increases.

One group not feeling the pinch of high oil prices, stock market investors. All the major market indices were up yesterday. The Dow gained nearly 100 points. But this morning it looks like we're going to see some selling, at least at the early going here.

One stock to watch is going to be Dell. The computer giant fell 7 1/2 percent last night on disappointing profit guidance. So techs looking especially weak for this Friday morning -- Fredricka, back to you.

WHITFIELD: All right, Carrie Lee.

Thanks so much.

Have a good weekend.

Well, as if you're not paying enough at the pump, how about at the movies? Well, that's a whole other subject. But we can at least talk about what is at the movies this weekend.

Tom O'Neil of "In Touch Weekly" is live from New York with the latest on the big screen fare.

Good to see you. TOM O'NEIL, "IN TOUCH WEEKLY": The same here, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, "Skeleton Key," is this Kate Hudson's I don't just do romantic comedy anymore kind of movie?

O'NEIL: It's exactly what it is. And to stress the point of what a great dramatic actress she is, they put her in a horror movie. Well, one thing that Kate Hudson really does define is what a hip actress is today. And the guy who wrote this movie is the guy who wrote "The Ring." So that certainly defines the hip spook fest movie today.

But this is kind of a routine thriller in its own way, not a bad movie. Quite a solid film.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

O'NEIL: She plays a caretaker who moves to a plantation in Louisiana to look after a stroke victim and she gets a skeleton key, of course. And she can't help but try it in every door of the house. Well, it shouldn't go into the attic. Anybody who watches horror movies knows...

WHITFIELD: Right. Don't go there.

O'NEIL: Because what is behind that door are a lot of voodoo secrets like skulls and pickled animal parts. And you learn the deep, dark voodoo secrets of this house.

WHITFIELD: All right, well, from this trailer, we sure are seeing the whole movie. Not leaving a whole lot to the imagination.

All right, how about the all star cast of "Four Brothers?" We're talking about Andre Benjamin is in it, Mark Wahlberg, you name it, Tyrese...

O'NEIL: Yes, and Tyrese Gibson. Right. This is quite a lineup of mostly musical stars in John Singleton, the director's, new movie. This is the guy who gave us "Boys In The 'Hood," of course. This is kind of a routine action/revenge thriller in a way. But it has a heart. What's wonderful about this movie is these brothers are all adopted from foster homes by a kindly old white lady who gets killed in a grocery store shootout. So the guys get together and hey, we're going to revenge mom here.

But they don't know they have to take on the cops as well as the dirty underground.

WHITFIELD: Ah.

O'NEIL: And this movie, if you like action movies, has some beautifully styled action scenes. We see car chases through snowstorms. We see gun battles staged to Motown music.

WHITFIELD: Do you like it? O'NEIL: Yes, I really did. It -- I expected, you know, more of a routine movie, but the way that this director, John Singleton, stylizes everything, it really makes it good. And, of course, the ultimate lesson here is what a real family is and these four guys discover it when they go to take care of mom's business.

WHITFIELD: All right.

And, Tom, let's talk about Jessica Simpson. Who isn't talking about her these days? I mean "Dukes of Hazard," it hasn't come out yet, has it? But it's almost as if it had.

What's going on with her?

O'NEIL: Well, the latest with her, what can we say about her? She's determined for us to believe that this marriage is intact.

WHITFIELD: Oh.

O'NEIL: She has new clothing lines out, two that debuted last week. "Dukes of Hazard" is doing really well at the box office. That's why these kind of middle of the road movies are being released now, in the shadow of this and the "Wedding Crashers," which will probably continue to dominate the box office this weekend.

But Jessica is determined that she's in love.

WHITFIELD: OK, well, let them be in love, people. Don't be so negative out there. Gosh.

O'NEIL: Exactly. Right.

WHITFIELD: Let them continue to be the newlyweds they want to be forever.

All right, Tom O'Neil, thanks so much, from "In Touch Weekly."

O'NEIL: Thanks.

WHITFIELD: Well, you know that Muslim cleric the British have banned from returning to the country? Well, he probably couldn't get back in anyway. Heathrow Airport is in chaos and flights have been canceled. Thousands stranded. All thanks to a strike. The latest coming up next.

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