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CNN Live At Daybreak

Gaza Pullout; Iraqi Women's Rights; Gas Pains

Aired August 15, 2005 - 06:30   ET

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

KELLY WALLACE, CNN ANCHOR: From the Time Warner center in New York, this is DAYBREAK. I'm Kelly Wallace in toady for Carol Costello. Good morning to you. Thanks for waking up with us. Chad Myers will be along shortly with your forecast.
Also coming up this half-hour, an eventful day in Gaza as moving day comes for settlers. We'll have a live report in just a few minutes.

And rising gas prices mean more than just a little pain at the pump. We'll look at where else you're feeling the pinch.

But first, these stores are "Now in the News."

Today is the deadline for Iraq's new draft constitution. Leaders are meeting to try and iron out the final details for Iraq's future. But some last-minute problems could lead to a delay.

In Washington, law enforcement sources say it was just a big mistake. The Mayflower Hotel was evacuated after a suspicious package was found. A Secret Service contractor left the device there apparently by mistake.

Severe storms swept through parts of the Northeast, causing flooding in some areas. Thousands of people near Boston were left without power, but crews hope to have everyone's lights back on soon.

To Atlanta and Chad.

(WEATHER REPORT)

WALLACE: Turning now to our top story this half-hour, Israel's disengagement plan from settlements in Gaza and parts of the West Bank. It is under way on this day.

Guy Raz is live at the largest of those Gaza settlements, Neveh Dekalim. He joins us with the latest.

Guy, what's the situation like? What are you seeing firsthand?

GUY RAZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kelly, there are still two more days before the formal process of evacuation begins, but it's becoming increasingly clear just how complicated that process will become.

Behind me, you can see some protesters here, hardliners, who are opposed to the Israeli government's plan to withdraw all Jewish settlers from this strip of land the country first occupied in 1967. Now, just beyond those settlers you might also see some Israeli police officers. They've been here for several hours just on the other side of the gate, the main gate leading into this settlement, Neveh Dekalim. They're here essentially to maintain order. They never had any intention of coming in. But the main gate into this settlement has been blocked throughout the morning.

Now, the Israeli army had intended to fan out throughout all of the 21 Jewish settlements in Gaza, including this one, and to begin distributing leaflets notifying remaining residents that they have 48 hours to clear out. Those who didn't would be removed by force, and they stand to lose up to one-third of their government compensation packages.

That being said, the army decided it wouldn't come in to certain settlements, including this one, certain hard-line settlements for fear that it could simply provoke the residents and the settlers here into some kind of violent standoff.

Now, the army says it does expect some kind of resistance, perhaps passive resistance over the coming three weeks. But it says it's prepared for all eventualities. For every settler who is intending to be -- who is intended to be evacuated, the army will send in four soldiers to remove that individual -- Kelly.

WALLACE: Yes, Guy. And obviously things are changing. So policies are changing. What is going to be the situation then on Wednesday, as you talk to people about what we can expect to see? That is the day when those settlers must leave, or else they'll be forcibly removed from their homes.

RAZ: Well, the Israeli army essentially will begin the process of evacuating all of the 21 settlements on Wednesday. That process will take three weeks.

So, essentially many of the residents here in this settlement don't know exactly when this particular settlement will be evacuated.

That being said, the army will carry out the process over this three-week period of time. They say it will take three weeks exactly. And they do not anticipate any major difficulties.

As I say, they do expect some passive resistance. There are many infiltrators who have managed to come into the settlements over the past several months, many of them young people. The army estimates between 5,000 and 6,000 people have managed to come into these settlements. Those are the people that are likely to be removed first and foremost, because ultimately they're not the existing residents of the settlements -- Kelly.

WALLACE: All right, Guy, we will be watching your reports over the next few days. Guy Raz reporting from Gaza for us on this Monday.

Turning now to Iraq. As the deadline draws closer for drafting Iraq's constitution, don't be surprised if the document's language articulate support for women's rights. A survey by Iraq's Constitutional Drafting Committee found a majority of Iraqis support women's rights, as long as the freedoms do not contradict Islam.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ZALMAY KHALILZAD, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO IRAQ: This is important to the world that the Iraqi constitution will respect the rights of all Iraqis, men and women. And the United States working with Iraqis will work very hard to make sure that the human rights of Iraqis are respected in their constitution.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALLACE: For more on Iraqi women's rights and what will happen in this new constitution, we go to Manal Omar. She is the Middle East and North Africa regional coordinator for Women for Women International. She joins us live on the phone from Amman, Jordan.

Ms. Omar, thanks so much for joining us. I guess there is one big concern, and that is for women, of course, in Iraq, and that is this: If the constitution refers to Islamic Sharia law as the primary legal source for law in the country, won't that be a problem for the rights of women in Iraq?

MANAL OMAR, WOMEN FOR WOMEN INTERNATIONAL: Well, if it's stated as ambiguous as, you know, just (INAUDIBLE) without discussing in terms of who's interpretation and how it will be interpreted, then there is a potential danger in terms of the application of women's rights in local courts.

Many of the Iraqi women are very concerned about this and feel that in that past two years, although there has been a lot of lip service and promises to women, there has been very little muscle and application.

Iraqi women acknowledge the fact that the constitution is a window of opportunity, and feel that they need a specific article that guarantees women's rights rather than an overall arching article on human rights without particularly addressing the concerns of women.

WALLACE: If Sharia law, though, becomes sort of the prime kind of focus for law in Iraq, what would that mean? What does it mean for women under Sharia law?

OMAR: Well, it's really important to point out that Sharia law isn't one monolithic law. There are ways to work within Sharia law to guarantee women's rights as long as that's addressed in a more specific term in terms of the application and the interpretation.

The primary factor, of course, will be on the personal status law, which involves inheritance, divorce, marriage, the custody of the children, citizenship rights. So, a lot of the crucial issues that affect women on a daily basis will be affected by an overall Sharia law, which is why women are calling for more specifics in terms of who's interpretation and how that will be applied to.

Many Iraqi women argue for a completely secular law, but most acknowledge the fact that they have to work within an Islamic framework to guarantee their rights.

WALLACE: And describe for our viewers you've been working on this so closely for so many weeks now, what is the sentiment of the majority of Iraqis? A majority of Iraqis, it appears, do support strong rights for women in a new constitution, is that right?

OMAR: That's completely correct. I mean, the majority of Iraqis, and just Iraqi history in general, is very pro-women. You have Iraqi women as early as the 1920s organizing Iraqis. And Iraq's first female judge was appointed in the 1950s. Iraqi women had the right to vote from the 1980s. So, Iraqi women have a legacy to be very, very proud of.

However, there is a fear that with this new constitution, without addressing specific legal concerns, that they might actually go backward. Iraqi...

WALLACE: I think we've just lost Manal Omar from Women for Women International, talking to us on the phone from Amman, Jordan, about a very interesting development, the role of women, women's rights in that new Iraq constitution. We'll be following that, of course, and bring you the latest on DAYBREAK and throughout the day on CNN.

Well, turning now to another story. He was convicted in some of the most publicized civil rights murders of the century. So here's the question: Why is he a free man?

CNN's Soledad O'Brien is joining us now for a look at what is coming up on "AMERICAN MORNING."

Good to see you -- Soledad.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, Kelly, good morning to you as well.

You're talking, of course, about Edgar Ray Killen. He was convicted. Now there has been a surprising turn of events in Philadelphia, Mississippi: the judge releasing Killen on bond while he's appealing his case. He was convicted back in June of killing the three civil rights workers back in 1964.

This morning, we'll take a closer look at exactly what's behind the judge's decision, as well as the reaction in the community. As you can imagine, some people are absolutely furious.

Also, Kelly, on a much lighter note, have you heard about this thing called the cellulite cocktail? Doesn't it sound kind of gross? Well, today doctors...

WALLACE: No, but I'm wondering, does it get rid of the dreaded cellulite?

O'BRIEN: Yes, you're like, I don't care if it's gross. Does it work?

WALLACE: Does it work? That's all I want to know. O'BRIEN: It's all that matters. Doctors actually believe they've got this magic formula now to get rid of cellulite, which obviously is that kind of dimply fat that gets under your skin on your hips and your thighs.

Here's the catch: It's expensive. You've got to get the shots over and over again. But, of course, as you pointed out, the biggest question is: Hey, does it work? We've got the skinny on that ahead this morning. We'll fill you in.

That and much more ahead on "AMERICAN MORNING" right at the top of the hour.

Kelly -- we'll see you then.

WALLACE: And, Soledad, we'll be watching closely. It's not that it's a personal issue for us...

(CROSSTALK)

O'BRIEN: No. Oh, no, you and I have no issues with cellulite. We should make it clear.

WALLACE: Right, absolutely. OK, Soledad, we'll see you at the top of the hour.

Still to come here on DAYBREAK, why a man known as "Marine of the year" has to appear in court today as a defendant.

And the domino effect of oil. Could today's high prices hike the cost of other items Americans can't live without?

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WALLACE: A look now at how the international markets are trading. Tokyo's Nikkei is down 5 points. The London FTSE is up 11. The German DAX is up more than two-and-a-half.

Your news, money, weather and sports. It's almost 45 minutes after the hour. And here is what is all new this morning.

It is Jews against Jews in Gaza today. Israeli troops are serving Jewish settlers with eviction notices. This is all part of Israel's plan to withdraw from Gaza, marking the end of a 38-year occupation. Some settlers are resisting and blocking troops from entering their community.

In money, it took four brothers to knock the "Dukes of Hazzard" out of the top spot at the box office. The film, "Four Brothers," took in $20.7 million over the weekend. The Duke boys, and Jessica Simpson we should say, fell to number three.

In culture, pretty soon you can own some of the music former President Clinton likes best. The "Bill Clinton Collection" CD includes music Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Judy Collins. That CD should go on sale at the Clinton Library sometime next month.

In sports, Phil Mickelson holds a one-shot lead in the delayed final round of the PGA championship. Weather forced the one-day delay. Mickelson is one of 12 players who will finish up when play resumes this morning.

(WEATHER REPORT)

WALLACE: Well, we've been talking about rising oil prices, yes, throughout the morning. Well, along with those rising oil prices, gas prices are surging 20 cents over the past three weeks -- and that's according to a national survey -- going up to an all-time high of $2.50 per gallon.

Pain not only at the pump, but in the skies, as airlines raise ticket prices or impose surcharges.

Consumer reporter Julie Vallese is live at Reagan National Airport in Washington.

Julie, great to see you. How bad is it going to get for all of us?

JULIE VALLESE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kelly, right now things might get pretty bad. But the Energy Information Administration is saying not over $3.00. But the bad news is, not under $2.00 either.

Just about every mode of travel is causing Americans some economic hardship. And as for the domino effect on whether or not goods and services are going to be affected by high gas prices, well, experts are saying don't break open that piggy bank quite yet.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VALLESE (voice over): Prices at the pump keep ticking up. Jet fuel prices are also soaring higher. And the cost of it all is being passed on to travelers.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have been forecasting higher prices, but I don't think we forecasted prices this high. The magnitude of the price increase has caught many people by surprise.

VALLESE: One surprise factor, major refineries have had problems this summer and are still not operating at capacity.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Over the next couple of weeks, we're pretty confident we're going to see prices continuing to increase for gasoline.

VALLESE: And consumers should expect to pay more for services that are fueled by it: air and sea travel, as well as that cross-town cab ride.

As for what we eat, wear and consume, that's still up for debate. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Keep in mind that trucking companies, they have to pass the costs on to their consumer, and their consumers are the stores. And the stores will pass it to the consumer, to us.

VALLESE: The National Retail Federation doesn't think so. It says the landscape is just too competitive, and retailers have become more efficient. If it is going to impact the retail market, it says, high gas prices will cut into retailer profits, not consumer pocketbooks.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

Now, there might be some relief in sight after the Labor Day holiday weekend when demand goes down, Americans back to work, and they've finished with their vacation travel. That's when a lot of refineries will actually get to play catch-up. But some analysts are saying where high crude oil prices really could hit consumers hardest is come this winter when consumers start paying to heat their homes -- Kelly.

WALLACE: Julie, just when we think it will be OK, you know, in the winter time other things to not look forward to. Julie Vallese reporting live from Reagan National Airport outside Washington, D.C. Thanks so much.

Much more of DAYBREAK in just a moment, including your chance to win a coffee mug. But first, a look at who is celebrating a birthday on this Monday, August 15.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WALLACE: And welcome back. It is about 54 minutes after the hour. And here is what will be making news today.

Families are set to arrive today for a firsthand look at what happened to Hulios Airlines Flight 522. All 121 passengers and crew died when the plane crashed near Athens, Greece.

Also, fighting in Indonesia's 30-year civil war has come to a halt. Leaders signed a historical peace accord in Helsinki, Finland, which was broadcast live back to Indonesia. A similar peace plan failed to take hold two years ago.

A decorated Marine who served in Iraq will be arraigned today in a shooting incident near his home in Lawrence, Massachusetts. Two people were allegedly hit by fragments from Sergeant Daniel Cotnoir's shotgun. Cotnoir was named 2005 Marine of the Year for his work in Iraq.

Also today, the chilling final moments for some of New York's bravest captured on audiotape.

CNN's Carol Costello will have more on that coming up on "AMERICAN MORNING."

Carol -- chilling indeed to listen to those audiotapes. CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: That certainly brings it all back, doesn't it?

WALLACE: It sure does.

COSTELLO: Good morning, Kelly. Good morning to all of you.

Those tapes shed new light on exactly what happened to firefighters on 9/11. And the tapes reveal several problems, many problems, with the radio communications that day. Are firefighters better prepared now if another attack were to happen? We're going to take a look at that.

Plus, we'll follow up on that "Grand Theft Auto" murder case in Alabama. A jury has recommended the death penalty for Devon Moore. He was convicted of killing two cops and a radio dispatcher back in 2003. Moore's lawyers claim an obsession with that video game, "Grand Theft Auto," drove him to kill, but they say they were not allowed to provide some important evidence to prove it. So, was it a fair trial? We're going to talk to the attorneys.

That's all ahead on "AMERICAN MORNING." Back to you -- Kelly.

WALLACE: All right, Carol, we'll see you and Soledad in less than five minutes from now.

You are watching DAYBREAK for a Monday morning. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: And the winner from Friday's mug questions. And the questions are, who was "Esquire" magazine's best- dressed man? Terrell Williams won that. And what two national restaurant chains are banning smoking? That was the young brands. That would be Pizza Hut and KFC, no smoking inside.

Lyn Laboriel from Tarzana, California, congratulations. You should be sleeping.

And now the questions for today, and you can answer them at CNN.com/daybreak. How many cents have gas prices surged in the past three weeks? And, in the technology community, what is the term for responsible hackers? How are they known?

Go to CNN.com/daybreak. There's a link, and give us your answers there -- Kelly.

WALLACE: All right, Chad, thanks so much.

MYERS: You're welcome.

WALLACE: It's time now for a look at stories in the news.

Israeli soldiers are handing out eviction notices in Gaza today. Some of the residents who ignored the deadline to leave clashed with soldiers and police. Thousands of police and soldiers are overseeing the withdrawal of Israeli settlers. Those who refuse to leave will be forcibly removed.

Iraq's deadline to draft a new constitution is just three hours away. The role of Islamic law and incorporating the concerns of the Sunni Muslim minority appear to be the biggest obstacles.

And that is it for us on DAYBREAK. From the Time Warner center in New York, I'm Kelly Wallace in today for Carol Costello. "AMERICAN MORNING" starts right now.

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