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CNN Live At Daybreak
Cairo Funeral for Arafat; Israel's Refusal to Allow Palestinians To Travel Freely To Ramallah; Muslim Burial Customs; Blair, Bush Talks
Aired November 12, 2004 - 05:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Yasser Arafat slips into the history books. This morning, the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, is being laid to rest. In Ramallah, the Palestinian people await the arrival of their leader.
It's Friday, November 12, and this is DAYBREAK.
Good morning.
From the CNN Global Headquarters in Atlanta, I'm Fredricka Whitfield in for Carol Costello this morning.
Now in the news, the body of Yasser Arafat is being returned to his people at this hour, after a military funeral in Cairo, Egypt. Dignitaries from around the world attended the service. The Palestinian leader will be interred in Ramallah this morning.
The Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the war in Iraq are the big issues being discussed today between President Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Mr. Blair is in Washington. And you can hear from both of them this morning. CNN will bring you their news conference, scheduled at 11:25 Eastern.
In Iraq at this hour, U.S. troops are battling insurgents in the alleyways and bombed out buildings of Falluja. At least 18 Americans and five Iraqi soldiers have been killed and more than 200 wounded in the assault.
A new juror joins deliberations in the Scott Peterson double murder case this morning. The jury will be starting from scratch again, after the judge dismissed the jury foreman. It was the second dismissal in as many days.
Let's get our first look at the weather this morning with Chad.
How are you -- Chad?
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, Fred.
I'm doing fine this morning.
(WEATHER REPORT)
WHITFIELD: A solemn military funeral in Cairo, Egypt for Yasser Arafat, the place where the Palestinian leader was born in 1929. Arafat's remains will rest at a monument built at his headquarters in the West Bank.
Well, today marks the final journey home for Yasser Arafat. Dignitaries from around the world gathered to pay their last respects.
Cairo bureau chief Ben Wedeman joins us live by video phone from the site of Arafat's funeral -- Ben. BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Fredricka, around, dignitaries from around 60 countries from the Middle East and elsewhere attended this funeral outside of Cairo, near Cairo International Airport. This was a military funeral that was attended not only by the Arab leaders but also some interesting figures, as well. Assistant, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State William Burns was there, despite the fact that the United States in the last few years has expressed extreme unhappiness with the position of the Palestinian leader.
What we saw at this ceremony was it was held in a tent set up for the occasion. The chief cleric of Egypt said a prayer for the dead. Afterwards, the casket of the Palestinian leader was accompanied to a nearby military airport. There the casket was put on an Egyptian C- 130 aircraft. It's going to be flown to Al-Arish, which is in the Sinai Peninsula. And from there we are told it will be flown on two Jordanian Air Force helicopters to the West Bank town of Ramallah for its final interment -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: And, Ben, it was a relatively short ceremony, wasn't it, but symbolic, nonetheless, because of so many dignitaries coming from around the world?
WEDEMAN: Yes. That was significant. But what was also significant was who wasn't there and that was ordinary Egyptians. The area was cordoned off. It was made very clear in the Egyptian media last night that ordinary people are not welcome. Now, officially that was for security reasons. But there is a general feeling that Arab leaders didn't want to see themselves upstaged by a -- by Yasser Arafat, who was something of a folk hero, someone who publicly they expressed admiration for, but we know privately many of them considered him something of a nuisance and a troublemaker -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right, CNN Cairo bureau chief Ben Wedeman, thanks very much for that report.
Well, Arafat's burial site at his compound in the West Bank will become a shrine to the late Palestinian leader.
Michael Holmes has been following this story from foreign minister, where Arafat is to be interred -- Michael, what's happening there now?
MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, we are seeing here Yasser Arafat being afforded the respect in death that he certainly wasn't afforded in his latter years of life. An extraordinary transformation has taken place here at the Palestinian Authority headquarters over the last couple of days. Rubble of Israeli incursions, crushed cars, twisted metal has all been cleared away from the compound behind me and helicopter landing pad signage has been put on the ground. And, of course, Yasser Arafat's tomb has been built. All of this in a remarkably short period of time.
This morning we have seen Palestinians start to stream into the area here. They are climbing onto the walls of the Muqataa to get a view of where the ceremonies are going to take place.
Now, as Ben Wedeman was just saying, we, too, have been told that that C-130 will land in the Sinai Peninsula, Al-Arish. And then those two helicopters -- initially it was going to be three -- but two now will travel here and land in the compound right behind me.
Joining me now is Hanan Ashrawi, a familiar face for many viewers, a Palestinian legislator.
Hanan, this obviously a very somber day for Palestinians and under this beautiful blue sky and cool weather, what are Palestinians hoping to feel today?
HANAN ASHRAWI, PALESTINIAN LEGISLATOR: Well, actually, you can see what they feel. You can feel it in the air. There is a sense of tremendous sadness, of sorrow, a sense of personal loss, a sense of deprivation. As many people have said, we've been orphaned today. The Palestinian nation as a whole is like an orphan.
And it's not -- I feel it among people of all ages, people of all, you know, political currents and parties and factions. Everybody's saying this is a moment of national and personal loss. And there is sort of a groundswell of emotion and people are trying to get in here to say their last goodbyes and they're unable to do so, which adds to the frustration of the populace.
HOLMES: Yes, and people are unable to get here from other parts of the West Bank. Does that bother you or do you understand Israel's security concerns when they have instituted closures on other cities in the West Bank, and, indeed, have sealed off Ramallah from the rest of the West Bank?
ASHRAWI: No, it does bother me. It sort of betrays the Israeli mentality, the Israeli occupation mentality that continues to enforce and dictate its will by military means on the Palestinians. We have been under siege. We have been in a state of siege and isolation, actually. And even at this occasion, where there has to be some human consideration, some magnanimity, some kind of rising above, you know, all sorts of vindictiveness and pettiness, we don't see that, particularly when it comes to President Arafat, their refusal to get him buried in East Jerusalem, which is Palestinian and occupied territory, their refusal to allow the people to mourn, to express their grief, it's not a question of security, it's a human consideration.
HOLMES: Hanan Ashrawi, thanks very much.
And Hanan Ashrawi will be with us throughout our coverage of the burial of Yasser Arafat. You could hear the band in the background there, Fredricka, a military band. We're seeing soldiers practicing their honor guard, marching and the like. And now we await the arrival of Yasser Arafat's body. It will probably be about two hours, two and a half hours from now -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right, we'll looked forward to that.
Thanks very much, Michael Holmes from Ramallah.
Well, Arafat's funeral comes at a holy time for Muslims. It coincides with the last Friday prayers in the holy month of Ramadan.
Our Guy Raz joins us live from the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem overlooking the Al Aqsa Mosque. And that mosque is actually where Yasser Arafat wanted to be buried -- Guy.
GUY RAZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Fredricka.
The tension here in Jerusalem is really palpable. It's not an unusual experience one feels here in the city. But of course what makes today unique is the combination of the last Friday of Ramadan, the holy Muslim fasting month, and, of course, in just a few hours time from now Yasser Arafat's burial in Ramallah, which is just about 15 miles away from here.
Now, if you look behind me, we can see the compound here, the Al Aqsa Mosque behind me, where thousands of worshippers are right now observing the last Friday of Ramadan, of course, the site where Yasser Arafat had hoped to be buried in the event of his death.
Now, we understand that soil from this site has actually been taken and has been put inside of his tomb. There's a hope, of course, that his body will be reinterred one day here in East Jerusalem in the event a Palestinian state is established with this part of the city as its capital.
Now, at the same time, Israeli police have declared the highest state of alert, Frederick. About 5,000 Israeli police force units are operating just around the city. We understand there have been some minor skirmishes this morning. Israeli police have restricted access to this site to men above the age of 45. Others have tried to come in. But so far those skirmishes have only been minor and no serious reports of any major clashes -- Frederick.
WHITFIELD: All right, Guy Raz in Jerusalem.
Thanks so much.
And more on the traditions of a Muslim funeral and burial in a moment. And how will the Middle East move forward after the passing of Arafat? We get some insight from Jamie Rubin, who was front and center during the last time there was almost peace.
Will Britain's Tony Blair get what he wants before leaving Washington? We have a live report straight ahead.
And front line soldiers clear the way for the Marines in Falluja. We get a live report from our reporter embedded with the troops.
But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Friday morning.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(STOCK MARKET REPORT)
WHITFIELD: Your news, weather, money and sports.
And right now it's 15 minutes after the hour.
Here's what's new this morning.
The hostage taker involved in an incident at the Mexican consulate in Los Angeles is brain dead. He had been in critical condition after being shot in the head by police. It is still unknown why he abducted a consulate employee.
Former Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic wants President Clinton and British Prime Minister Tony Blair to testify. Milosevic is on trial for war crimes. The U.N. tribunal court says Milosevic must first prove their testimony would be relevant.
In money, Microsoft's new search engine encountered some problems on its first day. The glitches caused users to be told that Web sites were unavailable. The Microsoft search beta is supposed to challenge Google as top Web search engine.
In culture, a 92-year-old message about the Titanic sinking sold at auction for $4,500. The message, called a Marconigram, was sent by radio inventor Marconi himself to the ship carrying the Titanic survivors.
And in sports, Arizona State University will remember former football player Pat Tillman during its game this weekend. Tillman was killed in combat in Afghanistan. The Sun Devils will retire his number 42 jersey.
MYERS: Good morning, Fred.
WHITFIELD: Good morning to you, Chad.
MYERS: And a great game by the Florida State Seminoles yesterday and the North Carolina Wolf Pack. Twenty-two points in that game. Less than 250 yards of offense. I watched some of it. It was getting kind of slow.
(WEATHER REPORT)
WHITFIELD: Well, Islam teaches that the dead must be honored and there are many rituals that are followed at the time of death and burial.
Joining me to talk about some of the Muslim traditions is Imam Hendi, a Muslim chaplain at Georgetown University.
Good to see you.
IMAM YAHYA HENDI, GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY: Good morning.
Thank you for having me.
WHITFIELD: Well, the funeral rites are very meticulous, aren't they? And they begin as soon as it appears that a Muslim, the death of a Muslim is imminent, doesn't it?
HENDI: Indeed. Islam teaches that death is not an exit, it's rather an entrance into the life after death. And therefore once someone's time on this earth is done, one has to be rushed to be in the presence of his god in the life to come.
WHITFIELD: And so let's talk about the preparations that do take place once the death has occurred, the washing and the shrouding, describe what that process is and why it's so relevant and important.
HENDI: Well, when one dies, the first thing that has to be done is especially prayer for his soul and especially prayer for those who will remain to live after him. Immediately after that, the deceased is washed in a special way, very much like one washes himself to prepare himself for a prayer. When we pray we meet god every day, five times a day. And when we die, we have to prepare ourselves to meet god for judgment day.
Immediately after the washing of the body, the body is wrapped with three pieces of white cloth. Why white? Only because one would hope that one would meet god with no sin. Once...
WHITFIELD: And this is only if in case they did not die as a martyr, though, right?
HENDI: Absolutely. When one dies as a martyr, one stays in the very clothes he died in. Immediately after that, it is hoped that the deceased will be rushed to his burial, very much like in Judaism. There should be no delay in the burial of the person, very much like, as I said earlier, when one dies his time on earth is over, one has to meet his god immediately for judgment.
WHITFIELD: Well, in the case of Yasser Arafat then this morning, that rush didn't quite take place within the 24 hour period, did it? Are there certain conditions that may be extended?
HENDI: Well, Islam is very flexible in cases like these. When you cannot bury him right away, you have to bury him as fast as possible. And I believe we are doing very well to say that, too. It's not taking seven days or 10 days. They are taking as -- they are being as fast as they could ever be. To bury him within almost 24 hours, I believe, is relatively fast enough. And in Islam, one has actually to wish where one would like to be buried. In this case, Yasser Arafat wished to be buried in Jerusalem and I think his wish should have been granted.
WHITFIELD: As far as we know, at least right now, though, at least soil from Jerusalem is being used at the burial site where he will be interred just a few hours from now in Ramallah.
Imam Hendi, thanks so much, of Georgetown University, thanks for joining us this morning.
HENDI: Thank you for having me.
WHITFIELD: Well, coming up next on DAYBREAK, we'll hear what President Carter had to say about Yasser Arafat's death and the prospect for peace in the Middle East.
You're watching DAYBREAK for this Friday, November 12.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: You're looking at a live picture right now, where hundreds have gathered outside the Ramallah compound where the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat will be buried about two hours from now. And when that happens, CNN will be carrying that live for you.
Meantime, former President Jimmy Carter says if the Palestinians can choose a respected successor to Yasser Arafat, there's a new opportunity for peace talks. Writing in the "New York Times" this morning, Mr. Carter admits, "There are serious obstacles to be cleared" but he notes that, "Prime Minister Tony Blair of Britain has stated recently that peace in the Middle East is the most important international issue. It is hoped that in Washington and in Jerusalem there is also recognition that a bold and balanced move to achieve this goal will help to attenuate the Middle East tension and hatred that exacerbates the global threat of terrorism." Those words from former President Jimmy Carter in today's "New York Times."
Well, Tony Blair, President Bush's closest ally in the war on terror and the war in Iraq, will be back at the White House this morning. The British prime minister and the U.S. president had dinner there last night.
With a preview of today's talks here is Robin Oakley in London.
Good to see you -- Robin.
ROBIN OAKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Fredricka.
Well, this is one of those occasions where basic political interests and international events come together. Tony Blair has been under pressure at home to demonstrate that his loyalty to President Bush over the war in Iraq and other issues actually gives him some clout in Washington and that he gets listened to there. He's got to come back from this trip with something practical to show skeptical M.P.s of all parties back home in the British parliament.
Now, Tony Blair has been signaling what his priority in life is at the moment. He told his party conference a couple of months ago that the single most important issue in the world at the moment is the Middle East peace process. He said the party would share his disappointment at the lack of progress so far and he committed himself to a real personal effort after the presidential election in November to revive that Middle East peace process.
Now the death of Yasser Arafat obviously makes that the top issue in the talks between him and President Bush, along, of course, with issues like Iraq and Iran's nuclear enrichment program. And Downing Street sources are saying that what Tony Blair wants from the president is really a new signal of intent, a new degree of commitment to the Middle East peace process. They accept they're not going to get a timetable or a piece of paper that takes things immediately further forward. But they want that strong signal of intent from the White House -- Frederick.
WHITFIELD: All right, Robin Oakley, thanks so much for that update from London.
Well, President Bush and Prime Minister Blair will meet with reporters at 11:25 Eastern this morning and CNN will, of course, be carrying that for you live.
And here's what's all new in the next half hour.
Christiane Amanpour is in Cairo, where the official goodbye to Yasser Arafat began. We'll get reaction from her live straight ahead.
And later, we'll look forward to what may change in the coming days and months, perhaps, for the Middle East in the wake of Yasser Arafat's death.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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Aired November 12, 2004 - 05:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Yasser Arafat slips into the history books. This morning, the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, is being laid to rest. In Ramallah, the Palestinian people await the arrival of their leader.
It's Friday, November 12, and this is DAYBREAK.
Good morning.
From the CNN Global Headquarters in Atlanta, I'm Fredricka Whitfield in for Carol Costello this morning.
Now in the news, the body of Yasser Arafat is being returned to his people at this hour, after a military funeral in Cairo, Egypt. Dignitaries from around the world attended the service. The Palestinian leader will be interred in Ramallah this morning.
The Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the war in Iraq are the big issues being discussed today between President Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Mr. Blair is in Washington. And you can hear from both of them this morning. CNN will bring you their news conference, scheduled at 11:25 Eastern.
In Iraq at this hour, U.S. troops are battling insurgents in the alleyways and bombed out buildings of Falluja. At least 18 Americans and five Iraqi soldiers have been killed and more than 200 wounded in the assault.
A new juror joins deliberations in the Scott Peterson double murder case this morning. The jury will be starting from scratch again, after the judge dismissed the jury foreman. It was the second dismissal in as many days.
Let's get our first look at the weather this morning with Chad.
How are you -- Chad?
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, Fred.
I'm doing fine this morning.
(WEATHER REPORT)
WHITFIELD: A solemn military funeral in Cairo, Egypt for Yasser Arafat, the place where the Palestinian leader was born in 1929. Arafat's remains will rest at a monument built at his headquarters in the West Bank.
Well, today marks the final journey home for Yasser Arafat. Dignitaries from around the world gathered to pay their last respects.
Cairo bureau chief Ben Wedeman joins us live by video phone from the site of Arafat's funeral -- Ben. BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Fredricka, around, dignitaries from around 60 countries from the Middle East and elsewhere attended this funeral outside of Cairo, near Cairo International Airport. This was a military funeral that was attended not only by the Arab leaders but also some interesting figures, as well. Assistant, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State William Burns was there, despite the fact that the United States in the last few years has expressed extreme unhappiness with the position of the Palestinian leader.
What we saw at this ceremony was it was held in a tent set up for the occasion. The chief cleric of Egypt said a prayer for the dead. Afterwards, the casket of the Palestinian leader was accompanied to a nearby military airport. There the casket was put on an Egyptian C- 130 aircraft. It's going to be flown to Al-Arish, which is in the Sinai Peninsula. And from there we are told it will be flown on two Jordanian Air Force helicopters to the West Bank town of Ramallah for its final interment -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: And, Ben, it was a relatively short ceremony, wasn't it, but symbolic, nonetheless, because of so many dignitaries coming from around the world?
WEDEMAN: Yes. That was significant. But what was also significant was who wasn't there and that was ordinary Egyptians. The area was cordoned off. It was made very clear in the Egyptian media last night that ordinary people are not welcome. Now, officially that was for security reasons. But there is a general feeling that Arab leaders didn't want to see themselves upstaged by a -- by Yasser Arafat, who was something of a folk hero, someone who publicly they expressed admiration for, but we know privately many of them considered him something of a nuisance and a troublemaker -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right, CNN Cairo bureau chief Ben Wedeman, thanks very much for that report.
Well, Arafat's burial site at his compound in the West Bank will become a shrine to the late Palestinian leader.
Michael Holmes has been following this story from foreign minister, where Arafat is to be interred -- Michael, what's happening there now?
MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, we are seeing here Yasser Arafat being afforded the respect in death that he certainly wasn't afforded in his latter years of life. An extraordinary transformation has taken place here at the Palestinian Authority headquarters over the last couple of days. Rubble of Israeli incursions, crushed cars, twisted metal has all been cleared away from the compound behind me and helicopter landing pad signage has been put on the ground. And, of course, Yasser Arafat's tomb has been built. All of this in a remarkably short period of time.
This morning we have seen Palestinians start to stream into the area here. They are climbing onto the walls of the Muqataa to get a view of where the ceremonies are going to take place.
Now, as Ben Wedeman was just saying, we, too, have been told that that C-130 will land in the Sinai Peninsula, Al-Arish. And then those two helicopters -- initially it was going to be three -- but two now will travel here and land in the compound right behind me.
Joining me now is Hanan Ashrawi, a familiar face for many viewers, a Palestinian legislator.
Hanan, this obviously a very somber day for Palestinians and under this beautiful blue sky and cool weather, what are Palestinians hoping to feel today?
HANAN ASHRAWI, PALESTINIAN LEGISLATOR: Well, actually, you can see what they feel. You can feel it in the air. There is a sense of tremendous sadness, of sorrow, a sense of personal loss, a sense of deprivation. As many people have said, we've been orphaned today. The Palestinian nation as a whole is like an orphan.
And it's not -- I feel it among people of all ages, people of all, you know, political currents and parties and factions. Everybody's saying this is a moment of national and personal loss. And there is sort of a groundswell of emotion and people are trying to get in here to say their last goodbyes and they're unable to do so, which adds to the frustration of the populace.
HOLMES: Yes, and people are unable to get here from other parts of the West Bank. Does that bother you or do you understand Israel's security concerns when they have instituted closures on other cities in the West Bank, and, indeed, have sealed off Ramallah from the rest of the West Bank?
ASHRAWI: No, it does bother me. It sort of betrays the Israeli mentality, the Israeli occupation mentality that continues to enforce and dictate its will by military means on the Palestinians. We have been under siege. We have been in a state of siege and isolation, actually. And even at this occasion, where there has to be some human consideration, some magnanimity, some kind of rising above, you know, all sorts of vindictiveness and pettiness, we don't see that, particularly when it comes to President Arafat, their refusal to get him buried in East Jerusalem, which is Palestinian and occupied territory, their refusal to allow the people to mourn, to express their grief, it's not a question of security, it's a human consideration.
HOLMES: Hanan Ashrawi, thanks very much.
And Hanan Ashrawi will be with us throughout our coverage of the burial of Yasser Arafat. You could hear the band in the background there, Fredricka, a military band. We're seeing soldiers practicing their honor guard, marching and the like. And now we await the arrival of Yasser Arafat's body. It will probably be about two hours, two and a half hours from now -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right, we'll looked forward to that.
Thanks very much, Michael Holmes from Ramallah.
Well, Arafat's funeral comes at a holy time for Muslims. It coincides with the last Friday prayers in the holy month of Ramadan.
Our Guy Raz joins us live from the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem overlooking the Al Aqsa Mosque. And that mosque is actually where Yasser Arafat wanted to be buried -- Guy.
GUY RAZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Fredricka.
The tension here in Jerusalem is really palpable. It's not an unusual experience one feels here in the city. But of course what makes today unique is the combination of the last Friday of Ramadan, the holy Muslim fasting month, and, of course, in just a few hours time from now Yasser Arafat's burial in Ramallah, which is just about 15 miles away from here.
Now, if you look behind me, we can see the compound here, the Al Aqsa Mosque behind me, where thousands of worshippers are right now observing the last Friday of Ramadan, of course, the site where Yasser Arafat had hoped to be buried in the event of his death.
Now, we understand that soil from this site has actually been taken and has been put inside of his tomb. There's a hope, of course, that his body will be reinterred one day here in East Jerusalem in the event a Palestinian state is established with this part of the city as its capital.
Now, at the same time, Israeli police have declared the highest state of alert, Frederick. About 5,000 Israeli police force units are operating just around the city. We understand there have been some minor skirmishes this morning. Israeli police have restricted access to this site to men above the age of 45. Others have tried to come in. But so far those skirmishes have only been minor and no serious reports of any major clashes -- Frederick.
WHITFIELD: All right, Guy Raz in Jerusalem.
Thanks so much.
And more on the traditions of a Muslim funeral and burial in a moment. And how will the Middle East move forward after the passing of Arafat? We get some insight from Jamie Rubin, who was front and center during the last time there was almost peace.
Will Britain's Tony Blair get what he wants before leaving Washington? We have a live report straight ahead.
And front line soldiers clear the way for the Marines in Falluja. We get a live report from our reporter embedded with the troops.
But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Friday morning.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(STOCK MARKET REPORT)
WHITFIELD: Your news, weather, money and sports.
And right now it's 15 minutes after the hour.
Here's what's new this morning.
The hostage taker involved in an incident at the Mexican consulate in Los Angeles is brain dead. He had been in critical condition after being shot in the head by police. It is still unknown why he abducted a consulate employee.
Former Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic wants President Clinton and British Prime Minister Tony Blair to testify. Milosevic is on trial for war crimes. The U.N. tribunal court says Milosevic must first prove their testimony would be relevant.
In money, Microsoft's new search engine encountered some problems on its first day. The glitches caused users to be told that Web sites were unavailable. The Microsoft search beta is supposed to challenge Google as top Web search engine.
In culture, a 92-year-old message about the Titanic sinking sold at auction for $4,500. The message, called a Marconigram, was sent by radio inventor Marconi himself to the ship carrying the Titanic survivors.
And in sports, Arizona State University will remember former football player Pat Tillman during its game this weekend. Tillman was killed in combat in Afghanistan. The Sun Devils will retire his number 42 jersey.
MYERS: Good morning, Fred.
WHITFIELD: Good morning to you, Chad.
MYERS: And a great game by the Florida State Seminoles yesterday and the North Carolina Wolf Pack. Twenty-two points in that game. Less than 250 yards of offense. I watched some of it. It was getting kind of slow.
(WEATHER REPORT)
WHITFIELD: Well, Islam teaches that the dead must be honored and there are many rituals that are followed at the time of death and burial.
Joining me to talk about some of the Muslim traditions is Imam Hendi, a Muslim chaplain at Georgetown University.
Good to see you.
IMAM YAHYA HENDI, GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY: Good morning.
Thank you for having me.
WHITFIELD: Well, the funeral rites are very meticulous, aren't they? And they begin as soon as it appears that a Muslim, the death of a Muslim is imminent, doesn't it?
HENDI: Indeed. Islam teaches that death is not an exit, it's rather an entrance into the life after death. And therefore once someone's time on this earth is done, one has to be rushed to be in the presence of his god in the life to come.
WHITFIELD: And so let's talk about the preparations that do take place once the death has occurred, the washing and the shrouding, describe what that process is and why it's so relevant and important.
HENDI: Well, when one dies, the first thing that has to be done is especially prayer for his soul and especially prayer for those who will remain to live after him. Immediately after that, the deceased is washed in a special way, very much like one washes himself to prepare himself for a prayer. When we pray we meet god every day, five times a day. And when we die, we have to prepare ourselves to meet god for judgment day.
Immediately after the washing of the body, the body is wrapped with three pieces of white cloth. Why white? Only because one would hope that one would meet god with no sin. Once...
WHITFIELD: And this is only if in case they did not die as a martyr, though, right?
HENDI: Absolutely. When one dies as a martyr, one stays in the very clothes he died in. Immediately after that, it is hoped that the deceased will be rushed to his burial, very much like in Judaism. There should be no delay in the burial of the person, very much like, as I said earlier, when one dies his time on earth is over, one has to meet his god immediately for judgment.
WHITFIELD: Well, in the case of Yasser Arafat then this morning, that rush didn't quite take place within the 24 hour period, did it? Are there certain conditions that may be extended?
HENDI: Well, Islam is very flexible in cases like these. When you cannot bury him right away, you have to bury him as fast as possible. And I believe we are doing very well to say that, too. It's not taking seven days or 10 days. They are taking as -- they are being as fast as they could ever be. To bury him within almost 24 hours, I believe, is relatively fast enough. And in Islam, one has actually to wish where one would like to be buried. In this case, Yasser Arafat wished to be buried in Jerusalem and I think his wish should have been granted.
WHITFIELD: As far as we know, at least right now, though, at least soil from Jerusalem is being used at the burial site where he will be interred just a few hours from now in Ramallah.
Imam Hendi, thanks so much, of Georgetown University, thanks for joining us this morning.
HENDI: Thank you for having me.
WHITFIELD: Well, coming up next on DAYBREAK, we'll hear what President Carter had to say about Yasser Arafat's death and the prospect for peace in the Middle East.
You're watching DAYBREAK for this Friday, November 12.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: You're looking at a live picture right now, where hundreds have gathered outside the Ramallah compound where the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat will be buried about two hours from now. And when that happens, CNN will be carrying that live for you.
Meantime, former President Jimmy Carter says if the Palestinians can choose a respected successor to Yasser Arafat, there's a new opportunity for peace talks. Writing in the "New York Times" this morning, Mr. Carter admits, "There are serious obstacles to be cleared" but he notes that, "Prime Minister Tony Blair of Britain has stated recently that peace in the Middle East is the most important international issue. It is hoped that in Washington and in Jerusalem there is also recognition that a bold and balanced move to achieve this goal will help to attenuate the Middle East tension and hatred that exacerbates the global threat of terrorism." Those words from former President Jimmy Carter in today's "New York Times."
Well, Tony Blair, President Bush's closest ally in the war on terror and the war in Iraq, will be back at the White House this morning. The British prime minister and the U.S. president had dinner there last night.
With a preview of today's talks here is Robin Oakley in London.
Good to see you -- Robin.
ROBIN OAKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Fredricka.
Well, this is one of those occasions where basic political interests and international events come together. Tony Blair has been under pressure at home to demonstrate that his loyalty to President Bush over the war in Iraq and other issues actually gives him some clout in Washington and that he gets listened to there. He's got to come back from this trip with something practical to show skeptical M.P.s of all parties back home in the British parliament.
Now, Tony Blair has been signaling what his priority in life is at the moment. He told his party conference a couple of months ago that the single most important issue in the world at the moment is the Middle East peace process. He said the party would share his disappointment at the lack of progress so far and he committed himself to a real personal effort after the presidential election in November to revive that Middle East peace process.
Now the death of Yasser Arafat obviously makes that the top issue in the talks between him and President Bush, along, of course, with issues like Iraq and Iran's nuclear enrichment program. And Downing Street sources are saying that what Tony Blair wants from the president is really a new signal of intent, a new degree of commitment to the Middle East peace process. They accept they're not going to get a timetable or a piece of paper that takes things immediately further forward. But they want that strong signal of intent from the White House -- Frederick.
WHITFIELD: All right, Robin Oakley, thanks so much for that update from London.
Well, President Bush and Prime Minister Blair will meet with reporters at 11:25 Eastern this morning and CNN will, of course, be carrying that for you live.
And here's what's all new in the next half hour.
Christiane Amanpour is in Cairo, where the official goodbye to Yasser Arafat began. We'll get reaction from her live straight ahead.
And later, we'll look forward to what may change in the coming days and months, perhaps, for the Middle East in the wake of Yasser Arafat's death.
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