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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

New Yorkers Gather To Greet Pope; Admirers Praise Pope's Charisma; Obama And Putin To Meet At United Nations; Stock Futures Higher; The New iPhone Is Here; Will North Korea Release NYU Student?; Hajj Stampede Kills At Least 700 In Mecca. Aired 5:30-6a ET

Aired September 25, 2015 - 05:30   ET

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

[05:30:00] CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: Pope Francis waking up in New York just hours from a speech before the United Nations. The beginning of a jam packed day that will take him all over New York City.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Tensions high at the White House this morning. The stakes high, China's president meets with President Obama. What will they discuss, climate change, cyber security, and so much more.

ROMANS: The stakes are high, but they are having lobster.

BERMAN: It's true. A statement and a bad joke. Welcome to EARLY START. I'm John Berman.

ROMANS: I'm Christine Romans with your bad jokes this Friday morning on EARLY START. It's 30 minutes past the hour. Pope Francis wakes up in New York City this morning set to address the United Nations General Assembly.

Pope Francis is expected once again to wade into some political and diplomatic tough territories just as he did Thursday in a historic address to the joint session of Congress, a speech that touched on immigration, climate change and death penalty.

Today Vatican officials say his speech at the U.N. will also touch on climate change and he is going to add poverty and social injustice. The pontiff's arrival in New York gripped this city last night, huge crowds on Fifth Avenue.

BERMAN: I was 20 feet away from this picture right now. The pope is in the popemobile coming down Fifth Avenue, which is interestingly enough, Fifth Avenue with the posh stores on either side. The pope who wants to be humble and speaking about the poor and poverty coming down this lavish avenue, it's a beautiful sight, very moving.

ROMANS: CNN's Alexandra Field was also there and she has more on the pope's day ahead.

ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Christine, John, thousands of people from all around the world lined Fifth Avenue trying to catch a glimpse of the pope as he made his way to the prayer service and left riding along Fifth Avenue. So many people who turned out to see him will follow him along the city.

The day starts with the address in English before the United Nations. Then it is on to ground zero. After that, the pope plans to make a stop at the school in Harlem.

From there, a procession through Central Park before he makes his way to Madison Square Garden for a mass before thousands of people who have been waiting for this moment.

Many of them waiting a lifetime to see a pope in person. Many of them particularly wanting to hear Pope Francis as he makes the address. From Madison Square Garden, the next leg of this trip will be a visit to Philadelphia -- Christine, John.

BERMAN: All right, Alexandra, thanks so much. The big event during the pope's first night in New York, the evening prayer service at St. Patrick's, beautifully restored after $177 million renovation. Francis led prayers in English though he delivered his homily in Spanish.

He began the prayer with the prayer for the more than 700 victims of the hajj stampede near Mecca. Victims he calls his Muslim brothers and sisters. More than 2,000 people mostly clergy were inside for the service. Thousands more stood outside hoping to catch a glimpse of the Holy Father. CNN's Jason Carroll has more.

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Christine, John, this is what the faithful and the dedicated looked like. These are some of the people who have been out here ever since very early on Thursday morning waiting hours just to get a glimpse of the pope.

These are the folks who did not have tickets, but they wanted to come out here to Fifth Avenue just to get a quick look. One of those people is Heatherine Christopher. Her brother is a Jesuit priest. He was inside for the service. You were here outside. You were saying you wanted to come out here and feel the energy. What was it like?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was amazing. My heart was pounding. I didn't expect I would actually see him in the motorcade. I got to be in the right place at the right time and see him and wave. I got a great shot of it. It was just -- I'm still shaking.

CARROLL: This is a pope that seems to speak to so many of people. Why do you think that is?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I mean, it is not every day you see a man in this position and power that is humble. I feel like that's what we need to take away from this. We need to learn to stop judging and embracing each other.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He brings something to this world that I think the world needs right now. There is so much controversy. Let's say gay marriage. He said, who am I to judge? Let's say global warming. He says we need to take care of our common home.

We have to take care and this man, I heard him in Congress today on TV. He has the ability, unique ability to unite. I feel like I'm Catholic, but I feel he is transcending the religion. He is uniting people across ideological divides.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have been waiting a long time since the date was announced that he was coming to New York. I had it marked on my calendar. I saw the pope in 2008 with my son. I'm happy and grateful to be here.

CARROLL: I know that the pope came out and at one point, John and Christine, he was able to reach out and physically touch folks who came here on Fifth Avenue.

[05:35:06] Again, there were thousands of people who came out here. Obviously he wasn't able to touch them out, but he is touching them in many other ways -- John, Christine.

ROMANS: Thank you, Jason for that. Breaking overnight, word that China will unveil a new cap and trade program to limit carbon emissions. The announcement will come from the White House today during a state visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Administration officials say this is a big step forward in the global battle against climate change. For the first time, Chinese companies will bear a cost for emitting carbon emission in the environment.

The two presidents will discuss a host of controversial topics. Chinese military buildup and operations and advances in the South China Sea, cyber hacking, complaints from companies that other intellectual properties ignored. They don't have access into the Chinese market. It's just not fair for them.

Let's get the latest from senior White House correspondent, Jim Acosta.

JIM ACOSTA, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: John and Christine, it may not be on the same level of pomp and circumstance surrounding the visit of Pope Francis, but the White House is planning a warm welcome for Chinese President Xi. The White House will have an arrival ceremony later on in the morning complete with the 21-gun salute.

Later on in the evening, there will be a state dinner in Xi's honor. We hear lobster will be served. But last night, President Obama and President Xi held a private dinner at the Blair House across the street from the White House.

But putting aside the social schedule, officials here at the White House have made it clear they are very alarmed what the Chinese are doing in cyber space.

While the Obama administration is not publicly blaming Beijing for the hacking of data belonging to millions of federal employees. Chinese entities are privately considered prime suspects.

Now the White House says it is holding off on any new sanctions until after Xi's visit is finished, but both President Obama and President Xi are expected to continue working on some cyber agreement between the two countries as well as discuss U.S. concerns about China's military buildup in the South China Sea.

President Obama has his hands full this week in addition to the historic visit of Pope Francis, the president is gearing up for a historic meeting on Monday with Russian President Vladimir Putin, something they haven't had in a couple of years on the crises in both Syria and Ukraine -- John and Christine.

BERMAN: All right, Jim, we have more major diplomatic news this morning. We learned that President Obama and Russian Leader Vladimir Putin will meet face-to-face Monday at the United Nations. They have not seen each other in nearly a year. They have not met formally in nearly two years.

The White House for some reason stressing that it was Putin who sought the meeting, very important to the White House to point this out. They claim he was, quote, "desperate" for a sit down with the president.

The two sides disagree on the agenda for this meeting. The White House says the focus will be on Russia's incursion in the Eastern Ukraine. The Russians insist the crisis in Syria will be the main topic.

ROMANS: Maybe they can talk about both. Interesting the White House wants to point out it is their request.

U.S. military officials claim Russian fighter jets are flying in Syrian air space and turning off their transponders to avoid detection. They say U.S. satellites are picking up their activities and also detecting Russian surveillance drones.

The White House says no ISIS targets are in the area. There are serious concerns about the move behind the military buildup.

It's 38 minutes past the hour. Time for an EARLY START on your money, looking for a good end to the tough week. European and Asian shares are mostly higher. U.S. stock futures moving up more than 1 percent.

Watching Volkswagen shares are up a bit. VW expected to name a new CEO this morning. There are meetings right now. Of course, VW mired in a growing emissions scandal.

Apple enthusiasts, it's official, the IPhone 6s is here. People around the world are lining up to get one, the 6S and 6S Plus feature a different kind of touch screen. It can sense how long and hard someone is pressing, plus a stronger body and faster processor and better camera.

Apple says pre-order numbers have been strong on pace to beat last year's iPhone 6 opening weekend when Apple sold a record 10 million devices.

BERMAN: All right, breaking news this morning, an NYU student detained in North Korea speaking to the media all of a sudden with a new message for his family. We are live next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:42:58]

ROMANS: Breaking news this morning, a New York University student who was detained after entering North Korea was presented to the media this morning. At a Pyongyang news conference, the 21-year-old Won- Moon Joo who is a South Korean citizen said he wanted his family to know he is healthy whether it is a sign he will be released is unclear.

CNN's Will Ripley who actually was allowed to interview Joo a few months ago, he's been following these new developments this morning very, very closely. Good morning, Will.

WILL RIPLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Christine. Won-Moon Joo said that he traveled illegally into North Korea to satisfy his curiosity. That was at a press conference held here in Pyongyang, but that was six months ago and since then he has not had any contact with his loved ones. He has been held here uncertain about his future.

After several months of the silence, since our interview with him back in early May, a couple of weeks after he was detained here in North Korea, now we are getting some information about how he is doing.

He says he is doing well. Let me read you this quote from his press conference. "I have not had the opportunity of contacting my family, but I do hope to be back home soon. I would like to tell my family and loved ones I am well and healthy and hope to be home soon."

North Korea has a big national holiday coming up in just over a couple of weeks. The October 10th Foundation Day celebration, it's the anniversary of the party that rules North Korea led by Kim Jong-Un.

And around big holidays, North Korea does have a track record of releasing inmates and detainees. They did it just earlier this year with some of their own prisoners.

North Korea has not said whether Won-Moon Joo will be released. In fact, we don't even know if he is facing any criminal charges. But in the past, when people have been put before the cameras and press conferences like this, they are then either put on trial or they are let go. We will continue to follow what happens here in North Korea -- Christine.

ROMANS: Will, let me ask you. He is an NYU student. He is a legal permanent resident of the United States. He is a South Korean citizen. Why did he go to North Korea in the first place?

[05:45:03] RIPLEY: It is interesting because at his press conference, he talked about satisfying his curiosity. But when I spoke to him back in May, he said that he crossed over illegally from China after taking a semester off from NYU because he wanted an event to happen.

When I asked about specifics about what he hoped would happen, he said he hadn't thought about it. What he is saying now is he was a curious college student. The North Korea government took him to the grand people's study house.

They had him speak with North Korean college students. He said they told him he was not an enemy to them. Apparently North Korea is using him to speak to college students and putting him before the cameras. We have to see what happens next.

ROMANS: All right, Will Ripley, so glad you're there. Thank you, Will.

BERMAN: All right, just a few hours from now, Pope Francis addresses the general assembly at the United Nations. Our Chris Cuomo is there for a preview of that and what is coming up on "NEW DAY." Hi, Chris.

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR, "NEW DAY": Hi, John, Christine, I have to tell you we keep saying history. We keep saying moments. I lived in this city my entire life. I never had a feel like the one we had already knowing that Pope Francis would be here.

Let alone when he does get here. We are at the U.N. He is literally going to address the world. All of the problems as he sees them have their source and their solution in this assembly of world leaders. There will never been more of them in assembly than today.

We had a chance to get more reporting and deeper and closer to Pope Francis and his support system in terms of what they want here. They realize the moment, John and Christine. They say history is not just a simple continuum.

Pope Francis has never thought more about what to say than what he is doing today. We will take this on and take a look at the race of 2016 in terms of how the change is happening before our eyes. Dynamic is shifting. Leaders are shifting. Donald Trump is shifting. We will take you through it this morning.

BERMAN: Looking forward to the speech, Chris. Stick around for that.

ROMANS: Thanks, Chris. A new investigation launched into the deadly stampede near Mecca. More than 700 people killed. We are live with details next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:51:08]

BERMAN: The death toll is rising in Saudi Arabia this morning. More than 700 people were killed in a stampede during the hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca. Nearly 900 injured in the crush there. King Solomon demanding a review of safety protocols after the deadliest incident during the Hajj.

It's been 25 years since anything like this. Let's get the latest from the CNN senior international correspondent, Arwa Damon. Arwa, the pictures are horrible. ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: They are difficult to look at and the sheer number of casualties. The Saudi authorities are putting together a committee and trying to investigate this to pinpoint what went wrong.

What we do know is the stampede occurred at an intersection of two of the smaller routes used by pilgrims to get in and out of an area near the city of Mena. This is the ritual where the stoning of the devil takes place where pilgrims throw small rocks at three pillars symbolizing the rejection of the devil.

Over the last few years, since 2006, that's when last such stampede occurred in the same vicinity that left 300 people dead. Saudi Arabia has then poured upwards of $1.2 billion into expanding the different venues that are used especially focusing on this particular area, trying to create larger passage ways for the pilgrims.

It's creating a complicated complex of intertwining roads and overpasses to try to ease the pressure that exists at the different points along the way because we are talking about 2 million to 3 million people trying to carry out this very sacred ritual at the same time.

For many, John, this is a journey of the lifetime. They come from around the world and villages that don't necessarily have electricity. They save their entire lives for the ritual which is one of the key five pillars of Islam.

And yet so sadly for those 700 plus that were killed, for the hundreds more that were wounded, what should have been the spiritual journey of a lifetime did end in tragedy. A lot of questions asked to make sure this does not happen again -- John.

BERMAN: So many people in one place at one time. Arwa Damon for us, thank you so much.

ROMANS: The very beginning of the pope's message yesterday, he brought up the 700 victims and called those victims his Muslim brothers and sisters.

The pope putting controversial issues in the spotlight today in the process, he is giving some brands a lot of attention. A man who is criticizing capitalism is giving companies a marketing boost.

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[05:58:02]

ROMANS: I'm Christine Romans. Let's get an EARLY START on your money this morning. Futures are up a little bit this morning. The big story is Pope Francis and his visit. He has been a critic of capitalism and greed.

This week, he is giving two brands a huge marketing boost. American Airlines and Fiat Chrysler are getting a lot of free publicity by providing the pope's transportation. He has been getting around in a Fiat 500-L and a modified Jeep Wrangler for parades. He is using a plane that American Airlines is dubbing Shepherd I. The companies' logos have seen huge exposure from all the news coverage. Equivalent ad space is worth millions and millions of dollars.

BERMAN: Pope Francis and the Fiat traveling to the United Nations in just a few hours. "NEW DAY" starts right now.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROMANS: Pope Francis waking up in New York.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The city still buzzing with the arrival of Pope Francis.

BERMAN: Taking that small motorcade through Central Park to some 80,000 people.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: His address to the United Nations.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He continually repeats the fact that he, too, is an immigrant.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How much influence does he have?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If there is anything true about Pope Francis, he is close to the people.

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE (via telephone): Marco Rubio is like a kid. He shouldn't be running in this race as far as I'm concerned.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He is very thin skinned. He is very sensitive to criticism.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think Trump is vulnerable. I think he had a poor performance at the debate last week.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It is part of what it takes to be in the arena. You have to be able to take criticism.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CUOMO: Good morning. Welcome to your NEW DAY. It is Friday, September 25th, 6:00 in the east. You see Alisyn and Michaela in New York. We are live at the United Nations. We are about to witness the largest gathering of world leaders in the U.N.'s 70-year history.

One man is the reason why they will be here. Pope Francis. He is the fourth pope to speak before the U.N. None faces a moment of crisis like this. We are told the we had told the pope is aware and has never given more attention to what to say than he has for this trip.