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Thanksgiving Travel Threatened; NASDAQ Hits Record; Hunger Games Movie Premieres; Iranians Cheer Nuclear Deal with West

Aired November 25, 2013 - 09:30   ET

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

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: We're talking about an historic agreement with Iran over its nuke program and why some say it's just rewarding dangerous behavior.

And this --

(VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Oh, yes, high hopes for the boss. Bruce is back.

NEWSROOM continues right now.

There you go. Well, a little boss to get you going this morning. Welcome back. I'm Kyra Phillips, in for Carol Costello this morning.

Well, 43 million of us are planning to travel for Thanksgiving this weekend. Almost all of us are watching this massive winter storm that could paralyze our plans too. This is what the storm looks like in Oklahoma right now. Ten people have already been killed. CNN is covering the story like no other. We're going to have your forecast and tell you what to expect if you're flying or driving for Thanksgiving. We are going to start with Indra Petersons.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

INDRA PETERSONS, AMS METEOROLOGIST (voice-over): The brunt of a massive winter storm crossed through Texas overnight as temperatures plummeted.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is not Texas weather, man. This is Alaska.

PETERSONS: Watch as this SUV in Oklahoma City tumbles off the highway due to treacherous ice covered roads. The ice, snow and sleet have already caused several deaths.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And if it gets really bad, we're going to encourage folks to just stay home.

PETERSONS: In east Texas, icy roads caused singer Willie Nelson's tour plus to plow into a bridge, injuring three band members. The deadly arctic blast now headed straight for the East Coast as holiday travelers prepare to hit the roads and airports. Many cities will continue to see temperatures up to 20 degrees below average.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It just stings your skin to be outside. PETERSONS: It all started out west where strong winds in the San Francisco Bay area downed trees and power lines.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I heard a big crack and the house started banging and things started kind of falling.

PETERSONS: And almost two inches of rain flooded roads in Phoenix, Arizona.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's crazy. It's super, super crazy. I hope it's going to be gone soon.

PETERSONS: Sleet, combined with wind gusts reaching up to 50 miles an hour in New Mexico killed a four-year-old girl after her family's car rolled over along the highway.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This wind has just been tremendous. It's here now.

PETERSONS: As the week progresses, increasing travel delays may be unavoidable. Torrential rain and snow is expected to hit the major travel hubs during this hectic holiday week.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PETERSONS: Well, taking a look right now, you can see all the storm damage we've already seen. Look at all of these reports of snow, even freezing rain. And as the system currently is producing freezing rain in through Arkansas, things will taper off to the west but only increase in severity as the system makes its way east. Easy to see, we have all the ice and winter advisories currently out there. Here's the big story. We're looking at a moisture - a low pull up all that moisture out of the Atlantic and make its way up the eastern seaboard. That is going to combine with very cold air. The two of these things will collide together and produce very severe weather delays when you talk about travel, especially when you talk about Tuesday night in through Wednesday, some of the biggest travel days of the year.

Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, and we're on it, Indra, that's for sure. Every 15 minutes you'll get your forecast. Thanks so much.

And you're planning to fly for Thanksgiving? Well, it's possible that your flight could be canceled or delayed. In Dallas, airport officials canceled hundreds of flights as the massive storm moved in. Other airports bracing for the same. That's where we find our Rene Marsh. She's at Reagan National Airport in Washington, as we wait for that Christmas tree to arrive at the Capitol as well.

Hey, Rene.

RENE MARSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Kyra.

You know, two words, bad timing. We're talking about millions of holiday travel plans, which are seriously at risk here because of this storm. And the airlines, they are tracking this storm, protectively canceling hundreds of flights before it even arrives just so that flyers aren't stuck in the airport on Thanksgiving Day.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARSH (voice-over): Two things that should never go together -- peak holiday travel and treacherous winter weather. A traveler's nightmare, cancellations, delays and frustration all around. In Dallas, where ice coated airplanes, airlines were forced to pre-cancel hundreds of flights to avoid the inevitable. Airlines and airports are experienced with wild weather and they're ready for this.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You can call this the nerve center of the airline.

MARSH: United watches the weather and directs every flight around the world from their headquarters in Chicago. The decision to cancel flights happens here.

JIM DEYOUNG, MANAGING DIRECTOR NETWORK OPERATIONS, UNITED AIRLINES: These individuals are actually measuring the impact of weather, of the air traffic control system, in coordinating not only internally with United Airlines but with the FAA.

MARSH: They're talking to this FAA command center near Washington.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Let's look at Jacksonville to get their concerns first. Jacksonville Center?

MARSH: Conference calls keep airlines and FAA controllers up to date with changing conditions. And a warning for travelers, think before you book.

GEORGE HOBICA, AIRFAREWATCHDOG.COM: Probably the worst mistake is to take a connecting flight. Or if you do connect, to connect through a known bad weather airport like Chicago or Denver or Detroit or Minneapolis. Airports that are prone to snowstorms.

MARSH: But a storm as big as this one will be hard to avoid.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MARSH: All right, so, again, to recap, right now where we're seeing some problems at the airports are places like Dallas, places like Oklahoma and Arkansas, where they're already getting hit by that weather. Of course as this system continues to move, even more airports are going to be added to the list of having delays or cancellations.

But just to give some perspective here. Right now we're talk about hundreds of cancellations as a result of this storm. But when we're talk about a really major storm, we're talking about cancellations in the thousands. No comfort for the people, though, who are trying to get somewhere and they cannot, but just giving a little perspective there.

Back to you, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, Rene, thanks so much.

Well, I'll tell you what is getting there with regard to numbers, the NASDAQ.

Alison Kosik, it's a record.

ALISON KOSIK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's a record for the Nasdaq. The Nasdaq actually hitting a record that it hit way back 13 years ago. It's back at a level that we haven't seen since 13 years ago. It's at 4,002. Keep in mind, the Dow has been on a record setting run hitting 41 records so far this year. The S&P 500 hitting many, many records itself. Certainly keeping an eye on stocks. Helping to boost stocks higher is this deal with Iran that happened over the weekend, relaxing economic sanctions in exchange for Iran scaling back on its nuclear program because we're going to be watching oil prices. Iran is an oil producing country and this -- what this deal could wind up doing is causing more oil to come in to the global market. That could help push oil prices even lower.

Production there, you have to keep in mind, though, is at its lowest level in 20 years. So -- but we are seeing oil prices lower today about 1 percent. What this deal essentially does is it signals, at least on paper, that political tensions are easing up. So you are seeing oil prices a little lower today at $93 a barrel. Oil prices have really come down since the beginning of the year. We saw oil prices as high as $110 a barrel. Once again, now at $93. You're kind of seeing it reflected in those gas prices, which are relatively lower than usual.

Kyra.

PHILLIPS: I'll tell you what, Alison, we are monitoring that NASDAQ record. Iran, oil. And I'm sure you have tuned into Miley Cyrus and a cat.

KOSIK: And a cat.

PHILLIPS: Yes, Alison, this, my friend, is no joke, I'm afraid.

All of us this morning saying, oh, my gosh, did this really happen? American Music Award highlights or maybe low lights for you, straight ahead. We're back right after a quick wrecking ball break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, it's official, almost two years after his last album, the boss will release album number 18 early this year. I actually meant next year, 2014. Just wanted to get you excited. Bruce took to Twitter to announce "High Hopes" and it's release. That title track being released today, though. And of note, the boss's last album was called, you ready, "Wrecking Ball."

And that's news worthy why? This next story. Last night the American Music Awards, Miley Cyrus showing up with a giant massive furry lip- synching cat. Here you go.

(VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: OK, I understood the wrecking ball and flying through the air, but the cat? Help me out. There's just some things I still an trying to understand.

All right, at the box office this weekend, "The Hunger Games," well, it reigned supreme.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There she is, Katniss Everdeen, the girl on fire.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: People are looking at you, Katniss. You've given them an opportunity. They just have to be brave enough to take it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: HLN's "Showbiz Tonight" anchor A.J. Hammer live in New York.

On fire, A.J.

A.J. HAMMER, ANCHOR, HLN'S "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT": Yes, I mean this movie did huge numbers, Kyra. "Hunger Games: Catching Fire" brought in an estimated $161.1 million over the three day weekend. That is nearly $9 million more than the first film, which opened back in March of 2012 did on its opening weekend. So this franchise definitely has a growing fan base.

Those big numbers also set a new record for November debut. Easily beat out our other tween favorite "Twilight Saga New Moon." That made $142 million. And "Catching Fire" had the biggest opening ever for a film only shown in 2-D. This was not a 3-D film.

The international numbers, certainly very impressive too. It pulled in $146.6 million around the globe. That gave "Catching Fire" a worldwide total, according to my abacus, of $307.7 million. Not a lot of competition this weekend. Who would open up against this thing? Well, Vince Vaughn did with "Delivery Man." That made south of $10 million. "Thor: The Dark World" was in its third week out. So that already had some traction.

Jennifer Lawrence, by the way, recently told us that the day the first "Hunger Games" film opened, she had no idea if she was famous or not or if anybody had actually even seen the movie. She said that she drove to a Whole Foods that weekend and police, Kyra, had to be called in because of all of the attention she got. I'm betting she stayed very far away from any supermarkets over this past weekend.

PHILLIPS: I bet. I know, her star has risen, hasn't it?

HAMMER: It sure has.

PHILLIPS: A.J., thanks.

Well, here's what's all new in the next hour of NEWSROOM, snow and ice, well, not making it very easy for millions of you trying to get to and from this Thanksgiving week. And now there's new concerns over engines that could have more than a dozen airlines altering their flight plans.

And rocker Jon Bon Jovi may be planning a career move as a long-time area football league owner looks toward the NFL.

That's ahead in the next hour of CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: We're checking "Top Stories" for you now.

Nasty winter storm disrupting holiday travel plans for millions of you this week. Snow, ice and sleet moving across the southeast today and heading towards the East Coast just in time for Thanksgiving. Freezing rain is already hitting parts of Texas and Arkansas and by tomorrow snow will be in Kentucky, Ohio, Western Pennsylvania.

CNN is covering this storm like no other though. We will have your forecast every 15 minutes.

And up to a quarter million dollars now being offered for helping track down those responsible for the shooting death of a postman who was doing his rounds this weekend. Also because Tyson Barnett is a federal employee this has the potential to be a federal death penalty case. We're watching it.

And today we're expecting a long awaited report on the emergency response to the Sandy Hook School shooting. It could provide key answers on the gunman and how the police responded. 20 children and six adults were killed in that massacre.

Well Michele Knight, one of the three women held captive in a Cleveland home for more than a decade has a signed book deal. She plans to release the untitled memoir by next spring and promises to tell the entire story of what happened inside that home. Knight also hopes to give victims of violence a now outlook on life.

And after centuries buried beneath the Vatican in decades hidden away inside the Holy Sea the pope will now display the bones of a man believed to be St. Peter one of the founding fathers of the Christian Church. The controversial remains have never been seen by the public.

And another first, Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet with Pope Francis at the Vatican today. The two who are expected to discuss a number of topics. Well it includes developments in Syria.

Well the historic nuclear deal with Iran is getting a lot of push back from two key U.S. allies in the Mideast and from within the halls of Congress.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MIKE RODGERS (R), CHAIRMAN, HOUSE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE: We have just rewarded very bad and dangerous behavior. They have made no changes, no changes in the development of their nuclear weapon program.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: But the deal is sparking a huge celebration in Tehran where people are treating Iranian negotiators as heroes. Newspapers planning up the Geneva agreement as well. One headline in Farsi reading, this is Iran where everyone is happy.

CNN's Reza Sayah in Tehran. So is that true Reza? Is everyone happy?

REZA SAYAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, when you walk around Tehran today, you can get the sense that Iranians have a spring in their step because indeed they are happy, with the exception of the toughest, hardest hardliners here in Iran who are in the minority at this point. Most Iranians are thrilled that this agreement has been signed.

Of course, for the past 34 years, Iranians haven't had much good news, especially on the world stage. They've been often portrayed in a negative light in the media and in Hollywood. They believe that this deal takes the first step in opening up relations with the West and lifting some of the sanctions that still is a ways off. They understand that this is an interim deal that doesn't address some of the toughest sanctions, some of the sanctions on the banking restrictions and on the oil experts. But they believe this is a positive first step.

And here is what else that they're happy about. They're happy that their leadership stood firm and demanded a right to a peaceful Nuclear Program and especially demanded right to enriched uranium. They believe just like anyone else, they have a right to enrich uranium and they're happy that they're able to do that at five percent. And for all of those people in the U.S. Congress and Israel who are concerned, the Iranians make this point. That they're only able to produce uranium at 5 percent, not 20 percent. And that would seemingly make it impossible for them to produce the fuel necessary for a bomb.

So they say all the alarm is baseless. And again, most Iranians very happy with this agreement.

PHILLIPS: Reza Sayah thanks so much still to come, " "Bleacher Report". Right up after the break, Tom Brady and Peyton Manning may get all the headlines. But the key play in Fox World came when neither was on the field.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, if you called it quits at halftime of the Broncos- Patriots game last night, boy did you miss something. Tom Brady led a comeback for the ages in frigid Foxboro. Andy Scholes is joining us now with more on this morning's "Bleacher Report".

But really, we were talking about Green Bay. I don't know, I think Green Bay, Wisconsin, is still the coldest place on earth for football.

ANDY SCHOLES, BLEACHER REPORT: Yes, definitely probably colder than Foxboro. Foxboro was pretty cold last night. It was supposed to be an epic battle, of course, between Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. They're had some great ones over the years. Last night though, it looked like it was going to be one-sided. The Broncos were up 24-0 at halftime. But there's one thing we all know. You can't count out Tom Brady.

The Patriots came storming back in the third quarter. Brady with a bullet here to Rob Gronkowski -- that was a part of a 31-0 run by the Patriots. Check out Brady here, going sissy after that touchdown. You know, the broncos they wouldn't go away. Peyton manning hits Demarius Thomas for the touchdown there. And that tied the game. Going into overtime and this is the play that would decide it. The broncos were punching. But they touched the ball -- the Patriots were punting that it. The Patriots are covered. And they fumble right there and they kick an easy field goal to win a game: 34-31 it's the largest come back in Brady's career. He's definitely excited about that. And that touch down he threw to Gronkowsky.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOM BRADY, NFL PLAYER: I was pretty pumped up. Molly's pretty pumped up after we score. But it's nice to celebrate. Usually I'm pretty grumpy to be around so that's about the only time I get really excited after we scored a touchdown.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHOLES: we had another thrilling finish between the Chiefs and Chargers. San Diego was down by four with under a minute to go. That's when Philip Rivers led a team down the field and they found (inaudible) for the touchdown. And it was only his third catch of the year. Zhera Tutu -- What a great name. Chargers stunned the chiefs, 41-38 after winning the first nine games. Kansas City has now lost two in a row.

All right. And the best moment from the weekend came from the Lions/Buc game. During a break in the action, Marine Capt. Josh Monte's family thought they were watching a video of him from Afghanistan, as they watched, Josh snuck up from behind and surprised them. Cue the tears. It was definitely an awesome moment. Even the players from the field were clapping. (inaudible) He lost a spleen and kidney while serving and he wasn't supposed to return until February but now he's going to spend Thanksgiving at home. Definitely an awesome moment.

All right. In the line-up section of BleacherReport.com.

and there's further proof how hard core green Bay Packers are. Check out the girls rocking the bikini tops. It was 20 degrees with a wind chill of 9 at Lambeau Field yesterday. Kyra, you know, they didn't even get to see anybody win this game. It ended in a tie in overtime. But --

PHILLIPS: Of course nobody was watching the game. Hello. No, I told you I covered the factors, I lived in green bay. When Brett Favre was the quarterback, the ladies were tossing everything onto the field. Ok. I mean that's minor compared to what I've seen happen at Lambeau Field. You get frostbite out there. It gets a little nippy shall we say.

SCHOLES: You said it.

PHILLIPS: Thank you so much. I had to go there -- come on. I'm a woman. I can say that.

Next hour of "NEWSROOM" starts right now.

All right. happening right now in the "newsroom." Holiday plans up in the air. A blast of snow and cold now causing some major headaches for all of you as we get set for one of the busiest travel times of the year.

And not everyone is backing the America's historic deal with Iran. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, PRIME MINISTER OF ISRAEL: What was conclude in geneva last night is not a historic agreement. It's a historic mistake.

(END VIDEO CLIP)