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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

American Hostage Freed in Syria; The Hunt for ISIS; Michael Brown Funeral Today; 6.0 Earthquake in Northern California; Gaza Fighting Escalates

Aired August 25, 2014 - 05:00   ET

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

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: An American held hostage by terrorists for nearly two years finally freed. Peter Theo Curtis now out of danger this morning, as we learned how close intelligence officials are identifying the jihadist who murdered American James Foley. The latest on both of these cases and the new advances ISIS is making, live team coverage ahead.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: A day of mourning in Ferguson, Missouri. Michael Brown's family preparing to say goodbye to teenager shot and killed by police. He will be laid to rest today. We are going to bring you the mood on the streets overnight.

ROMANS: Northern California rocked by its strongest earthquake in 25 years. The latest on the damage report and that damage report is growing. That's next.

BERMAN: Good morning, everyone. Welcome to EARLY START. I'm John Berman.

ROMANS: Welcome back, Berman. Nice to see you this Monday morning.

I'm Christine Romans. It is Monday, August 25th. It is 5:00 a.m. in the East.

BERMAN: And up first, we do have some good news this morning concerning an American hostage overseas. Journalist Peter Theo Curtis freed by Islamic militants in Syria after nearly two years in captivity. U.S. officials say the 45-year-old Curtis was kidnapped back in October 2012 and was turned over to an al Qaeda linked group known as al-Nusra. Curtis is expected to be reunited with his family, shortly.

CNN's Nick Paton Walsh following all these developments, traumatic developments, for us.

Good morning, Nick.

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: John, interesting to note that Peter Theo Curtis was, in fact, handed over. One of the strangest parts was the Syrian border, that Israeli part, the Golan Heights, partially controlled by rebels, it seems, but a long way away from where he was kidnapped in northern Syria, held for six months in Aleppo. In Aleppo, we know he was held with another American, Matthew Schrier.

For six months together, they shared the cell, shared the torture, the hunger, deprivations that captives were put in through, but also shared an escape plan.

That escape plan involved Theo pushing Matt up to a window, in the cell. Matt got out. Tragically, when he reached down to pull Theo out, Theo was stuck. Matt had an agonizing choice to say. They both suffered, although they live. He left.

Today, released a statement saying, "Theo and I were together for over six months, but we never shared an august day during that time. Now, thank God, we do. This day will go down as one of the happiest of my life."

So, clearly, great relief for him. Relief, too, for Peter Theo Curtis' family. They released a statement thanking the American and Qatari governments and private individuals for negotiating this release. It's not quite clear what triggered his final walk to freedom. There's no suggestions necessarily that money did change hands.

The key thing, though, is the group holding him, Jabhat al-Nusra, linked to al Qaeda, yes. Described as a terrorist organization by the U.S., yes. But potentially, with this fight against ISIS broadening, they may want to have themselves considered as moderates, and perhaps looking for the positive PR maybe of allowing this release to occur. A lot of complexity, but at the end of the day, one simple thing, an American family here overjoyed -- John.

BERMAN: A lot of moving parts, as you say, Nick. Not exactly clear what, ultimately, in the end secured his release. But you so eloquently say, the one important fact that we know, this man will be reunited with his family, perhaps even today.

Nick Paton Walsh for us in London -- thank you so much.

ROMANS: All right. British intelligence apparently zeroing in on the identity of the terrorist who is seen beheading American journalist James Foley in that video released by ISIS. Britain's U.S. ambassador says a trail of accent clues could unmask the terrorist.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PETER WESTMACOTT, BRITISH AMBASSADOR TO THE U.S.: I see that the British media this morning are speculating that we are very close to identifying who this guy is. And you may see that my foreign secretary, Philip Hammond, said yesterday, we are putting out a great deal of resource into identifying this person. I think we're not far away from that. We are putting lot into it. And there's some very sophisticated technology and voice identification and so on as people can use to check who these people are.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: The family released a letter from their son during his captivity. His parents Foley dictated a letter to a fellow hostage who memorized it and relayed it to Foley's family after that other hostage was released.

The letter says in part, "The games and teaching each other have helped the time pass. They have been a huge help. We repeat stories and laugh to break tension. I have had weak and strong days. We are grateful when anyone is freed, but, of course, yearn for our own freedom. We try to encourage each other and share strength."

On Sunday, hundreds gathered in Foley's hometown of Rochester, New Hampshire, for a massive remembrance honoring the slain American journalist.

Meantime, ISIS militants making advances in Iraq and in Syria, where they are in control of a key air base.

CNN's Jomana Karadsheh live in Baghdad for us.

Tell us first about the airbase in Syria, Jomana. And then, what kind of advances are they making in Iraq? Just sort of underscores the Islamic State goal here does not know national borders.

JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely. It's a border that is nonexistent for ISIS. For them, it is one battlefield. So, you cannot look at what's going on in Iraq in isolation to what's going on in Syria, when tackling the threat of ISIS as we have heard from U.S. officials.

Now, while the airstrikes here in Iraq, since August 8th did kind of halt the advances that we have seen ISIS making seem to be an unstoppable organization over the past couple of months, taking more and more territory here in Iraq. It does still maintain control of major cities. Iraq's second largest city, Mosul, is under their control. The big part of Anbar province, the city of Fallujah, under complete control of ISIS.

On the other side of the border, in Syria, of course, that is what we have seen over the past week or so, is making significant advances in the northern part of Syria where their presence has really been in Raqa province that the city of Raqqa has been their de facto headquarters. They have been battling with the Syrian regime forces for the takeover of that key air base, Tabqa airbase.

And we are told by the Syrian observatory for Human Rights really monitors the situation on the ground and developments that, finally, yesterday after intense battles between ISIS militants and regime forces, they were able to, ISIS was able to take over the base despite airstrikes by the Syrian regime to try to stop that, really solidifying their presence there. Pretty much of Raqa province, the first Syrian province to be under the control of ISIS, as you mentioned, really underscoring the importance here of going after ISIS in terms of trying to weaken them, to try to defeat them as U.S. officials say. It is going to take more than airstrikes here in Iraq.

ROMANS: All right. Jomana Karadsheh, thank you so much for that, in Baghdad this morning. BERMAN: In Missouri, Michael Brown being laid to rest. Three White House officials will attend the funeral. It has been just over two weeks since the unarmed teenager was shot to death by Ferguson, Missouri police officer, Darren Wilson. Days of violent protests have now given way to calm, relative calm in that city.

At a rally on Sunday, Michael Brown's father said he wants just one thing on the day he buries his son -- peace.

Let's get more now from CNN's Nick Valencia in Ferguson.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICK VALENCIA, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Peace in Ferguson, at least for the moment, seems to have been restored. On Sunday, Michael Brown Sr., the father of that 18-year-old unarmed Michael Brown was shot and killed by Officer Wilson, made an emotional plea to the crowd in attendance for a day of silence, a day of respect, and to restore peace on the streets of Ferguson.

Here at the scene where Michael was shot and killed, you can see a memorial leading up to where his body laid for four hours before it was recovered by medical examiners. Just a couple of days, people began putting roses down leading up to where he was shot and killed.

Here at this scene and the neighborhood on Canfield, a lot of people are still showing up to show their solidarity for Michael Brown. A lot of people from out of state, people have driven from all across the country, different cities, different states, to show their respect and to make sure that this story is not lost. Largely, though, their eyes are focused on the funeral that will take place later today at 10:00 local time, where it is expected more than 5,000 people will come out to show and pay their respects for Michael Brown.

Nick Valencia, CNN, Ferguson, Missouri.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BERMAN: All right. Thanks to Nick, on the streets of Ferguson.

Meanwhile, in northern California, they are literally picking up the pieces this morning. A magnitude 6.0 earthquake shook the region on Sunday. The worst damage was in California's Napa Valley. A state of emergency has been declared there.

Dozens of buildings in the city of Napa had been red-tagged as uninhabitable. More than 170 people suffered injuries including a child in critical condition. There is major damage to the region's famed wineries. State officials say people there are hurting.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LT. GOV. GAVIN NEWSOM, CALIFORNIA: There's a mythology about Napa that it's fancy wineries. But underneath that, there are a lot of folks here are very low-income that are going to need support.

REPORTER: Like some of the mobile homes that we saw on fire. You just were there today.

NEWSOM: I was just there. I spent the last two and a half hours in the mobile homes. You know, there's one thing about the fires and the horrific images of those fires. But there are dozens and dozens of those mobile homes that are in cinder blocks that are literally off those, quote-unquote, "foundations." And you've got seniors in there that don't have families that are coming to pick them up right now and help them, that can barely get off the couch on a good day and now have their entire -- all their possessions strewn all over the place. So, we need to be here for the long run.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: The cost of the damage from the quake, the strongest by the way in California in 25 years. The damage could cost $1 billion.

ROAMNS: You know, they are living in a state known for its earthquakes, but still, most Californians don't have earthquake insurance. According to the California Earthquake Authority, only about one in 10 Californians have insurance to cover home and property damage. It's estimated the number is even lower, lower in the areas affected Sunday. In Napa, for example, just about 6 percent have coverage.

In California, the average cost of earthquake insurance, 860 bucks a year. Experts say during lulls between earthquakes, homeowners forget the importance of coverage. It's natural, right?

Ten minutes past the hour.

Quick EARLY START on your money. European stocks mostly higher. Asian stocks ended the day mixed. U.S. pointing higher right now to start the week. And, you know, stocks are not very far from record highs. The Dow has to go about 136 points to hit a record.

BERMAN: President Obama back at the White House after his two-week working vacation in Martha's Vineyard. This morning, the president will meet with Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. They have a lot to discuss.

One of the chief issues now facing the president, of course, the growing threat from ISIS militants. Of course, everyone saw the group's videotape execution of American journalist James Foley.

The president was criticized at times for his vacation, golfing on the vacation, given the situation with ISIS and the violent protests in Ferguson, Missouri.

Ten minutes after the hour. Happening right now: the war in Gaza escalating. Israel increasing the airstrikes. We are live in Jerusalem with the very latest, right after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROMANS: Fourteen minutes past the hour. With each passing day, Israel and Hamas move further away from any

hope of a peaceful resolution to the Gaza conflict. Israeli airstrikes pounding Gaza City Sunday. At least 16 people reportedly killed in those strikes, including a top Hamas leader. Israel claims Hamas fired more than 100 rockets Sunday.

CNN's Karl Penhaul following developments for us live in Jerusalem.

And the Hamas leader we're told a top money man for the organization.

KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, certainly, that was the target, Christine, of one of those Israeli airstrikes. They say he was one of the financial chiefs of Hamas and the Israeli military say they did hit a target. It isn't clear, however, if the financial chief was killed in that. Certainly, we've had no word from Hamas as to what the outcome may have been.

But all this goes to indicate the fight is still very much on both sides continuing to trade fire. Also, civilians falling victim as well in Gaza. Among the victims, some 16 in the last 24 hours. A woman and her three children on the Israeli side, while Hamas militants targeted the Erez border crossing between Israel and Gaza. Four people were injured in that attack, 23 mortars raining down around mid-afternoon.

Now, that's had severe disruptions in northern civilian life in both sides in Gaza. Yesterday, 500,000 kids were due to start the school year again. That is impossible because the schools are being used as shelters for displaced people.

In Israel, well, it was due to be the start of the soccer season over the weekend. That, too, has been suspended because of the threat of rocket fire on public gathering. But there is a whiff of good news at the media both in Israel and Gaza, talking about possible new Egyptian efforts for a cease-fire, and that is something that we're going to be monitoring in the course of the day to see if we can firm any of that up for you, Christine.

ROMANS: All right. Karl Penhaul for us this morning in Jerusalem -- thank you, Karl.

BERMAN: The deadly Ebola epidemic keeps spreading across Africa. Officials in Congo say two people have been diagnosed from the deadly disease there. The health minister says the deaths occurred in isolated areas and the disease in that central African nation seem to be a different strain to the one that has been seen in West Africa.

Meanwhile, in Liberia, there are not enough aid workers to help with people who have come down with the disease. Officials say they are in desperate need to find health workers and experts in disease management. In Sierra Leone, the practice of hiding Ebola victims is now banned under the law. Anyone violating the measure could face up to two years in jail. And a British health care worker who tested positive for Ebola in Sierra Leone was flown to London Sunday night. He caught the virus while caring for patients at a hospital where 15 nurses have already died. An estimated 2,600 people in West Africa have been infected with Ebola since March.

ROMANS: A scare in the skies over Arizona. An American airlines flight forced to land at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport just before noon Sunday. The move came after authorities got word of a tweet claiming there were explosives onboard, shortly after takeoff from Dallas.

That tweet reportedly sent out by hackers targeting Sony's online entertainment president, who was on that flight. The plane was searched. After several hours, the aircraft was cleared to continue to San Diego.

BERMAN: Another security breach at New York City's Brooklyn Bridge. Police arresting a thrill seeker after he took a stroll Sunday on the bridge's suspension beams. Twenty-four-year-old Yaroslav Kolchin was charged with criminal trespass and disorderly conduct. Kolchin got past security that had been on high alert, maybe not high enough, since last month when trespassers replaced the flags that had been flying over the bridge.

ROMANS: All right. Let's get a look at today's forecast. Eighteen minutes past the hour. Indra Petersons has that for us.

Hi, Indra.

INDRA PETERSONS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Hey. It feels good. It's a Monday and we're not seeing that much out there. You can actually take a look at the entire country right now and look how clear the entire area is. You are seeing maybe a couple systems here in the Upper Midwest, and maybe a little bit of action here down by the gulf.

But otherwise, generally dry across the country. We are going to be watching that system kind of hanging out in the Midwest, kind of pushing through, out towards the Northeast, bringing some light scattered showers. But again, the bulk of it where the rain is really going to be is where the center of circulation is. One to three inches near the Plains and again, out towards the Midwest, light scattered showers, typical summertime stuff, anywhere else were like kind of make its way over to the Northeast.

Otherwise, look at the pattern. Easy, right? Hot and warm. Looking at high pressure building in for the eastern half of the country. And still kind of mild in the Pacific Northwest. Another way to look at it, the exact same pattern, look at all these hundreds and upper 90s here. Meanwhile, the Pacific Northwest, you can tell by the colors alone, nice and cool and mild.

One of the bigger stories we are continuing to monitor, of course, is Cristobal, over the Bahamas at a tropical storm strength. Current steady winds about 15 miles per hour. Yes, the models are diverging, some were trying to bring it close to land, some are brining it offshore. Right now, the models are finally in agreement here, expecting it to stay offshore, but strengthening to a category one hurricane as we go through Tuesday night and through Wednesday. We'll be watching --

BERMAN: Keep it offshore, please.

PETERSONS: Looks good right now, yes.

ROMANS: Thanks, Indra.

Some of the biggest and brightest stars were on hand for MTV's Music Awards.

All right. The night belongs to Beyonce, who was honored with Video Vanguard Awards.

BERMAN: Finally, someone recognizing her talents. I feel like she's underappreciated.

ROMANS: It's not the VMAs with a couple of must-see moments. Rapper Nicki Minaj suffered a bit of a wardrobe malfunction, while performing on the stage during the opening number. And rapper Common took a moment to honor Michael Brown, the unarmed teen killed by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri.

Couple of big winners on the night included Ariana Grande, who took hope the award for best pop video and someone else who doesn't get enough attention, Miley Cyrus. She snagged top honors, winning video of the year for "Wrecking Ball." And you bring it to my attention, that it's been a full year of Miley Cyrus, because she really exploded a year ago at the VMAs when she was with Robin Thicke, right?

BERMAN: Exploded is one way to put it -- yes. She was with Robin Thicke on stage. Yes, they were together on stage. Yes, it's been one year, how they survived since Miley Cyrus twerks,like she did, you know, I will never know. But happy anniversary. Happy twerkiversary.

ROMANS: Twerkivesary.

BERMAN: All right. Twenty minutes after the hour.

They captured our hearts, but could Chicago's little south siders beat the best at the Little League World Series? Andy Scholes breaks it down. He better bring back good news. You have one break to make this work out for us, Andy.

The "Bleacher Report" is next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: Just a few minutes ago, we told Andy Scholes to come back with good news about the little league world series.

Bring us good news about the team from Chicago. Have you done it, Andy Scholes, on the "Bleacher Report"?

ANDY SCHOLES, BLEACHER REPORT: Happy twerkiversary, first of all.

But there is some good news at the end of this story. So, stay with me, guys. But I will say, it was a great run for Jackie Robinson West. But they did fall just short, one win short of becoming the first all African- American team to win the Little League World Series. The kids from the south side of Chicago, they were taken on in the South Korean championship game yesterday. They fell behind early and they just weren't able to mount a comeback like they did against Las Vegas. In the U.S. championship game, South Korean won this one, 8-4.

As you can see, the kids -- they shared some nice sportsmanship after the game. Pretty cool high five there. International teams have now won the last three Little League World Series titles. But even the Chicago team fell short, Jackie Robinson West, the city of Chicago will hold a victory parade for the team on Wednesday. So, there's your good news, John.

All right. Here's some brutal news for St. Louis Rams fans. They came out yesterday. The season is over before it began for quarterback Sam Bradford. He tore the ACL in his left knee during Saturday night's game against the Browns and is out for the entire season.

It's the same injury that forced Bradford to miss the last nine games of last season. Tough news for him. Back-up, Sean Hill is going to be the starter for the Rams.

Trending on bleacherreport.com this morning, a Twitter bet backfires horrible for one fan. Before the Rams/Browns game, one man offered to buy free drinks for the world. And Michael Sam sacked Johnny Manziel and he made the famous money sign. Well, as you can see, that's exactly what happened Saturday night.

Now the fan backed out of the free drinks for the entire world promise. After Sam tweeted at him, he is going to make a $500 donation to the St. Louis Boys and Girls Club in honor of Sam's great play.

BERMAN: That's a start.

SCHOLES: So, we are not going to get a drink, guys, but (INAUDIBLE) going to make a nice donation.

BERMAN: And congratulations, Andy, we should say, to that team from Chicago, the little league team.

ROMANS: They are great.

SCHOLES: It was a great ride.

BERMAN: I love the handshakes at the end of the game. That is what it's all about.

ROMANS: Thanks, Andy.

SCHOLES: All right.

BERMAN: Twenty-seven minutes after the hour. An American journalist held hostage by terrorists for nearly two years is free this morning. What we are learning about the terror group who released Peter Theo Curtis, and how this peaceful solution may have been negotiated -- right after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)