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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

Critical Time for NATO Leaders; Americans Fighting for Islamic Extremists; Ebola Epidemic; Pope Francis Hosts Former Israeli President

Aired September 04, 2014 - 04:30   ET

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

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JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Getting tough with Russia. President Obama meeting with world leaders over the crisis in Ukraine, figuring out how to stop the invasion and skeptical of a peace plan coming from Russian President Vladimir Putin. We have live team coverage ahead.

Home grown terror. A new warning this morning about Americans joining ISIS overseas. Could they bring the fight from Iraq and Syria back to the U.S.? This as the family of murdered U.S. journalist Steven Sotloff breaks its silence. We're live with the latest.

Ebola survival story. An infected American is now disease-free. She explains what happened when she found out that she has the deadly virus.

Welcome back to EARLY START, everyone. Great to see you this morning. I'm John Berman. Christine Romans is off.

It's 31 minutes past the hour right now.

In what may be the most crucial NATO summit ever held begins in less than four hours. Western leaders from 60 countries gathering in Newport, Wales, attempting to tackle two bloody conflicts, one in Ukraine, one in Afghanistan, as well as the growing threat from ISIS and they want to do this all in just two days.

President Obama calling out Russia for it's, quote, "brazen assault on Ukraine." The commander in chief careful not to use the word "invasion", at least not yet.

This morning, the president meets with the leaders of Britain, Italy, France and Germany, before making opening remarks at 8:00 Eastern. That officially kicks off the summit.

White House correspondent Michelle Kosinski live from Wales this morning.

And, Michelle, what message does the president want to send when he speaks with leaders this morning.

MICHELLE KOSINSKI, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Oh, there are several messages. And he started sending them yesterday, actually. It almost seems like the NATO summit started yesterday, because the president added this stop in Estonia, one of Russia's neighbors that is considerably worried about the threat that Russia poses not only to Ukraine currently, but to possibly it or others in the future.

So, the president, in a number of addresses yesterday really sent the message not only to those other NATO countries that are concerned, but to Russia itself, that NATO means defense. It means collective defense, standing together against aggression and yes, militarily defending one another.

Now, there's no really threat of that having to happen in the future. Remember, Ukraine is not a member state. But the message surrounding Ukraine is that Russia's actions are wrong, dead wrong, and that Ukraine will be supported, not necessarily militarily, at least right now. In fact, it seems like leaders were backing away from supporting Ukraine by arming it.

And the U.S. has said in the past that it doesn't want to start a proxy war with Russia. But supporting financially, diplomatically, in any way possible, besides militarily, yes. So, that's Ukraine.

On ISIS, also, the U.S. and others want to form coalitions, an international coalition that would include Europe and also a regional coalition to combat terror there.

Now, even though member states are here and they are European, the regional coalition would have to happen. There's a plan for that. President Obama and other U.S. officials said yesterday, they are hoping to work with European leaders here to get them to use their influences and their alliances in the region of Iraq and Syria to put pressure on those countries to help solve the problem, not only in the air, which is what the U.S. is doing, but also potentially in the future on the ground -- John.

BERMAN: All right. Michelle Kosinski for us in Wales, where the president faces so many crises all at once between ISIS and Ukraine -- our thanks to you, Michelle.

At this hour, pro-Russian forces making significant advances in Eastern Ukraine, as leaders from both countries attempt to reach a cease-fire agreement. Ukraine's president announcing that he and Russian Vladimir Putin have agreed on steps to end the hostilities. President Putin offered a seven-point plan for peace in the region, a move that has most Western leaders expressing skepticism.

I want to bring in Reza Sayah right now, tracking developments live from Kiev.

There's been so much confusion, Reza, over whether there is a cease- fire deal or not. President Putin says he has a seven-point plan. Will that plan be adopted?

REZA SAYAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: John, lots of confusion, lots of mixed messages from Moscow and Kiev. But, increasingly, there has been talk of a possible breakthrough and a possible cease-fire. But we just have new information to pass along to you that may not bode well for the prospects of a cease-fire.

Over the past couple hours, Ukrainian officials saying that during the overnight hours, they have seen increased shelling from Russian forces in Russian territory targeting locations in the battlefield in southeastern Ukraine. We should point out that Moscow continues to deny that they are involved in this conflict. But, certainly, the accusations continue from Kiev and seemingly, the fighting continues as well.

In the meantime, the prospect of a cease-fire or breakthrough, it looks like they are there. Yesterday, in a phone call between Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, and Petro Poroshenko, the Ukrainian president, the two agreed on the frame work, on the conditions with which a cease-fire would be put in place. The conditions include the pulling out of troops, the end of all military action, the establishment of humanitarian corridor where victims can get out and humanitarian aid can get in. And international monitors in place to make sure that these conditions are met.

Yesterday, Mr. Poroshenko said he was optimistic and hopeful that these conditions and a cease-fire could be established as early as Friday, tomorrow, and all sides of this conflict would meet once again in Belarus.

However, late last night, Prime Minister Yatsenyuk seemed to criticize the plan saying it was a ploy by Moscow to buy more time for the rebels in southeastern Ukraine and avoid sanctions.

So, some ambiguous and mixed messages coming from all over the place, so all eyes on Belarus, to see if indeed, all sides can hammer out some sort of cease-fire.

BERMAN: Within the next 24 hours, I think we should know whether the possibilities for this specific deal are in place.

Reza Sayah in Kiev, trying to clarify a very murky situation -- I appreciate your help, Reza.

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BERMAN: Right now in the Middle East, there are U.S. citizens taking up arms in fighting for Islamic extremist groups, including ISIS. How many American are there?

Well, now, the secretary of defense is putting a number on it.

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CHUCK HAGEL, DEFENSE SECRETARY: As we have acknowledged publicly, we are aware of over 100 U.S. citizens who have U.S. passports, who are fighting in the Middle East.

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BERMAN: Fighting in the Middle East for the Islamic groups. Not just ISIS. There are several groups are at play there. I want to bring in Jomana Karadsheh live from Baghdad.

This is an issue that the United States is dealing with. This is an issue that Britain is dealing with, other European countries are dealing with it. And a lot of the nations in the region, also, Jomana, are dealing with this.

JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Of course, John. A lot of concern about these foreign jihadists now. The numbers are not really clear. There are estimates. We don't know how many, who they are.

So, there's a lot of concern in this region. American allies like Jordan and Israel would be really concerned about this. For Jordan, for example, ISIS has made it no secret that it has its sights set on Jordan, that it sees as a Western ally here.

So, a lot of concern. Iraqi officials, we speak to, as we've known over the years, John, Iraq has been a magnet especially under the U.S. presence here. It was a magnet for extremists and jihadists who could come here. And once again, Iraqi officials are now feeling that their country is becoming more of this magnet, attracting many more foreign jihadists. And they say more needs to be done.

The extremists are coming from there and also to have some sort of regional cooperation, pressure by the U.S. and the international community on countries on the region to try and work together, bring them together to try and stem the flow of these foreign fighters coming across the borders into Syria and Iraq. These borders between Iraq and Syria are nonexistent for the group. So, foreign fighters make it there. They make it into Iraq.

So, here, they are saying that, yes, there have been security measures on borders like Turkish borders with Syria, but they feel not enough is being done and more needs to be done to stop this flow of foreign fighters. But one expert I spoke to, John, here in Iraq, an ISIS expert who's been tracking this group and its predecessor, al Qaeda in Iraq, says that the majority of fighters and the militants come from the local communities, whether in Syria or in Iraq.

In Iraq, it is mostly Sunni Arabs form the communities that have felt marginalized by the Shia-led government, and its policies over the past few years and persecuted by the security forces. Also here underscoring the importance of government formation and including the Sunnis in the political process, as we have heard U.S. officials, including President Obama repeat over and over again, it's not just a military solution here to fight and weaken ISIS.

BERMAN: Yes, the leadership of ISIS appears to be Iraqi in origin.

Jomana Karadsheh for us in Baghdad -- thank you so much.

Forty minutes past the hour right now.

Alison Kosik here with an EARLY START on our money.

ALISON KOSIK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And we are watching stocks this morning.

Markets around are focused right on Europe. Investors are waiting for a much anticipated announcement from the European Central Bank later this morning. Now, the banks are going to be revealing what its next step is going to be on interest rates. And many investors are expecting the ECB to announce new stimulus measures, which would try to rev up Europe's slowing economy. And that stimulus could look pretty darn similar to the bond-buying program the Federal Reserve is currently winding down.

Stocks are looking cautious around the globe ahead of the announcement. European shares are mostly lower. Asian shares ended the day mixed. U.S. stock features are not going too much movement either right now. Stocks ended yesterday mixed.

And once again, what happens after the ECB meeting or doesn't happen, that really is expected to move the markets today.

BERMAN: We will stay tuned for that, Alison Kosik.

KOSIK: We will.

BERMAN: Thanks so much.

All right. Forty-one minutes past the hour.

Ebola epidemic, new concerns about the rapidly spreading virus as a once infected American shares her story of survival. That's next.

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BERMAN: The latest now on the deadly Ebola outbreak in West Africa.

The third American to contract the virus has been identified as Dr. Rick Sacra of Holden, Massachusetts. He's being treated in a hospital in Liberia. Dr. Sacra is a family physician and an assistant professor at UMass Medical School. He volunteered to go to Liberia to try to contain the outbreak.

We are also hearing for the first time from Nancy Writebol. She's the American missionary who survived her battle with Ebola. Listen to her describe how she learned she was sick from her husband.

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NANCY WRITEBOL, EBOLA SURVIVOR: He came into the room and he said, "Nancy, I need to tell you some things." I said, "OK". And he said, "Kent has Ebola." And I just, I was just sick.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Dr. Brantly?

WRITEBOL: Yes, when David told me.

And then after I kind of regrouped from that, he said, "And, Nancy, you do, too."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: Meanwhile, the first British citizen to contract Ebola has been discharged from a London hospital after making a full recovery. Twenty-nine-year-old William Pooley was treated with the experimental drug ZMapp.

What's more? An experimental Ebola vaccine fast tracked in the clinical trials by the National Institutes of Health has been injected for the first time into two human subjects in Bethesda, Maryland. Researchers there are trying to determine if that vaccine is safe. The Ebola is escalating in West Africa, a second cluster of patients emerging in Nigeria where hundreds of people could be at risk after coming in contact with a doctor who died there from the virus.

The Ferguson, Missouri Police Department, has been notified it is under federal investigation. The formal announcement could come today. The probe will be focusing on the police practices of the Ferguson force over time. The department is also being investigated by the federal government for the shooting death of unarmed teenager, Michael Brown.

The daughter of Joan Rivers says her mother is now out of intensive care and being kept comfortable in a private room in a New York hospital. In her latest statement, Melissa Rivers again thanked everyone for their support. Earlier this week, she confirmed her mother was on life support. The 81-year-old Rivers was hospitalized a week ago after suffering cardiac and respiratory arrest during throat surgery.

An EF1 tornado caused all this destruction in Upstate New York, near Elmira. It packed winds of 100 miles per hour over a six-mile stretch.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My husband just kind of jumped over all of us, and it sounded like a locomotive train. And you could just see and hear things getting pulled up, and we just prayed.

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BERMAN: Let's get an early look at the forecast now with Chad Myers.

CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, guys. Good evening, Hawaii.

Pretty decent weather across the country today. The same stickies that we had yesterday across a lot of the east. Cool across the north and northwest. That's the next system that is going to come down.

We'll see a noticeably cooler middle week next week across the upper Midwest, cooler than 91 in Chicago for today, that's for sure. Ninety-four in Kansas City, 95 in Memphis. And it will feel warmer than that with the humidity stifling, like air you can see.

Scattered showers all the way up to New York City. That could slow down the airport especially in the afternoon. If you're flying tomorrow, a couple bumps along the front in the central part of the country, and more scattered showers for parts of Florida.

Here is the cooler air coming down from the north. Sixty-nine is the high for tomorrow in Minneapolis. It will feel more like fall. Still, 95 in Memphis. The air is still hot and muggy down there, 95 in Dallas and 88 in Tampa.

Guys, enjoy your day. Back to you.

BERMAN: All right. Our thanks to Chad Myers for that.

Happening right now, Pope Francis meeting with former Israeli President Shimon Peres. We are live in Rome after the break.

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BERMAN: Former Israeli President Shimon Peres meeting this morning with Pope Francis at the Vatican. Peres is expected to update the pontiff on the Israeli/Palestinian cease-fire and a wave of terrorism now gripping the Middle East.

Vatican correspondent Delia Gallagher live from Rome this morning.

Good morning, Delia.

DELIA GALLAGHER, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, John.

Of course, Shimon Perez is no longer president of Israel, but he is still a man of importance, experience and influence in the Middle East peace process, as well as something of a friend of the pope, we could say. He's met with Pope Francis four or five times now since the pope's election.

Peres' aides are telling us that the meeting this morning is, as you mentioned, to update the pope on the situation in Gaza and to discuss in general the Middle East peace process.

Of course, the last time that Shimon Peres was at the Vatican was in June, just a few months ago, for a day of peace, prayer for peace -- something, which Pope Francis called for when he was in the Holy Land. And the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, was also here at that time. Shortly after that day, despite prayers, conflict, once again, erupted in the region.

So, some people said that perhaps the day had been a failure, that the initiative of the pope, President Peres and President Abbas had failed.

The pope vigorously defended the day when he was on the papal plane, returning from South Korea in August, saying it was not a failure, that prayer is always necessary, according to Pope Francis, in order to have lasting peace, you need negotiation, you need dialogue. But prayer also opens doors, the pope said, at that time. We should also mention, John, that this morning, Pope Francis is meeting with a Jordanian prince. He is Hassan bin Talal. He is the uncle of the current king, King Abdullah of Jordan. And he is a man known for his interfaith initiatives between the Muslim world and the Christian world and other religions. Also an important representative of Jordan, an ally in the region, considered a kind of stabilizing influence.

So, an important morning of meetings for Pope Francis both with Shimon Peres, and the Jordanian prince this morning at the Vatican -- John.

BERMAN: Shimon Peres, as you say, an FOP, a friend of the pope.

Delia Gallagher in Rome for us, thanks so much.

Employees in Silicon Valley finding out the hard way, there's no such thing as a free lunch. At least not as far as the IRS is concerned. Uh-oh.

An EARLY START on your money, next.

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BERMAN: Fifty-eight minutes past the hour right now.

Alison Kosik here with an EARLY START on your money.

KOSIK: And here we go -- investors are waiting for a much anticipated announcement from the European Central Bank that's coming later this morning. And there are some that are expecting new stimulus measures which would look to try to rev up Europe's slowing economies. That stimulus could look similar to the bond-buying program that the Federal Reserve is winding down.

So, ahead of that announcement, stocks are looking cautious. European shares -- they are mostly lower. U.S. stocks futures are slightly lower at the moment.

And Malaysia Airlines is backtracking on its latest promotion. I don't think they're really thought through. The company renamed its promotional competition asking customers what destinations are on their bucket lists, where do travelers want to go before they die. The airline acknowledged the campaign was inappropriate, given the two deadly disasters involving Malaysian Airlines planes this year. The struggling carrier also just cut 6,000 workers as part of a major over haul.

And it's true. There is no such thing as a free lunch. Google, Facebook and others are known for giving their employees free meals. Well, guess what? Now, the IRS is saying, hey, if you pay taxes on your paycheck, why not pay taxes on your company's sushi as well? The IRS added company provided meals for its list of top tax priorities for the next year.

So, if the meals are ruled taxable, the cost of the food you get at work for free, would be considered income to the employee and that means employers would owe payroll tax and the employee would have to pay up as well. So, bye-bye, perks -- at least that kind of perk, of not being taxed.

BERMAN: The IRS is looking into it right now?

KOSIK: Looking into it. It's on their list of -- it's on their to-do list.

BERMAN: I don't know if I want to get on that list or anywhere near that list.

KOSIK: I hear you.

BERMAN: Alison Kosik, thanks so much. Appreciate it.

EARLY START continues right now.