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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

Airport Ebola Worries Continue; Shooting Involving Police Officer Leads to Violent Protests; Khorasan Group Still Threat to U.S.; Nobel Peace Prize to be Announced

Aired October 10, 2014 - 04:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: An Ebola scare in the air. A passenger's joke landing a plane full of people in isolation for hours, as major airports in the U.S. and U.K. prepare new screenings to stop the virus from spreading. We are live with the latest.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Overnight, protests turning violent on the streets of St. Louis. Demonstrators clashing with police. We have new video just in, ahead.

ROMANS: In just 30 minutes, we will know who has won this year's Nobel Peace Prize. Could it be the pope? The NSA leaker Edward Snowden? Malala? We're breaking down the top contenders.

BERMAN: Or Nic Robertson.

ROMANS: Nic Robertson is not one of the contenders. But he is a peaceful man.

BERMAN: He's a man of peace.

ROMANS: Welcome back to EARLY START. I'm Christine Romans.

BERMAN: I'm John Berman, 31 minutes past the hour. We are going to start this morning with government officials urging people to stay calm in the face of the Ebola scare. It is not easy. A flight to the Dominican Republic went through a scare on Wednesday when a man on U.S. Airways flight 845 reportedly joked he had Ebola and a hazmat team was called in.

ROMANS: In the meantime here in New York and New Jersey, you're seeing New York and New Jersey leaders there giving press conferences. Both conferences yesterday saying, look, we know we are place where is someone could come from West Africa and we are taking the appropriate steps.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR BILL DE BLASIO (D), NEW YORK: We faced terrorism, we faced natural disasters. We now face the possibility of being infected by a pandemic. But the fact is, all of those other moments prepared us to handle whatever is thrown at us. GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE (R), NEW JERSEY: Of course, we're concerned. But

that concern is being moved into action. I hope the federal government moves more quickly to get Newark Airport up and ready to go from that perspective because they are in charge of that aspect of providing security at our airports. And so -- but I got assurance yesterday directly from the White House in a private conversation that they are moving as quickly as they can and that we'll continue to coordinate together.

(END VIDEO CLIP) BERMAN: Airport and airplane cleaners at LaGuardia walked out yesterday angry because they are not protected from Ebola. The Port Authority which operates LaGuardia and the contractor that provides the cleaning services both said they will review the concerns raised by the workers.

As U.S. officials press ahead with screenings for Ebola at five U.S. airports. Britain announced on Thursday its own plans for screenings at London's Heathrow Airport and Gatwick Airports.

CNN's Erin McLaughlin standing by live at Heathrow with the latest on this.

Good morning, Erin.

ERIN MCLAUGHLIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, John. The screening is expected to affect passengers traveling from countries such as Liberia and Sierra Leone and Guinea. They will be asked a series of questions such as where they have been flying to and from and who they had contact with and medical screenings by trained medical professionals.

Now, yesterday's announcement came as a surprise to airport officials that I have been speaking to. They're still waiting they say for detailed protocols from the government. So, it's unclear at this point when those screenings will actually begin. After all, yesterday morning, government officials were saying that such screenings were ineffective. So, it's really not clear what has changed between then and now.

Some scientists I have been talking to say this could be a political response to the Ebola outbreak. Politicians under pressure to make it appear they are taking concrete steps in the face of this outbreak. But it must be said, the outbreak has yet to reach the United Kingdom. Not a single confirmed Ebola case as yet. And ministers are staying that an Ebola outbreak is highly unlikely to reach Europe.

BERMAN: Erin McLaughlin for us live at Heathrow -- thanks so much, Erin.

ROMANS: Airplane passengers on the flight went through to an Ebola scare on Wednesday when the man on U.S. Airways Flight 845, he reportedly joked he had Ebola. And a hazmat team was called. On a video posted to YouTube, a flight attendant, you can hear her tell passengers, it's going to look worse than it is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FLIGHT ATTENDANT: I have done this for 36 years. I think the man that said this is an idiot. And I'll say that straight out. You hear me?

I want to you keep your wits about you. We have people coming on that are involved in watching the news. They look like they are in a bubble machine. They will look like they are in a (INAUDIBLE).

So, please stay out of their way. Let them do their job.

(EXPLETIVE DELETED)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: He does not look happy. He is escorted off the plane. You can hear the man said, quote, "I was kidding." So far, CNN has been unable to confirm the man's identity or whether he's in custody, but I would like to have that flight attendant on every flight I take from here on out. How do I make that happen?

BERMAN: She's my new hero.

ROMANS: Yes.

BERMAN: In Dallas, the hospital that treated the first Ebola patient diagnosed in the U.S. is defending itself this morning against charges it provided substandard care. As the deputy concern he made have caught the virus gets a clean bill of health.

CNN senior medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen has more from Dallas.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: John, Christine, good news from Michael Monnig, that's the deputy sheriff, who was being checked for Ebola because he spent time in the apartment where Thomas Eric Duncan had lived. Tests came back showing that he is negative and he was discharged from the hospital.

Now, that's no surprise. He never had contact with Duncan and he never had a fever. Meanwhile here in Dallas, the family of Thomas Eric Duncan is mourning his loss and still has questions about his care. They want to know why it took a week to get the experimental medication when the other Ebola patients in the United States, they received their medications in immediately.

Now, Presbyterian hospital where Duncan was treated says that they gave him the experimental medication as soon as his condition warranted. Now, they didn't explain what that means. Ebola doctors tell me that you want to give these drugs as soon as you possibly can. So, it's not clear why they waited nearly a week.

The World Health Organization says donations from a survivor might help who are suffering from Ebola, the hospital said they could not find a donor who match Duncan's type. The Centers for Disease Control is working to make sure that Duncan is

the first and the last patient to be diagnosed in the United States with Ebola.

The director of the CDC, Dr. Thomas Frieden compared Ebola to another horrible disease.

THOMAS FRIEDEN, CDC DIRECTOR: I will say that in the 30 years I have been working in public health, the only thing like this has been AIDS. And we have to work now so this is not the world's next AIDS.

COHEN: Public health experts say that the Ebola outbreak in West Africa will get worse before it gets better -- John, Christine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROMANS: All right. Thanks for that, Elizabeth.

You know, even with stock markets tanking and one fears have helped on tiny company escaped the carnage on Wall Street. Look at this, the hazmat suit maker Lakeland Industries, John, up more than 50 percent yesterday. It is up 150 percent since October 1.

Here's what you should know though -- Lakeland is not profitable. It lost sales last quarter.

The stock market, of course, had its best and worst day this year, all in 24 hours. It's been a crazy week, crazy. The Dow plunged 335 points yesterday. That's the worse drop in more than a year. The NASDAQ and the S&P both lost more than 2 percent.

So far in October, the Dow has moved more than 200 points five days this month. Here is what investors are concerned on -- John, I made a whole list here. Europe growth has stalled, Chinese growth slowed. The Fed stimulus ends this month. And you have two years without a correction.

Is a correction, a 10 percent drop, on the horizon? Rock star investor Carl Icahn thinks so. He told CNBC yesterday a correction is definitely coming.

And if you look at the numbers, we have not had a true correction since 2011. This chart, John, I think really says it all. It has been since March 2009, the Dow is up -- S&P rather is up 191 percent. That's unbelievable, with only a few --

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BERMAN: That's a lot.

ROMANS: That is a lot of reasons why people are nervous right now.

BERMAN: Thirty-nine minutes after the hour.

U.S. airstrikes aimed at al Qaeda linked militants in Syria failed to cripple that terror cell. American intelligence officials say the Khorasan group still poses a threat to the U.S. because the cruise missiles launched killed one or two key militants. Officials say many important leaders of the group scattered amid the news that the airstrikes won't happen.

ROMANS: Meantime, as ISIS militants continue their deadly march through key territory in Iraq and Syria here, Turkey trying to revive its goal of creating a military buffer zone along its border with Syria. Officials in Washington, though, not fully backing that idea because the move would lead to direct confrontation with the Syrian government and the Assad regime.

Arwa Damon is live this morning for us on the Syria/Turkey border with more.

Hi there, Arwa.

ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Christine.

And that is Kobani just behind us. All morning, we have been hearing gunfire, seeing various artillery falling in the city, plumes of smoke above it. People that we have been speaking to in the Kurdish fighting force reiterating that call for more ammunition, more air strikes.

We also spoke with the Free Syrian Army, an Arab commander, who's there with his brigade as well. He was saying that they just don't have the weaponry to beat ISIS back at this stage. And even though the U.S. airstrikes have helped, ISIS continues to advance. They have a clear route from their stronghold of Raqqah to these various fighting positions. And we have been hearing various reports that they are sending up greater numbers of fighters and ammunition and weaponry as well.

A doctor inside Kobani is saying that they're really struggling to try to deal with the injuries, around 20 to 30 a day he said. Made more dire and difficult because he was telling us that over the last few days, the Turkish military, Turkish authorities had closed the border. And he told us that at least three people died because they bled out.

Now, Turkey's position here is of many sources of great frustration on both sides of the border because as you can see, their tanks are positioned on a hill top, overlooking Kobani. The entire battle playing out in front of them and yet, Turkey at this stage not undertaking any sort of military action. The Turkish government is saying they are not going to go through this alone.

And if they are going to be part of any coalition, they have certain demands, that no-fly zone, that buffer zone. But they hat also want to see a broader strategy when it comes to ground troops into Syria. And that broader strategy cannot just address ISIS, the Turkish authorities say, it has to also deal with the Assad regime.

So, once again, we have a situation where it is the people on the ground, the civilians that are becoming increasingly the victims of this overarching politics that are dictating how this battle is playing out, Christine.

(INAUDIBLE)

BERMAN: The 2014 Nobel Peace Prize will be announced from Oslo at the top of the hour. A record 278 nominations were submitted this year. Pope Francis considered by many to be the favorite. In fact, book makers in London have installed him as a 5 to 2 favorite. No hope has ever won the Nobel Peace Prize.

Also getting a lot of buzz online, NSA leader Edward Snowden, he sparks a worldwide debate over electronic surveillance and personal freedoms. Wow, would that be controversial here if he'd won.

Keep it right here on CNN. We have live coverage of the Nobel Peace Prize as it is awarded. That is coming up in like 18 minutes.

ROMANS: All right. Breaking news overnight. Protests turning violent in St. Louis again. New demonstrations, demonstrators angry over a deadly officer involved shooting.

New video, ahead.

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ROMANS: New violent demonstrations in St. Louis overnight. Protesters taking to the streets again in the wake of the police shooting of 17-year-old Vonderrit Myers Wednesday. Police say a knife was thrown at an officer. That knife missed the target and landed on the ground. The police car also had a window smashed in.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHIEF SAM DOTSON, ST. LOUIS POLICE: They surrounded a police car and tried to break the windows out of the police car. I understand the emotions, but some things you cannot tolerate. And that's one of them. We have to have respect for each other. We respect the protesters. They certainly have to respect us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: Officials say two people why arrested. One officer suffered minor injuries Thursday night.

BERMAN: New details in the investigation of Jesse Matthew, the prime suspect in the disappearance of University of Virginia student Hannah Graham. Investigators confirmed Matthew was working as a cab driver the night that Virginia Tech student Morgan Harrington vanished five years ago. They also he was questioned by police in 2009 following her disappearance, as were at least 20 of his colleagues. The cab he drove was also seized by authorities from a farm two weeks ago as part of their active investigation.

ROMANS: All right. It's 47 minutes after the hour -- 48 minutes after the hour. We are minutes away from knowing the winner of the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize. Will Pope Francis be the first pontiff in history to win the prize? Could it be the guy in the middle? NSA leaker Edward Snowden, a controversial choice. Or Malala? A brave women's right, champion for girls. A young woman attacked by the Taliban.

We are breaking down the top contenders live, next.

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BERMAN: The 2014 Nobel Peace Prize will be announced from Oslo in less than 10 minutes. A record 278 nominations were submitted this year. The favorite? Pope Francis.

Also getting a lot of online buzz, NSA leaker Edward Snowden. Of course, he has sparked a worldwide debate over electronic surveillance and personal freedoms. It will be controversial here if he were to win.

Joining us now live to break down the top contenders is senior international correspondent Nic Robertson.

Nic, in ten minutes, we will know the answer.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: And indeed, the person or people or group of people would have won already, we understand, they will already know because they have received a call from the Nobel Peace Prize Committee telling them.

But it is just very hard. It is -- traditionally, this is a very difficult one to call. Last year, the Organization to Prevent the Spread of Chemical Weapons won. They had not been in the news headlines prior to that. So, there was very little warning that would come.

You do have the pope there leading the batting. The bookmakers have him at 9 to 4 favorite. Malala and both Snowden both 14 to 1.

You have Denis Mukwege, the Congolese doctor who treats female rape victims, he is number two. That's why the book has him.

You also have on the list there, the people of Japan who support Article IX, that is to keep Japan a peaceful country, keep enshrined in the constitution that it won't go to war or use war to solve international disputes.

So, there are people and organizations and groups and even countries there that people don't readily associate, don't hear about, not at the top of the news headlines. It's a very, very difficult one to call. You have president Putin at 50 to 1. Angelina Jolie at 50 to 1 as well.

So, the bookmakers have got a whole range of people on their odds there, 278 different people, organizations in for the running here, John.

BERMAN: Nic, you talk about the odds. Do you have any money in this game this time around? ROBERTSON: I'm keeping my money in my pocket. This is so notoriously

hard to call. I think this one is better to conserve your loose change and keep it where you know it will do you good.

BERMAN: And we will know in less than 10 minutes. Nic Robertson laying out the top contenders. That answer coming to us live on EARLY START.

We'll see you in a few minutes, Nic Robertson.

ROMANS: Nic Robertson sounds like a financial reporter. Keep your money in your pocket. No gambling. No lottery tickets.

What about the Dow? Wait a minute. I don't have any money to bet. I have no money.

Maybe you feel you have no money. The worst day of the year yesterday, I'm going to tell you -- look at that number. That's ugly. I'm going to tell you why it happened and what could happen today, next.

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ROMANS: Welcome back.

Let's get an EARLY START on your money, Friday edition. The market had its best and worst day this year all within 24 hours. But it's really only the worst day people are concerned about right now. Dow plunged 335 points, its worst drop in more than a year. The NASDAQ and S&P both loss more than 2 percent.

So far, October has seen the Dow move more than 200 points five days this month. Investors are concerned over slow global growth. Is a correction on the horizon? Perhaps. Futures are lower this morning. If you look at the numbers, there has not been a true correction since 2011.

Microsoft CEO thinks it is good karma for women not to ask for raises. These are controversial comments Tatyana Nadella made at a woman tech conference yesterday.

Tech has a diversity issue, 29 percent of Microsoft's global workforce is female. Of course, he later backtracked stating he was inn articulate in how women should ask for raises. This is a big issue. Women tend not to ask for raises as much, and they are paid less, and over the course of a working career, that could be $500,000 in loss wages.

BERMAN: A lot of money.

EARLY START continues right now.

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ROMANS: Preventing an Ebola pandemic. A warning from the top health officials as new leaders assure Americans that screenings new airport screenings will help stop this deadly from entering the country.