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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
Tail Section of AirAsia 8501 Found; Police on High Alert; Dangerous Arctic Chill Sweeps Across Country; Time Capsule 1st Found in 1855
Aired January 07, 2015 - 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: Breaking news this morning; AirAsia Flight 8501 found. Divers locating the jetliner's tail just hours ago. That piece of the plane is believed to hold the black boxes which, of course, will be the key to unlocking the mystery of what went so wrong. We are live with the very latest, ahead.
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Police officers on alert this morning, warned that they could become the targets of gunmen. Baltimore police revealing their own security scare as two New York officers recover from being shot. We'll break down the new threat on how officers will respond.
ROMANS: Dangerous cold weather barreling across the country. Millions facing an arctic chill, a chill that's already closing schools and canceling flights. We are tracking what you'll need to know for the day.
Welcome back to EARLY START. I'm Christine Romans. Nice to see you this morning.
BERMAN: I'm John Berman. Thirty-one minutes past the hour.
We do have breaking news overnight in the search for AirAsia Flight 8501. Just a few hours ago, we got word that divers located at least part of the tail section of the plane.
Look at these remarkable photos. This is what investigators have been waiting to see. A crucial development that could be a turning point in this investigation which has been set back again and again and again by rough weather high seas, near zero visibility. It's been zero visibility, I should say.
It is inside the tail section of an Airbus A320 where the black boxes are held. So, it is in this section that you're looking at right now that could -- could house the black boxes, so crucial for piecing together why the plane went down.
For the latest, let's get more now from CNN's Anna Coren in Surabaya, in Indonesia.
Good morning, Anna.
ANNA COREN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, hello, John.
A major breakthrough as you're saying, discovering the tail of Airbus A320. Now, not all are located in the tails, with planes. But certainly, with this particular plane, they are. So, we're talking about the flight data recorder and the cockpit audio recorder.
As the AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes said, a little -- a short time ago, if this is the right part of the tail, then the black boxes will be there. Divers are in the water as we speak. They went back down after taking those incredible images that our viewers are looking at. And they are now inspecting the tail in the hope that they locate those black boxes.
If the divers can't do that, they're going to have to retrieve it, pull it up on to one of the vessels, according to the search and rescue agency. They have all of the equipment, all the ships. Everything that has been tried at the search is now being directed to this particular site.
But as we know, if the black boxes are in this particular part of the tail, we don't know if this tail is completely intact, then from that information, in those black boxes, we'll be able to get a much better idea as to what exactly happened to the AirAsia Flight 8501, which had 162 passengers and crew onboard. Now, 40 bodies have since been recovered, which 24 have now been identified, John.
BERMAN: Divers, as you say, in the water right now, with that tail section, trying to see if they can get their hands on the black boxes if they are in part of the section. A remarkable development this morning, Anna.
We also got word overnight that the airline is announcing a new compensation plan for the families of those who are on board the plane.
COREN: Yes, that's right. AirAsia confirming today that they will pay each family 100,000 U.S. dollars. This is in accordance to Indonesian regulations.
Now, they initially were offering the families 24,000 U.S. dollars just to help them through this period. Many of the families rejected it. I guess, there were concerns as to whether this was just the payment.
It also, I guess, places a sense of finality on their loved once, and that they are then dead.
Speaking to an AirAsia official a short time ago, he said, you know, so many of these families are still holding out hope that their family members are still alive. This despite the tail being found, despite 40 bodies being recovered. But certainly for the families that we have spoken to, John, they just want their loved ones back. The bodies back so they can then bury them.
BERMAN: All right. Anna Coren for us in Surabaya with these major developments overnight, we'll check with you in a little bit. Again, divers in water right now. Thanks, Anna.
ROMANS: Officers across the country this morning on high alert after a new warning from the Baltimore Police Department. A man carrying a loaded .22 caliber handgun walked into a Baltimore police station Tuesday morning, allegedly on orders from one of the city's street gangs. The orders: to test the station's security.
Officials say officers found the gun when they searched 29-year-old Jason Armstrong after they say they noticed him acting strangely and smelling of marijuana.
Baltimore's police commissioner says it was lucky officers, quote, "did not end up in a terrible situation."
The police commissioner said they were lucky officers didn't end up in a terrible situation.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANTHONY W. BATTS, BALTIMORE POLICE COMMISSIONER: Let me say again, an organized gang in the city of Baltimore sent an armed suspect into our building to see our security, to test our security. That is alarming for us. That is alarming to me. And I'm going to send a message along those lines to understand that we're not going to cower, we're not going to back down.
Clearly, this was not a rumor. Clearly, this was not something that was hyperbole. This happened.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: Armstrong told police the street gang forced him to enter the police station. He faces a variety of weapons and gun charges now.
BERMAN: Police officers in New York may already be taking extra precautions that Baltimore officials are recommending. New figures show a drastic plunge in a number of arrests and summonses by officers in the city, especially from minor offenses since two officers were murdered in their patrol car last month. The police union denies officers are fearful or that there's any kind of organized work slowdown due to a rift between the rank and file and Mayor Bill de Blasio. Union officials are pointing to two off-duty officers who raced to a robbery scene in the Bronx Monday were shot by suspects.
The father of one of those officers told CNN's Don Lemon about the moment he was told that his son had been hit.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOSEPH DOSSI, OFFICER ANDREW DOSSI'S FATHER: The first thing that comes to your head is like, this really can't be happening. And then, of course, when they tell you he's critical and he's been shot twice, I think the worst things possible can go through your mind.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: Both injured officers, Andrew Dossi and Aliro Pellarano, they are expected to recover.
Our correspondent Miguel Marquez has the latest on the shoot-out and the hunt for the suspects.
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MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: John and Christine, we are learning a lot more about the situation the New York City police officers found themselves in. Five officers total, say NYPD, responded. They were all getting off shift when they heard about this robbery in progress. They all responded.
Some of them perhaps did not even have their safety vests on, their protective gear when they responded to this robbery. When they called into the dispatcher, you could literally hear the adrenaline in their voices.
OFFICER: Shots fired. Shots fired at MOS.
OFFICER: Shots fired, 187 Tiebout, 187 Tiebout, white Chevy Camaro going Northbound --
MARQUEZ: When those officers got to the area, they didn't go directly to the robbery location. They cased the entire area, assuming that the robbery was now outside of that area. They were in fact right. They saw them at another store down the way. That's when that individual who we believe is Jason Polanco at the window of a deli, turned around, fired a .44 revolver at the officers. He got off three shots they say before getting away.
ROBERT ROYCE, NYPD CHIEF OF DETECTIVES: He fires three guns -- three rounds in the .44 caliber magnum, very large caliber handgun. And we believe he dry fires after that, because he has no more rounds in the gun.
MARQUEZ: Police say this all unraveled very quickly. One of the police officers got off three shots. He's the only officer who fired says NYPD. He hit one of the suspects in the leg.
That person later checked into a New York hospital. Police said he fed them a line but it was quickly apparent to their detectives that this was somebody connected to this robbery attempt. He then led them to the person who brought him to the hospital, who then led them to Jason Polanco.
All three individuals in custody, two under arrests, the third in custody.
Police saying, look, this is absolute proof that there is no slowdown out there. That these police officers were off duty and they responded to a very dangerous situation -- John, Christine.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROMANS: All right, Miguel. Thank you for that, Miguel. New this morning, the FBI will investigate a deadly shooting at a V.A. clinic in El Paso, Texas. Sources tell CNN, a gunman shot and killed the doctor Tuesday afternoon and later died from a self-inflicted wound. There's no known motive for the shooting, the facility will be closed today as investigators question staffers and patients who witnessed the tragedy.
BERMAN: Lawmakers get back to work this morning with Republicans in control of the 114th Congress. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky has taken over as Senate majority leader, with John Boehner returning as House speaker, but not without a little bit of a scare that played out on live national television.
The Ohio congressman managed to overcome significant opposition, but ultimately, he did get the votes to avoid an embarrassing second ballot and get sworn in for a second term. He was sworn in for a third term as speaker.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIPS)
REP. JOHN BOEHNER (R-OH), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: I do.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you very much. I pronounce you speaker of the House.
BOEHNER: Thank you.
SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R), KENTUCKY, MAJORITY LEADER: I think the goal is to do important things for the country. And my colleagues have given me an opportunity to be their leader, and the people of Kentucky have given me their confidence for another six years. And so, I think it's probably not a great time to be measuring the drapes, but rather looking to the question of whether or not we can make a difference for the country.
(END VIDEO CLIPS)
BERMAN: Republicans who opposed Speaker Boehner, they're already paying the price. Two of them have been removed from the influential house rules committee. Welcome to Washington.
ROMANS: That's how it works.
All right. Congressman Steve Scalise is not backing down. The embattled Louisiana Republican is expected to discuss his 2002 appearance before a white supremacist group. Despite calls for him to step down, Scalise is already moving forward with fundraising plans with a happy hour gathering for would-be donors already scheduled for next week.
BERMAN: He's the number three in the Republican leadership in the House. He's the majority whip. So, this is why people are focused on that so much.
Forty-one minutes after the hour. President Obama will meet with new Republican leaders next week at the White House. He said he's looking forward to an exchange of ideas, but he is already vowing to veto one of the first new bills that will land on his desk to improve construction of the Keystone pipeline. The project is still being reviewed by the State Department.
The White House says it is not up to Congress to circumvent that procedure. The president says this is not saying no to the pipeline overall. It's just saying no to the idea that it's a done deal right now.
ROMANS: His comments and his spokesman's comments have not been supportive of the pipeline overall.
BERMAN: No, they haven't.
And Republicans are outraged that he's issued this veto threat already on what will be the first piece of legislation.
ROMANS: The president is going to make a brief stop in Detroit today. He'll be at a Ford assembly plant to tout the auto industry's comeback and the resurgence in manufacturing. It's worth noting this plant where the president is speaking is actually shut down this week, Ford dealers have too many energy efficient cars on their lot. The plant will reopen on Monday.
Time for an early start on your money this morning.
The question of the day, (INAUDIBLE) selling stocks.
U.S. stock futures are up a bit this morning, after a 130-point slide yesterday, on top of a 330-point rout Monday. The Dow shedding 2 1/2 percent in just three ugly days.
Perspective here, stocks are just 4 percent -- less than 4 percent from record highs. The correction of 10 percent in stocks long overdue.
I would argue corrections are healthy for the market. There had has not been one in stocks since 2011. So don't freak out.
But what's rattling the markets, oil here. Crude oil $47 a barrel right now, cut in half since the summer. This is -- that chart is so good for consumers right there, $2.19 a gallon average this morning. That's the average for a gallon of gas, $2.19. It's been falling for 100 days.
That chart right there scares the bejesus out of energy companies and investors and the energy sector.
BERMAN: But when I see the stock prices just falling, just to review, Christine Romans, should I freak out?
ROMANS: Never freak out. Never freak out. Do not freak out.
BERMAN: Thanks very much. ROMANS: I mean, you've had three years of such great gains. It's a pause that refreshes potentially.
BERMAN: Good to know.
Forty-three minutes after the hour.
Happening right now: millions across the country facing these awful temperatures. It is very cold, so cold that schools are closed, flights are cancelled, a lot of them. We'll break down how this will affect you, next.
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ROMANS: Breaking news this morning: divers in the Java Sea have located at least part of the tail section of AirAsia Flight 8501. This discovery, a major breakthrough in this 11-day search.
Why is this so important? Because the plane's black boxes are mounted in the tail section. Divers have spent 11 days fighting this harsh weather at the surface. Zero visibility at the bottom. Efforts to find the rest of the plane continue.
We don't know if the black boxes are in this chunk of the tail section. But investigators are very, very hopeful that they're getting close now.
BERMAN: Divers there right now investigating.
ROMANS: All right. It's cold out there. Really cold out there. Forecasters say the mix of wind and cold air across the Midwest could push wind chills under 40 below. Temperatures potentially deadly.
BERMAN: Dangerous conditions have closed schools throughout the Midwest. Public schools and major cities such as Kansas City, Minneapolis, Chicago, Des Moines -- Christine Romans country -- Indianapolis and Omaha. Schools in Green Bay will start on two-hour delay. Public schools in Cleveland and Milwaukee, they haven't decided yet.
Parents are worried keeping schools open could lead to some serious traffic issues, safety issues. This is what happened in the Baltimore area. 142 collisions were reported there Tuesday morning. At least three students were injured.
ROMANS: Chicago officials are expecting a tricky commute. They say the smaller amount of snowfall compared to last year's polar vortex. It will lead to fewer rail delays. So, that's a good news for rail commuters. But they are warning drivers to be extra cautious on the road and to be on the lookout for black ice. Another danger: ponds and lakes are icing over.
An 8-year-old boy in Northeastern Illinois was rescued Tuesday after falling into a frozen pond. He was described as cold, but conscious, on his way to the hospital.
BERMAN: We all grow up --
ROMANS: His parents were described as terrified.
BERMAN: I was going to say, we all grew up so terrified at being frozen ponds.
Roads in Pennsylvania very messy. Plows were out in force. But it proved to be not enough to stop major accidents. In Wexford, a car slid under this tractor trailer that was hauling rock salt and started a fire. This driver plowed right into a building in Center City after hitting a patch of ice.
ROMANS: Icy roads wreaking havoc in Indiana. Six trucks slammed into each other on I-65. The highway was shutdown for more than five hours. Two people were treated for nonlife-threatening injuries.
BERMAN: The deep freeze is causing major problems for air travel. More than 1,000 flights were cancelled nationwide on Tuesday, could be more of the same today.
So how much longer is this all going to last? And just how cold is it going to get? I have a feeling it may get worse.
Let's get to meteorologist Pedram Javaheri for an early look at our forecast.
PEDRAM JAVAHERI, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, guys.
Let's show you what's happening across the country. Your high temperatures as remarkable as they come. Not often you see this setup. Minus 1 high temperature in Chicago. Minus 4 in Minneapolis. Wind chills easily 20 to 30 degrees below zero, some areas could be closing in 40 degrees below for the wind chills. That's why schools across this region, generally speaking public schools closed. And you work your way to the south, Atlanta finally dropping off into the 30s after the 60s just a couple of days ago.
In fact, you take a look at the trend, Atlanta went from 66 down to 54 on Tuesday. Again upper 30s on Wednesday. Of course, New York City dropped off to the lower 20s on Tuesday. Lunchtime forecast today, Minneapolis, minus 10, feels like minus 30. Across New York, 24, it will feel like 10.
You have tall buildings anywhere around Manhattan you're going to run into significant wind chills when it comes those buildings funneling the winds across that region. And again, this looks like it will continue over the next couple days before a very gradual warming trend returns to your forecast.
ROMANS: All right, Pedram. Thank you for that.
The contents of a 220-year-old time capsule buried the nation's Founding Fathers reveal what Paul Revere and Samuel Adams left behind. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) BERMAN: Two hundred twenty years after Paul Revere and Samuel Adams first placed it in the cornerstone of the Massachusetts statehouse, a small time capsule is now open and its contents have been oh so carefully removed.
What treasures did this box hold? Have the items survived intact?
CNN's Alexandra Field was at Boston's Museum of Fine Arts for the unveiling.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Christine, John, physically, we're talking about something very small, just 5 1/2 by 7 1/2 inches. But, really, it's enough to take us back to this nation's very beginning. These relics were first called together back in 1795. It's been 220 years. And now, the whole world gets to see what's inside.
Five newspapers, 23 coins, one of them stretches as far back as 1652. A medal imprinted with George Washington. A paper seal of the commonwealth of Massachusetts.
And perhaps most significantly, a silver plate with the names etched on it Paul Revere and Samuel Adams. They're the two men who put these relics together for the first time back in 1795. On the Fourth Day of July, they buried them under a cornerstone at the Massachusetts statehouse, and that's where they stayed.
It wasn't until 1855 that all of those things were found. They were removed, they were conserved again, this time put in a brass box that was made just for the occasion. Actually, when you look inside the box, can see the name of the maker etched inside. The items were then placed in that box, back in the cornerstone of the statehouse. And just last month, they were found again.
It took a conservator from the museum of fine arts seven hours to carefully dig that box out. You can actually see some of the white plaster marks still on the brass. It took about five hours to take off the eight screws that held it together for all of these years and it took another hour to unpack the contents. Those contents will soon go on display. They'll take certain steps to conserve them. But soon the world will be able to come here and see those contents, those relics that were left behind.
Eventually, the time capsule will be reconstructed and returned to the statehouse. But until then, people will have an opportunity to see part of the story in this nation's history in the way that a great patriot and Founding Father really wanted us to -- Christine, John.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BERMAN: I like seeing the relics in the cradle of civilization from Boston, Massachusetts, where our entire social structure was created so many years ago. ROMANS: I know. It's like what would we put in there today? You
couldn't put a paper? Would you put a newspaper? Would you put a coin? Would you put an iPad?
BERMAN: Bitcoins. Bitcoins and, you know --
ROMANS: A bail of crude oil, maybe, because it could be worth a lot in 200 years.
Falling oil and gas prices are good news for drivers, folks. Could it mean layoffs, though? I've got an early start on your money, the oil version, next.
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ROMANS: Let's get an early start on your money this morning.
Looks like investors are taking a break from the global sellout the fast few days. Asian and European stocks upright now. So, are U.S. futures.
Yesterday, the Dow set another 130 points. That's on top of big losses Monday. A tough start of the year. A tough, tough start.
What you're seeing there, 2 1/2 percent off the Dow in just three trading days. Now, a correction of 10 percent in stocks is long overdue. It's actually healthy for the market. There's not been a correction in the stock market since 2011. So, don't freak out, John Berman.
What is rattling the markets were oil. There's a big freak out there. Crude oil trading at $47 a barrel this morning, that cut in half since last summer.
Sinking prices great news for consumers, disastrous for energy producers. ExxonMobil's value of the company is dropped by more than $50 billion.
BERMAN: That's a little bit of money.
ROMANS: It's a little bit of money.
Other big players like Chevron and ConocoPhillips also have been hit hard. It's even worse for smaller energy companies.
Now, there's not much of a dent yet in production in the U.S., but you are seeing job cuts in the energy sector. The question is, how long can some of these small producers hold out at $47 oil before they, you know, have to close shop? That's maybe what the Saudis are hoping for. They're going to keep pumping oil until some of the small producers stop, and then that dent U.S. production.
BERMAN: And they want to wait it out, too.
ROMANS: Yes.
BERMAN: EARLY START continues right now.
