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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

Iran Nuclear Negotiations: Agreement Reached; University Massacre: Kenya In Morning; Indiana Lawmakers Fix Religious Freedom Law; Germanwings Co-Pilot's Final Days. Aired 4-4:30a ET

Aired April 03, 2015 - 04:00   ET

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

[04:00:15] SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: Nuclear breakthrough. Iran and world leaders reaching a detailed nuclear outline after months of tense negotiations. But not everyone is celebrating the progress. Live coverage breaking down the deal and reaction this morning.

And university massacre. Dozens murdered by terrorists. Kenya now in mourning. Its leaders figuring out what comes next. We are live with the latest.

Breaking overnight: stranded at sea for more than 66 days and now, reunited with his family. How the sailor managed to stay alive ahead.

Good morning and welcome to EARLY START. I'm Suzanne Malveaux. It's Friday, April 3rd. And it is 4:00 a.m. in the East.

I want to welcome our viewers here in the United States, as well as around the world.

This morning, negotiators who just completed a deal to curb Iran's nuclear program, well, they're taking a well-deceived rest before diving back in to work. That is because the landmark agreement reached Thursday at the end of marathon talks in Switzerland is the framework for a final agreement. But even this outline, more details than expected, marks a significant step toward a goal of blocking Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

Secretary of State John Kerry telling CNN the negotiations with Iran were, quote, "tough, very intense at times, sometimes emotional and confrontational, but with a seriousness of purpose."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN KERRY, SECRETARY OF STATE: We are not basing this on a naivete or trust or some element of good faith. This is based on real steps, real accountability, real measures that that have to be implemented and on accountability if they're not.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: For more on the deal, I want to bring in our CNN's Phil Black live from London.

So, good morning, Phil. What's the latest?

PHIL BLACK, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Suzanne, as you say, framework only, but one that did exceed expectation. The detail -- well, Iran still gets to enrich uranium, but in a much more restricted way. Crucially, its number of operational centrifuges which do the enriching, that's going to be slashed back pretty dramatically from 19,000 to just 5,000. Its stockpile of previously enriched uranium, that's going to be dramatically cut, too, by 98 percent.

And Iran has agreed to a pretty strict inspection system. In the words of President Obama, if Iran cheats, the world will know.

Now, Iran gets is it gets to maintain some form of enrichment program, which it has always insisted it has the right to do for civilian purposes. It's always denied any military ambition attached to that. It's not closing any of its facilities. It insisted it wouldn't do so. That was a bit of a sticking point during the negotiations, including, for example, what was once a secret underground facility of Fordow. That will be repurposed, instead for scientific purposes there.

And, of course, sanctions were lifted, that's what Iran wants, because that has the ability to potentially have a transformative effect on the long suffering Iranian economy. It could really change the quality of life for its people. But that's going to be a big, difficult issue going forward into the next stage of the negotiations, because Iran wants sanctions to be lifted immediately, in the event that a final agreement is reached. The rest of the world is pushing for something more staged, more gradual, whereby sanctions are lifted step by step as Iran's adherence to the deal is verified.

And, of course, once that next deal is reached, there is going to have to be a huge sales effort to bring everybody on board. Hostile political factions in the United States and in Iran -- Israel doesn't want this to happen.

MALVEAUX: Right.

BLACK: There's a lot of concern among the Iranian Gulf states as well.

So, a lot of effort to still to go really, but the optimistic hope is that although Iran's behavior is concerning in a whole bunch of other ways to the world, other than its nuclear program, that if progress is made here, then perhaps doors will open, relationships will change, and other issues can be addressed -- Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: All right. Phil, thank you so much.

And, of course, Iranians celebrating the possibility of a deal already leading to the end of sanctions in the streets and with selfies of themselves in front of President Obama's speech broadcast for the first time live on Iranian state TV.

President Obama celebrating as well. In his remarks, he called the negotiated agreement our best option by far. But White House officials also are mindful that the hard work of negotiating the final agreement and selling it to Congress and the public is still ahead.

Our senior White House correspondent Jim Acosta has more on that side.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JIM ACOSTA, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Suzanne, President Obama is describing this as historic deal, but now, he has to sell it, and he's already starting to cause skeptical Republicans and even some nervous Democrats to buy into this agreement.

In the Rose Garden, at the White House, the president insisted the Iranians will have no choice but to comply with this deal, saying if Iran cheats, the world will know it.

[04:05:03] He went on to argue that the agreement now in place is the only practical way to block Iran from nuclear weapons. Here's what he had to say.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Iran is not going to simply dismantle its program because we demand it to do so. That's not how the world works. That's not what history shows us.

ACOSTA: This is only the framework agreement that was due March 31st. The technical details of the deal still have to be worked out by June 30th. If Iran starts playing games, the White House says Tehran could face more sanctions with military options also on the table. The president and top White House officials will now start working the phones over the next several days. He's already spoken with Saudi Arabia's king and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in his phone call with the president that this deal will threaten his country's survival -- Suzanne.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX: Thanks, Jim.

The White House wasting no time working the phones, selling the deal partly because of this looming fight with Congress. Republican lawmakers undaunted in their plans to introduce legislation giving Congress a vote on any final agreement.

House Speaker Boehner reiterating his concern that Tehran's nuclear program poses a threat to Israel which he visited earlier this week.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu standing firm against the deal, saying that would not block Iran's path to the bomb, it would pave it. An emergency meeting of Netanyahu's cabinet is set for 5:00 a.m.

I want to bring in our CNN's Oren Liebermann live in Jerusalem for the very latest.

And, Oren, what is the next step when it comes to Israel. OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN REPORTER: Well, Netanyahu has been for days,

weeks and months the strongest critic internationally of this deal. And that's certainly not going to change. Obama and Netanyahu spoke on the phone, but that doesn't at all mean they're on the same page. Quite contrary, Netanyahu has perhaps used his strongest language yet to speak against this deal. He said it, quote, increases the risk -- rather, increases the risk for a, quote, "horrific war".

Netanyahu has criticized both what's in the deal and what's not in the deal. He said it does not dismantle Iran's nuclear infrastructure, which is what Netanyahu wanted to see. They get to keep their research. They get to keep their centrifuges. More importantly, at least to Netanyahu, he says, the lifting of sanctions should have been linked to Iran's aggression in the region, the pullback of that aggression, and that wasn't in this deal. That's what Netanyahu criticized.

Now, at this point, it's clear to everybody, including Netanyahu, that he won't be able to work with Obama to change this. So, Netanyahu has sided with congressional Republicans. It was House Speaker John Boehner here, with Senator Mitch McConnell here this week. That's who Netanyahu will work with moving forward. Boehner came out and spoke out against the deal, much like Netanyahu, although certainly Netanyahu using far stronger words.

So, as congressional Republicans push for required congressional approval of this deal, we expect to see Netanyahu working with them. He already made that speech before Congress and he'll keep working with them to push against this deal.

Also morning to note, Suzanne, that Netanyahu's intelligence minister said military option not yet off the table here.

MALVEAUX: All right. Oren, thank you so much. We appreciate it. We'll see how it goes.

Kenya reeling this morning from its worst terror attack in nearly two decades. Masked gunmen from Islamic militant group al Shabaab storming a university in the early morning hours, killing at least 147 people in a 15-hour siege.

Just listen to one student describe how fellow students unknowingly ran toward the slaughter.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We heard gunshots and we were sleeping. Guys started jumping up and down running for their lives. But, it's unfortunate that where they were going to is where the gunshots were coming from.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Kenya's president ordering 10,000 police recruits to report for emergency training immediately, and he's urging everyone in Kenya to keep calm. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UHURU KENYATTA, PRESIDENT OF KENYA: This is a moment for everyone throughout the country to be vigilant as we confront and defeat our enemies.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: The U.S. says it is offering Kenya assistance fighting al Shabaab.

The situation in Yemen is dire, not getting any better anytime soon. That grim warning, this is coming from a U.S. counterterrorism official, after al Qaeda fighters staged a jail break, freeing 270 inmates from a Yemeni prison. About a third of those prisoners have direct links to al Qaeda. And one of the escapees is a top operative. Counterterrorism officials are increasingly concerned about the growing instability in Yemen now that all U.S. Special Forces have been evacuated from that country.

And meanwhile, nine nights of Saudi Arabia-led air strikes not enough to stop Houthis rebels backed by Iran from taking control of the presidential palace in the southern Yemeni city of Aden. Officials in Saudi Arabia are not ruling out a ground offensive to root out those rebels. Egypt, Pakistan and most of the Arab gulf nations have pledged to back the Saudis.

[04:10:03] And this, a great story. Remarkable survival story. A missing sailor, 37-year-old Louis Jordan rescued after 66 days stranded at sea in a disabled boat. He was spotted by a passing cargo ship Thursday, some 200 miles off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. Jordan was hoisted from the ship by the Coast Guard and medevaced to a hospital. Following his release, Jordan talked about the moment he first saw his rescuers.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LOUIS JORDAN, STRANDED AT SEA FOR 66 DAYS: I waved my hands real slowly. And that's the signal. I'm in distress. Help me.

And I blew my whistles. I had three whistles. They never heard them. I took my smoke signal and put out some orange smoke. They never saw it.

I put out my flag that symbols on it saying rescue me. I turn my American flag upside down and put that up that says "rescue me".

All they saw was this. So, I -- the whole time I was out there waving my arms, and they eventually saw it. They saw me on the front of the boat waving my arms.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Wow. Jordan says he survived eating raw fish and drinking rain water. So-called religious freedom laws passing in Indiana and Arkansas where

governors fixing legislation that critics would have legalized discrimination. But are these fixes enough? That next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: This morning, gay rights supporters in Indiana are calling a fix to the state's new religious freedom law a step in the right direction. The original law drew fire from across the country for what critics called legalized discrimination against gays and lesbians. After furious backlash from celebrities, major corporations, even the NCAA, lawmakers hurriedly passed the new law.

Governor Mike Pence who spent days defending the original law immediately signed the new bill.

[04:15:03] CNN's Miguel Marquez is in Indianapolis with the very latest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Suzanne, what an incredible week of reversal here in Indiana, from the governor who was defiant, saying he wouldn't change a word of the law that many opponents say invited discrimination against gays, lesbians and the transgender, to a governor who asked his own Republican legislature to fix or clarify that law to a Republican legislature and governor that completely flipped 180 degrees difference with this little amendment that identifies both sexual orientation and gender identity in the bill.

This is the first time in Indiana history that those words have been used in a statewide piece of legislation of any sort.

PROTESTERS: No hate in our state!

MARQUEZ: Those who oppose the bill see it as a half step forward for them. They would like to have the Religious Freedom Restoration Act completely repealed and clause in the civil rights charter of the state protecting gays and lesbians. Conservatives feel completely sold out by the governor here by this little piece of paper, saying this has gone too far and it's not protecting their rights enough -- Suzanne.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX: Thank you.

There will be no indiscrimination under the new Arkansas religious freedom bill. That is what the state's governor said as he signed legislation into the law.

Earlier in a week, Asa Hutchinson ordered changes to more closely mirror the federal law.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) GOV. ASA HUTCHINSON (R), ARKANSAS: It protects religious freedom. It establishes a framework for the balancing act that the courts must determine this type of cases. And thirdly, I think it does recognize the diversity of our culture and our work force.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Critics said the earlier bill opened the door to businesses refusing to serve gay and lesbian customers. Walmart and Hutchinson's son were among those opposed to the bill.

An ISIS-inspired terror plot uncovered in New York City. Two women, both U.S. citizens and roommates, are under arrest for allegedly planning to build a bomb for a marathon -- Boston marathon-style terrorist attack. Authorities say the women Noelle Velentzas, Asia Siddiqui, were inspired by ISIS. According to one, wanted to make history at home. They are both being held without bail.

An American man with alleged ties to al Qaeda is charged in connection with a plot to kill U.S. citizens overseas. Muhannad Mahmoud al- Farekh was deported from Pakistan to the U.S. and is charged with providing material support to terrorists. He appeared in federal court in New York on Thursday, but did not enter a plea. The judge ordered him held without bail until a hearing in May.

And closing arguments are set for Monday in the trial of accused Boston marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. Before that, federal prosecutors are asking the judge to clarify for jurors that Tsarnaev did not have to know every detail of the plot to be guilty of conspiracy. Defense lawyers opened the trial last month by admitting Tsarnaev's role, but saying he was controlled by his older brother Tamerlan. Well, that argument could persuade the jury to sentence Tsarnaev to life rather than the death penalty.

When the Aaron Hernandez trial resumes on Monday, the defense is expected to begin and end its case. Hernandez's lawyers plan to call just one witness. The prosecution called more than 130 before resting its case on Thursday. The Hernandez jury will likely begin deliberations mid-week. The former NFL star is accused of killing his friend Odin Lloyd in June of 2013.

New Jersey Senator Robert Menendez pleading not guilty to 14 federal charges that include corruption, influence peddling and bribery. Menendez making his initial court appearance on Thursday and he is accused of taking nearly $1 million of gifts and campaign contribution from a close friend, in exchange for political favors. The friend, wealthy Florida eye doctor Salomon Melgen, also entered a not guilty plea. While Menendez says he'll fight the charges, he's temporarily stepping down as ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

And disturbing new information on Germanwings pilot who deliberately flew himself and 149 others into a mountain. What his Internet searches in the days leading up to the crash are now revealing. We are live with new information on the investigation, up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:23:11] MALVEAUX: New details in the Germanwings crash investigation. Sources telling CNN it's becoming clear to investigators that copilot Andreas Lubitz was afraid of losing his pilot's license because of his health issues, in the days before he deliberately crashed Flight 9525 into the French Alps.

Well, new evidence also revealing that he searched the Internet in his final days for cockpit door security and suicide.

I want to get the very latest from CNN's Will Ripley live in Dusseldorf, Germany.

What do we know about these internet searches and what he was looking for?

WILL RIPLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Suzanne, this really is a crucial piece of evidence, this tablet that was discovered, because it shows that Andreas Lubitz in the week leading up to the crash and even the day before was thinking about things like how to commit suicide and also thinking about how to secure a cockpit door.

Now, this all is why government officials close to this investigation are telling us it amounts to essentially premeditated murder, because it shows Lubitz was thinking and planning ahead of what he was going to do.

However, what they don't have is a clear motive. Was it his rapidly deteriorating psychological health? Was it his problems with his girlfriend, his fear of losing his pilot's license because they didn't find a suicide note, they really don't have that smoking gun yet to know exactly why he did this, Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: And, Will, there is also word now, we understand that the plane's flight data recorder is possibly found?

RIPLEY: Yes. And they are the new pictures that are out. You can just see by looking at the charred device that was buried about eight inches into the surface in the French Alps because of the force of the impact. It was very seriously damaged.

However, they're hoping that they can extract information to answer a lot of key technical questions about this, about this crash -- including probably the number one question, was Andreas Lubitz manually flying the aircraft, guiding it towards the French Alps during that terrifying eight-minute descent, where there were 149 people in the helpless in back?

[04:25:09] So, this will help them corroborate what they suspect happen when they listen to the cockpit voice recording. That information is expected to be released in the coming days, Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: Still, so many unanswered questions. Will, thank you. Appreciate it.

And this, a nuclear breakthrough: Iran and world leaders reaching a framework agreement for a nuclear deal. The concessions each side made and why not everyone is celebrating. That up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: Nuclear breakthrough: Iran and world leaders agreeing to the framework of what could turn into an historic deal. This morning, the White House is optimistic, celebrations in the streets of Iran. But not everyone is happy about the deal. Team coverage breaking down all the angles of our big story this morning.

And university massacre. Terrorists murdering dozens of students in Kenya, targeting Christians. We are live with what comes next.

And breaking overnight: a sailor reunited with his family after being stranded 66 days at sea. How he survived and what he is saying to CNN this morning, up ahead.

Welcome back to EARLY START. I'm Suzanne Malveaux. It is 29 minutes past the hour. We welcome our viewers here in the United States, as well as around the world.

Well, this morning, negotiators who just completed a deal to curb Iran's nuclear program, they are taking a well-deserved rest, as you can imagine, before diving back into work. That is because the landmark agreement reached Thursday at the end of marathon talks in Switzerland is only the framework for a final agreement.

[04:30:07] But even this outline, more detailed than expected, marks a significant step toward the goal of blocking Iran from developing nuclear weapons.