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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
Deal Reached on Greek Bailout; Iran Nuclear Deal on the Verge; Massive Manhunt Underway; Scott Walker to Enter GOP Race Today; Novak Djokovic Wins Wimbledon; Oil Prices Tumble As Iran Deal Nears. Aired 4:30-5a ET
Aired July 13, 2015 - 04:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[04:30:00] MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN ANCHOR: And happening now, Iran and six world powers on the verge of a breakthrough nuclear deal. A deal could be reached at any moment. We'll take you live to Vienna.
ALISON KOSIK, CNN ANCHOR: And a massive manhunt underway for Mexico's most wanted man. Inside El Chapo's daring escape, and why the U.S. is offering to help put him back behind bars.
MARQUEZ: Welcome back to EARLY START. I'm Miguel Marquez.
KOSIK: I'm Alison Kosik. It's about half past the hour. John and Christine have ghe morning off.
We have breaking news right now. Officials say a deal has been reached with Greece and European creditors for a massive bailout that will keep Greece in the Eurozone.
After an all-night marathon negotiating sessions, the president of the European Council announcing short a short time ago that negotiators reached agreement calling for serious reforms from Greece and financial support of Greece. And that financial support will have to be considerable. European officials estimate Greece will need as much as $96 billion over the next three years. For the latest on the last-minute deal, let's turn to Elinda Labropoulou in Athens -- Elinda.
ELINDA LABROPOULOU, JOURNALIST: Yes, it appears that a deal has finally been reached after many hours of talk, about 17 hours of talks in Brussels. This is a deal that includes more austerity for Greece. So, despite the efforts of the Greek prime minister and the Greek people to avoid getting into a new austerity cycle, it seems like this new package includes plenty of it.
So, effectively, what we have now is a deal to agree on a deal. In order for the talks to continue, the Greek parliament has to first ratify what has just been decided in Brussels. It has two days to do that. So, we expect that this deal will be taken to the Greek parliament. It has to be voted into law by Wednesday and then taken to another of other European parliaments that also have to ratify it.
Now, we expect this will be quite difficult, simply because the measures are harsh. A number of leaders oppose these measures. But they come at a time that Greece finds itself in a difficult situation. The banks have been closed for two weeks. And we know that the country is really running out of cash.
So, time really is of essence for the Greeks to go ahead with this. They are left with not very many choices. We expect in the two days ahead, we'll see a lot of political developments in the country as well before we have a next agreement from the Greek parliament that can lead to final agreement with creditors.
KOSIK: Elinda, we've heard that the banks would reopen today, that the Athens stock market would reopen. Is that, in fact, going to happen?
LABROPOULOU: Today? No. It is impossible for that to happen today. We are waiting to see if whether the European Central Bank will decide it has got the right signal following the talks between Greece and the creditors. And this deal now having been reached to decide to increase liquidity to provide that to the Greek banks and banking system. That is something that still remains to be seen.
What we do know is the euro group, the finance ministers will meet again later today to try and find a bridge agreement, a bridge financing agreement for Greece because the country also needs to meet a number of its payment requirements by the 20th. It needs to pay the ECB 3.5 billion euro.
KOSIK: All right. Elinda Labropoulou, thanks for that. We are watching stocks climb around the world, thanks to the last-minute deal for Greece.
European stocks are sharply higher right now, so are U.S. stock futures. The possibility of Greece tumbling into bankruptcy and out of the eurozone has been rattling markets for weeks. This morning, finally, some reassurance that won't happen. That's calming investors about the future of the Eurozone, one of our biggest trading partners.
Also up this morning, Asian shares. It's been a wild ride for China stocks, following more than 20 percent in the past few weeks and wiping out trillions of dollars. But stocks seem to be pulling back from the brink, thanks to massive government aid. The Shanghai Composite added 2.4 percent today and more than 350 companies resumed trading as well.
MARQUEZ: And all eyes on Vienna this morning, where a deadline looms for a nuclear agreement with Iran. Western diplomats say, quote, "they are nearly there on a deal to curb Iran's nuclear program", but they say a handful of significant issues still have to be worked out. One Iranian official tells CNN it's just a matter of political will.
For the latest, let's bring in senior international correspondent Nic Robertson in Vienna.
Nic, what are the tea leaves telling you this morning?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, yesterday morning, Secretary Kerry said that we are getting to some real decisions. He was sounding quite positive. He said there are still a couple of issues to tackle.
[04:35:00] And that's what we are hearing from other diplomats. Iranian diplomats were saying the same as well. There are just a couple of outstanding issues.
The sort of mood that surrounds the statements has been much, if you will, of a moderate language than earlier in the week when both sides have been saying, there are tough issues and the other side has got to face them. The language yesterday was sounding more moderate and the impression is being created is that the deadline set for today, the fourth deadline in the talks in the past few weeks is a real deadline and something will have to be agreed by then. Remember, just a few days ago, Secretary Kerry was saying he would not wait forever for the Iranians to make their decisions, and that he was prepared to walk away.
But the atmosphere is something could be done here and there could be a deal. Last night, the Iranians were saying they were going through 100 pages of documents, 20 pages of agreement, 80 pages of annex, some parts in parenthesis. They said items still be agreed.
We just saw the Chinese foreign minister, Wang Yi, arrive here a few minutes ago, and he was asked, when is this going to happen, and he said could happen anytime. There is air of expectation, but as we have seen, Miguel, these deadlines have come and gone. They're just over the few days even -- Miguel.
MARQUEZ: So much riding on what they agree to there. It still has to be approved by the U.S. Congress.
Nic, thank you very much.
KOSIK: A huge manhunt underway this morning to find Mexico's most wanted man, notorious drug lord Joaquin Guzman known as El Chapo, broke out of the maximum security Altiplano prison Saturday night. Mexico's president calling the escape an affront to the nation, bowing to recapture El Chapo. The U.S. attorney general offering America's help and as we learn new details about how El Chapo pulled it off, slipping through a hole in his shower and into an escape tunnel almost a mile long.
CNN en Espanol anchor Juan Carlos Lopez picks up the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JUAN CARLOS LOPEZ, CNN EN ESPANOL WASHINGTON BUREAU CHIEF: Alison and Miguel, it's an impressive feat of engineering. A lighted, ventilated tunnel running for almost a mile from a construction site in a sparsely populated area, then under a maximum security prison into a very specific point -- the shower in Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman's cell.
But it was even more sophisticated. The hole in the shower led to a set of stairs used by the drug lord to escape, once again under the watch of Mexican authorities who kept him under constant video surveillance in what was until this weekend Mexico's most secure prison.
In 2001, Guzman escaped from another maximum security prison, hidden in a laundry cart and remained on the run for 13 years until he was arrested in a sea resort of Mazatlan in a modest apartment after a raid by Mexican forces, with assistance from U.S. law enforcement agencies, such as the DEA and the U.S. Marshal Service.
This time around, the U.S. government is offering help. Through a statement, Attorney General Loretta Lynch expressed her concerns over the escape and added, quote, "The U.S. government stands ready to work with our Mexican partners to provide any assistance to help support his swift recapture.
Mexican president Enrique Pena Nieto is calling for an investigation to see if any public officials may have been part of El Chapo's escape plan -- Alison, Miguel.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MARQUEZ: And happening now, delays at London's Heathrow Airport caused by climate change protesters. An airport spokeswoman says the demonstrators have breached Heathrow's perimeter fence and chained themselves to gates.
Members of this group called Plain Stupid oppose new runways at the airport and pictures from the group's Twitter feed show police apparently using bolt cutters to remove protesters. Heathrow says it expects residual delays throughout the day.
KOSIK: Have you got a Republican presidential scorecard? Well, this guy is number 15. Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker set to announce his candidacy in an event later today in suburban Milwaukee.
CNN's Dana Bash spoke exclusively with his two sons, Matt and Alex, and she asked them about disagreeing with their father's position against the Supreme Court's decision legalizing same-sex marriage and complaining to their mother about it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: She said to you all, when you complained, "Go talk to your father about it". Did you?
MATT WALKER, GOV. WALKER'S SON: Yes, we talked to him. Like any family, we had disagreements. He just explained his position and that was it.
ALEX WALKER, GOV. WALKER'S SON: Matt and I aren't changing his stance on any issues.
BASH: Do you try?
ALEX WALKER: No, we respect -- we respect his opinion on things.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOSIK: Meantime, other candidates are focused on Israel today. Among those taking part in the Christians United for Israel Summit -- Jeb Bush, Ted Cruz, Mike Huckabee, George Pataki, Rick Santorum, and Lindsey Graham.
MARQUEZ: And developing situation this morning in Washington state. Fire officials working on the ground and in the air to contain several wildfires that continue to rage in the rural central part of the state. Mandatory evacuation orders in effect for about 100 residents.
[04:40:00] So far, more than 20,000 acres have been charred across two counties. Officials say they are having a tough time containing these fires, working against dry conditions, strong winds and spotty cell phone and radio service.
KOSIK: And a new Miss USA has been crowned after weeks of controversy. We've got all of the details coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MARQUEZ: After weeks of controversy, a new Miss USA has been crowned. During the interview portion, the big winner identifying race relations as the next big issue in the U.S. needs to tackle. This in the wake of pageant co-owner Donald Trump controversial comments calling Mexican's rapists and criminals.
Trump was a no show at the pageant. But our Athena Jones was there.
Athena, who won the sash?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ATHENA JONES, CNN REPORTER: Good morning, Miguel and Alison.
Miss Oklahoma, 26-year-old Olivia Jordan, was crowned Miss USA here in Baton Rouge. Jordan put herself at the front of the pack with a strong performance in the interview portion of the competition. She said race relations are the next big issue America has to address.
I asked her if the controversy over Donald Trump's racially charged remarks overshadowed the event. Take a listen to what she had to say.
OLIVIA JORDAN, MISS USA: I think this was an incredible year and that we were able to come together. It was probably difficult -- more difficult circumstances than we've had in the past. But the Miss Universe Organization came together and they put on an amazing show.
[04:45:00] Reelz Channel really swept in and saved the sash, as they were saying.
And I'm very grateful for all of the women that came together. And we stood strong and we all made sure to share our beliefs and be strong on what we believe and be ourselves on stage.
JONES: Now, Trump who partly owns the pageant was a no show at the event. He had said on the campaign trail on recent weeks that he planned to come to the pageant, but the he bowed out, saying on Twitter a day before the event that he was missing it because he was campaigning in Phoenix.
But Trump's campaign told us he had no official events on Sunday.
Now, the pageant aired on the cable channel Reelz after Univision and NBC canceled their plans to broadcast it in response to Trump's inflammatory remarks about Mexican immigrant.
I should mention that Miss Texas, 23-year-old Ylianna Guerra, a Mexican-American who grew up on the Texas and Mexico border came in second place.
Back to you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KOSIK: This morning, Massachusetts state police say they are not ruling out the possibility that a girl found dead on the beach was killed by a family member. However, the 4-year-old known only as Baby Doe remains unidentified. Her body found stuffed in a trash bag on an island near Boston last month. Officials also trying to figure out how she died saying there were no clear signs of trauma on her body.
MARQUEZ: Now imagine seeing this during your morning commute. This daredevil driver or just plain crazy caught on camera in Los Angeles driving in reverse on a winding road. He did it for two miles, even maneuvering past Hollywood Boulevard at one point. It may be cool to watch, but terrifying for drivers who witnessed it first hand.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I just think that this individual had an argument or a fight or something or possibly just want to be a cool guy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARQUEZ: Now, LAPD now investigating and searching for the driver. Investigators call it some of the most reckless driving they ever have seen, and that's saying something in Los Angeles.
KOSIK: Oh, yes, it is.
Pluto ready for its close up. The NASA's spacecraft New Horizon set to become the first probe to do a fly-by around Pluto. Officials say it will get closest to the icy planet on Tuesday. They expect to release the best pictures Wednesday. The New Horizon's probe has traveled 3 billion miles over 9 1/2 years to get to this historic point.
MARQUEZ: Finally, Pluto getting respect.
Fifty-five years after "To Kill a Mockingbird", there is controversy surrounding Harper Lee's next book "Go Set a Watchman." It involves a depiction of Atticus Finch, the heroic figure who stands up for the black man wrongly accused of rape as an aging racist himself.
The new book picks up the story of Scout, the young girl who narrates here adventures in a small Alabama town in "Mockingbird". Lee wrote the follow-up in the 1950s. The manuscript was rediscovered last year. "Go Set a Watchman" is in stores on Tuesday.
KOSIK: Up next, Novak rules and Serena slams -- Wimbledon bringing out the best in the best. Live to London after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[04:51:47] KOSIK: Another fortnight, that's two weeks, has come and gone and the two best players are once again on top of the tennis world. Novak Djokovic beat Roger Federer to win his Wimbledon title, the day after Serena Williams completed her Serena slam. She's now won four straight major tournaments.
CNN's Christina Macfarlane is live in London.
It's crazy there, right?
CHRISTINA MACFARLANE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, absolutely crazy, Alisyn. It's very wet day here in Wimbledon. But we are the morning after Novak Djokovic proved once again he is the man of steel of tennis defeating Roger Federer for the second year running, denying him that 18th grand slam title to take his third Wimbledon title. We know that last night, Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams were dancing the night away at the Wimbledon ball, apparently rocking out to the Bee Gees.
Novak Djokovic said here yesterday that he so wanted to dance with Serena Williams this weekend because a player of her caliber doesn't come along often.
And you know what? He's right. She took her 21st grand slam on Saturday. She lost only four times in a grand slam final. She has more majors than all of the women combined on the tennis circuit.
And when she won here on Saturday, her overwhelming feeling was one of relief, not joy. And that's because she's under so much pressure this year. She did for the second time in her career win the Serena slam, as you mentioned. That's four consecutive grand slam titles.
But now, all eyes to the U.S. Open next month and whether or not she can complete the calendar grand slam. That's four grand slams in one calendar year. It's a feat that hasn't been achieved by male or female player since 1988 in Steffi Graf. And you know what? For a player who is now the oldest grand slam champion on the talk, she said no better time in her career to do this. She's at the peak of her powers right now. So, a fantastic weekend for both champions at Wimbledon.
KOSIK: Amazing stuff. Christine Macfarlane from London -- thanks.
MARQUEZ: The youngest winner of the Nobel Peace Prize is celebrating her 18th birthday by asking the world to help the people who fled the war in Syria. Malala Yousufzai helped open a school for refugee girl Sunday in Lebanon and will visit another camp today. She asked world leaders to invest in books, not bullets.
Malala made headlines three years ago when Taliban gunmen in Pakistan shot her for supporting girls' education rights. Such guts.
KOSIK: Pope Francis returning home after the historic week long, three nation trip to South America. The last stop for Francis was the flood-prone slum in Paraguay, where some 15,000 people gathered.
During his visit to Ecuador, Bolivia, and Paraguay, the pontiff continued to call for environmental reforms in the new economic model where rich and poor share equally in the earth's resources.
World leaders closing in on an Iran deal. What that means for your gas prices. That's coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[04:58:18] KOSIK: I'm Alison Kosik. Let's get an early start on your money.
Stocks around the world cheering a last minute deal for Greece, European stocks are sharply higher. So are U.S. stock futures. News of an agreement means Greece will stay out the bankruptcy and in the Eurozone. That is easing fears that have been rattling markets for weeks.
Stocks also higher in Asia. China stocks seem to be pulling back from the brink, thanks to massive government help. The Shanghai Composite up 2.4 percent today.
Oil prices diving this morning. Crude oil is down 2 percent as Iran and global powers get close to a nuclear deal that would loosen sanctions.
Iran has the fourth largest oil reserve in the world. If a deal is reached, it could add 1 million barrels per day to global markets. There's already huge supply glut, and more exports could send prices much lower. Bad news for oil companies, great news if you are driving in your car. The national average today is $2.77 a gallon. And experts say that could fall to $2 a gallon later this year.
MARQUEZ: Wow.
KOSIK: Starbucks making a push to hire young minority workers. The initiative spearheaded by Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz includes companies like CVS, Microsoft, Walmart and Alaska Air. They pledged to hire 1,000 mostly low income 16- to 24-year-olds as full and part- time employees, or interns.
It's part of an effort to fight youth unemployment problem. An estimated 5.6 million young people are not going to school and they're not working at the moment. That's really disturbing. >
MARQUEZ: That's amazing, amazing effort on their part.
Now, EARLY START continues right now.
(MUSIC)
MARQUEZ: Breaking news this morning. Leaders indicate there has been a deal reached in the Greek debt negotiations. The latest on the massive bailout, we are live in Athens with the very latest.