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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
American Businessman Arrested In Iran; Plane Catches Fire on the Runway, Passengers Injured; Debate Shakes Up Race for President. Aired 4-4:30a ET
Aired October 30, 2015 - 04:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[04:00:29] ALISON KOSIK, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking overnight: An American businessman arrested in Iran. Tensions rising as the country meets with U.S. officials in Vienna. This morning, the war on ISIS and the crisis in Syria hanging in the balance. We are live.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: New information on the passenger plane that burst into flames on the runway.
KOSIK: The race for president shaking up. Donald Trump sinking. Marco Rubio shining. And Jeb Bush trying to convince donors he's not free falling.
Good morning and welcome to EARLY START. I'm Alison Kosik.
ROMANS: So nice to see you all this morning.
Good morning. I'm Christine Romans. It is Friday, October 30th, 4:00 a.m. in the East.
Breaking overnight: An Iranian-American businessman arrested overnight. He's been identified as Siamak Namazi. Namazi is the head of strategic planning for Crescent Petroleum. He was visiting family in Tehran two weeks ago when he was arrested by Iranian security forces.
The announcement of Namazi's arrest complicating the Syrian peace talks getting underway at Austria. The Iranians have been invited to the table for the very first time.
I want to go live to Vienna and bring in CNN senior international correspondent Frederik Pleitgen -- Fred.
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Good morning, Christine. And it certainly is a troubling development that American, Mr. Namazi, who apparently was taken as you said by security forces that are very close to Iran's supreme leader. They are brought to the prison which is exactly the same place where Jason Rezaian, is as well, "The Washington Post" reporter, who has now been in detention in Iran for more than 450 days.
And the big question right now, is if this is something that comes from Iran's supreme leader, it's something that the Iranian government is not necessarily in accordance with, we do ask the question, how much influence does the Iranian government actually have as far as being able to get this American released from detention, but also how much sway do they have, for instance here, at these negotiations around the Syria crisis.
There has been a flurry of diplomatic activity that went on on Thursday. Secretary of State Kerry meeting with the Iran's foreign minister, meeting with the former ministers of Russia, of Turkey, and of Saudi Arabia, trying to get all these sides together. We'll wait and see how much progress there is. The meetings are about to start in about 20 minutes time.
And, of course, the big issue at hand and dividing all of these countries, the U.S. and its allies on the one hand, the Russians and Iranians on the other hand, is the fate of Bashar al Assad. Will he go -- will there be some sort of transition period? What is going to happen with them next? Those are the major issues here in Vienna.
ROMANS: All right. Frederik Pleitgen, we know you've been following all of that for us this morning. Thanks, Fred.
KOSIK: Breaking news: a six-day manhunt for a Kentucky fugitive is over. Sixty-two-year-old Floyd Ray Cook, a convicted robber and rapist, wanted for shooting a police officer in Tennessee was killed in a shootout with officers this morning in Brooksville, Kentucky. Police closed in on Cook after he stopped at a home and asked a couple for a ride. They recognized him refused his request and called police. About 50 officers with police dogs and surveillance planes tracked him into a wooded area and fatally wounded him.
ROMANS: Federal investigators heading to Ft. Lauderdale this morning. They're trying to determine exactly what cause a Dynamic Airways passenger jet bound for Venezuela to erupt in flames, 15 people injured. One seriously, we're told. The Boeing 767 was taxiing for takeoff yesterday afternoon when a pilot in a plane behind that jetliner noticed something was wrong.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, Dynamic, out of the left engine, looks like it's leaking a lot of -- I don't know if it's fuel. Yes, it's fluid leaking out of the left engine.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Engine on fire! Engine on fire!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: More than 100 people forced to evacuate the plane on emergency slides. Smoke starting filling the cabin.
We get more this morning from CNN's Alina Machado.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALINA MACHADO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Alison and Christine, hours after the plane caught on fire here at the Ft. Lauderdale International Airport, it was still sitting in the same spot where everything unfolded behind me. Now, the 101 people on that Boeing 767 lived through terrifying moments. The plane was supposed to do to Caracas, Venezuela, at 12:30 Thursday afternoon. Fifteen people were taken to the hospital.
Here's what doctored who treated the injured had to say.
IAN RUSIPOFF, EMERGENCY DOCTOR: Most of them are muscular, skeletal, ankles, knees, elbows.
[04:05:00] Now, we're starting to see some chest pains and anxiety issues related to the actual accident itself. The injuries seem to be minor. Most of our patients are walking wounded.
ANDRES GALIEGOS, PASSENGER ON AIRPLANE: Stewardess calmly, very calmly opened -- started the procedure, opening the door. The plane was still moving when this was going on. He calmly, as soon as the plane stopped, he opened the door, let the chute out. The chute opened to the side of the plane. I was the second passenger leaving the aircraft. Went down the chute and turned around and saw the rest of the people.
MACHADO: The cause of the fires is still unknown. But we know that there was a report that fuel was leaking from the plane moments before the flames started.
The NTSB will be looking into what went wrong with this plane -- Alison and Christine.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KOSIK: Breaking news: U.S. Senate up all night passing a two- year budget bill. They convened at midnight with a first order of business breaking a filibuster led by Senator Rand Paul. The measure raises the debt limit and increases defense spending ensuring there will be not government default, at least not this time. The bill goes to President Obama next. He is expected to sign it.
ROMANS: All right. Debate number three is in the books, but now the race for the Republican nomination entering a new and unpredictable phase.
It's no longer about stopping Donald Trump. With Ben Carson catching and surpassing him in the latest national polls with his performance in the Wednesday night's debate. Marco Rubio may be emerging as a frontrunner of the mainstream candidates.
As for Jeb Bush, he's in trouble. His performance Wednesday uneven at best. The Florida governor trying to reassure donors his campaign is not in a free-fall.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REPORTER: You told donors today that you will get better at this. What will you do to get better at this?
JEB BUSH (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Look, we've got eight more debates. I will have to do what candidates do, which is rudely interrupt, not answer the questions that are asked. And hopefully the debate moderator will ask more substantive questions. It's going fine.
REPORTER: Are you having fun?
BUSH: Oh, yes, you saw it. Having lots of fun.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: His campaign pointing out they have a strong ground game, a lot of money in the bank.
Marco Rubio, you're seeing him there. He was criticized by Bush for missing Senate votes. He hits the campaign trail in Iowa. But he's not leaving Washington until after he votes on a new budget plan this morning forcing him to miss a scheduled appearance in Iowa and cancel.
KOSIK: Meantime, Republican frontrunners Ben Carson and Donald Trump have been lighting up CNBC, and the debate format itself. Trump at the campaign stop at Reno, Nevada, on Thursday. He took another shot at moderators.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Maybe every moderator should show that they vote Republican, because why should we have -- why should we have these people that hate everything we stand for. And there -- I mean, I won't mention his name. But the questions were so nasty.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOSIK: Ben Carson also chiming in on this. His campaign seizing the opportunity to score some political points.
We get more now from CNN's Sunlen Serfaty.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUNLEN SERFATY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Alison and Christine.
Well, Ben Carson is really trying to capitalize on this moment, so much unhappiness of the format of the CNBC debate, trying to show leadership at the same time.
Here is how he blasted the debate format in Colorado.
DR. BEN CARSON (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Debates are supposed to be established to help the people get to know the candidates and get to know what's behind them and what they're thinking process is and philosophy is. And what's has turned into is a gotcha. That's silly. That's not really helpful for anybody.
SERFATY: And Carson added that he is reaching out to all the other candidates and their campaigns, trying to really organize them to all push for to make changes to the next and upcoming debate. But he would not answer whether he would boycott that debate if those changes aren't made -- Alison and Christine.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROMANS: All right. Thanks for that, Sunlen.
As for the Democrats, Bernie Sanders could be hitting a critical stretch in the coming months, as he tries to topple the party's frontrunner Hillary Clinton. His campaign has been more aggressive in criticizing Clinton, more aggressive than that first debate. Sanders met Thursday with Vice President Joe Biden. He begins a two-day swing across New Hampshire today.
Hillary Clinton meantime is working her southern strategy, speaking at an African-American for Hillary rally in Atlanta today, later at the NAACP Freedom Forum Event in Charleston, South Carolina.
KOSIK: Day two of the Paul Ryan era in the House of Representatives. The Wisconsin congressman sworn in on Thursday, replacing John Boehner, to become the 54th speaker of the House. Ryan has his work cut out for him, though. He is charged with fixing a fractured Republican Party.
CNN's Manu Raju has more on the day of high political theater as Ryan took the gavel.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
[04:10:02] MANU RAJU, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Christine and Alison.
Thursday was a day of pomp and circumstance, really a celebration of John Boehner and his five years running the House, a very tumultuous period. In addition to his quarter century as a house member and coronation for Paul Ryan as he comes in and takes this very difficult job running this divided institution.
You know, on Thursday, his family was here. He dined with them. Members came and they took pictures with Mr. Ryan. They had a big party at the Library of Congress welcoming to the new position.
But the real hard part of legislating begins now. He's going to have to make some big decisions with Senate Republicans and the White House over how to fund the government come December 11th. In addition to that, dealing with replenishing the depleted highway trust fund. That law is going to expire in November 20th. So, there is not much time for him to deal with that.
In addition, he has to manage the expectations of the Republican conference that wants to do a lot. They want to get a ton done. Ryan raised expectations. He wants to reform the tax code and stuff like welfare reform, things that require a lot of work and consensus. The question is exactly, how can he do that? Given the realities of the divided Congress.
So, the questions for Paul Ryan will begin as soon as he takes his -- as soon as he moves into his office in just the coming days -- Christine and Alison.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROMANS: All right. Manu Raju, thanks for that.
You know, Paul Ryan's new gig comes with a big pay raise. His annual salary is jumping from $174,000, that's a norm for rank-and- file members of the House and Senators, to $223,500. That's a nice little pay raise.
The speaker of the House is the third highest paid of all elected officials. Ryan's salary is short of the president's. He makes 400 grand. And the vice president makes $230,700.
Let's get a quick check of the markets right now. Asian stocks mostly lower this morning. European stocks, U.S. stock futures are higher.
One stock to watch here this morning, LinkedIn is up 12 percent. Networking sites earnings showed smaller than expected loss, plus big growth in mobile. Its investments abroad paying off. LinkedIn shares up 12 percent before the bell.
KOSIK: You know, you mentioned the growth in mobile. People who use LinkedIn don't use the mobile app. That is a challenge for LinkedIn.
Graphic new video to show you taking you inside the Waco biker shootout. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[04:15:32] KOSIK: I want to show you some incredible and sometimes graphic video of a chaotic shootout between rival biker gangs in Waco, Texas. This happened actually in May of this year. You're looking at surveillance video of the Twin Peaks restaurant. Its patio and its parking lot turning into a bloody war zone between the Cossacks and the Bandidos.
Who fired first? That's not clear at this point. The rival gangs point the finger at each other.
Here's how the president of the Cossack chapter in Waco described the scene.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN WILSON, COSSACKS BIKER: It was pretty horrific. There were guys getting hit and falling and I realized that I needed to get away from where I was. I looked at the guy to my left, a good friend of mine, and I told him, we have to get off the sidewalk or we're going to die here, you know?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOSIK: And after all was said and done, nine bikers were killed, 177 arrested. All of them charged with organized criminal activity.
ROMANS: All right. A New Hampshire judge sentencing Owen Labrie, a former student at the elite St. Paul School, to a year in jail for his part in what students call a senior salute, luring underage classmates into having sex. The 20-year-old Labrie is appealing the conviction. The underage girl did not appear in court, but she provided a 30-minute video statement about her experience.
KOSIK: Pennsylvania state police using shotguns to deflate a wayward Army blimp. The blimp broke loose from a Maryland Army base and floated over Pennsylvania for hours on Wednesday, taking out electrical lines and leaving 30,000 people without power. Now, it's still not clear how the blimp broke free. When all the damage is totaled up, it is expected, get this, to top $2 million. That's incredible.
ROMANS: The whole thing is so bizarre.
KOSIK: It's also an incredible sight.
ROMANS: It really is.
All right. A 10-year-old boy bitten by a shark in Hawaii. He was boogie boarding in Oahu Saturday or Thursday, rather, when the shark suddenly attacked.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VICTIM: The shark came out of nowhere and then I just started kicking it and it dragged me underwater and I kept kicking it and I was calling for help. The guy helped me (INAUDIBLE). They took in the sand and I got stitches from the doctors.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: What a story. What an adorable kid. The quick thinking boy was rescued after kicking the shark. He called for help, managing to escape with few stitches to the leg. This is Hawaii's he seventh confirmed shark encounter this year, a number which has doubled over the last decade.
KOSIK: Really scary. I'm afraid to go surfing.
ROMANS: No, it's all right. Your chances are still --
KOSIK: Are you sure about that?
Break out the rain coats. Millions of trick-or-treaters are going to be getting wet tomorrow. No, say it isn't so.
Let's get the forecast from meteorologist Derek Van Dam.
DEREK VAN DAM, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Good morning to Alison and Christine.
No tricks in this Halloween forecast, all treats along the East Coast. Boston to New York, as well as D.C. and Atlanta, mainly clear skies overhead. If you're looking for rain, well, you got to head to the Gulf Coast, New Orleans, chances of thunderstorms for your Halloween forecast that stretches into St. Louis, as well as Chicago, and the Pacific Northwest, Portland to Seattle, you're your Saturday evening Halloween forecast.
In fact, temperatures will be comfortable across the Upper Midwest. Minneapolis at 53, Chicago, 52, upper 40s and lower 50s along the New England coast. If you're looking for warmth, head to the Gulf Coast. In fact, that's where we have an area of low pressure that will bring flooding rainfall to Texas.
Look at this. Two to four, even locally higher amounts expected across San Antonio and to Dallas and points eastward. Here is a look at your temperatures for today. D.C. at 59. New York, 58 degrees. A slight warming trend into your Saturday along the East Coast, and comfortable for the central parts of the country.
Back to you.
ROMANS: All right. Derek Van Dam, thank you. I'll take the East Coast forecast.
KOSIK: I'm with you on that.
China's suddenly ending his one-child policy. So, why now? We're live, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[04:23:14] ROMANS: The Chinese government ending its one-child per family policy. Couples will now be allowed to have two children. The one-child policy was implemented in the 1979 to slow a population explosion. It prevented an estimated 400 million birth, 400 million. With 300 percent of China's population now over the age of 50, it was time for a change.
Let's go live to Beijing and CNN's Steven Jiang.
And, you know, for many people outside, this would look like a human rights violation, quite frankly, not allowing people to be able to have children, the most fundamental human right. But that's not the reason, Steven, why they made this change.
Tell us about the reason.
STEVEN JIANG, CNN PRODUCER (via telephone): Well, you are exactly right, Christine.
Over the years, we have heard so many horror stories related to the one-child policy, especially in the form of those brutal enforcements in the countryside, forced abortions, forced sterilization.
But, you know, activists have been trying for years to change the policy. The government is changing it now not because heated debate over human rights controversies, but because of the economic reality. The government is facing a double whammy, of a shrinking workforce and an aging population at the time the economy is slowing down. So, you have factories unable to hire workers, while social services and hospitals are being overwhelmed.
So, a lot of officials are already saying, they're worried about this country getting old before it gets rich. That's what prompted this policy change, Christine. They are saying it clearly, we are doing this now, allowing one couple two children nationwide to address these demographic challenges.
ROMANS: Steven, what about gender balance? For so many years, it seemed as though there's a preference to have a one child, a boy. And that has so many ramifications for women having babies and for baby girls in the country in orphanages.
[04:25:06] What about the gender balance and what this means for the gender balance in the country?
JIANG: That's another issue this new policy is trying to address because, as we say, gender imbalance is more and more serious, especially in the countryside where traditional culture means a lot of farmers prefer boys because boys, when they grow up cannot only handle heavier farm work, but also will stay home to take care of parents when they get old.
So, that's where you also saw more of the negative effects of the one-child policy, infanticide, (INAUDIBLE) of girls, the selective abortions.
But according to many human rights activist, this two children policy is not really changing the system, addressing the root cause. That is the state is still trying to dictate how many children you're allowed to have. They say that is simply not acceptable, no matter how many kids the quota is, one or two -- Christine.
ROMANS: Yes. Loosening the one child policy, but still, it is the government, the central government telling families how to live their lives.
Steven Jiang, thank you so much for that.
KOSIK: Palestinian attacks on Israelis rapidly spreading into the West Bank this morning. Eleven attacks reported in the city of Hebron in just the last week. On Thursday, Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian man who stabbed a soldier in the head. And tensions are rising in the region since the Israelis are refusing to release the bodies of the 25 Palestinians killed in clashes this month.
ROMANS: All right. Twenty-six minutes past the hour this morning. Breaking overnight: an American businessman reportedly arrested and imprisoned in Tehran. How will this complicate talks this morning between the U.S. and Iran? We are live, next.
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