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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

Mid-Air Mystery: Crash of MetroJet 9268; The Race for President: Trump Attacks, Clinton Rises; Heads of Taiwan and China to Meet; Jon Stewart Signs Four-Year Deal with HBO. Aired 4:30-5a ET

Aired November 04, 2015 - 04:30   ET

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

ALISON KOSIK, CNN ANCHOR: Intriguing clues but few answers this morning, on what brought down a Russian airliner flying from Sharm el- Sheikh, Egypt, to St. Petersburg, Russia, killing all people onboard. A U.S. official tells CNN that a heat flash detected by a military satellite happened in midair. That leaves open the possibility of a bomb onboard MetroJet Flight 9268.

[04:30:03] But there are some reports in Russian media that the bodies of victims recovered so far show no signs of explosive impact. That might point towards engine or structural failure as a cause, but adding to the confusion to what caused this plane to go down, other media reports say some bodies did show evidence of an explosion.

This morning, investigators have finished their field work. And Egyptian officials say data is already being recovered from the plane's black boxes. That could mean more answers coming soon.

CNN's Erin McLaughlin live in Sharm el-Sheikh -- Erin.

ERIN MCLAUGHLIN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Alison.

That's right. The mystery of what happened to Flight 9268 persists. More questions at this point than answers. Most of the information we are getting is coming in bits and pieces from Russian media sources. Egyptian officials have been very tight-lipped. Russian state media, though today reporting that the tail of the plane was found some 3 miles away from the bulk of the wreckage. It didn't show signs of burns.

And that's potentially significant because we know that in 2001, the same plane's tail clipped the runway in Cairo, requiring repairs, aviation experts say those repairs could lead to negative consequences for the aircraft, years, sometimes decades down the line. Now, at the same the airline is insistent that it passed all maintenance checks and that the plane was in pristine condition.

Now, Egyptian authorities are urging people not to draw any conclusion until the investigation is complete. President al-Sisi gave a number of interviews to British media, ahead of his state visit there. In those interviews, he called reports that the plane was downed by a bomb or a missile to be speculative. He also said that ISIS' claim of responsibility was pure propaganda. Now, we know that at the crash site itself, the field work continues, that according to eyewitnesses today. They've expanded the crash site from 25 miles. We also know that they're analyzing the black boxes, the cockpit voice recorder, the data recorder. Those seem as crucial to solving this mystery -- Alison.

KOSIK: Erin, you got Russia saying that this aircraft may have broken up in midair. You've got Egypt saying there are no facts to substantiate this. How much of the differing views of what could have happened, how much is that affecting the investigation, if at all?

MCLAUGHLIN: I think it's difficult to say, Alison. Egyptian officials again very tightlipped about what's going on. Most of what we are hearing is from Russian officials. Russian officials saying that the plane, evidence shows that it did break up in midair. Egyptian officials actually have not countered that information.

They're insistence, though, that any conclusions need to be drawn at the end of this investigation. Interesting to note, here in Sharm, where the plane originated, Egyptian officials say they are not increasing security at the airport, or in the resort that, and that's because they say at this point there is no indication the plane was downed as a result of terrorism.

KOSIK: OK. Waiting for that information from those two black boxes, Erin McLaughlin, thanks so much.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: An outpouring of grief in Russia this morning for the 224 victims of the crash. All but a handful of them Russian. Officials in St. Petersburg say 33 bodies have been identified so far. Today, there's a rally to mourn the victims of the country's annual day of national unity.

Let's get the latest from St. Petersburg, turning to international diplomatic editor Nic Robertson.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Well, another tough day for the families of victims. The process of identifying the bodies continues. What they are hearing in Russian media at the moment, two different versions of potentially what killed their loved ones.

Did the plane break apart in the air, because the tail section fell off, because of a faulty repair after a tail strike, an accident a few years ago, or was it because of a bomb onboard?

A St. Petersburg newspaper, the oldest newspaper here in St. Petersburg, widely respected, reports that the injuries fall into two categories, those in the fronts of the aircraft, they say have got burns and trauma-type injuries, indicative of falling from the sky. Those they imply at the rear of the aircraft have explosive trauma injuries, pieces of metal fragments in the body. They're quoting their sources, here in St. Petersburg, the forensic teams are examining the body. The potential there for information being provided.

The TASS news agency here says, however, what they understand from their sources is that there's been no explosive residue found on the bodies, there has been no indication of explosive damage to the bodies.

[04:35:05] So, what people hearing in Russia and what would be very painful for the families right now is not knowing precisely what brought down that aircraft. Two different possibilities -- John, Alison.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROMANS: OK, Nic, thanks for that.

Time for an early start on your money, seeing a lot of green arrows this morning. Asian and Europe markets are higher, so are U.S. stock futures.

Yesterday, stocks closed higher. The Dow climbed 89 points. The S&P 500, that closed up as well, nearly erased all of its summer losses. It's just 21 points shy of the record high. Nice.

Regulators slapping Japan's Takata Corporation with a huge fine for selling botched airbags. A $70 million penalty for selling the defective airbags, an extra $130 million if Takata fails safety measures going forward. At the root of a massive recall tied to seven deaths in the U.S.

The defective airbags can explode when activated and spray shrapnel. Honda announced overnight, it's going to stop using Takata airbags in any of its new cars, really amazing news out of that.

BERMAN: Huge news for the Honda decision. Very, very big.

ROMANS: Yes.

BERMAN: All right. Donald Trump, lashing out at his opponents, that and a new poll shows Hillary Clinton reversing a trend in a key state. We have new developments in the race for president, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: All right. This morning, Donald Trump takes a brake from "Saturday Night Live" rehearsals for a quick visit to New Hampshire.

[04:40:02] He's going to officially file to appear on the ballot there, the first in the nation primary. And he comes back to New York to prepare for this week's "Saturday Night Live" hosting duties.

KOSIK: I can't wait.

BERMAN: Yes, it will be interesting.

Protesters plan to deliver half a million signatures, calling on NBC to dump Trump from the show. His campaign now keeping an eye on the trend in the polls. The self-

proclaimed winner isn't winning everywhere anymore.

Let's get more from CNN politics reporter Sara Murray.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SARA MURRAY, CNN POLITICS REPORTER: Alison and John, more good news this morning for Dr. Ben. In a head-to-head matchup against Hillary Clinton, he could be the most formidable contender. A new "Wall Street Journal"/NBC News polling shows, if you pit the two against together, Clinton and Carson are tied.

Now, compare that to how Clinton fared against Donald Trump. In that potential matchup, she beats Trump by about 8 points. Now, Trump was here in New York yesterday releasing his new book, "Crippled America". And he did not hold back against his Republican contenders, slamming Marco Rubio for his immigration belief, and calling Ben Carson low energy. He even went so far as to say it's time for his fellow Republicans to give up the fight.

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Do I think that it's time for some of the other Republicans in the race that are registering zero in a couple of cases, they have zero with an arrow pointing left, which I assume is a mistake, because that's less than zero. I assume that's not happening.

Do I think it's time for some of the other Republican candidates to drop out? Yes, there are too many people. Well, I don't want to get personal, but you can look at the poll numbers.

MURRAY: But there is no sign Trump is giving up. He's going to be back on the campaign trail in New Hampshire, where he will officially file to appear on the ballot.

Alison and John, back to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BERMAN: All right. Sara, thank you so much.

Donald Trump, if you haven't had enough? He'll be on "NEW DAY" at 7:00 time this morning. Do not miss that live.

KOSIK: You can't get enough. It's like entertainment.

Hillary Clinton seeing a bump in the latest polls. In New Hampshire, Bernie Sanders had been ahead for months, but not anymore. We get more now from CNN senior Washington correspondent Jeff Zeleny.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: John and Alison, Hillary Clinton is wrapping up a campaign in Iowa. You can see her behind me here, shaking hands, signing pictures. She's answering so many questions here, trying to sign up people to her campaign. But it's actually New Hampshire where she has her eye on. For the

first time in weeks, she is leading Bernie Sanders at least by a razor's edge in a new Monmouth University poll out on Tuesday. She is leading Senator Sanders by some three percentage points.

Now, that is a reversal from a lead that he held last month at more than seven points. In national poll, she is leading by significantly more. She's over Bernie Sanders by some 31 points in "The Wall Street Journal"/NBC poll out this week. But it is Democrats rallying to her aid. She still has strong negative ratings as well in those national numbers. That's why her campaign is facing the state by state polls.

All eyes will be on the New Hampshire as all candidates go and sign up for office to register to get on the ballot. Bernie Sanders is there Thursday. Hillary Clinton goes next week -- John, Alison.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KOSIK: OK. Jeff, thanks for that.

Election night, Republicans pick up a key slot as voters in another state deliver a blow to marijuana advocates.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:47:08] KOSIK: Breaking election news overnight. A huge win for Republicans in Kentucky. Millionaire businessman Matt Bevin was elected governor, just the second time in four decades that a Republican has won the state house there. Bevin drove through the state in his gold Cadillac Escalade and drew some comparisons to Donald Trump.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MATT BEVIN (R), KENTUCKY GOVERNOR-ELECT: This is a great night for the Republican Party in this state of Kentucky. I'm also -- I'm also grateful for the fact that, even more importantly, this is a great night for conservatives in the state of Kentucky.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOSIK: And in Mississippi, the incumbent governor, Republican Phil Bryant, easily won reelection.

BERMAN: Also breaking overnight, a ballot proposal to legalize marijuana, it went down to defeat in Ohio. Voters soundly rejected the initiative to legalize recreational and medical use of marijuana. It would have also limited commercial growing rights to a small group of investors that included former boy band star Nick Lachey, also Oscar Robertson, descendants of President Taft.

KOSIK: Nanette Lepore.

BERMAN: This was a strange measure because of the sort of monopoly it would have provided there. Recreation sales are legal in four states and Washington, D.C., Ohio would be the first state to make it legal. KOSIK: Something tells me, they will try it again --

BERMAN: Yes, without all the monopoly stuff.

KOSIK: We'll see about that.

Breaking overnight in Houston, voters there repealing an ordinance designed to protect lesbian, gay and transgender. The equal rights ordinance offer broad protections, covering housing, employment and other areas. The measure had drawn national attention with Hillary Clinton endorsing it last week.

Opponents said it would allow men claiming to be women to use women's bathrooms and pose some kind of risk. "No men in women's bathroom", that became the rallying cry for the repeal campaign. That won.

President Obama plants to take action on the Keystone oil pipeline before he leaves office, even though the company behind the project wants a final decision delayed. TransCanada just asked the State Department to suspend its year long evaluation of the pipeline. It feels like they're going longer than that. The White House suggests that request is nothing more than politics at play, because the president is expected to reject the proposal as soon as this month.

KOSIK: Breaking news: a police officer whose death sparked a huge manhunt committed suicide. The results have come in, the Lake County sheriffs office call a news conference for later today.

A law enforcement source tells CNN that the sheriff will announce that Lieutenant Charles Joseph Gliniewicz, or Joe Gliniewicz died from a self inflicted wound. Gliniewicz was a U.S. Army veteran known by colleagues and friends and as G.I. Joe. He radioed for backup on September 1st, telling dispatchers he was chasing three suspicious men.

[04:50:00] His body was later found about 50 yards from his squad car.

KOSIK: A Georgia inmate is back behind bars this morning after escaping while being transferred between jails. Jim Edward Lowery used his leg shackles to smash a patrol car window. About 100 officers searched for him throughout the afternoon. Lowery was charged with felony murder in June when an officer crashed his patrol car in hot pursuit. Crazy.

All right. Thick fog blanketing parts of the country, let's go to meteorologist Allison Chinchar.

ALLISON CHINCHAR, AMS METEOROLOGIST: If you are planning on heading out this morning, if you got a flight to catch, you may want to check with your carriers, especially in cities like Chicago, Dallas, Atlanta, and Charlotte, where visibility is going to be incredibly low throughout the morning.

It's not just those cities, we are talking about Nashville, Memphis and St. Louis also dealing with near zero visibility. Then, out on the West Coast, we are dealing with a storm that brought much-needed rain and snow to California.

Now, the system will eventually push off to the east. When it does, it will change from a snow maker to a severe maker. We are talking about the threat for damaging winds and isolated tornadoes when we transition into Thursday and Friday of this week, again stretching across much of the mid-west and the Southern Plain states.

Now, after that system moves through, we got some much colder air that will be moving in out behind it. So, Thursday into the upper Midwest, Friday, and gradually into the Northeast by Saturday, huge temperature change. Take a look at this, 66 today in Minneapolis, down to 47 on Friday. Detroit 73 today. We will be down to 64 by Friday.

KOSIK: OK, Alison, thanks for that. I know I have missed Jon Stewart, have you?

BERMAN: He's on too late. I'm asleep anyway.

KOSIK: Well, if you missed your daily dose of Jon Stewart on TV, you are in luck. I'll tell you more when we get an early start on your money, next.

BERMAN: Just keep on sleeping.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:55:41] BERMAN: Historic development set for this weekend as China and Taiwan seek to ease tension. Their leaders, they plan to meet for the first time, really the first time this has ever happened. Taiwan has been separate from China since the civil war there in 1949.

Chinese officials say the president will not sign any agreements when they sit down Saturday. They'll meet in Singapore. But they will discuss peace and economic development.

I want to turn to CNN's Matt Rivers live in Hong Kong for the latest. This is a meeting, you know, more than 66 years in the making.

So, the question, Matt, is why now?

MATT RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, that itself a very good question, John, there are certainly on the record answer from officials where they say there is no time like the present. Let's do it right now.

But other people are suggesting that there are other factors at play like an upcoming national election in Taiwan that is scheduled for next year. This meeting could have implications within that election, potentially helping the numbered party perhaps get a political boost from making this meeting happen. That said, it could also backfire, because there are plenty of people within Taiwan who are very wary of a creeping Beijing influence as they would call it into Taiwan, into the economic system there, very wary.

So, it is certainly perhaps a calculated political move by the party in power right now in Taiwan, but it could backfire on them. We'll have to wait and see what happens.

BERMAN: All right. Interesting meeting. We'll wait and see what developments, what concrete developments come out of this. But the mere fact that the men will be in the same room at the same time, historic to say the least.

Thanks, Matt.

KOSIK: There is troubling new data on China's efforts to fight global warming. The world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases from coal has actually been burning 17 percent more coal than the government previously disclosed.

According to data published by a Chinese statistical agency, Beijing has been underestimating its coal consumption since 2000. It turns out, China burns about 600 million tons per year. That equal 70 percent of the coal consumption of the entire U.S. That's scary.

BERMAN: Yes. Well, travel nightmare for thousands of tourists stranded on two Indonesian islands after volcanic ash forced two airports to close. Officials say an eruption from this mountain, Mt. Rinjani on Lombok Island, blasted ash and debris 11,000 feet into the air blanketing nearby villages and farmlands in just thick grey soot. Airlines were advised to avoid routes near that mountain.

KOSIK: I'm Alison Kosik. Let's get an early start on your money.

We're seeing green arrows across the board. Asian and European market are higher, so are U.S. stock futures.

Yesterday, we saw stocks closed higher as well, the Dow climbing 89 points. And the S&P 500 closed higher, nearly erasing all of its losses we saw during the summer. It's now sitting 21 point shy of the record highs.

Some good news for parents sending kids of to college, the era of soaring college tuition prices, what, may finally be coming to an end. There's a new report out by the college boards, saying the sticker price for the upcoming school year increased by about 3 percent. That's the same amount that we have seen in the past two years.

Compare that to the height of the recession. Tuition at public colleges increase almost 10 percent, but the cost of going to college, it's still high. Students starting college this year will still pay three times more than they would have in 1985.

Have you missed the biting humor of Jon Stewart? Well, you're in luck, you'll see him again or at least hear him.

The former host of Comedy Central's fake newscast "The Daily Show" just signed a four-year deal with HBO. So, first, he's going to be creating content that will appear on the digital outlets, HBO Now and HBO Go. You will hear, he will narrate the pieces, this will be a way of looking at current events through his prism. I happen to like to look at.

BERMAN: Right. And it's a way for Jon Stewart to make some money, to get a salary now that he's given up his job on "The Daily Show".

KOSIK: When he took off from "The Daily Show", I didn't think he was going to go into the sunset. I didn't think that at all.

BERMAN: It's interesting what it really means.

KOSIK: Millennials will love it.

BERMAN: Those young people, they love their iPods.

KOSIK: Their mobiles.

BERMAN: Their mobile things.

EARLY START continues right now.