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Early Start with Rahel Solomon

Tensions Escalate Between India, Pakistan; Cardinals Vote for New Pope on Day 2 of Conclave; Fed Chair Warns of Trade War Threats to Economy. Aired 4-4:30a ET

Aired May 08, 2025 - 04:00   ET

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

[04:00:00]

RAHEL SOLOMON, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, and welcome to our viewers joining us from the U.S. and all around the world. I'm Rahel Solomon. It is Thursday, May 8th, 4:00 a.m. here in New York. And straight ahead on EARLY START --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And as tensions rise between nuclear powers, India and Pakistan, the international community called for restraint.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The biggest concern is that we see something that continues to escalate as conventional conflict and turns it, God forbid, in some type of nuclear Exchange.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The secret and ancient process to choose a new pope. Cardinals from around the world have come to decide who will lead.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Around the square, people are just excited. This is a moment of hope and a moment of light in a new cycle and in a moment of history that's especially troubled.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: President Trump's unpredictable trade war has kept businesses and consumers guessing, and as we just learned in Washington here today, apparently the Federal Reserve chair as well.

JEROME POWER, U.S. FEDERAL RESERVE CHAIR: It's not at all clear what the appropriate response for monetary policy is at this time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOLOMON: We begin this hour with reports of more shelling between India and Pakistan across their de facto border in the disputed Kashmir region. This as fears grow that the two sides are on the brink of a wider conflict.

Pakistan vowing to retaliate after India launched military strikes against its neighbor over tensions in the region. Pakistan's military says that the death toll has risen to 31, with 57 people wounded. Those casualties coming from the initial strikes as well as Indian gunfire at the line of control. Pakistani defense minister says that India's attacks on the country

and on Pakistan administered Kashmir were a quote, clear-cut violation. But he also says that Islamabad is trying to avoid a full- fledged war. Pakistan's prime minister says that he has authorized the military to carry out quote, corresponding actions and that has pledged to only hit military targets in India, not civilian.

Meanwhile, a senior Indian defense source tells CNN that shelling by Pakistan has killed at least 12 civilians and wounded 57.

Residents in India administered Kashmir describe a night of confusion and tension after more shelling by Pakistani forces across the border, with those living in some areas being ordered to evacuate their homes.

Now, both countries have had nearly daily exchanges of fire since the April 22nd massacre of tourists in India administered Kashmir. That's what sparked this latest conflict.

Now Pakistan has reopened its airspace after India's attacks prompted its closure and disrupted airline flights in the region. More than 20 airports across northern India will, however, remain closed until Saturday.

Let's bring in journalist Vedika Sud, who is live for us in New Delhi this morning. Vedika, great to have you. So where do things stand this morning on the ground there?

VEDIKA SUD, JOURNALIST: You just spoke about the cross-border shelling. I want to start with that because there's been a huge human cost after the military offensive launched by India about 36 hours back.

I want to start with a village along the line of control on the Indian side. This place is a place called Poonch, and there are people there who've been evacuating the area because there has been incessant shelling, because of which they are fearing for their lives.

They've been living in safe houses through the night, through the day. There are grandparents. There are young children, all impacted, some of them being wheeled into hospital. There is a sense of fear that prevails even 36 hours after the military operation launched by India against Pakistan, in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, as well as deep into Pakistan. Perhaps the deepest military offensive launched by India against Pakistan in five decades.

Now, I want to even tell you more about these villagers, but before that, let's just listen into one of them who has, of course, been really worried about his life and the lives of his villagers and the residents there along with his family.

Listen in.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SIBIR HASSAN, VILLAGER (through translator): There were 14 to 15 small explosions during the cross-border shelling during the night. Children and elderly are in a state of fear and panic, and that is why they have fled their homes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SUD: Villagers and Indians and Pakistanis woke up to tense silence on Thursday morning, but that fear really prevails.

Moving on to details from Pakistan, the Pakistan Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif woke up to tense silence on Thursday morning. But that fear really prevails.

Moving on to details from Pakistan.

[04:05:00]

The Pakistan Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, yesterday did address the nation and he promised to take action against India. And now the time and place will be of their choosing, is what they had said as an immediate statement after the military offensive.

But for now, it's a wait-and-watch situation. It's tense on both sides. There have been deaths on both sides.

According to Pakistan, there have been about 31 deaths because of the military offensive launched by India. That's what they're claiming, 31 casualties as of now.

And in terms of what's next, well, there is a lot of international pressure on both countries to now take it a notch down. And they're hoping that this dials down in the next few days. But, like I said, Pakistan has vowed to take action.

And India, as the response has said, we're ready to face any action, military operations by Pakistan, and there will be a befitting reply. Back to you.

SOLOMON: Yes, certainly a lot of eyes on that region. Vedika Sud, live for us in New Delhi. Vedika, thank you.

All right, taking a live look at pictures at St. Peter's Square in Vatican City, where day two of the conclave to choose a new pope is underway. Now, inside the Sistine Chapel, 133 cardinals will cast secret ballots to elect the next pope and the successor to Pope Francis.

Let's get to CNN's Erin Brunett, who is in Rome, and she picks up our coverage of the conclave. Erin, good morning.

ERIN BURNETT, CNN ANCHOR: All right, good morning to you, Rahel. And here we are in Rome, St. Peter's Square at the Vatican. It's just after 10 o'clock in the morning here, and people are flooding in, flooding in, Rahel.

They are preparing for more smoke, which we will get today. It is the second day of the conclave. And the whole world, frankly, is watching to see when one and a half billion Catholics will have a new leader, a new leader that is so important on the world stage.

Now, as Rahel said, 133 cardinals are sequestered inside the Sistine Chapel, which is just off my left shoulder behind that building. So they are there now, as we're speaking. They are sequestered.

So that means even when they sleep or they eat or they leave the chapel, no cell phones, no iPads, no computers, no newspapers, nothing. They have no interaction with the outside world or the outside world's coverage of the conclave. They are supposed to be singularly focused on their duty and obligation to elect a new pope.

And therefore, all eyes are focused on the chimney at the top of the Sistine Chapel, where we will see white smoke. We will see it. It's just a question of when, because it will only happen when a new pope has been chosen. Until then, the smoke will be black.

So the first round was last night. And Rahel, as I was here, it was late. It was late. It was late. It was hours after, frankly, we had expected to see smoke. But when it finally came, it was very clearly black, billowing from the chimney in the darkness, indicating that in that first round of voting, a new pope had not been chosen.

So here we are this morning, just after 10 a.m. They are back, joined by our Vatican correspondent Christopher Lamb and Kim Daniels, the director of Georgetown University's Initiative on Catholic Social Thought.

So here we are. No one's getting much sleep, including the cardinals, who were stuck in there a lot longer than they anticipated. I guess there was prayer that went a lot longer than anybody thought. The delay yesterday does not seem to be due to some sort of schism, to use a loaded term in the Catholic Church.

So what happens here today?

CHRISTOPHER LAMB, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the cardinals are going to be going back into the Sistine Chapel. They're expected to vote again two more times or have two more ballots this morning. And then we are expected to get the indication from the chimney of either black smoke or white smoke.

Now, no one was really expecting black smoke last night. The vote last night --

BURNETT: Or white smoke.

LAMB: Sorry.

BURNETT: I know.

LAMB: I confused myself. Sorry.

BURNETT: Christopher is not sleeping at all.

LAMB: No one was expecting white smoke. Everyone was expecting black smoke last night. Excuse me. And that's because the first vote is really about setting out where the support lies within the cardinals. Now, I think if there's white smoke earlier, that would indicate that one of the frontrunners may have achieved the consensus.

Of course, the frontrunner is Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the former Holy See Secretary of State. He's clearly got support within the Vatican. There was an embrace during the Mass from Cardinal Re, the Dean.

BURNETT: Yes, a physical embrace.

LAMB: Yes, almost saying, he said, doppi auguri, which is double good wishes. Now, that could be looked at in two ways. It could be good luck in, you know, his role as overseeing the conflict, because that's his role. But it could also be viewed in other ways. I think people see that.

BURNETT: What does the word double mean?

LAMB: Exactly.

BURNETT: I hope you're super lucky or super lucky in two ways.

[04:10:00]

LAMB: It was quite an interesting gesture. So that's, I think, where we are today.

BURNETT: And just to lay out for everybody how this is going to work today, there's sort of two voting windows that happen where they're meeting, right? So the first one's in the morning, then they go to Casa Santa Marta, they have lunch, a bit of a break, and then they go back again. And in each window, we anticipate two votes.

The first one, we're only going to know when it happens. If there's a Pope, there'll be white smoke. The second one, if there's black smoke, we'll know that was the second one.

LAMB: Exactly.

BURNETT: So there's sort of this ancient, in some senses, certainly in the nearly 800 years for so many of these traditions.

But last night when that smoke finally came, it was billowing black. So as people are gathering in here today, there's a lot of hope. You can feel it. They hope they'll have a Pope today.

KIM DANIELS, DIRECTOR, GEORGETOWN INITIATIVE ON CATHOLIC SOCIAL THOUGHT: You can feel it. And last night, it took me back to the last conclave that elected Pope Francis. I mean, there was so much hope and expectation here in the square.

And to be honest, so many people just all the way down the Via Della Conciliazione, the road that leads from St. Peter's Square, it was packed body to body. I think so much expectation and hope. And at the same time, of course, we all expected black smoke. BURNETT: And they come, you know, as we watched this morning, you know, groups of people, pilgrims of a certain sort, almost life-size crosses, group by group. And then they identify themselves so they know where -- and then they're standing in the front and sort of what are they doing?

Well, they'll say, well, they're praying the rosary or on social media in some cases, although some of them don't appear to be on social media. I mean, it is an excruciatingly long period to stand and yet people seem happy to do it.

LAMB: And it's one of those things that if you are constantly looking at your phone, you might miss the smoke from the chimney. So it is a kind of challenge to the instant culture or the culture we're used to seeing things instantly or having instant results. You have to wait.

BURNETT: Yes, and no one's going to know when ahead of anyone else. We're only going to know when there's smoke. So it isn't going to be someone sees it on their phone in some source first, right? There is no first. It's all together. And I don't know if you can see here as Rahel is watching, but we have four big monitors behind us, all of the chimney.

Now you can see the chimney from the square from many angles in the Sistine Chapel, but they can see the big screen. So everybody sees smoke at the same instant.

DANIELS: And at the same time, they all see other things too. Last night, it felt like every time there was a seagull that got close to the chimney --

BURNETT: Or they were stopping the seagull. And there is a seagull that appears to like to stand up there and was getting a lot of attention. There were 30,000 people here, according to Roman police yesterday. Christopher, I would expect at least that many today.

I don't know how many more you could fit. It was it was shoulder to shoulder.

LAMB: Yes, I think there were more than 30,000. That was a conservative estimate. They were packed down the Via della Conciliazione, waiting for that result.

I expect that will be the same later this morning when people are expecting smoke to appear. And of course, this evening.

BURNETT: So you talked about, you know, if perhaps there is a quick decision today, it would most likely be a very known candidate, someone like Parolin, Secretary of State for the Vatican, chosen by Francis in that role and the most senior cardinal in the in the sequestration.

So as they call it, the holy bet. There are online markets, which is fascinating in this case, because they just don't have a lot of information to go on. But nonetheless, people are betting on it. All of them agree that Parolin is the front runner right now. Means absolutely nothing in a certain sense.

But the second they also all agree on Cardinal Tagle of the Philippines. And then from there sort of swaps on the on the two. But and another Italian Cardinal Zuppi and another Italian who has spent the past three decades in Jerusalem, Cardinal Pizzaballa.

LAMB: Yes, that's right.

BURNETT: So there's Italian, a lot of Italian in there, except for Tagle.

LAMB: And of course, the pope is the bishop of Rome and Italians do feel that the papacy in some ways belongs to them. And there's obviously a push on by some to have the papacy returned to Italy.

I think the reason why Cardinal Tagle is seen as favorites is because a lot of the cardinals know who they are.

Now, this is a group of cardinals drawn from across the globe who don't know each other that well. They've been wearing name badges when they've been meeting. But Parolin and Tagle have roles in the Vatican, which means they have met a lot of cardinals. So they are known. And that's what makes him a front runner.

BURNETT: Tagle may be from the Philippines but he's been here in a role for Francis for the past few years, right?

DANIELS: He is. He has been here in an important role and that has given him this kind of visibility and knowledge. But I think it's also important to point out that those are the names that are known to all of us as well. And so we see them as front runners. That's why they show up on these lists. But at the same time, all these cardinals from the developing world, new cardinals who've been appointed by Francis will certainly have an effect.

BURNETT: right. And in those betting markets, everyone can have an opinion right now. And no one's is more knowledgeable than anybody else's.

[04:15:00]

That is the truly incredible reality of what we are all witnessing here as crowds are flooding in, flooding in, anticipating that there could be smoke here in these next few hours.

All right, we are here in Rome. We're here in Rome at Vatican City, and we are going to be continuing with our special coverage from Rome here. We'll have so much more on the conclave as we get more information as pilgrims and tourists and Romans flood this square. We'll be right back here in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:20:00]

SOLOMON: Welcome back. U.S. President Donald Trump says that he will announce a trade deal today, and a source tells CNN that deal will be with the U.K. The president said on social media that he will hold a news conference about, quote, a major trade deal with representatives of a big and highly respected country.

For weeks, the White House said that it's been discussing deals with more than a dozen countries, but none have been announced so far. On social media, the president claimed that this would be the, quote, first of many.

President Trump says that he will not cut tariffs on China ahead of Saturday's trade talks. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jameson Greer will meet with China's top economic official in Switzerland. Senior White House correspondent Kristen Holmes has more on the tensions between the world's two biggest economies.

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KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: President Donald Trump doubling down on his rhetoric against China, saying that he would not drop the 145 percent tariff on China to bring them to the negotiating table.

This is incredibly important for a number of reasons. One, of course, we have seen that trade between the two countries, the U.S. and China, has effectively come to a grinding halt after this tit-for-tat escalation. It's also important because of what we learned yesterday that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, along with other top trade officials in the U.S., will meet with their Chinese counterparts next week.

Scott Bessent really trying to downplay and temper expectations out of that meeting, saying they didn't believe it would be a deal, but it would be something to possibly get to a page where they could de- escalate.

One interesting part about what Donald Trump says, it really goes back on what we heard him saying this weekend when he was asked during an interview if he would lower those tariffs.

He said that he believed they would eventually, likely, lower those tariffs because he acknowledged that business, it was impossible to do, given the current stance, given that current tariff number.

So right now, ahead of those negotiations, ahead of those conversations, Donald Trump going back to that hard line of 145 percent tariffs on China.

Kristen Holmes, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SOLOMON: Meantime Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell is warning that trade talks with key partners could, quote, materially change the U.S. economy. Powell's comments came as the Fed announced that it is holding interest rates steady, even as the economy starts to show the effects of Trump's trade war.

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JEROME POWER, U.S. FEDERAL RESERVE CHAIR: If the large increases in tariffs that have been announced are sustained, they're likely to generate a rise in inflation, a slowdown in economic growth, and an increase in unemployment.

My gut tells me that uncertainty about the path of the economy is extremely elevated, and that the downside risks have increased.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOLOMON: All right let's take a look and see how U.S. futures are reacting to the latest word from the Federal Reserve at 4:22 on a Thursday morning, very early U.S. futures here. So Dow, S&P, and Nasdaq all up between 0.6 percent to about 1. -- call it 2 percent, rounding up here for the Nasdaq. That's on the back of a positive session yesterday on the heels of that Federal Reserve meeting.

Federal judge says that deportation flights to Libya or Saudi Arabia would violate a prior court order. The Trump administration told CNN that it's planning to fly undocumented migrants to Libya, but the timing is unclear. But the judge, Brian Murphy, says that doing that would violate his previous directive.

Last month, he blocked migrant deportations to countries other than their own without first providing notice and an opportunity to contest it. The Trump administration's immigration crackdown has faced widespread political and legal backlash. And when asked about the Libya deportation flight on Wednesday, President Trump said he didn't know about it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is the administration sending migrants to Libya?

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I don't know. You'll have to ask Homeland Security, please.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOLOMON: All right, three former police officers have been acquitted of state charges in the beating death of a black man in Memphis, Tennessee. The officers, who are also black, were facing multiple counts, including second-degree murder. But they still could serve years in prison after being convicted on federal charges that happened last year. Two other officers involved in the incident have pleaded guilty.

Tyre Nichols tried to run from the officers during a traffic stop in 2023 after they pepper-sprayed him and repeatedly tased him. His death fueled huge protests against police brutality, and the U.S. Justice Department recommended federal oversight of the Memphis Police Department. All right, we're going to take a short break, but coming up, we will

head back to Rome where Erin Brunett picks up our coverage of day two of the Papal Conclave. We are watching EARLY START on CNN. We'll be right back.

[04:25:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BURNETT: And welcome back to Rome. I'm Erin Burnett just outside the Vatican here. Day two of the conclave to select a new pope is underway.

An absolutely beautiful morning in Rome. We've already had a little rain. Sun is back out. And it looks like it will be a glorious day. We'll see if it is a day that brings a pope.

The cardinals failed to agree on a successor to the late Pope Francis on the first day of voting. We waited and waited and waited. People started to be worried if they had maybe somehow broken with tradition and precedent and everything and not voted. But of course they did.

And we saw billowing black smoke on the chimney of the Sistine Chapel. That, of course, is just behind where we're sitting here at the Vatican. If we see white smoke, that will mean a new pope has been chosen. And that could happen at any time now because we do expect there will be two votes in essentially a morning session. They'll break for lunch and then two more votes this afternoon if they have not yet come to a consensus. 133 cardinals are voting sequestered.

Pope Francis passed away last month at the age of 88 after a lengthy illness.