[John Berman, Cnn Anchor:] The clock is ticking on a Homeland Security shutdown. The Senate majority leader trying to find some middle ground. So, what does Mitch McConnell propose and can it satisfy all sides?
[Christine Romans, Cnn Anchor:] And is this the woman who lured three British girls from home to join ISIS in Syria? A new focus this morning on the so-called ISIS bride as officials from Britain and Turkey try to find the missing trio.
[Berman:] Ice, freezing rain, ugly conditions look at that sent a plane skidding off the runway, trucks dangling from bridges. Yikes! And it's not just the Northeast, folks, also in the Deep South. We'll tell you the areas hardest hit this morning. Look at that.
[Romans:] A lot of flight cancellations again today, a lot of flight cancellations.
[Berman:] Good morning, everyone. Welcome to EARLY START. I'm John Berman.
[Romans:] And I'm Christine Romans. It is Tuesday, February 24th. It is 4:00 a.m. in the East. Nice to see you all this morning. New this morning: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell trying to break trying a new tactic to break, rather, the congressional stalemate over funding of the Department of Homeland Security after a fourth failed Senate vote Monday night on adopting the House's version of the funding bill. McConnell announced he will schedule a separate vote on blocking President Obama's executive orders on immigration. The Republicans and Democrats both expressing doubt whether McConnell can get such a measure passed by the end of the week if at all. If not, homeland security funding runs out Friday, sending non-essential DHS employees home, forcing essential employees to work without pay. CNN White House correspondent Michelle Kosinski has more on the effect of possible partial shutdown of the Homeland Security Department.
[Michelle Kosinski, Cnn White House Correspondent:] Hi, John and Christine. Well, now, for the first time, we hear the administration say that yes, it looks like this political showdown is heading for a shutdown for the Department of Homeland Security. For the first time, we are hearing the administration, in fact, the president himself spell out the cutting off funding for DHS will have a direct impact on national security. The reason that is interesting, for the past several days, it seems like the White House has gone out of its way to avoid using that language. When asked directly by reporters, what impact will this have, they would refer us to the Department of Homeland Security for more detail or they would say, well, it can't have a good impact on national security. But now that the president put it out there, they are giving a little more detail on how exactly this could affect our security. Things like having no funding for planning or local programs, also the fact that some 30,000 non-essential DHS employees will be furloughed. And even though they are called non-essential, overall, that could have a negative effect. The White House is, of course, blaming Republicans for this for tying funding DHS to trying to stop the president's executive action on immigration. The White House has called that irresponsible to toy with homeland security in this way, and they said, well, even though some of these essential employees of DHS will have to go to work and not get paid, they say Congress will continue to get paid for not doing its job John and Christine.
[Berman:] All right. Our thanks to Michelle for that. DHS funding not the only issue facing the White House this morning. President Obama is still seeking congressional authorization for the war against ISIS. But he is confronting rebellion with his own party over his request for a three-year authorization for the use of military force. The president's plan ban a, quote, "enduring ground operation". But many Democrats say they are weary of another war in Iraq. They don't want to give the president and more importantly, his successor, they say, a blank check. Later today, two meetings are set to give the president high-level feedback on the battle against ISIS. One of them is with the emir of Qatar, the other with Defense Secretary Ash Carter, who is just back from a trip to the Middle East. All right. The weather, it is nuts this morning. It was minus I took a picture. Minus 1 degrees when I got in my garage this morning.
[Romans:] It takes your breath away, just walking outside takes your breath away.
[Berman:] And here's the thing it's not just here in the Northeast. It's also the South getting hit by widespread school closures and icy conditions. Students from Texas to Arkansas to the Carolinas they will not be in school because of the whole region is expecting bone- chilling temperatures. Some places could get snow and freezing rain. To make matters worse, airlines have canceled more than 600 flights so far across the country. Look at this. A scary moment for passengers on American Airlines flight at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. The nose gear slipped off the taxi way as the plane turned the corner. You see that point, the ice just made it slip off the runway. None of the 68 people on board was hurt. Another picture to show you. Look at that, icy conditions left this struck dangling off the overpass in Dallas. Wow! That is terrifying. The driver did manage to get out unscathed.
[Romans:] Wow. All right. Check out the scene in Flagstaff, Arizona. That's right, I said Arizona. You can see the flakes coming down hard there. The area could be slammed with up to 11 inches of snow. The region under a winter storm warning until 5:00 tonight.
[Berman:] In Maine, an SUV was submerged in the icy river wow pushed off a bridge. They say it may have been caused by an act of road rage. Three people are now hospitalized with hypothermia. Authorities say they are shocked that anyone survived.
[Deputy Al Winslow, Cumberland County Sheriff's Office:] Extremely lucky. With the temperatures and windchill and the temperature of the water, I'm amazed they were able to get out of the vehicle in time.
[Berman:] Investigators trying to figure out which driver was at fault and whether anyone will face charges.
[Romans:] And don't try this, please, please? An SUV caught on camera doing donuts in a mall parking lot in Dallas. Letting off the gas and sliding there. The driver was caught by mall security who let him go with only a warning. So, is there any relief in sight for the frozen South? Meteorologist Pedram Javaheri tracking the cold air and the possibility of snow for us, Pedram.
[Pedram Javaheri, Ams Meteorologist:] Good morning, John and Christine. Yes, on Monday, we had major disruption out of areas around Dallas and Dallas Ft. Worth Airport. All of that shifting off to the Southeast, now across Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson Airport, the busiest airport in the world, seeing some 300 flights preemptively cancelled on you Tuesday, wet weather pushing in, in fact. Some sleet reported across the Atlanta metro area into the early morning hours. And about 25 million people dealing with wintry weather across the southern United States where we have not had significant snow accumulations and certainly only get a couple of opportunities for you. It certainly looks like this time around, maybe one of those opportunity. Atlanta, winter weather advisory in place, working on into Columbia and Charlotte, with some sleet, some ice, some snow all in the forecast over the next couple days. If your travel plans take you across I-20, just east of Dallas, all the way to Atlanta, that is where the first bout of wintry weather mainly in the way of ice going to be possible, and then comes the snow showers. Some of the models at this point really want to keep everything north of Birmingham, north of Atlanta. Notice you get to the western mountains of North Carolina and we are talking significant snow accumulations. But regardless, at least some snow is possible and if you are heading to Arkansas or North Carolina, that looks the most likely area for heavy snowfall guys.
[Berman:] All right. Our thanks, Pedram, for that. Some explosive newly leaked cables indicate some discrepancy between what Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the United Nations about Iran's nuclear weapons and what his own intelligence service was telling him. The source of the secret cables, Israel's Mossad intelligence agency via South Africa apparently. CNN senior international correspondent Nic Robertson tracking the latest developments live for us from London. Good morning, Nic.
[Nic Robertson, Cnn Senior International Correspondent:] Yes, good morning, John. So, what you have here are documents that have been leaked to Al Jazeera network. They've been releasing this slowly with in conjunction with "The Guardian" newspaper. So, what are they seeing here on this memo that was sent to the South African intelligence agency. Well, in September of 2012, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a speech at the U.N. where he outlined how quickly Iran was trying to build a nuclear weapon, how close it was getting and the threat therefore. What we have a month later is a memo from Mossad to the South African intelligence agencies saying, well, actually, we don't believe that Iran is doing the necessary activity at this stage to make a weapon. It goes on to say that they are trying to close gaps in technology through legitimate civilian means. But if they were to make a decision, these closing of the gaps in technology, if they make a decision to build a weapon, then it would be so much shorter. Now, what we are hearing from Israeli officials is they are saying what this represents is no gap between the thinking of the Israeli prime minister and the head of the intelligence agency. We certainly know if we go back and read newspaper articles in 2012, there were some differences between the prime minister and the intelligence services in Israel. However, the Israeli authorities at the moment say that there was no difference. In fact, Iran, as the Israeli prime minister was saying at the time in 2012, was going on to produce more enriched uranium. It wasn't until the summer of the following years that with the agreement of European and U.S. nations, they decided to neutralize that enriched uranium John, Christine.
[Berman:] And, of course, the timing of this is all crucial given that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu comes to the United States to talk about the Iranian nuclear capability and negotiators are trying to hammer out the deal at this very moment. So, the timing is very, very interesting. Nic Robertson, thanks so much.
[Romans:] All right. The jury in Manhattan finding the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian Liberation Organization liable for six terrorists in Israel between 2002 and 2004 that left Americans dead or injured. The jury award of $218 million to dozens of plaintiffs automatically gets tripled under a special terrorism law. That means the damages are $655 million. The Palestinian Authority and the PLO say they intend to appeal this decision. They have not indicated whether they are able or willing to pay.
[Berman:] Pro-Russian separatists celebrating in Eastern Ukraine this morning. Rebel fighters cheer their victory over the Ukrainian army in Debaltseve. It was a festive rally on Monday. Many of them say they are energized to fight on and capture more territory in eastern Ukraine. For his part, Russian President Vladimir Putin is stressing his support for a cease-fire. In the interview, he calls the idea of a war between Russia and Ukraine unlikely. Some big political news here in the United States. Chris Christie broke his own law when he decided not to fully fund the state's pension system for public employees last year. That ruling came from the federal judge. It orders the governor to put $1.6 billion back into the system and says the governor cannot renege on its obligations to Jersey's teachers, firefighters and police officers. The governor's office says the plan to appeal the ruling. New Jersey is already facing a $2.7 billion revenue shortfall. And again, that man right there, Chris Christie, is considering running for president right now. So, this has national implications.
[Romans:] An apology from V.A. Secretary Robert McDonald for falsely claiming he served in the military Special Forces. McDonald was caught on tape in January, telling that falsehood to a homeless veteran. McDonald did graduate from West Point in 1975, completed Army Ranger training but he never actually served in a ranger battalion or any other special operations unit. The V.A. secretary says he has, quote, "no excuse" for this, quote, "misstatement".
[Berman:] Closing arguments could begin as early as this morning in the "American Sniper" murder trial. The prosecution is expected to call at least one more witness. The defense then has the option to call more rebuttal witnesses with the possibility of closing arguments happening immediately afterwards, that if the weather permits. Court was postponed on Monday due all the icy conditions and there is some more questionable other as you have heard on the forecast for today.
[Romans:] Time for an early start on your money this morning. Stocks in a holding pattern awaiting testimony from the most important woman in the world.
[Berman:] Christine Romans?
[Romans:] No, the Federal Reserve Chairman Janet Yellen.
[Berman:] My wife? Oh.
[Romans:] Those are the two most important women in your world.
[Berman:] Sometimes, she's awake. I almost totally got myself in big trouble there.
[Romans:] European and Asian shares mixed right now. U.S. stocks futures barely moving. It's early, folks. Fed Chair Janet Yellen testifies before Congress and her remarks could provide insight into when the Central Bank will raise interest rates and just exactly what she's thinking about the durability of the economy here and labor market. A big win for Google in the mobile payment wars. Google has a deal with AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile to get the Google wallet payment app pre-installed on Android phones. Google Wallet let shoppers to tap a credit card reader to pay, much like Apple Pay. The service has been around since 2011, but has largely failed to catch on. This could be one of those important, important moves that allow it to be more mainstream.
[Berman:] I feel different already. Three British girls believed recruited by ISIS as officials try to stop them from joining the ranks of the terror group. This as renewed focus on a woman helping lure others to radicalism. Was she involved in this case? We'll have the latest, next.