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Early Start with Rahel Solomon

Palisades Fire Suspect To Have Detention Hearing Today; Disney Raises Ticket Prices At U.S. Theme Parks; Israel And Hamas Agree To First Phase Of Gaza Ceasefire Plan. Aired 5:30-6a ET

Aired October 09, 2025 - 05:30   ET

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

[05:30:00]

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VERONICA MIRACLE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: They also say that Rinderknecht was driving for Uber the night they believed he started the fire and had actually dropped off two passengers in the area and then went to that trailhead.

Now according to investigators the original fire was called the Lachman Fire, and it started on -- in the early morning hours of January 1. And that fire, ignited they say by Rinderknecht, was quickly put out by firefighters and was not visibly on fire. However, it was smoldering underground. That fire was burning root systems and the dirt for about a week. And then on January 7 they say when winds came through very strongly it kicked up those embers and then created the explosive and deadly Palisades Fire.

Now some clues that investigators have pointed to in their criminal complaint -- they say that Rinderknecht was the only person in the area at the time of the fire. They also say that on surveillance images they have an image of his car near the trailhead as that fire was starting.

So what's next? Rinderknecht is due in federal court in Orlando and investigators say he is facing a minimum of five years and up to 20 years in federal prison for this felony charge.

Veronica Miracle, CNN, Los Angeles.

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BRIAN ABEL, CNN ANCHOR: We are watching U.S. futures as markets react to the Gaza peace proposal and other news. We'll check that latest numbers.

Plus, one U.S. state is a step closer to getting unhealthy ultraprocessed foods off the school lunch menu. It won't happen overnight though. Details coming up after the break.

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[05:36:10] ABEL: Welcome back to EARLY START.

Here is where the U.S. futures stand ahead of the open bell on Wall Street. You see the Dow, the S&P 500, and the Nasdaq all up just slightly.

Let's check some of today's other business headlines.

Elon Musk and his social media platform X have settled a severance dispute with a group of executives he fired in 2022. They were forced out of their jobs hours after Musk took control of what was then Twitter. The court order signed on October 1 does not detail the terms of the settlement.

A jury in California has ordered the Johnson & Johnson Company to pay $966 million to the family of a woman who died from mesothelioma. The family of Mae Moore, who died back in 2021, sued the company, claiming its talc baby powder contained asbestos fibers that caused her rare cancer. Johnson & Johnson does plan to appeal that judgment.

Cristiano Ronaldo has become football's first billionaire player. His current deal with Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr catapulted him onto the Bloomberg billionaires list. That contract is reportedly worth more than $400 million in tax-free earnings. The Portuguese striker, who is 40, also has sponsorships worth more than $175 million.

The happiest place on Earth is now a little more expensive to enjoy. But as Natasha Chen reports there is a silver lining to the increase of ticket prices at Disney's theme parks across the U.S.

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NATASHA CHEN, CNN U.S. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Disney has increased prices for U.S. theme parks again, something fans have now come to expect about once a year. But this time most ticket price increases are smaller than in recent years.

For most Disney World tickets in Florida the average increase is about $5.00. For most Disneyland tickets in California the increase is about three percent or less, on par with U.S. inflation for the 12 months ending in August. Both resorts will see their cheapest tickets during slower seasons remain exactly the same price -- no increase.

Pair that with the fact that Disney is handing out some of the best discounts we've seen in years, and we start to see the bigger picture. The company is trying to entice more visitors to its California and Florida parks during slower seasons, especially in a year when no brand-new rides are likely to open and some American consumers may be a little wary of the economy overall.

But here's a warning for anyone trying to go during the holidays. Christmas and New Year's weeks are notoriously crowded -- considered peak period -- and will therefore require the most expensive tickets. Disney has raised prices more significantly during those times so that a peak one-day ticket to one park will cost you more than $220 on either coast. Natasha Chen, CNN, Los Angeles.

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ABEL: California is now the first U.S. state to define unhealthy ultraprocessed foods and ban them from the one billion meals that are served to schoolchildren each year. Governor Gavin Newsom signing that Real Food Healthy Kids Act into law on Wednesday. It requires public health officials and scientists to come together and decide which ultraprocessed foods are most harmful to human health. This is going to take some time. Officials have 10 years to fully phase those foods out of the school food supply.

There is much more to come on CNN NEWSROOM (sic), including latest on the U.S. president's announcement that Israel and Hamas have agreed on the first phase of a ceasefire plan.

Plus, we will get reaction from an Israeli woman who was taken hostage on October 7 along with her husband.

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[05:49:15]

ABEL: Welcome back. I'm Brian Abel. Here are some stories we are watching today.

The Trump administration is preparing to defend its National Guard deployments to Chicago and to Portland, Oregon. Two separate hearings are scheduled for today. State and city officials call the deployment unconstitutional. The administration says it wants to protect federal agents and property.

President Trump says Israel and Hamas have agreed on the first phase of a ceasefire framework. He says a deal will allow for a swift release of hostages and see Israel withdraw troops in Gaza to a specified line.

[05:45:00]

Israel's prime minister will convene the Israeli government to ratify the agreement in the coming hours. Under Israeli law any decision that involves the release of Palestinian prisoners must get cabinet sign- off followed by a short window for petitions challenging the releases to be filed before Israel's High Court of Justice.

Joining me now from Israel is Aviva Siegel, a former Israeli hostage released during a ceasefire in November of 2023. And her husband Keith, who was also taken captive, was freed earlier this year. Aviva, thank you so much for joining me during this moment.

First, I want to get your reaction to this agreement.

AVIVA SIEGEL, FORMER ISRAELI HOSTAGE: Well, I'm just so happy and dancing. I'm the happiest person on Earth and I just -- and I'm imagining Gali and Ziv, the two twins from our community, coming back and giving them mama hug. And it's happening. It's going to happen. It's happening soon. They're coming home. The hostages are coming home.

ABEL: Aviva, I can -- I can hear the emotion as well as the excitement in your voice.

I do want to focus on the hostages here first. You've experienced this -- what they are about to -- being held captive and not knowing when or if you'll come home. And then that moment of being out of the hands of Hamas.

What will that moment be like for these remaining hostages?

SIEGEL: Well, I was told that I'm going home but I didn't believe them because they used to lie to us all the time. The first moment that I saw the first soldier -- Israeli soldier is that moment that I realized that I'm going home. I was just so excited. I didn't believe. It was like a dream, and it was like I was in a shock. I was in a completely and utterly shock.

I mean, to be the there underneath the ground and to be begging to stay alive and doing everything I could to just stay alive and nearly dead for 51 days all the time, coming out of there and seeing Israel -- seeing the people -- the people were waiting for us. And it was just a very, very excited -- exciting moment. And to meet my family was one of the best moments ever.

And I remember Keith was still in Gaza and I said to myself when you meet your kids you have to be happy for them because they've been waiting for you too. And that's what I did becasuse I was sure that Keith would come home soon. It took Keith another year and two months after I came back to come back. Keith was there for 484 days.

When Keith came back, he came back like a skeleton -- very thin. He didn't come back like the Keith that I knew. It was difficult. I was in shock when he came back.

And I know that it's a very, very special moment when they come back but I do know that it's not going to be all very, very easy.

ABEL: And Aviva, now multiply that for how long these hostages have been there -- longer than Keith even. What will they need moving forward?

SIEGEL: Well, they'll need a lot of hugs and a lot of support. And, you know, coming from a place that you have to be quiet for 51 days -- you're not allowed to talk -- if you let -- if you've been able to talk you can whisper. Coming back and then you can talk, I remember that feeling. OK, I can talk now. And OK, I can drink some water. OK, I can eat now.

It's strange because it's something that I just can't explain by words. It's going to take time for them just like it took time for me, and it took time for Keith. But we've been waiting for this moment so much. Everybody's just so excited. I'm -- I just want to see Keith. He's in the states now so he is not

with me. And I want to see him smile. I want to see him happy. And I want both of us to say OK, we're finished feeling sad for the hostages that are still there and for their families. And just be happy and get back to life. We haven't lived for the last two years -- we haven't.

ABEL: And I'm -- I know that you will be there to help offer your support and your insight into what life is like moving forward once those hostages are released.

Aviva Siegel, I really appreciate your time. Thank you.

[05:50:00]

SIEGEL: I want to thank you, and I want to thank everybody for listening to me. It's a very, very special day for all of us. For all the Jews all over the world, for all the people that just want good, and let's just pray together that nothing like this will ever, ever happen to anybody again.

ABEL: And we're going to turn now to flight delays across the U.S. that could get even worse in the coming days from airport staffing shortages. Officials have reported an increase in air traffic controllers calling out sick amid the government shutdown even though they are supposed to keep working without pay until the shutdown ends.

The U.S. Travel Association estimates the affects of the shutdown are costing the travel sector about $1 billion a week, causing irreversible damage.

These are just some of the cities where airports have experienced staffing shortages this week. On Wednesday night alone, the FAA reported at least six air traffic control facilities as being understaffed.

CNN's aviation analyst Mary Schiavo notes how industrywide problems are being made even worse.

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MARY SCHIAVO, CNN AVIATION ANALYST: If an airport of a facility had problems before the shutdown -- you know, because there was a staffing shortage nationwide with air traffic controllers and the FAA even before all this. So those places that have problems, those problems are magnified.

And so the bottom line is yes, what has to happen is they have to stretch out the traffic and put more space between the planes, or it would be much more dangerous. So the way they're dealing with it is putting more space between the planes -- and space is time. And that's what's happening and that's why there are delays.

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ABEL: Still ahead, Dolly Parton puts rumors about her health to rest after some confusion and concerns spread online. Her message to fans in her own words, next.

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[05:56:20]

ABEL: The organization in charge of U.S. college sports is a step closer to letting athletes and athletic department staff members bet on professional sports. An NCAA Division I committee greenlit the change, which does still need approvals from Divisions II and III. If all are on board, the new gambling regulations would go into effect November 1.

The committee says it does remain concerned about the risk of sports betting but ruled in favor of fewer restrictions. Athletes are still banned from betting on college sports.

And Denmark's prime minister wants to ban social media for children in her country under 15 years old. Parents would have the option of giving permission to their kids starting at age 13. The prime minister cited concerns for children's mental health in her address to Parliament about the proposed ban.

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METTE FREDERIKSEN, DANISH PRIME MINISTER (through translator): Never before have so many children and young people suffered from anxiety and depression as now. Many have difficulty reading and many have difficulty concentrating. On the screen they see things that no child or young person should see.

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ABEL: The proposal comes after Danish lawmakers, last month, banned mobile phones for children in primary schools and afterschool programs.

Well, scientists are getting a better idea about where to land future probes on Mars thanks to the red planet's so-called dust devils. They looked at the data from two orbiters about the planet's tornadoes -- you see some of them here -- which hurl large amounts of dust into the Martian atmosphere. Well, scientists -- they learned the twisters are stronger and raise more dust then previously believed.

The information is already being used to pick better landing sites for future Mars mission, and that's pretty important. And problems related to dust -- they've knocked two older landers out of commission.

And beloved country music legend Dolly Parton is reassuring fans that she's not going anywhere just yet.

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DOLLY PARTON, SINGER-SONGWRITER: And I'm not ready to die yet. I don't think God is through with me and I ain't done working. So I love you for caring and keep praying for me.

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ABEL: Still going.

Many people were alarmed after one of Parton's sisters asked for prayers for the singer's health this week. But Parton says she didn't mean to scare anyone, just that Dolly has been "under the weather" -- her sister says that -- and "It was nothing more than a little sister asking for prayers for her big sister."

In Dolly Parton's video she said she's had some health problems after the death of her husband earlier this year. She says it was nothing major, but she did postpone her December concerts in Las Vegas to be closer to home and address those health issues.

It is one of the most recognizable fast food brands in the world but for the first time in more than a decade Domino's pizza is getting a refresh. Let's hope it goes better than Cracker Barrel. If you are slightly struggling to tell the difference here -- well, the firm says it's all about the brighter colors. There are also new boxes, new employee uniforms, and a new jingle.

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DOMINO'S JINGLE: Dom-mmm-ino's.

SHABOOZEY, SINGER-RAPPER: I got it, brother. That's it. That's fine.

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ABEL: And it was written by none other than who you just saw there, country star Shaboozey.

Domino's says this is a makeover for the TikTok generation designed to capture and then hopefully hold onto customers' short attention spans.

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World travelers looking to wet your whistle, we've got some recommendations for you. A British group has released its list of the world's 50 best bars. Bar Leone coming in at number one in Hong Kong. The Italian spot is run by a Rome native who says he wanted the bar to feel like his grandmother's living room. It is the first-ever Asian bar to top that list.

And Handshake Speakeasy in Mexico City comes in at number two, followed by Sips and Paradiso in Barcelona. Tayer & Elementary in London rounds out the top five.

That does it for us. Thank you for joining us here on EARLY START. I'm Brian Abel in Washington, D.C. "CNN THIS MORNING" starts right now.