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Russians Make Final Preparations for Withdrawal from Syria; Primaries Previewed; North Korea Vows More Weapons Tests; European Migrant Crisis Update; Ivory Coast Mourns Attack Victims; Exposing Human Trafficking in India's Tea Industry. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired March 15, 2016 - 03:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:00:00] ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN NEWSROOM SHOW HOST: Packing up, Russia begins its military withdrawal from Syria as promised.

ERROL BARNETT, CNN NEWSROOM SHOW HOST: More threats, North Korea vows to conduct more nuclear tests in defiance of the U.N.

CHURCH: And America's choice, five states with hundreds of delegates at stake in what could be a make-or-break day for some in the race for the White House.

BARNETT: A big welcome to those of you watching all around the globe, I'm Errol Barnett.

CHURCH: And I'm Rosemary Church. Thanks for joining us as we begin our second hour of CNN Newsroom.

BARNETT: We begin with breaking news from Syria where Russia has started the process of pulling its troops out of the country as ordered by President Vladimir Putin.

CHURCH: Russia began the air strikes in support of the Syrian government in September, and on Monday, Mr. Putin said that his country's mission has been accomplished.

BARNETT: Our senior international correspondent Matthew Chance joins us now live from Moscow with the latest on this. And, Matthew, I am wondering how Moscow is characterizing what's been accomplished so far, and how exactly is President Putin justifying this withdrawal?

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, I mean, he is justifying it essentially, Errol, because he is saying -- he is that he has won. He is saying that all of the objectives or most of the objectives of the Russian mission to Syria have been achieved and that's why he is calling an end to this military intervention in Syria.

Within the past few minutes, it's been reported on the state media that Sergey Shoygu, who is the Russian defense ministry has passed on the president's order and warplanes inside Syria from Russia are starting the preparations that they have to go through to make the long distance flight back to their permanent bases inside of Russia. And so the process of pulling down, drawing down those Russian forces has already begun.

But, yes. I mean, this is -- this is a classic Putin move. It's unpredictable, it was unexpected, and he is getting the victory where he can, you know, taking the victory where he can have it. Essentially, he has achieved quite a lot from a Russian point of view inside Syria, first and foremost, supporting his ally, Bashar Al Assad.

Six and months ago, President Assad had faced defeat, the country faced being overrun by a collection of opposition forces. That's no longer the case, Assad is on the offensive again, certainly, his position in the West of Syria has been considerably bolstered by the presence of Russian air power.

And also, all of the parties now, and this wouldn't have happened if it weren't for the Russian intervention have gone to the negotiating table. There are peace talks trying to get underway in Geneva which possibly could lead to some kind of more permanent settlement in the situation and the conflict.

And that's certainly what the emphasis of the Russian government is now, they say that President Putin saying that they are going to ex -- they are going to put additional influence, and additional focus on trying to achieve a diplomatic and political solution to that conflict.

But I think most important from Putin's point of view, he is showing that Russia is once more a player again, and people now take Russia very seriously when it comes to international diplomacy and that wouldn't have happened if he had not intervened so successfully from that point of view inside Syria.

BARNETT: It's a very good point. And so, as you mentioned there, Moscow has now become a more influential global player, it has leverage in the Middle East, but what next? What might it want to do with that as now there are peace talks, and discussion of perhaps partitioning Syria, and perhaps having elections next year? How will we see this new Russian power use?

CHANCE: Well, I mean, that's not clear. But, I mean, and certain what Russia wants to see in Syria has been pretty, you know, pretty transparent. I mean, they are very reluctant to see Bashar Al Assad have pulled from power, although they are not tied to him, you know, permanently they say, but they need -- they need a leader in Syria who is going to guarantee the Russian interest.

And the Russian interests are economic, they got strong commercial ties with Syria, but they also got strong military ties as well. And it's interesting that the fact that this withdrawal has been announced. It's also been announced in the same statement by Vladimir Putin that the two major military bases that Russia has inside Syria will stay and will continue to function as normal.

That's the naval base at Tartus, and the air base near Latakia where the majority if not all of the air strikes have been carried out from in terms of the warplane strikes. And so, they will maintain that significant military footprint in

Syria, and that was really the primary reason that the Russians went in to support the regime of Bashar Al Assad in the first place, and they guaranteed it.

[03:05:09] BARNETT: Yes. Russia now has a toe-hold so to speak, right there in Syria in the Middle East.

Matthew Chance, live for us in Moscow, 5 minutes past 10 a.m. There. Thanks, Matthew.

CHURCH: And earlier I spoke earlier with Joshua Landis, director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma, and I asked him about Mr. Putin's latest move and the message he is sending to Syrian President Bashar Al Assad and the international community.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOSHUA LANDIS, UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA CENTER FOR MIDDLE EAST STUDIES DIRECTOR: I think first of all, to the international community he is saying that I am a man of peace, I'm a statesman, mission accomplished and that's what he is sending home. He is letting the Americans know at Geneva the first day of the meeting of this peace conference that he is willing to make some important compromises.

He is also sending a message to Bashar Al Assad as you said in which he is saying we don't have to be here. Yet, you have -- you have to make some compromises in order to find a way forward in this.

But he is also I think at the same time sending a message to the Americans and to the Syrian opposition, to the Americans who have not wanted to work with him. I think that one of Putin's main goals in going into Syria was to get Americans to cooperate with him in fighting what he calls the terrorists, and America is not one to do that so far.

And I think in a sense he is saying, you know, I could go home, and pack up my marbles and you would be left holding the bag in Syria. But it's also...

(CROSSTALK)

CHURCH: Interesting.

LANDIS: Yes. Go ahead.

CHURCH: So, where does these leave things diplomatically and of course on the battlefield in Syria?

LANDIS: Well, you know, he has made this dramatic gesture, but we don't know how serious he is really is. He is not going to abandon Bashar Al Assad, he has made a big investment in Syria, and that he is not going to let go down the drain.

So, he can withdraw some men, but he has said at the same time that the airport at Latakia, the port at Tartus will be running as they were before. Now what exactly that means is hard to know. But I think Russia is going to continue to press the advantage to help Assad, but he is looking for the way forward.

He is letting the international community know that Russia is ready to deal. He takes it seriously, the peace negotiations, but nobody sees a real way forward in Syria today. That is the main problem; there is so much unfinished business. And there is going to take, it is going to take serious cooperation from the international community and from the Syrian opposition. And everybody is forgetting the Syrian opposition in this, they hold territory.

There are thousand militias-plus, and they need to come to the table seriously, they are today, saying that Assad has to go and we are going to have a transitional government, but they have no power to enforce this. So, people have to get serious about making real compromise, and I think that's the message that Putin is trying to send here.

CHURCH: So, what's the next step for the United States? What does the U.S. need to do to help stabilize the situation in Syria and can it successfully work with Russia on this?

LANDIS: Well, that's the real question. You know, yesterday, Reuters announced that Russia had asked the United States to help them to take Raqqah, the capital of ISIS territory in Syria. I am sure that the Russians have gotten no answer, because the United States is not going to work with Russia or Assad in taking back ISIS territory, and that's fundamentally a problem with Russia's position.

Russia wants to work with America to take back ISIS' territory and to put Assad as the partner of the United States. And United States is going to turn their nose up that. Their core international values are we don't work with dictators, democracy, and human rights, Assad doesn't fit that bill, but America has no other partner.

They have the courage it could take a little bit of territory, but this is the fundamental problem, nobody is willing to work with anybody else in Syria.

CHURCH: All right. Joshua Landis, thank you so much for joining us and providing us with your perspective on this. I appreciate it.

LANDIS: Thank you.

BARNETT: And now we want to bring you a report from inside Syria. CNN's senior international correspondent, Clarissa Ward went undercover where she was virtually no Western journalists have gone in more than a year.

CHURCH: Now she took the last remaining rebel-held route into Aleppo, there they met a brave few people still clinging to their homes, and their hope.

CLARISSA WARD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You can tell when you are getting closer to Aleppo, the streets are pock marked with the aftermath of fresh air strikes.

[03:10:06] Berms of earth flank the road to protect the way from enemy fire, it's a dangerous journey to a city few dare to visit. We now have to drive extremely quickly along this portion of the road, because on one side, you have the regime, and on the other side, you have Kurdish fighters who are now fighting against the rebel forces, and there are snipers all around here, but this is the only road now to get into Aleppo.

As you arrive in the city, the scale of the destruction is breathtaking. Stretching on and on. Entire residential neighborhoods reduced to rubble. Aleppo was once Syria's largest city, a bustling economic hub, now an apocalyptic landscape.

Russian warplanes have bombed these areas relentlessly, allowing the government ground forces to encircle the rebel-held eastern part of the city. Still, we found pockets of life among the devastation. The fruit market huddled in the shadow of the bombed out building, a line of people waiting patiently to collect water and now a precious resource here.

This is basically what is left of rebel-held Aleppo after months and months of thousands of Russian bombs raining down on here, and the streets are largely deserted, the buildings have been destroyed, and the people who once lived here have been pushed out.

And the very few residents who are still here who we've spoken to have told us that they don't expect the situation to get any better. In fact, they are convinced it will only get worse.

Seventy-year-old Suad (ph) has lived in the city for 40 years, her grandson Farouq is a fighter with the Islamic group, Ahrar ash-Sham. In all, nine members of her family have been killed in the fighting including two of her three sons.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (TRANSLATED): They all died on the front line, we raise our heads high for them, God willing they are in paradise.

WARD: What would it take for you to leave Aleppo?

FAROUQ, AHRAR ASH-SHAM FIGHTER (TRANSLATED): I think it is true that there is shelling and Russian planes and Iranian militias and everyday a massacre, but it is enough for us to express our religion and our faith as freed people and not anyone is topping. It is enough for us to fight as Mujahidin and defend our honor and our women.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (TRANSLATED): Should we leave our country and go to another country? No, this is our country, and we will remain in this until we die.

(END VIDEO CLIP) WARD: The people clinging onto the life here feel that the world has abandoned them, leaving them only with God. Their existence becomes more precarious with every passing day, but surrender is unthinkable.

Clarissa Ward, CNN, Aleppo.

CHURCH: Clarissa Ward's exclusive reports continue all week right here on CNN.

BARNETT: That's right. Next time she reports on the state of civil institutions in rebel-held parts of Syria and the forces set on destroying them.

WARD: Any civilian in the structure is a potential target including hospitals. Last month, four were hit in a single day.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (TRANSLATED): They want to kill the maximum number of people, and also, they want to forbid the area from having medical service. If there is no doctor, no nurse, or hospital, then there is no health care for the people, and people will flee.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: It's all part of that exclusive coverage "Inside Syria, Behind Rebel Lines" all this week only here on CNN.

BARNETT: And if you want to learn more about what's happening on the ground in Syria, just head to the cnn.com/syria.

CHURCH: And you will find a host of online exclusives including a 360-degree view of Aleppo, and an interactive time line of the Civil War that's torn the country apart.

BARNETT: Now, a U.S. official tells CNN that Iran is capable of launching a three-stage rocket with a satellite on top, quote, "at any minute." State media reports Iran's test fired two ballistic missiles last week.

Washington says those tests were in violation of a U.N. resolution calling on Tehran to refrain from ballistic missile activity. Iran's foreign minister insists its ballistic missiles of a self-defense would not be used in aggression.

CHURCH: Well, North Korea says it's planning ballistic missile test of its own, the kind capable of carrying a nuclear warhead.

[03:15:06] Newly released photos show North Korean leader Kim Jong-un reviewing a ballistic rocket simulation. Now there is skepticism as to where the North Korea actually has the technology to carry out a successful test.

Our CNN international correspondent, Ivan Watson joins us now live from Seoul. So, Ivan, by announcing this, what message is Kim Jong-un sending the world, and how likely is it that he will be able to carry out such a test?

IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, the clear message here is despite pretty much universal condemnation by the international community, by the United Nations Security Council, North Korea is going to continue on its march towards developing not only nuclear weapons, but also nuclear weapons mounted on board intercontinental ballistic missiles.

And that's what these pictures are showing, and what the claims are that are coming out in the Korean state media that they were effectively testing what looks like a nose cone and saying that it is in fact, heat-resistant, and thus, it could be mounted on a missile, and that missile could then survive reentry into the earth's atmosphere, and it could theoretically carry a nuclear warhead.

And this just comes days after North Korea announced that it had developed the technology to miniaturize one of its nuclear bombs to mount it on to a missile. And then the additional statement the orders coming from the North Korean leader telling scientists to, please, go ahead, carry out another nuclear tests and carry out more missile tests. Again, all in flagrant violation of many United Nations Security Council resolutions. Rosemary?

CHURCH: And, Ivan, is this just more of the same posturing from North Korea's leader or do analysts see a more obvious threat in these latest moves from Kim Jong-un?

WATSON: Well, the South Korean government has not hesitated to come out and reject these claims being made by Pyongyang, the South Korean Defense Ministry saying in no way does North Korea have reentry capability for its arsenal of missiles. The South Korean president issued a pretty stark warning to the North Koreans today. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PARK GEUN-HYE, SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT (TRANSLATED): If North Korea continues its provocation and strong opposition against the international community and does not take the way for change, it's taking the way for self-destruction.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WATSON: So, self-destruction is what South Korea is saying that North Korea is leading towards, the president went on to say, to call on the U.S. to work more with other world powers like Japan, Russia, and China on this very specific issue. And we've also learned that the South Korean foreign minister has been in talks overnight, in a phone call with his Chinese counterpart.

It's important to note that since the new United Nations Security Council resolution was imposed earlier this month, there are signs that China has begun to observe and impose some of the new sanctions against North Korea. Just days ago, a North Korean freighter was denied entry at the port of Hong Kong. Rosemary? CHURCH: All right. Our Ivan Watson watching these developments from

North Korea from his vantage point there in Seoul, South Korea. Many thanks to you.

BARNETT: A pivotal day of voting is about to begin in the race for the White House. Next, we'll show you why Super Tuesday three might make or break two republican candidates.

[03:20:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH: In just a matter of hours, voters in the U.S. may shift the political landscape in what's already been a turbulent White House race. Five states will hold republican and democratic primaries in what's being called the Super Tuesday three.

BARNETT: But it could be anything but super for this man, republican Marco Rubio on the right of the screen, that if he doesn't win his home state of Florida and the same is true for the man on the left, John Kasich in Ohio, you see, they need those wins to stay competitive. For now it is still a four-man race for the republicans and no candidate is taking anything for granted.

CHURCH: Donald Trump is still the republican frontrunner, and he is determined to stay that way, the love between the real estate magnate and his supporters is palpable at his rallies.

BARNETT: But so, too, is the genuine hate between those supporters and Trump's detractors as Jim Acosta reports those passionate crowds are both envied and feared across the political spectrum.

JIM ACOSTA, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: One day before what's likely to be the biggest Super Tuesday, yet, Donald Trump just wants his critics to feel the love.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, (R) U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: And this is a love fest.

(CROWD CHANTING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: As more protesters were removed from another Trump rally, this time in North Carolina, the GOP frontrunner blamed the democrats for the chaos at his events.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: The democrats are seeing what's happening, and they try and disrupt what's happening but it's not a big deal, they stand up and they shout for a couple of seconds, and they got taken out.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: And Trump told Wolf Blitzer the media is also at fault for hyping the protest.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: There's not much violence. Let's not even use the word violence. There's very little disruption generally speaking.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: Sarah Palin has some choice words for the demonstrators labeling them thugs at a Trump rally in Tampa.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SARAH PALIN, FORMER ALASKA GOVERNOR: What we don't have time for is all that petty and punk-ass thuggery stuff.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: But after a near riot when Trump canceled his rally in Chicago, that protester who tried to confront Trump in Ohio and the police pepper spraying demonstrators in Kansas City, the other republican candidates are warning their party could face a grim future.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARCO RUBIO, (R) U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Donald Trump has done (Inaudible) A lot of republicans who don't support. And every day that he behaves the way he is behaving now and inciting anger and frustration is making it harder and harder.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: But republicans may not have much of a choice if Trump sweeps the five big states up for grabs Tuesday. Slowing Trump's momentum in Florida won't be easy for Marco Rubio, who is predicting an upset win.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RUBIO: Tomorrow is the day. Tomorrow is the day where we're going to shock the country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: Looking much better in his home state is Ohio Governor John Kasich who is also railing against Donald Trump with the help of former GOP nominee, Mitt Romney.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN KASICH, (R) U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Leadership is not encouraging a toxic environment where we blame one group because of the failure of another one. This country is not about tearing one another down or having fistfights at campaign rallies.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Bimbo, dog, fat big, real quotes from Donald Trump about women.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: An anti-trust super PAC is piling on with this new ad portraying the real estate tycoon as offensive to women voters.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[03:25:00] TED CRUZ, (R) U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If Donald Trump is the nominee, he is a disaster.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: Ted Cruz is in agreement on the Trump effect on the GOP, he just differs on how to stop him arguing Kasich and Rubio just don't have a shot at the nomination.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CRUZ: With John Kasich, it's really simple. It's mathematically impossible for him to become the nominee. He cannot beat Donald Trump. So, a vote for John Kasich or a vote for Marco Rubio is a vote that's thrown away.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: The stakes are enormous in this latest Super Tuesday, a Rubio win in Florida, and Kasich victory here in Ohio would re-write the narrative in this campaign, signaling for the first time that Trump may not have the delegates necessary to clinch the GOP nomination.

Jim Acosta, CNN, Youngstown, Ohio.

BARNETT: And we invite you to stay with CNN all day. I may not advice bathroom breaks, but we'll have live coverage of the voting and the results in Super Tuesday part 3.

CHURCH: And later this hour, we will look at the democratic race for U.S. president, both candidates are campaigning hard as Bernie Sanders tries to score another upset.

BARNETT: Plus, this Ivorian beach resort became the target of a terror attack over the weekend. We got new details of the deadly assault and we'll bring them to you after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BARNETT: Welcome back to those of you watching all around the world. This is CNN Newsroom. I'm Errol Barnett.

CHURCH: And I'm Rosemary Church. I want to take the headlines for you this hour.

Russia has started packing up equipment in preparation for pulling its forces out of Syria. Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the withdrawals saying the military has achieved its mission in the country. The announcement came as peace talks resume in Geneva aimed at ending Syria's five-year long Civil War.

[03:30:06] BARNETT: Meanwhile, as parliament has elected the country's civilian president in decades. Htin Kyaw is a close confidant of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Meanwhile, its Constitution was revised to prevent her from running for president.

CHURCH: A key round of presidential primaries is set to begin a few hours from now in five U.S. states. They are especially crucial for Florida Senator Marco Rubio and Ohio Governor John Kasich. Each needs to win in his home state to stay at all competitive.

BARNETT: We're turning now to the Syrian peace talks which come amid fragile ceasefire.

CNN's international diplomatic editor, Nic Robertson joins us live from Geneva with the latest on those talks. And, Nic, last time around these talks fell apart because of Syrian back air strikes of rebel groups, so how does that and the Russian draw down and this current ceasefire change the dynamic there?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Well, certainly, the fight of the ceasefire is more or less held in sort of all sides seem to agree to that that it has led to a significant reduction in the amount of the bombings, and attacks, and killings, does give hope to these peace talks that that can be continued, the humanitarian aid can be continued.

But really what we heard from Russian President Vladimir Putin last night sets the stage here potentially the opposition is saying potentially could make a significant difference to the talks. I mean, the Russian president is the most important backer of the Syrian government, of Bashar Al Assad.

His negotiating team arrived here at the talks yesterday; all they wanted to talk about was procedural issues not about the substance of negotiations and political transition in the country and of new elections.

This was the same two years ago. Back then everyone was looking at Russia to put pressure on the Syrian government. This time around the same point in the talks, and Russia decides to reduce its military backing for President Bashar Al Assad just when he has become to sort, if you will, count on it, and it's made a significant difference from.

So, potentially the opposition here is saying, well, OK, if President Putin's words are matched by significant actions on the ground, then maybe, these talks can go a further distance than they've gone in the past. So, it does breathe some more hope, if you will, into these talks, Errol.

BARNETT: And as we've been noting these past few hours, we understand that drawdown is taking place now, but as you say, they want to see that confirmed from the ground that it matches Moscow's words, but there is another element at play here. As we wonder why now?

How has the lower price of oil played into all of this and placed economic pressure on some of the active parties?

ROBERTSON: You know, everyone is talking about a plan b, and what if the talks don't work. Staffan de Mistura here yesterday said the plan B would be a continuation of war because there is no alternative to the talks.

And if you talk to the diplomats, and they will say, well, OK, if the talks failed. The big thing that's different over two years ago, Russia is part of the political process, it agreed to the U.N. Security Resolution that brought these talks into being.

Therefore, there would be the potential for economic sanctions on Russia if the talks didn't run their course, and Russia wasn't seen to be exerting pressure on the government.

That was one playing of it, and of course the fact that the price of oil is very low, the fact that Sunni Arab coalition has a big hand in the potential price because it can reduce its output of Saudi Arabia, a big player.

And so, if you go back to the Munich talks that really got the ceasefire going to humanitarian deliveries, going about a month and a half ago. Around about the same time we began to hear that Russia and Saudi Arabia had agreed to freeze their levels of oil production which has really begun to be an indication that the price of oil was a significant factor, that the relationship between these two countries would be a significant factor in how the talks would play out.

And another thing, the diplomats in the region are saying is that there was a Sunni Arab alliance which has really grown in the past few months under the leadership of Saudi Arabia were basically saying to Russia, look, if you want to have good Sunni partners in the future, we are going to watch very closely what you do in Syria.

Right now, you are partnered with Hezbollah, you are partnered with Iran and Shia, you know, Shia government, Shia entities if you will, the Sunnis are opposed to that. You can be friends with Iran was the message but how you respond and behave in Syria right now is going to affect your future relationship and business dealings with Saudi Arabia and other Sunnis.

And also the potential for military escalation, Saudis and their allies ready to put surface to air missiles into Syria if the talks didn't work and that would potentially threaten Russian aircraft significantly. Errol?

[03:35:01] BARNETT: Well, you get the sense that the talks may have a different outcome at this time around. And certainly, millions of Syrians desperately need some kind of help and assistance here in the months ahead.

Nic Robertson, live with us in Geneva. Just past 8.30 in the morning there. Thanks, Nic.

CHURCH: Hundreds of desperate migrants left a Greek camp and formed a human chain across a river to get into Macedonia. Macedonia police say the migrants were contained and will be sent back to Greece.

BARNETT: A spokesman for the U.N. refugee agency says heavy rain has made conditions in the Greek camp difficult. This crossing comes days before meeting to finalize an E.U.-Turkey deal to stem the flow of migrants entering Europe through Greece.

CHURCH: Ivory Coast is observing three days of national mourning following an attack that left 18 people dead in the resort city of Grand-Bassam.

BARNETT: Now this is just the latest in a string of assault by Al Qaeda affiliated groups there in West Africa. CNN's David McKenzie has more.

DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Security footage obtained by CNN of a beach bar in Grand-Bassam just moments before the horror begins. Confusion as a single shot rings out. From another vantage point in the distance a gunmen enters the same hotel carrying a Kalashnikov, then chaos.

A Westerner takes shelter behind the bar. The Al Qaeda-linked group striking during Sunday lunchtime where foreigners and wealthy Ivoirians like to hang out. As women and children flee, a young gunman in a waistcoat walks calmly by looking for victims firing his AK-47.

But the gunmen didn't strike at this bar, witnesses say that three of them walked down this beach shooting as they went.

"They were wearing jeans and white t-shirts" says Isaac Watara (ph), a hotel manager, and they had a lot of ammunition and heavy weapons. Watara shows us where two beachgoers were murdered. "I was standing on the balcony," he says, "I saw everything. They shot a man and then a woman. They were shouting, Allah Akbar. One of the gunmen was injured in the leg so the other two just shot them dead," says Watara.

Many here believed Al Qaeda and the Islamic Maghreb was targeting diplomats at the resort, that is officially denied by U.S. sources. But now, tourists are replaced by paramilitary police. It's become all too familiar in West Africa, young men like this increasingly willing to kill and be killed in the name of Jihad.

David McKenzie, CNN, Grand-Bassam, Ivory Coast.

BARNETT: We have more CNN Newsroom for you after the break. The CNN Freedom Project traveled to India to uncover the human traffickers tea workers. Next we'll show you the daring police raid to save one young girl.

[03:40:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH: The CNN Freedom Project is exposing the rampant human trafficking affecting young workers in India's tea industry. Traffickers lure girls with false promises of legitimate work.

CHURCH: CNN special correspondent Muhammad Lila met one girl, herself, a victim, who was on a mission to rescue her 14-year-old sister. The team joined local police to find her, and the people responsible for her abuse.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MUHAMMAD LILA, CNN SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT: Manju Gora lives on a tea plantation in a life of poverty. A few years ago, she was tricked by a human trafficker with promises of more money and a better life in the city. She managed to escape, but she tells us that her sister is still in the hands of the trafficker.

(FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

LILA: For help, she's come here, the headquarters of the Save the Child movement, a charity that rescues children from captivity.

(FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

LILA: As they plan the raid, time is critical. They have to move fast making call after call. Desperately trying to find out where the trafficker is hiding. But every call, every desperate tap on the phone. Everything leads to a dead end.

So, there is a problem right now that we thought that we knew where the traffickers were keeping Manju's sister, but it looks like right now we don't. As the minutes turn into hours an all hope looks lost.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is not clear about where these girls.

LILA: Suddenly out of the blue.

(FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

A big break.

(FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

LILA: A lucky phone call leads to the trafficker's address.

So, we just got confirmation of where the trafficker is right now, and we are going to go and see him. Nobody knows what's going to happen as we climb the narrow staircases in this, a decrepit apartment building.

Police are hoping to make an arrest, and Manju moves quickly room to the room, desperate to find her sister, and police move to the rooftop downstairs we turn a corner, and find this. It looks like we found a couple of other girls that are also victims of trafficking, and there is somebody hiding in the room right here.

Huddled against the wall three young girls terrified all from villages in State of Assam.

(FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

This is the man that police trot out for the cameras, accusing him of trafficking girls from tea plantations, promising them a better life but then abusing them, and selling them as domestic labor.

For Manju, this rescue is bittersweet, hoping to find her sister but finding other girls instead.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We just shoot three girls and two boys from this agency.

LILA: Dolly Jo (ph), She has rescued hundreds of girls from modern day slavery. As police take the suspect, she drive with us to the police station.

What was your reaction when you saw these girls. How did you feel this?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I feel sad about them. Every time I do this because they come all the way from somebody state body to want some money, but you can see the conditions there.

LILA: Sir, sir, we are with CNN. Can we ask you a question? This is what happens when we confront the man they accused.

[03:45:01] UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Go away.

LILA: Answer my question, sir. Were you taking advantage of them?

(FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

LILA: Police take him inside for questioning and charge him with bonded labor and cruelty to a child. As the sun sets, the suspect agrees to tell them where Manju's sister has been working.

Two long hours later, Manju's sister emerges, met with a smile, and a hug that means the world.

(FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

LILA: And just like that, with police by their side, the two sisters are together again walking arm in arm, taking their steps together in freedom.

For the CNN Freedom Project, Muhammad Lila in Delhi.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BARNETT: The power of a sisterly bond there just an incredible story. The CNN Freedom Project aims to eliminate slavery for good. To find out more and help the cause just head to cnn.com/freedom.

CHURCH: The democratic candidates in the race for the U.S. president offer their closing arguments ahead of the Tuesday primaries, and they have exact same message when it comes to Donald Trump.

Back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PEDRAM JAVAHERI, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Thank you for watching CNN, this is weather watch. I'm meteorologist Pedram Javaheri. We're watching a pattern across the eastern seaboard of the U.S. as

some thunderstorms begin popping on a storm that with a history of some severe weather over the past 24 hours. And we are watching another round of weather pushing in from portions of the Northern Plains towards the northwest, and I think will have the ingredients in place, and of course you know what time of year it is.

So, a lot of the storms is going to have the ingredients needed. The upper levels steering currents in the atmosphere, the jet stream, and the moisture that's coming in off of the Gulf, and the cool air that's prevalent across some of the western states.

You put it together, I think places like Chicago, Indianapolis, some of those cities across the Midwest have what it takes for some severe weather. The main threat here is going to be damaging winds but still can't rule out isolated tornadoes as March typically, you get about 70 to 80 per month in the United States climatologically speaking.

How about the Western U.S. If you go you notice the showers all up in the i5 quarter. And you work your way and this is where the wintry weather still in place. Look at some of the indication around Jacksonhole, Boise, Missoula, upwards of two to three feet of snow fall in the forecast in the coming couple of days.

So, certainly cold enough across that region. In Vancouver, how about some showers around 8 degrees, the thunderstorms there they are in Chicago at 15 degrees, which is just a few degrees above what is normal for this time of year. And notice as you work your way toward the south, we are still seeing some possibilities for showers in San Juan and Caracas with the temps in the low 30s.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BARNETT: All right. Check your watches here, because in about three hours, the first polls will open, in what is expected to be the most decisive primary day in the race for U.S. president.

CHURCH: Yes. CNN's Joe Johns looks at the democratic race where Bernie Sanders is trying to pull off another huge upset like the one a week ago in Michigan.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BERNIE SANDERS, (D) U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I hope very much that Ohio will be one of the states to lead this country forward toward a political revolution.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[03:50:00] JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Bernie Sanders rallying supporters in three states on the eve of the next Super Tuesday hoping to recapture some of the magic that brought him a big victory in Michigan last week.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SANDERS: We have a good vote tomorrow, people come out. We are going

to win here in Ohio.

(CROWD CHEERING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JOHNS: Hillary Clinton is hitting two states of her own today, telling the supporters the stakes of the election have her fired up.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON, (D) U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I am so worried about our country and what could happen if we don't band together

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JOHNS: Clinton is making her closing argument to voters in Illinois and four other states.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CLINTON: There is a phone call you can make, or a door you can knock on, if there is a person you can convince, please, do everything you can in the next 24-plus hours to be able to start talking about not only unifying the Democratic Party, but unifying our country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JOHNS: That talk of unity coming on the heels of violence erupting in Donald Trump rallies, both democratic candidates mincing an opening, blasting the GOP frontrunner for what they call divisive rhetoric.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLINTON: Love Trump's hate.

SANDERS: At the end of the day, love always Trump's hatred.

(CROWD CHEERING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JOHNS: Trump was also a major focus during Sunday's night CNN democratic town hall.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLINTON: It's clear that Donald Trump is running a very cynical campaign, hitting groups of Americans against one another. He is trafficking in hate and fear.

SANDERS: I hesitate to say this, because I really don't really like to disparage public officials, but Donald Trump is a pathological liar.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JOHNS: And in one of the night's most dramatic moments, Clinton fielded a question about ending capital punishment.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I came perilously close to my own execution.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JOHNS: From a former death row inmate who spent nearly 40 years in prison for a crime he did not commit.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLINTON: I just can't even imagine what you went through and how terrible those days and nights must have been for all of those years.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JOHNS: Bernie Sanders also got another key endorsement from a public sector union on Monday, this one is the amalgamated transit union workers and important for him because Hillary Clinton has been running so strong with public sector unions this cycle.

Joe Johns, CNN, Charlotte, North Carolina.

CHURCH: Joining me now to talk more about the race for the White House on the democratic side is Chris Kofinis, he is democratic strategist and former communications director for John Edwards. Thank you, sir, for being with us.

CHRIS KOFINIS, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Thank you.

CHURCH: Well, of course, Tuesday's big contest of the first since Bernie Sanders's surprise win in Michigan where he showed the voters he can win a large and diverse state. How is he likely to go on Tuesday and how concerned should Hillary Clinton be?

KOFINIS: Well, I mean, after what happened in Michigan which, you know, literally no one really saw coming to polling was so bad. And when you look at the exit polls, you know, Senator Sanders won about a third of the African-American vote which was critical to his victory, and so when you kind of look at what's going to happen on Tuesday, to be honest, I'm not sure anyone really knows.

She's got a comfortable lead in Michigan, and you've got, you know, some limited number of polls out of Missouri showing Sanders with a small lead. Illinois is, you know, statistically tied, Ohio, she's got a small lead, but the reality is it's just not clear, you know.

And if I was at the Clinton campaign in terms of what happened in Michigan which completely I think took them by surprise, I would be nervous. I would be definitely nervous about what's going to happen in Ohio, Illinois, and Missouri. Maybe less so in North Carolina and Florida, but those other three states, I'd have -- I'd have -- I have worries.

CHURCH: Yes, certainly we saw from Michigan the polls can polls can be wrong, not a perfect science in any way, but from what you've been able to ascertained, what is the math looking like, because Clinton is more than halfway there with the delegate she needs, has she got this nomination in the bag?

KOFINIS: Well, I mean, it's one of those things where if you look at the -- if you play just a straight delegate game, it becomes increasingly difficult for Senator Sanders to catch up, and that's when you factor in the super delegates. The problem becomes if you start losing key industrial states that are going to be critical to winning in November, the narrative that you are this dominant candidate becomes more difficult to sell which then may start making some of the super delegates nervous.

And then going forward, you still have a lot of other states left. You still got New York, you still have California the most of the West Coast states, so, it becomes a more of a challenge.

[03:54:59] Now if I had to bet today, is, you know, Secretary Clinton going to be the nominee, I would say yes, but, you know, if Senator Sanders happens to win, you know, two or three states tomorrow, then all of the sudden the narrative changes. And people start questioning start raising serious concerns and doubts, and that isn't good, because then the super delegates start becoming a little bit more nervous.

CHURCH: Chris Kofinis, pleasure to talk with you. Thank you for your time.

KOFINIS: Pleasure to talk to you.

BARNETT: And of course, you can stay with CNN for the latest on the primaries, we will bring you results throughout the day.

CHURCH: Well, the Broadway musical "Hamilton" is taking the world by storm with its hip-hop adaptation of early American history. Until now, the show's creator and star has Lin-Manuel Miranda has been all about the founding fathers.

BARNETT: But on Monday, he showed off his talents with the sitting president. Mr. Obama fed him lines at the White House Rose Garden, Miranda took it from there with the on the fly freestyle. Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(SINGING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: That is so cool, I nearly fell off my stool.

BARNETT: There you go.

CHURCH: Thanks for your company. I'm Rosemary Church. BARNETT: Well done, Church. I like that. And I'm Errol Barnett. Remember to connect with us anytime on Twitter or Instagram. There is more CNN Newsroom after the break.

CHURCH: Have a great day.

[04:00:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)