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Trump Backpedals on Abortion Remarks; French Terror Suspect Also Suspected of Planning Brussels Attack; Allgeations of Abuse in Qatar of Olympic Facilities Workers; Brazilian President Under Fire; US Military Moves Against ISIS; Nuclear Summit in US. Aired 3-4a ET
Aired March 31, 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: Donald Trump, struggling to clarify comments on whether women should be punished for abortions.
ERROL BARNETT, CNN NEWSROOM SHOW HOST: Plus, Brussels is on edge, after a computer was found in a trash can. It may contain plans for a massive terror plot.
CHURCH: And accusations that Qatar is exploiting migrant workers at a new World Cup stadium.
BARNETT: A very big welcome to those of you watching from all around the world. I'm Errol Barnett.
CHURCH: And I'm Rosemary Church.
Thanks for joining us, as we kick off our second hour of CNN Newsroom.
Donald Trump making headlines again for controversial comments and back pedaling.
BARNETT: On Wednesday, he said if the U.S. outlaws abortion, then women who have them should be punished. Critics immediately pounced on the republican presidential candidate. He later tried to clarify saying only the doctors should be disciplined.
CHURCH: And more bad news for Trump, a new Marquette Law School survey shows him trailing Ted Cruz by 10 percent in Wisconsin ahead of its primary on Tuesday. Last month, Cruz had only 19 percent support there.
BARNETT: Sunlen Serfaty has more on Trump's latest controversy and other issues dogging his campaign.
SUNLEN SERFATY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Donald Trump, stirring more controversy, saying if abortion is banned that women who undergo the procedure should be punished.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRIS MATTHEWS, MSNBC ANCHOR: Do you believe in punishment for abortion?
DONALD TRUMP, (R) U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The answer is that there has to be some form of punishment.
MATTHEWS: For the woman?
TRUMP: Yes.
MATTHEWS: Ten years? What?
TRUMP: That I don't know. I don't know.
MATTHEWS: Then why not. You take positions on everything else.
TRUMP: I frankly -- I do take positions on everything else. It's a very complicated position.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SERFATY: Trump's remarks sparking in immediate backlash from democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton who tweeted, quote, "Just when you thought it couldn't get worse. Horrific and telling."
Hours later, Trump scrambling to tamp down the firestorm. Issuing a statement that said, quote, "The doctor or any other performing this illegal act upon a woman would be legally responsible, not the woman." He added, quote, "The woman is a victim in this case, as is the life in her womb." This, as Donald Trump deals with another controversy surrounding his campaign manager.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: They wanted me to fire him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SERFATY: The GOP front-runner doubling down in his defense of Corey Lewandowski, who was arrested and charged with simple battery for grabbing the arm of reporter Michelle Fields.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Did anybody think it was a horrible thing that happened? I don't get it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SERFATY: After questioning Fields' account at CNN's town hall Tuesday night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: To Michelle Fields, I hope by the way, she's not a baby, OK. In her own words exactly, "I was jolted backwards." Well, she was not, I mean, she is standing there. "Someone had grabbed me tightly by the arm. Tightly. And yanked me down." She wasn't yanked down. (END VIDEO CLIP)
SERFATY: His rivals are pouncing. Criticizing Trump for setting the tone for his campaign.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TED CRUZ, (R) U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Look, it shouldn't be complicated that members of the campaign staff should not be physically assaulting the press.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SERFATY: But Cruz and Kasich saying they would have fired any staffer of theirs who did the same.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN KASICH, (R) U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: When you see things that are pretty clear, from what I understand the video is clear, of course I would fire him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SERFATY: The three remaining republican candidates are also facing questions about the GOP loyalty pledge they signed last September.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: Do you continue to pledge whoever the republican nominee is?
TRUMP: No. I don't anymore.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SERFATY: All three backing away from their commitment to support the eventual republican nominee.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KASICH: If the nominee is somebody that I think is really hurting the country and dividing the country, I can't stand behind them.
CRUZ: I'm not in the habit of supporting someone who attacks my wife and attacks my family.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SERFATY: Trump insisting he doesn't care whether Cruz supports him.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Well, honestly he doesn't have to support me. I'm not asking for his support.
(CROSSTALK) COOPER: Well, do you pledge...
TRUMP: I want the people support.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SERFATY: And Senator Cruz has responded to Trump's statements controversial statement over abortion. Cruz saying in a statement that Donald Trump hasn't seriously thought through these issues and will say anything to get attention.
The Cruz campaign, also trying to cast this as more evidence that Donald Trump is just coming around to being a conservative. Someone they say who doesn't have full grasp on conservative principles.
Sunlen Serfaty, CNN, Madison, Wisconsin.
BARNETT: Some other big stories we're following. A French terror suspect is now under formal investigation, suspected of planning an imminent attack. Police searched Reda Kriket's apartment in a Paris suburb. And prosecutor say they found an unprecedented arsenal there.
CHURCH: It included TATP explosives, detonators, and steel bolts, five Kalashnikov, assault rifles and pistols. They also found fake passports.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[03:05:00] FRANCOIS MOLINS, PARIS PROSECUTOR (TRANSLATED): On this stage of the investigation, even though no specific target has been identified, everything suggests that the discovery of this hiding place, prevented an act of extreme violence by a terrorist network ready to act.
As shown by the weapons, the explosives, somebody to use the new telephones that could have been used to coordinate the execution. The criminal projects and the stolen passports allowing them to hide their identities and move freely in France and Europe.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BARNETT: In Brussels, there are major concerns Jihadists could attack the city again. Evidence discovered on a discarded computer suggests government buildings were being targeted.
Our Alexandra Field joins us now with the latest from Brussels. Alexandria, it seems the more police raid apartments, find clues, the more they realize just how far behind they are in eliminating a European-based ISIS threat. Just walk us through some of the new leads there this morning.
ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right. They have to get their arms around the size of this cell and the scope of what it could have been planning or could be planning. This computer that you're referencing is a key part of the investigation now. It was found near the apartment, where authorities believe the bombs
which were used in the airport and metro attacks were made. And what they found on this computer were images of the prime minister's office building. Plans of the building. Also images and plans for other government buildings, of course suggesting to investigators that this cell could have been plotting attacks on some of those buildings.
So they are trying to get a better understanding of what targets may have been eyed, of course, in order forth potential attacks in the future. The laptop is key to the investigation. There are several other computers which were retrieved, which will also be key to the investigation along with cell phones.
This is data that's being analyzed by Belgian authorities. Some of it also even being shipped to the U.S. where the FBI will try to retrieve some of the data that Belgian authorities have not been able to find.
At the same time we're learning more about investigators efforts to find the Bakraoui brothers before these attacks took place in Brussels a week ago. We are now learning that just days before the attacks, Belgian authorities have put out a wanted notice, which was shared with other law enforcement officials, even including the New York Police Department in the U.S.
And it was a stepped-up effort to try and locate these two men who had been on the U.S. counterterrorism watch list. This was happening against a backdrop in which the Belgian authorities were becoming increasingly concerned about the possibility of attacks in this city.
So, the prevailing question, right now, now that we know that these two brothers were actually living near the center of this city, is why authorities who were looking for both of these men weren't able to find them. Errol?
BARNETT: Yes. And it seems to be a scramble to connect all the dots in time before another attack happens. If we remember what took place in Paris in November, Salah Abdeslam was able to break free, to get loose to get to Belgium, and possibly develop a new cell that led to the recent attacks.
So, how much has been learned about the third airport bomber there in Brussels who is on the loose and likely still a major risk?
FIELD: Right. And that's the person who is generating the book of the public anxiety. The anxiety the fear that you feel from the people around here. They know that police are looking for this third suspected airport bomber.
But at least publicly, investigators have not revealed that they have any clues which are bringing them closer to finding this person. That's the person whom we've seen in that surveillance image in the white coat. We also saw some video that was released by police, last week, also showing that person.
Who is he? Where is he? Well, the public had some sense that perhaps investigators were on his tail when they took someone called Faycal C. into custody and charged that person with terrorist murder and attempted terrorist murder.
Some people were trying to connect those dots wondering if perhaps that was the third airport suspect. We now know that it wasn't, however, because the magistrate decided to release that person identified as Faycal C. do you think.
There simply wasn't evidence to support the charges that the prosecutor's office had brought against him. So, yes, you're out on the streets you're talking to people in Brussels. And they are certainly wondering if investigators have gotten any closer through this series of raids to identifying who the third person is or to finding leads who could help to track him, Errol.
BARNETT: Yes. They need leads, they need hard evidence. And it seems though, right now they just don't have it. At least enough to boost confidence that no attacks are imminent.
Alexandra Field, live for us in Brussels this morning. Nine past 9 a.m. there. Thanks.
CHURCH: And Turkey says many European countries are failing to address the terror threat. Turkey's president says Belgium ignored a warning about a bomber Ibrahim el Bakraoui when Turkey deported him.
BARNETT: Now Recep Tayyip Erdogan says countries aren't doing enough to fight this spread of ISIS which often called Daesh.
Chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour sat down with him for this exclusive interview.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
RECEP TAYYIP ERDO?AN, TURKISH PRESIDENT (TRANSLATED): Just look at how many countries Daesh's president. His foreign fighters coming all around the world, namely 98 countries make up Daesh.
[03:10:06] This is very interesting. We're jointly fighting against all these fighters that make up Daesh. We are committed to this goal. And we expect the same determination from Western countries, as well.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BARNETT: You can watch the entire interview on Amanpour that starts Thursday at 7 p.m. in London only here on CNN.
CHURCH: Well now to airports, to prevent radioactive materials from falling into the hands of terrorists.
BARNETT: In just a few hours from now, leaders from more than 50 countries will meet to their nuclear summit in Washington.
Our Elise Labbot has more on the nuclear threat posed by ISIS.
ELISE LABOTT, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Raiding the home of a suspected planner of last November's Paris attacks, Belgian authorities found surveillance video of a top Belgian nuclear scientist.
That suspect, part of the same ISIS cell, accused of last week's attack in Belgium. The shocking discovery turned the heads of counterterrorism experts. Who feared Belgium, with several breaches, previous nuclear breaches could be at risk for terrorists to obtain radiological materials for a co-called dirty bomb.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOSEPH CIRINCIONE, PLOUGHSHARES FUND PRESIDENT: A small dirty bomb would not just cause panic. It would not just cause people to flee the city. It would contaminate tens of square blocks for years.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LABOTT: Those fears top the agenda at this week's nuclear summit. President Obama first convenes the gathering of world leaders six years ago, issuing a call to action.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA PRESIDENT: It is increasingly clear, that the danger of nuclear terrorism is one of the greatest threats to global security.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LABOTT: Since that warning, 12 countries have eliminated nuclear material. But tons of unsecured weapons-grade material remains in 25 countries.
And ISIS barely on the radar at the time of the first summit, is now a global network, already using chemical weapons on the battlefield.
A recent Harvard University report, warn that despite modest improvements in nuclear security, the capability of groups, especially ISIS, has, quote, "grown dramatically." Suggesting overall, risk of nuclear terrorism may have increased.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MATTHEW BUNN, HARVARD UNIVERSITY BELFER'S CENTER CO-PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: We don't know what a terrorist threat is going to look like. Two years, five years, ten years from now. And to me, that's even stronger reason to lock down all the ingredients of a potential nuclear recipe.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LABOTT: Elise Labott, CNN, Washington.
BARNETT: The Pentagon plans to move about a dozen prisoners out of the Guantanamo Bay Military Prison. At least two other countries apparently are willing to take them. That's according to reports quoting a "U.S. official who says the transfers could start within days."
CHURCH: Ninety one inmates are being held right now at the U.S. naval base in Cuba. President Barack Obama wants to close it before he leaves office in the new year. Many republicans want Gitmo to stay open.
BARNETT: Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff is facing growing calls for her impeachment. Her defiant message to her opponents, ahead.
CHURCH: Plus, Amnesty International is now accusing Qatar of allowing systemic abuses of migrants, building sites for the World Cup.
BARNETT: And a surprising suggestion from Syria's president about his opposition. More of all of that after this.
[03:15:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KATE RILEY, CNN WORLD SPORT ANCHOR: I'm Kate Riley with your CNN World Sport headlines.
Let's start with the ongoing political unrest in Brazil. And how it may or may not affect this summer's Olympics in Rio. It's being reported that Brazil's sports minister, George Hilton is to step down when just over months to go into the start of the game.
The government is in turmoil there. And the country is also facing an economic meltdown, the worst crisis it's seen in close to a century. On top of that, there's also the Zika virus.
So, it's not easy being an England cricket fan. But on Wednesday, there was certainly something to cheer about. England State New Zealand in the semifinals the World Twenty20 and what turned out to be an incredibly one-sided affair.
New Zealand posted a moderate 153-8. For England won by 7 wickets with 17 balls left to spare when Jos Buttler got back-to-back six's to finish off the Kiwis. England will now play to either West Indies or hope India in Sunday's final.
And Gary Neville has been sacked from Valencia, just four months after he took the job in La Liga. Naville was named head coach last December and was in charge of the side for 28 games winning only 10. The side is only six points above the drop zone with eight games left to play. The former Man United defender still continues his job as part of the England national team setup.
And that's a look at all your sports headlines. I'm Kate Riley.
BARNETT: With four months to go until the summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil's sports minister is resigning.
CHURCH: George Hilton is the latest to quit. President Dilma Rousseff cabinet as she faces growing calls for her impeachment.
Shasta Darlington reports. SHASTA DARLINGTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: A day after
Brazil's biggest political party pulled out of the government coalition, President Dilma Rousseff has come out fighting. Making it clear that if Congress goes ahead with plans to try and impeach her, she is not going to go down easy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
DILMA ROUSSEFF, BRAZILIAN PRESIDENT (TRANSLATED): Impeachment without proof of a crime is what? It's a coup. This is the issue. There's no point pretending that we are discussing a hypothetical impeachment. We are discussing a hypothetical impeachment. We are discussing a very concrete impeachment without crime.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DARLINGTON: Now, Rousseff is a very unpopular leader with an approval rating of about 10 percent. She's presided over the worst recession in decades here in Brazil. And she's also seen dozens of politicians from her own workers party and ally party get engulfed in a massive bribery and corruption scandal.
But Dilma Rousseff herself has not been implicated. Which means the opposition is trying to have her impeached for allegedly breaking budgetary laws. They say that she tried to hide a budget deficit ahead of re-election in 2014.
And this is why both Rousseff and her supporters are saying this is nothing more than an institutional coup d'etat. And they're going to take to the streets.
In fact, demonstrations are planned in a number of cities across Brazil on Thursday in a show of solidarity. But it may be too little, too late. With the PMDB Party pulling out of the governing coalition, it is looking increasingly likely that Congress will muster the two- thirds votes it needs to go ahead and get the impeachment proceeding rolling.
And that President Rousseff could be at least temporarily ousted as early as May. And all of this will play out on the global stage, just as Brazil is gearing up for the Olympic Games in August.
Shasta Darlington, CNN, Rio de Janeiro.
CHURCH: The stage is being set for an epic political showdown in Venezuela, after parliament approved amnesty for dozens of political prisoners.
BARNETT: The opposition controlled Congress passed the Amnesty bill Wednesday. That even as the amnesty was being discussed, President Nicolas Maduro vowed to veto it in a televised address.
CHURCH: The law would free anti-government activist including opposition leader, Leopoldo Lopez. BARNETT: He was sentenced to 14 years in jail for allegedly inciting
violence against the government during deadly demonstration two years ago.
[03:19:59] CHURCH: Amnesty International says it has uncovered widespread abuse of migrant workers at the World Cup stadium and sports complex in Qatar.
In a new report, the group interviewed more than 200 workers about conditions at the sites.
BARNETT: Take a look at some of their complaints. They include paying large fees to recruiters in their home countries, squalid living conditions, receiving far less salary than promised, and having their passports and other documentations seized by their employers.
CHURCH: Amnesty International also found that one company forced employees to work by threatening to withhold their pay or prevent them from leaving the country.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SALIL SHETTY, AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL SECRETARY GENERAL: I've seen the living conditions quite shocking because Qatar is one of the richest countries in the world. And the labor camps are really appalling in terms of their living condition there's.
But, you know, what's unique about this report is that this time we're looking at one of the main World Cup football sites, where the semifinals is going to be conducted. And I think if football fans read the horrific stories that were told to us, I think they would be shocked that, you know, the World Cup is built on the backs of human rights abuses. Some of the poorest people from some of the poorest countries. So, yes, it is quite shocking.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: Well, Qatar is responding to the reports of human rights abuses. An official statement reads, "The tone of Amnesty International latest assertions paint a misleading picture and do nothing to contribute to our efforts. Their investigation was limited to just four companies out of more than 40 currently engaged on Khalifa International Stadium."
BARNETT: Now FIFA is also responding. Take a look, quote, "While FIFA cannot and indeed, does not have the responsibility to solve all the societal problems in a host country of a FIFA World Cup, FIFA has taken concrete action and is fully committed to do its utmost to ensure that human rights are respected on all FIFA World Cup sites."
CHURCH: Syrian President, Bashar al Assad, says the coalition of Western countries fighting ISIS is failing. He tells the Russian news agency, Sputnik, that Syrian forces were able to recapture the ancient City of Palmyra. Thanks to its allies.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) BASHAR AL-ASSAD, SYRIAN PRESIDENT (TRANSLATED): The Russian support was essential and effective to reach the result. In the support of friends in Iran was essential. As well as Hezbollah in Lebanon and other Syrian groups fighting.
Of course, after Palmyra, we will have to move to the surrounding areas of the eastern part of Syria, such as Deir ez-Zor. At the same time, working towards Raqqah that represents their main stronghold of IS.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BARNETT: Mr. Assad also says he hopes peace talks in Geneva can lead to a new inclusive government in Syria. He says, quote, "Independent forces should be represented, as well as opposition forces and forces loyal to the government."
CHURCH: The United States and opposition negotiators are rejecting Mr. Assad's apparent overtures. They say a political settlement in Syria must come through a transitional government not another Assad regime.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOSH EARNEST, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: And I don't know if he envisioned himself being a part of that national unity government. Obviously that would be a nonstarter for us. The political turmoil inside of Syria will not recede as long as President Assad is in office. And, you know, that's why we continue to believe that he must go.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BARNETT: Now the U.S. military is making new moves against ISIS and their strongholds in Raqqah and Mosul.
CHURCH: Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr has the details.
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: On the battlefields of Iraq and Syria, ISIS is losing key grounds, suffering crucial setbacks.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ASHTON CARTER, U.S. SECRERARY OF DEFENSE: In recent weeks, coalition forces have severed the main artery between ISIS power center in Raqqah, Syria and ISIL in northern Iraq. And began their early stages of operations to collapse ISIL's control over Mosul.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STARR: The U.S. exploiting what advantages it can. Like the daring killing of ISIS finance chief Mustafa al-Qaduli. CNN has learned that in broad daylight, U.S. Special Operations Forces on helicopters flew at a very low altitude in front of Qaduli's car, firing warning shots to stop. When an occupant leaned out to fire with an AK-47 back at the helicopters, the U.S. team quickly obliterated the car.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOSEPH DUNFORD, JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF CHAIRMAN: The pressure we put on ISIL in Syria has degraded their capabilities and limited their freedom of movement and reduced their resources.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STARR: But there are still huge problems to resolve.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DUNFORD: In Iraq, we have a partner. But the relationship is complicated by the political landscape, sectarianism and Iranian influences.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STARR: Iraqi forces are fighting to retake villages west of the key City of Makhmur. But once again, U.S. officials say there are isolated instances of Iraqi troops running when they come under fire.
[03:25:00] The area is a critical approach to Mosul, Iraq's second- largest city. The Pentagon is sending President Obama recommendations for possibly hundreds of additional U.S. troops to help train and advise Iraqi forces for that fight.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARK HERTLING, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: The number of Iraqi units it will take to get into Mosul, to secure it, to surround it and then to dig out ISIS, you're talking about the 2012 and '16 Iraqi army brigades.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STARR: It could mean more than 25,000 Iraqi forces are needed trained and willing to fight. In Syria, after bloody fighting and with Russian help, forces loyal to President Bashar al Assad retook the area around the ancient City of Palmyra. Those regime forces are now moving north.
The U.S. watching to see if they fight all the way to Raqqah, the ISIS stronghold, the U.S. want local forces to capture.
CHURCH: Barbara Starr reporting there. All right. We'll take a very short break here.
But South African President Jacob Zuma in hot water over a swimming pool. David McKenzie will have a preview. He's live at the courthouse.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BARNETT: Welcome back to those of you watching all around the world. It's your last half hour of CNN Newsroom with the two of us. I'm Errol Barnett. CHURCH: And I'm Rosemary Church. Time to check the headlines for you.
U.S. republican presidential candidate, Donald Trump dials back controversial comments on abortion. He said if the U.S. outlaws the procedure, then any woman who has one, should be punished.
[03:30:05] And later, Trump said the women would be victims and the doctors would have the legal problems.
BARNETT: France says that Reda Kriket is under formal investigation accused of planning an imminent terror attack. Prosecutor say police found an unprecedented arsenal in Kriket's suburban Paris apartment. It included assault rifles, handguns, chemicals and explosives.
CHURCH: Squalid living conditions force labor and systematic human rights abuses. That's what Amnesty International says migrants building sites for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar face every day.
Football's world governing body, FIFA and the Qatari Kingdom deny the allegations.
BARNETT: Now South Africa's top court is expected to rule essentially about half an hour from now on the latest scandal surrounding President Jacob Zuma.
CHURCH: Yes. The court is scheduled to decide whether Zuma should repay the state for millions of dollars in lavish home improvements.
BARNETT: CNN's David McKenzie is following development for us from outside the constitutional court. he joins us now live. David, it is judgment day for the president. What are the facts of this case, as we know them?
DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Errol, what we do know, is that this is a potentially significant day in South African political history. A sitting president is facing the highest court of the land. The constitutional court which is behind me.
In just 20 minutes or so, they will give their judgment. And what is at stake really is the president's palatial private home Nkandla, which he allege to have used private money -- public money to build that multi-million dollar homestead.
And for years, there's been moves by the public protector and by opposition parties for him to pay back the money. It's something that he long delayed, refused to. Until it came to the highest court in the land. And then effectively, say most, he threw parliament and the police under the bus. And said, he always intended to pay back this money.
Now this is very significant, this moment. Because if the constitutional court rules that the president of South Africa was in fact acting constitution -- unconstitutionally against South Africa's Constitution, then there could be moves for from opposition party to try to push through impeachment proceedings. This president has been embattled maybe with scores of corruption
scandals here in South Africa, in an economy that is really struggling and is threatening to be downgraded by ratings agency, which could see a lot of capital flying out of South Africa.
So, very key moment here, and it could be a major blow for Jacob Zuma, if the court rules against them. Errol.
BARNETT: And that's why this decision is so important. It could get to an impeachment, as well. There's a lot of anger among working class South Africans who have seen their wages go down. That the government is corrupt. To see the president face this kind of charges is very emblematic on what's happening in the country.
David, we'll reconnect with you next hour, once that decision comes down. David McKenzie in Johannesburg for us.
CHURCH: All right. Now, back to that major nuclear summit starting in Washington in just a few hours. More than 50 world leaders will be attending. The subject of North Korea is expected to be front and center during those talks.
BARNETT: And as our Matt Rivers shows us, the pressure is now on China to enforce the sanctions against North Korea.
MATT RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: They drive across the old narrow bridge around 9 a.m. each day. Chinese trucks, carrying goods into North Korea. They leave from Dandong, the border city on the Yalu River. It's the economic lifeline of North Korea.
China, the only country left willing to do significant trade with Kim Jong-un's regime. New U.N. sanctions levied against North Korea's nuclear program have impacted that relationship.
For example, North Korean coal exports important revenue for the country are now banned. If any profits from them might be funneled to sanctioned programs. China must also now inspect all shipments into and out of the country.
Criticized in the past for not enforcing sanctions, officials deny that. But say they will strongly implement this latest round.
We watched as North Korean trucks drove into China around mid-day, mostly empty. They end up in yards like this, loaded up with Chinese goods that get sent back across the border. We ask how officials specifically plan to inspect those, making calls to authorities in Dandong and that the ministry of foreign affairs.
Neither would provide details. Security guards we met outside the yard were not keen to talk with us, either. And trying to see for ourselves how these inspections are done can prove to be difficult, as you can see.
[03:35:00] We try and talk to ordinary people, truck drivers, even, to talk to them about these inspections. But none of them would agree to speak with us. And we constantly face harassment like you're seeing right now.
It's near impossible to determine if the inspections are effective. What is clear, though, is the continued struggle of those inside North Korea. For ordinary people, poverty and hunger remain chronic.
A heavily-sanctioned Kim Jong-un regime can't or won't provide supplies to its people. So, others do, seeing a business opportunity.
I think we can go ahead right now. We met this man in secret along the border at night. He illegally smuggles goods into North Korea for a living. He tells us he deals in basic living supplies, focusing on every grains and car parts. For him, the sanctions don't mean much. But for other smugglers he works with, the added restrictions are good for business.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (TRANSLATED): The North Koreans have to buy goods from us because there are fewer legal shipments through the border, more from us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
RIVERS: He says since the latest sanctions began, there's been more requests from North Koreans for industrial chemicals and steel. He has no idea what they're used for. But he knows who is buying.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (TRANSLATED): Not ordinary people. It's the military and their families. Everything is completely corrupt there. Ordinary people have no money. So, all the goods are purchased by wealthy people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
RIVERS: He thinks China has stepped up its inspections since the newest sanctions. But doubts that any sanctions enforced or not, will ultimately do any real harm to Kim Jong-un's regime.
CHURCH: And our Matt rivers joins us now live from Beijing. And of course, the focus here, Matt, on the enforcement and whether it's happening there in China.
But it is worth pointing out that while you were filming that, and we saw that in elements of your report, you had a lot of problems trying to pull this report together. Talk to us about some of the challenges you experienced.
RIVERS: We were in Dandong for a little over two days. And despite a relatively short amount of time being there, we were visited by various authorities about a half dozen times. Including one time when two officers actually came to our hotel room to try and see what we had been doing the day before.
We ran into several people out on the street, both uniformed officers and plain clothes authorities who've refused to provide any identification as to who they were. They tried to see what we were doing.
And so, it was basically a constant interaction, harassment, if you will, by authorities in that city. Now, it's pointing out that that can happen anytime you're doing a story in China. Foreign media generally viewed very skeptically here. It's something you run across while you're working in China fairly regularly.
But especially when you're doing a story like this, about what is a very sensitive relationship between China and North Korea. And what we found is when we tried and peel back the curtain a little bit and show the more nuances, the details of that kind of relationship and what those sanctions might look like on the ground, we got quite a bit of push back from local authorities.
CHURCH: Yes. Indeed. And still very hard to determine just how much enforcement is going on there, right?
RIVERS: That's absolutely correct. And you saw it in the piece. We could see what we could see. But officially, they wouldn't talk to us at all.
CHURCH: Matt Rivers joining us live from Beijing. Many thanks to you.
BARNETT: Still to come, tornadoes rip through the American Midwest. We'll show you the aftermath, coming up.
[03:40:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's going to hit the zoo. Seriously. Look at that. It's going to hit the zoo.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's right over the zoo, dude.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, my gosh.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is that a...
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No. It's past that. Wow, dude.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You asked for it, Mike.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's moving -- it's moving south. It's moving east-northeast towards the Warsaw they just said.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: Wow. OK. So, imagine that coming at you. And hearing those sirens screaming. The National Weather Service in Tulsa, Oklahoma, says at least one likely tornado hit the U.S. State. Seven people were taken to hospitals in the greater Tulsa area.
BARNETT: Now as you can see damaged power lines are crisscrossing streets. There's damage everywhere. But the storm still poses a threat. It's heading east. Tornado watchers are still in place in parts of Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi, and Tennessee.
CHURCH: ANd for more on the severe weather in the U.S., our Pedram Javaheri has been keeping a very close eye on this. And just so many tornadoes, that's horrific.
PEDRAM JAVAHERI, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes. It is the time of year. It's absolutely. You know, you go from about 80 in the month of March to about 160 in the month of April. That is the average number of tornadoes in the United States.
If you take a look the red polygons here indicative of tornadoes wathes in place leading storms, traditions there they are in favorable of producing tornadoes at least over the next few hours.
We know the storms will begin to weaken as you watch it expire in say the next couple of hours as well. But here's the perspective as far as what we have with the severe weather ingredients in place. And frankly, when you take a look at a pattern like this where we have strong winds upstairs in the upper levels of the atmosphere.
Of course cool, dry air coming out of Canada. Warm moisture there coming out of the Gulf. Still dry air component coming from Texas. Put it together, very few places on our planet have everything going for them like the United States does, when it comes to widespread severe weather.
In fact, this particular region sees 1,100 tornadoes per year. The only other place in the world that are comparable are far as large number of tornadoes are the ingredients in place would be places like Bangladesh, that a lot of people are surprise to hear.
But they have the Bay of Bengal it's happening in the moisture from the south, they have the Himalayas to the north. Much like the Rockies in Canada bringing in the colder air across the region.
But again, I'll show you what we have in what transpired over the past 24 hours because we know upwards of 75 reports of severe weather, five of which were tornadoes. One of which that's confirmed tornado there outside of Tulsa, Oklahoma.
And the storm system itself as it spark the tornado, it moved to the north and east eventually. But look at the numbers. We had 60 tornadoes so far in the month of March in 2016. Eighty is what the climatological norm. It's in fact the more number of tornadoes it seems since 2012.
So, an active start for 2016, in general. If you're watching into Europe, we appreciate you doing so. Just by contrast here, again, 60 tornadoes in 30 days so far in the month of March.
You notice in places like the U.K., 50 in an entire year. Places like Germany, about 30. Even The Netherlands, it's about 35, but of course the land area in the places like The Netherlands or the U.K. quite small. So, among the highest numbers of tornadoes in the world for land area, are across this region of Northwest Europe.
Pretty interesting if you're watching this from that area. About 40 million people are going to be dealing with more severe weather going towards Thursday from say, Jackson, Mississippi, towards Memphis, Tennessee. Eventually out to south of Indianapolis, where the severe weather threat continues over that area.
We'll leave you with this, some good news coming out of California. We know snowfall had been almost nonexistent in recent years. In fact, the last snowfall tabulation from 2014 into 2015, had the Sierras, guys, seen 9 percent snowfall coverage.
[03:45:04] It is up to 90 percent so this go around. Thanks in large part to the El Nino. So wonderful news in this part the drought situation across this region. Of course the fire threat going into the summer season as well, reduced a little because of all of this.
CHURCH: Yes.
BARNETT: And now literally, they've got water in the snow bank.
JAVAHERI: Absolutely.
BARNETT: Beginning to the last hour.
JAVAHERI: They did.
CHURCH: Thanks, Pedram. We're learning every day. Thank you.
BARNETT: The man who hijacked an EgyptAir plane admits he is guilty. Police in Cyprus says Seif Eldin Mustafa confessed in court for diverting flight 181 there from Alexandria. He is now charge with hijacking, kidnapping, and several other crimes.
CHURCH: Police say he threatened the flight crew and passengers with what turned out to be a fake explosive belt. All 70 people onboard the plane were eventually freed. Cypriot transportation officials say the hijacking was not terror-related. Instead, it has something to do with his ex-wife.
BARNETT: In Pakistan, police say a series of raids have led to 17 arrests linked to the suicide bombing in Lahore. That attack you may remember killed many Muslims but specifically targeted Christians celebrating Easter Sunday at an amusement park.
CHURCH: At least 74 people were killed. A Pakistani Taliban splinter group is claiming responsibility.
BARNETT: Severe burns and ball bearing wounds to vital organs of that types of injuries doctors there in Lahore that had to deal with afte rthe bombing. Almost 400 people were wounded and many of them are children CHURCH: And a warning now that some viewers may find the images in
this report disturbing. Saima Mohsin went to Jinnah Hospital, one of many, where young children and adults who survived are recovering from their traumatic injuries.
SAIMA MOHSIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A 3-year-old boy, who can barely be held because he is covered in burns. Tears stinging his face. Shebar (ph) cries ring out across the ward. He is inconsolable, in extreme pain.
Shebar's mother is in intensive care with severe burns. His father split between two wards. This man is a neighbor. He's been at Shebar's dedside since the attack. Sharing the bed, his cousin, Tarmina (ph) just 4 years old. Shrapnel wounds on her skull. Her uncle tells me, she has special needs.
She doesn't know her father and sisters have died. "I've lost count of how many family members have died," he tells me. Khizas (ph) chest is peppered with ball bearings. He and his friends were deciding which ride to go on when...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (TRANSLATED): I felt like something was on fire. And there was an explosion. My friend grab me and pulled me to the ground. He saved my life.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MOHSIN: His friend is lying in a bed opposite him. In each ward, we found friends, complete strangers, family, tending to their loved ones. "He shouted mama on the phone." "Oh, his voice," his mother tells me. "My heart sank as he told me that a bomb went off. Please come to me. I'm in hospital."
Now you'll notice, this is a mixed ward. Young children, men and women are being kept altogether because the doctors are keen that these traumatized families are kept together.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MEHMOOD SHAUKAT, JINNAH HOSPITAL DOCTOR: It was a horrible picture. There were about 137 patients within 20 minutes. And with every patient, we had 20 other people who are well-wishers or their relatives. So, we had to bring immediately about 30 doctors and 40 nurses. And we had to open up 20 more operating rooms.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MOHSIN: Many of the patients agreed to talk to us. But others are in intensive care. We didn't film them. They haven't regain consciousness since the attack.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHAUKAT: We had to open up the abdomen of these patients because sharp things had gone into them. And then after their intestine and we had about 10 patients who had serious head injuries because the brain had been entered by these sharp objects.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MOHSIN: Local people are coming to together to deliver food and toys to the families and children like Shebar (ph). He will live with the physical and mental scars of this bombing forever.
Saima Mohsin, CNN, Lahore, Pakistan.
[03:50:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
JAVAHERI: An active day ahead of us across the southern United States. Big-time storms beginning to fire up across the south-central region. Plenty of gulf moisture to go with it. We've got a front that is beginning to push across the area.
Some lift ahead of this front right here, really sets the stage for some strong weather into the afternoon hours of Thursday. In fact, we know some 30 million people dealing with some severe weather potential.
About seven million people stretching an area some say Jackson towards Paducah, just south of Indianapolis there, with severe weather really the risk being the highest for some isolated tornadoes and certainly large hail and damaging winds.
Look at the rainfall. We know soil moisture here almost at full capacity. Sitting at 99 percentile high saturated soils. Somebody get four to six inches or say 100 to 150 millimeters that is going to cause flash flooding in a lot of these areas.
It is certainly something worth noting across the southeast in Atlanta. Twenty five-degree day in places like Chicago, into the upper teens. A big-time cooling trend. And you know it is beginning to be the heart of spring in spots when the temps just have a rollercoaster trend to them, where they cool off significantly, try to warm up, cool off again, and then warm up.
So, we know the sun angle, the days getting longer. So, the variations and temperatures in the next couple of weeks is going to be pretty large across that area. To the west we go, where high pressure tries to build. We get some moisture streaming in later into the weekend. But the snow showers really can find across the intermountain west.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
JIMMY KIMMEL, JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE SHOW HOST: It occurred to me today speaking about you. I'm older than you are.
TED CRUZ, (R) U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: You are.
KIMMEL: It's crazy to me that there are people running for president that I'm older than.
CRUZ: Well, I will say this that the salt and pepper in the beard, gives you a distinguished look. It's a good look.
(CROSSTALK)
KIMMEL: Thanks very much.
CRUZ: Good luck. You're not going to put me on the Muslim watch list because of this, are you?
CRUZ: It's already done actually.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BARNETT: U.S. republican presidential Ted Cruz, paying a visit to one of the U.S. late night shows, Jimmy Kimmel Live on Wednesday.
CHURCH: Yes. And Cruz and the American talk show host traded barbs and jokes as you saw there. Actually he was quite funny into this. It's not necessarily in that one. But there were other episodes.
BARNETT: Ted Cruz has a knack for presentation. And he can be funny sometimes and melodramatic, as well.
CHURCH: Well, because as we've seen he can say lines from movies.
BARNETT: That's right. But I didn't realize.
(CROSSTALK)
CHURCH: All right. Well, remember Cruz and not even realize. Well, Donald Trump is sometimes described as a bully.
BARNETT: But the republican presidential, the front-runner may have smashed his own record for using what's usually a polite term.
CNN's Jeanne Moos count it up.
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: When a Trump interview gets intense.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, (R) U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I mean, give me a break.
ANDERSON COOPER, AC360 SHOW HOST: Come on.
TRUMP: Come on, Anderson. It's not politically motivated.
MOOS: You have to excuse the Donald for excusing himself.
COOPER: A 5-year-old, he started that.
(CROSSTALK)
TRUMP: Excuse me, you would say that.
COOPER: You're running for president of the United States. TRUMP: Excuse me.
MOOS: He may sound like a little kid.
TRUMP: I didn't start it.
COOPER: But that's...
(CROSSTALK)
TRUMP: I didn't start it.
COOPER: But, sir, with all due respect, that's the argument of a 5- year-old.
TRUMP: I didn't start it.
MOOS: But a 5-year-old with manners.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You said excuse me. You used good manners.
MOOS: And if this sounds familiar...
TRUMP: Excuse me.
MOOS: ... that's because we first focus on Trump's favorite verbal weapon last summer. Making this...
[03:55:05] UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Excuse me.
MOOS: The Sequel. We thought it deserved a sequel when The Washington Post counted 18 "excuse me" in just 1 hour of a CNN town hall.
COOPER: Whether you think it was battery or not.
TRUMP: Excuse me.
MOOS: One.
COOPER: You're suggesting you might.
TRUMP: Excuse me. Excuse me. I didn't suggest.
MOOS: Two, three.
COOPER: So, it doesn't concern you that initially...
TRUMP: Excuse me.
MOOS: Four.
TRUMP: Excuse me. Excuse me.
MOOS: Five. Six.
TRUMP: We're supporting Japan. We're supporting -- excuse me. Excuse me. We're supporting Japan.
MOOS: Actually when you add them all up.
TRUMP: Excuse me.
MOOS: Eighteen was an undercount.
TRUMP: A lot of that is -- excuse me.
MOOS: Twenty. Sort of makes Bernie Sanders' lonely, single, interjection...
BERNIE SANDERS, (D) U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Excuse me, I'm talking.
MOOS: ... seems like a poor excuse for an excuse me, compared to Trump's 20. Maybe the Donald can add variety.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Excuse me.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Excuse me.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Excuse me.
MOOS: Break down the cultural walls. When he interrupts himself. His own story the Donald excuses himself.
TRUMP: When he said, we had a big day. We won Utah. Excuse me. I won Arizona.
MOOS: Mr. Trump, you are excused.
TRUMP: Excuse me.
MOOS: Jeanne Moos.
COOPER: Is that correct?
TRUMP: Excuse me. Excuse me.
MOOS: CNN.
TRUMP: Excuse me.
MOOS: New York.
TRUMP: Excuse me. Excuse me. I didn't suggest.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: I love it. All right.
Before we go, a loving panda. This next video out of Southwest China is just so adorable. Look at this, a giant panda cub, spotted giving little panda kisses to his foster dad and handler. BARNETT: That's nice. And then he says let me be a bit more adorable.
Let me get in here and pose for some selfies. OK. That's a good angle. We get in here. Yes, that's it. And cheese.
CHURCH: That is the Kodak moment, isn't it.
BARNETT: Beautiful stuff. And good way to end our two hours. So, you'll have a great one.
CHURCH: I think so.
BARNETT: And our week.
CHURCH: We love your company. Thank you so much here on CNN. I'm Rosemary Church.
BARNETT: And I'm Errol Barnett. If you like that panda video, follow us on Twitter. We're sending it out to you right now. More CNN Newsroom with Hanna Von Jones in London that begins after this. See you.
CHURCH: Stick around.
[04:00:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
