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Rescue Efforts Still Ongoing After Earthquake in Japan; Death Toll Rises To 32 In Japan From Quake; 41 People Confirmed Dead from 7.8 Magnitude Quake In Ecuador; Pope Francis Gives 12 Syrian Refugees A New Home; OPEC Holding Meeting To Determine Future of Oil Prices; Bernie Sanders Trying To Win Over Minority Voters In New York State; States Face Backlash for Anti-LGBT Laws. Aired 5-6a ET

Aired April 17, 2016 - 05:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:00:13] GEORGE HOWELL, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to our viewers here in the United States and around. You're watching CNN Newsroom. I'm George Howell and we continue to cover the breaking news that we're following this hour.

Two deadly earthquakes on opposite sides of the Pacific Rim, in Japan rescue efforts are still under way but we but we begin in Ecuador. A magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck the coastline there the epicenter about 170 kilometers or just over 100 miles from the capital city of Quito, 77 people are confirmed dead there and nearly 600 more are injured. Some 55 aftershocks are been felt seen that initial earthquake. And here some powerful video coming from the city of Guayaquil, rescue workers there are trying to save people stuff beneath a collapsed bridge.

Many of the areas there are still in a state of emergency and our meteorologist Derek Van Dam is here with us as cruise asses the extent of the damage there Derek.

DEREK VAN DAM, CNN METEOROLOGIST: The extents of the damage is well needless to say catastrophic in many parts of Ecuador and you know it seems as if this is a major thing that we're going to continue to monitor because aftershocks are going to be a concern going forward towards and yeah, this is an area that is really produced, some of the world's largest earthquakes and this is no different.

You're looking at some of the images coming to CNN, Esmeraldas City. This is an area that's been hardest hits or one of the mini areas that have been hard as hit by this magnitude 7.8 earthquake. And this image just really says at all and I just want to take note of the infrastructure across this area. I was talking to a producer of the screen just a few moments ago, trying to compare the resilience of these countries.

Japan, very resilient to earthquakes of this magnitude. Ecuador, not quite the same infrastructure, the ability to cope with strong earthquakes as what we're seeing here and this is just an unreal as day light comes to fruition here within the next several hours they will be assessing the damage fully. Let's recap what happened magnitude 7.8, shallow earthquake, 19.2 kilometers below the surface of the earth. This is on the northwestern section of Ecuador resuming a little bit closer. This is the U.S. geological survey of shake map and it indicates around 2 million people fealty, they're strong or very strong shaking from this magnitude 7.8.

And they have the potential, the ability to assess the potential fatalities from a earthquake of this magnitude and you can see on this particular graph that lines, anywhere between 100 and 1,000 people when compared to previous earthquakes with a similar magnitude and similar population and similar depth so, this is what we would anticipate.

Going forward again we have the official toll at 77 on at the moment unfortunately. The magnitude of our further aftershocks and you could see that we could potentially experienced maybe 5 to 10 magnitude, 5.8 or greater from here on forward. So this is going to be something that they would need to consider as a search and recovery efforts go forward. I considering that some of the buildings and structures across this area which by the way are more or less just brick and mortar.

They are compromised and further aftershocks could bring them down quite easily. The four cost going forward, we have chances of rain on Tuesday and Wednesday. The good news is that temperatures are relatively warm when compared to Japan, we don't expect the onset of hypothermia to be a concern for those search and rescue efforts as rain moves through. But Japan that's another story, we'll touch on that later on the hour. OK so weather could play factor there.

HOWELL: Derek, thank you. We'll see in touch with you. We move on now to Japan as we mention rescue cruise are still very busy in the desperate search to find the people who maybe trapped under rubble there. This after that magnitude 7.0, earthquake it hit early Saturday and the death toll now stand at 32 people dead.

The nation was already scrambling to recover from a tremor that killed 9 people just two days before more than 1,000 people have been injured in the quakes. Japan's prime minister is calling the search for survivors "A race against the clock." The government has to deployed 25,000 troops to join the search for those missing.

CNN is on the ground in Shimamoto, Japan Matt Rivers is live this hour. Well, Matt it's good to have you again.

If you could first tell our viewers just about the situation at these evacuation centers and, you know, I understand you did stay overnight with many of the residents there. What was that experience like?

[05:05:01] MATT RIVERS, CORRESPONDENT: We did and the evacuation shelter was very, very full, everyone here whether there house was catastrophically damaged or whether it only had minor damage chose to stay on those evacuation shelters because frankly they were nervous about the fact that an aftershock might be worst or as bad as those first two earthquakes you've mention.

But today really the first day since the sun is shinning as compared to yesterday when it was raining, today for the first time residence here could get back into these neighborhoods and really take a look at what kind of damage have been done. We spoke to one woman as she visited her residence for the first time.

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Her 80-year-old father survived when this building collapsed on top of him. And that's the only piece of good news Kiyomi Matsuoka has got.

It's just so surreal. She says, I'm still in shock. Kiyomi's family rent a salon and in this building for 40 years. They lived together in the back, but two earthquakes, the first on Thursday then again on Saturday shredded her home.

It's devastating she says, utterly devastated. Kiyomi is like tens of thousands of others in south west Japan still reeling from the unexpected disasters. Dozens were killed, hundreds injured and some are still missing, buried under twisted metal and wood.

We watched as a rescue team went property by property looking for anyone still alive extreme work, few has been found so far. But that's partly because precautions were taken.

This picture is from Friday and this is what that same home looks like right now. Oddly enough many people we spoken to in this neighborhood tell us they're actually happy that two earthquakes occurred.

After the first one hit, tens of thousands of people were forced to evacuate from neighborhoods like this one, so when the second one hit on Saturday some 15 times stronger than the first one there were less people around. That might have save lives.

Most of those evacuees ended up at shelters like this one. Parent's, kids, grandparents, dogs, some don't have homes to return to, the ones the do are simply too afraid to go back for fear of more aftershocks.

Everything was shaking so badly during the earthquake, he said I thought it was the end of my life. Kount Kiyomi Matsuoka among those with no where to go, she's staying in her car for now but with so stoic and calm when she talk to us. She only choked up when we asked her what comes next.

I wanted this business to stay in my family for generations she says, I'm not sure that could happen now. The earthquakes where over in a few moments but their effect will be felt far longer than that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RIVERS: And so people still very afraid of aftershocks here, we have felt several through out the day probably a half dozens. Some very minor, some were we actually could feel our self swaying back and forth. But even if people do get over this fear of the aftershock even as seismic activity begins to settle when people are going to be able to get back into there homes is a big question here.

The power remains out in this area and fresh water is currently an issue, so a long way to go towards a normal sea, George.

GEROGE HOWELL: The aftershocks there continue and as we can see behind your shot there the efforts -- the rescue efforts are still under way. Matt Rivers live for us in Japan. Thank you do much for your reporting, we'll stay in touch and be sure to keep it right here on CNN.

We will speak with the Red Cross in Japan later, about the aid and assistance the organization is providing to people, the many people impacted by the two deadly earthquakes that is coming up just in about 30 minutes here on CNN newsroom.

Pope Francis is given some refugees much more than a simple message of hope. He actually gave 12 refugees a new home. The pope brought three Syrian families to Rome with him from Greece. They've been living at the migrant camp in Lesbos which Pope Francis visited on Saturday.

He spoke to hundreds of migrants there telling them that they are not alone and later he told journalist that all nations share their responsibility to welcome refugees.

Our Vatican correspondent Delia Gallagher is live for us in Rome this hour, Delia it's good to have you with us.

So, what more do we know about these three families that were chosen and what happens on them next?

DELIA GALLAGHER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, George for such a short trip. I mean the pope was there for only five hours certainly of less a lasting impression not only on those families but on the people that the pope met and on the pope himself because when he was coming back last night on the airplane he said it was a day for tears.

And he said that he was show -- he was given some drawings by children showing people drowning and the sun crying and then the pope himself was very moved by meeting these people.

And he said another important thing on the island George which goes with criticism that is sometimes heard when the pope tells Europeans and European countries to open their doors to migrants.

[05:10:07] And the Pope said the worries expressed by institutions and people in Greece and in other countries in Europe are legitimate and understandable.

So, he spoke to that criticism that sometimes, politically, it can be more complex to help migrants, but he said I want to remind people that these migrants are not just statistics. They are people with names and faces and of course, in the very dramatic way, then brought back three Syrian families.

So, speaking of names, I shall give you their names and tell you about them. They are Hasan and Nour, they are two engineers with their children. Ramy is the teacher. Suhila is a tailor. Osama and Wafa are the other couple with their two-year old son. All three of them are Muslim Syrians. Their houses have been bombed. Two of them were in Damascus, another couple lived on the eastern coast near Iraq and they all fled to Turkey and from Turkey to the refugee camp where they were fortunately picked by lottery on Friday evening to join the Pope on his trip back to Italy.

They will be taking care of here by the community of Sant Egidio, that is a Catholic community that works closely with the Vatican, who will help settle them in apartments paid for the by Vatican and get them jobs. George.

HOWELL: A very important, significant gesture by the Pope. And it will be interesting to see how that plays into the politics when it comes to refugees across Europe.

Delia Gallagher, live force. Thank you for your reporting. You're watching CNN Newsroom.

And still ahead, a key meeting among the world's biggest oil producers is underway at Qatar, how they are trying to fix falling oil prices. Just ahead.

Plus, a North Korean official is howling Donald Trumps comments on Pyongyang absurd. Here, what else he had to say about the Republican front-runner in a CNN exclusive as Newsroom continues.

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HOWELL: Right now, members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries better known as OPEC are holding a crucial meeting with other major oil producers in Doha, Qatar that will determine the future of oil prices. Overproduction has dragged down the cost of oil for the last two years. Sunday's talks will focus on a plan to freeze crude production in an effort to contain the global supply goleta (ph). But it is uncertain if oil producers will actually agree to that.

[05:15:12] CNNMoney Emerging Markets Editor John Defterios joins us now live in Doha with the very latest on this.

John, it's good to have you. So, why is this meeting so critical at this time?

JOHN DEFTERIOS, CNNMONEY EMERGING MARKETS EDITOR: Hi, George. Well, it's -- yeah, it's amazing George because the market really is on edge and hoping for what they like to call the big freeze but what should be a very simple task to freeze out or freeze oil production at where it is today. Has gotten a lot more complicated in the last few hours and shall I say a little bit more acrimonious because some of the talks that are taking place.

There are up to 18 countries here, but there is one notable absence and that is Iran because of the sanctions coming to having those lifted. He did not want to sign on to the freeze. So, the host of Qatar suggested that it did not attend. At the same, just in the last 24 hours the Deputy Crown Prince who holds a lot of power in Saudi Arabia was suggesting that Saudi Arabia could add another million barrels a day immediately, two million barrels a day between six to nine months. He didn't like the idea that Iran would not sign onto this deal. So, you can see the tensions right there.

It is a good concept to offer this freeze. There is over supply in the market. But, George, even if they sign onto the agreement, there's always the issue of reality. What happens during implementation of that deal after they would lead Doha?

Let's take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Reaching an agreement as one thing but implementing the terms of agreement is another thing. And OPEC is not -- the history of OPEC says that there has been some cheating in the past and there is another country which is not in OPEC, but I don't know if they are going to be within the freeze going on that is Russia.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DEFTERIOS: So, Russia is a challenger who supposed to speak to the Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak in the next hours.

George, Russia has been producing nearly 11 million barrels a day and that's a record. Can they half it there? Can they commit to not producing more oil going forward?

You know, they had this freeze concept which included Russia back in February. There had four countries around the table. Now, we're looking at four times that amount in Doha and that's why it's become so complicated. And then, we thought it was just going to be a two- hour meeting and it's dragging on into the afternoon time period at Doha, George.

HOWELL: OK, so the meeting is still ongoing. And John, talk to us about how old rivalries play into the efforts to get a deal here.

DEFTERIOS: Well, at the bottom of all these, George, they are competitors against each other, fighting for customers or from market share, these major oil players. So, they have Saudi Arabia and Russia sitting down together after many times in the past not able to reach an agreement is one thing, but if you talk about rivalries, you have to focus on the Middle East and that is between Saudi Arabia and Iran, Sunni and Shia rivalries. And again, with Iran coming out of the shadows and having the sanctions lifted, Saudi Arabia is not happy about that.

So the deputy Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia was also the head of supreme petroleum council, very powerful individual, only 30 years old, is not happy to that fact that Iran will not sign on. Iranian source said that I spoke to this meeting extremely clear, we're not going to flood the market, but you can't ask us to sign to a deal when we've been out of the market for four years so it added 700,000 barrels a day, they want to add in this similar amount over the next year.

They said, we're not going to put all this oil in the market right away, but we're not going to be the first ones to blink. That gives you an indication that some of the bad blood and they're trying to bridge those gas right now behind close doors here in Doha. With the Qatar and -- so bringing all of these ministers here is quite a statement, but can they walk away with the deal is the big question.

HOWELL: And the question, who will be the first to blink. John Defterios live for us in Doha. Thank you so much for your report.

And now to the U.S. presidential race, Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders is trying to win over minority voters in the state of New York. The primary there is set for Tuesday. On Saturday, Mr. Sanders spoke to a multi-racial and multi-religious roundtable at his hometown of Brooklyn. If elected, Bernie Sanders will become the first Jewish U.S. president.

The Vermont Senator says he has advocated for racial equality since the Civil Rights Movement back in the 1960s.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BERNIE SANDERS, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We owe a Democratic to the Black Lives Matter Movement.

But substantially raising consciousness on this very important issue. So let's start off facts. We have more people in jail than any other country on earth. Think about it. China, four time our size, a communist authoritarian country doesn't tolerate dissent to well.

[05:20:03] We got more people in jail than China does. 2.2 million people disproportionately African-American-Latino and Native American are taxes problem.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: Bernie Sanders there and now, the front-runner Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, she will land in New York soon to form a New York City very wrapped up a trip to California where she tried to appeal to voters and donors, and our Sara Sidner was there and has this report.

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SARA SIDNER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hillary Clinton showing up in South Los Angeles of the Southwest college here. Over dozens of people cheering her own, listening to what she had to say and also making sure that when protesters came forth free of them at that they basically booed him it out and chanted, Hillary, Hillary, Hillary because they wanted to hear what she had to say.

Most of the people here, obviously showing up supporting, Hillary Clinton who talked about environmental policy about climate change and how she feels compared to how the Republicans feel. And she also talked very much about Trump, Donald Trump the front-runner in the Republican Party for the presidency of the United State.

She talked about him and said, "Look, the reason why I keep bringing up his comments on not allowing Muslims into this country is because I do not want our partners around the world who are helping us by terrorism who are helping us grow. We don't want them to think that that is the values that the American path. I want to show a difference and I want to make sure they know that". So, she brings that up. She also went after Ted Cruz as well but who she did not after is Bernie Sanders who was been very critical of her as well as his supporters of her in the fundraising that she's been doing the "Mega Big Money Big Ticket", fund raising that is happening this week end. As well as this event right knocked out in the middle of two huge fundraising event where people had to pay about $33,000 a pop per person or $353,000 to be able to fit at the table with her.

The Clinton's and Alastair (ph) George Clooney and his wife Amal, a lot of folks getting agree about that over the weekend from the Bernie camp. But certain here at this college people supporting Hillary Clinton saying "Hey, if you wanna see her in person, if you wanna hear what she has to say, if you want to be able to shake her hand and talk her show up to this event and it's great.

Sara Sidner, CNN, Los Angeles.

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HOWELL: Sara, thank you and now to the Republican's side of things. Candidate Ted Cruz has won the 14 delegates up for grabs in Saturday State of Wyoming case. This is in addition to nine delegates that he won there in an earlier round of voting. Donald Trump decided though not to campaign in that State. And instead he's focused on New York. Mr Trump's says he lost Wyoming because the voting rules there are unfair in his words but Republican National Committee denies that accusation.

Despite his loss in Wyoming, Donald Trump is still in the lead who secured 1237 delegates that's needed. As how many year data to clench the Republican nomination. Mr Trump was ahead with 758 delegates followed by Ted Cruz, 553 delegates and John Kasich, 145. If no, candidate reaches the operational delegates will vote for their parties nominee in a contested convention. That is for July.

CNN has been grated a rear interview with the high ranking more Korean officials who was well acquitted with US politics in our international correspondent, Will Ripley is the only American Journalist in joining Pyongyang right now and he tells this official calls comments on North Korea by U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump absurd.

Here is Will's explosive report us.

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WILL RIPLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Being North Korean officials understand American politics like Ri Jong Ryul, the long time diplomat and former ambassador is Deputy Director General of the Institute of International Studies, is Pyongyang, think tank (ph) monitors global events and reports back to North Korean leadership.

We're not really interested in the U.S. election he says. We don't care who becomes the next U.S. presidents whether Republicans or Democrats take power. It has nothing to do with us. U.S. politicians have always had a hostile policy against Korea.

Ri is one of the handful of North Koreans who can access the internet, state media doesn't covered details of the U.S. presidential campaigning the average person would even recognize any of the candidates. In recent months, each has spoken out against North Koreas nuclear and missile programs.

DONALD TRUMP, (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Good to be with you.

RIPLEY: Republican front-runner Donald Trump shocked American allies in Asia when he suggested Japan and South Korea could armed themselves with nuclear weapons.

TRUMP: Nobody has them. So, North Korea has no, Japan is a problem with that. I mean the other the problem with that. Maybe they would in fact be better of if they defend themselves form North Korea. Maybe it would be better of including with nukes, yes.

RIPLEY: What is North Korea response?

RIPLEY: So, Donald Trump's remark are totally absurd and illogical, he says. The U.S. tells us to give our nuclear program is preparing a nuclear attack against us and on the other hand would tell its allies to have nuclear weapons? Isn't this a double standard?

[05:25:07] Pyongyang has not officially responded to Trump's remarks. Last week, North Korean Propaganda attempted political satire. Adopting the voice of Abraham Lincoln, scolding President Obama for U.S. nuclear policy even in a country known for bellicose rhetoric, Ri believes Trump's ideology is dangerous.

Trump's remarks give us a deeper look at America's hostile policy against my country he says "Simply put America's hostile acts against us are making the situation on the Korean peninsula worst." He warns our policy like Trump's would only escalate North Korea's nuclear arms race.

Will Riply, CNN, Pyongyang.

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HOWELL: You're watching CNN Newsroom.

And still ahead, hundreds of thousands of people had been evacuated in Japan after a series of deadly earthquakes strike in just says.

Up next, we'll speak to the Red Cross about the relief effort there.

Plus, business are pulling out of North Carolina, at a politicians they have passed a controversial law.

Up next, the latest reaction from a major sports league, you're watching CNN Newsroom.

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HOWELL: Welcome back to our viewers here in the United States and around the world. You are watching CNN Newsroom. It is good to have you with us. I'm George Howell and we update now our two top stories, this hour.

A powerful earthquakes struck the coast of Ecuador, at least 77 people are dead nearly 600 more are injured. Many people fled their homes fearing the tsunami but official say the risk of tsunami had passed.

[05:30:00] Even still, aftershocks continue to hit with some 55 they'll send (ph) the initial quake. Several areas remain in state of emergency.

And in Japan, people are filling into evacuation centers there, fearing for more aftershocks. This after a magnitude 7.0 earthquake hit early Saturday. The death toll there has now risen to 32 people dead. This is the same region that was hit by a very strong earthquake just two days earlier, that quake killed nine people.

Disaster official say, some 180,000 people have been evacuated into more than 800 shelters there. Widespread power and water outages have also been reported.

Japan's rescue and recovery effort has already been impacted by bad weather and it may yet hit again.

Our meteorologist Derek Van Dam is here with the latest on that. And Derek, so with more rain, the possibility of landslide.

DEREK VAN DAM, AMS METEOROLOGIST: And George, we've already had the earthquake and then the subsequent aftershocks which loosen the dirt and the soil and those very steep mountainsides around Kumamoto. But add rain into that factor and that just compromises the soil even more. So landslides, mudslides are a concern.

It is dry right now, but there's rain in the forecast, also not good news for the search and recovery efforts because, George, hypothermia is a problem.

And you can imagine that anyone getting wet, let's say they're still stuck under a rubble within the building is getting wet, they don't have any protection to keep themselves warm, that could easily spell hypothermia.

Its 17 degrees right now on Kumamoto, it is dry, the sun is out. Well, the sun is about to go down at this moment in time, but temperatures will drop into the lower teens tonight.

And we have a break in the weather for the moment, but there's rain in store for Monday. I've timed it out for you here, early Monday morning and whether about 11 o'clock local time.

I do expect a ban of showers maybe even the few rumbles of thunder to move through the extreme southern sections of Japan. So, Kyushu island, potentially, receiving rainfall, more rain, maybe 10, 15 millimeters of rain by the time it's all set and done here. Here's a three-day forecast.

Look at the overnight loads here as well actually dropping into the single digits. So I was incorrect when I said a moment ago, but nonetheless, that is significant because that doesn't allow that much time before someone to get hypothermia. So, we have to take this into considerations. Time is of the essence at the moment.

You can see our chances of rain throughout this area, showers moving through. This is all thanks to our Pacific Ring of Fire the area that sees the most active earthquakes across the world. Ninety percent of our earthquakes are actually occur across this region and we also had our most recent one here in Ecuador.

Here's to look at their weather forecast for the search and recovery efforts significantly different warmer but rain is also in this particular hour.

HOWELL: It's just, a bad news, the thought of more rain giving the fact that, you know, these crews are doing their best.

VAN DAM: It is, yes, so much to contend right at that moment.

HOWELL: Derek, thank you so much. We'll stay in touch with you.

For more on the quake in Japan, let's bring in Naoki Kokawa, he is with the Red Cross and joins us now on the phone.

Naoki, it's good to have you with us. So, I understand that you are in one of the most devastated areas. What is the situation like there? How difficult was it for you to get into that region?

NAOKI KOKAWA, RED CROSS: Yeah, actually, this is the worst hit area, but also this is one of the most beautiful out of Japan and that we in the middle of spring. But the -- see, this turned to be a very bad thing weather dropped to bridges in the long flight and collapsed houses and many people are scared because of the big, many -- we count 14 big aftershocks after the second one.

And in fact the first one was strong enough because second was bigger. This makes people afraid that there could be another big one. That makes people more scared.

HOWELL: When you talk about these aftershocks, I mean, what has that experience been like? I mean, how strong are they?

KOKAWA: We used a Japanese scale so that is more than five and five minus five plus six, seven and we counted 14 of these. And five minus is strong enough that to make you just to run out of the house and that is 14 times after that. HOWELL: Naoki, we're looking at these images and the devastation just seems so extensive there. We're looking at these homes that have been all the toppled and it looks like many of the roads are impossible. So, what has been the experience of your many crews out there to try to get into these areas and find out if people might be trapped under some of the debris, the rubbles in these homes?

[05:34:57] KOKAWA: Well, actually, the Kumamoto City, this area could be reach within the 30 minutes or so, but I -- today, I took -- it took me four hours. It took the -- down in the south road to reach there along the -- these volcanoes, how do you call -- this from the mountains, and yeah, but the road was not bad, I could reach there.

HOWELL: We just heard from meteorologist Derek Van Dam that there is, you know, a possibility of mudslides just giving the rain that has, you know, been a problem in that area on top of the quake that your crews are dealing with. So is that a big concern for your team as they search for survivors?

KOKAWA: Yes, there is a very heavy rain of that cause most much concern. But after the road, I took close, there was no risk of any slides. But well there's still need the people under the risk of mudslide with the continuing aftershocks and this heavy rain, the whether, all water with in this earth is it has a quite risk of the -- addition landslide if the aftershocks continues.

HOWELL: You know, you've been talking all this time. We've seeing this very dramatic images and I want to tell you we just saw an image of rescue worker pulling child out of rubble and debris. So I think our viewers here in the United States and around the world can get good sense there, we see up there.

I got a good sense of what you're crews are dealing with. We wish and your team the best of safety as that effort continue. Noaki Kokawa, thank you so much for your time with us.

KOKAWA: Thank you.

HOWELL: Thank you sir.

This is CNN NEWSROOM and still ahead this hour.

The Pope visited thousands of people stuck in Greek migrant camps. And still ahead CNN speaks with Greece's Prime Minister about the Pope's visit and the fight of many, many migrants still in Lesbos.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:40:23] HOWELL: In Europe now and along the Macedonian border, migrants living in a small Greek village are hoping for visit from the Pope. Thousands of them are living in a makeshift camp there and they were stranded after a number of country sealed their borders closing off the migrants Balkan route into Northern Europe.

We heard from one refugee living there after the Pope visited Lesbos, listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE, (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): I hope it is good for us. I wish he could come visit us and see us. Maybe because of his visit, European countries will reopen the borders and for each to go to the country they want to. The situation like this is very difficult. It's the same is being in our country at war. It's the same situation in Syria and here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: And during his visit there to Lesbos, the Pope met with the Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras.

Our Hala Gorani spoke with Mr. Tsipras about the migrant crisis. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALEXIS TSIPRAS, PRIME MINISTER OF GREECE: I think that was a significant chance to give the correct messages to the global community in order to recognize the efforts of the Greek people and of Greece, in order to face this humanitarian crisis, this refugee crisis.

You know, I think that it was very -- it was too important for us because we tried from the very beginning to face this crisis in high difficulties. But I think that at the end of the day, we managed to keep our values and our principles when at the same time, in Europe, there were some of our partners that they didn't do the same.

HALA GORANI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You're talking about what country Hungary for instance, others?

TSIPRAS: It's no sense now to say specifically but I can say that it was not so easy for me in these difficult counsels' European counsels' when a lot of my colleagues asked me to protect the borders by push back to these vulnerable people on the sea.

So it was not so easy for me to explain to them, that this is a -- first of all again, our principles. Secondly, out of the international legislation.

And it was difficult to convince my colleagues when their public opinion, where against the idea to give a help and edge and solidarity to these people.

GORANI: So you're not naming country names. Let's talk about the Turkey/E.U. deal very quickly.

TSIPRAS: Yeah.

GORANI: There was a protest outside of the gate because ...

TSIPRAS: Everybody knows that, I'm sorry. Everybody knows in -- which were the congress that decided unilaterally to close the Balkan routes. Everybody knows about that.

GORANI: And we know that that ...

TSIPRAS: So at the same time that we would try to give solidarity to this vulnerable people, some decided to close the borders to build fences and walls.

GORANI: That -- there was a protest outside of where the Pope was delivering his address and his blessing today saying, Moria the camp that he visited today is an E.U. prison stop the deportations. That is the tricky E.U. deal. Do you think it's a good deal?

TSIPRAS: The E.U./Turk is they'll -- it was very difficult deal. And of course there are a lot of conditions and -- that we'll have to implement with high difficulty because I believe and this is my best priority to deliver this deal on the framework of international legislation.

So that's why my obligation is to examine our talk all their asylum demands, all the asylum obligations ...

GORANI: But it's taking a very long time. And there's a lot of frustration in the camp.

TSIPRAS: But the fact is that after this deal, the flows have been reduced such vastly.

GORANI: Is that because Turkey, you believe all along could have secured inside of the border better?

TSIPRAS: I think that this is true. I think that is a combination. A combination of the willing of the Turks side to implement agreements and, but at the same time of the message that it was very clear that the illegal routes has stopped.

GORANI: Yeah.

TSIPRAS: At the same time illegal routes start to begin. And this is the substance. So the substance is to say to this people, these vulnerable people don't trust the smugglers, don't take the risk to trust the smugglers in order to go Europe. Let's go with the resettlement scheme from Turkish coast and also for the relocation scheme from Greece.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[05:45:18] HOWELL: Alexis Tsipras is speaking to our own Hala Gorani.

Now to the United States where several southern states are feeling economic backlash from a law that critics are calling anti-LGBT.

The State of North Carolina is among them. The law there forces transgender people to use public restrooms matching the sex on their birth certificate. And in response to that law Cirque du Soleil has joined the growing list of acts, cancelling shows in the state of North Carolina. The National Basketball Association says, for now they plans to play its all star game in the state despite calls to relocate it, listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ADAM SILVER, NBA COMMISSIONER: The law as it now stands in North Carolina is problematic for the league. There was no discussion of moving the all-star game. What the view in the room was, we should be working towards change in North Carolina.

The best role for the league to play here is through constructive engagement towards change, not setting deadlines, not making ultimatums, but working with the private sector and the government to affect change in North Carolina.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: CNN National Correspondent Polo Sandoval is here live following this controversial legislation.

And Polo look, you know, there's a great push and pull between business and politicians. And North Carolina is not alone.

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely not. I think it's important to look back to last summer George. Is when we really begun to see this several states introducing and then some cases as we saw in North Carolina it even pass these measures just because the Supreme Court of the United States legalize in essence gay marriage last summer.

So as a result we have seen several of these states introduced and as it began, as we mentioned, even pass this legislation.

And back to the NBA tie here, we really have to recognize the unique position that the league is in here that it was called out there by the commissioner.

There is a very real concern there if they do remove this all-star game which is not scheduled play out until I guess probably another 10 months. But still they're trying to, at their critics are trying to push this game out the state in the protest of this law.

But the concern there is, if they do that then would that sent a mix message out there given the North Carolina as a professional basketball team is in the play-offs even expected to play tonight.

So there is that concern. But at the same time what we saw and what we're hearing from the commissioner here I think is, he is steadfast, his resolutes about the league's position against discrimination whether it's based on race or in this case sexual orientation.

But again he says that the game, this all-star game will remain in North Carolina for now. No final decision has been made. But at the meantime they do want to continue that conversation with the state push the change and possibly even repeal that law. HOWELL: I know that there have been some here in Atlanta who have wanted the game to be here, given that the governor here Nathan Deal vetoed a similar, you know, legislation. But, you know, the question in North Carolina, is the governor responding to these pushes, the calls to repeal or even change this law.

SANDOVAL: Oh, what's interesting, George, is that this week we did see an executive order that was issued by North Carolina's governor essentially extending further protections for transgender state and employees.

But critics saying that is not enough, they want this law modified or repeal because what did stay was that requirement, the people in essence used our transgender individuals use the restroom, the public restrooms that corresponds with the sex they would find on their birth certificate.

HOWELL: Interesting, so, you know, even with the potential economic fall out that many of these states are facing, are there still, you know, efforts to create these laws in different states.

SANDOVAL: It's surprising here, even as a -- you don't have to go too far, in South Carolina they are considering very similar legislation despite the Republican governor's opposition to that. But we have to remember in the world of politics and business, sometimes politics comes first.

So you do you have some of these Conservative states, people that have a constituency that have more traditional views when it comes to marriage and also gender identification.

So a lot of these lawmakers and these governors have them to respond. And so the interesting to see long-term, what this means ...

HOWELL: The south politics or business which will take the lead here, we'll see.

National Correspondent Polo Sandoval, thank you so much.

SANDOVAL: You bet.

HOWELL: This is CNN NEWSROOM. Still ahead it is a romantic story of the State of Montana, sort of. When we come back the story of how bandits armed with guns couldn't stop this kissing couple.

[05:49:47] We'll have that story next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOWELL: Welcome to CNN NEWSROOM. I'm George Howell.

Hundreds of actors and filmmakers raise the red carpets Saturday at the opening of the 6th Beijing International Film Festival.

The festival has drown more than 2,000 attendees and film organizations to the Chinese capital. American actress and Oscar winner Natalie Portman brought her directorial debut film to this year's event. The film runs until April 23rd.

They say that love is blind. And that actually turned out to be true for one couple that was kissing at a U.S. bar.

The duo was so busy kissing at a Montana Watering Hall. They didn't notice an armed robbery just in arms length the way.

CNN's Jeanne Moos has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: There they were kissing, caps backwards blissfully unaware as a woman and two male robbers walked into the Tap Inn brandishing guns.

Did that stop the lovebirds? Nope, they kept on nuzzling as the bandits in bandanas emptied the register.

One of the robbers brushed right past them and finally you see the moment when it dawns on Don Juan that there's a robbery in progress. The bandit even steals what may be lover boy's phone.

[05:54:57] No one was hurt. The surveillance tape went viral as everyone tapped into the Tap Inn's kissing couple, which upset owner Bobbi Rhodes. He told the Billings Gazette "Nobody has bothered to ask how is my bartender doing? He's doing well."

"Love is blind" says the internet. In this case, deaf and dumb as well, the only arms they noticed were around each other.

Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: Maybe they really into each other. And, you know what, they just didn't see it happen.

But we thank you for being with us this day.

I'm George Howell, at the CNN Center at Atlanta.

For our viewers in the United States, NEW DAY is next. And for other viewers around the world, The Best of Quest starts in a moment.

Thank you for watching CNN, the world news leader.

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