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Russia President Vladimir Putin Claims Suspects In Recent Moscow Terrorist Attack Attempted To Reach Ukraine Afterwards; Catherine, Princess Of Wales In U.K., Announces She Is Now In Early Stages Of Treatment Following Cancer Diagnosis; Donald Trump Leading President Biden In Michigan And Tied In Pennsylvania According To Recent Polls; Israeli Defense Minister To Travel To U.S. To Meet With U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin And U.S. Secretary Of State Antony Blinken Regarding Ongoing War In Gaza And Potential Israeli Invasion Of Rafah; 2024 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Already Features Multiple Upsets; Shohei Ohtani's Interpreter Fired After Ohtani's Lawyers Accuse Him Of Massive Theft Tied To Gambling Debts. Aired 2- 3pm ET

Aired March 23, 2024 - 14:00   ET

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

[13:59:51]

DIEGO PINA LOPEZ, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CASA ALITAS: So I'm hoping that there's a little bit more fluidity on the funding that we get in this next tranche so we're able to further adapt, as we've done, an amazing job as a community to support families.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: All right, Diego Pina Lopez, executive director of Casa Alitas there in Tucson, Arizona, thanks so much.

LOPEZ: Thank you. Take care.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is CNN breaking news.

WHITFIELD: Hello again, everyone. Thank you so much for joining me. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

And let's start with breaking news out of Russia. A short time ago, state media there published a purported confession from one of the men arrested for a deadly attack on a concert hall near Moscow. CNN cannot independently verify the veracity of the report or the statements made by the alleged attacker, which may have been made under duress. Friday's attacks killed at least 133 people. ISIS has claimed responsibility.

CNN senior international correspondent Frederik Pleitgen is tracking the latest from Berlin. Fred, what more you learning?

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Fredricka. Weve seen that alleged confession from one of the would-be perpetrators of the attack, the Russian saying that that was -- that he was apprehended somewhere in the Bryansk region, which is actually fairly close to the border with Ukraine. But you're absolutely right, impossible to independently verify the veracity of all that, and of course also whether or not any of that happened under duress.

Now, the Russians seem to be moving forward very quickly with their investigation. They say that they have 11 people in custody right now. They say four of them were the actual shooters inside the Crocus City Hall, which of course happened later last night, so people who actually shot and killed people. And then there were seven other people who the Russians believe are accomplices of those who actually did the shooting.

It was quite interesting because the Russians are also saying that what they found out in preliminary interrogations of these people is that apparently the weapons cache, the weapons that were used to shoot up that mall, apparently, they were in a cache in the Moscow region before then they were used in that attack.

The Russians are also now apparently trying to create some sort of link to Ukraine and all of that. The president of the country, Vladimir Putin, he came out a little earlier and he tried to make that connection. I want to listen into some of what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): All four direct perpetrators of the terrorist attack, all those who shot and killed people, were found and detained. They tried to hide and move towards Ukraine, where, according to preliminary data, a window was prepared for them on the Ukrainian side to cross the state border. A total of 11 people were detained.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PLEITGEN: So there he's also saying a total of 11 people were detained, but especially important, of course, him speaking about a window into Ukraine, which apparently means that there could have been some sort of opening in the border, which according to all this would have probably meant that the Ukrainian state would have had some role in this as well, because of course that border right now is an active combat zone. The Ukrainians denying all of that, saying they have absolutely nothing to do with it. Of course, we do know that there is that claim of responsibility by ISIS, and the U.S. so far is saying it has absolutely no reason to doubt that claimed responsibility, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, Fred Pleitgen in Berlin, thank you so much.

All right, I want to bring in now former CIA officer Bob Baer. Bob, good to see you. So Russia suggesting that these ISIS attackers had ties to Ukraine. Ukraine's defense intelligence firmly denying any connection to the attackers. Will Putin succeed in convincing Russians that Ukraine had something to do with this?

ROBERT BAER, FORMER CIA OFFICER: I think so. I think the Russians are ready to believe anything about the Ukrainians. They've been subject to propaganda for the last two years, longer than that. And the fact is that there are no connections between ISIS and Ukraine. That's just silly. But I think he's going to get away with this. And I wouldn't be surprised if he picks up his attacks on Ukraine. And whether he's going to use tactical nuclear weapons, nobody knows that. But it seems to me that with Putin, as paranoid as he is, that he could do anything at this point.

WHITFIELD: So picking up the attacks in Ukraine, that would I guess be the reward that he would get, right, by being able to convince Russia that Ukraine had something to do with it. In other ways, how would this be advantageous to Putin?

BAER: Well, it helps some clamp down on Russian society. And what remnants of democracy exist are going to disappear very quickly. Let's not forget, 1999, the evidence is pretty good that Putin blew up for apartment buildings inside Russia in order to take power, to be elected in 2000. So yes, he will use violence and criminal violence to take stronger control of Russia.

WHITFIELD: What's the history now of Russia and ISIS? And in this case, its ISIS-K that is claiming responsibility. But there is established acrimony, isn't there?

[14:05:03]

BAER: Yes, it goes back to 1979. The Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan because it was worried about Islamic fundamentalism coming across the border into Central Asia. And apparently these are Tajiks that carried out the attack. And they've been radicalized over the years. And of course, you've got Syria -- in Syria, they're relentlessly bombing ISIS. And this has been going on for a long time. It's been a brutal war.

And above all, the Caucasus. When the Russians retook the Caucasus, Chechnya in particular, they used extreme violence. And there are grievances against Moscow that would explain this attack.

WHITFIELD: Do you see that the U.S. would declassify any intel in order to counter what Putin is claiming in terms of Ukraine having any responsibility here?

BAER: It depends on the sources. I assume that it was chatter that earlier this month the United States picked up that there would be an attack in Moscow. It depends how sensitive it is. But I think clearly the fact that we warned the Russians this was coming in advance, and we didn't get that from the Ukrainians, tells the whole story.

WHITFIELD: Bob Baer, we'll leave it there. Thank you so much.

BAER: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: All right, more now on our other top story this hour. People around the world are expressing their support for the Princess of Wales after she revealed that she has been diagnosed with cancer.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CATHERINE, PRINCESS OF WALES: in January, I underwent major abdominal surgery in London. And at the time, it was thought that my condition was non-cancerous. The surgery was successful. However, tests after the operation found cancer had been present. My medical team therefore advised that I should undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy, and I am now in the early stages of that treatment.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Speculation had surrounded the princess because of her absence for weeks and also because of a recent doctored photograph. Well, now the conversation has shifted from bizarre conspiracy theories to messages of reassurance and support. She is expected to return to official duties once she is cleared by her medical team, she says.

CNN anchor and royal corresponding Max Foster joining me from outside Buckingham Palace, were all day people have in so many different ways conveyed their thoughts about her, and just her courage for speaking out.

MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR AND ROYAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I think the last few weeks have been really unsettling for a lot of people in the U.K. because the monarchy, one level for people outside the U.K., they're seen as celebrities. In the U.K. there's obviously a celebrity element to it. But at the same time, they represent the highest levels of state. And they get brought in when in moments of celebrations, moments of grief. So they represent a continuity as well, and a stability.

And for the palace here, and Kensington Palace to look unsteady in the way that it has at the moment has been really unsettling for a lot of people. You saw those conspiracy theories bubbling up, and a lot of people were very concerned about how Kate was personally, but also the state of the monarchy. And I think Kate very much dealt with a lot of that when she appeared, just the symbol of strength and power really in the face of this personal adversity. And she really explained exactly why she hadn't been in the public eye, why she hadn't explained fully what happened at hospital. And it was all because she was protecting her kids whilst she and William decompressed exactly what happened to them.

So really rapid change. If we look at the clock now, it's this time yesterday that that video was released, and I have to say the change in vibe since then has been really marked here.

WHITFIELD: Yes. And now, what about the line of succession? I mean, there's a lot more on Queen Camilla now, because, after all, the king also dealing with his own cancer journey. And still, we don't know a whole lot about his diagnosis nor prognosis. So how does the monarchy keep up with the demands of public appearances and engagements?

FOSTER: Well, the late queen used to say, you have to be seen to be believed. It is a brand. It does need to be out and about amongst the people. And being seen, one of the theories of this place is that they have to be seen as feel part of the pattern of daily life. So it is important that they go out and be seen.

And as you say, we've got to slim down monarchy. With Harry and Meghan leaving, that went from six to four. We've now got Kate and Charles out of the public facing roles.

[14:10:00]

So it does come down to the Queen and William, and both of them are dealing with spouses who have cancer. So they've got to balance that with taking on a much bigger, doubling, really, the burden on their public roles. So we've certainly seen Queen Camilla stepping up significantly in her role. And William will, I'm told he will be out and about in public engagements. He won't be addressing any of the personal issues. But also Kate is going to try to go out when she can and she feels enough strength for that, but it won't be returning to a full-time public role until her doctors give the go ahead.

WHITFIELD: Right. All right, Max Foster outside Buckingham Palace, thanks so much.

All right, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in Israel in a continued push to negotiate a ceasefire as Prime Minister Netanyahu vows to press on with a military offensive into Rafah.

And new CNN polling showing a close race in two critical battleground states in this country. The new warning signs for the Biden campaign, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:15:47]

WHITFIELD: All right, on to the presidential campaign trail. New CNN polling is giving us a current snapshot of two critical swing states that flipped from red to blue in 2020. In Michigan, a state that was crucial to Biden's 2020 win, Trump currently leads by eight points according to polling. But in Pennsylvania, right now it's a dead heat between President Biden and Donald Trump. Again, according to that polling, with more than seven months until the election, both candidates getting 46 percent of those polled.

I'm joined now by two men who know Pennsylvania politics very well. Charlie Dent is a former Republican congressman from the keystone state, and Malcolm Kenyatta is a Democratic state representative in Pennsylvania and currently running for auditor general. Good to see both of you.

All right, so Charlie, you first. Joe Biden, he won Pennsylvania in 2020, but this new poll shows a toss-up. Should Trump and the Republicans be encouraged by this poll?

CHARLIE DENT, FORMER U.S. REPRESENTATIVE (R-PA): Well, if I were Republicans in Pennsylvania, I'd still be a bit anxious at this moment. It seems to me that these polls, I don't think they mean a whole lot this far out. But if I'm Joe Biden, I'm going to probably take a page out of Josh Shapiro's playbook and focus this on issues where Democrats are strong relative to Republicans, on women's reproductive health, abortion, in vitro, and also democracy, January 6th. That's what Shapiro did to his opponent, Doug Mastriano, and it was a very effective strategy. Of course, Republicans are going to turn around and focus on the

issues of strength to them. But looking at these polling numbers, I'd still be a little bit anxious right now just because look what's happened since Roe was overturned. And Republicans have not done well in swing states, in swing districts. So I wouldn't be popping any champagne corks if I'm a Republican right now in Pennsylvania.

WHITFIELD: All right. So Malcolm, true, those issues that Charlie underscored, those would be advantageous to Biden. Also, one would think it would be advantageous to Biden that he is a Pennsylvania native. And he found a way to flip the state from red to blue back in 2020. But should he still feel rather vulnerable, not too confident right now, especially when you look at this polling?

MALCOLM KENYATTA, (D) PENNSYLVANIA STATE HOUSE: Listen, I will say that Donald Trump and Republicans are providing a real contrast. And I think it's a contrast that's going to decide the election. If you look at what's happening in D.C. right now with Marjorie Taylor Greene and everything that's happening, it's very clear that we can't trust Republicans to run a lemonade stand, let alone Congress. But here we are.

And on the other side, you have Joe Biden, who is taking his message from that incredible State of the Union all around the country, where he's talking about building on the bipartisan successes he's had. Think about the Chips and Science Act. Think about what's happening with the investments in infrastructure. And also, Joe Biden is the last line of defense for our fundamental freedoms and for programs like Social Security and Medicare that people depend on.

And so I think Pennsylvania is always close, but I can say here today, I am beyond confident that Joe Biden is going to win Pennsylvania because of this contrast that because of his vision for the future.

WHITFIELD: And this CNN poll in Pennsylvania also shows that when third party candidates are included in the poll, Trump takes a slight lead over Biden, with independent candidate Robert Kennedy Jr. picking up 16 percent. So Charlie, should Democrats be worried about the third party candidates playing a spoiler for Biden?

DENT: Well, the Democrats are going full scorched earth against these small party, third party candidates. On the one hand, they're arguing, Democrats are arguing that we need to protect and save democracy. That's why we have to stop Trump. And then they're saying they're doing everything they can to prevent these third-party candidates from getting on the ballot. So in other words, in order to save democracy, we need a little less democracy. That seems to be their message, because a lot of voters are simply not very satisfied with Joe Biden. Let's be honest. I mean, a lot of people who voted for Joe Biden in the last election didn't vote for him because they loved them. They voted for him because they couldn't stand Donald Trump.

[14:20:02]

And if there's more than one non-Trump candidate on the ballot, well, then that means that the anti-Trump vote can go a number of different ways. And that's why the Democrats are literally freaking out over these small party candidates. And No Labels has not yet announced a candidate. They may or may not have one. But between RFK Jr., Cornel West, Jill Stein, the Democrats are really panicking, and I think they probably should.

WHITFIELD: All right, Malcolm, what do you think? Panic among Democrats?

KENYATTA: Listen, this is where I think, to quote "Succession," these are not serious people. And I think that every single day we get closer to November, we need to be crystal clear. The next president of the United States will be the twice impeached guy who is at Mar-a- Lago, or will be Joe Biden. And I think voters are -- every single day that message is going to be made clear to people.

And also, I think it's resonating. I think folks understand that for years ago at this time, we were all trying to understand this pandemic and we had a president that was suggested that people inject bleach or that everything was just going to be fine, that he was just going to wish this away.

And then we had Joe Biden, who came in after that mess and rebuilt our economy. Our economy is the envy of the world, millions of jobs created. We have a president who has made it clear he is focused every single day on the American people. And we have Donald Trump, who has made it clear, he is focused every single day on himself.

And so, as we get closer to November, I think the only thing that matters in this election is going to become clear. Do you want a president who does not believe in democracy, who does not respect the right to choose, who wants to cut Social Security? Or do you want a president in Joe Biden who will restore Roe, who is going to build on this record of legislative success. Every single American is going to have to answer that question. And I think a majority of Americans are going to choose Joe Biden as they did four years ago. He's the only person to beat Donald Trump, and he's going to beat him again.

WHITFIELD: All right, we'll leave it there, gentlemen. Charlie Dent, Malcolm Kenyatta, thanks to you both.

KENYATTA: Thank you.

DENT: Thanks, Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right, Russian state media has published a purported confession now of one of the alleged attackers in that deadly massacre at a concert venue near Moscow. We'll bring you the latest next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:26:54]

WHITFIELD: We're continuing to follow breaking news out of Moscow, where a brutal terror attack at a concert venue has killed at least 133 people. CNN obtained exclusive new satellite images showing just how bad a fire was that started during Friday's rampage of that complex. Russian officials say they've arrested 11 suspects in connection with the massacre. CNN senior international correspondent Fred Pleitgen continues to track developments from Berlin. Fred, what are we learning?

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Fredricka. First of all, the satellite images, they really are quite remarkable. They show the top of the Crocus City Hall, which of course is that giant shopping and entertainment complex where that rampage took place, obviously, the concert hall of that. We can clearly see that part of the roof apparently seems to have collapsed. That's also what we're seeing from the ground images as well after those attackers entered that at building, opened fire on the people who were inside, and then set the building on fire, causing part of the roof to collab.

But you're absolutely right. The Russians are saying that afterwards the perpetrators made a getaway in a small white car and apparently tried to drive to the border with Ukraine. Now, the Russians say that they were apprehended in the Bryansk region. I would say that that's about 100 miles away from the Ukrainian border. Eleven people in total apprehended, four of them, the Russians are saying, were the actual shooters who went inside the building and shot a lot of people point blank. We can see some of the rescue forces there inside the building on the video that were showing right now. And seven of them were apparently some of the accomplices. The Russians at this point are saying, Fredricka, that none of the people that they have apprehended so far are Russian citizens, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Interesting. All right, thank you so much, Fred Pleitgen.

All right, and this just in. The Israeli defense minister says he will travel to the U.S. tomorrow to meet with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Blinken traveled to Israel where he told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the U.S. is committed to defeating Hamas but does not support a military offense into Rafah. Millions of Gazans have fled there to escape the violence. A United Nations resolution tying a ceasefire to the release of more hostages failed yesterday after Russia and China vetoed the draft. And this comes as we see more violence break out in the West Bank.

Joining me right now is CNN international correspondent, Paula Hancocks, who is live for us in Doha, Qatar. Paula where do negotiation stand?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, at this point we understand that they are ongoing. You've got the intelligence chiefs of the U.S., Israel, Egypt, here in Doha meeting also with the Qatari prime minister. And these negotiations to try and secure this short term or temporary ceasefire in return for some hostage releases, some Palestinian prisoner releases, we understand is ongoing. Secretary of State Blinken saying that gaps are narrowing, but there are still gaps.

Now, as you say, we know that there will well be meetings in the U.S. on Sunday as well with the Israeli defense minister meeting the U.S. defense minister, also Secretary Blinken once again, who was just in Israel yesterday.

[14:30:11]

So the diplomatic push we are seeing from the U.S. side is significant at this point. We've also seen the U.N. secretary general going to the Egyptian side of the border with Gaza to Rafah to try and highlight once again the humanitarian issues and the crisis undergoing. Let's listen to what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTONIO GUTERRES, SECRETARY-GENERAL OF UNITED NATIONS: Here from this crossing, we see the heartbreak heartlessness heavy toll. A long line of blocked red relief trucks on one side of the gates, the long shadow of starvation on the other. That is more than tragic. It is a moral outrage. Any further on slots will make things even worse.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANCOCKS: The U.N. chiefs, they're referring to any further onslaughts, referring to Israel's plan to carry out an offensive, a ground offensive against Rafah, where up to one-and-a-half million Palestinians are sheltering at this point. The U.N. chief saying that there is a consensus around the world that should not happen. We heard secretary Blinken went to Israel yesterday to talk to Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, about this. The U.S. says this will be a mistake. But what we heard from Mr. Netanyahu is that they are going to go into Rafah with or without the support of the United States. Fred?

WHITFIELD: All right, Paula Hancocks in Doha, tThanks so much.

All right, meantime, there has been an outpouring of support for the Princess of Wales following her announcement that she is battling cancer. We're live outside Buckingham Palace next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:36:31]

WHITFIELD: All right, we're following the latest set out of the U.K. after Princess Catherine revealed that she is being treated for cancer. The future queen opened up about her health in a heartfelt video statement yesterday, and the outpouring of support has been running strong ever since. Despite the shock of the announcement, one thing was clear in Kate's message -- the couple's priority right now is the family.

CNN anchor and royal correspondent Max Foster joining me from outside Buckingham Palace. So Max, what are you hearing from folks in terms of how they are processing this news?

FOSTER: Well, I think the main people processing it, of course, are Kate, William, and the three children who were very young. We had a lot of information yesterday, didn't we, in that video. And then we had the statement that went alongside as well. I think the idea from the palace and from Kate, in particular, who was really the person behind all of this messaging was that I'm going to put everything out there that I can put out there without being specific about my private medical information, which I have a right to keep private. For example, exactly what type of cancer it is.

What they're asking for now is that privacy. So we don't know where they are. We're not being told where they are. We're not even asking where they are, but there's been lots of people trying to find out where they are. I think a lot of people in a good-hearted way, they want to express their support for Kate. And you've seen flowers being laid in Windsor, for example, lots of very supportive messages on social media as well. And here at the palace, many tourists just want to express their support for her.

There was this very unsubtle theory when no one knew what was going on, but Kate has now explained why she wasn't constantly messaging about it, and that's simply to protect the children and make sure she could be with them as the world digested this news yesterday with the release of that statement.

WHITFIELD: All right, Max foster, thank you so much.

All right, so much was said. And then there was a lot that wasn't said, right. Joining me right now is Dr. Lipi Roy, physician at Greenwich House in New York City. Dr. Roy, great to see you. I mean two to convey to people that you have cancer is very personal, and it is a lot. But what did you read in the Princess's demeanor, the information that she was willing to share, how that kind of filled in some of the blanks in terms of so much mystery surrounding her condition?

DR. LIPI ROY, FOUNDER, SITA MED: Yes, good to see you again, Fredricka. I wish under more joyful circumstances.

My initial reaction, like most people, was shock. We don't typically expect a young, otherwise healthy, active person to get a diagnosis of cancer. And to most people, look, any medical diagnosis can be stressful, but the cancer diagnosis still remains quite hairline for most people.

In my line of work, I'm not really surprised. I unfortunately have seen these diagnoses in young people, as somebody who has cared for many patients with cancer, and even personally in both of my grandparents' abdominal cancers, in their case colon cancer. I think it's really important, though, Fredricka, for the public to recognize that preserving Princess Kate's privacy right now is really going to be important in terms of her recovery, in order to her for her to make a full recovery.

[14:40:00]

I did feel when I saw the video, she didn't look that well. I saw pallor, pale in the face, weight-loss. She was already a very thin individual, but it seemed like she lost even more weight. Again, a lot of this is very common in cancer and malignancy. Weight loss is very common. This could also be side-effects from the chemotherapy. So there's a lot of unknowns, but as a physician and as a fellow human being, I'm certainly hoping for a full recovery for Kate. And I hope that her young family is coping as best as possible to Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Yes. I mean, you mentioned your family members and their bouts with abdominal -- abdominal cancer you said, or abdominal surgery?

ROY: They had abdominal cancer and surgery. In their case it happened to be colon cancer. Again, as you know, Fredricka, we don't know the specific diagnosis for Kate, but we have clues that it's in the abdominal cavity. But as you know, there's multiple organs there, and there's no -- cancer is not one disease. It's multiple diseases. So cancer of the liver, pancreas, uterus, the ovaries, completely different diseases that warrant different treatments and have carried different prognoses, really.

WHITFIELD: Exactly. And that's exactly what I want to underscore, because it could mean a gamut of things. And while everyone wants to respect her privacy, do you believe it might have been helpful, especially in a public awareness kind of way, to know with some kind of specificity what in the abdominal area? Because it is very helpful that she is delivering this message of, if you are dealing with cancer, just know that you're not alone. And then I wonder if taking it a step further by being more specific about what in that abdominal area, because, as you say, the treatments will vary accordingly.

ROY: Yes, you're absolutely right, Fredricka. So as I pointed out, different cancers have completely different treatment strategies. It depends on what stage they're caught. I'm hoping that it was caught early. They did the surgery. I'm hoping that maybe they removed, surgically removed. And as she, as Kate mentioned, she's undergoing chemotherapy, adjuvant or preventive chemotherapy.

And the purpose there is to the intention for adjuvant or preventive chemo is to really remove any remaining are residual cancers, cancer cells, clusters. So the intent is for cure or to increase the chance for cure. Why I'm hopeful -- the other thing I'm really hopeful about here, Fredricka, is that as we pointed out, she's young, 42 is actually really young. She's young. She's active. She's otherwise healthy. So these are all positive, what we call prognostic factors, for Kate.

But to your point, Fredricka, yes, for us it would certainly be helpful. But to Kate's point, she did recognize and acknowledge that millions of people around the world have cancer, and that they are all struggling and fighting, and they should remain hopeful. But really the key is getting prompt medical attention and having really strong support. And it sounds like he does have that.

WHITFIELD: Yes, indeed. Dr. Lipi Roy, thank you so much. Glad you could be with us again.

ROY: Of course.

WHITFIELD: Still to come, oh, yes. And then there's March Madness. Well, it is living up to the name. Its kind of maddening. The stunning upsets in yesterday's game that busted nearly everyone's brackets. We'll get into it next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(CHEERING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: So much fun. The NCAA tournament is living up to its name, March Madness. Thirteenth seed Yale came back from a late 10-point deficit to shock fourth seed Auburn, buh-bye. And a pair of 12th seeds, James Madison and Grand Canyon, pulled off stunning winds as well. So, what can we expect as the second round gets underway? Well, don't have any expectations, that's what we should expect, right? Andy Scholes is with us now.

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Well, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: This is fun.

SCHOLES: See, I've got my bracket here today. So I'm doing my bracket like a lot of people, because I had Auburn in my final four. So yes, kaput to them. But congrats to Yale, Fredricka, because they pulled off just a great upset yesterday. The Ivy League champion Bulldogs roaring back from that 10-point deficit midway through the second half.

And people at Yale, they're going to be talking about the legend of John Poulakidas for years to come. He hit big shot after big shot, finished with a career high 28 points, a step-back three there, with 2:10 left, gave Yale the lead. And Auburn, if you're watching this, they had so many chances to tie this game at the end, but they just could not get a bucket. So the bulldogs win there's second NCAA tournament game in school has 78-76.

Now, unfortunately, Fredricka, Yale's ban couldn't travel with the team to the game in Spokane. So the University of Idaho's pet band, they stepped into help. They quickly learned the Yale fight song and they wore Yale t-shirts.

WHITFIELD: Where did they get those? Wow, that's very nice.

SCHOLES: That's so cool of them to do. Yes, they'll be back cheering on Yale tomorrow as they take on San Diego State.

[14:50:03]

OK, now, the 12-five upset has historically been a very common one, and it struck twice yesterday. Head Coach Bryce Drew and Grand Canyon upsetting St. Mary's 75 to 66 to get program's first ever NCAA tournament win. The Antelopes only became a division one team back in 2017. Now they're into the round of 32, and they're going to face Alabama tomorrow.

Twelve seed James Madison, meanwhile, pouncing on Wisconsin. The Dukes opening the game on an 18 to five run. They never trailed the entire time. James Madison would win 72-61. They're into the second round for the first time since 1983. The Dukes, the hottest team also in the country right now at a 14-game winning streak. They're fantastic about that.

Eight games on the schedule today. Dayton and Arizona, they are close to wrapping up right now. Arizona looks like they're going to hold on and win that one. You've got games all across our networks today.

WHITFIELD:

SCHOLES: You can watch them on TNT, TBS, and truTV. Always fun to see who could potentially punch their ticket to the Sweet 16.

And hey, Iowa star Caitlin Clark, her road to a national championship starts this afternoon with her first-round matchup at home against Holy Cross. That one tips off in about 10 minutes. Clark lost in the championship game last year to LSU, and she could face those Tigers again if both those teams make the Elite Eight. Fredricka, don't expect any upsets today there in Iowa for Caitlin Clark. They are a 38-and-a-half-point favorite.

WHITFIELD: She dominates. I mean, she and the team, but yes, she really stands out.

SCHOLES: It's exciting. I can't wait to see how far she goes. I really want that rematch with LSU to happen. I want that rematch.

WHITFIELD: I want that, all that. That was something.

SCHOLES: I want the Angel Reese-Clark battle again. That would be certainly fun.

WHITFIELD: I want to see it again, too. All right, very fun. Thank you so much, Andy Scholes.

All right, witness the modern evolution of the world's greatest entertainment capital. Las Vegas becomes America's playground in the final episode of the CNN original series "Vegas, The Story of Sin City," that airs Sunday at 10:00 eastern right here.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Two of America's most iconic figures, Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley both chose to get married in Las Vegas.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Elvis Presley weds Priscilla Ann Beaulieu, and one of America's richest teenage singing promises to love, honor and obey.

DAVID G. SCHWARTZ, PROFESSOR, DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY, UNLV: I think the wedding business in Las Vegas really is about taking something that can be very serious and maybe somewhat stuffy and making it something quirky that you can put your own spin on. And to me, that says everything about Las Vegas.

(END VIDEO CLIP) WHITFIELD: And weddings are still a thing, a big thing there. The final episode of "Vegas, The Story of Sin City," airs tomorrow at 10:00 p.m. eastern right here on CNN.

All right, if you need a pick-me-up this weekend, you're in for a treat. The CNN podcast, "Five Things" now has a Saturday edition called "Five Good Things" where you can take a breather from the headlines and hear uplifting stories from across the world. And you can listen wherever you get your podcasts.

We'll be right back.

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[14:57:54]

WHITFIELD: All right, Major League Baseball announced it has launched an investigation into the allegations surrounding Los Angeles Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani and his longtime interpreter. The interpreter was fired by the Dodgers on Wednesday after Ohtani's lawyers accused the interpreter of massive theft allegedly tied to gambling, according to "The Los Angeles Times."

CNN international correspondent Hanako Montgomery has more.

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HANAKO MONTGOMERY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Japan's dynamic duo broken overnight. Ippei Mizuhara, the longtime interpreter and friend of baseball legend Shohei Ohtani, fired suddenly amid allegations by the athlete's lawyers that he stole millions from the star to cover gambling debts ESPN reports.

In Japan, he is a living legend, but now fans must grapple with the news that their favorite athlete has been plunged head first into a murky scandal.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's unfortunate. I personally wanted to be a team again, so I'm really disappointed.

MONTGOMERY: Ohtani, a national hero at home.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He makes me proud to be Japanese. I'm the same age as him, and he inspires me to work harder. He's like the sun.

MONTGOMERY: And a celebrated legend around the world. He's the first two-time unanimous MVP of Major League Baseball, but he's in a league of his own, recognized as the first two-way player in our lifetime.

But Ohtani didn't get here on his own. Mizuhara, his loyal interpreter and friend, has worked with him since 2013. The pair moved to Los Angeles six years ago when Ohtani first made the move to Major League Baseball. The two hardly ever spotted without each other, but their shared future now uncertain.

In an interview with ESPN on Tuesday, Mizuhara said he didn't know his gambling was illegal, and said Ohtani agreed to pay his gambling debts, bills that swelled to at least $4.5 million U.S. dollars.