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Families of Hostages Mark 6 Months Since Hamas Attack; Israel Protesters Demand Elections, Return of Hostages; Israel Ceasefire Talks Could Resume Sunday in Cairo; Body of Israel Hostage Elad Katzir Recovered From Gaza; Total Solar Eclipse Keeps Choctaw Nation Traditions Alive; Trump Campaign Raises More Than $65 Million in March; Russian Strikes Pound Cities Across Ukraine. Aired 5-6a ET
Aired April 07, 2024 - 05:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[05:00:00]
ANNA COREN, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers in the United States and around the world. I'm Anna Coren, live from Hong Kong.
Ahead on "CNN Newsroom," Hamas unleashed a deadly assault six months ago, igniting the war between Israel and Gaza. I'll speak to the brother of one of the hostages taken by Hamas on October 7th from the Nova Music Festival.
Plus, one mischievous black squirrel trying to eat the sun and the community rallying to scare it away. We'll look at the legend an indigenous American nation has for Monday's total solar eclipse.
And we're hours away from the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament final. CNN Sports' Andy Scholes joins me live to see if Iowa superstar Caitlin Clark has what it takes to win it all.
Well, today is a milestone in the Israel-Hamas war. It's been six months since the Hamas attack that led to the war. In Tel Aviv today, these family members of hostages taken by Hamas staged a performance to mark the anniversary.
Meanwhile, Hamas says it's sending a delegation to Cairo on Sunday for ceasefire and hostage talks. Sources tell CNN that directors of the CIA and Israeli's intelligence services will also be there.
Six months ago today, Hamas staged a surprise attack in Israel, including at the Nova Musical Festival. Hamas killed more than a thousand people and took more than 200 hostages.
Israel then ordered a complete siege of Gaza. On this map, you can see just how much of Gaza the Israeli military has covered. It's led to more than 30,000 Palestinian deaths. That's according to Gaza's health ministry, including 12,000 children, as well as a humanitarian crisis and fears of famine.
There's also been severe destruction to Gaza's infrastructure. This is what's left of the Al-Shifa Hospital, once Gaza's largest. It was destroyed during a two-week IDF siege. In a statement, the United Nations humanitarian chief says, "We have
arrived at a terrible milestone. Rarely has there been such global outrage at the toll of conflict, with seemingly so little done to end it, and instead so much impunity." He called it a betrayal of humanity.
Well, meanwhile, Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid will meet next week with Senior U.S. government officials in Washington. Lapid's office posted on social media that he will meet with the U.S. National Security Advisor and Secretary of State.
His office says he's also going to meet with senior U.S. senators. Netanyahu rival Benny Gantz visited Washington last month.
In Israel, anti-Netanyahu protesters called for new elections and for Hamas to release its hostages.
Well, these protesters were in Haifa, Israel. They were calling Netanyahu guilty and chanting criminal government and evil government.
In Cicero, protesters changed his legacy as disgrace and the government is a failure. They're calling for Israel's government to put all efforts into bringing home hostages held in Gaza.
Well, CNN Senior International Correspondent Ben Wedeman, joins us live from Beirut. And Ben, let's start with those anti-government protests. This groundswell against Netanyahu and his right-wing government certainly appears to be growing. Tell us more.
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, certainly. What we're seeing, for instance, in Tel Aviv last night, there's as many as 100,000 protesters. There were some injuries, as many as 10, according to Israeli authorities.
Three people were injured when a 71-year-old driver rammed into a crowd of people. But certainly what we're seeing is that these demonstrations are growing in size and intensity.
[05:05:08]
It's important to point out, however, these are demonstrations calling for new elections. They are denouncing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. But these are not. Don't be under any illusion. These are not anti-war protests. The majority of Israelis continue to support the Israeli war effort in Gaza. And whether there is a downfall of the Benjamin Netanyahu government, the war for many Israelis should continue.
Anna?
COREN: Ben, we know talks resume in Egypt today for a hostage release and ceasefire. Certainly more pressure on Israel to do a deal, particularly now we're at that six-month mark.
WEDEMAN: Yeah, pressure not just on Israel, but, for instance, the Biden administration has asked Egypt and Qatar, which are in direct contact with Hamas, the United States is not, to ease up its demands and come to some sort of agreement.
At the moment, Hamas is calling for a complete ceasefire, an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and what they're calling a serious exchange of Palestinian detainees and prisoners in Israeli jails for those Israeli hostages. So there's pressure on both sides, and certainly as referring back to those protests in Israel, there's pressure on Benjamin Netanyahu to change his position.
For months, he was saying that his priority, first priority, was to destroy Hamas. His second priority was to get the release of the hostages. And now what we've seen in the past, for instance, that in late November of last year, the only time when a significant number of Israeli hostages were released, it wasn't the result of military pressure, but it was the result of negotiations and a brief truce between Hamas and Israel.
And what we've seen is, for instance, there's this news of this latest Israeli hostage who's believed to have been killed somehow in January. His body was found yesterday. This underscores that perhaps the military option for the resolution of the hostage situation is not working, and that negotiations is really the only way to bring those who are still alive home.
Anna.
COREN: Ben, you mentioned this laundry list of demands from Hamas. You would have to assume that Israel is not going to agree to a lot of it. Both sides will have to compromise. Egypt and Qatar, what sort of influence do they have over Hamas?
WEDEMAN: A lot. Qatar, for instance, prior to the war, was providing financing to Hamas with the agreement of the Israeli government, it should be stressed. And it also hosts many of the leaders of Hamas who are in exile in Qatar.
Egypt, of course, also is in direct contact with Hamas. The relationship between Egypt and Hamas is a little more delicate, given that Hamas is essentially a wing or an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood, which was crushed by the regime of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. Nonetheless, because Egypt shares a land border with Gaza, essentially can control who comes in and who comes out of Gaza.
It has a lot of leverage as well. So, both sides have leverage. The question is, to what extent do they want to help the United States in that regard? At the end of the day, the decision is up to Hamas and Israel, whether they're going to come to some sort of agreement. But what we have seen is, clearly, there is growing pressure on both of them to come to some sort of agreement, to at least temporarily halt the bloodshed and make some sort of progress.
Anna?
COREN: Ben Wedeman, in Beirut, we always appreciate your expertise and your reporting. Thank you so much. Israel Defense Forces say they have recovered the body of a hostage
from the city of Khan Yunis in Gaza. They say Elad Katzir was likely killed in January. He was kidnapped on October 7th from Kibbutz Nir Oz and held captive by Palestinian Islamic jihad. His body has now been returned to his family.
[05:10:11]
Speaking at a rally on Saturday, Katzir's sister says he may have been saved if, quote, "a deal had happened in time."
Israeli authorities believe 99 Israeli hostages are still alive in Gaza. Their family members are mourning Katzir's death and demanding the return of their loved ones.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHARON KALDERON, SISTER-IN-LAW OF ISRAELI HOSTAGE OFER KALDERON: Today we got a very bad message about Elad Katzir. He was hostage for three months. He could handle three months and then they killed him. We don't know what about all the rest. This is the time, not a day more. This is the time to bring them back, all of them, as soon as possible. We have to bring them back home.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COREN: Well, Ilay David joins us now from Tel Aviv. His brother is being held hostage by Hamas.
Ilay, thank you so much for joining us. I can't begin to imagine how difficult it must be to talk about your brother and the nightmare that you are still living. How would you describe the past six months for you and your family?
ILAY DAVID, BROTHER IS BEING HELD HOSTAGE BY HAMAS: As you said it, the answer is in your question. It is -- it is a nightmare. It is a nightmare. Everything is so much tougher, sleep to eat, even just doing. I didn't celebrate my birthday. I don't go to any other -- to any kind of events. All -- all I do -- all my family is doing is only fighting for the life of my brother.
COREN: Ilay, tell us about your brother. We're looking at images of him right now.
DAVID: My brother is a young man. He's 23 years old. He marked his 23rd birthday in captivity. He's very gentle. He's very modest. He loves people. He loves music. He plays the guitar. We love to play together and sing together. I play the piano, he plays the guitar, and we have a tradition every week. We sit and play together. And he's my younger brother. He's also an older brother to our little sister. And he's an amazing brother and an amazing son. And he just -- he went to a festival just to have fun and celebrate peace and freedom and brotherhood.
And I think he got the most difficult, unfair punishment that exists. And right now, he -- he's surviving for six months in the Hamas dungeons underground, barely sleeps, barely eats. I don't know what he's thinking. I mean, it must be so tough for him. We cannot know for sure what kinds of torture they're going through.
COREN: I can only imagine what must go through -- through your mind. Ilay, the recovery of Elad Katzir's body has certainly fueled anger among hostage families. He reportedly appeared twice in videos during his captivity, but according to the IDF, he has died at the hands of his captors. This must have been sickening news to you all.
DAVID: Yeah. Yes, it is sickening. It is horrible that we have -- I mean, zero insurance to know what -- what -- what is the future of our loved ones. They can die at any moment by the hands of the captives. And it's -- it's unbelievable to try and understand that.
COREN: Ilay, Elad's sister wrote, and let me read it to you, he could have been saved if there had been a deal in time, but our leadership are cowards motivated by political considerations and thus it did not happen. I know you've maintained faith in the government and its negotiations for the release of hostages, but six months on, this nightmare is still going. Do you still believe the government has your interests front and center and is doing everything possible to bring the hostages home?
[05:15:13]
DAVID: Actually, I do. I do believe. But after six months that passed, all the families cannot remain silent anymore. So I think that everything is legitimate right now. The families are desperate to do everything they can and it makes me furious, actually, to know that if there was an opportunity to save him and we didn't do it, it's sad.
COREN: Ilay, many believe that Prime Minister Netanyahu is prolonging these negotiations with Hamas, that he's dragging this out as a matter of self-preservation to stay in power. Do you feel the same?
DAVID: I have no idea, actually. I'm not a politician and I know nothing about strategy and military and politics. And -- but I did -- I have met with lots of ministers, Israeli ministers, and they're all telling the same story. They're all telling that they're doing everything they can, including Prime Minister. And I think that as human beings and with Western values, I think it's stronger than politics. And I truly believe them.
And they know that -- that -- I still -- I have hope. And I think one of the reasons is that I believe and I live it.
COREN: Ilay, if your brother is listening right now, what is your message to him?
DAVID: Evyatar, if you're listening, know that you have to survive. And hold on, and eventually you'll be safe. You'll be all right to come back home. And we love you.
COREN: Ilay, we hope that you will be reunited with your brother very, very soon, as all the hostage families will be reunited with their loved ones. We are thinking of you. Our thoughts and prayers are with you. Thank you so much for your time.
DAVID: Thank you so much.
COREN: Stay with CNN. We'll be right back after this.
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[05:22:00]
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COREN: That rendition of Bonnie Tyler's timeless hits comes courtesy of the in-house tribute band at Cleveland, Ohio's Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, which has big plans for Monday's eclipse, as Miguel Marquez reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm not sure if you knew that Cleveland rocks on a good day, but during an eclipse, it will totally rock. It is in the path of totality. This is the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame that is in Cleveland, famous for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame here.
Basically, it's like a concert. They have their themed eclipse glasses. It's a little like a concert because we have our backstage pass to Solar Fest. They even have a t-shirt, like a rock t-shirt, a tour t-shirt for the path of totality tour with all the cities on the backside.
Now, this is downtown Cleveland, the Science Center, which is right next door in the sun. If it is a cloudless day like it is today, we'll be right up there and it should be a perfect day if we get a beautiful day like this.
One of the cool things that the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is doing, they're going to have speakers set up throughout the city and there will be a special playlist to go along with the eclipse itself.
GREG HARRIS, PRESIDENT & CEO, ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME: When it happens, we're all out here, we're going to have music blasting and it's going to blast on our plaza and all through downtown Cleveland, we play speakers. We're all going to have the same soundtrack as this happens and we're playing celestial music.
MARQUEZ: You are DJing the eclipse?
HARRIS: Yes, we are DJing the eclipse for everybody that's in town and you're going to hear David Bowie, Elton John, Rocketman, Donovan. You'll hear, you know, probably some Taylor Swift thrown in, but then Pink Floyd "Eclipse" is going to be our penultimate moment.
MARQUEZ: Dude, rock and roll. So now, during totality, Pink Floyd's song, "Eclipse," should be playing if all the timing works out. We just now need a cloudless sky. The weather for Monday is partly sunny, partly cloudy, depending on which way you look at it. We are hoping for the partly sunny bit. Back to you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COREN: Let's hope so. Well, as Miguel mentioned there, Monday's weather could throw a curveball as clouds seem to be in the cards for much of the South and Ohio Valley. As it stands, the best seats in the house, as far as the path of totality in the U.S. is concerned, are in the northeast, which is looking sunnier with mainly clear skies around the eclipse time.
And a warning to the eclipse chasers making their way to the southern plains states there is a slight risk for severe storms with the main threats being damaging winds and large hail. A slight silver lining, though, the severe weather will mostly like -- will most likely come after the eclipse, but could cause a hazard for travelers.
[05:25:11]
Well, there's a lot of excitement about the eclipse, and it's not just about buying special glasses to stare at the sun. An eclipse has special meaning to Native Americans, just like the diversity among Indigenous peoples. There is diversity in teachings about the eclipse, and how they commemorate it passed down over generations.
Well, joining me now is Cheyhoma Dugger, Director of Development and Membership for the Choctaw Cultural Center. Cheyhoma, great to have you with us. Tell us about the importance of this total solar eclipse for the Choctaw people?
CHEYHOMA DUGGER, DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT AND MEMBERSHIP, CHOCTAW CULTURAL CENTER: This is such a unique opportunity for the Choctaw Nation. You know, the solar eclipse is such a special event in itself, but it brings us the opportunity to highlight culture in such a unique way by telling our oral stories, sharing those, sharing how we pass knowledge and stories from generation to generation. And we have a story specific about the solar eclipse, so we're getting to share that with our communities, but with people travelling from all over the U.S. and even internationally. So it's such a -- such a special opportunity.
COREN: Tell us about that story, because we're looking at images right now of that legend.
DUGGER: Yes, so it's the story of Fvni Lusa, the black squirrel. So the story goes that Fvni Lusa was hungry one day, and he decided to begin nibbling at the sun. So he nibbled away at it, and the Choctaw people began to notice this. They noticed it getting darker and darker, and this frightened them, so they decided they had to scare Fvni Lusa away. So essentially, they did anything they could to make noise. They yelled, they picked up cups and pots and pans and banged them together.
People were even throwing sticks and shooting arrows. They did this until the sun started to reappear, and then they said, Fvni Lusa is frightened. He's scared away. So this noise to scare away Fvni Lusa became a celebration. COREN: I believe that Idabel and Broken Bow are in the direct path of the total solar eclipse, these towns in Choctaw Nation. Tell -- tell us how you will celebrate?
DUGGER: Sure. We have events going on all throughout the Choctaw Reservation during the solar eclipse. So at the Choctaw Cultural Center, we are going to be telling the story of Fvni Lusa, bringing the community, again, people from all over to hear these stories, to hear why oral stories are so important to us.
We're going to go outside and, of course, view the story together. We're going to make some noise together, maybe throw some sticks. Who knows?
COREN: Yeah, absolutely. You have to continue with those traditions. Cheyhoma, I believe that Choctaw Nation, it's preparing for many visitors, like up to 100,000 people will descend. What are you hoping that people will experience by seeing the total solar eclipse on your land?
DUGGER: You know, it's a special opportunity for people who might not typically visit the Choctaw Reservation to be there. So we hope that they're intrigued by culture and that they want to experience more of it, learn more of it, ask questions. You know, we're going to have different historic sites available. Our Cultural Center will be open and available during that day as well for people to experience before the eclipse hits and even after. So we're really hoping that people just embrace Choctaw culture while they're within our reservation, regardless of which city.
COREN: Cheyhoma, this is obviously a spiritual and celestial moment for so many, many people. How will you be experiencing the total solar eclipse? And I guess, what does this mean for you personally?
DUGGER: Sure. Again, it's so unique and significant. And it's hitting here for the first time in such a long time. And it'll be years again before it hits. So grateful that I get to take advantage of it, that it's right here at home where we are. And the opportunity to see people embrace Choctaw culture during this eclipse is going to be so spectacular. So I'm going to be right there among my community and among our guests and listening to the stories, talking about the story, making those noises until the sun reappears.
[05:30:05]
COREN: Amazing. It's going to be an incredible four plus minutes. Cheyhoma Dugger, we really appreciate you joining us and enjoy the total solar eclipse.
DUGGER: "Yakoke," thank you.
COREN: Well, join us Monday for the total solar eclipse as its path travels from Mexico across the eastern United States and into Canada. Our special coverage starts at 12 p.m. Eastern in the U.S., that's 5 p.m. in London. Police in Vermont are asking for the public's help in identifying an
arson suspect who started a fire at the office of Senator Bernie Sanders. Those details, next on CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COREN: Welcome back to our viewers in the United States and around the world. I'm Anna Coren in Hong Kong. This is "CNN Newsroom."
U.S. President Joe Biden raised more than $90 million in March for his re-election campaign, significantly more than his Republican rival, Donald Trump. Mr. Biden's campaign says he now has a whopping $192 million in cash on hand. The campaign says that makes it, quote, "the highest total amassed by any Democratic candidate in history at this point in the election cycle."
Well, Trump's campaign, meanwhile, raised more than $65 million last month and had $93 million in cash on hand. But his campaign says Trump raised a staggering $50 million at a fundraiser in Florida on Saturday. They say that was a record for a single fundraising event. Trump says it demonstrated the commitment of his supporters.
[05:35:05]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, U.S. REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: People are just wanting change. The rich people want it, the poor people want it. Everybody wants change. Our country is really doing poorly. We're a laughingstock all over the world, and we're going to get that change very quickly. And this has been some incredible evening before it even starts because people, they wanted to contribute to a cause of making America great again, and that's what's happened. We're going to make America great again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COREN: Police in Vermont are asking the public to help identify a suspect wanted in connection with a fire at the office of Senator Bernie Sanders. It happened early Friday morning in the town of Burlington. Police say the man sprayed an accelerant on the door to the office, lit it, and then took off. CNN's Polo Sandoval has the details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, police in Burlington, Vermont, still working to track down who they believe is their arson suspect. In fact, they released a fairly clear picture hoping to generate some leads. Police say that their suspect entered the Burlington, Vermont building on Friday morning.
They say that he allegedly sprayed some sort of accelerant at the entrance to Senator Sanders' office and then lit the fire with staffers inside. Now, fortunately, the building's fire suppression system, meaning the
sprinklers, were able to kick in and extinguish most of those flames. Fortunately, no injuries reported. The damage reportedly fairly minimal.
And also, Senator Sanders was not in the office at the time. The senator's office is actually located in a multi-story, multi-office building. The Burlington Fire Department battalion chief telling my colleague, Maria Campinoti, that they're still unsure how the suspect was actually able to access that space.
The Battalion Chief adding that the building is supposed to be secured, not generally open to the public, so there's still some questions about that. The United States Capitol Police, along with the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms, working with local authorities as they investigate, though they still have not been able to determine a motive, it's important to point out that the U.S. Capitol Police investigated more than 8,000 threats against lawmakers in 2023, and that is a figure that is up from the previous year. So no threats against lawmakers are certainly not new. It is certainly an alarming incident. Polo Sandoval, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COREN: A bar fight just outside of Miami, Florida, turned deadly Saturday when a gunman opened fire during a late-night altercation, killing the security guard who tried to intervene.
Nine people, including a police officer and the bar's owner, suffered gunshot wounds. Of the six bystanders shot, two are in critical condition. The other four are in stable condition. The injured officer is expected to be OK. That's according to the police chief.
It's been 30 years since the genocide in Rwanda shocked the world. We'll bring you the latest as the country remembers with ceremonies and vigils.
Plus, Russian missiles rain down on multiple cities in Ukraine and leave behind a trail of death and destruction.
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[05:41:17]
COREN: Rwanda is marking 30 years since the 1994 genocide when an estimated 800,000 members of the Tutsi ethnic minority were slaughtered. We're currently looking at live pictures out of Kigali. Rwandan President Paul Kagame is expected to give an address soon.
Earlier, wreaths were laid at the mass graves by dignitaries. Among the other events, the lighting of a flame of remembrance in the capital, Kigali, a national commemoration ceremony and a vigil.
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton is leading the American delegation. He was in office during the 100-day spree of murders, beheadings and rapes by members of the Hutu ethnic majority that horrified people everywhere and led to allegations the world failed to act as the carnage unfolded.
Ukraine is reeling from a barrage of Russian strikes that hit at least three cities. Officials say Kharkiv was struck Saturday afternoon on the heels of a similar attack hours earlier.
At least seven people were killed in those strikes and 14 others injured. The city of Odesa took missile fire as well on Saturday, which left one person dead. While Russian missiles also took aim at Zaporizhzhia for a second straight day, but didn't cause any casualty this time.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is calling for Ukraine's allies to help it strengthen air defenses around Kharkiv.
As Ukraine takes a pounding from airstrikes, it's also concerned about possible Russian moves. On the ground, President Zelenskyy's chief of staff said Kharkiv is the likely target of Russia's spring offensive, which would happen as Ukrainian troops are running short of ammunition.
Earlier, I spoke with Mick Ryan, a retired general of the Australian Army, about Russia's build-up of its offensive forces.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAJOR GEN. MICK RYAN, (RET.), AUSTRALIAN ARMY: They're able to recruit around 30,000 people per month at the moment, according to British intelligence. It's possible they'll undertake another mobilization of around 300,000 people. This will set them up for some form of large- scale offensive in the back half of the year, which will comprise a real danger time for the Ukrainians.
COREN: Ukraine, as we know, desperately needs weapons, munitions, air defense systems. Russia is reportedly firing at least five times as many artillery rounds as Ukraine. Knowing this and the recent losses on the battlefield, what is Ukraine hoping to achieve in the months ahead? Is it, you know, holding ground, or is there a Ukrainian counter-offensive in the works?
RYAN: Well, Ukraine at the moment is planning on getting through 2024, whilst reconstituting its military. The President, when he appointed General Syrskyii as the new Commander-in-Chief, not only directed a military strategy for this year, but also a transformation of the Ukrainian forces' capacity to fight and building the ability to go on the offensive in 2025. So, really, this is about getting through 2024, sustaining Western support, getting this big package of aid through the U.S. Congress and build the ability to go on the offensive next year.
COREN: Ukraine, at times, is hitting back. It's striking targets inside Russia, such as oil refineries. From a military standpoint, what is the value of these sorts of assaults on Russian territory?
[05:45:03]
RYAN: Ukraine is fighting a couple of fights here. It's obviously doing the ground fight, the close battle, but this -- this long- distance fight through this maturing and very sophisticated strategic strike complex they've developed is designed to hurt Russia economically.
Russia has been undertaking economic warfare against Ukraine since the beginning of the war. Ukraine, who is not able to make big gains on the battlefield at the moment, is seeking to hurt Russia economically at long distance.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COREN: Major General Mick Ryan speaking with me early on.
Well, there's growing condemnation following a raid on Mexico's embassy in Ecuador to arrest a former Ecuadorian Vice President. The United Nations secretary-general says he's alarmed. Leaders from Latin American countries condemned the raid, expressing solidarity with Mexico.
Nicaragua said it would break all diplomatic ties with Ecuador. Ecuadorian police entered Mexico's embassy on Friday to arrest Jorge Glas. He had been sheltering there since December and was granted political asylum on Friday. Glas has been convicted twice on corruption charges, which he says are politically motivated.
Well, Mexico has denounced the raid, calling it barbaric and an outrage against international law. Ecuador says the raid was carried out because there was a real risk that Glas could have escaped.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GABRIELA SOMMERFELD, ECUADORIAN FOREIGN MINISTER (through translator): The decision of the president of the republic was taken in the face of a real risk of imminent escape of the citizen wanted by justice. The Mexican embassy, by receiving Mr. Glas' Espinel, contributed to the failure to comply with the obligation to appear weekly before the judicial authority. Thus, affecting Ecuador's democratic institutions, clearly contravening the fundamental principle of non-intervention in the internal affairs of other states.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COREN: Well, climate activist Greta Thunberg was arrested twice on Saturday during a protest in The Hague. Dutch police detained her, along with other extinction rebellion protesters who were trying to block a major highway into the city. The 21-year-old was released after a short time and then rejoined the demonstration at a different road. She was detained again and held for several hours.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GRETA THUNBERG, CLIMATE ACTIVIST: We are here because we are facing an existential crisis. We are in a planetary emergency and we are not going to stand by and let people lose their lives and livelihood and be forced to become climate refugees when we can do something.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COREN: Well, still to come, Swedish band ABBA's iconic hit "Waterloo" marks 50 years this weekend. Just ahead, how fans across Europe are paying tribute.
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[05:51:47]
COREN: UConn is now just one win away from back-to-back college basketball national championships. CNN Sports' Andy Scholes joins me now. And, Andy, the Huskies still have a huge challenge ahead of them. Tell us more.
ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Yeah, Anna, we've got ourselves an old-school big-man match-up in the final. It's going to be the 7-foot- 2 Donovan Clingan and the UConn Huskies versus 7-foot-4 two-time national player of the year Zach Edey and the Purdue Boilermakers in tomorrow night's national championship game. And this UConn bunch are looking to really cement themselves as an all-time great team.
Only two teams in the past 50 years have been able to win back-to-back titles. That was Duke in the 90s and Florida in the 2000s. And UConn, once again, really having no problem last night. They pulled away in the second half to beat Alabama 86-72. This was their 11th straight win now in the tournament by double digits.
And the Clingan versus Edey match-up in tomorrow's title game, it's going to be the first between 7-foot starting center since Ewing versus Olajuwon back in 1983. And it's the first one ever between two guys 7-foot-2 or taller. And Clingan is certainly pumped up for it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONOVAN CLINGAN, UCONN CENTER: Yeah, I'm really excited. You know, you play at this level. You play big-time match-ups, big-time games. And, you know, I got a lot of respect for Zach Edey. He's a great player. You know, and -- you know, me and my team are going to get ready to battle and give everything we got on Monday.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHOLES: Edey with another great game, leading Purdue to a 63-50 win over NC State, getting them to their first title game since 1969. Edey had 20 points, 12 rebounds, becoming the first player ever to go for 20 and 10 in six straight tournament games. And what a turnaround for Purdue. They lost to a 16 seed last year in the first round, but Edey, he didn't want his college career to end that way. He came back for his senior season to avenge that loss and win a title. Now he's a game away.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ZACH EDEY, PURDUE CENTER: This game is what we've been talking about all year. The reason I came back is playing games like these. You know, really, the reason I've been playing college basketball for four years. Like we talk about this every year since I finally get to this game, it is big time. And then we got to obviously keep going and keep playing. But yeah, these are the games you come back for. These are the games that you play for and you work and you practice every day for.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHOLES: All right, so the stage is set. You got UConn versus Purdue tomorrow night at 9:20 Eastern. You can watch the game on our sister network, TBS, or stream it on Max.
All right, women's college basketball, meanwhile, just keeps on setting new TV ratings records during the NCAA tournament. Friday night's final four game between Caitlin Clark's Iowa Hawkeyes and UConn with Paige Bueckers. It averaged 14.2 million viewers, making it the most viewed women's basketball game of all time.
The previous women's hoops mark was 12.3 million for last Monday's Iowa LSU game in the Elite A. And the Caitlin Clark effect in full force at Iowa's open practice ahead of the national title game.
Look at this, a sellout crowd of some 17,000 fans packed the arena in Cleveland on Saturday afternoon just to get a glimpse of Clark before she plays her final collegiate game. And the Hawkeyes star spoke about what winning a championship would mean to end her legendary career.
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CAITLIN CLARK, IOWA GUARD: I think that would be the cherry on top. That would be the, you know, top of the list, the thing that you're the most proud of. That's something you get to share with your teammates.
DAWN STALEY, SOUTH CAROLINA HEAD COACH: If Caitlin wins a championship, she's pretty damn good. Like, yeah, she's a -- I mean, she's pretty damn good regardless, but, you know, winning a championship would seal the deal. I hope to the dear Lord she doesn't.
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SCHOLES: And Dawn Staley's undefeated Gamecocks is going to take on Caitlin Clark and Iowa for the national title later this afternoon. Three Eastern Gamecocks, six and a half point favorites over the Hawkeyes. And Anna, South Carolina looking for a little revenge. It was Caitlin Clark and Iowa who knocked them out of the Final Four last year. So hopefully we get a good one.
COREN: Thank you. Well, it's been 50 years since ABBA took the world by storm at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974 with their iconic hit, "Waterloo."
(MUSIC) COREN: Well, fans around Europe celebrated the anniversary on Saturday, some traveling through London's Waterloo station. They were surprised with a flash mob performance of the song.
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COREN: And a recorded rendition was performed by self-playing grand pianos simultaneously every hour in major European cities.
Meantime, the band has thanked the fans, saying it's deeply humbling.
Well, that wraps up this hour of "CNN Newsroom." I'm Anna Coren. Viewers in North America, "CNN This Morning: is next. For the rest of the world, it's "Connecting Africa." Please stay with CNN.
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