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Israel Vows to Retaliate Against Iran; Potential Jurors in Trump's Hush Money Trial Did Not Show Up in Court; Second Sydney Stabbing Attack Caught on Live Stream of a Church Service; Elections in India a Test for Narendra Modi's Term Extension; German and Chinese Leaders Met in Beijing for the Former's Official Visit; Caitlin Clark Drafted First Overall Pick for the Indiana Fever in the WNBA. Aired 3- 4a ET

Aired April 16, 2024 - 03:00   ET

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

[03:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world and to everyone streaming us on CNN Max. I'm Rosemary Church.

Just ahead. It's not a matter of if but when, as Israel vows to retaliate against Iran for this weekend's missile and drone attacks.

Thanks but no thanks, why dozens of potential jurors were excused on day one of Donald Trump's criminal hush money trial.

And a second public stabbing attack in Sydney in just a matter of days. This time at a church caught on live stream during a sermon. We will have the latest in a live report.

ANNOUNCER: Live from Atlanta, this is "CNN Newsroom" with Rosemary Church.

CHURCH: Good to have you with us. Well with fears growing of a wider war in the Middle East after Iran's brazen, unprecedented aerial assault on Israel over the weekend. Neither side it seems is willing to heed the world's calls for restraint.

An Israeli official says the country's war cabinet is determined to respond to the attack and is weighing both diplomatic and military options. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is urging the world to stand united against what he calls Iranian aggression, saying it's a threat to Israel, the entire Middle East, as well as world peace. The head of the IDF says Israel's retaliation is not a matter of if but when.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LT. GEN. HERZI HALEVI, CHIEF OF STAFF, ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES: We are closely assessing the situation. We remain at our highest level of readiness. Iran will face the consequences for its actions. We will choose our response accordingly. (END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Iran, meanwhile, remains defiant. The country's deputy foreign minister says it will respond in seconds if Israel, quote, "makes another mistake", end quote. Officials there say the attack on Israel was necessary and proportionate.

The United States and many other countries are urging both Iran and Israel to de-escalate. The White House says U.S. President Joe Biden wants to prevent the situation from becoming a wider regional conflict. Still, he said on Monday the U.S. is committed to Israel's security.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, U.S. PRESIDENT: As you know, Iran launched an unprecedented aerial attack against Israel and we mounted unprecedented military effort to defend Israel. Together with our partners, we defeated that attack. The United States is committed to Israel's security. We're committed to a cease-fire that will bring the hostages home and preventing conflict from spreading beyond what it already has.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Leaders of the G7 met virtually Sunday to discuss a diplomatic response to Iran's attack. The White House says the group is unified in their condemnation of Iran. The U.S. says it's to arrange new sanctions targeting Iran's missile program.

Meanwhile, the Gaza ceasefire talks appear to have hit a problem. A U.S. official tells CNN Hamas is now offering to release 20 hostages but Israel and the U.S. are expecting 40. A second official says Hamas is making unreasonable demands, among them asking Israel to release more prisoners. One U.S. official says Hamas appears to be changing its offers and demands because the group thinks it is winning.

And CNN's Paula Hancocks is live in Abu Dhabi with more on the Middle East crisis, she joins us now. So Paula, what is the latest on Israel weighing its response to Iran's drone attacks over the weekend and Tehran calling any retaliation a mistake they will respond to in seconds?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well Rosemary, there have been two meetings of the war cabinet so far, several hours on Sunday and then close to three hours again on Monday. Now it's not clear if a decision has been made. Certainly there has been no public acknowledgement that one has been. We do know that there was a split within the cabinet, that they had disagreement not on whether there should be a response, they were united in that, but on what timing the response should take and what kind of scope it should take.

Now Israel at this point is really caught between international pressure not to escalate the situation in the region but on the other hand Israeli officials saying that they do need to respond to what was an unprecedented attack by Iran.

[03:05:08]

So what we're hearing from one Israeli official is that they're potentially looking at a military option but one that would not involve casualties.

But of course even if there is a direct military attack on Iran that would set a precedent from Israel's side.

But certainly as you say the question really does seem to be not if but when there will be some kind of response.

Now the Biden administration has distanced itself, it's made it very clear that they will not be helping or cooperating in any way with any kind of retaliatory attack on Iran.

We heard from the National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby saying that Biden is focused on ensuring that this conflict does not escalate into a wider conflict. So we do expect to hear something potentially in the next coming days but at this point nothing public from Israel as to whether or not it is decided how it should respond. Rosemary.

CHURCH: And Paula, on the ceasefire and hostage negotiations, what is the latest on Hamas changing the number of hostages it's willing to release in exchange for a ceasefire deal?

HANCOCKS: Well one Israeli official tells CNN that this is a significant step backwards saying that Hamas has come back and said that it is offering less than 20 hostages within the parameters of this first phase.

Now what the discussions were surrounding was three phases of this ceasefire and release of hostages and Palestinian prisoners. The first stage had been based on 40 hostages and they would be women, children, the elderly, the sick and the wounded and in return there would be hundreds of Palestinian prisoners released alongside that six-week ceasefire.

What Hamas is now saying according to this Israeli official is that they are unable to do that so it would be less than 20 and they're at the same time asking for more Palestinian prisoners to be released than they had previously asked for. Also saying they want more of those who are serving life sentences to be released.

Now according to this official they say that Israel's feeling at this point is that Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader in Gaza simply doesn't want to make a deal and they believe that he's looking to widen the gap between the U.S. and Israel when it comes to these negotiations.

We did hear from a senior Biden administration official recently that mediators had been told by Hamas that they simply don't have 40 hostages within those parameters who are still alive.

What the U.S. was expecting and hoping for along with others was that Hamas would make up those numbers with potentially younger male hostages to be released or the remains of some of those who have died since October 7th. So at this point it does appear as though these negotiations have hit a wall, an Israeli official saying it has been a significant step backwards. Rosemary.

CHURCH: Paula Hancocks reporting live from Abu Dhabi. Many thanks for that.

Well more bodies have been recovered from Gaza's largest hospital after Israeli forces withdrew from there two weeks ago. Residents and medical crew tell CNN 15 more bodies were found around al-Shifa hospital on Monday. A Gaza civil defense spokesperson says hundreds of bodies have been recovered from areas around the hospital complex since the Israeli siege ended on April 1st.

Meantime Israeli military is warning residents in Gaza that the north of the strip is currently quote "a dangerous combat zone urging them not to return," but residents say they want to go back to their homes.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SOUAD ZAYED, DISPLACED GAZAN (through translator): We can live in tents we just want to return to our homes be it on the rubble of our homes we just want to live. I'm not crying over bricks and mortar, we're not crying over bricks and mortar or money or trees or anything. What's important is that they let us return to our homes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: CNN has gathered a list of vetted organizations that are on the ground responding in Gaza and you can find details on how you can help on our website at cnn.com/impact.

Jury selection is now underway in the first ever criminal trial of a former U.S. president. The twice-impeached Donald Trump appeared at the New York courthouse Monday after all of his efforts to get the hush money case dismissed failed.

[03:09:58]

The presumptive Republican presidential nominee is charged with falsifying business records related to the 2016 payment to a former adult film star but finding a jury to hear the case is turning into a tricky and cumbersome process. Dozens of potential jurors were sent home after admitting they could not be fair and impartial. Questioning gets underway again in the coming hours.

CNN's Paula Reid has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAULA REID, CNN CHIEF LEGAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Day one of jury selection in this case has concluded with not one single juror selected to be on that panel of 12 with of course six additional alternates. Now this is a process that takes some time and it took extra time on Monday because the judge first needed to contemplate some additional motions and questions about evidence that would eventually be introduced at trial. But one of the most significant moments on Monday was when the jurors

were asked if any of them could not be impartial in this case.

More than half of the 96 potential jurors said they could not in fact be impartial and they were all dismissed.

Now this is something that the Trump team has really been focused on. They fought and won for that statistic that number to be made public and not to have all of the jurors who are dismissed for because lumped into one group.

Why are they so interested in that number? Well they're interested in that number for a possible appeal. They're hoping that if there is a conviction here they can appeal this and try to overturn it sort of through death by a thousand cuts by raising every issue that they see over the course of jury selection and this trial.

Now as Trump left the court on Monday it was interesting even though so much had happened over the course of the day he was focused on the fact that as a criminal defendant he is required to be inside the court throughout these proceedings unless he can get a waiver.

Now he suggested repeatedly that the judge had said he couldn't attend his son Barron's high school graduation. Well the judge actually hasn't ruled on that question but the judge did deny a request for Trump to be able to attend next week's Supreme Court arguments on presidential immunity. The judge noting there is no requirement for Trump to be at the high court but he is, as a criminal defendant in Manhattan, required to be here for every day of this case.

Paula Reid, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Joey Jackson is a CNN legal analyst and criminal defense attorney. He joins me now from New York. Good to have you with us.

JOEY JACKSON, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Great to be here Rosemary.

CHURCH: Donald Trump's historic criminal trial got underway Monday in Manhattan. The first order of business jury selection for his hush money trial narrowing down that long list of prospective jurors to the 12 who will ultimately determine Trump's fate but by the end of the day not even one juror was selected. So how long could this take and what are the challenges ahead in this type of selection process?

JACKSON: Yes, so certainly many challenges. I think the number one challenge is to pick a jury that is fair and impartial and I think they'll get that done. Remember there was polling done by the Trump team to give the indication that they could not get there could not get where to a fair jury. There was some suggestion as we look there at the 500 potential jurors a hundred at a time to be vetted and ultimately to 12 and the six alternates.

But there was polling that was done that showed that there was a heavy voting in this particular jurisdiction in Manhattan for Hillary Clinton 2016 and of course for Biden in 2020.

But that doesn't really end the inquiry. I think what I was encouraged by even though they don't have any jurors Rosemary is that you know initially the judge asks whether this jury is for you and could you be fair and 50 of the 96 were excused immediately.

And that really means that the judge is really prone to allowing for fairness usually and the reason I say that is when people say no can't be fair not going to do it I want to leave the judge will ask a number of questions to try to rehabilitate those jurors such that they can stay.

In this instance the judge just excused them. I think they'll get down to the nitty gritty with the 36 or so that remain. They'll ask probing questions and if those jurors can't they'll excuse them and if they can't they will empanel them and of course another panel will enter.

So yes many challenges I think will be faced in getting a jury but there's no indication that they will not get there and that Mr. Trump will not receive a fair trial and that his proof of guilt or innocence would be established beyond a reasonable doubt.

CHURCH: And Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records in this case and soon we will hear more from witnesses set to take the stand Michael Cohen, Stormy Daniels, Karen McDougal, Hope Hicks and David Pecker. Which will likely be the most critical witnesses given each one of course brings their own baggage and challenges right?

[03:15:01]

JACKSON: There's no question right that there are in any case witnesses that are challenging and witnesses that have baggage. What I'm looking for beyond the witnesses though, Rosemary, is I'm looking for corroboration. What does that mean as we look there at the cast of witnesses Michael Cohen, Stormy Daniels, Hope Hicks, David Pecker, Karen McDougal, Kellyanne Conway as you noted.

But irrespective of what they say, what exists that back backs up what they say. For example Michael Cohen is going to give a narrative. We know he's a convicted felon. We know he spent time in jail. We know they're going to attack him for being a liar. However if you have text messages that give the indication that there were communications about this scheme. If you have emails that give the indication that there was an exchange about this scheme.

If you have ledgers right. If you have invoices. If you have checks that otherwise established that this occurred. Are we really depending upon the witness? Are we depending upon the trail of information that supports what the witnesses are saying? So at the end of the day the witnesses are compelling. But what's even more compelling is the evidence the prosecutors will introduce that back up what the witness testimony is. And that's what I'm really looking for.

CHURCH: And another person we might hear from Trump has actually said himself that he will testify. How wise is that? How likely is it? JACKSON: So you know he has said Mr. Trump that he wants to speak in

previous cases. Perhaps he's not. He says a lot of things. He's in the midst of a campaign.

You know I just don't know that it's wise in this particular case. There's a lot again of documentary evidence, right? The establishment of the fact that there were doctored records. You know to the extent that there were false entries. It's either false or it's not. There's a paper trail or it's not. There's an indication that he tried to conceal from the public damaging information or there's not.

And the reason it's problematic that he testifies not only because he can give a narrative that would be contrary to the facts. But if a judge, right, deems his testimony that is Mr. Trump the former president's to be false he could hold it against him at the time of sentencing in the event of a conviction.

Everyone deserves a presumption of innocence. Mr. Trump certainly does. He's innocent as we speak. In the event however he's convicted the judge can use that to sentence him. And remember, right, although people are saying conventional wisdom he'll get no jail time it's only probation. I'm not sure that that's true.

This is a felony offense. It could be sentenced up to four years. And if you lie judges I can tell you from past experience do not like that. And it could lead to a prison term. Imagine the constitutional implications if he's elected but he's in prison. It could happen.

CHURCH: Extraordinary. Joey Jackson, I appreciate your legal analysis as always. Thanks for joining us.

JACKSON: Thank you so much Rosemary.

CHURCH: Still to come Sydney on edge after two stabbing attacks in just a few days. We have the latest on the investigations.

Plus another leadership shake up is the last thing the U.S. House of Representatives needs. But hardline Republicans are promising to make that happen if House Speaker Mike Johnson pushes for Ukraine aid. We'll explain.

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[03:20:00]

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CHURCH: Just days after the mass stabbing at a Sydney shopping mall police in Australia are investigating another stabbing attack in the city. This time at a church in what authorities are calling a terrorist act. It was caught on the church's live stream. The attacker is seen approaching the lectern and stabbing the bishop as he was delivering a sermon. Both the bishop and a parish priest were injured but are expected to recover. Parishioners were able to restrain the attacker until police arrived. They say he's 16 years old and not on any terror watch list. CNN's Anna Coren joins us now live from Hong Kong. Good to see you

Anna. So what more are you learning about this latest stabbing in Australia and of course the riots that followed.

ANNA COREN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah Rosemary, this is the second stabbing attack in a matter of days. They are completely unrelated. However it's certainly causing a lot of distress a lot of anxiety for many Sydneysiders and for Australians generally. This sort of thing does not happen in Australia.

But overnight in the suburb of Wakeley in western Sydney a 16 year old stabbed a bishop in the face with a knife at a Syrian Orthodox church. As you say the bishop was delivering this sermon so it was all live streamed and caught on camera. People inside the church they race forward to tackle the man.

In the proceedings a priest whilst he intervened he also was injured. Now that teenager as you can see he was tackled to the ground and there is some video that then shows him smiling as he's being pinned down while the parishioners are yelling at him.

Police they have arrested him. He is yet to be charged. We understand he is in police custody still in hospital also recovering from injuries. But authorities are saying this was an act of religious motivated extremism and it has been labeled a terror incident. We believe the attacker said something to the bishop before repeatedly stabbing him.

Let's now have a listen to what some of the witnesses inside the church had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAKLIN BITYOU, WITNESS: We were here exactly the minute it happened. We just heard people screaming.

MARY NOYA, WITNESS: It was shocking. It was something literally out of a movie. We don't expect it to happen so close to us, especially after what happened in Bondi. It felt like something surreal.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COREN: Now what happened next, Rosemary, is equally alarming. Hundreds of people gathered outside the church and a riot broke out as the crowd began attacking the police. They were throwing bricks, chunks of concrete, fence palings. We understand a number of police were injured. Police and paramedics they were holed up inside the church for hours.

As I say police were injured. Police vehicles were damaged. Up to 30 people in total had to be treated for their injuries. The riot squad was called in. Tactical operations unit was also called. Look it is worth noting that this is an area in Sydney known for its gang violence, known for its racial religious tensions.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, he spoke to the media earlier today, condemned the attack and the ensuing violence on police. He said we are no place for violence or violent extremism. We are a peace loving nation.

This comes literally days after that frenzied attack inside Westfield's shopping center in Bondi Junction when a 40 year old man who had suffered decades of mental illness. He killed five women and a male security guard. Six others they remain in hospital. A nine month old baby is also among the injured. Her 38 year old mother, Rosemary, was stabbed to death.

Now the motive of the attacker remains unknown. He was shot dead by police. However authorities believe he was targeting women. But I can tell you, Rosemary, from the people who I know in Sydney and live in that area, they say it is incredibly raw that attack in Bondi Junction. You know, people just cannot believe that can happen at such a well-known landmark in Sydney.

CHURCH: Yeah. It is horrifying. Anna Coren, joining us live from Hong Kong with that report. I appreciate it.

[03:25:03]

Turning now to the war in Ukraine. You are looking at what remains of the village Robotyne in south east Ukraine after intense and prolonged fighting. Russia has made the decision to tactically leave the key village according to a Russian appointed official.

This as Ukraine's president makes a new appeal to allies to help boost air defenses to protect against Russian strikes.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Shahed in the skies above Ukraine sound identical to those over the Middle East. The impact of ballistic missiles if they are not intercepted is the same everywhere. European skies could have received the same level of protection long ago if Ukraine had received similar full support from its partners in intercepting drones and missiles. Terror must be defeated completely and everywhere, not more in some places and less in others.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Mr. Zelenskyy's address comes in the face of repeated Russian attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure, particularly power plants. And you are looking at damage in Kharkiv where more than 200,000 people were left without power after attacks last week.

U.S. House Republicans say they will hurry to take up pro-Israel and anti-Iran bills for a vote after Iran's bombardment of Israel over the weekend. But the party's far-right members are continuing to stonewall any new security aid for Ukraine. CNN's Manu Raju brings us the latest from Capitol Hill.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Speaker Johnson made his long-awaited move on providing aid to Ukraine, aid to Israel, aid to Taiwan. Recall about two months ago, the Senate passed a $95 billion aid package. Johnson essentially sidelined that bill because it did not include border security measures. Republicans had scuttled a bipartisan border security plan that had been cut in the Senate. They killed that plan. They said it did not go far enough.

Election year politics, of course, helped deal with, actually scuttle that plan as well. But nevertheless, now the question is what will Johnson do given Ukraine has been clamoring for some support and Israel too in the aftermath of the Iranian attacks this past week, giving more urgency among Israel supporters in the Republican conference in particular to move ahead with aid to Israel.

So what did Johnson ultimately decide to do? He plans to move on separate pieces of legislation, aid to Israel, aid to Ukraine, aid to Taiwan, and also some other national security measures, four different plans. The ultimate question is will they ultimately be cobbled together in one package and send back to the Senate for final action here?

That is some of the process is uncertain, but it's significant because he's being warned by Republican hardliners not to tie any aid to Israel to any aid to Ukraine. Those hardliners say there should not be another dime of money spent for aid to Ukraine.

And that has raised questions about whether Johnson can hang on amid threats from one congressman in particular, Marjorie Taylor Greene, that he could lose his job if he moves ahead with aid to Ukraine.

REP. MARJORIE TAYLOR-GREENE (R-GA): He's definitely not going to be speaker next Congress if we're lucky enough to have the majority. And I think that is widely held belief throughout the conference.

RAJU: Is he going to be speaker for the rest of this Congress, do you think?

TAYLOR-GREENE: That is to be determined.

REP. ELI CRANE (R-AZ): I think the timing would be pretty bad to have a change in command. So I'm not really looking at that right now.

REP. DERRICK VAN ORDEN (R-WI): It would be a terrible, terrible idea to vacate Speaker Johnson's speakership over what's coming up in the next few days. It would be a very bad idea. It would be a very bad idea for the Republican conference. It would be a very bad idea for the House of Representatives writ large and for the nation.

RAJU: And of course, just one member, that's all it takes to actually call for a vote seeking the Speaker's ouster here. The question is, will Marjorie Taylor Greene does go this route? Will there be enough support to drive him from the speakership? A number of Democrats are indicating that they will vote to save Mike Johnson, especially if he moves ahead on a Ukraine aid package that is similar to the plan that did pass the Senate. So some of the details are still yet to be hashed out here because no

legislation has been unveiled. The Speaker did say that there would be 72 hours before a final vote. He predicted that could happen by Friday evening. So a lot of questions here, but a big and potentially very significant move, potentially for the future, for Ukraine, but also for his own speakership. Can he hang on amid this revolt among the right?

Manu Raju, CNN Capitol Hill.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Coming up, Iran says it doesn't want war, but it's also warning it won't hold back if Israel crosses its red lines.

Plus, India heads to the polls this week. We will show you the mood in the country ahead of the key vote. Back in just a moment.

[03:30:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH: Welcome back to "CNN Newsroom". I'm Rosemary Church. And if you're just joining us, here are some of our top stories.

Jury selection in the hush money case against Donald Trump resumes later today. Not a single juror was chosen on Monday and more than 50 were dismissed after saying they could not be fair and impartial. The former U.S. president has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.

Police in Australia are calling a stabbing at a church in Sydney a terrorist incident. They say the 16-year-old suspect injured a bishop and parish priest during a sermon. The incident then led to violence outside the church. Police say an uncontrolled group threw objects at offices and damaged 20 of their vehicles.

Israel's war cabinet is deciding how to respond to Iran's drone and missile attack over the weekend. One Israeli official says the cabinet members are considering both diplomatic and military options. The United States is among the many countries urging both sides to show restraint.

As far as Iran is concerned, its aerial assault on Israel was perfectly acceptable, a necessary and proportionate response to what it considers enemy aggression. And if Israel crosses Iran's so-called red lines, Tehran claims its next assault will be even more severe and that Israel's iron dome defense system would not be a deterrent.

More now from CNN's Fred Pleitgen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Iranian combat drones fired into the night sky. This new video shown on Iran's state media. Part of the country's massive aerial attack for the first time

targeting Israeli territory.

Hundreds of drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles and yet Iran calls this measured action and vows things could get much worse for the Israelis.

NASSER KANAANI, IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESPERSON (through translator): We have carried out this action in the framework of deterrence. If another action is taken by Israel, our actions will be more serious.

PLEITGEN (voice-over): On the streets of Tehran, some hardliners celebrated with fireworks calling for even harsher action and even the destruction of Israel.

UNKNOWN (through translator): We hope this attack continues to the point that Israel is destroyed. With this attack, we can have some of that strong revenge.

[03:35:07]

PLEITGEN (voice-over): The punishment is for the bombing of a building in their embassy compound in Damascus, killing several top Revolutionary Guard commanders.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, a rifle by his side, calling for retribution during a speech one day before the strikes. And the commander of the Revolutionary Guard saying, from now on, they will hit Israel every time it strikes their forces, a strategic shift.

HOSSEIN SALAMI, ISLAMIC REVOLUTIONARY GUARD CORPS (through translator): From now on, if the Zionist regime attacks our interests, our properties, our personalities and our citizens, we will retaliate against them from the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

PLEITGEN (voice-over): With the help of the U.S. and its allies, the Israelis were able to take out nearly all of the drones and missiles the Iranians fired at them.

But Israeli strikes on targets inside Iran, like the country's nuclear facilities, as some U.S. hardliners have called for, would be a major challenge. And Iran already warning the U.S.'s assets in the Middle East would also become a target if America helps Israel attack Iran.

MOHAMMAD BAGHERI, CHIEF OF STAFF, IRANIAN ARMED FORCES (through translator): The American bases, personnel and facilities will not have security in the region. And we see America as an aggressor and will deal with them as well.

PLEITGEN (voice-over): Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Berlin.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Trita Parsi is executive vice president at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft and the author of "Losing an Enemy: Obama, Iran and the Triumph of Diplomacy". He joins me now from Reston in Virginia. Appreciate you being with us.

TRITA PARSI, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, QUINCY INSTITUTE FOR RESPONSIBLE STATECRAFT: Thank you.

CHURCH: So as the Middle East region braces for Israel to retaliate against Iran's attack on Israel with hundreds of drones that were mostly shot down, Iran is threatening to respond immediately to any form of Israeli retaliation. All this as U.S. President Joe Biden urges calm, de-escalation and diplomacy. So how and when do you think Israel is likely to respond?

PARSI: Well, first of all, I think Biden needs to do much more than just urging diplomacy. I think there's a contradiction in his approach. On the one hand, he says that he will be supporting Israel defensively, but not offensively. Well, as soon as the war begins, those distinctions become meaningless.

I think it would be much better if he put a very clear red line in front of both Iran and Israel, that they have to end this at this point and not drag the region into a regional war.

Any suggestion that the United States will enter the war defensively or offensively actually incentivizes Netanyahu to escalate matters. And if he does so at this point, the Iranians have said that their next attack is not going to be with a 72-hour heads up and designed in such a way that they actually shouldn't inflict significant damage on Israel. It will be quite the opposite. So we're looking down the abyss of a very, very bloody and problematic conflict in the region unless all parties don't take a step back at this point.

CHURCH: So what are the likely options for Israel as it weighs its response to Iran, given the pressure coming from the U.S.? And there is some, not enough, as you say, but there is some and other allies are applying that pressure too. And the Biden administration saying that while its support for Israel is ironclad, it will not participate in offensive operations against Iran.

PARSI: So I think if the Israelis really want to escalate, they will go after Iran's nuclear program and take the opportunity from their perspective to do a strike that they have tried to do for quite some time, more than 20 years. But the U.S. in those previous instances essentially put a stop to the Israelis and did not want to see Israel cause a major war.

They may take smaller measures designed to make sure that perhaps Iranians won't respond and designed to make sure that U.S. troops don't get into the crossfire or put at risk. And that would be to, for instance, target Iranian soil but go after an empty military base or give the Iranians a heads up to empty the base before they attack it. That way they can save face while at the same time make the argument that the Iranians don't have a good reason to retaliate in response.

So there's a series of things they could do. I think the best thing would actually be for this conflict to go back into the shadows as it has been in the past in which both sides are striking against each other but not in an overt way. And by that, minimizing the risk of this actually leading to a major regional confrontation.

CHURCH: Does Iran actually want to be involved in a broader conflict? Is there any sense that that's what they want? I mean, they're dealing with a lot of problems domestically already, aren't they?

[03:40:10]

PARSI: Well, the Iranian people certainly don't want to see a war at this point. They're dealing with a whole set of other problems on their own end, including a terrible economic situation and political repression by the regime. But the regime itself clearly does not want to get into a broader war. They designed this whole attack choreographed in such a way to minimize damage, restore their deterrence, but at the same time make sure that they deprive the Israelis from a justification to take matters further.

For instance, if they had designed it in such a way that it actually would have left a lot of Israelis killed, the Israelis would have a much stronger argument as to why they have to respond. The Iranians prevented that. They evaded that deliberately because they don't want to see a further escalation.

CHURCH: I wanted to look at that because this was a success for Israel, shooting down 99 per cent of Iran's drones with help from the U.S. and other allies. How significant is that and how will that likely play into Israel's response, with President Biden insisting that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should take this as a win?

PARSI: Well, the United States shot down most of those drones and ballistic missiles, and the success would not have been the case had they not been given 72 hours of a heads up. So again, this was designed to essentially fail. It was designed to make sure that most of these different drones and ballistic missiles would get shot down.

And I think the administration is trying to tell the Israelis, look, we helped you. You wouldn't have been able to get away with this had it not been for our help. But at this point, take this as a win and stop it.

I think that's the right message. But it is undermined when Biden at the same time says that he will come in and defend Israel if Israel escalates matters further. That only makes it more likely that the Israelis will escalate. It would be much better for the president to simply say this has to end now. And then all of this idea of an ironclad defense of Israel is actually not necessary because there's nothing to defend against because there wouldn't be a war in the first place.

CHURCH: Trita Parsi, thank you so much for joining us and for sharing your perspective on this issue. I Appreciate it.

PARSI: Thank you so much for having me.

CHURCH: India is gearing up for its upcoming general election, the world's biggest democratic exercise with nearly one billion people eligible to vote. Polling will begin on Friday and unfold in seven phases ending on June 1st.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking a rare third consecutive term. Under Modi, India has become the fastest growing major economy but has also become increasingly polarized along religious lines. Rahul Gandhi is the face of the Congress party that has formed an alliance with other opposition leaders in an effort to prevent another Modi win.

And CNN's Will Ripley visits a key city in northern India and reports on what's at stake for Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

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WILL RIPLEY, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voise-over): Varanasi, an ancient city heaving with humanity. If India had a bible belt this could be its capital. Religion woven into the fabric of life here like the rickshaws weaving in and out of traffic or the tang of turmeric, cumin and coriander from the Gola Dinanath spice market hundreds of years old.

Here I meet a shopkeeper. Akash Jaiswal, who's full of praise for India's popular Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

RIPLEY: What makes him different from others?

AKASH JAISWAL, SHOPKEEPER: What he says he has done.

RIPLEY: When you hear him speak, do you feel like he's speaking to you in your life?

JAISWAL; Yeah, yeah. Because he speaks with heart.

RIPLEY (voice-over): The heart of a very smart politician. Modi was not born here. He chose to represent this Hindu spiritual center. Leading up to the elections, Modi inaugurated a temple dedicated to Lord Ram, one of Hinduism's most revered deities, built on the site of a Muslim mosque demolished decades ago by Hindu hardliners.

NARENDRA MODI, INDIAN PRIME MINISTER (translated): Ram is India's faith, Ram is India's foundation, Ram is India's thought.

RIPLEY (voice-over): He's blurring the line between religion and politics, projecting himself as the head priest, the protector, the creator of a Hindu first nation.

SABA NAQVI, POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Prime Minister Modi does something which has not happened before in Indian politics. Among all our prime ministers, he willfully creates a cult of his own personality.

RIPLEY (voice-over): Many actually worship Modi himself, almost like a living God. But not every Hindu here is a believer.

Vishwambhar Nath Mishra is head priest of a prominent local temple, and it sits alongside Hinduism's holiest river, the Ganges. Every day, he bathes in these heavily polluted holy waters.

[03:45:09] He says the environment and also the political climate has drastically deteriorated during Modi's first decade in power. He's widely expected to win a third five-year term.

RIPLEY: Have you ever seen this city so divided, so polarized?

VISHWAMBHAR NATH MISRA, HEAD PRIEST, SANKAT MOCHAN TEMPLE: This is what we call it, it is not the religious center. It is basically the spiritual center. So this unique fabric has a strained condition now. And we have a fear that this fabric may break.

RIPLEY (voice-over): That's what happened back in 2002, when Modi was chief minister of the Indian western state of Gujarat. Religious riots there killed more than 1,000 people, mostly Muslims. And many say Modi is stoking the fires of religious tensions, empowering the Hindu majority and marginalizing the Muslim minority.

SANA SABAH, RESIDENT: The first term that came to my mind was scary.

RIPLEY: Scared?

SABAH: Yeah, it's scary.

RIPLEY (voice-over): I sat down with Sana Sabah. She was celebrating the end of Ramadan with her family, all of them worrying if this is the end of a secular Indian government, and will it mean the end of their religious and civil rights?

SABAH: Where is the freedom of somebody just wearing a skull cap, minding his own business, buying mutton, whatever he wants to, and then heading home, and then dying on the way?

RIPLEY (voice-over): And there are other things she worries about, like high youth unemployment, low wages, widespread poverty, not to mention corruption.

But polls still show Modi's popularity is pushing 80 percent.

RIPLEY: Modi's own path from poverty to politics is part of his appeal for a lot of people here in India. His official biography says he's the middle son of a chaiwala, a tea seller. A humble upbringing that he says helps him understand the problems plaguing everyday people.

RIPLEY (voice-over): Modi says his programs put more food on their tables, plus the government hands out cash and cooking gas, and they provided water and power and sanitation services. Modi's also getting a lot of respect abroad.

DILEEP PATEL, VARANASI BJP PRESIDENT (through translator): Today, India is strong, capable, and self-reliant under the prime minister's leadership.

RIPLEY (voice-over): In Modi's India, majority rules, and he's expected to win a commanding majority of India's nearly one billion eligible voters, the biggest democratic election in the history of mankind, making Modi one of the most popular and powerful leaders in the world, even if some feel they may be left behind.

Will Ripley, CNN, Varanasi, India.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: And we'll be right back.

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CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz met with Chinese President Xi Jinping earlier in Beijing. Scholz and a delegation of ministers and business executives spending three days in China to discuss economic ties between the two countries.

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The visit comes as China released its first quarter GDP, showing stronger-than-expected growth. The National Bureau of Statistics says gross domestic product grew by 5.3 percent in the first quarter from a year ago.

CNN's Kristie Lu Stout joins us now from Hong Kong. Good to see you. Christy, let's start with the German Chancellor's meeting with China's president. What came out of those talks and Olaf Scholz's overall trip to China?

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Sure. Well, pardon me. The German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, he met with the Chinese leader earlier this morning. And according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which just had a briefing in the last hour, they said that the two sides discussed Ukraine. They discussed the Middle East, including the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

Earlier, we learned that Xi Jinping said bilateral ties between Germany and China will develop as long as both sides respect each other and seek common ground. Now, Scholz is in China for a three-day visit. This is his first visit since his government launched a de- risking strategy last year to avoid getting too close to China.

And on Monday, Xi Jinping said this. Let's bring up the quote for you. He said, quote, "as long as both sides adhere to mutual respect, seek common ground while reserving differences, communicate and learn from each other and achieve win-win cooperation, relations between the two countries will continue to develop steadily", unquote.

Now, Scholz is in China with an entourage. He's there with three ministers and several leading German execs. And this is a visit being watched by many for a sign to see not just how Germany, but how Europe will respond to charges of overcapacity and dumping.

On Monday, Scholz discussed this issue head on while discussing with students. He was speaking to a student group at Tongji University in Shanghai, and he pressed for the need for open markets and fair markets, especially for cars. And Scholz called for no dumping, no overproduction and the protection of copyright. Rosemary.

CHURCH: And Kristie, China's first quarter GDP is up by 5.3 percent, higher than expected. Take us through the numbers.

LU STOUT: That's right. It jumped 5.3 percent the first quarter, as you said, much stronger than expected. It's mainly thanks to growth in high-tech manufacturing of products like solar panels, like 3D printers, like E.V. charging stations.

And this is precisely the strategy that has drawn the attention and ire of nations and leaders like Germany and Olaf Scholz, like the United States and Janet Yellen, who have warned China of overcapacity and dumping.

In China, it's manufacturing that is doing the heavy lifting to lift up the economy, while there are still significant challenges. So China has been struggling to bounce back from its post-pandemic slump. It faces a slate of challenges, including weak consumer spending, high youth unemployment, deflation, mounting local government debt, and above all, the ongoing property slump, which is the major drag on the world's second-largest economy.

And earlier this year, China set a bold target of growth of about 5 percent this year. But to achieve that, more policy support is needed, especially to get companies and consumers more confident to spend again. Rosemary.

CHURCH: Alright. Our thanks to Kristie Lu Stout, joining us live from Hong Kong.

To Denmark now. Pictures just coming in of a huge fire in Copenhagen. The blaze is ripping through the city's old Stock Exchange building. CNN's affiliate in the city is reporting that the spire on the 17th century building has collapsed onto the street. Police are telling the public to avoid that area. Some people were able to remove treasured artworks before they fled the area. No injuries have been reported. We will, of course, bring you more on this story as details come to us here at CNN.

And we'll be right back.

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CHURCH: She made college basketball history and now she's the number one pick for the professional ranks. Caitlin Clark was selected by the Indiana Fever with the first pick in the WNBA draft on Monday. The Iowa Hawkeyes superstar is the all-time leading scorer in NCAA Division I basketball. Her on-the-court prowess sold out arenas across the country and sent T.V. ratings soaring. Ticket prices to watch the Fever in the upcoming season more than doubled after Clark announced her intention to enter the WNBA draft.

Nike is facing criticism over one of its new designs for the U.S. women's track and field Olympic team. The sports apparel company recently released these images of men's and women's outfits ahead of the Paris Olympics. The women's leotard with its high-cut bikini line triggered a wave of criticism on social media. One former U.S. athlete calls it a costume born of patriarchal forces. Nike issued a statement saying the design is one of many styles to choose from.

Well just over 100 days until the Paris Summer Olympics are here. French officials are coming up with an alternate plan for the opening ceremony in case of security issues. The opening ceremony is set to take place on the River Seine, but President Emmanuel Macron says the government will have multiple contingency plans. Options include moving the ceremony to central Paris near the Eiffel Tower or to a stadium. Paris has been working on cleaning up the river in an attempt to make it safe for swimming, but sewer problems delayed those plans.

Want to thank you so much for your company this hour. I'm Rosemary Church. Have yourselves a wonderful day. "CNN Newsroom" continues next, with Max Foster.

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