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Trump's Criminal Trial Just Hours Away; Marjorie Taylor Greene Calls for Speaker Johnson to Resign; President Zelensky Urges U.S. to Send Weapons Swiftly; Crowds Gather at Bondi Beach to Mourn Knife Attack Victims; House Passes TikTok Bill, U.S. Senate to Weigh In; North Korea Believed To Have Test Fired Ballistic Missile; "Weather Kids" Forecast More Extreme Weather; FBI On Alert As Jewish Community In U.S. Prepare For Passover; Car Crashes Into Building Killing Two Young Children. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired April 22, 2024 - 02:00   ET

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

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[02:00:00]

LINDA KINKADE, CNN HOST: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us here in the United States and around the world. I'm Linda Kincaid. Good to have you with us. Just ahead, opening statements begin in a few hours in Donald Trump's historic hush money trial. We now know who the first witness will likely be.

Plus, the U.S. aid package for Ukraine is expected to clear the Senate after passing in the House. But the Ukrainian president worries time is not on their side. They need weapons now.

And today is Earth Day, a day to support environmental protection efforts and raise awareness. CNN speaks with a young up-and-coming meteorologist about what the climate crisis could mean for her generation.

We are just hours away from opening statements in the first ever criminal trial of a former U.S. president. Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts for his alleged role in a hush money scheme to conceal an affair with adult film star Stormy Daniels.

Trump has been outspoken about this trial and wants a gag order imposed on him by the judge lifted ahead of a hearing on Tuesday, where he'll face accusations of violating that order with some of his social media posts.

Meanwhile, a source tells CNN the prosecution's first witness will likely be David Pecker, the former publisher of the "National Enquirer," who is said to be a key player in the hush money plot. CNN's Marshall Cohen gives us a closer look at several of the potential witnesses.

MARSHALL COHEN, CNN REPORTER: What's finally here, opening statements are expected to begin Monday morning in New York City in former President Donald Trump's hush money criminal trial. This is, of course, the very first time in American history that a former president is standing trial for alleged crimes.

This is all about a cover up in 2016. Donald Trump paid $130,000 to Stormy Daniels, the adult film star, to prevent her from going public with allegations of an affair. He denies the affair. The alleged crime, the prosecutor's theory of this case is all about the falsification of business records at the Trump Organization. How Trump Org. paid back Michael Cohen, Trump's attorney at the time, paid him back for that hush money payment.

According to the prosecutors, the Trump Organization and Donald Trump at the head falsified business records, falsely suggesting that those were routine legal retainers and legal services when really it was a hush money payment intended to prevent the voters from learning about Stormy Daniels' allegations.

It's a novel legal theory that will be tested and under the microscope for perhaps the next six weeks. That's how long we're expecting things to go. So, opening statements are Monday and eventually we will get into witness testimony and there is a big cast of characters that are expected to swear to tell the truth in front of the jury.

Michael Cohen himself, in many ways, is the star witness of this case. His credibility will be crucial. There's also Stormy Daniels. She is expected to tell her side of the story. There's also Hope Hicks, a Trump 2016 campaign official. Karen McDougal, who is another woman who alleged an affair with Donald Trump. And then there's also David Pecker.

He was involved with the "National Enquirer," the tabloid that is central to this alleged scheme. According to the indictment, Pecker and Cohen and Trump met shortly after Trump announced his campaign in 2015 and they all agreed, according to the prosecutors, that they would quote-unquote, "catch and kill negative stories about Trump," basically paying people off, buying their silence, agreeing to purchase the rights to their story and burying it so that the voters would never learn of those allegations.

And the voters did not actually learn about the alleged Stormy Daniels affair until after the election, after Trump had made his way to the White House. That's what we're expecting from opening statements.

[02:04:57]

The prosecutors will be telling the jury their side of the story for the very first time. And of course, Trump's defense attorneys have their own opportunity as well. It all starts New York City Monday morning. Marshall Cohen, CNN, Washington.

KINKADE: Bernarda Villalona is a criminal defense attorney and former New York prosecutor. She joins us now from London. Good to have you with us.

BERNARDA VILLALONA, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Thank you.

KINKADE: So, the first ever criminal trial of a former U.S. president, Trump, of course, charged with 34 felony counts for falsifying business records. We know the opening statements will happen Monday, both sides trying to lay out their case for the jury and preview any evidence. What can we expect?

Oh, so today is going to be a very energizing day. I'm sure that both sides are on pins and needles because they know that all eyes are watching them. But what we can expect today is the opening statements. And again, I say statement because it's not argument. So, the prosecution is going to be very limited in terms of what they say.

So, the prosecution is going to lay out, set a preview of what they expect the evidence to show, try to give a preview to this jury, a layout of how they're going to present the evidence. And then they'll remind the jury that they'll come back at the end of the case doing closing arguments to argue how they prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt.

The prosecution will go first. The defense will then have the option to give an opening statement. By New York law, they're not required to give an opening statement. But I assume in this case, of course, that they are going to give an opening statement and they're going to be confined as to any arguments that they can make as well.

Of course, both sides have different narratives and it's the tale of who gives the best narrative for this jury. What I'm curious to see, who will be the first two witnesses that the prosecution calls? Because today may be the day right after opening statements that they call the first witness.

KINKADE: And of course, the list of witnesses, the list of players in this case is really intriguing to say the least. You've got the former president and presidential candidate, a porn star, a former Playboy model, the "National Enquirer's" former publisher and of course, Trump's former lawyer and fixer who went to jail over the hush money payments. How soon do you think the first witness will be caught and who do you consider to be the star witness for the prosecution?

VILLALONA: Well, the first witness is going to be called today, given any delays that may occur and I highly doubt that it will be able to delay till tomorrow. So, in terms of who's going to be the star witness, yes, people say it's Michael Cohen. Yes, people say it's Stormy Daniels. But really, the witness is going to be the documents. Those are going to be the most important pieces of evidence and the witness in this case against Donald Trump.

And of course, Michael Cohen, because Michael Cohen is going to lay out, give a narration as to why these documents are important, why the other witnesses are important. And technically, at the end, all the other witnesses are going to be corroborating what Michael Cohen says. And eventually, at closing arguments, the prosecutor is going to be able to argue.

Look, Michael Cohen, he said what he said. Yes, he has his baggage, but he can be believed. Why? Because it's corroboration to show that he can be believed and will ask this jury to find a former U.S. president guilty of these 35 -- 34 counts of falsifying business records. KINKADE: We were just showing some of those people there who could testify. And we have heard reports that the former publisher of the National Enquirer, David Pecker, could be the first to testify. And according to prosecutors, he's already admitted to running this so- called catch and kill scheme to help Trump and included paying sources not to tell negative stories. And we do know that he has been granted immunity in exchange for his testimony. What does that mean for his testimony?

VILLALONA: So, in terms of David Pecker, David Pecker was granted a non-prosecution agreement. So, he came forward and gave information as to what happened between Donald Trump and himself, as well as what happened with Michael Cohen. And in that, the reason why prosecutors do that is try to get essential information.

Prosecutors knew that in order to get to the bottom of this crime, they needed information from David Pecker. Now, that non-prosecution agreement, the immunity agreement, is going to allow David Pecker to give the full story of what actually happened without any repercussions of him possibly facing jail time, but instead, he'll be able to lay everything out for the prosecution.

Still a concern for the defense because the defense is going to try to discredit him and argue to the jury later on that the reason that he's making up these lies is because he's given a non-prosecution agreement in order to avoid any kind of jail sentence as well.

[02:09:56]

KINKADE: Good to have you on the program, Bernarda Villalona. Thanks so much for your time.

VILLALONA: Thank you.

KINKADE: And you can watch CNN's special coverage of the Trump hush money trial. It begins Monday at 9:00 a.m. in New York. That's 2:00 p.m. in London.

Well, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke on Sunday with Israel's defense minister and underscored the importance of de- escalating tensions in the region. The two also discussed efforts to protect Israel's security, the need to boost aid to civilians in Gaza and enable hostage negotiations.

The fate of those hostages who remain captive in Gaza was the focus of a meeting of the Israeli War Cabinet on Sunday. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is pledging an increase in both military and political pressure on Hamas in an effort to free the hostages still being held.

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BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, PRIME MINISTER OF ISRAEL (through translation): On this Seder night, our hostages in Hamas's captivity stand before our eyes. Their suffering and the suffering of their families break our hearts and only strengthen our determination to return them. (END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: In the West Bank, mourners gathered for the funeral of 14 Palestinians that the health ministry says were killed during an Israeli military offensive at the Nur Shams refugee camp. The Israel Defense Forces say 10 terrorists were killed and eight wanted suspects arrested in that operation and that it's now ended.

Many Ukrainians are breathing a sigh of relief after the U.S. House approved a crucial aid package. But will it help turn the tide on the battlefield? We'll have the details ahead.

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[02:15:00]

KINKADE: Welcome back. Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene is calling for U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson's resignation after the House passed a $95 billion foreign aid package on Saturday. Greene says Johnson has betrayed Republican voters and is threatening to call a vote for his ouster if he doesn't step down. The Georgia hardliner is one of at least three Republicans who say they will support the move to oust him.

The new aid package, which is expected to be approved by the U.S. Senate this week, includes about $61 billion for Ukraine. Ukrainian President Zelensky is urging the U.S. to move quickly and send weapons to the front lines as soon as possible. He says the country is preparing for a potential Russian offensive in the coming months.

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VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY, PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE (through translation): This aid will strengthen Ukraine and send the Kremlin a powerful signal that it will not be the second Afghanistan. The United States will stay with Ukraine, will protect the Ukrainians and they will protect democracy in the world.

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KINKADE: Our senior correspondent Frederik Pleitgen is in Kyiv with more.

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The Ukrainians are saying that after the House of Representatives passed that Ukraine aid package, that they now need to get their hands on those weapons and also on ammunition as fast as possible.

Of course, they understand it still needs to go through the Senate, still needs to be signed by the President. But the Ukrainians are saying they are in drastic need of artillery ammunition and especially also anti-aircraft missiles as well.

They say that right now is a very difficult situation in many areas of the front line. In fact, Ukrainians are acknowledging they lost a key village in the east of the country which is very important to the defense on the eastern front.

In part, I've been in that area, they were saying that they are very much starved for artillery ammunition in those areas. So therefore, the President of this country, Volodymyr Zelensky, he actually came out and he said that it's absolutely key from when political decisions are made to things being delivered to the Ukrainians that that process speeds up as fast as possible.

Now, here in Kyiv, I was able to speak to Wladimir Klitschko, who is, of course, the former world boxing champion, the brother of the mayor of Kyiv and also someone who is still very much involved in the defense of this country. And he told me what he thinks why this aid package is so important to the Ukrainians.

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WLADIMIR KLITSCCHKO, FORMER WORLD BOXING CHAMPION: It has great potential to change the front line so we can, in Ukraine, defend us better. It sends also a very important signal to Putin's Russia that you're not going to win this war, this senseless war that has been started over two and a half years ago, almost two and a half years ago. It sends a message of motivation for us Ukrainians that we are not alone. It did send also for Republicans and Democrats in the U.S. in these critical moments to stand together and make this decision together to protect democracy in this world.

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PLEITGEN: The Russians, for their part, obviously not happy that this aid package was now approved by the House of Representatives. In fact, the foreign ministry of Russia, accusing the United States of using Ukrainians as what they call, quote, "cannon fodder." The Ukrainians obviously see all of that very differently.

They say that for them, for their survival, it is absolutely key to get their hands on more American weapons and more American ammunition. Of course, one of the things that the president of this country, Volodymyr Zelensky, has said in the past is that if this aid package hadn't gone through, there was a real chance that the Ukrainians might lose the war against Russia. Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Kyiv.

KINKADE: Well, joining us now is Oleksandra Matviichuk. She heads the Human Rights Organization's Center for Civil Liberties, which won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022. Aleksandra, thanks for joining us.

OLEKSANDRA MATVIICHUK, HEAD OF CENTER FOR CIVIL LIBERTIES: Thank you for the invitation.

KINKADE: So, you went on a speaking tour across the U.S. lobbying for this aid for Ukraine. What was your reaction when you heard the House had voted on this $61 billion in aid for Ukraine?

MATVIICHUK: I had public lectures, public discussions, meeting with people in different parts of the country, and I always face a very warm welcome. [02:19:58]

Our narrative Ukrainian story for freedom and for human dignity is very understandable for people in the United States. And this reflects the sociological pulse. The majority of people in the United States support Ukraine.

KINKADE: And of course, that amount, $61 billion, is almost as much as what the U.S. has given Ukraine in aid since this war began. What does it mean to Ukraine in real terms on the battlefield?

MATVIICHUK: It means that this support of the United States will save thousands, thousands, thousands and thousands of lives. It also means that we will be able to stop the Russian offensive. And this means for me as a human rights lawyer that we will have less war crimes which Russia committed in occupied territories.

KINKADE: There, of course, were plenty of lawmakers, mostly far right Republicans who did not want to send more aid to Ukraine. What case did you have to make to get those lawmakers and lobbyists to support this?

MATVIICHUK: I'm not very familiar with American politics. I'm a human rights lawyer. But Speaker Johnson had to fulfill the will of the people of the United States of America. He had just to do his job.

KINKADE: And of course, you work with the Center for Civil Liberties, and that work has meant documenting human rights abuses amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine. What do you want the world to know about what you found?

MATVIICHUK: Just recently, Vladimir Putin once again repeated his genocidal claim in an interview to Tucker Carlson that Ukrainians do not exist, that there is no Ukrainian nation, there is no Ukrainian language, there is no Ukrainian culture.

And we, for 10 years, documenting how these words transferred in the horrible practice in the ground when Russian troops deliberately liquidate active local people, destroy Ukrainian cultural heritage, forcibly deported Ukrainian children to Russia in order to bring them up as Russians. So, we have no other chance. If we stop fighting, there will be no more us.

KINKADE: And of course, we heard from the CIA director last week who warned that without this aid, Ukraine could lose the war to Russia this year. What's your reaction to that assessment? And what else is needed to turn the tide of this war?

MATVIICHUK: I think that we have to define these issues properly. Because if Ukraine will not be able to stop Putin in Ukraine, Putin will go further. So, this is not a question about Ukraine. This is a question about security of Europe. And this is a question also whether or not the United States will be obliged to send their people to fight here in this region and to pay the highest price, which we can just imagine, the price of human lives.

KINKADE: Oleksandra Matviichuk, we appreciate your time today. Thanks so much for joining us. MATVIICHUK: Thank you.

KINKADE: Still to come, the U.S. is one step closer to banning the Chinese-owned app TikTok. We'll go live to Beijing to find out how China is reacting to this move.

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KINKADE: It was a somber Sunday on Sydney's Bondi Beach, where hundreds gathered to mourn the six people killed in last Saturday's Westfield Mall knife attack. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was in attendance and paid tribute to the victims.

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ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER OF AUSTRALIA: We gather here in Bondi to grieve for all that has been stolen from us. All the possibility and potential, all the kindness and humanity, all the love and laughter of the six lives snatched away on that hardest of Saturday afternoons.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: Twelve others were injured in the attack, including a nine- month-old baby whose mother was among those killed. Mass casualty events are rare in Australia, and this is one of Sydney's worst violent crimes in recent years.

Well, the bill that could ban TikTok is headed to the Senate. The U.S. House approved legislation targeting the app as part of that massive foreign aid package passed Saturday.

This new bill gives TikTok nine months, which is up from a previous six, to separate from its current Chinese parent company, ByteDance. The social media app is seen as a national security risk by many in Congress, so if the Senate approves the legislation and President Joe Biden signs it, TikTok could be forced to find a new owner or be banned entirely from the U.S.

CNN's Marc Stewart joins us now live from Beijing. Good to have you with us, Marc. So, there's been so much scrutiny of TikTok here in the U.S. The company has said that any sort of ban could trample free speech. Is there any indication from the Chinese government about what it would like to see happen next?

MARC STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Indeed, Linda. In fact, I heard from one observer of the Chinese tech space, and he described what's happening right now as a moment of truth for Beijing. Look, it is around 2:30 in the afternoon here in China, and coming up at the top of the hour is when the government's Ministry of Foreign Affairs will hold its daily briefing.

And it is at that time when we could get a better idea as to what the government is thinking about the fate of TikTok. You know, it was just a few weeks ago that I asked a question during one of those briefings to a spokesperson and asked about some of the distrust that American lawmakers and the public feel toward TikTok and other Chinese companies.

And his response was that this action, potential action by the United States, would be seen as an act of bullying and it would backfire on the United States. But the opinion of the Chinese government is very important in all of this.

[02:59:56]

The head of TikTok, the CEO of TikTok, has made it very clear that the Chinese government does not own or necessarily have a role in the day- to-day operations of TikTok, that company being ByteDance.

But under government law, these companies have to have a committee of communist party workers on its roster and they have meetings. So the influence of the Chinese government is involved to an extent. We, in addition have heard from spokespersons in the past, who have said that this kind of sale, if it's prompted by the United States, would likely be blocked.

A big concern is that it would involve, quote, exporting technology and that centers around TikTok's algorithm, which is this electronic tool that helps programs, social platforms such as TikTok get an idea as to what people not only may be thinking, but what they want to see.

But there is a very long legal road ahead, so are -- to viewers who are watching us in the United States and wonder just how much longer could TikTok be on my phone or on my -- on my mobile device, that's still very murky. There's a very long path way ahead.

And finally, Lynda, some important context to pass along. You know, even though the United States is considered a ban on TikTok, here in mainland China, social media apps such as X, such as Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter, along with Instagram, they are all blocked by the Chinese government.

So this is an interesting juxtaposition of philosophies that we are seeing between these two governments -- Lynda.

LYNDA KINKADE, CNN ANCHOR: Yeah, no doubt. We will be watching this closely and especially all those people who have campaigned against a ban here in the U.S., who've built businesses on this platform. We'll be watching it closely.

Good to have you with us, Marc Stewart in Beijing. Thank you.

Well, counting is underway in Ecuador after voting ended in a referendum which aims to tackle the growing violence in the country. Voters went to the polls to consider security measures introduced by the president, including allowing troops to patrol with police and imposing longer sentences for terrorism and murder. Ecuador has been plagued by rising gang violence and turf wars between drug cartels. The referendum included 11 questions, five of which modify the constitution.

And as voting was underway, the director of a regional prison was killed in an attack. The national prisons agency did not provide any further detail. A large crowd gathered in northern Niger on Sunday demanding this swift withdrawal of U.S. troops American military personnel are expected to leave Niger after the country's ruling junta revoked a military cooperation deal with the United States last month.

U.S. official says the timeline for any military withdrawal will be discussed in the coming days. But the U.S. will continue to make contain a diplomatic presence in the country. The move comes amid serious us concerns about Niger's deepening relationships with Russia and Iran after a military coup last year.

Well, still to come on CNN NEWSROOM, CNN speaks with a budding young meteorologist about the state of our planet and what it could look like in the future.

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[02:36:34]

KINKADE: We got some news just into us. We're following reports that North Korea is believed to have fired a ballistic missile just a short time ago into the waters of its east coast. Japan's coast guard alerted its vessels in the vicinity about 30 minutes ago. And just six minutes later, at announced that the missile, it already fallen. Alerts were also issued by South Korea's military and Japan's government. We will continue to follow this developing story.

Well, as people around the world mark Earth Day today, some young and up-coming meteorologists are warning of a very grim future for our planet. These climates savvy kids have been taking over the airwaves in new effort by the United Nations development program, where young people anchors special whether bulletins, wanting of the perils of climate change and its effects on global weather.

Well, our meteorologist Derek Van Dam spoke with Kaylee, the weather kid as she's known about, what the weather could look like in her lifetime.

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DEREK VAN DAM, CNN METEOROLOGIST: We're just so excited to have you here at CNN to, you know, potentially take over my job. I mean, this girl really knows what she's talking about, but I think it's important we highlight some of the planet that you will be inheriting from us.

One thing is important is the oceans.

Do you like to swim?

KAYLEE, "WEATHER KID": Yes, I love to swim.

VAN DAM: What you're looking at here is actually video from when I went on a scientific expedition, scuba-diving to learn about the state of our oceans, which are warming. And that has great impacts on the ecosystem, the marine life under water. With climate change, we've already seen 1.2 degrees Celsius of warmth and a lot of that warmth is absorbed within our oceans. KAYLEE: I think the coral are supposed to be different colors and colorful. Why is it white?

VAN DAM: You pay attention to your science teacher.

You're looking at bleached coral and that's what happens to this living organism as our oceans continue to warm. And by the year 2050 when you're probably going to be taking over my job at that stage, we could see up to 90 percent of the living coral disappearing. So as the oceans continue to form, we're also noticing sea level continued to rise.

And I'm going to pass the baton to you, Kaylee, the "Weather Kid" and I want you to advance through the graphics and I want to show you what New York City and the statue of liberty could look like in the future planet as we continue to warm to three degrees Celsius, four degree Celsius, check it out. What do you notice?

KAYLEE: The water has risen above the grass.

VAN DAM: And with communities and homes in the way of that water. This could be very impactful.

Check out the next graphic, and tell me what city do you see?

KAYLEE: London.

VAN DAM: And this is Big Ben. This is the River Thames.

And I want you to advance that graphic because I want to show you with this artist its rendition the future of what London could look like as sea level rise continues.

Notice how the water moves further and further inland. Press it one more time.

How do you think this impacts people right here?

KAYLEE: The businesses and the homes are going to be destroyed by the dangerous floods that are rising and the sea levels that are arising.

VAN DAM: Well, she's spot on. You can't live in a flooded city and you certainly can't run a business. This is going to be an expensive future if we don't act now.

What have you noticed here in Atlanta as you've grown up?

[02:35:00]

KAYLEE: I've noticed that the summers has been really warm and has been getting hotter lately.

VAN DAM: Yeah. Well, you know, it's becoming more and more uncomfortable to live in cities. Climate change is a reality that's happening now, but in the year 2050, we're going to see that temperature continued to rise and there's a lot of direct evidence that we can link between these extreme weather events like heat waves, coastal flooding, heavy rain events with the impacts of climate change as well.

Kaylee, have you ever seen a hurricane before?

KAYLEE: No.

VAN DAM: Okay. But you've seen it on TV, right?

KAYLEE: Yeah.

VAN DAM: Okay. They're impactful and they disrupt people's lives and their livelihoods, and their business. They're also very dangerous as well, and the future reality about the planet that you're inheriting is that by 2050, we may have more extreme typhoons, cyclones, and hurricanes across the planets, not necessarily increasing the numbers of hurricanes, but the severity pretty of the hurricanes.

And just in 2023 alone, Kaylee, get this, we set a record number of billion-dollar disasters. So every single little icon you see represents a billion dollars or more of a severe natural disaster. Now, watch the difference between 2023 and the year 2050.

KAYLEE: Looks like more thunderstorms, hurricanes.

VAN DAM: More extreme weather, right?

KAYLEE: Yes.

VAN DAM: We will have more extreme events and they are costly. Climate change is expensive, but we can do something about it.

Thanks for joining me, Kaylee. I appreciate it. High five. Nice.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KINKADE: Very impressive work there.

Well, thanks so much for joining us. I'm Lynda Kinkade.

For our international viewers, "WORLD SPORT" is up next.

And for our viewers and probably was in the United States in Canada, I'll be back with much more CNN NEWSROOM after this short break.

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[02:45:32]

KINKADE: Returning to our top story now, an opening statements in Donald Trump's historic hush money trial are only hours away. There will be increased security around the courthouse this week after a man set himself on fire in a nearby park on Friday, in a protest unrelated to the trial itself.

Well, CNN has learned that prosecutors will likely call David Pecker as their first witness. He's the former publisher of the National Enquirer and was said to be a key player in hush money plot.

Well, Columbia University is tightening security of a Passover as pro- Palestinian protests continue on campus. The university says police will be present on campus during Passover celebrations Monday and public safety will provide walking escorts.

A rabbi associated with the university is urging, Jewish students to return home. And the university announced that students can attend classes virtually starting on Monday.

You know, Governor Kathy Hochul posted on X that threatening Jewish students with violence is antisemitism. Here's what some Jewish students are saying.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SOPHIE ARNSTEIN, BARNARD COLLEGE: I consider myself a very brave person, but I won't deny that I've been physically intimidated and harassed. And so, I want to say like safe is a mindset. I feel safe when I'm around my Jewish peers who create a safe space. But in general, the campus feels extremely hostile.

LILY ZUCKERMAN, BARNARD COLLEGE: I feel reasonably safe. I have since October 7. I do think that the protests could very easily escalate.

BEN SOLOMON, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY: I've felt why this is not a welcoming environment. I think it's a very difficult time for a lot of Jewish students.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: Well, meantime, the FBI says federal law enforcement are on alert for any potential threats to the Jewish community as families get ready to celebrate Passover on Monday.

CNN's Camila Bernal reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CAMILA BERNAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): These are the Passover preparations at the Hronskys.

RABBI SARAH HRONSKY, TEMPLE BETH HILLEL: You've got your blue waves.

BERNAL: -- as a mother and a rabbi.

HRONSKY: Some people call them Lego people. We call them Israelites.

BERNAL: Sarah Hronsky knows this year, the holiday, will be different.

Not only are many leaving empty seats at the table, but those celebrating are also being told to be on alert.

HRONSKY: Threats are every day, they're all the time, and they're very, very real. BERNAL: According to the FBI, anti-Jewish hate crime cases tripled in the wake of the October 7th attack and they are currently on alert for threats ahead of Passover.

RABBI NOAH FARKAS, PRESIDENT AND CEO, JEWISH FEDERATION LOS ANGELES: We put out an alert to congregations, to schools, to organizations, agencies, anywhere where Jews gather for us to be a little bit more vigilant this year.

BERNAL: Rabbi Noah Farkas is the president and CEO of the Jewish Federation Los Angeles. While he's also preparing for the Seder, the organization he leads is recommending people know who they invite into their homes, keep outdoor lights on, and report any incident or crime.

FARKAS: One of the saddest thing things about being a Jew in America today is that we have to pay for private security to express our First Amendment right.

BERNAL: For large gatherings, cameras and extra security has become the norm.

EITAN BAZAZ, PRESIDENT AND FOUNDER, DAVID SHIELD SECURITY: In recent years, and especially since October 7, the demand for our services increased at least like 300 to 400 percent.

BERNAL: The increase says Eitan Bazaz with David Shield Security is in part because of protests, campus threats, and Middle East tensions, causing angst in the U.S.

In 2023, almost 9,000 anti-Semitic incidents have been tracked in the U.S., the highest number of incidents reported since the Anti- Defamation League began tracking them in the 1970s.

HRONSKY: But has increased phenomenon in a way that we cant even count anymore, that hundreds of percentage points that it's increased.

BERNAL: What have you seen?

HRONSKY: I'll give you an example. Today, a woman drove by my synagogue filming and shouting antisemitic slurs.

BERNAL: But despite the threats, the worry, the sadness, there will also be joy.

HRONSKY: Grounding and having a Seder and being celebration of your roots, in your core and your heritage, this is a sign that we, too, will get through to the other side.

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BERNAL (on camera): And the FBI director said that his remarks about safety were not intended to stir alarm, but he did note that it's a time to remain vigilant.

[02:50:07] And the people that is spoke to told me it's the little things making sure your porch lights are on and making sure that even though you can open the doors to your home to other people, just making sure that you are familiar failure with who is coming inside of your house.

Camila Bernal, CNN, Beverly Hills, California.

KINKADE: Delaware police say an 18-year-old woman was shot and killed on a college campus Sunday. Authorities say they received a call early Sunday morning about a shooting on the campus of Delaware State University, one of Americas historically black colleges and universities.

Responding officers found the victim with a gunshot wound. She later died in hospital. The young woman was not a registered student. Shooting was reported near a residence hall that houses more than 300 freshmen.

The Michigan community is struggling to come to terms with the tragic accident that left two young children dead. It happened on Saturday when a car crashed into a boat house where a child's birthday party was underway.

CNN correspondent Rafael Romo has more.

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RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It was a joyous occasion that instantly turned into a nightmare for multiple families with young children.

It was about three in the afternoon when they were celebrating a child's birthday party at a boat club in Newport, Michigan, which is located on Lake Erie, about 30 miles south of Detroit. According to Monroe County authorities, a woman later described this driving while intoxicated, crashed her vehicle against the building where the party was being held, went through a wall and finally came to a stop approximately 25 feet inside.

The sheriff says, first responders who rushed to the scene described what they saw as extremely chaotic with a high level of emotions of those directly involved in those who witnessed this horrific incident.

Monroe County Sheriff Troy Goodnough choked back tears at a press conference providing details about the tragic crash.

SHERIFF TROY GOODNOUGH, MONROE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE: Unfortunately, in tragedy two of the victims were very pronounced deceased at the scene. This includes an eight-year-old female and a five-year-old male who are siblings of each other. The 66-year-old female driver of the vehicle, excuse me, who will not be identified at this time has been taken into police custody for operating while intoxicated, causing death, and she's at the Monroe County jail.

ROMO: In addition to the children, at least a dozen other people were injured. Nine people, including three children, were transported to area hospitals with what Sheriff Goodnough describe the serious life- threatening injuries. The two siblings were pronounced dead at the scene.

In addition to driving while drunk, officials also say the 66-year-old woman will likely face additional charges.

Rafael Romo, CNN, Atlanta.

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KINKADE: Well, 15 people here in the U.S. are recovering from injuries sustained during an accident while wanted to of universal studios in Hollywood on Saturday. California's highway patrol says, the tram holding tourists crashed into a metal guardrail while turning, causing the vehicle to tilt and eject passengers. Their injuries ranged from mild to moderate according to police.

Universal Studios uses trams to its popular studio to which takes visitors to various filming locations on the Hollywood back lot. Well, neither alcohol or drugs were a factor in the crash, it does remain under investigation.

Manchester United has made it back into F.A. Cup Final, but Sunday semifinal match was a nail-biter. Man Utd lost a three-nil lead and wound up going to penalties against Coventry City, a team from the lower division.

"WORLD SPORT's" Don Riddell shows you how it happened.

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DON RIDDELL, CNN WORLD SPORT: The FA Cup final is traditionally played in London at Wembley Stadium, but these days there could be an argument to play it 200 miles further north because for the second straight year, Manchester City and Manchester United will play for the trophy.

But United only just made it into the final on Sunday, their semifinal win against Coventry said he was just incredible. With 20 minutes left to play, they were seemingly cruising with a three-nil lead, but then Coventry for one bag then another, wickedly deflected shot sailing into the top corner.

And Coventry who played in the division below the Premier League, kept going earning a penalty deep in injury time. And Haji Wright converted it to force extra-time.

Manchester United have really struggled this season. And this was about to go down as one of the all-time, right at the deck was penalties looming. Viktor top stuck at a boot to win it for Coventry, except he hadn't as the jubilation died down, the video review he would an offside by to hit that about a shoelace. So that meant a shootout.

[02:55:01] And Coventry's ferocious resistance finally wilted. They missed two of their cakes leaving Rasmus Hojlund to convert the winner. United's players hardly celebrated though. They knew that they were pretty lucky to have won the game.

HARRY MAGUIRE, MANCHESTER, UNITED DEFENDER: Thank you very much. We had great control of the match and we actually played really well for the first 60 minutes. (INAUDIBLE) off pretty much nothing but didn't really give them more chalk today. And then I don't know. I just feel the world was wanting Coventry to (INAUDIBLE) pressure and we didn't deal with it (INAUDIBLE) and then it was took an extra time.

I think the boys really felt able. We've shown great courage to make sure we stick it. We got our head spark to win.

RIDDELL: So we can now look forward to another Manchester derby back at Wembley on May the 20th. Remember, Man City won it last year. It was the second leg of their memorable trouble, but that really was just an amazing game.

Back to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KINKADE: Our thanks to Don Riddell.

Well, Nelly Korda cannot be beat. The American golfer winning the Chevron championship Sunday with the final score of 13 under par. It's the first major of the season on the women's tour, and it's Korda's fifth straight tournament victory. Korda joins Hall of Famers, Annika Sorenstam and Nancy Lopez as the owner the woman to win five consecutive tournaments played.

Formula One champion Max Verstappen has another victory on his belt this time in China. The Red Bull driver had a comfortable lead in Sunday's Chinese Formula One Grand Prix in Shanghai, finishing 14 seconds ahead of the second-place driver. It was the first race in Chinas since before the pandemic and also the home debut of China's first F1 driver Zhou Guanyu.

Max Verstappen has won every race this season except the Australian Grand Prix. He was supposed to pull out of that race early due to mechanical issues.

Well, thanks so much for your company this hour. I'm Lynda Kinkade. I'll be back with much more CNN NEWSROOM after a short break.