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Israel Withdraws Military Ground Forces in Khan Younis; Solar Eclipse Happens Today Across Mexico, Canada, and some U.S. States; Japanese PM Speaks to CNN Ahead of His Return to the United States; Israel Withdraws Military Ground Forces in Khan Younis; Solar Eclipse Happens Today Across Mexico, Canada, and some U.S. States; Japanese PM Speaks to CNN Ahead of His Return to the United States; Remembering the Rwandan Genocide 30 Years After; South Carolina Trashes Caitlyn Clark and Iowa Out of the Women's NCAA Championship Title. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired April 08, 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 here in the United States and all around the world. You are watching "CNN Newsroom" and I'm Rosemary Church.

Just ahead, Israel withdraws ground forces from Khan Younis, leaving devastation behind.

The final countdown is here. The total solar eclipse will cross North America today. Will you be able to see it? We will have the forecast just ahead.

And tonight's men's championship is all that's left of the college basketball season. But the biggest story of March Madness has been the women's game and we will take a look.

UNKNOWN (voice-over): Live from Atlanta, this is "CNN Newsroom" with Rosemary Church.

CHURCH: Good to have you with us and we begin with a significant development in Israel's war against Hamas as it passes the six-month mark. The Israeli military says it has withdrawn ground forces from the southern city of Khan Younis so they can recuperate and prepare for future operations. The IDF says it's far from stopping operations in Gaza and that a significant force remains in the enclave.

Video from Khan Younis shows the destruction left behind. The Israeli military says the withdrawal from the city effectively marks the end of its ground operation in Gaza in its current form. But the defense minister says troops will return for follow-up missions.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

YOAV GALANT, ISRAELI DEFENSE MINISTER (through translator): The troops pulled out to prepare for their future missions. We saw examples of such missions in the operations at Shifa Hospital and also for their future mission in the Rafah region.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: All this coming as a new round of negotiations are underway between Israel and Hamas. Egyptian state media is reporting significant progress in talks in Cairo over a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal.

CNN's Nada Bashir is following developments. She joins me now live from London. So Nada, what more are you learning about the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Khan Younis and of course the destruction left behind?

NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, there has been immense destruction across Khan Younis. We've seen video emerging now showing residents returning to their homes. Many of them returning now after months of being unable to return to Khan Younis after Israeli ground troops invaded the region, the southern city.

And of course we have seen continued airstrikes across Khan Younis as well as other surrounding areas in southern Gaza. We heard a little earlier from one resident who was returning to Khan Younis for the first time describing the destruction that he saw upon his return.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MOHAMMED ABOU DIAB, KHAN YOUNIS RESIDENT (through translator): It is a shock, a shock. What happened was not small really. While coming on the way in the car I saw things. The destruction is unbearable.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASHIR: Now while Israeli troops are withdrawing from Khan Younis, we have heard from the Israeli military saying that they are maintaining what is being described as a significant troop presence in other parts of Gaza, that this is a conclusion to what they've described as their mission in Khan Younis, but of course that this will not be an end to the total ground operation of the Israeli military.

And in fact, we have heard from the defense minister saying that there will be further operations that troops have been withdrawn in order to recuperate and prepare for further operations as we have seen in the past.

Now typically an Israeli brigade would have a few thousand troops within it. It's unclear how many troops are withdrawing at this current point in time or how many troops remain on the ground in Gaza. Israeli media reported on Sunday that there will be still a presence around the Netzarim crossing or corridor, a dividing line established by the Israeli military, essentially splitting Gaza in two, but of course again the details on how many troops will remain is unclear.

Of course it's important to underscore that this is of course happening as ceasefire negotiations continue. We did hear over the weekend from Egyptian state media saying that there had been significant progress in those talks and of course one of the key demands from Hamas has long been a drawback of Israeli troops in Gaza.

Now it's unclear whether this drawback, this withdrawal of troops from Khan Younis is linked to those ongoing discussions and negotiations, but certainly a significant development. It remains to be seen of course what comes next for the Israeli military.

[03:04:56]

We have continued to hear those warnings of a ground operation in the southern city of Rafah where some 1.5 million people are currently displaced, but as we know there has been mounting pressure on the Israeli military to protect civilian lives in the south, not least from one of their key allies, the United States.

CHURCH: And we will continue to follow this very closely. Nada Bashir, joining us live from London, many thanks for that report.

And U.S. President Joe Biden is taking a tougher stand, warning Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he needs to do more to address the growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza or face consequences. That warning came last week during a phone call.

CNN's Priscilla Alvarez has more about what was said between the two leaders.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: CNN is learning new details about a pointed call between President Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week. That call coming at a pivotal moment, only days after World Central Kitchen employees were killed in an Israeli attack in Gaza.

Now, according to sources, President Biden placed additional pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to change his policies in his war against Hamas, that included primarily getting more humanitarian aid into Gaza by opening a land crossing, a port and also ramping up supplies.

Now, according to a source, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to that, saying that there would be more done. But the president went a step further, saying that it needed to be done soon. And indeed, hours after the call, the Israeli security cabinet approved of the measures.

And the White House has so far welcomed the moves and the changes that they've seen thus far, acknowledging that there has been frustration and that more needs to be done. But what is clear is that the U.S. is steadfastly supporting Israel and its right to defend itself.

The difference now is that they are more willing to change their policy if Israel doesn't change what it's doing. Of course, what that would be still remains an open question, as well as what metrics the U.S. is using to determine if Israel is making the necessary changes.

Priscilla Alvarez, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: An Israeli official says the reopening of the Erez crossing for humanitarian aid has been delayed. It was set to open on Sunday, but officials say they're still making logistical preparations to ensure the checkpoint can accommodate truckloads of aid. Despite the urgent need and U.S. pressure, the Israeli military agency in charge of aid deliveries says it will announce the crossing's opening, quote, "once a date is set".

The World Food Program's executive director, Cindy McCain, says a massive amount of much-needed food is just waiting to get into Gaza. But she says it's important that the right kind of foods are getting in, especially for children who are in desperate need of nutrients. Here's what McCain told CNN on Sunday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CINDY MCCAIN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME: WFP stands ready. We have right now amassed outside on the border food for 1.1 million people for three months. We just need to get it in. That's why these crossings are so important and more crossings are needed, as you know.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: A group of American doctors who spent more than a week working in northern Gaza say hospital conditions there are miserable and unimaginable. The video you're about to see is graphic and may be hard to watch.

The doctors volunteered most of their time at the Kamal Adwan Hospital, the scene of a controversial IDF raid late last year, where little to no aid is getting through. They say patients like this one are often lying on the floors in their blood because there are not enough beds. Mass casualties are arriving daily, sometimes 10 to 20 at a time, and the facility is running on solar power since there's no fuel for electricity.

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

It's the final countdown to the solar eclipse. Today is the day millions of people in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada have been waiting and even traveling for. However, the forecast for parts of the eclipse's path of totality could thwart the once-in-a-lifetime experience for many.

CNN's Kristin Fisher reports from Indianapolis, where many eclipse chasers are rerouting in hopes of getting a better view of the cosmic extravaganza.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KRISTIN FISHER, CNN SPACE AND DEFENSE CORRESPONDENT: Indianapolis has always been one of those key major cities along the path of totality for this eclipse, but over the last few days it has really taken on even more significance because so many eclipse chasers have seen the forecast down in Texas and in southern parts of Arkansas and said, hey, we don't think we're going to get to see the eclipse if we stay here.

[03:10:04]

And so they are all coming to Indianapolis, some going to other places like Vermont and Maine, places where there are supposed to be picture- perfect blue skies.

But here, this is really a central part of America, and now all these folks are coming into town. Originally, Indianapolis was expecting about 100,000 people to come here for the eclipse. Now they're expecting even more, and many of those people, about 40,000 of them, are going to be spending those precious few minutes of totality at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. And some of the things that make this eclipse so unique and different from the one in 2017 is that the moments of totality are about double the length.

The maximum amount for this eclipse is going to be a little over four minutes compared to about two and a half minutes back in 2017. And the other thing that makes this eclipse so cool is the fact that back in 2017, that eclipse was timed to a period of pretty subdued solar activity, but this one is timed almost perfectly to coincide with a period of peak solar activity.

So when the moon fully crosses in front of the sun, you should be able to see some really cool activity, those solar flares and coronal mass ejections coming off the sun's surface. So now it really just all comes down to the weather and everyone here hoping that the rain and the clouds clear just in time for totality, which is set for 3:06 p.m. Eastern time on Monday.

In Indianapolis, Kristin Fisher, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: About 99 percent of Americans are expected to get a glimpse of at least a partial eclipse, but some are worried they may not get to see much with weather reports predicting clouds and severe storms in parts of the country. Meteorologist Elisa Raffa has the latest forecast.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELISA RAFFA, CNN METEOROLOGIST: We're watching those clouds so closely on the path of totality. It looks like we have a storm system, though, developing on the southern end of the path where a severe risk is growing for damaging winds, large hail, even isolated tornadoes from Texas into Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana.

The good news is, though, it looks like the storms do blow up after the eclipse. We've got a couple of showers kind of right as the eclipse is starting, that partial eclipse, and then they blow up right after that peak, probably after three or four o'clock. So you might have a one to two hour window to seek shelter if you're in a place like Dallas outside to watch the eclipse, though it will come with cloud cover, mostly cloudy skies in Dallas, temperatures in the '70s, 1:42 is your total solar eclipse time. Then it ends at three and those storms will fire up shortly after.

It's all part of the system that kind of stalls right near that path of totality, bringing you some showers from Middle Tennessee and then over towards the Carolinas.

We do have some clouds that will come with it from Texas into Louisiana on the southern end of the path, some clearing across the Ohio Valley and even some clearing in New England, too. Also looks like a pretty good spot to catch the total solar eclipse.

We're looking at some places like Little Rock, where we'll have some mostly cloudy skies a little bit close to that system. Your totality is at 1:51, place like Rochester, also finding some mostly cloudy skies with your peak at 3:20.

Now what's so cool about this, too, is we will find temperatures taking a dip while you have the peak totality of that shadow because it's cutting off the energy from the sun. So those temperatures are going to briefly come down and will pop back up once the shadow moves away from the sun and we get those temperatures to rebound. So something that we'll have to watch out for closely. So not only will you experience the total darkness and totality, you'll experience that temperature drop. The relative humidity increases as the temperatures dip closer to that dew point. The winds could decrease, too. And so could your cloud cover.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Join us later today for the total solar eclipse as it travels from Mexico across America and into Canada. Experience the total eclipse from numerous locations, along with plenty of science and excitement along the way. Our special coverage starts at 12 p.m. Eastern.

Still to come ahead of a key meeting this week with President Joe Biden, Japan's prime minister tells CNN the world is at an historic turning point. We will explain why.

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[03:15:00]

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CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. Ukraine's president is giving his strongest, starkest warning yet about the state of the war against Russia. Volodymyr Zelenskyy saying his country will lose to Russia if the U.S. does not deliver aid. He explains why.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): The current intensity of Russian airstrikes is quite high. As of today, we have a reserve of air defense missiles. But I believe we need to think about tomorrow. The intensity could stay the same and then we wouldn't have enough. If they keep hitting every day the way they have for the last month, we might run out of missiles.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Mr. Zelenskyy also says Russia will soon be, quote, "more and more insistent on dragging nuclear weapons into this debate".

Meanwhile, the head of the U.S. House Intelligence Committee says Russian propaganda has absolutely spread through Congress, particularly among some of his Republican colleagues. A number of hardline House conservatives have refused to back a $95 billion aid package, which includes 60 billion in assistance for Ukraine.

The war in Ukraine, as well as rising tensions in the Middle East and parts of Asia, are among the key concerns for Japan's prime minister.

[03:19:54]

Ahead of a trip to Washington this week for a summit with U.S. President Joe Biden, Fumio Kishida says the world is at an historic turning point as Japan moves away from decades of pacifism and towards putting a stronger focus on defense.

And he spoke with our correspondent in Tokyo, Hanako Montgomery, who joins me now live. Good to see you again, Hanako. So what more can you tell us about your conversation with the prime minister and, of course, his key concerns?

HANAKO MONTGOMERY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, Rosemary, like you mentioned during our interview with the Japanese prime minister, Fumio Kishida, he warned that the world was at a historic turning point.

He mentioned the Israel-Hamas war, Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine and, of course, a situation much, much closer to home. Despite international sanctions, North Korea is continuing to ramp up its nuclear capabilities. And in the South China Sea, China is increasing its aggression.

All the more reason, according to Kishida, to strengthen and upgrade U.S. and Japan alliances, as he looks to do this week in Washington with U.S. President Joe Biden. This is what Kishida told us.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MONTGOMERY (voice-over): The world at a historic turning point. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida tells me ahead of a summit with U.S. President Joe Biden this week, the longtime partners will upgrade their defense relationship to the next level in the backdrop of mounting international security challenges.

FUMIO KISHIDA, JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER (through translator): In our neighborhood, there are countries that are developing ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons and others that are building up their defense capabilities in an opaque way. Also, there is a unilateral attempt to change the status quo by force in both the East China Sea and South China Sea.

MONTGOMERY (voice-over): Kishida says soaring geopolitical tensions forced Japan, long a pacifist country, to change its defense posture, moves not seen since World War II. Under his leadership, Japan plans to boost its defense spending to 2 percent of its GDP by 2027 and purchase weapons, including U.S.-made Tomahawk cruise missiles, acquiring counter-strike capabilities for the first time in decades.

MONTGOMERY: So if Japan has a security pact with the United States, why does it need counter-strike capabilities?

KISHIDA (through translator): Missile-related technology is evolving year by year. As missiles become more sophisticated, Japan must constantly consider what kind of technology is needed to protect the lives and livelihood of its citizens.

MONTGOMERY: And you've asked for a summit with Kim Jong-un, but there seems to be some mixed messages coming from North Korea about its engagement with Japan. What is your current level of communication between your administration and North Korea?

KISHIDA (through translator): We believe that resolving various concerns between Japan and North Korea and stabilizing relations is important, not only for the interests of our two countries, but also for peace and stability in the region. For this reason, we believe that it is important to hold a summit meeting, and under my supervision, I've been conducting high-level outreach to the DPRK.

MONTGOMERY (voice-over): Following the U.S.-Japan summit, the two nations will convene with the Philippines, the first trilateral meeting of its kind, to address rising security threats from North Korea weapons testing and aggression in the South China Sea.

KISHIDA (through translator): We are not targeting China specifically or a specific country. As Japan, we've been working to strengthen the Philippines' maritime enforcement capabilities. We're also providing them with defense-related equipment.

MONTGOMERY: You mentioned that it's not directed towards any one country, but wouldn't you say that the Philippines is gravely concerned about China's actions in the South China Sea?

KISHIDA (through translator): It's true that there are some developments, as you pointed out. I think it's important for the Philippines to defend its sovereignty, to protect its own territory, territorial waters and airspace. I believe that these things are very important in maintaining and strengthening a free and open Indo- Pacific based on the rule of law.

MONTGOMERY (voice-over): The U.S. and Japan, an enduring bond, confronts its pivotal moment as a volatile world seeks to unravel their global sway.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MONTGOMERY: Now, at the state visit, Japan and the U.S. are expected to talk about artificial intelligence, semiconductors, space and, of course, defense, all ways that Biden and Kishida look to improve both countries' relationships. Rosemary.

CHURCH: All right. Our thanks to Hanako Montgomery joining us live from Tokyo with that report.

[03:25:00]

Well, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen says the U.S. won't accept new industries being decimated by an influx of Chinese imports. Those comments came just about an hour ago when she held a news conference in Beijing, wrapping up a weekend of meetings with both local and national leaders discussing the U.S. and Chinese economies and areas of concern for both parties.

CNN's Beijing Bureau Chief Steven Jiang joins me now with the latest. So, Steven, what else did Secretary Yellen have to say at her news conference? And what all did she achieve on this diplomatic trip?

STEVEN JIANG, CNN BEIJING BUREAU CHIEF: Yeah, Rosemary, as we discussed during the last hour, she really tried to end her trip on a positive note by saying the constructive role her conversations and her trips have played in stabilizing this relationship between the U.S. and China. And also, of course, highlighting the initiatives both sides have launched on topics ranging from anti-money laundering to a quote-unquote "more balanced growth in the domestic and global economies". That's a platform presumably they can discuss Washington's concern about, as you mentioned, China's industrial overcapacity, which is a key item on her agenda.

Now, she really emphasized how serious the Biden administration is taking with this issue in terms of cheaply-made Chinese goods and products, especially green type products, have been flooding the global markets, depressing prices and negatively impacting the U.S. and other economies, even referring back to the time when China first joined the World Trade Organization in 2001, saying a similar situation really happened then and really displacing a lot of American workers. And she said the American administration, the Biden administration is simply not going to let that happen again, that they just find the situation unacceptable.

But of course, the Chinese have been pushing back very strongly and saying all of this is a politicized accusation and aimed at smearing China. Now, they are, of course, the Chinese are increasingly angry with the Americans increasingly stringent export controls of key technologies targeting China, with their leader, Xi Jinping, telling President Biden during their most recent phone calls that they find that practice, that policy unacceptable and they're not going to sit idly by.

So the tensions very much remain here. And also echoing President Biden, of course, Secretary Yellen also raised the issue of warning China not to provide Russia with any material support in their war effort in Ukraine.

But of course, as we speak, the Russian foreign minister Lavrov has now arrived in Beijing to talk with the Chinese counterparts and strengthening their so-called no limit partnership and potentially paving the way for another Putin visit.

So all of this, of course, is a reflection of the strategic assessment of both sides about themselves and about the other's intentions. It seems the Chinese have made this choice of aligning themselves closely with the Russians because of their shared grievances against this U.S.-dominated world order and their desire of reshaping that. And that is unlikely to change even with these visits and conversations Janet Yellen has been emphasizing, especially in the U.S. election year. Rosemary.

CHURCH: Steven Jiang in Beijing. Many thanks for joining us. I Appreciate your report.

Coming up, Mexico's presidential candidates square off in a debate ahead of a monumental presidential election. We'll tell you what we said. That's next.

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[03:30:00]

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ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to "CNN Newsroom". I'm Rosemary Church. If you're just joining us, here are some of today's top stories.

Israel says it has withdrawn ground forces from the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis so they can recuperate and prepare for future operations. The military says the move effectively marks the end of its ground operation in Gaza in its current form. But the IDF says it is far from stopping operations and that a significant force remains in the enclave.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen spoke just over an hour ago in Beijing as she wraps up a diplomatic trip to China. Yellen met with leaders to discuss the U.S. and Chinese economies as well as national security concerns. She says both countries were able to clarify potential misunderstandings that could cause unintentional escalation.

One of the year's most anticipated celestial events is almost here, just hours from now, a total solar eclipse will be seen in Mexico and across the United States and Canada. Those fortunate enough to be along the path of totality will be treated to an eclipse that lasts between three and a half to four minutes, according to NASA. And earlier I spoke with NASA program executive Julie Crook on the

significance of the total solar eclipse. She explained the phenomenon that sets this one apart.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JULIE CROOK, PROGRAM EXECUTIVE, NASA'S HABITABLE WORLDS OBSERVATORY: The very first time I saw it in 2017, it was life changing. I mean, it's a one in a time, I mean, in a given location, it happens once every more than 300 years.

And so it is quite amazing to see not just it become dark all so quickly, but also how nature reacts. I mean, last time I saw it in 2017, I was in Western North Carolina, and all of the birds just became quiet, the crickets became quiet. I mean, it was just it was it was very astonishing. And just as quickly as it comes, it goes, because the shadow is traveling so fast across the earth.

CHURCH: So seize that moment, right. And I do have to ask, will the solar eclipse live up to all the hype? Because there has been a lot of hype.

CROOK: I mean, it's, it's not, it's very rare when the celestial bodies align, just to be able to see this total solar eclipse. And this one is going to be even more special, because it's a supermoon, the orbit of the moon around Earth, it's not perfectly circular. And so at some points, it's a little closer to Earth, which is when you have your total solar eclipse, versus back in October of 2023, it was a little further away, which gave you the annular eclipse. And so I think, you know, with the supermoon, this is going to be a really special event.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Today's eclipse will first be visible along Mexico's Pacific coast before moving across the United States and Canada. The excitement is building in Mexico. One of the best viewing spots is expected to be Mazatlan on the western coast, but the eclipse will also be partially visible in places like Mexico City. Protective glasses are selling out fast, with some people waiting hours in line to pick up a pair.

[03:35:10]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNKNOWN (through translator): We have about an hour and a half waiting to see if a second batch of lenses will come out. That is what we are waiting for. The idea is to get the glasses to see the eclipse on Monday.

UNKNOWN (through translator): We're preparing to be able to see it Monday. It's a very important event after all the years have passed, and it's something you don't see every day.

(END VIDEO CLIP) CHURCH: Totality in Mazatlan will occur at approximately 2:07 pm Eastern Time.

Mexico says it will report Ecuador's raid on its embassy in Quito to the International Court of Justice. Ecuadorian police on Friday forcefully entered the embassy to arrest a former Ecuadorian vice president.

Mexico's foreign minister says her country plans to denounce the move and expects the court will agree, ordering Ecuador to repair damage to the embassy. Meantime, Mexican diplomats arrived back home after the country broke its diplomatic ties with Ecuador in response to the raid. Mexico's foreign minister greeted them and their families when they landed in Mexico City on Sunday.

Mexico's presidential candidates have just wrapped up their first debate ahead of the general elections in June. The front-runners are both women, meaning Mexico may soon have its first-ever female president.

Claudia Sheinbaum is leading in the poll. She is part of the ruling party of President Andres Manuel Lopez-Obrador. She is promising to continue his policies, saying the election is a choice between his progressive policies or returning to corruption. Close behind is Xochitl Galvez, a candidate of an opposition coalition. She is promising to end violence in Mexico and a quote, "bet on health and education".

A boat carrying more than 250 migrants from Haiti has been intercepted off the coast of the Bahamas. The Royal Bahamas Defense Forces apprehended the migrants before setting the boat on fire. The Bahamas has taken a strong stance against migrants in recent months and at least three boats with people from Haiti have been intercepted this year as people flee gang violence and unrest.

After the break, CNN's Christiane Amanpour looks back on the genocide in Rwanda and the atrocities that shocked the world 30 years ago.

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[03:40:00]

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CHURCH: Rwandans are remembering the genocide that devastated their nation 30 years ago, when an estimated 800,000 people, mostly members of the Tutsi ethnic minority, were slaughtered during a 100-day spree of killing and raping, acts committed by Hutu extremists. CNN's Christiane Amanpour looks back on how the violence unfolded, the international community's failure to act and the reconciliation period that followed. A warning though, many of the images are disturbing to watch.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR (voice-over): A genocidal rampage that wiped out nearly one million people in just 100 days.

Men, women and children hacked to death with machetes, clubs and bare hands.

When extremists from Rwanda's dominant tribe, the Hutus, set out to exterminate the Tutsi ethnic minority 30 years ago.

UNKNOWN: They threw grenades at us and started hacking us all over our body.

AMANPOUR (voice-over): The systematic campaign of mass murder was sparked after the Hutu president's plane was shot down April 6, 1994. And when I first traveled there, the scale of the atrocities was only just emerging.

AMANPOUR: Investigators have now turned up evidence to suggest that the massacre of Tutsis was pre-planned by the Hutu-led government. The U.N. report calls that slaughter genocide.

AMANPOUR (voice-over): While the international community failed to act, hundreds of thousands fled for their lives. The scenes were biblical.

To neighboring Tanzania, to Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The genocide finally ended when the Rwandan Patriotic Front took control of the country. That army was led by Paul Kagame, who eventually became president and remains so today.

AMANPOUR: Did you expect the international community to intervene?

PAUL KAGAME, RWANDAN PRESIDENT: Absolutely. All along we thought that's why they were here.

AMANPOUR: And why do you think they couldn't and didn't?

KAGAME: They didn't care.

AMANPOUR (voice-over): A 2022 Freedom House report found that while Kagame's regime has maintained stability, it has also suppressed political dissent through pervasive surveillance, intimidation and torture. Kagame denies any of those accusations.

After the bloodshed in 1994, I saw the country's jails overflowing with alleged perpetrators.

Everyone in prison claims to be innocent. Human rights workers say at least one in five people may have been falsely accused.

The government pursued a policy of unity and reconciliation, which often sees perpetrators and victims living side by side, as I witnessed when I returned to Rwanda years later.

Efigenia was preparing a plate of food and serving it to Jean Bosco Bizimana, one of the men who murdered five of her children. AMANPOUR: It's amazing for us to sit here and share food with families

who've been through so much. Did you expect Effigenia to forgive you and give you mercy?

JEAN BOSCO BIZIMANA, ONE OF THE MEN WHO MURDERED EFIGENIA'S FIVE CHILDREN (through translator): I felt that they would forgive me.

AMANPOUR (voice-over): As for international accountability, in 1998, President Bill Clinton apologized to the victims.

BILL CLINTON, THEN-U.S. PRESIDENT: We did not act quickly enough after the killing began. We did not immediately call these crimes, by their rightful name, genocide.

AMANPOUR (voice-over): But the scars run deep in Rwanda and mass graves are still being found 30 years later. A painful reminder of the country's darkest hour.

Christiane Amanpour, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: And we'll be right back.

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[03:45:00]

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UNKNOWN: Let's go ahead and declare an emergency for Southwest 3695. And we'd like an immediate return. We got a piece of the engine cowling hanging off, apparently.

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CHURCH: The FAA says it's investigating a Southwest Airlines flight from Denver that had to make a quick return when an engine cover fell off and hit the wing flap. In recorded air traffic control audio, one of the pilots said that several passengers and flight attendants heard something loud hit the wing of the Boeing 737-800 plane. No injuries were reported and Southwest says its maintenance teams will review the aircraft.

This is the latest in a string of mechanical issues to plague Boeing aircraft across a range of airlines over the past several months. Boeing declined to comment on the incident.

It is sweet revenge for South Carolina. The Gamecocks now have their third NCAA Women's Basketball National Championship. They dashed Caitlin Clark's title dreams with an 87-75 victory over Iowa. The Hawkeyes knocked South Carolina out of the tournament last year, donning her Iowa jersey for the last time. Caitlin Clark said despite the loss, she doesn't have time to, in her words, sulk and called her team's season special.

[03:49:57]

Christine Brennan is a CNN sports analyst and a sports columnist at "USA Today". She joins me now from Washington. Thanks so much for being with us.

CHRISTINE BRENNAN, CNN SPORTS ANALYST AND SPORTS COLUMNIST, USA TODAY: Great to be with you, Rosemary. Thank you.

CHURCH: So what an incredible game that lived up to the billing. A near undefeated season for South Carolina, avenging last year's only loss to Iowa, the magic of Caitlin Clark. This game had it all in what could be another ratings record-setter for women's basketball. How did the Gamecocks get it done?

BRENNAN: South Carolina, Rosemary, really is a super team. Undefeated. Of course, the head coach is Dawn Staley, the Olympic gold medalist. And she doesn't recruit. She reloads.

And after losing an entire team worth of great players to the WNBA, she brought in some new faces, freshmen, as well as going with the ones, the players who had already been on that team.

And she built a team that literally did not lose.

And they were so dominant and so tall. And also the depth of the team, their bench outscored Iowa's bench 37 to nothing, which really says it all. The height, the talent of South Carolina, just too much.

So well deserved for Dawn Staley to have this undefeated season. And in fact, the last time they lost, they only lost once in two years. And that was to Iowa last year in the final four. So they got their revenge against Iowa this time.

CHURCH: Right. And Iowa's coach, Lisa Bluder, called Dawn Staley the leader of women's basketball right now. The South Carolina coach, as you mentioned, rebuilt the team after losing her five starters from last season. How has she built such a powerhouse organization at a time when there are stars spread across the sport?

BRENNAN: Well, that's it, because you're saying to young women, come here and you might even sit the bench. You're a superstar. You might play somewhere else, but we want you to be here. She is a great recruiter. She recruits the parents. She makes sure that the parents and the adults in the young woman's life are part of the process. She also is trying to do and recruit and tell young people that the reason you want to come here is because you're going to win championships.

CHURCH: Amazing. And of course, Caitlin Clark gets to the NCAA finals two years in a row. Never quite gets the trophy, but what a career. Dawn Staley praising her for elevating the women's game. What kind of legacy does Caitlin leave behind at Iowa and what do you expect from her as she enters the WNBA next season?

BRENNAN: Oh, my. I mean, we've never seen anything quite like this. Caitlin Clark is one of the greatest of all time. Her legacy will be long lasting. 50 years from now, there will be people talking about the watershed moment of 2024 and Caitlin Clark and the TV ratings through the roof. I mean, 12.3 million, 14.2 million. Who knows what that game will get? These are numbers that beat Tiger Woods at the Masters. They beat the entire World Series in baseball. They beat all the NBA games that except I think one that ESPN has ever put on the air.

We've never seen numbers like this for women's sports. And it's all attributed to Caitlin Clark. It truly is.

The logo threes, the majesty of her play, the individualized kind of star out there that people are just paying to see do all of these incredible feats that she's able to do. And we saw it in that first quarter, 18 points, those threes. She kept, she willed Iowa to keep going.

And so what's next for her? Well, she is going to take women's sports to even greater heights. She will be drafted number one in the WNBA in just a week. So if anyone's missing Caitlin Clark, she'll be gone for a week and she'll be right back on national television. And then in Bin Bay, so about what, six weeks, she will be playing in the WNBA. And I believe strongly that she should be on the U.S. Olympic team in Paris. If she's there, she will become a worldwide fascination and only bring more eyeballs to the U.S. team. So they should definitely put her on the team. We'll see how that plays out.

CHURCH: And of course, in addition to Caitlin Clark, South Carolina's Camila Cardoso is heading to the WNBA. Other big names in women's college basketball are turning pro too. With the women's game at new heights, are there stars waiting in the wings to fill these big shoes? And do you see the popularity of the women's game continuing to soar in the coming years?

BRENNAN: No, that is the great question. Will there be a drop after Caitlin Clark leaves college basketball, which of course happened today? Or can it sustain itself, these ratings? I don't know that they'll be as high as they've been the last week because these have been remarkable matchups.

[03:55:00]

And the Caitlin Clark effect is so huge in those games. But it's not going to drop off much. And for example, sports editors that I've talked to, my sports editor at "USA Today", we're covering this now. We're not going to pull back on that. We're not going to say no next year. We're not going to do that because the interest is there. The reason to cover these athletes is there.

And so while they'll miss Caitlin Clark greatly, there's no doubt about it because she is a singular superstar, very much like an individualized version of the 1999 Women's World Cup team. There are lots of great young players in the college ranks and programs that are successful and that have a strong fan base and a strong television audience. All of that leads to a continuing ratings boom. So throwing all this into the mix, I think the future is incredibly bright. And I do think it will sustain itself in a major way.

CHURCH: Christine Brennan, a pleasure to have you with us. Many thanks.

BRENNAN: Rosemary, thank you.

CHURCH: And we will leave you with this remarkable feat of endurance. British national Russ Cooke has become the first person to run the entire length of Africa, covering 16,000 kilometers and passing through 16 countries over 352 days. A group of runners joined Cooke to help him over the finish line in Tunisia.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DANIEL KULET, PARTICIPANT: I don't think people understand what Russ is doing and that he's raising money for charity. It's not about him. If you speak to him, you realize that he doesn't care about the fame. He doesn't care about the money. He cares about, honestly, bringing people together and changing people's lives.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: During his run, Cooke raised more than $870,000 for charity.

I want to thank you for spending part of your day with me. I'm Rosemary Church. "CNN Newsroom" continues next with Max Foster.

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