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Tornadoes and Storms Across U.S. Killed 22 People and Injured Dozens More; Tornado Strikes Wynne, Arkansas, Killing Four People; Donald Trump Indicted; Former US President Trump Will Be Arraigned in Manhattan on Tuesday; Security in Lower Manhattan Likely to Intensify as Former President Trump Travels to New York for Arraignment; Funerals Held for Nashville School Shooting Victims; Ukraine Expresses Outrage as Russia Takes Over Presidency of UNSC; Sanna Marin, Finnish Prime Minister, Fighting to Stay in Power; Damar Hamlin Requests Legislators Fund Defibrillators in Schools; National Championship Game Will be Played Between San Diego State and UConn. Aired 4-5a ET

Aired April 02, 2023 - 04:00   ET

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

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[04:00:00]

LAILA HARRAK, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us from the United States and all around the world. I'm Laila Harrak.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right now, I don't even know where to even start. I mean, just going through it, just looking at it, pretty much, all I'm doing right now. I just don't even where to begin.

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HARRAK: Entire communities leveled after violent storms tear through parts of the United States. You'll hear from those directly impacted.

Donald Trump's supporters expressing concerns the former U.S. president won't get a fair trial. Details on how one prominent Democrat is responding.

And we're live in Rome as Pope Francis presides over Palm Sunday mass, just a day after leaving the hospital.

ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Center. This is "CNN Newsroom with Laila Harrack".

HARRAK: We begin with those powerful storms that battered parts of the United States and the death toll rising yet again. At least 22 people were killed and dozens more injured after tornadoes and storms hit on Friday and Saturday. The latest fatality Saturday evening in Delaware.

In Tennessee, seven people killed in McNairy County. The mayor of Covington, Tennessee became emotional. Speaking to the media on Saturday.

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JAN HENSLEY, COVINGTON, TENNESSEE MAYOR: The loss of life is hard to deal with. We can't rebuild it. Hotels (ph) taking a major hit. So many things, our citizens, their homes, their businesses, the schools, the places they play, their electricity, their way of life has been affected.

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HARRAK: In the Midwest, the governor of Indiana declared a disaster emergency in two counties after three storm related deaths were reported in his state. In neighboring Illinois, one person killed and at least 28 injured when the roof collapsed during concert at a theater in Belvidere, Friday night. In Arkansas, at least a dozen tornadoes were reported, five people there were killed in Little Rock and Wynne, and dozens more hospitalized. Listen to the mayor of Wynne described how the tornado impacted her city.

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JENNIFER HOBBS, WYNNE, ARKANSAS MAYOR: We can say that the search and rescue efforts, we feel like have come to an end. We feel like we've canvassed the area of the storm, two to three times and in most areas. And feel confident that we can say that search and rescue is over. So, we have a lot of families that are completely devastated. Have no home at all to go to, no belongings survived. So, we will have to have to help these families and we'll need all the help that we can get.

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HARRAK: CNN Meteorologist Derek Van Dam is in Wynne where he is seeing the devastation firsthand and how the people there are showing resiliency in the face of nature's wrath.

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DEREK VAN DAM, CNN METEOROLOGIST: We're in Wynne, Arkansas, where cleanup is underway. You can see construction vehicles, bobcats working overtime to clear debris. We were talking to my crew just a few moments ago, and it reminds us of the set of a blockbuster movie. Look at this church behind me. There's a steeple that was completely torn off the top of the building, smashed into the adjacent building, took down some trees along with it. Just incredible amounts of damage.

People coming outdoors to assess. What we have behind us here is the Wynne High School, the home of the Yellowjackets. And I had an incredible moment with a gentleman that was walking through the parking lot, draped with an American flag over his shoulders. And I asked him where he had found the flag, and he said that it was beyond the high school blown from that top of the flagpole there, and it was -- he was determined to hoist that thing back up in a sign of solidarity, and in a sign of determination that Wynne, Arkansas will rebuild and they will get through this traumatic, devastating tornado. Look at this, we have electrical poles snapped, power lines taken down, trees completely toppled over homes and businesses decimated. I have talked to some of the first responders. They go from home to home, to business to business, and putting these Xs on the sides of the walls there to signify and identify that there are no people left inside of these businesses.

[04:05:00]

But you can see the bobcats here, they are going to help clear out this debris. Just down this road, you can see the amount of trees. This is really just a drop in the bucket as the utility crews, the first responders, the ambulances, the police, the fire marshals all work in a coordinated effort to get the cleanup underway. We're going to keep watching the potential for more severe weather across the Central U.S. for next week. So, everybody here on high alert. Back to you.

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HARRAK: Donald Trump's legal team is already talking about a potential trial, even before knowing the criminal charges against him. But they may be getting ahead of themselves. First, the indictment must be unsealed and we expect that to happen at Tuesday's arraignment in Manhattan. CNN's Kristen Holmes has our report.

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KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN U.S. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Former President Donald Trump's aides and advisers have expressed concern in recent days that the former president might not get a fair trial if this were to be held in Manhattan. Now, of course, we do not know if this is actually going to go to trial, still a longways away from that, but they are citing the potential concern over the fact that it is a politically blue Democratic borough.

Now, sources close to the legal team say they are not considering it this time, asking for a change of venue to perhaps a more Republican friendly borough, but they are just waiting to actually see that indictment, see those charges, which they are expecting to do on Tuesday when the former president is arraigned.

Now, this messaging, though, around the unfairness, that is what we have really seen for not just the last several days, but the last several months around this potential indictment, around Donald Trump's ongoing legal problems. They tend to paint this as completely unfair, as a political hoax, as a witch hunt. And it's not just the former president and his team. Republicans have also started to follow suit.

We know that the former president has been calling his allies, Capitol Hill and across the country, trying to sort -- shore up that support. And also, really trying to stress the fact that this is political, and they seem to be following that lead. We have seen all of these surrogates, these people who are close to the former president, hitting up conservative media, talking about how this is unfair, how this is a problem for the Democrats, how this is a political hoax. And the big question, though, right now is what this actually means for the former president politically. Now, in some cases, there are people who believe that this might help him in a primary, contested primary with Republicans. But people are still very unsure what this means for the former president in the long term, and that is something that there's a lot of conversations going on and on about, particularly as we see is 2024 campaign ramping up. Kristen Holmes, West Palm Beach, Florida, CNN.

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HARRAK: Well, Kristen told us how there is a growing chorus of support from prominent Republicans, and that includes Trump's 2016 rival, Jeb Bush. On Saturday, he tweeted that Manhattan D.A. Alvin Bragg's case, "Is very political, not a matter of justice." While Trump's potential 2024 competitor, Florida, Governor, Ron DeSantis offered his own blistering take on Bragg at a leadership conference in Pennsylvania.

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GOV. RON DESANTIS (R-FL): Now he turns around purely for political purposes and indicts a former president on misdemeanor offenses that they're straining to try to convert into felonies. That is when you know that the law has been weaponized for political purposes. That is when you know that the left is using that to target their political opponent.

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HARRAK: Well, earlier, CNN spoke with Democratic Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren. She was a member of the January 6th select committee. My colleague Jim Acosta asked her how she reacts to allegations that Bragg's case is, "Politically motivated."

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REP. ZOE LOFGREN (D-CA): None of us know what the charges are. I mean, he doesn't know, I don't know, and you don't know. The indictment is sealed until Tuesday. So, how they can assert so confidently that there's something defective is kind of a mystery. You know, we live in a country where we're blessed with a system of laws. Prosecutors are charged with evaluating facts and law and bringing actions without fear or favor in their work. So, I think there's a lot of commentary based on no evidence yet.

If you're charged with a crime, you're entitled to due process. You're entitled to a presumption of innocence unless you are convicted. And the former president will -- I hope and believe, be entitled to all of those constitutional protections. You know, if this is not a strong case, then he'll win in court. If it is a strong case, I think the people are suggesting that it's improper, we'll be very embarrassed.

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[04:10:00] HARRAK: While Tuesday's arraignments require an extraordinary level of planning and security. We get more on that now from CNN's Polo Sandoval outside the Manhattan courthouse.

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POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The security in Lower Manhattan likely to intensify as we get closer to the day that Former President Donald Trump travels here to New York City to officially face those charges that were filed by a Manhattan district attorney on Thursday. This will come with major logistical and security considerations. Security, for example, we have seen the last several days, the NYPD set up additional lights, additional cameras surrounding the building they'll use behind me, which is where those court proceedings will be housed in come Tuesday.

According to several sources, we have also witnessed an increased NYPD presence surrounding the building, as well as court officers that have been asked to work through the weekend. Also what you don't see behind the scenes, which is the intelligence operation, intelligence officials scouring the internet to identify any potential threats. And we also know that Governor Kathy Hochul from the state of New York has reached out to New York City officials and offering state resources should that be needed. Though the New York City mayor's office, making it very clear, that they have not identified any credible threats so far.

In terms of the logistics, it's certainly going to be a massive undertaken when it comes to what we have seen between secret service and the NYPD. They're certainly familiar with the practices that come with transporting former presidents in and out of New York City. However, given the unusual circumstances, our colleague John Miller, reporting that there is very likely that the booking process will be modified, that we do expect the former president to travel here, come Tuesday, to face those charges.

He would be taken upstairs in the building they'll use to behind me to a detective squad, be fingerprinted, then taken before an arraignment judge and then potentially be released on a P.R. bonds. So, certainly everything that we expect, come Tuesday, but in terms of the security presence, it will only continue to grow as we get closer to that day. Polo Sandoval, CNN, New York.

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HARRAK: In the heartbroken city of Nashville, Tennessee, funerals were held Saturday for two of the six victims of Monday's school shooting. The community is expressing its grief with flowers and toys piled high outside the school. In private, families mourned a popular substitute teacher and the nine-year-old daughter of the school's church pastor. CNN's Dianne Gallagher, was there.

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DIANNE GALLAGHER, CNN U.S. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: A very somber Saturday here in Nashville, Tennessee, as a community says goodbye to two of the six victims in that school shooting on Monday at Covenant Presbyterian Church, which is the same site as The Covenant School where the shooting happened. Mourners gathered to say goodbye to nine- year-old Hallie Scruggs. Hallie Scruggs' father is the pastor of the church and described her as incredibly smart, feisty enough to keep up with her three brothers and her four boy cousins. A love for life that kept her smiling and running and jumping and playing and always on the go, like a nine-year-old should be.

Just before Hallie funeral, the community said goodbye to 61-year-old Cynthia Peak. She was called Cindy by her friends. According to the governor of Tennessee, who said that Cindy was one of his wife's best friends. And she was actually due to have dinner with the governor and the first lady of Tennessee on Monday night, the same day, of course, that she was killed.

Our state representative from Louisiana, said that he grew up with Cindy Peak and called her a great friend. She was kind and said that her entire hometown of Leesville, Louisiana, is in mourning right now. And the morning here in Nashville will continue on Sunday as nine- year-old Will Kinney will be laid to rest. Diane Gallagher, CNN. Nashville, Tennessee.

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HARRAK: It's Palm Sunday for the catholic church, just ahead the pope's role at services today as we had towards Easter Sunday next week, and an update on his health.

Plus, Israeli protesters hold more rallies despite the government's attempt to quell their anger. Why many say they'll continue to take action against a planned judicial reform.

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HARRAK: Pope Francis is at Palm Sunday services at the Vatican right now. We're told he's presiding over the mass as a cardinal celebrates it. While this comes just a day after the pontiff was released from the hospital, where he was treated for bronchitis. Palm Sunday where cause (ph) Jesus' entry into Jerusalem and it marks the start of holy week celebrations in the Christian calendar leading up to Easter next week.

Well, for more, let's go now to CNN's Delia Gallagher, who joins me now live from Rome. Delia, just a day after the pontiff left the hospital, Pope Francis back to his busy schedule and kicking off this holy week.

DELIA GALLAGHER, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, and you know, Laila, I was just reflecting, if you had asked me on Wednesday if the pope would be at this mass today, I would have said probably not. I mean, on Wednesday, we were told that he had been complaining of having breathing difficulties in the past few days.

So, it is absolutely amazing to see that Pope Francis is even here at this mass today. Certainly, we saw him yesterday and he was sounding OK. His voice is a bit soft, but we just heard him actually blessing the palms and any sounds and looks pretty good. This is Palm Sunday, as you said, kicking off a very busy week here at the Vatican.

The pope on Thursday will be at a juvenile jail for the washing of the feet, that traditional event that happens on what they call Holy Thursday. On Friday, expected to be at the coliseum outside at night in Rome, Easter Vigil on Saturday, Easter mass on Sunday. So, so this is just the first event of what is a very busy week for Pope Francis.

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Now, what you're going to see here today is the pope will be probably sitting down and there will be another cardinal, another Argentinian. He's the vice dean of the College of Cardinals, saying the mass. And that had already been planned, Laila. That's not something because of the pope's bronchitis, that is because the pope for, some time now, has had mobility issues with his knee. So, we have seen a number of events already in a number of masses where Pope Francis doesn't stand at the altar and actually say the mass.

But he will give a homily, so we will hear him speaking. And he is certainly, what we say, presiding. He is definitely present at the mass. A lot of people here today for this Palm Sunday mass. Indeed, in many churches around the world at this time in Christian churches, there are orthodox Christians who celebrate Easter a week after the Christian churches here do. But nonetheless, a really important day to be able to see Pope Francis and celebrate this moment with him in good health. Laila.

HARRAK: Delia Gallagher reporting live from Rome. Thank you so much, Delia.

Plans to suspend controversial judicial reforms are doing little to end protests against the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

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HARRAK: Tens of thousands of people showed up in Tel Aviv, waving flags, blowing horns, and chanting pro-democracy slogans. The large turnout suggests many protesters are unconvinced by the government's promise to pause a reform plan by a month. Mr. Netanyahu announced the delay on Monday, hoping to quell public anger, but some protesters say that's not enough. CNN's Hadas Gold reports.

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HADAS GOLD, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: So, this is the 13th week in a row now that tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of --

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HARRAK: Apologies. I think we are having some technical problems there. All right. We'll bring you Hadas' report a little later on.

Let's -- going to turn our focus now to Taiwan, which is recognized as a nation by just 13 countries worldwide. And right now, its president is visiting two of them. Tsai Ing-wen received a warm welcome, Saturday, in Guatemala, where its leader had comments that are not likely to sit well with Beijing. CNN's Rafael Romo reports.

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RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's been only a week since Honduras broke diplomatic relations with Taiwan. But this weekend, another Central American country gave Taiwanese President, Tsai Ing-wen, a totally different treatment. Guatemalan President, Alejandro Giammattei, welcomed his Taiwanese counterpart with full honors when she arrived at his Central American nation, Friday.

At the national culture palace, both leaders signed multiple cooperation agreements covering education, agriculture and health before meeting privately. President Tsai called Guatemala a solid ally of Taiwan. Adding that she was moved by President Giammattei's friendship and expressing gratitude for what she called Guatemala's permanent support.

The Guatemalan president said his government supports Taiwan and reiterated that Taiwan is, in his words, an independent nation, and the only and true China with which Guatemala shares democratic values, mutual respect and fraternal ties.

On Friday, Mao Ning, a spokeswoman for China's Foreign Ministry praised the new diplomatic relations between her country and Honduras. Saying that the one-China policy should be favored by the rest of the world. Mao added that China hopes that Guatemala clearly understands this trend and makes the right decision to stop supporting Taiwan in the near future.

But Guatemalan President Giammattei has ignored China's admonitions, celebrating his country's sixth decade bilateral relations with Taiwan instead. On Saturday, Giammattei took Tsai on a tour of Guatemala's Tikal National Park, a UNESCO world heritage site due to the historical significance of its Mayan ruins. On Sunday, they're expected to visit the Chimaltenango Hospital, a medical center built thanks to a $22 million donation from Taiwan. Rafael Romo, CNN, Atlanta.

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HARRAK: And as we said a moment ago, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced he was delaying judicial reforms, hoping to quell public anger. But as CNN's Hadas Gold reports, that has not been the case.

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GOLD: So, this is the 13th week in a row now that tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of Israelis have taken to the streets in protest of this judicial overhaul that would give, in essence, the Israeli parliament politicians in power, a lot of say over the Israeli judiciary.

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Now, these protesters are still out here on the street on a Saturday night, despite the fact that last week the Israeli government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, announced that they were going to be pausing the legislation, at least for one month time to allow time for negotiations. But for many of these protesters, essentially, they don't believe it. They don't believe Benjamin Netanyahu and they say that they're going to continue coming out to the streets to protest until this legislation is completely off the table.

Many of the protesters that I've talked to say they're willing to give compromise reform that's being discussed right now chance, but they still feel as though that their idea of Israeli democracy and the independence of the judiciary is still very much at risk. And that's why they're continuing to come out to the streets in massive, as a way they feel of protecting the Israeli democracy. Hadas Gold, CNN, Tel Aviv.

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HARRAK: The security council takes political fire from Ukraine as Russia assumes the leadership of the influential U.N. body. Well, now President Zelenskyy is telling the council it's time for reforms, we'll explain.

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HARRAK: A top Ukrainian orthodox church leader is now under investigation and confined to his home. Metropolitan Pavlo, the vicar of a historic church in Kyiv was placed under house arrest on Saturday. Officials say, he's being investigated for inciting religious hatred and for justifying and denying Russia's aggression. Pavlo belongs to the Ukrainian orthodox church, which was loyal to the Russian orthodox leader until it went independent last year.

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Meanwhile, on the front lines, Russia's Wagner mercenaries appeared to be making some progress in Bakhmut. The black flag, you see on the bottom of your screen, is Wagner's. The group posted this video that seems to show the flag on a building near the city center. CNN has geolocated the footage, Wagner has been making incremental gains in Bakhmut but at the expense of heavy casualties, according to western officials.

Meanwhile, Ukraine is expressing outrage as Russia takes over the presidency of the U.N. Security Council. Moscow began the month-long rotating leadership of the council on Saturday, which means Russia now leads the body that deals with global peace and security while conducting a war against its neighbor. For Ukraine's president, that means it's time for changes at the council.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Russia is chairing the U.N. Security. It is hard to imagine anything that proves more the total bankruptcy of such institution. There is no form of terror that Russia has not already committed and there will be no reason that will stop the reform of global institutions, in particular the U.N. Security Council. The reform that is obviously overdue to prevent a terrorist state in any other state that wants to be a terrorist from destroying the peace. Terrorist must lose, must be held accountable for terror and that preside anywhere.

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HARRAK: Let's take it to Ukraine now. David McKenzie joins us live from Kyiv. David, very strong response from Ukraine. Keep questioning Russia taking over the rotating presidency of the U.N. Security Council understandable?

DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, of course, it's understandable. I mean, Ukrainians called it the world's worst April Fool's joke. I mean, the U.N. Charter, the very first article of that which formed the world governing body is to suppress acts of aggression. And now to have Russia, a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, taking up that rotating presidency as a country that invaded a sovereign state is, at the very least, deeply ironic.

This is a symbolic role in the security council. But it will mean that Russia, for at least a month, will be the public face of the Security Council will help set the agenda and be, in a way, the spokesperson of the security council. Now, of course, the five permanent members and the other rotating members aren't always the most countries with the best human rights or conflict issue. But it certainly is a moment to take pause and take those calls for reform at the U.N, perhaps, seriously. Laila.

HARRAK: And David, the war continues to take a very brutal toll on Ukrainian soldiers.

MCKENZIE: That's right. And, of course, after many months of fighting, particularly in the eastern front, there's a lot of focus on the daily gains or losses by Ukraine and Russia. It is unclear how many Ukrainian soldiers have died and have been injured, but it certainly is taking a deep psychological toll on some of them.

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MCKENZIE (voiceover): The Video diary of a young Ukrainian volunteer, callsign Akula or Shark. He signed up on the very first morning of the invasion, ready to defend his nation. In the beginning, he says he didn't feel the burden of war, but then Akula was sent to the eastern front.

This was the most difficult time in my life, he says. It's impossible to describe it with words.

Where words fail him, these images tell his story. The story of thousands of young Ukrainian soldiers. Akula says, he's suffered severe concussions from artillery and rocket strikes. He's now at a mental health rehabilitation center near Kyiv.

MCKENZIE (on camera): Did you think the conflict would be anything like you've experienced when you volunteered that day?

MCKENZIE (voiceover): To be honest, I did not expect such a war, he says. When I went to war, I thought everything would be different. And when you get there, it's not what you think. It's scary, cold, hungry, and lonely.

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Akula says, it's peaceful here. At the Forest Glade Center, soldiers get up to a month of treatment. The hardest decision for them is to send them back to fight and perhaps die.

The most important thing now is that they survive and stay alive, says the head of mental health. After the war, we will help them with their health and socialization in this country. Now, every decent man should join the war, young and old. Their job is to save Ukraine.

And Ukraine is urgently calling for volunteers like these. They don't release casualty figures, but a senior U.S. official estimated months ago that perhaps 100,000 soldiers had been killed and injured, that figure undoubtedly higher now. Just weeks ago, many of these recruits hadn't held a rifle. But their commander, a trained psychologist, carries the Ukrainian flag on his back to raise above liberated towns.

At the moment, I feel less afraid for myself and for my fighters, says Lieutenant Kafeth (ph). Some of my teams have not seen combat, and I have a great responsibility to lead them forward.

I just want people to clearly understand, says Akula, that the guys who have been there since the beginning are not going to stand forever.

He says, he isn't physically or mentally ready. But in a few days, he could be sent back to fight.

This is my job, he says. And I have to do it. Who else if not us?

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MCKENZIE (on camera): It's striking that, you know, in terms of therapy for post-traumatic stress or concussion, in general, you will be pulled away from the front kept in a calm place like we got access to there. But you really do get the sense that the priority for those running that center is to get the soldiers well enough to get back and fight because of the overall priority of the country. Laila.

HARRAK: David McKenzie reporting from Kyiv. Thank you so much, David.

NATO's secretary general says Finland will join the military alliance in the coming days, almost a year after applying for membership. Well, the last hurdle was cleared when Turkey became the final NATO country to approve Finland's application. Once the country formally joins the group, NATO's borders with Russia will more than double in length to over 1,500 miles, and the size of the alliance would grow even further if all members approved the application of neighboring Sweden. However, turkey continues to block its application.

Let's discuss this further now with Former Finnish Prime Minister Alexander Stubb. He joins us now from Florence, where he directs the school of Transnational Governance at the European University Institute. Sir, thank you so much for your time. So, it's happening. Finland is joining NATO. How do you reflect on this moment?

ALEXANDER STUBB, FORMER FINNISH PRIME MINISTER: Well obviously, it's historic. It's historic in many ways, in the sense that we finally join the military alliance. It's historic in the sense that it's probably the fastest accession of a new NATO country ever. And of course, we all know that this would not have happened was it not for Putin's aggression in Ukraine. So, historic in many aspects.

HARRAK: Historic in many aspects. Let's discuss one aspect, in terms of what kind of change does this represent for Finns as a society and as a country to go from so-called neutrality to full-blown NATO membership in this span of a year.

STUBB: Well, I guess you could say that we were neutral during the cold war, but that was out of necessity, not free will. When the cold war ended, we changed to a doctrine of non-military alliance and now we join military alliance. I mean, to a certain extent, it means a lot but not that much. In the sense that, I think, we were one of the few countries in Europe that sustained a obligatory military service.

We have 900,000 men in reserve, 280,000 that we can mobilize at wartime. So, it's good for us to get security from NATO and Article 5, but I also think that we are tremendous value added for NATO itself.

HARRAK: What debates are there now being held in Finland about what it will mean for the country to become a member of the Transatlantic Alliance? I mean, are people open to a potentially big NATO presence in their country?

STUBB: Well yes and no. I guess, the starting point is to say that we did shift public opinion overnight, actually, in an opinion poll from 23rd, 24th and 25th of February.

[04:40:00]

So, previously we were 50 percent against NATO membership and 20 in favor and not just swapped very quickly. But now we're up to approval rates of 80 percent for NATO. And I think the discussion about what kind of a profile, as a member, we'll have will start now after the elections when we get a new government installed. I would predict that our profile will be very Nordic.

So, we'll be quite similar, probably, to what Norway has been and Denmark and Iceland to a certain extent. That's the profile that you'll see first Finland taking and then later Sweden, which I believe will join by the summit in Vilnius in July this summer.

HARRAK: Now, let's talk about Sweden. How do you feel about Finland leaving Sweden behind? I mean, you launched a joint bid and Helsinki was adamant that, you know, it will only join if Stockholm would get the green light. But now Finland is going it alone.

STUBB: Yes. Well, I'm quite relaxed in terms of the overall picture. In other words, Sweden has been a neutral country for 200 years and it will now be two months after Finland joining NATO. Of course, I would have preferred Finland to join together with Sweden. But there wasn't that much Finland could do about it because it was Turkey and Hungary that decided to ratify at a different pace.

But I'm very confident that Sweden will be there. And I think the big picture should be kept in mind and that is that both countries security situation is actually very good at the moment. We have de facto security guarantees as it stands. So, I think I'm not too worried about Sweden not joining exactly at the same time, though, I would have preferred it.

HARRAK: Alexander Stubb, thank you for this conversation.

STUBB: Thanks.

HARRAK: And voters in Finland have many things on their minds besides NATO as they choose a new parliament today. Difficult domestic issues could make it hard for Sanna Marin to keep her job as prime minister. Our report just ahead.

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ANNOUNCER: This is CNN, the world's news network.

HARRAK: Crucial parliamentary elections are underway in Finland that could shift that country significantly to the right. The ruling liberal coalition of Prime Minister Sanna Marin is locked in a three- way tie with two right-wing parties. While the prime minister remains personally popular, that's been growing discontent over her government's liberal policies. CNN's Barbie Nadeau has our report.

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BARBIE LATZA NADEAU, CNN CONTRIBUTOR (voiceover): Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin has star power, but she may need much more than that to stay in political power in Finland's parliamentary elections on Sunday. Marin is hugely popular, becoming premier at age 34, guiding Finland through the pandemic, standing up to Russia after its invasion of Ukraine, and just recently securing a spot for her country in NATO.

SANNA MARIN, FINNISH PRIME MINISTER: It's only matter of days where Finland becomes member of NATO. We will strengthen the whole alliance.

NADEAU (voiceover): But poll suggests it will be a battle for her to keep her job. With three rival parties, including Marin's social democrats running neck and neck. Since 2019, Marin has led a center left coalition consisting of five parties. But her youthful image hasn't resonated with some Finns after videos leaked of her partying in her off hours. Videos, she says, were private and filmed in a private space, which had no impact on her work. And rivals accused Marin's government of overspending while the country faces a recession. Marin says, it's needed for economic growth and would prefer to raise taxes than cut spending.

But Petteri Orpo, who leads the center right national coalition party, says there must be deep budget cuts to bring down the country's debt to GDP ratio, which rose to 71 percent last year, up from 65 percent when Marin took office.

PETTERI ORPO, NATIONAL COALITION PARTY LEADER: She is not worried about economy. She is not worried about debt. She has been very good in international affairs. But the situation in Finland, in homeland, it is very difficult, and I promise to fix it.

NADEAU (voiceover): The Nationalist Finns Party led by Rikka Purra is also calling for more fiscal austerity and has gained support since food and energy costs have risen in the country. The party also takes a hard line on immigration.

RIKKA PURRA, FINNS PARTY LEADER: The biggest issue at the moment is the growing juvenile delinquency, the rate of street crimes and the one main issue behind it is the migration to Finland.

NADEAU (voiceover): A tight race for Finland's future that may play out even after the votes are counted. As whoever wins will need to form a new coalition to obtain a majority in parliament. Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN.

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HARRAK: We'll be right back.

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[04:50:00]

HARRAK: As a young football player, Damar Hamlin says, he never thought about cardiopulmonary resuscitation or where the nearest defibrillator was located. But ever since they saved his life when he collapsed on the field in January, the Buffalo Bills safety has made it his mission to raise awareness of heart health issues. Hamlin took his cause to Washington this week, teaming up with the lawmakers and President Biden to promote a bipartisan bill to equip U.S. schools with defibrillators. Take a listen.

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DAMAR HAMLIN, BUFFALO BILLS SAFETY: These efforts will help protect kids and reduce deaths in schools across the country. So, today, I thank each of you for focusing on the idea that every kid should have the same access to a life-saving emergency response that I did should they need it. Around the world, people have come together to focus on this need, and I'm amazed and encouraged by what we can do together. Thank you all.

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HARRAK: Well, Hamlin says, sudden cardiac arrest happens to 7,000 kids under 18 every year in the U.S., most of them student athletes, it's not clear when the bill could become law.

And after weeks of incredible basketball and dramatic upsets, March Madness is almost over. San Diego State and Connecticut will face off Monday for the championship and CNN's Coy Wire was -- has, rather, the highlights from the final four in Houston.

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COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: San Diego State head coach Brian Dutcher used to walk around campus and hand out free tickets to San Diego State games. And now, his team has just drilled a buzzer beater to send the Aztecs to its first ever national title game on Monday.

WIRE (voiceover): Florida Atlantic, they led admirably, most of the game, they were up just one, though, and missed a shot with nine seconds to go. And instead of calling time out, Coach Dutcher decided to let his players play. Lamont Butler with the ball, it looked like time was going to run out. He rises, fires and money. San Diego State going to the title game on a legendary March Madness buzzer beater. Aztecs rushed the floor.

Some of the students told us that they drove about 1,500 miles, drove 20 hours to be here in Houston, their hearts erupt with elation while at the same time hearts and dreams are shattered for Florida Atlantic. They fought so hard. They had never had a single tournament win before this March Madness, but they made it all the way to within a second of the title game. San Diego State winning 70 to 71 will now face UConn for a chance at one shining moment.

[04:55:00]

LAMONT BUTLER, SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY GUARD: The plan was just to get downhill. They cut me off a little bit. I looked up, it was two seconds left, so I got to a shot that I'm comfortable with, and I hit it. And I'm happy.

DUSTY MAY, FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY COACH: I didn't have my best game. A couple of guys didn't have their best game. And the -- we're not going to dwell on it. We're going to hug each other for this season, and then we'll start thinking about how we can improve individually and collectively.

WIRE (voiceover): Now, in the late game, Coach Dan Hurley's UConn Huskies in control the entire way. They take down Miami, 72-59, advancing to their first title game since 2014. Star Center, Adama Sanogo, scoring a game high 21 points, 10 rebounds. He grew up in Bamako, Mali, five older sisters, one younger brother, playing soccer until he was 12 before finding his love for basketball. He speaks four languages and he speaks life into Huskies' nation as they are now just one win away from a fifth national title.

ADAMA SANOGO, UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT FORWARD: There's a lot of team that one I like, play Monday. So, you mean a lot to us. I mean, like everything worked for the dream of season, like, payoff, and now we just say, we got to keep going and I'm still liking and be able to go Monday night.

JIM LARRANAGA, UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI COACH: We were really never able to just relax and play our game. We were pretty much at a character the whole night. But these guys are great. Great guys. Great players. We've had a sensational season. And they will have memories that will last a lifetime, and so will I.

WIRE (on camera): Monday night right here on this court. One team is going to rise to the occasion and cut down the nets as national champions. Who wants it. It was said that this was going to be the most unpredictable final four ever, and it's certainly living up to the hype.

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HARRAK: And that wraps up this hour of "CNN Newsroom". I'm Laila Harrak, I'll be back with another hour of "CNN Newsroom" after a quick break. Keep it here.

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