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Israel Strikes Targets in Syria After Rocket Fire; Hezbollah Leader Meets Hamas Delegation in Lebanon; Dueling U.S. Rulings on Medication Abortion Pill; Two Expelled Lawmakers May Be Heading Right Back; Pope Francis Presides Over Easter Mass at Vatican; Pastor Ministers to Faithful Along Ukraine's Front Lines; Good Friday Agreement 25 Years On. Aired 5-6a ET

Aired April 09, 2023 - 05:00   ET

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

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[05:00:30]

PAULA NEWTON, CNN ANCHOR: A warm welcome to our viewers watching here in the United States and all around the world. I'm Paula Newton.

Ahead, right here on CNN Newsroom. Pope Francis is presiding over Easter Mass at the Vatican, where thousands have gathered for celebration. But in the Middle East, religious events this weekend are being marred by ongoing violence. We are live in Jerusalem and Beirut for the latest.

And we'll take a closer look at that abortion drug that's at the center of two opposing court rulings in the United States.

ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Center, this is CNN Newsroom with Paula Newton.

NEWTON: First, it is Easter Sunday, the holiest day of the Christian calendar, celebrating what the Bible says was the resurrection of Jesus. Thousands of the faithful have converged on St. Peter's Square for Easter mass currently underway. You see it there. Pope Francis is presiding over the service.

Now, he did not walk in the traditional procession, but instead arrived in a wheelchair. He will soon deliver his traditional Easter blessing.

Now, the 86-year-old pontiff has been recovering from bronchitis after being hospitalized last week. Later in the show, we will head live to the Vatican for a report.

Now, Easter is also being observed in Jerusalem today along with Passover and Ramadan. But the ceremonies have been overshadowed by a recent surge in violence right across the region. Just hours ago, Israel carried out a new wave of attacks in Syrian territory this time and it released this video. You see it there, which appears to show strikes on a Syrian military compound, radar systems and artillery posts. Israel says it launched the strikes after rockets were fired from

Syria toward Israeli controlled territory. It's just the latest escalation of tensions since Israeli forces stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem multiple times last week. We are covering all the angles of the story for you. CNN Salma Abdelaziz is in Jerusalem, and Scott McLean is in Beirut.

Salma, to you first. I mean, let us know what is happening at this hour in the Old City. Obviously, these religious holidays have been a flashpoint for tensions before and again this year.

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely. And all of this comes those latest Syria attacks that tit for tat. It just begins to show you how quickly things can devolve in this region. It widens that area of escalation. It widens that area of tension that already included Gaza and southern Lebanon, now into Syria as well. All of this, of course, starting at least the slate of spat of violence, starting when Israeli police raided Al-Aqsa Mosque twice on Wednesday. And it's there that the focus is again today, right within the walls of the Old City now where you have three different faiths observing three different religious traditions simultaneously.

Of course, there is Easter mass taking place for Christians within the Old City. There was also the priestly blessing. This is an important and special tradition in Judaism that is taking place over Passover that's winding down now. But thousands of people were at the western wall praying, while at the top of the mountain, of course, at the Noble Sanctuary known as Temple Mount to Jews, Muslims were continuing to go in and out for prayers.

Overnight, there were more prayers. Of course, Ramadan tradition is that Muslims pray through the night, more prayers there at Al-Aqsa Mosque overnight. There seemed to be a moment of friction where Israeli authorities were accusing youth of barricading themselves inside the mosque, Jordan, which is the Guardian, the protectorate of Al-Aqsa Mosque, quickly responded, warning that Israeli police should not enter that mosque otherwise violence will escalate.

Those prayers rather passed peacefully. But this morning, eyewitnesses there saying that Muslim worshippers were not allowed in for dawn prayers. Simultaneously, Israeli police did allow small groups of non- Muslims. So Jewish worshippers right at that location, at that flashpoint complex, as Muslims were at the mosque as well. So you can imagine a moment of potential friction again, that passed peacefully.

I know I'm painting a very complicated picture here, Paula, but what I'm trying to explain is you have all of these simultaneous religious events happening at a moment of heightened tension, under intense police security. All of that leads to fears and concerns, of course, that these factors could devolve the situation further. All of this, of course, in the wider context of this escalating violence. Paula?

[05:05:02]

NEWTON: Yeah 12:04, just after lunch there and in Jerusalem, and we'll continue to watch what happens and hope the day passes peacefully. Salma, I appreciate that.

I want to go now to our Scott McLean in Lebanon. Scott, I have to remind you, it's fair to say this is the last thing Lebanon needs is to get involved in this conflict. What more are you learning since you've been on the ground there?

SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Paula, we've actually just learned that the leader of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, according to a Hezbollah-owned TV channel, has met with the leader of the Palestinian militant group Hamas to discuss what happened at the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in Jerusalem and the readiness of what they described as the resistance axis to confront it.

Now, Hezbollah has not claimed responsibility for the barrage of rockets toward Israel from Lebanon, but they have also said precious little about it. In the meantime, the Lebanese army now has the very complicated task of trying to prevent any potential new attacks.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MCLEAN: About an hour south of Beirut, the yellow flags of Israel's sworn enemy, the Lebanese militant and political group Hezbollah, is the first sign that the Jewish state doesn't have many friends here. After the police raid on the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, outrage came in the form of almost three dozen rockets fired across the border from southern Lebanon, where Palestinian refugee camps have for decades sheltered tens of thousands of displaced people. On Friday, Israel responded, targeting the weapons and the Palestinian militant groups they say launched them.

(On camera): This is an irrigation channel running through this banana field. This used to be a bridge over top of it, leading to a hotel by the sea. It obviously took a direct hit. Locals say the force was so intense that it shook their homes. They also insist that this would not have been a good place to store weapons.

(Voice-over): The aftermath attracted a crowd of local residents and farmhands, among them Haliel El Ray (ph), who makes no apologies for the rockets fired at Israel.

This is a response, he says. This, at the very least, is a message that we, as the Lebanese people, stand for resistance. Do you want peace with Israel? I asked him. Of course not, he says.

Just down the road, though, it is a much different story. Abdul Halad Abdul Satur (ph), a Syrian refugee, shows us the shrapnel he's collected from the blast that left a hole in the roof of his farmhouse. His kids were sleeping here at the time.

Me, my wife and young kids, he says. I couldn't calm them down. We left Syria to flee the shelling, and now this. He walked us through the orange grove, past more and more disturbed earth.

(On camera): The house that was hit by shrapnel is about 200 yards away from here. It seems far until you see the size of the crater. Abdul Sauter says there were no weapons here. Incredibly, the only living casualties were the orange trees, some ripped apart at the trunk.

Hezbollah has not claimed responsibility for any of the rockets fired from Lebanon. Neither has any Palestinian armed group. The Lebanese army vowed to stop the attacks and located and dismantled several rocket launchers and rockets hidden amongst the hillsides and terrorist orchards. On Saturday, they found one more, though no sign a new attack was on the way, at least for now.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

So, Paula, we went to the town where the Lebanese army said that some of these rockets from Lebanon were actually fired at Israel, and we couldn't find any locals willing to talk to us on camera. But one man did tell us that he doesn't support any kind of escalation. He said, frankly, when his son feels scared, so does he. He said that now is simply not the time.

NEWTON: Scott McLean for us in Beirut. Appreciate that update.

Now, against this backdrop of violence, thousands of Israelis are not backing down as their demand that Benjamin Netanyahu's government drop its controversial election -- pardon me, judicial reforms. An estimated 145,000 protesters rallied Saturday in Tel Aviv, holding a moment of silence for the three people killed in the past day in terror attacks in the city and the West Bank.

But then the anti-reform protests resumed and it was loud, marking the 14th week of demonstrations. Legislative action on the proposed reforms is paused for now, but the Passover holiday ends next week and the government's push could soon resume. So the protesters say, despite the violence, they must keep up their pressure. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OHAD NIZRY, ISRAEL PROTESTER (through translator): I believe they're trying to discourage us from protesting, but on the contrary, I think it makes us more determined to come out and protest. We need to keep up the demonstration and keep going and restore order in our country.

[05:10:11]

OSNAT ELDER, ISRAELI PROTESTER (through translator): The problem isn't only our security against terror. We have enemies within us, the external enemies we are used to it. We trust our security forces completely. But when it comes to our internal enemies, this is when we protest. That's why we here today, strong and united.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: Here in the United States. Now, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last year, and that ruling did not settle the abortion issue as many might have believed. In fact, it's becoming even more contentious. The Justice Department will appeal a decision by a Trump appointed judge in Texas to take an abortion drug off the market, even though it's been widely available for decades and is considered extremely safe for women. Now, less than an hour after that ruling, an Obama appointed judge in Washington state ordered the federal government to keep the same drug available in 17 states plus the District of Columbia. As CNN Senior Legal Analyst Elie Honig explains, it may be up to the U.S. Supreme Court to reconcile these two opposing decisions.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELIE HONIG, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: Now, we have what we call a circuit split. You have two different courts and two different circuits of the country who have issued conflicting and contradictory rulings that cannot be reconciled. You have this judge in Texas who has said, I hereby order that sales of this medication be suspended nationwide at the same time. About an hour later, we have a different federal judge in Washington state saying, I hereby order that this drug remain available 17 states plus Washington, D.C. that brought this lawsuit. You cannot reconcile those two things. This is a classic case that will make its way up to the Supreme Court.

If you're wondering, how on earth could this judge overturn essentially the FDA's approval when the FDA approved it 23 years ago and it's been approved since then, you're asking the right question. It is very shaky, questionable legal decision by this judge. I think it's sort of a picture of what some people call judicial activism. He's inserting his own medical judgment. He's not a doctor. He's a judge for the FDA. And he's saying, basically, I know better than they've known for the last 23 years. And that should, let's note, that covers Republican and democratic administration. So I think there's a real legal weakness here, but it'll ultimately be up to the supreme court. We know they overturned Roe v. Wade last year, but I should say there were some indications in the Dobbs decision that we may not have the same six three outcome on this separate question of medication.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NEWTON: So what exactly is mifepristone? Now, it's sold under various brand names such as Mifeprex and Korlym. It blocks a hormone called progesterone, which a woman's body needs in order to continue a pregnancy. The food and drug administration in the United States approved the drug coupled with another pill called misoprostol for abortion use in the year 2000. These two drug combinations are also available in more than 60 other countries. CNN's Elizabeth Cohen takes a closer look at safety aspects of the drugs and other issues.

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ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Over the past 23 years, millions of American women have taken a drug called mifepristone in combination with another drug for miscarriages and also for abortions. Let's take a look at how those numbers have climbed. As you can see, the numbers have gotten much larger over the years. Right now, more than 53% of abortions in the U.S. They're done with medication. They're done with pills. They're not done by surgery.

And if we take a look at safety, these pills have an excellent safety profile. If you look at mifepristone, for every million women who take it, there will be five deaths. If you look at penicillin, for every million people who take it, there will be 20 deaths. If you look at Viagra, for every million patients that take it. There will be 49 deaths.

If the ruling from the Texas judge stands, that means that women across the country would lose access to this medication. In addition, there could be another effect. If the judge's ruling stands, pharmaceutical companies might say, wait a minute, we're investing millions and millions of dollars into research and development for drugs. The FDA looks at it. They're outside advisors. All these scientists look at it. And now we need to worry that a single judge, not even a scientist, that a single judge can just pull it off the market. It could definitely discourage them from investigating and from researching new drugs. And that could affect us all. Back to you.

NEWTON: Our thanks to Elizabeth Cohen there. Now supporters of abortion rights are furious over the ruling to block that drug. Democratic Senator John Fetterman slammed it as another attempt by Republicans to impose a nationwide abortion ban. CNN's Alayna Treene has more now from Washington.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALAYNA TREENE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Democrats immediately started railing against the court's decision once it was announced. And some, like Senator Ron Wyden and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, went so far as to say that President Biden should ignore the ruling altogether.

[05:15:07]

Now, Republican lawmakers, meanwhile, have been far less outspoken, and some of the leaders have virtually been silent on the issue. Now, that's something that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer pointed out on a press call Saturday morning. Here's what he had to say I.

SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY): I think the Republicans know that these -- their decisions, the Dobbs decision, this court decision are wildly unpopular with the American people. They're probably, at least in some of the survey data, unpopular with a large number of Republicans. So they're afraid to speak out. But that is outrageous.

TREENE: Now, I will argue Schumer's press call was on a Saturday during a holiday weekend, so I'm not sure how many Republicans were paying close attention to him. But Schumer's point was valid. This is very tricky territory for Republicans to navigate abortion in the wake of the Dobbs decision has not been a winning message for them, and we saw that during the 2022 midterm elections.

As for what Congress can do, they don't have many options. The bills that they want to pass are essentially dead-on arrival, and they can. And some already have begun applying pressure on the Biden administration to appeal the ruling. But legislatively, there isn't much that Congress can do.

Schumer did say, however, that Senate Democrats remain committed to passing the Women's Health Protection Act, which is a bill aimed at preserving abortion access nationwide. But that legislation failed to pass last year due to the balance of power in Congress and remains unlikely to pass now, given that Republicans control the House and Democrats have a narrow majority in the Senate. Alayna Treene, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NEWTON: Just ahead for us, protesters march on the Tennessee state Capitol calling for more gun control measures as new research shows that shootings are becoming more lethal. Plus, a Ukrainian priest brings faith and hope to places where danger has become a way of life.

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[05:20:45]

NEWTON: The two Tennessee lawmakers whom Republicans ousted from the state House last week soon may be heading right back. Democrats Justin Jones of Nashville and Justin Pearson of Memphis, who are black, were expelled from office allegedly for breaching decorum rules during a gun control protest on the House floor. A third Democrat, though, who is white, survived expulsion by a single vote.

It was the first-time multiple lawmakers have been kicked out of the House in the same session since 1866. Their supporters say they are enraged at what they view as an attack on democracy itself.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LISA SHEMAN LUNA, EXEC. DIR. TN IMMIGRANT & REFUGEE RIGHTS COALITION: It was both enraging but also incredibly inspiring to see so many Tennesseans fighting for democracy, fighting for gun reform, and really just the energy that this has led to in our movement here in Tennessee.

TEQUILA JOHNSON, EXEC. DIRECTOR, THE QUITY ALLIANCE FUND: This is not just a moment for us or organizers here in Tennessee. This is a part of a movement. We've been on the ground knocking doors. We've been bringing young people out to do voter registration and to mobilize and organize people to action. And those three who were expelled, or the two were expelled and Gloria Johnson, they represent our movements. They are our leaders. They are the people that our people elected. And it was just heartbreaking to witness what I say, a public lynching of two black men in our state capitol.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Now, local commissions will choose interim lawmakers until special elections can be held. But in both cities, it appears the commissioners just might choose Jones and Pearson to retake those seats. CNN's Isabel Rosales has our details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ISABEL ROSALES, CNN U.S.CORRESPONDENT: The spotlight right now is shining on those two vacant state House seats. Local lawmakers in the districts of Jones and Pearson right now, they're working to determine those next steps. The Tennessee Constitution empowers them to appoint an interim successor. So we could be looking at a situation here where these ousted lawmakers are put back into their same seats.

On Friday, we saw the White House sending support in the way of Vice President Kamala Harris. She flew to Tennessee. She met one on one with the so-called Tennessee Three, and she also spoke before a crown. Listen.

HARRIS: It wasn't about the three of these leaders. It was about who they were representing. It's about whose voices they were channeling. Understand that. And is that not what a democracy allows? A democracy says you don't silence the people. You do not stifle the people. You don't turn off their microphones when they are speaking about the importance of life and liberty.

ROSALES: This week, all eyes on Nashville and Memphis, the two biggest cities in the state of Tennessee. An important meeting for the Metro Council happening over in Nashville on Monday, where they are looking to not only nominate, but also to appoint Representative Justin Jones, former representative, back into his same seat.

We're told by a city council member, Jeff Syracuse, that they have the numbers, that they have a supermajority in order to push that vote through.

Meanwhile, over in Memphis, in the Shelby County area, the commissioner's office there, Mickell Lowery, the Chairman of the Board of Commissioners, saying that they will not discuss Pearson's situation until their regularly scheduled meeting happening on Wednesday. Isabel Rosales, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NEWTON: Now, about 100 people gathered in downtown Nashville Saturday to march on the state Capitol in support of gun control. The march happened, of course, just as we were explaining what went on, on the floor of the State House.

Now, these people in that State House were in fact, protesting in support of that gun control. In almost two weeks since the mass shooting of the Covenant School in Nashville, where six people were killed. Many of the marchers were high school students who couldn't participate during other protests earlier in the week. They left signs, flowers and stuffed animals on the steps of the Capitol as a memorial to the victims of a school shooting.

Now, a new study, in fact, has found that shootings are becoming more lethal, with a record number of people dying from firearm injuries in the United States, that number more than 1 million dead over the last three decades. CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta has more.

[05:25:19]

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: And just to give you some context, a million people dying from gun violence. There have been about a million people who've died from the opioid epidemic since 1999 as well over the last couple of decades. And that's something we talk about a lot. People want to give some context in terms of how these numbers are changing over time. These researchers decided to basically follow the severity of the injuries and try and figure out how much more severe are the injuries nowadays compared to a few years ago.

And as you look at these numbers, keep in mind that medical care has improved. We can take care of injuries that we had a harder time taking care of a couple of decades ago. And EMS is typically faster in most areas as well.

But despite that, if you go back and look at 1999, the likelihood that someone would die at the scene before they could get to a hospital was around 52%. Fast forward to now or 2021, and it's closer to 57%. It's about a 9% increase. It may not seem like a lot, but again, keep in mind that we are much more facile medically at being able to take care of these injuries. And despite that, more people are still dying on the scene.

Now, there's a lot of reasons, a lot of things going on here. And I do want you to keep in mind that the vast majority of injuries, the vast majority of homicides this was looking at homicides, not suicides, are due to handguns. That is true. But the number of people who are dying of handguns and people who are dying on scene from handguns, that number has remained relatively stable over the last several years. What has changed is the introduction of assault rifles and just the types of injuries those can cause. The likelihood of surviving an assault rifle on scene. Obviously much, much lower than a handgun.

Now, part of the reason is just the overall force, the foot-pounds, as it's measured of force from the kinetic energy from an assault rifle versus a handgun. If you just take a look there, you can see on this graphic how much of a difference there is. And when you're trying to take care of somebody who suffered an injury from that kind of energy, it is a very different type of energy. It actually causes cavitation within the body and it's much more difficult to care for those patients.

So, we have seen lots of trends. We've seen increasing number of deaths, while the percentage is still greatest, far greater for handgun injuries and handgun homicides. Assault rifles are increasingly causing more deaths on scene. And that's a number that is changing over the last several years.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NEWTON: Our thanks to Dr. Sanjay Gupta. And it is Easter Sunday and Pope Francis is presiding over Easter Mass amid concerns about his health. He looks absolutely fine there. We'll have an update from the Vatican, coming up next.

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[05:31:32]

NEWTON: Welcome back to our viewers here in the United States and all around the world. I'm Paula Newton, and you are watching CNN Newsroom. And we want to go back to our top story. Thousands of worshippers have gathered in St. Peter's Square as Pope Francis presides over Easter Mass. He'll soon deliver his traditional blessing and you can hear the cheers from the crowd there.

For more, we go to CNN's Delia Gallagher who is in Rome for us. Delia, I have tell you, I'm admiring these camera angles. We really get to see what the Pope is looking at right now. A glorious day. He looks healthy, and yet, as you've chronicled, his health has been an issue.

DELIA GALLAGHER, CNN VATICAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, absolutely, Paula. I mean, it's wonderful to see him here. He's out amongst the crowd, masses finished. Obviously, he had a chance to chat with some of the cardinals, shake their hands. He was in a wheelchair as they pushed him around to greet the cardinals as well.

But certainly good spirits would suggest that it was a good thing that he skipped the way of the cross out at night on Friday evening here in Rome because of the cold. Because, of course, he's getting over bronchitis, and that's not something that you want to do to an 86- year-old pope who's getting over bronchitis, put him out in the cold at night.

So while this has been a very challenging week because there's been many, many events for the Pope, we've seen that he has been up to it. Certainly compared to Saturday when he got out of the hospital, he seems to be in good spirits. Of course, when he got out of the hospital, I had a chance to ask him how he was feeling and he said, still alive. You know, he jokes about his health, but obviously his main problem right now is the mobility one. He has to really move around with a wheelchair. He doesn't say mass because he can't stand for long periods of time behind the altar.

So you'll see him now, he'll give the "Urbi et Orbi" address, as you mentioned, when he talks about various conflicts in the world. And normally he'll do that from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica up there. So he'll have to go back around and up and elevator. But certainly in terms of his health, yes, Pope Francis is a toughie, Paula. I mean, he's 86 years old, and so he's older than either John Paul II or Benedict XVI when they were Pope. But he still keeps up a very, very heavy schedule, particularly with international travel. He likes to get out. But obviously logistically that becomes more difficult since he can't move around so well. Paula?

NEWTON: Yeah, again, moving around the aid of the Pope mobile right now, and we await that traditional blessing. Delia Gallagher for us in Rome. Thanks so much.

Ukrainian officials say a father and daughter were killed in new Russian strikes on the city of Zaporizhzhia. We received these images, you're looking out right there a short time ago, showing what's left of a building ravaged by that overnight attack. Ukraine also says one woman was rescued from the rubble of a building that was heavily damaged.

In the meantime, Ukrainian troops are fighting to keep a lifeline open to the embattled city of Bakhmut. CNN team reports near constant artillery fire in the town of Chasiv Yar. And that happens to be a key supply route onto that road, which they are trying to basically keep that key supply route open to the city center of Bakhmut. Ukraine also says its energy system has been struck by more than 1200 Russian rockets and drones. The statement didn't say over which period of time, but the energy grid has been, of course, repeatedly targeted for months.

[05:35:11]

Now, over the past year, eastern Ukraine has become a ghastly hellscape of villages and towns hollowed out by Russian shelling. Many are nearly devoid of people, but not everyone is willing to leave their homes. And one local pastor make sure the faithful among them are not forgotten. CNN's Ben Wedeman has our report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Donning his flak jacket, Pastor Igor Yershop (ph) of the Protestant Bethlehem Christian Church prepares for his rounds. Today, he's conducting services in the village of Maksymilyanivka, just a few miles from Russian lines.

Church is a hurried affair just 45 minutes of no-frills sermon and prayer to Terry is dangerous. A Russian artillery shell recently landed next door, spraying shrapnel on the walls, destroying the roof, shattering the windows. Yet when the faithful emerge, there is momentarily a sense of serenity.

It calms your soul, says Natalia (ph). We feel that we're with God and that he protects us. But for the handful of residents, Maksymilyanivka is a ghost town. The few still here depend upon the kindness of others for their sustenance, including bread brought by Pastor Igor. One loaf per person.

(On camera): Once a week, every Sunday, this is the only time these people can get fresh bread. Fresh bread that's still warm.

(Voice-over): But man cannot live on bread alone.

Today, says Pastor Igor, hope is the most precious thing for people here on the front lines.

Afterwards, we went with the pastor to a nearby bomb shelter, an abandoned tuberculosis sanatorium. At the shelter entrance, Alexey (ph) shows us where parts of the rocket struck a month ago. That day, he recalls, when rain began to fall and others went below. Then the rocket hit. If it had been five minutes earlier, he says, no one would have survived.

Down below, they have electricity, even satellite television. Anna (ph) distracts herself by cooking. She never leaves the shelter. It's horrible, she tells me. Three times, shells exploded next to me. Once, when I was at home, one exploded nearby. I was alone. Everything was smashed. Now I can't go outside, even for five minutes. Here there is shelter, but no peace of mind. Ben Wedeman, CNN, Maksymilyanivka, Ukraine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NEWTON: So many thought peace in Northern Ireland would be impossible after its long history of sectarian unrest. But the skeptics, they were wrong. And now the Good Friday Agreement is turning 25 years old.

Coming up, we'll speak with an expert in Belfast about the significance of this anniversary.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:41:28]

NEWTON: U.S. President Joe Biden will travel to Belfast on Tuesday to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. And that's the peace deal that brought an end to decades of sectarian violence. It established a power sharing government in Northern Ireland comprised of both unionists and Republicans. But it's worth revisiting how the agreement came about.

Now, in 1993, key leaders from Ireland's nationalist movement began talks aimed at ending the violence. An IRA ceasefire in 1994 allowed for peace talks to begin. The next year, representatives from Ireland's Republican Sinn Fein party met with a British government minister and that was the first time in 23 years.

Now, the IRA ended its ceasefire for a time, but it was reinstated in 197, paving the way for Sinn Fein to take part in multiparty talks at Storma (ph).

And finally, one year later, the Good Friday Agreement was signed and endorsed through a historic referendum. But ahead of this year's anniversary, police are now on high alert, deploying, "significant forces" this Easter weekend. And they're warning of possible disorder, even terrorist activity from dissident Republicans. Now, a top officer says these measures haven't been necessary for years.

Joining us now is Katy Hayward. She is a Professor of Political sociology at Queen's University in Belfast. And it is really good to have you. Tell us your perspective after this deal is now a quarter century. I mean, we just heard about the heightened concerns, but, you know, I have to underscore a few thought that this peace agreement could even get done, let alone survive 25 years. Of course, the agreement isn't perfect, but, you know, give us some insight into how it's transformed Northern Ireland.

KATY HAYWARD, PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SOCIOLOGY, QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY: Yes, as you say, the lead up to the agreement was one of on and off doubts as to whether ceasefires could hold, whether the parties could be in a room together. So when we finally crossed the line, when the announcement was made that Good Friday, it seemed not only a sense of joy, but also relief.

And since then, of course, we have had many ups and downs in the peace process. The paramilitary organizations, as you say, continue to exist. In particular, they exert control and intimidation amongst the most vulnerable communities. And we also have a situation in which the power sharing institutions haven't functioned for too much of the time, I think, in the past 25 years. And yet we have seen society transformed. We don't have political violence and we have a new generation who almost take peace for granted. They think of Northern Ireland as a fairly normal society.

And I teach in Queens University. And it's a real privilege to be able to teach them not only about the conflict, which they have no memory of, but also about the agreement and what it means for them and how they still have to -- they have hope for the future and indeed still need to achieve those ambitions that were set out 25 years ago in terms of reconciliation.

NEWTON: And it is heartening to hear that that new generation will try and build on the peace deal to get to reconciliation. I have to ask you about the challenges ahead. Brexit, which I know you look at closely, is one of them but I was so interested in a point that you made that it's political polarization right now that is eroding the democratic capacity and the power sharing agreements in Northern Ireland.

You know, we hear this all the time in so many jurisdictions. There is no middle ground anymore, it seems, for compromise. I mean, what do you think needs to be done in the years to come, along with really reconciling with Brexit has to be done so that this peace deal continues to thrive?

[05:45:14]

HAYWARD: Yes. So, I mean, we should remember 25 years ago it was the Moderate, Unionist and Nationalist parties as well as the others, but the two largest parties were the moderate parties and they were over taken within a few years by the more hardline parties in Sinn Fein and the Democratic Unionist Party.

And so on the political scene, we've seen some polarization. It's the hardline parties that have been dominant. On the ground, however, it's slightly different. So there has been an emergence of a situation in which most people in Northern Ireland say that they are neither Unionist nor nationalist.

And this isn't just true amongst the younger generation, although it is particularly true amongst them. The question is how do we have a situation in which that political system reflects that? And this is a question we have now 25 years on.

So in the Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey, which is the Social Attitude survey in Northern Ireland, we ask people about this, 7 out of 10 people in Northern Ireland say yes. The Good Friday Agreement remains the best basis for governing Northern Ireland. However, we see a majority now saying that it does need to be reformed in a way that reflects the fact that so many people now consider themselves in terms other than Unionist and nationalist.

NEWTON: So interesting that that would resonate for many people the fact that it does not reflective of public opinion what is going on now in many cases in Northern Ireland.

You know, I know this is a very naive question intellectually, but I have to ask it. You know, so many people doubted that this deal could be and there are so many dramatic moments, including former U.S. president Bill Clinton, getting involved in terms of what made this deal possible. So I ask you about the possibility, what can be learned from this deal when we look at other conflicts around the world that so desperately need compromise and breakthrough right now?

HAYWARD: I think, so Northern Ireland has been held up as a good example for peace processes elsewhere. And that's with good reason. Getting the political parties in the same room, making sure that they bring the hardliners with them, and the confidence and courage that was needed amongst political leadership, all of that is important to bear in mind.

I think we can also take lessons from what hasn't happened in Northern Ireland, so that commitment to reconciliation still remains outstanding. We haven't dealt properly with the legacy of the past. There are still competing narratives about the cause of the troubles, and indeed, there's not much of a common voice as to what Northern Ireland's future should be.

And so I think a focus on what's needed at community level was particularly reaching out to those most vulnerable sections of society that continue to suffer multiple deprivation, particularly in economic terms, trying to address those social issues, those economic issues, as well as the political ones.

That would be a lesson, I think, from this peace process. And that would also ones that we still need to address here in Northern Ireland, looking ahead to the next 25 years, and how to ensure that the peace remains as strong as possible.

NEWTON: And everyone hopes it does remain strong. Professor Katy Hayward, thanks so much for your insights. I appreciate it.

HAYWARD: Thank you.

NEWTON: Now, some news just into CNN, Police in the German city of Hamburg have warned residents of possible toxins and heavy smoke after a major fire broke out Sunday. Residents are being warned by the city's fire department that a cloud of smoke is moving towards the city center. Some 140 people have already been evacuated, a police spokesperson said -- indicated that. And that was according to Reuters. And we, of course, will bring you any details that we receive.

The Masters golf tournament is set to resume play today after yesterday's mid round washout. Ahead, four-time major winner Brooks Koepka holds a strong lead and appears to have a good chance to win his first green jacket. Other players, though, you know it they're on the hunt. We'll have more when we come back.

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NEWTON: So we're just a few hours away from resuming play at this year's first golf major, the Masters was halted early Saturday afternoon by strong storms. Andy Scholes, you saw it all. Every weather cliche applied yesterday. I just couldn't believe it. It was just coming down in sheets.

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Yeah.

NEWTON: And cold.

SCHOLES: Yeah, and chilly to go along with it. So I am very cold. So obviously yesterday is not great. The weather, though, looking much, much better today, Paula. A little

chilly in the morning, but by the afternoon should be beautiful. Leader Brooks Koepka and his group, they're going to have to play 29 holes in order to finish the tournament today.

But again, weather should be good, so it should be doable Saturday though, I mean, it was just miserable at Augusta National. It was cold, it was rainy. They finished up the second round in the morning before starting the third, but just constant rain started causing some puddles on the greens, making the course unplayable.

Play was halted just after three eastern in the afternoon, and many of the guys, they were just happy the day was over.

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ADAM SCOTT, 2013 MASTERS CHAMPION: I mean, I feel like I just survived.

SAHITH THEEGALA, 1-OVER PAR AFTER SATURDAY'S PLAY: It was brutal this morning because it's just so cold.

MACKENZIE HUGHES, 1-OVER PAR AFTER SATURDAY'S PLAY: It felt like a different sport today, you know, dealing with all the elements in the cold rain.

CAMERON YOUNG, 4 -UNDER FAR AFTER SATURDAY'S PLAY: It's basically impossible. I don't really know what you're supposed to do. It's playing so long.

SHANE LOWRY, 2019 OPEN CHAMPION: You're out there this morning. It's freezing. So it's interesting. It's mad here. The weather can change here. Yeah.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHOLES: All right, so coming into today, Brooks Koepka, he's got a four-shot lead over Jon Rahm, the live golf star played just six holes yesterday, shooting one under to get to 13 under for the tournament. Koepka hasn't won a major since the 2019 PGA Championship. Is looking for his first green jacket. He said after play was called yesterday he's not concerned about having to play 29 holes today in order to win his first Masters.

Now, Tiger Woods, meanwhile, he was making history yesterday. He narrowly made his 23rd straight cut, tying him with Fred Couples and Gary Player for the most ever. Woods bogey the final two holes of his second round, but his good friend Justin Thomas fell apart at the end of his round, moving the cut line, saving Tiger.

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TIGER WOODS, 5-TIME MASTERS CHAMPION: I've always loved this golf course and I love playing this event. I've obviously missed a couple with some injuries, but I've always wanted to play here and I just have loved it. I got a chance to play on the weekend. I wish I get a chance to play two more rounds.

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SCHOLES: Tiger, though, looking rather miserable in his third round yesterday. So he hit it in the water on 15 and here on 16. See his face says it all right there, Tiger. Two bogeys, two double bogeys so far. And he's in last place among the players who made the cut, Paula. So tough seeing Tiger out there in these conditions. And, you know, obviously he's not 100% still limping around after that car accident.

NEWTON: You can tell he's walking gingerly there. But we'll wait to see, as you said, with the good weather coming, if the round can improve. Listen, Brooks Koepka right now ahead by four strokes.

SCHOLES: Yeah.

NEWTON: Can anyone catch him?

SCHOLES: So if this was a normal tournament we were going in the final round, I'd probably say it's not likely. But he's got to play 29 holes today. That's a lot of golf. So, you know, a lot of things can happen.

If I was going to put my finger on someone who's going to kept him as the guy who's playing with him, Jon Rahm, he was one of the favorites going into this tournament. And, you know, with the way he plays, he can catch anybody. And those par fives, they make things very interesting. But with the weather good today, we'll see if Koepka can give back those strokes. But they're going to resume that third round at 8:30 Eastern today, Paula.

Final round expected to start around 12:30 this afternoon. And they're going to go off in pairs, off split tease to try to get the thing completed today.

NEWTON: And again, we'll be epic if that last pairing is Jon Rahm, and Brooks Koepka, we will wait to see it. SCHOLES: Should be a fun afternoon.

NEWTON: We'll be watching. Andy, thanks so much. I really appreciate that wrap.

And thank you for watching. I'm Paula Newton. For viewers in North America, CNN This Morning is next. For the rest of the world, it is Marketplace Asia.

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