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IDF: Six Rockets Launched from Syria Toward Israel; China Holds Third Day of Military Drills Around Taiwan; Ukrainians Adjust to Life in Eastern Russia; Pope Prays for Ukraine, Middle East in Easter Address; Northern Ireland Marks 25th Anniversary of Peace Accord; Afghan Women Banned from Working at U.N.; Landmark Cathedral to Reopen Next Year. Aired 12-12:45a ET

Aired April 10, 2023 - 00:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Hello and welcome. Coming to you live from Studio 4 at the CNN Center, I'm Michael Holmes. Appreciate your company.

[00:00:33]

Coming up on CNN NEWSROOM, an uneasy calm in the Middle East following a deadly wave of violence.

China simulates targeted strikes on Taiwan from the air and seal three days of provocative military exercises coming just days after Taiwan and U.S. leaders met. We're live in Beijing.

And Afghanistan's unprecedented humanitarian crisis is about to get worse. The latest Taliban crackdown on women that has many on edge.

ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Center, this is CNN NEWSROOM with Michael Holmes.

HOLMES: It is 7 in the morning in Jerusalem, where a tense calm has fallen over the city as thousands of worshippers from different faiths gathered for one of the holiest times of the year, just days after violence had erupted.

Jewish worshippers there gathering at the Western Wall, where the traditional priestly blessing for Passover proceeded peacefully. Israeli police boosting forces in Jerusalem ahead of the prayers and other religious events, among them Easter mass, Christians packing the church of the Holy Sepulcher on Sunday to mark the holiest day on their calendar. Some believe the church sits on the site where Jesus was crucified.

At the same time, Muslims gathered at the Al-Aqsa Mosque for prayers amid the holy month of Ramadan. Tensions there remain heightened nearly a week after Israeli forces twice stormed one of Islam's holiest sites, claiming hundreds of rioters had barricaded themselves inside. Meanwhile in the West Bank, a funeral was held for two British Israeli

sisters killed amid rising tensions in the region. Mourners gathered to remember the two, who died in a shooting attack on Friday. Their mother was seriously wounded and remains hospitalized in critical condition.

A funeral also held for a Palestinian man shot and killed by Israeli forces. The Palestinian health ministry says the incident happened during a confrontation between soldiers and a group of Palestinians in a town in the occupied West Bank.

CNN's Fred Pleitgen is following developments as tensions have flared in the region and has more now from Jerusalem.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The situation here certainly remains very volatile and very tense as the Israel Defense Forces say that several rockets were fired on Sunday morning from Syrian territory towards the Golan Heights, which is, of course, held by the Israelis.

The Israeli say in total, six rockets were fired. They say that one impacted. They were able to intercept one.

PLEITGEN (voice-over): They, then, in return, bombed Syrian territory and installations of the Syrian military, including radar installations. The Israelis are saying that they used drones for that, but also fighter aircraft, as well.

PLEITGEN: The Israelis are saying that they are going to hold the Syrian government and the Syrian military accountable for any attacks originating from Syrian territory coming towards Israel, the Israeli territory or Israeli held territory.

But at the same time, this is, of course, grave cause for concern for the Israelis. They've had rockets launched at Israel from Lebanese territory. They also have rocket launches also coming from Gaza, as well.

So this now seemingly possibly another front that Israel certainly needs to worry about.

At the same time, the strategic affairs minister of this country, he told CNN that Israel's enemies, as he put it, should not underestimate this country, despite the fact that there are political divisions.

RON DERMER, ISRAELI MINISTER OF STRATEGIC AFFAIRS: I think that Israel's internal divisions have been misinterpreted. This is why I caught -- talked about Iran. Misinterpreted by our enemies, and maybe they think this is a time to attack Israel.

Believe me, Israel will stand united and will defend itself against that aggression. I have no doubt that we will stand together and confront anyone who tries to endanger our country and endanger our civilians. PLEITGEN: At the same time, a funeral was held for two sisters who were killed when their car was shot at --

PLEITGEN (voice-over): -- and then later crashed. That, obviously, an extremely emotional event for their family.

A bit more of a positive picture here in Jerusalem, where prayers on the Temple Mount by Jews happened without any sort of incidents. Also, prayers near the Al-Aqsa Mosque also happened without any sort of major incidents. That certainly is a positive development.

[00:05:09]

But at the same time, the Israelis are saying they are, of course, very, very careful at this point, and again, the situation here extremely tense.

Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Jerusalem.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES: China's military is nearing the end of its three days of drills focused around Taiwan. State media says Beijing's forces carried out simulated precision attacks on the island on Saturday.

This video from broadcaster CCTV was released on Sunday, although its location and shot date couldn't be verified.

Over the course of the weekend, dozens of warplanes have been detected over the Taiwan Strait, with many crossing over into the island's air defense identification zone.

Let's get the latest now from CNN Beijing bureau chief Steven Jiang.

So Steven, what is the message being sent? And also, how does it compare to past messages of this sort?

STEVEN JIANG, CNN BEIJING BUREAU CHIEF: Yes, Michael, you know, the message has always been the same. That is that the Chinese trying to highlight their sovereign claim over the self-governing Taiwan and to showcase their determination and the capability to take control of the island by force, if necessary.

But of course, since Xi Jinping took power here, we have seen Beijing really hardening its stance on this issue with that added urgency in terms of, quote unquote, "reunification with Taiwan."

Xi Jinping himself last week told the visiting European Commission President Van der Leyen that Taiwan is the core of China's core interests and saying anyone who hopes China to compromise on this issue is, quote unquote, "delusional" and will only end up shooting themselves in the foot.

So this kind of war games not surprising. The Chinese have been furious, as you mentioned, over President Tsai's House visit to Central America and the U.S., where she met with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, and they had long promised to take resolute actions to defend China's national sovereignty.

But it is worth noting that, in terms of scale and intensity, this is still, certainly, not at the level in terms of what we saw last year, when then-U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan. After that trip, the Chinese military launched its biggest war games around the island in decades, firing missiles over Taiwan and conducting a mock blockade.

So that relative restraint, if you will, this time, according to analysts, because President Tsai's visit, coinciding with several very important visits here in China, including a trip by a former Taiwan president, whose party is considered to be more friendly to Beijing. And there, of course, is a Taiwanese presidential election going on next year. So the leadership here is mindful of its actions and implications there.

And then, of course, French President Macron and Von der Leyen both here last week. The E.U. foreign policy chief is coming here. Brazilian President Lula is coming here.

So the Chinese are increasingly trying to present themselves as a global hub of diplomacy, especially on the heels of that, you know, deal brokered by them between the Iranians and the Saudis, so they are mindful of this kind of optics and implications in terms of what they do over Taiwan.

But the worry here, Michael, is as they continue to normalize this kind of war games around the island, especially with their assets, as you mentioned, crossing the median line, that there is this added element of new danger and instability, especially with not just a Taiwanese, but the Americans and its allies continued their military operations in the region, as well, to assert their claims and navigational and overflight freedom.

So any miscalculation can lead to real confrontation. And that is really the worry in the minds of many people -- Michael.

HOLMES: Yes. Steven, appreciate it. Steven Jiang there in Beijing for us.

A military spokesperson says Ukrainian forces are still holding their positions in Bakhmut, despite fighting that one soldier on leave described as hell in Bakhmut. He also noted that Russia has the advantage in numbers and ammunition.

Russian overnight strikes on Zaporizhzhia caused the partial destruction of a residential building there. A father and daughter were killed, a third person rescued from the rubble.

The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, blasting Russia for the overnight attacks.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): This is how the terrorist state is spending this Palm Sunday. This is how Russia is further isolating itself from the world, from humanity. Every holy Christian holiday teaches us that, although we may not know how, we can be sure that evil will lose.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Now, since the outset of the war, Russia has been sending Ukrainians caught in the crossfire to its far East remote villages, much closer to Alaska than the Ukraine front lines.

Ukraine claims many of these cases are forced deportations, while Russia says it is a humanitarian effort.

[00:10:04]

Over the course of several months, CNN has made contacts with Ukrainians who ended up in a town by the Sea of Japan, also known as the East Sea. They described to CNN how they got there, how they're settling in, and why many say they're unlikely to go home.

Here's Scott McLean.

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SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In the chaos of battle in Mariupol in Eastern Ukraine, the civilians caught in the crossfire had few good options. They could either escape to Russia or take their chances as the war intensified.

Many of those who fled toward Russia were encouraged to live and work in the far East, from Rostov a 4,000-mile train journey to the edge of Siberia and a town just a stone's throw from North Korea.

These are some of the first arrivals, stepping off government- chartered trains a year ago.

MCLEAN: Why does Russia want those people there?

NATHANIEL RAYMOND, YALE UNIVERSITY HUMANITARIAN RESEARCH LAB: That's a great question. One is a propaganda benefit, positioning these people as somehow willingly seeking citizenship in Russia.

The second benefit is that Russia is simply needs bodies. In many parts of the country, they don't have enough citizens to make those municipalities function.

MCLEAN (voice-over): This hotel in the coastal town of Vrangel was where new arrivals were put up at first. CNN reached several of them through a Telegram group chat run by local volunteers, keeping a log of resident requests, from baby food and toys, to medicine.

Anyone dissatisfied with their stay is told sarcastically to take their complaints to Moscow, the Kremlin, Putin. The Russian government has long been eager to populate its resource-

rich far East, and the state has tried several experiments to attract settlers, including those from ex-Soviet states. It now promises fleeing Ukrainians cash, housing assistance, citizenship and even free land, though two people told CNN they were struggling to get the rent reimbursement they say the government had promised.

Natalia was struggling to find any housing at all, hardly enthused by her new reality.

NATALIA, UKRAINIAN REFUGEE (through translator): Nothing has changed except the place, but I no longer have a job that I love and a home that I love.

MCLEAN (voice-over): New arrivals quickly had their Ukrainian passport swapped for Russian ones. Natalia figures she can't go back.

NATALIA (through translator): Because we are criminals there. Because those who left for Russia are immediately considered criminals by the Ukrainian authorities. So I'm forbidden to go there.

RAYMOND: At this point, the absence of clarity is the biggest problem. There is understandably within Ukraine a absolute outrage against those who are perceived as collaborators.

But the fact of the matter is that we are dealing here with a civilian population that was seeking refuge in a time of war.

MCLEAN (voice-over): Under the terms of Russia's relocation program, the Ukrainians are required to stay for at least three years. One woman, Marina, told CNN that after that, "We will see. It depends on the job and material well-being. So far, it's not very easy."

Another, Valeria, said plainly that her family will stay in Russia and "I don't even want to think about Ukraine."

In a statement, the Ukrainian prosecutor general's office told CNN that "Safety and security of Ukrainian citizens is a major priority and that for many, the only safe passage was through Russia. Of course, they are not considered collaborators. They need to get to a third country and address a local Ukrainian consulate. It will issue them Ukrainian documents to return to Ukraine."

But for those who remain in Russia long-term, the future is less clear. By Ukrainian law, people who publicly deny occupation or who call for support for Russian actions are considered collaborators.

International law prohibits forcible transfers of people. Russia says more than five million Ukrainians have arrived in Russia since the full-scale war began. And while Ukraine says many were forcibly deported, some, like Oksana, said they went willingly.

OKSANA, UKRAINIAN REFUGEE (through translator): We were saving our own lives.

MCLEAN (voice-over): Though they had few other options. Scott McLean, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES: Still to come here on the program, as Christians observe their holiest day of the year, Pope Francis had a special message for countries in conflict. We'll have details on his Easter address.

And the fear of extreme violence is long gone, but tensions still simmer 25 years from the Good Friday Agreement that ended Northern Ireland's troubles. We'll have the view from Belfast.

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HOLMES: Pope Francis had a message of hope and peace during his Easter blessing at the Vatican on Sunday.

The pontiff, who is still recovering from bronchitis, prayed for the people of both Ukraine and Russia as he addressed tens of thousands of the faithful at St. Peter's Square.

He also called for a resumption of dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians.

CNN's Delia Gallagher with more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DELIA GALLAGHER, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: Pope Francis in good spirits on a beautiful Easter morning in Rome.

GALLAGHER (voice-over): The Vatican says 100,000 people in St. Peter's Square and the surrounding streets for Easter mass and for the pope's Easter address, after mass the Urbi and Orbi, to the city and to the world, which he gives from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica.

The pope spoke about various countries around the world in conflict. He said, help the beloved people of Ukraine on their journey towards peace and shed the light of Easter on the people of Russia.

The pope asked that prisoners be returned to their families and that comfort be given to those who have lost loved ones during the war.

The pope also expressed, he said, his deep concern for the conflicts in recent days in Jerusalem. He asked for a return to dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians.

Francis also mentioned conflicts in Syria, Lebanon, the Rohingya in Myanmar, and various African countries, including South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

So the 86-year-old pontiff, while he still has mobility issues, he has been moving around in a wheelchair -- he cannot stand for long periods of time -- has had a strong voice during the events of this Holy Week here at the Vatican and seems to have successfully recovered from his bout with bronchitis last week.

GALLAGHER: Delia Gallagher, CNN, Rome.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES: Easter weekend holds special meaning in Northern Ireland, where this week marks the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement that ended decades of deadly sectarian violence.

It was on the 10th of April, 1998, that Britain and Ireland, and the various Northern Irish political parties, came to a political meeting of the minds, something long thought impossible at the time.

Decades of violence between primarily Protestant unionists, who wanted to stay in the U.K., and Republican Catholics, who wanted to unite with Ireland, came to a peaceful and abrupt end. After some 30 years, the Troubles, as they were known, were over.

But while the violence largely subsided, the sectarian tensions that triggered it all remained simmering far beneath the surface.

CNN's Nic Robertson reported on the historic agreement for us 25 years ago and returned to Belfast to see how the peace deal has changed life there, and how it hasn't.

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[00:20:04]

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, like that one.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And then this one.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR (voice-over): Erin McArdle is a peace baby.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Look at this mess.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): The first Catholic born minutes after Northern Ireland's 1998 Good Friday peace agreement was signed.

ERIN MCARDLE, NORTHERN IRELAND RESIDENT: I think it's really special. It's something that I'm very proud of.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): Putting an end to decades of bloodshed. Her mother hoping Erin wouldn't face the dangers known as the Troubles, as she did.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We were still very skeptical. Will this work?

MCARDLE: They always stayed about home just because of the bombings and the shootings and that. So I think, yes, for me personally, the Good Friday Agreement has made my life very happy and very safe.

ROBERTSON: This is where the deal was signed. I was outside that night. The ground was freezing underfoot. But inside here, the mood thawed. Former U.S. Senator George Mitchell, sent over by President Bill Clinton, did what had been impossible for 30 years with more than 3,000 lives lost. He negotiated a peaceful end to the sectarian bloodletting.

So what does it mean to you that your father used to paint murals like these here?

JOEL KEYS, POLITICAL ACTIVIST: I think it's great that it kind of, in a way, lets him live forever.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): Joel Keys is another peace baby, a Protestant.

ROBERTSON: Has the Good Friday Belfast agreement delivered for you?

KEYS (ph): I don't think so. What the Good Friday Agreement did was took away the bombs and bullets, but it did nothing to address people's mindsets, despite helping the economy.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): The Good Friday peace agreement has so far struggled to shift historic divisions: Protestant tending to be pro- British and some Catholics' aspirations for a united Ireland.

KEYS: What peace kind of looks like nowadays is, Oh, I'm Protestant. I've got Catholic friends, but we just don't talk about that stuff. And that's peace, but I think that's pseudo peace. That's -- that's -- that's false peace. We should be able to have strong conversations with each other.

ROBERTSON: But so many barriers to conversation remain. Most schools are still segregated. And remarkably, these peace walls are not only still here; they're taller and longer than they were before the peace deal. Real tensions exist.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: With one kick to the head, she could have been -- No, it could have been a different situation. You could have lost her daughter, like you know what I mean?

ROBERTSON (voice-over): In Derry, 12-year-old Ella McLay (ph), a Protestant school girl, tells us how a group of Catholic children beat her up.

ELLA MCLAY (PH), STUDENT: And they were like, You're a Prod, no?

ROBERTSON: You're a Protestant, that's what they were saying.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): The video her parents share with us is brutal. Police say they're investigating the incident as a sectarian attack, a shocking reminder of life before the peace deal.

There are other reminders, too. These marches coming out to support a group that police believe tried to kill one of their officers in February. Parading through Belfast, just days ahead of President Joe Biden's visit.

Hardline groups that rejected the Good Friday Agreement haven't gone away. ROBERTSON: It's because of groups like this one that the British

government has recently raised its terror threat level here in Northern Ireland from substantial to severe. From a threat likely to a threat highly likely.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): For Erin and most people here, despite imperfections, Northern Ireland's cup is more than half full.

MCARDLE: I'm happy here, so I'd like to stay in Northern Ireland, please.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): Nic Robertson, CNN, Belfast, Northern Ireland.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES: Rescue workers in France have uncovered two bodies from the rubble of a collapsed building. This happened in Marseille shortly after midnight on Sunday.

The mayor says a violent explosion shook the building, and then it collapsed. Eight people were reported missing, but it's not clear if that includes the two bodies that have been found.

The local prosecutor says investigators are looking into whether a gas leak caused the disaster.

Also in France, at least four people have been killed by an avalanche near Mont Blanc. The -- this video you're seeing there, captured from a nearby ski resort.

In addition to those killed, the interior minister tweeted that several others have been injured.

Officials say two more people are missing, but eight others escaped unharmed. Two of those who died were mountain guides.

Still to come here on the program, another setback for women in Afghanistan. Why the Taliban's decision to ban female U.N. workers could be another catastrophic move for the country.

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[00:27:23]

HOLMES: Women's rights in Afghanistan have taken another big step backwards under the Taliban after the United Nations announced that Afghan women were no longer allowed to work for the global organization.

It's an extension of a decree issued by the Taliban last December, in which we've discussed here on this program, which permit -- prohibited women from working for any non-government -- non-governmental organizations, NGOs as they're known.

The U.N. says it's a potentially catastrophic decision. The U.N. estimates more than 28 million people, or about two-thirds of Afghanistan's population, do require humanitarian assistance, and the U.N. losing its female staff will make it even harder than it already is to access people in need.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEPHANE DUJARRIC, UNITED NATIONS SPOKESMAN: The secretary-general emphasizes that female staff members are essential to the United Nations operations, including in the delivery of life-saving assistance, and that the enforcement of this decision will harm the Afghan people, millions of whom need assistance.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Now this, of course, is just the latest example of how far the Taliban have gone to erode women's rights and freedoms since returning to power in 2021.

In less than two years, they've now barred women from working in most sectors. They can't attend universities, can't go to parks, can't travel long distances without a male guardian, and must cover their faces in public.

The U.N.'s human rights chief calls this latest ban, quote, "utterly despicable." He goes on: "This is a systematic, relentless assault on the people of Afghanistan as a whole by the Taliban, which appear to be actively working to incapacitate, intimidate, and harass half of the population."

Well, to talk more about all of this, I'm joined from Washington by Nilofar Sakhi, a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council.

Dr. Sakhi, thanks so much for your time.

The barring of women working for the U.N. is, of course, as we said, on top of blocking women working for NGOs more broadly. What -- what is the cumulative impact of this on women and girls who, of course, are the most vulnerable in Afghanistan?

DR. NILOFAR SAKHI, NONRESIDENT SENIOR FELLOW, ATLANTIC COUNCIL: Thank you for having me. It is, as you mentioned, this ban follows the ban on women working in NGOs, which was issued in December of 2022, is also adding to the extensive list of earlier bans on -- restriction on women and girls since the Taliban takeover.

The particular with this ban, there are three main consequences on women of Afghanistan and also, in large, for the Afghans all over the country.

[00:30:12]

The first one is it targets and undermines women's agency, their freedom and their dignity. It's a direct attack on women's dignity.

The second consequence is that it affects the delivery of humanitarian aid, as women are the direct recipients of the of the aid. And the women working in NGOs and in the U.N., they are delivering. They are in direct contact with those women in remote areas.

So of course, it will impact and effect the delivery of humanitarian aid.

And finally, the third and most important one, it impedes the -- in the long term, it impedes the economic development of the country. So it's not only about women. It's about the entire country that, by this particular degree, that will jeopardize the survival and the dignity and the livelihood of people of Afghanistan.

HOLMES: And just just for context, and it might seem like an obvious question, there are those who would probably say, well, you know, if the Taliban won't budge on women workers why -- why can't men just do the jobs? But it doesn't work that way, does it, in a country where I think a quarter of households are headed by women, who the Taliban won't let deal with men. So where does that leave Afghan women and girls?

SAKHI: Of course, you are completely correct. The remote areas and rural areas of Afghanistan, due to cultural barriers, men don't allow the male workers either the NGO or government or U.N., to directly contact with the female members of their families or their communities.

And this women working in NGOs, working as humanitarian aid providers, working at the U.N., they are the direct contacts with the women in the remote areas. They help in the delivery of aid. They help and having the complete -- a very complete needs assessment of the community. And what exactly women need because they are indicted contact with them.

So that is really going to undermine the entire work of humanitarian aid, and the women recipients will not be able to receive the aid as they used to receive it before, when the women workers were working at the NGO and the U.N.

HOLMES: Also, also, donors are going to be less likely to put money in where it's not going to be used or used well. I mean, the United Nations' own appeal for $4.6 billion was in humanitarian aid for Afghanistan.

That remains less than 5 percent funded. According to the U.N., it's the lowest funded U.N. aid operation globally, despite being the world's biggest aid operation.

I mean, what then, given numbers like that, is the short- to medium- term outlook for the Afghan people.

SAKHI: Well, there is no doubt that Afghans need humanitarian and development assistance at this particular time. It is -- it is considered by U.N. agencies as the worst humanitarian crisis; and people are in dire need of sources of livelihood and survival.

But with all this, let's not forget that, without addressing the political crisis, the governance issues, the mechanism for aid delivery, I think the financial challenges will continue to exist, even if they will be flow of money to the country. If the fundamental issues which is related to governance, political crisis, and a mechanism for delivery -- delivery of aid. I think if they're not resolved, we shouldn't expect the financial challenges to be resolved soon.

HOLMES: And at the moment, under the current situation, I mean, aid money getting in isn't the problem, because you can't get that aid to the women and the children and those who need it.

I want to ask you this, too. As for the Taliban, efforts are being made. Delegations and so on have been sent. But those efforts, frankly, just haven't worked.

I mean, the Taliban are literally cutting their own people off from desperately needed help. How, then, to convince them to change.

SAKHI: The last 18 months or so, as you mentioned, there has behind there has been high-level engagement with the Taliban and with the -- with the perception that they have changed, or they may change with all those engagement.

But they have seen that they haven't changed at all. So I think I would. I would say that they are responsible for the severe kind of human rights crisis that they caused in Afghanistan. Taliban or denying the fundamental rights of women and girls they have -- they have complete ban on education system.

And this, which increases, actually, concerned about crime against humanity and gender persecution. So these are -- these are no -- no coming to big, big issues of human rights crisis in Afghanistan.

And I think you should take a lead on this. And Taliban must be held accountable by the U.N. agencies themselves. And that's the -- I mean, more, more push more pressure on the Taliban and the travel, imposing travel ban on their leaders.

[00:35:04]

I think this should be the strategy moving forward, because the engagements seem to be not really effective from last 18 months.

HOLMES: Absolutely. Yes. I've got to leave it there, unfortunately. It's a major issue, a real -- a real crisis. Dr. Nilofar Sakhi, thank you so much. Appreciate it.

SAKHI: Thank you.

HOLMES: Still to come here on the program this holiday weekend, we'll take you to Paris to see how Notre Dame is faring during its post-fire repairs. It's an amazing story about craftsmanship and history that you won't want to miss.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: A marathon Sunday at Augusta saw Jon Rahm win his first ever Masters title and his second major championship. After a weekend of weather delays, the Spaniard entered the final

round two strokes behind Brooks Koepka at the top of the leaderboard. But after some early bogeys from Koepka, Rahm took the solo lead on the sixth hole and never looked back, played some fine golf.

He finished 12 under par for the tournament, winning by four strokes. We'll have much more on the Masters and Rahm's victory coming up on WORLD SPORT in just under 10 minutes.

And you know what I did with my afternoon? I watched that.

Well, as the Easter weekend comes to a close, we thought it was an appropriate time to check in on the restoration of Notre Dame. The landmark is scheduled to reopen to the public in Paris next year, five years after the devastating fire that brought its steeple crashing down.

Jim Bittermann reports from Paris.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JIM BITTERMANN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was the most haunting image of a sickening afternoon. The spire of Notre Dame crashing through the cathedral roof as flames burned all around.

In the four years since, as giant oaks have been felled, and the ashes cleared away, shock and dismay has turned to confidence that the spire and the cathedral will rise again, and soon, if you believe the general who President Emmanuel Macron put in charge of rebuilding the monument.

GEN. JEAN-LOUIS GEORGELIN, IN CHARGE OF NOTRE DAME RECONSTRUCTION: The president say we will rebuild this cathedral in five years. These are the words of the head of state of France. And the reputation of France is at state.

BITTERMANN (voice-over): The general, once the chief of staff of the French army, went to visit an extraordinary woodshop in Eastern France to inspect how the work is going.

Here, carpenters are moving around tons of oak like children's building blocks to rebuild the spire that collapsed, as well as the rest of the cathedral's roof beams which were destroyed in the fire. Cutting and fitting precise down to the millimeter.

BITTERMANN: Well, much care and effort and money are being expended to make sure the reconstructed Notre Dame is just like the old one. The workers who are working on these giant pieces of wood say they are sometimes amazed at how they could have done all this 1,000 years ago.

[00:40:12]

BITTERMANN (voice-over): One person who has had a better view than most of the Notre Dame reconstruction is photographer Tomas Van Houtryve. His photos are going up along the walls of the Notre Dame worksite.

He began taking pictures of the cathedral long before the fire, sometimes using an ancient wooden camera as old as the iconic spire itself.

Van Houtryve was then commissioned to document the work inside by "National Geographic" and the French establishment charged with the Notre Dame restoration and preservation.

As the monument slowly rose again from the ashes, he emotionally recorded the work inside and outside.

TOMAS VAN HOUTRYVE, PHOTOGRAPHER: When you're inside Notre Dame, you feel something. It's a place of reverence, and when you're inside it and you see it in it's damaged state, you feel something even more. I mean, it goes -- it goes straight to your heart.

BITTERMANN (voice-over): Van Houtryve has watched firsthand as not only the damage from the fire was cleared away, but as well, centuries of grime that had accumulated before the fire.

In some ways, he believes the newly-restored Notre Dame will be even better than what was there before.

HOUTRYVE: When they -- when they take the scaffolding out, and they -- and we're able to see everything, I think it will look immaculate, beautiful in a way we've never seen it before.

BITTERMANN (voice-over): Jim Bittermann, CNN, Paris.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES: When King Charles III is crowned next month at Westminster Abbey, the monarch will travel in style, as you might expect.

Buckingham Palace says two carriages will take him to his coronation and back. First, the Diamond Jubilee state coach, what you see right there on your screen. That's going to be used when he and Queen Camilla leave for the coronation in the morning.

After the service, the 260-year-old gold state coach will be used for a much larger procession back to Buckingham Palace.

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SALLY GOODSIR, CURATOR OF DECORATIVE ARTS, ROYAL COLLECTION TRUST: The coach is huge. You might be able to tell that from how I'm standing beside it. It's nearly four meters tall. It's over seven meters long. It weighs four tons.

Because of that, it can only be used at a walking pace, which really adds to the majesty and the stateliness of this great royal procession.

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HOLMES: The coronation will take place on May the 6th. It will be the first time a new British sovereign is crowned in 70 years.

To mark the momentous occasion, there is also a new royal emoji. Because didn't you know you needed that? The crown will appear on Twitter when coronation hashtags are used.

The royal family says it is based on the 17th Century St. Edward's Crown, which King Charles the third will wear during his coronation.

Thanks for spending part of your day with me. I'm Michael Holmes. You can follow me on Twitter and Instagram, @HolmesCNN. Stick around. WORLD SPORT is coming your way next, and then you'll have the pleasure of the company of Laila Harrak with more news.

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