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7.4 Magnitude Quake Hits Taiwan, Strongest In 25 Years; 7 World Central Kitchen Aid Workers Killed By Israeli Airstrike In Gaza; No U.S. Involvement In Strike On Iran's Damascus Mission; Ukraine Drones Hit Oil Refinery and Factory Deep in Russia; Biden, Xi Speak For First Time Since November Summit. Aired 1-2a ET
Aired April 03, 2024 - 01:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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PAULA NEWTON, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and a very warm welcome. I'm Paula Newton. Ahead right here on CNN Newsroom, crumbling buildings, power outages and aftershocks. Taiwan experiences its strongest earthquake in a quarter century.
Mourning the World Central Kitchen team killed in Gaza. President Biden says Israel isn't doing enough to protect aid workers and civilians. And retaliation, Ukraine responds to a deadly Russian strike with an attack on a Russian oil facility.
And we are tracking breaking news out of Taiwan where a powerful earthquake has brought down buildings and killed now at least four people. Dozens of others are injured. The 7.4 magnitude quake struck about 8:00 a.m. local time. And we're hearing it was the strongest quake to hit the island in nearly 25 years.
There are reports of people trapped in some of the dozens of buildings that have already collapsed. Taiwan's defense ministry has deployed troops to the disaster zone. The quake struck off the east side of the island and led to tsunami warnings and evacuations for not just Taiwan, but also people in parts of Japan and the Philippines. All of those warnings, thankfully, have since been lifted.
CNN's Hanako Montgomery has been following all of this for us from Tokyo, and she joins us now. And Hanako, obviously, some terrifying moments there for so many as they woke up.
Having said that, what more are you learning about the extent of the damage and also how first responders are getting to those who still remain trapped?
HANAKO MONTGOMERY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Paula, like you said, I mean, a very terrifying moment for people in Taiwan this morning. So we know that this earthquake, the epicenter of this earthquake, was very close to Hualien County, which is on the eastern side of the island and where we're also seeing a lot of the damage take place. Now, Hualien County is known to be a very popular tourist destination. It's also a rural area and where most of Taiwan's earthquakes actually take place. And we also know, like you mentioned, that this is the biggest earthquake to hit Taiwan in at least 25. The last time was back in 1999 when an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.7 killed more than 2,400 people.
Now Taiwanese authorities said this morning that the earthquake killed at least four people, has left at least 57 injured. This is a developing story, so we might have more updates in the coming hours.
We also know that some roads have been partially destroyed. Homes and buildings have collapsed. Roofs have caved in. We're also seeing landslides take place. Really terrifying footage there as well. We also know that more than 91,000 households are without electricity and people are still stuck underneath these collapsed homes and buildings.
So the Taiwanese defense ministry is dispatching military troops to assist local governments and try to get people out of these collapsed homes and buildings to try to get them to safer locations, safer places. Hualien County has suspended all school and work for today because we're seeing such powerful aftershocks and so many aftershocks after that first initial earthquake.
The Taiwanese government has warned that we could see aftershocks for the next three to four days with magnitude ranging from 6.5 to seven. So still very, very powerful.
And you know, Paula, living in Japan, a very seismically active country, I can tell you that these aftershocks are really, you know, something to be taken seriously. They're very terrifying. You never know when it's going to hit or when it's even going to stop.
Now the Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida today has also issued his condolences to Taiwan. He noted how Taiwan was very helpful to Japan when Japan experienced that very dreadful and devastating March 11, 2011 earthquake. He said that Japan is willing to assist Taiwan with any help that they might need in trying to get those people to safety, Paula.
NEWTON: Yes. And given the fact that we're still waiting to see the extent of the damage here, they may indeed need that help. Hanako, you know, Taiwan is prepared for these kinds of events, and yet, you know, the actual earthquake was 7.4. You're pointing out that there may be aftershocks to come.
I mean, some of those might actually be significant earthquakes in and of themselves, even though they're designated as aftershocks, right?
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MONTGOMERY: Exactly, Paula. I mean, we call them aftershocks, but like you mentioned, right, these aftershocks can still be very powerful. And the Taiwanese government said that we could see them, you know, ranging in the magnitudes of 6.5 to seven, so nearly as powerful as that first initial earthquake. And I can tell you know, on January 1, when were reporting about the
Noto earthquake in Japan, right, on New Year's Day, we still saw many aftershocks actually near the epicenter. And they were very terrifying for people. They actually brought down some homes and buildings. So we could still see a lot of damage in Taiwan caused by these aftershocks. But again, this is a developing story. We have yet to understand the full scale of damage, Paula.
NEWTON: Yes. And definitely when you look at the video, their buildings are in precarious shape right now, and obviously also just the devastation to some of the highways there with some of the landslides. Hanako Montgomery will continue to follow this story for us. Really appreciate it.
The deaths of seven aid workers in Gaza has sparked international outrage and brought an apology from Israel over what it's calling a grave mistake. The World Central Kitchen identified the seven killed in an Israeli airstrike Monday, saying, these heroes, you see them there, were just returning from a full day's mission. Most are foreign nationals.
Now, a Palestinian team member killed in the strike was laid to rest Tuesday. The organization says it's now pausing its operations in Gaza and will assess its future there.
U.S. President Joe Biden says he's outraged and heartbroken over the deaths of the aid workers and in a statement expressed his frustration, saying, quote, Israel has not done enough to protect aid workers trying to deliver desperately needed help to civilians. Israel has also not done enough to protect, pardon me, civilians.
Israel's president apologized and says he has apologized, in fact, directly to the founder of World Central Kitchen for the tragic loss of his team members. The chief of staff of the Israeli military is also apologizing for the deadly strike. Listen.
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LT. GEN. HERZI HALEVI, CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF, ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES: I want to be very clear. The strike was not carried out with the intention of harming WCK aid workers. It was a mistake that followed a misidentification at night during a war in very complex conditions. It shouldn't have happened.
Israel is at a war with Hamas, not with the people of Gaza. We are sorry for the unintentional harm to the members of WCK.
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NEWTON: CNN's Melissa Bell has more now on the israeli strike and the lives lost in Gaza. We warn you, some of the images you're about to see are disturbing.
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ZOMI FRANKCOM, WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN: Hey, this is Zomi and Chef Olivier. We're at the Girabala kitchen and we've got the Nise en plus.
MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Smiling in one of her final moments. Zomi Frankcom, an Australian aid worker, one of the seven world central kitchen employees killed by an Israeli airstrike as they delivered food to a warehouse in central Gaza.
A dual U.S. Canada citizen, U.K. nationals, a polish man and a Palestinian also amongst those killed. The hum of war drones drowning out the sound of ambulance sirens as their bodies were brought to hospital after the stroke strike, but too late, all trying to bring relief to the more than 1 million Gazans the U.N. says are now facing famine, all now in body bags.
The logo of the aid organization, a reminder of the lengths the charity went to protect its own. Traveling as they were, according to the World Central Kitchen, through a deconflicted zone whilst coordinating their movements with the IDF.
The charity, which was central in getting around the blockade by getting the first maritime shipment of aid into Gaza, now saying that it needs to assess its future in the strip. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged the tragic loss of what he described as innocent lives.
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER (through translator): Unfortunately, in the last day there was a tragic case of our forces unintentionally hitting innocent people in the Gaza Strip. It happens in war. We will investigate it right to the end.
BELL (voice-over): So far, at least 196 aid workers have lost their lives in the occupied territories since the start of the war, according to the U.N. agency task with relief there. The World Central Kitchen workers, just the latest.
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Among them the Palestinian driver and translator, Saif Issam Abu Taha. His loved ones forced to say goodbye to a man who died trying to help others to survive. Melissa Bell, CNN, Jerusalem.
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NEWTON: Now the acting director of the Al-Shifa medical complex in northern Gaza said it is now permanently out of service after a two- week Israeli siege left behind extensive destruction. Now the hospital was the largest in Gaza, serving about 250,000 patients each and every year. That's according to its director, who now says a field hospital is urgently needed to treat the injured. He says the building's still standing at the complex are near collapse.
Now, earlier I spoke with Jamie McGoldrick. He's the U.N. humanitarian coordinator for the Palestinian Territory, and I began by asking him about the deadly strike and how something like this could possibly happen. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) JAMIE MCGOLDRICK, U.N. HUMANITARIAN COORDINATOR: I think there's been a lot of up warnings in the past, and this is not a surprise in many ways because we've had many other incidents. Obviously, this is a very more tragic incident than others we've had. But over the years, the months that this has been happening, we've seen many, many incidents that have taken place resulting in the deaths of humanity and workers and obviously attacks on houses, premises.
And unfortunately, this one is the most severe of all and the most tragic of all. But we've been talking to the Israelis about close to, you know, that one big incident would cause us to rethink where we are in the current situation.
NEWTON: And you make a good point that this is not an isolated incident. I want you to listen now to one of your colleagues earlier talking to us about what has gone on in this conflict. Listen.
STEPHANE DUJARRIC, U.N. SPOKESPERSON: We've had more than, I think, 180 humanitarian aid workers killed in Gaza. We have a deconfliction mechanism which clearly, I mean, for our part, we've -- we have noted that it was not working properly. We keep delivering aid, as we said, on an opportunistic basis, which is no way to run a major aid operation.
NEWTON: You know, I know that President Biden says he's outraged, but how to make sure that Israel actually abides by its humanitarian responsibilities here? Because clearly whatever military motive they have seems to take precedence above all else.
MCGOLDRICK: Well, that's true. I mean, I think what we've seen is this humanitarian notification system we have where we speak to and connect with the Israelis and ask them for permission to move or for them to know that we have houses or we have cars or people. And there have been so many incidents where that hasn't actually worked. So the insecurity for humanity and workers and installations has been problematic and has actually reduced our ability to move and deliver.
And I think these coordinated movements systems, we have to be revisited because it's just not functioning properly. And we need to get some better protection for humanitarian workers and even getting communications equipment and ability to have the telecoms network back up and running again to allow us to make contact with each other, which is not the case at the moment.
NEWTON: Yes, which is extraordinary because we are used to many conflicts around the world over decades. Now there is that humanitarian corridor and that can usually be maintained. I repeat, this is one of the deadliest conflicts in terms of aid workers either being killed or injured.
You know, given the threat to aid workers, many organizations are now pausing relief efforts. What's your fear of what will happen, given we already know of the acute suffering of Gazans at this very hour who desperately need that aid?
MCGOLDRICK: Yes, I mean, I think this incident comes at a very bad time, causes real severe hardship and suffering in Gaza right now. As we've seen from recent reports from the World Famine Committee, they've indicated that 70 percent of people in the north are in very difficult situations and imminent famine is ready. And so for any pause to our ability to supply is really, really dangerous.
And World Central Kitchen was one of the biggest producers of hot meals for people there. Some 60 community kitchens throughout the whole of Gaza was doing an amazing job. And now that stops and others are having a question mark about is the situation good enough, safe enough on the ground for them to do the work? And I think that the unpredictability of all is something that you can say.
We're having conversations now with the Israelis about how we can tighten this up, how we can improve things and how we can squeeze concessions from Israel about our ability to work, to live and to actually deliver humanitarian assistance in a much better and more safe way.
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NEWTON: You know, I do want to talk to you about the system that is in place. There's been a lot of controversy about the UN's role in Gaza. But as you said, you were talking about World Central Kitchen, a completely independent organization that has been incredibly effective.
What can you do going forward to make sure that some kind of trust is restored and that aid will begin to flow to Gaza in, you know, very large respects because. Because what's been happening now is it's been a trickle and completely inadequate.
MCGOLDRICK: Yes, you're right. I mean, I think there's been a lot of incidents that have taken place to make the situation look very hostile. It's the most dangerous place for the humanitarian work in the world right now. There's no safe places left in Gaza. Everywhere is a threat. We have a law and order breakdown because people's desperation causes them to actually attack some of the trucks that come through with aid. That's one thing.
Also the discipline and the unpredictability of IDF checkpoints is a problematic. And I think those things are making it difficult. We have to have a conversation with the IDF themselves and that's not something that's happened regular. We already start to see now the government, the prime minister, the minister of defense, Gallant, saying that we have to have a different type of connectivity and conversation.
And that means us sitting down in a joint operations center where we have face to face discussions to build two things, a better understanding of the work we do, which I think is lost on the IDF in many ways. And secondly, to build up a degree of trust which is currently not there right now.
NEWTON: Jaime McGoldrick in Jerusalem for us. Thanks so much. Appreciate it.
MCGOLDRICK: Thank you.
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NEWTON: Now the Biden administration is pushing back against claims that it was involved in a presumed Israeli strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, Syria. A top U.S. official is warning against any retaliatory attacks by Iran against American forces in the region. But Tehran says it holds the U.S., quote, answerable due to its support for Israel. CNN's Ben Wedeman has worn out from Beirut.
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BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Tehran is vowing to respond to Israel's Monday airstrike on Iran's embassy complex in Damascus, a strike that left 13 dead, including two senior officers with the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the IRGC.
One of them, senior commander Mohammad Reza Zahedi, was responsible for IRGC operations in Lebanon and Syria, the highest ranking Iranian official to be killed since the Gaza war began. Israel has refused to claim responsibility for the strike. But Tuesday afternoon, the U.S. Defense Department spokesperson said the Pentagon assesses Israel indeed did it.
U.S. officials insist they did not have prior knowledge of the strike. Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei and President Ibrahim Raisi have said the strike will not go unanswered. How that response will come, where and when is unclear.
Until now, Iran has targeted Israel and U.S. forces in the region through allied militias in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, but has always avoided a direct attack. But now Iran's prestige is on the line. If it doesn't respond forcefully, it will appear weak before its friends and its foes. If it does respond directly and forcefully to Israel, the war that rages in Gaza could spread across the Middle East. I'm Ben Wedeman, CNN, reporting from Beirut.
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NEWTON: So that was the moment a suspected Ukrainian drone struck its target in Russia, 1,300 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. Russian officials say Kyiv launched several drone attacks southeast of Moscow Tuesday. A Ukrainian source tells CNN they targeted a drone factory and one of Russia's largest oil refineries in one of their deepest operations inside Russian territory.
Ukrainian officials say it's a direct and justified response to Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilians. At least 18 people, including five children, were injured by a missile strike on the city of Dnipro in eastern Ukraine Tuesday. Listen now to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
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VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Dear Ukrainians, rescue operations are currently underway in Dnipro after a Russian missile strike. In particular, buildings of a college and a kindergarten have been damaged. All services are on site. The Russian terrorists are receiving responses to their strikes each time. Longer range responses.
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NEWTON: Now earlier, I spoke with Tymofiy Mylovanov. He is the president of the Kyiv School of Economics and Ukraine's former minister of Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture.
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I asked him how dangerous it is for residents of Kyiv, pardon me, of Kharkiv, that is amid renewed Russian attacks in that city.
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TYMOFIY MYLOVANOV, PRESIDENT, KYIV SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS: It is unlikely Russia will be able to take Kharkiv at all. It's just going to be decades. But it is dangerous for people. And Russia has been targeting civilians and energy infrastructure, and currently, for the last two weeks. And even as of today, Kharkiv is on a schedule of blackout, on average, at least 4 hours per day. People in Kharkiv don't have electricity.
So, yes, the infrastructure has been severely damaged. It's going to take months for some of this infrastructure to be rebuilt. Some of it is probably not possible to rebuild. And also, Russia has been using new, very powerful gliding bombs to target Kharkiv.
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NEWTON: That was Tymofiy Mylovanov there in Kyiv. Now, North Korea and state media report the successful test launch of a new mid to long range hypersonic missile. Kim Jong Un was on hand as officials tested the weapon systems, as well as its design and technical specifications. This type of missile can be moved easily to avoid detection before launch. State media say Kim pushed for the test so North Korea can respond to targets anywhere on the planet.
Still to come for us, the leaders of China and the U.S. speak for the first time in months, we'll break down what they discussed. Plus, could the solar eclipse be a boon for business? Why? Communities with the best views could see a windfall.
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NEWTON: U.S. President Joe Biden and Donald Trump have now committed enough delegates to earn their party's nominations. But some states are sticking to their primary schedule, with polls closing just a few hours ago. In four states, Donald Trump won Wisconsin's 41 Republican delegates unchallenged. He also won the battleground state in 2016's presidential election, but President Biden took it back in 2020.
Now, Mr. Biden ran unopposed in Wisconsin as well, but some voters chose a, quote, uninstructed delegation option on both Republican and Democratic ballots. Now, it is similar to the uncommitted option in some other states where voters can allow delegates to pick whichever candidate they like, sending a political message to those parties that they are unhappy with the choices. Donald Trump also spent time in Michigan and Wisconsin speaking to voters. CNN's Kristen Holmes breaks down his comments and his strategy.
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KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN U.S. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Former President Donald Trump in both Michigan and Wisconsin, two critical battleground.
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States he won in 2016, lost by narrow margin in 2020 and states that he and his team believe are important or necessary to win if he is going to take back the White House in 2024. And a part of what Donald Trump's messaging is trying to paint the status quo under President Biden as so terrible in order to energize voters to come out and vote in November.
They know that in 2020, there were a number of Republicans. This is going to be critical in a state with a narrow margin like Wisconsin that didn't come to vote because they were tired of four years of Donald Trump. They were trying to reenergize those voters, and they're doing so by hitting home, by ramping up that anti-immigrant language. Take a listen to one of the things he said today.
DONALD TRUMP, U.S. REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The Democrats say, please don't call them animals, they're humans. I said, no, they're not humans. They're not humans. They're animals.
HOLMES: Donald Trump has been linking immigration to violent crimes. Of course, as we have reported, all the data shows that migrants or immigrants are far less likely to commit a crime than citizens are. However, there have been a series of high profile cases in the news that Donald Trump has really latched onto. He is stoking fear in voter's minds, saying that the country was safer when he was president.
And this is coming at a time where voters really believe we're seeing things through the polling, that immigration is a top issue in the 2024 election. So he is hoping that just like in 2016, the issue of immigration is his talk about expanding his hardline policies is going to propel him to the White House in 2024. Kristen Holmes, CNN, Green Bay, Wisconsin.
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NEWTON: Meantime, President Biden spent time speaking with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday. The two leaders spent nearly 2 hours on the phone together, their first conversation since meeting in person in November. CNN's MJ Lee has our details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) MJ LEE, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping speaking on the phone for the first time on Tuesday since their last in person summit in California in November coming in front of the backdrop of some serious global turbulence. And as U.S.-China relations had hit rock bottom last year and as officials on both sides are trying to defuse some of those tensions, the two leaders said to have discussed a myriad of issues, including the wars that are ongoing in Gaza and in Ukraine, some issues that have strained historically the U.S.-Chinese relations, including the situation in Taiwan and provocations that we have seen recently from Beijing in the South China Sea.
Also discussed areas of potential cooperation between the two countries, including countering narcotics and the issue of artificial intelligence. According to a readout that we received from the White House of the call, it said the two leaders welcomed ongoing efforts to maintain open channels of communication and responsibly manage the relationship through high level diplomacy and working level consultations in the weeks and months ahead.
Now, you'll recall earlier this year that CNN had exclusively reported that when the two leaders saw each other last fall, Chinese President Xi had told President Biden that China had no intention of interfering in the 2024 U.S. election.
But interestingly, a senior administration official telling reporters ahead of this phone call, I don't think we ever really take the Chinese at their word when they say they will or will not do something. It is about verifying.
Now, the last time that President Biden and President Xi met in person in November, again, U.S.-China relations had pretty much hit rock bottom. And the coming out of that meeting, the two leaders had basically agreed that what they wanted to do going forward was to be able to pick up the phone and call each other more and try to avoid situations that could be dangerous in terms of misunderstandings that could take place between these two superpowers.
So, certainly a significant phone call and a continuation of an attempt to rebuild and strengthen communication between these two countries. MJ Lee, CNN at the White House.
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NEWTON: Ahead, the latest on the earthquake that's jolted Taiwan. Authorities are concerned about people who may still be trapped in the rubble.
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NEWTON: And welcome back. You are watching CNN NEWSROOM.
I'm Paula Newton. And we are following the breaking news from Taiwan where emergency teams are responding to the strongest earthquake to hit that island in 25 years. Authorities say at least four people were killed by the magnitude 7.4 quake with dozens more injured.
A number of buildings, as you can see there have collapsed and officials say they have received reports of people still trapped. Significant aftershocks could complicate the relief efforts with tremors likely to continue for days.
The quake struck off the eastern side of the island, triggering landslides damaging a coastal highway and knocking on electricity for more than 90,000 households.
An Israeli delegation has left Cairo, Egypt after drawing up an updated proposal for Hamas. Now that's according to a statement from the Israeli prime minister's office. It also says Israel expects the mediators to take vigorous action to find a deal for the release of the remaining hostages. Negotiators from the U.S., Egypt, Israel and Qatar have been trying to broker a ceasefire and hostage deal for weeks now but a final agreement remains elusive.
Talks resumed on Sunday after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu authorized the Israeli delegation to travel to Qatar and Egypt.
Meantime anger is rising on the streets of Jerusalem. Thousands of anti-government protesters gathered outside the Israeli parliament or Knesset again on Tuesday. They want Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to resign. Social media videos show some breached security barriers and tried to approach Mr. Netanyahu's residence. Others clashed with police.
Israeli media reports several people were arrested. Protesters are angry about the government's failure to secure the release of the remaining Israeli hostages in Gaza.
Turkish authorities have detained eight people in connection with a deadly nightclub fire. At least 29 people were killed when the fire started in the club's basement, which was undergoing renovations. All the victims were construction workers.
CNN's Scott McLean has our report from a stem
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SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The camera trembles as neighbors capture the raging fire across the road. Hours later, the human cost becomes tragically apparent.
As firefighters pulled bodies out one by one. All afternoon police, investigators and exhausted firefighters came and went, wondering what went wrong. All told at least 29 people were killed, all of them were workers doing renovations on a nightclub housed in the bottom of this 16-story apartment block.
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MCLEAN: The Slick Masquerade nightclub looks out of place on the ordinary-looking residential street.
Saima Sowanjo (ph) lives next door and heard screams when the fire first started.
"I used to go to the nightclub from the time to time," she says. "The bar had one entrance and an exit. There's only one way in and one way out."
From here, you can see quite clearly where the fire would have started on these lower floors and then raced up the side of this building. There have been several people detained already as part of this investigation, including the business manager of the club and the person responsible for doing the metalwork renovation inside.
Now, in addition to the fire crews on scene, there are also three occupational safety experts here doing their own investigation into what went wrong.
Across the road, the neighbors invite us to see the aftermath from their vantage point. They asked not to be identified.
"It's like a maze inside. There are so many casualties because they couldn't escape," she says.
"The workers were kids trying to earn a bit of money. I cried a lot because I saw these young guys entering the club in the morning before I went to the doctor. I'm so sorry this happened."
Scott McLean, CNN -- Istanbul.
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NEWTON: Leaders in Haiti are trying to form an interim presidential council amid in a surge in gang violence in the capital. But the path to a new transitional council, which could restore order is being delayed by constitutional and legal questions.
Last month, Haitian prime minister Ariel Henry resigned after armed gangs went on a rampage. Meantime, foreign nationals were being evacuated from Haiti, including 34 Mexicans and more than 200 Americans.
The U.N. says more than 53,000 people have fled Port-au-Prince in the last three weeks alone with many travelling south.
Shock in Finland as a 12-year-old student opened fire at a primary school outside of Helsinki. The country's national police say one child was killed and two others seriously injured.
CNN's Sebastian Shukla has our details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) SEBASTIAN SHUKLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Really disturbing scenes north of the Finnish capital Helsinki at the Viertola school in the Vanta District of the Finnish capital, where a classmate, a 12-year-old boy, turned on his other classmates, also 12 years old where he killed one and severely injured two others.
The classmate and the boy has now been remanded in custody, but he will be questioned by social services rather than the police, given the age of the boy in question.
It is not clear just yet what exactly the motive is behind this and the police are still trying to establish that.
The Finnish prime minister who spoke publicly about this particular incident described it as being deeply shocking, and that the authorities are still working to determine the story behind this tragic event.
But he also acknowledged that one incident is one incident too many even in a country like Finland, which it incredibly rarely sees incidents like this compared to other nations in the world such as the United States.
Finland's last school attack or school shooting of this type came in 2008 where a student who was slightly older turned weapon -- turned a weapon on his other classmates. This though seems to be very much an open case at the moment, and a deeply shocking and disturbing one particularly as children were returning to school after the long easter holiday break.
And I'm sure that there will be more to uncover in this story as the police continue their investigation.
Sebastian Shukla, CNN -- Berlin.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NEWTON: Coming up for us, next week's total eclipse will be the last one visible in North America for at least two decades. What to know about this rare event.
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NEWTON: So we're expecting a landmark verdict in the coming hours from a court in Uganda. Now the case challenges anti-gay legislation that's considered among the harshest in the world.
The country's Anti-Homosexuality Act was signed into law in May of last year. It outlaws gay marriage and punishes same-sex relations with life in prison. A social justice, non-profit in Uganda told CNN in June, it had recorded more than 300 human rights violations against Ugandans suspected of being gay.
Women seeking an abortion in Florida will soon face a major hurdle. The state's Supreme Court voted Monday to uphold the current 15 week ban on abortion, but that does clear the way for a six-week abortion ban to take effect next month. Now voters will still get a chance to change all of that in November.
CNN's Carlos Suarez explains.
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CARLOS SUAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The ballot amendment, which the Florida Supreme Court approved on Monday could expand access to reproductive care in Florida the amendment which needs 60 percent of voters to approve it in November, would prohibit the restriction of an abortion before viability at 24 to 28 weeks of pregnancy.
Right now, abortion providers in Florida tell us their focus is on the six-week ban, which takes effect in 30 days. This after the Florida Supreme Court ruled that the rights of privacy in the state constitution doesn't guarantee the right to an abortion.
Planned Parenthood of south Florida told us they're making more appointments available to women and they're working without a state provider once this ban takes hold. Florida is about to join several other states across the south that severely restrict, if not ban, abortions.
Planned Parenthood of South Florida said 84,000 women last year received reproductive services in Florida with women coming to Florida from states with restrictions.
Carlos Suarez, CNN -- Miami.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NEWTON: In southern California, people were treated to a mysterious light show in the sky. Spectators spotted streams of light streaking across the night sky on Tuesday. The lights appear to be orbital debris following a SpaceX rocket launch which originated from an air force base in Santa Barbara. SpaceX says its sending 22 Starlink satellites into low earth orbit. The Falcon X rocket was originally scheduled for takeoff last week, but was delayed due to weather.
And we go now to those cities in the so-called path of totality and what they're doing or can do to prepare for the solar eclipse. Officials in Jonesboro, Arkansas want to ensure the safety of those visiting the area to witness this rare event. They're expecting an increase in traffic and adding extra emergency personnel.
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ANTHONY COY, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR, CRAIGHEAD COUNTY: We've kind of been putting out ahead of time to kind of treat this, especially if you live here, treat this like a winter storm event. For instance, fire department, they may change from taking a big engine to a medical call to taking more of a truck or an SUV to a medical call that allows him to get there a little easier, a little quicker.
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NEWTON: Now, Maine's governor says her state has been preparing for the eclipse since last year and is expecting up to 40,000 visitors.
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GOV. JANET MILLS, MAINE: We expect tens of thousands of people to travel to Maine to enjoy this incredible event. And we couldn't be more excited to welcome them. But we want to make sure too that residents and visitors alike enjoy the eclipse safely anywhere in the state of Maine.
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NEWTON: And parts of Texas are counting on tourism dollars to boost the local economy. One restaurant in the city of Red Oak is adding extra staff and beefing up its menu to accommodate the expected crowd.
[01:44:52]
NEWTON: For more on this, I want to bring in CNN aerospace analyst Miles O'Brien who is with us from Falmouth, Massachusetts. And I will ask you what people in Massachusetts can expect.
But before I do that, listen Miles, I want to try and tackle this from both ends, right? So let's speak first about those who really think this is a big deal, can't wait. Why are people so worked up about it?
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN AEROSPACE ANALYST: I got to tell you, Paula, up until 2017, I would have been similarly blase about it. I had seen an annular eclipse back in the early 90s, which means that the moon's orbit was such that it was a little farther away. And so you see that kind of ring of fire around it.
But I saw the total eclipse in 2017 and I was kind of blown away by it. It surprised me how much it sort of took me, it struck me in an emotional way. Things get quiet, it gets cold (ph), sort of a silence. Theres an eerie kind of darkness and it's a reminder for me of a couple of things.
First of all, it's amazing we can predict them down to the second, kind of a testament to how smart we are as humans, but also a reminder of what tiny little specks we are in the universe. So it's all at once humbling and also encouraging about humanity.
NEWTON: Miles, in quite a poignant way you've already answered my second question because it was for those who were thinking, what's the big deal here?
You're saying, look, stop and take a look if you can, depending on where you are in North America
O'BRIEN: Yes. You know, there are about 32 million people living underneath the so-called path of totality. That's about 170-kilometer- wide band. It extends from Mexico all the way into exiting out of the North American continent in Newfoundland. So people underneath that band don't have to do much except go to their backyard and take a look up with precautions, we'll tell you about that.
But there are many, many more millions of people that are within a couple of hundred miles of that path of totality. So I suspect we're going to see quite a mass travel event on Monday as people attempt to see this.
NEWTON: Yes. And already communities like the Canadian community in the Niagara region, calling for a state of emergency because they are in the path of totality and they expect quite a spectacular view, obviously, over at Niagara Falls.
I want to ask you though as well about catching this on TV. I mean will people still be on the edge of their seats or their couches, or do you think you really have to step outside even if you're only getting a partial eclipse.
O'BRIEN: I invite you to step outside. It's ok to do both. Watch it for a little while on TV. But as it gets to the point where you're reaching the maximum amount of eclipse wherever you may be, it's an opportunity to go outside and take this all in and remove the electronic filters, so to speak. There's an experience that occurs.
But I will say this. A partial eclipse is ok; a total eclipse is a very moving experience. So if you can get to that path of totality get there. Do it.
NEWTON: A lot of people are traveling.
Ok, now we get to how you see it, the safety issue. These glasses aren't very expensive and you do have to have them right?
O'BRIEN: Yes. While the moon is partially obscuring the sun, looking at it is not a good idea. So you want to wear those mylar glasses or get a hold of some welder's glass number 14 or greater, or you can create kind of a pinhole camera kind of setup.
But do not look at the sun with your naked eye until that moment of totality, at which time, take off the glasses and savor that beautiful corona around the edge of the sun. You know, it's a million times fainter than that the sun itself. And so we don't see it until we get this natural light show from nature.
NEWTON: And I want to ask you, you say you saw the one in 2017? I saw the one in 1979 and I do remember it as a child.
How will this be different? Is this kind of path of totality if you're in it, will it really be something that, you know, we won't see for generations?
O'BRIEN: Well it's going to be 20 years before anybody in North America gets a show like this. So I would invite people to do this if it's in their backyard.
[01:49:50]
O'BRIEN: This go around is a pretty good eclipse in 2017, the time of totality, the time when the moon completely covered the sun was a little more than two minutes.
In this case because of the way the orbits are lining up, it's going to be a little more than four minutes. So there's a little more time to savor it. It's worth doing and seeing.
You know eclipses happen all the time all over the planet. It's just that the planet is 70 percent ocean so mostly we don't see them.
In this case, it's going right through huge population centers in North America and all we can hope for now is good luck with the weather. And right now, there's a lot of clouds on -- in the forecast unfortunately.
NEWTON: Yes, we are all hoping that will change. Miles, I will not ask you to predict the weather, but you really did sell this.
Thanks so much as we all await that total eclipse. Appreciate it.
O'BRIEN: You're welcome, Paula.
NEWTON: Ok. And you want to join us Monday for the total solar eclipse as it travels from Mexico across America and into Canada. Our special coverage begins at 12:00 p.m. Eastern. That's 5:00 p.m. in London, 8:00 p.m. in Abu Dhabi.
Coming up for us, an unusual Web site generating plenty of buzz.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's finally fish doorbell season again, which is the most wonderful time of the year.
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NEWTON: Why a Dutch researcher created a fish doorbell online. Stay with me. Fans are going wild.
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NEWTON: A new government report is blaming Microsoft for a cascade of avoidable errors that allowed Chinese hackers to breach the email accounts of senior U.S. officials last year. The U.S. Cyber Safety Review Board says the hack was preventable.
It blames Microsoft for not doing enough to protect a sensitive cryptographic key that let hackers remotely sign into their targets' Outlook accounts.
The hack gave Chinese operatives access to some 60,000 emails, including the account of U.S. ambassador to China, Nicholas Burns.
Forbes has just come out with its annual list of billionaires. The usual names are on the top. Bernard Arnault head of the world's largest luxury brand LVMH whose family is worth well some $233 billion. This year he's followed by Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.
But there were some high-profile newcomers this year, including Sam Altman CEO of OpenAI and luxury shoe designer Christian Louboutin. Now a woman who's made quite a bit of news lately is also on the list.
"Me" by Taylor Swift. She's there and Swift really is one of a kind. She's the first musician to make the Forbes list of billionaires based solely on her songs and performances.
A deep-sea expedition has captured stunning images of creatures living 5,000 meters below the surface of the Pacific Ocean. The creatures were discovered in an area between Mexico and Hawaii, earmarked for a deep-sea mining operation.
[01:54:55]
NEWTON: Some of rare resources in the area are on high demand for use in solar panels, electric car batteries, and other green technologies. However, there are concerns, of course, as you can imagine about the environmental impact of that mining operation.
Scientists believe there may be between 6,000 and 8,000 undiscovered species in that area.
Ok.
Fish doorbell, two words you probably have never heard used together. But more than a million users online have helped fish swim through a Dutch canal by just ringing that bell.
CNN's Jeanne Moos explains.
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JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Why would fish need a doorbell? And who answers it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's finally fish doorbell season again which is the most wonderful time of the year.
MOOS: The fish clusters stuck at the most important boat lock in the Dutch city of Utrecht. Are they frisky fish? Are they horny fish? What kind of fish are we talking here?
MARK VAN HEUKELUM, FISH DOORBELL CREATOR: Yes, I think you could just describe them as horny fish. They've got one thing on their minds.
MOOS: The instinct to get upstream to shallow water, to lay eggs and fertilize them. And that has spawned this live streaming underwater camera.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The thrill you get letting a fish through is unparalleled. MOOS: Every time someone clicks a photo was sent to the fish
doorbell's creator, ecologist Mark Van Heukelum. When enough fish have gathered Mark asked a lock keeper to manually open the gates.
This is actually a lot like real fishing, most of the time nothing happens. The screen is empty. But when you do see a fish, press the doorbell. Those bulging eyes, gaping mouths, mystery blobs, eels -- viewers worldwide are addicted. As one joked, "Quitting my day job during the fish doorbell full time."
What's the weirdest thing you've ever seen on that camera that you weren't expecting to see?
HEUKELUM: Well, one time we saw a person.
MOOS: A guy jumped in just to wave at the camera that used to be -- now it's frisky fish -- ding, ding, dong.
We have a winner.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, he's a monster. Let's go.
Be free, buddy.
MOOS; Jenny Moos CNN -- New York.
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NEWTON: It is just the thing we all need.
I want to thank you for watching. I'm Paula Newton.
CNN NEWSROOM continues with my friend and colleague, Rosemary Church.
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