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Russia Steps Up Attacks on Ukraine; U.S. Pause Military Aid to Ukraine; Long Island Battles Brush Fires; Democrats Exploit Backlash Against Musk; Trump to Fire Hundreds More NOAA Staff; Trump Fires U.S. Forecasters Ahead of Hurricane Season; Trump Promises New Tariffs on Canadian Dairy; Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Talks; Vatican Gives Update on Pope's Health. Aired 4-5a ET

Aired March 09, 2025 - 04:00   ET

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


[04:00:00]

KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us here in the United States and around the world. I'm Lynda Kinkade in Atlanta. Great to have you with us.

Just ahead, we're entering another pivotal week in Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Details on America's role in the upcoming peace talks amid Russia ramping up its deadly strikes.

The Democrats are putting Elon Musk front and center in their political ads. While the U.S. President looks to unite Republicans around a bill to keep the government funded, we'll have the latest from Washington.

Plus, concerns within the scientific community on the federal workforce cuts being carried out by Trump and Musk.

ANNOUNCER: Live from Atlanta, this is CNN Newsroom with Lynda Kinkade.

KINKADE: The stakes couldn't be higher for Ukraine as it prepares to resume talks with the U.S. in Saudi Arabia next week. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy heads there tomorrow hoping to patch things up with the White House and begin talks to end the war. The U.S. is yet to provide details on what kind of peace it hopes to achieve.

Mr. Zelenskyy says Russia wants anything but peace. Drones and missiles have been pummeling cities across the Ukraine ahead of negotiations, including the city of Dobropillia, where at least 11 people were killed Friday, 30 others wounded. The Ukrainian leader says that was a so-called double tap, which hit civilian targets first, and then emergency workers in a second strike at that scene.

Well, for more, I want to welcome Nada Bashir, who joins us from London. Good to have you with us, Nada. So, these U.S.-Ukrainian officials are set to talk this week in Saudi Arabia, the first time since Trump and Vance gave Zelenskyy that dressing down of the White House. What are the expectations?

NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it certainly is the first time we're seeing these high-level talks since that unprecedented and hostile meeting between Zelenskyy and Trump in the Oval Office. The focus, of course, will be on trying to come to some sort of agreement on a peace deal, perhaps a partial peace deal, as has been suggested by Ukraine's European allies.

But what we've been hearing from the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, is his continued push for more security guarantees. But of course, what we've seen over the last few days from the U.S. perspective is actually a scaling back of that support from the Trump administration. We've seen a pause in military aid. We've seen a suspension of Ukraine's access to vital satellite imagery, which has assisted Ukrainian troops in assessing Russian troop advancements. And of course, we've seen that scaling back of intelligence sharing when it comes to intelligence that could assist the Ukrainian military in targeting Russia.

Now, whether this is being used as some sort of negotiating tactic to put pressure on Ukraine remains to be seen, but clearly, that pressure is mounting from the Trump administration. The focus of these talks is expected to be around the framework of what is already discussed just in the last week between Ukraine and its European partners and allies.

So, a suggestion around a partial peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine, which would see a ceasefire in the air and at sea, as well as stopping targeting of Ukraine's energy infrastructure, as well as potentially a prisoner stop. But again, this is the broader framework that has been put forward by European allies in the hopes that this could then lead to some sort of lasting agreement or further negotiations down the line.

It remains to be seen whether the Trump administration stands on this, what kind of peace agreement they envisage. We know, of course, that talks between U.S. officials and Ukrainian officials have been intensive. But there have also been talks ongoing, of course, with the U.S.'s Russian counterparts as well. We've had threats from the Trump administration that they may lay sanctions on Russia if Russia continues to target Ukraine. But again, we haven't seen that materialize just yet as we continue to see the targeting of southern and eastern Ukraine by the Russian military.

So, a lot of questions up in the air, but a lot of pressure on both sides. And just on Friday, of course, important to remember the U.S. secretary of state, Marco Rubio, who will be present at these talks in Saudi Arabia, spoke with the Ukrainian foreign minister, not only reiterating Trump's desire to see an immediate end to the war, but also calling on both sides, both Russia and Ukraine to take steps towards what is being described as a sustainable peace agreement between the two. Lynda.

[04:05:00]

KINKADE: All right. Nada Bashir, thanks so much for staying across all of that from London. We'll speak soon. And we are going to stay on this story. Protesters in Washington have sent a loud and clear message ahead of those talks in Saudi Arabia. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CROWD: Stand with Ukraine. Stand with Ukraine. Stand with Ukraine.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: They unveiled what they called the world's largest Ukrainian flag near the White House Saturday. The point was to urge U.S. President Trump to support Kyiv, but one pro Ukrainian official said rallies like this are also directed at average Americans.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EUGENE LUCIW, UKRAINIAN CONGRESS COMMITTEE OF AMERICA: Those gatherings are, of course, extremely important because it is extremely important for us to, in a way, assist Ukraine in getting out the message to the United States and to American citizens about Ukraine and about how Ukraine matters and exactly what is going on and how it is that how frustrating it is that the administration has taken this strange position where it has embraced President Putin.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: Well, I don't want to go to Canberra, Australia, and Malcolm Davis, a senior analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. Good to have you with us.

MALCOLM DAVIS, SENIOR ANALYST, THE AUSTRALIAN STRATEGIC POLICY INSTITUTE AND MILITARY ANALYST: Thank you for having me.

KINKADE: So, now that the U.S. has ended intelligence sharing and aid, is Ukraine effectively fighting with one hand tied behind its back?

DAVIS: Absolutely. When you look at how the intelligence sharing was supporting Ukraine's ability to both coordinate offensive and defensive operations on the battlefield as well as have early warning of incoming Russian missile and drone attacks, taking that away has effectively left the Ukrainians blind to incoming attacks and less effective in their ability to understand the tactical situation on the battlefield in areas such as Donetsk and Kursk and Kharkiv and other areas.

So, that gives the Russians a tactical advantage on the battlefield. They can move more rapidly, more openly to attack the Ukrainians. And at the same time, the Russians can launch attacks into the Ukrainian rear areas against population centers and Ukrainians have much less chance of intercepting those attacks. So, it definitely has disadvantaged the Ukrainians and advantaged the Russians.

KINKADE: And when it comes to upcoming peace talks, has Trump effectively weakened Ukraine's negotiating position?

DAVIS: Well, I think the ridiculous thing is that Trump claims that he's cutting off aid and intelligence support to Ukraine to try and get them to the negotiating table. But in fact, what he's doing is dissent up to incentivizing Russia from going to negotiations, because Russia now can make gains on the battlefield militarily, they can do more damage against Ukraine with those long-range missile and drone strikes. So, there's less incentive for Putin to agree to any sort of ceasefire.

He'll agree to it eventually, but he may prolong the war and increase the suffering of the Ukrainian people and grab more territory so that he's in a much more stronger position when, in fact, he decides it's right for him to join any ceasefire negotiation.

KINKADE: I mean, Donald Trump has certainly spoken very fondly about Vladimir Putin, but he has also threatened additional tariffs. Russia is heavily sanctioned already. Just how effective are those sanctions three years into this war?

DAVIS: Look, I think Trump, or at least his advisers, would have to know that sanctions have not been that effective against Russia. You know, primarily due to the fact that China and others in the BRICS and also the Global South have managed to provide economic support through trade to allow Russia to circumvent the worst effects of those sanctions imposed by the West.

So, additional sanctions, I don't think you're going to have any real cost. And as for tariffs is virtually negligible because tariffs only work if you trade with the other country and the United States does not really trade with Russia. So, Trump's threat, if you want to call it that, to impose sanctions and tariffs is essentially meaningless and I think quite a weak one.

KINKADE: And when you listen to what Donald Trump has been saying, he looks to be pivoting to Putin, echoing Russian propaganda, certainly turning his back on traditional allies. Given that we are seeing the death toll rising in Ukraine, and what -- given what the Polish prime minister said, he wrote on X, that this is effectively what happens when someone appeases barbarians. I mean, can Europe feel the void if the U.S. walks away?

DAVIS: I think there's two questions there. In terms of Ukraine, I think Europe can try to contribute additional forces in terms of a peacekeeping force if some sort of peace deal were made. But more importantly, in terms of providing military assistance and intelligence support to Ukraine during the current combat phase Europe can probably go part of the way, but not all the way in terms of replacing the United States.

[04:10:00]

The bigger question, of course, is can Europe stand on its own against Russia if the United States withdraws from NATO or fails to honor its obligations under Article 5 of the NATO Charter, which says an attack on one is an attack on all, if the Trump administration betrays its obligations to NATO, then Europe has to stand alone and some of the projections in terms of when Russia might be rearmed and regrouped sufficiently to threaten NATO are a mere one or two years away. So, you know, Europe doesn't have a lot of time to get ready for that.

KINKADE: No, not at all. Time is ticking. Malcolm Davis, good to have your analysis from Canberra, Australia. Thanks so much.

DAVIS: Thank you.

KINKADE: Well, Democrats are using Elon Musk to rally voters. We're going to look at how they're seizing a growing backlash against his tactics after the break.

Plus, brush fires burn across New York's Long Island. We'll have the latest on the state's firefighting efforts. Stay with us. You're watching CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:15:00]

KINKADE: New York has declared a state of emergency as fire crews work to contain several brush fires on Long Island. According to county officials, the blaze in West Hampton was roughly 70 percent contained by Saturday night. The fires are likely to burn through Sunday though, as high winds threaten to worsen conditions overnight. Towering smoke plumes shut down parts of a major highway and they continue to impact air quality in that region. At least two structures have burned down, but no evacuation orders have been issued so far.

Cabinet infighting and fresh tariff threats. It has been a whirlwind week for U.S. President Donald Trump. Mr. Trump now says he will impose new tariffs on Canadian lumber and dairy products, and they could be here soon. CNN's Betsy Klein reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BETSY KLEIN, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE PRODUCER: Well, it's been a week of tariff whiplash at the Trump White House, and President Trump, for his part, really views tariffs, and particularly the threat of tariffs, as a key negotiating tool, in this case against America's neighbors, Canada and Mexico, who he wants to crack down on the issue of fentanyl.

Starting on Tuesday, the president issued 25 percent tariffs on both Mexico and Canada. And later that evening, as markets were rocked, the president said, there may be a little disturbance, and asked American farmers to bear with him. And then the president received a direct appeal from American automakers GM, Ford, and Stellantis, who encouraged him to lift auto tariffs, citing disruption to U.S. car sales president on Wednesday lifted those auto tariffs for one month and then a complete reversal by Thursday as the president announced he would pause tariffs on Mexico and Canada for an additional month.

By Friday that reprieve was semi short lived as he announced he was placing 250 percent tariffs on Canadian dairy and lumber products the president citing fairness.

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: Canada has been ripping us off for years on tariffs for lumber and for dairy products, 250 percent. Nobody ever talks about that. 250 percent tariff, which is taking advantage of our farmers. So, that's not going to happen anymore. KLEIN: Now, taken together, this has fueled major uncertainty for markets and unpredictability for American consumers and businesses. It is also setting up a key test for the leaders of Mexico and Canada who have one month to navigate Trump as their economies depend on U.S. markets.

Betsy Klein, CNN, traveling with the President in West Palm Beach, Florida.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KINKADE: Well, amid the tariff war, President Trump is trying to avoid a government shutdown. Mr. Trump is urging his fellow Republicans to unite around a funding bill that would keep the government afloat until September. It was unveiled by House Speaker Mike Johnson, and the package would buy the administration time to craft a more significant bill later in the year. The House is expected to vote Tuesday ahead of the March 14 deadline.

But it may not be easy. House Democrats says they are voting against the plan. They argue it recklessly cuts domestic spending programs. Here's what Johnson said about the chances of that bill passing.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MIKE JOHNSON (R-LA), U.S. HOUSE SPEAKER: I believe we'll pass it along party lines, but I think every Democrat's vote for this CR, it is a fundamental responsibility we have to fund the government. And a clean CR with a few minor anomalies is not something that they should vote against. So, we'll see what they do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: Well, there is growing pushback over the power DOGE has been wielding over federal agencies. And so, Democrats serving new staff for their political ads, Elon Musk. Democrats are seizing on the tech billionaires role in slashing government jobs to motivate their voters and donors.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Our housing unaffordable, our benefits cut. Also, billionaires can reap the benefits. And where's delegate David Owen when we need him following the leader.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: Well, more now from CNN's Fredreka Schouten.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FREDREKA SCHOUTEN, CNN POLITICS NATIONAL POLITICAL WRITER: There is an emerging star in political ads, Elon Musk, the billionaire who has generated headlines and controversy as President Donald Trump's cost cutter in chief. Around the country, Democrats have launched commercials in recent days that highlight his efforts to slash the federal workforce as they try to paint Republicans as out of touch with average Americans and too cozy to wealthy donors like Musk. The ads have come from a national group that hopes to win back house seats in next year's midterm elections for Congress, from Democrats in Virginia who are trying to expand their majority in the state legislature this year and from the Democratic Party in Wisconsin, where there's an intense political battle over a state Supreme Court race on the ballot next month.

[04:20:00]

It's an important race because the outcome there will determine the ideological tilt of the state's highest court. Most of the ads include one image. Musk holding a chainsaw last month at a conservative political gathering as he celebrated the steep cuts he's pursued at the Department of Government Efficiency.

But recent polls suggest that Musk might not be the best messenger on cost cutting. One from Quinnipiac University found that 55 percent of voters surveyed think Musk has too much power in making decisions that affect the country. And there are signs that President Trump is aware of the potential backlash. The president has imposed new limits on Musk's authority. Telling his cabinet members this week that they, not Musk, are in charge of staffing changes at the agencies they lead. He's also urged using, in his words, a scalpel rather than a hatchet moving forward.

But the new advertising blitz from Democrats could offer a test of whether Elon Musk's activity turns into a real political liability for Republicans in the elections ahead.

Fredreka Schouten, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KINKADE: Well, Natasha Lindstaedt is a professor of government at the University of Essex and joins us from Colchester, England. Good to have you with us.

NATASHA LINDSTAEDT, PROFESSOR OF GOVERNMENT, UNIVERSITY OF ESSEX: Thanks for having me.

KINKADE: So, tariffs are on, tariffs are off, and repeat. It's almost near impossible to stay on top of the various trade wars. Donald Trump was asked about this on Fox Business. I just want to play some sound.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Can you give us a sense of whether or not we are going to get clarity for the business community?

TRUMP: Well, I think so. But you know, the tariffs could go up as time goes by and they may go up and you know, I don't know if it's predictability. I think --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So, that's not clear.

TRUMP: No, I think that they say that, you know, it sounds good to say.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: I mean, clearly a lack of clarity that could potentially further hurt the economy. Will it hurt him politically?

LINDSTAEDT: I think it will once they start to bite. I mean, terrorists are something he loves for some reason. He's just always been enamored with the idea of tariffs, according to people who've worked with him in his inner circle. But he doesn't seem to understand that tariffs are a tax on consumers or the fact that they really affect businesses.

I mean, they are going to affect the car industry, and this is why there's been this back and forth, because you have hundreds of parts that go into a car, whether it be mufflers in Canada or brake systems in Mexico, and they have to pass through many, many different times, and that's going to make it a lot more expensive for these car companies and a lot more expensive for consumers.

And if you start to see auto plants closing down because they just can't manage all of the uncertainty, you start to see people losing their jobs because of this, you could start to see consumer prices go up, that people just can't afford anything.

But remember, Trump said, I'm going to deal with inflation. I alone can solve this problem. And I think that's one of the messages that the Democrats are going to try to hone in on, that he's not doing anything about inflation. And actually, these tariffs are going to make things much, much worse.

KINKADE: And talk to us more about Elon Musk's department, slashing jobs day after day. The nation's agency for weather and climate and science, NOAA, has been told to prepare to lay off a 20 percent of its workforce. How is this going to affect the Trump administration?

LINDSTAEDT: So, Trump in his State of the Union address was touting how well Elon Musk is doing, but as the report already mentioned Elon Musk polling numbers are underwater. He doesn't have a lot of support. I mean, only 6 percent of Democrats approve of him or like him and you have more Republicans. But if you actually look at the question, do you approve of the way Musk is handling this DOGE? Only 56 percent of Republicans, according to this Washington Post poll, approve of the way he's handling things.

Because the way Musk sees things is that it's like a business, the government is like a business, he can take on huge risks, he might fail, he might not, but what he doesn't understand is when you're dealing with the government, if you fail, if you take on risks that don't work, people will die. I mean, there are lives at stake here, whether it be people monitoring diseases, and there could be some sort of disease outbreak or monitoring food safety or water safety or the weather, as you mentioned, I mean, there could be all kinds of hurricanes or fires, that need to be monitored in order to keep Americans safe.

And I think this could have real costs and repercussions. And that's why we saw in this recent meeting, there was this blow up between Elon Musk and some members of Trump's cabinet, but particularly the Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, is saying we can't cut air traffic controllers. I mean, there will be airplane crashes, and then that is going to make the Trump administration look terrible, that they were cutting critical jobs that are important to saving American lives.

[04:25:00]

KINKADE: Yes, exactly. Republicans in the House who are in control of the House, have unveiled their six-month stopgap government funding bill to avoid a potential government shutdown on March 14. Democrats have already said they oppose it. House Speaker Mike Johnson leads a slim Republican majority. What's in the bill and what's the likelihood it will get through?

I think we might have just lost our guest. We will try to get her back. But we'll move on for now. A new twist in Mr. Trump's ever- changing trade policy with Canada. The U.S. president is threatening to impose a whopping 250 percent tariff on Canadian dairy imports. We'll have that story just ahead.

Plus, the White House plans more cuts to the government's agency that provides critical forecasts and warnings for deadly storms.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KINKADE: Welcome back to our viewers here in the United States and around the world. I'm Lynda Kinkade. You are in the CNN Newsroom.

Well, a day after offering a one-month reprieve on punishing virtually across the board 25 percent tariffs on Canadian imports, President Trump on Friday threatened to impose new tariffs on lumber and dairy from Canada.

Mr. Trump said that in the coming days, the U.S. would place 250 percent tariffs on Canadian dairy products, claiming that Canada was, quote, "ripping off the U.S." Canada denies that. It's yet another twist in the president's trade policy that seems to shift on an hourly basis. Amy Kiley reports.

[04:30:00]

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DANIELLE SMITH, ALBERTA, CANADA PREMIER: It is causing us to look for other places to buy our products.

AMY KILEY, CNN PRODUCER (voice-over): Some stakeholders say they're shifting away from doing business with the U.S. in light of tariff threats. That's especially true in Canada. President Donald Trump is delaying 25 percent tariffs on many imports from that country in Mexico. Their governments, in turn, are backing off some retaliatory measures. But many Canadians say trust is already broken.

PETER XOTTA, PRESIDENT AND CEO, VANCOUVER FRASER PORT AUTHORITY: It's been a wake-up call, right? It's been a wake-up call for Canadians that we need to figure out a way to not be as dependent.

KILEY (voice-over): Some Canadian businesses say they're trying to rely more on domestic producers. On the consumer level, several boycotts are underway. The online directory made in Canada reports a surge in web traffic.

DARRYL LAMB, CANADIAN, GM LEGACY LIQUOR STORE: I'm just worried about this eternal relationship that we've had for 200 plus years being soured for four.

KILEY (voice-over): Only about one percent of the U.S. GDP comes from exports to Canada. American companies might feel more pain if they have to shell out for new tariffs starting next month. Stock market investors seem nervous about that possibility.

TRUMP: I'm not even looking at the market, because long-term the United States will be very strong.

KILEY (voice-over): From promises tariffs will benefit the U.S. in the end, economists say they can be a boost for certain domestic industries or workers.

SHAWN FAIN, PRESIDENT, UNITED AUTO WORKERS: We are hopes that it will be a motivator to get these companies to get their butts in gear and take care of American workers.

KILEY (voice-over): Amy Kiley reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KINKADE: Well, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been stuck handling the fraught relationship with the Trump administration, but he is about to resign. His ruling minority Liberal Party will replace him as their leader Sunday. Our Paula Newton reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAULA NEWTON, CNN ANCHOR: Canada will have a new prime minister in the coming days. We will find out who that will be on Sunday night when the Liberal Party of Canada elects its new leader and Justin Trudeau's replacement.

Now, the front runners are Mark Carney, a former Bank of Canada and Bank of Inland governor, but a political novice. And the other front runner, Chrystia Freeland, Trudeau's former deputy prime minister and a long-time cabinet minister for Trudeau.

Now, top of mind for the party faithful will be who they choose as that new liberal leader in terms of who is the best candidate to handle the challenge of a new Donald Trump administration and its near daily demands on Canada's economy. Now, the winner though may not be prime minister for long, an election would be called in Canada within a matter of days or weeks.

Now, before Donald Trump set off a tariff war, Justin Trudeau's Liberals actually seem poised very close to losing any kind of a national election. The Conservative Party was way out in front in the polls. But before Donald Trump was inaugurated, the Liberals had less than a 1 percent chance of winning. Now, that's jumped to 37 percent chance of winning. Why? President Trump's threats and Canadians' desire for an experienced hand to deal with them have helped raise the party's fortunes and make Canada's upcoming election much more competitive.

Paula Newton, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KINKADE: Well, the New York Times reports that the Trump administration is planning to fire 1,000 people from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Last month, some 800 people in the agency lost their jobs in a devastating first round of layoffs. And these latest cuts come as the U.S. approaches the 2025 tornado and hurricane seasons. In recent years, scientists say that climate change has made storms deadlier and much stronger. Well, scientists say the Trump administration's haphazard firings will endanger that lifesaving work.

Well, now to a story about hurricane hunters. CNN's MJ Lee has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDREW HAZELTON, TERMINATED NOAA HURRICANE SCIENTIST: Right now, the wind's 13 miles an hour.

MJ LEE, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL ENTERPRISE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Andy Hazelton is a hurricane hunter.

LEE: And you were saying there's like a version of this on the plane?

HAZELTON: Oh, yes, a much more sophisticated version of it, you know.

LEE: OK.

HAZELTON: You know, there's anemometers and all sorts of instruments, radar and things like that.

LEE (voice-over): As a physical scientist working at the National Hurricane Center in Miami, he has flown into the eye of the storm countless times, including catastrophic hurricanes Helene, Dorian and Ian.

HAZELTON: You know, you basically fly through the storm three to four times and then the forecasters are getting that data in real-time. They're using that for their advisories to tell people, hey, this is where the storm is, this is how strong it is.

LEE (voice-over): But as of last week, Andy is out of a job.

LEE: And your last day was Thursday?

HAZELTON: Last Thursday. Yes.

LEE: Yes.

LEE (voice-over): He was one of the hundreds of employees at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration or NOAA whose roles were abruptly terminated as part of the Trump administration's sweeping efforts to drastically slim down the federal government.

[04:35:00]

And it's not just hurricane forecasting, most divisions of NOAA, which researches everything from the weather to oceans to biodiversity, were affected by the cuts, raising alarm bells across the scientific community about the potential impacts on public safety and the economy.

HAZELTON: This is Biscayne Bay. We're, you know, out of the Black Point Marina. Right there, at that point there is right where Hurricane Andrew, the center of it, made landfall back in 1992.

LEE (voice-over): Andrew was the strongest hurricane to hit South Florida in 1992, only the fourth Category 5 hurricane that century to make landfall in the U.S., leaving in its path catastrophic destruction.

HAZELTON: This is the track forecast error.

LEE (voice-over): In the 30 plus years since Hurricane Andrew, Andy and scientists like him have helped make huge improvements to hurricane modeling and forecasts.

HAZELTON: Your five-day here is only 100 miles off.

LEE (voice-over): When he wasn't out on storm flight missions, Andy built codes and graphics that helped predict the path and strength of future hurricanes.

HAZELTON: A five-day forecast now is as accurate as a one-day forecast in Hurricane Andrew. So, think about that. You know, you have five days of repair versus one. You can convince people to evacuate. You can do a lot more things to prepare your home.

LEE: So, we've really come a long way?

HAZELTON: We have.

LEE (voice-over): Right up until he was fired, Andy says he and his colleagues had been busy preparing for the upcoming hurricane season just a few months away. Now, he is entirely unsure what the mass firings at NOAA will mean for the unfinished work.

LEE: Do you worry that we're about to go backwards when it comes to the science? HAZELTON: I do. I mean, I hope -- you know, I know that the colleagues I still have there, you know, they're going to work hard and do their best. But you know, when you have a few people in places that were already understaffed, it just gets harder and harder.

LEE (voice-over): And as he wonders about his own future, Andy, like so many Floridians, is also wondering about the next hurricane.

LEE: What does it mean for you that you can't do the work that you want to be doing?

HAZELTON: I worry that for the safety of, you know, the people here, my friends, my neighbors, our family, and across the board. I mean, here in South Florida, like I said, you know, we've been pretty lucky since Andrew, but, you know, if you look historically, that luck won't last forever.

LEE: And in talking to some of these recently fired federal workers, whether it's at NOAA or USAID, many of them do very specialized work, and they're quite passionate about the work that they do. And as for Andy's case, he is young. He's 34. He is from Florida. Basically, grew up experiencing some of these major hurricanes going through his home state of Florida, and he's known for a very long time, since he was a kid, that meteorology and hurricanes were things that he was interested in.

So, we are talking about an entire generation of scientists who are currently a little uncertain about their future and what is to come. As for Andy, he would love to continue growing his career at NOAA. He tells me you.

MJ Lee, CNN in Washington, D.C.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KINKADE: Well, the winning party in last month's German election has concluded preliminary talks on forming a coalition. Germany's next chancellor, Friedrich Merz, has said he is conservative party and the Social Democrats are racing for a deal to form a coalition before Easter. The parties agreed to get tough on illegal migration, support industry and boost the economy. Merz has previously warned that it was five minutes to midnight for Europe to fend for itself against a hostile Russia with the U.S. under President Donald Trump no longer seen as a reliable ally.

Israel and Hamas can't agree on the next step for their cease fire deal in Gaza. When we return the latest on the peace talks and how both sides want to move in negotiations.

Plus, the Vatican shares a promising update on the pope's hospitalization but warns the risk of another breathing crisis remains. We'll have the latest on the pontiff's health from Rome. You're in the CNN newsroom.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:40:00]

KINKADE: Welcome back. I'm Lynda Kinkade. Israel says it's sending a delegation to Doha Monday to try and advance talks on a ceasefire and hostage deal with Hamas. Things are at a standstill as Israel wants to extend the phase one of that agreement, but Hamas is insisting on the immediate start of talks for the second phase. Phase two would include negotiations for a permanent end to the war in Gaza. An Israeli official told CNN Saturday that there has been no progress regarding phase two.

CNN Political and Global Affairs Analyst Barak Ravid says he believes the U.S. decision to speak directly to Hamas this week helped restart negotiations.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARAK RAVID, CNN POLITICAL AND GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: Prime minister Netanyahu realized that he lost control over the process. And the reason he lost control is because he didn't do anything. And when you don't do anything, other people do other things. And it took him time to realize it because he thought that not doing anything about phase two of this deal will only allow him to resume the war.

And he found out that Donald Trump actually wants to get the hostages back home. And for that, he's willing to talk directly to Hamas. And that really rocked the boat for the Israelis and for Netanyahu because he did not see it coming.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: Well, France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom are backing a Gaza reconstruction plan proposed by Arab states. The four countries say the $53 billion proposal shows a realistic path forward. It would aim to have Gaza rebuilt in five years and allow about 2 million Palestinians to remain. They also said that Hamas should not be involved in governing Gaza after the war.

Iran's supreme leader is rejecting President Donald Trump's push for nuclear talks, calling the U.S. a bully. His comments come after Mr. Trump said he sent a letter to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei this week. It's unclear if the supreme leader received the letter, but he's not rushing to the negotiating table.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AYATOLLAH ALI KHAMENEI, IRANIAN SUPREME LEADER (through translator): Some bullying governments insist on negotiation, but their negotiation is not aimed at resolving issues. It's for domination. The issue isn't just the nuclear issue that they're talking about now. They'll raise new demands, and these new demands will certainly not be met by Iran regarding the country's defensive capabilities, regarding the country's international influence. Don't do this. Don't meet that person. Don't go to that place. Don't produce that thing. Your missiles range shouldn't exceed such and such a distance.

(END VIDEO CLIP) KINKADE: Well, President Trump is putting pressure on Iran to reach a new nuclear deal after withdrawing from an Obama era agreement during his first term. Here's what he told reporters on Friday.

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TRUMP: We have a situation with Iran that something's going to happen very soon.

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KINKADE: Well, an independent monitoring group says hundreds of people have been killed in Syria since Thursday when fighting erupted between government forces and supporters of ousted former president Bashar al-Assad.

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The U.K.-based Syrian Network for Human Rights says at least 311 people have died, but warned that the death toll is likely much higher. It's happening in Western Syria in an area where support for Assad remains strong.

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KINKADE: Well, this video appears to show people at an airport located near a Russian operated airbase begging Russia to protect them. Syria's new government says the ongoing clashes are the worst violence since the former president was forced out in December. Assad, who fled to Russia is not commenting.

Well, another U.S. adversary, North Korea, says it's building its first nuclear powered submarine. On Saturday, North Korean state media released pictures of the country's leader, Kim Jong un, touring shipyards. It also said he toured what it called a nuclear powered strategic guided missile submarine. A South Korean submarine expert told the Associated Press that it appears the sub will carry nuclear capable weapons. He says it would pose a massive threat to South Korea and to the United States.

In Serbia, months long daily protests taking aim at government corruption show no signs of stopping. On Friday, tens of thousands of people marched through the streets of the capital Belgrade. The demonstrations were sparked when an awning collapsed at a railway station four months ago, killing 15 people. The tragedy shined a spotlight on the dissatisfaction with a longtime president there and his ruling Serbian Progressive Party. The student-led protesters are calling for a general strike aimed at challenging his hold on power.

We've just heard the latest on Pope Francis health. The Vatican saying that the 88-year-old spent a peaceful night in hospital and is resting. Well, Vatican sources, Pope Francis is showing, quote, "a good response" to therapy. That assessment a first for the pontiff since he was hospitalized to be treated for double pneumonia. Beginning today, the pontiff will take part in traditional spiritual exercises for Lent from hospital. The pope's condition is still serious. He is at risk of another breathing crisis and his prognosis is described as reserved.

Well, meet the Drone Sisters. Coming up, women in rural India fueling a farmland innovation after a government initiative sets them up with those incredible flying machines.

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KINKADE: Welcome back. Eight people were injured Saturday when a driver plowed a vehicle into a CarMax dealership just south of Los Angeles. Emergency crews say two people are in a critical condition and they were transported to a nearby hospital. Police arrested the driver. Early reports stated that the man drove an SUV into the building's lobby before spinning it around and exiting on the opposite side of the dealership. CarMax confirmed that the driver was a customer who had come for vehicle appraisal.

When NASA delayed the launch of its newest space telescope, SPHEREx, yesterday due to bad weather and engineering complications. Once a new launch date is confirmed, SPHEREx will search for the key ingredients of life in our Milky Way galaxy. The telescope is expected to shed light on the origins of the universe. During its two-year mission, the observatory will scan more than 100 million stars, collecting data on nearly 450 million galaxies. Other launch windows remain available through April.

Well, across the world on Saturday, women and feminists came out in droves to March for their rights and that of others on International Women's Day. And to show, as Beyonce sings, that girls do indeed run the world. In Sao Paulo, Brazil, hundreds of demonstrators donned purple and green. They marched for the right to free and safe abortions, equal pay, and other rights they say are under threat amid a new wave of conservatism.

In Istanbul, thousands of women ignored a 24-hour protest ban to make their voices heard. They marched in the evening, which one demonstrator says is significant because she says women cannot go out at night.

Well, women are reshaping India's approach to agriculture and changing lives in rural communities across the country, and they're using very modern machines. CNN's Allison Chinchar introduces us to the so-called Drone Sisters.

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ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST (voice-over): Hundreds of women in rural India are leaving the home for a high-tech job helping farmers. Last year, Rupinder Kaur joined an Indian government program called Namo Drone Didi or Drone Sisters. Created to teach women how to use drones for agricultural work, like spraying pesticides.

Kaur has been leaving her home several times a week to participate. She says the program empowers women like her and provides income for her family.

RUPINDER KAUR, DRONE OPERATOR (through translator): It is a big thing for us that we are flying drones. It's not a very easy job for any common man, but especially for women who are used to staying at home. Even coming out of the home is believed to be a big deal. We're doing this work and getting respect from society because of it. We are being respected by our families as well and earning good money too.

CHINCHAR (voice-over): Farmers like Sanjeev Kumar say the drones provide many benefits. It requires less labor and resources and improve safety for workers.

SANJEEV KUMAR, FARMER (through translator): The drone is saving us a lot of time. We don't need to go around looking for water. The situation in our village is that we don't have a good electricity supply, so we're required to collect water and store it. Secondly, we also cannot hire laborers very easily. Thirdly, it saves us from the dangers of snakes and scorpions. Once we used it, we understood that we can do a lot of work without all these problems.

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CHINCHAR (voice-over): The Drone Sisters program aims to provide almost 15,000 women-led groups across India with access to industrial grade drones. Agricultural drone makers at WOW Go Green are providing courses to help with the initiative to empower rural women.

RADHIKA GOENKA, DIRECTOR, WOW GO GREEN: Drone is helping them and giving them respect in the society, getting the earning the fame that yes, women can do anything. They can be at home, they can be in kitchen, but also in the farm and earn the money.

Allison Chinchar, CNN.

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KINKADE: A member of President Trump's inner circle just got the movie villain treatment on the cold opening of Saturday Night Live. Take a look.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Elon, you got to listen to me, OK? Marco is a very important part of the team. And we all need to --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Phase one of my plan is complete, ingratiate yourself to the president and take over the media. But was taking this job a bad idea. A lot of people seem to really hate me. My Tesla stock is crashing and my personal net worth just dropped by $100 billion dollars. (END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: Comedian Mike Myers they're channeling Elon Musk and his Dr. Evil character from the "Austin Powers" films. Donald Trump, cabinet members, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, reportedly have taken issue with some of Musk's sweeping measures at the Department of Government Efficiency.

Well, that wraps up this edition of CNN Newsroom. To everyone celebrating a very happy International Women's Day. I'm Lynda Kinkade. I will be back with much more news in just a moment.

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