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Russia Steps Up Attacks Ahead of U.S.-Ukraine Talks Next Week; Military Aid Paused As Ukraine Heads Into Talks with U.S.; Trump Urges Republicans to United, Back Spending Plan; Human Rights Group Says At Least 300 Killed in Clashes in Syria; Canada's Liberal Party to Choose Leader to Replace Trudeau; U.S. Education Secretary Backs Trump Plan to Level Department; Fraternity Member Charged With Manslaughter, Criminal Hazing. Aired 5-6a ET

Aired March 09, 2025 - 05:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:01:03]

LYNDA KINKADE, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to all our viewers watching from around the world and here in the U.S. I'm Lynda Kinkade. Good to have you with us.

Ahead on Scene and Newsroom, a crucial week in foreign policy as Ukrainian leaders meet with a U.S. delegation. What's on the table as the two parties discuss how to end the war with Russia?

U.S. lawmakers have one week to prevent a government shutdown. Why Donald Trump is pushing Republicans to unify around one plan.

Plus, the Justin Trudeau era is coming to an end as Canadians brace for the trade war with the U.S. to ramp up. How the party election today could impact the political landscape in North America.

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

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

Well, drones and missiles have been pummeling cities right across Ukraine ahead of those negotiations including in the city of Dobropillya where at least 11 people were killed Friday 30 others wounded. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says it's clear that Russia wants anything but peace.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Literally every day Russia proves with its cruelty that nothing has changed for them in Moscow. They're thinking not about how to end the war but about how to destroy and capture more as long as the world allows them to keep waging this war.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: Well, for more, Nada Bashir joins us from London. Good to have you with us Nada. So these talks set to take place between Ukrainian and U.S. officials are the first since we saw that dressing down by Donald Trump and J.D. Vance against the president of Ukraine in the White House. What are the expectations for these talks?

NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Look, there are several expectations, of course, on both sides. That pressure is mounting, certainly from the Trump administration, for some sort of deal to be struck between Ukraine and Russia. We know, of course, that intensive discussions have been ongoing over recent days, not only between Ukrainian officials and their U.S. counterparts, but also, of course, with their European partners and allies, most recently in Brussels, of course, where we saw discussions centered around the idea of a partial ceasefire agreement, a proposal which could see essentially a cessation of hostilities in the air and at sea.

So, putting a stop to those missiles and drone attacks that we've seen so often in Ukraine, putting a stop to military activities in the Black Sea, and also the targeting of Ukraine's energy infrastructure, that wouldn't necessarily halt any sort of military action on the front lines, in the east, at least. But that seems to be the initial framework that European leaders are working on.

Whether that then reflects what we see in these discussions in Saudi Arabia next week remains to be seen. There are certainly questions around the sort of peace deal that U.S. President Donald Trump wants to see, given his close relationship with the Russian President Vladimir Putin. He has, of course, already threatened to lay sanctions on Russia if we don't see a stop to the targeting of Ukrainian territory.

But, again, there's been no sign of that actually happening any time soon. And, of course, there is pressure coming, of course, being felt by the Ukrainian officials with regards to the level of support that they are seeing now from the Trump administration.

And the key focus for President Zelenskyy has long been and continues to be ensuring that there are security guarantees from their European and U.S. partners in any sort of post-war situation, or at least if there is a partial ceasefire in place. But the signals from the U.S. certainly do not encourage that. We've seen the U.S. pausing military aid. They have suspended Ukraine's access to vital satellite imagery, which has assisted the Ukrainian military in assessing the advancement of Russian troops.

[05:05:11]

And, of course, they are also now scaling back on intelligence sharing, particularly when it comes to intelligence that could assist the Ukrainian military in targeting Russia. So there certainly has been a shift in the level of support we're seeing from the U.S. government under the Trump administration. That is certainly being felt by President Zelenskyy and Ukrainian officials.

President Zelenskyy is set to travel to Saudi Arabia on Monday to meet with the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. His team will then stay behind for those talks and discussions on Tuesday with U.S. officials, including, it is expected to be, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz. They're expected to be part of those discussions.

And, of course, there have, as I mentioned, been talks going on over the last few days. Just on Friday, the U.S. Secretary of State speaking with the Ukrainian foreign minister, reiterating that the U.S. wants to see both sides, both Ukraine and Russia, now taking steps to establish some sort of sustainable peace agreement.

Lynda?

KINKADE: All right. Nada Bashir for us in London. Good to have you across all of that. Thanks so much.

Earlier, I spoke with analyst Malcolm Davis about how Ukraine is now effectively fighting with one hand tied behind its back.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MALCOLM DAVIS, SENIOR ANALYST, THE AUSTRALIAN STRATEGIC POLICY INSTITUTE: 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: 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 disincentivizing 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 --

(END VIDEO CLIP) KINKADE: Apologies, we've had an issue with that feed there. Well, protesters in Washington sent a loud and clear message yesterday ahead of talks in Saudi Arabia. And they unveiled what they called the world's largest Ukrainian flag near the White House. They hope to urge U.S. President Donald Trump to support Kyiv. 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 have frustrating it is that the administration has taken this strange position where it has embraced President Putin.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: Well, fresh tariff threats and cabinet infighting. It has been a whirlwind week for U.S. President Donald Trump. And now the president turns his attention to avoiding a government shutdown.

Mr. Trump is urging his fellow Republicans to unite around a funding bill that would keep the government running until September. The package would buy the administration time to craft a more significant bill later in the year. CNN's Julia Benbrook reports.

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JULIA BENBROOK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: House Speaker Mike Johnson is outlining his plans for a stopgap measure known as a continuing resolution that would keep the government funded until September 30th. But he's up against a fast-approaching deadline with a potential government shutdown looming this next week.

President Donald Trump has expressed support for Johnson's plan. He took to social media, posting on Truth Social, saying, quote, "The House and Senate have put together, under the circumstances, a very good funding bill. All Republicans should vote, in parentheses, (please), in all caps, YES, next week."

[05:10:06]

But Johnson leads with a very slim majority in the House. And he needs almost every member of his party to get on board if he doesn't have support from Democrats.

Here's what Johnson said about the chances of the bill passing.

REP. MIKE JOHNSON, (R-LA) SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: I believe we'll pass it along with the party lines. But I think every Democrat should vote for the 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. BENBROOK: Johnson is describing it as a clean CR, but it does include some cuts to domestic spending programs that Democrats will likely oppose. And the Democratic leader in the House, Hakeem Jeffries, has already said that he opposes the stopgap measure.

Part of the argument against it is that Democrats say it lacks critical language that would be included in a full-year negotiated bill and would make it easier for their party to put a check on Trump in court if needed.

This bill is 99 pages long, and Johnson is expected to bring it to the House floor for a vote in the coming days, likely on Tuesday. If the House passes it, it puts a lot of pressure on members in the Senate with that government shutdown deadline less than a week away now.

In Washington, Julia Benbrook, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KINKADE: Despite reports of a heated Cabinet meeting, President Trump is insisting there is no feud between Elon Musk and his Secretary of State, Marco Rubio. But as the popular backlash against Musk grows, Democrats see an opening. They're making the tech billionaire the focus of ads that depict him as out of touch and out of control.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MERIDITH MCGRAW, WHITE HOUSE REPORTER, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: Elon Musk really has become a boogeyman especially for Democrats who see him as a real political target. We've already seen how Democrats are launching ads that feature Elon Musk and images of him with the chainsaw. And they really see that Republicans might be vulnerable when it comes to Elon Musk and some of the cuts that they're making.

Even though there is bipartisan support for reining in federal spending, they really see that Elon Musk could be a potential political target.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: Iran's Supreme Leader is rejecting President 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: 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.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), U.S. PRESIDENT: We have a situation with Iran that something's going to happen very soon.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

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 Phase 1 of the agreement, but Hamas is insisting on the immediate start of talks for the second phase. Phase 2 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 2.

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 & 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 2 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: 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. The U.K.-based Syrian Network for Human Rights says at least 311 people have died, but warn that the death toll is likely, quote, "much higher." It's happening in western Syria, where support for Assad remains strong among minority Alawites since the former president is a member of that group.

[05:15:24]

This video appears to show people at an airport located near a Russian-operated air base 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, has not commented.

Well, Canada is about to enter a new era, because Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is stepping down. What it means for the future of Canada and the United States when we come back.

Plus, North Korea says it's upgrading its fleet of warships with a nuclear-powered submarine. We'll have the details next.

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KINKADE: Welcome back. I'm Lynda Kinkade. Another U.S. adversary at North Korea says it's building its first nuclear-powered submarine.

[05:20:02]

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 the United States.

Well, South Korea's impeached president Yoon Suk Yeol is out of detention but he still faces criminal and impeachment trials. On Saturday, prosecutors decided not to appeal a court decision to cancel Yoon's arrest warrant on insurrection charges. Yoon is suspended from his duties as trials continue. This all stems from his short-lived imposition of martial law on December 3rd. In Seoul, hundreds of anti- Yoon protesters gathered to denounce the protesters' -- the prosecutor's decision to release him from the detention center.

Here's what some South Koreans had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LEE HEOUNG-OK, YOON SUPPORTER (through translator): I waited for a long time and I was very sorry that he couldn't be released quickly. And it was a hard time for me to wait but it was very much worth the wait. And then I saw him in person.

SHIM YE-RIN, OPPOSES YOON'S RELEASE: I learned about Yoon's release from news reports and I saw him walking out of the detention center on his own feet and greeting his supporters. It was a little bit ridiculous to me because it seemed like something that couldn't happen in a democratic society, something that was outside of common sense.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: The winning party from last month's German election has concluded preliminary talks on forming a coalition. Germany's next chancellor, Friedrich Merz, said his 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. no longer seen as a reliable ally.

Canada's ruling Liberal Party is set to choose a new leader in the coming hours who will replace Justin Trudeau as Prime Minister. Mr. Trudeau led the Liberals to power in 2015, but in January he announced he would step down after a new party leader is chosen.

There are four candidates applying for the job, but only Chrystia Freeland and Mark Carney are believed to have a real chance to win. Carney is a former governor of Bank of Canada and the Bank of England, and Freeland was one of Mr. Trudeau's most well-known cabinet members before she resigned.

Canada's Liberals were far down in the polls against their rivals, the Conservative Party of Canada, but they surged back into contention as Donald Trump began making threats against Canada. Under Canadian law, a general election must be held this fall at the latest.

Lori Turnbull is a Canadian Political Analyst and Professor at Dalhousie University, and she joins us from Ottawa.

Good to have you with us.

LORI TURNBULL, CANADIAN POLITICAL ANALYST: Thank you so much for having me.

KINKADE: So after over 10 years in power, Trudeau will step down Sunday as leader of the Liberal Party. Why now?

TURNBULL: There was a lot of pressure on him to step aside. When he made the announcement early January, I think there was a lot of relief in his party. There was a sense that he was the one responsible for the low polling numbers they had.

A lot of people in the party felt that as soon as he stepped aside, their fortunes would go up for the next election, and that's what happened. As soon as he did, the party started to go up in the polls again, and absolutely the threats from Donald Trump in terms of tariffs, Canada becoming the 51st state, that only seems to have pushed support to the Liberal Party at this point.

KINKADE: Yeah, I want to play some sound from Donald Trump, because as you mentioned, he has attacked Canada, launched a trade war, threatened a takeover. Let's just listen to Donald Trump, what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: They get 95% of their product from the United States. I think they have to become the 51st state. I think Canada is going to be a very serious contender to be our 51st state. As a state, it's different. As a state, it's much different. And there are no tariffs. So I'd love to see that, but some people say that would be a long shot. If people wanted to play the game right, it would be 100% certain that they'd become a state.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: Talk to us about the reaction in Canada in the midst of this leadership transition. How serious is that threat?

TURNBULL: At first, people were trying to downplay it. The first time that the Prime Minister and his finance minister, Dominic LeBlanc, went to see President Trump in Mar-a-Lago, he actually wasn't president then, there was this comment made that it got out to the Canadian press and to the public about Trump musing about Canada being the 51st state. At that point, people, I think, were prepared to see it as a comment that was made in jest.

People were sitting around, it was a social event, you know, no big deal, but he keeps saying it. And so now, I think, it's not so much that people think it will happen, it's that people think he's serious when he says it. And so there's a sense that the relationship has been broken, we can't trust the partnership with the U.S. as we have before, because he seems to have this expansionist motive in his back pocket.

[05:25:21]

KINKADE: And, of course, we saw Trudeau fire back with that blistering speech. I just want to play some of that sound.

JUSTIN TRUDEAU, CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER: They've chosen to launch a trade war that will, first and foremost, harm American families. They've chosen to sabotage their own agenda that was supposed to usher in a new golden age for the United States. Now, it's not in my habit to agree with the Wall Street Journal, but, Donald, they point out that even though you're a very smart guy, this is a very dumb thing to do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: I mean, polls show Trudeau's Liberal Party is more popular now since Trump took office. Just explain why.

TURNBULL: Well, I think it has had the effect of changing the ballot question. Before Trump was president and before all of this happened with the tariffs and the 51st state talk, the question for the next election in Canada was really about Mr. Trudeau and his lack of popularity. The Conservatives were doing an excellent job of basing their whole campaign on all of the policies that Justin Trudeau had that people didn't like, including the carbon tax, for example.

And then people just had a kind of palpable dislike for Trudeau, honestly, and that was growing, and that had a lot to do with why the Liberals were so down in the polls. The Conservatives were doing great at hammering away at that. But once Donald Trump took office and the reality of the tariffs took hold, I think people started to think differently about what the next ballot question would be.

It wasn't about Trudeau anymore because he was stepping aside and there's going to be somebody else now. It was about what is the future of Canada, what kind of policies are we going to have, how will we diversify our trade relationships and do things differently if we have to do that because of the changing nature of the relationship with the U.S. And I think that has had the effect of putting the two parties back in a more equal space in public opinion. And Mark Carney's candidacy, I think, certainly has helped the Liberals boost their popularity.

KINKADE: So who is best positioned to navigate relations with Donald Trump and the Trump administration? Former Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney or former Finance Minister and journalist Chrystia Freeland or someone else?

TURNBULL: So I think a lot of people are looking at Mr. Carney's experience as the Bank of Canada Governor, as the Bank of England Governor, as reasons why his CV stands out in this case because he's used to being on a global scale. He has a global network of partnerships and allies. He's got all kinds of contacts all around the world. He's used to dealing with economic crises. And so I think -- and he's not a politician. And so he stands out from the crowd.

Freeland, on the other hand, she's been a politician for ten years. She was the first -- she was negotiating NAFTA with the first Trump administration. And so she holds that up as an example of why she's the one best situated to do it this time because she's done it before. But I think her ties to the Trudeau government, the fact that she was Trudeau's right hand right up until December of 2024, I think is hard for -- it puts her in a difficult position to really amplify the experiences that she's had because they all tie her to Trudeau.

KINKADE: Right. And, of course, the general election will happen before October. So whoever wins this leadership challenge will face another battle soon. What's it going to take for the Liberal Party to hold on to power, given its weak position right now?

TURNBULL: Well, I mean, I think that's going to be very difficult, to be honest. Right now, the Liberals are in power, but they are in a minority position. So they have governed since 2021 with the support of another party, the New Democratic Party, and they're kind of a smaller left-wing party.

They were in a kind of a deal with the Liberals for two and a half years, where they would support pretty much everything the Liberals have done. And so now, for Carney, and assuming it's Carney, to move the party from a minority position to one that's a clear majority, that they wouldn't need anyone else, they're secure, that would take, you know, flipping a lot of seats and against a very powerful Conservative Party, where even though they don't have the lead that they used to, they're still, you know, a very commanding presence in the polls.

I think what it would take is for Carney to clearly win the public referendum, which is not real, right? But the referendum in people's minds that he's the right one to deal with Donald Trump. And that will have to be the clear ballot question. And I think Carney would have to win that by a mile in order to put the Liberals in a really comfortable governing position.

[05:30:11]

KINKADE: Professor Lori Turnbull, good to have you with us live from Ottawa. I appreciate your analysis. Thank you.

TURNBULL: Thank you too. Take care.

KINKADE: Well, the Trump administration is going after one of the country's top universities. Ahead, why free speech advocates are calling it an unconstitutional effort to silence students.

Plus, U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon backing President Trump's plan to gut her department. We'll have that story and much more next.

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KINKADE: Welcome back to our viewers in the United States and around the world. I'm Lynda Kinkade. You are watching CNN Newsroom. Great to have you with us.

Let's check today's top stories. A high-stakes meeting set to take place in Saudi Arabia this week, days after deadly Russian strikes battered Ukraine.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's team will meet for talks on ending the war. The U.S. is yet to provide details on what kind of peace it hopes to achieve.

Israel says it's sending a delegation to Doha Monday, trying to advance talks on a ceasefire and hostage deal with Hamas. Israel wants to extend Phase 1 of the agreement, but Hamas wants an immediate start of talks for the second phase. Phase 2 would include negotiations for a permanent end to the war in Gaza.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump is putting pressure on lawmakers to unite on a spending package that would buy them time to create a more detailed funding bill later this year. The House is expected to vote Tuesday on the continuing resolution, which would extend the deadline to come up with a new budget bill to September.

[05:35:15]

The Trump administration says it's cancelling $400 million in grants and contracts. Contracts involving Columbia University. The White House claims the Ivy League school failed to fight anti-Semitism on campus during the Israel and Hamas war.

Gloria Pazmino reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, so far, the reaction here on Columbia University campus is one of uncertainty. The university is saying that it is still evaluating the order from the Trump administration, and they've said that they're not sure yet just how these cuts are going to affect university services. One thing is clear is that the $400 million grant cut is likely to affect not just their services on campus, but also much of the research that the university conducts. That's concerning to research leaders who are now in the process of preparing their budgets for the next academic year.

Now, we do have a statement from Columbia University, which says in part, we take Columbia's legal obligations seriously and understand how serious the announcement is and are committed to combating anti- Semitism and ensuring the safety and well-being of our students, faculty, and staff.

Now, the Trump administration has said that it cancelled the $400 million in grants because of what they say is a failure by Columbia University to police anti-Semitism here on campus. This is just one of the several fallouts that have followed after Columbia University became the epicenter of student-led protests against the Israel-Hamas war last year.

There were several confrontations here between students and between local law enforcement as well as university officials who were working to remove protesters in the days leading up to graduation.

Now, we also have a statement from Secretary of Education Linda McMahon who said, "Universities must comply with all federal anti- discrimination laws if they are going to receive federal funding. For too long, Columbia has abandoned that obligation to Jewish students studying on its campus."

Now, there are some groups of students here at Columbia University who have welcomed the news of these cuts, saying that it sends a message about how serious they should be taking this issue, but it has also caused a lot of concern among other students who say that not only will university services be affected, but that it also sends a chilling message about freedom of speech.

Gloria Pazmino, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KINKADE: A federal judge ruled that immigration officials don't have to revert to a Biden-era policy that limits arrests at schools, churches, and other sensitive locations. Denver public school officials claim the policy change caused attendance to drop, and that it now has to divert resources to respond to fear among students and families.

The U.S. District Judge Daniel Domenico, a Trump appointee, said Denver public schools failed to prove its case. The group that represents large urban school districts says that, as of last week, the new policy has not been acted upon.

Well, sources tell CNN that President Trump is preparing to sign an executive order to dismantle the Education Department. It's part of his push to shrink the federal government, and the new education secretary is on board. CNN's Laura Aguirre has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do we need this department?

LINDA MCMAHON, U.S. EDUCATION SECRETARY: No.

LAURA AGUIRRE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Education Secretary Linda McMahon on Fox News, backing her boss on his plans to level her department.

TRUMP: Ultimately, we want to close the federal Department of Education.

AGUIRRE: Promises on the campaign trail last fall could soon be signed as a presidential executive order. As for the nearly 4,300 employees working for McMahon --

MCMAHON: In a country where we right now have over 8 million openings and jobs, I think there'd be a lot of places for them to go, and we'd like to help them get there.

AGUIRRE: She suggests the nation isn't getting its money's worth from the DOE.

MCMAHON: Since the Department of Education was established in 1980, we've spent over a trillion dollars to see our scores continue to go down.

LISA QUANDT, SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER, BELLEVILLE TOWNSHIP, ILLINOIS: She is wrong.

AGUIRRE: Lisa Quandt is a special education teacher in Illinois.

QUANDT: You cannot base everything on this testing. That's absolutely ludicrous.

AGUIRRE: McMahon points to the nation's report card, also called the NAEP, which for 2024 shows overall scores ticking up and down or staying the same in subjects like math and reading, depending on the grade level. Quandt says other critical services eclipse test scores.

QUANDT: Things like occupational therapy, speech and language, mental health support.

MATT PLATKIN, NEW JERSEY ATTORNEY GENERAL: What he's doing is harming people.

[05:40:00]

AGUIRRE: Matt Platkin is New Jersey's Attorney General, one of the states suing the Trump administration over agency cuts like this.

PLATKIN: There's a way to do this. He can go to Congress. He's not even properly attempting to follow the legal process laid out in our Constitution.

AGUIRRE: The White House did not respond to a request for comment. I'm Laura Aguirre reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KINKADE: Well, the Federal Emergency Management Agency is also feeling the pressure of President Trump's funding cuts. On Saturday, the agency canceled all the courses at the National Fire Training Academy effective immediately. Until now, the academy offered free training programs to first responders across the country.

Members of the U.S. Fire Service say the collaborative learning environment helped sharpen their skills. Well, this follows comments Mr. Trump made in January while cheering the aftermath of the California wildfires. At the time, he mentioned getting rid of FEMA altogether, of ending the nation's central hub for natural disaster relief.

The brush fires are burning out of control right now in New York's Long Island. It's so bad, the governor has declared a state of emergency. One blaze in West Hampton was about 70% contained Saturday night.

But high winds are fanning the flames and they are likely to burn through Sunday. Towering smoke plumes shut down parts of a major highway and continue to impact air quality. At least two structures have burnt down.

No evacuation orders have been issued so far. Earlier in a conversation with CNN, New York Governor Kathy Hochul assured the public that she is closely monitoring the fire's path.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. KATHY HOCHUL, (D) NEW YORK: I'm also concerned about the air quality. While there are no structures in harm's way at this moment, again, this could shift in a moment. But the air quality is definitely compromised. That's why I'm shipping 100,000 N95 masks first thing in the morning. And I'm going to continue doing everything we can to put out the fire. You mentioned the four Black Hawks. Each Black Hawk is able to dump 660 gallons of water, so that's part of why we've been able to get some control.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: Louisiana college student's death has become an investigation into fraternity hazing. We'll have that story next.

Plus, we'll go live to Rome with the latest on Pope Francis' health as he enters his fourth week in hospital. You're watching CNN Newsroom.

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[05:45:29] KINKADE: Welcome back. I'm Lynda Kinkade. Now for the latest on Pope Francis' health, the Vatican says the 88-year-old spent a peaceful night in hospital and he is resting. A Vatican source said earlier that the pontiff was showing, quote, "a good response to therapy."

CNN Vatican correspondent Christopher Lamb is following the story and joins us from Rome.

Good to have you there for us. So, Christopher, this is a trying time for the Vatican. How are they handling this health crisis?

CHRISTOPHER LAMB, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Lynda, it's a time of high anxiety in the Vatican and uncertainty. I mean, senior officials are waiting like everyone else for the daily updates on the Pope's health. And, of course, Francis is today entering the 24th day of his time in hospital behind me at the Gemelli for double pneumonia.

I spoke to one cardinal in the Vatican who said that they're obviously praying for the Pope, they are anxiously waiting for updates, but at the same time he said that it's gone quite quiet for them in the Vatican. They're used to the Pope being very hands-on, calling them on the phone, asking for their opinions. That's all quietened down.

However, the day-to-day work continues. Francis has signaled a determination to show he's still governing the church from the hospital. He's been signing off documents. He's been making appointments. He has met with two senior Vatican officials on two occasions.

However, this Sunday will be the fourth Sunday in a row that he is not in person leading the anthesis. We're not expecting him to lead it in person. We are expecting a text to be shared with us from what the Pope would be saying.

So, in general, uncertainty, anxiety, and I would also say realism about the situation facing the Pope. He is 88 years old. He has a history of respiratory infections and other health challenges. And at the same time, people in the Vatican hoping that there can be some kind of recovery.

It's a very uncertain time, and we are expecting further updates from the Vatican later on today. The Pope has insisted that the hospital, through the Vatican, share detailed information about his condition and not to hide things. Of course, in the past, the Vatican hasn't always been so transparent with papal health matters. So we are getting a lot of information and hoping to have more later today. Lynda.

KINKADE: All right, Christopher Lamb for us in Rome. Thanks very much for that update.

One person is facing a manslaughter charge in connection with the death of a 20-year-old student in Louisiana. Police in Baton Rouge say the student was repeatedly punched in the chest as part of a fraternity hazing ritual. Rafael Romo reports.

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RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Officials say that initially a group of men had claimed after dropping off the victim at the emergency room that he had collapsed while playing basketball at a park in Baton Rouge. But Baton Rouge police now say that Caleb Wilson died as a direct result of a hazing incident where he was punched in the chest multiple times while pledging Omega Psi Phi fraternity.

Wilson, who died in late February, was a 20-year-old mechanical engineering junior at Southern University and A&M College and a member of the school's famed marching band known as the Human Jukebox, which recently performed at the Super Bowl in New Orleans.

Baton Rouge Police Chief T.J. Morse, said over the last several days his detectives interviewed over a dozen people and executed multiple search warrants as part of the wide investigation into the case. As they were conducting this investigation, one of the suspects, identified as 23-year-old Caleb McCray, turned himself in with his attorney. Police Chief Morse says the suspect now faces serious charges related to the hazing incident.

THOMAS MORSE JR., CHIEF, BATON ROUGE POLICE: McCray has been charged with criminal hazing and manslaughter. Again, this is still an active and ongoing investigation with more arrests forthcoming. Right now, we have two additional suspects that we are drawing up warrants for and working with their attorneys to turn themselves in.

ROMO: In a statement obtained by CNN Affiliate WBRZ, Caleb McCray's attorney said the following. "At this time, I have not been presented with any evidence to support such serious accusations. I maintain my client's innocence and urge the public to withhold rushing to judgment until all evidence is heard."

[05:50:02]

Southern University students, faculty, and friends of the victim came together during a vigil held Wednesday to honor the memory of Caleb Wilson. His father, Corey Wilson, was in attendance and remembered his son saying that he loved music and that when they got access to his apartment, his uniform was out and ready for Mardi Gras season and the upcoming sporting events at Southern University.

Southern University and A&M College have suspended the fraternity's campus chapter and all Greek life pledging for the rest of the school year. In a statement published on Facebook, Chancellor John K. Pierre said that every campus Greek organization has been informed that no additional membership intake can occur for at minimum the remainder of this academic year.

Rafael Romo, CNN Atlanta.

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KINKADE: Well, we're going to have much more news in just a moment. Stay with us. You're watching CNN.

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KINKADE: The final weekend of college basketball regular season saw number one Auburn suffer its second loss of the week. The Tigers were defeated by arch rivals Alabama in heartbreaking fashion Saturday. Neither team could score in the final minute and the game went into overtime.

[05:55:02]

For the final seconds, ticking away, Alabama's senior guard Mark Sears hit a runner from the free throw line at the buzzer to deliver a 93-91 win for the Cremson Tide.

And in a finish that was just as wild, St. John's cemented its Big East dominance by snatching victory away from Marquette. The game was tied the whole way with the Golden Eagles showing they'll be a team to reckon with in the big dance.

St. John's trailed in the final seconds before a layup from RJ Luis Jr. tied the game to force overtime. The Red Storm went on to beat Marquette 86-84 at the overtime buzzer.

In basketball, a clash of the NBA Titans last night. The home team Boston Celtics defeated West Coast rivals the Los Angeles Lakers 111- 101. And that brought L.A.'s eight-game winning streak to a screeching halt. The Laker nation could face a much bigger issue.

Towards the end of the fourth quarter, the King LeBron James suffered a groin strain. Lakers head coach JJ Redick said he was concerned about the superstar's injury but provided no other updates.

And finally, NASA delayed the launch of its newest space telescope, SPHEREx, Saturday 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 throughout April.

Well, thanks so much for joining us for this edition of CNN Newsroom. I'm Lynda Kinkade. Great to have your company.

For those of you in the United States, Canada, CNN This Morning is next. For those of you overseas, Marketplace Asia is coming up right after this short break.

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