Return to Transcripts main page
Early Start with Rahel Solomon
Some Flights Resume In Qatar, Thousands Stranded By Conflict; 2 Men Facing Federal Charges After Bombs Tossed Into Crowd; Cuban Students Stage Rare Protest Over Energy Shortages; 5 Iranian Women's Soccer Players Granted Visas In Australia. Aired 4:30-5a ET
Aired March 10, 2026 - 04:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[04:33:21]
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Welcome back. I'm Becky Anderson from our Middle East programming headquarters here in Abu Dhabi and the UAE. Time here just after 12:30. It is just after midday in Tehran and just after 4:30 a.m. in Washington.
And the White House offering contradicting updates on how long the war with Iran might last as the second week of this fighting rages on. On the one hand, President Trump says the conflict will end, quote, "very soon." New videos like this one released by U.S. Central Command show supposed strikes on Iranian military targets. A team in Tehran reported heavy aerial bombardment overnight near the capital's Mehrabad Airport. But despite the U.S. and Israel strike on the country, President Trump says, quote, "we haven't won enough."
Well, this comes as Iran is ramping up attacks on neighboring Gulf countries. Bahrain's Ministry of Interior says one person was killed and eight more have been wounded after an Iranian strike on a residential building.
Israel has ordered a mass -- a further mass evacuation in southern Lebanon as it continues airstrikes and what it calls raids on Hezbollah targets in the country. Hezbollah says it launched rockets into northern Israel just after midnight. On Tuesday, the Lebanese president, Joseph Aoun, is calling now for direct peace talks with Israel. In a statement on Monday, he rebuked the Iran backed Hezbollah for betraying the country. He also accused Israel of showing, quote, "no respect for the laws of war."
We are getting a sense of the staggering toll of that war. Lebanon's health ministry says at least 486 people have been killed across the country, including 83 children. The United Nations say -- says that nearly 700,000 people have been displaced from their homes, 200,000 of those are kids.
[04:35:19]
As the conflict in the Middle East intensifies, thousands of travelers do remain stranded throughout the region. Some airlines are now working to reopen limited flight routes to travel hubs in the Gulf to help passengers finally get back home soon. CNN's Bijan Hosseini live from Doha, Qatar with more on that.
Bijan.
BIJAN HOSSEINI, CNN SENIOR PRODUCER: Hi, Becky. Yes, we are seeing more and more flights both into and out of the region. A huge sigh of relief for those passengers that have been stuck here for the last 11 days since this conflict began. We know at the beginning of all this there are hundreds of thousands of passengers stuck in the Middle East. More than 11,000 flights were canceled at one point across 10 countries.
But we are seeing things slowly start to return to a sense of normalcy even here in Doha, traffic a lot busier than anything we've seen over the last 11 days. We're seeing a lot more footfall, a lot more pedestrians walking around on the streets, more businesses opening and more people heading into the office. So all good signs they're moving in the right direction. And obviously these flight resumptions are a big indication of that as well.
We know that this area is absolutely vital for the air travel industry. These massive hubs, Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi, they will help transit tens of millions of passengers each year. They connect east to west and west to east and they're absolutely vital. We know specifically here in Doha, there was 8,000 passengers that were stranded when Iran's retaliation began on February 28th. We actually went to Doha's airport yesterday.
We spoke to some of these travelers that were able to get on some of these flights. Among them was a couple, Derek and Madeline, flying to England. They were originally flying from Goa in India back to England when they were stuck here. Speaking to Derek, he has heart problems. He ran out of his heart medication.
He missed two very important meetings with doctors back in the U.K. So to hear their story, among the stories of others and being able to see them finally get back on these flights and get home is obviously movement in the right direction. We know yesterday Qatar operated flights to 10 cities. Today that number has risen. They are flying to 16 destinations.
So again, movement in the right direction and a big sigh of relief and hope for these people that are still stranded here. Becky.
ANDERSON: Yes. And similar stories here in the UAE with the carriers who are based and operating to and from here. It's good to have you, Bijan. Thank you very much indeed.
All right, let's get you back to New York and to Rahel.
RAHEL SOLOMON, CNN ANCHOR: All right. And Becky, we'll be back with you soon. Thank you.
Protests are rare in Communist Cuba, yet some students felt that one was the only option in the middle of a crippling energy crisis. Still ahead, we'll have a report from the demonstration in Havana. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[04:42:58]
SOLOMON: Welcome back. Two men are facing multiple federal charges after a pair of homemade bombs were tossed into crowds during protests here in New York over the weekend. CNN's Gloria Pazmino has more on the investigation and what charges the men face.
GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the two suspects, Ibrahim Kayuni and Amir Balat, are facing five federal charges, including providing material support to a terrorist organization and using a weapon of mass destruction. We heard earlier today from law enforcement officials describing just how dangerous and potentially devastating this incident could have been had those devices detonated when they launched them into the crowd. We know that they recovered at least three devices. One of them was tested and was found to have had explosive material inside of it. Also, it had nuts, nails, screws and bolts.
And had it detonated, that material would have acted as shrapnel. Officials here today saying that could have caused devastating and potentially deadly injuries to those who had gathered outside of Gracie Mansion. We heard from Mayor Zohran Mamdani condemning the incident and also saying that those involved should be held fully accountable.
Now we're also learning a little more about the two suspects. They are 18 and 19 years old. One of them is a high school senior. And were told by law enforcement officials that one of them told the police after he was arrested that he had been inspired by ISIS and that he watched ISIS propaganda on his cell phone. All of this happening as New York City is in a heightened threat -- state right now given the military action happening in Iran.
Police officials have said that there is no direct nexus so far that's been found to the military action in Iran, but they have deployed additional law enforcement resources around the city to guard high profile sites given the incidents on Saturday. All of this unfolded during a protest that was billed as anti-Muslim protest. I should mention, of course, it was held not only in front of the mayor's home, Zohran Mamdani, the first Muslim mayor elected here in the city of New York, but also during the holy month of Ramadan. The mayor also condemning that protest, which drew a large crowd of counter protesters, which is when scuffles broke out and when the individuals launched that device into the crowd.
[04:45:41]
Gloria Pazmino, CNN, New York.
SOLOMON: U.S. President Donald Trump says that Cuba is in deep trouble and has contemplated the nature of a possible U.S. takeover.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It may be a friendly takeover, it may not be a friendly takeover. It wouldn't matter because they're really in -- they're down to, as they say, fumes. They have no energy, they have no money. They're in deep trouble on a humanitarian basis.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOLOMON: President Trump also says that he trusts Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is negotiating with Cuba. His remarks on Monday came as more than 20 students at the University of Havana staged a rare hours long protest over class disruptions. The U.S. oil blockade of the island has contributed to a near collapse of Cuba's electrical grid. Cuba announced in January a range of measures, including pandemic style distance learning that officials said would assure continuity for students. But the students who took part in that sit in say that those measures aren't enough.
CNN's Patrick Oppmann has more.
PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: So this would be a pretty unremarkable scene anywhere else in the world, a group of students doing a sit in at a university demanding better conditions. In Cuba, this kind of thing is just simply not allowed. And so around us, there's a lot of university officials, government officials, people who are quite clearly plain, close police. Only about 20 some students here wouldn't be a big deal, except the Cuban government knows that in other countries when you've had moments of tension like we're experiencing right now, all you need -- all you need is a spark. And so these students at this moment say that they can't study because the power is out so often, that the Internet has become so expensive and so unreliable.
And those are among the many complaints that many of the people on this island share at the moment. We've seen protests at night taking place. People bring out pots and pans, beating those pots and pans to get the lights back on. And so that is a situation that is happening right now in Cuba. The government, of course, blames the problems here on the Trump administration's increased sanctions on this island.
But there are people here who feel the government has a role to play that can make things better, and they are demanding those changes.
Patrick Oppmann, CNN, Havana.
SOLOMON: Iran's national women's soccer team is facing an uncertain future after an on field incident made them a target of the Islamic regime. We'll have more on their story straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[04:52:45]
SOLOMON: Welcome back. Five members of Iran's women's national soccer team, known as the Lionesses, have been granted humanitarian visas in Australia. Public broadcaster ABC says that the other teammates have recently arrived at Gold Coast airport escorted by police. The team supporters had raised fears that the players may face consequences upon their return to Iran. Australian officials say that they have extended further offers of assistance to the team if needed.
CNN's Christina Macfarlane explains how a moment on the field turned these athletes into targets of the Iranian Islamic regime.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHRISTINA MACFARLANE, CNN SENIOR SPORTS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As Israeli and American bombs began falling on Iran, a group of women were thousands of miles away on a soccer pitch in Australia. On March 2, just days into the war, the Iranian women's national team had come to the Gold Coast to play in the AFC Women's Asian Cup. But what they did next was an act of sporting bravery that has made them targets at home and icons to millions who oppose the regime watching from abroad.
Their tournament had barely begun when the team made a decision to stand in silence as their national anthem played. Back in Tehran, state T.V.'s reaction was swift.
This host calling the move a pinnacle of dishonor, saying they were traitors during wartime who must be dealt with more severely. For some of the players, the drama off the pitch became too much to contain.
SARA DIDAR, IRANIAN WOMEN'S SOCCER PLAYER (through translator): Obviously, we're all concerned and sad at what's happened to Iran and our families and our loved ones, but I really hope it's very good for our country to have good news ahead, and I hoped that my country would be strongly alive.
MACFARLANE (voice-over): Three days later, something had changed. Before their second game in Australia, the players sang the anthem and saluted, prompting fears of coercion by travelling Iranian minders.
MARZIYEH JAFARI, IRANIAN HEAD COACH: We have so much concern regarding our families and the people in Iran. Nobody loves war, but here we are coming to play football professionally and we do our best to concentrate on our football and match ahead.
[04:55:00]
MACFARLANE (voice-over): Eliminated from the tournament, with the team bus surrounded by supporters chanting, "save our girls," focus turned to whether any of the players would look to defect. Earlier Monday, the answer came, news that five women had fled the team hotel and are now, a source says, seeking asylum under the protection of Australian police. The story has now reached the very top with U.S. President Donald Trump posting about the player's possible fate, congratulating the Australian prime minister for doing a, quote, "very good job."
Christina Macfarlane, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOLOMON: And thanks for joining us. That'll do it for this hour. I'm Rahel Solomon live in New York. Stick with us because I'll be back with Becky Anderson for more coverage of the war with Iran right after this break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[05:00:00]
