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Isa Soares Tonight
Israel Admits "Serious Violations" Led to Aid Workers' Death; A 4.8 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Northeastern U.S.; Mexico Prepares To Pick Next President; Mexico's Election To Shape Relationship With U.S.; Countdown to Monday's Rare Total Solar Eclipse; $30M Stolen From Los Angeles Money Storage Depot. Aired 2-3p ET
Aired April 05, 2024 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[14:00:00]
ISA SOARES, HOST, ISA SOARES TONIGHT: A very warm welcome to the show, everyone, I'm Isa Soares. Tonight, Israel admits serious violations and
mistaken identification led to the killing of seven aid workers in Gaza. We've got those details for you. Then a 4.8 magnitude earthquake shakes the
northeastern United States.
New York officials say no one was injured luckily, and work is underway to ensure this city is safe. We'll have a live update for you from Downtown
New York this hour. Plus, Mexico gears up for its biggest ever general election. A look at who is in the running just ahead.
But first, this evening. Israel is acknowledging serious failure due to mistaken identification, releasing an internal investigation into the
attack on aid workers in Gaza that triggered outreach from right around the world. The IDF say they mistakenly believed two Hamas operatives were
traveling in a three-car convoy of World Central Kitchen workers.
The charity had coordinated, as you know, their movements with the IDF. But Israel says forces -- Israel says forces did not identify their cars
despite their large logos, so you can see there on your screen. The convoy was bombed three times in three separate locations.
The IDF tells CNN forces thought a passenger had a weapon slung over their shoulder, they now believe it was a bag. Two Israeli officers have been
dismissed. Well, World Central Kitchen calls the report an important step and is demanding an independent investigation. The U.S. says it's carefully
reviewing Israel's findings. Have a listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANTONY BLINKEN, SECRETARY OF STATE, UNITED STATES: It's very important that Israel is taking full responsibility for this incident. It's also
important that it appears to be taking steps to hold those responsible accountable. Even more important is making sure that steps you're taking
going forward to ensure that something like this can never happen again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Secretary Blinken there. Well, U.S. President Joe Biden warned Israel's Prime Minister yesterday, there would be consequences if Israel
failed to take concrete steps to protect innocent life in Gaza, and as well, allow more aid in. And just hours later, Israel announced it would
reopen the Erez Border Crossing to allow aid shipments into northern Gaza.
It also agreed to use the port of Ashdod for aid, and said it would allow more trucks from Jordan to enter through the Kerem Shalom Crossing. Israel
previously said it did not restrict aid into Gaza, has also dismissed warnings of a looming famine.
Dozens of people have already died from starvation. The charity Oxfam estimates Palestinians in northern Gaza had been surviving on just 245
calories per day. That is since January. That's less than a can of beans. Well, Nic Robertson is following all these trends for us and all the
developments from Jerusalem, and he joins us this evening.
And Nic, let's start first on what on this internal report from the -- from the IDF. This was a string of failures clearly from the IDF, and an
admission of those failures from them. But does this report answer all the questions, all the questions that we had in your view, Nic?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: And it appears not to answer the questions in many people's view. It's not an independent
investigation, it's one conducted by the idea, they say that this was a grave mistake, the misidentification of vehicles, the misclassification of
what was actually happening on the ground.
They admit to it being a grave mistake. They say it was out with the protocols of the IDF's rules of engagement. But here's a point no one knows
what those rules of engagement are, because the IDF doesn't make them public, and they also say that the rules of engagement change.
It's interesting that the report details how the IDF saw a gunman they say, on an aid truck. That's a big truck carrying the aid. And then saw another
gunman, and then they saw those three SUVs with the aid workers, leaving the warehouse where the trucks had been to offload, and they mistakenly
thought that the government was now in one of those vehicles.
[14:05:00]
That's what they said in the public report. But then separately, they brief -- the part of the reason for that confusion was that they mistakenly
thought that one of those people in the vehicles had something over their shoulder that they thought was a weapon that turned out to be a bag.
So, it's a sort of a bit of a slicing up and a drip of the information that government is promising there will be more information. This is just the
initial, but it doesn't go all the way to answering the questions. And I think one of the important questions that it doesn't answer here for the --
certainly for the World Central Kitchen whom the IDF showed a video to support this investigation.
And the World Central Kitchen said, OK, we're seeing that video, but we're not sure, we're not convinced. We don't see a gunman there. They couldn't
see it. And this is video that the IDF says supports their narrative. So, yes, there are unanswered questions at the moment.
SOARES: Yes, one of those, of course, is the fact that we know from World Central Kitchen they were in coordination with the IDF. So, that still
means -- begs some huge questions as to why the commanders and not understand, you know, who was in those cars that look, Nic, what is -- what
is -- what is real is that the killing, of course, of these World Central Kitchen aid workers has left many outraged, including, I should say,
President Biden, who was -- who called yesterday on Prime Minister Netanyahu to take specific concrete as well as measurable -- their words,
steps to ease the civilian suffering as well as protect aid workers. Talk to the crossings now that they're being opened.
ROBERTSON: Yes, what the Prime Minister's office here said yesterday was that they would open the Erez Crossing. Well, when Secretary of State
Antony Blinken was here two months ago, he asked specifically that the Erez Crossing should be opened and it wasn't.
So, now, clearly, the pressure does seem to that President Biden has applied at this moment, does seem to be having an effect. But let's break
down the Erez Crossing a little bit here. It was one of those places on the border that Hamas attacked on October the 7th.
But it is mostly used or was mostly used. It's been shut since October 7th for Palestinian workers to come and go from Gaza into Israel to work and
back at the end of the day. It is not typically like the other Crossing, Kerem Shalom. It is not typically used for the passage of heavy-goods
vehicles, humanitarian aid trucks in this case.
So, it's not physically at its most ready, although the IDF's been there today preparing for that. And I think there's another point here to look at
as well. The Prime Minister's office says that Ashdod Port can be used to import humanitarian goods.
Well, the government said that back in the middle of January, and what happened, protesters came a few weeks later and blocked those U.S. -- the
trucks carrying U.S. flour from leaving the port and getting to Gaza. So, I think when the White House says we need to see how this plays out on the
ground, words enough, don't do it for us.
I think this really tells you that they've got to see this actually work, and how it's going to work because there's so much that can go wrong or not
just not work particularly well, not to meet the needs of those 300,000, 400,000 starving Gazans right now --
SOARES: Yes --
ROBERTSON: In the north of Gaza.
SOARES: Yes, and it seems not just U.S. in the last what? Thirty minutes or so, Nic, the EU's Josep Borrell, that's a foreign -- EU's foreign policy
chief said that Israel's new aid corridors is not enough to prevent starvation, he went on to say. He said that the decision the government --
Israeli government's decision to open the humanitarian corridors comes after, quote, "widespread condemnation of the death of the seven World
Central aid workers are mounting international pressure."
But in his view, not enough to prevent starvation. This is Josep Borrell of the EU. Nic Robertson for us in Jerusalem this hour, thanks very much, Nic.
Well, Norway is among the countries calling the situation in Gaza a man- made disaster. It says Israel's use of military force is having a disproportionate impact on civilians and a ceasefire is needed now.
Norway's Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide joins me now from Oslo. Foreign Minister, welcome back to the show. I want to get your reaction, if I may,
to the conversation that I was just having with our correspondent in Jerusalem there, Nic Robertson, about this internal report by Israel's
military following their strikes on World Central Kitchen and their seven aid workers.
They said it was a case of mistaken identity. They believed they said they were targeting Hamas operatives in that aid convoy. What do you make of the
reports of the reasoning of this investigation and the reasoning given.
ESPEN BARTH EIDE, FOREIGN MINISTER, NORWAY: Well, of course, this is a horrific event in the tragic war where we see too much death and
destruction all the time. And I think that what the attack on the World Central Kitchen aid workers had just brought home to us how -- you know,
how easy it is for the Israeli forces to fire at people they believe to be or think are terrorists.
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And what seems to be not very convincing evidence, to put it mildly. And of course, this is tragic in itself. It has increased the critique of Israel's
operations, and it also undermines what we really need to do more of now, we should get much more humanitarian support into Gaza, particularly north
Gaza, where we have real mass starvation.
So, this is a terrible situation that just got worse, but the only good thing about this tragic situation, it does seem that the level of critique
and the messaging from the entire world, including some of Israel's closest allies, is now being stepped up, that you cannot continue to behave like
this.
We really need to move towards a ceasefire, and --
SOARES: Yes --
EIDE: From their own to humanitarian aid and eventually a political solution.
SOARES: Yes, and like you said, Foreign Minister, not very convincing. The World Central Kitchen as you would have heard my conversation with Nic
Robertson there, as you well know, was in coordination, they said with the IDF. We've also heard from other NGOs that this wasn't an isolated
incident, we heard today from the U.N., exactly on that front.
I wonder whether in your view, this raises questions about the IDF's not only conduct in Gaza, but also its rules of engagement, because if this was
a case of mistaken identity, I suppose it begs the question, how many more cases of mistaken identity have there been?
EIDE: No, exactly, because there are after all many wars in the world. There have been many wars in which humanitarian workers have been able to
operate. And the way you do that is that you share with the war in fractions of what you're doing, where you're doing, where you're going.
But in this war in Gaza, we've seen a shocking amount of humanitarian workers being killed, Palestinians and internationals U.N. workers, other
agency workers. There's a very high level of death and destruction among the very people there to help, whether they are nurses, doctors, aid
workers.
And this really begs the question, you know, what is it that is going wrong here? Because Israel -- you know, most of us who are saying that Israel, of
course, has the right to defend itself --
SOARES: Yes --
EIDE: Against terror. But, you know, defend yourself against terror does not authorize you to break the principles of international humanitarian law
of distinction and proportionality. And this is what many of us and more and more countries are now saying that Israel is going way too far in the
conduct of its operations, and we need to move on to a different place from there -- from here.
SOARES: And of course, like you said, Foreign Minister, six westerners died here, but 30 -- over 30,000 Palestinians worth bearing in mind have
been killed in Gaza. Do you believe what happened with World Central Kitchen? Is this a turning point in your view?
Because I'm hearing frustration, Foreign Minister, from world leaders including from President Biden, who told Prime Minister Netanyahu to take
steps to ease the humanitarian crisis in Gaza or losing U.S. support. So, I'm hearing the frustration, but they're not a policy commitment. What are
your thoughts?
EIDE: Well, of course, we don't know exactly what was said on that phone call, but it seems to be one of the toughest calls from Biden to Prime
Minister Netanyahu. And as latest yesterday, I was together with most of my western Foreign Minister colleague at the NATO meeting in Brussels, and I
could really feel that the frustration, even among those who has been most supportive of Israel until now, is that this is really going too far.
So, something is moving here when it comes to not whether Israel has the right to defend itself, which is -- has to be the way it's been doing it
for almost six months now, after the terrible terrorist attack on the 7th of October, which we should never forget was the immediate cause of this.
SOARES: Yes --
EIDE: But Israel as any other state has to behave by the principle, the key rules of international humanitarian law, and the key rules of warfare
and international law, and this is where the critique comes out, and the effect of this, of course, is that those people actually there to go in
there risks their life to help the starving people of Gaza are now wondering whether they can still send people, where they can still operate
in this environment, given that even if you coordinate with the Israeli --
SOARES: Yes --
EIDE: Defense forces, you might be attacked because somebody with a drone --
SOARES: Yes --
EIDE: Sees a gun, where there -- apparently it's no gun.
SOARES: And that is the fear. We've also heard today following that call between President Biden and Prime Minister Netanyahu, that crossings Israel
said it would reopen as you know, Foreign Minister, there, its border crossing to allow more aid shipments into northern Gaza.
[14:15:00]
The port of Ashdod as well is going to be open, and Kerem Shalom as well. But we've heard in the last half an hour from the European Union's foreign
policy's chief Josep Borrell. He said that Israel's new aid corridors are not enough to prevent starvation.
I wonder, you know, you have written a notepad for the "New York Times" earlier this year where you made the case as to why the world needs to
stand by UNRWA. Of course, many countries have already halted shipments to UNRWA, included the U.S., Norway has stood by those commitments. Explain
why?
EIDE: Well, because we -- you know, we were also appalled by the reports that members of the staff of UNRWA local employees could have been involved
in the terrorist attacks, and these people should be fired and punished, of course. But we did not think it was a good idea to punish the entire
Palestinian population, many of whom are dependent on UNRWA's services.
What I'm glad to see is that country-after-country, among those who suspended their support for UNRWA are now coming back. We've had Canada,
Australia, Japan, the other --
SOARES: Yes --
EIDE: Nordic countries, a number of countries are now back in support of UNRWA and transferring the money and wanting to keep up this key lifeline.
I should say, by the way that it is a good thing in itself that the Erez Crossing is being opened. It seems to be after strong pressure from the
U.S.
I know that crossing, I've been crossing over myself between Israel and Gaza on Erez, it's not really a truck route. It's more a personnel route,
but it is a small opening. But we need to see more of this because the proof licensing there -- you know, eating here, we need to see the number
of trucks and the quality of aid coming in.
It's much easier, cheaper, better and faster to drive in from Israel or Jordan or Egypt than to fly in and drop by planes or by sea transport. But
it's really important now that Israel contributes to an increased aid effort. And I hope that this opening, this sign of some openings of Erez
and Kerem Shalom is -- could be a start of some cooperation also from the Israeli side here.
SOARES: Yes, we'll keep across it, of course, so this weekend as those crossings open. Foreign Minister, always wonderful to have you on the show,
thank you very much, sir.
EIDE: Thank you for having me.
SOARES: Now, to that morning jolt felt across the northeastern United States, a 4.8 magnitude earthquake hit New Jersey earlier today, it was
also felt in New York, Connecticut and other states, all the way down to Washington D.C. Now, the quake caused some disruption in regional airline
travel.
Planes are now being allowed to take off and land in Newark International Airport. After a pause, the rare quake briefly interrupted a U.N. Security
Council hearing, and you can see the picture shaking there during testimony on Gaza. Major League Baseball cameras even captured the quake during
batting practice for the New York Yankees.
So far, there are no reports of major damage. The mayor of New York urged residents to carry on with their plans for the day. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAYOR ERIC ADAMS, NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK STATE: All of us felt in some way or another, the earthquake that hit our city around 10:23 a.m. We felt
the impact of this bullet 4.7 magnitude earthquake, the epicenter. I was in Lebanon, New Jersey, about 50 miles from New York City, and as you noticed,
this is a developing situation where you're always concerned about aftershocks after an earthquake.
But New Yorkers should go about their normal day.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: New York mayor there. Let's get more, Polo Sandoval joins me now from New York. So, Polo, just explain how strong those tremors were felt
and how widely of course, it was felt.
POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So, Isa, if you take a walk through Times Square, you'd hardly notice the events from earlier today. It is
business as usual, though it's certainly heavy on the minds of both New Yorkers and tourists alike, especially you consider information from the
U.S. Geological Survey estimating that roughly 23 million people in and around the region felt some degree of shaking earlier this morning, about
9,000 of them feeling pretty violent-shaken.
And we've seen some videos from homes, not just here in New York, but in neighboring New Jersey and beyond. In terms of what was felt here on the
streets of New York, it really depends on who you ask. I have spoken to people who certainly felt it earlier this morning.
I myself didn't feel a thing, so it really depends on where those people were, were they indoors? Perhaps, that's certainly a factor here, that's
certainly important here. But one of the key points to highlight right now, which you touched on just a short while ago, New York City Mayor Eric Adams
along with the Governor of New York, Kathy Hochul, saying that so far, their assessment has revealed no injuries, no sort of damages.
So, it's really not so much destructive, but certainly disruptive when you consider that the airport control tower in neighboring New Jersey and
Newark had to be evacuated temporarily.
[14:20:00]
There were some ground stops that were in place, but then in terms of the mass transit system that's in place, which is why millions of people from
around the world who travel here every single day. We do know that about seven bridges sit, owned and operated by the Mass Transit Authority,
they're actually designed to withstand seismic events beyond the four- pointed magnitude earthquake that rocked New York City this morning.
So, that's certainly key to consider tunnels as well. That being said, they are still in the assessment phase, still conducting inspections and also
still recommending people to continue to be on alert should there be any aftershocks experienced? But as one of the heads of Emergency Management
said in New York just a few hours ago, the risk of any aftershocks, although significant ones, that remains low, Isa.
SOARES: Sandoval there for us in New York, appreciate it, thanks, Polo. President Biden is in Baltimore at this very hour in fact, surveying the
damage of last month's devastating bridge collapse. Just moments ago, he was given an aerial tour of the wreckage.
The president plans to speak with the families of the victims who lost their lives that day, six bridge workers died when a massive cargo ship
plowed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge. The fallout from the collision is expected to have a major impact with one of America's biggest sports.
Our senior White House correspondent, Kayla Tausche is in Baltimore with the latest. And Kayla, what -- talk us through what are we expecting to see
from the president and hear from the president later today?
KAYLA TAUSCHE, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Isa, President Biden is just in a few moments about to begin an operational briefing from
local officials here in Baltimore to discuss the salvage and recovery efforts in the Patapsco River where the Dali Ship has been sitting for
nearly two weeks since it collided with the Key bridge and that bridge collapsed.
Now, they'll also be discussing the economic recovery of the region and plans to reopen the channel here so that traffic on the water can begin
flowing again. This is of course, a major port on the eastern seaboard of the United States, and it's responsible for quite a bit of waterway
commerce in this region as well.
Then, we're going to expect President Biden to make remarks here at the podium just behind me on the banks of the river with the bridge wreckage in
the background and then meet with the families of the six victims who are working on the bridge when it collapsed early last week.
Those workers were immigrants and the U.S. government is currently working with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and their families to
provide some closure in the form of in some cases, humanitarian parole so that the families can visit the United States and at least, in one case,
the repatriation of the body of one of the victims back to his home country.
That's according to Tom Perez; he's the White House's head of Intergovernmental Affairs. When President Biden speaks, though, we expect
him to pledge the full support of the federal government to call on Congress to swiftly approve an authorization for the federal government to
pay for the entirety of the recovery and rebuild.
That's a message that President Biden has been sounding for the better part of two weeks, and we expect to hear it again today. Isa?
SOARES: Kayla Tausche there for us, thank you very much in Baltimore. And still to come tonight, the biggest election in Mexican history, we'll look
at the candidates defining the presidential race ahead of this weekend's debate. Plus, the countdown is on for the solar eclipse.
We'll go to Texas to see how one small town is preparing for an influx of sky-watchers. Both their stories after this very short break, you are
watching CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:25:00]
SOARES: Well, it is the biggest election in Mexico's history. And this weekend, the presidential candidates are going head-to-head in a televised
debate to make their case to more than 98 million Mexican voters. Two women have topped the polls in the race to be the next president. Claudia there,
Sheinbaum and Xochitl Galvez.
Migration, crime and the legacy of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador will define this year's elections, which will take place on June the 2nd.
To understand who is who in this presidential election, I'm joined now by CNN correspondent Gustavo Valdes in Saltillo in northeastern Mexico.
Gustavo, great to see you. So, for the first time, just for our viewers right around the world here, we are most likely going to see a first
Mexican -- first woman president, right? Let's talk about the candidates, because from what I saw, Gustavo, Claudia was leading in one of the latest
polls, but how different on from Claudia's perspective here, on Claud, just focus on Claudia, or her policies from AMLO.
GUSTAVO VALDES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, that is the big question because she continues to say on every campaign event that she wants to continue the
policies of Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who founded the political party Morena that Sheinbaum represents.
Ten years ago, this party didn't exist a decade ago, but now, it's such a political power that the rest of the traditional parties has to form a
coalition and nominate a unified candidate just to remain competitive.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CLAUDIA SHEINBAUM, MEXICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
VALDES (voice-over): Claudia Sheinbaum wants to make history as Mexico's first female president.
SHEINBAUM: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
VALDES: She has a comfortable lead in the polls, running as the candidate of the ruling party, Morena. Her main challenger is Xochitl Galvez, who
represents a coalition of opposition parties. Jorge Alvarez Maynez; a former congressman is in a distant third place. Whoever wins the June
election will shape the future of the Mexico-U.S. relationship.
DUNCAN WOOD, MEXICAN INSTITUTE AT THE WILSON CENTER: There is no bilateral relationship in the world that matters more to the lives of Americans than
the relationship with Mexico.
VALDES: Duncan Wood is senior advisor of the Mexico Institute at the Wilson Center in Washington. He says it's not surprising that border-
related issues like trade and drug trafficking are key, with migration being top of the list.
WOOD: Making sure that Mexico continues to be a good partner on migration will be very important and absolute priority.
SHEINBAUM: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
VALDES: Claudia Sheinbaum makes no secret that she would continue the leftist, nationalist, populist policies of current President Andres Manuel
Lopez Obrador.
SHEINBAUM: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
VALDES: Favoring coordination over subordination. But Wood says Mexico's cooperation with the United States has not been the best in recent years.
WOOD: U.S. government officials feel as though there has been an under- investment in the relationship by the Mexican government over the past six years.
XOCHITL GALVEZ, MEXICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
VALDES: Xochitl Galvez believe that the Mexican President has used migration to blackmail the United States, threatening to facilitate the
transit of migrants who want to get to the States whenever American officials say or do something he doesn't like. She vows to engage in
meaningful negotiations with the White House.
WOOD: We're looking at a much more open approach to bilateral relations, a return to a more institutional approach.
VALDES (on camera): Also in play, the future relationship of Mexico with China as Beijing continues to increase its investments in Latin America.
WOOD: And it offers an opportunity for Mexico perhaps to diversify a little bit away from the United States. It represents a risk perhaps to
Washington as well, and it's been observed very closely here.
VALDES (voice-over): But Mexican voters are not the only ones who will decide the future of the bi-national relationship. Whoever wins the
November elections in the United States and his personal relationship with the next Mexican president will be also a big factor.
Jorge Martinez, professor of economics at Monterrey's Technical Institute, says that one thing is perception and another reality. He says perception
is that Trump would have a more adversary relationship with Mexico given his rhetoric, but he managed to negotiate a new trade agreement with Mexico
and Canada. In the end, the tone of the bi-national relationship might be defined by the personalities of the next presidents.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GUSTAVO VALDES (on camera): Now Sheinbaum has a large lead on the polls, so that's what the polls are saying, but what voters might want to see is how
she is unscripted, how she thinks on her feet. Most of the events right now have been scripted, protected. She's always reading off a prompter or a
script. There is very little variation, so people want to see who she really is. They don't really want to know if they are going to continue
with the leftist traditions or policies of Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, and then we have to see if the few undecided voters really can make the amount
to go against what's working for Mexico, because the reality is that the economic -- reality in Mexico has improved.
They have a strong currency. Migration from Mexico or Mexicans to the states also has not increased, so it's a very important dynamic for the
local voters that obviously is going to reflect north of the Rio Grande.
ISA SOARES, CNN ANCHOR: And they'll see those candidates, of course, in that face-to-face presidential debate this weekend to get a better sense,
of course, of the candidates and their policies.
Gustavo, always great to see you. Thanks very much. Still to come tonight, the solar eclipse is just days away, but the weather might throw a
curveball at those looking to glimpse the rare event. We'll explain next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:35:51]
SOARES: The total solar eclipse is just days away and eclipse mania, well, it's well underway. Millions of people are gearing up across Mexico, the
United States and Canada to catch a glimpse of the phenomenon.
It will be the last one in the U.S. until 2024 and local governments across the eclipse zone are making preparations for the residents and the influx
of visitors, of course, they are expecting. I want to go now to one town expected to be in the path of totality for the first time in 145 years.
Bonham in Texas, Pamela Neighbors, owner of Neighbors Place Winery, plans on throwing an epic watch party and she joins me now.
Pamela, welcome to the show. Right, tell me about this epic party. What are you planning?
PAMELA NEIGHBORS, OWNER, NEIGHBORS PLACE WINERY: Thank you for inviting me. So, we have a lot going on this weekend. We're in preparation for a lot of
visitors coming to town. So we are doing a totality sip and shop on Saturday from 1:00 to 5:00 and then we'll have live music that evening and
then Sunday we're going to do a blind wine tasting between 1:00 and 5:00. It's a ticketed event, but you're more than welcome to come and enjoy and
just hang out with us anyway.
And then on Monday, we're going to do our eclipse watch party. So we have plenty of lot -- like there's three lots here. We have exclusive wine, a
specialty drink, live music. We have all that planned and ready to go for when our visitors come to town in North Texas, in Bonham, Texas.
SOARES: What's your specialty drink?
NEIGHBORS: So we have our eclipse wine. It's a blackout cherry. You can buy this here locally at the winery. And then we're also doing a special drink,
which is any kind of dry red wine over lemonade, which gives that eclipse effect.
SOARES: Nice.
NEIGHBORS: That will be on the day of, yeah. A really refreshing drink. It's not too sweet. So if you're not into the sweets and you're more on the
dry side, that would be a really nice combination.
SOARES: It seems that you are very busy. And just for our viewers, Pamela, watching around the world, Bonham has a population, I understand, of over,
what, 10,000 people. How many visitors are you expecting here?
NEIGHBORS: We're estimating anywhere from 10 to 20 in the county, in Fanning County, 20,000 that is. So, a big influx.
SOARES: Yeah, where is everyone -- I mean, it might be a bit crowded. Where is everyone staying? Is there enough accommodation or are they likely to
camp out, Pamela?
NEIGHBORS: So we have two hotels that are already booked. One of the new apartments in town has not been fully furnished for rental, but they did
convert them into Airbnbs and Vrbos. And then there's also a lot of RV and camping sites that are available.
The Bonham State Park is already sold out. So we've accommodated and we started some houses into Bnbs -- or Airbnbs.
SOARES: Yeah, good business opportunity, clearly. But look, as we said, the path of totality, it will be in the path of totality, I should say, for the
first time in 145 years. And that's the moment, just for our viewers, that the totality when the moon's desk will completely cover the sun. And I'm
told that it's going to last three minutes, a total of three minutes.
I mean, I can't imagine. Clearly, it's an opportunity. It's a mega party, a business opportunity. But I can't imagine how excited the little ones might
be right now.
NEIGHBORS: Yes. Right. Yes, we're all excited. This will be my first experience myself. So, I want to be able to open up my space to everybody
that's coming in from out of town and to my local customers already. So we've decided -- because we're typically not open on a Monday, we decided
to go ahead and open. And so we can experience this on with our customers to make this memorable event great for everybody.
SOARES: And I've been hearing that it could be a bit cloudy, and we'll get to our Chad Myers at the Weather Center in just a moment. But I hear it
could be a bit cloudy. Will that spoil the party, Pamela, in your view?
[14:40:02]
NEIGHBORS: Oh, no, absolutely not. When we're all together and we're all having a good time, we're experiencing this together. We're all just going
to be having a great time anyway. We have live music. They're going to enjoy the wines that we provided for them.
And then, you know, when everybody's together, we're all just loving the moment. That's what's really going to count.
SOARES: It sounds absolutely fantastic. Well, the best of luck with this epic watch party. Pamela, thank you very much.
NEIGHBORS: Thank you.
SOARES: Thank you. Well, on Monday, as Pamela and I were just discussing that the sun could be overshadowed by more than just the moon, Mother
Nature's throwing some curveballs with the weather forecast. Unexpected cloud cover may cause some chaos for those who have planned the best
viewing spots across the United States. Our Chad Myers joins me now.
And Chad, as you heard there from Pamela, she doesn't think that the cloud's going to spoil the party. How bleak, how long will it last, this
cloud?
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: There is going to be a trick. I talked about this the other day and my wife said I've never heard of that before. So,
I'm going to kind of put back, in case you weren't watching a couple of days ago.
When the moon starts to cover the sun, it is going to begin to cool down. And when it cools down, even if you are under a cloud deck, that cloud deck
can actually evaporate because you lose the rising motion of the air. So you can't give up on it.
I know by the time it gets there, you know, you're 15 minutes away, you're not going to get in the car and just try to find a hole in the clouds. But
if the clouds can go away and they just thin just a little bit for you, that would certainly be a big help.
The rain is down here across parts of Texas, right where that party is going to be. Now, if the clouds aren't that thick and you can actually see
through it, even if it's blocking out 50 percent of the light, you'll still be able to see the sun through it with your glasses on, of course. But a
lot of the models have been just the same all week long, the European and the American model.
I mean, for six solid days, they've been forecasting here down to the south, all the way through Texas and even up into Arkansas, that will be
where the cloud cover is. There should be and could be a break here across the Ohio Valley and then very, very good across parts of New England.
Yes, there could be some showers and that would be part of the problem. A bigger problem because if you have clouds that are making showers, they are
thicker. It's not just some scattered, broken or isolated cloud out there that when it goes by, you've got three minutes, the cloud goes by in two,
you still see the whole thing for a minute. If it's raining, that's where the problem is going to be.
And yes, there are showers in the forecast. And even later on in the afternoon, there could be bigger thunderstorms because it is springtime in
America and we get storms just about, well, every other day or so, Isa.
SOARES: Chad, let's hope none of this spoils the party. Thank you very much. Appreciate it.
Well, join us on Monday for the total solar eclipse as it travels from Mexico through the eastern United States and into Canada. Maybe some cloud
there as you heard from Chad, maybe a bit of rain, but you can experience a total eclipse from numerous locations, of course, plenty of science as well
as excitement along the way.
Our special coverage starts at 12:00 p.m. Eastern, 5:00 p.m. if you are here in London.
And still to come tonight, an update on search and rescue efforts in Taiwan, after a massive earthquake struck the island earlier this week. We
have the latest next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:46:02]
SOARES: It is early Saturday in Taiwan where authorities are still looking for several people following Wednesday's massive earthquake. Before poor
weather conditions forced rescue workers to stop on Friday, they were looking in the hard-to-reach mountainous areas. Officials say hundreds of
people remained stranded and at least 10 people have died. Search and rescue efforts are expected to pick up again in the coming hours.
CNN's Ivan Watson visited the quake zone and has this report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
IVAN WATSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A daring mountain rescue. One day after Taiwan is pummeled by a powerful earthquake,
emergency workers struggle climbing over treacherous landslides, trying to bring victims home. Among those initially stranded, dozens of miners in two
remote quarries.
On Thursday, authorities announced their successful rescue, some choppered to safety. "There were too many rocks falling like bullets from above,"
this miner says, "We didn't know where to run."
The aftermath of some landslides visible from a moving train. Many paved roads to the disaster zone are still blocked, but on Thursday, the railways
resumed service.
WATSON: It has only been a day since this powerful, deadly earthquake rocked Taiwan, and already, this train to the epicenter is running on time.
WATSON (voice-over): In the small city of Hualien, residents still coming to grips with the earthquake's damage. Though there are some scenes of real
destruction, it also feels like this earthquake-prone community is quickly bouncing back.
The city government set up this temporary shelter in an elementary school.
WATSON: This is your home?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Living room.
WATSON: There's a -- there's a hole in the wall.
WATSON (voice-over): Wang Mei-Fen (ph) is camping out here with her husband and mother.
WATSON: Do you feel safe staying in Hualien?
WANG MEI-FEN, HUALIEN RESIDENT: I'm not afraid. I was born here.
WATSON (voice-over): Among those here, the mayor of Hualien, who was injured in the quake.
WATSON: What happened? "A cabinet fell on me," he says. He attributes the relatively low death toll in his city to advanced preparation.
WEI CHIA-YAN, MAYOR OF HUALIEN, TAIWAN (through translator): Here in Hualien, we grew up with earthquakes. Our teachers and relatives always
taught us how to react when earthquake strike. So we've known about this since we were kids.
WATSON: This ruined building is a terrifying example of the power of Wednesday morning's 7.4 magnitude earthquake. But look down the road here,
and you see that most of Hualien is not damaged. It is lit up, intact, and very active.
WATSON (voice-over): Amid these scars, an impressive display of community resilience.
Ivan Watson, CNN, Hualien, Taiwan.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: And still to come tonight, a closer look at how our furry friends might react to Monday's solar eclipse. That story up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SOARES: Well, police in Los Angeles are investigating one of the biggest heists in the city's history. $30 million in cash was stolen from a money
storage depot in the San Fernando Valley on Easter Sunday.
The burglars managed to get into the building and open the vault without setting off alarms. A law enforcement source says investigators will look
closely at whether the robbers had prior knowledge of the facility.
Well, with just three more days until the total solar eclipse across North America, it's not just humans that need to prepare but animals too.
Laura Meader from affiliate CBC News has a story from Charlottetown in Canada.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LAURA MEADER, CBC NEWS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's a normal day out here now, but on Monday at eclipse time, it will be much different out
here.
Christina Hare doesn't expect her dog to notice but they won't be out here walking during it.
CHRISTINA HARE, DOG OWNER: I'm not really concerned because she does sleep really well during the night so I don't think it'll throw her off too much.
She might have a nap and I'll make sure to maybe not take her outside during that time.
MEADER (voice-over): Specialists in animal behavior say an eclipse can cause pets or farm animals to act differently, especially if they're
already nervous.
KAREN OVERALL, ATLANTIC VETERINARY COLLEGE: This could set them off just a little bit. The big response that is reported is one of non-specific fear
or anxiety simply because this is so uncertain.
MEADER (voice-over): Dr. Karen Overall says animals often act as they would at nighttime, but they might also think it's a storm, which could be
stressful. For larger animals, having some kind of shelter or a barn can help.
Trainers at this Charlottetown track plan to keep their horses in the barn, which is also a darker environment.
MYLES HEFFERNAN, HORSE OWNER AND TRAINER: I'm not necessarily -- I don't really know if it would harm them or not, but to be honest, I just keep
them in the barn and just when it kind of passes and then kind of go about your everyday thing pretty well.
MEADER (voice-over): Myles Heffernan says it makes sense to protect human and animal eyes, and vets agree.
OVERALL: There are people who will have goggles for their dog.
MEADER (voice-over): This veterinarian says it is harder to control larger animals, but pets should be kept inside if they're at risk of looking at
the sun.
OVERALL: Some animals are far more sensitive to different types of light than we are. So, you know, you'd want to be -- you'd want to be a little
careful there.
MEADER (voice-over): In the past, researchers have reported birds gathering on the ground and looking at the eclipse and some primate animals in zoos
have pointed at it and cows have thought it's milking time.
Experts say it's good to plan ahead to keep animals safe.
SOARES: And finally tonight, a celebration of one extraordinary woman. That's right, you're looking at her on your screen. Jane Goodall, the
renowned primatologist has turned 90 years old.
And in honor of her birthday, 90 female photographers have put this stunning collection of photographs up for sale. There are some 90 images in
total, each really showing remarkable moments in the natural world, a world, of course, as you know, that Jane Goodall has spent her life really
dedicated to not only covering it, but all understanding and conserving it.
[14:55:03]
The Jane Goodall Institute, which works to protect chimpanzees and their habitat, will receive 60 percent of the profits. Really, truly stunning
images there.
And we want to show you this, a tiny, and staying with the animal theme, as you can see here, a tiny Italian island with no hotels, no roads, but it
seems loads of goats. Alicudi, which is near Sicily, is home to only about 100 people, but has been overrun by, what, get this, 600 goats. And they
invade homes, they try to climb walls, and then really, as you can see there, or whatever they can find.
The mayor has had enough and basically wants to fix the issue with an Adopt a Goat Program. If you are interested in taking up 50 goats, well, go ahead
and apply.
But here is the catch. You have to be able to catch them. Applicants have 15 days to get their goats and get them off the island. Just think of all
that milk that you could have, of course, and just a friendly goat to spend some time with you. Apply. Go ahead. Let me know how you --how you get on
and whether you catch them.
That's it for us. Thanks very much for your company. Do stay right here. "NEWSROOM" with Jim Sciutto is up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
