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Quest Means Business
Leaked Documents Fallout; US In Damage Control Mode After Classified Information Leaks; Investors Looking Ahead To US Inflation Data This Week; Rescue Operations For Hundreds Of Migrants Trapped At Sea; Fox News Reaches Settlement With Venezuelan Business In Election Defamation Case; Raid On Al-Aqsa Mosque Prompts Days Of Violence. Aired 3-4p ET
Aired April 10, 2023 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[15:00:25]
ZAIN ASHER, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: Welcome, everyone. Very little movement on Wall Street, Monday. Let's take a look and see how the Dow is
doing. Pretty much flat. It has been seesawing a little bit all day, but again, basically flat right now. The S&P 500 and the NASDAQ are slightly
lower as well.
Those are the markets and these are the main events: Investors look ahead to a busy week at the start of earnings season, and fresh inflation data as
well.
The Pentagon is trying to determine the scale of a leak of classified documents online.
And an inside look at the restoration of Notre Dame Cathedral in France.
Coming to you live from New York, it is Monday, April 10th. I'm Zain Asher in for Richard Quest, and this is QUEST MEANS BUSINESS.
All right, good evening.
Tonight, we are monitoring the situation in Louisville, Kentucky, where at least four people were killed in a shooting at a bank. Officials are
scheduled to hold a press conference any minute now. We'll bring that press conference to you when it happens.
The Pentagon says it is still working to determine the scope and scale of recent Top Secret Intelligence leaks. Many of the documents appear to have
come from within The Pentagon. Some expose the extent of US eavesdropping on allies like for example, South Korea, Israel, and Ukraine. Others reveal
America's penetration of the Russian Ministry of Defense and the Kremlin's private army, the Wagner Group.
Oren Liebermann joins us live now from The Pentagon.
So, Oren, just walk us through what we learned from these leaks in terms of weaknesses within the Russian military and Ukraine's military as well.
OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: There are a number of different topics covered within the 53 pages CNN has reviewed, and one of
the great concerns of the Defense Department and the entire US government and the Biden administration is that there may be more out there already,
or more that may be coming.
Remember, this was on a chat messaging platform known as Discord for quite a number of weeks before it was disseminated further, and it was only at
that point that the US government and the highest levels, highest officials in the government became aware of it.
In fact, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and President Joe Biden were briefed just late last week, when the documents had already been leaked for
quite some time here. In terms of what's in here, first, there is an incredibly detailed assessment of Ukraine's military, or at least parts of
Ukraine's military, including their capabilities when it comes to air defense, how much ammunition they have, how long that ammunition might last
to defend Ukraine's skies, and then a detailed look at some of the offensive actions Ukraine has taken, some of the results of Russian
strikes, information that would be incredibly helpful if it fell into Russian hands for them to see what's happened there.
Even if some of this is a bit dated, some of the dates on these documents from late February to early March, it would still be incredibly valuable in
the wrong hands, and that is the sort of damage that might come from this, as well as compromising how this information was received, whether it's
through human Intelligence, or sources, or signals Intelligence, which might lead for example, the Russians to change how they are communicating
and make it impossible to pick up on those signals again.
But some of these documents are damaging from a completely different perspective, because as you pointed out, they reveal the extent or at least
to some extent, US spying on allies such as Israel and South Korea, internal deliberations.
Some allies have sort of shrugged it off, while South Korea said they wants an explanation for this, and to look at how this came about. And because of
that, the US government is looking and reaching out to allies and partners to make sure that there is no damage to the relationships and to work
through if there have been some issues because of that.
So there is a rather large effort now, not only, of course, a criminal investigation from the Department of Justice to figure out who was behind
this, but then to make sure this doesn't happen again, and to make sure that relations with allies and partners remain in good standing.
So, the extent of the damage here is still being figured out, but you see some of it playing out very much in real time.
ASHER: And Oren, how might Russia and Ukraine actually change some of their military tactics as a result of the information contained within
these classified documents?
LIEBERMANN: So Ukraine has brushed some of this off as disinformation, but a source close to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says they
have changed some of their military plans because of the leak of the documents, specifically because it gives Russia a look at what Ukraine is
capable of, what Ukraine has in reserves, levels of casualties, and that so would have incredibly granular detail, even if some of it is a little bit
dated, a month-and-a-half old or so perhaps, a bit older and is still very valuable to Russia.
[15:05:07]
LIEBERMANN: On the flip side, there is also information about Russian casualties within these leaked documents. So that sort of information, also
valuable to Ukraine, a look at what Russia might have in store. So that information tells you where to conduct tactical and strategic operations,
how best to do that. So it could very much affect the way Ukraine and Russia go about plotting this war, even if some of it, a little bit older
than sort of a day of right now assessment.
ASHER: All right, Oren Liebermann live for us there, thank you so much.
And let's bring in CNN military analyst, retired Colonel Cedric Leighton joining us live now. He has more than 25 years of experience as an
Intelligence officer in the US Air Force.
Colonel Leighton, thank you so much for being with us again. I just spoke to you a few hours ago, but just the fact that some of the pages within
these documents appear to be doctored, what does that tell us?
COL. CEDRIC LEIGHTON (RET), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: So it tells us several things. So the initial dump, it appears to have been on this platform
called Discord. From there, it went into three areas. It went through the 4chan messaging board system, and then from there, it made its way into
Twitter and Telegram.
Especially on telegram and to some extent on Twitter, Russian accounts, seem to have propagated these revelations of these documents, and as a
result, what we're seeing is that some of these documents have actually been altered.
For example, as Oren was mentioning, the casualty counts on the Russian and Ukrainian side, they basically reversed the numbers in just some extent,
they made the Ukrainian losses seem much worse than we normally assess, and the Russian loss is much better than we normally assess. So that is one
example of the types of things that they've been doing.
They're also using some of this information to sow discord in Africa, among some of the countries in Sub Saharan Africa and in the Sahel region. So
this is an area where there is a lot of effort being made to, in essence, move the diplomatic goalposts and move them more in the favor of Russia, as
opposed to the United States and Ukraine and the NATO alliance.
ASHER: I mean, there's been, obviously so much that has been revealed with these documents in terms of what has leaked in them. I mean,
everything from the US spying on its allies to the fact that the Wagner Group was trying to get ammunition from Turkey.
Just walk us through what is the most useful piece of information that we're getting from these documents in terms of how it might benefit the
Russians. What would be the most useful information for the Russians?
LEIGHTON: So I think from a tactical perspective, the most useful information that the Russians could glean from this would be some detailed
reporting -- Intelligence reporting on what the Ukrainians are intending to do, so that would allow the Russians and set up more defensive perimeters.
You know, it'd be interesting, for example, to see if the deployment of some of the anti-tank barriers in Southern Ukraine and Eastern Ukraine was
based on some of this information, so that would be just one example of what could happen.
The other thing that's very interesting --
(AUDIO GAP)
LEIGHTON: . the Ukrainians are experiencing.
ASHER: Okay, it looks as though.
Oh, Colonel, do we have you back? Colonel, we lost you for a second.
LEIGHTON: Yes, I am here.
ASHER: Hopefully, we have -- okay, continue your thought. I'm sorry, I apologize.
LEIGHTON: Oh, no worries, Zain, but the main thing here is that, you know, so when the Russians look at this, they're looking at things like the
shortages of the ammunition -- of the Ukrainian ammunition, and they are using that to calibrate some of their attacks in particular around Bakhmut.
I could see the Russians using this information to determine how much and how often they would be firing their weapons into the Bakhmut area to
attack the Ukrainian positions there, so that's the kind of thing that they could use with this and, of course, it becomes very dangerous for the
Ukrainians from a tactical perspective.
ASHER: All right, Colonel Cedric Leighton, thank you so much for being with us. Appreciate it.
All right, turning to the markets now, investors have started the week with one eye on the past and certainly one eye on the future as well.
Take a look here, you can see how the Dow Jones has moved today. I mentioned earlier that it really has been seesawing. It's that kind of a
day.
It's the first session, though, since the latest US Jobs Report showed slowing, but certainly a resilient labor market. We have about 50 minutes
left to trade. The Dow is now up around 50 points.
The broader S&P 500 is flat, the NASDAQ is off by 15 points or so. It's been dragged down by Apple, Alphabet, and Tesla. The latter fell about
three-and-a-half percent off announcing it will cut prices again on some of its electric vehicles.
[15:10:03]
ASHER: Wall Street is also looking ahead to a big week in business. The Spring Meetings of the IMF, and the World Bank began in Washington today
and will run all week.
We're getting crucial inflation data from the world's two biggest economies on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday and bank earnings take off on Friday
with JPMorgan, Citigroup, and Wells Fargo all reporting.
Boy, what a busy week it's going to be.
Sarah House is a senior economist at Wells Fargo. She joins us live now from Charlotte, North Carolina.
Sarah, thank you so much for being with us. Let us talk about the Jobs Report that we got on Friday. I mean, it does show somewhat of a cooling
beginning, but boy, oh, boy, is the labor market resilient in this country, despite what the Fed is doing.
Do you think what we saw on Friday in terms of Jobs Report represents a turning point in terms of how the Fed reacts going forward?
SARAH HOUSE, SENIOR ECONOMIST, WELLS FARGO: That's right.
So we're still seeing a very strong labor market here in the United States. So 236,000 jobs added over the past month. So, that is a step down from the
roughly 360,000 pace we saw over the prior 12 months, but that is still well above what we saw over the last cycle average.
But I think the direction is important as we think about where monetary policy goes ahead, so we're seeing not just in the jobs numbers that we got
on Friday, but really an array of data pointing towards the fact that the labor market is cooling overall, as well as we are looking at some
inflation data that suggests that, at least over the coming months, we should start to see a more market slowing that suggests that the Fed is
probably near the end of its tightening cycle.
ASHER; And just in terms of inflation, more specifically, I mean, stickier inflation has really been hard to get rid of. We get new data out
on Wednesday, what are you expecting inflation wise?
HOUSE: Right. So we we're looking in terms of overall inflation, a little bit of a friendlier print, but a lot of that has to do with the recent drop
in gasoline prices that moved through March.
So since then, we've seen gas prices move back up, so it's really not indicative of necessarily where the trend is going forward. But if you look
at the core Consumer Price Index, so excluding some of those more volatile items like food and energy, what we're expecting there is still another
pretty strong current, so 0.4 percent, and if you're looking at what that means for just the rough run rate of inflation in recent months, still
probably somewhere close to five percent, still well above the Fed's target and still not enough to keep up with wage growth that we're seeing here in
the US labor market.
ASHER: Jerome Powell has talked consistently about hoping for a soft landing in terms of raising interest rates without hurting the economy too
much.
A soft landing looked possible for quite a while, but given what we're seeing in terms of banking troubles, the turmoil in the banking sector, do
you think a soft landing is still possible?
HOUSE: It was never going to be easy. So essentially, to pull off that soft landing, you had to get growth to slow just enough below potential,
but not so much that it actually turned negative and that is a pretty difficult thing to do when you only have potential GDP running close to two
percent.
So there is not a wide margin for error in that dynamic, but to some extent, I think the Jobs Report suggested that it's maybe not going to be
quite as hard of a landing as perhaps previously thought where you have labor supply coming back that is taking some wage pressures off of the
table, or at least lessening them for businesses, and so that's going to help bring inflation down without necessarily having to see outright
declines in job growth.
But I think just given how high inflation is, how long it has been elevated, so that the potential that it becomes entrenched, it is still
more likely than not that we will see a recession here in the United States, and our expectation is that probably comes somewhere in the back
half of this year.
ASHER: And given as you point out how entrenched inflation is, and also just how resilient I mean, the labor market is, you know, the numbers that
we're seeing, even though it's slightly lower, the numbers that we saw on Friday prove just how resilient the labor market is.
Do you anticipate that -- how much do you anticipate, I guess, the question is that the Fed is going to have to continue to raise rates by and how long
for?
HOUSE: Well, the Fed recognizes that when they change monetary policy, it doesn't necessarily show up in the economy right away, and so as they take
into consideration how much they've already raised rates, we've already seen 475 basis points of tightening this cycle. I think we're still getting
close to the end of that tightening phase of the cycle to where the Fed gets to a point where they're ready to just sit and see how the medicine
takes.
So we're still looking for one more 25-basis-point hike here in May, but we think that between that and June meeting, you're going to get two more
labor market reports, two more inflation reports.
We think we'll start to see enough softening in that data that the Fed is comfortable with where overall policy is and that they can sit and be
patient and let it fully take effect on the broader economy.
[15:15:18]
ASHER: All right, Sarah House, live for us there. Thank you so much.
All right, still to come here on QUEST MEANS BUSINESS, an iconic American brand could soon be a thing of the past.
Tupperware says it is in danger of going out of business after 77 years. Nathaniel Meyersohn explains it after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ASHER: Tesla has announced plans for a new battery factory in Shanghai. The plant will produce Tesla's mega pack systems, which are designed to
store renewable electricity for later use. The company says the new factory will be able to produce up to 10,000 batteries a year.
Julia Chatterley asked Wedbush analyst, Dan Ives how a Shanghai plant fits into Tesla's plans.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JULIA CHATTERLEY, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR, "FIRST MOVE": We often talk about the importance of China for Tesla's longer term and medium term
ambitions, put this announcement in context for us.
DAN IVES, ANALYST, WEDBUSH SECURITIES: Yes, Julia, it's the hearts and lungs of the Tesla story, I mean, both from a demand perspective as well as
production, this is really them doubling down on China, especially when it comes to battery technology.
You know, it is obviously noteworthy given the geopolitical tensions, but ultimately, I mean, this continues to be a tight rope they are walking, but
China is really the Tesla growth story looking ahead.
CHATTERLEY: Yes, and this is about potentially feeding the grid wherever you are in the world. So these kinds of, and this kind of battery power
could be transformative for broader energy provision, not just for electric vehicles. It's still your favorite disruptive tech name, despite some of
the, let's call it, volatility.
IVES: Yes, I mean, look, obviously, this year so far has been a great year in terms of the stock for Tesla. I think it was over sort of last
year, but I think, a lot of that was sort of the Twitter overhang that started to dissipate, look, ultimately my view, you know, this is still the
early stages of just a massive transformation.
I think the biggest transformations for the auto industry since 1950s and Tesla continues to lead that race. This is really them flexing their
muscles and even though they're Cutting Prices In Terms Of model Y, as well as Model 3, I think that's the right strategic move to put an iron fence
around their customer base.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[15:20:04]
ASHER: Tupperware, the brand that gave US housewives a way to make some money could be a thing of the past.
(BEGIN "THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL" VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ladies, these are some of the finest plastic products on the household market today.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are you sure?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There's so much to choose from. There's so many convenient sizes, so many different colors and you are going to want it
all.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: In the 1960s, a Tupperware party from the TV show "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" there.
Tupperware says it is running out of cash and may not be able to turn the business around. The 77-year-old brand says that it is considering layoffs
to save money. Tupperware stock price is taking a major hit, as well, down now, almost 50 percent.
Nathaniel Meyersohn is in New York for us.
So, Nathaniel, I actually did a poll and spoke to some of my colleagues in our office and no Tupperware, people have brands like OXO, for example.
Let's see, this one is Rubbermaid. This one is Stanley. Nobody has Tupperware.
So just explain to us why the company is struggling so much, and can it turn things around?
NATHANIEL MEYERSOHN, CNN BUSINESS REPORTER: Yes. And this is Glasslock, another to Tupperware. We couldn't find any Tupperware in New York either.
So yes, this is a brand, an iconic American brand that's fallen on hard times. We're really watching the decline of this iconic brand. The stock is
down about 50 percent today, after it warned that it could file for bankruptcy, if it doesn't raise enough cash to stay in business.
You have all this competition that squeezed the company. It hasn't remained relevant with younger shoppers, and it didn't really expand into some of
these major retailers like Walmart and Target, and so that's why we're seeing this decline.
ASHER: It's interesting, isn't it? I mean, where did things go wrong for Tupperware? I mean, it is 77 years old. As you point out, it is a hugely
iconic brand in this country. It was started -- I mean, it's named after the founder itself, a man named Earl Tupper. Just explain to us where
things really went wrong.
MEYERSOHN: So yes, so the brand started in the 1940s, as a way to keep food fresh and it had this kind of pioneering business model where it held
Tupperware parties, particularly women would introduce the brand to other women, show demonstrations, how to use it.
So it recruited this army of women to kind of get the word out about the brand, which was this revolutionary sales tactic. But ultimately, it hurt
the brand, because it didn't get into some of the major retailers that focused on this direct selling model, and as retailers got bigger and
bigger, you have the competitors start to move into some of those stores, and so that combined to hurt the company.
ASHER: And Tupperware is not the only US consumer company under pressure right now. We are seeing quite a few bankruptcies in the sector. Why?
MEYERSOHN: Yes, so this is -- right, this is not the only company. We see Party City file for bankruptcy in the US, Tuesday morning, which is a major
retailer and then Serta Simmons, the major mattress manufacturer, and then Bed Bath and Beyond is on bankruptcy watch. It is closing about 500 stores.
Customers right now, they are pressured by higher inflation, rising costs, and so they're pulling back on discretionary purchases, including on
Tupperware and so that's hurting some of these discretionary companies, and so we could expect to see a tough year ahead for more retailers.
ASHER: All right, Nathaniel Meyersohn live for us there, thank you so much.
Okay, we have new details about the Coronation of King Charles next month. The celebration is set to include crowns and carriages galore, all while
Britons actually suffer the worst cost of the living crisis in decades.
CNN's Bianca Nobilo has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BIANCA NOBILO, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It is less than a month now until the Coronation of King Charles III and we're learning more
details about what to expect. The first of two processions will be the journey to the service from Buckingham Palace, which will be undertaken in
the Diamond Jubilee Stagecoach. Built in Australia, it is fitted with a yellow silk. It is significantly taller than a standard car on the road
today, with a huge crown on top carved from a Royal Navy 18th Century naval flagship. It is lit inside, so the crowds will be able to get a good look
at the sovereign.
The second Coronation procession will involve the Gold State Coach, which has been used in every Coronation since William IV in 1831. It stands at
four meters tall, seven meters wide and weighs four tons, meaning it could only move at a slow walking pace.
Marrying the ancient and sacral with the modern, there is now a new emoji for the occasion, a crown that's based on St. Edward's crown, which King
Charles III will be wearing for his Coronation, that comes up to five pounds in weight.
[15:25:06]
NOBILO: The Gold Carriages and Crown sit uncomfortably within the context of Britain's cost of living crisis, which is why the Palace has been keen
to underscore that this will be a slimmed down Coronation with an emphasis on volunteering and giving back to the community.
Bianca Nobilo, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ASHER: The 1998 Good Friday Peace Agreement brought an end to three decades of conflict in Northern Ireland known as The Troubles. But a
quarter century on, conflict remains, and it may be on the upswing again.
We'll have more on that next on QUEST MEANS BUSINESS.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ASHER: Hello, everyone. I'm Zain Asher. There is more QUEST MEANS BUSINESS in a moment when we'll bring you the latest from the US State of
Kentucky after a shooting at a bank killed several people, and we'll take a look at the old techniques being used to rebuild the iconic, Notre Dame
Cathedral.
Before that though, this is CNN, and on this network, the news always comes first.
Rescue is in the French Alps have recovered a sixth body from Sunday's deadly avalanche near Mont Blanc. Officials believe there are no other
victims buried in the snow. The local Mayor says it was the season's deadliest avalanche. People killed with skiing with backcountry guides.
Former US President Donald Trump is trying to keep his former Vice President Mike Pence from testifying to a Federal grand jury about the
January 6th riots. A source tells CNN that Trump has filed an appeal claiming his conversations with Pence are covered by executive privilege.
Pence could be called before a grand jury as early as this week.
And Italy's Coast Guard says operations are underway in the Mediterranean Sea to rescue hundreds of migrants who have been stranded for more than 24
hours, one boat carrying 400 people was taking on water and was at risk of capsizing; a second boat had 800 people on board.
Fox News has now settled one defamation lawsuit over the 2020 presidential election. A Venezuelan businessman had accused the network of making false
claims that he rigged the election against Donald Trump. FOX News still faces a $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit from Dominion Voting Systems, which
will go to trial in just days.
[15:30:39]
Earlier this hour police in Louisville, Kentucky revealed a suspected gunman who killed four people at a bank this morning was an employee. At
least two officers were hit while exchanging fire with a suspected shooter. He died at the scene. Police say the investigation is ongoing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JACQUELYN GWINN-VILLAROEL, INTERIM LOUISVILLE METRO POLICE CHIEF: White male, 23 years of age who was employed at Old National Bank. His weapon of
choice was a rifle. We have five total deceased which includes him. But I want to acknowledge with heartfelt condolences, prayers to the family of
those who lost their life today.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: The governor of Kentucky just spoke moments ago. He says a good personal friend was among those killed in the bank robbery.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. ANDY BESHEAR (D-KY): Well, I heard today and while I will grieve when I'm able, I'm also grateful. I'm grateful for an incredibly quick response
from LMPD, the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, Louisville Fire and Rescue, Louisville Metro EMS getting to this scene in three minutes. I'm
convinced saved other people's lives and I know save two other of my friends. One I received incorrect information this morning I thought it was
gone. And I'd started to mourn.
And now I know he's OK. And when I got to see in the ER, that while it's going to take him a while to heal. It was so good to see my friend. See him
there with his wife and know he is still with us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: The Palestinian Authority wants the U.S. government to step in and stop what it calls an invasion of settler militias on Palestinian land. The
comments came as thousands of Israelis marched and as -- in illegal outpost in the occupied West Bank. Settlers want to overrule a deal made under the
leadership of Naftali Bennett where Israelis would abandon the area. Among the marches was Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-
Gvir.
And in the stunning about face, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a short time ago that he will not fire Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for
proposing proposed judicial reforms that have wreaked havoc in Israel. Instead, Netanyahu says he will keep Gallant in his government and keep
working for the security of Israel. Fred Pleitgen has details on Mondays March and what's driving the latest round of escalating tensions.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Amid an already highly charged atmosphere, thousands of Israeli settlers
marched in the West Bank to an abandoned settlement called Eviatar, demanding to open it back up.
DOR LEVI, PRO-SETTLEMENT DEMONSTRATOR: We're ready to fight for it. If it needs to be with our enemy, if it need to be with our government, because
nobody will disconnect that from this land.
PLEITGEN: Eviatar is classified as an illegal outpost by Israel's government built on land, Palestinians say they own. But now even members
of Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet are marching here, like the far-right national security minister whom we met.
He who is strong and Eviatar will be strong in Tel Aviv, he told us. We won't get into terror, not in Eviatar, not in Tel Aviv.
PLEITGEN (on camera): Through large turnout here at this demonstration and the folks who came here, they do feel that there is a government in power
in this country now that's more sympathetic to their demands. And they demand that they be allowed to have more settlements in this area.
TZIPORAH PILTZ, PRO-SETTLEMENT DEMONSTRATOR: Even though they have many, many Arabs settlements over here, but this area is the land of the bible.
OK? Over here, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob went and walked through this area, so we want to purchase the continuations of them.
PLEITGEN (voice over): But the violence continues to spiral where crisis started when Israeli security forces raided the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem
to twice last week arresting hundreds of people.
[15:35:04]
Israel answered a barrage of rockets fired from Lebanon and Gaza with airstrikes and even this weekend things didn't stop. Israeli war planes and
drones bombed positions in Syria after several rockets were fired from there towards the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. In Monday, the Israeli
military shot and killed a 15-year-old boy, Mohamed Fayez Balhan in another part of the West Bank, the Palestinian Ministry of Health says.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): They shot him in the head during the raid. What will happen to us? What is going to happen to our
Palestinian people?
PLEITGEN: The Israeli say their forces were attacked during an anti-terror raid in the village. Back near the abandoned settlement, Palestinians who
say they own this land confronted Israeli security forces as the settlers were marching. Vowing to build even more outposts with high members of
Israel's government backing their quest, despite the risk of further inflaming a country and a region already on the break.
Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Jerusalem.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ASHER: U.S. President Joe Biden heads to Northern Ireland on Tuesday to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Peace Agreement. The U.S.
broken deal helped bring an end to decades of sectarian violence but not everyone is celebrating the occasion. Police in Northern Ireland say their
cars were hit by Molotov cocktails during a pro-Irish parade in Derry on Monday. No injuries were reported.
But police are urging calm ahead of the controversial anniversary. Our Nic Robertson reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR (voice over): Erin McArdle is a peace baby. The first Catholic born minutes after Northern
Ireland's 1998 Good Friday peace agreement was signed.
ERIN MCARDLE, NORTHERN IRISH PEACE BABY: (INAUDIBLE) is really special. It's something that I'm very proud of.
ROBERTSON: Putting an end to decades of bloodshed. Her mother hoping Erin wouldn't face the dangers known as The Troubles as she did.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We were still very skeptical, will this work?
MCARDLE: They always stayed about home just because of the bombings and the shootings and that. So, I think yes, for me personally, the Good Friday
Agreement has made my life very happy and very safe.
ROBERTSON (on camera): This is where the deal was signed. I was outside that night. The ground was freezing underfoot that inside here the mood
thought. Former U.S. Senator George Mitchell sent over by President Bill Clinton did what had been impossible for 30 years with more than 3000 lives
lost. He negotiated a peaceful end to the sectarian bloodletting.
So, what does it mean to you that your father used to paint murals like these here?
JOEL KEYS, POLITICAL ACTIVIST: I think it's great to get kind of in a way let some love forever.
ROBERTSON: Joel Keys is another peace baby, a Protestant.
ROBERTSON (on camera): Has the Good Friday Belfast agreement delivered for you?
KEYS: I don't think so. What the Good Friday Agreement did was took away the bombs and bullets but it had nothing they address people's mindsets.
ROBERTSON (voice over): Despite helping the economy, the Good Friday Peace Agreement has so far struggled to shift historic divisions. Protestant,
tending to be pro-British and some Catholic's aspirations for united island.
[02:35:03]
KEYS: What peace Canada looks like nowadays is, oh, I'm a Protestant. I've got Catholic friends but we just don't talk about that stuff. And that's
peace. But I think that's pseudo peace. That's false peace. We should be able to have strong conversations with each other.
ROBERTSON (on camera): But so many barriers to conversation remain. Most schools are still segregated and remarkably, these peace walls are not only
still here, they're taller and longer than they were before the peace deal. Real tensions exist.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) could have been nor could have been difficult situation (INAUDIBLE) we're going to lost a daughter, like you
know what I mean?
ROBERTSON: In Derry, 12-year-old Ella McClay, a Protestant school girl tells us how a group of Catholic children beat her up.
ELLA MCCLAY, PROTESTANT SCHOOL GIRL: (INAUDIBLE) and they were like you're proud to know.
ROBERTSON: Your products and that's what they were saying.
The video her parents share with us is brutal. Police say they're investigating the incident as a sectarian attack. A shocking reminder of
life before the peace deal. There are other reminders too. These marches coming out to support a group that police believe tried to kill one of
their officers in February.
Parading through Belfast, just days ahead of President Joe Biden's visit. Hardline groups that rejected the Good Friday Agreement haven't gone away.
[15:40:05]
ROBERTSON (on camera): It's because of groups like this one that the British government has recently raised its terror threat level here in
Northern Ireland from substantial to severe from a threat likely to a threat highly likely.
ROBERTSON (voice over): For Erin and most people here despite imperfections Northern Ireland's cup is more than half full.
MCARDLE: And half a year or so, I like to stand right there and other ladies.
ROBERTSON: Nic Robertson, CNN, Belfast, Northern Ireland.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ASHER: After days of military drills that raise already high tensions with Taiwan. China is taking unprecedented steps with its simulated strikes.
That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ASHER: China says its military is ready to fight after wrapping up three days of large-scale military drills around Taiwan which included simulated
airstrikes on the island. The exercise is seen as a warning to Taiwan started one day off the Taiwan's President returned from a 10-day visit to
the U.S. and Central America. Selina Wang has more.
SELINA WANG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: China launched three days of military exercises around Taiwan after the island's president met the U.S. House
Speaker. China's military said the drills create and all-around encirclement of the island and simulate precision attacks on key targets.
And reaction to the military drills, Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said China's "provocative measures have clearly challenged the
international order, undermine peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait and the region."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WANG (voice over): China's fighter jets fly around Taiwan skies. Military ships sail off its coast. China says it simulating precision attacks on key
targets in Taiwan.
While Beijing has not launched any missiles. Its military released this animation showing missiles fired from land sea and air into Taiwan to have
them explode in flames.
Beijing is showing the world its fury, launching the three days of military exercises around Taiwan after the islands President Tsai Ing-wen met with
U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California.
For the first time, it appears Chinese simulated strikes with war planes that took off from an aircraft carrier. This video shows Taiwan's Coast
Guard confronting a Chinese ship.
[15:45:01]
The Taiwanese sailor says, you are now seriously damaging regional peace, stability and safety. Please turn around immediately and leave. If you
keep proceeding forward, I will take eviction measures. We encounter highlighting the risks of any miscalculation in the Taiwan Strait.
Beijing ceased these democratically-ruled Taiwan as a part of its territory that will eventually be reunified with the mainland. Chinese military said
the drills are "A serious warning against the Taiwan separatist forces collusion with external forces and unnecessary move to defend national
sovereignty."
Experts say Beijing is normalizing military activity around the island. It already sends military jets and ships around Taiwan every day.
On China's heavily censored social media, some are commenting that the drills do not go far enough. One writes, let's just take Taiwan. Another
says if you're not going to attack, then don't waste taxpayer money. When then U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan last summer, China
responded with military drills that simulated a blockade. For the first time, China even fired missiles over the island.
Experts say the military response this time is more restrained because the meeting between Tsai and McCarthy was held on American soil to avoid
provoking Beijing.
REP. KEVIN MCCARTHY (R-CA): Today I'm honored --
WANG: Both Washington and Taipei have called the visit just an ordinary transit stops but the symbolism was undeniable.
TSAI ING-WEN, PRESIDENT OF TAIWAN: We're stronger when we are together. With Washington support for Taipei only growing, Beijing's anger will only
intensify.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WAMG: On China's third day of military exercises around Taiwan, the U.S. Navy sent a destroyer close to a contested Island to the South China Sea.
Now Beijing claims the island is theirs and called the move illegal. Meanwhile, the U.S. says it can operate wherever international law allows.
So, it's not just Taiwan but the South China Sea is another source of tensions between the U.S. and China.
And with these latest exercises around Taiwan, experts say China's military is flexing its military might showing the world that it has the ability to
conduct blockade and missile strikes on targets in and around Taiwan. Selina Wang, CNN, Beijing.
ASHER: Notre-Dame Cathedral is about to get a new roof and spire as well. Four years after a devastating fire. Officials say it will reopen better
than ever. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:50:10]
ASHER: France enjoyed a record-breaking year for tourism in 2022. International visitors spent almost $63 billion more than ever before in a
single year. Once Notre-Dame Cathedral reopens that number could grow even higher. Officials told Jim Bittermann work is on schedule and gave him this
look at the restoration efforts.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JIM BITTERMANN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): It was the most haunting image of a sickening afternoon. The spire of Notre-Dame
crashing through the cathedral roof as flames burned all around. In the four years since as Giant Oaks have been felled and the ashes cleared away,
shock and dismay has turned to confidence that the spire and the cathedral will rise again.
And soon, if you believe the general who President Emmanuel Macron put in charge of rebuilding the monument.
JEAN-LOUIS GEORGELIN, HEAD OF NOTRE DAME RECONSTRUCTION: The president say we will rebuild this cathedral in five years. His words (INAUDIBLE) and
reputation of France is at still.
BITTERMANN: The general once the chief of staff of the French army went to visit an extraordinary woodshop in eastern France to inspect how the work
is going.
Here carpenters are moving around tons of oak like children's building blocks to rebuild the spire that collapsed as well as the rest of the
cathedrals roof beams which were destroyed in the fire. Cutting and fitting precise down to the millimeter.
BITTERMANN (on camera): Well, much care and effort and money are being expended to make sure the reconstructed Notre-Dame is just like the old
one. The workers who are working on these giant pieces of wood say they are sometimes amazed at how they could have done all this 1000 years ago.
BITTERMANN (voice over): One person who's had a better view than most of the Notre-Dame reconstruction is photographer Tomas van Houtryve. His
photos are going up along the walls of the Notre-Dame worksite. He began taking pictures with a cathedral long before the fire, sometimes using an
ancient wooden camera as old as the iconic spire itself. Can Houtryve was then commissioned to document the working side by National Geographic and
the French establishment charged with the Notre-Dame restoration and preservation.
As the monument slowly rose again from the ashes, he emotionally recorded the work inside and outside.
TOMAS VAN HOUTRYVE, PHOTOGRAPHER: When you're inside Notre-Dame, you feel something. It's a place of reverence. And when you're inside it, and you
see it in its damaged state, you feel something even more. I mean, it goes -- it goes straight to your heart.
BITTERMANN: van Houtryve has watched firsthand as not only the damage from the fire was cleared away, but as well centuries of grime that had
accumulated before the fire. In some ways he believes the newly restored Notre-Dame will be even better than what was there before.
VAN HOUTRYVE: When they -- when they take the scaffolding out and they -- and we're able to see everything, I think it will look immaculate beautiful
in a way we've never seen it before.
BITTERMANN: Jim Bitterman, CNN Paris.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ASHER: Spanish golfer Jon Rahm now has his first green jacket after winning the 87 Masters tournament on Sunday, but it certainly did not come easy.
After a weekend of weather delays, the final day of competition became a marathon with Rahm rallying from several strokes down before taking the
lead for good.
World Sports' Don Riddell has more from Augusta, Georgia.
DON RIDDELL, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Jon Rahm began the week here at Augusta with a double bogey. He has entered it as a double major winner. His first
masters title coming at the end of a grueling week and a very, very long day. He and all the other players had to come out early and finish their
third rounds. And he began the day four strokes behind his playing partner Brooks Koepka.
But by the end of it, Rahm was four strokes clear at the top of the leaderboard. It was an emotional scene as he celebrated on the 18th green
with his wife and his two young kids. And this continues an extraordinary runner form. It's a just reward for the work he's been putting in lately.
His sixth global victory since October and it sends him back to the top of the world rankings.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JON RAHM, WINNER OF 87TH MASTERS TOURNAMENT: We all dream of things like this as players and you try to visualize what it's going to be like and
what it's going to feel like. And when I hit that third shot on the grain, just the wave of emotion of so many things has overtook me. I never thought
I was going to cry by winning a golf tournament but I got very close on that 18th hole.
And a lot of it because of what it means to me and to Spanish golf, right, is Spain's 10th Major four-player to win the Masters fourth. And my second
win, right, my second major win, it's pretty incredible. I know this one was for Seve. I know he was up there helping and help he did.
[15:55:05]
RIDDELL: But Augusta this week, we've also witnessed the great Tiger Woods taking another step into the twilight of his career. And it was more of a
limp than a step but after another fragile departure, we can only wonder how many more major tournaments he has in him. However, at the age of 52,
his greatest rival Phil Mickelson has roared back into the spotlight. Who could ever have imagined that lefty he was mired in controversy this time
last year, and who didn't even play here at Augusta could shoot a 65 to finish in a tie for second?
It's the lowest round by a 50-something player ever at the Masters. And with three LIV golfers finishing in the top six with Mickelson and Koepka
contending for the green jacket. There is renewed focus on the strength and validity of the Saudi-backed rebel tour. Perhaps it's not the golfing
graveyard that some establishment figures had come to believe.
We leave Augusta with more questions than answers but this compelling tournament has only served to heightened excitement for the rest of the
golf season. Back to you.
ASHER: Don Riddell reporting there. All right. There are just moments left the trade on Wall Street. We'll have the final numbers and the closing bell
after the short break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ASHER: It was a rather quiet day on Wall Street. The Dow, let's take a look here and see how it's doing. It's set to finish slightly higher up about 65
points. It opened lower and gained to other session. The S&P 500 is essentially flat. Clawing back morning losses. Tech stocks are lower ahead
of Wednesday's U.S. inflation report which were of course watching closely. The NASDAQ is set to finish slightly lower as well.
Looking at the individual Dow components. Heavy equipment maker caterpillar is on top up around three percent or so. Dow Inc is almost two percent
higher and as I mentioned, tech stocks are not doing so well. Salesforce, Intel, Microsoft, all lower. Apple is at the bottom
down about two percent or so. A couple of reports said its computer shipments were down 40 percent in the first quarter.
[16:00:08]
All right. That QUEST MEANS BUSINESS. I'm Zain Asher. The closing bell is ringing. "THE LEAD" with Jake Tapper starts right now.
END
