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Emmanuel Macron: France Persuaded Donald Trump Not To Give Up On Syria; Five Other Accusers Tell Jury: Me Too; Boston Marks Fifth Anniversary Of Marathon Bombing; The Countdown Is On For The Royal Wedding. Aired 2-3a

Aired April 16, 2018 - 02:00   ET

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


[02:00:08] CYRIL VANIER, CNN ANCHOR: Morally unfit to be President. Former FBI Director James Comey says President Donald Trump does not belong in the White House.

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: Plus a CNN exclusive report on the Syrian Civil War. The town with the revolution began could be the regime's next target.

VANIER: And later, Black Lives Matter, protests outside the Starbucks in Philadelphia after two African-American men were arrested and the questionable circumstances.

CHURCH: Live from the CNN Newsroom in Atlanta, I'm Rosemary Church.

VANIER: And I'm Cyril Vanier, good to have you with us.

CHURCH: With James Comey's media blitz has began with a bang.

VANIER: The former FBI Director just gave his first T.V. interview since being fired by the Donald Trump and he does not call his punches. He called the U.S. President, his former boss a stain on everyone around him.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JAMES COMEY, FORMER FBI DIERCTOR: He strikes me as a person of above average intelligence who's tracking conversations and knows what's going on. I don't think he's medically unfit to be President. I think he's morally unfit to be President.

A person who sees moral equivalence in Charlottesville, who talks about and treat women like they're pieces of meat who lies constantly about matters big and small and insist the American people believe it. That person is not fit to be President of the United States. On moral grounds, our President must embody respect and adhere to the values there at the core of this country. The most important being truth, this President is not able to do that. He is morally unfit to be President.

(END VIDEOTAPE) VANIER: Now, James Comey is promoting his book which releases on Tuesday. It's called "A Higher Loyalty, Truth Lies and Leadership". In the book, Comey tells his side of the story. It covers what happened during the 2016 Presidential Campaign and his vision of the beginning of the Trump Presidency.

CHURCH: Now, meanwhile, President Trump, went on a Twitter tirade before Comey's interview and in one tweet, the President called him slippery James Comey, a man who always ends up badly and out of wack. And he said Comey will go down as the worst FBI Director in history by far. Well joining us now from Sacramento California Democratic strategist Robin Swanson and in Los Angeles, Shawn Steel, a member of the California Republican National Committee. Good to see you both.

Shawn Steel, I want to start with you, James Comey says, Donald Trump is morally unfit to be President, who seem may stay on those around him, unethical and untimid (ph) to the truth damming words of course to describing U.S. President as a Trump supporter yourself, how do you respond to that?

SHAWN STEEL, MEMBER, CALIFORNIA REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE: Well, I think he was unhappy getting fired. Getting fired when you're the top FBI guy in the middle of your terms is an embarrassing act, but in this case, I'm going to do something quiet unconventional. I'm going to agree with the Democrats. I'm going to agree with Hillary Clinton that he is responsible for interfering in a presidential election causing her lost. I think that was a big factor --

CHURCH: Let's get back to the question. Let's get back to the question.

(CROSSTALK)

STEEL: -- Nancy Pelosi --

CHURCH: Morally not --

(CROSSTALK)

CHURCH: Let's go back to the question, because we --

STEEL: Yes.

CHURCH: -- we don't want to go off here down the rubble (ph) hole. Let's go back, he's not morally up to it. That is damming. Address that.

STEEL: I think -- I think I agree with all parties on this. The man is a liar, he's a chronic liar. He has no credibility. We're talking about Lanny Davis who is Bill Clinton's personal lawyer just throwing a piece. James Comey, when you're going to stop lying? He's lying in front of Congress. He's lying in front of his neighbors. He's lying on T.V. His book, very few people support his book on the left and the right.

He's a great unifier, because most people despite that he was the worse FBI Director in American history.

CHURCH: All right. Robin Swanson --

STEEL: I know Robin Swanson's opinion (ph).

CHURCH: Robin, your response, is he a liar as Shawn, suggest?

ROBIN SWANSON, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: It's clear that the Republican -- say the Republican (INAUDIBLE) experience is just exact attack and obviously with Donald Trump does not (INAUDIBLE). Any human being, but he (INAUDIBLE). So, this -- and this is -- this is Donald Trump's though Republicans (INAUDIBLE) quiet to be Republicans.

VANIER: Now, we're struggling with the sound on that. Hopefully, it's going to get better. Shawn, let me get back to you. Another stunning part of the interview, James Comey is asked to whether the Russians might have dirt on Donald Trump. Here's his answer. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

[02:05:05] GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS, ABC ANCHOR: Do you think the Russians has something on Donald Trump?

COMEY: I think it's possible, I don't know. And these are more words, I never thought I thought I'd -- other better President of the United States, but it's possible.

STEPHANOPOULOS: That's stunning. You can't say for certain that the President of the United States is not compromised by the Russians.

COMEY: Yes, it's stunning. I wish I wasn't saying it. But it's just -- it's the truth. It always struck me and still strikes me, it's unlikely. And I would have been able to say with high confidence about any other president I dealt with, but I can't, it's possible.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VANIER: All right, Robin, assuming the sound is working, how seriously do you take this allegation or this statement by James Comey. Former FBI director saying that he cannot rule out that the U.S president, perhaps, is being blackmailed by the Russians, whether they have something on him.

SWANSON: I think very disturbing and very troubling. Did Mueller really is (INAUDIBLE) right now very clear (ph) that this FBI director knows a lot. He's -- happen, I think, with a lot of people in the Trump administration now that it may also have (INAUDIBLE) like Jeff Session is at this point because my folks lead them less out for conversation. And I will (INAUIBLE) with investigation (INAUDIBLE).

VANIER: Shawn, your point of view.

STEEL: Well, thank you. Look, it's pretty unanimous except for those one person by Nate Silver of the "New York Times", "Washington Post", Charles Blow of the "New York Times" are unanimous. The man is not reliable. Whether you like him or like what he says, today he'll change his mind and tomorrow. But coming up with this nonsense, I read the entire interview.

VANIER: Shawn, let me interrupt you for a second.

STEEL: Word for word, the man keeps backing up.

VANIER: All right hold on.

STEEL: He just maybe this, maybe that.

VANIER: Shawn, Shawn, this is not helping anyone. Just a second.

STEEL: Yes.

VANIER: And I'm just going to have to echo Rosemary's point here. I understand your support of Donald Trump. Nonetheless --

(CROSSTALK)

VANIER: Hold on, I'm not --

STEEL: I'm sure you don't support Comey.

VANIER: Nonetheless, James Comey is the man that the United States trusted to run their accounts on terrorism operations. And less than a year ago he is former FBI director. I understand, that means you can still thick he's not a 100 percent truthful, I get that. But you have to know it's a fact that he was a senior member of the U.S government. It is --

STEEL: That troubles me more than any other factor. He lied to his boss Loretta Lynch and he push back, I'm sure you read this just the last 24 hours, he lied to us underlying (ph) the table himself was fired for lying. He lied to Hillary Clinton. There's nobody that would really trust him. He is a genuine swamp creature and always has been. He's never been a hero.

And as long he's in charge to the FBI and the FBI has been savagely disgraced because of him and his fail leadership. Forget about the politics, whose side his on at the moment, he has heard everybody. He is only about Comey and a dancing Comey. And he's not very good at that. Very few people buy him, very few.

VANIER: Shawn, Shawn, I'd point out a couple of things. Eleven months ago he was the man entrusted to protect the United States. Also the other former leaders of the United States Intelligence Agencies, those who are no longer in office and who can speak tend to side with him.

STEEL: Well, they haven't spoken recently. And none of them spoke about this book. And by the way, James Clapper was a terrible politician who happen to have a responsible job.

Look, there is -- the politicization, let's get to the heart of the matter, the politics had been put into the FBI, to the NSA, and the CIA, and levels we never seen before, this was Obama's lasting disgrace. He has politicize agencies that used to be neutral. Even the IRS has been politicized. Going after conservatives they don't like. Those days have to be over. And I hope they are. But Comey was a deep part of that problem.

So, I'm sorry, maybe some people like them in the past, but most of the Democrats, most of the journalist, the major journalist, including your own analyst, your legal analyst has disputed that the legitimacy of what Comey has to say. So, it's a pretty universal factor. I think most observers agree with.

VANIER: Shawn Steel and Robin Swanson, the conversation is just beginning. The book of that on Tuesday. I sense, we're going to be talking about this again and again. More interviews to come by James Comey --

CHURCH: Yes. Absolutely.

VANIER: -- this week. Including one with CNN. Thank you guys, thank you both.

CHURCH: Thank you.

STEEL: Thank you.

SWANSON: Thank you.

CHURCH: Well, Donald Trump's personal attorney, Michael Cohen, has been ordered to appear in court on Monday. Cohen's office, home and hotel room were raided by the FBI last week. A judge has ordered Cohen to attend Monday's hearing on how the saves materials will be handled.

Also (INAUDIBLE) for the President filled court papers to make sure that Cohen's attorney-client confidentiality have not been breached.

[02:10:04] VANIER: Adult film actress, Stormy Daniels, will also be at Monday's hearing. She says that Cohen paid her a $130,000 to keep quite about an alleged affair witness to Trump back in 2006.

The FBI was looking for information on that payment and anything that might connect Cohen with effort to suppress Trump's alleged affair with Playboy model Karen McDougal. Cohen's lawyer explains why his client would show out hush money for the President.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAVID SCHWARTZ, MICHAEL COHEN'S ATTORNEY: He took care of a lot of things for Mr. Trump without Mr. Trump knowing about it. That's part of the overall structure is -- that Michael had great latitude to take care of matters. It was much more than an attorney-client relationship. It was something much deeper, almost father and son kind of thing. Always hot and cold, they -- Donald Trump could be yelling at him one second and saying he is the greatest person in the world the next second.

Donald Trump knew that Michael always had his back.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VANIER: The next step on CNN Newsroom. When we look at what could be the next front in the Syrian Civil War, we'll have a live report from the region.

CHURCH: And the latest indicator of closer ties between North Korea and China. A warm welcome for Chinese Diplomat in Pyongyang. We'll have that more when we come back. Stay tune.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KATE RILEY, CNN SPORTS: I'm Kate Riley, with your CNN World Sport headlines. It might not happen away, they wanted it but (INAUDIBLE) failed as being primarily entitle from their own church (ph) on Sunday as (INAUDIBLE) rivals 99 is also home, heading the title over.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Come on, yes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RILEY: (INAUDIBLE) top 99 said wanted at home of city (ph) captain convincing company the he win primarily title in the past seven seasons.

Daniel Ricciardo, has won the Chinese Grand Prix, Formula 1 third race of the season, the out sterling with emotional after victory, he may wasn't able to race (INAUDIBLE) in the final practice just the day earlier. Sebastian Vettel, crew got the car ready, (INAUDIBLE) did his part, passing five cars on reaching his career either.

Finally, the 21st Commonwealth games have come to a close on the golf coast of Australia the host, shopping (ph) more table with a phenomenal 18 gold medals, the retired (INAUDIBLE) Olympic gold medalist, he saying both, we'll be competing of course, but wowed the crowd with his presence save the part few days including a DJ says at the game closing ceremony.

One of Australia's final gold medal was a one sided man basketball final week in Canada, 87 to 47. By the way the next games are in brining in England in four years time.

And that's what our sports headlines. I'm Kate Riley.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:15:28] CHURCH: Back everyone. Leaders in France, the U.S. and the United Kingdom are facing question over the adjoin military action in Syria. More than 100 missiles were fired in Saturday against Syria's chemical weapons program.

French president, Emmanuel Macron said Sunday, U.S President Donald Trump need it convincing about the U.S. role in Syria. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

EMMANUEL MACRON, PRESIDENT OF FRANCE (through translator): Ten days ago, President Trump said the U.S. is will is to disengage from Syria. We convinced him that it was necessary to stay. And I believe that on the diplomatic funds beyond what went on to ease free strikes which our one part, but for me it is not the most important in what is going on in Syria. Please be reassured if convinced him that we had stay on the long term.

The second thing is that we convinced him that we has limited strikes to chemical weapons even though there had been media upward by way of tweets which you may have been aware of.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VANIER: In response to President Macron comments. The White House issued this statement. The U.S. mission has not changed. The President has been clear that he wants U.S. forces to come home as quickly as possible. She went on to say, we expect our regional allies and partners to take greater responsibility both militarily and financially for securing the region.

CHURCH: Mr. Trump's ordered to strike Syria is getting some bipartisan support in the United State, but British Prime Minister, Theresa May has some explaining to do. She is set to face Parliament in the coming hours.

Many lawmakers especially in the opposition questioned her decision to launch strike without parliament's approval. The strikes will prompted by a suspected chemical attack more than a week ago. President Trump slammed Russia for its support of Syria. Afterward his Ambassador to the UN said, someday Russia can expect more sanction.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIKKI HALEY (R) U.S AMBASADDOR TO THE UN So, you will see that Russian sanction will be coming down.

Secretary Mnuchin will be announcing those Monday if he hasn't already. And they will go directly to any sort of companies that we're dealing with equipment related to Assad and chemical weapons used. And so, I think everyone is going to feel at this point. I think everyone knows that, we send a strong message and our hope is that they listen to it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VANIER: Well, despite that, Russia and Syria are defiant. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is even reportedly in a good mood. He met with Russian lawmakers on Sunday. Both countries are down playing the impact of the joint strikes.

CHURCH: And CNN has correspondents covering this story across the world. Let's start with CNN's Jomana Karadsheh who joins us live from Amman, Jordan.

So, Jomana, what all did this joint U.S, U.K. and French is strike achieved? Given residents are now fearful of a potential offensive in Daraa and Idlib?

JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN CORESPONDENT: Well, Rosemary, no one really think that the strikes were a game changer, you know, if you look this situation on the ground, the regime and its allies due seemed to have the upper hem. The rebels are controlling less and less territory. And for the civilians in this shrinking territory controlled by the rebel in population centers like Daraa in the south. They're absolutely terrified of what might be coming.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KARADSHEH (voice-over): After months of relative calm on the Southern France this. Airstrikes and shelling reported in Daraa province display a U.S, Russian and Jordanian broke the ceasefire last summer. And with the regime back fights allies on the ground and in the sky capturing more territory from the opposition some feel it's a matter of time before an assentive to reclaim the south, the birthplace of the Syrian revolution.

There seems to be a strange sense of normalcy on the streets of the city that almost everyone interviewed fears what might be coming.

We expect on attack on Daraa any minute. We're worried about women and children from Russian airstrikes. This woman says.

We're afraid of the attack on us because the Russian strikes will spare no human nor stone and they will use all weapons on us this Daraa resident says.

Before the truce like other part of Syria, Daraa was hard hit, leading much of city and the province divided between the regime and the opposition.

Civilians like car mechanic Raffat al-Nassar (ph) were displace by the fighting. He says, recent strikes were near his home leaving him no choice, but to sleep once again. Now he's a squatter in a town close to Jordanian border, but Raffat (ph) says nowhere is safe.

[02:20:11] RAFAAT AL-NASSER (PH), CAR MECHANIC (through translator): I am worried for myself, for my children. I have must save what's happening in (INAUDIBLE) would happened here. This regime can't do anything, they don't care, they used chemicals, explosive bombs and phosphorus.

KARADSHEH (voice-over): The Syrian government has repeatedly denied the use of chemical weapons.

Rebel commanders from the Free Syrian Army once receiving what they described as insufficient support from the U.S. and other allies now say, the international community has less than to save Russia and Iran alone. NAZEAM ABU A'ARA, FREE SYRIAN ARMY COMMANDER (through translator): We have prepared ourselves for what is coming. Today's ahead we'll have many surprises, so we must be ready to overcome the space.

We have taken several measures, military, social, inspecting front lines and meeting with the people to reassure them that everything is good and we are ready to face the worst case scenario.

KARADSHEH (voice-over): Any attempts to change the status quo here bringing Iranian forces closer to a boarder shared with Jordan and Israel, could mean the start of yet another complicated chapter in the seemingly endless war.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KARADSHEH: And Rosemary it's not just in Daraa where people are terrified it's also up in the north of the country in Idlib province. That part of the country that remains under rebel control that is where you had millions of displace Syrians were push out of their homes and the areas that were reclaimed by the regime. They are trap in Idlib province that so many a groups have been warning that Idlib has been transformed into a giant kill box.

CHURCH: Yes, Jomana just wait until your earplug back in.

The strikes on the weekend did what they were design to do, right? Attacking chemical weapons attack. It's -- but when it comes to more traditional warfare against citizens in Syria. The world appears less incline to get involved, why is that?

KARADSHEH: Well, you know, Rosemary, that's the question that so many Syrians especially civilians who are living in rebel held areas that ask all the time. Its why is it that the world only acts when you have this alleged chemical attack?

You know, if you look at it. This chemical attack, this alleged attacks are horrific to say the least. It seems, you know, when you have images emerge from these allege attack it acts as a wake up call a sort for the international community that has really pretty much ignored the blood shed and the carnage that's been going on in Syria for a long time.

And when you talk to people, you talk the civilian, they tell you it's not the chemical attack that have claimed the lives of hundred of thousands of Syrians its -- as you mention? It is conventional weapons. It's the air strikes. It's the bell (ph) box.

So, when they see the international community, the U.S. and its allies act at the time like this. They don't really think that is being done for the sake of the Syrian people and that is something we have been hearing over the pass couple of the days. They really think that this is about the world powers. It is about their so-called red lines and their own interest, Rosemary.

CHURCH: Yes. Damaged done by a barrow bombs just as horrifying as done by the chemical weapon. Jomana Karadsheh, many thanks to you joining us there live from Amman, Jorman.

Well take short break here, but still to come. The launch joins strikes together, but our Paris, Washington as giving different accounts on what could be next the Syria. We'll have more on that, stay tune.

VANIER: Plus, North Korea leader Kim Jong-un said to be sincere and genuine in outreach to the world. And that phrase comes from the South Korea Minister. We'll have the interview just ahead. Stay with us

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:27:28] VANIER: Welcome back everyone. I'm Cyril Vanier.

CHURCH: And I'm Rosemary Church. Time to update you on the main stories we're following this hour.

Fired FBI Director James Comey gave a frank interview to ABC News and as he pulled U.S. President Donald Trump morally unfit to be president. And this comes just days before the release of Comey's book about the short, the prevalent involvement for the 2016 presidential campaign and the in suing (ph) Trump administration.

VARNIER: President Trump's personal attorney have been ordered to appear in court on Monday. The hearing covers how materials, the FBI seized from Michael Cohen's office and hotel room will be handled.

Adult film actress Stormy Daniels will also be there. She says that Cohen paid her to keep quite about an alleged affair with Mr. Trump in 2006.

CHURCH: The CEO of the world's biggest advertising agency is stepping down amid an investigation into alleged personal misconduct. Martin Sorrell lead WPP for the past 30 years. The "Wall Street Journal" reports the investigation is focus on the misuse of company assets. Sorrel denied any inappropriate action.

VANIER: And parts of south west Sydney in Australia has been under an emergency warning from most of the weekend in the face of an out of control bush fire. More than 2,400 hectares had burned since Saturday. There are no reports of any death. It's not clear what started the fire, but officials are treating the cause as suspicious.

CHURCH: Now, we want to recap our coverage of the U.S, French, and British strikes in Syria, the White House is responding of the claims made about the U.S role in Syria by French President Emmanuel Macron.

VANIER: Yes, he said in the T.V interview Sunday that he convinced Mr. Trump to stay in Syria. This is after the U.S. President said earlier this month that he wanted U.S troops out. The White House said Sunday that U.S. policy had not changed and Mr. Trump still wants U.S. forces to leave as quickly as possible.

Let's talk about this with CNN's Atika Shubert. She joins us live from Paris.

Atika, I don't know if it's possible to answer this question. But is Emmanuel Macron really a factor in Mr. Trump's decision making?

ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think the only one who can really answer that is President Trump and himself. And you heard the response from the White House there, saying policy hasn't change. But it certainly what Mr. Macron pretty much loud out said in his interview that, you know, 10 days ago President Trump wanted to pull troops out and then Mr. President Macron spoke to him and there was that policy change.

[02:30:00] Now, what we do know is that they have a very close relationship. The fact that they have been calling each other quite regularly and, of course, President Macron will be going to Washington D.C for their first state dinner at the White House.

So they have worked very closed together particularly on this issue. So I don't think it's a surprise that they're, you know, talking to each other quite closely, but whether or not Macron actually changed President Trump's mind. Well, that's another question all together.

CYRIL VANIER, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: I wonder if France does have some measure of influence on Mr. Trump's thinking on Syria. I wonder if this could influence beyond -- if this could extend just beyond the strikes.

SHUBERT: Well, I think what's interesting here is that France is leading the diplomatic push to find a political solution to the conflict. Now, we all know that the Geneva talks in Syria -- the Syria peace talks really just sort of fell apart last year and there hasn't been a renewed push for peace talks. But it does seems as though France certainly from President Macron's interview last night is trying to really buckle down and get some momentum going and trying to use these strikes to sort of push Syria to the negotiating table. Now, it's possible that France is cooperating very closely with the United States on this. Perhaps President Macron is speaking very closely with President Trump to try and find some way to get more leverage on the Assad regime to come to the negotiating table. It hasn't worked for the last seven years, but perhaps after these strikes there will be some way to gain some more leverage.

VANIER: Yes. I think we'll get a little bit more information on all of this when Mr. Trump meets Mr. Macron. I think we're about eight days away from that happening. French President expected in Washington for the U.S. President's first state visit. Atika Shubert in Paris, thank you very much.

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: And we'll have more on that story a little later. But we do want to go to Tokyo now. A push for closer ties between Asia's two biggest economies. China's Foreign Minister meet Sunday with his Japanese counterpart both ministers stressed the need to improve the often frosty relations between their two countries.

VANIER: They also discussed North Korea. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TARO KONO, JAPAN MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (via translator): We'd like to strengthen our cooperation between Japan and China to achieve our common goal, the complete irreversible and verifiable denuclearization of North Korea.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VANIER: The leaders of the two Koreas are set to hold a summit later this month and that's ahead of a possible meeting between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and the U.S. President Donald Trump.

CHURCH: In the North Korean capital, a meeting between Mr. Kim and a senior Chinese diplomat state run television shows the North Korean leader warmly greeting the diplomat who's visiting Pyongyang along with the Chinese art troupe.

VANIER: The diplomat traveled to North Korea last year but returned to Beijing without meeting Mr. Kim.

CHURCH: Now, earlier this month, Kim Jong-un hosted South Korean pop stars in Pyongyang.

VANIER: CNNs Paula Hancocks spoke with the South Korean Culture Minister who was at the event sitting right next to North Korea's leader.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It was an unlikely sight, the leader of North Koreas Kim Jong-un attending a K-pop concert in Pyongyang. By his side South Korean Culture Minister Do Jong-hwan. What sort of things were you and Kim Jong-un talking about during the performance?

DO JONG-HWAN, SOUTH KOREA MINISTER OF CULTURE, SPORTS AND TOURISM (via translator): Chairman Kim Jong-un was very interested in the songs. Of course I knew about the singers, the lights for the stage. He said he haven't seen that type of light before asking if we bought them from South Korea.

HANCOCKS: Do says Kim Jong-un suggest a joint concert in Seoul in the autumn showing that he wants upcoming summits with South Korean President Moon Jae-in and the U.S. President Donald Trump to be successful.

JONG-HWAN (via translator): He was very natural when he was talking about music, culture, sports. Kim Jong-un was completely different from the person you see on the news.

HANCOCKS: Do says he understands critics and cynics of Kim Jong-un's outreach to the world following years of intense missile and nuclear testing but says he also believes that Kim was both sincere and genuine during their two-hour conversation. He hopes the Trump-Kim summit head for May or early June could move things forward. JONG-HWAN (via translator): I'm optimistic as both leaders take responsibility. They both have a tangency to make quick decisions with confidence.

HANCOCKS: From meeting Kim Jong-un, do you feel that you can trust him?

JONG-HWAN (via translator): I want to trust him. I think this is our chance to reset the destiny of our nation.

HANCOCKS: Following North-South unity at the recent Winter Olympics, Do says Kim Jong-un himself proposed a basketball game between North and South Korea as well as joint teams at other events. Moves that Do calls a stepping stone to peace. Paula Hancocks, CNN Seoul.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VANIER: Thousands of protesters took to the streets in major Indian cities again on Sunday demanding justice in cases involving rapes and assaults of minors including that of an 8-year-old Muslim girl. Police say the child was abducted, gang raped, and murdered by a group of Hindu men in Indian controlled Kashmir.

[02:35:10] CHURCH: The case has inflamed racial tensions in the region. A Hindu nationalist group claims the local Muslim police force investigating the case is biased against the accused. The Myanmar government says it has repatriated the first family of Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh. Nearly 700,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled to Bangladesh since a military crackdown begun in Myanmar's Rakhine State last August.

VANIER: Myanmar says the family of five was given food, clothing, and verification cards. The U.N. has not verified the family's case and has warned it is still not safe for Rohingya to return home.

CHURCH: We'll take a short break here. But still to come, an arrest at a Starbucks cafe in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is sparking controversy, protests, and a call for action. We'll have the details for you on the opposite side of the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VANIER: Members of the Black Lives Matter Movement demonstrated outside a Starbucks cafe in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania over the recent controversial arrests of two African-American men.

CHURCH: A video shows the men being arrested after Starbucks employee say they asked to use the restroom, but were told to leave because they weren't paying customers. Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson has apologized and called the incident reprehensible. Well, despite the outcry, the Philadelphia Police Commissioner is standing by his officers' actions. VANIER: CNN's Polo Sandoval has the latest on this controversy.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Employees at this Philadelphia Starbucks had asked two men to leave their location before this viral video was shot. According to the police, when the men refused to do so, the employees called officers.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What did they get called for? Because they're two black guys sitting there meeting. But what did they do? What did they do?

[02:40:15] SANDOVAL: The men were arrested and taken away without incident. Melissa DePino who originally tweeted the footage wrote, the police were called because these men hadn't ordered anything. They were waiting for a friend to show up who did as they were taken out in handcuffs for doing nothing. The men were eventually released after Starbucks chose not to file trespassing charges against them. The coffee company later tweeted, we regret that our practices and training led to the reprehensible outcome at our Philadelphia store. Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson also wrote to customers promising a face- to-face apology with the two men and also a review of the company's practices. In a statement Mayor Jim Kenney says the apology, "Is not enough saying the incident appears to exemplify what racial discrimination looks like in 2018. Police Commissioner Richard Ross standing by his officers' response posting this message on Facebook.

RICHARD ROSS, PHILADELPHIA POLICE COMMISSIONER: The police did not just happen upon this event. They did not just walk into Starbucks to get coffee. They were called there for a service and that service had to do with following up disturbance, a disturbance that had to do with trespassing.

SANDOVAL: Commissioner Ross maintaining his officers follow policy and had legal standing to make the arrests.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VANIER: And that was Polo Sandoval reporting there. Now, in the history of the United States, there are only two women who have been both the wife and the mother of a U.S. President.

CHURCH: And one of those women is Barbara Bush. And CNN has learned she is in very poor health. We get the details now from Jamie Gangel.

JAMIE GANGEL, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We have some sad news, 92-year-old former First Lady Barbara Bush we are told is in failing health according to sources close to the Bush family. I'm told she's being cared for at home in Houston and has decided she does not want to go back into the hospital. She has opted for something called comfort care. This is not a complete surprised. If you've seen her in public, you might have noticed that she has been on oxygen for some time. We've learned she's been battling COPD and Congestive Heart Failure for the last two years. And she has been in and out of the hospital multiple times. Most recently she was admitted to Houston Methodist on Good Friday for

about 10 days suffering from shortness of breath. She was doing better. She was released but then the last couple of days she started to fail again. Her husband former President George H. W. Bush is with her as are her children Doro, Marvin, and Neal. Her sons former President George W. Bush and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush have also been visiting and have been talking to her on the phone. This is obviously a very challenging time for the family. A spokesman for the family issued a statement on Sunday thanking everyone for their prayers and kind messages of support. Jamie Gangel, CNN Washington.

CHURCH: Well, Bill Cosby will be back in a Pennsylvania courtroom Monday morning facing more testimony in his sexual assault retrial.

VANIER: CNN's Jean Casarez recaps what's happened in court so far.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEAN CASAREZ, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: All eyes on Andrea Constand taking a stand as the star witness for the prosecution testifying that her mentor Bill Cosby drugged and sexually assaulted her. I was really humiliated in shock, confused. She says it happened in 2004 at Cosby's Pennsylvania home. Constand was the operations manager for Temple University's women's basketball team, a time when she regularly talked with Cosby. The calls and meetings at his home got more personal talking about her career. Then she testified, we were talking face-to-face and at some point he reached his hand over to try and unbutton my button on my pants, she said. I leaned forward to show I wasn't here for that. He got the picture, she said.

Then in January 2004, Cosby invited her back to his home as she was anxious over a pending career change. She drank wine in his kitchen. Then Mr. Cosby reached his hand out and there were three blue pills in his hand and he said these are your friends. They will take the edge off. She took them. I trusted him, she testified. I began to have double vision. I see two of you. She told the jury she passed out on a couch only to wake up with Cosby sexually assaulting her. It took one year to tell her mother. They called police together. Constand testified, "My life has never been the same since I reported this to police." Earlier in the week, five other women said, "Me, too" to the jury. Testifying that Bill Cosby, also drugged and sexually assaulted them. One of them was supermodel Janice Dickinson, who said she was victimized in Lake Tahoe in 1982. Another was Heidi Thomas, whose CNN interviewed in 2017.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

[02:45:23] UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What you say the assault would have been at his home.

HEIDI THOMAS, ACCUSER OF COSBY: I know the assault was at the house. At least, the one I remember. I don't even know if there was more than one.

CASAREZ: On cross-examination, Thomas was told, you are only here to help Andrea Constand." Thomas replied, "I'm here to see a serial rapist convicted."

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CASAREZ: The defense has aggressively tried to discredit each and every witness including Constand, alleging a desperate need for money. She sued civilly Bill Cosby in 2005, gaining a civil settlement of almost $3.4 million dollars. Her cross-examination continues on Monday. Jean Casarez, CNN, Norristown, Pennsylvania.

VANIER: From icy blizzards to heavy rain, to dangerous wildfires. There's a triple threat of harsh weather hitting across the U.S. We'll have the latest weather forecast after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PEDRAM JAVAHERI, CNN INTERNATIONAL METEOROLOGIST: Today, Meteorologist Pedram Javaheri's, CNN "WEATHER WATCH". And what an impressive run of wintry weather across portions of the U.S. for upwards of 60 centimeters of snow fell across parts of the U.S. Parts of 10 State dealing with at least 30 centimeters of snow to the parting system. It's still there, it's still producing some snow showers on northern portions of the State of Michigan. And conditions across nearly parts of the Midwest going to gradually improve from some showers possible.

A form of wintry weather on Monday and Chicago, to eventually back up into the double digits. But believe it or not, even when we warm up, we still stay below where we should be for this time of year. So, somewhat of a seasonably cool setup here for the week across the Midwestern U.S.

New York City, around 15 degrees. Some rain showers a little bit cooler down in Atlanta with (INAUDIBLE) winds. About 14 is what is expected across that region, but notice, again, all of it really points at warming trend at least towards the middle of the week across the Eastern U.S. as the cold air finally exits the picture and parks itself around parts of extreme Northeastern U.S.

But, downs at the Caribbean we go, expect Havana to be into the middle 20s. Nassau pushing up close into 30. You could see some morning storms in down towards Caracas, around 30 degrees, and some possible thunderstorms and the forecast there. Take you farther towards the south, it is the time of year you begin to see activity really ramp up in afternoon variety storms. Manaus makes it up to 28 with thunderstorms.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:50:03] VANIER: So, a triple threat of harsh weather conditions, thunderstorms, tornados, and a blizzard. All impacting different parts of the U.S. this weekend. Meteorologist Pedram Javaheri is at the CNN Weather Center. Pedram, how bad is it?

JAVAHERI: Mike, I got to tell you, it's been quite a weekend, right? Across parts of the country, as you said, the weather impacts have been pretty wide-reaching, and just following what's happening one story at a time.

Well, we'll start off with the wintry weather. Of course, the middle of April, climatologically you expect to see some warming, and that's really have a bit in place. But around the northern portion of the U.S resembles what you would see, say maybe in February, maybe even in March, in the middle of April, unusual to see the amount of snow that's come down.

And you work away towards the south, it is all about severe weather which is more in line with what you should see this time of year. Upwards of 11 reports of tornadoes in the past 24 hours across the eastern U.S. Some 35 reports of tornadoes just going back since Friday. So, very active setup across the southern U.S., as well.

But as far as the snow is concerned, most of it beginning to finally taper off. The northern portion of Michigan, some residual snow. Interior areas of New England, some residual snow, a lot of folks across this region really wishing this was ever done. With all the wintery weather, we could finally begin to see a warming trend. And I think, we have that in store, but don't be surprised to pick up an additional to eight, maybe 10 inches of snow ran Northern Michigan.

But you notice as you work away towards parts of say, Pennsylvania, Northern Ohio, into New York State, I think these might be the final few flakes that we have in store. A warming trend in store, it's a very gradual water around Chicago. But at least, we climb into the 30's, eventually, into the 40's, and Rosemary and Siro, the 50 is come back by later in the week. A little below average though, but better than snow in that forecast.

CHURCH: OK, thanks so much.

VANIER: Pedram Javaheri from the CNN Weather Center, thank you. Now, five years after the Boston Marathon terror attack, the city paused to mark the exact moment that the first bomb exploded.

CHURCH: The bells of the Old South Church rang, and Massachusetts Governor and Boston's mayor laid wreaths near the marathon's finish line. Two bombs went off in that area back in 2013. Three people were killed and hundreds of runners and bystanders were wounded.

VANIER: On Sunday, many in Boston ran a course that spelled out the city's name. Look at this. This year's marathon begins in about five and a half hours from now.

CHURCH: And it has been almost one year since the suicide attack at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester England. And a girl who was at that show has received a special invitation to the royal wedding.

VANIER: 12 year old Amelia Thompson. And she was delighted to learn that she had been asked to attend.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AMELIA THOMPSON, SURVIVOR, MANCHESTER BOMBING ATTACK: I was speechless. I didn't know what to say, I was speechless. I was just like, is someone messing with me? But then like, as we got into further detail, it was like this is genuine.

LISA NEWTON, MOTHER OF AMELIA THOMPSON: Yes.

VANIER: Yet, no one, in fact, was messing with her. Amelia's mother nominated her to be one of the members of the public allowed onto the grounds of Windsor Castle on the wedding day.

NEWTON: She's been through a lot, and she had a rough couple of years. And since Manchester, it's been really hard. And we've still got contact with a lot of other families, and (INAUDIBLE) special about, until we've got a lot of new friends that feel like family to us, which is really nice.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: And as her plus one, Amelia chose to ask a woman whose granddaughter was killed in last year's attack.

With the royal countdown on, the rumor mill has been swirling about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding.

VANIER: Everyone wants to know who's on the guest list? What's on the menu? And of course, who's designing the dress? Isa Soares breaks down what we know so far.

ISA SOARES, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We're just five weeks away from Harry-Meghan's big day. And wedding plans are in full swing. Not only for the royal couple but for the hundreds of VIPs who have now received invitations for the nuptials, with some notable exceptions. Kensington Palace announced the political leaders won't be attending. U.S. President Donald Trump and even British Prime Minister Theresa May were not asked to Windsor Castle on May 19th.

Prince Harry's brother, William is, of course, expected to attend but has a royal event of his own on the way. The Duchess of Cambridge is set to give birth to their third child later this month. Of course, with much public fascination, Harry and Meghan's event will be quite a public wedding. More than 2,000 have been invited to the area just outside the chapel. And along the royal procession, 100,000 cheering royal fans are expected nearby. Trying to catch a glimpse of the happy couple.

As London police are planning security detail accordingly, the royal couple are finalizing their details of their day. Harry and Meghan chose Alexi Lubomirski, as the official wedding photographer. The New York-based fashion photographer also did the couple's engagement photos. And he's a former assistant to Mario Testino, who's famed for photos of Harry's late mother, Diana.

But for the wedding cake, the couple chose to stay closer to home. A London-based pastry chef will prepare lemon elderflower cake for guests, a slight change from the traditional fruitcake.

Kensington Palace has been tight-lipped about what else will be on the menu or what kind of entertainment there might be? But the biggest questions that remains, who exactly will design that wedding dress? Isa Soares, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: We're very exciting in that wonderful (INAUDIBLE).

VANIER: The mystery remains.

CHURCH: Yes, yes, to be answered. All right. Well, thank you so much for watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Rosemary Church.

VANIER: I'm Cyril Vanier. More news coming up. Stay with us here on CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH: A CNN exclusive report on the Syrian Civil War. The town where the revolution began could be the regime's next target.

VANIER: Morally unfit to be president. Former FBI Director James Comey, says President Donald Trump, doesn't belong in the White House.