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CNN NEWSROOM

North Korea Launches Missile From Submarine; Hill: China-U.S. Cooperation Could Slow Down North Korea; Thousands Protest Obama's Free Trade Plan; Fans Outside Prince's Home Receive Special Gifts; North Korea Tests May Be Public Display Of Strength; Iraqi F-16s Take To The Skies Against ISIS; Nepal One Year After Deadly Quake; Solar Plane On Round The World Flight. Aired 5-6a ET

Aired April 24, 2016 - 05:00   ET

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


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[05:01:33] GEORGE HOWELL, CNN ANCHOR: Live from CNN World Headquarters in Atlanta, welcome to our viewers here in the United States and around the world. I'm George Howell. CNN NEWSROOM starts right now.

A very good day to you. We begin this hour on the Korean Peninsula. North Korea boasting of a great success after its launch of a ballistic missile from a submarine. That nation's leader Kim Jong-Un was reportedly there to guide the operation personally.

The U.S. and South Korea were both quick to condemn the test. France joined in as well. They called on the E.U. to pile on its own sanctions against North Korea.

CNN's Paula Hancocks is following all of this live in Seoul, South Korea, for us. Paula, it's good to have you this hour. So North Korea is calling this test successful, but what are we hearing from South Korean officials about it?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: George, we've just had a statement from the foreign ministry here in South Korea. They've condemned this launch. They've also said that in the past they had said if North Korea carries out another so-called provocation, then they would go back to the United Nations Security Council and strengthen those sanctions that were passed against them back in March.

Already those sanctions have been described as ground-breaking, and they say they will go back and try and strengthen them even further. We've also heard on Saturday night when this launch took place from the Joint Chiefs of Staff that it flew around 30 kilometers.

They also say that for it to be considered a success for this type of launch it has to fly 300 kilometers. So it was short of that mark, significantly so, but they didn't call it a failure knowing only too well that any outcome of this kind of test will teach North Korea something.

And also, of course, Washington has reacted. One U.S. official telling us, quote, "North Korea's sub launch capability has gone from a joke to something very serious. The U.S. is watching this very closely." So that really sums up just how much of a concern this is -- George.

HOWELL: Paula, I'd like to read this statement from former North Korean ambassador, former DPRK ambassador. He says, quote, "As long as the U.S. does not cancel its nuclear war exercise with South Korea and its hostile policy against us, we will continue powerfully advancing with our nuclear activity without a resting day."

Obviously those drills between South Korea and the United States have continued. There has been no halt in that. So what else could be done with the United States, with China, a country that North Korea has long paid attention to, watched closely?

HANCOCKS: Well, we've had this foreign ministry statement from Seoul and they also have criticized the North Koreans for equating the two. They say that they should not be carrying out further nuclear tests and then blaming the joint military drills between the U.S. and South Korea.

The South Korean officials have actually said they think that number five could be on the way. The fifth nuclear test for North Korea, even that it could come before this key Workers Party Congress that North Korea is holding in early May. The exact date not known at this point.

But certainly from China's point of view, the expectation is in Washington and Seoul that Beijing is quite fed up with what North Korea is doing. They are not heeding Beijing's calls for restraint.

They are not warning them ahead of time of these tests. And certainly Beijing was, we hear, well behind these U.N. sanctions and said that they will fully implement them. Of course, implementation does fall largely to China -- George.

HOWELL: Paula Hancocks live in Seoul for us. Paula, thank you very much for your reporting today.

The latest missile test for North Korea is creating some anxiety about that country's missile capabilities and military abilities. A former U.S. ambassador to South Korea says the answer could be two world powers working together.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRISTOPHER R. HILL, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO SOUTH KOREA: What is significant about this whole raft of tests is it's very clear that Kim Jong-Un has no interest, and really just doesn't care what the Chinese thinks. So that is quite a difference from when -- from my watch when Kim Jong-Il for all his hideous faults seemed to care a little about what China thought.

[05:05:00]So I think China and the United States are really in this boat together. Rather than talk about what more China can do or what more the U.S. should do, I think the real question is what could they do together? And, frankly speaking, I think China and the U.S. together could do a lot to dissuade North Korea from doing this starting with the sanctions but also stepping up measures, perhaps even direct countermeasures to slow down these programs.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: Keep in mind, though, China is already tasked with enforcing foreign trade sanctions against North Korea.

The German chancellor, Angela Merkel, and other E.U. leaders all got a chance, a firsthand look to see a refugee camp on Saturday that sits on the Turkish/Syrian border. That visit to the sprawling camp comes just one month after officials finalized the controversial E.U. plan to cope with the growing migrant crisis.

In a news conference with Turkey's prime minister, Ms. Merkel spoke about the Syrian ceasefire saying Germany wants to create, quote, "safe zones within Syria to shelter refugees." Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANGELA MERKEL, GERMAN CHANCELLOR (through translator): I have always in my talks with the prime minister pleaded in favor of creating so- called safe zones. Zones in which we can provide assurance and security guarantees. That has to be of the utmost immediate importance.

Also in negotiations for a ceasefire, such areas or zones can be easily identified along the Turkish/Syrian border. We've worked to see that happened and have worked with great energy in that direction. The safer the people feel, the less urgent the need for them to leave their country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: This concept of safe zones is one that Turkey has been supporting despite warnings from the United Nations about them.

Within the hour, the U.S. President Barack Obama will land in Germany to meet with Angela Merkel. He is also expected to push his support of a proposed trade plan which is drawing support and widespread protest as well.

The Trans-Atlantic deal would create the world's largest free trade area between the U.S. and E.U. Supporters say it would result in more than a million jobs, but critics are not so convinced about that.

With more on the president's visit to Germany, our senior international correspondent, Atika Shubert is southwest of Hanover this hour.

Atika, it's good to have you. So as we understand these protests are happening, what's the sense on the ground with the president set to arrive soon? Are more protests expected? ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We saw tremendous protests yesterday. An estimated 30,000 people coming out to show their anger with what's called here the TTIP, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership.

And this is really a partnership about synchronizing regulations, opening up those markets across the Atlantic in the E.U. and the U.S. The problem is there's a lot of fear here that by doing that, they'll be lowering a lot of the E.U. standards to match the U.S. equivalent.

Of course, E.U. has much tougher environmental regulations, food safety laws and also labor regulations. There's a lot of resistance here.

But having said all that, the protest happened yesterday. We don't expect to see any protests today and that's because there is a very strong security presence in Hanover. Thousands of police in the streets.

And even members of the public aren't really walking around in the streets there. Residents there being told stay inside their homes or try not to go out and about because with the president coming, security is at its highest. We don't expect to see a lot of protests today -- George.

HOWELL: Atika, when it comes to the relationship between these two leaders, they have had their ups and downs, fair to say. A low point was when it was revealed the U.S. government had been tapping the chancellor's phone.

But then the two maintained close ties as Europe deals with a more aggressive Russia now. What is this final meeting looking like? How is the president viewed by Germans?

SHUBERT: You're right. It has been an up and down relationship. Especially as you point out, that NSA controversy where it was revealed that the U.S. had been spying on Angela Merkel's mobile phone.

That was certainly the low point in the U.S./German relationship in the Obama administration. But since then, it really has evolved. And as President Obama pointed out in an interview with the local newspaper, Angela Merkel is the world leader that he has worked with the longest.

And he's come here, in part, ostensibly open the Hanover trade fair, the largest industrial trade fair in the world, but also to give her a political boost.

He maintains his popularity here and he came here in this interview praising her saying that she's a courageous leader and one he admires. So that relationship between them has really grown.

In terms of the public, Obama again, remains popular here. In 2013, he had that tremendous speech at Brandenburg Gate in Berlin where tens of thousands came out to hear him. [05:10:07]And with the prospect of another election and the other candidates currently in the news, a lot of people here in Germany still find President Obama to be in many ways the president they admire most from the United States.

HOWELL: Atika Shubert live for us just southwest of Hanover. Atika, thank you so much for your reporting today.

During his trip to the U.K., Mr. Obama sat down for an interview with the BBC. This came after a news conference where he laid out what could happen if Britain left the E.U. saying it would be, quote, "at the back of the queue when it comes to future trade deals with the U.S." Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: It was simply a response to I think the argument that I've heard from others who are proposing to leave the E.U. that somehow America would be able to do things more quickly with the U.K. than if they were in the European Union.

I was simply indicating that wouldn't be the case in this narrow issue of trade. The U.K. would not be able to negotiate something with the United States faster than the E.U. We wouldn't abandon our efforts to negotiate trade deal with our largest trading partner, the European market.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: The U.S. president also urging a group of young people to keep up the good fight for change in the world. He held a town hall in London on Saturday to connect with everyday Brits.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRESIDENT OBAMA: My primary message today is going to be to reject pessimism and cynicism. Know that progress is possible, that our problems can be solved. Progress requires the harder path of breaking down barriers and building bridges and standing up for the values of tolerance and diversity that our nations have worked and sacrificed to secure and defend.

Progress is not inevitable and it requires struggle and perseverance and discipline and faith. But that's the story of how we want voting rights and women rights and workers' rights and civil rights and immigration rights and gay rights because of those who came before us often risked their lives to give us the chance to know something better.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: The president also spoke about gay rights, Islamophobia and race issues.

Meanwhile, back here in the United States, First Lady Michelle Obama was addressing racism on Saturday. Miss Obama gave one of her final commencement speeches as first lady at a historically black college university in Mississippi. During her address she urged students to use peaceful means when dealing with the issue of discrimination.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHELLE OBAMA, FIRST LADY: Are you going to throw up your hands and say that progress will never come? Are you going to get angry and lash out? Are you going to turn inward and just give in to despair and frustration or are you going to take a deep breath, straighten your shoulders, lift up your head, and do what Barack Obama has always done.

As he says, when they go low, I go high. That's the choice Barack and I have made. That's what has kept us sane over the years.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: When they go low, I go high, he says. The Obamas, Ms. Obama will deliver two more commencement speeches in 2016. One speech in New Mexico and the other in New York.

Music legend Prince has been cremated. Coming up, we'll show you the gifts that his family and friends gave to fans outside his home.

Plus, Donald Trump is defending his shifting personas after criticism from rival Ted Cruz. We will have details on that as CNN NEWSROOM continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:16:50]

HOWELL: The remains of one of the world's most innovative artists has been cremated. Prince was celebrated at a private memorial on Saturday. His publicist says Prince's final resting place will not be revealed.

Fans are honoring the purple one outside his home and studio in Minnesota. CNN's Ryan Young was there as his admirers received a very special gift.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RYAN YOUNG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: In the last 30 minutes or so, some friends and family members of Prince have come out and started delivering these purple boxes out to people who have come from all over. Inside the box if you don't mind opening it up, this is what they've been giving fans.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They're different.

YOUNG: What's in your box?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So I have just -- it looks like it came from his home. It's just a booklet and then for some reason, to me, this fits my personality so well.

YOUNG: Hold it up for us. What did you get in your box?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's just amazing because you can tell I have a tank top and I -- it's like a personal gift it seems like. And for him to give me a tank top, it's amazing.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: On your birthday.

YOUNG: You guys traveled here from Milwaukee?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Milwaukee, yes.

YOUNG: Why so important for you guys to travel all the way here?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's just the significance of -- inspiration that Prince has given us since we've been 7, 8 years old. He's motivated us to pursue our dreams from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I just moved from Phoenix to pursue dreams and listening to Prince, he encourages you to do that.

YOUNG: Just musically, people have been out here playing music. Can you talk about being in the crowd? Everybody obviously sharing the love about the Prince.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's just beautiful to be in the crowd.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A blessing.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: To be among just everybody experiencing the same, the consciousness of Prince. It seems like he's just living and breathing. And one of the things I wrote from one of his songs, all the flowers that you planted mama in the backyard all continued to live. They didn't go away.

YOUNG: Were you shocked when a family member walks outside during a time like this and starts handing out --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: To be handed in your hand it was like, really? Thank you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's personal. It seems like something Prince would do. Seems like Prince will give back to us and would want us to have these type of gifts coming from his home. It's just a blessing to be here and to be around others that feel the same way.

YOUNG: Thank you, guys. I appreciate you sharing that box with us.

So I would say that more than a dozen of those boxes were handed out. They went pretty quickly.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOWELL: That was CNN's Ryan Young reporting there for us. The cause of Prince's death is still under investigation and remains unknown. We are following another story. A story of a shooting at a high school prom. It happened in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Three people injured there. One person in critical condition.

County officials say they evacuated students from the campus. But the circumstances of the shooting are still largely unclear. We will, of course, continue to follow this story and bring you details as they emerge here on CNN.

[05:20:09]America's choice 2016 and the race for the White House. Ted Cruz is hoping his win in Maine this weekend will boost his chances against Republican frontrunner, Donald Trump.

Cruz won 19 of Maine's 20 delegates up for grabs during the state's Republican convention on Saturday. He still needs more delegates than are available, though, if he hopes to beat Trump.

But the Republican presidential nominee could be decided in a contested convention. On the convention floor, if Trump ends up not winning enough delegates. Five states vote in nominating contests this Tuesday.

And an adviser for Donald Trump is walking back some controversial comments that he made about the Republican frontrunner. Paul Manafort told a meeting of the Republican National Committee on Thursday that Donald Trump has a different public persona than his private persona.

He said that Trump would shift his image to appeal to different groups of voters. He earlier tried to clarify those comments here on CNN.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PAUL MANAFORT, TRUMP CONVENTION MANAGER: Mr. Trump would be speaking, not different messages and not different beliefs but speaking in different settings. Nowhere was I talking about there being a different Donald Trump. What I was talking about was there being a different environment where different parts of the message would be presented in a way that was different from a campaign rally.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: Paul Manafort there. And on the Democratic side of things, frontrunner, Hillary Clinton has started avoiding criticism of her rival Bernie Sanders and instead now she's going after Donald Trump. That hasn't stopped Sanders from going after the former secretary of state. It's a back and forth. CNN's Chris Frates has this report for us.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRIS FRATES, CNN INVESTIGATIONS CORRESPONDENT: Bernie Sanders is back to criticizing Hillary Clinton on the campaign trail hitting her during several stops on Saturday in Maryland and Delaware.

BERNIE SANDERS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Our last reporting period her super PAC report $25 million in special interest, $15 million from Wall Street alone. And on top of that, she has given numerous speeches to Wall Street for $225,000 a speech.

FRATES (voice-over): Clinton campaigns on a smaller scale Saturday holding a conversation with workers in Connecticut. Later she held a rally in Rhode Island. In recent days she's largely avoided hitting Sanders and focused instead of Donald Trump.

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Loose cannons tend to misfire. What we have with him is the loosest of all cannons.

FRATES (on camera): She released a video urging voters to remember his controversial positions as he starts to pivot towards the general election. And that followed a shot she took at Trump in Pennsylvania where she criticized his proposal to temporarily ban Muslims from entering the country.

Sanders is lagging Clinton by almost 30 points in Pennsylvania according to a new poll there. Sanders holds events today in Rhode Island and Connecticut, where Clinton also campaigns this afternoon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOWELL: That was CNN's Chris Frates reporting there for us.

A severe weather outbreak is possible across the central part of the United States in the coming hours. And our meteorologist, Derek Van Dam is here to talk to us. Derek, this is being looked at as a multiday event.

DEREK VAN DAM, AMS METEOROLOGIST: It will start today and taper off during the day on Monday, but then really fire up on Tuesday. That's the day we're really concerned about.

But first and foremost, let's get to the specifics of what's happening today for our U.S. viewers tuning in this morning. First of all, thanks for tuning in so early in the morning, but across the central U.S., this is where the firing zone is, at least in terms of thunderstorms later this afternoon.

Anywhere from Kansas into parts of Nebraska and Central Oklahoma. This is the set-up. We have a slow moving area of low pressure that's now just starting to basically eject itself out of the Rockies and strengthen as it does so.

We'll pull in some gulf moisture as well. On the flip side, the eastern half of the U.S. really gets to enjoy some nice spring-like weather. That's the positive side.

Now as we go forward in time and see some of these thunderstorms fire up across the Kansas City region, perhaps into Oklahoma City, but this is the area the Storm Prediction Center has highlighted as our greatest risk of severe weather.

We have the potential of large hail, damaging straight line winds and can't rule out an isolated tornado later this afternoon. Look out Wichita, Kansas City. If you are tuning in from Omaha, have your emergency preparations in advance. This is a potential later today. Let's start to focus in on Tuesday. This is setting up as a multiday event. Monday we should start to see -- wind things down for a brief period of time. Maybe a stronger thunderstorm in and around the Chicago area.

By Tuesday afternoon, this is the day that we're particularly focused on, especially across the plains states. Isolated strong to severe thunderstorms possible and some of these could contain tornadoes as well that could potentially be dangerous if not lethal.

[05:25:02]We have a lot of upper level energy that's moving in with a system that's starting to pass across the western half of the United States. That's going to set up the upper level driving winds for the severe thunderstorms to develop.

The potential for spin in the atmosphere is there along with that deep moisture from the Gulf of Mexico. So we'll look out for those severe thunderstorms to fire up late on Tuesday.

This is the area, Kansas City, Wichita, Oklahoma city, stretching as far south as Dallas and even perhaps into Austin. Central Texas still the potential of isolated tornadoes. This is for the day on Tuesday.

We want to give a heads-up on this multi-day severe weather threat. London marathon taking place right now. I have several friends and family taking part in this particular event. Wonderful event. It's a cloudy day in London for the marathon. But, George, I know that that is the perfect running conditions.

HOWELL: You are the better runner than me, though.

VAN DAM: That doesn't matter here. The idea is that they have great weather for the London marathon today.

HOWELL: Good stuff. Derek Van Dam, thank you so much.

It's 5:26 on the U.S. east coast. Still ahead this hour -- F-16 fighter jets are no strangers to the skies of Iraq. These new aircraft are Iraq's own. They are Iraqi owned and operated. Find out why they are so crucial in the fight against ISIS.

Nepal one year after the worst earthquake to ever hit that country. People are observing three days of mourning. We'll show you the ongoing effort to rebuild and recover.

Live across the United States and around the world this hour, you're watching CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:30:090]

HOWELL: Welcome back to our viewers in the United States and around the world. These live pictures just outside London where you see the U.S. president, Barack Obama as he is set to leave Germany, about to board Air Force One. He's headed to Germany for a free trade meeting to talk with the German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Mr. Obama is expected to promote his Trans-Atlantic Trade deal which thousands of people have been protesting.

Also following other headlines around the world this hour, German Chancellor Angela Merkel got a first-hand look at a Syrian refugee camp on the Turkish border. She visited the camp on Saturday along with Turkey's prime minister and European Union officials. Her trip comes amid the criticism of the E.U.'s deal with Turkey that is aimed at stemming the flow of migrants into Europe.

Music legend Prince was celebrated in a private ceremony on Saturday. Fans continue to gather outside his home in Minneapolis. His publicist says Prince's remains were cremated and his final resting place will not be revealed to the public. The cause of death is still under investigation and is unknown.

After North Korea's latest military test, France is now joining a conversation on what to do in response. The French Foreign Ministry calling on the E.U. to put its own independent sanctions on the country. This comes after North Korea launched another ballistic missile. This one from a submarine.

And when it comes to North Korea much of the world is worried about this recent military test. It's forcing many countries to wonder whether Pyongyang is a legitimate danger to them. One question that's not gotten a lot of attention is why is all of this happening now?

CNN's Will Ripley looks at what may be driving North Korea's latest efforts.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WILL RIPLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's important to keep in mind the timing and context of what's happening inside North Korea. We're a couple of weeks away from one of the country's most important political gatherings in 35 years.

It's the Workers Party Congress, the first since 1980. The last time they held a Workers Party Congress, the North Korean president and founder, Kim Il-Sung appointed his son, Kim Jung-Il as his successor.

This time around the founder and president's grandson, the supreme leader, Kim Jong-Un is expected to reshuffle party leadership and consolidate his power, making him even more powerful in that country.

So all of this military activity we've seen in recent months may be attempts by the leadership, by the supreme leader to project strength, to show force ahead of this political gathering.

That's a message for his do domestic audience and also for the international community as well. We've seen a lot happening this year. There was that reported H-bomb test in January. One month later a satellite launch. I was just in North Korea last week for that attempted missile launch from a mobile launching device on the nation's most important holiday, the Day of the Sun. But that launch attempt according to the U.S. and South Korea failed.

Now we see this apparent submarine launch and there's even speculation among many putting the South Korean government that North Korea could be preparing another nuclear test.

Again ahead of this Workers Party Congress, a very important political gathering and opportunity for the supreme leader, Kim Jong-un to show his strength to the people in his country and the rest of the world sending a very ominous message at an important time. Will Ripley, CNN, Tokyo.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOWELL: Japan's first stealth aircraft has passed its first test flight. The X2 plane's fuselage and wings are designed to evade radar detection. The designers have implemented new technology to improve its maneuverability. Work on this aircraft began back in 2009 and it cost about $360 million. The U.S. already has stealth fighters and now China and Russia are also developing that technology.

Some new information to share with you in the killing of a professor in Bangladesh on Saturday. We now know that ISIS is claiming responsibility. (Inaudible) Sadiki was stabbed at a bus stop near his home. Authorities say several people attacked the 58-year-old professor from behind. This weekend, students held a protest calling for justice in this killing.

Now on to Syria where fresh regime bombardments threaten an eight- week-old ceasefire. Several sources say at least 27 civilians were killed in strikes on rebel-held areas. This footage purports to show one of those attacks. CNN cannot independently confirm the images.

A major Syrian opposition leader is defending his decision to leave ongoing peace talks with the Syrian government in Geneva. During a visit to a refugee camp in turkey, we understand that he also criticized U.N. envoy for the violence, the rise of violence in Syria. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[05:35:10] RIAD HIJAB, SYRIAN OPPOSITION COORDINATOR (through translator): Mr. Demistura (ph) describes putting the high negotiations committee on hold as political or diplomatic showoff or whatever he named it.

For us, the negotiations committee, we put our participation in the negotiations on hold to respect the Syrian blood that is shed under strike when the regime and its allies.

And to respect the Syrians who die of hunger following the siege and to respect Syrians who are killed as a result of torture.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: Now despite the exit of the main Syrian opposition delegation, the peace talks are set to continue until Wednesday, but it appears an eight-week Syrian ceasefire may be unraveling.

F-16 fighter jets have proven to be a crucial weapon in the fight against ISIS. Now Iraq has a batch of their own to use. Iraqi pilots had to undergo years of training in order to fly these newly purchased aircraft.

CNN's Arwa Damon spoke to one of those pilots who carried out the first F-16 Iraqi air raids.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The menacing roar of the American F-16 fighter jet, a nimble highly effective killing machine traveling at supersonic speeds. Not unfamiliar in Iraq's skies.

But these F-16s are Iraqi owned and piloted by Iraqis who went through a five-year training course in Arizona. Major Hama call sign face carried out the first ever F-16 Iraqi air raids back in September.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I wasn't nervous. I was happy and excited and confident I could do it because of the training and I went up with a smile and came back with a smile seeing my results were actually really, really good. So I was happy.

DAMON (on camera): What was that first target?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: First target was more weapons cache.

DAMON (voice-over): A bet down, in other words, a safe house. This is video of those first strikes and dozens of ISIS fighters were killed in those raids alone. After years of waiting due to pilot training, complications and security concerns, the first batch of F- 16s arrived over the summer with more expected later this year. In all, Iraq ordered 36 F-16s worth billions of dollars.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're making a case here. We're fighting on behalf of everybody for the world. It's an honor to fly for my country and fight.

DAMON: The Iraqi air force has other fighter planes, but none that match the effectiveness or speed of the F-16. In March, ISIS shot down a Cessna killing all on board.

(on camera): Never in the nation's history has it had this kind of air power at its disposal. Crucial, of course, to the fight against ISIS, but also central to Iraq's future and whether or not it will reposition itself as a regional military superpower.

(voice-over): That may take time, but the air force commander says by mid-2017, assuming all the F-16s arrive, Iraq will be that much closer to re-establishing control of its skies. Arwa Damon, CNN, Iraq. (END VIDEOTAPE)

HOWELL: It has been one year since a devastating earthquake killed more than 8,000 people in the country of Nepal. This is drone video of the aftermath. The quake hit Kathmandu on April 25th of last year. This weekend, Nepal's prime minister paid tribute to the victims and observed a minute of silence. CNN's Moni Basu also traveled to Nepal with the struggle to recover continues.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MONI BASU, CNN SENIOR ENTERPRISE WRITER: Sadly the earth's rumbling seems so fresh in parts of Kathmandu and in towns and villages around the Nepalese capital, the rubble of buildings still lay strewn on the street. Piles of debris were stacked high.

I was driving back one day from the outskirts of the city when suddenly my eyes fell on this large field filled with tents.

I was told later that it had become a tent city with an office there. There were 500 tents, 2,000 people still living there. There's no electricity. There's no running water. And people there are just eking out an existence.

[05:40:02]One man I spoke with actually in one of the larger tent cities told me he was going with a delegation to speak to the Nepalese prime minister.

And I asked him, what will you say to the prime minister? He looked at me and he said, help us. There are many old temples and palaces. This is where everyone who visits Kathmandu, this is one of the first places people go to.

And it was shocking last year when many of them came crashing down. There's been very, very little recovery work done there, reconstruction work done there.

And first thing I thought of when I went back to the square this time and saw all those damaged buildings and the debris and the piles of bricks, I thought of them as national festering wounds for all the world to see.

I had covered the earthquake in Haiti in 2010, and went back a year later. I was reminded of Haiti when I went to some of the tent cities, the makeshift camps.

And you know, in Haiti, thousands and thousands of people made those tents their home. They became permanent homes for people. They lived there for years and years.

You can only hope the Nepalese people fare better than the Haitians and their recovery doesn't take as long. A lot of people I spoke with say they don't think their country will ever be the same again.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:45:03]

HOWELL: Welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM. I'm George Howell. Saturday marked the 400th anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare. Fans around the world are celebrating the works of the British play wright, but not much is known about his personal life.

So CNN's Nick Glass takes us now on a tour of the rare personal memorabilia and his final resting place.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICK GLASS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Much ado about William Shakespeare. (Inaudible) where he was born and died there's a big street parade every April. This year, they added to the revelry by handing out thousands of face masks. Of course, they had a royal visitor.

Ben Johnson, his friend and fellow playwright, Shakespeare was not of an old but for all time. Gentle Shakespeare, he wrote, "sweet swan of Avon."

(on camera): This is a weekend of what you might call (inaudible), multiple performances at the royal Shakespeare Theatre behind me including contributions from Ray Fiennes (ph) and Judi Dench (ph).

(voice-over)In London with its own riverside Shakespearean theater, the weekend is being devoted to "Hamlet." President Obama dropped by. Got to briefly tread the boards and hear a speech.

On the other side of the Thames, some of the great Shakespearean documents have gone on display. The only ones we ever get to see once in a lifetime. This is Will's will last seen by the public in 1964.

Each of the three pages are signed. We only have six examples of Shakespeare's signature. Here are three of them in one document. All a bit different. The final signature reads, "by me, William Shakespeare." The man himself remains elusive.

JAMES SHAPIRO, PROFESSOR, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY: What his politics were, what his religion he prefers, who he slept with, what kind of father, brother and husband he was. Those are questions I think we'll never have answers to.

GLASS: Holy Trinity Church by the river in Stratford is where Shakespeare was baptized in 1564 and buried 52 years later in 1616. This the same splendid door he used when he worshipped in the church. His bust and grave are just by the high altar.

After a recent radar scan, researchers claim to have made a startling discovery. The skeleton rests on soil just three feet under the stone slab. It seems the skull may well have been tampered with, even stolen several hundred years ago. Whatever the truth of it, Shakespeare is still fought over. GORDON MCMULLEN, PROFESSOR, KING'S COLLEGE: My sense of it is that Shakespeare was born in Stratford, couldn't wait to get out and only went back to Stratford to die.

RONNIE MULRYNE, PROFESSOR, WARWICK UNIVERSITY: When we went down to London, he was simply capitalizing on the start that he had here at Stratford. There's a little bit to be said for London, but I wouldn't want to say too much.

GLASS: This is in fact, Shakespeare's school room and it's just been opened to the public for the first time. This is where he studied Latin and Greek from ages 7 to 14. In Stratford, the revelry continues all weekend.

London will vie for more attention on Monday. There's going to be an announcement about excavating one of Shakespeare's original theaters, the curtain in shortage. Nick Glass, CNN, in Stratford upon Avon.

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HOWELL: Love all, trust a few. Do wrong to none. Shakespeare. To keep the fun going, we have created a Shakespeare insult meter on CNN.com. You can go there to generate some of the author's greatest slap downs. Different than what I just shared with you.

Simply decide the level of your insult. They range from jesting monkey to cursed shrew. So you can choose the gender of your unsuspecting victim and hit the generate button there. There's even an option to help break it down into modern day English.

If you want to test your knowledge of all things Shakespearean, you can take our Shakespeare quiz at CNN.com.

Take a look at this spectacular sight near the Solar Impulse 2 flying alongside the Golden Gate Bridge after crossing the Pacific. Coming up, the latest on this historic flight around the world. Stay with us.

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[05:51:14]

PATRICK SNELL, CNN SPORTS: I'm Patrick Snell with your CNN world sport headlines starting in Spain where it remains a three-way race for Spain's La Liga crown with defending champion's Fast Learner Athletico. Both Athletic and Royal also very much in the green chance of winning it.

Both Athletic and Royal recording important victories on Saturday, but it's Barcelona who records another resounding win to move on to 82 points. The same tally. Real are a point back. Luis Suarez was the star of the show scoring four times as they win 6-0.

The 11-time English FA Cup winner Manchester United through to their 19th final after beating Everton 2-1. The Red Devils have taken the lead, but the game was level until that man got the game winner in the third minute of injury time. United will play either Crystal Palace or Watford in next month's final.

It could well be another special weekend for Rafael Nadal. He'll face Japan's Nishikori in the final of the Barcelona Open on Sunday with Rafa now knowing he's just one victory away from matching Guillermo Dias' record. We shall see and we'll keep you posted. That's a look at your sport headlines.

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HOWELL: Welcome back. A solar powered airplane is one step closer to making history. The Solar Impulse 2 has reached the U.S. state of California. It is now there on the ground. You see it landing here in Mountain View, California, after finishing its Pacific leg of the journey to circle the globe.

The plane took off from Hawaii on Thursday after being stalled there for almost ten months. Last hour, I spoke with the pilot of that plane after he landed, Bertrand Piccard. He says that he is excited. He sounded exuberant despite a long 2 1/2-day flight across the Pacific.

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BERTRAND PICCARD, PILOT, SOLAR IMPULSE 2 (via telephone): For several hundred years, it was bold coming from the west. Seeing the Golden Gate like the symbol of freedom in America. And today it was the solar airplane that flies with no fuel and it's a new era. It exists and clean technologies can do the impossible.

HOWELL: It is amazing technology, but one challenge is that you need almost perfect weather to fly in it. What were the conditions in China? Talk to us about the challenges that you experienced there. And how do you overcome that obstacle?

PICCARD: We have a very big team of wind specialist, people who simulate on the computer all the flight depending on the turbulent, the weather, the sunshine and so on.

[05:55:09]And this is why sometimes we stay stuck for a certain time. In China, we are stuck for three weeks before we could continue because of bad weather. But don't forget one thing, when the Wright brothers were flying in 1903, they had the same problem. They could fly alone with good weather, very slow.

A little bit like today, but we have to open the way. Show that it's possible to move ahead and to do much more with this technology. And a signal to the world that clean technologies can do the impossible.

Day and night with no fuel. They can be used for electric mobility, insulation of houses, LED lamps, smart grid. You know, light structure for everything that moves to save energy.

And this is really the living proof that it's possible and I hope enough people will understand this and will really go through this clean tech revolution.

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HOWELL: The plane flies about the same speed of a car and does not use a drop of fuel. And we leave you with that this hour. I'm George Howell at the CNN Center in Atlanta.

For our viewers in the United States, "NEW DAY" is next. For other viewers around the world, "THE BEST OF QUEST" starts in a moment. Thank you for watching CNN, the world's news leader.

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