the work in the lab is what solved this case, and it happened at the federal, state and local level. it took a lot of technicians to study this material and figure out exactly what happened. and they did, which is and they did. frds . some families are reunited with loved ones, we hear the stories of survival during the attack in kenya. the situation calls for a cease-fire. you are looking at live pictures from st. peter's square where

easter mass is expected to start shortly. welcome to our viewers in the united states and around the world. this is cnn news room. let's start in kenya this hour. emotions are high in the country after a devastating attack at a university campus on thursday. the attack took the lives of 147 people, mostly college students. that may explain the move kenyan authorities took with four people involved in the rampage. they paraded them through the streets in the back of a pick-up truck. we want to warn you, the images you are about to see are dist b disturbing. >> reporter: a gruesome parade to town. the images far too shocking to show and are blurred. >> following the convoy.

police piled the terrorists bodies into the back of a truck. the whole town is coming out to see. the alleged gunman locked. wrapped in an orange top, driven into a primary school for viewing. in the baking sun, the stench is overpowering. but, some in the crowd want more. you want them to be burned? >> yeah. >> reporter: why? >> because. they killed innocent children. >> reporter: perhaps the police want to prove they killed the gunmen or perhaps they just want to avenge the dead. they are driving the van next to the crowd for people to inspect the bodies. it's getting chaotic here. they skirt away those suspected of killing so many. now, they evacuate the students who survived the terror. searching their bags for

explosives, the university shut down. clinton says his girlfriend was murdered with six of her friends. they slit their throats because they didn't want to waste thinker bullets. they came here to build a better life. now, they are leaving broken. their friends lost in brutal violence, their future uncertain. >> of course, like david was saying, these are students that came from all over the country to study there. let's bring in a cnn correspondent for the latest on the attack. she joins us live from nairobi. many families, i'm hearing, waiting for word on whether their loved ones were alive or have been brutally killed. you have spoken to some of the families. what have they been telling you? >> well, isa, we have been to the hospital where some of them

needed critical care were brought to. we found families hoping their loved ones were there. later we went to the mortuary. families were streaming in hoping to identify the bodies of their loved ones, others hoping their loved ones are not there. 800 students have been accounted for. we talked to a few family who is say they are missing their loved ones. they have looked through the list provided. there's a list of survivors, a list of those killed and a list of those receiving treatment. a couple still couldn't trace their loved ones. some, yesterday, were united with their loved ones. it's a five hour drive to kenya.

it took almost double the time it should have taken. their car broke down. when they got to nairobi, there were still in the same state during their talk. they were in shock. some of them in their bare minimum clothes. it still took quite a bit of time to reunite with their loved ones. the government released information about those who took part in the attacks. it's difficult to pull them out because they are deeply embedded in the society. they have arrested five people. three arrested on their way to somalia and two others in the precinct of the school. one is a guard of the school. this explains why, according to the students, the attackers felt like they knew their way around the school. as i said, we spoke to some

parents. one man was waiting to be reunited with his child. the other woman who got so emotional after being reunited with a loved one. take a look. >> translator: i came here at 6:00 a.m. this morning and i have been waiting. i have been waiting. i am holding out hope i will see my sister. i'm very excited. god loves me. i'm very excited. i don't have words, very happy. >> watching friends. thank god. >> horrific stories but some hope and some joy for those who have been reunited. some still waiting to see if their loved ones are live. others will meet their loved ones today because they had to travel from nairobi hope to be

reunited. >> incredibly brave students there. not surprised they are traumatized. thanks, soni. i want to take your attention to saudi arabia and yemen. despite a cease-fire, they conducted more air strikes in yemen. they were aimed at rebels. the u.n. estimated more than 500 people have been killed in the conflict over the past two weeks. a man died in a rebel attack. his family says he was visiting his wife and child to bring them back to the states. this video shows french forces evacuating dozens of people out. things are so bad, russia and the red cross asked for a cease-fire for people to get

food, water and aid. we have more on that side of the story. the u.n. security council heard russia present a resolution for a humanitarian pause to reach and help those suffering in yemen. not everybody is on board. some countries think it didn't go far enough or include a call for a dialogue. saudi arabia recognizes the need for assistance but it's pondering the russian request. >> the desire to provide assistance for those who need it is something we shared. the mechanism needs to be discussed. >> western countries and jordan were not happy they didn't put the blame where it belongs on the houthis. >> the houthis, over and over again took action by force

instead of engaging in genuine ways. the only way out is return to genuine political talks on an equal basis, not using force. >> the president of the security council, the ambassador from jordan said the counselor may meet to discuss the russian ideas. everybody shares the concerns of what's going on. cnn, united nations. >> in tikrit, iraq, days after being liberated from isis, chaos inside the city. looting and violence has broken out. this, as we get reports of many other gruesome violations. arwa damon was there and has the latest from baghdad. >> reporter: a senior iraqi official told cnn hours after the city was liberated it was out of control. at least 20 homes were set on

fire and around 50 shots alluded and destroyed. they were unable to stop trucks laiden with goods. mostly to blame were the popular mobilization units. that is the fighting force that is largely made up of the iranian backed shia volunteers. a few members of the security forces were complicit in the destruction and looting of various buildings. there's been a close look taken at what kind of human rights violations are happening in tikrit. when we were up there, as well, we did witness a group of men from the pmu, the popular mobilization units as well as police officers dancing with the severed head of an isis fighter. he was shot in the head, and later decapitated.

iraq's prime minister issued a directive to all security forces to detain anyone who had been causing damage, destruction, looting or human rights violation. a spokesman did say that they would be withdrawaling from the city. these various reports of all sorts of violations, potentially tarnishing what was touted as a victory against isis. arwa damon, cnn, baghdad. now, last month's crash of a germ germanwings flight sparked debate about an airlines all about low cost. plus, protesters took to the streets of brazil after a 10-year-old boy was shot dead. police and residents point the finger at each other. those stories here on cnn.

welcome back. if you were watching yesterday, you heard from our carl. investigators say they have all the main evidence in a private security firm is watching the rest of the wreckage until it can be moved. search teams collected the planes black boxes, cell phones and dna. they believe the co-pilot

deliberately crashed the plane last month. germ germanwings is meet.

>> reporter: statistics show low cost airlines have good safety records. >> they don't look at near-miss accidents. they don't look at the kind of accidents that potentially could occur. the statistical studies have it. 6.83 had a catastrophic end. experts blame weak government safely regulations. in the u.s., only.20 ended with a crash.

>> there are places throughout the world where safety and security is not as good as here in the united states. >> these carriers are able to keep their prices low because they charge passengers for everything. they proved they don't cut corners on safety. another issue is the shortage of qualified pilots. the number of flight hours to become a commercial pilot is because of the high profile crash. pay is also a concern. we look at how the growing shortage is, in fact, if it is impacting travel. >> the best part of my job is waking up very early, coming to work for a 6:00 a.m. flight block and taking off on that runway right there. >> at 21, gabrielle is already teaching other aspiring pilots how to fly. >> turn back to the west.

>> what do you love about flying? >> i love that flying brings out the best of my character. >> reporter: she graduated from an aeronautical university last may and working as an instructor pilot. she had 250 flight hours at graduation and already earned 600 more. she's still not able to fly for a commercial airline. >> at first, it's a lot of money you have to pay, a lot of time you have to put forward. a lot of work on the front end. as a career choice, it's a great path to choose. >> reporter: it's a path fewer people are choosing. in 2007, faa issued 67,000 student certificates. over six years, the number dropped reaching 49,000 in 2013. >> the pool is smaller, for sure. >> reporter: boeing forecast the need for 88,000 new commercial pilots over 20 years in north

america. regionals are sounding the alarm forced to reduce service because they don't have enough qualified pilots to fly their planes. >> it's not an industry you can say hey, i want to be a pilot and do a little training and end up being a pilot. you have to work a significant amount of time and build a significant amount of flight hours to qualify and it costs a significant amount of money. >> reporter: there are several ways pilots can get the training they need. some go to flight school, some go to a university where tuition costs $45,000 a year. they graduate with 250 hours in flight time. it used to be enough to go to a commercial airline. after flight 3407 crashed in 2009, that transition became much harder. pilot error played a role in that crash in buffalo and many of the families of the 49 people

on board pushed for some of the changes we are seeing today including raising the minimum requirement of flight hours to 1500. there are fears they may be weakened to meet the demand for pilots. >> there's pressure on the faa to relax the rules and requirements to get people in the pipeline. that will reduce safety. i think they were hard fought safety rules. people paid for them with their lives and they should not go back. >> mary says instead, the industry should focus on improving pilot pay. >> the starting salary for teachers in the united states of america is $35,000. where the starting salary for pilots is 22,000 or 24,000. if we accept the notion teachers are underpaid, pilots are way underpaid. >> the average pilot spends tens of thousands of dollars in training before they start

making any money. >> i think that the industry will have to find a way to make the transition from starting to be a professional pilot to being that experienced pilot a little easier. maybe increasing pay. having more incentives to continue with the program. otherwise, people are going to lose motivation. >> cnn, daytona beach, florida. >> very interesting debate there. now, still to come on cnn news room. fidel castro made a rare public appearance. coming up, a look at the photos released by state media. "%ñ

in vatican city, pope francis has begin easter mass. thousands have gathered in st. pet peter's square to hear the pope's message. it's very rainy weather there. this is the most important day in the christian calendar. jesus rose from the dead three days after he was crucified. you can see thousands of people turning out to listen to pope

francis' message. we'll have a live report from rome, later in the show. easter morning will be unseasonably cold for many across the united states. derek van dam is at the weather center. >> there might be upset children or at least parents of these children going out for easter egg hunts this morning across the united states. we are talking temperatures 15 to 20 degrees fahrenheit colder than where they were this time yesterday. we are talking people getting used to the springtime temperatures, then this. the nation's capitol, 20 degrees colder. 16 degrees fahrenheit colder in the big apple. this is thanks to a powerful cold front that swept through. you can see the warm uptaking place across the upper midwest. we have freeze warnings in effect for kentucky and tennessee. you can see the temperatures just flirting with the 32 degree

mark of 0 degree celsius across the mid-atlantic states. by the afternoon, we warm up nicely. what is easter without an easter day forecast. new york city, rain continues. 61 degrees. we are expecting temperatures near 70 where the cnn center is located. upper 60s and 50s as well. we have some good news to talk about. we get rid of the cool weather. there is a chance of snow across the upper great lakes, then a warm front lifts through to warm the temperatures across the eastern half of the united states. i want to pay attention to the west coast of the u.s. we have some much needed rainfall in the forecast from san francisco southward into los angeles and into san diego. this is good news. it's no secret this area has been under extreme drought conditions for the past four years. in fact, we are talking the

worst drought in over a krcentu. from the north to the south tuesday into wednesday. now, the snowpack in the sierra nevada mountain range is typically a gauge for how dry it is. according to nassau, it is at 5% of where it normally would be. take a look at this asounding photo. this was an image taken by a nasa satellite in 2005, roughly around march 31st. you can see how lush the landscape is and how much snowfall there was across the sierra nevada mountain ranges. skip forward by ten years. look at the stark difference, bone dry in california and nevada. very little snow cap. remember, the snow cap mountains are so important because the run off helps fill off the reservoirs to the drinking water. isa, it looks as if we have snow coming just in time for the end

of winter. back to you. >> before you go, how much rain in california? >> just under an inch in los angeles but upwards of two inches from san francisco northward to redding and the border of oregon. >> much needed water. thank you very much, derek. >> you're welcome. just ahead, a tail of terror and resourcefulness. a student tells how she survived a kenya university massacre. plus, new challenges syria places. isis rebels move further into the country. i'm caridee. i've had moderate to severe plaque psoriasis most my life. but that hasn't stopped me from modeling. my doctor told me about stelara®. it helps keep my skin clearer. with only 4 doses a year after 2 starter doses... ... stelara® helps me be in season. stelara® may lower your ability to fight infections and increase your risk of infections. some serious infections require hospitalization. before starting stelara®... ...your doctor should test for tuberculosis.

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i'm isa, welcome back to cnn news room. let me bring you up to date on the top stories. retribution, kenya remembering 147 people killed by al shabab militants. the president will respond in the fiercest way possible to the massacre at the college. the extremists say they will strike in kenya, again. clashes in yemen prompted russia and the red cross to call for humanitarian cease-fire. the latest saudi-led air strikes killed 11 people in the district in the country's capitol. investigators in france left the germanwings site in the alps. they have gathered all the main evidence, including 2,000 dna samples and the flight recorders. they believe the co-pilot purposely crashed the plane,

killing everyone on board. you are looking at live images of st. peter's square. thousands gathered to hear his message despite the rainy weather. easter commemorates it christian belief jesus rose from the dead three days after he was cruci crucified. we'll have that story later. the word of rescuers. a student at the university spent two days hiding in a closet. she tells cnn what it was like wh when when al shabab attack ers came. >> then they came running, following us. we hide and then they were

outside. then, me, i decided to go to the wardrobe. when we were outside they told if you -- then you lie down. then you go to the other side. they were told to lie down. >> were you scared? >> hmm? >> were you scared? >> i was scared so much. >> you were hiding? >> i was hiding. you know, i had covered myself with the clothes. >> reporter: while you were hiding, what did you hear? >> shootings. there were shooting everywhere. i closed my eyes.

i didn't want to cover my eyes, i was just closing my eyes that time. >> reporter: how did you feel when you were rescued? >> i didn't believe it. i say, how do i know you are the kenyan police. then they shoot. you are safe. then they told me you are safe at this moment. >> her story is one of the so many stories we have heard, stories of survival we have heard. no amount of retribution is likely to ease the ordeal of a family who lost their daughter. she was called by her brother on the morning of the attack to see

if she was okay. then the unthinkable thing happened. he says the attackers called him back and told him to call kenya's president to get him to withdrawal forces from neighboring somalia. he recounts the phone call and his sister's final moments. >> translator: so, i took the step and talked to her on behalf of our father. she talked nice and told me, they are here. i have been removed from where i was hiding. she asked me to talk to them. they were talking rough. he told me to call the president and ask him to remove them from somalia right now. i was given two minutes. he called after two minutes confirming if i had called. he handed over the kid to talk. the kid prayed. they finally told me, since you are not to blame and the kid is not to blame, the person to blame is your president. he refused to remove them from somalia, just listen. i then heard the first, second

and third gunshots. i asked if he killed the kid. he told me he was done with it. i then disconnected the phone. >> the militants killed his sister during that phone call. we also heard from the president yesterday in a televised speech that al shabaab is a threat to our public. after a bloody push of isis out of tikrit, they are preparing to liberate mosul. cnn's senior correspondent arwa damon. >> reporter: tikrit is touted as a success, at least when it comes to the first faze of iraq's war with isis. it may have been the simplest of battles the nation faces. the big question asked right now

is what's next? >> translator: liberation of tikrit put us to the next phase to move north and west to anbar. theoretically, the plans are set and we have the supplies we need. >> iraq's defense minister says it's not just about having the military power to take mosul. >> translator: the battle for mosul is unique. it's iraq's second largest city of 2 million people. we have to take this into consideration. terrorist groups announced it as the capitol. isis will fight fiercely for the city. they have tunnels and bunkers. they will fight for mosul. >> reporter: iraq's military units are going through intense training with u.s. advisers. >> what is it that the units that are being trained are actually receiving? because the u.s. was here for close to a decade, training the iraqi army. what failed then that is forcing

us into the situation right now? >> translator: the problem wasn't with the training. it was with the building of the army. it wasn't built in a way to face these challenges. it was built to be a conventional army. iraq is facing terrorism. we have one counterterrorism division. that is how it was built wrong. >> reporter: a mistake neither iraq or the region can see happen again no matter how checkered the battlefields are. you have the iraqi army, the iraqi police, the iranian advisers and the americans in the sky. i mean, it's a lot of moving parts of nations that aren't necessarily natural allies. it puts the government and yourself as minister of defense in a tricky position because you have to pal lance the different interests that are coming together in this one arena.

>> it is difficult. >> translator: of course it's an important subject. this is where you see the role of commander. you have to deal with conventional forces and volunteers. the volunteers come from everywhere, young and old. there's no connection between them. there's no regulation and rules. it's a difficult and big challenge for the iraqi leadership. >> reporter: whether or not iraq can rise to meet that challenge. arwa damon, cnn, baghdad. syria faces new challenges in the civil war. rebels advance further into the country. cnns senior correspondent has the story. >> reporter: at the heart of the sectarian violence in the region, the syrian civil war has just taken a significant turn with rebels, some of them

aligned with al qaeda making substansu substantial advances. in syria, somewhat lost in the turmoil in the region. after months of deadlock, suddenly, a key city changed hands. rebels ranging from al qaeda to moderate islamists. refugees flooded out. a sign that perhaps rebel backers in the region have taken the gloves off. a worrying moment of descendants for the front of al qaeda's affiliate. above all, a huge blow to the regime. one of the four major cities in the north now firmly in rebel hands. days later to the south, another mayor regime asset fell. the main southern border crossing points with jordan were taken decisively by rebels.

a similar, yet less unified mix taking a night into jordan. another blow for the assad regime that sat washing isis' rise. less comfort for them seeing this very close to damascus. isis fighters calling out for rebels to surrender in the refugee camp. home to long-term palestinian refugees. it's been emptied, starved, but very close to regime strongholds in the capitol. clashes continue as major parts of syria's landscape change hands, once again. human suffering beyond quantified in the balance. the syrian human right said saturday 90% of that refugee camp was under the control of a mixture of isis, islamic state

and the syrian al qaeda affiliate. there is clearly a lot of momentum against the regime. this is one other nightmare complicating an already turbulent region. nick peyton walsh, beirut. protecting the shooting death of a 10-year-old boy. saturday's protest was peaceful, but heavy police presence. the boy was shot by local criminals. they accuse police of being responsible on friday. they used stun grenades and tear gas. the president called for those responsible to be punished. cuban media showing new photos of fidel castro saying the leader is full of vitality. it shows castro sitting in a bus with a group of venezuelans visiting the island. the chance meeting happened monday in havana. it's the first time the 88-year-old appeared in public

in more than a year. if you are celebrating, you know it is easter sunday. coming up, a live report from rome where pope francis is leading mass. we are live in roam, just ahead. ♪ many wrinkle creams come with high hopes, but hope... doesn't work on wrinkles. neutrogena® rapid wrinkle repair has the fastest retinol formula... to work on fine lines and even deep wrinkles in just one week. neutrogena®.

welcome back to cnn news room. a criminal investigation into a test side poisoning. a family from delaware fell ill in the u.s. virgin islands. we have the report. >> reporter: a trip to paradise turned nightmare. a family of four fighting fir their lives. authorities are investigating whether they were poisoned staying at this hotel in st. john. two boys, ages 14 and 16 are in comas. a compound used in pesticides were found in their villa. the family fell ill after a room below them was fumigated. sea glass investigations told cnn the pest control company terminex fumigated it on march

18th. in the middle of the family's stay. the family's lawyer compared the chemical to serin gas. the department of justice opened a criminal investigate. e.p.a. is monitoring air samples and working with authorities to figure out what happened. terminix said they are committed to performing all work in a manner safe for customers, employees, the public and the environment. it is looking into this matter internally and cooperating with authorities. we are thinking about the family and we join the community in wishing them a speedy recovery. it is odorless, causing injury to the lung and nervous system and could be fatal, if inhaled. after the fumigation, the father was found in a coma. the boys and their mother were having severe seizures, according to the attorney. the parents condition improved

after the family was air lifted back to the mainland united states. the mom, teresa, was releaseed from the hospital. the father, steve, is conscious, but unable to talk. an e.p.a. spokeswoman said e.p.a. is workin to see how that happened and ensure steps are taken to prevent it happening from these apartments or elsewhere. cnn, new york. coming up, we'll have a live report out of rome where pope francis is leading mass, as you can see in st. peter's square. we'll be live there in a moment. wish your skin could bounce back as quickly as it used to? introducing neutrogena hydro boost water gel. instantly quenches skin to keep it supple and hydrated day after day. formulated with hydrating hyaluronic acid

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pope francis is leading easter mass in st. peter's square. thousands of people gathered to hear his message. easter commemorates the christian belief that jesus rose from the dead three days after he was crucified. for more on the celebrations, let's go to cnn senior international correspondent ben. thousands of people gathered in st. peter's square despite very wet weather there.

>> reporter: it is, indeed, isa, a very rainy, easter sunday. nonetheless many people flocked to st. peter's square to attend this mass, to actually get inside st. peter's basilica. you have to reserve a place months in advance because demand is so high for this occasion. on this occasion, of course, it is a very somber easter. after all, it was this week that nearly 150 people, many of them christians were slaughtered by al shabaab in kenya. there's violence against christians in the middle east. very much on the mind of pope francis during this easter sunday. on good friday, he did say christians are being persecuted, decapitated and crucified for

their faith before our eyes. not a day, necessarily of celebration, but contemplation about the plight of christians in africa and the middle east. isa? >> yeah, this is the holiest week for christians around the world. give us an idea a sense of what to expect for today. >> reporter: well, what we have at the moment, of course, in st. peter's square is the mass that's going on. it will culminate with the address to the city and the world. traditional blessing that the pope gives on easter sunday. we understand that this will also, this address will include words of concern about christians in many places in the middle east, africa, ukraine and elsewhere where violence is plaguing people of all faith. this will be, we understand, one of the themes of his address

today as well. isa? >> yeah, we did hear from him yesterday during friday's service in rome, where he talked about condemning the killing of christians, those beheading by isis as well as those brutally killed in kenya. we are expecting pretty much the same tone, the same message today, ben? >> reporter: this is the message that he's really been stressing throughout the easter season. the importance of doing what we can, thinking about the christians who are in need in these areas, but there are also other messages as well. he held a special mass for politicians. this year, he's canceled it because he doesn't hold them in very high esteem. so, in addition to these messages, also we understand he'll be condemning drug

dealers, arms dealers and others who he believes are behind some of the ills of the world at the moment. isa? >> ben in rome, thanks very much, ben. now, in a few days, a piece of musical history will hit the auction block. he says bye-bye to the manuscript that made him popular. here is nick. ♪ so bye bye miss american pie ♪ drove by chevy to the levy, but the levee was dry -- >> reporter: a song that defined a generation. an 8:36 ode to the social upheavals of the 1960s and early '70s. the original manuscript that he

hoped would make people dance is up for sale. >> the creative process from beginning to end. you see moments of inspiration. you see him attempting things that didn't work out. the direction he was going in that he didn't want to follow. so, these words that we all know so well and are fixed weren't fixed in the beginning. >> reporter: 16 pages of scribbles and scratches and the iconic words that made the cut. ♪ a long, long time ago ♪ i can still remember how that music used to make me smile -- >> reporter: the song became a hit in 1972 and making the song of the century list. he acknowledges the february that made him shiver was about a plane crash that killed the big bopper. the day the music died. much of "american pie" remains a

mystery. >> you can hear it in coffee shops. it's ever present. that makes it a work of popular art. it also happens to be the work of high literary art. it's constantly discussed and debated about what the lyrics refer to and might mean. >> reporter: they said song writers should make their statement and move on. his music has always spoken for itself, yet these questions remain. ♪ now do you believe in rock 'n' roll ♪ can music save your soul and can you teach me how to dance real slow ♪ >> reporter: the manuscript goes on april 7th. it's expected to fetch $1.5 million. it's just shy of bob dylan's "like a rolling stone." cnn, atlanta.

that does it for us this hour. thank you for jounging us. join me for another hour of cnn news room after a very short break. en people ask me what i'm wearing, i tell them aveeno®. [ female announcer ] aveeno® daily moisturizing lotion has active naturals® oat with five vital nutrients. [ aniston ] because beautiful skin goes with everything. aveeno®. naturally beautiful results™.

a somber day in kenya as the nation mourns those killed in the al shabaab attack. this, as survivor stories reveal the extent of the horror. a little rain can't stop the masses a