i'm al ison kosik in for christi paul. >> i'm victor blackwell. they're remembering the victims of thursday's terror attack. we're learning more about one of those four assailants. >> kenya's terror ministry said he's the son of a kenyan government official. he vanished from home and his father and police were looking for him when al shabaab militants attacked garissa. they were paraded through the streets this weekend. 147 people, most of them students, died in the attack, were killed in the attack, but we're also seeing emotional reunions between survivors and their families. >> translator: i came here at 6:00 a.m. this morning and i've been waiting. i've been waiting. i was still holding out hope that i would see my sister. i'm very excited. god loves me. i'm very excited. i don't even have words.

very happy. >> your friends watching bullets from everywhere. thank god i made it. >> let's go now to cnn reporter. we understand this is easter sunday. because al shabaab separated christians and muslims, there is a lot of fear at the christian churches this morning. >> reporter: there is, indeed. there is a bit of a scare in mumbasa. people are taking to social pages and expressing their fear. this sunday has been dedicated to the victims of the attack. and yesterday members of isli community, it's known as little mogadishu. they protested against the divide ever kenyans and muslims.

we spoke to the supreme council of muslims secretary general, they said that's the intention of al shabaab to create a divide. we should stand and find, stand as one and move in the same direction. this is what kenyans are calling for now. >> soni, what are you learning about the gunman who's been identified? >> reporter: yeah, we're learning about one gunman who's been identified. he is said to be a law student here at the university of nairobi. the university of nairobi just behind me a few minutes' walk. he studied law here, his father who was a chief in the government of mandera county. it's close to the border with somalia. his father had reported him missing and during the attack actually police were in the process of looking for him. and his father speaking to a local radio station saying that his son finally blew himself up. >> all right.

soni methu reporting for us from nairobi. soni, thank you so much. now to the crisis in yemen which this week has claimed the life of a u.s. citizen. jamall alabani died this week. his cousin said he left for yemen two months ago to see his 2 1/2-year-old daughter and wife who was pregnant. he wanted to bring them home to california. >> any time they remember his name they just cry. he was pretty worried for the past three weeks. really upsetting. really sad. i even talked to other families here, they have some american relatives back in yemen and they don't know what to do. >> according to the red cross, more than 500 people have been killed in this latest conflict. joining us now for more cnn global affairs analyst, lieutenant colonel james reese. lieutenant colonel, we had a

conversation with major general spider marks. these are americans who are making choices. if they choose to leave, how difficult is it and is there help from the state department to get out now that the embassy has been evacuated. >> good morning, victor, from rocco. happy easter. one, it's very difficult to get out now. most of the international commercial flights, shipping links have been all closed off by the saudis which is a concern because the red cross is trying to get them opened back up to bring in, you know, humanitarian and first ship relief. so it is very challenging to get out of there. and yemen is a difficult place to get in and be out of even when the commercial lines were open. years i would go in there for our forces there, and it was just a very difficult challenge to get in and out of the country. these aspects these americans have to take, like general marks said, it's a decision they made and it's a difficult one to have

to stay and my heart goes out to the family, to their loved one who was killed. >> the red cross says that the streets in yemen are, quote, strewn with bodies there. i wonder in the request that they've made for this urgent cease fire for humanitarian purposes considering that we saw in gaza that there was a humanitarian cause, in crimea there was a humanitarian cause. do you think that that will be granted in this case as well? >> well, you know, i know the saudis pretty well. they will look at it. unfortunately, what happens a lot of times is the opposing side will use that as an advantage to them so the sunnis ha -- saudis have to look at their own intelligence. if they feel it is warranted i believe the saudis will definitely conduct a cease-fire, a pause in their bombing to allow that first aid and that medical help to get in. it won't last long because this

is a no fail mission to the saudis right now. they will continue to bombard yemen until they feel that this puts them in the table for discussion with the houthis and come to the table for discussion which is this is what their final aim is. >> yeah, in most cases what we see is they last four to six hours at the very most until it's breached. lieutenant colonel, thank you for joining us this morning. happy easter to you. >> thanks. you too. israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu ramps up the rhetoric against iran. netanyahu will be on in the next hour following a string of racist allegations against police, we're moving to ferguson now, some departments are taking steps to stop it.

new york state is reinventing by leading the way on tax cuts. we cut the rates on personal income taxes. we enacted the lowest corporate tax rate since 1968. we eliminated the income tax on manufacturers altogether. with startup-ny, qualified businesses that start, expand or relocate to new york state pay no taxes for 10 years. all to grow our economy and create jobs. see how new york can give your business the opportunity to grow at ny.gov/business i am a lot of things. i am his sunshine. i am his advocate. so i asked about adding once-daily namenda xr

to his current treatment for moderate to severe alzheimer's. it works differently. when added to another alzheimer's treatment, it may improve overall function and cognition. and may slow the worsening of symptoms for a while. vo: namenda xr doesn't change how the disease progresses. it shouldn't be taken by anyone allergic to memantine, or who's had a bad reaction to namenda xr or its ingredients. before starting treatment, tell their doctor if they have, or ever had, a seizure disorder, difficulty passing urine, liver, kidney or bladder problems, and about medications they're taking. certain medications, changes in diet, or medical conditions may affect the amount of namenda xr in the body and may increase side effects. the most common side effects are headache, diarrhea, and dizziness. he's always been my everything. now i am giving back. ask their doctor about adding once-daily namenda xr.

it's easter sunday. happy easter to you. across the world millions of christians celebrating, including thousands who watched the pope give his traditional blessing to the vatican there in vatican city and the world. >> but the unusually celebratory -- the usually celebratory message, i should say, took a somber tone this time as the pope called for an end to the violence and bloodshed faced by christians at the hands of terrorists.

>> ben wedeman is in rome with the details. >> reporter: it's supposed to be a holiday of celebration, but the weather in saint peter's square was cool and rainy. the spirit of easter this year marred by violence, most recently in kenya where the group al shabaab slaughtered almost 150 mostly christian students at garissa university. pope francis marking his third easter as pontiff prayed for peace in kenya, in iraq, in syria, in the holy land, in libya, in yemen, in nigeria, in sudan, in the democratic republic of congo in ukraine. >> translator: we ask for peace above all in the beloved syria and iraq, that the roar of arms may cease and that peaceful relations may be restored.

a among the various groups which make up those various countries. may the international community not stand by before the immense humanitarian tragedy unfolding in these countries. and the drama of the numerous refugees. >> reporter: clearly his mind occupied by war and rumors of war the world over. he did, however, end his easter address on a slightly lighter note asking all of those present to pray for him and wishing one and all a good easter lunch. ben wedeman, cnn, rome. so with the message on syria and libya and the iranian message as well, i wanted to get a response from cnn's religion commentator father edward beck. he reacted to the pope's message. listen.

>> it's expected in a message like this to be praying for world peace, unfortunately, we find ourselves not at peace in so many areas that the list seems particularly long, but i think, again, putting into context what christians are celebrating right now, we've just gone through the three days. good friday is about suffering. it is about somehow finding meaning in suffering and moves us to today, to easter. so i think the easter message of the pope is that even though we're living in this violent world, the prayers for peace continue. the fact is, christians celebrate that jesus rose from the dead. the pope is really putting it in the context of we can have hope in this but he's challenging the world community that we have to work together for that. it's not going to happen unless we ban together as an international community to help make it happen. >> there's been a string of allegations against police

recently regarding racism. coming up, a new program that's helping officers tell their side of the story. know your financial plan won't keep you up at night. know you have insights from professional investment strategists to help set your mind at ease. know that planning for retirement can be the least of your worries. with the guidance of a pnc investments financial advisor, know you can get help staying on track for the future you've always wanted.

i am a lot of things. i am his guardian. i am his voice. so i asked about adding once-daily namenda xr to his current treatment for moderate to severe alzheimer's. it works differently. when added to another alzheimer's treatment, it may improve overall function and cognition. and may slow the worsening of symptoms for a while. vo: namenda xr doesn't change how the disease progresses. it shouldn't be taken by anyone allergic to memantine, or who's had a bad reaction to namenda xr or its ingredients. before starting treatment, tell their doctor if they have, or ever had, a seizure disorder, difficulty passing urine, liver, kidney or bladder problems, and about medications they're taking. certain medications, changes in diet, or medical conditions may affect the amount of namenda xr in the body and may increase side effects. the most common side effects are headache, diarrhea, and dizziness. all my life, he's protected me.

now i am giving back. ask their doctor about adding once-daily namenda xr. the pursuit of healthier. it begins from the second we're born. after all, healthier doesn't happen all by itself. it needs to be earned... every day... from the smallest detail to the boldest leap. healthier means using wellness to keep away illness... knowing a prescription is way more than the pills... and believing that a single life can be made better by millions of others. healthier takes somebody who can power modern health care... by connecting every single part of it. realizing cold hard data can inspire warmth and compassion... and that when technology meets expertise... everything is possible. for as long as the world keeps on searching for healthier...

we're here to make healthier happen. optum. healthier is here. new this morning, san francisco's chief of police is moving to dismiss seven officers accused of sending or receiving racist text messages. the texts mentioned lynching african-americans, burning crosses, and derogatory comments

about homosexuals and other races. the chief says they were sent in 2011 and 2012. lawyers tell "the new york times" the officers weren't serious but were blowing off steam. >> after the incidents like this in san francisco and ferguson, the police department offices being scrutinized even more. now there's a new program that's allowing officers to tell their side of the stories. joining me is chris moody senior digital correspondent. chris, you spoke with the head of this organization. first, actually, let's listen to a part of that interview and then we'll talk. >> to the immediate wig on one of these tantalizing events, let's take ferguson, early on conclusions were reached, very quickly, that these were almost rogue actions of a racist white police officer against an innocent young teenager. my fear is that some of the

conversation over the last six months has made people look at police more suspicious. >> all right. so, chris, let's talk about this program. there is a simulator involved. tell us about this and what it's like. >> well, the group is the law enforcement legal defense fund, and these are people that offer services to police officers who come under legal scrutiny. you're right, in the aftermath of a lot of police encounters with the public that have evoked national outcry in the past year in ferguson or in new york or in cleveland, police are trying to tell their side of the story. and what they're doing is in the law enforcement legal defense fund they're taking reporters to a simulator that's used to train police officers. use of force simulators where we're put in front of different situations maybe responding to a bank robbery, or you're responding to a shooting and trying to show us just how difficult it is to deal with certain situations when you're trying to decide whether or not to use force. and they're trying to give reporters some perspective who

might be doing pieces about what we saw in ferguson and other places with police. >> so we saw a bit of video there of your trying out this simulation. how did you do? what was the experience? >> i should keep my day job. >> okay. >> definitely not very good at it, but the screen is life size and it really puts you in the moment and makes you very nervous when you're worried about who to shoot or if to use your gun or to not use your weapon. police have a tough job. i think people know that. on the same hand, i asked them, is it justified, the anger at police been justified. and ron hosko, the director of that group said, yes, it is in certain situations. he said the police officers like we saw in san francisco, they need to be pushed out of the profession if they're not acting professionally. i think they're very aware of that. this is part of that response. >> all right. chris moody, thank you so much. good to talk with you.

and good to see the response there from your time in the simulator. >> thank you. >> see ya, chris. fast cars, oh, yeah. big explosions. how "fast and furious 7" is ramping up for one of hollywood's biggest april opening weekends ever. 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. stelara® may increase your risk of cancer. always tell your doctor if you have any sign of infection, have had cancer, or if you develop any new skin growths. do not take stelara® if you are allergic to stelara® or any of its ingredients. alert your doctor of new or worsening problems including headaches, seizures, confusion and vision problems- these may be signs of a rare, potentially fatal brain condition. serious allergic reactions can occur. tell your doctor if you or anyone in your house needs or has recently received a vaccine. in a medical study, most stelara® patients saw at least 75% clearer skin... ...and the majority were rated as cleared or minimal at 12 weeks. stelara® helps keep my skin clearer. ask your doctor about stelara®.

the red cross is reporting that city streets in yemen are strewn with bodies. >> the humanitarian organization is now calling for an immediate 24-hour cease-fire saying people injured in airstrikes and ground battles, they need treatment within hours, not days. the fighting has taken more than 500 lives in the last two weeks. cnn's senior international correspondent nic robertson has the latest on new saudi airstrikes targeting a battle torn nation. >> reporter: we're pretty close to the yemen border here and you can hear saudi aircraft flying over occasionally. those strikes have continued in yemen targeting houthi strong

holds. that's what so you haudi offici they're doing. the most intense fighting is around the town of aiden. the houthis are losing ground by most accounts. they're in there helping bring in communications equipment, weapons, trying to organize the sort of southern separatists there to counter the houthi's efforts. this is what's causing a great deal of concern for the international committee for the red cross. they're calling for a pause, humanitarian pause, if only, they say, so the people in aiden who are experiencing the worst of the fight can get out of their homes for a while, get some food, get some water. the red cross are also saying they are they've got a plane on stand by with 48 tons of medical equipment ready to fly in. that could help between 2 to 3,000 people with medical supplies for a number of days. they say they're concerned about the lack of medical supplies and

equipment that are getting to the various hospitals in the country. they say civilians are suffering. so far the u.n. says more than 500 people have been killed, more than 1700 injured. so this is really adding to the humanitarian concern and cost of what is happening inside yemen at the moment. of course, on top of that, a senior al qaeda leader broken from jail appears to turn up, if you will, inside a presidential palace in the town where he was sprung from jail. someone who has been put in jail four or five years ago by the yemeni government because of his leadership role in al qaeda now out on the streets. the concern is al qaeda will take advantage of the deteriorating security situation to extend their control inside yemen to reconstruct training camps. the government had already demolished, destroyed, and taken down. the real concern is in this

chaos people are suffering, humanitarian efforts are required and al qaeda is taking advantage as well. nic robertson. here's other stories developing. in the wake of the germanwings crash, there's a new report coming out about what germany knew about oversight issues. an eu commission tells cnn they warned germany's air safety oversight office almost four years ago to fix chronic understaffing problems. >> understaffing interfered with the ability to properly medically screen crews. it's unclear if that's a factor in the germanwings situation because he did pass a medical exam. he deliberately crashed the plane killing all 150 on board. there's a rare public appearance by former leader fidel castro. he was meeting with a group of venezuelans last week who were visiting cuba.

it's been more than a year since the 88-year-old was last seen. >> nfl ledge gone deion sanders is keeping a close eye on his son's account. after he posted about loving donuts from a place in the quote, unquote, hood. his dad called him out. he tweeted to his son, you're a huxtable with a million dollar trust fund. stop the hood stuff. >> "fast and furious 7" dominating the box office. making $67 billion a day. analyst say it will rake in $150 million by the end of the day. take a look at this massive school of sharks spotted off the coast of florida thursday. south of the sebastian inlet. they were shot by a photographer indian river by air. they shoot from a parasail.

they've seen this. >> so pretty. thanks for starting your morning with us. >> happy easter. enjoy it with your family. "inside politics" with john king starts right now. president obama sells the iran nuclear framework as a huge diplomatic win. >> this framework would cut off every pathway that iran could take to develop a nuclear weapon. >> but his critics in congress promise a big fight over lifting u.s. sanctions. >> i'm going to do everything i can to stop these terms from becoming a final deal. >> plus -- >> was i expecting this kind of backlash? heavens, no. >> the culture wars. >> indiana and arkansas trigger a national debate and force the 2016 republican contenders to navigate the gay rights d