digging thus the wreckage, investigators are looking for answer after an airlines flight crashes minutes after takeoff. and a shocking development in the murder trial of kim jong-un's half brother as the indonesia b woman accuse of killing him gets her freedom. live from cnn world headquarters, we want to welcome our viewers. i'm george howell. >> and i'm rosemary church. cnn newsroom starts right now.

our top story, families grieve for the loss of relatives in the air crash. >> officials from ethiopia and china say they are grounding all boeing 737 max 8 aircraft. the same type of plane from sunday's crash that killed all 157 people on board. ethiopia says the decision was made as a a safety precaution. china says it want ace shurnss from boeing and u.s. regulators before resuming those flights. >> the 737 max 8 is also the same model from last year's crash in indonesia that killed 189 people on board. it's still unclear what caused the airlines crash and this is no evidence the two incidents are linked. boeing said this a statement it's saddened by the loss of

life and would be sending a technical team to the crash site for assistance. >> the ceo of the airline says his company is also cooperating with the investigation. >> we don't know the cause of the accident. we will comply with all the international regulations and aircraft manufacturer and american ntsb will come. this after mandated investigation. the airline will be fully cooperating with the investigation to find the exact cause. >> cnn has multiple teams covering this crash. robin is live in ethiopia. robin, last we chatted 24 hours ago, you were enroute to the

crash site. tell us more about what you saw there, what you're seeing and what investigators are doing. >> george, a poignant moment a short while ago when three bodies were pulled from the wreckage that you see behind me. a moment of silence. emergency crew workers and the graders behind me stopped and everyone stood quietly as these bodies came out. ethiopians feel terrible. a numb of people have apologized to us saying they are so sorry for the loss and almost feel humiliated by this. and this is testimony to the people. they are a passionate, proud nation ask extremely proud of their national carrier with a lot of reason. if the airlines is definitely one of the top airlines in africa and from we understand has a spotless safety record. so everyone is asking the question what went wrong with

the flight 302. we spoke to someone who witnessed the crash just a short while ago. he says he was on one of the hills that you see behind me. this area is really a cabin in a bunch of hills. they were collecting firewood with some friends when he saw this plane circling. it did a couple circles and looked like the pilot was trying to balance the plane out. he then says it went into the ground and it sounded like a bomb. we're in a remote part of ethiopia. this is not something that these people have ever seen before. so a number of people rushed to the scene. had said they were crying and this continued until i fwot here when people were crying and apologizing and trying to help any way they can. >> now let's switch over to our colleague.

the plane was in rote. many people have been waiting a the airport for loved ones. how are people in that community coping with the past 24 hours? >> absolutely right, george. 24 hours ago just behind me here, 157 people were supposed to be streaming out of here on a normal sunday morning after that flight and they didn't make it. eyewitnesss have told us as soon as that manifest came out. people simply doubled in group. and as the day wears on now 24 hours later, there's such feeling in the capital of ken b ya that this it has been a tragedy of such magnitude. especially to the communities that make up the fgos and united

nations percent negligent. >> the way they live. many of them live here. so at the moment, the secretary was join ed of news of a grounding. and then they say that 32 kenyans tied in this strategy. they say they have identified 27 of those families and they will do everything they can to try to take them to the site crash, if they need that for closure. they are trying to put sol of them in hotels and asked the media to give them some space. i just landed this morpg.

and this is a very busy airport. everybody uses yoep yan airlines. there's a lot to go. and we're waiting to see how the families are going to be catered for by this kenya set up to rye to at least ease their pain of searching and answering what on earth happened sunday morning. >> thank you. and robin just to ask you as well, are people still showing up there? >> reporter: yeah, so as i was listening, we are watching what looks like ethiopian red cross officials pulling a couple more bodies from the wreckage. it looks to be two, from what my cameraman is telling me.

it's still ongoing here and still devastating. there's still people morning the loss. we have seen some people from foreign embassies. we understand that more feshts, experts will be join and trying to ascertain who make sure they it match with the right family members. i want to talk about the cooped of people who are on board this flight. 19 staffers. the "wall street journal" saying that this flight was a testimony to the type of people at work. the academics, the writers, all of those vibrant people who work in this region. sometimes in tough countries. travel b the witnehome of the e. and but it was very brave people who work in somalia.

people who are somalia. people who work in sudan. all of these types of people trying to make a difference often times in these parts of the world. and again, as the "wall street journal" recorder put it, a testament to the humanitarianism of those sorts of people. >> thank you so much. and thank you both for the reporting. we'll stay in touch with you. the passengers on the ethiopian flight came from 35 different countries. showing that sunday's crash was a global strategy. >> they included 19 united nations staff members, 6 of them from the u.n. officer new york owe roy by. he was deeply sattened by the loss. a george university from ken ta also died in that crash.

they called him a champion for social justice across east africa. also on board, the children and wife of a lawmakers. he asked people to think of them in a quiet memory. >> we're hearing more from the families that lost their lives on sunday. he told the bbc they shared a meeting shortly benefit his dta left. >> i went up said he arrived safely and the first thing i saw was a message pop up that said that, airplane has crashed and then he was just a roller coaster of news. i think shortly after that, i found out that nearly everybody had pass ed away. it was just a frantic rush to

work the phones to try to get any information we could get. >> a hard way to get that news. he says he's still in shock br tall the people on that flight. >> stay up to date with the lawsuitest news of toet yan ya. thens vase la's o. >> the outages have cost vens a venezuela hundreds of millions of dollars and made it hard to get basic needs. >> translator: there's no service in the hospitals. these were the best hospitals in the country. if we are in the capital, what is it like, kilometers versus venezuela, where there's been had will. without basic goods, with

inefficient public transportation. you can see with all responsibility that venezuela has already dlacollapsed. there's opinion an exodus of talent. there are many specialists, many technicians that found opportunities elsewhere so they don't have the man b power or the technical capacity to do it quickly. the proof is is it's been four days. more than 4.1 billion dollars lost in the national economy and minute by minute that growing. so i don't think they can recover fully. >> we also asked whether he thinks his rival would step town without any convenience. >>. >> translator: she's take imaki harder. we counted 17 murders. we can't call it any other way. imagine in your country you wait until the news that there's been

four days without fakd because of corruption and stay steal from electric plnt hads. >> he will call for a state of nshl emergency to address the crisi crisis. the country was dealing with hyper inflation and many or issues. >> the opposition says 16 states in venezuela are without power. and with the lights still out, the government is suspending all school and work activities on monday. cnn's pau will newton has this. >> reporter: the piece of good news is from behind me. the country is just beginning to recover. but the toll it has taken r are a acuteshottages of food and within. we have heard stories of etc. personal will i in the hospitals

already facing so much adversity. today we heard from many people who say the power must colt back on. we have spoiled food in our homes and no way to figure out how to get more food and the money to get more food into our homes. monday, again, everyone should stay home. businesses and schools, people will continue to try to. they continue to hold his line saying that this was indeed sabotage. one thing is for sure. the hydrosystem, the electricity system in this country is in dire need of repair and in the middle of a drought, residents know while this may be over, they know they risk more blackouts to come and more

struggles. a u.s. national security adviser weighed in sunday on venezuela's political struggle. >> he continued to show support for gour doe. >> i think the overwhelming support of the population and the overwhelming support of the enlisted personnel in the milt military the top have only a a few that have broken. that tells you who benefits from plupdering the economy. >> it was national security adviser there. a woman walks free after being accused of killing kim jong-un, we'll take a look at what's behind that surprise decision.

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we have new developments in the murder trial of north korean leader kim jong-un's half brother. a woman who was accused of the 2017 killing of him walked free on monday.

she said she had no idea she was being used by north korea and thought the direction she was given was from a tv show. >> the judge is against a national who remains. the two women were exaccused of killing him within minutes of giving him the chemical. ivan, do we have any idea why this indonesian woman has been released and what about the other woman? >> it does appear this remarkable release and the decision by prosecutors to drop charges was a result of lobbying by the indonesian government on behalf of this suspect. it's a remarkable turn of events now. a little more than two years after the very brazen

assassination in personal ambassador ambassador. taik a look at what the lawyer had to say after the charges were adopted against her. >> today the prosecution informed the court that they declined to further prosecute the case. so she's been discharged from the court today. >> so rosemary, the lawyer says she's going to be headed home soon. now she appeared at embassy. their official confirmed there was a heavy lobby iing effort o the orders of the indonesia, she

thought she was participating in a reality tv show. and that all efforts were made to help her escape the death penalty and it appears that lobbying effort succeeded. >> surely, if she's been released, the other woman should as well. what information are you getting on that? >> preslicely that's the case. the other two hoarguing if they have been released, then her alleged coconspirator should also be released on the groinds of fairness. so he has until thursday to try to make that case and to try to get that response from the attorney general of malaysia. the voet na meez foft say they have been b heavily involved in the case of their citizen.

clearly concerned she too faces the possibility of the death penalty and are involved in that. so we're expecting a public statement from the foreign ministry. this is a remarkable case because it involves the very public assassination allegedly with a weapon of mass destruction via a nerve agent in an international airport of the and two key suspects who pled not there are four north korean who is are also wanted in connection with this. but their r whereabouts are currently unknown. >> extraordinary situation, and outcome, ivan watson, thank you. a top white house adviser says president trump will be disappointed when north korea conducts a new missile test. >> john bolton spoke after the

release show activity at a rocket facility near pyongyang. both said in a tv interview he did not want to spec late what the images meant but the u.s. is always watching. take a listen. >> the president has been very clear he's not going to make the mistakes of prior administrations. ask one mistake the prior administration has been made poertly was assuming they would come ply when they undertake obligations. the north koreans have pledged to give up their program beginning in 1992 with the denuclearization agreement. they never seem to get around. that's run within to pay cloengs attention. we'll see what they are doing now. we see it unblinkingly. >> bolton says the u.s. has

leverage right now in any. the british government is defending itself actions after the the death of an isis member's baby in syria. >> the top difficult shoubt it she used the term daesh, an act nism for isis. she knew when she made the decision to join daesh she was going to a country where there was no embassy and i'm afraid those decisions, they have consequences. >> that was british foreign secretary jeremy hunt. peek spobing of, she left the uk to. president trump is not backing down his 2020 budget

proposal includes billions to include a border wall. leaders have a predictable response. we're back to that, in a moment. we just got married.

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clean my daughter's room. [ ding ] oh, it won't do that. welp, someone should. just say "teach me more" into your voice remote and see how you can have an even better x1 experience. simple. easy. awesome. welcome back. you're watching cnn newsroom. >> we tonight check the headlines for you. crews are combing the site of the ethiopian airlines crash that killed 1r eed 157 people o. the flight went down just minutes after takeoff from ethiopia. the airline's ceo says the pilot reported technical difficulties and was given clearance to turn

back. thousands in russia are protesting a bill that would tighten internet restrictions. in past parliament still needs two more approvals before becoming law. it's necessary to prevent foreign meddling, but it would be used. >> a woman accused of the 2017 killing of kim jong-un's half brother walked free on monday. prosecutors said they would not pursue the case against him. charges against a vietnamese national remain though. they accused the two women of exposing him to the deadly nerve agent as he entered an airport killing him in minutes. the u.s. president appears ready for another bat wl congress over a border wall. president trump is set to deliver his budget request later on monday. >> in his 2020 budget request, the proposal proposes a 5% cut

across federal agencies. that means cuts in education, health care, but not for defense. it includes $8.6 billion for a border wall. $5 billion from customs and border protection and $3.6 billion from the military construction budget. >> let's talk about this with the department ethics. president trump is asking for billions for his border wall this his proposed budget. despite seeing members of his own party vote against it in congress, what do you make of this renewed push? >> we have to kind of look at the context of the week he's been having. he's had a terrible week with what happened with the summit in vietnam with north korea. that didn't really work out. the michael cohen hearings didn't go over well for him. and then there was also bad news about him ordering security

clearances for his son-in-law and daughter. then he was really direct iing s energy to his base and trying to make shoe on promises. what they like is he comes through on processes. he said he wanted to get out of the paris climate deal and did and trying to make deal on the impression he's willing to do whatever it takes to build this border wall. >> it looks like we're headed for another shutdoowdown? >> it's been critical of his spending and taxing. they see responsible for increasing the deficit to $2 trillion. they don't like there's going to be a 5% cut in federal agencies and that would directly affect things like social security and

medicare. and they don't like this idea he wants to create some sort of military contingency fund, which they see as a military slush fund for him to get around some of the spending limits on military spending. they really don't like the types of things he wants to focus on and now he has to deal with a divided congress. he has a house that is in the hands of the democrat and appear to be in spite of everything happening last week, very united on these issues on what they want to prioritize. and they see it as ineffective this dealing with immigration issues. >> in the proposed budget, deep cuts in education. deep cuts in health care. a lot of focus on military and border security politically. what does this move mean for the president and his base. where does it put democrats gearing up for 2020?

>> this speak is directly to his base. this is what is popular at the rallies. he tries to plan. one of the recent interviews he was doing with the press he was very clear that that's what was so great about the shutdown was that now the public knows how bad this security crisis is at the border. but this doesn't sit well with democrats at all. the recent polls from iowa indicated that 84% of democrats care about health care. health care is one of the most important issues of the came pan. whatever trufr's mans include, they are not focused on health care at all. and democrats want to prevent hemss that really affect middle income and low income voters. >> thank you again. >> thanks for having me.

right nbrust taint is is is set to leave the eu in just 18 days. on tuesday british lawmakers will vote on the withdrawal deal. the same one b they rejected just two months ago. >> if the deal is is voted down tuesday, there are some options. on wednesday parliament will decide whether to leave the eu without a deal. and if there's a no, it will be a vote thursday. let's talk about all of this with a professor of economics at kings college and joins me from london. thank you for being with us. so as we explained, british lawmakers previously rejected the brexit deal. why would it be any different come truz? >> well, there are two reasons it could have been different. the first is that the uk and eu have been associated. but changes to the dole and

clarifications and interpretations and the second is that we're that much closer to brex it day itself and the prime minister has been saying increasingly loudly if her deal doesn't go through this time, then the risk or at least the risk from her point of view is that brexit will be delayed or cancelled. the idea that both of these changes or was to make the deal more acceptable or at least less attackive to hard line support as a brexit in her own party. the problem is so far either of these really work, which is why the time, it's unlike ly the del will go through. >> you don't think the clarifications and interpretations will be sufficient then to get lawmakers on board on tuesday.

>> that's right. essentially the fundamental problem that is says that they backstop the provisions relating to how the irish border and then the necessity for the uk and northern ireland to stay in a close customs relationship with the eu after brexit. those provisions were designed to be a backstop and an insurance policy. what the hard line conservative party want is a get out clause. a way out of that. and unsurprisingly, the from the uk has been if you can get out of that, it's not an insurance policy. it's not a back top or a safety net. so those talks so far have not gone very far. >> let's say it doesn't get voted. prime minister, the possible scenarios there. we mentioned britain crashing

out of the eu or perhaps a delay here. surely a delay would be the more likely outcome going forward. but you have to wonder why they hadn't thought this through. all of the brexit tiers. they are look incredibly followish. a delay is the most likely option. and you're also tliegt tbrexit has almost stuck. but actually they don't have the majority for us to crash out without a deal. so the most likely near is a delay, but the problem is that the delay in itself does not any of the fundamental issues. to we want a deal on the line? do wit want to crash out without a deal or do we want to try some

other path for which as yet neither the government nor the opposition has any clear plan. >> what about the second referendum? a number of poem pushed for it this aren't enough, but when you look back on the history of this, a the lot of people did not know in britain what they were voting on. they thought they were voting to keep immigrants out, for the most part. now they are in this situation where a lot of people are saying given another opportunity to vote, they would change the way they the voted. >> well, i think you're right on the first point, but not on the second. you're right we didn't know what we were we have learn ed an awfl lot in the last few years. anybody who has paid attention has learned a lot. but i think you're wrong in saying lots of people would change their mind. the polls suggest there's been b a consistent but stul pretty

small swing and favor for may. so it's quite possible there would be a small majority to remain. but it's not clear that solves the problem. a small majority to remane is not necessarily. that's one of the reasons lawmakers very nervous about a second recommendation. it wouldn't solve anything. and they are probably right about that. >> if it wouldn't b change the outcome, it would thank you. we appreciate your analysis on this. >> thank you. isis is still clinging to its last piece of territory in syria. that's despite another round ofs i tense fighting. we go live to the scene of the battle. bathroom messes with wipes and spray cleaners? try mr. clean magic eraser.

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in eastern syria, the last 24 hours have seen another round of intense fighting as forces are trying to seize that country's last enclave. >> that was the scene sunday. you can see explosions lighting up the night sky and hear heavy gunfire. the kurdish allies say isis has run out of time to surrender. >> cnn's ben wedeman and team members have been covering this battle from the front lines and now ben joins us with more in eastern syria. ben, tell us about the situation as it stands now. >> what we have been hearing is

a o'kalgs shelling, occasional machine gunfire from this small enclave behind me just a half square a mile overnight. the bombardment was much more intense. we were seeing tracer fire there were airstrikes. there was artillery and martyr rounds going in as well. what's interesting is this morning we did spot through our lens not only people walking around, but despite the bombing. despite everything that's going on, there are still the black banners of isis flying over this encampment and it's not at all clear how many people are still inside. we know that the syrian democratic forces have twice before tried to continue with this operation but had to halt

and call a truce to allow civilians to leave. now a month ago, the syrian democratic forces officials were telling us they were only around 1,500 people inside in addition to 500 fighters. it turns out there were more than 30,000 people inside. and therefore, they want wanted to avoid civilian casualties so hundreds and hundreds of isis fighters themselves who surrendered. one of them told me the bombardment was just too intense. they could not stay inside. and many of the families, in fact, are family members, families of isis fighters as well. and even now the syrian democratic forces are telling us they believe there's still some civilians. not many at this point, still inside this camp. over the last 72 hours, just a

few dozen people left. and that's why they decided that they would make this third perhaps final attempt to retake what is honestly a very small piece of land. back to you. >> ben, thank you very much for the reporting. it will be the world's largest display of democracy will go to new delawarely live to talk about the upcoming election there and the 900 million people who can vote. that's next. ♪ pardon the interruption but this is big! now with t-mobile get the samsung galaxy s10e included

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voters in the largest democracy head to the polls starting april 11th. the voting will be held in seven different stages. it's coming off the back of escalating tensions between ibd india and pakistan. >> and despite economic and sectarian tensions, the current prime minister will seek reelection. but other politicians are already trying to win over the 900 million people eligible to cast a vote. so

new dehli. how likely is is it he will win another term here? >> he remains. he was and he remains the single most influential, most consequential figure in this country. but the landscape as we head into this election has changed. only a few months ago it looked like mode was an almost certain candidate r for releelection. it's become a tighter contest. it's the biggest electoral show on earth and this time it's about this man. fresh from a tense fight with pakistan that's fired up the base, mody is facing a tight contest. in 2014 years before brexit, before trump, he wrote a pop list wave to win in a landslide.

he promised to generate jobs for the 12 million young indian who is enter the workforce each year. and he promised to make india great again, sto tand up to foes like pakistan and restore nation national. but as he seeks reelection, there's questions about his record. that's fired up the opposition. the leader of the principle opposition indian national congress party says modi has failed. >> he's spent five years wasting india's time. >> for critics, modi ask his base are a threat to the secular fabric. although majority hindu, they are home to more than 172 million muslims. in recent years human rights watch says vigilantes have

mounted a violent campaign against beef consumption and those in the cattle trade that's claimed 44 lives including 36 muslim. on the economy, experts say joblessness has worsened despite healthy growth. many complain about timpact of two policies and a new dpoods and services tax with some small business says is badly implemented. experts say economic factors were among the reasons modi's party suffered heavy losses in key elections in december. so will he be triumphant again? the answer is in the habds of the more than 800 million people eligible to vote over the coming weeks. >> as you can see, a number of issues that have turned this into more of a contest than a

year ago, back in 2014 jout lined an optimistic vision for the country. most are below the age of 25. and it's that constituency he appeal ed to last time by promising this effectively economic renaissance. he's going to have to be tested on that. he just hasn't delivered. and it's also worth baring in mind, there's not just one party. this is a country with hundreds of players. it's a parliamentary system. they will be vote iing for the local mp and the party with the largest number gets to choose the prime minister. so it's also possible that somebody ends up with a large share of the vote, but doesn't win a majority in which case the regional players will be critical after the votes are counted on the 23rd of may. it's a very close contest. we'll just have to wait and see what happens. >> we'll certainly do that. thank you so much for your reporting. appreciate it. finally this hour, at 116

years old, a woman in japan is is the world's oldest living person. she was born on january 2nd, 1903. >> the world record has honored her with certificates for being the oldest living woman and the oldest living person. she likes to wake up at 6:00 in the morning and she likes to study. she is said to be very good at playing the strategy board game. got to keep on top of these things. >> thank you for being with us. >> "early start" is is next. for everybody else, stay tuned for more news in london. you're watching cnn. have a great day. some big news from mr. clean.

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two plane crashes in five months, now big questions for boeing over a new model jet many americans fly. we're live at the site of the latest crash. declaring a national emergency, spend billions, then get congress to pay for it, that is just part of the president's new budget setting up a new battle over the border. and islamic dock indicative her