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What the Body Language Said; Being Overweight a Global Problem; Israel Deporting Illegal Immigrants; Forward Operating Base Breached By Insurgents In Southern Afghanistan; Popular Pakistani Singer Gunned Down; Deaths in the Amazon

Aired June 19, 2012 - 12:00   ET

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

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to NEWSROOM INTERNATIONAL. I'm Suzanne Malveaux. We'll take you around the world in 60 minutes.

Here's what's going on first.

Four mass funerals as the death toll rises again in Syria. An opposition group says more than 30 people have been killed already today and attacked by the regime. Children are among the dead.

In one town, we're told the regime conducted house-to-house raids and set fire to homes. Several Syrian opposition groups are now uniting. They have announced a joint action committee to consolidate efforts to oust Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

President Obama will go face to face today with China's president, Hu Jintao. It may not be as cold as the meeting with Russia's president, Vladimir Putin. But the two leaders, they are working on a tough topic, the world economic crisis. Debt is the issue number one.

The G20 Summit will see if they can fix the crisis and create, of course, more jobs. G20 includes finance ministers, central bank governors from 19 countries, from the United States, Mexico, China, just to name a few, plus the European union.

High stakes nuclear talks from Iran. Representatives from six world powers are wrapping up a second round of tense talks with Iranian negotiators. That is happening in Moscow.

The Iranians, they want the world to acknowledge that Iran has the right under international treatise to enrich uranium. In exchange, Iran is indicating it might be willing to stop enriching uranium that comes close to bomb grade levels. Iran is also trying desperately for tough new sanctions from kicking in.

Talk about the big chill. See this. This is a body language between President Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin speaking volumes about how these talks are going between the two, just look at their faces, how they're sitting. This was right after they met, the G20 Summit in Mexico.

Jill Dougherty, she's joining us from the State Department.

Jill, it is predictable. Yes, the White House would say, don't read too much into the body language. But, clearly, you can see that there is tension between these two. We know they discussed Syria prior to that meeting there.

Bottom line, Syria's leader, Bashar al-Assad, has to go. That is the U.S. position.

Putin doesn't agree. He says point to Libya and Egypt. Ousting their leaders really didn't make anything better for the people on the ground.

Is there some common ground between these two leaders?

JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN FOREIGN AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: I think the only common ground is what they said, Suzanne, yesterday, which is they both agree the violence has to stop and that there has to be a political transition of some type, process of political transition.

Now as you said, the United States wants Bashar al-Assad to leave immediately -- leave the country, step down, let there be a transition government and elections. The Russians are not saying exactly how they would like this transition to happen. Essentially they say the Syrian people have to decide.

But one thing the Russians are very clear about is they don't want any military action. They don't want anything that even comes close to what happened in Libya.

So I think you'd have to say although rhetorically, you know, words, they are in agreement on the final objective, but how you get there, they still appear to be quite far apart.

MALVEAUX: And, Jill, when you say they really don't want the military to get involved, they are already providing, are they not, some military -- some assistance to the government itself, they just don't want it to get into the opposition's hands, is that right?

DOUGHERTY: Well, they've been providing -- I mean, you can say for years certainly going back years and years, weapons, hard, heavy weapons to the Syrian government. And more recently, but not immediately, some helicopters that have become the big subject of discussion.

In fact, one of the reports about those helicopters have become very big. Remember, with the report about the ship and this is now actually happening as we speak.

MALVEAUX: Tell us about that, Jill, that Russian warship that is making its way to Syria. I guess it's the last Russian military base outside of the former Soviet Union, based in Syria. What do we know about that?

DOUGHERTY: Right. OK. So that ship was going from Kaliningrad up in the Baltic, over and coming around with three, we understand, at least three helicopters being refurbished by Russia. They were bought a long time ago and had to be sent back to Syria. Part of an old contract the Russians would say.

Now the insurance company that has the insurance on that ship decided because of the nature of that cargo, that they would pull the insurance. So the ship had to turn around. It got basically to about Scotland and we understand it's on its way back to Kaliningrad.

Now, the U.S. says, look, regardless of whether they are new or old, those helicopters are lethal, they can kill people and Russia should not be providing them. Russia says it's an old contract and we want to go ahead.

MALVEAUX: Jill, you've been covering -- obviously, you were the bureau chief in Moscow for years and years and years. You've been covering international relations.

Does it seem like Russia in moving this trip n transporting these ships, that they were trying to show some sign of force here that they were really in some ways in a threatening posture or not?

DOUGHERTY: You know, I think, Suzanne, you really have to be extremely careful of the other reports. Forget about the helicopter ship. There were reports in the media that Russian ships were on their way to Syria with weapons and even with marines. The implication in the media reports was that they were going to join the fight or at least help the government.

Now the Russian government, the Russian defense ministry, I should say, just a few minutes ago to CNN is shooting down any idea that at least one of those ships was on its way and another spokesperson who's saying the other ones aren't either.

MALVEAUX: All right. Jill Dougherty, thank you so much. Appreciate it. Excellent reporting as always.

Question we've got today, how heavy are we? Americans not the only ones with a big weight problem. A new report now says obesity is hurting everyone.

Researchers at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine found that, globally, all our weight put together around the planet equals 316 million tons, which is about 17 million tons overweight. Researchers say this is not just a health problem but a political and economic issue as well.

I want to bring in Ian Roberts who's a professor of epidemiology. I knew I was going to screw that up there -- Public Health at the London School. He joins us from London.

Ian, nice to see you.

We know now that this is not just a U.S. problem, this is a global problem. Talk about what this means for us politically and economically.

IAN ROBERTS, LONDON SCHOOL OF HYGIENE & TROPICAL MEDICINE: Well, all of the world -- it might not be just a U.S. problem, but the U.S., unfortunately, is out in the lead. It's one of the fattest countries on earth. Most other countries in the world are going heavy in your direction.

Now the problem is if all of the world have their same body mass index, that's a fatness distribution as the USA, that will be like having an extra billion people on the Earth in terms of mass. Or it will be the extra food intake that would feed half a billion people.

So the media typically portrays fatness as a personal failing, you know, slothful gluttons, but actually, it's a political issue. When you've got a country like the United States where more than half of the population is either overweight or obese, you know, that's a serious issue you really have to tackle.

MALVEAUX: When you say it's a political issue, what do you mean by that?

ROBERTS: Well, the -- I mean, the media portray fatness as a personal failing. You know, it's your fault. You're eating too much and you're moving too little.

But actually you know where the whole population is eating too much and moving too little, then that means something is wrong structurally that you have to fix. You know, maybe the opportunities for human movement are so few in the United States.

For example, you're very car dependent. The opportunity for ordinary everyday walking and cycling are quite sparse. Also, you know, you really put on the big portions. So these are structural issues. You have to change it by legislation.

MALVEAUX: Sure.

ROBERTS: And you can.

MALVEAUX: Let me just outline some of the research you have here because it is fascinating. You found North America is the biggest one you say, the United States and Canada together, account for just 6 percent of the world's population but 34 percent of its total mass. That's a huge number.

And then if you go on --

ROBERTS: No, it's the total excess mass.

MALVEAUX: Excess mass, OK. And also you point out that there is a huge disparate between North America and other continents. For example, 12 adults in North America have the same weight as 17 adults in Asia.

What does this say about the distribution of food? What does this say about our health and our wealth and how it is actually disbursed around the world?

ROBERTS: Well, unfortunately, population fatness is a personal health problem and it's a population problem. It's a planetary problem. So it's a problem at all levels.

And, you know, unfortunately fat populations like people in the United States, like Britain, Britain's just the same -- close on the heels, because we have more purchasing power, when it comes to food. The price of food is governed by the law of supply and demand. You know, fat populations demanding more than their fair share of food increases the prices for people in poor countries.

So on the one hand, you know, fatness is bad for you, but it's bad for poor people in poor countries who don't have enough to eat as well.

MALVEAUX: All right. We have to leave there. It's fascinating conversation. Obviously, we're going to bring you back, so we can talk a little bit more about that, spend more time with you. Ian, thank you very much.

Here's more on what we're working towards this hour at NEWSROOM INTERNATIONAL:

Israel calling them infiltrators -- tens of thousands of Africans traveling across the border.

Later, he was murdered in the Amazon and he knew they were coming for him.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I live off the forest, because of that --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

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MALVEAUX: Welcome back to NEWSROOM INTERNATIONAL. We take you around the world in 60 minutes.

The U.S. is dealing with illegal immigration. Last week, President Obama provided a short-term solution and a controversial one. We're not the only ones with the problem. Countries around the globe dealing with similar problems.

Take Israel, for instance.

Israel is now rounding up people they call infiltrators, sending them back to Africa. They're more than 59,000 illegal African immigrants in Israel. Now, they are protesting in the streets of Tel Aviv. They enter through its southern border with Egypt.

Michael Holmes is joining us.

And you've traveled extensively to Egypt.

I want to first of all talk a little bit about who they are. They are from Sudan, South Sudan and Eritrea. They're escaping what is the conflict in Sudan, also economic crisis --

MICHAEL HOLMES. CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR/CORRESPONDENT: Yes.

MALVEAUX: -- in Eritrea.

Why are we at the boiling point now? Why is Israel doing something now about this?

HOLMES: Like everything like these subjects, it's complicated. They're from Nigeria. Tthey're from Ivory Coasts and a couple of other places as well.

Now, if you're talking Eritrea and Sudan, these people are genuine refugees, escaping trials and tribulations. They get into Israel. They are covered by what is a very ill-defined refugee and immigration policy. There isn't a good policy in Israel, believe it or not.

They are allowed to stay. But then you've got others coming in from these other countries who are seen as migrant workers rather than true refugees. But because of this ill-defined policy they're all mixed in together. A lot of people are treated the same. You see this.

You saw the Africans out there protesting. They're protesting because there have been Israeli protest that is have turned violent. African migrants are being attacked and their property destroyed.

MALVEAUX: What are they worrying about? What is the problem? Is it over jobs? Is it hostility because of different cultures?

HOLMES: It's one of the things about Israel being the Jewish state. They worried about preserving -- some people worried about the Jewishness of the state, the 7.8 people in Israel.

This is one of the reasons why you'll see a lot of Israelis pushing for a two-state solution with the Palestinians, because a one- state solution means one day you might be outnumbered. And that's part of the debate that's going on in Israel. They're saying 60,000 today, 600,000.

MALVEAUX: Do you agree with that?

HOLMES: No, absolutely not.

MALVEAUX: Because in the highest level, you've got Benjamin Netanyahu saying it's going to disrupt the culture of Israel here.

But what about other folks? Are they welcoming?

HOLMES: It's a mix. You do. You have a lot of Israelis who have enormous sympathy for these refugees and these migrants who have crossed this border. I've seen it written that this is a racist situation going on in Israel -- a nation founded by immigrants, let's remember here. But on the other side you have a vitriolic visceral hatred of these refugees. You see actual physical harm being done to some of them. Now this rounding up of Africans which some Israelis have said, you know, it's sort of reminiscent of the dark days in Europe, the rounding up of people.

MALVEAUX: Right.

HOLMES: That's being discussed.

MALVEAUX: It's kind of surprising in a way, because there are some officials who say we've had a great relationship with Israel for some time. There has been exodus. There's been trade. If there is a relationship here, why is it they're being treated this way now?

HOLMES: Because they -- in Sudan, they're refugees. They're considered refugees for the crisis. South Sudan not so. And so, they are among those being sent back. If they find them from Nigeria, from Ivory Coast, that will happen too.

This is a hot button issue in Israel at the moment. There are protests on a lot of sides. A lot of people are upset at how these people are being treated.

We can't not mention the journey. It's not an easy trip to get there. They're coming from Africa. They're crossing the Sinai and going over to Israel through Egypt's border. Often with people smuggling, Bedouins who will enslave them --

MALVEAUX: Very dangerous.

HOLMES: -- they've been harvesting these migrants too, which Fred Pleitgen reported on last year for us.

So, it's a very, very hard trip that they've made us to get there.

MALVEAUX: Very ugly situation.

HOLMES: It is. It's a difficult one.

MALVEAUX: Michael, thank you. Appreciate it.

Two economic giants wrestling on the world stage. We're going to tell you why hard times in China could send the American economy into a tail spin.

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MALVEAUX: Welcome back to NEWSROOM INTERNATIONAL. We take you around the world in 60 minutes.

I want to show you this breathtaking picture. This is Los Cabos, Mexico, where thousands of folks, of course vacation. But this week, world leaders are there for the G20 Summit.

While the picture maybe serene, conversations not so relaxing and easy. The G20 includes financial leaders from the most powerful countries in the world, such as the U.S., China, the eurozone nations.

Later today, President Obama, he's going to meet with China's president, Hu Jintao. Two of the world's largest economies but trade relations quite tense. That is because the U.S. has accused China of inflating its currency.

Richard Quest, he's joining us from London.

So, Richard, one of the things in covering Obama, the administration's focus really has been to change, if you will, this counterbalance to China's rising influence. So, spend some ties in other countries like Philippines, Burma, Vietnam, Thailand, those type of places.

So we're strengthening economic and military ties. You were in Beijing. How are the Chinese actually reacting to some of this?

RICHARD QUEST, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR/CORRESPONDENT: I think the first thick you have to remember in any discussion between the U.S. and China is the growth, if you like, the boot is firmly on the Chinese foot. The numbers, from what I discovered, what I saw, it's not my first trip there obviously in Beijing, are just staggering. China is now the second largest economy in the world in nominal term. In a few years, it will be the biggest tourist destination in bound and outbound.

When you put it into context, Suzanne, there are a billion people there and only a fraction of them have ever actually traveled. That gives you an idea of the sort of financial and economic muscle that they are able to wield.

Notwithstanding that, of course, the U.S. has moved quickly and Secretary Clinton to assist and to build relations with Burma. The defense secretary has announced the review of the strategy for the Pacific Fleet and says that 60 percent of the U.S. Navy will be based in the Pacific by 2020.

So you are very much aware, very much aware that from the U.S. point of view what I think Donald Rumsfeld who called old Europe some years ago will now, of course, the emphasis is on New Asia.

MALVEAUX: And how does New Asia, how did the Chinese respond to this idea of the New Asia.

QUEST: They respond to it in two ways, with a sort of critical look as if to say, what are you worried? What are you frightened of? Then where (INAUDIBLE) when they realize that they are sitting on several trillion dollars worth of your government bonds. They have chosen not to flex their muscles in terms of that.

But just bear this in mind, Suzanne. Every time a Chinese leader ever so gently during the debt debacle last years said, we are worried about U.S. bonds. And the treasury secretary, Tim Geithner, have to rush out and say they're perfectly safe. That is an indication of the shift in power that's taking place.

Now, China is a long way from being anywhere sophisticated economically, financially, probably even technology and in the computer world to the United States. I don't know if the capita GDP basis, the U.S. is way out ahead.

But I come back to this point. If you're looking at where the market is and where the market is, ultimately, you must be turning your eyes across the Pacific.

MALVEAUX: There is some tension there.

Richard, thank you very much. Good to see you.

He has just become one of the most powerful men in the Arab world. We're going to introduce you to Saudi Arabia's new crown prince.

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MALVEAUX: Welcome back to NEWSROOM INTERNATIONAL, where we take you around the world in 60 minutes.

We're focusing on Saudi Arabia, one of the most important allies for the U.S. in coming terrorism, in a country that we rely heavily on for oil.

Now, the kingdom has a new crown prince. You se him there on the right. He is Salman bin Abdul Aziz. And he replaces his deceased brother, as next in line to the thrown.

I want to bring in Hala Gorani to learn more about who he is, this new crown prince. Hala joins us from the State Department.

Hala, tell us first of all, he's got a reputation for pulling the status quo. What is he like?\

HALA GORANI, CNNI ANCHOR & CORRESPONDENT: It wasn't a surprise, this appointment, and also it's not exactly a transition to the younger generation. He's in his mid 70s. The king, King Abdullah, is in his 80s. So, this is delaying further the transition to that younger, perhaps more reform-minded generation in Saudi Arabia.

You mentioned how important Saudi Arabia is to the United States. Strategically of course but also economically, Saudi Arabia is the largest exporter of oil on the U.S., depends heavily on the oil coming from the kingdom. It's an ultra conservative monarchy. It's a close U.S. ally.

But what's important as well is to situate it regionally, Suzanne. Saudi Arabia finds Iran to be in a potential nuclear armed Iran to be an existential threat as do other gulf countries. So, again strategically as far as the United States is concerned, this is a very important country. Within the Arab spring as well, it has made no secret that it is supporting the Syrian rebels against the regime of Bashar al-Assad.

MALVEAUX: Hala, explain this to us. His predecessor was a hard line interior minister, spearheaded the crackdown, if you will, on al Qaeda's branch after the September 11th attacks. Secretary Panetta is now there. He is mourning the death there.

How important is this new leader in the war on terror?

GORANI: Well, I think it's a continuation, really, of his brother, Prince Nayef. But I think it's important also to look at as far as Saudi Arabia is concerned is how these revolutions are rounded, are changing it, forcing it to change. You know in Bahrain, there's a majority Shia population that is supposed to the Sunni monarchy and wants more rights for itself. Well, Saudi Arabia sent in troops to quell these demonstrations against the Sunni monarchy. Saudi Arabia sees what's going on around it in some cases, perhaps, as a threat to its own stability, and an unstable Saudi Arabia is extremely dangerous for oil prices. It's also an issue for the region, and it's something the U.S. does not want to see.

But it is positioning itself very clearly against Iran, against the allies of Iran - that is, the regime of Bashar al-Assad, and against as well some Hezbollah and other groups that are allied with Iran.

The Middle East has become Iran on the one hand, Saudi Arabia on the other regionally. And many of the battles you see fought in that region are going to be between in a proxy way those two big regional powers.

MALVEUAX: And the U.S. being there, the U.S. presence there in Saudi Arabia -- should they see this as something that is simply a continuation of what has taken place before, that they will crack down on al Qaeda, that there will not be this kind of threat that will emerge inside of Saudi Arabia?

GORANI: I think this is a clear continuation of what's been going on. The men are brothers. The man he has replaced is his brother.

I think what's going to be interesting to see is once this generation -- it's going to be first interesting to see if this is another crown prince that is going to be outlived by the 87-year-old king. We'll see how long he lasts. I mean, these are senior citizens we're talking about here, Suzanne.

But I think what is going to be interesting is what happens in the kingdom when you finally move to the next generation. Will there be reform? Will, within the context of the Arab Spring, will there be change within the kingdom, or will it be a continuation of the ultra- conservative monarchy? You look at some of the issues with human rights in Saudi, and you have a long way to go.

MALVEUAX: You absolutely do. Women not able to legally drive in that country. Hala, thank you very much.

She was one of the biggest singers in Pakistan. Well now they just found her lying in a pool of blood.

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(COMMERCIAL BREAK) ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

MALVEAUX: Got some breaking news out of Afghanistan. We are learning from officials that there is a forward operating base that has been breached by insurgents in a base in southern Afghanistan. Want to go directly to Barbara Starr, who's at the Pentagon to explain what we know. Barbara?

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Suzanne, this word coming to CNN just a few moments ago at the Pentagon. At least eight insurgents got inside a small military outpost in southern Afghanistan. A fire fight ensued. When it was over, one wounded insurgent, seven insurgents dead. No coalition, no U.S. killed, we are told, though there were a number of wounded.

What we are talking about here is southern Afghanistan where the insurgency, of course, has been extremely active, and for insurgents to breach a U.S. outpost is very significant. It has happened in the past, but this is not, of course, something that the U.S. wants to see.

Security is very tight at these outposts, as you and I both know. We have visited them. They are very strict about who goes in, and identification papers are always checked. So, the investigation is underway, Suzanne. But it is raising the prospect, officials tell us, at least initially that the insurgents may have had some inside help from Afghans at this forward operating base.

Again, seven insurgents killed, one wounded. No U.S. casualties, but a U.S. base was breached by insurgents earlier today.

MALVEAUX: And Barbara, explain to our audience the difference here. You and I both understand this. A forward operating base is very different than, say, the main base where you have a lot of people here. This is a very small group, and as you say, security very tight. Explain the significance of this.

STARR: You bet, Suzanne. A forward operating base, just as you said, is not like the big international bases we have visited in Kabul or Bagram, acres and acres, multiple checkpoints. These are locations out in the middle of front-line combat zones. Often simply surrounded by concertina wire, barriers, security checkpoints, troops on patrol. Usually several dozen troops at these bases, but not major bases like you would normally think of.

Look, some of the big bases have also come under attack. But at these forward locations, security is at a heightened state all the time. So for this to have happened, the key question is how did the insurgents get in? Suzanne.

MALVEUAX: All right. Barbara Starr. Thank you. Breaking news at the Pentagon.

Next door, Pakistan facing a political crisis. Pakistan's supreme court has ruled that Yousaf Raza Gilani will no longer be prime minister. Two months ago, Mr. Galani, he was convicted of contempt after refusing to reopen corruption cases against the president.

You may not know this young woman's music, but she was very popular across Pakistan and Afghanistan. And today, fans are mourning her death. Ghazala Javed sang in her native Pashto. She was known for defying a Taliban decree against singing and dancing.

Reza Sayah. He is joining us from Islamabad. And she was gunned down in Pakistan. Was this because she dared to sing and dance?

REZA SAYAH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORESPONDENT: It doesn't seem to be the case at this hour, Suzanne. Police say the Taliban was not involved in this shooting. They say the lead suspect is her husband. The two had a very bitter divorce late last year, and according to relatives and police, the conflicts continued for months on end. Initially, it was a lot of speculation that maybe this was the Pakistani Taliban, but police quickly dismissed those early reports. Now they're focusing on Ghazala Javed's ex-husband.

Let's briefly tell you how this all happened. Police say last night in Pashour, she just came out of the beauty salon. Getting into the car with her father when gunmen on a motorcycle rushed to the car, sprayed it with bullets. She was hit with six bullets. She was killed. So was her father. Her sister immediately accused the ex- husband, and at this hour the search is on for the ex-husband and two acquaintances.

MALVEAUX: Reza, explain to us why it was there was so much talk about the fact that this could have been the work of the Taliban instead of something that was domestic, but the Taliban, because of the fact that she was such a popular singer and dancer.

SAYAH: Yes. As she grew up in the swat valley. This incident happened in Pashour. This is a region where the Pakistani Taliban had emerged in strength and influence in the past few years. Of course, with the decree that singing and dancing was banned and un-Islamic. Despite that decree she pushed on with her career, defying that decree.

And she demanded for a divorce. Another rare demand in that region where it's male-dominated. Very conservative. Ultimate demand for a divorce is seen as a dishonor to men. So, a lot of people admired her for that that, Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: All right. Reza Sayah, thank you very much.

He devoted his life to protecting the Amazon. And some say that's why they killed him.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (via visual translation): When we arrived on the scene, they were both sprawled on the ground, full of bullet holes.

(END VIDEO CLIP) MALVEAUX: Welcome back to "Newsroom International." We take you around the world in 60 minutes. When you think of Brazil's rain forests, often you think of beauty, nature and life. But the fight to save the rain forest is very dangerous. According to the online news source Vice, 212 people have been killed over land rights in this violent part of Brazil.

This couple was the latest to lose their lives in the fight. Zai (ph) Claudio and his wife, Maria. They were killed last October. Shot point blank with a hunting rifle. Zai Claudio's ear cut off to prove it was a hit. Vice's reporters, who have been following the couple's fight for land preservation, talked to his sister after the death. She spoke to them in Portuguese, translated in English at the bottom of the screen. Take a look.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (via visual translation): When we arrived on the scene, they were both sprawled on the ground, full of bullet holes. With his ear cut off. It's very hard to remember.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: "Vice" correspondent, Thomas Morton, has been following the couple's story from the very beginning. I mean, Thomas, it is so tragic when you hear about this. Explain to us why they did this, why this couple was killed, why they cut off that man's ear.

THOMAS MORTON, "VICE" CORRESPONDENT: Well, there's a general atmosphere of lawlessness in the Amazon. It's been described as the Wild West of the 20th and now 21st century. And over the last 20 years, there's a group called Pastoral Land Commission, which records all of these activists' deaths. They have an official tally of 918 people, which doesn't include folks who are politically involved who fought for their land but just died in mysterious circumstances. Of those, 27 have ever gone to trial. So basically, people just die, and no one ever gets brought to justice. It clears the way for more people to kill.

MALVEAUX: What was this couple doing, living in the rain forest? Tell us about what they were trying to do.

MORTON: Well, they were just nut harvesters. They had a plot of land. They harvested nuts and that was it. More monied interests, ranchers and stuff wanted their land to take it down to sell the trees off to put cows on it, you know, make it a big property, and they resisted it. Like the same way anybody would resist having someone come and tear down their house.

MALVEAUX: In your reporting, are the authorities following up on this? Are they trying to find out who the killers are and bring them to justice?

MORTON: Well, in this case, it's kind of sick to say, they got lucky enough. They were killed the same morning that the Brazilian congress was voting on a major environmental bill. A member of the green party came out and announced their death live before the entire country. It created a national fervor. The Brazilian president called for a huge man hunt. They caught the two men who shot them and one who paid the money, who basically hired the hit.

MALVEAUX: Outside of this case, is the U.N. or any other organizations outside of the country actually working with them to stop what you have been reporting are targeting killings?

MORTON: Well, there are plenty of groups that try to raise awareness, keep the news up. The problem is it's on a local level. The cops don't pursue these cases. The cops are spread thin. It's an area with a small court system, small sort of presence of federal police and local police and stuff like that. In these cases it's easy for murders to get forgotten, people to get paid off, that kind of thing.

MALVEAUX: It's good for this couple it seems like they are getting the attention that is required and that they are bringing these criminals to justice. Thank you very much. Appreciate your reporting, Thomas.

They are calling it the Mexican spring. The movement is lighting up on social media right now.

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MALVEAUX: Welcome back to NEWSROOM INTERNATIONAL. We take you around the world in 60 minutes.

Want to take a look at what's trending globally. If you were online today you might have noticed a lot of people using #yosoy132. It translates to I am number 132. It's part of a movement some people are calling a Mexican spring. They got a lot of press for heckling the center right candidate in Mexico's upcoming election. That is because he represents the institutional revolutionary party that ruled Mexico for most of the 20th century. The students don't want that party to come back into power. Mexico will go to the polls on July 1st. You can tune in here to NEWSROOM INTERNATIONAL for the coverage of the important vote.

When he was just a little boy he lost his mother in a train station in India. That was 25 years ago. Now he's found her again using Google Earth.

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MALVEAUX: It's an amazing story. 25 years ago a young boy in India got lost on a train and never saw his family again until now. He used ingenuity and the Internet to track down his mom.

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MALVEAUX (voice-over): Her story begins with heart break.

TRANSLATOR: No clothes to wear, no bed to sleep on. I raised my children in extreme poverty. That's the evil I struck and then I lost my son.

MALVEAUX (voice-over): This is where her nightmare began. This is where two of her young boys came and hopped a train just like this one and disappeared.

TRANSLATOR: I wanted the earth to swallow me up. My life became worthless. I lost my world.

MALVEAUX (voice-over): Her 8-year-old would hop trains to make money by sweeping under seats. His younger brother, 5-year-old, idolized him and decided to go with him.

TRANSLATOR: My brother got off. I got off. I couldn't walk anymore. I sat down on a chair that was just a couple of meters from the side of the train station and I just fell asleep.

MALVEAUX (voice-over): When he woke up he was alone. He decided he'd hop trains to find his brother or his home.

TRANSLATOR: I did it for days and days, and until it came to the point where I thought, you know, if I keep on doing this I'll start going crazy.

MALVEAUX (voice-over): He got off in Calcutta, a gritty, crowded, busy city with throngs of poor children.

TRANSLATOR: I did freak out at times. I cried a lot. I cried a lot. And I kind of, you know, called after my mother, but it never got me anywhere.

MALVEAUX (voice-over): Instead, he said, he was approached by a man who nearly sucked him into a life of child labor. He ran away eventually ending up in a state orphanage, adopted by a couple who called him Sadu and took him to Australia, but for two decades he wondered about the family he had searched for but could never find. One day he decided to search one last time using Google Earth and a big map to calculate how far he had traveled from home, he zoomed into a spot that brought back memories.

TRANSLATOR: I saw where I used to bathe. I thought, oh, my god, this just looks exactly the way that it's in my head, in my memories.

MALVEAUX (voice-over): Turns out it was the place. And he eventually walked back into his old life and saw his biological mother. He learned that the brother he once idolized had died while hopping trains a month after they got separated, but saroo was reunited with his other brother and sister.

MALVEAUX: How often do you think about your sons when they disappeared?

TRANSLATOR: I couldn't sleep at night and my mind would just wander in madness. I didn't feel like eating. I kept looking out for him on the street asking people about his whereabouts. I found him nowhere. It was a very difficult time. MALVEAUX (voice-over): Though she suffered many years of sorrow at the loss of her son, she is now mixed with gratitude to the people who gave one of her sons a home and a life she never could have.

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MALVEAUX: Sara joins us from New Delhi. That was an awesome piece. That is fantastic that he was actually able to be reunited with his mom. Now that they're reunited, what do they do after all of these years?

SARA SIDNER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know, I think it's really hard. It's one of those bitter sweet stories because he does not speak his mother tongue, Hindi, and his whole family doesn't speak English. We met some people in the village. A relative in the village was living in Tanzania and was coming to visit. One of the women speaks English. She helps to translate. She comes over to the house. He sends text messages. It is a bit of a bitter sweet story. It's a biological connection but yet this child had been gone for so long he really had forgotten everything except for, as he mentioned, the way things looked in his mind. That's how he remembered it. It's been quite difficult, I think, for them to really make a strong bond again.

MALVEAUX: Quite incredible how he reunited with his family. Sara, thank you so much.

Stories that caught our attention today. There are some photos too. Absolutely amazing. Take a look at these. Take a look at this kick. The game is called beach Supaktakara. It is like volleyball and soccer combined. Today is day three of the third Asian beach games being held in China.

A space capsule on display in London. Today a British company called Excalibur announced plans to fly people to the moon in three years for about, well, 200 million U.S. dollars.