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37-Count Indictment Against Trump Alleges He Risked National Secrets, Conspired To Obstruction Investigation; Four Children Found Alive After Weeks In Amazon; Ukraine Dam Collapse Aftermath; Frontline Town Lives In The Shadow Of Fighting; NATO Prepares For Largest Air Drill In Its History; Pope Continues To Recover After Surgery; Smoky Worst In U.S. Seems Over, Rain Expectation In Canada As Foreign Crews Arriving To Fight The Outbreaks. Aired 5-6a ET
Aired June 10, 2023 - 05:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to all of you watching us here in the United States, Canada and all around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber. Ahead on CNN NEWSROOM.
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JACK SMITH, U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT SPECIAL COUNSEL: Our nation's commitment to the rule of law sets an example for the world.
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BRUNHUBER: The federal indictment of Donald Trump, new details uncovering the former president stored classified documents in public spaces like a ballroom and even a bathroom shower. Our reporters have the very latest.
Plus, a remarkable testament of survival in the Amazon rainforest. A look at the dramatic rescue of four indigenous children who've been missing for 40 days. And a historic game on the court between the Denver Nuggets and the Miami Heat. CNN Sports Andy Scholes joins me live to break down the NBA playoffs.
Donald Trump is hitting the campaign trail today with stops in Georgia and North Carolina. The former president is forging ahead with his reelection bid despite the damning new details in 37 count criminal indictment that's now public.
Trump is accused of storing and hiding sensitive and highly classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago resort and home, allegedly conspiring with an aid to defy a subpoena for the material. Prosecutors say he kept secret information in bathroom, shower, bedroom and ballroom.
The former commander-in-chief allegedly showed off classified materials on two occasions including a document that Trump is said to have described as a plan of attack. The indictment warns that Trump risks exposing military and nuclear secrets of the U.S. and its allies. Special Counsel Jack Smith says protecting such information is critical to the nation's safety and security. Here he is.
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SMITH: It's very important for me to note that the defendants in this case must be presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. To that end, my office will seek a speedy trial in this matter, consistent with the public interest and the rights of the accused.
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BRUNHUBER: CNN has reporters all across this developing story. CNN's Shimon Prokupecz has a look at the security concerns for Trump's upcoming indictment. Randi Kaye speaks with supporters and opponents of Trump in Florida. Alayna Treene has the latest on Trump's ties in New Jersey. But we begin with CNN's Paula Reid delving into Trump's indictment and what comes next.
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PAULA REID, CNN SENIOR LEGAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: In this indictment, prosecutors lay out how former President Trump allegedly intentionally retained over 300 classified documents, including information about U.S. Defense and weapons capabilities, as well as its nuclear programs and potential vulnerabilities to attack, as well as plans for possible retaliation in response to a foreign attack.
Now, according to prosecutors, these documents were kept at various locations at Mar-a-Lago, including a ballroom, a bathroom, a shower, an office space, his bedroom, and even a storage closet. And the indictment even includes a photo where you can see documents, sensitive secrets meant only for a handful of our closest allies strewn about the floor of a storage room.
And prosecutors also say that on two occasions, former President Trump shared classified information with people who did not have proper clearances. The first incident is actually something that was first reported by CNN. It was a meeting at his Bedminster, New Jersey golf club in 2021 where he showed people information that he said was highly secretive and that he could not declassify it because he was no longer president.
He also allegedly shared a classified map with a representative from his political action committee. The prosecutors also lay out how they allege he was trying to press his lawyer about possibly lying to the FBI after the government subpoenaed Trump to get its record back.
They also lay out a series of damning incidents and conversations with one of his aides, Walt Nauta, where it appears that he is pressuring Nauta to move boxes containing classified materials, not only to keep them from Trump's lawyers, but also to keep them for investigators.
Now, we heard from Jack Smith for the first time Friday, and he insisted that he wants this trial to move along as quickly as possible. Likely mindful of an upcoming election next year. Paula Reid, CNN, Washington.
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ALAYNA TREENE, CNN REPORTER: Well, I'm here very nearby to where the former president is at his Bedminster, New Jersey golf club where he played golf Friday morning with the Florida Congressman as his adviser and allies, were making calls to his supporter and trying to ensure that they would continue defending him online and on TV.
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But I can say that my colleague Kristen Holmes and I have been hearing that the mood on Friday, after learning of the indictment being unsealed did change here in New Jersey at his golf club, we were told that Donald Trump and some of his advisors were feeling more concern and wariness about what the legal implications of this indictment could mean.
And that is different from what we saw on Thursday night when the Justice Department had informed Donald Trump that he was going to be indicted. They were more focused on the political implications, and we're hoping that they could see some sort of political boost from those federal charges.
I also know that they were feeling emboldened by Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill and other allies issuing statements of support. But that has changed since the indictment was unsealed Friday afternoon.
Now, Donald Trump is headed to North Carolina and Georgia on Saturday for previously planned campaign stops, and we're told that those are still planning to happen on schedule as planned, and we're still waiting to see whether or not he's going to deliver some sort of live remarks on this.
He's obviously going to be discussing this at these campaign stops on Saturday, but there is a potential for him to make more targeted remarks on news of this indictment similar to what we saw after he was indicted earlier this year in Manhattan. Alayna Treene, CNN Bedminster, New Jersey.
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BRUNHUBER: All right, for more on this, let's go live now to Joseph Kotrie-Monson. He's a Criminal Defense Attorney and Director of the Mary Monson Law Firm in Manchester, England. Thanks so much for being here with us. So the indictment is finally out. Your thoughts now that we've seen the charges?
JOSEPH KOTRIE-MONSON, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Kim, where do we start? This must be the most dangerous of all Trump's legal battles. And, by jove (ph), has he kept both journalists and lawyers busy over the last few years. Don't forget we have the criminal, ongoing criminal case regarding the alleged Stormy Daniels hush payments. Not the fact they were made, but the fact they were misrepresented. And also those election meddling charges that investigation by a special prosecutor still rumbling on. But here we have, Kim, 31 counts of willful return mention of national defense information under the Espionage Act. That's a legal statute to strike fear into a defendant, isn't it?
Ten years maximum there. Also counts of conspiracy more serious to withhold or conceal documents for the maximum of 20 years. This case is worrying, Kim, for three fundamental reasons. First of all, the evidence already in this long indictment document that's now been unsealed. We are told of audio evidence that exists. And we're provided with transcripts in which Donald Trump appears to not only confirm that these documents are classified, but also in real time attempts to show them.
There is even disturbingly evidence suggesting, presumably also from an audio transcript, because that's how it's laid out, that he asked an attorney to pluck out damaging documents, making a plucking motion with his hand, apparently, as he did it.
Now, none of this has been tested beyond the grand jury stage. And the grand jury stages a much lesser standard than the standard of proof required in a Miami criminal trial Florida court. But this is concerning those mega sentences also of concern and this unlike his impeachment proceedings, which were judged on a partisan basis, according to a two-thirds majority, that he was never going to be found guilty of or found against in regard of, because of the even split between Democrats and Republicans.
This is a jury trial. It will be on the basis of non-political, presumably individuals. Of course, you may have, as I've heard today, you know, one strong Trump supporter, and you do require a unanimous verdict, but he cannot be saved by politics here, Kim.
BRUNHUBER: Yeah, well, I mean, speaking of politics, let's talk about the judge in this case, Aileen Cannon, who we remember presided over the original Mar-a-Lago documents, classified documents case appointed by Donald Trump. So what impact might she have on the case, assuming she stays on?
KOTRIE-MONSON: Well, to be a judge, to be an attorney general, to be a district attorney, one must have pick a political side. That doesn't mean that us, lawyers, certainly over in the U.S. when they're selected to do those jobs, forget their duty, forget their oaths to deal with cases without favor, dispassionately and appropriately.
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And the -- I don't think that we should assume that there will be any outrageous favors provided by this judge simply on the basis she was a political appointee for Trump. It may well be that as he was making all those rapid-fire appointments of judges across the board trying to get his people in, that he had half an eye in Florida, for example, on the possibility that he might get some assistance, I'm skeptical as to whether such assistance, illegitimate assistance, would be provided.
BRUNHUBER: All right, we'll have to leave it there. It will be fascinating to watch. I really appreciate your insights on this criminal defense attorney Joseph Kotrie-Monson in Manchester, England. Thank you so much.
Well, Trump is facing the indictment as a growing number of Republicans are challenging him for president. Many of those candidates have weighed in on the charges with reactions ranging from condemnation against the Justice Department to criticism of the former president's handling of classified material. Listen to this.
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ASA HUTCHINSON, U.S. REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This is unprecedented that we have a former president criminally charged for mishandling classified information, for obstruction of justice. This obviously will be an issue during the campaign, but for the sake of the country, he doesn't need this distraction. The country doesn't need this distraction as well.
GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS, U.S. REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: When I was in Congress, I remember, you know, Hillary had the emails with the classified, and my view was, well, gee, as a naval officer, if I would have taken classified to my apartment, I would have been court martialed in a New York minute. And yet they seem to not care about that. And is there a different standard for a Democrat Secretary of State versus a former Republican president? I think there needs to be one standard of justice in this country.
CHRIS CHRISTIE, U.S. REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Tried to get them to lie on his behalf, and when he knew they wouldn't -- and his own lawyer had to make recordings to protect himself when he knew they wouldn't, he directed his folks to hide boxes from his own lawyer in order not to turn these documents over to the government. Is this the type of conduct that we want from someone who wants to be President of the United States?
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BRUNHUBER: And a programming note, CNN Anchor Anderson Cooper will host a Republican Presidential Town Hall with former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. You just heard there live from New York. That's Monday at 08:00 p.m. in New York and 8:00 Tuesday morning in Hong Kong right here, of course, on CNN.
Well, now to the extraordinary rescue of four children who had been missing in the Colombian Amazon rainforest for weeks. Have a look, this is video of the children being taken off the military air ambulance that brought them from the jungle to Bogota for further treatment. President Gustavo Petro says the children appeared weak when they were rescued and received medical treatment before they boarded the plane. The children's grandfather was understandably overjoyed after hearing about the rescue. Listen to this.
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FIDENCIO VALENCIA, CHILDREN'S GRANDFATHER (through translator): This situation didn't let us sleep, didn't let us be happy. We couldn't talk. For us, this situation was like being in the dark. We walked for the sake of walking, living for the sake of living, because the hope of finding them kept us alive.
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BRUNHUBER: The four indigenous siblings were found alive on Friday. They've been missing since the 1 May when the small plane they were traveling on with their mother crashed in the jungle. Stefano Pozzebon is covering the story for us and has the latest from Bogota.
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STEFANO POZZEBON, JOURNALIST: A rescue mission successful against all odds. Four children found alive after spending 40 days in the thick of the Amazon jungle bringing their relatives to tears.
NARCIZO MUCUTUY, CHILDREN'S GRANDFATHER (through translator): Let them come here to their grandparents, to their aunt and their uncle, their grandmother.
POZZEBON: Colombian President Gustavo Petro, sharing the good news with reporters.
GUSTAVO PETRO, COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT: The indigenous and the military together found the kids after 40 days. They were alone. A historical statement of survival today. These are the children of peace and the children of Columbia.
POZZEBON: The rescue on Friday night caps an all-round effort by hundreds of soldiers and indigenous scouts to locate the little ones who had gone missing since the small plane they were traveling on with their mother crashed in the forest on the first of May. The bodies of their mother and two other adults were soon recovered, but hope never faded to find them alive. The Colombian military finding footprint and scattered relics to keep the search going day after day until finally a photo emerged from the depth of the forester. We have them. They're coming home. Stefano Pozzebon, CNN, Bogota.
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BRUNHUBER: Ukraine takes a long view of a devastating dam collapse that caused massive flooding. Still ahead, why some farmers may have to wait for years to see their crops grow again.
Plus, the largest air defense drill in NATO history. What the alliance hopes to achieve during the 11-day exercise in Europe.
Also ahead, Joran van der Sloot is being held in jail in Alabama after entering a not guilty plea in court. We'll have more on that next. Please stay with us.
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BRUNHUBER: Ukraine, it is coming to grips with the long-term effect of the devastating dam collapse in its south. The breach of the Nova Kakhovka dam caused massive floods that inundated entire villages and forced thousands to flee. Officials say much of the surrounding farmland could lose access to irrigation for years, which made drive farmers out of business. The flooding left at least five people dead, while 13 people are still missing. Humanitarian workers are now worried about potential outbreaks of waterborne illnesses. And they say drinking water is in short supply in the areas affected by the flooding.
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Military officials are worried that mines dislodged by floodwaters could be pushed into the Black Sea and create new dangers there. While pieces of homes picked up by floodwaters are washing ashore in Odessa, more than 200 kilometers or 120 miles away.
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OLEKSIY GONCHARENKO, UKRAINIAN PARLIAMENT MEMBER (through translator): Friends, look, they are pulling it out of the sea. It's just a piece of a wall of the house. This is a house being taken out of the sea right now, people are carrying parts of the house.
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BRUNHUBER: Meanwhile, Ukraine's military operations have been picking up along the front lines in the Zaporizhzhia region. Russian President Vladimir Putin now says Ukraine's counter offensive has begun and says it's failing. Ukraine has said it will not officially announce the operation, but a local Ukrainian commander says his forces are only testing Russian defenses for now. As Fred Pleitgen reports from one frontline town fighting is hard to ignore there.
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FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Aid deliveries in one of the most dangerous places in Ukraine. We're with the Howard G. Buffett Foundation in Orikhiv, the frontline town where the Russians say Ukraine's military is trying to punch through their defenses. Constant artillery and mortar barrages driving residents underground.
(On camera): Yes, so we have to go downstairs in the basement because there's been a distinct increase in shelling. And while you can't really see the counter offensive of the Ukrainians here, you can certainly hear it and feel it as well.
(Voice-over): In the basement shelter, leader Valery Kubushka hands out aid boxes to the mostly elderly residents, many traumatized, but resilient.
It's very dangerous here, but I got used to it, 72-year-old Olga tells me. I can already distinguish rockets by their sound. I calm myself down. I ask 71-year-old Nina (ph) if she thinks the counter offensive can succeed.
Yes, I know about the counter offensive, she says. We will be closer to victory. Ours will push them back step by step until they drive them out, until there is a complete victory for Ukraine.
But for now, the going appears to be tough for the Ukrainians. While Kyiv hasn't acknowledged major offensive operations here, U.S. officials tell CNN the Ukrainian military is facing stiff Russian resistance. This Russian video purporting to show a column of Western donated armor struck by Moscow's forces. And the uptick in fighting has made it nearly impossible to get aid into Orikhiv, Valery tells me.
VALERY KUBUSHKA, HOWARD G. BUFFETT FOUNDATION: Orikhiv is one of the most dangerous, dangerous areas in Zaporizhzhia region. Orikhiv, Preobrazhenka it's 24 hours bumped, 24 hours.
PLEITGEN (voice-over): But they have to get aid even to those too frail to make it to the distribution points. Grandma Polya (ph), as she's known here, can barely walk and refuses to be evacuated from her tiny house, even as shells keep raining down, her fate, she says is now in God's hands.
Will we survive or not, she asks, you're still young. May God give you health and help you to survive this war. It's very difficult for old people. Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Orikhiv, Ukraine.
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BRUNHUBER: Against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine, a massive show of force from NATO. The military alliance is preparing for the biggest air defense exercise in its history. Starting Monday, about 10,000 service members will simulate NATO's response to an attack on a member country. CNN's Nic Robertson has the story.
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NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: German Air Force Tornado fighter jet screamed down a runway at an air force base in northern Germany. Minutes later, Turkish Air Force F-16s, the same type of fast jet, Ukrainian air force pilots are training on race after them. In the shadow of Ukraine's war, the skies over Europe roaring as NATO's largest military air exercise ever. Air Defender 2023 ramps up.
(On camera): A 190 fighter jets scrambled here in less than a week. More than 250 aircraft total involved from 25 nations, 10,000 air service personnel, including 100 aircraft from the U.S. Air National Guard.
(Voice-over): An exercise in interoperability.
INGO GERHARTZ, GERMAN AIR DEFENSE CHIEF, COMMANDER AIR DEFENDER 2023: We are proving it to us, to the alliance.
ROBERTSON: And what about to Putin?
GERHARTZ: No, it's to prove in the alliance and to prove to our people to public, we are fast, we are quick, we are first responder, and we are able to defend this alliance. And NATO territory is the red line, and we are willing to defend every inch of it.
ROBERTSON: Officially kicking off Monday, scheduled to run until late June. The aim is to get pilots of NATO's different nations ready should they need to fight together wingtip to wingtip.
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CODY SABOT VAN BEEK, 1ST LT. USAF AIR NATIONAL GUARD: I'm a young lieutenant, so I have not experienced any large-scale thing like this. I actually got to fly with Eurofighters two days ago, and just being on the wing of a partner is awesome.
ROBERTSON: Even Turkey, NATO's most mercurial member, is sending F- 16s, albeit just three out of the hundreds they own.
COL. ERSIN OZMEN, TURKISH AIR FORCE COMMANDER 151ST SQUADRON: As an active and powerful member of NATO, we are here today to share our experience and develop our readiness.
ROBERTSON: While commanders insist Air Defender 2023 is not a message to Putin, lessons learned from how Russian forces attack Ukraine with drone and cruise missiles are incorporated into the training.
GERHARTZ: In the Ukraine, you can see how important it is to have what we call air superiority. So that's why it is really important to have a good ground-based air defense and fighter aircraft which can work together.
ROBERTSON: Regardless of NATO's military intent, the exercise's diplomatic message is unambiguous.
AMY GUTMANN, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO GERMANY: I would be pretty surprised if any world leader was not taking note of what this shows in terms of the spirit of this alliance, which means the strength of this alliance and that includes Mr. Putin.
ROBERTSON: If the good weather holds as expected, training and messaging will have plenty of time to align. Nic Robinson, CNN, Yagle (ph) Air Force Base, Germany.
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BRUNHUBER: We go now to Serbia, have a look at this. Tens of thousands of people gathered in front of the parliament buildings in Belgrade on Friday to protest against violence. This is the 6th weekly protest since the beginning of May, when the country was rocked by two mass shootings that left 18 people dead. Protesters blame the deaths on a culture of violence. They're demanding that the interior minister and the intelligence agency director be dismissed. And they want the broadcasting licenses of television stations that promote violence to be revoked.
All right, still ahead, beefing up security in Florida, how law enforcement is preparing to handle Donald Trump's expected court appearance. Plus --
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is only firing him up more. The people who don't know President Trump, the more they go after him, the harder he fights. And he's not fighting for himself. He's fighting for the people.
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BRUNHUBER: Trump's loyal base rallies around him as the U.S. Justice Department drops the hammer.
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BRUNHUBER: And welcome back to our viewers in the United States, Canada and around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber. This is CNN NEWSROOM. I want to get back to our top worry this hour. Former President Donald Trump indicted on 37 criminal charges. Prosecutors accuse Trump of endangering the security of the U.S. and its allies by mishandling classified documents after he left the White House. They also say he suggested that his attorneys hide or destroy documents and lie to the FBI.
Agents found documents pertaining to defense secrets and nuclear weapons in Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort, stored in a bathroom, a shower, a bedroom, and a ballroom. The indictment alleges that the former president directed an aide, Walt Nauta, to move some of the boxes after they were subpoenaed by a grand jury. Nauta has also been indicted.
So after being indicted, Trump is now expected to be arraigned at a Miami courthouse on Tuesday. And as Shimon Prokupecz reports, authorities are making security preparations for his court appearance.
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SHIMON PROKUPECZ, CNN CRIME AND JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Law enforcement officials met today from the local police department to federal official and courthouse security, to discuss the arraignment of the former president, which will take place on Tuesday.
All sorts of different security measures will be put in place. Streets will be closed. We also don't expect to see the former president on the streets walking into the courthouse. Every effort is going to be made to take him underground, outside the courthouse, into the courthouse, all to be done underground so that he's not above ground and around any people.
The other concern here is obviously for any of his supporters who may show up. Of course, a lot of law enforcement officials thinking about January 6. And so a lot of precautions are going to be taken in anticipation of the president's arrival here in Miami at the courthouse on Tuesday.
Also, law enforcement officials are scouring social media and other sources to make sure that there are no threats, to make sure that they are not missing anything. And, of course, they say they will be prepared for his arraignment on Tuesday. Shimon Prokupecz, CNN, Miami.
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BRUNHUBER: Many of Donald Trump's most loyal supporters believe there's no merit to the federal indictment and say they consider it fake news. But even some of them now admit it might be better if Trump dropped out of the presidential race. Listen to this.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You think it's political?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, gosh, yes. And I think it's one sided. One sided, political, everything towards him, and they're going to do whatever they can to get rid of him.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you think Donald Trump should run for president or should he be kept out of the White House?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think probably he needs to not run. That's what I think.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And why is that? Not good for the party, not good for him. Why do you think?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's not good for the party.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think that it is fair for a prosecutor to prosecute something that they feel is legitimate. I don't think it's fair for a prosecutor to go and prosecute someone or pursue someone for a political reason.
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BRUNHUBER: CNN Randi Kaye is in South Florida and has more on the mood at Trump's home base.
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RANDI KAYE, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: There's been a steady stream of protesters here at Mar-a-Lago, a small group, really, since the news of the indictment broke. Supporters of Donald Trump coming out in force to let people know that they do still support him.
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I spoke with them about the indictment and what it revealed, including some of the evidence that has been put forward that would include some of these photos of the alleged boxes of documents in a bathroom, in a shower, in a ballroom. And when I spoke with these supporters about this, they were in complete denial. They basically said that they believe those photos are fake, and if there were documents there, they believe somebody else planted them there. And they don't believe that Donald Trump had any classified material here at Mar-a-Lago. So there was no changing their mind, despite the apparent evidence that was presented in this indictment.
I also spoke with some people around the town in Palm Beach. Many of them did not want to go on camera. Those who did were pretty split on what they thought of the indictment and how this should all go down with the former president. I spoke to two people who supported him in the past. One a Republican woman who said that she doesn't think he should run anymore because she thinks it's bad for the party.
But finally, in speaking to that group, one thing they all did agree on is that this indictment could very well benefit Donald Trump. They think it will bring out his base in force. Certainly, a lot of support coming forward in light of the indictment, including the supporters we see here at Mar-a-Lago. Randi Kaye, CNN, Palm Beach County, Florida.
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BRUNHUBER: Boris Johnson, the embattled former British Prime Minister, says he's had enough of Parliament and is stepping down, effective immediately. That, of course, Triers of Byelection for his seat while quitting is out of character for Johnson, who's weathered countless political battles over his long and colorful career.
But party gate ultimately proved to be too much. He's denied lying to Parliament about the illegal parties at Number 10 during Lockdowns, but admits his explanations were misleading. In a blistering statement announcing his resignation, Johnson slammed the latest House of Commons investigation into the scandal, calling it a witch hunt to force him from Parliament.
Johnson claimed the not yet released report is riddled with inaccuracies, "but under their absurd and unjust process, I have no formal ability to challenge anything they say."
An Idaho judge is set to make a decision at a later date about a gag order in place in the state's murder case against Bryan Kohberger. Kohberger is accused of stabbing four Idaho college students to death in November. A media coalition argued the Gag Order be removed as it's vague, over, broad, unduly restrictive and not narrowly drawn.
In a Friday hearing, both the defense attorneys and prosecutors had witnesses testifying on the potential harm of lifting the order. The judge didn't give a timeline on when he would make the decision.
Joran van der Sloot is being held in the Shelby County Jail in Alabama. It comes after a not guilty plea was entered in U.S. federal court for van der Sloot on Friday. The Dutch national accused of extortion of Natalee Holloway's mother. Holloway was an American teen who disappeared during the high school graduation trip to Aruba in 2005. Van der Sloot was one of the last people seen with her before she vanished.
A relief is on the way following a week that saw some of the worst air quality in decades, North America may be getting a break from the historic wildfires. We'll have details.
Also ahead, we're live in Rome as the Pope continues to recover after abdominal surgery earlier this week. Please stay with us.
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BRUNHUBER: All right, let's go to Rome now. Our Pope Francis is continuing to recover after undergoing abdominal surgery earlier this week. Vatican spokesperson said on Friday, the Pope, "gathered in prayer and devoted himself to work." CNN's Barbie Nadeau is in Rome. And Barbie, you're outside the hospital there. So what's the latest on the Pope's recovery?
BARBIE NADEAU, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Well, we're expecting to get some more information. In fact, they're going to be holding a press conference here in about half an hour to give us an update on the Pope. We're expecting that to just follow along with the good news we've had this morning. His spokesperson saying that he had a restful night, and there are so many people who are so concerned about him getting better and him getting healthy.
We heard from a priest who knows him personally. Let's listen to what he says.
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FATHER DAMIANO, CATHOLIC PRIEST (through translator): I'm very close to him, but I think he will recover very soon. I'm very happy he gives us a good example because he manages to be serene even at work, even if he has some health difficulties. I'm united with him in prayer.
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NADEAU: And, you know, Kim when you listen to that priest, obviously that's, you know, echoed all around, but this Pope is suffering in front of everyone and continuing to do his work. He's often in a wheelchair. He's often using a cane. He has back pain. Now, he's had the surgery the second time he's been in the hospital, in fact, this year, the second surgery he's had in two years. And so he is, as the priest said, setting a good example for his followers that you can still work even if you're not quite 100%. Kim?
BRUNHUBER: Yeah. And Barbara, speaking of his followers, obviously there's concern for his health from Catholics around the world, but there specifically in Rome, what are the locals and the visitors saying?
NADEAU: Well, you know, Rome, obviously the Vatican is a huge draw for tourism, and the Pope is the center of point of that. You know, on any given Sunday morning at noon here, everybody gathers. All these people gather in St. Peter's Square to hear him and to be blessed by him. So he's a really, really important figure.
And we also heard from a tourist. Let's hear what this tourist had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We hope he gets better. It's very serious, and we know he's very important to a lot of people here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I heard that on the news and I wish him all the best.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK, why you wish him all the best? What he represents to you?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, he represents a little bit of sanity in a crazy world, says the right thing, tries to influence people to be better for themselves.
NADEAU: And, you know, again, Kim, you've got -- he's a powerful figure, and when someone that powerful is sick like this, everyone, of course, is very concerned, 86 years old, he underwent a three-hour surgery on Wednesday and, you know, is miraculously I guess he's got a little divine intervention doing really well, they tell us. Kim?
BRUNHUBER: All right, we'll continue following along. Barbie Nadeau in Rome, thanks so much.
Well, the worst seems to be over for parts of the northeastern U.S. which had been caught in a chokehold of heavy smoke from wildfires in Canada. Air quality is now improving along the eastern seaboard. Conditions in many areas have changed from hazardous or very unhealthy to good or moderate. But it's still early in the Canadian fire season, and hundreds of fires are still burning.
Now, rain is expected this weekend for parts of Canada, and firefighters from around the world are arriving to help control the flames. Chad Myers has more from the CNN Weather Center.
[05:45:01]
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CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: This is what it looked like on Thursday in Washington, D.C. with the air quality index over 300. I think, at times. And then all of a sudden, on Friday, the air cleared up, the wind came through and really cleared things out where the numbers were down into the 50 range. So that is some good news.
Now, this is a model, a computer model of where the wildfire smoke is right now. Most of it has been pushed offshore. That's why it's gone. That's why those pictures were so much better.
There's still going to be smoke in the air, don't get me wrong, but our numbers will not get to that hazardous category. Probably unhealthy for sensitive groups all through the weekend in some spots. But we have relief on the way. Not only relief from the smoke, real relief with a low-pressure system that's going to rotate around the Great Lakes with wind and rain, but some relief for the firefighting effort as well. There will be many areas here. In Ontario and Quebec that will pick up more than an inch of rain over the next three days. That will certainly do quite a bit to help those firefighting efforts out.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BRUNHUBER: All right, still ahead, historic night on the court during game four of the NBA Finals. CNN's sports Andy Scholes joins me live to break down the highlights.
Plus, a quest for historic trouble and a chance to win the biggest prize in European soccer, where you're looking at live pictures from Istanbul ahead of the Champions League Final. Coming up, a preview of the Champions League final between Manchester City and Inter Milan. Stay with us.
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[05:50:26]
BRUNHUBER: The Denver Nuggets are one victory away from the franchise first NBA championship after defeating the Miami Heat in game four on Friday night. CNN Sports Andy Scholes joins me now. So more big performances from their big man.
ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Yeah, for sure. Nikola Jokic has been so good. And history says things are looking very good for the Nuggets. Kim, teams that go up three-one in the NBA finals win 97 percent of the time.
The only team to ever come back from a three-one deficit was LeBron and the Cavs back in 2016. And where game three was dominated by Denver stars Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. Game 4 was a team effort for the Nuggets. Aaron Gordon had his best game of the series. He scored 27 points.
Now, Denver fans holding their breath in the first quarter as Jokic rolled his ankle right here. He would actually go back to the locker room, but he would come back, end up scoring 23 points, grab 12 rebounds.
Denver had a 13-point lead heading into the fourth quarter. The Heat were able to cut that lead all the way down to five, but that would be as close as they would get. Denver ends up winning this one rather easily, 108 to 95, and are now a win away from their first ever NBA title.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NIKOLA JOKIC, DENVER NUGGETS CENTER: Still one win, you know, we need to win one more. Listen, we didn't -- I like that we didn't relax. We didn't get comfortable. We are still desperate. We still want it.
MICHAEL MALONE, DENVER NUGGETS HEAD COACH: It's a good win. We've done our job, but we're not celebrating like we've done anything yet. We know we're going to have to go home. And turn off the TV, the radio, don't read the papers, don't listen to everybody telling you how great you are, because we haven't done a damn thing yet. We have to win another game to be world champions. (END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHOLES: Yes, the Nuggets can now win the title on their home floor as the series shifts back to Denver for Game 5 on Monday. But those South Florida fans, they're not going to get any kind of break. Tonight, the Panthers are going to take the ice for game four of the Stanley Cup Final against the Golden Knights. Florida's championship dreams. They were looking grim in game three before they tied it near the end of regulation and then won in overtime. Certainly an emotional night for all the fans there as they got to watch the team get their first ever Stanley Cup final win.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PAUL MAURICE, FLORIDA PANTHERS HEAD COACH: You need to be able to give something back to your fans. And last night was a real nice give back to the fans, right? The first Stanley Cup Final win in the first -- in this building. Everybody had a great time. That's what sports is all about.
WILLIAM KARLSSON, VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS CENTER: In a lot of ways, I never expected it to go super easy, and it should not be. To win is a grind and, you know, sometimes you lose, but all that matters is the next game and focus on that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHOLES: Yeah, so the Panthers will look to even that series at two games apiece. Tonight, puck drops at eight Eastern. And, Kim, it's going to be interesting to see how Vegas bounces back from that loss because they were three minutes away from going up 30 in this series. The win by the Panthers there at the last second kind of totally changed the dynamic of this series. So game four will be very interesting.
BRUNHUBER: Still plenty, plenty to go there.
SCHOLES: Yeah.
BRUNHUBER: So let's turn to international sports. Lots going on there as well. Let's start with tennis in the French Open Final.
SCHOLES: Yeah. Novak Djokovic, what a surprise. He's in the French Open final once again. And he's a win away from a record breaking 23rd Grand Slam title now, right now he's tied with Rafael Nadal at 22. And yesterday Djokovic is facing off against world number one Carlos Alcaraz. This was the first ever meeting in a Grand Slam between the two. Alcaraz battling cramps during the match. But what this winner he had right here. Just incredible, even Djokovic was applauding him after that, but it would end up being Djokovic winning this match in four sets. He's now going to face Casper Ruud in Sunday's final after last year's runner up just crushed Alexander Zverev in straight set.
So you got Ruud versus Djokovic on the men. On the women's side, world number one Iga Swiatek, she's going to take on unseated Karolina Muchova in just a few hours from now in the women's finals. Swiatek looking to win her third French Open title in the past four years.
The FIFA Women's World Cup, meanwhile, doesn't kick off until July 20 in Australia and New Zealand, but it's already set to become the most attended women's sporting event in history. More than 1 million tickets have already been sold, surpassing France's 2019 Women's World Cup of in its record. The demand has been so great that FIFA had to move Australia's first group stage match against Ireland to Stadium Australia, which can seat over 83,000 fans.
All right, finally, the biggest match in European football. Just a few hours away, Manchester City is going to take on Inter Milan in the Champions League Final in Istanbul. Man City going for the historic treble after already winning this season's Premier League Title and the FA Cup. Only nine teams have ever got that treble. Standing in their way, Italian Giant Inter Milan is back in the final for the first time since 2010 when they won the title. And, Kim, Man City, they are the favorites for this game.
BRUNHUBER: Yeah.
SCHOLES: I mean, they seem unstoppable.
BRUNHUBER: they're an unstoppable machine.
SCHOLES: So much star power, but they play as a team. It will be a fun one to watch. You know, hopefully Inter Milan, you know, puts up a good fight and we have a good match to watch, but it just seems almost like Man City, the team is destiny here.
BRUNHUBER: Yeah, absolutely, as an Arsenal fan, I can definitely attest to that. Andy Scholes, thank you so much. Really appreciate it.
SCHOLES: All right.
BRUNHUBER: All right, before we go, scientists have just assembled what they're calling the biggest skull of a dinosaur ever found on earth. Now, skull is believed to be that of a Torosaurus, a dinosaur that lived in North America about 70 million years ago. The staff at the museum of evolution in Denmark pieced the skull together as you can see there and named the dinosaur Adam. Exhibit opens to the public on Tuesday.
And staying with our prehistoric creatures theme, have a look at this.
Tomorrow, June 11, marks the 30th Anniversary of Steven Spielberg's Jurassic Park. Man, that makes me feel old. When the movie opened in 1993, it took the country by storm. Ticket sales reached a record setting $50 million in a single weekend overtaking the benchmark set by Batman Returns the year before. For the movie's 30th anniversary, it's getting a special 4K Blu-ray edition where life finds a way with new artwork, bonus and bonus features.
All right, that wraps this hour of CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Kim Brunhuber. You can follow me on Twitter @kimbrunhuber. For viewers in North America, "CNN THIS MORNING" is next. For the rest of the world, it's The Next Frontier. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
