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CNN International: How four children survived in the Amazon Jungle; Ukraine says Russian Forces have Blown up a Small Dam in an area that's seen very Heavy Fighting; 11-Year-Old Girl Shot and Killed by her Neighbor; Father: Children Survived in Colombian Jungle because of their Upbringing; Former Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi Dies at 86. Aired 8-8:30a ET

Aired June 12, 2023 - 08:00   ET

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

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MAX FOSTER, CNNI HOST: Hello, you're watching CNN "Newsroom", I'm Max Foster in London. Just ahead, a divisive and dominant figure in Italy for more than 20 years. Former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has died in Milan at the age of 86. We'll have more on his life and his legacy.

Then, fierce fighting is underway on the front lines of the South and East of Ukraine, where Kyiv claims to have recaptured a string of villages. And four children have been found alive after surviving a plane crash and spending weeks alone into Amazon jungle. We will explain how that was possible.

We begin in Italy where Former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has passed away at the age of 86. He died at a hospital in Milan. Earlier this year he was diagnosed with leukemia. Italian media reports that estate funeral will be held on Wednesday.

A billionaire media and real estate tycoon he was a divisive, but central figure in Italy for more than 20 years. CNN's Ben Wedeman joins me live from Rome, he was such a towering figure wasn't he just, you know, culturally as much as politically?

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, really going back to the early 1980s, Max, Berlusconi was somebody who's very much a larger than life figure on the Italian scene. Firstly, in 1980, he began he founded Italy's first private national television station, providing an alternative to the state funded rather stodgy state broadcaster.

And starting in 1994, he got into politics, he was elected Prime Minister. This was a man who had no political experience whatsoever in terms of holding any public office, but he went on to be the Italian Prime Minister who held that position the longest since the end of the Second World War.

Now, we've been hearing a variety of statements from Italian and international figures commenting on his death. Sergio Mattarella, the Italian President has put out a statement calling Silvio Berlusconi, a great political leader. Now he also Berlusconi had a very warm personal relationship with the President of Russia and for instance, on his 86th birthday, Mr. Berlusconi, received from Vladimir Putin 20 bottles of Russian vodka.

The Russian leader has put out a statement today, marking the death of Silvio Berlusconi, in which he says he will be remembered in Russia as a consistent and principled supporter of strengthening friendly relations between our countries. He made a truly invaluable personal contribution to the development of mutually beneficial Russian-Italian partnerships.

So he had a very mixed legacy. This was a man who after more than 20 years of dominating politics, when he finally left the position of Prime Minister. He left the country in something of an economic catastrophe. The Italy's debt said I'd written risen to record levels, the Italian economy during his years as Prime Minister did not grow at all.

Nonetheless, he was a very popular figure among certain segments of the Italian population, who saw him as an everyman who understood their troubles, even though he in the end wasn't able to do much about them, Max.

FOSTER: CNN's Ben Wedeman in Rome, thank you for that. Now, Ukraine says its forces are gaining momentum and taking back territory following fierce fighting along the Southern and Eastern front lines. Kyiv claims its troops have recaptured a string of villages from the Russian Military along the Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia region border.

Meanwhile, water levels continue to recede in Kherson nearly a week after the collapse of crucial dam but evacuation efforts is still underway. Over the weekend, Volodymyr Zelensky signals that Ukraine's counter offensive is underway. Fred Pleitgen joins us from Zaporizhzhia. There have been a lot of vehicles that are lost on the Ukrainian side despite this push.

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, they certainly have, Max, you're absolutely right. On the one hand, the Ukrainians are saying at this point in time, they definitely believe that momentum is on their side. And if you look at some of the gains that they've made around that town of Velyka Novosilka, which is sort of the Southeastern part of the southern, front there on the border between the Zaporizhzhia and the Donetsk regions.

They do seem to be quite significant over the past couple of days, as you mentioned, the Ukrainian saying that they took back a string of villages there you can see some videos that the Ukrainians have released showing their forces raising their flags in those villages.

It certainly seems as though that's one of the places where the Ukrainians are trying to make a push and we really haven't heard anything yet from the Russian Defense Ministry are from the Kremlin. However, Russian Military bloggers who usually are quite well informed about the situation do say that for their forces. They find it quite troubling the advances that Ukrainians have been making but you're also absolutely right over the past couple of days. The Russian Military has also put out several videos showing their forces apparently destroying Western provided armor that the Ukrainians had been using for their pushes that includes German Leopard two main battle tanks.

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It also includes U.S. provided Bradley infantry fighting vehicles. So certainly while the Ukrainian say in some places in the frontline they are making gains those gains certainly are coming at a cost. And in some places, it seemed as though the Russians are able to hold the Ukrainians up.

The big question, of course remains, is this, the big offensive that the Ukrainians had been gearing up for? And as you mentioned, the Ukrainian President this weekend indicating that it could be. However, the Head of Ukraine's Defense Intelligence Agency, he put out a video this weekend of himself just sitting in his chair in silence.

And then you could see the writing in that video saying plans love silence. So the Ukrainians continuing to say that if an offensive is going on, they certainly aren't going to be talking about it. But I think one of the things that we can ascertain, Max, as we've been watching the situation throughout this weekend, and of course, the past couple of days as well, are that right now, on the battlefield.

There really is nowhere where the Russian forces are advancing, but there are a lot of places where the Ukrainian forces are putting pressure on the Russians. You have that area in the southeast that we were just talking about, but also in the East, in Bakhmut the Ukrainian saying that they've made some significant gains, Max.

FOSTER: Fred in Zaporizhzhia, thank you very much for that. Now, a little more than 24 hours from now, Donald Trump in March, it's a federal courthouse in Miami for his arraignment. The Former President has been charged with 37 counts related to dozens of classified documents that he took from the White House when he left office.

Law enforcement is on high alert out of concerns that protests around the courthouse could get violent. CNN's Senior Crime and Justice Reporter Katelyn Polantz, is outside the courthouse in Miami. When we expect to hear from him then?

KATELYN POLANTZ, CNN SENIOR CRIME AND JUSTICE REPORTER: Max, will probably be hearing from the Former President tomorrow night after he's done with everything that would happen in this courthouse in Miami tomorrow. That's because he's planning to give a speech. But let's go through what's going to happen over the next 24 hours or so.

So Donald Trump is traveling from New Jersey flying the whole way south to Florida to come to his arraignment. His initial appearance in federal court, the first time he will ever be seen in court, the first time responding to this set of charges this unprecedented 37 count indictment that he willfully knowingly kept classified national security records outside the protection of the U.S. government after he left the presidency.

So Trump is going to be in the Miami area. Overnight, he's going to be talking with his lawyers about what to expect in court it could be quite a short hearing. He's also expected to be there with his co- defendant who is accused of trying to obstruct the Justice Department invade investigation with him for moving boxes of classified records around of around Mar-a-Lago so that they couldn't be found by investigators.

They both will be appearing in court at about 3 pm tomorrow where they will be hear their charges, and then very, very likely enter these pleads of not guilty. That's quite expected to this phase. And Donald Trump himself has said he will be pleading not guilty tomorrow at that time.

But one of the big questions going forward is what happens after that? How long will things take that's going to be in the hands of a federal judge Aileen Cannon appointed in this district for a lifetime appointment? Here's what special counsel Jack Smith, the man that's overseeing this prosecution for the Justice Department had said about the case going forward when he spoke publicly on Friday.

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JACK SMITH, SPECIAL COUNSEL: 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 on this matter, consistent with the public interest and the rights of the accused.

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POLANTZ: So Max, he mentions they're seeking a speedy trial that's about a 70 day period, give or take that the Justice Department is going to ask the court to set the trial clock for meaning they're going to want to go to trial quickly. But this case could get complicated. The judge could want to slow things down.

And also it's about classified information. So that takes some time in court as well. And so there are a lot of questions right now on how far into the presidential campaign period this is going to go. Could this case go the whole way into 2024 where voters are making decisions, including about Donald Trump headed to trial, Max.

FOSTER: OK, Katelyn thank you. Now a long simmering squabble between two neighbors in France has left an 11 year old girl dead. The girl and her mother and father were apparently shocked by their 71 year old neighbor. The two families had reportedly fought for years over a piece of land between their properties.

Police had taken the neighbor and his wife into custody. In Australia, the driver of bus involved in a fatal crash is now facing charges.

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At least 10 people were killed on Sunday when the bus rolled over in a roundabout in New South Wales and other 25 people were rushed to hospital. The 58 year old driver is charged with 10 counts of dangerous driving causing death. The bus was reportedly carrying guests from a nearby wedding.

Australia's Prime Minister sent this condolence tweet, for a day of joy to end in such devastating loss is cruel indeed. Our thoughts are also with those who have been injured. Former Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has been released without charge after she was arrested on Sunday in connection with a probe into the Scottish National Party's finances.

In a series of tweets, she said that she is innocent of any wrongdoing. This is the third high profile arrests in this investigation. Sturgeon's husband and the party's treasurer were arrested in April then released. Scott has been following all of this. It's not a complete shock, but it's still to come as a bit of surprise that it got to this level.

SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, you're absolutely right. I mean, anytime the leader of a mainstream political party, especially in this country is arrested, obviously, people are going to perk up and certainly that's the case here. But you're right. This was not completely out of the blue as you mentioned, her husband was arrested, questioned, released.

The party treasurer same thing or home was searched in April. The party headquarters was searched as well all because of this probe. This police investigation into the party finances and specifically 660,000 pounds more than 800,000 U.S. dollars that was earmarked for Scottish independence campaigning.

So Sturgeon yesterday was arrested. She was held in question for more than seven hours and then released without charge pending further investigation. And we've now heard from Sturgeon herself who put out a statement saying in part, to find myself in the situation I did today when I'm certain I have committed no offense is both a shock and deeply distressing.

Innocence is not just a presumption I am entitled to in law. I know beyond doubt that I am in fact innocent of any wrongdoing. Now, there are some in her party who are suggesting that she ought to resign her party membership at least temporarily. She though says that she will continue to stay on as a member of the Scottish Parliament.

Her resignation in February also came as quite a shock to British politics because it came so out of the blue and especially given that in January, you had her being asked about the resignation of the New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. And Sturgeon was insisting, look, I have plenty left in the tank and then she said this, watch.

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NICOLA STURGEON, SCOTLAND'S FORMER FIRST MINISTER: Just 20 in the tank at the moment, if I ever don't mean just on a single day, everybody wakes up some days and thinks they don't have enough in the tank. But if I ever reached the point, but she has clearly reached I think overall I just can't give the job. Everything it deserves then I hope I have the same courage she's had insane. OK, this is the point to go.

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MCLEAN: So then just a few weeks later, you had her resigning from her position as the party leader. In her press conference, she was asked whether this police investigation had anything to do with it. And she said very bluntly, no. And this is already having an impact on the SNP, the Scottish National Party today.

And the current leaders whose name is Hamza Yusuf, he actually tweeted in response to Boris Johnson, the Former Prime Minister resigning as an MP that look there's plenty going on. And yet Westminster is consumed with this third rate political soap opera. Well, it turns out now he has his own soap opera to contend with in Scotland.

FOSTER: Scott, thank you very much indeed. Still to come, an incredible story of survival for children was found alive after spending more than a month in the Amazon jungle. How do they do it? That's next.

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FOSTER: An incredible story of survival, four children siblings aged 1 to 13 years old were found alive in the Amazon jungle 40 days after the plane they were traveling in with their mother and two adults crashed. All of the adults were killed in the accident forcing the children to fend for themselves.

Their disappearance sparked a massive search operation involving more than 100 Colombian Special Forces and dozens of indigenous scouts. The children's father says the four siblings were able to survive because of their upbringing as indigenous people and their connection with nature.

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MANUEL RANOQUE, FATHER OF RESCUED CHILDREN: We are indigenous people, I believe in the jungle, which is our mother. And that's why I've always kept the faith and would say that both the jungle and nature have never betrayed me.

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FOSTER: Four children who are recovering in hospital in Bogota, and that's where journalists Stefano Pozzebon, joins me now live. Incredible story, as I understand it, their mother suggested that they should go and try to get help before she died. And they somehow managed to survive in that very thick jungle.

STEFANO POZZEBON, JOURNALIST: Yes, Max, it's a story that, frankly, is almost beyond belief. If you think how hard and difficult the Amazon terrain the Amazon rainforest is as a place to move around here in Bogota, since the children were recovered the end were brought to the hospital and just behind my back to receive medical treatment. We've seen and heard more details about how they were able to stay alive. I'm actually here, Max out with an Army General, the Air Force General. General Sanchez, he is the Head of some of the Special Forces who were in charge of this operation.

And I'm going to ask him like, General, you were telling to me that you think the children moved around the forest for almost 20 kilometers for those five weeks. Is that right and how do you think that impacted the search and rescue operation?

GENERAL PEDRO SANCHEZ, COLOMBIAN ARMY OF SPECIAL OPERATIONS: When we analyze the evidence, we conclude a logical pattern that the kids use or go through the jungle, go to the rainforest with data analysis. And when we compare the place where we searching, we say oh my goodness, we were very close to them they suddenly maybe 100 feet, maybe the same day, or maybe one day before or after.

But we are very close. Why we didn't find them. One reason is the jungle is very, very complicated. The trees are very close, it's very dense. So if you see, you can only see 60 feet, because behind from that distance is impossible to find someone. Additionally the rain 16 hours per day is only raining. The rain, inhibit the capability to hear where the kids were.

POZZEBON: Max, this just gives an idea of the extraordinary beauty of this story just the idea of the four children. One of them is only one year old that the other are 4, 9 and 13 years old, being able to survive in the middle of the rainforest and the General just explain how and hospitable how hazardous that region of Colombia is with 16 hours of rainfall and under thick vegetation.

That doesn't allow you to see for further than some 50 meters or maybe 100 feet the General said.

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And still they were able to stay alive and against all the odds they were found safe, rescued and are here just in the hospital just behind my back and finally with their family, Max.

FOSTER: And all credit as well to that amazing rescue operation led by him as well, thank you Stefano in Bogota. Coming up the end of an era will look back at the life of Silvio Berlusconi, the ups and downs of this giant in Italian politics.

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FOSTER: A state funeral will be held for Silvio Berlusconi on Wednesday, the Former Italian Prime Minister has passed away at the age of 86. One Former Prime Minister says Berlusconi wrote, "Significant pages of our history". CNN's Barbie Nadeau reports on the colorful life of the billionaire and media tycoon who dominated Italian politics for so many years.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) BARBIE NADEAU, CNN CONTRIBUTOR (voice over): The Jesus Christ of politics, the best political leader in Europe and the world. That is how Silvio Berlusconi once described himself, and without a doubt he was a powerful political operator and businessman who sparked more than one scandal.

And despite a string of legal trouble and dubious friends, Berlusconi always managed to bounce back. He made his name as a business tycoon. He owned the famous AC Milan football club for 31 years. At one point, he was the richest man in Italy.

SILVIO BERLUSCONI, ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER: I have always been adored by those who have worked with me.

NADEAU (voice over): First elected as Prime Minister in 1994. He was quickly removed when his coalition partners pulled out, but he was elected to the top job twice more in 2001 and 2008, becoming Italy's longest serving Prime Minister since World War Two. And voters brought him back to power in 2022 as a coalition partner with Giorgia Meloni and Matteo Salvini.

Charming and with a flippant sense of humor, Berlusconi's off the cuff remarks and missteps with protocol were often criticized. He welcomed the newly elected U.S. President in 2008 by complimenting Barack Obama on his quote "suntan", a left German Chancellor Angela Merkel waiting during a NATO summit.

And his close friendship with Vladimir Putin got him in hot water after he disclosed he had reestablished his friendship with the Russian President in late 2022 after Putin sent him 20 bottles of Russian vodka for his birthday. He later blamed Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for starting a war, putting him at odds with Meloni.

The Prime Minister often surrounded himself with beautiful women. Allegations of a relationship with an 18 year old aspiring model which he strenuously denied triggered a painfully public divorce. And revelations about his so called "Bunga" parties landed him in court on charges of abuse of power and having sex with an underage prostitute. Allegations he also denied.

BERLUSCONI: It is absurd to think that I have paid to have rapport with a woman.

NADEAU (voice over): Meanwhile, the Eurozone was going through a financial crisis.

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Italy was hit hard and the government's debt ballooned 120 percent of the GDP in August 2011. The Italian Prime Minister promised to crack down on tax evasion and introduce other austerity measures but it was not enough. Berlusconi lost his majority in parliament and was forced to resign as Prime Minister in November 2011.

In 2012, he was convicted of corporate tax fraud and banned from public office. Months later an Italian court found Berlusconi guilty on the charges stemming from the bunga parties and appeals court later overturned the conviction. He was voted out of parliament in 2013. Two years later convicted of bribing a senator a decade before but never served time since a statute of limitations timed out in the same year.

At the age of 82, Berlusconi managed another come back. He led his forts Italia party in the European elections and won a seat in Parliament. A month before he turned 86. He led his party back to power as the junior partner of the current ruling coalition. In the summer of 2020, a few weeks away from turning 84 years old, Berlusconi was struck by COVID-19 and was hospitalized for 12 days.

He called that experience the most dangerous test of my life and boasted to journalists that his viral load entity of the virus.

BERLUSCONI: Was the highest one amongst tens of thousands.

NADEAU (voice over): Few could match the one and only Silvio Berlusconi. And even though the "Teflon Don" as he was known was in and out of the hospital in his later years, he always managed to look remarkably younger than years.

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FOSTER: Thanks join me here on CNN "Newsroom", I'm Max Foster in London. "World Sport" with Patrick Snell is up next.

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