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Trump Arrives In Florida Ahead Of Court Appearance; Ukraine Claims To Have Liberated Three Frontline Villages In Donetsk; Former Italian PM Berlusconi's Funeral To Be Held On Wednesday; Blinken China Upgraded Cuba Spy Facilities in 2019; Experts Suggest Forming Global AI Watchdog Group; New Search after Rescue of Children in Colombia; JPMorgan Settles with Jeffrey Epstein's Victims; Manchester City Celebrate Historic Treble Win. Aired 1-2a ET
Aired June 13, 2023 - 01:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[01:00:23]
JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR: Ahead this hour on CNN Newsroom, Trump's stay in court again. The now twice indicted twice impeach one term president set to appear in a Miami courtroom on 37 criminal charges. And he's yet to find a new lawyer.
Slow and steady, Ukraine's counteroffensive inching forward in the southeast, liberating small villages on the front lines from Russian occupation. And one Chinese spy base on Cuba is a problem. What do you call it a stream of them across South America.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Live from CNN Center. This is CNN Newsroom with John Vause.
VAUSE: The now twice indicted twice impeached one term president Donald Trump will appear in a Miami courtroom Tuesday afternoon, where he'll be arrested and arraigned on 37 federal criminal charges.
And at last report, Trump still had not found a qualified Florida lawyer to join his legal defense team. Trump traveled to his golf club just outside Miami Monday. We're supposed to say he spent the day speaking with potential candidates to join his team.
Trump is pushing for his attorneys to take a more aggressive stance against the Justice Department as they defend him against allegations of mishandling classified documents.
The former president is facing in total 37 counts, including 31 counts of willful retention of National Defense Information under the Espionage Act. Trump is denying all wrongdoing and claims the investigation is a politically motivated sham, intended to derail his plans to return to the White House.
But Trump says he has no plans of dropping out of the 2024 race. Even as he faces a number of charges is subjected to more criminal inquiries. Despite all that, supporters of the former president are still pledging their unwavering support.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LINDA CATALINA, TRUMP SUPPORTER: Like we don't even care if he's going to be in jail. And we have to write him in, you know, a lot of us it's like Trump or nothing, like we're not even looking at the sentence of the second option. We're not looking at anybody else's second option, and we maybe we will vote for that person.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Right now, Laura Phillips and officials are concerned over the potentially large number of Trump supporters expected to gather in the coming hours outside the courthouse in Miami. But heavy security is already in place.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FRANCIS SUAREZ, MAYOR OF MIAMI, FLORIDA: In our city, A, we obviously believe in the Constitution and believe that people should have the right to express themselves. But we also believe in law and order. And we know that and we hope that tomorrow will be peaceful. We encourage people to be peaceful in them demonstrating how they're -- how they feel. And we're going to have the adequate forces necessary to ensure that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: CNN's Carlos Suarez has gone out on the preparations from Doral, Florida.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CARLOS SUAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): The city of Miami says they are ready for whatever happens outside of the federal courthouse in downtown Miami on Tuesday. Miami's police chief said that the Miami Police Department has enough resources for crowds of up to 50,000 people.
Now when he was pressed for specifics, the chief of police said that his department was not going to get into where all of these resources are being deployed. There is some concern heading into Tuesday that law enforcement may not be ready for the possible crowds that will show up both in support of the former president and those that are protesting the former president.
Few barricades have been set up around the courthouse and it is unclear if the Miami Police Department is going to separate supporters and protesters. The police chief said that a decision on that will depend on the number of folks that show up on Tuesday. Here now is a part of a press conference that the police chief had on Monday.
CHIEF MANUEL MORALES, MIAMI POLICE DEPARTMENT: We're bringing enough resources to handle crowd anywhere from 5,000 to 50,000. We don't expect it, right. So we appreciate the public self, everybody going out there and expressing themselves in a peaceful and civil manner. SUAREZ: The Chief of Police has said a decision on whether streets around the courthouse will be closed has not been made. Carlos Suarez CNN Doral, Florida.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: To Los Angeles, our civil rights attorney and longtime legal affairs commentator, Areva Martin. Areva, it is nice to see you. Thanks for being with us.
AREVA MARTIN, CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY: Hey, John.
VAUSE: OK. so I want you to listen to how conservative leaning legal experts see this case and we'll begin with Trump's former Attorney General Bill Barr
[01:05:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WILLIAM BARR, FORMER U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL: It's very detailed indictment and it's very, very damning.
JONATHAN TURLEY, CONSTITUTIONAL LAW ATTORNEY: It is an extremely damning indictment.
TIM PARLATORE, FORMER TRUMP ATTORNEY: There are things in here that I think, you know if they have backup for or certainly problematic.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: So on paper, as far as you read, it isn't a slam dunk case for the prosecution. And so what could be the possible legal defense here?
MARTIN: Well sure seems like a slam dunk, John, and I rarely agree with Bill Barr. But I have to say I agree with Bill Barr. He said if the allegations in this indictment are true, Donald Trump is toast. Look, there are 37 charges in this indictment. And the jury doesn't have to find him guilty of all 37 counts. He could be found guilty of seven of the counts, 10 of the counts and would still face considerable jail time.
In terms of defenses, Trump doesn't leave himself very much room for any defenses. The typical defenses, I'll call it the U-Haul defense, which is, you know, all of these documents were just put in a truck and sent to Mar-a-Lago I didn't know what was in them, I had no intention of keeping or retaining or taking away from the White House classified documents that defense has been blown by the very conduct that he has engaged in.
He had every opportunity to return these documents and he didn't. And not only did he not return them, John, he engaged in this hide the ball tell lies in trying to engage his own attorney to engage in criminal conduct and then have his personal aide, move the boxes and then lie to federal law enforcement agencies as well. So, there's not a lot of room for Trump to make any, I would say,
credible defense and if these allegations are true, he probably is facing conviction and prison time.
VAUSE: OK, so he is now after his second indictment. Two more indictments are likely pending for his role in January 6 instruction as well as violation of state election laws in the state of Georgia. So now with that in mind, listen to the twice impeached one term president on his current campaign for the White House. Here he is.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
ROGER STONE, "THE ROGER SHOW" HOST: Is there any circumstances under which you could see yourself dropping out of the 2024 presidential election?
DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: No, none whatsoever.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
VAUSE: So he's in take Trump at your -- at his word at your peril. He's also said he won't take a plea deal. What are the chances are he'll be in a courtroom for much of next year's election campaign for the White House? Can these trials be dragged out beyond the election? And is Trump's delaying in choice choosing a lawyer? Is that a delay tactic here?
MARTIN: Well, I don't think it's a delay tactic with respect to attorneys. I think the problem is Trump has run through most of the qualified criminal defense attorneys that would even consider this case. He has a history of not paying his bills and other clients that some of these large, international or national law firms don't want to be affiliated with lawyers that represent Trump.
We have seen so many of his lawyers end up being a subject of bar disciplinary proceedings, some have been disbarred, and some have been convicted and have served jail time like Michael Cohen. So, having Donald Trump as a client is detrimental to your practice of law.
And as it relates to the speed of the trial, John, we know the rocket docket format in Florida says that this trial could be happening by early next year, so we could have a full blown trial and a verdict, well, before we get well into the election seasons of late fall of next year.
VAUSE: Right now, according to the Secret Service website, the Former Presidents Protection Act of 2012 reverses a previous law that limited Secret Service protection for former presidents and their families to 10 years if they served after 1997. Former President George W. Bush and future former presidents will receive Secret Service protection for the rest of their lives. And that includes Donald Trump.
if he is convicted. If he does jail time, does he get Secret Service protection while he's in jail?
MARTIN: You know, John, that's a great question. The Constitution did not anticipate a president like Donald Trump ever serving in the White House, someone that will be twice impeached, and now twice indicted and as you said earlier, facing other potential indictments. The reality is if Donald Trump is convicted on these federal charges, and if by chance he wins the presidency, we can expect them to try to pardon himself.
If he's convicted, and he's not President, we could expect if there's a Republican president for them to try to pardon Donald Trump. There lots of scenarios, including maybe home confinement for him as well. But we know if he does have to serve jail time that's going to create an incredible crisis for this country, one that is unprecedented, and one that we've not had to deal with. I would imagine the Secret Service would have to do the time with him, despite the criminal activity that he is accused of. He still is a former U.S. president.
VAUSE: Wow. Areva, as always, thank you so much. Great to see you.
Please stay with CNN for much more on the over arrest -- The Arrest and Arraignment of Donald Trump. Special coverage begins Tuesday 2:00 p.m. Eastern time in New York, that's 7:00 p.m. in London, 10:00 p.m. in Abu Dhabi.
[01:10:00]
When Russian backed military bloggers and other official commentators in Moscow, say the war in Ukraine is not going well, it's usually a sign the war in Ukraine is not going so well. They've described intense fighting along the border of Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions say Ukrainians are accumulating forces there resisting Russian counterattacks.
Ukrainian forces are slowly moving forward as senior official says seven villagers on the frontlines have been liberated from Russian occupation. Ukraine, though has apparently lost some Western supplied equipment in this recent fighting that includes 16 U.S. made armored Bradley Fighting Vehicles, but President Zelenskyy still sending a message of confidence and strength to his troops.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): The battles are underway and that is crucial. The enemy's losses are exactly what we need. And although the weather these days is unfavorable, the rains complicate our tests. Nevertheless, the strength of our soldiers yields results.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: And Russia continues to target civilians and civilian infrastructure. In the city of Kryvyi Rih a five story building was struck by high precision missile according to the mayor, other officials saying three people have been killed, 25 wounded. More details now from CNN's Frederik Pleitgen reporting in from Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine.
(END VIDEOTAPE) FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): Ukrainian military video purporting to show strikes on Russian positions behind the front lines, as Kyiv says its forces have dramatically ramped up their offensive operations, taking several villages over the weekend in the southeast of the country.
This drone video the Ukrainian say showing their troops sweeping a settlement and taking several prisoners. The same unit displaying Ukraine's flag after the battle.
They tried to push us back with their artillery, this soldier says. We managed to seize back the initiative and slowly liberated the settlement one house after another.
Well, Ukraine says it's attacking the Russians in several areas of the vast front line, Kyiv remains coy about whether the long anticipated large scale offensive has really begun.
The head of Ukrainian military intelligence releasing this video of himself just sitting at his desk with a message plans love silence. But the Russians say they're holding the line in most areas. This defense ministry video allegedly showing a Russian chopper destroying Ukrainian Reconnaissance Vehicles. In total, the Russians say they've already destroyed a large number of Western provided armor, including German made leopard two main battle tanks and U.S. donated Bradley infantry fighting vehicles.
But as Russia's defense minister Sergei Shoigu hands out metals to Russian soldiers, the infighting between Russia's military and the Wagner private military company continues. Wagner boss Yevgeny Pregorgen refusing to abide by a defense ministry decree to sign a contract with the Russian army saying his mercenaries are more efficient than regular troops.
Unfortunately, most military units do not have such efficiency, he says, precisely because Shoigu cannot manage military formations well.
Balancing the rival factions in his war machine a tall task for Vladimir Putin as the country celebrated Russia Day. Putin urging people to keep supporting his war in Ukraine, while calling it a difficult time for his country.
Russia is based on faith and people he said, people who go from victory to victory basing their lives and all their work on faith, faith in victory, faith injustice, faith in Russia. Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: And the Russian president visited wounded soldiers Monday at the defense ministry hospital in the Moscow region. This is all part of Russia Day. He told the soldiers their country needs them. There he is spending a lot of time. One by one. Also handed out awards thanking the soldiers for fighting in Ukraine. He urged them to keep fighting.
Earlier, I spoke with retired U.S. Air Force colonel and CNN military analyst Cedric Leighton. I asked him how Ukraine's lack of air cover might be compensated by Russia's Air Force, apparently going AWOL since offering big losses during the early weeks of the war. He's part of that conversation.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COL. CEDRIC LEIGHTON (RET.) CNN MILITARY ANALYST: This is a very interesting situation, especially for an Air Force guy like me, when you're looking at is both Air Forces laying low to the Ukrainians because they kind of have to base on the number of weapons that they have, number of aircraft that they have. And of course the Russian air defense systems said are deployed near the front lines.
[01:15:00]
The Russians that were facing the same fate. They have far greater number of aircraft and the Ukrainians, but they're very afraid of the Ukrainian Air Defense System, which the Ukrainians were able to put together just for parts. And that has a huge impact on how this operation is unfolding.
VAUSE: Well, as for the endgame here, we've talked about this before, clearly, the Ukrainians know how they want this to end, listen to this and advisor to the president.
IGOR ZHOVKVA, CHIEF DIPLOMATIC ADVISER TO UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT: Once again, this is not the first counteroffensive operation we were having, and definitely probably would not be the last counteroffensive operation. The ultimate goal of the counteroffensive as a process is to win back all the territories, including the Crimea.
VAUSE: But listen to the White House National Security Spokesman John Kirby, followed by the French president Emmanuel Macron. Here they are.
JOHN KIRBY, WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY SPOKESMAN: What we're going ot stay focused on is making sure that Ukraine can succeed on the battlefield.
EMMANUEL MACRON, FRENCH PRESIDENT (through translator): Of course, there is this counteroffensive, and we want it to be as victorious as possible, so that we can then launch a phase of negotiations under the right conditions.
VAUSE: Either NATO nor U.S. officials are talking about liberation of Crimea. You know, it's been the endgame here. So, is this kind of where we could have some kind of division here in the unshakeable support, which would save the Ukraine, if the Russians are for some territory occupied since the invasion last year. But the Ukrainians want to push forward onto Crimea. Could that be a moment where NATO and the U.S. says, hang on, we need to pause this.
LEIGHTON: It's possible. However, there have been other statements in the past where they have said that Crimea is Ukraine, that is Western powers including the United States have made statements like that. So it's really hard to see where they'll actually end up. I think negotiations will become attractive at some point in the fairly near future.
But what you're seeing is, you know, clearly the Ukrainian desire to get things back to at least what they were before 2014. And if they can do that, you know, so much the better as far as they're concerned. The reality of the situation, however, could very well be a little bit short of that, too. They might fall more into line with what the border looked like before February of 2022.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Thanks to CNN military analyst Cedric Leighton there speaking to us just a little earlier.
While NATO's biggest exercises in years began Monday in the skies over Germany, NATO spokesperson said the exercise sends a clear message that NATO is ready to defend every inch of allied territory. 10,000 personnel, 200 for the aircraft and 25 nations participating in the exercise known as Air Defender.
In the coming hours, U.S. President Joe Biden will meet NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to discuss an upcoming NATO Summit in Lithuania. Stoltenberg is expected to step down as Secretary General when his term ends in October, raising the question about his potential successor.
Traditionally, the NATO chief is European but needs the support of the U.S. President. President Joe Biden has not endorsed anyone at least not yet. Possible replacements include senior officials from Britain, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Estonia.
Well, the biggest banks on Wall Street is predicting cheaper oil in the months to come. Goldman Sachs is the global Benchmark Brent crude will be at $6 a barrel by December, down from its previous estimate of $95. More details now from CNN's Anna Stewart reporting it from London.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANNA STEWART, CNN REPORTER (on camera): Well, oil prices have been trending lower over the last year. And while the current economic backdrop might not look good for oil demand, you've got the Eurozone entering recession, you have China's economy slowing. For Goldman Sachs, this cut to its oil price forecast is largely a supply side story. There's simply more oil sloshing around the market than had been expected.
And in large part Goldman Sachs thinks this is due to oversupply from sanction countries like Russia, Iran and Venezuela.
This report says Russian oil output has nearly recovered to levels not seen since the invasion of Ukraine, despite numerous bans and sanctions. And actually the IEA, the International Energy Agency reported Russian oil exports had fully bounced back in March.
While European countries have wean themselves off Russian energy, other countries have cut deals. There have been record Russian oil exports to China and India. Currently, Russian oil trades at a discount of around $20 a barrel compared to Brent, so while Russia may be pumping plenty of oil, it's not able to reap the revenues it once did.
But that price gap has narrowed a year ago, Russian oil costs $34 less a barrel versus crude. Saudi Arabia recently announced a further cut to its oil output. This was an attempt to raise oil prices. But the oversupply from Russia undermines that.
[01:20:00]
And if it continues, it risks the fallout between the two nations and raises questions about the future of the OPEC plus Alliance. Anna Stewart, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Still to come, flamboyant and controversial, loved and vilified, remembering Silvio Berlusconi as Italy prepares a state funeral for his longtime Prime Minister.
Also, the biggest bank in America agrees to a huge settlement we explain why JP Morgan will pay out hundreds of millions of dollars to victims of serial sex abuser and pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
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VAUSE: Italy will observe a national day of mourning Wednesday for former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi flowers and other tributes are being left outside his villa north of Milan. The billionaire businessman passed away Monday he was 86 years old. Condolences have been sent from Pope Francis, the French president Emmanuel Macron. Also the Russian President Vladimir Putin. The current Italian Prime Minister has ordered flags flying from government buildings to be lowered to half-staff.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GIORGIA MELONI, ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER (through translator): Silvio Berlusconi was most of all a fighter. He was a man who never feared to defend his beliefs. It was that courage that determination, which made him one of the most influential men in Italy's history.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Even Ruby the Heartstealer, the woman at the center of a 2010 sex scandal paid her respects posting goodbye president on Instagram. He was a popular but controversial figure once the richest man in Italy. He was first elected prime minister in 1994 won re-election twice, but it was a career marked by financial and personal scandals both big and small. CNN contributor Barbie Nadeau has our report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BARBIE NADEAU, CNN CONTRIBUTOR (voiceover): 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, FORMER ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER (through translator): I have always been adored by those who have worked with me.
NADEAU: 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 II.
And voters brought him back to power in 2022 as a coalition partner with Giorgia Meloni and Matteo Salvini. Charming in with a flippant sense of humor, Berlusconi's off the cuff remarks and missteps with protocol were often criticized.
[01:25:08]
He welcomed the newly elected U.S. president in 2008 by complimenting Barack Obama on his quote, suntan and left German Chancellor Angela Merkel wading 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.
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 Bunga parties landed him in court on charges of abuse of power and having sex with an underage prostitute. Allegations he also denied.
BERLUSCONI (through translator): It is absurd to think that I have paid to have rapport with a woman.
NADEAU: Meanwhile, the Eurozone was going through a financial crisis, Italy was hit hard and the government's debt ballooned to 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 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 comeback. He led his Forza Italia party in the European elections and won a seat in Parliament. A month before he turned 86, Hhe 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 (through translator): Was the highest one amongst tens of thousands.
NADEAU: Few could match the one and only Silvio Berlusconi. And even though the quote 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 his years.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Our thanks to CNN contributor Barbie Nadeau for that report from Rome. When we come back, some trouble in their own backyard how U.S. neglect for its neighbors to the south may have opened the door for Beijing to make new friends influence others. And hey, established few spy bases in the process.
Also, calls for global body to police AI, but can anyone really control artificial intelligence?
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[01:30:59]
VAUSE: Welcome back everyone. I'm John Vause. And you're watching CNN NEWSROOM.
Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi is getting out and about. Right now he's in Venezuela on a three-nation tour of Latin America to improve political and economic ties.
He met with Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas on Monday. The two leaders announced they've signed a series of agreements to broaden cooperation, boost trade by about $20 billion.
President Raisi is expected to travel to Nicaragua and Cuba.
Honduran President Xiomara Castro has met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. Honduras recently ended ties with Taiwan, reestablishing diplomatic relations with Beijing. Earlier President Castro visited Tiananmen Square where she laid a wreath at a monument to China's fallen heroes.
She also spoke about potential areas of cooperation and how to make money with Beijing
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) XIOMARA CASTRO, PRESIDENT OF HONDURAS (through translator): We have the possibility to discuss, plan and execute joint investment and companion projects for infrastructure, highways, ports, airports, telecommunications, energy, food, security, research, science and technology, railway construction between the Atlantic and the Pacific, and a free trade agreement that considers our asymmetrics (ph).
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken revealed Monday details of China's expanded spying program in Cuba. He says Beijing upgraded its intelligence facilities there four years ago, insists the U.S. has slowed the efforts to build more bases in other locations.
This comes just days after CNN and the "Wall Street Journal" reported Havana had agreed to allow China to build an electronic eavesdropping facility on the island.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: We were briefed on the number of sensitive efforts by Beijing around the world. To expand their overseas logistics, basing, collection infrastructure to allow them to project an sustained military power at a greater distance.
In fact, based on the information we have, the PRC conducted an upgrade of its intelligence collection facilities in Cuba in 2019.
Beijing and Havana, both communist BFFs are denying Cuba hosts Chinese spy bases. Cuba's foreign minister called Blinken's comments totally false accusing the U.S. of hypocrisy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRUNO RODRIGUEZ PARRILLA, CUBAN FOREIGN MINISTER (through translator): The United States maintains against the will of the Cuban people a military base in the territory that it illegally occupies in the province of Guantanamo. We are facing a new operation of disinformation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Brett Bruen spent more than a decade as U.S. diplomat. He was also the director of global engagement for the Obama White House. He's now president of the international consulting firm The Global Situation Room. And welcome back. Good to see you.
BRETT BRUEN, PRESIDENT, THE GLOBAL SITUATION ROOM: Good to see you, John.
VAUSE: Ok. So the U.S. Secretary of State confirm these Chinese spy bases have been an ongoing concern which he claims sort of been mitigated in part at least through diplomatic outreach across the region.
Here's Antony Blinken. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BLINKEN: We've engaged governments that are considering hosting PRC bases at high levels. We exchanged information with them. Our experts assess that our diplomatic efforts have slowed down this effort by the PRC.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Which is kind of surprising that Washington is engaging diplomatically on this issue. Assuming he's talking about Central and South America because it seems the only diplomatic outreach in recent years in this part of the world by the United States is being focused on stopping immigration.
So when Blinken says that there is sort of been progress by slowing all of this down, what do we know about these talks, what is he actually speaking of specifically here?
[01:34:48]
BRUEN: Well, and let me try to deconstruct, John, that diplomatic speech. What Secretary Blinken is basically saying is that this problem is so widespread that we've had to engage in numerous countries, not just in Havana but likely in places from Mexico City all the way down to Santiago.
And to do so, really to try to dissuade those countries because our influence has waned so much, that they are actually considering hosting what they know to be, not only for the United States but for themselves, their neighbors, a pretty intrusive intelligence operation. So that's a rather alarming admission from the secretary.
VAUSE: Yes. And from Beijing there continues to be these very flat out, all out complete denials. And an interesting comment here about the relationship between China and Cuba. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WANG WENBIN, CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER SPOKESPERSON (through translator): I should say that there's no confounding what is true and what is false with all the slander and smears, the U.S. has no chance of driving a wedge between the sincere friendship between China and Cuba.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Friendship or whatever, but there's a very close relationship there between Havana and Beijing. And China is also winning friends and influencing others as you touched on across the region.
And it seems that the United States has sort of opened the door to this without much resistance. And in Cuba's case, Cubans were actually seem to be driven into the arms of the Chinese by U.S. policies.
BRUEN: Well and this was one of those areas of the world, John where, as a White House official back during the Obama administration, I was really disappointed that we were not doing more, and certainly under President Trump, it did not get any better. Far from it, it got worse.
And the Biden administration, if we go back just to the Summit of the Americas last year, has really underwhelmed, undelivered when it comes to our engagement in our own hemisphere.
So where we find ourselves right now, the only thing that we seem to talk about, that we seem to care about with our neighbors is stopping that flow of illegal migrants up to our border.
VAUSE: Yes. We have this statement though from the Democratic and Republican leaders of the Senate Intelligence Committee. Here it reads in part, "The United States must respond to China's ongoing and brazen attacks on our nation's security." Fair point. "We must be clear that it will be unacceptable for China to establish an intelligence facility within 100 miles of Florida and the United States in an area also populated with key military installations and extensive maritime traffic."
You know, this is sort of the rub here, if you like. The U.S. spies on China all the time. You know, surely China has a right spy on the United States. And yet every nation spies on the other, adversaries and alike.
And you know, in this grand scheme of things in terms of Chinese outrages, given that everyone else is doing it, is the outrage from the senators a little bit too much, you know, clutching on the pearl necklaces here just a little bit too tight.
BRUEN: Well look, I think after what we saw these Chinese spy balloons flying over the United States, there is sensitivity here. I think this is an issue that is pretty raw for politicians as well for Americans. But that being said, you're right. This isn't the Cuban missile crisis. They're not shipping long range, or even short range missiles onto the island of Cuba.
But that being said, I think it just demonstrates, it is a clear reminder that our own hemisphere is slipping away from us. And, you know, if you're a United States senator you want to ask the administration to do more. Here's an example of where you can try to pinpoint a problem and say, well that shouldn't be there. Is it realistic that Cuba is going to kick the Chinese out? I don't think so.
VAUSE: Yes. Bret, it's good to have your perspective and your insights. It's always welcome. We're very lucky to have you on. Thank you, sir.
BRUEN: Thank you.
VAUSE: The calls of concern and (INAUDIBLE) for artificial intelligence continue to grow with some technology experts now calling for a global body to police the rise of A.I. And that idea is supported by the U.N. Secretary General.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANTONIO GUTERRES, U.N. SECRETARY-GENERAL: Alarm bells over the latest form of artificial intelligence, generally (ph) AI are deafening. And they are loudest from the developers who designed it.
The scientists and experts have called on the world to act, declaring A.I. an existential threat to humanity on par with the risk of nuclear war. We must take those warnings seriously.
But I would be favorable to the idea that we could have an artificial intelligence and agency, without, say, inspired by what the International Agency of Atomic Energy is today.
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VAUSE: Antonio Guterres has proposed an adviser group to review A.I. regulation and offer recommendations on how AI can used as support human rights and the rule of law. But the idea would be need approval from U.N. members.
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VAUSE: Wall Street is taking a bullish view of the Federal Reserve's June meeting this week. The U.S. markets closed higher Monday, keeping last week's rally ongoing. Investors are betting the Fed will take a pause from what has been a relentless interest rate hike.
Here are Monday's closing numbers. The Dow is up more than half of a percentage point. S&P 500 added points, just over -- almost quarter of a percent and the Nasdaq jumped half of 1 percent.
When we come back, the latest on the four children who survived a plane crash and more than a month stranded in the Amazon.
Also, catch and release -- Scotland's former first minister Nicola Sturgeon -- arrested and later released by police, now calls are growing for her expulsion from the party she once led.
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NICOLAS ORDONEZ, MEMBER OF ACLAP INDIGENOUS GUARD (through translator): The children, the eldest girl was carrying the little girl and holding the second eldest girl's hand. They ran to hug me.
After hugging them, giving them human warmth, we approached the boy who was laying down. He stood up and very cautiously said, "My mother died."
We instantly changed the narrative into a sweet one. But your grandmother is looking for you, your dad and your uncle are here.
(END VIDEO CLIP) VAUSE: That's a member of Colombia's Indigenous Guard describing the rescue of four children who survived more than a month in the Colombian jungle after a plane crash which killed their mother and two others.
And as the children continue their recovery, there is now a new search for a rescue dog who helped with the mission.
Stefano Pozzebon has the latest now from Bogota.
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STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN JOURNALIST: On Monday, the Colombian military release the drawings made by the children that were rescued after spending more than 40 days in the Amazon rain forest. The four indigenous children, by the way, are still recovering in the hospital just behind my back.
And that's where they made these drawings. It's interesting, because this picture shows a new character that played a key role in their recovery. This dog, Wilson.
Wilson is a canine unit (INAUDIBLE) to the Colombian special forces who apparently made contact with the four children in the heart of the jungle and stayed with them for a few days before vanishing himself.
And that's why many people here in Colombia are asking the government to keep the search and rescue operation going until even Wilson is found.
Meanwhile, also on Monday, we spoke with a special forces general who described the situation on the jungle and explained why his men took so long to find the kids, due to the difficulty of the terrain. Take a listen.
GENERAL PEDRO SANCHEZ, COLOMBIAN AIR FORCE: We conclude with evidence that maybe they were about 20 kilometers. We compared the evidence with the tracks of GPS, we said, oh my goodness, we were very close to the kids, maybe about 100 feet.
POZZEBON: And General Sanchez also told us that he's been willing to try to stay in the jungle until Wilson is recovered, Wilson the dog.
Meanwhile the kids are expected to stay in hospital under medical observation for between two and three weeks, after which they will be allowed to leave the premise and go back to normal life with their father, who is here in Bogota.
For CNN, this is Stefano Pozzebon -- Bogota.
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VAUSE: An 11-year-old British girl was shot dead in western France during a dispute between two neighbors over their gardens. Authorities say the girl's parents were also seriously wounded in the attack, although the eight-year-old sister escaped unharmed. They say the family was in the garden when their 71-year-old Dutch neighbor appeared with a firearm and began firing.
An official tells CNN the shooter was angry with his neighbors for cutting down trees which provided shade to his property. This dispute have been ongoing we're told for at least two years. The man -- the shooter and his wife later surrendered and have been taken into custody.
A big financial win for the victims of the sex abuser/pedophile, now deceased Jeffrey Epstein. JPMorgan has agreed to pay them $290 million settling a class action lawsuit which accused the bank of enabling Epstein to sex traffic those women while he was a client.
CNN's Kara Scannell has more the details.
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KARA SCANNELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: JPMorgan Chase agreed to pay $290 million to settle a lawsuit brought by victims of Jeffrey Epstein's sex trafficking operation. The deal which was announced on Monday would resolve a lawsuit brought by a Jane Doe last year.
In the lawsuit, the victim alleges that the bank enabled Jeffrey Epstein's sex trafficking operation by turning a blind eye to a number of red flags. Among them large cash withdrawals as much as $750,000 in one year.
Authorities alleged it was those cash withdrawals that Epstein used to pay the underage girls and the recruiters who found them.
David Boies, a lawyer for one of the victims, said that it was a great day for survivors of Epstein and for justice. He said he expects more than 100 survivors to seek compensation under this deal.
Now, the deal still requires the approval of a federal judge, and as part of the settlement, JPMorgan will not admit or deny any wrongdoing.
Kara Scannell, CNN -- New York.
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VAUSE: Scotland's current first minister is standing by his predecessor -- her predecessor, I should say -- saying there is no reason to suspend Nicola Sturgeon from the Scottish National Party.
The pressure to oust Sturgeon comes after her arrest and subsequent release on Sunday as part of a government investigation into the party's finances. There are currently no charges against Sturgeon.
Here's the new first minister, Humza Yousaf.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Will you suspend Ms. Sturgeon while this investigation is (INAUDIBLE)? HUMZA YOUSAF, SCOTTISH FIRST MINISTER: No, I will not suspend Nicola's membership. I will treat her in the same way I've treated for example Colin Beattie. He's been released without charges. I see no reason to suspend their membership.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you think she should voluntarily step down (INAUDIBLE)?
YOUSAF: There is no pressure on her to do so from the party or from me to interfere (ph).
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VAUSE: For more on the investigation, here's CNN's Scott McLean reporting in from London.
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SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Former Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was arrested late Sunday, held for questioning for more than seven hours and then released without charge, pending further investigation, according to the police.
All of this is in relation to an investigation into the funding and finances of the Scottish National Party, and specifically what happened to 660,000 pounds that had been earmarked for Scottish Independence campaigning, according to the British Press Association.
In a statement, Sturgeon said that the situation was deeply distressing but that she was innocent, writing in part that she is, quote, "grateful that so many continue to show faith in me and appreciate that I would never do anything to harm either the SNP or the country."
She says that she will continue to sit as a member of the Scottish parliament but some in her own party are suggesting that she ought to resign her party membership, at least temporarily. Her resignation in late February as first minister and leader of her party came as a shock to British politics, in part because it was just January that she was being asked about the sudden resignation of the New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. And Sturgeon insisted that she still had plenty left in the tank. And then she said this.
ICOLA STURGEON, FORMER SCOTTISH FIRST MINISTER: If I ever reach the point which she has clearly reached, when I think overall I just can't give the job everything it deserves, then I hope I have the same courage she's had in saying, ok, this is the point to go. But just for the (INAUDIBLE) of all -- I don't feel anywhere near that right now.
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MCLEAN: It was just a few weeks later that Sturgeon herself was abruptly resigning as First Minister. Now in her parting press conference, she denied point blank that the police investigation had anything to do with her decision to step down. All of this, though, is undoubtedly a blow to her party. The current
leader of the SNP and the current first minister Humza Yousaf on Friday reacted to the resignation as MP of former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, tweeting, that Westminster is consumed with this third rate political soap opera.
Well now he has his own political soap opera to contend with.
Scott McLean, CNN -- London.
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VAUSE: Well, it's known as bottom water in the Antarctic is crucial cooling the planet, but now it too appears to be fast disappearing.
The British Antarctic's Survey explains the volume of bottom water in the Antarctic has shrunk more than 20 percent over the last 30 years mostly because weaker wins means less ice on top.
Bottom water is the coldest and saltiest on earth and acts as a buffer against climate change by absorbing excess heat as well as manmade carbon pollution. Also circulates (INAUDIBLE) across the ocean for marine life.
A new study says light to moderate alcohol consumption may reduce stress and lower the risk of heart disease. Researchers found individuals who had 1 to 14 drinks a week are less likely to have a heart attack or stroke than those who had less than one drink a week. This after adjusting for genetics, lifestyle and other risk factors.
The studies being published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Cheers.
Just ahead, Manchester is turning into a sea of blue and rejoicing over a rare feat in English football. Man City's historic Treble. No heart stress there.
Plus, they grow up so fast. At first just a few dance moves, a couple of pop tunes but now global K-pop sensation BTS turning ten years old. Who knew it?
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VAUSE: Welcome back.
The U.S. Senate is investigating the newly announced partnership between the PGA LIV Golf. Letters to both groups raised concerns about sportswashing by the Saudi government which bankrolls LIV Golf.
Senators are asking for documents on LIV's corporate structure, details on how the partnership will affect the PGA's tax exempt status.
Senator Richard Blumenthal is suggesting PGA Tour commissioner, Jay Monahan should resign saying he's lost credibility and failed fans, consumers and players.
French football superstar Kylian Mbappe will be leaving Paris St.- Germain when his contract ends next year. That is according to a report in al French newspaper. Mbappe has the option to ask for a one year extension, but reportedly turned it down.
PSG could sell his contracts in the months ahead to prevent him from leaving for free. The 24-year-old is considered one of the best players in the world, scoring 41 goals in 43 games just this season.
After all the hard work and heavy expectations, Manchester City managed to win the Treble last weekend after beating Inter Milan in the Champion League final. Now they're back home with some serious celebrations to do.
CNN's Darren Lewis was there. He had a party.
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DARREN LEWIS, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Manchester hasn't witnessed (INAUDIBLE) since 1999 when United were the dominant force in English football having (INAUDIBLE) the perfect Treble of the Premier League, the FA cup and the Champions League.
City back then they were in the third tier of every football but their promotion, success, has led to this -- Premier League and Champions League supremacy to lose the red side of Manchester swamped (ph) by a sea of blue.
NEDUM ONUOHA, FORMER MANCHESTER CITY DEFENDER: Every time you mention United (INAUDIBLE) you have to mention city as well. You can talk about combining the 11th and I feel so special because, you know, if it was easy, everyone would've done it.
The fact we have to wait another 24 years for the next, a lot of people will be surprised by how good English football has been for those years. But yes, the city is ours for now.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When you live in a city like this and Manchester United have been successful for so long, to win the Treble is a dream come true, to be honest with you.
In fact when I was leaving the stadium on Saturday, you know, I could hear supporters behind me saying, let's go over again next year win the double Treble, nobody's done that in England.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: At least we've got something on Man United because they won a Treble and now we've won. So I think we're going to win in next year as well.
LEWIS: The party might be coming to an end but for Manchester City and their jubilant fans this is simply the end of the beginning.
Pep Guardiola (ph) and his outstanding city players will disappear for the summit to continue their celebrations. But they will return, in July to begin their bid to become only the second team to retain the Champions League in its current form. Where they to do that you suspect the party will go on for quite some time.
Darren Lewis, CNN -- Manchester.
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VAUSE: It's only taken 47 years for the Denver Nuggets to win their first NBA championship. They defeated the Miami Heat 94 to 89, game 5 of the finals on Monday.
(INAUDIBLE). Taking the series four games to one, Nikola Jokic finished the game with a high 28 points -- 16 rebounds. He was named the Most Valuable Player of the finals.
This week marks the tenth anniversary, it's a special anniversary of the iconic South Korean K-pop band, BTS.
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VAUSE: Only 10 years, wow. This is how the seven-member boy band made its debut a decade ago. Since then, they've gained a huge international following. And the group is actually on a temporary break right now but a week-long celebrations have started in the South Korean capital where many of their global fans are gathering.
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KIM ARA, SEOUL SOUTH KOREA RESIDENT (through translator): I'm so proud to be a citizen of the same country as BTS. Now, anywhere I go, when I say I am from Korea, people always welcome me.
So I'm very proud of them and happy. I hope BTS will continue their career.
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VAUSE: South Korea's main landmarks including Namsan Tower also lit up in purple which is the band's signature color.
Thank you for watching CNN NEWSROOM.
I'm John Vause.
Please stay with us. My friend and colleague Rosemary Church -- who I also think is wearing purple -- takes over after a short break.
Hope to see you right back here tomorrow.
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