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Millions Swelter Under Heat Waves in Europe and the U.S.; Floods, Landslides Kill 33 People in South Korea; Police Recapture Michael Burham After Nine Days on the Run. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired July 16, 2023 - 03:00   ET

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

[03:00:00]

LAILA HARRAK, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, and welcome to our viewers joining us from the United States and all around the world. I'm Laila Harrak.

Millions of people at risk from heat in the United States and much of Europe. What you need to watch out for to stay safe during dangerous heat waves.

Deadly floods in South Korea and the race to find survivors who may have been trapped after an underpass flooded. We will have a live report from the region.

And a massive manhunt leads to the recapture of an escaped inmate in the state of Pennsylvania.

We begin this hour with millions of people sweltering under oppressive heat waves in Europe and the United States. Millions are under heat alerts in the United States from Florida to the Pacific Northwest. Death Valley, California could top 130 degrees Fahrenheit later today. That is about 54 degrees Celsius. Right now at midnight in Phoenix, it is 105 degrees.

The hottest temperatures ever recorded in Europe could happen in Sicily and Sardinia, potentially reaching a scorching 118 degrees Fahrenheit. That is 48 degrees Celsius. On Saturday, Greece shut the famed Acropolis in Athens for a second straight day because of the heat. And authorities in Spain say the heat wave is affecting the country's typically cooler north, not just areas in south. Well, temperatures worse, especially in the southwest U.S.

CNN's Rafael Romo has more on the story from Las Vegas.

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: People here in Las Vegas are going to have to wait a few more days for a respite. The National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat warning for the city expected to last until Tuesday evening. And meteorologists here are taking a close look at the climbing temperatures because there is a possibility that the city's official all-time record of 117 degrees could be tied sometime between Sunday and Monday.

A good portion of the country is experiencing extreme heat. More than 85 million people are under heat alerts from the National Weather Service and at least 15 states from Florida to California. Phoenix has topped 110 degrees for 14 consecutive days and is forecast to make that at least 19 by Tuesday, which will be the longest stretch in that city's history.

Earlier, I spoke with a tourist from Canada visiting Las Vegas with her daughter who told us she had found the right combination of indoor and outdoor recreation to stay safe in this oppressive heat.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We went through all the shops, in and out, just walk outside for a bit, go to hot, go in, cool down and repeat.

ROMO: That sounds like a great plan.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you. It was a spur of the moment trip and let's go. And she was monitoring the temperature on her phone. She is like, Mom, it's going to be hot.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMO: Miami has seen a record 34 straight days where the heat index has climbed above 100 degrees, with the last 12 topping 105 degrees, which has double the previous record of six. Pauls Valley in Oklahoma saw its heat index climbed to 126 degrees on Thursday, the highest in 30 years.

Officials for the city of Las Vegas are reminding residents, and this applies to people in other states too, that you should never leave pets or people in hot cars, even for just a few minutes, because the temperature inside can increase to dangerous levels very quickly.

Rafael Romo, CNN, Las Vegas.

HARRAK: Well, the blistering heat wave roasting Southern Europe is intensifying. Italy now has 16 cities under a severe red alert health advisory. That's the highest level. And, of course, it comes at the heart of the busy summer tourist season.

Let's bring in CNN's Barbie Nadeau now live from Rome. Barbie, no relief in sight?

BARBIE NADEAU, CNN REPORTER: No, absolutely no relief in sight. And it is hot. It is only just after 9:00 in the morning here, and in the last hour, you can just feel the heat and the humidity coming down.

And you have seen a lot of tourists here. They're really changing the way they organize their day. We saw a lot of tour groups out here early this morning. Authorities are saying you have got to stay out of the sun in the mid part of the day. That is the hottest part of the day.

[03:05:00]

And so we are seeing them take heed and they've got to, because it's just going to get worse. Tomorrow, we are looking at the possibility of breaking a record set in Rome that was last June, which was supposed to be the hottest summer ever. That could be broken on Monday or Tuesday when the temperatures are suppose to be even higher, Laila.

HARRAK: Now, Barbie, Italian authorities, do they have plans in place? How well-prepared are they for this type of extreme heat, or are they just reacting to events?

NADEAU: Well, they are just reacting to events. You've got to remember, it is always hot in Rome and Southern Europe and Southern Italy, especially during the summer months. So, the Italians and the Mediterranean people are quite a bit more use to it than the tourists.

Now, for the tourists, they have free water for everyone. They're encouraging people to take shelters, to try to go to museums and churches and some indoor tourist places during the heat of the day. But we have not heard of any sort of closures of the open-air museums and things like that yet. We'll just have to see.

We are expecting, like I said, really, really, really, really extreme temperatures as the week goes on, and I'm sure authorities are watching very closely, ready to respond to any emergencies that might persist.

HARRAK: And, Barbie, as you're reporting, next week could bring even higher temperatures. How are Italians preparing?

NADEAU: Well, Italians traditionally go away, go out of the city during the hottest time of the year. It used to be August. Now, we are seeing more and more Italians vacate the cities to go either to the seaside or to the mountainside during late August. So, we are seeing that kind of exodus. There is more parking in Rome than you normally see, let's say, in the residential areas, because people are just getting out of town. And so they're looking at it.

But last year was supposed to be the hottest year ever. People are still talking about how hot it was last year, and this year is even hotter. I guess the new normal is just going to be extreme temperatures every year. And authorities are going to have to start thinking about ways to change the infrastructure, to provide cooling areas, to make sure that not just the tourists but the elderly people who a lot don't have air conditioning in their homes are safe.

And in some places we are seeing free swimming pools and things like that open for people over a certain age. Those are the sorts of things authorities are trying to do. But as you said, they are reacting to it. It's going to be a time that comes when people are starting to prepare for it so people aren't put into danger. Laila?

HARRAK: Barbie Nadeau reporting from Rome, thank you so much.

Kristina Dahl is principal climate scientist at the Union of Concerned Scientists. She joins us from San Francisco. A very warm welcome, Kristina. With temperatures off the charts in Southern Europe, what are the threats to life and nature, and what group or groups of the population are especially vulnerable?

KRISTINA DAHL, PRINCIPAL CLIMATE SCIENTIST, UNION OF CONCERNED SCIENTISTS: Well, we know from a recent scientific study of the extreme heat that Europe experienced just last summer, that people across Europe are very susceptible to extreme heat and the related illnesses and potentially deaths. So, this study found that over 60,000 people died of heat-related causes across Europe last summer, with most of those deaths occurring in warmer places like Italy and Greece.

And there are some groups of people who are particularly vulnerable when it is extremely hot. Those include elderly people, children, people who don't have access to air conditioning or cooling fans, or can't afford to run the air conditioner or fans in their homes, and people who work outdoors are also particularly vulnerable because they are more exposed to that heat during the day.

HARRAK: Now, we are seeing this summer record after record being broken when it comes to high temperatures. Are the current adaptation strategies that these impacted countries, some of which you have just alluded to, that what they -- what they have in place right now, are they sufficient or do they need to take another very hard look at them?

DAHL: No. I think it is fair to say that no matter where you look around the globe, we are not at all prepared for the type of heat that we are experiencing this year, let alone for the heat that we will experience in the future because of climate change.

So, we really need to put our efforts to become more resilient to heat into high gear. And a few of the things we need to do are, number one, cut our emissions of heat-trapping gases. That means stop burning fossil fuels, like coal, oil and gas, as quickly as possible. Because the more quickly we can reduce emissions, the less extreme heat we will experience in the future.

Number two, we need to be focusing in on those most vulnerable groups, the elderly, people who live in urban areas, outdoor workers, and making sure that we are designing interventions that specifically reach them. So, programs to check on elderly people, programs to distribute air conditioners or fans, particularly to people who are elderly and living in housing where they don't have access to that, protections for outdoor workers, for example, so that they are not out there working day in and day out in the hot sun and incurring all of the health risks that go along with that.

[03:10:06]

HARRAK: But, even if we hit every climate goal possible, in the best case scenario, things are not looking good for the immediate future. So, what are the ways that this extreme heat events might transform, impact societies? I mean, what role do hot temperatures play and how we might have to reorganize our day-to-day lives in the future?

DAHL: Yes. I mean, that is true. Even with the best case scenario, where we reduce fossil fuel use now and ramp down to zero like next year, we will see an increase in the frequency and the intensity of extreme heat. So, we do have to think about the way that we live, the way that we go about our lives.

And one thing that is been shown over and over again is that the resilience that a community has is in proportion to the level of social connectedness that people have to their communities. So, thinking about ways that we can build communities so we can have people looking out for one another, and so that we can be supporting people who have the fewest resources to stay cool when it is extremely hot will be essential.

HARRAK: And, finally, what should people keep in mind as we continue to see this dangerous rise in temperatures around the globe and the challenges that come with the fierce heat?

DAHL: Yes. There are a couple of things that I would ask people to keep in mind. One is protect yourself. Heat is serious and heat kills. Heat kills more people than any other form of extreme weather. So, that means stay hydrated, stay out of the sun when it is hot, the hottest hours of the day, and make sure that if you start to feel a headache or dizzy or irritable or tired, take a break. Rest in the shade is much as you can. So, that is in the immediate how we keep ourselves safe.

In the longer term, we need to be asking ourselves if we are truly okay with living in a world where 60,000 people die from extreme heat across Europe every summer, right? And if it is not the case, if you do not want to live in such a world, you need to be putting pressure on your elected officials and making sure that they have a plan to ramp down fossil fuel use as well as to hold the fossil fuel industry accountable for the harms it has caused after decades of climate obstruction and deception.

HARRAK: Kristina Dahl, thank you so much.

DAHL: Thanks so much.

HARRAK: A massive search and rescue operation is underway right now in South Korea. Emergency teams are trying to drain this underpass in the central part of the country. It flooded after torrential rains overflowed and burst the levy of a nearby river while trapping and a public bus inside. So far, the bodies of seven people have been recovered. Now, the rescue teams are searching for any possible survivors.

Well, days of torrential rain have devastated parts of South Korea. Overall, at least 33 people have died from flash floods and landslides and thousands of people have been forced to evacuate their homes.

Marc Stewart joins me now from Tokyo. Marc, what is the situation in South Korea, in the impacted area? MARC STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Laila, this rescue we have been following, it is very difficult to follow because the good news at this point, it seems, few and far between. This is all focusing about 50 miles outside of Seoul, about 100 kilometers at the south of Seoul, in Central South Korea.

I believe we have a live picture to show you. This is now into approximately its tenth hour. This rescue has been taking place for a good ten hours. The problem really started yesterday but crews had to basically build a trench in order to get in.

As far as resources, it is a long list of resources, hundreds of rescuers, close to 365 pieces of individual equipment are being used in this area to try to get in and try to find any survivors.

You mentioned vehicles and a bus being trapped, more specifics than that. At least 15 vehicles, one bus. Sadly, we know divers had been able to get in, but it is very difficult to find survivors. Among those who have been killed, a woman in her 70s.

There has also been questions about air pockets. It is possible that someone is trapped in an air pocket. And, unfortunately, despite that hopeful suggestion, that's something that rescuers just have not been able to confirm. So, this is what is happening now for ten hours just outside of Seoul, South Korea.

Another issue that really started on Thursday has been heavy rain. That is what prompted this flooding, and that is what is causing difficulty today.

[03:15:01]

Right now, a heavy rain alert is in place at this very moment, and, unfortunately, Laila, more rain is in the forecast.

HARRAK: Now, extreme weather is also being felt beyond South Korea.

STEWART: Right. I mean, all day, you have been reporting on the extreme weather, in the United States, in Europe and now here in Asia. Here in Japan, for example, over the last few days, we have seen a landslide. We have seen flooding. Lives sadly have been lost. And yet again today in Tokyo, we are seeing temperatures in the very high 90s, 97 degrees, that's about 36, 37 degrees Celsius, very high humidity. Yes, it is the rainy season, but if you have any kind of health condition, it is very difficult. And even if you are healthy, just stepping outside here in Japan, you immediately feel dehydrated, Laila

HARRAK: Marc Stewart reporting from Tokyo, thank you so much.

Ukraine's counteroffensive is not moving fast, but despite the slow going, Kyiv says it is not under pressure to speed it up. We will explain.

And then we are getting a remarkable inside look at the secretive way Russia's president prefers to move about his vast country on the rails and in luxury. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:20:00]

HARRAK: Ukraine is reporting a barrage of rock and Russian strikes on two major cities. It says Russian missile hit downtown Kharkiv in the early hours of Sunday while Zaporizhzhia was hit with more than 50 times in the past 24 hours, leaving at least seven people injured.

Kyiv also says it is not feeling pressure from western allies to deliver quick results in its counteroffensive. A key presidential adviser admitted that the progress is slow, even though Ukraine has made some gains in the south and near Bakhmut in recent weeks.

Meanwhile, Ukraine confirming that some Wagner troops are in Belarus. That's after Russian allies set on Friday the mercenaries are training some of its military conscripts.

For more, Nada Bashir joins us now from London. Nada, what more can you tell us about the situation in Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia?

NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, we are getting more details from regional military officials about this rocket attack taken place shortly after 1:00 A.M. local time this morning. At least four missiles are believed to have been launched from the Belgorod region. According Ukrainian military officials, two exploded in the air and then two, of course, hitting the ground, causing significant damage to infrastructure.

We know there has been excessive shelling of the surrounding areas as well over the last few days, and that also continued overnight with at least one person killed as a result. And as you mentioned there, we have seen the continued attacks against the Zaporizhzhia region as well, at least 52 strikes over the last 24 hours, seven people injured and, again, significant damage to the infrastructure in the city.

And we have seen the intensification of the fighting in the eastern region. We heard from Ukrainian officials saying this has intensified in the east over the last month. And that is, of course, a concern, as it could potentially be a setback in Ukraine's counteroffensive. We know, of course, that this has not moved as quickly as Ukrainian officials and indeed Ukraine's allies would have hoped or perhaps anticipating gains that are being made by Ukraine perhaps aren't as substantial as they would have hoped. So, these further attacks and the intensification of Russia's bombardment certainly a concern for the Ukrainian armed forces.

HARRAK: In another development, the British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace has called it quits. Do we know what sparked his decision?

BASHIR: Well, Ben Wallace has not spoken to the Sunday Times newspaper here in the United Kingdom. He has been very clear that this isn't a decision he has taken in response to anything that the prime minister necessarily has some, but rather he is focused on his personal life, the toll that his job has taken and public political life has taken on his family, on his private life. He has, of course, been defense secretary for the last four years, a consistent figure in a time of real turmoil for the conservative party and leadership over the last couple of years. But, of course, his profile has really risen significantly over the course of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. He has been a leading figure in terms of the U.K.'s engagement in that war and its support of the Ukrainian armed forces on the military front.

So, this certainly is a significant development in terms of the British government's makeup. We understand that he will leave government in the next cabinet reshuffle, which is anticipated to take place in the next few months. And he will step down as a member of parliament for the next national election, leaving British politics.

But, of course, this comes at an interesting timing as well. We know that Ben Wallace has spoken before about his ambitions, potentially looking at the role of NATO secretary-general. And that role is confirmed to remain now with Jens Stoltenberg. So, it's certainly is interesting timing but there is a big challenge ahead for Rishi Sunak, the prime minister, in terms of who he appoints next.

HARRAK: Nada Bashir reporting from London, thank you so much for that update.

And we are getting a remarkable inside look at the secretive way Russia's president prefers to move about his vast country, on the rails, and in luxury. Documents shared with CNN revealed Vladimir Putin travels on an armored train complete with a gym, spa, and even a Turkish steam bath.

CNN's Matthew Chance has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): A rare glimpse inside Putin's secret train with leaked documents shown to CNN revealing how the Kremlin leader travels amid increasingly tight security and luxury.

[03:25:02]

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He is surrounded by enemies, and, psychologically, he wants to feel protected.

CHANCE: From outside, train number one, as it is dubbed in Russia, seems important. It's heavily armored carriages purposely decide with regular Russian railways paperwork and grime.

State media was once allowed inside, recording President Putin meeting transport officials in a sumptuous boardroom. The trains another 20 or so carriages, some updated as recently as last year, remain a closely guarded secret until now.

Zircon Service is a Russian company that builds what it calls elite wagons for its clients, specializing in luxury designs for private and state corporations, of course, the Kremlin. Among a trove of documents, including blueprints, letters and images obtained exclusively by the Russian investigative Dossier Center and shared with CNN, is one from Zircon Service dated August 2018, notifying the Kremlin of a test run for what it calls the sports health wagon that has been altered.

Accompanying photos show what the Dossier Center says is Putin's private gym on board the train. As recently as last year, the Kremlin was looking to upgrade the gym with American equipment to replace the Italian machines originally installed.

A former member of Putin's personal protection service who says he fitted the train secure communication equipment before defecting from Russia. He told the Dossier Center the Kremlin leader started traveling by train more regularly in the build up to the invasion of Ukraine last year.

GLEB KARAKULOV, FORMER ENGINEER, RUSSIAN FEDERAL PROTECTIVE SERVICE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE).

CHANCE: But discretion for the Russian president does not mean discomfort. Leaked plans for the train show a luxurious spa on board, including a Turkish steam bath. According to the Dossier Center, a fully equipped cosmetology suite with a massage table and high-end beauty equipment, including a radiofrequency machine used to enhance the tartness (ph) of human skin.

Now, the Kremlin disputes the Dossier Center's findings, telling CNN that President Putin neither owns nor uses a railway car like the one described. But in the aftermath of a recent armed rebellion here in Russia, in which Putin's authority was threatened, the focus on his isolated existence is higher than ever.

The idea of Putin being pampered as he travels incognito by armored train underlines how strangely cloistered the Kremlin leader has become, even paranoid and besieged, according to his former speechwriter.

Why is it do you think that Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin has spent such large sums of money planning and constructing this armored presidential train?

ABBAS GALLYARNOV, FORMER SPEECHWRITER FOR VLADIMIR PUTIN: He is losing the war, he is losing politics, he is losing popularity. He is getting more and more enemies, committing more and more crimes. He cannot build political walls, so he wants to build the walls of concrete and armor, physical defense.

CHANCE: There are signs that is an image the Kremlin knows it should shed. Recent weeks have seen Putin more publicly engaged than he has been for years. But in his increasingly hostile world, the security and luxury of train number one maybe sanctuary indeed.

Matthew Chance, CNN, Moscow.

(END VIDEOTAPE) HARRAK: Israel's prime minister went to the beach on Friday but apparently did not stay hydrated and ended up in the hospital. A live report from Jerusalem on Benjamin Netanyahu's health is just ahead.

And while much of Europe, the U.S. and Asia struggle with extreme heat or intense rain, the climate envoys of the world's two largest carbon emitters are meeting in Beijing. We will explain why the meeting is both environmental and political.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:30:00]

HARRAK: Welcome back to our viewers in the United States and Canada and all around the world. I'm Laila Harrak and you are watching CNN Newsroom.

Well, as so much of the northern hemisphere swelters in soaring temperatures and other extreme weather, U.S. Climate Envoy John Kerry is set for four days of climate talks with his Chinese counterpart in Beijing. But the biggest breakthrough may have nothing to do with climate. As Anna Coren reports now from Hong Kong, the world's steaming weather ironically may help thaw the two countries' frosty relations.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANNA COREN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): After the planet recorded its hottest week in history, and extreme weather continues to cause death and destruction globally, the world's two biggest polluters will hold climate talks in Beijing during a heat wave in the capital. U.S. Climate Envoy John Kerry begins a four-day trip to climate on China on Sunday.

JOHN KERRY, U.S. CLIMATE ENVOY: As the two largest economies in the world, China and the United States really need to cooperate on this.

COREN: Both sides are feeling the pain on their home soil this summer with U.S. states facing intense heat and flooding and record temperatures across China where even the pandas are struggling to keep cool.

LAURI MYLLYVIRTA, CENTRE FOR RESEARCH ON ENERGY AND CLEAN AIR: Temperature increases are a frightening reminder of what we are headed for, and the most frightening part is that global temperatures will keep increasing until global emissions reach zero.

COREN: In Beijing, John Kerry will meet his Chinese counterpart, Xie Zhenhua. The pair have worked together on the climate issue for years, and made a key bilateral deal in 2021.

THOM WOODROOFE, SENIOR FELLOW, ASIA SOCIETY: The Holy Grail for this visit from the U.S. perspective would be walking away with a (INAUDIBLE) for the Chinese to protect and isolate climate from the rest of their relationship so that it is not susceptible to a geopolitical flare up as we saw with Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan last year.

[03:35:11]

COREN: Since Pelosi's controversial trip and the shooting down of a Chinese surveillance balloon in February, the two sides are now trying to get back on track.

Kerry is the third senior Biden official to visit China in the past month. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Xi Jinping last month. And U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen visited last week, where she called on China to give more cash to help developing countries cut emissions.

Experts hope Kerry's visit will lay the groundwork for COP 28, the next climate summit hosted by Abu Dhabi in November.

LI SHUO, SENIOR POLICY ADVISER, GREENPEACE EAST ASIA: They each carry a lot of sway. If they can find a way to agree with each other on certain issues, then it is much easier for the rest of the world to get on board.

COREN: But with both countries still heavily reliant on fossil fuels and facing economic pressure at home, any progress is likely to be an uphill battle.

Anna Coren, CNN, Hong Kong.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRAK: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to be released today from a hospital near Tel Aviv, where he was treated overnight for apparent dehydration. In a video message from the hospital, the prime minister said he had spent Friday at the beach amid the heat wave gripping the region. He said he felt unwell the next day and was advised to go to the hospital, where doctors examined him and suspected he had become dehydrated.

CNN's Hadas Gold joins us now live this hour from Jerusalem. Hadas, good to see you. What more can you tell us about the prime minister's apparent dehydration?

HADAS GOLD, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Laila. The prime minister's office releasing a statement after the prime minister was kept overnight for further tests that he is in good condition and that they do expect him to be released sometime today, but he is still in hospital.

What we know yesterday, according to the prime minister's office, is, in the afternoon, he was taken to the emergency room at a hospital just east of Tel Aviv. And later, they issued a statement saying that after feeling dizzy, he was advised his get to the emergency room. He had spent the day before they set at the Sea of Galilee. As you noted, this region is in a very, very extensive heat wave right now. There is actually a heat warning for where he was on Friday. And the initial results was apparent dehydration. However, he was being kept overnight for further tests and further tests are being conducted now. And there are increasing calls now, especially from Israeli political commentators and others calling for a full medical report to be released independently by the hospital into his condition.

But the information we are getting from the prime minister's office is still pointing to that he is in good condition, that he is fully conscious and that they do expect him to be released later today.

Now, Benjamin Netanyahu was 73 years old and this is not actually the first time that he has been to the hospital in the last year. In October of 2022, during the Yom Kippur holiday, this is when religious Jews observe a 24-hour or so fast. He also started feeling unwell while at synagogue and was taken to hospital and kept overnight and released in the morning.

So, as of right now, what we know is that he is still in the hospital, he is still undergoing further test. All the prime minister's office is saying right now is that this is apparent dehydration. We are still awaiting further word on what those tests may have been, what the results may have been, and for his ultimate release.

We do know this has affected government business. There was supposed to be a regular cabinet meeting today. That has been delayed and moved. But the prime minister's office is saying that, otherwise, the prime minister is being updated on all sorts of events and regular government business so far. Laila?

HARRAK: Hadas Gold reporting from Jerusalem, thank you so much for the update.

And still to come on CNN Newsroom, a nine-day manhunt in the U.S. State of Pennsylvania ends with a prisoner going back to jail. We will tell you about his dramatic escape and how it all ended.

Plus, former President Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis were once firm allies. Well, now, they are rivals for the presidency and taking swings at each other from the campaign trail.

Do stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:40:00]

HARRAK: Police in Pennsylvania have recaptured and escaped inmate, a man with survivalist skills who they had warned was dangerous. The prisoner, Michael Burham, did not get very far. He was found in Pennsylvania in the very same city as the prison he escaped from.

Polo Sandoval brings us the details.

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: After about nine days on the run in parts of rural Pennsylvania, the search is now over after an inmate was recaptured by authorities on Saturday afternoon. The man's name, Michael Burham, he was recaptured without incidents in a wooded area in Warren County, Pennsylvania. The 34-year-old former reservist and survivalist was also a prime suspect in a New York homicide case as well as a related arson case in Western New York.

It was back on July 6th that Burham reportedly used a rope fashioned from bedding to escape out a window in the recreation room at the facility that he was being held in, in Northwestern Pennsylvani. During the search for the last few days, search almost conducted by hundreds of states, local, federal officers, they were able to locate some campsites in various stockpiles that they believe were directly linked to Burham. However, then Saturday came.

I want you to hear directly from Lieutenant Colonel George Bivens describing how a private citizen managed to call in a tip that led to the arrest of this runaway inmate.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LT. COL. GEORGE BIVENS, PENNSYLVANIA STATE POLICE: He was being pursued by the officers along with canines. New York State Police had a bloodhound and Customs and Border Patrol had a certain patrol dog immediately behind the bloodhound. And so he was being tracked and pushed by a line of tactical members. (END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: You can also see this incredible image obtained by CNN. You can see those moments immediately following the re-arrest of Michael Burham. Officials saying that he was dirty, wet, tired and also wearing his prison pants that had been turned inside out.

However, officials have not been able to say anything about the conversations that were held with the inmate there on the ground, there is still a lot to be determined, including where he will eventually be housed, what kind of correctional facility, or at least the name of it, and also what kind of additional charges he may face.

Polo Sandoval, CNN, New York.

[03:45:01]

HARRAK: And this just into CNN, a tsunami warning has been issued following a 7.3 magnitude earthquake off the U.S. State of Alaska. The Alaska Volcano Observatory has also issued a threat notice for a nearby volcano after it sent up a plume of ash. We will have more information on this story as it becomes available.

Georgia police are warning the public that the suspect in the fatal shooting of four people is still at large. Authorities are searching for 40-year-old Andre Longmore. They believe he shot and killed three men and a woman Saturday morning. The shootings took place in a neighborhood in Hampton, Georgia, about 30 miles south of Atlanta.

The Henry County Sheriff's Office is offering a $10,000 reward for any information leading to Longmore's arrest. Former President and current Republican Presidential Candidate Donald Trump spoke at a conservative conference in Florida Saturday night. He enlisted many familiar grievances and took aim at his closest Republican rival, State Governor Ron DeSantis.

CNN's Kristen Holmes was there and has this report.

KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN U.S. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: After missing events in Iowa earlier in the week, former President Trump delivered nearly two hours of remarks to a packed house at this Turning Point event in West Palm Beach, Florida.

He aired a lot of grievances, talked about many of his legal battles, his legal struggles, as well as talked about his vision for 2024, talking about how he wanted to obliterate the deep state.

Now, when it came to his opponents, other candidates in 2024, there was one person who obviously he really hit over and over again despite not turning up at other events in Iowa with many of these candidates. He hit Ron DeSantis for not being here at this Turning Point event. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: And a gentle man named Ron DeSanctimonious at 14 percent. Is it 14 percent? And I don't know why he is not here this couple of days, but he should be here. He should be here representing himself.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

K. HOLMES: Now, the crowd at the Turning Point event was very Trump- friendly. It was interesting that DeSantis was not here. We're not entirely sure why he did not show. But there were a number of candidates here likely because this is a very Trump-friendly crowd, a group of people who are here to see the former president.

But, again, it is very interesting to see him in his element getting cheered on when we know he is in the middle of so many different various legal battles.

Kristen Holmes, CNN, West Palm Beach, Florida.

HARRAK: So, where was Ron DeSantis? The Florida governor was in Tennessee speaking at the state Republican Party's Statesman's dinner. While, DeSantis touted his conservative credentials, leveled some sarcastic criticisms about President Joe Biden and spoke of his various attacks on so-called woke politics, he also defended his political and legal battles with Disney, which he called the 800-pound gorilla in Florida.

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GOV. RON DESANTIS (R-FL): I did not take an oath of office to subcontract out my leadership to a woke corporation based in Burbank, California. That is not leadership and that is not what we are doing. We're going to put our kids first. We're going to put our parents first and we're going to assure, of course, that we sign the bill. We have now expanded the bill and everything is fine.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRAK: And while DeSantis is lagging significantly behind Donald Trump in the Republican primary polls, his fundraising remains strong. His latest filing indicates his campaign took in some $20 million in the quarter ending June 30th.

Still ahead on CNN Newsroom, you have heard of being laid to rest, but how about blasted into eternity? We will tell you about a company that is providing out of this world funerals.

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[03:50:00]

HARRAK: No one hit the Powerball Jackpot in the U.S. on Saturday night. That means the jackpot now rolls over and will be drawn again Monday. Right now, the Monday jackpot is expected to be $900 million. If you win and take the cash payout, the value would be a little more than $465 million.

In case you were wondering, the biggest Powerball payout in history was last November for $2 billion, $40 million. And that ticket was sold in California.

We have got a stunning new image from space this week. NASA released pictures from what is described as the nearest star-forming region to Earth. Basically, what we're seeing is the birth of a star. Well, the images came from the James Webb Space Telescope, which is celebrating one year of sending back amazing photographs, like this one.

Now instead of resting in peace, some families are choosing to send their dearly departed loved ones into space. Later this year, one company is even allowing the DNA of the living to take the ultimate road trip into the great beyond.

CNN's Michael Holmes reports.

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MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR (voice over): Happy tears and cheers, unusual sounds at a funeral, but this burial site is a new frontier, not six feet under, but millions of kilometers above. These families are sending ashes of their loved ones into space aboard a rocket.

NASA and several private companies have launched cremated remains into space before, but the company, Celestis, says it is the first to send so many to their final resting place in deep space.

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COLBY YOUNGBLOOD, PRESIDENT, CELESTIS: No one has done that before. We are going to have 196 capsules of cremated remains of people who have passed away, or DNA of people who are still living. That repository is going to be 330 million kilometers out in space for the first time in history.

M. HOLMES: The pioneering flight is slated for later this year and includes some well-known names.

YOUNGBLOOD: Some really famous Star Trek cast members, we have their ashes or their DNA there flying along with a couple of famous presidents. We have got a hair follicle from George Washington, President Dwight Eisenhower and President John F. Kennedy are all on board that flight, as well.

M. HOLMES: The rocket also has room for DNA from the living, like this Arizona couple who say they love to take trips, interstate or intergalactic.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So, I guess it would be the ultimate road trip.

GERRY PAULUS, SENDING HIS DNA INTO SPACE: This is the DNA memorial kit. And, basically, it takes the DNA, it creates a substrate, a powder substrate that's capable of intergalactic travel. Because you don't have heaters on board, you have to have the DNA that is in a powdered form that can handle the rigors of space.

M. HOLMES: Celestis says they have launched 20 spaceflights dating back to 1997. They usually throw a party on launch day and family members can monitor the flight on a satellite tracker.

YOUNGBLOOD: For the person, it fulfills their dream. For the family, it provides a profound sense of closure.

M. HOLMES: Fees start at just $3,000 to fly your loved one's remains briefly into space and back again and for nearly $13,000, they can fly to the moon and rest in peace in space.

Michael Holmes, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRAK: And that wraps up this hour of CNN Newsroom. I'm Laila Harrak.

Kim Brunhuber picks up our coverage after a quick break. Do stick around.

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