CNN Student News - October 10, 2017

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Uncertainty in Spain; Founding Anniversary in North Korea; A U.S. Rule Change Concerning Carbon Emissions

Aired October 10, 2017 - 04:00 ET

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


CARL AZUZ, cnn 10 ANCHOR: Political uncertainty is hovering over the European nation of Spain and the stakes are high.

That`s our first story today on cnn 10. I`m Carl Azuz and we`re glad to have you watching.

There`s a special session being held Tuesday in the parliament of Catalonia. This is a region of Spain and officially part of the country, though Catalonia has its own government. And the big question at the meeting, will Catalonia`s leader formally declare independence from Spain?

The region held a controversial vote on October 1st, and the vast majority of those who cast a ballot voted for Catalonia to be independent. There was some uncertainty about the result. Turnout was a relatively low 43 percent of Catalan voters.

The Spanish government opposed the vote. It was declared illegal by Spain`s highest court and there was a crackdown by the Spanish national police who raided polling stations and fired rubber bullets. More than 800 people were injured, including at least 13 police officers.

Why do some Catalans want independence? Those in favor say they have a distinct culture from the rest of Spain and the region of Catalonia is wealthy. It contributes much more in taxes to Spain than it gets back from the government.

But if it breaks way, it could lose banks and businesses. It could lose its membership in the European Union and the World Trade Organization, which could all hurt Catalonia`s economy. And the nation of Spain, which has 17 regions altogether, could face independence movements from others if Catalonia separates.

Several Europeans officials have said Catalonia should stay part of Spain. Since the vote, there have been rallies in favor of an independent Catalonia. There have been rallies against Catalonian independence and there have been some gatherings in which people want the two sides to work things out without a confrontation.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ATIKA SHUBERT, cnn CORRESPONDENT: You can see this rally here as a sea of white and if you take a look at some of the placards, they say, hablemos or parlem, and this means "let`s talk". This is a rally for dialogue.

A lot of the people here are saying, you know, politicians seem to be leading in two different directions. They want to bridge the difference here. They want to see dialogue.

The question is, whether or not this grassroots movement, which is not only happening here in Barcelona, but also in Madrid and other cities across Spain, will that grassroots movements for dialogue take root.

We`ve been talking to people in the crowd and there`s actually a variety of opinions here. But the one thing they all agree on is that there is a need to resolve this peacefully for dialogue, for both leaders to talk to each to find a solution.

Atika Shubert, Barcelona.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

AZUZ: Tuesday is a highly significant day for the nation of North Korea. October 10th is when the country celebrates the founding of the Korean Workers Party. It was established in the mid-1940s.

It`s the elite political party in North Korea. Its members get special treatment when it comes to food, education and homes, according to Encyclopedia Britannica.

And in the past, North Korea has marked its founding anniversary with nuclear or missile tests, something the United Nations considers illegal.

So, officials around the world are watching to see if North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un takes action again this year.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUBTITLE: Who is Kim Jong Un?

PAULA HANCOCKS, cnn CORRESPONDENT: Kim Jong Un, a young leader with many enemies and a nuclear arsenal. Very little was known of the man when he was first introduced to the world in 2010 as heir apparent. A year later, he was in charge. Partly educated in the West, some even dare to hope that he would start to open up one of the world`s most isolated countries.

But then came the missiles, the nuclear tests, the purges. His role is brutal. Executions are common. He even had his uncle killed and branded a traitor in state media.

On his watch, there have been four nuclear tests, dozens of missile tests. He`s a leader in a hurry to get to his stated goal of being able to hit mainland United States with a nuclear tipped missile or at least convincing his adversaries that he is able to.

No amount of international sanctions, of offers of dialogue, even threats of war have managed to pacify Kim`s approach. Engaging in a war of words with U.S. President Donald Trump, Kim has called Trump mentally deranged, a rogue, a gangster. Trump has called Kim a madman, even dubbing him rocket man.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Rocket man is on a suicide mission for himself.

HANCOCKS: Kim Jong Un has a wife and three children, according to South Korea`s intelligence agency. He also has a liking for basketball as proven by his rather unlikely friendship with former NBA star Dennis Rodman. And in public, he is often all smiles, pressing the flesh with his people.

The North Korean propaganda machine heralding Kim Jong Un as a god-like leader, as it did with his father and his grandfather, the third generation of a dictatorial regime.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AZUZ (voice-over): Ten-second trivia:

Which of these energy sources generates the most electricity in the U.S.?

Coal, nuclear power, wind, or solar power?

Of these options, the U.S. government says coal generates the most energy. It`s exceeded only by natural gas.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AZUZ: In the U.S., the Trump administration is repealing an environmental rule set by the Obama administration. It`s called the Clean Power Plan.

It was announced in 2015. It was the first time the U.S. government set limits on the amount of carbon dioxide that power plants were allowed to give off.

Former U.S. President Barack Obama called it, quote, the single, most important step America has ever taken in the fight against global climate change, and his administration said it could prevent thousands of premature deaths, and tens of thousands of asthma attacks in children.

But the Clean Power Plan was tied up in court after 28 states sued, arguing that the Obama administration went further than it was legally allowed in setting the limits. The Trump administration has said the plan wouldn`t have the health benefits that the previous leadership said it would, and that the U.S. would save jobs especially in the coal industry and tens of billions of dollars by getting rid of the Clean Power Plan.

The repeal won`t happen right away. This process could take months. The Trump administration says it wants to get ideas from the public on a rule to replace the old plant.

A couple of weeks ago, we showed an extraordinary playhouse that a man built for his daughters. Some folks might look at the structure in our next history and think it could make a pretty sweet play area. Of course, non-flying passenger planes could still a couple of hundred thousand dollars, just like a real house, but that`s exactly what it is for the man in today`s "Great Big Story".

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRUCE CAMPBELL, LIVES IN AN AIRPLANE: Jetliners are basically flying homes. It`s a sealed pressure canister. It`s incredibly strong. It would last practically forever.

SUBTITLE: A home fit for the sky.

CAMPBELL: I`m Bruce Campbell and you`re inside the cockpit area of my 727 home.

I can appreciate that some folks might feel a bit isolated or it might simply strike them as an unusual living environment. But for me, it`s always felt completely natural.

The entry is via the aft air stairs, which were retractable and are retracted whenever I leave for an extended time. The aft area of the aircraft now is my living space. The two natural aft lavatories are both functional. Sleeping corridors there in the form of a simple futon sofa and bench where I spent lots of time embellishing elements of the aircraft.

Jetliners retire at a rate of about three per day. For the most part, I think we shred them, and then we spin around 180 degrees and make a home after having just shredded an aerospace class home size structure. If you`re an extraterrestrial looking down on this behavior, you`d wonder whether the species has all its marbles in place or not.

People have asked me whether it crashed here and I simply restored the wreck. That`s an odd thing to hear. It`s completely impractical.

Next time you`re in a jetliner, close your eyes for a moment, in your mind, remove all the seats and all the other people and then open your eyes with that vision and consider the expansive living room.

It`s a good environment. It really is.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

AZUZ: Drivers of big rigs, semis, tractor trailers, they have special training in maneuvering oversize loads in regular size spaces. This takes that to the extreme.

The load was 189-foot long win turbine blade. It`s longer than four school buses. The assignment was a 90-degree right hand turn over a bridge in Scotland.

The sturdy (ph) haul involved practicing several times. Extra credit was raising the trailer`s height to clear the railing. And the final grade, an A-plus.

You get the perfect approach angle, lend into the wind, get a good handle on the blade, know exactly when to take your turn and make sure you don`t over-rotate. That`s how you take a propeller for a spin.

I`m Carl Azuz and cnn 10 winds your way again tomorrow.

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