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CNN 10
U.S. Imposes Tariffs on Certain Imports; An Earthquake Off Alaska; How Tsunamis Are Generated; What "Reforestation" Might Look Like
Aired January 24, 2018 - 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: Solar panels and washing machines are the subjects of our first story today on CNN 10. Here to explain why. I`m
Carl Azuz. We`re happy to see you.
U.S. President Donald Trump`s first major trade action of the year is to impose a traffic or a tax on solar panels and washing machines that come
from other countries.
Why these two items?
America`s independent International Trade Commission found that these imports in particular had hurt American companies. They`ve been sold at
cheaper prices than American made products, making it hard for U.S. companies to compete.
So, the Trump administration is placing at temporary tariff of 30 percent on imported solar panels and a tariff of 20 percent on large home washing
machines. This will raise the cost of these imports to Americans and encourage them to buy panels and machines that are made in the U.S.
instead.
The taxes will be in place for three years and then be reduced after that. As a presidential candidate, Donald Trump had promised to reduce America`s
trade deficits. And a U.S. trade representative says the tariffs make it clear that the Trump administration will defend American businesses.
Reactions to the decision were mixed. Whirlpool, an American company that makes washing machines and other appliances, says it plans to hire hundreds
more people and create new manufacturing jobs.
But Samsung, a company based in South Korea, says the tariffs will cause people to have to pay more for washing machines. And China, where most of
America`s imported solar panels come from, said it was strongly opposed to the tariffs and that they could cause trouble for the global trade
environment. Critics say they could also hurt some solar industry jobs in America.
President Trump isn`t the first U.S. leader to do this. Former President Barack Obama also put tariffs on some Chinese solar imports, but they`re
still reportedly cheaper than American ones. The Trump administration says more trade actions like this are ahead.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AZUZ (voice-over): Ten-second trivia.
Which state has the lowest population density in the U.S.?
Hawaii, Alaska, Montana, or Wyoming?
Wyoming has the lowest population overall, but Alaska, which is by far the largest state, has the lowest population density.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AZUZ: Just after midnight on Tuesday, the earth jolted beneath the Gulf of Alaska. This is a Pacific body of water surrounded by southern Alaska.
The earthquake that hit there was powerful, magnitude 7.9. The U.S. Geological Survey says only about three quakes that strong hit the earth in
an average year. And it was felt about 175 miles away in the southern Alaska city of Kodiak.
Residents described the tremor as a long slow roll. And though siren sounded and classes were cancelled so schools could serve as emergency
shelters, no major damage was reported. Still, people in Kodiak evacuated their homes and headed for high ground.
The reason; a tsunami warning. Earthquakes at sea don`t just bring the threat of shaking. This one brought fears of dangerous tsunami waves from
the Gulf of Alaska to Hawaii, and the west coast of the U.S. and Canada.
Some people in California were warned to avoid the coastline for 12 hours. Thankfully, the only tsunami waves actually seen were in Alaska and they
were small, less than a foot high. Meteorologists say the type of quake that occurred yesterday was the result of a strike, slip, fault, when two
plates move horizontally against each other. It`s not believed to be as dangerous as a thrust fault, when the plate jolts vertically. That can
produce major tsunami waves.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUBTITLE: What is a tsunami?
JENNIFER GRAY, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Tsunami waves or seismic sea waves are a series of waves, not just one that are created when there`s an underwater
disturbance, like an earthquake or a volcanic eruption.
When an earthquake strikes, the erratic movement of the ocean floor can generate a tsunami. The first wave in this series can occur within minutes
of the earthquake or hours. Areas that are closest to the epicenter will experience the waves much sooner than areas far away.
One warning sign of a tsunami is water right along the coast rapidly receding. If you see this or find yourself in a tsunami warned area, seek
higher ground immediately and get as far away from the coast as you can. Make sure you stay in that safe place until the tsunami threat has ended.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
AZUZ: In the U.S. state of Kentucky, investigators are searching for answers after a deadly shooting took place at a high school. A 15-year-old
male student has been charged with murder and attempted murder after he allegedly shot 14 people at Marshall County High School. Two of them died
and five other people were injured but not from being shot.
Marshall County is a rural area in western Kentucky. The state`s governor, Matt Bevin, described the community as a small one that`s closely knit, and
said the shooting was a tremendous tragedy. What caused it was unclear last night, but stories of heroism had already started coming out of the
school. One involved the quick action of a student and a teacher who rushed to help another student who`d been shot in the arm and get them to
the hospital.
Rainforests are the next topic today on CNN 10. They`re found in places with a lot of rainfall, heat and humidity. They cover about 6 percent of
the land surface on earth but some estimates suggest they used to cover twice that but had been dramatically reduced by deforestation, cutting them
down for human use like wood, farmland or mining.
On the other hand, you could describe what`s taking place in part of southwest India as reforestation.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PAMELA GALE MALHOTRA, CO-FOUNDER, SAI SANCTUARY: First came the grasses they came in six then smaller shrubs with them the insects returned then
the trees, and with the trees, the monkeys and elephants.
Here at SAI Sanctuary, we have over 300 acres of forest that we have replanted and brought back to life.
SUBTITLE: For the love of the land.
MALHOTRA: My full name is Pamela Gale Malhotra and I`m co-founder with my husband of SAI Sanctuary Trust. It had always been our dream to have a
private forest sanctuary for wildlife, where they would be protected.
When we first came here, most of the lands that were sold to us were abandoned lands, abandoned rice fields, coffee and Hardiman (ph) fields as
well. A lot of deforestation had taken place, and that took a lot, a lot of care and energy and time and years to bring it back.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It really done really good here, you know?
MALHOTRA: Yes, they`ve done really well.
People thought we were quite crazy but that`s OK. A lot of people have thought, people that have learned some amazing things are crazy.
Here in the sanctuary, it is a biodiversity hotspot I remember walking through the forest and you wouldn`t hear anything that you sounded your own
feet. Now the place is alive with sounds.
One of our main sound makers are the cicadas. They have a tremendous decibel range. There they start again.
We keep striving to do more and more but the initial goal has been more than achieved. My hope for the next 10 years for this forest is that it
will continue to be protected and expanded.
We both feel a tremendous amount of joy when we walk through the sanctuary. I`ve never felt this kind of joy in anything else that I`ve done in my
life.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
AZUZ: For "10 Out of 10", proof you are never too old to fly. For her 92nd birthday, a woman in Austin, Texas, headed to the local iFLY indoor
skydiving center. She suited up and took off.
But she didn`t just stay near the bottom. Our affiliate KXAN says she floated all the way up to the top of the chamber and that made her the
second oldest person to fly so high at this location. The staff believes the oldest was around 97.
Certainly not a nonageneric way to spend the birthday, but when it comes to indoor skydiving, people of all pages are fans. Whether they turn on a
little chamber music or just want wall to wall wind noise, there`s something to be said for catching air in a way that takes your breath away.
That`s all for CNN 10. I hope to see you again tomorrow.
END
