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CNN 10
Tensions Flare After An Iranian Nuclear Scientist Is Killed; Europeans Prepare For A Different Christmas Season; Airline Requires COVID Tests To Fly. Aired 4-4:10a ET
Aired December 01, 2020 - 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: An international controversy has flared up in the Middle East and that`s where we start today`s edition of CNN 10. Hello
everyone, I`m Carl Azuz. Late last week, an Iranian nuclear scientist was assassinated. His name was Mohsen Fakhrizadeh. He was said to have been
involved for decades in Iran`s controversial nuclear program.
We don`t know exactly how he was killed. Different Iranian news agencies have had differing accounts of what happened but Iranian officials say the
attack was complex and involved weapons that were controlled remotely. And Iranian media say it involved gunfire and an explosion from a car that was
located near the one Fakhrizadeh was traveling east of this country`s capital.
CNN cannot independently confirm this information and while other countries say they don`t know who carried out the attack, Iran is blaming Israel.
These two nations are enemies in the region. A news agency run by the Iranian government says the weapons that were used were made in Israel and
had Israeli markings on them.
But the agency didn`t show any pictures to support its accusation and again CNN can`t confirm that report. Israel`s government hasn`t commented on
Iran`s accusation but Israel`s prime minister did mention the scientists name in 2018 saying Fakhrizadeh was the leader of a secret nuclear weapons
program. And other officials have said that as well. More recently an Israeli settlement affairs minister says he has no idea who killed
Fakhrizadeh and he called the attack quote "very embarrassing for Iran".
The leaders of several countries have spoken out against the attack and they called for calm in the region. But Iranian leaders say the
assassination was an act of state terror and they`ve promised that they will take revenge for it in the days ahead. Part of the reason why
international officials are concerned about that, the United States is a close ally of Israel and a rival of Iran.
So the question is, if Iran strikes Israel will the U.S. get involved? Moving northwest to Europe now. Most countries there are under some sort of
lockdown either complete or partial because of coronavirus and they`re grappling with decisions of what restrictions they should lift and when
they should lift them as Christmas approaches and people want to ski, shop, go to restaurants and celebrates with their families.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is what Christmas normally looks like but this year something`s missing. London`s dazzling Christmas lights have
been switched on but the coronavirus has prevented the usual fanfare and the shoppers are not out in force. While their non-essential stores are set
to reopen on Wednesday, when the UK exit`s a second national lockdown.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Tis the season to be jolly but tis also the season to be jolly (inaudible).
BELL: Across Europe, gatherings for traditional church services will be smaller due to the pandemic.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Here at St. Pauls it`s going to feel very different this year. Normally we can get 2,000 people into this great space but this
year we can only get 250 people at a time. So it`s going to feel much smaller. But what we can do is live stream.
BELL: In Germany, most of the traditional Christmas markets where tourists flock to (inaudible) will be closed. But for those who can`t do without
some festive cheer, there`s an innovation forced by the pandemic, the drive thru. In Italy, the former European epicenter of the virus, the prime
minister is urging people to avoid another tradition holidays on the slopes. Meanwhile Switzerland is allowing skiing with precaution.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE TRANSLATED: There`s no big difference. I think we are very lucky that we can go skiing. Once you`re used to the mask it`s OK.
BELL: Here in France, Emmanuel Macron has said that people will be allowed to travel across the country to be with their families for Christmas from
December 15th if the daily of cases reaches a level of about 5,000. European leaders are urging caution when it comes to travel. The World
Health Organization said last week that Europe still accounted for half of all new COVID-19 cases and new deaths globally.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We must learn from the summer and not repeat the same mistakes. Relaxing too fast and too much is a risk for third wave after
Christmas.
BELL: Either way, this will be a Christmas like no other with hundreds of thousands of lives lost across Europe celebrations will be scarred by the
lost of life and the reality that the COVID pandemic remains far from over. Melissa Bell, CNN, Paris.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AZUZ: 10 Second Trivia. What was the first airline in the world? DELAG, Qantas; KLM or Pan Am. KLM is the oldest airline that`s still operating but
DELAG is the oldest airline ever. It carried paying passengers on zeppelins.
Those planning to fly in the year ahead may see some major differences on airlines and it doesn`t stop at just wearing a mask. Qantas, a carrier
based in Australia, says international travelers aboard its planes will be required to have had a coronavirus vaccine when one becomes available and
the head of Qantas says he expects other airlines to do this, too.
The industry has been hit hard by the pandemic with many travelers afraid of catching COVID on planes. But the vaccine requirement may also hurt the
airline business if a lot of people refuse to get the shot as U.S. polls have indicated they would.
Right now, some international passengers on other flights are required to take a rapid COVID test before they can get on the planes. Though the rapid
test is faster and cheaper than the other kinds, it`s not as effective at detecting coronavirus. And some doctors are concerned that people who are
sick could still test negative and get on planes. But this is another step being taken in a landscape that`s dramatically changing in response to a
disease.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have to say it is an unusual experience being on a plane where you know every passenger has had a COVID test. Airport COVID
testing, the new passport to travel. Have to think of this not about what`s happening now with long flight to London, imagine that this is the way it`s
going to be for multiple flights across the ocean as testing becomes more accepted for various governments.
Then you`re going to have five, 10, who knows how many flights (inaudible) passengers doing COVID tests. Now that was a piece of cake. So what if,
(inaudible) happen somebody tests positive.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If someone tests positive, they will be removed from this area and taken to private location where the CDC will be contacted and
will notify the appropriate health organizations to help support that customer. We`ll take steps so that they`re not -- they won`t fly that day
obviously for their safety and the safety of everyone else on the flight.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (inaudible) for the flight that guarantees everything. (inaudible). Hello. Before take off, we`re told the plane has been
sanitized. Everything`s been made clean and there are wipes on every seat, a couple of them.
And we`re told there are extra masks available if you need them. So we are on our way to London (inaudible) passengers were (inaudible) to be onboard
did test positive for coronavirus. United already had their plan in place. The person`s been isolated and being taken care of, meaning the rest of the
flight you`ll receive greater confidence and security. United and the rest of the industry thinks this is the way forward.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AZUZ: The penguins recently showed up at Soldier Field in Chicago and before you say I`ve got my sports leagues confused. Told you. Penguins. Of
course Soldier Field has hosted greats like Butkus, Ditka and Payton. Recently it was visited by Charlotte, Izzie and Combo. They usually play at
Chicago`s Shed Aquarium but it`s closed right now so workers have been taking the penguins on field trips. It`s not the first time we`ve heard
about penguins and football. Consider the great "Ray Fliperty".
There`s "Krill Carter", "George Rapton", "John Waddle", "Derek Birrrookerie". A lot of players fit the "Bill Parcels" and not all of them
are "dolphins" so you just never know whom you`re going to find in the huddle. We found Manor High School in the huddle of comments on our You
Tube channel. It`s located in Manor, Texas and it is the "Manor" focus of today`s shout out. I`m Carl Azuz.
END
