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A Super Typhoon Makes Landfall in Taiwan; Many Residents Without Water in Cuba; Top Five CNN Heroes of the Year. Aired 4-4:10a ET
Aired November 01, 2024 - 04:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
COY WIRE, CNN 10 ANCHOR: Hello, everyone. Happy Friday, Fri-yay. I`m Coy Wire, aka the Queen of Hearts. If you want to see the Halloween costume my
daughters chose for me, you can head to @coywire on Instagram. Oh, boy.
I hope you had an absolutely awesome Halloween and you`re ready to finish this week strong before we rock on into the weekend. We have a ton of news
today and only 10 minutes to do it, so let`s get to it.
Massive waves crashing over seawalls, trees snapping like twigs, and torrential rain. That`s what`s happening right now in Taiwan.
Typhoon Kong-rey, a powerful storm struck this week. It`s the largest typhoon to hit the island since 1996. If this storm were a car, it`d be
cruising at 125 miles per hour. That`s how fast the winds are blowing.
What makes Kong-rey special is not just its speed, though. It`s the size. The storm`s strongest winds extend about 200 miles. That`s like having a
storm that could as wide as almost the entire state of Maine.
The impact, well, it`s been significant. Sadly, one person has lost their life and dozens of others have been injured as of the time of the taping of
this show. Taiwan has called in over 34,000 soldiers to help with rescue efforts and evacuated more than 8,600 people from dangerous areas.
More than 500 flights have been canceled, including 300 international ones. Even the famous high-speed rail is running at limited capacity. Taiwan`s
weather experts warned about extremely torrential rainfall, and that is their highest warning level.
Some areas in eastern and north Taiwan could see an additional 20 inches of rain, which could lead to flash flooding and landslides. Scientists say
that warmer oceans are making the storms like Kong-rey intensify more quickly than they used to. This is actually Taiwan`s third typhoon this
year.
After Taiwan, Kong-rey is not done yet. The storm is headed toward the East China Sea and Japan. You can head to cnn.com for the latest updates on its
path.
Up next, we`re getting an update on Cuba. Cuba`s infrastructure crisis has deepened as water shortages now affect over one million residents across
the island, following the devastating three-day power grid failure we reported on earlier this month.
Some neighborhoods have gone more than two weeks without running water, while Cuban officials blame U.S. economic sanctions. They acknowledge the
crisis stems from aging infrastructure, with the power outages creating a vicious cycle that further disrupts water access. The situation has exposed
issues with Cuba`s basic utilities.
Here`s our Patrick Oppmann with some more details on this story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Some days in many parts of Cuba, it seems there`s water everywhere but actually
inside people`s houses, like the power grid that crashed across the island for more than three days. Earlier this month, the island`s aging, poorly
maintained water system is also barely functioning.
Enough water spills in the street in some places to even wash your car. The day we first visit this hardscrabble neighborhood on the outskirts of
Havana, residents tell us they`ve not had running water in over two weeks.
Cuban officials blame U.S. sanctions in part for the failing water system, but acknowledged the crisis has grown to impact nearly 10% of the
population.
The water shortages have led some Cubans to take to the streets in protest, something the government usually does not tolerate. The worsening power
situation has a direct impact on the water supply.
(On camera): Many people, if not most people in Cuba don`t get water every day. You might get water for a few hours, every other day, every third day,
it`s what`s known as "el dia de agua," Water Day. When there`s a power cut, you don`t get any water that day either. The government says it sends water
trucks to help with the problem. But there are not enough to go around.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WIRE: Next up, five extraordinary individuals who proved that one person can be the spark that can create positive change. From a conductor in
Sweden helping new arrivals and his community through song, to a nonprofit helping girls in Togo, Africa stay in school, CNN honors the people that
make the world a better place. Here`s our Anderson Cooper introducing the top five heroes of 2024, ordinary people doing extraordinary things.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: I`m Anderson Cooper.
All year long, we`ve been introducing you to inspiring individuals who are making the world a better place. And at a time when we all can use more
kindness, compassion, and courage, we`re thrilled to announce the top five CNN heroes of 2024.
In Gothenburg, Sweden, conductor Ron Davis Alvarez and his dream orchestra give hundreds of refugees, immigrants, and native Swedes a chance to learn
an instrument, connect with others, and build better lives.
From Dallas, Stephen Knight was in addiction recovery when he fostered a friend`s dog so she could go to rehab. Today, his program provides free pet
care and peace of mind to help dog owners succeed with their sobriety.
Idaho native Peyton McGriff is helping girls in the African country of Togo stay in school. Her nonprofit provides tuition, tutoring, and an innovative
uniform made by local women that`s designed to grow the students.
From Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, immigration attorney Rachel Rutter is helping unaccompanied migrant children heal from trauma and start new lives
in the U.S. Her nonprofit provides free legal support and helps fill in gaps in housing, food, and education.
And a New York City MIT graduate, Yamilee Toussaint`s unique program is using dance to empower and educate girls of color in science, technology,
engineering, and math.
Congratulations to the top five CNN heroes of 2024. Now it`s time for you to help decide who will be this year`s CNN Hero of the Year and receive
$100,000 to continue their life-changing work.
Go to cnnheroes.com right now to vote and be sure to watch CNN Heroes, an all-star tribute, on Sunday, December 8th, when we announce the winner and
celebrate all of this year`s honorees.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WIRE: Pop quiz, hot shot. Where was the character Hello Kitty created? England, China, Japan, or America?
Put up your hand if you said Japan. Hello Kitty was created in 1974 by Yuko Shimizu, an illustrator for the Japanese entertainment company Sanrio.
Hello Kitty first appeared on a vinyl coin purse in Japan in 1975.
Today`s story getting a 10 out of 10, an iconic pop culture cat. Today, Hello Kitty is celebrating 50 years of spreading joy and cuteness around
the world. With her signature red bow, Hello Kitty has become the world`s second-highest-grossing franchise at $80 billion.
That is perfectly impressive for what started as a simple coin purse design back in 1974. Here`s our Hanako Montgomery with more details on this possum
story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HANAKO MONTGOMERY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In this sea of Hello Kitties, it`s hard for superfan Asako Kanda to pick her
favorite.
ASAKO KANDA, HELLO KITTY SUPERFAN (through translation): This one talks. She said, "I missed you."
MONTGOMERY: Like many fans before her, Kanda was drawn to Hello Kitty as a child. Her collection`s grown a bit since then.
(On camera): So this Hello Kitty is a special Hello Kitty that`s celebrating her 50th birthday, and she`s wearing a tartan because Hello
Kitty herself is actually British.
(Voice-over): She loves them all like family. Getting rid of any is out of the question.
With her iconic red bow and mouthless charm, Hello Kitty has captivated generations of fans. In her 50 years, she`s been a United Nations
ambassador, met global stars, and even picked up some sports, all while taking Japan`s kawaii, or cute, culture from niche to worldwide. And her
hard work`s paid off.
Worth $80 billion, Hello Kitty is the second-highest-grossing franchise in the world, according to TitleMax.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WIRE: All right, it is shout-out time, and today I want to give a special shout-out to Gildersleeve Middle School in Newport News, Virginia. Thank
you for being part of the CNN 10 family.
Did you know that Virginia is the birthplace of more U.S. presidents than any other state? Pretty cool.
I also want to give a big hello and shout-out to my old neighbor Ryan, Mr. Griffith`s eighth-grade class, and all our friends at Daniel Island School
in Charleston, South Carolina. Rise up.
Cue that Friday music, nadir. Go on out. Have an awesome weekend. Make someone smile. You are more powerful than you know. I`ll see you right back
here on Monday on CNN 10.
END
