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Terror Attack in Paris; U.S. Embassy Move; Royal Wedding Countdown. Aired 2-2:30a ET

Aired May 13, 2018 - 02:00   ET

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

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CYRIL VANIER, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Live from the CNN Center here in Atlanta, I am Cyril Vanier and it is great to have you with us.

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VANIER: There has been another terror attack in France, this time on the streets of Paris. And authorities say a man carrying a knife killed one person and wounded four others.

This video from social media appears to show people running for help while a victim lies on the ground. Minutes later, the assailant was shot dead by police. A terrorism investigation is underway.

The attack happened in the city's Second Arrondissement. That's busy part of town with many restaurants, theaters, popular with both Parisians and tourists. It is not far from the Garnier Opera House.

ISIS is claiming responsibility for this and claimed online the attacker was its soldier but hasn't provided any proof to back that up. We've got CNN's Melissa Bell, who joins me now from very near, as I understand it, the site of the attack in Paris.

Melissa, I want to get from you the latest on the investigation. But first, since I understand you're close to where this happened, what have you been able to speak to anybody or are you getting any sense of just how people feel as they are waking up there this morning?

MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it is extremely quiet here this morning, Sunday morning and a rainy Sunday morning here in Paris. I'm surrounded only by journalists. But it was at this street corner, that the man just before 9:00 pm came around this corner, having taken out his knife and began trying to stab people.

And made his way down this street before being first Tasered and then shot by police. In the end the toll is one dead and four people injured. And we're hearing, Cyril, one of those most seriously injured may now have had life-saving operations and, therefore, be looking to survive this attack.

But clearly this part of town would have been absolutely packed with people last night on a Saturday night. There are lots of restaurants, as you can see around me, lots of bars. This is a kind of place people come to walk around on a Saturday evening.

So you can imagine the shock here in the heart of Paris, to have a terror attack with a knife. I mean, scenes would have been quite shocking for anyone who witnessed them. Indeed, I'm told some of those who were taken in were treated for shock.

It takes this latest death last night on the streets Paris, Cyril, the death toll for people from terror attacks here in France since 2015 to 246. This is still a country that lives under the threat of terror attacks, even those carried by single men armed with nothing more than a knife, who apparently can strike anywhere, anytime.

This is the nature of the threat we face at the moment. It's what we've seen these last few months, terror attacks carried out by single individuals with whatever means they had -- Cyril.

VANIER: There was cause to believe that there was a lull, at least in the pace of the attacks, since the end of last year. Clearly that is not the case. Recently we had the attack you also covered in the south of France, now this one in the capital.

What is the latest on the investigation and what are we learning about the attacker?

BELL: Well, we heard last night from the chief prosecutor, Francois Molins, from who we always hear in these situations, he confirmed that an anti-terror investigation has opened.

This based on the fact that eyewitnesses who were around here last night witnessed the terrible attack, heard the man cry, "Allahu akbar." Of course, there is this claim from ISIS as you mentioned but that has yet to be confirmed by French authorities or anyone other than the media wing of ISIS.

As far as the investigation goes, of course, a lot of focus on who this man was or what origin he was. We know that he was carrying no documents on him when he was taken down by police.

So a great deal of interest in precisely who he was, where he came from and why he acted as he did -- Cyril.

VANIER: Melissa Bell, reporting from Paris, thank you very much. You'll keep updating us as we find out more about the attacker and the reasons for the attack and the circumstances of the attack. Melissa, thank you.

At least nine people are dead after bombers attacked three Indonesian churches. This happened in the port city of Surabaya. That's in East Java. Police there say the attacks are suspected suicide bombings. In addition to the two deaths, 40 others have been injured. Investigators are working to identify the victims. Surabaya is about 660 kilometers from Jakarta.

The Israeli military says it is doubling its security forces ahead of the opening of the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem. That is scheduled for Monday. A 1-kilometer tunnel in Northern Gaza was blown up on Saturday by

Israeli forces. This is the sixth Palestinian tunnel to be destroyed in six months.

Coinciding with the embassy opening is the anniversary of Israel's founding in 1948. That is a date that often always inflames tensions with Palestinians. Oren Liebermann is in Jerusalem, reporting on this.

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VANIER: Let's look at both sides of this. Tell us first how the Israelis are looking at this embassy change.

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Cyril, for the Israelis, almost everything about this week is a reason for celebration. Let's start with today.

Although this is almost in a sense the least big day of the week, it is Jerusalem Day, where Israelis celebrate what they consider the reunification of the city of Jerusalem. It involves a parade through the Old City and the parade itself often inflames tensions, as it is a very loud parade, where a number of Israeli Jews march through the Muslim quarter of the Old City.

Then for tomorrow, which for Israelis will be the big day. It's the embassy opening, the official opening of the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem, meaning the U.S. is finally, after some 23 years, as it was required by the U.S. Congress, moved its embassy from Tel Aviv to Israel.

That move, which Donald Trump promised in the campaign, is a move many Israelis never thought would actually happen because they've seen it promised by Republican presidents. They've seen it promised by Democratic presidents.

And yet until Trump came, it never happened. So with the move, it's a reason celebration for Israelis. And tomorrow is expected to be a very big day here, not only for Israel but also for the U.S., which has been putting on quite a show around the official opening of the embassy.

VANIER: What about the Palestinians?

Different story there.

LIEBERMANN: Absolutely. As is so often the case, when side here has a reason to celebrate, it is exactly the opposite on the other side.

That is crucially because, one day later, Palestinians will mark Nakba Day, the catastrophe, which is a day of mourning for them, where they mourn the creation of the state of Israel and the expulsion of some 700, 000 Palestinians during the creation of the state of Israel and the war that followed.

That is just one reason this will be a very difficult week for Palestinians and one reason they see the U.S.' decision to open the embassy on this day as an affront to Palestinians. It is also the beginning of Ramadan this week. And that means there is often an increase in tensions in the Old City and throughout Israel and the West Bank between Israelis and Palestinians.

So from both sides here, Cyril, this could be a very volatile week.

VANIER: And, by the way, Oren, there is no denying how important this is symbolically, politically in terms of the peace deal and regional politics and all of that. But concretely speaking, in terms of the actual building, we're talking about just changing a plaque on a building mostly, aren't we?

LIEBERMANN: You're absolutely right. We even said that from the beginning. It was almost exactly year ago that Trump made his trip here. In fact, it might have been a year ago this week. And we talked about that.

If you want to move the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in its simplest terms, just switch the sign and have the ambassador work out of Jerusalem instead of Tel Aviv. That is effectively what happened. It required a few office switches. It will require a slight expansion to what up until tomorrow is the consulate.

But it is just essentially a plaque and a sign changing. And we saw some of that, Jerusalem has changed its signs around what will be the embassy from the U.S. consulate this way to U.S. embassy this way.

So you're right. Logistically it's an incredibly simple move and yet one that symbolically carries so much importance here.

VANIER: All right, Oren Liebermann, about 24 hours removed now from the official switching of the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. And I would note the U.S. President Donald Trump had actually weighed whether or not he should be present. He will not be.

However, there will be a video speech given by the U.S. president. I also understand he'll be represented in Jerusalem by Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump. We will get much more from you on all of this in the coming hours. Thank you, Oren.

North Korea is now setting a date for the dismantling of its nuclear test site and giving more details about what will happen. North Korean state media says it will be carried out between May 23rd and May 25th, depending on the weather.

That means it is just weeks before U.S. President Donald Trump sits down with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. As part of the dismantling, tunnels will be blown up and research facilities will be removed and foreign journalists will be allowed to watch.

President Trump tweeted, thank you. And he called the move a, quote, "very smart, very gracious" gesture ahead of the summit in Singapore.

Arm in arm, a group of 82 female film stars put on a symbolic show of solidarity at the Cannes Film Festival. Cate Blanchett, Salma Hayek, Marion Cotillard led the march up the red carpet to show their support for women struggling for a voice in this movie industry.

This is the first Cannes Film since last year's sexual abuse scandals rocked Hollywood. The women called the march a symbol of determination and commitment to progress.

The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle is less than a week away. It is on Saturday, next weekend, and Buckingham Palace has released images, showing Queen Elizabeth's formal consent.

In the U.K., the first six people in line to the throne must get the queen's permission to tie the knot. That's what this is. She actually gave her consent to the marriage back in March but we're just getting a look now at the elaborate document.

It's designed with symbols --

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VANIER: -- of the United Kingdom and the Markles' home state of California. It will be given to the couple after their wedding day on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the couple has asked the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church to give the address at the service, which will be conducted by the Dean of Windsor. The Archbishop of Canterbury will officiate the marriage vows.

And after the ceremony, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle plan to leave Windsor Castle for a procession through the town. Members of the armed forces, including some who actually served with the groom, with Prince Harry in Afghanistan, will be escorting them. Max Foster joins the cavalry as they prepare for the big day.

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MAX FOSTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When Meghan Markle steps into St. George's Chapel, her arrival will be heralded by state trumpeters.

TRUMPET MAJOR MATTHEW SCREEN: I don't think we'll be seen. Everyone will be looking at the dress rather than us. But you will definitely hear us.

FOSTER (voice-over): Trumpet Major Matthew Screen sent recordings of several fanfares to the couple for them to select which one they wanted.

SCREEN: It's of a very poignant moment if not then, the moment of the wedding. Then there is a lot of pressure, a lot of pressure involved.

FOSTER (voice-over): Given Prince Harry's military service, it's no surprise the household cavalry has been asked to play an important role on the day. Those who served alongside him in Afghanistan remember him fondly.

FRANKIE O'LEARY, LANCE CORPORAL: On a personal level, humorous; bags of humor, which he seems to pull out the bag even when the chips are down. People are hungry and fed up and don't want to go on, he can still pull out a laugh.

FOSTER (voice-over): Some of his former service personnel will ride alongside the royal carriage, whilst others will line the steps of the chapel.

MAJOR DANIEL STOVALL (ph): He means everything to me and to my men and I like to think it means a lot to him, knowing full well that the soldiers on parade have either served with him in operations abroad or worked with him on training exercises.

FOSTER (voice-over): At the cavalry's barracks in Central London, there's a buzz of excitement. Uniforms are cleaned and mended, jackboots are polished. The armory is checked. And horses prepared for show.

It's a routine they're used to. But this time the audience is global. And when it comes to Prince Harry's fiancee, Meghan Markle, they're pretty excited about that, too.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A cracker, to be fair, a looker, very cool, got that Yankee style, yes. We're happy for him.

FOSTER (voice-over): No doubt, Prince Harry agrees -- Max Foster, CNN, London.

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VANIER: A cracker and a looker. He's not wrong.

Thanks for watching. Up next, it's "MARKETPLACE AFRICA." You're with CNN.