Return to Transcripts main page

CNN 10

Fire Ravages Historic Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris; Sudanese Protestors Push for Civilian Rule; Positive Athlete Series

Aired April 16, 2019 - 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: Hi, I`m Carl Azuz. A devastating fire at the worlds most famous Gothic cathedral is our first story today on CNN 10.

During the afternoon rush hour on Monday, fire trucks were fighting traffic in Paris, France to get to Notre Dame. It`s a Catholic church who`s

construction began in the 12th century and as we produced this show some of its features like a spire that sat on top of the cathedral have been lost.

The commander general of the Paris Fire Brigade said the first call to emergency services indicated that the fire had broken out in Notre Dame`s

attic. When we produced this show, officials didn`t know what caused the blaze or if anyone was injured.

There was scaffolding around the building as renovations were being done. Notre Dame is one of the most popular tourist attractions in a city that

has a lot of them. An estimated 13 million people visit the cathedral each year. In addition to a landmark, its also a functioning church and the

blaze occurred during the Christian Holy Week between the holidays of Palm Sunday and Easter. CNN`s Melissa Bell was part of a crowd of people who

witnessed the fire Monday evening.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Just an extraordinary scene here just outside of Notre Dame has (inaudible) the amount of fire engines that are

now (inaudible) building. The efforts that have been made - - being made to get this fire under control but for the time being that is not

happening. Those flames are still really substantial behind the two main towers that mark that very famous front of Notre Dame. Huge amounts of

smoke bellowing out. Flames still coming out through the very top of the roof. So that fire is raging for the time being and no where near being

contained.

Huge crowds have gathered looking on in absolute astonishment and horror at what`s happening here. We have no sense at the time being as - - as - - as

to how this might have begun. Notre Dame like so many other sites in Paris is extremely heavily guarded these days. Full of tourists at this time of

year in fact all year around people who come to see its extraordinary and world famous Gothic architecture. And it is one of those structures that

really is - - is beautiful on the inside as it is on the outside.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AZUZ: A French government official said, exceptional efforts were being made to save what was left of the cathedral. Workers were reportedly able

to get some of Notre Dames famous artwork out of the burning building. But as far as the structure itself went, fire fighters weren`t sure last night

what they could salvage. Tributes, memories and prayers were being offered from all over Europe and America.

Three leaders in three days, that`s what the African nation of Sudan has seen in the wake of a military coup that ousted its President Omar al-

Bashir. The leadership changes are part of a switch from Bashir`s rule to that of a military council. The military is now in control of Sudan. It`s

plan is to run the country for at least two years until a change over has been made to a civilian government. But many of the protestors who`s

demonstrations led to the coup want to see a civilian government now and their leaders say they plan to keep the protests going until it does.

Some other countries in the region are expressing support for Sudan. Saudi Arabia, for example, is sending humanitarian aid. A Sudanese military

commander says some human rights groups will be invited back into Sudan and that some political prisoners that were held during President Bashir`s rule

will now be released. Former President Bashir had been in power for 30 years. His political party says the coup was a violation of the

constitution and that the military`s action will delay the peaceful transition of power. But though the country`s government has been

officially listed as a presidential republic, many of those who lived under President Bashir say it was more like a dictatorship.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was 11 years old when Omar al-Bashir came to power. I have known no other government in a real sense other than his government

and overnight our lives changed. But what I remember most is those first few hours and days and how empty those streets were and how everybody was

watching and waiting to see what was coming next. And I think about that a lot, I`ve thought about that a lot because I think I never really believed

that he would go.

So many of the people that we`ve been speaking to hoped and prayed but more importantly believed that al-Bashir would go. And what`s extraordinary is

that most of those that were demonstrating against President Omar al- Bashir, his children. They are the generation that grew up under him. The majority of Sudan`s population is under 30 and - - and that is the majority

of the people that were at that sit in. And yet in spite of the fact they had known nothing other than him, nothing other than the (inaudible) and

the infrastructure of his rule and his oppression that they had no real freedom of expression or freedom of the press or freedom of assembly.

They still were able to dream it and they were able to visual it. And even now, many of those that we`re speaking to on the ground say that they will

not leave the city site until they are guaranteed a peaceful, civilian transfer of law. What they want is democracy in spite of never having

experienced it, what they have fought for is something that they believe they deserve and that is freedom. And that is what they are going to

continue to fight for they are very cognizant of what happened in Egypt after the oust of Mubarak. They have seen what is possible in Algiers with

the declaration of - - of a civilian transition and - - and elections there. And that is what they want for themselves and that`s what they want

for their country and - - and we hopefully will be watching and waiting as they continue to push for that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AZUZ: And now our ongoing Positive Athlete Series sometimes it`s about an unfailingly good attitude. Sometimes it`s about the way a students helping

a community. Sometimes its about a competitor overcomes tragedy and that`s certainly what happened with Scott Tibbetts. After his older sister, a

college student named Molly was murdered last summer, Scott`s team rallied around him and he did his best to return their support.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SCOTT TIBBETTS: I`ve always played quarterback in football ever since I can remember and I always said that if I didn`t play quarterback I`m not

sure I`d play football. And it`s just really because I like the position, I like being the leader on the field.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I`d say in that senior class that he was probably the main guy before any of this stuff happened with his sister that stepped up

and took that leadership responsibility.

TIBBETTS: I feel like I had to be there for my team and my community after they had been there for me through all that.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: With the news that he - - that he got about them finding his sister, you know obviously he needed some time when they get

news like that on a Tuesday that they`re probably not going to be ready to play on Friday.

TIBBETTS: I missed one or two practices that week and then I practiced the Thursday before and then I told them I was going to play.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He talked with his family. He has decided that he wanted to give it a try and ended up playing the game of his life. Which -

-which was just awesome for everybody involved to see.

TIBBETTS: You know, I had a different feeling because, you know, a lot of people were wearing teal. A lot of people were, you know, clearly there

supporting us. It was - - it was really special. I don`t run the ball very often so when I was able to run one in the whole team came around. It

felt a little different than a normal touchdown celebration and you know we had to lead at that point and everyone was pretty excited. I remembered

she always loved after - - after our games if I had ever played well she loved to come home and tell me how great I played and just how - - how much

fun she had watching me. So, I think she would love to see that.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it gave Scott something to - - and his family something to focus on that help them get through that obviously really

difficult situation.

TIBBETTS: I mean, it was really cool because, you know, there`s quite a good turnout for the game, you know. It was far away but a lot of people

showed up and then my whole family was there. And it was cool just being able to, you know, go hug everyone after the game and it felt different

than a normal after high school football game when you`re just taking pictures. It felt a little more special.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I mean, I`m really proud of him for - - for what he did and the way that he did it and the example that he set.

TIBBETTS: Just being able to focus on football for a few hours, that was - - it was good. I think it was - - it really helped to play.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AZUZ: If you`re into fast cars and all, meet the man who has your dream job. Rafaela DeSimone (ph) gets to test drive Ferraris for a living or as

he puts it to confirm that Ferraris are alive. He`s also an engineer but come on dude gets to drive Ferraris. On the track, in the hills around

Maranello, Italy, DeSimone (ph) says driving one of these is a unique experience and that they`re not only cars. That might be because they cost

more than houses but who wouldn`t "emotor" about having what ever formula it takes to "steer" a career that it`s so "aerodynamic".

You can burn off fuel, tread and calories if you have the inside line on drifting circuits all fast and "ferrarious". Who wouldn`t want to push to

start a career like that? I`m Carl "Alazuz" for CNN.

END