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CNN 10

California Plans Vaccine Mandate For Grade School Students; Energy Shortages Trigger Problems In China; U.S. Supreme Court Kicks Off New Session. Aired 4-4:10a ET

Aired October 04, 2021 - 04:00:00   ET

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


CARL AZUZ, CNN 10 ANCHOR: Welcome one, welcome all to a new week of our show, as we present down the middle events coverage from around the world.

My name is Carl Azuz and today`s first story takes us to America`s most populated state where a controversial new law is set to take effect in the

months ahead. California`s government will require students to get a corona virus vaccine in order to attend school.

This will apply to millions of students from Kindergarten through 12th grade, at public and private schools in California, but it won`t take

effect until one of the vaccines is fully approved for younger people by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Currently a vaccine made by the

company`s Pfizer and Biontech is approved for people ages 16 and older, but it has not been fully approved for younger Americans.

People ages 12 through 15 can get one under an emergency use authorization. California`s government expects the FDA will eventually approve COVID

vaccines for kids. So it says its vaccine mandates will follow that and likely take effect in January or July.

It will apply to students who attend school in-person but there will be online schools, home school and independent study options for unvaccinated

students. According to the Los Angeles Times, parents will be able to refuse the vaccine for their children on the ground of personal beliefs,

but California`s government might overturn that option in the future.

The state governor says the school mandate will speed up efforts to overcome the COVID pandemic, but health officials say its possible for the

Delta variant of corona virus to spread among vaccinated people. Lawsuits against the mandate are expected.

While some parents have said they support the idea and think it will keep kids safer at school, other have said the vaccine needs to be a personal,

medical decision not a requirement. They`re concerned about the short and long-term effects of the vaccine on young people who have a much higher

survival rate for COVID than older people. If and when the school mandates take effect, they`ll make California the first state in the nation to have

them.

For years, China has been the world`s largest manufacturer. In fact, it`s known as the world`s factory because China`s output accounts for more than

28 percent of global manufacturing. But the soaring cost of energy is triggering several problems for the Asian country, including its ability to

make goods. The shortages became widespread in June and have only gotten worse since then.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SELINA WANG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The world`s biggest energy consumer is running out of power. China`s energy crunch is triggering blackouts forcing

factories to cut production, overturning people`s daily lives and threatening the world`s second largest economy.

Social media users have posted images of cities gone dark. Severe traffic jams caused by traffic lights that stopped working. Shops forced to close

early or resorting to candlelight to stay open. A mother with two young kids, trapped in an elevator for 45 minutes after a sudden power outage.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE TRANSLATED: It was completely dark. I can see nothing because the power is cut off from everything. Only when vehicles drove

past, you could see lights on.

WANG: The power cuts have rippled across northeastern China and parts of the south. The cause of it all, a perfect storm of factors, demand for

Chinese goods is surging as the global economy emerges from the pandemic, increasing use of China`s electricity hungry factories. That`s sending

energy prices skyrocketing, but since electricity prices are regulated in China, some power companies are losing money and hesitant to boost

production.

At the same time, China is trying to meet its ambitious climate goals, to bring carbon emissions to a peak before 2030 and net zero by 2060. So local

officials are rationing power to meet annual targets before the year end. Power outages aren`t new to China, but this one is especially severe.

YUN JIANG, DIRECTOR AT CHINA POLICY CENTER: All, most provinces in China when there is a shortage of power. They ration for industry spurts. So it

doesn`t effect residential uses. But in the northeast, because it has reached a quite significant shortage, it is now even rationing for

residential uses and that is quite significant because it could lead to a lot of social discontent.

WANG: And residents are taking to social media to complain. One user posted, there is no gas. Don`t we need to cook and eat? I have been

ordering take-out for two day. Another wrote, people from northeast China have to light candles in the middle of the night, this is not North Korea.

I`m speechless.

This person writing, many communities have been lockdown due to the pandemic. If there is no water or electricity, that`s so unbearable. The

power rationing could create new headaches for global supply chains with several Apple and Tesla suppliers suspending production.

PHILIP ANDREWS-SPEED, PRINCIPAL FELLOW AT THE ENERGY STUDIES INSTITUTE, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE: There`ll be further interruptions to

supplies of different things whether it be toys for Christmas or metals and -- and silica for advance materials in advanced equipment.

WANG: But the power supply challenges aren`t unique to China.

ANDREWS-SPEED: It is partly a problem of managing the low-carbon energy transition, at a time when the economy`s picking up after the pandemic. I

think we`re going to see the same type of challenges in other parts of the world.

WANG: China`s energy crisis is a sign of what the world is reckoning with, in its bumpy transition to clean energy. Selina Wang, CNN, Tokyo.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AZUZ: 10 Second Trivia. Which of these U.S. Founding Fathers became the nation`s first Chief Justice? John Adams, John Hancock, John Jay or John

Marshall. In 1789, President George Washington nominated John Jay to become America`s first Chief Justice.

And the Senate confirmed Jay to that position just two days later. These days that process usually takes months no matter who`s president. Once a

justice is confirmed, he or she serves on the high court during what the Constitution calls "good behavior" which can be for life.

And those on the Supreme Court right now have just begun a new session. It traditionally starts on the first Monday in October. This Fall session will

be the first in-person meeting of the nine justices since the COVID pandemic started, except that not all nine justices will actually be there.

Associate Justice Bret Kavanaugh tested positive for COVID-19 last Thursday, though he was fully vaccinated. So he`ll be participating in the

oral arguments remotely this week. What will those arguments be about? Three of them center on very contentious issues in the United States.

One involves religion, specifically student aid in schools that teach religion. Another case involves a state law that bans most abortions after

15 weeks of pregnancy. Gun rights are also on the docket in the case of a law that limits who can carry a concealed handgun in public. Other

arguments involve campaign finance and religious symbols at government buildings.

These closely watched cases could all lead to major changes in America and the action begins this week. Another event that begins this week and runs

through next Monday is the daily announcement of the 2021 Nobel Prize winners.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: At the age of 28, the young Marie went and married a French scientist named Pierre Curie. Together in their laboratory in Paris,

they shared in the research that isolated PNO-III.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AZUZ: Does a $10,000 Oreo rate a 10 out of 10? It does for the diehard Pokeman fan willing to pay it. Pokemon Oreos came out last month, featuring

video game characters on cookies. But the "Mew" Pokemon is a rare one, so some are popping up on E-bay for as much as $10,000 plus shipping.

That`s for one cookie. That`s made out of the same stuff as regular Oreos which sell for around $3 per package of 36 cookies. But this one`s got

something "mew", and while it`s cooked up "Thunderous" interest, some might even call it a "registeel".

Others will think the seller is "Cobalian" and there`s "Oreonoway" he`ll endorse the sale. Guess they`ll just have to "Nabisgo" somewhere else if

you know what I`m saying. I`m Carl Azuz. The city of Powell is in northwest Wyoming. That`s where we`re going to shout out Powell High School today.

Subscribing and commenting on our You Tube channel is the only way to get your school mentioned.

END