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A Panda Family Returns Home; The Greatest Light Show; An Ungulate Crash Landing That Saved One Buyer a Couple Bucks. Aired 4-4:10a ET
Aired November 09, 2023 - 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: What`s up superstars. It`s about that time. It`s Thursday, November 9. And it`s time to shine. Hey, that kind of rhyme. And
I wasn`t even trying, I`m lying. I was. Happy Friday eve. I`m Coy Wire. This is CNN 10. And we start today with some pandemonium. These giant
pandas at the national zoo in Washington are very important pandas. The pandas are native to China with an estimated 1800 left in the wild.
That`s according to the World Wildlife Fund. They`re also China`s national animal. Giant pandas live off of bamboo and they can eat more than 80
pounds of the plant every day. And they`re not called giant pandas for nothing. A male can weigh up to 300 pounds. That`s an offensive lineman in
the NFL. So what makes these three bears so special? Well, China loaned them to the National Zoo as part of a program that dates back more than 50
years.
But next week, this family, mom, and dad and their cub will return home. And it`s unclear whether China will send new bears. CNN Correspondent,
David Culver explains why this is significant in the big picture of what`s come to be known as Panda diplomacy.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAVID CULVER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: For weeks, visitors at the National Zoo in Washington have stopped by to say goodbye. The zoo`s three giant pandas now
headed to China. Zoo staff, call this a hiatus in their five decade wildly popular panda program. Chinese officials have yet to say, if it will
continue. You might wonder, why this even matters?
There are, of course, far more pressing issues between the U.S. and China. But as we look deeper, tracking where Pandas are leaving and where they`re
going, you get a better sense of the new world order. China`s hoping to craft these cuddly creatures used for China`s major political and
diplomatic needs, especially in places where it hopes to gain. But China says its focus is on conservation and research.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: President Nixon`s visit to our country --
CULVER: Beijing`s Panda diplomacy with Washington as it`s called kicked off in 1972. Following President Nixon`s historic visit to China, Chairman Mao
Zedong, the Founder of Communist, China gifted two Panas to the U.S. in a sign of warming, bilateral ties after decades of diplomatic deep freeze.
First Lady, Pat Nixon welcome the Pandas to Washington.
PAT NIXON, FORMER FIRST LADY: They will be enjoyed by the millions of people who come from across the country.
CULVER: Seen their popularity rise amongst Americans, China sent more pandas to other zoos across the U.S., eventually loaning instead of gifting
them. The 2011 agreement between China and the National Zoo stipulates ownership of the Pandas and any offspring belonged to China. The contract
also requires payment to China of $500,000 each year for the conservation of giant Pandas in China.
At its height, there were 15 pandas in the United States, but in the last decade, the numbers have dropped coinciding with worsening U.S.-China
relations with the three Pandas now departing the national zoo that only leaves zoo Atlanta with Pandas in the U.S.
For now, the contracts for Atlanta`s final four expire next year, no word on any extension.
(On camera): And that could mean that by the end of 2024, the only Panda in zoos in all of the Americas would be Xin Xin right here in Mexico City.
(Voice-over): China`s also loaned out new giant pandas to other countries, including E.U. nations, like Denmark, Finland, and Germany, and in the
Middle East, Qatar getting their first Panda last year. Regions where China is looking to bolster its relations and increase its influence. Staff at
the National Zoo, hopeful China might one day send over more giant Pandas. They`re even planning renovations for the soon to be vacant Panda exhibit.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WIRE: Ten second trivia.
Who gave the aurora borealis its name? Galileo, Cassini, Copernicus, or Kepler?
Galileo, Galileo was the astronomer who came up with the name in the early 1600s. Aurora borealis also known as Northern lights. It`s an atmospheric
phenomenon that creates enchanting dancing waves of light associated with countries surrounding the Arctic like Canada, Russia, and Norway.
But last weekend, you didn`t have to head for the North Pole to catch these mesmerizing shining skies. The borealis were spotted in parts of the U.K.,
Ukraine, and Slovakia. And according to experts, southern sightings could become more common with increased solar activity. So how does the sun
summon this nighttime spectacle? We`ve got your answer right here.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JENNIFER GRAY, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Described as one of Earth`s greatest light shows, and aurora is one of the most fascinating and beautiful
naturally occurring phenomena. You might know it as in Northern lights, but it`s technically called the Aurora Borealis in the Northern hemisphere, in
the Aurora Australia`s or Southern lights in the Southern hemisphere. This phenomenon occurs above the magnetic poles in the Northern and Southern
hemisphere. They form when gas is particles in the Earth`s atmosphere, collide with charged particles released from the sun, electrons and protons
from the sun are blown toward the earth by the solar wind.
As these are carried towards earth, most of them are deflected by Earth`s magnetic field. However, the magnetic field is weaker at the poles,
allowing some of the particles to funnel into the Earth`s atmosphere. The vibrant colors produced are determined by the type of gases that are
colliding. The result is a brilliant display of the common green in yellow, less common blue and violet, even rare reds painting the night sky and
ribbons arcs or shooting rays. Oxygen produces green in red light while nitrogen gives off blue and purple. The best time of year to view the light
show is during the winter months, when the nights are longer. Under a cloud free sky away from light pollution.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WIRE: Today`s story getting a 10 out of 10 is a wild crash landing that helped one buyer knock a couple bucks off a deal. CNN`s Jeanne Moos has all
the deer tales.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN NATIONAL NEWS CORRESPONDENT: 13-year-old, Troy Wescott, was outside his maze landing, New Jersey home shooting hoops with his dog
Parker when he heard rustling in the leaves, the dogs spotted the deer first.
But just as spectacular as the leap was this coincidence, the 2007 Chevy Silverado pickup was for sale. And at the exact same moment, the
prospective buyer pulled up to cinch the deal, the deer slammed into the pickup.
(On camera): What did he say?
TROY WESCOTT, WITNESSED DEER LEAP: He was just shocked. He was like, oh wow.
MOOS: Troy`s dad was likewise stunned, but the buyer wasted no time in asking.
JILLIAN VAUGHN, TROY`S MOM: How about a little break on the price for the damage to the truck?
MOOS: The dent left by the young box saved the buyer, 1000 bucks off the asking price. The sellers started cracking jokes.
VAUGHN: We think that the deer was trained. I said, man, I know y`all brought that deer with you.
MOOS: As the video went viral, commenters had two questions.
VAUGHN: People are asking, is the deer okay?
MOOS: He seems to be OK, spotted on a neighbor`s trail camera.
VAUGHN: People are asking if the truck is still for sale.
MOOS: Nope, sold, but it took a flying deer to make a pickup less deer by a thousand bucks. Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WIRE: Oh dear, that was staggering. It would`ve behooved them to keep that truck in the garage. Hey, you Santa, you see that fly in deer, pick them
up.
All right, we`ve got two shoutouts in the YouTube version of our show today, since we`ve officially topped 800,000 subscribers on our CNN 10
YouTube Channel. Let`s go. Today, we`re showing love to Alcorn Central Middle School in Glen, Mississippi, rise up. And how about those sages, the
mighty sages at Monticello High School in Monticello, Illinois, it`s your moment. So own it. Happy Friday eve, superstar. I`ll see you tomorrow. I`m
Coy Wire and we are CNN 10.
END
